If you are thinking about drinking wine, this blog is for you - Wine recommendations, thoughts on wine travel, and more.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Tempranillo Day
Tempranillo is a black grape which is native to Spain but is now grown in many other parts of the world. It typically produces medium to full bodied red wine with red berry aromas and flavors, medium acidity and medium tannins. However, depending on the clone and the climate conditions, it may display more black fruit character. Due to the grape's resistance to oxidation, it is often aged for extended periods in oak barrels which add vanilla and incense nuances.
All of the wines I tasted were provided to me as media samples. They all come from Spain and are part of the Freixenet portfolio.
2010 Tapeña (100% Tempranillo) approximately $10
Clear, medium ruby color with clean, medium+ intense aromas of cranberry and raspberry with potting soil. Dry, medium body, medium+ acidity and alcohol with medium tannnins and a medium+ length. This wine is nicely balanced and fruity. I sampled it first at lunchtime with grilled salmon kabobs and then again that evening with pulled pork, asparagus with pancetta and garlicky mashed potatoes. It worked really well with both meals and I think it would also make a great Thanksgiving Day wine. Very easy drinking.
2008 Vaza Rioja (90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano) approximately $12
Clear, medium ruby color with clean, medium+ intense aromas of cranberry and cherry with baking spice. and a bit of dirty laundry. Dry, medium+ body, acidity, alcohol, tannnins and length. This wine is also nicely balanced, fruity, easy drinking and would work with a wide variety of meals including Thanksgiving.
2003 Valdubón Crianza Ribera del Duero (100% Tempranillo) approximately $18
Clear, medium+ intense garnet color with clean, medium+ intense aromas primarily of black cherries and berries and vanilla with incense and a bit of chocolate . Dry, medium+ body, medium+ acidity, alcohol, tannnins and length. This wine is a bit bigger and more complex than the first two. It paired well with our dinner and I think it would work well with any grilled or roasted meat.
I really enjoyed all three wines and the fun of the TweetChat while celebrating Tempranillo, Spain's most important red wine grape.
I hope you will join in next time!
Related posts:
from Vintage Texas - TAPAS Tempranillo Day 2012 – Tasting New World Tempranillos from Texas, California and Oregon
from Vine Sleuth - #TempranilloDay
Monday, November 5, 2012
Hosting Champagne Day at Crush Wine Lounge
Crush Wine Lounge asked me to host a Champagne Day event for them on Friday, October 26. Attendees tried four of Crush's top-selling Champagnes served with paired hor d'oeuvres while learning about Champagne- the region, the method and the wines. Early arrivers started with an alternate sparkling made in a different way so as to be prepared to compare when the tasting began.
The line up for the evening included:
- NV Henriot Blanc served with mini crab cakes
- 2006 Louis Roederer Brut Rosé served with seared tuna
- NV Bollinger “Special Cuvee” served with roasted chicken and chutney
- 2004 Perrier-Jouet Belle Epoque Fleur served with grilled shrimp
Of particular interest to this group:
- Champagne's long history to protect the ownership of its name- Since 1887.
- The cellars made from old Roman chalk quarries under the cities of Epernay and Reims.
- The rumors of scandal surrounding Dom Perignon.
- The riddling process as developed by Nicole Barbe Ponsardin aka Veuve Cliquot.
- The different ways to produce Rosé Champagne- the one we tasted was made via the Saignée method.
This event is the first in a new quarterly series of educational tastings that Crush will be offering. Stay tuned for the upcoming schedule.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
1996 Paolo Scavino Rocche dell'Annunziata Barolo Riserva
We had been holding this 1996 Paolo Scavino Rocche dell'Annunziata Barolo Riserva for awhile now and I decided that morning at 8:00 A.M. that its time was up so I popped the cork, poured myself a little taste, decanted it, and set the decanter in an ice bucket with cool water to keep it at cellar temperature. I was surprised to see that the wine had not really thrown any sediment at all, considering its 16 years of age, I expected more.
Morning Tasting note: Deep garnet color with a brickish rim, medium intense floral aromas of violets, light cherry flavor, smooth. I was looking forward to coming back to it in twelve hours.
Barolo wines are 100% Nebbiolo produced in Piedmont in Italy. This wine is sourced from the highly regarded Rocche dell'Anunziata vineyard in the commune of La Morra. The Tortonian calcareous soils of the vineyards help to form a wine that is very aromatic and that is usually a bit softer and more elegant than some of the wines produced by the neighboring communes.
A few years ago when I knew just a little about wine, I had the opportunity to pick and choose through the wine cellars of two different restaurants that had reached their end. I got some really amazing wine at rock bottom prices and this was one of those bottles. I debated whether I would even write this wine up or not as it was probably not very available. A quick online search showed me that there were bottles out there priced on average around $220 a bottle. Hmmm, maybe I should have googled it before I opened it.
That evening, I poured myself another small taste and was pleased to see that it was indeed opening up and expressing itself, I added more to my tasting note before I started cooking. Aside from my husband's slightly late arrival which lead to some slightly sticky risotto, we had a fantastic evening with an almost perfect meal and a beyond perfect wine.
Evening Tasting Note: Deep garnet color with a brickish rim, pronounced floral aromas of violets and iris, potting soil, cherry, leather and a bit of tar. Medium+ body with medium+ acidity, alcohol and silky tannins with flavors of dried cherry, raspberry, a savory note with a slightly spicy, very long and smooth finish. There was also more to the wine that just wasn't easy to define, it was definitely "complex".
So, if you have an extra $220 laying about and the ability to have wine shipped to you wherever you may be, I highly recommend that you try this wine as the 1996 Paolo Scavino Rocche dell'Annunziata Barolo Riserva is drinking divinely right now. Salute!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Tasting Morellino di Scansano
The wines must contain a minimum of 85% Sangiovese and is produced in three different styles: a fresh, fruity style that can be released March 1 after harvest, First Selection which has been elevated in wood for a minimum of 4 1/2 months and Riserva which has been aged for at least two years with a minimum of one of those years in wooden barrel. Most of the wines fall in the $15 to $20 price range.
We tasted seven different wines over the course of the evening and, to quote James King who taught the class, the common trait of the wines in the tasting was that "Each has character but without power and weight" making for some very drinkable wines.
Moris Farms: Morellino di Scansano 2011
(90% Sangiovese with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah) 13.5% abv
Young and fruity. Aromas and flavors of fresh black fruit- berries and cherries. Very simple yet balanced with medium- body, acidity, tannins and length.
Provveditore: Morellino di Scansano 2011
(100% Sangiovese) 14% abv
Still simple but more complex than the first. An interesting nose- iodine, forest floor and a savory note. Sour cherry flavor, medium body and silkier tannins, medium+ acidity with a longer length.
Fattoria le Pupille: Morellino di Scansano 2010
(85% Sangiovese with 15% Alicante & Malvasia Nera) 13.5% abv
Aromas and flavors of black plum and cinnamon with medium- body, medium+ acidity, ripe tannins and a medium+ length finish.
Massi di Mandorlaia: Morellino di Scansano "I Massi" 2010
(85% Sangiovese with 15% Alicante and Malvasia Nera) 14.5% abv
Aromas of wet stone, strawberry, cherry and violet. Red fruit flavor with medium+ body, grippy tannins, acidity and length. The first of the four where you sense longer oak aging.
(85% Sangiovese with 15% Merlot) 14% abv
Aromas and flavors of cured meat, smoke, oregano and a salty minerality with medium body, medium+ acidity, velvety tannins and a long herbal finish. This was my overall favorite.
La Selva: Morellino di Scansano "Colli dell'Uccellina" 2009
(85% Sangiovese with 15% Merlot) 14%abv
Aromas of dark berries and cherries and fennel. Flavors of plum, raspberry, licorice with medium+ body, smoother tannins and bordering on high acidity with a bit of a black pepper finish.
Massi di Mandorlaia: Morellino di Scansano Riserva 2008(85% Sangiovese with 15% Alicante, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon) 14.5% abv
Aromas of sage, leather, vanilla and cured meat with similar flavors with medium body, acidity, medium+ grippy tannins with a long meaty length.
Overall, I found each one to be interesting and drinkable and worth seeking out. Each would work well with Italian cured meats and cheeses, pizza and just about anything that you would serve with tomato sauce.
Related post at DoBianchi
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tenuta Lodola Nuova Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2007
It was a ruby red in the glass with primarily fruity aromas of ripe cherries, blackberries, plums with some dried leaves. It was medium+ body with smooth ripe medium tannins, medium+ acidity and alcohol. It had the same fruity flavors as the aromas with a black tea addition to the taste with a long fruity finish.
As we are trying to cut back a bit on our meat intake this week after overdoing it last weekend, I served it with a Caprese type salad, potato and onion soup and pepperoni pizza. It was fantastic with each course of our meal.
Very drinkable and highly recommended. I found this
bottle at Kroger for approximately $24.
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Some Affordable Italian Whites
Clear, pale straw color with a watery rim. Clean, fresh aromas of mixed herbs, natural almonds and pear. Dry, medium- body, mouth watering high acidity, medium alcohol with a pear flavor and a medium length lemon citrus finish.
This wine comes from the historical growing zone around the medieval town of Orvieto in Umbria located in Central Italy. It is a blend based primarily on Grechetto and Trebbiano (aka Procanico). I served it with grilled sea bass and grilled zucchini, yellow squash and red bell peppers. I had weeded my herb garden shortly after I woke up that day and when I first opened the bottle that evening, I thought it smelled remarkably like my herb garden did in the early morning sunshine. Recommended.
This wine comes from the sub zone Valdadige which is located in the northeast area of Italy's Alto Adige. The first time I remember having it was at the "The Merroir Experience", an oyster tasting wine event held in Houston last Spring. Since then, I have seen it on a variety of restaurant wine lists including as a wine by the glass offering at a Chindian restaurant near me. I had picked up this bottle to have on hand for its versatility and affordability. I opened it to serve with pan seared tilapia and rice pilaf. A simple anytime white, Recommended.
Clear, pale straw color with a watery rim. Clean, fresh floral aroma of chamomile. Dry, medium+ body, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol with a green apple and under ripe pineapple flavor and a medium length finish.
This wine is 100% Garganega and is sourced from the classic region of production east of Verona in Veneto. I served this bottle two days in a row as an aperitif before dinner, Recommended.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
2007 Two Hands "Zippy's Block" Shiraz
We had purchased a couple of bottles of this last Fall at The Tasting Room at Uptown Park after trying it at one of their tasings, I am not sure if it is still available there. I believe that is was priced around $75. After drinking lighter weight wines for most of the summer, this was our ode to the advent of Fall. As we are still having afternoon temperature in the low 90's here in Houston, it was more symbolic than having anything to do with an actual change in the weather.
Anyway, we both really enjoyed it. It was big and bold and everything that you are expecting in a wine from Barossa and it definitely hit the spot for that evening's desire to step out of our summer routine. Aromas and flavors of blackberry, mint, bacon and chocolate. It had a full body, medium+ acidity, very smooth medium+ tannins, medium+ alcohol and a long rich finish. Loved it! Highly recommended.
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Four from France
Nose: Clean, medium intense aromas of lemongrass, melon, wetstone and celery.
Palate: Dry, medium body, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol with flavors of grapefruit and melon with a medium length finish.
Recommended. I served this before dinner out by the pool and it was very well recieved. Purchased at Whole Foods.
Nose: Clean, medium intense aromas of apricot and red fruit.
Palate: Dry, medium body, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol with flavors mirroring the aromas with a medium length mineral tinged finish.
Recommended. I have had this twice this month. I purchased a bottle at Top Shelf Wine and Spirits in Sugar Land for $22 to bring to a friend's Labor Day party on Galveston Island where it was a big hit. Then, my husband and I had it again last Friday at Aura French Restaurant in Missouri City with the Trout Provencale. That was a great meal, great pairing and priced at $29 on the wine list, a great deal.
related post:
Domaine Ott in Bandol
I have had this one three times in the past two months. One bottle was absolutely fantastic at home with take-out pizza:
Nose: Clean, medium intense aromas of red fruit, roasted meat and sage.
Palate: Dry, medium body, medium+ acidity, , medium tannins, medium+ alcohol with flavors like the aromas with a medium+ peppery finish.
Three weeks later with take out pizza again, another bottle was just acid and alcohol. We opened something else that night. I tried it again the next day but it had not improved. I ended up dumping it out. Next, I tried it by the glass a week and a half ago at Max's Wine Dive, it was acceptable. Same profile as at its best but with low intensity aromas and a diluted flavor. As it has been inconsistent, I am not recommending it. Approximately $25.
2009 Domaine Faiveley Mercurey
Nose: Clean, medium intense fruity aromas of red berries, cherries and white pepper.
Palate: Dry, medium body, medium+ acidity, medium alcohol with smooth medium tannins; flavors mirroring the aromas with a medium+ length finish.
Recommended. Approximately $30 at Whole Foods.
related posts:
2007 Domaine Faiveley Mercurey
Dinner at the Mockingbird Bistro
Monday, September 17, 2012
Clos du Bois Rouge paired with Recipes from Katie Lee


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I had most of the ingredients already in my pantry so there wasn't too much shopping that I needed to do other than to buy dried cherries for the cookies and to get the chicken, both of which I got at Whole Foods along with some of their smoked potato salad and some fresh corn on the cob for the sides. I made the cookies, mixed up the dry rub and made the BBQ sauce in the morning so my evening would be a little bit smoother.
Later that evening, I got the chicken cooking, set the table and opened the wine. The 2010 Clos du Bois Rouge had pronounced aromas and flavors of fresh ripe plums, mixed berries and cherries with cocoa. It had a medium+ body, smooth ripe tannins and medium+ acidity. The wine was fresh and fruity and tasted great, especially for the approximately $15 price.
I took the chicken out of the oven as my husband walked in the door and dinner was served. We both agreed that this was a well done pairing by Katie Lee. If you are wondering why this red wine worked so well with chicken, it is because her BBQ sauce recipe had a really nice flavor balance, it was a more tangy style than the sweet and spicy that is so common around here. The tangy flavor is primarily from the acidity of the apple cider vinegar in the sauce which made the wine taste a bit more rich and the fruit flavors seem sweeter.
Later that evening, I got the chicken cooking, set the table and opened the wine. The 2010 Clos du Bois Rouge had pronounced aromas and flavors of fresh ripe plums, mixed berries and cherries with cocoa. It had a medium+ body, smooth ripe tannins and medium+ acidity. The wine was fresh and fruity and tasted great, especially for the approximately $15 price.
I took the chicken out of the oven as my husband walked in the door and dinner was served. We both agreed that this was a well done pairing by Katie Lee. If you are wondering why this red wine worked so well with chicken, it is because her BBQ sauce recipe had a really nice flavor balance, it was a more tangy style than the sweet and spicy that is so common around here. The tangy flavor is primarily from the acidity of the apple cider vinegar in the sauce which made the wine taste a bit more rich and the fruit flavors seem sweeter.
I would recommend both the wine and Katie Lee's recipes, I found the directions easy to follow and felt that it would be affordable to do for a small group or just to have as I did for a nice dinner at home for two.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Cameron Hughes at TTR City Centre


- Lot 288 Sauvignon Blanc sourced from Clear Lake in Lake County north of Napa- Served with the salad course at dinner which had cucumber, frisee, watercress, radish, toasted almonds, watermelon and vanilla vinaigrette. The wine had a pronounced melon characteristic that really complemented the salad.
- Lot 272 Tempranillo 2009 from Rioja, Spain ($12)- Cameron called this a modern style of Rioja but I would somewhat disagree with that assessment. I actually felt it was more of a bridge between the modern and traditional styles. It was modern in the fact that it was fruit forward with more fresh red cherry/raspberry flavor than you might find in a traditional style Rioja but it had been aged in American Oak, which is very traditional, rather than French Oak which I think of as part of Rioja's modern style. This imparted toasted coconut, smoke and baking spice nuances to the wine. This was paired with a spice rubbed diver scallop served in a pool of grilled corn veloute which I have to say was ridiculously good. I will admit that when I read this pairing on the menu, I was sceptical about how well it would work. It turned out to be a fantastic match where I made certain to take a sip between each bite so as not to lose any of the magic.
- Lot 335 Oakville Meritage 2010- My favorite wine of the evening. Raspberry/Blackberry, nutmeg, damp earth, soft ripe tannins. Very smooth, balanced and easy to drink. It was served with brisket style short ribs which were a little bit too charred for my tastes.
- Lot 285 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($24)- I had this one at the tasting prior to dinner. Blackberry/Red Currant/Cassis, smooth tannins, nice acidity.


Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Wines of Germany Master Class
The Wines of Germany and the Guild of Sommeliers hosted a Master Class at Pappas Bros Steakhouse taught by Master Sommeliers Matt Stamp and Laura Williamson. I was excited to attend this class because I think this is probably my weakest area of knowledge when considering the major wine producing countries. I am happy to report that this was a fantastic class with a great tasting.
The first flight was a grouping of wines made from the Sylvaner grape from Franken. Sylvaner is a natural cross between Traminer and Osterreichisch Weiss. Its higher acidity makes it a good food wine particularly with salty foods- cured meat, smoked cheese, fish and asparagus. Franken, in Bavaria, is called the spiritual home of Sylvaner. Franken Sylvaner typically has a fuller body with more texture and light floral and fruity aromas.
The wines we tasted were:
Juliusspital Kabinett Trocken 2010- the softest of the three with more floral and saffron notes.
Wirsching "Dry" Iphofer Kronsberg 2010- the lightest body of the three with seemingly higher acidity, very citrusy and mineral driven.
Castell Kugelspiel 2009- The fullest body of the three with a more herbal/lemon verbena quality.
The second flight were wines from Pfalz which is the second largest wine region in Germany. I learned that this is "Ground Zero for the best Pinot Blanc (known as Weisburgunder) in the world". In addition to two Pinot Blancs, we also tasted one Riesling. The common characteristic in the three wines was a saline quality that was particularly noticeable in the finish.
The wines we tasted were:
Friedrich Becker Reserve Pinot Blanc 2005- I found this to be surprisingly fresh as I always thought Pinot Blanc was best consumed while young. On my tasting note, I had written almond and apricot with a citrusy, salty finish. Laura said it had hazelnut and pear with a salty minerality. This was my most divergent tasting note when the MS's went over the wines after we had written our own tasting notes, just an interesting side note that I thought I would include.
Rebholz Grosse Gewachs Im Sonnenschein Pinot Blanc 2007- A light tropical fruit aroma, very mineral driven.
Christmann Grosse Gewachs Idig Riesling 2007- Smoky nose, slightly creamy peach finish. Slightly fuller body than the previuos two, more medium+ while the others were medium/medium-.
The third flight was all Rheinhessen Riesling. Rheinhessen has been thought of as more of a bulk wine region in the past but is now considered to be a very dynamic and improving region with a new generation of well-educated winemakers (Message in a Bottle Producers) who are identifying the better vineyard areas while also investing in both their wineries and vineyards. "All three wines were fermented with ambient yeast". This comment elicited quite the debate from not only Laura and Matt but also from Drew Hendricks-MS of the Pappas company with an attempt to pull in commentary from Guy Stout-MS who was also present. I am not going into all of that here but the gist being- Can you call it ambient (aka natural or indigenous) if you have used cultured yeast in the past, whereby that now makes up part of the "natural yeast" in your environment? Great fun for all the wine geeks present but not something I am going into in depth here, feel free to check out some of the natural wine bloggers on-line. These three wines also had a common salty mineralty and were fuller bodied when compared to the prior Riesling.
The wines we tasted:
Thorle Saulheimer "Kalkstein" 2010- Peach aroma, medium+ acidity, creamy texture, grapefruit finish with a bit of a Hops note.
Wittman Grosse Gewachs Morstein 2010- Apricot and mushroom aroma, medium+ acidity, creamy texture, peach flavor, grapefruit finish. My favorite Riesling of the day.
Keller Grosse Gewachs "Abts E" 2009- Earthier, truffles, talcum powder, high acidity, rich texture, apricot flavor with a grapefruit finish.
The fourth flight was Pinot Noir, known as Spatburgunder in Germany, from three different places.
The wines were:
Meyer Nakel Blue Slate 2009 from Ahr which was the least expensive of the three and it also was my favorite. Aromas of red Bing cherry and leather, medium acidity, medium- tannins, a cherry cordial with a bit of mushroom flavor.
The common factor of the other two Pinot Noirs was the use of new French oak which wasn't fully integrated and which I found to be a bit overpowering. It will be interesting to taste these again in a few years to see how they age and if they become more approachable.
Furst Grosse Gewachs Centgrafenberg 2009 from Franken- Vanilla and spice, very little fruit on the nose or palate, medium acidity and tannin.
Huber Grosse Gewachs Sommerhalde 2009 from Baden- Pronounced leather aroma, medium+ tannin and acidity, vanilla flavor with a bit of a dried cherry finish.
The final wine was the only one with any sweetness. It tasted somewhere in between off dry and medium. The wine was Gunderloch Rothenberg Auslese Riesling 1997. It had a kerosene aroma, medium acidity with a fruit cocktail finish. A very nice ending for the tasting.
Other topics of interest to me from the class lecture and discussion:
Vintage variation- For instance, 2009 was a very ripe vintage while in 2010 vintners were faced with the side effects of the volcano eruption in Iceland which had created a gauzy, filtered light which slowed grape ripening.
The rise of organic and bio-dynamic wines in Germany and the decreased use of synthetic agents even by conventional growers. For example, the Rebolz wine from the Pfalz flight became bio-dynamic certified in 2009, two years after the vintage we tasted.
Global warming influence- Most German wine-growers do believe in this based on temperature increases over the past twenty years which have led to their growing riper grapes, more extreme weather throughout the year they must deal with and the increased problem of new vineyard pests arriving from warmer regions.
*I am a bit late posting on this as I attended this event right before I went to France, I misplaced my notes during my packing and I had only written up half of my experience before I left. Anyway, I cleaned up my desk yesterday and I found my notes which I was quite delighted about as it was a great event and I wanted to include it in my blog. I expect to get back on track posting events in a more timely fashion.
The first flight was a grouping of wines made from the Sylvaner grape from Franken. Sylvaner is a natural cross between Traminer and Osterreichisch Weiss. Its higher acidity makes it a good food wine particularly with salty foods- cured meat, smoked cheese, fish and asparagus. Franken, in Bavaria, is called the spiritual home of Sylvaner. Franken Sylvaner typically has a fuller body with more texture and light floral and fruity aromas.
The wines we tasted were:
Juliusspital Kabinett Trocken 2010- the softest of the three with more floral and saffron notes.
Wirsching "Dry" Iphofer Kronsberg 2010- the lightest body of the three with seemingly higher acidity, very citrusy and mineral driven.
Castell Kugelspiel 2009- The fullest body of the three with a more herbal/lemon verbena quality.
The second flight were wines from Pfalz which is the second largest wine region in Germany. I learned that this is "Ground Zero for the best Pinot Blanc (known as Weisburgunder) in the world". In addition to two Pinot Blancs, we also tasted one Riesling. The common characteristic in the three wines was a saline quality that was particularly noticeable in the finish.
The wines we tasted were:
Friedrich Becker Reserve Pinot Blanc 2005- I found this to be surprisingly fresh as I always thought Pinot Blanc was best consumed while young. On my tasting note, I had written almond and apricot with a citrusy, salty finish. Laura said it had hazelnut and pear with a salty minerality. This was my most divergent tasting note when the MS's went over the wines after we had written our own tasting notes, just an interesting side note that I thought I would include.
Rebholz Grosse Gewachs Im Sonnenschein Pinot Blanc 2007- A light tropical fruit aroma, very mineral driven.
Christmann Grosse Gewachs Idig Riesling 2007- Smoky nose, slightly creamy peach finish. Slightly fuller body than the previuos two, more medium+ while the others were medium/medium-.
The third flight was all Rheinhessen Riesling. Rheinhessen has been thought of as more of a bulk wine region in the past but is now considered to be a very dynamic and improving region with a new generation of well-educated winemakers (Message in a Bottle Producers) who are identifying the better vineyard areas while also investing in both their wineries and vineyards. "All three wines were fermented with ambient yeast". This comment elicited quite the debate from not only Laura and Matt but also from Drew Hendricks-MS of the Pappas company with an attempt to pull in commentary from Guy Stout-MS who was also present. I am not going into all of that here but the gist being- Can you call it ambient (aka natural or indigenous) if you have used cultured yeast in the past, whereby that now makes up part of the "natural yeast" in your environment? Great fun for all the wine geeks present but not something I am going into in depth here, feel free to check out some of the natural wine bloggers on-line. These three wines also had a common salty mineralty and were fuller bodied when compared to the prior Riesling.
The wines we tasted:
Thorle Saulheimer "Kalkstein" 2010- Peach aroma, medium+ acidity, creamy texture, grapefruit finish with a bit of a Hops note.
Wittman Grosse Gewachs Morstein 2010- Apricot and mushroom aroma, medium+ acidity, creamy texture, peach flavor, grapefruit finish. My favorite Riesling of the day.
Keller Grosse Gewachs "Abts E" 2009- Earthier, truffles, talcum powder, high acidity, rich texture, apricot flavor with a grapefruit finish.
The fourth flight was Pinot Noir, known as Spatburgunder in Germany, from three different places.
The wines were:
Meyer Nakel Blue Slate 2009 from Ahr which was the least expensive of the three and it also was my favorite. Aromas of red Bing cherry and leather, medium acidity, medium- tannins, a cherry cordial with a bit of mushroom flavor.
The common factor of the other two Pinot Noirs was the use of new French oak which wasn't fully integrated and which I found to be a bit overpowering. It will be interesting to taste these again in a few years to see how they age and if they become more approachable.
Furst Grosse Gewachs Centgrafenberg 2009 from Franken- Vanilla and spice, very little fruit on the nose or palate, medium acidity and tannin.
Huber Grosse Gewachs Sommerhalde 2009 from Baden- Pronounced leather aroma, medium+ tannin and acidity, vanilla flavor with a bit of a dried cherry finish.
The final wine was the only one with any sweetness. It tasted somewhere in between off dry and medium. The wine was Gunderloch Rothenberg Auslese Riesling 1997. It had a kerosene aroma, medium acidity with a fruit cocktail finish. A very nice ending for the tasting.
Other topics of interest to me from the class lecture and discussion:
Vintage variation- For instance, 2009 was a very ripe vintage while in 2010 vintners were faced with the side effects of the volcano eruption in Iceland which had created a gauzy, filtered light which slowed grape ripening.
The rise of organic and bio-dynamic wines in Germany and the decreased use of synthetic agents even by conventional growers. For example, the Rebolz wine from the Pfalz flight became bio-dynamic certified in 2009, two years after the vintage we tasted.
Global warming influence- Most German wine-growers do believe in this based on temperature increases over the past twenty years which have led to their growing riper grapes, more extreme weather throughout the year they must deal with and the increased problem of new vineyard pests arriving from warmer regions.
*I am a bit late posting on this as I attended this event right before I went to France, I misplaced my notes during my packing and I had only written up half of my experience before I left. Anyway, I cleaned up my desk yesterday and I found my notes which I was quite delighted about as it was a great event and I wanted to include it in my blog. I expect to get back on track posting events in a more timely fashion.
Monday, August 27, 2012
More on Bandol
Overall, we enjoyed our day in Bandol and left realizing that we had not see or tasted nearly enough. There does seem to be a basic similarity to the wines that gives you a sense of the place from which they came. They are not producing anonymous wines that could be from anywhere, the uncommon grapes and the terroir driven style make for wines that are uniquely Bandol. I am looking forward to trying some of the red wines that we purchased many years down the road to see them at their best.
We were back in Cannes in time for our dinner reservation at Gaston Gastounette looking out over the harbor. We ordered the one bottle of Bandol Rosé that was on the menu to enjoy while we talked about our day and what we would do on our next trip. Salut!
Related posts:
Wine in Provence
Thursday, August 23, 2012
A Day in Bandol - Domaine La Suffrene
During our recent vacation on the French Riviera, my husband and I decided to rent a car and drive to Bandol which is located about an hour down the coast from where we were staying in Cannes. Bandol is one of Provence's oldest wine growing regions and is considered by many to be the most important AOC in the area especially when looking at the Mourvedre-based red wines. The region is known for its terraced vineyards called restanques built from the local river stone. The climate is Mediterranean as the region lies close to the sea with long sunlight hours. The Mistral winds and mountain breezes protect the grapes from rot and cool things down at night.
I was interested in visiting Domaine La Suffrene as it is very available in the Houston market. Winemaker Cedric Gravier took over his grandfather's business in 1996 and when he heard that I was in town, he was kind enough to show up himself to taste with me and give me a tour of his winery and cellars. Domaine La Suffrene is one of the top five producers in Bandol.
The vineyard area has approximately 125 acres between La Cadiere d'Azur and Castellet with a majority of old vine Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault though he also has small amounts of Carignan and Syrah as well as some young vine Clairette and Ugni Blanc. The soils in his vineyard are comprised of sand, silt, limestone chalk and clay. Cedric was expecting harvest to begin in September based on the current state of the maturity of his grapes. All the grapes are hand harvested in bunches and then are sorted twice, once in the trailer and again at the wine cellar.
We tasted the 2011 Blanc first which is 75% Clairette and 25% Ugni Blanc. The vinification method involves low temperature fermentation with grape skin maceration and the blocking of malo-lactic fermentation. This technique creates a smooth, yet crisp mineral driven white wine with a light herbal character.
The 2011 Rosé was up next which is a blend of 40% Mourvedre, 30% Cinsault, 20% Grenache and 10 % Carignan. This was a fuller body Rosé with nice acidity and flavors of fresh berries and apricot. We followed this with his special selection 2007 Rosé "Cuvée Sainte Catherine". This wine is only made in certain years and is a blend of 95% Mourvedre and 5% Carignan. Almost five years old, it was a bit more structured with significantly less fruit, more minerality and a bit more earthy character than the prior wine.
We then tasted through a few vintages of the Rouge starting with the current 2009 release then going back in time through 2006 and 2003. The blend was made up of 55% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache, 15% Cinsault and 10% Carignan which is aged for 18 months in large old oak barrels without fining or filtering. The result is a firmly structured, rich, spicy, ripe black fruit flavored wine with a light earthy character. Cedric also poured his special Rouge the 2009 "Cuvée Les Lauves" followed by the 2000 vintage allowing us again to see how his wines progress over time. The blend on the Rouge Cuvée is 95% Mourvedre and 5% Carignan which is also aged for at least 18 months in large old oak barrels and bottled without fining or filtering. These two wines showed heavier spice, licorice and a bit more of the earthy component.
The wines became smoother and more complex with an additional savory character as we journeyed back through past vintages yet still remained fresh and flavorful attesting to the age ability of Bandol's red wines. All of the wines were absolutely fantastic and some of the best of Bandol that I have tasted both during our vacation and here at home when compared to others I have found in the Houston market.
The winery/cellar is a modern air conditioned facility with temperature controlled stainless steel and concrete tanks for fermentation, an isothermal tank for debourbeage and numerous large oak barrels in a variety of ages for the maturation of the different wines.
Cedric's passion for what he is doing is undeniable and it is exciting to imagine the future of the wines of Domaine La Suffrene. This line of wines from Bandol is definitely worth seeking out in the Houston market.
Tasting Provence
The vineyard area has approximately 125 acres between La Cadiere d'Azur and Castellet with a majority of old vine Mourvedre, Grenache and Cinsault though he also has small amounts of Carignan and Syrah as well as some young vine Clairette and Ugni Blanc. The soils in his vineyard are comprised of sand, silt, limestone chalk and clay. Cedric was expecting harvest to begin in September based on the current state of the maturity of his grapes. All the grapes are hand harvested in bunches and then are sorted twice, once in the trailer and again at the wine cellar.
We tasted the 2011 Blanc first which is 75% Clairette and 25% Ugni Blanc. The vinification method involves low temperature fermentation with grape skin maceration and the blocking of malo-lactic fermentation. This technique creates a smooth, yet crisp mineral driven white wine with a light herbal character.
The 2011 Rosé was up next which is a blend of 40% Mourvedre, 30% Cinsault, 20% Grenache and 10 % Carignan. This was a fuller body Rosé with nice acidity and flavors of fresh berries and apricot. We followed this with his special selection 2007 Rosé "Cuvée Sainte Catherine". This wine is only made in certain years and is a blend of 95% Mourvedre and 5% Carignan. Almost five years old, it was a bit more structured with significantly less fruit, more minerality and a bit more earthy character than the prior wine.
The wines became smoother and more complex with an additional savory character as we journeyed back through past vintages yet still remained fresh and flavorful attesting to the age ability of Bandol's red wines. All of the wines were absolutely fantastic and some of the best of Bandol that I have tasted both during our vacation and here at home when compared to others I have found in the Houston market.
Cedric's passion for what he is doing is undeniable and it is exciting to imagine the future of the wines of Domaine La Suffrene. This line of wines from Bandol is definitely worth seeking out in the Houston market.
Tasting Provence
I will be writing more about Bandol in my next posting.
Monday, August 20, 2012
Tasting some Wines of Provence
My husband and I have recently returned from the French Riviera in Provence where we, of course, drank buckets of rose wine in between sight seeing, sun bathing and eating. We also sampled some of the local red and white. Despite all of my wine studies, I really had not had that many wines from Provence. It seems to be a somewhat overlooked region when it comes to the various wine classes and I admittedly had not sought out much of the wine on my own.
I was on vacation so I didn't spend my time writing up tasting notes but I did try to take pictures of the different bottles that we liked or make a note of what we drank. Originally, I was not intending on writing up this portion of my trip in regards to the wine. We did spend some time in Bandol and I will be writing that region up more in depth in my next posting. My husband is not one to get all geeked up at the thought of pink wine so it was interesting to see how quickly he got on board with all the rose drinking moving rapidly from "It's not that bad" to "This is pretty good" to "I wonder if they have this in Houston."
Of course, when you are lying on Nikki Beach in St Tropez and eating fresh seafood at La Plage des Jumeaux, the scenery and the food take center stage and I actually forgot to make a note of what we drank on that day though I do remember that it was pink and that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe it was Chateau Minuty which was a wine that seemed to make it onto many wine lists.
A majority of the wines that we tried were from the Cotes de Provence AOC which is the largest appellation in Provence covering about 50,000 acres. Due to its size, it is fairly diverse as far as soils and climate as some of the vineyard area is close to the coast and some is further inland. This appellation produces the majority of Provencal wine. White wine is made primarily from Clairette, Rolle and Ugni Blanc. Red and Rose are blends comprised of Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Tibouren and Syrah.
. After spending the morning sightseeing around Monaco, we stopped in at little cafe near the Prince's Palace to have some local seafood and this was the rose that our waiter recommended. We were getting hot and we had been walking all morning and we found it to be very refreshing. I later learned from some fellow travelers that the La Chapelle de Sainte Roseline Rose comes from a winery that is located at a former abbey which is surrounded by vineyards. They thought they were doing a winery tour and tasting which was a small part of their excursion but the highlight of the tour turned out to be seeing the exhumed intact body of Saint Roseline on display who died in 1329. Their tour may not have been all they expected but we enjoyed the wine. It is one of only eighteen estates that is classified as Cru Classe.

That evening we had dinner in Cannes at L'Auberge Provencale. We had both the white and the red from Chateau Hermitage St Pons. We had a glass of the white with our spring salad and a bit more of the red with our beef filet. I think we both enjoyed the red more than the white.
During our day at the beach in Cannes, I know we had Chateau Minuty Rose which is also one of the 18 Cru Classe wines. Interestingly, this wine was one that we were served several different times at lunch spots and patio bars in the evening but it is one which I apparently never took a picture of the label. I do know that we always enjoyed it. Another Cote de Provence rose that we enjoyed that I didn't take a picture of was the St. Julien d'Aille Cuvee Praetor.
One evening we had gone to dinner in Mougins, a medieval village just a short ride from Cannes, at La Brasserie de la Mediterranee where we tried one of the local specialties, John Dory fish fillets along with asparagus risotto, and we had both the red and white from Domaine Berthoulet.
After returning home, we opened a bottle of Chateau Miraval from the Coteaux Varois en Provence where the terroir is less variable in respect to the chalky limestone and clay soils found throughout. The variation is in the altitudes but on average it is at about 1,200 feet. It is surrounded by mountains that add a continental influence to the Mediterranean climate. It includes twenty-eight towns in the heart of Provence. The wines from this area are thought to be a bit more powerful with greater structure. I wasn't sure what to expect as this wine is also known as being "from the vineyards of Brad & Angelina". The American culture of celebrity worship is alive and well in Cannes. This bottle had been a gift not something that we chose but we absolutely enjoyed it while we looked through all of our vacation photos.
Overall, we enjoyed everything that we tried of Provence from the unknown pink by the glass at a pizzeria at lunch to the Cru Classe bottles to our celebrity bottle back home. The rose common denominators- all dry with good acidity, each was very fresh (most was from the 2011 vintage) with flavors of fresh berry (some riper/some more tart) and some had a bit more spice while some had a bit of the herbal garrigue note (more noticeable in the reds).
In retrospect, maybe I should have taken more notes but as it was my first time on the French Riviera, I really was just enjoying indiscriminately soaking up the atmosphere and letting it impress upon every cell of my being so that when I think back upon my time there... I just feel warm sunshine with a pleasant breeze and a glass of cool rose in my hand with the sense of the hills behind me and the Mediterranean in front of me.
Au Revoir Cote d' Azur until we meet again.
I was on vacation so I didn't spend my time writing up tasting notes but I did try to take pictures of the different bottles that we liked or make a note of what we drank. Originally, I was not intending on writing up this portion of my trip in regards to the wine. We did spend some time in Bandol and I will be writing that region up more in depth in my next posting. My husband is not one to get all geeked up at the thought of pink wine so it was interesting to see how quickly he got on board with all the rose drinking moving rapidly from "It's not that bad" to "This is pretty good" to "I wonder if they have this in Houston."
Of course, when you are lying on Nikki Beach in St Tropez and eating fresh seafood at La Plage des Jumeaux, the scenery and the food take center stage and I actually forgot to make a note of what we drank on that day though I do remember that it was pink and that I thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe it was Chateau Minuty which was a wine that seemed to make it onto many wine lists.
A majority of the wines that we tried were from the Cotes de Provence AOC which is the largest appellation in Provence covering about 50,000 acres. Due to its size, it is fairly diverse as far as soils and climate as some of the vineyard area is close to the coast and some is further inland. This appellation produces the majority of Provencal wine. White wine is made primarily from Clairette, Rolle and Ugni Blanc. Red and Rose are blends comprised of Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Tibouren and Syrah.
That evening we had dinner in Cannes at L'Auberge Provencale. We had both the white and the red from Chateau Hermitage St Pons. We had a glass of the white with our spring salad and a bit more of the red with our beef filet. I think we both enjoyed the red more than the white.
During our day at the beach in Cannes, I know we had Chateau Minuty Rose which is also one of the 18 Cru Classe wines. Interestingly, this wine was one that we were served several different times at lunch spots and patio bars in the evening but it is one which I apparently never took a picture of the label. I do know that we always enjoyed it. Another Cote de Provence rose that we enjoyed that I didn't take a picture of was the St. Julien d'Aille Cuvee Praetor.
One evening we had gone to dinner in Mougins, a medieval village just a short ride from Cannes, at La Brasserie de la Mediterranee where we tried one of the local specialties, John Dory fish fillets along with asparagus risotto, and we had both the red and white from Domaine Berthoulet.
Overall, we enjoyed everything that we tried of Provence from the unknown pink by the glass at a pizzeria at lunch to the Cru Classe bottles to our celebrity bottle back home. The rose common denominators- all dry with good acidity, each was very fresh (most was from the 2011 vintage) with flavors of fresh berry (some riper/some more tart) and some had a bit more spice while some had a bit of the herbal garrigue note (more noticeable in the reds).
In retrospect, maybe I should have taken more notes but as it was my first time on the French Riviera, I really was just enjoying indiscriminately soaking up the atmosphere and letting it impress upon every cell of my being so that when I think back upon my time there... I just feel warm sunshine with a pleasant breeze and a glass of cool rose in my hand with the sense of the hills behind me and the Mediterranean in front of me.
Au Revoir Cote d' Azur until we meet again.
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