walk the wine

One For The Road

2007-09-04T20:35:00.000-04:00

After almost a two-year run, I find I just have to take a prolonged break, perhaps a permanent one, from blogging. If you've visited this blog over time then perhaps you'll recall I've whined about pursuing a master's degree at night while working full time. While exploring the world of fine wine is probably the most fun I can think of, I find that that the blogging component is proving to be just too much on top of the job and the books.

I've tried to juggle it all, but I find myself unable to blog sufficiently often to fulfill the expectations of most blog readers. So, until I finish school, which means a thesis in another year, I'm just going to have to put the blog aside.

I thought it was important to say so. I've read a number of blogs that suddenly stopped without warning or explanation. I hate that. I mean, one never knows whether to send the family congratulations or a sympathy card.

Will I return someday to Walk The Wine? I've been thinking I might occasionally return here to compile some tasting notes. But that would make this more of a tasting journal than a blog, and not much of a draw for anyone outside of a few friends. In two years time when I finish school, who knows? Perhaps blogging will have given way to a more novel form of online communication. If not, I may resume the blog. I'll certainly continue to Walk The Wine.

And, I plan to spend at least a little time now and then relaxing like the cool dude in the photo below. I always meant to blog about winery pets we've come across. Ah, all that wine and all that time in which to enjoy it.

Cork As A Green Solution

2007-08-28T19:41:00.000-04:00

I read a story just the other day that struck me as a bit much. Apparently the wine cork industry, and some environmentalists, are urging wineries to get back to using good old fashioned wine corks because it's the environmentally responsible thing to do.

Cork, as most people know, comes from trees and is a biodegradable, renewable resource. It's naturally appealing to environmentalists. Problem is cork is far too often tainted with TCA, ruining the wine. With many wineries eschewing cork in favor of screw caps as a result, the cork industry now warns that not only will this natural stopper be replaced by synthetic products in the waste stream but that cork forests themselves may be forced to give way in favor of less environmentally friendly development.

With cork manufacturers hit rather hard in the pocketbook in recent years, forgive me if I'm cynical about the professed environmental concerns of corkers.

I'm very sensitive to environmental concerns in general. But my opinion about cork vs. screwtops on wine bottles remains unchanged: I think every bottle under $10 should have a screwtop, wines over $20 should always have real cork, and wines $10 to $20 are up for grabs. One other hard and fast rule -- the industry should move completely away from synthetic corks, which are environmentally unfriendly and difficult for the consumer to use.

The Genie has been let out of the bottle as far as screwtops are concerned. There's no going back. They are so easy for consumers to use and free of cork taint. But, because no one knows yet just how these stoppers will impact the long-term aging of wines, and for aesthetic reasons, cork is a must for ageworthy wines.

Instead of using scare tactics, the best thing the cork industry can do to slow this trend is improve the reliability of its corks. That's one thing I was glad to read of in the story mentioned above. The industry already has implemented measures that are resulting in more reliably taint-free corks. Perhaps this alone will help slow the trend toward screwcaps. But, as I said, it's too late to stop it. And I, for one, don't think that's a bad thing. I hope both screwcaps and cork will be a part of our wine-drinking future for a long time to come.

Summer of Sauvignon Blanc Love

2007-08-26T12:40:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the lapse in postings lately. But vacation is winding down, and I now have a chance to reflect on one our two recent tasting experiences, including some thoughts about one of my favorite summer wines -- sauvignon blanc.

One of the most poorly kept secrets of the past decade has been the superior quality of the sauvignon blancs from New Zealand. While some critics continue to sing their praises in an unrestrained fashion, I have been disappointed to learn that others are now noticing more mediocrity in the New Zealand wines they are tasting.

Whether this is due to a less exuberant 2006 vintage or to a more serious issue, I'm not really sure. But it's definitely not time to hit the panic button, if for no other reason than that the success of the New Zealand style is helping to usher in new levels of quality and tastiness in sauvignon blancs from many other locations, such as South Africa and Australia.

For example, I recently was impressed by a sauvignon blanc from Australia, the 2004 Jinks Creek Winery. While many think that this "sunburned country" makes only ultra ripe shiraz and cabernet very well, the reality is that Australian winemakers in the past decade have been nailing down which wines do really well in a variety of microclimates and terroirs. And, sauvignon blanc, it turns out, does extremely well in some areas of Australia.

The Jinks Creek sauvignon blanc is a delicious example of what Australia can do, with its rich tropical fruit, grapefruit and herb flavors. I found it less grassy than others, but truly enjoyable. The vineyard is located at the foothills of the Black Snake Ranges in Victoria's West Gippsland region. The granite soil, low yields, cool weather ripening and cool fermentation all combine to make a wine with real purity of flavor.

So, the good news is that there continues to be more and more options available for finding great examples of this perfect summer wine. And, bonus for those who enjoy great label art, the Jinks Creek wines feature the art of Australia's Esther Erlich.

Gout Festival 2007

2007-08-12T19:28:00.000-04:00

You probably missed word of this event in the blogosphere or the local newspaper. Actually, this is a very localized event, one that started recently among family and friends in our neck of the woods. If you are susceptible to gout or know someone who is, then you probably know lots of shellfish and lots of wine can be a formula for bringing on a gout attack.

But, as many of us know, there are risks in life well worth taking and indulging copiously in lobster and wine is one of them. After all, even Robert Parker suffers from gout, but you don't see him giving up wine and good eating, do you?

A clever niece of mine came up with the name for the festival, which included lots of lobster in drawn butter, baked stuffed shrimp and mixed seafood salad (preceded for some of us by oysters on the half-shell). Festival goers were supplied with T-shirts, in a color scheme well suited to hiding flying lobster juice. It was an awfully satisfying event.

So, it seemed like a good time to build on last year's research as to what white wines go best with lobster. So, I again trotted out a white Burgundy, which I thought paired just as well as ever with the lobster. The flavors work pretty well with lobster in butter, but the magic is in the textural match. Good white Burgundy has a creaminess that goes so well with anything in a butter sauce.

We also had some Champagne with the lobster, some Veuve Cliquot to be exact. This also was a very tasty match -- of course, good Champagne goes well with almost anything. Recently, I also tried a Chateau Routas Coquelicot (a chardonnay/viognier blend from the south of France) that was quite nice with lobster. This wine brings together the body of the chard and the floral notes of the viognier, making it so much fun with lobster.

But the wine I recently tried with lobster that really shone was an Alsatian pinot gris, the Domaine Zind Humbrecht Heimbourg 1999. Just lovely with lobster. This wine has the richness you need with lobster in butter. And, the natural sweetness of the lobster meat was heavenly with the slightly honeyed citrus quality of the Heimbourg.

I don't know if the Heimbourg is the perfect lobster wine. Probably not, since that would mean an end to this most enjoyable little research project. We can't have that, just yet.

Pinot With A Difference

2007-08-08T20:00:00.000-04:00

I adore pinot noir of all stripes, be they from Oregon, California or the heart of Burgundy. I even like some of the simple but gregarious pinots I've tried from New Zealand. But I confess I'm having a tough time getting my arms around the pinot noirs I've tasted from the Loire Valley.

Everyone knows the Loire produces sensationally crisp white wines (sauvignon blanc) in Sancerre and Pouilly Fume. They are just so enjoyable. How could I possibly pass up a pinot noir from this unique area of France? Well, I now have tried red Sancerre (pinot noir) several times, and each time I've been unimpressed. I may have to take a pass next time it's pitched to me.

This week I had a Pascal et Nicolas Reverdy 2004 Sancerre Terre de Maimbray with dinner. It came highly recommended. I knew from past experience not to expect too much fruit, and not too much body, with its 12.5 percent alcohol. But, from the first taste, I knew it's not a wine for me. It's not a bad wine but not one that most Americans would embrace. I've just come to expect so much from pinot noir that I can't get excited by this ultra lean version of the grape.

The Sancerre was a little light in color and a little bit thin on the palate with tart red cherry flavors and just a bit of earthy complexity on the finish. But there was also just so much acidity on the finish that this earthiness was quickly lost. It was not especially good with our grilled chicken as well.

Pinot noir doesn't have to have rich ripe flavors, ala California, to be good. I'm completely in love with the dry, complex flavors of good Burgundys. But pinots just don't seem well suited to the flinty Loire soil to me. Maybe some day I'll try some that will change my mind, but I'm not sure how long I can keep going to that well. In the meantime, I'm sticking to the places that do pinot noir justice.

Connecticut Festival Off to Shaky Start

2007-08-05T12:05:00.000-04:00

Most of the wine writing out there is...well, nice. Sometimes too nice. You hardly ever see the kind of caustic, flaming prose typically used by movie reviewers applied to wine reviews. It's probably analogous to the difference between spectator behavior at football games vs. country club sports such as tennis and golf.

Wine writing can especially descend into boosterism when it comes to writing about small fledgling producers or up-and-coming wine producing regions that face steep obstacles to gaining critical acceptance and market share. I try to maintain a critical eye, and palate, when it comes to evaluating local wines, but I find myself nonetheless pulling for Connecticut's wine industry, which is better than ever but still has a way to go.

I was thrilled recently to hear that Connecticut was about to trumpet its up-and-coming wines with the first ever Connecticut Wine Festival. But I'm afraid I just can't be a cheerleader for the event I attended yesterday. I know a first-time event of this kind can have a few rough spots, but I was extremely disappointed in the way it was run and in the people responsible for some of the bone-headed decisions I witnessed. And, I would not recommend it to any locals in the future.

First, the festival offered tickets in advance on its website for $5 less than the price at the door. I tried to purchase tickets online for two days prior to the event, and could not get the right page to open. When I arrived at the door, I thought they might honor the online price when I explained the issue, since they evidently had problems. But, no.

When I explained the issue to the manager he could not have been less friendly or accommodating. "We shut it down because we had to move it to another server." He did not elaborate, but that, I guess was supposed to explain it. Not, "I'm very sorry, but we had technical problems that shut us down." I might have been sympathetic in that event. Just, we decided to change servers -- two days before the event. I suggested the customer-friendly thing to do would be to give us the online price anyway, but no. The people taking tickets "are audited. They can't take a dime less." It was a very bureaucratic experience.

I then took my premium tickets in hand and marched off to the first tent where I discovered that I was entitled to taste wines from exactly five of the 17 wineries there. That was news to me (you can bet the first thing I did when I got home was doublecheck the website, where I saw no mention of a limit. $25 is supposed to allow you taste from all the wineries present). This struck me as the very height of cheapness. I've been to a fair number of wine festivals in my day, and I've never seen the like before. One admission fee usually covers winetastings -- period. Granted admission fees are higher elsewhere, but you can taste more than 100 wines if you like. Only the food or gifts cost extra. Here, we would have to buy extra tickets to taste more than a handful of wines -- what a racket!

Perhaps they were concerned about guests getting inebriated? I doubt it. Again, bigger and better festivals don't seem to have these issues. I chalk it up to greed.

Also, each and every winery was offering a tasting of exactly three wines. This, of course, greatly limited the choice of varietals that one could taste. From what I saw, the wineries for the most part offered their three most popular varietals but not what might be the most interesting varietals to experienced tasters.

In addition, plastic measured pourers that attach to the top of wine bottlers and dispense such small tasting samples were in use everywhere. I hate those things. I find it very hard to get a good sense of the aromas with the samples they provide, especially served in the cheap glasses they hand out at the gate.

As for the wines, I made an effort to try a couple of new wineries that were not around when we did our Connecticut wine tour a year ago. I saw some potential in them, but like most new wineries, their wines just aren't all there yet.

Three wineries I've liked in the past, Stonington, Hopkins and Sharpe Hill, had very good wines as usual. But the winery that really was the most refreshing was Chamard. I get tired of singing their praises because they are so often praised in the local media. But they really are good at what they do. The chardonnay and the rose were the best among all we tasted. And, our pourer took great care to explain the characteristics of the wines and the growing conditions for each vintage.

When my wife complimented her for the job she did in talking about the wines, she explained that it's essential because so many people come in expecting a California-like product and that is the yardstick they use to judge the wines. She wants people to know that Connecticut and the Northeast makes a different product because of its different climate, one that shows varied but very worthwhile flavors given what winemakers have to work with. If they understand the wine in its correct context, they'll likely enjoy it more.

Amen.

Wine Labels Soon To Speak Volumes

2007-08-01T19:49:00.000-04:00

Some newly proposed regulations out of Washington would require wine and beer makers to include alcohol and nutrition information on their labels for the first time, and some are beginning to squawk about it already. But I say, relax.

As reported, the new rules would require labels to divulge levels of alcohol, carbohydrates, protein, fat and calories for the product inside. You might think that wine labels already include alcohol content, and the vast majority already do -- all you have to do is look for it. But only those wines with a hefty 14 percent or more are actually required to display that information.

Winemakers can't help themselves in opposing this proposal. They've been saddled with such a widely divergent set of regulations from state to state and from Washington for so long they are naturally wary.

But I say the proposal is a natural outgrowth of an ever-growing need for information in the consumerism era that winemakers should come to grips with. Think about it, winemakers already have to disclose 14 percent or higher alcohol levels. Where's the harm in putting lesser amounts on the label? It's actually a selling point with purists today.

Consumers want certain information with which to make buying decisions, and winemakers ought to give it to them because they have got nothing to hide. You mean there's really calories and carbohydrates in wine? Oh my. It won't cost wineries a thing in the end, but it will, for example, inform diabetics better about how much they can imbibe with their dinner.

Where I have sympathy for the wineries is their fear about how the proposed regs could be manifested. Huge letters and numbers on the front label, for example, is not necessary. But readable numbers on a back label is not draconian.

Connecticut Wines On Parade

2007-07-29T14:48:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows that wineries are popping up all over the country these days. Same is true here in Connecticut, where we now have 22 wineries. I know that doesn't seem like much to those in most other states, but the growth has really accelerated in recent years and the quality is getting much better.

Consequently, Connecticut is now more actively celebrating and marketing this hip agricultural product. Connecticut wineries have put together the first Connecticut Wine Festival to be held next weekend. Visitors will be able to taste, side by side, nearly all of the wines now produced in the state.

Also, Connecticut magazine has just come out with a cover story on the state of local wines.

In the interest of full disclosure, I know the author of the story, Leonard Felson. Regardless, I have to recommend the story to anyone out there interested in learning more about Connecticut wines. While you might think Connecticut magazine would be a shameless booster for the hometown team, I think Leonard did a very fair, even-handed job. (My apologies, but you may not be able to read the full story online until the piece enters their archives in several more weeks.)

The story correctly points out that the growth of the Connecticut wine business owes much to the growing popularity of wine nationally for both health and lifestyle reasons. And, the story points out that Connecticut wineries face significant climate issues and obstacles built on perception.

But several people quoted in the story offer a point of view similar to my own last year when I blogged about my overall impressions of Connecticut wineries after concluding a summer-long tasting tour. That is, the quality of Connecticut wines has increased significantly in the past 10 years to the point that Connecticut's white wines are now quite credible. The reds, for the most part, are weak. A good one can be found here and there on occasion, but principally these come from the occasional dry year.

One promising note from the story -- several more wineries may be in the offing for Southeastern Connecticut. That's good news from my point of view because I think some of the state's best wines come from close to Long Island Sound. It has a microclimate similar to Long Island's, and that's a good thing. The benefit of this development can be maximized if Connecticut wineries stop producing what they are not good at and start concentrating on those varietals with the most local potential.

Regardless, I'm looking forward to comparing these wines again next weekend at the festival, this time consecutively in one day. Should be an interesting test of whether last year's observations continue to hold up.

Red, White and Green

2007-07-24T19:34:00.000-04:00

Every time I pick up a wine publication these days it seems like there's something in there about organic wines or biodynamic wines. The June 30 edition of Wine Spectator had a pretty thorough look at the phenomenon. A recent CNN video explored the issue as well.

There is even a nice little journal out there devoted to the subject of organic wines. So, with all the attention now being paid to these wines I feel like I should be able to weigh in with some expert thoughts on the subject. But the truth is, I don't really know a lot about them. One of my goals for this year is to do more systematic tasting of organic wines and a lot more reading.

Trouble is, I think there are a lot of other people out there who also don't know a lot about organic wines, and it hasn't stopped them from blathering on. I think there's a real need for "reader beware" cautions.

For one thing, with the organic wine train really picking up a head of steam now, marketing efforts on behalf of organic wines are moving into high gear, according to Spectator. Announcements about winery biodynamics are coming all the time. Fetzer, one of the earliest California wineries in the game, has announced a $1 million campaign that includes a 30-city "green" tour.

Marketing always needs to be taken with a grain of salt. For example, Bonterra has a magazine ad that says, "Have you heard the buzz? Organic grapes make better wines." Really? I always thought that better winemakers make better wine. Those with the perfect soil conditions who practice time-tested techniques, such as low yields and smart canopy management, on old vines might just have the edge over a farmer who is green in more ways than one.

I've seen some people claim that organic wines will give a truer taste of terroir than non-organic wines. I don't really know if they do or not, but I do know that terroir is influenced by so many different factors and is still so hard for many consumers to get their arms around that I simply would ignore this claim for now.

In the CNN story already cited, someone said biodynamic wines make better wines and so should cost more. Whoa. Isn't that putting the cart before the horse? The market still needs to decide whether these are better wines before higher prices are justified. I might have bought the argument that organic wines should cost more because it's harder and more expensive to produce healthy grapes without chemical pesticides and fertilizers, but Spectator called that assumption into question as well.

Finally, reading some of the stories out there might lead some consumers to believe that buying any product from the wineries featured will get you an organic wine. But even some of the most lauded organic producers out there, such as Benziger, still only produce a tiny amount of organic wine. Consumers interested in organic wines simply need to get educated and be cautious about what they buy.

Don't get me wrong. I think the idea of drinking wine free of chemical pesticides and other noxious ingrediants is great. I can't wait to see which organic products rise up as the real cream of the crop. But, in the meantime, I hate to see anyone sucked in by gross hyperbole. Keep on reading and ask questions of your local proprietor. They should have all the "dirt."

Wine Movies and Me

2007-07-21T14:26:00.000-04:00

I have to admit I'm a sucker for any movie about wine, even if the early reviews are bad. Sometimes I'm delighted, but even when the movies are disappointing I never regret having seen a movie that has something to do with wine.

So, you can appreciate, then, that I'll be among the first in line to see "Bottle Shock," a new movie that will begin production in just a month or two. This film will tell the story of the legendary Paris wine tasting of 1976 that helped put California wines on the worldwide map, and it will do so by focusing on Chateau Montelena, which won top honors for its 1973 chardonnay.

Actually, I understand there are two movies in the works about the Paris winetasting competition, but Bottle Shock sounds especially promising with a cast that includes Alan Rickman and Bill Pullman. And, just to make a good thing even better, it was announced this week that Eliza Dushku will play one of the lead roles.

If you're not familiar with Eliza, she was Buffy's vampire-killing alter ego on TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and a serious hottie -- not that this was absolutely necessary to so inspiring a story. Let's just call it divinely inspired casting.

Anyway, the Judgment of Paris, as it's known, is one of those events of which you should be aware to be culturally alive. It's also a major feel-good story, a David vs Goliath story on a par with the U.S. Hockey team winning the gold in Lake Placid. OK, maybe that's a slight exaggeration, certainly in popular terms. But in the world of wine geeks there is no more important event.

Long story short: an Englishman, Steve Spurrier, put together a wine competition in Paris that pitted a number of California wines against a number of famous French labels. The judges were all French, and the tasting was done blind. No one seriously gave the upstart California wines a chance, but California won top cabernet (Bordeaux) and top chard (white Burgundy). I for one can't wait another year to see this movie.

Bastille Day Bordeaux

2007-07-15T10:58:00.000-04:00

As July 14 is Bastille Day, yesterday seemed like a good occasion to dive into something French. So, I decided it was time to check again on how my mixed case of '95 Bordeaux is doing.

I picked out a '95 Chateau Pavie Macquin, a Saint-Emilion Grand Cru. This was a very well rated but nonetheless affordable Bordeaux from a great vintage -- so Pavie Macquin helped me round out a case of '95s back in the day when I was working in a wine store and used to get a deep discount.

I've tried others from this case in the past several years, and have generally found them delicious but still shy of peak. The Pavie Macquin, however, is drinking splendidly now and should not be held much longer. It's definitely got a silky texture and a fairly long, smooth finish. It's simply a real treat to drink right now.

It reminds me, in a way, of why I enjoy these wines with meals. It's certainly no blockbuster, with loads of extracted fruit or a muscular physique. It's simply a well-integrated, elegant wine with lovely, complex aromas of blackberries, vanilla and even a bit of mushroomy, truffly earth. It was a gracious, harmonious partner to our filets.

Those who know their Bordeaux wines know the region of Saint Emilion produces merlot-based wines of great grace and distinction. The prevelance of merlot may help explain why right bank wines from Saint Emilion mature a little faster than most left bank wines. Pavie Macquin typically uses 70 percent merlot, some cabernet franc and just a wee bit of cabernet sauvignon. But if you think you know what a Saint Emilion wine tastes like on the basis of New World merlots, you couldn't be farther from reality if you tried. In fact, a side-by-side tasting would be very instructive.

As my friend Tony noted in the comments to my last post, it's hard these days to feel like Bordeaux is a good buy. But every vintage has a few bargains, and if you can find one, you definitely should go for it. These wines not only are enjoyable, they're a good reminder of how refreshing subtlety and balance can be.

Take a Bite, and a Sip, Out of Crime

2007-07-13T17:51:00.000-04:00

Of course you know that wine is good for your health. But did you know that wine can help save your life in more ways than one? This story was just too good not to share.

I know that wine always relaxes me. But I never dreamed it could calm down even the most hardened criminals. Is there no end to the benefits of wine consumption? Thanks to Emily for sending me this one!

Guzzlers Ruin A Good Thing

2007-07-10T18:53:00.000-04:00

Seems like there's been a bunch of stories lately about bad behavior becoming rampant at local wineries. This week, The New York Times weighed in with a story about the problem at both Long Island and Finger Lakes wineries. Recently, the Wall Street Journal found it necessary to publish a story counseling tasters as to appropriate winetasting etiquette.

To be sure, some of the winetasting behavior reported goes well beyond rude into the realm of disgusting. One of the things I've enjoyed most about visiting wineries over the years is that you meet the nicest, most interesting people while learning about wine. But the epidemic of bad behavior is ruining the experience in multiple ways.

For one thing, wineries that charged little to nothing for the pleasure of tasting wines are now charging much more. Who can blame them? Free tastings have become a magnet to those who simply want to get drunk. Secondly, those who really want to talk and learn can't get the attention of pourers who have to watch the problem clients closely.

So, I understand the need to implement safeguards. But there's one so-called remedy hinted at that I hope wineries don't resort to -- that's the plastic, measured pourers that attach to the top of the bottle. Some wineries use them already, and I absolutely despise these devices. Wherever I've encountered them they seem to dole out only the tiniest thimble-full of wine, leaving the taster frustrated and desperate for a real sense of the wine's bouquet and taste.

I've done a lot of winetasting in my day, and I can tell you that I've never come close to feeling even slightly tipsy at a winery. Getting a decent pour is not about getting big, feel-good gulps. It's just a matter of getting enough wine to swirl in the glass and swish across your palate. I have had pours from these plastic devices that provided less than a spit, with virtually no detectible aroma in the glass.

So, winery owners, please, please don't subject your respectful, paying customers to this indignity. Charge more if you have to, throw out anyone you don't like the looks of, but please don't ruin the winetasting experience for those of us who love wines as much you do.

A Season Made For Malbec

2007-07-08T11:57:00.000-04:00

Finding a good wine to go with the grilled foods of summer is not rocket science, though some people seem to think so. All that's required is that you find something to complement the extra smoky complexity that foods acquire while broiling on the grill.

Did I say "required?" That's to appease the purists. All you really have to do is find something you like. When it comes to matching a wine with grilled meats, I like the smoky flavors of Rhone wines. You don't have to get expensive either -- many inexpensive Cotes du Rhones work quite nicely. Some of the more complex California zinfandels do as well.

Adding a barbecue sauce to your meat? I might then switch to an Australian shiraz because most will work well with the sugar in the typical barbecue sauce. Trying some lighter things on the grill like chicken or fish? Then it's hard to go wrong with a dry rose from France or Spain. Or, how about a sparkling rose? That's a wine, if ever there was one, that adds a refreshing note to dinner on a hot summer day.

But recently I tried a different wine with grilled foods that had my palate dancing a jig. It's a 2005 Viu Manent Reserve Malbec. I've had this wine once or twice before, but when I paired it recently with both grilled beef and chicken I was doubly impressed.

The Viu Manent first offers a wonderful nose of blackberries and plums with just a hint of earth -- perfect for enjoyment before the main course arrives. But give it 30 or 40 minutes and a leathery, smoky scent emerges that makes it the perfect companion to your grilled meal. It also has a rich, smooth finish that is quite enjoyable -- you won't find yourself wishing you had saved it for a cold winter night.

Best of all -- it sells for about $14 a bottle. Now that's cool.

South America and Argentina in particular seem to be saving malbec from obscurity. One of the five red grapes typically blended into red Bordeaux, malbec adds a rich, dark color and spice to these blends. But it never made its mark as a varietal until the wineries of South America got their hands on it.

The Viu Manent hails from Chile, not Argentina. But I doubt you'll find many malbecs better in this price range. All I know is that I have a new tool to add to my grilling arsenal. Summer never tasted better.

Red, White and Gold

2007-07-04T09:48:00.000-04:00

I was delighted to read yesterday Dr. Konstantin Frank's Finger Lakes winery is swimming in gold for the 4th. This wonderful New York State winery took home the most gold medals of any winery this week at the Great Lakes wine competition in Michigan.

Hopefully, events liked this one will help convince the few skeptics left out there that the Finger Lakes region is producing some world class wine. I try not to put too much stock in wine competition medals, but the degree of success enjoyed these days by Dr. Frank is telling. They've been doing vinifera longer than anyone else in the Finger Lakes and it shows.

We were very impressed by Dr. Frank's wines when we visited in May, an occasion I blogged about soon afterward. But I have to confess to something here and now. I never tasted the 2005 cabernet sauvignon that just won double gold.

I advised, in one of my recent posts, that you're better off skipping the cabernet sauvignon at any Finger Lakes winery if you have a limited number of tasting choices. Most lack sophistication and body. I still think that's sound advice overall, but I'll admit you may miss an occasional jewel following this advice.

If you're willing to taste a lot of bad cabernet in the hopes of finding the occasional terrific one, go for it. I have to admit I'm curious as hell about the Dr. Frank cab I passed up, though I certainly don't regret tasting the others I chose. I wonder where the bulk of their cabernet grapes hail from?

Anything But Petite

2007-07-01T06:29:00.000-04:00

Petite syrah has always been a bit of an enigma to me. Generally, the petite syrah I've had has been good, enjoyable to drink. But I've always struggled to pin down its identity, like trying to come up with a description of a completely average-looking individual.

I don't mean average in terms of quality. I just haven't been able to recognize a signature style or profile -- I couldn't pick it out in a blind tasting, for example.

The French must have felt similarly, since petite syrah has been given the cold shoulder in France for eons. Petite syrah is actually a grape grown in the Rhone region of France called durif. Durif is a clone of syrah that is the result of an effort to come up with a mildew-resistant varietal. Despite its inky dark color, the grape wowed no one in France, and it's almost non-existent there today.

Petite syrah, however, seems to do better in California's dry conditions. That's why California petite syrah today has legions of fans. Still, after trying a handful of petite syrah over a period of many years, I wasn't getting the passion or the devotion.

But a wine I had last night gets me a lot closer to understanding the fervor. I opened a 1997 Turley Wine Cellars Rattlesnake Vineyard Petite Syrah, and, no doubt about it, it's a big wine. A big Napa Valley wine. It's amazingly dense and concentrated, with peppery blackberry aromas. There was also just a bit of cocoa and alcohol on the nose -- this wine comes in at 15 percent alcohol. While this wine has a reputation for being quite tannic, the 1997 is drinking well right now -- the tannins have smoothed out and there's just so much body.

Turley Wine Cellars, run principally by Larry Turley, brother of the renowned wine consultant Helen Turley, has gained a reputation for making some of the best zinfandels and petite syrah around. Helen Turley's stamp is evident. The petite syrah is so dense, so well extracted that it's easy to see why it sells out quickly each year. It's really a wine built to impress the tasters. But is it balanced?

Hmmm. As much as I enjoyed the experience of tasting this wine, I'm not sure I'd seek it out again. I'm still not sure what foods to pair it with, and I have a better sense of what to expect from other varietals in this price range. But it is a fun, conversation-provoking wine.

If, like me, you're located on the East coast, you won't find it easy to obtain. Almost impossible, is more like it. I picked it up while on a trip to California in 1999 -- demonstrating why you've got to walk the wine if you really want to explore the world of wine. The Turley petite syrah was just under $50 when I bought it, but it goes for about $70 a bottle today. Not a cheap conversation-starter.

Celebrities Juice Canadian Wines

2007-06-28T19:49:00.000-04:00

OK, I know that I've done a fair share of boosting Canadian wines lately, specifically wines of the Niagara Peninsula. Can't help it. I calls 'em likes I see 'em, and the wines in the Niagara region I tried during a recent trip there were very, very good across the board -- we're not just talking ice wines anymore.

I suspect, however, that there won't be any surprise about it in the near future since a few Canadian celebrities are putting their names behind some of these wines. Much as that annoys the purists who believe in the merits of the wines winning the day, I'm afraid star power is a much quicker route to fame and fortune, and Niagara wines are beginning to line up the big marketing guns.

The latest big name to get behind Canadian wines and start his own line of Niagara wines is Wayne Gretzky. And, just a few weeks ago, Dan Aykroyd announced that he was investing heavily in Niagara wines.

Keeping in mind how things work, this is not a bad thing. The wines of Niagara deserve wider attention. There has been a noticeable upturn in the quality of Canadian wines since most have adopted better viticultural practices and learned more about what does best in their respective terroirs. Let's face it, most of just don't know that much about the facts of Canadian wine.

The fact is that Niagara escarpment makes possible many delicious wines on the peninsula. And, British Columbia makes many fine wines as well.

But, what will really put them on the map, I'm sure, is the celebrity component. For some people, the celebrity name in and of itself is enough to get them out of the house and into these wineries. For others, the money celebrities have to invest in quality wines and state-of-the-art wineries is what will turn the region into a real destination. A lot of people are really attracted to the flashy, opulent palaces that many wineries are building these days. Celebrities help make them possible.

Yup, Canadian wines are headed for new-found status in the years ahead, and the way will be paved in part by celebrities. Joni Mitchell Wine, anyone?

Land of Enhancement

2007-06-23T13:24:00.000-04:00

Seems like I routinely get SPAM inviting me to enhance one thing or another. But I was surprised recently to see that wines can and should be "enhanced" as well. A couple of days ago, Jim Shea at The Harford Courant wrote a humorous column about a product called The Enhancer.

The Enhancer basically looks like a New Age coaster. Supposedly, you put your bottle of wine on it for 6-12 minutes and any tannins in the wine are softened right out. Forget having to age big wines -- The Enhancer will smooth out the texture and bring out the wine's peak flavors, at least that's what the manufacturer says. And, fringe benefit, it will prevent red wine headaches.

Call me a skeptic, but it all sounds too good to be true. Jim said his test of the product did seem to find some subtle difference in taste between enhanced wine and non-enhanced wine. But as for preventing red wine hangovers, a complete failure, according to Jim. Yet, The Enhancer offers all kinds of testimonials on its website, including one from the almighty Spectator.

It's not cheap, either -- anywhere from $45 for a mini to $150. I'm not inclined to spend that kind of money on something so bizarre, but I am curious as heck to know more about how it's supposed to work. Here's what the manufacturer says:

"It is composed of a combination of organic (epoxy) and non-organic non-magnetic metals (copper and others) placed in a matrix with various crystals (12) also known for their specific vibrational frequencies. This combination of elements produces a powerful field of subtle energy/ frequency. . .Anything placed on the enhancer that has fluid in it will have its atoms resonated by the enhancer and the randomness of that fluid's molecules will begin to harmonize to the specific beneficial, natural frequency."

Very new agey. Now, I take vitamins, drink lots of tea and red wine for health, believe in copper bracelets, and I've read my Dr. Andrew Weil. But I'm still finding this one hard to swallow, er, so to speak. Besides, there already exists a great tool for softening tannins -- it's called a decanter. Hello?

But I'm willing to listen to other consumers, bloggers and non-bloggers alike. Help me out, here. Anyone tried it?

The Mother of Direct Shipping

2007-06-20T20:58:00.000-04:00

I'm afraid I was too distracted to note properly the passing of a very important person in the lives of wine enthusiasts everywhere -- Juanita Swedenburg. Juanita was a Virginia vintner who had enough of the frustratingly restrictive wine shipping laws so common across much of the country. As a consequence, she became the catalyst behind the case that would go to the Supreme Court in 2005 and begin to unravel many of the restrictions.

These archaic laws would have fallen eventually, but they fell a lot sooner because Swedenburg was a person of clear vision and mental toughness. She took on a very powerful wholesalers alliance in getting her case to the Supreme Court. And, we all owe her a debt of gratitude.

The hodgepodge of state laws that govern wine shipping have not gone away totally. But the Swedenburg case helped usher in a much saner era, since the decision requires states allowing in-state wineries to ship direct to consumers to also allow out-of-state wineries to ship direct to consumers. No more different standards for in-state wineries vs. out of state. Most states responded by opening up their borders to distant wineries, the dream of wine collectors everywhere. A few states went the opposite way in their bid to find equanimity.

Connecticut's wine shipping laws, though not perfect, have changed for the better since the Supreme Court decision, and I know I have Swedenburg, who died on June 9, to thank for it.

I was concerned last year when a couple of out-of-state wineries told me that, though they are legally allowed to ship to Connecticut they would not do so because of exhorbitant licensing fees required by the state. I was perturbed, since the state seemed to be undercutting the sale of out-of-state wines to consumers without actually banning them.

But the state has clarified its position since then, allowing small production wineries (less than 100,000 gallons per year) to pay roughly $350 for permits and licenses. And, consumers are now allowed up to five gallons of wine instead of four gallons.

It's better than it used to be. And, Swedenburg helped make it so. Bless her.

Riesling to the Rescue

2007-06-16T16:44:00.000-04:00

Reuters did an interesting story this week that demonstrates riesling is starting to come on strong with the American wine-buying public. It could soon, gasp, compete with chardonnay, the Hulk Hogan of white wines.

Of course, some people don't believe riesling will ever earn that kind of status here in the states. Maybe not, but the numbers tell an interesting story. Riesling sales, for example, in the U.S. climbed 24 percent in a 52-week period that just ended in early May. As a fairly recent convert to the joys of riesling, I'm delighted. But I'm especially excited when I think what this trend could mean for wineries in the Northest.

Having completed a tour of the Finger Lakes wineries in May, I can tell you that the quality of riesling around here is steller. I wasn't surprised by that, considering what I've been reading about Finger Lakes' wines. But I can tell you that when I did a tour of Connecticut wineries last year I was very impressed by the high quality of the rieslings I was finding, and that was a surprise.

That brings me to an interesting point. As I noted in a previous post, some have wondered why the Finger Lakes region is not more widely recognized for its quality. Is Robert Parker correct that the area is likely to remain insular?

I think the rise of riesling nationally is likely to change that. For years, a lot of us have held onto the misperception that riesling is always simple and sweet when, in fact, many critics believe riesling to have the greatest potential for longevity and varietal complexity among white wine grapes. But as more and more of us begin to appreciate that riesling can be vinified in many different styles and that the nose is often explosive with lively fruit and floral notes, many will seek out wines from the regions that make it best and embrace them.

And, that's good news for the Northeast. If consumers like to keep an eye out for a Russian River Valley or Oregon pinot noir, and Napa Valley cabernet, perhaps in the near future they also will aspire to find New York or Washington State riesling. Why not? I have no doubt authors and critics will continue to extol the virtue of these wines, and if consumer interest catches up to critics' enthusiasm, great things are in store for non-California rieslings.

Perhaps we're approaching a time when the most celebrated microclimates for a number of different varietals will be located in many different and unexpected places across the country. Stranger things have happened. Most states are still learning what varietals do best in their climates, so it's still hard to properly gauge what's possible. One thing's for sure -- no state will ever surpass California for winemaking potential overall. But look out for the emergence of new niches across the country for many different varietals.

All I know is that it's summer, a time when my my normal 80-20 preference for reds over whites shifts to something like a 50-50 split. I love crisp white wines for the lighter dishes we prefer in summer. And, the percentage of New York and Connecticut whites I have on hand has never been higher. At the very least, curiosity should take you there as well.

Hailing a Washington Cab

2007-06-13T19:31:00.000-04:00

This month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday, hosted by Catie, was a real treat for me. While the call is for a tasting of Washington state cabernets, I did not have far to go in order to comply. In fact, it was the perfect excuse to run down cellar and grab a delicious wine I've been sitting on for four years. And, it brought back fond memories of our wine tour through Yakima Valley and Walla Walla in the summer of 2003.

We were on our way to an Alaska cruise, and I just knew we had to find time to visit some Washington wineries since we were going to be so close by. We tasted a lot of terrific wines in a largely unspoiled, rustic setting. Among my favorite wines were those of the Seven Hills Winery in Walla Walla.

Now, I really enjoy wineries located in bucolic farmland, surrounded by acres of grapevines. But visiting Seven Hills was a change of pace, and an enjoyable one at that. Seven Hills is located in an old, restored industrial building in the heart of downtown Wall Walla. The brick structure gives the winery a hip, urban feel unique to the wider region. We had a delightful tour there courtesy of their Kiwi cellarmaster, and tasted a number of terrific wines.

I carried back and cellared both an awesome syrah and a 2000 Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet. Now I remembered the cab as a really rich and delicious wine full of cassis, black cherry and a bit of cedar and cocoa on the nose. It's still very good, but I was sorry to note just a couple of days ago that it may be just a bit past peak.

It still tastes of cassis and black cherry with a bit of earthy complexity, and the tannins have softened quite a bit so that it's drinking quite smoothly. However, I couldn't help but feel that it tasted just a bit faded, as though its just a wee bit tired.

I've tasted enough outstanding cabs in the Walla Walla area to know that these are wines of great body, so seven years shouldn't be much of a challenge to this wine's backbone. But I can't help it -- I'm certain this wine had a bit more power when I first tasted it. Perhaps it did not travel well during the return trip home.

One thing I know, however, is that there are plenty of fantastic wines to try from Washington state. In addition to Seven Hills, we also were very impressed by the wines of L'Ecole No. 41. I also brought some of that home, though that's gone almost two years now. I've got one more special wine from the 2003 trip -- more on that another time.

The Shape of Things To Come?

2007-06-09T10:16:00.000-04:00

In many people's eyes, winemaking is just an extension of farming. After all, most wineries have their own vineyards and operate tasting rooms out of glorified barns. As Williams Selyem demonstrated years ago, brilliant wines can be made out of one's garage. Nothing fancy about it, except maybe the labels and the price tags.

But there is a winery on the Niagara peninsula that is the embodiment of a completely different perspective, that everything about wines is chic and hip. In fact, everything about the place is meant to convey a sense of the contemporary, if not the future of winemaking. I'm talking about a winery called Stratus.

Coming upon Stratus for the first time in the Niagara countryside is just a bit jarring. It rises up from its humble suroundings as a rectangular, steel and glass box -- with a few barrels out front to reassure skeptics that they have indeed arrived at a winery. It's an urban look built on a largely black and white color scheme that I'm guessing must be meant to draw on today's sophisticated young wine-sipper down from Toronto for the weekend. I've never seen another winery like it anywhere.

Environmentally Friendly
But it's not all about looks. Stratus bills itself as a "sustainable, innovative winery" dedicated to growing and producing limited quantities of "premium wines." Open since 2000, Stratus believes the building says a lot about the product a winery produces, so they have invested in not just a chic, stylish building but one that has the smallest possible environmental impact. In fact, the Stratus winery is the first building in Canada and the first winery anywhere, according to Stratus, to receive Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification from the Canada Green Building Council. Never heard of 'em, but it sounds good.

The building includes a "high proportion of recycled materials" and energy-efficient windows, roofing, electrical and plumbing systems. Stratus also drilled 24 wells to pump up 55-degree water that is circulated throughout the building to warm it in winter and cool it in summer. Believing in the benefits of a gentle gravity-flow system, the winery is pump-free. Only gravity is used to move the juice through a unique system of elevators that mimic the design of a hillside winery.

The Wines
As for the wines, the 35-acre estate is planted with 13 different varietals, including all the Bordeaux varietals plus syrah, gamay, chardonnay, gewurztraminer, riesling and viognier. In keeping with the gentle-handling, all-natural philosophy, Stratus relies on low yields, no herbicides and picking by hand to cultivate and harvest the grapes. It is reflected in the prices.

You have your choice of a 2006 Riesling for $35, a 2000 Chardonnay for $36, a 2004 Stratus White (blend) for $44, a 2004 Cabernet Franc for $36 or the 2006 Stratus Red (blend) for $44. The 2002 Merlot, for $64, is sold out. And, the 2006 Riesling Icewine (200 ml) goes for $39.

I can tell you that all the wines I tasted were well made, with good body and some complexity. But the issue becomes, are they worth the price? That is, of course, a very subjective line of questioning. Without going off on a rant about upscale prices, I'll just say that most people I know would not buy these wines -- especially the non-varietals. Most Americans, I think, are willing to splurge now and then chiefly for varietal wines (Bordeaux excepted) from hot producers -- wines with cache.

The Stratus blended wines (they call them "assemblage" wines) are decent enough but lacking in the kind of distinction consumers typically look for when spending more than $40. For example, the Stratus White is a blend of chardonnay, gewurztraminer, riesling, sauvignon blanc and semillon that is supposed to be a quite floral wine with spicy apple, peaches and apricot notes. What I tasted was muddled chardonnay. I got the spicy apple and peach, but not a lot else. Don't get me wrong, a good wine but not distinctive.

I'm sure the staff would tell me I'm all wet because this wine is one of their best selling. I would argue that is a result of their unique marketing efforts. It's clear Stratus has a three-fold strategy for selling its wines: convince consumers theirs is an ultra-premium product unlike others, theirs is an environmentally friendly product you can feel good about drinking, and theirs is a product meant for hip, sophisticated consumers who want products to match their lifestyles. As a well-designed winery located less than two hours from Toronto, the strategy probably works just fine for them. But it would not work everywhere.

A lot of the same environmently safe practices are being used successfully in Oregon and parts of California these days, so Stratus is not unique in this respect. But this environmentally friendly, modernistic winery dressed up in designer clothes certainly stands out from the rest in the way they have combined these separate elements. And, if the look and the prices are not exactly my style, it certainly was fun to experience. It's definitely worth a stop -- maybe it will fit your lifestyle.

Gold in Palatine Hills

2007-06-05T19:56:00.000-04:00

Generally speaking, here in the Northeast I've found that the older wineries make a better product than those newer to the game. But I don't mind being wrong now and then, since it usually means a nice tasting surprise. Such was the case when we visited Palatine Hills Estate Winery during our winetasting tour through the Niagara-on-the-Lake area of Ontario.

Open to the public only since 2003, Palatine Hills is a fairly new winery on the Niagara scene. But they know their grapes. For 30 years, Palatine Hill has been a very successful vineyard that sold its crop to area wineries.

In the late 1990s, they decided to try their hand at producing an ice wine, a specialty of the region. Next thing you know, they've got a prize winner on their hands in the 1998 Vidal Ice Wine. A few years later they hired a full-time winemaker and began producing a full line-up of table wines and ice wines.

I had little to go on when we arrived at the winery on a busy Saturday morning. No one had recommended Palatine to me. During the previous day, I tasted both great wines and poor wines. So I had no expectations to speak of.

But it didn't take many glasses for me to decide that we had stumbled onto some very good wines. The wines at the lower end were all good, if not quite remarkable, including a chardonnay, a fume blanc, a riesling and a gewurztraminer. The gewurz was best.

The Proprietor's Reserve wines were another matter. The Proprietor's Reserve Chardonnay, Meritage and Cabernet were all very good -- at reasonable prices, unlike some other area wineries that sell their reserve wines in the $50 range. The Proprietor's Reserve Cabernet 2002 at $21 was especially interesting, with its cedary, smoky black fruit. It's still tight and perhaps a bit aggressively oaked, but I expect it has fruit enough to show well when the tannins settle down in a couple of years.

I couldn't get over this wine's body and style, so I pressed for more information about it. Next thing I knew I was in quite a conversation with co-owner John Neufeld and was on a personal tour of the winery with John Jr. This 120-acre site features vinifera plantings that go back to the early 1970s, one of the advantages of being a farm property for so long. Consequently, the winery gets plenty of mature, complex fruit with which to make its reserve wines.

This also was our first extended conversation with anyone local about the Niagara Escarpment (see last post), which affords the Niagara peninsula an extra few weeks of growing season each fall -- enough time to give Niagara reds more heft than other nearby wine-producing areas. We also learned that wines get a fair amount of aging time in Hungarian oak as well as French oak -- many wineries these days are turning to Hungarian oak to get similar characteristics as from the French oak but at a fraction of the cost.

All of this, mind you, was unscheduled and on a festival weekend. But that's one of the joys of discovering a quality winemaker before they have gotten too well known and inaccessible. We had a fabulous time with lots of interaction with the people behind the wines -- how could you not develop a very healthy respect for Palatine Hills wines?

By the way, I have not yet mentioned the Palatine Hills ice wines, for which they first made a name for themselves. We got a little distracted by their fine table wines. But trust me, the ice wines were absolutely fabulous for a little more than half the cost of what the big boys are churning out just down the road. They not only make a delicious vidal, they make a gewurztraminer and a cabernet ice wine. The cab was not available for tasting, but I can vouch for the wonderful honey and flower aromas of the gewurz ice wine. You don't have to spend a lot at the best-known wineries to truly strike gold in the Niagara peninsula.

The Celebrated Niagara Escarpment

2007-06-03T11:48:00.000-04:00

When you think about wines of the Niagara Peninsula, you think icewines -- luscious, world-class icewines. You might also think a climate cold enough for great icewines would produce a few good cool-weather whites, such as riesling, but that's about it.

Well, part of the joy of traveling is learning new and interesting things about different parts of the world, some of which prove prior assumptions wrong. Just last week, having finished our tour of the Finger Lakes area, Kathy and I moved on to the Niagara peninsula where I was pleasantly surprised to find many different wines of high quality, reds included. And for that, winemakers practically get on their knees and bow in thanks for something called the Niagara Escarpment.

Ontario produces the largest percentage of Canada's homegrown wine from about 15,000 acres of vineyards, and the Niagara area is its epicenter. The Niagara peninsula is the largest single viticultural area, accounting for 80 percent of the country's grapes. With numbers like that, you know the area has something serious going for it.

The locals say their climate, during the growing season, is comparable to that of Burgundy or the Loire Valley in France. It's a temperate climate for much of the year made possible by Lake Ontario to the north, the Niagara River to the east and the Niagara Escarpment to the south. The escarpment is a 575-foot high ridge that stretches in an east-west direction for 550 miles.

What this does is moderate climate conditions and extend the growing season by delaying the first hard frost. Offshore breezes that moderate the peninsula's weather actually get recirculated across the peninsula because they are buffeted back toward the lake by the escarpment. When other nearby areas are hit with frost in the fall, the circulating air of the peninsula makes it much harder for cold air to settle in low-lying areas -- hence the farmers' affection for the escarpment.

Inniskillin
More than 50 wineries populate the Niagara peninsula, providing plenty from which to choose for those walking the wine. In my book, a good place to start is with two of the region's best known wineries, the only two whose wines are generally available back home in Connecticut -- Inniskillin and Peller Estates.

Our first stop was at Inniskillin, perhaps the region's best known winery thanks to its surprise win in 1991 of Vinexpo's (Bordeaux) highest award, Le Grand Prix d'Honneur, for its 1989 icewine. I've been drinking Inniskillin's vidal and riesling icewines for years, as often as I could afford to, that is. Icewines, of course, are not cheap.

But I never had a chance previously to try their other wines, and there's a lot to try. Their inexpensive wines include a lot of vinifera, such as pinot griogio, riesling, pinot noir, merlot and gamay noir. Those I tasted were a bit thin, but largely decent table wines.

Many of the reserve wines, in contrast, showed a lot more stuffing. For example, the Founders' Reserve Pinot Noir 2004 had wonderful earth and smoke aromas that would match very well with grilled foods. The Reserve Meritage 2002 had very good black fruit in a medium- to full-bodied package. The Brae Burn Shiraz had interesting pepper notes, very French in style, but not quite the body I hoped for.

The icewine tasting, as you might expect, was just an absolute delight. In icewines, Inniskillin offers a vidal, a riesling, a sparkling vidal, an oak-aged vidal and a cabernet franc. All were delicious, though I found the riesling had the best balance and the most interesting finish.

One of Canada's first estate wineries, Inniskillin is a terrific place to visit with a couple of different tour options and different bars set up for tasting table wines vs icewines. Operating out of a couple of grand-scale barns, Inniskillin has not lost its sense of being a farm business despite its success.

Peller Estates
Peller Estates also has many fine wines to try, but, in contrast, you are more likely to feel like you are visiting a country club than a winery. Peller has probably the grandest, most posh winery facilities in the area -- perhaps in Canada. You sort of feel antsy for a moment about stepping inside in jeans and sneakers.

But the staff is decidely not stuffy. In fact, the winery offers so many different levels of tours, tastings and other events that there is something for everyone. If you like things plain and simple, you may want to avoid this winery. But I would recommend that everyone else simply must experience Pellers Estates.

Again, you'll find an interesting and varied lineup of wines, and, again, you'll find the wines at the Reserve and Founders' Series levels really excel. Of those I tasted, the Reserve Merlot 2002 was a real standout with its earthy complexity and great finish. The 2006 Riesling Icewine also was fantastic.

Just one other point, if you are not on a tight budget you might want to try the Peller Estates restaurant. It's simply a wonderful dining experience, with top-notch service and fanatastic, imaginitive foods that seem French-influenced but local in character. As I said, it's quite expensive, but if you can afford one "special occasion" dinner, you'll love Peller. The vineyard views alone while dining make the experience unforgettable.

Falling For Niagara Falls

2007-06-01T22:47:00.000-04:00

On our way from the Finger Lakes wine country to Niagara wine country, we, of course, had to stop off at the falls. My first time. It was an awesome sight, as long as you focus on the falls and ignore the still growing casinos and high-rise hotels that continue to spring up all around. But the falls were so cool I thought I'd show off a few shots here before moving on to those Niagara ice wines. Oh, and the butterfly sanctuary was cool, too.

Heron Hill Hits The Highnotes

2007-05-30T19:10:00.000-04:00

As I've noted in my previous few posts, the Finger Lakes Region of New York is filled with simple, unassuming-looking wineries churning out high-quality stuff, such as Hosmer and Dr. Konstantin Frank. But the modern, palatial winery is starting to pop up these days in the region, laying claim to "wedding destination" status in addition to winemaking operation.

Not all are worthy winetasting stops but one clearly is, Heron Hill. Unlike the other mega-wineries, Heron Hill actually has been around for a while, and it shows in the quality of their wines.

John and Josephine Ingle planted their first vines in 1972 and built their new winery on a hill overlooking Keuka Lake. Today, the grapes used in Heron Hill wines come from two main locations in the Finger Lakes region; Ingle Vineyards, situated on the western slopes of Canandaigua Lake, and Heron Hill Vineyards, located on the western slopes of Keuka Lake. Heron Hill Vineyards, located at the winery, contain chardonnay and riesling that are some of the oldest vinifera vines in the Finger Lakes region.

Housing almost 80,000 gallons of stainless steel tanks and 10,000 gallons of oak barrels, the production facility was built into the side of the western hill overlooking Keuka Lake. The design allows Heron Hill to use gravity feeding rather than pumping much of the time.

Tasting at Heron Hill costs a little more than some of the region's other wineries, but you get to taste a lot of wine. And, up and down the lineup are very good wines. Heron Hill makes a very nice chardonnay, pinot blanc, pinot noir and cabernet franc. The reds are a little short on the finish, but are nonetheless respectable with interesting aromas and a medium body. There are no fewer than 5 different rieslings, all quite good.

The best value in my book is the Ingle Vineyard Johannisberg Riesling 2004 at $17.99 a bottle. This wine has wonderful aromas of apples, dried apricot, melon and a splash of citrus on the finish. Slightly richer is the Riesling Reserve 2005 at $29.99 a bottle.

Really interesting was the flight of dessert wines. The Late Harvest Riesling 2002 at $35.99 was quite nice, loads of honey with a splash of peach. It lacks a bit of acidity, but is otherwise delicious. Then there was the Ingle Vineyard Riesling Icewine 2004 at $49.99, which shows terrific aromas of flowers and peaches with good balance.

Then there's the big guy, the star of the show, a Riesling Icewine 2003 for $99.99. You read that right -- $99.99. Though not billed as such, it's another single-vineyard icewine, and Heron Hill thinks they've got something special here. They describe it as a "bouquet of flowers and exotic fruits intermingling with mineral undertones."

On the one hand I want say, give me a break. Mineral undertones? I've never in my life tasted mineral undertones in a late harvest or icewine. And, the price is in the stratosphere, blowing past the best Niagara wines and cozying up to the best German icewines. It can't be justified. But, on the other hand, it's a fine, fine icewine. It not only has the bouquet of flowers and exotic fruits, it has a lovely citrusy twist at the end that gives it an awesome finish. Winemaker Thomas Laszlo cut his winemaking teeth in both Niagara and Tokaj, Hungary, some of the best dessert wine regions around, and it shows.

Whether or not you agree $100 is appropriate for a Finger Lakes icewine, think of the fun you can have noodling over this one for a $10 tasting fee for both icewines. (I bought the $50 Ingle Vineyard Icewine, by the way.) You just don't get that kind of opportunity in too many places. Don't let the wedding mill setting fool you, Heron Hill is a terrific place to sample a whole lot of good wine. And the views are lovely from their hilltop perch.

Just What The Doctor Ordered

2007-05-28T14:22:00.000-04:00

If you read up on Finger Lakes wineries, you'll quickly learn that the Dr. Konstantin Frank winery has played a huge role in the development of the region's reputation for producing outstanding wines.

It's located a short distance from the shores of Keuka Lake, a little off the beaten path since the largest concentration of wineries line the shores of Seneca Lake and also Cayuga Lake. For us, the location was a blessing since the busloads of graduating college kids from Cornell don't venture this far.

Dr. Frank, who immigrated from Europe in the 1950s and started his winery in 1962, is revered today for leading the way toward the production of quality vinifera wines in the Finger Lakes region and away from the mediocre hybrid varietals so ubiquitous 40 years ago.

The winery today is run by Frederick Frank, grandson of the winery's founder. The gift of the grape obviously has been passed on since the wines produced here continue to win award after award. Our own tasting made it easy to understand why. While we skipped many of the winery's sweeter offerings, we tasted consistent quality across everything we tasted -- the several different rieslings we tried really impressed.

But if there's one wine that I think best exemplifies what Dr. Frank can do it's the Rkatsiteli.

The Best Wine You've Never Heard Of?
Never heard of it? Nor had I until recently, and I worked in a wine shop for several years. Turns out Rkatsiteli is not only the most widely planted white grape of many eastern European countries, it is among the most widely planted in the world. Its cultivation is believed to go back 5,000 years in what is today Georgia.

It is only vinified by a handful of American wineries today, and the first may well have been Dr. Frank. When he first came to the States, Dr. Frank knew vinifera could flourish here if only it was attached to the proper root stock. He turned out to be right, changing the course of wine production throughout the Northeast.

Among the earliest European varietals he began cultivating was Rkatsiteli, a grape with which he was familiar in his native Ukraine. Rkatsiteli is known to have a flavor profile something like riesling, but with the spiciness of gewurztraminer. And, it has developed something of a cult following in the Finger Lakes area, selling out long before the next vintage is available.

When I first tasted the 2006 Rkatsiteli, I had no expectations. As I said, the rieslings were great, but the Rkatsitelli turned out to be my favorite wine of the tasting. I was swept away by aromas of peaches and mango and citrus and flowers with a spicy, long finish. I mean a lip-smacking long finish. It is fairly crisp, though it does retain a bit of residual sugar. And, similar to many rieslings, it has just 11.4 percent alcohol.

The wine is fermented entirely in stainless steel, which helps explain the clean explosion of fruit. While clearly the grape produces a superior wine, Dr. Frank showed a lot of confidence and/or faith to produce this wine so long when Americans were for years clamoring for more and more chardonnay. But Dr. Frank clearly aims for something higher than simple popularity, and they achieved it in this wine.

Hopefully, more wineries will try cultivating and producing this wine. It clearly has great potential. It's up to the rest of us to catch up to this new "old" success story.

Finger Lakes Surprises

2007-05-26T16:52:00.000-04:00

Having stopped at a fair number of wineries in New York's Finger Lakes region, I would have to say some of my expectations were right on the money -- the consistency of the rieslings across the board is there and the quality is high. And, it's an absolutely idyllic environment in which to enjoy wines.

But there have been a few surprises along the way.

Pinot Gris Explosion
I was quite surprised to see one of my favorite whites, pinot gris, is relatively common up here. Some of the wineries call theirs pinot grigio, for the lighter style of this wine as produced in Italy, but most seem to use the pinot gris label and tout their wines as Alsatian in style.

The pinot gris I tasted was pretty good overall, but I'd recommend the region be careful about throwing around comparisons to Alsace or even Oregon. The Finger Lakes is producing some nice melony pinot gris, but the richness is not there yet if they want to talk about Alsace. Still, it's another exciting white varietal for the region that could be sensational eventually.

Why Cabernet?
The Finger Lakes does so many varietals so well, but no wine region is perfectly suited to every varietal. So why does nearly every winery in the area produce a cabernet sauvignon when the results are nearly always thin and green? The answer, I'm sure, is that cabernet is universally recognized and likely to appeal to a lot of consumers who buy on impulse.

My advice -- when your tasting fee limits the number of wines you can taste, don't waste a pick on the cabernet. There are so many other good wines to taste.

Sweet Chard
One delightful suprise turned up on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake where the Standing Stone winery is turning out a couple of great ice wines, including one made mostly from chardonnay. I've seen only one other ice wine with a similar pedigree, from Wolffer Estate on Long Island.

It turns out that the winemaker at Standing Stone spent some time at Wolffer, according to the staff. So, it shouldn't be a surprise that this blended ice wine uses 53 percent chardonnay. The results are just great, rich aromas of melon and peaches wrapped in a honeyed package. Standing Stone has carved out a nice reputation for its Vidal icewine, but I think its quest for innovation may mean even greater things are in store for this winery in the future.

Dollar Signs
Also on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake is an interesting little winery call Red Newt. In addition to the usual suspects, the winery produces a number of quality red wines. They readily admit that the weather often does not cooperate in the making of full-bodied reds, but they are very excited about their 2005 reserve wines.

Indeed, the 2005 reserve merlot was very good, and a 2005 reserve syrah was even better. It had incredible complexity, with plenty of black fruit, pepper and earth. But, the problem is, they want roughly $50 for it. The merlot -- close to $40.

It seems like Red Newt got carried away with enthusiasm for these wines. Of course I've bought more expensive wines, but you have to look at the market for the varietal and, quite simply, there are many better syrahs out there in the $30 range. Red Newt simply does not have the cache to command these kinds of prices.

If I sound peeved, I'm just concerned about seeing a little more realism in the picture. The beauty of an area like the Finger Lakes is that you can get some excellent, different wines at reasonable prices. Let's hope it stays that way. In the meantime, I am very encouraged by the chances that some winemakers out in the Finger Lakes seem willing to take.

Trolling the Finger Lakes

2007-05-24T21:46:00.000-04:00

We’ve just wrapped up three days in New York’s Finger Lakes and, now after a day of touring Niagara Falls, I’m finally able to blog about some of our wine experiences so far. Getting connected in the farm country of upstate New York turned out not to be easy, but the good news is that the next B&B, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is wired for guests.

What we found in upstate New York are many consistently terrific white wines and even a few, here and there, interesting and well-made red wines. I have one caution, however, for anyone considering touring Finger Lakes wineries – stay away from graduation season.

I had no idea that a Cornell and Ithaca College tradition for graduating seniors includes touring Finger Lakes wineries by bus. Consequently, we often found ourselves arriving on the heels of college kids, by the busload, at tasting bars across the region, taxing the ability of the winery staff to pour and be otherwise helpful. It is not unusual to wait 10 minutes or more between pours. One bedraggled pourer told us that one winery nearby simply closes its doors for the week.

Generally, the kids we met up with in the morning were better behaved and attentive to the tasting experience than those in the afternoon. At one winery, late in the afternoon, we found girls chug-a-lugging wine out of the bottle on the lawn, boys raucously shouting encouragement and a couple, apparently ignorant of the fact that "crush" is not for another four months, rolling across the lawn in a clinch. Call me old fashioned but I prefer a more serene tasting experience with all my senses focused on the properties of the wine at hand.

But we persevered and, overall, had a great time. As I’ve observed out on Long Island, some wineries have been building newer, palatial tasting room facilities that try to evoke the Napa experience. But there are still plenty operating out of modest, friendly buildings that let the wines and the staff do the talking. And, by the way, the lakes, waterfalls and farmland are just breathtaking.

There are so many wineries out here that I developed a game plan that leaned heavily on what some of the so-called experts had to say. I focused on their favorites and then filled in with a few other wineries that caught my eye. In almost every case the research paid off, as the best wines I found came from those recommended by one reviewer or another and not from those I decided to try on a whim.

Hosmer Winery
This was clearly the case with the first winery I’d like to blog about, Hosmer. In general I found the wineries around Cayuga Lake area not quite up to same standard as the wineries along Seneca and Keuka Lakes. But Hosmer, which has netted a number of awards for its lineup of wines, is a notable exception.

I actually got to enjoy about 20 minutes at Hosmer before the first busload of kids arrived, and in that time I tasted a lot of excellent white wines that included a rare but lovely pinot gris, a very credible, enjoyable chardonnay, and two delicious rieslings. Hosmer also offers a number of sweet wines and hybrid varietals, but I stayed away from those. And, unlike many other nearby wineries, the dry wines were very good across the board.

I really spent some time with the dry or off-dry rieslings, since the Finger Lakes is reputed to make some of the country's best. The 2006 Dry Riesling did not disappoint, especially at $12 a bottle. It had lovely apricot aromas with a clean, citrusy finish that makes this just a terrific food wine. This wine has 0.7 percent residual sugar, an almost imperceptible amount that makes the "dry" label appropriate.

In contrast, the 2004 Vintner's Reserve Riesling has 1.8 percent residual sugar -- categorized as semi-dry by the winery. While the sugar is more noticeable, the wine is so rich and delicious that I believe it will more than satisfy fans of dry wines. It has layers of peach, tangerine and floral notes with just a touch of honey. At $25 a bottle, it's a great buy and a very versatile food wine.

Hosmer also makes a 2006 Riesling with 3.5 percent residual sugar, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. There was a bit of peaches in the bouquet, but overall I found it simpler than the others.

I also have to note that I tried, out of curiosity, a 2005 Pinot Noir and a 2005 Cabernet Franc. The pinot noir truly surprised me. Though light in color, it had enjoyable aromas of cherry and spice and a very respectable medium-length finish. I'm not surprised that pinot noir could do well in this climate by the lakes, but I am surprised the vines would survive the frigid winters. Nonetheless, the pinot is definitely a decent companion for salmon, so I surprised myself by picking up a bottle.

Without a doubt, there's a lot of good wine to be found around the Finger Lakes to help make your stay here even more memorable. But Hosmer has the kind of wine you'll want to pick up anytime, anywhere because they're not just about memories but about finding a great wine for your dinner table.

New York and Niagara Bound

2007-05-19T13:53:00.000-04:00

In the coming week, Kathy and I will be heading up to the Finger Lakes Region of New York for a little R&R and, of course, winetasting. Then, after half a week there, we're driving to the Niagara region where we plan on exploring some of their terrific ice wines.

Of course, I'd love to blog as we go. But I've already learned we'll have no Internet connectivity at our B&Bs. I'll be on the lookout for Internet cafes, but if that doesn't work out there will be plenty to blog about when we get home.

I've long been a fan of Niagara ice wines and am really excited about indulging in some new labels. But I'm really intrigued to learn more about the wines of the Finger Lakes Region. While we have explored Long Island wineries several times, we have never ventured out to western New York to see what the many Finger Lakes wineries have to offer, mostly because...well, I didn't think I'd like them.

The few Finger Lakes wines that I've tasted, courtesy of friends who have been there, have been simple and sweet. For some time I thought this was all the Finger Lakes produced. But for years now I've been reading very favorable things about their dry and off-dry rieslings, gewurztraminers, Burgundian-style chardonnays and even, now and then, pinot noirs. So, it's time we checked it out for ourselves.

Turns out, from my pre-reading, there's lots I didn't know about the Finger Lakes. Did you know that it's the largest American wine-producing region outside of California? News to me. Why have these wines remained either unknown or the victim of mischaracterizations? Tom Pellechia over at VinoFictions has a few interesting ideas on this subject, such as a lack of promotional savvy and the mistaken belief, on the part of many, that Finger Lakes wines are made mostly from "foxy" tasting American hybrid grapes. You should read his post on that subject.

Whatever's going on out there, we hope to learn for ourselves exactly what these wines have going for them. And, I plan to share in the very near future.

Monster From the Languedoc

2007-05-16T19:07:00.000-04:00

Today is wineblogging Wednesday, an occasion on which many winebloggers try to explore a common theme to see what a multitude of winesoaked minds can come up with together. And, the theme on this occasion is Languedoc wines under $30. It's the brainstorm of Marcus (aka Dr. Weingolb), whose blog can guide you to many different takes on this topic.

Preparing for an upcoming trip, I have not been able to get out and search up any new Languedoc wines in the past week, but I do have an outstanding Languedoc red in my basement that I've been dying to try again. It's a 2001 Mas Cal Demoura L'Infidele from Coteaux du Languedoc, and it's worth writing about again because it's a monster of a wine.

This is an intensely earthy wine that can make you forget all about smooth, dapper wines with pedigrees. Powerful and somewhat rustic, this wine uses syrah, grenache, mourvedre, carignan and cinsault. How's that for matching up with Marcus's grape chart. At $29 a bottle, it just comes in under the $30 cutoff, but it's worth every penny. Here's what I had to say about it in November:

"It was a virtual explosion of barnyard aromas, from freshly tilled earth to soggy, ripe cow pasture...There's no denying it's a big wine for under $30. And, the barnyard quality will fade after an hour or two. Then you can look forward to mushrooms, earth, leather, lead pencil and anise. How many wines can say that?"

How did it show tonight? Wonderfully, of course. I got a bit of the barnyard aroma I noted six months ago, but this time it was more of a sidelight than upfront and center. Primarily I noted rich aromas of smoked meats seasoned with rosemary. And then the leather showed through. I wished that I was having roast leg of lamb for dinner to go with this wine, but the portabello mushrooms with goat cheese we cooked up served almost as well.

Without a doubt I was impressed all over again. This wine just has so many layers of complexity that you can endlessly explore its subtleties. And the length, wow.

I'm a true believer in what the Languedoc can do, and hope to find some other southern French wines just as interesting very soon. In fact, I'm off to check in with Dr. Weingolb to find out what he and others are prescribing!

Back With Bordeaux

2007-05-13T12:08:00.000-04:00

It's good to be back, past the grind of another semester and back to drinking and thinking about good wines. As I was getting caught up in the past week with some wine-related reading, I was delighted to see that Bordeaux wines have been the focus of more than a few people writing about value wines lately.

The Wall Street Journal wine writers, John Brecher and Dorothy Gaiter, for example, wrote this past week about the terrific red wines they found from the 2004 vintage in Brodeaux for around $20 or less. And, Wine Enthusiast has a feature this month on Bordeaux bargains.

Coincidentally, I recently spotted a favorite white Bordeaux, in a wine shop, that I have not had in a couple of years now. In light of the press attention focused on Bordeaux, I decided it was a good time to try this wine again -- a Chateau Thieuley from the Entre-deux-Mers region of Bordeaux. I'm happy to report this white Bordeaux remains a fantastic buy at about $15 a bottle.

Made with sauvignon blanc and semillon grapes, Chateau Thieuley hits all the right notes that fans of great sauvignon blancs love to hear. I enjoyed terrific aromas of grapefruit, lemon and even peaches. It's just such a delcious, well-balanced white for a very good price.

Many lovers of sauvignon blanc tend to overlook these fabulous wines in favor of lush sauvignon blancs from New Zealand or flinty, mineral-laden wines from the Loire. But there are terrific whites to be found in this region between two rivers (the Dardogne and Garonne) south of the Medoc. To be fair, a lot of mediocre wine has come from this region in the past, but those days are achangin.

So, as the better-known lables from New Zealand edge farther into the $20 and $30 range, keep in mind that there are some pretty darn good, affordable sauvignon blancs waiting to be discovered from places like Entre-deux-Mers and South Africa.

Break Time

2007-04-15T19:16:00.000-04:00

Some of you may recall I've mentioned that I'm currently in school working on my master's, while working full time and while continuing to scour the countryside for great wines. Unfortunately, blogging has suffered lately, as a result of the heavy load, and it's about to get worse.

For the next several weeks, I'll be finishing up my research and then writing a term paper, so I'll be taking a break from the blog. I will return in early May at the conclusion of my semester.

Can't wait to get over this immediate hurdle, believe me. And, I'm especially excited because by the end of May, the wife and I will be off on a winetasting trip through the Finger Lakes Region of New York and the Niagara peninsula. So, we'll have lots of good things to blog about in the near future. Sorry about the short-term absence, however.

Happy winetrails!

Don't Touch This

2007-04-05T19:07:00.000-04:00

Asphalt on a hot summer day, a stainless steel pan right out of the oven, a working wood stove, an Oregon zinfandel. An Oregon zinfandel?

Yup, these are all things that can be too hot to handle. I just had a 2002 Solena Wooldridge Creek Zinfandel with dinner, the first time I've had this particular label. I could tell it was a little hot on the tongue right away, but when I tried some of this wine solo, I wanted to reach for a chaser. It was all angles and spurs and heat.

I reached for the bottle and scanned the label -- there it was. 15.7 percent alcohol. Now, I'm not one of those people who rails against high alcohol in wine. I don't typically check labels for alcohol levels. I do prefer balanced wines, to be sure, but I don't mind a fully extracted, high octane wine in the 14.5 percent range. But I've never had a non-fortified wine this high in alcohol. And, I hope I never have one again.

Frankly, I'm not sure this wine would go well with anything -- maybe steak au pauve. There is some briary red fruit in there, but overall it isn't much fun on its own, either. Now I really know what some of the critics have been complaining about.

I wouldn't have been all that surprised by the octane if this wine came from California or Australia, but Oregon? I just couldn't quite figure that out, at first. Turns out we're not talking about the Willamette Valley here, where so many great pinot noirs are made and where the skies are frequently gray. These zinfandel grapes are sourced from southern Oregon, where it can get quite warm. A very dry autumn allowed great hang time in this case.

But I still can't get over it. I'm going to have start paying closer attention to the labels. Aware of the problem, a number of wineries (almost all California) are turning to new processes such as reverse osmosis to remove some alcohol from the wine. It remains somewhat controversial, since some people believe it also removes evidence of terroir as well. Who would have thought Oregon wines might also face similarly tough choices.

Better Than Sweet

2007-04-01T14:01:00.000-04:00

There's truly something special about a great dessert wine. Anyone who's ever had a great German or Niagara ice wine, a special Sauternes or a Napa Dolce knows what I'm talking about. It's wine that reaches a stratospheric level in concentration and memorably complex, sweet aromas.

Of course, everyone has their favorite, be it a Chateau d'Yquem or a trokenbeerenauslese. Now, I've had d'Yquem several times, though admittedly not from one of the very best vintages. And, I have to say that the best sticky I've ever had may be a lesser know wine from one of the under-appreciated wine regions of the world, Alsace.

Alsatian wines, in general, are among my favorite white wines. But the late harvest wines, such as those of Zind Humbrecht, have been truly amazing almost every time out. Years ago, my friend Tony introduced me to the joys of these wines when we had a picnic at his house for the staff of the wine store where we both worked.

That day we tasted a 1993 Tokay Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Vendage Tardive, which was great, but we also had a 1989 Tokay Pinot Gris SGN from Cave Vinicole de Hunawihr. Three of us sat back, as I recall, sipping as our eyes rolled back in our heads. The complexity and intensity of this wine was simply an out-of-this world experience.

Luckily, Tony is frequent traveler to France and manages to restock these gems with some regularity. As I have blogged before, Tony is quite skilled at carrying these wines back through Customs even in the face of very tight restrictions. Not quite as creative as this person, but pretty darn close.

Consequently, we recently found ourselves treated once again at Tony's, this time with a 1994 Tokay Pinot Gris Clos Jebsal Trie Speciale. This was a really interesting wine. Tony and his wife, Kristen, were visiting Zind Humbrecht for a tasting in 1995 when they were told about the very unusual wine that was still in barrels gurgling away -- its ultra high sugar levels made extra time in barrels necessary and promised eventually to deliver a very rich wine.

Man, they were not kidding. Tony managed to score some of this special wine on a trip several years later, and we had some recently. This copper-colored wine was an intense explosion of peaches and honey -- perhaps the richest, sweetest late harvest wine I've ever had. It lacks some of the acidity I would expect of a really fine late harvest wine, but its richness is such a marvel that you just have to slow down and appreciate that you may never taste its equal again.
Some people may not exactly love this style of wine. But it truly is a marvel. How can anyone not enjoy the experience, regardless of its limited pairing possibilities?

Zind Humbrecht keeps yields in its steep vineyards extremely low, almost guaranteeing intensely flavored wines. This wine is a single vineyard designate from the Clos Jebsal vineyard, a three-acre Pinot Gris vineyard. Here the grapes are allowed to shrivel on the vine as they move past fully ripe into super ripeness with the help of botrytis, or noble rot. As the grapes hang and shrivel, they shed water and their sugars concentrate, producing Vendange Tardive, or "late harvest," and a more concentrated dessert wine known as Sélection de Grains Nobles

This, my friends, can be a wine to die for, like its Sauternes' cousins. If you ever have a chance to try one, go for it. But, of course, it helps to have friends who travel to the right places. Thanks, bud.

Brunello Heaven

2007-03-19T20:01:00.000-04:00

In February, we had to let Open That Bottle Night pass unobserved since we were out helping a friend celebrate his 50th birthday. A terrific night. But we knew we wanted to do something special in the near future to help make up for it. So we got together this weekend for a Brunello night -- each of us reaching into the cellar for a nicely aged '97 Brunello. I quickly forgot all about OTBN.

We had some absolutely killer wines, and fabulous food. And, we learned that 10 years old is just about right for this wonderful vintage of Tuscany's best wine.

First, we tasted an Azienda Agricola La Torre, which I have been sitting on for some time. It was a classic mature wine, right at or close to peak. It had wonderful aromas of black cherry, earth and leather with smooth, dusty tannins evident in the long finish. Twenty minutes later I was picking up sensational hints of smoked meat. This was just a perfect accompaniment to our lamb and a real treat, after having indulged in many new world wines of late.

Next we had one of Tony's wines, an Angelini Spuntali, and we were completely blown away. It's a shame that this wine was not served last because it was a revelation -- a completely hedonistic wine. No way another wine was going to top it.

From the first whiff I knew it was different. I picked up blackberries and cassis and even floral notes. But it did not seem especially mature. When I tasted it, I was thrown for a loop. This was an ultra rich, supple and delicious mouthful of joyous juice with a finish that just went on and on. There was so much velvety fruit, I couldn't believe we were drinking a 10-year-old European wine. But after 15 minutes or so in the glass, new dimensions began to appear as earth and lead pencil aromas emerged. Just a beautiful, beautiful wine that makes you extra happy to be alive. And, it still has plenty of life left to it, if you're lucky enough to have more.

Our last Brunello promised to be something special, a riserva from Altesino. It's a very fine wine with a lot of stuffing, but there's no doubt it suffered from having to follow such a delightful, open wine. In fact, the Altesino took quite some time to open up in the glass. When it did, it showed leathery, black fruit aromas in a very full-bodied package. But it was coy compared to the Angelini and required careful attention.

There was not a clunker in the bunch, and we were a happy bunch of tasters. Of course, you've got to figure you're going to be in a good frame of mind when you've got a lineup of mostly Brunellos. If only every weekend was this good.

99 Bottles of Wine on the Wall

2007-03-14T19:43:00.000-04:00

I just love this story out of Australia. Apparently a winery there has discovered that wine bottles filled with water are a pretty good insulator, and they have incorporated wine bottles into the walls of a building as part of a study.

It's not the first time recycled wine bottles have been used as a building material, but the Australian government sees enough merit in the project to award the winery a $20,555 grant to study its effectiveness.

I showed this story to my wife, who has been in the recycling field for more than 15 years, and she was understandably excited by the novelty of it. She's always collecting offbeat stories about the innovative ways people have learned to recycle.

Personally, I suspect she's intrigued by more than just the thought of a recycling breakthrough. You see, she's always been a bit nervous about what the neighbors might be saying about all those wine bottles in our recycling pails. Anything that might prevent our wine bottles from winding up on display at the curbside would really make her day.

But I've never worried about any of this, though I admit that after a winetasting weekend with friends we often have quite a few spent bottles to dispose of. Buying an extra recycling bucket solved that problem, from my perspective. I think we'll stick with fiber glass insulation in the walls for now. As for the neighbors, they're probably just jealous anyway.

Instant Cellar Madness

2007-03-11T21:29:00.000-04:00

I'm just starting to get out from under quite a bit of school work, which has really put a damper on wine travels and tasting. But I have been doing a little wine reading this weekend, and I just had to comment on one article in particular.

Apparently, the fashion these days for a lot of the upwardly mobile owners of McMansions around the country is not just to build a wine cellar but to pay a consultant to fill this brand new cellar with thousands of bottles of wine. These buyers know little about wine; they have to have a fully stocked cellar to impress their friends. They have little preference for what's actually in it -- as long as someone will be impressed.

Now this is just wrong. Of course, as a wine geek who has long dreamed of building a real wine cellar but still cannot afford it, I confess to a certain amount of jeolousy. But it's not that simple.

I can easily live with the fact that lots of people out there can afford a lot more top notch wines than I can, as well as elaborate cellars. But buying a ton of wine mostly for show is frustrating and wasteful. First, as the article above says, these people are making wines already expensive and hard to find even more so. Secondly, they are assembling a large collection of wine in a relatively short period of time, which means that much of that wine will be maturing at about the same time. And, in all likelihood, they have no idea of when to open these wines. You just know much will be wasted because it won't be enjoyed at or near peak.

It just makes you want to...arghhhhhhhhhh!

Red Bubbles

2007-02-28T20:36:00.000-05:00

I've read a bit lately about sparkling shiraz, an Australian quirk that some people like and others seem to despise. The thought of a sparkling red still gives me shivers, as I recall the Cold Duck on my parents' Easter dinner table. But sparkling shiraz is supposed to be dry, though I have never tried one for myself. In fact, a sparkling red wine of any kind is still rare enough in my neck of the woods that I was truly intrigued and anxious to partake of one at a recent winetasting event.

It was a Castello del Poggio Brachetto from the Piedmont region of Italy, where truly extraordinary reds are found. What could be a more promising vehicle for entering this new terrain?

Not everyone felt the same. A couple standing next to me took their first quaff, made faces and declared, "too sweet." I had my own doubts as I tasted, but I was at the very least not turned off. I took another sip and thought to myself, this actually would not be bad as an apperitif or as a dessert wine. With chocolate covered strawberries, simply heavenly.

Brachetto is, whithout a doubt, somewhat sweet and a bit simple. It has nice aromas of strawberries and cherry pie. But it is not cloying, by any means. And, it may do more than complement the dessert on your table. It might even work well with spicy Thai food.

But my hunch is that Brachetto will never really catch on and be enjoyed by more than a handful of fans of Italian wines. Most people I know are still afraid to be seen with a sweet wine, let alone a sweet red sparkler that's bound to cause your wine-swirling friends to want to check your papers. After all, riesling is only now starting to catch on with Americans, and that's after decades of wine experts and writers singing its praises. Brachetto has few champions.

Few will pine for this wine, but if you have a chance, especially with dessert, give it a chance. Especially on a warm summer day. Sorbet and sparkling wine anyone?

Pinotgram

2007-02-21T20:01:00.000-05:00

Ever in search of terrific pinot noir, I look to my wine broker to come through with new and different pinots, which are shipped to my door every other month or so. Generally, I can get my hands on most of the cabs and zins and almost everything else I crave around here. But scoring unusual pinots from small producers is all but impossible, unless you've got a good broker -- the only kind of broker you really need.

A shipment came not too long, and just the other day I got to try my first Sadler Wells pinot noir, a 2003. While it was not a blockbuster, I was definitely impressed by the true pinot noir flavors and the subtle but spicy signs of terroir.

So many of the pinot noirs from the large producers these days have similarly really ripe cherry/berry flavors. Not really anything wrong with that, but the complexity and balance of a Burgundy-style pinot can do so much for a dinner that I sometimes pine for a more distinctive California pinot.

The Sadler Wells hit the spot. This is a wine that starts out with smooth blackberry flavors that slowly morph into cinnamon and other brown spices. And, it showed terrific balance that made it a great companion to our black pepper- and sesame-crusted ahi tuna. While it has 13.9 percent alcohol, I was not aware of any heat on the tongue. Like I said, balanced. This pinot reminded me very much of some of the more interesting Oregon pinots that I've had.

I definitely am looking forward to some more special deliveries. Single-vineyard wines from small producers like this are not easy to come by in the East -- outside New York. It's nice to know these small producer-pinots are not just for Californians.

Blind Ambition

2007-02-11T10:46:00.001-05:00

For someone who enjoys wine and who is not a professional taster, there is no more humbling experience than tasting wines blind and having to identify them. Unless you have that invaluable trait, an ability to laugh at yourself, it can be downright humiliating.

I have done blind tastings before, though usually with some context. For example, I once did a pinot noir tasting of wines from different countries and did OK, sort of. And, I did a tasting of cabernets vs. Bordeaux reds and was able to correctly identify two wines, including a Mouton Rothschild.

But, as I said, there was some context -- I knew we were tasting cab-based wines or pinot noirs from around the world. Kathy and I went to a charity winetasting on Saturday night, and every table of wines included a "mystery" bottle. Tasters were not necessarily expected to shout out identifications, but I took this as a personal challenge -- and failed miserably.

At one table, I tasted a very prune-like, raisiny full-bodied wine so I guessed I was tasting an Amarone -- it was a 2004 Bargeton Chateauneuf-du-pape. I didn't get any of the spicy earthiness I've noted in other Chateauneufs, but no sense grumbling about it.

At the next table, I struck out again, mistaking a delightfully fruity cab for a zinfandel. I just didn't notice the structure, cassis and cedar I expect from many cabs. But what kept me from having a good time at this table was the horrified expressions and groans of the pourer, who greeted my comments with thinly veiled incredulity. The 2002 Bennett Cabernet Reserve was nice, just not typically cab-like, Scheisskopf!

At the next table, we tasted several Chilean and Argentinian wines, and the mystery wine was also a Chilean -- I did not feel bad about not getting this one. To identify a wine you have to have tried it or something like it more than once. This mystery wine, a 2005 Inaki Reserve, a blended wine that leans heavily on malbec, was absolutely sensational, by the way. A terrific buy at $19.

I came closest to getting the next one right -- I actually thought I was tasting a zinfandel but changed my mind at the last minute when I thought I picked up a bit of black pepper. California syrah was my guess, but it was a Rosenblum zinfandel.

We finished up at a table featuring all Italian wines, so here, at last, was some context. I figured the mystery wine had to be a premium Italian, judging by the body and the earthiness. So I thought Barolo or Barbaresco. Wrong. It was an atypical Barbera, a Poggio Masarej Barbera. Now this was really tricky because the first wine on the table was a typically light, acidic Barbera. But this one was big -- I've blogged before about some of the muscular Barberas that are being made today. Terrific wines, but not what you would expect from Barbera unless you taste a lot of them. So, tasting a wine like this blind obviously is meant to be a fun eyeopener because it goes against type and can easily lead one astray.

So, after failing so miserably, does that mean I'd recommend avoiding blind tastings? Absolutely not. They can be fun and are almost always educational. But tasting blind with absolutely no context or guidance is the least meaningful kind of blind tasting. Heavy emphasis on the guesswork. But comparing wines blind of the same varietal or country of origin can teach you a lot. Just don't be cowed by an obnoxious pourer. Like Alex Trebek, they have all the answers and are irrelevent.

Day Late Shiraz

2007-02-08T19:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was Wine Blogging Wednesday, a regular event in which bloggers tackle a common theme and compare notes (on their blogs) about what they found. This particular event was about New World syrah or shiraz.

Unfortunately, since I'm now back in school working on my master's, I hardly have time for anything. So, I'm a day late, but, I'm happy to report, not a dollar short because I managed to stumble across another terrific bargain wine -- Bulletin Place Shiraz from Australia. It's not only a terrific example of Australian syrah/shiraz but a deal by anyone's standards at about $9.

Luckily, I've been enjoying quite a few really good syrahs lately and could just have easily recommended a dozen different wines for this edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday. But it's more fun when you discover something brand new that's also priced so that you can recommend it to anyone.

What I really liked about this wine was it's seductive fruit. It's not the spicy, peppery syrah that can be so intriguing to drink with foods. Instead, like many Australians, this is a really ripe, fruit-forward wine. But what makes it worthy of mention is its blackberry and cocoa notes on top of a lake of red raspberry flavors. And, did I mention it's only $9?

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about a South African shiraz that's probably a little more interesting and, perhaps, more European in character. But the Bulletin is simply a delightful wine that is well worth checking out.

Sizing Up The Critters

2007-01-31T19:16:00.000-05:00

One of the most written about trends in wines last year was the runaway success of wines sporting critters on the label. The numbers are hard to argue with. Forget Wine Spectator scores, if your wine had an illustration of some member of the animal kingdom on the label, odds favored strong sales.

Of course, I've lived by wine reviews, scores and word-of-mouth for so long that the idea of buying wine based on the art on its lable seems laughable. But then I began to wonder, would I really make out all that bad? I mean, we've all heard about amateur investors with their own peculiar stock strategies who regularly beat the advice given by the pros. So, could interesting labels be a legitimate path to wine enjoyment?

I had to put this to the test, a very unscientific test. Recently, I went out and bought the most interesting critter labels I could find in a large nearby store. I decided to buy the same varietal, so I could find out whether there's any consistency in this low-priced realm. And, I chose cabernet -- in part because there were plenty of critter cabs out there, but also because most of us have a pretty good idea of what a good cabernet flavor profile should be.

How did these four labels stack up? Well, precariously. But all was not lost. All were wines under $10 with labels that my wife wants me to save -- nuff said about the labels. Half of the wines were actually pretty good. Half were pretty bad.

The first wine we tasted was a 2003 Dancing Bull cabernet with a California designation. All but one have the California designation, by the way. Dancing Bull actually had some pretty things going on, black cherry and raspberry flavors with vanilla and cedar on the finish. On the whole, it was a pretty well integrated wine with a medium body -- definitely worth the price tag. Very true varietal flavors.

The next wine we tried was a 2003 3 Blind Moose. This also was a pretty good example of a medium-bodied, low-end cab. Again, there were some nice black cherry and oak aromas, though just a bit less structure than the Dancing Bull. All in all, a pretty good, under-$10 cab for mid-week quaffing.

Hey, I was feeling pretty upbeat. So far, two out of two cabs were pretty satisfying for less than $10. I might be shaving some dollars off of my next wine purchase, I thought. But then I tried the 2003 Big Fat Frog with its colorful green label. Now, I have to admit, this is what I (smugly) had been expecting all along. The Frog turned out to be a bit flabby with dull, prunelike flavors and almost no acicidity. Decidedly unbalanced, un-cablike and not worth even $9.

Then it was time for Rex Goliath, with its colorful rooster on the label. I actually had hope for this purchase, since I once tried another Rex Goliath wine that wasn't too bad. But the Rex cab made the Frog taste like Opus One. This was a thin, underdeveloped wine that was virtually joyless. It was a trial to drink. There was some simple red cherry going on, but no typical cab structure.

What does this little test prove? As you might expect, picking wine based on the label is not very reliable. Two out of four was actually a higher percentage of decent wines than I expected to find. I have a feeling this is the best you can ever hope to do, with art design as your guiding spirit. In short, reading wine reviews and talking to your friends are still the way to go. But then again if you've got a couple of hundred dollars burning a whole in your pocket, you could do a lot worse than picking up a Mouton Rothschild because of their labels while strolling down the Bordeaux aisle!

Sincerely Good Wine

2007-01-24T20:43:00.000-05:00

I just love surprises, at least when they come with inexpensive bottles of wine.

Case in point: I just opened a bottle of 2004 Sincerely Shiraz from Neil Ellis Wines of South Africa. We all know what to expect from inexpensive shiraz -- lots of jammy fruit with an exuberant, friendly personality.

At first blush, this $14 wine was exactly what I expected. Dark purple in the glass, it was brimming over with charming black cherry flavors and a bit of cassis. It seemed like a great sipping wine or a terrific wine to match up with burgers or pizza.

But then I walked away from half a glass of this quaffer and got busy. It was an hour later before I returned to it. Prepared to knock back the rest quickly, I suddenly froze, glass under my nose. Was this the same wine? Suddenly I was smelling leather and smoke. What a fascinating wine! Now I was forced to take my time and savor. I was stung by the realization that I almost didn't do this wine any real justice at all.

I gather that the 2005 vintage is now available, but if you can find any more of the 2004 -- buy it. And, I love the fact that it comes with a screw top -- the way every wine meant to be drunk young should.

All The News That's Fit To Drink

2007-01-20T12:34:00.000-05:00

I've been trying to catch up on my wine reading, and I found a few things of particular note that I thought I'd pass along. This article or book review from the LA Times is one of the best of its kind that I've read in a while -- thanks to Emily for this one.

What I like about this review of a Vincent Gasnier wine book, A Taste For Wine, is that it's so personalized and insightful. Leslie Brenner, the reviewer, in no way uses formulaic writing to assess this wine tome. Instead, she offers lots of personal opinion rooted firmly in a deep exploration of the content.

Sure, she takes a few uncreative swipes at the book's writing -- the opening section is a "snore," she says. But she correctly points out that wine books do not have to be brilliant from beginning to end to have something good to offer. And, in this case, the middle section of the book offers a very instructive "tour" through the wines of the world, including many obscure but distinctive varietals.

This is so important for anyone truly interested in wines, especially given the growing concerns in wine circles that globalization will grind under many worthy but hard-to-sell varietals around the globe. Does the author know his stuff in writing about these many different styles of wine? Well the reviewer put together her own tasting group to test the author's contentions about style and other characteristics. Her findings make for interesting reading -- the author is given credit for really knowing European wines but no so California. I think we can all learn from the article as well as the book -- what a great review!

Another article that caught my eye has me shaking my head. It seems that many California vintners have decided to oppose a new federal proposal that would require wines to list any and all ingrediants, including minute traces of foods such as egg whites and even fish parts sometimes used in fining wines -- the process of pulling out solid particles to help clarify the wine.

The feds believe even tiny traces of these fining agents could produce potentially lethal allergic reactions in some people, but the vintners believe the law is trying solve a non-existent problem. They also fear consumers will be turned off to wine if they see these things listed on labels. While not a fan of excessive regulation, I say to California vintners, pick your battles better because this one's not worth fighting.

First, all it takes is one fatal reaction to suddenly have a huge crisis on your hands. And, second, it's ridiculous to think anyone is going to give up wine because of such disclosures. Wine is riding such a wave that the dirty, dark secrets (not really) of fining will do nothing to stop it. The marketers need to step out of the way on this one.

Here's a fun one that says, I think, the Aussies believe size really does matter! The world's largest bottle of wine made its way to New York this past week and has created a bit of a stir. I thought I knew a thing or two about wine bottles, from magnums to nebuchadnezzars, but this is a new one on me. Planning on having 400 of your closest friends over soon? Well, this is the wine bottle for you.

"X" Marks The Spot

2007-01-15T17:58:00.000-05:00

After feeling under the weather for the better part of a week or so, I hit the trail again this weekend in search of some wine bargains -- and I did not come home empty-handed. I scored a couple of great inexpensive wines from Spain, not in and of itself a surprise. I've blogged about this before.

But, based on what I tasted, I think consumers are going to be delightfully surprised in the next few years by the wide range of varietals and styles available from Spain that most of us have barely heard of at this point.

The first wine I'm really nuts about is 2004 Alaia Dehesa de Rubiales from Galiciano. At $8 a bottle, this may be my new favorite mid-week wine under $10. It's tempranillo based but with more extraction than you'd expect from the bargain isle. It's loaded with black cherry fruit and a slightly spicy finish.

The other great find really blew my socks off -- and not because of its weight or extraction. With 14 percent alcohol, it certainly has body. But what really impressed me was the generous brown spice I got on the nose and the sophistication of its smooth style. I'm talking about the 2005 Xavier vino de la tierra de Castilla y Leon, which goes for about $14. Sporting a large X on the label, this wine is made from a little known grape, prieto picudo, but its flavors and aromas are idiosynchratic and impressive.

You could argue that Xavier is a good example of why the internationalization of wine styles can be a bad thing. There's no doubt there are great, little known varietals out there that winemakers are afraid to export because the wine contains none of the prestige grapes.

But I'm told the winery in this case finally decided they have a good enough product to send overseas -- good news for us. Cleverly, they decided to slap a slick label and marketing name on it, rather than the varietal name -- the label almost looks like it came from the set of the X-files. Fine by me. As long as I continue to see and taste unusual wines like Xavier.

An Overlooked Bargain

2007-01-04T18:58:00.000-05:00

When retailers I meet talk about bargain wines, they usually steer me toward wines from Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Chile. Usually with good reason. But with so much attention currently focused on these parts of the globe, we often overlook the bargains, if not numerous, to be found in California.

Take Cline Cellars, for example, located in Carneros. It seems to me that Cline does not get a lot of ink, as a fairly large producer that does not make the big, blockbuster cabs. But they do make some terrific zinfandels and a number of distinctive Rhone varietals. For example, I was a huge fan of their mourvedre for $10 -- the price is now $18 and I assume it's still great, but I haven't been able to find this wine around here in years.

Thankfully, I continue to find their $9 syrah. I've always enjoyed this inexpensive, peppery black cherry-laced wine. Still, I was not prepared to be bowled over -- and I was -- when I opened a bottle recently. It was a '99 that I found in the basement, more or less hidden from view and forgotten about for several years. So, it had aged about four years longer than I would normally lay down a cheap wine.

Wow, what a surprise. Instead of exuberant spicy black cherry aromas, I was greeted by hints of leather, earth and smoke. This isn't supposed to happen in this price range. Don't get me wrong -- I love many inexpensive wines. I just don't expect a lot of complexity. And, age a wine like this? Perish the thought!

We visited Cline almost 10 years ago and tasted a lot of good zins. I don't remember the syrah standing out then. But over time I think the syrah has been more consistent than Cline's ubiquitous low-end zin. So, Cline has proved to be a year-in and year-out bargain...and from California. Cool!

A Night To Sparkle

2006-12-29T12:36:00.000-05:00

I was just reading the New Year's Eve wine recommendations of the wine guy over at USA Today. He's recommending an interesting-sounding sparkling chenin blanc, which I very much would like to try. But he goes on to say that the best value in sparkling wine today may be Gruet from New Mexico.

Anyone who has been reading Walk the Wine from the beginning may recall that Gruet was my recommended sparkler for last New Year's Eve, just the second post of this new blog. And, since the wife and I discovered this terrific sparkling wine on a trip to New Mexico eight years ago, I've been recommending this wine (few would listen) for quite a few years. Now that the so-called experts are on board I, of course, in very mature fashion want to tell them -- idiots, what took you so long?

Jerry Shriver also says that the quality of low-end sparkling wines has increased significantly in the past five or so years -- true overall but not so true of Gruet. It's been remarkable for a long time. What this French family has been able to do in the desert climate of New Mexico is extraordinary -- an impressive low-end brut (about $12) and truly fantastic blanc de blanc and blanc de noir wines. It's a tribute to good old-fashioned know-how over environment.

I still recommend Gruet sparklers heartily, but their brut is no longer my pick for best-value sparkling wine out there. A Spanish cava, Cristalino, is. This sparkler goes for $10 or less but has the rich aromas that your would expect from $25 sparklers -- apples, citrus and almonds. You really can't do better under $10.

There is so much good sparkling wine on the market right now it's really hard to go wrong -- it's just a matter of what you want to spend. True Champagne in the $35 range is still great. But the real point is you don't have to spend that much if you don't want to.

Looking for a terrific California sparkler? There's lots of great ones over $20, but the best at a reasonable price (just barely $20)may be Roederer Estate Anderson Valley.

There's no reason not to enjoy your New Year celebrations with great sparkling wine. It's never been easier. How about trying several different sparkling wines in a line-up of different styles? Sounds like a guaranteed happy New Year to me!

More Than One Reason To Celebrate

2006-12-26T22:07:00.000-05:00

As expected, Christmas this year was a great family time with lots of laughs and great food. Also as expected, there were no wine surprises under the tree.

But, since I recently posted my 100th Walk the Wine blog entry, I had extra reason to celebrate. Helping me celebrate were my three nieces, clad in trendy wine apparel.

Tradition is Sweet

2006-12-23T13:44:00.000-05:00

You really don't see anyone writing about what makes the perfect Christmas wine, unlike the Thanksgiving holiday when endless verbiage is thrown around about the "perfect wine." Sure, this time of year many are writing about the best bargains in bubbly, but that's because Christmas practically runs right into New Year's.

The reason there is no perfect Christmas wine is simple -- there's a lot less predictability to Christmas foods. The featured fare in all likelihood will vary depending on your family's Christmas traditions. Some people I know do Christmas goose; others do roast beef; still others do turkey, again. All require different wines.

Our family's big celebration is on Christmas Eve, and, while we're not Italian, our tradition probably comes closer to the Italian "feast of seven fishes" than anything else. We have a variety of shellfish and seafood pasta, with lobster as the grand event. While you might think a white Burgundy or a crisp Loire white might be in order, Christmas tradition at our house requires Asti Spumante -- and lots of it.

The architect of our Christmas celebration was my mother, and her favorite wine in the world was Asti Spumante. Actually, she was not much of a wine drinker, but on Christmas Eve she had to have her sweet bubbly. After all the work that went into that dinner, why not?

I'm not crazy about Asti Spumante, except with cake after dinner. And, I have brought other whites to have with dinner over the years. But Spumante is the star of the show at Christmas because it's a tradition, one that reminds us of mom, who has been gone for seven years now. I'm a big believer in respecting and enjoying traditions. So, I'll have my share, too.

If you celebrate Christmas, have a very merry one, whatever your traditions may be!

To Age Or Not To Age

2006-12-16T18:13:00.000-05:00

I was down in my cellar the other day looking for the perfect wine to go with our filet mignon, when I came across a 1996 Robert Craig Affinity cabernet that I had forgotten about. Now, I knew that I had probably waited much too long on this wine. But I figured it wouldn't get any better at this point and an aged, softened cab could be great with a tender meat like filet.

I was right...about waiting too long. There were hints of cassis, black cherry, even cocoa, but they were elusive. This wine, described as Robert Craig's Bordeaux blend, is definitely faded, in a state of decline. But it got me thinking, again, about the ageability of California cabs -- are they truly ageworthy?

Of course, this is a question that has been debated for some time. Some people firmly believe that California cabs with their fruit-forward style will not ever attain the cellaring potential of Bordeaux or Barolos from good vintages. But there's no doubt there are examples out there of terrific California cabs that have held up well for a couple of decades or more.

As for the Affinity, some have advised not waiting long at all to enjoy this wine. Still others have advised that it has great structure and cellaring potential -- including the winery itself. I have to say the latter seems more of marketing hype than sound guidance.

This kind of experience has reinforced two points that I have firmly believed for some time. Outside of some notable exceptions, assume that the California cab you bought will not improve for decades. I like to drink most of mine with 5 to 8 years of age on them. Second, you have got to read and absorb what reviewers say about the wine's characteristics, and not just note the score.

This second point is really critical. Wine reviews can give two different wines identical scores, yet describe them in completely different ways. This description is critical to any decision about whether or not to age the wine very long. If it's described as soft and velvetty right now, drink it soon. If it's described as powerful and tannic, it could be ready for long-haul maturation. Case in point, I've long enjoyed Pine Ridge cabernets. But the Howell Mountain cab and the Stag's Leap cab, while netting similar scores, are described quite differently by many reviewers. I would age one and not the other.

There are some great California cabs that will age splendidly, of course. Some friends had a '91 Heitz Martha's Vineyard several years ago and said they thought it was still tight. But I think it's safest to assume your cab will be best in under eight years. That's not a criticism -- I'm just trying to go with the wine's strength. Four or five years ago, a friend and I split a case of '97 Saddleback cabernet. When we tried it at a store winetasting, we both thought it was the richest, most chocolatey cab we had ever had upon release. When we had it again over the next couple of years it was similar and just as impressive. But three years later it had changed -- into a marvelous, more complex wine. But, oh, the memories of that chocolate experience would not let us go with the flow. It was one time where the sweetness of youth was just so overwhelming that the added complexity was not entirely welcome. Sort of like watching aging rock stars.

It's not easy to know exactly when is the right time to enjoy your better wines. In the end it's your choice. But my experience with new world wines is to live in the moment, and that moment may be sooner than you think.

Any Port In The (Winter) Storm

2006-12-10T13:23:00.000-05:00

I usually find the easiest people to buy birthday and Christmas presents for are people with hobbies and passions. I have a brother who is into model trains and fishing --thinking of a present for him is no sweat.

So, since I enjoy fine wines so much, you'd think I would be overwhelmed with gifts of wine. But, sadly, nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, my wife has bought me a number of terrific wine accessories over the years, but I get the feeling that friends and family are afraid to buy me actual bottles of wine...like I might go into rant or otherwise belittle their purchases.

I do occasionally get wine gifts from guests who come to dinner, and I don't think I've ever been disappointed by such a gift. Whether it's a really "special" wine to have with weekend dinners or a humble mid-week quaffer, I enjoy trying all kinds of things. But good bottles are rare under the Christmas tree. I'm still surprised by this. If anyone simply has no faith in their ability to pick out wines all you have to do is ask the proprietor for a recommendation. I do it all the time, though I have a pretty good idea of what I like.

But, there is a way to make this really easy. While I'm receptive to all kinds of wines as gifts, you absolutely can't go wrong this time of year getting port, particularly if you get a vintage port (expensive) or a late-bottled vintage port (reasonable). This is the time of year many of us dream of port -- nothing makes a body cozier during a winter storm than a glass of port (sorry, but hot chocolate or tea must take a back seat).

While picking out a really good cabernet or Bordeaux is aided by a little knowledge of vintages and reliable producers, port leaves less to chance. Vintage port is only made in exceptional years. And, virtually all vintage port producers have something good to offer. Same is largely true of late-bottled vintage ports, which are ready to enjoy when you buy them.

So, you see, buying a wine geek a present need not be difficult nor intimidating. As far as I'm concerned, any port in the (winter) storm will do quite nicely. If you want to know where to send it, just leave a comment, and I'll get that address to you!

Wine on Steroids

2006-12-07T20:14:00.000-05:00

You think steroids in baseball is a travesty? An equally troubling scenario may very well be in the offing for the wine world, and we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg at this point. A wine critic in New Zealand has made a very convincing case that some wineries are skewing wine competition results by sending bulked up product for judging that bears little relationship to the product you and I buy on the shelf. It gives a whole new meaning to the word "juiced."

I can't help but think that this little kiwi wine scandal might help explain something that I've noticed: some darn mediocre or even poor wines that I've tasted have somehow won medals in wine competitions somewhere. Could they be pulling the wool over someone's eyes?

I know that's unfair to many wineries. But my point is that many people already think this way. This scandal will make things worse, I'm sure. And, if you carry the same suspicions, or even paranoia, over into a broader context, i.e., wine ratings, the PR damage could be far-reaching.

Many people already are fed up with the wine rating system. So many people now base their purchasing decisions on wine ratings that a big scandal could have a huge impact on wine buying.
Many people I know already regard wine ratings by the big wine magazines as a joke. I can't tell you how many people in the retail business, if you know them, wink when they talk about the ratings big advertizers get from the wine mags.

The answer is clear. The wine mags need to cover this issue as though their lives depended on it. They claim to taste all wines blind, but they need to lay it all out bare. How does the tasting process work exactly and what are their codes of ethics. And, they need to cover stories like the one out of New Zealand vigorously. Then again, maybe they'll just let the blogosphere do it.

Reaching Home Plate Safely

2006-12-03T18:57:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I tried to explain how imagination and skillfull attention to detail are permitting some wine enthusiasts to carry wine home in this age of ever-tightening airline restrictions. The real substance of my case, though, comes from my friend Tony who recently carried 21 bottles back from Provence -- without hassle or breakage.

Just in case you don't read comment threads and are interested in how he did it, you need to read his comments. I could never have explained in such detail how he was able to get them all home unscathed.

Walking The Wine in the Age of Terrorism

2006-12-02T15:42:00.000-05:00

Wine fans know that one of the great joys of touring wine country, anywhere, is buying a few bottles to take back home so that you can relive the memories at later time. The ban on carrying liquids aboard airplanes in the wake of this summer's foiled terrorism plot sure put the kibosh on one great activity.

Of course, safety comes first. But the outright ban on beverages -- unless you bought yours in the duty-free shop -- seems like a pretty unsophisticated approach to the potential problem. We have not traveled since the ban, but I can't help thinking about it since we have never traveled anywhere near a vineyard in the past 15 years and not picked up something to take home. What's a dedicated wine walker to do?

The wineries would suggest you ship it home. When you are physically at the winery there is usually no legal problem doing this. In fact, this option has saved many wineries in tourist areas from a serious slump in sales. I usually ship some home, but I've always been leery of shipping really expensive wines -- I'd rather carry them. And, I never ship in the middle of the summer with all that heat!

Our friends Tony and Kristen have traveled abroad recently (Provence), and I'm happy to report they beat the system. In fact, when I e-mailed Tony -- who has been known to carry back a couple of dozen bottles from abroad -- his response was, Tony 21-baggage handlers 0.

Yup, Tony was able to bring back 21 bottles with him without shipping. How did he do it? In the suitcases (4 of them), of course.

I know what you're thinking -- they'll break and ruin your clothes as well as the luggage. Tony maintains you just need to approach the problem scientifically. In this case, it means using cardboard, clothing and more cardboard...with precision.

Tony layers the inside of each suitcase with cardboard, paying special attention to potential impact points. Then dirty laundry is layered as well to provide an extra cushion. Then each bottle gets wrapped not just in socks, etc., it gets more cardboard.

Personally, I can't believe he got 21 bottles back this way, past rough and tumble, thirsty baggage handlers. But his experience is proof it can be done. I believe I will try this approach, with a few bottles, if things haven't loosened up by next year. I don't think I'd look all that bad in purple, anyway. (Photos courtesy of Tony and Kristen)

Tis The Season For Syrah

2006-11-26T17:15:00.000-05:00

For years, our little tasting group got together semi-frequently to indulge in and analyze particular varietals or the wines of a region or country. But then I started working on my master's, and there never seemed to be enough time -- until now. I'm happy to report our group got together again recently for the first time in two years. And, did we ever have a great time comparing wines made primarily from the syrah grape!

We've taste-tested a lot of varietals over the years, but it occurred to me we've never really explored syrah-based wines before -- we came close three years ago when we did a tasting of numerous Rhone wines. It also occurred to me that syrah is a wine I turn to often this time of year when we're having stews and lamb dishes.

So, for this tasting we decided to compare syrah-based wines from California, Australia and France. As is often the case with our little group, there was a clear cut favorite for the majority of our tasters. And, it was a last-minute addition that, surprisingly, blew me away.

We always have a warm-up wine to get things started, and on this night we got things rolling with a 2005 Gigondas La Cave Rose. Though syrah is not the dominant grape in this wine, it was a special way to kick off the evening because it was carried back from France recently by our friends Tony and Kristen. It's not something we can typically get around here -- a real treat. It had perhaps the prettiest bright red/pink color I've ever seen in a rose and intense cherry/strawberry flavors that finished dry and spicy. Very, very tasty.

California
The real tasting began with California, and we were fortunate to have a couple of gems also not typically found around here. We started with a 2004 Lost Canyon Russian River Trenton Station Syrah. This wine comes from a small, high-quality producer (only about 200 cases of this wine were made), but I was nonetheless ready and waiting for a California fruit bomb. Instead, we got a mouthful of black pepper with rich blackberry fruit following close behind. This was a very interesting and enjoyable wine showing real meatiness.

The next wine was a 2002 Tablas Creek Syrah from Paso Robles. Again, nothing simplistic here. The Tablas Creek was a rich mouthful of wine with lots of black cherry, licorice and just a bit of pepper with a pleasant acidic finish. Despite 14.5 percent alcohol, we all agreed the wine was well integrated, balanced.

Australia
Everyone's familiar with the ultra ripe flavors of inexpensive shiraz, so for our tasting I was after a more distinctive taste of Australia. We found that in our first Australian, a 2000 Penfold's St. Henri Shiraz. This was my first taste of this premium label from Penfold's, and it did not disappoint. Less than half as expensive as Penfold's better known monster premium, Grange, St. Henri is supposed to be a more restrained and elegant version.

It is indeed more restrained and, in my opinion, still quite tight. I found it quite Bordeaux-like, with bitter chocolate and mocha notes. This wine needs a few years to really soften and show its stuff. I'm not sure it has the body its big brother boasts, but it's a very serious food wine.

The next Aussie wine, a 2002 Brothers in Arms Shiraz, was the near favorite of many. It's an interesting wine in that it expresses the commitment of a growing number of Australian artisan winemakers who are striving to produce shiraz that exhibits lots of terroir. Hailing from South Australia's Langhorne Creek, this wine shows beautiful, complex flavors of blackberries, smoked meat, rosemary and pepper. Its rich, slightly sweet fruit flavors stay in balance, making it perhaps the best sipping wine (without food) of the bunch.

France
Where to begin, regarding the next wine. The 2001 Mas Cal Demoura L'Infidele from Coteaux du Languedoc blew my socks off -- I certainly never expected anything quite so dramatically good from the Languedoc. It was the clear favorite of 5 out of our 8 tasters -- all the men and one woman. Those who didn't vote it best had to admit it was a lot of wine, just not the style they prefer. You see, it was a virtual explosion of barnyard aromas, from freshly tilled earth to soggy, ripe cow pasture.

OK, I know some people might regard this kind of barnyard experience to be more stinky than pleasurable -- a flaw. But there's no denying it's a big wine for under $30. And, the barnyard quality will fade after an hour or two. Then you can look forward to mushrooms, earth, leather, lead pencil and anise. How many wines can say that?

For our last wine, we again tasted a 1996 Paul Jaboulet La Chapelle Hermitage. We tasted this wine together three years ago, and it was my favorite of the evening. The most expensive wine in our lineup, it's still got some good stuffing, but I did not find it as intense as I remembered it. It has very nice earthy, mushroomy flavors with just a bit of pepper on the finish. Really, it was quite nice, especially after 20 minutes in the glass, but I think it suffered from following the L'Infidele.

Based on some reviews I've read I gather I'm not supposed to like this wine. But I have no trouble recommending it to others -- it's still a class act. But I'm not sure if I can recommend buying any of the current vintages at about $120 a bottle, when there are wines like L'Infidele available for a whole lot less.

Our conclusions: syrah does, indeed, make great world class wines that belong on your dinner table. But you don't have to spend a fortune for great ones, unlike cabernet. The two best loved wines of the evening were the two cheapest at about $28 a bottle. Very cool.

Giving Thanks for Pinot

2006-11-19T14:07:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again, when wine writers and bloggers love to blither about their choice for the "perfect" Thanksgiving wine. I get asked by friends for my thoughts on this subject every year at this time. So let's get this on the record here and now. Pinot noir. In fact, if the pilgrims had pinot noir on the table for that first Thanksgiving celebration, relations between settlers and native Americans might never have soured!

I've heard every kind of Thanksgiving pairing imaginable suggested by the so-called experts. Let's be clear -- there is no concensus. It shows how inexact and personal the choice really is. So, instead of trying to recommend the "best" Thanksgiving wine, it's probably more helpful to explain why pinot noir is my favorite Thanksgiving wine.

Cabernets and zinfandels simply have too much alcohol and tannins to match well with the white meat on a turkey, which is what most people reach for. But I've seen both wines recommended for Thanksgiving. Wall Street Journal wine columnists Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher, whose column I love, by the way, have advocated pairing a well-aged cabernet with turkey because the tannins have been defanged by time. Maybe, but I don't think it's practical. Most people don't have well-aged cabs on hand. And, I just don't think classic cab flavors marry well with poultry.

Others like whites with turkey. It can work, but you've got to be careful here. Some whites can seem overly acidic once you bite into some of those sweet sidedishes. Riesling, chenin blanc and some pinot gris can work fine. But turkey is not chicken -- it has more character and body (however you look at it). I think a red complements the flavor of turkey better, not to mention savory stuffing and gravy.

So, what wine works best with game birds like duck or turkey? Pinot noir, of course. A friend of mine at the wine store where we once worked used to say, "finding a wine to pair with turkey is not hard at all. It's all those candied yams and cranberry sauce that screw it up." That is, indeed, the rub. But I think many people hyperventilate needlessly over this challenge.

If pinot noir works perfectly with turkey, as I believe it does, stick with what works but deal with the sweet potato onslaught by choosing your pinot wisely. With sweet sides in mind, Thanksgiving is one time I don't want an earthy complex pinot like Burgundy or even a dark Russian River pinot. Instead, I want one with jammy red fruit, like those often produced in Carneros. Perfect, perfect example -- Etude. Too pricey for your budget at about $45? There are others more affordable that are just about as good.

That's what works for me. But tastes are so different that in big family gatherings you're never going to get everyone on the same page. It probably makes sense to offer family members both a white and a red. The important thing to remember is that there are no rules in your house but your own. And, oh yeah, have a happy Thanksgiving.

The High Cost of Higher Education

2006-11-14T20:58:00.000-05:00

Long ago I attended a winetasting at someone's house that was emceed by a local retailer. We were tasting Tuscan wines, always fun. But, I quickly became nervous when I found out we would be asked to confidentially score the wines and then reveal our scores and talk about them -- something I had not previously done.

Immediately, an instinctive drive to avoid outlier status took hold of me. But it didn't last long. I was an outlier, alright, consistently scoring the wines lower than all others but one. I found suddenly that I didn't mind not being part of the pack. I simply couldn't understand scores of 95 or 96 given by some others to simple Chiantis.

Only when we got to the last wine, a Brunello, did I give up a 90-plus score -- and discovered to my amazement that some others had given it an 82. It was puzzling at first, but I soon discovered the reason -- many of the others had never had a $30+ wine before.

I'm not denigrating these people, but I bring it up to make a point -- you can't really judge how good a wine is unless you have the context or framework of experience to do so. Of course, you can judge whether or not you like a wine, and for some people that's enough. But to understand and appreciate true quality and value, you've got to taste a wide range of stuff.

A post on Vinography the other day got me thinking about this. Alder was exploring whether mega-expensive cult cabernets, some of which top $400 a bottle, are worth the money. It seems that recent tastings by some of the so-called experts have found some expensive cult favorites a bit lacking. But in other cases, these expensive gems really rocked.

I'm a big advocate in indulging in the good stuff now and then. The idea is not to emulate the wealthy but to be privy to what the wealthy know, which is how great wine really can be. Otherwise, how do you know?

Of course, great wine does not always come in expensive packages. We all scour the wine mags looking for the next 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages at $27 bottle. And, even if we're not buying the "wine of the year," there's a lot of great stuff out there for an affordable price.

But there are experiences that can be had only by splurging once in a great while, whether for a great Barolo or a first growth Lafite or a Mouton. Thank goodness I splurged on some of these before the 2000 vintage drove the price up around $300 to $400 a bottle. I have enjoyed Lafite once and Mouton several times, all close to $100 a bottle. Let me tell you -- they were truly worth it. The memory is always there when tasting other Bordeaux and cabs.

I have even paid a little over $200 a bottle twice in my life -- you can bet I sneaked those into the house. One was a 1989 Chateau d'Yquem. I haven't opened the '89 yet (I've had lesser vintages), but I enjoy every day knowing that one hell of a tasting party is waiting for me -- I just don't know exactly when yet.

The main point is most of us will never be able to afford or find a Screaming Eagle, but if you don't occasionally reach for the really great ones you'll always wonder. And, if like some tasters, you find expensive wines are not all they're cracked up to be, just consider it the high cost of higher education these days. You're guaranteed to have more fun than you did taking a college exam, and that cost a whole lot more.

And the Winners Are

2006-11-08T19:31:00.000-05:00

What better day to look back at my experience on the Connecticut Wine Trail this year, to assess the winners and losers, than the day after mid-term elections nationally. Don't need any voting machines nor will there be any recount...for this ballot of one.

And the winners are:

Best Wines -- Chamard. For many wine fans in this area, this comes as no surprise. I even admit this is a boring choice, since Chamard has long been regarding as the best in Connecticut by critics and consumers alike. Up and down their lineup, you'll find balance, depth and decent complexity. I wanted to upset the apple cart and swoon over someone else's wines just to shake things up. But I couldn't do it. Chamard still rocks.

2nd Place -- Sharpe Hill. I love this winery for its lovely ambience but also for the strength of its white wines. There are so many strong white wines, from two wonderful but different styles of chardonnays to a very nice riesling to their signature Ballet of Angels -- a slightly sweet but citrusy delight.

3rd Place -- McLaughlin Vineyard. I almost went with another winery here, but I think McLaughlin deserve cudos for what they've done with their Vista Reposa wines -- perhaps the best cabernet franc in the state. There's terrific complexity in these wines. To be sure, there are a couple of misses in their lineup, but I just loved the Reposa and have to give them credit.

Honorable Mentions
The Connecticut Wine Trail is boasting something on the order of 19 or so wineries in the state, and I can definitely recommend a visit to about half. Actually, virtually all of the wineries have something nice to offer. You're going to meet committed, enjoyable people at nearly every Connecticut winery.

When I say I can recommend visiting perhaps half of them, I mean that roughly half make wines that I would buy. In addition to my three favorites listed above, Hopkins, Haight, Stonington and Jonathan Edwards all make wines worth trying. There were some clear disappointments. Some small operations have not yet found a way to meet the challenges of Connecticut's weather, making thin, unappealing wines. I found one well-known winery with a great reputation for making sweet wines subpar overall, with a couple of exceptions in the dessert wine category.

But the good news is that just as the quality of winemaking everywhere has greatly improved in the last 10 to 20 years, Connecticut winemaking overall has come a long way. Ten years ago I would have recommended two out of eight (25 percent) Connecticut wines. Today, I can recommend just about half of almost 20.

Lessons Learned
Once again, I find what's true for other locations is true here -- microclimates rule. I found the best Connecticut wines can boast vineyard origins that benefit greatly from microclimates. Whether it's close proximity to Long Island Sound (ocean) or Lake Waramaug, factors that help delay the onset of frost and mitigate the heat of summer make for better wines.

Experience also counts for a lot. With one or two exceptions, I also found that those winemakers who have been in business the longest make the best wines.

In the end, there's no guaranteed formula for finding wines that will please your palate. You have to get out there and find what you like. Perhaps my impressions will sync up with your own, perhaps not. But I hope my reviews over the past four months will provide some assistance. Just a word on scoring -- wine reviews that use the 100-point scale actually judge wines on a 40 or 50-point scale. Wineries get 50 points just for showing up. The other 50 points have to be earned. I followed the same model. The wineries that truly impressed earned 15 points and up on my 20-point scale.

Land of Nod

2006-11-01T21:18:00.000-05:00

For our last stop of the season on the Connecticut Wine Trail, we visited a young winery in Canaan, Conn., called Land of Nod. There's no doubt it's quite modest compared to some of the state's more accomplished wineries, but suprising things can sometimes come from simple, unpretentious sources. Sometimes, but not often.

The Facilities
Just four years old, Land of Nod resembles a garage operation more than a full-fledged winery. Of course, garage wineries in some parts of the world are regarded with awe for the outstanding, high-quality wines they produce in an unassuming, no frills environment. That is not the case here.

Don't get me wrong. Land of Nod has done a nice job decorating with handcrafted vines and antique phonographs, for example, but we're still talking about your basic garage with little in the way of tasting room conveniences to create a nice ambience that helps make the experience fun. The tasting bar is small, and there are no tables at which to sit and sip inside -- there are a few outside. I give the facilities a 3 out of 5 score.

The Staff
Our pourer was the mom of the winemaker. Affable and knowledgable, she was a very pleasant host who was able and ready to answer many of our questions. Only in a couple of instances was she stumped. And, she had a knack for making you feel really welcome.

Overall, we had an enjoyable conversation with our pourer, if not a truly illuminating one. I give the staff a 4 out of 5 score.

The Wines
The lineup at Land of Nod is limited, and the wines demonstrate some of the awkwardness that comes from youth and inexperience. Evaluating the winery's potential was made more difficult for us by the fact that their white wines are sold-out for the season. So, we tasted only reds, which are the most challenging wines for Connecticut wineries to make.

2005 Pinot Noir -- I was initially tickled by the red cherry and licorice nose, but a heavy dose of residual sweetness made this a disappointment. This wine lacked balance, making it a poor food wine, in my opinion. I wondered how they are able to do pinot noir at all in the Northwest part of the state, until I learned that they are able, as a young winery, to purchase up to 75 percent of their grapes from somewhere else.

2004 Cabernet Franc -- I thought this wine was truer as a varietal, though it was a bit thin and underripe. It had a slight raspberry nose and a bit of spice, but little body.

Raspberry Dessert Wine -- Made entirely from flash-frozen raspberry fruit, this was a simple sticky that could be nice over ice cream but was a little cloying as an after-dinner drink.

The wines in general lacked the sophistication and the range to compare favorably with many of the state's more accomplished wineries. As a young winery, they have a chance to grow and mature, but a tasting experience here presently leaves a little to be desired. I give the wines a 4 out of 10 score.

A visit to Land of Nod can be a pleasant outing for anyone in the area anxious to get a taste of what local farms can do. But more seasoned winetasters will probably find more to offer elsewhere. Land of Nod's overall score comes to 11 out of 20.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Are We There Yet?

2006-10-29T07:19:00.000-05:00

One of the big surprises for newbies is that something on the order of 95 percent of the wine you find in stores is ready to consume the day you buy them. No wine before its time? A gross exaggeration, or even myth, perpetrated by marketers years ago.

But if you want to know the joys of a well-aged wine you could do a lot worse than to invest in some Brunello di Montalcino. Vacationing in Tuscany and want to bring back a few bottled memories? Forget about chianti, a decent enough but unsensational table wine. Brunello is a darker, richer Tuscan wine with much greater longevity.

If you want to monitor a wine's development over time, Brunello is a great place to start. Sure, there are lots of wines you can buy that will improve with age, such as the better Bordeaux or California cabs, and Barolos or Barbarescos. But you can pay an awful lot for these ageworthy wines.

Brunellos are not exactly cheap; in fact, they're getting much more expensive. But I think they still represent a great buy relative to other collectible wines. And, in my opinion, if you can't wait to open up a bottle, Brunellos still have a lot to offer even if drunk younger than recommended.

Back when the heralded '97s were released, I bought as many as I could. But I could only afford one or two bottles of several different labels because the price tag had climbed to $50 - $60 a bottle. A local wine store, however, highly recommended one that went for only about $32 a bottle -- Fattoria La Lecciaia. Anxious to try such a wine over time, like the big guys with deep pockets, I plunked down the hard-earned cash for half a case.

Last night we tried the wine for the fourth time, and I'm happy to report that this wine is absolutely delicious right now. Though not quite 10 years old, it's either at peak or just starting to slide ever so slightly over the hump. The tannins have softened nicely, producing a completely silky texture. And, the youthful, vigorous fruit has morphed a bit into a complex blend of earth and leather and brown spice that can be an amazing revelation for anyone used to drinking fruit bombs.

If you don't currently tuck away a few bottles for aging you owe it to yourself to strive for this unique tasting experience, now and then. Yes, you want to make sure you're choosing the right wine from the right vintage for aging, and these wines can be expensive. But you don't want to miss this tasting experience. Just ask your wine retailer to point out the bargains among the real ageworthy wines and get as many as you can so that you can taste over time and learn.

The '97 Fattoria La Lecciaia has been berry, berry good to me.

Back to School

2006-10-21T17:07:00.000-04:00

I've said it many times -- one of the joys of buying wine while traveling and carrying it back (when you could still carry it on a plane) with you is that it takes you back to a fun place and time, while also permitting you the hedonistic pleasure of some fine wine. Last night, we went back to school.

Not the school of our youth, but rather L'Ecole No. 41, a fine Washington state winery housed in an old school building. Located in Frenchtown just west of Walla Walla, the winery name pays tribute to the early French Canadian settlers who may have cultivated the region's first grapes and to the 1915 building itself.

We knew nothing about this particular winery when we stopped there on a tour of Yakima Valley and Walla Walla wineries a couple of years ago. But I was immediately impressed by both the wines and the setting.

Wisely, the owners decided not to gut the building and create another California style tasting room experience. Instead, they plunked down a tasting bar in an old school room. Blackboards filled with wine information still anchor the decor, though there are shelves and racks of the usual wine-related gifts. It is unique, to say the least. When we descended the brick stairway lined with old pictures down to the facilities, I had flashbacks to the old elementary school I attended. I half expected a pop quiz.

But there was nothing to sweat when it came to the wines. I was really impressed by virtually every one, though not by our pourer who looked bored out of her mind. But she did not spoil things because the wines were so well made we did not need guidance to help us figure out we had stumbled on a great winery.

The Seven Hills vineyard merlot we had last night showed off a richness and complexity that is becoming a trademark of the Seven Hills area of Walla Walla. This wine has wonderful plum, black cherry, cocoa and mocha flavors. Don't be fooled into thinking merlot can't be good, especially from a winery like this.

What a pleasure, in this case, to go back to school.

Priam Vineyards

2006-10-15T11:13:00.000-04:00

If asked for a rule of thumb guide to picking a good Connecticut wine, I'd say stick with those who have the experience. In general, the best of the bunch during our wine tour this summer and fall came from wineries that have been around for 15 or more years.

But every generalization is vulnerable to exception, and on the Connecticut wine scene that notable exception could be Priam Vineyards in Colchester. Priam, the name is borrowed from the king of Troy in Greek mythology, is not yet ready to rule. But I found more character here than I expected from this three-year-old winery and no total clunkers, unlike other young Connecticut wineries.

The Facilities
Simplicity is the force at play at this eastern Connecticut stop on the wine trail. Unlike some other wineries, Priam does not seem to be striving for elegance nor is it giving in to the rustic farm look.

Instead, Priam took a simple gray barn-like structure and completed it with a simple, clean modern interior featuring light-colored wood decorated overhead with electric grape lights.

But, if the decor is underwhelming, the functionality and efficiency are not. The tasting room features a long tasting bar, with bar stools, that accommodates quite a few comfortably. And, when it's really busy, as it was the day we visited, there's another bar they can open up around the bend in the L-shaped room.

What this says to me is that they have made the convenience of tasters the focal point of their interior design. That, after all, is really what it's all about, not the work of local artists -- however enjoyable they may be. I give the facilities a 5 out of 5 score.

The Staff
We visited Priam on a busy Saturday, always a good test of the staff's commitment to facilitating an enjoyable winetasting experience. The crew with whom we interacted were at all times friendly and accommodating.

It took a bit of coaxing to get a more informative element as well. But the experience was largely a positive one. Questions for the most part were answered, if without much enthusiasm. I give the staff a 4 out of 5 score.

The Wines
Winetasting at Priam will cost you $6 or $8, depending on which style of glass you want to purchase. Yes, yet another Connecticut winery won't let you taste unless you pay for the glasses -- it's up to you whether you take the glasses home. I've said before how much I hate this practice, and $8 for a tasting is starting to get in the realm of exhorbitant.

With a modest 40 acres of vineyards, some Priam wines were no longer (not yet in some cases) available. But six wines were available for tasting, including one red.

Cayuga $16.50. The style of this hybrid wine may not be everyone's favorite, but they managed to coax some genuinely attractive flavors from the wine. I found grapefruit, pear and banana aromas in a nearly dry presentation.

Blackledge White $15.50. This blend of cayuga and riesling had a sweet pineapple aroma and spicy characteristics. I did not find it as crisp as billed, but a very pleasant wine.

Riesling $18.50. I very much enjoyed this Alsatian-style riesling, which had a floral, citrusy nose and just a hint of sweetness.

Salmon River White $15.50. This a chardonnay blend that is billed as off dry. It shows off some nice spiced apple and vanilla aromas, but it's not a style of chardonnay I enjoy much.

Jeremy River White $15.50. Again a blend of riesling and cayuga, but this time quite sweet due to cold fermentation. There was just a hint of orange peel on the nose, but not balanced enough for me.

Jeremy River Red $16.50. Billed as a Bordeaux blend of cabernet franc, merlot and cabernet sauvignon, this wine was a pleasant surprise. The grapes are all estate grown, we were told, which shocked me because it actually has a pleasant nose of black cherries and spicy oak. No one will be bowled over by the wine because it lacks body, but the aromas and flavors are true. I'm guessing there's not much cabernet sauvignon in it, since this tough-skinned grape requires too much hot, sunny weather to do well here. Still, Jeremy River is not a bad light-style cab and went fairly well with the 50-cent pieces of chocolate they sell.

Overall, the wines here are pretty well made. I would have liked to try their other wines, such as the late-harvest riesling and gewurztraminer, but those we had were enjoyable. I noticed little of the green, underripe flavors that come with some Connecticut wines. Priam holds lots of promise for what may be possible as the vines mature and the winemaker gets additional experience working with this terroir. I give the wines a 7 out of 10 score.

Quality-wise, Priam has gotten a good start out of the gate, and already is making some very good wines. As for ambience, if you're looking for fashion or style to enhance your experience, you're probably better off visiting one of several other Connecticut wineries. But if it's all about the wines, you'll like Priam just fine. Their overall score is 16 points.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

The Other Cristal

2006-10-11T19:57:00.000-04:00

While true wine fans know Champagne and sparkling wines are not just for special occasions, there still remains no better beverage to help revel in a special moment. Take last weekend -- my pal in all things Red Sox, Jim, was over as a certain team was collapsing. It was too good a moment to pass up without some bubbly -- sorry Austenesque, the rivalry demands it.

Luckily some Cristalino Brut was at hand to help enhance the moment. And, while the moment was indeed enjoyable, we suddenly found ourselves distracted by the contents in the glass. This isn't just a good sparkler, it's truly amazing...for about $10 a bottle.

A lot of cheap sparklers are vainly in pursuit of the yeasty qualities in the more expensive Champagnes. To say they don't come close is an understatement -- anyone who's ever actually drank to a wedding toast can testify to how dreadful some cheap sparklers are. The Cristalino Brut is no pale imitation of anything. It has its own brand of appley, citrusy flavors that jump out of the glass.

It's a great idea to keep at least a few good bottles of bubbly around the house, for unexpectedly special moments or just to match up with your Asian food. With sparklers like this, at $10 a bottle, there's no excuse not to.

Some people claim that sales of Champagne are up. It's great stuff, no doubt about it. But if you haven't yet experienced what Spain is doing with sparkling wines, get to it. You'll save a lot of money and enjoy yourself just as much, well as long as the sports gods are kind, you will.

Sharpe Hill Vineyard

2006-10-08T11:56:00.000-04:00

Tucked away in Connecticut's rural northeast corner, the Sharpe Hill Vineyard doesn't feel like it's close to anything. Indeed, it was our longest trek to a Connecticut vineyard, and we're more or less located in the center of the state. But, don't let that stop you. Sharpe Hill is arguably the Connecticut Wine Trail's finest "destination."

Sharpe Hill is quite simply a fabulous setting for an outing, especially right now while Connecticut's hillsides are beginning to light up with color. And, the winery hosts a fantastic, though pricey, restaurant. The fare here features classics such as filet mignon and Delmonico steaks, and the more trendy, such as Jamaican chicken. But what makes the restaurant so distinctive is the liberal use of estate-grown herbs and fresh ingrediants of all kinds -- right down to the edible flowers on your plate.

However, we had such a wonderful meal and were so impressed by everything in sight that I have to make a very deliberate effort to prevent my enthusiasm for the dining experience to spill over into my review of the wines. This is not a restaurant review, after all.

The Facilities
The winery is located in a hilly, pastoral setting bordered by forests -- quintessentially New England. But the vineyards you pass driving in help you appreciate that this no dairy farm. To really soak up the vineyard ambience, you must walk up the hill and through the rows of vines, as guests are invited to do. You will learn a few things about vineyard management -- loudspeakers pipe in the sounds of predatory birds squawking loudly to scare off the grape-eating birds -- and you will be treated to some lovely views of the valley below.

The facilities themselves are rustic, on the one hand, with their exposed beams, barnboards and plank floors. But these modernized barns are so lushly decorated with flowers, so clean and well organized that the scene is somehow one of rustic elegance. It may sound like a contradiction in terms, but believe me, you'll struggle to come up with an apt description of your own for this simple but classy environment.

There's only one potentially sour note to the setting. The tasting room is the first room you enter upon arrival, and it has a very definite rustic charm with its antiques and colonial farm decor. But as soon as you request a tasting you soon discover the quarters set aside for tasters are cramped, indeed.

The tiny tasting bar more closely resembles a check-in counter at a country inn than a winetasting bar. Four is the absolute maximum that can fit comfortably at the bar to sample wines. If you come at an off-time and have the place to yourselves or if you can get a seat outside on the patio for a tasting, you'd probably think I'm exaggerating the point. But if you come on a busy weekend, I'm sure you'll agree Sharpe Hill is not paying enough attention to the needs and comfort of tasters.

For this reason, I've got to knock a point off the score for the quality of these otherwise charming and enjoyable facilities. I give the facilities a 4 out of 5 score.

The Staff
Sharpe Hill is a big enough operation that you're not likely to run into the winemaker schmoozing with guests. But the staff we met helped make up for that fact. They were friendly, knowledgable and eager to find the answers to questions not exactly wine-oriented -- my wife's curiosity led her to grill the staff about the identities and other details of some of the early American portraits that grace some of the Sharpe Hill wine labels. When they did not know answers, they found someone who did.

These women were patient and personable. They were sometimes distracted by the large number of tasters and guests on the patio, making extended conversations sometimes difficult, but this was understandable and not a significant problem. I give the staff a 5 out of 5 score.

The Wines
Tasting at Sharpe Hill will set you back $5 a person, a fairly standard amount for Connecticut wineries. In general, I found many high quality white wines and some passable reds. Sharpe Hill offers more wines to try than do most others, so it probably makes sense to get right to it.

Ballet of Angels, $10.99. This is the winery's signature wine, found in almost every Connecticut wine store. The staff claims it's New England's best-selling wine. They will divulge that the wine includes vignoles and up to 8 other grapes, but staffers will say no more about the exact blend -- the "winemaker's secret." In any event, this stainless fermented and aged wine has very nice grapefruit and lime flavors with a sweet note throughout. Not enough sweetness to be distracting, but enough to keep it in mind for spicy foods.

Cuvee Ammi Phillips 2004, $22.99. This chardonnay, made exclusively with Long Island fruit, is a big California-style wine. Aged in French oak, it has rich vanilla and cooked apple flavors. Despite the very noticeable oak, it's fairly well integrated.

Sharpe Hill Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2003, $15.99. This estate chardonnay is a more subtle, yet enjoyable, version of chardonnay. Aged in old oak only, the fruit trumps the vanilla here for a crisp and food-friendly wine. I'm not sure why they serve it after the Phillips, but I would not do so.

Sharpe Hill Vineyard Dry Riesling 2005, $14.99. If you're used to lush, sweet riesling, this wine will come as a surprise to you. It has nice citrussy flavors and some flowery aromas, and could pair well with goat cheese appetizers. It finishes very crisply.

Dry Summer Rose, $14.99. This a very crisp, dry rose with just a hint of strawberries. It's a little too light, I think, but they did manage to keep it in the realm of respectability.

Red Seraph, $12.99. This blend of merlot and St. Croix has some nice plum and red licorice aromas but finishes weakly. It's a pleasant red, but not quite up to the food pairings suggested by the Sharpe Hill menu -- lamb and chocolate desserts? It would be crushed, and not in a good harvest way.

Cabernet Franc 2003, $17.49. Cabernet franc tends to be New England's favorite red vinifera grape because it does not take as long to ripen as others. This wine shows some nice red cherry and raspberry aromas but is just a bit thin and underripe. It's enjoyable but shows the difficulties New Englanders face trying to make quality red wines.

St. Croix 2004, $17.99. The tart red cherry fruit does not show a hint of complexity and makes me wonder about the 14 medals it's supposed to have won.

Select Late Harvest 2004, $22.99. Not a bad effort at all, with pineapple and sweet lime flavors. I would have liked a bit more acidity and balance, but the flavors extracted from this boytryticized vignole-based wine are very pleasant.

Despite a couple of misses in the red wine category, Sharpe Hill makes some excellent wines worthy of seeking out. Most people in the area may know Sharpe Hill only for its popular Ballet of Angels wine, but they really should try more of the lineup. I give the wines an 8 out of 10 score.

With some very strong white wines and an idyllic setting, Sharpe Hill should be one of the 3 or 4 Connecticut wineries you visit if you have to limit yourself to just a few. There's an attention to detail here that you won't find just anywhere. Sharpe Hill's overall score comes to 17 out of 20 points.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Through A Glass Wastefully

2006-10-01T10:56:00.000-04:00

As my wife and I have made our way across the Connecticut Wine Trail this summer, I've been both delightfully surprised and disappointed by what we've found. In one regard, we're downright annoyed -- by the profusion of winery glasses foisted upon us.

At the vast majority of wineries we visited this summer we discovered that we had no choice but to buy wine glasses bearing the winery's logo. I say buy, even though the glasses are supposedly free when you pay your tasting fee. Now, we have more wine glasses than we know what to do with.

Almost every winery these days charges to taste. It's true in California, and it's true here in the Northeast. It doesn't matter much whether the wines are held in high regard or not, a nominal fee is the norm. I don't really mind. It's fair for wineries to recoup the overhead costs of employing people to serve those wines, and it's understandable that they want to do something to weed out frivolous "drinkers" from the serious tasters.

But, I object to paying for wineries' more overt marketing efforts. It's obvious that wineries like to send customers home with glasses bearing the winery name and logo so that they will serve their friends wine in a miniature glass billboard. A tacit endorsement of the winery. The problem with this is that you know the cost of all those glasses is built into your tasting fee, so by taking the glasses home and using them in front of friends you are taking on some of their advertising costs.

I suppose for young couples just starting out, the glasses really can be a help. But for those of us who have invested money in acquiring the right glasses, these winery glasses can be an annoying waste. Of course, you can always refuse to take the wine glasses, but I more or less look at that option as leaving money on the table.

We have done winetastings everywhere from Virginia to Napa, and it seems like it's only here in the Northeast that so many wineries try to foist their wine glasses on you. It's probably a case of trying a little too hard for recognition. Can you imagine if every winery you visited on a trip to Napa or Sonoma or Bordeaux gave you glasses? Where would you put them? How would you get them home without breakage?

One of these days we'll have to hold a stemware tag sale. Maybe then we can get a refund on excessive tasting fees.

DiGrazia Vineyards

2006-09-23T09:43:00.000-04:00

If Chamard Vineyard is consistently rated tops in Connecticut in reader polls and in the eyes of some critics, DiGrazia Vineyards is one of two or three state vineyards that seems to compete for the number 2 slot. A number of wine writers have reviewed them very favorably, including The Wall Street Journal.

But, unlike Chamard, I had never been to DiGrazia before our recent visit. I was especially curious to try these wines. The vineyard has made its reputation chiefly on its high-quality sweet wine, not exactly my preference stylistically, except when it comes to certain dessert wines. DiGrazia is supposed to do some good ones. I was optimistic also because DiGrazia is one of the older wineries in the state -- they planted their first vines in 1978 and opened for business in 1984 -- and my experience has been that the wineries that make the best wine in Connecticut have been around the longest.

The Facilities
DiGrazia is located in the southwest part of Connecticut, not terribly far from the New York line. When you first pull into the winery, the area looks a little more residential then you might expect. But the compact property is lovely, with a beautiful patio area for sitting outside.

Inside you'll find a long tasting bar, but with the gift store and tasting area really occupying the same space, you're likely to find it a little crowded, especially on weekends. The proximity to New York and DiGrazia's good reputation makes the winery popular with out-of-staters as well as locals.

One advantage of the compact size is that setting out on a tour with the winemaker requires a walk of only about 12 feet. There's no doubt it's compact, but it also is a true, unpretentious winemaking atmosphere. I suspect most people would not mind the close quarters in this case, so I give the facilities a 4 out of 5 score.

The Staff
While tasting at the bar, we interacted with two different pourers, one a young, pleasant woman who was both knowledgeable and enthusiastic, the other a white-haired man who turned out to be owner Paul Digrazia.

Digrazia is a good example of why it's so much fun to try wines at the wineries. A medical doctor, DiGrazia is a true character. He doesn't exactly bubble with enthusiasm, but he does churn with passion. It's easy to see he loves to talk about the story behind the grapes in the vineyard in any given year, and about the antioxidants in wine that help make it one of the most beneficial foods you can consume for your cardiovascular health.

But, as a doctor who's been around for a while, he can be impatient with less than interesting questions or those who don't pick up on his subtle hints or directions. But I never meant to imply that good service is about getting a bubbly Chamber of Commerce speech. It's about being exposed to true passion for wines. You get it in spades when Dr. DiGrazia holds court about his wines. He's the real deal. And, his accessibility earns the staff here a 5 out 5 score.

The Wines
DiGrazia offers one of the largest selection of wines of any winery in the state -- 14, according to the wine list. A large number are either dessert wines or blush wines. $5 will allow you to taste six wines of you choosing.

Most of the wines here use hybrid grapes, and many of the dessert wines use fruit other than grapes. While not normally my cup of tea, these wines have such a good reputation that I was not at all worried. But I made sure that I selected whatever dry wines were offered (to fairly compare vs other Connecticut wineries), and I skipped all three sweet blush wines.

Winners Cup $15.99: This dry white made from vidal blanc was tart, rather unpleasant. Lacking any real ripeness.

Wind Ridge $15.99: This wine is billed as a light, semi-dry seyval blanc. It was a little sweet, but I thought the wine had nice apple aromas and balance.

Meadowbrook $15.99: Called a medium dry vidal blanc, but the wine is made with late harvest grapes and it shows. It's a pleasant wine that is richer in style than Wind Ridge, but definitely sweet.

Fieldstone Reserve $15.99: The only red wine on the menu that is not a dessert wine, it's billed as a dry wine. But don't let that fool you, it's sweet, almost prune-like. Not anything I'd find enjoyable with dinner (sorry didn't get the grape).

Yankee Frost $24.99: Now we're in dessert wine territory. A late harvest vidal blanc, it's supposed to be complex. Not bad, but not great -- a bit like white Welch's.

Blacksmith Port $24.99: Made principally with Marachel Foche, this ruby port-style wine is very, very good. It's very concentrated and enjoyable. I had it once before, and it was even better than I remembered.

DiGrazia definitely makes some nice wines, particularly if you like sweeter wines. But I would have to say that I was just a little disappointed in the wines that were billed as dry or medium dry. It's the limitation of hybrid grapes, and the lack of as dry, hot weather in recent years, I would assume. But they do know how to make good dessert wines. I give the wines a 7 out of 10 score.

Overall, a trip to DiGrazia is fun, and you're guaranteed to learn a few things. If slightly cramped, the winery has great atmosphere and some good wines. It is a shame that they are not able to work with some quality vinifera. I rate the winery overall 16 points out of 20.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Chardonnay Wars

2006-09-19T18:56:00.000-04:00

Can't we all just get along? Maybe not, based on what I read over at Avenue Vine. Seems that the oaked chardonnay people and the unoaked chardonnay enthusiasts are at each other's palates, er, throats, now and then.

The problem is one generated mostly by sanctimonious wine columnists and authors who try to make their mark with overly extracted language and tannic opinions. Have to admit fans of well-oaked chardonnays have taken a beating at the hands of some of these guys.

Even wineries themselves can come on strong. Marketing to one group unintentionally can come at the expense of the other. Oak-free chardonnay? Sounds like it's on a par with MSG-free Chinese food, sulfite-free wine and hormone-free beef. Must be better for you, right?

Well, oak-aged chardonnay fans sometimes have to explode. And, I don't blame them. I'm not a huge fan of those really big California chardonnays that are delivered to your palate on a boat of oak. I do like one now and then for sipping with friends because they do create quite an impression. But the most beautiful, balanced expression of the grape is, in my opinion, white Burgundy, and we all know the vast majority are aged in French oak.

The oak-free chardonnays do often present an interesting and enjoyable alternative taste, usually built around pleasant green apple aromas. But chardonnay is never more delicious than when artfully married with French oak in the hands of a true master.

People just need more balance in their lives and white Burgundy has it. But, if that isn't enough to quiet the restless masses, I've noticed that more and more wineries I'm visiting out here in the East are offering both an oak-aged and a stainless-aged chardonnay -- something to please every taste. I know the same is true of California and other wine-producing areas.

So what's all the shouting about? Has there ever been a better time to enjoy a good chardonnay, whatever its pedigree?

Chamard Vineyard

2006-09-15T22:34:00.000-04:00

I really looked forward to this particular stop on the Connecticut Wine Trail so that I could look more critically, more rigorously at a local wine I know well. I've been to Chamard Vineyard several times and I've had their chardonnay more times than I can accurately recall. It's the Connecticut wine you're most likely to find in any given Connecticut wine store, and Connecticut magazine readers consistently rate it the best Connecticut winery.

So, I've been anxious right along to really put Chamard to the test, to taste the wines carefully vs other wines, not just from Connecticut but from the best wine producing areas. It's been quite a few years since I've been to Chamard. Would there be any sign of laziness, of them going downhill?

The Facilities
Established in 1983, Chamard is one of the older wineries in Connecticut. They also boast one of the older, nicer tasting room facilities in the state, having built the stone structure in 1988. Guests have been actively encouraged and treated well here for many years.

You enter the property via a long driveway that takes you right through a vineyard, always a great device for getting visitors in the mood to taste the wines. But the real difference here is the elegant surroundings that will greet you once you step inside the building.

It's hard not to get the impression that they poured a lot of money into their facility, from the rich wood accents to the fieldstone fireplace and antiques. You get the feeling that you walked into a country club or a wealthy individual's country home rather than a winery.

But if successful at striking an upscale mood and visual impression, I think Chamard is less successful in practical terms. Despite the size of the structure, the tasting room itself feels a bit cramped on a busy weekend. They have a tiny winetasting bar that forces people to struggle for space. Consequently, they try to distract visitors with a quick tour before allowing them a turn at the winetasting bar.

Don't get me wrong. The tour is informative and fun, but if you were planning on a quick tasting, forget it -- at least on a weekend. In a way they are victims of their own success. But I'm surprised they insist on doing things largely the same as they have for 20 years. It's time to at least rearrange their space and open up the visitor space. But, not a huge complaint. If you're game for a classy environment in which to taste wines, Chamard is at or near the top. I give the facilities a 4 out of 5 score.

The Staff
We were fortunate to be hosted by an individual who, though new to Chamard, is an extremely knowledgeable gentleman with many years of retail experience in the wine business. He took us on our tour and poured our wines when it was time.

He was an engaging, informative and passionate host with the ability to ignite in others a burning enthusiasm for the wines. He was a perfect ambassador for wine country.

If you don't already know it, Chamard was owned forever by the William R. Chaney, chairman of Tiffany's in New York. However, the winery was sold earlier this year to the Jonathan Rothberg family. I'm happy to report that the commitment to doing things right is still very much in evidence. Not many local wineries can afford the facilities and the talent that Chamard employs. But it's nice to see that those who have the resources don't skimp when it comes to providing the public with an optimal experience. I give the staff a 5 out of 5 score.

The Wines
With 40 acres, Chamard is far from the largest winery in the state but they are unique. You will hear a lot while at Chamard about their microclimate -- they are only two miles from the ocean. This maritime influence makes for a milder climate than the rest of the state, and it really does show in the fact that they grow only vinifera here -- no hybrids! I don't blame them a bit. The results show their microclimate is as good as it gets in Connecticut.

Still, as I said, Chamard is not a huge estate, so up to half the grapes in their wines come from Long Island, home of arguably the best red wine grapes in the Northeast. Whatever their source, these wines are an absolute pleasure to taste. And, tasting here is COMPLIMENTARY. Truly. This is getting so hard to find, since even the most quality-challenged wineries in Connecticut are now charging.

Pinot Blanc 2005 -- This was a lovely, balanced wine that shows very nice pear and citrus aromas. This wine gets no oak.

Chardonnay (LI) 2003 -- 40 percent of the wine gets oak aging, while the rest does not. The blend shows classic apple aromas and a hint of banana, with a crisp finish.

Estate Chardonnay 2002 -- Made from local grapes, 60 percent of the wine gets oak aging, while the rest does not. It shows in the creamy texture and appetizing vanilla flavors. Delicious wine.

NV Rose -- This fun wine is a blend of cabernet franc and pinot noir. It has a light strawberry nose, and finishes dry and crisp. A nice summer quaff.

Barrel Select Reserve Estate Chardonnay 2002 -- This is a big chardonnay that was not part of the tasting, but I just had to buy a bottle and try it. Lots of spicy oak and vanilla, that may come on a little strong for delicate meals. But with a little time, I think this will soften into a delicious rich wine.

The only disappointment was that Chamard had just run out of its most recent vintage of cabernet franc, which meant that there were no reds available for tasting. Definitely a bummer, but I've had their cabernet franc and merlot in the past and know they are of good quality. The only complaint I've ever had with a Chamard wine is their cabernet sauvignon -- yes, they make a small quantity. Definitely underripe, as are the vast majority of cabernets in the Northeast. Most people won't even try them -- nor should they.

Considering the terrific quality of the white wines and knowing how good many of the reds have been in the past, I have to conclude that Chamard still is a great place to visit in Connecticut for great wines. The quality here is easily on a par with Long Island and Washingtion state, even less expensive California. I give the wines a score of 9 out 10 points.

In many ways, Chamard remains the great local success story, showing what's possible for the wine industry in Connecticut. Consumers should not miss out on a chance to visit Chamard. They have a lovely setting and great wines, and they know how to treat you right. And, tastings are complimentary -- can't beat that. Chamard gets an overall score of 18 out of 20 points.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Ice Sage

2006-09-12T19:53:00.000-04:00

This is a conversation I had recently after opening a wonderful Austrian ice wine.

"Do you want to try some ice wine?"

"No, thanks."

"Why not?"

"I don't like sweet wine."

"This isn't like the cheap sweet wines you grew up with. This is a special dessert wine that's rich and concentrated and it has a nice acidic zing at the end that gives it balance."

"Just a little."

"...Well, what do you think?"

"It's not bad."

"Want some more?"

"(fast forward) I don't like sweet wine. I just can't take them seriously."

Young people today have an advantage over many of the rest of us. Many are entering adulthood with at least some appreciation for a wide variety of wines from all over the world. No wonder, wine is frequently covered in mainstream media today. Older generations, however, came of age when the American wine industry was still in its infancy, and fine wines were hard to come by outside of major metro areas.

Many such people remain convinced that any sweet wine must mean cheap California stuff like they had in the 1960s, or Blue Nun. It's hard to overcome that kind of conditioning. Some have never tried a dessert wine of any kind, after many decades of fine dining.

This pains me because I have a real soft spot for great dessert wines of all kinds. Ice wines are among the very best, in my book. There's so many great ones these days, it's absolutely criminal that anyone would deprive themselves because of some old notions.

A couple of days ago I opened a Riedenhof Kadlec Lyss Doux 2000 ice wine, made from gruner veltliner, and fell instantly in love. This is serious ice wine, with lovely almond and peach aromas and good balance. It has the sophistication of a good German ice wine, but goes for about half the price at $35. Who could possibly not like this stuff?

I've written about a few ice wines lately, mostly as a result of sheer infatuation. I know port season is just around the corner, and I'm savoring the ice wines while I can. But I think many people still need to be coaxed into allowing themselves to like these wines -- I'm trying my hardest.

I know ice wines don't come cheap -- they're very expensive to make and produce very small quantities. But forget the past and splurge on an ice wine. La dolce vita is right.

Gouveia Vineyards

2006-09-09T07:10:00.000-04:00

Part of the fun of exploring Connecticut wineries is encountering the unexpected. Last weekend, we were amazed to discover a truly unique and enjoyable setting at Gouveia Vineyards in Wallingford. It's the kind of magical spot that can help turn your winetasting outing into an exilerating experience, if awesome vistas are your thing.

But, if it sounds too good to be true, of course you know it probably is. The problem is that the winery has been open to the public for only about two years. And, the growing pains are evident. Gouveia has a ways to go in some respects, but with experience and a location-to-die-for there's hope that this winery may someday live up to its true potential.

The Facilities
Gouveia is located on the open crest of a hill that provides winetasters with a 360-degree view of some lovely Connecticut scenery. There's a beautiful pond with a wide deck on the near-shore for sitting and soaking up the views. In another direction, you can look out for miles over rolling hills and woodlands. There truly are gorgeous views in every direction; one hardly knows where to look first.

The winetasting room is located in a beautiful new stone building with a steeply pitched roof that is crowned with a widow's walk -- a trademark of many an upper class coastal or river town home. Trust me, you'll want to move in.

Inside, the facility is probably the most perfect I've encountered yet in Connecticut. There's a lengthy oak winetasting bar for sampling wines, and plenty of tables spread out if you're more inclined to linger over a glass. With a stately stone fireplace adding to the charm, there's plenty of space in which to move around or just relax. And, move around you should because in another room (perfect for functions) you may find some nibblies to snack on.

Then there's the back deck, perfect for taking in some of the views I mentioned earlier. There's no doubt about it -- my favorite location so far in which to enjoy Connecticut wines. I give the facilities a 5 out of 5 score.

The Staff
Gouveia is such a great setting, it struck me as an outright shame that anything might spoil the experience. But it did not take long.

Our pourer was without a doubt the most disappointing individual we have encountered on the Connecticut Wine Trail so far. Without being outright rude, she was terse and completely unexcited about the wines she poured. How could we but feel the same?

Question after question was met with a one-word answer. She looked bored out of her mind and inconvenienced-- or was it the sandwich at a nearby table that grabbed her attention? I just couldn't understand why she's in a people position when she has all the enthusiasm of a teenager on an outing with parents.

Now, I freely admit the limitations of my scoring system. Restaurant reviewers usually visit a restaurant at least three times before reviewing it so they can put anomalies in perspective and get a better picture of patterns and routines. I don't have that luxury. Because of limitations on time and money, I visit each winery just once. I could have a completely different experience one day vs another, but that doesn't make our experience any less valid.

There it is. My one experience in this case made me wish I was somewhere else. I give the staff a 2 out 5 score. Another pourer nearby who seemed much friendlier was the only thing preventing me from handing out a score of 1.

The Wines
Gouveia offers the usual lineup of white vinifera and hybrid-grape wines, but I was surprised to see they also offer a couple of reds made from vinifera. This should be interesting, I thought. I plunked down my $6 tasting fee and was off.

Chardonnay Oaked $16: This chardonnay gets 12 months in oak, producing some nice vanilla and spicy oak notes. However, it has a acidic finish most Americans probably are not used to. I liked it.

Seyval Blanc $14: This crisp, slightly lemony wine is supposed to be one of their biggest sellers. I found it simple and pleasant but not distinctive in any way.

Chardonnay Steel $15: Aged entirely in stainless steel, this chardonnay had the acidic, lemony finish I expected but not much else. Not an entirely pleasant chard.

Stone House White $14: This sweet wine blends chardonnay, seyval blanc and vignoles that is simply, well, sweet. Not for me, but it might appeal to white zin drinkers.

Whirlwind Rose $14: This blend of cabernet franc, chardonnay and seyval blanc has a blush color and a pleasant raspberry nose. It's a bit sweet, but not a bad effort.

Stone House Red $17: This red wine blends merlot and cabernet franc with some of the winter-hearty hybrids that are so common around here. I was surprised and delighted by really nice plum and berry aromas, but reality set in when I tasted it. The fruit just dies mid-palate. Disappointing after sniffing those aromas -- perhaps a different blend or a better vintage would make the difference.

Merlot $19: Not a bad effort at all. Made principally with purchased grapes, I'm sure, this merlot has a medium body with nice blackberry aromas. A lot less jammy and sweet than California merlots, but still a pleasant wine.

Overall, I thought Gouveia wines show promise, but many are underripe and lacking any kind of finesse. I rated these wines a 6 out of 10.

Gouveia may need some time to develop more sophistication and character in its wines, but it has the facilities and setting to make this a real destination right out of the gate. Need a place to just get you in the mood for wines or to just relax with a drink and a stunning view? This could well be what you're looking for. I can only hope that they will continue to learn and develop the fruits of their 140 acres. And, that they work a little more with their staff on presentation. I definitely want to come back in a couple of years. My total score for Gouveia, 13 points out of 20.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Wine School

2006-09-06T20:33:00.000-04:00

While some people seem to think bloggers are pajama-clad nerds who don't get out much, I'm here to tell you that the bloggers I know are overworked professionals who like to go home and write about something they really love. But, sometimes, it does sort of feel like you don't get out much.

In the world of wine blogging, that's an online death sentence because you've got to get out and explore, try new wines in new venues. Well if blogging and working for a living can be tough at times, try blogging, working and going to school at night! Here's how much a couple of my classmates from the last two semesters have been looking forward to new classes.

No, I'm delighted to say I'm taking a semester off. That means a lot less stress for the next several months, guilt-free blogging and, gasp, recreational reading! It also means getting out more to wine events and winetastings, so, so important to staying nimble in the wine blog world.

One of the things I most hope to do is study up with a friend of mine who does advanced winetasting classes. Trust me, these are not your basic learning how to slurp sessions. In fact, these classes (last one was three years ago) provided the only occasions I've ever experienced for tasting Penfold Grange, 2000 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, etc. So, with any luck, I should have some fun things to report on this fall.

Right now, I'm doing a little advance studying, checking out the finer qualities of a vidal blanc ice wine from Newport Vineyards in Rhode Island. I found this wine while we were vacationing at the Rhode Island shore recently. It's oustanding, very much like a fine Niagara ice wine. Not quite the balance of a German ice wine, but intoxicating aromas of peach merangue pie. Mmmm.

Yeah, I've got a tough schedule of studying ahead. And, I'll be happy to share my notes.

Heritage Trail Vineyard

2006-09-04T09:27:00.000-04:00

You're not likely to find another winery in Connecticut that says 'New England' more than Heritage Trail in Lisbon. The sights on the wooded property, the smells of damp barn board and a cozy wood fire took me back to childhood visits to my grandparents' farm in Maine. No wonder, since the winery is housed in an 18th Century farmhouse and property that was neglected for years before being revived by owner Diane Powell, a practicing psychologist.

What she has accomplished is truly noteworthy. But this stop on the Connecticut Wine Trail also reminds one of the wine-producing limitations that New England represents.

The Facilities
Rustic and quaint immediately come to mind when you step inside this old farmhouse with its antiques and old wood floors. It's almost as though you stepped inside a colonial-era tavern, rather than a winery. But the ambience is completely authentic, not effected.

The tasting bar is of sufficient size and character to make the experience of tasting wine enjoyable. And, the tasting area merges into the gift store, which includes a variety of both wine and farm product gifts. It's a little small, but not overly confining.

The nicest feature is probably the sundeck or porch, where tasters can sit and enjoy views of the lawn, woods and pond. Overall, the facility will not remind anyone of today's typical modern winetasting facilities. But Heritage Trail goes with its strength, which is a nicely maintained rustic farmhouse. I give the facilities a 3 out of 5 score.

The Staff
One of the advantages of visiting a truly small winery is that you stand a lot better chance of meeting the winemaker and/or owner. In the case of Heritage Trail, we got to meet both in the person of Dr. Powell, who poured all of our wines.

You get an insight from the winemaker that you just don't get from other staff, no matter how well trained they are. Dr. Powell not only gave us plenty of information about the wines we tasted, she also gave us a personal perspective on the joys and agonies of winemaking in New England. "It's heartbreaking when you plant vinifera and they die," she said. Such losses are not uncommon in New England thanks to bitterly cold winters.

This level of intimacy earns Heritage Trail a 5 out of 5 score for staff knowledge and enthusiasm. But if you want the chance to meet and talk with a winemaker, act soon because Heritage Trail is up for sale.

The Wines
Heritage Trail is located in the eastern part of the state but well enough inland that it does not benefit from Long Island Sound's moderating influence. Consequently, as Dr. Powell noted, vinifera struggles to survive. What you'll find principally at Heritage Trail are wines made from hybrid grapes that do better in winter but which fall short of vinifera (or European) wine quality standards.

Tasting at Heritage Trail will cost you $4 a person, but the price of the tasting will be applied toward the cost of any wines you buy. This, in my opinion, is the absolute fairest means of charging for winetastings, but hardly anyone in Connecticut does this.

Quinebaug White -- An off dry white made from vignoles, cayuga white and horizon grapes that shows some lemon and spice aromas but finishes exceptionally tart. Could go with citrusy light foods, but not a finesse wine by any means.

Sweet Reserve -- Made with 100 percent vignoles, this wine showed much differently from '04 to '05. The off dry '04 was a bit grassy and pleasant, while the '05 was sweeter with a hint of dried apricot. Pleasant but light wines for summer quaffing.

Chardonnay -- This classic vinifera wine was my favorite. Made mostly with New York fruit, the wine is fermented in glass and aged sans oak, which means all you get is pure apple-like fruit with just a hint of residual sweetness. Malolactic fermentation gives it a creamy mouthfeel, for a pleasant light to medium-bodied chardonnay.

Shetucket Red -- Made from a hybrid called rubiana, this red had some tart cherry flavors but lacked body and complexity. Just not my cup of tea, or wine.

Facing numerous challenges, Heritage Trail does a good job of making wines. But I'm afraid most people will not find the overall tasting experience up to the standard enjoyed by some other area wineries. I give the wines a 6 out 10 score.

While the wines are not among the best in the state, Heritage Trail still offers an enjoyable wine-tour experience, especially if you like the ambience of Connecticut's colonial past. And, there's no doubt that the opportunity to meet and talk with a winemaker will make for illuminating, enjoyable conversation. Heritage Trail's overall score is 14 out of 20 points.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Five Foods, and Wines, to Enjoy Before You Die

2006-09-01T18:10:00.000-04:00

I've been tagged with a meme by Trish over at Vin Vini Vino. Actually, it's more of a chain letter. But in any event, bloggers have been asked to pile onto a post over at A Traveler's Lunchbox with their own lists of five foods that they would recommend others have before they die.

I don't do chain letters, but how can one resist a chance to talk about great food? But, since I'm a wine blogger, not a food blogger, I'm going to post about five foods AND wines I wish everyone could try once before they die. But I have to say right at the start -- man, this is hard. Just five?

Food
1. The truffle dinner at Peppercorn's. This was an absolute eyeopener of a dinner. This Hartford restaurant came up with five different small dishes that each featured truffles in some different way. Each dish, from shaved truffles over pasta to truffle-crusted fowl, exploded with rich, forest aromas that bordered on sensory overload. I know there are more creative, nuanced restaurant dishes out there, but the point is everyone should get to experience the complexity and mystery of real truffles in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

2. Homard L'Orange at Chez Bernard in Montreal. I'm so tempted to list lobster in butter at any no-frills lobster pound on the coast of Maine. It belongs on the list. But this French preparation of lobster, about 15 years ago, absolutely blew me away. It was so incredibly rich and creamy without overwhelming the lobster. The citrusy notes provided perfect balance. Could have been gloppy, but it was perfect.

3. White clam pizza at Pepe's. This thin-crust pie is probably the best ambassador anywhere for the Neopolitan-style of pizza, and has been featured on the Food Network. All the pies are great here, but the clam pie is on another, stratospheric level. The clams are awash in a sea of garlic, olive oil, oregano and parm cheese. The secret is two-fold: always fresh clams (never minced from a can) and a crisp crust done perfectly in a coal-fired brick oven. It's the meal food writers Jane and Michael Stern said they would pick for their death-row last meal. I might agree, it's roll-your-eyes-back good. I've tried lots of clam pizzas and nothing else is close.

4. Turtle soup at Commander's Palace in New Orleans. I've had a lot of good soups in my time, and we had so many great foods in New Orleans, but I've never had a soup as unique as Commander's turtle soup. It's rich beyond belief without becoming a gummy stew. It's an amazing display of savory meatiness that could easily make an entire meal. I bought a CP cookbook and took it back home with me, but I found this soup impossible to duplicate. Some friends of mine who chatted up a waiter there learned the stock is made over a period of days -- I'm sure that has something to do with it.

5. Mom's French-Canadian meat pie. My mom made so many great dishes -- inspiring my love of cooking...and eating -- when she was alive, but this elaborate meat pie stands out in my memory as perhaps her most distinctive and original. She used three kinds of meats, carrots, potatoes and peas in an absolutely delicious, herb-laced sauce in a flakey crust. It was such delicious, rib-sticking comfort food. I wish all my friends could have tried it so they know exactly what I'm talking about.

Wines
Giacosa Barolo '89. This may be my favorite wine ever from my own cellar. To say its complex is like saying Venice is wet. I never before encountered such depth of earth, leather, truffles, moss and tar. An intense, intense wine.

Hermitage La Chapelle. The Jaboulet '96 I had was loaded with earth, mushroom and leather aromas. Recent vintages haved not been nearly as good, but the complexity of the '96 still amazes me.

Cristal Champagne '89. I don't think I've ever had a Champagne as intensely yeasty as this one. It was like burying your head in a bowl of bread dough.

Well-aged vintage port. I've had a lot of 20- to 25-year-old vintage ports, but nothing has ever compared to the Croft Vintage Port '63 I once had. It was almost 35 years old at the time, and I was rewarded with a velvety smooth mocha, blackberry, dark chocolate sensation. Vintage port is so great it's easy to look past the tannins and still enjoy it, even if a bit young. But if you can wait, oh man, is faith rewarded.

Burgundy Echezeaux. I feel bad about not picking any California here -- I've had so many great ones. But when it comes to my absolute favorites, Europe just happens to rule. California would make a top 10 list, however. As for Echezeaux, I've never had Romanee Conti, but the ones I have had are both fresh and complex. Intensely perfumed. Can't go wrong here, and, yes, I hope to have a Romanee Conti Echezeaux before I die.

Stonington Vineyard

2006-08-29T19:40:00.000-04:00

Hitting the Connecticut Wine Trail again recently took us to one of the state's oldest wineries, Stonington Vineyards, in the southeast corner of the state. I was really looking forward to this stop, since I've had their chardonnay a number of times. In fact, Stonington was one of two Connecticut chardonnays that we used to sell at the wine store where I worked. We always liked their chard, but it's been six or seven years since I've tasted it. Would they still measure up?

When it comes to chards, a definite, yes. As for the rest, read on...

The Facilities
A long driveway takes you out to the red barn-like winery that is not among the most stylish in the state. But the grounds, with their well-tended gardens and gazebo that looks out over the vineyards, definitely feature some nice spots on which to enjoy a glass of wine outdoors.

Inside, the winery has a nice little gift shop and a no-frills art gallery that doubles as a setting for small functions or events. The tasting room itself is a small area wedged between a bar and the gift shop, that definitely left us wishing for a little more elbow room as we competed for space with a crew of six female college buddies on a reunion excursion. Overall, it's a simple, pleasant environment that's adequate but not inspiring. I would give the facilities 3 out of 5 points.

The Staff
Our pourer had the disadvantage of being a bit on the shy side, but she clearly knew her stuff as I flung question after question her way, never once feeling like I got an incomplete or misleading answer. She definitely was helpful and immersed in the world of wine, but I couldn't help but feel she might not kindle a fire in some people. So, I give the staff a largely positive score of 4 out 5 points.

The Wines
The wines at Stonington most definitely benefit from the moderating influences of Long Island Sound. Being near the ocean can mean the difference between a cold winter and a bitter winter that destroys half your vines. It also can help set the stage for marvelous cool weather grapes, like reisling or chardonnay.

At Stonington, just like some of the other Connecticut winemakers I've met, they freely admit not having the environment needed to make good red wines. Consequently, the line-up is almost entirely white wines -- though they do make a cabernet franc. Similar to other Connecticut wineries dabbling in red, they owe any success they enjoy to grapes purchased from other states. The pleasure of tasting these wines here will set you back $5 a person.

2005 Sheer Chardonnay $15.99. Sheer in this case means no oak aging, so it's sheer fruit you taste. The result is a pleasant, if unsensational, wine with apples, pears and even minerals on the nose and a bright, acidic finish.

2003 Stonington Chardonnay $16.99. This is the chard I'm used to from Stonington. It has a full nose of vanilla, butterscotch and spiced apples. It has a creamy mouthfeel, but enough crispness to finish clean. The 2003 is the product of a great vintage, unlike 2005. A very good wine.

2003 Vidal Blanc $11.99. Fermented in steel, but aged in oak, this wine has interesting lemony flavors. This hybrid does not make one of my favorite wines, but Stonington does it better than many others.

Seaport White $8.99. This blend of vidal, cayuga and chardonnay is a little sweeter, lighter wine than the others. It might appeal to those looking for a simple, quaffable summer white.

2005 Triad Rose $14.99. An off dry rose that starts with a pleasant strawberry nose but finishes a little green. I can't recommend it.

2004 Cabernet Franc $19.99. Thank goodness for purchased grapes because this is a nice cabernet franc with lovely aromas of cassis and blackberries. It has some short-term aging potential as well.

The experience of the family shows at Stonington, as the whites show nice fruit and balance overall. The cabernet franc also is well made, even if the estate vines don't play a significant role. I give the wines an 8 out of 10 score.

Stonington Vineyards is worth a visit, if for nothing else than to taste one of the better chardonnays in the state. And, you may want to try it while it's still in the hands of the family that's owned it for most of the last two decades -- as it's one of several Connecticut wineries currently for sale. While they have a lovely property, Stonington does not have one of the more impressive tasting room facilities, but it's simplicity is not a real drawback, either. I give the winery an overall score of 15 out of 20 points.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Bordeaux Blues

2006-08-26T18:10:00.000-04:00

The news this week out of France is that French consumers are angry about 2005 Bordeaux prices. Apart from the fact that the French are angry about a lot of things, I found this story interesting for a couple of reasons.

The huge price hikes for the much-heralded 2005 vintage, though not yet in bottles, comes as the highly publicized wine glut in France continues to grow. The French have always been the biggest consumers of their own wine, but wine consumption in France has been dropping. And, most French wine labels are not up to competing on the worldwide wine market with more marketing-savvy New World winemakers.

The glut, however, does not apply to marquis wines such as fine Bordeaux. They are not, for the most part, staying home without a date on Saturday night. But one thing's for sure -- the astronomical price hikes for '05 Bordeaux will do nothing for the French wine industry's overall problems. Even French consumers are calling Bordeaux merchants greedy -- sort of like how we feel about our oil companies.

If some wine collectors cannot help themselves regardless of price, I think many others are getting to the point of swearing off Bordeaux -- including many, like myself, who refused to participate in the silly, politically motivated boycott of French products during the outbreak of the Iraq war. I mean, who can stand to pay 300 percent price hikes for a product that comes down only a little in off years.

The '03s are in the process of arriving right now, and I've been looking for some of the better wines from this scorcher of a vintage. I picked up a Chateau Angelus today -- not cheap by any means but a lot better than paying for a first growth and probably a lot more affordable than the '05 version will be.

I don't go crazy for Bordeaux mainly because of the price. But I like to pick up some every 2 or 3 years for long-term aging. They, along with wines from the Piedmont, are still the best bets, as far as I'm concerned, for long-term cellaring. But as I look at the prices on the '03s and read about the '05s, I'm starting to feel like this is a personal tradition that probably is coming to an end.

Jonathan Edwards Winery

2006-08-22T19:49:00.000-04:00

For Connecticut wine enthusiasts, there's a really unusual winetasting experience waiting for you at the Jonathan Edwards Winery in North Stonington. And, California readers may find this of interest as well.

My wife and I hit the Connecticut wine trail again last week, concentrating this time on wineries in the southeastern part of the state. Tasters may notice that many of the wineries in this vicinity benefit from some moderating influences of Long Island Sound. But, surprisingly to some, Connecticut's coastal weather doesn't matter one bit to most of the wines at Jonathan Edwards.

Turns out you can get a pretty reliable taste of Napa Valley in North Stonington by going to Jonathan Edwards, and if you've never been to Napa Valley you owe it to yourself to check out this place. But I'm going to warn you upfront -- you're going to pay for the privilege.

The Facilities
Jonathan Edwards is located in North Stonington farm country, but there is much about the winery that is more reminiscent of California than Connecticut. First of all, the white clapboard house and connected tasting room and barn are sundrenched. There is little in the way of trees near the winery, just sun-baked white buildings and vineyards. On the bright sunny day we were there I definitely was not thinking of typical New England ambience.

Best of all, when you get inside the tasting room, it feels almost as though you are right smack in the middle of Napa Valley. This warm tasting room has the look and feel of a western winery or farm with its modern style and heavy use of light oak. If you've ever been to Napa, you can get nostalgic here. Or, you can just go with it and enjoy the uncluttered, roomy environment. It's an atmosphere meant to make you feel immersed in Napa, and I think it works.

My wife thought the gift shop was subpar, but I think most people will find the atmosphere fun and inviting. I give the facilities 5 out of 5 points.

The Staff
Our pourer had an impressive knowledge of all the products they sell and what it takes to make great wines. She was stumped by no questions, and knew the ins and outs of the business. She also had a subdued enthusiasm for wine that would not hit anyone over the head, but would surely convince them of the depth of her passion -- with just a little probing.

The only problem we found was that it was hard to get her attention for very long, despite the distinctly uncrowded room. Phone calls and drop-in visits interrupted our tasting a couple of times, without apology, giving the occasion an alternatingly frenetic and neglected feel. For this reason, I give the staff a 4 out 5 score.

The Wines
This was such a fun tasting because the products are so unique compared to those served by other Connecticut wineries. But that does not mean Jonathan Edwards is an unqualified success. For starters, wine tastings here will cost you $6 a person -- seems like everyone is charging these days. The problem I have in this case is that my wife showed me a Rhode Island tourism booklet with an ad for Jonathan Edwards claiming winetastings here are complimentary. Definitely not cool.

The wines themselves speak to a philosophy openly voiced by our pourer: "We stick to what we do well, and they (California) do great reds out there." That means most of the winery's white wines are made here with Connecticut fruit. But most of the reds are Napa-sourced. Jonathan Edwards has long-term contracts with some Napa vineyards to supply fruit. Jon goes out to Napa in the fall and oversees harvest, crush and fermentation. The wine is then shipped back to Connecticut for aging in barrels.

So, the wines billed as Napa Valley Wines really do come from Napa. It's a confirmation of sorts that quality reds from Connecticut are a rarity. I found our pourer's admission rather refreshing, since I've heard some Connecticut winery workers dance dizzyingly around this issue.

The whites are another story -- they're often quite good. Jonathan Edwards' 20 acres are used for growing gewurztraminer, chardonnay and some cabernet franc. Or, in the words of our pourer, "whatever would do well in Germany." Only trouble is, you can't get any. There were no Connecticut wines available when we visited -- this year's release of Connecticut whites are already sold out (the gewurzt after just five days), and the cabernet franc won't be released until fall.

It makes you wonder a bit about their commitment to Connecticut wines, and it certainly makes it harder to properly review their wines. The only recourse I'm left with is to review the Napa wines vs what we've sampled at the Napa wineries we've visited. If I was reviewing these wines vs other Connecticut reds, Jonathan Edwards would be a winner hands down. Most of these wines are in fact very good, but there were a couple of issues.

2004 Napa Valley Chardonnay $19. A good California chard showing plenty of green apples with a smoky, toasty oak finish. Good acidity.

2004 Napa Valley Merlot $23. Ripe plum and cassis flavors with a medium finish.

2003 Napa Valley Zinfandel $25. Jammy black cherry but slightly cloying residual sweetness. Definitely lacks balance.

2003 Napa Valley Cabernet $32. Black cherry and cassis flavors and soft texture, but may be lacking in complexity for the price.

2002 Napa Valley Syrah $32. Lots of black fruit and a bit of pepper with a great zesty finish. My favorite red.

2003 Napa Valley Syrah Port $40 (half bottle). This is a good domestic port, showing black cherry, cocoa and blueberries. But this is a ridiculous price -- $80 for the equivalent of a full bottle? This is true vintage port territory price-wise, but with little of the true complexity you would expect from great vintage ports.

All in all, these are very good wines, though I would have liked a little more complexity for the prices. The cost of long-haul transportation is definitely built in. Still, price aside, I give these wines an 8 out of 10 score, though I'm tempted to knock off a point for the paucity of Connecticut wines.

If you are cool with the prices, I definitely recommend giving these wines a try -- especially if you have not been able to enjoy a real Napa Valley winetasting experience. On a sunny day, you'll get a nice glimpse of the Napasque-venue. I only wish the Connecticut wines were produced in sufficient quantities to demonstrate that they take these wines seriously as well. If so, and the wines are well made, this could have been my first 9 out of 10 score for wines. Regardless, Jonathan Edwards' total score stands at 17 out of 20 points.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Sorry About That!

2006-08-21T20:13:00.000-04:00

I've been bad about blogging recently, but my excuse is, vacation...again! Kathy and I took off for a week last month, but we had another week coming to us, this time at the Rhode Island shore.

Normally, I would have posted something to that effect or made some special arrangements to get online. But I thought I was going to be able to do all the posting I wanted where I was staying...I was wrong. Sorry about that. The good news is that we were close to several Connecticut wineries in the southeast corner of the state, much closer than I would be from home. So we did some tasting while on vacation, and I'll be reporting on it this week. Just got home and have too much unpacking to do right now!

Who, who looks after wine made in Southeastern Connecticut?

What's the best way to top off a day of rigorous winetasting?

Spectator Curse Reversed

2006-08-09T19:49:00.000-04:00

Most of us read wine magazines to try to stay current with trends in the wine business. We also hope to get word of exciting new finds, especially in the value category. But when Wine Spectator suddenly discovers wines you know and love, it's no blessing. It's usually a curse.

Do you remember the 1996 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepage? This is a very good Sonoma meritage that just a few years ago was selling for $28. Then, the 1996 turned out to be a truly outstanding wine that prompted Wine Spectator to declare it "wine of the year" five or six years back -- due at least in part to its very affordable price tag.

If you don't know the story you can probably guess the rest. Suddenly, you couldn't find the wine. If you did, it was marked up as high as $75 a bottle. Price gouging? You bet. But try to get government worked up about the (high) price of wine.

Recently, I thought we had another, if less dramatic, example of the curse. This spring, Spectator sang the praises of a terrific value wine, 2004 Falesco Vitiano, giving it 90 points. Now, I've been enjoying this wine for about 10 years. It's not a blockbuster wine, but it does deliver more complexity than the vast majority of $10 wines out there. A few months ago, I noticed that some bloggers were questioning whether this is really a 90-point wine. Maybe a fun blog topic, but there's no denying there's real value in this wine. So, I always liked to have some on hand.

I cringed when I saw the review. I just knew it was now going to be hard to find, though this is far from a limited production wine. Sure enough, I couldn't find it for months. I was sure it was the Spectator curse all over again.

Last weekend, however, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. There it was on the shelf at one of the wine shops I frequent. And, it wasn't marked up, either. Just $11. Turns out, I discovered, that a different distributor is now handling the wine in Connecticut. So, wine shops used to getting the wine from someone else were not finding it listed. Only recently have they discovered that they have to look to a different distributor to get it.

Like I said, not a blockbuster, so I wasn't going to lose any sleep if it wasn't available. But it is so worth the money and I'm so used to having it that I'm much happier now. Saved this time from the Spectator curse. But beware. It's out there, yet.

Perfect Match?

2006-08-06T11:42:00.000-04:00

While Americans in general are becoming more knowledgable about wines and comfortable with their own preferences, I think the question of what wine to pair with specific foods continues to goose the insecurities in most wine consumers.

When I worked in a wine shop, the variations in these questions were endless. I always advised customers to think about matching the weight of the wine to the weight of the dish -- rich foods with rich wines and light foods with light-bodied wines. The big question is always how the food is prepared, what kind of sauce is used, not whether the meat is white or red. After finding the right group of wines, there's a lot of room for personal preference.

Part of the reason for all the insecurity is that many so-called experts insist on certain magical pairings. A lot of Americans probably assume that these codified pairings are logged somewhere and only those who've undergone rigorous training and learned the secret handshake can get access to them. Make an uninformed choice based on your own tastes? Might as well wear a scarlet "P" for philistine.

I got to thinking about all of this while trying to decide what wine to have with lamb chops on the grill last night. I have always had a special fondness for Beaucastel chateauneuf-du-pape with lamb chops, but I have found several other combinations much to my liking as well, like a spicy, earthy cab (as opposed to the fruit bomb variety) or any of the peppery southern Rhone reds.

Part of the reason for my preference is that I like my lamb done simply on the grill with plenty of cracked black pepper and rosemary. Like mint jelly with your lamb (not my cup of tea)? Then you probably want a shiraz or a cab with a little residual sweetness.

However, I decided it was time to break from my personal routine and see what others say about it these days. Some swear by red Bordeaux with roasted lamb and new world pinot noir with grilled lamb chops. Others frowned on the choice of new world reds or (my choice) southern Rhones with lamb. And, a local wine shop proprietor said red Burgundy is the "classic" pairing with lamb.

Since I have some red Burgundies aging in the basement, I decided to give this suggestion a whirl. I was sure red Burgundy has potential because most Burgundies I've tasted have plenty of complexity, and I like an earthy wine with the full taste of lamb. That's why I never seriously considered inexpensive, new world pinot noir with their strawberry bouquets.

I chose a '96 Daniel Rion Vosne Romanee Villages. The aromas of black fruit, leather and earth went extremely well with the lamb, each sophisticated yet soft and enjoyable. The wine had a vibrant, acidic finish that made me wish I was drinking premier cru or grand cru, but there was no denying that the primary flavors matched up very well together.

Was it a perfect match? Silly question. I believe there can be only favorite matches, since this is such a personal business. While I still personally love Beaucastel with lamb chops, I'll just have to keep trying different combinations to see if it's truly perfect for me. That's what wine appreciation really is, experience born of tasting, tasting and more tasting.

McLaughlin Vineyards

2006-08-03T19:24:00.000-04:00

Distracted for a short time by a vacation trip north, we resumed our journey on the Connecticut Wine Trail earlier this week. And, good news, we finally found some Connecticut red wine worth writing about.

We had a great time visiting the McLaughlin Vineyard in Sandy Hook, a family-owned winery located on a 160-acre farm. One rather quaint feature is that visiting McLaughlin requires driving down a long gravel driveway that winds first through some woods and then through vineyards. You can see vineyards from other wineries, but none take you by so many rows of vines as McLaughlin -- a definite mood enhancer.

The Facilities
One of the oldest in the state, the winery is housed in a simple gray building with a lovely patio that overlooks acres of vineyards and a wide swath of green lawn. It's an ideal location to hold an "event" or just to sit while enjoying a bottle of wine.

Inside, the winery hosts a nice country store that features not only wines and wine-relate souvenirs but farm products, such as maple syrup, berries and farm-fresh eggs. In an adjacent room is a small winetasting bar, where visitors gather to sample five different wines while the pourer explains the unique traits of each.

The two rooms in the tasting area create a nice ambience with a mixture of wine-related pictures, barrels, stemware and other paraphernalia. The facility strikes a nice balance overall, with its country store approach in front and its more pure wine experience in the back. I think anyone would enjoy the experience of tasting wines in this environment, so I give the facilities a 4 out of 5 score.

The Staff
Our pourer was cordial and knowledgable, which is half the battle when you visit a winery and want to have a good time. He was able to answer virtually every question I asked, except those regarding older vintages at McLaughlin. Hard to fault him too much for this. He also was more erudite than enthusiastic, which, again, is a very minor complaint. I give the staff a 4 out of 5 score.

The Wines
Winetasting at McLaughlin costs $5, but as I indicated at the beginning, I got a nice surprise for my money. I knew almost nothing about this winery going in, which means that I got to experience an exciting element of discovery in addition to the pleasure of the wine itself. Finally, some Connecticut red worthy of a nice filet mignon or a Delmonico.

Vista Muse 2002: This chardonnay (from Long Island) and seyval blanc (estate) blend has terrific peach and melon aromas up front with a tart, lemony finish. A very respectable summer quaff.
Merlot 2002: This merlot (Long Island) and cabernet franc (estate) blend has a nice jammy nose with an herbaceous finish. It's more light-bodied than the nose first indicates, but not a bad effort.
Vista Reposa 2000: I realy liked this wine. It has complexity. Made mostly with estate-grown cabernet franc, this interesting red showed some earthy, almost barnyard aromas that stopped me in my tracks. My first taste of real Connecticut terrior? I also got blueberry notes as well. This $14 wine is definitely worth the price, even if the body is medium at best. I'm guessing the 2000 vintage was kinder to Connecticut wines than the more recent vintages I've been tasting at other wineries.
Vista Reposa 2001: Same wine but a different vintage with less cab franc and more marachel fauche. The difference is apparent right away -- no barnyard. But it still shows some nice black fruit. Also a very enjoyable red at $15, and a fine companion for many foods.
Blue Coyote: This is a semi-sweet white made entirely from the Aurora grape, with green apple aromas and a surprisngly tart finish. It wasn't my cup of tea, but it was stylistically interesting.

McLaighlin does not offer as many wines to taste as some Connecticut wineries, but what they do pour is interesting and well made. I give the wines an 8 out of 10 score.

Overall, I think most consumers would enjoy a trip to McLaughlin for both the wine and the locale. Their wines show just what can be done on Connecticut soil. Total score: 16 out of 20 points.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Pining for Ice Wine

2006-07-31T19:23:00.000-04:00

While nothing beats air conditioning in weather like this, a close second has to be ice wine. I cool down, and get happy, just thinking about it.

Trouble is, who wants to routinely shell out $80 a pop, like we do for the real deal from Germany. Even my favorites from Niagara go for $50 to $60 a bottle. I don't mind buying a couple now and then, but this hot weather is hanging in there, and I can't keep up with my own insatiable thirst for this summertime nectar of the gods.

So, I'm always on the hunt for cheaper alternatives. I've made a point of trying ice wines wherever I find them, no matter how far off the beaten track they are. I've found some good ones out on Long Island, for example, though these tend to be faux ice wines.

In case you don't know, real ice wine is made from grapes harvested in the middle of the night when the temperatures dip below 20 degrees F. Only trace amounts of super concentrated sweet juice are left in the shriveled frozen grapes, which makes the final product quite expensive. Faux ice wines are made from late harvest grapes that are brought inside and then frozen artificially. These wines generally do not have as much character as real ice wines, but some are pretty darn good. And they're cheaper.

So, I'm open to the better faux ice wines. I even found one at a Connecticut winery recently that was good, though still a little steep at $39. When we were in Maine recently, I was optimistic about finding a good one -- after all, we were just about as far north as Niagara.

We even found one very nice Maine winery, the Cellar Door, that is not overly reliant on fruit wines. But when I inquired about ice wines, I found out just how hard it is to do an ice wine even when you have favorable weather. They told me that in that part of Maine it's a real struggle to keep grapes on the vines until traditional harvest, let alone late harvest, because of the moose, bears, wild turkeys and birds. And, if they are lucky enough to have some frozen product hanging around come late fall, there would be so little juice harvested they would have to charge a great deal for it. Small country wineries don't think they can get away with charging those kinds of prices. Helps you realize what they're up against, and it makes you all the more grateful for the ice wine you can find.

But all was not lost while in Maine because I remembered to pack a couple of bottles of Bonny Doon's Muscat Vin De Glaciere, a faux ice wine that is simply incomparable in its price range. For under $20, Bonny Doon delivers year in and year out one of the most reliable dessert wines to be found. I never fail to be smitten by the gobs of candied apricot that awaits me when I pour a glass.

I've sung the praises of Bonny Doon before. I'll keep doing so as long as they make wines like this, capable of soothing the most fevered brow.

Wine Fraud Terminator

2006-07-29T16:52:00.000-04:00

I was absolutely amazed by one of Tom Wark's posts this week over at Fermentation. Apparently an Australian winemaker has threatened to sue a wine blogger over a negative review of his wine.

This is just astounding. First, haven't they ever seen Gene Shalit or Roger Ebert trash a movie? They don't have a clue just how good they have it now. Wines never get trashed the way movies or other forms of pop culture do. Plus, I could go on and on about the value that blogging brings to consumers, from hot tips to red flags about all kinds of products.

But a story I read today has given me a new thought. Scientists have developed a robotic winetaster capable of sniffing out fraud of all kinds. Perhaps we should consign the bulk of wine reviews to the winebot? Right now it can correctly identify 30 unique organic components of wine, and can sniff out fraud of many kinds, such as using varietals not labeled or proportions not permitted because of what's stated on the label. Yup, winemakers could have it a lot tougher, and they are going to.

Lobsters Respond

2006-07-27T17:58:00.000-04:00

I can't believe that any self-respecting lobster wouldn't be tickled to be paired with a white Burgundy or a premium California chard. But I guess some just can't get past the boiling water part. Check out this guy from somewhere in St. George, Maine.

I love dry Yankee wit. But the old salts take some things very seriously, like how lobster should be prepared. The lobster fisherman who lives next door to the place in Maine where we stayed last week, swore that the only way to eat boiled lobster was to have it cooked in seaweater. And, the butter should be mixed with vinegar, white or balsamic, he insisted.

Now, having eaten lobster from lobster pounds along the coast for years -- where they use only seawater for boiling lobster -- I wholeheartedly agree that if you have access to seawater it makes the lobster even tastier. But I've got to part ways with our fisherman friend on the vinegar.

The lobster is good with the butter/vinegar combo. But the intense briny sweetness of fresh Maine lobster is lost when masked by vinegar. The sweet natural flavors come through better without the vinegar. Sans vinegar is best, in my book. And, of course, it's easier to match a wine without the vinegar. Need I say more?

Lobster Lover's Libations

2006-07-25T19:38:00.000-04:00

We're back from Maine, a few pounds heavier but a whole lot more mellow and content. Resting, reading, walking on the beach and indulging a passion for lobster will do that. We ate a lot of lobster...for research purposes, of course.

As an east-coaster, I consider Maine lobster to be one of the ultimate summer foods, so I've been giving some extra thought lately to the subject of pairing wine with lobster. I have long been a fan of white burgundy with lobster, but the last thing I want to do is get stuck in a rut. So, I brought along a bunch of different whites and put my old formula to the test.

Just to be clear, we're not talking about pairing wine with different lobster dishes. The subject at hand is what wine really goes best with good ole boiled lobster with drawn butter. White, of course. You probably know that red really doesn't belong with lobster at all -- unless, perhaps, the lobster is in a fra diavolo.

I brought along four wines to try:

2005 Trumpeter Torrontes (Argentina)
2004 Gessami Gramona (Spain)
2002 Verget Grand Elevage Bourgogne (Burgundy)
2002 Chalone Vineyard Estate Chardonnay

I have to say the Chalone was the favorite of both my brother and my wife, with the lobster. The flavors worked quite well. The Chalone was complex with its vanilla and pear and spiced apple flavors, with a buttery finish. Very nice companion to the the lobster and butter -- except that I was a little concerned the finish on the wine overshadowed the food. It was not too aggressively oaked, but the 14.3 percent alcohol meant that the wine came on a bit strong at the end. To my taste buds, a little too strong.

The Tumpeter was an interesting experiment. The proprietor of one of my favorite wine shops recommended this as a nice lobster wine, one that would offer a acidic counterbalance to the fat of the lobster and butter. I did like the flavor pairing very much -- like having a bit of lemon in your butter. But there just wasn't enough body to carry it through to the end, shoulder to shoulder with the butter-drenched lobster.

The Gessami also was an interesting experiment. This muscat, sauvignon blanc blend from Spain has a rich, creamy texture and nice aromas of peaches and melon. It was closer in richness, but I didn't find the flavors a good match for the briny, buttery flavor of lobster. I would like to try this wine, however, with certain other foods -- maybe the lobster salad in mango dressing that I do.

Then there was the white Burgundy. Damn, if it didn't marry as good as ever with lobster. The pear and vanilla flavors mingle together so well with the butter, and the finish is crisper and cleaner than the California chardonnay. Yup, the winner and still reigning champ, Bourgogne, except for the small detail that I was outvoted. Oh well, they can get their own blogs.

However, we're not done. I'd like to do a Part 2 lobster/wine tasting before the summer's out. I'd like to try additional combinations, such as pinot gris and a nice Montrachet. Any other ideas?

Summer Swill

2006-07-15T19:54:00.000-04:00

Since yesterday was Bastille Day, of course that meant French wine was required to commemorate the occasion -- an inexpensive Burgundy to go with a Provencal (headless) salmon, in this case. Delicious.

Today, I'm thinking about some white Burgundy...again. But this time, I'm thinking we need to put this default wine to the test. We're off for a week to the land of lobster, which means there won't be any blog updates for the next week. But we will be thinking about wine, specifically which goes best with lobster.

Hope you can check back in a week or so to learn more about what we found out from this highly controlled, clinical taste test. See you after a week of tough work.

Hopkins Vineyard

2006-07-13T18:21:00.000-04:00

I hit the Connecticut Wine Trail again recently, and I'm happy to report that Kathy and I had a terrific tasting experience at the Hopkins Vineyard in New Preston, Conn. Not only do they make some very good wines, they enjoy one of the prettiest settings around, on a hill overlooking Lake Waramaug. It also has a 200-year-old pedigree as a farm and is one of the older Connecticut vineyards, though the first vines were planted in 1979.

The Facilities
If I can revisit my theory about visiting wineries, for a minute, I believe most visitors to wineries are not wine experts but tourists or yuppies out for a weekend, looking for a taste of that wine experience they hear so much about in California. They do not need to be hit over the head with $100 cabernet; they just need to feel like they're immersed in the real deal, and that the wine is good enough to buy so that they can celebrate the adventure again later.

I can tell you that Hopkins will probably come closer to meeting most people's expectations than will most other wineries in Connecticut. In fact, I would compare it to many of the good Long Island vineyards we've visited and even some of the more pastoral wineries we've visited in California in Paso Robles and the Sierra foothills -- except for the quality of the reds.

From the outside, Hopkins looks like a picturesque red barn but otherwise does not promise much. In fact, it is a very accommodating environment in which to soak up the wine experience. The winery includes extensive retail space for all kinds of wine-related purchases (my wife's favorite so far) and a very nice winetasting bar. Upstairs, the winery hosts a lovely cafe featuring wine by the glass, cheese plates and some other nibbles to enjoy with the wine.

Off the winetasting room, you can follow a self-guided tour into the winery itself and check out the fermentation tanks and oak barrels. Very nice ambience. The only complaint I have is that with all that space, could they have made the winetasting bar a bit bigger. When we were there, there were not very many people, but we still had a hard time getting space at the bar.

Still, the accommodations are really enjoyable and bound to make virtually everyone feel like they truly are in wine country. And, they can choose between browsing, winetasting or enjoying a leisurely light lunch in the cafe. I give the facilities a 5 out 5 score.

The Staff
Hopkins appears to be a fairly big operation, compared to other Connecticut wineries, and so they employ a number of young people to conduct their tastings. Consequently, you're not likely to meet the winemaker or gain some first-hand knowledge of vineyard conditions.

The young pourers were fairly knowledgable, if unexcited about the products. They had memorized flavor profiles and were prepared to answer most questions. But what they lacked was any real passion for the wines and, consequently, fell a bit short in stirring real excitement in us. Not that this is much different from some of the best wineries. I recall having really sensational wines at a Washington State winery a few years back, only to have the experience soured by a thoroughly bored, even acerbic young blond woman.

Still, some real insight and passion could really help enthuse those just learning about wines. So I give the staff here a 3 out 5 score.

The Wines
Let's start out by noting that winetasting at Hopkins will cost you $5.30 per person, or $7.50 for the full line-up, including the ice wine but excluding the sparkling wine. These prices are consistent with what wineries charge in many other states, but it doesn't seem like that long ago that Connecticut wineries were charging little or nothing. Ah, the good old days.

The good news -- Hopkins makes some excellent white wines. The bad news -- I'm still searching for a good Connecticut red. Here we go:

2003 Estate Bottled Chardonnay $15.99. Very nice, barrel fermented and aged in both American and French oak, it imparts some nice butter and apple spice aromas with a crisp finish.

2004 Estate Bottled Duet $10.99. A blend of chardonnay and vidal blanc, this wine has excellent fruit and pleasant acidity, very little oak.

2005 Vineyard Reserve $12.50. Made from seyval blanc and vidal blanc grapes, this wine is a nice, light, crisp package with notes of fig.

2003 Estate Bottled Cabernet Franc $17.95. It starts out with a spicy tart cherry taste that quickly fades into a thin, diluted imitation of cab franc. Surprisingly, it achieves 13 percent alcohol but not the extraction to match. I'm told they really do make good cabernet franc, and that the previous vintage was much better. But '03 was nothing to write home, or even send a postcard, about.

Red Barn Red $12.50. This blend of cab franc and three hybrid grapes was interesting for its gamay-like flavors, despite a slightly sour finish. Not too bad.

2004 Estate Bottled Westwind $10.99. A semi-sweet wine, it showed some nice citrus notes and decent acidity.

Sachem's Picnic $10.99. Semi-sweet and simplistic. Definitely disappointing.

2003 Estate Bottled Vidal Blanc $13.99. This late harvest dessert wine had a hint of an apricot nose but was quite sweet without the needed acidity. Fair.

2003 Estate Bottled Ice Wine $39.50. This ice wine was very nice indeed, with honey and apricot aromas. While ice wines are traditionally labor intensive and expensive to make, the price feels a little steep for Connecticut. But it really is a very enjoyable dessert wine.

While Hopkins did little to unhinge my antipathy for Connecticut reds, it showed more promise than the other wineries we've visited so far. And, many of the whites really are very good. I think most people would very much enjoy tasting these wines, so I give them a score of 8 out of 10.

Overall, I think the Hopkins offers winetasters a very enjoyable experience. It also offers the convenience of being located in an ideal, pastoral tourist location next to a popular inn and restaurant. My total score for Hopkins is 16 out of 20 -- the highest score so far and a number that could easily increase even higher with a little extra effort from the staff.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

New England Futures?

2006-07-11T19:44:00.000-04:00

Seems this story has been getting lots of play in the press the last day or so. Could California wine's day in the sun, so to speak, be almost over due to global warming and rising temperatures? And, could New England be poised for future winemaking stardom thanks to the same phenomenon?

As someone long concerned about environmental issues, I never dreamed there could be an upside to this disturbing trend. As I read the latest, my mind started to wander -- could Connecticut cabernet become the new gold standard? Could a new winter tradition of warming one's selve with Puritan port emerge?

But, alas, as I got to the last paragraph, I realized that selling shares in my future winery wasn't going to happen. For one thing, could take the next century for this trend to play out. But more importantly, we're just too darned wet and humid out here. Even if our temperatures eventually become perfect for grapes, this is the land of mildew and fungus -- not anyone's ideal bouquet.

As you may know, I've been making it my business lately to visit Connecticut wineries, and I've heard a lot about mold and mildew and the never-ending challenge they pose to farmers. If you're lucky enough to live near more ideal wine-producing areas, you should be more than grateful. You should refuse to stick your head in the sand like these people.

The Professor's Cabernet

2006-07-09T12:27:00.000-04:00

I found a real bargain cab this week at one of my favorite wine shops. But I suspect few people will rush out to buy it because it's not the ever-popular cabernet sauvignon, it's cabernet franc.

Cabernet franc often makes for wonderful wines, but it has to be one of the most overlooked varietals produced today. Partly, this is what comes from a life spent in the shadows. You see cabernet franc is best known, in wine circles, as one of the five red grapes blended to make most red Bordeaux. As such, it has always taken a back seat to cabernet and merlot, either of which tends to dominate most Bordeaux reds.

In this country, cabernet sauvignon and merlot have emerged as star varietals, though merlot has lost some of its luster of late. But cabernet franc still is not produced as its own varietal very often, and when it is, it seems to be eyed with suspicion by many consumers. It's a shame.

Cabernet franc is closely related genetically to cabernet sauvignon. As a result they share many of the same flavor characteristics, such as black cherry and cassis. But cabernet franc is thinner skinned and earlier-ripening than cabernet sauvignon and, consequently, tends to have less structure, less tannins. As my wine shop friend says, "it's cabernet without the big finish."

What you typically will find in cabernet franc is plenty of fruit and a somewhat herbaceous quality. The cabernet franc I tried for the first time yesterday fits this description to a tee -- and for just under $10 a bottle. It's a 2003 estate-bottled Korta Cabernet Franc from Chile, and it made me think of my professor from last semester whose interests are tightly focused on great value wines. Professor, this cab's for you.

Judging by this wine, Chile may have weather ideally suited to producing this varietal. Of course, California could grow all the cabernet franc it wants, but their interests lie elsewhere. I've also had some very good cabernet francs at Long Island wineries. The varietal is popular with many wineries in the Northeast, probably because it does better in our weather than would cabernet sauvignon. Unfortunately, many are insipid. Just make sure you don't judge the varietal unless you've had it from a prime wine-producing area. And, with the prices they're charging, Chile may be a good place to start.

Media Convergence

2006-07-06T20:04:00.000-04:00

When the wife and I were at the White Silo Winery in Connecticut last weekend, the subject of my last blog entry, we coincidentally were there at the same time as someone from AP. I half-heartedly agreed to let myself be photographed, for the story, sipping wine.

The story about the winery was published in yesterday's newspaper and, surprise, surprise -- they decided to use a photo of a young, very attractive couple at the wine bar, rather than this grizzled old winer. I understand that I'm not doing any marketer's supposed demographics any good, but my wife certainly deserves her shot. So, I thought I'd try to make amends (in the foreground, in front of the 20-somethings).

My more objective reaction to the story is that, while it's nice that the newspaper business is on to the growing wine culture phenomenon, I found it odd that AP decided to cover the explosion in interest by focusing on this particular winery. As the story notes, the number of wineries locally is growing, and consumers are getting out there and trying them.

But White Silo is anything but emblematic of the trend. It's a specialty winery producing nothing but fruit wines (non-grape) in a rustic, unadorned old barn. Nothing wrong with this, just like there's nothing wrong with any fresh farm products. But today's wineries typically sport lavish tasting room facilities and increasingly good wines.

I doubt this particular winery represents the future, so I found it an odd choice to be singled out. Still, I hope they enjoy their 15 minutes.

Red, White and Black?

2006-07-04T08:41:00.000-04:00

While on the Connecticut Wine Trail this past weekend, we came across a local winery that, by my own criteria, I shouldn't review. When I started making the rounds at Connecticut wineries, I vowed not to review any fruit (non-grape) wines. This despite the fact that so many wineries in the Northeast make them.

When we got to the White Silo Winery on the western edge of the state, in Sherman, we discovered this particular winery serves nothing but fruit wines.

I stand firm. I am not going to review these wines. But all was not lost because I discovered some nice dessert wine to go over those strawberries or ice cream at the 4th of July picnic.

Open to the public for four years now, White Silo is a small, family-run business that features wines made entirely from fruit grown on the farm, including blackberries, raspberries, cherries, black currants and rhubarb. And, get a load of this, I actually liked the rhubarb wine. The only one, really, out of the dry wines that I cared for. It was a nice, simple white wine that could pair nicely with light appetizers, salad meals or white fish.

But the real specialty here is the dessert wine, which, for some reason, they bill as semi-sweet. Trust me, almost all are darned sweet. In fact, some more or less fall into the category of syrupy cordials. But the raspberry and blackberry wines would go wonderfully over some summer desserts. Add a little whipped cream and you've got red, white and...too bad they don't make a blueberry wine.

You're not going to impress anyone with these wines on your dinner table, but there are times when a simple taste of the farm will do. The winery itself is located in a converted dairy barn. The ambience is very much about farm life, rather than today's winetasting circuit. Little has been done to the simple interior, which is framed by a concrete floor and an unadorned, planked ceiling. The wine bar and the numerous paintings by local artists are the only concessions to tourists.

One word of warning. The Connecticut Wine Trail brochure says that winestastings are complimentary. They are not. It is $5 to taste the majority of wines. You may have to ponder whether the price is justified, considering the fact that you are not going to get the product you might expect for such a tasting fee. Personally, I love visiting local farms but don't usually pay for the privilege.

Connecticut Valley Winery

2006-07-01T11:20:00.000-04:00

If Northwest Connecticut is home to the state's oldest winery, it is also home to one of the newest, the Connecticut Valley Winery. Opening its doors in October 2005, the winery is still going through some growing pains. But judging by the enthusiasm of the Ferraro family, who own and operate CT Valley, there's reason to be optimistic about the future.

Facilities
At first glance, CT Valley does not look like a particulary inviting winetasting environment. The tasting room is located in the winery itself, which looks more or less like an industrial-size, gray barn with dormers. But they actually did a nice job inside creating a Mediterranean style tasting room with a fireplace and a couple of tables, at which you can leisurely enjoy a glass of wine.

Though located on a busy road, you're in a country setting out here. While we stood at the wine bar sampling wines, we could see a deer feeding near the edge of a grassy field behind the buillding. It was quaint, but deer are not necesarily a good thing around vineyards full of ripe grapes. I give the overall ambience a score of 3 out of 5.

Staff
Our pourer was Judy Ferraro, wife of the winemaker and co-owner. Judy is a gregarious host who enjoys talking about the wines. And, since the winery is still fairly new, she gave us great insight into what it's like to open a winery -- a "retirement" project for Judy and her husband, Anthony.

First, there's securing the approval of local officials. Difficulties in another nearby town led the Ferraros to choose New Hartford, in the end, as the home of their new winery. Then, there's the state approvals required for just about everything, including the labels for some new varietals that are still waiting to get out of the starting gate. And, there's the ever-present difficulties of growing grapes in our humid weather.

All of this was conveyed philosophically, with enough conviviality to keep the winetasting experience upbeat. Definitely good ambience. Judy was stumped by a couple of questions, but not a big deal. I give the staff 4 out 5.

The Wines
Unfortunately, as a relatively new winery, CT Valley currently is showing only three wines -- $2 to taste all three. Other varietals are waiting in the wings and are expected to debut in the near future, so I felt pained having to judge the wines overall by the three before us.

The first wine we tasted was a chardonel, a hybrid grape that Judy described as something between a chardonnay and a seyval. I don't know exactly what to expect from seyval, but
I definitely got some spicy apple flavors and a touch of oak (oak chips are used in aging). Lighter in style than most chards, this nonetheless was an enjoyable wine.

Next was a wine they have chosen to call chianti. If you think there's sangiovese growing in them thar hills, forget it. Judy said they call the wine chianti because the word means blend. I had not heard that before, so I looked it up. While chianti does principally refer to dry red table wines from the Chianti area of Tuscany, turns out it does mean also a blended wine.

But this particular blend of grapes such as fauche and frontenac, bolstered with some California fruit, misses the mark. It's a bit thin and unsophisticated, lacking in any kind of complexity. I just couldn't muster any enthusiasm for it.

Same goes for the final wine, called ruby lite. There just isn't enough body in the red grapes to justify blending them with white wine grapes. It is essentially a blend of the first two wines and it falls victim to the shortcomings of the chianti. Final review on the wines, 5 out of 10. However, I definitely would like to come back in a year and see what else they have up their sleeves.

Final score for this winery is 12 0ut of 20. I probably would not recommend these wines to anybody at the moment (maybe the chardonel), but I think it definitely warrants investigation again down the road. They have designed a nice tasting facility, and their passion for wine is evident. Hopefully, all that's missing is more experience and a dry harvest.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Pinot Grisless

2006-06-28T20:15:00.000-04:00

This time of year, few things irk me more than wine shops that don't carry pinot gris. How can that be, you might ask? You'd be surprised.

There are, of course, some very fine wine shops that have complained, when confronted, that they don't get a huge number of pinot gris to choose from out here in Connecticut, so they have trouble keeping it on the shelf when the weather warms up. But there are other places that don't seem to stock it much at all and instead try to steer me to the pinot grigio, oceans of pinot grigio. To me, if a wine shop doesn't stock pinot gris, I can't take them seriously.

I know full well that pinot gris and pinot grigio are made from the same grape. Made chiefly in Italy, pinot grigio is simply a lighter, crisper style of pinot gris. But, to me, the difference is night and day. I just don't care for pinot grigio. I know that will probably get me in trouble with some. I've actually had one or two I did like, so I know decent pinot grigio does exist. But the vast majority leave me...cold.

Pinot gris, on the other hand, as produced in Alsace or Oregon, is usually lush by comparison. Closely related to pinot noir, the grapes often have a nice soft red or pink color. In the glass, the wine sports wonderful ripe mellon and pear flavors, often with a hint of orange blossom or honey. It's just so satisying with summer salads, my curried chicken salad or fish. Along with Alsatian riesling, it's my summer fling.

That's why I get upset at wine stores that don't have any pinot gris once the warm weather comes. We're talking a serious need here. Only serious wine stores will do.

Jerram Vineyard

2006-06-25T11:12:00.000-04:00

Our next stop on the Connecticut Wine Trail takes us to New Hartford, about 25 miles west of Hartford, to the Jerram winery. Once home to a dairy farm, this winery has to be one of the lovelier locations you'll find, if you like simple, unpretentious charm.

Facilities
For a get-away-from-it-all experience in the Connecticut countryside, Jerram is the place. The winery itself is located in the old horse barn on this sprawling farm property. And, the tasting room is cozily sheltered in the 1903 creamery, which has been restored to include an 18-foot wine bar and an art gallery (featuring a different artist every 6 weeks). Leisurely taking in the art (for sale), or the gardens on the grounds, is encouraged. Small groups also can enjoy a picnic with wine on one of the decks or patio, if the weather cooperates.

(I would love to show you photos, but Blogger has been a disaster for uploading photos lately -- nothing will upload today. My apologies. Perhaps I can edit this post at some point.)

The winetasting experience on weekends is enhanced with crackers and a cheeseboard, featuring Connecticut or imported cheeses. All in all, sipping wines here is a relaxing and warm experience. A lot of wineries these days are building elaborate tasting room facilities with a Mediterranean flair -- drawing on the imagery we most associate with fine wine. Jerram, instead, goes with what it has to work and it feels authentic. For this reason, I give Jerram's facilities/ambience a 5 out of 5 score.

Staff
Our pourer was owner Jim Jerram, who opened up with a genuine passion for his product once prompted by a few questions. The Jerrams have occupied the farm for roughly 30 years and have been making wine since 1982. With plenty of experience under their belts, they decided to open for business in 1999.

Though not effusive, Jerram is perfectly willing to share his accumulated wine wisdom if you demonstrate some interest. This is a definite complement to the tasting experience. I rate the knowledge and enthusiasm 4 out 5 points.

The Wines
As I noted previously, making wine in Connecticut can be a real struggle, especially when damp weather prevails. Jerram offers nine wines to sample for a $6 tasting fee -- the price includes a Jerram wine glass to take home. Unfortunately, I could taste evidence of the battle for ripeness in several of the wines.

The wines include some noble grapes and some not so noble grapes often grown in the area, such as seyval blanc and villard blanc. The flight of white wines included White Frost, a light-bodied 100 percent chardonnay that would serve as a nice companion to white fish or light pasta fare; Seyval Blanc, a dry crisp wine that does well in cold climates like ours but which, in this case, sported what I thought were off smells -- definitely a disappointment; Gentle Shepherd, a slightly sweet blended wine with just a hint of orange peel that was my wife's favorite of the day; and Aurora, which showed a little more sweetness and body to make it a decent match for some spicy fare.

The red flight included S'il Vous Plait, a light cabernet franc that I found lacking in characteristic spice but with simple tart cherry flavors; Highland Reserve, a cabernet franc/marechal foch blend that showed a little more spice with its cherry flavors but still not quite ripe; Marechal Foch, a dry wine with a little more body that could go nicely with food but is a touch green; and Nor'easter, a semi-sweet blend of chambourcin and foch -- while I don't typically like noticeable residual sweetness in my red wines, I thought this wine was interesting. A red that could go equally well with Asian beef dishes or chocolate.

The last wine we tried was Vespers, a late-harvest dessert wine made from vignoles grapes. With its rich, honeyed aromas, the Vespers was very enjoyable.

I admire Jerram's adventurous approach to winemaking, trying numerous blends that make the most of the Northwest Connecticut terroir. And, in dry years, I'm sure they have a lot of success. But I found many of the '04s and '03s currently served to be lean. Still, a few wines were quite nice. I rate the wines a 6 out of 10.

Overall, Jerram nets a score of 15 out 20 points. Jerram is without a doubt a lovely destination that many people would enjoy for picnicing or for just soaking up the winetasting experience in a pastoral setting. There's a few wines to enjoy, but I'm not sure experienced tasters will find the $6 tasting fee worthwhile.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Smell the Roses

2006-06-22T20:53:00.000-04:00

June is a great month. My wife is happy because she can smell the roses. I'm happy because I can smell the rose'.

So what could be better than combining the two, which is what we did on a sparkling day this week at Hartford's Elizabeth Park. Elizabeth Park is an absolute jewel, one of the oldest parks of its kind in the country with a truly amazing rose garden. For our annual trek this week we loaded up on some grilled salmon sandwiches with aioli and sweet potato fries, some ripe olives and a nice chilled Vin Gris De Cigare from Bonny Doon. Dry but profoundly fruity.

The local store actually had a nice selection of rose' wines from Rioja and Southern France, but the Bonny Doon won out because it was chilled and came with a screw cap -- perfect for picnicing. And, what could be more perfect for a picnic than a fun summer wine like rose'. Rose' in the roses.

The air was filled with the scent of, well, roses. Was it the wine? The roses? The wine? The roses? Not important. It was sensory overload. Got some rose beds near you?

Reliable Chardonnay

2006-06-20T20:28:00.000-04:00

I was amused but not surprised by this post over at Avenue Vine. Apparently, while most eyes were focused on the high profile reenactment of the 1976 Paris winetasting -- at which California wines kicked French butt -- another winetasting was comparing French vs California wines. But this time the wines were of a much more recent vintage.

The author notes that while most tasters preferred the style of the California reds over the French, they found high quality in both groups. More interesting, however, was that the tasters preferred the white Burgundies over the California chardonnays, without question.

Not surprising to me. I enjoy the occasional big California chardonnay from time to time, and have written about them fondly. But I am a routine white Burgundy drinker and would reach for the white Burgundy 9 times out of 10 when looking for a rich, dry white wine with dinner.

I always keep a case of white Burgundy in the basement, usually a Verget Bourgogne or a Macon. These are affordable wines -- you don't have to shell out for a Meursault or a Montrachet to enjoy a terrific white Burgundy. A lot of the low-end stuff is exceptionally well made. And, when I run out, I replenish without fail.

There's something about white Burgundy that I don't find in a lot of other wines. It's called balance. You can find true aromas of apple, pear and vanilla with a touch of minerals for a crisp finish. It seldom dominates its food companion, but it has enough body and charm to guarantee it's never overlooked.

There's so much hyperbole thrown around these days about French wines vs. California wines and old world style vs. overly extracted fruit bombs. I find something to enjoy in most of these wines. But if I have a prejudice of sorts it's that white Burgundy belongs on the dinner table, California chards seldom do. If I'm going to consider a California chard with dinner, it's going to be one of the premium labels I trust. So, you see, white Burgundy is the better value in my book.

Haight Vineyard

2006-06-18T11:55:00.000-04:00

The first stop on our quest to evaluate Connecticut's native winetasting experience is Litchfield's Haight Vineyard. Located in the northwest part of Connecticut, Litchfield is known for its rolling hills, pastoral scenery and large country estates (Litchfield is home to many wealthy New York natives and even a few famous movie stars looking to escape the glare of Hollywood). It should also be known as the home of Connecticut's first established winery.

Having planted their first grape vines three decades ago, Haight is among the state's most experienced winemakers producing a number of white wines, a couple of reds and a couple of fruity wines. A number of Northeast wineries make wines based on different fruit combinations -- my guess is that this a popular practice here because it's so darn difficult to produce a diverse lineup of extracted, interesting reds. While many people like, for example, blueberry or apple wines, I won't be reviewing them. I really have no good frame of reference for comparing them, and I suspect most people are not coming out in search of these wines anyway.

Facilities
The winery is located on a wide open piece of farmland, surrounded by vineyards. With plenty of room to move, the winery hosts many community events, such as craft fairs and a Taste of Litchfield.

The facility itself offers loads of rustic charm. A walk upstairs, past the tapestries and mounted game tropies, takes you to a fairly large tasting room and gift store. There are a couple of tables for leisurely tasting by the fireplace, and there's a veranda. While the tasting bar can get crowded, there's plenty of room to explore the many different items for sale. In fact, my wife rated the gift store one of the best at a local winery. So I give the facilities a 4 out of 5 (see end note on scoring).

Staff
Our guide for the tasting experience was a very pleasant woman who conveyed a real love of wine, without resorting to cliches and hype. She also had a good knowledge of the products, though she had a few holes in her memory banks and couldn't answer some questions. All in all, she was helpful to anyone looking to learn and get excited about wines. 3 out of 5.

The Wines

Tastings are free at Haight. In general I found some tasty whites with good acid levels, but the reds lack ripeness and complexity. Growing grapes in Connecticut means an almost constant battle against mildew -- this year, with lots of early rain, is off to a very bad start. But the occasional dry years can help Connecticut winemakers make some excellent wines. The wineries right now are serving almost all '04 wines (not ideal), though a few have some '03s. But some of the problems are evened out by using up to 49 percent of the grapes from other sources (true of wineries across much of the U.S.), such as South America or California. Haight uses some grapes from California.

Chardonnay ($11.98). This wine won't net blockbuster scores, but it's a very enjoyable, crisp style of the varietal with green apple aromas and just a bit of oak.

Covertside White ($9.98). An off-dry blended wine made from seyval blanc from different vineyard sites is interesting and enjoayble. Could go well with light Asian dishes.

Barely Blush ($9.98). A bit simplistic and quite sweet -- not for me.

Riesling ($11.98). A very nice expression of the grape, this wine is somewhat sweet but with balance. Definitely a Litchfield Hills success story.

Merlot ($11.98). Light and simple with tart cherry flavors. Just not there.

Picnic Red ($10.98). Made with mostly marechal foche, this red has a bit more ripeness with a slightly sweet finish. More full-bodied than the merlot, it would be nice with grilled summer foods. However, also short on complexity.

Honey Nut Apple ($9.98). A dessert wine made apples and honey (she twisted my arm), this wine lacks for acidity but is nonetheless enjoyable with its slightly nutty finish.

I enjoyed roughly half of these wines and find in them reason to hope for even more from Connecticut vineyards -- at least from the whites. I give Haight 8 out of 10 for quality of wines.

As a winetasting destination, Haight gets 15 out of 20 points, in my opinion. Which is quite good, if you consider the high quality of winetasting experiences to be had in the big wine-producing states. As an aside, we were told that the Haight family and its aging patriarch are selling the winery and vineyards. Hopefully, the winery will continue, even grow. But this might be good incentive to check it out soon.

NOTE: While most reviews tend to look only at the wines, I believe visiting wineries is as much about an "experience" as it is about the quality of wines. Wineries probably get more tourists than wine geeks for visitors, and I think they're looking for a combination of comfortable, wine-focused facilities, knowledgable and passionate staff, and enjoyable wines. So, I'm assigning scores to each winery on a 20-point scale. 5 potential points for enjoyable, mood-enhancing ambience; 5 for knowledgable, enthusiastic staff; and 10 for quality wines. The scores are purely a result of my personal judgment; I have no relationship to any of the wineries.

Connecticut Wine Trail

2006-06-17T16:30:00.000-04:00

When I worked in a wine store less than 10 years ago, we, of course, sold wine from many different countries around the world but only two from Connecticut. At the time there were eight wineries in the state, but the owner believed he could recommend wines from only two.

That's probably not surprising to many wine collectors, since the Northeast is not exactly known for producing serious wines. Frigid, snowy winters; wet springs; and humid summers make it a challenge just for the vines to survive, let alone produce ripe fruit.

Among my wine-swilling friends, few know anything about the wineries located in their own back yards, so consumed are they by the chase for great California cabs, Oregon pinot noirs and jewels such as Barolo and Bordeaux. If they do, their experience covers but two or three state wineries.

Connecticut's promotional wine trail website boasts there are now 16 wineries in the state. According to a local winemaker we met recently, the number is now 19, though the state's website apparently has not yet caught up to this fact. This may not seem like many to folks living in Washington, New York or Oregon, but it's a virtual explosion in winemaking around here.

This trend has me wondering, is this expanding interest due principally to an increasing number of hobbyists anxious to become a part of an emerging wine lifestyle in the U.S., or is Connecticut finding its respectable niche in the winemaking world? After all, Long Island is producing some fine merlots and cabernet francs, and the Finger Lakes region of New York is producing some fine white wines and sweet wines. And they're relatively close by.

I'm truly anxious to find out the answer to this question, so I've decided to hit the road this summer and try each one. Don't expect to hear about cabernets or syrahs. Apart from the occasional merlot or chardonnay, you're far more likely to read here about seyval blanc, vignoles and marechal foch. Could be fun; it certainly will be an education.

Bad Cork, Bad

2006-06-13T19:43:00.001-04:00

Nothing like sitting down with company to a delicious dinner of grilled loin lamb chops and pouring everyone a glass of cabernet that you know is rich and delicious. You raise the glass to your nose ready to inhale intoxicating aromas of cassis and and cedar and, instead, it's #@$%&$"#*$%&$#@# corked! Totally contaminated alcohol.

It's so damned annoying. At first you have a half-hearted thought -- maybe no one will notice. But after two or three more sips you realize you're in denial and you suddenly grab bottle and glasses and head toward the sink before you can do any more second guessing. As you watch it go down the drain you can only sigh -- well, you can grumble, too.

I think I've been lucky in that almost all the wine I've had from my cellar that's been corked has been relatively inexpensive. When it's not cheap, it's downright painful. Because tainted corks have become relatively common, many people advocate screw tops instead of cork. I've blogged about this before -- all wines under $20 should have screw tops but ageworthy wines still require cork. Just too much uncertainty about the effects of plastic on wine long term, not to mention the importance of cork-based ceremony for better bottles.

Still, it's hard to let go no matter how much you reason with yourself. The wine in question was a 2001 Steltzner estate cabernet, not real expensive but bad enough at $35. And, the previous bottle I had was absolutely delicious. More's the pity.