Married Wine Blogger Cheats on Wife for Singles Night (#WBW75)

( Cute little vineyard plot at Red New Cellars in Hector, NY )

It’s Wine Blog Wednesday again and this month is installment 75! Six years is an eternity online and it is always exciting to be part of this long-running wine blogger swap meet of sorts. Hosting this month is Joe Roberts, aka 1WineDude. Thanks Joe!

This month’s them is “Singles Night”, single vineyard wines that is. What’s so special about single vineyard wines? Hey Joe, where you goin’ with that bottle of single vineyard in your hand?

In a 2010 post that gave a nod to wine being made in the vineyard Steve Heimoff makes a statement that rings true to me, “a wine grown in a single place shows a unique sense of that place.” In the case of single vineyard wines that place is very, very specific, and in extreme examples that place can be very small; resulting in very limited production. Grapes from single vineyard designations are typically given special focus, and winemakers who choose to make such products definitely know what attributes the grapes possess that they wish showcase in the final wine.

Is all wine made from single vineyards special? In my experience single vineyard bottlings are unique in comparison to their peer products from the same winery and area. As a winemaker I can imagine that unsuccessful single vineyard experiments don’t to see the light of day in a rough or unbalanced state. Into the blender they might go! We also have to consider the choices a winery and winemaker might make as to which wines are released with the singled vineyard designation. Sound wines that are not judged to be truly special may be released without the designation. Logically I then conclude that the single vineyard wines consumers actually see are special because no self respecting winemaker would intentionally want to make and promote a pedestrian wine with so much specificity in its source.

I haven’t kept track amongst all the wines I have consumed which ones were single vineyard and not, but I do recall a few single vineyard gems; and they’ve always stood out amongst other wines from the same producer or region. The McGinley and Watch Hill Syrahs from Andrew Murray Vineyards were standout examples for me in 2011. The McGinley was bigger and more concentrated than the other Syrahs from AMV and the area, and the Watch Hill had a underlying funkiness to it that made for a different unique experience. Overall, whether the wines were more concentrated, had focused specific aromas or flavors, or projected unusual attributes, those single vineyard wines I can recall all gave me something above and beyond to consider. I do agree that there are plenty of non-single vineyard designates that offer the same qualities, but for me there is a much higher likelihood of mundane wines in this group.

During a visit to the Finger Lakes in September 2011 I came across the 2008 Red Newt Glacier Ridge Vineyards Merlot. It was one of the finest wines I tasted on the trip. My words on this wine when looked at in contrast with reviews of other reds from the trip hint at the fact that this wine was special for me. After my first taste I said:

The first thing that grabbed me about this wine was the intensity of the color, it is deep and concentrated. The aromas followed on with lots of raspberry, cherry and whiffs of oak. The intensity of the color was matched by an incredible body. The mouth is rich with berries, a little meaty and finishes with velvety tannins. This wine is full bodied and bold in the friendliest of ways.

The color and concentration of this wine was more intense than any other red wine I had on that trip. It was also fuller bodied, in fairness I can’t compare this to the Pinots from the same trip, than the Meritage blends, Cab Francs and native red wines I also tasted.

I recently shared a bottle of this wine with friends who will be making a trip back to Finger Lakes with my wife and I in June. I introduced the bottle as an example what the finest red wines from the region can be. My notes from this tasting line up with my initial tasting, however this time I got to pair the wine with food.

( The view from the deck at the Red New Bistro. Glacier Ridge Vineyards is down the hill towards the lake shore which isn't visible beyond the trees. The west side of the lake is what you see at the horizon. )

The intensity of the color definitely stands out. We tasted it alongside a Lemberger that offered plenty of contrast, the Red Newt is heading towards opaque. The oak leads out in the nose in the form of and alongside baking spices (cinnamon, allspice, vanilla) that offer inviting warmth. Cherries and red fruits are first up in the mouth. The next thing I noticed was a touch of mint. The body of the wine is moderate to full and the tannins are sizable and developing. The wine finishes dry, is a little smoky and lingers pleasantly.

The wine was paired with a medium-rare T-bone steak. I’m usually a well done guy, but pairing with the wine further convinced me that beef on the rare side has a place, especially when paired with an assertive red wine. The touch of meatiness of the wine was matched well in the steak. The bottle was emptied in record time, yet more confirmation to me that it is something special.

It is clear that I think single vineyard wines are special, but of course with consistently growing experience in the world of wine I can’t really say I am in a position to declare anything settled. I don’t believe I would go on a mission to specifically sample single vineyard wines, but only because there is plenty of worthy wine out there and it all has its place. Not that I think doing so wouldn’t be fun…

Cheers!

Jason

The Reds of the Finger Lakes

If you’ve been reading along over the last week or so you’d be sure I enjoyed my first trip to the Finger Lakes region earlier this month. The beauty of the lakes and the surrounding countryside is like few places I have ever been. All of the local folks we met were as casual and nice as those we often meet in Vermont and at home in New Hampshire. My wife and I didn’t specifically quest for food, but we did find excellent fare at the Red New Bistro, tasty & well prepared dishes at the Blue Pointe Grille and the House of Hong in Watkins Glen, as well as the Village Tavern in Hammondsport. But of course, we came for the wine!

I gave the Finger Lakes Rieslings specific treatment based on finding them to standout all their own. I followed that with a post containing a roundup of the Other White Wines from the Finger Lakes I found interesting, recommending whites from several producers and in several styles that tell more of the Finger Lakes story.

That leaves me to share my thoughts on the reds. I tried not to color my views of the Finger Lakes wines too much with research ahead of time, but there was only so much I could do. The Rieslings were not new to me, and the debate over which reds, if any, are really worthy of the effort in the region was also hard to miss. That said, I confidently expected that I would find red wines of interest to me and would have a firsthand opportunity to explore what was being made; drawing any conclusions that I could.

Best of the Best

Rooster Hill 2009 Estate Cabernet Franc – This wine is another solid youthful drinker. The nose came off as average in intensity with a nice mix of earth and greens. I picked up tart cherries, baking spices and a bit of vanilla on the palate. The tannins were coarse but not too aggressive. I bought a bought of this to specifically let it age to see how it mellows and improves.

Ravines 2008 Cabernet Franc – This wine is drinking good young, but should improve with age. I base this on the healthy acidity and softening tannins that wrap the cherries, greens and earthy notes of this wine. The oak is restrained and I picked up some cured meats or bacon essence as I continued to sip this wine.

Ravines 2007 Meritage – This wine is a delicate blend with red berries, spices and just enough oak to create the structure needed for it to please. The aromatics are mellow, but a good combination of fruit, earth and oak. The tannins are present and softening, hinting at solid aging potential. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Red New 2008 Glacier Ridge Merlot – The first thing that grabbed me about this wine was the intensity of the color, it is deep and concentrated. The aromas followed on with lots of raspberry, cherry and whiffs of oak. The intensity of the color was matched by an incredible body. The mouth is rich with berries, a little meaty and finishes with velvety tannins. This wine is full bodied and bold in the friendliest of ways.

Heart & Hands 2009 Pinot Noir – We didn’t actually get to Heart & Hands on this trip, but I spotted the Pinot on the menu at the Red Newt Bistro and knew I had to try it. This is one of the smoothest Pinot Noirs I have ever tasted. The nose is pretty big, full of cherries, rose petal (maybe some other flowers too) and hints of a smoky camp fire. The mouth presents cherries, dried fruits and a little earth. The tannins are mild and very soft. I ordered several bottles of the available Pinots as soon as I got home.

Other Notable Juice

Six Mile Creek Quintessence 2009 – This wine presents warm oak in the nose, a deep, concentrated color and healthy aromas of red fruits. The flavors of black cherry, plum and blackberry are very pleasing, following with smooth tannins and a dry finish. This wine is drinking well young, but will likely benefit from cellar time. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Keuka Lake Vineyards 2009 Leon Millot – I’ve had Millot more than a couple of times at tastings of wines from Vermont and New Hampshire. The cold-weather hardiness of the grape makes it a great option in those locations. The thing that grabbed me about this wine was the color. Dark, dark, dark is what I wrote in my notes. The second thing that grabbed me was the strength of the aromas. There was plum, dark cherry and blackberry bursting out of the glass. These flavors followed through in the mouth and were accented with currants and a dry, moderate length finish. This wine is immensely drinkable and coming from a less-than-standard grape helps with the diversity of the Finger Lakes wine story.

Heron Hill 2008 Reserve Blaufrankish – Blaufrankish, Lemberger, you pick the name. It really only matters if you identify with Austria or Germany more when it comes to this type of wine, but since I wasn’t in either place the style it is made in is subjective and in the hands of the producer for naming. The nose offered baking spices, violets and what I would say was unripe plum. In the mouth it was smooth and tasted of red fruits and a bit of earth.  It is well put together and interesting for the left hand turn it makes off the usual red wine road.

Dr. Frank Salmon Run 2002 Meritage – I picked this off the menu at the Village Tavern looking to see what a nearly ten year old red from the region had going on. This comes from the value label of Dr Frank and something that folks might scoff at, but it performed admirably and was worth the taste. It is still reasonably concentrated with aromas and flavors of cherry, and a touch of dry soil. There were perceptible flavors of grape leaves or greens and manageable oak. It wasn’t stunning and I don’t think it is as delicate at this point as similar blends that are made with age mind. I don’t have a lot of experience with wines that are 10 years or older (sad, but true) so I can’t really say how much longer this wine could go, but it does feel like is on the other side of peak.

Lamoreaux Landing 2008 76 West Meritage – This blend is one where I think time is needed for it to reach more of its inherent potential. It is a bit tight with subtle fruit and oak aromas, and clear understatement of the berries and cherries in the mouth. It is balanced with softening tannins and good acidity, thus my conclusion regarding the need for aging. Had I had the time I might have let this breath a bit to see how that helped.

Damiani 2009 Pinot Noir – I had this twice in the span of about an hour on the last day of my trip. I found it in a flight of Pinot Noirs at the Red Newt Bistro and it intrigued me. Unfiltered and unfined it had some wild and earthy aromas that made this wine geek giddy. Daminani was my very next visit and I figured if this wine was my first impression there would be other interesting wines to try. This is definitely a funky and unrefined Pinot with lots of aromas and flavors that take some time to process. The tannins are present and equally off the typical expectations.

Damiani Cabernet Blend – This wine is notable because when opposed on both the varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Francs, the blend of both makes a lot of sense.  The blend is rounder, fruitier and more nuanced than either wine on its own. Red fruits and some leafiness are finished dry.  A blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Cabernet Franc. I don’t know what the vintage is or whether it is a cuvee blend, but I would suggest some cellar time to see what happens nonetheless.

Hermann Wiemer 2008 Reserve Cabernet Franc – I tasted both the 2008 and 2008 Reserve, finding the Reserve to be better balanced and softer on the palate. The color was also a bit more concentrated as well. A combination of blackberry, greens and earth composed the palate on this wine, finished with some warmth and spice from the oak. The tannins are noticeable, but softening. The finish is moderate and cleans up with a nice touch of acidity.

( Ravines Wine Cellars )

Casual Drinkers / Sweet Reds

These reds are a different breed, either because they are sweet and highly drinkable and/or because they are promoted with casual drinking in mind. At between $9 and $11 these wines have a good price/performance ratio for a range of everyday consumption scenarios.

Six Mile Creek Dolce Vita – Leon Millot makes a second appearance in the post, this time barrel aged and a bit sweet. This wine has dehydrated fruit on the nose and in the mouth, a bit like raisins and dried raspberries. The oak is present and helps bring it all together.

Dr. Frank Salmon Run Coho Red – This is a sweet Gamay blend, something to get the conversation going and then not distract from it. The wine isn’t refined or snooty, but pleasant and fruity with a clean finish.

Ravines Keuka Village Red – A blend of Cabernet Franc and Noiret. This wine has a light nose, cherry and pepper in the mouth with a light body and a clean finish. I wrote in my notes I wrote that this wine has range and would be excellent with a variety of foods and friendly conversation.

Lamoreaux Landing Estate Red – Like the Ravines wine above, this wine is dry but smooth and fruity with just enough acidity and tannins to be pleasant to drink without requiring a lot of time for consideration.

What Else?

I didn’t find a plethora of varietal Cabernets that rocked my world, and I hadn’t expected to. And in my opinion, neither should you. Not as the rule anyway. Note that I didn’t highlight any in this post, but of course I haven’t tried them all. There are exceptions, check for the reviews on Shaw Vineyard, and when I ultimately have one that grabs me I’ll be sure to review it. In the US we’ve grown so used to a particular style of Cabernet from California and because of that we are woefully biased. Based on what I know that type of Cabernet isn’t going to get made by wineries throughout the Finger Lakes. If you have to have it you’ll have to look a bit, and that might just mean you’ll appreciate it more when you do find it.

Experimentation with different varietals is ongoing in the region. The Glenora Sangiovese was a surprise, and while the 2010 is young it was drinking reasonably well. I wouldn’t compare it to a Chianti (which for the record I DID NOT hear them say) but that is likely to be the comparison made to the average tasting room visitor. I’m not sure where this experiment is going to go, and I wonder if the grape and the wines made from it will survive as the fish-out-of-water I perceive them to be in the Finger Lakes.

Glenora also gets a mention for their alternative packaging in the form of the Astrapouch. Containing the equivalent of two standard bottles of wine in a plastic pouch, this wine is mobile and doesn’t require an opener. Once opened the wine will stay fresh for a short period of time (days to a week is a safe bet), and is a great solution for taking your wine out by the pool without worrying about broken glass! Current varieties include Chardonnay, a sweet Riesling and a sweet red.

The Final Analysis

There is enough going on in the Finger Lakes to satisfy all but the most finicky of wine lovers, but a sense of adventure and a desire to try new things is a requirement. Coming to the region with visions of comparing the wines to those you might enjoy from France, Spain, Italy, Germany or California is a bad idea, but many people will do it anyway. Some of the wines will match up well, but it just isn’t the right approach. I sincerely hope folks with that attitude don’t miss the exciting wines that you can find in many of the places available to visit while in the region.

For me the whites were the star of the show, but the reds and wines made from the hybrid grapes (both red and white) complete a picture of a place that only needs time to become widely known for world-class wines all on its own.

Cheers!

Jason

Tasting in Los Olivos

In my last post I shared our guerilla mission to enjoy food & drink in downtown Santa Barbara in the one day we(Margot and I ) had set aside for it. We had a second day and planned another round of wine tastings in a similar fashion. It is sort of what we do.

We rented a car (from Hertz in the lobby of the hotel, super convenient!) first thing in the morning and after breakfast headed up to Los Olivos, about 45 minutes to the north. Los Olivos is home to a wide array of tasting rooms for area wineries, making it a great place for us to drive to, park and explore. We certainly could have planned some winery visits, but with the extra travel we would inevitably have needed to spend more time or cut our plans short.

Out first stop was Alexander & Wayne the product of two wine loving gentlemen, hence the name. The sign outside the tasting room suggested Bordeaux and Burgundy styles, which if you think about it long enough doesn’t make a lot of sense since you are in California. I guess advertising to a common denominator and trying to evoke a sensibility from another place is a smart play, I just don’t get it. We saw a lot of that and suspect that the average taste isn’t very educated and needs to be led in this way.

Setting the rant above aside I did enjoy the wines. The blends were my favorite, offering considerable complexity with combinations of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. I liked the Cuvee HM the best although the Cuvee Five was very good, just a little more muscular and rougher. In both cases the tannins were pretty big, but softening; something I would imagine some time would help with. Their varietal Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc didn’t disappoint either. The Cab Franc in particular did exude some stinky cheese rind, which I was very happy to experience. The final wine I tasted here was the RSF, a port style blend of Zinfandel and Petite Syrah. It presented itself with a ruby/tawny color and aromas of dried fruits and raisins. Spices showed up in the middle and through the finish. We took a bottle of this home so we could have some sweet memories on another day.

Our second stop, and the reason why we really chose Los Olivos, was Andrew Murray Vineyards. Sometime in 2010 I noticed a Twitter follow notification for Andrew Murray (@gotrhones) and was curious enough to look up who the person was. If a the proprietor of a small winery in hills north of Santa Barbara thought I was interesting enough to follow I knew we should visit and try the wines. As luck would have it Andrew was out of town during our visit, but was sure to alert the tasting room staff that we would coming around so they could share the story and the wines with us. Stephanie cheerfully greeted us when we arrived, and for the next hour we had her and the tasting room all to ourselves. To be fair Los Olivos wasn’t busy so our exclusive attention was probably a bit of luck as well. I’ll say it right up front, I am so glad we chose to stop by. The Syrahs, all single vineyard designates, were fantastic and worth a leisurely taste.

The story of the wines and the person behind them is actually quite simple. Andrew lived in France with his family for a time when he was a teenager. His family was in the restaurant business and exposed him to wine in the Southern Rhone. He fell in love with the placed and the wines, something I surely know is easy to do. At some point they decided to bring what they loved to California and started a winery using his name.

My favorite was the 2007 McGinley Syrah. I found it to be really well balanced with bold but respectable tannins. The Tous Les Jours Syrah was much spicier with a considerable fruit forward character. The Watch Hill Syrah had some underlying funkiness to it that I couldn’t pin down. It added some allure and made raspberry fruit taste more savory than I would have ever expected. The last Syrah was from the Thompson vineyard and was a pleasurable combination of cherries, berries, spice and wood. We tasted several other styles including some from the “Days Off” label that offer wines designed for casual drinking and no fuss. The most recent Viognier was not yet available so my anticipation for it still stands. I will keep my eye on their online store in hopes I catch it before it sells out! Before we left we put together a mixed case to have shipped home. Sharing the Syrahs with friends is going to be a real treat.

This post would not be complete without a mention of the serendipitous lunch option we took advantage of. It turns out that we had arrived on “Tri-Tip” day, which is a local fascination. The R Country Market sells wood smoked tri-tip sandwiches a few days per week and when it is gone, it is gone and you have to wait until the next week. Margot and I love smoke meat and BBQ so this really was a lucky break for us. The sandwich was one of the best I have ever had and I will say nothing more. Look it up online, and believe me I have given you enough information to find it. New York Times, anyone? You’ll be jealous, and this picture isn’t going to help!

The last tasting room we visited was Byron Estate. I picked this one while had lunch after remembering how much I enjoyed a Chardonnay of theirs that we had had at the Blue Ginger (Ming Tsai’s restaurant) in Wellesley, MA about 10 years ago.

I tasted four Chardonnays and three Pinots. The Chards spanned 2005 to 2009 while the Pinots were all from 2009. The 2008 Santa Maria Chardonnay felt the most familiar and had me connecting the richness I enjoyed with my lobster dish at the Blue Ginger. The 2007 stainless Chard presented an interesting spiciness which grew through the finish. The 2005 selection was one of their library wines (no longer available) from the Nielson vineyard. It was impressive to see how well this wine has held up in the nearly 6 years since it was made. Keeping with the spicy theme I was caught off guard by the spicy (pepper) character of the 2009 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir. With cherry and smoke added in this wine was one of the more interesting ones I tried on this trip. The 2009 Nielson Pinot was the most complex of the three I tried. The baking spices and considerable structure of the wine was a great pleasure to taste.

By this point the afternoon was fully upon us and we headed back to Santa Barbara. It is always going to be true that you will need more time to really get to know a place, but the time we did had helped make it much less of a stranger to us.

Cheers!

Jason

Washington State Merlot

Just about one year ago Margot and I were getting ready to head off to the WineMaker Magazine Annual Conference for the first time. It was being hosted in Stevenson, WA situated on the Columbia River along the Oregon border. We had been to the state before, but not its winemaking areas, and didn’t have a chance on earlier trips to visit any wineries for tastings. Our plans included those activities on this trip, and we packed with much excitement.

( Great place to hang and drink! )

One of the types of wine we had the chance try from a number of difference sources was Merlot. I had heard many great things about WA Merlots and had never really explored them. My favorite from a winery visit was the Ethos Merlot at Chateau Ste. Michelle. The night of the swap meet we tried Merlot varietals and Merlot based blends from a number of local wineries and winemaking clubs. We enjoyed several homemade versions shared by local-area conference attendees. All together I felt I had gotten to know the style much better. Across all the selections we tried we found a great balance of fruit and earth with dark berries and cherry wrapping touches of chocolate, spice and smoke. The smooth textures and manageable tannins made these wines so very approachable and great casual drinkers. I kept thinking about food pairings and what I wanted to try at home with wines we would bring back.

One of the things we found so interesting were subtleties between the single vineyard Merlot bottlings at the Columbia Winery. They presented the wines from varied growing areas, conditions, the differences and we found so much of it to be accessible. At the conference I shared a rose I bought made from Merlot at Phelps Creek Vineyard (no relation) from just over the border in OR. At first folks didn’t seem interested, but once the first person at the table said something good about it, it was gone. Check out what we wrote back in June of 2010 from our trip notes.

So it was with great excitement that I was assigned a WA Merlot for a recent group tasting with the Boston Sommelier Society. I felt like I knew it better because of my experiences and knew more about the region giving me a good basis to search for. I considered the CSM Ethos but opted for something else and stayed within the CSM family. I came across the 2006 Canoe Ridge Merlot and grabbed a couple bottles to try. At $20 a bottle it should be a solid performer, but not an everyday drinker. I found a healthy dose of cherry, vanilla and a dusty soil note. The tannins are there but softening and really helping to define the wine. I bet this 2006 will be much better in 3-4 years.



Washington Merlot started stalking me at this point and this time in the form a perk from the Kloutperks Influencer program. As an influencer I received a $100 credit to Lot 18 and found wine and olive oil that would make for great adventures back at Ancient Fire Wines. The Pepper Bridge 2006 Walla Walla Merlot two-pack was a steal. The wine is good, but needs more time to mellow.

It is garnet in color with a touch of purple. The rim variation has a slight brown shift and the staining and viscosity are low inferring a lighter wine. The alcohol is up there, 14.1%, but noticeable, and makes the chocolate, cherry, spice, pepper and soil flavors a bit hard to completely pin down. The tannins are moderate, but feel like they are softening and time may be an asset here.

We are again getting ready to head off to the WineMaker Conference, this time in Santa Barbara, CA, home to several winemaking regions that will be worth visits. Pinot Noir perhaps, or Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier, oh my! We’ll be live tweeting from the conference, including the awards dinner. We won 9 medals last year and we have more chances than that again this year! Wish us luck!

Cheers!

Jason


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Kicking it with the #RWTastingCrew

I finally made it to my first Red White Tasting Crew wine tasting last night. With the good weather starting to filter in I hope to get to them on a regular basis.

Last night’s event was at Whole Foods on River Street in Cambridge. We don’t have Whole Foods in NH (yet) and I can’t recall if I have ever been in one before. I bet I have, but just don’t remember it. This particular location has a community room that is open to book events in. David from Whole Food explained that the room was open for booking by the public and for legitimate events there was no booking fee. Pretty cool!

( Dan & Cathy talking wine. )

Cathy from Red White Boston was particularly excited about this month’s event for a couple of reasons. First, Panther Distributing is a new wine distributor to the state of MA was on hand to showcase wines from Oregon and Australia that are just becoming available in the state. Secondly, she was hoping to continue to the conversation and research into using a badging system for identifying wines of note shared by Red White Boston through their smartphone app and other communications. I was definitely interested in seeing what came of this as well. I had been pretty vocal about not really seeing where badges fit during a vibrant Twitter conversation on the topic.

The first person I met was Melanie who tweets with the handle @kissmyglasswine. We have interacted a bit on Twitter before and of course recognized each other by our handles. We tasted the first couple of wines seated next to each other and I definitely enjoyed swapping tasting notes as we went. Her freewheeling, fun filled approach to wine tasting is a refreshing. I am definitely going to be looking for another chance to talk with Melanie.

We started off with the Brookman Wines Chenin Blanc 2008. This wine comes from the McLaren Vale Region in South Australia. The Mediterranean climate, thin soils and limited water during the growing season typically translates in considerable ripeness in the wines. Chenin Blanc is a minor grape, in acreage planted, for Australia and is typically used in blending. The nose isn’t huge on this wine, but it did present some pear and floral notes. I picked up flavors of melon, citrus and experienced the classic oily texture found in Chenin Blanc based wines.

Next up was the Vista Hills Oregon Pinot Gris 2009. I first had Pinot Gris from Oregon last May and my benchmark is the bottle of King Estate Signature Pinot Gris 2008 we enjoyed in a simple wine & cheese tasting in our hotel room in Seattle. I haven’t found anything yet that lives up to it. I found the Vista Hills to have subtle aromas and very light flavors. It was enjoyable, but not a stunner. It would work well with food, but only because it wouldn’t offer much to conflict for the food. This isn’t the type of pairings I am typically after.

From there we moved on to the Conte Estate Primrose Lane Chardonnay from Australia. This was the least exciting of the wines for me. When Cathy asked the crew for thoughts, I responded that I thought “it was hiding in the corner.” There was almost no aroma and while there were flavors of toast, smoke and a little peach the wine exited so fast you could easily miss them. I was surprised at this because Chardonnay from Australia has generally been much more lively in my experience.

I ran into Maureen the Boston Marketing Manager for Second Glass who sponsor the Wine Riots. I thanked her group for reprinting our two posts on their web site from the Boston Wine Riot last Fall. I understand things are going gangbusters for Second Glass as they expand the Wine Riots into more cities. This year’s in Boston is in April and I was sad to realize I would likely be missing it. Oh, always next time!

The next wine was the Linda Domas Shotbull Shiraz Rosé 2008 also from Australia. I have only had a few Shiraz Rosés in my life and each time has been a pleasure just because Rosé made from this grape is distinct. Bold with spicy notes true to the grape were right there for you to experience. I ended up finding that when paired with blue cheese the sweetness in the wine bumped up just a little, and I felt I enjoyed it more. Dan from Panther offered up some lore about this wine with the rumor that Linda (the winemaker) has been known to skinny dip in vats of the wine during its early life. Interesting, weird and a great way to sell wine!

While I filtered around and networked with other tasters I met Meesh from the Just Add Cheese blog. Another first meeting via Twitter handle recognition! We caught up a bit later as Cathy and I were talking about the Rosé. I mentioned my interest in thinking about where the berry flavors in the wine came from and what it might have tasted like prior to and during fermentation. As a winemaker I think of these things. Meesh was obviously curious about such a specific consideration and mentioned she was working to get better at recognizing flavors in wine. No small challenge and noble pursuit for sure. I recommended using foods that express those flavors to help create an imprint. My specific example was to get fresh berries, cut them up and simply sit with them for while. Take in the aromas, let them sit on your tongue for a time. Mush some up in your fingers and really get into it!

Our first red was the La Bete Selection du Cave Pinot Noir from Oregon. This wine is definitely in the Burgundian style which is not typical for American Pinots outside the Willamette Valley. I have enjoyed a few from this area before but have big plans on taking quite a few more down on our upcoming trip out there in September. This had a lighter aroma that I expected, but the earthiness and restraint in the flavors and body were there. I picked up red berries, mushrooms and a little bitter chocolate. I would drink this again, but I suspect in its very best years it would be better still.

The second red was the Brookman Wines “Cool Sands” Cab/Merlot 2009 from Australia. The aromas coming from this glass of wine stopped me dead. So potent and complex. Berries, plums, leafy greens, tobacco. All harmoniously jumping in and out of the glass. When you’ve got it, you’ve got it! The wine was balanced superbly with acid, alcohol and tannins all finely tuned to enjoy. I went back to this one later to enjoy it for just a little longer. This was my absolute favorite of the night and will be something I will be sourcing to have at home.

( The business of wine tasting looks hard! )

I didn’t catch the results from the badge voting, but Cathy promised to have it up in a blog post soon. I did share my additional considerations on badges with her and I can see where some of her target audience should embrace it in their wine pursuits. For me, and I suspect others as well, I may already be too specific in what I looking after for a badge to matter. Not really a problem, clearly an opportunity.

In the middle of tasting the reds I was introduced to Ray & Rachel from French Oak TV. We have been Twitter buddies for a while, but hadn’t had a chance to meet yet. Rachel is new to the team (she was impressed that I had read the blog from 2 days prior announcing her a new team member) and excitedly talked about the whiskey tasting she went to on Sunday at Julio’s Liquors in Westborough, MA. I am pretty jealous of that. I would have loved to take a shot at 200 whiskeys. There might have been consequences though! Her story prompted me to share my experience with the Vieux Marc from Barville the week before when in Provence. I capped that off, as I did in the post, with a reflection on sitting outside in Provence smoking a Cuban cigar drinking a tall glass of it. Man that was good!

The last wine of the evening was the Conte Estate The Gondola Grenache/Shiraz 2006. This wine was definitely richer than the “Cool Sands” but with just a little less aroma. I picked up blackberry in the nose and again in the flavors. Additional flavors of black pepper and licorice were finished with smooth, soft tannins. I definitely enjoyed this, and so did the group based on the voting, but I still gave me nod to the “Cool Sands”. Something about first impressions.

I made a quick exit from the event primarily because I had a train trip and a ride to get home and I was getting tired. Hopefully next time I can stick around for some more networking or an after party! I can’t wait to hang with this crew again!


Cheers!

Jason

Slow Cooker Pork & Ethos Merlot

( Hungry? )

A few years back Margot and I both used the Weight Watchers program to lose weight and get to a manageable food lifestyle. Writing a food and wine blog makes that hard, but we are much more capable of intertwining healthy eating now so we no longer actively count points. During that time Margot picked up the “In Good Time - 123 Slow Cooker Recipes To Come Home To” Weight Watchers recipe book. We’ve used it so many times it has pages falling out of it! The recipes are really that good and when I work from home on Wednesdays I have plenty of time to have something going in the slow cooker.

This week I picked a recipe we hadn’t yet tried for Braised Pork Loin with Port and Prunes which can be found on page 47 of the book. We pick our weekly menus on Sunday to aid in the grocery shopping, but this also gives me time to think about beverage pairings. As I thought about what to drink with the pork I remembered we had a bottle of Ethos Merlot that we brought back from Chateau Ste. Michelle in May. We tasted it during the wonderful private tasting we had and it knocked both of our socks off! This is the best Merlot I have ever had, and one of the best bottles of red wine I have ever had the privilege to taste. We’ll get back to the wine in a minute.

A few weeks back Margot took advantage of a buy-one-get-one deal on pork loin roasts. It ended up being for the big ones so we have adapted this recipe for a roast 1/3 larger than the recipe called for. We also used two homemade wines instead of port. For the sweet component we used a wine we made in 2007 that we called Dark Magic made from grocery store grapes. Early on it was very funky, but it has mellowed now and the residual sugar makes for a great taste. We added some depth with some 2010 Chilean Malbec. This is from an early bottled 3 gallons that ended up being a bonus from the batch. It is young and not refined yet, but it is very drinkable with distinctive flavors and aromas. The color is very dark and I thought the richness would be fantastic in this dish.

Braised Pork Loin with Port and Prunes

1 (4½ lb) boneless pork loin
2 tsp ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp salt
1 ½ tsp ground mustard
1 ½ tsp dried sage
¾ tsp dried thyme
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 ½ cups sliced onion
2 leeks, sliced thin (white part only)
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin
½ cup dry red wine
1 cup sweet red wine
1 dry red wine
2/3 cup vegetable broth
20 pitted prunes
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp water

The process is pretty simple. The pepper, salt and spices are used to create a rub for the roast which should be cut in half crosswise. After applying the rub, heat the oil in a large pot. Once the oil is hot, brown the roast pieces on all sides. When browned move the roast to the slow cooker. I usually spray my slow cooker insert with some cooking spray to prevent sticking.

I added some additional oil to the pot used to brown the roast and then added the onion, leek and carrot, sautéing them for about 8 minutes. Add the wine and stock and scrape the bottom of the pot clean. Pour the wine and vegetable mixture over the pork in the slow cooker, add the prunes and bay leaves and cover. I cooked this on high for two hours and then low for another five hours. Make sure to remove the bay leaves before continuing.

( Ready to cook! )

When you are ready to serve it remove the pork to a heat-proof dish and keep warm. Transfer the contents of the slow cooker to a large pot and bring to a boil. Use the water and cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

( This is what it looked like after I took it out of the cooker and it had sat in a warm oven for a few minutes. )

This dish was a jackpot. The pork was so tender that removing it from the slow cooker was a challenge. The combination of flavors was wonderful with the prunes and red wine providing a clear foundation of fruit and subtle sweetness. We served it alongside baked acorn squash that had been basted with olive oil and maple syrup. Incredible!

The wine didn’t fail us on our second taste. From the moment we smelled it we recalled our mutual agreement from the tasting. This bottle is from the 2005 vintage and my understanding is that it should be tough to find these days unless you are in Woodinville, WA! It has intense aromas of cherry and plum. You’d have to have the worst cold in the world not to be able catch the aromas. It is mouth-coating and silky, something I could sit and savor for far too long. The fruit flavors are what you notice first and there is slight gaminess to it that went really well with the pork. The wine is very balanced with noticeable tannins, but not in an overpowering way. The wine enhanced the perception of the spices and flavors in the food without losing itself. I don’t think I could easily have picked a better wine to pair with, although I am up for the challenge!

Cheers!

--Jason

Sorority Sisters and Wine, The More things Change…

The more they stay the same. Only now rather than standing in a fraternity house basement and drinking Boones Farm we are in the wine tasting room at Chamard Vineyards. We still laughed and had a good time but the talk was more about careers, kids and husbands instead of dating and campus gossip (okay there was still some gossip). The wine had changed quite a bit too. Gone was the $1.99 bottle of Snow Creek Berry or Strawberry Hill Boones. Now we were enjoying our $10 tasting of Chardonnay and Merlot.

Located in Clinton Connecticut, Chamard Vineyards planted their first grapes in the spring of 1984. Their first wine, a Chardonnay, was released in 1988. Since then they have expanded to Cabernet, Merlot and some Pinot Noir, which is used primarily for blending. Our wine server explained that the non-estate grapes are sourced from Long Island. Currently the vineyard produces 6,000 cases annually. The vineyard was beautiful especially on a gorgeous fall day.

The tasting room was quite packed when we were there. We waited a bit to get to the bar, but the service was excellent and the atmosphere perfect. The $10 tasting consisted of five wines and we evaluated each. Those that are listed as “Estate” are from grapes grown on the premises. My primary co-taster was Julie, who along with her husband John, has become one of our wine buddies over the past few years.

2004 Chardonnay: With a fruity aroma that had a hint of honey this chardonnay has a “touch of oak”. That oak comes though as a slightly bitter vanilla taste. Julie was surprised that the finish reminded her of one that would be expected of a Shiraz as it was somewhat spicy and acidic.

2005 Estate Reserve Chardonnay – As advertised this has a very beautiful gold color. The aroma was of butter and dried apricots. The group agreed that this was a good “back deck” Chardonnay, meaning it is light and easy to drink. Though not overly memorable on its own, this is an example of a good delicate food pairing wine.

2006 Cabernet Franc – Both Julie and I were surprised by the brick red almost brown color of this wine. It had aromas of dark berries and chocolate and reminded me of a strong stout. This was very hot, almost to the point of overpowering the flavors. The body of the wine was quite thin. After our tasting many of us ordered a glass of the hot mulled wine which was delicious. We were surprised to find out that this was wine was the base for it. Everyone agreed that when used in that manner it was much better.

2006 Merlot – With a wonderful red color and strong aromas of licorice, leather and tobacco this wine appeared promising. The strong tannins and thicker body lived up to the aroma and color. This was a nice table red, but both Julie and I agreed that we would not have guessed it was a Merlot.

2006 Cabernet Sauvignon – With an aroma of dark cherries and a pleasant amount of spice this was the highlight of the tasting, to which everyone agreed. This would serve as an excellent pairing wine but also had the strength to stand on its own.

Overall this was a nice way to spend a fall day. We finished the outing sitting at a picnic table and talking. With a chill in the air, good friends and a warm glass of mulled wine we could not help but reflect how far we had come, and how much better this was then a fraternity basement and a bottle of Boones.

Cheers,

Margot