earthy genious in a bottle of cab franc

I love Cabernet Franc. There, I've said it. I know many people who are disinclined to this often vegetal-tasting/smelling grape varietal, but I quite enjoy it. Perhaps you've had it and you haven't even realized it. It is a grape that often plays second or third fiddle in Bordeaux blends. If you're palate has taken you to the Loire Valley of France and you enjoyed a red wine from Chinon or Saumur-Champigny, you've enjoyed this varietal on its own. Likewise, you may also have tried a bottle from a California producer, where the grape is increasingly getting a chance to play the lead role. But if you're really lucky, you'll have tasted some from the Finger Lakes region of New York State. The Finger Lakes is an up-and-coming wine region here in the US. Cold as You-Know-What up in those parts, the Lakes do play a critical role in moderating the otherwise frosty climate. With proper vine grafting, Riesling has done tremendously well (as has Chardonnay). In fact Dr. Frank's Rieslings are thought to rival those of Germany's Saar region. Reds are starting to get some more attention, too. Cabernet Franc from this region has even caught the attention of world-reknowned wine writer, Jancis Robinson. And with good reason.

My mentor gifted me a bottle of Red Newt Cellars' 2004 Cabernet Franc several months ago. She knows my palate enjoys a good frolick with cab franc and she is in the less-inclined category I mentioned earlier. She is also from upstate New York and knew this would be a good opportunity for me to taste this up and coming New York state wine - wines that are nearly impossible to get hold of here in Massachusetts. I knew it was going to be a fun wine to drink so I bided my time waiting for an opportunity when the weather (temperate) and my dinner menu (something "earthy" involved, e.g. mushrooms, eggplant, rosemary, etc.) were in sync.

Only the comfort of Chicken Marsala, garlic/rosemary mashed potatoes and snow peas would ease our pain from having watched Tom Brady injure himself in the first quarter of last Sunday's game. The evening was gorgeous, too.  And so the stars had aligned to pop the cork of the Newt Cab Franc in my cellar.

What we found was a treat. Red Newt Cellars produced a lighter-styled Cab Franc, with gentle tannins and moderate acidity. The fruit was the most distinguishing characteristic, offering bright, ripe red fruits - cranberry and raspberries seemed most evident to me - followed by soft spice and earth. In a blind taste test I may have said it was a Pinot Noir - being both more accustomed to the bigger, bolder Cab Franc offerings I'm used to drinking from CA and lacking (in a refreshing way) the strong bell pepper notes so often evident in wines from the Loire.

True to form (having experience the wine for myself first), the next day I took my notes and went online to see what the winemaker or other "experts" had to say about the wine's characteristics. The winemaker certainly hoped I'd have the experience I did! For the 2005 vintage he writes, "cranberry and raspberry with overtones of smoke and spice make an elegant red that shows well young and ages beautifully. Cabernet Franc is one of the most promising red varieties ever introduced in the Finger Lakes. Structure is typically complex, complete but delicate. Color is moderate to dark and tannins soft." Complete but delicate were probably my happiest memories of the wine - I couldn't have said it better myself!

What's your experience with Cab Franc? Are you as inclined as I to pick up a bottle? Or, is this a new one on you - and one you might take for a test drive in future?

Turkish wine

I first had the opportunity to vacation on the lovely (Turkish) Cyprus island two years ago when my friend invited me to stay with her family for a couple of weeks.  Whether it was because Turkey is largely a Muslim nation or because my friend's parents don't imbibe very often, drinking wasn't a big part of that trip. I tried Raki once - a strong, clear brandy that tastes of anise - but was not a fan, as my nephew would say. I also remember trying a glass of red wine at a Beer Garden there and found it almost undrinkable. It was so acidic and unbalanced I was happy to stick with the thirst-quenching Effes beer that dominated nightspot venues. This summer we were visiting for the same friend's wedding celebration and decided to spend a few days in Istanbul on the way. The first night we were there we saddled up to a local mezze joint and selected a half bottle of wine from the restaurant's wine list. I should also mention doing so was a rather bizarre task....

Turkey is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world.  It is also fourth in grape production. But something like only 2% of these grapes are used for wine, the majority consumed as fruit or raisins themselves. Most of their grape varietals are also indigenous; and you've probably noticed subconsciously the US does not import Turkish wine - or at least not for mainstream consumption. I easily admit I knew nothing of Turkish wines beyond my one attempt to drink a Beer Garden offering two years prior. This trip I really wanted to dig in - and it was so hot it was easy to long for a cool glass of white or rose to quench my thirst.

My task was not an easy one however, as in Istanbul we discovered right away wine lists were not terribly helpful. They provided the Turkish Producer and Turkish Wine Name (both having no meaning to me), followed by a brief, generic description (e.g. Dry, White; Dry, Red; etc.), not the grape varietal or a sense of flavors present in the wine. Wait staff were not fluent in describing the wines either, even if their English was quite good. The sum of these parts was a recipe for a hit/miss wine-selecting approach. Fortunately, I was open to experimenting.

That first night I pulled a David Ortiz. My random selection of the Kayra Buzbag Beyaz white hit it out of the ballpark. It was medium bodied and fleshy, full of gorgeous, succulent fruit flavors and citrus. It had a touch of minerality, too, but was not spicy. This was the ultimate blind tasting: I had no idea which grape varietal it could possibly be or could be related to as a potentially indigenous varietal or, better yet, if it was a blend. All I knew was that it reminded me of Semillon or perhaps Vouvray (Chenin Blanc). I took down some notes and vowed to research the wine once home.

I was happy to discover I wasn't terribly far off when I found these wine notes: “Selection Beyaz” is produced from Narince and Semillon grapes selected in their respective vineyards of Tokat and Trakya. Well-structured, citrus fruit, fresh quince and coconut taste. It goes well with chicken and fish with sauce.

Not too shabby! My only regret is we never found this bottle of wine again. We discovered another restaurant in Istanbul with truly phenomenal cacik (apologies for the lack of accents), hummus, and chicken shish (kebabs) and a dynamic Maitre D we couldn't help but return to - though their wine list offered the more mainstream (completely drinkable) wines produced by Doluca.

Have your summer adventures take you to new wine frontiers?

another one bites the dust. oenological research heads down under (again)

And... she's back! And I haven't let the jetlag from my trip to Istanbul and Cyprus slow me down a bit. Afterall, I have your needs first! I launched right into tasting season here in Beantown on Wednesday afternoon, spitting so you don't have to.  Being out in the "field" does challenge a girl to stay on top of other wine related news. But in the fray, I found something this week I thought might be interesting for us to banter about: oenolgoical research. A few weeks ago I posted about dogs in the vineyard and their role in sniffing out vine mealy bugs. Additional research for that post really got my curiosity up about other projects underway to help winemakers and viticulturists do what they do best. Then a couple of days ago I saw an article on Wines & Vines (my source for nerdier information about what's do'n in the trade) about Dr. Kennedy abandoning ship in Oregon for better funded research opportunities in Australia.

Booming wine biz Down Under certainly has made that part of the world a sweet haven of luscious research. Those guys aren't afraid to take a risk - applying modern techniques to their wine making approach and out in the fields. But calculated risk-taking is all the better. And so the Australian Government have done their part to fund research on a variety of topics including Pierce's Disease, one that first emerged in the US winemaking regions of California and Florida. Even a quick Google search loads numerous links to organizations like the Australian Wine Research Institute and the Grape and Wine Research and Development Corporation, an organization/partnership between the Aussie Government and the wine industry. If you do the same search with US inserted, you get links to information about wine and health-related research, not winemaking et. al.

In the US industry money feeds the research engine. The last I know of research funding coming from within the US federal government was an attempt to integrate a request for funding via the Farm Bill in 1995; (I don't think it was on the roster last year when this bill was up again, but please correct me if I'm wrong). I don't think that attempt was successful, either. State funding is likely another can of worms. I'd be shocked if California, for example, doesn't have some funds allocated accordingly.

I'm not terribly surprised that wine research funding isn't a national priority. And I'm not even advocating that it should be. But it is an interesting bit of news. How many more US researchers are going to abandon ship? Dr. Kennedy is making the move on the heels of Dr. Thomas Henick-Kling, formerly of Cornell.

What do you think? Should the wine industry bare the brunt of funding research? Do you know how much funding comes from which sources here in the US?

que syrah, shiraz!

You've heard me talk about Syrah here and there over the months. This is because I'm a huge fan of Rhone Valley (French) wines, both Northern and Southern alike (though for different reasons). Syrah is a grape you'll often find blended along side it's happy varietal partners Grenache and Mouvedre in the Southern Rhone in particular. I love these wines. They have boisterous fruit, a hint of spice and a rustic edge. Syrah got it's known kick off in slightly cooler parts of the Northern Rhone. What do I mean by "known"? Well, the grape's precise geographic origins aren't fully known with speculation the Greeks or the Romans had something to do with it. Nevertheless, in the village of L'Hermitage, named after the chapel that sits at the top of the town's primary hill, Syrah has its claim to fame. (The nearby Cotie Rotie is also well-known for it's Syrah.) The Northern Rhone boasts a cooler climate than its Southern counterpart because the Mistral winds bring cooler temps down from the Massif Central. Getting too technical on you? No worries... suffice to say it's consistently cooler up North with few microclimates to permit variation vineyard to vineyard. That means there's less opportunity for many different red grape varietals to thrive. In the North, Syrah can work its mojo. In the South, Syrah is one of 20 other major grape varietals that flourish - hence all the blending down in those parts (it's so fun!). Meanwhile, the French have done the only thing that could be done: mandate Syrah is the only red grape varietal permitted in the Northern Rhone's AOC wines.

Syrah is a "big" red grape. It is very dark in color, full bodied, fleshy and full of tannin. I always associate black pepper spice with these wines and look forward to picking out the myriad of potential aromas on the nose of each different Syrah wine. Sometimes it's all violets, sometimes a bit of cocoa, and other times its all big, blackberry fruit. At the end of the day, they promise to be supple, sexy, smooth wines.

I often get the question "So, what about Shiraz?". Syrah and Shiraz are the same grape, genetically. The minor name variation is just an Old World v. New World phenomenon. The flavor profile of Syrah vs. Shiraz wines certainly vary though. This is based on the winemaking style and climate of the wine's origin. For example, Syrah from the Northern Rhone (and generally, other Old World areas) tend to offer a little less fruit, a little more smoke and a bit more subtlety in the many flavors that coalesce in the glass. Typical of New World winemaking practices, Shiraz wines from Australia or California tend to put their fruit foot first, their pepper foot second and otherwise tend to be higher in alcohol (due to the warmer climates from which they hail).

Neither Shiraz nor Syrah is better than the other; it just is what it is. The trick is to taste a few offerings of each. This way you'll find your personal preference between the two styles. And before you taste, it's a good idea to decant. Younger wines will lap up the oxygen on offer and provide a more integrated, 'evolved' flavor profile, if you will. Older wines relish the chance to throw their sediment (into the decanter, rather than into your glass).

Which syrah/shiraz style do you prefer?

Go for the Gold: 2 simple steps to wine heaven

I think many of you can relate when I say I have my "people" for certain services. Hair stylist. Massage guru. Acupuncturist. Physical Trainer. Plumber. You get the idea.... My relationships with these people are critical to the quality of service I receive. My hair stylist recently moved down to Florida, for example. She was fabulous and it took me three other stylist before I "found" her. We shared 3 years of snip-snip bliss. Now, I'll have to make a new investment to find the right person to meet my needs. At least I'm one step closer to hair cut heaven - I like the place I go to. It's the same when it comes to wine. Two weeks ago I met a couple at a Pour Favor tasting. They were lamenting the selection at their local liquor store. Challenge #1? Liquor stores may (claim to) have a fine wines selection, but if they aren't geared toward wine in particular then they likely aren't seeking out new, quality selections. More likely the "fine" in Fine Wines is up for grabs; you'll notice they stick to the mainstream wines we see so often. I doubt whether they even taste the next vintage of the standard wines they carry each year. Challenge #2? They likely do not have staff on hand who have specialized wine knowledge and are equipped to take you from Yellow Tail* to Yippee!

* I have nothing against Yellow Tail, just that there's an ocean of wine out there even more worthy of exploration. I use it here merely as a reference point on this perspective - and because the 'Y' alliteration was fun.... what can I say?

You may have noticed above that I use the word "challenge" rather than "problem". This is intentional. I believe there's no such thing as a problem, only an opportunity for a creative solution. In the case of wine:

#1 ~ Find yourself a Fine Wines shop that offers a wide selection of wines from across the world at reasonable/competitive prices...

#2 ~ With staff who have specific wine knowledge and are available to help you find an appropriate selection given your particular search (e.g. dinner at a friend's, wine to have on hand for whenever, etc.).

It is worth taking these two, simple steps. Everyone/store has a specialty. If your local is more concerned with beer or lottery sales than stocking their shelves with unique wine finds, you should search out a fine wine shop. Maybe you end up purchasing a case of wine (and enjoying the store's discount as a result) and pop in every couple of months rather than every week because they aren't as close by. It's worth it. A store with a wine buyer who knows their craft is incredibly valuable. Just remember figuring out your wine preferences won't happen over night. Just like with your beloved barber/stylist, you should be prepared to invest time in your relationship with the shop's buyer. And remember the onus is on you to tell the buyer what you did or did not like about a particular wine they helped you to select. (Taking notes on a wine is never a bad idea.) Such due diligence will help get you to "Yippee!" a heck of a lot faster.

Do you have a Wine Shop/Buyer you rely on? What are your standards of 'care'?

Splish splash wine in a glass... and other Friday finds!

dog-days-of-summer

It's warm and sunny and... it's FRIDAY! A few wine-related tidbits caught my attention for this post. Rather than "reporting" myself, I'm going to give you a few article links to help you get through your work day and get you closer to your weekend. We only have a few summer Friday's left, so you might as well dig in! First and foremost, I was pleased (and a little surprised) to read that the California harvest has begun and the outlook promising. I know harvest time can begin in August (depending on the grape and location); but it was a little frightening to realize how quickly summer has flown and how near September is. And there have been interesting reports on how the wildfires may/not impact this vintage. Seems like all is on the up and up so far! Check out what Jenna Hudson has to say at Wine Spectator.com.

Lovers of Italian wines and those who have developed particular affection for the grape Montepulciano d'Abruzzo are mourning the loss of another impactful member of the wine community: Gianni Masciarelli. At the young age of 53, Masciarelli died of a heart-related condition. He is known for revitalizing Abruzzo's fame as a leading Italian appellation in the early 80's with his Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Villa Gemma release. His friend Monica Larner of Wine Enthusiast wrote a beautiful, commemorative piece last week.

If you're so lucky as to be pulling up your beach chair this weekend and breaking out your summer reading, you're invited to join this month's Wine Book Club. Natalie MacLean’s Red, White and Drunk All Overis on deck this month. If you've read Tasting Pleasure: Confessions of a Wine Lover by Jancis Robinson then you'll be in for a particular compare/contrast treat, I'm told. Give it a go! The dog days of summer are still among us. Before we know it we'll be gearing up for the Holidays (egad!!).

Which type of enthusiast are you?

A) Satisfied Sipper ~ excited to see how the rest of the CA '08 harvest unfolds.

B) News junky ~ saddened by Masciarelli's death.

C) Beach Bum ~ grateful for another good read!

Wine Blogging Wednesday: 2004 Tobin James Dusi Vineyard Zin

Big, red, New World wines (California and Australia) were my first real introduction to the wine world. My Phoenix upbringing/roots made those wines easily accessible in the local market; meanwhile, my older brother and sister-in-law had gotten a jump start on traveling to the CA wine country in search of the best wines on offer. I can't remember exactly which year it was they came across Tobin James Cellars. But I know it was early in their wine making history (mid/late 90s). Tobin James became not only a staple those first years I returned from college for Christmas vacation but also during the summers, when my brother would bring a case to our little vacation spot in Rhode Island. These wines were always a particular treat. On a more daily basis I admittedly spent my pennies on Yellow Tail and Buckley's (a topic for another day, perhaps...). So for this Wine Blogging Wednesday where Lenndevours encouraged us to celebrate WBW's 4th Birthday by returning to our roots, of course Tobin is a natural choice for me. Even though Tobin is a rare find in these parts - especially when it comes to the really good stuff - I happen to have a secret stash in my cellar. The challenge this WBW was not which producer to return to, but rather which wine (read: varietal) to select. I decided to go with the '04 Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, since Paso Robles is largely Zin Country and I've found Tobin's Dusi Vineyard selection to be consistent vintage after vintage.

I could look at a line up of Tobin red wines and be in heaven. This one was an inky, deep, violet color as it flowed out of the bottle and into my glass. Made from 80-year-old vines such concentration comes as no surprise, nor the fact that it offered bright, juicy fruit, just shy of the fruit bomb jammy explosion I often associate with this part of the world. The wine had just a touch of smoke too, with some earthiness and typical black pepper notes, which sang a soft tune on the finish. I'm not sure how much oak this wine sees, but it doesn't feel heavy-handed; rather the oak imparts a smooth, lush, sexy mouthfeel that sucks you in for another taste. It is well-balanced, with the acidity and tannins commingling happily with the fruit's fleshy, fullness. If you've got a bottle, I encourage you to decant it. I didn't this time because I wasn't sure I would finish the bottle - and actually wanted to taste it again after a day or so. But I definitely got a little extra "protein" on Day 2 as I polished it off.... A final note of applause: this wine doesn't bring the exceptional heat you might expect for a wine coming in at 15.6% alcohol; the layers of flavor are what you remember.

As much as perhaps 90% of my wine expenditures support Old World producers these days, each time I pop open a bottle of Tobin James I'm uniquely satisfied. Granted I'm likely a bit biased because this wine is from my roots. But I'm ok with that. Satisfaction is as satisfaction does.

What wine helps define your wine-drinking "roots"? Have you ever enjoyed a Tobin James selection?

Put to the test: rocky mountain oysters and appropriate wine pairing

This weekend I was put to the test while bantering with some folks about wine/food pairing. The query? Rocky Mountain Oysters. At first all I heard was what to pair with oysters. Then I played back the moment and realized there was more to it - and, in fact, this was a new one on me. Once I found out what they were, well, being a lady from urban parts, I was stumped. That said, I was humored by the cajones (pun intended) the fellow had to ask this particular question; I did a little quick recipe searching to see what kind of preparation is common when serving these rare appetizers. If you are like me and haven't had the chance to taste these wholesome nuggets, Rocky Mountain Oysters reportedly don't have any distinct flavor on their own. At best, they can be likened to liver. I wasn't surprised to see they also fall under the "chewy" category; perhaps combined with the fact that they are considered a delicacy, this is where they get their "oyster" name association? These little gems are most often seasoned, breaded, deep fried and served piping hot with all kinds of fun dipping sauces.

Why is this helpful to know? When it comes to food/wine pairing it is never a bad idea to consider: a) how the item will be prepared (e.g. grilled, steamed, fried); b) what dressing/marinade/seasoning is involved and/or c) what will accompany the dish, as side dishes are sometimes a good place to focus particularly when less distinct proteins like chicken, fish or even turkey are on offer. These other culinary 'features', if you will, impact the weight, richness and/or fruitiness/earthiness of the dish and help guide which beverage might be the best option. For example, baked cod seasoned with olive oil, garlic and pepper is much different than cod deep fried in beer batter (aka fish and chips).

Back to our delicacy item in question then, when dealing with a fried food, a great pairing is almost always answered by something bubbly - whether that's a cold brew, or a dry sparkling wine like Champagne or Prosecco. You could also opt for something high in acid and lighter bodied, like Sauvignon Blanc. Or, if wine is in fact your preference, do both! Pick up a bottle of the La Tosa Valnure, a dry, frizzante (slightly sparkingly) Italian white wine made from Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes. The lighter style of these white wines and the crispness offered by the additional acidity that defines them allows your palate to 'regroup' and get ready for another rich bite of fried, goodness.

Have you ever had the chance to savor a Rocky Mountain Oyster? What was your beverage of choice?

Latebreaking News: Stelvin wine enclosures can produce corked wine

I'm sure you have read numerous articles about how the world of wine is changing via the Stelvin screwcap bottle closure. The idea is to eradicate the 5-6% of all wines that end up "corked", a particular wine flaw imparted by natural cork and one you'll notice immediately if the wine you are about to sip smells like basement or wet cardboard. Australia took the Stelvin closure ball and ran with it within the last eight years or so. New Zealand nearly only uses screw caps now. And even old World producers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are embracing the concept more and more readily. France and Italy aren't that far behind, either. A side note: I find some of the resistance to screwcaps among old world producers entertaining given many of these countries had a hand in testing the new closures back in the '60's and '70s. I appreciate the winemaker's concern for wines like Bordeaux or Burgundy, which require aging and for which a cork closure is a benefit; but when it comes to wines made for drinking within a year or two, where's the hold up? Here we have yet another example of the conflict between "science" and "tradition" rearing its ugly head.

I was shocked to hear first-hand this week that a 2007 case of French wine with Stelvin screwcap closures landed in a Massachusetts warehouse - and the wine was corked.

"Corked", you ask? Indeed. Corked. "But didn't the guys at Hogue Cellars "prove" to us that was now impossible with use of the Stelvin?" I thought so, too, but apparently there are some exceptions to the rule. The source I heard this report from was there for the big moment of truth. He reported matter of factly, "the wine smelled like wet cardboard".

I poked around on-line to see if there were any such similar reports. I came up empty. Perhaps no one's talking about it yet because they don't want to believe it. Or perhaps this technology is so darn new there's still room for error and we're just finding out over the course of things. Don't get me wrong. I'm not all that alarmed by this revelation. I'm sure we're looking at cap flaws happening VERY rarely. The thing that's got me scratching my head is how the flawed wine still had the aroma and taste of a corked wine. To me that's something uniquely imparted by actual, natural cork, not something that's manufactured....

Is this news to you, too?

Cataratto ~ a unique find

Though it's raining and 63 degrees here today in Boston, it's still summer. That means our wine reps are bringing out all the clever white wines they can find to further enhance the shop's boutique selection of wines - before it gets more permanently chilly and whites lose some of their selling power. Yesterday I had the opportunity to try Cataratto, an interesting native grape varietal from Sicily, Italy, TWICE. It used to be (and perhaps still is ~ reports vary) the second most planted grape varietal in Italy. Still never heard of it? It also is/was more often used as a blending grape in wines like Marsala, you know the wine you've probably at least had once as part of the veal/chicken dish you ordered at your local Italian joint. (We'll save the longer story on why Marsala has been relegated to cooking status for another wine Wednesday post. Back to the specific wines then...)

The first offering of the day was the La Piazza Catarratto (100% Catarratto), a wine that sees no oak but does undergo some malolactic fermentation. Why do these details matter? When you're tasting a new (to you) varietal for the first time it is always interesting to find out how it was made to understand how 'authentic', if you will, the flavor profile is. Since this 100% offering is fermented in stainless steel tanks, the fruit's flavors unto themselves are better preserved. No oak nuances would be present in the wine. The malolactic fermentation process however can impart a creamier mouthfeel/texture, which may distract from a full appreciation of Catarratto in its birthday suit. Either way, I must admit I was pleasantly tickled by this wine (and it's low price). It offered notes of apricots and honey and then also delivered some citrus and light cream (the latter profile likely the result of the malolactic fermentation it underwent). It wasn't hugely layered with flavor, but for an everyday Italian white wine, this wasn't bad at all. A solid first impression was had.

Later in the day another rep strangely/ironically came by with a Catarratto/Grillo blend, made by Ajello and under the name Majus. Very cool once again. Grillo is also a native grape to Sicily (translates to cricket) often blended into Marsala. But it is becoming more and more known in the US as one of the best whites from the region on offer. It typically brings flowers and citrus to the table, with some tropical fruits and spice, too. It's a great match for fish dishes (think Mediterranean culture of the island). The blend of the two grapes was quite a delicious result! It had some umph to it, too. (I'll have to keep my eye out for another 'straight up' Catarratto sans malolactic fermentation, sans oak treatment, to see if that extra umph is something the varietal brings all on its own.)

Have you crossed paths with Catarratto? What's your take on it?