Much sadness: Oregon Pinot Pioneer Dies

Perhaps like you, earlier this week I learned the father of Pinot Noir in Oregon, David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards, passed away at the young age of 69. If you're familiar with the book Judgement of Paris or recently caught the Indie Film "Bottle Shock" you know a few Americans in the '70s went "to the mattresses" to prove the quality of New World wines, as compared with those in the Old World.  The story of their dramatic debut on the world's wine stage is noteworthy for many reasons. But first, in my mind, is what had to happen before they took their wines overseas. First they had to have the fire in the belly and the chutzpa to act: pioneers who took great risk in what Was Done and what was Not Done, to give birth to a much larger, global and hugely profitable industry.

David Lett was one of these men. In 1970 he and his wife planted the first Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir vines in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. (Today many of you appreciate the Willamette as the top Pinot Noir-producing region in the Pacific Northwest.) Just nine years later Lett showed his '75 South Block Reserve Pinot Noir in Paris at the Wine Olympiad, earning top praise and notoriety. The next year he did the same in Burgundy.

Today the rest is history, with 300 wineries in the Willamette alone producing tasty Pinot offerings. They pay homage to "Papa Pinot" Lett. And so should we all this sad week in particular. Appropriately, Mr. Lett's sons Jim and Jason (now lead in the fields and in the cellar) and his wife Diana plan to celebrate his life after the fall harvest.

What's your experience with Eyrie or Oregon Pinot? How are you taking this week's news?

Wines for fall: Mmmm... Malbec

I spend a lot of time in the shop hanging out in our Argentine/Spanish section. Not only do our customers gravitate to that area, but I found my first bottle of love from a non-US producer in that aisle: (Altos de las Hormigas) Malbec. I was hesitant to talk about Malbec in my mini series, Wines for Fall, because there are other grape varietals (e.g. Petite Verdot, Petite Sirah) that are lesser known and lesser consumed, but no less worthy of our attention this time of year. But I realized there was no real reason to keep my personal favorite off the list - and at least once a week I introduce a customer to a bottle of Malbec, so that proves there are still some grasshoppers out there who need to know of this magical varietal!

Malbec is THE Argentine (red) grape of mass export to the US. (I tried to find the exact figure to back this up, but was unable to do so! Please feel free to comment below if you know the answer...). When I was first introduced to Malbec some years ago it was considered an 'up and coming' project in Argentina. The vines were still young (not that they aren't still now, but every year helps!) and so lacked depth, concentration and, key word, ripe berry fruit. The wines tended toward the more vegetal, or "green" flavor profile as a result. As a new wine-exporting/producing nation, there also existed a natural lack of funding, interest (from winemakers and consumers across the globe) and modern technology. These facts could make finding truly phenomenal Malbec a bit more of a challenge. In just the last 10-15 years or so however, the funding is there, Mendoza is better known and appreciated for its happy climate to grow Malbec, and even curious winemakers from all over the world are happy to jump on a plane and get in the fray.

The result? Malbecs of many shapes and sizes are in the US market offering a range of tremendous flavor.

I find it thrilling to help others navigate this range of possibilities. The undercurrant to Malbec tends to be: dark fruits (like the plumbs or blackberries you often find in Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot); spice (sometimes simply black pepper, other times more exotic spices you may play with in the kitchen); earth (think outdoors, woodsy, wet soil or even a touch of saddle leather); gentle grip (not too dry, but evident tannin); and solid acidity (mouthwatering & food-friendly). What makes each (good, non-vegetal or bell-pepper tasting) Malbec fun to expore is which of these elements is/are more evidant and - most important - what role the winemaker has played in coaxing a truly lushy, soft, velvety (or not) mouthfeel.

I've come to know and love the softer, lusher Malbecs (Melipal makes a great example); the earthier style (I'm a fan of Nieto Rsv Malbec); or the berry-forward, unreserved, slightly more rustic basic level offerings like Altos las Hormigas (their Reserva is definitely bigger, bolder and more lush than their $10/bottle offering).

As for the Fall connection? Let's turn to food pairings, of course! But, wait, what's my rule of thumb on this again? Look to the culture from whence the wine came! So, let's also not forget Argentines consumes a LOT of beef. Throw that herb-encrusted steak on the grill and, well, I think your inner child will have no choice but to emerge. Then again... anything on the grill makes Malbec a great choice. Whenever I host a BBQ, I have a case on hand. Malbecs are approachable yet intriguing and ever-so worthy of grilled fare.

What's your favorite Argentine Malbec of choice? Or do you head to France, where this grape got its start, for a Cahors selection?

Z-Why Yes!-Gelt

Ok, so it isn't really spelled that way.... But it certainly makes me want to run out and get some! Zweigelt, that is, a little Austrian red wine goodness that's perfect for this time of year.  (It's said Z-vye-gelt, if my title was of no use to you this delightful, holiday Monday!) What? Austrian wine? WHAT?!

Yes. Austria! I'm too young (if I do say so for myself) to really remember the (drinking) days when Austrian wine was a horrifying "No, No" - and, frankly, my experience with Austrian gastronomy has only been pure pleasure. (Who doesn't love herb-encrusted game? Cured meats? Hard cheeses? And delicious, oh-so-delicious, sweets!) I think of the Alps, the fascinating history of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and those fine foods before I recall Austria has had its sad disaster of a period in modern wine making history.

To refresh your memory, Austria used to be known for its sweet wines. Things only got tricky in 1985 when a group of corrupt wine brokers tried to salvage poor harvests by adding diethylene glycol (found in antifreeze, no joke...) to the wines to increase the sweetness and then, worse, sell these wines as legit for a decent profit. I think NOT! Well, it didn't work out so well for these greedy businessmen; but it did ultimately work out well for serious winemakers. Austria can now boast the strictest wine laws in the world. And that's saying something when you recall the restrictions offered up in France and Italy, for example.  It also allowed serious winemakers to refocus their energies on making truly fabulous, dry wines.

Austria may still churn out 80% white wines (Gruner Veltliner is the major player on the white stage), but their reds are something to behold, too. Zweigelt is a test tube baby, or a man-made hybrid of St. Laurent (Austrian clone of Pinot Noir) and Blaufrankish. Why man-made? Well, Pinot Noir/St. Laurent is a tricky, tricky grape to grow because it is so delicate and, therefore, suseptible to so many different vineyards pests (bugs and birds alike), climatic challenges (frost, heat, hail, etc.) and even the human touch.  Zweigelt is less prone to frost, bud-breaks later and becomes a more mature fellow (ripens) earlier in the season. This is a godsend in Austria where the weather is a bit, shall we say... chilly?

Zweigelt is a white and red wine drinkers happiness. And it is perfect this time of year when you are thinking about the light fruitiness of Gamay (aka Beaujolais) and want something with a bit more character for both a warm day and cooler evening. The best part is that Austrian wines can be very reasonably priced - they do, afterall, have to redeem themselves in the global market!

If this is a new grape to you, try the Sepp Moser Zweigelt. It should retail for about 10 bones. It delivers cranberry and cherry fruit right up front and center stage. It can be a little on the tart side on the back palate and as it finishes, but I don't mind it (and I usually do!). The flavors in this little wine gets me excited about fireplaces and Thanksgiving dinner to come!

Are you a Zweigelt lover? Have you gotten (back) on the Austrian wine bandwagon?

Label Love

magnifying glass

Everyone encounters random, sometimes juicy, sometimes humorous, sometimes head-scratching tidbits in their line of work.  Often enough these little gems are in one ear and out the other - or at least you move on to the next thing, filing that piece of information in some magical place in your brain. What we often take for granted is when these gems actually might have relevance, or interest for other people. Case in point: I've been having a blast preparing for an upcoming, private wine tasting party where cool blends will be featured. A friend of mine met me for lunch mid-preparation and I was just bursting with excitement about this that and the other thing. (Finding out a wine's story, or conjuring my own fantasies based on my gut reaction to tasting a wine is like catnip to me!)  At one point my friend looked at me with a smile playing on her lips and said: Well, if you ever forget the exact percentage of which varietal goes into the wine, you can always just look on the label!

I smiled at her practicality and then started to laugh a bit, too. I've learned this is a very American thought.

Turns out Americans are the ones who like to know the who, what, where, when and why of it all. Perhaps other cultures are similar. But my experience is this is distinctly American - and winemakers overseas go just batty with our concern with such details (when it comes to wine, anyway). If you've noticed, Old World producers aren't quick to make a wine label particularly discerning in terms of which grape(s) actually went into the bottle. If anything, their wine laws somewhat prohibit giving up the goods, if you will, preventing them from even putting the name of the varietal used in the wine if it comes from a certified area (e.g. AOC, in France).  (Labeling is actually a total nightmare given all of the moving parts and import/export regulations that vary globally.)

With the American movement to find out every bloody ingredient in everything you consume, winemakers will have their work cut out for them. I mean, most people don't realized that fining/filtering a wine is often done with egg whites, let alone all of the other scientifically orchestrated additives that go into creating a stable wine. (I've got a sensitive stomach and I'm all for them given the alternative!)

Perhaps not a late-breaking news item for all of you, I realized this week perhaps more of you are like my wine-drinking friend out there and haven't heard the latest in wine labeling....  Bonny Doon announced last January it was coming clean. They are listing all of the ingredients in two Demeter certified wines they now produce.

Will Boon Doon start a new trend in wine labeling? Or is it time to put away the magnifying glass and just enjoy the juice?

Wines for Fall, aka Wine Blogging Wednesday

Once again I find myself scribing another Wine Blogging Wednesday post so quickly, it feels, since the last. Fortunately this month's theme does not stray beyond the parameters of my own Wine Wednesday series of late: Wines for Fall. Russ at Winehiker Witiculture is October's host. Given his passion for the great outdoors and wine, it is no surprise he chose a linking theme: "Which wine will you pour in the great outdoors?" This may be the first theme I didn't even think twice about. For me, the Great Outdoors means a nice bike ride, a grassy knoll and  - if my romantic destiny is every fulfilled - a picnic blanket (with some fall leaves scattered here and there) and a bit of sweet bubbly.

Brachetto d'Aqui is one of the greatest forms of bubbly I have encountered. These wines, named for the grape used (brachetto) and the area from which they hail (the Piedmont, Italy DOCG, Asti), are perfect "Picnic Wines". Just two weeks ago I was sharing this theory of mine with a couple of colleagues. They couldn't have agreed more as we tasted Garitina's 2007 Brachetto d'Aqui release. And we thought 2006 was a good year for this wine. Hello, fresh, ripe, red raspberries and strawberries! Tiny, tiny, bubbles that funnel up to your nose bringing scents of baby roses and violets? Check! Mouthwatering acidity? Check! Gentle tannins to coax your desire for a gorgeous brunch spread?? Check! A sweetness that simply satisfies you??? CHECK!

I don't think Carrie ever unpopped the cork of this small production (aka special) wine with Mr. Big, Miranda, Charlotte or Samantha - but at least one of them should have. Lightly sweet, pink bubbly is the absolute perfect thing when a picnic blanket, red berries, peach tarts, marscapone or pastries are involved. Chocolate, well, now there's a match made in heaven, too. Friends or lovers could actually be considered optional it is so charming all on its own.

User-friendly tips: A traditional "champagne" cork is NOT used for this wine, much like the Moscato d'Asti I blogged about last WBW re: wine & politics. So make sure you have your corkscrew on hand. Champagne flutes are necessary only if you feel so compelled - no need to run out and buy any.

What's your outdoor wine of choice this fall?

wine & baseball?

Red Sox fans were so wrapped up in ending the 86-year Championship drought back in 2004 everyone had some "thing" they were doing to keep the Hope alive and end The Curse. The team was taking a (group) shot of Jack before each World Series game. For me it was wearing different red and navy gear and watching the game at a different bar each night. Since we were moving venues with great regularity and - let's face it - wine options were pathetic and/or scare, I did my part to "rehydrate" the Sox (if you will) by consuming noteworthy quantities of Hoegaarden beer. I ate a lot of french fries, too, but that wasn't as intentional. When we won again last year I was happily consuming the 2005 Winner's Tank Shiraz. That selection was too perfect. I only happened to grab that bottle out of my wine fridge because it was a solid pairing with our meal that night. The fact that we won in only 3 games, well, who could have guessed? But I do believe the Winner's Tank contributed in spirit to our glorious victory.

As we are revving up for a fight against Tampa Bay (or so I hope) in the ALDS finals I've been contemplating what truly is the best pairing.  As I said, I'm not wholly committed to the idea that wine and baseball are the best pairing, despite last year's go. My second question is what do you drink in anticipation of greatness (or at least a hell of a good fight)? Yes, folks, herein lies my greater quandry.... Should such things even be planned? I may be a Virgo, but I do realize there can be a Planning Line.

What's your wine & baseball philosophy? Are they a match?

to have or not to have, that is the question...

'Going with your gut is one of the most important skills you can have in the wine world,' believes a great colleague of mine who's been doing this since before I was born. Today I'm applying that skill to my wine blogging. No doubt there are other wine news and events ideas circulating the world wide web that may be valid contenders for my Friday post. Usually there are several. But today, today, I'm going with my gut before I get side tracked with all the possibilities. Decanter's article this week about Skinner Auction House was just too intriguing to sort, sift, hem and haw over other topics you might enjoy reading about. The economy is officially in the crapper, I think we all agree by now, and yet Skinner just put up record numbers for bottles of Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate. The first went for over $20K. That was triple the estimate. The Screaming Eagle went for $2,430 and the Harlan Estate broke Sotheby's April record (of $655) going for $810/bottle.

Did I say "just"? There is something to be said for the fact that the Skinner auction happened 3 weeks ago. Three weeks is like a lifetime given how much things have shifted even in the last few days.

My question - everyone's question - is which investments are most "sound" given the state of affairs we're facing. And what you can afford to invest in, if at all, is another great question. (Hell, most bloggers, shop owners, distributors and importers are talking about the extent that people's day to day wine buying habits (read: consumption) may or may not change in the coming months. Forget the idea of people making significant investments in wine!)

And then you read an article about serious cash being dropped on a bottle of wine, something that many believe is meant to be drank. Or is it...? Perspective is everything, no?  If you follow Steve Bachmann at Vinfolio, a year and a half ago he was all in favor of drinking the stuff, or investing to reinvest in your wine consumption. Today? His position may be somewhat less firm.

In these economic times, is wine an investment opportunity you might consider?

the masked monster grape, aka wines for fall: petite sirah

What better way to continue our discussion about wines perfect for fall than to start the month of October with some banter about a monster wine? Petite Sirah (note the "i" in Sirah) is also a stealthy little operator, or the masked creature standing on your front steps in just 30 days time. Boo-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!! "What the heck is she getting at today," you ask with incredible anticipation and a smile dancing at the corners of your mouth?

Most people have never heard of this lesser known, somewhat cloak-and-dagger varietal. Petite Sirah is a test tube grape that actually got its start in the Rhone Valley of France. It is a cross between Syrah and Peloursin, and was originally named Durif, after it's human father. Dr. Durif developed the varietal in the 1800s to resist Powdery Mildew, to which Syrah is prone. Unfortunately being a tightly bunched varietal meant it wasn't equally resistant to gray rot. In the humid Southern Rhone this wasn't exactly a recipe for success.

Not to worry! California's drier climate provided just the breath of fresh air this varietal needed. Petite Sirah is a high-tannin, high-acid, darkly-purple grape varietal used to add structure (aka aging power), oomph (body) and/or color to other wines. So how/why the dramatic name change from Durif to Petite Sirah? It wasn't until the 1960s and 1970s that folks in California started to get particularly concerned with labeling wines per the varietals involved. And because the grape's characteristics so resembled those of Sirah, it was called Petite Syrah. (The longer story of it's confused genetic background and resolution by Dr. Meredith can be found here, via the notes of Dennis Fife of Fife Vineyards.)

So why is it so poorly known? For whatever reason - and I'm truly uncertain as to why - Petite Sirah is just not grown in major quantities. Something like 3200 acres of vines in California are considered Petite Sirah today. And so it is a cult wine. Many wine shops don't even carry it as a single varietal offering. And I don't think I've ever seen it as such on a restaurant wine list, either. But somewhere along the way I was introduced to this great monster of a wine. I enjoy it even more in the fall because it packs such a great punch - particularly when the grill is going (yea meat paired with highly structured, deeply flavored wines) and the night's are cooler (and a little something extra to warm you up never hurts)!

I'll spare you my own wine notes this post because I want you to really seek out one of these big, blackberry-fruited, peppery, single-varietal Petite Sirahs this fall. If your shop doesn't carry a single varietal offering, see if they can bring in Vinum Cellar's Pets Petite Sirah (~$12), the Peltier Station Petite Sirah (~$17) or the Mettler Petite Sirah (~$23). Once you taste these on their own you'll unmask this monster of a wine and better understand what this grape contributes when blended into wines like Trentadue's Old Patch Red or Owen Roe's Abbot's Table.

Do you enjoy this bold, inky, spicy red varietal? Which Petite Sirah is your fall pick?

unlock the magic this fall: alsatian-style pinot gris

Last week here in Beantown the weather went from gorgeous fall to stormy insanity. In some ways this is a wine buyer's dream. There's no other time of year where you can pick wines for the weekly tasting to straddle the warmer/colder, sunnier/rainier line and scratch almost every consumer's itch. And since there's so much new juice on the market, we can also introduce our customers to new products. See? There's always a silver lining (even when you now have a natural swimming pool in the backyard...)! But I'm jazzed about my topic for this Monday morning musing for another reason, too... remember last week we started talking about fall wine options? Well, for my white wine readers and gourd-lovers out there, I've also got some fall love to share!

Alsatian (style) Pinot Gris. Welcome to my happy place.

Let's start with a few basics. This grape is the genetic mutant of Pinot Noir. It looks almost the same as Pinot Noir (right on down to its leaves) but the grapes have a blue-grey hue. This is where it gets its name. Varietally speaking, Pinot Grigio is the same grape and simply the name used by Italian wine-makers. (This should remind you of the Shiraz (Australia/New World) vs. Syrah (France/Old World) conversation we had a few months back.)

Here's the thing. I don't like Pinot Grigio. Don't get me wrong. I know good quality Italian Pinot Grigio when I find it (so I'm happy to talk about it with those who do dig it), but it's not my personal bag. I find they are more often too thin and too high in alcohol to meet my palate's needs. I'm a sucker for bigger, fruitier whites, hence my appreciation of Pinot Gris. The Alsatian climate offers a warm, dry fall that allows the grapes to ripen fully; the grape's full, ripe sweetness is its tell-tale feature.  What's interesting is that Pinot Gris has become sweeter and sweeter in recent years, but often wine labels do not indicate any residual sugar remains. The CIVA (Comite Interprofessionnel du Vin d'Alsace) is trying to sort things out for consumers. The folks there are developing a system to help consumers navigate the range of Pinot Gris available, from sweeter to drier. (As you explore styles of Pinot Gris from Alsace, Oregon or elsewhere, be sure to ask your shop's wine manager what's what in any given bottle.)

Last week for our tasting we offered our customers a chance to experience the 2007 Helfrich Pinot Gris. For those who know what Alsace has to offer its Pinot Gris consumers, this wine sings true from start to finish. It is not a shy wine, offering a big, floral nose. It is equally rich and full in the mouth with the ripe fruit flavors carrying through to the palate. I was pleased to find the winemaker's notes accurately suggest the wine also offers a touch of smokey spice. It was a great wine to have at our tasting; many customers were surprised by the wine's sweeter edge. To me, the citrus and grass notes as well as its acidity impart a tremendous crispness to counter that effect and produce a well-balanced wine.

No surprise, I'm not the only one who is jumping on the Pinot Gris wine-writing bandwagon this fall. Katherine Cole took this topic for a test drive last week, in fact! I highly recommend checking out her musings and taking her up on her suggestions for other great Pinot Gris on the market. Oregon has been a hot bed for awesome Pinot Gris since the 1990's, with it really catching on in the last several years. Be sure to try a few offerings from that part of the world also as you investigate this versatally-styled wine. And definitely consider popping a cork when you concoct a fabulous dish of squash or pumpkin goodness this fall.

Which Pinot Gris do you fancy? What recipes do you find are great pairings?

the wine-r-cooler is buzzing...

I've been running from industry tasting to industry tasting the last few weeks, not only tasting the new releases and other new wines available this fall, but also picking up tidbits here and there about what's what and otherwise on the minds of winemakers, importers, distributors and, of course, consumers. I find it absolutely fascinating to compare these 'hallway musings' with what I read on various blog sites and in on-line trade mags. This gives me a sense of whether these conversations are local to the MA/New England market, or if they are more global. Today I can't help but give you a snapshot of these ruminations, hopefully giving you the chance to be "a fly on the (wine trade) wall"! The question of the strengthening dollar. I can't tell you how many folks have asked why wine prices are still high when the dollar is getting stronger (granted, a relative concept). No surprise, it's on everyone's mind. I can't wait myself! Well, in uncertain economic times, no one is more anxious to start sharing the 'winnings' than the importers of fine wines from Europe. After all, wine does go sour eventually! If they can't unload it then they're the ones who will really be hurting. The thing is, the wine already on shelves is wine that was purchased when the dollar was particularly weak. I think we'll see things start to turn around soon enough, though. Dr. Vino seems to have the same take. Importers are eagerly biding their time, waiting for the wares they are now buying overseas (at a better price) to come to market here in the U.S.. Check out his interview with Victor Owen Schwartz of Vos Selections to get an inside peak into this topic.

The question of the California wildfires. Here's another one I find fascinating to discuss. Several weeks ago I reported the California harvest season had started and early reports were favorable for the 2008 vintage despite the wildfires that ravaged the area. I won't get to taste these wines for another year or two or three (depending on the varietal). But there are some folks who are so lucky to get a preview! Alice Feiring reported this week an essence of smoke is present in the various wines she's sampled. She banters a bit about whether this should be considered "taint" or not; her discussion is highly entertaining - and worth checking out first hand. Her reflections (aka witty banter) is available here. If what she writes is true, I may become more of a California wine drinker in years to come... I love a little smoke in my wine!

The latest in Wine, Politics, and (silly) Journalism. It irks me when the press gets hold of some silly little thing and goes bonkers talking abou it. Don't we have anything better to do here, people?! Well, this week there's one regarding wine that in my mad wine tasting week I nearly missed. So just in case I'm not the only one, here's one for the watercooler.... Palin wine, a Chilean winery that's only in its infancy, has both taken off and taken a hit since McCain nominated Sarah Palin as his running mate. Let's just say its success depends on whether you live in a blue or red state/area in the country where this wine is available. I can't help but roll my eyes as I attach this link to Decanter's article. (If you want to read something a bit more serious on politics and wine, don't forget that Wine Book Club is discussing Tyler Coleman's latest release at the end of next month!)

What wine-related topics have been at the forefront of your newsfeed this week? What's your take on the ones I touched on here?