Everyone seems to agree that the Stags Leap District of Napa Valley is unique because of its topography, climate and soil. The question remains whether that uniqueness translates into distinctive wines that reflect the site.
To test the theory, I spent two days in the Stags Leap District comparing the same vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon made from grapes grown in the Stags Leap District to those made from grapes grown in other California locales. … Read more
Americans have never been particularly adept at geography. Since most would fail to locate Kansas on an unlabeled map of the United States, how would they fare with finding Chambolle-Musigny? This is why the American practice of naming wines by grape name is so successful for marketing
However, winemakers everywhere–from California to France–insist that wine is ‘made in the vineyard,’ and that location matters.… Read more
Everyone refers to “old vines” reverentially. The precise definition of ‘old’ varies enormously–legitimately depending on the varietal (Zinfandel and Pinot Noir do not have the same lifespan)–and more subjectively depending on whether you are speaking to a winemaker/viticulturist or someone in the marketing department.… Read more
After an experience at one of Barcelona’s best tapas bars (Irati, just off the Ramblas), I have a better perspective on Americans’ failure to embrace Sherry, Spain’s best-known wine. To accompany the gorgeous array of crustaceans in front of me, I ordered Manzanilla, a type of Fino Sherry particularly well suited to seafood.… Read more
Although I’ve said it before, it’s worth repeating: wines from Abruzzo deliver more bang for the buck than you’d expect. The region is starting to realize its enormous potential for making high-quality, well-priced wines. Part one of this two-part series was an overview of the region.… Read more
If you are looking for wines that deliver more than their price suggests (and who isn’t during these economic times?), it pays to learn about Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, an intense red wine that stands up to the flavorful, chili-laden Abruzzi cuisine.
These wines often have a rustic side, which can be appealing, but when not controlled can impart wild ‘horsey’ flavors. … Read more
Could it be that an American, Stephen Adams, will bridge–and bring together–the two faces of Bordeaux’s major Right Bank appellations?
St. Emilion and Pomerol have long been known for producing some of Bordeaux’s most sought-after wines, such as Château Cheval Blanc, Château Ausone and Château Pétrus.… Read more
Dom Perignon, step aside. Although the famous monk is often credited with ‘inventing’ Champagne, in reality, the women of the region made it what it is today.
Two hundred years ago, Champagne’s major production was thin, acidic, still wine, not the bubbly symbol of luxury and celebration that we know today.… Read more
“When we can’t explain something, we call it terroir.” That was Jean-Philippe Delmas’ answer to the question of why such notable differences mark the wines from Chateau Haut-Brion and Chateau La Mission Haut-Brion. At some points, these two stellar properties literally across the road from each other in the Bordeaux sub region of Pessac Léognan actually dovetail with one another.… Read more
Even though it’s hard to recommend specific wines from the 2007 vintage at this stage because most are unfinished and still developing in barrel, an early assessment of the 2007 vintage in Burgundy is important because it helps determine a buying strategy now.… Read more
With the recent completion of the Olympics, we are reminded of the incredible skill, precision and commitment it takes to win a medal, competing against the best in the world. An Olympic bronze medal–recognizing one the third best in the world at one’s sport–is high praise indeed.… Read more
With the current economic downturn forcing people to cut back at all levels, perhaps it’s foolhardy to suggest that now is the time to start a wine cellar. But paradoxically, now is a perfect time.
I’m not suggesting investing $10,000 or more in beautifully stained wooden racks, recessed lighting and an insulated, temperature-controlled room.… Read more
“You have a finite number of meals in your life, so don’t waste one.” This is a guiding principle for me, as I take food very seriously. However, finding satisfying restaurants when traveling to unfamiliar cities can be a challenge, especially if the wine list plays an important role in your choice. … Read more
We’ve all heard–and probably muttered–aphorisms to explain the disappointment after opening and tasting what was supposed to be a “great wine.” The most common explanation is “bottle variation,” as in, “I had a great bottle of that wine only last week,” or ‘the last bottle of that wine showed much better than this one.”… Read more
No person has had as great an influence on California wine–and how the world viewed it–as Robert Mondavi. Andre Tchelistcheff, Beaulieu Vineyards’ legendary winemaker from 1938 to 1968, made great Cabernet Sauvignon–and less well realized, but no less great–Pinot Noir. Ernest and Julio Gallo sold more California wine (and their company still does) than anyone else. … Read more
With his closely cropped beard and an almost flattop-like haircut, Kaj Ahlmann (pronounced Kye) could double as a slide-rule toting engineer from the 1950s. His winemaking philosophy confirms your first impression when he emphasizes, ‘we collect data all the way through’ and the name of the winery, Six Sigma, accurately reflects his mantra.… Read more
If imitation is the greatest form of flattery, then we should flatter the French. Not by copying their wines, but by copying how to show them to the public.
Those who know me or have read my columns know that I love French wines, especially Burgundy.… Read more
I have ongoing discussions regarding wine pricing with Michael Franz, my friend and colleague here at WRO. He believes that part of his responsibility as a critic is to consider whether the price of a bottle of wine bears a reasonable relation to its cost of production. … Read more
It is often difficult for American consumers, who are accustomed to varietal labeling, to understand and the see the virtue in the European tradition of naming wines by reference to place of origin rather than the name of the grape–a system that highlights the importance of terroir or place.… Read more
Wine service in restaurants, even many that carry one of the Wine Spectator‘s awards for superior wine lists, seems to be an afterthought. Although the Spectator‘s awards are solely for wine lists, you’d hope that those restaurants with stellar lists would also have stellar service–or service that is at least reasonable. … Read more
Tasting and talking with Janet Trefethen, who along with her husband, John, and their family, owns Trefethen Vineyards, illustrates how California wine can still wow you with subtlety. Despite the current vogue for overdone powerhouse wines, Trefethen continues to produce Cabernet Sauvignon that, while intense, is most notable for its finesse, complexity and ability to develop.… Read more
The 2005 red Burgundies are extraordinary. The vintage will stand alongside other great ones in Burgundy for reds, such as 1959, 1961, 1964, 1978, 1985 and 1990. The whites are not far behind. I gave my preliminary assessment of the vintage based mostly on tastings barrel samples in Burgundy about six months ago. … Read more
One of the mysteries of Murcia, a province in southeastern Spain that is unknown to most North American wine lovers, is how such a hot climate can produce powerful wines with elegance and freshness. And why are they such good values?… Read more
Pouilly-Fuissé is poised to become the next ‘hot’ area for white Burgundy.
It’s quite a step up for this area, the most important appellation within the Côte Mâconnais, because, up until now, it has been widely considered little more than a solid, safe choice in Chardonnay-based white wine.… Read more
Dismissed by many in Spain as a region suited only to producing bulk wine, Bierzo is poised to become one of Spain’s leading wine regions. The landscape, the focus on indigenous grapes, and the personalities involved convince me that still-obscureBierzo is destined for the big time. … Read more
Although you hear it all the time, the claim that ‘This wine is great to drink now, but will also improve with bottle age’ is, in fact rarely borne out over time. However, with Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it’s true. The red wines from Châteauneuf (and 95% of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is red) have an engaging, robust, fruity spiciness when young that makes them perfect for hearty fare. … Read more
One of the paradoxes of the wine world is the discrepancy between wine writers’ and consumers’ love for Riesling. Wine writers love it. Every time I have dinner with a group of my wine writing colleagues, someone invariably orders Riesling, usually with unanimous agreement from others. … Read more
The Red Wines:
L’Angelus (St. Emilion) 2006: Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, who, along with his cousin, Jean-Bernard Grenié, runs L’Angelus, told me that a gentle extraction was critical in 2006. They performed most of the extraction early, during fermentation, when the alcohol (which is a solvent) was low to minimize extracting bitter tannins.… Read more
Variable is the best way to describe the 2006 vintage in Bordeaux–except for the dry whites, which are consistently excellent. That’s my assessment after tasting about 250 wines–all barrel samples–in Bordeaux last month. Some properties, such as Château Mouton and Château Lafite Rothschild, made fabulous wines.… Read more
John Larchet, an importer of Australian wines, and Bob Harkey, a wine retailer, both expressed the same troubling idea about Australian wines–albeit in very different ways.
Larchet (whose company, The Australian Premium Wine Collection, represents small Australian producers) described a gathering ‘storm cloud’ associated with the vast volume of Australian wines being sold here.… Read more
Every wine producer I met on my recent trip to Australia wanted to discuss regional diversity of Australian wines. They know that in order to grow, they need to expand beyond what they have already mastered: delivering wines that are simple, fruity, inexpensive, and easy-to-drink, with a cute critter on the label. … Read more
Are the 2005 Burgundies as extraordinary as first reports indicate? The Burgundians themselves are heralding the 2005 vintage–but that’s not news in and of itself, since wine producers always rave about the vintage they have to sell. However, based on multiple tastings of 2005 Burgundies (during visits to the cellars of Bouchard Père et Fils, Louis Jadot, Louis Latour and Joseph Drouhin in Beaune last September, another visit to Beaune last month, samples from 20 producers imported by Frederick Wildman, and a retasting of Jadot’s wines in New York in January), I believe this is an extraordinary vintage for the reds and excellent one for the whites.… Read more
What do Robert Parker and global warming have in common? They are the two major forces in Bordeaux over the last two decades, according to Marcel Ducasse, who has a unique perspective on the changes in Bordeaux during that time. Ducasse will be retiring next month after 23 years as the managing director of the now resurrected cru classé property, Chateau Lagrange in St.… Read more
Although I’m lucky to be able to interview individual winemakers or managers of wine estates, it’s unusual to sit around a table with a group of them to discuss their individual winemaking philosophies and techniques. You learn very quickly that, just as there are multiple ways to cook a chicken, there’s more than one way to make great wine.… Read more
After helping Cloudy Bay bring New Zealand wines to the world’s attention with its racy Sauvignon Blanc — Cloudy Bay’s 1985 Sauvignon Blanc awakened Americans to New Zealand’s potential for making unique wine — Ivan Sutherland and James Healy are changing the New Zealand wine industry again.… Read more
It’s dinnertime in Beaune, the capital of the Burgundy wine trade, and Ma Cuisine, an unpretentious bistro, is packed and bustling as usual. When the door opens and an American with a charming boyish grin enters, the locals greet him with enthusiasm.… Read more
Here on the Eurocentric East Coast — remember we’re nearly as close to France as to California — I still am asked, albeit less frequently than two decades ago, whether America produces wines comparable to France. As my daughters would say, ‘Duh.’… Read more
There is a good reason why fans of white Burgundy are smiling. Wines from the underrated 2004 vintage are now on retailers’ shelves, thankfully replacing the 2003 vintage.
Prices for the 2004 white Burgundies are steady or even lower than ’03, with no signs of upward movement. … Read more
Spain, a country with a long history of wine production, is seeing an unparalleled renaissance in its wines. In the past few years, Spain has leaped to primacy among wine producing countries in putting exciting new wines on the market.
In some respects, the current renaissance in Spain resembles the remarkable resurgence witnessed in Italy during the 1970s and 1980s.… Read more
Maison Louis Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne is the benchmark wine for that grand cru vineyard. Always tightly wound when young, its remarkable character opens and expands with years-even decades-of age.
The conventional wisdom holds that white wines don’t benefit from aging and often loses something, but this does not apply to most grand cru white Burgundies and certainly not to Latour’s Corton-Charlemagne.… Read more
Everyone is familiar with the French Paradox: the French eat a diet rich in fat, but have a low rate of heart disease. Another French paradox is why Alsace Riesling is not more popular in the United States. By all rights, it should fly off the shelves.… Read more
Spain has the largest per capita consumption of seafood – after Japan – according to David Parker, Export Manager of Castillo Perelada, one of Spain’s leading wineries. But when I think of Spanish wines, it is the great reds from that country – Rioja, Priorat, Ribera del Duero – that leap to mind.… Read more
Prosecco, Italy’s unique and stellar contribution to the world of sparkling wine, must have been invented for summertime. Although the Italians drink it year round as an aperitif (consuming over two-thirds of the region’s 3 million case annual production), summer is the perfect discovery time for those unfamiliar with the joys of this light and “friendly” wine. … Read more
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano exemplifies the confusion surrounding Italian wine labels. This wine’s meteoric increase in quality over the past decade has yet to be matched by its price, so it’s definitely worth unraveling the name.
The Italians name their wines by place name, such as Chianti, or grape name — think Pinot Grigio — or both, Dolcetto d’Alba. … Read more
Everybody loves a deal, and some of the best deals in Bordeaux these days are the “second” wines of the top-rated Bordeaux properties. “Second wines” come from parcels of the vineyard or barrels in the cellar that, for whatever reason, just don’t measure up to the producer’s standard for that particular year.… Read more
The following notes are based on barrel samples tasted (unblinded) at the chateaux, at an unblinded tasting organized by the Cercle Rive Droite de Grands Vins de Bordeaux, an association of Right Bank producers, an unblinded tasting organized by Bill Blatch, a respected négociant, or at blind tastings organized by the Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux.… Read more
After a week in Bordeaux, where I tasted more than 400 wines from the 2005 vintage, there is no question that this is a great vintage for red, dry white and sweet white wines. Although nature was equally benevolent across the regions, winemaking techniques (how long to macerate, how much new wood) and decisions (when to pick) resulted in dramatically different styles of wine, especially in Saint-Emilion.… Read more
Shiraz (aka Syrah) is now firmly in place as Australia’s most popular grape–and wine. But it wasn’t always that way. From the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s, plantings of Shiraz went down by half (to about 12,500 acres) because the Australian government paid growers to pull out vines as consumption of red table wine fell from fashion.… Read more
The labels say “product of Australia,” but red wines from Western Australia are about as un-Australian as you can get. Those expecting super ripe flavors and 15 percent alcohol so common in Australian wines are in for a major–and pleasant–surprise. These wines, whether made from Cabernet or Shiraz, have elegance, finesse and complexity.… Read more
The current fashion in wine, certainly in New World wines, is for ripe, fruity flavors and the massive alcohol that invariably accompanies them. Consumers looking for alternatives need to look outside the mainstream. Wines from New York State, which certainly qualify as “outside the mainstream,” offer an extra touch of ripeness that is the New World’s signature, while retaining vibrancy that a cool climate imparts.… Read more