Wine, Gifts and Wine Clubs

So will we one day laugh at French roses, prosecco or Argentina malbecs – today’s wines with growing popularities? Will the hedonistic Australian shirazes or the fruit bombs of Bordeaux be classified passe?

Our tastes in wine shift as much as yours. But we are united in having the spirit of adventure to try something new. We’re always amazed at the willingness of wine consumers to break away from their comfort zones.

Such was the case when we recently poured a number of French wines made with the picpoul grape variety, also known in France as folle blanche. Grown in the Languedoc outside the village of Pinet, this ancient grape nearly faded from existence when the phylloxera scourge decimated French vineyards in the early 20th century. But a resurgence of popularity has given new juice to this delightful grape.

There are more than 8,000 grape varieties harvested in the world, but most wine enthusiasts couldn’t name 25 of them. Have you tried charbono, tannat, or ugni blanc? They’re among the common grapes.

With that, we’d like to introduce you to three grape varieties whose wines you may not have tried. They are picpoul, muscato and grechetto.

Picpoul

The bone-dry picpoul has been compared to muscadet and sauvignon blanc, but it’s truly unique. It’s name means “lip-stinger” for the big acidity that you find in a muscadet from Loire. Its aromas are subtle and its citrus, apple flavors are compelling. Surprisingly, it’s more complex than you would expect. It is not, however, anything close to chardonnay.

A subappellation of the Coteaux du Languedoc, Picpoul de Pinet is one of the named crus that produces the best picpoul wines. The grape is also grown in the Rhone Valley where it is used primarily as a blending grape.

It is a great wine to serve as a summer aperitif and it will do well with seafood, particularly scallops and shrimp. Picpoul has some nice mineral notes too.

Cave de Pomerols Picpoul de Pinet 2010 ($10). Lime and grapefruit aromas abound in this simple but exquisite picpoul. Good acidity and bone dry.

Terre de Neptune Picpoul de Pinet 2010 ($10). Excellent length and varietal grapefruit and citrus notes with the classic acidity picpoul is known for. We served this at a party and guests were flocking to the store the next day to stock up. At this price, how can you go wrong?

Grechetto

This Italian grape variety had fallen off the horizon for us until we recently paid a visit to the Italian Market. Owner Raymond Lubrano insisted that Tom buy the Antonelli Colli Martani Grechetto ($16). Holy cow, what a wine. This could be our favorite white wine discovery of the year. It was richly textured and full-bodied with tantalizing peach and mineral notes.

A grape variety with Greek origins, grechetto has been used primarily as a blending grape with chardonnay, malvasia and trebbiano. However, it is a very fragrant grape that can be vinified by itself by good producers. Antonelli is one of the most respected producers in Umbria, where grechetto is most commonly found.

We haven’t seen much grechetto on the local market, other than the exquisite Antonelli, but we know that another good producer is Arnaldo Caprai.

Moscato

Moscato is making a very surprising comeback. Quite different from picpoul, muscato is vinified sweet and sells for well under $10 a bottle. Sales have tripled in the last three years and the new audience is primarily among the millenials. Gallo is one of the biggest producers – its Barefoot brand joins Gallo in controling 43 percent of the market.

Although it represents only 2 percent of wine sales, its number doubled in 2010. Experts suggest that moscato is replacing white zinfandel as the wine for those with a sweet palate. Sutter Home doubled its sales, and sales at Woodbridge are tenfold over the previous year.

Moscato can be a sweet fortified dessert wine or it can be an effervescent aperitif. In both cases, it is very fruity, always sweet and packed with peach, citrus and honey flavors. Often it is effervescent, like asti spumante, and sometimes it is a sweet dessert wine.

We can’t say that we personally like these wines, but we can’t deny their growing popularity among first-time wine drinkers. If you prefer something sweet, this may be your ticket.

Umberto Fiore Moscato d’Asti DOCG 2010 ($13). With just a bit of effervescence, this Piemont-area wine is perfumy with sweet fruit flavors. A good match to fresh berries topped with cream.

Robert Mondavi Moscato d’Oro 2010 ($20). Sweet but well balanced with peach flavors and a flowery bouquet.

Barefoot Moscato Spumante ($11). This bubbly sweetens the palate with apricot and peach flavors.

White Knight California Moscato 2010 ($13). From The Other Guys, this is a blend of muscat de alexandria (50 percent) muscat canelli, pinot grigio and orange muscat. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to us, but the wine has a quaffability factor for sweet palates.

Some of the wines recommended in our column may have been provided for review by their producers. The authors can be reached at tmarquardt@capitalgazette.com.

Article source: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2011/09_21-34/FNW

These are by no means big words, and they don’t convey complicated ideas. I use them a lot without thinking much about them. Yet when I tried to look up these terms in reference books, I could find very little.

The issue of structure came to mind after a recent wine panel tasting of 20 New Zealand pinot noirs from the 2008 and 2009 vintages. After we were done, I was left to wonder about the wines, which in general we found underwhelming.

Oh, they were all acceptable. Many of them were friendly and approachable, the kinds of wines you could serve at a neighborhood block party and nobody would complain. Yet few were exciting. I’ll just say it: many of the wines were boring.

For the tasting, Florence Fabricant and I were joined by the husband-and-wife team of Scott Mayger, the general manager of Telepan on the Upper West Side, and Beth von Benz, a sommelier and wine consultant.

What was the problem? In our discussion, the usual suspects came up. Many of the wines were lacking a sense of place, Beth said, which may have been true but did not, I thought, explain our lack of excitement.

A sense of place — the idea that the wine you are drinking expresses the specific qualities of a particular place and a particular culture or people — develops over time, as farmers and consumers come to understand the qualities of a piece of land.

Production of pinot noir in New Zealand is still a recent phenomenon, a couple of decades old; centuries have gone into understanding Old World vineyards.

In past tastings of New Zealand pinot noir, we have similarly concluded that the wines lacked a sense of identity, and I have likewise attributed that to the youth of the industry. But this seemed a step backward. It was not merely that the wines were not expressing terroir. Many were not engaging in that come-hither dance in which a glass of wine implicitly says, “Drink me, drink me.”

We discussed other problems: wines that were overly concentrated, wines that were not concentrated enough; wines that seemed too sweet, and wines that oddly enough seemed both too sweet and too bitter, and a host of other issues.

But the thing that kept coming back to me was a lack of definition in the wines, a sort of muddiness that prevented many of them from expressing themselves with clarity and precision.

So what do I mean by that? Structure is like the skeleton of the wine. If you removed the bones from a human body, you would have a quivering, gelatinous mass of organs, muscles and the rest. These components are useless without the skeleton, which allows the body to stand tall and to move with purpose and authority.

The same is true of structure in wine, even if the skeleton is figurative rather than literal. A properly structured wine advances through your sensory apparatus in an assertive, decisive manner. It is focused rather than blurry. Without a proper structure, a wine can simply arrive with a thud.

In red wines, structure comes primarily from two elements, tannins and acidity. Tannins are mostly found in the grape skins, though they can also be imparted by the wood in oak barrels. Acidity is generally found in the grape juice. As grapes ripen on the vine, tannins become less harsh and acidity diminishes as sweetness rises. The relationship of tannins, acidity and sweetness is integral to a grower’s decision about when to harvest the grapes.

Structure itself is not a simple thing. It can be coarse: heavy, mouth-gripping tannins or teeth-jarring acidity. Or it can be fine, in which case the structure itself is almost imperceptible, except for the shape it gives the wine, which will seem precise and clear. I love this quality in a wine, especially in pinot noirs, which should never be coarse.

Article source: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/dining/reviews/pinot-noir-from-new-zealand-wine-review.html

Last week was the first international Tempranillo Day, invented by marketers but giving us an occasion to revisit the grape variety that puts Rioja and Ribera del Duero on the map.

Rioja is divided into three regions: Rioja Alavesa, Rioja Alta and Rioja Baja. Alta has the highest elevation and thus the shortest growing season. On the other hand, Baja is hot and its long growing season leads to wines that are high in alcohol and low in acidity. Most of the juice is used for blending.

The wines are classified by three categories that reflect oak aging. “Rioja” spends less than a year in oak. “Crianza” is wine aged one year in oak and at least an additional year in bottle. “Rioja Reserva” is three years in bottle, one of which is in oak. The “Rioja Gran Reserva” must spend two years in oak and three in bottle.

The generous use of American oak in Spanish wines has been a problem in the past, but producers have moved to Spanish and French oak to tame the woody flavors.

We have really enjoyed the wines from Muga, located in the Rioja Alta region. Family run, it makes wine in small batches with traditional methods. It is the only winery to employ coopers and makes its own vats. Eschewing American oak, Muga quality is from its barrel profile.Our picks

Muga Reserva 2007 ($30). Garnacha, mazuelo and graciano are blended with tempranillo to give this wine breadth and aromatics. Generous raspberry and black berry aromas with bright cherry and blackberry flavors and soft mouthfeel.

Muga Seleccion Especial 2005 ($46). The blend is the same as the reserva, but this version – made only in certain years – has more concentration and oak aging (28 months in barrel). Black cherries and spice dominate the palate.

Montecillo Reserva 2005 ($23). We like all the wines from this Rioja producer, but the reserva shows off generous, quaffable fruit and is cloaked in depth and concentration. Lots of bright black cherry and raspberry flavors with mocha notes and long finish.

Rioja Vega 2009 ($12). Generous young fruit, simple and medium bodied, with fresh dark berry flavors.

LAN Vina Lanciano Vina Reserva 2004 ($25). Tom visited this cooperative a couple of years ago and discovered a lot of interesting wines, including this reserve blend of tempranillo and mazuelo. Toasty and tobacco aromas with layered espresso and black cherry flavors. Very elegant and lush.

Marques de Caceras Red Rioja 2007 ($15). Very simple but well balanced with focsed rasberry and cherry notes, easy tanninsand hints of pepper and spice. Good value.

Artadi Vinas de Gain 2007 ($32). Made in a more modern style, this wine made entirely from tempranillo from old vines has an expressive aromas of smoke, mineral and blueberry. Concentrated and balanced.

Spanish wines

Altovinum Evodia 2010 ($10). Made entirely from garnacha this lush wine is a knock-out. Lots of black cherry and raspberry flavors with intriguing aromas and nice mineral notes.

Tarima Monastrell ($10). This is an incredible buy from the Jumilla region of Spain. Loaded with ripe blueberry and dark berry fruit, it’s simple but delicious. Hints of licorice and chocolate.

Terras Gauda O Rosal Rias Baixas 2009 ($24). This wonderful Spanish white wine with a tongue twisting name illustrates why albarino is quickly gaining recognition in the U.S. Lovely apple cider color with a hint of green. It is 70 percent albarino, 20 percent loureira, and 10 percent caino blanco. This wine exhibits a lively bright peach floral nose with a hint of citrus. Peach and mineral flavors with bright acidity. A wonderful expression of the albarino grape.

Bodegas Castillo de Monjardin Chardonnay 2009 ($14). A good value from Spain, this wonderfully lush chardonnay has a lot of fruit forward, tropical fruit flavors. Very enjoyable.

Some of the wines recommended in our column may have been provided for review by their producers. The authors can be reached at tmarquardt@capitalgazette.com.

Article source: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2011/09_07-41/FNW

22 August 2011

New Zealand Wine: Making Progress in
Tough Times

* Wine exports reach $1.1 billion, up
5% * June year end 2011 NZ wine sales total 221
million litres, up 11% * Rising $NZ seen as a major
challenge to exporters * Strategic Review
commissioned to plot the path forward for the wine
sector

The New Zealand wine industry is making progress
despite the tough economic times according to the June year
end 2011 Annual Report of New Zealand Winegrowers.

‘Three
years ago, the New Zealand wine sector was reeling from the
combined effects of the 2008 supply shock and the global
financial crisis. Today excess inventory has been sold
through and we have the confidence to take in a record
harvest based on anticipated demand’ said Stuart Smith,
Chair of New Zealand Winegrowers.

Mr Smith noted that
total New Zealand sales (export and domestic market) rose
11% to 221 million litres for the June year end 2011 while
export value rose 5% to $1.1 billion.

‘These achievements
represent real progress against a background of increased
uncertainty in the global economy.’

Mr Smith is clear,
however, that significant challenges still remain for the
sector. ‘Profitability is a key concern for wineries and
growers, as many still struggle with the legacy effects of
the past three years. The wild gyrations of the New Zealand
dollar are a major problem for wine exporters, and threaten
to de-rail the recovery that we are starting to see.
Domestically, annual excise increases impact winery
financial returns because those increases cannot be passed
onto consumers.’

Mr Smith noted that in a rapidly changing
environment there was a need for a clear path forward for
the sector and the industry organisation, New Zealand
Winegrowers.

‘For this reason we have commissioned a major
independent strategic review of the sector and our own
activities. Consultants PWC have been appointed to conduct
the review which we believe represents an exciting
opportunity to build on the progress of the industry to
date, and to position New Zealand wine for greater success
in the future’ said Mr Smith.

ENDS

Article source: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1108/S00739/new-zealand-wine-making-progress-in-tough-times.htm

Antonelli is another producer in Italy’s Umbria region and one that Italian Market owner Raymond Lubrano favors. We can see why. The five Antonelli wines we tried were universally outstanding – so much so that we returned to buy more.

The region is known for its sagrantino, an incredibly tannic grape that creates long-lived wines. We have a hard time enjoying these wines now because they are just so muscular and dense. However, Antonelli has created a fresher and more approachable version of the wine using the same grape. The Antonelli Contrario is vinified in cement tanks instead of wood, which adds to sagrantino’s tannins and complexity. The Contrario is also made from sagrantino grown on younger vines. The result is a wonderfully lush wine that can be enjoyed while you wait for your Antonelli Sagrantino di Montafalco to mature.

One beauty lead to another as we tasted through this producer’s wines. The white grechetto was one of the best white wine discoveries we made this year. And the anticipated simple Antonelli Montefalco Rosso was a delightful blend that wasn’t so simple after all. We highly recommend these wines, especially for those of you who like Italian wines.

Antonelli Coli Martani Grechetto 2010 ($16). We were overwhelmed with the rich texture of what we mistakenly thought was going to be an acidic wine. Nice pit fruit flavors and a tantalizing mineral thread and a floral bouquet. It is one of our favorite white wine discoveries of the year. Grechetto is a common blending grape in Orvieto, but here in Coli Martani is stands proudly alone. This is well worth the price.

Antonelli Rosso di Montefalco 2007 ($20). This was a powerful blend of 70 percent sangiovese, 15 percent sagrantino, 15 percent merlot. The sangrantino is there for the body and depth, but the sangiovese offers up the forward fruit. It is a very good wine with length and hedonistic pleasure. Wild berry and plum flavors. Aged in oak for a scant nine months.

Antonelli Rosso di Montefalco Riserva 2005 ($33). Added to a generous dose of sangiovese, made from old vines, it’s 15 percent sagrantino, 10 percent cabernet sauvignon and 10 percent merlot. It gets twice as much oak aging as the rosso and is more complex. We liked the earthy, dark berry and plum notes.

Antonelli Contrario 2008 ($30). Made with the same grape variety that goes into Antonelli’s sturdy, highly tannic sagrantino, it is challenging to understand how the same grape could produce an approachable, easy-drinking version. The Contrario, introduced last year, is aged only two years in cement vats, and that eases the tannic structure of the wine. But we suspect the grapes are also coming from younger vines or from a different location. You wouldn’t think that the two wines were from the same grapes, however. If you don’t want to wait 10 years for a pricey sagrantio to age, this is your best bet. Cherry and herb flavors and floral aromas abound in this delicious and elegant drink. We didn’t know what to expect in this pinot-shaped bottle. But it sure was mouthfilling. Made entirely from the same grape that goes into Antonelli’s pricey sagrantino, it has lush dark fruit flavors.

Antonelli Sagrantino di Montafalco 2006 ($45). This is a very powerful wine with chewy tannins that beg to be aged. It will take more than a decade for that to happen, but you should find this wine more approached in two to five years. It’s just hard to appreciate the wine now because you know it won’t show its boisterous personality for years. Deep color with rich plum and dark berry flavors and an earthy personality that gives you a sense of Umbria’s terroir. It’s been aged in various oak for 18 months, but Antonelli prefers large casks to minimize the tannin.

Wine tastings

The Anne Arundel branch of the NAACP will hold a wine tasting and history program from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 9 at the Banneker-Douglass Museum in Annapolis. The cost is $20 a person. For information, call 443-883-5151.

Fishpaws Marketplace will join Homestead Gardens and Zachary’s Jewelers to team up for a charity wine tasting for Serving People Across Neighborhoods from 7 to 10 p.m. Sept. 22 at Homestead Gardens in Severna Park.

Samples of more than 100 wines priced from $10 to $125 will be poured by representatives of the wine industry.

SPAN assists with eviction prevention, utility turn-offs, and medical and food help.

Tickets are $50 in advance and $55 at the door. They can be purchased at SPAN offices on Benfield Road, Fishpaws, Homestead Gardens or Zachary’s.

Some of the wines recommended in our column may have been provided for review by their producers. The authors can be reached at tmarquardt@capitalgazette.com.

Article source: http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2011/08_31-41/FNW