We had the opportunity to taste some 20 wines that were being poured at Zachy's Wine Store in Scarsdale as a sales promotional. As it was a stand-up affair it was difficult to juggle a glass of wine and note pad at the same time while trying to take notes. In the end I realized it was simply not possible to make exhaustive notes so my notes are brief. Wines ranged from 1er cru Beaune to Bouchard's Le Chambertin.
David Croix Beaune Cent Vignes: Organic notes rather than fruit driven ones on the nose. Earthy, quite ripe with mid palate intensity. Gentle grip, not tightly wound ; fruit barely nestled inside a kernel of acidity so it was a bit more open and enjoyable now compared to some others which hace shut down. Lovely wine. 89 points
David Croix Beaune Pertuisets: The scent of minerals and violets dominate the nose and once again aromas of fruit are not dominant. Compared to the above wine this wine is driven by acidity which carries the delicate, yet intense, fruit to a long and vibrant finish. Focussed and perfumed. This is an exceptional value. 90 points
Pavelot Beaune Bressandes: All about fruit (raspberry) and though quite nice and pretty it does not have the class of the Croix wines. 87 points
Potel Pommard Vignots: Dominated by new oak. Not deep but thoroughly enjoyable as there is not much acidity masking the fruit. 88 points
Gouges Nuits St.Georges Clos des Porrets: Typically hard and minerally. Closed in now but there is good ripeness of fruit and ample tannins . Austere now but promises to age well. 89+points
Jadot Gevrey Combes Aux Moines: Unexpectedly (for a Jadot wine) this is not very dark and is very bright and fresh. While there is rich extract it is light on its feet and the fruit is pure and not overlaid with obfuscating oak tannins . Promises to be an exciting wine. 91+ points
Bouchard Beaune Vignes Les Enfant Jesus : Utterly captivating and focussed. Rich acidity . Long and aromatic. 91+ points
Bouchard Le Chambertin: Grand Vin. Broad, restrained and powerful. 95+ points
David Duband Clos Vougeot : Tasted alongside Duband's Nuits Aux Thorey (85 pts) and his Morey Sorbes (86 pts) this wine towers over them and shows flashes of Grand Vin . Made in a forward style it is earthy and truffley and the non overuse of new oak keeps this wine on an even keel .Overall the wine is impressively made. 91-92 points
Kris Prasad
Sunday, June 29, 2008
2005 GRAND CRU RED BURGUNDY
WHAT IS A GRAND CRU? To answer that allow me to digress a bit.
Last night we had Baricci 2001 Brunello for dinner. The wine was medium dark and the nose almost absent. On the palate the wine had little in the way of density but there was submerged fruit. The finish was clean and had yet to develop length. But the structure and balance was perfect and we agreed this was likely to develop into one of the finest brunellos of the vintage ( an assessment we had likewise made more than a year ago, when we tasted this wine blind). So one may well ask how such a prosaic description of a wine leads us to project potential greatness?
As background, the Baricci is from vines high up in the mountains (Montosoli region) and everything about it bespoke cool and composed. Haughty and reserved. Terroir at work. Absent was the lush glossy fruit that thrills palates seeking immediacy and inspires passionate plaudits from some critics. There was instead fruit that was sleek, suave and understated . The more we drank the more we loved its hidden nuances. The concentration was there but it needed to be unraveled. Precision was its hallmark, not port-like chocolatey fruit. While not yet complex this was Grand Vin.
The phrase “Grand Vin” is not necessarily restricted to Grand Cru Burgundy or other pedigreed wines from elsewhere. But Grand Cru burgundy should be synonymous with “Grand Vin”. It is often not immediately apparent when a wine should deserve this exaltation because it is not possible to quantify inherent quality. The more its renown the more nuanced and subtle it usually is. An intensity of fruit, while desirable, is not one of the prime assets of a Grand Cru but traits of precision, persistence and purity are what eventually exalts these wines. Floridity and immediacy are more attributable to wines of less class. But, like the Baricci Brunello, that sparked this essay , a wine which was young , rough and tight , other wines of Grand Vin quality likewise only give sneak peeks of what is to come. They might not set the taste receptors on fire but they oftentimes send brain cells tingling with excitement.
The designation “Grand Cru” for certain vineyards is not because they yield fruit that have high alcohol potential. In fact it is almost the reverse. The vineyards are often on poor soil and poorly exposed and fruit barely ripens. For instance, upper sections of Chambertin and Latricieres are cool and sheltered by woods just above them. Even in good years (at least in the past) they often give a measly 11.5% alcohol . So chaptalization is/was often necessary just to balance the wine out with body (alcohol). BUT, the 2005 vintage needed no such assist. Fruit came in at around 13.5 % potential alcohol in nearly all the Grand Cru vineyards. As it did in 2003 as well. Yet in the 03's the qualities of nuance, precision and finesse are completely swamped by the aggressive intensity of the fruit hogging the limelight , which is not what Grand Vin is about. The 2003's are big wines but without balletic athleticism. Balance is the key to a Grand Vin and that is why the Red Burgundy Grand Cru 2005's, even with their rough & tough youthfulness at this young age, will mature in a slow arc, unlikely to please those without patience, and exemplify the definition of what it takes to be a Grand Vin. They may ( nearly always) show less well at this point in time than 1er Crus or even Village wines but their greatness, hopefully, can be sensed even now.
20 Questions for Mary Taylor of the Thoreau Wine Society
You're living in Burgundy but you have a very strong connection to the Boston area. Tell me about that.
Im grew up in Concord, MA, my parents are still there and I return from time to time. It's a compelling place, so beautiful and so much history. Later I went to Boston College and lived in Allston for some years, while working at the Prudential Center and then at Boston University. I eventually moved to New York but I remain faithful to my Beantown roots, and I love Boston restaurants like Upstairs on the Square and Chez Henri.
Your website, thoreauwinesociety.com, was recently featured in Food & Wine magazine. How did you attract their attention?
I had met Megan Krigbaum, the assistant wine editor at Food & Wine, while working at another job. She liked my emails and featured the site in the magazine. It helps to keep people's email addresses – you never know when an email list will come in handy.
What's the connection between wine and Thoreau?
It's funny, I was just biking through Gevrey Chambertin tonight and thinking about all the extraordinary wines that I've had that come from this tiny land mass. Why is Chambertin so different from Lavaux
St. Jacques? As you get more into it, these are the questions from which you derive so much pleasure because you are directly experiencing what the soil/climate combination can produce; a very transcendental experience, if you quiet down and give attention to such sensual nuances. That is a major part of Thoreau's writings – transcendentalism – accessing the divine via nature. He also refused to give into societal strictures and went off on his own, similar to what I'm doing.
Other than your website and blog, what service do you offer to readers and wine lovers?
Good question. It's been a bit of a slog getting going. The logistics of what I'm doing are quite complicated, especially in regards to the individual states and their policies. But effectively what I do is sell wine like any other retailer in the US. I just do it from wine country. As I get moving, I will branch out and do events and wine trips. People can always look me up when they are in Burgundy, I'd show them the lay of the land.
Your blog includes some fantastic, little-known information, such as "in Paris, with practically every apartment comes a share in a dank basement" that could be used, presumably, as a wine cellar. Could you tell us more about that?
I just marvel at how France and the US have co-existed for so long and yet, as much as we Americans look up to French cuisine, we gaff at the idea of having a glass of wine with lunch (although we'll go out and have 3 American-sized cocktails at night). Proper French (not the dudes at the train station bar) really know how to do wine right. Really enjoy a glass or four with a great meal, but rarely or never go over-board. Keep wines in a cellar so that they are drunk when they are softened and more complex. Or spend $50 on a good bottle, but only drink one per week, when its matured properly. People in the US who have adopted these principles have pleasure in their lives that the rest of y'all are missing.
Your biography indicates a very strong connection between wine and literature. What, in your opinion, is the essence of that connection?
Literature and all art, really, gives us true freedom from monotony. Great wine has profound qualities like this. I remember drinking an '85 Salon with all of its bakery, perfume and old Paris smells... It just created another realm for me to jump into, just like a great novel or a great song.
Do you have a particular memory that crystallized wine as an important part of your life? Or is wine one of those interests that simply grew as you grew?
Well, honestly, I began as a White Zinfandel drinker. To my underage palate I was impressed that it was so gulpable, when beer and hard alcohol were so bitter and offensive. But as a good college student, I got into the merits of all of the finer beverages, irregardless. It was one night when my then-boyfriend brought home a bottle of '92 Opus One. We lapped it up and eventually went to Napa seeking out great wine. When I started working in wine, at Sothebys, I tasted many great bottles from all over the world, and started amassing a collection. But now, I take it easy, there's no reason to go crazy. I can say that because my now-boyfriend brings home Chambertin from his winery.
What is the Wine & Food Connoisseurs' Club in New York, and what is your involvement in it?
The Food and Wine Connoisseur's Club is another reason I can speak so confidently about wine. The club has existed since 1980, and is comprised of 12 members (I was made member three years ago). Led by Kris Prasad, a PhD chemist, along with some brilliant palates (I am the youngest and least accomplished), we taste 12 wines blind of a particular region and vintage. We thoroughly and seriously round-table discuss each one, discuss the appellations, soil and vintage, rank them in order, get into arguments about which is which and later reveal them. Then we taste them all over again with dinner, and throw a few older bottles into it as well. I've learned about sub-regions of, for example, Brunello di Montalcino, like I could never learn otherwise.
Are you aware of a similar club in Boston?
Not yet, although I try to cultivate one every time I'm there! But considering I will be spending more and more time in Boston (the folks) I would love to hook up with more connoisseurs. Like the Connoisseur's Club, I assume these clubs are small and limited.
What is the demographic of your readership? Are most readers based in the States? In France? Somewhere else?
All of my readers are in the US. Because my business is selling wine to Americans, I don't promote much here in France. But I do serve the entire US market, so if you know of anyone, have them join up! thoreauwinesociety.com
What is the demographic of your clients? Do you ship any wine outside of France?
I get all of the wine imported to the US and ship from various retailers around the states.
In Burgundy, do you see yourself as a wine merchant? Something similar? Something different?
The winemakers think I am a wine journalist, which I am (I ghost write for another company). But they know I have my own independent business with which I hope to succeed and they are very supportive. I am more of a wine-merchant from my computer.
You seem to have a special interest in Italy, in addition to France. Why is that?
I love Barolo – it is ethereal and lovely at times, and masculine and edgy at other times – but it has soul and personality. I was the buyer for several years for an Italian-based wine shop in Manhattan and I got to taste thousands of Italian wines and learn in-depth about the regions and the varietals. I met hundreds of Italian wine-makers as they passed through New York. It just happened that way. I also love Spain, Portugal, Germany and Austria, but I ended up working in depth with Italy.
What in your opinion (speaking from France, as someone with a vested interest in the sale of French wines) has been the effect of the weak dollar against the Euro?
Oh it's just terrible on both ends. If you are serious about wanting to drink great wine, taking a gamble on something at these current prices can often be a major disappointment. Thus, I verify what I sell. I might not be the first one to wax scientific, but I have tasted in great seriousness thousands of the world's best wines. My clients trust my palate. I don't sell what I haven't tasted and found to be excellent.
We've all heard how young people in France are now drinking more beer than wine. As an observer (and participant) of French culture, what's your take on this development?
In France, beer is for partying, wine is for dinner. No wonder the Americans drink more wine. My roommates in Brooklyn down bottles of wine when they are partying. Here in France, its beer.
How do you identify the wines and the winemakers you decide to work with?
It takes years of experience to get a sense. I couple that with the fact that my French boyfriend and his family and friends are very well-informed about who is doing great work throughout France. I usually propose working with a particular winemaker, and I wait to see how he reacts. If positive, he says "Oh yeah! He's really good." If negative, a nose wrinkle. He is out in the vineyards and at winemaker conferences and can get a much better sense of their focus and commitment. And I verify that with a tasting at each respective cuverie.
In a recent post you mentioned "that bit [of your] youth spent in the inner-city of Boston as well described in All Souls (the story of Southie) which I'm finally getting around to reading." Could you tell us more about that? About your youth in inner city Boston, that is, and about the book All Souls?
My family originally comes from Cork, Ireland. I went to public school in Massachusetts after the busing crisis. When I was 18, I hooked up with a bunch of kids from inner-city Boston, who teased me for being from Concord. I learned all about Whitey-Bulger and his effect on the city. There is a lot of pain there, because of that poverty and violence, that I both witnessed and felt. All Souls captures that. I like to mention other things in my essays besides wine wine wine – I connect with people on other levels.
The tone of your writing is balanced between critically astute and popularly engaging. Is that what you're after as you write?
Well, I'm totally bored sometimes with the same structure over and over. It's a challenge getting people excited about not only the product you sell as well as you and your mission. Because I'm not standing in a store engaging people, I have to make my essays as human as possible.
Do you have any formal training in wine?
I have an advanced certificate in wine from the Wine Spirit Education Trust. I started the next level which is the diploma but honestly, I failed chemistry in high school and as much as I learn about lignins and photosynthesis and sulphur and copper (there is so much to know), I probably couldn't pass a test.
What in your opinion are some of the most exciting wines coming out of France right now?
There are some ancient varietals being revived, such as the strains of Malbec that Elian da Ros has been working with in the Côtes du Marmandais. There is so much new hipster biodynamic winemaking; it's a great movement, but I think for some, it has become the only movement. And for me, I would rather a profound bottle of Patrick Javillier Meursault, made traditionally, than perhaps a Thierry Puzelat Cot.
Cathy Huyghe
Im grew up in Concord, MA, my parents are still there and I return from time to time. It's a compelling place, so beautiful and so much history. Later I went to Boston College and lived in Allston for some years, while working at the Prudential Center and then at Boston University. I eventually moved to New York but I remain faithful to my Beantown roots, and I love Boston restaurants like Upstairs on the Square and Chez Henri.
Your website, thoreauwinesociety.com, was recently featured in Food & Wine magazine. How did you attract their attention?
I had met Megan Krigbaum, the assistant wine editor at Food & Wine, while working at another job. She liked my emails and featured the site in the magazine. It helps to keep people's email addresses – you never know when an email list will come in handy.
What's the connection between wine and Thoreau?
It's funny, I was just biking through Gevrey Chambertin tonight and thinking about all the extraordinary wines that I've had that come from this tiny land mass. Why is Chambertin so different from Lavaux
St. Jacques? As you get more into it, these are the questions from which you derive so much pleasure because you are directly experiencing what the soil/climate combination can produce; a very transcendental experience, if you quiet down and give attention to such sensual nuances. That is a major part of Thoreau's writings – transcendentalism – accessing the divine via nature. He also refused to give into societal strictures and went off on his own, similar to what I'm doing.
Other than your website and blog, what service do you offer to readers and wine lovers?
Good question. It's been a bit of a slog getting going. The logistics of what I'm doing are quite complicated, especially in regards to the individual states and their policies. But effectively what I do is sell wine like any other retailer in the US. I just do it from wine country. As I get moving, I will branch out and do events and wine trips. People can always look me up when they are in Burgundy, I'd show them the lay of the land.
Your blog includes some fantastic, little-known information, such as "in Paris, with practically every apartment comes a share in a dank basement" that could be used, presumably, as a wine cellar. Could you tell us more about that?
I just marvel at how France and the US have co-existed for so long and yet, as much as we Americans look up to French cuisine, we gaff at the idea of having a glass of wine with lunch (although we'll go out and have 3 American-sized cocktails at night). Proper French (not the dudes at the train station bar) really know how to do wine right. Really enjoy a glass or four with a great meal, but rarely or never go over-board. Keep wines in a cellar so that they are drunk when they are softened and more complex. Or spend $50 on a good bottle, but only drink one per week, when its matured properly. People in the US who have adopted these principles have pleasure in their lives that the rest of y'all are missing.
Your biography indicates a very strong connection between wine and literature. What, in your opinion, is the essence of that connection?
Literature and all art, really, gives us true freedom from monotony. Great wine has profound qualities like this. I remember drinking an '85 Salon with all of its bakery, perfume and old Paris smells... It just created another realm for me to jump into, just like a great novel or a great song.
Do you have a particular memory that crystallized wine as an important part of your life? Or is wine one of those interests that simply grew as you grew?
Well, honestly, I began as a White Zinfandel drinker. To my underage palate I was impressed that it was so gulpable, when beer and hard alcohol were so bitter and offensive. But as a good college student, I got into the merits of all of the finer beverages, irregardless. It was one night when my then-boyfriend brought home a bottle of '92 Opus One. We lapped it up and eventually went to Napa seeking out great wine. When I started working in wine, at Sothebys, I tasted many great bottles from all over the world, and started amassing a collection. But now, I take it easy, there's no reason to go crazy. I can say that because my now-boyfriend brings home Chambertin from his winery.
What is the Wine & Food Connoisseurs' Club in New York, and what is your involvement in it?
The Food and Wine Connoisseur's Club is another reason I can speak so confidently about wine. The club has existed since 1980, and is comprised of 12 members (I was made member three years ago). Led by Kris Prasad, a PhD chemist, along with some brilliant palates (I am the youngest and least accomplished), we taste 12 wines blind of a particular region and vintage. We thoroughly and seriously round-table discuss each one, discuss the appellations, soil and vintage, rank them in order, get into arguments about which is which and later reveal them. Then we taste them all over again with dinner, and throw a few older bottles into it as well. I've learned about sub-regions of, for example, Brunello di Montalcino, like I could never learn otherwise.
Are you aware of a similar club in Boston?
Not yet, although I try to cultivate one every time I'm there! But considering I will be spending more and more time in Boston (the folks) I would love to hook up with more connoisseurs. Like the Connoisseur's Club, I assume these clubs are small and limited.
What is the demographic of your readership? Are most readers based in the States? In France? Somewhere else?
All of my readers are in the US. Because my business is selling wine to Americans, I don't promote much here in France. But I do serve the entire US market, so if you know of anyone, have them join up! thoreauwinesociety.com
What is the demographic of your clients? Do you ship any wine outside of France?
I get all of the wine imported to the US and ship from various retailers around the states.
In Burgundy, do you see yourself as a wine merchant? Something similar? Something different?
The winemakers think I am a wine journalist, which I am (I ghost write for another company). But they know I have my own independent business with which I hope to succeed and they are very supportive. I am more of a wine-merchant from my computer.
You seem to have a special interest in Italy, in addition to France. Why is that?
I love Barolo – it is ethereal and lovely at times, and masculine and edgy at other times – but it has soul and personality. I was the buyer for several years for an Italian-based wine shop in Manhattan and I got to taste thousands of Italian wines and learn in-depth about the regions and the varietals. I met hundreds of Italian wine-makers as they passed through New York. It just happened that way. I also love Spain, Portugal, Germany and Austria, but I ended up working in depth with Italy.
What in your opinion (speaking from France, as someone with a vested interest in the sale of French wines) has been the effect of the weak dollar against the Euro?
Oh it's just terrible on both ends. If you are serious about wanting to drink great wine, taking a gamble on something at these current prices can often be a major disappointment. Thus, I verify what I sell. I might not be the first one to wax scientific, but I have tasted in great seriousness thousands of the world's best wines. My clients trust my palate. I don't sell what I haven't tasted and found to be excellent.
We've all heard how young people in France are now drinking more beer than wine. As an observer (and participant) of French culture, what's your take on this development?
In France, beer is for partying, wine is for dinner. No wonder the Americans drink more wine. My roommates in Brooklyn down bottles of wine when they are partying. Here in France, its beer.
How do you identify the wines and the winemakers you decide to work with?
It takes years of experience to get a sense. I couple that with the fact that my French boyfriend and his family and friends are very well-informed about who is doing great work throughout France. I usually propose working with a particular winemaker, and I wait to see how he reacts. If positive, he says "Oh yeah! He's really good." If negative, a nose wrinkle. He is out in the vineyards and at winemaker conferences and can get a much better sense of their focus and commitment. And I verify that with a tasting at each respective cuverie.
In a recent post you mentioned "that bit [of your] youth spent in the inner-city of Boston as well described in All Souls (the story of Southie) which I'm finally getting around to reading." Could you tell us more about that? About your youth in inner city Boston, that is, and about the book All Souls?
My family originally comes from Cork, Ireland. I went to public school in Massachusetts after the busing crisis. When I was 18, I hooked up with a bunch of kids from inner-city Boston, who teased me for being from Concord. I learned all about Whitey-Bulger and his effect on the city. There is a lot of pain there, because of that poverty and violence, that I both witnessed and felt. All Souls captures that. I like to mention other things in my essays besides wine wine wine – I connect with people on other levels.
The tone of your writing is balanced between critically astute and popularly engaging. Is that what you're after as you write?
Well, I'm totally bored sometimes with the same structure over and over. It's a challenge getting people excited about not only the product you sell as well as you and your mission. Because I'm not standing in a store engaging people, I have to make my essays as human as possible.
Do you have any formal training in wine?
I have an advanced certificate in wine from the Wine Spirit Education Trust. I started the next level which is the diploma but honestly, I failed chemistry in high school and as much as I learn about lignins and photosynthesis and sulphur and copper (there is so much to know), I probably couldn't pass a test.
What in your opinion are some of the most exciting wines coming out of France right now?
There are some ancient varietals being revived, such as the strains of Malbec that Elian da Ros has been working with in the Côtes du Marmandais. There is so much new hipster biodynamic winemaking; it's a great movement, but I think for some, it has become the only movement. And for me, I would rather a profound bottle of Patrick Javillier Meursault, made traditionally, than perhaps a Thierry Puzelat Cot.
Cathy Huyghe
Friday, June 27, 2008
Bordeaux Wine Route
PHOTOS:
Stormy Sky Over Saint-Emilion
View on St-Emilion From the Place du Clocher
The Gates to Chateau Canon Vineyards (see Church in the Far)
Kilometers of Galleries
St Emilion, Old Walls and Vineyards
You might consider the town of Bordeaux as the natural base for this exploration, but the traffic around and in Bordeaux is a challenge. The better option is to stay first a few days in Bordeaux, then find a base out of town to visit the area. Leaving or entering the Bordeaux limits by car can be a misery because lots of commuters live out of town and drive to work, and the freeways are often jammed. In Bordeaux itself you can walk or use its new glitzy tramway to feel the pulse of this great wine capital. Like every other rich town in France, Bordeaux succumbed to the tramway craze and bought itself this new costly toy. Riding in its cars will give you a good first approach of this magnificent town where wine is a major and historic cornerstone. Speaking of the tramway, a trolleybus system would have been cheaper, more silent and allow more flexibility in its itineraries, but a trend is a trend... Apart from the economic soundness of this new tramway, the outlook of the town improved much after this major remodeling project.
There are quite a number of good hotels in Bordeaux and we've used in the past both the Continental Hotel (doubles : 85 or 104 Euros)which is centrally located (we're giving these addresses without sponsorship...), and the very cheap Hotel F1 chain (33 Euros a room - all rooms can accomodate 1, 2 or 3 people)), which is located on the other side of the Garonne, at a 15 mn walking distance from downtown (they have a parking). You can reserve you Hotel F1 room through the internet (they're very basic but good value and fill up fast).
We'll skip the Bordeaux visit this time and concentrate on St-Emilion which is a good base to visit the region.
In spite of having all the features of a wine-tourist trap (like Beaune in Burgundy), with its collection of luxury wine shops and well-polished old streets, Saint Emilion is still a lovely place from which you can plan your exploration of the Bordeaux region without being bothered by the traffic. Once in Saint-Emilion, try not to loose your time with window shopping on wine paraphernalia that you'd probably find anywhere in the world, and start your time travel in this lovely small town...
To find an accomodation in or near St Emilion, you can look for a Chambre d'Hôte (B&B) on the web, like this page, or on that page. Many of these chambres also have a "table d'hôte", meaning that you can have dinner with the owners at a very reasonable price, and probably discover their favorite wine at the same occasion. Check the distance of the accomodation from St Emilion and use Viamichelin to locate the given village on the map (you need the ville/village name and its zip code).
Saint-Emilion is an extremely-well preserved village and walking along its streets is a pleasure. As it is sitting at the top of a hill, you have several spots with nice views over the town's roofs and the vineyards, like from the Place du Clocher near the Tourism Office. This "Office du Tourisme" provides the visitors with lots of info about the town and the wineries. St Emilion is literally encircled by vineyards, and some of the estates around St-Emilion were first planted by the Romans. The Roman Poet ausone for example, owned one of the three properties of his time, including what has become Chateau Ausone. I can't but recommend an excellent guide book to vist the area, it is Hubrecht Duijker's Touring in Wine Country, Bordeaux (a collection directed by Hugh Johnson). The French edition seems to be sold out but you should find the English version. Its many maps covering each of Bordeaux Appellations are so detailed that you can easily find the properties yourself, and these maps will also be of great help to understand the Appellations and locate the estates and their neighboors. Many world-renowned estates are at an easy walking distance of the village, like Chateau Ausone, Chateau Bel Air, Clos Fourtet, Chateau Canon or Chateau Beauséjour Duffau. Take the right street and path, and you can be walking along Ausone's vineyards or Chateau Canon's in the matter of 5minutes after leaving the Place du Clocher.
When you begin your vist of St-Emilion and its region, you may try the tourist train (see picture right), it costs 5 Euro per person and drives you around St Emilion with a multi-language description of the landscape and estates it drives by. Not a must-do experience, especially if they keep the glass-windows on (actually it's cheap for a sauna) like when we took it, and once you'll venture on foot outside of Saint-Emilion, you'll realize that you can do the itinerary yourself by foot. Also, the operators of this train seem to direct the tourist on certain wineries along the circuit where a tasting room and a shop welcomes the visitors, and I am not sure these wineries are the most interesting ones.
Another good option to explore thearea is to rent a bicycle. You can ask at the Tourist office near the Place du Clocher, according to this page, they have bicycles to rent. The Chambre d'Hôte where you stay may also have a few bicycles for your own use (like the Chambre d'Hôte of Chateau Meylet), and that may be one of the things to ask before choosing your accomodation. You can also join of of these costly packages where your bicycle tour is organized through several points of interest and estates, like here. If you are an experienced cyclist and feel that you can travel on your own bicycle like this fellow on left, prepare your gear (don't forget the rain coat) and take the road from Bordeaux, your trip will be very rewarding especially if you keep using the small roads. See this page for a few tips.
The cats of Saint emilion are either wine snobs, or really, really spoiled... Somehow the wine craze has crossed the species boundaries in St Emilion and I shot red-handed (red-clawed ?) this one as it was sharpening its claws on...a vine right in the tiny garden of a local wine shop. The wine shop in question is the Comptoir des Vignobles and there are a few wine shops of this quality in the village, they all seem well stocked with tempting bottles. Several of them have a few open bottles for tasting, and as the top estates don't sell wine at the estate in Bordeaux, it may be interesting to make a few purchases if you can afford it (we can't). These shops stock old millesimes too and the rule is to be impressed by the price tag of the top estates. Great place to buy a bottle and have it with friends sitting in the vineyards.
St Emilion sits on kilometers of caves and man-made galleries, and the size on this underground world is such that only a small proportion is used as wine cellar. The picture above was shot on the small road leading to Chateau Bel air.
In St Emilion proper, you still find authentic streets and places if you venture out of the beaten path. It is a good surprise to see these simple scenes, untouched by the wine & luxury culture. We walked along this "rue des Douves" [pic on left] as we came back from our stroll near Chateau Canon and Chateau Ausone. Very quiet walk, we were basically alone. I noticed the many fig trees in the area and must confess that I picked a small branch from a fig tree on Ausone property, with the goal to have it grow in the Loire. I'm not sure it will work yet, I'll keep you informed. Whatever, we came back to St Emilion through this narrow street bordered with many unused caves and underground galleries, some of them being walled. These galleries were initially quarries, not cellars. A nice smell of freshness and cold rock cellar came to us as we walk along this quiet path.
Saint Emilion has been largely spared by modern constructions and it is a pleasure to walk straight from the old city to prestigious vineyards. The vineyard on the picture belong (if I'm right) to Clos Fourtet. The wall on the right is a remain of the fortifications that were protecting the city from invaders. Don't ask me too many details, I think it was the English armies, and there has been some rough battles in the vicinity.There are a couple of wine bars, the most well-known being near the office du tourisme. The one we went to is a bit off-center, it is named Chai Pascal on the rue Gaudet, and it has a connected computer in addition to a few nice wines. I overheard a few conversations there and it seems that some estate owners are regulars. So if you want to hear insider news and spy on the region, that may the place to go. I just found a positive review (in French) on this cool place.
That's one of the reasons I prefer the slow travel to the fast TGV trains (the other being it is much cheaper) : We saw this herd as we were leaving the region and driving northward in the direction of Limoges on secondary roads. At precisely the time we stoped for a few minutes, three herd boys arrived to move the animals to another prairie, the oldest, in his mid 40s, had long dark hair and a several-days-old beard and looked as if he lived in a remote place in the backcountry. He was visibly teaching a maybe-15-year-old future herd-keeper on how to prepare carefully a herd to move. I regret not to have asked for a picture but felt it would break the magic, plus I'm not sure they would have accepted.
Bertrand Celce
Australia: Western Australia wineries being sold off
A number of family-owned wineries are selling up and leaving one of Australia's most prominent grape-growing regions.
Despite vineyards in the south west of WA experiencing a prosperous harvest this year, many say they no longer have the time to produce wine.
Owners of Willespie winery at Wilyabrup, Marian and Kevin Squance, planted their first vines back in 1976.
Marian says the decision to sell the winery had nothing to do with financial pressures - it's because they've reached retirement age.
"We are getting closer to 70 than 60," she says.
"It's a lot of ongoing work and we would never want to do it less than our best.
"Yes, we'll be very sad to see it go. In fact, my grand-daughter said to me today, Gran what will you do when you sell Willespie? And I said, well I'll cry first of all, then I'll probably enjoy my retirement."
Despite vineyards in the south west of WA experiencing a prosperous harvest this year, many say they no longer have the time to produce wine.
Owners of Willespie winery at Wilyabrup, Marian and Kevin Squance, planted their first vines back in 1976.
Marian says the decision to sell the winery had nothing to do with financial pressures - it's because they've reached retirement age.
"We are getting closer to 70 than 60," she says.
"It's a lot of ongoing work and we would never want to do it less than our best.
"Yes, we'll be very sad to see it go. In fact, my grand-daughter said to me today, Gran what will you do when you sell Willespie? And I said, well I'll cry first of all, then I'll probably enjoy my retirement."
White Rocket Wine Company Unearths a Treasure in Geode for Millennial Generation Chardonnay Drinkers
NAPA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--White Rocket Wine Company is launching Geode, a new-generation, super-premium Chardonnay fusing timeless quality and contemporary style in a strikingly sophisticated package targeted to savvy young wine consumers. Geode is crafted from vineyards in Santa Barbara County, a classic growing region whose stellar Chardonnays are universally recognized for superior quality. With its warm, inviting label, aura of earthy energy and promise of rich, pure flavor, Geode beckons wine lovers to “discover the treasure within.”
“Chardonnay is the most popular wine in the United States, with a 22% share of the total wine market, and it’s also the number-one white wine sold on-premise,” notes White Rocket Vice President of Marketing Mark Feinberg. “Dollar sales of super and ultra-premium Chardonnays grew 8% off a huge base in 2007, four times the rate of the total Chardonnay category. With established wine drinkers continuing their love affair with Chardonnay and sophisticated Millennial Generation consumers seeking exciting, environmentally conscious new brands, the time is right for wine lovers to discover Geode.”
Geode arises from vineyards in the rolling hills of Santa Barbara County, a majestic, world-class growing region along California’s South Coast. Santa Barbara’s spectacular geography and cool, marine-influenced climate produce lush, sumptuous Chardonnays. The prime vineyards selected for Geode are farmed and irrigated responsibly, minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers and utilizing cover crops to control pests and nourish the soil. The pure, flavor-packed grapes from these outstanding sites infuse Geode with its rich, earthy goodness.
The 2006 Santa Barbara County growing season was long and cool, ensuring Geode’s Chardonnay grapes had extended hang time, which produced intense, concentrated flavors. The fresh, pure juice was fermented in French oak barrels, then underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged sur lie in barrel for 8 months, with frequent stirring of the lees. The result is a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay with bright tropical fruit aromas complemented by enticing honey, toasted oak and baked bread scents. In the mouth, Geode delivers lush, creamy, tropical fruit flavors balanced by crisp acidity and a refreshing, mineral-tinged finish that makes it delicious with food, especially rich seafood, poultry and vegetarian dishes.
“Our debut vintage of Geode perfectly captures the marvelous terroir of Santa Barbara County and the spirit of Millennial Generation consumers, who are acutely conscious of protecting the environment,” says Mark Feinberg. “It’s an earth-friendly Chardonnay that’s delicious to the core, one that will delight wine lovers seeking rich, pure flavor in a modern, elegant style.”
About White Rocket Wine Company
Launched in 2006, White Rocket Wine Company focuses on developing new brands that appeal especially to Millennial-generation wine consumers, who comprise a large and ever-growing segment of the premium wine market. In addition to Geode, White Rocket markets Horse Play, AutoMoto, Silver Palm, Camelot, Dog House, Ray’s Station, Pepi, Tiz Red and Tin Roof Cellars. The company is located in Napa, CA.
“Chardonnay is the most popular wine in the United States, with a 22% share of the total wine market, and it’s also the number-one white wine sold on-premise,” notes White Rocket Vice President of Marketing Mark Feinberg. “Dollar sales of super and ultra-premium Chardonnays grew 8% off a huge base in 2007, four times the rate of the total Chardonnay category. With established wine drinkers continuing their love affair with Chardonnay and sophisticated Millennial Generation consumers seeking exciting, environmentally conscious new brands, the time is right for wine lovers to discover Geode.”
Geode arises from vineyards in the rolling hills of Santa Barbara County, a majestic, world-class growing region along California’s South Coast. Santa Barbara’s spectacular geography and cool, marine-influenced climate produce lush, sumptuous Chardonnays. The prime vineyards selected for Geode are farmed and irrigated responsibly, minimizing the use of synthetic fertilizers and utilizing cover crops to control pests and nourish the soil. The pure, flavor-packed grapes from these outstanding sites infuse Geode with its rich, earthy goodness.
The 2006 Santa Barbara County growing season was long and cool, ensuring Geode’s Chardonnay grapes had extended hang time, which produced intense, concentrated flavors. The fresh, pure juice was fermented in French oak barrels, then underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged sur lie in barrel for 8 months, with frequent stirring of the lees. The result is a rich, full-bodied Chardonnay with bright tropical fruit aromas complemented by enticing honey, toasted oak and baked bread scents. In the mouth, Geode delivers lush, creamy, tropical fruit flavors balanced by crisp acidity and a refreshing, mineral-tinged finish that makes it delicious with food, especially rich seafood, poultry and vegetarian dishes.
“Our debut vintage of Geode perfectly captures the marvelous terroir of Santa Barbara County and the spirit of Millennial Generation consumers, who are acutely conscious of protecting the environment,” says Mark Feinberg. “It’s an earth-friendly Chardonnay that’s delicious to the core, one that will delight wine lovers seeking rich, pure flavor in a modern, elegant style.”
About White Rocket Wine Company
Launched in 2006, White Rocket Wine Company focuses on developing new brands that appeal especially to Millennial-generation wine consumers, who comprise a large and ever-growing segment of the premium wine market. In addition to Geode, White Rocket markets Horse Play, AutoMoto, Silver Palm, Camelot, Dog House, Ray’s Station, Pepi, Tiz Red and Tin Roof Cellars. The company is located in Napa, CA.
Tempranillo Group Goes Public
Growers and producers of Iberian varieties hope to popularize their favorites
Napa, Calif. -- A group of North American grapegrowers and winemakers that quietly allied more than two years ago will meet the public for the first time in August. The Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society, which goes by the tasty acronym "TAPAS," will welcome the trade and the public at Napa's Copia center for wine, food and the arts, at a fiesta featuring tastings from some 40 participating wineries.
Members of the wine trade are invited to attend the opening on Friday, Aug. 8, featuring technical seminars explaining "Why Iberia and Why Now," and updates on viticultural and ecological requirements for individual varieties of Iberian grapes, plus guided tastings and a walk-around tasting of wines produced by TAPAS members. Tickets for the trade are complimentary; register at tapasociety.org.
Although the group's name highlights Tempranillo, perhaps the best- known Iberian grape, most of the 70-plus members grow or make wine from numerous varieties grown on the European peninsula. Albariño, Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano, Mourvèdre, Touriga, Verdejo, Souza and Bastardo are among the Iberian grapes now grown and vinified in North America. TAPAS' membership includes growers and wineries throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Texas and even Ontario, Canada.
Earl Jones, proprietor of Abacela and president of TAPAS.Earl Jones, TAPAS president and proprietor of Abacela Winery in Roseburg, Ore., (abacela.com), explained that, although the Iberian grapes are most commonly considered "warm climate" varieties, "There is a key misperception that Spain is a desert. It actually has the second highest elevation in Europe (behind only Switzerland). It's a huge mesa, with elevations of 2,000 to 4,000 feet. The elevation cools it to something more moderate, the kind of place these grapes can thrive."
The top varietal among Abacela's 6,000 case per year annual production is Tempranillo. Although it's gaining popularity, "Tempranillo is hardly a household word, even in Europe," because in Spain it's bottled under the regional denomination, Rioja, Jones explained to Wines & Vines. "We have an identity problem."
Jones and fellow industry fans of the Iberian grapes first got together in late 2005, and formally started TAPAS in January 2006. Although the group has held a few tastings for professional wine organizations, most notably at the Unified Symposium in Sacramento last January, "We're trying to reach out to consumers," Jones said. He recalled that the Unified event, which drew about 300 members of the industry, was primarily an academic affair. "That didn't extend the reach to consumers," he acknowledged.
Therefore, the Copia fiesta will be open to the public on Saturday, Aug. 9, with consumer-oriented seminars and guided tastings, and a walk-around tasting where sippers can chat with TAPAS members. Tickets are available at copia.org.
St. Amant's Stuart Spencer is a TAPAS board member.TAPAS board member Stuart Spencer, program manager for the Lodi Winegrape Commission (lodiwine.com), is active in his family winery, St. Amant, which has been growing Spanish and Portuguese varieties in the Sierra Foothills since 1980, and producing varietal and port-style wines from them since 1981.
He's enthusiastic about the organization, and about its movement into the public eye. "This accomplishes several things. It lets people (consumers) know that this is being done, and lets other wineries know, too. We'd love to do this at least every year."
Spencer commented that the U.S. wine market is changing. "The younger consumers are more adventurous, more accepting. These varieties can have a place-hold in American consumers' minds."
He believes that the history of the U.S. wine market holds a key to the future of these still obscure varieties. "I have an unproven, unstudied theory," he said. "Look at the Old World wine regions that have succeeded: Bordeaux, Burgundy. The recent success of wines from Spain and Portugal here provides a platform for these (new) names," suggesting that U.S. producers of these same grapes may coattail on consumer marketing campaigns from Old World producers.
"My goal for this group is to develop, flourish and subscribe to quality," Spencer said. "Our knowledge of rootstock and clones is growing. We have experience working with these varieties in the vineyards."
He and his family have learned to work with the early-ripening Tempranillo, with its tendency to high pH, and reductive qualities in the winery. They've also come to terms with the even more temperamental Bastardo. "It's called that for a very good reason," he said. "It's thin skinned, light colored, it ripens early, has tight clusters; it rots easily and birds love it." Spencer doesn't recommend this variety for table wine, but uses it to make a nutty, aged dessert wine.
TAPAS' agenda includes both market outreach and collegial sharing of knowledge, Spencer emphasized, observing that, "In the wine industry, people like to get together and talk about what they are doing."
TAPAS, bearing in its name the implication of social conviviality and late nights in Spain, is poised to take on the French and Italian varieties that have thus-far formed the American wine vocabulary.
Jane Firstenfeld
Napa, Calif. -- A group of North American grapegrowers and winemakers that quietly allied more than two years ago will meet the public for the first time in August. The Tempranillo Advocates, Producers and Amigos Society, which goes by the tasty acronym "TAPAS," will welcome the trade and the public at Napa's Copia center for wine, food and the arts, at a fiesta featuring tastings from some 40 participating wineries.
Members of the wine trade are invited to attend the opening on Friday, Aug. 8, featuring technical seminars explaining "Why Iberia and Why Now," and updates on viticultural and ecological requirements for individual varieties of Iberian grapes, plus guided tastings and a walk-around tasting of wines produced by TAPAS members. Tickets for the trade are complimentary; register at tapasociety.org.
Although the group's name highlights Tempranillo, perhaps the best- known Iberian grape, most of the 70-plus members grow or make wine from numerous varieties grown on the European peninsula. Albariño, Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano, Mourvèdre, Touriga, Verdejo, Souza and Bastardo are among the Iberian grapes now grown and vinified in North America. TAPAS' membership includes growers and wineries throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Texas and even Ontario, Canada.
Earl Jones, proprietor of Abacela and president of TAPAS.Earl Jones, TAPAS president and proprietor of Abacela Winery in Roseburg, Ore., (abacela.com), explained that, although the Iberian grapes are most commonly considered "warm climate" varieties, "There is a key misperception that Spain is a desert. It actually has the second highest elevation in Europe (behind only Switzerland). It's a huge mesa, with elevations of 2,000 to 4,000 feet. The elevation cools it to something more moderate, the kind of place these grapes can thrive."
The top varietal among Abacela's 6,000 case per year annual production is Tempranillo. Although it's gaining popularity, "Tempranillo is hardly a household word, even in Europe," because in Spain it's bottled under the regional denomination, Rioja, Jones explained to Wines & Vines. "We have an identity problem."
Jones and fellow industry fans of the Iberian grapes first got together in late 2005, and formally started TAPAS in January 2006. Although the group has held a few tastings for professional wine organizations, most notably at the Unified Symposium in Sacramento last January, "We're trying to reach out to consumers," Jones said. He recalled that the Unified event, which drew about 300 members of the industry, was primarily an academic affair. "That didn't extend the reach to consumers," he acknowledged.
Therefore, the Copia fiesta will be open to the public on Saturday, Aug. 9, with consumer-oriented seminars and guided tastings, and a walk-around tasting where sippers can chat with TAPAS members. Tickets are available at copia.org.
St. Amant's Stuart Spencer is a TAPAS board member.TAPAS board member Stuart Spencer, program manager for the Lodi Winegrape Commission (lodiwine.com), is active in his family winery, St. Amant, which has been growing Spanish and Portuguese varieties in the Sierra Foothills since 1980, and producing varietal and port-style wines from them since 1981.
He's enthusiastic about the organization, and about its movement into the public eye. "This accomplishes several things. It lets people (consumers) know that this is being done, and lets other wineries know, too. We'd love to do this at least every year."
Spencer commented that the U.S. wine market is changing. "The younger consumers are more adventurous, more accepting. These varieties can have a place-hold in American consumers' minds."
He believes that the history of the U.S. wine market holds a key to the future of these still obscure varieties. "I have an unproven, unstudied theory," he said. "Look at the Old World wine regions that have succeeded: Bordeaux, Burgundy. The recent success of wines from Spain and Portugal here provides a platform for these (new) names," suggesting that U.S. producers of these same grapes may coattail on consumer marketing campaigns from Old World producers.
"My goal for this group is to develop, flourish and subscribe to quality," Spencer said. "Our knowledge of rootstock and clones is growing. We have experience working with these varieties in the vineyards."
He and his family have learned to work with the early-ripening Tempranillo, with its tendency to high pH, and reductive qualities in the winery. They've also come to terms with the even more temperamental Bastardo. "It's called that for a very good reason," he said. "It's thin skinned, light colored, it ripens early, has tight clusters; it rots easily and birds love it." Spencer doesn't recommend this variety for table wine, but uses it to make a nutty, aged dessert wine.
TAPAS' agenda includes both market outreach and collegial sharing of knowledge, Spencer emphasized, observing that, "In the wine industry, people like to get together and talk about what they are doing."
TAPAS, bearing in its name the implication of social conviviality and late nights in Spain, is poised to take on the French and Italian varieties that have thus-far formed the American wine vocabulary.
Jane Firstenfeld
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