The French Hottie

Popular U.S. opinion is that French wine has a certain “mystique”. Unfortunately no one really knows what that word means anymore, so it has become an alias for “overpriced” and “not immediately enjoyable”. The people who believe this are the same Neanderthals who slept through French class in college, and never noticed the sweet, sexy girl in the second row who somehow had a better accent than anyone else. I miss that girl. I think she’s in the bottle in front of me.

This is another capable Rhône designed for bistro food, and a long, fantastic conversation about poetry, movies, politics, and the color of her eyes (there I go again…)

2007 Le Clos Du Caillou Côtes du Rhône (About $20)

Learn more about the winery (French language only): http://www.closducaillou.com/site/spip.php
Learn more about the bottle in front of me (French language only): http://www.closducaillou.com/site/spip.php?page=fichevins&id_article=109

Love to see what's under THAT label...

SEE: A deep, majestic, and clear ruby red. Lightens to an even medium red at the rim.
SWIRL: It coats the glass beautifully with even, slow legs.
SMELL: A floral perfume over a bed of solid musky leather. There beef blood in there, and lots of dark berries. As the alcohol blows off, there’s some intriguing barnyard and bacon aromas.
SIP: Wonderful black cherry and cassis are upfront, but it’s not long before the muted spice notes emerge, with orange peel and cloves.
SAVOR: There’s a long evolving finish that starts dusty and hot, but resolves to bitter chocolate.  Nice solid structure and balance to this.

Final impression: A lusty wine to savor slowly and enjoy its finer aromas. This one will age well for several more years.

Pair with: Classic French bistro fare. Boeuf Bourguignon, rich cheeses.

White for Tapas

It’s no longer news that Michigan (like much of the eastern U.S.) has had an early spring, with record-setting temps that make it feel like Summer. So at the risk of jinxing us all into colder temps, I thought I’d cover one of my favorite pairings with an affordable bottle. I LOVE Spanish-style tapas, and most of them are savory gems that are free of red meat. Try this, respectfully chilled, with the tapas you love.

A White for the Red drinker.

ZOLO 2010 Torrontes (About $12)

Learn more about the winery: http://www.vinodelsol.com/thewineries/zolo.html
Learn more about the bottle in front of me: http://www.vinodelsol.com/pos/zolo/TechSheet_ZoloTorrontes.pdf

SEE: An attractive dusty light gold.
SWIRL: A clear even coat on the glass with slow legs.
SMELL: Initial aromas of white peach & flowers and some faint smoke. Some minerality follows, stone fruits and tart apple.
SIP: A definite warmth and tartness, with baked pear and and orange rind/pith following. Lime and sea salt hint at pairings.
SAVOR: As it opens, this becomes a complex, warm, and golden bath over the food it is served with. It seems to embrace salt.

Final impression: This will not contrast to or confound light Spanish classics–a great everyday wine for seafood or vegetable tapas.

Pair with: Complex savory but not spicy dishes, saffron, shrimp, dry Spanish chorizo, sardines and young sheep cheeses. Avoid sugars and carmel flavors.

HOY HOY HOY!

I promised over a month ago to complete the comparison between a worthwhile west-coast Syrah, and the Aussie inspiration that I believe most Californians are chasing, and may someday perfect.

G’Day mate. The Barossa Valley lays claim to the home of classic Australian Shiraz, but I also believe the non-corporate wineries there are functioning as great laboratories for the grape, perfecting the tannin and fruit balance, and considering aging potential. I enjoyed this inexpensive blend only slightly more than the entry level 100% Shiraz from the same maker.

St. Hallett 2008 Shiraz-Cabernet, a refined bomb.

2008 St. Hallett Shiraz-Cabernet (About $13)

Learn more about the winery: http://www.sthallett.com.au/ (Flash-heavy site)
Learn more about the bottle in front of me: The winery seems to have moved on from this blend and currently offers no info. Cellartracker has 6 reviews: http://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=791020

SEE: Deep, rich medium ruby throughout, with great clarity
SWIRL: Thin even slow coating of the glass, with stubborn slow legs
SMELL: Jammy black raspberry and overripe strawberry upfront, with a background of light tobacco and dry forest.
SIP: Rich, bright sweet fruit resolving to a mild warm spiciness. A full body and a pleasing burst of acidity.
SAVOR: A faint touch of chocolate covered cherry on a relatively short but pleasant finish

Final impression: A brilliant wine for the price (QPR = Quality for Price Ratio). Characteristic of the Aussie “fruit bomb” but showing some real depth and complexity, even at the low end of St. Hallett’s portfolio.

Pair with: Simple, powerful, familiar favorites. Burgers, takeout lasagna, bratwurst.

Que Syrah, Syrah…

Lost Canyon Syrah had such promise.

I recall several years ago when Syrah came to the attention of Cab drinkers as both an exotic being heavily marketed by Australia (AKA Shiraz) and as a funky Californian upstart (Syrah). It’s always been a capable blending grape, good for adding some ripe dark fruit and syrupy mouthfeel to its sometimes more austere vinifera cousins. On its own, it yields a relatively simple but potentially very deep crowd-pleaser.

The battle continues, Cali VS Aussie, MegaCorp VS rebel producer, to this day. I have few preconceived notions about the grape, or the wine it gives up. In my experience it’s good with meat, sweet, and smoke. BBQ AKA the barbie.

But I was sad to hear that we lost Lost Canyon (in its original incarnation) as a contender.

2007 Lost Canyon Russian River Syrah (About $15)

Learn more about the winery: http://www.princeofpinot.com/winery/205/
Learn more about the bottle in front of me: http://buyingguide.winemag.com/catalog/lost-canyon-2007-trenton-station-vineyard-syrah-russian-river-valley

SEE: Dark, deep brilliant red through and through
SWIRL: A nice heavy coating of the glass, with quick, striking legs
SMELL: Rich blackberry and black cherry fruit, leaves, leather, vanilla, plums, and even smoked bacon, heat from the alcohol.
SIP: Tart and tannic, black fruits, and vanilla from fairly new oak
SAVOR: Chewy/meaty but not as syrupy as more common new world versions

Final impression: All The classic brambly fruit notes, a bit tight, rough and young. Yet it’s as good as any Syrah I’ve had at the price and a nicer alternative to cheap Aussie Shiraz. Next week I plan to test a comparable Barossa Valley Shiraz to compare.

Pair with: BBQ with sauce, or any meats with grilled onions.

The stiff upper lip.

Imagine an Italian immigrant living in New York during prohibition, buying grapes from California to make wine in his basement. From these passionate beginnings we finally arrive at a flagship French-inspired wine favored by the British early in the 20th century.

Kind of make you dizzy, doesn’t it? But the wine in question stands on its own, albeit supported by a sinfully large marketing budget. It’s a strong wine, but reserved – an even blend between old and new world style. It’s a serious step above plonk, relatively risk-free, and wisely priced for the nervous buyer (plus, wrapped in a gold wire net!). That being said, the Coppola Claret will never give you that funky, unique love-it-or-hate-it “Wow” factor, but it’s a great doorway into better class of wine for a lot of curious drinkers.

2009 Coppola Claret (About $17)

Learn more about the winery: http://www.franciscoppolawinery.com/
Learn more about the bottle in front of me: http://ffcp.s3.amazonaws.com/fcw/wine/diamond/claret/09_DiaClaret_FS.pdf

SEE: Rich deep ruby, fading to a slight rose at the rim.
SWIRL: A medium body coats the glass with prominent legs.
SMELL: A tight nose at first. As the alcohol burns off, aromas of wood, leather, plums and a hint of salted licorice. There are familiar Cabernet scents but in a more reserved style than California usually delivers.
SIP: Quiet blackberry and cassis slowly open to reveal faint woody spices. Coriander, allspice, clove and orange peel in careful amounts.
SAVOR: A moderately long finish adds bitter vanilla, and faint tobacco smoke. As the wine opens caramel, apple skins, and even Concord grapes emerge.

Final impression: This Claret take a long time before you can even think about unbuttoning its blouse. Patience and attention pays with a balanced and very nuanced flavor. Dependable.

Pair with: Nice with the Sunday roast, stews, and most British versions of French winter classics.

A nice mix.

Almost everyone I know approaches new music the same way: we get on kicks where we find a new band, or a new sound that fascinates us. We learn as much as we can and sample any and all releases that are related. I tend to approach wines the same way. When I’m not matching a particular dish, I tend to explore wines from a single region, varietal or style until I get bored enough to seek out the next thing.

Earlier this Fall I was on a Rhône valley kick.

This region in the southeast of France (just north of Provence) is known for the diversity of its grape varieties which are blended in a bunch of different ways to make Côtes du Rhône, Côtes Rôtie, Crozes Hermitage, Gigondas, Châteauneuf du Pape and a whole lot more. Most Côtes du Rhône makers mix Grenache with Syrah and Carignan or Mourvèdre to yield easy drinking, food-friendly wines with lots of herbal and spice notes. They are not built to age the way Bordeauxs and Burgundies are, but most will improve with several years in the bottle.

2008 Domaine Sainte-Anne Côtes du Rhône Villages (About $16)

Learn more about the winery: http://www.chateauneuf.dk/gervais/en/geren4.htm
Learn more about the bottle in front of me: Link not available, but George over at Gang of pour has liked this one in the past. http://blogs.gangofpour.com/2007-domaine-sainte-anne

SEE: A beautiful bright medium red, turning slightly rosy at the edge.
SWIRL: The wine coats the glass nicely, with tiny, evenly spaced legs.
SMELL: Right out of the bottle, this is tight, with a nose of red berries and citrus/grapefruit. It opens to reveal holiday spices, dried fruits, cedar, and a forest full of woody herbs.
SIP: Tannic, tart and warm on the tongue, with cranberry and a touch of bitter orange.
SAVOR: With time in the glass and a suitable meal, the flavors deepen and soften, ending in a moderately long cocoa finish.

Final impression: A nice, balanced southern Rhône, with the complex spice flavors and aromas typical of the region. Classic old world French (built for food).

Pair with: Quite nice with grilled lamb loin chops and roasted herbed potatoes. It might possibly pair better with a Christmas goose, with roasted garlic or braised leeks.

The M word.

Seven years after it’s release, the most notorious quote from “Sideways” still rings in most Americans’ ears: (Miles Raymond) “If anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any fucking Merlot!”

The bottle in front of me is not Miles’ Merlot. It’s Massive. Macho. Murderous.

Aside from the few decent Bordeaux’s I’ve splurged on, my Merlot experience is limited mostly to high volume, low-flavor Californian juice of little note. I typically associate strawberry aromas and flavors with these young bottles, rushed to market. At $10-15 a pop, there has been little encouragement to search deeper. M. Cosentino has given me that encouragement. I found their 2005 Napa County Merlot lurking behind the more current 2006 at a local shop. I got wine-jacked.

2005 M. Cosentino Napa County Merlot (About $16)

Learn more about the winery: http://www.cosentinowinery.com/index/page/static/subpage/cosentino_winery
Learn more about the bottle in front of me: http://www.cosentinowinery.com/common/downloads/cosentino/THEwines_factsheet_MER_2006.pdf

SEE: A very deep, rich ruby color, with nice clarity. Consistent color through to the rim, showing little signs of age.
SWIRL: The wine clings stubbornly to the sides of the glass, resulting in extremely slow legs.
SMELL: Very ripe (almost overripe) aromas of black stone fruits, cherry and plum. Some deep floral and herb scents – mild lilies and sweet annie. Wood shows through with faint tar, cedar, and vanilla.
SIP: Powerful, dense, chewy fruit on the tongue, with cassis, black plum, and black cherry upfront. An initial sweet attack is followed with a wash of tartness. The concentration and plum flavors combine to give an impression of prunes (in a good way).
SAVOR: The fruit resolves to a mildly sweet tobacco finish, which stretches into a lingering smoky espresso flavor.

Final impression: This is defiantly Californian, new world, and BIG. A great value for the price, and a wine to be be savored over a few hours.

Pair with: Man food. Grilled hanger steak, lamb burgers, and strong, funky, salty cheeses.

P.S. Mafioso Maduros for the bonus.

Drink your backyard.

The most important mantra any food obsessive has heard repeatedly over the last decade or so is to eat local, and drink local. In the world of wine, this mantra is largely laughable for 99% of the world’s population. I count myself in the 99%, along with large swaths of Asia, Africa, anybody in inland South America, most of Eastern Europe, and all but about six U.S. states.

But I’m really close to being able to drink local, and it’s getting better all the time.

For this, my first regular posting of tasting notes, I chose the most local wine I could find, from my neighborhood store, in its current release (2010) which was a better year than most in recent memory.

2010 Pelee Island Pinot Noir (About $13)

Learn more about the winery: http://www.peleeisland.com/index.php
Learn more about the bottle in front of me: https://secure1.prositehosting.net/winestore/winestore.php?id=18

SEE: Clear medium red, with a light pinkish rim, indicative of youth.
SWIRL: Bright color, with weak legs on the glass.
SMELL: Very bright lively aromas of cherries, with a slight fragrance of strawberry and cedar. Clearly Pinot Noir, but reserved.
SIP: Very dry, tart cranberry that washes thinly over the tongue, nice acidity with a bit of initial bitterness that softens over time. Tannic, old world style, honest, and designed for food.
SAVOR: Tannins last throughout the finish, with hints of graphite and leaves.

Final impression: Would buy again, but there may be a few more satisfying Pinot’s in this price range, mostly from larger producers in California.

Pair with: fresh air, light cheeses, vegetable dishes, and mildly flavored game such as rabbit or quail.

P.S. If you live anywhere near southeastern Michigan, you owe it to yourself to spend a day visiting Pelee Island. Drive to Leamington (Canada’s tomato country) in the late Summer or early Fall, take the ferry, and spend a day biking and picnicking on a very relaxed, beautiful island.

But I’m no wine expert. I know, everyone says that in their first post to try and sound like a “regular guy”, not some kind of wine Einstein. Wine can be intimidating. There’s too much to know out there, ever. Even if you were the expert of experts, there’s always some crafty vineyard owner working in his lab to perfect a new blend, or breed a new varietal, or bring something new to the party. That’s what makes wine fun…an endless variety of sensations, and endless invention. There’s always something more to learn and new curiosities along the way, like Alice’s rabbit hole.

I’ve had no wine training, and I’ve only been to a few informal tastings. But what I do have (on top of my fascination) is practice. Malcolm Gladwell made a popular observation that the difference between proficiency and mastery of anything we do is about 10,000 hours of practice. I’m pretty sure I’ve logged well over that amount with my nose shoved deep into a half-full glass…

So you can understand that I was happy to be invited into the Rogue Estate’s inner circle of epicurean miscreants…if just to share a little of that enthusiasm with them, and with you.

For my first Rogue’s dinner, I offered to pair a couple bottles to the menu, which was described to me simply thus:

“1st course:
Littleneck clams on the half-shell w/ cold Ramp green puree

Soup course:
Fresh Pea soup, Ramp white garnish

Main course:
Seared Salmon, Strawberry Beurre Rouge, Balsamic Roasted Asparagus, Lemon-Ramp Rice”

Here’s what I showed up with and a few tasting notes.

A to Z Oregon Pinot Gris

http://www.atozwineworks.com/pgris.html

Willamette Valley Pinot Gris are what I usually reach for when there’s shellfish in front of me. Extremely light in color–think straw with a faint green/grey hue. Supple citrus flavors dominate, mostly lime, with a background of honeysuckle and honeydew. A great palate cleanser, and suited to simple mild flavors–light cheeses, vegetables and a hit with littlenecks on the half-shell. About $13.

La Vieille Ferme Rose

http://www.lavieilleferme.com/rose.php?langue=en

Lovely color–a bright pink with just a hint of amber.. Consistently receiving a score in the upper 80s by most reviewers this wine represents a serious value. Bright strawberry notes and a watermelon freshness that’s irresistible (lack of oak helps here). A hint of caramel on the moderate finish. A great foil for fresh spring vegetables and fish. Just enough acidity to stand up to Jack’s beurre rouge. About $8.

Picking a good wine to pair with a dish is fun, but not something I’ve done a lot of. I expect that there will be good nights and bad nights. I encourage you to ditch the rulebook and remember that the best wine to drink with anything is the one that tastes good to you.

Now, are you interested in coming along with me to see how deep this rabbit hole goes?

- Ian