Black & White: Pinot Noir & Chenin Blanc

Recently, a group of wine aficionados gathered together to enjoy an evening of "Black and White" - Pinot Noirs from around the world, and a couple of "Blancs" - Chenin Blanc.  Although these varietals originate in France, they have found suitable, nay flourishing, terroirs in New World wine regions that offer an even wider array of taste profiles and structures.  In fact, South Africa has become a major world source and exporter of Chenin Blanc, and New Zealand has become the new frontier for Pinot Noir.  

All the wines  tasted were purchased at Total Wine in Delaware, except for the Vinum Cellars Chenin Blanc, available in Pennsylvania's wine stores.  The Chenin Blancs were $15 or less, and the Pinot Noirs were about $20 and above.  Which brings me to my pet peeve regarding wines from Burgundy (both red and white).   It is virtually impossible in my experience to find a high quality Burgundy for less than $30 retail, whereas the moderately priced options for New World Pinot are much greater.  The limited production and excessive world market demand for Burgundy are such that even "medium range" wines are out of reach for the average consumer.  Indeed, a casual scanning of Burgundies reviewed in Wine Spectator shows that the majority go for at least $70 and often extend into the hundreds of dollars.  So if you are a Pinot lover, your best bet is to seek out the wide variety of New World versions, and perhaps occasionally splurge on a Burgundy (or find a rich uncle with a passion for it!)

  
Ken Forrester Petit Chenin Blanc 2018  ($12.29)

Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc

Appellation: Western Cape, South Africa

Production/Tasting Notes: hand harvested; soil: decomposed granite, fine sandy loam on clay base; quince and pear drop flavors; earlier picked freshness shows on palate with crunchy green apple and grapefruit flavors; tangy finish.

Food pairings: light al fresco summertime meals

Alcohol 13 %

The Petit Range is mainly from contracted vineyards that Forrester manages from pruning to harvest, specifically sourced to suit a fruit forward profile, to offer soft, market ready, instantly pleasing easy, everyday drinking wines.

Vinum Cellars Chenin Blanc 2015 ($15)


 

Varietal: 100% Chenin Blanc

Region: Clarksburg, California

Production/Tasting Notes: vibrant, pale yellow wine; on the nose tropical fruits such as kiwi and casaba melon notes and a touch of linalool and blood orange notes;  balanced acidity on the palate revealing flavors of citrus lemon, key lime, Pipin apple, fig, Meyer lemon zest; finish with honeysuckle, mango, passion fruit, kumquat.

Alcohol 13.5 %

Clarksburg is a special North Sacramento Delta wine grape appellation. Although the soils are generally clay loam, the location of these vineyards is situated near the Sierra Mountains where it receives cool afternoon breezes that moderate the warm daytime temperatures.  The chenin blanc is grown by maximizing sunlight into the canopy, while this cooling trend helps to preserve natural acidity. 

Château Philippe-Le-Hardi Pinot Noir « Vieilles Vignes » 2015 ($30)


 

Varietal : 100% Pinot Noir

Appellation : Bourgogne AOC

Production/Tasting Notes : Notes of cherry, earth, spice; rich palate of fresh fruit, with hints of truffle and spice, adding complexity to the lingering supple finish; medium-bodied

Food pairing: Beef, Veal, Game (deer, venison), Poultry

Alcohol 13%

Château de Santenay is one of the largest wine-producing estates in Burgundy. This prestigious property, consisting of the Château with its remarkable glazed tile roof and a 98 hectare vineyard, is the fruit of an ancient heritage intimately linked to the history of wine production in Burgundy.

Philippe le Hardi (1342-1404) son of King Jean le Bon of France was the most illustrious owner of Château de Santenay.

A brilliant politician, Philippe le Hardi began a magnificent chapter in the history of Burgundy, founding the Valois of Burgundy dynasty, which would reign for over a century. Assembled over the course of the twentieth century, through various purchases and inheritances, the estate consists of a mosaic of plots on the Côte d’Or and the Côte Chalonnaise.

Thanks to this diversity of “climats”(small plots of vines) the château produces a wide variety of wines whose nuances and subtlety result from the unique geology.

Coelho Atracao Pinot Noir 2016 ($25)

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Classification: Willamette Valley (AVA), Oregon

 Production/Tasting Notes: Non-irrigated, sustainably farmed; volcanic & sedimentary soil; aromas of spice, cherries and toasty cedar; velvety texture enhanced by flavors of cherry, cranberry, chocolate; vibrant; supple, smooth finish; medium-bodied

Alcohol 14.1%

Coelho Vineyard, Willamette Valley AVA  

27.5 ac. Pinot Noir (Pommard & Dijon 777 clone on 101-14 rootstock)
1 ac. Pinot Gris (Pinot gris 152 on 101-14 rootstock)
1.5 ac. Chardonnay (Chardonnay 76 graft to Dijon clone on 101-14 rootstock)
Non-irrigated, sustainably farmed (Salmon Safe & LIVE certified)
225-255 feet elevation
968 plants per acre
North South row alignment
Woodburn soil: young, volcanic and sedimentary
Vineyard located 3 miles south of winery
Willamette Valley American Viticulture Area (AVA) (in the soon to be approved Van Duzer Corridor AVA)
Single curtain and vertical shoot position trellis system
Southern slope

Cottesbrook Pinot Noir 2014 ($19)

 

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Region: Canterbury, New Zealand

 Production/Tasting Notes: Vibrant bouquet of fruit and earthy aromas, exuding flavors of raspberry, plum, clove, oak with a smooth lingering finish; dense, rich, oaky

Food pairing: roast poultry, wild game, New Zealand lamb

Alcohol 13%

The Canterbury wine region spans nearly 200km of the South Island’s eastern coastline, with the magnificent Alps to the west and the sweeping Pacific Ocean to the east.

The region has an excellent reputation for elegant and expressive Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and aromatics, with other varieties achieving outstanding results.

The cool, dry climate with high sunshine and a long growing season promotes full varietal expression.

Vineyards were first established on the Canterbury Plains in 1978, with plantings to the south-west of Christchurch and North Canterbury following close behind.

Today vines are planted from Waimate in the south, to Cheviot in the north, and include the micro-climates of Banks Peninsula and Waipara Valley. The latter has drawn critical acclaim for its sub-regional expression.

River Road Russian River Valley Reserve Pinot Noir 2016 ($20)


 

Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir

Region: Russian River Valley, Sonoma Country, California

Production/Tasting Notes: barrel aromas of anise, molasses, dusty earth, sweet smoke, wisp of cardamom;  ripe (sweet) cherry, plum  flavors on the palate; layers of mulling spice, smooth tannins; blackberry jam lingers on the long finish; medium-bodied

Food pairings: roasted duck; swordfish

Alcohol 13.7%

River Road Family Vineyards and Winery is a small-production winery located in the Green Valley of Russian River Valley American Viticulture Area of Sonoma County, California. The cool climates of Green Valley of Russian River Valley and Sonoma County are ideal for producing vibrant, fruit-forward wines that capture the unique personalities of varietals.

Early history of Green Valley of Russian River Valley includes a bit of Russian History. Russians immigrants arrived in Green Valley of Russian River Valley in 1812 to settle the Sonoma coastline between Bodega Bay and Fort Ross. It wasn’t until 1836 that Yegor Chernykh, a Russian agronomist, developed food supplies for their Alaskan settlements. He established a farm just west of what is now called Graton. His wines were intended for sacramental purposes. These vineyards were among the first cultivated fields in what is now the Russian River Valley appellation.

The current history of the Green Valley of Russian River Valley appellation begins in 1983, when it was established as Sonoma County Green Valley. The American Viticultural Area (AVA) of Green Valley then underwent a name change. In 2008, the Tax and Trade Bureau approved a name change from Sonoma County Green Valley to its official name today of Green Valley of Russian River Valley.

Green Valley is located in the middle of Sonoma County and in the south-central area of Russian River Valley. Its terroir is considered by many to be the crème de la crème grape growing region for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The climate in the Green Valley, with its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, makes it one of the coolest appellations within Sonoma County, favoring the cultivation of these cool climate varieties.

Green Valley of Russian River Valley begins its landscape from just north of Petaluma and Forestville, and reaches northward to Sebastopol. According to Jim Pratt, “When the Pacific receded, it left great soil: sandstone, down anywhere from about five to nine feet, with a sandy loam soil on top. So what we have is a moderate clay layer that’s permeable to water. This gives us outstanding drainage, with the sandy loam on top. This is good nutrient content, but not so much that it dictates the vigor of the vine. This way the winemaker and grape grower can actually work together with the soil, take what it gives, and then add this Green Valley area’s climate.”

The fruit in Green Valley of Russian River Valley ripens slowly, which produces wines with lower alcohol and more evenly balanced acidity, a hallmark for perfect, food friendly wines. 

Factoids about Pinot Noir

      - One of the 7 noble grape varietals

      - The only red grape permitted in the Cote d'Or region of  Burgundy

      - Cultivated in Cote d'Or for over a thousand years

      - Thrives in cooler climates, such as Willamette Valley (Oregon), Russian River 

          Valley (California), Carnos (California), Marlborough (New Zealand)

      - Styles range from fresh fruit/easy drinking to intense fruit/ripe tannins, to 

         elegant/medium-to-full bodied with succulent fruit flavors, complexity

          and refined tannins

       - Thin-skinned, late ripening, prone to rot and easily damaged by rough handling

       - Notoriously difficult to make into premium wine

       - One of the primary varietals used to make Champagne

       - Gained increased popularity following the movie "Sideways" in 2004

The Five “S’s” of Tasting:

1) Seeing; 2) Swirling; 3) Sniffing; 4) Sipping; 5) Savoring

What Does “Well-Balanced” Mean? F-A-T-A:

                     Fruit, Acidity, Tannins, Alcohol

The Best Red Wine under $20 ... No Surprise - It's Portuguese!

It is axiomatic that the serious wine consumer seeks out real bargains for quality wines.  Anyone with loads of cash can spend huge sums of money and be pretty well-assured that they will end up of with a good quality wine (though it might not actually be to their taste!)  On the other hand, for those of us who are more budget-minded, discovering a bottle of exceptional quality at a very reasonable cost- well, that may be described as the "Holy Grail" of wine-shopping.  What we're talking about here is something known as QPR, or "Quality-to-Price-Ratio", in other words, high quality in proportion to price.

Throughout my wine tasting classes and in this blog, one of my goals has always been to highlight truly fine wines at affordable prices, and we are fortunate to live an era where this is eminently possible.  In Pennsylvania wine stores, there is the "Chairman's Select" designation which features wines of generally high quality at discount prices, courtesy of the purchasing power of the State monopoly, the largest wine buyer in the country.  Many of you have taken advantage of these discounted wines, as have I. One of the drawbacks to these sales is that they are usually once and done, which can be very frustrating to the wine consumer.  For this reason, I often recommend wine shops in New Jersey and Delaware, such as Total Wine and Wineworks, which typically stock replenished supplies of your favorite wines.

Another wine emporium I patronize once or twice year, particularly for Portuguese wines, is Lisbon Wine & Liquors in Newark, NJ, which I've referenced several times in this blog.  And that bring us to the specific topic of this post - the best red wine for under $20, which I am happy to tout after decades of exploring and tasting wines throughout the US and Europe and elsewhere.  Drumroll, please......

ESPORÃO RED RESERVE 2012









 

The bottle sports a minimalist artistic label that belies the astounding quality and distinctive traits which make this wine so special.  I've written previously about wines from Esporao and the fine wines of all types that it produces in the Alentejo and Douro regions of Portugal.  I've always enjoyed the full-bodied expressiveness of both their whites and reds, which capture the essence of the indigenous grapes and the particular terroir from which the wines emanate.

Upon a recent tasting, I was so struck by the powerful, intoxicating aromas of blackberry and forest floor,  the luscious dark red fruit flavors, the well-balanced interplay of silky, yet firm tannins, lively acidity and plush mouthfeel that I deemed it worthy of a full blog post on its own in order to alert my readers to such an exceptional wine at a very high QPR.

Below you will find the technical specifications as detailed by the winemaker:

ESPORÃO RED RESERVE 2012 - 
Philosophy: The first wine made by Esporão in 1985. Made from estate grown grapes, shows the consistency and the rich, ripe fruit characters which are typical of the best Alentejo red wines. 

Harvest Year: The low winter rainfall contributed to a smaller than average grape harvest with deeply concentrated high quality wines. 

Viticulture: Soil Type: Clay loam soils with granite and schist mother rock. Average age of vines: 15 years. 

Grapes Varieties: Aragonês (Tempranillo) 40%, Alicante Bouschet 30%,  Trincadeira 20%, Cabernet Sauvignon 10%

Vinification: Each variety hand picked and vinified separately, fermented in open tanks with robotic plunging and temperature control (22-25ºC), membrane pressed, malolactic fermentation in stainless steel tanks. 

Maturation: Matured for 12 months in 70% American oak and 30% French oak barrels. Following bottling, the wine was aged for at least 8 months before market release. 

Chemical Analyses Alcohol: 14,5% Total Acidity: 6,40 g/l pH: 3,55 Reducing Sugar: 2,5 g/l Wine makers: David Baverstock and Luís Patrão. 

Colour: Dense deep red. Aroma: Complex spicy aroma of dark berry fruits, with notes of toasty vanilla. 

Palate: Firm and well structured with dense fruit. Fruit is still youthful, with supporting tannins that will provide ageing potential. 

Ideal Consumption Date: 2015-2021 

Formats Available: 750 ml, 1,5 L, 3 L.

Price points for this and other vintages hover around $18.

The currently available vintage is the 2015. As noted above, these wines may be aged for several years, and you will be well rewarded by stashing it away for at least a few years.

For more information about the Herdade do Esporao, visit their website at 

https://www.esporao.com/en/

Lisbon Wine & Liquors typically carries the latest vintages of Esporao wines, including one of its entry-level wines called Monte Velho, which is a great deal, for both red and white, retailing for about $7 a bottle at the store and available for $10.99 in PA stores at last check.

A Portuguese Wine Dinner

At a recent gathering, a circle of wine-loving friends enjoyed an array of Portuguese wines, including a white Port, that I assembled for the occasion.  As readers of this blog and attendees of my wine tasting classes will attest, I've been a major booster of Portuguese wines for many years.  They remain, in my opinion, the best deal for solid, good quality wines at very affordable prices.  To wit, all but the Port and the Dom Martinho wines, came in at less than $10 a bottle at Lisbon Liquors in Newark, New Jersey.  You will find a fair selection of Portuguese wines, at somewhat higher prices, in Pennsylvania wine stores and at Total Wine in Jersey and Delaware, but it's definitely worth a trip up to the Ironbound neighborhood in Newark to partake of the tastes and flavors of this Lusophone community which I have already written about in a previous post.  
http://phillywineguy.blogspot.com/2014/01/ironboud-newarks-destination-for.html


The wines were accompanied by delicious antipasto (cheeses, chorizo, prosciutto, marinated mushrooms, fresh anchovies, etc), a main dish of stuffed pork loin, roasted brussels sprouts salad, pasta with tuna, roasted cauliflower with pine nuts and raisins, and flat breads topped with roasted red peppers and caramelized onions.

Saude!














 
 



Cambridge Ice White Port (NV)

 








Classification: Port

Varietals: Rabigato, Malvasia Fina, Moscatel, Códega, Viosinho

Production/Tasting Notes: Vinification in stainless steel vats with automatic pumping. De-stemmed grapes, half tanning, one day of fermentation with the masses, one day fermentation in open spout; golden yellow color; aroma is young, floral, with notes of apricot in syrup and orange peel; velvety palate with balanced acidity; notes of honey 

Food Pairing: Drink as an aperitif, as a starter or on any other occasion; serve well-chilled or on ice

Alcohol: 20%


Esporão Duas Castas 2016

 







Classification: Vinho Regional Alentejano (Indiçao Geografica  Alentejano)

Varietals: 50% Roupeiro; 50% Viosinho

Production/Tasting Notes:  Whole bunch pneumatic pressing, cold settling, temperature controlled stainless steel fermentation (14ºC), ageing on fine lees, stabilization, filtration; vinified separately; Roupeiro - delicate floral aromatics with stone fruit on the palate; Viosinho - fresh citric and orange blossom aromatics accompanied by strong finishing acidity on the palate; fresh, rich and full bodied with a light mineral touch and a long persistent finish.

Alcohol: 13.5%


Quinta da Alorna Arinto 2017

 




Classification: Denominaçao de Origen (DOC) do Tejo

Varietal: 100% Arinto

Production/Tasting Notes: Grapes come from two distinct areas in Quinta da Alorna, Charneca and Leziria;  destemmed in full and then pressed; after must was clarified, fermentation at 14ºC in stainless steel vats began; before bottling, wine was placed in batches, stabilized and filtered.
Nose: intense aroma with notes of citrus fruits, banana and green tea.
Palate: flavor is unctuous and the acidity level balanced, adding vivacity to the wine.
Finish:  persistent, sustaining the aromatic sensations.

Food Pairings: Fish with different types of sauces; shellfish; soft sheeses and cheeses with a mild aromatic intensity

Alcohol: 13.5%


Adega Mãe Pinta Negra Tinto Red 2016

 




Classification: Vinho Regional Lisboa

Varietals: 52% Aragonez (Tempranillo); 48% Castelao

Production/Tasting Notes: limestone soil; Atlantic climate; fermentation in stainless steel vats, controlled temperature (22-25 °C) for 10 days; intense nose with notes of fresh fruit, wild berries and floral light; Very soft in the mouth with a sweet tooth tannins; serving temperature 
59 °F

Food pairing: grilled meat, pasta

Alcohol: 14%


Cabriz Colheita Selecionada  Vinho Tinto

 




Classification: DOC Dao

Varietals: 40% Alfrocheiro; 40% Tinto Roriz (Tempranillo); 20% Touriga Nacional

Production/Tasting Notes: Crush with total destemming, alcoholic fermentation at 26°C and prolonged skin maceration; 6 months aging in French oak barrels; aroma: fresh red fruits, forest fruits jam, spices and toasted notes; palate: fruity, smooth, elegant, harmonious. (2014 vintage - 90 pts, Wine Spectator, April 2, 2016)

Food pairing: soft cheese, delicate fish, white and red meats based on Mediterranean, Chinese, Indian and African Cuisine. Consume at 64. °F 

Alcohol: 13%

Dom Martinho (Quinta do Carmo) 2016

 




Classification: Vinho Regional Alentejano

Varietal: 50% Aragonez; 30% Trincadeira; 15% Alicante Bouschet; 5% Cabernet Sauvignon

Production/Tasting Notes: 6-9 months months aging in barrels; aromas of ripe wild fruits, especially ripe red fruits and some compote; balanced acidity of this wine gives it a freshness and unique balance.

Food Pairing: meat and game dishes, partridge, rabbit or wild boar;

Alcohol: 14%

Vallado Vinho Tinto 2015

 




Classification: DOC Douro

Varietals: 25% Touriga Franca; 25% Touriga Nacional; 25% Tinta Roriz; 5% Sousao; 20% Mixed Old Vineyard
Production/Tasting Notes: Fermented in 10 and 5 ton stainless steel tanks for a week under controlled temperature varying between 25º and 27ºC;  70% aged for 16 months in stainless steel tanks; the remaining 30% aged in 225 litres used French Oak barriques (3rd and 4th year) for 16 months until final blending; bottled in February 2017Aroma: concentrated, with intense mature red fruit aromas, hints of violets and "esteva" (a local Portuguese resinous bush); mature round tannins; long persistent finish
Alcohol: 13.5%

Beaujolais - A Wine Tasting

Beaujolais is perhaps one of the most misunderstood or misconstrued wines among American wine consumers. Typically, it is associated with Nouveau Beaujolais, that frilly, fruity, fizzy libation whose release each November is cause for silly celebrations touting its effervescent and ephemeral attributes. There are, however, much more serious renditions of Beaujolais for the wine connoisseur that are too often overlooked Stateside.  In my latest wine tasting classes, we  sampled the delights of "real" Beaujolais and learned about its different classifications, including several "Crus", the pièce de résistance of this region. 

Jean-Paul Brun Terres Dorées "L'Ancien" Vieilles Vignes Beaujolais 2016

Appellation: Appellation Beaujolais Contrôlée 

Varietal: 100% Gamay

Production/Tasting Notes:  80+ year old vines; clay and limestone soil; grapes destemmed, fermented and then aged in concrete vats; grapes grown in tighter bunches with fewer and smaller, thicker-skinned berries, yielding more concentrated flavor; rich red-fruit aromas and flavors with soft tannins.

Food  Pairing: Roast turkey with cranberry sauce; grilled salmon fillet with roasted fennel; Moroccan lamb tagine with apricot

Alcohol: 12%

Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages 2016

Appellation: Appellation Beaujolais-Villages Contrôlée

Varietal: 100% Gamay

Production/Tasting Notes: Plump wine with notes of strawberry, black cherry and spice

Food pairing: hors d'oeuvres, mild cheeses, poultry dishes

Alcohol:  12.5%

Clos de la Roilette Fleurie 2017

Appellation: Appellation Fleurie Contrôlée

Varietals: 100%  Gamay

Production/Tasting Notes:  Soil: manganese, granite, clay; semi-carbonic maceration with submerged hat, temperature control and native yeasts, then aged in large oak foudres; deep blackcurrant color with a hint of purple, a restrained nose of crème de cassis, a rich, full mouth with aromas of cassis, black cherries, and a nutty character, and finishes with zesty acidity.

Alcohol: 13%

Laurent Perrachon et Fils Juliénas "Roche Bleue" 2015

Appellation: Appellation Juliénas Contrôlée

Varietal: 100%  Gamay

Production/Tasting Notes: 40+ year old vines; soil type: schist, granite, clay; hand harvested; 9 months aging in concrete tanks and foudres; intense ruby hue; bouquet dominated by fruit aromas peach, red fruit and flowers;  serve at 13°C; aging 4-5 years; 

Food  Pairings :  coq au vin, game birds or poultry en sauce.

Alcohol: 13%

Jean-Marc Burgaud Morgon Côte de Py 2016

Appellation : Appellation Morgon Contrôlée

Varietal: 100% Gamay

Production/Tasting Notes:  rich, structured and dense; tannins make wine built to last; intense with ripe black fruits; 94 Points Wine Enthusiast

Alcohol: 13%

Jean-Paul Brun Terre Dorées Côte de Brouilly 2015 

Appellation: Appellation Côte de Brouilly Contrôlée

Varietals: 100% Gamay

Production/Tasting Notes: Granite soil; grapes destemmed, fermented and aged in concrete vats; vibrant aromas of ripe blackberries and boysenberries, sweet raspberries, some strawberry jam and slightly earthy tones; medium-bodied, very youthful and quite dense on the palate with dry, concentrated and even somewhat robust flavors of tart cranberries, sour cherry bitterness, a little bit of peppery spice, a hint of earthiness and a touch of fresh red plums; sinewy, muscular the ripeness and sweetness in the nose are conspicuously absent from the taste; seriously structured for a Beaujolais with its high acidity and moderately grippy tannins.

Alcohol: 12%

What is Beaujolais?

There are essentially 4 classifications of (red) Beaujolais:

1) Standard Beaujolais (including Beaujolais Supérieur which are standard Beaujolais wines vinified to a higher level of quality, and made from grapes which have reached optimal ripeness.)

2) Beaujolais-Villages: the appellation for red, white and rosé wines from an area made up of 38 villages in the north of the Beaujolais region. The hilly, granitic terroir here is considered superior to that of the flatter lands in the south of Beaujolais and, as a result, Beaujolais-Villages wines are considered to be of a higher quality than those of the straight Beaujolais appellation. These light, juicy wines, based overwhelmingly on the Gamay grape variety, display varietal characters of red fruit and spice.

3) Beaujolais Nouveau: wines which are released almost immediately after harvest. Arguably the most famous (but least serious!) expression of the Gamay grape variety, these light, fruity reds are usually the first of the year's harvest in France, and are released annually to huge international fanfare.

4) Cru Beaujolais:  any of the ten districts long recognized as the finest in the Beaujolais region. Each of these (Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Régnié and Saint-Amour) has its own appellation.

What is Carbonic Maceration?

A winemaking technique most commonly associated with the Beaujolais region of France. Grapes are whole-bunch fermented in a sealed container which has been flushed with carbon dioxide, creating an anaerobic (oxygen-free) environment. Fermentation begins inside the still-whole berries, creating aromatic flavor compounds (phenols) not found in conventional fermentations. These compounds are responsible for the 'banana' and 'bubblegum' aromas associated with carbonically macerated wines. The technique produces wines which are fruitier and less tannic than those made from crushed grapes. Genuine, pure carbonic maceration is very hard to achieve, because the grapes at the bottom of the container typically split under the weight of the fruit above.

Notes on Winemakers

Jean Paul Brun is located in Charnay, a village in the Southern Beaujolais just north of Lyons, in a beautiful area known as the "Region of Golden Stones". Brun is the owner and winemaker at this 40-acre family estate and has attracted the attention of the French and American press for the wonderfully fruity and delicate wines he produces.

Brun wants to make "old-style" Beaujolais and his vinification differs from the prevailing practices in the region. He believes that the charm of Gamay's fruit is best expressed by the grapes' indigenous yeasts, rather than by adding industrial yeast. Virtually all Beaujolais is now made by adding a particular yeast during fermentation.

Known as 71B, this yeast is a laboratory product made in Holland from a tomato base, which imparts wines with banana and candy aromas. It produces a beverage, but with no authenticity and little charm. Brun, on the other hand, wants to make a pure Gamay wine. 

Brun's view is that Beaujolais drinks best at a lower degree of alcohol and that there is no need to systematically add sugar to the must (chaptalize) to reach alcohol levels of 12 to 13 degrees. His Beaujolais is made to be pleasurable - light, fruity and delicious - not an artificially inflated wine that shines at tasting competitions.

Only a minimal amount of S02 is used at bottling to keep the wine fresh and "headache-free". Fermentation naturally produces a lot of CO2, which acts as protection against oxidation during aging; leaving some in the wine at bottling time also helps to keep it fresh. Filtration is also minimal so that the wine keeps its original fruit and aromas. Brun’s wines are not ‘blockbusters’ in the sense of ‘big.’ The emphasis is not on weight, but on fruit: Beaujolais as it once was and as it should be.

Brun’s Nouveaus were rated as the top Nouveau of the vintage by France’s Gault Millaumagazine several years in a row. Robert Parker has rated Brun as a four-star producer (the only other Beaujolais producers with four stars are in the Crus) and has written about his wines:

“Proprietor Brun is a believer in using only the vineyard’s wild yeast, rather than the synthetic yeasts used by most other producers. His beautiful wines are favorites among purists.”

The Perrachon family settled in Juliénas in 1601 and established the estate of Laurent Perrachon & Fils in 1877. Today, the 7th generation of winemakers carries on its ancestor’s tradition with the same aim: to express the essence of the terroir. The vineyard is managed with a sustainable farming philosophy. By keeping grass between the vines and using mechanical rather than chemical methods to care for the soil, Perrachon makes good use of vines that are an average of 45 to 60 years old. Yields are kept low at an average of 45hl/ha for the standard Crus and much lower for the wines produced on delimited Climats. The winemaking process is similar to a classic Burgundian style, with a large portion being destemmed (the exception being the Beaujolais). Perrachon uses indigenous yeasts and a long maceration time to extract the broadest palette of flavors, complexity and structure. The wines are aged in the Estate's vaulted cellars that were built in 1701. 

Jean-Marc Burgaud, a budding young star  located in the village of Morgon, he is hard working and meticulous and has great ambitions for his wines that his vineyards easily justify. His 19 hectares (Beaujolais villages 5 hectares; Régnié 1 hectare; Morgon 13 hectares) are planted with Gamay noir on granitic/schistose hillsides. The Beaujolais-Village comes from Chateau du Thulon in the village of Lantignie. The village is renowned for its hillsides and its granite soil. The 12th century chateau belonged to Jean-Marc Burgaud’s aunt, Mme Jambon. The vinification, elevage and bottling all take place in the chateau cellars. The vines are, on average, 40 years old. Typical Beaujolais vinification, with carbonic maceration of the whole berries for 5 to 6 days. Raised in tank for 4 to 5 months. Within Mogon there are several lieu dits and the Cote du Py is considered as the best vineyard in the appellation. This large sloping hillside, where the vines are in excess of 50 years old, has soil of schists, degraded rock, iron oxide and manganese which impart a distinct minerality to the wine. This is a well-structured wine, redolent of black fruits (mulberries and cherries). Carbonic maceration of the whole berries lasts 12 to 15 days, aand the wine is raised in barrel as well as tank. 

The Clos de la Roilette, in the village of Fleurie, covers nine hectares of one of the best slopes in the Beaujolais Crus. The clos has an eastern exposure, borders the Moulin-à-Vent appellation, and produces wines that are beautiful when young and have the capacity to age 5-10 years, depending on the vintage. In the 20's, when the Fleurie appellation was first created, the former landowner was infuriated with losing the Moulin-à-Vent appellation under which the clos had previously been classified. He created a label, using a photograph of his racehorse Roilette, and used the name Clos de la Roilette, without mentioning Fleurie. The owner vowed not to sell a drop of his wine on the French market and the production went to Switzerland, Germany and England. By the mid-1960s, the owner's heirs had lost interest in the clos and a large portion of the land had gone wild and untended. In 1967, Fernand Coudert bought this poorly maintained estate, and replanted the vineyards. His son Alain joined him in 1984, and has been the winemaker since. The Couderts say their particular terroir (mainly clay and manganese), and the age of their vines (25 to 33 years-old) account for the richness of their wine. It has a deep blackcurrant color with a hint of purple, a restrained nose of crème de cassis, a rich, full mouth with aromas of cassis, black cherries, and a nutty character, and finishes with zesty acidity. This is a wine that ages gracefully and takes on the aromatic character of a Pinot Noir.

Notes on 4 Beaujolais Cru Appellations

Juliénas is an appellation covering wines produced from vineyards in the north of the Beaujolais region of eastern France. The village of Juliénas is named for the Roman leader Julius Caesar, and vineyards have been established here for more than 2000 years. The red, Gamay-based wines of Julienas tend to be heavier than those of the neighboring appellation of Saint-Amour, with rustic characters of spice, flowers and red fruit.

Côte de Brouilly covers the slopes of the dormant Mont Brouilly volcano in central Beaujolais. The area is surrounded completely by the vineyards of the much larger Brouilly appellation, but gives rise to a noticeably different style of wine from the Gamay grape variety – Côte de Brouilly wines are concentrated and elegant, with floral characters, and are less earthy than their Brouilly counterparts. Côte de Brouilly covers one of the smallest areas of any of the Beaujolais crus, and is also one of the southernmost, being just north of the Beaujolais plains where grapes for the famed Beaujolais Nouveauwines are grown.

Fleurie, known as the Queen of Beaujolais and the most popular Cru, is located in the northern part of Beaujolais, the appellation covers the vineyards in the commune of Fleurie, located on the western slopes of the Beaujolais hills. Fleurie wines are some of the most highly regarded in Beaujolais – made from the Gamay grape variety, they are light, silky and supple, with characteristic floral and berry aromas. Fleurie is in the center of the Beaujolais crus, sitting just south of Moulin-a-Vent and Chenas and to the north of its equally famous stablemate of Morgon. The area's vineyards sit on south- and southeast-facing slopes overlooking the Saone River valley, where they are exposed to warm morning sunshine during the growing season. Fleurie's vineyards enjoy a temperate continental climate, and are shielded from cold northwesterly weather systems by the hills to the west of Beaujolais. Instead, the region's high sunshine hours are cooled by gentle influences from the Mediterranean Sea in the south. This ensures that ripening is slow and steady, leading to a balance of acidity and flavor in the grapes. 

While Fleurie's widespread recognition is often attributed to its evocative name, the region is actually named after a Roman general, Floricum, rather than for any floral traits in the wine. Vines were planted here in the early Middle Ages by Benedictine monks, and vineyards were expanded in the 15th Century by the Lyonnais bourgeoisie. Fleurie wines were widely distributed in France and England in the 19th Century, and the commune was granted its AOC in the 1930s, along with seven other areas in northern Beaujolais.

Morgon is one of the ten Beaujolais crus located on the slopes of the Beaujolais hills on the western side of the Saone River. The wines made here from the Gamay grape variety tend to be denser than those made in much of the rest of Beaujolais, often with cherry and dark fruit characters and a fleshy, juicy texture - lush, jammy,  robust -that is not common in Beaujolais wines. Morgon wines age so distinctively and consistently that the region's name is often used as a verb to describe this process: 'il morgonne'.  

The most distinctive feature of Morgon's terroirs is the weathered, decomposing soil made up of granite and schist, with some volcanic influences. These soils, ranging in texture from sandy loams to heavier clays, are rich in iron and contribute an earthy depth to the wines that is not characteristically found in any of the other Beaujolais Cru.

As in much of the Beaujolais region, the vineyards are protected from cold north-westerly winds by the hills immediately west of Beaujolais. Instead, a warm, dry foehn wind develops on the eastern slopes of these hills, drying the vineyards after rain and helping to prevent fungal vine diseases such as mildew. The wide, shallow valley of the Saone River offers no topographical barriers to sunlight, and as such the vines benefit from plentiful sunshine during the growing season, helping the development of phenols and sugars in the grapes. This is moderated by some cooling influences from the Mediterranean Sea, some way to the south, allowing for the retention of acidity in the wines.

While the Gamay grape variety is undoubtedly the star of Morgon wines, some white grape varieties are permitted in the final blend, namely Chardonnay, Aligote and Melon de Bourgogne. Although there are no officially defined quantities for these varieties, the Morgon blend is controlled by limiting the proportion of these vines that are permitted in the vineyard to no more than 15%.

Road Trips to the Best Pennsylvania Wineries

Faithful readers of this wine blog may remember my effusive praise last year of what I consider to be the best winery in Pennsylvania -Va La Vineyards in Avondale in southeastern Chester County near the Delaware border.  Although my opinion has not changed on that particular producer, there are several others within a day's drive of Philadelphia that are doing a fine job of producing quality wines and deserve a look-see if you're in the mood for a road trip, especially on a fair, sunny day when you have a hankering to get out of Dodge.

By the way, October happens to be Pennsylvania Wine Month. See the link below for further information: 

https://pennsylvaniawine.com/wine-month/

On a recent weekend, I made an excursion out to Lewisburg, PA, home of Bucknell University as well as the Federal Penitentiary, but my primary destination was Fero Vineyards and Winery, which is just a few miles north of town off highway 15.  http://www.ferovineyards.com/ 

 

 

I had first learned about Fero a few years ago at the Wine & Jazz Festival at Longwood Gardens where I sampled an ancient Old World grape originating in Georgia and which is rapidly becoming the varietal du jour in various US wine regions, including the Finger Lakes. I was immediately struck by this unusually dark and exotic red wine, not least because of its production in, of all places, a somewhat obscure and off-the-beaten track winery in Central Pennsylvania.  Obviously, they knew something I didn't (but have now sampled and studied at length), and in fact, they were the first to plant the Saperavi grape in the Eastern US.  (Apparently, some upstart in Oregon beat them to it by just a matter of months.)





Alas!  The winery is currently out of stock of the Saperavi because of limited supply and high demand, but I made sure I got the waiting list for the 2017 vintage when it is released sometime in the not too distant future.  In the meantime, there is plenty more to sample and enjoy at this small, but charming winery.  On the wine list in the photo above, you will see their current selection of dry whites and reds, along with a rosé and a few bubblies.  I especially liked the Gruner Veltliner, an Austrian white varietal which is rapidly gaining traction in Pennsylvania as almost a flagship grape, and the Lemberger, also an Austrian varietal, alternatively known as Blaufrankisch in the Old World.  The other dry varietals they produce, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, are definitely worth a taste and reflect the overall fine quality coming out of this small, family-run winery.  They also produce semi-sweet and sweet wines, which include fruit wines and flavorings as well as native grape varietals such as Niagara, for the less discriminating palate.  During the warm spring and summer months, there is live music on the weekends, another incentive for the long drive out to Central PA.

The next day, I wound my way back across route 80 and down 309 past Tamaqua toward Allentown and made a turn-off towards the tiny hamlet of Andreas seeking out another winery I had heard very positive reports about.  In fact, Galen Glen Winery (pronounced 'Gay-len')   http://www.galenglen.com/main.html is perched high above the rolling hills on the western edges of the Lehigh Valley, a mile or two north of Andreas. It boasts an absolutely beautiful setting enhanced by virtual 360 degree views of the sloping vineyards, cornfields and forests surrounding the tasting rooms and wine shop.  









Not only does the tasting room take advantage of the natural beauty of the surroundings with windows facing the vineyards below, but there is also an outside patio behind and below the visitor center where you may enjoy a glass or two while enjoying the view. (And they also offer a very nice cheese and charcuterie plate as you see below.)

 




But enough about the setting, let's talk about the wine!

Galen Glen, like Fero, produces a very fine Gruner Veltliner. In fact, I would rate this Austrian varietal as the best Pennsylvania has to offer, even a notch above Fero's.  Beautifully well-balanced, and crisp with notes of white grapefruit and passion fruit, Galen's gruner is a delightful, refreshing white wine that perks up the taste buds and whets the appetite for shellfish or light seafood. It is perhaps just a tad more fruit-driven than most of its minerally Austrian counterparts, but in a blind tasting it might prove difficult to distinguish between the Old World and New World - certainly the quality of the Galen is on the order of the Austrian wine.

Following in the Austrian tradition, Galen also produces a Zweigelt Rosé. This may be the first rosé of the red Austrian varietal I've sampled as typically they are vinified into straight red wine.  As I've noted in a previous blog post, Zweigelt is an hybrid of Saint-Laurent and Blaufrankisch, two of the most widely grown grapes in Austria.

As for other dry white wines, Galen also produces good quality Riesling and Gewurztraminer, similar in style to its compatriots to the north in the Finger Lakes.

The reds include Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Chambourcin, this last one being a very popular varietal in Pennsylvania, and Galen's version I found to be definitely one of the better ones I've tasted from the Keystone State.  Years ago, when I first sampled a Pennsylvania Chambourcin, I found it to be rather thin, with little depth or complexity, and rather astringent to the point of being almost unpleasant. The Galen chambourcin was nicely balanced, round, with intense cherry and blackberry flavors accompanied by delicate herbal notes and fine tannins.  This French-American hybrid, which is actually not found much anymore in France, has come a long way in the last few decades in Pennsylvania.

I should add that the price points for these wines are relatively easy on the wallet, all of them coming in under $20. 

In addition to the tasting experience, Galen offers a walking tour of the vineyards - usually once a week during the warm months, and for all you wine geeks, it's definitely worth the time and extra charge. In fact, for the extra $5 you get a glass of wine to sip as you meander through the vineyards, and you even get to take a look at the Rube-Goldberg type bottling machine that was directly imported from France.






On our tour, we also got to witness the unloading of the grapes for destemming and crushing assisted by one of the winery's owners.  And Russell, the dog, faithfully keeps away any undesirable moochers!

 



All in all, a visit to Galen Glen is the perfect antidote to the hustle and bustle of the big city, and offers a pleasant and peaceful respite from the busy-ness of the daily work routine.  For wine lovers, there nothing like enjoying the fruit of the vine in its natural setting.

 



And just as a reminder, for a jaunt in the other direction from Philadelphia, 15-20 minutes past Longwood Gardens, be sure to visit the winery that got my vote for Pennsylania's best, Va La Vineyards, and which I reported on last year in this blog.  http://www.valavineyards.com/  

http://phillywineguy.blogspot.com/2017/10/best-winewinery-in-pennsylvania.html

For the true connoisseur of terroir-driven wines, Va La represents the epitome of quality and complexity in this corner of the state.

 

 

5th Annual Back Porch Wine Bash - France vs. Croatia - a World Cup Rematch

A few weekends ago friends gathered chez moi for my 5th Annual Back Porch Wine Bash.  The theme this year was a rematch of the World Cup final back in July - France vs. Croatia. Needless to say, France overwhelmed Croatia just in terms of volume and number of bottles, but tiny Croatia put up a good fight with a few intriguing and powerful whites and reds.  These require extra sleuthing to find in the wine stores, but are worth the effort!

The weather gods granted us a break this year as it turned out to be one of the most pleasant weekends of the whole summer - lots of sunshine, comfortable temps and low humidity.

Here's wishing everyone a beautiful fall season and look out for  my class at the Mt Airy Learning Tree in October and November featuring Cru Beaujolais wines!

https://aceweb.mtairylearningtree.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=18FCK09A

https://aceweb.mtairylearningtree.org/CourseStatus.awp?&course=18FCK09B

 



Xavier Vignon Ventoux  (Southern Rhone)




Zlatan Otok

 

Quality dry wine made from native grape varieties, among which dominate bogdanuša, PRC, Mekuja and Cetinka from areas of Milna, Zavala and Hvar. Aged in stainless steel tanks until bottling. Golden yellow color, lemon and green apple aroma with a pronounced acidity. Fresh and easy to drink.

Alcohol 12.5%




Christian Salmon Sancerre  (Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley, France)

 



Zaca Mesa Syra Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara County, Calif - not French but very tasty!)





L'Aumérade, Cotes de Provence Rosé


















The true identity of the Croatian imposter revealed!