(WINE) VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE

Do high brow connoisseurs ever get tired of their daily diet of First Growth Bordeaux, California Trophy Cabs or Grand Crus Burgundies? I would. How about the financially challenged drinker who has found a refuge inside the House of Two Buck Chuck? How long can s/he last in this Cabzinchardonnay triangle? Sooner or later you turn, heaven forbid, to beer or to my blog.

There is more good wine from obscure varieties and areas out there than ever before. Fashions come and go. Today's "go-to-wine" (please, help me banish this expression!), is tomorrow's old hat. But quality endures, no matter what fashion dictates. One caveat. We are dealing here with some odd birds. Still, tracking them down is worth your while.

ALTO ADIGE (ITALY): Land of the Dolomites with a hybrid Italian/Tyrolian culture.

     LAGREIN: Indigenous red variety, once only thought to be suitable for Rose. The beast has been tamed and in the right hands now yields delicious red wines.
Recommendation: Cantina Convento Muri-Gries - This monastery's Lagrein vineyards are considered of "grand cru" quality. Check winesearcher.com - "Lagrein." Entry level $15. I tasted their outstanding "Riserva" at the recent Gambero Rosso "Tre Bicchieri" tasting.

     TRAMINER: The slightly less pungent progenitor of Gewuerztraminer, hailing from the village of Tramin/Tramino in Alto Adige.
Recommendation: Kellerei Tramin/Cantina Tramino (winesearcher.com)

CAMPANIA (ITALY): We are moving from the extreme North of Italy to the very South of the boot.

     GRECO: Noble, indigenous white variety, likely of Greek origin by way of Greek colonists who settled in the South of Italy during antiquity.
Recommendation: Cantina Leonardi Taurasi "Grecomusc'." Tasted at Biondivino, San Francisco's premier purveyor of Italian wines (biondivino.com) or check with the importer (omwines.com). Straight out delicious! Not that cheap, but a real treat.

BURGUNDY (FRANCE): The really exalted stuff, White (Chardonnay) and Red (Pinot Noir), is now the privilege of those who hide their money in offshore accounts or Swiss banks.

     ALIGOTE: Indigenous white grape, junior to the ubiquitous Chardonnay, higher in acidity than the latter, yielding delicious wines if the weather plays along.
Recommendation: K&L Wines (KLWines.com)  usually carries two different Aligotes -around $15

LOIRE (FRANCE): This is the black hole of the French winescape that deserves a special blog.

     CHENIN BLANC: Indigenous, noble grape variety of the region. It comes in all styles: bone dry, semi-sweet, and sweet, all age worthy in good years. Make sure you get the style you prefer. Best known appellations are Vouvray, Savennieres, and Montlouis.

Recommendation: Check out inventory at KLWines.com. Some Loire Chenins can be yours for around $15.

     CABERNET FRANC: One of the minor grape varieties of Bordeaux has found a home in the Loire Valley. Try to be the first one on your block to actually like the wines made from CF. I am a huge fan, but most of the Cab drinkers I know can't wrap their heads around it. If you are not bothered by herbal aromatics, this is for you. Good vintages age magnificently. Major appellations are Chinon and Bourgueil.
Recommendation: Major purveyors are Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant (kermitlynch.com) and KLWines.com. $15 will get you a good bottle.

THERMENREGION (AUSTRIA): Small wine district southwest of Vienna with high standards.

     ZIERFANDLER-ROTGIPFLER: Don't even try to pronounce these teutonic tongue twisters. These indigenous varieties are usually blended and have long been the source of a highly regarded wine called "Gumpoldskirchner." It's a rich, well-balanced white with lots of body and a spicy aroma.
Recommendation: Only place I ever saw it in the San Fransco Bay Area was at KLWines.com. Costs between $15 and $20. Also check with Biondivino (biondivino.com). The owner, Ceri Smith, specializes in Italian wines, but is also fond of Austrian varieties.

NEUSIEDLER SEE AND BURGENLAND (AUSTRIA): Both districts are southeast of Vienna where continental climate prevails (i.e. hot, dry summers, very cold winters).

     BLAUFRAENKISCH: Reds of real character with good acidity. Entry level bottles ($15) are for early consumption.
Recommendation: Good selection at KLWines.com

      RUSTER AUSBRUCH : Rust is an adorable, quaint town near the Neusiedler Lake. Ausbruch is not a grape but a noble dessert wine which is enjoying a revival. Furmint, the variety used to make the great Tokaj wines, was once widely grown around Rust and wineries are increasing plantings of this noble grape. This might be the best deal in botrytis (noble rot) affected sweet wines out there.
Recommendation: Check winesearcher.com. Not exactly a cheapy, but one 500ml bottle will provide a great dessert for six.

BORDEAUX BASICS: THE REDS

"Appellation Controlée: Bordeaux" 

 Multiple plate etching by the Wine Meister

THE SETTING

Bordeaux is the world's largest quality wine district and offers an amazing range of red wines, priced from ten dollars per bottle to over a thousand from the top chateaux. However, almost all Bordeaux reds have one thing in common. They are blends of grape varieties indigenous to the region: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The first two varieties are by far the most planted ones and dominate the blends.

While California introduced varietal labeling (e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon) to the wine world, France is largely sticking to a "terroir" system. French law in most cases doesn't permit varietal labeling, which may baffle consumers.

"Bordeaux" is the huge wine district in Southwest France along the Rivers Dordogne and Garonne, which eventually join to form the Gironde. The Gironde estuary is bordered by the largest sub district, the Medoc, where the premier grape variety is Cabernet Sauvignon. Just before the confluence of the rivers lies Bordeaux, France's second largest city and the hub of the wine region.

The range in price and (presumably) quality begins with "Bordeaux," and continues with "Bordeaux Superior," "Medoc," "Haut-Medoc," and "Graves." The wines of the Medoc were classified in 1855 from First Growth (e.g. Chateau Lafite) to Fifth Growth (e.g. Lynch-Bages) according  to the prices the chateaux fetched for their wines at the time. The top dogs from 1855 still occupy their positions, but much of the classification is now dated. However, being part of the classification still delivers prestige and higher price points.

St. Emilion and Pomerol along the Garonne River are superb wine communes where Merlot is king. They were not included in the 1855 classification, but have earned their laurels by sheer dint of quality. More recently, some "junior" appellations like "Cote de Blaye" and "Canon Fronsac" have seen dramatic increases in quality.

VINTAGES

Unlike California, where growers once claimed that "every vintage is a good vintage," Bordeaux vintages vary greatly in quality. While many California wineries strive to increase the prices of their Cabs no matter what, Bordeaux wines are less expensive in lesser vintages.

If a "lesser" vintage is still very good, but stands in the shadow of a "great" vintage, it's time for the bargain hunter to get active. Perfect examples are the 2008 and 2009 Bordeaux vintages. Critics and Chateaux owners alike have declared the 2009 a "Vintage of the Century," the latter to fleece the consumer. In contrast, the 2008's are approachable early, absolutely delicious and a lot less expensive.


2008 VINTAGE

I got my first taste of  2008's at a March tasting at the San Francisco Wine Club (ten dollars for the tasting) and I was impressed. Prices ranged from fifteen dollars to ninety dollars per bottle. The wines were expertly presented by Bordeaux specialist Victoire Touton (www.aquitainewine.com).

Yes, you often get what you pay for, but there were already some very nice wines in the eighteen to twenty-six dollar range. I liked Chateau Le Conseiller (Bordeaux Superior) - $18, Chateau Doyac (Haut Medoc) - $18, Chateau D'Aiguile (Cotes de Castillon) - $26, Chateau de Sales (Pomerol) - $26, Chateau Vrai Canon Bouche (Canon Fronsac) - $26.

"Chateau La Confession"(St. Emilion) at  $37 was great, approachable now, but will be even better with a few years of cellaring.

A highly rated Chateau of the Graves district, "Chateau Haut-Bailly" (Pessac-Leagnon) at $90, more than lived up to its reputation. Their '08 is a fabulous wine.

However, if you were intent on getting the 2009 "Vintage of the Century" Haut-Bailly as a pre-arrival (you give the wine merchant an interest free loan until the wine arrives), you will pay on average around $130 and only time will tell whether the '08 at $90 or the '09 at $130 is going to be the better wine.

UNDER THE RADAR

In an article called "Savoring the Soulful Side of Bordeaux," Eric Asimov of the New York Times mentions among others Chateau Lanessan (Haut-Medoc) - priced at about $20 (Premier Wine Company, Richmond, California) and Chateau de Bellevue (Lussac-St.-Emilion) - around $25 (Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, California). They are best at around ten years of age and vintages going back ten years are often available. As Asimov says and I certainly agree, they show the soulful side of Bordeaux (at down to earth prices).