PLANET SYRAH/SHIRAZ

"The peoples of the Mediterranean began to emerge from barbarism when they learnt to cultivate the olive and the vine," wrote the Greek historian Thucydides at the end of the fifth century BC.

Homer describes how Odysseus used wine as a secret weapon after he and his men were captured by the one-eyed monster Polyphemus, who devoured his companions one by one.

Our hero offered Polyphemus strong wine as a digestif. The beverage put the monster into a deep sleep. Odysseus then grabbed a burning log, gouged out the eye of the monster, and escaped with his surviving comrades.

When Greece emerged from the shadows of her heroic age, Greek city states began to colonize the islands of the Aegean Sea and the coast of Asia Minor. Soon, Greek colonies were also founded in Sicily, on the Italian coast, and further west, all the way to Spain.

The first Greek colony in Southern France was established by the Phocaeans, Greeks from Lydia in Asia Minor. They founded Massalia, today's Marseilles at the mouth of the Rhone River. This was a stroke of genius. It gave Massalia control of the route up the Rhone and across France to the tin mines of southern England.

It's easy to imagine that Greek traders from Massalia carried with them wine in amphorae or wine skins to buy the good will of the Gallic tribes through whose territories they needed to travel. If the Great Vase of Vix, found in the grave of a Burgundian princess, and standing seven feet high, with a capacity of 1,200 liters, is any indication of Celtic thirst, it must have been mighty indeed.

It's quite likely that the Phocaens of Massalia began to establish vineyards along the Rhone soon after their arrival. Since they had come from Asia Minor, where they had lived cheek to cheek with the expanding Persian empire, it's really not that far fetched to imagine that among the vine cuttings that they brought with them was the Syrah (Shiraz), named after the Persian city of Shiraz. Historical records indicate, that Syrah has been the red grape of the vineyards along the hillsides of the northern Rhone since time immemorial.

In our own time, the importance of Syrah has been rapidly increasing in France's largest vineyard, Languedoc-Roussillon.

My friends Karen Turner, an Australian native and husband Emmanuel Pageot, both  gifted wine growers and vintners, have recently started a small winery in Gabian en Languedoc near historic Pezenas. Their Syrahs and Grenaches are the absolute purest expressions of these grapes I've ever encountered. Should their wines be symptomatic of the future quality of Languedoc wines, we are indeed in for some treats.

In the 17th. century, Syrah found a new, distant home on the hillsides of the Dutch Cape colony in South Africa. Thence the grape was taken to Australia 150 years ago, where it found a congenial haven and it has repaid this favor many times over.

In Australia, Shiraz/Syrah is the premier red grape. There it's often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, a signature blend of Australia. By consensus, one of the world's greatest wines is Penfold's Shiraz-based "Grange Hermitage."

On account of the "Rhone Rangers" of California, Syrah achieved some notoriety in the state, but the new-oak-craze (NOC) of California vintners prevents Syrah from establishing a distinct identity. However, it's never over until the fat lady sings. Unoaked Chardonnays are popping up right and left. Maybe Syrah producer will follow in their footsteps.

Etching by the Wine Meister, "Appellation Controlée:Rhone"

NORTHERN RHONE

Only recently have the Syrah wines of the Northern Rhone become members of the galaxy of French über wines and the usual hype of importers and critics of wine (HIACOW) has driven prices through the roof.

COTE - ROTIE: Wine geeks like to blab about their "epiphany" wines. Now it's my turn. Two of the best wines I've ever drunk came from the the great Syrah vineyards of the Northern Rhone.

The "Cote-Rotie" (roasted slope), the northern most Syrah appellation, was the origin of one of my "epiphany wines." It was a 1982 Cote-Rotie from a hill side called "Cote Brune." This outstanding wine came from the cellars of Marius Gentaz of the Gentaz - Dervieux family. When Marius Gentaz passed away, unfortunately no one in the family was willing to soldier on.  I have been told that most of his plots are now in the hands of Rene Rostaing, Gentaz' nephew.

For quite some time, Domaine Guigal with its single vineyard Cote Roties "La Ladonne" and "La Mouline" ($300!) has been sitting on the pinnacle of the appellation. Thanks, Guigal, for having introduced new oak and outrageous prices to Cote Rotie.

For less expensive examples ($50 and up) look no further than the producers that my good friends Anna Maria Knapp and Vernon Jacobs list in their aptly named volume "The Cheapskate's Guide to Wine." They recommend the domaines Jamet, Francois Villard and Burgaud. One may also consider the domaines of Rostaing, Ogier, Barge, Champet, and Jasmin.

There has been a string of good to very good vintages from 2001 to 2009. Cote Rotie needs to be cellared five to ten years to reach its full potential.

HERMITAGE: When John Livingston-Learmonth and Melvin Master, two British wine writers, published the first modern, authoritative book of the wines of the Rhone in 1978, the fad of seeking out salt-of-the-earth, "small growers,"was already in full swing.

The firm of Chapoutier has long been one of the largest producers and wine dealers of Rhone wines. Max Chapoutier, then the head of the firm, a man of very small stature, wanted everybody to like his wines and "was visibly disappointed when one has the ill grace to mention a small grower who perhaps is making better wine. Up he leaps from his seat - 'Well, if you like small growers so much, what about me?' - and his diminutive frame darts around the side of his desk."

While Max was in charge, some of the wines were offered as non-vintage wines, allowing the blending of different vintages. His non-vintage Hermitage "La Sizeranne" was the greatest Hermitage I've ever tasted.

His son now cultivates the firm's vineyards biodynamically. When I researched an article on biodynamics  in 2007, I got to taste a slew of his extremely expensive wines and I thought them to be embarrassingly pedestrian. Wine critiques swoon over his wines. But so what. The truth lies in the bottle. The only wine I liked was a cheap Viognier from the Ardeche region, testimony to my deficient palate.

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave (vintners since 1432!) is the uncrowned king of Hermitage ($200) Although I had purchased their wines from the 1982 and 1983 vintages when they were still affordable, none of them ever came close to that bottle of "La Sizeranne" from diminutive Max Chapoutier.

Fellow Hermits such as Delas, Faurie, Sorrel, and Belle charge less for their wines and there is even a Co-op in the town of Tain that wine writer Hugh Johnson recommends, especially a cuvée called "Gambert de Loche."

Red Hermitage in good years needs to be cellared for a good number of years and is one of the longest lasting wines in the world.

CROZES-HERMITAGE: This is supposed to be the poor man's Hermitage. Until recently, the wines, however, were mostly undrinkable. I am happy to report that there has been an upswing in quality. Still, it continues to be the least memorable Syrah appellation of the Northern Rhone.

Good producers are Belle, Y. Chave, Domaines de Columbier. Crozes is available for around $20

ST. JOSEPH: The St. Joseph appellation runs along the Rhone for over 60 kilometers. The best wine villages are around the small town of  Tournon-sur-Rhone.

My introduction to Syrah from the Rhone happened to be a delicious bottle of St. Joseph from the Domaine Raymond Trollat. Trollat retired some years later and nobody in the family was willing to carry on.

I had became intrigued by Syrah after reading John Livingston's book and one day I checked out the Northern Rhone Syrah selections at Kermit Lynch in Berkeley. I was eying the bottles from Cote-Rotie, Hermitage, and Cornas. Not sure what to buy, I flagged down a grumpy employee, who got more and more annoyed with me when I expressed surprise, that all these wines needed lengthy cellaring.

The guy finally stormed off in a huff, grabbed a bottle of Domaine Trollat St. Joseph and stuck it in my face. "Here, if you don't have the patience to let wines mature, take this, for God's sake."

Best thing he could have done. This was the beginning of a lasting love affair with the Syrahs from the Northern Rhone.The wine was dark purple and had a heady bouquet of black currents and raspberries. I was thrilled how easy it went down and how well it paired with hearty dishes.

For the few of us who still eat meat, a leg of lamb is the perfect spoil for great Syrah. This is the recommendation of the cheapskates Anna Maria and Vernon. The hunter of venison, boar, and game birds would do well, to combine his cooked prey with a bottle of Syrah.

Since the St, Joseph appellation has hugely expanded, it's important to select carefully. Currently, my favorite producer is P. Faury, whose delicious St. Joseph costs around $30. Other producers of note are B. Gripa, Domaine de Cheze, Gaillard, and Gonon.

CORNAS: Syrah from Cornas is "the most ample, enormous-bodied wine" (Livingston) of the Northern Rhone. The slopes of its cultivation can only be worked manually and led many growers to abandon viticulture in favor of fruit growing. Attempts to grow vines on the lower, more accessible slopes, delivered wines of inferior quality.

Most Cornas need at least six to eight years to become approachable.

Good growers of Cornas are Auguste Clape, Tierry-Allemand, Balthazar, and Noel Verset.
Cornas will cost between $50 and $80.

AUSTRALIA

For most of Australia's wine history, Shriaz (Syrah) has held pride of place among its other varieties (e.g. Riesling , Semillon). Let me remind you that one of the greatest wines in the world is the Syrah-based Penfold's Grange Hermitage.

Vines were planted in Australia immediately after the arrival of the first English fleet with its cargo of convicts in 1788. The convicts, often just petty thieves and pick pockets from London's East End, had saved their necks by opting to spend the rest of their lives in the penal colony.

Shiraz has been cultivated in Australia since 1837, when cuttings of the variety where brought to the antipodes from the vineyards of the Cape of Good Hope.

Unlike North America, almost all of Australia enjoys a Mediterranean climate, and is suitable for vine cultivation. Until the modernization of wine making that began in California, Australia produced mostly "dessert" wines, that bore some resemblance to Port and Sherry.

Temperature controlled fermentation of white wines revolutionized the wine industry and whites became even more popular than reds. Within one generation, Australia became a wine drinking country with a consumption per person that is twice that of Britain and thrice that of the United States.

Nearly 70% of Australia's wine production is of everyday quality.The wines at the top end of the market were refined with technical wizardry. Lacking any kind of appellation system, open competition at numerous wine shows became essential to spur on amazing leaps in quality.

South Australia with its capital Adelaide is the heart of Shiraz country. Barossa Valley, Clare Valley and Coonawarra produce some of the greatest Shiraz in Australia.

Back in 2000, I participated in my first blind tasting of quality Shiraz. The wines topped out at $55 and looking at my notes now, there was not a single wine from the eight bottle line-up that I found below par. A bottle of 1997 Shiraz from Kilikanoon (Clare) for $30 was my favorite wine, although it came in last in the tasting (you got to be willing to stick your neck out and be made fun of). The winner was a 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend, Penfold's Bin 389, that I had ranked last. If anything, I like consistency.

In 2003 my "Uptown" wine group tasted some high end Australian Shiraz, that one of our members had personally searched out on location. Prices ranged from $25 to $105. For once I agreed with the group and placed the 2001 Kaesler "Old Bastard" from Barossa Valley ($105) in first place, and it wasn't just because of the name. The group ranked the $25 Possum's Shiraz second. Sad to say that the wringer, a Pax Cellars Syrah Castelli-Knight from the Russian River Valley in California ($42) came in last in my rankings and the group ranked it 7th. The groups least favorite wine was the Jasper Hill Georgia's Paddock from Heathcote that cost $72. There you have it. The Possum beat the the much more expensive Paddock.

I was blown away by the tasting. These were different creatures from the Rhone Syrahs that I had come to love. Still, I couldn't but admire elegance combined with power, that the top wines exhibited.

Several years later, we tasted the exact same wines again. They were still good, but a noticeable decline had already set in.

My Australian spies recommend the following Shiraz should you not belong to the 1%ers, which of course is your own damn fault.

LESS THAN $10: Mike Press Wines Adelaide Hills Shiraz, Angoves Butterfly Ridge Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon ( Shiraz with Cab is a unique Australian signature blend), Yalumba Oxford Landing Shiraz,
Jacob's Creek Shiraz, Lindemans Bin 50 Shiraz.

$10 TO $20: Rosemount Shiraz/Cabernet, Yalumba Barossa Shiraz/Viognier, Knappstein Clare Valley Shiraz.

Huon Hooke, wrote the Australian chapter of the 2009 Wine Report. The final "t"  in "Report" is silent as this project has the blessing of Stephen Colbert. Hooke's best Shiraz bargains are as follows: Lindeman's "Reserve Shiraz," Penny's Hill "Red Dot Shiraz/Viognier," and Yalumba "Barossa Shiraz/Viognier."

For 1%ers, Australian Shiraz top out with Penfolds Grange Bin 95 at $500.

CALIFORNIA

Are the Rhone Rangers still riding high? Yes and no. Yes, they still have their yearly Rhone Ranger tasting, but few California Syrah producers seem to understand that you shouldn't smother the aromatics of this great grape with excessive amounts of new oak. All you get then is just another powerful red that could be a Cab or a Zin, or whatever.

This is indeed a sad state of affairs, considering that California has the ideal climate and soils for this once very hip grape. Pinot Noir is now the vin du jour and Syrah has been relegated to the margins. I believe this will not change until producers drink a couple of Syrahs from the Northern Rhone and find out how Syrah is vinified there.

By the way, "Petite Sirah" is a totally different animal and was once used as blending juice to give structure to blowsy Zins. Varietal P.S. wines were often painfully tannic, but some growers now know how to tame the beast.

Santa Barbara American Viticultural Area (AVA) and the Monterey AVA: Vintners appear to be suffering less from NOC. Excellent Syrah producers are Ojai, Andrew Murry, Aubin Cellars, Harrison Clarke, Jorian Hill, Qupe, Rusack, and Zaka Mesa.

Some of these recommendations come from Magid Nazari, owner of Ludig's  fine Wine and Cigar store in beautiful downtown San Anselmo. He is one of the few owners of a wine store who personally tastes all his selections. Luckily, he doesn't seem to smoke all the incredibly tempting smelling cigars that rest in his walk-in humidor. If so, I imagine he would be on life support by now.

Napa Valley AVA: Joseph Phelps, world renown producer of "Insignia" Cabernet, and in tandem with his winemaker Walter Schug were early Syrah pioneers indeed. Their first Syrah grapes came from the Christian Brothers, and since 1978 from Phelps' own vineyards. Phelps now produces a whole line of excellent Rhone style wines, blends and varietals under the brand name "Vin du Mistral."
Jade  Mountain Winery, Signorello, Truchard are also good producers.

Sonoma AVA: Geyser Peak

"Downtown Wine Country," (mostly Berkeley and Oakland): Edmonds St. John

Russian River AVA: Dehlinger Winery. This Pinot Noir specialist is obviously multi-talented, making great Syrah. His former winemaker, Fred Scherrer produces a slew of excellent wines and his Syrah follows the Dehlinger model.

Sonoma Coast: Radio Coteau

WASHINGTON STATE

The 2012 Hugh Johnson Pocket Guide to Wine selected 57 wineries that represent Washington and Idaho. 20 out of these 57 have earned recognition in the guide for their Syrahs. That's more than a quarter of all the wineries. Something is brewing in the Southwest when it comes to Syrah. We can only hope that the producers up there do not suffer from the oak disease like many of their California colleagues.

K-Vintners with its "Syrah The Beautiful" seems to be leading the pack. Charles Smith, the owner of the winery is listed as one of the "Fastest Improving Producers" in the 2009 "Wine Report"

Other notable producers: Alexandria Nicole Cellars, Barnard Griffin, Basel Cellars, Betz, and Columbia Winery.

My "Northern Spy," who creates art and runs a restaurant on beautiful Lopez Island, one of the St. Juan Islands, recommends Reynvaan ($30-40), and Willow Crest ($9) on the opposite end of the spectrum. Then there is Andrew Rich of Oregon, who makes Syrah with Washington State grapes ($18)

Columbia Crest is likely to be the bargain hunter's paradise.

Minimal plantings are experimented with in Argentina. There is even some credible Syrah coming out of some hot spots in old Deutschland.

Okay, get thee to your wine merchant and crack open a bottle of good Syrah with supper tonight, now that winter is finally upon us.

Hiatus

I looked up the word “hiatus.” It’s Latin for “yawn, showing fatigue or boredom. Does this explain my absence from the wine scene? Kind of.

What energized me to attempt a comeback were the anguished queries that I received from fans all over the world.
EXHIBIT A: My daughter sent an e-mail from Peru (“Dad, what’s wrong with you?”)
EXHIBIT B: My wine buddies were annoyed because they had fewer opportunities to make fun of me.

Further more:
The great Brillat-Savarin prefaces his book "La Physiology du Gout" with twenty aphorisms of which the ninth one reads as follows: "The discovery of a new dish enhances humankind's happiness more than the discovery of a star." Paraphrasing the brilliant Brillatt's aphorism one might say that if those who create misery in the world consumed a decent amount of good wine, we all might be better off.


                    WINE BASICS: PINOT NOIR AND ITS DISCONTENTS

Wine makers refer to it as “the heartbreak grape" because it’s so finical in vineyard and winery. What about my heartbreak? I have had so many bad or mediocre Pinot Noirs, mostly from its home turf, Burgundy, France, that I’m almost ready to throw in the towel and abnegate.

Then again, when you look at Wine Meister’s biography, one of the epiphanies that caused his infatuation with wine were the Burgundies of Robert Chevillon from Nuits-St. George.

No way I could afford them today. You may think Wine Meister is succumbing to “the politics of envy,” because the poor slob can no longer afford good wine.

Well yes, sort of. We 99%ers have been shut out of the market for really good wines by the incessant hype of wine critics and importers, but admittedly, also by small supply and increasing demand.

BURGUNDY: It's a waste of money to buy Burgundies unless you have tasted them before purchase.

Of recent vintages, 2005 is considered very good and some of the wines should be approachable now. Subsequent years are good as well, and 2009 is deemed exceptional.

"Appellation Controlée: Burgundy" - Etching by the Wein Meister

1999 was supposed to be a super year, nevertheless, I feel I got burnt. Yet, I enjoyed a superb ’99 bottle of Burgundy the other night. Finding a good Burgundy is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

If you are a 99%er, best to check out wines from the less exalted Burgundy villages like Savigny-les –Beaune (Domaine Bize & Fils, Domaine Ecard Pere et Fils), Mercurey, Santenay, Comblanchien for Cote de Nuits-Villages, Pernand-Vergelesse, Fixin (try Domaine Bruno Claire), Ladoix, Givry (Domaine Joblot), etc..

They won’t transport you to Pinot heaven like a Musigny or a Grand Echezaux, but at least they will give you an idea what a Pinot Noir from its home turf tastes like. Don't be turned off by some funky smells. It's part of the Pinot experience and known as "barnyard" in polite society, while the natives call it approvingly "c'est de la merde."

Despite my misgivings, but still looking for the holy grail, I went to a 2009 Burgundy tasting at the San Francisco Wine Trading Company two weekends ago and I was aghast. The pricier Pinots ($65  - $90) would surely blow anything made in California out of the water.

But let me begin with the less expensive ones. We started off with a delightful Chardonnay (the white grape of Burgundy) that had a pretty nose, good balance, a touch of oak, and impressive length. This comes from the Co-op of Buzy, Cote Chalonnaise "Buisonnier" at the southern end of the Cote de Beaune and sells for $15.

The first Pinot from the village of Mercurey had some good attributes, but very high acidity and lacked fruit ($33). Next was a Domaine R. Dubois, Hautes - Cote de Nuits with that notorious Burgundy "stink" in the bouquet, nice balance, good fruit and good to very good length for all of $19.

Stepping up to the pricier ones was a revelation. First came the Domaine Chevillon, Nuits-Saint-Georges "Vieilles Vignes" (old vines). It had a light ruby, brilliant color, a superb Pinot nose with wonderful, crisp, raspberry, cherry, and strawberry smells. On the palate it was wonderfully balanced, with great fruit, and very good length ($65).

Next up was the Domaine Henri Gouges, Nuits-Sant -Georges "Les Chaignots" Premier Cru for $84. It resembled the Chevillon, but it had ripe tannins, indicating that this was built to last. Then we were back to Domaine Robert Chevillon with another Nuits-Saint-Georges "Les Chaignots" Premier Cru  for $90. This had a really intense Pinot nose, wonderful balance between fruit and acidity, and very good length. In my book, these were non (ne?) plus ultra Pinots.

I am asking for contributions, so I can go out and buy some of these wines. All the reds were light, almost rose-like which is not unusual for Burgundies.

CALIFORNIA: Andre Tchelitstcheff (1901 - 1994), the most celebrated winemaker of the post-prohibition California wine industry, made legendary Beaulieu Vineyards Cabernets, but he considered his 1946 Pinot Noir the best wine he had ever made.

Martin Ray (1905 – 76), a post World War II California wine pioneer had this to say about the difficulty of making good Pinot in California: “To begin with, if it’s grown anywhere other than in Region I (i.e. the coolest locales such as Russian River Valley, Carneros, Santa Cruz Mountains), and possibly even then, it doesn't produce sufficient acidity. That's the big problem. It turns brown when it's a year or so old."

Andre Tchelistcheff of Beaulieu Vineyards

Thankfully, California Pinots have radically improved since. There are plenty of decent  to very good California Pinots around, but generally the lack of acidity does not make them “keepers." Prices have gone through the roof in part thanks to a silly movie called "Sideways."

More beef -  California Pinots are often over extracted and have very high alcohol. They often reek of new oak.  Yes, top notch Burgundies in good years are aged in new oak, but eventually the wood harmonizes with the other components of the wine.

There is an effort underway to push Pinot Noir vineyards ever closer to the Sonoma coast to get grapes with higher acidity levels and lower yields. Let’s hope the brave souls who battle the elements  out there will succeed.

PERSONAL FAVORITES (none of them cheap): RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY: Dehlinger, Scherrrer, Wesmar, Lynmar.  CARNEROS: Etude,  ANDERSON VALLEY: Navarro. SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS: Mount Eden Vineyards. SANTA BARBARA COUNTY: Au Bon Climat,  Melville, Sanford. MONTEREY COUNTY: Calera, Chalone.

OREGON: Pinot Noir is the signature grape of Oregon.  Until the 1970’s there was no history of wine growing in the state. The Oregon Pinot Noir craze was initiated by California haters who studied oenology at Davis in the the late 60s-early 70's and headed for greener pasture up north.

The climate of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the heart of Pinot country, can be a curse or a blessing. In good years its Pinots highlight the bright fruit of the Northwest Pacific, balanced with good acidity. With rain during harvest come rot and diluted juice, and only the most conscientious growers will produce acceptable wines.

Today's top estates for Pinots are Adelsheim, Cooper Mountain, Drouhin, Serene, Erath, King, Penner-Ash, Ponzi, Rex Hill and Sokol Blossor.

2008 is considered a very good year, while 06 was showered with accolades.

AUSTRALIA: Among all the Shirazes, Grenaches, and Cabs, Pinots seem like an afterthought. Please, let me know if you run into one. My Australian spies play a different tune. For all of $12, they sing the praises of a 2007 De Bortoli "Windy Peak" Pinot and a De Portoli "Golf Station" Pinot from the Yarra Valley (one of the cool climate spots in Aussie land) for $18, the Scotch Man's Hill "Swans Bay Geelong " Pinot of 2006.

In the mid twenty dollar range, they extol Stonier Mornington Peninsula Pinot, Nepenthe Charleston Pinot, De Bortoli Yarra Valley Pinot and Ashton Hills Vineyard Estate 2006. Another under $30 Pinot is the Paringa Pinot Noir. In the $40's, they list the Dog Point Vineyard Pinot, the '06 Downey Vineyard Pinot, and PHI Pinot. Yabbi Lake Mornington Peninsula tops out the list at $56. The prices are those the spies found in Australian wineshops.

NEW ZEALAND: There has been some buzz about Kiwi Pinots. Since I lack experience, I rely on my NZ spies who tell me that only a handful of wineries have track records for producing good bottles in most years. Weather during harvest time can be miserable. So be sure that you select the good years.
Here are the top producers that my spies identified: Ata Rangi, Felton Road, Mt. Difficulty, Escarpment lead the pack followed by Dry River, Peregrine and to a lesser degree Bell Hill, Pyramid Valley, Two Paddocks, and Volli.

I recently tasted three Kiwi Pinots. I liked the cheapest ($14), an 2010 "Over the Edge" by Escarpment the best. The more pricey ones, bottles from Goose Bay Winery ($27) and Craggy Range "Te Muna Road" ($45)  suffered from the California disease - over the top oakyness.

GERMANY: During the middle ages, Cistercian monks brought Pinot Noir grapes from Burgundy to their new outposts outside of France. In the German speaking lands, Pinot Noir is called Spaetburgunder.
While German Pinots used to be light, insipid, fruity and slightly sweet, connoisseurship of the 1980's led some young vintners to follow their Burgundian idols and some have succeeded to a remarkable degree.

Ahr River Valley: The Ahr is a small tributary of the Rhine near Bonn, formerly the capital of West Germany. Best producers are Meyer- Naekel, Stodden, Deutzerhof. The Ahr  Valley is the most northerly place where Pinots ripen at insanely steep hillsides, carved out by the Ahr. Amazingly, 85% of the Ahr's production are reds.

Rheingau: A region famous for Rieslings, but the town of Assmanshausen produces mostly Pinots. The star producer is August Kesseler whose pricey wines are carried by DeeVine Wines, San Francisco. K&L in San Francisco occasionally carries some less expensive Rheingau producers.

Pfalz: Rebholz and Knipser are leading, but larger estates, famous for Riesling (e.g. Reichsrat von Buhl) are also producing Pinots. K&L has sold bottles of Buhl Pinots.

Rheinhessen: Weingut Keller is considered the leading German domain for whites as well as Pinots, which are available at DeeVine Wines in San Francisco. Pretty pricey stuff.

Baden: This area squeezed between Black Forest and Rhine, has one of the most benign climates in Germany and Pinots can be outstanding. These wines are hard to find, but you never know. I came upon two different bottlings of the Baden Weingut Duijn in Tucson, Arizona, of all places. Top producers are  Weingut Huber, Weingut Bercher, Weingut Salwey, Weingut Reinhod and Cornelia Schneider.

AUSTRIA: The area east of Vienna, unlike the rest of Austria, has a continental climate with hot summers and very cold winters. Red wines predominate along the Hungarian border. Most of the reds are Blaufraenkisch and Zweigelt and there has been a lot of experimentation with Bordeaux varieties (e.g. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot). Still, there is Pinot and a possibly related clone, St Laurent, that can make terrific wines. Even in areas were Riesling and Gruener Veltliner rule, some great Pinots can show up (e.g. Weingut Fred Loimer in the Kamptal).

Thermenregion: Small district South of Vienna. The wineries that produce excellent Pinots are Aumann, Biegler, Fischer, Johanneshof - Familie Reinisch.

Carnuntum: Small wine district Southeast of Vienna.  Weingut Familie Markowitsch  produces a fabulous  Pinot Noir Reserve. Walter Glatzer, who is fairly well represented in the  U.S., shines with St. Laurent "Altenberg."

Neusiedlersee: Southwest of Vienna, mostly famous for Blaufraenkisch, also produces some outstanding Pinots and the Pinot clone St. Laurent.
Leading Pinot/St. Laurent producers that I visited: Siegfried Gsellmann, Gernot & Heike Heinrich, Josef Umathum, and Wenzel.

Well, it's good to be back. Here is hoping that you are all in the best of health and that you'll have an excellent bottle with your dinner tonight.

(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).

NAPA VALLEY: APPELLATION ST. HELENA

View of the Napa Valley just below St. Helena in 1878

                                                
It has finally dawned on some California cult wineries that there is an economic downturn and that cash flow is more feasible if they lower their prices.

I used to see the Caymus Reserve Cab for the tidy sum of $180 and now you can get it for a miserly hundred bucks. Still on the steep side for a cheapskate like myself, but the tendency of prices going south is good news for consumers.

At least Caymus has an unblemished track record for its Cabs and some justification to command high prices, but there are plenty of Napa newcomers with no track record and still charging outrageous prices.

Speaking of Napa, I went to two recent media tastings of the St. Helena Appellation, one at the Greystone Wine Education  center in November and another one about two weeks ago which was held in an impressive old barn, sporting exposed huge roof beams, that serves as the hospitality center for the Charles Krug - Peter Mondavi winery.

There was some overlap between the two tastings. Still, I thought I had landed in a parallel universe. Perhaps it was due to the sterile professional tasting ambiance of the Wine Education Center vs. the more relaxed atmosphere at the Charles Krug winery.

Anyway, the tasting of the "great" 2007's at Greystone left me with the impression that these wineries were stuck in the mode that they supposedly have foresworn: over-extracted, over-oaked, huge wines, lacking acidity which makes them less suitable at the table.

Charles Krug Winery in 1877

The second tasting at the Charles Krug - Peter Mondavi Winery offered a potpourri of '06s, '07s,'08s and additional '09s barrel samples.

When California vintners experience less than ideal weather conditions as they did in '06, they describe it as a "difficult"year. They should be talking to their colleagues in France, Germany and even Northern Italy and parts of Spain. At least until recent climate changes, "difficult years" were more the rule than the exception. The 1990's, for example, with the exception of the splendid '95s, was pretty much a washout for most Bordeaux estates.

No doubt about it, great wines were made in the Napa Valley from 2006 through 2009. Personally, at the most recent tasting, I often preferred the '06s  to the '07's. We can also look forward to some balanced '09s as the Cab barrel samples and the already bottled Zins showed.
.
PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS:

'07 Benessere Vineyards Sangiovese (thankfully tastes different from a Cab). The '06 "Phenomenon," presumably a Bordeaux blend (Cab, Merlot, Cab Franc), was wonderful.

'07 Bressler Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

'07 Casa Nuestra "Tinto St. Helena," a field blend, common in the old days, containing, as I understand, Zin, Carignan, Rofosco, and Petit Sirah, showing that blending can deliver delicious wines. This estate also makes a wonderful Chenin Blanc.

'06 Califia Cellars,  Red Meritage. Preferred this over the '07

'00 Corison Winery Cabernet Sauvignon "Kronos Vineyard." Eureka!
'09 Premiere Cabernet Sauvignon. Holds great promise.

'07 Forman Cabernet Sauvignon. Very stylish and delicious.

'07  Freemark Abbey  "Josephine." Good ol'  Freemark  Abbey is back in form.

'08 Midsummer Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Tomasson Vineyard

Robert Biale Vineyards: I told the folks at the table, "prove to me that I should like Zinfandel and Petite Sirah," both of which I normally avoid like the plague. They won me over with their '09 Zinfandel "Old Crane Ranch" and the '08 Petite Sirah "Thomann Station."

'07 Sabina Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon.
'09 Sabina Vineyards: very promising barrel sample.

'07 Shibumi Knoll Winery Cabernet Sauvignon. Great wine. Enjoy it at the French Laundry in Yountville

'06 St. Helena Winery "Scandale," Estate Cabernet St. Helena Winery Vineyard

Trinchero Napa Valley: Very good '08 "Cabernet Sauvignon," "Petit Verdot," "Cabernet Franc."

'09 Tudal Winery Barrel Sample - Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

V Madrone Cellars: '06 and '07 Cabernet Sauvignon V MadroneVineyard. Excellent wines.

Varozza Vineyards: '06 Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah were very impressive.

'08 Vineyard 29 "Aida Estate Cabernet Sauvignon." Shows lots of sweet fruit, richness, balance and length.

Most of these wines are going to cost you a pretty penny, but I believe that some represent the best the Napa Valley has to offer and a bit of research may reveal a nugget here and there that doesn't cost a queen's ransom.

Prices for the Casa Nuestra wines: $24 for the Chenin Blanc and $32 for the "Tinto" blend, which sounds very decent. On the other hand, the Fremark Abbey '07 "Josephine" would set you back $80.
All of these wineries  have websites that are identical except for the  name of the winery  (e.g. www.casanuestra.com).

MORE MADEIRA, MY DEAR?

                                          
After a very lengthy hiatus, Madeiras are coming back, alas more with a whimper than a roar.

Do you need proof that the Uptown Tasting Group (referred to in an earlier blog) is always on the cutting edge? No sooner had we decided on one of our monthly Friday tastings to check out Madeiras, then the very next Sunday the San Francisco Chronicle had a whole spread on the renaissance of Madeira.

The isles of Madeira (madeira =wood - wooded islands) lie about three-hundred miles off the Atlantic coast of Morocco. They were discovered by Portuguese seafarers in the early 1400's. No humans inhabited the isles. I hate to think what the seamen would have done with the natives. Soon land was cleared to grow food and terraces built to cultivate the vine.

The wines, like most others at the time were unstable and spoiled easily. Still, some of them were shipped to Portugal and even to England. Eventually the vintners learned to stabilize the wines by fortifying them with neutral brandy. Madeiras have about 20% alcohol.

British penetration of the West Indies, the East Indies and the founding of the American colonies made Madeira the wine of choice for these far off places. Ships in great numbers passed by the islands on their voyages and picked up barrels of wine.

Lo and behold, the greatest enemy of wine -excessive heat - proofed to be a boon to Madeiras. Barrels were lashed onto the deck of ships sailing to the Indies and their popularity grew in those far off locales.

When the British fought in the French and Indian War against the French for dominance in North America and later tried to put down the uprising of the thirteen American colonies, they came to know Madeira and upon return the demand in England for Madeira grew.

What better testimony as to the popularity of Madeira could there be than that the signers of the Declaration of Independence toasted its adoption with Madeira? To this day there exists a Madeira club in Savannah, Georgia, which somehow survived Prohibition.

Catastrophe struck Madeira's vineyards like those in Europe when powdery mildew and phylloxera from North America were inadvertently carried there in the middle of the 18th century. Madeira didn't really recover until the middle of the previous century. Now the vineyards are again planted with the classic grapes Verdelho, Sercial, Bual and Malvasia (Malmsey). This order also pretty much gives you the span of Madeiras from almost dry to very sweet (but never cloying).

The Rare Wine Company of Sonoma, California recently cooked up this great idea to get old stocks of Madeira and issue Madeiras whose bottles are graced with handsome labels showing historic depictions of East Coast port cities where Madeiras were unloaded during the hey days of its popularity. The Company issues wines in all styles (i.e. Verdelho, Sercial, etc) and most bottles are around fifty dollars.

There are other very good, less expensive choices available. We were impressed with the Vinhos Justinos 1997 Colheita which is available at twenty-five dollars. I have also enjoyed the Henriques & Henriques Madeira Verdelho (aged 10 years in cask) that sells for about thirty five dollars. Right now I'm working on a Blandy's Verdelho ("Matured in Oak Casks For Five Years") that I bought for twenty odd dollars. Once opened you don't have to worry about spoilage. Madeira can sit around for months without going bad.


The best source for Madeiras in the San Francisco Bay Area is the "Spanish Table" in Berkeley and their other store in Mill Valley's Strawberry Village shopping center.

The dryer style Sercial and Verdelho would best be served at about fifty-two degrees, while it is recommended to drink the sweeter Buals and Malmseys at around fifty-seven degrees.

Nuts, in particular walnuts and pecans, go really well with Madeiras. According to Hugh Johnson, the great British wine writer, "a Cox's Orange Pippin and a digestive biscuit is a classic English accompaniment." The sweet Bual and Malmsey styles are fantastic foils for dark chocolates and cakes made with dark chocolate.

The members of the Uptown Tasting Group were happy as clams that the finesse and character of the Madeiras gave them a break from their usual fair of First Growth Bordeaux and Grand Cru Burgundies. Right!

TEETOTALER ENTHRALLS THE WINE WORLD

                         

Is GREEN the new BLACK? It sure looks like it. Check the ads. Huge energy companies and global conglomerates are competing in a contest called "who is the greenest of them all?"

While we are waiting for the outcome, let's examine how the wine industry is responding to environmental issues. Three years ago, I researched an article on "natural wines" for a wine magazine. At the time there was already a groundswell of wine growers on both sides of the Atlantic, moving into "organic" or even "biodynamic" wine making.

For the wine trade, quality is the bottom line. "Green practices" are welcome as long as the wine is not below par. "Green" importer "Beaune Imports" told me that certification for organic wines from abroad is so onerous that they just don't bother. Check their website where they provide info on their wines.

The odd thing three years ago was that many estates kept their "green practices" under wraps. Organics was one thing but Biodynamics with its"voodoo practices" (e.g.: stuff cow horns with manure, bury for a season, dig up, water down the contents and spray on soil) was assumed not to be every wine consumers cup of tea.

Horses are becoming a common sight in French vineyards.

Biodynamics is the brainchild of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), founder of Anthroposophy, best known for its Waldorf schools. Biodynamics sees agriculture as an organic whole and maintains that everything that grows on earth is an expression of cosmic forces. Besides restoring abused soil to health and protecting natural flora and fauna surrounding the fields, the biodynamic grower links his work to cosmic forces like moon phases and planetary positions. The land is nourished with specific composts and cultivated plants are sprayed with infusions brewed from plants like stinging nettles and chamomile.

"Demeter," the certification authority for biodynamic growers does allow dusting with sulfur and spraying with Bordeaux mixture (copper sulfite and lime mixed in water), if the vines have been attacked by either powdery or downy mildew.

Ironically, wine estates more so than farms are now adopting the biodynamic practices developed by Steiner, a teetotaler who abstained from alcoholic beverages and thought of them as unseemly.

Biodiversity in the vineyards of southern France 

When prestigious French domains adopted Biodynamics in the belief that it would lead back to vineyard identity (terroir) that makes for individuality in wines, some of the tonier California estates (e.g. Phelps) followed suit. A heated debate in California is currently pitting believers in Biodynamics against viticulturists who think it's a hoax. Chief among the latter is Stu Smith, maker of remarkable wines at his Smith-Madrone winery. Follow the discussion on his website www.biodynamicsisahoax.com. Very interesting stuff.

WHY WOULD YOU CARE? 

Organic food has gone mainstream. Surprisingly, most wine drinkers are oblivious about the chemicals that are used in vineyards and wineries. If one strives to eat local, sustainable, and organic foods, it might make sense to check out how the wine was produced.

Terms like  "sustainably grown," "organic," and "biodynamic" are no longer just used by fringe elements of the wine world. I see them more and more on wine lists and on wine labels.

Most of California's wine growers now practice "sustainability" in the vineyard. It means that the grower maintains healthy soils and reduces waste of water and energy. Vague, but at least it's a start. Growers are encouraged to adopt organic or biodynamic farming.

Organic grape growing follows the guidelines laid down by the United States Department of Agriculture for any organic produce: no synthetic pesticides, fungicides or other non organic chemicals; soil enrichment must be natural (e.g. compost) and natural alternatives to pests, weeds, and vine disease management must be used.

If all of this is appears confusing, it is. There is fluidity in the nomenclature.

WHAT THE WORDS ON THE LABEL MAY MEAN:
"Contains sulfites" - The USDA forces every producer of sulfite containing food or beverages, to print "contains sulfites" on all labels. Sulfites have been used for centuries by vintners to battle wine-spoiling bacteria and it seems to have little ill effect on the average wine drinker. Nevertheless some people are extremely allergic to it.

"Contains No Detectable Sulfites" - Surprising claim, since sulfites occur naturally in the soil.

"Contains Only Naturally Occurring Sulfites" - No sulfites were used in the wine making process.

"Sustainibly Grown Grapes " - Grower and vintner use "sustainable practices." Chemical pesticides, herbicides, and artificial fertilizers may have been used.

"Made With Organic Grapes" - Winery used organically grown grapes only. Chemicals may have been used in the wine making process.

"Demeter Certified Biodynamics" - Winery underwent lengthy conversion and certification to Biodynamics.




VINS DE PAYS -  COUNTRY WINES FROM THE HEART OF FRANCE

Believe me, every Frenchman/woman you'll ever meet abroad is "from Paris," unless they are part of a mission to promote, say, the wines of Bordeaux. But deep down, all these Parisians, real or pretending, are still attached to the cow towns their families came from. Best case scenario: the family kept their modest dwelling in the Provence or their humble cottage in Bretagne.

If this family retreat happens to be in wine country, they'll  drink the little country wines that are produced locally. If you think French wines are all from Bordeaux, Burgundy or Champagne, you are in for a very pleasant surprise if you get off the beaten path while traveling in France.

From the French part of the river Moselle in the far north to the foot of the Pyrenees, there is a patchwork of wine producing areas and their wines can be delightful. It's from these vineyards that the Vins de Pays come.

Vins de Pays are the perfect antidote to overblown, overextracted, overoaked wines. They are cheap and should the wolf be at the door, you can still enjoy delicious wines.

Don't read any further if your luncheon wine is Lynch Bages, "lunch bag" as the Brits endearingly call it, and your dinner table is graced by a bottle of Chambertin. Lucky you.


Mere mortals who are looking for little nuggets of interesting and tasty wines that cost less than a king's ransom have some remarkable choices among these Vins de Pays. Lower your gaze as you examine the shelves of your wine shop and you will discover French country wines in greater and greater numbers at real budget prices.

Vins de Pays can come from all corners of France. They have not yet been allowed into the pantheon of the French appellation system. The Vins de Pays classification is now morphing into a system called "Indication Geographique Protegee" (protected geographical region). Too bad. Vins de Pays sounds much quainter.

Producers have to submit the wine for analysis and tasting. There are also regulations on grape varieties and blends. If a Vin de Pays is predominately made from one variety, it's name can be mentioned on the label. That should give them a leg up with the American wine drinker who is used to buy wines with the variety displayed on the label.

"Vins de Pays d'Oc" is the name you are most likely to encounter. These wines come from France's largest wine growing region, Languedoc-Roussillon. Its a pleasant surprise that in this  Mediterranean climate winemakers produce whites which are crisp and lively.

A delicious and very inexpensive example is the 2008 La Closerie des Lys, "Les Frutiers." This is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Vermentino (Importer: Vintage '59 Imports LLC). I found it at my local wine shop for eight dollars. Another great producer of whites in the area is Jean-Louis Denois. He delivers with Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and he even makes Pinot Noir with a nod to his Burgandian roots .Denois wines and a number of other Vins de Pays producers are available at K&L Wines (www.k&lwines).

Reds made from Syrah, Grenache and Carignan from other producers and the roses made mostly from Cinsault will usually be just as well-made.

The Vins de Pays d'Oc have a few subcategories.Two of them, Vin de Pay de L'Herault (Languedoc) or Vin de Pays de Cote Catalane (Roussillon) are sometimes mentioned on a bottle.

Second in volume are the Vins de Pays de La Loire. This growing area encompasses the entire Loire valley that hasn't been classified yet. I keep buying the remarkable  2009 Domaine de L'Aujardiere Chardonnay (Vins de Pay du Val de Loire) that is available for about ten dollars. This producer is imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant (www. kermitlynch.com).

Other gems that I have encountered came from the Rhone valley and Provence and are called "Vins de Pays Rhodaniens" and "Vins de Pays de Vaucluse" respectively.

MISCELLANEA

BARGAIN ALERT: Best ever Loire sparkling wine must be the  Chateau de L'Aulee "Elegant" from the Touraine Appellation (mostly Chenin Blanc), made in the Champenoise method. It's sold at DeeVine Wines (www.deevinewines.com) for thirteen dollars a bottle (10% off for case purchases). Pull the cork ever so slowly. Exuberantly foamy stuff.

THINK SWEET FOR VALENTINES DAY: There are fabulous sweet wines that are under appreciated and therefore affordable. Why pair chocolates with Zin or Cab when there are better alternatives available?

FORTIFIED WINES (around 20%alcohol): Try your ultra dark chocolates with a sweet style MADEIRA (Bual or Malmsey), a great wine from the Atlantic isle of Madeira, whose wines are making a comeback. Don't worry about leftovers. They wont spoil for months. Best selection at the Spanish Table.
A great, alternative, fortified as well and also going well with Chocolates is PORT. It doesn't have to be a 1970 Taylor Fladgate. All prestigious Port houses are putting out "Late Bottled Vintage Ports" which cost around twenty dollars.
MALAGA is a legendary sweet wine from Spain that is now being restored to its former glory. Get the 2007 Jorge Ordonez & Co. No. 1 Seleccion (half bottle) for around twenty dollars at the Spanish Table.

NOT FORTIFIED:
VOUVRAY: Great Chenin Blanc wines from the Loire Valley in France. The sweeter styles are called
"Semi Sec" or "Moelleux," the latter being a sweet, late harvest wine.
GERMAN RIESLINGS: All go great with Asian food, in particular the spicy kind.
For a splurge, go with a 2006 "Scharzhofberger Auslese" a great wine that is available at DeeVines Wines (www.deevinewines.com) for thirty-six dollars, a real bargain. Drink it as a treat by itself.
SAUTERNES: The great sweet wines from Bordeaux are still undervalued, considering the laborious process that wineries follow to make them. 2005 was a very good vintage for Sauternes. Check out the
'05 Chateau Guiraud or Chateau La Tour Blanche which both go for fifty dollars each at the San Francisco Wine Club.