Central Coast got the (Wine) Hots

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

The mantra of the real estate business is the shibboleth of the best vineyards of the world.

The greatest and most coveted wines grow in specific places, most of them in France (Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Rhone), some of them in Italy, Spain, Germany, and California. There are others, but the spotlight has not turned on them yet.

Central Coast vineyards

France, like all other famous wine regions in the world, is part of the temperate zone. The two "temperate zones" on earth lie roughly between 30 and 45 degrees latitude in the Northern Hemisphere covering much of Europe and North America and the Southern Hemisphere, encompassing Southern Australia, New Zealand, southern South America and Southern Africa.

All fine wines the world over are made from vitis vinifera ("the wine-bearing grape," such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Syrah/Shiraz, and Riesling) and can only be grown in the temperate zones.

Looking again at France and its most famous wine regions,  Bordeaux vineyards are exposed to fickle weather systems that blow in from the Atlantic, while the climate in Burgundy and Champagne could be described as a "continental climate" (i.e. cold winters, hot summers). Then there is the Rhone Valley whose lower part enjoys a Mediterranean climate with wet, cool winters and hot, dry summers.

When it comes to vineyards, they are mostly on flat land in Bordeaux, they cover gentle slopes in Burgundy and Champagne, and often cling to steep, terraced sites along the (upper) Rhone river.

One of the few things that all of these famed vine regions have in common is that the vines are grown in poor soils. Another communality that all high quality vineyards possess is good drainage. Furthermore, the grape varieties planted must be suitable for the places they are grown in, a process of selection that took many centuries in the vineyards of Europe and involved nature and nurture.

How does all this apply to California? The impact of the Pacific Ocean on California's climate is profound. Cold currents along the California coast generate huge fog banks during the summer that are eventually sucked inland through gaps in the coastal hills (e.g. Golden Gate) and cool areas far inland.

Central Coast Fog - Morro Bay

Word still hasn't gotten out how cold it can be in San Francisco in the middle of the summer. Shivering tourist in shorts are a common, pitiful sight on the street corners of San Francisco. The late, great columnist Herb Caen is quoted as saying,"you know it's summer in the City when society matrons put on their fur coats."

Fog and cold winds that are blown inland along the California coast determine the climate of the land area between the Pacific coast and the Coast Range which is roughly fifty miles inland and separates coastal California from the Central Valley. Only this narrow strip of land enjoys a Mediterranean climate that in many places is ideal for growing the classic grape varieties and produces, in some instances, world class wine.

The selective processes that took place in Europe of finding the right grapes for particular sites took centuries to complete. A similar process has been playing out in California, but it's still early days.  Quality viticulture in California has only existed for about 160 years.

Today's quest to produce world class Pinot Noir is a perfect example for this process and it is happening right in front of our eyes. Pinot Noir is hot and every winery has to add it to its portfolio.

Growers are pushing the envelope and go places where nobody has dared going before (e.g. Sonoma Coast).

Pinot Noir hates hot and dry climates. Only since the 1970's have growers and winemakers bothered to identify micro climates that make Pinot happy (e.g Russian River Valley, Anderson Valley, Carneros, Marine County, Santa Cruz Mountains, Edna Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Rita Hills, etc.)

All of this was brought home to me on a trip to the Central Coast, specifically to some of the growing areas of San Louis Obispo County and Santa Barbara County.

CENTRAL COAST
 
Why does the Central Coast (San Louis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties) produce great wines?  Climate, soils, vineyard practices, and non-interventionist winemaking must be some of the reasons.

Edna Valley

Edna Valley in San Louis Obispo County lies nine miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and cool ocean breezes enter through gaps among the hills next to the coast. Temperature differences between night and day may reach as much as 40 degrees. Low night temperatures allow grapes to retain high levels of acidity. This makes for balanced wines with lip smacking acidity which also protects the wines from premature fatigue syndrome.

Edna Valley lies southeast of the lively college town of San Luis Obispo. Commercial quantities of grapes from Edna Valley have only been available since the late 1970's.  The valley first achieved renown for its Chardonnays.

Without equally strong ocean influences, vineyards in Santa Barbara County couldn't grow grapes to make fine wine. Two of its American Viticultural Areas (AVA), "Santa Rita Hills" near Lompoc and "Santa Maria Valley" further inland, both famous for Pinot Noir, are "unrelentingly cool" (Matt Kramer). Chardonnay also does exceedingly well in the Santa Maria Valley.

The warmer Santa Ynez Valley has found its own identity and excels with Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot,  and the red Rhone varieties Syrah and Grenache, as well as with their white Rhone counterparts Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne.

Exploring the wines of the Central Coast "in situ" is a synch. The heroic grunt work of tasting the good, the bad, and the ugly has long been done by wine authority Matt Kramer ("Matt Kramer's New California Wine.")

EDNA VALLEY

BAILEYANA WINERY: The winery that came to exemplify for me that Edna Valley is now a true quality contender is "Baileyana." The family that founded Baileyana also owns the 1,000 acres Paragon Vineyard.

About 15 years ago, the current generation took over and had the wisdom to lure the former winemaker of Maison Deutz (Arroyo Grande-San Louis Obispo County), the Burgundy-born Christophe Roguenot, to their winery.

Baileyana's tasting room is a converted one-room school house from the the early 1900's. It is surrounded by vineyards and the grounds near the tasting venue are beautifully landscaped. The tasting room is simultaneously homey and elegant. The usual nick knacks are a cut above.

How are the wines? Fantastic! How are the prices? Amazing.

The style of their "entry" Pinot is refined and elegant ($30). The "Cadre" Pinot Noir ($50), a luxury cuvée, is a real step up. It has an intense Pinot nose, is rich and well-balanced (fruit/acidity/tannins) on the palate and finishes with impressive length.

Among the whites, I tried the 2009 "El Gordo Chardonnay," ($30). It is rich, with good balance and excellent length on the palate.

Less common whites included the Grenache Blanc ($17) which has a fresh and attractive bouquet, a crisp mouth feel and nice length. Their Viognier is very appealing. It's bouquet was redolent with apricots, peaches, and lychees ($17).

The latest addition to the Baiyelana portfolio is called "Zocker." "Zocker" is German slang used while playing high-stakes card games. "Zocker" issues a delightful Riesling ($20) and an excellent Gruener Veltliner ($20).

SAUCELITO CANYON WINERY: Compared to Baiyelana, Edna Valley's Saucelito Canyon Winery is tiny. This small estate concentrates on Zinfandel and they are shining stars on the Zin firmament. Their entry level Zin ($20) is truly gulpable. The estate Zinfandels are profound and elegant ($30).

When the owners of Saucelito Canyon Winery bought their property in the early 1970's, they found an overgrown three-acre parcel of Zinfandel vines that had been planted in 1880. They cleaned up the vines and found that the  roots were still alive. New Zinfandel shoots were grafted onto these ancient roots. You can now drink a Zinfandel from vines that are 132 years old for all of $72 (sold out before my visit).

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY AND ITS MAJOR APPELLATIONS: SANTA RITA HILLS, SANTA MARIA VALEY, AND SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

SANTA RITA HILLS

Melville

Before hitting Santa Barbara proper, it's mandatory for Pinot heads to take Highway 1 towards Lompoc. Lompoc is a hotbed for Central Coast wine upstarts. They ply their trade among several blocks of warehouses which are referred to as "the Ghetto."

Names with  Pinot Noir cachet include Brewer-Clifton, Clos Pepe, Kenneth-Crawford, and  Seasmoke, with its pricey Pinot Noirs.

MELVILLE WINERY: The road out of Lompoc and back to Highway 101 takes you through the Santa Rita Hills proper, past well-known Pinot Noir producers like Melville.

All Melville Pinots Noirs, beginning with the 2010 Estate ($34), and all the way up to top cuvées like the Estate Pinot Noir -"Carrie's"  ($52) and the "Terraces," ($52)  are stunningly good.

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

If you get tired of Santa Barbara's beach life or if the coast is fogged in (only 21 days per year is average), or you want to get to know the wine country, leave town on scenic Highway 154 and escape to lovely Santa Ynez Valley. The small town of Los Olivos is the hub of the Santa Barbara County wine scene and has tasting rooms galore.

Santa Ynez Valley

CARHARTT VINEYARD: If you believe in "small is beautiful," Carhartt Vineyard is  for you. Tiny amounts of beautifully crafted wines are vinified by Brooke and Mike Carhartt in the family barn of their ranch and can be tasted in their snug tasting room.

All their Rhone varietals and blends are of excellent quality. They include the 2010 Mourvedre, ($35), the 2010 Rebel Roan, a blend of Rhone varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) ($30), and the 2009 Estate Syrah with its peppery bouquet ($32). This wine is a steal!

Carhartt's 2111 Grenache Blanc is a delightful and refreshing summer white. Absolutely delicious ($21).

QUPE : Bob Lindquist, owner and winemaker of Qupe, could be called the godfather of Rhone varietals in California. In the 1980's when they were virtually unknown here, he encouraged the owners of Bien Nacido Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley to plant Syrah. Qupe's quality and consistency is astounding.

Bob Lindquist's wife produces a "Verdad" Rose which must be one of the best in California ($18). Their son's 2008 Ethan Grenache is a delicious wine with true Rhone character.

All of Qupe's Rhone-style wines are true to their varieties. This applies to the 2010 Qupe Los Olivos Cuvee ($25) as well as to the 2010 Qupe Syrah, ($35).

2007 Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido "Hillside" is the winery's "flagship" Syrah. And what a flagship it is. The vines are twenty years old and it shows. The bouquet is intense. Everything is in perfect balance. There are still some fruity tannins that will allow this wine to gain greater complexity with age ($45)

Two exquiste white wines rounded out the tasting. The 2010 Qupe Bien Nacido Cuvee has equal parts of Chardonnay and Viognier ($20). The 2009 Qupe Chardonnay Vineyard Block 11 is classic California Chardonnay at its best ($40).

BRANDER VINEYARD: The Brander Vineyard tasting room is located among its vineyards, surrounded by beautiful grounds.

As Matt Kramer says, Brander is making a case for Sauvignon Blanc in the Santa Ynez Valley. They are truly delicious. The Sauvignon Blanc 2010 Cuvee Nicolas is a totally satisfying, sophisticated California Sauvignon Blanc ($25).

SANTA BARBARA WINE TRAIL

The "Santa Barbara Wine Trail," follows a series of tasting rooms concentrated east of Highway 101, towards the southern end of Santa Barbara.

WHITECRAFT WINERY: Whitecraft Winery was in chaos with a major remodel under way. Young Mr. Whitcraft, sipping beer, managed to find a wine glass and poured me a 2008 Pinot Noir St. Rita Hills Melville Vineyard. It was a superb expression of pure Pinot fruit that was really singing after almost four years in bottle.

Asked about the beer, Mr. Whitecraft answered "you need to drink a lot of beer to make good wine."

JAFFURS WINE CELLARS: Jaffurs Wine Cellars is just around the corner from Whitecraft. Owner-winemaker Craig Jaffurs deals strictly with Rhone varieties. Jaffurs owns no vineyards, but has access to grapes from some of the best sites in the county.

Among reds, the day's tasting menu included a 2009 Grenache ($32) and the 2010 Syrah ($27). Both are true expressions of these Rhone varietals.

The 2010 Grenache Blanc is described in the tasting menu as having flavors that "refresh the mouth." ($30). I couldn't agree more. The 2010 Viognier has a pitch perfect bouquet, good balance, and length ($27).

Au Bon Climat

AU BON CLIMAT: Matt Kramer called the owner of Au Bon Climat, Jim Clendenen, the original Santa Barbara superstar. I'm convinced he still is.

The 2009 Pinot Noir "Isabelle" ($50), unusual for California, is light in color, something you often see in red Burgundies. Uncannily, the wine also hads that "Burgundy stink," referred to in polite society as "barnyard." The wine is beautifully balanced and has extraordinary length on the palate

The 2008 Au Bon Climat Arroyo Grande Valley Pinot Noir is more fruit forward and has just a hint of that great "stink" ($45).

The 2010 Sauvignon Blanc from the Clendenen Family Vineyards is delicious and finishes with barely noticeable sweetness ($18). A 2007 "Hildegard" cuvee of Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, and Aligote, is a complex wine with excellent balance and a long finish ($35). The 2008 Au Bon Climat's Chardonnay "Sierra Madre" is a wine close to my heart. It's restrained and super long on the palate ($30).

Behold the fabulously appointed tasting room where older vintages and large format bottles are displayed on shelves along the walls.

Petit Soleil B&B

SHOUTOUT

If you are planning to stay in the lively college town of San Louis Obispo and explore Edna Valley wine country, check out "Petit Soleil" Bed & Breakfast (www.psslo.com).

This has to be the most charming "auberge" this side of France. The hosts are very knowledgeable about their neck of the woods and full of enthusiasm.

The Lady of the establishment is a wine lover with a great palate. Her international wine selections that guests may savor in the late afternoon on the beautiful patio go way beyond what such establishments usually offer. There are also some delicious appetizers served along with the wines. It goes without saying that these treats are complimentary.

Terra Incognita: Loire Valley

I shouldn't even write this blog. Next thing you know, Loire wines get to be as expensive as Burgundies or Bordeaux. One issue of the "Wine Spectator" devoted to Loire wines and it will be all over, not to mention Robert Parker, giving some of its wines high scores.

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

The Loire, France's longest river, rises in the  Massif Central and its basin encompasses about one fifth of France. The central part of the Loire is often described as the "Garden of France." During the Renaissance it was the playground of  the French kings, their spouses, and paramours. The splendid chateaux along the Loire are testimony to their opulent life style.

The Loire is a patchwork of many appellations, and vintners use many grape varieties that are vinified in various styles. Wine aficionados often identify the Loire Valley with white wines, but large amounts of reds are made as well. Most Loire wines that reach our shores are of the white persuasion. So, this blog is devoted to the white wines of the Loire and in particular to the grape called Chenin Blanc.

MOST IMPORTANT WHITE VARIETIES

SAUVIGNON BLANC: In many peoples' mind, Sauvignon Blanc is playing the main fiddle among  Loire whites. The towns of  Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume are the best-known sources of Loire Sauvignon Blanc.

This variety renders an aromatic wine, exhibiting slightly herbaceous, grassy, and green fruit aromas such as gooseberry. Once the grassy element gets out of hand, we are left with a pissy smell that the French call "pippy de chat."

Good Sancerre Sauvignon Blancs will cost from around $16 to $24. Domaine Bourgeois is always a good bet. Pouilly-Fume is less commonly seen and tends to be more expensive. K&L in San Francisco is a good source for Sancerres.

CHENIN BLANC: Chenin Blanc and Riesling, the stepchildren of the fine wine universe, have a few things in common. They can make great wines, are way underrated, and consumers are often confused because both varieties are made in many different styles.

Once upon a time, I stayed in picturesque Azay-le-Rideau in the Loire valley. On a Sunday outing in the Loire Valley, we had found the perfect spot for a picnic on the sandy banks along the river. We brought great local Chevre and a fresh baguette and I trotted into the nearest town, looking for a suitable bottle of wine.

It was Sunday afternoon and the stores had long closed. All was quiet and serene. The town folks were home, digesting their midday meal and thinking of the next pastime. Across the square I spied a bar, and low and behold, it was open.

15th Century Tapestry 

I stepped up to the counter and bought a bottle of white wine. Then I hurried back to our picnic spot, grabbed the cork screw, pulled the cork, poured the wine, grabbed a peace of the baguette, slathered it with cheese, took a bite and began washing it down with the wine.

Yikes, the wine was very sweet, or in local lingo "Moelleux." The bar tender hadn't bothered pointing this out to me. A good Chenin Blanc Moelleux can be a marvel to behold, but this bottle was worse than mediocre and sure didn't work as a picnic wine.

Back at our old-fashioned hotel, we got ready to join the trickle of guests who descended to the expansive, chestnut tree shaded gravel yard, where dinner was going to be served.

I checked out the wine list and was taken aback. It was dominated by local Chenin Blancs going back decades. I ordered a bottle and the waiter rushed off to the cold cellar, from whence he returned with a bottle whose sides had condensed water pearling down. This bottle was the beginning of my love affair with Chenin Blanc.

Fast forward to May 7th, 2012 and my most recent comprehensive tasting of Loire Chenin Blancs under the auspices of the "Uptown Tasting Group" in San Francisco. "G" and I as the understudy had put together a Chenin Blanc tasting that included four dry Chenin Blancs, mostly from the 2010 vintage, and priced from $20 and topping out at $37. Then there were two bottles of semi-sweet (Moelleux) Chenin Blancs, one from "G" cellars the other costing $72. Finally came a bottle of sweet late harvest wine ($62).

THE TASTING: The wine tasters ranked only the four dry Chenin Blancs. The groups' favorite was the '09 Domaine de La Taille aux Loups "Sec Les Dix Arpents."

My notes read "fabulous nose with honey and apples, great mouth feel, balance and superb length. I bought this for $20 at Ludwig's Fine Wines in San Anselmo, Marine County (415 456 1820, e-mail- magid@ludwigsfinewine.com, web - www.ludwigsfinewine.com).

This Chenin Blanc is from the Montlouis-sur- Loire appellation. The domaine is owned by Jacky Blot who is considered one of the top producers of Loire wines.

There was a statistical dead heat among the three remaining dry Chenin Blanc wines. The 2010 Vouvray Domaine D'Orfeuilles costing $22, and purchased at the San Francisco Wine House, was my favorite. My notes rhapsodize about "the honeyed, intense bouquet, the wonderful balance on the palate, and the great length, lasting for close to a minute.

Then there was the 2010 Vouvray "Clos de Bourg" from the legendary Domaine Huet. It clearly has a great future, but it is approachable now. This bottle came from the San Francisco Wine House as well. It was the most expensive of the dry Chenin Blancs at $37.

Finally, there was the 2010 Savenniere Chateau d'Epire from Kermit Lynch, Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA, 510 524 1524, web - www.kermitlynch.com.  In quality it was right up there with the other dry Chenin Blancs. It did however have a darker hue, which might indicate that it can't be cellared as long as the other Chenin Blancs in our line up.

This flight was followed by a "mini' flight of two bottles of the "Moelleux" (or "Doux") kind, both terms meaning "soft,"  "agreeable to drink," (i.e. semi-dry, or semi-sweet if you will). One came from the 2009 vintage and the second one was a 27- year-old bottle  from "G's" cellar.

Shockingly, the 27 year old Vouvray from Domaine Brisarbee from "G's" cellar looked and tasted younger than the 2009 Montlouis-sur-Loire Domaine Chidiane "Moelleux" ($72) that we had purchased at Premier Cru Wines in Berkeley, CA. Both bottles were absolutely superb and "G's" bottle testified to the fact that Chenin Blancs from a good year are practically immortal.

Postcard circa 1900 - "Homage to Vouvray Wine"

Our tasting concluded with the lush, well-sulfured, late harvest 2005 Vouvray from Domaine D'Orfeuil "Tries de Novembre," that had been purchased at the San Francisco Wine House ($65).

One caveat which applies to many late harvest sweet wines of the world (e.g Sauternes, German late harvest Rieslings such as Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese, Tokaj, late harvest California wines, etc). Producers tend to add a goodly amount of sulfur (a preservative that slowly breaks down with time) to these wines, hoping that they end up in cellars whose owners are not addicted to instant gratification and are willing to give the wine time to develop complexity.

CREMANTS: Since the pre-wine of our tasting was a sparkling Loire Chenin Blanc, allow me to say a few things about French sparkling wines. Keep in mind that many wine regions in France produce fine bubbly. When in France, the wine waiter will always try to sell you on a big bucks Champagne. Lest you be Croesus himself, ask for the local sparkler, usually referred to as "cremant" (e.g. Cremant d'Alsace, Cremant de Bourgogne, etc.).

I am particularly fond of sparklers from the Loire Valley. All "cremants" are made exactly like Champagnes. The process is usually referred to as "Methode Traditionel,"and occasionally as "Methode Ancien."

The Loire sparkler we drank was produced by Chateau de Laulee, which comes from the Touraine district of the Loire valley. Chateau de Laulee is located in Azay-le Rideau, the charming Loire village mentioned above.

This is an outstanding "cremant," which is imported by Dee Vine Wines (1 877 389 9463, e-mail - dade@dvw.com, web - www.dvw.com). It's not available in stores and you must order it from Dee Vine Wine. It's less than $20 a bottle and is up there with the best of the sparklers this side of Champagne.

TASTING SUMMARY: Chenin Blanc is one of the great white wine varieties of the world. The dry Chenin Blancs from the Loire in our tasting were from two "mediocre" vintages (2009 and 2010), but still showed their mettle. If you want to lay down whites, dry or semi-dry that gain complexity with age, get these way-undervalued Chenin Blanc wines from the Loire Valley. The appellations which are synonymous with dry or semi-sweet Chenin Blancs are Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire. In our tasting the sweet late harvest wine came from Vouvray as well. Another late harvest sweet Chenin Blanc appellation is Quart de Chaume.

Honestly, I was blown away. Chenin Blanc has got to be the next big thing, if there is any hope for humanity.

MUSCADET: This huge appellation, located at the mouth of the Loire near the city of Nantes produces massive amounts of wine. Muscadet (made form the the Melon grape) is the ultimate white bistro quaffer of Paris. I could never figure out how people could gulp down this sour and tasteless brew. Luckily, there have been major improvements over the last decades.

It's best to get a "Sur Lie" version which can be had for between $10 and $15. It's easy to find Muscadet in the San Francisco area. A good source is K&L Wines.

MISCELLANEOUS

                                                                    Photo credit: Stefanie

Check out "Edibles," a free, handsome magazine that covers the food and wine scene of Marin, Napa, and Sonoma. The current summer issue has an intriguing article by husband and wife team David and Monica Stevens of "750 Wines," "a treasure chest of small-production, big-flavor wines," located in St. Helena, Napa Valley.

Here the authors review three small-production wines. It wasn't just the unusual grape varieties that caught my eye but also the "shockingly" low alcohol levels of these wines.

After I called "750 Wines," Monica was gracious enough to fit my daughter and me into their busy schedule. The minute we arrived it became obvious that we were in for a unique experience. The venue is a loft space adorned with large paintings and sculptures. A communal oak table sits close to the wine racks and was set with fine stem ware. We received personalized tasting sheets!

David and Monica are very congenial and came up with this novel concept of giving wine fans a personalized tasting experience. David used to work as a sommelier in the Napa Valley and has the commensurate knowledge. "750 Wines" cultivates small-scale, creative producers that think outside the proverbial box.

Our first wine was a blend of grapes that is commonly used by wine makers in Friuli, Northern Italy. The wine was the 2010 Massican "annia," ($27). It was an absolutely stunning bottle with a wonderful bouquet, mouth feel, balance and impressive length.

                                                  Photo credit: Stefanie

The Wind Gap Trousseau Gris, 2011($21) was of the same caliber. Trousseau Gris? Trousseau is a red grape of the Jura region of France, and Trousseau Gris is a white mutation thereof. In years long passed, it was called Grey Riesling in California, but nobody ever produced anything of distinction. Wind Gap's wine, however, exhibited all the attributes of a fine wine: Penetrating bouquet, perfect balance between fruit and acidity, and amazing length.

Our final bottle was the 2010 Arbe Garbe, Malvasia Bianca, ($30). The grapes for this wine come from the well-known Saralee's Vineyard (Russian River Valley).

Malvasia is an ancient Greek grape variety and much of it is now planted in Italy. Vin Santo, Italy's best-known desert wine, is made from Malvasia grapes.

Arbe Garbe's Malvasia, however, is a dry wine, though some people may confuse its exotic bouquet with sweetness. On the palate the wine is rich and and well balanced and like the other wines, has the hallmark of all good wines, a mighty long finish.
 


  

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).