A small sampling of our culinary treats

Lasting as long as the closing volume to Peter Jackson’s vision of The Lord of the Rings, our wine group battled through fourteen different wines, four different cheeses, some amazing appetizers (including smoked salmon) and a dinner of beef tenderloin, Varenyky, grilled veggies and broccoli salad. It was epic.

For only our second formal gathering, I have to say the bar was set quite high with this particular cast. As usual, it was heavy on the new world wines, though all three of the whites did come from Europe which I found to be interesting.

To begin the festivities, we started with some Louis Roederer Brut Premier Champagne, which was actually purchased 2 to 3 years ago. I commented to the provider (and our gracious host for this installment) I thought that was actually the best way to consume NV (non-vintage) Champagne, as the extra time in bottle typically adds some richness and nutty character to the wine. It was a solid example of the region, with nice citrus and hints of yeast and toasted nuts coming through as well. We had four cheeses to snack on (along with smoked salmon, fresh chopped liver and assorted other munchies) and I thought the Champagne went best with the Robusto. A solid above average wine, but I still prefer their domestic stuff for the money.

After that, I made un-inspired sips at two of the whites. I didn’t care for the 2007 Chateau de la Greffiere Macon-la-Roche-Vineuse, but that is just more for personal taste reasons. It was a solid example of the region and for under $20, it is a nice introduction to white Burgundy. The 2008 Vina Godeval was a 100% Godello from Spain that was one of the more interesting whites I’ve had in quite a while. It had a nice complexity to it, with stone fruit, floral notes, spice and beeswax. If you want something off the beaten path for summer, this is a solid choice. I didn’t try the 2004 Carl Ehrhard Spatlese Riesling, but I’ve had wines from this producer and they have always been solid. I really meant to get back to it after all the reds, but I totally forgot about it.

Now, onto the reds, which from beginning to end were all above average to outstanding.

2005 Tolo Cellars Asini Paso Robles Red Wine (16.2% alcohol): A $28 from the winery blend of 60% Sangiovese and 40% Zinfandel, this had been opened in bottle for 5 hours, then decanted for 2 hours the day before. It was still as peppy as your local Starbucks barista who has enjoyed too much of their own product for anyone’s good. A bright melange of red fruits and licorice on the nose (the Sangiovese) gave way to more blackberry and bramble on the palate. I’d call this a  danger Will Robinson wine because of the high alcohol and too easy to slug palate. I wouldn’t pay $28 for it, but I was more than happy to drink it.

2007 Santa Ema Amplus One: I didn’t sample because I’ve had and raved about it before.

2004 Frog’s Leap Rutherford: A very easy to drink style of Cabernet that was lacking in any real tannin, but had enough acidity to keep it from falling flat on its face. A glass of subtle, yet flavorful black currant and black cherry. If you’ve got Napa Cabs from this hot and juicy vintage, I’d start drinking them now.

2003 Stella Maris Columbia Valley Red Wine by Northstar (14.5% alcohol): A blend of 47% Cabernet Sauvignon; 45% Merlot; 4% Malbec; 4% Syrah, this was the early contender for WOTN (wine of the night) for me. Earthy smoked herbs danced with dark red cherries in a graceful manner those folks on reality TV dancing shows can only dream of. It had a long, smooth finish and was a great pairing with the beef tenderloin. A fine second label effort that is drinking in its prime right now. As the evening wore on, the wine did begin to give way a bit and wasn’t as good the second time around, but I still enjoyed it. #2 for me, as I really liked the mix of both old and new world style.

2000 The Ojai Vineyard Santa Barbara County Bien Nacido Vineyard Syrah: A bowlful of blueberries and spice, this was smooth and easy to drink. I’m not a big California Syrah person typically and while this didn’t convert me, it was a fine effort for a wine I really thought would be past prime.

2005 Kilikanoon Barossa Valley Testament Shiraz (15% alcohol): I remember when my wine sensei first touted Kilikanoon wines to me. Like many red wine newbies, it was easy to love the fruit-laden style of Barossa Valley Shiraz, like a teenage boy falls for Sports Illustrated swimsuit models. I still find Kilikanoon wines to show more restraint and deft hand in obtaining balanced and refinement from their wines, as opposed to Mollydooker where the volume knob starts at 10 and goes up from there. Unfortunately, these big Aussie bombs have fallen on hard times and for those who like them, you can often score tremendous bargains. This wine has loads of tooth-staining black fruits, with nice baking spice and vanilla notes to round out the flavors. A big wine with soft tannins, a core of acidity and big rich flavors that will overwhelm all but the biggest of food.

2001 Stags’ Leap Winery Petite Syrah (14.2% alcohol): One of our two offerings, this was one of my earliest wines-to-lay-down acquisitions. Another wine I read about in Karen McNeil’s The Wine Bible. One of the most fascinating things about this wine is how it got trashed by one publication, but then lauded by two others. If I had been paying attention, I probably would have drank this earlier. It failed to exhibit my expectation of wrestling alligators with their teeth bared that makes Petite Sirah (I have no idea why they spell it with a Y instead of an I) such a great wine. It still had nice spice, black plum and blackberry fruit with hints of toast, but it just lacked the power I expected. Yes, I know the wine is 9 years old, but I wasn’t expecting it to have totally lost its grip. From what I am now reading, it may have never really had that strong of one to begin with. A good wine, but I really was hoping for more.

1999 Pieve Santa Restituta Brunello di Montalcino Sugarille (14% alcohol): A wine from famed Italian winemaker Angelo Gaja, whom I associate more with Barolo than Brunello. I believe this wine had been opened for over 24 hours by the time we drank it and in talking with the host (and provider of this wine), we both concluded that may have been too much. While nowhere near dead or shut down, it seemed to have lost a bit of luster that you’d expect from such an expensive (retail is estimated around $130 – 140) and highly rated (91, 92, 93+) wine. Now don’t get me wrong, it didn’t suck, but it didn’t blow anybody out of the water either. It exhibited classic Brunello dark cherry, leather and floral character, but also a good bit of oak character in the smoke and chocolate notes. Tannins were relatively mild, but I should hope so after breathing as much air as this did. I think this would have been better the day before and a more fair comparison to the next wine. All in all, my third favorite.

2001 Talenti Brunello di Montalcino Pian di Conte: This was one of my first Brunellos, having tasted (and bought it for the store) it as a wine retail buyer. It was later in the day and we were the rep’s last stop, so after drinking and loving this so much, he offered me the remainder of the bottle. I corked it and proceeded to consume it later that evening, taking the same time to breathe in its perfume as I did in drinking it. When I departed my store, the owner gave me a bottle of this as a gift, as he remembered how much I loved this wine. I think the retail was $59.99. A very modern style, this drinks beautifully right now. Yes, it was a bit on the chewy side when we opened it, as it came right out of storage and was popped and poured, no decant time permitted. As the wine opened up, the spiced cherry with smoky cedar flavors sailed on in a finish that was easily in the 45+ second range. Fans of more old world, “traditional” Brunello might find this too much, but it wasn’t like we were drinking Napa Cab. You knew this was Italian, you knew this was Brunello and most important of all, you knew this was just down right tasty. While it wasn’t the overall crowd favorite (I don’t know what was), I know myself and two others were in agreement that it was ours.

Many thanks to our hosts for their generous spread of delicious food and wine, along with great hospitality. I know that myself and my wife are looking forward to the next gathering of Wineaux 75. Until then, be well, drink well and love well.

Icons of the Andes

There are many ways to shop for wine.

One, is to read reviews as posted in the store.

Two, ask your local wine buyer for advice. (I highly recommend this)

Three, by the label. (Insert Charlie Brown Ugh)

Four, by the importer. What, you never heard of that one? Trust me, it is a good technique. If you see a name like Kermit Lynch, Terry Thiese, Robert Kacher, Grapes of Spain or TGIC Importers on the back label, odds are in your favor you’ve got a fine bottle of wine in your hand. Each have their own specialty and I could go on, but this post is focused on one, the only one with a link, TGIC Importers.

Tuesday night, Hinton’s Wine Store played host to two seated tastings of South American wines. Tickets were $10 per person if you are a member of their connoisseur club, $25 if not. There were 25 wines offered, with a heavy emphasis on the bigger reds. It was a bit disappointing to not see some of the other varietals represented, especially Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, both of which are doing well in Chile. The tasting was put on by TGIC and was called, Icon of the Andes. A fitting name since the mountain range forms a natural border between the two countries.

I didn’t try to sample every wine, as the tasting was scheduled for 1 1/2 hours, which means about 4 minutes per wine. Several of them I’d already had, some were not of interest (e.g. Chardonnays) and others I just didn’t get to. After all, we were there with friends and wine is more about the social than the drunk, though I did run into one example where the reverse was true.

Here were the highlights for me:

2008 Pascual Toso Malbec $12.99

Two vintages back, this wine was picked as the #1 value wine by Wine Enthusiast. Then the prices went up and well, it became less interesting and less of a deal. Now that the price has come down a couple bucks, this is once again a good deal. This is made in a very crowd pleasing, easy to drink style that typifies why Malbec is the wunderkid for Argentine wine. Packed with smooth black fruits and hints of smoke, this could be your burger’s best bud. I thought this was the best Malbec for the money.

2008 Achaval Ferrer Mendoza Malbec $21.99

This was my favorite Malbec of the evening and I think with a bit more air time, it would have show even better. A harmonious blend of red raspberry, boysenberry and mineral, this wine has very concentrated without being heavy. The acidity gave it long lasting buoyancy, driving the finish well into the 30+ second mark. If I wanted to brand purple with a flavor, I’d consider this wine.

2007 Montes Alpha Cabernet Sauvignon $17.98

I’m not sure why the wine was so heavily discounted, but for $18, I’d put this up against any other Cabernet Sauvignon in the $30 and under range. A great mix of old and new world, with an aromatic profile that leaned old, with more of that new world lush fruit on the palate. The flavors finished more old world, with a great combination of whiskey barrel, tobacco and a single grind of black pepper to complement the black currant fruit. I immediately craved steak au poivre.

2007 Montes Alpha Syrah Apalta Vineyard $17.98

Imagine this: a dimly lit coffee bar, a steady rain and bolts of lightning crashing outside. Picture a gentleman sitting by himself in the corner, a bolero and black trench coat cloaking him from sight, cigar in one hand, black coffee in the other. That is this wine. Dark, brooding, with a heavy emphasis on roasted flavors derived from the oak. If you don’t like oak, skip it.

2006 Montes Purple Angel $49.99

I’m so glad I have a sample of this. This was poured from a decanter, though I did neglect to find out how long it had been opened. A blend of 92% Carménère and 8% Petite Verdot, this was a stellar wine, but at a commanding price. Perhaps one of the top two or three examples of Chile’s claim to wine fame grape, this wine definitely will benefit from big food or more nap time, say another two years. There was a big nose of blueberry preserves, peppercorns (yes, I got this in all the Montes wines…sue me) and tobacco leaf, with a mouth gripping flavor of more dark berries, coffee and minerality, all wrapped up in silky tannins. An outstanding wine, but for $50, it better be.

2007 Santa Ema Amplus One $21.99 – WINE OF THE NIGHT

This marks the third vintage of this wine that I’ve had and it always delivers a great wine for the money. Once again, Carménère is the star, making up 75% of the blend. The balance is 20% Syrah and 5% Carignan, a grape you don’t see very often. I love the mix of dark red fruits, smoked meat, black pepper and tobacco. I have found every vintage of this wine to be consistently agreeable to my palate, so be aware of that bias. Later on, as the evening was winding down, my friend asked if what he was smelling in the wine was maple syrup. I said not quite, but I could definitely detect a note of caramelization. I didn’t get that, so I’m not sure if it was bottle variation or just the fact the wine had opened up a bit more. Either way, it was a pleasing aroma.

There were some other really good wines and varying opinions on what was good and what wasn’t, but I think everyone found at least a few wines they enjoyed. I know a few people even tried Carménère for the first time and enjoyed it.

Overall, I think Chile is a “better” wine region, primarily because you find more variety. Argentina is still fairly reliant on Malbec and while they have put a lot of effort into Torrontes, I personally think it will always be a niche grape. With Chile, you just have more variety from which to choose. While I was shot down on Twitter over this remark, I still think Malbec could end up “shirazing” itself.

I highly recommend you explore your local store’s offerings from these two great wine producing regions. If you like California, you’ll find more pleasure in Argentina. European wine aficionados should explore Chilean wines, which is really probably the most old world of the new world producing nations. Next time this event comes around, I really hope they bring out some Sauv Blancs and Pinot Noirs, as I think people would really be surprised.

Thanks again to all those who put on the event.

Cheers!

To kick things off...

Saturday night was a cause for celebration.

Okay, more like a post-event celebration, since the actual event we were celebrating had happened earlier in the week. A close friend of ours was celebrating her birthday and our present was to provide dinner, along with the wine. Nothing fancy, just a simple feast of grilled rib-eyes, bacon wrapped scallops, roasted potatoes and mushrooms with cheese (I forget what kind…but it was good…and that is all that ever matters). Oh yeah, there was also a Whole Foods bakery Tiramisù cake.

The kick off wine was, but of course, a Champagne. The funny thing was, it was actually one I purchased myself. You see, grower Champagnes are pretty much impossible for a guy like me to get samples on. At least, that has been my experience so far.

It was a 2003 René Geoffroy Empreinte, a wine that I purchased at Tower on Piedmont for $49.99. 2003 was generally a bad year in Champagne, with a crop demolishing frost in spring and scorching temperatures in summer that sent the wines into sugar shock, leeching life preserving acidity from the picture. Okay, that is an oversimplification, but overall, it wasn’t a good year for most Champagne producers. All of us found this wine in tip top shape, with a soft and round palate being the one clue to the year. It wasn’t overly soft, just enough to make it a very nice apéritif to go with cheese and crackers. Flavors were lightly honey misted apples with a slight toastiness. Overall, an above average Champagne.

Next up came the first red and for me, the WOTN (wine of the night). It was a bottle of 2004 Concha y Toro Terrunyo Carménère that I’ve had for a few years. I don’t remember how long I’ve had it, but it has probably been around 2 years. I think the retail was around $35, though it sells for closer to $40 in the current release.

This is a premier example of the Carménère grape variety, with a fantastic interplay of green pepper, herbs, tobacco and rich black fruits. A strong presence of green bell pepper is something I find off-putting in this variety, but I also find its absence displeasurable as well. The wine had soft, almost imperceptable tannins and enough acid to keep it from feeling flat. I’d say the wine is prime to drink right now, though I’m sure it will stay quite tasty for at least a few more years. My only regret with this wine is not having more of it to drink. Check out the video and see how much sediment this puppy throws when you get to the “dregs”. Outstanding wine and one that never disappoints in any vintage I’ve ever sampled.

For dinner, we went the 2003 Seavey Caravina Cabernet Sauvignon. Another bottle I’ve had for a few years and I wanted to drink. I tend to go for Napa wines in their youth, preferring their luscious fruit, but not wanting to wrestle with overbearing tannins. From what I remembered, this was one of my sensei’s great value gems from Napa. A second label wine that was as good as the “big” wine, but at a more budget friendly price. I don’t remember what the wine went for, but I’m pretty sure it was in the $30s when I did buy it. I’m not sure what it retails for (I haven’t seen it at all anywhere lately) now, but the winery sells it for $55.

Plush, with black currant, grilled herbs, a touch of gravel and a dusting of cocoa powder in the long finish. This wine runs between worlds, with obvious oak and fruit laying claim to the New World, but with the finesse of a Bordeaux. California fans will still favor this, as I think most Bordeaux fans just don’t like this much fruit, which while present, isn’t overwhelming or jammy in nature. Time has and will continue to be kind to this wine. Another mark in the outstanding column, though I still found it just a smidge behind the Concha y Toro.

To conclude the meal, our guests opened up a bottle of 2004 Alvear Pedro Ximénez Montilla-Moriles de añada, an intensely flavored dessert style sherry. Again, not my usual sort of wine to have with the finish of a meal, as the alcohol is something that just pervades the nose and keeps things a bit out of balance for me. This wine belongs on pancakes. For me, it was like drinking raisin and fig reduction, cooked down to the consistency of motor oil. The alcohol was overwhelming and throws the wine out of balance. One might try it with ice cream to cut the burn. Overall, it was good, but not a wine I’d personally seek out. I’ll stick to my late harvest styles thank you.

So, there concludes our intercontinental wine adventure. Four wines, four countries, three continents and overall, quite a worthy excursion. Cheers!

Toast of the Town 2010 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia Aquarium

Last night was our third year of pouring wine at Toast of the Town, an annual event put on by Wine Enthusiast and held in the private ballroom of the Georgia Aquarium. For my wife and I, it is a great event. We spend the first couple of hours trying wine and sampling the food, then spend the rest of the evening pouring some great Italian wines at the Prestige Wine Imports table.

As with big events like this, there were loads of things to try, but we generally stuck to the bubbles and a few other select items. I don’t take formal notes, just some general impressions of things that really stood out for one reason or another.

2008 Lucien Albrecht Riesling Reserve: I don’t remember the retail, but I think everything at this Riesling table was under $20. It was really nice to see a table devoted to one of (if not THE) greatest white wine grapes in the world. Pity it still plays the understudy to Chardonnay. The first offering was this bone dry bowl of lime juice squeezed over white rocks from Alsace, France. For anyone who ever says Rieslings are too sweet, this is the wine to show them the exact opposite. Well done.

2008 The Crusher Wilson Vineyard Pinot Noir: You should be able to find this wine for around $12 or so and I recommend you do so. It has a Homer Simpson drool inducing nose of applewood smoked bacon that has been wrapped around black cherries and toasted over an open fire. The medium bodied wine has a light grade of sandpapery grip and more of that smoked black cherry taste profile which begs for smoked salmon or grilled portabella mushroom dishes. Above average wine with more character than most Pinot Noirs in this price point. Distinctive and worthy of your hard earned dollars.

Barefoot Bubbly Brut: I’ve seen these around town for $7.99 and honestly, I wasn’t expecting a whole heck of a lot from these wines. The Brut wasn’t my cup of tea, as it was a little rough and coarse with minimal fruit flavor. Not recommended.

Barefoot Bubbly Pinot Grigio: This was quite nice and I could see this as being a great party wine or for mixing with fruit juices for Sunday morning brunch. Good.

Barefoot Bubbly Extra Dry: The extra sugar really improves this wine and makes the tropical fruit really pop. I’d have this with cheese and fresh fruit on those warm summer evenings where the road tar is hotter than La Brea. Good.

Barefoot Bubbly Rosé: Umm, no.

Barefoot Bubbly Moscato: If you like Moscato d’Asti, this will be a nice change of pace for you as I think the sugar is slightly lower and won’t quite put you in diabetic shock like the Italian versions. Wines like this really belong in half-bottles. It isn’t my cup of tea, but for what it was and the people it is targeting, it delivers the goods. Good.

Leo Hillinger Rosé Secco: You can find this Prosecco (hence the name) patterned sparkling Pinot Noir from Austria at Whole Foods for about $19.99. Pleasantly filled with fresh strawberry and ripe red cherry flavors, this is very easy to drink. The new packaging includes a pink ribbon and they are donating $1 to breast cancer research for each bottle sold. I didn’t catch for how long they are doing this, but it is always a great thing to see any company giving back and in a specific way. Good.

2006 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs: From the original sparkling wine house in California comes this delicious apéritif made from 100% Chardonnay. Quick lesson: Blanc de Blancs means white from whites, so in Champagne and most other producers, it means 100% Chardonnay, which would make an excellent and different selection for the upcoming Twitter community Chardonnay wine tasting. Check it out! Oh yeah, the wine was quite good and one of the more refined Blanc de Blancs you can get. Above average.

2001 Schramsberg J Schram: This tête de cuvée is elegant, refined and one of the most Champagne like wines you’ll ever drink, though I don’t think you’ll mistake it for the “real deal”. It still has a certain California foundation and that is a good thing. A well balanced mix of toast, apple and citrus, this is still very youthful and will sleep well without any diminishment over the next 5 to 7 years. For $100 or so that you’ll pay, you get a premier domestic bottling. It would be awesome to have a full bottle of this to put up against the other heavyweights of the domestic sparkling market and see who comes out on top in a blind tasting.

So, that gives me another 8 wines in the quest, putting me at a total of 87 sparkling wines tasted this year. Not bad.

2006 Robert Mondavi Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve: This will set you back $130 or so and while Mondavi is no longer a family affair, the quality is still in the bottle. An outstanding wine that doesn’t rely on power, but does deliver a great deal of concentration. I know, that doesn’t seem to jive, but it does. When I think of power, I think Australian Shiraz or yes, California Cabernet. The Mondaiv Reserve is full of flavor and still quite young, with loads of currant, grilled herb and cocoa powder. I will say that this should be drunk over the next 5 years, as it doesn’t have the stuffing to go much longer before it will fall off the mark.

2006 Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon: I’ve grown to love Chilean Cabernet over the past couple of years and there is no finer example than this bottling. While it is no longer the value it once was, it still delivers a powerful mouthful of whiskey soaked blackberries that have been stewing over a fire of graphite and coal. A long finish, this is still a baby and needs another 3 to 4 years before I’d actually open it up for consumption. I think you can do better for $80, but you can also do a lot worse.

2006 Cardinale – or the Steve Heimoff of Wine Enthusiast 100 point rated wine: While I missed out on the same opportunity that Ed got (great write up on the wine you should go read), I was able to squeeze in at the last minute and get a shot at tasting my first 100 point rated wine. You can read Steve’s review here. This wine carried the 15% alcohol really well, with only the slightest sign of heat on the back palate. It was rich, concentrated and you could smell the intensity of the ripe mountain fruit long before you got your nose near the rim of the enormous Riedel glasses they were pouring it into. Black currant, smoked vanilla, toasted herbs and black cherry reduction in a glass. I’m not one to spend $200 on a bottle of wine, but I will say that it was a damn fine drink and was begging for a blue rib-eye fresh off the grill. I’m envious Ed got to actually sit and taste, because this is the sort of wine you want to kick back, relax and have a conversation with. If you have the funds, I’d go for it. Classic, though I’m not really sure about the whole 100 point thing.

iPad: No, Apple hasn’t created a wine called iPad, but there was one guest who stopped at our table who had one with him. I asked, what was the killer app? He didn’t really have an answer and we talked about the unit as he displayed it like a proud father does his All-American football playing son. I said that when they put a camera in it and you could video-conference call with it, along with document sharing / review, then you’d have something. Throw in some real time voice translation and the international business market will fall all over themselves to buy them faster than the fans have accepted Tiger back into their hearts. Amazing.

The perfect bite: I’m really disappointed in myself for not remember which restaurant was serving these delectable delights, but I have to say that bacon wrapped and grilled shrimp really may be the most foodgasmic single bite I’ve had in quite a while.

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Cheers and happy weekend to you! Thank you so much for stopping by and taking time out of your busy day to read what I have to say. It is very humbling. I will have to toot my own horn for once and say I was named Tweep of the Week by the fantastic folks over at Atlanta Dish, which is run by the super fabulous Melissa Libby and Associates.

Haiku
One hundred point wine
Great food, better company
Oh my what a night

OTBN = Open That Bottle Night. A tradition born in 2000, calling oenophiles from far and wide to gather with their brethren and open special occasion bottles of wine that just never found their name called to the podium. Sort of like Susan Lucci, though she too eventually found acceptance and recognition.

The annual event, which is supposed to happen the last Saturday of every February, was started by the former authors of the Wall Street Journal Tastings column, Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher. While the husband and wife team may no longer write that column, their “offspring” will last for what I’m sure is a very long time. The traditional modus operandi is to open a bottle with a story, be it something from your wedding, honeymoon, a special vacation or whatever the tale may be. I’ve only been participating for three years and see it evolving into something much less rigorous in requirement. It is just another  reason to gather and share wines with fellow teeth stainers and come on, do wine drinkers really need much of a reason to get together and open a few bottles?

Yes, there are some personal connections to the wines which people bring to share, but they don’t always have a story. It could just be a really great bottle that you want to contribute to the greater good, or maybe even something you bought for no particular reason and just forgot about. I’ve even seen a few trophy wines make an appearance. No matter, so long as the wine is good, I think the concept is a great one. Honestly, I think it should break the bonds of being chained to the last Saturday of every February and become a more regular occurrence, though then the luster of the title would begin to fade. After all, plenty of people gather on a regular and irregular basis to share wines, just in much less formal circumstances.

Hinton’s wine store hosts an annual OTBN at their tasting room, which they charge nothing for, while still providing a reception wine and tasty food to munch on. It is probably the most sought after event every year, as they only allow 30 guests, which is full capacity without becoming overly crowded. A big thanks to Chris for hosting the annual event, along with a big thanks to Ray and Wally, the husband & wife team who take care of the tasting patrons every week.

As you might guess, my lovely wife and her better other half (that would be me), brought a bottle of Champagne. It is the grower Champagne Jean Pierre Lalouelle, a small producer that we first tasted two years ago at the Tour de Champagne. My wife will tell you it was the wine, while I will say it had just as much to do with the fact the owner (or maybe he was the importer) of the property was there and he was, well, very French. He spoke with the accent, kissed the back of her hand, the whole bit. I will agree it is quite a unique and delicious bottle of Champagne, but if the gender roles were reversed, I’m not so sure we’d be drinking it.

We had actually sought out the wine ever since we first sampled it some two years ago, with no luck until we ran across the distributor at last year’s Aqua Vino event. We were informed it could be bought at The Wine Shoe.

Not long after unearthing this piece of intel, we made the call and by Joe, they had some in stock. We had them put a bottle aside and made the trek to the shop, where we met Nora, her husband Shannon and their dog Barron. They have a nice selection, with a great space you can rent out for your next soirée. If you live near there, give them a call and check out their selection and if nothing else, pick up a bottle of this Champagne for around $45.

Champagne Jean Pierre Lalouelle

NV Champagne Jean Pierre Lalouelle $45: A blend of 70% Pinot Meunier and 30% Chardonnay, this is for those of you who like who would like to explore a fruitier style of Champagne. Aromatics of white flowers and citrus lead to a taste profile that is a bit of fruit salad, with some almond, a wee bit of chalk and juicy citrus fruits. It was much fruitier than your typical Champagne, though not as much so as your standard bottling from California. We had several compliments from fellow guests and it was early, so I know they weren’t too hammered…yet.

You don’t see many blends where the majority is Pinot Meunier, which is actually listed as Pinot Miller on the back label. According to what I could find, Meunier means miller. The things you learn in a quest to drink 365+ sparkling wines in a year.

Pinot Meunier is a grape ignored or used sparingly by many houses, as it is (or once was) thought of as not contributing enough to the durability of the wine, something fairly important in Champagne. I think there is a definite market for wines of this style, especially in this country, where fruit forward is generally the preferred taste profile.

You will also note this is farmer fizz or grower Champagne, a category that I’m just now getting to explore. While I’d love to attend ICSWI and really inundate myself, I don’t know if it is in the cards or not.

One myth to dispel is their cost, which is not necessarily any higher than other Champagnes. As I indicated, this (and others I’ve bought) are priced in the mid $40s and while that isn’t a small price to pay, it isn’t outrageous either. I encourage anyone who is looking to branch out to seek wines like this (look for the little RM on the perimeter of the front label and if can’t find it, ask the local wine shop buyer for their grower Champagne selections) and compare them against their current favorite. You may just surprise yourself.

Champagne Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle

NV Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle: I don’t know the retail on this, as I wasn’t the one who bought it and I didn’t ask what they paid or when they had purchased it. I will say that the most recent reviews list it as going for around $200, so I think this wine won for most expensive of the night.

It was really quite delicious and I say to you who brought it, many thanks for sharing such a grand bottle of bubbly. I wish I’d been able to try more. Imagine a ginger bread house on a foundation of pink grapefruit, with a graham cracker tiled roof framed on honey dipped brioche. That was what this wine tasted like and while there were many great reds this evening, of which I tasted half, this was easily the WOTN for me. Bravo!

1998 Heidsieck Monopole Diamant Brut Rosé

1988 Hiedsieck Monopole Champagne Diamant Brut Rosé: Once again, I don’t know how much this cost or when it was purchased. The review price was $70 and that was 8 years ago.

This was easily the oldest rosé I’ve ever tasted and equaled the oldest Champagne I’ve tasted, though I guess this now wins because the other 1988 was sampled in 2009.

The color was a bright orange, indicating a well aged wine that should be consumed now and not later, just in case you happen to have one laying about. I’m not one who thinks of rosé Champagne as being built for the long haul and while a few people commented on some theories about the wine, I felt they were incorrect.

I imagine the wine had experienced some oxidation and was beginning to fade, but it wasn’t bad or corked. For me, it was a mix of orange blossom honey and a botrytis-like character which reminds me of jasmine tea. Aged Champagne is definitely a unique taste and as I said, I think the wine is fading and shouldn’t be held onto any longer, but it wasn’t bad and I did enjoy it, though as much for academic reasons as pleasurable ones. Thanks to the folks who brought this wine.

There were a total of 30 guests this evening and there were more couples than singles, so less than 30 wines showed up. A few people did bring second bottles, as you never want to show up to one of these and have your only bottle be corked. At least two of those also got poured, though I’m not sure where the final total of wines came out at. Here are some quick notes on the wines I did taste above and beyond the 3 Champagnes.

1997 “I don’t know the name” Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva: This took a bit of time to open up, but once it did there was a nice cocoa dusted red berry fruit flavor with enough acid to require food, but soft enough at this point in its evolution to drink well all by itself. I have to say, I’ve never had a Vino Nobile of this age and I was impressed, especially considering these wines are often moderately priced compared to their sangiovese based brethren of Chianti Classico and Brunello.

2005 Stags’ Leap Petite Syrah: The white label one, which is Stags’ Leap Winery. Rich black cherry fruit cooked over some pipe tobacco, with a tannic finish that begged for red meat, which was right there on a big platter and it was calling my name. I even put some on my plate and then my beautiful bride reminded me we weren’t eating red meat during Lent. Foiled again.

2004 Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon: A river of soft black fruits, the kind you go tubin’ down on a lazy Sunday afternoon. No rough spots, just loads of blackberry served over a subtle layer of chocolate and toasted coconut. Tannins are melting, so drink up over the next two years or you’ll miss out. This is usually a solid buy in Napa Cabernet and worth the step up from the “plain old Napa” bottling. The couple who brought this had bought two cases of this wine and it was their last bottle. She admitted that when it was first recommended to her, she thought of Mondavi as just being sort of okay and not anything real special. I think the Mondavi Reserve is a damn fine bottle, but once you get over $100, it better be. This is one of my favorite “value” (under $50) Napa Cabs and one that a lot of folks don’t really know about. I hope it stays that way.

2003 Altamura Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: More spice and earth to this one, so a definite contrast to the Mondavi Oakville. While the Mondavi was a gentle ride down the ‘Hooch on a lazy Sunday afternoon, this was more like going to the Atlanta Motor Speedway. For those, like me, who like to chew on their wines.

2005 Alban Pandora Seymour’s Vineyard Edna Valley: This tiny production (150 cases) wine was one I almost missed, but a chance stroll up to the bar for something brought this to my attention. The label was pretty hard to not notice and the wine was equally tasty, so many thanks to the gentleman who brought this. This had California written all over it, with truckloads tractor-trailer loads of blackberry, raspberry sprinkled with soft baking spices, with a finish that sailed on well past the sunset. I’m sure this will be a one time experience and I’m glad to have had it. My second favorite wine and that is only because I’m such a Champers fan.

While there were other wines, including a baby 2003 Trockenbeerenauslese {which means: “selected harvest of dried berries”} that was perfectly sublime, none of them stood out quite as much as the above. As you can tell, this was definitely a new world gathering, at least from what I tried. There were some other old world wines, including a 2001 Barolo and 2004 CdP, but I don’t remember seeing any others. I had both and while they were good wines, they just didn’t do much for me personally, which is par for the course. I’m just more a new world kind of fella when it comes to red wines. The surprise was the other two Champagnes, which I didn’t expect at all.

Haiku
Winos share bottles
Pandora seduces me
Champers rule the night

Snowing...in Georgia...in March...the end is near...

Have a great day and enjoy the snow.

For those of you who don’t live here in Atlanta, here’s a shot of what my back yard looks like as I’m finishing up this post. I know this is nothing compared to what others have experienced this winter, but this is crazy for us southern folk.