Getting ‘Stuck’ In Napa, Then A Visit To Rombauer Vineyards.
Last night I threw my glasses on the nightstand and then had the strangest feeling that someone was watching me.
Sometimes fermentations get stuck. The winemaker has all of the ingredients in place, the yeast organisms are happily gorging themselves on grape sugars and (cue the heavenly trumpets) wine is being born.
Then it stops.
Finicky yeast organisms can become dormant for any number of reasons. The temperature may get too high or the grapes might be too ripe. Whatever the reason, the results are the same and the winemaker starts pounding down Rolaids faster than Kathy Lee Gifford pounds down Chardonnay.
Well maybe not that fast.
Read MoreRussian River Delivers Outstanding Chardonnay.
Our first outdoor dinner of the season was shared with some deer friends.
Inspired by the season’s first dinner on the patio (which marks the official T-time for white wine drinking) I thought I’d put down in print my take on many of the outstanding Russian River and Sonoma Coast Chardonnays I’ve encountered at the recent round of wine tastings.
This time around I was pounding the pavement at two outstanding events in Manhattan, one entitled “Taste of Sonoma; On Tour” hosted by an assortment of Sonoma Valley trade organizations and the other presented by wine distributor extraordinaire Michael Skurnik Wines.
Tasting season is a demanding time for the wine makers, winery owners and the assorted experts that pour wine at these events.
Read MoreTasting Young Barolo. Somebody Has To Do It.
Young Barolo can be aggressively tannic and sampling the new releases is a great way to remove stubborn plaque from your teeth. The young Barolos from Poderi Aldo Conterno however, do not mask their effusive personalities behind a closed door of tannin.
Unlike some old world Barolos that need several years to open up, Conterno Barolos reveal their aromas and flavors when first released. This is a good thing because at the rate some of my old world Barolos are maturing my kids will end up drinking them, probably while they’re feeding me cat food through a straw.
Read MoreBuying Bordeaux Doesn’t Always Require A Home Equity Loan.
Wine Snark enjoys Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte with winemaker Fabien Teitgen. ’08 Smith Haut Lafitte and ’10 La Petite Haut Lafitte were 2 stand-outs of the tasting.
On Monday I attended a French wine tasting where many of the classified Bordeaux estates were represented. The line-up included notable wines like the 1996 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, the 2006 Chateau Haut-Brion, and the 1996 Chateau Cheval Blanc. After perusing the prices I realized these wines are referred to as “right bank” or “left bank” because before you buy a bottle you must first go to the bank.
The Cheval Blanc weighed in with a hefty $1,800 per bottle retail price tag but I made use of the spit bucket despite my high expectations. You see when I attend a wine tasting of classified Bordeaux I expectorate the very best.
Read MoreAnother Tough Day At Work.
I spent last Monday afternoon at the City Winery in lower Manhattan having my teeth stained purple. The occasion was a wine tasting sponsored by Massanois, a terrific young wine importer and wholesaler that represents an impressive selection of boutique to mid-sized wineries from around the world. Between chatting with winemakers and jockeying for position at the spit bucket, I managed to sample 150 of the 400 wines presented. I must be slowing down in my old age.
I woke up feeling like something had died in my mouth which is probably why they call it the mourning after. If you’ve been there before I’m sure you can feel my pun.
Read MoreSpot The Frog
A Blind Tasting Of A Dozen California Reds and One Bordeaux
Recently my friends and I blind-tasted a dozen small production Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignons and Cabernet-based blends from the 2005 vintage. We taste wine blind so we won’t be influenced by the name and reputation of the winery and because we feel more at home drinking wine out of a dirty paper bag.
In a game I like to call “Spot the Frog” we included a 2005 Grand Cru Classé from St. Emilion Grand Cru. When wines are young it’s not hard to pick out the French ringer in a group of California wines but as wine ages the differences become less apparent. Identifying the lone Bordeaux in a blind tasting had some tasters feeling a little tongue-tied, but I brazenly predicted I could spot the frog with my tongue tied behind my back.
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