I went to "An Evening with Brian Carter" at Vino 100 in Bellevue last night. We tried the latest offerings from Brian Carter cellars paired with food. Brian Carter himself was there to describe the wines, his thinking behind each one and so on. Quite a treat.
The pairing of the Oriana Southern Rhone White Blend with a Nicoise inspired salad with fresh Crab instead of tuna was outstanding. That experience of having both the wine and the food taste better because you have them together is one of the things I really enjoy about having wine with dinner.
Basically tasted the whole lineup of wines:
TUTTOROSSO, Super-Tuscan Style Blend
ORIANA, White Wine Blend
SOLESCE, Bordeaux-Style Blend
BYZANCE, Southern Rhone-Style Blend
L'ETALON, Bordeaux-Style Blend
ABRACADABRA, a Magically Whimsical Blend
The Abracadabra was described as being the result of the surplus after blending all of the first label wines... magically, this wine appears each year. In actually, we quite liked it as it had a very nice balance and was enjoyable to drink.
L'Etalon was our favorite and at $30-$35/bottle (same price as a few years ago) it's quite a good deal. I've drinken a couple of bottles of the 2002 which had more structure (most notably tannin) but tended to be more bitter.
There are trade offs of course, the 2004 we drank at this event was smoother right from the get go but didn't finish as long and I think the maturity date of the wine will be much sooner than the 2002.
Good event.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Saturday, May 31, 2008
The French Wine Industry Fights to Win Over Their 20 Somethings
A few days ago I saw this post on Avenue Vine describing how the 20 somethings in France describe wine as "expensive and old fashioned", complaining that "There are so many names and regions."
You know, it isn't suprising, just because France has such a storied history with wine doesn't mean that the next generation is born with the knowledge of how all the appellation system works and how to know what kind of wine is in a bottle from Corton, Margaux or Gigondas.
Not that I'm spurning tradition, I really like it and I'm not advocating removing the appellation information and replacing it with the grape varietal(s) used in that bottle. That said, having that information and widening the market is a good thing.
Well, talk about synchronicity. I just saw this article describing how the French appellation rules are changing to "fight off the New World challenge".
In a nutshell, France is introducing a new "Wine of France" category that is defined by grape varietal.
Although I don't like how they've relaxed the rules on adding tanning and using wood chips, I think this is a good thing overall and will increase the sales of French wine.
Of course, like all things, progress is not without it's anchors, here is an example of a recent Burgundy ad campaign that was banned for no good reason, it's an elegant and creative ad.
You know, it isn't suprising, just because France has such a storied history with wine doesn't mean that the next generation is born with the knowledge of how all the appellation system works and how to know what kind of wine is in a bottle from Corton, Margaux or Gigondas.
Not that I'm spurning tradition, I really like it and I'm not advocating removing the appellation information and replacing it with the grape varietal(s) used in that bottle. That said, having that information and widening the market is a good thing.
Well, talk about synchronicity. I just saw this article describing how the French appellation rules are changing to "fight off the New World challenge".
In a nutshell, France is introducing a new "Wine of France" category that is defined by grape varietal.
Although I don't like how they've relaxed the rules on adding tanning and using wood chips, I think this is a good thing overall and will increase the sales of French wine.
Of course, like all things, progress is not without it's anchors, here is an example of a recent Burgundy ad campaign that was banned for no good reason, it's an elegant and creative ad.
Bordeaux Cheat Sheet
I was thinking about what a Bordeaux cheat sheet might look like. What are the key pieces of information you would like to have with you when you are buying a bottle of Bordeaux? (either at a restaurant or at a store)
I'm thinking it would look something like this:
I'm thinking it would look something like this:
Wines from the left bank (of the Gironde) are primarily Cabernet Sauvignon and the region includes: Medoc, and Graves.
- Medoc includes the northern Medoc as well as the Haut Medoc.
- The celebrated regions of the Haut Medoc include (north to south) St Estephe, Pauillac, St Julien, and Margaux
- Graves includes Pessac-Leognan
- The more specific the appellation, generally the better the wine (i.e. Margaux is much more specific than Haut Medoc. Medoc less than Haut Medoc with Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur being the most basic
- In the famous wine classification of 1855 (First Growth, Second Growth etc) only the Chateau from Medoc and one Chateau from Graves (Haut-Brion from Graves) were included.
- In Medoc, the 200 chateaux that were never classified are called the Crus Bourgeois. Quality can range a lot on a wine that puts Crus Bourgeois on the label so pay it no mind.
- In Graves, a small number of Chateaux (16) were classified as Cru Classes in 1953
Wines from the Right Bank are primarily Merlot (sometimes 100%) and the region includes Pomerol and St Emilion.
- St Emilion was classified into 11 Premiers Grands Crus Classes and 53 Grands Crus Classes, revised every decade.
- Pomeral was never classified (many outlying areas were also never classfied)
- Cotes de Bourg and Cotes de Blaye (as well as Cotes de Castillon and Cotes de Francs) are north west of Pomerol and are still right bank wines (Merlot dominant) and are generally for everyday drinking
The actual Medoc 1855 classification can be interesting to have available as can a vintage chart although your mileage will vary with both.
Generally, I try to choose a bordeaux based on region and of course, factoring in the amount I want to pay.
What would you include in your Bordeaux Cheat Sheet?
Monday, May 26, 2008
Demographics of a Wine Drinker
As I was searching the web for different wine festivals, I stumbled across some demographic information about those festivals. In particular, I found the demographic data for the Boston Wine Expo as well as the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.
It would be good to point out that the type of people that go to wine festivals are a small subset of all the wine drinkers out there. That said, it is interesting to see how you fit within the wider demographic.
Largest Age Group: 30-40
Income: 69% earn more than $100,000 (Boston) Average income: $107,000 (Vancouver)
Average Amount Spent on Wine/Month: $152 (Vancouver)
Average Price/Bottle: 20% spend between $20-$30 (Boston)
# Bottles/Month: 39% buy 5-10 bottles, 33% buy 1-4 bottles (Boston)
It seems the demongraphics of a wine drinker align on both the east and west coast as well as into Canada. It certainly does paint a picture of your typical wine enthusiast.
It also reinforces how much wine is a luxury item that is marketed that way. I read somewhere that the quality of wine increases quite a bit for each additional dollar you spend up to $50/bottle. After $50/bottle, you do get an increase in quality and better materials (i.e. where the grapes are from, how they are treated, how much patience was put into the vinification of the wine, newer oak barrels and the like) but the increased cost is more marketing (name brand) and/or supply and demand driven.
I'm curious about the bigger picture, the demographics of a wine drinker and how the US compares to other countries like France and Italy.
Technorati Profile
It would be good to point out that the type of people that go to wine festivals are a small subset of all the wine drinkers out there. That said, it is interesting to see how you fit within the wider demographic.
Largest Age Group: 30-40
Income: 69% earn more than $100,000 (Boston) Average income: $107,000 (Vancouver)
Average Amount Spent on Wine/Month: $152 (Vancouver)
Average Price/Bottle: 20% spend between $20-$30 (Boston)
# Bottles/Month: 39% buy 5-10 bottles, 33% buy 1-4 bottles (Boston)
It seems the demongraphics of a wine drinker align on both the east and west coast as well as into Canada. It certainly does paint a picture of your typical wine enthusiast.
It also reinforces how much wine is a luxury item that is marketed that way. I read somewhere that the quality of wine increases quite a bit for each additional dollar you spend up to $50/bottle. After $50/bottle, you do get an increase in quality and better materials (i.e. where the grapes are from, how they are treated, how much patience was put into the vinification of the wine, newer oak barrels and the like) but the increased cost is more marketing (name brand) and/or supply and demand driven.
I'm curious about the bigger picture, the demographics of a wine drinker and how the US compares to other countries like France and Italy.
Technorati Profile
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Strategies for Learning Wine
Recently, after close to 8 years, I met up with an old friend and amidst the conversation, I shared how I had gotten into wine and had a modest wine collection. He asked how I got into wine (more on that in a minute) and how he expanded his wine knowledge by focusing on a particular for a year - say Italy for a year, France for year and so on.
It got me to thinking, what are some of the great and enjoyable ways one can get into wine?
For me, I started kind of small, trying a glass of wine here and there with dinner and trying to make note of what I liked. Of course, that didn't go so well mainly because 1) I didn't keep a very good list and 2) Even I had that list, I couldn't use it to understand what I liked or whether I would like a given bottle.
I eventually found that I needed to develop a vocabulary that described the elements of wine and figure out which of those elements I liked. After that, it's about figuring out which regions and types of wines have those elements.
I took a few classes and did a fair amount of reading to develop the vocabulary and to gain experience (i.e. taste a lot of wines). Visiting wineries, joining a wine club and going to wine tastings also helped a lot. Ultimately, there is no substitute for experience and the great thing about wine is gaining that experience is the joy.
The other thing happened unconsiously was that I did focus on particular regions. There was two reasons for that 1) Finding wines I liked in a particular region, say Burgundy, fueled learning more about that region and 2) visiting particular regions, Napa, Sonoma, Willamette Valley brought those regions to life -- nothing will bring a wine region to life like having to figure out driving directions, which wineries to visit and tasting some of the differences between say Stag's Leap and Alexander Valley.
I do believe narrowing focus in order to learn is a great tool because the reality is that the world of wine is huge. It is overwhelming.
I like the example my friend gave of focusing on a particular region for a year. That doesn't mean if you are in the mood for something else you shouldn't act on that mood, it just means you expand yourself in a particular region for a given period of time and round out that exploration with drinking, looking at maps and reading about it.
If you are really lucky, you can also spend time in each region.
Having a wine buddy to share this with will also help in a lot of ways. For me, I've been lucky to share my passion with my wife as a mutual interest which in turn has helped us bond.
What strategies for learning wine would you recommend?
It got me to thinking, what are some of the great and enjoyable ways one can get into wine?
For me, I started kind of small, trying a glass of wine here and there with dinner and trying to make note of what I liked. Of course, that didn't go so well mainly because 1) I didn't keep a very good list and 2) Even I had that list, I couldn't use it to understand what I liked or whether I would like a given bottle.
I eventually found that I needed to develop a vocabulary that described the elements of wine and figure out which of those elements I liked. After that, it's about figuring out which regions and types of wines have those elements.
I took a few classes and did a fair amount of reading to develop the vocabulary and to gain experience (i.e. taste a lot of wines). Visiting wineries, joining a wine club and going to wine tastings also helped a lot. Ultimately, there is no substitute for experience and the great thing about wine is gaining that experience is the joy.
The other thing happened unconsiously was that I did focus on particular regions. There was two reasons for that 1) Finding wines I liked in a particular region, say Burgundy, fueled learning more about that region and 2) visiting particular regions, Napa, Sonoma, Willamette Valley brought those regions to life -- nothing will bring a wine region to life like having to figure out driving directions, which wineries to visit and tasting some of the differences between say Stag's Leap and Alexander Valley.
I do believe narrowing focus in order to learn is a great tool because the reality is that the world of wine is huge. It is overwhelming.
I like the example my friend gave of focusing on a particular region for a year. That doesn't mean if you are in the mood for something else you shouldn't act on that mood, it just means you expand yourself in a particular region for a given period of time and round out that exploration with drinking, looking at maps and reading about it.
If you are really lucky, you can also spend time in each region.
Having a wine buddy to share this with will also help in a lot of ways. For me, I've been lucky to share my passion with my wife as a mutual interest which in turn has helped us bond.
What strategies for learning wine would you recommend?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Betz Pere de Famille 2003
My wife and had a bottle of Betz Pere de Famille Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 that I got a couple of years ago when I was in the Vino 100 Bellevue wine club. Kind of a pricey wine at around $50/bottle but we both hadn't tried it before and were interested in tasting it.
This bottle has been lying down for a couple of years in our Eurocave and I think it's done it some good although we both agreed it could even get better over a few more years.
Just as an aside, I'm not going to post something about every wine we taste, there are far better people to tell you about that. I will mention some of the outstanding ones, which is the reason why I'm writing about this wine.
It was a very tasty wine, lots of nice fruit, more on the berry side with a fair amount of toasty oak flavors such as chocolate, fennel and nutmeg. The balance was really good although it was a touch astringent on the finish. Plenty of complexity and flavors. Not bitter (did have structure), not too acidic.
Quite a good wine, we're looking forward to our next bottle.
This bottle has been lying down for a couple of years in our Eurocave and I think it's done it some good although we both agreed it could even get better over a few more years.
Just as an aside, I'm not going to post something about every wine we taste, there are far better people to tell you about that. I will mention some of the outstanding ones, which is the reason why I'm writing about this wine.
It was a very tasty wine, lots of nice fruit, more on the berry side with a fair amount of toasty oak flavors such as chocolate, fennel and nutmeg. The balance was really good although it was a touch astringent on the finish. Plenty of complexity and flavors. Not bitter (did have structure), not too acidic.
Quite a good wine, we're looking forward to our next bottle.
Parker & Zraly Wine Certification Program
Recently I started the first level, Level I - Aficionado of Wine (AW), of the Parker & Zraly Wine Certification Program on eRobertParker.com.
So far I've completed the Wines of France, Wines of Burgundy and Wines of Bordeaux tests all with flying colors. There are 8 exams in total, I still need to make my way through United States, Italy, Spain and Portugal, the Southern Hemisphere, and "Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe".
So what can you expect from this certification program? Well, given that you have to get to level III before you actually have to taste wines in order to pass the test, and Level I is all multiple choice online, the main purpose is for a Wine Enthusiast (don't mind the pun) to test their knowledge.
For me, it was a great way to motivate myself to learn more about regions aside from the American and French regions I tend to spend the majority of my time reading and drinking about.
For the most part, if you read the related sections in Karen MacNeil's The Wine Bible
as well as Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 2008 Edition
you'll be in good shape to answer the majority of the questions.
On the France test, there were questions on what rules were a part of the AOC, what grapes are used in each region, wine making terminology, terminology from the regions, classifications and such.
Bordeaux and Burgundy dove more into the sub-regions of each region, asking a number of questions about what region a particular winery, or vineyard belongs. Of course, classifications, 1855 for Bordeaux and the Cru system for Burgundy was asked as well.
Occasionally I got what I felt were somewhat useless questions such as "how many acres are in region X" or "how many cases of red wine are produced in region y". Somewhat hard to study for questions like that.
For the most part, I'm getting what I wanted out of the exams, they are making me read more wine books and driving me to learn more about all kinds of different wine regions.
You do have to sign up for eRobertParker.com and pay for the exams which at the time of this writing was $35/exam or $195 for all 8. Quite a bit of money for a certificate and a small amount of bragging rights :)
So far I've completed the Wines of France, Wines of Burgundy and Wines of Bordeaux tests all with flying colors. There are 8 exams in total, I still need to make my way through United States, Italy, Spain and Portugal, the Southern Hemisphere, and "Germany, Austria and Eastern Europe".
So what can you expect from this certification program? Well, given that you have to get to level III before you actually have to taste wines in order to pass the test, and Level I is all multiple choice online, the main purpose is for a Wine Enthusiast (don't mind the pun) to test their knowledge.
For me, it was a great way to motivate myself to learn more about regions aside from the American and French regions I tend to spend the majority of my time reading and drinking about.
For the most part, if you read the related sections in Karen MacNeil's The Wine Bible
as well as Kevin Zraly's Windows on the World Complete Wine Course: 2008 Edition you'll be in good shape to answer the majority of the questions.On the France test, there were questions on what rules were a part of the AOC, what grapes are used in each region, wine making terminology, terminology from the regions, classifications and such.
Bordeaux and Burgundy dove more into the sub-regions of each region, asking a number of questions about what region a particular winery, or vineyard belongs. Of course, classifications, 1855 for Bordeaux and the Cru system for Burgundy was asked as well.
Occasionally I got what I felt were somewhat useless questions such as "how many acres are in region X" or "how many cases of red wine are produced in region y". Somewhat hard to study for questions like that.
For the most part, I'm getting what I wanted out of the exams, they are making me read more wine books and driving me to learn more about all kinds of different wine regions.
You do have to sign up for eRobertParker.com and pay for the exams which at the time of this writing was $35/exam or $195 for all 8. Quite a bit of money for a certificate and a small amount of bragging rights :)
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