Monthly Archives: August 2018

Tasting No. 63- August 13, 2018 – Blends

14 Tuesday Aug 2018

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 Capri Ristorante – McLean, VA

PRESENTERS: Jorge Requena, Alfonso Sanchez

TYPE :  Blind

PARTICIPANTS: Juan Luis Colaiacovo, Orlando Mason, Orlando Reos, Jorge Requena, Alfonso Sanchez, Jairo Sanchez, Peter Scherer

TASTING OVERVIEW 

The presenters selected one white and four red wines for this tasting.  All the reds are blends of Rhone style in a price range from $20 to $60.  Three reds  and the white are from the Central Coast in California (Paso robles and Santa Barbara) a fourth is from Gigondas, Rhone valley in France. The objectives and challenges of this tasting are:

  • Identify the old world bottle
  • Identify the type of blend (Super Tuscan, Bordeaux, Meritage, Rhone, etc.)
  • Identify the regions
  • Identify the base variety of the blends
  • Establish a ranking of preference
  • Determine the best buy, once te prices are divulged

(From Wine Searcher) Paso Robles has made a name for itself as a source of supple, fruity, and powerful wines. With 11 smaller sub-AVAs, there is quite a bit of diversity to be found in this inland portion of California’s Central Coast. This is mostly red wine country, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel standing out as the star performers. Other popular varieties include Merlot, Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, and Rhône varieties both red and white. There is a fairly uniform tendency here towards wines that are unapologetically bold and opulently fruity, albeit with a surprising amount of acidity thanks to the region’s chilly nighttime temperatures.

Ballard Canyon is an AVA encompassed within the larger Santa Ynez Valley region of California’s famous Santa Barbara County. The 3157-hectare (7800-acre) viticultural area was officially recognized as an AVA in October 2013, but has long been highly regarded for its red wines made from Syrah and Grenache. In fact, approximately half of the AVA’s vineyards are devoted to Syrah.  The viticultural region lies to the west of the Happy Canyon AVA and east of the AVA of Sta. Rita Hills. Ballard Canyon itself is a long, thin canyon that runs in a curve from north to south and is surrounded by a myriad of smaller canyons interspersed with dry, rugged hills. The soils in the Ballard Canyon AVA are more uniform than in the larger Santa Ynez Valleyand are made up of sand and clay loam with good drainage capacities. Limestone, too, is present in certain northern vineyard plots. Vines planted in the steeper vineyard sites are able to develop deep root systems in search of water in the AVA’s arid environment, thereby increasing vine strength. The good level of calcium in Ballard Canyon’s soils ensures the development of thick skins and increases the concentration of tannins, sugars and acids in the grapes, leading to richly flavored, well-balanced wines.

These are the wines:

  1. 2016 Tenshen White Blend, Santa Barbara
  2. 2016 Daou Vineyards Pessimist Red Blend, Paso Robles 
  3. 2015 Domain Du Cayron Gigondas, Gigondas, Rohne
  4. 2015 L’Aventure Optimus, Paso Robles
  5. 2015 Piedrasassi Harrison Clarke Vineyard, Santa Barbara

THE MENU

  1. Gazpacho
  2. Risotto de fungi
  3. Veal ravioli with meat sauce
  4. Grilled steak potatoes and vegetables
  5. Dessert and/or coffee

INFORMATION ON THE WINES

(All information obtained and condensed from several Internet articles.)

2016 Tenshen White Blend, Santa Barbara 

The Wine: Winemaker Notes. Aromas of tangerine and ripe melon lead to flavors of peach and apricot. Balanced acidity and juicy honeysuckle accent the finish with a hint of hazelnut. Rhone Style White Blend: Viognier, Rousanne, Grenache Blanc, Chardonnay.

The Winery: Alex Guarachi. Over 30 years ago, Alex Guarachi came to the United States from Chile on a soccer scholarship. When an injury shattered his athletic dreams, he went back to his roots for inspiration on what to do next. Alex embraced his other passion: the wines of his homeland. Having worked from a garage and performing every task, Alex eventually built his wine import company, Guarachi Wine Partners, into one of the industry’s leading companies and in 2010 was honored as Importer of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.

Julian Gonzalez. Gonzalez was Lead Winemaker for all Paul Hobbs Consulting programs from 2007 to 2016. Prior to that, Gonzalez worked under winemaker and mentor, Rolando Herrera, at Mi Sueno, Argentina’s Vina Cobos and Paul Hobbs Winery in addition to working in the cellars at Stag’s Leap, Dominus Estate and Louis M. Martini Winery. Gonzalez has multiple 100-point wines under his pedigree.

Read More about the winery here: http://www.tenshenwines.com/

2016 Daou Vineyards Pessimist Red Blend, Paso Robles

The Wine: The Pessimist is a blend of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel and Tannat.

Deep red color with dark tints. Exotic nose of raspberry, mulberry, and apricot. Very fresh and spicy in the mouth with blackberry flavors.

Not only does it show the vintage’s ripe fruit in the form of red plums, stone fruit and supple tannins, it still retains fine details like wisps of fennel, cracked pepper and a long, licorice-tinged finish.

The Winery: (From Wine.com) In the golden, oak-studded hills of Paso Robles’ fabled west side, not far from William Randolph Hearst’s magnificent castle, there is a man with a Homeric vision. His name is Daniel Daou and he is devoting his life and every imaginable resource to creating, first and foremost, a Cabernet Sauvignon that rivals the very best in the world.

Gracefully perched atop a stunning promontory at 2,200 feet, the DAOU Spanish Colonial style winery is embraced by a tangible serenity. Hawks wheel and bank while the all-day sun caresses close planted rows of lush, emerald green vines. The 100 percent calcareous soil makes no sound as it passes out nourishment and only a gentle breeze flows up through the Templeton Gap from the Pacific. The quiet is bewitching; you want to lay down roots here, just as the four-year-old vines have done. But the sense of peace belies the serious industry at work on this 100 acre estate. No effort is spared to create the luscious varietals and blends that flow from this limited production winery. This kind of synergy happens rarely: superlative climate and terroir, super intensive vineyard culture, and cutting edge viticultural practice. You’re more likely to find it in Bordeaux than Central California. Coupled with the infectious passion and gracious, family style hospitality of the Daou brothers, Georges and Daniel, the result is pure magic. The kind of magic that comes in a bottle.

Read more about  here: https://www.wine-searcher.com/producer-15993-daou-vineyards

2015 Domain Du Cayron Gigondas, Gigondas, Rohne 

The Wine : Winemaker Notes: Deep red color with dark tints. Exotic nose of raspberry, mulberry, and apricot. Very fresh and spicy in the mouth with blackberry flavors.Enjoy on its own or pair with Beef Burgundy, red meat, game and cheeses.

RP: The tank sample of Domaine du Cayron’s 2015 Gigondas looks to be excellent. Not only does it show the vintage’s ripe fruit in the form of red plums, stone fruit and supple tannins, it still retains fine details like wisps of fennel, cracked pepper and a long, licorice-tinged finish. Drink this slightly warm, full-bodied wine from release through 2025.

Indicative blend: 70% Grenache, 15% Cinsault 14% Syrah, 1% Mourvedre.

The Winery: The Domaine de Cayron has been run by the Faraud family for the past four generations, opening in 1840 at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail.The fifth and current generation is run by the three Faraud sisters. The eldest, Delphine, is in charge of sales, accounting and client relations, while Cendrine and the youngest Roseline, armed with their combined knowledge and savoir-fair, work together to produce high-quality wines while, guided by their father, Michel Faraud, remaining true to age-old traditions.

The estate comprises 17 ha (42 acres) of clay marl and limestone, sand and gravel. We have around 20 separate plots, which are located throughout the Gigondas appellation, along the Dentelles de Montmirail (2.5ha at the neck of the Cayron at 400m high) and across garrigue, including 2ha of vineyard in the Bois de Menge that are up to 70 years old.

Read more here: http://www.domaineducayron.com/en/domain.php

2015 L’Aventure Optimus, Paso Robles 

The Wine: Winemaker Notes: Optimus is a classically- styled wine that truly embodies oursaying: L’Aventure…where the Bordeaux meets the Rhône!. 60% Syrah, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Petit Verdot.

Vinous: Inky ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes spice-accented cherry and blueberry, while smoke and vanilla nuances add complexity. Sappy and expansive on the palate, offering sweet dark fruit flavors that show liqueur-like depth and a surprisingly light touch. Closes on a gently tannic note, displaying impressive clarity, repeating spiciness and strong cling.

The Winery: Stephan Asseo, owner and winemaker at L’Aventure Winery, began making wine in 1982, following his education at L’Ecole Oenologique de Macon, Burgundy, France. In that same year, Stephan established Domaine de Courteillac in Bordeaux. He and his family later purchased Chateau Fleur Cardinal and Chateau Robin in the Cotes de Castillion, Bordeaux. Over the next 15 years, Stephan developed into an artisan winemaker of fastidious craftsmanship and gained a reputation as a maverick vigneron. However, his true desire was to be more innovative than AOC law would allow. In 1996, this led him on a quest for a great terroir, where he could pursue his ideal as a winemaker. After searching for over a year among the world’s great wine fields, ranging from South Africa to Lebanon, Argentina to Napa, Stephan found Paso Robles. Stephan immediately “fell in love” with the unique terroir of west side Paso Robles. The rolling topography of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range, the deep calcareous soils, and the maritime influences of the renowned Templeton Gap all combine to produce a world class wine country, with the potential to craft some of the world’s greatest blends. It is here, in Paso Robles, that Stephan began his adventure, “L’Aventure”.

The spirit of L’Aventure is most evident in Stephan’s “Paso Blends”, such as Optimus and Estate Cuvée. Both wines are Syrah/ Cabernet Sauvignon/ Petit Verdot blends. In these wines, as well as in our Rhône blend Côte à Côte, the blending of premium varietals increases the authenticity, complexity, and balance of the wines. In this adventurous spirit, we find the future of Paso Robles wines… great, balanced red blends.

Read more here: http://www.aventurewine.com/

2015 Piedrasassi Harrison Clarke Vineyard, Santa Barbara 

The Wine: Winemaker Notes: Hilarie and Roger Harrison planted their estate mostly to Syrah but later grafted over some vines to Mourvedre—in part as a response to some of the fruit ripening a bit quickly on the clay over limestone soils there. Mourvedre is a later, more patient grape, taking its time through the growing season and not as prone to jackrabbit-fast ripening on calcareous soils as Syrah tends to be. Some Syrah at this site still matures a little early for the winery’s liking, but the addition of the Mourvedre at assemblage brings nuance and balance in the midst of southern-Rhone stylerobustness.

Vinous: The 2015 Red Wine Harrison Clarke Vineyard (50% Syrah, 50% Mourvèdre) is unusually flamboyant and ripe by Piedrasassi standards. Ripe red cherry, kirsch, hard candy, pomegranate and sweet tobacco infuse this intense, forward wine. The 2015 is attractive, but readers should expect a decidedly ripe wine relative to the norm here.

The Winery: Since we began making the Piedrasassi wines in 2003, our ideas about wine have expanded and evolved. We enjoy drinking wines from lots of different regions–Burgundy, the Northern Rhône, Beaujolais, the Jura, and Piedmont, to name a few–so it is difficult to pin us down to a specific style we try to emulate. We are blown away by the tradition and sense of place of wines like Albert Dervieux’s lyrical La Viallière from Côte-Rôtie, and are amazed at the stylized concentration and texture of Stanko Radikon’s avant-garde Ribolla Gialla from Friuli. And we are continually inspired by the diversity of grapes and wines cultivated in the wide open, relatively uncharted territory that is the California wine industry.

The way these widespread tastes express themselves in the winery is in our different bottlings of our flagship varietal, Syrah, and a handful of small offerings of other varietals. For the Syrah, we focus on cooler climate vineyards, using native yeasts, low sulfur, and stem inclusion at fermentation to give transparency to the wines and to develop wines that have exuberant, lively aromatics. For the green label Sauvignon Blanc, we use extended skin contact for a mouthfeel unusual in a white wine. And the whole-cluster, closed-tank fermentation of the carbonic Sangiovese gives the wine a great freshness and energy that we absolutely love.

The common thread among all the wines we love and admire is that there are both a mind and a place behind them. Wine, just like food, or music, or art, should have a certain kind of authenticity–it should come from someone and somewhere. This idea is what informs the work that we do. We try to make honest wines that we believe in. We hope you like them.

Read more here: http://www.piedrasassi.com/

 VINOTABLES RATINGS FOR THIS TASTING:

View full evaluation here: Summary of Tasting Scores 63

Best Rated:  2015 Domain Du Cayron Gigondas, Gigondas, Rohne;  92-93 Pts.

Best Buy: 2016 Daou Vineyards Pessimist Red Blend, Paso Robles; 90-91 Pts.  $25

Tasting No. 62- July 16, 2018- Eastern Europe and Middle East Wines

02 Thursday Aug 2018

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 Capri Ristorante – McLean, VA

Bekaa Valley – Lebanon

PRESENTER: Peter Scherer

TYPE :  Blind

 PARTICIPANTS:

Cecilio Augusto Berndsen, Juan Luis Colaiacovo, Orlando Mason, Orlando Reos, Jorge Requena, Ricardo Santiago, Alfonso Sanchez, Peter Scherer, Miguel Segovia

TASTING OVERVIEW 

This presentation aims at exploring wines form the middle east and east Europe and contrast them with a new world  wine from Chile.

These are Peter’s notes on the subject: “The wines to be presented are largely outside our customary range of selections. My interest in Near Eastern wines was raised recently when a guest brought a wine from Georgia, reportedly the birthplace of wine making. Wow – ​the thought ​why not explore this avenue a bit more with friends from the VN. As it became evident, Georgia is not the only country to lay claim to be first. Archaeological evidence suggests that wine originated in the Caucasus and which boast  the highest peaks of Europe, and identifies sites in Georgia, Iran (c. 5000 BC) and Greece (c. 4500 BC). Not to be missed, there is also research suggesting that wine made from fermented grapes among other fruits was enjoyed even earlier in China  (c. 7000 BC). The oldest evidence of wine production has been found in Armenia (c. 4100 BC).

With this newly found historic diversity of wine making, I became motivated to broaden the sample beyond Georgia. This ​turned out to be a foray of the blind. I do not know much about the wines of the region other than a lose acquaintance with Greece. While some would have liked to include Greece, I shied away because of the limit on the size of the tasting and familiarity of most ​participants ​with Greek wines. ​In the end, ​I chose Georgia, Bulgaria, Lebanon​ and​ Turkey plus Chile for the ‘Challenge’ wine​ largely on advice​ ​of ​selected experts, who are supposed to know and my own intuition. Missing are Armenia, Romania, Macedonia,​ ​Croatia, Iran etc. Candidates ​for ​ another tasting?”

These are the wines:

    1. 2009 Sami, Kondoli Vineyards, Marani, Georgia
    2. 20​15 Gamza, Bulgariana, ​Danube Plain, Bulgaria
    3. 2009 Chateau Musar​, Gaston Hochar, Beeka Valley, Lebanon
    4. 2013 Oekuegoezue – Bogazkere, Kayra Buzbag Rezerv, Anatolia, Turkey
    5. 2011 Carmenere, Primus, Colchagua Valley, Chile

THE MENU

  1. Cheese Plate
  2. Green Salad
  3. Rack of Lamb and Coscous
  4. Dessert and/or coffee

INFORMATION ON THE WINES

(All information obtained and condensed from several Internet articles.)

2009 Sami, Kondoli Vineyards, Marani, Georgia 

The Wine: Tasting Notes; Blend of three Sami grapes all grown in Kondoli vineyards. Samis are characterized by deep red color, intense black fruit juice aromas and big body. A balanced and versatile wine that pairs with a wide variety of dishes. Kondoli’s web site features the Saperavi grape more prominently than the Sami grape offered in the tasting. I was told that the latter is more difficult to grow than the former but that it would yield a subtler wine Georgia is one of the oldest wine regions in the world. The fertile valleys and protective slopes of the Transcaucasia were home to grapevine cultivation and Neolithic wine production for at least 8000 years. The country has more than 500 indigenous grape varieties. Nowadays 25 are used in the industry. For almost 3 centuries, Kondoli vineyards have been a benchmark of quality, reflecting the best of the Kakheti region. The Qvevri wine making method used originally in Georgia, listed as part of the UNESCO Intangible Heritage, reportedly is still practiced today , including for exports. During the fermentation process, cap management is performed only by hand punching, thus the overall mechanical impact on grape skins has been minimized thus ensuring soft extraction of tannin and coloring elements

20​15 Gamza, Bulgariana, ​Danube Plain, Bulgaria 

The Wine: Tasting Notes: an indigenous varietal characterized by softness on the palate and delicate tannins. A full-bodied wine with aromas of red fruits, freshness and ruby red color.Bulgaria in the opinion of some counts on the most accomplished wine makers among Near East countries.  Its accession to the EU in 2007 has engendered the creation of a modern and complex quality wine production and supply chain.  Bulgaria has five viticultural areas exhibiting markedly contrasting growing conditions. The wine chosen is from the Danubian plains.  The climate of the area is temperate continental with a hot summer and many sunny days a year. Bulgariana is one of the better known Bulgarian vineyards. I had bought initially a higher priced Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah blend from the same producer but originating in the Thracian Valley.  I downgraded price wise to get the native Gamza. Let’s see what we got for $12.

 

2009 Chateau Musar​, Gaston Hochar, Beeka Valley, Lebanon

The Wine: Tasting Notes:  Medium youthful ruby; aromatic, slight sweet pepper, savory with soy; palate is medium bodied, medium length; more savory on the palate than the nose; nice medium-long finish. The style is said to be emphatically Lebanese: enticingly aromatic with persistent fruit flavors. Wonderful wine, still early in its development. The varietal components are brought together two years after the harvest; the resulting blend is then placed back in cement tanks before being bottled 12 months later. Each wine is blended to reflect the character of the vintage. After 4 years’ bottle maturation in the stone cellars of Chateau Musar, the finished wines are released a full seven years after the harvest. All the grapes are hand-harvested by local Bedouins between August and October. The CM 2009 has been rated consistently at 91 plus. One rater claimed that it would still grow further over time, I wonder. This is an expensive wine, let’s see whether it passes muster.  The Chateau Musar vineyards are in the Bekaa Valley, cradled between two snow-capped mountain ranges running parallel to Lebanon’s Mediterranean coastline. The valley is nestled at 3,000 feet, sports 300 days of sunshine a year, fresh mountain breezes and an average temperature of 25°C.

 

2013 Oekuegoezue – Bogazkere, Kayra Buzbag Rezerv, Anatolia, Turkey 

The Wine: Tasting Notes.  Kayra wines are being exported internationally, where they have been acclaimed for their quality, value and use of indigenous grape varieties.  As to terroir, Turkey has vast and differentiated soil structures and climatic attitudes, some more suited than others for the growing of grapes that make quality wines. It is said that Eastern Turkey is good for only three things: grape growing, goats and rock farming. Well, good use has been made of growing grapes. While there are thousands of acres under cultivation, only five percent of the grape harvest is used for wine production. Most of the yield is sold fresh or dried. After California, Turkey is the world’s largest producer of raisins.

The Bogazkere region, origin of one of the grapes used in the Turkish wine presented, is known for poor soils and a hot climate with high day‐night temperatures and cold nights. Yet, ingenious and dedicated growers have coaxed out a variety that deserves attention. Öküzgözü, the other blend, is also found only in Turkey.  While Bogazkere makes dark, strong and tannic wines, Öküzgözü gives fruit and floral aromas.  Today’s wine making in Turkey, together with other facets of Turkish life, owes much to Kema Atatürk. He launched a research program into Turkish wine, giving two French viticulturists the task of studying Turkey’s indigenous grapes and wine regions and establishing the regional suitability of grapes. Turkish wines moved up in quality and won a series of gold medals in international competition.

Now, the Turkish government has moved the momentum in reverse by banning advertising and curtailing tightly the consumption of wine.  The industry is suffering with exports essentially the only way out.

 

2011 Carmenere, Primus, Colchagua Valley, Chile

The Wine: Tasting Notes:  Begins with deep carmine red color in the glass. On the nose, the notes of plum and blackberry mingle invitingly with hints of exotic spice. Fresh and delicate flavors of cherry and plum are complemented by a touch of spice and so notes of dried figs. This is wine is well balanced with mouthwatering acidity and rounded tannins.

 

 


VINOTABLES RATINGS FOR THIS TASTING:

Overview: 

  1. The scores on the identification of the wines tasted mirrored a random distribution, i.e. it did not show tasters’ ability to actually match their perception with the actual wines.  This extended to the Chilean Primus ‘challenger’, which was presumed to stand apart from the endogenous varietals.
  2. The distribution of scores was more disperse than those of VN’s tasting of ‘traditional’ wines and the average, except for the Kayra Buzbag but including the Primus, significantly lower.
  3. While none of the wines in the tasting would qualify as a first rate selection to accompany a meal or to be enjoyed as a stand alone, it was felt that the Kayra Buzbag and the Kondoli would offer an interesting  option to taste with friends ‘exotic’ wines from the birth place of wine making.
  4. The relative ratings came as a surprise. The Turkish Kayra  Buzbag Reserve scored highest by far. Following secondary opinions, the presenter had expected a low score. The selection from the generally well regarded Bulgarian wines came in last and the  highly acclaimed Lebanon Chateau Muscar (blend one third each of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault, Carignan) came in second lowest, making for the highest priced lowest quality wine.
  5. The Chilean Primus was not a real challenger. It came in a clear second to the Kayra Buzbag and merely a notch ahead of the  Georgia Kondoli.
  6. Participants generally felt that the Kayra Buzbag was the best, and all things considered, a generally good buy. Using a simple linear metric of dividing the price of the wine by scoring points (from mediocre = 1 to exceptional=6) gave top rating to the Georgia Kondoli with a 6.7 score followed by the Kayra Buzbag and the Primus with 6.3 each.

View full evaluation here: Summary of Tasting Scores 62

Best Rated: 2013 Oekuegoezue – Bogazkere, Kayra Buzbag Rezerv, Anatolia, Turkey

Best Buy: 2011 Carmenere, Primus, Colchagua Valley, Chile

ADDITIONAL COMMENTARY

By Peter Scherer

We are creatures of customs and habits of acquired tastes.  We know how to navigate among Old and New World wines.  Our palate has been trained on the Cabernet Sauvignons, Merlots, Pinot Noirs, Shyras and the likes. These are the varietals that have gotten traction over native grapes in the Near Eastin recent years. Countries want to do business, they need to export. This implies adjustment to the tastes of the client. It means transplanting commercial varietals and adopting Western production methods. Virtually all viticulturalists and enologists of leading wine exporters in the Near East hail from premier Western wine academies. ​

While progress has been made in all countries, at different speeds with Bulgaria possibly leading the pack, they still lag far behind the established Old and New World producers.  Prices are very competitive, but the quality is not, yet. This is changing with the inflow of foreign ownership, capital and expertise, and the rigorous international training of domestic wine makers.

I had a basic choice between indigenous and popular Western varietals. The latter would have allowed to benchmark Near East producers against their export market competition — and to confirm that they are not yet there. Therefore, I chose the former with the exception of the Lebanese ​Chateau Musar, generally acclaimed as the standard setter for fine Near East wine making. The blend is Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Carignan.

Modern production methods, quality controls, sanitary requirements and research have been focused initially on Western varietals but are now increasingly applied also to indigenous grapes. In a way, tasting them is a journey into the past, an attitude to open the palate to different tastes. It reminds me of the experience listening to the recent festival at the Warner of the Qawwli Masters from Pakistan. In the beginning, I did not like the music and singing at all. My Wagner vibes revolted. Yet, I warmed up as I started to differentiate nuances and even found rhythmic similarities with rock music. Certainly not every day but once in a blue moon I would look forward to listening again.

In a way I hope something similar would happen to you during the event. First of course, you would enrich the gamut of your tasting experience with genuine Near East varietals prompted to add some sprinkle of not only a Bulgarian Cabernet but also its native Gamza, which you will have tried during the tasting. The real delight is discovering the individuality a country’s wines offer. But be prepared, some will have a rustic taste to them.

The sample of wines includes an outlier – a “challenger”. I chose a Chilean Carmenere to test whether the Near Eastern wines indeed taste differently from the Old and New World wines and whether we can, well, differentiate nuances.