All Along the Watertowers

Greetings I am now in New Orleans. If you check in previous posts I ventured to Montreal to find le vin rouge. That wine was brooding, and sausagey - lo and behold I’ve found the fermented here in New Orleans to be decadent and overly soapy.

In previous debacles in the world of wine I was fronted with MERLOT: what makes something merlot? Where does it come from...and in the traditional French motif, what does it taste like?

Here I am posing the Dom. Brumont Cotes de Gascogne Rouge -

Gascogny is in southern France, about 100miles from Bordeaux. It is a region of Cognac grapes and sits adjacent to the Atlantic. It’s always interesting to note the color of the actual wine. But surrounding our element here is a lot of the nature of Merlot: la mer. The ocean, blue. The wine itself was creamy-dry, thin and cuttingly suave; tinted with dark berry because it is a blend with a regional grape ‘Tannat.’

Driving to New Orleans, I wondered profusely about the quality of the water in these parts of the far South. At every juncture along the byways and country roads are a water towers. I left New York because it seemed like just one lonely (albeit famous) port in this massive green.blue planet. I found myself in the vieux port of New Orleans, where it rains constantly and shrimp turn up everywhere...

Here’s something I found about the waterworks of New Orleans:

Ironic; when asked ‘what is a dry wine,’ how are we to know if what’s in the bottle is truly a product of a dry conditions. Merlot as we always identified is dry, even to a point of creamy. Often times it is gushing and oozing with exotic fruit. The key is to have a sense of place for your wine and the culture that surrounds the vines. In Gascogny, people are keen to distill information, live from the land and sea and enjoy the sun’s bounty. Not a dissimilar culture here in New Orleans!

Goosebumps in Bordeaux thread, to cork, by flames

#Harlem_Vintage is on their second wave of ownership. Many moons ago this was the bastion in Harlem as an innovative wine store. Yesterday, I was pouring two styles at the shop. Vin blanc (entre-deux mers) and the Cotes de Bordeaux rising appellation.

It's exceedingly interesting to many analyzing the labels of wines - which is crucial. When one sees Bordeaux on a wine label, is price an implication? Albeit wines can be simply juice, or they can be 'elevage.'

The agency that sent me bares the citchy sudonym (that shall not be named) but you get the idea of a burning desire to get the wines opened. SO i got there, and immediately I was in the tiger's den. The new ownership is young and impassioned. I went ahead an opened the following:

1.  Le Grand Courraye Rouge  - Cotes de Castillion
2.  Dom. Grand Jean - Entre-deux-mers Blanc
And among others
3.  Dom. Le Tour Puyblanquet 2015

All in all, the wines were serviceable. These are the nether regions of Bordeaux - between and along the rivers, not truly the 'wines on demand.'

White wine in Bordeaux is overshadowed.  People enjoy seduction, but never do they think 'priming.' Elegant white Bordeaux, such as Domaine Grand Jean (Sauvignon Blanc/Semillion) is dry, and minerally. It is an appetitive that is subtle and palatte swelling.

The rouges were quaffable - and saying this in Harlem people thought I was speaking 'tongues.'  I mentioned earlier Cotes de Bordeaux, the countryside of the region. In Castillon there was a castle, owned by a German/Spaniard....anyone non-roman. And these wines are in fact Cabernet Frank. Hearty, oncuous, and smathered raspberry.

 Essentially, the wines...at vintage Harlem, were a success. And never for once consider certain 'clienteles' to shy from dry or sophisticated wine. Very little are people aware that the region of Bordeaux is simply drama - and the drama is in the flames of the vines, and the candles that some producers live by in cellars giving air and breadth to the wines.

Delving into the Grapes of Fray, et. Le Vin Frais!

All this past month I craved anissete, or Ouzo. I love mixology especially with sharp citrus; but are even grapes citrus?

No- they're not. They are in fact amber in color; deep muddled acidities, and of course; exotic fixtures. I tasted a Pinot Gris at Warwick winery (Hudson Valley) but all along a few more tastings I hummed over icons like 'Weissburgunder'  and 'Muscadet.'

Whenever Frenchies hurry into a store they clamour 'eh you have fresh wine' - le vin frais, or wine that is simply cold. In fact, in other experiences I've gathered that Vin Frais or 'fresh wine' is literally wine made about either locally or just served out of a tank. Fresh wines - rather than 'natural wine' - are fermented ad-hoc and are enjoyed almost flowingly.  This wine tingled with puckery kiwi acidity. The tingled lends itself to active culture and hence low-sulfite.

A couple weeks later I encountered a wine tasting from the Alto Adige which in reality is prime Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio territory. Often times they use a grape called Weissburgunder - which is known as Pinot Blanc, but it can teater on Chardonnay.

 Chardonnay can be tender, but this was a spumante that resembled a thin, uppercut of Pinot Grigio. Was refereshing but the border of Italy/Austria is not a hotbed for 'sparkling culture.'

Finally, I met with SolStars this week as an emerging rep. We tasted the following:

Quite the 'umph' and elegance aptly served out of a tight, tweaked, and amaryllis bottle. The 2016 'Vins D'Aslace' Pinot Blanc was leveling on austere. Very little succulence and drama, in fact; flint, limestone, and stiff acidity were hallmarks of this French Pinot Blanc.

With a little maturity, often times the same grape - be it Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Blanc -- the volatility of the juice can hone in the characteristics of the culture that cultivates the vine.

Bargain Bin, Bourgogne Vin, and Belgium's In!

The other day at the wine shop I was asked to reshelf a totally inexpensive wine, a simple Pinot Noir: behold 'Le Borgounge.'

Burgundy is a wine that is ubiqutuis, and my coworker promptly asked to put in the appropriate section. NO, it was to be in the bargain bin, or le borgougne vin? Pinot Noir is a thin skinned grape that sometimes can be minty or curvaceous.  Burgundy vintages can fetch far sums, yet others are in the under 10 realm. I noted that one of the shops around the corner has a simple, inexpensive Burgundy:

Often times shops have 'clear-outs' or wines that are attractively priced. This is a '13 Pinot Noir from the negotiant maison Lapalus $12.99. Faiveley is another name of a burgundy house. Often times you'll find some Polish names as well.  But where does the spin occur?  The rather cliche, overmarked Burgundy. 

I believe the emblem and the name of this vineyard in Burgundy (Ursule) are a name notorious in Belgium and folklore. This name, Jadot, is a French maison fetching a price of over $50 for a vintage of the above rouge.  Sometimes Burgundy's carry a history, a long lineage of heirloom grapes. This label indicates a monopole of a small vineyard; in the prime real estate of the Cote D'or.  While Urusula may be purple, the land is gold, the real color of Burgundy is actually fading into thinner and thinner shades of crimson....best bet, hark on rose. 

Rust of Salt....Sultry: Seduction and Southern Spain

The journey of wine veers south for the most part and the main stay of wines go by the lingo: 'Smith and Hook', or 'Los Carneros'...but the delicacy of wine is subtle, murky, and must be bold. I dropped by the Park Hyatt on 57th Street for a liquid lunch, behold:

The blood orange garnishes a stirring of #ElijahCraig and an unnamed "Olloroso Sherry". Sherry - 'cherry, 'xerry' - is a fortified wine from southern Spain in the bay of Cadiz just north of Gibraltar. The wines are fortified because they were sent over seas, just like Port or Madeira. In this case, the Olloroso sherry was aged so perfectly that I felt the subtle red fruit that can ripen even in the bottle.

Sherry's are fortified with a neutral spirits; Port with brandy, and Madeira as well. I did some online research and found a really cool example of Olloros Sherry:

The idea here is that seduction is not just juicy, but should mature with lingering afterthought. This Sherry above is a small production, Tio Alejandro, and should be aged about 3-5 years to be an Olloroso. Moreover, the lid of the barrels are remod on purpose, so to aerate the must and apply saturation to the wine.  Sherry's are great and I recommend you try your hand at liquor sur cuisine!

Pan-American Elegance Amid Country Folk Roads, Notes..

The climax of my week was arriving to the Glenmere Mansion.

This place was the 'pies de resistance' so to speak with a bodacious wine list. So from this climax, what did I deduce from the week?

Italian elegance is real. Some wines portray such delicate balance such as Vin Nobile de Montepulciano, or a crip north Italian white (i.e. A simple Pinot Grigio).

Second, I learned about the power of mixology. Wild Turkey, great bourbon, so cheap, but with a little bitters you can tac on a nice price for sipping conversability.

Third, in my travels around this area, understanding past generations is crucial. A 'burning fire' exists in the mind of many baby boomers and their savory qualities lend towards well roundedness, old-world sustenance ( think cream cheese and tea), and a value in a 'sense of place.'

Ultimately, this article exposes the terroir and budding wine culture of NY State. Truly a virtue to reckon with.

Along the Danube, Stark Viticulture Differences

I recently paid yet another homage to the infamous "gruner", das ist Gruner Veltliner...

Along the Danube towards the Alps and Alto Adige of Italy lay hectares of vines of an easy sipping, austere, and nuanced varietal called: Gruner Veltliner. This is early pickings of summer fruit and the little green berries produce a knock out wine.

As you go west towards Italy, the grapes evolve from "Blauer Zweigelt", to Pinot Noir, and eventually Pinot Nero in Venezia. Stadlmann, west of Vienna, produces a gamey, barnyard hay like Pinot Noir that is voluptuous and jammy summer fruit.  I tried the 2013 vintage and was keen on learning more about Austrian wine maturity.

Rather than compete with the seductive, curvaceous, and often tannic Pinots of the 'occident', Stadlmann has chosen to release the '13 vintage to market after oak maturity in cellar. The wine is sturdy and thick for a Pinot Noir.  Eastern European wine as I consider it, has legs, pairs with hearty meat; but in all seriousness, lacks the conversational aptitude of say, a Touraine Rouge. 

You Bet They're Betting

This article is intended to instruct how to properly identify low-cost wines at a shop. There are a few key factors:  aesthetic cost/benefit, varietal and region match, and vintage.

Labeling and Aesthetic Cost/Benefit

The label should tell you who grows the grapes, the wine style, and can convey the general 'gusto' of the wine. Here in lies a $55 bottle of wine retail in NYC:

"L'Ecole" is a lose French term which could mean the school, the growth, the farm, etc. There is no place such that grows grapes. The point I am making is that the consumer can see there is too much invested in a label to convey a meager message: hence at $55 ea: this is a deceptive aesthetic with marginal cost/benefit.

This is supposedly a designated origin wine "Ferguson Vineyard" but as such a blending company does not have to adhere to many laws in Washington State. The label says preeminence, economy, and breadth, but we could really expect a light, tart, and polished wine typical to Walla Walla Valley Merlot and Pinot Noir grapes.







Overpriced Vintage
Burgundy, Tuscany 2013

No stunning news from the front in terms of weather for Burgundy or Tuscany in 2013. The vintage was a success, yes, but there is no reason for these wines to exceed $10 an oz.  Tignanello:

(From wine-searcher.com)
NYC Retail Provider Prices
Sassicai Bolgheri 'super tuscan' 2012 ----> $180
''                                                  2013----> $245

And in Chassagne Montrachet to the Cote Nuits, Chardonnays and Pinot Noir's are exceeding $100 for the 2013 vintage.

Socialismo, Canada, Et le Cabernet Frank!

My most memorable tidbit of salesmanship is 'drama.' Bordeaux, like in my earlier post, can be whimsical, but in Montreal whim evolves into reality. 

"Le Vine en Montreal" or Mont Royal as it's called is operated on SAQ - province operated liquor establishments. I opted for something French. 

Just south of Bordeaux are the pay's de land. In other countries these are 'land wines' that aren't as meticulously propagated.  I opted for 'Madiran 2010' by producer Boucasse. 

The Map shows Madiran in the middle, but we have already ventured towards Spain in the Pyrenees. The wine at hand?

50% Malbec, 30% Tannat, 20% Cabernet Frank. 

It was slightly smokey and black, as wines from this area are alleged. My recommendation: go south. 

Ques't Qu Ce'st Le Vin Rouge? (I don't speak French)

Having arrived to VinExpo 2018 in the Javits Center I heard French all around. Non - je ne parle par Francais - je suis tre Americain. 

However, I love love love rugged, yet obstuse French culture. Low and behold, the Mexican singer Natalia Lafourcade...

 She is known for such whimsical music; similarly, the name Lafourcade is well known in Bordeaux. In walks Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The ubiquitous grape of France must be Merot, avec, Le Merlot. But in this case, we have a candid expression of the morose, brackish, and seductively blackberryish Cabernet Sauvignon in the form of a cotes de Bordeaux chateau: Chateau Lafourcade.

This wine is purveyed by Monsieur Touton selections and I believe is a 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% merlot blend. Medium bodied and a healthy vintage, the 2015 bodes well as a unique vin rouge in Bordeaux.

#VineExpo 2018 New York City