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.