August 2019

DREAM SWEETS: Part 2

Global warming has changed a lot of things about German wines. So have the changing tastes of some markets that have put an emphasis on dry/trocken versions of German wine (for better or worse), particularly from elite ‘grand cru’ sites from which the great dessert bottlings used to come. When we go to German tasting these days, we are typically forced to slog through 30% (or more) skeletal dry Rieslings among the offerings while there are only a handful of true Auslesen in the room.

Maybe tastes really have changed and the demand for the higher pradikat wines has waned in recent years. Our objection with Germany is that the traditional fruity style is what these vineyards do like nowhere else in the world, yet we are fighting Nature by superimposing a current winemaking ‘fad’ on vineyard sites who are best served doing what they have been doing for centuries. Those are fighting words to some of the ‘New Age’ wine types but, frankly, we don’t care. We love a great auslese and the Selbach-Oster Riesling Zeltinger Schlossberg ‘Schmitt’ 2016 is a fine example of why.

Selabch-Oster is a top flight producer that owns parcels in several of the best sites on the Mosel, and he makes a lot of different bottlings. His ‘benchmark’ wines are from three very old plots high on the slopes within specific, high profile vineyards. One of these is Schmitt from the Zeltiner Himmelreich. Schmitt has a perfect southern exposure, but a deeper subsoil of crumbly, broken slate mixed with organic matter and loam. Importer Terry Thiesse likens the vineyard’s orientation further from the river and above the town where the human element creates additional warmth to that of Bernkasteler Doktor.

It is also made in a singular style. Whereas most Auslese are the result of several passes through the vineyard, Selbach harvests the whole block at once, fermenting the grapes of varied degrees of ripeness together to reflect not only the terroir, but the ‘moment’. The grapes are fermented with only their natural yeasts and allowed to determine their own fate, be that trocken or a knockout auslese like we have here.

Stephan Reinhardt wrote a love poem that covers all the bases succinctly, “The 2016 Zeltinger Schlossberg Riesling Auslese “Schmitt” is a very clear, fresh and precise on the nose, with very fine mineral aromas of crunchy slate. This reminds me a bit of the Wehlener Sonnenuhr in its finesse, perfectly ripe fruit and the finest possible expression of minerals in wine. This is the finest Schmitt I have ever had and surely one of the greatest 2016s from the Mosel. Its finesse and elegance are mind-blowing…97 points“–

Great now and for a couple of decades hence.

DREAM ‘SWEETS’: Part 1

First off, thanks for clicking. It never ceases to amaze us that when you say something is a dessert style, people (the same ones that drink Chardonnays with 2% residual sugar and love those sweets when they are poured in their glass) scurry away. It is not a sin to like fruitier wines, nor does it mean you aren’t ‘cool’, in spite of what the populace at large might do to suggest otherwise. Far too many people act like drinking dessert wines is akin to drinking pancake syrup. But in fact the sizzling acidity that supports the great ones make them brighter and more versatile than a lot of wines out there.

Anyway, we are still fans of the genre and appreciate their place in the wine spectrum. Also, in spite of all of the negative attitude out there, we sell a lot of them…often providing we don’t say the ‘S’ word. For the moment we have a couple of gems that deserve a word. First up is the Felsina Vin Santo 2007, a fascinating and complex wine that is the result of an equally fascinating process.

The grapes in Felsina’s case are Trebbiano, Malvasia and Sangiovese that are harvested by hand and put through a rigorous sorting before the grapes are placed on mats until January/February. They are then de-stemmed and pressed, and the must is transferred to sealed, 100-litre oak casks containing the “mother” (a thick substance remaining from previous vintages).

After 7 years in storage, the cask is opened and the wine is bottle-aged for a minimum of 6 months. It’s a little bit ‘life on the edge’ because anything can happen in that closed environment for such a long period of time. When the stars align, it is magic, and this complex peach, dried apricot, carmel and spices elixir is one of those engaging examples.

Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner went off on this one saying, “The 2007 Vin Santo del Chianti Classico (375-milliliters) is a gorgeous wine with so many descriptors that apply to the ever-evolving and complex bouquet. This golden dessert wine offers distinct aromas of dried apricot, honey and saffron. But give it a few moments and earthy or autumnal tones of wild mushroom, forest floor and aged cheese also rise to the top. The effect is almost savory and definitely very sophisticated. The wine glides smoothly over the palate with creamy richness and viscous smoothness. ..94+.”

Simply a stunning way to end an evening and, if you don’t finish it, it will hold up for a few days. (Go to ‘Dream Sweets: Part 2’)

ALT WHITES: PART 3

Over the years we have told a lot of tales. More than a few of them have been about a new star coming to market that was going to have a significant impact. This one is more of a rebirth of sorts that has the potential to have greater impact as time passes in the rather specific area of Austrian whites. For the time being, it is important to understand the ‘players’, and as importantly the dirt, or the stones as this elevated site is a bit light on topsoil.

Without going into a whole Mitchneresque reach back to the formation of the earth, Atzberg and Singgeriegel are virtually identical in their composition of red stones, slate and gneiss with little topsoil. Eventually they were separated by a stream called Mieslingbach. Singgeriegel went on to become recognized as one of, if not the top vineyard in the Wachau. Atzberg can trace its history back to the 13^th Century and the building called Mauritiushof was used by the monks to collect grapes. The Gritsch family bought the property in 1799, and used the building for wine production.

In recent times the Atzberg Vineyard itself was not cultivated. It’s terraced vineyards high on the hill were unplanted until winemaker Franz-Josef Gritsch and his partners Hans Schmid and Robert Wutzl decided that the spot was too special and important a site to be ignored. They dove in and ‘recultivated’ this historic site with the idea of restoring it to its formal elite status that was mentioned in records as far back as 1382.

Everything is ‘old school’. This 100% Gruner Veltliner vineyard is labor-intensive, with the grapes handpicked and carried in small tubs down to the lower valley. The thinking was that, given the history, if Singgeriegel is such an iconic vineyard, so too should Atzberg be among the stars of the region. If the Atzberg Gruner Veltliner Steilterrassen 2016 (Steilterrassen literally means ‘steep terraces’) is any indication, the ‘reclamation’ project is going quite swimmingly. The juice in the glass definitely gets one’s attention. It begins with a harmonious succession of aromas such as red berries, earthy minerality, apple, pear, wild herbs and spices.

In the mouth, all of this reveals itself in a palate that has not only the anticipated lift but a fairly broad, ample, and tender feel. Some Gruners sting, this one does a lot more caressing while still delivering the kind of bright, energetic experience one expects from this varietal when done right. Somewhat kinder and gentler, it delivers loads of character and finishing salinity. While it should please established fans of the genre, it is capable of winning some new friends for Gruner by virtue of its friendlier texture. The breeding and complexity of the site in the glass support the effort Gritsch and friends have put into it.

We don’t have any flashy reviews. We didn’t find any on this specific vintage, but didn’t really need them to validate that this was exciting stuff. Also, given the laborious nature of the site, we found the price to be more than fair, particularly when compared to an ‘upper cuvee’ from the site called Obere that literally costs more than twice as much. Delicious Gruner that can play with serious food should you choose, this is an early look into what we expect to be recognized as one of the superstar sites of the region soon enough.

ALT WHITES: PART 2

We embraced the whites from northwestern Spain immediately when we first started seeing a lot of them in the mid-90s. We’re still big fans but it is important to know that all such wines are not created equal. They can be riveting and bright, but can also be dull or over acidic. The right ones, as an aperitif or particularly with seafood, can be magic. We try a lot of them that you will never hear about because the range for success is a narrow one, and we think they should be reasonably priced to boot. With that in mind here are a couple of choices that work for us on all the required levels and, in fact, are repeat performers here.

Back when we started selling Albarinos, we had to explain to people what they were. Now enough people have had them to know what they are about. Styles and performance can vary widely given the producer, the volume, and where the vineyard is relative to the sea among other things. The Turonia Albarino Rias Baixas 2017 once again has everything we are looking for and delivers at a price that is easy to swallow. Somewhere between a Viognier and a Riesling in personality, the wine shows white stone fruit, lime, some spice and floral notes, and a refreshing finishing salinity with some fruit volume up-front and lift throughout.

Perhaps a bit harder to explain is the Eduardo Peña Ribeiro Blanco 2017. Ribiero is a small area inland from Raixas Bias and north of Portugal that specializes in unique blended whites. The rock star of the region is one called Emilio Rojo that is on most of the Michelin restaurant lists in Spain but costs in the $40-50 range. The Edward Pena gives you a very fine example of this genre for a lot less money.

The Edward Pena is a blend of Treixadura, Albariño, Godello, Lado and Loureira macerated and fermented in 300-liter European oak barrels. Pale yellow in color with golden highlights, the nose is a complex melange of lemon, bay leaf and orange blossom aromas, and tropical scents such as pineapple and mango. Peach and apricot, some honied tones, minerals and light balsamic smoky touch, it’s a bit broader on the palate than the ‘coastal’ whites but still has deceptive lift. An intriguing genre here that should have more followers but that’s because few people have seen these wines.

ALT WHITES: PART 1

Back in the day when Chardonnay was king (and it still is in a lot of households), there was the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement. Ultimately no universal truths came out of it, only the fact that more people realize that other white wines, some even with funny names, can be very pleasing beverages and, as a bonus, more versatile with food.

White Rhones can be something of an enigma to some folks. North and south feature different varietals, blends can be quirky, and how one utilizes oak can be a make or break proposition. There is also a history of wines that were a bit oxidative and rather expensive that gave the category a rather checkered history in decades past.

Even though white wine production is considerably smaller than red in this part of the world, vintners have made great strides in producing whites that are both compelling and bright. In this case, Francois Villard is probably more known for his whites and the Francois Villard Saint Peray Version 2017 presents the kind of clarity and lift that few wines from this lesser-known region achieve.

Pear and citrus fruit punctuated by subtle floral and mineral aspects, this got our attention from first sip. Wine Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski was spot on with his notes here, “Villard’s 2017 Saint Peray Version is simultaneously rich and opulent yet bright and refreshing. This medium to full-bodied blend of 65% Marsanne and 35% Roussanne was barrel fermented and aged in older barrels, giving it plenty of weight and a silky texture, but the flavors of anise and flamed citrus zest keep the wine fresh, lingering elegantly on the finish…93 points.” The expressive, gregarious nature of this white makes it a surprisingly engaging choice in both aperitif or food applications.

HANSEL PINOT: MORE THAN JUST ‘NUMBERS’

It has become the norm for consumers to ‘buy by the numbers’ or respond to some other publicity that calls attention to a particular producer. For that reason we still see Walter Hansel’s wines, which have performed admirably for a couple of decades after starting with some cuttings and a little help from Tom Rochioli, as still kind of under the radar. That is both a good thing and a bad thing. It’s bad for them because they are performing well above the crowd but still aren’t quite considered the iconic producer they should be, though they don’t have any trouble selling wine.

The good part is that, because of their less-than-deserved notoriety and rather humble pricing, they are one of the best values in premium Pinot Noir. Take this 2016 Walter Hansel Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley. It is all estate-grown and made up of grapes from the five blocks on the property that are also the source of individual vineyard bottlings that do get their share of critical attention. It is loaded with personality, exudes a very tender and engaging palate of dark cherry and mulberry touched with the classic clove and spice notes that define the Russian River’s terroir.

As we have said many times, the ‘little guy’ is usually tasted among it’s higher intentioned siblings and tends to be overshadowed when the reviews are finally published. The thing is, as is often the case, once this one is given the opportunity to shine on its own, it impresses. We have been tasting Hansel wines for a long time and this is certainly among the most appealing. Fresh, lively and at the same time tender and seamless, this is what Pinot Noir is all about.

Wine Advocate’s Lisa Perotti-Brown gives a good assessment of the wine, “Pale ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Estate has amazingly pure notions of crushed cranberries, Bing cherries and redcurrants with touches of garrigue, tilled soil and bay leaves. Medium to full-bodied, it delivers bags of crunchy red berry flavors and a lovely satiny texture with a very long, lively finish…91 points.”

But we know people, too, and among the individual estate designates, which score as high as 95 points, this one is less likely to get its due. We think the performance here merits a point or two higher. More important than numbers, this is a fantastic performer in the glass winning on all fronts, purity, complexity, palate feel and personality. Less than 900 cases were produced. For Pinot drinkers, this is a must. For our part, we have made the access price a bit more attractive with one of our special ‘click-through’ price deals.

SUPERSTAR IN THE RE-MAKING

Without going into a whole Mitchneresque reach back to the formation of the earth, Atzberg and Singgeriegel are virtually identical in their composition of red stones, slate and gneiss with little topsoil. Eventually, they were separated by a stream called Mieslingbach. Singgeriegel went on to become recognized as one of, if not the top vineyard in the Wachau. Atzberg can trace its history back to the 13th Century and the building called Mauritiushof was used by the monks to collect grapes. The Gritsch family bought the property in 1799, and used the building for wine production.

Everything is ‘old school’. This 100% Gruner Veltliner vineyard is labor- intensive, with the grapes handpicked and carried in small tubs down to the lower valley. The thinking was that, given the history, if Singgeriegel is such an iconic vineyard, so too should Atzberg be among the stars of the region. If the Atzberg Gruner Veltliner Steilterrassen 2016 (Steilterrassen literally means ‘steep terraces’) is any indication, the ‘reclamation’ project is going quite swimmingly. The juice in the glass definitely gets one’s attention. It begins with a harmonious succession of aromas such as red berries, earthy minerality, apple, pear, wild herbs and spices.

We don’t have any flashy reviews. We didn’t find any reviews on this specific vintage, we didn’t really need them to validate that this was exciting stuff. Also, given the laborious nature of the site, we found the price to be more than fair, particularly when compared to an ‘upper cuvee’ from the site called Obere that literally costs more than twice as much. Delicious Gruner that can play with serious food should you choose, this is an early look into what we expect to be recognized as one of the superstar sites of the region soon enough.

HARTFORD HITS A HOMER

New World Pinot Noir is an interesting topic these days. The wine world is constantly in a state of change as people’s tastes, economics, and world-wide competition alters the playing field on a constant basis. We talk with distributors, winery owners, and winemakers on pretty much a daily basis and the subject of Pinot Noir is a recurrent one. Our message over the last couple of years in particular has not necessarily been what the industry wants to hear. While it is still a very popular practice among wineries to make multiple single-vineyard Pinot Noir bottlings, usually at rather premium prices, the people have shown a declining interest in the category over the last few years in recent times.

People still like Pinot Noir. A lot. We aren’t predicting some sort of Pinot Armageddon. But it is clear that, in the part of the world we see, people are considerably less interested in those small production offerings in the $50-100 range. Oh sure there are a few mailing list types that claim that business is great for that sort of thing. But our view of the marketplace would seem to suggest otherwise. If we were to extrapolate our observations and project what market message is, it would seem to be this. A lush, engaging, fruit-driven Pinot always has a place, but a price under $30 would be greatly appreciated. Well, whether inadvertently or not, someone has created the perfect Pinot for the times.

It comes from the Jackson Family stable, a company that achieved wine-world domination by giving people what they wanted. They became a major player from nowhere with a Chardonnay that pleased a wide audience, and built on that success. Later on, it seemed Jess Jackson was concerned about his ‘legacy’, and much energy was spent creating brands that were intended to become iconic like Cardinale, Verite, and the like. Hartford Court estate was the part of the family that focused primarily on individual bottlings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Old Vine Zinfandel .

Hartford achieved great notoriety with these stylish, distinct bottlings, but pricing was a little bit of a hindrance on some of the upper-end offerings. They always made solid, expressive wines at every level, with the occasional home run. But the current Pinot program has to be a little intimidating for consumers because there were so many specialty bottlings at $50-80, it had to difficult to make a choice.

As we did the research for this piece, we noticed Hartford Court was offering 14 different designated bottlings on their website. That’s fine from a winery perspective we guess. The team here has always had ‘chops’. But in the process, whether they wanted to or not, they made one of the best ‘regular’ bottlings in their history in 2017, as if they had once again perfectly read the needs of the market and created this wine to fulfill them, just like those early days.

The 2017 Hartford Court Russian River Valley Pinot Noir does everything right. Deep, saturated color as Pinot goes, classic Russian River spice in the nose along with dark red leaning to black fruits, seamless palate feel, and sufficient weight and tenderness to please just about anyone, Pinotfile or not. It checks all of the boxes and, if it errs, it does so on the side of hedonism.

We could go on but Jeb Dunnuck did a pretty good job of cheerleading here, “A crazy good value, the 2017 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley is the appellation release from this team, and it comes from all of the estate vineyards across the Green Valley, Laguna Ridge, and Sebastopol regions. Complex notes of strawberries, cranberries, violets, pine forest, and flowers all flow to a medium-bodied Pinot Noir that has a kiss of salinity and marine notes, ripe tannins, and a great finish. This beautiful wine competes with wines costing 2-3 times the price…95 Points.”

It checks all of the boxes and, for our part, we’re able to get it to you for under $30. Like the song says, “You can’t always get what you want…”. Only sometimes, you can.

SOMETHING SPECIAL FROM OZ

Every so often, something will come along that transcends not only varietal expectations but the confines of one’s impression of a given region. Many years ago, at a dinner with none other than Aubert Du Villaine, the discussion came up about how an exceptional Pinot Noir, or a landmark Syrah, can almost come across as uncannily similar as they are perceived within the context of higher achievement. This was long before we had ever heard the term umami, signifying some sort of ethereal performance on the palate, but that is essentially what happens. The other day we had occasion to recall that very discussion.

Dan Standish came from a wine family and is a sixth generation Barossan. He spent time honing his winemaking skills in California, the Rhone Valley, Rioja (at La Rioja Alta) and finally working with the boisterous but enormously talented Dave Powell at Torbreck. He was a little late to the party the first time around, his wines starting to show up here as Australia’s star started to wane from the remarkable success they enjoyed in the late 90’s and early 2000s. He only started his own label in 1999 with a small plot of 96-year-old Shiraz vines but the results we tasted here were stellar.

We never forgot the Standish wines and thought of them in the same vein as the top Aussie labels we helped introduce here like Clarendon Hills Astralis, Torbreck Run Rig, Chris Ringland, and Greenock Creek. We didn’t see a lot of Dan’s wines over the next decade. There wasn’t a lot to be had in the first places as his production hovers somewhere under 1000 cases. But we were presented a couple of breathtaking efforts just recently that brought it all back. Current Wine Advocate’s reviewer Joe Czerwinski was clearly as enthralled with the collection of Standish wines he reviewed, saying “I consider Dan Standish the reigning king of Barossa Shiraz.”

Of the Standish The Relic Shiraz-Viognier Barossa Valley 2016 he writes, “Everything about Standish’s 2016 The Relic Shiraz-Viognier is remarkable, starting with the ridiculous color. It’s so dark, so purple, so vibrant. Then the nose boasts soaring florals and stone fruits, while the palate delivers fresh blueberries and dried spices. It’s full-bodied but creamy-textured, with supple tannins and concentrated fruit that lingers on the plush finish. Just awesome stuff…99 points”

Thisis a top-of-the-heap, brilliant wine that compare to Australia’s best in every way but price (they are relative bargains compared to peers Henchke Hill of Grace, Ringland, Penfolds Grange, and Torbreck RunRig). The Relic rises above traditional categorizations in the glass to offer a rare wine experience. It shines well beyond the title ‘Australian Shiraz’ and should be considered among the world’s top tier. We have a few scraps of a couple of other bottlings as well. Do not miss them. (See all Standish)

A ‘GIFT’ FOR YOU

Nobody brings the value drama like the Spaniards, and that goes for every conceivable price level. Izadi was founded in 1987 when the estate was purchased by the Anton family, who then hired Mariano Garcia (formerly Vega Sicilia, now Mauro and Aalto) as a consultant. This bottling is from what is considered by the Anton family to be their premier site, El Regalo, a single vineyard of Tempranillo planted in 1940 on a terroir of chalky limestone clay covered with pebbles near the village of Villabuena de Álava.

‘El Regalo’ means ‘the gift’ in Spanish, and the family clearly considers this bottling a gift of Nature from this unique plot. Hand harvested grapes from 70+ year old vines that are ‘practicing organically’ farmed certainly have the potential to make exciting wine. The press (94 Decanter, 91 James Suckling, 91 Wine Advocate) seems to confirm that happened here. Firmly committed to straddling the stylistic spectrum between traditional and modern, the wine makes no reference to the typical crianza, reserve, etc. hierarchy. It is merely “el Regalo”. The wine sees 20 months in new French oak, more of a nod to the modern side.

The Wine Advocate shows the Izadi Rioja El Regalo 2014 at a $30 retail. But with the current wholesale scenario of a staggering number of brands being offered through a small number of purveyors, there’s a limit to how much the ‘team on the street’ can sell in a given time period, or how committed they are to going beyond just selling the ‘easy ones’. In such an environment, even some really good juice gets lost in the shuffle and the only way to create interest at that point is a hot price, like almost 50% off. At $16.98, this wine becomes even more of a ‘regalo’ (gift). While it lasts.