November 2020

2019: AN ‘EPIC’ YEAR IN GERMANY

Achtung! We interrupt this quiet holiday weekend with some potentially important news. The 2019 Germans are coming! In fact some of them are here, but we’ll get to that in a moment. For the most part the trade and the media don’t pay a lot of attention to German wines. When was the last time you saw a vintage report of German wines in a major wine publication. We thought so. For some reason these clean, precise, vivid wines have been ignored by the major media. A lot of wine folks don’t take the category seriously, and discourage others from exploring the category. Better to drink ‘orange wine’ many will tell you. What brought on this particular rant is that two publications have recently made major announcements about the 2019 Germans, and there appears to be genuine excitement. That hasn’t happened in a vary long time even though we have had some spectacular vintages in this century (2001, 2007, 2010, 2015).

It is interesting to note that the stories involved from the two critics are dramatically different in approach, but both ended up with the same conclusion…the 2019s are special. Though hampered by the pandemic, and fully admitting he didn’t have the chance to travel to the estates as he usually does, Wine Advocate’s Stephan Reinhardt encapsulated the message with the title “Glorious Twins” referring to the 2019 whites and the 2018 German reds (a category with an even smaller following).

While apologizing for not having been able to travel and even publishing some ‘barrel scores’ (pretty normal for reds but rather unusual for whites..but then these are unusual times), the gist of Reinhardt’s synopsis went like this, “The 2019 vintage has produced some of the greatest, finest and most energetic Rieslings of the last 20 years, especially in the Mosel, Rheingau, Nahe, Rheinhessen and the northern Pfalz. (I have yet to explore the Palatinate’s south in more detail, since Rebholz alone is not enough for a blanket judgment.) Although 2019 was everything but an easy vintage (with spring frost, heat waves, drought, hail and rain during the speedy harvest), yet even in August, not a single producer I have spoken with was expecting the qualities we have in the glass today.

“I consider the vintage as exceptional in terms of quality and styles. The finest 2019s are super clear, precise, pure and, strange enough, also coolish on the nose, while the palate reveals the intensity and concentration of a sunny vintage. Here, everything comes together and is balanced and also refined by absolutely incredible energy (due to the celestial alignment perhaps?) that is unrivalled. The acidity is enormously vital yet perfectly ripe and refined, giving the wines precision, elegance and finesse that makes their intensity weightless and leads to an exceptional finish and thrilling tension that nourishes my hope for exceptional aging capacity. The combination of perfectly ripe, healthy, concentrated fruit with vibrant energy and finesse in 2019 is extremely rare, if not totally unique. It makes for some of the finest estate and village wines I have ever tasted…”

We could go on but you get the point. What was perhaps even more surprising was when the James Suckling site essentially claimed this was the greatest German vintage ever. We wondered how many vintages he had actually tasted then remembered that his boots on the ground in Germany, Stuart Pigott, has been doing it as long as we have, starting with the 1983s. We have come across Pigott’s writings more than a few times over the years, and have had a few cases to respectfully disagree with some of his positions (as we have with everyone on occasion). But for someone of his experience to say something like this made an impression, “While the virus was ravaging Germany, the nation’s wine industry quietly released a slew of sensational wines that pushed us to write a headline for our 2020 Germany Report asking if 2019 is Germany’s 100-point vintage. For me, it was a breathtaking experience realizing what had happened and piecing together the story of how this great achievement came about. That sort of thrill is what being a career wine journalist is all about.”

Now Pigott is way more into the GG scene, Germany’s elite estate dry whites, than we are (if you want to spend a lot of money on dry Riesling, the Austrians like Knoll, Prager, etc. are where we turn). He speaks glowingly of the whole GG movement. But at the end of the day, he is clearly crazy about the vintage. So are we given a particularly limited exposure thus far. We did write, a while back, a glowing recommendation for the Dr. Hermann Riesling Kabinett Urziger Würzgarten Mosel 2019, literally the first 2019 we tried here. Subsequent tastings have served to support the premise that this is a fabulous vintage for Germans.

That being said, the acquisition of wines from the vintage may be difficult. Besides the effects of the lousy pandemic on distribution in general, we have no idea what the market is going to be able to offer. One of the top importers of German wines closed this year (though his former staff has joined and is fighting the good fight to carry on), and the other larger players (there aren’t that many) have appeared rather conservative in their offerings. So the ‘supply lines’ moving forward, even under the banner of an ‘epic vintage’, may be a bit uncertain for reasons that could fill a small novel. But we know all the cracks and crevices to look into, and our resolve will not be shaken. We love these wines and the specter of a ‘vintage of a lifetime’ might make more folks pay attention. Meanwhile we’ve got some pretty spectacular stuff already, including the #1 wine of James Suckling’s Top 100. Get in early! Show me the 2019 Germans

DOLCETTO: THE FORGOTTEN CHOICE

There is so much to choose from out in the wine world these days, it is easy to see how consumers can get confused. It truth, in trying to cover all of the choices out there, we still neglect categories ourselves. With the holiday season upon us, there are lots of choices for feasts. But we must apologize that we haven’t really given any attention to one of the more versatile reds out there for this time of year…Dolcetto.

If you want a simple handle for the wine, think of it as Piemontese ‘Beaujolais’, not so much in flavor profile but in function. Dogliani, at its best self, is a fruit driven, bright, easy drinking quaff to wash down some pasta, meat, or plate of charcuterie. No one speaks of them in the terms of the icons of the region, Barolo and Barbaresco. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have an important place.

With the exception of Dogliani, where Dolcetto is king, Dolectto isn’t planted on the best part of the ‘bricco’ in most of Piedmont. But they serve well as the ‘house pour’, along with Barbera, at the table. There are many versions out there. Some can be a little too nervy, which will definitely narrow their appeal. But the gregarious, forward style in a warm vintage, in the hands of a talented winemaker, creates some excellent, well-priced all-purpose candidates for the table.

Italian aficionados already know this, but we think Dolcetto should have a broader audience because it has the potential to fill many niches. We happen to have a couple that we think will make friends and influence people because of their quality/price relationship and easy going, versatile styles. We usually don’t get a lot of help from the critics because Dolcettos are usually tasted in context from producers that are also trotting out a lineup single-vineyard Barolos. Often they don’t get mentioned at all. Are there 99 point Dolcettos? Not that we have ever seen, but that is totally not the point.

Beppe Ca’Viola is one of the most ‘important’ winemaking consultants in Italy. His own winery, opened in 1991, is in Dogliani where there aren’t ‘cru’ Nebbiolo vineyards. He has some small parcels in Barolo but his personal wines have been more recognized for flashy versions of the ‘lesser’ varietals like Dolcetto. The guy has a way of jamming a lot of fruit into his wine and the Ca’Viola Dolcetto D’Alba Vilot 2018, a single vineyard Dolcetto, harvested from 20-year-old vines, is a great demonstration of the Ca’Viola style.

Lifted, bright, juicy black fruits, medium weight but vigorous on the palate, just the right touch of acidity, this outgoing red will play beautifully alongside a variety of fare, even that holiday bird. All done in stainless, this is expressive, fruit driven, and easy to like. Since Beppe is more known for these types of wines, we even have a review from James Suckling, “Sour cherries, blueberries and lemon peel here. Medium body, fine, silky tannins and a fruity finish. Drink now… 91 Points.” We didn’t really get ‘lemon peel’ but we’re all over the ‘drink now.’ Like most of what we have tasted from Ca’Viola, this is a joy to drink.

We have been fans of Brovia for a long time, though we haven’t always had access to the wines. They have multiple Barolos that the critics are going to be much more attentive to, so we can’t roll out any reviews on this newly arrived Dolcetto. Unlike Ca’Viola, this is more of an ‘old school’ affair founded in 1863 with the fourth generation firmly in charge. Harvested from classic clay-limestone soils from plots in serious dirt (Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d’Alba) some planted in 1981 and the other portion in 1993, the Brovia Dolcetto D’Alba Vignavillej 2018 has, again, inviting, deep color, volume on the palate, and is done entirely in stainless steel to preserve the gregarious fruit.

The profile here is more black cherry fruits as well as notes of plum, anise, and a touch of mocha. Sometimes this house can be a little rustic, but this time around it’s fleshy, fruit forward, and ready for action. Deep Color, aromas of dark cherry and mulberry, notes of violet and anise, reasonable size for the genre but a forward, juicy demeanor that encourages quaffing.

Both of these can be had for under $20, will play with a variety of fare as mentioned, and can be served with a slight chill if that is preferred. It can play with that American holiday bird as well.

GREAT NEW JUICE FROM SIERRA CANTABIA

It’s a family affair in a way. We have been fans of Sierra Cantabria at many levels for a couple of decades. We almost feel a familial connection with a couple of Rioja producers (Sierra Cantabria, Muga, La Rioja Alta, and Lopez de Heredia). We have met the owners, visited the wineries, and sold their wines consistently for a long time. Even though there are no ‘automatics’ at Winex, and we look hard at every new vintage of everything, it is almost inconceivable that we wouldn’t have something on the floor from each of these producers.

Sierra Cantabria just recently rolled out an impressive ‘triple play’. The lineup is distinctive, with stylistic variety based on different philosophies for each wine and sourcing from three different vintages. We have already done an email in the two sensational Gran Reserva efforts, Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 2009 and the Egurens’ single vineyard estate El Puntido Rioja Gran Reserva 2007. The reviews are sensational, the styles distinctive, and we advise you to check this pair of classics out if you didn’t see that offer.

Since we almost never put more than two items in an email these days, we did not include this one in that offer. But the Sierra Cantabria Rioja Reserva Unica 2016 is another really impressive effort that certainly should not be overlooked. We just finished up the last bottle of the 2009, and it was smoking! This 2016 comes from a great vintage and is perhaps finer tuned and more seamless than that ’09 from a warmer vintage.

This series has been around since at least 2008 and, while it is done in the traditional manner (as you’ll see in Jeb Dunnuck’s notes below), this definitely sports a fresher, more modern bent to the fruit and comes off a bit more modern. Lots of dark cherry and red plum fruit with a subtle underpinning of earthy minerality and baking spice. Appealing and pretty user friendly out of the gate, as that 2009 demonstrated, it will age nicely if that is the call.

From Jeb Dunnuck, “The 2016 Reserva Unica comes from a single vineyard located in the alluvial soils beside the Ebro river. Made from 97% Tempranillo and 3% Graciano that was all destemmed and aged 24 months in 30% new French and America oak, this deep, concentrated 2016 packs some serious muscle in its blackcurrants, black cherry, licorice, toasted spice, and dried earth-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, with a dense, concentrated mid-palate and ripe tannins, give bottles a few years in a cold cellar and enjoy over the following 10-15 years…94 points.”

A great choice at a modest $24.98, it’s a sensational value for a quality red.

OUR ANNUAL THANKSGIVING “FIRESIDE CHAT”

Tis the season for our traditional Thanksgiving message. We realize that this year’s celebration will be quite different for a lot of people and there are folks that have the Thanksgiving holiday all planned with respect to ‘wine service. But there are also folks who treat this ‘family’ holiday differently than they would a dinner or event with their ‘wine and food’ friends. Ours is neither to judge, nor comment on prices, because that is up to everyone’s discretion and based on their individual needs.

Truth be told some people don’t think about the food pairing thing at all and just serve things that they like. Nothing wrong with that. We are merely here to offer guidelines within the context of that Thanksgiving bird from a symbiotic food and wine perspective. Isn’t it the same stuff every year? To a point, yes. Same bird, same wine categories to choose from.

The ‘basics’ still apply. No matter how the turkey is cooked, our agenda is to provide our ‘best bets’ for the wine service. Turkey is still generally a fowl that tolerates a wide range of wine choices fro fruity whites to lighter or medium-biodied reds. As we see it, choices are less about the bird itself and more about the stuffing and other accoutrements in determining which wine choices might prove most complimentary.

Every year is different wine-wise as well. There are some categories hitting a high note this year, and others that are at a nadir. For the most part this year offers more potential choices in what we feel are the ‘right’ categories. Our rule of thumb is that, given the varied goodies that will be on the holiday table, whites should have good acidity, bright flavors, and little or no oak. Again, given the ‘fixins’, it is a fine spot for something with a little residual sugar like a German Riesling, Vouvray, or Pinot Gris from Alsace.

As for reds, bright fruit, light to medium body, and not a lot of tannin or obvious wood work best. A bit of underlying acidity and lift is a good thing. Large framed, oaky, high alcohol wines can get tiresome over the course of the meal and can overwhelm some dishes and fight with others. For those ‘big reds’(Cabernet, Bordeaux, Syrah), save them for hearty beef or lamb roasts. Acidity is good, wood and tannins not so much with fowl. As a general rule, we aren’t dogmatic. But, if asked, we see turkeys that are roasted, fried or smoked as all being lighter red wine fare. Here are our favorite red plays with the bird from a broad perspective, and a couple of specific suggestions.

Pinot Noir-The fruit driven, bright fruit of a Pinot marries beautifully with roast, smoked, or fried bird. There are plenty of choices from both California and Oregon, a number of them at greatly reduced prices courtesy of the panademic. Most current vintage have an elegant, tender edge that makes them pretty serviceable. Oregon has plenty of good stuff, too. Burgundy? Of course, if the budget allows, though there are a few things like Bourgogne that will play beautifully and not break the bank. As a general rule, we see younger Pinots playing best. Again given the widely varied menus of the holiday, some of the delicate nuance that is the bonus of older bottlings might get lost in the shuffle with strong flavors.

Beaujolais-This is also the ‘near perfect’ choice always and one we have been recommending for ages. Noveau Beaujolais is not the play anymore, if it ever really was. Tariffs still bump them into a little different price category, but they don’t start all that expensive and there has been a string of attractive vintages. A little chill doesn’t hurt the presentation either. As always we have a broad stock of Fleurie, Moulin-A-Vent, Brouilly, etc.

Rioja-Somehow you knew we’d get to Rioja, but the elegance, versatility, and the bottle age of reservas and gran reservas make them crowd-pleasing choices, plus they have a little more verve to stand up to dishes than, say, older Burgundy. Spanish wine for an American holiday? Claro que si.

Chianti- Sangiovese works nicely particularly on tables where the food choices have a more savory bent. The selection isn’t as broad as in years past, and most of the 2016s are gone. But are happy with the ones we have. The classic cherry fruit, crisp acidity, and most tannin match well with roast bird, particularly with savory sides.

If Thanksgiving is a ‘white night’ for you, there are lots of options, though we don’t necessarily see that ‘usual suspects’ (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc) as the best choices. The keys we look for are fresh, bright flavors, lifted acidity, and little or no oak. Again the choice has a lot to do with the sides because turkey itself is pretty versatile. Spanish Albarinos or Godellos offer a delightful but distinct departure for the occasion as do a host of things from northeastern Italy (Kerner, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Friulano, etc.). Loire Chenin Blancs and German Rieslings are particular favorites at our table.

Riesling- Crowd pleasers and the kind of wines that far too many people deny even liking (until they taste it). We are not fans of the new ‘trocken’ movement in Germany and find the majority of the examples either undernourished or over priced. That being said, classic German Riesling at the kabinett (fruity) and halb-trocken or fienherb (medium dry) level are always lovely choices. If you want dry Riesling, the three A’s (Australia, Alsace, and Austria) do better work in the dry genre.

Pinot Blanc- We are referring to the examples from Alsace rather than the bigger, often oaky California versions, though there are some Oregon efforts that will work also. Pinot Blanc definitely plays well in a ‘supporting role’ and rarely calls attention to itself…until the bottle is empty.

White Bordeaux-People are surely waiting for us to say Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre. Hey Sancerres are quite different than years ago thanks to global warming, and more expensive because of demand. Also the sometimes pungent edge, while gorgeous with a plate full of oysters or mussels, can run afoul of some of the varied things on a lot of Thanksgiving tables. The Bordeaux versions, tempered with Semillon and Muscadelle, play more to the melons and minerals profile with less of the lime/grapefruit edge.

We could go on, and certainly haven’t covered all the possibilities. But this is where our heads will be spinning as we are out looking at the shelves for our own holiday plans. It is a particularly bountiful year in some of our favorite categories for Thanksgiving service. Of course, if you can’t decide, there is always Champagne, and Roses offer the perfect middle ground! Happy holidays.

SPECIAL OFFER ON A CLASSIC ‘ESTATE’ RIOJA

As you surely know if you have been seeing our offers for any length of time, we have been fans of the talented folks at CVNE. But among their three separate, high performance wineries, Contino holds a special place for us. Back in the early 90s, before the coming of the ‘Spanish invasion’ lead by Jorge Ordonez and Eric Solomon, there were two wineries that kind of opened our eyes to the world of Spanish wines in general. One of them was Contino (the other was Mauro for reference sake). We have plying the varied wares from CVNE (Compañía Vinícola del Norte del España, aka Cune) under their Contino, Vina Real and Imperial labels, ever since.

That means there is almost always something exciting from them coming under one of those three labels, all of which are run as separate wineries. Among them Contino has a somewhat unique position. The Cune people refer to Contino as the ‘first chateau in Rioja’, a reference to the comparison between this property and the typical profile of a Bordeaux chateau. The estate is formed by 62 hectares of vineyard in Rioja Alavesa, considered the best of the three regional designations in Rioja (Baja, Alta, and Alavesa). Contino, as it exists today was founded in 1973. The history of the property itself dates from the 16th century, and that history is reflected in its name. The “contino” was the officer in charge of the guard corps of a hundred soldiers who protected the royal family “de contino” (continuously) from the times of the Catholic Monarchs onwards.

A single vineyard wine is still a pretty rare thing in Rioja, though that is changing somewhat with a surge of winemakers passionate about establishing more specific ‘village’ and ‘pago’ (vineyard) identities. We have done a number of offers on Contino over the years, our last missive on the Rioja Gran Reserva 2012. This time around where highlighting the Contino Reserva 2014 for a couple of reasons. One, of course, is that it is really good again (no surprise). The other that we can offer an even better price ($10 less!) than we offered the 2009 and 2010 Reservas a while back.

This Reserva is made up of 85% Tempranillo, 10% Graciano, and 5% a combination of Mazuelo y Garnacha. The wine is made in the traditional manner and placed in barrels already used oak (40% American and 60% French) where it remained for two years plus the additional minimum of two more years in bottle aging in the cellars until it is released to the market. Bright red and black fruits, spice and earth nuances, a cool feel to the flavors, it is long, well woven, and refined. While the vintage itself is not as heralded as, say, 2001 or 2010, these folks did a fabulous job and kept it true to the style of the house. Terroir does matter, too, and while some Riojanos got some rain in 2014, it was dry in this unique microclimate and healthy grapes were harvested without issues .

Like a Bordeaux, this wine exudes elegance. Unlike a Bordeaux chateau, this ‘current release’ already has bottle age, though it will live a couple of decades more should that be one’s wish. The 2014 also has the usual battery of reviews including 92s from Wine Advocate, Vinous Media, and Wine Enthusiast, 90 from Wine Spectator and Decanter, 93 from Spanish publication Peñan Guide and a substantial ‘95’ from British reviewer Tim Atkins. If everybody likes it, that is the greatest testament. We liked it a lot ourselves for its classic elegance and lovely integration.

As for words, Vinous Media Spanish reviewer Josh Raynolds made the point, “Deep brilliant ruby. Smoke-accented cherry, black raspberry, mocha and licorice scents are energized by suggestions of candied rose and cracked pepper. Sweet and concentrated on the palate, offering smoky, intense red and dark berry flavors that slowly become more lively with air. Smoothly blends power and energy and finishes very long and spicy, with rounded tannins and lingering florality.”

The best part is, probably because they are itching to get their hands on the highly publicized 2015 and 2016 vintages, the purveyor gave us a ‘clear the decks’ price of $29.98 (list is $51) for the Contino Rioja Reserva 2014 provided we keep it on the ‘down low’. The price will appear at checkout. Good hunting, quantities are limited.

GET SOME CHIDAINE IN YOUR MOUTH

Although we do try to be a little cheerier than the news, it is hard to ignore the effects of the pandemic. At this moment it is hard to imagine how the restaurant business will ever be the same, and we have mused at how the wine industry will move forward after this hopefully comes to an end. In the meantime, the disruption of the restaurant trade, as we have mentioned before, has given us greater access to certain relatively scarce, high demand labels. After all, they can’t tell us they are saving for restaurants.

The point of the story is that we were able to grab enough of one of our favorite producers in sufficient quantities to actually talk about. We have professed our love for Loire Chenin Blancs on a number of occasions. While there are a number of excellent producers in the region, there are three we think are top of the heap. Francois Chidaine is one of them (Huet and Foreau are the other two if you’re wondering).

A unique success story who starting farming ogranically and biodynamically in the early 2000s as he accumulated his own properties, Chidaine has established quite a reputation for riveting wines with lots of energy. Most of his properties are located in Montlouis, the less famous village across the river from Vouvray, but the stuff he puts in the bottle can stand alongside anything.

We have a smattering of things but we’ll highlight the Francois Chidaine Montlouis Sur Loire Les Bournais 2018. When Chidaine planted this vineyard, he commented that he thought one day this would be his best plot. Sitting atop the Montlouis plateau, Les Bournais is the only parcel in Montlouis to possess the classic soil components that Vouvray is so famous for; solid limestone bedrock, covered with chalky limestone chunks and clay.

This is dry Chenin Blanc you can serve anywhere that you could serve a white Burgndy, and a few places you couldn’t (like Asian cuisine), that we are perfectly capable of waxing poetic about. But Antonio Galloni already did that for us, “The 2018 Montlouis Les Bournais is a wine of mind-blowing complexity and nuance. So deep yet also weightless and effortless, Les Bournais dazzles from the very first taste. Dried flowers, lime, mint, lemon confit and tangerine oil hover on the palate in a breathtaking Montlouis endowed with tons of translucence and sheer character. Don’t miss it…96 Points.”

We’ll briefly mention the Francois Chidaine (Vouvray) Les Argiles 2017, also fermented dry, from more clay-based soils on the Vouvray side of the river (argiles is French for clay). The fruits lean a bit more towards apple and pear with a little touch of honey and caramel on the finish, perhaps a little denser because of the clay, but always with the riveting acidity to keep everything humming along.

This isn’t like what most folks think of as Chenin Blanc but this is world class juice that deserves an audience. Chidaine’s wines are favorites around here.

(Browse all Chidaine)

A ‘PAPE’ STAR IS BORN: TASTY WHITE ‘RHONE’ BUY

As we consistently remind suppliers, the door is always open. Show us what you’ve got. Most of it you won’t hear about because it isn’t good enough, costs too much, or doesn’t fit in our program. The other day someone brought in a ‘moleculer wine’ that was ‘constructed’ from a base of medical grade grain alcohol. Intellectually fascinating but not our jam. Still, we taste.

A while ago someone brought us in a five-year-old Rhone white blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Marsanne from Kunin Winery in Santa Barbara with the tongue-in-cheek title “Pape Star Blonde” , a play on white Chateauneuf. Our thoughts going in were it’s a “five year old Cali white from a winery we know but have rarely carried.” Again, that’s why you taste. This was a shocker! Still surprisingly fresh, with an enticing interplay of pear, grain, buttered apple and spice, broad palate for a white but with the required brightness to the flavors, it makes for a delightful quaff.

We pressed on to find really good notes from a couple of serious critics. Antonio Galloni of Vinous wrote, “The 2015 Pape Star Blonde is Seth Kunin’s Rhône-style blend of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne. Creamy, open-knit and beautifully layered in the glass, the 2015 is absolutely delicious. The Roussanne adds lovely mid-palate oiliness in this impeccably balanced white…91 points.”

Wine Advocate’s William Kelley offered, “A blend of 67% Grenache Blanc, 22% Roussanne and 11% Marsanne, the 2015 Pape Star Blonde wafts from the glass with a youthful bouquet of crisp melon, orchard fruit, citrus rind and an exotic top note of petrol. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, creamy and textural while remaining juicy and refreshing. Its purity and balance are impressive now, but I would expect this to display even more texture and complexity after a year or two in bottle…92 points.”

On top of it all, the purveyor was offering us less than half price on this delightful, roughly $28 white. We bought all of the Kunin Pape Star Blonde 2015 they had with the intent to send out an email. As it turned out, as it was waiting in the queue, a number of people picked it off and now there isn’t enough to support a full blown offer. But we still want people to see this very cool little white, especially at the $11.98 price we are selling it for.

SOMETHING DIFFERENT IN A SAUVIGNON BLANC

This might get a little confusing. But these days in the wine world people are broadening their traditional horizons in order to achieve distinctive quality. That can sometimes be an international effort, as it is here. This is a Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, made by a French guy, with a French name on the label, fermented with specific Japanese sake yeasts. Of course there’s a story.

Viña Marty is named for owner/winemaker Pascal Marty. Pascal’s road to Chile went through a number of interesting and high profile stops along the way. After graduating from the Bordeaux Institute of Oenology in 1982, Pascal served as winemaker for Baron Philippe de Rothschild in Bordeaux, was later moved to California to work at Opus One, then was sent to Chile to work at the budding project between Baron Rothschild and Concha y Toro, Almaviva. That in itself is quite a resume. Vina Marty was born in 2008.

The story of this wine stems from a unique fermentation idea of using a specific Japanese yeast typically part of sake fermentation. This particular yeast strain allows fermentation to happen at lower temperatures than traditional yeasts used in winemaking, whuch further preserves the fruit character of the juice and somehow lends itself to a particular, unique clarity of flavor. According to the winery, only members of the Japanese sake guild are allowed access to this yeast, and they are permitted as the only non-Japanese member.

So what does that mean? Well, it isn’t necessarily a blatant difference you would notice if you didn’t know the story, but the results are intriguing. The aromatics are somehow brighter and cleaner, and there is a certainly an elevated aspect to the flavor profile. Super fresh, with an almost grain aspect along with more traditional citrus and dry tropical fruit notes. Also note that this yeast strain doesn’t get along with sulfur, that additions are minimal, which may serve to give this wine its very clean lines.

Bright and engaging, there’s no ‘green’ here either, just inviting fruit and a lifted feel on the palate. It got James Suckling’s attention as well. He wrote, “Fermented with a sake yeast selection, this has a fresh, lime and mango-pastry nose with a fluid, gently creamy palate. Fresh and balanced. Drink now…91 Points.”

It also boasts a 94 point score affixed to the bottle from a publication called ‘Descorchados’, essentially South America’s version of ‘Wine Spectator’. In the end, it’s a different approach that works, and has produced a delightful and well-priced version of this varietal that should find a appreciative audience.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH CALIFORNIA GEMS

The California wine industry is full of passionate artists who want to create something unique and exciting. There are lots of folks out there experimenting with varietals grown in places that are nothing like where the grapes originated. We could cite examples ad nauseum but why? Most miss the mark. But, it’s really fun when something comes along that beats the odds and presents a sensational and distinctive alternative to what is out there. It doesn’t happen all that often, but it does happen. If you asked us if we’d get excited about a California Picpoul and a skin contact Trousseau Gris, we’d likely have said no, yet here we are.

That whole ad campaign a few years back about “think different”…the folks at Two Shepherds definitely do. We’ll start with the Two Shepherds Picpoul Vineyard Windmill Vineyard 2019. Typically Picpoul is grown near the Mediterannean or as the base grape for spirits in more northerly climes. Conveniently coming from southern France, not far from traditional areas for farming oyster, these wines are crisp, sleek, and a little salty.

The Two Shepherds version has the snap and salinity, but a much richer middle that gives this version a whole new feel. The Windmill Vineyard, in the Dunnigan Hill east of Napa, is a long way from the ocean. Yet it has the whiff of the sea and snappy edge of some of the Euro versions, uniquely combined with a rounder midpalate.

Farmed organically, this 6 barrel lot was fermented and aged in 50% stainless steel, and 50% neutral puncheon (double-sized barrel)) for 8 months. Mouthwatering acidity, weight and aromatics, fire this up with grilled fish or seafood. While rare on this side of the Atlantic, this was a surprising effort.

Equally ecclectic, the Two Shepherds Trousseau Gris Skin-Fermented Fanucchi Vineyard 2019 is perhaps a little more difficult to explain. We sold versions of Peter Fanucchi’s Trousseau Griz many years ago, so we have had experience with the grape and the site. But the Two Shepherds version is a completely different animal.

First off, Trousseau Gris has a pinkish-grey skin, so the extended skin contact gives the wine a pinkish hue as well as a certain tactile impression. Fannuchi’s is the only planting in the state, from a 40-year-old vineyard in the Russian River Valley. It was fermented with native yeast on the skins for five days to extract color, flavor and texture, then aged in neutral barrels for 6 months. This vintage was destemmed which allowed the fruit to really shine through.

The flavors run from mineral to cranberry and dried strawberry, with an intriguing textural feel. Think of it as a really distinctive rose or a somewhat brighter, richer version of something from a grape like Tibouren (yeah, that probably doesn’t help a lot of you). In any case, we thought this pair was really distinct and interesting and they both should absolutely blow up with food. Definite wine geek alert here.

SLEEK, STYLISH SPARKLERS FROM ITALY

When you sit where we sit, you see all kinds of things that are somewhat off the beaten path for most folks, and you have to occasionally be political because the wines that some people present you are their passion or life’s work. That comes up often with some things, notably the Italian higher-end sparkling wine area known as Franciacorta. Italians love sparkling wine and are very proud of the wines from this region.

Frankly, they are a cut above typical Italian bubbles like Prosecco. But, as a quick generalization, they mainly perform at a compulsory level and typically don’t offer the nuances of terroir aspects of ‘real’ Champagne, but are mostly priced to compete at the same level. When someone pulls a Franciacorta out of their bag, we kind of silently think to ourselves “another OK sparkler that is priced beyond performance.” We don’t usually buy into the Franciacorta is like Champagne rhetoric. We are telling you that because, to our surprise, this time it was different.

The Monte Rossa wines are the complete package. Both of these have the classic fine bead one expects in a premier bubbly, and exceptional balance. But they don’t stop there. There are exciting, fun drinks that show personality and that we can honestly recommend as something to consider as an alternative to real Champagne, something we have rare occasion to do.

The Monte Rossa Franciacorta Brut Blanc de Blancs P.R. NV is produced from 100% Chardonnay, 35% of which is reserve wine, from manually harvested grapes. The grapes are gently pressed and then partially raised in controlled stainless steel, the rest in barrels, after which they see a minimum of 2 years in bottle. Small, energetic bead, insistent apple/pear fruit on the palate with some underlying minerality from the soils, this was a surprise.

Nice notes from Vinous’ Ian D’Igata, “Bright straw. Refined aromas of peach, quince and savory herbs. Then rich, dense and multilayered, offering precise flavors of fresh citrus and orchard fruit. Finishes long and creamy, but bright, and with above-average complexity. Well done…92 Points.”

The Blnc de Blanc really got our attention but, truth be told, it was the rose that got sealed the deal for us. The Monte Rossa Franciacorta Rosé Flamingo NV is a blend of 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir with all of the other components being handled the same. Lots of joyous ripe strawberry here both in the nose and flavor, fine bubbles and a rather gregarious personality. They refer to it as Flamingo and the ‘rose that never sleeps’ as there is a story where the proprietors of the winery spent time in Las Vegas with Frank Sinatra.

That’s the end of our ‘People Magazine’ edge to the story. For us it’s always about the juice, which is pleasing stuff. From Ian d’Igata of Vinous, “Luminous salmon-pink. Strawberry and violet on the enticing nose. Enters saline and fleshy, offering small red berry and cherry flavors that turn slightly austere on the long finish, which features repeating violet and raspberry nuances. Very pretty wine complicated by a lingering mineral element...92 points.”

As the opening paragraph might indicate, it is pretty unusual for us to recommend Franciacortas because the price/performance interplays are typically not quite what we are looking for. These, however, are really fun beverages, with kind of ‘party in a bottle’ personalities, and really deliver vis-a-vis other sparkling wine alternative at these prices.