2017 – Page 4

THE OTHER DAUVISSAT

In ancient growing areas, there are families whose names become inexorably connected to the region through long time association and success. Reverdy in Sancerre is such a name where the reputation is associated with one house in particular, but the name through extended familial connections appears on many labels. On Chablis, the name Dauvissat is a revered one for those who appreciate the best in traditional styling. Vincent and Rene Dauvissat are the icon source and among the most respected in all of Chablis alongside Raveneau, names notwithstanding. But a family that has been in an area for a long time should be expected to have some sort of family tree.

We have sold a number of V&R Dauvussat’s Chabis over the years, as well as a few things from extended family members Jean & Sebastien Dauvissat. Agnes et Didier Dauvissat are new to us and, themselves, are distant cousins who worked in vineyards but, prior to 1987, owned no vines. Their estate is in the town of Beine about ten minutes west of Chablis.

Thanks to the familial connection, Didier did do his apprenticeship with Vincent. There are three different estates with this Dauvissat moniker, this being the youngest. But whatever the gene is for making good Chablis, these folks seem to have inherited it. We tasted three wines from the estate, a Petit Chablis, Chablis ‘villages’, and a Beauroy 1er Cru from the 2017 vintage.

While we would happily consume any one of them, the Agnes et Didier Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy 2017 was simply too good to say no to. This is a powerful, classic Chablis with intense minerality and salinity exploding out of the pear/citrus fruit. Stop and smell the rocks? This Chablis grabbed our attention even among an impressive lineup of other and the authoritative palate and overt ‘Chablisness’ made it most memorable.

Since this plot, called the Cote de Savant, is located on the slope that sits above the pond, the presence of the water has the micro-climatic effect of mediating temperatures when the weather gets warm. The vines are hitting 20 years old with this vintage. This particular presentation added a lot of information to the database. This Dauvissat definitely has chops and is another to pay attention to. The 2017 vintage in Chablis is at least very good to excellent based on what we have tasted thus far, but there is precious little of this delicious, well-priced ($24.98) Premier Cru to go around (only about 500 bottles are produced).

THE FUTURE OF GERMAN RIESLING: FEINHERB

The direction of German Riesling has changed dramatically over the last decade. There are lots of reasons. Part of it is market perception. In general, anything that is perceived to have any residual sugar is frowned upon by the new populace. Spätlese is viewed as ‘sweet’, even though the elevated acidity strikes an amazing balance with the complex hillside fruit of traditional German estate Riesling. Chardonnay is ‘dry’. Never mind that many of the Chardonnays the populace drinks have substantial sugars woven into their makeup, and much lower acidity.

The sommelier set, particularly those in Germany that have the ears of the vintners, claim that traditionally styled Rieslings don’t go with food. We’d love to debate that but the point is that they have been demanding searingly dry, skeletal trocken Riesling as the solution. Do they go better with food? Well some food, as long as you don’t care what the wine tastes like. The best examples of the genre are generally the ‘Grand Cru’ Trockens, designated as GG (großes gewächs). But while they have the peripheral fruit flesh that makes the style viable, they are erratic as a genre and typically cost $50 and up.

As we have stated many times, grapes should be made into the type of wine that best serves the varietal and the site. In this part of the world where it is colder, leaner structures and some sweetness are magic together. That may change with global warming, but it hasn’t yet. In the meantime some very talented German estates have figured out what we think is a way to please everyone. Over the years we have seen better and better examples of what are referred to as halbtrockens (literally ‘half dry’) a.k.a. feinherb, and this effort will be a game changer for a lot of folks.

The feinherbs have the firm backbone of great Riesling and, in concert with that acidity, have barely perceptible sweetness and finish dry. Perhaps more important is that, with just a bit more ‘fat’ on the ‘bones’, the palate feel is much rounder and there is a place where the remarkable fruit and complexity of some of these historic vineyards have a platform to express those qualities. To us, these are the answer to Riesling’s identity problem and a fantastic and versatile option for both food and non-food applications. We wouldn’t think of making a pitch like this unless we had a stellar example of the breed to make our case. This A. J. Adam Feinherb is uncommonly good for the genre and pretty sensational juice by any standard.

While we have been big promoters of German wines since the 1980s, and have worked with some producers for that entire stretch, we only became acquainted with A.J. Adam with the 2010 vintage. He has since become one of our favorite Häuser. The A J Adam Riesling Mosel in der Sangerei Feinherb 2017 can be considered a ‘best of breed’. Some folks might balk at a $40 fare for Riesling, but you can pay a lot more for wines that cannot touch this one. To us, this should be the future of the trocken movement…back off the trocken a little and make something that’s both enjoyable and food friendly.

Importer Terry Theise’s comments on this one are, “A cadaster parcel within the Hofberg, this has often been a beloved wine for me. This ’17 is quite serious, in the vintage way, not as suave as usual but with a different kind of grip and length. Half was lost to frost, so there’s just one Fuder, of an earnest, dark-toned mineral wine, with a pointed acidity that sucks up every one of the 25g/l RS.”

While perhaps less cerebral, Stuart Piggott’s comments on James Suckling’s website are certainly more to the heart of the matter, “Super peachy with great brilliance and refinement. This is a great Spätlese that’s dry enough for the finest lobster dish, but it is also powerful enough to cope with the spiciest curry. The very long finish keeps pumping out fruit and minerals. Drink or hold…96 points.”

This is the type of effort that will please people on both sides of the Riesling debate. By the way, if you are a fan of the more traditional Spätlese style, these guys make one of the best.

IN THE PINK, PART TWO: ROSE TIME AGAIN

We spoke our piece last time about the current market for pink wine. In short, it is stronger than ever, but there has been a proliferation of labels well beyond what should have been. In other words, there is a lot more rosé to look at these days, which by definition would give us more things to choose from. That is partially true. There are more good rosés out there, but a much higher percentage of clunkers in the mix because there are a lot of mediocre efforts being made by people who are just trying to participate in the market and many examples being made from places that really haven’t made them before.

All of this just makes our job harder because there is much more pink wine to slog through to find the few gems. But it’s summer, we love pink wine, and the 2017s are generally quite satisfying. So here’s another update on a few more favorites from this year’s crop.

LE PARADOU CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ 2017– This wine’s performance should be no surprise given the people involved. The Paradou project is a partnership between the brothers Alex and Fred Chaudière of Château Pesquié and importer Eric Solomon. We have been selling Pesquié wines for years and appreciate the honest, terroir driven character that the wines exude. It seems only natural that these folks could create something enjoyable for this label and the Le Paradou Côtes de Provence Rosé 2017 is that wine.

The grapes for this wine come from the more remote center of Provence, a land of lavender fields, olive groves, and wild herbs growing on the hillsides. This is far from the French Riviera and the Cinsault, Grenache and Vermentino (known as Rolle in this part of the world) grapes come from a vineyard at the foot of Sainte Victoire, a peak featured in a number of works by Cezanne. The term ‘Paradou’, while it might sound like some ancient French word for ‘paradise’, actually refers to the old watermills that once dotted the landscape

Each grape plays its part. The Cinsault provides this wine’s delicate fruit flavors reminiscent of raspberries and strawberries, the Grenache its color and spice, and the Vermentino its freshness and acidity plus a hint of white stone fruit in a supporting role. Put it all together and you have one engaging, tasty rosé. Here they do all the right things as the grapes are sustainably farmed, harvested by hand in the early morning, and pressed whole cluster in a cool cellar to extract the lightest color possible.

The 2017 pinks in general show a bit rounder demeanor up front and a bit more weight, yet still deliver the classic rosé experience. Besides that the wine is nicely packaged and well priced. Again, this one checks all the boxes. Jeb Dunnuck had some praise for this juicy pink, “Light pink in color, the 2017 Côtes de Provence Rosé from Le Paradou is a juicy, yet textured, lively rosé that does everything right. Offering lots of white cherry, strawberry, and floral notes, with an almost salty minerality, this beauty hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and a clean, dry finish. This is what Provençal rosé is all about and it’s worth a case purchase….90 points.”

CHATEAU DE SEGRIES TAVEL ROSE 2017– Here’s one of those classic Tavels that still thinks it is red wine. The color is a deep orange/pink and there is considerably more mid-palate weight than most of the rosés out there. Yet at the same time it still has the required lift to function beautifully in its capacity as a rosé.

Segries has provided us with a number of tasty selections over the years in both the red and pink variety, and it is one of the sources that still provides ‘old school’ value. It’s added muscle allows it to play with a bit more substantial fare like grilled pork, smoked chicken, sausages, or even meats and provide a more refreshing alternative when the weather is warm.

This is a mix of 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Clairette, and 10% Syrah from 60-year-old vines planted in soils composed of pure silica, sand, clay, pebbles and, of course, stones. This is a saignée which means it was light pressings from grapes that were ultimately destined to be red wines. Everything is done by hand, the grapes were destemmed, and the fermentation takes place at low temperatures to preserve the fruit component.

The nose has an almost red wine element to it as well as notes of ripe melon, red berry and blood orange. All of that plays on the palate along with subtle notes of mineral and pepper. Like we said, this is a more mouth-filling and weightier version of rose than the rank and file, but it still has the freshness to pull it off. It is one of the more impressive and distinctive efforts from this year’s crop of pinks. Thus far the wine got a 92 from Wine Enthusiast with comments, “Beautiful ripe cherry and red berry aromas with floral scents. Good concentration on the palate, flavorful and perfectly balanced. Good acidity and mineral backbone make it a great match with Provençal or Asian cuisine, grilled meat, fresh fruit salads.” We expect there will be more.

CHATEAU PRADEAUX BANDOL ROSE 2017- Every year as we taste through countless pink wines we find a reasonable number of engaging examples and one or two that play on a level all their own. Most long time Francophiles will tell you that Provence is a fine source for rose, but that Bandol has ‘home run’ potential. When a Bandol rosé hits its highest level, it is the quintessential choice. Domaine Tempier has set the standard for years and now sits in the $40 range more or less, expensive even for Bandol. But this one was one of the standouts we have tasted this year, and arguably one of the most memorable ever for its sheer richness, style and layered complexity.

We have had a positive, if somewhat inconsistent relationship with Chateau Pradeaux dating back into the 1990s. This is one of the few times we have had their rosé, but we dare say that it is the most complete, impressive, engaging examples of this category we can recall. This is classic Bandol rosé in both the most traditional and best possible way. The current family took the helm around the time of the French revolution, and the near-the-coast location clearly has a profound effect on the wine’s personality.

The blend here is 50% Cinsault and 50% Mourvedre, with the latter imparting the wine’s distinctive undercurrent of that unique musky minerality that seems to be proprietary to how that varietal performs in this terroir. In more rustic versions it can be overwhelming, but here it is another instrument in a virtual symphony of flavors. The effusive nose speaks of red berries, blood oranges and that earthy/mineral thing that is so indicative of the region. In the mouth it shows layers of flavor including, strawberry, orange and spice. The tension is nearly perfect and there’s enough outgoing fleshiness to easily make friends who aren’t necessarily even fans of Bandol.

The bottom line is that the Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose 2017 is an enlightened version of a traditional style and operates in this vintage a level or two above most everything else we have tasted this year. Rosé doesn’t get much better at any price and, at $25, the intensity and complexity in this wine over delivers. If you can find a more compelling pink drink, good on’ya.

DOMINIO DEL AGUILA PICARO CLARETE ROSE 2014- Now for something completely different. First it is important to point out that this is the current release, not some ‘old rosé’ we found in the back room. Some rosés are built to develop in the bottle. The Alphonse Mellot we sold last year is still developing and the Tiburon-based wine from Clos Cibonne is kept in bottle a year before release, just to name a couple. So we are already in rarified air with this element in general, and that is further compounded by the completely unique approach of Dominio del Aguila Picaro Clarete Rose 2014.

Firm, melon, citrus, and berry fruit laced with a kind of chalky minerality and surprising verve for a pink wine at this age, this lets it be known right away that it is not your rank and file pink. A rather unusual blend of Tempranillo, Albillo (a white grape unique to the Ribera del Duero), Garnacha, and Bobal (neither of which are usually associated with the Ribera), this unique mix of red and white grapes is sourced from 60-year-old vines sitting at nearly 3000 ft. elevation. It spends 16 months in a combination of French and American oak, another indication it isn’t necessarily made to be quaffed in its youth.

Wine Advocate’s Louis Gutierrez was quite taken with this wine, and the estate in general. His comments, “The 2014 Pícaro Clarete… is more in the style of a white wine than a red. There are white flowers, aromatic herbs, fine spices and a touch of petrol? The palate is extraordinary, incredibly fresh and complex, with good weight and very good acidity. This has to be the finest vintage to date. The 2012 is drinking superbly today and it’s still young, so I don’t see why this 2014 should not age the same or even better, as I see more freshness and balance here...93 points.”

B. MILLET SANCERRE LE CHEMIN BLANC 2017-THE REAL DEAL

It is interesting in talking to our suppliers about the current high demand for Sancerre. Many told us they can’t keep the stuff in stock because of overwhelming on-premise demand and that a number of purveyors simply don’t bring the wines out to show as a result. This demand might also explain why we have had a tough time finding good, well-priced Sancerre. Demand has pushed up the prices, and a lot of , ahem, less compelling examples are coming to market. That is why finding on like this is noteworthy.

B. Millet, a 22 hectare estate based in Bué, is a third generation Sancerre producer run by husband and wife Betty and Franck Millet. In Sancerre, there is a mix of limestone and chalk terroirs. Bué is a top village in the region and the majority of the domaine’s white wine vineyards are located on the limestone that accentuates the minerality that Sancerre is famous for.

This is a classic, archetypal Sancerre that combines a core of bracing acidity and focused flinty minerality with aromatic citrus, grapefruit and herbal notes. The cellar regimen here is stainless steel for the Sancerre Blanc and the vineyard work is done by hand, with a rigorous green harvest during the summer. The resulting wine her has enough tenderness to the fruit to avoid being severe, but sufficient acidity to hum on the nicely on the palate.

The B. Millet Sancerre Le Chemin Blanc 2017 is the real deal, definitely strutting the clear signature of the region and yet at the same time ‘user friendly’. Given what we have seen from this heated market over the last few years, not to mention some unfortunate supply problems thanks to Mother Nature, we found the price performance here to be compelling as well.

2017: Good Things on the Horizon

This has become a tradition for us to give everyone an outline of what to expect out of the coming year. Part of the reasoning is that we have the information because we rely upon this info as part of our yearly business plan seeing as there’s always a limit to the amount of money one can spend (even, of course, for the U.S. Government who can simply print it). Since we have already done the homework, there’s no reason not to share it with you so you have the option of strategizing your own purchases and consider cellaring options.

Some years there is a lot going on, other years less so. Last year (2016) had a few strong categories and a few big categories that were not so strong performance-wise. We dare say 2017 has the possibility of being one of the best years for wine buyers in half a decade. We say that without considering an improved economy which some are predicting. We are merely talking about the quality and breadth of really good stuff we anticipate should hit the market.

While the domestic market is not near as volatile from a vintage perspective as Europe, particularly in California, the top domestic regions all seem to be on a continuing ’roll’. California, Oregon and Washington will be mainly rolling out 2014s and 2015s, which are surprisingly uniform in quality, appealing and, from what we’ve seen from 2014, quite accessible.

Domestic quality is such that there should be a trickle down into the next level of players and even the ‘bargain’ producers should be able to find good juice to work with (provided they can find any juice). That’s the one caveat… quantity. It is low in certain areas, particularly in 2015, a consistent theme with most of the California producers we’ve spoken with. What that means to you is that, if you see something that strikes your fancy (particularly among those 2015s), you should move in some haste as they may not be around long if they get any critical attention at all.

The big news of course is the ‘foreign’ 2015s. The vintage promises to be a watershed for quality wines. We haven’t seen this much uniform success across borders since 2010, and can only think of a few other times (1985, 1990, 2005) where so many folks from virtually anyplace that grew grapes had a smile on their face.

“The good times are going to roll.”

The good times are going to roll. As northern Italy gets through the remainder of their rain-affected 2014 whites, they will be (and are being) replaced by the sensational 2015s. We haven’t had anything this good since 2010, though the more fruit-driven profile is more specific to 2015. Very tasty. We have been pleased with some of the whites from the Rhone as well, but will admit that the 2015 whites from Burgundy, while quite good, are a little riper and lower in acidity that the outstanding 2014s. They will however make for an excellent bridge for fans of domestic Chardonnays who are used to ‘fatter’ wines. Buy up those 2015 Loire Valley whites as they arrive and the Cabernet Franc-based reds in particular appear to be the finest since the 2005s.

We have already talked at length about the 2015 Germans and Austrians which are both very special vintages. For whatever reason, the media has not given these wines their due as yet (if they ever will…it’s a Cabernet and Bordeaux world…still). This has afforded a longer buying window, which is not necessarily a bad thing, and we continue to tell anyone who will listen that this is a vintage of historic quality in both regions.

Bordeaux has the opportunity to really make a comeback, provided that they don’t lose sight of reason when it comes to prices. The 2014s are delicious and should provide some really appealing earlier drinking, the 2015s are definitely vins de garde, and the 2016s, which should be offered as ‘futures’ this spring, are rumored to be spectacular in certain areas (clay soils, old vines) that were able to handle the unprecedented drought that hit the region. Good times for Bordeaux lovers, particularly if the euro stays on the low side (the euro was around $1.35 back when the 2010s came out, it’s now around $1.05).

Sadly, the euro probably isn’t going to be much help in Burgundy because the highly anticipated 2015 vintage was also short on quantities (and because it’s Burgundy). But the little red Burgundies we have tasted so far have been remarkably appealing as a group, which only means good things for the ‘bigger dogs’. It’s definitely a vintage to keep an eye on the entry-level Bourgognes, well priced village bottlings, and places like the Cote Chalonnaise and Marsannnay as well as Beaujolais. If you are super ‘brand conscious’, acquiring certain labels might be frustrating, but we anticipate there will be some opportunities if you love the genre and are looking for some very tasty juice.

There will be lots of ample southern Rhones and seriously good northern Rhones. We suspect the 2015 Chateauneufs will require some attention as there hasn’t been a vintage this good since 2010. As to the ‘top notch’ Cote Roties and Hermitages, etc., quality will be ‘amaze-balls’, but a lot of the small, famous names will be hens teeth when it comes to sourcing.

The great thing about 2015 reds is that they are generally gregarious and outgoing. We have seen that all over France and in the ‘little’ reds from northern Italy. If you can’t find something delicious, you’re not trying. There will be those that will say that, because of their outgoing fruit, these wines aren’t structured enough to be considered ‘serious’. They are ‘fat’, true, but also fresh, which bodes well for development. We have tasted enough ‘super jammy’ vintages that have been declared ‘great’ that haven’t necessarily aged as well or as uniformly as some experts said they would. Besides, what’s wrong with being pretty and precocious?

We expect South America will continue to be one of the biggest surprises. We keep finding really compelling start-ups and producers previously unknown to us that have raised the bar considerably. We said they same thing last year about Argentina and Chile, which at the time, probably raised a few eyebrows. In fact, we ran across a lot of stuff that exceeded even our expectations and have to presume that there is a lot more to be found. What is perhaps even more telling is that some of the labels that have been around a while have upped their games as well (just today a Malbec from Bodega Neomia showed a touch and fruit component that got us excited…we don’t recall something of this fineness from this source in the past).

Finally, our ‘dark horse’ prediction for 2017 is…South Africa. Now we have been trying to create a niche for South African wines since the 90s. The wines were often parochial, sometimes solid, and occasionally breakthroughs. But sustainability of the genre proved to be elusive. As soon as we stopped promoting them, they seemed to have little carry through on their own. We have happened upon a few interesting, some maybe a little quirky but delicious items that indicate there is another tier of innovative South African small producers that we have not seen in this marketplace.

By ‘dark horse’ we kind of mean these South African boutiques haven’t had, nor do we expect that they will get much media exposure, and there are all kinds of marketing and distribution issues with small importers and unknown genres by definition. In other words, we aren’t going to bet the grocery money on their success, but only because market mechanics kind of work against them. The wines we are talking about got us really pumped, and we have to assume there are some others out there like them. These wines definitely deserve an audience.

This promises to be a very exciting year for wine drinkers. Besides all that we have alluded to thus far, there are still remnants of the 2010 Reserva and Gran Reserva Riojas from Spain to be had, and Italian reds will certainly have their share of successes (2013 Tuscans, 2015 Barbera and Dolcettos, 2015 ‘little’ Chianti Classico wines) on an individual basis. The only question we can’t answer yet is if this will be Australia’s time to recapture the market share they deserve, that will be up the consumer as the wines are better than ever. We’ll also be on the lookout (and hoping) for ‘deals’ on the delicious 2014s from the southern Rhone and Burgundy, a vintage that got largely overlooked as buyers focused ahead on the more ‘newsworthy’ 2015s. At reduced prices, we will be all over those wines.

Are we looking forward to 2017? You bet! Happy New Year…