Let's talk about the wines of Spain, the main grapes, and classifications

Recently I was at a Grand Spain tasting at one of the great wine spots in the Tampa, FL area… B-21’s Wine Warehouse. I’ve been patron there for about 15 years and about every quarter they host an abundant informative tasting event.  It’s one of the definitive wine stores in the Southeast USA; probably the prototype for Total Wine.

This tasting got me rethinking the major Spanish grape varieties and wine laws a bit, because they are imperative to the wine and the country. So, I am going to go through this a bit right now and break it down according to the wines we tasted that afternoon.

Spain has a somewhat large number of distinctive wine producing regions, more than half taking the classification Denominación de Origen (DO) with the most of the rest being classified as Vinos de la Tierra (VdlT).

There are only two regions nominated as Denominación de Origen Calificada (DOCa). The Rioja and Priorat regions are the trophy and flagship regions of Spanish winemaking.

For Instance, familiar wine places such as Jumilla, Ribera Del Duero, Rias Baixas, Toro, Navarra, Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Costers de Segre, Yecla, La Mancha and Penedes are all Denominación de Origen (DO).

The Oxford Wine Companion says that there’s an estimate of over 600 grape varieties are planted throughout Spain but 80% of the country's wine production is focused on only 20 grape varieties.

Spain grapes have always developed with winemakers reworking things to the wide-ranging and extreme climate of the region. Yet, the dry weather in many parts of Spain eases the threat of common viticultural problems . There is always the other side of things.

In Spain the vineyards are several decades old, with the old vines producing lower yields of fruit. This is an issue that has being constantly addressed and is a main reason for the Spanish wine boom these days. In the 1990s, the use of irrigation became more popular after droughts hurt the harvests; so the practice of using irrigation in all Spanish wine regions was legalized with many regions quickly adopting the practice. The widespread use of irrigation has encouraged higher density of vine plantings and has contributed to higher yields in some parts of Spain which has led to an abundance of good wine.

As the Spanish wine industry becomes more modern, there has been a larger presence of international grape varieties appearing in both blends and varietal forms, mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. Other Spanish grape varieties that have significant plantings as well including Cariñena, Godello, Graciano, and Mencia(which is similar to Cabernet Franc).

The red wine grape Tempranillo is the most widely planted grape variety(really the top honor goes to Airén the Spanish brandy grape…). Tempranillo has recently eclipsed Garnacha(Granache) in plantings. Tempranillo is known throughout Spain under a slew of different names including Cencibel, Tinto Fino and Ull de Llebre.  So be on the lookout for that.

Both the Tempranillo and Garnacha(Granache) are used to make the full-bodied red wines linked with the Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Penedès regions.  The Garnacha happens to be the main grape of the Priorat region. The Garnacha blended along with Cariñena and some international varieties is creating some of the great age-worthy cellar wines in the world today in the same way the Super-Tuscan is doing that for Italy.

Further,In the Levante region(the eastern region of Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish Mediterranean coast), Monastrell and Bobal have significant plantings and they are used for both dark red wines and dry rosé.

In the northwest of Spain , the white wines Albariño and Verdejo are popular plantings in the Rías Baixas and Rueda regions respectively.

In the Cava producing regions of Catalonia(sparkling wines produced in the Champenoise Traditional Method may be labeled Cava)and elsewhere in Spain, the principal grapes of Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel·lo.

And lastly in the southern Sherry and Malaga(in the Costa del Sol) producing regions of Andalucia, the principal grapes are Palomino and Pedro Ximénez.

With all this wine Spain is the most widely planted wine producing nation according to researchers, but it’s the third largest producer of wine in the world behind France and Italy and this is due, in part, to the very low yields of the old vines planted on the dry, infertile soil found in many of the Spanish wine regions.

Ripeness in Wine has a very big impact!

It’s summer time and all the fruit trees are starting to ripe. For me ripeness and the degree of ripeness is where the fruits real achievement is prepared and it is a big key to how great a fruit can be.

Over here in Florida we have a lot of Mango, Avocado and Citrus trees.  We love our ripe fruits. Because of the tropical climate and grapevine diseases, particularly Pierce's disease, vitis vinifera (grape vine we know today as the wine grape) does not grow well in Florida. In fact as early as 1990 the Florida Orange Groves Winery began to cultivate wines made from 100% tropical fruit. And because of that the term Florida Wine now comprises varieties like mango, key lime, orange, grapefruit, blueberry and strawberry and several other wineries located in Florida now experimenting with tropical fruits with success. Even though there are no designated American Viticultural Areas in Florida; the state is one of the most important wine states in the country.  It is home to several major wine wholesalers and distributors. Naples, Sarasota and Tampa are among the most influential in the wine business due to it’s proclivities to cuisine, great wine lists at restaurants and news worthy and improbable wine events for charities including festivals for foodies.

Anyways, ripening is when the small grapes begin to grow larger and all the flavor compounds, sugars, and water start to form inside the grape.  When the fruit begins to set the grapes go through a change called veraison which is when the color of the grape changes and it begins to soften as the water and sugar is flowing from the leaves.  As we learned in grade school as sunlight hits a plant photosynthesis creates sugar in the plant and it starts to send the sugar to the grape which makes the high acidity in the grapes fall off.

Hence, ripening is crucial to viticulture. It’s very important.  The reason is because it directly impacts 3 major characteristics of the finished wine.

The acidity in grapes transmogrifies into acidity in a finished wine which can be sensed on the palate and tasted. The less ripe a grape the higher the acidity, the ensuing wine will have; simultaneously, sugars in a grape will eventually be converted into alcohol during fermentation. The more sugar found in the grape the more potential alcohol can be produced in a finished wine.  Also, sugar and other compounds dissolved in the juice of a grape also give to the concentration, viscosity and thickness of the juice. Riper grapes have heavier juice and will produce a thicker or heavier wine.  You know how sometimes you hear the  expression ‘that wine has legs’ after a good swirl coats the glass and tears stream down; higher alcohol and the thickness of the juice creates that effect.

The more a fruit hangs on the vine the riper it gets but remember the length of ripening is mostly governed by climate conditions. Cooler climates intensely shorten ripening periods. A grape vine ripening in a cooler climate will have a lot more acidity and lower alcohol content and a lot less body than the same vine planted in a warmer climate.  So understanding ripeness is pretty vital across the board.

 

"The Ideal Benchmarks"...How do you taste wine? How do you learn? I'll show you!

I’m going to try and explain the art of tasting. Well, I am going to try. Over the years I have done a lot of tasting and it’s really not a race to finish line. There is so much to learn. Yep, It’s a good way to live mathematics!?! Huh?

In actuality wine is infinite. Endless!!! I often tell my friends…’How many flavors do you come across each day when you drink?’ After a blank stare, I usually say milk, orange juice, soda pop, etc…but in wine the flavors are endless, and the nuances are not just subtle either. It’s changing all the time in the bottle too. Drink it on its own or drink it with food. There is so much opportunity!

 

 

The pairing of food and wine ‘is’ a life altering experience. But you have to educate yourself a little and understand that there are benchmarks and a classic way of thinking that you have to acknowledge and pay attention to; because wine has been made for a very long long time and there are some things set in stone on how varietals (the grapes) are supposed to taste like. Learning to taste like the “Pros”; this way is not inexpensive, but if you do it among friends it can be done consistently and there’s nothing more important while learning about wine than talking and listening to others that’s how it sticks in the brain.

So let’s talk about that…

 

You often near people say “Oh, that’s Old World.” “Oh, that’s a New World wine.” Let’s get one thing straight. There is awesome wine being made all over the planet and there has been a lot of updating and rebirth happening over the last 50 years. There’s a lot of money to be made these days.

When it comes to the character and style of wine it really boils down to 4 or 5 places maybe a few more with some pockets here and there in some very historical wine countries. Wow! Now before you tar and feather me about this fact. I will explain and honestly there is no eccentricity permitted from this school of thought...It’s not set in stone, but it is close.

 

Tuscany, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne…Old school Rioja and Albarino from Spain are benchmarks. The Barossa Valley in Australia for Shiraz as well as the Rhone in France has equal expectation. I like to include New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in this list because of its down right distinctiveness.

 

Most French wines are good to taste with because they have a lengthy track record and are made following laws that are firm, developed and methodical. Places like Loire, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhone and Champagne can be relied on for the character of the grape along with the style which has gone through extensive and consistent documentation.

 

For example, In Italy it boils down to Tuscany, Piedmont and Veneto with Umbria, Campania and Sicily starting to make the cut.  It’s only because in Italy just as Spain even though they been making wine since the beginning of time it seems are going through a wine revolution where areas that were basically inactive for years are now exploding in activity but it’s New World wine. Great stuff though!

 

So places in Spain like Ribera Del Duero, and La Mancha are not acceptable for benchmark tasting, perhaps Priorat though…

 

Let me give you another example, California Chardonnay. It can be delicious, especially with shell food.  In fact it’s constantly besting the regions of Burgundy in highly profiled competitions since the mid 1970’s. Yet, California Chardonnay has been traditionally perceived as a oaky, tropical, buttery with vanilla characteristics which is also found in Washington State, Australia and Argentina. You see there is no real reference point like there is in the communes of Burgundy. So as good as it can be; it cannot be used as a benchmark.

 

 

You see that is the key. There has to a model or “The Ideal Benchmark” where you know characteristic or style comes from.

We live in a period of wine discovery and there is a wine revolution going on. The thing is to learn what “The Ideal Benchmark” for the wine region or style is and you do that by picking one or two and remembering and realizing and knowing it. That’s how you know the classics. I relate to it this way too. It’s like thinking about the intricacy of all the Beatles songs and thinking about all their influences and listening to their stuff.

 

Well then, how do you remember and realize and know this stuff. Try to train your palate to spot aromas and flavors (I made up and posted a chart that can get you started). Also try to do it with friend too. Find a wine guy you can work with at a wine store to chat things up. Try to travel to wine country. It’s hard to do it alone; but it can certainly be done.

 

Let’s move on to just some of these ‘Ideal Benchmarks’…Which can set you back $50 a pop. But remember the goal here is to get the idea of the characteristic and style of the benchmark.

 

• Merlot should taste like wines from Pomerol which is kind of rare even though it’s well known…demand also outstrips supply. So it’s more expensive. It’s fleshy, supple with minerality. Try Chateau Bourgneuf Pomerol and Chateau Lafleur-Gazin an entry level.

• Pinot Noir should taste like wines from Burgundy, Oregon has also reached classic status in my book Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin and Louis Latour Volnay 1er Cru En Chevret…The Oregon Pinot’s are less expensive. Tempranillo should only be from old school Rioja like Muga or LAN. Try a Reserve or Grand Reserve some which are in $20 - $40 range.

• Chardonnay has some terrific values Mâcon and Chablis are the two places to look. Look for lemon, pears and some creaminess, flowers, limestone, minerality and barely a hint of oak. Try Louis Latour’s Pouilly-Vinzelles and Simonnet-Febvre at about $20.
• Sangiovese from Tuscany where the classics come from Chianti and Brunello Montalcino. Herbal, strong nose nice tarty cherry or some earthiness and spice, ruby red garnet with acidity. If it’s real dark it’s a more modern style because they are using more oak. Try Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG and the Friggiali Brunello di Montalcino $20-$40.

• Cabernet Sauvignon is a great grape!  Reach for the Pauillac region of Bordeaux. Black currants(cassis), black cherries, Hints of herbs and bell peppers, tobacco and cedar. When Cabernet is very ripe blackberries come out in front… the blackberries conquer and you get the plums and the jam flavors (happens a lot in Napa Valley). Cabernet Sauvignon can sometimes have vicious tannins and in Bordeaux it is blended with Merlot and Cabernet Franc to legendary success. Old Bordeaux’s bring on the flavors of leather, meat and mushrooms and have what I call a Robin Hood effect with suggests a cool forest. The older they get the more they can be easily mistaken for Syrah/Shiraz. Try Château Batailley it is a rock-solid about $50 wine that rates high and may find this wine's prices somewhat reasonable compared to the other and I mean that seriously. Château Pontet-Canet is another reasonably priced, very well-made Pauillac. Try Cabernet’s from the Santa Cruz Mountains just for kicks as well.

I’ll stop there for now… you get the point, I hope…about tasting. In the future I’ll write about some other varietals. I’ll also write about the ‘Repetitive Method’ of tasting and ‘Developing your palette on a budget’. All this wine stuff is endless, you know…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wines from Chile...Great, Unique and now 4th biggest exporter! Good Juice!

It’s amazing that in just a few short years, Chile had become the world's 10th largest wine exporter!

Here's a short story on Chile's wine.

Chile is the 4th biggest exporter of wine to the United States.  The country is very resourceful with virtually all major varietals represented. The country produces its fair share of white wine but Chile is probably most recognized for its assortment of reds. In sheer volume, Cabernet Sauvignon is the country's bestseller, but Chile is also known for producing some tasty, spicy, ripe stylistic Syrah as well.

Chile's terroir is essentially textbook for wine production. With its 800 miles of coastline cushioned between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean it shields its grapevines from a lot of the vexations that plague other wine regions of the world. The melting snow from the Andes flows into Chile's wine-growing regions, providing vital irrigation in the face of a relatively dry climate.

Chile has a number of winemaking regions, each unique. All through the country, vineyards on the coastline benefit of the cooler temperatures to produce the white wines, while those vineyards located inland hang on the warmer weather to produce the reds.

The Casablanca Valley is essentially the main white wine region in Chile. Located in the northern part of Chile and with its closeness to the coast it’s the perfect climate for growing wine much of Chile's Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, along with other whites like Viognier and Riesling. Pinot Noir, which is a red that really likes the cool weather is also grown successfully in Casablanca.

Farther south and inland, you'll find the Maipo Valley, which is the oldest winemaking region in Chile with over 30,000 acres of vineyards. The Maipo Valley is the epicenter of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot production. The city of Santiago, is the country's capital and it’s in heart of the Maipo Valley which makes for great for traveling to this wine region.

Below the Maipo Valley is the Rapel region, which is home to the Cachapoal and Colchagua valleys.

Rapel is also home to Apalta, probably Chile's most renowned vineyard. This rich history, burly, rugged terrain and countless vineyards located in close proximity to one another makes the area very  popular for tourists.

This area is home to the Carmenere. This and a lot of other varietals are produced here.

In a story that's being told over and over these days...for years, Chile produced enormous quantities of what was thought to be Merlot; and basically all of this juice was sold inside the country, which makes it all the fascinating. In the 1990s, a bunch of wine buffs from France curious about the origins of the Chilean grapes, analyzed the grapes and were able to identify them as Carmenere, not Merlot! 

Once grown throughout France, Carmenere was all but devastated due to the insect infestation in the 19th century which virtually eliminated these vines. Fortunately the Spaniards brought trimmings to Chile back then and now more than a hundred years later Carmenere has become Chile's signature wine; along with it’s flavorsome hints of five spices, herbaceous pepper and dark plums.

…and what’s also interesting is that many of Chile's vineyards were started using vines imported from France; but that’s another story for another day.… Yep! most of the world has only recently discovered Chilean wine, but its wine production in the country dates back to the 16th century!

Here are some Chilean wines to seek that are making quality across their portfolio where the value wines provide some good juice plus a fine representation of their regions and varietals… and the higher end wines can get really classy and downright prized!

Concha Y Toro

Veramonte

Casa Lapostolle

Vina Montes

Vina san Pedro

Vina Santa Rita

Vina Almaviva

Errazuiz

 

 

Buying wines, storing wines and finding wines to store

Today, the majority of wines are best drunk immediately.  But if you are looking for a wine to nurture for the future it is often smart to look for a wine from a good vintage.

Few of us are fortunate to live in a house with a readymade wine cellar or even a house with a cool dark basement. Nevertheless for wine lovers a “cellar” or wine fridge is not just a small nice to have-it’s essential.

With an attentively stocked cellar you can be confident of having the right wine for the right occasion, even if most of them are for ordinary quaffing.

What I like about wine buying is the mystery behind it.  It’s no science. It’s important to have a few different places to buy your wine. Not only just to keep it interesting, but also it allows you to try to build some relationships.  Not all your wine should be bought at the grocery store or the large outlet.  There’s always several nice wine shops in town and yes, you may pay a little bit more but you might get some valuable information in return…

Is there a guarantee that you will be a successful wine buyer and how do you know if you are good at it? The answer is not plain and simple but if you are thoughtful about it…

The joys of drinking those budding wines that you have stored for its peak of maturity for a certain occasion (recognizing your thorough judgment/luck) can be rewarding and a lot of fun!

So what’s a good place to start? A good place to start is with wine producers.

You might ask… Is it okay to purchase blindly from certain producer’s …Sure!

For example , these days for Spanish wines, I can reach for an Eric Solomon and Jorge Ordonez wine.  If it is under $25 per bottle and it is in my budget; I will try it. Another is Kermitt Lynch; I will certainly consider his stuff because it’s always well-made. Try one of his burgundy wines (red or white). He has great French product that I trust and a lot of good restaurants do as well. Jeffrey M. Davis is excellent too especially for Bordeaux wines!

Mainly these producers are purchasing grapes or finished wine from countless minor estates, then blending, bottling and selling the wine under the their name. A lot of the times it’s excess grapes from expensive vineyards.

In Burgundy, France some of the best, and well-known, burgundy producers are primarily négociants (merchants)—including Louis Jadot, Joseph Drouhin, and Bouchard Père & Fils and they make great wines at all price levels.

Recently folks like distributor Cameron Hughes and Australian Cult winemaker Chris Ringland with the same inspiration are buying lots or creating ambitious even nontraditional wines that I like as well. There are a lot of good ones out there.

So what about storing the wine.  Here are a few general tips on storing wines…

Basic Red Wines:

Cabernet Sauvignon wines are often created to be drunk young but in overall will improve with aging. Bordeaux, France produces Cabernet based wines that have varying degrees of aging potential. A Classed Growth from a good vintage may sometimes need 10 years to mature. Some Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, California and Washington State have aging potential as well.

The Bordeaux’s best Merlot -based wines also need about 10 years to mature.  Lesser Merlot’s tend to peak in 3-5 years.

Pinot Noir  is the ‘noble’ grape. It can age well if grown correctly. Hailing from Burgundy France; it grows best in Oregon, California and New Zealand.  A good red Burgundy needs about  2-5 years to develop its peak complexity.

Syrah/Shiraz based wines especially from the Rhone, France are outstanding wines for aging; some can be cellared for 20 years. In general terms 4- 10 years and let’s not forget that artificial aging achieved through 30 minutes to an hour of decanting will help you consume these wines while they are young.

…and now the

Basic White Wines:  (which very few whites are truly suited for aging too long in the cellar or wine fridge).

A Grand Cru Chardonnay can arguably last up to 15 years but all Chardonnay is really at its best between 2-5 years.

Riesling is usually immediately drinkable but can age well….especially the German Rieslings have great storage potential, the Grand Cru’s can store for 10 years or more. Look for the Rieslings from Washington state, upstate New York Canada for excellent drinking.
 

Sparkling and Fortified Wines  are a story as well and both can be kept for years but that is best  another story for another day.

Well obviously there is an inherent risk with aging but as you can see… buying, storing and finding wines to store can be very rewarding… and remember it’s not a science.

A small conversation on the Taste, Texture and Weight of food while matching wines

What is it about wine and food that sometimes can be so earth shattering! It's probably because the parallels between food and wine are endless. In the same way the method of cooking used, as with winemaking techniques can influence flavors and textures. The way food is cooked has a huge effect on the way it will taste. It doesn’t have to be a puzzle. Basically…fast, hot and dry conserves taste and slow, moderate and moist cooking exaggerates flavors.

Here's a secret...

When it comes to pairing wines the general rule is that foods prepared in a light method of cooking like poaching or steaming usually requires a fruity lightly acidic wine rather than a tannic one.

As we think this through; the essential methods of cooking are steaming, poaching, and boiling, stir-frying, deep-frying, braising casseroling, stewing, grilling and roasting.

Cooking methods exude the food’s weight and texture which is what creates the variables of taste. Weight is the heaviness of the dish.  For example Osso Bucco is more substantial than salad. You may have put the same seasonings in both but they will each require different wine to compliment it.

Now texture is totally different than weight.  You need to think about the mouthfeel of the wine. Is it smooth? Is it supple? Does it feel like glycerin? Does it grip your teeth or make your mouth pucker (the tannins)? Is it light and crisp? Is there acidity?

Here is a short list on taste, weight and texture to contemplate:

Acidic and Fishy foods– Acidic wines, aromatic, fruity and off dry whites, full bodied reds

Oily and fatty foods – Acidic wines or non-tannin reds

Salty foods – Low tannin reds ; sweet whites

Smoked foods – Spicy reds or oaked, rich and fruity whites

Spicy foods –  Whites with sugar and light acidity, fruity young reds

Regardless of this short list; there is always the technique of comparing textures to see what the food will taste like. Just to see how the tastes blend. Sometimes it turns out just as effective.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book Review - The Billionaire’s Vinegar 2009 – Benjamin Wallace

The Billionaire’s Vinegar 2009– Benjamin Wallace

The best wine book right now that can be made into a great movie. The whole Thomas Jefferson wine bottle story is an engaging yarn; kind of Hitchcock-ian. You can see where Michael Broadbent could have gotten a little touchy because it does paint him as a scandalous figure. Today wine fraud is in the news regularly. I hear Johnny Depp may star.