BRAMBLES: Chances Are...

Raise a glass with friends and try something new

Chances are that during that holiday party you will see old, familiar friends and a few new faces, too.  And then, there are all the folks you will greet.  There will be wines that you have enjoyed before, and perhaps a few that you know to avoid....just like those other holiday celebrants. But among the surprising collection of holiday treats there will be probably a few wines that are unfamiliar, creations that you have no prior experience with.  In that celebratory environ we have a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to something new that can change our world of wine perceptions, and as a result expand the choices we identify in the marketplace or the printed terror that is a restaurant wine list.  No formal introduction should be necessary.

'Chances are 'cause I wear a silly grin the moment you come into view; chances are you think I'm in love with you.'

Riesling pairs well with Asian inspired appetizers

Chances are when joining good company this holiday season, we will be in good cheer and ready to raise a glass or two. So what is expected in that glass?  Is the choice by color or a familiar varietal?  Or perhaps we choose something comfortable and familiar. There was a time when such gatherings brought together 'anything but chardonnay' sippers, and 'only cabernet' dandies.  Today as the global market expands, new choices await, like Chile's Carménère,  or a delicious Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley of France, where the appellations of Bourgueil or Chinon will reward the curious searcher.

Chances are there will be bubbles, always bubbles.  Proseccos of northeastern Italy and cavas of Catalonia continue to present high standards of quality and value to celebrating consumers, and this holiday season is no exception. White wines too present choices beyond chardonnay(which can be in your cava), offering tastes of world travelers like Pinot Gris/Grigio or dry Riesling from Australia with a chance to join a party.  Again, the Loire Valley's Chenin Blanc from Vouvray or Savennie'res can be a delightful revelation in a glass. Chances are you may ask for two, even as you started as just one.

Chances are that as we escape our vino comfort zone, we'll find a new love.  Increasingly, the result may help the casual wine lover discover to what it is that they really like about wine varietals from unfamiliar places, and as a result, more about their personal wine preferences. Go ahead, take a chance. Chances are you'll find something good.

A world of wine awaits exploration

Predictions: Red blends will continue to be popular.  Consumers should continue a trend of 'trading up', even as the comfortable $10 threshold remains strong.  Chances are market growth will continue for those $20+ bottles where brands increasingly become important. International values should remain strong, as wines of emerging countries, like Bulgaria(world's second biggest wine producer in the 1980's) or Uruguay's high-tannin Tannat grape, find new markets. On-line retail will continue to grow with sail wind from Amazon(which consumers should notice), and there will be continued consolidation within the heavy weights of the industry(consumers should not notice).  As varietal and country of origin selections expand, consumers should find innovative packaging choices continue to grow green. Sustainability in any relationship is after-all what it is all about.

'Well, chances are your chances are awfully good!
Lyrics: Al Stillman c.1957

A Happy and Healthy New Year to All!  Cheers!!

Wine Links:
http://www.bulgarianwine.net/
http://www.winesofuruguay.com/

METHOD: All that Sparkles...

Not the first wine to sparkle, but an important cellar method

Special events deserve a sparkle.  Be it the summer solstice, a birthday or anniversary, or even making it to Wednesday is a reason to celebrate something.  It is reasonable to suggest that BIG celebrations deserve a special bottle, but what about those everyday occurrences; those more frequent times that would be made even more special by lifting a glass that sparkles to announce those eyes you gaze into?

It's the bubbles that stream to heaven in a glass and can even tickle your nose that makes sparkling wines so entertaining.  Champagne is the universal standard for sparkling wines.  Not Spain's cava's or Piemonte's spumanti or Venetos prosecco, or even the traditional method sparkling wines outside of France's historical standard region, called cremant or mousseux.  German sekt is not the benchmark, even as some of their northern tier wine regions flirt with similar Champagne conditions. Not the sparklers of South Africa(Methode Cap Classique), or those of America(California Champagne?) or Chile rank in the marketing prowess, the quality hierarchy and regulated high standards that come from the Champenoise.  Even as you may find $25 -30 Champagne values in the marketplace(Piper-Heidsieck, etc.), what would be the best everyday quality for, say, less then $20?

Vineyards of Epernay, Valley of the Marne

Production of by product carbon dioxide is basic to winemaking, just as is ethanol(alcohol).  Just as it has always been when man liked the lighter feeling resulting from drinking fermented juice.  Imagine the thrill of being able to create an effervescence, a sparkle of mystery from once still juice left in a covered earthenware jar.  Or the ability to capture that sparkle with the production of stronger glass bottles produced from the 17th century English invented coke-fueled ovens.  Only then could consumers find it possible to hold the bubbles until that special moment when fanfare would follow their predictable release.

A traditional or Champagne method produces its CO2 from a second fermentation inside each individual inverted bottle where the yeast are collected until disgorged.  Generally, this process is more laborious, producing wines of more finesse, more complexity, and more balance from regional grape sources. In the Charmat method, used mostly in Italy, the second ferment occurs in large pressurized stainless steel tanks that allow an economic transfer to bottles at a fraction of the cost. Cheaper still is the soda or bulk method, where the CO2 is pumped into a tank, resulting in bubbles that are typically short-lived(think cola soda).  Variations of these methods have evolved over wine history, but higher quality here is associated with a longer, more regulated process.

Cava cellars of Codorniu at Sant Sadurni d'Anoia

Our tasting group recently investigated eight sparklers from Spain, Italy, and New Zealand, each under $20.  By consensus, the best sparklers tasted stood head and shoulders above the rest, as all that sparkles are not created equally.  For my money, to sip, to savor, and to celebrate any day you cannot sparkle better than the cavas of Catalonia.

Segura Viudas Reserva Heredad;  full bodied, dried fruits and biscuits, reinforces aromatic notes. A blend of Macabeo and Parellada grapes produces an outstanding example of cava.  Outstanding quality for the price, which is saying something from a producer that offers a perennial entry value with its Brut Reserva(under $10).
Cordorniu Anna de Cordorniu;  notes of dried citrus and baked apple, a hint of tropical fruit on the palate with flavors that reflect the lighter nose, yet it is complex and elegant, and displays a generous finish of length.  A delight at around $12!

Glera vines in the Prosecco DOC zone

Salute' & Cheers!

Wine Links:
http://www.prosecco.wine/
http://www.spanish-wines.org/cava-production.html

BRAMBLES: Thankfully, Celebrate Something!

Bruno Occhipinti sharing a Marco de Bartoli Marsala

It is routine to look back at the end of the calendar year, something like looking into your car's rear view mirror on the highway.  There you can clearly see what has transpired in the recent past, and as we get older the recent past may be all we can easily remember.  As it has evolved, the year 2016 had many twists and turns, disappointments and regret, enchanting episodes of magic that foil against heartache.  But, if you are reading this, you have made it this far, and we have all that tempered experience to build upon.  It is fortunately that end of year wine time to thankfully raise a glass of cheer and celebrate something!

Beautiful Sonoma County agri-business.

• Thankful for a memorable wine tasting in Sicily with the veritable patriarch of the Occhipinti cantina in Sicily's only DOCG.
• Following a short-supply 2015 grape harvest, this year saw many premium local grape growers able to charge more for their quality fruit in a year of premium quality. North Coast spot markets increased significantly, according to our Allied Grape Growers cooperative.
• 2016 offered a relatively even growing season statewide, producing a normal harvest of exceptional quality fruit(Wine Institute).
• A new university graduate in the family, and a new lawyer in the family, who happen to be the same talented individual. 

• Domestic wine lovers continue a familiar trend, with annual per capita consumption at around 10+ liters, so we can at least sit at the table of other established wine cultures.
• Consumer market minor grape selections continue to show growth away from leaders Cabernet and Chardonnay; Beverage Dynamics reported impressive 2016 sales growth in Red Blends(10.1%) and Sauvignon Blanc(13.3%), as trends indicate buyers continue to trade up.
• My Mom got to embrace a new grandson, and then visit with a few of her favorite major league ballplayers in the stadium clubhouse.
• Direct to consumer wine sales continue to grow, according to Beverage Dynamics, up 8.1% over 2015, as more Prohibitionist states relax regulations and more consumers find confident selection, quality on-line.
•  At home, our best Thompson Seedless grape harvest ever, and then drying to wonderfully sweet raisins.

  

  Traditional method cavas and cremants offer celebration value.

• Fine wines, those above the declining table wine sector, are continuing a positive trend of a growing number of consumers trading 'up' to higher priced quality wines, as quality domestic & import selections improve.
• With thanks to our premium grape farmers, there is more than twice as much quality Pinot Noir crushed around here compared to just 10 years ago.
• U.S. wine consumption is at an all time high(more than 750 million gallons), as new wine lovers(mostly women) increasingly come to the table(or bar, or bottle).
• Thankfully, I can still stand and share the delicious mysteries of wine with friends, old & new, and on occasions find a nectar that authentically inspires.

Looking back in the mirror that is 2016, we see many things that are a reflection of who we are as a culture and as people, yet our history is not yet written for our future.  Certainly, here then is our opportunity to raise a glass, and to celebrate something!  Cheers!
 
"what matters is the countless small deeds of unknown people, who lay the basis for the significant events that enter history". Howard Zinn

Wine Links:
 http://www.agricolaocchipinti.it/en/
 http://www.wineinstitute.org/resources/pressroom/10192016
 http://beveragedynamics.com/2016/01/26/9-trends-driving-wine-sales-in-2016/
 http://www.winesandvines.com/template.cfm?content=175163&section=news

RED BLENDS: A New Old Trend

Vineyards of France Sud front the Pyrenees

Budbreak has started in the spring-like Russian River Valley, a sure sign that our growing hopes to produce the very best wine(s) is renewed.  Recently, a January Nielsen 2015 report noted that domestic red blends, as a consumer category, eclipsed $900 million in annual retail sales; strong evidence that this is a very fast growing selection trend for a growing number of wine lovers. But why? There have almost always been blended wines. And, marketers have trained us consumers to follow the minimum 75% rule for varietal identification. My local wine shops display vast selections of domestic wines, with prominent signage by grape variety. As a consumer trend it seems what was old has once again been renewed, just like our grapevines.

Today, I believe,  there are more widely distributed producers offering consistent wine quality than ever before. And, the science of global viticulture, promoted by world leading institutions such as University of Adelaide(Australia), the University of Bordeaux, and our own UC Davis, among others, continue to promote advancements in sustainable, quality grape farming.  Plus, a growing number of wine consumers have wine traveled, explored broader international selections in wine by the glass programs, and may have found blended wine pricing easier on their young pocketbook.  Yet, for more than a thirsty generation, many consumers have been adamant that they would only drink Cabernet Sauvignon, or anything but Chardonnay(ABC's). 

What we know about blending wine is that it can add complexity: more than a single flavor or personality, it can enhanced a wines color, power or finesse. A blend varietal may be needed to add balance, to offset sharp astringency or to contribute a firmer backbone or an acid adjustment to bring the wine into balance.  Many times, for these 'built' wines, the sum becomes greater than its component parts. Over the centuries, wine grape growers have discovered which varieties grew best(productively) in their vineyards, producing quantity that many times sacrificed quality. A local blending may have been required to produce a better wine. Importantly, the market was historically local, so comparisons and competition were non-stop. And not all production would have been in the hands of the grower, as a specialist, a negociant, would have built the wines from local resources.

With mandated standardization, the southern Rhone wine based in the widely grown red variety Grenache, Châteauneuf-du-Pape once allowed 13 designated blended varietals.  Initially designating 10 approved varieties in 1923, it grew to 13 in 1936, and currently allows 18!  Further north a Côte-Rôtie AOC is typically a blend of Syrah and up to 20% Viognier.  Over in world-famous Bordeaux AOC, we find a classic red marriage of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, providing the house(chateau) the resources to create a blend that reflects their unique place.  White Bordeaux's typically blend Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon & Muscadet, to create their signature, and a domestic 'Meritage' is by definition a blend.

Traditional method sparkling wines are not immune. Classic Champagne is a blend. Head south to Spain and sparkling cavas are blends, too.  As is the Fino Sherry I adore. With more than 500 chronicled grape varieties, Italy's Super Tuscans, and most wines produced from their twenty DOC wine regions are typically blends.  With some of the earliest protective wine regulations, Portugal's red native's: Touriga Nacional, Toriga Francesa, and Alicante Bouschet are prominent among the hundreds of grape(castas) varieties approved for production of Port wines.  The winemaker can ferment the varieties together, combine during the aging process, or marry in a tank prior to bottling, all with the goal of creating a better wine.

If a drinking memory serves, two generations ago you could easily find a restaurant wine list that offered, "Red - White - Rose'".  Those bulk wines were blends, and seemed to pair effectively with everything on the menu.  Then you needed to be 'Cab-savy', or trend with the latest and greatest Chardonnay.  Perhaps it was the business meals and the expense account, or maybe it was just easier to remember Merlot rather than Amarone della Valpolicella, but we called out single grape varieties.  Today, it seems just as common to call for an easy drinking, great food-pairing proprietary blend.  We are renewed, having happily grown into something new that is an old trend.

Values Found:

• Dona Paul Black Label Red Blend 2012(Argentina)

• Bogle Vineyards 'Essential' Red Blend 2012(California)

• E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone 2013(France)

Salute!

 

WINTER DORMANCY: Bubbles while Sleeping

 Napa vineyard in winter dormancy

 Almost every-time we need a wine to accompany a meal, I'll go into the basement and select something that will hopefully add to the table. Bold red wines, like those from Barbaresco and Rioja are sleeping there, and I can only imagine they wait for something braised and earthy. There are bright, worldly Sauvignon Blancs, and even a few Albarino's that would love to meet some soft cheese or a broad range of mild dishes. But, the essential wines found there, especially this time of year, are filled with sleeping bubbles. They had been bottled under great pressure, secured with a mushroomed cork and a wire cage. Dormant, like the sleeping vines not far away, sparkling wines seem only to wake excitedly this time of year when we have something to celebrate.

Sparkling wines known by monikers like cre'mant, traditional method or Champagne, are made from a time-honored process where the carbon dioxide/CO2 produced by a second fermentation is trapped in the bottle. Historically, it was cold air temperatures that had interrupted fermentation in a cellar, only to re-awaken in the warmer spring.  Wines produced as sparkling evolved in these cool cellars to become the wines of bubbles we know today. Sparkling cre'mants are produced outside the Champagne region using regional grapes, but adopting the same production method as their standard-bearing and expensive cousin. Regions like Alsace, Bourgogne, Loire and Limoux, among others, consistently produce high quality sparkling wines. Charmats, or Metodo Charmat-Martinotti, is an Italian mass production alternative, where the second ferment is controlled in a pressurized tank, and then transfered to bottle under pressure. It is not the same thing as the more laborous cre'mants.

Our current marketplace offers great value to quality in traditional method sparklers, among the best are:

• Gloria Ferrer, vintage 2010 Blanc de Blanc & non-vintage Blanc de Noirs

• Cavas from Spain: Cavas Casteller, Brut; Cordorniu, Rosado Brut; Codorníu, SelectÌon Raventós Brut; Segura Viudas, ARIA Estate Brut

• Blason de Bourgogne, LA RE'SERVE Rose' Brut is a well made and award winning regional blend dominated by Pinot Noir. The blend represents the best fruit from as many as 800 family growers around Burgundy. A terrific value, it is produced in the traditional method by Les Caves de Marsigny. In the glass, its pale rose hue is the result of limited skin contact with dark skinned fruit, and offers bright, expressive aromas of dried strawberries, white cherries and apple blossoms, almost creamy in the mouth with a moderate strength to acidity.  Find it at Trader Joe's for around $10!

A recently published E&J Gallo Consumer Wine Trends Survey has noted, " as a whole, the survey told us that Americans are enjoying wine more often than ever before by bringing it into dining, entertaining and even the most casual experiences — all while demonstrating an eagerness to experiment with various flavors and formats". It continued, recognizing that emerging social media platforms allow every consumer to be a wine critic. Convenience is certainly important for this growing market with its increasing ease of accessibility. Even sleeping bubbles are "shedding the preconception that sparkling wines are just for special occasions. Many reported that they are popping bottles for everyday moments and nearly all of them (93 percent) would pair sparkling wine and Champagne with the foods they’re enjoying."

In this season of thankful celebration, and with longer days ahead, it is truly the time to open those sleeping bubbles, for spring will soon wake.
 How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
 To rust unburnish'd, not to shine in use!
 As tho' to breathe were life!
 Life piled on life
 Were all too little, and of one to me
 Little remains: but every hour is saved from that eternal silence,
 Something more, 
 A bringer of new things; (Ulysses: A Tennyson)

Cheers for Peace and Goodwill, for All!

SPAIN: Pened'es in Quality Focus

Alt Pened'es Bodega St.Joannes vineyards

Winter in the Pened'es DO of southeastern Spain usually means air temperatures in the 40's and an average rainfall of about 2 inches each month.  The sun always seems to be around in this the largest vine region and greatest wine volume Denominación de Origen of autonomous Catalunya. Wide and open, it is sandwiched between the East-West fortifications that are the Pyrenees mountains and coastal Garraf Massif wherin lies this Catalan Central Depression with its tiers of plateaus, coolly influenced by the great sea to the South.

La Morella, height of the Garraf Massif

These lands are an ancient crossroads, having survived with more than 2000 agrarian years of wine production in a swath of island hamlets and then a galvanizing 17th century farming boom. These people of the land,  these hard working Catalans persevered;  persisted following centuries of invasions and foreign occupations, only to be followed by decades of isolation, an outlawed culture/language, vineyard decline and even a tragic civil war. Yet, the proud Catalan culture remains alive and vibrant.

Climatically Mediterranean, Penedès, with its wide range of micro-climates, is divided into three elevated tiers or sub-zones filled with mixed soils of limestone, sand and clay:

• Baix Penedès (Bajo)takes in the low-lying coastal areas. Unsurprisingly, this is the warmest part of Penedès and specializes in the production of full-bodied red wines from Garnacha, Cariñena and Monastrell grapes. The main village is the historic Vilafranca del Penedès. 
• Medio Penedès forms the middle plain section of this DO and has the highest level of production. Vineyards are located at elevations of 825 to 1649ft (250–500m) and provide the majority of the region's Cava grapes (Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo) as well as Ull de Llebre (Tempranillo), and introduced international favorites like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Across the Lower & Middle Pened'es, other international varieties such as Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc share acreage today with traditional white varieties of Malvasia de Sitges, and Moscatell d'Alexandria, producing a wide style of delicious, uniquely Spanish still table wines.

• Alt Penedès is also known as Penedès Superior. Its vineyards are as high as few in Europe, having altitudes of 1640 to 2625ft (500–800m), also enjoy the region's highest rainfall. Some of Spain's most remarkable white wines are produced here from cool-climate grape varieties such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer and the local Parellada.

 Central Depression in Catalan Yellow

Attempting to standardize the regions production and quality, the Regulating Council of the Denominació d'Origen was founded here in Catalunya in1960. Currently, the Regulating Council has about five thousand wine producers in its ranks, with about two hundred and seventy cellars(bodegas) which are aligned with almost 140 companies dedicated to aging and exporting an annual wine production of nearly 70 million liters from more than 26000 hectares of vineyards.  That's a lot of juice!.

Being close to cosmopolitan Barcelona, the region is also the epi-center of Spain's modern day wine revolution. Vilafranca del Pened'es is at the center of  still wine production, and is also the home of regions largest producer and perhaps its greatest innovator, Jaime Torres. Introducing then new ideas such as stainless steel fermentation and temperature controlled tanks, Bodegas Torres was the first in Spain to experiment with international varieties in the 1870's.  Today, it is the largest winery in Spain. A century later, innovative Bodegas Jean Leon (Ceferino Carrión) introduced single cuvee or single vineyard (pago) bottlings in the 1960's, and advanced international marketing strategies for the regions improving still wines.

Pened'es is today synonymous with Cava, a traditional method sparkling wine, having its origins from José Raventos of Codorníu in the early 1870's following the bodegas vineyard replanting to native varietals after the widespread devastation of phylloxera. The nearby small town of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is said to be the birthplace of cava, where almost 90% of Spain's sparkling wine is produced today. Uniquely, it is the product of a blend of indigenous grapes: an acidic flagship, Xarel.lo, widely planted and fruity Macabeo(Macabeu) and the native Parellada, that give this sparkler its special character. Increasingly, Chardonnay is making its way into this traditional blend.

Cava regulations were established by the Ministy of Agruculture in 1972 with the El Cava Regulations Board, and then adopting a delimited 'Cava Region' in 1986 to comply with EU standards. A further refinement of regulated practices was established in 1991 with a singular Cava DO. The regions Cava Regulatory Board recently announced that cava for export had increased by 50% in volume over a ten year period from 2001. Catalonya's sparkling wine production would then seem to be in effervescently good shape.  However, things are not all bubbles in cava town.  Merce' Rossell, Chairperson of PIMECAVA, sets a higher bar, saying recently, "we have to sell cava as an exclusive, glamorous product", indicating the importance of a 'quality' prestige, as with Champagne.

Beyond product marketing, there is currently also a Pened'es classification overhall in the works after 50 years of developing regulations.  In an October 2011 issue of Decanteur, it was reported that the newly elected president of the Regulatory Council of the Penedès DO was leading a campaign to further demarcate the region into sub-zones that would help promote superior sub-regions.  Josep Albet, owner of the Albet I Noya winery says that the existing appellation was outdated and not reflective of the great diversity of terroirs within the DO.  The current process of determining the new sub-zone boundaries is challenging enough, and then still requires approval from the Penedès Wine Council.

With a renewed focus on the region, Robert Parker's July 2011 The Wine Advocate rated 18 distinctive wines of the Pened'es from 8 different producers as exceptional or outstanding. As the region continues adopting quality over quantity, the Pened'es of late has been selling fewer bottles abroad than the volumes seen in its high water mark from 2007-8 as announced by the Spanish Wine Market Observatory. But, according to the prestigious Catalan Institute of Wines and Vineyards, these are today wines representing the best of the region; world class wines of improved and improving qualities. For the rest of us, our focus on searching out the fine wines from the Pened'es continues to be a rewarded quest of value and quality.

And then, there's Barcelona, that cosmopolitan, thriving Catalan metropolis, where annually a quarter of the worlds cava is consumed!  As seen here, perhaps there are unique qualities in just living to consume life!

Salutacions e Bona Salut!

This entry Posted from Barcelona, Spain

BRAMBLES n' BUBBLES: Celebrate the Season

It is the time we celebrate; the time of year when most of the world's sparkling wine is sold & consumed.  We celebrate the joyful gatherings of friends and family.  There are festive parties that toast the achievements of the recent past, and glasses raised to the rare, fleeting opportunity of feeling hopeful about what may lie ahead.  In my case, I can celebrate finally passing the Combined Theory section of the Wine Educator's Certification exam, which was composed of broad Multiple Choice/Essay components and now focus on the practical elements of this exam, like a tasting rationale.

In the exams Combined Varietal  testing there is a blind Varietal Identification of eight(8) wines, a tasting rationale of a control sample, and a Component Identification for common faults. My recent attempts have been close to passing in the Combined Varietal testing, in fact, on this last attempt I thought I had nailed it.  But, I continue to be challenged by distinguishing the seven(7) of eight(8) wines that have too much acid, or too much alcohol, or a heavy dose of sulphur dioxide that would make-up the exam's Component Identification.  To that end, I have purchased a 'Wine Essence Tasting" kit and a small vial of concentrated tannin so that my tasting palate may gain some measure of fault memory.  The next opportunity to test is in February, but at least I don't have to spend the countless hours going over the wine regions of the world, from Austria to New Zealand. Instead, I can drink the wines of the world.

With celebration in mind, a recent spring-stepping trip to my favorite local wine retailer was met with a wonderful Holiday surprise.  Premium bottles of non-vintage Champagne AOC, such as Mumm, Perrier-Jouet, and Piper-Heidsieck, were all priced lower than last year(around $30.)!  These and others represent a terrific value for such standards of quality in this Holiday Season.  At lower price-points traditional method Cremant's can also be found from producers surrounding France's Champagne region.  And the Spanish Cava's, made from typically blended native Xarello, Macabeo and Parellada grapes,  continue to offer consumers great entry-level quality and values for second fermentation in bottle sparklers. Even northern Italy's sparkling Prosecco DOC from the Veneto and Friuli-Veneto-Giulia regions, which is made from the neutral and native Glera(Prosecco) grape, and produced by the Charmat-method where a second tank fermentation is used, represent great holiday celebration values.

Wishing to get away from the Autumn chill in Sonoma County, I recently spent a few weeks exploring the Big Island of Hawaii. I know that everything is supposed to be more expensive here because of its isolation and higher shipping costs, but prudent wine buyers here can still find quality and value in sub-$20. wines, if only they know where to look.  The obvious values come from Argentina and Chile producers who are making wines for the international markets better than ever.  But even as I visited four(4) major island wine retailers(FoodLand, Island Gourmet, KTA and Sack N'Save), I found that they had the same limited selections with almost the same pricing. According to Randy Nunokawa, proprietor of Grapes a Wine Store in Hilo, there are only a hand-full of wine distributors for the Islands, and these volume retailers all purchase wines from the same few wholesalers.  Small retailers such as Grapes, need to carve out a path not traveled by the larger stores and offer consumer services that are uncommon with these volume retailers. To Randy's credit, he maintains a internationally wide value selection of quality wines in the $12-30 price range not found at the big stores, and provides passionate, insightful wine knowledge with every visit to his store. Mahalo!

If ever there was a state that can demonstrate the benefit from allowed direct wine shipping to consumers, it is isolated, monopolized  Hawaii. We should also raise a glass to celebrate this years legislative direct shipping victories in Florida and Maryland, as well as the pending pro-direct shipping bills in Massachusetts(HR 1029) and Pennsylvania(SB 790). In addition, this may be the year when vocal consumer support will defeat the pending Congressional HR 1161, a wholesale cartel effort to limit or repeal legal winery and retailer direct shipping to consumers.  Conscious consumers may need to do more than raise a glass on this one!

Traditional method has smaller bubbles!

As our unseasonably-dry Sonoma County autumn cycles towards the shortest day, residents gather in the relative safety and warmth of numbers. Local tasting rooms here are offering numerous Holiday wine specials and a spectrum of festive events, including wine and seasonal food pairings.  This then is the Season; an opportunity during the longest cool nights to be warmed by the company of good friends, both new and old.  A celebration of everything that is good, like a greater global value wine selection for savvy consumers than ever before. Least we forget, our current wine marketplace was forged by many inspired visionaries, and by the guidance of unheralded wine lovers, like Randy. Our glasses are raised in a Holiday toast to one and all!

Mahalo nui Loa, and Cheers!

Cremant d'Alsace

Warm & Happy Holidays to All!

LESSONS LEARNED; Wine Educators Exam Update

"Do you know that my Mom paid for everything?", my wife offered. The bar had been set. With a Family Easter Brunch, followed by an even larger Easter Supper planned, consumption was to be the order of the day. And I knew that 'everything' did not include wine. "Can we bring the wine?", I replied modestly. She may have suspected that one of my favorite things to do was to value wine shop, and with her approval I made plans to go wine exploring later that week.  And, I was determined not to spend as much as my mother-in-law, bless her. My mixed case(12 bottles) totaled around $104, before taxes, and included the selection of best buys listed here:

• Cristalino Extra Dry Cava NV

• Domaine Laurier Los Carneros Pinot Noir 2007

• Borsao Campo de Borja Garnacha 2009

• Castano Yecla Monastrell 2009

An almost creamy texture followed its aromas of caramel baked apples and baked bread in the Cava.  This traditional method sparkling wine is the blended product of Spain's widely planted Macabeo grapes, having its bright character and streaming small beads the obvious benefits from the second fermentation in its bottle. The world of Spanish sparkling wine is centered around the region of Penede's in Catalonia, southwest of Barcelona.  Good quality traditional method sparkling wines blended from native grapes, and some Chardonnay, always representing a good value has become its hallmark.  It was perfect for Easter Brunch.

A consistent value producer, Bodegas Borsao in the Zaragoza region, north of Barcelona, specializes in local Grenache, or Garancha.  With its dark cherry color and rich aromas of berries, plums and coffee, its bright character is accented by a kiss of spice. Located in the autonomous state of Aragon, this world class wine growing region along the banks of the Ebro River has been an important crossroads of trade throughout the millennium. Today, Zaragoza produces quality wines from native grapes that pair nicely with roasted meats, rich cheeses, and even Spring lawn games!

Known by synonyms Mourvedere and Mataro, Spain's late ripening Monastrell grapes produce earthy and jammy fruit charismatics as a regional workhorse grape. With its wine history going back to the Phoencians,  Yecla in southeastern Spain, is one of the countries smallest wine growing regions. With is rich, opaque color, this varietal offers dark fruit flavors with a hint of herbal character.  Lamb or game dishes, and especially meats off of the grill have an affinity for the rich character of this impressive value wine. Perhaps even more impressive is the established quality track record of value from this distinguished, sustainably farmed Spanish producer.


California's North Coast Pinot Noir producers over the last decade have firmly etched their strong price points into the marketplace.  Appellation specific fruit sources, such as Los Carneros, the cool region that straddles San Pablo Bay across Sonoma and Napa counties, even more so. Domaine Laurier is an award-winning producer in the Bronco Wine Company family(i.e. Charles Shaw) with quality and value reflected in just about every vintage.  Their 2007 Merlot was an exceptional example. The Los Carneros Pinot Noir offered bright garnet color, with aromas of rhubarb and cherries, and had a weighted body echoing glorious red fruits.  If this quality wine were the North Coast barometer, then others may be simply charging too much!

On Easter Sunday my wife spent the day in the Kitchen.  First it was Brunch, then afternoon appetizers, and finally an early Supper for 25 guests.  I enjoyed the good weather, the catch-me-up conversations, and watching my value wine contribution to the day's events being savored. In retrospect, the satisfaction I enjoyed from the annual 'renewal' event celebration confirmed that this aspiring Wine Educator was learning something.  In spite of recently receiving disappointing results from my latest attempt to become Certified, I could still contribute to any celebration as one of the benefits of my growing world wine knowledge. It is, after all, that knowledge is power, especially in the world of wine!

"In Vino Veritas!"