Pinot Days

Pinot Days at Fort Mason in San Francisco brings together a large array of winemakers all pouring Pinot Noir. The wines this year were from California, Oregon, France and New Zealand. I invited my dad who has been into wine for years to check it out with me. It was his first time at the event and was fun to hear his perspective on the wines and follow some of his recommendations of what to taste.

Pinot Noir is one of the hardest grapes for winemakers to work with and typically in order to get good Pinot Noir, at least from California you need to pay for it. In fact in my opinion if you want to drink good Pinot Noir from anywhere, you need to be prepared to pay at least $30 a bottle for anything worthwhile and for really good Pinot Noir especially from California, you need to be prepared to pay $40 or more a bottle. Oregon Pinot Noir and Australian and New Zealand Pinot Noir are less expensive and you can get good Pinot from these regions at lower prices.

What's amazing to me is that Pinot Noir can be fruity with cherry berry flavors, which is what I prefer or it can leathery with earthy and mushroom overtones. Pinot Noir grown in colder climates is usually fruitier and Pinot Noir grown in warmer climates is typically more leathery and earthy.

When done right, Pinot Noir can be quite refined with a luxurious smooth and harmonious taste. Pinot Noir can be enjoyed by itself or with salmon and other light and simple foods.

The wines that I felt worthy of taking note of at the tasting were the following from highest to lowest price:

In the high price range at $90 a bottle Tantara Winery 2008 Evelyn Bien Nacido Vineyard from Santa Maria is smooth, refined and fruity with a nice complexity and a really wonderful elegant taste in the mouth.

Windy Oaks Estate 2007 Whole Cluster Pinot Noir from Santa Cruz was fruity with cherry berry flavors and zesty coffee like finish and at $55 a bit more reasonable.

Clos Pepe 2005 Santa Rita Hills from Lompoc at $49 a bottle had a good berry fruit flavor with a nice silky velvety finish.

Hope and Grace 2008 Santa Lucia Pinot Noir at $45 tasted of red ripe fruit with some tanginess with a nice finish.

August Briggs 2008 Djon Clones from Napa Valley at $40 tasted of ripe cherry fruit with some vanilla undertones.

Overall it was a fun day spend with my dad enjoying some great wines and if you drink any of the wines I have listed you will be most pleased.

My advice to you though if you are just starting to drink wine is to not to start with Pinot Noir unless you are willing to pay for it. Pinot Noir is delicious and when made well can be elegant and refined but you definitely get what you pay for with this varietal. If you are you willing to pay $40 or more for a bottle of Pinot Noir you will be rewarded with some delicious wine but if you want to stick to wine under $20 then I would suggest you go with another varietal or drink Pinot Noir from Oregon or Australia or New Zealand.

Pinot Noir under $20 especially from CA is a whole different wine than Pinot Noir over $40 and is like comparing apples to oranges so, either spend the money to drink some great Pinot Noir or pick another varietal as you will get much more bang for your buck if your heart is not set on Pinot Noir and if your wallet cannot handle paying more than $40 a bottle.

Wine Varietals: The Basics

The first decision you have to make when drinking wine is whether you want red or white wine. ( I already covered the topic of red or white in another blog). Once the decision of red or white is made, you then need to decide on the varietal you want to drink.

Varietal refers to the kind of grape a wine is made with and by law 75% of a wine needs to be made with a particular grape varietal for the wine to be classified as that varietals on it's label. Some wines are single varietal and many wines are a blend of several varietals.

In the United States, the most common white wine varietals are Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. For red wine Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel are the most common. So, how do you decide between these varietals?

Chardonnay which originated in Burgandy France can be oaked or unoaked. It's typically the most complex and heaviest of white wines and depending on the amount it is oaked can have a vanilla or buttery taste. If Chardonnay is unoaked then it will have a more fruity flavor. Chardonnay is usually good with Fish or Chicken and can stand up to sauces as it usually has some acidity which gives it complexity. Of the white varietals Chardonnay can be cellared the longest.

Sauvignon Blanc is generally a lighter, crisper wine, it can be citrusy, grassy, herbaceous and even have some minerality to it depending on where it is made. Sauvignon Blanc is nice to drink on a hot summery day on it's own or with appetizers and goes quite well with fish or seafood.

Riesling typically is sweet and floral with apple, peach, pear or apricot flavors but depending on where it is made it can be dry and have minerality and even oily petroleum flavors. Riesling is best enjoyed with spicy food or as a dessert wine.

Gewurztraminer is an aromatic and perfumy floral wine often with some hints of honeysuckle. It's typically sweet and is a good contrast for spicy food especially Chinese, Thai or Indian.

Merlot is typically a medium bodied red wine. It can be fruity or herbaceous and typically does not have big tannins. Merlot is good to drink on its own and is lush and fruity. It's typically mellow but can have complexity. Merlot is easy to drink and is good for people just starting to enjoy red wine although there are some delicious and well crafted bold Merlots that even well versed wine drinkers will enjoy. I am partial to Merlot grown on rocky hillsides such as Howell Mountain in Napa.

Syrah is a rich dark red with lots of tannins. It is typically smoky, spicy and peppery with some fruit. It is known as Shiraz in Australia and is best enjoyed with lamb and wild game

Pinot Noir is generally a smooth velvety wine. It's full bodied and rich but is not acidic or tannic. It's generally one of the harder grapes for vitners to cultivate and therefore it can be pricey. Pinot Noir has lots of complexity and can be enjoyed alone or with salmon, swordfish, lamb, chicken or even beef. It's best with simple non-saucy and unspicy dishes It can have a cherry berry taste or a dry earthy leathery taste

Cabernet Sauvignon is big rich and bold with lots of tannins that give it depth and complexity. It is typically meant to be aged and is a grape mostly appreciated by regular wine drinkers because of its high tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon typically has flavors of currant and red fruit with vanilla oaky overtones but it can also be smoky or earthy.

Zinfandel is a big bold fruity spicy dark red purply wine. It is usually very high in alcohol content and is meant to be enjoyed with hearty food.

The best way to determine which varietals you like is to taste them and see. You must keep in mind though that the food you are eating can change the flavor of the wine. In addition, you need to realize that wines from different countries and also different regions have different tastes. So, for example, you may like a Pinot Noir from Oregon in the Willamette family which is usually fruity and cherry berry and not one from the California Russian River Valley which may be less fruity and more oaky and leathery.

Weather, soil, where the grapes are from and the way the grapes are harvested and blended can all impact their flavor. Also there can be a variance based on price. So before you rule out a varietal make sure you taste several wines from different regions by different producers at different price points to determine which ones you have a preference for and which ones you don't especially like.

There are no right and wrong answers when it comes to wine. The key is to find what you like and then to drink it. Salut!

Golden Glass Wine Tasting

The Golden Glass Wine Tasting was held in SF this past Saturday 6/12/10. The annual event is sponsored by Slow Food an organization that promotes the pleasure of food and wine and recognizes restaurants and food and wine producers who utilize sustainable, biodynamic and organic practices. The food which included among other things goat sliders, pizza, salmon tartare on cucumber & tuna on bruschetta was all delicious and a great compliment to the wonderful and diverse wines.

The event has been in existence for 7 years and used to just be Italian wines. Italian procuders were invited to showcase their wines and 3 glasses or "tre bicchieri" were awarded to the best wines. A few years ago the event was expanded to include wines from New Zealand, Spain and France, Argentina and this year for the first time there were also California wines.

While I did taste some of the wines from outside of Italy, I chose to focus primarily on the Italian wines because it is the one time of year many producers come over from Italy to showcase their wines and it a great opportunity to try wines from Northern, Central and Southern Italy, many of which are only available in Italian restaurants and are not available for direct sale.

Since I lived in Italy and speak Italian, for me the event is a wonderful opportunity to talk to producers in Italian about their wines. What I find very refreshing with Italians and Italian winemakers and producers is the lack of pretense. Italians love wine and drink a lot of it. For Italians the key is to like what you are drinking and to enjoy drinking it.

While things have become a bit more commercial over the years in the wine business in Italy, it still seems that Italians have managed not to lose focus on the taste and enjoyment of wine and what's in their glass. In talking to those affiliated with the various wineries it is quite apparent that they love what they do and in fact many of their families have been making wine for generations.

Azienda Agr. La Montecchina for example has been bottling wine since 1200. They follow the cycles of the moon and have been involved in sustainable and natural processes for centuries, way before it became trendy. Located in the Veneto in the Colli Euganie, their Fior D'Arancio Spumante 2009 is a sparkling Muscato at around $19 that has a nice flavor with hints of orange. It is quite sweet and meant to be enjoyed as a dessert wine. This was my favorite muscato at the tasting and there actually were quite a few to try.

Ruggeri had a Gold Label Valdobbiadene Proseco Superior Extra Dry that was also quite good and at $14 a bottle a great value for a sparkling wine. The Ruggeri Gold Label Proseco is a light and delicate sparkling wine that starts out creamy then fills the mouth with fruity flavors. It has just the right amount of bubbles and is not sweet but dry. This sparkling wine can be enjoyed with appetizers or on it's own for a before dinner apperitivo and is at a great price point.

As far as white wines, the Le Merietttaie Offidea Pecorino 2008 from Ciu Ciu Vini in Le Marche and the Viognier "Le Vigne" 2008 from Tenuta San Rocco were my favorites. The Pecorino from Chi Cui at $14 a bottle not only has a fun name but it is organic. It has a nice floral aroma but tastes crisp, fruity and is well balanced with a nice acidity. The Viognier from Tenuta San Rocco is 85% Viognier and 15% white muscat. At $13 a bottle the Le Vigne is a nice light summery white wine and the white muscat gives it an interesting finish.

My favorite reds were from opposite ends of Italy, the 2007 Fumin from La Crotta Di Vengneron Valle D'Aosta in the far north of Italy in Piemonte and the Centorame Castellum Vetus Montepulciano D'Abruzzo Colline Teramane 2006 from the south of Italy 50 miles east of Rome. The 2007 La Crotta Di Vengneron Fumin Valle D. Aosta at $28 is big and bold but well rounded with a smooth finish. This wine is hand harvested and fermented with natural yeast. The Centorame Castellum Vetus Montepulciano D' Abruzzo Colline Teramane 2006 at $35 a bottle is a very very big red with a lot of complexity, tannins but some big ripe fruit flavors.

If you want unpretentious, good wine made in the old world style then I suggest you give Italian wine a chance. With Italian wine you can often find good and unique wines at a nice value. My recommendation is that you make sure to enjoy Italian wines with food though because in Italy wine is meant to be savored with family and friends and enjoyed with food. This is in fact the whole premise of the Slow Food Movement, the sponsors of Golden Glass, to encourage the enjoyment of food and wine thru the use of "good, clean, fair" methods in their production to promote sustainability. So be sure to stop, smell the roses, fill a glass with some Italian wine, relax, cook up a nice meal, drink, eat and enjoy!

TAPAS

On Sat June 5th I attended the TAPAS tasting at Fort Mason in SF. The tasting focused on Spanish and Portugese varietals and had wines from California, Oregon and even Arizona. In addition to Spanish and Portugese varietals there was paella, oysters and tapas.

Since I am not a big fan of Tempranillo, I decided to focus on white wines but I then later turned my attention to some delicious red blends and 2 new varietals to me Tannat and Graciano.

Spanish and Portugese white varietals consist of Albarino, Grenache Blanc and Verdelho. Albarino is typically a light wine with very high acidity. It's good to drink on a hot summer day but in my opinion is better enjoyed with food to cut the acidity. Grenache Blanc on the other hand is light and low in acidity. It's crisp, tart and refreshing. Often used as part of a blend in French Rhone Varietals and thought to be a Rhone varietal it actually originated in Spain and is a great varietal in it's own right.

The following were my favorite whites at the tasting:

The 2009 Grenache Blanc from D'Alfonso-Curran Wines in the Santa Ynez valley was lush, creamy and tart. It tasted like a juicy green apple and was very refreshing. At $22 a bottle it's a wine to consider when you want to go for something tasty and out of the ordinary.

The 2009 Bonny Doon Vinho Grinho from Sant Cruz at $20 a bottle is a blend of 56% Albarino and 44% Loureiro. A biodynamically made wine, it's crisp and tart with many flavors and some nice complexity. It's fruity and herbaceous all at the same time.

The 2009 Villa Creek White from Paseo Robles at $24 was my other favorite white. A blend of grenache blanc, roussance and picpoul blanc. This wine was well balanced and well rounded. This is a white rhone varietal instead of a spanish blend but I suppose because of the granache blanc it qualified to be poured at the TAPAS tasting.

After tasting whites I turned to the reds. The most common Spanish and Portugese red varietal is Tempranillo which I am not usually a fan of because of it's tobacco and leathery taste which typically overpowers any fruitiness. Tempranillo is a ruby red color and grows best in high altitudes . While Tempranillo can grow in hot climates, the ones I seem to like best are grown in cooler climates as they tend to have more balance, elegance & fruitiness.

Abacela Winery from Oregon poured the only 100% Tempranillos at the tasting that I liked. The 2007 Tempranillo Cuvee at $20 was low in tannins, easy to drink and the best value of the 3. The 2006 Estate Tempranillo at $35 had big fruit and a nice finish and was my favorite Tempranillo at the tasting. The 2005 Tempranillo Reserve at $45 was a big bold red with fruit and some spice which would be great with food.

Since I am not generally a big fan of Tempranillo (though I was pleasantly surprised by the ones from Abecela), I decided to focus on the other red varietals at the tasting. Silvaspoons of Lodi poured a 2008 Alta Mesa Cellars Tannat at $18 a bottle that was quite tasty and unique. Typically a wine used for blending Tannat has a deep purple color, high tannins and high alcohol but the Alta Mesa wine had nice berry flavors which were given complexity and not overpowered by the tannins in the wine.

Graciano is a varietal that is typically used as part of a rioja blend and is one I had not tried previously. At the tasting there were 2 wines with graciano that I tasted and both were quite good.

The 2006 Graciano from Bodgeas Paseo Robles Winery at $36 a bottle is 100% graciano grapes and had a cherry berry taste with some spice.

The Bokisch 2006 Gracino from Lodi at $21 a bottle is 95% graciano and 5% tempranillo. This wine has a dark inky color and is rich in the mouth with a nice jammy taste complimented with some spicy overtones.

Mourvedre is a wine that although it originated in Spain is usually used in Rhone Varietals and is typically blended with other grapes to provide some structure and earthiness with red berry flavors. When you can find it, 100% Mourvedre is a real treat.

Villa Creek poured 3 red wines at the tasting that I really liked. The 2007 Mas de Maha from Paseo Robles at $35 a bottle that is 60% Tempranillo, 30% Granache and 10% Mouvedre and tasted of dark fruit and spice and was the best Tempranillo blend I had at the tasting. La Botta from Paseo Robles at $4o a bottle a blend of 50% Mouvedre and 50% Granache, has a nice fruity and earthy balance with great complexity. Finally, the 2007 Damas Noir from Paseo Robles at $40 is rich and bold fruit with a nice spice compliment and a great finish.

The TAPAS tasting gave me a chance to taste some new varietals, find some Tempranillo I actually enjoyed and to confirm that I prefer blends in Spanish wines and wines made in the Rhone style.

Wine tasting is all about trying new things and deciding what tastes good to you. Speaking of which, if you want the chance to come out and taste some wines there are several events coming up in San Francisco. This Sat June 12 is Golden Glass and June 26 is Pinot Days both at Fort Mason so come join me. If you can't make it, don't worry, I will be providing a full write up on both events. Salut!