Funny how things change. Prior to 2009 when the French wine appellation system was fundamentally changed, Luberon (LOO-ber-on) was considered to be a Vin de Pays, a region of lower quality wine production. It was then known as Cotes du Luberon. Now this horizontal belt of land in southern France has been upgraded to top level AOC quality which seems fitting considering its proximity to Gigondas, Vacqueras, Tavel, and Beaume de Venise of the Cotes du Rhone. Moreover, the Luberon belt separates Ventoux, another recent AOC upgrade, to the north from the Provence AOC to the south. Lying approximately twenty miles north of the Mediterranean Coast and so sandwiched between AOC's, Luberon just has to be an AOC too, right?
Luberon is also apparently a massif (massive) which in geological terms is a sizable unit of earth crust that moves as a whole like the much larger tectonic plate. Considering what we learned about the geology of Comte Tolosan in our 6/11/16 post about southwestern France, the geology of the whole of southern France would seem to be somewhat unsettled.
Our subject here is relevant today because we recently brought in a case of 2014 Guyot Luberon Rouge "Les Luquets", a moderately priced blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignon. Luberon reds at their best offer concentrated, full-bodied, herbal wines that will age well, like a Rhone. Since Guyot is a prestigious producer, one would expect a wine approaching Cotes du Rhone quality.
Syrah is always the primary grape in Luberon red blends and it offers color, complexity, tannin, aromatics, and alcohol to that blend. Grenache offers more body and Carignon brings color, power, and structure. Any Luberon red blend must have at least sixty percent Syrah and Grenache which should yield a wine with dark fruit, truffle, leather, and herbs. Since our Guyot is a moderately priced example of type, it falls short of the "big and racy" ideal of production but none the less reaches the flavor profile depicted above.
Luberon has a five thousand year history of civilization with wine making being a big part of it. Today 53% of production is rose; 26% is red wines; and 21% is white. 35% of that production is exported. Luberon also makes international-style varietal reds and whites that carry an IGP Vaucluse label.
So just as we learned in the Comte Tolosan post, government can act as an advocate for industry in the promotion of wine and that may be the case here. The Guyot red is a solid example of the historic wine of the region, that is, it tastes the same as it did when it was Cotes du Luberon Vin de Pays. The 2009 elevation of Luberon to AOC status seems to reflect the growth and sophistication of the global wine marketplace and the need to fill more slots at the top.
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Saturday, July 2, 2016
Good Wine Is Where You Find It
That's what my good friend would tell me regularly. My friend was insightfully eclectic with his wine selections and seemed to strike gold more often than not, so his tag line about locating good wine makes sense in that light.
I remember calling a wine consultant at one of Atlanta's largest distributorships many years ago when I was searching for an obscure allocated wine. He didn't know me or the reason for my call but said the item was depleted from their warehouse but I may find some at outlying Big Star grocery stores. Being the first Atlanta grocery chain with a fine wine department, Big Star was ahead of its time back in the eighties. There was a real drop-off in sales, however, once you left the Atlanta perimeter. Those rural stores couldn't turn inventory that quickly so his suggestion made sense. What the gentleman didn't know at the time was that I was looking for the wine for a customer in my position as a wine sales person at one of those outlying Big Stars!
Good wine is where you find it.
I remember a cross country truck driver who patronized my store occasionally and he told me he would stop in small retail stores across the country in hopes of finding a deal on fine wine. He had "Champagne" tastes in red wine. He said he regularly would find bottles that were either priced wrong or were marked down because they didn't sell at mom and pop stores. He was a good shopper who took advantage of others' misfortune. Actually, I think his wine hobby was more like an obsession, come to think of it.
Close-out lists from distributors are a real crap shoot. I think one of the unsung heroes for all of us is the guy at the distributorship who decides to close something out. If that guy is on top of his game and dumps a wine at a fraction of the regular price with the wine still holding its own in quality, everyone benefits. But if that guy waits too long and the wine is too much in decline, well, it ain't pretty. I guess bad wine is where you find it too!
Restaurant wine lists in general are not where one is likely to find good wine. Most restaurants get their mass market California varietals handed to them on a platter from the large Atlanta liquor distributors. As a result, the real artisan wine producers, who actually make food-friendly wines, can't get their foot in the door in most restaurants. The idea that wines are supposed to complement meals doesn't seem to occur to most restaurateurs.
Unfortunately that is the way things are in general in the wine business circa 2016. Distribution channels are clogged with "industrial" wines that all taste the same making it nearly impossible for artisans to get their product out to the marketplace. So you ought to shop at mom and pop stores like this one that offer real wine and if our artisan efforts don't sell they'll get marked down and you can clean up like the truck driver! Actually since chains don't buy closeouts, shop the mom and pops for those too!
I remember calling a wine consultant at one of Atlanta's largest distributorships many years ago when I was searching for an obscure allocated wine. He didn't know me or the reason for my call but said the item was depleted from their warehouse but I may find some at outlying Big Star grocery stores. Being the first Atlanta grocery chain with a fine wine department, Big Star was ahead of its time back in the eighties. There was a real drop-off in sales, however, once you left the Atlanta perimeter. Those rural stores couldn't turn inventory that quickly so his suggestion made sense. What the gentleman didn't know at the time was that I was looking for the wine for a customer in my position as a wine sales person at one of those outlying Big Stars!
Good wine is where you find it.
I remember a cross country truck driver who patronized my store occasionally and he told me he would stop in small retail stores across the country in hopes of finding a deal on fine wine. He had "Champagne" tastes in red wine. He said he regularly would find bottles that were either priced wrong or were marked down because they didn't sell at mom and pop stores. He was a good shopper who took advantage of others' misfortune. Actually, I think his wine hobby was more like an obsession, come to think of it.
Close-out lists from distributors are a real crap shoot. I think one of the unsung heroes for all of us is the guy at the distributorship who decides to close something out. If that guy is on top of his game and dumps a wine at a fraction of the regular price with the wine still holding its own in quality, everyone benefits. But if that guy waits too long and the wine is too much in decline, well, it ain't pretty. I guess bad wine is where you find it too!
Restaurant wine lists in general are not where one is likely to find good wine. Most restaurants get their mass market California varietals handed to them on a platter from the large Atlanta liquor distributors. As a result, the real artisan wine producers, who actually make food-friendly wines, can't get their foot in the door in most restaurants. The idea that wines are supposed to complement meals doesn't seem to occur to most restaurateurs.
Unfortunately that is the way things are in general in the wine business circa 2016. Distribution channels are clogged with "industrial" wines that all taste the same making it nearly impossible for artisans to get their product out to the marketplace. So you ought to shop at mom and pop stores like this one that offer real wine and if our artisan efforts don't sell they'll get marked down and you can clean up like the truck driver! Actually since chains don't buy closeouts, shop the mom and pops for those too!
Saturday, June 25, 2016
Clarksburg, Part 1
Clarksburg is a 128 square mile AVA (American Viticultural Area) five miles south of the capitol city of Sacramento. The California capitol lies eighty miles northeast of San Francisco in the northern extremes of the Central Valley. This area would little interest me if it were not for the convergence of natural phenomena that results in a very counter-intuitive wine-friendly terroir. If I was a landscape designer I would say the place has "bones"; you just have to dig a bit to find them.
The Clarksburg AVA was established in 1984 and today has 10,000 acres in vines. Since ninety percent of the wine production is made outside of the region, the Clarksburg Wine Growers Association was established in 1987 to recognize and protect those growers. Later when wineries actually started making wine there, "and Vintners" was added to the name. While the area was first settled in the 1850's, grape growing and wine production started about eighty years later, long after the area became known for its fruit and vegetable agriculture.
Clarksburg is located in the California River Delta formed by the convergence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. What was swampland a hundred years ago, has gradually been reclaimed as farmland and now, as vineyards. Most of Clarksburg lies ten feet above sea level. French drains in the vineyards facilitate the redirection of waters. It has a maritime climate courtesy of both the river influence and the breezes and fog from San Francisco Bay. Clarksburg is cooler than Napa and has the much desired diurnal effect of cool nights to complement warm day times.
The soils of Clarksburg are an alluvial mixture of clay and sand transferred there by the Sacramento River from the Sierra Mountains gold mining of a hundred fifty years earlier.
Historic vineyards and wineries of the region include Bogle and Wilson Vineyards, but as we said above, most of the wine production of the region is done elsewhere. Pine Ridge and Dry Creek Vineyards were in the vanguard of pedigreed northern California wineries to take advantage of Clarksburg fruit when they marketed Chenin Blanc and Viognier thirty years ago. To their credit they put Clarksburg on the wine map by putting the place name on their labels.
The Clarksburg AVA was established in 1984 and today has 10,000 acres in vines. Since ninety percent of the wine production is made outside of the region, the Clarksburg Wine Growers Association was established in 1987 to recognize and protect those growers. Later when wineries actually started making wine there, "and Vintners" was added to the name. While the area was first settled in the 1850's, grape growing and wine production started about eighty years later, long after the area became known for its fruit and vegetable agriculture.
Clarksburg is located in the California River Delta formed by the convergence of the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers. What was swampland a hundred years ago, has gradually been reclaimed as farmland and now, as vineyards. Most of Clarksburg lies ten feet above sea level. French drains in the vineyards facilitate the redirection of waters. It has a maritime climate courtesy of both the river influence and the breezes and fog from San Francisco Bay. Clarksburg is cooler than Napa and has the much desired diurnal effect of cool nights to complement warm day times.
The soils of Clarksburg are an alluvial mixture of clay and sand transferred there by the Sacramento River from the Sierra Mountains gold mining of a hundred fifty years earlier.
Historic vineyards and wineries of the region include Bogle and Wilson Vineyards, but as we said above, most of the wine production of the region is done elsewhere. Pine Ridge and Dry Creek Vineyards were in the vanguard of pedigreed northern California wineries to take advantage of Clarksburg fruit when they marketed Chenin Blanc and Viognier thirty years ago. To their credit they put Clarksburg on the wine map by putting the place name on their labels.
Clarksburg, Part 2
Viognier (VEE-ohn-yay) is one of the handful of grapes worldwide that may be considered to be noble. When grown in the right terroir with the right winemaking talent, Viognier can be about as good as any white wine, period. The finest Viognier comes from Condrieu and Chateau Grillet in the northern Cotes du Rhone and there will be no threat to that title since the old vine/older strains of Viognier there don't exist elsewhere. Notoriously difficult to grow, Viognier is now being attempted everywhere around the world. We shall await the results.
Chenin Blanc (she-NEEN blahn) is very much the opposite of Viognier. It is the most ordinary of grapes everywhere but reaches its epitome in Vouvray in the Loire Valley of France. Since this is a commercial industry, Chenin Blanc plantings are in decline everywhere just as Viognier is on the rise except in Clarksburg where both do remarkably well. With soils similar to Vouvray, Chenin Blanc has become the signature white grape of the region.
Wilson Vineyards of Clarksburg is in all likelihood the source of most of the Chenin Blanc and Viognier being bottled by wineries outside of Clarksburg. Started in 1920, Wilson has the industry relationships in place and the mature vines to produce serious fruit. Our Terre d'Oro white blend is definitely Wilson product as is our White Knight Viognier. The Pine Ridge and Dry Creek whites are probably from them also.
The premier red grape of Clarksburg is Petite Sirah and the current examples in the store include Handcraft and The Crusher.
Just as a disclaimer, our promotion of the wines of Clarksburg is not to say they are world class. They're just better than you would think they should be.
Chenin Blanc (she-NEEN blahn) is very much the opposite of Viognier. It is the most ordinary of grapes everywhere but reaches its epitome in Vouvray in the Loire Valley of France. Since this is a commercial industry, Chenin Blanc plantings are in decline everywhere just as Viognier is on the rise except in Clarksburg where both do remarkably well. With soils similar to Vouvray, Chenin Blanc has become the signature white grape of the region.
Wilson Vineyards of Clarksburg is in all likelihood the source of most of the Chenin Blanc and Viognier being bottled by wineries outside of Clarksburg. Started in 1920, Wilson has the industry relationships in place and the mature vines to produce serious fruit. Our Terre d'Oro white blend is definitely Wilson product as is our White Knight Viognier. The Pine Ridge and Dry Creek whites are probably from them also.
The premier red grape of Clarksburg is Petite Sirah and the current examples in the store include Handcraft and The Crusher.
Just as a disclaimer, our promotion of the wines of Clarksburg is not to say they are world class. They're just better than you would think they should be.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
Norton, Part 1
Last week we brought in a red and white blend from Morrisette of Virginia, prompting me to reflect upon the historic Norton wine making grape of that state. Thirty years ago Norton was promoted as the signature wine of Virginia. It seemed to be the counterpart to what Zinfandel is to California and to my tastes it seemed better than Zinfandel. Remembering the prominence of Norton in Virginia, I assumed it must be a big part of the Morrisette red blend.
Dr. Daniel Norton, a medical doctor by trade and botanist by avocation, either discovered or created his namesake grape in the early 19th century and sometime around 1830 the wine became commercially viable. By mid-century the Norton grape was a hit with domestic winemakers and soon thereafter, Europeans recognized its quality.
However, one of the inescapable wine industry truths is that you have to sell it, meaning this is a commercial industry and no matter how good your product may be, the public must respond to it. Thirty years or so ago, Paul Thomas of Washington State produced lovely dry white wines using fruit other than grapes but if you blinked you may have missed them, they came and went so fast. In my research I have learned that Norton wines have not sold well compared to the traditional international varieties which have largely replaced it on store shelves. Now it is predominantly a blender in Virginia where it adds color, fruit, and spice to most any blend.
The good news for Norton though is that it grows well in a lot of other states including Georgia. In the store right now we have the Tiger Mountain Cynthiana which is genetically identical to Norton but because it develops differently in the vineyard, it may be a clone or mutation of Norton.
Norton vines are very adaptable throughout the American south. They tolerate low temperatures (to -20) but require a long growing season so the south and southern midwest are where they fair best. Norton carries the moniker, "Cabernet of the Ozarks", as the premier grape of Missouri, a state that is recognized by the experts for its superior production. Likewise in neighboring Arkansas the grape thrives but once again it is known as Cynthiana there.
Dr. Daniel Norton, a medical doctor by trade and botanist by avocation, either discovered or created his namesake grape in the early 19th century and sometime around 1830 the wine became commercially viable. By mid-century the Norton grape was a hit with domestic winemakers and soon thereafter, Europeans recognized its quality.
However, one of the inescapable wine industry truths is that you have to sell it, meaning this is a commercial industry and no matter how good your product may be, the public must respond to it. Thirty years or so ago, Paul Thomas of Washington State produced lovely dry white wines using fruit other than grapes but if you blinked you may have missed them, they came and went so fast. In my research I have learned that Norton wines have not sold well compared to the traditional international varieties which have largely replaced it on store shelves. Now it is predominantly a blender in Virginia where it adds color, fruit, and spice to most any blend.
The good news for Norton though is that it grows well in a lot of other states including Georgia. In the store right now we have the Tiger Mountain Cynthiana which is genetically identical to Norton but because it develops differently in the vineyard, it may be a clone or mutation of Norton.
Norton vines are very adaptable throughout the American south. They tolerate low temperatures (to -20) but require a long growing season so the south and southern midwest are where they fair best. Norton carries the moniker, "Cabernet of the Ozarks", as the premier grape of Missouri, a state that is recognized by the experts for its superior production. Likewise in neighboring Arkansas the grape thrives but once again it is known as Cynthiana there.
Norton, Part 2
Norton and Cynthiana are identical cultivars, grapevine varieties cultivated for a purpose. Whether Dr. Norton or some other wine loving adventurer created the type is a moot question at this point. What is known is that it is a cross of vitis aestivalis with vitis labrusca and then with vitis vinifera vines. More to the point - Norton is the only non-vinifera grape type that displays the vinifera finesse in flavor profile without new world foxiness.
Norton makes a red wine that is deep in color, rich in body and texture, and characterized by supple spicy/brambly fruit. Comparisons with Zinfandel abound including coffee, chocolate, and big dark fruity flavors. Structure is different, however. Norton has that asset over Zinfandel along with better acidity which means the wine has the potential to age well.
But there's more...Norton grapes are a dark purple in color and contain a high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins are the family of compounds called polyphenols which aid the vines in fending off diseases like the fungal problems of the south. These same qualities translate into health benefits for wine lovers as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, antimicrobials, and anti-carcinogenics.
So where has Norton been for the last hundred years? In short, it disappeared for most of it. Liquor and beer are more profitable for this industry than wine. When Prohibition ended, the alcoholic beverage industry was slow to develop a wine culture in America. Moreover, during Prohibition, wine grapes were replaced by Concords and others for juices, jams and jellies. It was only fifty years after the fact that Norton was remembered and then revived.
Norton makes a red wine that is deep in color, rich in body and texture, and characterized by supple spicy/brambly fruit. Comparisons with Zinfandel abound including coffee, chocolate, and big dark fruity flavors. Structure is different, however. Norton has that asset over Zinfandel along with better acidity which means the wine has the potential to age well.
But there's more...Norton grapes are a dark purple in color and contain a high anthocyanin content. Anthocyanins are the family of compounds called polyphenols which aid the vines in fending off diseases like the fungal problems of the south. These same qualities translate into health benefits for wine lovers as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, antimicrobials, and anti-carcinogenics.
So where has Norton been for the last hundred years? In short, it disappeared for most of it. Liquor and beer are more profitable for this industry than wine. When Prohibition ended, the alcoholic beverage industry was slow to develop a wine culture in America. Moreover, during Prohibition, wine grapes were replaced by Concords and others for juices, jams and jellies. It was only fifty years after the fact that Norton was remembered and then revived.
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Comte Tolosan, Part 1
La Galope is a popular French country wine we have been offering here for the last few years. It comes in red, white, and rose versions and is value-priced between $10 and $13/btl. Prior to 2009 the La Galope label would have read Vin du Pays Comte Tolosan as the wine's appellation/quality level. With the demise of the Vin du Pays category in 2009, Comte Tolosan (COM-tay TOH-luh-zah) alone appears on the front label.
Comte Tolosan is an overlay for the very large southwestern corner of France. It extends northward to the outskirts of Bordeaux, west to the Atlantic Ocean, south to the Pyranees Mountains and east to the Massif Central Mountains. It's huge! And it contains eighteen smaller appellations within it! So why would the French government create such a large wine appellation? For the same reason California has the Central Coast with all of its smaller appellations. In fairness to all who are invested in vineyards outside of the esteemed smaller appellations, the commonality in terroir far outweighs the differences. So they deserve their branding too.
I suspect there is more though. The modern wine era is all about international grape varieties made in the modern fresh, fruity, and forward style. California started it all and now everyone is doing it. Neighboring Spain's booming new world-style wine industry surely must have influenced the creation of Tolosan. Let's be honest - this is revenue we're talking about. Government protection/promotion of their native wine industry by using appellation branding makes sense.
Comte Tolosan is one of six IGP's (Indication Geographique Protege) in France. IGP's like our La Galope wines, by definition, reflect the character of the region they are from, in this case, southwestern France. The La Galope white is an aromatic, flavorful, and complex Sauvignon Blanc; consistent with the regional model. The La Galope red is Malbec and it is light, fruity, and soft; again consistent with the character of neighboring reds. The rose is typical with refreshing crispness. And the wines are all made in the modern international style.
(Scroll down for Part 2)
Comte Tolosan is an overlay for the very large southwestern corner of France. It extends northward to the outskirts of Bordeaux, west to the Atlantic Ocean, south to the Pyranees Mountains and east to the Massif Central Mountains. It's huge! And it contains eighteen smaller appellations within it! So why would the French government create such a large wine appellation? For the same reason California has the Central Coast with all of its smaller appellations. In fairness to all who are invested in vineyards outside of the esteemed smaller appellations, the commonality in terroir far outweighs the differences. So they deserve their branding too.
I suspect there is more though. The modern wine era is all about international grape varieties made in the modern fresh, fruity, and forward style. California started it all and now everyone is doing it. Neighboring Spain's booming new world-style wine industry surely must have influenced the creation of Tolosan. Let's be honest - this is revenue we're talking about. Government protection/promotion of their native wine industry by using appellation branding makes sense.
Comte Tolosan is one of six IGP's (Indication Geographique Protege) in France. IGP's like our La Galope wines, by definition, reflect the character of the region they are from, in this case, southwestern France. The La Galope white is an aromatic, flavorful, and complex Sauvignon Blanc; consistent with the regional model. The La Galope red is Malbec and it is light, fruity, and soft; again consistent with the character of neighboring reds. The rose is typical with refreshing crispness. And the wines are all made in the modern international style.
(Scroll down for Part 2)
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