Boutinot USA

I haven't ranted about how vacuous wine company websites are lately...but they are!  That's why the Boutinot website is so refreshing.  They actually want you to learn about them which logically leads you to conclude they must have a worthwhile product to sell.

Despite the "USA" part of their name, Boutinot is a UK-based company.  They were founded in 1980, about the time I got into this business.  We just learned about them this year when they were presented to us by the fine wine representative for their Atlanta distributorship.  That individual effectively tasted us on the wines slowly and with commentary like the wines were a much higher priced product. When the presentation was completed we were given the pricing - most Boutinots can be retailed in the $10 range!

The following information is all taken from their website, boutinot.com.

Boutinot is a company of 70+ employees who represent grape growers, wine makers, importers, and exclusive agents for more than 150 wine producers in fifteen countries making 1,400 wines.  They have relationships with wine makers in Spain, Chile, and Australia where they own vineyards, cellars, and wineries.  Boutinot also owns wine making facilities in South Africa and at three European facilities; two just outside of the Rhone and Beaujolais regions and one in Piedmont, Italy.  Boutinot also represents Cline Cellars of Sonoma, California

Forty-four million bottles of Boutinot wines are sold annually.

Boutinot also has a philosophy - They want to produce wines with "soul and character".  They want minimal intervention between vineyard and winery, meaning they want the wines to reflect the vineyard terroir.  They desire a "natural synergy" between the grape growers and the wine makers yielding wines that show provenance, purity, expression, and finesse.  They want authenticity.


Please join us here at the store this Thursday at 5pm when David Hobbs presents the wines of Bodega  Altocedro of Mendoza, Argentina.

Riesling

I feel like I shouldn't let a summer go by without a post about Riesling, probably the finest white wine there is.  How can I say that you ask when you vividly remember that last great Chardonnay you had?  Easy.  While both types are usually single varietal wines, Chardonnay typically benefits from the ample oak aging most of them have.  If the truth be known, that's where most of its character comes from.  What would Chardonnay be without the oak?  Probably a fine light white wine...but far short of the complex masterpiece that unoaked Riesling is.

Wait a minute...  Perhaps you thought Riesling was the sweet, nondescript, flaccid, step-above-jug-wine stuff sold in the chain stores.  Sad to say, that's what most people think of when the subject comes up.  The finest Riesling, however, comes from Germany and like all of the other noble grape wines, you have to pay a bit more to taste the good stuff.  Also like other fine wine, you have to look for brand names and code words like predikat and trocken and place names like Rhine and Mosel and then you should even learn vineyards that bespeak quality.  So it is a bit more difficult than just grabbing a Chardonnay off the shelf!

Chardonnay and Riesling share a common parent, by the way.  If it wasn't still around in Europe, Gouais Blanc could reside in the realm of the semi-mythical for all of the esteemed wine grapes it has sired.  In Riesling's case its origins are in the Rhineland and written references to the grape start in the Middle Ages.  The other parent grape, by the way, is a Traminer/wild vine hybrid.

The standard Riesling flavor profile includes just about all of the tree fruits (apples, pears, etc), honey (flavor), flowers, minerality, and something called petrol, which may include gasoline, lanolin, rubber, and diesel.  While you may think you can live without this dimension, I love it.  Petrol means quality!

The intrinsic high acidity this flavorful grape brings to the table means food affinities include just about everything.  (Think of German sausages and cabbage!)  Riesling also works with salty foods and it's ideal with most Asian foods. And because it is so flavorful you can iced it down in the summertime without fearing it will lose its character.

Riesling is also terroir-expressive which means its flavors reflect its environs.  It performs best in sandy, slatey soils and does better in cool climates which explains why Chateau Ste Michelle in Washington State has become the world leader in Riesling production (2 million cases!).  We currently stock their Cold Creek Vineyard Riesling along with a half dozen from Germany.


This Thursday at 5pm as Cheri Rubio presents the wines of Rabble of California.  The lineup includes Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Red Blend, and Rose.  Please join us.

Sancerre and Kimmeridgian Soil

Sancerres and summertime are a marriage made in heaven and the 2016 Aurore Dezat Sancerre has been the most recent showstopper here at the store.  Within the trade it's no secret that the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world comes from Sancerre and because France is so quick to expand popular wine appellations there is now a glut of the stuff at popular prices.  Aurore Dezat is about a third less in price than what you might expect to pay.

So what makes Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc so good?  Objectively, it displays the purest fruit flavors of Sauvignon Blanc along with the terroir of its birthright.  Most wine lovers would cite the food-friendliness of the wine as being what sets it apart.  WineFolly.com says it has "gooseberry aromas, bracing acidity, and flinty flavors" ideal for pairing with the goat cheeses of the same place.  Most wine lovers would simply say Sancerre is quintessential seafood wine.

When this incredible marriage of grape type and place began is open to speculation.  Ampelographers claim the Sauvignon Blanc grape originated somewhere in northeastern France.  The Romans first cultivated the area in the first century A.D. so that may be its imprimatur.  What is known is that it was not there immediately before the Phylloxera epidemic of the late 1800s but re-introduced because of its ease of grafting to American rootstocks.  Then in 1936 it received its official AOC (Controlled Appellation of Origin) designation, sanctioning it as the white grape of Sancerre.

The Sancerre appellation has been enlarged four times since 1936 which has created three unoffical "crus" of Sancerre.  The western side of the appellation around Menetreol-sous-Sancerre has a silex-based (clay/flint) soil making it a more minerally Sauvignon Blanc.  The central segment of the appellation around Chavignol with its gravelly limestone makes a lighter more perfumy wine.  The eastern side has a Kimmeridgian Marl soil that yields a bigger-bodied, more powerful white wine.

Kimmeridge is a village in England where a mid-eighteenth century French geologist identified a unique soil and named it after the village.  That same soil makes up a much larger region in northern France encompassing northern Burgundy (including Chablis), Champagne, and eastern Sancerre.  Winegeeks.com declares the Kimmeridgian soil that is responsible for the wines produced there to be the finest vineyard soil in the world.

Kimmeridgian soil is a clay and limestone marl that also contains seashells and fossils from centuries of being under water.  While this soil originates in the post-Jurassic period, the "Paris Basin" was actually created by many centuries of geological tilting thereafter effectively channeling rivers and other bodies of water into the basin keeping northern France underwater.  As the conditions gradually changed, pockets of residue settled into these incredible vineyard lands.  In short Kimmeridgian soil is easy to cultivate, retains water, and supports root structure.      

Defiant by Seghesio

You might say Seghesio is the premier Zinfandel maker of California.  Around 1980 they were responsible for the production of most of the red wine made in Sonoma County and most of that was Zinfandel.  For the entire iconic Seghesio story, which is about as emblematic as any of California's giants, check out our V&C blogpost dated June 14, 2014.

Defiant is a new label from Seghesio released slowly through restaurants beginning in October of last year.  It is a Zinfandel-based blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, Barbera, Alicante and Syrah in supporting roles.  Seghesio owns 315 acres in Sonoma Valley in three parcels located in Dry Creek, Alexander Valley, and the Russian River Valley.  The Defiant label only says "Sonoma County" so it may be sourced from anywhere therein.

The name Defiant refers to the Seghesio family determination to succeed in this industry.  Edoardo Seghesio emigrated from Italy in 1886, first apprenticing himself to Italian Swiss Colony before purchasing his own winery in 1902.  Then he and his heirs gradually amassed vineyard land throughout the early twentieth century eventually becoming the largest operator in Sonoma in 1980.  Significantly, they didn't start their own Seghesio label until 1983.  They were solely grape farmers for the first eighty years.  Angela Seghesio, the family matriarch at mid-twentieth century, is believed to be the inspiration for the mindset Defiant symbolizes.

From their website Defiant is characterized as "dark, savory, and bold".  The nose shows "youthful blackberry, mocha, and spicy aromas".  The taste shows "blackfruits, and pepper with savory notes".  Now here is what our tasting panel thought:

Gin - "The peppery finish with a hint of mocha is evident in the tasting. It's rich without being overwhelming, with an interesting bite at the end. A smooth aftertaste, and something fascinatingly different in the realm of reds!"

Min- I like the rich full body taste. This would be a good wine with a good Italian meal or a good steak.


Mike - A nice Zinfandel blend that is not too "rasiny" tasting and soft tannins with a medium finish.

Doug- The construction industry is not dead. Clearly evident in this wine is the fine construction supporting the chocolate notes with the right balance of spice and robustness. This is a guys wine that will leave the women feeling warm and tingly. Nothing wrong with this experience - great start and smooth and strong finish.

Steve = Full body wine with a beefy finish! Good by itself or your favorite steak!

Rose (circa 2017)

Ever notice how trendiness is kind of a merry-go-round you can jump on at any point of the loop.  It doesn't even have to be a conscious jumping-on.  You can just saunter into the bar, er, wine shop, and order a rose just for the heck of it, just to say to yourself you tried it.  It doesn't matter that your friends are all into roses.  The time was just right for you.  The wine industry is ideal for just this sort of ad hoc endeavor.

Make no mistake though, the trend du jour is clearly rose wine.  To say they are hot is to risk understating things.  And roses aren't just the perfunctory pink wine category anymore either.  Within that category wine lovers are discerning wine styles that click with them just as they have found with reds and whites.  It's interesting to see the process unfold, to say the least.

So, ground zero in the trendy rose loop has to be Provence.  That fresh, aromatic, light-bodied, pale pink wine really sums it up for a lot of us rose lovers.  Why go any further down the road when this stop is so satisfying?  Well, because there are darker roses which use some oak, there are less dry roses that cuddle up in that way, and there are the spritzy-to-bubbly ones that seem to be more of a tonic than a sedative.  And I'm just skimming the surface!

Akakies is a Greek Rose (maybe the best in the store) that counterintuitively sources its fruit from hillside vineyards!  Testamento is Argentine Rose of Pinot Noir.  It's the find of the year at this store and exemplary of that grape type's potential in the category.  If you grab a Portuguese pink don't be surprised to get some fine bubbliness (seafood, ya know) and if you get a darker Spanish rose you may discern some oakiness.  And if you buy Bordeaux rose, expect the Cabernet/Merlot structure emblematic of that blend.

Is there a clear cut style winner?  Yes!  Everyone around the world is trying to duplicate that refreshing Provencal style.  But roses are so much fun across the board, who's going to doubt the outliers!


This Thursday June 29th at 5pm Brian Espanol leads us in a tasting of Austalia's Two Hands Angel Share Shiraz, Napa's Markham Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon and Rutherford Hill Merlot, and the Wairau River New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  Please join us

A Pitch for Lighter Reds

It's summer now and I feel obligated to throw a monkey wrench into the wine-loving habits of backyard grillers everywhere. With the next three months expected to be on the somewhat toasty side, let's see what culinary fun we could have if we lighten up the red wines a bit.

First of all if you're in a temperature-controlled indoor environment with a big fat juicy steak on your plate I see no reason not to enjoy that monumental monster Napa Cab that's been calling out your name.  But if you're there in your friendly confines but the sliding door is open half the time as your crew is going in and out from activities in the backyard and you, yourself, are part of that in and out traffic maybe, just maybe, a lighter red may work better for your purposes.  And if beads of sweat are at times appearing somewhere on your brow from all of that in and out, well then, maybe going lighter makes sense.  After all, who wants to feel bloated?

A nice new world light red alternative can be Argentine Malbec.  I say "can be" because Malbec can be all over the map stylistically which unfortunately works against the plans of thoughtful customers who reasonably want to know what the wine is before purchasing it.  In this store we sort them out by the heft of the wine.  You want a lighter red?  You got it!

Spanish wines have now arrived as a conscious alternative to the big new world reds of California. They have the same dark fruit flavors of the big California reds but are lighter in body.  Some have the new world forward fruit but most are balanced with the longer winey flavors Europe is known for.

Italy makes some of the nicest light winey reds on the planet and if sales here reflect generalities then a whole lot of people are enjoying them.  Aside from a lighter body, what's the attraction?  Like most Europeans, they're food friendly, meaning they have a higher acidity.  That higher acidity is a digestive aid any time but in the summer heat, it's downright refreshing.  And if served slightly chilled (fifty degrees or so) it's even more so!

So just to recap: Lighter reds are, well, lighter (no bloating); refreshingly acidic when served somewhat chilled; and food friendly with longer and winier flavors.

This Thursday, June 22nd between 5 and 7pm, Chuck Crouse offers us a tasting of Spanish and Italian reds and whites.  Most noteworthy should be the Coto de Hayas Campo de Borgia Centenaria, a red Garnacha made from the fruit of one hundred year old vines!  Please join us.

Familiarity Breeds Contentment

Familiarity breeds contentment.  So says Matt Kramer in a Wine Spectator article entitled "The Hardest Part" from the November 15, 2014 edition of the magazine.  Kramer maintains the hardest part of his job is trying to get people to try new wines.  I can relate.

In the November 26-27, 2015 issue of the Wall Street Journal Lettie Teague writes similarly that "Loyalty is not a virtue when applied to wine.  It leads to an unnecessary narrowing of options."

Interestingly both writers are dealing with the same problem - how to introduce new wines to people who are hooked on the tried and true.  And the problem, of course, wouldn't exist if the subject matter wasn't so intimidating.  In an effort to de-mystify the subject here in the store I like to tell people, "On the list of important things in life, wine shouldn't be too high."  (Hopefully that takes the edge off the transaction, you know.)

If the truth be known, the hardest part of being in the wine business is selling the stuff.  We on the selling side know what it is or what it's supposed to be but we usually don't know the customer so we ask questions about the purpose of the purchase (dinner or cocktail) or what the customer's history with wine is (California, Europe, or elsewhere).  We try to nail down any information that will help to provide the best wine for their tastes.  After all, we do want them to come back.

In fact whenever any of us sits down to enjoy a new bottle of wine, if we are experienced we may know what it's supposed to taste like but if it is a new wine then we may be surprised by something about the wine that is unexpected.  And that is good.  As the man once said to me, "That's why they make more than one kind of wine."

Kramer's article leads him to conclude that consumers could save a lot of money by trying some of the great wines from places other than California.  Teague acknowledges that California has nailed the comfort zone for the American palate.  It's up to the sommeliers and wine merchants of America to ease wine lovers into an expansion of that zone.


Please join us next Thursday the 8th of June at 5pm for a tasting of whites from sommelier-owned Mouton Noir of Oregon and reds from environmentally conscious Ventisquero of Chile.  David Hobbs presides over this one.