In Bordeaux It's All About Blending

                                     

This is the third article in a four part series on Bordeaux.  Last week we touched upon the fact that due to global warming the wine laws of Bordeaux have been expanded to include six new grape varietals.   Legally, however, these new varietals can only be a maximum of 10% of the blend.    The question is, did you know that most  all Bordeaux wines are blends?

Blending is used to enhance the complexity and texture of wine.   Blending is an art, and the winemaker’s goal is to ensure that each component builds a complimentary profile of fruit, texture and mouth-feel.  Different grape varieties contribute differing attributes to the blend.  Like a great chef, the winemaker must have an excellent palate.

        Cab Sauv's thick skins contain lots of tannin &  pigments that impact structure & color
  

Let’s examine the five historical red grape varietals of Bordeaux for what they add to the blend:

• Cabernet Sauvignon is a powerhouse grape that contributes structure via its solid backbone of tannins and acids.  Cab’s broad range of flavors include black fruits (berries & cherries), black pepper, tobacco, licorice & violets.

• Merlot is a far softer grape than Cab.   If Cabernet is King, Merlot is the more feminine Queen.  Merlot is responsible for a sensual texture and mellowness.  It adds flesh to Cab’s tannic backbone and dampens its harsh acidity.  Merlot flavors are often red-fruits (plums & berries) and chocolate.

When blended together, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are two varieties that complement each other to produce a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts.

               Cab Franc has fathered many grapes, the most famous of which is Cab Sauvignon                                                                          

•   Cabernet Franc is one of the parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon (the other is Sauvignon Blanc).  Cab Franc is lighter in color than its offspring and contributes flavors such as raspberry, cassis and violets.  Cab Franc is the third most prevalent grape in Bordeaux blends after Cab Sauv and Merlot.  While its presence in blends may be small in terms of percentage, its impact can be significant.

•  Malbec is an inky dark grape that adds structure to the blend.   The grape’s flavor profile is plum-like.  Malbec is often only a percent or two of a Bordeaux blend.  In some Bordeaux blends, however, Malbec is not even present.

•  Petite Verdot is usually a very small amount of the blend.  The grape is fickle so it has fallen out of favor with many winemakers.  When it is used it is often added as a final nuance for its floral (violet, lilac, lavender) and savory (sage and dried herbs) notes.

         Wine-Knows coming to Bordeaux this September will participate in a blending seminar

Merlot is Queen on Bordeaux’s Right Bank

                                                            Medieval St Emilon is surrounded by a sea of vines

Last week we reviewed Bordeaux’s Left Bank super-star, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Today, however, we move across the Gironde to the Right Bank.   Bordeaux’s "Right Bank" is home to the famous vineyards of St. Emilion and Pomerol.  The Right Bank is also reigned by the Merlot grape.   Yes, Cabernet Sauvignon is grown here, (as is Cabernet Franc), but her Royal Highness is definitely Merlot. 

The Right Bank wine growing region of St Emilion and Pomerol is only twenty-something miles as the bird flies from the Medoc’s Left Bank, but it might as well be two hundred miles.  The Right Bank’s terroir is completely different from the former swamp of the Left Bank’s Medoc.

Merlot thrives on the Right Bank because of its soil, climate and topography.  The soil is clay and limestone.  While clay retains moisture, limestone provides a great drainage system.  Merlot likes the moisture provided by clay, but has the best of both worlds with limestone’s ability to wick away too much moisture.   The Right Bank is topographically different from the flat Left Bank.   The Right Bank’s small hills also facilitate drainage.  The Right Bank is located further inland from the Atlantic than the Left Bank.  This means it’s less susceptible to Atlantic storms.   

     Right bank Merlot wines are softer and thus more feminine than tannin-driven Left Bank Cabernet

The St Emilion and Pomerol wine districts on the Right Bank produce softer wines because of their larger percentage of Merlot.  The Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines of the Left Bank are more masculine due to this grape’s higher tannin content.  Merlot wine is more feminine with softer tannins, thus, Right Bank wines tend to be more approachable earlier.

Right or Left Bank?    Do you like poodles or German shepherds?  Both wines can be divine.  A few pointers:  consider the vintage (e.g. if it’s a really young wine, choose the Merlot-based St Emilion).   If it’s a really old bottle, remember that tannins in a wine help it age more gracefully….so you may want to opt for the Cabernet Sauvignon-centric Left Bank wine.

The World’s Most Widely Planted Grape?

                                      

There are over 10,000 grapes on the earth, but not all of them are used in making wine. While numbers vary, most would agree that at least 1,000 of them are currently used to make wine.  Now, make a guess as to what wine grape is the most planted varietal.   If you guessed Merlot, you’re close…. it’s second.  If you guessed Cabernet Sauvignon you are right!  Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for >5% of the grapes for wine production around the globe.  There are more than Cabernet vines than both Pinot Noir and Syrah and plantings combined.

You may have been lucky on choosing Cabernet, however, for the most planted white wine grape varietal, what’s your guess?   Chances are >99% of you guessed incorrectly.  For white wine grapes, the world’s most widely planted variety is Airen.  That’s right…Airen.    This grape ranks 4^th among both red and white wine grapes.  It is surpassed only by Cab, Merlot, and Tempranillo.  Airen vines account for more than both Pinot Noir and Sauv Blanc combined.

Airen is grown almost exclusively in Spain.  Up until a few years ago it was the world’s most widely planted grape.  If you’ve never heard of it, it’s because Airen is often used for Spain’s unpretentious wines.   The last five years, however, many of the Airen vines have been ripped out and replaced with Tempranillo, another grape native to Spain.    That being said, Airen and Tempranillo combined currently account for 45% of all of Spain’s wine grapes.

Below is a list of the Top Ten wine grape varietals across the globe:

1.     Cabernet Sauvignon
2.     Merlot
3.     Tempranillo
4.     Airen
5.     Chardonnay
6.     Syrah
7.     Grenache
8.     Sauvignon Blanc
9.     Pinot Noir
10.  Trebbiano (also called Ugni Blanc)

10 Things You Should Know About Merlot

Merlot is being harvested this month in California, France and many other vineyards in the northern hemisphere.  Below are some interesting facts about this varietal.

1.  Its name means "little blackbird" in French dialect.  

     2.  Merlot can be both a blending grape, or can be made as its own varietal.

     3.  This grape is one of the 5 varieties allowed by law in red Bordeaux wine.

     4.  Merlot's parent is Cabernet Franc and an obscure old varietal from Brittany called Magdeleine Noir de Charentes.

     5.  Merlot's relatives include Cabernet Sauvignon---a step-sibling.

     6.  Merlot wine falls in the medium-bodied spectrum for red grapes.  Its moderate tannin structure allows it be be drunk younger than the full-bodied wines like Cab Sauvignon.

     7.  The Merlot grape does well in several types of soil, from clay to limestone.

     8.  Merlot also can do well in both cool and warm climates.

     9.  Merlot's flavor can vary depending upon the terroir in which it is grown.  That being said, Merlot is usually characterized by a lush texture and plum is often the dominant flavor.  Cherries and raspberries are also very common.

    10.  Merlot is food friendly due to its mild tannin structure.  It is a good pairing with poultry, as well as pork and lighter red meats.

The Secret is Out: Mallorca Island Wines

         Party-central villa on far right.... on the sea

I’m at a magnificent villa right on the sea in Mallorca with family and friends celebrating a hallmark birthday of my husband.   Located just off the coast of Barcelona, Mallorca often conjures up ideas of a playground for Russian oligarchs with bazillion Euro yachts, or movie stars (Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas are among the numerous Hollywood folks who’ve bought secluded villas here).   The island of Mallorca, however, is glamorous for an entirely different reason---its wine.  Like Santorini and Corsica, there’s something sexy about the idea of vines surrounded by water, cut off from the rest of the world.  Until now.

                           Palma's airport is one of the busiest in the Mediterranedan

Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean and boasts a rich history including the Romans, Vandals, and Moors.  It was the Romans who brought their vines and wine-making skills 100 years before the birth of Christ.  Under years of Arab rule (when alcohol was forbidden), wine-making continued on Mallorca.  In fact, in the 13^th century Mallorcan wines were of such quality that they appeared on the table of both of the courts of Aragon and Castille.  Wines flourished on Mallorca until the late 19^th century when, like the rest of Europe, vineyards were destroyed by the phylloxera bug.

                        E.U. funds changed the landscape of Mallorca's wine business

It wasn’t until the 1990’s that the wine industry on Mallorca made a come-back.  Spain joined the E.U. and with it came funds for improving the island’s economy.  Local winemakers decided to invest in their businesses with improvement efforts to improve the quality of their wines.  This included planting of more popular international varietals like Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Merlot.  It also included nurturing the island’s native varietals, as well as investment in stainless steel tanks, French oak barrels, and consulting winemakers from the mainland of Europe. 

Their efforts have certainly paid off.  Mallorca now produces some excellent wines, including white, rose, red and sparkling.   The wines are still relatively unknown in Europe (Mallorca receives an extraordinary 15 million thirsty visitors annually, thus only 15% of the island’s wine makes it off the island).  Nonetheless, Mallorcan wines are what every wine-lover dreams about:  indigenous grapes you’ve never heard of (that aren’t grown anywhere else), moderate alcohol levels, white wines made from red grapes, minerality and fruit.

                                This beach was just a few minutes walk from the villa

Mallorca is producing some amazing quality-price ratio wines.  The best producers are blending traditional grapes (such as medium-bodied cherry-like Manto Negro and low-in-tannin Callet) with international varietals.  Here’s a summary (no particular order---all are noteworthy) of the wines we’ve be drunk, each one carefully chosen as one of the island’s best.  If you can find them, buy them!

• ·        Bodega Biniagual Gran Veran
• ·        Miguel Oliver Xperiment
• ·        Miguel Oliver Aia
• ·        Miguel Oliver Ses Ferritges
• ·        4 Kilos 12 Volts
• ·        4 Kilos
• ·        Binigrau B
• ·        Binigrau Chardonnay

Viva Espana!  Viva Mallorca!  Viva Birthdays!

Chile’s Napa Valley

           The majestic snow-capped Andes provide a stunning backdrop for show-stopping wines

The central valley of Chile, located <100 miles south of the country’s capital city of Santiago, is one of South America’s most promising wine regions.  Called the Colchagua Valley, it is home to many of Chile’s finest red wines.  Some of these red wines have even beat out some of the world’s most impressive reds in blind tastings.  It’s no wonder why winemaking families like the Rothschilds from Bordeaux have flocked to this area to open wineries.

The Colchagua Valley boasts a textbook grape-growing climate for world-class red wines:  major heat to ripen fruit, but cool evenings which allows the vines to rest.  This extreme difference in day and night temperatures is called the “diurnal shift.”  In winemaking, the variance between day and night temperatures is what separates a table wine from a premier wine.  The cool nighttime from the nearby Pacific Ocean is exactly why Napa makes much better wine than the interior parts of California where the influence of the sea is absent at night, and there is little diurnal shift.

The hillsides of the Andes provide even more of a diurnal shift, thus it’s no wonder that some of the best spots for reds is on the lower slopes of the Andes.  Also adding to the quality of the wines in the Andes are the free-draining granite soils, and the more intense sunlight due to the higher elevation.  That being said, there are also some killer producers on the valley floor in favorable terroirs.  For example, vineyards near the valley’s main river are often prime due to the river’s moderating influence on the tremendous summer heat.  The valley’s floor also benefits from the soil washed down from the Andes.

Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah thrive in the Colchagua Valley.  So does the Carmenere grape.  While many of not heard of Carmenere, it was once one of the main grapes of Bordeaux.  While Carmenere is related by DNA to the Cabernet family, it is often confused with Merlot.  Carmenere is used in Chile as both a blending grape and is vinified as a 100% varietal.

Here’s a list of my favorite producers in the Colchauga Valley.  Wine-Knows will be visiting them all during our 2017 harvest tour in March:   www.WineKnowsTravel.com

• Altair
• Casa de Silva
• Lapostolle
• Los Macquis
• Montes

Malbec---Bordeaux’s Blending Grape

               Rue Malbec, one of Bordeaux's main streets, demonstrates the grape's importance.

It’s late summer in the Southern Hemisphere and Malbec will soon be harvested in Argentina’s version of the Napa Valley, Mendoza.  Malbec has put Argentina on the international wine map, winning all kinds of Gold Medals at some pretty impressive international wine events.   While 70% of the world’s current Malbec is grown in Argentina, the grape’s origin is France….not far from Bordeaux. 

Malbec is one of the five red grapes allowed by law in Bordeaux. At the time of the legendary 1855 Classification, Malbec was the most planted grape in Bordeaux.  This changed in the late 1880’s when the phylloxera bug wiped out most all of Europe’s vineyards. The Bordelais replanted, but beefed up their supply of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot which were much easier to ripen in Bordeaux’s cold Atlantic-influenced weather than Malbec.  The horrific cold temperatures of 1956, however, wiped out even more Malbec.   Once again, winemakers in Bordeaux turned to planting the more frost resistant Cabernet and Merlot.  The thicker skins of these two grapes better protected them from frost than the thinner skinned Malbec. 

Today, Malbec is only a small percentage of Bordeaux’s blend.   A deeply pigmented grape, Malbec is primarily used to deepen the color of Bordeaux’s cuvees (blends).  With global warming on the upswing, however, this may change.  When fully ripe in Bordeaux, Malbec can also add red fruits such as raspberries to the profile, but more importantly, it can contribute interesting nuances such as tobacco, mushroom and chocolate.  Thus, a Malbec renaissance in Bordeaux may be on the horizon as temperatures are rising.

The Wine-Knows trip in September to Bordeaux is sold out, however, we still have availability on the 2017 Harvest Tour to South America in March.  During the Argentina portion of this tour, we will taste Malbec from the highest vineyards on earth.  For more information about this tour:

http://www.wineknowstravel.com/chile_argentina_itinerary.htm 

Bordeaux’s Right & Left Banks

              The Gironde Estuary divides the Bordeaux wine region into Right & Left Banks

Bordeaux is mecca for any serious wine lover.  This wine region is massive (eight times larger than the Napa Valley and has >7,000 wineries).  Bordeaux is divided into several districts with sub-regions.  Today, we’ll discuss the two largest areas, the Right and Left Banks---home to some of the world’s most famous wines and wine-making chateaux.

The Bordeaux wine area is naturally divided by a huge river estuary called the Gironde.  Everything west of the Gironde is referred to the “Left Bank.”  This area is also called the Medoc.  To the east of the Gironde are the "Right Bank" wine estates.   Cabernet Sauvignon is the "King" of the Medoc as the Left Bank climate and its gravel-based soils are perfect conditions for this hearty grape.  In contrast, the clay soil and harsher temperatures of the Right Bank work much better for the “Queen” of the Right Bank, Merlot.

The Left and Right Banks also differ in the size of their wineries, as well as their wine laws and classification systems.  The Medoc (Left Bank) has very large estates while the Right Bank chateaux are significantly smaller in size.  The two areas are governed by completely different wine laws and methods of classifying their wines.  The wine chateaux of the Left Bank were classified in 1855 based on which estates at that time were the best at that time (this law has only been altered once in the last 161 years).  In contrast,  the Right Bank’s laws were enacted during the 20th century, mandate that wineries be classified every 10 years.

Wine-Knows will be visiting this September both the Right and Left Banks, in addition to two additional districts in southern Bordeaux, Graves and Sauternes.   The tour is sold out, but those lucky 15 persons to have a seat will be visiting some of the world's premier wineries.

Refreshing Summer Libations

Living in San Diego is almost like living in a constant state of summertime.  That means that my house is always stocked to the brim with the makings for a cadre of light aperitifs.  In July and August, low alcohol pre-dinner cocktails are even more mandatory.  Here are my faves---all liked by even the most discriminating visitor.

WHITE PORT and Tonic:

                                   Served to the Wine-Knows group on the 2011 tour.

One of the most surprising is a drink made from white Port.  White Port is dry, not sweet.  I first was served this by a well-known chef in Porto, Portugal, the epicenter of Port production.  It was 100 degrees and the aperitif was mixed with tonic water and a slice of lemon (equal parts).  I’ve been a raving fan since.   While white Port is difficult to find in the states, it’s growing popularity has made it has more available.  If kept in a frig, it will last at least a month…at our house, it wouldn’t last the week.  If you’re fortunate enough to have snagged one of the sold-out 2016 Portugal seats, you’ll have several!

LILLET and Tonic:

                                           Lillet Blonde, Lillet Rouge & Tonic.

Lillet is an aperitif made from Bordeaux grapes.  It comes in a white version (distilled from Bordeaux’s Sauv Blanc and Semillon), or a red version (distilled from the area’s Cabs and Merlot.)  On Wine-Knows' tours to Bordeaux we always take the group to the Lillet factory where one can mix a plethora of drinks.  The hands-down winner is always the following recipe:  1/3 white, 1/3 red, 1/3 tonic…with a slice or orange and/or fresh fruit in season.

APEROL SPRITZ

                                             My very first Aperol Spritz in Venice.

This is almost like having to choose your favorite child, but currently this one floats to the top of my list.  I discovered the drink in Venice about 5 years ago…every table of Italians was filled with neon orange drinks.  I ordered one and the rest is history.  They are the bomb!  Keep in mind I hate Campari (way too bitter for me), but I love its distant cousin, Aperol, an intensely orange-flavored aperitivo with just the right whisper of bitter.  The spritz is half Aperol and half Prosecco, served with a slice of orange.   Viva Italia!

Wine Trivia That May Surprise You

With holiday parties rapidly approaching, here are some tidbits for cocktail trivia with fellow wine lovers:

How many varieties of wine grapes exist in the world today?

>10,000

What grape varieties are the most planted on the globe?

• White:  Airen from Spain tops the list.  Next, is Chardonnay, then Ugni Blanc (a grape from France)

• Red:  Merlot snags the numero uno spot, closely followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, then Grenache (if this last one surprises, you can blame it on Spain again.)

How many grapes go into the making of a bottle of wine?

Bordeaux’s Chateau Yquem claim that one grape vine yields one bottle of their Sauternes.  Other high-end producers state that one grape vine produces 2 bottles of wine.  Still yet other indicate that it takes about 2.5 lbs of fruit to make a bottle of wine.

How is wine heart healthy?

The dark color pigments found in red grape skins are responsible, thus only red wines exert a protective cardiac function.

How many bottles are in a barrel?

The standard barrel contains 300 bottles of wine.

What are the culprits that can taint a wine?

There are 2 that can especially wreak havoc.  Brettanomyce (aka “Brett”) is a spoiling yeast that causes barnyard smells in wine.  It can destroy an entire winery’s inventory as it’s difficult to eradicate.  The other is a chemical compound called TCA.  This culprit is often found in flawed corks, thus when TCA ruins a wine the wine is referred to as “corked.”

The Tuscan Coast---a Sea of Exciting Wines

We’ve just come from the Maremma district of Tuscany (on the Mediterranean) where we finalized all of the villa rental details for the Wine-Knows group coming here next June.  In 2001 my husband and I put in a full price offer on a property in this area, however, it was declined…they wanted more than asking.  We walked away from the deal, but I’ve never forgotten how taken I was with this unknown corner of Tuscany.  Or, at least in 2001, it wasn’t on an American’s radar.  Things have changed.

It seems like every wine-centric magazine I pick up now has a picture of the Maremma on its cover.  Italy’s most prominent mover-and-shaker winemakers have descended on the Maremma in the last 15 years and purchased choice vineyards.  Bloggers in-the-know extoll the virtues of the area.  George Clooney vacationed here recently in a rented villa.  The Maremma is now the “in place” to visit in Tuscany, away from the interior’s maddening crowds who have changed the landscape of the Tuscany many of us used to adore.

There’s a reason that the wine world can’t get enough of the Maremma.  It’s producing some of the most sensational red wines in Italy.  The coastline is home not only to Sangiovese-based wines, but also to Cabernets (Sauvignon and Franc) that are blended with Merlot.  The Wine Spectator earlier this year featured an article on the globe’s  “100 Outstanding Values.”  Garnering a walloping 92 points, Ceralti’s $16 wine from the Maremma made the list as the world’s 4^th best red value.

If you’re looking for high-end wines, the Maremma’s got plenty of those, too. There are many producers whose wines command several hundreds of dollars a bottle.  Ca’Marcanda (owned by Angelo Gaya, Italy’s most renowned winemaker) produces some killers, as does Ornellaia, Sassacia and San Guido.  Oh, yes…did I mention that the Maremma is home to the Super-Tuscan movement?

Those who are coming with us in June 2015, we are leasing a 6,500 square villa on the sea.  We have 2 spots remaining.  Join us and come learn about the thrilling new wines of the Maremma.

New Zealand's Hawke's Bay Wines

The Gimlett Gravels terroir

 

We visited New Zealand’s oldest wine region last year on our reconnaissance trip.  Established in the 1850’s, Hawke’s Bay is also the country’s second largest wine district.   This is premium red wine country.  More than 80% of New Zealand’s Cabernets Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot and Syrah are grown in Hawke’s Bay, but the area also offers some stunning whites such as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.   Like all fine wine producing areas in the world, this district is all about terroir.

Located on roughly the same latitude as Bordeaux (but opposite hemispheres), Hawke’s Bay has a similar maritime climate as its French counterpart.   But there’s another important similarity.  One of the sub-districts of Hawke’s Bay offers a unique gravel soil.   Called the Gimblett Gravels, these soils were deposited when the local river changed its course during a huge flood in 1867.  Those of you who have visited Bordeaux’s Medoc with Wine-Knows, have seen similar gravel-like soil, a result of erosion from the Pyrenees with its debris carried down over centuries by rivers.   The stones, which act to radiate heat, provide an important respite from the chilly marine weather in both countries. 

Located on New Zealand’s north island just a few miles from the sea, the Hawke’s Bay wine district boasts one of the most enchanting towns in the country.  Napier is an architectural & gem.  Destroyed by an earthquake in the early 1900’s, the town was rebuilt at the height of the Art Deco period and its downtown is replete with Art Deco buildings.

Favorite producers?  Listed in alpha order, here’s the scoop on our faves:

• Bilanica
• Craggy Range
• Te Mata
• Trinity Hills
• Unison (we hosted the winemaker from Unison in our home last August for a Winemaker’s Dinner which many of our San Diego clients attended). 

Those of you coming with us in March 2014 to New Zealand will be visiting all of these wineries, two of which will include dinners with their winemaker.  

3 Must-Haves from Greece

In an earlier posting this year, I discussed the great whites of Greece.  The country has an enormous 8,500 mile coastline (including 1,400 islands), so there’s a tendency for a myopic focus on pairing white wines with Greece’s sea-based cuisine.   Truth be known, however, culinary Greece not only heavily leans toward lamb and pork, but the surrounding oceans have long been over-fished making anything from the sea very expensive.    There’s an entire new world of red wines from Greece that warrants exploration.  The good news is that many of the best are exported.

In addition to many indigenous red grapes, Greece is now growing international varieties such as Cabernet  Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese and Syrah.    The country’s winemakers are heading off to study in Bordeaux, Burgundy and Tuscany…and returning to their homeland armed with viticultural degrees from the best universities in Europe.  Bazillons of Euro’s have been invested in the last ten years in Greece’s  wine industry.  All of this makes for an interesting landscape for wine consumers.

Below are my top 3 picks for your next Toga party: 

·        Domaine Gerovassillou, Avaton 2008.   This one, winner of a gold medal in London at the illustrious Decanter Awards, is a luscious blend of three indigenous grapes :  Limnio, Mavroudi and Mavrotragano grown in Greece’s far north, Macedonia.  Imported into the US.   $30

·        Gaia Estate Nemea 2007.  From one of the top producers in Greece, located 90 minutes south of Athens on the Peloponnese.    Made from the indigenous Agiorgitiko (St George), it’s  chocked full of complexity with layers of raspberry, truffles and floral…a long finish completes the super package.  Imported into the US.  $45

·        Domaine Skouras Megas Oenos 2008.  I visited this estate shortly after its jaw-dropping winery was built on the Peloponnese Peninsula south of Athens.   Megas Oenos is one of Greece’s iconic wines, made from 80% Agiorgitiko and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon.    Imported into the US.   $25

 

Chile’s Red-Hot Wines

 

We’re leaving shortly for Chile and there’s never been a better time to visit this wine-centric country.  While the earthquake in 2010 devastated the industry, the wine business is coming back and moving in the right direction.   For many years quantity trumped quality in Chile.  This is not necessarily the case now.  Today, although the country continues to pump out value-priced wines, it has finally figured out that serious global wine consumers want high quality as well as a good value.

Chile may also be leading the pack for savvy wine production in that many of its grapes are organically grown…and wineries are being rebuilt with green practices in mind.   Even more compelling perhaps is the abundance of cheap land and an inexpensive labor force that allows Chile to out-value its American and European competitors.  It's no wonder that the top wine-producing chateaux in France (e.g. Mouton Rothchild)  have flocked to Chile to set up outposts.

The same year of Chile’s earthquake, there was another tremor in the wine world…but this one was felt around the globe.   In a blind tasting in New York two Chilean wines beat out two of Bordeaux’s Premier Crus, along with some of California’s much coveted cult wines and Italy’s mega-Euro Sassacaia.  The judges?  A sophisticated group of 100 that included top wine critics, sommeliers, and retailers.   The winning wines?  One was made from Chile’s signature grape, Carmenere (once a Bordeaux varietal),  the other was a Bordeaux blend (Cabernet + Merlot).

Chile’s new darling varietal, however, may be Pinot Noir.  While Chile’s hallmark grapes have been the warm varieties (e.g. Cabernet, Carmenere), the country boasts 3,000 miles of coastline and offers perfect growing conditions for the cooler varietals.  Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc all are thriving in Chile’s cooler maritime climates.  Chile is no longer a one-trick pony that knocks out solely muscular stallions.  It is turning out some well-pedigreed fillies that are sure to gallop away with world-wide recognition.

Viva Chile…I can’t wait to return!

New Zealand Winemaker Dinner

                              Daniel Brennan of Unison Vineyards and Decibel Wines

On our reconnaissance trip earlier this year to New Zealand for our future 2014 tour, we were very impressed with the caliber of wines at Unison Vineyards. (http://www.unisonvineyard.co.nz).  Unison has received all kinds of accolades but one of the best comes from internationally renowned wine authority and Master of Wine  Janics Robison---Unision was the only New Zealand winery included in Robinson’s list of up-and-coming wine producers in the world.   Wine-Knows was fortunate to host Daniel Brennan from Unison Vineyards and a group of local wine-lovers for dinner recently.   

Daniel presented 6 wines, 2 of which were from Unison, as well as one from his own label, Decibel. (Daniel is now making wine under his own label.  Formerly in the music business, he has appropriately named his wine “Decibel.”)   To round out the program, he brought wines from 2 other producers, Cloudy Bay and Desert Heart…both of these producers we visited in New Zealand earlier this year.  Here’s a recap of all of the wines:

• 2008 Unison Vineyard Gimblett Gravels 'Classic Blend' (Merlot/CabSav/Syrah)
• 2009 Unison Vineyard Gimblett Gravels Syrah
• 2009 Decibel Hawkes Bay Sauvignon Blanc
• 2008 Cloudy Bay Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
• 2008 Desert Heart 'Untamed Heart' Central Otago Pinot Noir
• 2008 Desert Heart 'McKenzie's Run' Single Vineyard Central Otago Pinot Noir

The evening began with a comparative tasting between the Sauv Blancs…an overwhelming majority preferred Decibel’s rendition which was more aromatic as well as more complex.  Desert Heart’s two Pinots were tasted as the next flight, followed by the two from Unison special vineyards on the extraordinary Gimblett Gravels.  All of these reds were so well constructed that there was not a consensus about which was the best.

While Cloudy Bay has been imported to the US for some time, Unison, Decibel and Desert Heart have only recently begun to be available.  Learn more about these wines (or purchase them) below.   Looks like they’re offering a 10% case discount to jump-start their inaugural importation:

http://www.buywineusa.com/Decibel-Wines.aspx

http://www.buywineusa.com/Unison-Vineyard.aspx

http://www.buywineusa.com/Desert-Heart.aspx