Wine sections in book stores seem to grow by the day as vino becomes more and more popular in the U.S. If one can only buy three for a lifetime of knowledge and reference, may I recommend the following:
- Wine Lover's Companion by Ron Herbst & Sharon Tyler Herbst
Simply put, this is a wine dictionary. The authors relate definitions to thousands of wine terms on topics such as winemaking, famous vineyards, producers, regions, tasting language, and much more. This book is a must have for anyone learning about wine, and comes in handy regularly for those with more advanced knowledge. For about $15 at nearly any bookstore, "Wine Lover's Companion" is worth every penny.
- Michael Broadbent's Pocket Vintage Wine Companion by Michael Broadbent
Twenty-Two bucks gets you historical vintage information for nearly every wine region in the world, some dating back three hundred years. It's a small book that packs a punch, offering weather and growing conditions, cellaring recommendations, and even specific information on top producers. This book is updated every few years and a new edition was released in 2007. One disappointing point of note is that Mr. Broadbent omitted Oregon and Washington in the latest edition. Why I couldn't say (especially as wine from these states is more popular than ever), but it's pretty glaring and not a welcome change. Otherwise, this little 400 pager just couldn't be better!
- The Oxford Companion to Wine by Jancis Robinson
The mother of all wine reference guides, this hefty book is a large 800+ pages crammed with more information than any of us will ever remember. You'll have to get your wallets out though kids as "The Oxford" will set you back about $70. Look for used copies online to save money if you don't have the clams. Either way, get this book and almost any wine question you have will be answered.
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
July 24, 2008
July 22, 2008
Beauty
A former mentor of mine is Terry Theise. He works with an importer called Michael Skurnik Wines in NY, and in my humble opinion, is one of the worlds great experts on the subject of wine. No one has done more to popularize small production wine from Germany, Austria, and Champagne than Mr. Theise, and not many write so creatively about wine in general. To learn more about Terry Theise and Michael Skurnik Wines, please click the following link for skurnikwines.com.
Terry releases a catalog each year for the afore mentioned regions with oooooodles of information about the vintage and every producer in his portfolio. Below is the "Theise Manifesto," which appears at the beginning of each catalog. Enjoy!
"Beauty is more important than impact.
Harmony is more important than intensity.
The whole of any wine must always be more than the sum of its parts.
Distinctiveness is more important than conventional prettiness.
Soul is more important than anything, and soul is expressed as a trinity of family, soil and artisanality.
Lots of wines, many of them good wines, let you taste the noise. But only the best let you taste the silence."
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
Terry releases a catalog each year for the afore mentioned regions with oooooodles of information about the vintage and every producer in his portfolio. Below is the "Theise Manifesto," which appears at the beginning of each catalog. Enjoy!
"Beauty is more important than impact.
Harmony is more important than intensity.
The whole of any wine must always be more than the sum of its parts.
Distinctiveness is more important than conventional prettiness.
Soul is more important than anything, and soul is expressed as a trinity of family, soil and artisanality.
Lots of wines, many of them good wines, let you taste the noise. But only the best let you taste the silence."
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
July 20, 2008
The Wonder of Riesling
The most flexible and diverse of all white varietals, rielsing is also the great divider among wine drinkers. Those who love this noble grape will tell you that much like Champagne, riesling pairs well with nearly any meal (or any rielsing). Others simply refer to riesling as "too sweet" and pass by on their way to chardonnay and sauvignon blanc. The wonderful truth is that there exists a riesling to satisfy EVERYONE if just a little bit of knowledge is applied. Once one understands a few simple tips about riesling, a whole new world of well priced, outstanding wines will offer their magic to you.
Most great riesling is produced in three places; Germany, Austria, and Alsace, France. The quality of riesling in places like Australia, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Italy is constantly improving, but alcohol is generally higher and its beautifully delicate nature is sometimes lost. Below is your handy guide to finding the perfect riesling for your taste, and hopefully, some motivation to drink outside the box.
GERMANY:
The original source, and certainly the nation that produces the greatest variety of riesling. Many wines are capable of aging for decades (yes, riesling cellars very well) due to a balance of sugar and acid found nowhere else. Expect low alcohol levels from Germany, mostly ranging from 7.5-10%. That means that one can enjoy a full bottle of 8% German riesling with equivilant alcohol to a half bottle of a typical California zinfandel or syrah. German riesling is labeled by ripeness level, so guessing as to the sweetness of your local selection is unnecessary. What's more, the following distinctions can be applied to many other white wines from Germany.
- Riesling Kabinett: Typically medium dry and of high quality. Kabinett level is commonly found at any decent wine shop and won't break your bank.
- Riesling Spatlese: Riper and sweeter yet, but most have enough acidity to create balance. The body and fullness of the wine typically increases at this level as well.
- Riesling Auslese: Higher sugar concentration and greater weight. Auslese is consumed by some as dessert wine, but is suitable as table wine for those who don't mind (or love) the sweet!
- Riesling Beerenauslese: Late harvest juice that's almost always considered dessert/after dinner wine. Sugar is way up, and so is the price tag. Half bottles are the norm at this level and above, and you should expect to pay $30+ for a good one at retail. Many are well over $100.
- Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese: It's a mouthful to say and even better to drink. Typically massive and outstanding wines with the cost to match. Not widely available, but VERY good for aging.
- Riesling Eiswein (Icewine): Rotten, frozen grapes........and I'm sure you'll agree, one of the best sensations to touch ones palate in a lifetime. Rare and expensive, Eiswein is the sweetest of all.
Caveats: German riesling also offers two qualifiers to further affect your choice. Bottles are sometimes marked Trocken (dry) or Halb-Trocken (half dry). Therefore, most Riesling Spatlese Trocken will be MUCH drier than most Riesling Kabinett. If you spot a Riesling Kabinett Trocken, oh baby, that's bone dry riesling from Germany. Beginners, try the under $20 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett from the "Mosel-Saar-Ruwer" region (also available as Riesling Halbtrocken).
AUSTRIA:
If you like dry, you're going to like Austrian riesling. I'd call this riesling for the sauvignon blanc/pinot grigio drinker. Steely, rich, and powerful riesling is made with mid-range prices tags. Bottles are easy to spot as nearly all display a red circle with a white stripe over the cork. A sure bet for any first timer is Nigl "Kremser Freiheit" riesling, priced at 20 bucks or less at retail. Austrian wine in general is not widely available at retailers or restaurants in a smaller city or rural area, but that's why Al Gore invented the internets, right?
ALSACE:
Riesling for the chardonnay drinker, Alsatian riesling is generally rounder and softer than German or Austrian. Lower acid levels and a longer growing season make these wines more approachable for the newbie, and hey, who doesn't like soft melons?..........in their wine. If you have the 50 bucks, try Mure "Clos St. Landelin" Riesling. This one got me interested in Alsatian wine and I'll bet it does the same for you.
* Please click the title of this post for further information on this majestic grape variety *
So put down that big Cali chardonnay and try riesling again. Now that you're equipped with some knowledge, you can find the perfect rielsing just for you.
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
p.s. - Although it can be difficult to find, several producers of still German riesling also make sparkling wine called "sekt." Quite inexpensive when compared to Champagne, sekt is one of my favorites for summer drinking. Expect most to be dry, packed with stone fruit and focused acidity.........also, expect to go directly back to the store for more. Recommending a producer would be folly as you likely won't find a specific label with any regularity. When you find a sekt at a decent wine shop, buy it and enjoy all by itself on a sunny summer day. Wonderful juice kids, just wonderful.
Most great riesling is produced in three places; Germany, Austria, and Alsace, France. The quality of riesling in places like Australia, Oregon, Washington, New York, and Italy is constantly improving, but alcohol is generally higher and its beautifully delicate nature is sometimes lost. Below is your handy guide to finding the perfect riesling for your taste, and hopefully, some motivation to drink outside the box.
GERMANY:
The original source, and certainly the nation that produces the greatest variety of riesling. Many wines are capable of aging for decades (yes, riesling cellars very well) due to a balance of sugar and acid found nowhere else. Expect low alcohol levels from Germany, mostly ranging from 7.5-10%. That means that one can enjoy a full bottle of 8% German riesling with equivilant alcohol to a half bottle of a typical California zinfandel or syrah. German riesling is labeled by ripeness level, so guessing as to the sweetness of your local selection is unnecessary. What's more, the following distinctions can be applied to many other white wines from Germany.
- Riesling Kabinett: Typically medium dry and of high quality. Kabinett level is commonly found at any decent wine shop and won't break your bank.
- Riesling Spatlese: Riper and sweeter yet, but most have enough acidity to create balance. The body and fullness of the wine typically increases at this level as well.
- Riesling Auslese: Higher sugar concentration and greater weight. Auslese is consumed by some as dessert wine, but is suitable as table wine for those who don't mind (or love) the sweet!
- Riesling Beerenauslese: Late harvest juice that's almost always considered dessert/after dinner wine. Sugar is way up, and so is the price tag. Half bottles are the norm at this level and above, and you should expect to pay $30+ for a good one at retail. Many are well over $100.
- Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese: It's a mouthful to say and even better to drink. Typically massive and outstanding wines with the cost to match. Not widely available, but VERY good for aging.
- Riesling Eiswein (Icewine): Rotten, frozen grapes........and I'm sure you'll agree, one of the best sensations to touch ones palate in a lifetime. Rare and expensive, Eiswein is the sweetest of all.
Caveats: German riesling also offers two qualifiers to further affect your choice. Bottles are sometimes marked Trocken (dry) or Halb-Trocken (half dry). Therefore, most Riesling Spatlese Trocken will be MUCH drier than most Riesling Kabinett. If you spot a Riesling Kabinett Trocken, oh baby, that's bone dry riesling from Germany. Beginners, try the under $20 Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett from the "Mosel-Saar-Ruwer" region (also available as Riesling Halbtrocken).
AUSTRIA:
If you like dry, you're going to like Austrian riesling. I'd call this riesling for the sauvignon blanc/pinot grigio drinker. Steely, rich, and powerful riesling is made with mid-range prices tags. Bottles are easy to spot as nearly all display a red circle with a white stripe over the cork. A sure bet for any first timer is Nigl "Kremser Freiheit" riesling, priced at 20 bucks or less at retail. Austrian wine in general is not widely available at retailers or restaurants in a smaller city or rural area, but that's why Al Gore invented the internets, right?
ALSACE:
Riesling for the chardonnay drinker, Alsatian riesling is generally rounder and softer than German or Austrian. Lower acid levels and a longer growing season make these wines more approachable for the newbie, and hey, who doesn't like soft melons?..........in their wine. If you have the 50 bucks, try Mure "Clos St. Landelin" Riesling. This one got me interested in Alsatian wine and I'll bet it does the same for you.
* Please click the title of this post for further information on this majestic grape variety *
So put down that big Cali chardonnay and try riesling again. Now that you're equipped with some knowledge, you can find the perfect rielsing just for you.
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
p.s. - Although it can be difficult to find, several producers of still German riesling also make sparkling wine called "sekt." Quite inexpensive when compared to Champagne, sekt is one of my favorites for summer drinking. Expect most to be dry, packed with stone fruit and focused acidity.........also, expect to go directly back to the store for more. Recommending a producer would be folly as you likely won't find a specific label with any regularity. When you find a sekt at a decent wine shop, buy it and enjoy all by itself on a sunny summer day. Wonderful juice kids, just wonderful.
July 18, 2008
Summertime Slurpers
Summer is fully upon us and crisp, refreshing white wines are on the menu today. Below you'll find a few suggestions for hot weather drinking. These bottlings are widely available at retail and won't set you back more than 10-25 bucks.
- Berger Gruner Veltliner ($11-14 / one litre bottle)
Gruner Veltliner is an Austrian varietal that's typically dry and crisp, and pairs well with just about any green vegetable, as well as chicken and pork. It's also great all by itself and generally has a lower alcohol content than chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot gris. This bottling from Berger has long been a tremendous value, especially since it's 25% larger than the standard 750ml.
- Verget "Saint-Veran" & "Vire-Clesse" ($18-25 / 750ml)
100% chardonnay direct from the original source, Burgundy, France. Jean-Marie Guffens is the very eccentric winemaker for this brand and has been making racey, focused wine from leased vineyards all over central France. Fin fish with medium fattiness, shellfish, veggie salads, dry cheese, and poultry do well with this wine.
- Copain "l'ete" Viognier ($15-20 / 750ml)
This producer bottles a series called "Saison des Vins" or "Seasonal Wine" of which the "l'ete" viognier is a part. The varietals are often not the same from year to year within each season, but the wines are wonderful and well priced. Expect lots of very ripe fruit and decent acidity to pair with ............. fresh fruit of course! Personally, I like drinking Copain wines with no food at all, they're that good. Be aware that Copain's non-seasonal bottlings are much more expensive, but if you can afford the goods you should give 'em a shot. The vineyard designated syrah offerings are magnificent! Also, Copain's seasonal bottlings DO NOT list Copain as the producer on the front label, but rather the French word for the particular season on a small, rectangular, cream colored label.
- Baumard "Cremant de Loire" ($15-20 / 750ml)
Sparkling wine from Loire, France is a must have for summer sipping. Nobody does it better than Baumard, a producer known more for high scoring, high priced late harvest chenin blanc. Choose from two very different bottlings: "Carte Corail," a pale rose made entirely from cabernet franc, or my favorite "Carte Turquoise," a generous load of fruit and acidity made from 100% chenin blanc. These are pure and balanced wines that don't need any food to enjoy. If you prefer some treats to accompany, keep it simple with strawberries, light cheese and bread, and even sweets such as custard and sorbet.
Get out there and shop lil winos. You absolutely can't miss with any of these wines. You will love them and friends will be most impressed by your exquisite taste. Happy summer ya'll!
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
- Berger Gruner Veltliner ($11-14 / one litre bottle)
Gruner Veltliner is an Austrian varietal that's typically dry and crisp, and pairs well with just about any green vegetable, as well as chicken and pork. It's also great all by itself and generally has a lower alcohol content than chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or pinot gris. This bottling from Berger has long been a tremendous value, especially since it's 25% larger than the standard 750ml.
- Verget "Saint-Veran" & "Vire-Clesse" ($18-25 / 750ml)
100% chardonnay direct from the original source, Burgundy, France. Jean-Marie Guffens is the very eccentric winemaker for this brand and has been making racey, focused wine from leased vineyards all over central France. Fin fish with medium fattiness, shellfish, veggie salads, dry cheese, and poultry do well with this wine.
- Copain "l'ete" Viognier ($15-20 / 750ml)
This producer bottles a series called "Saison des Vins" or "Seasonal Wine" of which the "l'ete" viognier is a part. The varietals are often not the same from year to year within each season, but the wines are wonderful and well priced. Expect lots of very ripe fruit and decent acidity to pair with ............. fresh fruit of course! Personally, I like drinking Copain wines with no food at all, they're that good. Be aware that Copain's non-seasonal bottlings are much more expensive, but if you can afford the goods you should give 'em a shot. The vineyard designated syrah offerings are magnificent! Also, Copain's seasonal bottlings DO NOT list Copain as the producer on the front label, but rather the French word for the particular season on a small, rectangular, cream colored label.
- Baumard "Cremant de Loire" ($15-20 / 750ml)
Sparkling wine from Loire, France is a must have for summer sipping. Nobody does it better than Baumard, a producer known more for high scoring, high priced late harvest chenin blanc. Choose from two very different bottlings: "Carte Corail," a pale rose made entirely from cabernet franc, or my favorite "Carte Turquoise," a generous load of fruit and acidity made from 100% chenin blanc. These are pure and balanced wines that don't need any food to enjoy. If you prefer some treats to accompany, keep it simple with strawberries, light cheese and bread, and even sweets such as custard and sorbet.
Get out there and shop lil winos. You absolutely can't miss with any of these wines. You will love them and friends will be most impressed by your exquisite taste. Happy summer ya'll!
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
July 17, 2008
Seeeeeeecrets
Little known amongst wine consumers is that alcohol labeling on bottles is rarely correct. For instance, a bottle marked as 14.2% alcohol may actually contain as much as 15.7% hooch! That's a mighty big difference when selecting the perfect wine for dinner. The reason you ask........taxes! Producers pay tax rates on their wine production based upon alcohol content. This includes ALL wine sold in the United States, imported and domestic. Because wine production is an agricultural business with yearly fluctuations in ripeness and consequent alcohol levels, the gubment allows producers some wiggle room for their labels. It breaks down like this:
- Labels marked up to 14.099999% alcohol (which would appear as 14.0%) allows producers .5% leeway. That means that a bottle marked 13.8% can be as low as 13.3% and as high as 14.099999.
- Labels marked at 14.1% and above allows producers 1.5% flexibility. Therefore, a bottle displaying 14.5% can be as high as 16.0% and as low as 13.6% (once the actual alcohol level drops below 14.1%, the afore mentioned rule for wines below 14.1% applies).
This flexibilty affords producers the option of printing labels for multiple vintages at once. If a winery has a ten year history of ripeness levels that always produce wines between 14.3% and 14.9%, they can print the next three or four years of labels ahead of time and at a great discount. Take note of your favorite bottlings from year to year as some producers display the same alcohol content on every label in every vintage.
It should be noted that these tax laws apply to the vast majority of table wine consumed around the world. Laws for very low alcohol wine, beer, and brandy fortified wine such as Port are different, but operate within a similar structure.
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
p.s. - One of my favorite producers in Oregon, Adelsheim, actually ships their wine to California to be "de-alcoholized." The term is misleading as most of the alcohol remains afterward, but a wine considered to be a little "hot" can have a couple tenths of a percentage shaved off to create better balance. If you haven't tried the wines from Adelsheim, I highly recommend you do so and see for yourself what this handy little trick can accomplish.
- Labels marked up to 14.099999% alcohol (which would appear as 14.0%) allows producers .5% leeway. That means that a bottle marked 13.8% can be as low as 13.3% and as high as 14.099999.
- Labels marked at 14.1% and above allows producers 1.5% flexibility. Therefore, a bottle displaying 14.5% can be as high as 16.0% and as low as 13.6% (once the actual alcohol level drops below 14.1%, the afore mentioned rule for wines below 14.1% applies).
This flexibilty affords producers the option of printing labels for multiple vintages at once. If a winery has a ten year history of ripeness levels that always produce wines between 14.3% and 14.9%, they can print the next three or four years of labels ahead of time and at a great discount. Take note of your favorite bottlings from year to year as some producers display the same alcohol content on every label in every vintage.
It should be noted that these tax laws apply to the vast majority of table wine consumed around the world. Laws for very low alcohol wine, beer, and brandy fortified wine such as Port are different, but operate within a similar structure.
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
p.s. - One of my favorite producers in Oregon, Adelsheim, actually ships their wine to California to be "de-alcoholized." The term is misleading as most of the alcohol remains afterward, but a wine considered to be a little "hot" can have a couple tenths of a percentage shaved off to create better balance. If you haven't tried the wines from Adelsheim, I highly recommend you do so and see for yourself what this handy little trick can accomplish.
July 16, 2008
Welcome Wine Lovah'
Today I bring you the first post for a brand new blog dedicated to wine information. Now and in the future you can expect tasting notes, tips, tricks, and secrets. Hopefully, lots of fun conversation will occur amongst myself and the readers of this blog, and a community of wine lovers of all levels can enjoy discussing one of our favorite topics.
Today's Wine Tip:
Embrace screw caps and support producers who use them. An estimated 6-10% of all natural cork bottlings are infected with a bacteria called TCA (trichloroanisole). You may hear others refer to these bottles as "corked." It doesn't mean the bottles are open, but rather that they're "infected." Much of the infection is caused by chemical combinations used to clean winery cellars, unsanitary cellar practices at wineries, and cross contamination from a few tainted corks being washed in giant tubs with "clean" corks. The result of the tainted corks interacting with wine is a rather unpleasant scent and taste of mold and dirty-wet dog at it's strongest, and produce a rather lackluster wine with very little "pop" at lower levels. While TCA can still occur with screw caps, it's found in less than 1% of bottles. A pretty sweet shift for drinkers who won't be finding themselves opening special bottles with friends only to find them stinking of Rover and a moldy stack of newspapers in grandma's basement.
If you are unlucky enough to pop one of these funky monsters, take it back to the retailer ASAP so they can tell for themselves that it's a bad bottle. If they won't return your money, find a new wine peddler. Retailers and restaurants get their money back from the distributor who in turn recover the cost from producers and importers.
* To read more about cork taint, please click the title of this post for a link to a wikipedia article. *
Remember to tell your wine lovin' friends about this blog. It's open to everyone and I hope they all stop by. The direct URL is http://www.winoinfo.blogspot.com/ - Pretty easy hey? Good, now get 'er done!
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
Today's Wine Tip:
Embrace screw caps and support producers who use them. An estimated 6-10% of all natural cork bottlings are infected with a bacteria called TCA (trichloroanisole). You may hear others refer to these bottles as "corked." It doesn't mean the bottles are open, but rather that they're "infected." Much of the infection is caused by chemical combinations used to clean winery cellars, unsanitary cellar practices at wineries, and cross contamination from a few tainted corks being washed in giant tubs with "clean" corks. The result of the tainted corks interacting with wine is a rather unpleasant scent and taste of mold and dirty-wet dog at it's strongest, and produce a rather lackluster wine with very little "pop" at lower levels. While TCA can still occur with screw caps, it's found in less than 1% of bottles. A pretty sweet shift for drinkers who won't be finding themselves opening special bottles with friends only to find them stinking of Rover and a moldy stack of newspapers in grandma's basement.
If you are unlucky enough to pop one of these funky monsters, take it back to the retailer ASAP so they can tell for themselves that it's a bad bottle. If they won't return your money, find a new wine peddler. Retailers and restaurants get their money back from the distributor who in turn recover the cost from producers and importers.
* To read more about cork taint, please click the title of this post for a link to a wikipedia article. *
Remember to tell your wine lovin' friends about this blog. It's open to everyone and I hope they all stop by. The direct URL is http://www.winoinfo.blogspot.com/ - Pretty easy hey? Good, now get 'er done!
Salud!
Evan. portlandwino.
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