A trilogy of Blended Pleasures

Why are Americans so afraid of blends? Our nation serves as a shining example of the power of the melting pot, gaining strength from our diversity. You'd think that we would be crazy for wines that expertly blend a number of varietals. We're not. Certainly in the cheap wine stratum, people accept that they'll be getting blended plonk for their pennies. At the other end of the spectrum, giant proprietary blends, especially from Italy and Australia (and Cali) are the most sought after reds. It's in the middle, where real, everyday wine drinkers purchase wines that blends are anathema. In my decade-plus experience selling wine, I've found general reluctance on the part of wine buyers when it comes to blends. White blends can tend towards the loony/loopy (see"Battle of the 'Poor Man's Conundrum'"10/08/08) putting too much in your mouth. Red blends, at least the well-made, well-balanced ones, tend to be synergistic affairs, with the wine's strength equalling more than a sum of its parts. All Bordeaux wines are blends, most Super Tuscans. In reality, Cali "single varietal" wines usually don't contain more than 75% of the stated varietal. One that recently hit my Tastemaker Radarscreen is the 2005 Flora Springs Trilogy, composed of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc, in true meritage style. This edition of this world-class master-blaster of power and grace marks Flora Springs 30th anniversary of fine winemaking. Exhibiting cassis and dark cherry on the nose, the palate is pleasured with black cherry, cocoa, coffee & toffee. A stunning red to be cellared and enjoyed over the coming decade. This Rutherford/Napa gem is a blend that Americans can proudly consume, proud of the diversity that abounds here in the Good Old U.S. of A. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate agrees, giving this vintage 93 points. Also, a little bird (parakeet, actually) just informed me that the 2005 Trilogy can be found hereabouts at a deep discount. Look upon it as a safe investment, if you will. Serve this wine with cuts from the recently slaughtered Bull Market.
Cheers, Buckley Wineholt

Sustainability

I'm no farmer. Most wine drinkers aren't. Most of us don't know much about the various agricultural practices employed by wineries. Increasingly, many of us are rightfully concerned about the actual impact of how what we consume is produced. We are increasingly concerned about the deleterious affects that corporate agricultural practices have had on the land in the past 50 years. I don't presume to know much about the "healthiest" agricultural practices that a winery can employ, but I'm learning. As we concerned wine consumers are all learning about the correct, intelligent, healthy ways that grapes can be grown and wine can be made. You'll be reading a great deal here, and elsewhere, about organic, sustainable and biodynamic growing practices that wineries chose to employ. To me, the over-arching concern must be sustainability, in a larger sense. It is important to consider both the environmental and the economic sustainability quotients. If the land is farmed using the smartest, healthiest methods, and good (or great) wine is produced as a result of this, and the wine is marketed effectively, then economic sustainability should follow. Sure, there's weather, labor issues and a million other " Murphy's Law" factors to consider. I'm no farmer, nor am I an economist. I'm just another wino with righteous concerns. The wineries that address these concerns have a better chance of surviving than those that don't. They're unsustainable.

Cheers, Buckley Wineholt

Battle the "Poor Man's Conundrum"

Most fans of domestic white blends are familiar with Caymus' second label Conundrum, a unique propietary blend of chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, muscat, semillon and viognier. Wildly complex and vibrant with honeysuckle, peach/apricot nectar and floral-citrus notes, the precise blend changes with each vintage. Lovers of the wine hold "Conundrum Parties", with each guest attempting to guess the exact varietal composition. A lesser known, and lower-priced option is the Chenin Blanc-Viognier from Pine Ridge. Somewhat more restrained, unlike it's crazy cousin Conundrum, featuring pear,lychee, melon and grapefruit notes. While both wines do have a citrus component, the muscat in the Conundrum can really make the train fly uncontrollably off of the tracks. It's just too much. Surprisingly, both wines come from producers of high-dollar, powerhouse Rutherford/Napa reds (Conundrum did just open it's own facility in Monterey County in 2007 to be closer to its Central Coast-sourced fruit). These whites sell for nearly a quarter of their big red brothers. My understanding is that they are something of a "loss leader" for both wineries, in order to introduce the brands to customers. Hence their prevalence on restaurant menus. Another crazy cousin white not to be missed, if you like this sort of thing, is the Evolution (formerly Evolution#9) from Sokol-Blosser in Dundee Hills/Willamette Valley. I'll spare you the gory 9(!!!)-varietal details, but this wine takes the cake for crazy complexity & "Where'd I leave my hat?"-taste-profile insanity. Look for intensely perfumed honeyed-floral aromas, a delicately spiced herbaceous character with melon, peach, green apple and grapefruit on the palate.Oh, and nutmeg (gewurtraminer, you so crazy). Honestly, though I've joyously quaffed Evolution numerous times (once while strolling the very vines from which the wine springs), I culled the preceding description from the website's flavor descriptors for the nine varietals that compose the wine. Did that just to show you how loopy these folks are. I DARE you to pair these wacky whites with your wildest culinary creations. Great "ice-breaker"/hostess gift wines. All three, real head-turners. - Buckley Wineholt

Land of the Giant Wine

Legend has it that shiraz originally came from ancient Persia. Sadly, present-day Iran has outlawed the production of wine. So regardless of its true origins, the much heralded grape has no home there. My first experiences with wines made from the syrah/shiraz grape were rather infamous. Nasty, tight, low-end Croze Hermitage, from France's Northern Cotes Du Rhone do not do the grape justice. In the late-90's, I sumbled upon Australia's Giant Shiraz. D'arenberg. Henry's Drive. Jim Barry. The list is seemingly endless. Spicy, robust, long-lived and full-bodied, these not-so-gentle-giants will change the way that you think about wine. Not for the faint of heart, these masculine wines pair favorably with rich, spicy lamb and game dishes. All peppery meat dishes fare well alongside these monsters, with berry-fruited +/or mint-scented sides. Keep your eyes peeled for deals on two giant shiraz, Barossa Valley's Hazyblur and Killibinbin from Langhorne Creek. These 90+ rated wines would be a worthy addition to any cellar.
Cheers, Buckley Wineholt

1977 Graham's Vintage Port Millenium

Last August, I received the gift from a friend who mistakenly thought I was born in 1977. Of course, I didn't say anything because the gift was really outstanding.... 2 magnums of 1977 Graham's Vintage Port in pristine condition. I thought about putting them into my collection but hey, temptation got the best of me. I have an affinity to colheitas however after reading about 1977, I must say this person did well indeed in terms of gift giving. In no way do I expect gifts as it sometimes makes me feel uncomfortable but..... The 1977 Graham's is outstanding. Its still a bit young, but definitely complex, jammy, with a floral bouquet on the nose which really surprised me. On the palate its got structure and definitely displays hints of ripe plum, dark berries, anise, and some earth tones that really made this port finish well, however I think it could use a couple more years of cellaring so I vacuumed it up and put it back into safe keeping. Its really unlike any other port I've had with the exception of the 2003 Taylor Fladgate which I do not intend to open for another 20 years. If its on the shelf, and you have some extra bones in the pocket, snag it quickly!

2005 Robert Craig Mount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon

Some tasting notes on Robert Craig's 05 that has yet to be released... A focused nose of deep blackberry and cassis, laced with white chocolate, a touch of anise, smoky cedar and tobacco. Flavors: Mouthfilling mountain fruit and cassis predominate, underlain with mocha, bay leaf and licorice. Finish: The full palette of Mt Veeder flavors carries through on a long finish, bringing forth more dark fruit, supple tannins and notes of tobacco and vanilla. General: A powerful, balanced and complex wine with well-integrated, ripe tannins. Decanting recommended. It will hopefully be released early next year. (yes the pic has the wrong vintage)... Wines.com Tasting Team

2006 Groom Barossa Valley Shiraz - Magnificent!

David Groom is the former wine maker from Pensfold Grange, Australia's darling vintage that is highly sought after. David Groom has been involved in some very high end wine consulting, wine making gigs, including one that is currently underway in San Francisco. From what I understand he's taking the old Presidio property and converting it into the Foggy Bridge winery, which will no doubt be a success. Today we received a sample of the 2006 Groom Barossa Valley Shiraz from his property in Barossa Valley, Australia. This wine is hands down the best Australian Shiraz I have sampled in 8 years. Its got great texture with silky tannins that will no doubt dissipate with some cellaring. It has nice fruit (the right amount of fruit forward) and hints of anise, peppers, blackberries and most important a dash of vanilla. I believe that David Groom has the ability to transform grapes into art. Recommended for anyone looking to make an impression at a rack of lamb or osso bucco dinner. Recommended buy on this one as it will improve substantially with about 5 years in the cellar.

2004 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto

Yesterday we sampled the 2004 Tenuta San Guido Guidalberto. The Guidalberto is the sister wine to Sassacaia, the mother of all Super Tuscan wines. Guidalberto is a blend of 45% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Sangiovese. Like its big sister, Guidalberto is produced from hand selected grapes, meticulously sorted and blended together to produce this immediately drinkable masterpiece. Most Super Tuscans are just like my good Italian friends, a little sparky upon immediate introduction, but passionate and a pleasure to be around. This wine is unusual because unlike others, this wine opens up with soft tannins, an outstanding bouquet, and a very clean and lasting finish. Basically most Super Tuscans that are young, need some aging, but this one is a cut above the rest. This is a great wine that will cellar well over the next 3-7 years and should be part of any collector's portfolio. The best news is that this is not out of reach like most Bordeaux classified growths, its available for about $65 per bottle at most locations. Enjoy with Friends!

Rosé Champagne ... A brief biography!

Someone asked me yesterday in a brief phone call about Rosé Champagne. Before we go into the production level discussion, its first important to state that all grapes are white on the inside, its the red skin that gives red wine it color. The skins in white wines or champagnes are removed so a Blancs de Noir is basically the white of the Pinot Noir grapes. Producers looking to make Rosé, include the skins of the grapes in the tanks or barrells for around 3-5 days, and then bleed the systems to flush out larger particles of skin or tannins, leaving a small amount of skin causing the wine to appear pinkish. Rosé Wines are produced with Rhone grapes like Syrah, Grenache and Carignan and develop well in hotter regions such as Provence, the Languedoc and Australia. In France, Rosé has now exceeded white wines in sales. In the United States many farmers who did well with the 2005 crop decided to increase the production of Rosé wines and champagnes instead of dumping crop. While historically its not my favorite, I recently attended a wine tasting by the Moet Hennessy. These guys produce the best champagnes in my opinion (my b-day is coming up...hint) and their portfolio includes the top three sellers: Veuve Clicquot ($50), Dom Perignon ($110) and Moet ($45). FYI, the best value in Rosé Champagne is produced by Moet. Its supple, perfectly dry with a hint of residual fruit sugars. Another fantastic champagne is the Moet Nectar Imperial.

Prosecco for the Party

Whenever I start a new job, I like to celebrate. Who doesn't ? When you walk in on the first day, your emotions are a turbulent mix of fearlessness and trepidation. You honestly don't know what to fear, if anything. But oh, that night, the libations they do flow. My choice of celebratory libation, you ask ? Prosecco. Hailing from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, Prosecco is a crisp sparkling wine that lends itself well to wild celebration. Soft, slightly off-dry and perfect for frothing-at the-mouth, I just think that Prosecco is perfect to liven up the party. Sure, big fat French Champagnes scream, " Congratulations ! " when you pop the cork. Prosecco is a little more on the down-low, softly, yet confidently whispering," Enjoy, but don't get a big head, hubris isn't very becoming.". My ultimate Prosecco is Carpene Malvolti, but the more widely available Bisol is a great second choice. The drier the better.

Cheers, Buckley Wineholt, Wines.com