Grape Thinking » review

2007 Mosel Riesling – Qualitatswein

Ruarri — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 21:41:49 +0000

Seems to have more alcohol than their Riesling-Kabinet

Clear, clean, light pale-straw

Nose: candy, sherbert, fresh, lime-minerality, tinned-peaches, honey

A lot fuller – more dimension to it, broader on the entry, much fuller mouth feel, more bracing finish… would stand up to food a lot better than the Riesling-Kabinet. A bit more graceful – certainly not as lively but certainly better rounded.

Serve with: shell-fish (scallops pan-seared in chilli-infused olive oil)

or – with Thai-green curries/ Chicken Korma with pineapple and coconut

2007 Mosel Riesling-Kabinett

Ruarri — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 00:29:08 +0000

Seemed to have a higher acidity

Clear, clean, light pale-straw

Nose: Apple sour-patch-kids, fresh green melon, sea-breeze, cheeky, clean

Muscata on the entrance; immediately makes the mouth water; enough sugar to keep you bouncing off the walls, fizzes with sweetness, pumps vitality. Rocketing sugar cut with a high acidity – making for a high-wire act that still pulls off a fine balance between two extremes.

Pleasant and clean finish, lingering tingle on the tongue,

Balanced – could make a crazy spritzer… or even used in cocktail instead of sour-mix… would work well in a punch as well (perhaps two-shots Van Gogh Appel Vodka, one part Riesling, one part soda water, a twist of lime, a dash of bitters and ice.)

Passion on the Vine – a review

Ruarri — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:00:41 +0000

When one looks at a vineyard – you’re not looking at it in the same way as you would look at an orange orchard. Instead one sees a multitude of experiences past and of moments yet to come – moments of intimacy, memorable occasions, conversations and treasured friendships. Since time immemorial, vineyards have not only been the touchstone of certain regions, but have often been the lifeblood of local communities and the cornerstone of entire generations of families. Every vineyard contains a family, a history, a culture and a purpose. This was at least, the sentiment I had before embarking on a mission to New York City, where I would promote and sell wine’s connected to my family in some ways, and more importantly – wine from my country. During that time – having spent much time in preparation for the mission, I left with those stories and sentiments of culture and family fresh in my blood. But with every sales-call and wine event I began to feel further and further from the vineyard. Soon it was about laid in cost, case-discounts and what kind of Point of Sale material was on offer. I travelled the country in a rental car with a case of wine, a corskrew and a power-point presentation along the way having people from Westchester Wine Warehouse cruelly spit wine on my shoe after having left me waiting for an hour, sitting in cold-rooms of cellars in Maryland, helping do stock-takes in Ohio, presenting to Wholefoods buyers in North Carolina and pushing on-premise retail in Atlanta: and with every step I became a bit more confused and lost the focus of what I was doing. Having believed that wine was so important to my country and stepping into the States to tell the story of South African wine, it was very dispiriting to suddenly be faced with the fact that no one really cared so long as they could make a profit.

Step in Sergio Esposito‘s Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine and Family in the Heart of Italy – which from the first page pulls one directly into the rental car of he and his brother Sal at the end of an epic 60 winery tour of Italy. Sergio, an Italian born New York wine retailer has embarked on a wine-buying tour of Italy with his brother who got him into the business in the fist place – and within the first pages of reading you are situated within a remarkable life, which I was utterly compelled by because suddenly the retailer I had been up against was given a face. I completely sympathise with the opening sentiments of having a job that on the surface sounds glamorous but in reality can be very gritty – however one quickly learns that Esposito has been doing this for 3 months every year for nearly 2 decades. From my part I was around the East Coast, Mid West and West Coast pushing wine to restaurants retailers and country-clubs tasting wine from 8:30 in the morning to 1am sometimes 6 days a week – and within two years I have more stories than I care to remember. For Sergio and his brother they’re diligently working through 10 wineries a day tasting through varietals and enduring long-drives in hot weather – often what sounds glamorous, and would seem like the setting for a series of Sideways style misadventures through a foreign country ends up being a lot more like work than anyone else could ever imagine. One has to take their hat off to such dedication even though amidst the work it is interspersed with tales of seductive winemakers daughters, raucous Italian weddings and personalities you’re unlikely to forget.

Passion on the Vine is an insight into a life less ordinary from one of the world’s leading wine consultants who can be found on the pages of the Wall Street Journal to the Times to the Wine Spectator itself. Esposito brings the innate raconteur nature of Italian New Yorkers, combined with a mellifluous writing style into a memoir that goes to the heart of what it means to be an epicurean. He illustrates so perfectly how passion, love and romance can go a long way to carrying someone throughout life. Ultimately this is a romance between one man and an entire region which will make you fall in love with Italy; and paints the picture of a dying breed – wine-men who actually love wine, men who excel in their jobs for more than money and people who add value not only to their families but pay their dues to those who have helped them over the years. Esposito’s is a poignant picture of optimism and love in a marketplace that is primarily having the life squeezed out of it by soulless critters.

Esposito re-introduced me to a feeling I nearly lost, and in his words I remembered a part of myself. When one is up against Little Penguin – it’s difficult to find the actual stories and vines and passion in a fuzzy cartoon character. There is no doubt that much of Western Philosophy was built on the back of wine-fueled sentiments; and from the foundation of Western culture there is no doubt that Italians built New York and have made the culture (together with the Irish) what it is today. Esposito, in a tale filled with adventure, comedy and energy has staked his claim to not only being a philosopher, a wine lover and a great New Yorker – but being an advocate and an inspiration to future wine millenials, showing that there’s no real substitute for loving what you do.

Cheerz.

Special thanks to Dianna Tingg from Italian Wine Merchants who has reached out to so many of us on the wine blogosphere, and has shared this wonderful book with us. It is a priveledge to have been given the opportunity to review such a great book.

Wine Proof Pants

Ruarri — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:30:07 +0000

On a recent trip to the Benicassim Festival in Spain, I purchased a pair of quick-dry camping pants from Titanium for the trip. Walking to outside the festival grounds and sitting on our back-packs whilst waiting for the campsite to open, we took the opportunity to crack a bottle of Rioja we’d got on RENFE (a quick note on RENFE – if you’re on the site and can’t select English you need to select the drop-down labelled Seleccione su Idioma to make it so, which means you have to speak Spanish to get the site into English, go figure!)

Red Wine is a perfect libation for festivals – primarily because it doesn’t need to be kept cold; it doesn’t lose its fizz and if you’re drinking wine locally produced its dirt cheap and super-good. Within minutes of popping the cork however I’d managed to spill the Rioja on my new pants and was questioning the merits of wine in a situation where a shower is hard to find… when suddenly, with a splash of from my water bottle – the wine was gone. Brilliant! Wine proof pants – what more could a young millennial wine-lover at a music festival wish for? I reckon marketing the pants specifically as wine-proof and selling it at Bonnaroo could be a good gig.

Festivals have become huge in the UK – and I guess the States is now picking up. Winemakers have a huge opportunity to sponsor music festivals – because the combination of music, nature, art and alcohol are what festivals are all about. Festivals have re-invented themselves since the days of Woodstock and are a perfect platform for not only entertaining people, but many organisations use them to spread awareness and raise money.

The Green Man Festival coming up next week is one of the most prominent indie festivals – where, much like the Big Chill – and both less commercially than Glastonbury, it promotes organic food, green living, sustainability etc. There’s a huge oppotunity in this concept and I’d really like to see some of the Oregon wineries putting on some music festivals and promoting their wines together with bands from Washington State and around. Many vineyards have acres of land and there’s plenty scope to host festivals on the vineyard grounds themselves. Once millennials cotton onto the benefits of wine and the contribution of viticulturalists to the environment and to local communities – it’ll certainly be the final push needed.

Now that I’ve found a pair of wine-proof pants; and have finally sprung for a decent festival tent whilst having fallen in love with festivals on the first night of Benicassim in a monent of sitting with my wife and two close friends, Will and Anin, drinking Rioja as a pre-game at the campsite with Sigur Ros about to play… I think it’ll be hard to go back to taking normal holidays.

Hopefully next year the Grapethinking team can bring some of the fabulous Tastevine collection to Bonnaroo and some of the other festivals in the US, and one day to the UK – we’ll provide a tent, picnic blankets and a selection of some of the best and most affordable wines from around the world… we’ll leave the music to the musicians though. Don’t forget to bring wine-proof pants…

Duck Walk Vineyards

Meghan — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:25:26 +0000

The East end of Long Island is surrounded by an array of wine vineyards unknown to many. With open doors and no reservations necessary, these vineyards make it possible and accessible to sample and enjoy their love and hard work. The Hamptons have a reputation of being overpriced and I’ll agree on that for the most part, except when it comes to wine. Here is one way of coming out to the Hamptons and being able to indulge.

I recently visited Duck Walk Vineyards in Watermill. Compared with the 10 Euro a tour pricing in Champagne, four dollars to sample eight wines seemed more than reasonable. An additional two dollars a wine is also available for the wines from their Reserve list. What we sampled was nothing out of the ordinary but enjoyable at the same respect. Would I go and order a bottle of their wines in a restaurant? I’m leaning towards no on this one, but I would buy this wine to enjoy at home. The staff was friendly and gave space in between tastings in order for you to enjoy and actually taste the wine. I fully appreciated this; I didn’t feel rushed or as if I was taking up a spot.

The dessert wines that we tasted stood out the most for me. The favorite of the group would have to be the Blueberry Port, which was served with a piece of chocolate. We were instructed to take a sip of the wine then take a bite of the chocolate and then go back and take another sip. This pairing was absolutely delicious. There is a local chocolatier who uses this Blueberry Port in one of his chocolates, oddly enough named Blueberry Port. The other dessert wines were Aphrodite, a late harvest Gewurztraminer and Boysenberry Dessert Wine.

In terms of the Reserve list, they were sold out of their Ice Wine. Of course this saddened my heart a bit but I moved on to the Meritage, a new release, described as “A Bordeaux wine of enormous complexity. A hand crafted wine with an extremely long ageing potential.” My initial thought after tasting this wine was ‘Steak’. Now I’m not a huge steak person. Once in a while I’ll crave steak, but if I see it on the menu my mouth doesn’t water. This wine with its complex tannins, full body and long finish could definitely stand up to a nice piece of meat.

In terms of the other wines they produce, cheese is the way to go. This is especially true for the dessert wines. What cheese? It honestly doesn’t matter. If you’re cheese shy then go to your local market and choose three cheeses you’ve never sampled before and try them. Trust me, I wouldn’t steer you wrong. In general Duck Walk is appropriately priced, so why not try a bottle or two. Enjoy and as always, Wine Your Diet.

Wine: The art and science of wine

Pinot Grigio to Pinot Gris: Italy, France and Oregon

Tayloe — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:29:03 +0000

The summer months have come upon us and hopefully you, like I, have ventured into the realm of light white wines, namely Pinot Grigio or Pinot Gris (same grape, French style). In Italian Pinot Grigio is light and crisp notably different from the creamier minerality and fruitier nature of Pinot Gris in France and Oregon. Alsatian Pinot Gris has a heavier viscosity like that of a Riesling, as Alsace borders Germany and at one point was part of the German Republic. Last week I had the opportunity to drink Villa Dugo Pinot Grigio, O’Reilley Pinot Gris (a Oregon Pinot Gris done in the French style) and Cleebourg’s Alsatian Pinot Gris, all great yet different examples of this light white varietal.

Villa Dugo is Fiegl’s second label, their Pinot Grigio is indicative of this Italian varietal with a nose and palate that are light with hints of fruit yet crisp, leaving a refreshing finish on the back end. The farming company Fiegl, active primarily in the field of wine products, is located in Oslavia, a village on the gentle slopes north of Gorizia. This light and crisp Pinot Grigio would go well with fresh shellfish and lighter fare.

O’Reilly Pinot Gris is a classic Oregon Gris done in the French Style – plenty of limey aromas with rich guava-like flavors, heavier in fruit than the former Pinot Grigio. Hallmark acidity will preserve this white in your cellar for up to five years. The grapes were harvested from a few diverse sites in the Willamette Valley. This ripe and flavorful Pinot Gris is delicious with fresh shellfish and a variety of light fare.

Cleebourg Alsatian Pinot Gris resembles a more German style of wine making. Alsace is located in France on the Rhine River. The name “Alsace” derives from the Germanic Ell-sass, meaning “Seated on the Ill,” the Ill is a river in Alsace. First appearing in the area in the 1700s and probably the most complex of all the Alsatian wine varietals, this grape is particularly well adapted to the soils of the Cléebourg area. It has a golden hue with a higher viscosity than either of the previous Pinots, due to higher sugar content. This Pinot Gris grape produces a heady, full-bodied wine with a rich bouquet. It goes well with dark meats, foie gras and wild game.

10 Degrees South, Atl, Ga

Mu — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:08:02 +0000

This so far is my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Incredible representation of South African cuisine and atmosphere. Part of the restaurant is an outdoor awning with design style very close to a restaurant on the Cape Town coast. Very rustic and breezy. I had the Kingclip fish, indigenous to South Africa, and it was nothing short of amazing – I’ve got to rate it up there with salmon as one of my favorites. My gf had ostrich, which seems like a stretch, but it was equally as tasty. Very fresh concept with exotic food – Love it! The Ferraris usually parked out front don’t hurt either — *****, $$

Au revoir à Paris with a Cremant d’Alsace

Meghan — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:13:10 +0000

Well my time here in Paris is over and what better may to go than with sparkling wine, a Cremant d’Alsace. Cremant goes through the same process, as Champagne except there is one difference, location. In France and all of Europe for that matter, wine cannot be legally called Champagne unless it is in fact from Champagne. Sparkling wines from outside Champagne in France will usually go by Cremant. Of course there are going to be slight differences in taste due to the terrior. Sparkling wine is popped during times of celebration. This is the end of a great three months and the start of something new as I move to Long Island’s wine country.

I chose this wine because with the unofficial start of summer Alsace is perfect. The white wines here are well known with the Rieslings and Gewurztraminers, and their sparkling wines prosper as well. Another key point is these wines are not expensive at all. Alsace is respected but it doesn’t have the same prestige as Champagne, Burgundy, or Bordeaux. This is great for you. In the US a typical bottle will be between $12 to $20.

This wine is from Rene Muré, a Cremant d’Alsace. On the nose is a wave of fresh pears and peaches. Keeping with the farm stand pattern it’s granny smith apples that take over the palate. This wine is a Brut, so it’s going to be dry, but with a slight sweetness upfront. Overall it is fresh and bright.

Now if anyone was wondering, yes, Cremant does taste delicious with Cassis Liqueur or perhaps orange juice. Did someone say Mimosa? I could swear I heard someone say it. Well either way, this is a fantastic way to liven up Sunday brunch and to Wine Your Diet. It’s light, refreshing, an excellent source of calcium, and one way to stay cool in the hot sun. There is one problem with Mimosas though; they go down way to fast. Pace yourself, there is something called too much calcium.

From Pars I say au revoir, but soon I will be greeting you from New York in hopes of bringing back pride to Long Island wines. For now go grab any bottle of sparkling wine, it doesn’t even have to be from France, pop it, enjoy it, and as always don’t forget to Wine Your Diet.

2006 Collioure, Appellation Collioure Controle

Meghan — Tue, 27 May 2008 17:16:36 +0000

With my stay in Paris coming to an end I decided it was time to revisit old favorites. Relaxing in parks and gardens that took complete control of my senses, walking the streets that I fell in love with, going to that local cafe or creperie that made me feel at home, and of course drinking the wine that expanded my palate. Taking chances is what wine is about. You won’t know unless you try it once. I can certainly say that there are wines I would be reluctant to try again, but of course I will because who knows, I might have caught it on a bad day. A bad day can happen to even the best wine…

When I first arrived in Paris I thought it would be fun to go to a wine tasting. I had basic knowledge of French wine, but I was starting to read my French wine books and decided that a bit of reinforcement wouldn’t be the worst thing. Ã” Chateau conducts different wine tastings in English. In a non-intimidating environment the speaker, who was born in Burgundy and lived and worked in Napa Valley, put you at ease and spoke about wine in a way that no matter what level you were at you would understand. We tried seven different wines ranging from Alsace and the Loire to the Rhone and Bordeaux. There was one region that stood out the most for me, Languedoc Rousillon. Located in the south of France, it is south of the Rhone and to the west of Nice. There was incredible body to this wine and developed on your palate to no end. I was in love.

I’ve had a few good experiences with this region, so let’s try it again. I had the 2006 Collioure, Appellation Collioure Controle. Collioure is as south as the region gets, as it breezes by the coast. Unusual for a French wine to have information on the back, this one told me it was made from Grenache Noir. Fantastic, this is sounding good already. On the nose there were strong earth tones. Initially I could even smell the sand from the beaches, then the wind came in and ripe berries were pulled through. I was extremely excited to drink this wine, but unfortunately sometimes you can be fooled by your senses. First reaction I was ready to spit it out. I’m a reasonable person so I gave it another chance. It was just too dry and harsh, not well balanced at all.

I remembered what someone in Burgundy told me about decanting. Old wine should never be decanted because you will age them and loose their essence. Young wines on the other hand, decant away because you are now helping it achieve what the winemaker had in mind. I’m renting a furnished apartment and as the French love their wine, they don’t equip all their apartments with decanters. I poured a glass and let it sit for about an hour. It wasn’t that tempting, I really wasn’t that excited to drink it again.

Time passed and it helped. This still wasn’t the wine that I fell in love with, but there were definite improvements. It wasn’t as attacking on the palate, but there was a bit of bite. Oh well, you can’t win them all. Please don’t let this deter you from trying wines from Languedoc Rousillon because there are really some great wines being produced here. If I let every bad California wine get in my way then I would have given up on it a long time ago. Also, I found that pairing food helps. It won’t ruin your meal, but if you’re doing something simple like pasta then you really can’t ruin it. Who ruins pasta? If you know anyone that does then please give me their name, I’d like to help. In conclusion, Languedoc Rousillon wines are delicious, so go out and grab a bottle and don’t forget to Wine Your Diet.

Caveau Wine Bar, Heritage Square, Cape Town

Ruarri — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:13:31 +0000

Caveau is a good escape from Long Street’s chiaroscuro of either uber-pretentious or super-scummy dives… I swear I will never set foot in Miam Miam again but Marvel also grows a little old once you tire of becoming a human bolus being masticated against the gyrating bodies of every tourist and pick-pocket in Cape Town.

Caveau is a breath of fresh air for the city centre, with an urban-rustic feel to it, combining class and elegance with a laid back environment. The design, lay out and mood leave you feeling like you’ve stepped out of Cape Town and discovered a more modern Franschoek. On the three occasions I’ve been there I’ve shared a bottle of their 2004 Spice Route Mourvedre. Accustomed to the Cape’s usual Noble varietals it’s amazing to see how well other cultivars benefit from the Cape’s rich soils. This is a nice big red that has a faint bloody-Maryesque note on the nose. It’s great to see how this Spanish wine has done – bring on Tempranillo!

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