Wine Club Newsletter - March 2014
Wine Drinkers Never Had it so Good
(After sending last month’s news about possible global wine shortages, I thought I had better provide something a bit more positive about our love of the grape, and its future). Gary Parker
In his first column, Mike Steinberger claims the general quality of wine is so good today we have been reduced to arguing over the minutiae.
While we will never know where Sigmund Freud might have stood on issues such as sulfur additions in wine and Pinot Noirs in excess of 14.5 percent alcohol, it can reasonably be assumed that he would see the fierce debates triggered by these matters as prime examples of a condition he termed "the narcissism of small differences."
Freud coined that brilliant phrase in reference to conflicts between nations, but it can just as easily be applied to all the Sturm und Drang over natural wines, alcohol levels, and the use of new oak. These are debates over notions of excellence; over minor distinctions between wines that are fastidiously made and generally high in quality.
Here’s the thing: we live in a golden age of wine, in which more good reds, whites and rosés are being made in more places and in a greater variety of styles than at any time in history. Things are so good, in fact, that we’ve been reduced to beating the crap out of each other over what amounts to the fine print.
As an occasional combatant in the rancorous debate over natural wines, I am certainly aware how easy it is to lose perspective. We flatter ourselves (that’s the narcissism part) that the stakes couldn’t be higher. Some segments of the wine world, notably natural wine advocates, have a vested interest in sowing alarm: it galvanizes support, sells books and subscriptions, etc.
But when you find yourself debating whether wines have become too clean, you know you are living in prosperous times, and so we are. Sure, there is still plenty of plonk around, but with regard to the kinds of wines that interest the kinds of people who make a habit of, say, visiting Wine-Searcher.com or wading into online discussions about micro-oxygenation, excellence is the norm now, not the exception. What we’re left to quarrel about are questions of personal taste.
This is a pretty dramatic change from the norm just 50 years ago. Back then, many if not most of the wines that emerged from even the most acclaimed regions – Bordeaux, Burgundy, etc. – were thin to the point of emaciation, and they were often riddled with flaws if not downright dirty.
Sure, some monumental wines were produced in the 1950s and '60s, but they were vastly outnumbered by a yearly tidal wave of rotgut.
Things began to turn around with the proliferation of new technologies, notably temperature-controlled fermentation tanks, and with huge advances in wine science. Thanks largely to the influence of wine consultant and researcher Émile Peynaud, cellar hygiene became a priority. Old, bacteria-infested barrels were replaced by newer, cleaner ones, which resulted in better wines.
Another major factor has been improved viticulture.
Smarter, more scrupulous farming has been instrumental in raising overall quality. Without getting into the complicated issue of climate change, it is fair to say that work in the vineyard has been greatly helped – in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway – by more favorable growing conditions over the last two decades.
The emergence of Robert Parker and the advent of consumer-oriented wine criticism was another key element. Say what you will about late-era Parker, there is no denying that he was a force for good when he started out. His willingness to name and shame underachieving estates, no matter how famous or pedigreed, was instrumental in raising winemaking standards in Bordeaux and other regions.
Parker led the fight for greater quality, and in the process, he also educated a generation of wine consumers to be more discerning and demanding, which added to the pressure on winemakers to raise the quality of the wines coming out of their cellars.
For all these reasons, wine lovers have never had it better than they do now. But you wouldn’t know that, judging only by the endless feuding among wine journalists, sommeliers, importers, and others over natural wines, rising alcohol levels, and so on. Put aside the fact that these debates revolve around matters that fall under the heading "First World problems."
There is seldom any acknowledgment that these are really disputes over differences in taste (and sometimes ideology) and that, ultimately, there can be no losers because, well, we are all winners now. This quality revolution, which has spread to pretty much every corner of the wine world, has given everyone, from fruit bomb fanatics to natural-only pedants, lots of compelling wines to choose from.
I’m not suggesting that there aren’t important issues still to be explored. There are plenty of questions that lend themselves to spirited, edifying debate.
But the bottom line is this: all the shouting over inoculated yeasts, optimal Brix levels, and other contentious matters shouldn’t prevent us from acknowledging that we are living in a golden age of wine.
2011 J. Christopher Pinot Noir, Unfiltered
Growing Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Varietal Blend: 100% Pinot Noir
Fermentation: 18 Months in Barrel
Suggested Retail: $28.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $25.19
Broad Strokes:
From the Winery: From my first sip of Burgundy, there was no turning back. Old World wines are what I have always loved to drink. And since starting J. Christopher Wines in 1996, that’s the style of wine I’ve worked to make here in the New World. We follow biodynamic principles, and all of our wines are handcrafted in small lots, with fruit sourced from some of the best vineyards in Oregon.
In 2010, we cemented our bond with the Old World by forming a partnership with famed German winemaker Ernst Loosen. Ernie and I have a longtime friendship based partly on the fact that we are both Pinot freaks. Working together to produce Pinot Noirs that combined Old World and New World ideas just seemed like a natural.
Appearance:
The label is distinctive, with both the font design as well as the cool sun crest mark they use. The wine has a very pretty dark rose bud hue, and is not opaque in the center. Even though the label says “Unfiltered” the liquid is sparkling and clear, and doesn’t seem to carry any sediment.
Nose:
Beautiful floral aromatics and solid Pinot Noir fruit are graciously inviting. Nice red cherry and damp soil components, with hints of white pepper. It DOES smell like a good Burgundy!
Texture:
When first tasted, the wine had been opened for a number of hours, and showed really well. When next tasted, fresh out of the bottle, it showed more acid and less fruit. I got the same results with the second bottle. Left overnight, however, the wine evolved into the gorgeous texture we know as a luscious Pinot Noir.
Flavor:
Black and red fruits are subtle but long lasting in the palate. Some pepper and earth tones (dark soil, fine herbs) come forward, with a touch of spearmint.
Serving Options:
As mentioned, the wine needs a lot of airing. This is a good sign that the wine will age well. We used to say a wine left open overnight is the equivalent of ten years of cellar aging. I guess we still say that. Anyway, let it air for a few hours, or put it in your cellar for at least two years.
Fish Crust of Panko, Nori and Sesame Seed
Every year, my very good friend Tom Nordstrom takes off from his award winning, woodworking-furniture making business, for a 15-day fishing cruise to the waters a couple hundred miles off Mexico. Tom generally brings back a couple hundred pounds of the greatest, freshest fish I have ever had. We are the beneficiaries of a portion of that, and this year it came in the form of deep ruby red Ahi tuna and some wonderful, glistening Wahoo (Ono).
Ono can be a challenge to prepare, as it will dry out if you miss the small window of proper cooking temperature. Not to worry, Tom gave us a simple recipe to crust the fish to hold in its moisture. It worked VERY well, so I want to share it with you.
You can buy panko, or make it yourself. I enjoy making my own, as it can be used for other dishes, it’s the bread I like, and it can even be gluten free bread. Some easy recipes are on the internet.
With this recipe, we started out with equal amounts of the three ingredients, but you may alter that to your taste.
This recipe will cover 4-6 filets of 6-ounce portions of your fish.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup Panko
- ½ cup Sesame Seeds
- ½ cup Nori, chopped fine but not powdered
- 1 cup of fine quality or homemade Mayonnaise
Method:
- In a mixing bowl, add the panko, sesame seeds and the chopped nori.
- Mix the ingredients well.
- Evenly spread the crust mixture on a flat surface, like a cookie sheet or a cutting board.
- Using the mayonnaise (and your hands), lightly but thoroughly coat the fish filets.
- Take a filet and gently press it into the crust mixture, making as sure as possible to distribute the crust mixture evenly across the fish.
Method for Cooking the Ono or Other Protein with this Crust:
- In a flat, non-stick pan, add enough grape seed or other high heat resistant cooking oil to cover the pan completely.
- Using medium to medium-high heat, let pan come up to full temperature. (If you filets are thick, you do not want to use high heat, as the center of the filet will not reach temperature before the outside (crust) gets scorched or blackens). The thinner the cut, the higher the heat.
- Drop filets into the pan and cook them to your desired temperature.
We liked our Ono with the center of the fish barely warmed, looking like its natural raw state in the center. This secures the moisture, and it is totally delightful. But you must have the right type of fish at its most fresh. We also used it with the Ahi, as we needed to vary it a bit after six straight nights of sashimi and Ahi steaks. It also kept the center moist with a slightly crunchy exterior.
With this recipe, you could add wasabi to the mayonnaise, or soy, or both if you like. You can also prepare a sauce to go with the dish, which I recommend.