Wine Club Newsletter - May 2012
2010 New World Wine Experience: Oregon's Great 2008 Pinot Noirs
Eight producers show top wines from a PERFECT vintage
(In light of our 2008 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir offering this month, I thought a reference to an article in The Wine Spectator discussing the 2008 vintage would be a good call). gp
Oregon has waited 40 years for the 2008 vintage, and editor at large Harvey Steiman made it clear that the wait was worth it. “They have finally made the wines they have always wanted to make,” he said, before letting the seminar audience in on a little secret: He is giving the vintage a perfect 100-point score.
While Willamette Valley has long been known for quality, it faces a range of challenges, from cool growing seasons that hinder ripening to occasional warm temperatures that rob the wines of finesse, crispness and minerality to the general headaches of early rains in the fall.
But 2008 was nearly perfect, with a long, moderate growing season. “It shows what can happen in Oregon when everything comes out right,” Steiman said.
To demonstrate the remarkable quality, eight wineries poured 2008 Pinot Noirs that showed the full range of styles and character that make Willamette Valley and the vintage so distinctive.
The tasting began with the more delicate wines, such as Adelsheim Bryan Creek Vineyard and Brick House Ribbon Ridge and finished with stylistically powerful wines like Bergström De Lancellotti Vineyard and Archery Summit Red Hills Estate.
Ultimately it was difficult to characterize the Willamette Valley wines overall as anything but Oregon Pinot Noir—not as ripe and forceful as California’s Pinots but not Burgundy either. As Doug Tunnell of Brick House told the audience, the 2008s “have both elegance and power” and “a touch of the Old World.”
This was the sort of unique Oregon vintage that ultimately turned some winemakers into poets. “It was one of those vintages,” Anna Matzinger of Archery Summit said as the seminar drew to a close, “where the universe conspired with the vines and made the winemaker superfluous.”
Tim Fish Posted: November 1, 2010
Italian Grape Names
There are so many indigenous grapes in use throughout Italy and many of them have rather unique names. Here is a rundown of just a few:
Nebbiolo
Grown primarily in Piemonte, Nebbiolo is the single grape used in the production of Barolo and Barbaresco. Nebbiolo comes from the word nebbia, meaning “fog,” an apt descriptor, as this is a late ripening grape that is harvested from late October-early November, as fog starts to creep into the Langhe district.
Aglianico
This name is a derivation of the word “Hellenico,” a term meaning Greece. It was the Greeks who first planted this red variety in Campania some 2000 years ago.
Piedirosso
A red variety of Campania, this literally means “red feet,” which may be a reference to the color of the feet of the birds who sit on the clusters while they munch these berries.
Negroamaro
One of the principal red grapes of Puglia, Negroamaro literally means “black” and “bitter”.
Dolcetto
Literally “little sweet one,” Dolcetto is grown throughout Piemonte and offers a lovely sweetness of black raspberry and cranberry fruit in its youth.
Coda Di Volpe
Literally “tail of the fox,” for the shape of the cluster, this is a white variety grown primarily along the coasts of Camapania.
Arneis
Roughly translated as “rascal” or “crazy one”, this white variety got its name from the fact that some vintners in Piemonte thought that any producer who made Arneis in areas where red varieties were better known was a little crazy.
Tazzelenghe
Perhaps my favorite name, this is a red variety that means, “cut the tongue,” a reference to the sharp tannins of this red variety of Friuli.
Sangiovese
The name of Tuscany’s most famous red variety comes from the words sanguis Jovis, “the blood of Jove” who was a pretty important guy, especially considering he was the King of the Gods.
Zibibbo
This is the Moscato d’Alessandria grape grown in Sicily (primarily on the island of Pantelleria); the name comes from the Arabic word zibibb, meaning “raisin.” These grapes are indeed like raisins after they are dried on open-air mats under the intense local sun.
2010 Fontezoppa, Verdicchio di Metalica (May, 2012 - The WineSellar Club)
Growing Region: Civitanova, Marche, Italy
Varietal Blend: 100% Verdicchio
Fermentation: Stainless Steel
Suggested Retail: $20.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $14.99
Broad Strokes:
Combined retail value of the WineSellar Club this month is $50. We are continually proud to offer you these fine wines at such great prices!
Year after year, Fontezoppa produces great value Verdicchio. Fontezoppa’s Verdicchio is grown in the DOC of Matelica, which lies inland from the Adriatic Coast (just a glance away) at high altitudes and close to the regional border with Umbria. There is more Verdicchio produced here than any other varietal, red or white. The Fontezoppa is made of 100% Verdicchio grown in alluvial soil with limestone and chalk.
Appearance:
Very nice package, but difficult to read it. The white label with the silver embossing needs to catch the light just right for the text to become legible. The average American consumer may not know what is in the bottle when all they can really read is Fontezoppa. I digress. The wine has a clear look, light straw coloring, looking brilliant and clean. Lots of legs, it’s a surprisingly viscous devil.
Nose:
Seemingly delicate at first, the nose evolves into a gentle but firm showing of flowery, green apple fruit, with notes of citrus (kiwi) and flowers (jasmine). I also really enjoyed the mineral and chalk components, and found a touch of dairy quite delightful.
Texture:
Upon first opening, the wine is quite lively, with a youthful effervescence. The fruit expression is slightly angular in the beginning as well, but opens up nicely, rounding out to exhibit excellent balance and mouth feel. Very fine long finish.
Flavor:
From the nose: Apple fruit (more yellow than green), citrus (kiwi and tangerine), jasmine and from that dairy thing, yogurt. Huh! The chalky component is coupled with gravel and stones. Just a great, fresh feel from this wine, with delicate yet rewarding flavors.
Serving Options:
The winery says the Adriatic Sea provides a certain sense of saline to the grapes and therefore the wine. That this was a perfect complement to seafood of any kind, along with sushi, shellfish, and light pasta dishes. I got that!
2008 Oddero Nebbiolo, Langhe (May, 2012 - The WineSellar Club)
Growing Region: Langhe, Italy
Varietal Blend: 100% Nebbiolo
Fermentation: 12 Months of Slavonian and French Oak
Suggested Retail: $30.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $22.49
Broad Strokes:
Drinking this wine transported me back to Italy. The structure and tastes are so classic, I imagined myself there having dinner overlooking the countryside.
Just as in the past, only grapes from family-owned vineyards dating back to the 18th century are used to make Oddero wines. “Poderi e Cantine Oddero” (Oddero Estate and Winery) is a historic name among Barolo producers. Run for generations by men, it is now in the hands of Mariacristina and Mariavittoria, the daughters of Giacomo Oddero, Barolo patriarch and a man whose fame reaches beyond the Langhe.
Appearance:
Classic looking Italian bottle of wine. With the family crest, name striped across the top part of the label, the “Denominazione di Origine Controllata” tag across the cap, and the embossing on the bottle. Very nice. The wine has a ruby garnet hue, with a robe of grey, looking very fine. The wine clings nicely to the wine glass, and curtains without much staining.
Nose:
The nose is very weighty, perfumed and it also gives off a savory essence. It is so Italian in character: slightly understated, but present and makes you take notice, going deeper into the glass. Flowers, (violets) and red fruits abound, with some underbrush (rosemary and sage), with a really cool tar/fusel element that I found compelling. Love it!
Texture:
With a good grip, the wine is focused, and precise on the palate. It is medium in body. The entry is very well balanced between fruit and acid. The acid is firm, the fresh, lively tannins are melding well with the fruit and acid, generating a smooth, elegant, classy feel. The finish follows suit.
Flavor:
As is the case at least most of the time, what you smell is what you taste! The tar and fuel elements are so attractive to me, so unique. Dark cherry fruit, some smoke and wet earth jump forward, with spice and black pepper. The herbs of rosemary tangle with the red fruits, and I also noticed a cola or root beer component that was quite pleasing. The excellent, long finish has a perfect touch of crispy acid, complex fruit, and weighty texture.
Serving Options:
I was thinking Italian food all the way, like Italian food you get there: rabbit, wild boar, and lamb. For us who prepare dishes a bit more modestly, may I recommend a nice red sauce pasta dish, with mushrooms, ground meat, garlic, pepper flakes and herbs. Oh, Man!
2009 Caruso & Minini, Nero d’ Avola, Terra di Giurmara (May, 2012 - The Two Rouge Club)
Growing Region: Marsala, (Sicily), Italy
Varietal Blend: 100% Nero d’ Avola
Fermentation: 30% in Oak Barrels, the rest Stainless Steel
Suggested Retail: $20.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $16.19
Broad Strokes:
It’s been since 2004 that we have had a Nero d’ Avola in our club. I am glad to welcome one back with this vineyard specific beauty. Speaking of which, the Terra di Giurmara started at the end of the nineteenth century by the initiative of Antonino Caruso. It turned out to be perfect for the production of high quality grapes particularly desirable to Marsala’s wine establishments.
Winemaker comments: “For years the Nero d’Avola have been cultivated in the vineyards of the Caruso family, so long before it became the nowadays ‘king of the Sicilian wines’. In the vineyard of Giumarella we intend to renew the tradition of the indissoluble bond between an extraordinary wine and its unique soil. Perfect to drink by itself or even better with red meat, pasta with flavoursome sauces, game, chocolate and cheese”.
Appearance:
Black packaging makes the words “NERO D’AVOLA” stand out in bold fashion. The rest of the text is kind of hard to read, especially the name of what I assume are humble producers, Caruso & Minini. The wine is very dark in color, dark ruby hue with some tinges of black. It is very viscous, yet the curtains running down the side of the glass are clear.
Nose:
The fragrances are dense and floral, like reduced rose petals. Dark red and black fruits gush up from the glass. It is very fruit oriented, with notes of black pepper, black cherry, and dark berry compote. Not jam, but compote. It is a nose full!
Texture:
The medium full bodied wine enters the palate smoothly, with a nicely balanced attack of ripe fruit and well-integrated acid. Good entry and middle palate feel, with the wine finishing off with a drying astringency that begs for food.
Flavor:
The cherry and dark berry fruit are front and center and quite enjoyable. I like the peppery taste mingling with the fresh herbs, the dark earth and hint of prune. This is quite pleasant, chunky mouthful of fruit that does not disappoint at any level.
Serving Options:
As the winemaker says, meats and cheeses are perfect for this wine. I would add to that make the cheese ripe, and the meats full of flavor, whether you BBQ them, or season with garlic and black pepper. Not to devalue the image of the wine, but it is fantastic with pizza!
2008 Edward Sellers “Le Thief” (May, 2012 - The Two Rouge Club)
Growing Region: Paso Robles, California
Varietal Blend: 56% Syrah, 26% Mourverdre,12% Grenache, 6% Cinsault
Fermentation: 100% French Oak, 37% New
Suggested Retail: $37.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $31.49
Broad Strokes:
Here is a wine that makes a glorious statement: the power and balance of California wines made from Rhone Varietals can be fantastic. Edward Sellers “The Thief” is such an example.
From their web site:
Ed Sellers and his wife Dani discovered the booming farm community of Paso Robles, California in 2003 and instantly fell in love. “It’s Napa 30 years ago!” Ed exclaimed. As Rhône varietal enthusiasts, the couple was particularly inspired when they learned that the growing conditions of the area closely resemble those of southeastern France.
Appearance:
The packing is subdued but in a classic style. You can see “Edward Sellers” quite well, but the logo and the type of wine “Le Thief” is not easily readable without closer examination. The wine is a beautiful crimson, getting consistently darker towards the middle. It’s quite viscous, as 15.5% alcohol will be. The curtains drip down equivalent to 40-weight oil.
Nose:
Fragrantly intoxicating is what I call it. Fruit bomb of raspberry and blackberry dominate. Jam style fruit is laced with vanilla oak, roasted nuts and black pepper. Hints of coffee/cappuccino and chocolate enter the foray, with a distant touch of smoke. And for the first time ever for me, candied roast beef.
Texture:
Bombs away! Big but balanced well enough to hold everything together. It makes a great impression in the mouth, and won’t let you forget it for some time ahead. Mouth watering. The very creamy feel on the entry is juxtaposed with determined tannins and some serious alcohol, but with blessings from Bacchus, it gives way to a nice, lingering, satin like finish.
Flavor:
Very ripe black cherries. Very ripe blackberry. Roast beef. Chocolate. Vanilla. Roasted hazelnuts. Caramel. Coffee. Cappuccino. Sweet oak. Root beer. Earth. Tar. Mushroom. Caramel again. Black pepper. If there ever were to be one, this would be the See’s Candy of wine. Phenomenal.
Serving Options:
Drink this with your friends, because it will provide great wine talk fodder. Flavors keep changing, and there are many to discover. It’s a very fun wine!!!
2008 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir, Rambouillet Vineyard (May, 2012 - The Gary Parker Collection)
Dusky Goose is a coup for us, our Gary Parker Collection Members. The goal for many Pinot Noir producers in the United States is to produce a wine that tastes like the great Red Burgundy of France.
Well, here’s one. Really. Here is an amazing wine that commands time and thought.
Having visited and consumed numerous and great Burgundy wines for decades, I can say Dusky Goose so much reminds me of wines I have experienced from and at the great Chateau Pommard. It was eerie, but fabulous.
This wine is extremely limited, a cult like Pinot Noir if you will. NOBODY has this much Dusky Goose to offer.
I love the way the web site describes their venture, and want to share excerpts of it with you. After, I will do a cliff note version of my tasting notes.
Dusky Goose Pinot Noir features fruit exclusively from the Rambouillet Vineyard in Oregon’s Dundee Hill AVA and a few select blocks from our Dundee Hills neighbors. Dusky Goose is a limited-production, distinctive Pinot Noir skillfully crafted by Lynn Penner-Ash into a seductively elegant wine with defining depth and character.
From the beginning, we have worked to establish a distinctive profile with a complex structure one can clearly recognize as Dusky Goose, while capturing the intrinsic flavor characteristics unique to the region and vintage. Lynn’s contribution to Dusky Goose has been vital from the outset, and we are grateful for the opportunity to produce an extraordinary Pinot noir with her.
Our Rambouillet Vineyard site is located in the Dundee Hills. The Dundee Hills region is Oregon’s premier grape growing AVA and its fruit has brought international acclaim to the Oregon Wine Industry for quality, intensity, elegance, and distinctive fruit and spice characteristics.
The location of the Rambouillet Vineyard was selected for its slope, ideal elevations for ripening fruit, and 100% Jory (volcanic) soil. All these elements are essential to our objective: making the best Pinot noir possible, produced from fruit grown in the Dundee Hills of Oregon.
Working closely with our vineyard manager Andy Humphrey and our winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash, the Rambouillet Vineyard was planted with a selection of Pinot noir clones chosen with great care for compatibility with our soil type and coastal climate. Each year, we are delighted by the results of our decisions and with the quality of fruit produced at the site.
The combination of vineyard, location, varietal and winemaker is a velvety soft Pinot noir, deep and complex, while infusing vibrant aromas of sweet rose, red cherry, black cherry, dried cherry, a distinctive earthy-wildness at core, finishing with hints of vanilla and complex spice.
Dusky Goose Pinot noir demonstrates a structure that seamlessly balances the acidity and tannins with excellent fruit and a satin-like texture. Natural variations from vintage to vintage keep the interest alive, making exploring all vintages essential.
WineSellar Club Case Price: $72.89
Broad Strokes: Mysterious, fleeting Pinot noir threatening the values of French Burgundy.
Nose: A heroin in waiting. Sweet, feminine, will accomplish the task.
Texture: Smooth, almost cola like with spritz and tonic style acid. Beguiling, totally Burgundian in feel.
Flavor: Bright rich plum. Moroccan spices, stewed cherry, sweet succulent meat, Asian spices.
Steak Florentine with Grilled Vegetables
I thought a classic Italian recipe was due. It is simple to make, and is low in carbohydrates. Drink with the 2008 Oddero Nebbiolo, Langhe, 2009 Caruso & Minini, Nero d’ Avola, or 2008 Edward Sellers “Le Thief”.
Yield: 6 servings; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes (Giada De Laurentiis)
Steak Ingredients:
- 2 large garlic cloves, halved
- 3 T-bone steaks (each about 1 1/2 pounds, and 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches thick)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon, halved
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
Method:
- Rub the garlic cloves over the meat and the bone of the steaks. Sprinkle the steaks with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator and allow seasoning to permeate the meat, for about 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator at least 20 minutes before grilling, allowing the meat to come to room temperature.
- Place a grill pan over high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill the steaks until cooked to desired doneness, turning once, about 5 minutes per side for rare, 7 minutes per side for medium-rare. The key to getting those great grill marks is to place the steak down and not move them. After you flip them, do not shift the steaks.
- Allow the steaks to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing, otherwise all the juices will be run all over your cutting board. Run your knife along the bone and carve the meat off the bone. Slice the meat into 1-inch slices. Transfer the slices to a platter. Squeeze the lemon over the steaks. Drizzle with the oil and serve immediately with Grilled Vegetables.
Grilled Vegetable Ingredients:
- 3 red bell peppers, seeded and halved
- 3 yellow squash (about 1 pound total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
- 3 zucchini (about 12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
- 3 Japanese eggplant (12 ounces total), sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick rectangles
- 12 cremini mushrooms
- 1 bunch (1-pound) asparagus, trimmed
- 12 green onions, roots cut off
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Method:
- Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or prepare the barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush the vegetables with 1/4 cup of the oil to coat lightly. Sprinkle the vegetables with salt and pepper. Working in batches, grill the vegetables until tender and lightly charred all over, about 8 to 10 minutes for the bell peppers; 7 minutes for the yellow squash, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms; 4 minutes for the asparagus and green onions. Arrange the vegetables on a platter. The key to getting those great grill marks is to not shift the vegetables too frequently once they've been placed on the hot grill.
- Meanwhile, whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, parsley, basil, and rosemary in a small bowl to blend. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the herb mixture over the vegetables. Serve the vegetables, warm or at room temperature.