Wine Club Newsletter - December 2013
Aged to Perfection?
The more things change, the more they stay the same. I wonder if any of The Gary Parker Collection wines would age this long? (GP)
Aged to perfection?
3,700-year-old cellar housed 'luxurious' wine
John Roach NBC News
These 3,700-year-old jars were discovered in an ancient palatial wine cellar unearthed by researchers at Tel Kabri in July. The team worked in day and night shifts to excavate 40 intact vessels during its six-week dig.
A 3,700-year-old palatial cellar packed with jars once filled with a wine-like brew has been discovered at an archaeological site in northern Israel, a team of researchers announced Friday.
The cellar is perhaps the oldest of its type ever discovered and the wine was anything but ordinary. Spiked with juniper berries, cedar oil, honey and tree resins, it was likely the good stuff pulled from the cellar for grand, royal banquets where resident rulers and perhaps their trading partners washed down a feast of wild cattle with an intoxicating swill, according to Assaf Yasur-Landau, chair of the maritime relations department at the University of Haifa in Israel.
"This wine included, it is important to note, not only local materials but also possibly materials that were imported from elsewhere such as cedar oil, thus making it a very luxurious drink that was reserved for these special occasions," he said during a telephone briefing with reporters on Thursday.
Yasur-Landau and colleagues unearthed the wine cellar in July and August as part of ongoing archaeological excavations at a sprawling Canaanite city called Tel Kabri. Its 30,000 or so residents were primarily tapped into the agricultural economy, though pottery from the island of Cyprus and art from ancient Greece indicate a robust maritime trade.
The researchers were to present their findings Friday at the annual meeting of the American Schools of Oriental Research in Baltimore. According to Yasur-Landau, the discovery marks "the first time that such wine is found in quantity in a palatial storeroom."
Oldest 'palatial' wine cellar
Neither the newly discovered wine nor the wine cellar are the oldest known, according to Patrick McGovern, a biomolecular archaeologist at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia and an renowned expert on the ancient history of alcoholic beverages.
"The oldest chemically confirmed 'wine cellars' are those in the tomb of Scorpion I," he said in an email to NBC News. This Egyptian tomb dates to around 3150 BC and contained about 1,200 gallons of wine that was imported from the Jordan Valley. A wine cellar that dates to 3000 B.C. is in the cave of Areni in present-day Armenia, McGovern added.
"If we are making this claim only for ancient Canaan and put the emphasis of 'palatial,' then Kabri might well be the earliest," he said. Regardless, the importance of the discovery, McGovern explained, is that it helps round out the picture of Canaanite winemaking, which was developed "to high degree, beginning possibly as early as 5000 B.C."
"The Canaanites went on to transplant the domesticated grapevine and winemaking to the Nile Delta, where the pharaohs established a royal industry around 3000 B.C., and then transmitted the wine culture across the Mediterranean to Crete, Italy, Spain and elsewhere by seaborne trade and colonization in later millennia," McGovern noted. "The Canaanites and Phoenicians thus laid the foundation for winemaking from the Eurasian grape (Vitis vinifera) around the world."
Put in this context, the new finds at Karbi represent a later stage in the development of winemaking in Canaan. "It also lines up nicely with the huge contemporaneous or later 'wine cellars' and storerooms" at ancient sites in central Turkey, Syria and elsewhere in northern Mesopotamia.
Jar analysis:
Forty jars, each about 3 feet tall and lacking decorative markings, were found in a 15-by-25-foot storeroom adjacent to a banquet hall that the team excavated in 2011, Eric Cline, an anthropologist and project co-director, explained on the call with reporters.
"We've got about 2,000 liters (528 gallons) of wine. That's not actually enough to distribute to the general populace, which is why we are thinking at the moment it was a palatial wine cellar," he said. The caveat, he added, is it appears that additional storerooms may exist adjacent to the cellar excavated this summer. If so, there could be enough wine for wider distribution.
As the jars were excavated from the site, Andrew Koh, an archaeological scientist from Brandeis University, collected samples from near the bottom of each vessel and put the the residue through organic analysis.
"What struck us is that there is great regularity in all of these jars; these aren't a sporadic enterprise. They consciously crafted and brewed these wines for a specific purpose," Koh said in the briefing. According to his analysis, the jars contain traces of tartaric and syringic acid, which are consistent with wine, as well as tree resins, juniper berries, cinnamon bark, mint and honey.
"This in fact is not your average wine, but this this is some sort of special wine, which would fit a palatial context," he said.
According to McGovern, the wine may be special, but he urged caution about such interpretations until the chemical analysis is published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. And as for hopes the research will yield a recipe for a next blockbuster wine, he said that "is highly unlikely since compounds deferentially degrade."
John Roach is a contributing writer for NBC News. To learn more about him, visit his website.
2009 Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
I think this is the 4th time we have had Chateau Montelena Estaste Cabernet Sauvignon in The Gary Parker Collection over the 15 years. Unfortunately, it had gone beyond our price range and could no longer play with us. However, we managed to get a killer deal and are able to bring it back to you at 30% off!!!
93 International Wine Cellar
93 Vinous/Antonio Galloni
93+ points Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate
Montelena's 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate wraps around the palate with serious depth. Even with all of its intensity, the 2009 has a silkiness that makes it incredibly delicious at this early stage. Red berries, flowers, tobacco and sweet herbs all flesh out on the generous, radiant finish. While many 2009s are a bit tight today, Montelena's 2009 Estate is showing very nicely, although it is keeping some cards close to the vest. I imagine the 2009 will start to enter its prime drinking window around age 8-10 and drink well for at least another decade beyond that. Anticipated maturity: 2017-2029.
Winery Tasting Notes
One look at the dense crimson ruby color and you know that this is a big wine. The nose opens with big black cherry, currants, and plum spice cake notes. Underpinning all that fruit are layers of smoke, anise, and very subtle oak tones. The palate entry is soft and round, but builds quickly with loads of fine velvety tannin, huge black cherry, and red fruits that persist through to a rich finish layered with spice. A firm core of acid and barrel spice integrate beautifully across all layers, enhancing the structure and balance of this massive but approachable wine.
Other Vintages
One of the historical attributes of the Montelena Estate Cabernet has always been its age-ability and longevity; often though, this meant that the wine really needed to be cellared before it would show its true beauty. Well, here at Montelena we’re all about the pursuit of excellence, and have been working to expand that window of drinkability through careful changes in how we farm, pick, and ferment the grapes from this magnificent property. By focusing on precision viticulture techniques, small fermentation lots, and earlier integration of more precisely chosen barrels – matched to the unique characters of each lot – we have been able to make the wine more approachable at a younger age, while retaining the core elements that ensure a long life in the cellar. The only problem…you may need more of it.
Winery Price: $150
Winsellar Club Price: $119.99!
Harvest Date: September to October 27
Blend: 98.25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1.75% Cabernet Franc
Barrel Aging: 22 months
Bottling Date: December 2011
Release Date: Spring 2013
Cases Produced: 7,104
Alcohol: 13.8%
Rosso Sant Antimo di Casanova di Neri 2010
From the Producer:
This wine is born from the grapes of the "Cetine" vineyards to the south of Montalcino where our Brunello Tenuta Nuova and our Rosso di Montalcino come from. It is obtained from Sangiovese Grosso and Colorino grapes (the plants are reproductions of old varieties that we found in our oldest vineyards). We tried to produce a wine typical of our land and closely linked to it but with the style and characteristics of Casanova di Neri wines. It can be drunk at once or kept for some years giving even greater satisfaction.
Intense ruby red, hints of wild cherry, violets and red fruits ample and easy to drink with excellent persistence. Serve at a temperature of 16° - 17° opening the bottle a few hours previously or decant delicately. A blend of 90% Sangiovese and 10% Colorino grown in the Sant'Antimo appellation which lies just beyond the southernmost border of Brunello. The blend presents compelling notes of dark cherries, smoke and tar.
(Review from The Wine Advocate): "I tasted the 2010 Rosso di Casanova di Neri from tank just a few days before it was scheduled to be bottled. Dark cherries, plums, flowers and spices literally jump out of the glass in this vinous, bright red. The 2010 Rosso is a great, budget-priced wine from Giacomo Neri. The blend is 95% Sangiovese and 5% Colorino. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2016. (Apr 2012)."
The Two Rouge Club, $24 Suggested Retail
Campos de Estrellas, Estate Cava, Brut
Growing Region: Barcelona Region, Spain
Varietal Blend: Macabeo, Xarel-lo, Parellada
Fermentation: Champagne Method
Suggested Retail: $15.00
WineSellar Club Case Price: $11.69
Broad Strokes:
We’ve been selling this wine off and on at The WineSellar for years, yet somehow, I never thought about putting into our WineSellar Club. Well, here it is, in time for the holidays, yuletide cheers and get togethers calling for a special sparkler.
The winery for Campos de Estrellas is located in the centre of the vineyards. It was built in 2004, with stainless steel tanks for temperature-controlled fermentations and a 12 meters deep cellar with a naturally stable temperature for ageing.
All of the grapes are picked by hand, which allows the first level of quality control. The proximity of the sea means a higher humidity, which means a greater risk of rot, so selection is vital. Each variety is harvested and fermented separately. Afterwards they are blended to achieve a balanced base wine, which will undergo a second fermentation, identical to the great Champagnes from France. In the dark, cool cellar, the wines ferment for a second time, in bottle and then age for around 15 months.
Appearance:
A very festive, lively, party like design on the label and cap are quite fun. Brilliant white gold color, the wine forms a fine mousse when poured into the glass. Bubble are of smaller size, generally an indication of a higher quality sparkling wine.
Nose:
Yeasty, nutty aromatics stand above the fragrance of a nice tropical perfume, with spices of coriander and nutmeg. Nice touch of vanilla and fruit of the grape. Quite intriguing.
Texture:
Fun and lovely texture coming in to the palate. Feeling very active, but in a fine, more elegant fashion that one would consider in this price range. There is a good fruit balance in the middle of the palate, finishing with a clean, crisp, edgy bit of acid.
Flavors:
The Macabeo grape stands out in this Cuvee, as the varietal offers fresh, floral type fruit, and you can really taste the “grape”. Hints of grapefruit and lime come up on that edgy finish.
Serving Options:
We feel it is an over-performer, and brings a lot of bang for the buck. Friends will be impressed!
2010 Pelerin Pinot Noir - Santa Lucia Highlands
From the Winery:
Harvested September 24th – September 30th, 2010 24.8 ~brix (average) at harvest
41% Tondre’ Vineyard 28% Leavens Vineyard 21% Fairview Road Ranch Vineyard 7% Sierra Mar Vineyard 3% Rosella’s Vineyard, 2.96 tons from Tondre’, 1.93 tons from Leavens, and 0.92 tons from Fairview were hand-picked, de-stemmed, and fermented separately in small vats.
The lots were stirred gently a couple of times over the winter, but were otherwise left unracked until final blending and bottling. The final 10% was added at blending. The resulting assemblage was bottled without fining or filtration.
Tondre, Sierra Mar, and Rosella’s Vineyards are certified sustainably farmed.
The 2010 Santa Lucia Highlands Pinot Noir leads with aromas of ripe cherries, baking spices, and mint. Medium-full bodied on the palate, yet showing bright acidity, the flavor profile moves toward fresh strawberries, caramel, with a touch of black pepper and licorice on the finish. Overall, the balance and presentation of the wine represents a fine hybrid of the California and Burgundian styles.
WineSellar Club Notes:
A beautiful Pinot Noir, the Suggested Retail on this is $36, more than the club itself. Adding the Campos de Estrellas for $14 makes the retail value of your December WineSellar Club $50! What a deal at $35.
We agree with the winery’s summation of this Pinot Noir as being a hybrid of Burgundy and California Pinot Noir.
French Pinot Noir influences: Earth, forest floor, mushrooms, excellent acid structure, red meat, cigar box.
California Pinot Noir influences: raspberry, cherry, sweet vanilla oak, black olive, cocoa, sturdy structure.
Chicken, Turkey, Beef, Veal Stock
At home, I make stock from chicken, turkey, or from beef bones and freeze the resulting liquid in small yogurt containers. These are perfect for cooking small dinners at home, as you can make extraordinary dishes in a fraction of the time the original recipe might call for.
There is nothing better than having your own stock for making pasta sauces, butter sauces, herbed sauces, and even soups. You know it is not overly salted or fatty, and it is a healthier way to add flavor and depth to your dishes.
I generally start by buying a whole bird, roasting it in the oven, and stripping the all meat: either for dinner that night and/or saving the rest for others meals to come.
Ingredients
- Bones from the carcass of whole chicken, turkey, or ½ gallon size of veal, beef, or game bones.
- Skin and/or organ meats from the animal (optional)
- 1 brown onion, large, chopped
- 1 ½ cup Cream Sherry
- 1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
- 1 cup coarsely chopped celery
- 1/3 cup peeled garlic cloves, smashed
- Cold water (hopefully filtered) to fill your stockpot
- 2 bay leaves, 6 parsley stems
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
- ½ cup olive oil
Directions
- In a large, medium heated stockpot, place olive oil, the chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent and then set aside.
- Roast your bird to desired doneness, making sure the skin is crispy as possible without overcooking the meat. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
- Strip skin, white and dark meats off the carcass until it’s denuded of all meat. As you’re doing this, pull off wings, drums, and basically break down the carcass to be sure it will fit into your stockpot. Keep the meat in a separate bowl for the meals later.
- Adjust the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the skin and bones in a large roasting pan, being sure that they all rest in a single layer.
- Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast the bones for about 1 hour, turning the bones periodically to ensure even browning.
- When browned, place the skin, bones and drippings in a large 3-gallon stockpot.
- Cover with water and add the herbs, peppercorns and cream sherry
Bring the stockpot to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow stock to simmer on very low heat for 8 to 10 hours, or even for a couple days. If at any point the water level falls below the bones, add water so that the bones remain submerged. It is not unusual to have to add additional quarts of water while simmering. When you think it is done, remove from the heat, and remove fat/ oil residue at the top of the pot. Strain the remaining liquid through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth. Pour liquid into small yogurt cups to freeze for later use.
Gary Parker, 12-2013, The WineSellar & Brasserie