South African Wines—Too Funky or Worth Exploring?

Viticultural history in South Africa is a roller coaster of success vs. disaster. The signature grape, Pinotage, is about as controversial a grape as ever.

South Africa’s history of wine production began in 1659, when the Dutch East India Company ordered the founder of Cape town, Jan van Riebeck,to make wine to help fight scurvy among the sailors during their voyages along the Spice Route. In 1685, the Constantia Estate was founded for that purpose. The estate fell into disrepair in the early 1700s but was rebuilt in 1778 when Hendrik Cloete purchased it. Soon this estate’s wines were famous throughout the world and coveted by the likes of Napolean Boneparte, King Louis Phillipe of France, and Frederick the Great of Prussia. The rest of the country’s wine production was largely unsuccessful, however. High-yielding inferior grapes such as Cinsault were planted in huge numbers, and by the early 1900s, some producers were dumping unsold insipid wine into rivers and fields. Apartheid and the resulting worldwide boycott of South African goods didn’t help the situation. The country’s wines were basically nonexistent in the foreign marketplace.

When apartheid was lifted in the 1980s, South African wines expressed a renaissance. Many producers adopted new technologies and planted well known varietals such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc (called Steen). This replaced Cinsault, which now comprises less than two percent of total plantings. Red varietals have exploded. In the late 1990s, less than eighteen percent of the grapes produced were red; now about half are.

The red wines from South Africa have had a reputation for being very rustic and course. New techniques have resulted in a more international fleshy style. However a certain earthiness remains that signifies a South African Cabernet or Syrah. This is not at all unpleasant, in fact I really like some of them, but if you’re new to South African wine you may find them a bit unusual. American consumers will frequently come across wines called “Cape Cross” or “Cape Blend.” These are usually blends of Syrah or Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinotage, and they are often really good wines.

As for the white wines, Sauvignon Blanc does very well here, with a flavor profile roughly between a California and New Zealand expression of the grape. Wines made from Chenin Blanc, known as “Steen,”  rival the Vouvrays of the Loire Valley.

Now, for the controversial “love it or hate it” grape—Pinotage. In 1925, Abaraham Izak Perold crossed the very robust Cinsault (known as Hermitage in South Africa) with Pinot Noir, a grape that produces great wines but is very difficult to grow. He planted four seeds in the residential garden and promptly forgot about them. The plants were rediscovered several years later. The first wine was made in 1941 and Pinotage was born. After a Pinotage wine won the Capetown Wine Show’s championship in 1959, the first label with the word “Pinotage” appeared in 1961.

Pinotage typically has a characteristic flavor profile of smoky bramble, dark fruit, and earth. Aromatics of banana and tropical fruit are common. However, the acetone aromas turn some people off. This can result in very unusual descriptions. My colleague Jessica once said a badly made Pinotage smells like “Beaujolais Nouveau and a tire got together and had a baby.” I would add that the baby is lying in a manure pile.

I’ve got you all wanting to run out and get a Pinotage, right? Before I start a war with South Africa, let me say that if you choose carefully, Pinotage can be a really neat, funky, geeky wine that I enjoy a great deal. Pinotage adds a smoky earthiness to Cape Crosses that makes these wines very interesting.

Anyone with an interest in wine should experience a good Pinotage. Barista 2011 is just such a wine. Rich aromas of chocolate, coffee, plum, and mulberry with a hint of Maraschino cherry carry through to the flavor profile, with the addition of a bit of vanilla and butterscotch. The smoky earthiness reminds you that this is a Pinotage (a very good one.) This wine is a bargain at $17.99. Another good Pinotage to try is Painted Wolf Guillermo 2010, with lots of ripe blueberry and mulberry, spice, and bramble. The tannins are ripe and the finish quite lingering for a Pinotage. Again at $17.99.

Stellekaya is a great producer in Stellenbosch. I especially like their blends. The Cape Cross (fifty percent Merlot, thirty percent Pinotage, and twenty percent Cabernet) is aged in French oak for twenty months. With wonderful aromas and flavors of mint, fresh and stewed fruits, and mulberries, it’s done in a fleshy new world style but still funky because of the Pinotage in the blend. They also do a blend called Hercules (fifty percent Sangiovese, twenty-five percent Merlot, twenty-five percent Cabernet Sauvignon) which is like something out of Tuscany except the Sangiovese component is a bit fleshier and rounder. Earth, red berry, and supple tannins make this full flavored wine worth trying. Both are $21.99. 

Not to be lost among the big reds are the very well done whites. For a prime example of Sauvignon Blanc, look no further than the original great estate of South Africa, Groot Constantia Langoed Sauvignon Blanc 2011. Wonderful flavors of gooseberries, guava, and green bell pepper follow a typical grassy herbal nose. The background minerality is reminiscent of a cool climate Sauvignon Blanc like a Sancerre from the Loire Valley, but with more fruit. $22.99 may seem a bit steep until you try it and realize it’s worth it.

So don’t forget South Africa. The country is producing better and better wines and the good ones are worth the effort it takes to find them. Ask your local wine guy (or gal) about the best of the bunch.

The Southern Rhone—Grenache is the King, but Others Help

We now head south past the city of Montelimar into the Southern Rhone. This region is more spread out than the Northern Rhone, with many small towns nestled in the hills on both sides of the river.  Many of these towns are tiny and beautifully picturesque, with narrow cobblestone streets and quaint names like Segurat and Sablet.

The climate here is more Mediterranean, and the differing terroir combines with the rugged terrain partially protecting the valleys from the mistral to produce varying microclimates. As a result, a diversity of wines are produced. Grenache is the most widely grown grape here. Also found are Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Carignan, among others. In fact, the most famous A.O.C. here, Chateauneuf du Pape, allows up to ten different varietals in the red wines and nine in the whites. Gigondas, on the other hand, another well known appellation, only allows Grenache and a few others. The white varietals are primarily Ugni Blanc, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, Viognire and Clairette.

Most of the red wines are pleasant, fruit-driven (primarily dark fruit) earthy wines. Those from Chateauneuf du Pape have power and structure and can rank with Bordeaux and Burgundy as the country’s most respected wines. They are all excellent food wines, are great with pork, game, poultry, sausage, and are as good as it gets with lamb. They are also priced much lower than the Northern Rhones, with very good examples in the $12.00 to $20.00 range. Only the great Chateauneuf du Papes are really expensive.

While the majority of the wines are red, some very nice whites are produced here as well. They are usually blends with a combination of fruit, acidity, and minerality that make them interesting and food friendly. The A.O.C. of Tavel is one of the world’s most famous areas of rosé production. Finally, the appellation of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise produces fortified white wines.

Labels indicate the quality of the wine according to the following classification:

Cotes du Rhone—denotes wines from the entire southern Rhone.

Cotes du Rhone Villages—higher minimum requirements for wine maturation and production.

Cotes du Rhone + village name—Usually the highest standards before Cru status.

Cru—the name of the actual A.O.C. is on the label, best quality of all. These are wonderful wines for the price. They are Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, Lirac, Rasteau, Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Tavel, and Vacqueyras.

The shelves in our store contain dozens of these great wines, but here are a few of my favorites.

Cotes du Rhone: Chave’s Mon Coeur 2010 (Grenache, Syrah) shows kirsch and black currant fruit intermixed with earth and spice. Luscious but has good structure. All this for $19.99. Chapoutier’s Belleruche 2010 (80% Grenache, 20% Syrah), an excellent bargain at $12.99, has wonderful red fruit aromas with dark red fruit and spice flavors. There is surprising structure at this price. At the same price point, Oraison 2009 shows the lush fruit typical of that vintage.

Cotes du Rhone Villages: Domaine Boisson Cairanne 2010 (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Carignan). Prepare yourself for awesome red and dark fruit, great earthy structure. I love this wine at $19.99, and the L’Exigence 2009, its big brother, is ready to knock your socks off after getting an extra year in the bottle.

Cru: Cuvee Prestige Gigondas 2011 (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) is an amazing bargain at  $19.99. The  typical price from this appellation is $30.00-40.00, but this is classic Gigondas with a fleshy and velvety mouth feel. There are lush blackberries, plums, cherries, licorice and spice on the palate, held together by soft but structured tannins with a long spicy finish. This is a lot of wine for $19.99.

My vote for best Chateauneuf du Pape for the money is Bois de Boursan 2009. Classic, old school, full throttle Chateauneuf with rich layers of fresh and stewed fruit, wet earth, spice, juicy tannin… OMG this is good! It’s not cheap at $47.99, but great Chateauneuf is never cheap. Get this for that special occasion or meal. You will not soon forget it.

The Rhone Valley is definitely a wine region to be explored. There are great bargains from the south and great wines from both sub regions, so do yourself a big favor and check them out.

Pinot NoirThe World’s Most Difficult Grape—But Worth It!

Pinot Noir is one of the oldest grape varietals in the world. Originating in Burgundy, France, where it is the source of some of the world’s best wines, the grape is now grown in California and Oregon in the U.S., as well as in Chile and New Zealand.

Difficulties with Pinot Noir occur at virtually every step of wine production. It is genetically unstable, and the parent vine can produce offspring that bear fruit totally different in size, aromatics, and even flavor. This has resulted in hundreds of inferior clones that need to be sorted from the good ones. Any affliction that can affect vines occurs commonly in Pinot Noir. Because it leaves early, it is susceptible to spring frost. It is a perfect host to the sharpshooter leafhopper, which causes Pierce’s disease and can wipe out a vineyard in three years. Leaf roll, a viral infection, is common. The vine is not very vigorous so there may be not enough leaf cover to protect the fruit from birds. This plus the fact that the grape is very thin skinned means berries can shrivel quickly and dry out if picked too late.

Pinot Noir is even difficult to ferment. It ferments rapidly and violently, sometimes out of control. Color retention is a common problem because of the thin skins. Finally, a process known as acetification can occur, causing aromatics and flavors present during fermentation and aging to disappear when the wine is bottled.

Pinot Noir prefers cool climates and chalky, well-drained soils. If grown in warm weather, the delicate aromas and flavors don’t develop. Burgundy has just such a climate and terroir. Willamette Valley, Oregon is at the same latitude as Burgundy and has a similarly cool climate. Pinot Noir grows best in cooler regions of California such as Carneros and Russian River. Cool climates are the most varied, so different vintages vary greatly.

So why do vintners bother with such a difficult grape? Because it can make incredibly aromatic, flavorful wines with a perfume of strawberry, raspberry, black cherry, tea, mint, violets, and spices. The flavors (similar to the aromatics) are delicate but can be quite intense. Pinot Noir tends to be a medium bodied wine with soft tannins and a balancing acidity. Done right, it can be like liquid silk—a profound experience. Aging in oak enhances these characteristics beautifully. It is a wonderful food wine, matching well with Salmon, fowl, ham, and lamb.

There are differences among Pinot Noir from Burgundy, California, and Oregon. Burgundies tend to be lower in alcohol, more structured, and less fruit juicy than American wines. They have more earthy and herbal notes and tend to age longer. Many critics feel Burgundy is a better food wine—it accepts food without overwhelming it, and its lower alcohol and slightly higher acidity balances and brings out the nuances in the accompanying dishes. California Pinot Noir tends to be softer, more lush, and more fruit forward, has a higher alcohol and usually less structure. It is a better wine for drinking on its own.

Oregon seems to be somewhere in the middle of the two. The climate is more similar to Burgundy, but the soil is richer and more volcanic. Oregon Pinots differ greatly among themselves, but tend to be more earthy than California Pinots with a complexity sometimes rivaling Burgundy. The fruit forwardness, however, more closely mimics California.

Another difference among the wine from Burgundy, California, and Oregon is the price. Burgundy is the most expensive, with almost nothing drinkable below $20.00 and prices from the best growers starting at $100.00. Domain de la Romanee Conti wines are over $1000.00 per bottle at release, are the most expensive wines in the world, and are sold out every year. However, some Burgundies are quite affordable, like Seguin Gevrey Chambertin at $47.99 and Regis Bouvier Bourgogne en Montre Cul at $29.99.

California does some really nice Pinot Noir in the $15.00 to $25.00 range, such as Wyatt, Au Bon Climate, Block Nineteen, and Banshee. There are some pricier ones that are really awesome. Try Melville Estate for $27.99.

Oregon is making a lot of really great Pinot Noirs, and this grape has become the state’s signature red grape. Holloran makes two wines. The entry level offering, at $22.99, is called Stafford Hill and is my choice for the best Pinot Noir in the store at this price point. The upper level one is only $7.00 more and is a beautiful mix of perfume, flowers, fruit, and earth. There is a small producer called Tyee whose barrel select Pinot is wonderful at $28.99.

New Zealand is becoming as well known as much for its earthy, funky Pinot Noirs as it is for its Marlboro Sauvignon Blancs. Sherwood and Allan Scott are good values at under $20.00 and are fairly typical of Pinots from this country.

Finally, some definite bargains are coming out of Chile, which is known best for its Carmenere and Cabernet. Llai Llai is a nice example for $10.00 and Cantaluna and Root One are in the same price range. These wines are good places to start if your wallet is a bit light because they are true Pinot Noir. Be careful of inexpensive California Pinot Noirs. Syrah is often added generously to the blend (in California to be called a specific varietal the wine must contain only 75% of that grape) so you may get a pleasant, quaffable wine, but it tastes nothing like Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir can be amazing and can be a great wine with dinner or by the glass on your patio. As tricky as it is to grow and make into wine, it can also be tricky to shop for. So ask your wine geek for the best….it will be an awesome experience.

Easter Wines

Easter means a food fest and a food fest means good wine.

Ham

One of the most popular main courses for Easter is, of course, ham. Ham is not as easy to match as you might think, although the mix of sweet and salt brings some great possibilities. For the white drinker, Riesling is an excellent choice. Get one with just a touch of sweetness, which rounds out the saltiness and has the good acidity to support the sweetness and fruit of the wine. My choice from Washington is Kung Fu Girl. From Germany, go with a Kabinett, like Dr. Loosen Blue Slate ($20.99.) Another white to try is Joseph Cattin Gewurztraminer from Alsace. Big fruit, spice, and a bit of residual sugar work very well with the ham.

For the red drinker, a big fruit-forward wine works well, such as a California Zinfandel.  Seven Deadly Zins or Dashe are good examples. Even better would be a Nero D’Avola or Negroamaro form southern Italy. These are similar to Zinfandels only a little lighter on the alcohol, a little earthier, and a little more elegant. Occhipinti’s TAMI Nero D’Avola is awesome at $18.99 and N Zero is a $12.99 Negroamaro that will make your ham wonderful.

Lamb

If you are lucky enough to live in a house where your wife doesn’t think lambs are too cute to cook, then nothing is better for Easter dinner. As far as I’m concerned, the perfect match for lamb is a red from the northern Rhone. These earthy Syrahs bring out the gamey rich flavor of the lamb like nothing else can. J.L. Chave is one of the Rhone’s great producers, and his Croze-Hermitage Silene ($27.99) or his St. Joseph  Offerus ($29.99) will guarantee a return invitation to dinner. For less money, a southern Cotes du Rhone blend such as Chateau Pesquie Terrasses ($15.99) will do fine.  If you don’t want French, a nice Spanish Rioja like Zuazo Gaston ($14.99) or a big Nebbiolo such as Dominico Clerico’s Capisme-E 

($37.99) are excellent choices.

Prime Rib

A marbled prime rib literally screams out for a big tannic wine like a California mountain Cabernet. Staglin’s 2007 Salus at $89.00 is epic, but Mt Veeder ($35.99) and Educated Guess ($20.99) are both very nice. Even better is Aglianico, a tannic, rustic monster from southern Italy. San Martino’s SIIR at $19.99 is a true bargain. Taurasi is the world’s greatest expression of this grape. If you brought a bottle of Mastroberardino Radici 2006 ($63.99) to my house, you’d get a lifetime invitation to dinner anytime you want. But you don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy your prime rib properly. 1907 Madiran from southwestern France (home of the Tannat grape) is a wonderful accompaniment for a whopping $12.99.

Brunch

Last but not least, Easter Brunch. If you are looking forward to those mimosas, Spanish Cavas and Proseccos are great bang for your buck and they have big exuberant bubbles that will stand up to your O.J. Sonim is a great Cava for $13.99 and Le Colture Sylvoz at $12.99 is my favorite Prosecco for the job. Don’t bring a nice Champagne from France. The very fine bubbles will flatten in about ten seconds if you add O.J., peach nectar, or Kirsch…very unimpressive indeed.

These are by no means your only choices, especially if you’re having a different or unique food for Easter. And for dessert? You may have to consider a nice Port for all that chocolate.

Above all, though you may not eat responsibly, please drink that way. Happy Easter!

Spain—A Bargain Hunter’s Paradise

“Show me your favorite $10.00 bottle of wine.”

I get that question all the time at the store. The customer always expects me to lead him to the domestic section, thinking imported wines are too expensive. I surprise him by taking him to the Old World section, because I truly think the best wines in that price range come from France, Italy, and especially Spain. If I can get him to raise the ante to $12.00, he can do really well.

Spain offers an opportunity to sample some varietals in their pure form that are often blended in other countries. Not only do you get nice wines for really great prices, but you expand your knowledge of the vast number of grapes that are made into the wines we love to drink.

Garnacha, known as Grenache everywhere else, originated in Spain. It is now grown extensively in southern France and in Australia, where it is often blended with Syrah and Mourvedre, and also in Sardinia, where it is known as Cannonau. Grenache is medium to full-bodied and has spicy berry flavors. It tends toward low acidity because it does best in hot climates due to its long ripening time. Wines from this grape can be found for ridiculous prices. Garnacha de Fuego is an outstanding example for only $9.99. It has huge berry, currant, and blackberry flavors. Honoro Vera, recognized by its artsy label, is a nicely balanced mouthful of spice and blueberry-blackberry fruit, again for $9.99.

Monastrell is another grape commonly grown in southern France, especially in the Languedoc and Cotes du Rhone, the U.S., and Australia (where it is often called Metaro). It is usually known as Mourvedre outside of Spain. It is the “M” of the GSM blends from the U.S. and Australia, and is also usually blended with these grapes in France as well. In Spain, where again the grape is believed to have its origins, the varietal often stands on its own. At the turn of the century, Monastrell was the fourth most planted grape in Spain, but it is slowly being replaced by international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon. It is still the only grape, or at least the major one, found in the reds from the D.O.s of Jumilla and Yecla. The wines are big, with dark fruit, earthy, and savory flavors, and usually moderately tannic. One of my personal favorites is Tarima, recognized by the large passion flower on the label. It is 100% Monastrell from Jumilla and is a very big wine filled with flavors of  blue and black fruits, chocolate, and licorice. It is priced at $11.99, so buy as much as you can.  Another good example is Wrongo Dongo, which to me sounds like it should come from Australia. Another wine from Jumilla, it is almost, but not quite, entirely Monastrell.  It is a big fruit-forward wine with lots of blackberry and blueberry flavors in a spicy background. It is a great barbeque wine and costs a mere $10.99.

 

Rioja, found in northern Spain, is perhaps Spain’s best known growing region. Here, Tempranillo is the king of the varietals, with Garnacha, Graciano, and Mazuelo (Carignan) also in the mix. Although some of the wines made here can be very expensive, yet another Spanish varietal can be sampled for very little money. Castillo Montebuena is 100% Tempranillo. It is typical of this varietal—medium-bodied, with a bouquet of spicy vanilla and cherries and a palate of cherry and raspberry fruit. It is full flavored and has a persistent pleasant finish, a bargain at $11.99. And don’t miss Martin Codax Ergo Rioja. Primarily Tempranillo with a bit of Graciano thrown in, it is vibrant ruby in color with decadent aromas of ripe fruit and flowers integrated with the vanilla and toast of oak. The wine is medium-bodied, elegant, and rather complex, with flavors of cherries, currants, coconut and fresh raspberries. The finish is surprisingly lingering for a wine priced at $11.99.

Ratings by various wine periodicals tend to drive wine sales. Customers come in looking for wines rated in the 90s from Wine Spectator or The Wine Advocate. I’m not going to get into my opinions of the value of wine ratings. If you’re curious, come into the store and find me when I have some time to expound. At any rate, Robert Parker (The Wine Advocate) recently reviewed Spain. Clearly he was in a very generous mood, because he gave high ratings to these very inexpensive wines—Tarima 90 points, Garnacha de Fuego 92, and the more expensive wines in the mid to high 90s. As a result, these wines have been flying off the shelves. This is a true case of “if you snooze you lose,” so come in and check out these wines.

Cheers!

Ripasso—Veneto’s Gem“Poor Man’s Amarone?”

Valpolicella is a viticulture zone in the region of Veneto in Northeastern Italy. The climate is cool but the region still manages to rank second only to Chianti in total D.O.C. wine production. The red wines are made from a combination of Corvina, Rondinella, and occasionally Molinara.

The vast majority of this wine is labeled as Valpolicella. The wines tend to be light bodied, fairly simple with flavors of red cherries, and low in alcohol (11-13%). Some of them are quite Beaujolais-like and are served slightly chilled. Some are more serious and complex, aged in oak for at least a year, and are labeled as “Superiore.” While perfectly drinkable, they are simple and for the most part uninteresting.

Amarones are another story. The same grapes used in the simpler wines are left on the vine as long as possible to get maximum ripening, then dried for up to three months (a process known as “appassimento.”) They lose up to a third of their water content which concentrates the sugar and flavor while maintaining a high acidity. The wines are aged for at least two years before release, but often remain in oak for up to five years. This results in very powerful, aromatic, and age-worthy wines. The flavors are almost port-like, with chocolate, dried fig, raisin, and mocha. They are very expensive, starting around $50.00, and can escalate easily to triple digits…but the “Wow” factor makes them worth saving for a special occasions.

So in an area making a ton of wine, we have a choice of a simple quaffing wine or a very expensive monster? That would seem a little absurd if it were true. Fortunately, Bacchus, the God of Wine, has given us Ripasso.

Ripasso means “repassed.” Otherwise standard, unremarkable Valpolicella is added to casks containing the skin and the lees left over from fermenting Amarone. This “repassing” of the lighter wine over the remains of the “bigger” wine imparts additional color, flavor, texture, and complexity, often impressively so. A secondary fermentation is induced which increases the wine’s alcohol as well.

Ripassos can be awesome wines and are true bargains. They are sometimes called “baby Amarones” as they have some of the flavor profile of that wine, but are more approachable early (Amarones sometimes don’t reach their maturity for ten to fifteen years.) They often taste more like an Amarone than a Valpolicella for a fraction of the cost of the former. Most Ripassos give you all this flavor—and an interesting story to make you sound really wine savvy—for $15.00 to $30.00.

Ripassos can be served with risottos (especially mushroom) and hearty pasta preparations, but are at their best with roasted veal and lamb or braised beef or game. They are a worthy accompaniment to hard cheeses as well.

Customers will often come into the store interested in Amarones until they are horrified by the price. When I introduce them to Ripassos, they come back in large numbers to try more. We have a good selection of these wines as their popularity is increasing. Here are a few examples.

Cesari “Mara” Ripasso della Valpolicella 2009: This warm and elegant single vineyard wine with its seductive dark fruit flavors is a great introduction to Ripasso. $19.99.

Zenato Superiore Ripassa della Valpolicella 2009: This is an absolutely delicious wine. It is aged in small and large oak barrels for eighteen months and six months in bottle before release. It is very full bodied and very Amarone-like, with flavors of dried fruit—raisins, plums, and dark cherries—accented by rich spice. It has a velvety texture, gentle tannin, and a long finish. $31.99

Allegrini Palazzo della Torre 2009: A consistent finding on Wine Spectator’s top 100 list year after year is this Ripasso from one of Veneto’s top estates. It is a blend mainly of Corvina and Rondinella with a tiny amount of Sangiovese. Rather than the usual method of making Ripasso, this estate dries 30% of the harvested grapes and processes the others as for Valpolicella. Then the dried grapes are added to the fresh grapes and they are fermented. I love this wine, and it is one of my staff picks. It has aromas of wild berries and vanilla, followed by a palate of blackberry, black currant, and kirsch. It is well structured and elegant, with supple tannins and a lingering finish. $20.99.

These are a few examples of the many to choose from. Next time you go to your local wine shop, make Ripasso one of your priorities. It is yet another example of the ingenuity of Italian winemaking, and you will not be disappointed.

Ciao!