Wine Down Every Wednesday in May.
May 7, 2013
Sauternes – Ain’t Nobody Got Time Fo’ Dat!
April 30, 2013
Even though Bordeaux remains the Old World wine of choice for many with new money to burn, their tastes are no-doubt changing.
When people think of Bordeaux, sweet wine is more than likely the LAST thing on their mind!
Sauternes and Barsac, in the Bordeaux region of France, make a very different kind of wine than people have come to know Bordeaux for; namely, sweet and white. But growers in the region have slowly started to move away from producing sweet whites, after they’ve seen it fall out of fashion with the general public.
“It’s sad because Sauternes has never been better,” said Andreas Larsson, a Swede who won the “Best Sommelier in the World” competition in 2007. “But that’s the way the world is going. There’s no market for sweet wine.”
Adding to the woes of Sauternes was a disastrous 2010 vintage, in which some of the top properties, including D’Yquem, decided not to make any sweet wine at all, saying the grapes lacked the necessary concentration.
What is different now is that some chateaus are giving up entirely on sweet wine, and outsiders are moving in, looking to make dry wines in the area.
Olivier Bernard of Domaine de Chevalier, which produces some of the greatest dry red and white wines in Bordeaux, from the Pessac-Léognan appellation, said “Sauternes is one of the greatest white wine terroirs in the world, for sweet or dry wine, but what the market wants now is dry wine.”
Click here for the full article from the New York Times.
My Thoughts…
I always have the hardest time selling/tasting people on sweet dessert wines…actually…let me rephrase that: Wines in the “dessert wine” category are no problem to sell, it’s more their levels of sweetness within that category.
Not all dessert wines are created equal, and people have a hard time coming to grips with the fact that Moscato and Sauternes are in the same category, since they have very different levels of sweetness.
I guess what bugs me is that I keep reading these articles from numerous “well-respected authors/sources” saying that tastes are changing and people are gradually moving into drier styles of wine. I don’t know where they’re getting their information, but I couldn’t disagree more! The recent Moscato craze should help to – at least partially – backup my theory.
As with most of these “issues of taste” in the wine industry, I put it down to educating the consumer i.e. no-one knows what to do with Sauternes! Do you drink it like table wine? Do you sip it like brandy? Do you pour it over your ice-cream? What do you do with it?!?!
Those, at least, are the problems I personally see from my time spent “in the trenches” (and by ‘”trenches,” I mean running a wine bar…)
I hate to say it, but this story is just another example of French wine producers wailing “Woe, is me!” after they have rested on their laurels, struggled to move with the times and failed to continue to educate wine drinkers on their product.
Wine consumption is at an all time high. There should be no excuse for slow sales of ANY wine category. Problem is, now that Sauternes producers have dug themselves into a hole, digging their way out is going to be quite the struggle. On second thoughts, maybe they can convince a rapper to write a song about it! Hmmmmm….now let me think….what rhymes with Sauternes….???
Posted in News | Tagged Bordeaux, France, Sauternes | Leave a comment //Baldacci Cabernet, Stags Leap District, Napa Valley.
April 19, 2013
Grapes
100% Cabernet
Facts
- There’s Napa and there’s Napa. The term “Napa Cabernet” is all too often used to refer to any wine that hails from “The Valley.” This rhetoric quite effectively tars all wineries with the same brush: from the behemoth brands, supplying many of the large grocery stores with their generic-tasting wine-flavored alcohol; all the way through to the small estate properties, producing miniscule quantities of truly hand-crafted wines each year.
The problem here is that there’s a growing number of smaller wineries who are placing great emphasis on the land (that goes way beyond the marketing hype on the back label of their bottles), and so the differences are becoming more and more apparent with every vintage in Napa.
- The Baldacci Family have owned this property since ‘97. The original plans for the land were to simply turn it into a real estate investment…but where’s the fun in that!?!?! Thomas Baldacci – in what was probably an idea devised after numerous glasses of wine – decided instead to turn his attention towards growing grapes and also building somewhat of a lasting heritage for his family, by building what is now the Baldacci Winery.
- The Baldacci Family own 37 total acres of vineyard land in the Stags Leap and Carneros AVAs of Napa. Since they’re growing their own grapes and making their own wine, they have a much greater control over the juice that’s going into the bottle.
- The original plan for the Baldacci winery was to use all the properties’ grapes for their wine program. Only problem was, they didn’t know if they could successfully shift 3,000+ cases a year at a retail level. Therefore, the winery used the years prior to ‘06 to really hone their individual bottlings, and sold-off their excess grapes. This as opposed to just banging-out large quantities of juice from the get-go, and hoping that someone would buy. Smart move!
True Story.
April 19, 2013
Kids Write the Darndest Things!
April 11, 2013This was sent to me by a school-teacher friend a couple of days ago. She thought I might enjoy it. She was right! According to her text messages, the exact conversation went as follows:
Kid: “Why are you taking a picture of my work?”
Teacher: “Because my friend sells wine…”
Kid: “Your friend sells wine?”
Teacher: “Yes. He’ll like this…”
Beyond the Brisket: The Perfect Wine and Beer Pairings for a BBQ Feast.
April 10, 2013
I was asked to write an article for Jacksonville Magazine a few weeks ago, and I figured – since my postings here have been kind-of “slack” of late – I would share it with my wonderful readers. The beers – in case you don’t recognize them – are all local Jacksonville breweries.
Chicken
Since many chefs view chicken as a “blank canvas” on which to exercise their culinary creativity, the type of BBQ sauce chosen to coat this delicate meat will be your main reason for success; at least, if you are looking to achieve a “perfect pairing.”
When matching with spicier foods, try to remember that a little residual sugar goes a long way! Gewurztraminer is a great example of a wine with a hint of sweetness, a restrained level of alcohol and will help to temper any amount of “heat.”
Wine Recommendation: Gewurz by Alexander Valley Vineyards Gewurztraminer, Mendocino, California $12
Beer has long been the traditional drink of choice when pairing with barbecue and a Hefeweizen will provide a slightly bitter component to contrast the smokiness of the meat.
Beer Recommendation: Weissguy by Engine 15
Pork
Pork – whether it’s pulled or shredded – is great at any time of the year; but the casual presentation of a pulled pork sandwich, as well as the ease of its preparation, makes it especially perfect during the summer months.
When pairing with pork in any form, it would be hard to go wrong with Pinot Noir. Pinot (for short) is an incredibly versatile food-pairing wine; from the more rustic examples coming out of the Burgundy region of France, all the way through to the “red-fruit bombs” in California.
Wine Recommendation: A-Z Pinot Noir, Oregon $20
Cream/blond ales tend to show a little-more sweetness than traditional ale, with less bitterness than pale ale or IPAs. The added bonus here is that they would also pair perfectly with thick and creamy coleslaw.
Beer Recommendation: Killer Whale by Bold City
Turkey
With Thanksgiving long behind us, BBQ turkey offers a moist and savory alternative to the usually dry and flavorless meat served during the holidays!
Sparkling wines can be a match made in heaven with difficult to pair foods. A sparkling “brut” rose would provide a delicate hint of sweetness, whilst being able to cut through the fat of the turkey and to balance the bold flavors of a BBQ sauce.
Wine Recommendation: J Brut Sparkling Brut Rose, Russian River Valley, California $30
Turkey calls for a light and crisp summer-style “session beer,” so as not to over-power the meat. The hint of sweetness in beers of this style will also match the caramelization in the turkey skin.
Beer Recommendation: Jon Boat by Intuition
Ribs
Ribs – often referred to as baby back ribs – are taken from the lower back rib-section loin of the pig. The perfect rack of ribs should be tender, juicy and melt in your mouth…but be prepared to cling to your napkin!
If any wine was ever considered to be a bully, Zinfandel would be it! A hearty Zin will stand-up to anything! A huge mouthful of blackberries and big tannins will find a welcome home with ribs slathered in a slightly sweet and not-too-spicy BBQ sauce.
Wine Recommendation: Haraszthy Zinfandel, Amador County, California. $16
Craft brews and BBQ go hand-in-hand, offering a complementary and contrasting flavor-experience. A hoppy beer will make a seemingly easy task of cutting through the grease and will pair nicely with rich and full-flavored ribs, as well as smoked meats of any variety.
Beer Recommendation: Rye of the Tiger, Engine 15
Brisket
Brisket comes from the chest area of the cow between the forelegs; and when cooked right, offers a juicy and tender cut of meat that will feed your whole family, with plenty for leftovers!
Argentina has a long tradition of raising some of the highest quality cattle in the world. It therefore makes sense that most of their red wines come ready-prepared to handle anything of the bovine variety.
Wine Recommendation: Zolo Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina $12
When looking to provide a complementary beer pairing with brisket, it would be hard to go wrong with a stout. The chocolate, coffee and smoky-flavors inherent in most stouts will enhance this already intense, rich and roasted meat.
Beer Recommendation: King Street Stout by Intuition
Original Jacksonville Magazine Article:
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