Sauternes producers were not always forthcoming about the real nature of their wines. The thinking was that people would not want to drink wine that they knew came from rotten grapes. That actually seems like a pretty reasonable assumption, nonetheless, no one in Sauternes these days is hiding their rotten grapes. At least not any which have been infected with the beneficial fungus, Botrytis Cinerea, otherwise known as noble rot. This particular little mold loves moist environments and attaches itself to the skin of the grape, then proceeds to remove the water from each grape. Thankfully the fungus leaves behind the sugars and acids in the grape, so, when the grapes are harvested and pressed, the resulting juice is very sweet and acidic.

Located in the Bordeaux area, the Sauternes AOC is about 25 miles from the city of Bordeaux, on the Garrone. The Sauternes region got a relatively late start in the sweet making game. There aren’t any recordings of anyone making sweet wine from botrytis affected grapes (otherwise known as botrytised grapes) until the 17^th century, well after the rest of Bordeaux had become an established wine area. Within the Sauternes AOC there are five sub regions, or communes: Barsac, Sauternes, Bommes, Fargues and Preignac, of which only Barsac is a separate AOC.

The magic happens where the Garrone meets a small tributary river called the Ciron. The little river Ciron happens to be cooler than the Garrone and the temperature difference creates a consistent mist in the autumn months. This mist promotes the growth of botrytis. Unfortunately, the conditions are not met every year, and in bad years Sauternes wine is not produced. Currently, about six out of every ten years give conditions that are favorable to botrytis and Sauternes production.

The fungus does very well on the thin skin of the Semillon grape. This grape is planted all over Bordeaux for dry white wine production, however it generally takes a back seat to Sauvignon Blanc in dry Bordeaux wines. The situation is reversed in Sauternes where the blend usually consists of about 80% Semillon, with the remainder filled out by Sauvignon Blanc and dash of Muscadelle occasionally thrown in for aroma. The wines of Sauternes are marked by many unique characteristics, one of which is the high viscosity caused by the fungus’ tendency to create glycerol in the finished wine. The aroma of Sauternes are generally described as peaches, apricots and honey; the wines have a full load of acid, which is necessary to balance the intense sweetness found in the wines. Sauternes can be an incredibly long-lived wine, with bottles showing the potential to age well for 100 years or more.

Bordeaux, Dessert Wine, Fine Wine, French Wine, International Wine Dessert Wine, France, sauternes, Sweet Wine

Aquatine, as the Bordeaux area is sometimes called, is broken up by two rivers—the Dordogne and Garrone—which converge to form the Gironde, a huge river that meets the Atlantic shortly after forming. Both sides of the Gironde are important wine producing areas, on the left are the regions Médoc and Graves, home to the classified growths of Bordeaux. On the right are several less famous, but still important appellations of St. Emilion and Pomerol, and while these are gaining in reputation, the Left Bank is the established king of Bordeaux wine.

In 1855 the French got together and rated the vineyards of Bordeaux. These classes, or growths as they’re called, were ranked from 1^st to 5^th. Hundreds were included, and the listing is still very relevant today. The ranking was monumental and the most prestigious placement of 1^st growth was given to only four estates: Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux and Château Haut-Brion. A fifth château was granted 1^st growth status in 1973, Château Mouton Rothschild. These are the elite wine estates of the Bordeaux and they all lie on the Left Bank.

The left bank is broadly broken up into the regions Médoc and Graves. Château Haut-Brion is the only 1^st growth in Graves, all the rest are in the Médoc. Within the Medoc, there are even more subregions, the most important are: St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien and Margaux. These four areas hold the vast majority of 1^st and 2^nd growths in Bordeaux. It’s important to note that the classification system in Bordeaux classifies Châteaux, the producer, while Burgundy and the rest of France classify the actual land. These four areas lie along the Gironde and run roughly north to south in the order they are listed above.

While St. Estephe has no 1^st growths, it does have a good concentration of classified producers: Ch. Cos d’Estournel, Cos Labroy, Lafon-Rochet, Calon-Segur and Montrose. The soils in St. Estephe tend to have a little more clay and a little less gravel, and the wines tend to be more acidic, fuller in structure and less perfumed.

Just south of St. Estephe, along the banks of the Gironde is Paulliac. This is the most celebrated of regions, with three of the five 1^st growths found here: Latour and both Lafite and Mouton-Rothschild. The soils are the best, quick draining gravel and the land gently slopes down to the river. These are the consummate wines of the left bank: soft fruit with well-integrated oak, dry, seamless tannin and vigour to maintain and age for decades. Lafite tends towards finesse and Latour and Mouton tend towards power and strength.

Next door Pauillac is the region of St. Juilen, home to the most classed growths in Bordeaux, though no 1^st growths. The soils here also the highly desirable gravel and the best estates are closest to the river. The wines from St. Julien can vary depending on relative location; closer to Margaux, the wines tend to be smoother and closer to Pauillac the wines tend to be more powerful and robust.

Margaux is still farther south and is unique in that it extends well away from the river. The most famous Chateau is certainly Ch. Margaux, one of the original 1^st growths. The soils here are thinner, but still have excellent gravel coverage. The Margaux AOC is home to the most 2^nd and 3^rd growths in Bordeaux, the overall quality level of the appellation is very high. Margaux is said to make the most polished, fragrant and finessed wines of all the Medoc.

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Sometimes it’s hard to remember that the output of Bordeaux goes beyond the handful of classified 1^st and 2^nd growths, but in reality the whole Bordeaux area puts out more ¾ of a billion bottles of wine each year. Yes, the classified growths get the most attention, but there is a whole world of wine produced by Bordeaux that is outside of the big names. Most of the wines made in Bordeaux are red, but there are whites, roses, sparkling and sweet wines made in the area as well.

Wine in Bordeaux started with Romans planting grapes so that their soldiers would have wine while they were occupying Gaul. The next big moment in Bordeaux wine history was a marriage—between an English man and a woman from the Bordeaux area. This union meant that the area, then known as Aquatine, became the property of England (this was the 12^th century) The English liked the wines from the area and exported a lot of them back to England. The wines were tagged “claret” and the name has stuck to this day. Eventually the French took the region back, but the trade and vineyards were established and the region embarked on its long and rich business of making wine.

The Bordeaux area is quite vast and eventually it made sense to break it up into smaller regions, so that consumers would know what kind of wine they were buying. Today the subregions are further divide into 60 appellations, or AOCs. When thinking about the wines of Bordeaux the region is broadly divided into Left Bank, Right Bank, Entre-deux-Mers and the sweet wine areas of Sauternes and Barsac. The Left Bank refers to the left side of the Gironde Estuary and is home to all of the famous classified growths. The right bank is the opposite side of the Gironde, and while there are no classified growths the area is home to some of the best Bordeaux wines. You can think of the left bank as the “establishment” and the right bank as the “up-and-comer.”

Bordeaux wines are almost all blended, both reds and whites. The reds are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc; with a small amount of Petite Verdot, Malbec and Carmenere, being allowed but not generally used. White grapes are predominantly Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, this blend is used for both dry and sweet white wines.

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The right bank of the Gironde just doesn’t get the same respect that the other side of the river does. They classified the left bank in 1855, but then they took 99 years to get around to classifying the right bank. The wines of the right bank deserve a little more attention, and people have begun to notice. The right bank is home to several appellations that produce quality wines, mostly red, and a movement towards very small-scale production.

The right bank is known for using Merlot as the main grape in its blend; as opposed to the left bank which is very Cabernet Sauvignon-heavy. The area is home to two very important AOCs: Pomerol and St. Emilion, along with secondary AOCs: Bourge, Blaye and Fronsac amongst many others.

When the French did get to classifying the right bank, they focused their efforts on the commune of St. Emilion, and the AOC which surrounds it. After the survey was complete, they deemed 55 houses to be Grand Cru and 13 to be Premier Grand Cru—a higher classification. The two best producers were given their own category— Premiers Grands Crus Classés A. These top dogs are Ch. Ausone and Ch. Cheval Blanc. (Ch. is a shorthand for Chateau, which is a house in French and is basically a company which makes wine) St. Emilion is bordered by the Pomerol region and the Dordogne River. Here, the climate is a bit wetter and the soils less gravely, conditions which led the region to choose Merlot for its blends. The wines of St. Emilion are rich and are much less dry and austere than the wines of the left bank.

Pomerol is the AOC adjacent to St. Emilion and historically was a white wine producing area. Today though, red grapes Merlot and Cabernet Franc dominate. The area is thought of as being the newcomer to fine wine production in Bordeaux. The soils in the area are quite favorable to wine production, with a gravel base and sand or clay mixed in. While Pomerol has no classification system, the two best producers are very well known: Ch. Petrus and Le Pin. These wines, in some years, sell for more money than any other wine in the world. The wines of Pomerol are generally ready to drink early, a few years after bottling and are rich and gentle, less tannic than left bank wines are almost creamy in texture.

The right bank is home to a trend of microproducers in Bordeaux. These are individuals making wine in their homes or garages from a very small amount of land. The producers are generally called garagistes and the wines “vin de garage,” because most of them operate out of their garage. The movement was a response to perceived international desire for Bordeaux wines that are ready to drink quickly. In general, the wines are red and are much fruitier and softer in style than most other Bordeaux. They can go for extreme prices, are generally made from vines with very low yields. The best is usually considered to be Valandraud.

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Wine Club Insider back with you.

Rain, Rain, go away, come again another year…

Another day of substandard temps, buckets of rain and overcast here in the northwest. Our summers and falls are marvelous, but Spring kind of sucks until the rain ends… they give us just enough nice days so we don’t move away, but then the next wave of storms comes through, and our drought worries ease for another year!

One good thing is that it’s great for the grapes, though! Wet spring, long, hot, dry summer… maybe that’s why Columbia Valley fruit is getting such a great reputation!

In doing my normal weekly tromp around the cyber-vineyards of the Internet, I came across a new (to me, at least) site called “The Wine Society” out of England.  www.thewinesociety.com

Founded in 1874, it is reputed to be the World’s oldest wine club, and their stated goal is to introduce people to some of the world’s great wines at a fair price.

The way they work their membership is that you actually buy a share in the WIne Society for $60-ish (40 British pounds) and it is good for a lifetime, with no pressure to buy.

Even though shipping to the US isn’t an easy option, there are still plenty of other reasons to join, especially if you want a great wine education or have the option of travelling to the UK or to France at all…

Their wine list is over 800 deep, stuffed full of some of the great treasures from the US, Europe, Australia and beyond. They have a great online library, and if you live in England, they will deliver your wines with their own vans!

They also have several tastings, controlled storage for their members, and a nice futures program. They also have retail outlets in England and France if you “just have to have it today.”

I’m actually thinking about joining just for the extras, and picking up my wine when I next get there… and if I can’t bring it back with me, I guess I’ll just be forced to drink it with a nice piece of cheese and some fresh bread out in the English countryside… could be worse, I guess.

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out

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Wine Club Insider back with you!

It appears my predictions of the final demise of old man winter were a bit pre-mature, and did nothing but stir him up, as went from a nice mid 70′s on Monday-Tuesday, to the current conditions, which include a temp of 35, blustery wind, and an inch of new snow (!) on the ground. I apologize, and will keep my mouth shut from now on. Is it just me, or is anyone else looking forward to the shift into summer mode?

Have you noticed if your wine tastes change as the weather gets warmer? I continue to like reds anytime, but I do find I drink more whites and roses in the warmer weather… anyone else?

All Whining (as opposed to “wineing,” which never goes out of style!) aside, I have a nice site to recommend to you.

I was cruising the Web yesterday, and came across a new-to-me site called Bottlenotes at www.bottlenotes.com. At first I was struck by the “cleanliness” of the site… crisp, bright colors, easy to navigate, but as I puttered around, I was impressed with the wide variety of information they offered; they had everything from comprehensive tasting notes and reviews, easily navigable by price, varietal, winery etc, as well as access to their own podcasts featuring such notables as Jack Cakebread, Pete Mondavi jr., etc.

They have a nice feature called “Winecylopedia,” which is a pretty extensive collection of wine info, and they also have “The Daily Sip,” which is, as they describe it, like a cross between “Daily Candy,” and “US Weekly” for the wine industry.

Aside from all of these little perks, they also offer some really fun wine clubs, and their “hook,” so to speak, is that they will completely customize your wine club to your tastes, budget, schedule etc.

They have 9 offerings, including the Explorer’s Wine Club, which is pretty much the standard “get started for $25″ club, and they also have the obligatory Intermediate wine club (The perhaps less than originally named “Connoisseurs Club”) and a high end offering called ”Limited Addictions” (nice name!) wine club, which features pretty high end, rare products such as Gaja, Pavie etc.

From there, they start to get cool, though…

They have a seasonal wine club, which is also customizeable, so you can choose Rhone in the spring, Napa cabs in the fall, etc.

Perhaps the coolest wine clubs they offer are the smallest…

They have a “Jet Setters,” which is a  tour of the world’s wines, they have a “Dinner party in a box” club, which provides all the wines for before, during and after a dinner party (a neat idea, really!), “Pop,” a champagne and sparkling club, a Kosher club for those looking for something beyond Manischewitz (who knew?), and a new Sake club, with some premium sakes on the menu.

All in all, a pretty nice stop on the web, and I’d recommend you check them out for the extras, as well as the interesting wine clubs.

Until next time,

Cheers!

Wine Club Insider out.

Bordeaux, Burgundy, California Wine, Cheap Wine, Dessert Wine, Fine Wine, French Wine, International Wine, Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, Sweet Wine, Uncategorized, USA Wine, Vineyards, Vintage Wine, White Wine, Wine Club, Wine Club Gift, Wine Education, Wine Lovers, Wine Reviews, Wine Tasting Bottlenotes, champagne club, fun wine club, rare wine club, Wine Club, Wine Club Gift, Winecyclopedia

Wine Club Insider back, yet again!

I hope you all had a great weekend… I was out camping, but somehow :managed” to stow a bottle of Rombauer Zin and a bottle of Katherin Hills Cab in the pack for the trip… oh, the sacrifices I make for the team!

There’s something about drinking a nice wine along the bank of the river by a campfire that just increases the enjoyment, somehow.

I was doing a little wine buying from one of my favorite establishments, Dean and Deluca – www.deandeluca.com – and while chatting with their wine consultant, she mentioned that I should check out their new wine clubs… intrigued, I hopped on line, and lo and behold, not only do they have wine clubs, they have FIVE wine clubs. Now, so what, you’re probably thinking, but in the spirit of all things D & D, they haven’t gone the “normal” route…

The main thing that makes them different is that four of the clubs each have their own full-time wine steward (one of them does two), and they custom design the programs to your needs. Okay, but that’s not THAT cool, you say…

Ahhh, it gets better! Yes, they have the “regular” “Great Introductions” club at $60/month, and an “Artisan” club at $100 for those little known gems, oh, and the “Great Comparisons” club that looks at regional wines from around the world at $150… wait, you say… STILL not that impressed? Seen it before, you say?

Possibly, though not done this well, I would suggest, but from here they go into pretty uncharted territory.

Their 4th club is called the “Cult” club, and with the resources that only a shop like D&D could manage, they offer, for $1000/quarter, at least three of the world’s rarest wines, and I’m talking BIG names… they asked me not to mention them by name, as the makeup changes, but trust me, these are Big Names!

The 5th club is the “Cellar Rarities,” which takes it a step further… for the 50 lucky members, and only $300/month, they offer you the rarest of the rare, and again, though I’m only speaking, um, hypothetically, think Maya, Harlan, etc…

One of the advantages D&D has is their buying power and their reputation, and now, they have provided a chance for some of us to share it with them through their great wine clubs. Check them out!

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out.

Australian Wine, Bordeaux, California Wine, Fine Wine, French Wine, International Wine, Red Wine, USA Wine, Vineyards, Vintage Wine, Wine Cellar, Wine Club, Wine Club Gift, Wine Education, Wine Lovers, Wine Reviews, Wine Tasting Dean and Deluca, Della Valle Maya, great wines, Harlan, rare wines, wine clubs

Wine Club Insider back again…

Maybe spring is finally on it’s way, though the only real clue is that it’s raining a ton, instead of snowing…

One of the neat things about this time of year is that the “young” wine – the fresh whites and fruity wines from the ’08 vintage are starting to come out, and of course, you can always buy the futures in the Grand Crus for the next few years…

Another cool trend we’re starting to see is an – admittedly slight – shift toward being a greener industry…

For example, Boisset, the second-largest producer of Beaujolais Nouveau, bottled its entire 2008 harvest in plastic bottles.

The lightweight PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles drastically cut shipping costs without affecting the young Gamay wine inside and created packaging that was “absolutely recyclable,” according to a company spokesman.

Now, there are certainly other (myself included) that don’t think the wine industry has developed more than a green tint yet, despite the rise in the number of biodynamic and organic wineries internationally.

PET bottles are only at the very leading edge, but there are huge hurdles still left to climb, including the wineries shipping their wines in wooden crates. The number of wooden crates that are opened at warehouses and stores is incredible. Some of them weigh nine pounds, just for the case!. If they were serious about the green trend, the wineries would forget the wood and ship in recycled corrugated cardboard.

This isn’t even touching the entire cork issue, which is going to come to a head soon as supply and disease (not to mention the improving effectiveness of synthetic cork and screw caps, which are making huge inroads, even in higher end Australian wines).

I’m optimistic that our indusrty will start developing a cure to the serious case of “traditionitis” they are suffering from (mind you, it is brought on by us, the consumers!) and get on the environmentally friendlier bandwagon…

Yes, we may have to get used to our favorite vino coming in a plastic bottle (I can deal with that easily) and using a screw cap (a tougher sell for many, despite the inevitable “corking” that is going to occur in your bottles), and know that we are doing our part… a great excuse to drink more wine, if you ask me!

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out.

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Wine Club Insider back, yet again!

Well, it’s the middle of winter, but wine is the gift that keeps on giving! I just got my Pepperbridge Wine Club shipment – www.pepperbridge.com- three bottles of their famous Seven Hills Vineyard Cab, and had to try one, even as young as it is. Let me tell you, if you haven’t tried Pepperbridge, you’re missing out! This Walla Walla winery is among the best I’ve tasted, vintage in and vintage out… between Seven Hills (rated as one of the best USA vineyards) and their Pepperbridge Vineyard, they have the foundation and terroir to make some of the best reds in the USA, and they do. Awesome!

Well now, we’ve touched on some of the world famous red wine grapes… let’s look at the top two whites of Bordeaux:

By far the largest planted and popular white wine is… NOT Chardonnay! That’s right! Especially in France, Chard runs a distant fourth or even fifth, behind Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Ugni Blanc (also called Trebbiano – the most popular white wine world wide, though it is very close with the Spanish-based white wine Airen) abd Muscadelle.

Sauignon Blanc is one of the true indigenous grapes of France, and gets its name from the words “Sauvage” (wild) and “Blanc” (white), and is a green skinned white grape, often described as “crisp,” “elegant” and “fresh.” It can range in taste from somewhat grassy to almost tropical and fruity, and makes wines ranging from dry to the very sweet dessert wines of Barsac and Sauternes.

The Sauv Blancs of New Zealand have risen to prominence as some of the world’s best, and it is grown almost everywhere.

Semillon (pronounced SEM -ee-on) is another famous white wine grape, and the wine it produces range from the very dry Bordeaux Blanc, to the sticky sweet, world famous dessert wines of Sauterne, made famous by Chateau d Y’quem. For the sweet varieties, it is exposed to Botrytis Cinerea, or “Noble Rot,” which basically turns it in to a giant raisin. d’Yquem’s website is at http://www.yquem.fr/yquem.php?lang=uk, and it is truly one of the most spectacular wines in the world, and one of my all time favorites. I actually plan to do an entire posting on this magnificent winery sometime soon… I mean, there aren’t that many wineries that still have verticals back to 1860 in perfect condition!

Back to talk about Chard tomorrow!

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out.

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Wine Club Insider back again!

I’ve had a couple of the most “administratively intense” days I’ve had in years the past couple of days… 4 meetings, three conference calls, 40 or more phone calls, and 20 hours working on a new website… I’m SO ready to get out for a run or a snowshoe tomorrow!

I waited until this evening to open a bottle, but when I did, what a treat! I kind of randomly grabbed a bottle tonight, and came up with a 2003 V. Sattui Howell Mountain Zinfandel. Wow! What a wine!

That glorious first sniff and first sip… deep, currant, jam… did I mention deep? This is a BIG wine, but is perfect for drinking. the tannins have mellowed out, leaving the fruit and the flavor; the essence of a great Zin. Ahh… the day’s looking up!   www.vsattui.com

Okay, let’s finish off the “Big 6″ Bordeaux varietals…

After Cab Saus, Merlot and Cab Franc, the remaining three types tale off quickly in terms of volume.

Petite Verdot, possibly a predecessor of Cab Sauv, is principally used in the classic blends. It ripens much later than the other varieties in Bordeaux, often too late, so it fell out of favour in the Medoc – it’s home region. When it does ripen, it is added in small amounts to add tannin, colour and flavour to the blend. It’s growing a bit in the New World, and seems to be a little more dependable in its ripening. Some vintners have made nice “PVs”, but it is still more commonly used for stiffening up Cab Sauvs.

Malbec is a thin skinned grape that, in Bordeaux, is used mainly for blending, especially in making the famous “Claret” blend. It was taken over seas, and has found a home in South America, in particular Mendoza in Argentina, where the extra heat helps it ripen. Argentinian Malbecs are likely the best in the world, and can be quite exquisite.

The final varietal is Carmenere. One of the most ancient varietals, it is, surprisingly, almost gone from France, though some still remains in the Medoc. Like it’s cousin Malbec, it has found a home in South America, this time in Chile.

Carmenère wine has a deep red color and aromas found in red fruits, spices and berries. The tannins are gentler and softer than those in Cab Sauv, and is normally considered a medium body wine. Although mostly used as a blending grape, an increasing number of wineries do bottle a pure Carmenère which, when produced from grapes at optimal ripeness, imparts a cherry-like, fruity flavor.Of the ones I’ve had, the best ones were younger rather than not.

It is also making a real impact in some other regions, notably the Walla Walla area in Washington. Isenhower - www.isenhowercellars.com – makes a nice Carmenere for their wine club members.

Okay… tomorrow, we’ll move out of France for a bit and see what else is out there!

Cheers,

Wine Club Insider out.

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