Strike it rich in the Sierra Foothills- Where wine and nature meet

posted by Gregory in Snooth, Wine

California’s Sierra foothills appellation spans across some of the least heralded great wine producing regions of the state. Unlike Napa and Sonoma, Cabernet Sauvignon did not serve as a historic touchstone here, though the history of wine production is almost as long. In contrast to the hype and glitter of “newer” regions propelled to fame by faddish whims, the Sierra Foothills continue to stake their claim to fame on old vine Zinfandel, as they did during the gold rush, as well as newer plantings of grapes from across Europe that adapt well to the favorable climate of the region.

photo courtesy of: El Dorado Winery Association

The fact that these counties, eight in total, three in particular, from north to south El Dorado, Amador and Calaveras counties, are leading the way in planting exciting, new to the state, varieties, captures the pioneer spirit that continues to infuse not only the people of these beautiful hills but also the wine they produce.

For example, as opposed to competing with the so much of the state, not to mention the world, by planting Cabernet Sauvignon (not that Cabernet doesn’t have it’s spots in this ranging AVA) one finds Rhone style blends based on Grenache and Syrah, Vermentino, Sangiovese, and even Tempranillo!  This “prospecting for riches” carries over a long tradition, going back to Sutter’s mill and the original 49er’s, that’s 1849, who braved the variable climate of this rugged region in search of gold.

Today’s gold comes more frequently in a bottle, and some is even of the golden persuasion. All the wines of the region share a certain character that expresses the unique terroir of this interesting AVA that admittedly crosses many county borders as it travels from meso-climate to meso-climate.  One reason for such an extensive AVA is that the rolling foothills here are the key to providing welcome relief from the heat of California’s central valley.

This slice of the foothills, where vines thrive in the moderate climate between 1400 and 3000 feet of elevation, is double blessed. Not only do the warm days and cool night preserve the acidity in the grapes but these conditions also extend the growing season by slowing down the ripening during the final days of the growing season. This is especially beneficial with Zinfandel since the grape clusters on many Zinfandel vines tend to have berries of varying ripeness as harvest approaches.

These hillsides are also blessed with a variety of soil types that give the wines produced here a distinctive character.  Around the 2000-foot level many patches of decomposed granite are to be found. These poor soils offer great drainage forcing the vines to struggle a bit for their survival, yielding fruit that, when mature, gives rich, rugged flavors and balanced structure to the wines they produce. At higher elevations several regions have soils of volcanic origin that can add a spicy tone to the wines and a crispness to the tannins that makes them distinct and unique additions to the pantheon of California wine.

Situated as they are between the heavily populated coastal areas of northern California and the rich beauty of the Sierra Nevada range, the foothill wineries are ideally located to be part of a true California adventure. Escaping from the herd mentality that drive tourists to Napa, Sonoma and San Francisco provides that savvy wine tripper not only a chance to taste great wines at a pace more akin to that of 1950 but serves as a gateway to some of the most impressive natural beauty one is able to find in the vast land of ours.

So next time you’re thinking of a California vacation consider adding the Sierra Foothills and visits to Yosemite to your plans.  I know I will.

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Amador Foothill Winery -  Leading the way with innovative wines!

With plantings that range from Aglianico to Zinfandel, it should come as no surprise that Amador Foothill Winery is leading the way with innovative wines from the Sierra Foothills. From Rose to Rhone Blend, and never forgetting the Zinfandel, this is a winery that delivers.

Amador Foothill 2008 Rosato of Sangiovese Amador  13.5% 

Soil, oil, dusty earth, pollen, wild raspberry, lovely subtle spice ad herb tones,  a tuch of leather, a bit of Swedish fish, wild cherry+,  A touch sweet up front then the wash of acid cuts through the weight leaving very pure wild berry fruit tones, great interplay of acid/fruit on the palte, really zippy style with duge refreshing acids that lead to a brick finish full or wild raspberry tones with hints of earth and spice.  A lighter style in the mouth and a great rose that may lack a touch of complexity but more than makes up for it with it’s extremely pretty pure fruit and texture that makes you want to drink more. A great rose 92pts

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Amador Foothill  Winery 2006 Katies Cote Shenandoah Valley  14.4%

Lots of cigar box and sweet vanilla laced tones on the nose dominate the blackberry and black plum note though intriguing notes of violet, black pepper and thyme slowly emerge from the glass.  Slinky entry is immediately delicious with crisp herb inflected black fruits that have great intensity yet are not clumsy or thick. The wood adds a bit too much sweetness here yet the ample spice tones with hints of cinnamon, black pepper and juniper add a nice contrast on the back end. This finishes with a touch too much wood induced sweetness again but the tannins are lovely and crisp so this should take another year or two of age well, allowing the wood tones to soften and integrate. Very aromatic and cedary in the mouth at times, this is a rich, gutsy wine with good promise. 51% Syrah/49% Grenache 88pts

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Bantam Cellars – A new winery making Shenandoah wine scene.

With only 3 vintages under their belt bantam Cellars are the new kids on the block. Following in the path blazed before them they are offering an array of Mediterranean varieties yet continue the great tradition that Zinfandel has developed in the region.

Bantam cellars 2008 Vermentino  Amador County12.5%

Quite intense mineral, almond, pear and light spiced white peach fruit on the nose. This is lovely and balanced on the nose. Good acids, a touch grapey fruit, quite grapey fruity in fact but with lemon shaded juicy Asian pear notes that are rich and satisfying.  Finishes with a touch of raspy mineral, a hint of gooseberry and surprising length. A delicious wine perfect for casual sipping and light fair. 88pts

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C. G. di Arie – From the creator of Cap’n Crunch, no kidding!

Set to celebrate their first decade in business C.G di Arie makes the most of their estate fruit. With the major red varieties planted here at 1700 feet the focus here is on getting a consistent expression from these vines while relying on partner grower sto provide top-quality fruit for their non-estate wines.

G D di Arie 2008 Sauvignon Banc Shenandoah valley 13.8%

Starts out with sweetish notes of powdered sugar a sage that are joined by tropical fruit notes.  Soft and broad in the mouth with a velvety texture and juicy orchard fruit tones. A simple wine in an easy to drink style 85pts

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G D Di Arie 2008 Rose Di Arie  Sierra Foothills 13.7%

Earthy sweet raspberries and fleshy black grape tones right off the bat are joined by a touch of herbs, black pepper and peach fruit.  A rich, soft style with tones of sweet red currant and plum fruit tones that are a touch spicy and hold a nice earthy center. Rich and fruity with a touch of RS yet also a nice hint of tannin to add some contrast to the texture. A touch sticky on the finish but with lingering jammy
blackberry tones. If you love a fruity rose this is for you.  50% Syrah/40% Tempranillo/10% Zinfandel 86pts

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Cooper Vineyards – Offering a complete array of wines

Cooper Vineyards produces and impressive line-up of wines encompassing 17 varieties. From Pinot Grigio and Roussanne to Cabernet and Zinfandel, naturally, there is a wine for every palate. And in that inclusive spirit one can also find a pair of dessert wines, one white, and one red to tempt your taste buds.

Cooper vineyards 2008 Pinot Grigio Amador 14.9%

Rather intense citrus zest and ripe herb notes with lovely floral top notes some alcohol shows but surprising well-balanced nose.  Lots of sweet fruit up front, green berries and green plum combine with a rich, plush mouthfeel to produce a rather unusual wine. One that feels over-ripe yet maintains surprisingly good freshness of flavor; inner mouth perfume is very sweet with notes of green tea and jasmine. The wine lacks some freshening acidity but is bursting with apricot and almost guava tones. The alcohol is more apparent in the mouth but this still manages to pull it off. The finish is a touch short but this is quite an interesting wine, though certainly not for everyone. 88pts

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Deaver Vineyards -  Four generations and 150 years later still going strong!

If any name should be associated with the wines of the Sierra Foothills it should be Deaver. With a proud lineage extending back to the first years of wine production in the region it’s no surprise that Deaver continues to be at the forefront with great new Italian and Rhone varietals as well as the classics.

Deaver Vineyards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Amador 13.3%

Light kiwi and grassy notes on the nose, fresh almost earthy clumps of sod tones that are less herbal than manner SB. Bright zesty and fresh on entry with a very lively and refreshing mouthfeel. Classic medium bodied Sauvignon Blanc feel with modestly fruity flavors and a nice hint of lemon pith and sweet grapefruit that leads to a medium length finish. Actually has good persistence to the modest flavors but the appeal here is drinkability. 86pts

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Deaver Vineyards 2007 Sierra Foothills Chardonnay with an ATTITUDE 14.5%

Smells lemony and floral like some Muscat or Viognier made it into the blend.  The fruit is citrussy and the nose quite high pitched with salty undertones and a touch of honey, toasted spices and green anise seed.  Rich yet lively in the mouth with an impression of sweetness accentuating the deep fruit yellow fruit tones. A mouthfilling wine but well balanced with interesting layers of citrus and peach fruit.. Very clean and crisp on the finish with a touch of lingering almost coffee like toasted spice 88pts

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Deaver Viognier 2007 Amador County 14%

Smells sweet with a leather fruit tone that recalls dried apricot, a hint of lanolin and a touch of water chestnut add some complexity. This gains a nice pale honey note with hints of pollen and light tobacco. Very light with an attractive airy quality even though the wine is noticeably viscous with obvious RS., but it is well balanced by the integrated acidity. Lovely honied flavors of quince, candied lime and peach round out thee mouth. The finish is a bit gentle but with nice feathery complexity and a very friendly disposition. The sweetness is a bit much for a table wine but this finishes fairly read more…dryly so it can work but is better suited as a very light dessert wine particularly well structured for a cheese course. 90pts

 

Deaver Vineyards NV Orange Muscat Amador 12.5%

Gorgeously fragrant nose full of black tea, orange blossom, light passion fruit and pink grapefruit tones. Really intense and fresh and gently frizzante with a honied tone to the warm citrus fruit tones and  an easy appeal. Some tea notes add a bit of depth but this is a rather sweet and slightly rich style of Moscato with long honied flavors yet not much detail. 85pts

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Ironestone Vineyards – A pioneer growing premium grapes in the Foothills.

Ironstone Vineyards is one of the Sierra Foothill’s premium producers of Bordeaux blends. By intelligently adding small amounts of blending grapes and allowing the wines time to age in barrel in the deep, cool caverns under the winery, Ironstone has created nuanced wines in a satisfyingly smooth style.

Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Franc Reserve Sierra Foothills 14.5%

Dark, toasty, grilled fruit notes with spicy herbs lurking, and something very meaty about this wine, Nicely gamy smells like grilling lamb over eucalyptus. Lush in the mouth with lots of rich fruit, plums, cassis, black cherry with hints of dried tomato, herb, mint, and oak,. Very nicely balanced both texturally and favor wise with there is a touch of barbq sauciness on the backend but the bright cherry tones and light vanilla note power through and dominate the long finish. A big velvety richly fruited yet fresh wine with a touch of earth at its core, and just a hint of mint chocolate shavings helping read more…to frame the fruit. Certainly is ripe Cab France 89pts

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Ironstone 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Sierra Foothills 14.5%

Reticent and minty with an interesting mineral edge to the nose, smells granitic.  A touch leaner and more transparent than the CF with a redder fruit profile. Bright acids and nicely measured tannin yield a firmly medium plus bodied wine with a touch of cola/root beer spice helping to frame the astringent red fruits. The wood is really well integrated here and while this is neither super complex or super rich (a good thing) it is very well behaved in the mouth. Not particularly varietal either but rich, polished and fruity. A well-made and enjoyably drinkable wine that finishes a touch short with a Mexican cocoa note.87pts.

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Morse Wines -  A leader in Rhone varieties from the Sierra Foothills

Morse Wines is a new label being utilized by the Il Gioiello Winery to differential their Rhone Varietals from their Italian bottlings. Determined to make a name for both schools in the Foothills, Morse offer carefully crafted small lots of wines that offer a new interpretation of French Classics.

Morse 2007 Ensemble Blanc 55% Viognier/45% Roussanne Sierra Foothills 15.1%

A bit slow to open with soft floral tones married to deep, almost honied, quite smoky baked banana peel, and preserved lemon tones, Gains a big acacia tone with air. Rich with good acidity and a nice mineral edge to the deep orchard fruit tones. Real snap to the flavors and fine balance with rather restrained kwi and goosebbery notes that gain the upper hand on the back end with an interesting candied floral top note and lingering sweet/mineral tension on the moderate finish. Excellent complexity and balance in this very solid wine. 90pts

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Shenandoah Vineyards- A pioneering winery in California’s Shenandoah Valley

With a broad array of small lot reserve wines, Shenandoah Vineyards offers a complimentary line-up to the Sobon family’s eponymous winery. Actually the first of the 2 brands Shenandoah Vineyards continues as a leading producer of wines that represent a classic style that can only be associated with California’s Shenandoah Valley.

Shenandoah Vineyards 2007 Special Reserve Zinfandel Amador 14.4%

Subtle and soft blackberries, peach and black plum skins contrast with a hint of baking spice and coconutty oak tones on the nose.   Very sweetly fruited entry, nice balance with good acidity and very soft tannins give the moderately spicy but very fruity style with a soft, friendly feel.  Full of sweet, vanilla toned black plum and blackberry fruit, on the short finish. Classic Amador Zin though. 86 pts

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Sobon – a family affair dedicated to sustainable farming, and great wine!

The Sierra Foothill’s forte has always been their deep, flavorful old vine Zinfandel. Many of these hillside vineyards were originally planted to supply the 49ers and now are gloriously mature. Sobon has consistently captured the wonderful fruit of these vines, allowing them to express themselves in classic style.

Sobon Estate 2008 Roussanne Amador 14.1%

Great nose, lots of boiled chestnuts and toasted chestnut shells, intense with a noticeable yet integrated oak backdrop. Lilacs, white pepper and very light mangosteen fruit.  Decidedly soft in the mouth with a rich, viscous feel and initial honied fruit note that yields to an almost strawberry tinged mid-palate with rich orange tones and a touch of butter cream.  The finish returns to a more citrussy vein with a nicely floral inner mouth perfume of almost tropical orange blossoms. Big rich balanced and different this is a winner 90pts

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Sobon Estate ReZerve 2008 Rose Amador 13.6%

Mineral, strawberry, herb and roast pork with a hint of rosemary and a hint of flowers on the nose give this a succulent and savory appeal.  Dry and crisp with good focus in the mouth. This is a touch tight even with a subtle richness and lovely, slightly tannic red berry and sweet pomegranate tones with a touch of papaya and papaya seed spice. Wonderful fruit and subtle spice tones linger on the moderately long finish. Great balance and freshness here make this really lovely. Grenache/Syrah/Carignan 90pts

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Sobon Estate 2007 Old Vines Zinfandel Amador 14.9%

A touch of fudge and moist earth with lovely brambly notes of sapwood, herb and wild black raspberry fruit edged with a touch of pipe tobacco. Pure black raspberry fruit on entry, very good acids, lots of sweet fruit here, nice top notes of briar and bramble. Nice purity of well-expressed yet uncomplicated fruit. A wine for drinking, not for thinking about. Finishes with a slightly jammier tone and more wood spice but still nicely balanced and fresh 87pts

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Story Winery – A lovely white surprise from a great Zin producer.

Story Winery has made a name for themselves producing small lots of old-vine Zinfandel from great vineyard sites in Amador county.  In true pioneer spirit they have also explored several white wines enjoying the fruit from these unusual head-pruned and dry farmed vineyards.

Story Winery 2007 Chenin Blanc Shenandoah  15%

A touch funky right out of the bottle with notes of caramel, butterscotch and quince paste over a funky chalky earth, seashell and herb base. Deceptively light bodied with gentle flavors of apple, apple butter and pressed flowers slowly building in the glass. Holds its 15% amazing well. The subtle flavors power through on the medium length finish adding notes or biter orange marmalade and a light cashew brittle tone. Before gaining a nice mouth grabbing chalky tone again. A very subtle wine that will rise to the occasion pairing well with a wide variety of foods. 87pts

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Story Winery 2006 Picnic Hill Old Vines Zinfandel Shenandoah  Valley 16%

Light vanilla tones are backed by lots of astringent red fruits, red currant and pomegranate, with a hint of herb and roast meatiness.  Enters with sweet red fruits, slightly exotic berries fruits, fruit di bosco, nice freshness and good balance that help to hide it’s 16% Very candied but in a fresh way, sugared raspberries with a peppery cinnamon edge for balance, Nice crisp tannins and a lovely stemmy tone add length to the finish.  88pts

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Story Winery 2006 Creekside Vineyard Old Vines Zinfandel 16%

Really briary aromas in the glass are joined by smoky earth tones and reduced wild raspberry notes with hints of lightly spiced cranberry and orange rind.  Rich and velvety, this has power and depth with a slightly sweet character that accentuates the rich wild cherry and astringent, spicy red fruit tones. A mouthfilling wine that is a touch minty and medicinal on the finish with a nice tannic bite that helps balance the RS. This is a monster wine; serve it with cheese or instead of dessert. Really spicy notes gain prominence on the midpalate.  Finishes with a really intense red hots tone. A divisive wine for sure but it’s pretty cool. 90pts

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Story Winery 2006 Alitia Vineyard Zinfandel Shenandoah Valley 16%

Smells like leather and ass and not in a bad way. Slow to open, with slightly buttery licorice tinged tight black fruit. Tight concentrated and velvety with a deep savory core folded up with black currant and dry, not terrible sweet mulberry fruit. This is reticent yet with excellent balance that gives it an elegance that their other wines lack. Shares a touch of that peppery cinnamon with lovely dried herb notes and lots of potential but this needs another year to express itself. 88pts

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Vino Noceto – This Tuscan styled estate is a relative newcomer to the region.

Recognizing that the climate of Amador County’s Shenandoah Valley was Mediterranean in nature, family owned Vino Noceto took a brave and unique path, choosing to focus on premium Sangiovese based wine as opposed to sticking to the Zinfandel roots of the region.

Noceto 2008 Pinot Grigio Clarksburg/Amador 13%

Light rainwater, clay and floral tones on the nose give this an airy note before they are joined by fragrant pear fruit with a hint of dried pineapple.  Round and soft but not flabby, in fact nicely balanced on a rich if medium bodied frame that supports soft, juicy fruit flavors with grace notes of mint and almond and herb that lead to a slightly sweet finish that hints at baked apple with a nice almond tone. 86

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Noceto 2006 Sangiovese Shenandoah Valley 14%

Very intense sweet cherry, vanilla and soft toast notes greet the nose.  There is a slight medicinal note that combines with the black cherry fruit to give this a slight cough lozenge note. A nice hint of herb adds complexity.  Big, rich sweet cherry fruit with just a hint of oak is well supported by tannins are a touch astringent, as they should be, and good acidity giving this a refreshing feel. Very medium bodied and with lightness that keeps this centered in the mouth despite the intensity of the rather simple yet pure cherry fruit. On the backend it turns a bit spice with a nice flourish of strawberry and herb adding to the long finish.  Very solid wine and great for the bar-b-q this summer. 90pts

 

Noceto 2008 Frivolo Moscato Bianco California 7.1%

Delicious smelling with note of lemon, lime leaf, powder sugar and hints of angelica root and white tea, with a gently biscuit note. Just ever so softly frizzante with good acidity balancing the rather light, fresh citrus driven flavors. Plenty sweet but with a touch of lightness on the palate, really attractive flavors of subtle ginger inflected candied citrus fruits, with good length, lovely and freaking delicious 88pts

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Gregory Dal Piaz

Community Manager

Snooth

Summer Vacation.

posted by Dan in Wine, Guest Bloggers, Food

I spent my summer vacation in New York City and Cape Cod eating and drinking with friends.   I don’t have many sublime bottles to report on, but more times than less the idea of sharing good times with a glass of wine, a beer, or a cocktail is all that you need to have an enjoyable vacation.

I kicked it all off with a family affair.  Not a lot of booze was thrown around.  Just a bottle of Larkmead’s 2008 Tocai Friulano.  This wine was bottled back in May and it is drinking superbly at the moment.  The 2008 white wines, (of those I have tasted from Napa) in my opinion, are a little loose, less focused than the razor sharp 07’s.  But the oily, tropical character of the Tocai with its underlying liquid almond character was quite appealing as it finished with great lemon, lime zest acidity.

The next couple of days found me in and out of restaurants and the homes of friends.  I drank well sometimes and overdrank in others.  A couple of highlights from the trip - First, I visited one of Brooklyn’s top new, hip restaurants, from the Freeman’s folks.  New Yorker magazine has written this spot, The Vinegar Hill House, up as the prototype of a museum if a museum of hip and cool actually were to exist.  I would agree, but then anything in New York City these days is hipper than my farmer/winemaker chic.  [Ugh.]  After a disappointing bottle of Southern Italian white wine, I made the executive decision that we finish the meal, the entrees and dessert with a bottle of champagne.  Here’s the thing – Champagne is utterly and completely underutilized.  Champagne should not be relegated to celebratory events, colleague ‘pours’ or cheap aperitifs.  Champagne needs to be explored more, paired more, enjoyed more often.  And it was on this trip.  See below.

First, I felt obligated to recoup the failure of the Southern Italian white wine and when meeting a dear old muse in my life, at il Gottino in Greenwich Village, we shared a bottle of Valle dell’Acate’s Il Frappato, 2007.  I hadn’t tasted this vintage and on a hot, sticky, oppressively humid summer evening, there is no better wine then the chilled Frappato.  The wine sings with bright strawberry and rose petal notes; it is the best alternative to a Rose that I have ever tasted.  And when it warms up in the glass, it even offers a little spice; I guess you can call this Pinot Noir-lite.

Following the Champagne theme, when I got together with a bunch of buddies from Business School to play poker and after a couple of Campari and Sodas (another staple on this trip - a refreshing, icy, bittersweet way to beat the heat), I went on to polish off, almost single-handedly a bottle of Veuve Clicquot.  I have not spent a great deal of time drinking Veuve and have told myself I should read the book recently published, Madame Clicquot.  Well, I must say, the most recognizable wine label in all the world, doesn’t over-deliver or excite me.  At forty-or-so-bucks a bottle, Veuve offers a little less elegance in the glass than I would expect from such a cost.  Playing poker and drinking Champers while my buddies drank beers, I felt a little sophisticated; I thought it would be a worthy complement to my card playing strategies.  It wasn’t.  Maybe I would have had better luck with a $10 bottle of Procesco or $2 beer.

My next stop was Locanda Verde, Andrew Carmellini’s new place in the Greenwich Hotel.  The day prior to my visit Frank Bruni at the NY Times gave the spot a solid review and two stars.  Not sure if any chef/owner would consider two stars a good review, but I debated a friend whether or not a person should (or does a person) in NYC live, breath and eat by Bruni’s reviews?  I was curious.  Let’s think about the demographic profile of the New York Times reader.  I’ll pass on projecting my views, and just give you them right from the online media kit from their website; Median age 50.  Individual Earned Income, $71K.  The latter is an interesting number considering, according to the NY Times, 68% of their readers own their own homes.  Can that be in NYC or the Tri-State area if the earned individual income is $71K (or the average HHI is $114K)?  Maybe I have been away too long, but I thought real estate was expensive in NY!?!?  I digress.  Anyhow.  Enough of the Times audience profile.

The restaurant, wholly Italian, from apperitivi to amari, from banquet to bar, it looked and feeled like a popular French Bistro cut out of the American imagination of what a French Bistro should be, but instead of French food, it served Italian.  After living in Italy for a year and eating and drinking my way around, I will say, I approached nothing that looked like this place.  But this is New York, and New Yorkers live with a certain expression that goes beyond the realities of the world (and good for them for that).  Anyhow.  I arrived at 5 pm and by departure at 7 pm, the place was wall-to-wall, its fair share of tourists, hotel guests, business suits and stylish types filled the seats and ate the modern take on crostini and such.  I waffled on what wine to order, passing on a white from Quintarelli to linger over a bottle of Vie di Romans Flor di Uis - a massive white blend that is seductive on the nose, textured on the palate and refreshing on the finish.  After looking it up online, the wine contains (Tocai) Friulano, Reisling and Malvasia.  It is a serious white wine. And an aspirational wine when I think about the white blend I will be producing this year that has its influences in North East Italy.

I was off to Cape Cod next and spent three days visiting old friends while putting back some Sam Adams, more Campari and Soda, a few rum based drinks, vodka and soda as the nights drew long and a little white wine here and there (did enjoy a 2007 La Cream Chardonnay, a high-quality, value Chardonnay hitting all the tell-tale characteristics as the wine warmed up in the glass).  When the weather is warm and humid and the smell of sea salt is in the air, chowder, cod cakes and lobster adorn your plate; it is way too hard to think about drinking red wines.  And as noted by the choices above, you can see that I didn’t drink much wine at all.  It was a good escape.

However, upon returning to Brooklyn before shuffling back to California, I convinced myself to wine well over my last supper in the City.  I write this on the plane, with last night’s dinner in Brooklyn lingering on the mind.  I visited Franny’s with my mother and friends.  Franny’s is exclusive Italian pizza and wine.  I brought a bottle of Kerber Friulano with me, only to be confronted when I popped it on the bar that it was already on the restaurant’s list.  The bartender was gracious enough to let me know we could definitely open it for a $25 corkage fee (and the waitress was later thanking us for bringing an “Italian” wine; well I had to thank my friends for gifting it to me a week earlier when we ate at Vinegar Hill House).  So, I wasn’t going to let the restaurant staff’s graciousness down by just consuming our wine.  I picked out an aperitif wine, a 500mL bottle of Edi Kante Chardonnay, 2005.

I was excited to try this wine, been reading about Kante for some time but never experienced his wines in full.  I will say the Chardonnay was subtle, was shy and stony, was on the knife-edge of elegant, rusty, honeyed ageiness. I kept sticking my nose in the glass and tried to extract more from the wine and the wine responded, drawing me deeper and bottoming out; enticing me to come back another time.  This is the essence of a great wine - it lingers and leaves you with a desire for more.  Unfortunately, 500 mL and four people doesn’t account for much, but I will be back.  Onto the Kerber. Here’s the thing I have learned with some artisanal white wines from Friuli (and I should have taken this learning into account), there tends to be a period after bottling, what I have found to be about two years, that could be considered a ‘dumb’ period in the wine.  The wine is completely shut down, a bit backward and turning in on itself.  There is no fruit, just creamy, reductive characters and shyness.  I am baffled by this and need to explore it further; and when I have the ‘winemaker’s’ answer, I will report in full.

After sharing four or five appetizers from eggplant with golden raisin and pine nuts lathered in oil to artichoke crostini, we moved on to our pizzas and a bottle of 2006 Cos Cerasuolo di Vittoria “Pithos”.  The Pithos is made in terracotta amphora housed under ground and goes after all the ancient Roman winemaking techniques via the Sicilian grape varieties – Nero d’Avola and Frappato.  The wine jumped out of the bottle immediately with spicy red licorice wrapped in barnyard meat and funk. There was a touch of dried herbs, a la vermouth in the mouth and again a spicy, bitter cherry finish on rather soft tannin and good acid backbone.  The wine, which I haven’t consumed since I lived in Sicily, was quite a treat and a good value considering a bottle of Radikon or Gravner made in similar style will cost you almost double on the retail shelf.

So, that is it.  My plane is on descent into San Francisco airport.  And I am happy to be back in California, counting the days until harvest has me knee deep in red and white wine grapes.  T-minus….

Dan Petroski is Assistant Winemaker at Larkmead Vineyards in Napa Valley. Dan has an MBA from New York University and worked as an Ad Exec in New York for several years, before switching it up and trading his suit for a move out west

Building a (wine) community online

posted by philip in Snooth

I was on the keynote panel at the annual Wine Industry Technology Symposium in Napa about a week ago, and finally have time to post the slides. My fellow panelists included Adon Kumar from Wine Searcher, Stephen Gilberg of WineTwits, and was chaired by Julie Brosterman CEO & Founder of Women & Wine.

I’m hoping all the panelists will post their slides, and will chase down the organizers as there was one presentation (that of Dave Morin of Facebook) that I particularly want.

Its always nice to get out to Napa in the summer, and I really enjoy speaking at WITS (I spoke just after snooth launched in 2007). The slides are below, please let me know if anything is unclear.

View more presentations from snooth.

Snooth’s First Annual Blind Tasting Challenge!

posted by Gregory in Snooth

Let me preface this by stating at the outset that I think wine is all about fun. Having fun, enjoying oneself, bs-ing about wine, and yes, as my father has often said, wine is 90% BS!

But I digress. In the spirit of having fun I am announcing the first Snooth Blind Tasting Challenge!

How it will work - We’ll have 4 flights of three wines each, our usual blind tasting format, and we will invite bloggers and enthusiasts to join us here at the Snooth conference room in New York City.

Each flight will consist of three themed wines. Contestants will be scored on their ability to determine each wine’s varietal, country of origin, region and vintage.

Prizes will be awarded to the winners, tentatively the grand prize will be a seat at the table for a 1989 and 1999 retrospective Barolo tasting that I am organizing for October of this year here in NYC.

Sounds like we’ll have some fun to be sure. I’m still working on the 2nd and 3rd place prizes but I’m thinking they will not disappoint!

If you’re interested in trying out your palate let me know. The date is not yet firm but I was thinking that perhaps Saturday September 12th or October 3rd might be convenient.

Gregory Dal Piaz

Community Manager

Snooth

Wine Influencers of Tomorrow

posted by philip in Snooth

Courtney Cochran recently wrote a piece for Appellation America entitled “Wine Influencers of Tomorrow” - you can read the entire article here (subscription required).

With permission I’m excerpting a snippet in which Courtney interviewed me for the piece, where she calls me “The New Peter Granoff”. Peter was the founder of Virtual Vineyards, the worlds first online wine retailer. Virtual Vineyards had a turbulent life, blew through tens of millions of dollars and was a retailer, but other than that I like the comparison, Peter was an early adopter and tried to change the way people bought wine. He believed that information was king and that the small winemaker was an important part of the industry that big box stores and distributors were overlooking.

The quote I gave sums up our goal here at Snooth:

Philip James: The New Peter Granoff   

“James’ Snooth.com – which he founded as recently as 2007 – has quickly risen to the position of most-trafficked wine website in the world, with more than one million wines in its database. Not sure what Snooth does?  James says that Snooth is looking to mirror the offline purchasing cycle a consumer goes through in buying a bottle of wine, albeit with the applications and advantages (like robust user reviews and links to some 10,000 stores worldwide) available thanks to Internet and its social tools… Accordingly, James’ predictions for the future are robust; as he put it to me, “Our mission is simple, but the road is long - to provide wine lovers worldwide access to every piece of information in existence on every bottle of wine ever produced.”  And what a fabulous mission that is.”

The full article is here. (Subscription required).

The many faces of Sauvignon Blanc: a summer staple

posted by Gregory in Snooth, Wine

Wines, much like people, tend to be lumped together in broad categories based on over-arching generalizations and limited samples sets. It’s just second nature to presuppose that a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc will taste of gooseberries and chilies while one from France will recall minerals and herbs. While these generalizations are right on certain levels they tend to get extrapolated out and become more about the grape and less about the region. Perhaps it does reveal some inner truth about Sauvignon Blanc: it is after all a grape prone to grassiness and a distinct green pepperiness, but it may prevent people from exploring Sauvignon Blanc in all it’s glory.

Sauvignon Blanc is a quintessential summer white. It tends to be very fresh and crisp with juicy fruit flavors and has typically been made as an unoaked wine. These elements combine to produce a wonderfully refreshing wine with an affinity for foods, particularly those we love in the warm summer months: seafood, salads, and the riches that come from the bounty of our garden, or maybe the farmers market.

Having said that it there are in fact more than a few styles of Sauvignon Blanc and many regions produce wine with a recognizable and distinct character that may overpower the efforts of a winemaker to put his or her stamp on the final product.

Here are a few wines that manage to express so much about their origins and provide maximum refreshment while doing it!

South Africa – South Africa is a relative newcomer to the Sauvignon Blanc scene. As the country’s wine growers hedge their white wine bets, splitting the bulk of production between Chenin Blanc, traditionally called Steen in South Africa, and the decidedly more popular, though perhaps ultimately less compelling Sauvignon Blanc.

It’s not that South Africa is a slouch with Sauvignon Blanc, the opposite in fact is true. The wines tend to be more mineral, precise, and taut than many, due in no small part to the combination of soil and a slightly short, if wonderfully consistent growing season.

The main reason I find South Africa’s Sauvignon Blanc less compelling than their Chenin, is that they enter a much more crowded field and it is all too easy to compare the wines with established styles from around the globe, rather than simply on their own merits.

South Africa, along with France, is the source of most of the Sauvignon Blanc I regularly drink. I prefer the steely, mineral and citrus style that I find comes from many of South Africa’s terroirs though there is a concerted effort on the part of many producers to emulate the more fruit driven style of New Zealand

2008 Sutherland  - light aromatics, crisp yellow fruit, a touch flinty, a touch of green tea, rather soft and easy with fresh citrus flavors, lime, pineapple, and guava, fresh limeadey, decent acid shows up on the backend, clean fruity finish, uncomplicated but appealing in it’s intense lime character and freshness 87pts

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2009 Indaba – ripe with an almost peachy fruitiness on the nose,  fresh cut grass,  almost dandelion like, subtly floral, very fresh in the mouth, a touch lean but crisp with lemon, herb, and very soft chili notes, there’s a ripe sweetness to the fruit here, nice crisp grassy tones on the rather long and succulent finish  which ends with a spearmint finale 88pts

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2008 Brampton – a rich nose with very ripe exotic fruit tones, passion fruit, a little pink grapefruit, roasted green chili, lime leaf, a nice lean mouthfeel with rather ripe fruit tones but retaining decent freshness, this gives up a bit of precision and zing in favor of ripe fruit tones and flavor. A bit loose though there is a nice mineral tone on the finish. 86pts

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 New Zealand, now here is the grand Sauvignon Blanc success story. Unlike France, where the region’s name is king, think of Sancerre, New Zealand has made Sauvignon Blanc their go to grape. With a very fruit forward style featuring pineapple, gooseberry, fresh chilies, grass and even some Kiwi, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc has emerged as an affordable, appealing easy drinking, yet full flavored alternative to Chardonnay.

By utilizing the naming conventions typical of the New World, the grape variety takes prominence followed by the producer, country and region, New Zealand has set up the entire country as an easy consumer grab. If you’re looking for a fruity, full throttle Sauvignon Blanc what could be easier than remembering an entire country.

Truth be told there are of course stylistic differences among producers in New Zealand, but the bottom line is that many producers adopted this “New Zealand” style as their own following in the foot steps of some early, and wildly successful trailblazers, like Cloudy Bay.

For me these wines can be delicious, but tend to be too intense to partner with the foods that have a natural affinity for Sauvignon Blanc. They are best served as a cocktail wine in many cases, though just when one feels comfortable making outlandish assertion such as that an exception comes up just to remind you that you are wrong again!

2006 Oriel Mana Marlborough  – big fruity nose with aggressive grass, chili, and dusty gravel tones over passion fruit and even pomegranate tinged fruit, big entry, very zesty with gooseberry, lime and again a touch of pomegranate berry fruitiness, rich but still almost steely with nice balance, finishes with nice cleansing acidity and moderate acidity 88pts

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2008 Sauvignon Republic Marlborough – Intense grass and roasted chili on the nose almost smoky mineral tones as well, smells like a riverbed,  A bit light, disconcertingly so, with adequate acidity but a rather blowsy feel in the mouth, moderate flavors of gooseberry and green plum on the palate with a touch of zesty herb and lime,  rather low key and boring though the lightness grows on you. Eminently drinkable and so friendly that I look forward to trying this in the right situation: i.e. by the pool! 85pts

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One could also be wrong if one were to assume that all Sauvignon Blanc from France were ideally suited to be paired at the dinner table, perhaps much less wrong, but wrong just the same. OK, so maybe only very slightly wrong.

Sauvignon Blanc from France tends to emphasize the mineral crispness of grapes grown in cooler climate with citrussy flavors instead of the more tropical tones associated with New Zealand, for example. These crisp, sometimes almost salty, chalky notes are mouthwatering; that Sauvignon Blanc retains excellent acidity when ripe also helps, and really sets these wines apart.

France lacks the stylistic consistency of many other countries when it comes to their Sauvignon Blanc. While the quality many times is excellent each region imparts a certain style, and there are regional differences in wine making that take into account what nature is able to give in each producer.

Sancerre is arguable the most famous region in France for Sauvignon Blanc. With the rather chalky soil that stretches throughout the region contributing tautness to the wines, these are among the raciest and most beguiling interpretations of the grape in all of France.  Fruit flavors tend towards the citrus but notes of ripe orchard fruit contribute a lovely complexity and provide a wonderful contrast to the tension of the minerality.

2008 Cirotte Domaine de la Croix St. Laurent Sancerre  -  sharp nose, mineral, yellow flower, touch of ash, touch of green pepper, green apple notes, a hint of celery,  lovely zesty entry, succulent with lemon and mineral tones, gains nice depth in the mouth with a suggestion of sweetness from the ripe fruit, a touch of Asian pear to the  lime and grapefruit pith fruit,  nice clean, minerally finish good length, very nice 91pts

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Pouilly-Fumé is another name that is inexorably intertwined with Sauvignon Blanc. Here the wines tend to be a bit bigger than in Sancerre with more varied fruit tones buttressed by an unmistakable smoky note contributed by the flinty soils. These may very well be the epitome of Sauvignon Blanc, full of fruit, mineral, and floral aromas and with a finesse and balance that makes them compelling and complex world-class wine. Of course there is a fair amount of plonk labeled under the name Pouilly-Fumé but such is the price of fame.

With rising popularity has come rising prices, so it’s no surprise that alternatives to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé have come to the market in recent years. Whether from the East, with the best wines of Quincy and Menetou-Salon pulling off rather impressive imitations of classic Sancerre, or from the West’s sprawling Jardin de France, as the Loire valley, home to Touraine, is known, Sauvignon Blanc is a grape with a long and impressive history at these northern most latitudes of winemaking in France.

2007 Chateau Gaillard Touraine  – a lovely nose, slightly woodsy, warm, waxy and almost figgy in it’s ripeness yet maintains a tension bright, super zesty high acid style, totally refreshing with ripe berry fruit, and under-ripe green and yellow tones, a touch of green tea, some tree bark and mint notes, lemon and grapefruit fruits, delicious with a slightly herbal/medicinal finish that is just a touch dilute, 91pts

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At one extreme, stylistically, come the Sauvignon Blanc from Burgundy. These Saint Bris, as the wines are known, come from vineyards that share chalky soils similar to, as well as virtually adjacent to the famed vineyards of Chablis . Here the wines tend to be remarkably linear and crisp with an unencumbered character revealing a purity of green fruit paired with the lean, sinewy feel that is so typical of Chablis. These are wines that refresh and are able to revive one’s palate with their blazing minerality and acidity but are not easy, fruit forward wines that need no thought.

2007 Simonnet Febvre St. Bris  -  crisp white flowers, and lightly smoky soil tones on the nose add to the fruity notes of dried pineapple, dried lime and Asian pear on the nose.  Nice and bright in the mouth with fine balance between the acid spine and fleshy feel, lovely mouthfeel, just rich enough yet still very fresh with subtle shadings of ripe herbs, yellow berry fruit and gravelly spice notes.  Drop off a bit on the finish with a single note citrus return, 88pts

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If one were to move further south one might come to the find the white wines of Bordeaux, based on blends that include Sauvignon Blanc typically blended with Semillon and Muscadelle. But even here, where blending is normal and oak-aging of Sauvignon Blanc an accepted practice, one finds much Bordeaux Blanc where  Sauvignon Blanc takes control of the blend and dominates the finished product with lightly grassy aromas, decidedly less minerality than the more northern wine exhibit, yet a wonderful purity of lemony fruit.

2008 La Mouliniere Bordeaux Blanc  - earthy, melony, a touch of spic y floral tones on the nose with rather waxy fruit tones, a touch of ash.  Light in the mouth, melony and somewhat pink fruit flavors, a touch peachy, very easy style,  nice length, peachy and lightly mineral/vitamin/ashy on the finish then ends with a lime finale. Lacks a little depth but is refreshing. 86pts

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Our own domestic history with Sauvignon Blanc, and it’s alias Fume Blanc, a name craftily massaged by Robert Mondavi, in California is decidedly mixed and even after decades we are still searching for an identity for our wines. We, as is typical, run the gamut of styles.  Growers in California have Sauvignon Blanc planted all over the state and still more time is need to identify the ideal regions for the variety.

Historically Sauvignon Blanc from California has been thought of as a rather grassy, weedy wine, as many early versions exhibited these traits. Ironically the reason may have been that the grapes were planted in regions that were too warm. While this seems counter-intuitive, more heat should yield fruitier wines right? Wrong, the facts are that grapes ripen in stages that are not always well aligned.

A grapes maturity, it’s sugar-acid balance, can fallow a path that allows it to run parallel to it’s physiological ripeness, the ripeness of the skins and pips that contribute to the flavor of the wine. If the maturation curve gets ahead of the physiological ripeness a grower may be forced to pick grapes with perfect sugar and acid reading yet unripe, green flavors. Such is the case with much of California’s Sauvignon Blanc of years past.

Today a new generation of producers has taken a hard look at the issues presented by Sauvignon Blanc and have taken measures to produce wines that are making a break with the past. Growers are either seeking out cooler vineyard site for Sauvignon Blanc or have embraced the styles they can make from their warmer sites utilizing a little bit of wood aging to add depth and a creamy texture to soft wines with rich orchard fruit tones. It’s ultimately a stylistic decision that consumer can embrace.

2008 Robert Mondavi Private Selection  – fresh and crisp with grassy notes and fresh pear, light peach and grapefruit tones.  Bright, a touch small in the mouth and perhaps just a whisper of unneeded sweetness. Round and fruity style, with nothing wrong, just simple, easy, with some subtle grassy and sweet herb tones. Short finish. Clean and simple 84pts

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2008 Hess Allomi Vineyard Napa Valley   -  floral and sweet on the nose with a key lime pie/ lemon custard edge to the fruit, , quite floral, very focused in the mouth with moderately rich flavors of  nectarine,  pink grapefruit and a creamy touch.  A touch of herb and mineral pops on the moderately long finish. A fairly large scaled SB that remains balanced and fresh, bay leaf on the backend 91pts

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2006 Star Lane Vineyard  -  ever so slightly grassy, more herbal and very yellow fruited on the nose with ,a big wild flower note and soft aromas of grape, peach and a hint of banana -  fresh entry with nice body, a bit soft but nice mineral tones back up the soft, ripe yellow fruits that recall the nose,  rather creamy feel on the backend with a touch of banana and more apple and orchard fruit tones than citrus, Made in a richer style this remains zesty and fresh. Nice mineral finish 89pts

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It’s a wonderful thing, this variety we find with Sauvignon Blanc around the world. Unlike some other grape varieties, there is healthy stylistic experimentation and competition going on as different producers and regions attempt to carve out a piece of the Sauvignon Blanc pie for themselves. I can’t think of a better scenario for producer and consumer alike. I’m glad it’s summer and time for our own experiments with Sauvignon Blanc.

Gregory Dal Piaz

Community Manager

Snooth

An Ode to Wine Drinking History

posted by Dan in Snooth, Wine Industry, Guest Bloggers

In my last post, I wrote about the dilemma I am facing in naming my personal wine project.  I said that I am 99% sure of what that name would be.  And before I unveil it here and my reasons why, let it be said that this is no press release in the vein of Snooth’s Wine Pairing application.  Kudos to the team for another quality extension of the brand that brings the wine world under rule.

In that previous post I queried for some feedback and received a few consistent comments pertaining to the ease of remembering the brand name, the ease in pronouncing it and its ability to be distinguished.*  Words like class, simplicity and minimalism were jousted around.  These defining words can do just that, not only define the brand but also, in my opinion, describe the (label) design.  A hook about this wine I am creating is that it will be a small production effort that will be sold to friends and family, a few select retailers and restaurants in NYC and the Bay Area, California.  I have acquired contracts on six tons of grapes and am looking at a potential 300 cases of white wine.  Not enough to get lost on the shelves of your local supermarket or super wine store.  This doesn’t justify an obscure name choice or design, but the limited supply helps with the early stages of marketing by avoiding the clutter.  My wine will be a hand-sell because of the nature of its composition; I will be producing a unique white wine blend with some (relatively) obscure Italian grape varieties at its core.  That being said, does the “name” mean as much as the fit (with the consumer’s palate, the sommelier’s palate or the restaurant’s wine list)?  Only time will tell.

So, it is time to tell.  The winery name will be “Massican.”  And its flagship blend, which on paper at this time, will consist of Tocai, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Ribolla Gialla will be “sub” named “Annia.”

What?

Massican.  Named after the coastal mountain range on the Southern Italian peninsula in the region of Campania.  Mount Massico garnered its mythological fame from a story of Bacchus’ travels when he was looking for a getaway after the “Carabinieri” (Italian police) were after his ass for being a cult-wino-instigator.  In this particular story, Bacchus took refuge in the foothills of Massico with a farmer named Falernus.  Bacchus was so enamored with the farmer’s generosity that when the farmer slept, Bacchus waved his magic Riedel Urn and turned his host’s hillside fields into the most sought after white wine grapes in all of Italy.  Today that DOC is called Falerno del Massico and is home to Campania’s seductive Falanghina.  My great-great Grandfather was also born in these foothills outside of the city of Caserta.  His father was a farmer who was jailed for this or that and sent his only son to the United States before WWI ensued.  During his imprisonment, the crook asked his neighbor to tend his farm.  When he was released, the neighbor did not want to give the land back.  So, he was stabbed and the criminal in my genealogical tree returned to jail.  Mythology, reverence and personal history all play a part in this (relatively easy to pronounce) name.

Since the wine doesn’t have a grape variety to distinguish it by, I will designate the wine with the name “Annia.”  Annia has two meanings.  First, it is a derivative of my mother’s name, Ann (who drinks her wine with ice cubes, even red wine, and I love her for it).  And it is also the name of the ancient Roman High Priestess, Paculla Annia, also from the region of Campania.  Paculla Annia was hunted in the Second Century BC because she was the forebearer in the flesh of what we know today to be etymology of what we consider the “Bacchanal” cult.

For you shrewd wine types, you will say, the grapes you chose, Dan, are not indigenous to your naming convention.  Yes, that is true.  But it is hard to find Falanghina in the United States, so I am attacking the Italian style of white wine production from its most prominent region, and as I have said earlier, I truly appreciate and enjoy drinking the modern style of wine coming out of North East Italy.  Although my naming convention doesn’t hone into this region’s history, it claims a history in Italian wine and, as described, a personal history.  So, I leave you with it and the words of Horace:

“… whether you bring complaints
or jokes, or brawling and insane
love affairs, or easy sleep,
or whatever purpose you preserve choice
Massico, worthy to be removed on an
auspicious day, descend,
bids me uncork [sic] wine.”

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* A note about naming.  “Snooth.”  Not ‘smooth’.  Or what I originally linked it to, “Sleuth” (as in investigated).  Philip told me that it was the nickname for the town he grew up in England.  Maybe he can explain it here.
Dan Petroski is Assistant Winemaker at Larkmead Vineyards in Napa Valley. Dan has an MBA from New York University and worked as an Ad Exec in New York for several years, before switching it up and trading his suit for a move out west

Epicurious.com Recipes Enhanced by Wine Pairings from Snooth

posted by AdamL in Snooth, Partnerships, Press

Wine Recommendations Chosen Based on Ingredients, Cuisine, and Cooking Method

NEW YORK, NY (July 15, 2009) – Epicurious.com, the most award-winning food site, has partnered with Snooth.com, a global hub for wine aficionados, to provide curated wine pairings for the site’s over 25,000 editor-tested recipes. Starting today, when users view Epicurious’s recipes (with the exception of kid-friendly and breakfast recipes), they will also see multiple wine suggestions for that recipe.

The pairings are chosen based on the recipe’s primary ingredients, type of cuisine, and preparation method. The Epicurious and Snooth teams worked together to emphasize affordability and availability; nearly all pairings feature nationally distributed brands and/or wines that cost less than $20.

When users click on a wine pairing, they will be provided with a description of the wine, alongside additional information on the winery, winemaker, region, and varietal. They will also be able to compare prices from various online retailers and can buy recommended wines by clicking through to the retailer. The vast majority of wines suggested for pairings feature label photos. Many include ratings and reviews from major wine magazines and Snooth users.

“Epicurious users are incredibly passionate about cooking, and they want to know the perfect wine to pair with each culinary masterpiece,” according to Tanya Wenman Steel, editor in chief of Epicurious.com. “Snooth has millions of wine reviews for hundreds of thousands of wines, and that depth of knowledge makes them the ideal partner to recommend the perfect wines to match our recipes.”

“We’re trying to democratize the wine experience and make finding good wine easier,” said Snooth CEO Philip James. “Now everyone has access to a wide range of Epicurious recipes as well as a top-tier sommelier with the click of button.”

Advertising partners will have the opportunity to integrate into the wine pairing widget where they will be showcased in the “Featured Partner.”  The Featured Partner wine will always be an appropriate choice for the recipe selected.  Consumers will then have the option of learning more and/or purchasing this Featured Partner wine.

Epicurious.com is a Condé Nast Digital site. Condé Nast Digital is the leading creator and developer of upscale lifestyle and business brands online.

About Epicurious.com
Epicurious.com, a Condé Nast Digital site, is a premier award-winning food Web site, which incorporates more than 25,000 professionally tested recipes from the premier brands in food journalism, Gourmet and Bon Appétit, plus web-exclusive recipes from renowned cookbooks and chefs. In addition, there are 75,000 member-submitted recipes, and web-exclusive original content from Epicurious.com editors and leading food authorities around the world. Epicurious offers a wealth of articles and tips focused on cooking, entertaining, wine, cocktails, and shopping.

About Snooth
Snooth is the world’s largest wine site with over 500,000 monthly users. Launched in June 2007, Snooth is a free, highly interactive, social database of the world’s wines, offering both casual and expert wine drinkers the ability to search, obtain personalized recommendations, interact with fellow wine lovers, as well as seamlessly buy from a global network of over 11,000 merchants. Snooth’s massive database of 1 million wines and 2 million reviews, powers many third-party wine applications and functions as a central repository of wine data. Snooth is available on-the-go using its iPhone application.

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Spotlight: Camel Valley Winery

posted by philip in Snooth

I’d heard of Camel Valley Winery’s reputation (award winning sparklers) since I first moved out of Cornwall over a decade ago. I was glad after all this time to get the chance to visit and meet Bob and Sam Lindo, the father and son winemaking team.

Camel Valley was started in 1989 with 8,000 vines. They added 4,000 vines in 2002 and another 12,000 in 2005. However, even with 20k vines under management, they still get 2/3rds of their grapes from other vineyards around the UK – this gives them some defense against a poor harvest and allows them to choose the ripest grapes from around the country. Total production is around 90,000 bottles.

They grow an eclectic mix of hardy, cool climate, early ripening grapes, including Bacchus, Triomphe, Dornfelder, Rondo, Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Seyval, Huxel and Reissersteiner. When I asked how they figured out why these grapes would work well in the English climate, Sam said that they are all commonly grown in Germany, which is one of the Northernmost wine regions in the world.

South facing Seyval at Camel Valley Winery

I also asked when they first realized that the region could produce good Sparkling wines, and Sam told me that they used to make still (acidic) wines, and one year the harvest was particularly lean, the grapes under ripe, and not destined for greatness, so they decided to go ‘bubbly’, and haven’t looked back. Champagne and sparkling wines are known for their high acidity and make extremely tart, puckering, still wines, so it makes perfect sense.

The cool climate means that the grapes take a long time to ripen, and in some cases, although the grapes reach “ripeness”, they are never “ripe” by warmer regions standards (ie. no phenolic ripeness). The long hang times mean that the grapes are picked in October, and give a meager 2 tonnes per acre yield. That’s comparable to Burgundy Grand Cru, and typical vineyards harvest 6-8 tonnes per acre for table wines.

Grape clusters beginning to form

My favorite wines of the day were:

- Camel Valley Valley Rosé 2008, £22 ($37):
“Pinot Noir and Dornfelder. Light straw and cherry aromas. Good, rich, mouth feel, with a sweet cherry taste (7% residual sugar). The sugar isn’t as noticeable as you’d expect given the acidity, but it keeps the wine smooth. Subtle pine flavors and a candy floss finish.”

- Camel Valley Atlantic Dry Quality Wine 2008, £9 ($15)
“Made with Huxel and Reissersteiner. Green apples and cinamon dominate. Great oily texture and firm acidity - green apples and crisp. Secondary fruit flavors of banana and apple crumble. Rhubarb crumble on the finish. 4% residual sugar, but barely noticeable.”

The State of English Wine

posted by philip in Snooth

Over the past decade the UK has been developing a reputation for its sparkling wines. Over here in the US, people tend to snort at the thought of British wine, at first, but then after considering the relative latitudes and the weather to that of Champagne start to see its potential. Throw global warming into the mix and suddenly the UK seems a sure bet for the next great region.

In reality the terroir is not the same, the soils tend to be different and the weather is too. What I learned was that the UK does best when embracing its own style, and not merely emulating that of its more famous neighbors.

For all the noise over British sparkling wines a few things were apparent:

- Firstly, wine in the UK is still a niche industry. With a nationwide annual production of around 2.5 million bottles, it would take decades to for each British citizen to enjoy just a single bottle.

- Secondly, and this follows from the above, retail and restaurant support/presence is meager. With such low production I can understand why the large supermarket chains are unable to sell local wines, but I struggled endlessly to find a single store that sold British wine (final thanks went to Sainsbury’s, but the experience was hardly pleasant, as we found the bottle after 30 minutes of searching the shelves), and the only restaurant I went to that had British wines had a French Sommelier who tried to advise me against buying local!

- Thirdly, if you’re fortunate enough to have the opportunity to try British sparkling wine, you may be very impressed. Try a white, they are interesting, pair well with food and some are very good. However, skip the reds. A major generalization, of course, but the ones I tried were disjointed, green, very woody and not to my liking. The UK simply does not have the weather for the grapes o achieve sufficient ripeness to produce good reds.

Some of my favorites:

> Camel Valley Ltd Brut Cornwall 2006, £19 ($30)
“Camel’s flagship sparkler. Made with Seyval, this sparkling wine exhibits firm acidity and a fine bead, which swells into an excellent mousse of bubbles in the mouth. There’s a slight almond character which plays well with the peach and biscuit notes. Smooth mid-palate with a light summery strawberry finish. Light hay on the nose. Very nice.”

> Chapel Down Sainsbury’s English Sparkling Wine Rose NV, £30 ($47)
“British sparkling wine - almost as rare as a 4 leafed clover. Obviously i had to try it…Pale salmon color, large bubbles, light berry and yeasty nose, low acid but not flabby. Nice fruits with a medium finish. Also, an interesting selection of grapes.”