PINOT PLEASURES CALI-STYLE

Pinot Noir is such an interesting wine.  Forget the praise heaped on it by Miles, the persnickety oenophile in Alexander Payne's movie "Sideways" if you can (his monologue about the notoriously difficult-to-grow grape was really about... himself) - with all of the Wineaux out there who love Pinot Noir, I've never heard one wax quite as rhapsodic.

You see, PN can be a bit of a conundrum.  First of all, there are the two main "styles:" Old World, like the Pinots from Burgundy with austere, elegant earthiness, and New World from the US and New Zealand which shower you with bright fruit; it is a grape that is known to reflect its terroir very specifically.  But you also have producers tailoring their wines to mimic different styles, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to tell a Pinot's precise origin from what is in your glass.

So can one generalize about Pinot?  Perhaps only to say that it is a lighter-bodied red (except when it's not) with a fair amount of acidity (except when it hasn't) that comes in a number of diverse styles but is often pretty darn quaffable.  Pinot is also a born 'food wine' due to its acidity and lighter weight.

At a recent Pinot Days event I sampled a number of wines from California producers of PN.  (The organizers crowed there was an array of Pinots from the Pacific Northwest and New Zealand on hand as well, but the majority were from CA.)  It always makes me laugh when trade event brochures have NO room to write notes, which explains why my following reviews are über concise.  I sought out some of my favorite producers, as well as a few new to me.  (Starred entries are standouts.)

Belle Glos is a perennial favorite - they make PNs from a number of standout sub-regions in California. You can't miss the distinctive wax capsules which actually meander down half of the bottle in a smear of luscious rich red.

*2012 Belle Glos Dairyman Pinot Noir Russian River Valley: lavender florals, strawberry, cherry pie - I wrote, "WOW - YUM."  ~$43

2012 Belle Glos Las Alturas Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands: Herby nose, velvety fruit, very spicy! Long length. ~$40

*2012 Belle Glos Clark & Telephone Pinot Noir Santa Barbara: Dark berry syrup, clove.  Outrageously smooth and elegant, yet rich.  ~$39

It is believed that Buena Vista Winery is the oldest commercial winery in the US.  (At least Wikipedia believes it!)  Located in Sonoma, CA - prime Pinot territory - they make a wide array of wines, from Chardonnay to Zinfandel and much more in-between, including these PNs with great quality at an affordable price.

*2012 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Sonoma: Light cherry berry, bright and pleasant, nice easy finish.  Super choice for those who crave a smooth, delicious wine without too much structure. ~$13

2009 Buena Vista Pinot Noir Carneros: Earth, bramble fruit, zingy acidity, elegant and crisp. ~$20

DeLoach Vineyards is a Russian River Valley producer who zeroes in on the three main grapes that thrive there - Zinfandel, Chardonnay, and our friend Pinot Noir.  

2012 DeLoach Pinot Noir Russian River Valley: Round fruit on the nose, sour fruit, good acidity. ~$19

*2010 DeLoach Pinot Noir Russian River Valley/Green Valley: Expressive fruit, lovely integrated components, good fruit/acid balance and nice weight. ~$39

2010 DeLoach OFS ("Our Finest Selection") Pinot Noir Russian River Valley: great nose, merdy terroir, darker berry fruit, clean, elegant. ~$33

Founded by the namesake Texan who played frontiersmen Davey Crockett and Daniel Boone in the 50s and 60s, Fess Parker has emerged as a pioneering winery in many ways.  Strong family lineage, entrepreneurial drive, and high quality earmark this winery.

2010 Fess Parker Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills: Robust fruit and flowers, black raspberries, very smooth. ~$22

2011 Fess Parker Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard: Super perfumey, little spice, juicy, not too long a finish. ~$48

*2010 Fess Parker Pinot Noir Ashley's: Lots of fruit, spice and earth, elegantly integrated, very lovely. ~$40

As a sucker for anything bubbly, I was hoping that I'd find one of their signature sparkling wines at the Gloria Ferrer table, but not this time!  (As you may know, Pinot Noir is one of the red grapes often used in making Champagne, and many US sparkling producers who make wines in the methode champenoise style use it to great success as well.)  However, I was very interested to try some of their varietal Pinots.

2008 Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir Etesian: Styled for by-the-glass consumption, very earthy, light yet solid. ~$16

*2010 Gloria Ferrer Pinot Noir Carneros: Lots of floral perfume, little bit of earth, tasty in the mouth, nice balance, not too big. ~$20

A colleague insisted I go by the Hilliard Bruce Winery table.  Speaking with winemaker John Hilliard, I was impressed by his dedication to making his winery sustainable.  He mentioned that after transitioning from an Organic production to Certified Sustainable, he has actually reduced his emission numbers, and passionately stated, "Greenhouse gases are the biggest threat to mankind." (He was also a bit of a rebel, pouring a Chardonnay at a Pinot Noir event!)  But it was a great visit:

*2011 Hilliard Bruce Chardonnay Santa Rita Hills: Incredible nose, mountain florals, lemon curd, green apple, wow, very very crisp, low oak, pretty atypical Chard. ~$45

*2010 Hilliard Bruce Sun Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills: Blackberry stem and florals on the nose, lots of raspberry, smooth, elegant and rich but not overpowering. ~$55

Another well-respected winery is Landmark Vineyards, located in Sonoma.  They also have a wonderful Chardonnay and make some wines with Rhône varietals, but their Burgundian-style Pinots are standouts.  The cursive script on the label speaks to the bibliophile in me - I feel like these wines are about to tell me a story.

2012 Landmark Pinot Noir Overlook: Interesting lavender nose, violets too.  Tangy and rich, black fruits and spice.  ~$26

2011 Landmark Pinot Noir Grand Detour: Robust nose, berries and cola.  Lots of acidity.  Little unbalanced finish but lengthy with great acidity - needs food! ~$35

*2011 Landmark Pinot Noir Solomon Hills: Small production - 150 cases.  Noticeable earthy terroir, dense flavors, fruit, floral, cinnamon/clove, but still very very light and elegant.  Mmmm. ~$55

All in all, the variety and quality of PNs coming from California remain pretty consistent.  I find you do have to search around at a higher price point to really get good quality (many sub-$20 CA Pinots are one-dimensional, which is why the Buena Vista Sonoma was a nice surprise.) But if you're ready to browse around at that level, you will certainly find many exciting wines that definitely support Miles' ardor!

Cheers.

WINES OF LISBOA Part One: ADEGA REGIONAL DE COLARES

Sunset view of Lisbon from the Castelo São Jorge.

In December I took a lovely little trip to Portugal.  I had found an amazing deal for a hotel in Lisbon for a week, though that meant I couldn't hop around to all of the incredible wine regions like the Douro valley, Tejo, Alentejo, Bairrada and Dão, Vinho Verde... well, you get the picture: lots of noteworthy areas to visit in that country!

My home base would be the beautiful city of Lisbon, however, I wasn't flying all the way across an ocean to just walk around and look at pretty buildings (I am a professional Wineau after all) so I figured I'd journey to parts of the nearby Lisboa and Setúbal wine regions, and see what I could find.

Palace of Pena, Sintra

First up, Colares.  Any traveler to Lisbon definitely ought to plan for a day trip northwest to the town of Sintra there; easily accessible by train, this little village is home to a number of fascinating attractions and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  After stopping in at the unbelievable Palace of Pena, I grabbed a taxi for a short gorgeous drive through the trees and hills to the Adega Regional de Colares.  (It is not common for the Adega to receive drop-in visitors, although tours and tastings for larger groups can be arranged in advance.) 

Colares is at the westernmost tip of continental Europe and is therefore subject to a strong Atlantic influence, and the region is primarily known for the unusual Ramisco (rem-ISH-koo) grape which produces very highly-tannic reds.  It grows well on a 500m strip of sandy soil near the water, and was never attacked by Phylloxera, the root louse that devastated European vineyards in the late 1800s.  Because of that, neighboring wineries at the time started saying their wines came from unblemished Colares, and the Adega co-operative was formed to protect the region's reputation.

Historic quotes about Ramisco on the wall above aging barrels.

Ramisco can be a tough sell, as it is not really grown anywhere else (so not many people have even heard of it,) and its inherent structure can make less-quality offerings overly tannic and astringent.  But those who love Ramisco often refer to it as the "Bordeaux of Portugal" and when finessed, it can be unusual and lovely.

For white grapes, Colares winemakers focus on Malvasia, which is a white grape found throughout the Mediterranean.  However, this one is "its own type," as winemaker Francisco Homem de Figueiredo said; giving it distinction from the other Malvasias out there beyond where they're grown and how they are cultivated.

New and Old style Crush/Destemmers

During my visit, I was treated to a lovely tour and tasting with Francisco.  It was a blend of old and new at the winery; rows of stone lagares where workers would tread on the grapes back in the day - located right next to a gleaming steel modern crusher/destemmer.  I was particularly intrigued by a large wooden anfora fermenting vessel (they are usually clay) which was able to pump juice over the cap of solids naturally without human muscle or electricity. 

Classic stone lagares.

Soon it was time to taste!  We began with the 2010 Malvasia which was grown on sandy soil, 90% Malvaisa and 10% other grapes like Arinto that were part of a field blend (basically when random vines grow haphazardly and no one is really sure exactly what is where!)  It had a light gold color with a nose of grassy herbs and something beautifully pungent I like to call 'dirty sock'.  It was quite dry but very tasty, with lemon tartness and a looooooong finish.  A 500ml bottle retails about €10-11, older vintages retail in the US for $30-40.

Late 19th C aging building.

Next we sampled the 2012 Chão Rijo Branco, mostly Malvasia with Fernão Pires, Arinto and Jampal, grown on more inland clay soil.  This was a pale greenish gold, with lemon/lime fruit on the nose.  It was a little zesty, light and fruity, with good bright acidity.  Very quaffable with a medium long length, simple but good.  €3,50-3,60 (2011 US $13).

To the reds!  The 2001 Ramisco was a light garnet color, with a very dusty/musty nose of dried cherries.  It was fairly light with an "interesting ride:" forward fruit, then tannins came through, then the fruit rose to prominence again.  It was high in acid and had very grippy tannins.  Francisco thought this was almost there, "Fifteen to twenty years after the harvest is when it has its best expression." €13-14 (some US vintages around $40.)

I really loved the 2006 Ramisco.  It was a medium garnet color, with an intriguing nose of iodine and cranberry.  There were herb and floral notes as well, and it showed more fruit expression, with Asian spice and pepper on the finish.  Really lovely.  €10-10,50 (some US vintages around $40.)

Finally, the 2011 Chão Rijo Tinto, which was 80% Castelão and 20% Tinta Roriz.  It was a medium ruby color with a berry salad nose, bright acid in the mouth with lots of fruit and very soft tannins on the finish.  At about €3,50 it was an incredible value!  (US 2009 & 2010 ~ $16.)

Adega Regional de Colares wines ready for sale.

After my tasting, I thanked Francisco, who gave me one more wine as a gift - a 2007 Blend of Arinto and Malvasia commemorative bottling (which I served at my New Year's Eve dinner party alongside a portobello risotto recipe from Lisbon's wonderful Cantinho do Avillez restaurant.  It was gorgeous!)

Palacio Nacional, Sintra

After leaving the Adega Regional de Colares, I wandered around looking for a way back to Sintra and finally used my rudimentary Portuguese in a coffee shop where they called a taxi for me and I felt wonderfully immersed in a non-touristy slice of life!  Back in Sintra, I marveled at the Palacio Nacional and had a lovely lunch at restaurant Tulhas.

All in all, it was a perfect day.  And I had another wine trip coming up the next morning... so stay tuned.

Cheers!

 

THE MINX'S GUIDE TO RE-TOXING...

Like many people I know, I took a week's respite from booze and sugar and carbs for a little January detox.  A little bit to fight the post-holiday bloat, a little bit to prep for a photo shoot.  Either way, it was nice to kick off the New feeling refreshed.  But boy, did I miss my vino!

After the photo shoot, I racked my brain... what was the way to properly celebrate returning to the land of the Wineaux?  There was only one answer: BUBBLY.

I marched downtown to one of my fave little Village haunts, the Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar.  The place is so tiny, they can't even fit its name on the door (har har.) With an always very thoughtfully hand-picked selection of wines, I was sure I'd find something to please.

Out of the five or six selections of bubbles by the glass, I chose three tasting pours for $15 so I could decide what style I was in the mood for.

Up first was the 2011 Salina "25 Reasons" from Sonoma.  A little lovely oddball offering: it's a lightly frizzante Sauvignon Blanc, unfiltered, natural, organic, you name it.  It's a bit hazy (totally appropriate for how it was made) and had a nose of honeysuckle, gardenia and candied melon.  On the palate, notes of green olive and some briny elements balanced with tropical fruits "which is SO cool," said my notes.  Sadly, the wonderful flavors dissipate rather quickly in the mouth, although the finish is refreshing and bright.  It pulls you back to it for sure! WM: 89, mostly for its uniqueness. (By the glass, $14.  Retails around $25/bt.)

Next I tried a more traditional sparkling wine, the NV Ricci Curbastro Brut Franciacorta.  I love Franciacorta, Italy's answer to Champagne (< sounds familiar? I use that phrase a lot!)  This was a solid option; light lemon and a little pleasant terroir funk on the nose, with a rich mousse in the mouth, although light in style, with nice depth, minerals, and a bit of brioche.  Very pleasant.  WM: 88. (By the glass, $15.  Retails around $30/bt.)







Finally, the NV Franck Peillot Vin du Bugey-Montagnieu Pétillant Brut, Savoie (France.) With a nose of yellow apple and wet stone, I was immediately intrigued.  It had an intense flavor, but was balanced with a long, steely finish.  Pretty huge personality, but not overblown.  Notes say, "yesss." WM: 91 (By the glass, $15, a 2012 of this retails for $21 in CA.)

While I truly enjoyed the Salina for its compelling individualism, the glass I finally ordered?  The Peillot.  On its own, there was enough going on to keep me interested, and it truly felt like a wine that fit my little celebration.

If you ask me almost any question, BUBBLY will probably be the answer, and it was definitely the perfect way to re-introduce wine after my little respite.  Now off to the sugar and carbs!  Cheers.

NEW YEARS' WINE RESOLUTIONS.

First of all, these are the easiest resolutions a gal can make, right; I love wine!!!

Each New Year in my "real life," I don't actually make resolutions - I create a more positive list of things I can accomplish (see this post on my personal blog and you'll get what I mean.) 



But I have to definitely change some things about the way I approach WINE during the coming year, and here they are:

• Pay for substance.

While I'm a big fan of value wines (have you seen my TOP UNDER $20 of 2013?) I realize that I often defer to my pocketbook over my palate, even when I should know better.  In the year ahead, I will let myself drink better wine even if it costs more than I'm accustomed to paying.

• Don't drink anything I don't like.

I tell this to my clients who are still trying to discover what styles of wine they prefer, so they don't feel intimidated by sending a glass or a bottle back.  Me, I'm familiar with many different kinds of wine and enjoy many different kinds of wine.  That being said, a lot of bars serve mediocre to bad wine because it's cheap and people don't care.  (Flawed wines are another story.)  This year I will not put up with crap.  There's always whiskey.

• Finish my book!

I have been working on an intro to wine book, "All You REALLY Need to Know About Wine," for about a year and I'm very excited about it.  It's for people who think "Wine for Dummies" is too much information.  (WfD is a great book by the way, but it is 432 pages.)  However, writing this way is a lot of work and I just need to buckle down and finish it.  ('Cause you guys are dying to read it, right?!?)

• Help bring Turkish wine to the States.

When I visited Turkey this past May, I discovered not only a beautiful country but also some absolutely amazing wine.  Regular readers will have seen my earlier love letter to Turkish wines, but there is not a lot of information and availability over here, and I truly want to educate consumers and wine professionals alike. 

• Continue to break down assumptions.

People assume they won't like rosé wine because it's pink so must be sweet, and yet, every wine class or even fancy wine dinner I do that features rosés is a hit.  People assume lots of things about wine, and as I always say, for every 'rule' in wine there are 100 exceptions.  This year I will make sure to open people's eyes more!

• Bloggety-blog-blog-blog.

Again, regular readers know this blog isn't a series of three-paragraph posts.   I pride myself on crafting articles that educate you and acquaint you with new wines in an easy-going and slightly saucy manner.  2011 was my most prolific year so far, and this year I will not only meet that 15 posts, but I plan on surpassing it.  Dare we go for 20?!

• Be the best Minx I can be.

 In addition to writing, I want to get out and interact with my public more!  The wine appraisals and consultation and insurance work are all great but I love to actually affect how people drink better wine.  There will be more classes, (like "Wine Minx" on facebook and post suggestions of topics you'd like to learn about!) and more restaurant dinners, and more consulting for clubs and bars, and video blogs where you can taste alongside me, and maybe TV.  I really want to be on "The Chew."




That's it for now - a pretty good start, methinks.  I wish you all the best with YOUR New Years' resolutions, and hope they include drinking more and better wine!  Cheers!

TOP WINES UNDER $20 of 2013!!!

Wineaux, those of you with a lot of attention to detail will immediately notice the title of this post doesn't gibe with past years'... normally you'd expect to see "TOP 20 UNDER $20".  Well, even in good drinking years, I often have difficulty finding twenty wines that fit my criteria.  This year I didn't even come close.  It's not for a lack of good value wines out there, so why?  A few reasons: 

A) The Minx is not a world-famous wine critic who is sent myriad bottles to taste and review.  (YET.)

B) My performance and other work schedules kept me away from many industry tastings where I can sample hundreds of wines so to better serve YOU, my readers.

C) My performance and other work schedules and travels kept me from staying in one place longer than three months at a time, which interestingly ended up being a factor, although some of my globe-trotting discoveries certainly made the list.

However, I still unearthed some gemmy-gem-gems for you, never fear!  Lucky-number THIRTEEN world-wide wines that will give you an incredible bang-for-the-buck.  (And now my hyphen usage has exceeded its limit.)  Let's get to it!

 #13 - 2012 Benefactor Cellars Shiraz, South Eastern Australia.  (Imported by Trader Joe's, and pretty much only found there!) A solid offering, with balanced fruit and Shiraz's typical peppery spice, very quaffable, and a perfect party wine for only $6.


#12 - 2010 Anselmi San Vincenzo, Veneto Northern Italy, 80% Garganega, 10% Chardonnay, and 10% Sauvignon Blanc.  (A little something for everyone.)  Can you say FLORAL AROMATICS? I knew you could. Good citrus, yellow apple and minerals with medium weight and a balanced finish, yum. $13


#11 - 2012 José Maria da Fonseca Periquita White, Setúbal Peninsula, Portugal.  Pale gold color, with straw and light tropical fruits on the nose.  Nice fruit expression with citrus on the finish but not overly acidic.  Great on its own or with appetizers or shellfish.  Blend of Verdelho, Moscatel de Setúbal, Viosinho and Viognier.  $10

#10 - 2012 Anthony Nappa "Bordo," North Fork, LI.  100% Cabernet Franc.  Lightish ruby color, nose of macerated raspberries, tomato stem, smoke.  Very juicy and bright with balanced earthy elements on finish.  A little odd (which I do like) but definitely interesting!  A lot going on but lighter in style.  $19.99



#9 - 2011 Quinta do Passadouro Tinto, Douro, Portugal.  Had this beauty in my fave Lisboa wine bar.  Scrumptious berry salad on nose, with robust and velvety fruit mid-palate, violets, and integrated tannins and acid. 40% Touriga Nacional,  25% Touriga Franca, 25% Tinta Roriz and 10% "??" (= field blend unknowns!)  $13


#8 - 2008 Edward Sellers "Mayhem" Red, Paso Robles, CA.  Ample velvety red and black fruit.  Pretty lush but not overly-structured.  If you like them big and fleshy and soft, this is your gal, and she's a keeper! I got it for $12


#7 - 2012 Cloudline Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, OR.  Definitely a New World Pinot, but with some Old World finesse; aromatic berries, herbs, medium weight, and lovely fruit and pepper. $16

 #6 -  2012 Dalton Winery Rosé, Israel.  Blend of Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.  I was very impressed with what I saw coming out of Israel, and this had an unusual yet wow-nose of floral perfume with good acidity - generally very yummy with great fruit and great length.  $17


#5 - 2009 Kayra Vintage Öküzgözü Single Vineyard, Turkey. ("Euh-KUHz-guh-zuh" basically.) One of my finds from my new fave wine region, Turkey, this powerhouse has dark berries and smoke on the nose, and is complex yet velvety and rich with good structure.  $19.99 (just made the cutoff!)


#4 - 2011 Catena Malbec, Argentina. A LOT of people really like this wine (critics and drinkers alike,) and it's no wonder.  It has a heady nose of berry jam and a whiff of smoke, with dense and velvety berries, herbs, a little coffee and sweet oak notes on the palate.  Excellent value for the price. $16


#3 - 2011 Channing Daughters Scuttlehole Chardonnay, Long Island, NY. Intense but not clunky; notes of Meyer lemon and toast with great acidity.  Yum!  Especially for you ABC-ers, (Anything But Chardonnay,) it's definitely worth a try, you may change your mind with this one.  $15

Montefino is on the left, but the Penha was lovely too.

#2 - 2005 Montefino Tinto, Alentejo Portugal.  Trincadeira, Aragonez (Tempranillo), Alicante Bouschet & Touriga Nacional - another excellent find from Portugal.  Dark ruby, smoked meat on the nose with a feel of its age and time in oak.  WOW!  It's sexy, velvety and complex yet very, very bright with good acidity.  In a nutshell, it feels pedigreed yet quaffable. $18


AND MY #1 UNDER $20 WINE OF THE YEAR...

EGEO ROZE on the Right...

#1 - 2012 Kavaklidere Egeo Roze (rosé), Anatolya, Turkey.  A blend of 60% Çal Karası and 40% Grenache, it had a pale color of salmon/ onion skin.  The nose was warm, of light tart cherry fruit and minerals.  It was very, very dry, with lots of acidity but not too bracing, and fruit that went on and on, with rose petal and geranium florals and a bit of salinity. $17
 
Once again I was pleased with the variety of regions, grapes and styles of wines.  There definitely is something for everyone, and you can't beat the price to try something new!  Let me know if you come across these and what you think... and DEFINITELY let me know if you have a favorite <$20 wine the Minx shouldn't miss!  Cheers.

VINO, INDIANA STYLE.

As many of you know, the Minx is also a performer on the stage, and I often get called away to gigs all over the country.  For the past few months, I have been holed up in NW Indianapolis bringing a little comic relief to the drama of "Les Misèrables" eight shows a week.  But that doesn't mean I've forgotten about wine!  Far from it.  I have scoured the local Trader Joe's for sub-$8 finds, I have wandered the rows of Kahn's Fine Wine superstore, caressing bottles as if they were long-lost friends, and I've even visited a winery or two.

Wait, go back a sec - a WINERY?  In Indiana?


You may know that wine is indeed made in every one of the 50 states.  Not all of it is excellent by any means, but as consumer demand rises, more and more "outpost" winemakers want to showcase good product.

I performed in "9 to 5" the musical at this same theatre earlier this year, and right after I arrived for rehearsal, Indiana was granted its own AVA (American Viticultural Area designation.)  I was excited to celebrate with some local wine, but there are still some obstacles before Indiana is recognized as a top-tier winemaking state.

In fact, it may never be; California, New York and the Pacific NW are the historically good areas for US winemaking precisely because their climate, land conditions and proximity to large bodies of water make them the best places to grow wine.  Other states like Virginia, Texas and New Mexico are overcoming geographical obstacles to produce quality wines, but perhaps this particular midwestern state may never get a competitive boost.

That being said, there are a number of wineries in the Indianapolis vicinity, as well as numerous more in the southern part of the state.  They are cultivating international varieties like Merlot and Syrah, but also working with hybrid grapes (a mating of wine grapes - vitis vinifera - and heartier 'regular' grapes from another vitis species) to some success.

One lovely fall afternoon my roommate Stephanie and I swung by Mallow Run winery, located in Bargersville, IN, about 30 minutes southwest of Indianapolis, where they offer a generous sampling of wine to taste.  During our visit, they were pouring from 21 different options.

The property of Mallow Run has been family run for 150 years, although the vineyards were only planted about 13 years ago.  There is a lovely tasting room, and visitors can even buy a glass or bottle of wine and picnic inside or on the grounds.

Stephanie began with the 2011 Mallow Run Seyval Blanc (a hybrid white grape), which was very pale with a 'green' nose, and was simple, clean with light acid.  She found it very appealing. $11

I tried the 2010 Mallow Run Estate Chardonel (another hybrid, much like Chardonnay - the name similarity is no accident!)  It was one of my top picks, with a buttery nose, firm acidity of tart lemon, very dry with a nice body. $17

The 2011 Mallow Run Rosé of Chambourcin (you guessed it, another hybrid) was the color of very pale onion skin.  It didn't have a very expressive nose, but was slightly off-dry, with flavors of strawberry, cherry and some herbs on the finish.  $14

Similar in style to a Pinot Noir, the 2011 Mallow Run Chambourcin had a medium brick-y color, with a smoky nose, and flavors of dried cherries and pepper.  Very pleasant.  $17.

Stephanie thrust her 2011 Mallow Run Syrah under my nose, and I got why right away; there was a ton of floral perfume!  In the mouth, the rose and violets shone through, with spice and pepper and a hint of blackberry liqueur, although this was very light in style.  $19

Another personal favorite was the 2010 Mallow Run Merlot with a somewhat pale garnet color, it had a vegetative nose, but the lush fruit balanced that out.  It was very approachable, with lots of blackberry and blueberry fruit, a hint of oak, and light tannins.  Complex but quaffable.  $19

The 2010 Mallow Run Zinfandel was a medium ruby color, with a tantalizing smoky meatiness on the nose, and plum and dark berries in the mouth.  However, it was a little unbalanced for my taste, with lighter flavors and a bit too much acid; a victim of the growing locale, I expect. $19

Finally, another fave, the 2011 Mallow Run Cabernet Sauvignon.  It had a medium dark ruby color, with tons of berry fruit on the nose.  In the mouth, black fruits and toasty oak were complimented by a smooth tannic structure.  Velvety and dense.  $19

All in all the offerings we tasted at Mallow Run were solid and many were interesting.  I did buy a couple of bottles for later!  And Stephanie and I each chose a glass and grabbed a fruit and cheese plate and enjoyed a gorgeous afternoon in the farmlands of Indiana.

One tricky post-script: with the exception of the off-dry rosé, we didn't try any of the sweeter-styled wines that day.  Actually, the sweet offerings outnumber the dry ones, and it's due to the fact that some of these hybrid and other non-vitis vinifera grapes perform better with natural residual sugar.  But also, the midwestern palate seems almost stubbornly attached to sweet-style table wines; Mallow Run's best seller is their "Rhubarb" wine.  I can't expect a winery to cease production of their most popular products in order to adhere to my desire that traditional wines from unusual locales get the boost they need.  But at the very least, there's something for everyone!

So don't be afraid to go out into the wilds and sample some wines from less-common locales.  You may discover something unexpected!  Cheers.

DISCOVERING WINES OF CRETE (or, DON'T BE SO DIS-CRETE!)

My little map of Crete!

We've seen a rise in quality wine from other parts of Greece and from my new fave winemaking locale, Turkey, so it's no wonder that the Mediterranean island of Crete is getting in on the action.

Is Crete possibly even the birthplace of wine?  Well, there is historical evidence of winemaking as far back as 4000BC, which certainly stamps it as one of the globe's earliest winemaking areas.  Cretan winemaking flourished under Venetian rule in the 1400s but when the island was conquered by the Ottomans in 1669 its wine production decreased.  There was a spark of vino-resurgence with the Greek annexation in 1913… but Greece was a little too unstable at the time, so Cretan winemaking didn’t really start to revive until mid-last-century.  

Now Crete is gaining prominence with careful attention to quality control and the advancement of legal regulations.  Modern winemakers in Crete are actively looking to make quaffable wines which appeal to global consumers across the board. 

As with other parts of Greece and Turkey, however, some of these indigenous grapes are unfamiliar to the rest of the world, are hard to pronounce for English-speakers, and are often written on the label in Greek lettering.  It is my hope that with time we'll see some of those barriers come down and the path toward enjoyment of Cretan wines will clear.

To get you started, these are the main white varieties of Crete: (* indicates most prominent)

Vidiano*, Vilana*, Plyto, Dafni, Thrapsathiri, Muscat Spina and Malvazia - and the main local red varieties are: Kotsifali*, Liatkio, Mandilari* and Romeiko.

There are good plantings of international varieties too: Sauvignon Blanc, Roussilon and Chardonnay for the whites, and Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot for reds.

At a recent tasting sponsored by Wines of Crete, I was able to sample some lovely wines that are now being brought into the States.

2009 Alexakis Winery Syrah Kotsifali 

40% Syrah, 60% Kotsifali.  Berry nose, rich in flavor but laser-like clean.  Good balance and finish with a decent structure. ~$15

2009 Boutari Skalani Red

50% Syrah, 50% Kotsifali.  Bright and earthy too. Perhaps a little fumbly but very pleasant fruit and spice. ~$40

2008 Winery Diamantakis Diamond Rock Red

Syrah and Mandilari.  Very nice, smooth and flavorful, great length.  Berries and spice, with a light but good structure. ~$20

2012 Doyloyfaknis Oinopoieio Winery Femina White

Malvasia di Candia.  Aromatics!  Florals and tropical fruit, with a little CO2 'shpritz,' super light, great for summer, not too crisp. ~$15

2012 Douloufakis Winery Vidiano Dafnios

Chardonnay-like, light in style, with notes of lemon, yellow apple and hay. ~$13

2012 Manousakis Winery Nostos Roussanne White

Nose of straw and lemon zest.  Good length, nice body.  Lip-smacking melon in the mouth, very nice. ~$22

2007 Manousakis Winery Nostos Blend Red

Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne  (My notes indicate this winery uses 100% Rhône varietals.) Tightly packed berries, some earth/woody elements, long finish, nice structure. ~$23

Although these next two producers don't yet have importers or distributors, I also really enjoyed a few of their wines:

2012 Anoskeli Winery Ano Rosé

Super strawberry nose, loads of fruit, nice length, hint of tannin, very nice.

2012 Nikos Gavalas Efivos White

Spinas Muscat and Sauvignon Blanc.

Bit of grassiness with good floral compliment, mouth-watering, not too acidic, a little tropical fruit – banana! Flavorful.

Ultimately, some of the wines I sampled over the course of the tasting were not terribly complex or interesting, but the wines listed above were certainly user-friendly and quaffable.  Keep on the lookout for wines of Crete as the quality will certainly continue to rise!  Cheers.