2007 Ex Libris Cabernet Sauvignon, WA

When I'm asked for a good-value wine, I have a few that come to mind immediately. Certain offerings in the $8-$20 range I find complex and interesting and enjoyable to drink, and I don't hesitate to tell people about them.

So, without hesitation -- I submit the 2007 Ex Libris Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley in Washington State. I first tasted the Ex Libris Cab a few years back, and grabbed this latest release out of an "Oh, yeah, I remember this wine..." sentiment. And, boy, I am SO happy I did.

First you have the bottle; intriguing label. A take on DaVinci's Vitruvian Man, missing a few limbs, or maybe just VM trying to stay upright after a few glasses of this wine. It's a big bottle, thick brown-olive glass, deep punt. Intended or not, the bottle subtly suggests the experience of the wine to come.

You open it, pour a glass, go to sniff... and Wha-BAM! I think maybe Emeril would like this wine, because every time I stick my nose in the glass, it all but smacks me upside the head to a BAM! soundtrack. The '07 Ex Libris has an incredibly heady nose of dense red and black fruit, violets, cedar and spice. This is a New World Cab, no doubt, but one that suggests an elegance and measured richness lacking in some of its counterparts, lumbering along like overbearing party-crashers. (You might get a kick out of them for a while, but soon they repeat their jokes, and then get sloppy and loud and annoying and hit on your girlfriend.)

This juicy wine has a mouth-painting wash of lush blackberry, cassis, raspberry, black cherry, violets and a hint of anise. All somewhat common Cab descriptors, but rarely have I enjoyed so many in one mouthful. There is a TON going on here, especially when you factor in the price point; I bought this wine today for $19. A mere nineteen dollars. I didn't mean to give that part away so soon, but I couldn't help it. (An online search shows it retails in the NYC area from $17-23.)

On the long, even finish, you'll find soft tannins and a hint of acidity. There were a few spots on the bottom of my glass that at first I took to be minor sedimentary particles, but discovered were tiny bubbles; perhaps a miniscule amount of secondary fermentation came to the party, but was of no affront.

The grapes for this wine were sourced from vineyards scattered around Washington and California. Some historical details are hazy to uncover, but one imagines that the Ex Libris (meaning "from the library," those scattered vineyards being the "library," get it?) is a labor of love from some winemakers who had a certain product in mind - a wine that costs half as much as it tastes like it should.

In my opinion, make that a wine that costs a third as much as it tastes like it should. I could keep going on and on, but I need to get back to my glass. Fire up the grill, throw on some steaks, or invite your vegetarian friends for grilled portobellos, but grab a bottle of the Ex Libris and prepare to luxuriate.

Cheers!

What makes a wine "good?"

I just popped an '05 Chateau les Ormes from Bordeaux to go with my roast chicken dinner... this wine cost about thirteen bucks, and isn't even designated past the region (i.e. as "Bordeaux Superior" or "Fifth Growth," etc.,) so I wasn't expecting much. But I knew the vintage was drinking well, and decided to give it a try. And it's pretty good, how about that. People in my wine classes often ask what makes a wine "good," and I usually bust out the old stalwart, "If you like it, and you can afford it, then it's good!"

But for people who are in the process of developing their palates, I realize that a bit more depth on this issue might be helpful. I can see that a wine like the '05 Ormes might divide a class. It certainly tastes of dusty terroir, with dried cherries and noticeable tannins. Many students would prefer the "New World" jammy berry brightness often found in CA Cabernet Sauvignons. They might say they don't feel this wine is good. And per my stalwart line, if they don't like it, then to them, it's not good. For others, this wine may taste rich but not heavy, with simple yet pleasant notes. They might feel it's a very good wine for the value and make a note to look for it in their local wine shop.

One of the reasons I teach wine classes at all is to help people feel less intimidated by wine. And I usually expose them to a wide variety of wines, grape varietals and styles to do so. For every person who loves the oaky, buttery California Chardonnay, there is a person who can't stand it, and loves the zippy, tropical fruit and citrus Australian Sauvignon Blanc instead. And so on and so forth, until the room is divided into camps, and depending on where we are in the evening and if they've been spitting or not, vociferously rambunctious about their favorites.

When I point out how long and balanced the finish of the Aussie SB is, the Chard-lovers may reluctantly agree. And when I ask who notices the delicate floral notes of the Cali Chard, some of the SB side may raise a hand. But rarely do I find a novice Wino who appreciates two relatively opposite styles, and I wonder why that is.

Is it simply too early in the game of learning about wine to move past basic preference? I choose such a clear variety of wines in my intro workshops in an effort to help my students notice the differences more easily, and learn the vocabulary and describe what they like to bartenders or wine merchants. But the subtleties of wine tasting get lost in the shuffle. I guess I'm okay with that, as long as they keep open minds in the future, and keep tasting a wide range of wines.

I will answer that question now. I think what makes a good wine is this: one that stays with you. One that has a number of balanced components, and a long, even finish. One that elevates the meal it is paired with. One that subtly evolves in the glass. One you look forward to drinking. As the price point rises, so should the experience of these elements. Will the '05 Ormes carve out a place in the list of my Top Favorite Wines Ever? Maybe not. But for a Bordeaux under $15, I am enjoying it very much!

Good Morning, time for Rhône wines!

At nine am the other day, I found myself a) awake, which is unusual for me, and b) sitting in front of a whole bunch of wineglasses. After ten months on a Broadway schedule of late nights and late awakenings, the only thing that could possibly rouse me so early is – yup – wine.

I was about to begin the two-day New York Wine Experience presented by the Wine Spectator. There would be seminars all day and Grand Tastings at night. By the end of the second night, I would have tasted almost 200 wines, my teeth would turn a ghastly shade of blue, and my palate would wave the white flag in surrender. But boy, was it worth it!

The first seminar of the event was a “Rhône’s Rising Stars Tasting” run by James Molesworth, a senior editor at the magazine. Admittedly, some of the winemakers were not new to the scene, as the title seemingly implied, with familiar names like Chave, Ogier and Perrin on the list. To me, the real theme of the tasting seemed to be more about the wines themselves rather than the producers. We tasted three 2006s and five 2007s, showcasing the current trend in winemaking in the Rhône, and really highlighting the wines’ minerality, for as Mr. Molesworth succinctly stated, “Minerality is where you get the sense of place.”

In the Rhône, a swath of land in southern France along the Rhône river, there is a wide range of climate, soil, and topography. Syrah is the predominant grape variety in the north, and Grenache is planted more widely in the south, where it thrives in the warmer temperature. Although the hour was early, I was excited to begin tasting these spectacular wines.

First up was the Jean-Louis Chave St.-Joseph 2006. St.-Joseph is a long area peppered with terraces and plateaux across the river from the pedigreed Hermitage region. This wine had a ruby red color, with a nice robust nose of crunchy red fruit. It had length and finesse, but I found it a bit sour, tasting of unripe fruit, atypical of the common idea of massive, huge Syrahs. 93 WS, $60, 750 cases produced. The relatively small production of this wine earned it the nickname “Chave’s Cult.”

Our second wine came from the top end of the northern Rhône, close to the Côte-Rôtie. The Les Vins de Vienne Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes Sotanum 2007 is not from a designated appellation, as the vineyard was old and not formed when the quality-controlling AOC designated the appellations of the region. The vineyard was re-established in 1996, and the winemakers hope to one day be included in the designation. For now, they subvert the rule of Vins de Pays not being allowed to list vintages by marking their wines with roman numerals of the vintage year. The Vins de Vienne had a quiet nose, with very pleasant bright fruit, a hint of violets and warm tannins. 93WS, $66, 1580 cs.

My favorite wine from the north was the Michel & Stéphane Ogier Côte-Rôtie Lancement Terroir de Blonde 2006. If the Hermitage is the spiritual home of the Rhône, the Côte-Rôtie (“Roasted Coast”) is the hotspot. The style was more powerful, and I felt I could tell the effects of the granite and schist soil on the wine, as the nose had very earthy elements as well as blacker fruits. On the mouth, the wine was quite smooth, with notes of cigar and an abundance of black raspberry and black cherry. This wine could use another ten to fifteen years of age. Alas, the production is tiny at 75 cases, and the price tag is high at $232, so I’m afraid I won’t be adding this wine to my cellar anytime soon! 94 WS.

Our last wine from the north was the Domaine du Coulet Cornas Les Terrasses du Serre 2006. Located at the southern edge of the valley in Cornas, the Domaine du Coulet makes a point of combining modernity and tradition in its winemaking practices, for example, using stainless steel tanks for fermentation but employing no temperature control during the process. This wine had an interesting nose of cranberry and honey combined with a pleasant meatiness. On the palate there was a very specific dried flavor of herbs and violets, good minerality, and strong tannins. This wine also begs for age. 93WS, $65, 5000 cs.

The southern Rhône is a bigger and wider-spread area than the northern portion – 95% of Rhône wines produced are from the south. In the northeastern corner of the southern Rhône is Vinsobres, and the location shows the transition from predominant Syrah in the north to abundant Grenache in the south; the Perrin & Fils Vinsobres Les Hautes de Julien 2007 is a blend of 50% Syrah and 50% Grenache. This wine seems very alcoholic on the nose, with lots of anise. This blend shows a good balance of varietal character. There are strong notes of black olive tapenade, black pepper and tar, with prominent tannins. 92WS, $49, 500 cs.

Still transitioning southward, we ‘arrive’ at the dramatic vineyards of Gigondas with the Château de St.-Cosme Gigondas Le Claux 2007. It is worthwhile to note that “St.-Cosme” is a negociant wine (basically a wine blended with grapes from different areas and growers,) while “Chateau de St.-Cosme” is a singular estate-produced wine. Louis Barruol from the Château feels that Grenache is “transparent” to the area’s terroir and climate and takes care to cultivate the grape so the wines are not enormous and flabby. This wine has a tarry, molasses nose and is quite tannic with hot black fruit and truffles. 96WS, $65, 365 cs.

The heart of the Rhône is arguably Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There is an increase in the number of single-vineyard wines from this region as vignerons strive to highlight the individual parcels that pepper the area. Here, all kinds of soil types are found; gravel, clay, limestone and sand. The Domaine Giraud Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Gallimardes 2007 is a 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah blend from a very sandy parcel. It has a very angular nose with lots of anise and blackberry jam. In the mouth, there is kirsh, raspberry and blueberry brandy layered with pepper and tar. The winemakers are pleased with the intense modern style of this wine, and feel it is their best vintage in 25 years. This wine could certainly be cellared for 10-20 years. I enjoyed this wine, and will be trying to seek some out for my cellar. 96, $52, 256

The final wine of the tasting was my overall favorite. A relative youngster on the scene (a true “rising star,” perhaps,) the Domaine St.-Prefert was started in 2002, after the winemakers bought some flooded vineyards the previous owner didn’t want to re-establish. Grenache is still the leading grape of the Domaine St.-Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Auguste Favier Réserve 2007 at 80% of the blend, with 10% Cinsault, and the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre. This wine had an amazing nose, heady and complex, which was mirrored by the flavors of sweet fruit, kirsch, cassis and nice herbs on the palate. It wasn’t overly tannic, but cried out to be paired with food. 95WS, $60, 1750.

I had to laugh that I’d spent an intense hour and a half contemplating and enjoying this series of Rhône wines, all before my usual wake-up time. The Wine Spectator’s New York Wine Experience was just getting started, and without a break, we were introduced to the next speaker. I will give you, dear reader, a break before my next entry, so you can go out there and experience some wonderful Rhône wines on your own. Keep an eye out for 2007s especially – all the vignerons on the panel were in agreement that 2007 will prove to be a wonderful vintage for the entire Rhône region. Santé!

"Malolactic Fermentation" and Other Things That Freak Me Out

Okay, malolactic fermentation doesn't really freak me out. But long multi-syllabic words that belong in Chemistry class freak a lot of aspiring Winos out. Heck, veering away from chardonnay freaks a lot of aspiring Winos out.

I have started this blog because I have been working in the wine biz for over fifteen years and am still stymied by the number of people who like wine but don't know much about it. They are often intimidated and pepper me with questions, not even sure if the answers will help. Why pepper me, you ask? Well, I do wine appraisals and consultation, I have worked for the wine auction departments of a number of reputable auction houses in New York City, I spent time working at an upscale wine store, I have had a number of articles published in area newspapers, and I have been teaching private wine classes for five years. Do I know everything about wine? No way. Do I know a lot about wine? You betcha.

In my mind, there are two kinds of wine drinkers, Winos and Wine Snobs. I am a Wino: I love wine! I love learning about wine, and trying new and different wines. I feel that there is a wine for every occasion, and an occasion for every wine. Wine Snobs SAY they like wine, but I think they really like showing other people how much they think they know about wine. They are quick to pooh-pooh and slow to engage in lively conversation. This blog is for Winos and aspiring Winos (and maybe a Wine Snob or two who want to convert).

I will share thoughts with you about different types of wine, my personal philosophy about appreciating and understanding wine, and anything else related that crosses my mind while I'm enjoying a nice glass o'vino.

Until the next post, don't be a Wine Snob, be a Wino!

Oh, and as far as malolactic fermentaion goes, ("malo" to most Wine Snobs and very, very advanced Winos,) all you really need to know is that it is a part of the winemaking process where the harsher malic acid is converted into the softer lactic acid, thereby tempering the possible tingy-tangy-tounge-smacking tartness of some wines. Frankly, you probably didn't even need to know that much.