Wine Night Stand

2007 Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay

2010-01-29T11:59:00.001-08:00

I recently took my son to a Foster's Freeze. It's a California-thing, so check out the link if you need enlightenment (and a cool, old-school marketing jingle). Otherwise, just know that it is a soft-serve ice-cream, hotdog and burger establishment established in CA in the 1940s just after WWII.

http://www.fostersfreeze.com/

While I was enjoying a soft serve cone and watching my son devour an Oreo Twister (ice cream with Oreo "twisted" in), I noticed that the restaurant still had an original and operational white porcelain drinking fountain mounted on the wall. This simple fixture brought a smile to my face as I realized that Foster's made the decision to enable its customers to drink water without paying any money or the need for plastic cups or water bottles that briefly serve a purpose and then choke our local landfills for 2-3,000 years.

While I realize this epiphany could be a sign of a drug flashback, early onset dementia or a genetic chemical imbalance, it made me nonetheless realize that change isn't always progress. And why does it cost me less to buy a new power drill then to buy a replacement battery for my old one? Why does a new washing machine cost about what I pay to have a repair man fix my old one twice? We are a disposable society that seems to have forgotten some of the simple pleasures of a generation or so ago. Speaking of a generation or so ago...

Two years before George Foster was opening his first restaurant in Inglewood, CA in 1946, Mick and Katé Brajkovich resettled from Croatia to the small commune of Kumeu outside of Aukland on New Zealand's North Island. Ever since that time, the Brajkovich family has been dedicated to excellence in viticulture and winemaking. Their pioneering endeavors and three and a half score of fortitude has enabled them to produce some of the finest Chardonnays in the world. They have motivated me to replace California Chardonnay almost entirely in my small wine cellar with the crisp, clean, ripe, minerally gems they produce year after year after year. Years ago, many California Chardonnays weren't adulterated by too much new oak aging, but alas those days are behind us. But not so with the Chardonnays being produced by Kumeu River.

Their 2007 Estate Chardonnay is about $30 and rivals any Chardonnays I have enjoyed in the last few years, many of which retailed for $50-$100 or more. Kumeu River's quality has been good for as long as I have known them, but in the last 3-5 vintages I believe their quality continues to reach new heights despite my contention that they have already reached the pinnacle.

The first thing new world Chardonnay drinkers will notice is the acidity, which provides awesome structure to the wine and makes it refreshing and perfect with a number of foods that California Chardonnays should avoid with their figurative 10-foot heavy toast, new French oak poles. The wine has oak notes, but they merely co-exist humbly with zesty ripe fruit, floral notes and minerality. Together with the aforementioned acidity, this wine will age gloriously for 6-10 years.

My vocabulary only allows me to begin to do this wine justice. At this price, this wine is a frickin' steal, plain and simple. And to stay true to the theme of this blog, if you went on a date with this wine, it would open the car door for you, pull out your chair, call you ma'am and plant a gentle, respectful kiss on your cheek at the end of the evening - at least, that's what would happen on your first date. Or in slightly different terms, this is the wine your mother would approve of you dating.

http://www.kumeuriver.co.nz/index.htm

About 1,000 cases were imported into the U.S. by Wilson Daniels.
http://www.wilsondaniels.com/

RouteStock 2007 Pinot Noir

2009-11-09T20:30:00.000-08:00

This little sweetheart from Oregon's Willamette Valley is small town girl moves to the big city and reminds us of charm and simple pleasures that we shouldn't take for granted. Think of her as Laura Ingalls, before she got older, moved to Hollywood, got breast implants, became the President of SAG and was one irreconcilable marital problem away from being a serious cougar.

But this wine has serious provenance. Luisa Ponzi, daughter of pioneer, guru winemaker Dick Ponzi, lends her talents to the everyday value that is an approachable, honest value perfect for our desire to find greater value in this more uncertain world. Luisa spends most of her time making some of Oregon's, and some might argue some of the world's finest Pinot Noir. Fortunately she took some of her limited spare time to craft a wine offering exceptional value that is both delicious and satisfying.

The recent woes of the wine industry have turned many wine veterans on their head. Many wineries whose value proposition was never legit, sold case after case of overpriced wine to an over-zealous, over-exhuberant wine consumer. Now that many of us have had to re-examine our spending habits and be smarter shoppers, the search for greater value wines was inevitable.

Ponzi has been creating value wines, including their $60+ Reserve Pinot Noir which has been a benchmark in Oregon for years and years and given its quality still qualifies as great value. Now, by lending their expertise to the folks behind RouteStock, they continue to provide exceptional value to wine consumers.

RouteStock Willamette Valley Pinot Noir exhibits cherry, sage, violet and vanilla flavors and medium-low acidity wine that is equal to wines costing 50% more. At about $19, this wine is exceptional. Buy it by the case and make this charming Oregon lass your everday Pinot Noir.

FRENZY Marlbrough Sauvignon Blanc 2008

2009-11-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

The FRENZY 2009 Sauvignon Blanc will never convince anyone it is worthy of a place on a Reserve list at a four-star restaurant, so in my terms, it isn't marriage material. But it is a simple, fun, honest wine that is capable of pairing with simple dishes. I paired it tonight with a mild chipotle lime grilled chicken breast and mixed green salad and it was the perfect dinner companion.

It was not a companion I would compare to Jessica Biel, but I would compare it to the girl next door - fun to hang out with, not trying too hard to impress, just wants to have fun.

The "NZ" in FRENZY denotes its place of origin, but also shows that this wine has no preconceptions or misgivings about being anything more than an approachable, quaffable (crap, did I really use that word) ok, gulpable wine that will not deter you from having a great night. It will not draw attention to itself, it will only play a capable supporting role with humility and pleasure.

Having tapas, fish tacos, grilled seafood or chicken for dinner? Pick up a bottle of FRENZY Sauvignon Blanc and relax...unless you are completely inept in the kitchen, this wine can't fix that.

Biserno Toscana IGT 2006

2009-07-22T13:45:00.000-07:00

Under normal circumstances, the phrase “I’ve had her older sisters, now I’m just waiting for her to come of age” should make you uncomfortable. But don’t jump to conclusions too soon. I am finding myself giddy with anticipation, which is far better than being giddy with constipation, over the upcoming release of what is sure to be the next big thing – the flagship wine from Tenuta di Biserno.

Lodovico and Piero Antinori formed a partnership to create amazing red wines from the Tuscan coast – near Bolgheri, think Super Tuscans. In successive years gone by, the Super Tuscans of Lodovico Antinori (Ornellaia) and Piero Antinori (Solaia) won Wine Spectator’s elusive Wine of the Year designations – how’d you like to grow up in their family with aspirations of becoming a dentist – “why can’t you be more like your brothers you deadbeat?” By the way, in Italy Antinori is like Mondavi is in the United States, it is synonymous with fine wine.

Now, fast forward about a decade and we find the two of them working together on a new venture. Think, Ferrari and Lamborghini partnering to create a new roadster, or perhaps more on point, Michelangelo and Raphael collaborating on a mural.

The venture has produced some fantastic wines to date: Il Pino, $75+ (Cabernet Franc led Bordeaux blend that reminds me of Julia Roberts – a great big smile), Coronato $70+ (a silky, seductive Cabernet Sauvignon led Bordeaux blend that reminds me of Sharon Stone in Fatal Attraction) and Insoglio $30 (in-SOL-ee-oh, a tweaked-out Bordeaux blend with a healthy addition of Syrah that reminds me of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s – hard to take too serious, but you want to hang out with her day after day after day). I've had all of the previously released wines mentioned above and I was left satisfied, but wanting more. Reminds me of a time I spent in High School in the backseat of my parents Oldsmobile. I was alone, but ahhh the memories. Get your mind out of the gutter, it was the first time I had a Ding Dong!

The forementioned vinous progenitors were simply whetting our appetite for the flagship wine to come, and that day is almost here. The wine will simply and aptly be called “Biserno” in homage of the land on which it is grown. The wine will be a Bordeaux blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with trace amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. I wish I could tell you how much I loved having this wine, but I am not so lucky. Along with the rest of the world, I won’t be able to experience this beauty until the end of 2009. So for now, I shall liken this wine to Emma Watson, the blossoming actress that portrays Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films – growing up before our eyes, getting more beautiful every day and soon to reach maturity and receive the praise and admiration she so deserves. Also, I anticipate this wine will possess a little bit of magic, STUPEFY!

For now, I will be saving my pennies (and dollars) in my Hermione-themed piggybank so that I may be able to buy a bottle of this soon to be completed masterpiece. I just hope that when she’s ready, she is cool with older men.

Domaine Morey-Blanc Aloxe Corton Clos du Chapitre 2003

2009-07-13T13:31:00.000-07:00

Ever meet someone with a name that was hard to pronounce, but that inspired you to practice until you got it right because you thought they were totally hot? I lived a pretty insular life through High School and I remember being exposed to (or exposing myself to) a great diversity of beautiful people that seemed exotic to me, if for no other reason than I was raised in a somewhat impermeable incubator full of pasty, incestuous, xenophobes whose primary fault was that they simply didn't heed the 'Carpe Diem' battle cry when they declared the Dead Poets Society to be life-changing.

Up until very recently, Red Burgundy was not something I appreciated as much as it deserves. The main driver of this is a simple lack of exposure. When I was younger and my resources were more meager, my access to Red Burgundy was of the "hearty" varietal. My mom often included this Hearty Burgundy in the weekly stew I ate growing up, but this qualifies me as an expert on Red Burgundy about as well as reading Old Man and the Sea qualified me to be a Geriatic Encologist.

Initial explorations of the Cote de Nuits with travel guides such as Jadot, Faiveley and Louis Latour piqued my interest. Further investment of time and money negated any doubts I had about a linear relationship existing between price and quality. If you don't agree, then I encourage you to drop a couple thousand dollars on a wide range of Bourgogne, Village, Premier Cru and Grand Cru wines from the Cote D'Or and think again.

My palate was raised in the New World. As a result, I have less of an appreciation for French terroir and more of an appreciation for french fries. Also, my friends typically give me the stink-eye when I try to explain to them the advantages of subtleties found in a deftly guided old world wine v. the brashness found in a heavy-handed, strip the enamel off your teeth and flesh off your ovula higher-octane equivalent from California or Australia.

But I reflect on a time when Pamela Anderson was thought by many as the best thing going. Her over-the-top (literally) appeal was compelling, yet fleeting. I think the same will be true for many of these unnatural wines that were not made in mother nature's viticultural uterus, but were tweezed, tucked, sucked, augmented and waxed to sing in a glass for a few brief moments in time. If you ask me, their time is up.

The 2003 vintage was quite warm in Burgundy, as it was throughout many wine regions. It was so warm, that riper wines were made in France than one would expect, conveniently providing many liberals with the perfectly appropriate, sufficiently aged, palatable libation for their "Al Gore wins Nobel Peace Prize" celebrations. If global warming is making Old World wines more attractive to the uncivilized West, than this indeed is an inconvenient truth. But the good news is that there is a better way to appreciate Red Burgundy than inventing the NASCAR Hummer Circuit and waiting another 50 years for the greenhouse gasses to do their dirty deed. It's called drinking, though pious bleeding hearts would call it education and exposure, as education and exposure lead to appreciation and tolerance. It only took me three rounds of water-boarding to memorize that mantra.

For your consideration, I present exhibit number one - Morey-Blanc's 2003 Aloxe Corton. Savor the way the plush mouthfeel caresses your tongue. Enjoy all that this wine has to offer - cherry blossums, plums, new leather and cocoa; but notice how the underlying mineral and damp earth persist. This is the perfect wine to give less-than-fully enlightened people (such as me) a better appreciation for Red Burgundy - not because it is a freakish meterological anomaly, but because it presents the merits of a more sophiticated product in an easy-to-appreciate and understand format. The 2003 vintage screams what it typically whispers. And if you have had a hard time appreciating wines like this in the past, the message will be clearer to you after this revelationary tutorial, because this wine will help you understand what to listen for.

If you are feeling generous, grab a few friends and open a bottle of your favorite Russian River Valley or Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir to serve as an enlightening foil for the intellectual virtues of a truly divine 2003 Premier Cru such as this lovely example. Or call me, I'll be your friend for a night.

Grant Burge "The Holy Trinity" GSM Barossa Valley 2003

2009-03-08T19:12:00.000-07:00

Koo-koo-ka-choo, Mrs. Robinson?

It started innocently enough. I was having what was sure to be a lovely evening with a 2005 Miamba Vineyard Shiraz from Grant Burge - a benchmark producer of the Barossa Valley in Australia. We were sharing a dinner of maple-mustard glazed pork tenderloin, garlic-herb mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus with olive oil and sea salt. But my Miamba Shiraz, shall we call her Elaine Robinson?, which I had enjoyed a splendid evening with the night before, was upstaged by one sultry Mrs. Robinson in the form of Grant Burge's 2003 Holy Trinity GSM (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre). A blend that hails from the esteemed Rhone Valley in Southern France, this GSM is not likely to be mistaken for a Rhone beauty, but that is not meant to dis' this enchantress by any means. The name "The Holy Trinity" lets you know just how revered this blend is to some. This Mrs. Robinson was HOT and side-by-side with her daughter, showed how a few more years can add intrigue, sophistication and provocative sexiness.

Before I move on, I must let you know that the 2005 Miamba Shiraz is a wine that should hold her head up high. A fun, lively mouthfeel, fresh, fruity and floral aromas and a mouthfeel brimming with raspberry, cherry and spice, this chica will find her stud in due time. But, this night was about me playing the role of Ben Braddock opposite my newly discovered Mrs. Robinson. Perhaps a purebred Shiraz should not naively be compared to a GSM, but since there are world class examples of each, I do not think it is unfair. I began the evening innocently enough, but I developed a thirst that Elaine couldn't satisfy and I had a figurative Mrs. Robinson in the Holy Trinity ready to satiate my most primal desires.

The Holy Trinity is an accomplished temptress. While it shows adequate fruit characteristics with its black cherry, raspberry and plum that more youthful counterparts flaunt with adolescent indifference, it goes a step further with pepper spice, wet stone minerality and admirable balance which is why this wine possesses worldly sophistication that younger wines never will.

The Holy Trinity was not simply an object of my desire for an evening, it was a seductive hellcat that relegated me to schoolboy status and taught me lessons I won't soon forget. And it taught me these lessons over and over again for several lust-filled, sensual, erotic hours of debauchery that left me exhausted, yet fulfilled. So to Grant Burge, the maker of The Holy Trinity, Koo-koo-ka-choo! You have demonstrated that you know the difference between a nice impression and a torrid obsession. Consider me a Graduate of your school of winemaking.

Domaine Bouchard Pere & Fils Beaune du Chateau Premier Cru 2005

2009-03-05T20:02:00.000-08:00

My friend set me up on a date with this French babe. Surprisingly, she showed up with a small bandage on her nose, but this was soon forgotten as the date began with a friendly kiss on the cheek, the type of kiss that Europeans plant freely on a single cheek (two cheeks in Italy) in an optimistic, "your my friend until you give me reason to think otherwise" fashion . Ah France. Venture outside of Paris and you'll discover a spirit so soothing, so inviting you'll never want to return home to your four bedroom, three bath, tract house that is 20% underwater (financially speaking) where you and your rottweiler Ozzy watch Ultimate Fighting on your 60" plasma screen in Dolby Digital surround sound. Wait a second, that's not a convincing enough case for France, but replace that housing and pet scenario with one of your own and you get the point. France is a magical place and wine is a fundamental part of their fabric. In America, we have turned wine into a consumer product or status symbol. Wine in France is part of their history, culture and soul. It is their equivalent of apple pie or a double quarter pounder with cheese - it's just a normal part of their day, it just doesn't clog your arteries, induce Diabetes and make you morbidly obese.

How many dates have you been on where you were consumed with the question "will I get a good night kiss?" The disarming effect of opening a date with a kiss is beyond refreshing and so it was with the Beaune du Chateau 2005. Being a Premier Cru red Burgundy, the wine is 100% Pinot Noir. Drinking a 2005 red Burgundy is very American insomuch as it shows a lack of patience required to wait the 5 to 20 years a skillfully crafted red Burgundy warrants. Nonetheless, the wine planted a surprisingly revealing kiss at the onset of our date, just short of a little tongue. But in a surprising turn of events, it became a bit prude and reserved in a defiant statement letting me know I would need to earn anything further.

Have I ever mentioned that I have no opposition to plastic surgery in moderation? Well, as I mentioned, my date, who was absolutely lovely, had a small bandage across her nose, concealing a small scar from a recent nose job. Self-improvement to improve one's self esteem is fine. But bandage, or in this case band-aid, is the term I always use to describe brettanomyces (brett). It gives wine a smell of band-aid in varying degrees of magnitude. It is often found in old-world wines and in small doses is perfectly acceptable. Like the bandage concealing a nose job, it doesn't bother me. In new world wines, I never believe brett is acceptable and it is becoming less and less acceptable in old world wines. But in Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhone and Tuscany I am still tolerant of a little "band-aid" aroma or flavor in wine as long as it doesn't dominate the wine or mask the more desirable characteristics.

In this case, the wine's other redeeming qualities were revealed over time. Truth be told, it took until the second date (I corked the wine realizing it was too young and revisited it two nights later) for this wine to sing. Fresh notes of cherry and herb, together with minerality, mushroomy earthiness and light hints of coffee were enveloped in a perfect amount of acidity. The mouthfeel was pleasant, slightly lush and sensual, but mostly I found it refreshing - the kind of mouthfeel that makes you want to take another sip or perhaps a bite of food. I love a wine that has a mouthfeel typical of its region and appropriate to the grape variety. This wine is an excellent reminder of why I feel this way. You won't get elegance and restraint like this from a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. The Russian River is plush velvet at its best, Burgundy is cool silk. This wine is cool silk in the mouth.

In conclusion, this wine reminds me of why I love red Burgundy. Is it the best red Burgundy I have had? Absolutely not. It's not even the best I have had this year, but it is an approachable wine, an excellent example of Burgundy terroir and builds a darn strong case against the homogenization of wine resulting from winemakers chasing high scores via ultraripe, manipulated wines. All things considered, I consider it a value Premier Cru and at about $50 a bottle retail, that is saying a lot. I would love to have dinner with this beauty again in another 5 years, assuming I can afford more than the aforementioned double quarter pounder with cheese if my 401K has unexpectedly fallen so much that its NAV is negative and somehow left me with a large liability I didn't see coming because, like my mortgage, I didn't fully understand what all that fine print meant.

Gaja "Darmagi" Cabernet Sauvignon 1998

2009-02-02T11:42:00.001-08:00

Have you ever had expectations of someone that were too high for them to meet? Sadly, expecting too much of someone can ruin a first date. Just as my high expectations of Old School left me feeling letdown, while low expectations of Ghostbusters 2 made it a gut-buster. Well, this weekend I thought I was embarking on the Love Boat with the wine of my dreams, only to be left alone in a dingy in the frigid North Atlantic – no Charo to serenade me, no Julie McCoy to seduce me.

A few years back I came into a bottle of 1998 Gaja “Darmagi” Cabernet Sauvignon from the Piedmont region in Northern Italy. The Piedmont is home to some Italy’s finest wines: Barolo and Barbaresco and many of its most venerable producers: Bruno Giacosa, Ceretto, Domenico Clerico, Vietti, Pio Cesare, and Prunotto to name a few. Top among the most-admired lists of wine connoisseurs is the venerable Angelo Gaja. Gaja has a mystique that is well-deserved. His accomplishments with Nebbiolo have resulted in legendary Barbaresco, but even more impressive have been his “outside of the box” perhaps renegade feats with non-native varietals including Chardonnay (Gaia and Rey) and Cabernet (Darmagi). He was among the pioneers, and was potentially THE pioneer most responsible for modernizing Barolo and Barbaresco winemaking. He opted out of using the restrictive Barbaresco DOCG moniker in favor of bottling “IGT” designated wines – giving him the freedom to produce wines in his style, not the style of generations before him. I could go on, but I think you get the point – he’s a stud.

With the belief that I was cellaring a gem of a wine for a special occasion, I have babied my prized bottle of Gaja’s Darmagi Cabernet much in the way a laboratory might handle a beaker of highly unstable nitroglycerine. The only thing I didn’t do was knit a little diaper for it to sleep in.

Well, I was having dinner with some friends that I thought would share my appreciation of such beauty, so the venerable bottle was gently awakened from it’s roughly eight year siesta and invited to join my friends and I for a dinner of grilled New York strip steaks, crispy broiled asparagus, simple rice and your basic dinner rolls. The steak and Cabernet were meant to take the spotlight here – Simon and Garfunkel, Sonny and Cher, Donny and Marie, The Captain and Tennille, some duos just don’t need any help. OK, I need to work on my persuasiveness, but we move on.

The stage is set. My eyes are googly, my saliva glands are warmed up, I am not wearing a belt…time for the magic to begin.

Sadly, the wine of the evening suffered from an ailment all too common with some old world wines – Brettanomyces (often simply called “Brett”). It is a contamination caused by yeast, typically occurring in the cellar and most commonly effecting red wines. The most commonly noticed impact on wine is an aroma (and taste) of what can best be described as a “Band-aid” quality. Some people are more sensitive to it than others, and at low levels it can be acceptable, but in my mind it is a mistake and that’s all there is to it. It was offensive and ruined what otherwise probably would have been an elegant, balanced, intriguing wine. Sadly, I will never know.

It’s kind of like having someone you have wanted to go out with finally say “yes” after years of declining your advances, only to find out that they are suffering from what Ferris Bueller’s sister Jeannie referred to as a “scorching case of herpes.” Sorry for that reference, but it’s all I could think of. Ah, Jeannie, your God-given nose looked just fine to me. Well, maybe nobody puts Baby in the corner, but I put this Baby in the corner and moved on.

So I uncorked a bottle of young California Cabernet and made the best of an otherwise disappointing evening. Thankfully there are always more fish in the sea. The lesson I learned is this – never expect so much from a wine that your expectations can’t be exceeded. At best, the wine I thought would better all its predecessors would have done just that. But more likely, it was destined to fall short of the mark. This one fell short, far short of the near impossible mark I had established. Winemakers are human and grapes are subject to the whims or Mother Nature. Though one should expect a lot from a wine that retails for over $100 and is harder to find than a Quaker at Burning Man, it never seems beneficial to assume any wine is going to change your life for the better. Time to look for a date that isn’t so far out of my league I guess.

Antica Chardonnay Napa Valley 2007

2009-01-19T20:45:00.000-08:00

You know that guy who doesn't speak Italian but says things like "Ciao Bella" in a feable attempt to impress the ladies? Well, call me Mario because this cheesey dude is bustin' out a big, enthusiastic "Ciao Bella" to this California Chardonnay that resisted peer pressure and heavy-handed winemaking techniques in order to express the inherent beauty that made Chardonnay one of only a handful of grape varieties to be deemed "noble".

French Philosopher Rene Descartes would surely love to have his son come home with this impressive, yet elegant Chardonnay that acts as a convincing argument for the nature side in the nature vs. nurture psychological debate. Why is Chardonnay so revered? Why is White Burgundy capable of aging for decades and commanding hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars at auction? Why does a southpaw with a 98 mph fastball, sick splittter and curveball that gives batters motion sickness command a $90 million dollar contract? Well, economics demand it, just as Chardonnay earns its props for turning out wines as good as this.

Don't get me wrong, this wine hasn't yet earned 30 minutes on America's Most Wanted, but it is an impressive offering from a venture that knows a little something about making wine. The Antinori family has been making wines in Tuscany for a while, for over 600 years and 26 generations to be a little more precise. This talent has now turned its attention to California and Antica (ANTInori-CAlifornia) deserves some attention.

This pedigreed lass was my dinner companion this evening and she did not disappoint. I prepared some turkey soft tacos to see if this primadonna could handle a little heat. Well, this princess had no problems floating downstream and letting her hair down for a little spicy pedestrian cuisine. The slightly spicy soft tacos were smitten with the satiating acidity of this lovely wine. Hints of pear, golden apple and honeysuckle are enveloped in a round, creamy texture strangely lacking in the burdensome oak facade eclipsing too many Chardonnays crafted in the golden state of California. A little technique known as stirring of the lees allows texture and weight to be imparted in a manner that works in harmony with fruit rather than overshadowing it. Antica's 2007 Chardonnay is a shining example of this.

So to the winemaker of Antica I say "bellisimo!" Your Italian heritage, training and culture have proven to be nothing but a positive influence on Chardonnay fruit that would otherwise have ended up in a wine that tasted like anything other than anadulterated Chardonnay grapes. And for those of you hellbent on the virtues of nurture, pull a cork of Antica Chardonnay and experience the virtues of nature, with just a hint of your almighty nurture. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

HdV Chardonnay 2004

2008-12-14T19:33:00.000-08:00

I have been in a dating rut lately. Met a lot of wines that I wouldn't call back or that wouldn't call me back. Many people herald the virtues of cellaring wines, but it seems more and more wines I have tried lately do not reward the discipline required to buy a wine and lay it down for a few years. Why don't wines seem to age as well as they once did? Are they juiced up and manipulated to blossum earlier than is natural, only to fall apart prematurely? Perhaps they spend a little too much time in the tanning bed trying to look good while they are young, unaware or unconcerned that it comes at the expense of graceful maturation. Whatever the reason, some wines just don't seem to age as well as their predecessors. But that is not always the case...

Have you ever been set up with someone attractive and been completely blown away by their intellectual prowess? I mean really, physical beauty aside, once in awhile we meet someone that touches our soul on a deeper level and makes us believe in a higher power. I realize that I have set expectations high with comments like this, but I was finding myself instantly smitten with my dinner companion tonight.

The 2004 HdV chardonnay was that good. Too many California chardonnays today are a product of over zealous winemakers and overly warm weather. But HdV's chardonnay was grown in the Carneros region of the Napa Valley. The Carneros is influenced by a moderating proximity to the San Pablo Bay - the northern part of the San Francisco Bay. This moderating influence keeps temperatures from spiking and affords disciplined winemakers with the luxury of ideal conditions for growing Chardonnay. However, this luxury does not ensure positive results. Winemakers must have the desire and instinct needed to make balanced, complex wine. Most chardonnays from the Carneros do not take enough advantage of their mild climate, but rather they are simply left on the vine a little longer to achieve higher sugar levels, resulting in big, round, tropical fruit flavors that could be grown in hotter climates. And this ripeness comes at a cost - a loss of acidity and balance. The resulting wine reminds me of someone who just can't shut up and let you enjoy your dinner.

But skilled winemakers seeking balance, elegance and grace can be successful here and HdV hit the mark in 2004. Tonight, I opened a bottle four years after harvest and the wine was showing the pedigree of a modest, yet brilliant ivy league educated scholar, still a little young, but showing signs of a promising career ahead.

To say this wine was balanced doesn't do it justice. The acidity was solid, but not intense. The oak was completely integrated with the apricot, golden apple, peach blossum and honeysuckle - neither the fruit nor the oak appearing to want to overshadow the other, but each uplifting the other to new heights. Finally, this wine had a quality that is as hard to find as it is to explain when you do - minerality. Grand Cru Chablis, not the bastardized "Chablis" from California, has this defining characteristic that can best be understood by drinking these beautiful wines.

To the people behind the 2004 HdV chardonnay I say thank you for raising such a beautiful child. I look forward to my next encounter with this wine to further experience what is sure to be a beautiful evolution in the bottle. I think this wine is near its peak, but probably has another three years where it will express itself even more. This is impressive given the sadly abreviated lifespan of most chardonnays being vinted in the western hemisphere these days.

Foradori "Granato" 1999

2008-11-20T20:52:00.000-08:00

Sometimes dating is like getting a haircut. I enjoy the way a firm-bristled comb and fine misting spray bottle work in tandem to give me goosebumps the way neither could do individually. But someday you may wake up and realize that the world is full of hair stylists and maybe, just maybe, you aren't currently with your folical soulmate. What will your current stylist think when two months go by and they realize you haven't been by for your scheduled snip and blow? What if it becomes apparent you've gone elsewhere for your dollop of mousse?

Fortunately wines are not hairdressers. I realize that may be borderline existential, but I stand by my Nietzschian hypothesis. Good old Friedrich Nietzsche once said "A pair of powerful spectacles has sometimes sufficed to cure a person in love." Well good glasses can also help you find a wine you love. Wines don't care if you play the field and indulge with another vinous vixen. And so I found myself smiling from ear to ear as I enjoyed a little exotic pleasure courtesy of Azienda Agricola Foradori's "Granato" 1999. I have been holding this wine aside hoping that a little time would make this wine even more special. A lovely northern Italian purebred whose DNA was 100% Teroldego - a grape variety that one will never, ever be able to order at a Monster Truck Rally. But venture into SoHo and you may just find it on a list or two.

Nearly 10 years after its vintage date, this beauty is looking great. I've referenced her name before, but this wine reminds me of Monica Bellucci. A beautiful, mature Italian with many good years ahead. The wine displayed still potent acidity that will deliver it with vigor into the next decade. Medium body, with notes of pepper, sage, plum and iron-rich earthiness that in my mind come together in a way that only Italian wine can. This wine is both delicious and true to its heritage. It is a wonderful reflection of terroir and could not be replicated anywhere else in the world. However, I did find it slightly reminiscent of a robust, well-cellared Argentinian Malbec and would go equally well with Patagonian grass fed steak kabobs.

Spending the night with Granato was a real treat. We shared a dinner of gnocchi with vodka sauce and peasant bread - a simple, rustic meal shared with a beautiful partner whose bucolic pedigree shrouded the experience with a soothing aura. Granato and I are not soulmates, but we did have a great night together. While I do not recommend Granato to those out there that like the fruity, bodacious, cheerleader wines crowding the shelves of wine stores across the U.S., I do recommend this wine to anyone looking to broaden their horizons and explore a truly special example of the value of diversity.

Pio Cesare Barbaresco "Il Bricco" 1997

2008-11-02T09:36:00.000-08:00

We've all heard the expression "patience is a virtue." "Good things come to those who wait" also scores about an 8 on the trite-o-meter. But these phrases don't always sit well. Perhaps it is because it seems all we do anymore is wait. We sit in traffic more each year. We are pleasantly surprised when we only have to hold for 15 minutes to talk to a real person when we call for customer service. Our phone/cable/power companies give us 4 hour service windows requiring us to take a day-off when they need to come and fix their faulty equipment. We even wait 10 minutes in line at our favorite coffee house for black coffee because everyone in front of us seems to either be ordering for their entire office or craving a tall, half-caff, Americano with yak's milk froth, a shake of Andean sustainably harvested cinnamon, served exactly at 190'F in a venti cup with two-cozies. Even worse is when they order things like this ahead of you in line at the drive-thru, keeping a dozen or so cars sitting idle, burning enough fossil fuels to power the espresso machine for its GAAP (that's a financial term) approved depreciable life. How ironic that I am now making you wait for my simple thoughts about wine while I rant about people that make me wait. OK, time to move on, a bit.

Hmmm, coffee, that reminds me that I find Jessica Alba to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. I will not pretend to know her beyond what I have gleaned while watching her performance in movies, her elegant demeanor as she walks the red carpet, or the way she appears to carry herself with simple grace as she sips coffee and reads her newspaper as I peer harmlessly through my astrological-society-approved Tasco stargazer 5000 binoculars. Ah yes Jessica, I too enjoy the innocent wit and everyday humor of the Family Circus! But is Jessica Alba now as beautiful as she will ever be? This guy doesn't think so. A few more years will only add to the aforementioned beauty, elegance and grace. And a few laugh lines, I believe, will only provide a suitable frame for that perfect smile.

And speaking of Alba, I once heard an Italian winemaker say "Barolo is the King of wines and Barbaresco is the Queen." Both Barolo and Barbaresco are made from the Nebbiolo grape. They are named after small towns located only a few miles apart, near the charming town of Alba in Northwestern Italy. Growing and winemaking techniques are similar, with the manly Barolo spending more time in oak than his more feminine, yet liberated, equally capable and worthy of commanding equal pay for equal work sister Barbaresco. Both wines typically benefit greatly from patience. Upon release, the wines can be enjoyed with a decanter, large-bowled wineglass and a well-marbled rib eye grilled medium-rare.

Similar to what I postulate about the lovely Jessica, the Barbaresco I had dinner with recently did indeed become more beautiful with age. Eleven years after the vintage date, the 1997 Pio Cesare "Il Bricco" Barbaresco was strong proof of the potential reward of patience. This princess had indeed become a beautiful queen. Her perfume was reminiscent of violets. Her kiss was soft, pleasant and full. This Il Bricco reminded me of the mature beauty of a Natalie Wood, Audrey Hepburn, Anne Archer, Sophia Loren, Monica Bellucci, Ann Margret, and I am hoping, the future Jessica Alba.

A little more about the wine. The name Il Bricco refers to the fact that the grapes are grown on the highest crest or "Bricco" in the Barbaresco DOCG region. It is a single-vineyard wine produced by Pio Cesare - a benchmark producer in the region located in the charming town of Alba. This wine displayed beautiful violets, perfectly balanced acidity providing structure, and notes of tar and a lovely earthiness. Very subtle hints of plum and raspberry completed this masterpiece.

While I have accepted the fact that I will never go on a date with Jessica Alba due to several roadblocks - my wife, a restraining order, bodyguards, my male-pattern baldness to name a few, I do feel I had a taste of what a date with her might be like. The Alban beauty I did have a date with was beautiful, made my evening an absolute dream and was something I was happy to share with friends. I hope that everyone can enjoy the beauty of a properly aged Barbaresco (or Barolo if that's the way you swing). While ripe California Cabernet, Australian Shiraz, Beaujolais Nouveau or even a simple Dolcetto d'Alba can provide immediate gratification for the more impatient, there will always be a special place in my heart for an aged Barbaresco - it is right next to the spot reserved for Jessica. As for Jessica, I look forward to seeing how she evolves over the next ten years or more. If she is as curious as I am, I am willing to share my last remaining 1997 Il Bricco with her at a venue of her choosing. She can email me at winenightstand@gmail.com - I'll even let her husband and my wife join us if it makes her more comfortable.

Burgess "Enveiere" 2001

2008-10-27T11:30:00.000-07:00

A messenger from days gone by:

When did it become acceptable for a man to carry a purse? I remember a time when it was considered taboo for a man to even consider doing so, even while waiting for his special lady to try on something in the changing room of Victoria’s Secret. Nowadays, the man sits there, emasculated and totally helpless, because if he complains he will be labeled insecure, homophobic, closed-minded. This may all be true of course, but I am a firm believer that a man should have a choice - society should not legislate such things. In days gone by, if placed in this situation, a man would drop the purse and place at least 5 feet between himself and the radioactive accessory. Today, you see men carrying a variety of totes, all of which by any other name qualify as a purse. We jokingly call them man bags or murses, but in this person’s opinion, there is only one bag a man should carry and it was given to him by a random Y-chromosome.

What does any of this mean?

Last night, I was reminded of the way things used to be by a wine that too few of us will ever try. The 2001 Enveiere from Burgess Cellars is an estate grown blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot from the winery’s vineyards in the Napa Valley. Change is not always progress and Enveiere should makes no apologies for proving this point. Enveiere possesses strength, character and integrity – the traits that a father wants their daughter’s dates to possess. Enveiere’s strength comes from life. He doesn’t spend all his time in a gym doing bicep curls, nor does he waste away with the latest installment from the Halo-series in front of a Playstation 3, spanking a 12-year old Danish boy who was foolish enough to challenge him online – silly little Danish boy! Physical strength comes from actually fixing a flat tire, ripping out a tile floor, mowing your own lawn or refusing to pay a $75 delivery fee on that new table or flatscreen tv that you can muscle up the front stairs just fine thank you.

Enveiere, whose name aptly means “messenger,” provides us with a clear lesson. The men of yesterday had integrity. Slowly but surely, they began fading into the sunset, only to be transformed into something altogether preternatural. Men started spending more time in the gym, which is good, but took shortcuts such as HGH and steroids, which is bad. Gyms also found they could make money if they installed tanning beds and provided services such as waxing or more permanent methods of hair removal. Our man Enveiere avoids these additional services. He is happy as a clam with his free weights thank you and if a little back hair peeks out from the neck of his Ohio State t-shirt, it’s not his concern.

So it is with the Cabernet and Cabernet-blends from the Napa Valley. Alcohol levels surged, as did the scores from critics. But all those scores made winemakers drunk and wanting more. So alcohol levels continued to climb, as harvest dates were pushed further back, allowing for higher levels of grape sugars and their resulting post-fermentation alcohol. My only question is, will there be a time when harvesting in the Napa Valley is pushed so far out that the grapes risk being harvested in January, making it necessary to add a year to the vintage date? Let’s hope not.

Throughout all of this "progress," Enveiere kept it right. A balanced, elegant blend of plum, leather, integrated oak and subtle, approachable tannins makes Enveiere a wine that will drink well today and likely for many years to come. His competition may turn more heads and impress more now, but over time his merits will survive.

With the world seemingly spiraling into chaos, it is nice to meet someone as “real” as Enveiere. While he will never be chosen as the next star on “The Bachelor,” he is surely the type of person you want around. A big tip of the glass to the winemakers at Burgess, for not sending this one to the spa for cosmetic man-scaping and providing us with a fine example of the innocence and simplicity of a time long since lost. Hell, someone had to be responsible for producing the control sample, right?

Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay 2007

2008-09-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

Cougar alert!

Wow! Rombauer's 2007 Carneros Chardonnay has quite the reputation. It is the favorite of soccer moms across America and it is easy to see why. But let's take a closer look shall we?

We have all known people that couldn't say enough about how cool they were in High School. Rombauer, it's time to hang up the pom-poms and understand that sometimes the best years are behind us. High-hair was cool in the 80s, at least it seemed cool, but life goes on and your Bon Jovi ring tone just isn't impressing anyone. Time to download something a little more contemporary.

I picked her up and my first impression led me to believe I was going to have a good night. All of my friends said she was fun, full-bodied and full of life. But when we sat down to dinner, I got a better look. Looking at each characteristic individually, one could not help but become intrigued, if not aroused. But the bigger picture failed to impress. In fact, it had another effect altogether.

Ever go out on a date with someone that just couldn't stop talking about themselves? She one of those. I couldn't get a word in, even when her mouth was full!

She clearly knows what men want. She heard that men like breasts, so she had a pair of double D's slapped on in an attempt to achieve full-bodied voluptuousness. So how could any man resist her sensuality? If a wine wanted to dress up as Anna Nicole Smith for Halloween, it would slap on a Rombauer label and surely get handfuls of Snickers and Junior Mints tossed in her bag all night long - no rocks in your bag tonight Charlie Brown! But this Cougar was trying way too hard. As the Anna Nicole Smith of wines, this wine has done an amazing job generating PR. But while she attracts ogling eyes wherever she goes, I have to think few consider her a soul mate. My grilled Salmon with lemon and dill and garlic roasted potatoes were not impressed. Like me, they never got a word in.

Rombauer figured that a nice rack would only get her so far, so she kept going. Apparently someone told her that guys liked a girl that smelled pretty, so she ran down to the nearest CVS and picked up a Candies Apple Peach Body Spray (with complimentary body wash and pouf) and sprayed it over every square inch of her body (one never knows what the night will bring) in desperate hope that some Prince Charming would find her irresistible.

When she was told that "guys like a girl that's sweet" she took it too literally. The residual sugar in this wine is clearly meant to make it stand out in a crowd. Well mission accomplished. But there is such a thing as standing out for the wrong reason. I once stood out in my little league pictures because I wore polka dot boxers under my white baseball pants. It didn't help me get any Girl Scout cookies.

The combination of full-bodied bodacious sexiness, buttery, apply, peachy, sugary goodness was not what this eligible bachelor was looking for. Sorry, but I guess I am looking for someone with more genuine character and inner beauty.

In isolation, I suppose any one of her characteristics had merit. They would have gotten her noticed in a crowd and she surely would not have been sitting on a bar stool at last call. She'd be on her way home with some lucky stud, or at a minimum in the back seat of a 1984 IROC-Z in the parking lot listening to Night Ranger's perpetually enchanting "Sister Christian" throbbing through 12" sub-woofers.

Most of us get turned off by someone who tries too hard to please. Rombauer suffers from an extreme lack of self-esteem and tries every trick in the book to satisfy. But who am I to criticize? If breast implants, liposuction, collagen injections, eye brow lifts, botox injections, weekly waxing, tweezing and dye jobs and being the oldest person (by 15 years) to buy the tight fitting mini skirt and tube top combo at Wet Seal are your idea of hot, then Rombauer awaits. If you are a fan of more natural beauty, or perhaps just someone who buys into Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's contention that "less is more," than I encourage you to run as fast as you can from this buxom diva. I know I did. This wine scares me more than Freddie Krueger showing up to my house with a truckload of Ambien.

Rombauer is in severe denial that her best days are a decade or two behind her. She needs to stop trying so hard to attract the eye of a young stud that just snuck out in dad's Porsche when his parents drove the minivan into the city for dinner. Rombauer, my advice is to go drop some dough on some simple elegance at Ann Taylor and embrace your inner beauty. Carneros Chardonnay can be so much more, ironically by being so much less.

Chardonnay is the noblest of all white grapes and is capable of achieving Audrey Hepburn gracefulness and beauty. But in the wrong hands, Chardonnay can go wrong, very wrong, producing wines that should only be consumed when Netflix has inadvertently sent you Ishtar and Heaven's Gate by mistake and you have bravely decided to make it double feature night with a stack of Aunt Jemima slathered Eggo waffles and a box of Mike n Ike.

Rombauer, I will cry for you tonight, not like I cried when my cat died, but at least as much as when I yank out a freakishly long, errant nose hair.

Oh Rombauer, dear dear Rombauer, if you need further convincing I encourage you to seduce an airline pilot (you can usually find them at the TGI Friday's near the airport), finagle a buddy-rate flight to France and explore the villages of Pommard, Volnay and Meursault for some valuable life lessons. Puligny-Montrachet you'll never be, but your heavy blue eye-liner has got to go.

Ponzi Pinot Noir Reserve 2005

2008-09-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

You ever have a time in your life when you were determined to have some fun and play the field only to fall for the next person you meet? This may be one of those times. I was not looking to write a stunning review for the first wine I critiqued on this site, but such is life.

The thing I enjoy most about wine appreciation is the exploration. Only through trial (and yes, error) do we learn what we like and dislike. I am happy to say this is a shining example of the former. An exorbitantly feminine and seductive wine, I hope no one will balk at my referring to the wine in the feminine form.

Upon picking her up, I knew right away that it was going to be a great night. OK, you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you surely can’t judge a wine by its label or we’d all be drinking that cute little Yellow Tail or Little Penguin all day – ugh, let’s not go there. Her her classic, understated elegance was the first thing I noticed – a look that would be appropriate at a cocktail party, a state dinner at the governor’s mansion or a quiet, intimate meal at home on the couch watching Wipeout and eating mushroom and pepperoni pizza. OK, my credibility has now taken a hit, so I will try to get back on track.

You ever know someone that was so nice, so genuine, that you would seriously question anyone that had a derogatory thing to say about them? Well she’s that person (the good one, not the bad one). She’s the girl that seems way out of your league but for some reason is happy to hang out with you.

She has an uncanny ability to make people smile. She has the fragrance of fresh cherries, orange peel and a place that is reminiscent of a fond childhood memory, even if you can’t put your finger on just where it is. You know that cool, earthy, damp smell that you only find right before your boat descends under the talking skull in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland? It’s kind of like that – damp, wet stone, with an impending exhilaration. Her supple flesh has the feel of luxury and seduction – definitely signs of care taken here.

At the end of the evening, you seek nothing more than a simple, thoughtful kiss. Seeking more would risk ruining an otherwise blissful evening and could jeopardize a second encounter.

She is definitely one to bring home to mom and dad, but what’s the rush? Spend as much quality time with her as you can before introducing her to your dufus, dopey friends and dysfunctional family. Parting words – I hope my elitist, Ivy League snobbery doesn’t reveal itself too much with this next reference, but I am reminded of the utterly trite manner in which Jerry Maguire, in the film of the same name, swept Renée Zellweger off her feet with the immortal words “you complete me.” This wine is what it’s all about.

Have a friend that still doesn’t get wine? Or just want to impress the hell out of someone? A bottle of Ponzi Pinot Noir Reserve and a seared Ahi tuna steak in a light ginger-sesame glaze will get ‘er done. If you are lucky enough to find a bottle, for God’s sake buy it!

I have a date later this week

2008-09-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

I have been set up with Ponzi Reserve Pinot Noir. I will provide all of the juicy details soon.

I concur, this Bandol is reminiscent of kir?!?!

2008-09-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

Thankfully, winemakers love talking to themselves. I say thankfully, because they certainly don't seem interested in talking to us. Wine is a beautiful thing. It has both obvious and intrinsic qualities that contribute to its uniqueness and complexity. We are all looking for wines with depth, character and personality - one we can count on in difficult times and share our fondest memories and moments with. And yes, there is an obvious parallel between the qualities we look for in wines and attributes we seek in the opposite sex (or the same sex if that's what you are into, we judge no one on this site - we only judge wines). With this in mind, let's see if we can all start speaking the same language and share our experiences "dating" the wines of the world. It could be quite enlightening and will undoubtedly be a lot of fun.