Merlot?

The ‘Sideways’ shunning of the poignant Bordeaux grape varietal gave rise to Miles’ beloved Pinot Noir, at least domestically, in the years following the popular wine flick. Why? I have no idea. The fact that a single film could have such a drastic effect on the market is beyond me, even as Merlot-based wines from Bordeaux, such as Petrus and Cheval Blanc continue to fetch top dollar on the auction and futures markets.

I’m partial to Pinot, and have found it a theme in my wine-work-travel ventures around the globe. All of the wineries I’ve worked for have been high-end Pinot producers. Living for three months in Burgundy only solidified my love for the delicate ‘Queen’ grape as one winemaker called it (Chardonnay being King of course). Recently, however, I’ve started a new love affair with an old friend, Merlot. It’s only in the beginning stages, like third-date new; Hand-holding is a given, we’re way beyond the first kiss. Splitting the tab is out of the picture; I’ve got it. I can’t get her out of my mind and every glance is met with a glimmering smile. Where did she come from? Is this love? Will it fade? We were ‘just friends’ for so long and now that we’ve finally given it a go, I can’t imagine the world without her.

Okay, sorry for the romanticizing, but I taste a lot of wine. It’s part of my job. When something moves me, it really moves me. Sometimes it’s nearly to tears. Two years ago when I was working as a wine buyer up in the Twin Cities I was blessed to welcome a number of Washington State winemakers to my store for a night of tasting during Washington Wine Month. The focus was on smaller producers: Dusted Valley, Amavi, Trust, and Pepperbridge. For many wine-loving people, Washington wine still doesn’t conjure up much for thought. Chateau Ste Michelle Riesling maybe? For the geeks, maybe Leonetti or Cayuse in terms of notable producers. Columbia Valley and Walla Walla usually elicit a reaction in terms of regional terms. Yakima is there, but maybe it’s known more as the name of a car-top bike-rack. Check out the Washington State Wine Commission for all sorts of great information.

In short, Washington is HOT SHIT right now for winemaking. Only second in terms of production behind California, it boasts incredibly diverse sub-regions and soil-types with unique microclimates that enable experimentation and success across the board with grape varietals. Smaller producers are honing in and making incredibly expressive wines that represent the true potential of their vineyard sites. Pepperbridge Winery is my ‘gateway drug’ to the excitement. Back to the in-store tasting.

Jean Francois Pellet the winemaker/partner of Pepperbridge was a welcomed presence. Perhaps it was the rare opportunity for me to speak a little French in a blue collar Minnesota suburb, or his reserved demeanor that I saw right through, sensing a wealth of knowledge and winemaking wisdom that I could pick apart. Ever so gracious and humble, it was a pleasure to have him pour his wines for me. The 2008 Merlot (current vintage at the time) quite literally spoke to me. So complex, I had a hard time wrapping my mind around it all. I couldn’t stop coming back to the glass, voraciously swirling the dense, young wine to elicit any aromatics it would offer (which were astounding). The palate was not heavy, it was not overly juicy. It was not closed, it was not open. It drew a perfect line. I couldn’t help myself from imagining what the wine would taste like in five years. JF’s winemaking experience was presenting itself, not on paper, but through his wine, as it should. The poignant ‘take-away’ from all I gathered was his philosophy on making wines that present well young, express the unique estate vineyard sites, and are meant to evolve with a number of years in bottle.

Fast forward to last week, July 2 2013. I found myself sitting shoulder to shoulder with some of Madison’s finest wine personalities. The minds and palates that form the wine lists for Osteria Papavero, L’Etoile, and Square Wine Company to name a few, all gathered around a communal wine table. The night’s blind tasting theme: All American Reds. Seven wines, all relatively different in their own right. One stood out. My exact tasting notes:

‘Age. Color separation on the rim proves it. Oak influence, spicy cinnamon. Cigar Box. Cherry caramels. Ripe dark fruit and integrated tannins. Bordeaux blend?’

The wine? 2006 Pepperbridge Merlot. Magnificent! Granted I didn’t call it head on, in terms of varietal and site specificity it seemed perfect. My world came full circle. I was, quite nearly on the verge of tears when I realized the potential of a wine with which I had become smitten only a few years prior. A few extra years of age in bottle did wonders on the juice. It was in perfect balance. Given the fact that most wine produced for the market these days (last I heard was 90%) is meant to be consumed within the first year of bottling, JF’s vision of creating a wine for longevity had become a true reality. Wow.  

Points gathered? Step out of your comfort zone. You are limiting yourself by saying ‘I only drink California Chardonnay,' 'I don't like sweet wine,' or ‘I only drink wines from Morocco’ (wink). Merlot, as passé as it might currently be, grows in vineyards on nearly every continent and there are winemakers there who are making it well. Investing in a case of a wine that moves you and letting some bottles age for a few years might reward exponentially down the line. Drink wine with people of diverse backgrounds and palates; they will bring you things you never imagined. Winemakers are rockstars, but they really just care about sharing their bounty with you, the consumer, and hope you enjoy it. Drink more Washington wine.

Cheers!

#FEELTHEWINE.

Year-End B.S.

I'm just gonna go ahead and jump on the whole bandwagon of year-end wrap-up blog-posts and use the dawn of a new year as an excuse for me to start writing again. My absence comes amidst a whirlwind of experiences, much of which was spent in the humble suburbs of Minneapolis teaching my lovely clientele about QUALITY value-driven wine. I was, however, blessed with an opportunity of a lifetime which saw me spend two and a half months in a wine-geek's dream-of-a-location: Burgundy. My 'stage' as the French would call it, or internship for those of us who speak English was, for lack of a better description, LIFE-CHANGING.
The home of Pinot Noir (my inanimate love if I ever had one) and Chardonnay welcomed me with open arms as I worked my fat butt off lending a hand in the production of some of the better wines from the region. (Ever seen Mondovino? Hubert De Montille, the bald-headed gem of a man on the cover was the patron of the winery I worked at and we spent many nights together discussing the finer points, like why Grand-Cru Corton Charlemagne is the ONLY choice to pair with the regional cheese Epoisses).


I met amazing people from around the world, ate like an emperor, and obviously drank quite well. I was spoiled, to say the least, drinking some pretty...searching for words, heady wine with each and every meal. As a wine-geek, some of these wines literally changed my life and the way I view the fermented product of grapes. My palate has had a hard time recovering now stateside as my wallet can't match my desires, compounded with the fact that much of what I loved in France is not even available in my home market. Even so, I've found some wines since being back that have excited me beyond belief and I'd like to share those with you.
What follows is my, @feelthewine's top ten wines I drank in 2011. Some are back vintages and not available at all, some are current and affordable. I'm not a big fan at all of 'ratings' from the big wine writers or magazines. They are helpful, in a sense, to direct oneself towards good buys, but when it all comes down, the setting in which you sip a wine and the people you are with have just as much bearing as anything else on how the wine will taste to you. For this reason, I'll also sum up where I was or what I was doing when the bottle was uncorked.

10. Mirth Chardonnay: From Washington state, this wine wins my pick for domestic Chardonnay, as well as 'sexiest wine label of the year'. I fell in love with the banana and pineapple aromas upon first examination. I brought this wine to a number of blind tastings and recommended it to my Chard-loving mother and upon each and every examination, the wine received heavy praise. It's a WHITE WINE BEST BUY!

9. Boomtown Syrah: Two guys from Wisconsin moved to Washington to make wine...it's the start of a joke I suppose, but their finished product is the stuff domestic wine dreams are made of. I had the chance to meet the winemaker on a number of occasions this year, and besides the fact that I was immediately comforted by his calm demeanor and ambition, his wine was a bitchin' example of Washington Syrah. It's a RED WINE BEST BUY! P.S. Syrah doesn't suck.

8. Opolo Sangiovese 2009: Chianti is the home of the distinctive grape Sangiovese and oftentimes produces an overly acidic wine meant only for food (see: tomato-based dishes). In California, many producers have tried to reproduce the 'old world' wine in a climate that doesn't suit it and end up bastardizing Sangiovese with waaaaaaay too much oak. Opolo has done it right! All the lovely fruit characteristics come out in this bottling with just a touch of oak that tells you, 'this wine is meant for food, but if you want to sip it by the glass, your mind will be blown'.

7. Stephen Ross Central Coast Pinot Noir 2008: When I got back from Burgundy, to be perfectly honest, I was really only drinking new craft beers because nothing I could afford came close to the wines I drank abroad. A refreshing tide of energy soon hit me when I tasted the said wine. Steve Dooley, originally of Mankato, MN (Midwest represent) crafts his Pinot Noir in a style unlike many others in the state of California. Lower alcohol levels and extraction lead to a gorgeous Pinot Noir that stands alone in its category. Given the fact that 2008 was a tough vintage for Pinot producers in California, this wine is sexy as hell on its own, but begs for a nice roast or vegetable stew. It's only a matter of time before I meet Mr. Dooley and probe him for the secrets to his success.

6. Alain Graillot Crozes-Hermitage 2009: I had never heard of the wines of Graillot until I set foot in France (apparently I was out of the loop). I tasted a 2005 Crozes-Hermitage from the winery one night at dinner with some roasted beef and was absolutely blown away. After harvest was over, some friends and I took a road trip south from Burgundy to explore the Rhone region of wine. On our last day there we got lost in the vineyard backroads of Tain L'Hermitage and much to our luck found the Domaine Graillot thanks to the direction of a vineyard worker we consulted for direction. Second generation winemaker and son, Maxime, graciously tasted us through past, present, and future releases with astounding insight and passion. He praised, and praised, and praised the 2009 vintage in the Rhone, and I must agree, the wine shows oh so well now, but will definitely develop over 10 to 15 years. If you have the cash to buy and cellar a wine, THIS IS IT!

5. Louis Claude Desvignes Morgon Cote-du-py 1999: Beaujolais. Most of us only know the name thanks to the obnoxiously acidic and tacky 'Nouveau' wine that comes out every year on the third Thursday of November. There is actually WAY more to this region than I previously thought. Beaujolais 'cru's' are the wines that come from each of the single towns within the region. For the price, one can't go wrong. I've never been able to put my mind around why these wines are so much cheaper than their counterparts to the north in Burgundy. This single vineyard wine, from 12 years prior, was absolutely mind blowing, and just coming into its own. The abundance of ripe red fruits and tongue pleasing acidity was astounding. Beaujolais is my BEST PICK for region of the year.

4. Comte Georges de Vogue Chambolle Musigny 1999: While I became deeply enamored with all the wines of Burgundy during my stay, the wines of the village Chambolle Musigny particularly stuck out in my mind. The northern half of Burgundy, the Cote de Nuits, tends to produce Pinot Noir of a much heavier body and masculine characteristic, as many will say. The wines of Chambolle, however, tend to shy away from this stereotype and those of Comte de Vogue shine on. 1999 was a 'classic' vintage in the region and I was blessed to find this wine for cheap. I took a weekend getaway to Chablis with some winery colleagues and we snatched this bottle off the list during a four hour lunch at a local hole in the wall restaurant. Soft and supple, elegant, beautiful. This wine was Liquid Velvet.

3. J.M. Roulot Meursault Les Tillets 1999: 'I came to Burgundy for Pinot Noir, but I stayed for Chardonnay'. It's a quote I heard uttered time and time again from foreigners who had settled in the Cote d'Or as winemakers. This bottle sums it all up for me. 1999: Sexy Vintage. Jean Marc Roulot, an actor turned winemaker to carry on the family name, got it right and keeps on getting it right. I'd say this is the white Burgundy that changed my mind and might never let me go back to sipping California Chardonnay without a chip on my shoulder. The bottle was a magnum at our 'Paulee' or end of harvest party. The food cooked by our Israeli chef Nir (mad props to Nir) and the extremely diverse group of friends and colleagues, from a SF based venture capitalist, to the rough and tumble French seasonal pickers, my fellow winery interns to Mr. Hubert De Montille himself all made the experience one in a trillion!



2. Domaine De Montille Pommard Rugiens 1985: It's pretty rare that a French winemaker tells you to go down into his cellar of back vintages and pick any bottle you please. I was blessed with the opportunity during our second 'Paulee' and I chose a bottle from my birth year from what had become one of my favorite Burgundy vineyards. Amongst the 30 plus bottles that were opened that night, dating back to 1969 in Burgundy and further from around the world, it became apparent that my 1985 was something special (a group consensus). The integration of fruit, acid, body and tannins that were living and breathing as if never before was astonishing. The wine tasted young! But oh so sexy and smooth, like a new-ish world Pinot bottled in the past few years. It gets me thinking that maybe all the lab-work and analysis of today might not be all too necessary. Letting the vineyards do the work (with minor manipulation) is one of the tenets of my learning in France.

1. J.L. Chave Hermitage White 2002: Old(er) white wine. It's something I'd never really experienced before and white wine from the Rhone was also foreign. It's fair to say that this staple of a wine from a staple of a producer LITERALLY changed my life and left me speechless. The ripe concentrated honey and Asian spice notes were synthesized from a heavy, voluptuous mouthfeel to a needle-point accuracy on the tongue, that once again unfolded into minutes and minutes of pure bliss on the finish. I've never tasted anything like it and quite honestly hope it will be a while before I do again.



Cheers,
and
Happy New Year!

A Day of Sensations

So I think this post is wine related simply in the fact that I'm in Burgundy right now. I'd like to summarize one of my finest days yet here in a list of sensory happenings that struck me particularly strong.

The SOUND of my alarm blaring at 6:30 this morning as I regret the amount of wine I had last night, looking out the window and SEEING the rain, regrettably pouring down.

The SMELL of Espresso brewing from our quaint machine as I prepare for a long day of work.

The FEEL of my feet sinking into the mud as I walk the vineyards in Puligny Montrachet taking vineyard samples after a long night of rain.

The TASTE of a fresh and proper French croissant, flaky and buttery, at morning coffee while I work on processing juice samples from the vineyards sampled.

The SMELL of wine emanating from Hospice du Beaune barrels as I prepare to rack them into a tank upstairs. The SMELL of Sulfur Dioxide as I pour it into a graduated cylinder, it burns my eyes and my lungs, so that I can mix it with the said wine.

The TASTE of the gourmet sandwiches our lovely chef Nir prepared for lunch and the TASTE of the Merusault Chardonnay we drink with them.

The FEELING of seeing a truck pull up loaded with the first Pinot Noir of the season.

The SIGHT of grape clusters rolling across the sorting table and the FEELING of Botrytis and Ripeness as I pick amongst them.

The SOUND of my colleagues singing out the word 'Rose' as we pay homage to a fine wine we all love.

The PAIN in my back as I lift barrel after barrel in the cellar alone, prepping for tomorrow when we will fill them with a new vintage of Meursault Chardonnay.

The TASTE of my cellarmaster Justin's homebrew as the day finishes and we relax on the crushpad for some celebratory beers.

The SENSATION of seeing Mr. Hubert De Montille pulling up to our apartment and knowing what's in store for the evening.

The SCENTS, SOUNDS, TASTES, and FEELINGS of our grand dinner with everyone involved, including guests. The wines that tickled my tongue and the chocolate mousse that made me beg for seconds.

The CONTENTMENT that I gained from Alix De Montille telling me that my French comprehension is incredible, my speaking is great, and while sharing a cigarette with her, that I roll a mighty fine 'clope.'

I have arrived...

I just wanted to shoot off a quick blog to kick off a series of postings on my current whereabouts.

I arrived last Friday in France after a long two days of travel and made my way from Paris by train to Beaune, the center of the 'Cote d'Or' as they call it here. My boss picked me up from the train station and took me to my current home for the next two months. I'm living at the 'cuverie' or winery for Domaine de Montille, who I will be working for. I live upstairs in an apartment with the other interns or 'stagaires' as they're called here in France. There are two winemakers from Australia, one from California, and another from New Zealand arriving Friday. We have a live in chef from Tel Aviv Israel who arrived today. He works at a top restaurant back home and we are all excited to have him cooking all of our meals for us. The food here is amazing, quite hearty. Lots of cheese (epoisses is the stinkiest of stinky cheese but phenomenal when done right), breads, mustard, cassis, ham, mushrooms, escargots, beef bourgignon, and coq au vin. Did anyone say wine? I haven't tried anything too phenomenal yet but today we got to taste through 5 different chardonnays from the 2008 vintage that our winemaker made. Amazing to taste the same grape from the same vintage made by the same person at the same facility from completely different vineyards within the SAME relative region and they all taste COMPLETELY different. This is the true essence of what the French call Terrioir.

Work started on Tuesday and so far I've spent all of my time in the vineyards trimming weeds (my boss sent me out with the vineyard crew because none of them speak english and I'm the only one who can communicate in French from our crew). It's been tough work but quite amazing walking though vineyards steeped in so much history. As the way vineyards are classified here you have in ascending order of quality the 1)regional wines of Bourgogne, 2) the Villages wines (i.e. Meursault, Volnay, Pommard, Beaune) 3) The 1er cru wines 4) The Grand Cru wines (being the most prestigious). Ask bill to explain if you have any questions; it's rather confusing. I've spent the better part of the past two days in 1er and Grand Cru vineyards, pinot and chard vines with average ages of 30 to 40 years, each being worth well more than the money in my wallet. It's a wine geek's paradise. This morning we started at 6am to beat the heat and on the way out to the vineyard I could see the sun rising over Beuane and the Alps in the distance (A three hour drive away)!

Needless to say, I'm in for a great harvest. It's expected that our first fruit will start being picked next week already, which is early considering that last year it was mid-September. It will be a short but sweet harvest but I know I will learn heaps. My boss Brian, who is from California originally, told me today that he would like to put me in charge of 'les caves' which is actually quite a large responsibility. If this happens, I will oversee all of the barrel work: filling, washing, cleaning, transferring, stacking, etc. Assuming I don't spend the rest of the time in the vineyards I will be spending a lot of time underground in a moldy dark space steeped in history. It's crazy here because you see these houses in the middle of town where winemakers live but underneath are caves where they make and store their wines that you never could imagine existed.

Please ask questions and offer suggestions for topics you'd like to see me write about in the next two months. Email me at dougrweber@gmail.com. I want this to be as much of a learning experience for my readers as it is for me. Until the next time,

Cheers,
and
Happy #WineWednesday!
-dw

New Directions

Ciao all.
Sorry I've been a bit lax in my posts lately. I've been busy, been in a funk, been trying to try my hand at other things, and been writing for tktwincities about food and wine in Minneapolis. I'm back. I've decided that I need to have a new focus with my wine writing. There are soooooooo many wine blogs out there, but I won't say too many because I'm so glad to see that so many people have taken their passion for wine, put it up on the web, and shared it for everyone else to experience and soak up.

I feel that my most common passion stems from experiencing wine from a number of aspects, hence 'feelthewine.' I've thought long and hard about how much of a problem I have with the 100 point scale, and the fact of the matter is, if the setting is right, more times than not, I'll rate a wine in the high 90's, unless of course it's a total dog. I'd like to focus on what kind of wine goes best with certain situations. I'd like to tell stories about what I am doing and why I choose certain wines to go with it. Have you ever had a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc after mowing the lawn? The crisp freshness relaxes your sweaty being after a few hours slaving away, while the grassy-ness comes out even more as the fresh-cut-grass aroma emits from the terroir surrounding. Wine pairing is not just for food in my eyes. I'd like to highlight the back stories about the producers, which helps immensly in knowing and appreciating a wine. Knowing that the vines are over 100 years old or that the winemaker has no formal training in wine-making and used to be a skateboarder are HUGE in my eyes when appreciating a wine. With an upcoming trip to Burgundy to work the harvest I'd also like to capture stories and experiences that most of you won't likely ever encounter in your daily life. I'm working on adding a video element to the works. Until then, please keep your eyes peeled for things to come. Most importantly, I really really want all of my readers to bring forth suggestions as to what they would like to see from my content. Most of you know me, my strengths and weaknesses. What do you think I should focus on regarding wine? Please be honest, open, and don't hold back. Be with me on the journey and I can't wait for things to come.

Cheers,
DW

email me: dougrweber@gmail.com
or comment below.