On Tuesday, May 3, 2011, I was fortunate enough to appear on WUSA Channel 9 Television in Washington, DC, to discuss what gives wine its flavor. Click on the link below to check out the 3 minute interview with Jessica Doyle from Channel 9.
Georgetta Dane and her husband, Corneliu, left Romania when they won an against-all-odds lottery to come to the United States on a special visa. They had a young daughter, no family or job in the US, and neither one of them spoke a stitch of English. But they packed up the clan and ended up in Monterey, California, just in time to participate in the harvest at Kendall-Jackson’s new winery.
Georgetta started in the lab and worked her way up to the winemaking front lines. By 2006, she found her way to the Big House Wine Company of California, where she became head winemaker of their portfolio where she uses over 40 different varietals to craft wines like a perfumer makes perfumes. First, she builds a base scent and then she uses the nuances of other varietals in harmony in order to maximize the aroma and flavor.
Check out the Big Values that Georgetta Dane offers at Big House Wine Company.
Print Version – Washington Examiner Newspaper
Audio Version – as heard on WTOP Wine of the Week
Versatility is the name of the game this Easter so start with picking out a wine that will play well with your main course and then refine your selection based on a few key side dishes. For example, if you plan on having ham, consider a wine that will support the richness of the meat while counter-balancing the saltiness. Or if turkey is the centerpiece of your holiday table, grab a bottle that will liven up the mild flavors of the bird.
Here are a few wines I plan on putting in my basket when I hop over to dinner this Sunday.
DC Examiner April 21, 2011 – International Wines for Your Easter Basket – The Vine Guy
A Great CDP For Easter
A Delicious Kosher Dessert-Style Riesling
Not long ago, the thought of drinking kosher wines conjured up memories of sweet, cloying beverages that tasted more like grape juice and brandy then anything resembling wine. But today, kosher wines have entered a new era. There are a several countries that are dedicated to producing quality wines for all consumers. Israel is leading the way with six wine producing regions turning out some pretty good juice. Italy, New Zealand, Australia and California are also on the map with respectable kosher wine offerings.
Check out these delicious – and serious – Kosher wines that anyone would be proud to drink four cups of this Passover…
Is the perceived taste or pleasure of the wine influenced by price? It is a mystery similar to the chicken and the egg. Does the wine taste better because it costs more or does it cost more because the wine tastes better?
Here’s a fun way to find out. Ask five or six friends to bring over a bottle of the same varietal of wine – California cabernets for example – at differing price points. Make sure that they’re wrapped in a brown paper bag without any identifying features exposed. Number the bags, then taste and rate the wines. In addition, ask everyone to guess the price of the wine. Reveal the wines and compare notes.
I recently did this with a group of enthusiastic wine consumers and I was shocked at what happened. Here are the results as reported on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week segment…
April 8, 2011 – Does Price Influence Taste
Does Price Influence Perception of Wine's Enjoyment
Here are my notes from the remarkable Kosta Browne dinner at Bistro Bis featuring Michael Browne and Tony Lombardi:
2001 Trimbach Frederic Emile Cuvee Riesling – Delicious, unctous and charming.
1990 Charles Heidsieck Millesime – A lovely way to get the evening started. Charming, yeast notes mixed with apple, nectarine and a touch of citrus on the finish.
2004 Peter Michael L’Apres-Midi Sauvignon Blanc – a bit out of place for this event, but a great Sauvignon Blanc. Needs oysters.
2006 Aubert Lauren Chardonnay – A classic California Chardonnay. Lovely and not over-oaked. I thought it was killer until I tasted the KB Chardonnay (below).
2005 Domaine Michel Bouzeraeu Meursault Les Perrieres 1er Cru – Excellent structure – a bit too refined for the line-up.
2009 Kosta Brown 1-16 Chardonnay – their first Chardonnay effort and it was a “10+” – quite possibly the wine of the night. The bad news? They only made 200 cases! Let’s hope they plan on making more. One of the best California Chardonnays I have ever had.
2009 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir – pretty, elegant and lush. This could be my new “house” pinot noir if only I could get any. I was blown away by how soft-yet-tasty it was over the whole palate.
2009 Kosta Browne Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir – Smokey, sultry and ladden with red fruit. It will peak in 2 -3 years.
2009 Kosta Browne Pisoni Vineyard Pinot Noir – Whoa! Big, earthy, jammy. This is a big wine and will require another two or three years just to reach puberty. In 5 years, this wine will be spectacular – if you can wait that long to drink it.
2006 Domaine Dublere Volnay Les Pitures 1er Cru – Good, not great. It was definitely out of place at the tasting only because of how big the other pinots were. Although, this wine had the prettiest finish of the evening.
2003 Domaine Hudelot-baillet Chambolle-Musigny Les Cras 1er Cru – Again, good, not great. The structure was there but the fuit was almost non-existent.
1990 Domaine De Courcel Pommard Les Rugiens – Uber-pretty wine. One of my top three wines of the night. Even though it was delicate, it was remarkably well balanced and lush. Hard to believe that there was so much fruit left in a 20+ year old red Burgundy.
1996 Chateau Cos d’Estournel – Evidently, I am a slut for Bordeaux in general and Cos in particular. This wine was my third-of-three wines of the night. Powerful, yet restained. Brash, yet elegant. Wonderful black fruit, lead pencil and just a waffer-thin-mint hint of curry on the back of the long, long finish.
1989 Chateau Grand Mayne – eh.
2004 Penfolds Bin 60A Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz – I was surprised by how much I liked this wine! It had nice fruit and remarkable acidity. The tannins were a tad too soft, but the finish was flavorful (blackberry, dark plum and black pepper) and memorable.
2004 Bond Vecine Napa Valley Red – Not great. Not bad. Just not as great as I had hoped. It was a bit out of balance and lacked the refining qualities of its Bordeaux counterparts.
The Wine Line-up!
Michael Browne, Winemaker/Owner of Kosta Browne
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of meeting Michael Browne, winemaker/owner of the uber-popular Kosta Browne Winery – producer of elegant California Pinot Noir wines, for a remarkable wine dinner at Bistro Bis in Washington, DC. Tony Lombardi, PR rep extraordinaire, also attended the dinner.
In honor of the occasion, several members of a regular tasting group, joined in and brought some pretty remarkable wines with them, including 1996 Cos d’Estournel, 2005 Bond, 2006 Aubert “Ritchie Vineyard” Chardonnay, 2006 Dublere Volnay Les Pitures 1er Cru, and, of course, a gaggle of Kosta Browne pinots, to name but a few.
But of all the stellar wines we had that night, the undisputed wine of the night was the new, never before released, 2009 Kosta Browne Chardonnay. Yes, Chardonnay! As much as I adore Aubert wines, particularly the Chardonnays, the KB Chard was pitch perfect! Even at this remarkably young age, it was focused, balanced and elegant. The only depressing thing about the wine is that Michael only made 200 cases, so I doubt I will have the pleasure of having that wine please my palate again… unless I haul by butt out to Sonoma and show up on his doorstep with an empty glass.
And I’d be remiss if I did not thank the entire staff at Bistro Bis for a remarkable experience. Special thanks to the Chef de Cuisine, Joe Harran, and Omar, the most outstanding Sommelier in the entire restaurant!
Menu:
Raviolis Des Champignon et Artichauts
forest mushroom and artichoke ravioli with
spring vegetables and black truffles
Salmon Argenteuil
pepper crusted salmon with white asparagus, black trumpet
mushrooms ,potato gnocchi and veal cheek ravigote
Gigot d’Agneau Roti
spice crusted lamb top round with rapini, peppers,
onions , socca frites and white balsamic vinaigrette
Selection of Artisanal Cheese
I will have the tasting notes published shortly… stay tuned!
This year, the 26th Annual California Barrel Tasting featured over 60 wines from 37 different wineries, mostly from the acclaimed 2009 vintage. Since the wines are still aging in barrels – and are not commercially available for a year or two – they are offered now at a price below the future retail price. This practice is referred to as buying ‘futures’ and is a savvy way to purchase collectable wines at a discount.
If you are thinking about buying a few wines to save for a special occasion, the 2009 vintage in Napa Valley is a particularly good year to consider. The weather in Napa during the 2009 season was long and warm, allowing the fruit to ripen slowly and evenly. Many of the wines I tasted at the event possessed excellent fruit concentration, but more importantly, outstanding balance, with firm tannins and ample acidity. Most of these wines will drink well for ten-plus years, if you can resist the urge to open them up sooner.
DC Examiner April 7, 2011 – 26th Annual California Barrel Tasting – The Vine Guy
A Cult Cabernet at a Fraction of the Price
Virginia Commonwealth University and Viriginia Wines have something in common – Just like the 11th seeded NCAA Men’s Basketball team, Virginia wines are surprisingly good. And I don’t mean “surprisingly” in a negative or mean way. It’s just that Virginia wines don’t often get the recognition they deserve on the national stage. They are often over-shadowed by more aggressively marketed wines from the west coast. But this weekend, it’s Virginia’s time to shine. Both VCU and the wines of Virginia are finally getting the attention they’ve earned.
DC Examiner March 31, 2011 – Virginia Wines for March Madness – The Vine Guy
Thibaut Janisson Sparkling Wine - Made from 100% Chardonnay
Grenache is a red grape known more for its supporting role in French Chateauneuf du Pape wines than as the lovely little star of the show it can be. As the weather moves from blustery winter in to mild spring, it is the perfect transitional wine, like the last bowl of oatmeal in Goldilocks – it’s not too big, it’s not too little, it’s just right.
DC Examiner March 24, 2011 – Grenache with Panache – The Vine Guy
