Dr Vino's wine blog

Dominique de Villepin is listening.

No, not in that creepy eavesdropping way that’s all the rage in Washington. He’s listening to French winemakers.

On December 20, the French Prime Minister received 14 regional representatives of the wine trade and Minister of Agriculture Dominique Bussereau. “We’re getting started right now and I think we could, in about two or three months’ time–maybe sooner–present a [restructuring] plan,” Bussereau said after leaving the meeting.

The Prime Minister’s office issued a press release after the meeting saying that it expected the imminent announcement of measures to “recover lost markets” and “make the industry adapt” in terms of quantity and quality. The communinqué underscored the 45 million euros in aid already distributed to the industry in 2005.

Although France is still the world’s largest producer of wine by value, the French wine trade has been beset by falling exports and declining domestic consumption. Frustrated wine growers in Bordeaux recently sealed the entrance to a wine trade association with bricks while disaffected growers in the Languedoc have resorted to violence, which may restart.

Denis Baro, president of the Bordeaux cooperative Rauzan, said after the meeting “at least the Prime Minister and the Minister of Agriculture were listening to us.”

Another grower said he was “neither pessimistic nor optimistic.” Does that make his glass half-full or half-empty?

Technorati tags: wine | Wine news | French wine trade

Just a reminder about the wine quiz happening right now. Start the new year off right–the grand prize is a case of wine! (There are several other prizes too.) Competition ends January 4.

And while I am nagging you about things, don’t forget to put a pushpin, an image or a link to you in the reader map!

Great cover of the current Economist! (she’s holding a Champagne flute)

Kermit Lynch will be awarded the French Legion d’Honneur. Excellent news for this Berkeley-based importer of fine wines! Julia Child, Robert Mondavi, and Robert Parker are other American food and wine luminaries who have received the honor. [SFC]

In a wide ranging decision, a judge ruled that the way wine is sold in Washington state must change by April 14–pending action of the legislature. The retailer Costco Wholesale won a battle against the Washington State Liquor Control Board in US district court. The judge ruled “that Costco has demonstrated that Washington’s posting, holding, minimum markup, delivered pricing, uniform pricing, ban on volume discounts, and ban on credit sale requirements are irreconcilably in conflict with federal antitrust law.” [SPI]

France is targeting Mexico as a new market for wine exports. Um, the same Mexico that has 0.04 gallons per person in wine consumption? Growth market!! [JV]

What goes around comes around: six new winemaking practices are now allowed in Europe, including use of oak chips, wider use of ascorbic acid, a new type of protein to stabilize wine, limited use of active coal for red wine (previously only allowed for white), use of dimethyl-bicarbonate (huh?) (DMDC) to stabilize primarily sweet wines. Um, yikes! [Vitisphere]

“It ain’t old world vs. new world. It ain’t intellectuals vs. hedonists. It is real wine vs. spoof.,” says importer Joe Dressner in a provocative blog posting.

OK this has nothing to do with wine but I just had to share it with somebody: Sergey Brin, co-founder of Google and a net worth of $15 billion, drives what kind of car? According to today’s Financial Times, a Toyota Prius! And it is leased no less! Claims to fuel efficiency were undermined, however, by the fact that he and fellow co-founder Larry Page have just gone in on a Boeing 767 together for personal use. Mileage: 4 gallons of jet fuel per nautical mile.

And while we’re not talking about wine (thin edge of the wedge, eh), my techie brother showed me this hilarious remake of a movie trailer for The Shining. For writers everywhere!

Take the year-end wine quiz and qualify to win a case of wine. Through Jan 4.

Technorati tags: wine | wine news | Sergey Brin

Panning for gold just got a whole lot more fun. Gold 2005 (find this wine), a wine made from a blend of white grapes from Australia’s 2005 harvest, is bottled in California under the supervision of cult producer, Hundred Acre. I have yet to try the wine, which is apparently aromatic and unoaked. It certainly doesn’t merit any aging–except for the fact that gold has been one of the best performing assets of 2005. Probably best to pour this wine with strainer in hand and then stash the 24 karat gold!

1800 cases produced. Read more about Gold 2005.

Technorati tags: wine | gold

Are you tired of wrapping presents for your uncles and cousins? Or you don’t want to party the night away on New Year’s Eve? Then put away this full case of 12 questions on wine esoterica that allow you to show off your wine knowledge in the 2005 wine quiz! With several prizes, multiple winners will be rewarded. Forward it to your friends: there’s plenty to go round.

Grand prize: a case of wine! Yes, an excellent mixed case (12 bottles) of wines in the Dr. Vino price range, including wines from the Old World and the New. This prize is awarded to one randomly selected participant with a 100% score on the quiz.

I am donating all the prizes—consider it my way of thanking you for your support and returning some of the measly $0.02 click-through ads that I have accumulated over the year. I will contact a retailer near the random quiz winner or send a case from a retailer who will ship there. All participants must be 21 years old.

Second: Michelin Red Guide New York, this book was released to some controversy earlier this year–see for yourself!

Third: The Accidental Connoisseur, by Lawrence Osborne. An irreverent look at the wine world.

Fourth: Sharpen your sensory evaluation with an Aroma Wheel!

All submissions must be received by January 4, 2005. Winners will be drawn from the best scores at random. Correct answers will be posted January 5–be sure to check your email that day.(Hint: Google!)

So, without further ado, corkscrews ready…Go!

www.drvino.com/winequiz2005.php

Technorati tags: wine | wine quiz

Forget showing an image of the label–now we can see satellite images of the vineyard!

Yesterday I recommended a wine from Mount Eden Vineyards so I decided to look up the vineyard on GoogleMaps. Here’s the link.

The first image that comes up is the road map–ok, kind of ho hum. But click satellite in the top right corner of the map and presto there’s the winery!

Click and drag the map and see the encroachment of residential Silicon Valley to the right. Drag to the left and see the vineyards back along a dusty road.

Cool stuff! I look forward to checking out all my favorite producers.

Technorati tags: wine | Mount Eden | Google Maps

For a wine lover or a host, little makes a more impressive gift than a case of wine. When we went to visit some relatives for Thanksgiving two years ago, we picked up an assorted case of wine on the way to their house from the airport. Our relatives still remember trying a couple of bottles with each meal and having a few to try after we were gone.

I usually write about great value wines under $10 but with the holidays approaching, several readers have written asking me for some more expensive gift wines. So this year I thought I would make a case for giving a case—at a bit higher prices than my usual. Are these the “best” wines I have tried this year? No, because some of those were very expensive. I am convinced that 99% of wine consumers have no need to spend over $30 per bottle given the tremendous diversity and quality of wines currently available. You’re probably better off putting anything more than that toward paying down the mortgage—or buying a non-wine gift for your spouse.

I have purchased all these wines in wine stores in the past six months so the pricing is current and they should be available with some hunting either near you or on the web. I state the importer since your favorite local retailer may not have the exact wine but may have other wines from that importer and thus be able to order it.

If you have some favorites in this price range feel free to add them to the comments. Happy holidays—and cheers!

-Dr. Vino

Champagne Aubry, Brut, Non Vintage (Jouy-les-Reims). $28. Find this wine
Most grape growers in the Champagne region sell to the big houses and thus are not well known. However, a growing number of growers are also becoming producers, as is the norm for quality producers in other wine regions. The fine bead of bubbles and soft floral notes of this Chateau Aubry make it easy to understand why Aubry wanted to produce it himself. Importer: Terry Theise.

St Michael Eppan, Alto Adige, Gewurztraminer 2004. $18. Find this wine
What do you get when you blend a German, Italian, Christian and a Jew? In this case, the ultimate Christmas wine! This multicultural and full-bodied wine is a Gewurztraminer from the north of Italy. An odd find but one worth seeking out for its blend of slightly sweet and spice that makes the perfect wine for Christmas day: for Christian/traditional diners, it will go great with veggies; for Jewish diners, it will go great with Chinese food and a movie!

Feudi di San Gregorio, Falanghina, 2003 $15. Find this wine
Tired of American Chardonnay? Try this. Hand harvested from vineyards near Mt Vesuvius and cold-fermented in steel tanks, the wine introduces a whole new range of flavors: crisp acidity, minerality, grassy, dried apricot, pear, and melon. A yummy bargain that will entice even your Chardonnay-swilling aunts. Importer: Palm Bay Imports.

Paul Achs, Chardonnay, Austria, 2003. $20. Find this wine
Speaking of Chardonnay, Paul Achs presents it in its un-oaked glory—but not from Chablis, rather from south of Vienna in Burgenland. Fermented in large steel tanks, the crisp, flinty minerality shines through. Importer: Vin Divino. (If this one is too hard to find, try the Olivier Morin Bourgogne Chitry 2004 for a similar flavor profile).

Honig, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa, 2004. $14. Find this wine
Kiwi Sauvignon Blancs can be piercing lime lasers. This Sauvignon is hand picked from vineyards practicing sustainable agriculture in Napa. The crisp acidity has notes of lime balanced with pear, pineapple and melon. Pairing with figs or hard cheeses will make a great reward and the see-through label makes it a handsome gift.

Oberhäuser Leistenberg Riesling Kabinett, Dönnhoff 2004. $29. Find this wine
Chefs love Riesling for the food-friendly matchups. This Donnhoff has a bit of sweetness that is wonderfully balanced against acidity. Food pairings are easy from Asian-infused dishes to simply an aperitif wine that pairs well with sharp cheese. And the 8% alcohol makes it easy to swallow.

Reds

Vall Llach, Embruix, Priorat, 2002. $25. Find this wine
Spanish/Catalan folk/rock star Lluis Llach owns this property in the craggy Priorat region of northeastern Spain. The top bottling from Llach is around $75 but this Grenache blend has excellent depth and punch from new plantings at the vineyard. Importer: The Henry Wine Group.

Mt. Difficulty, Pinot Noir, 2003. $29. Find this wine
Central Otago in New Zealand’s South Island claims to be the southernmost vineyard in the world. This wine’s pale and thin appearance in the glass belies complex berry aromas and the excellent, long, complex finish. The handsome label makes for good giving.

Muga, Reserva, Rioja, 2001. $20. Find this wine
Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher urged readers of the WSJ to spend $20 on any red Rioja and that would make for a special night. While I can’t vouch for the other red Riojas, this mid-priced Muga caught me off guard for its serious quality to price ratio. Bottled unfiltered, this Muga blends Tempranillo and Grenache to have a lush mouthfeel with notes of dark berry, tobacco, and leather that will knock the socks of holiday guests (and maybe the stockings off the mantle). Importer: Jorge Ordonez.

Mount Eden, Cabernet, 2000. $30. Find this wine
This profound Cab comes from the winery perched above Silicon Valley in the Santa Cruz Mountains. This vintage has 100% Cabernet with excellent, dense notes of dark berries, leather and pleasant tannins–it is not fruit bomb, but rather a thinking person’s Cab. Although I bought and tasted this wine in the fall, it may be hard to find but the more available 2002 is also supposed to be excellent with some merlot and Cabernet Franc in the blend. Any red from Mount Eden represents a real value for connoisseurs—and that’s not an oxymoron!

Benmarco, Malbec, Mendoza. 2003. $20. Find this wine
This is a serious, big red from the winemaking duo of Susana Balbo and Pedro Marchevsky. Loads of dark fruit balanced with tannin make me think about grilled meats. I poured this at several tastings this fall and it was usually a top choice. And the thick bottle and handsome label make it an excellent gift wine for a lover of big reds. Importer: Vine Connections.

Alvear, PX Solera 1927. $18 (375 ml) Find this wine
Sherry, with a variety of styles from aperitif to digestif, deserves exploration. This sweet and balanced sherry, which dates from an original blend in 1927, comes in petite half-bottle for easy dispensing after dinner in front of the fire—or use it as a dessert replacement. With a dark, maple syrup-like color and the unctuous texture you might easily find it to be your new favorite winter wine. Importer: Jorge Ordonez.

Total price of this case (without tax): $266, or about one bottle of Krug.

Technorati tags: wine | wine gifts

Tres Picos, Garnacha, D.O. Campo de Borja, Spain, 2004, $9.99. Find this wine

Like rivals the Capulets and the Montagues, Grenache and Tempranillo have been duking it out, in this case, for red grape domination in Spain. With an old-vine Grenache value like this, it would be shocking if the Tempranillos didn’t just lay down their swords. From the obscure Campo de Borja region comes this beauty with notes of red berries and earthiness. I included it in a recent tasting with wines three times the price and it had no problem keeping up. The heavy glass bottle makes for a nice presentation–rate this one a great gift wine! Importer: Jorge Ordonez, Dedham, MA.

While I posted this review in my regular space for value vino a couple of days ago, I just came across this interview of the 46 year-old importer, Jorge Ordonez. I thought it would be of interest for those who have enjoyed his wines and for those who are following The Real Wine World to see a profile of another, more established, importer.

Technorati tags: wine | Jorge Ordonez