Dr Vino's wine blog

In last week’s NYT story on champagne from ungrafted vines, Eric Asimov had this line:

A recent column in Wine & Spirits magazine speculated that as much as a third of the vines in Spain were ungrafted.

This is an all-too-rare example of one consumer wine publication citing another. Congratulations Eric!

Why does this happen so infrequently? Isn’t everybody on this voyage of wine discovery together?

He also had this nice observation:

But objectivity is often useless with wine. The same bottle will taste different at a candlelight dinner with your sweetheart than it will, say, in a fluorescent office.

tags: wine | wine knowledge

Are you baffled by restaurant wine lists? Check out a story I wrote with Ray Isle in the current Food & Wine magazine called “Deconstructing a Wine List.” Text here, but the images make it worth seeking out in print.

France: INAO, the national appellation authority, has voted to have a two tier AOC system. The first will be basically the way it is today; the second will allow new winemaking techniques (such as oak chips) that are now allowed in the EU. [vitisphere]

Bordeaux bargains: “I think there are tremendously satisfying wines in the $25 to $35 range, especially compared to California Cabernets … Your garden-variety Napa Cabernet goes for about $50,” says David Netzer of Wine House. [SF Chronicle]

Dan Berger on the 30th Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris: “The message of 2006 is that the French remain in the driver’s seat when it comes to classic Cabernet Sauvignon-based red wines with terroir character.” [Appellation America]

Hip-hop artist Jay-Z flushes “Cris” and hints at a switch to Krug–as I predicted!

Vijay Mallya speaks out on why he bowed out of bidding for Taittinger: “We bid but (French Bank) Credit Agricole was the winning bidder. There was a sentiment that Champagne assets should remain in French hands. So, we gracefully bowed out of the process. I am not prepared to get into a bidding war because that would have diluted shareholder value of United Spirits. That was something I was not prepared to do,” he said. [link]

Coffee may protect against cirrhosis. Study participants who drank four cups a day had 80 percent less incidence. [WSJ]

Whole Foods will cease the sale of live lobsters. [AP]

tags: wine | appellation | France

Clos Roche Blanche, Touraine, Cabernet, 2004. ABV: 12%. $15

There’s good news and bad news about this wine. Good news: I loved it. Bad news: I’ve only got two bottles left. And I can’t find anymore available online.

I bought six bottles of this wine after Lyle at Crush Wine called it the year’s best wine (or something like that) back in December. We drank one here at the Dr. Vino World HQ when we got it, gave one away, and had another bottle with friends. So thanks to Tim’s theme of low alcohol reds for Wine Blogging Wednesday, we were able crack open another one tonight. Hey–it’s low alcohol so I can still write afterward!

This unfiltered, hand-harvested, natural yeast, vine-ripened (sorry, couldn’t resist) blend of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon is what the importer calls “real wine.” This wine has a sense of place. And it has a sense of balance. Red berries are present on the attack but not overwhelming and it has a delicate, flinty midpalate and a soft finish. Served at 60 degrees, this wine is perfect for a summer evening that merits a serious wine, which in our case, just happened to be a Wednesday night. Pity I didn’t get a full case.

Importer: Louis/Dressner, NY.

tags: wine | WBW | Loire

The Bordeaux 2005 vintage has been widely praised–Parker wondered whether it was “perfect”– and now the top chateaus are now releasing their long-awaited prices. The top, top grands crus will be out next week and are expected at around $500 for a 750 ml bottle (about $20 an ounce). How much is too much? What is your strategy for futures?

I may take the plunge on one marginal (read: affordable) 05 wine. But it’s unlikely. I think I’ll deploy my Bordeaux budget in the vintages that have been overlooked such as 1999 or 2002. My fear is that the 05s will not be worth in two years what they are worth now.

Below are some prices to illustrate that for a lot of these wines, it’s often a question of buying a future or making a mortgage payment. Scary. Even more scary was a quote from today’s LA Times. Don Schliff, Bordeaux expert at Wine Warehouse in LA, wonders if he’ll be able to get allocations that are big enough. Wowza.

* * * * *
Here are some high 2005 prices per case from recent emails I have received from various retailers. If you are honestly interested in finding the best price, click the link.

La Mission Haut Brion 95-97 pts, WA $2999 per case find this wine

Pape Clement 96-100pts, WA $1699 find this wine

Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 2005 (750ML) (WS92-94) $1680 find this wine

Palmer (WS95-100/WA94-96) $2880 find this wine

Magrez Fombrauge (WA94-96) $2700 find this wine

Marojallia 94-97 pts, WA $1699 find this wine

Pape Clement Blanc 94-96 pts, WA $1799 find this wine

Found one price for Haut-Brion already: $5568.72 !! (I like the .72) find this wine

tags: wine | Bordeaux | futures | craziness

“France is the crossroads of Europe.” This used to be a common refrain in France before Europe shifted east. Nonetheless, the Medoc might become a pit stop between Paris and Madrid.

The Ministry of Transportation in conjunction with the regional planning authority wants to build a new road axis running from Spain to Northern Europe. Three of the five proposals in the Bordeaux region would run over or around Margaux and other growing areas of Bordeaux. They would connect to a new bridge spanning the Gironde estuary.

Since planning for the new highway is still in the early stages, the growers syndicate of Margaux has put up an online petition to collect signatures against the proposal. I was signature 5,414.

Although prime vineyards can survive when surrounded by the city, as a satellite image of Chateau Haut Brion in Pessac-Leognan shows, and Bordeaux has a surplus of wine anyway, I signed for two reasons. First, why there? These vineyards are an international treasure and if it’s possible to re-route the autoroute, so much the better.

Second, making information available on the internet in France has been excruciatingly slow. In fact the wine trade in general has confronted the internet with unease and confusion. This sort of activism is a perfect fit to harness the power of the internet. I applaud that effort.

If you want to sign, click here
See the regional authority’s site for the proposal
And a close-up of proposed routes in Margaux (pdf)

tags: wine | Bordeaux | development | internet activism

Wine is great for many reasons. One of them happens to be its amazing ability to make people too full of themselves look bad. And an express route to looking humble is the blind tasting. Witness Paris, 1976.

Such was the case this past week in London. On his TV show, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay poured two wines blind for the “veteran crooner” Cliff Richard (pictured right–I mean how could this guy leave it to someone else to make him look bad? Love the silver workout shoes).

The first Richard said was excellent. OK it was $700.

The second he trashed saying: “That’s rubbish. I wouldn’t pay for that, it’s tainted, it’s insipid. It tastes like vinaigrette. I’d never buy that.”

Only problem? It was his wine. As in from his winery, Adega do Cantor (Cellar of the Singer), in Portugal.

Zing!!

See more images of Cliff [Story via Decanter]

tags: wine | Cliff Richard | blind tasting | gotcha

Commanderie de Peyrassol, Coteaux de Provence, rosé, 2005 $13 Find this wine

The other day I had a rosé and it was no fun. Rosé is supposed to be fun. Besides the truncated flavor range, the price made it a further downer: $30. Yikes—talk about a buzzkill! So I was thrilled when, a few days later, I had this Peyrassol. Made by a mother-son duo in the hills of Provence, this wine from syrah, grenache and cinsault offers pale colors but an alluring blend of rose petals and strawberry aromas give way to refreshing crisp acidity. Just what you need on the deck in Provence—-in fact, a deck anywhere. Try this very food friendly with a range or foods from fish to spicy dishes. Shop around so that you don’t over-peyrassol. Importer: Neal Rosenthal.

tags: wine | tasting notes | wine reviews

With a month of soccer/football kicking off today in Germany, a few references for you:

1. If you’re NOT into it, check out this funny video clip from The Simpsons.

2. If you are into it, don’t forget my tips on betting wine for football. I wrote them for the Superbowl, but hey, the same principal of differing value wagers can be applied to handicap this tournament.

3. Catch some of the matches at bars around NYC! (You may have to drink beer though) Here are a few good sounding ones from the latest issue of TimeOut New York:
* Novecentro: Argentine joint will show all games live. Good wines available! 343 W Broadway
* L’Angolo: say “forza Italia” here. 108 W Houston
* Brass Monkey: For English fans of the non-hooligan persuasion. 55 Little W 12th St
* Zum Schneider: four screens mean this is advance tix only. 107 Ave C @ 7th
* Opia: Francais et GQ. 130 E. 57th bet Park and Lex
* “Little Brazil”: multiple venues, “carnival-like” atmosphere. W 46th St bet 5th and 6th Aves
* Iona: two screens, all non-pay-per-view matches, outdoor area. 180 Grand St, Williamsburg

For the rest, check out TONY. See the FIFA official site.

tags: World Cup | betting | food and drink | NYC