An Oregon Grand Cru

Privé Vineyard, a small patch of pinot noir vines on Oregon’s Chehalem Mountains yields a scant 250 cases between its north and south parcels. The upper section dubbed Le Nord yields only 165 cases, while the lower Le Sud offers a meager 85. There can be no doubt that this vineyard is of “Grand Cru” stature. Privé Vineyard was created by Mark and Tina Hammond and few vines or wines receive more hands-on loving care. The results are wines of stunning balance and complexity.

As you might imagine, quality of this magnitude is no longer a secret and getting on the Hammond’s mailing list is just a bit harder than finding the Holy Grail. I can only tell you to get on the waiting list now for these wines are the real thing.

The current release of 2004 Privé Vineyard, Le Sud, Yamhill County Pinot Noir is simply breathtaking and I feel ashamed to have opened one of the few existing bottles before it attained its full potential. An almost perfect blend of power and restraint, the depth and range of flavors already offered makes one pause and contemplate again and again as you savor every sip.

My other two bottles will wait three or four more years, when I know I will be moved to write about this extraordinary wine again.

Ultimate Geekdom

What must constitute the ultimate example (at least penultimate)  of embarrassing wine geekdom are the members of the Robert Parker Forum -- sorry I always "forget" its called the Mark Squires Forum -- that actually use photos of themselves with Robert Parker as their avatar. Such avatars just scream, "get a life!"  These are the guys you don't want to be stuck sitting next to at wine dinners!

Denis Mortet

Denis Mortet, a winemaker of uncontrollable passion and dedication has decided to leave us. His impact on Gevery Chambertin will be felt for many, many years. Sometimes passion must be too much to bear.

A sad day for Burgundy and pinot noir lovers throughout the world.

There are some things for which words are truly inadequate. 

A Light in the Darkness: The wine writing of Joel Payne

The Wine Spectator, The Wine Advocate, The Wine Enthusiast: Crap, crap and crap again. At least that is the popular mantra among many self-confident wine lovers ( 2 out of 3 ain't bad). Certainly all wine writing can't be bad or unreliable: right?. We often spend more time tearing down than building up, a crime of which I too am guilty as charged. Putting something down instead of putting something up is just more sexy and finds decidedly more readers.

Once in awhile a bit of brilliance shows through the crap, but usually is not bright enough to pierce the blinders worn by the general wine drinking public. A bit of that brilliance shows through in a truly wonderful piece of wine journalism in the January/February 2006 (issue 124) edition of Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar. Stephen's newsletter always stands above the crowd for the intelligence of its coverage, although sometimes he bites off more than he can chew by trying to review regions without spending enough time in the cellars and vineyards. This is particularly true of his coverage of Italian wines, a complaint you could apply to many newsletters. Trying to cover the entire world of wines is, perhaps, an overwhelming task for one newsletter. In some regions Tanzer has overcome this dilemma by bringing on experts such as Joel Payne in Germany. For this we owe Stephen a debt of gratitude and a subscription.

This edition of The International Wine Cellar features the article, "Germany '04: A Classic Spätlese Vintage" by Joel B. Payne and you will not find a more informative piece of wine writing. This article is a tour-de-force that should not be missed. Mr. Payne is a resident of Germany and this advantage clearly shows in the incredible depth of knowledge delivered in this article. The scholarship displayed by Mr. Payne is sorely lacking in wine writing in general and should be both a lesson and example for all wine writers. The sad thing about this beautiful article is that it will be read by so few when it offers so much.

Often we ridicule consumers going through wine shops with The Wine Spectator Buying Guide under their arms, but I will have a copy of Mr. Payne's article in my pocket when I visit my favorite wine merchants.

St. Emilion, Chateau Pipeau, Grand Cru 2003

Recommended by the ever reliable wine merchant Doug Salthouse, proprietor of Smart Buy Wines in New Jersey, this Saint Emilion Grand Cru is a tour-de-force combination of all that was, is and what can be exciting about Bordeaux. Rich and smooth without a hint of over-extraction, this wine blends modern knowledge with classic Bordeaux character. I’m ordering a case of this under $30 bargain.

” Located just 3 kilometers from Saint Emilion, Chateau Pipeau is a perfectly situated vineyard with great exposition (sun exposure). The vineyard has been in the Mestreguilhem family since 1929, thus there is now three generations of experience that has sought to constantly improve this wine. This blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc come from vineyards situated on soils composed of gravel, sand and clay. Fermentation is carried out at low temperatures over a period of 4 – 5 weeks. Following fermentation, the wine is matured in oak casks, one third of which are new.” - from the Smart Buy Wines newsletter

Pinot Noir, Belle Pente, Carlton-Yamhill District 2003

Here is an estate that embodies the potential for greatness in Oregon pinot noir. With this wine they blow away the stereotypes about the ultra-ripe 2003 Oregon vintage and produce a rarity - an under 14% alcohol 2003 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. While may pinots of this vintage taste of raspberries with a burn at the end, Belle Pente has produced a lovely balanced wine that tastes only of pinot noir and Willakenzie soil. There is no jammy, hot pinot here.  Everything wine at Belle Pente exceptional and complex. Certainly not wines for the masses considering the quantity and style, but in my opinion an exceptional winery in all facets and this wine is clearly one of the best 2003 Oregon pinots produced.

Hot, Hot, Hot

Hot, Hot, Hot. Eva Longoria could not be hotter: literally, figuratively, professionally and any "ly" you can come up with these days. Her picture graces every scandal sheet and tacky celebrity magazine lining the check out counters of every supermarket in the country. They are empty headed magazines for people without a life of their own. So what is Her Hot-ness Eva doing on the cover of The Wine Enthusiast?

The breathless cover story feature in The Wine Enthusiast goes on to document the fact that as good as she looks, Ms Longoria doesn't know a thing about wine other than the fact that she adores pinot grigio and really loves French wines although she doesn't know the names - Desperate Housewifes must be showing on French television. It's hard to imagine a more embarrassing article in a magazine pretending to be a source of expertise. The article is not embarrassing for her, but for the editors of the magazine its hard to imagine anything much worse.

What I suppose I am most amazed about is that considering that The Wine Enthusiast is little more than a bad  imitation of The Wine Spectator,  is that it is able to survive at all. Why in the world would anyone lay out good money for a second rate version of the People magazine of the wine world? Publications like these survive because there are millions of dollars funneled into advertising by big money wine beverage producers. The Wine Enthusiast issue featuring the sophisticated palate of Ms Longoria was paid for by wines that she would love.

 The Wine Enthusiast,  as it is published now, has no reason for existing except to suck in money from the Coca Cola side of the wine industry, so save your five bucks and stick to The Wine Spectator for celebrity updates.

Whirlwinds

Whirlwinds of work and a nasty bout with the flu have kept me away from Wine Camp over the last weeks and it feels good to be back at the keyboard. These everyday realities remind one deeply about the time and mental commitment of creating a meaningful journal.

I an pleased to announce that the beginnings of the Wine Camp eMagazine are starting to take shape. What is planned to be a quarterly e-publication will have its premier this spring, but I invite you to watch and better yet, take part, in the creation of an new wine resource. Everyone is invited to submit articles for inclusion - the more-the-merrier. All topics related to wine, spirits, beer, cuisine and culinary travel are welcome.  If you have questions or an article to submit please write me at craigcamp@winecampblog.com. While blogs are focused on shorter pieces and thoughts, it is the goal of The Wine Camp eMagazine to feature longer, more in-depth features.

Please visit www.winecampblog.com to get a look at this work-in-progress. 

Cutting Edges- Produttori dei Barbaresco

Dinner last evening provided a good excuse for nebbiolo - not that excuses are required. Portland's (OR) Caffe Mingo offers particularly satisfying Italian inspired comfort food -- just the thing required for the cutting edge provided by traditionally-styled nebbiolo wines. Owner Michael Cronin has assembled a short, but well chosen wine list to accompany his flavorful fare and the moderately priced 1996 Produttori dei Barbaresco Riserva Montestefano immediately tingled my palate.  These Produttori Riservas are not only a great value, they are a time machine, as they take you back to the way Baroli and Barbaresci tasted decades ago. While many claim the "traditional" description, the Produttori are one of the few who actually practice it authentically. These are wines full of cutting edges and modern-day descriptors of ripe cherries/blueberries/blackberries do not come to mind.  The 96 Montestefano on its own was still lean, tight and unyielding (it needs another 5 or 6 years), but Cronin's food and an hour of decanter time created a true symbiosis as the edges of the Montestefano balanced complexity brought alive the richly warm cuisine.

These days the attention always seems to be on a wine's front, while ignoring its edges. However on the edges is often where the real complexity hides.  The Produttori dei Barbaresco wines may have little front, but they have dramatically satisfying edges.

Barbaresco Rabajà Giuseppe Cortese

The incline of the hill is steep and every speck of the grayish soil bakes in the hot sun. The entire slope is a wave of vines and the southwest/south exposure means not a leaf misses a moment of sunshine. This is the famed Rabajà vineyard located just outside of the town of Barbaresco. Certainly this vineyard was created to produce exceptional nebbiolo and a vineyard of similar potential in Burgundy would be considered a Grand Cru. However, there is no such official breakdown of vineyards in Langhe; just an informal acknowledgement among those in the trade as to what the great vineyards are - an acknowledgment clearly defined in the selling price of the wines, grapes and land.

The sun drenched calcareous and clay-heavy soils of Rabajà produces Barbaresco wines with a unique combination of power and elegance that makes them approachable in their youth, but rewards those who cellar their bottles with wines of great complexity and refinement.

From vines in the very heart of this special vineyard come the Barbaresco wines of Giuseppe Cortese, a small producer making a fine range of wines only from their own grapes. In addition to Barbaresco Rabajà, Cortese produces the excellent Barbera d’Alba Morassina and Dolcetto d’Alba Trifolera  from a vineyard area just to the south of Rabajà. The wines of Cortese have been improving consistently for years and in recent vintages they have been releasing some very fine wines. Giuseppe Cortese, after decades working as an agronomist for other top producers, founded his own estate and now with the next generation - son and daughter Pier Carlo, an enologist, and Tiziana - they are making this estate a must for collectors of traditionally styled wines from the Barbaresco zone. While the fermentations have a slight modern touch, their Barbaresco does not see a small barrel, spending the years in large casks of 17 to 25 hectolitres ranging in age from new to nine year old. Only the Barbera Morassina sees barrique and with excellent results, once again showing the affinity of the high acid/low tannin barbera for small French oak barrels in controlled doses.

Barbaresco Rabajà Riserva, G. Cortese, 1996 ($75) Bright light ruby with garnet. Quite translucent. Exotic earthy nose with ripe plums, burnt orange, porcini and tar. On the palate it is complex, powerful and still very tight. The finish is very long with layer after layer of tar, ripe plum and bitter chocolate tied together by the substantial tannin. A stunning wine in a classic style that is a worthy addition to any collection, this wine needs five or more years to open even though it spent three years in cask and another three in bottle before release.

Barbaresco Rabajà, G. Cortese, 2001 ($45) Bright light ruby with orange and garnet hints. Quite translucent. Elegant, floral nose with rose petals and violets blended with a buttery tar. Full structure on the palate with layers of complex flavors: dried leaves, tar, orange spice, warm tar and ripe plum flavors all of which continue into the long finish that has a touch of cassis to balance the considerable tannin. A wine with excellent aging potential. 

Milano in Marche

Ampelio Bucci seems to embody the elegance and style of Milan. Yet, he is making an impact in that most un-Milan of places, the rugged hills, mountains and coastlines of Le Marche. Since the 1700's the Bucci family has lorded over their estate in Le Marche, but despite the long family history, only under the current generation have their vineyards been raised to greatness. The aptly named Ampelio (coming from ampelos, ancient Greek for vine) has transformed this estate into one of Italy's most interesting white wine producers and a leading producer of Rosso Piceno.

The large property, almost 1,000 acres, not only produces fine wines, but sugar beets, corn, wheat, sunflowers and an extraordinary extra virgin olive oil from the ancient Carbonella olive. Since 2002 all the crops on the estate have been officially certified as organic by the EEU. Ampelio has taken extreme care in his vineyards, refusing to tear up old vines even though their production is severely reduced meaning his yields are less than half that allowed by the DOC. Old vines from extraordinary vineyards farmed with great care of course produce exceptional grapes and Ampelio is to be highly commended for choosing a winemaking approach that brings these essences from the vine to the bottle. No barriques, only large well-used barrels touch his wines. The resulting verdicchio wines literally sing with complexity, richness and fresh acidity. His efforts clearly show the potential of verdicchio from the right vineyards in the right hands and decidedly make the point that barriques and their resulting oak flavors add only confusion to the richly honeyed flavors of verdicchio.

While the labels are similar, wines labeled only Bucci are the regular cuvees (and lovely they are), while wines labeled Villa Bucci are reserve wines from the oldest vines and best vineyards.

As excellent as the red wines of this property are, it is their exceptional and age-worthy Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico wines that make them stand out in the crowded world of wines. Their unique flavors, textures and complexity make delicious companions to the finest meals. They are among the world's finest white wines.

2000 Villa Bucci Riserva, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore ($35)
Bright light gold. Smooth crème brulee aromas open into toasted hazelnut, vanilla with touches of ripe oranges. Rich, yet firmly bitter on the palate. Creamy, nutty flavors blend with a lively touch of bitter orange and ripe mangos. The firm flavors dominate the full, but structured finish. An extremely balanced and complex wine that I recommend aging a few more years to allow all the components to grow and blend.

2002 Villa Bucci Rosso Piceno($35)
Bright light ruby, just translucent. An elegant, layered complex nose with touches of bitter and sweet plum, black cherry, blood oranges, spices and fresh mint. Exceptional balance and refinement on the palate as bitter cherry flavors dance with chocolate, sweet plums, spices and cranberries. The finish is long, and lively with each of the aromas and flavors repeating themselves. A lovely wine that is ready to drink now and over the next 5 or 6 years. Villa Bucci Rosso Piceno wine is 70% montepulciano and 30% sangiovese.

Stemming the Rise of Greasy Wine Glasses

A couple sits down next to me at an elegant wine bar and order a zinfandel and a merlot. The waiter returns with two huge balloon Riedel glasses. The women reaches out with long, painted and manicured fingernails and grabs the entire bowl of the gigantic glass with her small hand. Protruding strangely from her fingers is the long and untouched stem, which sticking out in this fashion threatens the chin of her companion. After a few sips the once glistening glass is now covered with fingerprints that, combined with the lipstick marks on the lip, make the elegant glass dirty and dingy.

 What is this phenomenon? In this era of glasses the size of decanters why do so many people still insist on grabbing the entire glass and ignoring the stem? This is like carrying your suitcase in your arms instead of using the handle. It seems so clear that the stem is connected to a wine glass so you can hold it, it seems very odd that so many people still insist on grabbing the bowl with their entire hand. With the size of todays glassware you need a big hand to successfully hold the entire bowl with comfort.

There are reasons for the stem on a glass besides the elegant look. By handling only the stem the glassware remains sparking clean so that you can enjoy the appearance of the wine and using the stem keeps the heat of your hands away from the wine. 

I know this fits into the unimportant pet-peeve category, but no one seems to be able to explain this behavior. Perhaps Riedel "O" glasses will take over the market. 

The Schnook Side of Wine - Joe Dressner

“Let’s be reasonable. We have a three tier system here (in the U.S.A.). A wine that costs $9.99 retail usually leaves the vigneron’s cellar at $3.00 to $3.50. A producer wants to make $5.00 and everyone in the American trade considers him a thief! So the inclination in the trade is to buy from the cheapest sourcing out there to keep the prices low in the market and to turnover inventory. OK, wine distribution is not a non-profit business and we are looking to make money. But isn’t part of our responsibility to explain to our customers and to the public why it is worth paying something extra for good and great wine? Hopefully, the time will come when the buying public buys a wine for the quality of the wine and not for the perceived reputation of the AOC. Until that time, the abuse of the majority will dominate the vineyards of France and restrict what we are able to get into the hands of consumers. Let’s work together to try to turn this situation around.” — Joe Dressner

Joe Dressner sells wine. Obviously, he is not a normal wine salesman.

In his almost famous, “Three Tier Schnook System”, Dressner writes:

“My Thursday’s salesmanship highlight, was trying to convince two dead men who buy wine for an important retailer in Maryland to buy the Clos Roche Blanche Sauvignon Blanc. Despite the numerous amusing anecdotes I told the dead men about the vignerons, they rejected the wine on the grounds it was too acidic. But they greatly enjoyed the Corbieres Chateau la Baronne Rouge 1999 and immediately ordered a large quantity that will be case stacked at their important store. The dead is a market segment I want to learn more about in the future, as I see my firm has enormous growth possibilities with this important group. On the other hand, we are not doing well amongst the far more numerous Schnooks.”

Most wine-sales types would consider such public comments tantamount to suicide. Maybe Dressner has chosen a suicidal route, as he has chosen to commit himself to two things: selecting wines defined by the essence of their terroir, and telling the truth no matter how much it hurts.

It seems that Joe has a problem when it comes to business: he only likes exceptional wines. “I have to work harder, but so what,” says Joe Dressner four coronary bypasses later.

Joe Dressner is partners with his wife, Denyse Louis (a native Burgundian), and Kevin McKenna. Together they comprise Louis/Dressner Selections, the New York-based importer of French estate wines that matter. Contrary to what most people think, Louis Dressner is not a person. “I have had people come up to me and say I bought wine from your father Louis,” says Joe.

As Dressner calls it they sell real wine. Real wine is made by the following principles:

• Wild yeast fermentation
• Hand harvesting
• Low yields
• Natural viticulture
• No or minimal chaptalization
• No filtration
• Non-interventionist winemaking
• Quality control

While these may seem like the basic rules in fine winemaking to you and me, they border on lunacy in the case-driven world of wine sales. The result of this “consumer bill of rights” is that the wines of Louis/Dressner are individualistic wines with a dynamic personality — just like Joe. Sometimes they may rub people the wrong way, but they are never boring.

The Muscadet from Domaine de la Pepiere is an excellent example of the wines Dressner selects. “Marc Ollivier has 40- to 90-year-old vineyards, top vineyard spots, perfect geology, he does not over-fertilize — he is the guardian of a natural resource. When Marc is on, these are the top wines of the AOC — wines that are not only delicious young, but that can also age 10, 20, or 30 years,” says Dressner. A claim that will raise the eyebrows of many who assume Muscadet can at best produces a tart wine to wash down oysters.

Dressner has a deep commitment to the wines of the Loire, offering no less than a dozen producers — and that’s only AOC Touraine. This is not a strategy that would be followed by many importers. In all, Louis/Dressner imports over 60 French estates each producing wines with a distinct individuality made by a producer committed to quality.

With so many small, artistically driven producers it is likely that from time to time they’ll come up with a unique barrel that cries to be bottled in its own right. That’s where “Cuvee Buster” comes into the picture. “I didn’t want a pretentious name so we called it after our dog — he’s funny looking and I wanted to poke a little fun at grandiose labeling,” observed Dressner. If you find a Cuvee Buster Selection, grab it. They are special bottlings of selections of less than 50 cases and they give the consumer a unique taste of what’s possible when economic concerns are thrown to the wind.

Louis/Dressner offers consumers an informative Web site at www.louisdressner.com, but true to his nature, Joe Dressner takes it one step further by offering his own personal site where he can offer observations and insights that would be perhaps politically incorrect on the official company site. At The Wine Importer (www.datamantic.com/joedressner) Joe offers up some of the wittiest observations on the wine industry you’ll find anywhere. Sometimes he even offers contests for readers, with free cases of wine or baseball tickets for the callers with the right answers — sort of an Internet take on radio promos.

While all this seems fun and lighthearted, there can be no doubting the seriousness of Joe Dressner’s commitment to growers that are dedicated to quality and to finding ways to bring those wines to American consumers. Louis /Dressner selections are worth a search.

Oh, there is one last thing Louis/Dressner requires of wines: “Enjoyment! Lastly, our most important ‘principle.’ Because the overblown world of overdone wines is fundamentally tiresome. We’re not looking for tasting specimens, but for wines that are great fun, and a great pleasure to drink.”

Mission accomplished.

My Christmas Present to Me - 1974 Clos du Val

Taking advantage of the Holiday to bring out some old wines from my cellar, I grabbed a lone  remaining bottle of 1974 Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley. This was a wine I did not intend to keep this long, but it somehow had escaped a corkscrew for  almost thirty years after I brought it home. I did not expect much.

 The first sniff changed my expectations with a rush. There was still clean, bright black cherry fruit layered in with the cedary, earthy aromas of elegant old cabernet sauvignon. The wine absolutely filled the palate being expansive and elegant at the same moment. The freshness of the fruit was nothing short of astounding and the complexity humbling. The finish made you long for the next sip. I drained the last drops with a mixture of pleasure and sadness.

When I purchased this wine I was a wine neophyte full of wonder. This bottle brought that wonder back to me. Certainly there can be no better gift to give yourself.

Happy Holidays to All

Happy Holidays to all visitors and subscribers to this blog. I sincerely thank the hundreds of subscribers and thousands of visitors that have taken part in The Wine Camp Blog since its launch in November. I remain committed to offering an alternative voice to the established wine media here and on The Wine Blog Forum. It is your interest and support that makes all of this worthwhile.

May the next year bring you good luck and fortune and let's hope that there is more peace in the world in 2006.

Europvin - look for it on the label

THE ROOM is full of people -- standing room only. In front of the room is a conservatively dressed gentleman speaking a little too softly to be easily heard. Each head leans forward to catch every quiet word. There seems to be a wisdom in his tone and an attitude that is somehow reassuring.

Christopher Cannan is a stranger in a strange land. In a quasi-religion filled with huge egos and blatant self-promotion, he is a rare being. He is humble and a true gentleman who makes his choices based on honesty and integrity. Believe it or not, Christopher Cannan sells wine.

He is a true believer and that aura touches all who encounter him. The question is how does he do it? All around him lesser mortals have given up the true faith to follow the almighty dollar, pound, or Euro. How did such an honest and quiet gentleman become one of the most important names you can look to for reliable bottles of wine from France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy?

Cannan was born in Gloucestershire, England, in 1949 and received his early education in the UK, followed by further studies in Switzerland, Germany, and Spain that gave him a good knowledge of the French, German, and Spanish languages. He did a brief stint in the insurance industry, but his love of the grape soon led him to the wine business. With the help of the London based importer, Percy Fox & Co., he spent most of 1970 traveling to all the main wine producing areas of Europe, earning his keep by working in cellars and vineyards. The areas visited included Bordeaux, the Loire, Champagne, Germany, Alsace, Burgundy, Sherry, and Oporto. This was followed by experience with some of the more famous wine shippers of the time, Louis Eschenauer and Frederick Wildman. When Wildman closed its Bordeaux office in 1978, Cannan set off on his own and created Europvin, based in Bordeaux.

Today Europvin/Christopher Cannan Selections ships wines to 36 different countries and in the US delivers wines to 32 states. Cannan has assembled a telephone-book-size portfolio of the finest estates of Europe that only excludes the Germanic countries. Cannan's accomplishment in assembling such a portfolio is unmatched by any importer. However, what is truly amazing about his huge catalogue is the unbelievable quality level that he is able to present his clients in all price ranges.

Cannan's supreme accomplishment is to be able to deliver such high quality over such a broad spectrum of wines, a feat that has never been matched by anyone. So why isn't Cannan more famous? There can be only one answer: In an industry full of blowhards, Cannan's quiet quality is easy to overlook. Dedication, honesty, and a passion for wines that beautifully reflect the soils that created them are just not as cool as the lastest 90+ point wine in The Wine Spectator or The Wine Advocate.

That's not to say Cannan's wines don't get top reviews. They most certainly do, especially from Robert Parker. But Cannan's quiet style, which is reflected in his staff, always seems to generate press attention full of respect but lacking in bombast -- kind of like having your wines reviewed deep in the Wall Street Journal while other wines get the New York Post front page treatment.

Seemingly using the same Stealth technology as the US Air Force, Cannan has quietly assembled a dynamic portfolio that includes:

- The best of Spain, including Lustau Sherry, Vega Sicilia, La Rioja Alta, Bodegas Maruo, Bodegas Lena, Clos Mogador, Clos Martinet, Gran Clos, Cims de Porrera, and Belondrade Y Lurton

- Some of the most creative new wines in Portugal: Luis Pato, De Zellaer's Ports, and all the wines of Cristiano Van Zeller

- The incredible Tokaji wines of Oremus in Hungary

- Exceptional Italian estates including: Az. Ag. San Fereolo-Dogliani, Fattoria Zerbina-Emilia Romagna, and Riecine in Chianti Classico

- A list of French wines that is incredibly complete and deep including truly wonderful wines produced by: Champagne Pierre Gimmonet, Domaine Paul Ginglinger-Alsace, Domaine Pinson-Chablis, Domaine Anne Gros-Vosne Romanee, Hubert Montille-Volnay, Alain Graillot-Tain l'Hermitage, Mark Sorrel-Hermitage, Auguste Clape-Cornas, Chateau Pibarnon-Bandol, Domaine Sarda-Malet-Roussillon, Jean Max Roger-Sancerre, and a complete selection of all levels of Bordeaux including Grand Cru Classe and petite chateaux

What more could you want? Yet all this was not enough for Cannan, who apparently is only quiet on the surface. In the late 1990's he invested in the Priorat (Priorato) region of Spain and became both a negociant and producer of wine from his own estate. In 1999 he launched the Laurona label, along with partner Rene Barbier, which is produced from purchased grapes selected from old vine Garnacha and Cariñena vines located outside of the Priorat D.O. With the 2000 vintage he released his first wines from his own vineyard. A total of 7000 bottles of Clos Figueres and Font de la Figuera (his second label) were made by Rene Barbier at his famous Clos Mogador winery and released last year. Laurona may be one of the best values being produced in Spain today, and the first release of Clos Figueres was received with acclaim by journalists and consumers throughout the world.

The year 2003 marks the 25th anniversary of the creation of Europvin/Christopher Cannan selections. During this quarter century, Cannan has made the purple Europvin label on the back of your bottle really mean something: it is his guarantee of quality; each bottle labeled with his name reflects a level of commitment to excellence and high ethical standards rarely seen in any industry. Whenever you see his label you can be sure of getting a bottle of wine worthy of your attention and your money.

Christopher Cannan may not make much noise, but sometimes silence can be golden.

Lazy Wine Buyers

Never has there been a time when there is so much interesting wine to drink. That's why there can be no other explanation for a poor wine selection than laziness. Not even cheapness can be used to explain away bad wines as there are too many good cheap wines to keep track of these days. Others plead the need for continuity, but tasty big production wines fill the shelves. No, bad wine lists are the work (or lack thereof) of the lazy. Either too lazy to educate themselves or just too uninterested to take the time.

A recent trip reminded me of this as I was served a really terrible 2002 Joliesse California Cabernet Sauvignon on United Airlines. This burnt smelling and raisin flavored wine was their only red wine choice. United loves to show photos of the famous chefs and sommeliers they use to help them select their wines, but I find it hard to believe that such a mediocre wine ever passed the lips of those famous names. What can be the excuse for selecting such a wine out of all the wines possible? Laziness. They think that just because most people pay little attention to the wine going down their throats, that it just isn't worth their time to do any better. Certainly they can get away with it, but along the way you would think you would run into someone with a little pride. 

Of course, you have to wonder about the people at Joliesse too. With all the lovely, ripe fruit in California, this is the type of wine that they come up with? No Joilesse, United Airlines and all the others like Trader Joe's have only one excuse for the plonk they peddle.

A Nobile Character

The complaint of where to find true Tuscan sangiovese character in wines frequently comes up in this era of heavily oaked Tuscan sangiovese wines that are often blended beyond recognition by the addition of too much cabernet sauvignon. One answer may lie in Montepulciano and it is hard to imagine a more complex example than the extraordinary 2001 Vigna del Nocio from Poderi Boscarelli.

Vino Nobile may have a grand name, but it seemed the winemaking revolution that swept Tuscany in the 1970's overlooked Montepulciano. Some producers, notably Avignonesi and Poliziano tried to push the region forward, but the lack of an easily identifiable style of Vino Nobile and the loose regulations of the DOC meant that there were a lot of mediocre wines sold making the name far less "Nobile" in the eyes of many consumers.

There is also a lot of confusion caused by the name of Montepulciano and the wines of the Vino Nobile zone do not use any of the grapes from the vine of the same name. The montepulciano vine is responsible for some very good wines in Marche, Abruzzo and Puglia, but you won't find a drop of it in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. In the case of Tuscany, Montepulciano is a lovely hilltop medieval village located east of Montalcino near the border with Umbria. As in Montalcino, the unique characteristics of the sangiovese vine in this region inspired its own name and the Montepulciano branch of the sangiovese family is called prugnolo gentile. The DOCG regulations remain very loose here and still allow for up to 20% of other approved varieties and a maximum of 10% white varieties. Fortunately the regulations amended in 1999 also allow for 100% varietal sangiovese wines. Obviously there still can be a lot of variation in style even within these new regulations.

The concept that prugnolo gentile is "the sangiovese" of Montepulciano is another concept that is dying in the face of the ongoing refinement of clonal selection of sangiovese in central Italy. As vineyards are being replanted throughout Montalcino, Montepulciano and Chianti Classico the types of sangiovese vines selected are from clones that have been identified as providing certain characteristics and superior wine and more attention is devoted to these variables than to if the vine is "brunello" or "prugnolo gentile". Thus on a technical sheet for Vigna del Nocio they list the blend as "80% sangiovese/prugnolo gentile" as it is blend of various selected clones of sangiovese with prugnolo just being one of the clones in the mix. Banfi claims they identifed 650 "clones" of brunello when they started their research in Montalcino and from this it is clear that claiming wines are made from "brunello" or "prugnolo gentile" are no longer very precise statements. The fact of the matter is that all the top wines of the best zones are now increasingly being made from a selection of the finest clones of sangiovese available without regard to the zone of their birth.

While the big firms in Montepulciano have grabbed most of the spotlight, a small gem has continued to shine brightly since being founded by Paola Corradi in 1962. Poderi Boscarelli has always been dedicated to quality and produced some this region's best wines year after year. While traditional in style, they have introduced innovations that enhance the quality of their wines without giving up the character of their vineyards. The barrels used for Vigna del Nocio are 500 and 1,000 liters - not 225 liter barriques and the oak used is both Slovenian and French. The 15% of merlot in the blend fleshes out the lean character of the sangiovese without overwhelming it. The Vigna del Nocio is a must-have for serious collectors of sangiovese.

Terrabianca Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The Terrabianca estate in Tuscany is loaded with style, after all the fashion industry provided the financial fuel for this beautiful estate. However, never satisfied with just good looks, the Guldener family has pursued quality both inside and outside of their bottles. The wines of Terrabianca are justifiably famous as each is of superb quality, but wine is not the only excellent liquid that Terrabianca puts into bottles. They also produce a delicious extra virgin olive oil from their Il Tesoro estate in Maremma on the Tuscan coast. To make things more interesting, Terrabianca offers some perfect stocking stuffers (mine please Santa), a range of flavored oils that comes in an assorted gift set of six 100 ml. bottles. The package includes one bottle each of Terrabianca extra virgin olive oil plus bottles of their oil flavored with oregano, basil, white truffles, hot peppers or rosemary. These oils add an easy creative touch to your cooking - and like all things from Terrabianca they look good on your shelf too.

Karate and Cabernet

ROBERT KAMEN started to make his own wine with the dedication of Daniel Larusso (Ralph Macchio) in The Karate Kid, a bit of the reluctant hero like Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) in The Fifth Element, a touch of the romantic like Paul Sutton (Keanu Reeves) in A Walk in the Clouds, a shade of the offbeat humor of Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) in Lethal Weapon 3 and the single-minded intensity of Liu Jian (Jet Li) in Kiss of the Dragon.

That Robert Mark Kamen should incorporate all of these personalities into one person is not strange at all, because he is, in fact, them. These characters are all part of Kamen's fertile imagination as he invented all of these roles. Kamen was the screenwriter for these well-known movies and many others. It fact, it was the magic of movies that created the role of winemaker for him.

Like the unwitting hero of a movie, Kamen was led into the world of winemaking without knowing he was being drawn into the plot. Upon selling his first script to Warner Brothers in 1980, Kamen headed up to Sonoma County to celebrate with friends. That day, while hiking through the mountains of the Sonoma Valley, they came to a remote hillside overlooking the valley and Kamen fell in love. "We went to this remote, rugged, overgrown mountainous land strewn with rocky volcanic outcroppings and I fell in love with the place," said Kamen. Yes, it was love at first site, the property happened to be for sale and Kamen headed directly to the real estate agent's office. The agent promptly relieved Kamen of his still warm check from Warner Brothers and in an unanticipated plot twist Kamen found himself a winegrower.

It would take Kamen over twenty years to make his own wine from his land. Although his first script, which financed the purchase, was never made into a movie, his next script, Taps, staring Tom Cruise, was. This was followed by the hugely successful Karate Kid movies. All this success did not make Kamen forget about his steep, rugged piece of the Sonoma side of the Mayacamas Mountains. He kept investing in his vineyard, teaming up with the now-famous organic viticulturist, Phil Coturri, to create an outstanding cabernet sauvignon vineyard that produced grapes sought after by Sonoma's finest producers.

In 1995, Kamen's movie, A Walk in the Clouds, was released. In that movie, Kamen had written a scene where the movie's hero, Paul Sutton (Keanu Reeves), saves a family's precious grapevines from total destruction in a fire. "People kept telling me that was wrong," says Kamen. "They told me that vineyards don't burn." In an ironic twist on his own script, he received a call from Coturri the following year telling him that his vineyard was on fire. The fire destroyed a third of his vines and his home. "It was a difficult moment," said Kamen. "It made me reevaluate everything."

"Everything happens for a reason," believes Kamen, an accomplished martial arts practitioner and student of oriental philosophies. Using these strengths he decided to rebuild the vineyard. "We replanted with tighter spacing, better vine selections and rootstocks," said Kamen. "The vineyards became stronger and better than before."

Today there is a 40-acre vineyard planted predominantly with cabernet sauvignon and small amounts of merlot, cabernet franc, and petite verdot. The difficult growing conditions plus stringent vineyard work has reduced yields to about 1.5 tons per acre. This is an extremely low yield, but grapes produced at this level have intense, complicated flavors. "It was finally the quality of the grapes that made me decide to produce my own wine," notes Kamen.

"I was really thinking about what I was doing just growing grapes," observes Kamen. "In screen writing you write many scripts that are never made -- just growing the grapes was the same thing. As a screenwriter the idea is to get the movie made. The reward is to see it on the screen. It's the same with growing grapes. The final reward is to see the wine in the bottle. The appeal is the symphony of the whole process."

Kamen brought in winemaker Karen Bower Turganis to complete the team and in 2002 they released their first wine, 907 cases of the 1999 Kamen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. His second release, 1605 cases of 2000 Kamen Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, is a gorgeous California Cabernet. The 2000 vintage, like the 1999, is 100% cabernet sauvignon. It was aged for 22 months in barriques (60 gallon barrels) of various French oaks. It is a brilliant dark ruby wine filled with the aromas of spices and dark ripe fruits like boysenberries and plums. On the palate it is rich, creamy, and smooth with round, bright cherry vanilla flavors blended with a touch of cassis. The texture and balance of the wine stand out with the foundation of the wine more based on the firm and fresh acidity than the soft integrated tannins.  As you might expect, the Kamen wines are not cheap pushing beyond the $50.00 a bottle mark.

Defying the powerful West Coast pull of both winemaking and movie-making, Kamen has remained a New Yorker. This has kept his palate firmly in touch with the European style of winemaking. "The first wines I loved were Bordeaux and Burgundy," explains Kamen. "I'm looking for restraint and my palate leans away from the large California style. Sure in California we have more ripeness and bigger flavors, but we make our cabernet in a style that is restrained by Napa standards. We want to balance the ripeness of California with the restraint of Europe."

In the movie The Karate Kid, Mr. Miyagi karate-chops the tops off three beer bottles. Daniel Larusso says to him, "How did you do that? How did you do that?" Mr. Miyagi replies, "Don't know. First time." Well maybe that happens in his movies, but when it came to making wine, Robert Kamen knew exactly what he was doing right from the first act.