december 2006 ommelier ewses.riojawine.com/multimedia/files/medios/estados... · the early 2006...

The situation seems contrived, almost as though it tumbled from the mind of a Screenwriting 101 stu-dent desperate for a Symbol.

But here we are in an old winery cellar carved into the bluffs of the Ebro River in the historic Station District of Haro, one of the Rioja’s major wine towns. I am walking along a tunnel-like passage in the old cellar with Gonzalo Lainez, the export manager of Bodegas Roda, when he stops and taps his knuckle on the darkened stone wall. “López de Heredia’s cellar is just on the other side of this wall,” he says, with a smile. “They are very traditional,

and Roda is very modern. I tell our visitors to go see López after they leave here. Right here you can see the whole picture.”

Like many of Europe’s tradi-tional winemaking regions, Rioja finds itself trying to decide on a path to follow—stick to traditional methods that emphasize restrained fruit and food-friendly acidity or produce bigger, more fruit-forward, voluptuous wines with the frank ‘wow’ factor that typically brings higher Parker and Spectator ratings.

It is a question that many of the

(Continued on page 2)

The Two Faces of Rioja; or, the Allegory of the Wall Modern Roda and traditional R. López de Heredia

First Press

Actor Crowe looking for Hawaiian punch?

A new movie starring Russell Crowe, A Good Year, may offend some west-ern winemakers because it has lines such as this one: “In California they don’t make wine. They make Hawai-ian Punch.” Actor Crowe is known for throwing things at people, notes the Napa Valley Register, adding: “If he comes to Napa Valley, maybe some-one will throw a Napa punch at him.”

Da wines, by Ditka

Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka has teamed up with Mendocino Wine Company to produce a line of five wines. The top of the line Mike Ditka Wines will be a blend of Zinfandel, Syrah and Petite Sirah and will be known as “Kick Ass Red,” to be sold for $40 to $50 per bottle, reports UPI.

December 2006

Volume 4, Issue 12

To contr ibute comments or art ic les

E-mai l wgotts@internat ionalsommel ier.com

Contributors

Roger Morris Glen Siegel

J. Herbert Silverman Ron Stalenberg Andrew Stover Liisa Sullivan Dean Tudor

David Wilkening

DECEMBER FEATURES

Tony Aspler Interview 4

Review: The Wine Atlas of Canada 6

A Cocktail Potpourri 7

Uruguay, Tannat and Me 9

Sommelier of the Month 12

Tudor’s Picks 14

Sommeliers on the Move 15

Porto Tour 17

South Africa Tour 18

Degustation Down Under 10

ommelier ews

By Roger Morris

B y D a v i d W i l k e n i n g

Also to be sold are Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Ditka’s name also ap-pears on frozen pork chops, barbe-cue and steak sauces and a cheese spread.

India chasing wine growth with a shot of tequila

With relaxed rules on selling wine through retail outlets, the Indian wine market is expected to see rapid growth, reports the Hindustan Times. “Wineries across the world are show-ing increased interest in the Indian market,” says the newspaper. Among them are Australian company Dabur Foods. “The wines industry is show-ing a year-on-year growth of 25 per cent,” says CEO Amit Burman. Bur-man has invested in Nature’s Bounty


The early 2006 Tempranillo

harvest being loaded into

the winery at Bodega Roda

in Haro

[Photo: Roger Morris]

December 2006

swinging back. As illustration, he pours the 1999 Riscal Reserva, a beautiful wine with complex fruits, a touch of smoke, smooth tannins and tart acidity in the fin-ish – the typical fine Rioja to serve with dinner. “They [critics and some consumers] were look-ing for fruit concentration and new oak, but now they are com-ing back to elegance.”

Mercedes de López de Here-dia agrees with Hurtado about the importance of elegance. It is dif-ficult to imagine a winery that looks more traditional than R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia, S.A., or a winemaker who looks less traditional than Mercedes de López de Heredia. Blink, and you would think the razor-thin, petite woman in blue jeans walking across the winery courtyard to greet us is a cousin of Penelope Cruz. But her philosophy, she says, contradicts her modern im-age. “My sister [Maria José, who directs winery operations] is more commercial,” she says. “I am more the purist.”

Step with her into the old winery, which dates back to the 1880s, and you see nothing but old wood – not a gleam of stainless steel – even though López de Heredia is as well-known for its whites as for its reds. The fermentation tanks are huge, necessitating high ceilings, and their wood has the gray-brown color of an abandoned barn. Yet they are being used in the current harvest. “We main-tain our large casks because we have our own coopers,” López de Heredia says. What about tem-perature controls during fermen-tation? “We open all the windows and pump the wine over.” She points under the large tanks, which are slightly elevated from the floor.


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older Rioja houses, some whom began making wine in this region during the late 1800s, have been wrestling with for the past two decades. And with good reason. Rioja, located less than 90 min-utes by car south of Bilbao, was once the undisputed king of the Spanish reds. But some observers say they have lost that top posi-tion to upstart regions such as Ribera del Duero and Priorato. In those regions, some winemakers have become international super-stars by making an international style of wine which is both ex-tremely expensive and extremely popular with wine collectors. Now Rioja producers are fighting back, by showing that the old system is still of great value and by showing they are also capable of making modern, international-style wines.

It has been a good week for Luis Hurtado. The harvest of red grapes has begun in earnest under sunny skies, and his company, Marques de Riscal, has just opened a new Frank Gehry-designed hotel and spa. The structure is destined to become a Rioja landmark and is one of sev-eral wine-centric architectural at-tractions that the region hopes will help pump up the tourist trade. Hurtado, a descendant of the win-ery’s founder and one of its wine-makers, is tasting wines in an-other old Rioja cellar, this one a few miles downstream from Haro in Elciego. We are in the oldest part of the cave, a section called the “cathedral” because all of the winery’s revered vintages are stored here.

Hurtado, when the subject is raised, admits that the winery’s less-than-top ratings in recent years for its reservas have been a blow to Riscal’s pride, but he thinks the pendulum may be

(Continued from page 1)

Sometimes in the old days they would harvest in the snow,” she says, and coals would be placed under the tanks to warm the musts. “When one tank starts off [fermenting], the others fol-low.”

In an operation that doesn’t believe in pesticides, mechanical harvesting, or chaptalizing but does believe in hand-racking with funnels and using egg whites for fining, it is not surprising that all wine fermentation is performed by indigenous yeasts. “There is a richness of microorganisms in an old cellar,” López de Heredia says, “that stays latent in barrels from one year to another.” Indeed, a California winemaker, accustomed to the constant cleaning and hos-ing down of everything that does-n’t move, might faint going through the ancient cellars with their molds and tartrate deposits.

But the López de Heredia wines are marvellous. They are labeled according to the vineyard of origin – Tondonia, the best-known and part of the winery’s official name, Bosconia, Gravonia, and Cubillo. The 1988 Tondonia Reserva white—the current vin-tage!—is made primarily from the Viura grape, has excellent acidity, slight oxidation (which is planned), and corn meal aromas. “The whites are not supposed to be fresh,” Lopez de Heredia says. “They are expected to be complex, like our reds, and last a long time.” The 1998 Bosconia red, 85% Tempranillo, has delicious ripe cherries and citrus acidity, typical of others in the line.

Back on the other side of the cellar wall, Roda paints a very dif-ferent picture. Established in 1987 with a first vintage in 1992, Roda bought the old winery next to


December 2006

López de Heredia and modernized it with the exception of some of the old caves. “Roda wanted to produce something new and mod-ern, yet very drinkable,” says ex-port manager Gonzalo Lainez as he stands beside 17 white oak fermenters, one for each of the 17 vineyards from which Roda gets its grapes. “Wine is like tea,” Lainez says. “You have to control the terroir.”

The red grapes that come into Roda go through a very different regimen than those at López de Heredia – a seven-day cold soak and pre-maceration for aroma, then another seven or eight days in controlled fermentation. How-ever, the winery does not do de-lestage, tout the rage at present, because “we don’t want to over extract.” The must is coddled in a temperature-controlled barrel room that is warmed by radiant heat as it goes through malolactic fermentation. “Then we switch off the heat, and open the win-dows, “ Lainez says. Finally, the wine is aged in 50 % new oak in a temperature and humidity con-trolled barrel room.

The finished wines from the various vineyards are tasted by six people who make the decision as to which goes into Roda (“red capsule for red fruit”) and which into the darker, black-capsuled Roda I. Lainez says that the two wines are produced in similar ways, and that the difference in taste is due to a combination of the vineyard of origin and di-rected blending. (Until recently, the winery called the wines Roda I and Roda II, but decided to change its label terminology).

The wines that result are, in-deed, modern and international in structure. They are also deli-cious. The 2002 Roda has honey


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The modern entrance to a

traditional winery -- R.

Lopez de Heredia in Haro


Tony Aspler was recently able to take some time out from his schedule to talk with me about his latest book, The Wine Atlas of Canada, and about the Canadian wine industry in general. We got together at Random House in be-tween Tony’s interviews with Star! Daily and ROB TV.

This is a huge amount of infor-mation to track. How do you approach a project this big?

You start by sending out question-naires to all the wineries to get the basic information and then you follow up by email, and phone, and email again. It’s a surprising amount of work and it’s difficult to get the information from the win-eries. After all that, you go out and visit the wineries to talk to the winemakers, taste the wines and actually see the place.

Did you actually get to all of the wineries?

No. I got to most of them. I missed one or two in each area. Also, they are springing up so fast that there are a number of winer-ies that have opened since I vis-ited the area. The day I finished the manuscript, David Gamble told me about a new winery in Oliver, B.C. It’s called Oliver Twist Es-tates. I Googled it and found out it was one of twenty-five new li-censes pending for wineries. I was able to include some of the new wineries in the final version of the Atlas. The rest are listed in the Ap-pendix.

Is there a special winery, or more, that you want to visit again.

There are several… In BC there is

An Interview with Tony Aspler Canada’s revered wine writer waxes philosophical about the nation’s juice

December 2006

Blue Mountain, Poplar Grove and la Frenz for the spectacular view. In Ontario there is Closson Chase, Long Dog, Huff and Norman Har-die. Quebec has Vignobles Les Per-venches which is making the best wine in the province and also Vignobles Des Pins and anywhere in the Gaspereau Valley in Nova Scotia. However, I think that the best wine in Canada is currently coming from Le Clos Jordanne. Their wines are the best expres-sion of the terroir.

The Atlas is a great first edition and you mention a second edi-tion in a couple of places. What changes would you like to make for the second edition?

Well you can’t make radical changes in the structure of the book without redoing the whole thing. I will certainly bring the winery listing and the maps up the date. I would like better maps with more detail on them.

Have you thought of making the Atlas available electroni-cally?

We’ve thought of that as it would certainly make it easier to update. We could also break it into pocket-sized editions by region.

You discuss fruit wines for some of the wineries that make them, especially in Quebec and the Maritimes. You also list the fruit wineries in the appendix but they are not covered in the main text. Why not? Does this represent a personal view?

Yes it does. I’m not a great fan of fruit wines. I don’t believe that


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By Glen Siegel

Canada will not become a

wine-drinking nation like the

French until you can buy wine

in the grocery stores, near the

food. You need to see a crisp

white on the fish counter and

some reds near the meat

counter. Right now, wine is

treated more like an

afterthought. The attitude of

the government towards wines

needs to change and the laws

need to be updated.

December 2006 N S ommelier ews

This is still a very young

industry and it’s too soon

for detailed rules [similar to

the AOC]. There isn’t

enough information about

what vines grow best in

which soils, and climates

through out Canada.

fruit wines can have the complex-ity and depth of grape wines. In addition, you can’t cover every-thing in one book. You would never get it finished.

How about wines made from hybrid vines? In Quebec and the Maritimes, there is still a heavy reliance on these vines.

Not in the whites. They don’t seem to have the finesse and elegance of the varietals. Perhaps in the reds. There are some very good Baco Noirs being produced. It will take time and experimentation.

Tony, you didn’t rate the wines or the wineries. Why?

I see myself as a wine evangelist, not a wine critic. I might think a winery is good but not great and then they have a great year so I would be damning them with faint praise. I want to encourage peo-ple to go out and enjoy wines without my opinion getting in their way.

Do you think that the current VQA legislation should be ex-tended towards the AOC style wherein the varieties, vine densities and so on are de-tailed.

Maybe some day, but not yet. This is still a very young industry and it’s too soon for detailed rules like that. There isn’t enough infor-mation about what vines grow best in which soils, and climates through out Canada. Also, within Canada there are differences in the approach to VQA. It’s mandatory to belong to the VQA organization in Ontario but in British Columbia, it’s optional. Quebec and Nova Scotia are negotiating with the other two provinces for inclusion.

(Continued from page 4) So you think the recently an-nounced sub-appellations in the Niagara Region are prema-ture?

Yes. Not all factors have been con-sidered fully from the grapes’ point of view. Rather than impose the appellation on the grapes, we need to let the grapes, the soil and the climate tell the story.

Do you think each region should focus on a signature grape or is that too limiting?

Yes they should but not to the ex-clusion of the other grapes. In the November 2006 issue of Wine Tid-ings, I have a commentary about this where I detail the grapes I think we should be growing. But we shouldn’t try to be all things to all people. We should focus on what we do well while still experi-menting to see if there are alterna-tives.

Where do you see the Canadian wine industry in the next 10 years? Do you think the cur-rent consolidation of small win-eries will continue?

Yes. The small wineries don’t have the marketing know-how or power. The small, out-of-the-way mom and pop operations will have trou-ble competing in what is really a global industry. In addition, there are differences in the industry in BC and Ontario. In BC, they are totally behind the local wine indus-try and the local wines are readily available in the restaurants. In On-tario, this hasn’t happened. There is one shining example – The Stone Road Grille in Niagara on the Lake has an extensive wine list that is 100% Niagara VQA. They are the exception.

Do you think that Canadians are moving towards the


Upcoming Events: Winter Festivals

February 10-11, 2007

Boston Wine Expo

Seaport World Trade Center

Boston, MA http://www.wine-expos.com/boston/


South Beach Wine & Food Festival Miami, FL

http://www.sobewineandfoodfest.com/


Twin Cities Food and Wine Experience

Minneapolis Convention Center

Minneapolis, MN http://www.foodwineshow.com

February 27-March 5, 2007

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival

Vancouver, BC http://www.vancouverplayhouse.com/

events/wine_festival.php


French / Italian view of wine, that it is part of everyday life.

Canada will not become a wine-drinking nation like the French un-til you can buy wine in the grocery stores, near the food. You need to see a crisp white on the fish counter and some reds near the meat counter. Right now, wine is treated more like an afterthought. The attitude of the government towards wines needs to change and the laws need to be updated.

Do you have a secret, or not so secret, desire to be a wine maker?

( Continued from page 5) I have made some wines but they weren’t great. I almost bought property up in The County to pro-duce Pinot Noir. I went up one morning to put down my money and purchase a property. It had been sold the night before. I took it as a sign.

Finally, the desert island ques-tion. If you could only have one wine to drink, which one would it be?

Champagne, the real stuff. From Champagne. It’s the most versatile wine there is. It goes with every-thing including breakfast and no one looks at you funny when you drink it.

Capsule Review: The Wine Atlas of Canada B y G l e n S i e g e l

Tony Aspler has produced a book that should be on the reading list for everyone interested in Canadian wine. Aspler reviews the history of the Canadian wine industry, wine tourism, a year in the vineyards and Icewine in the first chapter. He then devotes one chapter to each of the four major wine producing areas: British Columbia, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic Provinces.

In each of the chapters devoted to a wine area, Aspler provides an over-view of the province or region with maps and photographs to illustrate the text. In the overview, Aspler tells us the story of wine, the history in the area and introduces us to the people who shaped the industry. He then discusses the main wine producing areas and covers the important geo-graphic and climatic factors that influence the wines of the region. This is followed by a description of the wineries and their wines, a suggestions for day trips.

Aspler also includes sidebars that talk about some of the unique points of the areas. For example, in Ontario, he tells us about wind machines, in Quebec we learn about Réjean Guertin and his harvesting wagon, while in the Atlantic Provinces chapter, we learn about the l’Acadie grape, which are the most widely planted in Nova Scotia. In addition, much of the informa-tion about the people who have influenced the Canadian wine industry is included in the sidebars.

My only negative point about this book is the maps. They provide you with an idea of where the wineries are but very little else. I would have preferred to see topographic maps. The maps make the Niagara Peninsula look as flat as the Lake Erie North Shore. to winery tours in Canada and just beginning to discover the industry, this book really will be the Indis-pensable Guide to planning your journey.

Glen Siegel is Toronto-based sommelier and educator.

J. Herbert Silverman

December 2006

Cranberry Frappé.

Dessert: Warm soufflé of ruby red grapefruit, citrus consommé, licorice ice cream, and vanilla crumbs with a Bombay Sapphire, organic chocolate, and bruised mint martini.

***

California’s Western Palm Court Hotel is located within walking distance of the University of Cali-fornia at Davis. The hotel’s Bar Bernardo offers one of the city’s most famous concoctions—the WikyWackyWoo (or WWW). Leg-end has it that the WWW was invented in the late 90s by a UC Davis senior who spent several months developing a drink that combines the best taste and the most alcohol for the lowest price.

Bar Bernado’s signature Wiky-WackyWoo blends a variety of fruit juices and liquors to create one potent drink. Ingredients include tequila, rum, vodka, gin, triple sec, cranberry, pineapple, and orange juice. It’s then topped off with a shot of Bacardi 151 and served with a straw.

***

Chef tables with an inside view of a kitchen's action and personal touches from the chef, have gained popularity over many years. Now the innovative Bren-nan family of New Orleans has introduced a broader concept in its Café Adelaide and The Swizzle Stick Bar. Featured is the coun-try's first Bar Chef Table, where guests are privy to a personal-ized, VIP drinking and dining ex-perience from Bar Chef Lu Brow and Executive Chef Danny Trace. “The Bar Chef Table is a natural idea, especially in New Orleans – where cocktails reign supreme,”


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A Cocktail Potpourri A collection of short and strange spirit gatherings from the past year

By J. Herbert Silverman Pairing wines with food is the rai-son d’être of many sommeliers in major restaurants. But is wine al-ways the best choice? Observe, for example, Bombay Sapphire’s effort to capture the attention of somme-liers and focus their gaze on the potential that spirited cocktails pos-sess as companions for fine cuisine. The classic British spirit’s resident mixologist, Jamie Walker, has just completed a series of gin-based cocktail tasting menus at restau-rants around the United States.

At B.E.D in Atlanta, he matched Lobster Empanadas with a Chili and Fresh Melon Martini; and a Surf and Turf of Grilled Filet of Beef and Tempura King Crab was served with a Bombay Sapphire, Blueberry and Basil Martini with Cranberry Blanc.

At Sullivan’s in Houston the matching consisted of Cajun Crab Cakes paired to a Fresh Apple, Cu-cumber and Dill Martini; Sliced Filet with Gorgonzola Garlic Butter was highlighted with a Bombay, Black-berry, Basil and Cranberry Blanc Crush.

“American chefs are among the most cosmopolitan in the world, and why shouldn’t they work more closely with sommeliers on spirits coordination,” says an ever enthu-siastic Walker

During the visit to the United States, his pride and joy was a din-ner in the Lobby at Twelve Atlanta. The menu follows:

Appetizer: Warm blue cheese filo, beets, and walnut salad with Bom-bay Sapphire Wild Apple & Ginger Martini.

Entrée: Duo of Georgia mountain rainbow trout in a vermouth ham reduction and New York strip grilled over a wood fire with Bombay Sap-phire Blueberry Watermint & White

December 2006

Lincoln lived for a month, here, in the grand lobby, that President Ulysses S. Grant popularized the word "Lobbyist" and where Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King finished his famous "I Have a Dream" sermon.

Now the Willard is about to make history of a different sort. Not only does it have a superior white wine list in its dining room with a focus on Chardonnays – but guests can not only drink the wine, they can bathe in it.

The Willard is offering an Olavie Le Vin Chardonnay treatment line for the external body. The formu-lation is based on the top grade Chardonnay grape seed extract imported from France's Burgundy region, and combined with essen-tial oils.

The grape seed extract upon which the treatment line is based, exfoliates, detoxifies the skin, and acts as antioxidant in fortifying treatments.

The spa's five and one half hour Chardonnay Signature Package features a group of wine-based treatments for $592 . E.G. Olavie Le Vin Chardonnay Aromatherapy Massage is a muscle rub with es-sence of Olavie LeVin oil as a mas-sage therapist offers the fragrant aromatherapy of Chardonnay to “delight the senses, protect the skin and soothe the muscles for 60 minutes at $150.”

A thought - perhaps a guest can order a bottle of wine from room service while enjoying a Bath But-ler Service to make the wine ther-apy complete.

J. Herbert Silverman is writ-ing a book about colorful characters in the wine and spirits business and a history of Irish whiskey

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says co-Owner Ti Adelaide Martin.

Currently available one night per week for parties of four, the table, with its customized menus and drinks pairings, provides a setting for visit-ing with the chefs throughout the evening. The table sits adjacent to the Swizzle Stick's U-shaped bar.

Cost? “It varies,” says a Brennan spokesperson,

Café Adelaide and The Swizzle Stick Bar is the latest establishment opened by the Brennan family, which also owns Commander's Palace New Orleans, Commander's Palace Las Vegas, and Brennan's of Houston.

***

Tourism and inventive cocktail concepts seem to bring out the crea-tive spirit at upscale tourist destina-tions in the U. S. and Canada. Case in point: Denali National Park, Alaska.

Considered the state’s best-known destination and the gem of the na-tional park system, the park is home to Mt. McKinley, North America’s highest peak.

The specialty at its McKinley Chalet is Lunch in a Glass. After a 16 oz. pint glass is filled with the vodka of your choice, a 12” bamboo skewer stacked with a generous supply of meat, cheese and vegetables rises from a spicy tomato pulp seasoned with a signature relish made of chopped dill pickles, celery, coarse black pepper and onion.

***

The Willard InterContinental Wash-ington, the "grand dame" of Ameri-can hotels is located on Pennsylvania Avenue in the heart of Washington, just two blocks from the White House and the Smithsonian. This historic Washington institution has hosted almost every U.S. president since Franklin Pierce in 1853. It was here Julia Ward Howe wrote The Battle Hymn of the Republic, here Abraham


The specialty at [Alaska’s]

McKinley Chalet is Lunch in

a Glass. After a 16 oz. pint

glass is filled with the vodka of

your choice, a 12” bamboo

skewer stacked with a

generous supply of meat,

cheese and vegetables rises

from a spicy tomato pulp

seasoned with a signature

relish made of chopped dill

pickles, celery, coarse black

pepper and onion.


Tannat from Uruguay

tends to be a bit less dense

and more juicy than its

French counterpart. On

the palate, think lush fruit,

spicy notes, cherry-berry

accents, rich texture.

Tannat pairs best with beef

dishes (another signature

item in Uruguay).

Uruguay, Tannat, and the Quest for Novelty South American country produces hard to find wines worth finding

seek quality-driven, value-priced wines. Here are a few stellar Uru-guayan wines I encountered on re-cent trips down south:

2002 H. Stagnari Tannat Viejo: rich and brooding, with notes of spice and dark fruit. Fairly soft tan-nins with lingering plum flavors.

2004 H. Stagnari Gewurztra-miner: beautiful aroma of lychee and rose petal. Crisp and clean. Spicy finish.

2005 Bodega Bouza Albariño: intense aroma of white flower, hon-eysuckle and banana. Lightly oaked with a touch of vanilla. Crisp finish.

2004 Bodega Bouza Tempranillo/Tannat: a 60/40 blend. Rich notes of cedar, coffee and tar. Dried fruit on the palate. Light tannins, medium bodied.

2004 Bodega Bouza Tannat A6: the big daddy of Bouza’s portfolio. Rich and complex. Notes of coffee, cedar, plum and blackberries. Full bodied with medium tannins.

2005 Bodegas Carrau ‘Castel Pu-jol’ Sauvignon Blanc ‘Sue Lie’: an interesting wine aged on the lees. Notes of grapefruit and citrus with a yeasty finish. Aging on the lees adds complexity and mouthfeel. Medium bodied.

2003 Bodegas Carrau Tannat Re-serva: one of my favorites. Spicy pepper, plum and black cherrie. Me-dium bodied. Silky on the palate.

2002 Toscanini Tannat Reserva: intense smoky aroma with dried black fruits and loads of spice. Me-dium bodied and soft on the palate.

2006 Don Prospero Sauvignon Blanc: mmmm tasty! Fresh and grassy with a slight touch of lemon-grass. Loads of crisp acidity.

Andrew Stover is a Washington DC-based sommelier, consultant, and blogger.

By Andrew Stover So you’ve heard of Malbec from Argentina. And Carmenère from Chile. But have you tasted a Tannat from Uruguay? Tannat might just be the next big thing from our friends in America del Sur.

First you may ask: where the heck is Uruguay? Well, it’s a small coun-try located east of Argentina and south of Brazil, right along the Atlan-tic coast. The soils are clay-loam and the climate is a rather moist Maritime. Uruguay has a long history of viticulture, dating back some 250 years when French and Spanish im-migrants brought the vine to the New World.

The Tannat grape hails from the Basque region of France and is known for producing notoriously big, dense, tannic wines. Maybe you have had a good Madiran from Southwest-ern France? If you have not, get ahold of some Madiran from Cha-teaux Montus, Bouscassé, or d’Aydie. For Uruguay, Tannat is the signature red variety, just as Malbec is known as the signature grape of Argentina. (Interestingly enough, both grapes originally hail from Southwestern France. Think Cahors for Malbec).

Tannat from Uruguay tends to be a bit less dense and more juicy than its French counterpart. On the pal-ate, think lush fruit, spicy notes, cherry-berry accents, rich texture. Tannat pairs best with beef dishes (another signature item in Uruguay).

Aside from Tannat, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewurztra-miner, and even small quantities of Nebbiolo and Albariño are also grown. Tannat represents roughly a third of Uruguay’s wine production.

Getting your hands on some Uru-guayan wines may present a small challenge unless you live in a major North American market. This should soon change as demand for Tannat increases and merchants continue to


Degustation Down Under A snapshot of the Hunter Valley for holiday travelers

The holiday season is nigh and at such times many of us look for an interesting place to visit. For me, this inevitably means a wine region to which I’ve not yet trav-elled. For those of you who get bitten by the travel bug, and whose destination includes Austra-lia, New South Wales’ Hunter Val-ley is an absolute must see.

The Hunter Valley has the dis-tinction of being Australia’s oldest wine region. That is not to say that it was the first place we grew wine grapes (which was Minchinbury, in Sydney’s suburbs) but rather it was the first recognised region.

The Hunter’s success has much to do with its proximity to Sydney. Just 2 ½ hours away, the Hunter benefits from substan-tial agri-tourism. Without the tourism, the Hunter would struggle to survive as a winemaking region. Its climate features long, humid summers, fungus-inducing humid nights and the region receives its highest rainfall of the year around harvest time. Instead of a strug-gling agricultural backwater, how-ever, you find a multitude of B&Bs, restaurants, craft places, concert venues, special events, conference venues, golf courses and the major attraction of the Hunter Valley Gardens all boosting the number of people passing through and contributing to the region’s econ-omy.

So, succeed it has and does. Winemakers faithful to the region continue to make great Shiraz and Semillon that have very long lives. Tyrrells are a prime example. They make a huge range of wines, many blended from other regions, but they also make their Vat 1 Semil-lon and Vat 9 Shiraz, archetypal

Hunter wines that age beautifully. Many other varieties are success-ful: Verdelho, Merlot, Cabernet and Chardonnay of course. But you probably won’t find too many Pinot vines.

At the 2006 Australian Wines-tate Awards, Hunter Semillons swamped the finalist lists and in-cluded Hungerford Hill Hunter Val-ley Semillon 2005, Bimbadgen Sig-nature Hunter Valley Semillon 2002, The Rothbury Wine Society Black Label Hunter Valley Semillon 2004, Tatler Nigel’s Hunter Valley Semillon 2004. And Saddler’s Creek was a finalist in wine com-pany of the year. Hunter Shiraz does equally well in the award stakes.

I’ve lost count of the number of wineries in the Hunter. Every time I visit there are more. However, I can whole heartedly recommend the following:

Tullochs: one of the oldest in the valley. Though it has changed hands several times, it is now back with the Tulloch family, and they’re doing fine work restoring the family estate.

Bimbadgen Estate: great facili-ties, a good restaurant and lots of “Days On The Green” concerts.

Brokenwood: started as a hobby in 1970 and has become a very re-liable producer of quality wines, The Graveyard Shiraz being their flagship. They have a well informed and friendly cellar door crew. And they’re not afraid to try something new either, evidenced by a recent and very successful venture into Pinot Gris.


By Ron Stalenberg

December 2006 N S ommelier ews Page 1 1

in the nose, is a touch gamy with crème fraîche notes and some chalkiness, while the 2002 Roda I is more intense with purple, cas-sis-like fruits. “I think the Tem-pranillo grape is stylistically some-where between a Cabernet Sauvi-gnon and Pinot Noir with the Roda being more Pinot Noir in style and the Roda I more like Cabernet Sauvignon,” Lainez says.

Meanwhile, back in the Riscal “cathedral,” which sounds more inspiring than “the graveyard,” which López de Heredia calls its wine library, Hurtado opens an-other bottle, the 2001 Marques de Riscal Chirel, and pours everyone a glass. Chirel is Riscal’s marquee wine, a modern-style red produced

( Continued from page 3) since 1986 from old vine Tem-pranillo and loaded with ripe tan-nins and sweet purple fruit. “We’re truly drinking this too young, in my opinion,” he says, then smiles. “Actually, it was suggested to us by the Ameri-cans” who help market Riscal’s wines. So Riscal, as are some of the other older, larger houses, is having it both ways – a leaner traditional style to go with food and a top-of-the-line wine that is more opulent and lush.

It pairs well with critics and collectors.

In addition to Sommelier News, Roger Morris reports on wine for several publications including Saveur, Drinks, Intermezzo, and Beverage Media. Tourists with dog park

outside the winery visitors

entrance at Marques de

Riscal in Elciego. The newly

opened Marques de Riscal

Hotel, designed by Frank

Gehry, rises in the

background


Calais Estate: one of the first to brave Chambourcin in the Hunter–and they continue to do it well.

McWIlliams: have been around for a long time and continue to produce a staggering array of wines. Their multi-award winning Philip Shiraz and Lovedale Semil-lon typify their approach to their Hunter holdings, being faithful to the regional style. To their credit they also hold back a substantial quantity of these, only releasing them when they are ready to drink.

(Degustation, Continued from page 10) Peterson’s Champagne House: is a must, if only to view the great sandstone and granite cellar door. Having said that, they also make a great range of red and white bubblies.

Make the trek soon. You’ll love it!

Ron is a former high school deputy principal and current wine enthusiast from Austra-lia. He aims to demystify dis-cussions about wine.

Susanne Dillingham is an ISG Fundamentals from the Charlotte, NC program, who plans to enroll in the ISG Diploma when it is of-fered there. She attended Apicius: The Culinary Institute of Florence in Italy where she spe-cialized in Italian cuisine and wine. She says that she has never worked so hard, or had so much fun in her life!

What is your most memorable wine? Why?

It is a 1984 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon. Last month, I took my first trip to Napa, CA — Octo-ber was the harvest. Most people thought I was crazy for going during that time, but I wanted to be right in the middle of every-thing. I was the harvest intern for the Chase Family Vineyards; they specialize in Zinfandel. On my last night in St. Helena, I cooked a dinner for a few new friends I had made while there. One of my new friends asked what year I was born and I said 1984. He proceeded to find a wine from that particular vintage. It was a 1984 Chappellet Caber-net Sauvignon. It was just per-fect! It was at its prime. And I thought 1984 was a bad year for all wine! What a way to end one of the most fantastic harvests ever! I was exhausted!

How did you develop an inter-est in wine?

While I was in Culinary School at Apicius, I had a passionate wine teacher during my second semes-ter; he was wild about wine. At first, I thought, "what a nut," but slowly, as I listened to what he was saying, I, too, began to love

SOMMELIER CANDIDATE OF THE MONTH: Susanne Dillingham The art of pairing wine with food


B y L i i s a S u l l i v a n all things about all wines. Picking out what is special about each varietal, producer, and the pro-duction of the wine began to fas-cinate me. I examined, tasted, and smelled each bottle and glass as if it were a work of art. It really is art, but even more pre-cious as it only lasts a few days at most. It then simply becomes a memory. I thank him everyday for introducing me to the world of wine.

What is your current employ-ment situation?

I am the Executive Chef for HADCO in Charlotte, NC. HADCO is major kitchen designer and manufacturer and I conduct cook-ing demonstrations and teach lively cooking classes. I am also a Wine consultant/sommelier for the Selwyn Wine Cellar in Char-lotte.

What is your personal philoso-phy when it comes to being a sommelier?

I would like every person to be able to enjoy the pleasures of food and wine together without being intimidated to ask for my help.

What is your most memorable wine-related experience? Why?

On my last weekend in Florence, my wine teacher brought my class (four of us) to Castello di Verrazzano winery. He had ar-ranged for us to have a five-course meal paired with each of their wines. Each course was paired PERFECTLY! By the time


I would love to own a small

vineyard, and have a bed

and breakfast on it. I

would pair my food with all

of my wines and invite

people to come and enjoy

the pleasure of a perfect

food and wine- pairing

experience.

I love all wines, so if I may

rephrase the question to:

“What are you drinking

right now?” I have found

that Sangiovese, (including

all Chiantis and Super

Tuscans) are my favorites

right now. They are so

versatile and go with all of

my favorite foods. I have

never met a person who

disliked Sangiovese, unless

it was from California!

the Vin Santo, Italy’s specialty wine, came around, I was in tears and so in awe of the din-ner. I had never tasted any-thing so perfect and I will never forget it.

Susanne Dillingham

If you were stranded on a deserted island what three wines/champagnes would you like to have with you and why?

I would grab three bottles of Ma-deira — known as the Dracula of wines — because it will never die. The flavors will still remain, no matter how long the bottle is open, or how hot it gets. It is the perfect desert-island wine.

What wine resources do you use on a regular basis?

The World Atlas of Wine by Jan-cis Robinson and Hugh Johnson; I love this book. It is filled with wonderful maps and a great wealth of information about wine. Jancis Robinson is one of



the coolest ladies ever; she is so down to earth when it comes to writing about wine; I use this book for everything.

What is your favorite personal grape?

I love all wines, so if I may re-phrase the question to: “What are you drinking right now?” I have found that Sangiovese, (including all Chiantis and Super Tuscans) are my favorites right now. They are so versatile and go with all of my favorite foods. I have never met a person who disliked Sangio-vese, unless it was from Califor-nia!

What are your plans for the future?

I would love to own a small vine-yard, and have a bed and break-fast on it. I would pair my food with all of my wines and invite people to come and enjoy the pleasure of a perfect food and wine- pairing experience.

Liisa Sullivan is a freelance writer who specializes in writ-ing about the food and wine business.

Correction

An editorial error in the Novem-ber, 2006, edition of Sommelier News led to the misidentification of sommelier Robert Stelmachuk in both a photo caption and in the title of the ‘Sommelier of the Month’ article.

The editor regrets the error and extends an apology and warm appreciation for his good humor to Mr. Stemachuk.

BORDEAUX: MEDOC AND GRAVES. (Mitchell Beazley, 2006, 528 pages, ISBN 1-84533-004-8, hard covers)

This is Stephen Brook’s latest in-stallment in Mitchell Beazley’s "Classic Wine Library" series (see his books on Germany, Sauternes, California). The library format is quite well-known by now: a basic layout of serviceable sketch-maps, no pictures, and lots of capsule his-tories and tasting notes for each property described. Here is insider information on the Left Bank of Me-doc and Graves only (the pub-lisher's catalogue also promised Sauternes and photographs, but neither are here). Still to come, presumably by Brook, is a book on the Right Bank of Pomerol and St.Emilion, and the satellites. The introductory material includes chap-ters on the land (terroir), grapes, and wine styles. The main arrange-ment is by region, starting with the Medoc level, moving to the Haut-Medoc (where the best values can be found), Moulis, Listrac, Margaux, St.-Julien, Pauillac, St.-Estephe, and then Pessac-Leognan. The di-rectory data includes names and numbers, websites, owners, size, production and grape varieties.

Then, the narrative style embraces a mini-history with tasting notes.

There is an appendix with com-ments on the various vintages, 1961-2005, a glossary, and a bibli-ography.

Quality/Price Rating: 90.

KEYS TO THE CELLAR; strategies and secrets of wine collecting. (Wiley Publishing, 2006, 258 pages, ISBN 0-471-47359-6, hard covers)

Author Peter D. Meltzer, has been a wine critic for the past two dec-ades and is now wine auction corre-


TUDOR’S PICKS: Book Reviews

spondent for Wine Spectator. He is an expert on wine collecting. This is one of the rare books that actually contributes new data to our knowl-edge of wine: it tells you how to cre-ate a wine cellar (how to start, how to stock, how to collect the best wines at the best prices). He tells us that there are four types of collec-tors: the one who wants a balanced cellar, with wines from different re-gions, different prices, different fla-vors, for different occasions; the one who needs instant gratification and collects wines only at peak maturity for drinking now or soon; the one who collects a tasting cellar for com-paring wines horizontally and verti-cally through regions and producers; and the investment cellar (which Mi-chael Broadbent hates) for the wine speculator. Meltzer gives us lots of information on wine auctions, wine websites and retail stores, most of which is useful only to American readers. He gives us a peak into what's in the cellars of prominent collectors such as himself and Lloyd Flatt, who went through a divorce in 1990 and had to re-cellar and re-position everything yet again. For a cellar to function minimally, it must have 250 bottles for a year of con-sumption, with constant rollover. Meltzer goes into the matter of buy-ing futures, using storage systems, and constructing physical cellars. Data at the back of the book covers the top auction houses (all US plus Christie's and Sotheby's in London), auction records for top wines, Wine Spectator auction indexes, a glos-sary of tasting terms and auction jargon, and a bibliography.

Quality/Price Rating: 94.

Dean Tudor, Wine Writer and Ryerson University Journalism Professor Emeritus.

Sommelier News Mission Statement

The International Sommelier Newsletter currently reaches more

than 17,000 readers

Our Aims are:

• To provide a forum for the

exchange of knowledge and experience of food and beverage industry professionals and enthusiasts world-wide.

• To spread enthusiasm for wine, beer and spirits with intelligent, educationally-oriented material.

• To encourage input and contributions from our readers in all aspects of wine, beer, and spirits.

• To encourage diverse perspectives on the beverage alcohol industry, and to study our topics from the earth to the table.

Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their submissions and their opinions may not represent

those of the International Sommelier Guild

By Dean Tudor


Where Are they Now?

Or; Building the Sommelier Community

Sommelier News is

interested in compiling

an alumni directory for

graduates of the

Sommelier Diploma

Program. Graduates of

the SDP are encouraged

to submit a listing

stating the following:

Name

Graduation Year

Title/Position

Business Contact

Information

In every issue, we will

feature

Sommeliers on the

Move, where graduates

can announce new titles,

positions and

responsibilities.

Email to [email protected]

Wines and Allied Products to bring four different varieties of Australian wine to India by December. If wines are in air, can Tequila be far behind? Mexico-based Tequilera D'earandas has already been selling its El-Charro brand in India and will start bottling Mexican tequila in India by next year.

Aykroyd new spokesman for Ca-nadian wine

Is the world ready for Canadian wine…served up by Ghostbuster and Blues Brother, Dan Aykroyd? The actor invested $1 million in Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits, a small but rapidly expanding company that owns four wineries in Ontario. A line of Aykroyd wines is coming this win-ter. The actor is touting himself as a new spokesman for Canadian wine. He says, “People like to have a fig-ure they can relate to. They can say, ‘Here’s a guy who’s had some rela-tive success. He’s not going to be drinking plonk.’” The comedian in the past has said he is a big fan of Bordeaux reds.

King of the wild wine spa

It’s no surprise that wine is an inte-gral part of a new dinner package offered by Fess Parker’s Wine Coun-try Inn & Spa in the Santa Barbara area of Los Olivos, California. Wine

(Continued from page 1) tastings are offered as part of a $480 package as are bottles of Fess Parker Chardonnay at the 21-room, AAA four diamond property. PS: Parker is celebrating the 50th anni-versary of his most famous role, Davy Crockett.

New athletic training may in-clude red wine

Scientists say testing shows that mice given resveratrol, a minor com-ponent of red wine and other foods, increases their endurance and helps them run twice as fast. The drug already was shown to reverse the efforts of obesity in mice and make them live longer, reported The New York Times. “Resveratrol makes you look like a trained athlete without the training,” said Dr. Johan Auwerx of the Institute of Genetics and Mo-lecular and Cellular Biology in France, says in an interview.

Mixing wine and beer

Japan's top beer-maker Kirin Brew-ery plans to buy a controlling stake in Mercian Corporation, the country's number two wine-maker, according to Guardian Unlimited. The biggest wine-maker in Japan is Osaka-based Suntory. Kirin and Mercian are based in Tokyo. Kirin recaptured the top spot among Japanese beer-makers from Asahi Breweries for the first time in seven years in the first


First Press

Sommeliers on the Move Mark Cuff

Sommelier Diploma Program Candidate

2004

Account Representative

Le Sommelier Agency

Toronto, Ontario

T: (416) 603-7026

F: (775) 248-8782

www.lesommelier.com

Michelle Kawamoto

Sommelier Diploma Program Graduate

National Accounts Marketing Manager

Three Thieves Brand Manager

Trinchero Family Estates

St. Helena, California

T : (707) 963-3104

www.tfewines.com

First Press

US ADDRESS 363 Lang Blvd., Grand Island, NY 14072 Fax (954) 344-9551

CANADIAN ADDRESS 269-762 Upper James Hamilton, ON L9C 3A2 Fax (905) 858-3440

TELEPHONE U.S. Toll Free (866) 412-0464 Canada Toll Free (866) 399-5009 U.S. (302) 622-3811 Other Countries (905) 858-1217

E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.internationalsommelier.com

It’s a Matter of Taste

December 2006

half of 2006, but makes no wines in Japan. The company sells its Ichiban Shibori beer brand in the UK. By purchasing Mercian, Kirin is also hoping to make inroads into the sho-chu market. A liquor distilled from sweet potatoes or rice, shochu is known as the poor man's drink and is fragmented between a large num-ber of local makers.

Researcher finds new occupa-tional health hazard for wine tasters

New research from a Canadian medical doctor suggests a new occu-pational health hazard for winemak-ers and others who frequently sam-ple wines: dental erosions. "This is a potential problem. What is the ex-tent of the problem, I don't know,” Dr. Sami Youakim told Wines & Vine. He is a consultant with Occupational Disease Services, WorkSafeBC in British Columbia. His study on wine industry health hazards was in the October edition of BC Medical Jour-nal. In addition to well-known prob-

(First Press, Continued from page 15)

N S ommelier ews

President:

Joseph Miller

Vice President:

Wayne Gotts

International ISG

Development & Director of

Marketing

Communications

Jennifer Janssen

Dean of Education:

Roberta Belfry

North American ISG

Development (East):

Alan Marginean

North American ISG

Development (West):

Shayn Bjornholm

Cellar Masters:

Shannon Currie-Holmes

and Paul Martzoukos

lems including musculoskeletal disor-ders and asthma caused by mite ex-posure, Youakim singled out the po-tential for dental erosions from fre-quent wine tasting by winemakers and other staff.

Big gains for private brands

Not only are sales of private label wine brands fast-growing, the cate-gory looks to be a significant portion of the market in the future, according to news reports. Private label brand sales grew 30% in the last year, and 18% the year before, reported AC-Nielsen. By contrast, branded wines grew only 10% in the past year, and 9% in 2005. "Private labeling will probably end up between 20 to 50 percent of the business," predicts John Crean, CFO and vice president of business development at WineryEx-change. "It may be something [traditional wine companies] do not focus on, but this is going to be a part of the business" he adds.

The First Press features monthly, wine related news clips selected by roving wine correspondent, David Wilkening.

Discover Portugal's legacy. From its superb wines, dramatic scenery to its charming villages, this will be an unforgettable trip. Be swept away into the luxury of Hotel Relais & Chateaux in Pinhão, wine and dine in style, and enjoy a cruise on the

magnificent Douro River in a traditional Rabelo Boat.

PORT WINE TOUR IN PORTUGAL’S FAMOUS “DOURO VALLEY” AND WORLD REKNOWNED CITY OF PORTO

“Famous as the home of Port, the Douro is now also and exciting source of table wines. With its spectacular scenery and the recent emergence of some exciting new producers, the Douro is pretty close to wine geek heaven.” (Wineanorak.com, June2002) .

Wine Tasting at Quintas include:

Quinta do Crasto Sociedade Agricola & Comercial Vinhos Vale Da CORÇA, LDA Casas De Sezim Quinta da Pacheca Symington Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman Tour Highlights:

• Groups will be maximum 16 persons

• Relais & Châteaux up-scale accommodation

• City of Lamego • Rabelo boat cruise on the

Douro River • Tua River valley Tour • Historic Centre of

Guimaraes • Sightseeing Tour of pano-

ramic Porto

Cost of 10 day Tour

$3950.00 + taxes (based on double occupancy) Deposit due upon booking 750.00 ...balance due 45 days prior to departure. STS Travel reserves the right to change the itinerary if neces-sary

Date of Tour:

May 27th, 2007

September 9, 2007

Tour Includes:

• Return Airfare to/from Toronto (other North American Cities also available)

• Transfers from Airport to Hotel

• All Meals & Accommodation

• Upscale 4 & 5 Star hotels

• Local Tour Guides

• Olive Oil & Cheese Tasting

• Entrance Fees to all Wine Tastings

• Douro River Cruise

• Entrance Fee to Palace of Mateus

• Fado Dinner tickets

For more information Contact:

STS Travel 1-866-STS-TRIP or

[email protected]

WINE & DINE ON ROUTE 62 SOUTH AFRICA’S FAMOUS WINE ROUTE

Wine, dine and explore on this unique gourmet wine tour of South Africa's cape Winelands. Expect only the best in good food, sample award-winning wine and share winemaking secrets with the Cape's top winemakers. There is something so enchanting, so magnificent about Cape Town, it's no wonder the world regularly votes it

one of the globe's most beautiful cities, at the tip of a green and richly historic province.

Wine Tasting at wine estates in-clude.

Lanzerac Delheim Simonsig Nederberg KWV Tour Highlights: • Dining at Exquisite

Restaurants • Chocolate making • Beer Tasting • Tour the Cape Penin-

sula ( see for yourself how this spectacular southern tip of Africa became known as the 'Fairest Cape')

• City Tour of Cape Town • Table Mountain • Sunset Cruise on the

Knysna Lagoon

Cost of 10 day Tour $5499.00 + taxes (based on double occupancy) Date of Tour: January 14—24, 2007 & February 13—22, 2007 Tour Includes: • Return Airfare to/from Toronto

(other North American Cities also available)

• Transfers from Airport to Hotel • All Meals & accommodation • 2 nights at the Cape Cadogan

Hotel • Entrance fees to Cape Point, Ta-

ble Mountain, Taal Monument, Hugenot Museum and Monu-ment, Mitchells Brewery Tasting

• Fine Chocolate View & Tasting • Wine Tasting entrance fees • 3 nights at “Village At Spier” • 1 night at the Mimosa Lodge or

Montagu Cou ntry House • 1 night at the De Opstal Country

Lodge • 1 night at the Knysna Quays • Dinner Cruise on the Knysna La-

goon • Hotel & Airport Porterage during

the tour

For more information Contact:

STS Travel 1-866-STS-TRIP or

[email protected]

WWW.STSTRAVEL.CA “Ask For The South Africa Specialist”

december 2006 ommelier ewses.riojawine.com/multimedia/files/medios/estados... · the early 2006...

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