Touring Tuscany

A Tuscan house on a hill

In 1996, the saturated genre of lifestyle books was rocked by the release of "Under the Tuscan Sun," a glossy memoir about life in a small town in Tuscany.  In the highly descriptive account, American author, Frances Mayes, detailed the joys and frustrations of restoring a run-down villa, in the scenic hilltop town of Cortona. 

Mayes infused her story with colorful characters and recounted her experiences enjoying local food and wines.  Her personal tale ignited the imaginations of American readers looking for new travel adventures.  

For years, savvy wine tourists knew about Tuscany and loved the place, but Mayes' book opened new vistas for people discovering one of Italy's most beautiful and magical wine regions for the first time. 

Tuscany radiates a quality that is hard to describe. But to truly understand why people are so crazy about the place, you have to go there.  There's the Tuscan landscape, the art, the towns, the medieval architecture, the Etruscan history and, of course, the people and their passion for the local food and wine.

Perhaps, nowhere else in Italy, does all of these attractions meld into one satisfying package as in Tuscany.  

A visit to Tuscany is a stimulating experience. Pulling off the road for a break you might see two carabiniere having their espresso with a  shot of anisette, enjoy a performance of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" in the Florence opera house, or learn about the wide variety of Tuscan grapes and wine. 

Sangiovese is the principal red grape of Tuscany.  Not only is Sangiovese a major variety in Tuscan wine, but it's grown nearly everywhere along the Italian peninsula, except south of Rome and Sicily, where hardier red grapes are better suited to withstand the sustained higher daytime heat and sultry nights.

The taste of Sangiovese might be described as savory, with traces of tart cherries and herbs.  A lot of Sangiovese, especially California as a varietal, is masked by vanilla notes from new oak.  Tuscan Sangiovese, sometimes blended with a little (or a lot) of Cabernet Sauvignon, can be overshadowed by the more dominant flavors of the cabernet.  

 Tuscan Sangiovese forms the base for Chianti, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and Brunello di Montalcino. Additionally, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah are blended with Sangiovese in proprietary wines like Sassicaia and Ornellaia.

 An aside. My first visit to Tuscany was in the early 1950s. I was a young airman, stationed in Germany, with a curiosity to see as much of Europe as I could afford.  So, my friend Tom and I took off on a road trip to Italy in my 1950 Chevy Bel-Air. 

We were headed for Naples and the Isle of Capri, slowly navigating a route that took us through Tuscany on pokey two-lane roads. No maps and, of course, no GPS. I didn't know about Tuscany then, even though our destination that day was the city of Florence. 

Tom Indelicato, an Italian-American from Queens, had  a New Yorker's understanding of Italian food and wine. As a growing boy, I ate a lot of Italian food at the table of a large welcoming family my mother worked for, at their Italian deli and Hoagie shop in suburban Philly. 

Even with our limited experience of Italian food, Tom and I were impressed with the quality of food and wine we sampled on our way through Tuscany, and how eager we were to eat as much of it as we could during our travels.  

It may sound like an exaggeration, but after numerous visits, I'm convinced that you have to work hard to find poor food and average wine in Italy. 

Reliving the pleasures, especially the wines of Tuscany I was introduced to in the 1950s, have been repeated numerous times on return visits as a wine writer.  

There are at least six distinct varieties in Italy called Trebbiano, including Trebbiano Toscano, the main white variety in Galestro.  Vernaccia is the other notable Tuscan  white grape, used in Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

Trebbiano is also grown mainly as a blending grape or as the base wine for distillates.  The French call it Ugni Blanc. In California, Trebbiano has unexplainably been known as St. Emilion.  And because of its somewhat bland character, the grape picked up the derisive name,"Ugly Blank."   

The best effort to make a respectable Trebbiano is not in Tuscany, where the ordinary  Trebbiano Toscano often presents as a high acid, somewhat green leafy wine, better suited blended with another variety or as the base wine for grape spirits.  Where Trebbiano shows more personality is in Soave Classico and Lugana, both from Venetto.  

 A few more Tuscan wines to consider include Vermentino and Vernaccia di San Giminano, two white wines not as widely known as Trebbiano, although Trebbiano is not as interesting as either Vermentino or Vernaccia. 

International varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are popular choices blended with Sangiovese, mainly in Chianti and Bolgheri.  Cabernet Franc is an alternate variety, with Cabernet Sauvignon, in Carmignano. 

Few places in the world combine the pleasures of good food and great wine in a relaxing setting as Tuscany.  Thousands of other travelers have discovered the irresistible attraction of Tuscany, but there's still room for the adventurous. 

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Next post:  The Barossa 

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Spicy Traminer

             

Gewürztraminer, the wine you hate to love, is primed to make your summer more pleasurable.

Loving a fruity white wine with a sweet impression, when you've had the dry wine gospel preached to you for ages, is not easy.  Especially when you try to pronounce the name of that fruity white wine, your tongue gets twisted in a knot.    

Try this: Geh-vairtz-tra-mee-ner. Or, Gah-verts-tra-mener.  

Gewürztraminer (Gewürz) is an example of German word crunching where two words are jammed together to form one word.  The German word for "spice" is "gewürz" and "Traminer" is a white grape with a rosy hue.   The two little dots over the "ü" is an umlaut, a diacritical mark placed over a vowel to indicate a change in sound. 

Rose (especially a heady Old English rose) and litchi (or lychee) are the two words used most often to describe the aroma and taste of a Gewürz.  Most Americans can tell a rose when they smell one, but few Americans know the exotic scent of litchi, a Chinese evergreen. 

Depending on where the grape is grown, the perfume of a Gewürztraminer might also have traces of black tea, orange blossom, honeysuckle and sweet spice, like cinnamon. Oddly, I read one description of Gewürz as smelling like face creme.  

There are more than 25 synonyms for Gewürztraminer, most variations of the Traminer grape name or a form of the mottled pink hue of a ripe Traminer grape.  But Gewürztraminers are not macerated on the skins, so leeching a pink color is not an issue. 

 Worldwide Gewürztraminer 

Years ago, the Traminer grape was common in the German Rheinpfalz, where it is called Clevner.  In the tangled and confusing world of wine grape origins, the Traminer grape was first planted, not in Germany, but the Alto-Adige village of Tramin, Italy.  From northern Italy, the grape was carried to other wine regions.

Today, Gewürz is found, in small vineyard allocations, throughout Europe, mainly in cooler locations like northern Italy, Austria, Hungary and coastal Spain.  Torres, in the Penedes region of eastern Spain, makes Viña Esmeralda, one of Europe's best known Gewürztraminers, outside Alsace.

Gewürztraminer is suited to the terroir of Alsace, on the west side of the Rhein river, across from the German Rheinland.  In the cool river climate, Gewürztraminer hits all the stylistic steps, from dry, to sparkling, late harvest and sweet botrytized wines. 

Historically, Alsatian Gewürz were drier than their German cousins.  But, slowly over the years, residual sweetness in all Alsace white wines crept up, until today, the difference is more closely defined as German Gewürz being fruitier and flowery, while French Gewürz tends to show more spice, bracing acidity, and perhaps, a trace of black pepper. 

There's also some interest for Gewürztraminer in Australia and New Zealand.  And the variety does well in cool parts of California, most notably the  Anderson Valley, in Mendocino County.  

Cool ocean air and occasional fog encourage wineries such as Navarro, Husch and Greenwood Ridge to make award-winning dry, semi-dry and dessert Gewürztraminers, with precise sugar/acid balance and luscious varietal flavors. 

Gewurztraminer at Table

In Alsace there are a handful of traditional foods that pair nicely with a lightly chilled Gewürztraminer, such as onion tart, duck paté, smoked fish and the flavorful French Munster cheese, or the milder American Muenster, with a nutty and buttery flavor.

Gewürztraminer is also nicely matched with Asian foods, especially those flavored with coriander, lemon grass and coconut.  A bowl of Thai Yellow or Massaman Curry and a glass of medium-dry Gewürz ticks all the boxes for me. 

 

Next post: Touring In Tuscany

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Chablis: the Other White Burgundy

   

Chablis is unique in French wine. The celebrated Burgundian white wine district is officially part of the region of Burgundy, yet, curiously, it is not geographically connected to the Burgundy region. 

Does that mean Chablis is a different wine than white Burgundy? Yes and no.  Both Bourgogne blanc and Chablis are made exclusively from Chardonnay.  At one time, Aligote, a white grape related to Chardonnay, was used in Burgundy, but now while it is still grown in parts of the Cote d'Or, Aligote is not in Chablis.

Chablis and the Cote d'Or are separated by about 60 miles in central France, thus their unique terroirs are influenced by slightly different conditions.  Chablis is, in fact, much closer to Champagne, than it is to the Cote d'Or.   

And there is another important (and controversial) difference.  Opinions differ among Chablis winemakers about whether Chablis should come in contact with oak at any point in the wine making process.

In the Cote d'Or, Chardonnay is seasoned with French oak.  However, Chablis has traditionally been made sans oak.  Sometime early in the 20th century, the question of oak or no oak surfaced in the Chablis wine community, and some winemakers began suggesting their Chablis be made more along the lines of white Burgundy.  For traditionalists, the very idea was heresy. 

Traditional Chablis has a mineral quality that the French describe as gout de pierre à fusil, or the taste of gun flint. That's an outdated descriptor, likely unknown to most Americans.  Recalling a childhood experience, though, might provide a better understanding of the term.   

During early childhood, it wasn't unusual for youngsters to be curious about the taste of small pebbles found near the house.  Taste is a primary way to learn the nature of things, so a child does what comes naturally and tastes the pebbles.  

As a curious child, if you've ever put a stone in your mouth, just to see what it tasted like, then you have some idea of what mineral means in wine terms.

Chablis by the Numbers 

Chablis is classified in four tiers.  At the top are the seven finest Grand Cru vineyards: Blanchots, Bougros, Grenouilles, Les Clos, Les Preuses, Valmur, Valdésir.  These valuable properties, totaling just 240 acres, are on a slope above the Serein River and the town of Chablis.  La Moutonne is the unofficial eighth Grand Cru.

Then come 40 named Premier Cru vineyards, of which only a few are seen today, especially outside Chablis. Numerous other smaller Premier Crus, not named on labels, may use an "umbrella name," such as Fourchaume (14 vineyards) and Vaillons (13 vineyards).

The last two ranks are Chablis and Petit Chablis. Both of these levels, but especially the so-called petits are lighter and short-lived, but are often good values, especially when compared to Chablis Premier Crus. 

 The Price of Chablis

Chablis can be an expensive habit, depending on your wine budget.  Prices for Petit Chablis and Chablis are all over the board.  Domaine Louis Michel Petit Chablis is $30, but for $10 more, there's Dom. Samuel Billand Chablis and Dom. William Fevre Chablis, the latter a reliable producer.

Premier Cru (often seen as 1er Cru) Chablis prices jump $10-$20 or more for these two wines: Dom. Louis Michel 1er Cru, $50 and Dom. Sequinot-Bordel 1er Cru, $45. 

Because of their quality and limited number, Grand Cru Chablis prices are at least double Premier Cru.  Here are three sought after Grand Crus: Dom. Servin Grand Cru Pruses, $90; Dom. Louis Michel Grand Cru Vaudesir, $100; Dom. Christian Moreau Les Clos, $150.

Chablis aficionados contend that if you want good Chablis character, without paying a premium for Grand Cru Chablis, then Premier Cru is the way to go. 

Find the Chablis that fits with your budget and appeals to your taste, pair the wine with some fresh oysters, then relax and ease into summer. 

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Next Post: Spicy Traminer 

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Sonoma v. Napa

   

There is a special dynamic that develops in families with multiple siblings, where one son or daughter excels over the others.  It's a common occurrence, across a broad spectrum of life and business. 

Same with wine. Certain circumstances cause one wine region to leap ahead of another in popularity.  The recognition and rise in popularity of a region or a specific wine might be due to the natural environment, human skill and ingenuity, or both.

A growing environment for wine grapes is complex and is often described by the French term terroir. There are numerous factors such as climate and soil composition that define the terroir of a specific site or region.   

Sonoma County and Napa Valley are only a few miles apart in northern California, and both places are known for world class Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  But their terroirs are different.

Yet, in the opinion of many wine professionals and consumers, Napa Valley excels in Cabernet Sauvignon and Sonoma is better known for Pinot Noir.  There are, of course, exceptions like Cabernet from Sonoma's Alexander Valley and Pinot Noir from Napa Carneros.  

So, let's take a closer look at a few general differences, beginning with Cabernet Sauvignon.

Napa Cabernet Sauvignon comes from a collection of relatively small sub-areas such as Oakville, Stags Leap, Atlas Peak, Spring Mountain and Rutherford, with subtle growing differences, like soil variations and climate.  The differences range from the cooler south valley near the city of Napa to the warmer northern vineyards around the town of Calistoga. 

Sonoma County is more diverse, with the best known Cabernet Sauvignon in the Alexander Valley.  Climate and soil variations are felt across a wide spectrum, from warmer Sonoma Valley, to cooler pockets in Green Valley and near the Russian River.

Merlot is a different animal, mainly for its relatively mild softer flavors, compared to the roughness of Cabernet Sauvignon. 

The coolest soils in Sonoma County, forming an ideal medium for Merlot, are in Sonoma Valley, Sonoma Mountain and Bennett Valley, with micro-climate pockets throughout the county.  Producers such as Matanzas Creek, in Bennett Valley, draw maximum varietal fruit and brisk acidity from the valley soils.

It's a wonder Merlot ripens to plum and dark cherry flavors in the Napa Valley.  But the popular varietal does good in cooler south valley vineyards along the Napa River, Napa-Carneros, Wild Horse Valley and Coombsville.

Chardonnay grows best in chalk, limestone and clay soils but it will ripen in a variety of mediums and climates, like the Oakville District, Napa and Sonoma Carneros, Sonoma Coast and the small Chalk Hill and Green Valley sub zones in Russian River Valley. 

Terroir is vital for good varietal  character in Chardonnay.  Diverse areas in Napa and Sonoma can turn out a range of Chardonnay styles, from light and mineral, to warm and tropical.  The key is to root vines in soils where they will produce lean, steely/mineral styles or pineapple, mango and honey.

Pinot Noir has been described as the "heartbreak grape," because it's the most ephemeral wine grape, difficult to grow and make.  The taste of pinot varies from light and sensual or dark and heavy with a deep almost black color and full black cherry accents.  

But reaching for more specifics to describe the taste of Pinot Noir can be a fool's errand because there are many different styles, most of them suggesting descriptors like black cherry, leather and mushrooms.  But these are just descriptions and not what Pinot Noir tastes like. 

For many fans of California Pinot Noir, Sonoma County's Russian River Valley and Carneros are considered prime sites for Pinot Noir.  Other California areas that get high marks for Pinot Noir are Santa Barbara County, Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley in Mendocino County. 

As a broad general statement, Sonoma Coast Pinots are complex and savory and Russian River Pinot Noirs are fuller and darker than Carneros Pinots, with their raspberry and spicy accents.  Both Carneros and Russian River are cool climate areas, good for the development of bright acidity.

There are plenty of styles to choose.  Find a varietal, then a region a specific producer and decide if your taste is more aligned with Napa Valley or Sonoma County wines. 

                                                                                    -o0o- 

More on AI & Wine: The hottest topic today in technology is the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.  The question for wine consumers:  What is the relationship of AI and wine now and in the future and how will it affect wine production and consumption?  What follows is only part of the answer.

Various articles recently have reported on the advancements of AI in the vineyard, as well as applying AI to wine sales and marketing. And while those prospects are encouraging, there are a number of observers asking for caution, oversight and control.  

Danica Noble, an antitrust attorney with the Washington State Bar Association is calling for more AI oversight, not less.  In an article for "The Seattle Times," Noble says the U.S. Senate is considering a law that would "ban states' ability to regulate AI for the next 10 years. "  

Georgia Hall, a Bloomberg Opinion Columnist reported a warning from Wall Street firms about the rising risk of using AI for criminal purposes, including software hallucinations. 

According to Webster's, a hallucination is "the apparent perception of sights, sounds, etc., that are not actually present."  An AI hallucination is false, nonsensical information presented as factual.  

With all the talk about shrinking wine sales, the wine industry and wine consumers may now be faced with a spate of possible AI hallucinations related to wine marketing material, wine tasting notes, wine articles and more.    

Next post:  Chablis: the Other White Burgundy 

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Northern Rhone Whites

 

France's northern Rhone Valley has a well deserved reputation for red wine.  The litany of Syrah based wines, like Cote Rotie, Hermitage, St. Joseph, is legendary. 

Wine grapes were growing in the Rhone valley as far back as before the spread of Christianity. Unearthed amphorae from the 1st century CE, show that wine was carried up river to Roman legions, and has been part of local culture ever since.  

Syrah, the only red grape allowed in the Northern Rhone, hangs precariously on vines rooted in the steep slopes along the Rhone river.  For many advocates of Syrah there is no better expression of the grape than the wine that comes from the northern Rhone.    

 Held in less esteem by the buying public are Rhone white wines, notably Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier.  Wine made from these three distinct varieties do not taste like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, and that may be why Rhone whites never scaled the popular heights of either of those white wines - except, maybe Viognier.  

Viognier

California wine in the late 1990s went through a mini-revolution when Viognier burst on the scene.  Long known in the northern Rhone as the aromatic grape of Condrieu, Viognier made a splash with wine drinkers looking for something new and different. 

Chàteau-Grillet, unique in its expression of Viognier, is one of few appellations owned by a single family and Grillet is one of France's smallest appellations, consisting of less than 10 acres.

The popularity of Viognier spread south in France to Languedoc and overseas to California, Virginia, Texas, South Africa and Australia.  South Australia's Yalumba became a specialist with a string of stylish Viogniers, while other Aussie wineries discovered Viognier was good blended with Shiraz. 

The largest planting of Viognier is in Languedoc, with California in second place.  The warm growing conditions in California is ideal for warmth loving Viognier.  The variety's floral and stone fruit aromas are maximized in that environment.

Viognier's heady aromatics and flavor of ripe peaches and apricots may strike a note of familiarity to lovers of  Albarino, the seafood friendly white wine from Spain's Galicia region.  

 And there is more than passing interest for Viognier in Virginia, New York, Oregon and British Columbia.

Marsanne, a northern Rhone original, is thought to have given birth to Roussanne, its natural blending partner.  The fact that Marsanne is an easier grape to grow than Roussanne has meant that Roussanne vines now out number Marsanne.  It's an economic decision since the two grapes are compatible.  

Limited plantings of Marsanne are found in the southern France regions of Languedoc and Roussillon.  Marsanne is the majority grape in such classic northern Rhone white wines as St. Joseph, Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage.  

 

                                             

Peachy flavors define young Marsanne.  With age, the transition is to honeysuckle over ripe apricots and peaches.  Be patient with Marsanne, because it sometimes goes through a dumb period where you wonder if there's a future for the wine. 

Roussanne, the aromatic blending partner with Marsanne, is slowly disappearing in the vineyards of the northern Rhone.  It still is an authorized grape in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, while Marsanne is not.  

The thing that eventually dropped Roussanne from favor was a difficulty in the vineyard.  Growers have a hard time getting it ripe and developing full flavors. Even new clones haven't helped, thus the conversion from Roussanne to Marsanne in many vineyards, except for prominent producers like Paul Jaboulet and the Perrin family.

Fruit wine makers say that pear is a challenging fruit for making a fruit wine.  Pear's  delicate flavors do not transfer easily from fruit to wine.  But pear is the primary descriptor of Roussanne.  When mature, Roussanne becomes slightly herbal and nutty.  It is this aged character that gives northern Rhone white wines refinement.  

Pricing Northern Rhone Whites 

Condrieu: prices for this northern Rhone white vary from $40 to $60.  Prices for Chateau-Grillet vary widely from $150 to $350.  Limited quantities of this desirable, expensive French Viognier make it to this country, so you have to shop around. Most U.S Viognier costs between $20 and $40. 

Make northern Rhone wines your next white wine purchase.

 

Next post: Sonoma County

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A Cabernet Collection

     

Sometimes, a widely-planted grape variety, like Airen, is not the most popular in the area or country where it is planted.  The Spanish red grape Airen accounts for 20% of the country's vineyards, yet it lags well behind Tempranillo in popularity.

On the other hand, Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted wine grape variety in the world, and it is also the most popular.  In the United States, Cab Sauv, as it's often called, is a stand out grape, ahead of Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc, in popularity.

There are some Cabernet names you might see on wine labels that look like Cabernet Sauvignon, but aren't, including: Cabernet Blanc, a Swiss hybrid; Cabernet Franc, a single varietal and a blending grape; Cabernet Severny, a Russian cold-hardy hybrid.

And, some noted wine grapes have dozens of synonyms or local names; Muscat Blanc racks up more than two dozen. But worldwide, Cabernet Sauvignon is known only by that name, although Petite Vidure, is a name some old-timers still use in Bordeaux for Cab Sauv. 

Getting your head around the popularity of Cabernet Sauvignon can be puzzling when you consider how difficult it is to love a young Cabernet Sauvignon.  Closed, ungenerous aromatics, tight flavors with hard tannin and shy fruit. Cab Sauv is a wine that tests the patience of even the most devoted fan of red wine.

But give Cabernet Sauvignon at least five years of bottle age (top end blends from Bordeaux's Médoc can take up to 10 years) and you have a different wine.  At 10 years the essentials begin to knit together forming a harmonious whole with black fruit accents, softer more approachable tannin, leafy notes and a balanced extended finish.

Mature Cab Sauv from Bordeaux, California, Washington state, Australia, as well as a handful of other select spots where the grape grows to maturity with a minimum of problems in the vineyard, has a certain elegance that earns it a place in your wine memory. 

The Rise of Cab Franc  

As noted above, Cabernet Franc shares a family connection with Cabernet Sauvignon.   In fact, the original Cabernet was likely Franc and not Sauvignon.  Records show that Cabernet Franc was already in St. Emilion long before the 18th century.  The right bank terroir was more hospitable to Franc, while Sauvignon did better in the Médoc. 

In the 1960s, plantings of Cab Sauv and Cab Franc were about even in Bordeaux.  By 2020, white varieties were a drag on the market, so during replanting, more Cab Sauv vines were planted than Cab Franc.   Even before the replanting, though, it was known that Cab Franc performed better in cooler St. Emilion soils, moving Cab Sauv on the right bank to third place behind Cab Franc and Merlot.

Cabernet Franc has more up front fruit than Cabernet Sauvignon and it's lighter in tannin with a distinctive hint of raspberry and a subtle herbaceous note, adding a level of complexity.  These attributes stand out in St. Emilion and Pomerol, where Cab Franc contributes more to the blend.

While it's hard to deny the great appeal of 60% Cab Franc in a St. Emilion like Ch. Cheval Blanc, fans of Cabernet Franc say the variety shines brightest in the Loire Valley sub-regions of  Chinon and Bourgueil. 

Bourgueil, made in two styles, can have a little Cab Sauv, but the wine mainly is all Cab Franc. The lightest style, is from gravel soils closest to the Loire river.  A more substantial version is reflective of the rocky soil further from the river.  

Chinon production is more varied than Bourgueil. This large area in the Touraine district makes a well-known Chenin Blanc, a little rosé and, of course, Cabernet Franc, lots of it.  Chinon comes in three styles: lighter, like Bourguel; a second more robust version; and a complex mineral-laced style. 

Elsewhere, look for lighter Cabernet Franc from Friuli in northern Italy, Australia and New Zealand. Varietal Cabernet Franc vies with Cab Sauv in California and is a major red in Washington state.

Summer is a good time for outdoor grilling of steak or a shank of lamb on a spit.   Add a mixed salad, or cole slaw, and a glass of Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon. 

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Next post: Northern Rhone Whites

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Concentrate on Sauvignon & Franc -- how they differ and how they compliment esch other. 

Memories of Umbria

Orvieto

There is an attraction to Italy that's hard to put into words.  Countless visitors to the sun-washed Mediterranean country have tried to describe what draws them back time and again to Italy, but their attempts never seemed adequate enough. 

Umbria, the small landlocked region southeast of Tuscany, has that effect on me.  Ever since my first trip  to the small Umbrian town of Torigiano, as a wine judge, I've wanted to return as often as possible to poke around in every corner of Umbria.  

In the purist form, Umbria is Italy.  Cyril Ray, the eminent English wine writer of the 1960s, described Umbria as "typically or characteristically Italian...there is something of the essence of Italy in Umbria." 

My first trip to Umbria was to attend the Banco di Assaggio, a competition of Italian wines, held at the Lungarotti inn and restaurant, Tre Vaselle, in Torigiano.  It was a not-to-be-missed opportunity to taste Lungarotti wines, like Umbrian Sangiovese, Orvieto, Sagrantino as well as other Umbrian wines, where they are made. 

The Umbrian take on Sangiovese lacks the fame of the Chianti version from nearby Tuscany.  But Umbria has Sagrantino, a powerful red with a hint of exotic spice, and Umbria is home to the noteworthy Orvieto, a mineral laced white made from the Grechetto grape.

Various interpretations of all these Umbrian wines were pitted against other vini bianchi and vini rossi, judged by panels (called "juries" by the competition) of Italian and non-Italian wine journalists and Italian sommeliers.  

Judging sessions were long and tedious, with extended discussions over the merits of certain wines and if they deserved a medal or not.  Compromises were difficult , as the Italian judges frequently insisted on offering dogmatic opinions about Umbrian wines. 

The rewarding pauses from this rigidity were excursions into the Umbrian countryside to historic towns like Assisi.  My first experience at Assisi was with fellow judge, Martin Gersh, then the wine writer for "Vogue" magazine.  Gersh was a middle aged New Yorker who had never traveled to Europe or been in an airplane.   

Yet, he knew in detail every fabulous Giotto fresco in the lower church of the 13th century Basilica di San Francesco, in Assisi.   

                                                     

Armed with lira to feed the meters that give the viewer a very brief illumination of the frecoes, I listened to Martin describe each masterpiece with the enthusiasm of a young boy explaining a television cartoon to his father.   It seemed that little had changed in the Umbrian landscape, from the 15th century, as depicted in the religious paintings we saw from that time.  

Back at the tasting, my panel was tasked with evaluating  Sangioveses, like that in Lungarotti Torgiano Rubesco.  The Umbrian style is a standout for light cherry-herbal flavors and brisk acidity.  No doubt, the  Rubesco, with its high percentage of Sangiovese, was one of the wines we tasted. 

We also had three flights of red blends of  Sangiovese and Sagrantino, the latter a native Umbrian variety that adds firm tannins and a smoky note.  

Assisi had fed my spirit, but a visit to Orvieto promised to slake my thirst for Umbria's best known white wine.  An Umbrian original, Orvieto bianco takes its name from a town dominated by its duomo (cathedral), an imposing 14th century mix of Gothic and Romanesque architecture, featuring a stunning facade of white granite and black basalt stripes that wrap around the building.

Orvieto is justly famous for its white wine blend of Grechetto, Trebbiano, Verdella and Malvasia.  The best Orvieto has a high percentage of Grechetto, giving the wine richness, good structure and a lingering minerality.  

Lungarotti Torre de Giano is a blend of  Grechetto, Vermentino and Trebbiano.  Tuscany's Family Antinori, with its presence in Umbria, pairs Grechetto with Chardonnay in Cervaro della Sala. 

Umbrian cooking reflects the robust nature of the landscape, people and wine.  In "Vino Italiano," renown authority on Italian cuisine, Lidia Bastanich, offers up a recipe for the Umbrian dish, Spaghetti alla Norcina, a flavorful combination of pasta, olive oil, garlic, black truffles and anchovies, paired with a dry Orvieto.

With the competition completed and medals awarded, we judges moved to the lounge while the competition space was transformed back to the Tre Vaselle restaurant for the judges dinner.  Bastianich was not there to cook for us, but the Lungarotti chefs prepared a sumptuous meal, featuring black truffles from Umbria.    

Besides Tre Vaselle in Toriano, there are many other restaurants in Umbria to enjoy country cooking, like Buca di San Francisco in Assisi and Villa Cicona in Orvieto.   

 

Next post:  A Cabernet Collection 

Leave a comment at boydvino707@gail.com 

 

A Multitude of Muscats

     

There are many satisfying things about wine and the multitude of Muscats is one of them.  Muscats are among the oldest wine grapes on the planet, with at least one Muscat in every major wine region. 

Some familiar grape and wine names allude to "Muscat," even though they are not made from a Muscat variety, such as Muscadelle, blended with Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc for Bordeaux sweet wines; Muscadet, a Loire Valley wine made from Melon de Bourgogne; and the Rhone sweetie, Muscat de Baumes-de-Venise. 

Muscat is one of few varieties that  taste of grapes.  All Muscats have what is best described as orange blossom and citrus zest note.  Muscats tend to be low in acidity, so the citrus tang can help balance the wine.  The variety Muscat Blanc sometimes has the elusive taste of rose petals, in the way they smell, not taste.  

Musqué, a grape off shot, is a French term meaning "muscat-like."  Years ago, a mini-trend in California promoted a Chardonnay mutation with a subtle musky character. 

Universally known simply as Muscat, the variety (and wine) have local names, such as Moscatel in Spain and Portugal, Moscato in Italy and Muscadel in South Africa.  Growers in Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria, grow a variety named Muscat Ottonel. 

But no matter how it's spelled, the versatile Muscat grape is used for dry, sweet, sparkling and fortified wine. There is a multitude of Muscats and at least 60 synonyms, many of them tied to a specific place, like Muscat d'Alsace.  At the top of the order are Muscat Blanc and Muscat of Alexandria, the two varieties responsible for most of the world's best Muscats.

Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains, usually shortened to Muscat Blanc, is the finest of all Muscats for making a wine with clearly defined flavors.  As the name implies, Muscat Blanc has small round berries, packed with flavor.  Alsatian producers Zind-Humbrecht and Trimbach have Muscat wines made from Muscat Blanc. Here are a few more Muscat Blancs, some by other names:

France:  Muscat de Frontignan is the name used in parts of France and in South Africa; Muscat d'Alsace is a synonym for Muscat Blanc;  Muscat de Lunel, Languedoc; Muscat de Rivesaltes, Pyrenees Orientales and Aude; in California, Muscat Blanc is called Muscat Canelli; Muscardin, a red variety used in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. 

Italy:  Moscato d'Asti, a sparkling wine made from Moscato Bianco in Piemonte; in Tuscany's Montalcino the name for Muscat Blanc is Moscadello.

California: Muscat of Hamburg is also called Black Hamburg; Orange Muscat, with distinctive orange blossom characteristics.  Popular examples of these two Muscats are made by California's Quady Winery.

Muscat of Alexandria, a commonly known variety in U.S. wine making,  doesn't quite have the refinement of Muscat Blanc, but it is widely grown in California, Australia, South Africa, Italy and many other places.  

Australia's outstanding Liqueur Muscat, a dark, rich and sweet fortified wine, is made from Muscat of Alexandria by Seppelt, Brown Brothers and McWilliams, among others. 

Pisco is a popular drink enjoyed throughout Chile and Peru.  Made from Muscat of Alexandria, Pisco  is distilled fermented grape juice.  Enjoyed as an on-the-rocks drink, Pisco is also the base for many cocktails, like Pisco Sour. 

                                                                         

Make your own Pisco Sour with Pisco Porton, Capel Pisco or Barsol Pisco , sweet and sour mix or freshly-squeezed lemon or lime juice, blended to your taste.

Muscats are loaded with character, similar to Gewürztraminer, making them challenging to pair with food. Dry Muscats, with spice and citrus, are a good choice with Indian food and lightly spiced Asian dishes, like Thai curries.  Sweeter Muscats, such as sparkling Muscat,  are best as dessert or matched with  fruit pies, fresh peaches and apricots. 

Pixabay photos

 

More on AI & Wine: The hottest topic today in technology is the pros and cons of artificial intelligence.  The question for AI and wine is: What is the relationship of AI and wine now and in the future and how will it affect wine production and consumption?  This is only part of the answer.

Recent articles in such varied publications as "New York Times" and "Morning Ag Clips" report that AI is being used by companies like John Deere to develop autonomous tractors.  Mason Earles, co-founder of AI-powered farm management platform Scout says AI can help grape growers with virus problems in vineyards and predicting yields.

The downside of the AI juggernaut in wine comes from Angelo Camillo, a business professor at Sonoma (California) State University.  Camillo warns that small family-owned wineries, which he says account for 80% of the wine business, do not understand AI technology and cannot afford AI investment and education.  Can an AI driven grape picking bot be far behind?

 

Next post:  Memories of Umbria

Leave a comment at boydvino707@gmail.com 

 

 

St. Emilion

      

St. Emilion is a city, resting on a plateau, built from the inside out. Beginning in the 8th century, workers began to dig a maze of caves for the limestone to erect the buildings that would rise over the years to become St. Emilion. Today, the city is one of the more attractive in an otherwise ordinary-looking Bordeaux.

For centuries, St. Emilion played an important role in the history of the region. The nearby port of Pierrefittte, on the Dordogne river, was used to ship local wine to England and it was a stop on the Path of St. James, for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. 

St. Emilion's wine connection got a boost when early wineries discovered constant cool temperatures in the caves were ideal for wine storage. The discovery placed St. Emilion as the region's most important right bank city, equal to that of Bordeaux city. 

The value of the wine trade to the region's growth as a commerce hub continued to grow, thanks in large part to the administration of the trade by English merchants. 

In the early years of the 20th century, the Bordeaux wine trade was divided in two, with merchants in the city of Bordeaux concentrating on the wines of the Médoc, while across the Gironde estuary, in the right bank city of Libourne, tradesmen dealt in the wines of St. Emilion.

Then, as now, Cabernet Sauvignon, was the dominant red variety in Bordeaux.  But for St. Emilion, Merlot proved to be the more important grape, partnered with Cabernet Franc.  Meanwhile, Médoc chateaux preferred a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and then Cabernet Franc. 

There is a family resemblance in Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. As part of the Bordeaux blend, with Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, there is a harmonious synergy in a blend of the five varieties. Individually, though, Cabernet Sauvignon is more herbal, while Merlot is fruitier. 

Merlot based St. Emilion wines tread a fine line between fruit-forward black cherry and plum flavors, and vegetal dill notes. The shift to herbal is more noticeable in off years in St. Emilion. 

So why isn't Cab Sauv not the major grape of St. Emilion? The distance, after all, from vineyards in the Médoc to vineyards in St. Emilion is a mere 20 miles. 

The answer is terroir. In that short distance, the climate and soils are cool enough in St. Emilion, that Cabernet Sauvignon finds it difficult to ripen in most years. On the other hand, earlier-ripening Merlot is more comfortable in the cooler damp clay soils of St. Emilion.   

The relationship of climate and soil temperature seems at odds in both St. Emilion and the Médoc. Inland St. Emilion has a warmer continental climate and cooler soils, while the Médoc, not far from the ocean, is in a more maritime climate with warmer soils. 

Climate and soil, along with other factors, are prescribed by the French appellation system,  Appellation d'Origine Controlée (AOC), drafted in the 1930s. The American version of AOC, the American Viticultural Area (AVA), was initiated by the federal government in the 1980s. 

While the two systems share similarities, the American system is only geographical and does not include rules on viticulture and wine making. And, unlike AOC, the AVA designation does not appear on a wine label. These differences are critical when weighing the value of label information at the point of purchase.

The debate pitting Merlot and St. Emilion with Cabernet Sauvignon and Médoc has no winner since any result is a matter of personal preference. Pairing these wines with food is also a matter of personal choice. Here are a few suggestions that have worked, based on complimentary flavor components. 

Merlot's soft and fruity flavors work nicely with vegetable and meat patés and terrines, roast duck and cured ham, and curried meat dishes and cheesy entrees. 

Cabernet Sauvignon is an ideal choice with all roast and grilled meats, especially lamb, beef stews, roast turkey, grilled steak and dishes with mushrooms. 

If you caught the Merlot wave and want to sample a classic expression of the classic grape, look for St. Emilion on your next trip to the wine shop.  

Getty image 

 

Next post: A Multitude of Muscats

Leave a comment at boydvino707@gmail.com  

 

 

The Wines of Santa Barbara County

    

Californians have a friendly disagreement about which part of their state is the "real" California: Northern California or Southern California? However, the Golden State is too big and diverse for an honest answer.  

The dispute does pose a similar question among wine people. Where in California can you find the real or best Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Syrah? 

Top choices in the north are multiple places in Sonoma County and in Napa-Carneros, while in the south, the clearest expressions of the three varietals are in Santa Barbara County.

While it can be fun, playing the "best" game is impossible. Geography is one limiting factor, and then there's stylistic variations defined by terroir differences. Bottom line, though, it may come down to personal preferences for one region or another, or the winemaker's approach. 

In the past, I've examined various wine region in Northern California, so this post will focus on Santa Barbara County and its unique Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.  

There are seven American Viticultural Appellations (AVA) in Santa Barbara County. Here's a capsule look at each AVA, with the key wines. The year the AVA was granted is in parenthesis.

Santa Maria Valley AVA (1981), east and south of the city of Santa Maria, is an ideal spot for growing excellent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. The growing season is long and cool, tempered by the nearby ocean. It's an ideal environment for varieties like Pinot Noir. Essential pinot flavors like black cherry and plum develop nicely here.  

Santa Maria Valley AVA boasts a long list of noteworthy wineries: Byron Vineyard & Winery, Au Bon Climat, Foxen Vineyard & Winery, Qupé, Rancho Sisquoc.  Many of them, like Au Bon Climat, get their grapes from Bien Nacido Vineyards.

Santa Ynez Valley AVA (1983) has the most wineries in Santa Barbara County.  Chardonnay does well in the cooler western part of the valley, thanks to marine fog through a gap in the western hills. Further east, in the warmest part, Rhone varieties, like Syrah, are favored. Wineries: Brander Vineyard, Roblar Winery & Vineyards.

Santa Rita Hills AVA (2001) is a large sub appellation between Lompoc and Buellton. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are the most planted grapes. Wineries include Sanford Winery & Vineyards and Babcock Winery & Vineyards. 

In 2006, a claim by Chile's Vina Santa Rita that the Santa Rita Hills AVA was causing market confusion, prompted a name change to Sta. Rita Hills. Wineries and vineyards in the area were featured in the 2004 film "Sideways." 

Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara AVA (2009) farms vineyards up to 3,000 ft., in the northeast corner of the appellation. Only a few wineries, including Happy Canyon Vineyard and Grassini Family Vineyards, are making Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Syrah and Sangiovese.

Ballard Canyon AVA (2013), east of Happy Canyon, benefits from morning fog that can cause a 45F diurnal shift in the temperature, for slow ripening of Syrah and Grenache, in the loamy, limestone soils. Wineries: Stolpman Vineyards, Beckman Vineyards.

Los Olivos District AVA (2016) is east of Ballard Canyon, near the Danish-style city of Solvang. The district, with 12 wineries and 47 vineyards, is on a broad, flat plain.  Best varieties here are Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhone grapes. 

Alisos Canyon AVA (2020) is the latest Santa Barbara AVA, with one winery, Dovecote Estate. The small AVA, 25 miles from the Pacific Ocean, is known for Syrah, Grenache and other Rhone varieties, that ripen well in the warm canyon climate. 

The AVA concept was initiated by the federal government in the 1980s, as an American version of the French Appellation d'Origine Controlée (AOC), drafted in the 1930s. While the two systems share similarities, the American system is only geographical and does not include rules on viticulture and wine making. And, unlike AOC, the AVA designation does not appear on a wine label. These differences are critical when weighing the value of label information at the point of purchase.

There is a wine for every taste in Santa Barbara County. The moderate climate is ideal for distinctive Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, as well as fruit-driven Rhone varieties. 

Freepik photo 

 

Next post: St. Emilion

Leave a comment at boydvino707@gmail.com 

 

Return of the Blog

Readers, 

I have had on-going computer problems, which, hopefully are now resolved.

The blog originally scheduled for June 27, about the wines of Santa Barbara County, will now be posted on July 4.   

Gerald D. Boyd 

Tempranillo

                                             

Tempranillo is Spain's most popular red wine grape.  Mainly associated with Rioja and Ribera del Duero, Tempranillo has won over thousands of enthusiasts worldwide, making it the fourth most widely planted variety in the world.  

Moreover,  87% of the world's Tempranillo is grown in Spain, planted in more than 501,000 acres.  The popularity of Tempranillo in Spain has caused some to proclaim Tempranillo as Spain's answer to Cabernet Sauvignon.  

Not that Tempranillo tastes anything like Cabernet.  Fresh off the vine, Tempranillo has ripe juicy strawberry flavors, while Cabernet Sauvignon leans more to herbaceous.  

And, youthful Tempranillo has the up-front tannin  you might expect of an early-drinking red wine.  But after one taste  of a Rioja or Ribera, both made primarily from Tempranillo, any thought of a light  wine dissolves.   Tempranillo grows best in cooler climates at higher elevations. 

The Spanish word "temprano" means early.  In the vineyard, Tempranillo ripens before other grapes, mainly in chalky clay soils.  Chalk gives the wine acidity and elegance, while clay develops body.   

Layers of chalk and limestone can be found in Ribera del Duero and Burgundy.  The medium helps to improve the bracing acidity found in Tempranillo (and Pinot Noir), as well as helping to develop the spice, leather and tobacco leaf notes that mature with age in Tempranillo. 

In Rioja, Tempranillo marries well with American oak, lots of it.  Recognizing the demand for international wines has meant that a lot of wineries are replacing old American oak with new French oak.  Still, while a greater percentage of new oak is now the new reality in Rioja and Ribera, the tradition remains for long barrel aging in older oak. In Rioja, Crianza and Riserva wines are required to stay in oak for at least one year, and Gran Riserva for two years.  

A number of synonyms are used for Tempranillo, including Tinto Fino and Tinta del Pais in Ribera del Duero, Tinta de Toro in Toro, Ull de Lebre in Catalonia and Cencibel in La Mancha and Valdepenas.

Tempranillo's  nature makes it a good candidate for blending.  It has a neutral palate and needs the help of oak to be a wine for long aging.  Thus the need for blending with other varieties to give the wine more complexity and flavor with greater longevity.  Gran Riserva Rioja and Ribera, especially from old vines, can take long aging in  bottle

Garnacha (Grenache), Mazuelo (Carignan) and Graciano, the most common Spanish red grapes, are  blending partners with Tempranillo.  International varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah are being used more, as tastes continue to evolve. 

Records show that Tempranillo was first brought to the Iberian Peninsula by the Phoenicians sometime between 1550 BCE and 300 BCE.  The Portuguese re-named the grape to Tinta Roriz, a major contributor to modern Port wine. 

In fact, it was once thought that Tempranillo was related to Pinot Noir.  Legend is that Cistercian monks left Pinot Noir cuttings along their pilgrimage in Spain, on the way to Santiago de Compostela. 

A Remembrance: I had read about the legend, but wanted to see for myself what The Way of St. James was all about. So, on a trip to Galicia, I took a moment to wander the narrow passageways near the cathedral in Compostela. 

Pausing to look in a shop window, I heard an eerie sound echoing off the high walls, growing louder. Then, around the corner strolled a young man playing a set of bagpipes, or more correctly, a gaita, the Galician bagpipe, an instrument that can be traced back to pre-Christian Celts.  

I admit to being part of a small minority that enjoys the sound of bagpipes, but I never expected to hear one in Spain.

Pausing to listen for a few minutes, I then made my way back to the cathedral. A group of road-weary pilgrims had gathered by the cathedral's low side door. Once a year, on the Day of St. James the Greater, the door is opened, allowing pilgrims to enter the cathedral. 

That, in itself, is not so unusual. But on the left side of the door frame there is a wet spot, that supposedly never dries. 

According to Catholic lore, the mysterious moisture is not connected to any source or pipe inside the church and is believed by the faithful to be holy water.  

As the pilgrims stooped to pass through the low door, they touched the spot and blessed themselves, bringing an end to their long pilgrimage along the Camino de Santiago.  

Tempranillo's big success in Spain has spread worldwide to Portugal, Australia, Oregon, South Africa, Argentina and California.  A handful of California Tempranillos include Stevenot, Calaveras County, a Tempranillo pioneer in California; St. Amant, Amador; Justin and Booker, Paso Robles. 

Spanish red wines made from Tempranillo are available and affordable, from fresh and fruity, to aged and complex.

Next post: Wines of Santa Barbara County

Leave a comment at boydvino707@gmail.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unpublished post

Dear Readers,

Due to a disagreement with Blogger.com, the post, "NoLo & Natural" has been unpublished.  

The next blog, on Tempranillo, will be in your in box, June 20, 2025.

 

Gerald D. Boyd