Focus on Malbec

Who knew that Malbec, a mostly unknown grape, had the power to help transform the wine economy of a South American country? Although approaching obscurity in its homeland, Malbec went west and became an international wine juggernaut. 

                              

The Malbec story started in Bordeaux, but gained notice as a single varietal in an obscure corner of France. Back in the day, when England was importing a lot of wine from France, English wine drinkers liked their reds big and dark, so they turned to Cahors.  Malbec became known in England as the "black wine of Cahors."

Unfortunately for Cahors, the rustic red never reached the same popularity as the more refined Bordeaux.  Still, there are Cahors reds in the market, such as Ch. la Coustarelle and Ch. Armandiere.

Malbec was a team player in Bordeaux, but not a known one. Ironically, many of the people that liked Bordeaux were not aware that Malbec was contributing to their enjoyment.  This was especially true in light years when Cabernet Sauvignon needed a boost in color and flavor density. 

There's a line of five red grapes that make up the so-called "Bordeaux blend." For the majority of chateau blends, the order of importance is  Cabernet Sauvignion, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot.  Malbec is not the least important red variety in Bordeaux, but it's close. Lately, the value of Malbec (and Petit Verdot) has slipped in Bordeaux.

Malbec goes west

Malbec was destined for greater things when the grape found a new home in Argentina. Today, Malbec is the most planted red wine variety throughout Argentina, accounting for about 20% of the total. 

The first Argentine Malbecs were structurally bigger and riper than Cahors. To be clear, Cahors looks big and ripe, and by Bordeaux standards it is, but there is a refinement that defines the character of Malbec. The Argentine style evolved to more subtlety with berry and spice flavors, while Cahors continued to search for  for more refinement.

Argentine winemakers favor Cabernet Sauvignon, the third most planted red variety in Argentina, as the first choice for blending with Malbec.  Bonarda, the second most planted red grape, is a variety that has been shown by DNA profiling, to be the same as Charbono, a grape once popular in California in jug wine blends.

The Argentine take, then, on Malbec was to blend with Cabernet Sauvignon, make the wines less plummy/jammy and finish with lower alcohol. This approach allowed Malbec to be oak aged, elevating it to a top tier status.

Region by Region

Here's a region-by-region summary of Argentina's main spots for Malbec, along with a few notes on other wines that are doing well in these areas.

Argentina has a tiered system of appellations, starting with provinces, such as Mendoza, then departments which are in turn sub-divided into districts and then single vineyards.  Any of these appellations, such as the department of Maipu, can appear on wine labels.

Major provinces include Mendoza, San Juan, Salta, La Rioja and Rio Negro. Malbec is a popular variety in most of these provinces and is especially important in the Mendoza departments of Lujan de Cuyo, Maipu,Valle de Uco and Tupungato. In 1993, Argentina established its first "controlled appellation" for Malbec, combining the departments of Lujan de Cuyo and Maipu.  

Mendoza is where it's happening for Argentine Malbec.  Mendoza is a large province, with such important districts as Lunluna and Tupungato. Valle de Uco (Uco Valley) is a newer district with high promise for Malbec and Chardonnay. The wines are full-bodied with good natural acidity. 

San Juan, the second largest wine region, is north of Mendoza and at lower elevations. Long the producer of large amounts of sweet pink wine from the Cereza grape, San Juan has transitioned to a variety of whites, including Viognier and some experimental Malbec and Syrah. 

La Rioja, the oldest of Argentina's wine-producing provinces, specializes in the white Torrontes Riojano, an aromatic dry white, popular at home, but still building export interest. Torrontes Riojano, a cross of Muscat Alexandria and Criolla Chica (California's Mission grape), is one of four known Torrontes grapes in Argentina. 

Salta vineyard in the Andes

Salta is in the far northwest, with vineyards at high elevations.  California's Donald Hess' Colome comes from a vineyard at 10,000 feet. Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon are the leading reds, with Argentina's unique Torrontes Riojano the favored white.  Salta wines are growing in popularity even though many of them are still tiny quantities. 

Rio Negra first planted vines in 2013 and since has been growing steadily. The southern province is in Patagonia, an untouched scenic region, home of large herds of cattle and sheep - and now vines. Malbec, the leading red, is made in an aromatic style with less concentration than Malbecs from Mendoza, reflecting the province's cooler climate. 

Argentine Malbecs worth a search include Catena and Catena Zapata, Salentein, Weinart, Famalia Zuccardi, Terrazas de Los Andes, Alta Vista, Norton, Colome, Luigi Bosco, Trapiche. 

Malbec Outside Argentina

In other parts of the world, such as Australia, California, Chile, Washington state, Malbec has a presence, but still stands behind Cabernet Sauvignon, both at the winery level and in retail shops.  The modest success of Malbec in the world is, no doubt, due to Argentina's wholehearted adoption of the variety. 

Across the Andes in Chile, winemakers took notice of Argentina's success with Malbec and soon began to add Malbec to their line of red wines.  Chilean Malbec (Montes, Mont Gras, Clos de Luz, Caliterra) tends to be bigger and more tannic and usually part of a Bordeaux blend.

The few Australian wineries that make Malbec, Like Jim Barry and Henschke, usually use it as a blending component with Cabernet Sauvignon.  

About 50 Washington wineries are making a varietal Malbec, like Canoe Ridge, Barnard Griffin and Three Rivers, but most Washington Malbec goes into blends with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  B.R. Cohn, Mt. Brave and Assisduous are among the growing number of California varietal Malbecs.

Who knew there was so much to say about Malbec?  A growing number of consumers know and are looking to Argentina, Cahors and Washington state for their next bottle of varietal Malbec. 

Next blog: It's in the Soil

Leave a comment or write me at boydvino707@gmail.com

 

Australia Series: The Other Regions

The bulk of wine produced in Australia comes from four states: Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. To read about them, consult the Index on the opening page of any of my blogs. 

The last installment in the Australia Series, is an overview of the wines of Tasmania, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland.  The combined output of these three regions is small, yet each offers something unique or different.

Tasmanian Devil

Tasmania is an island off the southeastern coast of Victoria.  Named for settler Abel Tasman, "Tassie," as it is fondly known, has experienced the problem that few winemakers want to go there, because the island is thought to be a backwater and maybe a career killer.  But making wine on Tasmania poses challenges a winemaker may not face elsewhere and that makes it attractive. An array of micro climates and terroirs pose the biggest challenge. Tassie wineries, though, have built a solid reputation for Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling and sparkling wine, mainly from Pipers River and the Tamar Valley.  Brands: Pipers Brook, Tamar Ridge, Apogee, Morilla Estate, Clover Hill.

Australian Capital Territory is an odd duck in Australian wine. For one thing, the area is known as both ACT and the Canberra District, after the capital city of Canberra. But, because of strict land use rules, the small group of ACT wineries operate outside the borders in Yass Valley and around Lake George. A handful of tiny wineries make Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a little Shiraz.  Wines to look for include Clonakilla, Helm and Lark Hill. Many of the ACT wines are hard to find even in major Australian markets. So ask your local wine merchant to special order them.

Queensland cluster

Queensland was a wine powerhouse in the late 19th century.  The northern region went through a series of ups and downs, but now seems to be on an up turn. The most significant wine area is Granite Belt, a small sub region on the southern border with New South Wales. However, the higher elevation, means spring frost can be a problem. Chardonnay, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc are the main whites, with Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon the best reds. The larger wine sub region is South Burnett Valley, with most of the wineries along the coast and around Brisbane. Wine tourism is the popular attraction.

Final thoughts on Australian wine

This series brings to a close an overview of Australian wine. But there still is a few things to say about the past and future of Australian wine in the U.S. market.

Wine drinkers with long memories will remember a charming Aussie named Paul Hogan who extended an invitation to Americans to come to Australia and they'll put a "shrimp on the barbie."  The popular TV ads, that ran in major U.S. markets, were a follow up to Hogan's mega hit movie, "Crocodile Dundee."  

Although Hogan's pitch was on behalf of Australian tourism, the ads and the movie helped to open the flood gates of what seemed like an endless flow of Australian wine that soon became the new wine sensation in America. 

For a time, American wine drinkers enjoyed well-made Aussie Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz (Syrah) and were re-acquainted with the pleasures of Semillon as a varietal wine.  

For many, Australian wines were a lot like those from California, yet they were different, especially Shiraz.  American wine drinkers had gotten used to leaner Syrah from the Rhone Valley, aged in French oak and then along comes brawnier Aussie Shiraz, aged in American oak.  The Aussies had shaken up the American wine consciousness. 

It wouldn't be the last shaking from Down Under.  Aussies took over pop music and movies, Russell Crowe and Nichole Kidman were everywhere and American movie goers had a hard time deciding if the actor they were seeing with a convincing accent was American or Australian. 

Wine drinkers were just as puzzled.  Australian wines, of course, had their own personality, but to the casual wine consumer, Aussie Chardonnay and California Chardonnay were like close cousins: warm climate fruit and French oak tended to blur the differences.

From the earliest days of the Aussie invasion, price was the leveling market factor. Australian wine was beating California wine at most price points, until it wasn't.  In time, Australian wineries raised bottle prices high enough that consumers thought  why should they pay a premium price for an Australian wine when a comparable California wine was on the shelf for less.  

Today, Australian wine offers a good quality/price ratio.  Trying different wines is always a good policy, especially when wineries throughout Australia offer such a wide variety of wine.  

The Sonoma Series is next, with the first installment scheduled for October 14,  featuring Alexander Valley and Knights Valley.

Next blog: Focus on Malbec

Leave a comment or write me at boydvino707@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

• 
  
  

  Your article brought back old times. In regards to eucalyptus, I remember one day parking my pick up next to a windbreak of eucalyptus to help the guys move sprinkler pipe. when I came back there was sap from the trees all over the windshield of my pick up and it dawned on me checking further that the first five or six rows of vines we’re going to have a lot of sap on them also. Sure enough one eucalyptus tree can flavor 50 acres of grapes. I also remember the Chenin Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Reisling and Chardonnay that we produced from the San Vicente Vineyard which was just on the east side of 101 were all‘s absolutely delicious. the only real problem was Cabernet and it was unfortunate for us because as we got into the 70s as Cabernetsauvignon went so went your reputation. No one cared about how good your reasoning was at that point in time had we focused on Pinot and graft it over the Cabernet right then we would probably still be in business as Mirassou.
  

  That’s the joy of being a Pioneer. I think of the pioneers who first came across America to California, a lot of them ended up with arrows in their butt and Cabernet was one of our arrows. Ah the things that could’ve been!
  

  Hi to Janet and stay well
  

  
  

  
  

  Sent from my iPad

• 
  

• ---

Monterey County

Note: Evil (and costly) scammers are to blame for this blog showing up late in your in box.  The site has been down for a couple of days, while a scammer claiming to be Apple Security, did a job on my wife's and my computer.  But, we're back...at least until the next hack.  

There was a time when wines carrying a Monterey County appellation were accused of having a bad case of the "Monterey Veggies."  Never mind that other Monterey wines, not made from grapes gown in the northern part of the county, Jekel Rieslings for example, were not vegetal at all. 

Northern Monterey, specifically Salinas, is known as the salad bowl of the nation, because trailing off to the east and west of H-101, are endless rows of lettuce, artichokes and other row crops. Some people claim that after the lettuce is picked and the plants are plowed under, the decomposing matter leaves a vegetal presence in the soil.  

Eucalyptus nuts and leaves

The same theory has been suggested (and scoffed at) for vineyards adjacent to eucalyptus trees. According to one theory, the eucalypt leaves and nuts drop from the trees and are mixed into the vineyard soil, giving red wines a "certain" eucalypt character.  The most noted example is Heitz Martha's Vineyard Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

I asked Joe Heitz about that theory in the late 1970s and he scoffed, saying it was a lot of bunk.  "Years ago, I worked for a winery in the Central Valley and on hot days we had gondolas full of grapes parked under the shade of eucalypts. Eventually we processed the grapes along with the leaves and nuts and never picked up eucalyptus in the wines."  

A few months ago, I opened a 1999 Martha's Vineyard and thought it was one of the best Napa Cabernets I had tasted in years, but I didn't detect eucalyptus or even mint. 

The beautiful rainbow eucalyptus

Aside:  There is a sensory difference between the smell and taste of mint and that of eucalyptus. Eucalyptus is more menthol than mint, while mint is often like peppermint, which in turn is different than spearmint. For most wine consumers, arguing the differences is splitting hairs, but distinguishing the differences is important to wine professionals.

Monterey Sub-Regions

Today, Monterey is a vibrant wine region, with a handful of sub regions producing distinctive wines.  Gavilan mountains is home to the Burgundian-style wines of Chalone Vineyards.  The Santa Lucia Highlands has built a solid reputation for Pinot Noir, Carmel Valley leans more toward Cabernet Sauvignon.

The northern part of the county, mainly the Salinas Valley, is cool and often fog bound. The valley is open to the Pacific Ocean and as the temperatures cool, evening fog is drawn into the valley,making it difficult to grow wine grapes.  The opposite is the case in the south where daytime temperatures are higher and the area doesn't cool off in the evenings.

Note:  The following Monterey regions will include an AVA (American Viticultural Area) and the year it was granted.  Monterey has some of the oldest AVAs in the state.  There are nine Monterey AVAs; Chalone the first in 1982, San Antonio the most recent, granted in 2006.

Monterey AVA (1984) encompasses the entire valley, stretching from the cool Salinas Valley in the north to the hot southern end. The large appellation is composed of eight distinct wine regions, all but the San Antonio Valley, covered by its own AVA: San Bernabe AVA, Carmel Valley AVA, Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, Arroyo Seco AVA, Chalone AVA, San Lucas AVA and Hames Valley AVA. 

San Bernabe AVA (2004) is at the southern end of the AVA. The are is dominated by the 13,000 acre San Bernabe Vineyard, the largest contiguous vineyard in the world, owned by Delicato. San Bernabe also supplies grapes to wineries throughout California.

Santa Lucia Highlands  AVA (1991) lies along the western side of Salinas Valley. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah are planted on elevated terraces and are protected from ocean gusts by the Santa Lucia mountain range.  Santa Lucia Pinot Noir is considered among the best in the state.  Look for Paraiso Vineyards, Hahn Estate, Morgan Winery, Mer Soleil. 

Chalone AVA (1982) is one of California's early success stories with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, that looked tio Burgundy for style. High above the Salinas Valley in the eastern Gavilan Mountains, Chalone grapes get their energy and character from limestone soils and a cooler climate. In 1965, Richard Graff purchased Chalone Vineyard and employed oak-barrel fermentation and lees aging, then mostly unknown in the Golden State. Michaud Vineyard is the other winery in the tiny AVA. 

Arroyo Seco AVA (1983) is named for the dry wash in this part of Monterey.  At the center is Greenfield and Jekel Vineyards, a winery, as noted earlier that made its reputation on juicy Rieslings and later Chardonnay.  Those two wines are the flagships for Arroyo Seco.  Cabernet Sauvignon is less successful but does has its moments. Look for the appellation on Ventana Vineyards, J. Lohr, Kendall-Jackson, JC Cellars.

Carmel Valley AVA (1983) is a small AVA, about 10 miles inland from the city of Monterey.  The enclave is fashionable, with Clint Eastwood bringing fame, as  mayor, to the nearby city of Carmel-by-the-Sea.  The top wines are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, especially from Bernardus and Galante Vineyards.  Pinot Noir has seen some success, planted at the higher parts of the valley, mainly from Talbot Vineyards and Diamond T Vineyards.

Monterey County is vast and varied, with the popular touristy coastal Monterey City, Pebble Beach golf courses, Carmel and Big Sur.  Vineyards and wineries are spread out, but with a plan, winery visits can be rewarding.

 

Next blog: Australia Series: Tasmania, ACT, Queensland and more. 

Leave a comment or write me at boydvino707@gmail.com

 

 

Livermore

A few years ago, I was sitting at a table with some members of the Wente wine family, at their restaurant in Livermore. The interview was going well until I said to the family matriarch, Jean Wente, "I understand, but in wine country..."

Mrs. Wente looked directly at me and with a slight smile said, "Mr. Boyd, Livermore is also wine country."

You could have heard a cork drop as I quickly tried to recover from my faux pas.   While trying to hold up my part of the conversation with this considerate lady, I bumbled into making the same mistake I accused others of, that "wine country" must mean Napa and Sonoma. 

Jean Wente knew my mistake but she wasn't going to pass up a delicious opportunity to set the record straight with a visiting wine writer.  

And that's how a polite reminder marked my new appreciation of the Livermore Valley and the wine produced there. 

                                                                    Wente Vineyards image

In the early 1880s, Carl Wente and Joseph Concannon planted vineyards in the Livermore Valley, a few miles apart.  A few decades earlier, settlers in the Napa Valley were making wine for their own tables from the then common Mission grape. The first wine from more noble grapes didn't happen in the North Coast, however, until about 1860.

From the first major plantings of Vitis vinifera, Livermore has been known more for white wines, like Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, than reds.  Today, Cabernet Sauvignon is the leading red variety in the valley, followed by Petite Sirah.  

While concentrating on Cabernet Sauvignon, Concannon Vineyards cpntinues to enjoy a solid following for its Livermore Petite Sirah and Semillon.  Still, even though Concannon continues to show the impessive merits of Semillon, American consumers want their Chardonnay.

The Valley

Livermore valley is 15 miles long and 10 miles wide, with more than 40 wineries in a loose cluster south of I-580.  Prior to Prohibition, there were 50 wineries in the valley. Today, with the exception of large wineries like Wente and Concannon, the majority are small.  And a handful describe themselves as "boutique," like Mia Napote Wines, specializing in Italian varieties. 

Here are eight Livermore wineries with wide distribution: Wente Vineyards, Concannon Vineyards, Fenestra, Murrieta's Well, Retzlaff Vineyards, Steven Kent Winery, Cedar Mountain Winery, Darcie Kent Estate Winery. 

Ocean fog creeping across East Bay hills to Livermore Valley

Daytime temperatures can be very warm in Livermore Valley, but because of the valley's east-west orientation, coastal fog from the Pacific ocean and San Francisco Bay is drawn through the low East Bay hills, cooling the nights.

The Wines

This daily temperature change has allowed Livermore winemakers to make a range of wines from traditional French grapes such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  And Petite Sirah and a few Italian varieties.  

Livermore's contribution to California viticulture is the Wente clone of Chardonnay, now used by an estimated 80 percent of wineries in the state. In 1912, German immigrant C.H. Wente brought in a Chardonnay clone from Burgundy.  A process called "vegetative propagation" has adapted the clone to Livermore's unique growing conditions.  Today, the Wente clone produces Chardonnay with apple, pear, citrus and floral characteristics.

Although Petite Sirah is favored as a blending component, especially with Zinfandel, the grape is well suited to Livermore terroir and is made as a varietal by a number of Livermore wineries, most notably, Concannon Vineyards, with three separate bottlings and a Petite Sirah Port.

Livermore Valley wine country, with its array of wineries, is an easy drive from San Francisco or Oakland.  It's an inviting place to spend a day or two dining, tasting wine, or playing golf at the valley's excellent golf courses. 

 

Next blog: Monterey County

Leave a message or write me at boydvino707@gmail.com

Australia Series: Western Australia

Western Australia, the huge state that makes up one-third of the entire country-continent, has one of the most remote wine regions on the planet. The closest wine country to WA is in South Australia, a distance of about 1600 miles.

In Western Australia, the culture of wine-growing is sustained close to the Indian Ocean. Vineyards are scattered along a narrow strip that runs close to the water, from the Swan Valley, north of Perth, to the isolated Great Southern, where the Indian and Great Southern oceans merge. 

When you are in Western Australia, you don't appreciate how remote you are; how far away you are from the rest of populated Australia.  It only sinks in when you look back from afar.  And in all those hundreds of miles, except for the occasional sheep ranch, there are few settlements.

Straight ahead through the outback

Aside:  On my first visit to Australia, in 1985, I flew from Adelaide to Perth, chasing a setting sun.  On a similar route in the United States, say Dallas to San Francisco, the sight out the airplane window would be cities, towns and settlements, beneath glowing lights.  Flying over the vast central part of Australia, all I could see was darkness, with the rare sighting of a small cluster of lights.  It was like there was no one home!

Mining is the major industry in the northern part of Western Australia, as well as the vast barren inland parts of the continent-country. Another resource are the giant karri forests.  A type of eucalypus, karri trees can grow to 200 feet, making them among the tallest trees in the world.

WA Wine Regions

There are three wine areas around Perth: historic Swan District, new and promising Perth Hills east of the city and the Southwest Coast district, including the sailing-center city of Freemantle, south of Perth. 

Geographie is further south, then the famous Margaret River sitting on a hook-shaped peninsula, followed by Pemberton and finally, completely bordering the stormy Great Southern Ocean, is the Great Southern wine district.  Inland from Margaret River is Blackwood Valley, a wine district not well known in the United States. 

What follows then is a brief summary of the major wine districts, with particular emphasis on Margaret River, Geographe, Pemberton and Great Southern.  

Margaret River quickly built a reputation for elegant Cabernet Sauvignon, once the wines first appeared in the 1970s.  Today, Cullen, Leeuwin Estate and Moss Wood continue to produce some of Australia's finest Cabernets and Merlots.  Margaret River is also noted for excellent fruit packed, crisp Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Vanya Cullen, daughter of the founders of Cullen Wines makes stylized Sauvignon Blanc and a juicy seamless Cabernet-Merlot blend.

Other noteable Margaret River wines: Devil's Lair, Vasse Felix, Cape Mentelle, Evans & Tate.

Karri forest near Leewin Estate

Great Southern is aptly named as the area is influenced by the Great Southern ocean.  And the Great Southern has a California connection.  In 1955, UC-Davis professor Harold Olmo was hired by the Western Australia government to assess the potential of the Great Southern as a viable wine region. The venture gave rise to vineyard and wine operations including Franklin Wine Estate, Plantagenet and Goundrey, all producing wine today. A smaller venture producing quality table wines, is Howard Park, outside the scenic coastal town of Denmark. Today, there are nine wineries near  Denmark, with such poetic names as Mariner's Rest. 

Great Southern does best with Riesling, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon.  Other worthy Great Southern wines: Chatsfield, Alkoomi, Harewood Estate.

Geographe is south of Perth, just before you get to Margaret River, a positioning that will help the growing number of wineries in Geographe, as tourists head toward Margaret River.  Limestone soils and a coastal climate are good for white grapes like Chardonnay and Semillon. The regions five rivers form micro-climate valleys, as they flow to the sea. 

Principal wine styles of Geographe include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Riesling and Shiraz.  Capel Vale is the major winery in the region.

Pemberton is a relatively new wine region in Western Australia, with a name that almost wasn't its name.  The Australian equivalent of the French AOC or United States AVA wine place naming systems is GI or Geographic Indications. Local officials couldn't decide if the region should be called Manjimup, Warren Valley or Pemberton, but they ultimately decided on the latter.  A sub region, also called Pemberton has the right climate for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Manjimup is warmer, with more rain and humidity, just the right conditions for Bordeaux varieties.

Pemberton is best known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.  Wines to look for include: Salitage, Mountford, Smithbrook.

A few miles north of Perth lies the historic Swan Valley wine region, a popular destination for day-trippers looking for Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay at major wineries like Houghton and Sandalwood.  Two other areas - Perth Hills and Southwest Coast - round out Australia's west coast wine regions.  

The market for Australian wines in the United States has been up and down.  Over the past few years, Australia's major export market was China. But the two countries are having a trade war, so the Aussies may be looking again at the United States.  Which could mean that more Western Australia wines may soon be on the shelves of your local wine shop.

Next blog: Livermore Valley

Leave a comment or write me at boydvino707@gmail.com