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Exploring Bordeaux’s Other Side – Château Liversan

Posted by Yoann - 01/27/10 at 02:01:43 pm

IN a few months, Bordeaux will offer the first tastes of its highly touted 2009 vintage to members of the trade and wine writers. All concerned will debate which are the best bottles and no doubt lament the high prices they foresee for the top-classified wines.

Such is business in Bordeaux. Regardless of the periodic upheavals that shake out the Bordeaux trade, the region continues to pour out an enormous amount of wine annually. Yet most of that wine is routinely ignored in the public discussion of Bordeaux. Instead, the spotlight is on the top tier, the leading chateaux that account for a very small percentage of the Bordeaux production and yet receive 99 percent of the world’s attention.

But what about the other Bordeaux? When I was a graduate student in the early 1980s, wines from this other Bordeaux were the cheap wines of choice. Whites, in 1.5-liter bottles, were labeled Entre-Deux-Mers, for the large swatch of land between two rivers, the Dordogne and the Garonne. The cheapest reds were plain Bordeaux, from the most marginal of territories, or sometimes Bordeaux Supérieur, a modest improvement, and, if we were splurging, Haut-Médoc, a definite step up.

These were reliable, sturdy wines, pleasingly raspy and dry. Today, these wines face far greater competition from inexpensive bottles coming from all over the world. Now, the preference is often wines that are softer and more velvety than was traditional in Bordeaux. Many of those producers in the other Bordeaux are languishing.

Wines of The Times
Exploring Bordeaux’s Other Side
By ERIC ASIMOV
Published: January 20, 2010
The panel tasted 20 bottles of Bordeaux in the $10 to $20 range.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/dining/reviews/20wine.html

Flyin’ the Flannel in the Pacific Northwest – Brad Hickey

Posted by Yoann - 01/23/10 at 12:01:00 pm

Blog post of Brad Hickey. Brad is the wine selector of AOC Fine Wines for all the Australian and New Zealand Wines.
View Original blog post: http://bradhickey.typepad.com/brad_hickeys_wine_odyssey/2009/12/flying-the-flannel-in-the-pacific-northwest-.html

Driving a car up from San Francisco to Vancouver, BC is a chance to see and eat some amazing things. Recently on a Thorpe Wine sales blitz thru the Pacific Northwest, I had a chance to revisit some favorite places and friends. “Flyin’ the Flannel“, an album and song from the 90′s US alternative band fIREHOSE, was still an appropriate moniker for the region which prided itself on the rugged individualism that paved the American frontier Westward. Plaid flannel shirts, the preferred garment of lumberjacks, fIREHOSE bassist Mike Watt and legions of NW “Grunge” rockers and their devotees, were still the fashion in the chilly Pacific Northwest. The warm, working class fabric betokens a region renowned for its laidback charm and woolen comforts. You need to get north of San Francisco and Napa Valley first, however, which involves overcoming some serious gastronomic obstacles.

Friends that cooked at Bouley, where I used to be the wine director, were now advancing thru the ranks in fine SF restaurants. We ate at avant garde, yet delicate Coi and luxurious classics like white truffles paired with an ethereal 1997 Chablis “Montmains” from Raveneau at Michael Mina, which were both superb experiences. Mina for its spread out, deep comfort amongst high columns and tall ceilings in soft light, and Coi for its intimate front room and tightly controlled dishes. Husband and wife chefs Evan and Sarah Rich are cooking up a storm at each place, respectively. It’s great to stay in touch and watch them cook like banshees. I look forward to the day when they open their own place in SF. It was also nice, as always, to have friends on the inside keeping an eye on things.

An hour north and you’re in Napa. And why not try to eat lunch at the French Laundry (TFL)when you are in the neighborhood, right? We got into the quaint “French farmhouse” without a booking (although we were wait-listed 3 weeks prior) and had a good lunch, which means it was sort of disappointing, since they normally blow you away. The main issue was a spoiled hollywood exec getting hammered on Martinelli zinfandel behind me, as you can see in the picture. This brings up an interesting point: what is the protocol at places like the Laundry, perennially one of the top-rated restaurants in the world, when a tame guest is seated near an obnoxious one? In our case the issue was tricky since we basically were a walk in and didn’t want to make any waves, although clearly we should have. The maitre d’ came trotting out after me, as we were initially declined a table. “Sorry, Mr. Hickey” he said,”but we just had a cancellation.” I had already doffed my tie and was, in my mind, already on my way to Taylor’s Automatic Refresher for a burger. While we were happy to get into the Laundry, nonetheless, it was to be our third tasting menu in a row after Mina and Coi. It was my second time to the Laundry, but a first for Nicole, so we were behaving as one should; namely, grateful, albeit full.

The service is still excellent at TFL, friendly and knowledgeable without being pretentious. The chef’s tasting menu is US$240 with service included, which is part of chef/owner Thomas Keller’s philosophy that the house shares all gratuities. The lunch degustation included such standouts as Moulard duck foie gras torchon, gingerbread puree, Tokyo turnips, watercress, toasted pecans and cranberries (pictured below). They automatically bring out the toasted brioche and 5 minutes later bring out another serve to make sure what you have is warm. This attention to detail makes diner’s swoon, and is also a standard at Keller’s NYC outpost, Per Se. My only real problem with the meal was the tolerance afforded to the Hollywood guy seated behind me. Throughout his meal French Laundry managers sat around his table trading jokes. It wasn’t until he tried to affix a spoon to his nose and it clanked loudly on a plate that I became seriously aware of him. Then, since he was a regular, he was given xtra desserts that were normally on the dinner menu. We were overlooked, which was bad form. This oversight was particularly bizarre since the waitstaff knew we were growing annoyed, since the guy was now making out sloppily with his date at the table. I asked about their extra delicacies, since we were there for the food, and the captain from Belgium said just that, that they were regulars and they liked to have treats from the master menu. Recently in a copy of NZ’s Cuisine magazine, issue 136, Sept 2009, there is an interview with TFL’s maitre d’, Mr. Nadeau, in which he tells how he deals with rambunctious tables. In the article he says to offensive parties, for example, “It’s a pleasure having you here and we appreciate you coming all the way from Texas. I just need to ask you to keep your language down a bit.” He then goes on to say in the interview that he would shift nearby diners to another table. If only we were so lucky, since there were many open ones. The trouble here was that the problem table was the house’s “friend”. All top spots, and low, have their so called “club members”, which I know from the Bouley and Daniel days. And perhaps lunch in general at TFL is a looser service. Maybe I need to loosen up, too.

Later that day we met our friend from Chateau Montelena, marketing mastermind Jeff Adams, for dinner at Bouchon, another Thomas Keller establishment, and a precise copy of a classic Parisian bistro. They call the Napa suburb of Yountville “Kellerville” since he owns a lot of real estate there. An old friend of mine from NYC, Rachael Lowe, is a sommelier at Bouchon and had just finished first in her class for the advanced course in the Master Sommelier derby. She, and the rest of the staff, took very good care of us with interesting wines from the Jura, a wonderfully fresh seafood platter, and almost perfect service. Rachael will be one to watch.

A visit to Chateau Montelena was on the way to Buster’s Southern BBQ in Calistoga, so we popped in to say hello to Jeff. After lunch we were driving to Redwood National Park. The Chateau Montelena itself, where the wine is still made and aged, is built into a forested hill and has well maintained Chinese gardens on the grounds from previous owners. They are experiencing a new flood of enthusiasm after their key role in the movie “Bottle Shock” about Montelena’s shocking victory over some top French wines in the early 1970s. They even have a “Bottle Shock” tour in the works there. You gotta love marketing.


After 2 days of driving due North, thru the great redwoods and along the rugged Oregon coast, we finally hit Portland. I used to live in Portland from 1991 to 1996, and I was very eager to return for a 4 day visit. We stayed at the hip, but friendly Ace Hotel downtown near Jake’s Famous Crawfish. The city was famous for its bookstores (Powells), good coffee (StumpTown Roasters), and fresh salmon (Higgins Restaurant) from the Columbia River. That organic gardening is popular is an understatement and the dress code is to dress down. Looking “clothes-conscious” is a no-no here as it shows you’re trying too hard, which young Portlanders don’t think is cool, although theirs is a studied look of dishevelment. As a friend once said, the “gas-station-mechanic look” is all the rage. The hippie scene still cuts a long shadow here with hemp clothing readily available and patchouli oil still wafting through the air. The city is also within 40 minutes of one of the world’s premier pinot noir growing regions, the Willamette Valley. When I lived in Portland I cut my teeth at Portland Nursery learning about and selling plants. On the side I was a landscape designer, which meant I put a lot of my over-educated friends to work. PDX, as the locals call it, is home to the loveliest Japanese garden outside Japan. Fields of Japanese Maples are cultivated in the wide open by the nursery industry outside the city, which is almost unheard of due to the trees’ delicate foilage. Portland is a perfect place to grow plants as it is veritable garden of Eden. A recent visit to the Portland Japanese Garden showed the maples still at the peak of their Fall color under the pewter skies and forest green backdrop in the West Hills. I was wearing a t-shirt, red checked flannel top (an homage to fIREHOSE), and a light jacket to stay warm. Layers are the key to warmth, as the mists are gentle and prolongated during the Fall and Winter in the Pacific Northwest.

What would a trip to the Northwest be without a visit to Breitenbush Hot Springs? A geothermal wonder, and kind of hippy chic now, the naturally heated meadow pools at Breitenbush were sublime as the snow started falling at a heavy rate. The location is in the heart of a protected old growth forest 2 hours East of Portland. Soaking in the outdoor pools is absolutely cathartic. A stop in the lithium induced steam house is also the finishing rough touch to a detoxifying cleanse. Breitenbush is always a great place to “heal thyself”, since it was once a victim of land abuse itself, and remains today one of the most sacred and serene natural spaces on the planet.

I also love the beer in Oregon, ah beer, and the McMenamins’ pubs brew some of the best. Hammerhead pale ale and Terminator stout are still pouring freely. It was a major shot of nostalgia, as those beers caused me a headache or two in the day. The pubs tap into the hippy element and psychedelic culture of the Pac Northwest psyche. Has the restaurant scene improved greatly in PDX since my last visit in 2002 or have my senses become more finely honed? Le Pigeon, an unassumming communal style restaurant in the once shady area of E Burnside, near the thumping live music venue the Doug Fir Lounge, is plating up mouthwatering briased meats and suckling pig. I love this place, as well as the passion of owner Andy Fortgang, a former NYC sommelier at Craft. It deserves a solid mention here and your attention when you are in Portland. The wine list at “the Pigeon”, as it’s called locally, was compact, but perfectly balanced with local and European wines to work with the game meats and earthy fare. We drank a 2005 Hermitage from JL Chave there that was ferocious, and quite rare, and worked magically with the spicy tenderness of their benchmark Beef Cheek Bourguignon ($29). Also, I would be remiss not to mention the humble Bunk Sandwiches on SE Morisson. Hands down the best pork belly Cubano sandwich I’ve had outside NYC and Havana. And again, zero attitude, just delicious simple food (approximately 200 sandwiches per day keeps things fresh), and classic kosher dill pickles. It is an eight dollars well spent.

More than the great food and wine, however, there were the old friends with whom I reconnected. You never know if you will see people again when you move away, so it was with great comfort that I could spend some quality time with some quality folks. And that’s what it’s all about: just add wine and a soft, worn-in flannel shirt and you won’t want to leave.

The Pour – Pinot Noir With an Umlaut

Posted by Yoann - 01/12/10 at 07:01:19 pm

The Pour
Pinot Noir With an Umlaut
By ERIC ASIMOV
Published: January 13, 2010
Most people don’t realize that Germany produces any red wine at all, let alone some very good pinot noir.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/dining/13pour.html

The other bubbly regions

Posted by Yoann - 01/09/10 at 05:01:11 pm

It is fair to say that good sparkling wines are made all around the world today, from British Columbia to New Zealand and from New Mexico to Great Britain. Some names such as Prosecco or Cava have greater international recognition but overall the production of sparkling wines has tremendously improved in the last 20 years to become a challenging competitor to Champagne.

Cava wines come from the Penedes region in Catalunys, not far from Barcelona. Historically, Cava was mass produced by two huge corporations Freixinet and Codorniu. The result was a mediocre sparkling wine; simple with high acidity. In the last twenty years however the quality has improved drastically and Cavas are now a perfectly acceptable and far cheaper alternative to Champagne for making cocktails such as mimosas. Cava is usually made from a blend of traditional varietals such as Parellada, Macabeo, and Xarel-lo. They are made with the “Charmat Method” a cheaper, more industrial, less labor intensive way to make bubbles than the method used in Champagne.

Prosecco, from the Veneto area in Italy, is generally very low in alcohol (around 7%). They are inexpensive, a touch sweet, fruity and quite refreshing in summer.

British Columbia is a very, very, very interesting wine region on the other side of the border from Washington and Oregon. They make a wide range of wines that we will soon explore in detail. Blue Mountain winery on the bank of the Okanagan Lake makes a sumptuous, creamy, generous sparkling wine.

California is the second home for the most important Champagne Houses. They understood the potential of this region early on. Other producers, such as Shramsberg, make good sparklings at lower prices than their French counterparts.

Why are Champagne bubbles more expensive than other bubbles from other regions?

Posted by Emmanuel - 01/09/10 at 05:01:58 pm

As with any other product, the price of Champagne is the reflection of offer and demand. Offer of Champagne is limited while demand, until recently, was unlimited; which explains the extraordinarily high prices for this luxury product. At the peak of the another bubble, the real estate one, demand for Champagne to celebrate the new millenium went through the roof. It was inconceivable that the new millenium would commence without a glass of Champagne, and prices went up and up, and up. Alas as with all bubbles, that one burst too, as the market discovered that other regions were able to produce decent sparkling wines: Italian Prosecco and Spanish Cava winemakers, but also California and many other regions took advantage of this new opportunity. No doubt that what goes down will eventually go up again. I do not think that James Bond is going to trade in his Bollinger Speciale Cuvee for a Freixeinet Cava any time soon; but who knows.

Champagne’s fame was born in historical “houses” (brands) such as Laurent Perrier, Taittinger, Krug, Gosset, Roederer, and others. These companies built, through know-how and massive marketing, international brands as solid as Hermes, Dior, Ferrari, or Coca Cola. The power of these brands is such that they can dictate their price. The whole Champagne appellation benefited tremendously from this system. Other regions, such as California, suffer from the Champagne hegemony but cannot fight it. The principle reason is that Roederer, Chandon and other houses from Champagne invested early in the production of sparkling wines in California. While making a quality product, it is also paramount that they insure that their California production does not compete at the same price level as their French Champagne wines. The French houses maintain their Californian sparklings at a much lower price point. In consequence, a property like the Californian family owned estate of Schramsberg, which produces a good sparkling wine, suffers from that situation but can do little about it. Bubbles are not born equal.

Did you know that Champagne, as we know it, was first made by the English?

Posted by Emmanuel - 01/09/10 at 05:01:03 pm

The story I heard is that fermentation in the bottle is a direct consequence of the British Royal Navy’s decision to ban the use of charcoal to feed glass furnaces throughout the kingdom. The Navy wanted to insure that the nation’s forests were dedicated solely to supplying wood for the shipyards, in order to boost the production of war vessels.

The switch from charcoal to coal to heat the furnaces allowed heating at a much higher temperature, which resulted in glass bottles that were more resistant to pressure. That in turn was enough for Christopher Merret of the Royal Society to perfect the second fermentation in the bottle in 1662.

As a matter of fact, Don Perignon spent much of his life trying to get rid of the bubbles, but that is another story….

Predictions For The New Year

Posted by Yoann - 01/08/10 at 02:01:29 pm

2010 is not looking very promising for the wine market despite what appear to be rather buoyant prices for prestigious Bordeaux, Burgundies, and a handful of California Cabernets, etc. The auction market has quickly realized that the top prices being fetched for rare wines are in Hong Kong, but I predict that by the end of 2010, that market will be saturated with more top wines than even Chinese high-flyers can absorb. Combine that with the growing inventories of vintages that will be very difficult to sell unless discounted and dumped on the marketplace (2007 and 2008 Burgundies, 2007 Bordeaux, 2008 Northern Rhônes, and lots of high-end luxury Champagne), much of this wine is going to find few takers in 2010, and will have to be sold at distress-sale prices. Be prepared, the discount sales are inevitable.
Of course, all of this economic turmoil over fat inventories of difficult-to-sell vintages is going to play out in the background of the 2009 vintage being tasted and reviewed this spring, summer, and fall. Virtually all of France as well as other parts of Western Europe are proclaiming this to be one of the all-time great vintages of the last 30 to 50 years. Of course, we all know wine producers have a tendency to assert that the greatest wine they have ever made is the one currently for sale, but the weather in Western Europe, and particularly in France, supports the view that this is well beyond just another promising vintage. I, of course, will be looking at the Bordeaux end of it in March, following that up with a look at the Rhône in late August and September. I know the Bordelais would like a return to the astronomical 2005 Bordeaux prices, which were conceived at a time when the world economy was buoyant. But times are vastly different in 2010, and it is impossible for me to imagine that 2009 will be able to fetch the kind of prices 2005 did. I am no economist, though, and we’ll have to see what actually takes place. Certainly, I continue to expect plenty of economic carnage in the wine world in 2010, and I think the worst may be yet to come. But for wine drinkers, not speculators, 2010 could be a banner year.

All the best in wine and life,
Robert M. Parker, Jr., January 2010

This article in an excerpt of Robert Parker January e-Letter.

To subscribe to Robert Parker e-letter and for more information: http://www.erobertparker.com/

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