Pettigrew's Last Stand; Sherry's Second Coming?

Sherry's Second Coming?

A Cellargal* Book and Wine Pairing Inspired by

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand: A Novel

by Helen Simonson



http://www.amazon.com/Major-Pettigrews-Last-Stand-Novel/dp/product-description/1400068932/ref=dp_proddesc_0/177-4411954-3289460?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books



November 9, 2011 

"If I had a thousand sons, the first humane principle I would teach them should be, to forswear thin potations and to addict themselves to sack."  -Sir John Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2.

Even though Sherry is deeply rooted in Andalucian winemaking traditions, most people associate drinking Sherry with being English. This is because Sherry has been popular in England for centuries - more widely popular than it had ever been in modern Spain. Following the defeat of the Spanish Armada, Sir Francis Drake brought 2900 butts/barrels of Sherry to England from Cadiz, and the English have been hooked since. At that time, it was called "Sherris sack" or just "sack" ("Sherris" and the modern-day "Sherry" are Anglicized versions of the word "Jerez," the province in Spanish Andalucia where Sherry is produced.) Many of the Sherry houses in operation today were originally established by the English.

Over the last century, Sherry has fallen out of favor among wine drinkers, along with other sweet and/or fortified wines. In popular culture Sherry has come to be associated with fuddy-duddy English people (the Pettigrew set) and thier wannabes (think: Frasier) because those up until recently, those were the only people drinking Sherry: British folk too old and stuck in their ways to change their wine drinking habits with the times.

Today, with the emergence of the young global wine geek set, Sherry has been given a second chance. It is experiencing a renaissance as folks discover that there is more the Sherry than sweet, mass-produced styles, and that it is anything but fuddy-duddy. The wines from these centuries-old soleras are arguably some of the most labor-intensive, distincitve, and complex white wines in the world.

La Ina Fino Jerez  

http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1075803

"Formerly owned by Domecq, this is one of Andalucía's most beloved, everyday fino sherries. Lustau recently purchased the solera as well as the trademark to this delicious fino. This is a recently bottled, impeccably fresh, salty, bright fino which would make for an excellent aperitif, or accompaniment to salted nuts, olives cheeses and a bevy of other savory foods and snacks."

Herederos de Argueso Amontillado Sanlucar de Barrameda
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1061689

"What a terrific Amontillado! Produced from their very old solera, this is a completely dry amontillado that shows beautiful aromatics: imagine toffee and orange candies, but without any of the sweetness. On the palate, the signature Amontillado intensity and nuttiness are evident, but with the citric, salty tang of one made in the seaside town of Sanlucar de Barrameda. This is a terrific, dry, invigorating aperitif, especially with cheeses."

Gutierrez Colosia "Sangre y Trabajadero" Oloroso El Puerto de Santa Maria (375ml)
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1064438

"This oloroso is a lighter style, just fortified to 17.5% abv, and even shows a hint of that salty tang which Gutierrez Colosia is known for given their prime location near the Atlantic in El Puerto de Santa Maria. It is called "Sangre y trabajadero" to honor the hard working butchers who favored this oloroso. Truly an exemplary dry oloroso to enjoy before, during or after a meal."

Emilio Hidalgo "Morenita" Cream Jerez
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1069154

"What a lovely, slightly sweet, style of sherry! In today's sherry renaissance, as it were, it seems as though the dry styles (fino, manzanilla, amontillado, some olorosos) have been favored. However, a delicately sweet cream such as this one, from one of the most respected bodegas in Jerez, is not to be missed. On the label, you will see two beautiful terms used to describe the slightly sweetened style: vino generoso and abocado. These mean that this is a cream sherry that is still enjoyed by the old timers (and younger folks as well) in Jerez; it is not sweetened, inferior juice sent to the UK and export markets. Composed of Palomino and Pedro Ximenez, there is a wonderful balance of sweet date, candied orange peel and ginger flavors. This would be perfect with cookies, pan dulce, lemon cake, or any other type of sweet but not over the top, lighter dessert."

**

And a bonus wine...in honor of the the Major's Churchills (guns)..after all it wouldn't be a truly British evening without ending with some Port!


Churchill 10 Year Tawny Port
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1078613

"This house, one of the youngest in the Oporto region and owned by Johnny Graham, whose family was the original ower of the more recognizable port house of Graham, makes a truly lovely 10 year tawny port, one of the prettiest we have tasted. Spicy, fruit cake aromas lead to a palate that has a lovely balance between fresh fruit and woody, slightly nutty tawny flavors. It is elegant and very well made."


Notes from K&L Spanish and Portuguese Wine Buyer Joe Manekin.

***

Styles of Sherry:

Fino ('fine' in Spanish) is the driest and palest of the traditional varieties of sherry. The wine is aged in barrels under a cap of flor yeast to prevent contact with the air.


Manzanilla is an especially light variety of fino Sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda.

Manzanilla Pasada is a Manzanilla that has undergone extended aging or has been partially oxidised, giving a richer, nuttier flavour.

Amontillado is a variety of Sherry that is first aged under flor but which is then exposed to oxygen, producing a sherry that is darker than a fino but lighter than an oloroso. Naturally dry, they are sometimes sold lightly to medium sweetened.

Oloroso ('scented' in Spanish) is a variety of Sherry aged oxidatively for a longer time than a fino or amontillado, producing a darker and richer wine. With alcohol levels between 18 and 20%, olorosos are the most alcoholic sherries in the bottle.[11] Again naturally dry, they are often also sold in sweetened versions (Amoroso).

Palo Cortado is a variety of Sherry that is initially aged like an amontillado, typically for three or four years, but which subsequently develops a character closer to an oloroso. This either happens by accident when the flor dies, or commonly the flor is killed by fortification or filtration.

Jerez Dulce (Sweet Sherries) are made either by fermenting dried Pedro Ximénez (PX) or Moscatel grapes, which produces an intensely sweet dark brown or black wine, or by blending sweeter wines or grape must with a drier variety. Cream Sherry is a common type of sweet sherry made by blending different wines, such as oloroso sweetened with PX.

Source: Wikipedia

Grape Muttations: The Hunger Games Trilogy

Grape Muttations

A Cellargal* Book and Wine Pairing

Inspired by the

Hunger Games Trilogy

By Suzanne Collins

A grape cross is a variety that has been created, either naturally or manmade, by crossing two vine varieties of the same species. For example,  Cabernet Sauvignon is actually a cross of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc that is said to have occurred spontaneously in the vineyards of Bordeaux prior to the 18th Century., while Pinotage is a genetically engineered cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, the product of an effort in South Africa in the 50s to develop a varietal with Pinot Noir’s aromatics and the  heartiness of Cinsault, which could withstand the harsh growing conditions of the region.


A grape hybrid is the offspring of two varietes of different species. These can also occur naturally or on purpose.  The French Baco Noir is a hybrid varietal.


A grape mutation is a spontaneous change to genetic material occurring during cell division in the grapevine itself. Here's a factoid to note: ancient grape varietals were dark-skinned; the light-skinned characteristic in vinifera grapes is actually the result of a mutation.  Mutation is generally thought to be negative (think recessive trait) but man has had many centuries to select those vines which perform best, a process called clonal selection, thus enabling vines that start as mutations (e.g. Pinot Blanc or Grenache Blanc) to survive and reproduce independently.

***

The Wines: 

2010 Cederberg Bukettraube Cederberg   

100% Bukettraube  [Cross: Silvaner x  Schiava Grossa]. Sebastian Englerth is supposed to have created this cross in Randersacker in the 19th century (Germany), although an Alsatian origin has also been claimed.

2009 Racine de la Terre Marselan IGP Pays d'Oc
100% Estate grown Marselan [Cross: Cabernet Sauvignon x Grenache],  A new crossing of Cabernet and Grenache Noir made by the INRA and authorized for VdP in France in 1990.  Developed specifically for the Langeudoc, where it copes with wet and dry growing seasons and while being resistant to vineyard diseases.

2008 Henry of Pelham Baco Noir
100% Baco Noir [Hybrid:  Folle Blanch (Vitis Vinifera) + variety of Vitis Riparia ]. It’s parents are the Vitis Vinifera varietal Folle Blanche and a variety of Vitis Riparia, mated in 1894 by nurseryman Francois Baco, (famous in his day and through most of the 20th century for his successful Baco Blanc and other hybrids) with the intent creating a phylloxera-resistant red grape varietal sibling to the white hybrid, Baco Blanc. 

2004 Bründlmayer St. Laurent Ried Ladner
100% St. Laurent [Mutation: from Pinot Noir].  St. Laurent is a traditional Austrian grape variety – and presumably was named for its early maturity around the Catholic calendar day of St. Laurence rather than for a French village. Nevertheless, genetic sequencing reveals a close relationship to Pinot Noir. Over the centuries, the mutation-prone variety has undergone a process of adaptation to Austria's terroir and now shows more texture, color, tannins, and fruity flavors than its famous relative.

2008 Viñedos de Ithaca "Akyles" Priorat
Field Blend; contains Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, plus Grenache mutations Garnatxa Peluda & Garnatxa Blanca;  Touriga Nacional and Pedro Ximenez. Grenache Blanc is an albino mutation of Grenache Noir; Grenache “peluda” is a fuzzy-skinned version (from Spanish “pelo” – “hairy”).

Letters to a Young Palate

A Cellargal Wine Pairing

Inspired by Letters to a Young Poet

A Collection of Letters Written by the Poet Rainer Maria Rilke

to Franz Kappus, 1903-1908



http://www.amazon.com/Letters-Young-Rainer-Maria-Rilke/dp/0393310396

This lineup for this tasting is inspired by the concepts of origin and context - the poet's Austrian-Hungarian origin, the traveling origin of the letters, and the changing context of the correspondants.  As we taste these wines and reflect on Rilke's advice to young Kappus, mainly, to trust his inner judgement and ignore criticism, we can think about how this can be applied to wine appreciation at the personal level and the development of one's own palate.
Who cares what the critics/wine snobs/self-professed experts say:
TRUST YOUR PALATE

Latitude 50 N Sekt Trocken Rosé (Germany)

Portugeiser, Dornfelder and Pinot Noir
The Fourth LetterWritten in Worpswede, Germany on 16 July, 1903

2009 Kalmuck (Gritsch) Grüner Veltliner (Austria)
In honor of our poet.

2009 Domaine Stephane Magnien Bourgogne Passetoutgrains "Cuvée Densité"  (France)
Gamay, Pinot Noir
The First LetterWritten in Paris, France on 17 February 1903
The Tenth LetterWritten in Paris, France on 26 December, 1908

Antano Milziade Umbria Rosso IGT  (Italy)

50% Sangiovese, 50% Sagrantino
The Second LetterWritten in Viareggio, Italy on 5 April, 1903
 The Third LetterWritten in Viareggio, Italy on 23 April, 1903
The Fifth LetterWritten in Rome, Italy on 29 October, 1903
The Sixth LetterWritten in Rome, Italy on 23 December, 1903
The Seventh LetterWritten in Rome, Italy on 14 May, 1904

**
"Read as little as possible of literary criticism. Such things are either partisan opinions, which have become petrified and meaningless, hardened and empty of life, or else they are clever word-games, in which one view wins, and tomorrow the opposite view. Works of art are of an infinite solitude, and no means of approach is so useless as criticism. Only love can touch and hold them and be fair to them. Always trust yourself and your own feeling, as opposed to argumentation, discussions, or introductions of that sort; if it turns out that you are wrong, then the natural growth of your inner life will eventually guide you to other insights. Allow your judgments their own silent, undisturbed development, which, like all progress, must come from deep within and cannot be forced or hastened. Everything is gestation and then birthing. To let each impression and each embryo of a feeling come to completion, entirely in itself, in the dark, in the unsayable, the unconscious, beyond the reach of one's own understanding, and with deep humility and patience to wait for the hour when a new clarity is born: this alone is what it means to live as an artist: in understanding as in creating."
(from the Third Letter)
 
**

Background:
Letters to a Young Poet is a compilation of letters by Rainer Maria Rilke. It consists of 10 letters written to a young man (Franz Kappus) considering entering the German military. Rilke was born in Prague, capital of Bohemia (then part of Austria-Hungary; now the Czech Republic). A Bohemian–Austrian poet, he is considered one of the most significant poets in the German language. His haunting images focus on the difficulty of communion with the ineffable in an age of disbelief, solitude, and profound anxiety: themes that tend to position him as a transitional figure between the traditional and the Modernist poets.
The letters were originally written to Kappus, a 19-year-old student at the Military Academy of Vienna, of which Rilke was an alumnus. Discouraged by the prospect of military life, Kappus began to send his poetry to the 27-year-old Rilke, seeking both literary criticism and career advice. Their correspondence lasted from 1902 to 1908. In 1929, three years after Rilke's death, Kappus assembled and published the ten letters.
(source: Wikipedia)

Brave New World: Cellargal Takes on Jewelry and Wine

Brave New World:

bold, joyful wines for all palates (& palettes)

a Cellargal* wine pairing

inspired by the Stella & Dot"Brave New World"

Summer 2011 jewelry collections

Saturday June 25, 4pm-6pm

Chez Cellargal, San Francisco

A Toast to the La Coco Concept
 

Ariston Aspasie "Carte Blanche" Brut Champagne

40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Meunier. Champagne never goes out of style, is very food-friendly, and adds a touch of class to any occasion, from Black Tie to the beach (like the Stella & Dot La Coco necklace, which can be worn as a necklace, bracelet, and mixed and matched with different brooches for a variety of looks) The Ariston "Carte Blanche" is a grower Champagne from the small commune of Brouillet.  It is a brilliant light gold color with a fine bead; the palate is powerful and expressive but balanced. 





Cheers to an afternoon of wine and jewelry with  friends on a beautiful day in San Francisco!

Palm Beach Collection
Fun color combined with whimsical motifs for a look that balances vintage and modern.  Wear with fun prints. Paradise Brooch; Birds of Paradise Necklace

2009 Beck-Hartweg "Cuvee Prestige" Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris has become fashionable again, thanks to the rediscovery of artisan producers in cool-climates like Beck-Hartweg of Alsace, France.  The 2009 “Cuvee Prestige” Pinot Gris balances aromatics with minerality; whimsy with substance.  Tradition and modernity come together in this wine as well.  These 14th generation artisan producers have been making wine from the same site for centuries using practices that are so old school they are hip by today’s standards: farming organically without pesticides, promoting biodiversity, fermenting with natural yeasts, and using no additives in the wine (other than naturally occurring SO2).  Here’s a wine that is in touch with its roots by isn’t afraid to show its feminine side.

 

Viva Brazil Collection
Inspired by the spirit of the people of the country - sexy and self-confident with bold, individual style - these pieces combine bursts of bright, festive colors with a touch of sexy for wear-everywhere appeal. Wear with bold, sexy bright clothing. Bamboleo Necklace, Rio Coin

2010 Adegas Cooperativos de Moncao "Muralhas" Rosé Vinho Verde

No nation of people know how to party quite like the Brazilians, and no wine gets the party going quite like Vinho Verde, the traditionally effervescent and fruity style of wine produced in the northerly region of Portugal near the Spanish border for which it gets its name.  When made in a rosé style such as the 2010 Adegas Cooperativos de Moncao "Muralhas" Rosé Vinho Verde (a blend of native grape varietals), the brief skin contact tints the wine a glorious shade of pink, intensifying the raspberry, melon, and citrus aromatics while adding texture and mouthwatering acidity to the palate.  Not very much rosé Vinho Verde is produced, so it makes for a colorful, unique yet universally appealing wine offering that pairs with a variety of foods.  Served chilled, this lower alcohol  (11% abv) rosé is the perfect wine to keep you on your samba toes all night long.  

Destination: Morocco Collection

Inspired by the architecture and colors of the streets in Marrakesh, these pieces combine rich textures and unexpected materials - natural materials with sparkly materials – evoking the boho-chic, ‘global eclectic’ fashion trend of today, which is all about mixing ethnic and tribal references with really sophisticated materials and techniques.  Casablanca Bib Necklace, Revival Tassel Necklace

2008 Descendientes de Jose Palacios "Petalos del Bierzo" Bierzo $17.99

Few are aware of this Spanish red wine gem, produced in the northwest region of Bierzo (part of Gallicia), but word is spreading. When made in a more modern style like the “Petalos,” you get the best of all worlds. Exotic aromas (smoky Syrah meets perfumed Pinot?) lead to a palate that is textured and distinctive but still velvety and lush…chic and universally appealing.

**
contact: Cellargal@gmail.com

May 2011: Wine-amic Duos

May 12, 2011
Wine-amic Duos

A Cellargal* Wine Tasting
Inspired by the Pulitzer Prize Winning Novel
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clayby Michael Chabon

Joe Kavalier: Czech artist, upper-middle class, physically strong, educated, fighter...
Sam Clay: Brooklyn-born, working class, physically weak, self-made, conflicted, peacemaker...

Synergy, from the the Greek syn-ergos, meaning "working together," describes two or more things that function better together than apart at a given task or in a certain context. In the context of Chabon's novel, the protagonists Sam Clay and Joe Kavalier are able to acheive success as a result of their combined skills and efforts. The sum of the parts is greater than the whole...

In life, we experience synergy everywhere, from the workplace, where we may work as part of a team or our company may serve a function that supports a greater corporate whole, to our romantic life (after all, someone needs to be able to change the lighbulbs, put chains on tires, and take out the trash...) to the kitchen, where cooking is essentially our effort to allow the synergy that can exist between proteins, fats, vegetables, and starches yield something delicious to eat that is better than any one ingredient by itself. (Thankfully my husband completes me when it comes to matters in the kitchen).

In wine, synergy is also at play. While most wine-loving Americans are accustomed to single varietal wines (I'll have the Cab, please) and might suspect a blended wine to somehow be inferior to a single varietal, this is not the case in the classic old world winemaking regions of Europe. In the French regions of Champagne, Bordeaux, and the Rhone, blending traditions have evolved out of centuries of vintners figuring out what works best given the context of climate, soil type, and local culture.

By producing wines that are blends of different varietals, vintners are able to let the strengths of one varietal (say, structure and tannins) be balanced out by the strengths of another (say, suppleness and aromatics). If vinified separately, these varietal wines might be undrinkable. Blend them together, and you get the best of both.

The Great Wine-Amic Duos of France:

1. Pinot Noir & Chardonnay

Tradition in: Champagne
Why? Pinot provides structure and depth of fruit in the blend; Chardonnay adds weight, richness, and body for ageing.

Leclerc Briant Reserve Brut Champagne
70% Pinot Noir /30% Chardonnay


2. Sauvignon Blanc & Semillon

Tradition in: Bordeaux

Why? Semillon tends to fatness and has little aroma when young; Sauvignon Blanc is highly aromatic and high in acid but lacks substance.

2008 Bonnet, Entre-Deux-Mers Blanc50%, Sauvignon Blanc, 40%, Sémillon, [+10% Muscadelle]

3. Syrah & Viogner

Tradition in: Northern Rhone/Cote Rotie

Why? Syrah can be very dark and brooding when young; Viognier adds floral aromatics, enhances the texture and viscosity to the wine, and deepens and stabilizes color.

2007 J. Boutin "Bonnevaux" Côte-Rôtie (Stéphane Vedeau)

88% Syrah and 12% Viognier; cofermented. (Cofermentation= the simultaneous fermentation of two or more varieties in the same vessel.)

4. Cabernet Sauvignon & Merlot

Tradition in: Bordeaux

Why? Cabernet Sauvignon has great potential for structure and to be a vehicle of expressing vintage and terrior attributes but can be difficult to ripen and is very tannic when young. Merlot is ripens early and yields plump, lush fruit; it softens and Cabs edges and adds fruitiness to the wine in youth.


2006 Domaine de Chevalier Rouge, Pessac-Léognan63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot [and the rest Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc]

**
"When men drink, then they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever."

-Aristophanes c. 450 - 385 B.Knights [424 B.C.], l. 92

A 101 Point Wine? Can It Be?

As reported today on The Underground Wine Letter by wine collector and expert John Tilson:

"Well, it was bound to happen. In fact, I have been predicting it for years. And now it looks like that day is about to arrive. This should be music to the ears of all the folks who drink numbers. They have dreamed, lusted, and drooled for something beyond the 100 point wines that, in recent years, have been cropping up like wild flowers and weeds after a spring rain. This is, to my knowledge, the first wine ever anointed with a score above 100. I do not know all the facts, but here is what I know.

Apparently the wine was pre-released to only one critic for tasting. (I am sorry. I cannot divulge the name, but you may be able to guess). And back came a 101 point score. I am told that the announcement of this first ever phenomenon will come as early as today. And, it is expected to rock the world. So make sure you are in a safe place. But, if you are, and if you are even thinking this is good for you, not so fast folks. It looks like the deal is already locked up.

You see, the announcement will be made simultaneously by the wine reviewer and the winery that produced the wine. The wine reviewer’s announcement will only go to subscribers of the publication’s extra cost exclusive pre-release list (they get advance notice of all the big numbers). The winery’s announcement will only go out to people in their Platinum Club (these are folks who have paid $1000 to join and who have purchased at least 100 bottles of wine at $$300 per bottle or more in the past year). And a few select unnamed 100 point wine reviewers with at least 1000 100 point wines to their credit will also receive the wine....Read the full article here:

http://www.undergroundwineletter.com/2011/03/underground-wine-line-here-at-last-%e2%80%93-beyond-100-points-%e2%80%93-nirvana/

poisson d’avril

April Fool's!

[Seriously, for all you current and would-be serious collectors out there, The Underground Wine Letter is worth checking out].

Special Topics in Calamity Phenolics

A Cellargal* Wine Pairing

Inspired by the Novel

Special Topics in Calamity Physics

by Marisha Pessl

Image 1.0.

March 24, 2011 Tasting Syllabus

(see Map 1)

2008 Pheasant's Tears Rkatsiteli Republic of Georgia (Former Soviet Union) (4)

2009 Pfneiszl Kékfrankos Sopron (Blaufrankisch) (Hungary) (5)

2008 Antonelli Contrario Sagrantino (Sicily, Italy) (6)

2006 Domaine Berthoumieu "Charles de Batz" Madiran (SW France) (7)

2008 Henry of Pelham Baco Noir (Niagara Peninsula, Ontario, Canada) (8)

Map 1

Notes on the subject:

In wine-speak, the term phenolics, (sometimes called polyphenolics or polyphenols) refers to the very large group of highly reactive chemical compounds of which phenol (C6H5OH) (1) is the basic building block. Phenolic acids are largely present in the pulp, anthocyanins and stilbenes in the skin, and other phenols (catechins, proanthocyanidins and flavonols) in the skin and the seeds. (2) These collectively produce the skin colors, tannins, and flavors of grapes that, when made into wine, determine its properties (what we see, smell, and taste) (2) as well as any health benefits that might be associated with consumption. They are also at the root of the changes [see Image 1.0 top] that take place in a wine as it ages. (3)

Additional Notes and References

(1) Phenol, also known as carbolic acid, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5OH. It is a white, crystalline solid at room temperature. It consists of a phenyl (-C6H5) group, bonded to a hydroxyl (-OH) group. It is produced on a large scale (about 7 billion kg/year) as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds.[2] It is only mildly acidic but requires careful handling due to its toxicity and its propensity to cause severe burns. See: Wikipedia.

(2) See Wikipedia: Phenolic compounds in wine

(3) Robinson, Jancis. "Phenolics," The Oxford Companion to Wine; 3rd Ed. pp 517-518).

(4) White wines contain phenols too. Just not as much, generally. Red wines are credited for containing significantly higher amounts of the heart-healthy resveratrol (a natural phenol present in the skins, seeds, and stems of grapes) than white wines because red wines are fermented in contact with the skins (thus adding pigment and tannin and the phenols that come with them) and white wines are not. This Rkatsiteli is an example of what wine geeks call "orange wine" - a white wine that takes on color and tannin due to prolonged exposure contact with the skins and extended ageing on the lees. Pheasant's Tears follows the ancient Georgian tradition of ageing the wines underground in beeswax-lined clay amphorae, which permits the development of very distinctive flavor and textural characteristics.

(5) Why Blaufrankisch? Blaufränkisch (German for blue "Frankish") is a dark-skinned variety of grape that produces red wines with high phenolic content. (see wikipedia: Blaufrankisch). Blue is the name of the main character in Special Topics in Calamity Physics. “My mother decided to call me Blue, because for her first year of Lepidoptera study with the Southern Belles’ Association of Butterflies, with its Tuesday night meetings at the first Baptist Church…the Cassius Blue was the only butterfly Natasha could catch (see Leptotes cassius,” Butterfly Dictionary, Meld, 2001 ed.).”

(6) Ah, Sagrantino. People discover and fall in love with it when they travel to Sicily, and then come back and drive around in their blue volvo looking for it, nowhere to be found. Well, this is because most of it isn't that great (sorry, Sagrantino!) and because what does make it stateside is often the bulk-produced junk for export, relying on resveratrol and the promise of health (famously high in polyphenols, Sagrantino is credited for playing a key role in the abnormally long average life expectancy of Sicilians) for sales rather than actual quality, which just don't cut it at respectable wine merchants. The 08 Antonelli Contrario happens to be a good one, though.

(7) Tannat is a thick-skinned red grape native to Southwest France. Madiran AOC is the most significant appellation in France for the production of Tannat and Tannat-based wines. Tannat is known for it's high tannins and tendency towards bitterness and astringency. Efforts to tame Tannat and produce more drinker-friendly (and by extension Parker-friendly) wines led to the development of the controversial (see the movie MONDOVINO for an indie filmmaker's insight into this controversey) technique of micro-oxygenation. Tannat cuttings were brought to Uruguay by French immigrants in the 1800s, and since then have faired well in quasi maritime climate in the hills north of the resort city of Montevideo. After all, who wouldn't?

(8) Baco Noir is what we call a hybrid grape varietal - a cross between two varietals from different species of the the vitis (grape) family. It is a cross of the French Folle Blanche (Vitis Vinifera; native to Europe) and an unknown variety of vitis riparia (native to North America). Over time, native American grapes had to develop resistant to the predatory phylloxera beetle, also native American, in order to survive as a species, a slow, evolutionary process that included the development of phenolically dense, protective skins and root-stalks. We have American root stalks to thank for still being able to enjoy (the superior) wines made from vinifera vareitals today...once the phylloxera beetle landed on European vineyards in the nineteenth century (see Phylloxera Plague), it nearly wiped out the entire industry in a matter of years. Only by grafting vinifera vines onto riparia rootstalks were the Eurpeans able to replant and recover.

It's About Damm Time!

Posted today on UnCorked! Go to article

It's been a long time coming, but Estrella Damm Daura Gluten-free Lager is now available at K&L for for only $1.99 per bottle!



In Gluten-Free Drinking, posted on Uncorked last July I wrote that while there are a growing number of gluten-free beers made from alternative grains available on the US market, the few that actually taste like beer were at the time still trapped in Europe.

Well, while GF drinkers in Germany and Italy have been enjoying a variety of gluten-free beer options for quite some time, select US markets, and most importantly, all you gluten-free K&L customers, are finally able to find out for ourselves what the two-time award-winning *World's Best Gluten Free Beer* tastes like.

The 140-year-old Estrella Damm group of Barcelona-based S.A. Damm, one of Spain's most prestigious beer companies, partnered with the National Scientific Research Council to develop the technology to remove gluten from their barley-based beer to a guaranteed level of below 6 ppm (anything below 20 ppm is considered Celiac-safe by the FDA). They named the resulting Lager Daura.

The four-packs of these modestly priced lagers ($1.99 per bottle!) weren't even "officially" in stock the week before President's Day Weekend last month, when I snatched them up to take on the most important of beer road tests: the après-ski. In hot tub, recovering from a truly epic day of snowboarding (anyone in the Sierras that weekend knows what and which day I'm talking about), the crisp, malty, utterly beer-like taste of Estrella Damm Daura was, well, pretty damm great.

While I certainly do appreciate the GF beers out there made from alternative grains like sorghum, millet, and corn (Bards comes to mind as a standout in the category) I've asked around, and all of my gluten-free friends and neighbors who've tried the Daura, including the GF gals behind the SF-based glutenfreegluttons.com agree--it's the real thing.

It's made from barley and tastes like beer. Pure and simple.

-Chiara Shannon (aka Cellargal)

*You can buy Estrella Damm Daura Gluten Free Lager ($1.99 per bottle) on KLWines.com*
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1064082

On Schramsberg: Posted today on Uncorked!

It is easy to miss the sign marking Schramsberg Road while zooming north on Highway 29, just outside the town of St. Helena. Though Schramsberg is one of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley (established by German immigrant Jacob Schram in 1862), it is not by any stretch of the imagination the most opulent or advertised. You can see the neighboring V. Sattui castle from across the valley, and you have to be blind to miss the historic Beringer property on the edge of town, but on any given day a good percentage of the calls to the Schramsberg front desk are from would-be visitors parked on the side of the road in Calistoga, wondering where they went wrong. I know because I used to answer that phone...Read full article!

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Text Version:

It is easy to miss the sign marking Schramsberg Road while zooming north on Highway 29, just outside the town of St. Helena. Though Schramsberg is one of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley (established by German immigrant Jacob Schram in 1862), it is not by any stretch of the imagination the most opulent or advertised. You can see the neighboring V. Sattui castle from across the valley, and you have to be blind to miss the historic Beringer property on the edge of town, but on any given day a good percentage of the calls to the Schramsberg front desk are from would-be visitors parked on the side of the road in Calistoga, wondering where they went wrong. I know because I used to answer that phone
Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs was the first American sparkling wine to be served at U.S. diplomatic events (for Richard Nixon's "Toast to Peace" in Beijing in 1972) and remains the White House's house sparkler. www.schramsberg.com

The reason Schramsberg doesn't need a big sign or a castle is simple: méthode Champenoise, and the tradition of style and class that Shramsberg's founders, the late Jack and Jamie Davies, built into the brand over the years. The Davies' purchased the old Schram property as a fixer-upper in 1965, and by 1972 had given it new life as the first winery in America to produce sparkling wine by the same method as in Champagne, using the traditional Champagne grape varietals Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Visitors to Schramsberg's historic wine caves (the original caves were hand-dug in the late 1800s!) get to witness first-hand the labor-intensive steps of sparkling wine production, including the process of riddling the bottles to concentrate the dead yeast cells for removal during disgorging. At Schramsberg, riddling is still done by hand.

While the idea of a cave-dwelling riddler spinning still wine into sparkling has a certain fairy tale quality to it, you can't produce first class bubbles without starting with a first class wine, and Keith Hock is the man we have to thank for that. Keith oversees everything that happens in the winery, from crush through primary fermentation and the all-important step of assembling the cuveés (assemblage) which are the final blends that get bottled and undergo the rest of production in the bottle. Since each vineyard source delivers unique fruit each vintage, and Schramsberg produces vintage sparkling wines each year (with the exception of the nonvintage Mirabelle line and the ultra premium J. Schram Brut Rosé, which is only made in exceptional years) Keith must craft final blends made from individually fermented blocks that are reflective of the vintage but stay true to the style of the wine for which they are destined, from the flagship Blanc de Blancs to the premium J Schram.

We are thrilled to welcome Keith to our San Francisco tasting bar this Thursday, February 10 at 5 p.m. and to our Redwood City tasting bar this Friday, February 11th at 5 p.m. for special Pre-Valentine's Day Bubbly Tasting. In anticipation of the occasion, we thought you might want to get to know the man behind the bubbly a little. Here, Keith dishes on bubbly, biking, and where to get a good bite off-the-beaten-path in Napa:

Behind the Wine: Winemaker Interview with Keith Hock

K&L: How did you get into the wine business?

KH: I was living in France racing bicycles for a French cycling team. The team Soignier educated me on the wines from the different growing areas in France, however, it wasn’t until I moved back to the US, and to Napa, CA that I discovered that I could earn a degree in winemaking.

K&L: How long have you been making wine at Schramsberg?

KH: I have been with Schramsberg since 2002.

Did you always want to make sparkling wine?

No, I have worked for several other wineries. However, I enjoy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, so Schramsberg is a perfect match.

What are some winemaking challenges unique to sparkling wine production?

The challenge with making sparkling wine is that it’s a labor intensive product, where each bottle of wine has to be touched numerous times prior to the wine being released for sale.

What makes Schramsberg unique?

Schramsberg is unique for several reasons: there is the history of the property, being the second oldest winery in Napa Valley, in addition to our caves and hillside vineyards. We have stayed true to the mission that Jack and Jamie Davies set out to do in 1965 when they re-established Schramsberg as a sparkling wine house--making the absolute best vintage sparkling wines year in and year out. There is a tremendous amount of pride, respect and heritage that goes into each and every bottle of Schramsberg wine!

What did you drink last night? (Or the last time you had a glass of wine that wasn’t your own?)

Last night I had a glass of Argentinean Malbec, Tierra Secreta.

What’s your position on wine-pairing and what do you like to pair your wines with?

Wine and food are a natural. Pairing brings out flavors in both the food and wine that aren’t there without the other. Sparkling wine and Kettle style salted potato chips are a savory pairing! (Thanks for the tip!)

What are some of your favorite restaurants?

We are fortunate to have so many fine restaurant in the Napa Valley, a few new ones that I like are Bistro Sabor, it casual and fun, [and] ZUZU for tapas. There are too many to name, "spoiled" comes to mind when I think of all the restaurants.

What advice do you have to offer people just getting into wine?
Don’t be afraid, be open-minded and try any and everything. Wine is an exciting and interactive experience.
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TASTE!
What: Pre-Valentines Day Bubbly Tasting with Schramsberg Winemaker Keith Hock
When/Where: Thursday, February 10th, 5-6:30 p.m. at K&L San Francisco and Friday, February 11th, 5pm-6:30pm at K&L Redwood City.

A Happy Piscoincidence

This Saturday, February 5th, is a lot of things.  It's the 7 Year Anniversary of my husband's Burning Man Camp Pink Mammoth, which is being celebrated in full pink effect at Mighty.  It is also National Pisco Sour Day in Peru, and by extendion, San Francisco.

There are lots of Pisco-related events going on in the City this weekend, including, of course, Pink Mammoth's party, which will be featuring not only an open Pisco bar, but will be visited by the FLAMEingo, the awesome full-size crane you may or may not remember from Burning Man that is lit to look like a flamingo holding a dj booth in its beak (where do these guys come up with this stuff??) The body of the crane (so I am told) houses a full-on pisco lounge  while illuminating the Playa. 

The connection?  Well, the FLAMEingo crane happens to belong to the founder of the new and *outstanding* Pisco brand Vinas de Oro, Timothy Childs.  This Saturday, it is going to be providing silent disco fun to pisco-slinging pink-clad celebrants at the Pink Mammoth's party.  (Try saying that five times fast.) Before the action goes down on Saturday night, I will be spending some quality time with Mr. Childs, tasting some pisco and picking his pisco brain for a later post.  How's that for alliteration?



Yours Truly, reaching to finish the last drop of her Pisco Sour on wedding night. My husband Derek and I love this historic Peruvian cocktail so much, it was the signature drink served at our wedding.



Derek lived in Peru for a year in his early twenties, where he needed to perfect his Pisco Sour making technique to satisfy patrons of the chic Lima bar where he worked as a bartender. The Peruvians were not quick to accept that a gringo from New York could make proper Pisco Sour, but he eventually won them over (and even scored a spot on the local news for his talents!). So naturally, he takes this Pisco Sour business seriously. The wedding was back in 2007, when Pre-Prohibition cocktails had yet to hit mainstream cool, and it took the bar manager and staff of our five star catering operation several tries, carefully and rather gleefully presided over by Derek, to get it just right.

Pisco About Town
Pisco and Pisco Sour appreciation has come a long way in San Francisco since I first wrote about this great cocktail on UnCorked back in September of 2008 and shared Derek's recipe (below). Almost concurrent with my September 08 posting, the doors to the U.S. Flagship of Peruvian Celebrity Gaston Acurio's La Mar Cebicheria Peruana, opened its doors on San Francisco's Embarcadero. In addition to a making killer Pisco Sour, La Mar offers an extensive selection of Pisco and Pisco-based cocktails. They also host Pisco tasting seminars for enthusiasts and professionals. I attended one sponsored by BarSol pisco and it was quite enlightening.
Pisco was widely available in San Francisco from it's first appearance 1839 up until Prohibition. It attained world fame in 1887 when Duncan Nicol aka “Pisco John” created the Pisco Punch cocktail at the Bank Exchange Saloon. Credit for inventing the Pisco Sour is given to the English expat Elliot Stubb, who first served the cocktail at his bar in Peru in the 1870s.
Award-winning Pisco Sours are churned out at Pisco Latin Lounge, the Pisco Bar next to Hayes Valley's cozy Peruvian resto Destino, with Union Square's Cantina as a solid runner-up for a good Pisco fix. And these days, mixologists at the Union Square speakeasy Bourbon and Branch and SOMA's Heaven's Dog and Bar Agricole not only know what you're talking about when you order the Peruvian cocktail, but they deliver the goods proper.
Even Pisco itself- the brandy that forms the base of the cocktail - has gotten a lot better too. No more kitchy bottles of below-rate Pisco in the shape of Incan statues...new producers like Campo de Encanto and Viñas de Oro are crafting artisanal, award-winning Piscos worthy of any spirit collection.

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SHAKE
Why not give the Pisco Sour a try today? Derek's recipe is very pretty simple and straighforward:
Derek's Pisco Sour Recipe
(from the September 08 posting of "Cocktail Craze: The Pisco Sour")
2 parts Pisco
1 part lime juice
.75 part simple syrup
one egg white
Shake with very little ice or blend. Top with cinnamon. Note: Other recipes call for a garnish of bitters instead of cinnamon, but Derek says that cinnamon is what they use in Lima.



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SHOP
Buy Campo de Encanto and Vinas de Oro Pisco at K&L Wine Merchants !
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TASTE
Prefer to have the professionals make one for you? No Problem: there is a lot of Pisco being poured this weekend in San Francisco...
Sat 2/5 9pm-2am @ Cantina Special Pisco menu and $5 Pisco Sours all night long, plus DJs spinning South American jams and hip hop. 

Sat 2/5 @ La Mar Cebicheria Peruana $5 Pisco Sours all day 

Sat 2/5 5 pm-1 am, and Sunday, 2/6, 3-9 pm @ Pisco Latin Lounge $5 Pisco Sours all day on Saturday and Sunday, plus $3 beers for those not yet convinced of Pisco's magic.
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PARTY!
Encanto Pisco Mustache Brigade Bar Crawl - Starts at La Mar at 5:30, then to 15 Romolo around 7pm, with after-party at Cantina from 9pm till closing. The party at Cantina will feature $5 Pisco Sours and shots of top shelf Pisco de Encanto offered by no other than the man himself, Encanto Co-founder Duggan McDonnell. 

Pink Mammoth 7 Year Anniversary - Dance off all those yucca fries tonight @ Mighty for the seventh anniversary of the Pink Mammoth dance music-themed Burning Man camp. There will be an open bar of Vinas de Oro Pisco drinks, plus free food from Skool and Kitchenette. Wacky attire encouraged. $7 before 10:30 if with RSVP!

Grape Talk: Carignan(e)

My Carignane article was published today on K&L UnCorked!

http://blog.klwines.com/httpblogklwinescomuncork/grape-talk-carignane.html



Poor Carignane. It doesn't have many champions. The grape's rough edges and "needs food" profile have not won it many fans among the top critics of the world. At its worst, wines made from Carignane show pippy, grapey aromas and flavors and have a tendency toward astringency. But at its best it can be quite intriguing. The question is, does anyone have the patience to tame this grapey beast?


Wherever it has traveled--from its origin in the Aragon provence of Spain to Algeria, France, Italy, the US and beyond--Carignane has most commonly met the fate of being used as a minor blending varietal under a different name (such as in Rioja production, where a small percentage is traditionally blended into the red wines disguised as the regionally named Mazuelo grape) or as inexpensive juice for bulk wine production.

The Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons.The Carignane we are most likely to encounter in the market today is French, which despite maneuvering its way onto the list of the 22 approved Rhône varietals, is typically (and in most cases, negatively) associated with bulk production in the the Languedoc-Roussillon (right) in the latter half of the twentieth century. Carignan came from Spain to France via Algeria, where it was grown to produce bulk wines for export. After Algerian independence in 1962, the French needed to come up with their own source of bulk wine, so Carignane vines were transported from Algeria and planted widely throughout this part of southern France.

We have the Italians to thank for our California Carignane tradition. Carignane came from Spain to Italy via Sardegna, where it is still made into varietal wine, Carignano. Italian immigrants to the US starting in the late 1890s brought the vine to California, and through the early and mid-20th century, Carignane was one of the most widely planted grape varietal in California. It formed the base of many a "jug" of hearty red California wine!

Caretakers of Carignane

Carignane may never become as popular as Cab or Syrah, but in France it seems to be undergoing a bit of a renaissance. Over the last 10 years, thanks to the labor-of-love, grassroots efforts of a a few good growers in the Languedoc, it is slowly--perhaps for the first time--earning the attention of critics and wine geeks the world over. Producers such as Clos du Gravillas and Domaine Rimbert are not only making some honestly good Carignane from their treasured old vines, but are also devoted to promoting quality production of Carignane and advocating for it's recognition as a varietal capable of fine wine.

Ridge's Buchignani Range Carignane is available at the winery only.Similar efforts are being made in California to promote and protect the few remaining heritage Carignane vineyards. For the last decade, Ridge Vineyards has produced a varietal Carignane from fruit grown at the historic Buchignani Ranch, where the 60- to 80-year-old vines were planted in the gravelly hillside by immigrant Dominico Ceritti, grandfather of current grower and proprietor, Stan Buchignani. Ridge treats this special old-vine Carignane with the same care as its single-vineyard Zinfandels, but the 40-45 barrel production has limited distribution--wine club and direct sales only. The 2008 Buchignani Ranch Carignane (right) is soft in the mouth and with moderate alcohol (13.9%). It is a lively, medium-bodied wine with ripe strawberry and cranberry aromas, grape seed accented red and black fruit flavors, and a touch of oak spice (the wine spends one year in mostly used American oak). Varietal typicity is not lost in this otherwise stylish and accessible wine.

Carignane: A True California Heritage Varietal

VIDEO! Click to watch a video of Alvin Tolllini talking about his historic Carignane vines used to produce LIOCO's Indica!

More recently, maverick wine producers Matt Licklider and Kevin O'Connor have started to pay attention to Carignane in an ever bigger way. Together, O'Connor (wine director at two-Michelin star restaurant Spago in Beverly Hills) and Licklider (veteran European wine importer) created LIOCO in 2005, a natural wine company whose mission it is to produce authentic, terroir-driven California wines and to promote heritage varietals in an effort to bring diversity back to the California wine market. (Read our recent interview with Licklider here.) They believe there is more to California than full-throttle Cabernet and overly oaked Chardonnay, and seek to prove that with their portfolio of distinctive, natural wines. Old vine Carignane-- not Cabernet--forms the basis of their everyday red wine offering, Indica (right).

The Tollini Vineyard, located in Mendocino, is another historic vineyard site in California, with treasured vines planted on original 70 yr-old old-vine Carignane root stalk. Thrilled to discover this special site when seeking out sites for their project, LIOCO began sourcing from it almost immediately.

Unlike Ridge's manicured 100% Carignane, Indica is a blend of old-vine Carignane (66%), Mourvèdre (25%), and Petite Sirah (9%), made with the intent to showcase the freshness and flavor of old-vine Carignane while letting the other grape varietals (as opposed to oak) provide weight and richness. In this way LIOCO's Carignane more closely resembles the Carignane and Carignane-based blends of the new Languedoc (perhaps that is why they go with the French, sans 'e' spelling?) than the more oak-influenced Ridge bottling. It is a medium-bodied, fresh and darker-fruited fruity wine; Carignane's higher tones are rounded out and deepened by the addition of Mourvèdre and Petite Sirah. It is sealed with a screwcap to remind us that it is best when drunk young and fresh.

Back on the Map

While Ridge's Buchignani Ranch Carignane may be the suaver and more seductive representation of 100% old vine California Carignane, LIOCO is certainly doing its part to champion the California Carignane cause. While you have to physically go to Ridge to get a taste of their Carignane, Indica is distributed nationally, has received great press, and is available by-the-glass at many of the nation's top foodie destinations.

Given this trend--who knows? Are Californians ready for more Carignane?
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TASTE

LIOCO Indica is available by the glass at these Bay Area locations:

The Girl & the Fig (Sonoma)

Pizzeria Delfina (S.F. Fillmore location) on tap!!

Heirloom Cafe (S.F.)

Local Mission Eatery (S.F.)

Delarosa (S.F.)


Ridge's Buchignani Ranch Carignane is available to taste at both Ridge's Lytton Springs and Monte Bello wineries.

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SHOP

Buy Indica and other LIOCO wines online at KLWines.com

Buy Ridge's Buchignani Ranch Carignane online at Ridgewine.com

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LEARN

Carignan Renaissance

California Historic Vineyard Society

The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Ed.


Chiara Shannon