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Nuschese Wine Tasting at Southern Wine & Spirits

May 14th, 2009 by Sébastien Gavillet

When Franco Nuschese said he would present his new collection in style, he spoke only the absolute truth.  For the wine tasting, he flew three of his chefs and Bruno de Conciliis (Italian winemaker and owner of Viticoltori de Conciliis) from Italy.  He also flew in additional personnel from his DC office to assist in the tasting and ensure the proper execution of his plans.  Larry Ruvo, General Manager of Southern Wine & Spirits (SWS) hosted the wine tasting event, assisted by Carmelo Messina, SWS’s Italian wine specialist.

All of the wines presented were native to (harvested/made in) the Campania region (Southern Italy), of which both Franco Nuschese and Bruno de Conciliis are natives.

larry-ruvo-bruno-de-conilii
(Larry Ruvo hosting the Franco Nuschese, Bruno de Conciliis lunch/dinner at SWS)

Nuschese Wines

Nuschese wines are not the type of wines that you will find in regular wine lists or in local wine stores.  They are made from less available grape varietals like:

The more readily available varietals or wine grapes used in making Nuschese wines are:

Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes

The Nuschese wines featured at the tasting were paired with a seven-course meal.  There were nine wines in all.  Two of the wines were served as an aperitif while the remaining seven were served with a specific course.  It was definitely a wonderful and innovative way of presenting wines.

The following are my wine reviews of the wines featured at the Nuschese wine tasting:

Il Sogno (Italian for Dream)

60% Fiano, 30% Malvasia, 10% Moscato

Served as an aperitif

franco-nuschese2
(Franco Nuschese enjoying a glass of Il Sogno with a Mrs. Ruvo)

Wine tasting notes:  This sparkling wine, which is not a Prosecco, is made using the Charmat method, also known as the Metodo Italiano.  Unlike Champagne, it undergoes a secondary fermentation in the tank rather than in the bottle, after which phase it is bottled under pressure.

This wine has floral aromas with a touch of tropical fruits on the nose.  In mouth, the aromas open up to more floral notes, and you can notice “saltiness” due to the proximity of the grape vines to the ocean.  Refreshing and clean, with a smooth finish pulling more towards the acidity side.

Falanghina 2007 IGT

Falanghina

Served as an aperitif

Wine tasting notes:  This is a white wine with the aromas of lime, grapefruit rind, lemon, green apple, and lots of jasmine.  Very noticeable minerality giving way to the more tropical fruit side of this wine.

Greco di Tufo 2007 DOCG

Greco di Tufo

Paired with citrus marinated langoustine with zucchini, fennel salad and pink peppercorn olive oil

citrus-langoustine-zucchini

Wine tasting notes:  This is an aromatic white wine.  It has the aromas of melon, lime, bruised pear, and white flowers.  Fresh and lively, well-balanced with good minerality notes.  This has a wine style that you will not encounter often.

Fiano di Avellino 2007 DOCG

100% Fiano di Avellino

Paired with warm baby octopus salad with vegetable panzanella and Italian parsley pesto

baby-octopus-nuschese

Lucretia 2007 IGT

50% Fiano di Avellino, 50% Greco di Tufo

Paired with imported paccheri pasta with sautéed Maine Lobster, marjoram and fava beans in a light spicy cherry tomato sauce

lobster-nuschese-sws

Wine tasting notes:  This aromatic white wine has more complexity than the Fiano di Avellino.  Its aromas of green apple, melon rind and jasmine as well as its strong terroir attributes beautifully complemented the lobster.

La Pietra 2007 (The Rock)

50% Barbera, 40% Aglianico, 10% Primitivo

Paired with sautéed Monkfish ossobuco with Italian lake beans, pancetta and mussels guazzeto

Wine tasting notes:  This wine is called “The Rock” after Bruno de Conciliis.  It represents the more realistic side of life, as opposed to the Il Sogno (see above), which was named after Franco “the dreamer” or the visionario.

This red wine with medium plus acidity is very well suited to tomato-based dishes or even fish.  It has the aromas of red cherry, raspberry preserve, green pepper, plums, a hint of white pepper, and a touch of strawberry (typical Sangiovese characteristic); yes, indeed, this wine has a splash of Sangiovese in it.  Fruit forward with fruit tannins, no oak.  Long finish.

Taurasi 2004 DOCG

Aglianico

Paired with braised veal cheek with Jerusalem artichoke pure and baby vegetables

Cassius 2005 DOC

Aglianico

Paired with imported Italian Pecorini cheese with truffle honey and homemade radicchio jam

Wine tasting notes:  This wine is definitely unique.  After drinking it, you’ll think a small piece of vanilla bean was left on your tongue!  You can tell that this wine has had substantial oak contact.  New World wine style aficionados will surely love this wine.

MarcAntonio 2006 DOC

Primitivo di Manduria

Paired with chocolate chili cremoso with delicious rosemary berries compote

chocolate-chili-cremoso

Wine tasting notes:  Very complex and sophisticated for a Primitivo di Maduria, this dark-colored, almost-black wine has the aromas of raspberry, blackberry, plum, spices, leather, dark chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of smoke.

What a feast!  I have to say that the wine pairing was executed flawlessly; the wine and the dishes were exceptionally well-matched.  I look forward to visiting the de Conciliis winery this summer and enjoying the wines on site.  I am sure that the trip will make for some pretty interesting posts in this wine blog.

That’s all for this wine tasting.  Cheers!

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Kracher Wine Tasting at Spago

March 18th, 2009 by Sébastien Gavillet

The Kracher wine tasting was held at Spago, a Wolfgang Puck restaurant located at The Forum Shops in Caesar’s Palace.  J & P Wholesale (a division of Southern Wine & Spirits), in association with third-generation winemaker, Gerhard Kracher, hosted the tasting.

Kracher Winemakers:  Scrumptious Dessert Wine

For the information of those who have never had wine from Kracher, the Kracher Family specializes in making sweet dessert wines.  Kracher dessert wines are truly delicious and “literally” mouthwatering.  I would even go so far as to say that Kracher dessert wines are some of the finest dessert wines available. Three generations of Krachers have been crafting fine wine.  To say that the Kracher Family is one of the top Austrian winemakers is an understatement.  In truth, Kracher sweet wines (among others) helped put the Seewinkel region (Burgenland, Austria) on the map and mark it as a quality wine-growing region.

Back to the Wine Tasting

Gerhard Kracher himself poured the wines for the tasting.  He took the time to explain in detail each of the wines we sampled.  Needless to say, I truly enjoyed his briefing. I have always found accounts from winemakers fascinating and enriching.  It is a real privilege to be let in on a winemaker’s vision and techniques of wine production.  A winemaker’s stories, moreover, are quite enlightening; they help me assess the “heart and soul” that a winemaker has put into making his wines.

Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes:  My Top 6 Kracher Wines

I cannot provide you with wine reviews of all 24 wines I sampled at the tasting, but here are my wine tasting notes on the 6 most interesting Kracher wines:

TBA No. 03 Traminer “Nouvelle Vague” 2004

Straw bale in color with deep hues, this wine has the aromas of orange rind, muscat, hawthorn, honey, rose, and a hint of clove.  It has some delicate smokiness to it.  It is intensely rich and complex with a lingering aromatic finish.  This wine has yet to reach its full potential and should age beautifully.

TBA No. 08 Welschriesling “Zwischen Den Seen” 2002

Dark golden/amber in color, this wine has the aromas of linden, grapefruit bud (floral notes), possibly quince (fruit), saffron, and other spice notes with no presence of oak contact.  This wine is elegant yet complex.  Ready to drink.

TBA No. 12 Noble Wine “Zwischen Den Seen” 2002

Technically, this is not wine.  It cannot be classified as wine because its alcohol content is too low (4%) on account of its extremely high sugar content (RS).  This “wine” is made from a blend of 50 % Scheurebe and 50 % Welschriesling.  Its characteristics resemble that of a Tokaji Eszencia from Hungary. This beverage is amber in color.  It has the aromas of Nestea concentrate or – if you want specifics – citrus (lemon), bruised pear, dried apricot, honey, tea leaf, and a hint of tobacco.  Basically a Tokaji Eszencia but with less dried fruits on the nose.

TBA No. 09 Chardonnay “Nouvelle Vague” 2004

Straw bale in color, this wine has the aromas of pineapple (faint), peach, linden, honey, vanilla, grilled almonds, and a hint of caramelization and smoke.  It is intense yet well-balanced.  Very approachable and still youthful considering it has less acidity than its 2005 version.  Ready to drink and should age well. Word to the wise:  some of the aromas mentioned above will evolve or be transformed over time.

TBA No. 10 Chardonnay “Nouvelle Vague” 2005

Yellow/golden in color, this wine presents the aromas of lemon, linden (very similar to honey), honey glazed baked pear, clove (hint), vanilla, grilled almonds, and just the right touch of smoke.  Full-bodied and rich, it has a surprisingly creamy texture (from aging in oak and on account of it being a Chardonnay) yet great acidity with a lengthy smooth finish.  Simply beautiful.

TBA No. 07 Welschriesling “Zwischen Den Seen” 2004:

Golden straw bale in color, this wine has the aromas of grapefruit bud, linden, honey (alpine), apricot, peach, tea leaf, and a hint of tobacco and/or other wood spices.  It exhibits intense fruitiness, but remains well-balanced.  This wine has such complexion and an ever lingering finish.  Ready to drink and will age beautifully. That’s all for this wine tasting.  Cheers!

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Holdredge Wine Tasting

January 21st, 2009 by Sébastien Gavillet

J & P Wholesale, the boutique wine division of Southern Wines & Spirits, hosted the Holdredge Wines’ 2007 release wine tasting.  The tasting took place at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.  John Holdredge, owner/wine maker of Holdredge Wines, presented the wines himself.

Nine wines were presented during the Holdredge wine tasting.  These wines were made using the following varietals or grapes:  Pinot Noir, Syrah, Zinfandel, late-harvest Pinot Gris, and late-harvest Gewürztraminer.

Pinot Noir is John’s specialty, and his wine making technique focuses on showing off the features of the terroir in which the grapes are grown.  He uses an all-natural wine making process, one that is directed by his nose, palate and heart.  John produces truly fine Pinot Noir, and two of his new wine releases are included in my top 5 California Pinot Noir wines for 2007.

Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes:  My Top 2 Holdredge Wines

Now, let’s talk about the Holdredge Wines, particularly the wines presented at the tasting.  The following are the two wines that I liked best among the newly released Holdredge wines:

2007 Bucher Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River)

This wine has the aromas of raspberry, rose petals, strawberry, hazelnuts, and some spices.  It has medium plus body.  It is heavier/bigger than the Wren Hop (see below), but it still has great structure, body and complexity.  This is one great wine.

2007 Wren Hop Vineyard Pinot Noir (Russian River)

This is the wine I liked best among the nine wines presented at the Holdredge wine tasting.  The 2007 Wren Hop Pinot Noir is such a delicate yet complex wine – almost Burgundian.  It has the aromas of cherry “griotte,” raspberry, strawberry, and maybe even pomegranate.  It is medium-bodied and elegant, and it has delicate structure with almost silky tannins and a lingering velvety finish.  This wine is truly very enjoyable even at such a young age; it should age well.

That’s all for this wine tasting.  I know my wine reviews and wine tasting notes are rather brief, but I hope they’ll still help you make wine buying decisions.  Cheers!

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Oregon Pinots: Wines with Plenty of Personality

August 12th, 2008 by Agi Toth D.W.S.

Finally!  My chance to participate in the Oregon Pinot Camp has arrived.  “Camp?” my friends’ incredulous faces stared back at me.  “Your work is taking you to Oregon to drink wine for four days?”  Well… when you put it like that… I guess I have to say, “Yes!”

Every year, 50 of Oregon’s wineries or wine companies come together and invite over 250 hospitality and wine professionals to explore and experience the Oregon wine country.  In the last 30 years, Oregon’s Pinot Noirs have gone from being unknown entities to international “celebrities,” receiving recognition and acclaim from wine industry professionals worldwide.  Wine lovers who had previously stocked only Burgundies in their wine cellars have now started stocking Pinots produced from the wine grapes grown in Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills and Yamhill County.

The Oregon Pinot Camp

I and the other wine professionals participated in six workshops.  We learned about the history of Oregon wine making and explored Oregon wines’ vintages and wine styles.  We also discussed and tasted Oregon’s white wines.  Winemakers took us to their vineyards to discuss terroir.  You know what?  There’s nothing like squeezing dirt clods (oops, excuse my indelicate faux pas… should I say soil samples instead?) if you want to understand the difference between sedimentary and volcanic-based earth.

The star of the show?  The Pinot Noir, bien sûr (of course) – that persistently persnickety grape that perpetually puzzles and perplexes even the most devoted winemaker.  In order to make the wonderfully elegant and silky wine that we call Pinot, vine growers dedicate their lives to combating this thin-skinned grape’s proneness to rot.  They have to stay up at all hours of the night, zipping through their plots, tasting, chewing, spitting, and tasting again and again – until the grapes finally “whisper” to their caretakers that full ripeness has been achieved and the right moment to begin harvest has arrived.

The Pinot wine tasting focused on the 2006 vintage, a year that pleased many winemakers and yielded high-quality grapes.  It is clear that Oregon winemakers strive to produce wines that are true to Pinot’s varietal characteristics.  Although the wines at the wine tasting were very young, they displayed a variety of aromas and flavors that ranged from bright, fresh, red berries to riper, dark blackberries and plum.  The various uses of oak were apparent, and the flavors ranged from the more subtle (e.g. elegant Pinots from the Domain Drouhin winemaker) to fuller-bodied, spicier versions that expressed more cedar, vanilla and tobacco (e.g. Pinots from the Panther Creek and Witness Tree vineyards).

As a group, Oregon Pinots exhibit a mouthwatering acidity, firm tannins, fruit complexity, and a lengthy finish – all of which are important elements of quality and agreeability.

The Pinot Gris was also featured, and this grape reigned supreme among the whites.  The Pinot Gris wines we sampled were deliciously crisp, clean and refreshing.  They can accompany many a dish.  Gee, I suddenly have this craving for seared scallops and asparagus – but, I digress.

The winemakers from Oregon are also being creative and are experimenting with other varietals such as Chardonnay.  A wonderfully refreshing example is Soter/Argyles’s sparkling blanc de blancs.  The Ponzi Winery makes a lovely Arneis; others are dabbling with more aromatic varietals such as Riesling and Gewürztraminer.

As we floated over the vineyards of Oregon in our hot air balloon (mais oui!) one morning, I thought about the Oregon winemakers.  Although they have initially looked to Burgundy for inspiration, they remained true to their goal of discovering their own style and unique expression of terroir.  They are succeeding quite well in this department, too.  In fact, they have started attracting the French.  French owned Willakenzie Winery had fun in mind when it produced Plaisir à Trois, a unique blend of Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Gamay Noir.

The Oregon wine country deserves our praise, indeed.  It’s a place worth watching, especially for those people who have a predisposition for particular Pinots.

Cheers!

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Sadie Family Wine Tasting

July 01st, 2008 by Sébastien Gavillet

In April, I met with Eben Sadie, winemaker for the Sadie Family, at a wine presentation he was giving at the AquaKnox in Las Vegas.  At this wine tasting, Eben presented his new South African wine and Spanish wine releases.

For those of you who are not familiar with Eben Sadie, he grows and makes most of his wine naturally.  His wine growing practices incorporate self-sustained viticulture (no watering).  He uses mules to plow his vineyards, and he handpicks all the grapes.  Additionally, he does not use sulfates to make wine.  Eben believes that the most important component in wine making is the grape itself; everything else is secondary.

That’s enough for the introduction; now let’s discuss the wines.

Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes:  Sadie Family Wines

The following are my wine reviews of and wine tasting notes on three Sadie Family wines, specifically two South African red wines and one Spanish red wine.

Sequillo 2005

South African red wine from the Swartland region

Made from a blend of Syrah (68%), Mourvèdre (26%) and Grenache (6%)

Wine tasting notes:  This wine has a bright, deep ruby color.  It resembles a Rhone wine from the Vacqueyras region, and it has the aromas of cherry, blackcurrant, blackberry, prune, thyme, leather, and cedar.  Some minerality with acidity on the plus side.

This wine is elegant and has a surprisingly smooth finish considering the fact that I was expecting it to be much more tannic.

Columella 2005

South African red wine from the Swartland region

Made from a blend of Syrah (80%) and Mourvèdre (20%)

All grapes are berry selected!

Wine tasting notes:  A dark ruby/purple color is characteristic of this red wine.  It has the aromas of blackcurrant, morello cherry, prune, cedar or wood box cigar, tobacco, leather, and an herbal note (maybe eucalyptus).  Some minerality, medium acidity and tannins on the plus side.

This wine should age beautifully.  Note that this is the only South African wine to ever get 95 points on WS (Wine Spectator).

Terroir Al Limit 2005

Spanish red wine from the Priorat region

Made from a blend of Carignan and Grenache varietals

Wine tasting notes:  This wine has the aromas of young red fruits (e.g. raspberry and redcurrant), Mon Cheri (liquor-infused cherry covered with chocolate), dark chocolate, prune, and smoke with a hint of woody spice.  This is a well-structured wine; it has good balance.

That’s all for this wine tasting.  Do watch out for my next blog post, which will be about Domaine Dujac and Jeremy Seysses visit to Deluca Liquor & Wine.

Cheers!

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Great Match Wine & Tapas ’08 Wine Tasting

May 25th, 2008 by Sébastien Gavillet

Wine & Tapas ’08, the 15th annual Great Match Spanish wine tasting event, showcased more than 250 Spanish wines, representing a large chunk of Spain’s 67 denominations (DO).  The event was extremely well-organized, and I am already looking forward to next year’s Great Match.  Great Match wine tastings are held yearly to give wine professionals and the press the chance to preview the latest wines from Spain.

As you can imagine, there was no way I could sample all of the 250 Spanish wines that were featured at the tasting.  I narrowed my selection to about 100 wines which I had heard/read about or which had been recommended to me by other wine professionals.  Even with my significantly narrowed selection, however, it took me five hours before I could finish tasting all 100 wines and leave for another wine tasting event (the Moet & Chandon tasting at the all-new Trump International Hotel & Tower in Las Vegas).  Of course, I did not spend all five hours tasting wine; I also spent some time speaking with the winemakers and representatives of Spanish wine companies.

Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes:  My Top 26 Spanish Wines

I cannot possibly write extensive wine reviews of all the wines I tasted at the Spanish wine tasting; that would take days to accomplish.  You are welcome to contact me, however, if you want to know about a particular Spanish wine that was presented at the tasting as I did make extensive wine tasting notes about the wines I sampled.

In this post, I have categorized the wines into wine types and/or wine styles.  The wines below are my personal favorites, and they are listed in NO PARTICULAR ORDER.  The following are wines that I plan to buy for my personal consumption and wines that I would recommend to my clients.  There is also a section called “Spanish Wines with Funky Aromas,” under which are listed wines with different or unique aromas.

Note:  The wine prices indicated below refer to the manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) provided by the Great Match organizers.

Cava (Sparkling):

  • Mont Ferrant Blanes Nature 2003, DO Cava, Wine Price: $19.99

White Wines:

(Drink Albariño wines young; they lose their appeal through time; 2-3 years at most)

  • Terra Firme 2007, DO Rías Baixas, 100% Albariño, Wine Price:  $55.00
  • Albariño Santiago Roma 2006, DO Rías Baixas, 100% Albariño, Wine Price:  $55.00

Wine tasting notes:  Unique style; handpicked grapes are cryo-frozen to delay fermentation process.  Malolactic fermentation cut at 70% via temp. control; aged 3 months on its lees; fermentation process is finished once bottled; no oak.

  • Paco y Lola 2007, DO Rías Baixas, 100% Albariño, Wine Price:  $55.00

Wine tasting notes:  Crisp and well-rounded, this is the most refreshing Albariño I’ve ever had.  Only 30% of the best harvested grapes are used to make this wine.  It has plenty of floral aromas and good acidity.  No oak.  Can’t wait to have this wine again; I’ll have it with some Asian cuisine.  Perhaps I’ll sip it plain while I’m relaxing on my patio.

Rose Wine:

  • Gran Feudo Rosado 2007, Bodegas Julian Chivite, DO Navarra, Grenache, Wine Price:  $19.00

Red Wines:

  • Montecastro y La Planeta 2002, DO Ribera del Duero, 100% Tinto Fino (local Tempranillo), Wine Price:  $55.00
  • Pasanau Finca La Planeta 2002, DOCa Priorat, 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Grenache, Wine Price:  $60.00
  • Finca Antigua Crianza 2004, DO La Mancha, Tempranillo Blend, Wine Price:  $15.00
  • Mascun 2005, Bodegas Osca, DO Somontano, 100% Syrah, Wine Price:  $25.00
  • Matamangos 2003, Agricolas Santa Rosa, DO Almansa, Blend of Grenache/Monastrell, Wine Price:  $29.00
  • Fra Guerau 2003, DO Montsant, Grenache/Syrah, Wine Price:  $15.00
  • Rento 2003, Grupo Matarromera, DO Ribera del Duero, Tinto Fino (local Tempranillo), Wine Price:  $75.00
  • Val de los Frailes 2003, DO Cigales, Fino (local Tempranillo), Wine Price:  $70.00
  • Campo Viejo Reserva 2005, Juan Alcorta, DO Rioja, 75% Tempranillo, 15% Graciano, 10% Mazuelo (Carignan), Wine Price:  $12.99
  • Ysios 2001, DO Rioja, Tempranillo, Wine Price:  $29.99
  • Navarro Lopez Old Vines Crianza 2002, DO Valdepeñas, Tempranillo, Wine Price:  $12.99
  • Rentas de Fincas 2003, DO Rioja, Tempranillo, Wine Price:  $14.00
  • Earth 2.0 2003, DO Navarra, 50% Temp, 50% Merlot, Wine Price:  $21.00

Dessert Wines:

  • Seleccion Especial 2005, Jorge Ordonez, DO Malaga (Muscatel), Wine Price:  $20.00
  • Don PX Gran Reserva 1979, Bodegas Toro Albala, DO Montilla-Moriles, Pedro Ximenez, Wine Price:  $60.00
  • Sandeman Character Medium Dry Amontillado, DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry, Palomino Fino and a hint of Pedro Ximenez, Wine Price:  $19.00
  • Lustau Peninsula Palo Cortado, Emilio Lustau, DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry, Palomino Fino, Wine Price:  $21.00
  • Sandeman Royal Esmeralda Amontillado VOS Sherry, DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry, Palomino, Wine Price:  $22.00
  • Domecq Venerable Vintage 30 years, DO Jerez-Xeres-Sherry, Pedro Ximenez, Wine Price:  $45.00

Spanish Wines with Funky Aromas:

  • Protos Verdejo 2007 (white wine), DO Rueda, Wine Price:  $12.00

Wine tasting notes:  This wine has not only the expected floral aromas but also some funky, armpit-like aromas, making this wine my funky pick of the Great Match wine tasting.

  • Don Olegario Albarino 2005 (white wine), DO Rías Baixas, Wine Price:  $22.00

Wine tasting notes:  This wine has chimney-like taste / aromas all over it that are quite similar to what you will find in a Haut-Brion Blanc even though the wine characteristics are completely different; worth the experience.

Are you thinking of building up your wine collection?  Perhaps, you have no wine collection to speak of and are thinking of starting one.  Why not stock up your wine cellar with Spanish red wines?  Most Spanish red wines, especially sherry, age very well.  I recommend that you slowly start stocking up on a few cases of Spanish wines before they become more popular, hence, more expensive.

Cheers!

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E. Guigal Wine Tasting at the Mesa Grill

May 12th, 2008 by Sébastien Gavillet

J & P Wholesale proudly presented the E. Guigal wine tasting at the Mesa Grill.  Philippe Guigal, the estate’s oenologist, and Eve Ryckewaert, E. Guigal’s marketing manager, personally presented E. Guigal’s current vintage and new wine releases at the tasting.  For those who don’t know, E. Guigal is both a wine grower and a négociant.  The E. Guigal estate has vineyards in Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, Crozes Hermitage, Hermitage and Saint Joseph.  All other AOCs (Appellation d’origine contrôlée) are not estate-grown.

The turnout for the E. Guigal wine tasting was incredible.  Almost everyone in the industry (locally speaking) was present or represented.  Dana Hanusova, Mesa Grill’s sommelier was my tasting partner for this event.

Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes:  My Top 6 E. Guigal Wines

The following are my wine tasting notes on and brief wine reviews of my top six picks at the E. Guigal wine tasting:

Condrieu “La Doraine” 2006

This 100% Viognier is aged for 9 months in new oak barrels.  This white wine has a complex bouquet with the aromas of acacia, linden, apricot, white peach, roasted almonds, and a touch of vanilla.  Rich, full-bodied, nicely rounded, and well-balanced, this was one of my favorite white wines at the tasting.  Ready to drink.

Ermitage Ex-Voto 2001

I was told that this wine is only made in the greatest vintages.  This 95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne is aged for 18 months in new oak barrels.  It seemed to me, though, that this wine has the characteristics of wine aged a lot longer in new oak.

This white wine has a complex bouquet and the aromas of acacia, peach (almost white peach), quince, honey, oak, toast, clove, vanilla, and roasted almonds.  It is very rich and fatty with a long spicy finish.  This wine should be ready to drink after 3-5 years.

St. Joseph “Vignes de L’Hospice” 2004

This 100% Syrah is aged for 30 months in new oak barrels.  This deep-red wine is ruby colored with purple hues.  It has the aromas of blackcurrant, blackberry, a hint of prune or overripe cherry, wood spices, coffee, leather, oak, vanilla pod, and toast.  Well-rounded, it has big yet elegant tannins and a long and smooth finish.  Ready to drink.

Cote Rôtie “La Turque” 2004

This 93% Syrah, 7% Viognier is aged for 42 months in new oak barrels.  This deep-red wine is ruby colored with dark hues.  It has the aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, morello cherry covered with dark chocolate, violet, coffee, spicy wood, maybe even truffle, oak, vanilla, and toasted seeds.  It is full-bodied, elegant and well-rounded with an unctuous texture and a lingering finish.  This wine should be beautiful after 3-5 years.

Côte Rôtie “Château d’Ampuis” 2004

This 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier is aged for 38 months in new oak.  This ruby-red wine has a complex bouquet, with the aromas of raspberry, blackberry, blackcurrant, prune, dried herbs, violet, and hints of vanilla, coffee, toast, and smoke.  Medium-bodied, elegant and well-structured with no overpowering tannins, it has a nice and lengthy finish.  Ready to drink and will age well in the 10+ years to come.

Côte Rôtie “Château d’Ampuis” 2000

This 95% Syrah, 5% Viognier is aged for 38 months in new oak.  This garnet-red wine has a complex yet delicate bouquet, with the aromas of blackberry, blackcurrant, maybe even raspberry, prune, musk or leather, dried herbs, violet, hints of vanilla, and toast.  Medium-bodied, well-structured with good tannins, it has a smooth finish.  Ready to drink.

That’s all for this wine tasting.  Cheers!

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Wing Lei Blind Wine Tasting

April 09th, 2008 by Sébastien Gavillet

Another blind wine tasting came to pass.  This time, it was held at Wing Lei, the Chinese restaurant at the Wynn Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.  The Wing Lei’s stunning décor provided a perfect foil to the wine tasting event.  Diego, Wing Lei’s sommelier, graciously welcomed all of us.  Master Sommelier William Sherer of Aureole Las Vegas, the event’s mainstay Master of Ceremonies, presided over the tasting proceedings.

All French Reds Allowed except the Most Popular Red Wines

This blind tasting was all about French red wines, but there was a twist.  All French red wines were welcome except Bordeaux, Burgundy and Cotes du Rhone.  Now what kind of wine tasting is that?  A great one, if you ask me, as it put everyone’s knowledge to test.  Due to the stipulation that the popular French red wines be excluded from this tasting, we were left mainly with selections from Alsace, Loire Valley, Languedoc-Roussillon, South West of France, Corsica and Provence – in other words, French red wines we rarely drink.  For me, it was this that made the Wing Lei blind tasting very interesting.

Placing Wines in Blind Tasting

In a blind wine tasting, you need to recognize particular characteristics or aromas if you are to successfully place a wine.  For example, if you smell the aromas of strawberry, raspberry and rose in a particular wine, you’ll have to place each of the aromas in turn.

You know that strawberry is an aroma that is characteristic of Loire Valley and Languedoc-Roussillon wines.  Raspberry is another scent that is present in all Loire Valley and Languedoc-Roussillon wines.  Based on the aromas of strawberry and raspberry, therefore, you can say that the wine can come from either Loire Valley or Languedoc-Roussillon.

The rose aroma is the deciding scent.  If you know that the scent of flowers like rose and violet are a characteristic of Loire Valley wines but not of Languedoc-Roussillon wines, you will be able to make the correct call:  the wine can only come from the Loire Valley.

This process of elimination sounds simple.  However, it takes lots of practice to perfect this strategy – hence the importance of taking the time to train your nose.  This is, in fact, only a small part of the methodology I use when trying to place wines at blind tasting events.  The wine’s color, viscosity, and alcohol content, among others, also have to be assessed and evaluated, especially when you cannot decide based on the aromas alone.

A Blind Wine Tasting Exercise

The following is a small exercise that explains how I evaluated and placed a particular wine at the Wing Lei blind wine tasting:

A practical breakdown of a new wine:

Red wine, ruby color, pink rims, medium viscosity, clear, bright with aromas of blackberry, raspberry, clove, dark chocolate and smoke, meaty in mouth with medium plus to plus acidity, not quite balanced

Wine Analysis:

  • Red wine, ruby in color with pinkish rims, clear, and bright:  these characteristics put this wine in a 2004 to 2005 vintage bracket
  • Clove, dark chocolate and smoke:  these characteristics suggest that this wine is of the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region
  • Blackberry:  this hints that the wine is probably a blended wine, possibly a blend of Carignan and/or Syrah varietals and quite possibly some Grenache grapes, too
  • Meaty in mouth with medium to medium plus acidity:  these characteristics suggest that this may be a wine from the Corbieres AOC

Result:

2004 Sainte Eugenie

AOC:  Corbieres (Languedoc-Roussillon)

In a nutshell, that is how it’s done.

The next Tuesday night blind wine tasting has been scheduled.  It will feature classic wines from all over the world.  Unfortunately, I will not be able to make it to that tasting as I have wine tasting events to attend in Switzerland and Italy.

I will update you on my trip soon.  That’s all for this wine tasting!  Cheers!

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The Last Grape Nutz Wine Tasting by Southern Wine & Spirits

April 08th, 2008 by Sébastien Gavillet

Southern Wine & Spirits (SWS) hosted another Grape Nutz wine tasting at their headquarters.  The SWS HQ, as always, was an excellent setting for a wine tasting event.

This is probably the last time that the Grape Nutz would be held at the Jones premises as SWS is thinking of taking the show on the road.  The turn-out at this particular tasting was the highest I’ve seen so far.  It was almost as if wine professionals from all over came to pay their respects, knowing that this could be the last time a Grape Nutz would be held at the SWS premises.

Italian Wines Galore

Moet Hennessy (MH) USA presented their portfolio of wines at the tasting.  New and old world wines alike were featured.  Seth Box, MH USA’s portfolio manager for Italian wines presented Ceretto, Capezzana, Monsardo, and Livio Felluga wines.  Seth used to be a winemaker at the Ceretto winery; this probably explains his passion for and extensive knowledge about Ceretto wines.

Wine Reviews and Wine Tasting Notes

The following are some of my Grape Nutz wine reviews and wine tasting notes:

Monsardo

Ceretto makes an interesting blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Nebbiolo) called Monsardo.  Each variety’s vinification process is carried out separately.  First they are fermented in steel for 12-15 days.  Next, they are transferred into barriques for malolactic fermentation.  Only after the malolactic fermentation phase has been completed are the wines blended.

Wine tasting notes:  The Monsardo has a rich bouquet of red fruits and displays a certain structure which is immediately noticeable in the mouth.  It has the aromas of strawberries, raspberries, fresh tobacco, and roasted coffee.  Oak (barriques) apparently plays an important role as the flavors of vanilla and spice are also present.  Well-rounded with mellow tannins, this wine is very enjoyable on its own.  It was actually the wine of choice for most of the people present at the Grape Nutz wine tasting.

2002 Wedell Cellars Edna Valley Chardonnay

Exhibiting his usual generosity, Ira Harmon introduced a few of us to another of his “special” finds.  He uncorked a bottle of 2002 Wedell Cellars Edna Valley Chardonnay.  After the wine was poured, we could easily discern by its color that this chardonnay is unfined and unfiltered.

Wine tasting notes:  On the nose, typical aromas due to new oak fermentation can be detected.  Oak, lots of toast, roasted hazelnut, butter, new leather, and other aromas all come together to create a popcorn (or stinky new sneakers) bouquet.  Overall, this wine is exceptionally well-balanced.  I was very impressed with this wine and I highly recommend it to anyone who lives by the ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) rule.  Don’t expect to find this chardonnay at your local wine store, though; you will probably have to do a bit of research to find it.

Mezcal Santo Domingo Albarradas

Ira finished the evening by pouring us a glass of Mezcal Santo Domingo Albarradas.  This is a mezcal or a distilled spirit made from the agave (maguey) and named after Santo Domingo Albarradas, a town in the high Mixe region south of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Wine tasting notes:  This mezcal has the distinct aromas of citrus fruits and bruised pears.  It is more tropical in the mouth, with noticeable woody-spice aromas and a clean, dry finish.  This mezcal’s production is regrettably limited, however, as all transportation in the area where this mezcal is distilled is done through horses and burros.

That’s all for this wine tasting.  Cheers!

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Chardonnay Blind Wine Tasting at Marché Bacchus

March 17th, 2008 by Sébastien Gavillet

Chardonnay was the focus of this blind wine tasting, which was hosted by Jeff Wyatt, owner of the hip, off-the-strip restaurant Marché Bacchus.  The location was wonderful.  We were surrounded by thousands of wine bottles; it was truly the perfect setting for a wine tasting.

To start the event, the participants gathered at the kitchen bar where William Sherer ordered the first glass of wine poured.  William Sherer, Master Sommelier, is the wine director of Aureole in Las Vegas; he is also the designated Maître de Cérémonie of the bimonthly blind tastings that Aureole organizes and sponsors.  After all the wines have been poured and accounted for, we began our task:  tasting and enjoying the wines.

Virtual Wine Tasting Tour

We went on a virtual wine trip as the Chardonnay for this blind wine tasting came from all over the world.  We visited Sonoma County, Chablis (Burgundy), Casablanca Valley (Chile), Macon (Burgundy), Treiso (Italy), and Austria.  We finished the evening with a Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru (Burgundy).

Like the Vox Wine Lounge wine tasting event, the Marché Bacchus tasting was no simple blind tasting.  I had to focus so hard on the aromas so I could assess the wines’ regional origin.  As expected, things got really tough at times.

Wine Review and Wine Tasting Notes:  Austrian Chardonnay

The Chardonnay from Austria was one of the evening’s most interesting and challenging wines.  As far as I can recall, I’ve never had Chardonnay from Austria before this tasting; this made the task of geographically placing this Austrian wine even more difficult.

Wine tasting notes:  This straw golden wine had a brilliant, almost oily texture and medium plus viscosity.  It presented the aromas of mango, guava and passion fruit.  There was a hint of sulphur on the nose (not in a faulty context) and the balanced flavors of oak, vanilla, lees, and furfural.  It had the typical acidic characteristic of cold-climate wine (medium plus acidity).  This Prager also had nice complexity and a pleasant, lingering finish.

If it hadn’t been for the fact that the event was a Chardonnay wine tasting, I would have thought this Austrian wine was a Riesling blend due to its noticeable mineral (flint) content, acidity and tropical fruit aromas.  Needless to say, I was not able to trace the wine to Austria.

Tip:  This Chardonnay from Austria is a great buy if you can find it.  Keep it in mind the next time you dine at Aureole.

Want to learn more about the other wines we sampled at the Marché Bacchus blind wine tasting?  Just email me.  I made wine tasting notes on most of the wines featured and will be glad to furnish you a copy.

The next blind tasting is set for the midnight of March 25, another Tuesday, although the location is yet to be determined.  The focus will be ANY French red wines EXCLUDING Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rhône Valley wines!  This ought to be an interesting tasting and, for those who will be attending, surprise us!

That’s all for this wine tasting.  Until next time!  Cheers!

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