The chef is a magician; one that has the ability to infuse various ingredients into a magnificent dish that appeals to the eye and palate. This art form has been refined and formulated over centuries from royal quarters, to the grounds of tribal cultures. These culinary artists accumulate their skills from the traditional recipes of their elders, to elite professional schooling, and occasionally self-teaching by their own endowment. At papa8there, you can read about a plethora of dexterous chefs from divergent corners of the world. We have thousands more to include, so please feel free to submit a chef that you would like us to acknowledge.
Auguste EscoffierHe is an American chef and restaurateur who is considered to be on the cutting edge of the movement of menu item construction often referred to as molecular gastronomy or progressive cuisine. Achatz has won numerous awards from prominent culinary institutions and publications including the "Rising Star Chef of the Year Award" for 2003 from the James Beard Foundation.Achatz' early culinary career included time spent working in his parents' Michigan restaurants as a teenager, followed by enrollment in The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Following graduation, Achatz landed a position at Thomas Keller's highly acclaimed gastro-Mecca, The French Laundry, in Yountville, California. Achatz spent four years at The French Laundry, rising to the position of sous chef. In 2001, he moved to the Chicago area to become the Executive Chef at Trio, in Evanston, Illinois, which, at the time of his arrival, had a four-star rating from the Mobil Travel Guide. Over the next three years, with Achatz at the helm, Trio's reputation soared and in 2004 the restaurant was rewarded with a fifth star from Mobil, becoming one of just 13 restaurants so honored at the time.
Grant Achatz Ferran Adria
Chef Curtis Aikens
Joey Altman began his culinary training at the age of sixteen, and has since emerged as one of the foremost chefs specializing in multi-cultural cuisine. Utilizing his international background in restaurants and catering services, Altman has worked as a chef and consulted for many notable restaurants across the country. In 1989, at the age of 25 he opened Miss Pearl's Jam House in San Francisco, where he garnered three and four star reviews for his tropical dishes inspired by Caribbean, Cajun, Creole, and Pacific Rim cuisine. Joey has created a dedicated Bay Area following with the viewers of his two-time James Beard Foundation award winning local cooking show Bay Cafe on KRON Channel 4. Joey is a guitarist in an all-chef band called the Back Burner Blues that plays charity events and monthly gigs at restaurant and clubs raising monies for local food charities.
Joey AltmanJose Ramon Andres Puerta (born 1969), known as José Andrés, is a Spanish chef often credited for bringing the small plates dining concept to America.
José Ramón Andrés Puerta (born 1969), known as José Andrés, is a Spanish chef often credited for bringing the small plates dining concept to America.
Early in his career, Andrés trained under Ferran Adria at El Bulli, a famous restaurant in Spain.
Andrés and his partners' company, THINKfoodGROUP, own several restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area:
minibar by josé andrés serves Andrés' cuisine in a small space. Three chefs serve a prix fixe menu of thirty to thirty-five small courses to six diners at a time. The restaurant has two seatings each night.
Cafe Atlantico serves Nuevo Latino-style cuisine.
Jaleo serves traditional Spanish tapas. The restaurant has three locations, in Washington, D.C.; Bethesda, Maryland; and Arlington, Virginia. Jaleo is named after a painting by John Singer Sargent.
Zaytinya serves mezze, small plates of food from the Mediterranean regions of Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon. Zaytinya means "olive oil" in Turkish. The restaurant is a relativity-short distance from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C..
Oyamel serves Mexican tacos and antojitos. It was originally located in Crystal City in Arlington, but reopened in Penn Quarter in February 2007. Andrés consulted Mexican food expert Diana Kennedy while developing the menu for Oyamel.
Andrés also operates The Bazaar by Jose Andrés at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
Andrés is also a resident culinary expert for MSN Lifestyle.[1]
Beginning in the fall of 2010, Andrés will teach a culinary physics course at Harvard University with Ferran Adriŕ.[2]
From 2005 to 2007, Andrés produced and hosted Vamos a cocinar, a popular food program on Televisión Espańola (TVE) Spanish national television.
In April 2007, he competed against chef Bobby Flay on Food Network's program Iron Chef America defeating Flay.
In 2008, Andrés launched his first TV program in the United States, Made in Spain[3], a 26-part series for public television. It was produced by Full Plate Media and sponsored by KQED, a San Francisco public television station.
In 2008, Andrés and minibar were featured on the Washington, D.C. episode of the Travel Channel show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations [4].
In 2010, Andrés was featured in an interview with Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes.
In 2003, Andrés won the James Beard Foundation’s award for Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Bon Appetit magazine named Andrés its Chef of the Year in 2004 and Food & Wine magazine included Andrés in their "35 Under 35" Tastemakers list for 2004. Saveur magazine included Andrés on their 2004 Saveur Top 100 list, stating that he "represents the broad spectrum of Spanish (and Hispanic) cooking from ancient traditions to the fantasies reminiscent of El Bulli, where he once worked, better than anyone else in America today."[citation needed]
In 2005, Food Arts magazine awarded him their prestigious Silver Spoon award, referring to him as "the irrepressibly energetic chef José Andrés, the best thing to happen to Spain in North America since 1492."[citation needed]
In 2006, Andrés was named Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.
In 2007, Andrés was inducted into the Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America list.
In 2008, the Bravo Network awarded Andrés the prize for A-List Chef at the first Bravo A-List Awards. The James Beard Foundation nominated Andrés as Outstanding Chef for his work at minibar by José andrés. Thanks to Wikipedia for this information.
Jose Andres Nate Appleman
José Ramón Andrés Puerta (born 1969), known as José Andrés, is a Spanish chef often credited for bringing the small plates dining concept to America.
Early in his career, Andrés trained under Ferran Adria at El Bulli, a famous restaurant in Spain.
Andrés and his partners' company, THINKfoodGROUP, own several restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area:
minibar by josé andrés serves Andrés' cuisine in a small space. Three chefs serve a prix fixe menu of thirty to thirty-five small courses to six diners at a time. The restaurant has two seatings each night.
Cafe Atlantico serves Nuevo Latino-style cuisine.
Jaleo serves traditional Spanish tapas. The restaurant has three locations, in Washington, D.C.; Bethesda, Maryland; and Arlington, Virginia. Jaleo is named after a painting by John Singer Sargent.
Zaytinya serves mezze, small plates of food from the Mediterranean regions of Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon. Zaytinya means "olive oil" in Turkish. The restaurant is a relativity-short distance from the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C..
Oyamel serves Mexican tacos and antojitos. It was originally located in Crystal City in Arlington, but reopened in Penn Quarter in February 2007. Andrés consulted Mexican food expert Diana Kennedy while developing the menu for Oyamel.
Andrés also operates The Bazaar by Jose Andrés at the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.
Andrés is also a resident culinary expert for MSN Lifestyle.[1]
Beginning in the fall of 2010, Andrés will teach a culinary physics course at Harvard University with Ferran Adriŕ.[2]
From 2005 to 2007, Andrés produced and hosted Vamos a cocinar, a popular food program on Televisión Espańola (TVE) Spanish national television.
In April 2007, he competed against chef Bobby Flay on Food Network's program Iron Chef America defeating Flay.
In 2008, Andrés launched his first TV program in the United States, Made in Spain[3], a 26-part series for public television. It was produced by Full Plate Media and sponsored by KQED, a San Francisco public television station.
In 2008, Andrés and minibar were featured on the Washington, D.C. episode of the Travel Channel show Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations [4].
In 2010, Andrés was featured in an interview with Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes.
In 2003, Andrés won the James Beard Foundation’s award for Best Chef of the Mid-Atlantic Region.
Bon Appetit magazine named Andrés its Chef of the Year in 2004 and Food & Wine magazine included Andrés in their "35 Under 35" Tastemakers list for 2004. Saveur magazine included Andrés on their 2004 Saveur Top 100 list, stating that he "represents the broad spectrum of Spanish (and Hispanic) cooking from ancient traditions to the fantasies reminiscent of El Bulli, where he once worked, better than anyone else in America today."[citation needed]
In 2005, Food Arts magazine awarded him their prestigious Silver Spoon award, referring to him as "the irrepressibly energetic chef José Andrés, the best thing to happen to Spain in North America since 1492."[citation needed]
In 2006, Andrés was named Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington.
In 2007, Andrés was inducted into the Who’s Who of Food & Beverage in America list.
In 2008, the Bravo Network awarded Andrés the prize for A-List Chef at the first Bravo A-List Awards. The James Beard Foundation nominated Andrés as Outstanding Chef for his work at minibar by José andrés. Thanks to Wikipedia for this information.
Chef of LA's Table 8, Judge on ABC's "Great Domestic Showdown". Govind Armstrong broke the mold even as a youth. This native of Los Angeles was not consumed with surfing expeditions and rock concerts, as one would expect. As a teenager, while his friends were hanging out on the beach, Armstrong spent the summer of 1982 working in the kitchen of the then-newly opened Spago in West Hollywood. Armstrong spent three summers working in Spago's legendary kitchen under the tutelage of Wolfgang Puck. His career continued to accelerate when he assisted celebrity chefs Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Feniger in opening City Restaurant, the cutting-edge le Brea Avenue eatery that would have a long-lasting influence on the local dining scene. Three years later, he left to become tournant at the Hotel Bel-Air before moving to San Francisco to attend college. While in college, he supported himself by working as a sous chef at Postrio, the fashionable Wolfgang Puck restaurant near Union Square.
Govind Armstrong Samuel Arnold
John Ash
Gary Baca
Gorgeous Claire Bassano is a highly skilled home economist and presenter who has appeared on many television shows both as a guest and as a chef. Claire's father is from Italy and her mother from Yorkshire and she spent idylic childhood summers in southern Italy where her passion with cooking began. Claire trained as a chef and also studied at Leeds University gaining a BA in Food & Nutrition and she believes that these qualifications have stood her in great stead in meeting the requirements of celebrity chefs who appreciate her practical skills in this area. Her unique all round talent and training has enabled her to develop her career in all aspects of food and hospitality. She has worked with many top chefs including Ainsley Harriott, Anthony Worrall Thompson, James Martin, Jamie Oliver, Lesley Waters and Tony Tobin and is currently involved in product development for high street supermarkets. Claire also works as a food stylist for books, publications and commercials and as a home economist for television and publishing.
Claire BassanoHaving lived in and around Bologna for three years of his life, there is probably no region in all of Italy as close to Chef Mario Batali's heart as Emilia-Romagna, which is considered by many Italians to be the culinary apex of the entire peninsula. The region is well known for traditional dishes like piadina, lasagne alla bolgnese, tortellini in brodo, tortelloni, tagliatelle al ragu and passatelli, which rule the world of breads and pastas.
In the northern region, further up the Via Emilia, Chef Batali finds a true jewel amidst this culinary apex; Parma. One of the most well-known, time-honored foods of the Emilia-Romagna region as well as the rest of Italy, Prosciutto di Parma's history dates back more than 2,000 years. During classical times, hams from Parma were one of the delicacies featured on banquet tables.
The erbazzone is a classic dish of Parma, however this version is a bold twist on the most traditional stuffed pasta recipes, as it is filled with nearly the same cast as the erbazzone, but with the addition of ricotta and the omission of pancetta.
Famous Italian Chef/Cook, Mario Batali, shares recipes and details about his early beginnings in cooking. Peruse the menu of his New York restaurant, Po. From Babbo to Esca to Lupa the curtain draws open to reveal a magician, a kitchen, his stage, a man with skills rarely tasted in the New World or the old. He wields a whisk rather than a wand, prefers radicchio to rabbits, cuts of meat vesus cards of deceit - yet still sports a quirky chapeau! Who is this conjurer of culinary concoctions? Why Mario Batali - New York's own master chef, entrepreneur, author, and TV icon. Hooking audiences with opening productions like 'Babbo', 'Lupa', 'Esca', Super Mario has continued to awe and amaze with follow-up acts like tasty new venues, best selling books, and top-rated TV shows. What can't our culinary magician accomplish? Let him keep it coming!
Mario Batali James Beard
Ian Begg
In the northern region, further up the Via Emilia, Chef Batali finds a true jewel amidst this culinary apex; Parma. One of the most well-known, time-honored foods of the Emilia-Romagna region as well as the rest of Italy, Prosciutto di Parma's history dates back more than 2,000 years. During classical times, hams from Parma were one of the delicacies featured on banquet tables.
The erbazzone is a classic dish of Parma, however this version is a bold twist on the most traditional stuffed pasta recipes, as it is filled with nearly the same cast as the erbazzone, but with the addition of ricotta and the omission of pancetta.
Famous Italian Chef/Cook, Mario Batali, shares recipes and details about his early beginnings in cooking. Peruse the menu of his New York restaurant, Po. From Babbo to Esca to Lupa the curtain draws open to reveal a magician, a kitchen, his stage, a man with skills rarely tasted in the New World or the old. He wields a whisk rather than a wand, prefers radicchio to rabbits, cuts of meat vesus cards of deceit - yet still sports a quirky chapeau! Who is this conjurer of culinary concoctions? Why Mario Batali - New York's own master chef, entrepreneur, author, and TV icon. Hooking audiences with opening productions like 'Babbo', 'Lupa', 'Esca', Super Mario has continued to awe and amaze with follow-up acts like tasty new venues, best selling books, and top-rated TV shows. What can't our culinary magician accomplish? Let him keep it coming!
Marc Bernard
As a young, professional ballerina, Michelle Bernstein considered food the enemy. But the enemy won: as a young student attending Georgia's Emory University, she retired her toe shoes and enrolled in a nutrition course to feed her fascination with the "science of food," how to eat and live healthfully. After receiving an undergraduate degree in nutrition, Bernstein's mother encouraged her to take a cooking class at the nearby Miami campus of Johnson & Wales University. On a whim, she enrolled in her first class and ballet became a distant memory.
Chef Bernstein's unique background as a Jewish-Latino woman informs her cooking - she feels that the combination of both cultures has imbued her with a deep passion for food and the art of its preparation.
"The food I love and love to create is simple, yet satisfying and healthy," says Bernstein. "Pure, clean flavors inflected with traditional Mediterranean accents."
The Miami native's signature approach to "new American" cuisine may be sampled at her namesake restaurant MB, located in Cancun and in November 2005 at Michy's, a Mediterranean-style eatery serving neighborhood fare in the new mid town district of South Florida. This fall, Bernstein will embark upon her first partnership with acclaimed restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow to open Social Hollywood in Los Angeles and Social Sagamore in South Beach. Appropriately enough for a town built on showbiz, Social Hollywood will incorporate elements of theater with touches such as tableside presentations that create an engaging interactive experience for guests. Ballet may be a thing of the past for Bernstein, but the collaboration between she and Chodorow promises to be a graceful pas de deux.
After graduating from Johnson & Wales University, Bernstein's talent was quickly recognized when she began working with several award-winning restaurants including Red Fish Grill, the Strand and Tantra in Miami Beach. She also trained with renowned chef Jean Louis Palladin, in Washington D.C., and sharpened her culinary skills at Alison on Dominick and Le Bernardin in New York.
Bernstein then went on to receive significant critical acclaim as the chef at Azul in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami where she became a powerful force in the city's burgeoning culinary movement. For two years, Bernstein co-hosted The Food Network's "Melting Pot," a show that presented the traditions, stories and recipes of her Latin background. She was also a competitor on the Food Network's "Iron Chef America" series beating out Bobby Flay.
Recently, Chef Bernstein appeared on "The Today Show" preparing her signature dishes alongside Al Roker. She has been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appeti for one of the 50 best dishes in the world, Elle, Redbook, Gourmet and Food & Wine for one of the best hotel restaurants in the country. In 2004, Chef Bernstein was nominated by The James Beard Foundation - the nation's premier honors for culinary professionals - in the coveted "Best Chefs in America: Southeast Region" category. Chef Bernstein was recently given a Doctorate in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University; she was given the Philanthropic award of South Florida and the Glass Ceiling Award from the Jewish Federation.
Michelle Bernstein Thierry Blouet
Chef Bernstein's unique background as a Jewish-Latino woman informs her cooking - she feels that the combination of both cultures has imbued her with a deep passion for food and the art of its preparation.
"The food I love and love to create is simple, yet satisfying and healthy," says Bernstein. "Pure, clean flavors inflected with traditional Mediterranean accents."
The Miami native's signature approach to "new American" cuisine may be sampled at her namesake restaurant MB, located in Cancun and in November 2005 at Michy's, a Mediterranean-style eatery serving neighborhood fare in the new mid town district of South Florida. This fall, Bernstein will embark upon her first partnership with acclaimed restaurateur Jeffrey Chodorow to open Social Hollywood in Los Angeles and Social Sagamore in South Beach. Appropriately enough for a town built on showbiz, Social Hollywood will incorporate elements of theater with touches such as tableside presentations that create an engaging interactive experience for guests. Ballet may be a thing of the past for Bernstein, but the collaboration between she and Chodorow promises to be a graceful pas de deux.
After graduating from Johnson & Wales University, Bernstein's talent was quickly recognized when she began working with several award-winning restaurants including Red Fish Grill, the Strand and Tantra in Miami Beach. She also trained with renowned chef Jean Louis Palladin, in Washington D.C., and sharpened her culinary skills at Alison on Dominick and Le Bernardin in New York.
Bernstein then went on to receive significant critical acclaim as the chef at Azul in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Miami where she became a powerful force in the city's burgeoning culinary movement. For two years, Bernstein co-hosted The Food Network's "Melting Pot," a show that presented the traditions, stories and recipes of her Latin background. She was also a competitor on the Food Network's "Iron Chef America" series beating out Bobby Flay.
Recently, Chef Bernstein appeared on "The Today Show" preparing her signature dishes alongside Al Roker. She has been featured in The New York Times, Bon Appeti for one of the 50 best dishes in the world, Elle, Redbook, Gourmet and Food & Wine for one of the best hotel restaurants in the country. In 2004, Chef Bernstein was nominated by The James Beard Foundation - the nation's premier honors for culinary professionals - in the coveted "Best Chefs in America: Southeast Region" category. Chef Bernstein was recently given a Doctorate in Culinary Arts from Johnson and Wales University; she was given the Philanthropic award of South Florida and the Glass Ceiling Award from the Jewish Federation.
Executive chef and owner of Manhattan's award-winning "DANIEL", "Cafe Boulud", and "DB Bistro Moderne", named "Chef of the Year" by Bon Appetit Magazine, author of several cook books, own line of professional kitchenware. As Chef-Owner of some of the country's finest restaurants, author of numerous cookbooks and creator of kitchenware and gourmet products, Daniel Boulud's beginnings on his family's farm near Lyon may seem a distant past. Yet that past, rooted in the rhythms of the seasons, produce fresh from the fields and fine home cooking have paved the road to Boulud's becoming one of America's leading culinary authorities. After his nomination as best cooking apprentice in France, Daniel went on to train under the renowned Chefs who would become his mentors: Roger Verge, Georges Blanc and Michel Guerard. Now Boulud himself serves as a mentor to the talented young cooks he has been working with here in the United States for almost twenty-five years
Daniel Boulud Alton Brown
Warren Brown Antonio Carluccio Ceci Carmichael Michael Chiarello Julia Child
John Clark
Ann Cooper works as a consultant for school administrators revamping their school lunch program to provide healthy food and nutritious choices for students, author of "A Woman's Place is in the Kitchen" and "Bitter Harvest", former Executive Chef of the "Putney Inn" in Vermont. Ann was formerly the executive chef of The Putney Inn in Vermont, and has authored two books, Bitter Harvest: A Chef's Perspective on the Hidden Dangers in the Foods We Eat and What You Can do About It, and A Woman's Place is in the Kitchen: The Evolution of Women Chefs. She was one of the first fifty women to be certified as an executive chef by the educational arm of the American Culinary Federation. Ann's career has taken her from positions with Holland America Cruises to Radisson Hotels to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival and the Telluride Ski Resort where she catered parties of up to 20,000. She has been featured in Gourmet, Food Arts, Chef, Restaurants & Institutions, Nation's Restaurant News, National Culinary Review, The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor, The Boston Globe, Woman's Day, Newsday and has been on both local and national radio and television shows. Ann is president of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs, former member of the Executive Committee of Chefs Collaborative, former president of The American Culinary Federation of Central Vermont and is currently serving on the United States Department of Agriculture's Organic Standards Board.
Ann Cooper Cat Cora
Richard Corbo
Giada De Laurentiis
LaCuvee Belle Epoque Rose
Rose
Berlucchi Brut Cuvee Imperiale Berlucchi
CUVEE IMPERIALE BRUT Sparkling Wine Lomb Berlucchi
Brut Bollinger
Bruno Giacosa Extra Brut Bruno Giacosa
Brut Cuvee NV Ca'Del Bosco, Franciacorta
Brut Cuvee NV Ca'Del Bosco, Franciacorta
Moet & Chandon Brut Imperial (France) Dom Perignon
Rose
Roederer Estate Brut, the first California sparkling wine produced by Champagne Louis Roederer, builds upon a 200-year tradition of fine winemaking that has made Roederer Champagne among the most sought-after in the world.
Winemaker Notes
The Roederer Estate Brut is crisp and elegant with complex pear, spice and hazelnut flavors. It is fresh and lightly fruity with great finesse and depth of flavor.
Winemaking
Roederer's winemaking style is based on two elements: complete ownership of its vineyards and the addition of oak-aged reserve wines to each year's blend or cuvee. All the grapes for the wines are grown on the Estate. Oak-aged wines from the Estate's reserve cellars are added to the blend, creating a multi-vintage cuvee in the traditional Roederer style. Only the cuvee (first pressing of 120 gallons/ton) is used; no premiere or deuxieme taille. The fermentation takes place in high-grade stainless steel tanks at 65 degrees Fahrenheit. None to minimal malolactic fermentation is used in order to ensure that the wines age well and retain the fresh, somewhat austere style that is one of the characteristics of Roederer wines.
Alexander Valley
Beaulieu Champagnes BeaulieuWinemaker Notes
The Roederer Estate Brut is crisp and elegant with complex pear, spice and hazelnut flavors. It is fresh and lightly fruity with great finesse and depth of flavor.
Winemaking
Roederer's winemaking style is based on two elements: complete ownership of its vineyards and the addition of oak-aged reserve wines to each year's blend or cuvee. All the grapes for the wines are grown on the Estate. Oak-aged wines from the Estate's reserve cellars are added to the blend, creating a multi-vintage cuvee in the traditional Roederer style. Only the cuvee (first pressing of 120 gallons/ton) is used; no premiere or deuxieme taille. The fermentation takes place in high-grade stainless steel tanks at 65 degrees Fahrenheit. None to minimal malolactic fermentation is used in order to ensure that the wines age well and retain the fresh, somewhat austere style that is one of the characteristics of Roederer wines.
Berlucchi Brut Cuvee Imperiale Berlucchi
CUVEE IMPERIALE BRUT Sparkling Wine Lomb Berlucchi
Brut Bollinger
Bruno Giacosa Extra Brut Bruno Giacosa
Brut Cuvee NV Ca'Del Bosco, Franciacorta
Brut Cuvee NV Ca'Del Bosco, Franciacorta
A big boy with almost fleshy fruit. The flavors push into exotic, tropical richness yet retain spicy citrus-rind high-lights. There is nothing clumsy despite the ripeness; the finish seems to extend almost infinitely and keeps zinging you with surprises - marshmallow, marzipan, cookie dough, etc.
The Wine Enthusiast A big boy with almost fleshy fruit. The flavors push into exotic, tropical richness yet retain spicy citrus-rind highlights. There is nothing clumsy, despite the ripeness; the finish seems to extend almost infinitely and keeps zinging you with surprisesâ marshmallow, marzipan, cookie dough, etc. An added bonus: the back label clearly indicates when it was bottled and cellared (2001). Score: 94. —Paul Gregutt, December 01, 2006.
The Wine Spectator Plenty of graphite and honey flavors mark this well-structured, effusive Champagne. Lemon, dough and vanilla accents are also present. Finishes with a tactile sensation around the gums. Drink now through 2010. Score: 92. —Bruce Sanderson, November 30, 2006.
Burghound This is a prime example of what I call a classic, and completely admirable, “Big House” NV Brut. The nose is yeasty but not too, there is freshness yet a trace of age, there is complexity yet there is still some primary fruit and the round but still vibrant offer excellent depth and fine length plus, and this is the most important part, real finishing character. A more than respectable example that is a really lovely effort in every respect and while it could be aged to moderate benefit, I probably wouldn't do so beyond 3 years or so.
Charles HeidsieckThe Wine Enthusiast A big boy with almost fleshy fruit. The flavors push into exotic, tropical richness yet retain spicy citrus-rind highlights. There is nothing clumsy, despite the ripeness; the finish seems to extend almost infinitely and keeps zinging you with surprisesâ marshmallow, marzipan, cookie dough, etc. An added bonus: the back label clearly indicates when it was bottled and cellared (2001). Score: 94. —Paul Gregutt, December 01, 2006.
The Wine Spectator Plenty of graphite and honey flavors mark this well-structured, effusive Champagne. Lemon, dough and vanilla accents are also present. Finishes with a tactile sensation around the gums. Drink now through 2010. Score: 92. —Bruce Sanderson, November 30, 2006.
Burghound This is a prime example of what I call a classic, and completely admirable, “Big House” NV Brut. The nose is yeasty but not too, there is freshness yet a trace of age, there is complexity yet there is still some primary fruit and the round but still vibrant offer excellent depth and fine length plus, and this is the most important part, real finishing character. A more than respectable example that is a really lovely effort in every respect and while it could be aged to moderate benefit, I probably wouldn't do so beyond 3 years or so.
The range of wines produced here, other than the Brut Reserve Mis en Caves, includes two vintage wines the Brut Millesime and Brut Rose Millesime, both based on 30% Chardonnay and 70% Pinot Noir & Meunier, with the rose produced by the addition of red wine rather than the saignee method. The prestige cuvee currently produced is the Blanc des Millenaires, a pure Chardonnay cuvee. Although the Brut Reserve wines have seen great acclaim, Charles Heidsieck has not been raking in the profits. Sales have fallen, partly out of necessity whilst reserve stocks were built up, partly because the Mis en Caves concept took the basic cuvee out of the non vintage market somewhat. And the difference in quality between the Mis en Caves wines and the vintage wine has narrowed sufficiently to make the non vintage wine the preferred buy, affecting sales of the vintage wine. In addition, the once popular prestige cuvee Champagne Charlie is no longer produced, replaced by Blanc des Millenaires, which has not made the same impact as its predecessor. For the consumer though, the situation is good - the Brut Reserve Mis en caves wines offer extraordinary quality at an excellent price. I hope the currently evident quality is maintained by Daniel Thibaults's replacement, Régis Camus. (24/3/04)
Charles Heidsieck Crista Rose Crista RoseMoet & Chandon Brut Imperial (France) Dom Perignon
Colheita Tawny Port 1920 Alto Corgo
Old Benson, Tawny Port Rosemount
Vau Vintage Port 2000 Sandeman Vau
Lafaurie Peyraguey Sauternes (Pre-Arrival) Sauternes
Ice Wine Selaks
Sautemes (Pre-Arrival) Sigalas Rabaud
Tawny Port (10 Years Old) Taylor Fladgate
The Bothie, Muscat Blanc a Petit Torbreck
According to Jancis Robinson: "As usual, Ch Climens was not assembled in time for the primeurs tastings but, unusually, (a) some lots had already been assembled, because the sugar levels on some were so high that they needed to be matched already to some in which the acidity would counterbalance them and (b) Berenice Lurton did not herself conduct a cellar tour of unusual cask-by-cask length but stayed indoors with her three week old son Aurelien instead. As usual, each lot was informatively different, one particularly nutty, another more citrus and lively, a third more floral and explosive and a fourth extraordinarily high in acidity but it was clear that this was an unusually sweet, rich vintage for Climens but with much better acidity than the 2003..." (04/06) 91-95 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Full yellow-gold color. Flamboyant aromas of apricot, five-spice powder, flowers and smoky oak. Glyceral, fat and exotic, with mirabelle, honeyed apricot and spice flavors of great richness. There's something here that reminds me of plum wine. Seems to gain in fat and glyceral texture as it opens in the glass, with an emerging saline element contributing to the impression of chewiness. Finishes wonderfully thick, spicy and long, with compelling sweetness. This should evolve slowly over a period of decades." (12/07) Please note - 2005 Bordeaux futures will arrive between Jan 2008 and July 2008. Vineyard: 100% Semillion The average age of the vines is about 35 years. The vineyards are on the Barsac plateau which has a gentle slope. The soil is composed of a thin red layer of sandy soil over large pebbles and gravel. The soil has a high mineral content that is especially rich in iron. The subsoil is made of a layer of broken limestone that has excellent drainage. The vines are planted to a density of 6,660 vines per hectare (about 2750 per acre). The average yeild from these vineyards is about 12 hectolitres per hectare. Chateau Climens is always among the first of the chateaux in Barsac-Sauternes to begin harvest. This is possible because on this estate the Botrytis Cinera which is necessary to make the sweet wines, develops at a very early date each year when compared to its neighbors.
Vinification: The grapes are harvested by hand as the law requires in Bordeaux. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels. In April or May, the wines of the previous harvest are blended to create the final wine for the vintage. The emphasis is on creating a uniform wine that has the finesse and balance for which Chateau Climens is known. The wines are finally aged in oak barrels for 18 to 24 months of aging after fermentation. The time in barrels varies according to the characteristics of the vintage. The percentage of new oak (new barrels) can vary each year and ranges from 35% to 60%. The percentage of new barrels is determined, once again, by the characteristics of the vintage. New barrels give more oak characteristics than those that have previously been used. Each year, the winemaker decides how much oak influence the wine needs.
History: Since Chateau Climens was purchased by the Roborel family in the 15th century, tradition seems to have been the watchword. Only when technical advancements have proven themselves as ways to improve the quality of the wines have the procedures here changed. A good example is the cellarmaster, Christian Broustaut, who began his work at Chateau Climens in 1969. He was trained by his father who held the same job. Christian's father was, in turn, trained by his own father who was also the cellarmaster at Chateau Climens.
Chateau Climens has been owned by the Lurton family (who is prominent in it's ownership of 11 chateaux in the Bordeaux region) since 1971. The Luton's have divided the responsibilities for the various estates among the members of the current generation. Bérénice Lurton is charged with Chateau Climens.
Style: Chateau Climens has a wonderful balance of power and finesse. It needs at least 10 years as a minimum to develop and can have a life of 50 to 100 years in great vintages if properly stored.
Climens is often described as having a bouquet that is highlighted by pineapple and apricot. Those fruits are also integrated into the taste of the wine with hints of vanilla as well. Wines from Chateau Climens always have excellent levels of acidity. This acidity keeps the levels of residual sugar from becoming cloying on the palate. Chateau Climens makes one of the great sweet wines of the world.
Food: Let your imagination be your guide with this beautiful wine. Traditonal accompaniments include any of the blue-viened cheeses, creme brulee, dried stone fruits or with rich foods like pates and foie gras.
Second Wine: Cypres de Climens
Visits and Tours: Visitation to Chateau Climens is by appointment only.
Climens, Barsac (Pre-Arrival)
Moscato d'Asti Coppo MoncalvianVinification: The grapes are harvested by hand as the law requires in Bordeaux. Fermentation takes place in oak barrels. In April or May, the wines of the previous harvest are blended to create the final wine for the vintage. The emphasis is on creating a uniform wine that has the finesse and balance for which Chateau Climens is known. The wines are finally aged in oak barrels for 18 to 24 months of aging after fermentation. The time in barrels varies according to the characteristics of the vintage. The percentage of new oak (new barrels) can vary each year and ranges from 35% to 60%. The percentage of new barrels is determined, once again, by the characteristics of the vintage. New barrels give more oak characteristics than those that have previously been used. Each year, the winemaker decides how much oak influence the wine needs.
History: Since Chateau Climens was purchased by the Roborel family in the 15th century, tradition seems to have been the watchword. Only when technical advancements have proven themselves as ways to improve the quality of the wines have the procedures here changed. A good example is the cellarmaster, Christian Broustaut, who began his work at Chateau Climens in 1969. He was trained by his father who held the same job. Christian's father was, in turn, trained by his own father who was also the cellarmaster at Chateau Climens.
Chateau Climens has been owned by the Lurton family (who is prominent in it's ownership of 11 chateaux in the Bordeaux region) since 1971. The Luton's have divided the responsibilities for the various estates among the members of the current generation. Bérénice Lurton is charged with Chateau Climens.
Style: Chateau Climens has a wonderful balance of power and finesse. It needs at least 10 years as a minimum to develop and can have a life of 50 to 100 years in great vintages if properly stored.
Climens is often described as having a bouquet that is highlighted by pineapple and apricot. Those fruits are also integrated into the taste of the wine with hints of vanilla as well. Wines from Chateau Climens always have excellent levels of acidity. This acidity keeps the levels of residual sugar from becoming cloying on the palate. Chateau Climens makes one of the great sweet wines of the world.
Food: Let your imagination be your guide with this beautiful wine. Traditonal accompaniments include any of the blue-viened cheeses, creme brulee, dried stone fruits or with rich foods like pates and foie gras.
Second Wine: Cypres de Climens
Visits and Tours: Visitation to Chateau Climens is by appointment only.
"Intense aromas of honey, spice and candied lemons. Full-bodied, very sweet and dense, with a syrupy mouthfeel and a long finish. This is very concentrated. Almost classic quality." (04/06) 91-94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Medium yellow. Deeply pitched aromas of honey, orange and fresh apricot, with a suggestion of candied sweetness and some spicy oak. Rich, sweet and wonderfully pure, with a nectar-like quality to its flavors of overripe peach, orange and spices. Plenty of botrytis character here. This boasts an exhilarating chewy texture and superb aromatic persistence. Today this is a fruit bomb, but it's still an infant. Its superb inner-palate energy suggests that it will evolve very slowly and last well. Promises to be a great vintage for this chateau." (12/07) K&L's Barrel Tasting notes - Coconut and honey aromas. Lovely texture and mouthfeel. Lush. ** (Clyde Beffa, K&L Bordeuax buyer) Please note - 2005 Bordeaux futures will arrive between Jan 2008
Coutet, Sauternes
d'Yquem Sauternes (Pre-Arrival) d'Yquem Sauternes (Pre-Arrival)Robert Parker: "This has a superb nose, comparable to Doisy-Daene, perhaps unusually with an even greater sense of minerality and delineation. White flowers, a touch of honey, peach and apricot. The palate is just superb, probably the best Doisy-Vedrines I have tasted out of barrel with a greater sense of poise and definition than previous vintages. Lots of botrytized fruit, lemon zest, barleysugar, honey, a touch of marmalade towards the finish. Great length. Outstanding. Drink 2015-2045. Tasted April 2008." (04/08) 89-93 points Wine Spectator: "Lots of lemon cream and blanched almonds follow through to a medium-to-full body, with plenty of spicy, dried apricot character on the finish." (Web only, 2008) K&L's notes - At UGC the wine showed sweet, spicy fruit and some coconut. Great balance and superb palate impression. Delicious now. Ralph: Nice, honeyed and quite elegant. Please note - 2007 Bordeaux futures are not in stock, but will arrive between Jan 2010 and July 2010.
Doisy-Vedrines
Brandy HennessyOld Benson, Tawny Port Rosemount
Vau Vintage Port 2000 Sandeman Vau
Lafaurie Peyraguey Sauternes (Pre-Arrival) Sauternes
Ice Wine Selaks
Sautemes (Pre-Arrival) Sigalas Rabaud
Tawny Port (10 Years Old) Taylor Fladgate
The Bothie, Muscat Blanc a Petit Torbreck
Rose
Petite Sirah
Pinot Noir
Pinot Canthan Family Cellars
Origin: The earliest knowledge of this varietal is that it originated in Greece. It is not known exactly how or when this plant was transported into Italy, but the history of this grape in Italy dates back many centuries. In the 17th century, it is known that the Benedictine monks named the varietal "Primitivo" because of its precociousness (early maturity of the grape) in this zone.
Primitivo has been called many things, but is also known as the father of the Zinfandel grape, now so popular in California. In recent years, DNA studies at the University of California at Davis show that the Zinfandel grape is the same as the Primitivo grape grown in southeastern Italy’s Puglia region.
Description: Deeply colored, rich, and concentrated with flavors of zesty cherry, clove, wild blackberry, raspberry and spice.
Aging: Ready to drink now, "mature fruit" over next five years. This Is a fine wine to cellar (over 20 years), but it should be enjoyed young for its charming, vibrant fruitiness.
Best location: The climate in Puglia is always warm and sunny, so the wines that come from there are quite different in characteristics than the wines made farther north, in places such as Tuscany and Piedmonte. They are more "sun-kissed" in style and show this by having an abundance of juicy fruit flavors.
Primitivo has been called many things, but is also known as the father of the Zinfandel grape, now so popular in California. In recent years, DNA studies at the University of California at Davis show that the Zinfandel grape is the same as the Primitivo grape grown in southeastern Italy’s Puglia region.
Description: Deeply colored, rich, and concentrated with flavors of zesty cherry, clove, wild blackberry, raspberry and spice.
Aging: Ready to drink now, "mature fruit" over next five years. This Is a fine wine to cellar (over 20 years), but it should be enjoyed young for its charming, vibrant fruitiness.
Best location: The climate in Puglia is always warm and sunny, so the wines that come from there are quite different in characteristics than the wines made farther north, in places such as Tuscany and Piedmonte. They are more "sun-kissed" in style and show this by having an abundance of juicy fruit flavors.
Nebbiolo is considered one of the great wine varieties, bigger, darker and more tannic, even bitter, than most types, but consequently long-lived and prized by collectors. Jealously guarded in its native Italian home and most famous appellation of Piedmont, very few nebbiolo cuttings and clones have been exported to other countries.
The name nebbiolo has two probable origins. Ripe nebbiolo grapes have a very prominent "bloom" that gives them a "foggy" or "frosted" look, so the name could come from from "nebbia", Italian for "fog". It is an alternative possibility that the name simply comes from "nobile", Italian for "noble". Nebbiolo also goes by the names Spanna, Picutener and Chiavennasca in various Italian districts.
Cultivated since the 14th Century in Valtellina, an east-west valley in the Lombardy region at the foot of the Alps, north of Lake Como, this is the only region where nebbiolo is grown in Italy outside Piedmont. Although there are dozens of nebbiolo clones and nebbiolo is prominent in and famous for producing wines like Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara, the reality is that this variety makes barely 3% of all the wines produced in Piedmont. There are twice as many acres planted with Dolcetto and ten times as many planted with Barbera.
Part of the reason for this, in spite of its reputation, is that nebbiolo is one of the more problematic grapes for both vineyardists and winemakers. It is very sensitive to both soil and geography and can yield wines that vary widely in body, tannin and acidity, as well as aroma and flavor complexity, when grown in only slightly different locales. A very late-season ripener, the vines need the best exposures, especially in cooler climates, in order to reach maturity. It performs much better in calcareous rather than sandy soils. Nebbiolo grape skins are thin, but quite tough and fairly resistant to molds and pests.
Some winemakers feel that nebbiolo is even more difficult to work with than pinot noir. It can be changeable, moody and unpredictable while undergoing typical cellar and aging procedures.
Nonetheless, wherever vintners aspire to producing wine inspired by Barolo, nebbiolo is also grown, including Australia, California, New Zealand, South America and South Africa. Argentina has the largest acreage planted, but no region outside Italy has yet shown much potential for high quality wine production from this grape.
Syrah/Shiraz The name nebbiolo has two probable origins. Ripe nebbiolo grapes have a very prominent "bloom" that gives them a "foggy" or "frosted" look, so the name could come from from "nebbia", Italian for "fog". It is an alternative possibility that the name simply comes from "nobile", Italian for "noble". Nebbiolo also goes by the names Spanna, Picutener and Chiavennasca in various Italian districts.
Cultivated since the 14th Century in Valtellina, an east-west valley in the Lombardy region at the foot of the Alps, north of Lake Como, this is the only region where nebbiolo is grown in Italy outside Piedmont. Although there are dozens of nebbiolo clones and nebbiolo is prominent in and famous for producing wines like Barolo, Barbaresco and Gattinara, the reality is that this variety makes barely 3% of all the wines produced in Piedmont. There are twice as many acres planted with Dolcetto and ten times as many planted with Barbera.
Part of the reason for this, in spite of its reputation, is that nebbiolo is one of the more problematic grapes for both vineyardists and winemakers. It is very sensitive to both soil and geography and can yield wines that vary widely in body, tannin and acidity, as well as aroma and flavor complexity, when grown in only slightly different locales. A very late-season ripener, the vines need the best exposures, especially in cooler climates, in order to reach maturity. It performs much better in calcareous rather than sandy soils. Nebbiolo grape skins are thin, but quite tough and fairly resistant to molds and pests.
Some winemakers feel that nebbiolo is even more difficult to work with than pinot noir. It can be changeable, moody and unpredictable while undergoing typical cellar and aging procedures.
Nonetheless, wherever vintners aspire to producing wine inspired by Barolo, nebbiolo is also grown, including Australia, California, New Zealand, South America and South Africa. Argentina has the largest acreage planted, but no region outside Italy has yet shown much potential for high quality wine production from this grape.
Petite Sirah
Pinot Noir
Shiraz and Syrah are both names for the same red wine grape. This grape is most definitely NOT the same as Petit Sirah, a different red wine grape grown mostly in California.
The Shiraz / Syrah grape is called Syrah in the US, France and many countries. In Australia it is called Shiraz, where it is considered the finest red wine grown there. Shiraz is certainly the most widely planted red grape in Australia. Now that Shiraz has become well known and popular, some wineries in the US who are making an "Austrlian style wine" with this grape are calling their wines Shiraz as well.
The Shiraz grape was once thought to have originated in Persia, but recent research indicates the grape is a native of the Rhone valley, in France. Yes, there is a town in the middle east named Shiraz that has made wine for centuries. However, that town is NOT where the Shiraz grape came from.
Until recent times, shiraz was best known for its usage in Hermitage, in the Rhone valley. Now Shiraz has taken off as a variety in its own right, bottled as a straight Shiraz wine.
Shiraz is known for its spicy blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors. Often there are additional notes of licorice, bitter chocolate and mocha. Shiraz is even affected by growing temperature - warmer climates bring out the mellower flavors of plum, while cooler temperatures spice up the wine. Shiraz can be made in a fruity style, which many "sweet" wine drinkers enjoy. It can also be made in a dry style.
Shiraz goes very well with beef and other hearty foods. It also goes well with Indian, Mexican, and other spicy foods. This wine is rich and full, and should be served from a large glass at 64F. This makes Shiraz claim the warmest temperature a wine should be served at. Those who say red wines should be served at "room temperature" need to remember that homes in France were very cold a few hundred years ago!
Shiraz can be drunk immediately, but can also be aged for up to 5 years depending on how tannic it is.
The Shiraz / Syrah grape is called Syrah in the US, France and many countries. In Australia it is called Shiraz, where it is considered the finest red wine grown there. Shiraz is certainly the most widely planted red grape in Australia. Now that Shiraz has become well known and popular, some wineries in the US who are making an "Austrlian style wine" with this grape are calling their wines Shiraz as well.
The Shiraz grape was once thought to have originated in Persia, but recent research indicates the grape is a native of the Rhone valley, in France. Yes, there is a town in the middle east named Shiraz that has made wine for centuries. However, that town is NOT where the Shiraz grape came from.
Until recent times, shiraz was best known for its usage in Hermitage, in the Rhone valley. Now Shiraz has taken off as a variety in its own right, bottled as a straight Shiraz wine.
Shiraz is known for its spicy blackberry, plum, and peppery flavors. Often there are additional notes of licorice, bitter chocolate and mocha. Shiraz is even affected by growing temperature - warmer climates bring out the mellower flavors of plum, while cooler temperatures spice up the wine. Shiraz can be made in a fruity style, which many "sweet" wine drinkers enjoy. It can also be made in a dry style.
Shiraz goes very well with beef and other hearty foods. It also goes well with Indian, Mexican, and other spicy foods. This wine is rich and full, and should be served from a large glass at 64F. This makes Shiraz claim the warmest temperature a wine should be served at. Those who say red wines should be served at "room temperature" need to remember that homes in France were very cold a few hundred years ago!
Shiraz can be drunk immediately, but can also be aged for up to 5 years depending on how tannic it is.
"Broad-shouldered, with lots of tobacco, currant paste and loam notes backed by a muscular structure. The dark, dense finish shows hints of cedar and roasted vanilla. Has lots of Pauillac-like grip. A terrific value. Drink now through 2014." (Web Only, 2008) 90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Bright ruby. Musky red berry and cherry aromas are complicated by underbrush, pungent herbs and dried rose. Impressively complex on the palate, offering sweet red- and blackcurrant, bitter cherry, mocha and licorice flavors. Dusty tannins carry through the long, spicy finish, adding structure and grip. This is balanced to age and could stand up to many Bordeaux at three times this price." (Mar/Apr 08) 90 points from Wine Enthusiast: "In the 2005 vintage, Medalla Real again ranks as one of Chile’s most elevated under-$20 wines (after a few less impressive years). The nose veers between herbal and ripe, while the palate shows nothing but pure cassis, cherry and Maipo terroir. It’s tight, structured and still ready to drink. Juicy more than beefy; a real treat." (5/1/2008)
"Santa Rita "Medalla" Malm Cellars "Reserve" Pinot Noir Anderson Valley Pinot NoirCabernet Sauvignon makes the most dependable candidate for aging, more often improving into a truly great wine than any other single varietal. With age, its distinctive black currant aroma can develop bouquet nuances of cedar, violets, leather, or cigar box and its typically tannic edge may soften and smooth considerably.
It is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in the Medoc district of France's Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California.
Long thought to be an ancient variety, recent genetic studies at U.C. Davis have determined that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the hybrid offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc.
Cabernet sauvignon berries are small, spherical with black, thick and very tough skin. This toughness makes the grapes fairly resistant to disease and spoilage and able to withstand some autumn rains with little damage. It is a mid to late season ripener. These growth characteristics, along with its flavor appeal have made Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most popular red wine varieties worldwide.
The best growing sites for producing quality wines from Cabernet Sauvignon are in moderately warm, semi-arid regions providing a long growing season, on well-drained, not-too-fertile soils. Vineyards in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, much of the Napa Valley, and around the Paso Robles area of the Central Coast have consistently produced the highest-rated California examples.
Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of bell pepper or weediness, varying in intensity with climatic conditions, viticulture practices, and vinification techniques. Climates and vintages that are either too cool or too warm, rich soils, too little sun exposure, premature harvesting, and extended maceration are factors that may lead to more vegetative, less fruity character in the resulting wine.
In the mouth, Cabernet can have liveliness and even a degree of richness, yet usually finishes with firm astringency. Some of the aroma and flavor descriptors most typically found in Cabernet Sauvignon are:
Beaulieu VineyardsIt is the most widely planted and significant among the five dominant varieties in the Medoc district of France's Bordeaux region, as well as the most successful red wine produced in California.
Long thought to be an ancient variety, recent genetic studies at U.C. Davis have determined that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the hybrid offspring of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc.
Cabernet sauvignon berries are small, spherical with black, thick and very tough skin. This toughness makes the grapes fairly resistant to disease and spoilage and able to withstand some autumn rains with little damage. It is a mid to late season ripener. These growth characteristics, along with its flavor appeal have made Cabernet Sauvignon one of the most popular red wine varieties worldwide.
The best growing sites for producing quality wines from Cabernet Sauvignon are in moderately warm, semi-arid regions providing a long growing season, on well-drained, not-too-fertile soils. Vineyards in Sonoma County's Alexander Valley, much of the Napa Valley, and around the Paso Robles area of the Central Coast have consistently produced the highest-rated California examples.
Typically, Cabernet Sauvignon wines smell like black currants with a degree of bell pepper or weediness, varying in intensity with climatic conditions, viticulture practices, and vinification techniques. Climates and vintages that are either too cool or too warm, rich soils, too little sun exposure, premature harvesting, and extended maceration are factors that may lead to more vegetative, less fruity character in the resulting wine.
In the mouth, Cabernet can have liveliness and even a degree of richness, yet usually finishes with firm astringency. Some of the aroma and flavor descriptors most typically found in Cabernet Sauvignon are:
Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.
The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.
Brute Strength Yields to Finesse
The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.
Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.
But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?
The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.
The Meritage Concept
The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.
On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.
Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."
The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.
A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.
Duckhorn's New Twist
Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.
Tasting Notes
FIRST PLACE
1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.
SECOND PLACE
1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.
THIRD PLACE
1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.
FOURTH PLACE
1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.
FIFTH PLACE
1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.
SIXTH PLACE
1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.
SEVENTH PLACE
1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.
EIGHTH PLACE
1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.
NINTH PLACE
1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.
TENTH PLACE
1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.
ELEVENTH PLACE
1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.
TWELFTH PLACE
1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality.
Steve Pitcher is a freelance wine writer based in San Francisco. He is vice president of the Vintners Club and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the German Wine Society.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.
The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.
Brute Strength Yields to Finesse
The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.
Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.
But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?
The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.
The Meritage Concept
The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.
On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.
Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."
The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.
A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.
Duckhorn's New Twist
Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.
Tasting Notes
FIRST PLACE
1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.
SECOND PLACE
1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.
THIRD PLACE
1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.
FOURTH PLACE
1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.
FIFTH PLACE
1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.
SIXTH PLACE
1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.
SEVENTH PLACE
1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.
EIGHTH PLACE
1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.
NINTH PLACE
1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.
TENTH PLACE
1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.
ELEVENTH PLACE
1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.
TWELFTH PLACE
1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality.
Steve Pitcher is a freelance wine writer based in San Francisco. He is vice president of the Vintners Club and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the German Wine Society.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Share this article with a friend:
Earn a chance to win a free cookbook every week: Get Sally's eNewsletter!
Search for something else:
Advertise With Us
Special Offers Below
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Joshua Grindle Inn, Mendocino
Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.
The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.
Brute Strength Yields to Finesse
The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.
Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.
But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?
The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.
The Meritage Concept
The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.
On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.
Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."
The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.
A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.
Duckhorn's New Twist
Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.
Tasting Notes
FIRST PLACE
1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.
SECOND PLACE
1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.
THIRD PLACE
1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.
FOURTH PLACE
1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.
FIFTH PLACE
1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.
SIXTH PLACE
1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.
SEVENTH PLACE
1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.
EIGHTH PLACE
1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.
NINTH PLACE
1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.
TENTH PLACE
1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.
ELEVENTH PLACE
1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.
TWELFTH PLACE
1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality
Bordeaux-Style Blends Carneros (Napa) Merlot Canthan Family CellarsThe other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.
Brute Strength Yields to Finesse
The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.
Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.
But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?
The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.
The Meritage Concept
The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.
On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.
Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."
The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.
A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.
Duckhorn's New Twist
Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.
Tasting Notes
FIRST PLACE
1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.
SECOND PLACE
1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.
THIRD PLACE
1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.
FOURTH PLACE
1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.
FIFTH PLACE
1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.
SIXTH PLACE
1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.
SEVENTH PLACE
1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.
EIGHTH PLACE
1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.
NINTH PLACE
1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.
TENTH PLACE
1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.
ELEVENTH PLACE
1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.
TWELFTH PLACE
1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality.
Steve Pitcher is a freelance wine writer based in San Francisco. He is vice president of the Vintners Club and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the German Wine Society.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
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Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.
The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.
Brute Strength Yields to Finesse
The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.
Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.
But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?
The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.
The Meritage Concept
The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.
On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.
Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."
The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.
A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.
Duckhorn's New Twist
Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.
Tasting Notes
FIRST PLACE
1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.
SECOND PLACE
1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.
THIRD PLACE
1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.
FOURTH PLACE
1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.
FIFTH PLACE
1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.
SIXTH PLACE
1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.
SEVENTH PLACE
1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.
EIGHTH PLACE
1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.
NINTH PLACE
1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.
TENTH PLACE
1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.
ELEVENTH PLACE
1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.
TWELFTH PLACE
1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality.
Steve Pitcher is a freelance wine writer based in San Francisco. He is vice president of the Vintners Club and president of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the German Wine Society.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Share this article with a friend:
Earn a chance to win a free cookbook every week: Get Sally's eNewsletter!
Search for something else:
Advertise With Us
Special Offers Below
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Dennen's Victorian Farmhouse
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Joshua Grindle Inn, Mendocino
Bordeaux winemakers have long known that cabernet sauvignon makes a better wine when it is the main component in a blending formula that incorporates other grape varieties to round out and refine the varietal's naturally forceful tannins and flavors.
The other Bordeaux varieties -- merlot, cabernet franc, petit verdot and malbec -- also provide extra layers of flavor and complexity in the finished wine, which eventually becomes a product that is greater than the mere sum of its parts.
Brute Strength Yields to Finesse
The Bordeaux approach didn't really catch on in California until the 1980s, after a decade of huge, rich, tannic, 100 percent varietal Cabs that often exhibited more oak than fruit. Eventually, consumers and winemakers agreed that finesse, depth, complexity and balance were more desirable than brute strength.
Today, it's a common practice for winemakers to add some merlot or cabernet franc, or both, to cabernet sauvignon. And when the winery wants to make a first-class merlot, cabernet sauvignon and/or cabernet franc will be blended in. So long as the other varieties constitute no more than 25 percent of the resulting wine, it can be labeled varietally as cabernet sauvignon or merlot, as the case may be.
But what happens when the winemaker determines that cabernet sauvignon shouldn't constitute at least 75 percent of the blend -- that a better wine can be made with, say, just 45 percent cabernet sauvignon blended with 35 percent merlot, 12 percent cabernet franc and eight percent petit verdot?
The answer is that the winemaker adjusts the blending formula to achieve the desired result, and then sits down with the marketing people to figure out what to call the wine. This wouldn't be a problem in Bordeaux, where the wine is given the name of the estate (or chateau, in French) that produced it. For example, the blending formula set forth above is that of Chateau Pichon Lalande, and that's all the label says.
The Meritage Concept
The California winery has several alternatives for naming its blend. If the wine is made only from traditional Bordeaux grape varieties, is the winery's best red wine and is limited in production to no more than 25,000 cases, it can be called "Meritage," a coined word that is pronounced like heritage. Meritage wines are the equivalent of Bordeaux-style red and white wines, both in terms of grape varieties and quality. The topic of white proprietary meritage blends was discussed in an earlier "Vintner's Choice" column.
On the other hand, even if the wine could be called Meritage, the winery is free to label it under a proprietary name that legally may be used only by the particular winery, such as "Hommage" from Clos Pegase or Joseph Phelps' "Insignia." Similarly, the proprietary term may be the name of the estate as is done in Bordeaux, such as "Opus One," "Dominus," "Royale" (a new Kendall-Jackson property which uses both "Royale" and "Meritage" on the label) or "Pahlmeyer." This marketing device is the most popular choice among wineries, and there are dozens of these exotically named wines on the market.
Another alternative is to call the wine "Claret," which is an old British term that means the same thing as red Bordeaux blend. This is what White Rock Vineyards in the Napa Valley calls its Meritage red, which sells for about $25. On a less inventive level, there's always "Red Table Wine."
The winery can also employ a non-proprietary term in common use that implies high-quality winemaking. For example, Sterling, Robert Sinskey Vineyards, Mount Veeder Winery and Clos Du Val label their Bordeaux blends as "Reserve," and make them only in years that fully justify use of the term.
A variation on the use of the name of the producing estate is the use of the name of the vineyard that supplies the different varietals. This device is used by Ridge ("Monte Bello"), Clos du Bois ("Marlstone") and Ravenswood ("Pickbury"), among others.
Duckhorn's New Twist
Perhaps the newest twist is that employed by Duckhorn Vineyards, which uses the term "Howell Mountain" for its Bordeaux-style blend. The grapes for the wine come from several vineyards in this BATF-approved viticultural appellation, and each year the ideal blend is determined based on the characteristics of the vintage. For example, in 1989 the blend was 41 percent cabernet sauvignon, 34 percent merlot and 25 percent cabernet franc, but in 1990, merlot dominated with 57 percent of the blend, along with 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 13 percent cabernet franc. The percentages are always clearly stated on the label.
Recently, the Vintners Club brought together 12 of these wines for a blind comparative tasting conducted by a panel of 21 tasters. Because many of these wines are "flagship wines," they may be held longer at the winery to benefit from extended bottle age prior to release. Thus, although many 1993 Cabernet Sauvignons are already in the shops, the current releases of these special wines span the 1991 and 1992 vintages. Prices ranged from $19 to $75, indicating that California producers are emulating their Bordeaux counterparts in pricing, as well as production, practices.
Tasting Notes
FIRST PLACE
1992 J. Stonestreet Legacy, Alexander Valley ($35)
Forward, appealing aromas of mint, cherry-cassis fruit, cedar, leather, cocoa and toasty, smoky French oak, accented by a certain warm earthiness. The blend -- 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 43 percent merlot, 3 percent petit verdot -- yields rich, ripe raspberry-cassis flavors mingled with clove spice and smoky oak; deep, layered and delicious. Excellent balance and structure, showing medium tannins. Long, lingering finish. Superior quality.
SECOND PLACE
1991 Ridge Monte Bello, Santa Cruz Mountains ($75)
This is one of California's greatest vineyards, located at an elevation of 2,600 feet in the Santa Cruz Mountains about 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its wines are long lived, complex and worth the high price. The 1991 Monte Bello is mostly cabernet sauvignon (85 percent) blended with 15 percent merlot. Fragrant, inviting scents of black cherry-cassis fruit, vanilla and green olive lead to a smooth, lush wine of enormous complexity. The palate offers deep, plumy cassis-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, licorice and clove spice, along with a wild mushroom-like note. A thoroughly enjoyable wine that is both powerful and elegant. Superior quality.
THIRD PLACE
1991 Dalle Valle Vineyards Maya, Napa Valley ($75)
This mountain-grown red is every bit as impressive as the first- and second-place wines, offering deep, fragrant scents of plumy cassis and wild berry fruit, plus toasty oak, vanilla and cedar. Exceptionally generous in the mouth, exhibiting lots of ripe cassis-raspberry-black cherry fruit, roasted coffee, mint and new oak. Thoroughly delicious and impressive. The blend is 55 percent cabernet sauvignon, 45 percent cabernet franc and one percent merlot from estate vineyards above the Silverado Trail. Superior quality.
FOURTH PLACE
1991 Mount Veeder Winery Reserve, Napa Valley ($25)
Restrained, though complex, nose of red cherries, violets and rose petals, cedar, mint and a hint of black pepper. Medium-full tannins. Pleasant, sweet cherry-berry fruit with a spicy note. This blend of mountain-grown cabernet sauvignon (52 percent), merlot (33 percent), cabernet franc (12 percent), petit verdot (2 percent) and malbec (one percent) drinks well now. Above-average quality.
FIFTH PLACE
1992 Opus One, Napa Valley ($60)
Complex, Medoc-like nose of cedar, spice, cassis and cigar box, along with lots of earthy, mushroomy notes that suggest some brettanomyces ("brett") which, if viewed positively, is known as "good barnyard" and, if off-putting, is called dirty. Full tannins and puckery with just enough black currant fruit to balance out in cellaring. This mostly-cabernet-sauvignon blend (8 percent cabernet franc, 3 percent merlot) was very controversial with the panel, with many finding its quirky elements too extreme to justify the price, while others found its resemblance to a stylish French first growth appealing.
SIXTH PLACE
1992 Geyser Peak Reserve Alexandre Meritage, Trione Vineyards, Alexander Valley ($25)
Intense, appealing scents of cherries, raspberries and vanilla accompanied by vanillan oak and an intriguing note of violets. Medium tannins. Deep, ripe, vibrant black cherry-cassis fruit on the palate, along with cedar and tobacco-leaf herbaceousness. Silky and elegant. A delicious blend of merlot (40 percent), cabernet sauvignon (28 percent), petit verdot (22 percent) and five percent each cabernet franc and malbec. Above-average quality.
SEVENTH PLACE
1992 Joseph Phelps Vineyards Insignia, Napa Valley ($55)
The nose opens with airing to reveal attractive, slightly dusty, aromas of sweet oak, cedar, cassis and light spice. Medium-full tannins that will require a few more years to resolve. Extractive berry-cassis fruit sufficient to match the tannins, plus cedar and evident oak. Massively structured and built to age. A very impressive blend of 67 percent cabernet sauvignon and 33 percent merlot. Above-average quality.
EIGHTH PLACE
1991 Langtry Meritage Red, California (produced by Guenoc Winery) ($35)
Winegrower and Guenoc Winery owner Orville Magoon was one of the first vintners in California to recognize the importance of planting Bordeaux grape varietals for blending. The five traditional Bordeaux varietals were planted at the Guenoc estate two decades ago. This blend of 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 32 percent cabernet franc, 9 percent petit verdot and one percent malbec offers attractive, slightly smoky aromas of ripe black cherries and cassis, plus toasty French oak. Pleasant bell pepper herbaceousness frames the flavors, which also offer ripe cherry-cassis fruit and a lingering aftertaste. Above average quality.
NINTH PLACE
1991 Robert Sinskey Vineyards Carneros Claret Reserve ($28)
The winery produces two clarets, one a cabernet-sauvignon-dominated blend with a Stags Leap District appellation, and the other this Carneros Claret Reserve, which is 59 percent merlot, 22 percent cabernet sauvignon and 19 percent cabernet franc. Shy red fruits (strawberry-cherry) and mild herbs in the nose. Soft, medium tannins. Straightforward bing cherry-raspberry flavors with moderate depth; smooth. Average quality.
TENTH PLACE
1991 Sterling Reserve, Napa Valley ($30)
A blend of 64 percent cabernet sauvignon, 18 percent merlot, 10 percent cabernet franc and 8 percent petit verdot very much in the French style, but not as controversial as the Opus One. Lots of chocolate-like notes in the nose, plus cedar and red berries. Medium-full tannins will require a few years of aging to resolve. Slightly tart with extractive black cherry-cassis fruit and a touch of green herbs. Average to above-average quality.
ELEVENTH PLACE
1992 Ravenswood Pickbury Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain ($30)
Unusual scents of leather, green bell pepper and black cherry-cassis fruit that are somewhat musty. Very tannic, with leather and tobacco leaf dominating the palate, suggesting brettanomyces. A blend of 65 percent merlot, 30 percent cabernet sauvignon and 5 percent cabernet franc. Below-average quality.
TWELFTH PLACE
1991 Clos du Bois Marlstone Vineyard, Alexander Valley ($19)
Slightly weedy nose focuses on chocolate or cocoa, toffee, smoky oak, herbs and shy fruit; some tasters detected an off smell resembling burnt rubber. Soft and supple in the mouth with medium tannins, offering cherry-berry fruit, cedar and shy spice. Lingering aftertaste. A blend of 54 percent cabernet sauvignon, 35 percent merlot, 6 percent malbec and 5 percent cabernet franc. Average quality
Pinot Canthan Family Cellars
Technical Notes: The hand-harvested grapes are 100% de-stemmed, crushed and then
vinified by parcel, with a 20 day maceration. No oak ageing.
Although not overtly advertised, this domaine is 100% certified organic. All the vineyard
and winery practices follow the philosophy and methods of organic farming as certified by
the French government. Only natural yeasts found in the vineyards are used to make the
wines at Terres de Solence. Jean-Luc works the must until he has achieved maximum
extraction. The choice of parcels used to produce this wine is determined by selecting
different lots to arrive at a balance between the old vines and the influence of the terroir. The
exact determination of the blend is not made until the date of harvest.
Tasting Notes: Consistent with the Domaine’s style the 2004 Trois Pčres is full of bright
cassis fruit. The wine is deep purple in color with hints of garrigue and juniper on the nose.
The palate is round and rich and very well balanced. The finish is silky and pleasant with
well integrated tannins. A great wine for grilled meats and duck.
Carneros vinified by parcel, with a 20 day maceration. No oak ageing.
Although not overtly advertised, this domaine is 100% certified organic. All the vineyard
and winery practices follow the philosophy and methods of organic farming as certified by
the French government. Only natural yeasts found in the vineyards are used to make the
wines at Terres de Solence. Jean-Luc works the must until he has achieved maximum
extraction. The choice of parcels used to produce this wine is determined by selecting
different lots to arrive at a balance between the old vines and the influence of the terroir. The
exact determination of the blend is not made until the date of harvest.
Tasting Notes: Consistent with the Domaine’s style the 2004 Trois Pčres is full of bright
cassis fruit. The wine is deep purple in color with hints of garrigue and juniper on the nose.
The palate is round and rich and very well balanced. The finish is silky and pleasant with
well integrated tannins. A great wine for grilled meats and duck.
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Pinot Blanc
Pinot Grigio
Pinot Gris
Riesling
Blanc
Burgundy-Style Blends
Trebbiano
Ameis (Italian Grape)
Chalone Vineyards (Monterey County)
Chateau Montellena (Napa Valley)
Far niente (Napa Valley)
Groth (Napa Valley)
Joel Gott (Napa Valley)
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