I write to you this evening having just returned from a sunset walk in fair Brookline, MA.  Here in the New England, we are in the midst of another stunning fall.  Little by little, I am making my inevitable return back to the kitchen, red wine, and oh, and my blog.

While out on my evening promenade, I stepped into one of the lovely little local wine shops and found a bottle that piqued my interest.  It’s called “Monte Antico” and it’s produced by Neil Empson and Franco Bernabei.  From the little bit of research I’ve done, the wine is a blend consisting mostly of Sangiovese with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.  The importer and proprietor of the estate, Neil Empson, has collaborated with winemaker Bernabei to create a juicy quaffable wine at an affordable price.  I paid $11.99 for the bottle.

Monte Antico is a tasty wine.  It has plenty of dried red cherry flavor, and on the palete it retains a relatively high level of acidity making it delicious with the smoked trout that I’m eating and trying not get on the keyboard.  I often find Sangiovese to be a little on the thin and acidic side.  For Monte Antico, the addition of the Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot give it a pleasant plumpness that fleshes out the sinewy character that is typical of Sangiovese.  The tannins are fading though still evident.  With the right tomato-based sauce, cured meats or sausages, they will be hardly distinguishable.  There are also some nice leathery and sandalwood aromas that evoke the fall – think crunchy leaves underfoot and smoke coming from the fireplace chimney.  It spent one year in an oak cask before being released and though the oak is well integrated, after three years in bottle the flavors of the barrel are beginning to dominate the wine, but only slightly so.  I would venture to say that the wine is about at its peak, which makes it all the more pleasurable to be knocking back a glass or two this evening.

Look for it on the shelves at your local wine shop and treat yourself to a home-cooked Bolognese sauce.  I will be enjoying this combination later this evening when my better half returns from a night of rehearsing.  Following is my recipe that has won rave reviews from friends recently.  Cheers!

Ragu Bolognese Majestica

• 1/2 lb. ground bison
• 1/2 lb. ground pork
• 1/2 lb. 80/20 ground beef
• 2 carrots chopped
• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 2 stalks celery chopped
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 or 4 stalks of fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• salt and pepper

1. sweat the garlic, onion, celery, and carrot in a large Dutch oven over low heat until tender but not brown.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the bay leaf, thyme, meat and continue to cook over low heat until almost dry (about two hours).  With a spatula or wooden spoon, work the meat into small pieces stirring every twenty minutes or so.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir in tomato paste, milk, cinnamon until all ingredients are well incorporated.  Add more milk to achieve the desired consistency.
4. Bring ragu to a simmer.  Adjust final seasoning with salt and pepper and serve over pasta of your choice.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to a wine dinner at Scampo at the Liberty Hotel here in Boston.  My friend, Alex, is the sommelier there, and I jumped at the chance to attend when he told me that they would be featuring the wines of Belle Pente.  I have been a fan of Belle Pente for a long, and I’ve always admired the honest, clean, and unadulterated style of the wines.

Their wine-making approach, admirably, is summed up by a hands-off philosophy in the vineyard utilizing organic and biodynamic techniques.  For example, though irrigation is allowed in Oregon, Belle Pente chooses to grow their grapes without aiding Mother Nature.  It’s an old world approach to making wine that involves a little more risk for the wine maker, but in the hands of a skilled farmer, it can produce fantastic results.  Some might argue that drought, or too much rain fall is really just “terroir”.  If you’re changing the amount of water that a vine is receiving, you are essentially changing its environment.  Of course, you’re opinion of all of this depends on how much of a purist you are, but no one can argue that Belle Pente’s wines are first rate in every respect no matter how they are made.

On the night of the dinner, we tried their lovely Pinot Gris, a Charonnday, three Pinot Noirs, and a surprising Muscat (Ottonel – not Blanc a Petit Grains au Jus Blanc).  In general, I found the wines to be well crafted.  The Pinot Gris was especially well-paired with an oyster and a gazpacho “shooter” with cucumber foam by Alex.  I found the floral/melon nuance of the wine to be a fantastic foil to the mild vegetal quality of the gazpacho and the briny taste of the oyster.  The Chardonnay, likewise showed a good balance between restraint and opulence so as not overwhelm the delicate sweetness of the lobster and to stand up to the heady earthy morels in the dish with which it was served.

Belle Pente’s Pinot Noirs also deserve special mention.  Some of the them had been bottle and shipped fairly recently just for the dinner.  Although, I feel that we were drinking them a bit young that evening, I could tell that there was something there that would turn into really great wine in a five or ten years time.  They were tightly wound, full of dense black cherry flavor, and layers of spice that lingered on the palate well after the glass was empty.  And though there was a noticeable difference between them, as time marches on, the differences will become exaggerated in my opinion showing the characteristics of each individual vineyard site.

A memorable duo of roasted lamb chop with cumin flavored ground lamb moussaka was served with the final Pinot Noir, the most chewy and dense of the three opened for sampling.  Thinking back on it now is making me hungry for more food from Scampo skilled kitchen, and thirsty for more of that delicious Pinot Noir.

The standout wine for the night, however, was the final pairing: a dry Muscat.  It was grapey, floral, and bursting with melon flavors with just a touch of residual sugar.  It was served alongside a cheese course that included some fantastic domestic cheeses: Kunik from New York, and Winnimere from Vermont.

I spoke with the winemaker, Brian, about the wine which had so engaged me.  He told me that they bought the grapes from a neighbor and were just beginning to figure out a winning formula for making the wine.  We seemed to agree that the lower alcohol content (around 11.5%) was one of the most charming aspects of the wine.  That coupled with a tease of sweetness made the wine so refreshing and summery.  I was pleased to be served a relatively dry and light bodied wine at the end of the meal as well, in place of something syrupy and/or with high alcohol as many dessert wines are.

Muscats of this style are not uncommon in Alsace or Spain, but to see one being made in this country is a real treat and speaks volumes to the potential of the grape grown on domestic soils.  Furthermore, one that is as delicious as this is something to be celebrated under any circumstance regardless of its country of origin.  I only wish Belle Pente made more.  So far their production of this wine has not exceeded 99 cases in its third vintage.  I hope that someone in Massachusetts will pick up the wine and pour it by the glass or sell me a case of it for drinking over the summer.

Thanks to Scampo for a terrific meal, and for the chance to taste Belle Pente’s lineup.  The evening was a treat all around and I’ll look forward to more in the future.

I had a wonderful afternoon today despite the nasty rainy weather in Boston.  It started out with being taken out to lunch by a new friend, Rachel, who wanted to interview moi as a food “expert” for her Gastronomy Masters at Boston University.  We were connected by a mutual friend at work, Annie, who I day-tripped to Portland, ME recently.  I was tickled pink to be picked, and it was so indulgent to talk about myself for an hour or two.  I can’t wait to read the final paper.

We had lunch at the Regal Beagle here in Brookline, one of my favorite neighborhood places.  I had a sandwich special with ham and avocado and we shared a pumpkin hummus appetizer which was very tasty.  I have consistently good food at the RB and the servers are always friendly and accommodating.  They were nice enough to prepare the lobster sliders for my friend as a salad since she is gluten intolerant.  You certainly can’t beat that for service.

We headed over to Brookline Liquor Mart after to pick up a bottle of Fernet Branca for her “disgusting” class at BU.  The assignment was to bring in something for the class that some cultures find to be a delicacy and others find terrible.  She asked my opinion and Fernet came to mind.  If you haven’t had it, it’s a really bitter digestif that does wonders for your stomach, but with its medicinal characteristics, is definitely an acquired taste.  I thought it would fit the assignment rather well since it is popular in Italy and amongst restaurant industry people, but the taste is not pleasing to the average Joe.  I hope she is not in for too much of a shock when she first tastes the stuff in class.

In any case, while shopping for wine and the Fernet, we ran into an old friend of mine, Brett.  He has started a wine label called 90+ Cellars.  The concept is to buy highly rated wines from around the world that have been made in surplus.  They write to wineries and have samples of finished wine sent to Boston, which they taste and then decide which wines to buy at a discounted price directly from the producer.  The wineries take care of the bottling and slap a snappy 90+ Cellars label on the front.  The art of this, of course, is figuring out which wines to buy from the huge surplus of wine being made today, but Brett is blessed with a spectacular and discerning palate.  We tasted the line up together and I was impressed with everything he and his business partner picked.

They are currently offering quite a few different wines.  They all retail for less than $20 and are a steal when compared to many wines at the same price point.  I was especially impressed with the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, the California Pinot Noir, the Spanish Garnacha, and a particularly delicious German Riesling that was bottled with a Dr. Loosen cork.  I’m not saying this Riesling was from Dr. Loosen, but it had a Dr. Loosen cork in it…. wink wink, nudge nudge…

I was pleased that all of their wines tasted and smelled as they should considering the places and vintages from which they came.  In fact, most of them were easy enough to identify blind, and I felt that in all cases, the alcohol was in check and oak had been sensibly used.  Some of their wines are already sold out, so you may not be able to find some of the things listed on their website in local stores here in Boston.  I see big things ahead for these guys and I think they are on to a really great concept.

With all of the hot vintages and increased understanding of viticulture, many winemakers are faced with a surplus of great wine that they are willing to unload for a modest price.  90+ Cellars passes on that value to the consumer offering really great wine at a discounted price.  What could be better?!?!  Tasting is believing of course, and in my opinion, the wines really delivered and with talented tasters at the helm of the company, I’m confident there will be plenty of more great wine in the future from these creative entrepreneurs.

Ever since I tasted the Branko Pinot Grigio a few weeks ago, I have decided to open my mind about what I have wrongly  considered to be one of the less interesting wines being made today.  It’s terrible to generalize about any sort of wine that way, but my experience has unfortunately led me to that bias.  I am happy to report a new found love of the grape and the wines produced from it in Northern Italy.  Alois Lageder’s “Classic” Pinot Grigio is yet another example of Pinot Grigio that is breaking down my personal bias for this underestimated and severely neglected grape.

The problem with Pinot Grigio, and the reason why I have developed my bias, is that it is grown just about everywhere in Italy and there are only a few winemakers who give it the serious treatment that it deserves.  Typically, it is picked too early and made into a thin, tart, insipid wine that lacks any sort of varietal character or complex aromatics.  In some of the examples I’ve tasted, you may as well be drinking alcoholic lemonade for a cheaper price and equally satisfying results.

What makes the Pinot Grigio from Lageder so special is the intense care taken with the vines and in the winery.  They follow biodynamic practices, which I feel consistently produces interesting wines.  The region itself, the Alto Adige, is also marked by a long cool growing season with long daylight hours and cool nights, which is ideal for coaxing phenolic maturity out of grapes which characteristically are less aromatic such as Pinot Grigio.  The family’s history with wine-making dates back to the 19th century and Alois Lageder, himself, has made a significant commitment to quality rather than quantity, though he does produce a myriad of styles.

I’m sure you can tell already how impressed I was with this wine just from what I’ve written so far about its producer, but to taste the wine on its own justifies its praise even without knowing all of the background.  The color is a crystal clear and bright straw gold with a silver gleam.  Aromatically, it reminded me of Chablis.  It was steely, and had some of the struck match scent that associate with those great wines of Burgundy, some of my favorites.  There is a also a purity of pear and ripe melon, and I picked up a little cucumber as well.  Maybe it’s just the impending Spring in New England, but I also got a whiff of wild flowers.  I’m getting carried away because I quite enjoyed the complexity and subtlety of the wine so much.

On the palete it was equally engaging.  It had a focused linear quality balanced with the right amount of acidity that gave the wine backbone without it seeming tart.  The finish was long and mineral as expected for Lageder’s wines.  Dan commented on how well it went with our meal.  We were eating Chinese as usual on these late nights after work – I had shrimp with cashews, celery, and peppers and he was having chicken with scallions and ginger.  The alcohol in the wine is also on the lower side, around 12% which I also appreciated.  It’s nice to be able to have two glasses and not feel like going to sleep right away.

I also have to admire Lageder for his passion for the arts.  His labels are all designed by artists Elisabeth Holzl, Mario Airo, Eva Marisaldi, Marcello Maliberti, and Luca Vitone representing light, earth, vines, man, and wine respectively.  He also supports new music commissioning new works from composers and hosting chamber music concerts in his enoteca, which he calls Paradeis.  For now I will dream of performing a concert there in the beautiful setting of Northern Italy.

All of this for a relatively inexpensive and humble bottle of Pinot Grigio.  As I mentioned, the wine drinks great on its own, but knowing all of the tangential information regarding the producer has made the experience of drinking it even more special.  You can be sure that I’ll be looking for more great wine from Lageder and, if you are a lover of art, music, and all delicious thing as I am, I would encourage you to do the same.  Cheers.

The last time I visited Seattle, we weren’t able to make it to wine country.  I was happy today that this time, an afternoon excursion was possible.  We got a Zipcar and headed down to Woodinville just South of Seattle and hit a couple of wineries and ended the afternoon with a brewery.  It was a really fun afternoon, and we had some great wine and beer.

Delille Cellars:  Our first stop of the afternoon, and the reason I wanted to visit Woodinville, was Delille Cellars.  We had the good fortune to randomly meet Exectuvie winemaker, Chris Upchurch, and his wife at the their tasting room.  We pour the Delille Cellars Roussane by the glass at work, so I knew a little about them and their wines already, but I was very pleased to be able to try a more almost complete lineup of what they had to offer today – we tried seven of their thirteen offerings.

Overall, I admired the restraint of the wines.  The alcohol was in check and none were overly oaky for my palete.  Chris told us that he really admires French wines, especially those of the South and he models much of what he makes on greats such as Grange des Péres, Domaine Tempier, and Domaine de Trevallon to name a few.

I already love the Roussane, and I was also pleased to try their Graves style white called Chaleur Estate Blanc.  It is made from about 2/3 Sauvignon Blanc and 1/3 Semillon.  Because it is aged sur lie and barrel fermented, it has a rich creamy quality that reminds me of creme brulee.  That’s not to say that the wine was soft.  On the contrary, there were plenty of bright citrus and floral notes like grapefruit and lemongrass that balanced out the full feel of the wine as we drank it.  It was a wonderful way to start a memorable afternoon of tasting.

We also tried a lovely Mourvedre based rosé, and their excellent lineup of red wines.  My favorite red was the Harrison Hill, a Bordeaux style red made mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon.  I thought it was a good example of a wine that straddles the fence between domestic Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux.  There was plenty of ripe black currant fruit, maybe leaning a little toward blackberry, but that was all balanced out by complex layers of black olive, tobacco, green peppers, dried leaves, and cedar.  The wine did see 100% new oak, but as Chris explained, he takes the wine out of the oak barrels and transfers it to neutral barrels so that it doesn’t take on too much of the oaky character.

Chris seemed devoted to letting the grapes make the wine rather then futzing too much with them in the winery.  He spoke passionately about wines and winemakers around the world that he loved and respected, and I was inspired by his fervor.  He’s been making wine since the 70’s and began Delille in ‘82.  You could easily consider him one of the pioneer winemakers in Washington.  He and his wife were proud to tell us that their wines are enjoyed at the White House, especially by Michelle Obama, who is partial to their rosé.  His hard work and dedication are obvious in his beautiful wines.


Matthews:  Stop number two was Matthews less than half a mile from the Delille Tasting Room.  In fact, they were recommended to us by the folks at Delille.  We found Warren, our taster, doing some work in the wine-making room behind the counter when we arrived on this quiet Tuesday afternoon.  He was a really pleasant guy who patiently answered lots of my questions, and even showed us around the winery a little.  I was fascinated to learn about the egg-shaped concrete fermentation vessels that they are using to make Sauvignon Blanc.  We weren’t able to taste any, due to it being sold out for the vintage.  I had never seen or heard about anything quite like these things before, and it seems they are a new trend in wine-making.

Matthews Estate wines were delicious.  They were polished and had a finesse and elegance that I associate with some of the most expensive domestic red wines, but for a fraction of the price that they usually carry.  The oak was nicely incorporated, and again there was a level of restraint that I admired.  Of the three reds that we tasted, my favorite was their Syrah.

Warren explained that a portion of the proceeds of the sale of the Syrah go to charity, which I thought was quite noble.  I can’t imagine that this small winery makes a ton of money, and to see them donating to a worthy cause was nice.  The wine itself was delicious.  There were juicy blackberry pie notes with a bit of peppery spice on the finish, yet it was focused and not over the top or jammy.  We bought three bottles to take with us.

Novelty Hill and Januik:  This stop included two wineries in one.  Both wines are made by the same winemaker, Michael Januik, formerly of Chateau Ste Michelle.  Laura, our taster, was congenial and outgoing.  The deal for tasting there is that you can pick any four wines to taste for $5, making it the best deal of the day as far as tasting fees are concerned.  We let Laura chose for us, and were glad we did.

I liked the Viognier and Sangiovese that she let us taste from Novelty Hill.  Both wines were delicious and easy to drink.  Being modestly priced, they had an impressive expression of varietal character, and were surprisingly complex.  Of the Januik wines, We tasted the Merlot and the Champoux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon.  Both were also very good.  Again, they had restraint, but they were the most opulent in terms of fruit expression of the wines for the day.  I thought they both delivered in spades.

The tasting facilities and winery at Januik/Novelty were beautiful in and of themselves.  It was designed by a local Seattle firm and had a sleek and open feel to it.  There were large glass windows where you could watch the goings-on in the storage room full of barrels, and the tanks where the fermentation took place.  Laura told us that it had become a popular place to have weddings, and I could see why.  There was some obvious care taken in the decor and the layout of the grounds, which include a Bacci court, that made you want to stay a while and enjoy the afternoon there.  It was lovely.

Red Hook Brewery:  The final stop of the day was at Red Hook Brewery, producer of one of Seattle’s local and most noted beers.  We had a bite to eat at the pub while we waited for the 4:00 tour to start.  What we didn’t know is that we would be drinking five different beers over the course of the tour.  It was quite a surprise considering that the tour costs $1!  Our guide had a dead-pan delivery when he told jokes that made us smile from ear to ear.  We saw the fermentation vats and the way cool bottling line and he told us a little bit about this history of the brewery and how beer is made.

The most fun part of the tour however was that over half of the crowd had attended it before and they were not shy about drinking the beer that our guide was pouring and pouring and pouring.  This must be the best deal in all of Woodinville, Seattle, Washington, and possibly the entire country to get a good buzz on for cheap.  We didn’t mind hopping on the bandwagon in this case with all of the delicious beers there were to taste.

All in all, a great day spent in Woodinville.  I was very impressed with the overall quality of the wines we tasted and convivial spirits that we met.  We learned a lot, tasted some great beer and wine and had fun in general.  It’s beautiful country and we even had good weather in the rainy, and sometimes dreary Pacific Northwest.  It was an afternoon to remember.

Step into a time machine and go back 50 years or more, and you’ll have the same experience as drinking a glass of this wine from Copertino Riserva by Cantina Sociale Cooperativa.  They have been making wine since the 1930’s and I’m certain that their methods haven’t changed much since then.  I found this bottle refreshing in its rustic charm and excellent with our meal last night.  I’m tasting it now after it’s been open for about twelve hours and it’s holding up quite nicely, and for the price at around $12, it’s a heck of a bottle.

Copertino is a small town in the province of Puglia, which is located on the heel of the boot of Italy.  Puglia has lately gained some recognition for inexpensive, but characterful wines.  Primitivo, Negroamora, and Malvasia Nera are all grown there in great quantities in fertile soils with plenty of warm weather and sun.  These are all ancient grapes that it is theorized were planted by the Romans.  The climate makes the Southern part of Italy suitable for bulk production of wines, but a few estates are doing some interesting things with keeping yields low coupled with modern wine-making technology.

What this bottle represents to me is tradition.  Wine cooperatives are common in Italy because it is expensive to own and operate presses, fermentation equipment, barrels, and bottling lines.  Grape growers have often inherited ancient vineyards sites and usually don’t have enough money, time, or interest to make their own wines.  What often happens is that they band together, have a big party, and make wine together every year.  Cooperative wines are often not great, but this one, in my opinion, is an exception to the norm.

The 2001 is made mostly from Negroamaro (the name means black and bitter) with a splash of Malvasia Nera added for perfume.  The color is a beautiful  ruddy ruby red with some browning around the edges, showing its age of nine years now.  The opaqueness of the core suggests that is lightly filtered if at all, which gives it an interesting thick texture when you drink it.  On the nose there are aromas of black cherry, cranberry, black olives, licorice, carraway, rooibos tea, game, autumn leaves, and woodsy spices.  It’s a wine that I could smell all day and find something a little different each time.

On the palete it is bone dry with a tart cranberry acidity.  The tannins are gripping, but long and well integrated.  There is a sort of “cheesy” finish that reminds me of the rancio quality of some of the great Pecorino cheeses of Tuscany.  It was amazing with our meal of roasted chicken and potatoes last night and it’s still going strong today although the tannins have mellowed quite a bit as it’s been open and exposed to air.  It would also be nice with any dish featuring mushrooms, pastas with tomato sauces, and other simply roasted poultry.  It even has a decent finish for a wine at its price point.

Interestingly, the vintage that is usually available at my wine store is usually at least seven or eight years old.  Because of the aging factor there is bottle variation from personal experience, but on the whole, I’ve been pleased with past vintages.  Since I like drinking older wines, this is an added bonus.  Likewise, the price tag certainly does not correspond to its age – or maybe it does depending on your perspective.  What I mean is that this is not a wine to go to for opulent fruit and bold flavors.  But, if you are looking for something with a humble home-cooked meal with subtlety and layers of complexity for not a lot of money, you’ll be very happy with this wine.

As a side note, on researching this wine, I discovered a rock band named Negramaro after the great and ancient grape based in Salento, also in Puglia.  I’m listening to their album Finestra as I write these lines and quite enjoying it.  You can check them out on iTunes if you’re curious.  Funny how the study of wine brings about these types of serendipitous and tangential discoveries.  As Pliny the Elder would have said, “In vino veritas…”

About a month ago I received an invitation through the Boston Sommelier Society to attend a tasting of Austrian wines.  I immediately replied that I would love to be there since Austrian wines are some of my favorites and it’s tough to find really good ones in retail shops because they are still considered obscure and come at a premium.  Trade tasting are often tedious because of the amount of people in attendance and the dearth of quality wine shown, but I will hand it to Winebow and MS Walker for putting on a nicely orchestrated, organized and informative event with plenty of great wine to taste.  The delicious free lunch from Eastern Standard didn’t hurt either!

For the most part, Austria produces its best wines from two grapes: Gruner Veltliner and Riesling.  I love Riesling and Gruner has enjoyed a little bit of a cult wine status here in the Boston restaurant scene over the past ten years.  There is a handful of red being produced from Zweigelt, Blaufränkisch, St. Laurent, and Pinot Noir, but these are rare and typically very earthy and sometimes very tannic when compared to domestic wines at the same price point.  The reds, though very good, are vastly unappreciated and misunderstood in the American market, therefore, it follows that I must like them.

The afternoon began with a lecture given by Fritz Miesbauer, Rudi Pichler, and Paul Achs.  The three spoke about their wines and led a tasting of six wines that they felt best showcased their individual view points of the terroir and wines from their production.  Their eloquence and candor charmed the audience and I think everyone in attendance enjoyed the wines put in front of us immensely.  All three winemakers were clearly passionate about their wines and their home of Austria.  I was particularly struck with the message they were delivering about wine and place, each speaking in detail about the soil content of their vineyard sites and the aspect of the hillsides.

Stadt Krems, Kremstal:  We tasted a Gruner Veltliner from the Weinsierlberg vineyard and a Riesling from the Grillenparz vineyard, 2008 from Fritz Miesbauer of Stadt Krems.  Both wines were very good.  The house style, or perhaps the style of the Kremstal seems to be broad and steely, not unlike great white Burgundy.  The sandy Loess soils of Kremstal are best-suited for growing Gruner but the warmth that comes off the Danube River allows for a long ripening season for Riesling.  These wines were serious and clearly intended to be enjoyed now and for years to come.

The Gruner was a little closed aromatically having been bottled only three weeks earlier and probably suffering from bottle shock after traveling, but I did manage to find some white pepper, a marker for the grape.  There were also some floral notes and it was obvious that this wine would become something really delicious in a few months after settling a bit.  The Riesling was fantastic, showing pure white peach fruit with an earthy bacon fat aroma that reminded a little of white Rhone wines.  There was a spicy component on the palete too along with mouthwatering acidity, a subtle honeyed character, and long mineral finish.

Rudi Pichler, Wachau: We were shown two wonderful wines by the pragmatic and self-taught Rudi Pichler: Riesling Federspiel 2008 and Gruner Smaragd 2008.  I thought both were excellent.  Federspiel and Smaragd both refer to the amount of hang-time a grape receives in the vineyard, Smaragd being the longest.  These designations only apply to wines from the Wachau.

Pichler’s wines reminded me of those from Alsace with a slight spritz of CO2 combined with full-flavors or pure fruit with earthy spicy undertones.  The soils in his vineyards are granite-quartz like the best sites in Alsace.  He spoke about extracting tannins from the skins of the white grapes, which surprised me.  I have often experienced a little tannin in white wine, but this is the first time I’ve heard a winemaker admit to it.

Tannins are normally talked about only in reference to red wine.  They are the proteins found in wine that leave your mouth feeling dry when you drink it.  Tannins are most commonly used in making leather, hence “tanning” a hide.  They give wine structure.  Both the Riesling and Gruner shown by Pichler had a mildly tannic finish that reminded me of drinking green tea.  I found it gave both wines an extra layer of dimension and complexity that I hadn’t experienced before in an Austrian white and I enjoyed the uniqueness of the experience.

Paul Achs, Burgenland: The two Blaufränkisch wines poured by Paul Achs were the standouts of the day for me among the sea of delicious wines.  I confess to not having had too many of these before, so tasting them is still new and exciting for me.  Both were obviously well made and exhibitted pure fruit, ripe tannins, and interesting and complex flavors that evolved as I tasted them.  Burgenland is an area South of Vienna that is relatively new to the wine world though vineyards have been planted here for centuries.  It is most known for its stunning dessert wines, but red wine is slowly gaining acceptance amongst connoisseurs.

The 2008 Edelgrund was intensely packed with blackberry and Syrah-like pepper and anise aromas.  It was concentrated, and if I were to drink it at home, I would decant it well ahead.  Paul Achs told us that the grapes had been picked during a cold snap.  He allows his grapes to begin fermentation naturally, so they sat for nearly a week before it was warm enough for the ambient yeasts to do their thing.  All that time, the juice inside the grape was picking up flavor from the skins and seed of the grapes resulting in the heady wine that we were drinking.

The Ungerberg 2007 was totally different.  This reminded me more of a well-aged Burgundy.  It had roasted cherry and pomegranate fruit tones combined with spicy new oak notes of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.  Achs explained that 2007 was a very hot year accounting for the bigger tannins and roasted quality of the fruit.  The wine, while only 12.5˚ alcohol, was packed with flavor and seemed fuller bodied than it actually was.

What a wonderful experience to have met these three passionate winemakers at the tasting yesterday.  Thanks to Winebow, MS Walker, the Hotel Commonwealth, and Eastern Standard for hosting this event.  It was a valuable learning experience for me and rare opportunity to try so many outstanding wines at one tasting.  I will be on the lookout for these wines when they hit the market here in Boston.

I’m drinking a little Tocai Friulano tonight with my take-out dinner while watching the Winter Olympics.  What a great way to unwind after my work week!  Today was my “Friday” and I was ready for a glass of wine and some tube time.  I picked it out of the fridge because I knew it would be crisp, refreshing, and immediately enjoyable, and I certainly was not disappointed.  In fact, I really enjoyed this inexpensive bottle, and it served its purpose quite nicely.

Tocai is a commonly planted grape in the North-Eastern part of Italy.  It has nothing to do with Tokaji, the famous sweet wine of Hungary, though they sound the same when spoken.  It may, however, be one in the same with Sauvignon Vert, a less-refined cousin of Sauvignon Blanc.  I buy into the theory mainly because the common aroma of grapefruit and the usually citrus flavored palete remind me of some of the great wines of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume made from its cousin, Sauvignon Blanc.  Tocai is just a little more understated and does not usually have the level of complexity that these benchmark Loire wines are known for.

The region of Friuli is incredibly dynamic and there are many grape varietals growing there; both red and white as well as international and local varietals.  Winemakers are much further ahead of the curve than many of the winemakers of the rest of Italy and many other parts of the world for that matter.  They take full advantage of the latest in wine-making techniques, a school of thought led by the great Mario Schiopetto who revolutionized white wine-making the world over from his home in Northern Italy.  For example, Di Lenardo used pneumatic presses to make this particular Tocai.  It’s a device that slowly and gently crushes the grapes to ensure purity in the juice.  Champagne is another wine that uses gentle crushing, often by pneumatic press, to make only the best quality wines.

Temperature controlled fermentation, another Schiopetto innovation, is also used to make TOH! in conjunction with steel vats.  This assures that juice retains optimal freshness and prevents oxidation.  It is thought that cooler and therefore slower fermentation helps wine retain its primary fruit flavors longer, which is desirable for whites of this ilk.  I found this wine to be remarkably clean and fresh given that it is from the 2006 vintage.  I wouldn’t expect a Tocai Friulano to hold up quite so nicely as this, unless it were painstakingly harvested, fermented, and matured as this one obviously was.

TOH! is a green-gold wine with a mildly aromatic nose.  It has green pear and pink grapefruit notes with a tinge of almond and freshly cut grass.  On the palete it is medium to full bodied and has a crisp and zesty tartness that I find appealing.  It expressed the minerality of the gravel calcium-rich soils found in the Fruili area on the long finish and left my mouth watering with every sip for more like a hoppy IPA.  It was delicious with the Saag Paneer that I drank it with.  I loved the way it cut the richness of the butter and cheese and accented the exotic coriander and clove used in my food.  It’s wonderful how having the right wine with a particular dish can elevate an otherwise ordinary meal.

TOH! was a good deal too, falling into my under $15 wine shopping rule.  I thought it was an excellent example of what Tocai Friulano is all about: crisp, refreshing, and easy-drinking.  I also really liked that it tasted like Friuli, which to me produces wines that are rich in calcium character and usually have a long finish with mouth-watering acidity.  A very nice wine from Di Lenardo, all in all.  I’ll be looking for more from them in the future – from investigating their website, there is a wine called “Pass the cookies” that I have decided to hunt down simply based on the name.  If I can find it, there will be more on that later… stay tuned to CQ!

Portuguese non-fortified red and white wines are off the radar for most folks.  For almost everyone, Port is the only wine associated with a country that is rich and varied in its offerings for the œnophile.  For that very reason, you can find some pretty amazing bargains when it comes to the $10 and under category if you know what you’re looking for.  I don’t know about you, but I’m very pleased if I can find a wine that is good enough for everyday consumption that comes in at a price that I can afford to drink a couple of times a week.  That’s why I was so excited to discover “Adriano” Red made by the venerable Port house, Ramos Pinto on my last wine shopping excursion.

I have a feeling that part of the reason Portuguese reds are so misunderstood and under appreciated is because they are made from grapes that we Americans have a hard time pronouncing.  Because of our country’s labeling laws, we tend to order wine in restaurants and shop for it in stores by looking for our favorite varietal: Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, etc.  You won’t see these varietals in Portuguese wines at all.  Instead you’ll see difficult to pronounce and spell regions like Duoro, Alentenjo, and Estramadura and obscure varietals like Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Roriz.  Indeed, the “Adriano” red is made from a blend of these three grapes, and it’s named for the region it comes from, the Duoro.  These factors work against the consumer as obstacles between them and the cash register in an unassisted sales environment.

What the Portuguese and their wines do have going for them is a lot of farming know-how, a rich wine-making culture, relatively cheap labor, and a new interest from foreign investment.  In the case of Ramos Pinto’s “Adriano” Red, the folks in sales make things a lot more appealing to the consumer by designing beautiful, even sexy, packaging and creating an easy name that just about anyone can comfortably pronounce.  The price certainly doesn’t hurt either.  I snatched up 6 bottles on sale at my favorite wine shop for $6 each!  In all honesty, it would be a bargain at twice the price, but I’m not telling my friends at the liquor store.

From my perspective, the “Adriano” Red delivers on many levels after tasting – and drinking with great enjoyment.  For starters, it has an appealing and intensely dark color that for many is a sign of quality.  I’m not one to judge a book by its cover, but I have to say that it is impressive that the wine has such a beautiful dark ruby core.  It truly looks like wine, and is not the usual purple “mess” of a cheap wine that tends to stain teeth so unattractively.  The nose likewise, while not terribly complex, exhibits some lovely simple and straightforward fruit aromas of blackberry and blueberry followed by modest chocolate, cinnamon, and even a little cherry cola.

The “Adriano” Red feels as smooth as silk on the palete and while dry, it has a plump juicy quality.  I like that its juiciness is not masked by too much oak.  In fact, only 20% of it sees any oak at all and what little bit is aged in oak is done so in real French oak barrels.  The rest is completely matured in stainless steel vats.  The lack of using expensive oak barrels helps to keep the price down.  I have to admire the purity and simplicity of this wine.  It doesn’t pretend to be anything that it isn’t.  Quite clearly it’s something for easy drinking and made to go with your take out Chinese or pizza delivery.  I win with a delicious cheap everyday red, and Ramos Pinto wins by unloading some of their quality “overflow” grapes not being used to make Port.

If you can find the “Adriano” Red, it’s certainly worth trying.  Even if you decide that you don’t like it after one glass, you’re only out a small sum of money.  If you can’t find it, look for other inexpensive Portuguese red wines.  They are rare, but they are out there.  From what I understand, quality has significantly improved in these types of wines over the last twenty years, and I expect with Portugal’s continuing efforts to catch up to the rest of the EU, we will see more improvement and consistency in the already delicious non-fortified wine category.

One of the perks of my job is the Friday tasting.  We, as a staff, are invited to taste wine, beer, and sometimes cocktails and spirits with the sommelier staff to open up a dialogue that will hopefully enable us to learn and in turn better help our guests to find what they are looking for.  It can be an incredibly constructive experience for us, and I find it helps keep some fresh ideas in my head hearing other people’s opinions about wine.  At yesterday’s tasting, I was floored by a fantastic Pinot Grigio made by Igor Erzetik of Branko.

Unfortunately, when I see Pinot Grigio, I usually run the other way.  This grape has a bad reputation amongst wine snobs because of the lakes of insipid wine that are made every vintage devoid of any varietal character or sense of place.  The sad reality is that many Italian winemakers think of Pinot Grigio as a cash crop because so many Americans order it by name not really caring if it comes from Italy, France, America, or even Australia.  As a varietal, it seldom receives the careful attention in the vineyard and winery that it needs to make really great wine especially in Italy.

In some ways Pinot Grigio has gone the way that Merlot did, becoming a light, easy, fruity wine that one can knock back without thinking about too much.  While this may be fine for a hot Sunday afternoon by the pool, Pinot Grigio wouldn’t typically be my choice for a special meal.  That’s why I’m so glad to have tasted the one from Branko.  Perhaps, like Merlot, it is making a comeback as a candidate for making thoughtful, complex wines.  Afterall, it initially became famous for a good reason.

It seems the Erzetik father and son team have collaborated to make some serious Pinot Grigio that rivals many of the other complex and interesting offerings from Alsace and I might even rate on a scale against some of the very serious Austrian Rieslings that I’ve had in the past few years.  It had the typical coppery gold color with hints of silver that I would expect for a top quality example, but the nose was anything but ordinary.

Pinot Grigio is not a grape that is typically thought of as being terribly aromatic.  It really shines in late harvested examples of Alsace when it starts to take on some pretty amazing smells, but in dry examples from Italy, generally it’s harvested too early to really develop much phenolic character.  I suspect that Erzetik lets his grapes stay on the vine for a very long time because the aromas practically leap out of the glass; the cool mountain climate of Collio allows for this. There were fruit flavors or ripe red apple, guava, passion fruit, and even a little pineapple.  I also experienced things like hay, and a touch of butterscotch along with a spicy component that reminded me of coriander and celery salt.  It was by far the most unique smelling Pinot Grigio I’ve ever met.  I expected delicious things to come when I finally drank it.

The palete was no disappointment after such a complex nose.  It was broad and viscous like a great white Burgundy or Austrian Riesling.  The wine tasted fresh and clean and had a pleasantly tart backbone that made me want to eat some buttery gnocchi or grilled lobster.  It was full bodied and had a long finish that left me with a pleasant sense of the minerals of  the chalk and clay soils of the region.  And it lingered – for a long time.  WOW!

We can all thank the great Mario Schiopetto for his work many years ago for revolutionizing and modernizing the white wine-making practices of Italy, and of course the Erzetic family for giving us their wonderful wine.  It’s no wonder that it has received the coveted and prestigious Tre Bicchieri award from Gambero Rosso for the past three years running.  I, for one, will think twice about Pinot Grigio next time I see it, and I’m glad to have had my mind opened up and my snobbery challenged by Branko’s Pinot Grigio.