Fabbioli Blending

This is something that Doug at Fabbioli Cellars does every year and it is a lot of fun. Doug lets his customers come up with the blending for this Tre Sorelle.

This year he broke us up into three teams of 4 people and he handed us a list of the wines available to use (I won't reproduce the list here). The list was broken down by varietal, vineyard, and how much was available. Our goal was to blend a wine that everyone would like and would still allow him to meet his target number of cases. So, for example, let's say he wanted to produce 500 cases of the wine and he only had two barrels of Cabernet Franc, that limits the amount of Cabernet Franc that can be used in the blend to about 5%.

First, we tasted all of the wines and he made a point of highlighting the differences between the same varietals from different vineyards. A Cabernet Franc from one vineyard might have different properties or aged differently than a Cabernet Franc from another vineyard...even though those vineyards might only be miles apart. This depth of knowledge of each varietal was very helpful as it made it easier for us to fill in holes in our wine by drawing on more or less of a varietal.

After the tasting we got down to business, complete with beakers and test tubes. Each table sorted out which wines they wanted to include and then started the blending process. After the first one was blended everyone at the table tasted it and determined what it was lacking. A second wine was then blended, using the information Doug had given us to plug holes in our wine.

We then created a second blend. When we were completely satisfied with the second wine we passed it to Doug, who brown-bagged it and passed it around for everyone to taste (along with the finished products from the other tables). Doug let everyone vote to decide which one the room liked best, then he talked about what was good and bad in each wine.

After the first round of blind tastings we were given an opportunity to try again. Each team created a new wine, again drawing on the lessons of the previous wine. This was also passed around and voted upon.

In the end, our wine came in second place both times. The event is a lot of fun and I highly recommend it.

Chateau Margaux

For me, no visit to Bordeaux would be complete without a stop at Chateau Margaux. Chateau Margaux is the wine that started my love affair with Bordeaux and I try to treat myself to a bottle of it every year. While Chateau Brane Cantenac is my favorite Bordeaux, Chateau Margaux will always hold a special place in my heart.

Chateau Margaux is the stuff of legend. The property has been around since the 12th Century and it has been known for its wine since the 16th century. Thomas Jefferson visited Chateau Margaux and declared the Chateau to be one of the four important properties of the area. Chateau Margaux was considered a first growth wine long before the 1855 Classification system, though that declaration cemented its role as one of the premiere Chateau in Bordeaux.

The estate is currently managed by Corinne Mentzelopoulos.

The Chateau itself consists of 262 hectares, 82 of which are used to grow red grape varietals. They grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot on the property. The average age of the vines is 35 years. About 150,000 bottles of Chateau Margaux are produced each year. They also produce about 200,000 bottles of their second wine, Pavillon Rouge.

Walking around the property you can almost feel the history of the Chateau, especially when descend into the barrel room and visit the library (shown in the sixth picture) which has wine dating back to the 1700s.

The tasting room (second photo) is decorated in a very classic style with a miniature version of the estate (shown in picture 3) and lots of information about the harvesting and wine making process at Chateau Margaux. During our tour we were surprised with a special treat. Normally, at the end of the tour they taste the Pavillon Rouge, but on this day they also let us taste the 2006 Chateau Margaux!

It was strange that both vintages were 2006 and from the same vineyard, yet there was clearly a distinction between the two.

The Wine Gallery

Jane has a great post about The Wine Gallery, a new wine bar in Bordeaux.

The Wine Gallery offers the chance to taste first and second growth wines without have to shell out hundreds of dollars for a bottle. Their current wine list includes: Latour 2006, Lafite Rothschild, Haut Bailly, Mouton Rothschild, Lynch Bages, Haut Brion, Palmer, and Margaux. That's an impressive by-the-glass list!

Located near the Grand Theatre in downtown Bordeaux this sounds like an excellent place for visitors to be able to try some of the best that Bordeaux has to offer. I am sure it will be my second home the next time I am in Bordeaux!

Cheesetique

I've been wanting to try out the new wine bar at Cheesetique and finally got the opportunity with the wine club.

The first thing you notice when you walk into Cheesetique is the impressive assortment of cheeses. The deli case at the front of the store has dozens of different types of cheeses and as you make your way toward the back where the bar is there is a Cheeses & Meat board with featured cheeses. Some of the cheeses featured during our visit included Wasabi Goat, Raw Manchego, Beecher's Reserve, and Shropshire.

The wine list is rotated twice a year and features a good selection of wines from around the world all at very reasonable prices. I was especially impressed with the Vajra Nebbiolo Blend from Italy, it was an excellent cheese wine.

The staff is very knowledgeable about both cheese and wine. Once I selected the first bottle, they were able to put together a selection of 5 cheeses that worked well with the wine.

One word of caution: The seating area in the bar is extremely limited, and even on a Tuesday night it is crowded. But if you like good wine and cheese, this is definitely a place to visit.

Chateau Lascombes

Chateau Lascombes is classified as a second growth wine according to the 1855 Clasification and is part of the Margaux appellation. The Chateau bears the name of its original owner Chevalier de Lascombes, though it is currently owned by a joint venture between Colony Capital and Yves Vatelot (there are rumors it is up for sale if you have a spare $80+ million or so).

The average age of the vines is 35 years and they have 84 hectares planted consisting of 50% Merlot, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Petit Verdot. Which is interesting, because the first wine is generally dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (the 2005 vintage is 52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot and 3% Petit Verdot),

Two things that repeatedly struck me as I visited Chateaux throughout Bordeaux were the size and the history. The current Chateau (in the first picture) was built in 1867 (making it one of the newer Chateaux I saw during my visit).

The harvest and fermentation process is pretty cool. The grapes are all harvested by hand, they they are bought to the vibrating sorting tables in the third picture. Sorting is also done by hand to weed out any bad grapes. Then the grapes are slightly crushed and cooled using a carbon dioxide slow cooling method. They have a combination of oak and underground storage vats, and grapes from different parts of the vineyard are stored in different vats.

From the vats they are moved into the barrels, lees and all. This means that the barrels have to be constantly rotated so that the lees don't have time to collect in the bottom of the barrel. After about 4 months of aging with the Lees, the wine is removed from the barrels, the barrels are scrubbed and the wine, sans lees, is placed back into the barrels to age for an additional 18-20 months.

The final stage of the aging process is when the wine is fined with egg whites to remove the last of the sediment.

Breaux in the Fall

One of the things that I love about Virginia wineries is that they really do change with the season. Fall visits to Virginia wineries are a real treat, the changing colors makes for a fantastic background to the day, not to mention a great ride out to your destination.

There are many good choices, but yesterday I went out to Breaux here are some pictures I took:

Amazon Shuts Down Wine Program

Wine Business.com was the first to break the story that Amazon is putting their Wine Program on hold. The Wall Street Journal was the first to make the inevitable cork joke.

While it certainly didn't help that the wine distribution company Amazon chose closed up shop over the summer, the general consensus seems to be that the impossibly complex wine shipping laws in the United States are partially to blame.

I was talking to a friend of mine on Saturday about this, and he said that when he was in London with his distributor they met with a restauranteur from Latvia who asked how hard it would be to get the wines from London to Latvia. The distributor said it would be no problem at all.

Compare that to the United States, where we not only have different laws for each state, but we also have states like Maryland that have laws which vary by county.

If Amazon can't get it all figured out, it is a wonder that any company can.

L'Intendant Wine Shop

I am going to try to get the posts from my Bordeaux trip out over the next week or so...I may not succeed, but I will try :). The posts will not necessarily be in chronological order.

One of the places that was on my must-visit list was the L'Intendant Wine Shop, located across from the Grand Theatre. Aside from the fact that they actually have really good prices, the L'Intendant wine shop is famous for its large spiral staircase in the center of the store.

The wine is shelved around the staircase, so as you walk up the stairs you are met with wines from just about every Chateaux in Bordeaux, and they only stock Bordeaux wine (more than 15,000 bottles). They also carry second and the third wines from most of the Chateaux.

At the top of the staircase you are greeted with a sign that reads "Les Incunables." In printing Les Incunables refers to anything that was printed (rather than being handwritten) prior to 1501 -- in other words, very rare documents.

The Les Incunables section of L'Intendant is filled with older, and rarer Bordeaux wines. For example, I found a 1969 Brane Cantenac that I brought back with me...a truly great find.

If you are in Bordeaux, definitely add L'Intendant to your list of places to see. Bordeaux makes the world's best wines, it is nice to see them displayed in a manner befitting their status.

Hunters Run Wine Tasting Barn

Route 9 is has become one of best wine routes in the area. With wineries like Loudoun Valley, Sunset Hills, Notaviva and, of course, Breaux Route 9 has a lot of unique wineries and good diversity of wines.

The latest addition to this group of wineries is the Hunters Run Wine Tasting Barn (another barn turned into a tasting, it really is a trend here in Loudoun). The Hunters Run Wine Tasting Barn is owned by Geri Nolan, who was on hand to pour for me when I went out for a recent visit.

HRWTB does not serve its own wines, instead they pour wines from Corcoran Vineyards. This is similar to the tasting rooms I've seen in California, Washington and Oregon and I think its a great idea.

The tasting room itself is very warm and inviting, the barn is cozy and the wood-burning stove at one end of the tasting room provided much needed warmth on the cold-rainy day I visited. There is an eclectic collection of chairs and stools on the main floor and a loft overlooking the bar.

Geri is very charming and bubbly and she knows a great deal about the Corcoran wines. She is obviously a big fan not only of the wines, but of Jim and Lori as well. The visit was a lot of fun, and I highly encourage anyone tasting along Route 9 to add HRWTB to their itinerary.

Review: 2007 Corcoran Chambourcin

Wine: 2007 Corcoran Chambourcin



Review: Chambourcin is one my favorite light reds. It is a great wine to serve with pork, poultry and even some fish. Because it tends to be less tannic than a lot of reds, the flavors of the wine do not overwhelm these dishes the way a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot might.

The Corcoran Chambourcin is a fresh wine. It has aromas of cranberry and cinnamon and a light purple color. The wine is 100% Chambourcin with very soft tannins and a medium palate. It is a simple wine that is easy to drink and a good food wine.

Price: $18

Grade: 95

North Gate Vineyard

One of the nice things about a relatively small wine community like Loudoun County is that, for the most part, the wineries all look out for each other. The winery owners meet regularly, share ideas and help each other out. If you talk to just about any winemaker in Loudoun they'll have a story about how they've been advised by one of the other winemakers on any number of topics.

North Gate vineyard is no exception. I first heard about North Gate a year ago at Fabbioli and then again at Notaviva. Both tasting rooms carry a subset of the North Gate wines (Fabbioli has the Viognier and Notaviva the Chardonnay).

Unfortunately, North Gate does not have a tasting room yet, so while I enjoyed their wines, I was not able to get out and do a tasting. Fortunately, Mark and Vicki were kind enough to open their house during the Farm Tour this past weekend, so I got chance to see their operation and try some of the wines I haven't had a chance to try yet.

Visiting a winery during harvest is always interesting. It gives you a true sense of how the winery operates. As you can see from the pictures, they were very busy, but Mark still took the time to chat with me about the vineyard, answer my questions and show me around. Wile the sorting, fermenting and aging spaces were small they were clean and obviously well maintained and the white board with all the notes about the harvest demonstrates the amount of thought they put in to their harvest.

The wines were all good, I especially liked the Cabernet Franc. I was disappointed that I didn't get to try the Petit Verdot, maybe next time.

North Gate has a booth at several of the local Farmer's Markets, feel free to check them out there.

Review: 2007 Quattro Goomba's Vino D'Ana

Wine: 2007 Quattro Goomba's Vino D'Ana



Review: I've mentioned Quattro Goomba's previously. They are different than most Virginia wineries in that their wine is made from grapes imported from California, Chile and Italy. This makes for an interesting contrast both with Virginia wines and amongst their own wines.

The Vino D'Ana is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and is available as either a blend of grapes from California or Chile. This is a review of the California blend. The wine has an excellent garnet color and aromas of vanilla, black currant and just a hint of cedar. It is definitely a full bodied wine, very tannic and a long palate. A great steak wine.

Price: $25

Grade: 90

Review: 2003 Chateau Bouscaut

Wine: 2003 Chateau Bouscaut



Review: The Bouscaut vineyards have been around since the 16th century, but it has only had the name Chateau Bouscaut since 1929. The Chateau is managed by Sophie Lurton (brother of Henri who, of course, oversees Chateau Brane-Cantenac). Chateau Bouscaut has carried the status of Grand Cru Classe de Graves since 1953, which is a recognition of the consistent quality of their winemaking.

Chateau Bouscaut is an excellent everyday Bordeaux. It is a blend of 53% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Cabernet Franc. It is a complex wine with strong aromas of plum and cigar. The tannins were soft, it has mellowed well with age, but it had a nice long palate which made it a very enjoyable wine.

Price: $26

Grade: 95

Bordeaux Artist Elisabeth Hoffmann

My last Sunday in Bordeaux I stumbled upon an outdoor art exhibition and was thrilled to find some truly exceptional artwork. I was particularly impressed with the work of Elisabeth Hoffmann.

I am by no means an art connoisseur, so I won't pretend to talk intellectually about her art. What I liked was the feelings the art conveyed to me: the age and the history of the chateaux she's chosen as her subjects leapt out at me...



Definitely check out her website...I think she is a very talented artist.

Review: 2007 Breaux Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

Wine: 2007 Breaux Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc



Review: I don't claim to be a Sauvignon Blanc expert, that honor falls to Sonadora, but I feel that Breaux's Sauvignon Blanc is a great example of the variety. The wine is steel fermented, so it is lighter, more of a summery wine. The 2007 vintage had hints of grapefruit and pineapple and enough body to pair well with Thai food, while not being overwhelming.

Price: $20

Grade: 90

Best Wine Bars of new York City

The November issue of Wine Enthusiast has an article about wine bars in New York City. I confess that I do not know much about wine bars in NYC, so i can't vouch for the choices in the article, but it looks like a pretty good beginner's guide.

I like the fact that the write breaks the bars down by the regions the bars specialize in and he does a good job of describing the atmosphere in a concise fashion:

Thirty three seats arranged around an intimate oval bar make this West Village locale an excellent choice for meeting old friends or making new ones. The wood-topped bar, with its frosted glass base encased in delicate ironwork, sits beneath hanging Riedel glassware of all shapes and sizes.

That description is of Lelabar, which does sound/look really cool :).

One thing that disappointed me was the lack of mention of any wine bars that specialize in wines from New York, or that at least have a good selection from New York.

Sorting with Lasers

Jane Anson has a short piece in Decanter about the use of lasers in the sorting process during the most recent Bordeaux harvest. From the article:

New sorting machines, using laser optics, have been introduced at Chateau Pavie and Chateau Grand Corbin Despagne, and Chateau Margaux has an entirely new gravity-led reception system for the grapes, taking them first in small trays and then by a pulley system into the vats.

Bucher Vaslin makes one such machine. They have a pretty cool video demonstrating how the process works. Hopefully, I'll have more on this soon.

Review: Horton Vineyards Nebbiolo

Wine: 2001 Horton Vineyards Nebbiolo



Review: The Horton Nebbiolo is actually a blend of 76% Nebbiolo, 10% Pinotage, 5% Tannat, 5% Petit Verdot, and 4% Touriga Nacional. The Petit Verdot adds some color to what is normally a very light wine, but the basic Nabbiolo characteristics remain. This is a light wine with aromas of cherry and raspberry. The aging has smoothed out nearly all of the tannins and left a nice wine, though one that is somewhat lacking in body.

Price: $20

Grade: 80

S.N.O.B. Wine Bar

While I was in San Francisco recently I had some time to visit the S.N.O.B. Wine Bar. I had heard lots of really good things about it, and so was excited to check it out. S.N.O.B. stands for Sonoma, Napa or Beyond and the wine list is very much a reflection of that, with an emphasis on local wines but some very interesting international selections.

SNOB is in an area of San Francisco that is currently undergoing redevelopment, so there is an eclectic mix of old and new businesses on the block. I wandered in at 4:00 on a Sunday and, for a while, had the place to myself, which was perfect. I was able to sample several different wines from the more than 40 they sell by the glass.

Veronica, the bartender, was spot on with each recommendation. She started by asking me what type of wines I like and narrowed down a couple of selections for me to start with. She picked a Meritage, which was an easy choice, but also a Zinfandel blend which was surprisingly good.

Finally, the atmosphere of SNOB is great. The bar is decorated in wine bottles and barrels, you almost feel like you are in a winery tasting room.

Overall, I highly recommend SNOB. If you are visiting San Francisco it is a few blocks away from the usual tourist areas, but worth the walk.