Wino Words

Vin de Pays, meaning "country wine," is one step up from table wine in French wine heirarchy. So what is Pays d'Oc? Country wine from the Languedoc region, France's own OC. Freed from the otherwise rigid and historical designation for other French locales, Vin d' Pays have rules of production, but the varietals are not regulated as in other places - hence today's Pinot Noir by producer Morin Père & Fils. 

Morin Père & Fils has been producing great Burgundies for 200 years, and this country wine shows their knowledge. It has nothing like the complexity of a Côte-d'Or, but this Southern French pinot has enough "herbs," "spice" and "cherry" to keep things interesting. 

The biggest comment is that this is a "light" pinot noir. I agree. You might even call it watery. This is a decent, "uncomplicated" effort, but I'm not sold on the OC.

Love, love, love inexpensive pinot noir. Today's taste, the 2011 Cambria Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir, retails for $15, and it's wonderful.  From the Santa Maria Valley AVA in the Santa Barbara County, the nose is pure California pinot: Juicyfruit gum with a trace of earth.

The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. Far from austere, the palate is all Santa Barbara toowith heavy red fruit influences (strawberry, cherry) that are "lush," "plush," and "sexy."  You better believe the price point played a role in the ratings, but it's still a delicious wine. 

With a nondescript flavor palate and lack of outstanding qualities, pinot blanc is the vanilla of wines.  It generally plays second fiddle to Alsace's other greats like Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer.  And even when it gets attention or acclaim, the best the critics can say is that it's a great fall-back white when the rest of the wine list stinks. 

Today, I had a 2011 Pinot Blanc Reserve from Willm, a solid Alsatian producer. Typical of pinot blanc, there were few people reviewing this on the internet, and those who did used uninspired descriptions like "mellow" and "easy drinking." There were no words used more than once, but all were positive - "smooth," "balanced," with a little "fruit." 

If you are an everyday wine drinker, you realize they can't all be home runs. Sometimes you just want something easy, and pinot blanc goes with just about everything from spicy Indian food to classic roast chicken.  Have several bottles around your house when you want a simple, sure thing. 

Like Chianti Classico or Chianti Ruffina, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a Sangiovese-based wine with lots of history and a handful of regulations to ensure its quality lives on. Not to be confused with Brunello di Montalcino (same grape, different town) or Montepulciano d'Abruzzo (different grape, same town), this wine has two millennia of fame.

The "noble" vines surrounding the town of Montepulciano have been there since pre-Roman, 5th Century B.C. Etruscan times, and its wines have been cited in texts from the 8th, 14th, 17th, and 18th centuries. It's been celebrated for a long time. 

Today's 2009 Polizaino Vino Nobile di Montepulciano continued that tradition and did great with the professional critics. 

Wine Advocate 91 Points

The 2009 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano caresses the palate with dark plums, smoke, licorice and spices, all in a soft, seamless style that is ideal for drinking over the next few years. This is a lovely, beautifully balanced wine. 

International Wine Cellar 90 Points

Bright ruby-red.  High-pitched aromas of strawberry, raspberry and fresh flowers, with a strong mineral nuance.  Juicy, penetrating, spice-accented red fruit flavors show very good clarity;  an obvious step up in concentration from the Rosso di Montepulciano.  Finishes smooth, long and gently sweet.  This really benefits from aeration so decant it before serving it or hold it in the cellar a bit.

James Suckling 91 Points

A wine with dried lemon and cedar with hints of meat and sweet tobacco. Full body, with good density of fruit in palate. Chewy, bright finish. Wait until 2013 to open.

The critics were less focused on the taste and more how it feels on the tongue: a "penetrating" wine that "carasses the palate." Great words. Also, note how well-balanced the alcohol/acid structure is: "seamless," "beautifully balanced," with "good-density." 

The internet agrees.  Like most Sangiovese, "cherries" is at the forefront, but its "great-concentration," "well-integrated," and "balanced" structure also stands out.

This is clearly a classic, well-made wine.

The are a few outliers in the WinoWords. "Capsicum" is a broad term for the family of peppers that includes bell peppers and chili peppers. This wine tastes like a whole genus? I also love the word "juicy" since we're drinking fermented grape juice and all. Lastly, someone listed "sweet tobacco" - which, I guess, is flavored Swisher Sweets. They do make white grape!

I live in Virginia, and I want to put its white wine on the map! It’s good! Try it people! I swear!

The Viogner is top-notch, and I’ve had many a solid Chardonnay that doesn’t taste like anywhere else in the world.  That’s terroir people. Thomas Jefferson thought Virginia’s stuff would rival the best European wine.  I say he’s right… For the whites anyway.

Gray Ghost is an awesome vineyard not far from the Shenandoah Valley about 90 minutes away from DC. It’s the kind of old-school place where 100% of the vineyards are in eyeshot of the tasting room.  Very local and very fun, and they make solid wines.

The Victorian White, Gray Ghost’s modest table wine, is an unoaked chardonnay. It has enough sweetness to give a predominant “honey” flavor, but no one calls it overly sweet or syrupy. Instead, it’s “pleasant,” “semi-dry,” and “slightly sweet.”  If you’re in area, visit Gray Ghost and try some.  It’s fun a place, and their whites are great. 

Burgundy’s Pouilly-Fuissé was all the rage in the 70s.  With its now-unfashionable oak-aged Chardonnay, folks tend to thumb their nose at this Bourgogne Blanc these days. But that won’t stop this intrepid wino!

I tasted a half bottle of the 2011 Domaine la Soufrandise Pouilly-Fuissé, a wee white burgundy. I won’t endeavor to help with the domaine name, but the appellation is pronounced poo-yay fwee-SAY. If you don’t believe me, listen here.

Perhaps too young or just not that popular, there are not many reviews of this bottle. Most used qualified descriptors: “faint butter," “subtle fruit,"  and “moderate oak." The overwhelming theme is its “restrained" flavors, but no one described it as complex.

So, not much to blog home about here, but if you are tired of wood-chip American and Aussie chardonnays, but still want an oak-aged white, this might serve you right.

Judging a wine by its color is smart, and I recommend it for rosés.  Avoid anything fluorescent or that looks like children's candy. Instead, look for faded, grown-up colors like salmon, orange-pink or gray-pink combinations.  With that, you'll know you're getting a dry, tasty adult beverage. 

Today we have a 2012 Muga rosé from Rioja made with 60% Garnacha, 30% Viura and 10% Tempranillo, which spent about three months in oak.  It's also very cheap ($11) and very popular. Crazy good reviews overall for this "dry" "medium bodied" wine with so many comments on its "good acidity" that it might as well be "perfect acidity." 

Because we're talking about color, I added visual characteristics to the WinoWordle. Two words pop out that are exactly what I look for: "pale" and "salmon-pink."  The hallmarks of a solid rose. Look for them at your speciality wine store; you're unlikely to find this kind of wine in an average supermarket. 

The best thing about serving a rosé is that no one really cares. Even if it's a dry version from a place that takes its rosés seriously, it's hard to get anyone else to do the same. They see pink wine and think either hot-weather quaffer or (worse) white zin.   I love 'em, but because they're not impressive, I often get them on the cheap.

Today, I tried a $10 grocery store Bordeaux version from dynasty winemaker / race car driver/ playwright-poet-producer / most interesting man in the world, Baron Philippe de Rothschild. The reviews range from "not very good" to "ok" to "nice." People aren't exactly gushing.  

You have the very common rosé descriptor, "strawberries," but there is also a lot more negativity than you would expect for simple crowd pleaser. "Underwhelming," "musky," and "overly dry" all show up. The lesson here is that you should really try something else. You can do better.  If want something top-notch, go for Tavel or Provence. I also like Tablas Creek's dry roses from Paso Robles.  

The internet has volumes on the horrors over-oaked wine. Yet "oak" is the prevailing feature in some truly excellent wines like this 2004 Miros De Ribera Reserva from Spain's Ribera del Duero region. Retailing for $20 on Wine 'Till Sold Out, this is bargain.

The descriptors are everywhere: "woody," "smoky," "cedar," "roasted," "toasted," "piney" and "smokey." I personally noted "wood" and "pine needles" on the palate that rolled into "charcoal" and "camp fire" on the finish. Clearly, the two years in French Oak barrels played a major role in this wine - and in a good way. 

The critics agree. Wine Spectator gave this 92 points saying:

This expressive red offers berry, spice, tobacco and cedar notes on a lithe frame, with firm tannins and bright acidity. Shows good density, yet remains vibrant and focused, in the traditional style.

And Wine Enthusiast (92 pts) was equally effusive:

A bit thick and raisiny on first take, but with airing and swirling it becomes fresher. The palate is rich and rooty, with cocoa, prune, earth notes and tea-like flavors. Ripe and smooth on the finish, with no tannic backlash or lazy oak. Ripe as can be but still lively; drink now through 2018.

The moral of the story: don't always believe the haters.  Oak can be delicious when done right.

Internet, I disagree.  You say this $5 Albero NV Sparkling Spanish White Wine is "creamy," "yeasty," and "flowery." I say it tastes like a flat can of lemon lime soda.

With "minimum bubbles," the Albero is barely a sparkler.  It makes a faint, "pffft" sound when you uncork it - like it accidentally passed gas. We all have different tastes, but I don't like my wines to fart on me.

Folks call the nose "crisp" with "apples" and "white fruit" (which sounds made up), but if you take the time to stick your nose in the glass, it smells as moldy as your grandpa's attic in August. Can't wait to to taste!

The palate is indeed "sweet", but that term dominates the WinoWords more than the wine itself. The sweetness is actually refreshing.

If you take the time to let the wine sit on your tongue, however, things get nasty.  Once the sugar wears off, it tastes "musty," "stale," and "flat" like an old can of soda that you didn't realize was open all day. This wine is meant for drinking quickly and without paying attention. Beer bongs and chugging contests will bring out its best qualities.

The Northern Rhone makes some monster wines.  Planted by the Romans, the steep hillside vineyards have some of the oldest vines in France. Syrah dominates these meaty, mouth-filing reds, which are sometimes topped off with a touch of Viogner for levity and bouquet. Think of a greased-up body builder – with a sensitive side.

Many of the region's best vineyards are in its northernmost appellation: Côte Rôtie or "roasted slope." On top of their power, these vines set themselves apart with strong perfumed aromas and more delicacy than some of their punch-you-in-face friends. 

The 2007 Pierre Gaillard Côte Rôtie was no exception. Its nose was “peppery” with “violets” and “blackberry.” “Pepper” dominates again on the palate, but impressive “balance” stands tall. It’s hard to achieve that kind of “focus” in a “brawny” Syrah, but Pierre Gaillard came through with “moderate” and “gentle” tannins.

Another unique feature: “meaty” flavors like “bacon fat.” I second that. This Côte Rôtie didn’t make me pine for a steak, I felt like I was having a steak dinner with a bacon & chive baked potato all in my glass.    

Chateau Frank might the worst name in winedom, but this bubbly is legit.  Dr. Frank starting growing his grapes in New York's Finger Lakes region, and he makes one of - if not the best - New York sparklers out there made in the traditional Champagne method. 

The result for the 2005 Brut is surprising. Heaps of "citrus" and "fresh apples" on the nose, which flows well into an "integrated" palate with the same fruit and minerality.  In true Champagne fashion, that citrus eventually evolves into some "creamy" "pears" and other such richness. But this had more unexpected "sweet" spots than most méthode champenoise.  IMO, there's quite a bit more sugar than I anticipated, but not quite overwhelming.  

I blasted Trader Joe's in my last post, but the truth is I love their wines.  Some are decent. Some are gross. But, more than any other store, they have consistent stuff that is dirt cheap and delicious. The trick is to find wines that are traditionally both inexpensive and tasty, and then get them even cheaper at Trader Joe's.

For example, Pinot Grigio is usually cheap-o, but, if your expectations are modest, you can find a satisfying, versatile white. The 2012 Villa Borghetti Pinot Grigio is a great example.

Retailing for five bucks (!) this "easy drinking" white features "faint-lemon", "lime" and "stoney" "minerality."  You won't find any superlatives in the WinoWordle, but rest assured it is "pleasant," "drinkable," and "friendly."  For five dollars on a hot summer day, this may be just what you're looking for. If you drink as much wine as I do, it might also be all you can afford.

Trader Joe's sells small production appellations like Chablis and Barolo for a tiny fraction of the price. Do they have an "in" for these historic European regions? Have they broken the mold and exposed inflated prices?  I decided to test out their latest too-good-be-true bottle in my last trip to everyone's favorite overcrowded alternative grocery store.

This 2010 La Fiarre du Pape Chateauneuf du Pape jumped off the shelf at me. For $18, the price was unheard of. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is only a 12 square mile region in Southern Rhone, and its wines usually start in the $40 range.  They are strong, full-bodied, and delicious, and there is good reason this tiny region is in high demand.  But can TJs do it right for less than twenty bucks?

The 2007 Viticcio Riserva Chianti Classico is critically acclaimed.  With high marks from Wine Advocate & James Suckling and an appearance on Wine Spectator's Top 100 List in 2010, it's something of a phenom. Let's see some highlights from the big dogs:

Wine Spectator (93)

Subtle currant, cedar and floral aromas follow through to a dense, full-bodied palate of ripe fruit and silky tannins with a long finish. A little age will soften just lightly. Really serious. 

Wine Advocate (91+)

Comes together beautifully in the glass, with layers of perfumed fruit that flow effortlessly from a rich, generous frame.

James Suckling (94)

Blueberry and fresh mushrooms with hints of flower on the nose. Full body with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful nose. This is a joy to taste.

The only bad comments came from the gentleman at Tuscan Vines:

My significant other said, "It's very good for a $12 bottle of wine." The problem with that is, I paid about $22 for it.

IMO this is a good-quality Chianti, and worth every penny. On top of being the critic's darling, the Viticcio Riserva is reasonably priced at about $25 a bottle. This combination of acclaim and affordability leads to a lot of commentary and chatter on the internet. After aggregating over 200 reviews of this one bottle, the majority were positive, but not without vehement dissenters.

The WinoWordle's most common description is "cherry" overtones. Many others noted "sour-cherry," "tart-cherry," "dark-cherry," and even the inconsistent "sweet-cherry."  Also making an appearance were "earth," "leather," "herbs," and "tobacco."

Old world flavor profile + cherry? Sounds like a good Chianti to me.

NV Lime Leaf Vino Blanco - Cheap if you join a wine club

This hot-weather white is a hit with commercial wine clubs, including Laithwaites, Virgin Wine Club, Zagat, & Wall Street Journal Wines. I've been a member of all four at a certain point. Lime Leaf is an inexpensive summer white made from Spain's Verdejo grape, and it is  definitely a picnic wine with tart, overt notes of lemon, lime, and acidic fruit. The balance is good, and if you're into Sauvignon Blanc, it's worth a try.  

2011 Martin Codax Rias Biaxas Albarino - $15.00