Almost 20 Years

Yes, the wine was even more lovely than the bottle looks:  1992 Clos du Val Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, enjoyed with Susan and three Master Sommelier friends, Wayne Belding (CO), Laura Williamson (AZ), and Scott Carney (NY), during Greenville's 2011 Euphoria Festival.

Thanks, too, to American Grocery's Sommelier, Darlene Clarke, for a wonderful wine list.  We brought the Clos du Val from our cellar, and Laura brought a fabulous bottle of Ökonomierat Rebholz Grosses Gewachs Riesling: superb!  But we also enjoyed J.L. Chave Saint-Joseph "Céleste" 2009, Guiseppe Quintarelli Valpolicella 1999, from AGR's thoughtfully chosen wine list.

Too Good to Miss!

Hi friends!  It has a while since I've been able to spend adequate time at Vine & Grape. But this video discussion of high-alcohol wines on YouTube, featuring Bartholomew Broadbent, is too good to miss:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xg01JIX2C8w&feature

Be sure you go on to Part 2 when the initial part ends abruptly.  You can click next, or the link is here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=yEpoy1yypYU

In the interests of being in touch more often, I'm going to try to do more frequent short posts like this.  Send me a quick note if they are helpful!  Thanks.

Hot Wines

No, "hot wines" doesn't refer to sales leaders.  It refers to the continuing trend toward higher alcohol, which causes excessive warmth in your throat, particularly during the wine's finish.

Reuters published an interesting report here, based on an academic paper located here. In summary, the two make it clear that increasing alcohol is a deliberate decision in terms of wine style. It also appears some wineries are using the legal "fudge factor" to release wines higher in alcohol than the label states. If you are not familiar with the law, the percentage of alcohol stated on the label is permitted to be off by plus or minus 1% at or above 14.1% (plus or minus 1.5% for wines 14% and below).

The paper rightly notes that there is a small  economic advantage to understating alcohol, because wines under 14% are taxed at a lower rate ($1.07 per gallon) than wines from 14-21% ($1.57 per gallon).  However, given five 750ml bottles per gallon, the economic advantage for "fudging" is only a dime per bottle.  The worst offenders—in terms of excessively high alcohol—are so far above 14%, their most egregious sin is not cheating on taxes, but rather, producing badly out of balance wines.

Thankfully, evidence is beginning to emerge that the market is rejecting so-called "phenolic ripeness" as an excuse for overly extracted, highly alcoholic table wines.  See this article on Kistler, from the New York Times.  "More structured, lively wines that go with food, that have power and finesse all at the same time," is what Mr. Kistler is reported as seeking.

Bravo! May we see more new world vintners following the long-time masters of balance like Clos du Val, Arcadian, and others. Hot wines? Maybe the term will once again, someday, only refer to top sellers. Until then, don't put too much trust in label percentages to guide you. Let your throat (and sadly perhaps, your head the next morning) be your guide.

Do As I Say, Not As I Do?

Some of you know I lived between Philadelphia and New York, when I worked in the publishing business. Susan and I loved the area. Moreover, The Philadelphia Inquirer, was (and presumably remains) one of the finest newspapers in the U.S.

I wasn't surprised, then, to find Philly.com reporting on Robert Parker's visit to Bibou—the French-themed BYOB, cash only restaurant on South 8th (link). When we lived in Philadelphia, the Inquirer always seemed to know better than we did what was going on right in our own neighborhood. Philadelphia isn't quite Parker's backyard (Monkton, MD), but it's not far.

And Philly.com, the Inquirer's digital arm, has maintained the paper's reputation for great reporting. Witness, their quote from Parker's diatribe against anyone who challenges his big-fruit, big-alcohol ratings:

"I loved everything about this place. . . the quality of the food alone merits a must visit," he wrote. "Add the BYO and no corkage. . . and better yet . . . no precious sommelier trying to sell us some teeth enamel removing wine with acid levels close to toxic, made by some sheep farmer on the north side of his 4,000-foot foot elevation vineyard picked two months before ripeness, and made from a grape better fed to wild boar than the human species."

Wonder how he really feels? Complete article, including the wines Parker took to Bibou here (most not high-alcohol fruit bombs, aside from Beaux Freres in which Parker is a partner) . Hmm. "Drink what I say, not what I do"? But that would kill the ratings game, wouldn't it?

Thoughtful Beer & Wine List

Requests come often to suggest this restaurant or that restaurant to Vine & Grape readers, or to The Greenville Wine Meetup's 800-plus members.

Those are fair requests. Running a restaurant is tough and competitive. All of us want to succeed.

A new restaurant is opening tonight, however, that has earned a mention—and they didn't even ask for it. First, I'm a seafood fan. Second (and most of all for Vine & Grape readers), we need to support restaurants that take the time to put real thought and care into their beer and wine selections. This venue scores on both counts.

So, if you are out-and-about in Greenville, SC, tonight, stop in at The Plaid Pelican on South Pleasantburg (in the same shopping center as Fresh Market). I was a fan of Chef Paul's fish dishes when his restaurant was located in an out-of-the-way spot on Stallings Road. I'm an even bigger fan now that I have seen the beer & wine list at the new location. Too seldom do we see interesting, thoughtfully-constructed lists, offering multiple opportunities to try something new; to learn and to grow.

Ah, wine lovers! We think we have it tough when we are trying to decide among six gorgeous Sauvignon Blancs (more on that in a post yet to come, on the recent Greenville Wine Meetup "shoot out" spanning France, California, and New Zealand).

But life is tougher still, if you've laid claim to the term "Mommy" in your wine branding.  Click here, to see the New York Times article.

One caution:  the New York Times allows access to the online version if you are a print subscriber (Susan and I do subscribe).  If you have problems with the link, above, perhaps that's the reason.  But hope you'll have no problems!

We Don't Always Drink Wine!

OK, friends! We don't always drink wine. While Susan, her sister, and I were in Sedona, AZ, last February, we encountered some of the nicest tequilas we've tasted. Beyond that, this firm's margarita mix is better than the made-from-scratch recipe Susan & I developed.

Tres Agaves is the brand (NOM 1109 for those who follow tequila), but sadly, it's not yet available in South Carolina. But if you are traveling to Virginia—or better still, out West—don't miss the chance to try their product. The line-up in the photo shows the silver, reposada, and añejo (right to left), followed by the margarita mix and a bottle of agave nectar, in the event you'd like to craft your own mix!

Awesome Aussie Foursome

Susan & I have wonderful Australian friends, Bill & Wendy Scholtes.

Susan worked with Bill, before he and Wendy returned to Australia. The last visit they made to the U.S., Bill brought along some of his favorite wines for all of us to enjoy.

We so much enjoyed being together, I only made limited tasting notes. But these wines were so good, I had to post them.

An additional reason is because, for those who know me well, you know my palate generally favors Europe—with much (but not all) of California and Australia being too ripe and too alcoholic. So, either the friendship was so warm with Bill & Wendy (it was!) I didn't notice the alcohol, or these were good examples of the balance that can be achieved even at 14.5%.

Of particular note was the 2006 St. Hugo Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon. The texture was extraordinary and the fresh eucalyptus in the nose was the most distinct I've experienced. These wines reminded me of why I've loved my visits to Australia.  Checking WineSearcher.com, it appears the St. Hugo and the Centenary Hill are available in the U.S. For the two others, you'll have to join us on Qantas soon!

Real Wine

Readers of Vine & Grape and members of The Greenville Wine Meetup know how often we've talked about old world vs. new world; non-interventionist winegrowing vs. interventionist winemaking; balance & elegance vs. bold & alcoholic. Readers know I'm not without an opinion in this debate—as none of us should be.

So, it's a pleasure to present a bottle we can call "real wine." Yves Cuilleron consistent produces balanced, intelligent wines of intellectual depth and complexity.

I was seeking a bottle of his Bassenon recently. When I unable to find it, I tried the 2002 Terres Sombres ("dark grounds"). Fabulous!  Dried cranberry, red currant, desiccated cherry, with wonderfully balanced fruit, acidity, alcohol (12.5%, thank you!), and gorgeously silky tannins.  Long, multi-layered finish with rosemary and white pepper beginning at 15-20 seconds.

If you haven't read Questions of Taste: The Philosophy of Wine, buy it to help form wine opinions of your own.  The goal is not for you agree with me. The objective is for all of us to know why we love the wines we love.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Greenville Wine Meetup members Kathy Wilson, Julia Scholz (of Stella's Bistro in Simpsonville), and Jim Villanueva, all of whom passed their Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory examination after an intense but enjoyable two-day program and written examination!

Big congratulations, too, to Greenville Wine Meetup member, Jason McAtee (Grassroots Wine Wholesalers) who passed his three-part Certified Sommelier exam, during which you pass a written knowledge examination, a blind tasting exam, and a service demonstration, during which the Master examining candidates can ask virtually any question on wine, food pairings, beer, spirits, or cocktails—while expecting prompt, gracious attention to the service tasks (opening sparkling wine or decanting an old red wine).

Well done, all!   Greenville is proud of you.  And as organizer of The Greenville Wine Meetup and a friend of each one, I'm especially proud and happy for you.  Cheers!

Just for Fun

OK, just for fun—for Vine and Grape readers—I had to post the great T-shirt that Greenville Wine Meetup members Mike & Marci Greci gave me.  Seemed like wearing it outside the White House (while in Washington for the Society of Wine Educators annual conference) was the best statement we could make!

Click on the photo, if you need to enlarge the text on the shirt.  Most of all, whatever your politics, we can hope there are several good glasses of beer and some gorgeous wines in The White House.  To our President and Congress, best wishes and cheers!

A Brief Break for Purple International Bistro

OK, have to take a quick break from postings about the Society of Wine Educators national conference to tell you about Chef Jack's Purple International Bistro in Greenville, SC.

Stopped at Purple for lunch one day, when rushed to get back to work.  Chef Jack was gracious, friendly, and quick.  "Sushi A" (my very unimaginative choice) was super, along with a glass of J. Moreau & Fils Blanc, in lovely stemware that is the same shape as Riedel's $100-per-stem Burgundy Grand Cru glass.

Went back later in the week with a friend and a bit more time.  Ordered "Chef's Choice."  Incredible! Chef Jack did an absolutely lovely presentation (see photo at right).  The assortment included hako (box) sushi, at top, as well as Chef's own housemade salmon caviar, nearest stem of wine glass.  The assortment also included a wonderful marinated cherry-blossom leaf, which wrapped one of the sushi.  Don't use excessive soy or wasabi, until you have tasted the subtleties of Chef's work.

Don't miss this experience!

SWE Evening #3: Terry Theise Riesling Tasting and More

Writing this post from a BBQ restaurant in Virginia, while drinking a Sierra Nevada pale ale, is not at all fair to Terry Theise. On the other hand, I actually think Food & Wine's "Importer of the Year" (2005) might applaud the audacity of someone writing about his gorgeous Rieslings, while having a beer and dreading the drive home from Washington, DC.  Buy Reading Between the Wines, and you get a taste of the man, who is as interesting and complex as the wines he offers. By the third night of the Society of Wine Educators Conference, I fell off the wagon in terms of posting a daily dispatch. I could blame that on two-ounce tastings of Terry's 20 gorgeous dry Rieslings, but that would be unfair. I just ran out of hours. Please don't miss Terry Theise's wines or his writing. A sample is here. There are so few people who are genuinely thoughtful about life and wine, we should cherish them when we find them, along with the wines they find significant.

• 2007 Goldloch "Grosses Gewächs," Schossgut Diel; Nahe, Germany.  Gorgeous! Subtle woodiness.  Refined texture and creaminess on the palate, without oily viscosity.  
• 2007 Heiligenstein "Lyra," Bründlmayer; Kamptal, Austria.  Great vineyard; complex soil, reflected in the wine.  Incredible texture and luxurious mouthfeel. Terry's description: "exotic, sexy."
• 2009 Forster Freundstuck Spätlese, Eugen Müller; Pfalz, Germany. Minerality, with bracing acidity!  Late harvest, yes (spät), but impression of total dryness. Lovely lavender overtones. In terms of price, this was the bargain of the day!
• 2008 "Tradition," Schoss Gobelsburg; Kamptal, Austria.  Breathtaking!  Gentle but complex; melting but solid.  From an old monastic estate, this is the old Riesling; the real Riesling; the product of making wine intuitively.
• 2008 Heerkretz Grosses Gewächs," Wagner-Stempel; Rheinhessen, Germany. Mozart-like in vitality! While cool, the wine was almost neon in the mouth; hyper-vivid.  Warmer, it became sensuous.  Don't miss.
• 1999 "Steinriesler," Nikolaihof; Wachua, Austria. Fermented in wood and left in the cask until April 2010 (without sulphur).  Extraordinary!  On the gross lees all that time.  Rich, textured, lightly honeyed; parchment-paper on the nose. Mature, balanced, incredible.

SWE Evening #2: Science, Wine, and More

OK, for now, ignore the photo!  I need some sympathy. I'm sitting here thinking how hard it is to taste wine all day. From Champagne at lunch, to Bordeaux mid-afternoon, I switched to beer with dinner. But no, I didn't max-out on wine. Susan and I wanted to try a Washington gastropub we had read about in Food Arts, and beer is definitely Birch & Barley's "thing."

But (sigh!), now that I'm finished complaining about the responsibilities associated with a Society of Wine Educators conference (tasting wine, wine, and more wine), then why have I included a photo of what looks like supplies for a chemistry lab? The photo is my tip-of-the-hat to a fabulous session today conducted by Harriet Lembeck, CWE, and Steve Dente, VP of Research & Development, Robertet (use Google's "translate this page" feature for the French Robertet site).

With an approach that was way too cool to describe here (we'll have to talk in Greenville, or do a Greenville Wine Meetup to discuss it), Harriet and Steve tackled the topic, "Science and the Nose."  Why do we smell what we smell in wine?  What's the chemistry behind it?  What physiological and psychological factors come into play?  What would a team of 32 perfumers (see the Parfumerie link on the Robertet site), backed by a staff of engineers, chemists, and technicians, say about our "wine words"?  Terms like "velvety," "hearty," "crisp," "rich," "flinty," and more were evaluated by professionals at aromas and tastes, and their assessments were supported by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

None of this is intended to take anything away from the fabulous sessions on Champagne and Bordeaux wines I attended earlier in the day.  But for flat-out, stunning originality, and "you never heard it taught this way before," "Science and the Nose" just blew all of us away, who had the privilege of attending.  Kudos Harriet and Steve!  Sincere thanks.

SWE Evening #1: Tasting at New Zealand Embassy

As promised, I will post daily reports while Susan and I are in Washington, DC, for the Society of Wine Educators annual conference.  Today was a short day, just to pick-up our registration packets and then attend a tasting at the New Zealand Embassy.

All 51 wines, as you might guess, were all from New Zealand!  We found some lovely surprises, including a marvelously restrained, almost austere Sauvignon Blanc; a bright, refreshing Pinot Gris (PG makes up only 3% of the varietal plantings in New Zealand); a stunning Pinot Noir; and the best non-Pinot red wine I've ever had from New Zealand (a Bordeaux blend, showing good ripeness, but also intelligence, finesse, and complexity).

So, here are our personal picks of the day.  Not all of these wines have widespread distribution in the U.S., but I'll be investigating SC availability while at the conference.

• Palliser Martinborough Sauvignon Blanc 2008.  Forget everything you thought you knew about New Zealand Sauv Blancs (as lovely as they can be).  This wine was restrained, almost austere, and absolutely wonderful.  I may have found something I like as much as Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre!  No distribution information yet, but I have to find this one.
• Manu Marlborough Pinot Gris 2009.  Bright, refreshing, and a total surprise.  This wine was the "sleeper" of the night.  I'm not a big fan of Oregon Pinot Gris, and only enjoy a limited number of Pinot Grigios from Italy.  We know that this wine will have distribution in South Carolina through Grassroots, a firm which has always distinguished itself by offering truly worthwhile wines in SC.
• Saint Claire Pioneer Block #14, Doctor's Creek, Pinot Noir 2007.  As noted above, absolutely stunning.  New Zealand Pinot Noir, going back 3-4 years, failed to excite.  No more!  This is a classic Pinot Noir that can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the best from Oregon or Burgundy.  Wow!  And Saint Claire's entry level Marlborough Pinot (2008) was quite nice, too.  No distribution information yet.
• Alpha Domus Hawkes Bay Navigator 2006.  This was unquestionably the best non-Pinot red wine I've had from New Zealand.  Until now, at least to my taste, Bordeaux varietals either were not planted in the right soils or couldn't achieve adequate ripeness.  But this blend of Merlot, Cab, Malbec, and Cab Franc was a classic right-bank Bordeaux.  Well done, Alpha Domus!  And my understanding is that Grassroots will be bringing it to South Carolina.

SWE Conference 2010

Hello Vine & Grape friends!  Susan and I are off to the Society of Wine Educators annual conference in Washington, DC, tomorrow.  We attended two years ago, when the conference was in New Orleans, LA, to show solidarity with that wonderful city after Hurricane Katrina.  This year the conference is in SWE's "hometown."  Updates to follow later this week.  See you then!

It All Matters

"OK," you might ask, "what does wine packaging have to do with topics normally discussed at Vine & Grape?"

Just this: when it comes to wine, everything matters. By analogy: go to an automobile dealership. If their demonstrator vehicles have ashtrays full of cigarette butts and smell like trash incinerators, what is that dealership's commitment to quality? Are they proud of the cars they sell? Will you get great post-purchase support? Get conscientious work from their service department?

Now go buy a case of wine. Carry it out of the retailer's store. The cardboard case flexes in your arms. You wonder if it will make it to the car. The bottles are clanking against each other because the separators between them are hardly the thickness of playing cards. The whole affair is held together with the cheapest, generic transparent tape. You begin to wonder in what other areas the winery cut corners: i.e., in grape growing? Vineyard management? Winemaking??

It all matters! I have physician friends who say my blood chemistry is impossible to distinguish from Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre, because I like the wine so much. Well, that's true enough. If any of us have a "go to" wine, i.e., a wine that just tastes right all the time, on almost all occasions, the Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre is mine. Lest I go overboard, here are only brief tasting impresssions: unity, complexity, and intensity, accompanied by stony minerality, lime leaf, and white grapefruit notes, with intelligent, even sensuous, undertones that reward repeated attention.

But I'm convinced my respect for this wonderful wine is a direct result of their commitment to quality at every single step of the process: grape-growing or sourcing, harvest timing and techniques, crush and fermentation, along with extraordinary care all the way through bottling and packaging. Look at the thickness of the cardboard case! Look at the thought that went into the bottle cradles, even including a thumb/finger hole to help remove them easily! It would be so easy for an accountant to say, "Oh, the packaging doesn't matter. If a few bottles break in transit, they are cheaper to replace than to buy good packaging. Besides, no one but the retailer or restaurant will see the packaging and they don't care. They just care about price."

Mais non! Au contraire. Where else did your accountant tell you to cut costs? Where else did the firm's leadership just not care? Just not think something was important?

So, let me sit in your demonstrator vehicles; you will tell you a lot about the pride you have in your automobile dealership. Take me to your restaurant's restrooms; I will know a lot more about the cleanliness of your kitchen.

Now. . . show me the quality of your wine's packaging; I will know almost all I need to know about the seriousness of your winemaking.

Thank You, Clos du Val!

It was very gracious for Clos du Val Winery to mention Vine & Grape on their Facebook page, pointing out our tasting.  Click here and scroll down a few posts until you see the headline about tasting in South Carolina.

Even kinder was a note from Clos du Val back to our hosts for the tasting, Mike & Marci Greci, who hosted the tasting:

"I sent your email to our Marketing team and to winemakers Bernard Portet and John Clews. It seems your group really captured the essence of what Clos Du Val wines are all about! We love hearing from our members and as Bernard so kindly wrote: 'It is really great to read the enthusiasm that people have when tasting our Clos Du Val wines.'"

The Magnificent Seven

Ah, the Magnificent Seven!

No, this post is not about the 1960s film, which ended in a typically 1960s angst-filled way.  Instead, the magnificent assemblage to which I refer here was a vertical tasting on May 22, 2010, of seven vintages from Clos du Val going back to 1975.  Friends Mike & Marci Greci extended an invitation to nine friends to enjoy some "dusty bottles" from their cellar, and what a treat this evening was!

In fact, as good as the Heitz vertical was three years ago (click this link for Vine & Grape's tasting notes), I think "The Magnificent Seven" actually exceeded the pleasure and interest of the "Lucky Thirteen." So, without further ado, here are our tasting notes:

• 1975: Elegant, refined, gorgeous.  Garnet color, medium concentration, with rim variation fading to burnt sienna.  Nose still full of fruit:  red currant, cherry, red plum, dried fennel, and dry peat, with a dusting of cocoa.  Silky tannins.  A lingering finish.  12.5% alcohol.  All agreed that the overall description of this wine was a wine with "good breeding."
• 1994: This was the minimalist wine of the night.  Medium-minus color concentration, with the rim fading to light amber, but with bright fruit, mostly red. Intense nose initially, falling-off somewhat in the glass as we compared other vintages.  Higher acidity than the other vintages.  This was the least congruent of the seven-wine series.  13% alcohol.
• 1996: "Big velvet," was the consensus description.  Much life left in this wine. Demonstrated unity, complexity, and intensity.  Great balance of fruit and earth. Cab-typical red and black fruits, but with much more happening:  some tasters picked up traces of black pepper, along with leather and dark chocolate on the palate and in the finish.  Incredible texture and mouthfeel was noticed by several tasters.  One described it as "beyond velvet, but just short of highly-textured brocade."  13.5% alcohol.
• 1998: This wine was the sleeper of the night!  From a vintage which suggested to several of us not to expect much, it emerged as the dark-horse favorite.  The 1998 was the most nearly Old World vintage.  The nose included mushroom, compost, barnyard, and even traces of clean, hot linen.  "Elegant" and "earthy" were the most frequent descriptors.  We later discovered that tasting this wine with a well made St. Nectaire cheese was a pairing epiphany!  13.5% alcohol, well integrated and balanced with the overall complexity of the wine.
• 2000: In contrast to the 1998, the 2000 vintage was clearly a New World wine: even now, ten years after release, a substantial amount of blue and black fruit predominated.  The tasters were surprised (for a year that received abysmal ratings, generally) at what a solid wine this was!  It demonstrated that a great winemaker can make good wine, even in a difficult year.  13.5% alcohol.
• 2002: The 2002  was mostly fruit and tannins (still immense tannins, though not unpleasant), with medium-plus to high concentration of color, while the earth/sense of place are, for the present, very much in the background.  In addition to Cab-specific fruit, tasters noted marzipan, roasted nuts, and toasted cashews.  Substantial backbone/structure.  Significant intensity.  This was a highly concentrated beauty.  13.5% alcohol.
• 2004: This vintage is still a "baby," waiting to show what it will become in adulthood.  Concentrated; full of fruit.  One of our hosts likened it to an Old Masters canvas, the beauty of which will emerge when the years peel away the current overpainting of fruit and tannins, and allow sight of the mature wine.  If you own this vintage, hold it.  There seems no point in opening it for another 8-10 years.  Some tasters cited Lindt dark chocolate bars with 85% chocolate solids; depth and an almost bitterness.  13.5% alcohol.

And yes, if you are curious, our most generous friends who invited us to this tasting are holding all the "odd years," too.  Oh, what a tasting that will be!

Overall, one reason this tasting was an immense pleasure is because the winemakers, Bernard Portet and John Clews, have not succumbed to the ultra-ripe, highly oaked, overly alcoholic style that has become too prevalent today.  Despite numerous mentions of fruit, concentration, and even "New World," in the notes above, these wines all exhibited superb balance and breeding.  This allowed the primary variables, terroir, age, and the distinct vintage itself, to clearly show.

A technical note, for anyone attempting to replicate our experience. All of the wines were decanted roughly two hours in advance.  When I arrived, I was concerned for the 1975, having had Napa cabs as little as ten years old, which were mostly gone within a few minutes of opening the bottle.  That was not the case here!

Random, hopefully enlightening comments from particpants:

• "This was like meeting seven different good friends.  They had enough enough similarities to be interesting and intriguing; to provide a common thread, but they were completely individual!" (Susan)
• "Most post-1994 wines were like looking at a child 6-8 years old, or in some cases perhaps 12-14, who is going to grow up into an incredible adult." (Donna)
• "Buy 2004 now, and hold it 10 years!"  (Steve)
• "Time, place, and us . . . what could be better?"  (Scott)
• "Wine is meant to be shared.  This would not have been the same, drinking these by ourselves!"  (Marci)

Vietnamese Wine Dinner at Stella's Southern Bistro

Yep, you read that heading correctly!  On May 13, the Greenville Wine Meetup held a wine dinner featuring Vietnamese cuisine, at a southern bistro, featuring wine pairings from classic French vinifera.  Chefs Jason Scholz and Huy Tran exceeded all expectations.  Comments were extraordinary on this event!  Just a few include:

• Some of the best food and wine pairings I have had at a wine dinner! We also had a lot of fun at our table
• The word of the night was UNREPEATABLE. I am so glad I didn't miss this one. The quail, the soup, the pork...each was better than the last. I can't wait to go back to Stella's.
• Excellent meal, well prepared, great presentation, the wine pairings complement the meal. I enjoyed having the Southern wine represesentative giving us the descriptions and insights of each wine we are having. Thank you Richard and Susan for having this meetup. It was a memorable night for me.

For those who weren't able to attend, here's the menu and pairings:

Reception South Carolina Quail Breast on Benne Seed “Puff,” Lemon Pepper Sauce
Carolina Cup ½ Shell Oyster, Scallion and Kim Chee Mignonette
Exotic Herb and Mushroom Summer Roll, Peach and Peanut Dipping Sauce
Pairing: 071 Prosecco Vino Frizzante NV (Veneto, Italy) 
First Course Happy Cow Buttermilk, Cucumber and Lemongrass Soup
Avocado and Persimmon salad
Pairing: Pierre Sparr 2007 Gewurztraminer (Alsace, France) 
Second Course Watermelon and Shrimp Salad
Lime leaf, mint, Thai basil, jalapenos & crispy cellophane noodles
Pairing: Sauvion Vouvray 2008 (Vouvray, Loire Valley, France) 
Third Course Coconut Braised Local Pork Belly and Roasted BBQ Loin
Sweet potato puree, sorghum baked Sea Island red peas, curried pork jus
 Pairing: Ridge 2008 Three Valleys Zinfandel (Sonoma County, CA)
Fourth Course Dessert Duel 
Banana & Tapioca Pearl Stew, versus Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Ginger Caramel Syrup Pairing: Neige Cidre de Glace
Traditional Vietnamese Coffee Service

P. Simpson's Wine Dinner

On April 22, we had an extraordinary wine dinner at P. Simpson's Hometown Grille in Simpsonville, SC. Just check-out the menu and pairings:

Amuse Bouche
Chef’s Creation
Pairing: Verve Cliquot Ponsardin, Brut
Course One
Foie Gras Torchon.
Cider Reduction, Pain Perdu, Apple-Opal Basil Salad
Pairing: Jordan Chardonnay, Russian River
Course Two
Duet of Game Birds
Duck Crepinette, Thai Gastrique, Peruvian Blue Rosti.
Hickory Smoked Quail Breast, Plum Recado.
Pairing: Erath Pinot Noir, Oregon
Course Three
San Danielle Prosciutto Wrapped Beef Tenderloin
Mole, Ratatouille Brunoise, Pomes Dauphine.
Pairing: Dry Creek Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma
Dessert
Chef’s Spring Salute
Pairing: Pacific Rim Framboise, Washington State

If there's any doubt we had fun, as well as our fill of great food and wine, just check out this video of the Greenville Wine Meetup 2nd Anniversary "Happy Dance"!

Our Cool "Wordle"

If you haven't tried Wordle, visit the site yourself:  http://www.wordle.net

April 30: The Reedy River Jazz & Wine Festival

On April 30, Greenville will be hosting the first Reedy River Jazz & Wine Festival on April 30, 2010! Times for each artist's appearance are to be determined, so that's one reason to check back here for additional details.

All proceeds from the Reedy River Jazz and Wine Festival will go to support The Ronald McDonald House here in The Upstate. RMH provides a "home away from home" for the families of critically ill or severely injured children being treated at area hospitals. It's a place of hope and encouragement during an unpredictable time in their lives and the lives of their children. We're truly honored to support this worthy cause.

Several of the top wholesalers in the Greenville market are providing wines: Grapevine, Southern Wine & Spirits, Carolina Wine Source, and Grassroots. Although these names aren't household words for most wine enthusiasts in Greenville, I can tell you that they provide some of the most wonderful wines we enjoy in restaurants and retailers around the Upstate.

You can buy your tickets online, in advance, for $40 (click here for www.reedyriverjazzandwinefestival.org). Or tickets will be available at the gate for $50 per person.

Dreaming of Tuscany . . . and Virginia!

Maybe that's why I woke up thinking about Prosecco Mimosas today (WOTD post below)!  I was dreaming of Tuscany.

Shortly after my wife, Susan, and I moved to Greenville, we took off for Montalcino with friends from Oregon who purchased a week at this villa in a charity auction. We hope the charity benefitted richly from their generosity, because we know we sure did!

The photo overlooking the pool was at breakfast one morning:  bread, cheese, grapes, OJ, Prosecco, and Prosecco Mimosas!  And all of this was simply to prepare for a day in Tuscan Wine Country. The best was yet to come (although I have to admit this wasn't a bad beginning).

The Greenville Wine Meetup is planning wine tours to Virginia, California, France, and Italy.  We began with "baby steps" . . . a chartered motor coach tour of Yadkin Valley and nearby wineries (Shelton, Round Peak, Raffaldini, and RayLen).  Had a gorgeous catered lunch with wine, provided by Chef Paul Lange at the Harvest Grill.  Click the Yadkin Valley link, then scroll down and check out the 100+ photos (or click here).

Now our Meetup is ready to spread our wings a little farther afield.  Look for a Virginia Wine Country tour this summer—tentatively June 10-13.  We'll find a B&B or a pleasant hotel near Charlottesville, and explore the dozens of wineries nearby, including Barboursville, Kluge, Veritas, Linden, Gabriele Rausse (see also this Vine and Grape blog post about Gabrielle), King Family Estate, and more.  If everyone is up for it, we'll dine at Restaurant Pomme in Gordonsville.

If you are interested, click here and send me a note via Meetup.com?  You'll see "Email Me" just below the words "Organizer: Richard" on the left side of the page.  Or just click the comments link below this post, and leave me your name and email address. Thanks and cheers!

WOTD: Wines of the Day

Years ago, when I was one of the administrators for a corporate UNIX machine, the computer's operating system had a feature called MOTD (message of the day).  We used it communicate whatever might be important—or sometimes just fun—for users to know that day.

Well, you can think of this as your WOTD message.  Woke up thinking about Prosecco Mimosas, Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre, and Brandborg "Bench Lands" Pinot Noir! Yep, I think those will be my WOTD.  But first I have to walk the dog and make breakfast.

And as long as I was thinking of sparklers, I'm having fun with the web tool Amazon provides to grab book pictures and descriptions.  Wish we had a similar tool for wines! Lacking that, Don and Petie Kladstrup's book on Champagne is one of the most readable wine books in my library (along with their Wine & War, about the Burgundy region). Richard Juhlin's 4000 Champagnes, on the other hand, is the most comprehensive possible coverage of the topic. Read and enjoy.  Cheers!

       

Rangeland Wines

Back in 2007, I posted about to Vine and Grape about a friend's vineyard (click here).  I'm pleased to say his wines are now being released:  Rangeland Wines, from Adelaida Springs Ranch's ASR Estate Vineyard.

Years ago—long before I moved east from California—he and I flew down in a small plane, landed on the ranch, and walked what would become the vineyard sites.  Adelaida Springs Ranch isn't mine, but it's a great feeling of accomplishment to have been a small part of this effort from the beginning.

Congratulations, Laird, and best wishes for success.

Hey, Cookbooks Talk About Wine, Too!

Well . . . at least some cookbooks talk about wine.  See that great big glass of Australia Shiraz in the background?

And you can count on wine being included in Soby's New South Cuisine Cookbook.  In fact, every recipe—from soups and salad, to main courses and desserts—includes a wine pairing suggestion.  And usually the text not only suggests a wine (or occasionally, beer!), but explains why.  It's almost like a quick class in food-and-wine pairing.

If you don't already have a copy, go to ShopTable301.com and get one now.  OK, OK! I know maybe I'm being immodest, since I'm one of the co-authors.  But the real heros of the book were Chefs Rodney Freidank and David Williams, along with Table 301 restaurateur Carl Sobocinski.  They did the heavy lifting.  I just helped stitch together all the great content they provided.

Bordeaux Blending Exercise Winners!

On March 11, three teams from the Greenville Wine Meetup met in The Loft at Soby's to test their skills!

The winning team is pictured.  From left, Marci Greci, Mike Greci, and Holly Deitz.  With 36% Cabernet Franc, 36% Malbec, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot, their blend took top honors!  OK, so neither the right- nor left-bank in Bordeaux use that much Malbec.  You had to be there to understand, but this team made all the right choices!

The winning team named their blend "Ojo Rojo" (Red Eye), a blended red wine from the Mahomi Winery (two letters taken from each of their first names).  Congratulations, Mahomi team.  And don't miss checking out Holly's equally creative, limited edition jewelry designs here.  Gorgeous items, Holly!

Kind Kudos

G: The Magazine of Greenville did a very kind article about me recently, as a result of earning my Certified Wine Educator credential from The Society of Wine Educators.  Click here for a great photo of Soby's wine cellar by Paul Mehaffey (look beyond the guy loafing around in the cellar and drinking wine), along with gracious commentary by Managing Editor, Heidi Coryell Williams.  Thanks, Heidi and Paul!

Great Books!

At several recent Greenville Wine Meetups, we've talked about some of the most interesting wine books we've read over the past few months.  Here is a selection I can highly recommend.  Click any image to go to a description of the book.  And I'm happy to answer questions!  Just email me.

                     

A New Look

Welcome to the new Vine and Grape!

The new look provides a bit more space to write about wine.  I've also added Amazon Associate features that will enable me to link you directly to wine information resources come up in conversation here at Vine and Grape. More on that in another post, but for example, you'll see here I've inserted a direct link to one of the most informative (and funny!) wine films you'll find.

Father of Virginia Wine

While in Virginia recently, I had the pleasure of tasting with Gabriele Rausse. Gabriele is widely regarded as the father of viticulture in Virginia (see here). More more than that, however, he is a genuinely charming man and almost unbelievably gracious in sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm for wine.

My first experience with Gabriele's wines came more than two years ago, when when Kimberly Eakin of Wine Gourmet (Roanoke, VA) pointed out his wines to me. I tried one and immediately became a believer in Virginia's potential—but more specifically, in Gabriele Rausse's skills. His wines demonstrate European elegance, restraint, and balance, while remaining true to Virginia terroir and a clear testament to his own skills in the winery.

If Virginia is America's best kept secret in terms of quality wines, then Gabriele is Virginia's most extraordinary example of what is possible there.

Those of us who are wine enthusiasts, and live on the east coast, should make time at least once a year or more often, to spend a weekend in Virginia wine country. While a number winemakers there are doing an admirable job, Gabriele Rausse is in a class all by himself. Tastings are by appointment only (details here), but you can frequently find Gabriele showing his wines at local festivals and retail outlets. Don't miss his wines. And let me know if you enjoy them as much as I do.

If You're Driving Up I-81 . . .

If you are in the area around Roanoke, VA, plan to stop at Tony Pope's Bistro & Wine Bar.

On a recent trip to Virginia wine country, I had what turned out to be the great good fortune of becoming tired and hungry a couple of hours before reaching Charlottesville.

Checking my GPS for eateries, I chose a promising-sounding name on Crystal Spring Avenue. Garmin guided me to the location. But to my great surprise, next door to the eatery my GPS had suggested was a gorgeous wine bar and bistro with indoor and outdoor seating!

The meal and service were incredible. Tony Pope's wine list is exactly what a bistro's should be: short but imaginative. A glass of Grüner Veltliner gave me time to review the menu. Having just driven 300 miles, I asked Heidi, my server, if Chef Tony would just make all the decisions for me and do a tasting menu. His selection of courses and matched wines (yes, I was very careful about how much wine I enjoyed) was superb: sea scallops with shitake mushrooms, braised butternut squash, and dark, flavorful chicken jus; quail with buffalo sausage and braised Swiss chard, over polenta; and finally, sirloin slices with cubed potatoes and mushrooms. When I asked about dessert, I was brought ice cream with delightfully warm cinnamon sugar sauce and a cup of dark coffee—just the ticket for remaining alert for the remainder of the drive.

Thank you, Chef Tony, for a great experience! Thank you, Heidi, for your wonderful service. Vine & Grape readers: if you are driving up I-81, don't miss Tony Pope's Bistro & Wine Bar.

Euphoria Wine Track Is a Hit!

Wow! What can I say about the 2008 edition of Euphoria / Southern Exposure? "Fantastic," might be a good a start. Just three of dozens of seminar participants are pictured above.

Other publications and bloggers are reporting wonderfully on the food and music at Euphoria, so I'll focus on wine! This is Vine & Grape, after all! In addition to The Grand Tasting on Saturday afternoon, which featured more than 200 wines, a full afternoon of wine seminars were presented by four Master Sommeliers: Wayne Belding, Laura Williamson, Ron Edwards, and Sara Floyd.

It's difficult to convey how special the designation "Master Sommelier" really is. Every Master's knowledge of wine is extraordinary; their tasting skills are exceptional; their service impeccable. Among the 300 million people in the United States, there are only 95 Master Sommeliers! Four of them were in Greenville, talking about wine with enthusiastic seminar attendees, ranging from novices to accomplished wine enthusiasts. What a treat!

Perhaps best of all, every Master subscribes to standards that include an emphasis integrity, hospitality, and humility. There is no group of professionals, anywhere, who are more warm or more gracious. If you missed Saturday's seminars, you missed a rare opportunity.

I'll post more soon. Meanwhile, Wayne, Laura, Ron, and Sara: Greenville sends her thanks!