A group of BAs got together recently to sample Argentinian wines from the Anuva Vinos portfolio. Check out this article from The Oregonian featuring Anuva and its founder, Daniel Karlin!
Reviews of the Anuva wines to be posted here soon...
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Ewald's Pick, Part II
This is the second half of the Ewald's Pick tasting we began on June 25. To see what it's all about, check out the Ewald's Pick Part I entry.
We reconvened at Mich & Matt's for the second half of Ewald's selection and, needless to say, were not disappointed.
1. Karl Lagler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Vorderseiber - 2006
Spitz-Wachau-Österreich
14.5% abv
$30
Notes by Kate McGillem:
The group found this wine to be a clear lemon color with medium intensity, and just a glint of gold. Several people also observed tiny bubbles in their glass, and declared the wine to be slightly less than effervescent.
This was a fascinating wine that sparked plenty of discussion and debate, as many — but not all — found a striking disconnect between the nose and palate. The nose had a medium plus intensity, and seemed to be developing. Even so, a great deal of fruit was left on the nose — we detected apricot, ripe pear, applesauce, and tropical fruit — as well as an underlying floral quality. Anna was the first to figure out that the wine had probably been left sur lie, evidenced by buttery notes that everyone else quickly picked up on too. Still, there was another layer of aromas that took a few minutes for everyone to put their finger on. We settled on an invented term — "savoryness" — to describe the almost spicy, white peppery, "elephant garlic" notes that provided a surprising contrast against the ripe fruit.
The palate, however, was another story. After a few sips, we determined it was dry, with medium plus acidity and a substantial amount of heat from the 14.5% alcohol. This wine boasts medium plus to high body that seemed creamy (Subhadra was right on the money when she called it "round"), medium plus intensity, and a long finish, with plenty to talk about on the palate: "something pithy" (lemon, grapefruit maybe?), green apple, under-ripe pineapple, garlic, green mango (reminding us of a garlicky mango or pineapple salsa), apricot, butter, toast, toasted nuts with a bitter finish.
Needless to say, it was easy to determine that this wine is good to outstanding and in the high to premium price range. We decided it ready to drink but could age, although before we knew the vintage, a few of us wondered if the nose and palate disconnect could be a signal that this wine was past its prime — maybe a 2001? We were in for a big surprise when we found out it was a 2006. When it came time to guess the varietal, Leo's earlier white pepper description led us to correctly guess that this offbeat wine was indeed a Grüner Veltliner from Austria.
2. Wachtenburg Winzer Riesling Spätlese – 2005
Wachenheimer Schenkenbohl, Pfalz
14% abv
$24
Notes by Kate McGillem:
This wine was clear, medium lemon. With a few swirls, we detected thin legs that dripped slowly down the sides of the glass.
Especially after experiencing the eclectic intensity of wine number one, we settled upon just medium intensity for this wine's nose, with hints of development. After a few whiffs, the aroma of petrol hit us over the head, giving away the grape variety early on. This wine had a sweet freshness about it, and almost a candied quality. Much to Mich's delight, we detected minerality, along with tart berries (gooseberry?), orange blossom, golden raisins, lemon pith or rind, watermelon rind, kerosene, grapefruit seed, butter, Meyer lemon and a curious but unmistakably oily quality.
On the palate, this wine was dry, with medium plus to high acidity, medium body, medium intensity, medium plus alcohol that ended up coming in at 14%, and a (you guessed it) medium finish. The palate in many ways resembled the nose, with hints of honeydew, green apple, minerality, lemon pith, Meyer lemon, lemon oil (notice a theme here?), an herbal/green aroma that Subhadra eventually pinned down as lemongrass, Sweet Tart, and tropical notes reminding us of unripe pineapple.
Considering all of the aromas and flavors going on in this wine, we came to the consensus that this wine was "good plus" in quality, ready to drink but could age, and probably came in around the low $30 range in price. We concluded this was definitely more of a food wine, going back for second helpings of the fantastic cheeses Mich provided and Anna's delicious kale and pear salad.
3. Selbach-Oster Riesling Spätlese – 2006
Graacher Himmelreich, Mosel
8.5% abv
$30
Notes by Lizette Coppinger:
This 2006 Riesling Spätlese from Selbach-Oster is a good choice for a simple medium dry wine. Spätlese indicates a style of wine that is late harvested, which means the flavours will be more concentrated. With this particular wine, we found that it was much more fragrant on the nose but the palate was lacking complexity.
The appearance of this wine was quite pale and clear. After a few swirls, we noted some thick legs and a lemon hue to the wine. The nose had crisp and refreshing aromas that that had a medium–minus to medium intensity. We detected a youthful wine with light petrol aromas, and as Leo put it, “a hint of natural rubber” or a “new beach ball” like Kate suggested. There were scents of delicious lemon and honeysuckle, of floral bouquets, luscious red apples, ripe kiwi and even a faint but certainly there, Lipton ice tea. There was also something very intriguing about this wine, which had a tea bag quality to it. Scents of minerality were certainly present offering aromas of wet sleight and stone.
This is a medium dry wine with medium acidity and fairly low alcohol. The body of the wine was about medium – with an average medium intensity and medium – finish. We did not get many surprises from this wine and decided that it tasted a little watered down. Flavours of red candied apple were prominent with hints of honey and …Orangina. Overall, we decided this would make a good dessert wine as it is safe, simple, fragrant, and fruity. We concluded that this wine was good and at peak. There are not many flavours left so it will not develop any further.
Mich did a great job by identifying this wine as a Riesling Spätlese. Leo was quite close by classifying this wine as a Riesling Kabinett, which is only one level before Spätlese. These classifications for the style of wine are dependent on the initial weight of the must of the wine.
4. Peter Schandl Blaufränkisch – 2006
Austria
13.5% abv Qualitätswein
$18
Notes by Hannelore Buckenmeyer:
The group spent a long time gazing at the cloudy wine, wondering if it was “Dull” or “Clear –“ in appearance. It was definitely a bit hazy, so we speculated that it hadn’t been filtered. The intensity was “Medium +” and the color was “Garnet.”
The nose was very complex with aromas of green pepper, sour cherries, turpentine, sour cream, must, cedar, stewed black plums, cigar boxes, vanilla and cloves, leading Mich to correctly identify the variety as Blaufrankisch (a.k.a. Lemberger in Germany and Oregon, Franconia in Friuli and Kekfrankos in Hungary).
The body was “Medium–“ with a “Medium” intensity and a “Medium+/Long” finish. The flavor characteristics included: bark, wood, tobaco, brine, bay leaf, cherry, stewed tomato, and dirty martini.
Overall, the group really liked the wine, giving it a “Good” to “Outstanding” rating, and suggesting that it was at its peak. All supposed that it was a premium priced wine.
5. Wachenheimer Mandelgarten — 1994
Wachtenburg Winzer Ehrenfelser TBA
Rheinland-Pfalz
7.5% abv Qualitätswein
$60 for 375ml bottle
This 14-year-old TBA — Trockenbeerenauslese, meaning that it is made from individually selected berries harvested late for maximum ripening and sugar development — was a revelatory wine, sufficient to convert even those who fear and loathe sweet wines.
This was also the first time we had the Ehrenfelser grape, about which Ewald's materials explain:
We found it a very attractive clear medium amber with ample legs. The medium-intensity, developed aroma characteristics kept us busy pulling out descriptors, including, walnuts, raisins, stewed prunes, dates, marzipan, overripe apples, banana bread, natural rubber, and even black rye bread like the thin-sliced imported Austrian stuff.
The palate gave a sweet, high-acid, full-bodied wine of medium+ intensity. We greatly overestimated the alcohol, in truth very low at 7.5%. In addition to the full pantry we had found on the nose we found lemon and lemon zest, honey and beeswax, more natural rubber, musk melon, cooked pear and apple pie. It all unfolded in a satisfying medium+ finish.
We rated it outstanding and pricey, and decided that it had plenty in it to keep on maturing. I'd be happy to stash a case or two and test that hypothesis in the coming years…
We reconvened at Mich & Matt's for the second half of Ewald's selection and, needless to say, were not disappointed.
1. Karl Lagler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Vorderseiber - 2006
Spitz-Wachau-Österreich
14.5% abv
$30
Notes by Kate McGillem:
The group found this wine to be a clear lemon color with medium intensity, and just a glint of gold. Several people also observed tiny bubbles in their glass, and declared the wine to be slightly less than effervescent.
This was a fascinating wine that sparked plenty of discussion and debate, as many — but not all — found a striking disconnect between the nose and palate. The nose had a medium plus intensity, and seemed to be developing. Even so, a great deal of fruit was left on the nose — we detected apricot, ripe pear, applesauce, and tropical fruit — as well as an underlying floral quality. Anna was the first to figure out that the wine had probably been left sur lie, evidenced by buttery notes that everyone else quickly picked up on too. Still, there was another layer of aromas that took a few minutes for everyone to put their finger on. We settled on an invented term — "savoryness" — to describe the almost spicy, white peppery, "elephant garlic" notes that provided a surprising contrast against the ripe fruit.
The palate, however, was another story. After a few sips, we determined it was dry, with medium plus acidity and a substantial amount of heat from the 14.5% alcohol. This wine boasts medium plus to high body that seemed creamy (Subhadra was right on the money when she called it "round"), medium plus intensity, and a long finish, with plenty to talk about on the palate: "something pithy" (lemon, grapefruit maybe?), green apple, under-ripe pineapple, garlic, green mango (reminding us of a garlicky mango or pineapple salsa), apricot, butter, toast, toasted nuts with a bitter finish.
Needless to say, it was easy to determine that this wine is good to outstanding and in the high to premium price range. We decided it ready to drink but could age, although before we knew the vintage, a few of us wondered if the nose and palate disconnect could be a signal that this wine was past its prime — maybe a 2001? We were in for a big surprise when we found out it was a 2006. When it came time to guess the varietal, Leo's earlier white pepper description led us to correctly guess that this offbeat wine was indeed a Grüner Veltliner from Austria.
2. Wachtenburg Winzer Riesling Spätlese – 2005
Wachenheimer Schenkenbohl, Pfalz
14% abv
$24
Notes by Kate McGillem:
This wine was clear, medium lemon. With a few swirls, we detected thin legs that dripped slowly down the sides of the glass.
Especially after experiencing the eclectic intensity of wine number one, we settled upon just medium intensity for this wine's nose, with hints of development. After a few whiffs, the aroma of petrol hit us over the head, giving away the grape variety early on. This wine had a sweet freshness about it, and almost a candied quality. Much to Mich's delight, we detected minerality, along with tart berries (gooseberry?), orange blossom, golden raisins, lemon pith or rind, watermelon rind, kerosene, grapefruit seed, butter, Meyer lemon and a curious but unmistakably oily quality.
On the palate, this wine was dry, with medium plus to high acidity, medium body, medium intensity, medium plus alcohol that ended up coming in at 14%, and a (you guessed it) medium finish. The palate in many ways resembled the nose, with hints of honeydew, green apple, minerality, lemon pith, Meyer lemon, lemon oil (notice a theme here?), an herbal/green aroma that Subhadra eventually pinned down as lemongrass, Sweet Tart, and tropical notes reminding us of unripe pineapple.
Considering all of the aromas and flavors going on in this wine, we came to the consensus that this wine was "good plus" in quality, ready to drink but could age, and probably came in around the low $30 range in price. We concluded this was definitely more of a food wine, going back for second helpings of the fantastic cheeses Mich provided and Anna's delicious kale and pear salad.
3. Selbach-Oster Riesling Spätlese – 2006
Graacher Himmelreich, Mosel
8.5% abv
$30
Notes by Lizette Coppinger:
This 2006 Riesling Spätlese from Selbach-Oster is a good choice for a simple medium dry wine. Spätlese indicates a style of wine that is late harvested, which means the flavours will be more concentrated. With this particular wine, we found that it was much more fragrant on the nose but the palate was lacking complexity.
The appearance of this wine was quite pale and clear. After a few swirls, we noted some thick legs and a lemon hue to the wine. The nose had crisp and refreshing aromas that that had a medium–minus to medium intensity. We detected a youthful wine with light petrol aromas, and as Leo put it, “a hint of natural rubber” or a “new beach ball” like Kate suggested. There were scents of delicious lemon and honeysuckle, of floral bouquets, luscious red apples, ripe kiwi and even a faint but certainly there, Lipton ice tea. There was also something very intriguing about this wine, which had a tea bag quality to it. Scents of minerality were certainly present offering aromas of wet sleight and stone.
This is a medium dry wine with medium acidity and fairly low alcohol. The body of the wine was about medium – with an average medium intensity and medium – finish. We did not get many surprises from this wine and decided that it tasted a little watered down. Flavours of red candied apple were prominent with hints of honey and …Orangina. Overall, we decided this would make a good dessert wine as it is safe, simple, fragrant, and fruity. We concluded that this wine was good and at peak. There are not many flavours left so it will not develop any further.
Mich did a great job by identifying this wine as a Riesling Spätlese. Leo was quite close by classifying this wine as a Riesling Kabinett, which is only one level before Spätlese. These classifications for the style of wine are dependent on the initial weight of the must of the wine.
4. Peter Schandl Blaufränkisch – 2006
Austria
13.5% abv Qualitätswein
$18
Notes by Hannelore Buckenmeyer:
The group spent a long time gazing at the cloudy wine, wondering if it was “Dull” or “Clear –“ in appearance. It was definitely a bit hazy, so we speculated that it hadn’t been filtered. The intensity was “Medium +” and the color was “Garnet.”
The nose was very complex with aromas of green pepper, sour cherries, turpentine, sour cream, must, cedar, stewed black plums, cigar boxes, vanilla and cloves, leading Mich to correctly identify the variety as Blaufrankisch (a.k.a. Lemberger in Germany and Oregon, Franconia in Friuli and Kekfrankos in Hungary).
The body was “Medium–“ with a “Medium” intensity and a “Medium+/Long” finish. The flavor characteristics included: bark, wood, tobaco, brine, bay leaf, cherry, stewed tomato, and dirty martini.
Overall, the group really liked the wine, giving it a “Good” to “Outstanding” rating, and suggesting that it was at its peak. All supposed that it was a premium priced wine.
5. Wachenheimer Mandelgarten — 1994
Wachtenburg Winzer Ehrenfelser TBA
Rheinland-Pfalz
7.5% abv Qualitätswein
$60 for 375ml bottle
This 14-year-old TBA — Trockenbeerenauslese, meaning that it is made from individually selected berries harvested late for maximum ripening and sugar development — was a revelatory wine, sufficient to convert even those who fear and loathe sweet wines.
This was also the first time we had the Ehrenfelser grape, about which Ewald's materials explain:
A good-quality, white-wine, hybrid grape developed at Geisenheim, Germany in the 1920s. Ehrenfelser is a cross of Riesling and Sylvaner that — except for its lower acid levels — closely resembles Riesling. It has some advantages over Riesling in that Ehrenfelser grows in less desirable locations and ripens earlier, which makes it increasinglypopular in some of Germany's northern growing regions.
We found it a very attractive clear medium amber with ample legs. The medium-intensity, developed aroma characteristics kept us busy pulling out descriptors, including, walnuts, raisins, stewed prunes, dates, marzipan, overripe apples, banana bread, natural rubber, and even black rye bread like the thin-sliced imported Austrian stuff.
The palate gave a sweet, high-acid, full-bodied wine of medium+ intensity. We greatly overestimated the alcohol, in truth very low at 7.5%. In addition to the full pantry we had found on the nose we found lemon and lemon zest, honey and beeswax, more natural rubber, musk melon, cooked pear and apple pie. It all unfolded in a satisfying medium+ finish.
We rated it outstanding and pricey, and decided that it had plenty in it to keep on maturing. I'd be happy to stash a case or two and test that hypothesis in the coming years…
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Pairing by colors
According to the francophone Le saviez-vous feed this morning, the art of food-wine pairings developed originally not according to gastronomical concerns, but in the quest for harmonious coloristic arrangements on the tables of the French kings. (Unfortunately, now I can't find the entry, it being a randomized feed apparently without a search function.)
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Connoisseur Who Knew Too Much
Beware the pitfalls of expertise: Fish or Foul
And here's the original fish forgery article.
I, for one, am confident that I would never mistake a Mozambique tilapia for a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc...
And here's the original fish forgery article.
I, for one, am confident that I would never mistake a Mozambique tilapia for a Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc...
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