The Botanist and the Vintner
The lush green leafed rows of vines of a vineyard don’t call to mind a battlefield but in the late 19th century the vineyards of France were made up of “frail wooden frigates, lightly armored cruisers and unsinkable battleships”. This is a colorful and very telling description by Christy Campbell in his book The Botanist and the Vintner: How Wine Was Saved For The World as he illustrates the scale of resistance of various varieties and species of vine against the scourge of phylloxera. Vitis vinifera which had provided the grapes for the great wines of France were frailty personified while Vitis rotundifolia, also known as Scuppernong in its native North America, was resistant to the little insect; and so it should be, it had grown up surrounded by the bug.
Phylloxera was introduced into France in the early 1860’s by vines from New York and had infested virtually the whole of France by the end of the century. The cure was to use rootstock resistant to the insect, but even here battle lines were drawn between the américainistes who advocated the use of the resistant American rootstocks and the sulfuristes who preferred insecticides. But first the cause of the malady that made vines wither and die in the early 1860s would have to be identified and studied. The 19th century struggle against phylloxera is masterfully told by Campbell as he weaves considerable scientific detail into a story coupled with personal accounts of a number of the major players, all against a backdrop of French politics.
The lists of practical remedies that were proposed for the 30,000 franc prize offered by the French Imperial Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce border on the ridiculous; marching bands to drum the aphid out of its root loving existence. However the most remarkable facet of the story is the considerable insight of individuals such as the Montpellier botanist Jules-Émile Planchon and Charles Valentine Riley an English-born entomologist from Missouri in realizing that the aphid was responsible for the disease and that it had come from America. And then there were the struggles faced in convincing vineyard owners to destroy their vines. Why destroy the vines when almost everyone seemed to have a concoction that would kill the pest? Besides there was money to be made in sulphur.
The Botanist and the Vintner is a compelling story and should find a place on the book shelves of all serious lovers of the vine and wine.
The Botanist and the Vintner: How Wine Was Saved For The World by Christy Campbell (Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2005, 320 pages, $24.95USD, Hardcover).
Disclosure: A complimentary copy of the book was supplied to me by Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill.
Friday, May 27, 2005
2003 Australian Shiraz
Just started a new category over on Tasting Notes for 2003 Aussie Shiraz. There will be a few more additions to the 2002 Aussies as some of the wines that are held back are released, but the focus will now be on getting some notes on the 2003 wines and maybe a few from 2004 as well.
Just started a new category over on Tasting Notes for 2003 Aussie Shiraz. There will be a few more additions to the 2002 Aussies as some of the wines that are held back are released, but the focus will now be on getting some notes on the 2003 wines and maybe a few from 2004 as well.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Put Some Fizz In Your Life
Red Fizz, Sparkling Shiraz, Aussie Champers, da, da, dada, boom boom! No it ain’t Texas tea. I’m talking about something that will get your lips smacking, and you don’t have to kiss a Cold Duck to do it!
Red frothy wine has been around for a while in Australia but its not seen very much in the USA. Fortunately that seems to be changing, at least according to an article by W. Blake Gray in the San Francisco Chronicle. There are even some Californian Sparkling Shiraz wines, made by Australians of course.
We tasted a few of these wines on our trip to the Barossa last December. The best was probably the Barossa Valley Estates 1999 E&E Sparkling Shiraz. What a treat! Dense cherry red, almost purple it gave off mountains of blueberry/blackberry and pepper notes. A truly mouth-filling wine, that carried its fruit flavors through on retronasal. Very well balanced with a lengthy finish. The only drawback was that the bubbles just did not last in the glass. (2, 2, 4.3, 10.4=18.7/20, 14.5% alcohol). Almost as good was the Seppelts 1994 Show Sparkling Shiraz, which is 10 years old on release. It had developed characters of earth and barnyard and was soft and elegant in the mouth finishing with firm tannins. Surprisingly good! (2, 2, 4.4, 10.2=18.6/20).
Red Fizz, Sparkling Shiraz, Aussie Champers, da, da, dada, boom boom! No it ain’t Texas tea. I’m talking about something that will get your lips smacking, and you don’t have to kiss a Cold Duck to do it!
Red frothy wine has been around for a while in Australia but its not seen very much in the USA. Fortunately that seems to be changing, at least according to an article by W. Blake Gray in the San Francisco Chronicle. There are even some Californian Sparkling Shiraz wines, made by Australians of course.
We tasted a few of these wines on our trip to the Barossa last December. The best was probably the Barossa Valley Estates 1999 E&E Sparkling Shiraz. What a treat! Dense cherry red, almost purple it gave off mountains of blueberry/blackberry and pepper notes. A truly mouth-filling wine, that carried its fruit flavors through on retronasal. Very well balanced with a lengthy finish. The only drawback was that the bubbles just did not last in the glass. (2, 2, 4.3, 10.4=18.7/20, 14.5% alcohol). Almost as good was the Seppelts 1994 Show Sparkling Shiraz, which is 10 years old on release. It had developed characters of earth and barnyard and was soft and elegant in the mouth finishing with firm tannins. Surprisingly good! (2, 2, 4.4, 10.2=18.6/20).
Monday, May 23, 2005
Australia is where it's at, number one, perfect
That’s what Matthew Jukes said at the recent launch of his list of 100 Best Australian Wines. Tasting something like 35,000 wines a year Jukes might just know what he is talking about.
"You guys don't need to refer to France anymore as the model - you guys are the model.”
"They are comparing themselves to you now - they're looking at you."
"Australians are amazing creatures - creatures that accept criticism as much as they accept praise," Jukes said.
"The speed at which you react is mind blowing.”
"It is a matter of your character, wanting to please, wanting to be gregarious.”
"The natural things we like about Australians come out in the wines." MORE->
That’s what Matthew Jukes said at the recent launch of his list of 100 Best Australian Wines. Tasting something like 35,000 wines a year Jukes might just know what he is talking about.
"You guys don't need to refer to France anymore as the model - you guys are the model.”
"They are comparing themselves to you now - they're looking at you."
"Australians are amazing creatures - creatures that accept criticism as much as they accept praise," Jukes said.
"The speed at which you react is mind blowing.”
"It is a matter of your character, wanting to please, wanting to be gregarious.”
"The natural things we like about Australians come out in the wines." MORE->
Mondovino – The Dogs of Wine?
Miranda and I made our way to the Ken Cinema for the 5:30pm showing of Mondovino last Friday evening. I believe it was the first showing in San Diego but the crowd was small, maybe less than 30 souls. Without any real audience participation you have to form your own opinion of this movie, and even though my impression is clouded by the recent internet discussions one thing is painfully clear. The production is well below acceptable standards. Camera shake, poor focus and zooming techniques abound. And the subtitles can be frustratingly difficult to read.
But what about the movie? Is Nossiter the anti-Parker, the anti-Mondavi, the anti-Rolland, the anti-Globalist that he has been made out to be? Well in truth his opinion is never verbally presented in the movie. The way the movie is put together, the editing, the questioning, may reflect Nossiter’s opinion; indeed some have argued just that. But I found any unified argument poorly formed and presented.
The movie seems to be a series of badly stitched together segments involving battles for land between Mondavi and the French and later the Italians, intermixed with visits to South American peasant farmers. Are the latter to be the target of global wine market sharks like the Mondavis? Almost certainly, but that point it not made clear at all. In other segments families struggle to keep tradition alive, while Michel Rolland seems to want to micro-oxygenate everything in sight while making sure his clients don’t understand what he is doing; otherwise they could do it themselves. Robert Parker is there, stating yet again that all he wants to do is keep below the radar. He can sit at his desk in Monkton, MD and influence wine tastes in Tokyo, and he wants to keep below the radar! Parker’s statements I find troubling. He is an intelligent man and he knows his sphere of influence, and yet he seems to want to convince people that he is ignorant of that influence.
The most annoying and yet amusing aspect of the film is the constant panning of the camera to any dog that may be nearby even though an interview is taking place. Fortunately the dogs provide some of the more lighthearted moments in the movie without the need to strain to read subtitles.
What is also noticeable in the movie is wine nationalism and elitism. Most extreme is the French vigneron who does not want the Mondavi machine coming in and buying land but welcomes Gérard Depardieu and the conglomerate behind him. Not without fault are the Napa winemakers who place such high value on their Mexican workers that they reward them with T-shirts and other gifts, and even know their names; but don’t know if there are Mexican vineyard owners in the valley and don’t even seem to want to save their embarrassment by noting the growing wine industry that is just south of the Californian border.
After the movie we went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant across the street from the theatre and we were given a copy of FILM Magazine. Inside I found Nossiter’s explanation of his film. "And what’s happening is there’s a wine war going on right now across the globe, a war for wine’s survival. It’s a cultural, political and economic war. A war between countries, but also between and even within families. There are winemakers from the old world and the new fighting to preserve their individual personality, dignity and history (whether ancestral or recently discovered). There are also equally committed and outlandish characters, at home and abroad, looking to impose a dominant, homogenising style, and wipe out our historical memory and cultural diversity."
Well at least now I know what I was supposed to see!
Miranda and I made our way to the Ken Cinema for the 5:30pm showing of Mondovino last Friday evening. I believe it was the first showing in San Diego but the crowd was small, maybe less than 30 souls. Without any real audience participation you have to form your own opinion of this movie, and even though my impression is clouded by the recent internet discussions one thing is painfully clear. The production is well below acceptable standards. Camera shake, poor focus and zooming techniques abound. And the subtitles can be frustratingly difficult to read.
But what about the movie? Is Nossiter the anti-Parker, the anti-Mondavi, the anti-Rolland, the anti-Globalist that he has been made out to be? Well in truth his opinion is never verbally presented in the movie. The way the movie is put together, the editing, the questioning, may reflect Nossiter’s opinion; indeed some have argued just that. But I found any unified argument poorly formed and presented.
The movie seems to be a series of badly stitched together segments involving battles for land between Mondavi and the French and later the Italians, intermixed with visits to South American peasant farmers. Are the latter to be the target of global wine market sharks like the Mondavis? Almost certainly, but that point it not made clear at all. In other segments families struggle to keep tradition alive, while Michel Rolland seems to want to micro-oxygenate everything in sight while making sure his clients don’t understand what he is doing; otherwise they could do it themselves. Robert Parker is there, stating yet again that all he wants to do is keep below the radar. He can sit at his desk in Monkton, MD and influence wine tastes in Tokyo, and he wants to keep below the radar! Parker’s statements I find troubling. He is an intelligent man and he knows his sphere of influence, and yet he seems to want to convince people that he is ignorant of that influence.
The most annoying and yet amusing aspect of the film is the constant panning of the camera to any dog that may be nearby even though an interview is taking place. Fortunately the dogs provide some of the more lighthearted moments in the movie without the need to strain to read subtitles.
What is also noticeable in the movie is wine nationalism and elitism. Most extreme is the French vigneron who does not want the Mondavi machine coming in and buying land but welcomes Gérard Depardieu and the conglomerate behind him. Not without fault are the Napa winemakers who place such high value on their Mexican workers that they reward them with T-shirts and other gifts, and even know their names; but don’t know if there are Mexican vineyard owners in the valley and don’t even seem to want to save their embarrassment by noting the growing wine industry that is just south of the Californian border.
After the movie we went for dinner at a Mexican restaurant across the street from the theatre and we were given a copy of FILM Magazine. Inside I found Nossiter’s explanation of his film. "And what’s happening is there’s a wine war going on right now across the globe, a war for wine’s survival. It’s a cultural, political and economic war. A war between countries, but also between and even within families. There are winemakers from the old world and the new fighting to preserve their individual personality, dignity and history (whether ancestral or recently discovered). There are also equally committed and outlandish characters, at home and abroad, looking to impose a dominant, homogenising style, and wipe out our historical memory and cultural diversity."
Well at least now I know what I was supposed to see!
Monday, May 16, 2005
Chardonnay In Australia
In an article that is sure to create more than its fair share of discussion Jeni Port has picked out five regions in Australia that produce quality Chardonnay. They are in no particular order of preference Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania.
I’d agree with the first and the last having had excellent wines from both regions. Its been a while since I’ve seen a Petaluma chardonnay and I can’t say that any stand out in my memory. I guess the Hunter still just makes Semillon!
In an article that is sure to create more than its fair share of discussion Jeni Port has picked out five regions in Australia that produce quality Chardonnay. They are in no particular order of preference Margaret River, Adelaide Hills, Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Tasmania.
I’d agree with the first and the last having had excellent wines from both regions. Its been a while since I’ve seen a Petaluma chardonnay and I can’t say that any stand out in my memory. I guess the Hunter still just makes Semillon!
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Who has the Oldest Commercial Vineyard in Australia?
Wyndham Estate recently celebrated the first commercial Shiraz plantings in Australia at their Dalwood vineyards, and has also claimed that they are Australia’s oldest continuously operating winery. Now I find that Schild Estate Wines has launched a wine called Moorooroo Shiraz with the claim that it is made with grapes from the oldest commercial vineyard in Australia. Their Shiraz vines were planted near Jacobs Creek by William Jacob in 1846. So they are 150 years old, more or less. Turkey Flat Vineyard also claims some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. Theirs were planted in 1847 and are still producing fruit.
Why is this of any interest? Well I’ve just finished reading The Botanist and the Vintner: How Wine Was Saved for the World by Christy Campbell. It is the story of how Phylloxera was introduced to Europe from America. It’s a great read and I’ll post a review some time soon. But after reading the book its obvious that Australia, thanks to James Busby, was blessed with original rootstock from the Old World. The question is how much of that original material has survived? How old are Australia's oldest vines? And where are they?
Wyndham Estate recently celebrated the first commercial Shiraz plantings in Australia at their Dalwood vineyards, and has also claimed that they are Australia’s oldest continuously operating winery. Now I find that Schild Estate Wines has launched a wine called Moorooroo Shiraz with the claim that it is made with grapes from the oldest commercial vineyard in Australia. Their Shiraz vines were planted near Jacobs Creek by William Jacob in 1846. So they are 150 years old, more or less. Turkey Flat Vineyard also claims some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. Theirs were planted in 1847 and are still producing fruit.
Why is this of any interest? Well I’ve just finished reading The Botanist and the Vintner: How Wine Was Saved for the World by Christy Campbell. It is the story of how Phylloxera was introduced to Europe from America. It’s a great read and I’ll post a review some time soon. But after reading the book its obvious that Australia, thanks to James Busby, was blessed with original rootstock from the Old World. The question is how much of that original material has survived? How old are Australia's oldest vines? And where are they?
Changing the Smell of Wine
The smell of wine comes from the grapes right? After all Cabernet Sauvignon has a different flavor profile to Shiraz or Pinot Noir. Well the grapes certainly play their part but so does the wine making process and particularly the strain of yeast selected for the fermentation. This was dramatically demonstrated to me during our trip to the Barossa last December when winemaker Matt Wenk showed us barrel samples of his Smidge Wines 2004 Zinfandel that had been fermented with different yeasts. Although from grapes from Langhorne Creek and maturing in French oak the two wines could not have been any different.
At the Australian Wine Research Institute molecular biologist Jan Hentie Swiegers is looking a this very situation to see if he can select the right yeast to create aromas in wines that are more appealing to consumers.
"The aim is not necessarily to pump up the aromas every time," Dr Swiegers said. "It's about giving winemakers the knowledge to be able to create the aromas that the market responds to and usually associates with a wine style."
The smell of wine comes from the grapes right? After all Cabernet Sauvignon has a different flavor profile to Shiraz or Pinot Noir. Well the grapes certainly play their part but so does the wine making process and particularly the strain of yeast selected for the fermentation. This was dramatically demonstrated to me during our trip to the Barossa last December when winemaker Matt Wenk showed us barrel samples of his Smidge Wines 2004 Zinfandel that had been fermented with different yeasts. Although from grapes from Langhorne Creek and maturing in French oak the two wines could not have been any different.
At the Australian Wine Research Institute molecular biologist Jan Hentie Swiegers is looking a this very situation to see if he can select the right yeast to create aromas in wines that are more appealing to consumers.
"The aim is not necessarily to pump up the aromas every time," Dr Swiegers said. "It's about giving winemakers the knowledge to be able to create the aromas that the market responds to and usually associates with a wine style."
Thursday, May 05, 2005
Extreme Crystal for Extreme Aussie Shiraz
With the help of Penfold’s Wines Riedel has made a Vinum Extreme Shiraz glass. In the words of Mr Georg Riedel the aim was "to create the missing link in the sequence of a wine's journey from the earth to the palate".
"These are made for more powerful wines with the aim of providing more balance for the consumer," Mr Riedel said. "A lot of your wines are consumed at a relatively young age and the glasses can play an important role."
A Vinum Extreme Shiraz glass will set you back about $30USD ($54AUD). I guess that Styrofoam cup I’ve been using is getting just a bit passé.
With the help of Penfold’s Wines Riedel has made a Vinum Extreme Shiraz glass. In the words of Mr Georg Riedel the aim was "to create the missing link in the sequence of a wine's journey from the earth to the palate".
"These are made for more powerful wines with the aim of providing more balance for the consumer," Mr Riedel said. "A lot of your wines are consumed at a relatively young age and the glasses can play an important role."
A Vinum Extreme Shiraz glass will set you back about $30USD ($54AUD). I guess that Styrofoam cup I’ve been using is getting just a bit passé.
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Sideways Crush
The San Diego Reader is one of those free weekly publications that seems to survive solely on advertising. Miranda picks it up each week and I go straight for the Restaurant section and Crush. I read little else in it. Crush is penned by Matthew Lickona and delves into local wine stories. And Lickona finds some pretty interesting vignettes on wine in San Diego. Last week he gave us a little of the inside on Sideways from Julian Davies an Englishman who, it appears, taught Rex Pickett quite a bit about wine. Davies worked in a wine shop just around he corner from Pickett. In 1998, Pickett and Gittens ‘took a road trip up to the Santa Ynez Valley to taste some wine and play some golf. "He was a long time divorced," says Davies, "but he had learned that his ex-wife was about to remarry." (Gittens says that Davies was invited on the trip but had to work; Davies has no memory of this.) The trip started Pickett on a novel, and in '99, he showed Davies the manuscript, then entitled Two Guys on Wine, "which was a horrible title. He used it because they stopped at Fess Parker winery, and Fess actually signed a magnum to Two Guys on Wine."'
Fast forward to today where Gittens and Davies hold Irregular Wine Tastings at the Echo, a Los Angeles nightclub. And yes they have done a Sideways tasting. They have just done one in San Diego for the WineDining club. Matthew Lickona will tell you all about it.
The San Diego Reader is one of those free weekly publications that seems to survive solely on advertising. Miranda picks it up each week and I go straight for the Restaurant section and Crush. I read little else in it. Crush is penned by Matthew Lickona and delves into local wine stories. And Lickona finds some pretty interesting vignettes on wine in San Diego. Last week he gave us a little of the inside on Sideways from Julian Davies an Englishman who, it appears, taught Rex Pickett quite a bit about wine. Davies worked in a wine shop just around he corner from Pickett. In 1998, Pickett and Gittens ‘took a road trip up to the Santa Ynez Valley to taste some wine and play some golf. "He was a long time divorced," says Davies, "but he had learned that his ex-wife was about to remarry." (Gittens says that Davies was invited on the trip but had to work; Davies has no memory of this.) The trip started Pickett on a novel, and in '99, he showed Davies the manuscript, then entitled Two Guys on Wine, "which was a horrible title. He used it because they stopped at Fess Parker winery, and Fess actually signed a magnum to Two Guys on Wine."'
Fast forward to today where Gittens and Davies hold Irregular Wine Tastings at the Echo, a Los Angeles nightclub. And yes they have done a Sideways tasting. They have just done one in San Diego for the WineDining club. Matthew Lickona will tell you all about it.
Aussie Wine Best of Show
The San Diego International Wine Competition was held on April 23 and 24 at the Westgate hotel in San Diego. The results have not been organized into anything like a coherent fashion, simply an alphabetical listing of the wines and what result they achieved. In the A-C group a stand out is the 2004 Angove's Nine Vines Rośe, Grenache Shiraz ($10USD) which was Awarded “Best of Show”. An Aussie Rośe Best of Show, wonders will never cease.
The 2003 Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz was also voted Best of Show.
The San Diego International Wine Competition was held on April 23 and 24 at the Westgate hotel in San Diego. The results have not been organized into anything like a coherent fashion, simply an alphabetical listing of the wines and what result they achieved. In the A-C group a stand out is the 2004 Angove's Nine Vines Rośe, Grenache Shiraz ($10USD) which was Awarded “Best of Show”. An Aussie Rośe Best of Show, wonders will never cease.
The 2003 Wyndham Estate Bin 555 Shiraz was also voted Best of Show.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
Open Your Mind to Australian Wine
The global advertising campaign of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation was unveiled in Sydney on May 3rd.
General Manager of the Australian Wine Export Council, Jonathon Scott said he hopes the campaign will help Australia's wine industry overcome emerging challenges.
"We are facing global competition from other wine producing countries," Mr Scott said.
"Our challenges include an oversupply of some grape varieties and global rationalization of producers, distribution channels and retailers.
"To maintain our markets and, importantly, to grow beyond our current levels, we need to go beyond our existing market boundaries."
"Our sector – which comprises more than 1,800 wineries and 7,000 grape growers – has the capability to reach $4 billion in exports over the next five years.
The advertising campaign will debut overseas next week at the London International Wine and Spirits Fair. It will be available on CD-ROM and online.
The global advertising campaign of the Australian Wine and Brandy Corporation was unveiled in Sydney on May 3rd.
General Manager of the Australian Wine Export Council, Jonathon Scott said he hopes the campaign will help Australia's wine industry overcome emerging challenges.
"We are facing global competition from other wine producing countries," Mr Scott said.
"Our challenges include an oversupply of some grape varieties and global rationalization of producers, distribution channels and retailers.
"To maintain our markets and, importantly, to grow beyond our current levels, we need to go beyond our existing market boundaries."
"Our sector – which comprises more than 1,800 wineries and 7,000 grape growers – has the capability to reach $4 billion in exports over the next five years.
The advertising campaign will debut overseas next week at the London International Wine and Spirits Fair. It will be available on CD-ROM and online.
Monday, May 02, 2005
Value in The Aussie Shiraz?
Its 100% shiraz but the 2000 Penfold’s Grange comes from one of the worst vintages in South Australia in memory, and yet consumers can expect to pay up to $700AUD/bottle. That is if they can find a bottle. The quantity made is only about 25% of the 1999 vintage and the availability is the lowest since the 1960s. Winsor Dobbin, writing in the Sydney Moring Herald, described how several local wine shops were dealing with the limited supply. "Dan Murphy's liquor chain is selling the wine at $499 a bottle with a limit of one bottle per customer, Vintages Cellars is asking $499.99 but says some shops will have just one bottle, while Kemeny's at Bondi says it will sell the wine for $700 a bottle. "
Its 100% shiraz but the 2000 Penfold’s Grange comes from one of the worst vintages in South Australia in memory, and yet consumers can expect to pay up to $700AUD/bottle. That is if they can find a bottle. The quantity made is only about 25% of the 1999 vintage and the availability is the lowest since the 1960s. Winsor Dobbin, writing in the Sydney Moring Herald, described how several local wine shops were dealing with the limited supply. "Dan Murphy's liquor chain is selling the wine at $499 a bottle with a limit of one bottle per customer, Vintages Cellars is asking $499.99 but says some shops will have just one bottle, while Kemeny's at Bondi says it will sell the wine for $700 a bottle. "
Friday, April 29, 2005
Pass The Plonk
A media release from my old stomping grounds notes that “Many of the slang words that make Australian English unique — including Aussie — come from war, according to Dr Bruce Moore, the Director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre, based at The Australian National University.”
Among the words is plonk, which is described as a common Australian slang term for wine that is thought to have gained currency during the First World War and is probably a corruption of the French ‘blanc’ as in vin blanc, or white wine.
Australia - the land of colorful slang and wonderful wines.
A media release from my old stomping grounds notes that “Many of the slang words that make Australian English unique — including Aussie — come from war, according to Dr Bruce Moore, the Director of the Australian National Dictionary Centre, based at The Australian National University.”
Among the words is plonk, which is described as a common Australian slang term for wine that is thought to have gained currency during the First World War and is probably a corruption of the French ‘blanc’ as in vin blanc, or white wine.
Australia - the land of colorful slang and wonderful wines.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Value in Aussie Shiraz
With Shiraz celebrating 170 years of history in Australia I celebrated by tasting six inexpensive examples at the Aussie Values tasting at Vintage Wines in San Diego last Saturday. My tasting notes can be found here. For a more extensive look at Aussie Shiraz you might want to check out my notes on 2002 Australian Shiraz. The 2002 wines have been heralded as some of the best in recent memory, well that is until the better quality 2004s start to make an appearance!
With Shiraz celebrating 170 years of history in Australia I celebrated by tasting six inexpensive examples at the Aussie Values tasting at Vintage Wines in San Diego last Saturday. My tasting notes can be found here. For a more extensive look at Aussie Shiraz you might want to check out my notes on 2002 Australian Shiraz. The 2002 wines have been heralded as some of the best in recent memory, well that is until the better quality 2004s start to make an appearance!
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Australian Shiraz - 170 Years Old And Still Maturing
They came in 1788, many of them convicts, to the great southern land. They brought vines. The first vineyards planted in those early years around what is now Sydney were not great successes. It is believed that Shiraz vine cuttings were brought to Australia in 1832, from Montpellier in France, by wine pioneer James Busby. He was given a grant of land in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. The property was called ‘Kirkton’. James Busby was not involved in the running of Kirkton. William Kelman, Busby’s brother-in-law, took care of the vineyards. Kelman is thought to have been among the first to plant vines in the Hunter Valley. George Wyndham planted vines in the Hunter in 1828. By 1835 Wyndham had planted the first commercial Shiraz vineyards at Dalwood in the Hunter Valley.
According to a recent Press Release the Dalwood vineyards are the first commercial Shiraz plantings in Australia. Wyndham Estate is Australia’s oldest continuously operating winery and its story can be viewed in a Promotional Video.
They came in 1788, many of them convicts, to the great southern land. They brought vines. The first vineyards planted in those early years around what is now Sydney were not great successes. It is believed that Shiraz vine cuttings were brought to Australia in 1832, from Montpellier in France, by wine pioneer James Busby. He was given a grant of land in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales. The property was called ‘Kirkton’. James Busby was not involved in the running of Kirkton. William Kelman, Busby’s brother-in-law, took care of the vineyards. Kelman is thought to have been among the first to plant vines in the Hunter Valley. George Wyndham planted vines in the Hunter in 1828. By 1835 Wyndham had planted the first commercial Shiraz vineyards at Dalwood in the Hunter Valley.
According to a recent Press Release the Dalwood vineyards are the first commercial Shiraz plantings in Australia. Wyndham Estate is Australia’s oldest continuously operating winery and its story can be viewed in a Promotional Video.
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Decanting – Can Master of Wine Students Be Wrong?
In the Sunday April 17, 2005 issue of The Observer Tim Atkin reveals that he “opened a 2003 Doña Dominga Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère from Chile and served two glasses, one decanted and one straight from the bottle, to six Master of Wine students. Without any prompting, they all preferred the decanted wine.”
Its not clear what the students preferred in the decanted wine, but Atkin goes on to note “In my experience, most red wines taste better decanted, especially if they are made from 'reductive' grape varieties such as Syrah/Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Malbec, Carmenère and Grenache. Decanting these wines can be like opening a window in a stuffy room.”
If it was reductive character that was being removed by the decanting then perhaps a simple racking of the wine might have helped before it made it into the bottle. The question is whether the consumer has to decant in order to correct what should be being done in the winery.
In the Sunday April 17, 2005 issue of The Observer Tim Atkin reveals that he “opened a 2003 Doña Dominga Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon/Carmenère from Chile and served two glasses, one decanted and one straight from the bottle, to six Master of Wine students. Without any prompting, they all preferred the decanted wine.”
Its not clear what the students preferred in the decanted wine, but Atkin goes on to note “In my experience, most red wines taste better decanted, especially if they are made from 'reductive' grape varieties such as Syrah/Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, Nebbiolo, Malbec, Carmenère and Grenache. Decanting these wines can be like opening a window in a stuffy room.”
If it was reductive character that was being removed by the decanting then perhaps a simple racking of the wine might have helped before it made it into the bottle. The question is whether the consumer has to decant in order to correct what should be being done in the winery.
Monday, April 25, 2005
Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
I’m not a big fan of Pinot Noir. Its not because I don’t like the grape, or the wine it makes, its just that I’ve never had a really good pinot. And its not that I haven’t looked, Australia, California, Pacific Northwest, and France have all been part of the search. OK, maybe I have not looked in the right vineyards and not spent the right amount of money to buy the pleasure of a great pinot. But I have never equated spending a lot of money on a bottle of wine as equaling quality, and particularly not the great pleasure that can come from drinking an unexpectedly good wine.
Unexpectedly good wine was what was in the glass of Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir that I sampled at the Vintage Wines Wine Bar on Saturday. I’d gone there for the Aussie Values tasting (more about that later in the week) and decided that I would try a few of the wines on the Wine Bar. Call it the SIDEWAYS effect, simple interest or just plain thirst, but I pointed out the Paul Hobbs as one of the five wines I wanted to taste. Among the other wines tasted were an Aussie Shiraz, a California Syrah and a Petite Syrah. Heavy-duty company for a delicate pinot!
Well maybe not so delicate! The 2003 Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a slightly murky cherry red with a red edge; yes its unfiltered. A quick swirl reveals ripe fruit and wonderful spicy aromas that reminded me of ripe quince. In the mouth its medium bodied, very soft and supple with great balance. Others might say “velvety palate feel” but I’ve never tasted velvet. What is velvet is what the wine does in your mouth. If described in detail, it would probably be obscene in several countries. Those spicy, quince-like aromas expand and explode in wave after wave of intensity as you breathe out through your nose; its called retronasal breathing and this wine will give you the real deal! Bloody fantastic.
I bought a bottle for Miranda and me to drink at our leisure over the rest of the weekend. Opened on Saturday night, it was still going strong when I reluctantly finished the last few drops on Sunday night. An excellent Pinot Noir, and the best I can remember having. (2, 2, 4.2, 10.5 = 18.7, (93), 14.6% alcohol. $32.99USD. Tasted April 23-24, 2005.)
Oh, you want to know what Robert Parker, Jr. says about the wine? “The 2003 Pinot Noir Russian River (1,178 cases) shows deep ruby color and a big, sweet nose of cherry jam, intermixed with a hint of rose petals, earth, Allspice, and some wood. It is ripe, medium-bodied, and fruit-driven. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.” Wine Advocate #157 (Feb 2005) 89 Points.
I’m not a big fan of Pinot Noir. Its not because I don’t like the grape, or the wine it makes, its just that I’ve never had a really good pinot. And its not that I haven’t looked, Australia, California, Pacific Northwest, and France have all been part of the search. OK, maybe I have not looked in the right vineyards and not spent the right amount of money to buy the pleasure of a great pinot. But I have never equated spending a lot of money on a bottle of wine as equaling quality, and particularly not the great pleasure that can come from drinking an unexpectedly good wine.
Unexpectedly good wine was what was in the glass of Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir that I sampled at the Vintage Wines Wine Bar on Saturday. I’d gone there for the Aussie Values tasting (more about that later in the week) and decided that I would try a few of the wines on the Wine Bar. Call it the SIDEWAYS effect, simple interest or just plain thirst, but I pointed out the Paul Hobbs as one of the five wines I wanted to taste. Among the other wines tasted were an Aussie Shiraz, a California Syrah and a Petite Syrah. Heavy-duty company for a delicate pinot!
Well maybe not so delicate! The 2003 Paul Hobbs Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is a slightly murky cherry red with a red edge; yes its unfiltered. A quick swirl reveals ripe fruit and wonderful spicy aromas that reminded me of ripe quince. In the mouth its medium bodied, very soft and supple with great balance. Others might say “velvety palate feel” but I’ve never tasted velvet. What is velvet is what the wine does in your mouth. If described in detail, it would probably be obscene in several countries. Those spicy, quince-like aromas expand and explode in wave after wave of intensity as you breathe out through your nose; its called retronasal breathing and this wine will give you the real deal! Bloody fantastic.
I bought a bottle for Miranda and me to drink at our leisure over the rest of the weekend. Opened on Saturday night, it was still going strong when I reluctantly finished the last few drops on Sunday night. An excellent Pinot Noir, and the best I can remember having. (2, 2, 4.2, 10.5 = 18.7, (93), 14.6% alcohol. $32.99USD. Tasted April 23-24, 2005.)
Oh, you want to know what Robert Parker, Jr. says about the wine? “The 2003 Pinot Noir Russian River (1,178 cases) shows deep ruby color and a big, sweet nose of cherry jam, intermixed with a hint of rose petals, earth, Allspice, and some wood. It is ripe, medium-bodied, and fruit-driven. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.” Wine Advocate #157 (Feb 2005) 89 Points.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Shiraz Whipped Potatoes
(From The Wichita Eagle)
You need:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold or baking potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 ½ cups shiraz
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Put potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Meantime, combine the wine, shallots and garlic in a small non-corrosive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3cup. Set aside.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Stir over medium-high heat for about 1 minute to dry them out.
Add the reduced red wine mixture and mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher, mixing in the wine. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until scalded but not boiling. Add the cream and butter to the potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste, and mash with fork or potato masher until smooth. Stir in the chives. Serve immediately, or keep warm until ready to serve.
Recipe by Peter Moretti of the Marriott for a dinner featuring wines from Australia.
(From The Wichita Eagle)
You need:
2 lbs. Yukon Gold or baking potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 ½ cups shiraz
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Put potatoes in a large pot of lightly salted water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.
Meantime, combine the wine, shallots and garlic in a small non-corrosive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook 7 to 8 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3cup. Set aside.
Drain the potatoes and return them to the pan. Stir over medium-high heat for about 1 minute to dry them out.
Add the reduced red wine mixture and mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher, mixing in the wine. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium-high heat until scalded but not boiling. Add the cream and butter to the potatoes, and salt and pepper to taste, and mash with fork or potato masher until smooth. Stir in the chives. Serve immediately, or keep warm until ready to serve.
Recipe by Peter Moretti of the Marriott for a dinner featuring wines from Australia.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
100 Women in Wine
Journeys and Inspiration in Wine and Life
To be published by Carneros Press later this year 100 Women In Wine: Journeys and Inspiration in Wine and Life is a book that will focus on the life stories and accomplishments of 100 women in the wine industry. Gregory S. Walter (Author and Publisher) is collecting histories and stories and soliciting suggestions for inclusion.
You can nominate a candidate, or submit a profile. Pre-orders are also being taken for the book. Cover price will be $39.95USD.
Journeys and Inspiration in Wine and Life
To be published by Carneros Press later this year 100 Women In Wine: Journeys and Inspiration in Wine and Life is a book that will focus on the life stories and accomplishments of 100 women in the wine industry. Gregory S. Walter (Author and Publisher) is collecting histories and stories and soliciting suggestions for inclusion.
You can nominate a candidate, or submit a profile. Pre-orders are also being taken for the book. Cover price will be $39.95USD.
Monday, April 18, 2005
Aussie Shiraz Sponsors Pontiff's New Values
Could this be the future of Australian wine? "McWilliam's shiraz: Heaven in a glass".
Could this be the future of Australian wine? "McWilliam's shiraz: Heaven in a glass".
Santa Barbara Goes Sideways
You can't blame them, I guess. Sideways has been a great hit. So why shouldn't Santa Barbara ride its coat tails. But I'm not sure they really know what sideways really means, other wise they wouldn't be asking you and me to "Get SIDEWAYS in Santa Barbara County". But just in case you want to visit Santa Barbara and experience a little of the travails of Miles and Jack there is SIDEWAYS:The Map either as a PDF online or you can request one by snail mail. But if you can't make it to Santa Barbara then maybe you might want to buy some of the wine from the movie? The SIDEWAYS Wine Club is the spot for you. Too expensive! Then how about The Sideways Guide to Wine and Life. It lists all the wines shown in the movie, "some of the movies most memorable quotes, as well as tips for how to best enjoy wine - some tips are useful, others humorous, all are enjoyable".
I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that the SIDEWAYS effect is getting just a bit, sideways!
You can't blame them, I guess. Sideways has been a great hit. So why shouldn't Santa Barbara ride its coat tails. But I'm not sure they really know what sideways really means, other wise they wouldn't be asking you and me to "Get SIDEWAYS in Santa Barbara County". But just in case you want to visit Santa Barbara and experience a little of the travails of Miles and Jack there is SIDEWAYS:The Map either as a PDF online or you can request one by snail mail. But if you can't make it to Santa Barbara then maybe you might want to buy some of the wine from the movie? The SIDEWAYS Wine Club is the spot for you. Too expensive! Then how about The Sideways Guide to Wine and Life. It lists all the wines shown in the movie, "some of the movies most memorable quotes, as well as tips for how to best enjoy wine - some tips are useful, others humorous, all are enjoyable".
I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that the SIDEWAYS effect is getting just a bit, sideways!
Friday, April 15, 2005
Straight out of the Bottle or Decant for Twentyfour Hours
Decisions, decisions! Its so difficult to decide just how long to decant some wines.
Decisions, decisions! Its so difficult to decide just how long to decant some wines.
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Decanting - Day 9
This topic has been allowed to breathe for too long! The previous post in this series, Day 8, on March 23rd provided a link to a Q&A in Scientific American. “How does decanting red wine affect its taste? And why is it suggested for red wine, but not white?” The answer was provided by Andrew L Waterhouse, a Professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California at Davis and author of the book Red Wine Color: Revealing the Mysteries. Professor Waterhouse notes “From the perspective of modifying the taste or appearance of a wine, the decision about whether or not to decant is based largely on two criteria, although the amount of published literature on the topic is very limited.” After searching far and wide for any literature I can agree with the last part of this statement!
In answering the question Professor Waterhouse makes sure that the reader is aware that his response will include several terms “that are not based on measurements, but are descriptive terms conventionally used by wine drinkers”. Those terms are “closed”, “breathing”, “softens”, and “bottle bouquet”. This is an important point. As much as you (or I) may think we experience these phenomena, our description does not provide any measurement. And even though they may seem like simple terms their (subjective) measurement may be extremely complicated to quantify.
The two criteria that Professor Waterhouse comments on are decanting to accelerate the “breathing” process to increase the wine's aromas, and decanting to “soften” the taste of the tannins that cause harshness and astringency in young wines. Let’s talk about the second point first, and we’ll get to the “breathing” issue in another post. As Professor Waterhouse notes chemical analysis has determined no changes in tannins after decanting, and yet it is often noted that a wine “softens” with time once exposed to air. So what explains the phenomena? Well let’s backtrack a little here. What actually happened with this story is that I sent out a question which asked “do you know of any published work that supports the notion that decanting for several hours softens tannins in bottled wine?” to several academics who I thought might be able to provide an answer. Professor Waterhouse was one of the individuals. He was kind enough to reply that there is “Little evidence of actual changes in tannins.” And provided a PDF of the Scientific American commentary. (I found the Scientific American piece independently during a literature search. Oddly enough the direct link to the magazine is a more extensive answer than the material in the PDF.)
I also asked Professor Bruce W. Zoecklein of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech. Professor Zoecklein, who oversees The Wine/Enology - Grape Chemistry Group, replied “I do not know of any publication which reports that aeration of bottled wine softens tannins. That could happen as a result of oxidative polymerization. Naturally, how much polymerization and the sensory impact would be dictated by the phenol make-up of the wine. Oxidative impact is much greater in fermenting and very young wines which contain a higher concentration of monomeric phenols-notable pigments.” So it’s a possibility that oxidation might affect tannins in very young wine, but there is no published experimental evidence for bottled wine.
OK, so let’s think about this in another way. Why does a softening of the tannins in wine have to involve an effect on components in wine? After all, astringency is detected in the mouth. What is astringency? All of the explanations I have found are essentially similar. The most interesting comes from Simon et al (Biochemistry 42 (2003) p10385-10395). “This sensation, earlier considered by Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) as a taste, was described in physicochemical terms by Joslyn and Golstein in 1964 as the result of a strong interaction between tannins and salivary proteins. The formed tannin-protein complex aggregates, thus reducing the lubricating property of saliva. A dry, rough, and pucker sensation is then perceived as a diffuse stimulus in the entire mouth.” In essence polyphenols (tannins) interact with proline-rich proteins (salivary proteins).
In reviewing polyphenols, Lesschaeve and Noble (American. J. Clinical Nutrition 81 (2005) 330S-335S) make a number of interesting points. The tactile sensation of astringency is thought to be perceived through touch, while an astringent is defined chemically as a compound that precipitates protein. Alcohol levels can affect bitterness but not astringency. Astringency increases and bitterness decreases with the degree of polymerization. Adding acid to wine increases astringency. Eating chocolate increases perceived astringency of red wine, with dark chocolate producing the largest effect. Although studies are conflicting there is evidence that astringency perception may be influenced by salivary flow rate. The faster you can restore saliva (salivary protein) the less astringency you will experience. Wine consumers often confuse bitterness and astringency; bitterness is used to express dislike and often associated with acid or astringent characters.
How does any of this explain how decanting “softens” the taste of the tannins? Well I doubt that there is any experimental work that addresses the question directly but my point is quite simple. As a research scientist I’m certain I could make a much more credible case for salivary protein levels influencing tannin perception, as opposed to oxidation affecting tannin chemistry. More to the point, tasting a wine and perceiving changes in the qualities of that wine over time is more complex than just the interaction of air with the wine. There are so many variables to be considered that they render anecdotal description of the effects of aeration meaningless.
If the question is ever completely resolved it is likely that the final answer may well involve chemical (oxidation) and physiological (astringency perception) explanations, but as it stands right now there is no unequivocal evidence that aeration due to decanting “softens” the taste of the tannins.
Hmm, I wonder if the perceived increase in a wine's aroma during aeration might be explained by physiological responses as well.
I want to acknowledge the kind assistance of Professors Waterhouse and Zoecklein in taking time from their busy schedules to answer my questions and permitting me to quote from their replies.
This topic has been allowed to breathe for too long! The previous post in this series, Day 8, on March 23rd provided a link to a Q&A in Scientific American. “How does decanting red wine affect its taste? And why is it suggested for red wine, but not white?” The answer was provided by Andrew L Waterhouse, a Professor in the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California at Davis and author of the book Red Wine Color: Revealing the Mysteries. Professor Waterhouse notes “From the perspective of modifying the taste or appearance of a wine, the decision about whether or not to decant is based largely on two criteria, although the amount of published literature on the topic is very limited.” After searching far and wide for any literature I can agree with the last part of this statement!
In answering the question Professor Waterhouse makes sure that the reader is aware that his response will include several terms “that are not based on measurements, but are descriptive terms conventionally used by wine drinkers”. Those terms are “closed”, “breathing”, “softens”, and “bottle bouquet”. This is an important point. As much as you (or I) may think we experience these phenomena, our description does not provide any measurement. And even though they may seem like simple terms their (subjective) measurement may be extremely complicated to quantify.
The two criteria that Professor Waterhouse comments on are decanting to accelerate the “breathing” process to increase the wine's aromas, and decanting to “soften” the taste of the tannins that cause harshness and astringency in young wines. Let’s talk about the second point first, and we’ll get to the “breathing” issue in another post. As Professor Waterhouse notes chemical analysis has determined no changes in tannins after decanting, and yet it is often noted that a wine “softens” with time once exposed to air. So what explains the phenomena? Well let’s backtrack a little here. What actually happened with this story is that I sent out a question which asked “do you know of any published work that supports the notion that decanting for several hours softens tannins in bottled wine?” to several academics who I thought might be able to provide an answer. Professor Waterhouse was one of the individuals. He was kind enough to reply that there is “Little evidence of actual changes in tannins.” And provided a PDF of the Scientific American commentary. (I found the Scientific American piece independently during a literature search. Oddly enough the direct link to the magazine is a more extensive answer than the material in the PDF.)
I also asked Professor Bruce W. Zoecklein of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Tech. Professor Zoecklein, who oversees The Wine/Enology - Grape Chemistry Group, replied “I do not know of any publication which reports that aeration of bottled wine softens tannins. That could happen as a result of oxidative polymerization. Naturally, how much polymerization and the sensory impact would be dictated by the phenol make-up of the wine. Oxidative impact is much greater in fermenting and very young wines which contain a higher concentration of monomeric phenols-notable pigments.” So it’s a possibility that oxidation might affect tannins in very young wine, but there is no published experimental evidence for bottled wine.
OK, so let’s think about this in another way. Why does a softening of the tannins in wine have to involve an effect on components in wine? After all, astringency is detected in the mouth. What is astringency? All of the explanations I have found are essentially similar. The most interesting comes from Simon et al (Biochemistry 42 (2003) p10385-10395). “This sensation, earlier considered by Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) as a taste, was described in physicochemical terms by Joslyn and Golstein in 1964 as the result of a strong interaction between tannins and salivary proteins. The formed tannin-protein complex aggregates, thus reducing the lubricating property of saliva. A dry, rough, and pucker sensation is then perceived as a diffuse stimulus in the entire mouth.” In essence polyphenols (tannins) interact with proline-rich proteins (salivary proteins).
In reviewing polyphenols, Lesschaeve and Noble (American. J. Clinical Nutrition 81 (2005) 330S-335S) make a number of interesting points. The tactile sensation of astringency is thought to be perceived through touch, while an astringent is defined chemically as a compound that precipitates protein. Alcohol levels can affect bitterness but not astringency. Astringency increases and bitterness decreases with the degree of polymerization. Adding acid to wine increases astringency. Eating chocolate increases perceived astringency of red wine, with dark chocolate producing the largest effect. Although studies are conflicting there is evidence that astringency perception may be influenced by salivary flow rate. The faster you can restore saliva (salivary protein) the less astringency you will experience. Wine consumers often confuse bitterness and astringency; bitterness is used to express dislike and often associated with acid or astringent characters.
How does any of this explain how decanting “softens” the taste of the tannins? Well I doubt that there is any experimental work that addresses the question directly but my point is quite simple. As a research scientist I’m certain I could make a much more credible case for salivary protein levels influencing tannin perception, as opposed to oxidation affecting tannin chemistry. More to the point, tasting a wine and perceiving changes in the qualities of that wine over time is more complex than just the interaction of air with the wine. There are so many variables to be considered that they render anecdotal description of the effects of aeration meaningless.
If the question is ever completely resolved it is likely that the final answer may well involve chemical (oxidation) and physiological (astringency perception) explanations, but as it stands right now there is no unequivocal evidence that aeration due to decanting “softens” the taste of the tannins.
Hmm, I wonder if the perceived increase in a wine's aroma during aeration might be explained by physiological responses as well.
I want to acknowledge the kind assistance of Professors Waterhouse and Zoecklein in taking time from their busy schedules to answer my questions and permitting me to quote from their replies.
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Mondovino Madness
Wine Business Online has put up a link to the Open letter to Robert Parker and his readers from Jonathan Nossiter that was posted on the eRobertParker.com forum (see my post from yesterday for the link). Also included is a link to a comment on the same letter in the wine magazine Decanter. Decanter's take on the Nossiter letter? "The director of Mondovino has accused Robert Parker's partner Pierre-Antoine Rovani of cynicism, McCarthyism, Orwellianism and all-round bad faith in an 8-page open letter to Parker."
And another link is to the April 12th NPR segment on Mondovino. (The new documentary Mondovino turns the camera on the wine industry. It caused a sensation when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival with its depiction of globetrotting consultants and corporations eager to appeal to the widest possible market. It also describes established wineries trying to hold onto traditions. Beth Accomando of member station KPBS reports.) If that gets too heavy there are other wine related stories at the same page.
Oddly enough the Daily Wine News section of eRobertParker.com is supplied by, yes that’s correct, Wine Business Online!
Wine Business Online has put up a link to the Open letter to Robert Parker and his readers from Jonathan Nossiter that was posted on the eRobertParker.com forum (see my post from yesterday for the link). Also included is a link to a comment on the same letter in the wine magazine Decanter. Decanter's take on the Nossiter letter? "The director of Mondovino has accused Robert Parker's partner Pierre-Antoine Rovani of cynicism, McCarthyism, Orwellianism and all-round bad faith in an 8-page open letter to Parker."
And another link is to the April 12th NPR segment on Mondovino. (The new documentary Mondovino turns the camera on the wine industry. It caused a sensation when it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival with its depiction of globetrotting consultants and corporations eager to appeal to the widest possible market. It also describes established wineries trying to hold onto traditions. Beth Accomando of member station KPBS reports.) If that gets too heavy there are other wine related stories at the same page.
Oddly enough the Daily Wine News section of eRobertParker.com is supplied by, yes that’s correct, Wine Business Online!
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
BlogShares
BlogShares is a fantasy stock market for weblogs. Players get to invest a fictional $500, and blogs are valued by incoming links.
What agreat idea! And what is even more exciting is that there is a maket in Wine Blogs. Shiraz ranks 20th out of the 116 blogs in the category. It seems like we have been subject to a profit play with our share price being built up by one player and then sold off on March 29th.
BlogShares is a fantasy stock market for weblogs. Players get to invest a fictional $500, and blogs are valued by incoming links.
What agreat idea! And what is even more exciting is that there is a maket in Wine Blogs. Shiraz ranks 20th out of the 116 blogs in the category. It seems like we have been subject to a profit play with our share price being built up by one player and then sold off on March 29th.
Open Letter
From: Jonathan Nossiter, director of Mondovino
To: Robert Parker and his readers
I've been reading a lot about the movie Mondovino, but I have to wait until May 20 before it gets to a theater in San Diego. While I wait I can read the letter to eBob from the director of the movie.
For balance here is the Pierre Rovani post that prompted Jonathan Nossiter's letter.
Mondovino, The Emperor of Wine, and replays of the Sideways DVD. 2005 looks like an exciting year. I hope I get to taste wines that are as varied!
From: Jonathan Nossiter, director of Mondovino
To: Robert Parker and his readers
I've been reading a lot about the movie Mondovino, but I have to wait until May 20 before it gets to a theater in San Diego. While I wait I can read the letter to eBob from the director of the movie.
For balance here is the Pierre Rovani post that prompted Jonathan Nossiter's letter.
Mondovino, The Emperor of Wine, and replays of the Sideways DVD. 2005 looks like an exciting year. I hope I get to taste wines that are as varied!
Murray - The Ultimate Nose
It was purchased from the winery and stored in my cellar under flawless conditions. It should have been hedonistic and mind-blowing. Instead it was corked beyond all recognition. I will never doubt Murray again.
It was purchased from the winery and stored in my cellar under flawless conditions. It should have been hedonistic and mind-blowing. Instead it was corked beyond all recognition. I will never doubt Murray again.
Monday, April 11, 2005
On Being Bounty Hunted
One of the things I try to avoid is unwanted mail. But if you subscribe to hardcopy or online magazines or vendors lists you always seem to end up getting more than you bargained for. I knew that was the case when I received in the mail a brown covered booklet describing itself as “The Continuing Adventures of Napa Valley’s BOUNTY HUNTER And His Relentless Quest for the Finest RARE WINE & PROVISIONS”. I don’t really know why I deserved this particular catalog. I’ve never heard of the Bounty Hunter!
The brown booklet I received was the Spring/Summer 2005 Catalog and the cover cried out for you to “Discover your own cult wine”® inside. The catalog does contain a small but international listing of wines. The problem is that those that I would be interested in purchasing (mainly Australian) can be obtained elsewhere for quite a few dollars less per bottle.
One of the things I try to avoid is unwanted mail. But if you subscribe to hardcopy or online magazines or vendors lists you always seem to end up getting more than you bargained for. I knew that was the case when I received in the mail a brown covered booklet describing itself as “The Continuing Adventures of Napa Valley’s BOUNTY HUNTER And His Relentless Quest for the Finest RARE WINE & PROVISIONS”. I don’t really know why I deserved this particular catalog. I’ve never heard of the Bounty Hunter!
The brown booklet I received was the Spring/Summer 2005 Catalog and the cover cried out for you to “Discover your own cult wine”® inside. The catalog does contain a small but international listing of wines. The problem is that those that I would be interested in purchasing (mainly Australian) can be obtained elsewhere for quite a few dollars less per bottle.
- Groom Barossa Shiraz 2003 $42.95 versus $34.99
- D'Arenberg 'Dead Arm' Shiraz 2002 $64.95 versus $53.99
- Cloudy Bay Chardonnay 2003 $29.95 versus $24.99
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Lagier Meredith Vineyards Syrah
After you have been instrumental in identifying the origins of some of the greatest old wine varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, and most recently Zinfandel what do you do for an encore? You help your significant other make wine! The Lagier Meredith Vineyards produce just Syrah. Their first commercial bottling was of the 1998 in 2000. A grand total of 78 cases. With a vineyard that is at 1,300 foot elevation and a wine making process that uses old French oak barrels there is heavy emphasis on making sure that the grapes provide a lot of the flavors. Production is limited, just 550 cases of the 2002, and most sales are via mailing list. They are definitely wines worth seeking out. My tasting notes for the 2001 and 2002 Lagier Meredith Syrahs are here.
A thread on eRobertParker.com has tasting notes on all vintages.
After you have been instrumental in identifying the origins of some of the greatest old wine varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Syrah, and most recently Zinfandel what do you do for an encore? You help your significant other make wine! The Lagier Meredith Vineyards produce just Syrah. Their first commercial bottling was of the 1998 in 2000. A grand total of 78 cases. With a vineyard that is at 1,300 foot elevation and a wine making process that uses old French oak barrels there is heavy emphasis on making sure that the grapes provide a lot of the flavors. Production is limited, just 550 cases of the 2002, and most sales are via mailing list. They are definitely wines worth seeking out. My tasting notes for the 2001 and 2002 Lagier Meredith Syrahs are here.
A thread on eRobertParker.com has tasting notes on all vintages.
Saltram Australian Wine Communicator Award
The inaugural award was made at a presentation dinner in Sydney, Australia on April 6th. And so we await the results with interest. Rumors have the winner as Campbell Mattinson of Winefront Monthly.
Developed by the Wine Press Club of NSW and sponsored by Saltram Wine Estate “The Saltram Australian Wine Communicator Award seeks to encourage excellence and innovation in Australian wine communication, recognizing high quality writing, the presentation of new ideas and well-argued positions assisting the development of the industry.”
The winner receives the Saltram Australian Wine Communicator Award Trophy, a $10,000 travel grant donated by Saltram Wine Estate to either California or Italy and $1000 spending money from the Wine Press Club of NSW. The trip will include a visit and tasting at either Beringer or Castello de Gabbiano winery.
The Saltram Wine Communicator Award for 2004 was open to a piece of work by an Australian author published or broadcast between 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004. For the purposes of this Award “a piece of work” was defined as a published piece of work on wine by one or more authors and could take the form of any of the following:
• Newspaper or magazine article in public or trade publications
• Web-sites
• E-newsletters
• Television and radio programs or segments
• Winery newsletters or publications produced by wine companies
The inaugural award was made at a presentation dinner in Sydney, Australia on April 6th. And so we await the results with interest. Rumors have the winner as Campbell Mattinson of Winefront Monthly.
Developed by the Wine Press Club of NSW and sponsored by Saltram Wine Estate “The Saltram Australian Wine Communicator Award seeks to encourage excellence and innovation in Australian wine communication, recognizing high quality writing, the presentation of new ideas and well-argued positions assisting the development of the industry.”
The winner receives the Saltram Australian Wine Communicator Award Trophy, a $10,000 travel grant donated by Saltram Wine Estate to either California or Italy and $1000 spending money from the Wine Press Club of NSW. The trip will include a visit and tasting at either Beringer or Castello de Gabbiano winery.
The Saltram Wine Communicator Award for 2004 was open to a piece of work by an Australian author published or broadcast between 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2004. For the purposes of this Award “a piece of work” was defined as a published piece of work on wine by one or more authors and could take the form of any of the following:
• Newspaper or magazine article in public or trade publications
• Web-sites
• E-newsletters
• Television and radio programs or segments
• Winery newsletters or publications produced by wine companies
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
On Bullshit
Harry G. Frankfurt a retired professor of philosophy at Princeton, has had a little essay he wrote in 1986 put into book form. The essay attempts to define bullshit, hence “On Bullshit”. Why publish this book now. Is bullshit more prevalent? Timothy Noah says yes, and thinks “The obvious answer is the communications revolution. Cable television and the Internet have created an unending demand for information, and there simply isn't enough truth to go around. So, we get bullshit instead.”
Its an interesting opinion. I wonder how much bullshit there is on the internet in relation to wine? Hmmm!
Need to hear what bullshit is? Here you go.
Harry G. Frankfurt a retired professor of philosophy at Princeton, has had a little essay he wrote in 1986 put into book form. The essay attempts to define bullshit, hence “On Bullshit”. Why publish this book now. Is bullshit more prevalent? Timothy Noah says yes, and thinks “The obvious answer is the communications revolution. Cable television and the Internet have created an unending demand for information, and there simply isn't enough truth to go around. So, we get bullshit instead.”
Its an interesting opinion. I wonder how much bullshit there is on the internet in relation to wine? Hmmm!
Need to hear what bullshit is? Here you go.
Monday, April 04, 2005
Whaaaaa....the!
I am busy with non-wine stuff, but I couldn't let this go by. A post on eBob has described yet another method of decanting to aerate wine. This method is completely new to me. It concerns a wine made by Merus Wines.
"If you open a bottle within the next 12 months: Counting six to eigth hours backwards from the time when you want to serve the 2002 Merus, decanter vigorously (we point the bottle directly upside down) into the decanter, and gently slosh the wine around. Using a funnel, put the wine back into the bottle. Place the wine back into the wine cellar (cork in or out makes no difference), and take out 90 minutes before serving."
I'm sure the winery has done extensive studies to arrive at this method and it is most probably wine specific so please don't try this with just any wine, please!
I am busy with non-wine stuff, but I couldn't let this go by. A post on eBob has described yet another method of decanting to aerate wine. This method is completely new to me. It concerns a wine made by Merus Wines.
"If you open a bottle within the next 12 months: Counting six to eigth hours backwards from the time when you want to serve the 2002 Merus, decanter vigorously (we point the bottle directly upside down) into the decanter, and gently slosh the wine around. Using a funnel, put the wine back into the bottle. Place the wine back into the wine cellar (cork in or out makes no difference), and take out 90 minutes before serving."
I'm sure the winery has done extensive studies to arrive at this method and it is most probably wine specific so please don't try this with just any wine, please!
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Wine Science News
Vinography: A Wine Blog has posted a link to the beta version of Wine Science News. Apparently a product of the wine magazine Decanter, it looks like an interesting addition to the world of wine with sections on viticulture, wine making, wine business and, of course, wine drinking!
Vinography: A Wine Blog has posted a link to the beta version of Wine Science News. Apparently a product of the wine magazine Decanter, it looks like an interesting addition to the world of wine with sections on viticulture, wine making, wine business and, of course, wine drinking!
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
More than a Sideways Glance at Santa Barbara
Eric Anderson of Grape-Nutz.com has put up his tasting notes for his Santa Barbara Futures Tasting. Unfortunately he did not get to taste all the wines, including some I would have liked to have heard more about. But it appears that he did taste some special wines, some very limited production wines, and even a Merlot! ............"Hey Miles, you hear that? Put the bucket down Miles. Here's your pill. That's a good boy!"
Eric Anderson of Grape-Nutz.com has put up his tasting notes for his Santa Barbara Futures Tasting. Unfortunately he did not get to taste all the wines, including some I would have liked to have heard more about. But it appears that he did taste some special wines, some very limited production wines, and even a Merlot! ............"Hey Miles, you hear that? Put the bucket down Miles. Here's your pill. That's a good boy!"
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Michael Broadbent Interview
Neal Martin of Wine-Journal.com has interviewed Michael Broadbent MW. Click here to link to the interview. Its definitely worth a read, especially for his comments on Len Evans and Robert Parker, Jr.
Neal Martin of Wine-Journal.com has interviewed Michael Broadbent MW. Click here to link to the interview. Its definitely worth a read, especially for his comments on Len Evans and Robert Parker, Jr.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
Letting the Sediment Settle
I don’t know about you but after more than a week of posts on decanting and a lot of hours looking for hard evidence that it does anything besides remove sediment I’ve come up pretty empty.
However there are still some issues that need to be discussed about decanting and so after a few responsibilities in the real world have been completed I will return and finish my thoughts on this subject.
I don’t know about you but after more than a week of posts on decanting and a lot of hours looking for hard evidence that it does anything besides remove sediment I’ve come up pretty empty.
However there are still some issues that need to be discussed about decanting and so after a few responsibilities in the real world have been completed I will return and finish my thoughts on this subject.
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Decanting - Day 8
A couple of days ago I provided links to various internet sites under the guise of a search for “well documented, peer reviewed, evidence on the virtues of decanting”. Nothing could, of course, be further from the truth. While the internet does pretty much cover the known universe, the links and quotes given provide little more than anecdote and personal opinion.
There are other more appropriate databases to search for studies that have been done on the effects that decanting (i.e. aeration) may have on wine. They include Ovid Technologies, Inc. which I can access at work. And should be accessible at any university library. It includes (among others) Biological Abstracts (Indexes life science research reported in nearly 5,500 journals. Coverage is international and includes biological and medical research findings, clinical studies, discoveries of new organisms, biotechnology, pharmacology and botany.) which goes back to 1980, and Agricola (Index to materials acquired by the National Agricultural Library and cooperating institutions. Includes journal articles, monographs, series, and materials in many non-print formats covering a broad range of agricultural topics. 1970-1985 international in scope. 1985+ focuses on U.S. related publications.) which goes back to about 1979.
Searching a number of literature data bases I’ve come up with, how can I put this politely, less than might be expected given the opinions that are voiced on this topic. There is this one paper.
Avakyants, SP. Changes in bouquet substances during wine aeration. Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii Pishchevaya Tekhnologiya (1). (1972) 95-98.
No, I did not make this citation up. Now its possible that so few papers were identified because the searches did not go back far enough in time. Certainly no work from Peynaud was identified; his book was first published in 1980. But sensory evaluation of taste is a growing field and it includes wine. Just do a search of PubMed to see what I mean. Whoa, “decanting, wine” gives some hits! Scientific American: How does decanting red wine affect its taste? And why is it suggested for red wine, but not white?
A couple of days ago I provided links to various internet sites under the guise of a search for “well documented, peer reviewed, evidence on the virtues of decanting”. Nothing could, of course, be further from the truth. While the internet does pretty much cover the known universe, the links and quotes given provide little more than anecdote and personal opinion.
There are other more appropriate databases to search for studies that have been done on the effects that decanting (i.e. aeration) may have on wine. They include Ovid Technologies, Inc. which I can access at work. And should be accessible at any university library. It includes (among others) Biological Abstracts (Indexes life science research reported in nearly 5,500 journals. Coverage is international and includes biological and medical research findings, clinical studies, discoveries of new organisms, biotechnology, pharmacology and botany.) which goes back to 1980, and Agricola (Index to materials acquired by the National Agricultural Library and cooperating institutions. Includes journal articles, monographs, series, and materials in many non-print formats covering a broad range of agricultural topics. 1970-1985 international in scope. 1985+ focuses on U.S. related publications.) which goes back to about 1979.
Searching a number of literature data bases I’ve come up with, how can I put this politely, less than might be expected given the opinions that are voiced on this topic. There is this one paper.
Avakyants, SP. Changes in bouquet substances during wine aeration. Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii Pishchevaya Tekhnologiya (1). (1972) 95-98.
No, I did not make this citation up. Now its possible that so few papers were identified because the searches did not go back far enough in time. Certainly no work from Peynaud was identified; his book was first published in 1980. But sensory evaluation of taste is a growing field and it includes wine. Just do a search of PubMed to see what I mean. Whoa, “decanting, wine” gives some hits! Scientific American: How does decanting red wine affect its taste? And why is it suggested for red wine, but not white?
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Ethics in Vinous Cyberspace
There have been several posts recently about what constitutes ethics in wine blogs. See here and here for examples. Forums and bulletin boards are also prone to abuse, none more so than the most popular of all, eRobertParker. Apparently a distributor of Australian wines has been praising certain products and criticizing others. This is just not cricket! The offender has been banned, and apparently identified. Have a read and see if you think the correct action was taken!
There have been several posts recently about what constitutes ethics in wine blogs. See here and here for examples. Forums and bulletin boards are also prone to abuse, none more so than the most popular of all, eRobertParker. Apparently a distributor of Australian wines has been praising certain products and criticizing others. This is just not cricket! The offender has been banned, and apparently identified. Have a read and see if you think the correct action was taken!
Wine and Philosophy
We interrupt our regular programming to bring you notification of the BBC radio show The Wine Programme. Philosopher and wine columnist Professor Roger Scruton has been interviewed on his thoughts on wine, philosophy and terroir. The show aired on March 21, 2005 and the tape can be replayed.
You might remember that Scruton is the fellow who said "Australia is a big problem. It is a landscape that has been dragged from hunter-gatherer to farmer in 200 years." Australians have generally not, therefore, "built into their wine 'le gout de terroir'", choosing instead to make wines at 14.5% alcohol, and to brand them for sale in "the moron market" at "Wine and Philosophy" Conference at the University of London. More in a post here.
On the BBC show Scruton waxes lyrical about terroir, prayer, and needing a soul to commune with wine. If I understand him correctly he's describing what we used to call in the old days "getting a buzz". We used to get all philosophical at that stage too!
We interrupt our regular programming to bring you notification of the BBC radio show The Wine Programme. Philosopher and wine columnist Professor Roger Scruton has been interviewed on his thoughts on wine, philosophy and terroir. The show aired on March 21, 2005 and the tape can be replayed.
You might remember that Scruton is the fellow who said "Australia is a big problem. It is a landscape that has been dragged from hunter-gatherer to farmer in 200 years." Australians have generally not, therefore, "built into their wine 'le gout de terroir'", choosing instead to make wines at 14.5% alcohol, and to brand them for sale in "the moron market" at "Wine and Philosophy" Conference at the University of London. More in a post here.
On the BBC show Scruton waxes lyrical about terroir, prayer, and needing a soul to commune with wine. If I understand him correctly he's describing what we used to call in the old days "getting a buzz". We used to get all philosophical at that stage too!
Decanting - Day 7
I can’t help myself. Just one more gem from the Google search of “decanting, wine” before we begin to get serious about seeing if anything is actually known about what decanting actually does to wine.
From DamnGoodWine.com
“In addition to splashing, I personally 'pour violently' into the bottle, sometimes talking to the bottle in an aggressive tone. I think it helps. This method is for opening up the bouquet in a younger wine.”
Dionysus and Bacchus have always provided the possibility of gratuitous sex along with worship of the fruits of the vine, and now we have an excuse for gratuitous violence – decanting!
I can’t help myself. Just one more gem from the Google search of “decanting, wine” before we begin to get serious about seeing if anything is actually known about what decanting actually does to wine.
From DamnGoodWine.com
“In addition to splashing, I personally 'pour violently' into the bottle, sometimes talking to the bottle in an aggressive tone. I think it helps. This method is for opening up the bouquet in a younger wine.”
Dionysus and Bacchus have always provided the possibility of gratuitous sex along with worship of the fruits of the vine, and now we have an excuse for gratuitous violence – decanting!
Monday, March 21, 2005
Decanting - Day 6
OK, let’s serious about finding some really well documented, peer reviewed, evidence on the virtues of decanting. What does a Google search of “decanting, wine” reveal? Here is a sampling.
From The Winedoctor.com
“Young wines also benefit from decanting, although the aim is not to take the wine off its sediment (there is rarely any such sediment in young wines), but rather to aerate the wine. The action of decanting itself, and the large surface area in contact with the air in the decanter, alters the wine, softening its youthful bite and encouraging the development of more complex aromas that normally develop with years in bottle. For this reason even inexpensive wines plucked from the shelves of the local supermarket can benefit from decanting, if a first taste reveals a tannic, grippy, youthful structure.”
From RobertMondavi.com
“Decanting is great for young red wines
Young red wines with strong tannins that almost chewy, woody, astringent taste greatly benefit from decanting. As the wine is poured into the decanter and left to sit for thirty minutes or so, oxygen soften tannins and pushes the fruit forward to intensify the bouquet and delight the palate.”
From DamnGoodWine.com
“So, to sum it up – you can decant whenever you want and whatever you want. People will say that only older red wines with sediment need to be decanted, but decanting a younger red will open it up too and you may decide to decant a white wine just because you like the way it looks on the table. There are really no rules here. For us – we decant red wines, pouring the younger ones with vigor into the decanter, and pouring the older ones with a gentle touch to separate the sediment from the rest of the wine. We let it breath for 10 minutes or so (if I can handle waiting that long on that particular day) and then fill up the glasses. We don’t ever put it back into the bottle though – we drink it!”
From Wine on The Web.com
“As a rule of thumb most red wines will benefit from breathing, but it only applies to white wines that have had 12 or more months aging. If you don't have a proper decanter just use a large water jug. The aim is to expose the maximum possible surface to the air, in order to help open up the fruit flavors and develop the wine's true character.
If a wine has spent up to 12 months in small oak barrels allow one hour; if it has spent 24 months allow 2 hours and for 36 months, allow 3 hours. If there is sediment use a port filter to decant. If you don't have a port filter then use a coffee filter instead.”
From Steamer Trunk Merchants.com
“White wines can be consumed almost instantly. There are exceptions—full bodied white Burgundies, and Bordeaux, as well as the best Alsatian whites do nicely with a little breathing spell. Ports are in a class by themselves and can benefit by several hours of decanting. Decanting is particularly good for young and tannic red wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, most Zinfandels, Bordeaux, Rhone Valley wines and many Italian wines fall into this category. Tannin is a substance found in wine skins and as red wines are fermented in their skins, a slight bitterness can cling to the palate upon tasting. Aeration softens the tannins and improves the overall taste considerably. The rule of thumb is usually an hour.”
OK, let’s serious about finding some really well documented, peer reviewed, evidence on the virtues of decanting. What does a Google search of “decanting, wine” reveal? Here is a sampling.
From The Winedoctor.com
“Young wines also benefit from decanting, although the aim is not to take the wine off its sediment (there is rarely any such sediment in young wines), but rather to aerate the wine. The action of decanting itself, and the large surface area in contact with the air in the decanter, alters the wine, softening its youthful bite and encouraging the development of more complex aromas that normally develop with years in bottle. For this reason even inexpensive wines plucked from the shelves of the local supermarket can benefit from decanting, if a first taste reveals a tannic, grippy, youthful structure.”
From RobertMondavi.com
“Decanting is great for young red wines
Young red wines with strong tannins that almost chewy, woody, astringent taste greatly benefit from decanting. As the wine is poured into the decanter and left to sit for thirty minutes or so, oxygen soften tannins and pushes the fruit forward to intensify the bouquet and delight the palate.”
From DamnGoodWine.com
“So, to sum it up – you can decant whenever you want and whatever you want. People will say that only older red wines with sediment need to be decanted, but decanting a younger red will open it up too and you may decide to decant a white wine just because you like the way it looks on the table. There are really no rules here. For us – we decant red wines, pouring the younger ones with vigor into the decanter, and pouring the older ones with a gentle touch to separate the sediment from the rest of the wine. We let it breath for 10 minutes or so (if I can handle waiting that long on that particular day) and then fill up the glasses. We don’t ever put it back into the bottle though – we drink it!”
From Wine on The Web.com
“As a rule of thumb most red wines will benefit from breathing, but it only applies to white wines that have had 12 or more months aging. If you don't have a proper decanter just use a large water jug. The aim is to expose the maximum possible surface to the air, in order to help open up the fruit flavors and develop the wine's true character.
If a wine has spent up to 12 months in small oak barrels allow one hour; if it has spent 24 months allow 2 hours and for 36 months, allow 3 hours. If there is sediment use a port filter to decant. If you don't have a port filter then use a coffee filter instead.”
From Steamer Trunk Merchants.com
“White wines can be consumed almost instantly. There are exceptions—full bodied white Burgundies, and Bordeaux, as well as the best Alsatian whites do nicely with a little breathing spell. Ports are in a class by themselves and can benefit by several hours of decanting. Decanting is particularly good for young and tannic red wines. Cabernet Sauvignon, most Zinfandels, Bordeaux, Rhone Valley wines and many Italian wines fall into this category. Tannin is a substance found in wine skins and as red wines are fermented in their skins, a slight bitterness can cling to the palate upon tasting. Aeration softens the tannins and improves the overall taste considerably. The rule of thumb is usually an hour.”
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Decanting - Day 5
We have seen what one Master of Wine (MW) has to say about decanting. How about one more? Michael Broadbent devotes almost fives pages to decanting in his book Wine Tasting (my copy is the 1989 Simon and Schuster Reprint). Here is a sampling of what he has to say.
“More fatuous argument has been stimulated by this side issue than almost any other.”
"The second, and in my opinion far less important, reason for decanting is to aerate the wine. It is in this area that there is a great deal of muddled thinking……”
“By general consensus, young wines can take, possible need, plenty of breathing time older wines less, very old wines scarcely any – just extract the cork and decant carefully. If it were only as simple as that.”
“How many times has one been told, and occasionally discovered accidentally, that a young red wine seems softer and better on the palate the next day?”
“It is my considered opinion that no noticeable oxidation occurs for a very considerable period after the cork is drawn, and, surprisingly little change occurs in the decanter. The main development takes place in the glass. The greater the wine, the more revealing and complex the bouquet and the longer it and the flavour will last.”
"My final advice on “air” is: be bold, and try decanting well in advance. Above all, with a really fine wine (and this applies as much to a top-class white burgundy as to claret) give the wine a chance to blossom in the glass: sip it, make it last, revel in its marvelous development.”
I certainly hope later editions of this otherwise excellent little book are less confusing. First we are told that he thinks that “little change occurs in the decanter” but then “be bold, and try decanting well in advance”. Maybe he has a lot of really pretty decanters that he likes to boldly show off?
We have seen what one Master of Wine (MW) has to say about decanting. How about one more? Michael Broadbent devotes almost fives pages to decanting in his book Wine Tasting (my copy is the 1989 Simon and Schuster Reprint). Here is a sampling of what he has to say.
“More fatuous argument has been stimulated by this side issue than almost any other.”
"The second, and in my opinion far less important, reason for decanting is to aerate the wine. It is in this area that there is a great deal of muddled thinking……”
“By general consensus, young wines can take, possible need, plenty of breathing time older wines less, very old wines scarcely any – just extract the cork and decant carefully. If it were only as simple as that.”
“How many times has one been told, and occasionally discovered accidentally, that a young red wine seems softer and better on the palate the next day?”
“It is my considered opinion that no noticeable oxidation occurs for a very considerable period after the cork is drawn, and, surprisingly little change occurs in the decanter. The main development takes place in the glass. The greater the wine, the more revealing and complex the bouquet and the longer it and the flavour will last.”
"My final advice on “air” is: be bold, and try decanting well in advance. Above all, with a really fine wine (and this applies as much to a top-class white burgundy as to claret) give the wine a chance to blossom in the glass: sip it, make it last, revel in its marvelous development.”
I certainly hope later editions of this otherwise excellent little book are less confusing. First we are told that he thinks that “little change occurs in the decanter” but then “be bold, and try decanting well in advance”. Maybe he has a lot of really pretty decanters that he likes to boldly show off?
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Decanting - Day 4
Is the view on decanting expressed in The Oxford Companion to Wine the personal opinion of Jancis Robinson? Here are some of her comments on the subject from How to Taste (revised edition published in 2000).
“For a long time it has been thought that the process of aging in wine was simply one of slow oxidation, that small amounts of air either already present in the sealed bottle or entering through the cork, gradually react with the wine to make it develop into something more complex and ramified. It was thought therefore that if you poured a bottle of wine into another container such as a decanter, you would aerate it and somehow telescope the aging process into just a few minutes by putting the wine into contact with a lot of air. The bouquet would be fanned into life by all this oxygen. This view is still widely held, but the results of comparative tastings of samples of the same wines opened and decanted at varying intervals before tasting have been suspiciously inconclusive. Furthermore, some authorities argue that the effects of aeration can only be harmful; that by exposing a delicate bouquet to air you may make it evanesce, and that the interesting reactions between oxygen and wine are too complicated to be speeded up. All that can happen, they argue, is that the wine starts to oxidize too fast, and therefore it begins to deteriorate.”
She goes on to say “It is true that the potential disadvantage of dissipating the bouquet of a wine by decanting it or allowing a half-full bottle to stand open for a while can sometimes be an advantage. Some wines, full-bodied reds particularly, can be too intensely flavored when young. Rather than gaining extra flavors, the decanter allows them to lose some of their aggressive youth and mellow into a more palatable, if more vapid, middle age. This is especially true of some rich reds from California, Australia, Italy, the Lebanon, and the odd rustic wine from Spain and the Rhône.”
Hmmm, there is nothing like a nice vapid red wine!
One thing Ms Robinson does do in “How to Taste” is suggest a variation of the Peynaud anecdote. All you need is three bottles of the same wine. Open and decant one bottle three hours before tasting, decant another one hour before tasting, and open the third immediately before tasting. Have each wine poured for you so that you do not know how long they have been exposed to air and then do a comparative tasting. Does decanting make a difference?
Is the view on decanting expressed in The Oxford Companion to Wine the personal opinion of Jancis Robinson? Here are some of her comments on the subject from How to Taste (revised edition published in 2000).
“For a long time it has been thought that the process of aging in wine was simply one of slow oxidation, that small amounts of air either already present in the sealed bottle or entering through the cork, gradually react with the wine to make it develop into something more complex and ramified. It was thought therefore that if you poured a bottle of wine into another container such as a decanter, you would aerate it and somehow telescope the aging process into just a few minutes by putting the wine into contact with a lot of air. The bouquet would be fanned into life by all this oxygen. This view is still widely held, but the results of comparative tastings of samples of the same wines opened and decanted at varying intervals before tasting have been suspiciously inconclusive. Furthermore, some authorities argue that the effects of aeration can only be harmful; that by exposing a delicate bouquet to air you may make it evanesce, and that the interesting reactions between oxygen and wine are too complicated to be speeded up. All that can happen, they argue, is that the wine starts to oxidize too fast, and therefore it begins to deteriorate.”
She goes on to say “It is true that the potential disadvantage of dissipating the bouquet of a wine by decanting it or allowing a half-full bottle to stand open for a while can sometimes be an advantage. Some wines, full-bodied reds particularly, can be too intensely flavored when young. Rather than gaining extra flavors, the decanter allows them to lose some of their aggressive youth and mellow into a more palatable, if more vapid, middle age. This is especially true of some rich reds from California, Australia, Italy, the Lebanon, and the odd rustic wine from Spain and the Rhône.”
Hmmm, there is nothing like a nice vapid red wine!
One thing Ms Robinson does do in “How to Taste” is suggest a variation of the Peynaud anecdote. All you need is three bottles of the same wine. Open and decant one bottle three hours before tasting, decant another one hour before tasting, and open the third immediately before tasting. Have each wine poured for you so that you do not know how long they have been exposed to air and then do a comparative tasting. Does decanting make a difference?
Friday, March 18, 2005
Decanting - Day 3
My Wine Page-a-Day Calendar poses this question for March 18th:
Q: Which two wines would most benefit from decanting?
A. a 4-year-old Australian shiraz
B. a 20-year-old tawny Port
C. a 2-year-old Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon
D. a 20-year-old vintage Port
A: C and D. Decanting is done for two reasons: to pour older wines off their sediment and to help tight and tannic young wines open up. Because a two-year-old Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon is sure to have a hefty dose of tannin, it will undoubtedly benefit from spending some time in a decanter. And vintage Port is a powerful fortified wine. It will have a fair amount of sediment and should certainly be decanted.
Hmmm, someone else who believes that aeration will reduce the perception of tannin in a wine. Interesting!
My Wine Page-a-Day Calendar poses this question for March 18th:
Q: Which two wines would most benefit from decanting?
A. a 4-year-old Australian shiraz
B. a 20-year-old tawny Port
C. a 2-year-old Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon
D. a 20-year-old vintage Port
A: C and D. Decanting is done for two reasons: to pour older wines off their sediment and to help tight and tannic young wines open up. Because a two-year-old Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon is sure to have a hefty dose of tannin, it will undoubtedly benefit from spending some time in a decanter. And vintage Port is a powerful fortified wine. It will have a fair amount of sediment and should certainly be decanted.
Hmmm, someone else who believes that aeration will reduce the perception of tannin in a wine. Interesting!
WINE BLOG "MASTI AWARDS"
I have to interrupt the Decanting series to announce some late breaking news. Shiraz has won its first award from the blogosphere. Tom Wark of FERMENTATIONS has announced the first annual WINE BLOG "MASTI AWARDS" for Masthead Excellence. Shiraz won for Best Minimalist Approach to Masthead Creation. The blog received this accolade because “Most wine bloggers are so excited to offer up our expertise to a waiting readership, as well as being pretty darn lazy, that we generally just toss up any old masthead on our blog that the service offers and then jump into the writing. Shiraz's masthead takes this cache of Lazy that defines wine bloggers and take it to a minimalist height.”
What can I say? Well first I’d like to thank Blogger for providing the template that allowed me to carefully craft the word Shiraz into the masthead. And…….. well, really that was it. But I’d like to thank Tom for recognizing that Shiraz does take a simple approach to Blog formatting. I’d like Shiraz to be fancy and eye-catching, and maybe when it grows up and moves to something like TypePad it will be. But maybe if it stays this way Shiraz can be a multiple winner of the Best Minimalist Approach to Masthead Creation award!
I have to interrupt the Decanting series to announce some late breaking news. Shiraz has won its first award from the blogosphere. Tom Wark of FERMENTATIONS has announced the first annual WINE BLOG "MASTI AWARDS" for Masthead Excellence. Shiraz won for Best Minimalist Approach to Masthead Creation. The blog received this accolade because “Most wine bloggers are so excited to offer up our expertise to a waiting readership, as well as being pretty darn lazy, that we generally just toss up any old masthead on our blog that the service offers and then jump into the writing. Shiraz's masthead takes this cache of Lazy that defines wine bloggers and take it to a minimalist height.”
What can I say? Well first I’d like to thank Blogger for providing the template that allowed me to carefully craft the word Shiraz into the masthead. And…….. well, really that was it. But I’d like to thank Tom for recognizing that Shiraz does take a simple approach to Blog formatting. I’d like Shiraz to be fancy and eye-catching, and maybe when it grows up and moves to something like TypePad it will be. But maybe if it stays this way Shiraz can be a multiple winner of the Best Minimalist Approach to Masthead Creation award!
Thursday, March 17, 2005
Decanting - Day 2
Described in The Oxford Companion to Wine (2nd Edition, Edited by Jancis Robinson, 1999) as an “optional and controversial step in serving wine, involving pouring wine out of its bottle into another container called a decanter.” The reasons given for decanting are to remove sediment, to aerate wine, and practical aspects of putting wine on the table before rather than during a meal, and showing off your fancy decanter. Again that name Peynaud comes up in the discussion on decanting as a way to provide air to a wine. The comment is essentially as stated by Peynaud in his book. The rebuttal? “However there are certain types of wines, Barolo most obviously, which may not have been included in Professor Peynaud’s experiments with decanting regimes, which can be so concentrated and tannic in youth that to lose some of their initial sensory impressions is a positive benefit.” Hmmm, the Barolos I tasted recently had several hours in glass before we tasted them, still seemed awfully tannic to me. They must have been absolute monsters out of the bottle! And I love how all of those experiments of Peynaud's are dismissed with a simple "may not".
Described in The Oxford Companion to Wine (2nd Edition, Edited by Jancis Robinson, 1999) as an “optional and controversial step in serving wine, involving pouring wine out of its bottle into another container called a decanter.” The reasons given for decanting are to remove sediment, to aerate wine, and practical aspects of putting wine on the table before rather than during a meal, and showing off your fancy decanter. Again that name Peynaud comes up in the discussion on decanting as a way to provide air to a wine. The comment is essentially as stated by Peynaud in his book. The rebuttal? “However there are certain types of wines, Barolo most obviously, which may not have been included in Professor Peynaud’s experiments with decanting regimes, which can be so concentrated and tannic in youth that to lose some of their initial sensory impressions is a positive benefit.” Hmmm, the Barolos I tasted recently had several hours in glass before we tasted them, still seemed awfully tannic to me. They must have been absolute monsters out of the bottle! And I love how all of those experiments of Peynaud's are dismissed with a simple "may not".
Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Decanting
As I recover from my surgery a little bit of idle reading has me rediscovering the following quotations.
“Only bottles which have a deposit need to be decanted.”
“If it is necessary to decant, it should be done at the last moment, just before sitting down or just before serving, never in advance.”
“Only wines suffering from some fault (for example, a lack of cleanness on the nose, the presence of some gas, a little thinness in constitution) warrant decanting sufficiently in advance to allow for plenty of contact with air.”
Who said this? The same person who wrote “I have carried out dozens of controlled decanting experiments on wines of all ages and all origins. The wines were either handled under inert gas so as to avoid any influence from oxygen, or, alternatively, I varied the amount of dissolved oxygen and the length of contact with air.” Hmmm, that might just qualify him as someone who knows more about decanting wine than most. Who is he? The author is the late Emile Peynaud and the quotes are from his book “The Taste of Wine”. Peynaud first published his book in 1980 and then published a revised second edition (from which I have quoted) in 1996.
Now all of us know that wine will evolve and change over time. Just let wine sit in your glass for 15-30 minutes and it will change in aroma, longer, say several hours, and the actual feel of the wine in your mouth may change. I experienced this recently with Penfold's 2002 Bin 389. Well wine is a living thing. Isn’t it? I read a bit more of Peynaud. He related an anecdote. A 1962 Médoc Cru had been decanted “almost four hours” before lunch. During the lunch “everyone praised the virtues of letting wines breathe”, except Peynaud. He asked that unopened bottles of the same wine be opened and a comparison be made. “The strong, estery bouquet of the undecanted wine filled the glasses with a floral, truffle-like refinement, while the other appeared totally faded by comparison. On the palate the undecanted wine was livelier, fresher, less thick but also less fleshy. Everyone agreed that decanting had made the wine lose finesse and elegance though it had made it seem fuller. It had made a lively and refined wine seem rather common and lackluster.”
I wonder if this experiment has ever been tried with recent vintages of Aussie shiraz?
As I recover from my surgery a little bit of idle reading has me rediscovering the following quotations.
“Only bottles which have a deposit need to be decanted.”
“If it is necessary to decant, it should be done at the last moment, just before sitting down or just before serving, never in advance.”
“Only wines suffering from some fault (for example, a lack of cleanness on the nose, the presence of some gas, a little thinness in constitution) warrant decanting sufficiently in advance to allow for plenty of contact with air.”
Who said this? The same person who wrote “I have carried out dozens of controlled decanting experiments on wines of all ages and all origins. The wines were either handled under inert gas so as to avoid any influence from oxygen, or, alternatively, I varied the amount of dissolved oxygen and the length of contact with air.” Hmmm, that might just qualify him as someone who knows more about decanting wine than most. Who is he? The author is the late Emile Peynaud and the quotes are from his book “The Taste of Wine”. Peynaud first published his book in 1980 and then published a revised second edition (from which I have quoted) in 1996.
Now all of us know that wine will evolve and change over time. Just let wine sit in your glass for 15-30 minutes and it will change in aroma, longer, say several hours, and the actual feel of the wine in your mouth may change. I experienced this recently with Penfold's 2002 Bin 389. Well wine is a living thing. Isn’t it? I read a bit more of Peynaud. He related an anecdote. A 1962 Médoc Cru had been decanted “almost four hours” before lunch. During the lunch “everyone praised the virtues of letting wines breathe”, except Peynaud. He asked that unopened bottles of the same wine be opened and a comparison be made. “The strong, estery bouquet of the undecanted wine filled the glasses with a floral, truffle-like refinement, while the other appeared totally faded by comparison. On the palate the undecanted wine was livelier, fresher, less thick but also less fleshy. Everyone agreed that decanting had made the wine lose finesse and elegance though it had made it seem fuller. It had made a lively and refined wine seem rather common and lackluster.”
I wonder if this experiment has ever been tried with recent vintages of Aussie shiraz?
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Leaving a Bitter Taste
I'm supposed to be resting after surgery. But a visit to the doctor to make sure that all is going as planned and that nothing is in danger of falling off (even though the color due to bruising is highly suggestive of exactly that scenerio) has me dropping into the lab to see what's on the slab. Among the pile is the March 10th issue of the science journal Nature with a letter entitled "The receptors and coding logic for bitter taste" by KEN L. MUELLER, MARK A. HOON, ISOLDE ERLENBACH, JAYARAM CHANDRASHEKAR, CHARLES S. ZUKER & NICHOLAS J. P. RYBA. Nature 434, 225–229, (2005)
The synopsis provided is as follows: Almost every naturally occurring toxin tastes bitter, so the ability to detect bitterness is vital to animals as a means of avoiding poisonous substances. The T2R family of receptors, found on the tongue and palate epithelium, are implicated in bitter taste sensing. A combination of genetic, behavioural and physiological studies now confirms that T2R receptors are necessary and sufficient for the detection and perception of bitter compounds. Intriguingly the system can be subverted: bitter can be the new sweet. Mice engineered to express a bitter taste receptor in what are normally 'sweet' cells display strong attraction to this family of bitter compounds. So the 'taste' of a sweet or a bitter compound is a reflection of how the specific receptors are wired, rather than a property of the receptors or even of the tasted molecules themselves.
So it is true that an aversion to bitter is a good thing, but if you actually do like bitterness then maybe, just maybe, your sweet/bitter receptors have been mixed up!
I'm supposed to be resting after surgery. But a visit to the doctor to make sure that all is going as planned and that nothing is in danger of falling off (even though the color due to bruising is highly suggestive of exactly that scenerio) has me dropping into the lab to see what's on the slab. Among the pile is the March 10th issue of the science journal Nature with a letter entitled "The receptors and coding logic for bitter taste" by KEN L. MUELLER, MARK A. HOON, ISOLDE ERLENBACH, JAYARAM CHANDRASHEKAR, CHARLES S. ZUKER & NICHOLAS J. P. RYBA. Nature 434, 225–229, (2005)
The synopsis provided is as follows: Almost every naturally occurring toxin tastes bitter, so the ability to detect bitterness is vital to animals as a means of avoiding poisonous substances. The T2R family of receptors, found on the tongue and palate epithelium, are implicated in bitter taste sensing. A combination of genetic, behavioural and physiological studies now confirms that T2R receptors are necessary and sufficient for the detection and perception of bitter compounds. Intriguingly the system can be subverted: bitter can be the new sweet. Mice engineered to express a bitter taste receptor in what are normally 'sweet' cells display strong attraction to this family of bitter compounds. So the 'taste' of a sweet or a bitter compound is a reflection of how the specific receptors are wired, rather than a property of the receptors or even of the tasted molecules themselves.
So it is true that an aversion to bitter is a good thing, but if you actually do like bitterness then maybe, just maybe, your sweet/bitter receptors have been mixed up!
The Best Wine Value In The World
They call Australia "the lucky country". There are a number of reasons for this. Tom Wark of the wine blog FERMENTATIONS has discovered one. Australian fortified wines! If you are an Australian over 55-60 years of age you know about these wines because they were what your parents and grandparents drank when you were a kid. OK, maybe Grandma drank mostly cheap cream sherry, but muscats, tawny ports and tokays have been part of the Australia wine scene for many, many years. Today some of the old names still exist, but more importantly not so old names, like Dutschke, try to continue the tradition. These are not easy wines to make. Base material must be established and added to over a period of years. But still only small amounts of wine are bottled each year. If you find some, especially Muscat, from names like Buller, Chambers, Dutschke, Morris, Seppelt, Yalumba , then buy a bottle. When you get it home pour a small glass, take a seat in nice big comfortable chair and swirl, sniff and sip your way to the lucky country. Pair it with some walnuts and dark chocolate.
They call Australia "the lucky country". There are a number of reasons for this. Tom Wark of the wine blog FERMENTATIONS has discovered one. Australian fortified wines! If you are an Australian over 55-60 years of age you know about these wines because they were what your parents and grandparents drank when you were a kid. OK, maybe Grandma drank mostly cheap cream sherry, but muscats, tawny ports and tokays have been part of the Australia wine scene for many, many years. Today some of the old names still exist, but more importantly not so old names, like Dutschke, try to continue the tradition. These are not easy wines to make. Base material must be established and added to over a period of years. But still only small amounts of wine are bottled each year. If you find some, especially Muscat, from names like Buller, Chambers, Dutschke, Morris, Seppelt, Yalumba , then buy a bottle. When you get it home pour a small glass, take a seat in nice big comfortable chair and swirl, sniff and sip your way to the lucky country. Pair it with some walnuts and dark chocolate.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Amazon Taking Orders for the Sideways DVD
Amazon is listing the Sideways DVD for release on April 5th, and they are taking orders as you read this. Better get that order in now! Both widescreen and full screen editions will be available.
Amazon is listing the Sideways DVD for release on April 5th, and they are taking orders as you read this. Better get that order in now! Both widescreen and full screen editions will be available.
A Little Bruised
Due to minor surgery late last week I will be pausing to reflect upon the many varied hues of color to the bruising that has followed the procedure. Who knows, with a bit of luck reflection upon the various shades of blue and purple may improve my description of the color of wine. I should be back to add to the Tasting Notes eBlog with a tasting of Aussie Shiraz around the 17th.
Due to minor surgery late last week I will be pausing to reflect upon the many varied hues of color to the bruising that has followed the procedure. Who knows, with a bit of luck reflection upon the various shades of blue and purple may improve my description of the color of wine. I should be back to add to the Tasting Notes eBlog with a tasting of Aussie Shiraz around the 17th.
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
2005 Vintage a Delight to Behold
Well in Pokolbin, anyway. Pokolbin? Where the hell is that? That's what wine blogs are for, to help with all these little details. Of course, you could just Google it! Pokolbin is in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. The Hunter Valley is one of the oldest vineyard regions in Australia. Well known to Aussies, it really gets very little press outside the country. But one thing is for sure if the McWilliams Mt Pleasant Shiraz for 2005 are top wines then get some. We are talking, in particular, about the Maurice O'Shea Shiraz. The latest release is the 2000. Don't say you were not blogged in a timely manner.
In fact get a bottle or two of whatever you can get of the Mt Pleasant wines as, apart from being excellent, they are a little bit of Aussie wine history. As Langton's describes them in their Leading Australian Cult Wines page Maurice O'Shea is often regarded as the father of the Australian table wine industry. His wines (1921 to 1956) were remarkably good, begging the question why the Hunter Valley has not achieved its early promise in the market. I recommend the Maurice O'Shea Shiraz and the Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon.
Well in Pokolbin, anyway. Pokolbin? Where the hell is that? That's what wine blogs are for, to help with all these little details. Of course, you could just Google it! Pokolbin is in the Hunter Valley in New South Wales, Australia. The Hunter Valley is one of the oldest vineyard regions in Australia. Well known to Aussies, it really gets very little press outside the country. But one thing is for sure if the McWilliams Mt Pleasant Shiraz for 2005 are top wines then get some. We are talking, in particular, about the Maurice O'Shea Shiraz. The latest release is the 2000. Don't say you were not blogged in a timely manner.
In fact get a bottle or two of whatever you can get of the Mt Pleasant wines as, apart from being excellent, they are a little bit of Aussie wine history. As Langton's describes them in their Leading Australian Cult Wines page Maurice O'Shea is often regarded as the father of the Australian table wine industry. His wines (1921 to 1956) were remarkably good, begging the question why the Hunter Valley has not achieved its early promise in the market. I recommend the Maurice O'Shea Shiraz and the Mount Pleasant Lovedale Semillon.
Monday, March 07, 2005
Wine Forums and Internet Trolls
Still no reply from Kahuna (Ben Stevens) on where he obtained the material for his Worrying research on oxidation ? post on the Mark Squires' BB on eRobertParker.com.
Its getting to the point where you have to begin to wonder if this is not a troll. First, and so far only, post by this individual. Picks a topic sure to incite discussion (e.g. research by a French group showing that high alcohol New World wines do not survive long-term) and posts it on the largest and most active wine forum. It also mentions the effects of closures (natural cork versus synthetic cork), another point that has been hotly debated on eBob in recent times.
The problem is that several of us have tried to find out more about the lead investigator of the study Dr. Jean-Pierre Varoni. But he seems not to have published anything of note. Googling selected phrases from the text of the post by Kahuna also failed to identify anything. Others have pointed out that Jean-Pierre Varoni is very similar to Pierre-Antione Ravoni an associate of Robert Parker, Jr. However this may just be co-incidence.
If it is a troll then it is comforting that very few were taken in by what is quite a well constructed post. The post displays a good level of knowledge regarding the chemistry of redox reactions as they pertain to wine (although it could easily be a verbatim copy from lecture notes or an oenology text book).
More worrying is that if it is not a troll and Kahuna has decided not to return (for whatever reason) and provide the requested link, then Dr Varoni and his study have been poorly served by this individual.
Still no reply from Kahuna (Ben Stevens) on where he obtained the material for his Worrying research on oxidation ? post on the Mark Squires' BB on eRobertParker.com.
Its getting to the point where you have to begin to wonder if this is not a troll. First, and so far only, post by this individual. Picks a topic sure to incite discussion (e.g. research by a French group showing that high alcohol New World wines do not survive long-term) and posts it on the largest and most active wine forum. It also mentions the effects of closures (natural cork versus synthetic cork), another point that has been hotly debated on eBob in recent times.
The problem is that several of us have tried to find out more about the lead investigator of the study Dr. Jean-Pierre Varoni. But he seems not to have published anything of note. Googling selected phrases from the text of the post by Kahuna also failed to identify anything. Others have pointed out that Jean-Pierre Varoni is very similar to Pierre-Antione Ravoni an associate of Robert Parker, Jr. However this may just be co-incidence.
If it is a troll then it is comforting that very few were taken in by what is quite a well constructed post. The post displays a good level of knowledge regarding the chemistry of redox reactions as they pertain to wine (although it could easily be a verbatim copy from lecture notes or an oenology text book).
More worrying is that if it is not a troll and Kahuna has decided not to return (for whatever reason) and provide the requested link, then Dr Varoni and his study have been poorly served by this individual.
Barossa Backfill
Another update on the Barossa trip has been added. It is the tastings done on December 14 and includes such notables as Kalleske (winemaker), Torbreck, Veritas, Smidge - Two Hands (winemaker), and Thorn Clarke. A numer of wines were tasted from barrel. You can find it here.
Another update on the Barossa trip has been added. It is the tastings done on December 14 and includes such notables as Kalleske (winemaker), Torbreck, Veritas, Smidge - Two Hands (winemaker), and Thorn Clarke. A numer of wines were tasted from barrel. You can find it here.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
High Alcohol Wines Turn to Vinegar
On Thursday a thread appeared on the Mark Squires Wine Bulletin Board under the title Worrying research on oxidation ? The initial post contains material from a “science research site” which describes "A recent study by the research arm of l’Union de Maisons de Bordeaux headed by Dr. Jean-Pierre Varoni, as yet unpublished, appears to have established that high alcohol wines may be at risk of rapidly turning sour in the latter stages of cellar development. The study, prompted in part by the tendency toward higher alcohol levels in New World red wines, concluded that the results were, 'alarming,' and calls into question the suitability of this wine style for medium- or long- term cellaring. "
Unfortunately no link was provided to the “science research site” and the thread originator has not (at this time) returned to provide any additional information. But this is a sufficiently interesting topic to follow up so……..
A little checking reveals that the l’Union de Maisons de Bordeaux site is here. Their Partners, presumably including their "research arm", are here. The study could come from the Oenology Dept of Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2. But my French is not good enough to figure out if the work comes from there or if Dr. Jean-Pierre Varoni is a member of the Faculty.
OK, so let’s look in the research literature databases to see where Dr Varoni does publish as this will help locate him. So far I have searched PubMed which is excellent for biomedical literature searches, but its fairly limited when it comes to non-medical related vinous topics, as the original post seems to be. There are other databases that can be searched via Ovid Tech. The most relevant databases are probably Agricola (Index to materials acquired by the National Agricultural Library and cooperating institutions.) and Biological Abstracts (Indexes life science research reported in nearly 5,500 journals. Coverage is international and includes biological and medical research findings, clinical studies, discoveries of new organisms, biotechnology, pharmacology and botany.)
J-P Varoni does not appear in any of these databases. So either Varoni has yet to publish, publishes only in obscure French journals that are not indexed in major library data bases, or the wrong name was given. Googling Varoni’s name or phrases from the text of the original post does not pull up anything.
Is this whole thing a hoax…….?
On Thursday a thread appeared on the Mark Squires Wine Bulletin Board under the title Worrying research on oxidation ? The initial post contains material from a “science research site” which describes "A recent study by the research arm of l’Union de Maisons de Bordeaux headed by Dr. Jean-Pierre Varoni, as yet unpublished, appears to have established that high alcohol wines may be at risk of rapidly turning sour in the latter stages of cellar development. The study, prompted in part by the tendency toward higher alcohol levels in New World red wines, concluded that the results were, 'alarming,' and calls into question the suitability of this wine style for medium- or long- term cellaring. "
Unfortunately no link was provided to the “science research site” and the thread originator has not (at this time) returned to provide any additional information. But this is a sufficiently interesting topic to follow up so……..
A little checking reveals that the l’Union de Maisons de Bordeaux site is here. Their Partners, presumably including their "research arm", are here. The study could come from the Oenology Dept of Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2. But my French is not good enough to figure out if the work comes from there or if Dr. Jean-Pierre Varoni is a member of the Faculty.
OK, so let’s look in the research literature databases to see where Dr Varoni does publish as this will help locate him. So far I have searched PubMed which is excellent for biomedical literature searches, but its fairly limited when it comes to non-medical related vinous topics, as the original post seems to be. There are other databases that can be searched via Ovid Tech. The most relevant databases are probably Agricola (Index to materials acquired by the National Agricultural Library and cooperating institutions.) and Biological Abstracts (Indexes life science research reported in nearly 5,500 journals. Coverage is international and includes biological and medical research findings, clinical studies, discoveries of new organisms, biotechnology, pharmacology and botany.)
J-P Varoni does not appear in any of these databases. So either Varoni has yet to publish, publishes only in obscure French journals that are not indexed in major library data bases, or the wrong name was given. Googling Varoni’s name or phrases from the text of the original post does not pull up anything.
Is this whole thing a hoax…….?
Thursday, March 03, 2005
Do You Hear That Wine?
Continuing on from yesterday. It has been reported in the science journal Nature that a Swiss musician can taste music as distinct flavors. The individual, E.S., has synaesthesia in which there is usually a concurrent perception of a musical note with a color. However E.S. experiences different tastes upon hearing different tones. A major third evokes sweet while a minor third is salty! If she hears a tritone she experiences disgust which is not a taste sensation, although it is a reaction I've had to some wines! I wonder if I was listening to music at the time? A link to the Reuters press article is here.
Continuing on from yesterday. It has been reported in the science journal Nature that a Swiss musician can taste music as distinct flavors. The individual, E.S., has synaesthesia in which there is usually a concurrent perception of a musical note with a color. However E.S. experiences different tastes upon hearing different tones. A major third evokes sweet while a minor third is salty! If she hears a tritone she experiences disgust which is not a taste sensation, although it is a reaction I've had to some wines! I wonder if I was listening to music at the time? A link to the Reuters press article is here.
Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Picking Up a Scent
I received a Page-A-Day Calendar for Christmas. Mine was the Wine Lover's . You also get a free on-line calendar so I've added it the Blog. Look to your right-> Probably breaking some sort of Copyright doing so but if it helps you know what day it is and you learn a bit of wine lore then maybe you'll get your own. The note for yesterday was about odors. One of my favorite subjects. That got me doing literature searches again to see if there is anything new on odor perception. I won't bore you with the details, just the summary of one which led me to another.
Color has a profound effect on the perception of odors. For example, strawberry flavored drinks smell more pleasant when colored red than green and descriptions of the 'nose' of a wine are dramatically influenced by its color. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we demonstrate a neurophysiological correlate of these crossmodal visual influences on olfactory perception. Subjects were scanned while exposed either to odors or colors in isolation, or to color-odor combinations that were rated on the basis of how well they were perceived to match. Activity in caudal regions of the orbitofrontal cortex and in the insular cortex increased progressively with the perceived congruency of the odor-color pairs. These findings demonstrate the neuronal correlates of olfactory response modulation by color cues in brain areas previously identified as encoding the hedonic value of smells. The color of scents:chromatic stimuli modulate odor responses in the human brain. Osterbauer RA, Matthews PM, Jenkinson M, Beckmann CF, Hansen PC, Calvert GA. J Neurophysiol. 2005 Feb 2; [Epub ahead of print].
Human olfactory perception is notoriously unreliable, but shows substantial benefits from visual cues, suggesting important crossmodal integration between these primary sensory modalities. We used event-related fMRI to determine the underlying neural mechanisms of olfactory-visual integration in the human brain. Subjects participated in an olfactory detection task, whereby odors and pictures were delivered separately or together. By manipulating the degree of semantic correspondence between odor-picture pairs, we show a perceptual olfactory facilitation for semantically congruent (versus incongruent) trials. This behavioral advantage was associated with enhanced neural activity in anterior hippocampus and rostromedial orbitofrontal cortex. We suggest these findings can be interpreted as indicating that human hippocampus mediates reactivation of crossmodal semantic associations, even in the absence of explicit memory processing. The nose smells what the eye sees: crossmodal visual facilitation of human olfactory perception. Gottfried JA, Dolan RJ. Neuron. 2003 Jul 17;39(2):375-86.
All because of this little study. Well not entirely, but it certainly influenced both.
I received a Page-A-Day Calendar for Christmas. Mine was the Wine Lover's . You also get a free on-line calendar so I've added it the Blog. Look to your right-> Probably breaking some sort of Copyright doing so but if it helps you know what day it is and you learn a bit of wine lore then maybe you'll get your own. The note for yesterday was about odors. One of my favorite subjects. That got me doing literature searches again to see if there is anything new on odor perception. I won't bore you with the details, just the summary of one which led me to another.
Color has a profound effect on the perception of odors. For example, strawberry flavored drinks smell more pleasant when colored red than green and descriptions of the 'nose' of a wine are dramatically influenced by its color. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) we demonstrate a neurophysiological correlate of these crossmodal visual influences on olfactory perception. Subjects were scanned while exposed either to odors or colors in isolation, or to color-odor combinations that were rated on the basis of how well they were perceived to match. Activity in caudal regions of the orbitofrontal cortex and in the insular cortex increased progressively with the perceived congruency of the odor-color pairs. These findings demonstrate the neuronal correlates of olfactory response modulation by color cues in brain areas previously identified as encoding the hedonic value of smells. The color of scents:chromatic stimuli modulate odor responses in the human brain. Osterbauer RA, Matthews PM, Jenkinson M, Beckmann CF, Hansen PC, Calvert GA. J Neurophysiol. 2005 Feb 2; [Epub ahead of print].
Human olfactory perception is notoriously unreliable, but shows substantial benefits from visual cues, suggesting important crossmodal integration between these primary sensory modalities. We used event-related fMRI to determine the underlying neural mechanisms of olfactory-visual integration in the human brain. Subjects participated in an olfactory detection task, whereby odors and pictures were delivered separately or together. By manipulating the degree of semantic correspondence between odor-picture pairs, we show a perceptual olfactory facilitation for semantically congruent (versus incongruent) trials. This behavioral advantage was associated with enhanced neural activity in anterior hippocampus and rostromedial orbitofrontal cortex. We suggest these findings can be interpreted as indicating that human hippocampus mediates reactivation of crossmodal semantic associations, even in the absence of explicit memory processing. The nose smells what the eye sees: crossmodal visual facilitation of human olfactory perception. Gottfried JA, Dolan RJ. Neuron. 2003 Jul 17;39(2):375-86.
All because of this little study. Well not entirely, but it certainly influenced both.
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