It Finally Happened

Posted on November 13, 2015 by thewineraconteur

I have had I think a great track record from about 1969 to date, going out for dinners and of course ordering wine, which is how this Blog and The Wine Raconteur got started. Through the years, I have often wondered how I would react, on a purely theoretical concept.

Rene Lequin Colin Bourgogne 2012

We were out for dinner with friends, which is not a rare occurrence and we ordered a bottle of wine with dinner. This particular restaurant that we have been to, over the years, has consistently offered a fine meal and a decent carte for their wine list. I had ordered a bottle of Rene Lequin-Colin Bourgogne Rouge 2012; a wine made from Pinot Noir and can be made from any of the three hundred communes that are located in the Burgundy region of France. The bottle of wine was decanted, as which is the norm for all red wines at this restaurant, even though I did not think that all of this was necessary for a red wine of such recent vintage. Our very bubbly waitress as she poured the wine into my glass for the initial tasting, remarked “I am sure that you will find this wine crisp,” which is not a word I think of when having a Pinot Noir wine. Not only was the wine not crisp, it was flat, totally devoid of flavor and exhibited the qualities of a wine that was over the hill, “baked” from improper storage or from poor transportation of the wine somewhere from France to the Detroit area. I can only surmise that something had gone wrong, because it was too youthful to be over the hill, and since it had a screw-cap closure, the cork was not bad. I was dumb-founded when I explained that the wine was no-where near what this wine should taste like. I also allowed my Bride to try the wine, just to make sure that it was just not me, having a bad day and she concurred. The restaurant I must say cleared away the glasses and the decanter of wine, and wondered what I would prefer to do. I did not wish to try another bottle of the same wine, just in case, the entire case of wine had been “baked” as I would allow them to find out at their leisure. I was very pleased that I did not have to defend myself and my anticipations of what the wine should have tasted like, and I was very glad that I would have not to sound pompous; as there is always the chance of ending up appearing that way. I decided to select another bottle of wine further up from the mid-range of wines.

Dom Perignon 1983

I have written about discovering a bottle of wine from my own cellar that was over the hill and was a disappointment for the evening. While I feel that my cellar is more than adequate for storing wines, I am sure that I may encounter some wines that I may overlook and they are beyond their shelf life, because there may, in reality, be too many bottles of wine being stored. I mean it was very embarrassing to chill, pop and serve a bottle of Moet & Chandon Dom Perignon 1983 that had no life left, but that is the gamble one has with any older vintage bottle of wine. The most I can say is that I hope that it is at least another forty-six years, before I have to encounter another bad bottle of wine during a night out on the town.

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International Tempranillo Day

Posted on November 11, 2015 by thewineraconteur

November 12 is International Tempranillo Day according to the Wine Lover’s Calendar. Tempranillo is the core grape used in Spain for Rioja and Ribera Del Duero; as well as in Portugal in the Douro Valley and in the fortified wines of Oporto. One of the most curious facts about Tempranillo in Spain is that in Rioja the wineries for the most part prefer American Oak, while in Ribera Del Duero the preference is French Oak. It has been successfully grown in California, Argentina and Australia.

Reserva 904 La Rioja Alta 1959

When I was first learning about wines in the Sixties, many of my mentors guided me to Rioja, and the smoothness that could be found in the wines. In those days, I could buy Claret for around five dollars, and I could find some Rioja Reserva for two to three dollars; and as a student that was a great consideration. Consequently I was enjoying Tempranillo for years, in fact, even before I really started thinking about the grapes, because certain wines just won me over, in those early days. In fact as I think back to those days, the odds were if a restaurant or wine shop even offered Spanish wines, it invariably was from Rioja and most of the time, it was a Reserva.

Marquis de Riscal Rioja Reserva 2000
I remember when I first met my Bride, she only drank white wine, and Rioja Reserva wines were some of the first reds that introduced her to, and to this day, she still gets excited when she sees Rioja on the wine carte when we are dining out. In the old days Banda Azul from Frederico Paternina was one of the “hot” wines from Rioja, and the other one that was “hot” was Marquis de Riscal. Marquis de Riscal, I think was the wine that really got my Bride into red wines, because for years if she went out to buy some wines to surprise me with, there would always be a couple of bottles in the mixed case that had that tell-tale chicken wire wrapping of the Marquis de Riscal. My Bride is not on good on names, but that wire wrap and their unique label shape made it easy for her to identify the wine she liked, though lately she has even been experimenting with other Tempranillo wines, now that she knows the grape.

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A Mystery Chardonnay

Posted on November 9, 2015 by thewineraconteur

Way back in my youth, when I was in high school and just starting to learn about wines, I got a job in the clothing industry. It was in a neighborhood store, which was very common back then, because people actually dressed up, not only for work, but for a night out on the town. The store I worked at, not only sold clothing, but they also rented tuxedoes, and they owned their own inventory, which was common back then. As we fast forward to today, I have had plenty of experience in the clothing industry, as that is how I paid for college, and eventually raised a family, all the while I was still learning about wine; funny how that worked out. Today I am semi-retired, but I still wish for a place to hang my hat, as they used to say. I am helping out in a neighborhood clothing store, which also rents tuxedoes. Though this does appear to be circular and a case of deja-vu, the tuxedo industry is now basically provided by some extremely large national chains that ship the merchandise to the stores at the desired date.

Bridal Show Tux

This entire prologue leads me to a Bridal Show, I recently attended for the local concern that I am helping out at. Weddings are big business, these days. At this Bridal Show that was being held at a very nice catering venue that specializes in weddings among other big events, one could also look at floral arrangements from diverse vendors, as well as different photographers, limousine services, specialty bakeries, wedding gown shops and even tuxedoes. The hall also had some food prepared in a large island in a casual buffet style for the future Brides to sample some of the foods offered. It was a very nice structured event, and I was with another gentleman, as we tried to get the Brides to at least take a serious look at what we could do for the Grooms and their attendants. Have you ever noticed that almost everyone looks great in a tuxedo?

Wine on Tap

After our display was set up and we were waiting for the doors to open to the future Brides, I walked around to look at the other vendors and I eventually found my way to the bar area. Most of you know that I tend to save wine labels to record what I have tried and I show them in my articles. Some times I take photographs of the wine label, if that is more advantageous, but I prefer the actual label as proof, but that is because I don’t like anything that I write about to be questioned. I went up to the bar, and asked the woman behind the bar, what wines were being served, and I was told; White Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Those are all rather proper types of wine to be found at a wedding, so I asked if I might see the bottles while it was quiet, so that I could take a picture for my Blog. She informed me that she did not know the brands of the wine, and that the wine was not in bottles, and not in boxes either. The wine was poured out of a spigot, the same way beer and soda pop was poured. I was stunned, as I had never seen this, so later on after I had worked the show; I went and had a glass of the mystery Chardonnay. The Chardonnay was extremely chilled, the right color, slightly sweeter then normal, and it had bubbles from the aeration pumps, I would presume. This was a first for me, to have an effervescent still wine from an unknown winery. The other thing that I noticed was that the wine was either very high in alcohol, or that the gas that was used to pump the wine, made the wine, much headier then any other Chardonnay that I have ever had. Perhaps the most unusual glass of wine that I have ever had the company to be with, and I did try a second glass, just to see if I could discern anything, but alas no, so I am curious if this is becoming somewhat of the norm at weddings.

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Wine Tourism Day

Posted on November 7, 2015 by thewineraconteur

Wine Tourism Day is celebrated on November 8, according to the Wine Lover’s Calendar. The two words go together perfectly and seamlessly. While wine is a craft that is being explored and tried across the United States, besides the end product that every Wine Blogger extols, the wineries also attract the curious and the tourists. For decades before I ever attempted to write about wines, I tasted and drank wines for pure enjoyment, and I still do. I wish that I could only drink the wines, which everyone wants to write about, but I can’t, because I just enjoy discovering wines.

MI Wine Country Booklet

I am a wine tourist. My Bride and I have not traveled the world, in actuality, we are rather provincial, but we have still been tourists. We drove specifically to a winery one afternoon in Maui, somewhere that most people go for the beaches or the verdant tourist traps on that island. We drove up the mountain to try Hawaiian wines, and may I mention that we were surrounded by perhaps another fifty people or so with the same curiosity and desire to do something different. We have visited the Central Coast of California with special emphasis on the Monterey County and we have also been to Napa Valley. Second only to the wines, was the tourism business. I have seen busses and limousines shuttling happy wine tasters to the assorted wineries, in fact we even had dinner on the Napa Wine Train, and if that isn’t being a tourist, I do not know what is. The wine industry is just made for tourism, and entrepreneurs have found all ways to capitalize on this. I have seen walking maps, cycling maps and road maps for the do-it-yourselfers. The aforementioned busses and limousines, allow the uninitiated to go and over indulge in what they think is “wine tasting,” without the worries of driving.

OH Sip Ohio Wines Magazine

I live in the State of Michigan, and the big advertising campaign that is called “Pure Michigan” which attempts to entice travelers from all over to visit the state. “Pure Michigan” has been very successful, and one of the themes that are promoted is Michigan Wine. They produce a very attractive glossy magazine just on the many different wine regions to be found in the state, along with maps and articles to keep the tourists coming. I have also seen these types of magazines in Ohio and even Ontario, Canada. What is a better way to keep a tourist happy, than with a wine tasting. It is a blessing to the wineries as well, or can be, if they make that visit informative, pleasurable and fun. The states also realized the value of the additional monies spent by tourists for tastings, purchases, meals and lodgings; with the desire that they will come back for another visit. I am a tourist, and I love visiting wineries, not every winery is a winner in my book, but I appreciate their dedication and the chance for me not to only talk to the winery staffs, but to other tourists as well.

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International Merlot Day

Posted on November 5, 2015 by thewineraconteur

“Ah sweet mystery of life, at last I found you.”

November 7 is International Merlot Day according to the Wine Lover’s Calendar. While I lead off with the lyrics from a song, I still find that there is not more acceptance of Merlot, and that is still a mystery to me. I know that everyone proclaims that Cabernet (Sauvignon) is King, but if that is the case, then Merlot is the Queen. That is the lesson that I learned years ago from many who took me as a kid to mentor me about wines. It is why I am still such a staunch supporter of Saint-Emilion where Merlot shines.

Ornellaia 2001

When I meet people or even get messages on Social Media asking what wine that should try, especially when they tell me that most red wines are too heavy, but the dinner they are going to have calls for a red wine, I always suggest a Merlot. It is such a mellow wine even when it is young, some times Cabernet Sauvignon can take years in the cellar to mellow and now-a-days most people don’t have that luxury. Without trying to sound sexist, Merlot is sexy and smooth, and is it any wonder why women tend to gravitate to it because of those qualities. It is a graceful wine that brings instant harmony to red meats without being over bearing; and let me add that it is not a “mousy” or a “wimpy” wine at all.

Ch L'Angelus 1970

It is the pure diplomat when it comes to wine, instead of being an iron fist of dominance, it covers that fist with a velvet glove (and I know that it sounds trite, but it is true) especially if it has been some time, since one has had the pleasure of a great bottle of Merlot. Bulk wine bottling that is labeled Merlot, does this wine a disservice, but that is true of all bulk wines, and they tend to be what many people gravitate towards especially in a restaurant, when they have the “house” Merlot. If one experiments and goes up a notch or two, the results and pleasures derived is unbelievable. Even in Napa Valley there are some wineries that have embraced Merlot at the expense of Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. It has been one of “secrets” that even the Super Tuscany wines have learned by blending Merlot with Sangiovese. Of course I make no secret that I am enamored with this varietal, and I cannot foresee a time, when I won’t be.

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Time For Duck and Pinot Noir Again

Posted on November 3, 2015 by thewineraconteur

I had the chance to visit Grand Rapids, Michigan which is the western part of the state for the chance to participate in a national convention, sponsored by a club that I have had membership in for twenty-five years. Actually the show is such a big draw that I had to settle for the third hotel of the three club sponsored hotels, as the first two hotels were completely sold out, and thankfully the third hotel was only a couple of blocks away from the venue and I was able to walk along the river. Grand Rapids had the reputation of being the “Furniture City” when I was a youth, but it has become one of the major destinations in Michigan with many different lures, such as food, craft beers and the arts.

Maison Roche de Bellene Bourgogne 2011

My Bride decided to do some work, while I was at the show, and she had also made plans to meet some of our friends for dinner while we were there. It also was during the Restaurant Week Grand Rapids, so besides all of the people for the convention that I was attending, the foodies were out in full force as well. She had lobbied to have dinner at one of her favorite restaurants there, but I said that I wanted to try someplace new, so to have a complete new story to relate. This is a great side benefit to being The Wine Raconteur. My Bride had given our friends, my list of likes and dislikes about food, and they were able to find a fine restaurant for us and made the reservations as well. We went to Bistro Bella Vita, which was only a couple of blocks, both from the convention and from the hotel that we were staying at. As soon as I looked at the menu, it was an easy decision for me, as they had duck on the menu, and I stopped reading. My Bride was happy to have her usual salmon, which always amazes me, because she makes excellent salmon dishes at home when we eat in; the amazement is that she does not choose an entrée that she does not make. Our friends settled on Rib Eye steaks, which seems to be the steak of choice again, and I had remarked that I have not had a Rib Eye since I was very young, because it tended to be the steak of choice of my Father at home, that and Porterhouse steaks as well, and I had my full of both cuts. While we were enjoying our dinners, the other husband graciously cut a slab from his Rib Eye and wished that I would reacquaint myself with the steak and it was delicious, and I think that I had forgotten how good that steak can be, and I reciprocated and gave him some of my duck, which if you know me, it is hard for me to give up any duck, other than to my Bride.

MI Bistro Bella Vita BC

After cocktails, it was easy for me to begin looking at the wine list, as I knew what we were all planning on having for dinner and I had already decided that a Pinot Noir was called for. I was sure that the Gods were going to allow me to find some Pinot Noir wines from which to choose from and I guessed right. I settled on Maison Roche de Bellene Vieilles Vignes Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2011. Maison Roche de Bellene is a new negociant founded in 2009. The name Bellene is from the Gallic God of Sun and Beauty that the city of Beaune’s name is derived from. Maison Roche de Bellene has a business philosophy of acquiring fruit from older vines and making the most of the terroir of Burgundy. The wording on the label of Vieilles Vignes can normally be just a marketing ploy meaning “old vines,” but the fruit was harvested from vines that are fifty-six to eighty-eight years old from plots in both the Cote de Beaune and the Cote de Nuits, hence the appellation of Bourgogne. The wine was aged for fifteen month in barrels unfined and unfiltered which allowed more of the terroir to be part of the wine. This was a simple and enjoyable wine and since there were about 10,000 cases of wine made, it should be fairly easy to be found and the cost was not dear, even in a restaurant. Just a great evening of friends, food, good memories and of course wine and that is what life should be.

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A Great Way to Celebrate His Own Birthday

Posted on November 1, 2015 by thewineraconteur

I often write about conversations and people that I meet, because of wines, and my newest cast of characters will be called Mr. Fitness. Through mutual friends we became friends through Social Media. He is a fine young man, and I am even more impressed, because he refers to his wife as his Bride; already he has my admiration. I am sure that I skew the algorithms of Facebook, because I tend to “like” many postings from both old friends and new friends that I have encountered. I like to support people and am always happy to voice my tacit support, especially for joyous occasions. It was several months ago that Mr. Fitness, and I do hope he appreciates his sobriquet as I like to keep people anonymous on the web, wrote about some wines that he opened to celebrate his birthday. One was a fine bottle that almost everyone has heard of, and the other bottle he listed only as a teaser that he just had a bottle of a 1927 vintage. That is what caught my eye and I had to message him to find out what wine he had enjoyed, so that I could savor the moment vicariously through his response.

Domaine Bory Rivesaltes 1927

The first wine that he had on his birthday was a Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild 1983, that famous wine from Pauillac that is the first of the First Growths or better known as a Premier Grand Cru Classe from the 1855 Classification of the Medoc, which is still a great indicator of wines to this day. Chateau Lafitte-Rothschild has made what is now referred to as a classic Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec into one of the powerhouse blends that everybody strives to emulate. That he enjoyed a bottle of this heady wine, of the vintage of his birth year, is even greater. I have had the good fortune to have enjoyed the vintages of 1974, 1986 and 1989 and still have resting in my cellar two bottles one from 1973 and one from 1990, so I feel that though I have not enjoyed the 1983, I can still applaud his choice.

Chateau Lafitte Rothschild 1983

The other wine, that really caught my attention was the 1927 vintage, and since I have just finished several other articles that were done strictly from research, I thought this was the perfect time to continue my research about another wine that had totally eluded me and was traveling under my radar after all of these years. My two “go-to” books that I always start my research with both lacked any information about the wine, so now I was on a mission to discover this wine that had piqued my curiosity. Domaine Bory Rivesaltes 1927 is from the Languedoc-Rousillon area in France that is now becoming the “hot” new area. Rivesaltes is an historic dessert wine that has been recorded in the annals of wine history from at least the Fourteenth Century. It is a sweet wine that the French refer to as Vin doux naturel, which is unlike the more famous dessert wines that are made from botrytized grapes or ice wines. The wines are made “mutage” a process of stopping the must that is fermenting while still at a high level of natural sweetness as well as at a higher level of alcohol. This wine should not be confused with Muscat de Rivesaltes, which is made from the same area, but from the Muscat grape. The appellation controlee of the wine that I am discussing here is made from all three of the Grenache grapes; Grenache Noir, Grenache Blanc and Grenache Gris. Now for sure there is another wine that I must search for to add to my knowledge of wines and I salute Mr. Fitness for his birthday choices.

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Pennsylvania Wine Month

Posted on October 30, 2015 by thewineraconteur

There was no rhyme or reason of how I selected Pennsylvania Wine Month as the last to discuss according to the Wine Lover’s Calendar. I can claim to actually have been in Pennsylvania, but only years ago and have never tried any of the wines, and while my Bride has also been there years ago, she also never tried any of the local wines. My truest knowledge of Pennsylvania is that I had two uncles that had grown up in Meadville, Pennsylvania and in my years of being a clothier, Meadville was known as the home of the Talon Zipper, which has long since disappeared from my industry as the search for a cheaper replacement was found over seas.

PA Wine Association Logo

Pennsylvania is listed as the Seventh largest producer of wines in the United States of America. The growth of wineries is easy to see, when one compares that in the 1980’s there were about thirty wineries and now there is almost one-hundred-fifty wineries in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has been striving to create and maintain a state quality assurance program to even acquire more then the five designations that they have and there is even a website to promote the wine industry there.

PA Wine Map

The Central Delaware Valley AVA runs along the banks of the Delaware River and is shared by both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The Lake Erie AVA is also another designation that goes beyond Pennsylvania and also includes New York and Ohio. Lancaster Valley AVA and Lehigh Valley AVA are both strictly Pennsylvania and they both share similar limestone and shale terrains, which are great for the growth of wines. Pennsylvania (Cumberland Valley) AVA is the fifth designation and it is shared with Maryland. The most successful grapes that are used in Pennsylvania for wine are Chardonnay, Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. They are also successful with the growing of the some of the Cold Hardy American varietals such as Delaware, Chambourcin and Seyval Blanc. One day, I shall be able to report on these wines on a more personal manner.

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Virginia Wine Month

Posted on October 28, 2015 by thewineraconteur

Another of the wine months according to the Wine Lover’s Calendar and this time it is Virginia. Alas this is another state that I have not had to good fortune to visit, though my Bride did, in another life. I guess that I have lived a rather parochial life as I start to reflect on places that I have visited. So I can only discuss this state from research and not first hand knowledge.

VA wine cork
Wine making has been recorded in the Commonwealth of Virginia since the 1600’s and this is really not surprising, as it was one of the earliest areas that were first settled by the newcomers to the New World. One of the most acclaimed wine collectors when this country was first being settled as the United States of America was one of our presidents, Thomas Jefferson. Much has been reported about the wine cellar at Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, and even about the couple of bottles of Chateau d’Yquem that were auctioned from the estate and were still totally drinkable, which says a lot about his taste in wines and the legendary quality of the chateau. For all of Thomas Jefferson’s attempts, he was never successful in his quest to develop a winery at his estate and not from a lack of attempts.

va-wine-map-with-wineries

There are eight AVA designations for the state and I will briefly mention them. Middleburg Virginia AVA is the newest of the designations and they are working on creating a name for themselves. Monticello AVA which is named for Thomas Jefferson’s estate and though he attempted, others later on have achieved what he tried to do. North Fork of Roanoke AVA only has one winery at the moment, and the original petitioner for the AVA is no longer producing wines. Northern Neck George Washington Birthplace AVA, whose name is totally understandable, but seldom seen or used, due to the long and awkward name. Orange County AVA and Shenandoah Valley AVA are two designations that are seldom seen, because they tend to be confusingly misinterpreted as being from California. Rocky Knob AVA is also seldom seen as at the moment there are only two wineries from there. The last designation, outside of the name, I can not really find much information about and that is the Virginia Eastern Shore AVA. Virginia has an official state grape, which is the Norton, an American wine variety. Some of the other grapes that have been successfully grown in the Commonwealth are Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Aglianico, Vidal Blanc, Chambourcin, Concord, Niagara, Petite Manseng and Traminette. This is another area of the country, that I hopefully will one day, be able to report upon with more first hand knowledge.

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Texas Wine Month

Posted on October 26, 2015 by thewineraconteur

The Wine Lover’s Calendar has told me that it is Texas Wine Month. I have barely been to Texas, unless one counts the time I was in a lay-over at the airport. When I think of Texas, I can’t help but think of John Wayne and some epic Western films, but I have to get myself back to reality, and just admit that I have never had a bottle of wine from Texas, but like all of the other states, that I have missed, I am sure that one day, that will change. Of course, my Bride has been to Texas, but then again, she never tried a Texan wine either.

TX Wine Map

One of the great things, as I have stated before, is that I now get a chance to learn more about wines, as I write these articles, and hopefully my writing has also improved over time. I say that, because Texas for wine is as foreign to me as China. Over the years I have learned about both places, but as for wine, it is all new to me, and it is fun to learn. Texas is actually rated fifth in wine production for the United States of America, and that the oldest winery in Texas is Val Verde, which was founded in 1883, in the Southwest region of the state along the Mexican border. Another great fact that I discovered was that Thomas Volney Munson established a vineyard and nursery in Texas. It was Munson who experimented grafting European and American rootstalks and created a workable solution to the Phylloxera problem. For this work Munson was named a Chevalier to the Ordre du Merite Agricole in France, and rightfully so, that he should be so honored.

TexasWinePassport

Texas has eight AVA designations. Texas Hill Country AVA is the largest and contains two independent AVA regions in it (Fredricksburg in the Texas Hill AVA and Bell Mountain AVA). While this designation is large, the majority of the wine is made for local use. Two of the designations share areas with New Mexico and they are Bell Mountain AVA, which is the first AVA in Texas and most of the land is in New Mexico and Mesilla Valley AVA. Fredricksburg in the Texas Hill AVA is the only designation that does have a problem with frost on the ground. Escondido Valley AVA has only a few wineries at the moment and the same status for Jeff Davis Mountain AVA. Texas High Plains AVA is the most successful area for wine and it shares the acreage with wheat and cotton plantings. The newest designation Texoma AVA, named after Lake Texoma is the area where Munson did his plantings and nursery studies in Denison. Most of the Texan wineries grow the classic varietals; Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Viognier, Riesling, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Gewurztraminer, Orange Muscat, Zinfandel, Grenache and Sauvignon Blanc.

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