UPDATE: MORE INFO ON CORKS/CLOSURES

In the May 31, 2006 issue of “Wine Spectator,” there is a letter to the editor from Elisa Pedro of the Portuguese Cork Association. In the letter, she defends the quality and popularity of corks. She points out that screw caps are much more susceptible to loss of seal than corks are. Also, while they may prevent TCA, they can’t prevent “winery-related anisole contamination or sulfur-like odors.” She also points out most top quality wines still use natural corks and that in a Wine Spectator poll, 81% preferred cork closures.

In the same May 31 issue, there is story by Daniel Sogg about French winery from the Loire Valley that has switched to screw caps. However, he also reports a Napa Valley and an Oregon winery have begun using a glass stopper similar to a decanter top. It is called Vino-Seal. It is being used on bottles that cost $75 and $100. Sorry, but I won’t be checking it out on those wines! If it is successful, I suppose it will eventually be used on less expensive wines.

The April 19, 2006 issue of the San Jose Mercury-News has an article by Laurie Daniel that mentions the use of the Vino-Seal closure by the Napa Valley winery. The article says that this is the second generation of the devise. It says that the first generation is used by about 350 wineries in Europe and is known as Vino-Lok. She says that the first generation is covered by a twist-off aluminum cap. The newer version comes covered with a traditional foil capsule. The stopper is easily pulled out of the bottle. The stopper is made with a gasket and must be used on a specially-made bottle. She tested it for leakage after resealing by filling the bottle with water and placing it on its side as you might place an opened bottle in a refrigerator. It did not leak. She then shook it upside down and it still did not leak. Thus, in addition to avoiding cork taint, a bottle with Vino-Seal can be placed on its side without fear of dripping. More on this story as it develops.

SANCTUS JACOBUS 2001 SCHARZHOFBERGER RIESLING SPATLESE

Introduction

OK, I said that the next wine I would discuss would be Beaujolais. However, I decided to jump my list with this wine. My father-in-law, BG, who sold wine for many years in California, had highly recommended that I try a German wine from the Mosel area when I first told him I had started this blog. It was definitely on my list already. However, I spoke with him again this weekend and he recommended it again so I decided to pick one up yesterday and try it.

He actually recommended several wines from the region. He emphasized the long bottles in both green and brown. We were open to any of them. My wife and I went to the local liquor store with the largest selection. We are not that familiar with German wines and I find the names difficult to remember (and I am glad I do not have to pronounce them for this blog!). There were many Riesling wines at the store, but I could find only one that was clearly marked as being from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwar region. It was a bit pricy ($19.99 on sale for a 750 ml bottle), but, hey, if BG recommended it, it was worth every penny!

Wine Impressions

I have to say that I should not complain about the price. This wine came with the designation “Qualitatswein mit Pradikat” which means that it is a quality wine with distinction. Again, I must say that those designations definitely mean something. The German classification system consists of four levels according to the eSSORTMENT web site. These are Deutscher Tafelwein (basic table wine), Duetscher Landwein (regional wine, superior to Tafelwein, made from grapes from one of the Landwein regions), Qualitatswein Bestimmter Anbaugebiete (quality wine from designated regions, and Qualitatswein mit Pradikat, the top-ranked wines. The last category is further divided into six categories of which “Spatlese” is one of the six. There will be a quiz on these names before you can exit the blog!

This was a fabulous wine. My wife and I both loved it. It has a clear yellow color that is very appealing. The taste is pleasantly sweet. It is sweeter than a Chardonnay, but not as sweet as a dessert wine. It has a very aromatic aroma, but a gentle one.

It came in the classic long, green bottle, slightly thinner than a regular bottle of wine. It had a natural cork. The wine was imported by the Carolina Wine Co. of Norwood, MA.

While we enjoyed the wine very much (and may purchase it again for special occasions), we will definitely try other Rieslings from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwar region that may cost a bit less also.

The Company: Vereinigte Hospitien

Again, without trying, I have come across a wine company with an interesting history. While this wine is labeled as Sanctus Jacobus (which means St. James), the company’s name is Vereinigte Hospitien, which is located in Trier, Germany.

The company is actually owned by a non-profit foundation. According to one web site, its origins date to 1805 when Napoleon issued an edict to consolidate various hospitals in Trier that served lepers, the poor and orphans. The foundation still serves the elderly, orphans and disabled persons. It has more than 25 hectares of vineyards in the Saar and Mosel valleys. One of the vineyards, Scharzhofberger (from which this Riesling is from) is called one of the finest vineyards in Germany and one of the few whose wines are sold without mention of its name (this may be changing since the wine I bought did have that name on the label).

The wines are marketed under the Sanctus Jacobus name because one of its hospitals once served as a hostel for pilgrims on their way to visit the tomb of St. James the Apostle in Spain. There are mentions of Sanctus Jacobus wines going back to 1464, and this is the oldest documentation of Riesling grapes being cultivated on the Mosel.

The Region: Mosel-Saar-Ruwar

One common theme I have encountered as I have researched various wine-growing regions in Europe is that so far they all seem to have Roman origins (or at least Roman influence). That is probably due simply to the fact that the Roman Empire was so dominant throughout Europe in all aspects of life. However, I like to think establishing vineyards and producing good wine was a high priority of Romans wherever they went!

Trier is the center of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwar region, and in fact, is considered the cradle of German wine culture. One web site says that “Everything in Germany having to do with wine, wine history and culture has its origins in Trier.”

Trier is located on a bend on the Mosel River. The Saar River joins the Mosel just south of the city and the Ruwer River joins the Mosel just to the north of Trier. Wikipedia says that Trier is the oldest city in Germany. It has a population of about 100,000. Trier has many Roman ruins, including baths, an amphitheater, a Basilica and a bridge across the Mosel. The bridge is the oldest bridge north of the Alps still in use.

Trier is the birthplace of Karl Marx as well as Saint Ambrose who became the Bishop of Milan. The nearest large cities are Cologne and Luxemburg.

LOUIS BERNARD 2003 COTES-DU-RHONE-VILLAGES

Introduction

Well, this wine was chosen for a special reason. I lost a bet to a friend when my beloved Hoyas of Georgetown lost to his alma mater, the (now national champion) Florida Gators in the NCAA Sweet 16 basketball tournament. When I offered to deliver his winnings, he and his wife invited my wife and I over for dinner . . . and to watch the Gators take on the Cinderella George Mason Patriots in Elite Eight action. He explained that his daughter’s boyfriend had spent time in the Rhone Valley area of France and became a fan of its wine and had presented several bottles to him. Since he knew I prefer red wine, he opened this bottle.

Wine Impressions

This was a very good wine. It looked good, smelled good and tasted great. It was very fruity and slightly sweet, and the taste lingered. The Louis Bernard web site says that its “nose” is of spices and strawberry jam. Perhaps it is because I love strawberry jam (and preserves are even better!) that this wine tasted so good to me.

The label indicates that the wine is of the appellation Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages controlee. I assume this is comparable to the DOC designation of Italian wines. The web site explains that it must conform to certain rules, including blending the main grape, Grenache with Cinsault, Syrah or Mourvedre. The label on the bottle states that the wine consists of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah.

The wine came with a natural cork. Also, the bottle is very classy. It should be noted that Wine Spectator rated this wine a 91 in September, 2001.

There are five levels of wines from the Rhone Valley. The top level is Crus. These are very expensive world-class wines produced in limited quantities. The Cotes du Rhone Villages represent the third level. These wines come from vineyards on the slopes of the valley at the foothills of the Alps. The vineyards are associated with 16 picturesque villages, hence the name. The second level of wines are those that carry the specific name of one of the 16 villages.

The Company:Louis Bernard

Louis Bernard was founded in 1976. It is based on a unique concept in which its sales and management team works with more than 40 estates to produce excellent quality wines. In 1998 it was purchased by the Boisset family. According to its web site, the Boisset family believes that Louis Bernard should be one of the top quality wines of the Rhone Valley.

The headquarters for the company and its 44-acre vineyard is the Chartreuse de Bonpas, a former monastery built in the 12th century. It is located on the banks of the Durance River near the city of Avignon in a town called Orange. There has been a vineyard here since 1742.

The Boisset family owns the third largest wine company in France and the largest in Burgundy. It was founded in 1962. In addition to Louis Bernard, the company owns 13 other French wine companies, plus four more that produce French sparkling wine. In addition, it owns four California companies, 2 in Italy and one each in Chile, South Africa, Spain and Uruguay. It also owns many companies that produce spirits and liqueurs

The Region: Rhone Valley

The Rhone River originates in Switzerland and runs through France to the Mediterrenean, a distance of nearly 500 miles. According to Wikipedia, it has been a trade route since prehistoric times. It remains an important navigable waterway as it connects the industrial cities of Arles, Avignon, Valence, Vienne and Lyon to the Mediterranean Sea ports of Fos, Marseille and Sète.

Louis Bernard is located in Orange, a town of about 28,000. Wikipedia notes that Orange has significant Roman architecture, including the best-preserved Roman theater in Europe, built during the time of Augustus. The theater hosts a music festival called the Choregies d’Orange. In the 1990’s, Orange elected a member of the extreme right-wing party Front National as its mayor.

Avignon has a population of about 88,000 in the city and another 155,000 in its surrounding area, according to Wikipedia. It is located about 360 miles south-southeast of Paris, 143 miles south of Lyon and 55 miles north of Marseilles. Of course, Avignon is perhaps best known for serving as the home of the Popes from 1309 to 1377. Seven popes lived in Avignon during that time. Among the well-known natives or residents of Avignon is Pierre Boulle, author of both Bridge over the River Kwai and The Planet of the Apes.

The Beaujolais region is also part of the Rhone Valley. A Beaujolais wine is next on my list to discuss.

HOME MADE WINE

People have asked me whether I make home made wine. As attractive as that concept is to me, I do not. One major reason is the space needed. However, another major reason is the skill (and luck) needed to produce a quality wine.

I do, however, have many fond memories of family members making wine when I was a kid, back in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The press pictured in the picture is very similar to the wine presses my relatives used to use. This one, however, is a cider press. It is displayed in the building where I work by the Historical Society.

When it was first put out for display, I stopped and stared at it, almost in stunned silence. A member of the Historical Society saw me and guessed that I was puzzled as to what that contraption was. I responded that I knew exactly what it was as my family used to use such devices to make wine. She responded that I was close, but that this was a cider press.

In any event, I remember how exciting it was in the Fall, when pallets of grapes would be delivered to my grandparents’ house. Of course, we kids would pick off some of the grapes and eat them! Then for the next couple of weeks the great task of crushing the grapes would take place. There would be tubs into which the juice would flow. The crushed grapes would be set aside for a second and maybe third pressing in order to extract as much juice as possible. It was a real treat to be allowed to turn the handle of the press.

My memory is fuzzy now, but I think there was a step involved before the liquid would be poured into the barrel. Anyway, it was always a thrill when it got to that step and then the wait would begin for the wine to age. I remember that it was always handled with great delicacy because you could not shake or stir up the wine too much or it would be ruined.

The barrels were a ritual in themselves. I remember that there was a particular individual in my town who used to sell barrels from his house. I remember there was trading of barrels and discussions of the quality of them. I think they were generally used whisky barrels, but I am not sure of that point. I think that the taps were made of wood and were home made. That also fascinated me.

Finally, when the wine was ready, it would be transferred into gallon jugs made of glass. Many gallons would be given away as a source of pride. For many months afterwards, the homemade wine would be served in homes throughout the Town until the grapes would be delivered again the next fall.

This is all written from memory by a person who hasn’t seen this process for more than 40 years. I would certainly enjoy hearing from anybody who can fill in any details about the process or has any similar stories to share.

MASO CANALI 2004 PINOT GRIGIO DOC

Introduction

How did I pick this wine? No particular connection with this one. The bottle was attractive with a classy-looking label, and since I am partial to red wine, I had to pick some whites. The DOC designation may have swayed me as well. Canale means channel (or canal) in Italian. I am not sure if canali is the plural of that or not. I could not find a definition for maso except as part of “masochismo” and it is definitely not masochistic to drink this wine!

The timing was inspired by someone I work with who suggested that I write about a pinot grigio noting that she does not like chardonnay. So, here it is!

Wine Impressions

I think I paid $9.99 for this bottle which is fairly close to the top of my usual range (there are exceptions) for a 750 milliliter bottle. However, as I said the bottle was attractive and the label looked classy so I guess I am susceptible for looks over substance (not to take anything away from this wine). I am easily distracted by shiny objects too!

Speaking of shiny, I had described the Concannon Chardonnay color as “shiny.” This pinot grigio was light, clear and bright – just shy of “shiny.” It had a clean, crisp taste that lingers a bit on the palate. The aroma was light and fruity – very pleasant.

The bottle came with a natural cork. I am not sure of the grade, but it was not “agglomerated.” I saw no evidence of cork taint.

The Company: Maso Canali and Vilallta

The bottle says that this wine is actually imported by Maso Canali of Hayward, CA. It says it was “vinted and bottled by Villalta, Trento, Italy.” However, my web search found little information about Villalta wines, but the Maso Canali web site had much information about its Italian vineyards and winemaking techniques. If anyone has more information about this situation, please let us know.

Maso Canali appears to specialize in Pinot Grigio wines. The Maso Canali Estate is 500 years old and is located near the Dolomite Mountains and Lake Garda. Grapes have been grown on the estate since the middle ages and the Pinot Grigio grape has been cultivated since 1893.

The web site explains that the Pinot Grigio grape is an offshoot of the Pinot Noir grape that was grown in the Burgundy region about 700 years ago. It began to be grown in the Trentino region in the 1800’s, which had the perfect climate for it.

Maso Canali picks the grapes by hand. The grapes range in color from bluish gray (from which it gets its name since “grigio” means “gray” in Italian) to raspberry pink. The juice is drawn off so that the wine does not acquire the red tint of the grape skins.

The company uses the Passito process in making the wine. Apparently, this means that some late harvest grapes are dried on a rack and vinified separately. This wine is then blended with the rest of the wine to produce the rich flavor that results. This process is common for the Amarone wines of northeast Italy except that all the grapes are dried for the Amarone.

The Region: Trentino

Trentino is a very interesting region. Also known as Trentino Alto Adige, it is called by the In Italy Online web site the least Italian of the regions. It borders Austria, and was conquered by Napoleon who put it under the Austrian Hapsburgs. It was returned to Italy after World War I, but remained deeply divided. In 1939, Mussolini gave the citizens a choice: to accept Italian citizenship or accept German citizenship and move north. Many opted to leave leaving the area underpopulated.

The impacts of this divided culture can be seen in that many of the cities have two names (Bolzano/Bozen, Merano/Meran, etc.) The land is breathtaking, with mountainous ridges, alpine meadows and many waterfalls. The skiing is unparalleled. There are about 80,000 residents who speak Ladin, a combination of Latin and Celtic dialects that began in the first century CE.

Trento, where Villalta is located) is the most Italian of the cities in the region. Merano is one of the prettiest and more interesting cities. The Alto Adige province is more German.

NATURAL CORKS: ARE THEY NECESSARY?

As I said in the Vino by Gino Story, from time to time I intend to address an issue related to wine as well as discussing various types of wine. My first issue is that of corks. Are natural corks necessary or desirable? What are the alternatives?

First a brief primer on natural corks. Natural corks come mostly from the Mediterranean region, where the cork oak tree grows. Portugal (52%) and Spain (32%) account for the vast majority of cork production, according to the Natural Cork Quality Council web site (www.corkqc.com). The production of natural cork is growing, with cork oak forests increasing by 120,000 hectares (nearly 300,000 acres) in Portugal and Spain to a worldwide total of 2,200,000 hectares (about 5.4 million acres). The web site explains that cork is used in a variety of products but corks for wine bottles account for 15% of production and two-thirds of revenues for the industry.

Cork is produced from cork oak trees in a manner that promotes healthy growth and sustainability. According to the Cork Quality Council, cork is not taken from a tree until it is at least 25 years old and cork for wine stoppers must wait until the tree is 40 years old, and the trees can last more than 200 years.

A traditional cork is great for sealing bottles because of its elasticity and durability. It is impervious to water and can seal a bottle for 100 years or more. They are also easy to extract.

So if corks are so great, what is the problem? The problem is cork taint. Cork taint is the result of a chemical called TCA that results from the action of molds that are found naturally in cork tree bark. Most of the mold is removed during processing, but traces can remain and it reacts with traces of chlorine used to clean and disinfect the cork. The mold is invisible and impossible to detect. The result is a tainted wine that smells and tastes bad (www.thewineman.com).

In an article for MSNBC published on September 10, 2003, Jon Bonne, writes about a company in Kent, Washington called Supreme Corq. This company is likely the world’s largest maker of synthetic corks (or closures, as they call them), with about 40% of the market. The company makes its “closures" from a “biomedical grade thermoplastic elastomer.” Bonne states that synthetics are a small but growing segment of the market, about 9%. He says that the market share for natural corks may have dropped below 50%.

While there is concern about cork taint, consumers generally prefer natural cork. As Bonne explains, it is not so much that wineries prefer natural corks because they are elegant and traditional, it is that consumers perceive them as elegant and traditional.

Personally, I have rarely encountered a wine that I believed suffered from cork taint. Of course, I may have just thought I was drinking bad wine! Natural corks are a significant part of the ritual of drinking wine. Synthetic cork is a fairly decent substitute.

James Laube, a senior editor for Wine Spectator writes in the March 31, 2006 issue that his preference is the screw cap. He has had many negative experiences with cork taint. He also reports that “the mood is changing” and that more twist-off caps are appearing on the market, and they appear to be gaining momentum. He speculates that in 2 or 3 years it may not be remarkable that any particular wine appears with a screw cap.

What do you think?

BOLLA 2003 CHIANTI DOCG

Introduction

Bolla is most likely the most well known company I have written about so far. Back in the 1980’s when I lived in New Orleans, I discovered Bolla Valpolicella . It was my favorite wine for several years (and I still enjoy it). After not having drunk any Chianti wines for several years (I think I may have thought it was too dry), I tried some about 2 or 3 years ago and did like it. A few months ago, I tried the Bolla variety and was very pleased. That is why I decided to include it among the first few wines to be discussed on the blog.

Wine Impressions

For many, Chianti is the first thought that comes into their head upon hearing the phrase “Italian wine.” I very much enjoy the Bolla Chianti because, to me at least, it tastes slightly “wetter” and more fruity than most Chianti. It also has a rich pleasant color and aroma. While I vary the selection when I buy my six 1.5 liter bottles at a time, more often than not a Bolla Chianti in among the six bottles in my shopping cart.

At this point, for a neophyte like myself, I find that the DOCG label obviously does mean something. I find this to be an excellent quality wine at a very reasonable price. I believe I usually pay about $12.99 for a 1.5-liter bottle.

The yellow label on the bottle stands out from the generally darker labels on the other Bolla wines. The natural cork and the cool “DOCG” seal around the neck of the bottle add to the enjoyable experience of this wine. However, in case I have not already made it clear, the real star is inside the bottle.

As a DOCG wine, the Bolla Chianti grapes are hand-picked in the Siena area of the Chianti area. The Chianti profile on the company web site indicates that the grapes are harvested when they are completely ripe, then crushed and fermented in stainless steel tanks at 77-86 degrees for 10-12 days. It then goes through its full fermentation to reduce acidity and harsh tannins and to create full-bodied flavor. The grapes for the 2003 Chianti were picked in late September and October 2003, bottled in April 2004 and released in mid-June 2004.

The grapes consist of 85% Sangiovese and 15% Canaio;o and other indigenous varietals. About 120,000 cases were produced.

The Company: Bolla

The company’s web site includes a timeline going back to 1000 BCE which it states is when “Etruscans first vinify wild grapes for wine.” The timeline also includes such historic events as the start of construction of the Coliseum, Galileo inventing the telescope, etc. It then mentions that Abele Bolla opened an inn called Al Gambero in the town of Soave. The wine he serves is very good and becomes well known and much requested. His three sons spread the Bolla name to Soave, Valpolicella and Venice.

The company won a gold medal at the Bologna Fair in 1909. In 1935, Abele’s grandchildren joined the business and the company began packaging the wine in bottles instead of jugs. The first shipment of Bolla wine to the U.S. was in 1947 – 200 cases of Bardolino. In 1953, Bolla was the first to label and market Amarone in Italy and in 1957 it was the first to market it in the U.S. and the world. [Note: this was the first I had heard of Amarone. I plan to add it to the list of wines to feature here soon].

Supposedly, in the 1950’s, Frank Sinatra left a restaurant because it did not serve Bolla Soave. The restaurant quickly located a bottle and Sinatra was convinced to return.

From 1969 to 1980 more family members joined the company and the Sergio Bolla foundation was formed to foster viticulture development in the Veneto region. Club Bolla brought together more than 400 grape farmers to share findings on viticulture.

The web site says that the soul of the Bolla family continues in the companies vineyards. I assume this means that the company has been sold, but it is not clear.

The Bolla name has been prominent in the Veneto region of Italy for more than a century.

The Regions: Veneto and Chianti

Bolla is located in the Veneto region of Italy. This is the northeast area of the country. The largest city is Venice with a population of about 70,000 in the main city and a total of about 272,000 (according to Wikipedia) including the surrounding dry land. I don’t need to say any more about Venice.

Bolla is located in the second largest city of Veneto: Verona. If you are a fan of Shakespeare (or even if you are not!) you may recognize the city as the setting for “Romeo and Juliet.” Though earlier versions of the story are set in Siena, Verona is the setting of Shakespeare’s play.

Verona hosts many beautiful cathedrals and museums. Julius Caesar used to vacation there. One of its most fascinating features is its arena. Just slightly smaller than the Coliseum in Rome, the Arena of Verona was built around 30 CE. According to Wikipedia, it is the third largest Roman arena in Italy after the Coliseum and the arena at Capua. Unlike the Coliseum, it is still used for performances such as fairs, theater and open air opera on summer nights.

The grapes for Bolla’s Chianti are grown in Siena area of the Chianti DOCG region, near Chianti Classico. Siena is part of the region of Tuscany. Florence and Pisa are other well-known cities of the region. Siena has a population of about 55,000.

Like Florence, Siena has an important history as a center of art and was a fierce rival of Florence in the 13th and 14th centuries. However, it was devastated by the Black Plague of 1348 and never returned to its former glory (See Wikipedia). One thing I found of interest to me: the Palazzo Pubblico (town hall) of Siena has a mural called “Good Government” by Ambrogio Lorenzetti. It is called in Wikipedia a magnificent example of late medieval/early Renaissance art as well as a representation of a utopian urban society. That;s my kind of art! Good government and urban utopia! When in Italy recently, we had planned to take a side trip to Pisa while visiting Florence. My cousin (who lives in Rome) suggested we visit Siena since it is more beautiful than Pisa. We ended up going to neither, but the mural would have tipped my vote to Siena!