Wine Tasting Guy

Carmel’s quality wine revolution

October 19th, 2008

I fancy myself an aspiring Israeli wine expert, but I must admit that I have lots to do before I earn any such title. Among the many things I must do is to better acquaint myself with one of Israel’s oldest wineries – Carmel. YES, that Carmel, of the sweet, thick sacramental wine. Well guess what folks, quietly the Carmel people have made HUGE advances in the vineyards, winery & their resulting products. From their single vineyard and appellation series wines to their “supermarket” – “Private Collection” wines – the improvements have been dramatic. And now that the product is better, they have slowly started to market the “new Carmel”, and people are noticing (see a blog post at the Hakerem Israeli wine blog here).

I recently checked out some of their unique single varietal appellation wines (Carignan & Petite Sirah) and was so (surprisingly) impressed by their quality that I included them in a blog post with some recommendations. Clearly they are doing things right at Carmel (marketing wise as well as winemaking) as I was subsequently thanked via email and invited to the winery for a more formal introduction to Carmel and the changes that have been implemented in recent years.

I graciously accepted the invitation and had my appointment there today. Upon arriving at the winery I was greeted by Ruti, a Sommelier and manager of their wine culture center (how is that for marketing?!). A warm and likable person, Ruti was an encyclopedia of information. She started with some very interesting facts about the 120 year history of Carmel. Of interest was how the ambitious founder Baron Rothschild (of the famous Lafite Rothschild) wanted to be completely self sufficient and created both a cooperage (for making barrels) and glass blowing center (for making bottles) at the original winery. Neither stuck, but how cool is that?!

Following our history lesson I was introduced to one of the (many) winemakers. Understanding that wine starts in the vineyard, I was told that changes have been made to improve fruit quality by incentivizing the growers/co-owners to put in extra effort in their vineyards. From shoot thinning & fruit dropping (to lower yields) to leaf trimming (increase fruit exposure to sun) & water management (cutting down on water leads to more concentrated grapes), the growers are doing everything to get their fruit included in the premium wines. And the results in the vineyard are evident. Prior to visiting the winery today I tried their LOW LEVEL supermarket 2007 “Private Collection” Cab/Merlot blend. WOW! Fabulous new packaging to go along with a wine that is a great deal at its price. I was really excited to taste their “better” wines.

And taste I did. Together with a Carmel executive, 2 winemakers & Ruti (yes, I was a bit embarrassed by all the attention) we went through 12 wines – five white & seven red. All REALLY IMPRESSIVE.

The 2007 Carmel Ridge White, a blend of sauvignon blanc (50%), Chardonnay (20%), semillion (15%) & french Colombard (15%) had a hint of effervescence to go along with its crisp acidity & pink grapefruit characteristics. And the 2007 appellation whites: a Viognier, a Gewurtztraminer & a Reisling each seemed varietally correct and had their own unique appeal.

As for the reds, the single vineyard 2005 Kayoumi Cab showed black fruit, was round, approachable and very elegant, while the 2004 Kayoumi Shiraz was very upscale shiraz in style with a touch of black pepper, very fruit forward and a long finish. My favorites of the day were still the appellation Carignan and Petite Sirah. Not because they were the best, but because they were the most unique and really got me thinking. Although the color of the Petite Sirah was incredibly dark (leaning towards being almost black) I was surprised by how light (relatively speaking) the body was. Its gripping tannins and subtle dark chocolate were a pleasure. The wine of the day was the Carignan though. I may have been influenced a bit by Ruti’s enthusiasm for this wine, but it is a wine that truly speaks for itself. The 2005 Appellation Carignan, made from 30-40 year old vines and blended with 10% Petite Verdot had an interesting toffee, mocha, chocolate, cedar thing going on. A BIG juicy, mouth coating wine with creeping tannins and a modest finish – this is a wine you MUST try!

Of note were the alcohol levels of the wines. I have heard some criticism regarding the high alcohol levels of some of Israels wines. Yet i noticed that only the appellation Petite Sirah & Carignan were as high as 14.5% ABV (which clearly did not affect my affinity for them), while others such as the single vineyard wines came in at a more modest 13.5% (as was the appellation viognier which I had thought was a typically high alcohol varietal).

As is being done at the Israel wine revolution leader Golan Heights Winery (AKA Yarden), Carmel is trying to get away from being labeled as kosher, and doing everything possible to instead be considered a World Class winery whose wines JUST SO HAPPEN to also be kosher. If today was any indication, they are well on their way!

Happy World Class CARMEL WINE tasting!

WTG

Tags: carignan, Carmel, Israel Wine, Petite Sirah, Yarden
Posted in Israel Wine | 1 Comment »

What a Day! 2 Wine Tastings!!

October 18th, 2008

I went away (within Israel) for the sabbath to a friend of the family. A wonderful woman and great cook it is always a nice shabbat when spent with her and her family. But it doesn’t hurt that she lives next door to a fabulous winemaker, who is also a brilliant & warm man and whom I am fortunate to call a good friend. After attending early services (started at 6:20AM – YIKES) we had a “kiddush” in the sukkah of the winemaker friend. For those of you familiar with the word kiddush when referring to the blessing over wine, I’m using the word here to refer to “a ceremonial meal served … following the recitation of kiddush at the conclusion of services, in which refreshments are served. Traditionally, this often includes cake, crackers, and fish.” BUT, this was no ordinary kiddush…and not just because we started drinking at 9AM…

This was a wine tasting kiddush, and the winemaker friend and his amazingly hospitable wife prepared all kinds of salads (made from home grown tomatoes, lettuce, eggplant and herbs), quiches, cheeses, cakes, etc to go along with the truly FABULOUS wines we were about to taste. There were 7 of us around the table and we were in for quite a treat. Since it was Sabbath I did not take tasting notes, but it is a day and wines I will not soon forget.

The first wine we opened was a 2006 Chateau Lafont Menaut Pessac-Leognan Bordeaux Blanc. Crisp, minerally, refreshing…great start!

Normally we might save special wines for the end, but we were about to open some elegant aged Bordeaux. And while they were the “stars” of the night, they are also wines that are not nearly as robust as they were in their youth, leaving them susceptible to being overpowered by younger, more tannic (and robust) wines – which is why we tasted them first.

So following the Bordeaux Blanc we opened a 1998 Chateau Monbousquet St. Emillion Grand Cru. WOW. At 10 years old, this Bordeaux tasted young! Excellent fruit and plenty of tannins. Some plums, great earthiness and a hint of mocha.

Up next was a legend. Maybe not from a legendary vintage, but…a Chateau Latour. The 1981…yes, I said 1981 Pauillac Grand Vin de Chateau Latour – what a treat! We were concerned that the wine might not be alive and drinkable, but fortunately we underestimated the staying power of good Bordeaux. Very much alive, this wine started off tight, showing nice prune & leather characteristics, eventually opening up to show fruit – all packaged nicely, silky soft and round. Its tannins and acid had dropped out over time, and this wine was quite soft. Maybe not everyone’s preferred style, but undoubtedly a special wine.

Our third red of the morning was a negociant wine. The 1996 Tardieu – Laurent Hermitage made mostly (or entirely?) of Syrah was very interesting. A 12 year old wine, I found it to be high in acidity. The acid will usually drop in a wine as it ages, so this surprised me. But I was told that 12 years is not old for Hermitage, and that it would soften with further aging. It did have a nice minerality and some subtle mocha aromas. A wine (Hermitage) I will definitely be re-visiting…

At this point it was getting a bit late (11AM and apparently people had lives to get to – you believe that?!) and with 3 wines left we opened up the 2 baby reds of the bunch. A 2003 Artadi Pagos Viejos Rioja and the 2001 Grant Burge “Meshach” Shiraz. These were fruit forward style wines. I don’t remember much about the Rioja aside from its up front fuit and nice earthiness. While the Meshach Shiraz was HUGE. It actually reminded me a bit of a California Zinfandel. It had BIG fruit and an almost sweet taste. But this was not a one-dimensional wine. It showed pencil shaving & cigar box aromas. Was well structured (especially for such a big wine) and went quite well with the cakes which by this time had been served.

A final treat was a dessert wine from Alsace. The Domaine Bott-Geyl Sonnenglanz Grand Cru Alsace dessert wine, made of Pinot Gris (and apparently given a 98 by Robert Parker) was a deliciously sweet treat. Its acid was present, which prevented any cloying sweetness, but it was so well integrated it was almost as if it wasn’t there. Very tasty and a special wine to finish things off with.

Assuming I haven’t lost you yet, there was another tasting. This one at a more normal hour (7PM). After the Sabbath I drove into Tel Aviv to meet up with a friend who I may work with on my Israel Wine Project. He has a beautiful apartment in a hopping part of the city and he had about 8 people over for some Israeli wines. I brought some bottles of local Israeli boutique wine and we had a lovely time. I talked a bit about each of the wineries, told them about the wine makers, and we then tasted the wines together. A lite Carignan based wine was casually enjoyed. A Sangiovese/Syrah/Cab Franc blend was intriguing and determined to be a great food wine. While the king, a Cab based wine (with 10% Merlot) was thoroughly enjoyed and drunk to the last drop.

Happy TWICE A DAY Wine Tasting!

WTG

Tags: Alsace, Bordeaux, Hermitage, kiddush, Rioja, Shiraz, sukkah, wine tasting
Posted in wine tasting | Comments Off on What a Day! 2 Wine Tastings!!

Israeli wine terroir

October 15th, 2008

I mentioned “terroir” in my last post. I’m sorry for repeating something just mentioned, but since it is not a common expression outside of wine circles let me reiterate. “Terroir” is described by Wikipedia as “a way of describing the unique aspects of a place that influences and shapes the wine made from it”. These “aspects” could include soil, weather, altitude, etc…

I bring up terroir again as it is a buzz word within the wine world. It is also a word that I am CERTAIN has great relevance when it comes to Israeli wines.

I believe that when not manipulated too much Israeli wines are an incredible combination of new world and old world. They possess earthy old world qualities in addition to fruity new world qualities. And I think this is one of the amazing things about many Israeli wines and an important factor in making them so special.

Back to “terroir” though, I believe the concept of terroir is important to Israeli wines given that they possess sumptuously unique herbal qualities. I have heard spices such as Thyme, Sage, Rosemary and sometimes even Mint used to describe Israeli wines. I have also heard some describe (what I believe to be) this same herbally component as green olive. I mention these unique and interesting descriptors before mentioning why I think recognizing these flavors and aromas is so important.

I have been pounding the pavement of Manhattan selling Israeli wines the past few months and there have been a few people whose palates I respect who have described some of the Israeli wines I tasted with them as having a “green” quality. This descriptor is not a positive one. Sure some people like it (and they are certainly NOT wrong) but it indicates a wine that is either bitter, under-ripe (something that used to be very common with French and other cool climate wines) or simply overly herbaceous rather than fruity. This “green” profile often occurs as a result of wines made from young, immature vines. Or it may be a wine that has been pressed too much and bitterness is extracted from seeds and skins and have overpowered the fruit of the wine.

Some well regarded wine critics have recently called many Israeli wines “green” (while at the same time praising the wines??). And while I appreciate (and at times am envious of) their work, in general we all know how I feel about critics. They certainly serve a purpose, but their influence has become too powerful (shame on us lay-wine-people).

Bottom line, call it what you will. Israeli terroir. Herbal. Herbaceous. Green. WHO CARES. Try it, and if you like it BUY SOME, BUY MORE, and TELL YOUR FRIENDS!!

Happy herbal Israeli wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: green, Israeli Wine, terroir
Posted in Israel Wine | 1 Comment »

Wine scores

October 14th, 2008

Let me first apologize for my online absence. No excuses, but… There was Yom Kippur, the sabbath and the subsequent not-so-short FLIGHT TO ISRAEL! Yes, I am here in the Holy Land. I arrived yesterday, just a few hours prior to the beginning of the holiday of “Sukkot” – described by holidays.com as “the ‘Feast of Booths’ (or Tabernacles), named for the huts (sukkah) that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised Land”.

I am here in Israel for the holiday of course but also to spend time with family (my adorable niece…and her parents) and to work on my Israel wine project.

While drinking wine with a wine industry friend this afternoon in his Succah I admitted that my palate was still not where I would like it to be. He surprisingly asked why I felt that way. I explained that I felt I could decipher between an 80 and 85 point wine and an 85 and 90 point wine. BUT, I still feel like I struggle to truly decipher the supposed subtle differences between 90 point wines and 93 point wines. To which he made a face and basically said HOGWASH!

Which of course got me thinking. There is so much talk of scores as they relate to wines. And I have written about scores here before. SO, is there a difference between a wine given a score of 90 and a wine given a score of 93???

The aforementioned friend theorized that much of it has to do with marketing. Many of the wines I have seen that have been given those 2-3 extra points are single vineyard wines. With the idea that the specific site possesses some unique characteristics and should not be blended and subsequently LOSE those distinct characteristics. I have heard this to be true and I do believe it – to a certain extent. This line of thought invoked the expression “terroir”, described by Wikipedia as “a way of describing the unique aspects of a place that influences and shapes the wine made from it”.

This post can go on and on about scores, their purpose, terroir, if it is real, etc. But I don’t want to bore you with this debate. I will sum up for now by saying that I have been thinking a lot about a new way to evaluate wines that will turn the traditional scoring method on its head. It certainly will not replace the existing scoring method for those who use it to collect wines, drink high scoring wines, etc. But I do expect that as I continue to flesh out the concept it will prove useful to casual wine drinkers.

Happy SCORELESS wine tasting (from Israel)!!

WTG

Tags: Israel, Israel wine project, succot, sukkah, terroir, Wine scores
Posted in Wine critiquing | 1 Comment »

Wines from Spain & my evolving palate

October 7th, 2008

I (briefly) attended a “Wines from Spain” wine tasting today. I enjoy these tastings as they provide me with the opportunity to continue my palate training. But given how busy I have been lately I went today primarily to see a friend I have not had the chance to see for a few months.

Shortly after arriving my friend lamented that he did not care for any of the wines he had tasted thus far. Too big, fruit forward and in his opinion lacking structure. Having not yet tasted any of the wines I agreed with him that I had seen a trend of younger winemakers making wine in a more fruit-forward & extracted style.

To take one step back I must admit here, as I admitted to my friend, that I once very much enjoyed these BIG, fruit forward wines. At the time I very much liked the way the big fruit gave the perception of sweetness, almost as if I were taking a big bite out of a handful of blackberries. However, as my palate has evolved, I am presently a bit more into restrained wines whose fruit are (in my opinion) in better balance in the wine.

SO, we went to a few tables and tasted some wines. I did come across an old style Rioja – an earthy wine wine with some age and restraint – one that is definitely not fruit forward. In general, good interesting wines, but maybe too little fruit??? I also came across some of the aforementioned fruit bombs – big heavily extracted, almost Australian Shiraz style wines – not my thing these days. BUT, I also did find some wines that possessed fruit, but the fruit seemed well integrated. No, these are not the wines people often think of when thinking of classic Spanish wines, but it is a style that has become popular and that sells. And these wineries do need to consider the bottom line.

So, whether you like earthy, subtle Spanish Rioja’s, big fruit forward new world style wines, or some combination of the two, taste wines when possible and you will find a wine from Spain that will suit your unique taste preference.

Happy (whatever style you like) Spanish wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: fruit bombs, Rioja, Wines of Spain
Posted in wine tasting | 2 Comments »

Wines of the (economic) times

October 5th, 2008

Everyone in the world, particularly those of us in the US, are feeling the pinch of the challenging economic environment. Government stimulus packages, collapsing banks, record numbers of newly unemployed – those luxuries we may have been splurging on a year or two ago are possibly absent from our regular shopping lists these days. Where does wine fit in? Can you still justify opening up a $20 (or more expensive) bottle of wine with dinner? That is a lot to spend on an unessential (some might beg to differ) dinner item on just any day of the week.

There has been a lot written recently about food and wine in challenging times.

Eric Asimov wrote an article for the NY Times “Modest Luxuries For Lean Times”. I was not familiar with most of the wines he wrote about, but I do agree that one can find some great buys between $10-$20 (while spending less than $10 is generally a gamble in terms of the quality).

There was an article over the weekend discussing New Yorkers inclination to turn to comfort foods. Apparently New Yorkers are frequenting the fancy obscure restaurants less and opting for more affordable and familiar cuisine – such as a burger and mashed potatoes. A burger shop manager was quoted, saying “people are looking for nostalgic, homemade food at a reasonable price”.

But I digress. We are talking about wine.

Mike Steinberger, writing for Slate Mag “Drinking Away Your Sorrows – How Has the Financial Crisis Affected The Wine World?”, discusses the issue at length. Steinberger mentions recent auction success and stable wine prices as evidence that wine has not been affected. He then cites a UNC-Greensboro economist who claims that “when the economy weakens, alcohol sales fall”. And while he proceeds to repeat a theory I have heard before, that people drink less OUT, but still purchase alcohol to take home to drink, he then states that wine is not affected nearly as much as beer and spirits, citing evidence from Neilson garnered via bars, clubs & restaurants. Finally, he quotes a retailer who says that “Instead of buying a $40 bottle, maybe they’ll go for a $25 bottle now, but they want wine on the table.”

As I hustle throughout the streets of NY I have seen this all first hand. Wine Bars aren’t as busy. Commercial spaces are staying vacant (a lot) longer. Restaurants are closing at a faster pace and opening at a slower pace. And retailers, looking to provide their customers with what they are seeking, seem to be looking for more wines that retail in the $20 & less category.

These are all things I will keep in mind as I move forward with my Israeli wine project plans. And while I definitely have good reason to be cautious, spending as much time as I do at wine bars, wine tastings and wine retailers has given me a good feel for the market. It is an ever changing market that I must stay on top of, but I believe in the journey and while that light (at the end of the tunnel) is hard to see, I know it is there…

Happy conscientious Wine Tasting!

WTG

Tags: Eric Asimov, Israeli Wine, Mike Steinberger, Neilson, Slate Mag
Posted in Wine Industry, Wine STUFF | 2 Comments »

Wine after workout

October 2nd, 2008

I hope that all who celebrated had a nice Rosh Hashana holiday, filled with fabulous wine & great food. I know I did! So much food & wine that I was compelled to hit the gym last night after returning home from 48+ hours of overeating. A good workout & I felt a whole lot better.

Now I must admit that I did not really crave a glass of wine after last nights workout but I often do like a glass of something with whatever I am eating following a workout.

Don’t tell my fellow blogger Kevin about this one

Having recently read a Wine Spectator Health Q & A question regarding drinking wine after a workout, I thought I’d share. The answer to whether one can/should drink wine following a workout came from a registered dietitian, who advised against it stating “Drinking wine, which contains around 10 to 13 percent alcohol [yeah, more like 12-15%], can interfere with the refueling of your muscles by stopping your liver from sending out any glucose. Alcohol delays recovery from exercise.”

The whole answer, found via the link above wasn’t all negative. And frankly for every “professional expert” against a behavior I feel like there is another for a behavior, but…

Just something I found interesting that I thought you might appreciate hearing about.

Happy muscle strengthening wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: exercise, wine
Posted in wine health | 1 Comment »

Wines for the New (Jewish) Year UNDER $30

September 27th, 2008

I’m sorry for the delay in writing this post. I have gotten MANY requests for my Rosh Hashana suggestions. I’m pressed for time (aren’t we all) so here goes…

I decided not to write about wines that typically retail for more than $30. If you are spending in the $30+ price range please feel free to contact me through the site and I’d be more than happy to discuss your best options with you. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Jewish new year, rosh hashana, wine
Posted in Israel Wine, wine - kosher | 3 Comments »

power of suggestion – real or not & Amazon.com wine?

September 25th, 2008

I poured wine at a retailer tonight. I generally try to stop from voicing my opinion about any wines I am pouring, but I often do find myself say things such as “its a real nice wine”. Having done as many of these tasting as I have I find the two opposite effects this leads to as quite interesting.

Often, the power of suggestion is apparently quite powerful and people agree that the wine is one way or another, depending upon what I imply.

BUT, almost as often I get people telling me that they do not agree with my take and tell me how they feel differently about the same wine.

I must admit that it is validating to have people agree with one’s opinion. Yet I am a big believer that we all have a unique palate, and I TRULY do welcome people disagreeing with my assessment.

What I have trouble understanding are either those who refuse to taste, feeling they are being “sold” or “coerced”. Or those who seem to disagree & demean a wine simply as a means of expressing their contrarian view or individuality.

If I have learned anything in the wine industry it is that we must possess a thick skin. Not everyone is going to agree & some might not even disagree politely. But it ain’t personal!

On a completely separate note, it appears more and more likely that Amazon.com is entering the online wine sales world. I keep seeing comments about the impending entree of Amazon into the wine business, but I’m not sure I know what the impact will be. Will they have low prices? Will they do things legally (and more expensively) like wine.com? Is it their infrastructure (shipping centers) that is going to allow them to ship wine to most of the 50 states and keep costs down? Will this perpetuate the debate over wine shipping and its surrounding issues? Will the supreme court be involved?? More to come on this topic I’m sure…

Happy wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: amazon.com, power of suggestion, wine tasting
Posted in Wine Industry, wine tasting | 3 Comments »

NYC has a what??? … a WINERY????$%^&

September 23rd, 2008

Although I was late, I did make it to the event at the City Winery this evening. It was a well attended event and it was great to see some friends and familiar faces there.

Forgetting for a second about tonight’s amazing speaker, what i really want to discuss is, what’s the deal with the CITY WINERY anyway???

Does an über URBAN locale such as NYC really need a winery? And forgetting for a second about “need” (who needs half the stuff we have here in this great city of ours), do city folk really even WANT a winery?

I must admit that I do not know the answer to this question. And I suppose only time will tell. I think it goes without saying that wine has become HOT around the world, in major metropolitan areas, and in NYC in particular. And when discussing my career in wine just about everyone I talk to comments about how romantic working in wine and making wine must be (it really isn’t – but that is not to say I don’t love it). But when it comes down to it, how many people really want to make such a large financial commitment to having their own wine barrel/label/etc.?

For those of you who may be considering this let me unequivocally say…DO IT!!! The place is state of the art. The winemaker is top notch. The staff are bright, young & committed individuals. You are assured a top quality final product. And it will be yours. Whether you end up doing it every year for many years or just try it once – it will be a priceless experience. The pride I have every time I drink a wine I played even a small role in making is tremendous. It is something you will not forget for the rest of your life and an experience like no other. If you are in a position financially to give it a shot, JUST DO IT!

Happy (your name on a bottle) wine making!

WTG

Tags: city winery
Posted in Oenology & Viticulture | 2 Comments »