Place vs. Location … a big 92 point snafu

Posted on September 9, 2008 by Jason Kallsen
Hidden Ridge Vineyards, Sonoma

Hidden Ridge Vineyards ... Sonoma

If you think about a ‘place’, it has a name you can attach to it. In wine, Chianti is defined, regulated, laid out.  Likewise for Rutherford, Santa Lucia Highlands, Barossa Valley, etc.  A ‘location’ is simply a spot of land, identifiable by a specific latitude and longitude (and thanks to Google Earth, you can zoom anywhere with perfect accuracy).

160 acres of mountaintop land.  Spring Mountain, to be specific.  52 acres planted to the top Cabernet Sauvignon clones.  Stunning views in a 360 degree panorama.  Your closest neighbors are none other than Paloma (!!!!!) and Pride Vineyards (!!!!!!). And, here’s the kicker, you can only label your wine with the ‘Sonoma’ appelation.

That’s the snafu that Hidden Ridge Vineyards finds themselves in.  We had a great visit with Casidy Ward, proprietor (along with her husband, Lynn) of this cherished property, and she explained that because of the specific location of this vineyard, it falls outside of all designated AVA’s.  Possibly some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon grown, yet it can only be labeled ‘Sonoma’ … and thus, it is worth less on the bulk wine market.  Rather than fight the system and try to get Spring Mountain AVA pushed to the other side of the mountain, they decided to make their own label and show just how special this place is.

[Sidenote: My co-worker Brandt and I were talking about our affinity for wineries that produce only one wine, from one grape, from property that was bought based on potential of quality rather than a gold-standard of place name (There aren't that many out there). It forces a winery to work harder, for the label of a place will not be there to help sell the wine (how many times has a sales pitch started with 'This is from Rutherford in Napa Valley...").]

Hidden Ridge Vineyards received 92 points on both their inaugural release (2003) and the current release (2004).  By any sensible terms, this wine is the equivalent of, or better than, almost all Napa Valley ‘cult wines.’ However, just as the winemakers have to work harder to produce this product (a two mile long dirt road following the spine of Spring Mountain gets you to the vineyards!), we have to also work harder to sell this product.

Take out the idea of place for a moment.  And instead focus on location.  After all, it’s the terrior that is supposed to be sacred, is it not?

Laying out the vineyards at Hidden Ridge

Laying out the vineyards at Hidden Ridge

Filed under: California, General wine information, Napa Valley, Sonoma | Tagged: , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

New York Times jumps on the wine in a box bandwagon

Posted on August 19, 2008 by Jason Kallsen

This morning at 9:30 am, Tuesday August 19th, the single most emailed story on the New York Times website was not that Obama has decided a running mate, it was not the war in Iraq, it was not the Olympics.  Here’s the true measure of the popularity of wine in today’s culture: it was about boxed wines.

A full third of all wine sold in Italy today is packed in Tetra-Pak.  The boxed wine selection in most stores is about five times the size it was three years ago (with several prominent large brands taking up less and less space, I might add).  It’s all about finding better, but not best, juice in boxes for the sake of convenience and environmental karma (plus value, of course).

(Sidenote: I still think that if a prominent Napa Valley Cabernet producer, somebody with a stellar reputation, released a TINY amount of their wine in box format — imagine paying $300 for a 3L box! — it would generate enough buzz to be the story of the year.  Talk about free advertising!)

However, the really interesting part is to be found here, in the New York Times comments section.  If you want to keep on the pulse of current public opinions, the newspaper comments section is a good place to find the more aggressive, passionate, and loud voices (that inevitably influence the more passive and quiet ones).

Filed under: California, General wine information, Ideas - Retail, Napa Valley | Leave a Comment »

Fresh Taste Festival this Sunday!

Posted on August 15, 2008 by Jason Kallsen

The Twin Cities Fresh Taste Festival is happening this Sunday on Nicollet Island.  A great celebration of organic, sustainable, and biodynamic wines with special guests from around the world.

Taste the ultimate in local fare, at the peak of the summer harvest season.  Guest chefs will be discussing local ingredients, farms, co-ops, and farmers markets.

World Class Wines will have a booth at the show (along with many of our favorite wineries), so please stop by and say hi!

For more information go to www.freshtaste.com, or click on the FRESH TASTE FESTIVAL tab at the top of this page.

Hope to see you Sunday!

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“14 is the new 10″

Posted on August 11, 2008 by Jason Kallsen
Gig Tickets, by Flickr user Limowreck666

Gig Tickets, by Flickr user Limowreck666

Do you ever catch yourself listening to a conversation (or, in this example, the radio) and something is said that grabs you and sticks in your brain and you can’t shake it out?

On Sunday August 3rd, on Sound Opinions (Sunday nights on The Current … quite possibly the best music show on the radio today), the hosts had special guests Sean Agnew, Mitchell Franks, and Jake Szufnarowski.  These three guys are smaller venue rock show promoters from around the country and have seen the ups and downs of decades of promotions and shows.

(Sidenote: As they talked, it became clear that in the music promotion business, not unlike the wine business, the bigger guys are getting bigger — and as we know bigger isn’t always better — and the smaller guys that keep their heads about them are getting creative, working with modern business models, and starting to have the time of their lives.  A classic David and Goliath story.  Quite interesting. Click here for footnotes on the entire show.)

Anyway, I regret that I don’t know which person said it, but when he did it stuck to me:

“14 is the new 10.”

And what he was referring to is the shift in small show ticket prices that has happened just in the last few months.  Last year, charging $6 to see a show was a bad idea … people wondered if it’s going to be worth it, wondered if there is a good band on the roster, and wondered if they should go somewhere else.  But if you charged $10 you got a significantly higher rate of attendance and return, in addition to a higher class of attendees.  It became a win win for the band, the promoter, and the venue.  (The last time this price shift happened, according to this experienced promoter, was circa 1988).

All of the sudden, because of the shift in the cost of goods and transportation, $14 is the new $10.

So when figuring out the retail line up in your store, keep this story in mind.   Your customers may grumble, and of course there are still great bargains out there, but the baseline for quality has changed in value. And on wine lists, more so than anywhere else, don’t hesitate to put a $14 glass of wine out there.  It’s the new 10!

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Shipping containers 101

Posted on August 4, 2008 by Jason Kallsen
Shipping Containers. Image by Flickr user melted_snowball

Shipping Containers. Image by Flickr user melted_snowball

They move the wine we love.  They transport millions of tons of goods across the oceans.  They are shipping containers, and like everything else, the price of using them is going up.

In the quest to help you understand the true costs involved in the wine business, it’s important that you read this snippit from an article in today’s New York Times about the cost of shipping containers.

Australian wine, which has dominated the under $8 market thanks to one brand alone, will obviously be the most affected … it’s a long trip from Sydney to the shores of California.  That is to say, that particular brand and others in its price range will be feeling a bigger hit vis-a-vis a percentage of their price.  But this transportation increase will be felt throughout the system and with any and all imported goods.  It’s suddenly far cheaper to consider American wines for the ‘affordable pour’ at your restaurant!

From the New York Times:

“The cost of shipping a 40-foot container from Shanghai to the United States has risen to $8,000, compared with $3,000 early in the decade, according to a recent study of transportation costs. Big container ships, the pack mules of the 21st-century economy, have shaved their top speed by nearly 20 percent to save on fuel costs, substantially slowing shipping times.

The study, published in May by the Canadian investment bank CIBC World Markets, calculates that the recent surge in shipping costs is on average the equivalent of a 9 percent tariff on trade. “The cost of moving goods, not the cost of tariffs, is the largest barrier to global trade today,” the report concluded, and as a result “has effectively offset all the trade liberalization efforts of the last three decades.”

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Frapatto part two … the ultimate summertime red

Posted on July 28, 2008 by Annette Peters

Jason introduced Frappato in a posting last week, but I want to expand on the story (it’s a good one!)…

I visited Sicily ten years ago, and was the fortunate guest of a winemaking family on the Western side of the island, in a former tuna fishing town called Trapani. The warmth and passion of these people made an indelible impression and it remains one of the most exotic and romantic places I have been in my wine travels. I have been so in love with Sicily that I couldn’t possibly say no when my friend and Italian wine agent, Colleen McKettrick asked me to meet her friend and wine producer, Gaetana Jacono of Valle dell’Acate. Gaetana reinforced everything that I had always associated with Sicily; she was exotic and beautiful, had a devotion to family, a passion for her home, history, and traditions, celebrates life with food and wine, her business relationships are usually woven into personal ones, life is embraced everyday.  A wine selector would rarely admit this but, I was charmed by Gaetana even before I had even tasted her wines.

The first time I tasted the wines of Valle dell’Acate was many years ago, not long after Gaetana had left her profession as a pharmacologist, to return home and take over the family business from her father.  She was showing off her first vintage of Tané ( I think it was the 2001). It was a wine she inspired and the label carried her own nickname, Tané, which was short for Gaetana.  It was very dark colored, with lavender and blackberry scents, thick, sappy and powerful on the palate.  It was the indicator of what was to come at Valle dell’Acate under her guidance.

Fast forward to the present, I am the import director at World Class Wines, and we are once again re-acquainted by our mutual friend Colleen McKettrick. This time, Gaetana has made her influence with much broader brush strokes at Valle dell’Acate.  The wines are vibrant, fruity and modern and yet traditional in their varieties and blends. In particular, the Frappato is so much fun to drink; light, fragrantly fruity and spicy, succulent and juicy on the palate with very light tannins.  My first thought was “Why would anyone buy a less-expensive wanna-be Pinot Noir when they could buy this!”  It has the palate weight, fruit and spice they are seeking and the food compatibility factor is very high.  Now, I am NOT saying this IS Pinot Noir, but one might drink it for the same effect! You have red fruits instead of black, a lighter palate impression, you can chill it, it’s a traditional choice for fish (drunk locally with blue fin tuna), less tannin, and so forth.  They say timing is everything. Thanks to the recent Pinot Noir craze and the new lighter red wine profile evolving, consumers just may “get” the appeal of this wine.  Ten years ago, we would have sold this wine to only a select few.

So what is Frappato?

It is a variety that has been in Sicily for centuries but has unknown origins.  It is genetically similar to Gagliopo which is grown in Calabria.  It is a part of the blend for Sicily’s only DOCG : Cerasuolo di Vittoria, located near Ragusa in the southeastern part of Sicily.The vines experience warm days, cooler nights and also a very hot, dry wind that sweeps across from Africa known as the Sirroco. The soil is primarily composed of calcium rich sandstone and clay. The wine produced from Frappato is generally lighter with red fruit notes and spicy undertones.

Valle dell’Acate is located in the town of Acate near Ragusa.  The estate is known as CASE BIDINI (Case is dialect for “house”)  Gaetana is the 6th generation of the Jacono family to make wine at this estate.  The family produces the following wines: the celebrated Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOCG; the IGTs Moro, Frappato, Insolia, and Bidis, and the most recent, Tané, made by selecting the best bunches of Nero d’Avola and Syrah.

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Memories of accalimed Veneto producer Sergio Zenato

Posted on July 23, 2008 by Jason Kallsen

We’ve lost one of the greats.  Sergio Zenato passed away July 11th after a long battle with leukemia (age 73).

I spent a fantastic afternoon at a luncheon with him, on the banks of Lago di Garda, in May of 2003.  Wild white hair, hands flying in every direction, and not a lick of English coming from him.  The server handed me a menu, which he grabbed out of my hands while he proceeded to order the entire meal.  He knew the chef well, and indicated that he wanted me to have a ‘true Veneto experience’.  It was one of the best meals of my life.

The fire and the passion this man had for his wine, his region, and his family was second to none. I had never been in the presence of such a wine personality.  Truly unforgettable.

The next bottle of Zenato Pinot Grigio, Lugana, Valpolicella, Ripassa, or Amarone you pop, be sure to raise a glass to this icon.

Filed under: Italy | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

You say tomato, I say Frappato!

Posted on July 18, 2008 by Jason Kallsen
Photo by Flickr user Giampaolo

Photo of a Sicilian sunset by Flickr user Giampaolo

In the constant quest to find the ultimate summertime red, Annette has out done herself and brought in a fantastic Frappato.  More on the specific producer and the story of how she found the wine later.  For now, let’s concentrate on this grape, and even more importantly Sicily as a place.

Sicily, like any traditional European wine region, can trace its vinous history back to the Romans, and in the case of Sicily, the Greeks.  That’s a 2000+ year head start on California!  Anyway, like Burgundy, Chianti, Piedmonte, etc., Sicily developed their local varietals that paired well with the local circumstance and cuisine.  (Ed Behr of the Art of Eating — you HAVE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS MAGAZINE –  did a fantastic issue about Sicily a number of years ago and mentioned “Outside of Tokyo, this is one of the only places on earth to sit down to a fifteen course meal in which every plate is seafood.”)  The local cuisine is fish, and the local circumstance is intense summertime heat.  Thus, the local grapes go best with anything Sicilian, including a 95 degree summertime afternoon.  No surprise there.

Fast forward to the mid 1990’s and big wine companies noticed that on the island there are enough micro-climates to grow just about ANYTHING.  A land rush began, and has resulted in bigger, newer, internationally styled wines from large multi-national corporations.  At many wine shops in Minnesota, even in the small towns on the prairie, you can now find Sicilian Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet.  There is even a Pinot Noir out there.

Poor Frappato.  Pushed to the side by the Cabernet bully.  Intimidated by the Chardonnay.  Poor Frappato.

And that, friends, is why you should seek it out.  It’s an individualistic statement.  It’s perfect for summertime.  Less and less of it is planted.

Nothing, and I mean nothing, goes better with grilled burgers or ribs than Frappato.

Here are a couple of great articles on this grape, and another post in the future will talk about this latest producer (Valle dell’Acate).

David Rosengarten on the ‘mob mentality’ of the Sicilian wine business.

Chowhound post on ‘What is Frappato.’

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An introduction to Umami, and how it pertains to wine

Posted on July 17, 2008 by Jason Kallsen

Want to out geek the wine geeks in the room? Start tossing around your ability to sense the umami in a wine. Introduced to me first by Terry Theise, who describes it as “the taste of yourself tasting”, umami has a legitimate role in the world of wine tasting, and definitely in the food world.

As said in a Wall Street Journal piece in 2007: “Chefs including Jean-Georges Vongerichten are offering what they call “umami bombs,” dishes that pile on ingredients naturally rich in umami for an explosive taste.”

So what is it?  It’s a Japanese word basically meaning savory, and it’s quite common in the likes of roasted tomatoes, seaweed, mushrooms, great aged cheeses, and anchovies.  Once you’re attuned to taking notice of it, it’s amazing how often it comes up in a wine.

In fact, I’ll go so far as to say this: the ‘new European red taste profile’ that Annette Peters has been talking about so much is based in the savory finish of many of those wines.  The new wines from Peuch Ariol, as well as new Sicilian selection forthcoming all contain this base of lasting flavor.

For more information on this fascinating subject, read this Wikipedia entry, take a look at this CBS News story, or this Wall Street Journal article.

Lastly, here’s a great article by Randy Capsaro writing for The Wine Lover’s Page on ‘Deconstructing Umami’.

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New arrival: Eric Louis Sancerre

Posted on July 13, 2008 by Annette Peters

Photo by Flickr user Avlxyz

Photo by Flickr user Avlxyz

Paris brasseries and bistros pour thousands of glasses of Sancerre each year along with their “plateau de fruits de mers”. After all, what could be better with briny fresh oysters, cockles, crab claws, snails and shrimps? No doubt, this is why for the millions of tourists who have endured the brisk service of a La Coupole waiter, there really is no better choice for seafood than a nicely chilled bottle of SANCERRE. Its also easy to pronounce for linguistically challenged Americans. No wonder it’s most likely the most known of all Loire wines.

There are now 2,800ha (hectares) of vines planted here, meaning Sancerre accounts for more than half the central Loire region’s total of 5,000 ha. While the vast majority is Sauvignon Blanc, about 25% is Pinot Noir. In fact before phylloxera devastated these vineyards at the end of the 19th century, red varieties dominated – principally Pinot Noir and Gamay, and until appellation contrôlée was introduced, some of these grapes went north to be used for making Champagne. It was only after phylloxera that Sauvignon Blanc took over.

The Louis Family has been making Sancerre for over 200 years. The name of the estate is Celliers de Pauline after Eric’s grandmother. The estate operates as a “lutte-raisonée” producer, or reasonable methods, meaning they use as little non-organic intervention as possible. Fertilizers and insecticides are not used. Leaving the vineyards natural, or “grassing over” is practiced.

Mainly planted on chalky stony soils, Sancerre is 100% Sauvignon, dry, fruity, with juniper–like notes, concentrated, full-bodied in mouth. To optimize fruit flavors, yields are reduced then after the  harvest, the wine is matured on its lees until February. Several successive tastings determine the best time for the bottling. There is no oak used to make this wine.

Located near Thauvenay, one of the 15 of Sancerre AOC. This is one of the greater plateaus in Sancerre. The soils here are almost exclusively silex. Wines are friendlier here, more fruity and mineral here. More powerful, austere wines come from the Western side of Sancarre where most of the white chalky soils are.

This Sancerre is classical in its high toned gooseberry-juniper fruit aromas, mineral sea-salt tanginess, and plump palate roundness. A less austere style, more gin-cocktail style of Sancerre. Perfect for shellfish, delicate fish, like the river pike of the region, and of course, the famous goat cheese of the region “Crotin de Chavignol” or horse turd of Chavignol” name for its small round shape. If you are in the area and having a goat cheese emergency, no worries! There is a Crotin vending machine in the center of Chavignol offering 4 different ages of the cheese!

Filed under: France, New arrivals, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

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