A couple of weeks back I had the pleasure of attending the launch of the 2011 Vintage of Sandeman Porto. Vintage Port is only declared in years that each house considers an exceptional representation of their style. In the case of Sandeman specifically they most recently declared the 2007. To celebrate the launch of the newly declared 2011 we tasted it as well as one representing each of the previous six decades. George Sandeman was on hand at Del Posto in NYC to lead us through this tasting which featured the 1955, 1963, 1977, 1980, 1997, 2007 and of course 2011 Vintages. In addition to thoughts on the specific wines George provided some historical context for each vintage as well as his outlook about the styles and variations. Here are my feelings on the new release as well as a three of my favorites from the older selections we sampled that evening.
The Sandeman 2011 Vintage Porto was produced using a blend of Touriga Franca (40%), Touriga Nacional (40%), Tinta Roriz (10%), Tinta Cão (5%), and Sousão (5%). The fruit is of course all from the Douro. Grapes were partially de-stemmed and gently crushed. Maceration and fermentation followed in a temperature controlled environment. Addition of the aguardente (neutral spirit) followed. The following spring the wine was transported to Sandeman Cellars in Vila Nova de Gaia for maturation. After maturation and numerous tasting trials the final blend was achieved and the 2011 Vintage Porto was bottled in April of 2013. It was released in October of this year and is Sandeman’s first declared vintage Porto since the 2007. The 2011 Vintage Porto will sell for around $75 at most retailers. The color of this Port is deep, dark and dense. The nose is absolutely loaded with a stunning array of spice aromas which include fruitcake spices and a gentle wisp of anise. Tons of dark, complex layered fruits are on display throughout the gorgeous palate. Cherries and blackberries are of particular note. Dark, dusty baker’s chocolate and continued spices are part of a long, lusty and prodigious finish. This is a powerful and muscular port with firm tannins, fine acidity and excellent structure. It’s really just a baby now, but one with killer promise for future greatness. It has the hallmarks of what should become a classic, long lived vintage of Sandeman Porto. It’s a potent and fruit forward Port which is delicious now. This is particularly true if it’s paired with rich chocolate desserts or strong cheeses. However if you’re patient enough to lay a bottle or case of this wine down for a couple of decades (or more) you will be richly rewarded with a classic experience.
Each of the older Ports we tasted had something special to offer. While there was a general continuity of House style, there was lots of interesting variation based on Vintage and of course time in the bottle as well. Here’s a look at a couple of my very favorites.
Sandeman 1955 Vintage Porto – This was the oldest of the Ports we sampled and it was a real treat. The hue here was light and coppery in nature. At almost 60 years old this Port now looks in the glass closer in color to a Tawny than a Vintage Porto, which is quite natural. Apricot aromas emerge from the nose. Bits of caramel and secondary characteristics are part of the gentle palate. The finish still has nice length and character.
Sandeman 1963 Vintage Porto – Much like it’s older brother the color is coppery though a hint darker. The nose of this 50 year old Port is just a touch reticent but the subtleness is made up for by a lovely and delicate potpourri of gentle secondary aromas such as truffle and spice. The palate shows off mushrooms, subtle red fruits and a bit of leafiness. Spices such as black pepper emerge on the finish. This one is really delicious and interesting now.
Sandeman 1980 Vintage Porto – The color here is still red and fairly dark. Fairly bold red fruits fill the palate with cherry and strawberry leading the way. Spices and leather characteristics mark the finish which has good length. This is a gorgeous and impeccably balanced Port that is just delicious all by itself.
The bottom line is that Sandeman has been making top shelf Vintage Porto for a long, long time. The oldest vintages illustrate the ability of truly great Port whose aging is counted in decades not years. The newest vintages, especially the 2011 showcase the continued production of impressive Porto. It also displays the shifting of style to a wine that still has loads of finesse and grace but also features a bit more power and wow factor.
Stickybeak is a California based winery that sources grapes in a host of regions such as Napa, Sonoma and Monterey. They have now widened their reach by making a wine with fruit sourced in Italy. These particular grapes come from the 40 year old Cerreto Guidi vineyards located in Tuscany. Here’s a look at this Italian blend.
The Stickybeak 2011 Toscana was produced from a blend of Sangiovese (85%), Merlot (10%) and Syrah (5%). The Sangiovese and Merlot were both sourced in Tuscany with the Syrah coming from Maremma which is close by. Wild yeasts were used for fermentation which took place over roughly 15 days. Each varietal was aged separately over 18 months in entirely French oak. Blending occurred prior to bottling. This wine is finished in screw cap and has a suggested retail price of $20. Violet and red cherry aromas light up the nose of this Tuscan blend. Strawberry, cherry, spice, and vanilla bean are all in play throughout the palate which has nice depth. Leather, cherry, raspberry and black peppercorn flavors all show up in the finish which has above average length. This wine really shines when paired with food. Anything with red sauce on it will work well. I drank it with homemade pizza and it was memorable and delicious combo.
Recently I had the opportunity to taste through the wines of 
Moss Wood 1991 Chardonnay – This 22 year old Chardonnay showcases a cavalcade of pure and expressive fruits. There is depth and complexity here to spare. Apple and pear flavors are joined by bits of hazelnut and toast. A bit of butter crème emerges on the finish which has excellent length and persistence. This is a gorgeous wine that exemplifies how fantastic Chardonnay can be when it’s treated appropriately all the way from vineyard to bottle.
a variety of fruit and spice flavors coming to the forefront. Fruitcake spices emerge on the honeyed finish which has great length and nice acidity. This wine works equally well paired with other sweets or a cheese course.
Dry Creek Vineyard is a family owned winery that is the namesake vineyard of their appellation as well as stunningly consistent producer of fine wines. Whether you’re looking for everyday values, appellation specific offerings or single vineyard wines, Dry Creek Vineyard has something to offer. They absolutely kill it when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel, the two key grapes of Dry Creek Valley. But they do so much more. Here’s a look at the current vintage of one of their best value wines.
The Dry Creek Vineyard 2012 Dry Chenin Blanc was produced entirely from fruit sourced in the Clarksburg region of California. This offering is 100% Chenin Blanc. The vines these grapes came from had an average age of 10 years when this harvest occurred. Fermentation took place over 28 days in temperature controlled stainless steel. Just more than 13,000 cases of this wine were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $12. This wine has an ostentatious nose that simply leaps from the glass with white peach and Lychee fruit aromas dominating. Apricot and mango flavors are prominent on the palate along with a bit of spice. There is a fruity edge to the mellifluous finish which gives the impression of sweetness as is persists and lingers on the back of the throat.
In general people love Red Blends. Well when they’re tasty of course. There are all sorts of styles out there but the ones I’m specifically talking about today are the kind that are well priced, made for a wide audience and generally available. These have a found a big following with different kinds of wine lovers. To the novice Red wine drinker they can be easy to drink and appealing. To the seasoned wine drinker they offer something tasty and easy on the budget that will satisfy a lot of different taste buds. Murphy-Goode has a new blend called Homefront Red. For every bottle of this wine sold Murphy-Goode will doncate 50 cents to Operation Homefront, a national nonprofit that provides emergency and financial assiustance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. With that in mind here’s a look at the wine.
The Murphy-Goode 2011 Homefront Red was produced from fruit sourced throughout California. This offering blends together Syrah, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel. This wine was aged in a combination of French and American oak. It was recently released and is available nationally. 50,000 Cases were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $15. Blackberry and raspberry aromas light up the nose of this wine along with a little hint of anise. The palate is loaded with berry fruit flavors such as black raspberry and spices galore. Red Cherry is present as well and leads to the finish which has wisps of sweet chocolate and black pepper. Homefront Red will pair well with a pretty wide array of foods. It will be particularly good with casual grilled foods.
The Rioja region of Spain is bet known for wines based on Tempranillo. Often these are single varietal wines, other times they have small amounts of indigenous local varieties blended in as well. Campo Viejo is a winery that falls right into that description. They make a number of Tempranillo based wines in different tiers within the Spanish wine aging laws. Now they have added the first ever Garnacha to their portfolio. Here’s a look at it.
The Campo Viejo 2012 Garnacha is an inaugural release for this well known, widely distributed winery based in the Rioja region of Spain. This release is made entirely of Garnacha sourced at their vineyards in the Alfaro and Aldeanueva sections of Rioja Baja. Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. Aging in French oak barrels took place over 4 months. This wine is available all over the country and has a suggested retail price of $12.00. Violets and dark, heady fruit aromas emerge from the nose of this 2012 Garnacha. A gentle wisp of vanilla bean is present as well. The palate is studded with plum, blueberry and raspberry flavors. Spices such as pepper and clove are present as well and lead to the finish which shows off rhubarb and strawberry as well as tiny bits of anise seed. The finish has solid length for the price range.
European wine can be intimidating to wine drinkers for a variety of reasons. Those with an interest in wine but who aren't total geeks about it don’t necessarily know the nuances of labeling and what might be in a particular bottle due to it generally listing region as opposed to varietal content. Stylistically many old world wines are often subtler than their new world counterparts and it can take time for palates to come around to the layered charms of those often elegant offerings. In contrast to all of that Domaines Paul Mas from the Languedoc region of France has some releases that are labeled in such a way that even the budding wine lover can easily discern contents. Additionally they are making wines that bridge the gap in style between the old and new worlds. Here’s a look at three of their current releases.
The Paul Mas 2011 Estate Pinot Noir is a single vineyard effort. All of the fruit for this wine came from their St. Hilaire Vineyard located in the Languedoc Region. This offering is 100% Pinot Noir. After maceration the fruit was fermented in a temperature controlled environment for approximately 9 days. Aging took place over 6 months in stainless steel, followed by 2 months in bottle prior to release. This wine has a suggested retail price of $14. Aromas of Strawberry and red cherry fill the nose of this Pinot Noir along with secondary characteristics such as mushroom. Those red fruit characteristics carry through the palate which is towards the more substantial side for Pinot Noir. Minerals, spice and earth are all in strong evidence on the finish which has good length. Medium tannins and zippy acidity lend to a nice backbone and structure here. This is a Pinot from the old world that shows off new world flavors while still being proportionate.
Holiday weekends, parties and festive gatherings of every shape and size always get my mind thinking about what kind of wine to serve. These events offer a particular challenge. What will make the casual drinker happy and still keep the wine lovers interested? And certainly it wouldn't hurt if it’s a wine that pairs well with a broad array of foods. Of course one answer would be to serve multiple wines but that has various complicating factors. So when possible I strive to find one main wine to serve at large gatherings. Here’s a look at what I plan to pour this upcoming Labor Day.
The Frisk 2012 Prickly Rosso was produced from fruit sourced in the Victoria region of Australia. This offering blends together Merlot (51%) and Docletto (49%). Fermentation took place in stainless steel with a selection of yeasts. This wine features a bit of fizz brought on by the yeast. It has a suggested retail price of $11.
Certain things in the wine world hit my sweet spot. That could certainly be particular grapes or styles of wine. But one thing that hits my sweet spot almost every time is a solid value. I’m a firm believer that at any price point a wine can be a value for the quality and style it represents in its category. However in this case I’m talking about everyday values. This is a huge category of wine; numerous categories lumped together at times actually, aimed at people’s everyday drinking budget. Wine lovers are always on the hunt for something that tastes good, offers some depth and doesn’t cost a ton. Trouble is that the vast category of everyday value contains lots of unpleasant or at the very least anonymous wines. We’ve all had them, you take a sip, then another and all you can do is confirm, “yup that’s wine.” What that represents to me is sadness, because there are lots of delicious wines available that are well made and offer excellent value. Here’s a look at a terrific one in the most difficult category of all in my opinion, value priced Pinot Noir.
The Brancott Estate 2011 Marlborough Pinot Noir was produced from fruit sourced in the namesake region. This wine is entirely Pinot Noir. The vines used represent a handful of different Pinot Noir clones allowing for a broader flavor profile. After harvesting the fruit was destemmed and cold soaked for four days prior to fermentation utilizing an array of yeast strains. This Pinot was aged over four months in a combination of stainless steel and oak. This wine is widely available around the country and has a suggested retail price of $12.99. However it often sells for closer to $10, so shop around.
Trione Vineyards & Winery is located on 115 acres in the midst of Russian River Valley one of Sonoma County’s great and storied appellations. From that property they make a handful of small lot wines. Several of them are available nationally. Here’s a look at their new release Sauvignon Blanc.
The Trione 2012 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc was produced using fruit sourced exclusively at their River Road Ranch site. The Sauvignon Blanc vines had 12 years of age on them at the time of harvest. The fruit was hand picked and pressed into stainless steel. A wild yeast strain from South Africa was utilized for fermentation. This offering is 100% varietal. After fermentation aging took place over 4 months in a combination of new (10%) and neutral (90%) oak barrels. Just fewer than 1,500 cases of this Sauvignon Blanc were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $23.
With summer weather in full swing for weeks now, I’ve been going through more Rosé than ever. That’s partly because my thirst for them increases year after year; in addition to that we see more and more Rosé’s on our shelves from all corners of the globe as time marches on. Here’s a look at two I just tried and really enjoyed.
The Luigi Bosca Finca La Linda 2012 Rosé was produced from fruit sourced in the Mendoza region of Argentina. This offering is 100% Malbec. Fruit for this Rosé was hand picked, sorted and destemmed. Fermentation took place in a temperature controlled stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures. This widely available wine has a suggested retail price of $13. This Rosé has a darker, more vibrant hue than the average. Aromas of wild strawberry jam leap from the nose of this wine. Bright raspberry, cherry and bits of orange characteristics light up the palate with a ton of scrumptious flavors. Vanilla bean, sweet cherry and white pepper notes are all in evidence on the finish which has good length and shows off firm, crispy acidity. This wine will go well with a variety of foods; I found it to be particularly excellent with spicy chicken tacos.
I've been enjoying wines from Franciscan Estate since my earliest familiarity with Napa Valley. In that time they've featured a consistently appealing portfolio of wines. Franciscan has also been steady in terms of what they release; their core has remained reliable as well. However every now and then they add something new. This summer it’s a new white blend, focused mostly on two varietals they have worked with for years. Here’s a look at it.
The Franciscan Estate 2012 Equilibrium is the inaugural release of this wine. This white blend combines Sauvignon Blanc (72%), Chardonnay (17%), and Muscat (11%). All of the fruit for this wine was sourced in Napa Valley. 83% of the fruit was fermented in stainless steel and the remaining 17% in barrel. Just fewer than 6,000 cases of Equilibrium were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $22.99. This wine leads with a killer nose; tropical and stone fruit aromas simply burst out of the glass invitingly. Equilibrium’s palate is studded with an array of engaging bright fruit flavors; white peach, guava and mango are of particular note here. Lemon curd, white pepper and continued tropical fruit flavors abound on the finish which has nice length. This wine is soft, round, lush and mouth-filling.
Hecht & Bannier was founded in 2002 by Gregory Hecht and Francois Bannier. They set themselves up in the style of traditional French Negociants with a goal of creating reference point releases in each region they produce wines from. The latest additions to their portfolio are a couple of wines from Provence. Here’s a look at them.
The Hecht & Bannier Côtes de Provence 2012 Rosé was produced from a blend of Grenache (45%), Cinsault (40%) and Syrah (15%). The grapes utilized were sourced at a variety of vineyards, some in the foothills of Montagne Sainte-Victorie and others high altitude vineyards of Haute-Provence. The fruit was picked overnight during cooler hours to assure the preservation of freshness. This wine has a suggested retail price of $18. The light salmon hue of this offering is both beautiful and immediately striking. Engaging floral characteristics emerge from the nose. The palate is fruity, spice, dry, lithe and absolutely lovely. Cherry, strawberry, bits of orange zest and white pepper are all in play from the first sip through the above average finish. This wine goes down easily and it also has the depth and complexity to keep things interesting. It’s really a super appealing wine that you’re going to want to buy a few bottles of as they disappear quick once they’re open.
Many wine making regions produce Bordeaux inspired blends and the results vary greatly. In my mind the downfall often comes when trying to mimic the great wines of Bordeaux to the point of not focusing on what does best in the region in question. Argentina of course is best known for Malbec which thrives there in a variety of styles. The latest release from Bodega Achaval-Ferrer is a Bordeaux inspired blend and it’s also a wine with a relatively large percentage of Malbec in it. So here’s a release where Bordeaux inspiration and local rock-star grape meet. Here are my thoughts on the results.
The Achaval-Ferrer 2010 Quimera was produced from fruit sourced in three appellations: Lujan de Cuyo, Medrano, and Tupungato. This offering is a blend of Malbec (31%), Merlot (20%), Cabernet Sauvignon (27%), Cabernet Franc (18%) and Petit Verdot (4%). Each varietal underwent primary fermentation separately in small tanks; Malolactic fermentation followed after the wine was blended. Barrel aging took place over 12 months in entirely French oak; 40% of the barrels utilized were new and the balance had been used once prior. Just more than 3,000 cases of this wine were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $56.
Chile is a country whose wines have been of interest to me for a long time. It’s an interest that has grown over time as the wines have increased in quality and diversity. Exciting things are happening in Chile and some of them are with long standing producers and others with newer ones. 
I recently had the opportunity to enjoy dinner with Helfrich Winemaker Nicolas Haeffelin and taste current releases of his wines. Helfrich is a family owned winery that was founded in 1934; it sits in the northern part of Alsace. They farm the Steinklotz vineyard which is one of only 51 in all of Alsace that has Grand Cru status. Additionally they source some of their fruit under long term arrangements with trusted neighbors. Amazingly Nicolas’ family has had a winemaker in every generation dating back to 1560. Prior to his time back home in Alsace Nicolas studied and worked in Burgundy and then spent a six months in New Zealand. It was a pleasure tasting wine with Nicolas and witnessing his passion for his work. Helfrich’s portfolio includes a carefully considered array of wines that share commonalities of quality while they are also each distinct. What follows are my thoughts on a trio of my personal favorites from the evening.
The Helfrich 2012 Gewurztraminer was produced entirely from fruit sourced in Alsace. This wine is composed entirely of Gewurztraminer. After harvesting the fruit was destemmed and placed in a horizontal press. The juice was then passed into stainless steel tanks for fermentation. It was settled and racked on the lees to help round it out. This wine is finished in screw cap and has a suggested retail price of $14.99. This wine opens with a gloriously big nose that shows off tropical fruit aromas in abundance. The palate has apricot and Lychee fruit was well as white cling peach flavors. The finish is long and lusty with bits of mesquite honey and spice closing things out. The Helfrich Gewurztraminer is a gorgeous wine that I simply wanted to keep drinking.
Few things in life are totally indisputable. One of them is that there is no single person more important to the history of the California wine industry than Robert Mondavi. It was Bob who championed Napa Valley more vociferously than anyone before or perhaps since. He believed before anyone else that wines equal to any in the world could be produced in Napa. Without his irrepressible passion for the wines of Napa and the forward movement of the Valley as an important wine making region it’s impossible to say how long it would have taken for it to achieve the heights it has. Mr. Mondavi would have been 100 years old today. On this occasion it’s important to reflect on what he still means to the wine world. Innovation, advancement and quality were things he held dear. I’ll take a look at two wines today, both from the To Kalon vineyard in Oakville. Appropriately one of them is an inaugural release of a new wine from that vineyard. What better way to honor a man who kept moving forward than with a new offering from a world renowned vineyard in Oakville that he championed.
First up is the Robert Mondavi Winery 2011 Oakville District Fumé Blanc. The fruit for this wine was sourced at the To Kalon vineyard in Oakville adjacent to the winery itself. In addition to Sauvignon Blanc (91%), a small amount of Sémillon (9%) was blended in. The fruit was hand picked and whole cluster pressed. 90% of the wine was barrel fermented in 60 gallon French oak; the balance in stainless steel tanks. The entire lot was aged in barrel with 12% new oak utilized. This wine has a suggested retail price of $32. Aromas of fresh cut grass and lemon zest inform the welcoming nose of this 2011 Sauvignon Blanc based wine. The palate here is dense and layerd; loaded with honeydew melon as well as copious quantities of citrus and tropical fruit characteristics. Essence of orange shows up on the prodigiously persistent finish along with white pepper. What impresses most about this offering is a deep level of refinement and complexity. There is depth, fruit, spices and all sorts of flavors to spare, but all in proportion. This is a gorgeous example of Sauvignon Blanc that is well worth its asking price.
The Rías Baixas region sits in the north of Spain. The predominate grape in this region is Albariño. Within this one relatively small region there are 5 distinct sub-zones. Today I’ll look at a wine from the O Rosal zone which borders the north of Portugal.
The Bodegas Terras Gauda 2012 Terras Gauda O Rosal was produced from estate grown fruit. The estate sits on the banks of the Miño River within the Rias Baixas appellation in Galacia Spain. This offering is a blend of three indigenous varietals; Albariño (70%), Loureiro (18%), and Caiño Blanco (12%). Fermentation took place in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks, utilizing native yeasts. Approximately 1 million cases of this offering were produced and it has a suggested retail price of $24.
Warm weather lends itself to a higher consumption of white wines and Rosé. Summer is also a time for a lot of BBQ’s and casual gatherings with family and friends. These events often call for some tasty wines that please the palate and the budget. Today I’ll look at a Sauvignon Blanc that fits the bill for me.
The Beachhouse 2012 Sauvignon Blanc is a South African wine. In addition to Sauvignon Blanc (80%), a bit of Semillon (20%) was also blended in. This wine is widely available and has a suggested retail price of $11.99; if you shop around you can find it for a few dollars less. A Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Red Blend are also available under this label.