Wine Peeps

First off I should tell you that Gary Vaynerchuk is a great guy and a very genuine person despite his somewhat outrageous persona on Wine Library TV. I’ve had the opportunity to meet Gary on several occasions, the most recent at his book signing here in Seattle. Unlike authors at many book signings, Gary was on-time, spent almost two hours talking about his book and answering every question anyone in the audience had on wine or almost any other subject, and signed books with a very personal touch.

Whether or not you agree with his thoughts on wines, Gary is a great marketer, has established a tremendous personal brand, and is doing a great job of promoting wine to the world. I look forward to visiting with Gary again at the Wine Bloggers Conference in California in October.

I really enjoyed reading Gary’s book, Gary Vaynerchuk’s 101 Wines: Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World, and learning more about his background and approach to wine tasting. However, I would think that the objective of most of us who bought the book would be to find some new wines to try that sound interesting to us from Gary’s reviews and descriptions. Here’s where the problem comes in for me. I can’t find most of the wines from the book that I want to try. I earmarked thirteen wines from his book and after a month of searching have finally located a measly two of them. Kori marked a number of different wines when she read the book and has been able to find only a few of them herself.

I tried buying them locally at the two biggest wine shops in Seattle. I tried to find them online from two of the biggest wine vendors on the internet. [Editor’s note: Some of the wines are available from Gary’s Wine Library store in New Jersey, but they cannot ship to Washington State.] The closest I came initially to finding any of the wines I wanted to try was a different vintage of one of his recommended wines. Oh yes, and a friend gave us a bottle of one he had tried, Gary’s #5, the Radikon, Oslavje, 2002. Gary’s description was right on, but I personally do not find “rusty nail” and “spoiled papaya” appealing. I thought it was one of the worst wines I’ve ever tasted in my life. To this, Gary would probably say, “That’s great because all of our palates are different!” Gary’s mission is to get people to try new wines and expand their palates.

In sum, I sincerely thank Gary for all his does for the wine world, but I don’t believe that this book is accomplishing its stated mission, at least for me, because I can hardly find any of the wines. I hope that Gary takes a different tack in his second book and from what I heard at his book signing I suspect that he will. If you haven’t already bought this book, I’d suggest that you wait for book number two since Gary has a two book deal with the publisher. Gary is a very bright guy so I believe his second book will be more practical for its readers.

Have you read Gary V’s 101 Wines? If so, what did you think? Were you able to find the wines you wanted to try?

Thank you for joining us for the third “virtual meeting” of the Wine Book Club. Many thanks to Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 who originally proposed the idea for the WBC where bloggers and wine lovers all over the world come together for book reviews and discussions every other month after reading a selected text. Our host for this edition is Lenn Thompson of LENNDEVOURS and the text he selected was To Cork or Not To Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science, and the Battle for the Wine Bottle by George M. Taber.

George M. Taber is a dedicated wine enthusiast and author of the critically acclaimed book, Judgment of Paris. In his most recent work, To Cork or Not To Cork, Mr. Taber takes us through the history of wine closures going back to ancient times. He addresses issues with wine’s most used closure to date, the cork, as well as discusses some new alternative closures that have come into the market. For a “wine-head” like myself, I found the book quite interesting but was disappointed to find that after reading all 270 pages, Taber never definitively answers the question posed in the title of whether to cork or not to cork. A more appropriate title for this book would be The History of Wine Closures.

My own conclusion is that the wine industry must continue to work diligently to find the perfect alternative closure to cork. The wine industry cannot stay viable as an industry when five percent or more of all bottles opened are flawed by a tainted cork and when a person has no clue whether an expensive bottle they bought years ago for a special occasion and stored properly will be good when they open it. While the cork industry has been forced to improve, cork is still not the perfect closure.

After reading this book, it appears to me that some type of glass stopper ultimately has the best shot at becoming the perfect closure. In the interim, the screwcap is the best option available (especially for white wines and young red wines); however, winemakers have to prepare the wine differently for a screwcap than for a cork due to the reduction versus oxidation issue.

If someone can figure out how to make the glass stopper go “pop” when opened, they’ll probably have the market locked up all to themselves.

If you’ve already read the book, please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it.

Today marks the second “virtual meeting” of the Wine Book Club, where bloggers and wine lovers all over the world come together for book reviews and discussions every other month after reading a selected text. Our host for this edition is Tim Elliott of Winecast and the text he selected was Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution by William Echikson.

Historically, Bordeaux, and the French in general, have been very stogy in their traditions and winemaking practices. However, over the past twenty years, innovators have made their mark, modernizing the production, evaluation, and marketing of French wine. The result has been richer, fruit-driven wines that can be drunk younger than in the past.

William Echikson spent six months in Bordeaux following the growing season and harvest of the 2001 vintage, studying the changes in Bordeaux.

Noble Rot reads like a novel but it is not, it’s true. It is fast-paced and tells some interesting stories about the major players in Bordeaux. Here are a few highlights from the book that I found particularly interesting. Some of these just might whet your appetite for more.

“We don’t want to become like Mondavi in the Napa Valley [and cater to tourists],” he [Count Alexandre de Lur-Saluces] said. “One must merit a visit to Yquem.”

“When I started out, the whole group of wine tasters were little more than parrots for the powers that be in Bordeaux, just repeating the accepted wisdom,” he [Robert Parker, world renowned wine critic] recalled.

In Bordeaux the wine trade’s more progressive elements view him as a savior of sorts. They have realized that the region has a lot of wine to sell and that Parker helps sell it. The American revolutionary could have championed California wines. Instead, his first love is France. He loves French wines, and Bordeaux wines in particular.

If Robert Parker is the leading fan of new wave winemakers, [Michel] Rolland [famous enologist known as the Flying Winemaker] is their guru.

As France became richer and its population moved from the land to the cities, wine became, as in Anglo-Saxon countries, a festive treat [rather than an integral part of everyday life]. Since 1960 consumption has fallen by more than half, from about forty gallons per person per year to about fifteen gallons. While that is still far more than the average two gallons a year drunk by Americans, consumption of more expensive, higher-quality wines has increased in both countries. “We’re drinking less but better” is a common phrase heard these days.

Although the economics of fine wine may no longer look so bright, the quality of elite Bordeaux has taken a giant leap forward. If innovators like [Yves] Vatelot and [Jeffrey] Davies retain their determination to keep improving despite the inevitable, often cyclical commercial setbacks, wine lovers around the world will benefit.

While I found this book to be a good read, it is not for everyone. If you are interested in learning more about Bordeaux, the people, places, and history, this could be a book for you, and you can head over to Amazon or your book retailer of choice to pick up a copy. However, if you are looking for a wine guide or basic wine information, I would suggest that you look elsewhere.

If you’ve already read the book, please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it.

Dad (John) and I ventured into Esquin Wine Merchants on Saturday looking to pick up a bottle or two of French Cabernet Franc for the upcoming Wine Blogging Wednesday. While we were there, we were able to taste some more Washington wines and have another excellent Washington wine book signed by the author.

Like last week’s tasting at Esquin, there were two stations featuring Washington wine. We started at the Gilbert Cellars station and had the pleasure to meet Sean Gilbert, general manager and co-winemaker of Gilbert Cellars. Sean is a really nice guy, and he and his family are producing some excellent wines at their four year old winery. Their vineyards are located near Mattawa and Wiley City, Washington, and they will be opening a tasting room in downtown Yakima this June.

Steve Roberts was on hand signing his new book, WineTrails of Washington. This guidebook contains 608-full color pages covering 228 Washington wineries. It is divided into 32 unique WineTrails. It is a beautiful book with detailed information on each winery. You will not find wine reviews here, but you will find winery descriptions, contact information, hours, maps, and more to help you make the most of your visits to Washington wine country. This book should be on the shelf of every wine-lover in Washington and anyone else planning to visit. Also, bookmark Steve’s WineTrailsNW website as he is constantly updating his Washington winery database.

After a nice visit with Steve, we finished up our tasting with the second station featuring the wines of Woodinville Wine Cellars. Overall, we were not as impressed with the Woodinville wines.

Here’s a rundown of the five wines we tasted in my personal order of preference:

2005 Gilbert Cellars Syrah: Luscious black fruits and pepper on both the nose and the palate. Full bodied, velvety mouth-feel, and a lingering, smooth finish.
Quality: 4 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $24.99

2004 Gilbert Cellars Claret: 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 10% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot. Dark fruits, particularly blackcurrant, highlight this smooth wine. Well-balanced with light tannins.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $17.99

2005 Gilbert Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon: 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Syrah. Flavors of blackberry and licorice lead to soft tannins. Not as robust as most cabs, medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 4 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $24.99

2005 Woodinville Wine Cellars Syrah: 99% Syrah, 1% Viognier. Too oaky on the nose. Better on the palate but not very complex.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 2 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $28.99

2006 Woodinville Wine Cellars Sauvignon Blanc: Aromas of pear and citrus. Fruit flavors muted by butter and oak.
Quality: 2 stars (out of 5)
QPR: NR (not recommended)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $16.99

On Saturday, we spent part of our afternoon at Esquin Wine Merchants here in Seattle for a book signing and wine tasting. Paul Gregutt was there signing his book, Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide. This book is an excellent resource for anyone wishing to learn more about Washington wine or planning a trip to Washington wine country. We have read Paul Gregutt’s work for years (in the Seattle Times, Wine Enthusiast, and now this book) so it was a pleasure to finally have the opportunity to meet him.

After having our books signed and visiting briefly with Paul, we headed to the back of the store for a tasting of some Washington wines. There were two stations, one featuring six wines from various wineries and the other featuring five wines from Milbrandt Vineyards. Milbrandt Vineyards is based in Mattawa, Washington, but they will be opening a brand new tasting room in Prosser, Washington’s Vintner’s Village on May 24, 2008.

To be honest, none of the wines just knocked my socks off but here are the ones I liked the best from this tasting:

2005 Seven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley: Blackberries and black currant with a hint of chocolate on both the nose and the palate. Well-balanced and smooth with a medium-plus finish.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $24.99; Guy du Vin (Oregon), $27.50

2006 Milbrandt Traditions Riesling: Off-dry but not too sweet. Crisp with flavors of peach and citrus.
Quality: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 5 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $11.99; Marketview Liquor (New York), $9.99

2005 Milbrandt Legacy Syrah: Aromas of black fruit and spice. Pleasant and fruit-forward with notes of black pepper. A lingering but slightly rough finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 3 bangs for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $23.99; Winerz (California), $20.80

2005 Saviah Columbia Valley Big Sky Cuvee: 57% Merlot, 29% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc. Pleasant, smooth, fruit-forward wine with flavors of black cherry and a medium finish.
Quality: 3 stars (out of 5)
QPR: 1 bang for your buck (out of 5)
Where to buy: Esquin (Seattle), $35.99; American Winery (Washington), $35.00

Today is the first “virtual meeting” of the Wine Book Club. The idea was originally proposed by Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 and based on the model of Wine Blogging Wednesday. The concept brings together bloggers and wine lovers all over the world for book reviews and discussions every other month after reading a selected text. Our host for the first edition was David McDuff of McDuff’s Food & Wine Trail and the text he selected was Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy by Joseph Bastianich and David Lynch. As someone who has far too many unread books on my bookshelf and nightstand, this club was great motivation for me to actually get to reading.

At first the 531-page text seemed daunting but Vino Italiano is actually a very easy read. While I read the book from cover to cover (save for the reference material in Part III), the layout lends itself to use as a quick reference tool. And I am certain that I will be referring back to it frequently. The first section of the book, Part I: The Basics, covers just that—the basics of Italian wine history, laws, and labeling. The meat of the book, Part II: The Regions, covers each of Italy’s twenty-one regions, all of which produce wine. Each region’s chapter roughly follows the same format: introduction, map of the DOC zones of that region, and a discussion of the wines made in the region broken down into the following categories when applicable—Vini Spumante (sparkling wines), Vini Bianchi (white wines), Vini Rosati (rose wines), Vini Rossi (red wines), and Vini Dolci (sweet wines). Each chapter has a “Fast Facts” section that includes a few basic facts, key grape varieties, top vintages, wine touring information, and recommended tastings (all the recommended wines should be available in the American market). And, finally, each chapter concludes with an original recipe by either Mario Batali or Lidia Bastianich to showcase how regional foods and wines go together in Italy. Part III: The Data includes a glossary of Italian wine terms, a list of the grape varieties, a directory of DOC(G) and IGT zones, a list of producers, and additional miscellaneous resources.

As I learn more about Italy and their food and wine culture, I am continually amazed by how much a part of their everyday life it is. I am anxious to take a trip over there to experience it for myself.

Of all of Italy’s wine regions, chances are you have probably heard the most about Tuscany and very little, if any, about some of the others. As I mentioned in this month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday post, I have become particularly intrigued with learning more about Piedmont over the past year. Reading this book continued to fan that flame as it referred to Piedmont as the “wine-lover’s mecca.” Bastianich and Lynch made an interesting comparison between Tuscany and Piedmont:

“Tuscany is Italy’s Bordeaux, Piedmont its Burgundy: One is worldly and market-minded, the other more insular and scholarly. And both seem to like it that way.”

Besides Piedmont, another region that now interests me is Basilicata. It is home to Aglianico del Vulture, arguably the best red wine of southern Italy. As the book says:

“Looking at the current scene, it almost goes without saying that Aglianico del Vulture is one of the new generation of collectible wines from Italy. While your friends are battling it out for rare (and often incredibly expensive) Barolo and Brunello, you might consider checking out Paternoster’s rare but relatively inexpensive “Rotondo” aglianico, D’Angelo’s “Canneto” and “Vigna Caselle,” or Nataio’s “La Firma” Aglianico del Vulture. All of them are assertively aromatic, packed with black-berry fruit and wrapped in wooly blankets of tannin that will preserve them for years. If you care about the wine, not the show, Basilicata is a place to consider. Get there before everyone else.”

Vino Italiano did inspire me to try some new wines although I have not had an opportunity to do so yet. Some of the recommended tastings on my list to try are: Valtellina from Lombardia, Rosso Conero from Le Marche, Primitivo from Puglia, and Aglianico del Vulture from Basilicata.

I highly recommend this book to any wine lover interested in learning more about Italian wines, especially if you are considering a trip to Italy anytime soon. So head on over to Amazon or your book retailer of choice and pick yourself up a copy.

If you’ve already read the book, please leave a comment and let us know what you thought of it.

Washington State is one of the up-and-coming wine regions in the world. Even though it has a relatively young wine industry, Washington already ranks as the 2nd largest wine-producing state in the United States. The number of wineries in Washington has doubled in the last five years, now at over 500. The industry is growing at a remarkable rate and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

The majority of the state’s vineyards are found in eastern Washington. The Cascade Mountains divide Washington into two distinct climatic zones. The west receives significant amounts of rainfall each year while the east is sunny and dry. Due to its latitude and the tilt of the earth’s axis, Washington wine regions actually receive two more hours of sunshine each day than the Napa Valley.

The Wine Peeps have a special affinity for Washington wines since we live in Seattle and our love of wine, in general, was fueled many years ago by a weekend trip to visit wineries in the Columbia Valley. Whether you live in Washington or not, there are two individuals who we believe are invaluable sources of information about Washington wines, Andy Perdue and Paul Gregutt.

Andy Perdue is editor of Wine Press Northwest, a quarterly magazine that focuses on the wine regions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and British Columbia, and author of The Northwest Wine Guide: A Buyer’s Handbook. He also writes a blog, The Wine Knows, that is a must-read for me.

Paul Gregutt has been a wine critic and writer since the mid-1980s, specializing in the wines of Washington. He is a wine columnist for a number of newspapers; most notably he is Wine Adviser for the Seattle Times. He is a contributing editor for Wine Enthusiast reviewing Pacific Northwest wines. He is also the author of a terrific new book, Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide, that was published last fall.

In addition, check out the Washington Wine Commission website for facts, history, winery lists, and much more. They also have a great tool that allows you to plan your own tour of Washington wine country.

And please remember to come back to Wine Peeps as we will continue to include posts about Washington wine.