Category: Wine

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Winery at Holy Cross Abbey, A True Local Winery

This month’s column is presented as my contribution to Regional Wine Week. A project of Jeff Siegel, wine columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and Dave McIntyre, wine columnist for the Washington Post, the goal is to focus attention on local wineries. With every state now having a winery (Colorado is nearing 70) and quality improving steadily, this a good time to discover (or rediscover) our local wineries. To learn more, check out www.drinklocalwine.com during the week of October 6.

Canon City, Colorado is one of the last places I would have expected to find a winery, let alone a really good one. But that just shows my own ignorance. Being from Denver, I pretty much only knew Canon City as the home of state and federal prisons and the gateway to the Royal Gorge (the world’s highest suspension bridge). But there it is about three miles east of town, The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey. Given the Catholic Church’s long history with viticulture, it shouldn’t be too surprising to find a winery here. Plus, the Canon City area has a log farming tradition, reaching back to the late 1800s that developed on the heels of the nearby mining boom. Benedictine monks built the Holy Cross Abbey in the early 1920s on orchard land. The Abbey was the base for the order and it’s education programs and, of course, the monks made wine.

But times change. Eventually, the winemaking stopped and in 1985, the Abbey school closed. Still, some of the fathers dreamt of resurrecting the Abbey’s winemaking tradition. They hired Matt Cookson in 2000 to consult in the planting of a vineyard on the property. Matt had been a winemaker in New York and in California (where he worked for St. Francis, Keenan and Rombauer) and had been coming to Colorado to consult with wineries on the Western Slope. The fathers realized an opportunity when they saw it and asked Matt and his wife Sally to help them build and operate a winery and tasting room. The couple already had developed an attraction to the area and decided to make the move from California. Over the following five years, the Cooksons built a successful operation. Then, in 2006, the Abbey closed and the Winery’s future suddenly was in doubt. But the timing of the closure was fortuitous. The fathers were able to sell the winery to Larry Oddo, a New York City accountant who had just moved to Canon City the year before with his family looking for a change in lifestyle.

The Cooksons became partners with Oddo in 2007. And with this partnership, The Winery has continued the success that began in 2002, when the winery produced 3000 cases. This year, they produced nearly 13,000 cases, which Matt says may be more than any other Colorado winery. As Matt continues to win awards for his wines, Sally has led the sales and marketing. This has included organizing special events such as hosting fundraisers, a bike ride, an art and music weekend, and the annual Harvest Fest. Sally also has grown the tasting room/gift shop into a bona fide tourist attraction. Housed in a charming cottage, walk through the doors and you might think you are at an intimate family owned winery in California. Within this welcoming environment, you will find bottles of wine, of course; art and crafts from Colorado and around the world; cooking, wine and travel books; and a variety of food- and wine-related accessories.

Tasting of most wines is complimentary, although the Reserves cost $1. There also is a comforting tree-lined park where you can sip wine or eat while enjoying views of the nearby vineyard, the Abbey and the Rocky Mountains. All of this success hinges on the quality of the wines and here there is no doubt. I have tasted many of Matt’s wines over the last few years and continue to be impressed, as I was at the winemaker dinner on the Friday night before this year’s Harvest Fest. As committed as Matt is to Colorado and Colorado grapes (with most grown on Colorado’s Western Slope), he is not afraid to go out of state, if necessary, to get the best fruit. At the dinner, several of the wines were sourced from California and Washington.

We tasted an American Riesling ($14), which Matt considers his flagship. Good acidity lifts peach and apple flavors. And most of the grapes are from Washington. We followed with a crisp, fruitful 2007 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve ($25) made with grapes from Lodi and a succulent 2007 Chardonnay ($19), whose tropical fruit came courtesy of Monterey.  Colorado, though, was well represented by the full, rich 2006 Merlot Reserve ($26), the oaky, curranty 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve ($26), and the soft, tangy 2006 Cabernet Franc ($22). The meal was brought to a fine completion with the Port-style 2004 Colorado Merlot “Divinity” ($25). The Winery also uses Colorado grapes for its regular release Sauvignon Blanc, ($16) Cabernet Sauvignon ($20), Merlot ($20) and Syrah ($21). The Winery also produces several fun (read mostly sweet) wines: Apple Blossom (from locally grown apples, $12), Vineyard Sunset (White Merlot/White Zinfandel. $11), Colorado Nouveau (whole berry fermented Merlot, $14), and Wild Canon Harvest (a light red wine made from around 21 varieties, $11).

Ultimately, what is equally impressive to me is how the Winery and Matt, Sally and Larry have become an integral part of the local community.  From the hosting of special events and fundraisers to using artwork from local artists Edward Adamic, and Paula Fasken on labels. From hiring area native, Jeff Stolz ,as assistant winemaker to using apples from nearby Colon Orchards and Juniper Valley Farms for the Apple Blossom. And, in what is surely the most populist wine I know of, the Wild Canon Harvest is made from grapes grown by upwards of 100 local growers.  It seems to me this is the essence of Regional Wine Week and of what it means to be a local winery.

THE DETAILS: The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey, 3011 E. Highway 50, Canon City, CO 81212; (719) 276-5191, toll free 877-422-9463; www.abbeywinery.com. The winery is about two hours south of Denver, 45 minutes south of Colorado Springs and 40 minutes west of Pueblo. The tasting room/gift shop is open Monday-Saturday 10-6 and Sunday 11-5.

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Award-Winning Filmmaker Creates Series of Wine Films

ST. HELENA, California (September 24, 2008) – Bret Lyman, a Napa Valley-based filmmaker and proprietor of B.Napa Studio, has turned his camera on the vineyards, wineries and principals of Wilson Daniels Ltd.’s French and Hungarian properties to create a series of compelling, short films. A trailer for the entire film series is available online now at www.wilsondanielsfilms.com. Individual films will premiere online over the next six weeks, beginning with the October 2, 2008, debut of “The Renaissance of Tokaji,” showcasing Royal Tokaji. All films will be available for download to iPods, as well as web-based viewing at Wilson Daniels Films, YouTube (Wilson Daniels channel), Facebook (Wilson Daniels page) and Vimeo. “These films were created to forge a deeper connection between wine enthusiasts worldwide and our European properties,” said Andy Fromm, president and COO of Wilson Daniels Ltd. “Our goal is to utilize them for educational purposes among our wine industry trade partners, but we also encourage our customers to use these high-quality films as in-house entertainment and provide added value to their customers.”

Each mini-documentary explores the history, setting, and distinct personality of the properties through thought-provoking images and interviews with winery principals. Lyman’s signature style-saturated colors, lush cinematography and striking music-make a breathtaking background for the three- to five-minute films, filmed exclusively in high-definition. Lyman also captures the small details of each estate, from candlelit cellars in real light to the ancient lock on a cellar door, providing viewers with a sense of intimacy with each locale. “In the world of online content, there are videos, and then there are films. As a commercial filmmaker who grew up in wine country, I really want to show wine lovers the difference,” said Lyman, winner of the Trophée Spécial for “Best Short Film” at the 2008 Oenovideo International Grape and Wine Film Festival in Gruissan, France. “It’s like opening a bottle of wine. There are everyday wine experiences, and then there are transcendent ones.” Wineries Lyman profiled in the series of Wilson Daniels films include: Royal Tokaji of Tokaj; House of Champagne Delamotte and House of Champagne Salon of Champagne; Domaine Faiveley of Burgundy; Domaine Leflaive of Burgundy; Domaine Pierre Morey of Burgundy; Domaine Philippe & Vincent Jaboulet of northern Rhône; and Domaine Marc Kreydenweiss of Alsace and southern Rhône.

For more information about the Wilson Daniels portfolio, please visit www.wilsondaniels.com. Still images from films are available upon request by contacting Lisa Mattson at (707) 967-1827 or lmattson@wilsondaniels.com. Wilson Daniels Ltd. celebrating 30 years in 2008. Film trailer for documentary series also available for viewing at www.wilsondanielsfilms.com.

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Riesling’s Much Deserved Comeback.

Share your thoughts here about this unique and complex wine.

Riesling (pronounced reez-ling) has a long and noble history, particularly in Germany, Austria, and France. It also has enjoyed popularity in the U.S. but fell out of favor as Chardonnay became the white wine of choice. There is a general perception of Riesling as a sweet wine. And, of course, such mass-market wines as Blue Nun tend to be sweet. But there always has been good dry and off-dry (meaning just a hint of sugar) Riesling and it is these drier styles that seem to be gaining fans. The acid in Riesling is what makes it naturally food-friendly, especially with fish, seafood, Asian foods, poultry, and cheese. For me, German Riesling still is the benchmark. So, my next column will be devoted solely to Germany. This column highlights fine Rieslings from elsewhere around the world.

In Alsace, dry Riesling always has dominated. The wines in my tasting, including three good introductory wines, showed the mineral character that is the hallmark of great Riesling.
• 2005 Hugel (very dry, $20)
• 2005 Marc Kreydenweiss “Au dessus de la loi Andlau” ($27)
• 2005 Schlumberger “Les Prices Abbes” ($17)
• Two biodynamically farmed wines from Marc Kreydenweiss, 2005 “La Dame Wiebelsberg” ($44) and 2005 “La Chateau Kastelberg” ($77), demonstrated the added aromatics, concentration and complexity that can come from Grand Cru vineyards.

Australia has shown a real affinity for Riesling.
• 2006 McWilliams “Hanwood Estate” South East Australia ($12)
• 2007 Penfolds “Thomas Hyland” Adelaide ($15)
• 2006 Wakefield Clare Valley ($17)
• 2006 Lalla Gully Tasmania ($22)

You may be surprised to read that Riesling was one of the first varieties grown in Washington and still is one of the state’s favorite wines.
• 2006 Stonecap Columbia Valley ($11)
• 2006 Pacific Rim Dry ($11)
• 2006 Milbrandt “Traditions” ($13)
• 2005 St. Laurent Columbia Valley ($15)
• 2006 Tsillan Cellars Columbia Valley Estate ($22)

Even California has a history of success with Riesling. Now, production is making a comeback statewide.
• 2006 Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates (California, $9)
• 2006 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve (Monterey, $11)
• 2006 Gainey (Santa Ynez Valley, $13)
• 2007 Chateau St. Jean (Sonoma, $18)
• 2006 Trefethen Dry (Napa, $20)

Finally, you can even find good Riesling from unlikely places. Two surprising hits were a 2007 Cusino-Macul “Dona Isadora” ($15) from Chile and 2003 Chateau Bela ($15) from Slovakia (although, this was less a surprise when I realized it was made by famed German winemaker Egon Muller). Even places like Canada, Idaho and Oregon also produce worthy Rieslings. And don’t forget Colorado. I would argue that Riesling is the state’s best white wine, and one of the finest is made by the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.

Posted on

Riesling’s Much Deserved Comeback.

Share your thoughts here about this unique and complex wine.

Riesling (pronounced reez-ling) has a long and noble history, particularly in Germany, Austria, and France. It also has enjoyed popularity in the U.S. but fell out of favor as Chardonnay became the white wine of choice. There is a general perception of Riesling as a sweet wine. And, of course, such mass-market wines as Blue Nun tend to be sweet. But there always has been good dry and off-dry (meaning just a hint of sugar) Riesling and it is these drier styles that seem to be gaining fans. The acid in Riesling is what makes it naturally food-friendly, especially with fish, seafood, Asian foods, poultry, and cheese. For me, German Riesling still is the benchmark. So, my next column will be devoted solely to Germany. This column highlights fine Rieslings from elsewhere around the world.

In Alsace, dry Riesling always has dominated. The wines in my tasting, including three good introductory wines, showed the mineral character that is the hallmark of great Riesling.
• 2005 Hugel (very dry, $20)
• 2005 Marc Kreydenweiss “Au dessus de la loi Andlau” ($27)
• 2005 Schlumberger “Les Prices Abbes” ($17)
• Two biodynamically farmed wines from Marc Kreydenweiss, 2005 “La Dame Wiebelsberg” ($44) and 2005 “La Chateau Kastelberg” ($77), demonstrated the added aromatics, concentration and complexity that can come from Grand Cru vineyards.

Australia has shown a real affinity for Riesling.
• 2006 McWilliams “Hanwood Estate” South East Australia ($12)
• 2007 Penfolds “Thomas Hyland” Adelaide ($15)
• 2006 Wakefield Clare Valley ($17)
• 2006 Lalla Gully Tasmania ($22)

You may be surprised to read that Riesling was one of the first varieties grown in Washington and still is one of the state’s favorite wines.
• 2006 Stonecap Columbia Valley ($11)
• 2006 Pacific Rim Dry ($11)
• 2006 Milbrandt “Traditions” ($13)
• 2005 St. Laurent Columbia Valley ($15)
• 2006 Tsillan Cellars Columbia Valley Estate ($22)

Even California has a history of success with Riesling. Now, production is making a comeback statewide.
• 2006 Beaulieu Vineyard Coastal Estates (California, $9)
• 2006 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve (Monterey, $11)
• 2006 Gainey (Santa Ynez Valley, $13)
• 2007 Chateau St. Jean (Sonoma, $18)
• 2006 Trefethen Dry (Napa, $20)

Finally, you can even find good Riesling from unlikely places. Two surprising hits were a 2007 Cusino-Macul “Dona Isadora” ($15) from Chile and 2003 Chateau Bela ($15) from Slovakia (although, this was less a surprise when I realized it was made by famed German winemaker Egon Muller). Even places like Canada, Idaho and Oregon also produce worthy Rieslings. And don’t forget Colorado. I would argue that Riesling is the state’s best white wine, and one of the finest is made by the Winery at Holy Cross Abbey.

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Wine Tasting Enhance Knowledge and Enjoyment

rich mauro people's palateI could be wrong about this but I cannot think of any other single food product or any single commercial product for that matter that engenders such widespread passion for its distinctive pleasures than wine. One bit of evidence I see for this is the phenomenal interest in wine tastings. Whether you are a serious taster or a more casual wine drinker, one of the attractions and benefits of a wine tasting (whether formal or informal) is the opportunity to compare a variety of wines and thereby increase both your knowledge and your enjoyment of wine. Of course, every time you drink a glass of wine technically you are conducting a mini-tasting. But I think the value of wine tastings is artfully described in “The World Atlas of Wine” by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson: “There is little meaning in an isolated sensation, though it may be very pleasant. Where the real pleasures of wine tasting lie are in the cross references, the stirring of memories, the comparisons between similar and yet subtly different products of the same or neighboring ground.”

Another good reason, as pointed out by Peter Forrestal in “The Global Encyclopedia of Wine,” is that “Attending a formal tasting allows you to compare a number of wines at one sitting, which would otherwise be prohibitively expensive for most of us.” There are even different kinds of tastings. Wine publications describe essentially four types of tastings. Basically, the descriptions boil down to these:

comparative tasting – same type or style of wine, different producers, different vintages
horizontal tasting – same type or style of wine, different producers, same vintage
vertical tasting – same wine, same producer, different vintages
blind tasting – each of the other three can be organized as a blind tasting, in which the identity of the wines is unknown to minimize the influence of bias
Most of the tastings I conduct for my columns are blind comparative tastings. For instance, California Zinfandel from various producers and different vintages. Though, in most cases, most of the wines are of the same vintage, making it almost a horizontal tasting. I find vertical tastings especially enlightening, though, unfortunately I don’t have many such opportunities. I was fortunate about seven years ago to attend a tasting of every vintage of Beringer Private Reserve from its creation in 1978 to the 1999 vintage. It was a marathon but instructive as the winemakers described the influence of the weather, replantings, variations in the blend, and so on.

I did recently organize three small vertical tastings of my own. All were Chardonnay from Robert Talbott Vineyards. Founded in 1983, Talbott has become one of California’s premier Chardonnay producers. Robert Talbott (who still runs a successful designer tie business) recognized the promise of the cool climate (thanks to Pacific breezes) and the glacial alluvial soils of the Santa Lucia Highlands in Monterey County long before the area became coveted for great Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. His Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, located thirteen miles south of Monterey Bay, in the northern part of the Santa Lucia Highlands, is even cooler than normal for the area, which makes for more acidic structure and age worthy wines. The sparse gravelly loam soils allow the roots to dig deep to draw nutrients that show up as minerality in the wines. Each of the three Sleepy Hollow wines I tasted shared a flavor profile that included focused acidity and concentrated citrus fruit. The 2002 ($39) also showed creamy, nutty qualities. The 2003 ($42) had more finesse, possibly due to the long, cool growing season that year. My favorite was the 2004 ($42). From a slightly warmer vintage, it seemed riper, with intense tropical fruit.

I also tasted two vintages of “Cuvee Cynthia,” a special blend of 25 of the best barrels form the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard. Both wines were even more intense and opulent. The 2002 ($55) emphasized the opulence and the 2003 ($60) went more for intensity. Talbott’s Diamond T Estate is a special higher elevation site located about eight miles east of Carmel that produces Talbott’s flagship wine. The chalky shale soil originated in the Pacific Ocean and now yields a stingy one ton of grapes per acre (five tons or more is common). These attributes combine to yield wines of uncommon concentration and structure marked by noticeable mineral character. The 2002 ($65), from a warmer vintage, was very ripe and suggested various green fruits, while the 2003 ($65) was luxurious, showing intriguing fig and spicy notes.

I see these vertical tastings as just one example of how a wine tasting can be informative and enjoyable. They were educational in showing the differences between the vintages but were even more instructive for showing the similarity between the wines, attributes presumably related the vineyard and Talbott’s winemaking style. If you can pull it off, try a vertical tasting. You might need to do some homework to learn the particulars of the vineyards where the wines are produced. But if you’re hungry to learn more about wine, you’ll be rewarded by the experience.

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Consumer Information on Wine Labels on Tap for 2008

I expect one of the hottest issues for the alcohol beverage industry (including wine, beer and spirits) in 2008 to be whether producers should be required to include consumer information on their labels. The fact that there is controversy over this is in the industry is puzzling to me, especially when it comes to wine.

Since wine connoisseurs and aficionados, not to mention advocates, spectators and enthusiasts, regularly insist that wine is not merely a drink but actually food, why shouldn’t its packaging provide consumers with similar information to that required of other food products? This was the question that came to mind when I read (according to The Wine Spectator and WineBusiness.com) that some in the wine industry are opposing three labeling proposals for alcoholic beverages issued by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

One rule would require all alcoholic beverages sold in the United States to carry serving facts information, such as alcohol and calorie content, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Another would require a listing of ingredients, including products used in the winemaking process like grapes, yeast and preservatives. A third would require warnings as to whether the product was made using any of a list of allergens, such as milk, egg or fish products (which are commonly used as fining, or clarifying, agents).

As you might expect, the proposals are generating quite a bit of controversy. Notable supporters of the serving facts and ingredients proposals include the National Consumers League, the Center for Science in the Public interest, and Diageo, the eighth largest drinks company in the world.On the other hand, industry groups such as The Wine Institute and WineAmerica, reportedly are opposed. From the reading I’ve done, the most often stated concern of opponents is that the regulations would be a financial burden, especially on small producers.

With the allergen regulation, they also contend there is no proof of any allergen remaining in finished wine. Concerns also have been raised that the regulations actually could result in inaccurate labeling. This is because producers often decide whether to fine (clarify) a wine and which fining agents to use shortly before bottling, while labels are ordered much sooner. The timing disconnect could present a dilemma for winemakers, leading to labels that list an allergen when none was used. Understandably, that is not good enough for allergy sufferers who aren’t willing to
take that chance, even if cause and effect cannot be established beyond doubt. With some allergies resulting in serious reactions, even death, allergy sufferers insist that warnings are necessary to make informed decisions to protect their health.

At least one winery isn’t waiting for all this to play out. According to reports in The Wine Spectator and EnoBytes.com, Bonny Doon Vineyard (of Santa Cruz, California) has announced that it will include a list of ingredients on its new releases this year. Bonny Doon is believed to be the first major U.S. brand to display such information. Bonny Doon owner Randall Grahm probably isn’t going to make many friends over this move. But this isn’t the first time Grahm has surprised the industry with his foresight. He raised eyebrows when he switched 100% of his production to screwcaps several years ago, the first to do so in the U.S. I believe. A Bonny Doon representative has been quoted as saying they hope other winemakers will feel responsible for acknowledging their own additions and interventions and that full disclosure will encourage winemakers to be more hands-off and less interventionist.

The move also displays a commitment to transparency that can only generate goodwill with consumers. By opposing the proposed labeling rules, other producers risk a breach of faith with consumer that will be difficult to restore. Just about every winery – from the smallest family-owned farm to the largest multinational conglomerate-owned operation – now markets their wines as the product of a natural process and a commitment to translating the authentic nature of the site where the grapes were grown into the bottle. In my opinion, by opposing these rules, producers just look hypocritical. Why not use these requirements as an educational opportunity? Consumers will reward the producer who gives them more information about the foods and beverages they choose.

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Consumer Information on Wine Labels on Tap for 2008

I expect one of the hottest issues for the alcohol beverage industry (including wine, beer and spirits) in 2008 to be whether producers should be required to include consumer information on their labels. The fact that there is controversy over this is in the industry is puzzling to me, especially when it comes to wine.

Since wine connoisseurs and aficionados, not to mention advocates, spectators and enthusiasts, regularly insist that wine is not merely a drink but actually food, why shouldn’t its packaging provide consumers with similar information to that required of other food products? This was the question that came to mind when I read (according to The Wine Spectator and WineBusiness.com) that some in the wine industry are opposing three labeling proposals for alcoholic beverages issued by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

One rule would require all alcoholic beverages sold in the United States to carry serving facts information, such as alcohol and calorie content, carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Another would require a listing of ingredients, including products used in the winemaking process like grapes, yeast and preservatives. A third would require warnings as to whether the product was made using any of a list of allergens, such as milk, egg or fish products (which are commonly used as fining, or clarifying, agents).

As you might expect, the proposals are generating quite a bit of controversy. Notable supporters of the serving facts and ingredients proposals include the National Consumers League, the Center for Science in the Public interest, and Diageo, the eighth largest drinks company in the world.On the other hand, industry groups such as The Wine Institute and WineAmerica, reportedly are opposed. From the reading I’ve done, the most often stated concern of opponents is that the regulations would be a financial burden, especially on small producers.

With the allergen regulation, they also contend there is no proof of any allergen remaining in finished wine. Concerns also have been raised that the regulations actually could result in inaccurate labeling. This is because producers often decide whether to fine (clarify) a wine and which fining agents to use shortly before bottling, while labels are ordered much sooner. The timing disconnect could present a dilemma for winemakers, leading to labels that list an allergen when none was used. Understandably, that is not good enough for allergy sufferers who aren’t willing to
take that chance, even if cause and effect cannot be established beyond doubt. With some allergies resulting in serious reactions, even death, allergy sufferers insist that warnings are necessary to make informed decisions to protect their health.

At least one winery isn’t waiting for all this to play out. According to reports in The Wine Spectator and EnoBytes.com, Bonny Doon Vineyard (of Santa Cruz, California) has announced that it will include a list of ingredients on its new releases this year. Bonny Doon is believed to be the first major U.S. brand to display such information. Bonny Doon owner Randall Grahm probably isn’t going to make many friends over this move. But this isn’t the first time Grahm has surprised the industry with his foresight. He raised eyebrows when he switched 100% of his production to screwcaps several years ago, the first to do so in the U.S. I believe. A Bonny Doon representative has been quoted as saying they hope other winemakers will feel responsible for acknowledging their own additions and interventions and that full disclosure will encourage winemakers to be more hands-off and less interventionist.

The move also displays a commitment to transparency that can only generate goodwill with consumers. By opposing the proposed labeling rules, other producers risk a breach of faith with consumer that will be difficult to restore. Just about every winery – from the smallest family-owned farm to the largest multinational conglomerate-owned operation – now markets their wines as the product of a natural process and a commitment to translating the authentic nature of the site where the grapes were grown into the bottle. In my opinion, by opposing these rules, producers just look hypocritical. Why not use these requirements as an educational opportunity? Consumers will reward the producer who gives them more information about the foods and beverages they choose.

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Pink Wines Strike Refreshing Middle Ground

This is the time of year most of us wine critics write columns touting various white wines as the cool, refreshing antidote to summer’s hot weather. These days most of us also are singing the praises of pink wines. Of course, we are not talking about White Zinfandel. We are talking about dry serious wine and there are many quite tasty ones worth your attention.

Europeans, on the other hand, have known for a long time the joy of drinking a good pink wine. The most common label for these wines outside of Europe is the French word “Rosé” in reference to the color, of course. There are essentially two types of pink wine. The most common style is a made by crushing red grapes and leaving the juice in contact with the grape skins (the source of a wine’s color) only briefly. The other style is the result of a process called “saignee.” This is a technique in which a certain amount of juice is “bled off” after the grapes are crushed. Either way, the result is a wine with a shade of pink that is an ideal “bridge” wine: it approximates the flavor interest of its red siblings but drinks more like a white wine. The best are dry or occasionally only slightly sweet but deliver bright, fresh fruit flavors.

As such, pink wines arguably are the most versatile of wines. They make excellent aperitifs and can accompany a wide variety of foods. They are a fine choice at barbecues, picnics and a restaurant when you want a bottle of red and your companion wants a bottle of white. Because of their light body and lively fruit, pink wines are best when chilled and should be drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available. Arguably the best rosés in the world are produced in France, where they take pink wines every bit as seriously as they do red and white wines. This is especially true in the south, where a wide variety of rosés are produced. Tavel, referencing an appellation in the southern Rhone Valley northeast of Avignon and southwest of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, probably is the best know pink wine in the world. Certainly, the wines are very good but this popularity probably also is because rosé is all that is produced here and the region does an effective job of marketing their product.

In fact, the 2005 Guigal ($16) was the best of my tasting. This sixty-year-old wine company is one of France’s greatest producers. Guigal makes a wide range of wines, including highly prized Hermitage and Cote Rotie. Clearly, this flavorful rosé (equal parts grenache and cinsault) benefits from that expertise. The 2006 Chateau d’Aqueria ($17), from an estate that was founded in 1595 and now is the largest in the appellation, is a more traditional Tavel in that it is a blend of red wines (grenache, cinsault, mourvedre) and white wines (clairette and bourboulenc).

Head southeast of Tavel and you come to the idyllic region of Provence and the French Riviera. Here, famed Chateauneuf-du-Pape producer Chateau Mont Redon makes L’Aire du Rossignol Cotes du Provence (2005, $15) from biodynamically grown grenache, cinsault and syrah vines averaging 35 years old. Over near the southwest corner of France, is the Languedoc. Although the area has about a 2500-year history of wine making there wasn’t much to recommend it tot consumers until about thirty years ago. Today, it is one of France’s most exciting wine regions. Domaine de Nizas is a good example of this new commitment to quality. Established in 1998 by Bernard Portet, the winemaker for Napa Valley’s Clos du Val and John Goelet, a direct descendant of the Guestier wine merchant family on Bordeaux, it is now producing several impressive wine. The 2006 Coteaux du Languedoc ($16), a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, is a good introduction to the winery and the region. Before leaving France, how about a quick stop in Beaujolais? Here, Louis Jadot, for 150 years one of the most respected names in Burgundy and Beaujolais, also makes a fine Rosé. The 2006 Beaujolais ($13, screw cap) is made with gamay, the only grape allowed in Beaujolais.

The Spanish are as serious about their “Rosado” as the French are about Rosé. While there is a lot of good Rosado from Rioja (tempranillo grape), the region of Navarra to the north, although still more famous for the bulls of Pamplona, is a great source of Rosado from garnacha grapes. The 2006 Red Guitar ($12) is produced by Bodegas Ada, a 53 member cooperative established in 1941. The winery amazingly claims this wine is made from the same 60-100 year old vines as their red wine, which says to me it is made by the saignee method. Regardless, it is a flavorful, well-priced wine. The 2006 Julian Chivite Gran Fuedo ($12) comes from the oldest (1647) and still one of the finest producers in Spain. Chivite is best known for red wines from Rioja and Ribera del Duero but has relied on vineyards from their home base in Navarra to create this fine Rosado.

Now is also a good time to try California rosé. More and more wineries are producing quality rosés, perhaps sensing a growing interest among consumers. Here are a few good choices: 2005 Big House Pink ($10, screw cap). The whimsical “Big House” brand was created by the inimitable Randall Graham of Bonny Doon and includes a Red, White and Pink. This pink is produced by the saignee method an includes an eclectic blend of five grapes: sangiovese, barbera, zinfandel, carignan, and Mourvedre. 2006 I’M Rosé Napa Valley ($13). This wine is one of the new projects from the Michael Mondavi family. In fact, the brand is named after Michael’s wife, Isabel Mondavi and his son, Rob, makes it using the saignee method. It is quite full flavored, maybe at least partly because it is 100% cabernet sauvignon.2006 St. Francis Sonoma County ($17). This Sonoma Valley winery is one of my favorite Zinfandel producers. Although this blend includes only two grapes, I find the combination of 75% merlot and 25% syrah as unique as the Big House.

Finally, let’s head down to New Zealand for a 2006 Wild Rock Vin Gris ($16, screw cap). Wild Rock makes distinctive and affordable Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc from Central Otago vineyards located on the South Island. The label uses the term Vin Gris” or “grey wine” as a tribute to the French, which often used the term to denote a Rosé. Because of their light body and lively fruit, rosés are best when chilled and should be drunk young, so look for the most recent vintages available. Finally, one last point in their favor: they are eminently affordable. Most can be had for less than $20 retail.

As evidence of their growing popularity, pink wines now even have their own advocacy group: Rosé Avengers and Producers. Check them out at . There is also a new book dedicated solely to Rosé: “Rosé: A Guide to the World’s Most Versatile Wine,” (Chronicle Books) by Jeff Morgan, who is also a founder of RAP.

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Summer Pairings for Picnics

rich mauroThis summer when you prepare for a picnic, don’t forget the wine. While most people still turn to beer or margaritas to beat the heat, to my palate, there is no better environment for wine than a leisurely picnic or a backyard barbecue. One general guideline I follow is to match modest wine with modest foods. And I extend that to include modest circumstances, like picnics. Most picnics feature an eclectic variety of appetizers and snacks. Consequently the wine choices are myriad. Given the warmer weather and lighter foods, my thoughts turn to crisp, fruity, aromatic whites, such as these:

– 2006 Newhaven Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough ($12)

– 2006 Hogue Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley ($11)

– 2006 Chateau St. Jean Riesling Sonoma County ($15)

– 2006 Chateau St. Jean Gewürztraminer Sonoma County ($15)

A full-flavored rosé, such as the cabernet sauvignon-based 2006 Rosé Napa Valley ($13) from the Michael Mondavi family, also will do the trick.

Spicy appetizers like salsas and buffalo wings are a pairing challenge, to say the least, but wines with higher acid or some sweetness, including those just listed, can hold up to the heat. Other good choices include:

– 2006 Hogue Late Harvest Riesling (screw cap, $12)

– 2006 Kenwood Gewurztraminer Sonoma County ($14)

– 2006 The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey Sauvignon Blanc Reserv ($19)

If you insist on red wine, try the vibrant fruit of an Australian shiraz, like the 2005 Rosemount Diamond label ($10).

If cheese is being served, especially fresh and tangy cheese like goat’s milk, a brisk white, such as the 2006 Hogue Sauvignon Blanc Columbia Valley ($10), is my first choice. The Dry Creek Vineyards Dry Chenin Blanc ($12), 2005 Covey Run Pinot Grigio Columbia Valley ($9) or a Rhone varietal like the 2004 Marc Kreydenweiss “Perrieres” (biodynamic, $14) also would do nicely, especially with moderately aged cheeses.

Salads may present the toughest challenge for pairing, mainly because of the presence of vinegar. But it’s not impossible. Again, the acidity of a sauvignon blanc — say the 2006 Rosemount Diamond Label ($10) — or pinot grigio, such as a 2005 Tamas Monterey County (screw cap, $12), are most likely to stand up. The 2006 Martin Codax Albarino Rias Baixas ($15) from Spain world be an intriguing alternative.

The options for sandwiches are similar to those for appetizers. Just about any snappy, fruit-forward wine (red, white or pink) should do nicely. But this is where dry rosés really shine. I suggest looking to southern France, where rosé never went out of style. I recently tasted four excellent ones from Provence.

– Domaine Houchart 2006 ($10)

– Château de Pourcieux 2006 ($11)

– Commanderie de la Bargemone 2006 ($13)

– Domaine de la Sauveuse 2006 (organic, $18)

Of course, grilled and barbecued meats and fish often are the centerpieces of a picnic. Here is where the red wines take center stage. For beef or lamb, cabernet sauvignon is a classic choice but I suggest a Bordeaux-style blend: 2003 Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve “Meritage” ($12) and 2005 Robert Mondavi Private Selection “Vinetta” ($11). More interesting would be a Sangiovese-based wine like Gabbiano’s 2005 Chianti ($10) and 2004 Chianti Classico ($13) or the 2005 Col d’Orcia “Spezieri” ($13).

Actually, my favorite wines for grilled foods (especially chicken and sausages) and barbecue are zinfandel and syrah. Their jammy fruit, good structure and spice form a beautiful chorus with the smoky, juicy flavors of the grill. These will get you started:

– 2005 Dry Creek Heritage Zinfandel Sonoma County ($16)

– 2005 Rosenblum Zinfandel North Coast ($18)

– 2005 Covey Run “winemaker’s Collection” Syrah ($9)

– 2005 Kendall-Jackson Syrah “Vintner’s Reserve” ($12)

– 2005 Archetype Shiraz Barossa Valley ($15)

– 2004 Marr Syrah Tehama Hills ($19)

Finally, grilled seafood always seems to be less delicate than when cooked in the oven. White wines still work fine, Rosés even better. Best would be Pinot Noir like the 2005 B & G “Bistro Wine” ($9), 2005 Kali Hart Monterey County ($18) or 2005 Tolosa Central Coast ($18) for their earthy, low-tannin character. What are your favorite pairings and suggestions for summer fare? I would welcome your comments and thoughts!

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What Makes a Wine Great?

rich mauro the people's palateThere must be something in our nature as human beings that drives us to a fascination with greatness. Whether it is athletics, business, politics, science, music or art, we seem to be preoccupied with the best of human endeavor. This certainly is true with wine connoisseurs. Witness The Wine Spectator’s April 30, 2005 issue that features a cover story on wines the magazine has given perfect 100-point scores. Last fall, Wine & Spirits magazine devoted a complete special issue to the subject of “What Makes a Wine Great?”

So how do we know someone or something is the best of its kind or otherwise qualifies as great? I think we all, consciously or subconsciously, employ both subjective and objective criteria. Both magazines acknowledge the same is true with wine. The subjective aspect recognizes that different people have different sensitivities and preferences and may experience a wine in different circumstances. The objective component asserts that there also are basic criteria with which to judge the quality of a wine. As for objective criteria, there seems to be consensus that a great wine begins with a great vineyard. James Suckling, writing in The Wine Spectator, says a great wine communicates something about its terroir (basically the vineyard). Taylor Antrim, writing in Wine & Spirits, adds that the vineyard is what gives a great wine its unique personality.

Well-know wine critics Matt Kramer, in “Making Sense of Wine,” and Robert M. Parker, Jr., in “Parker’s Wine Buyer’s Guide,” agree emphatically. I also remember a seminar Parker gave at the Food & Wine Magazine Classic at Aspen a few years ago call “What Makes Wine Great?” He emphasized the importance of well-placed vineyards (ideally south facing, with not too much heat or cold) and conservative viticultural practices (pruning in the winter, dropping fruit in the summer to keep yields low and achieve very ripe fruit).

The vintage is the next critical component. Even a great vineyard will produce less than perfect grapes if the weather does not cooperate at key points during the growing season. When nature cooperates to produce perfect raw materials, the role of winemaker is to make sure the true character of the grapes and the vineyard where they originated and the characteristics of the vintage are translated in the final wine. In other words, to not screw it up. According to Parker and others, minimal intervention is the watchword here. That means little or no clarification (fining) or filtering. Winemakers should intervene only when something goes wrong. Great wine is not the result of a manufacturing process.

As for the characteristics of a great wine, Matt Kramer identifies complexity, balance, proportion and finesse. Suckling also names complexity and balance and adds concentration and a flawless structure in general. For reds, he recognizes extraordinary richness of fruit and superb tannin structure, while pointing to layers of fruit and balancing acidity for whites. Most agree the wine ought to taste not only like the grape variety from which it is made and that it should taste like the place from which it comes. One way to judge this is to rely on benchmarks or, as Parker would say, reference points. For instance, judging a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon relative to red Bordeaux or an Oregon pinot noir relative to red Burgundy. Most experts assert, though, that the point is not necessarily to imitate these standard bearers. One can compare and contrast such wines but a wine’s greatness should be judged in terms of its own origins. Parker declares a great wine has the ability to please both the palate and the intellect, hold a tasters interest (think complexity), offer intense aromas and flavors without heaviness (balance), taste better with each sip, improve with age (requires adequate fruit and acid structure), and offer a singular personality. Some go so far as to assert that a truly great wine is an expression of a single vineyard, as contrasted with a regional blend or reserve style.

Despite highlighting these objective standards, each of the above authors acknowledges the role of subjectivity in classifying a wine as great. Suckling notes early in his article that it is difficult to describe what it takes to be a 100-point wine, except to say it has “a little extra, everything and even more.” Antrim writes of a near supernatural quality that is hard to measure. Antrim adds that people he interviewed for his article also spoke in metaphysical terms of a “bolt from the blue” experience. Kramer identifies such surprise as a critical element of great wine. And Suckling describes a “wow factor, that spellbinding quality that makes your jaw drop in amazement.”

What makes even more sense to me is to think in terms of a great or even perfect wine drinking experience. Relying on ratings (i.e., receiving 95-100 points from a wine critic) is too authoritarian for me. I prefer a more egalitarian approach. Antrim, for instance, writes “a great wine is often the result of a singular context, a happy coincidence of people and place (and usually a meal) in which a wine becomes something grand and memorable.” Here memory is the key in deciding if a wine is great to you. It may or not be objectively remarkable, let alone monumental, but the whole experience and your memory of it is what make the wine great. Certainly the 1966 Chateau Cheval Blanc I drank with college friends in 1979 was a great wine. It was such a revelation at the time, I still remember how delicious it was. So was the 1990 Dom Perignon that accompanied a banquet at the Moet & Chandon estate in Champagne. That wine is objectively great but talk about an amazing wine drinking experience.

Best of all, though, was probably the humble red wine served in a carafe at a restaurant in the small Piemontese town of Nizza Monferrato drunk with a wonderful lunch, my wife and a dear friend. That wine is to this day more memorable than the single vineyard Barolo we tasted while visiting wineries later that afternoon. So, I have concluded that ultimately, while there are certain qualities that make a great wine great, what makes wine great is the pleasure it delivers in the context of a social experience.