Randy doesn’t travel much outside of his comfort zone of Napa Valley – save for the opportunity to exercise his passion as a pilot of his own small aircraft, usually in and around California and the Pacific northwest. Which is why I jumped at the recent opportunity to spend a day working the Boston wine market with Randy and his daughter Kristina. Admittedly, I would hardly say I was “familiar” with Dunn Vineyards – the wines are expensive and notoriously tight in their youth. That said, I was aware of the following for Dunn Vineyards wines and for the place Randy held in the story of Napa Valley’s development as an internationally recognized wine region.

Not knowing what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised by Randy’s down-to-earth manner and his candor about the current state of affairs in the Napa Valley (cult) Cabernet marketplace. Personally, I have always been sensitive to the ever-increasing alcohol levels in California wines – especially the so called “cult” brands (Screaming Eagle, Harlan, Turley, etc.) Well, it seems Randy has been equally, no, significantly more, sensitive to the same. To the extent that he wrote a white paper to the industry on the increasing homogeneity of “top” Califonia Cabernet wines and the lack of concern (and regulation) in their increasing alcohol levels – levels that he claims are wildly out of line with the information stated on the bottle. (For your enjoyment I’ve included a copy of Randy’s letter at the end of this post.)

That said, there is a reason why his wines are as revered as they are – one veteran retailer we visited, without reason to be sycophantic, referred to him as “the great Randy Dunn”. He is unabashedly honest in his admission of keeping alcohol levels under 14% (nearly unheard of in the world of great California Cabernet) and keeping pH levels low so that his wines show tannins, power, acidity, fruit and, above all, BALANCE. His inclusion of stems, pips and seeds in the crush, as well as his belief in the need for significant filtering (to prevent unwanted secondary fermentations and to clarify the wines for extended aging) are proven out in tasting his wines.

Randy produces two cuvees: Napa Valley; and Howell Mountain – both 100% Cabernet Sauvignon – we had the opportunity to taste both bottlings from 2005, 2007 (yet to be released) and the 1998 Howell Mountain (a testament to his wine’s age-ability) All the wines were, as predicted, spectacular and, quite honestly, even better and more complex on the second day!

Having worked with numerous wine personalities, it was nice to spend a day with a Napa Valley “legend” and to find out that his success is quite clearly a result of his humility, perseverance, style and  philosophical integrity – all of which he is candidly willing to discuss (or to many of his winemaking colleagues, debate!)

Randy’s letter to the industry:

Letter distributed by Randy Dunn July, 2007

It is time for the average wine consumers, as opposed to tasters, to speak up.  The current fad of higher and higher alcohol wines should stop.  Most wine drinkers do not really appreciate wines that are 15 -16. +% alcohol.  They are, in fact, hot and very difficult to enjoy with a meal.  About the only dish that seems to put them in their place is a good hot, spicy dish.

I don’t believe the average person is so insensitive to flavors and aromas that they must have a 15% Cabernet, Chardonnay, or Pinot Noir to get the aromas and flavors.  Influential members of the wine press have lead the score chasing winemakers/owners up the alcohol curve and now I hope that it soon will lead them down.

Winemaking is not really much different than cooking.  The end product should be enjoyable to consume – not just to taste.  Hopefully most who read this don’t think it’s a novel concept that we should be making wines to consume.  Would you want to sample a soup, meat dish or other course that is so overpowering that you cannot enjoyably finish what is in front of you?  These new wines are made to taste and spit – not to drink.

This is all linked to my views on the ever evasive and vanishing terroir; the subtleties of terroir in wines have been melted together in a huge pot called “overripe” or the vogue “physiologically mature” grape.  Gone are the individualities of specific regions, replaced by sameness – high alcohol, raisiny, pruney, flabby wines.  Likewise, the descriptor “herbaceous” was often used in a positive sense when describing Cabernets.  Now it is the kiss of death.  Voluptuous – I do remember seeing that only occasionally, but not on the aroma/flavor wheel.

So I would like the consumers to take the lead for a change, rather than being led.  Ask for wines that are below 14% when you are out to dinner.  The reactions are fun, but the results are not good for United States wines.    The sommelier usually comes back with a French or New Zealand wine.  On the restaurant level, high alcohol wines have reduced the number of bottles sold.  It is very simple arithmetic; % alcohol times volume equals satisfaction.  If % alcohol goes up, volume must go down for satisfaction to stay the same – or else we all get plastered.

Consumers – wake up and get active.  Reviewers -please at least include the labeled alcohol percentage in all your reviews, and try to remember that not everyone is spitting.

Cheers Randy!

In my first post I said that this would NOT be a “look what I drank” sort of wine blog. My reasoning was that I can’t stand reading about overly-expensive, unobtainable wines that people consumed at once-in-a-lifetime events. I understand that these can be interesting and enjoyable to read, but all too often they turn into a forum for bragging about the pomp and circumstance of the experience. To me this just serves to exacerbate wine’s image by many as elitist or snobby.

That said, I am going to start posting notes about wines I’ve tasted – usually at home with a meal. (I love to cook, I cook well, but I cook simply – in the words of Marcella Hazan: “I like simple food.”) In each case the wines I discuss will be affordable and obtainable. 

By no means am I looking to turn this into a food & wine blog, as always the focus will be on the wine.

Thanks for understanding.

Cheers!

One staple wine that I’ve collected is the flagship, single-vineyard Muscadet Clos des Briords from Domaine de la Pépière.

Muscadet? Age-worthy? Absolutely!

I had always heard of this wine’s ageability but, like most, had only enjoyed it in its youth (austere minerality, screaming acidity and fresh, lively fruit character.) Two years ago I tasted a bottle from 1988 – legend was true! Apparently single-vineyard Muscadet, grown in schist soils, farmed organically, hand-harvested, fermented with native yeasts and aged sur lie for eight months can age beautifully for 20+ years. Who knew? I immediately grabbed what I could of the then current vintage.

I recently tasted the 2009 vintage of Marc Ollivier’s Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Clos des Briords…let’s just say, I’m glad Luca was born in ’09. The wine was outrageous! It was crackling with a freshness and minerality that practically define the Muscadet appelation. Laser-like focus, brilliant acidity and tart, citrus fruit jumping out of the glass. I plan to buy a bit, (especially since this champion is only around $16 on the shelf!!) the only problem will be keeping it in the cellar rather than in my glass this summer.

Marc Ollivier owner/grape-grower/winemaker

Cheers!

Tonight is suppose to “dip” into the high 80′s.

I don’t have central air conditioning.

It’s gonna be tough sleeping.

But…I’m drinkin’ red with dinner!

The misconception of needing to avoid reds in the summer is really a bit of a misnomer. Ok, so the California Cabs, Barolo, Aussie Shiraz and Zinfandels can wait until the fall (or at least temps in the 70′s!) but when pizza, pasta, burgers or any other red-wine leaning food is on the table, do yourself a favor and throw a bottle of Beaujolais, Italian Dolcetto, Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, or cool-climate red from Germany, northern Italy, Austria or heck, even a light Spanish Tempranillo, in the fridge and you’re in for a surprise.

What do these wines have in common? For the most part: low(er) alcohol; no wood; good acidity; bright red fruit flavors; and a light body. Thirty minutes in the fridge is a good start. I put a bottle of Domaine George Descombes 2008 Regnie in about 45 minutes ago and I’m opening it as soon as I finish this post! (My wife is picking up the pizza. It’s too hot to cook.)

Cheers!

This convivial casualness lends itself to wines from a region that epitomizes summer, sunshine, the beach and good food…southern France. The freshness, crispness and wonderful fruit flavors of these wines pair perfectly with summer foods. Look for indigenous varietals such as: Picpoul; Grenache Blanc; Ugni Blanc; Vermentino; Viognier; and a host of others both obscure and commonplace.

Two wines of particular note that I’ve had recently were the Chateau de Lascaux 2009 Languedoc Blanc and the Chateau La Roque 2009 Coteaux du Languedoc Blanc. Both are a melange of these local varietals and both provide the floral fruitiness, wonderful acidity and fresh, crisp character that appeals to nearly everyone. I had them with friends as we enjoyed grilled shrimp and scallops, pulled pork sandwiches and a major summer salad. A potluck of a picnic, but a memorable pairing as well.

Cheers

Having come from the overwhelming masses of VinItaly, Summa is a refreshingly enjoyable event – it seems progressive and enlightened, as I mentioned, but moreover it just has that feeling that everyone attending the event “gets it”. Alois’ organic and biodynamic philosophy along with his work in environmental sustainability seem to set the tone  (it would seem completely appropriate to see someone reciting poetry, or performing yoga, a Madrigal chamber group would fit in nicely, or a discussion of the cosmos.) In any case, its much more than just a wine event, its a cultural event that includes wine, food and a shared philosophy of natural production and environmental balance.

For his part, Alois Lageder presented a formidable line-up of over 30 wines from their most recent vintages – some released, some being released soon. Its impossible here to review my tasting notes for each, but safe to say all of the wines showed a respect of their terroir and the unique characteristics of their Alto Adige/Dolomiti region. TO me it is easiest to divide them into three simple groups: “the aromatics”; “high-acid wines”; and the “indigenous” varietals. In the first group were the wines that fare best in the cool, northern climate of the Dolomites – those that express perfumed fragrances, delicate floral aromas and ripe stone fruits: Muller-Thurgau, Gewurztraminer, Riesling and Moscato Giallo. The second group are those wines that can be found elsewhere in Italy and around the world, but at Lageder, take on the fresh, crisp, high-acid signature of the zone: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay and Sauvignon as well as Merlot, Cabernet and Pinot Nero. And finally, the varietals that are solely (or nearly solely) indigenous to the region: Lagrein, Schiava and St. Magdalener. Overall, the Lageder “house-style” (if you can say that) of freshness, character, purity and balance run through all his wines.

VinItaly is definitely an event to attend (at least once) – largely due to its overwhelming size and scope, but Summa is an event to experience – its a full sensory event that helps us understand we it is we love living in the world of wine.

Salute.

A view of the vineyards from Lageder's estate

Lunch at Summa ’10

Summa '10 (Cason Hirschprunn)

I can’t think of a better way to start a morning than with a tasting through the new releases from Poggio Antico with owner Paola Gloder – as expected, everything was showing beautifuly! A few standouts were the 2008 Rosso, the 2005 Brunello and the 2007 Madre (her best yet in my opinion – great balance and elegance with perfect fruit concentration!)

We’ve had remarkable success in the Massachusetts marketplace with the wines of Tenuta Sant’Antonio. The new releases were remarkable, especially for the value they represent. The 2009 Scaia wines (red, white, and a new rosato) were simply, delicious and they will now be bottled with the varietal name on the label (a plus for the grape-obsessed U.S. market.) The 2007 Ripasso and 2006 Amarone Selezione Castegnedi were both fabulous wines. The former with an amazing freshness rare to many ripasso-style Valpolicellas and the later showing great acidity and balance in what has largely become a category of overly extracted, Port-like wines. The surprise of the tasting was the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon “Torre Mellotti” – I had no idea they could make such elegant Cabernet in the Veneto! The wine sees only 4 months in large oak barrels and shows surprisingly good acid and fruit balance – plum and blackberry – with, again, great freshness.

The remainder of the day was highlighted by the wines at our Batasiolo visit. In particular, I enjoyed the 2009 Dolcetto Bricco di Vergne, the 2006 Barolo and the 2004 Barolo Briccolina. In spite of being one of the largest producers in the Barolo region, Batasiolo manages to produce wines that taste “boutique” – due to a focus on their particular vineyard sights and the unique expression of each, their wines are extremely terroir-driven and focused. In Barolo its tough to find a combination of over-delivering on quality while maintaining tremendously competitive pricing, yet Batasiolo is a strong bet no matter which wine you pick up!

Day 3 was a bit abbreviated due to an afternoon commitment, so our focus was primarily on tasting through the new wines available through importer Neil Empson. It was a very enjoyable tasting (which goes without saying) with a number of standouts (from my notes):

• 2009 Bricco Mondalino Cortese – Tropical fruit and pear, greenish color, slightly frizzante. Excellent
• 2009 Cocci Grifoni Pecorino – Wonderful stoney edge with crispness and great minerality
• 2009 Villa Russiz Sauvignon – Cheese rind on the nose with freshness and complexity. Tropical fruit, pear, kiwi, amazing length and acidity. Awesome wine!
• 2009 Poggio Argentiera “Principio” (from my notes I can’t tell if this is the name of the wine or not) – Good berry, cherry freshness, nice structure and balance
• 2009 Cocci Grifoni “Tellus” – Fun and inviting, very soft plum and cherry fruit
• 2009 Cantina Santadi Monica – Tart cherry, rose petal good chewy texture. Nice style.
• 2009 Matane Primitivo – Good depth of fruit, nice spice, modern. Very enjoyable
• 2007 Orma – Huge depth, tastes like Bordeaux, excellent dusty tannins, great grip, rich black fruit, earth and spice (located next to Ornellaia and Sassicaia)
• 2009 Bricco Mondalino Malvasia Rossa – Tastes a bit like an elegant Bracchetto with beautiful strawberry, raspberry fruit. Lots of fun and incredibly appealing

Mind you, we didn’t taste everything – just some highlights. The most obvious exception was that we tasted no Barolo or Barbaresco wines – the new vintages will be presented at an upcoming trade tasting next month in Boston.

The Empson visit was followed by a visit to Caparzo – one of the foundational pillars of Montalcino. We met with Igino Angelini (the owner’s son) who was about as congenial and cordial as could be. These wines function in a strong price category and offer some of the best Tuscan values in the marketplace. In addition to their Montalcino property, they own Borgo Scopeto in Chianti Classico and a new property in the Maremma. The standouts for me where the: 2008 Caparzo Sangiovese (declassified Brunello fruit in an IGT Sangiovese for under $12 retail!!); 2008 Caparzo Rosso IGT (blend of Merlot, Cabernet, Cannaiolo, Syrah and Sangiovese); 2005 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino; 2008 Borgo Scopetto Chianti Classico; 2004 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino “La Casa”; and the 2006 Caparzo Ca’ del Pazzo (50% Sangiovese, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon).

What better place to end the show than with a personal favorite, Lini. Alicia Lini (in addition to being drop-dead gorgeous) has single-handedly changed the face of Lambrusco in the U.S. – beginning with her efforts in Manhattan and then spreading her Lambrusco message via popular magazines (Food & Wine, GQ, Vogue), radio interviews, and wine & cooking spots on major TV programs (Today Show). In a previous blog I spent considerable time discussing Lini Lambrusco so I won’t add too much more here other than to say that a significant tasting through the line up of their top spumante wines is very educational and ridiculously enjoyable. (And will make you question the monopoly that Franciacorta has claimed as Italy’s top sparkler!)

Brian with Alicia Lini and her team (winemaker father is second from right)

The final installment of VinItaly 2010 will review the “extracurricular activities” during the trip (i.e. winery visits and Summa ’10).

Cheers.

I traveled with my boss, Brian, (who is an experienced VinItaly-er) and we came prepared with a plan of attack for our three days in the fairgrounds. In fact, to enter VinItaly with the romantic notion of casually roaming around and “trying some new wines” is about as effective as walking out of Penn Station with the idea of casually strolling around Manhattan and checking out a few interesting shops – it’s completely overwhelming and an impossibility to navigate rationally.

The Chianti Classico Corsortium "Stand"

We had appointments beginning usually around 9:30 am and ending around 5:30 pm – give or take unexpected traffic delays, requisite espresso “re-fuelings” and the general unpredictability of the event (the Italian Agricultural Minister demanded greater security for his visit but Miss Italy drew a bigger crowd!)

Overall, the wines were impressive. I can’t come up with a general statement of the 2009 vintage currently making its way into the market – in some regions the vintage was more “traditional” , in others nearly perfect and still others, somewhat variable. That said, the producers did their best to present their finest selections and sell the vintage as a “win” for the consumer. There were a number of standouts among the wines we tasted, here’s a few from Day 1:

• IdiLenardo 2009 Chardonnay and 2009 Merlot – both unoaked and terrifically  delicious and (as always) excellent values;
• San Felice 2008 Perolla – a solid Tuscan red blend with lots of character ;
• San Felice 2006 Chianti Classico “Il Grigio” – which won a 5-star award from Decanter Magazine (one of only 5 of the 300+ wines reviewed) and singled out as a best value;
• Villa Matilde 2009 Fiano di Avellino – great tropical fruit character and lean minerality;
• Bortoluzzi 2009 Pinot Grigio – Rich texture, stone fruits and spice on the finish;
• Isole e Olena 2007 Chianti Classico – Lots of finesse, cherry fruit and approachability, an elegant wine;
• Isole e Olena 2007 Cepparello – Lots of spice, freshness and structure but remarkably approachable for such a big wine
• Proprieta Sperino 2009 Erbaluce – Fresh, crisp and delicious, fantastic summer wines for restaurants (or the porch!)
• Sandrone 2009 Dolcetto d’Alba – Fresh with exceptional fruit, red berries and acidity
• Ascheri 2009 Dolcetto d’Alba – A charming wine! Delicious and fruity, nice acid
• Ascheri 2008 Barbera d’Alba – Good structure and bite with plum and cherry fruit and delicate tannins
• Villa Pillo 2001 Vin Santo – Fantastic nose with nuts and caramel and a super long finish…and a great price!

The evening ended with a reception and dinner at Fuminelli in Valpolicella – lovely wines and a gorgeous property! The wines have just arrived into the Massachusetts marketplace and should be wildly successful on- and off-premise.

Highlights from Days 2 and 3 to come, as well as a quick review of the Summa event at Alois Lageder’s winery in Alto Adige.

Italian Marketing

Stay tuned…

I don’t remember where or when I found this quote, but I think it is very telling of the character of winemaker Paolo de Marchi  and the brilliant wines he produces at his Tuscan estate of Isole e Olena. I’ve had the good fortune to meet Paolo on numerous occasions and work with him in selling his wines in the Massachusetts marketplace and, although I’m not a winemaker, I can understand where this statement is very true.

Paolo is a remarkably humble man who is passionate about his wines and the uniquenesses of the land that they come from. He has spent the past thirty years developing a style for his wines that is anything but “trendy”, rather, his wines offer other winemakers a glimpse at what true Tuscan character actually tastes like. Before Chianti Classico had found its modern foothold as a wine of consequence in il mondo di vino, Paolo was convinced at the potential of Sangiovese as the workhorse varietal and spent a number of years refining his clonal selections in order to optimize the balance, character, and finesse of the grape; while other winemakers chased the ripe fruit, the rich extraction, or the “concept” of a Super Tuscan wine that eschewed Tuscany’s traditional varietal and focus more on the international flavors of Cab, Merlot or Syrah.

That said, Paolo has also succeeded with such varietals as these. However, in every attempt to produce wines from non-traditional Tuscan varietals like Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, his approach has been consistent with his style of finesse, poise and character rather than extraction and modernity. (His Syrah is the closest thing I’ve tasted to a northern Rhone red (Cornas?) anywhere in Italy! And his Chardonnay is in league with the best premier cru Burgundies from Meursault or Puligny Montrachet!)

Yet to me, Paolo is strongest when working with traditional indigenous varietals – whether those be from Tuscany or his native Piedmont (where he recently fulfilled a lifetime dream to make wine from his family’s vines in the northern Piedmont in the D.O.C. of Lessona.) In Tuscany, it’s Sangiovese – which makes up over 90% of his Isole e Olena Chianti Classico and to me, is the winemaking ideal for purity and finesse, yet reaches its apex with his flagship Isole e Olena Cepparello, a benchmark Sangiovese that shows the balance not only of fruit and acidity, but also of power and subtlety.

In Piedmont, where his son Luca has taken over responsibility for the vines and the winemaking, he produces a number of wines at his Proprieta Sperino estate in the Italian Alps near Gattinara and the Swiss border. The focus is on the traditional varietals of the region, namely: Nebbiolo (locally, Spanna); Vespolina; Croatina and Erbaluce. Unlike many of the powerhouse wines of his southern neighbors in Barolo and Barbaresco, the red wines from Proprieta Sperino (“Uvaggio” – a blend of Nebbiolo, Vespolina and Croatina; and “Lessona” – 100% Nebbiolo) show more delicacy, freshness and finesse with a brighter (rather than riper) fruit quality – owing to the higher altitude, northern climate (Alps) and glacial soil structure. The white, Erbaluce, has a freshness that crackles!

It can be frustrating to meet someone who seems to excel in everything he does, but its refreshing when that success is couched in a persona of class and humility. In an industry of ever-changing names, labels, styles, blends, corporate owners and personalities, its refreshing to know that, without exception, the wines of Paolo de Marchi are always consistent, characterful, balanced and act as a benchmark for other producers. But above all, they’re delicious!

Bravo Paolo!

(My recent tasting notes on Paolo’s wines to follow soon.)

Luca has always been an “out of the box” thinker – though it seems to run in the family. In fact, his father was the first to create a multi-vintage Barbaresco, a white wine blended with 40% skinless Nebbiolo and to become a proponent of extended macerations and aging times. Luca has kept completely instep  with the groundwork laid by his father (and grandfather before him) and has managed to integrate the modernity of a top enology degree (he was the star student in his class) with traditional winemaking elements and the “non-conformist” thinking of his family.

Example number one was the 2003 Barbaresco “Paje” which we tasted. (Admit it or not, there is a largely undeserved bias against 2003 vintage wines from Europe, in the marketplace. I got burned early in my career by chasing the vintage rather than the vintner, and have sworn to try and maintain vintage objectivity since then.) In our tasting travels, the question came up from a noted sommelier “How were you able to keep your alcohol levels down in 2003 and maintain such remarkable freshness and acidity in your wine?” Here’s where Luca is able to talk-the-talk and walk-the-walk – you wanna go wine geek? He’s ready. You wanna talk old-school? He’s there. By focusing on tannic ripeness rather than phenolic ripeness (sugars), he picked later than most (mid-October versus the typical early September, for 2003) and fermented in open-top wooden fermenters, with a submerged cap, over a period of weeks followed by extended aging in used oak botte (5,000L). The result was a loss of almost 1.5% alcohol through evaporation and a wine that had a tannic balance and fruit character that were completely in harmony. All at 13.2% alcohol!

Luca Roagna

In addition to the Paje, we tasted his remarkably fresh 2008 Dolcetto d’Alba, the 2003 Barolo Rocca e la Pira, the 2000 Barbaresco Paje, the 2003 Langhe Rosso (a blend of Nebbiolo from Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards) and the new multi-vintage Barbaresco Opera XVI (first started by his father in 1982 with Opera I) which is a “Barbaresco built on a Champagne philosophy”, in the sense that, the hope is to create a wine that, in the best vintages, shows a “house style”. In this case, a certain, “Roagna-ness”. All the wines were fantastic, and given the remarkable quality, very well-priced.

I feel very strongly that the pendulum of style has swung to its limit in the direction of modernity and that young producers like Luca (and a host of others in Italy) are pulling the pendulum back in the direction of terroir, character, balance and tradition. Although his production is small (and our allocation even smaller!) it is worth your while to seek out the wines from Roagna and taste the true character and finesse of Piemonte.

Cheers!

Luca and I at Ristorante Via Matta