Some Thoughts on Douro Reds from Christian Seely, Managing Director of AXA Millismes  - Blend or single varietal wine? Which varieties? Maybe include some ointernational varieties?  Lagares like for Port or not? Oak regimes and finally style – fruit driven early drinkesr or terroir wines that need time to come around? Read more here.

Good news just out from the Court of Master Sommeliers - Court Of Master Sommeliers Welcomes Four New Masters To Its Prestigious Ranks – no doubt lots of celebrations will ensue.  

Auction Napa Valley - It not just about glamor, the high prices and the scene. A   lovely editorial in the St. Helena Star looks at the value that the auction really means to the locality – help for hospitals, the elderly, support for family centers, help for low-income families and so forth. Read about it here.

New bottle shape for Bollinger – or rather a return to the old - Bollinger returns to 1846 bottle. Chef de Cave Matthiew Kaufmann cites slowing down the aging process and delivering a better wine as the key motivations. Read more on Decanter.com 

A case for more liberal approach to permitted grape varieties in France’s AOC/AOP appellation system – from the wonderful Mr. jefford over at Decanter.

Jefford on Monday: A Modest Proposal

Interesting session at the London International Wine Fair (LIWF) on how the wine trade can learn from looking at books, gels and strawberries! Imagine if books were organized by author’s country of origin rather than fiction, science etc. Thought provoking. Read more here.

Christy Canterbury, MW

I’m back in New York after a week in Sicily, a week that started out on Mount Etna. Only 500,000 years old, Mount Etna is a young volcano; and like kids raring with energy, she’s active. In fact, she spewed fragments of solidified magma the week before I arrived in the vineyards on her slopes. These small, crusty pieces are so light they float on water. They also disintegrate easily, turning into crumbles.

I had never visited a vineyard on a volcano, so a great surprise greeted me at the first stop, Tenuta di Fessina. I imagined vines drilled into near-impenetrable rocks. Topsoil didn’t enter my picture. Wrong. The soils at Tenuta di Fessina and Azienda Agricola Frank Cornelissen were powdery, slippery black sand! Stepping off the gravel path and into the vineyard, I sunk into the sand enough to cover 2/3 of my Keds. The basalt rock I anticipated sat 30 cm to 1 meter below my feet.

Volcanic soils aren’t especially common amongst vine-worthy soil types. However, where they do hold up vines, they contribute a distinct note of terroir, yielding a specific minerality. It comes across as in wines’ aromas as a flintiness or ashiness, and I find these notes particularly obvious on white wines.

 If you want to look for the volcanic overtone on wines, here are a few regions to taste. I’ve ranked them based on my own intensity scale, and I find Campania’s wines bear the greatest intensity by far. At the bottom of the scale you’ll see Napa. Whether it is the fact the soils there are quite mixed or the fruit ripeness hides some of the ash notes, I’m not sure….

 Campania

Santorini

Etna

Wachau’s Achleiten vineyard

Napa Valley

Keep an eye on Vitis.com to discover terroir-driven wines from volcanic soils!

By Christy Canterbury, MW 

Today I wrapped up nine days on the ground with 19 other Masters of Wine in Sicily. Writing from my hotel in Palermo, I can report to you first hand that there is an excited buzz about wine on this Mediterranean island. (No, not that kind of a buzz….)

Most importantly, the Sicilians are redrawing some origine definitions. The Sicilia IGT will cease to exist beginning with the 2012 vintage. Wines defined by the guidelines of this current appellation will now be labeled Terre Siciliani IGP. A new and clearer…if only from a geography standpoint…DOC called Sicilia DOC will see the light. Classic Italian reorganization, sì?!

Elsewhere in Italy, other changes are afoot. Barone Ricasoli announced that is will be submitting an application to the Italian Ministry of Agriculture to register several new Sangiovese clones. They do not specifically say how their clones will show a particular expression of Sangiovese, so we’ll stay tuned and let you know when we hear more….

Speaking of taking steps forward – these outside Italy – the South African wine industry announced it will introduce a new seal, one spotlighting fair labor practices. From the outset, 60% of wineries will be certified to carry this seal with the remainder finishing-up the required inspections. The program covers labor concerns in both the vineyard and the winery. 

Finally, Matt Kramer wrote on “Three Things They Don’t Want You to Know”. Well, we certainly want you to know the last one, as it’s what we mention in every offer from Vitis.com. We believe you should shop around for the best wine prices you can find. After all, it’s easy to do on the web. Good news is, we’ve already done it for you and show you how we did it in every email.

Signing off from Sicily… arrivederci!

Mary Gorman-McAdams, MW

News that Nicholas Sarkosy is out, and that François Hollande will be the next French President created quite a stir within the wine media this week. He seems to enjoy a glass of wine or two. See what our Friends over at Decanter have to say “ Will François Hollande be good for the wine industry?”

Likewise  Dr. Vino wonders (even hopes) that the new president might even be a Champagne Socialist - Sarkosy, teetotaler is out: Hollande in: But is he a Champagne socialist? 

Great and indeed most welcome news in this week was that the South African wine industry has launched its Ethical Seal program. Audited by their Wine Industry’s Ethical Trade Association, the seal will guarantee that wines bearing it have been produced in line with fair labor practices. Read more over at The Drinks Business “SOUTH AFRICA PIONEERS ETHICAL SEAL”

Amusing ruminations from Robert Joseph on his blog this week on why chefs are sexier than winemakers . “Composers or conductors: why chefs are so much sexier than winemakers”

On a more somber and serious note, Tyler Coleman ponders the implications of the newly released FTC guidelines for endordement disclosure on blogs, which require complete transparency regarding free samples and any other promotional arrangement between tblogger/tweep and products being reviewed or cited.

I love starting my week reading Andrew Jefford’s musings on Decanter. This week he deliberates the French innate tendency toward ‘no’ and ‘not possible’ – their seeming adherence to the rulebook, especially when it comes to wine. Does this stifle the creation of great wines? Why not break the rules as Grange did in Australia? Jefford showcases a possible French Grange – born out of thinking outside the box and breaking the rules.  Jefford on Monday: A French Grange?

I read a very interesting and realistic view on wine in China this week over on Jing Daily – The Future of Wine in China (Part 1). While we read lots of sensational headlines on vast monies spent on fine wine, China is still very much at the early stages of developing its wine market.

The rights and wrongs of the ban on new vineyard plantings across Europe has been much debated, and many eagerly await its lifting in 2016. WineBiz Australia summarizes an intervesting report from from French real estate agency Vinea Transaction on the sensitive issue of vineyard valuations and prices. Planting rights: the cost of lifting the ban from a real estate perspective (EU) 

Christy Canterbury, MW

This Monday night was the food and beverage equivalent of the Academy Awards. The James Beard Foundation fêted the talented elite of the culinary world at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. (We shout-out a hearty congratulations to all our friends and industry colleagues who were both winners and nominees!)

For the second time, I worked the decadent $15,000 a table benefactor dinner. This year’s wine list was fun and fabulous! The pairings with the food were incredibly thoughtful, and we escorted the diners through a pleasantly surprising list of discoveries – at least for most of our guests. There were three pours I would consider familiar – a German Kabinett from the Mosel, a Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The other half of the line-up, however, was more exotic. One of my favorite white varieties from Spain made the list – Godello. Then, there were two Greek wines. First, there was a delicious blend of the local variety Agiorgitiko with the “international” variety Cabernet Sauvignon. Then, at the end of the dinner was Vin Santo…no, not from Tuscany…from Santorini!

The sommelier team had great fun discussing these wines with these tuned-in “foodie” guests. I was thrilled that one gentleman at one at one of my tables really honed in on the Godello.

The evening’s selection was inspiring and mind-opening. This is something most people have been expecting from fine dining food for quite a while, yet they’ve remained decidely conservative in choosing their vinous accompaniments. I hope this opportunity recalibrated some palates and that those taste buds look forward to entertaining equally unknown selections at fine dining establishments in the very near future!

Christy Canterbury, MW 

In some ways, this seemed like a normal week in the wine world:

·      An American wine icon was released for the first time in almost 50 years. Francis Ford Coppola’s estate released the first Inglenook wine since 1964. 

·      While California is celebrating this landmark release, New York is trying to preserve the integrity of its ice wines, with US Senator Charles Schumer bringing to the attention of the federal government the rising incidences of counterfeit Chinese “ice wines”.

·      Meanwhile, the 2007 Grange – the latest release - is now available in the US and the jockeying of “best” prices is not dissimilar from that which occurs with top Bordelais bottlings.

·      Looking forward, I’ll be curious to see how much the 240 year old bottle of Vin Jaune goes for at Christie’s next month.

However, even as the wine world kept sailing, a few waves rippled under the surface.

·      Many in the wine business – as well as many wine lovers - opposed to Costco’s lead buyer’s reference to wine being no different than toilet paper.

·      Champagne suffered a terrible frost attack with some growers loosing up to 20, even 30% of their 2012 crop.

·      The wine world cheered upon hearing news that the construction on the Mosel bridge has been halted entirely and seems unlikely to recommence.

Finishing on a celebratory note, we send our congratulations to Robert Parker and his team for issuing their 200^th edition of the Wine Advocate!

Mary Gorman-McAdams 

In about 10 days, I will be heading back to Ireland to see family for a few days. Being the wine geek that I am, I take every opportunity while I’m there to check out all the wine stores I can and explore the wine selections available. 

One wonderful discovery I made a few years ago was the wide availability of slightly older vintages of everyday European wines. Think 2008 Muscadet, 2000 Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh sec, 2004 Madiran – yes all quite delicious! This is not something that I regularly come across in our local New York retail stores. In my opinion, this is a pity because these wines, when stored correctly, can evolve and improve 3 to 5 years or even longer.  

Generally the wines that populate the retail shelves in the United States are the most recent vintages released. Typically this means 2010 or 2011 vintage for whites, and the 2009 and 2010 vintage for lots of reds. Obviously there are exceptions when the current vintage is older due to specific appellation or maturation regulations and norms, or when a producer has a philosophy of releasing wines later then most.

From a business perspective, it is in everyone’s interest to get the wine through the distribution channel and into the hands of the consumer in the shortest time possible. Just look at the Bordeaux en primeur market. It is costly for producers, distributors and retailers to hold stock for late release. 

Unfortunately, most people do not taste everyday wines that are four or five years old because

1. Most wine is consumed within 24 hours of purchase and, 

2. Most people do not have suitable cellaring conditions to store wine for longer than a few weeks. 

What particularly delights me about these ‘lesser’ older wines is their strong expression of minerality. The exuberant, edginess of youth is replaced by a more integrated and balanced maturity, honesty and sense of place. While many of these wines are not incredibly complex or for classic long term cellaring, they are a joy to the senses, and remind me why I love wine and am in the wine business. 

So when you see some of these less ‘collectible’ older vintages on Vitis, buy some! You will be more than pleasantly surprised. 

It is never a dull week in the world of wine. Here is a selection of what’s been holding our attention over the past week. From the continuing en primeur debates, to social media marketing responsibility to looking at a thriving wine scene in Morocco.

Andrew Jefford has to be one of my favorite Monday reads – Latour Quite, Lafite drops price – lots of interesting musings on the future of en primeur. See what he has to say on Decanter “Did the Earth Move?”

Insightful and analytical piece over on Just Drinks on the challenges of implementing and enforcing ‘age-verification’ policies when it comes to social media marketing. Responsibility Key for Alcohol Brands in Social Marketing World.

Interesting little summary on the growth of the Washington wine industry from our English friends at harpers.co.uk. From 360 wineries in 2005 the state now boasts 700.

Looking for something different. Read what John Mariani has to say on the Moroccan wine industry – its challenges and opportunities. Moroccan wine thrives in the face of religious bans, heat. 

In the face of an increasingly strict regulatory environment, the European giants of the drinks industry have teamed up and agreed on a “Responsible Marketing Pact”

Worrying report in the UK telegraph on wine investment scams “Investors lose millions in fine wine schemes” – Reiterates the importance of knowing who your are dealing with, proper research and due diligence.

An interesting perspective on Latour’s decision to quite ‘en primeur” from AXA Millismes Managing Director Christian Seely and how the system works for Chateau Pichon Baron - The Primeurs System in Bordeaux – A Personal View

Christy Canterbury, MW

About a month ago, I examined how two growing seasons (2005 and 2006) in Burgundy affected the characteristics and styles of the wines from those years. Here’s the follow-up for the three subsequent vintages.

2007 – I arrived in Burgundy in early July and made a beeline for Galeries Lafayette. I purchased three sweaters, two pair of jeans and socks. It was cold and damp. This weather characterized much of mid- to late summer. Luckily, the sun shined bright during harvest, bringing ripeness. Overall, the resulting wines are lean with brisk acidity. Reds tend to be pale as the Pinot Noir skins remained thin and rot was a concern. Winemakers shied away from lees-stirring in whites due to worries over rot affecting the health of the lees; so, they tend to be less supple in the mid-palate than 2005 and 2006. Drink now to the mid-term.

2008 – the subsequent vintage looked much like the prior one. Chill and rain kept the vineyards behind schedule with harvest not occurring until the end of September. An Indian summer brought ripeness and saved the harvest while a north wind caused some beneficial dehydration that help concentrate flavors. The acidities are fresh, and the wines are generally mid-weight on the palate. The fruit is less austere than 2007 and more restrained than 2009. Some reds are, again, quite light due to rot issues as well as mid-season hail damage. Wines for drinking now into the mid-term.

2009 – this season presented a stark contrast to the prior two. Spring and summer were warm and moist. Hail again rained down on the vineyards, eliminating between 20-30% of many winemakers’ crops. An impressive 50% decrease was seen in a few extreme cases. All the heat and sunshine brought generous fruit ripeness (even over-ripeness at times) and round tannins. Fortunately, the acidity levels remain buoyant, offering ample structural support. These wines drink well now but will age mid- to long-term.

Christy Canterbury, MW 

Greetings from the Vitis Wine Tasting Team! We’re beginning the weekend by preparing for Earth Day. We’ll be drinking green on Sunday, meaning that we’ll be popping corks on wines made from organically or biodynamically farmed grapes. If you happen to be near wine country in California, there’s a list of activities focused around this 32-year-old observation in which you might want to participate. Check them out here and here. If you’re up north in Michigan, double the celebration by visiting Michigan wineries during Michigan Wine Month.

If you do get out in Napa and have room in the trunk, don’t miss the auction of the now-defunct Copia’s belongings. There will be everything from urns made from bottle caps and the silver used in their café to vintage wine posters. Oh, they’ll have wine for sale, too!

Speaking of wine sales, that’s what’s happening in Bordeaux now. Spring begins the en primeur season in which merchants and critics descend up on the Médoc where they often taste around 100 wines a day. They form their opinions on the new vintage’s quality (the 2011 is up for sale now) and then jockey for a position to buy tranches from the châteaux. Prices are trending down from the 2010 vintage but are still far higher than the more modest (quality-wise) 2008 and 2007 vintages.

Interestingly, if not surprisingly, Château Latour announced this week that it will no longer participate in this system beginning with the 2012 vintage. Read Christian Seely’s excellent blog post to see what he has to say about how Bordeaux sells its top wines.

And, finally, some less-than-super news for winelovers: Reuters reports that wine prices are on the rise. Lucky for you, you know the “smarter way to buy wine” and shop the discounts at Vitis!