The Rhone, Autumn and Food

by Jason Hatfield

I love cooking and autumn is the time to break out my Dutch oven and get-to-braising. As the leaves turn and the breeze chills my body craves thick soup, meat that melts in my mouth and potatoes n' gravy. Lighter fare is great in the summer, but now is the time to warm your insides with the flavors of Autumn. So put away the lemonade and dust off those red wine glasses.

I can picture your mouth watering as you think of thick steak and a great California Cabernet Sauvignon -but I'm going to stop you there. This article isn't about that. It's about an unsung hero of full-bodied reds: the Rhone. Most Americans don't think of Rhone wines as they begin to pair wines with the heavier fare of the season. For me, it's one of the first ideas I have, only because I know how well it pairs with the heavy foods of the season.

You might know some of the grapes grown there: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault. Most of you have heard of Chateauneuf du Pape, one of oldest and most famous regions for red wine (Yup, that's in the Rhone). For some, Chateauneuf is the apex of Rhone wine. For others, Hermitage takes the cake. However there are a plethora of other villages who have earned there own designation that most people have never heard of, like Gigondas and Sablet. One thing about the Rhone region is that it's huge and can be confusing. It encompasses a wide range of styles. There are more appellation controlee (the French system of controlling the grapes grown in what they consider premier regions) wines from the Rhone than any other region except Bordeaux. In most wine circles the term Rhone means full-bodied, complex red wines from the southern Rhone. These wines generally have notes of raspberry, broth, spice and savory mushroom. This makes navigating the Rhone an intimidating task. Don't worry that's why I'm here. We have a great selection of Rhone wine, here just in time for stews and steaks.

I was introduced to Rhone wines several years ago by a wine buyer for a retail store I worked at in Brooklyn. The first thing I noticed was the prices ...the low, low prices. The second thing I noticed was the wide range of styles. The third thing was the more I drank them, the more I loved them. Back then I wasn't as experienced. I loved California Cabernet Sauvignon as my go-to, full-bodied red. As they came more into fashion I found that my favorite labels went way up in price. That's when I turned to entry-level southern Rhone. I'm not sure why the prices are still so approchable but Rhone wines are huge bang for buck. I could spend $16 and get a spicy, smooth, earthy and full-bodied red. Depending on the style and region in the Rhone, the wine could be high-toned and almost minty, while most Southern Rhone's are the more savory style.

As they appealed more to me I noticed that my palate had expanded to be more sensitive to subtle flavors. Because the general style is to use oak for texture instead of just flavor, the wines weren't just all cream and vanilla. For that reason I believe that Rhone wines are the wine drinker's wine. These wines challenged me to taste more in everything I drink.

The Rhone holds a warm place in my heart. Try it sometime.

Here is a list of all our current Rhone wines. Just click and view them on our website:

Monpertuis, Cuvee Counoise, 2007 $13.50

Domaine Monpertuis, Chataeaunuef du Pape, 2006 $43

Paul Autard, Cotes Du Rhone, 2009 $16

Domaine Marcoux, Chateaunuef du Pape blanc, 2009 $70

Domaine de Givaudan, Cuvee Lea Cote du Rhone, 2009 $18

Domaine la Soumade, Rasteau, 2006 $26

Saladin, Fan de Lune, 2006 $23

Domaine Couroulu, Vacqueras, 2007 $21

Francois Villard, Condrieu Le Gran Vallon, 2007 $69

Les Vins de Vienne, Condrieu Les Amphores, 2008 $60

Les Vins de Vienne, Les Chirats de Saint-Christophe, 2004 $69

Les Vins de Vienne, Remeage Rouge, 2008 $17

A New Way to Shop

Neal Rosenthal and his Fight to Keep Terroir Alive

By JASON HATFIELD 10/16/10

The idea of looking at wine through the eyes of importers instead of winemakers is uncommon for the average consumer, but this isn't a crazy idea. If you like an imported wine maybe the person who brought it in has a similar taste as you. This can allow you to be more adventurous, but retain an element of confidence in your selection.

Neal Rosenthal of Rosenthal Wine Merchants

Two examples of Neal's wine we carry:

Domaine Monpertuis Vin de Pay du Gard $13.50

Jacques Puffeney Arbois Poulsard 2007 $27.00

Since the late 70's Neal Rosenthal has brought distinctive wines to the American market that reflect his devotion to the concept of "terroir". A lot of you are probably saying to yourselves what is terroir and why should I care? It is a French term in farming used to denote the special characteristics that a small area bestows upon its fruit. Think of the word "microclimate". You should care about terroir if you like wine that isn't generic and overpriced. In the modern wine market, "branding" wine has completely overlooked this concept of terroir. Larger distributors of wine (or any other beverage) want 2 million cases to ship all over the world and they want it all to taste the same. It's hard to explain to them that wine isn't cola. It can't be mass-produced and retain a unique quality. Some large producers use technology and oak to basically flavor their wine. The end results are millions of bottles of wine that all taste the same.

Neal said in an interview in the film "Mondovino" broaching a similar subject (I am paraphrasing):

INTERVIEWER: Oaking and manipulating wine is like plastic surgery?

NEAL ROSENTHAL: No, this process is worse than plastic surgery. After the plastic surgery you still have the person underneath, this process destroys the soul of the wine.

This does not mean Neal is opposed to technology. Take, for instance, this excerpt from his website madrose.com:

"... the business of wine has boomed, the media has focused its attention on this aspect of life, technological change has come at a rapid pace, and enormous amounts of capital have been invested in our world of wine. So many of these influences have resulted in a vast improvement in the overall quality of wine. We have benefited immensely from these developments and we are grateful for having been involved at such a stimulating moment." "...There is a fine line between making necessary refinements to a fundamental process and turning priorities on end."

He goes on to say that early in his career, mentors taught him that 90% of the ultimate wine is made in the vineyard and the role of the winemaker is to let the wine make itself. He refers to the "holy trinity of terroir" as: soil, climate and grape variety

It seems almost too simple, right? There is a catch though. You can't do this and make a million bottles that taste the same. Some believe the terroir is more important than the winemaker. If you are a talented winemaker you can make great wine year after year, but each year will be different. Different plots of the vineyard will yield different results and so on. It's very hard to "brand" a terroir-influenced wine.

That being said we can now talk about what makes Neal's wine awesome. One of the first things that blew me away are some of the prices. We carry three wines under $22, all of which are small production, naturally made and completely unique. Neil also carries a plethora of serious wines from classic regions that aren't cheep but constantly astounding. We have those too. Imagine a Burgundy that instead of ripe cherry had a brothy mushroom in the nose or a Chianti that smells of sesame seeds and earth. Wines that reflect terroir are not always what you expect, but Neil's wines are always unique and delicious.

We are now offering 6 or more Rosenthal Wine Merchant selections in every price range from France and Italy.

Thanks for reading!

Jason Hatfield

jason@vestrywines.com

Get Yourself to the Greek

Meet Wine Makers from Greece

By JASON HATFIELD 10/9/10

Free Wine and Food Tasting Thursday 6pm-8:30pm with Stellios Boutaris &Yiannis Tselepos

We are lucky to be hosting 2 of the most respected Greek winemakers. They will be pouring their wines along side different international dishes to prove that Greek varieties really are some of the most versatile for pairings.

In total we are tasting 4 wines:

1. Tselepos Amalia Brut Sparkling: 100% Moschofilero, The only "method traditional" Sparkling made in Greece

2. Tselepos Nemea Red 2007: 100% Agiorghitiko

3. Kir - Yianni Paranga red 2008: Xynomavro, Merlot and Syrah blend

4.Kir-Yianni Ramnista 2006: 100% Xynomavro

The Wine Makers Joining us:

Stellios Boutaris of Kir-Yianni winery in Macedonia: Owner and winemaker for one of the most cutting edge wineries in Greece that is still rooted in tradition.

Yiannis Tselepos of Tselepos winery in Nemea: One of the pioneers of modern Greek winemaking who studied and made wine in Burgundy before returning to his native Greece.

...

Greek wine and its rebirth into the modern wine market came as a sigh of relief to those in the know. People who went to Greece and found that whites weren't always resonated and reds could be dry and complex. For me, a person not in the know, the discovery of these phenomenal wines has been an eye opening experience. The mental image of lounging on a beach near Patitirion sipping beautiful wines with a hot piece of lamb is a romantic idea that keeps me interested in Greek wines and culture.

When I started researching this article I was astounded by the rich history of Greek wine and viticulture. I was especially surprised how Greek viticulture has influenced regions like Sicily, southern Italy and France. Greek viticulture dates back to 7^th century BC (or even earlier) and into the Roman Era. Pottery from the Mycenaean Culture found in Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Cyprus, Sicily and Southern Italy suggests that they exported wine as well. Also, wine was apart of daily life for Ancient Greeks according to poets like Homer and Hesiod. Compared to Ancient Egyptians, who also made wine, it was used to in ceremonies and for the well to do while most people drank beer. Greeks held the knowledge of vinification as a mark of social sophistication while brewing beer was considered barbaric.

Still Tastes Great

Prophet's Rock, Rocks!

Being Poured-

Pinot Noir 2006 ($34): Dark ruby in color, it shows rich boysenberry and dark cherry with floral and spice aromas on the nose leading on to a smooth, dense, well-structured palate. Here the rich aromatics are enhanced by silky tannin and well-balanced acidity adding structure before leading on to a long rich finish.

Pinot Gris 2009 ($30): In my humble opinion this is as world class as some nicer Alsatian Pinot Gris. White gold in color, it displays a wide spectrum of aromatics including pear, peach and citrus peel to quince and spice notes with significant underlying minerality. These aromas are echoed on the concentrated, crisp and long lingering palate.

Touted as producing some of the best Pinot Noir in New Zealand, Prophet's Rock owner Mike Mulvey is making a rare appearance at our store.

Located in Central Otago, this small estate is committed to preserving the environment and to farming responsibly. The estate of Prophet's Rock is comprised of two very distinct vineyard sites, Pisa and Bendigo. The Pisa Vineyard features warm, free-draining soils and excellent exposure to the evening sun. The Bendigo Vineyard is located on north-facing slope which have a bit cooler climate. This stunning site has fascinating soil composition.

They are a member of Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand, an organization founded by New Zealand's vintners. According to nzwine.com: Sustainable Winegrowing New Zealand was developed to:

- Provide a "best practice" model of environmental practices in the vineyard and winery.

- Guarantee better quality assurance from the vineyard through to the bottle.

- Address consumer concerns in matters pertaining to the environment and winegrape production.

- A framework for viticultural and winemaking practices that protect the environment while efficiently and economically producing premium winegrapes and wine.

- A format of continual improvement to ensure companies operate with a goal of improving their operational practices.

- A vehicle for technology transfer so that companies are kept informed of new technology and its application.

Wow, that's a great deal of responsibility we don't often see in the wine industry.

In a time when the word "natural" is thrown around all willy-nilly Prophet's Rock truly deserves the distinction. There is no regulation over the word "natural" so human manipulation, pesticides and other unnatural processes can slip by the average consumer.

All this "Go Green" stuff aside the wine is truly wonderful! One last reason to come meet Prophet's Rock is the amazingly small amount of wine they produce. So, please come and join us for a tasting, who knows how long this stuff is going to be around?

See You Here,

Jason Hatfield

Tasting Notes from the Past!

Parle Italiano

Italy produces some of the best wine in the world. There are a plethora of wines and just as many varietals and styles ranging from crisp Vermentino to brooding Brunello. Vines are grown in virtually every part of the country, from the coast to the mountains, as the land is well suited for this crop and the fact that wine plays a huge part in the Italian lifestyle.

2008 Castel de Paolis Frascati, Latium, Italy

Castel de Paolis is an old castle that dates back to the Roman times a few miles away from Rome in the appellation of Grottaferrata. The estate was purchased by the Santarelli family in 1985. After acquiring the land and speaking to renowned viticulturalists, Signore Santarelli embarked on conducting two experiments with his vineyards. The first experiment was an attempt to rejuvenate the vineyards’ old vines comprised entirely of indigenous varietals. And the second was to test the ability of international varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc to grow in the area. From 1985-1992 many vines were planted and to everyone’s delight most of the vines thrived due to the rich volcanic soil in the area. Ever since, they’ve been experimenting with different blends to produce outstanding and unique wines.

This wine is proof that with patience and determination a great wine can be born. This wine is a field blend of indigenous varietals; Malvasia di Candia, Grechetto, Malvasia del Lazio, Trebbiano Toscano, Bonvino, Pecorino, Cacchione and Passerina.

This is a lovely lively wine with crisp notes of pineapple core, apples, pears and an underlying minerality adds to the wine’s structure. A classic pairing would be Carciofi alla Romana; artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs, parsley, anchovies, salt and pepper, a famous Roman dish.

2007 Travignoli Chianti Rufina, Tuscany, Italy

Chianti is known throughout the United States as the Italian “go-to” red. Although I want to protest that statement as there are plenty of amazing Italian wines out there, sometimes all I want is a lovely Chianti. One of the reasons I love the Villa Travignoli Chianti Rufina is because it is so accessible. This Chianti was vinified in stainless steel from primarily Sangiovese, with a little Canaiolo and Colorino blended in for added complexity. Stainless steel is important in this case to preserve the acidity and distinct fruit flavors of the wine. The estate is located in Rufina; one of the best locations to grow Sangiovese in the Chianti region of Tuscany.

Tuscany is known for its simple cuisine where the food and wine dance perfectly in harmony with each other. Sangiovese goes splendidly with tomato based dishes such as lasagna and also with roasted meats and sausages.