Broadbentism: 1964 Chateau Pichon-Lalande

"Most recently, its appearance reminded me of my father's old Labrador, lying on its back waiting to be tickled... **** But drink soon" MB

Cowboy Up at Maremma

Have we ranted enough about restaurant wine lists? We probably have but I just can’t help myself. Vinogirl trudged through the rain Friday night to a restaurant in the neighborhood (Greenwich Village) called Maremma. Maremma is dedicated to the region of the same name on the coast of Tuscany — an area known not only for its cowboys and simple, rustic Italian cuisine but for illustrious Super Tuscan wines such as Sassicaia and Ornellaia. Not a bad foundation with which to build a great restaurant, not to mention a great wine list.

Maremma’s décor is rustically striking and the staff is very friendly. Unfortunately that is where the attraction ends. Ordering the food was easy because we were starving and everything on the menu makes your mouth water. What could be bad about slow cooked short ribs or Tuscan crepes with basil & walnut pesto? I got the food ordering out of the way so that I could dig in to the wine list. I was so looking forward to picking out a great Super Tuscan given the list is made up entirely of wines from the flourishing Maremma region.

The list is not long – one page of whites and one of reds – but you would think since they have one region to concentrate on that you would find some real gems in there. Not so. First of all, the majority of bottles offered (I can safely say 95%) are from the 2003 and 2004 vintages, including the Sassicaia. That wine is no where near ready to drink. Perhaps some of the simpler wines offered at lower price points are ready but, really, where is the excitement in that?

A smattering of wines from the lousy and inconsistent 2002 vintage made the list but I tend to stay away from Tuscan ‘02s unless they are a known entity and I did not recognize any of the producers on hand. Maremma has a stash of 2003 Le Volte which is the “value” wine from Lodovico Antinori of Ornellaia and Masseto fame. I have had the 2003 Le Volte and, although I agree that it is a great wine for the price, every Italian restaurant in NYC seems to have it on their list right now and, frankly, I’m over it.

Finally I settled on a Morellino di Scansano, the only 2001 on the list. I usually dislike Morellino di Scanscano but I wasn’t about to go for broke on this list and our waiter, who also admitted to being responsible for this riveting wine list, proclaimed it to have more depth than your average Morellino. He was right but it was only just passable. The food, by the way, was just passable as well. I guess we’ll have to cowboy up and quit ranting about restaurant wine lists for awhile. All you can do is dust off our boots and keep trying. Andiamo!

A Narcissistic Experience

Is it just my imagination or has Wine Spectator been acting a little self-serving of late? At the risk of giving them even more air time, I will tell you what you probably already know which is that Wine Spectator has been hosting an event call the Wine Experience for 25 years now. This year the event was back in California where it all started in 1981 and thus dubbed ‘The California Wine Experience.’ (Crack marketing team.)

Anyway, The California Wine Experience, which took place about a week ago, has been the highly favored topic of Wine Spectator editor’s blogs recently. I have no doubt it was a great experience and, sure, there is nothing wrong with ringing your own bell once in awhile but, wow, was it a Shanken mandate that the worlds ‘California’, ‘wine’ and ‘experience’ (in that order) had to lead off every blog entry for at least two weeks?

In case you are not buying my rant and think that I am just jealous I myself was not experiencing this “joyous celebration of great wine”, let me present some recent blog excerpts from Suckling, Laube and the rest of the Spectator team.

• One of the most extraordinary tastings during this year’s California Wine Experience…”
• “One of the things I enjoy most about the Wine Experience…”
• “A last weekend's California Wine Experience…”
• “But I was thinking about this past weekend's California Wine Experience…”
• “Before I headed out to pour at the California Wine Experience…”
• “I found myself moved and inspired by many of the speakers at the California Wine Experience”.
• “Every year at the Wine Experience…”
• “We knew this year's California Wine Experience …”

Now do you see what I mean? These quotations are all from the very first paragraph of each blog. Two points off for not mentioning “California!”

Well, now that I have succeeded in mentioning the magic words more than 10 times in this post, perhaps Mr. Shanken wants to put me on the payroll. Marvin, you can reach me at drinkthegoodstuff.blogspot.com or by visiting our soon-to-launch website bonvivantwineguide.com. There, I feel better just getting in a little shameless promotion myself!

Broadbentism: 1983 Ch. Malescot-St. Exupery

"As so often, a bit over the top, plausibly attractive, specious. But I am being condescending. Last Tasted Oct. 1998 **." MB

Zinception versus Reality

Winemonkey and I had us a little blind tasting the other day and, in addition to serving as an excellent palate testing exercise, it unveiled a surprise or two. We were tasting wines from Paso Robles, California, an 'on the rise' wine region which just happens to be the location of the upcoming PBS reality series “The Wine Makers.” The show is set to air in fall 2007 and your favorite Winemonkey just happens to be a contestant. Intrigued? We will have more to come on that in the next few days.

Anyhoo, one of the grapes that grows well in Paso Robles, which is located in the center of California’s Central Coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles, is Zinfandel. In fact, it is historically the area’s first successful wine variety. We chose the 2004 Rosenblum Cellars Zinfandel Appellation Series Paso Robles at around $16 along with the 2003 Linne Calodo Outsider from Paso Robles (a blend, the vast majority Zinfandel) ringing in at $45. This, we surmised, would give us a decent idea of how typical Paso Robles Zins are produced and how they come across on the nose and palate.

I filled Winemonkey’s two glasses with a tasting sized pour while he looked away and he did the same for me. As we sat down to discuss the wines (not knowing which was which of course) we either had completely differing opinions or the wines were poured in the same order. One glass of Zin we found overly sweet, almost sugary, and rather simple. The other seemed to have more depth to it, perhaps from other varietals being blended in as well as more care being taken during winemaking. Using our prior knowledge and, unfortunately for this particular tasting, knowing the general pricing of the two bottles, we pegged the sweet, simple wine as the Rosenblum and the more complex as the Linne Calodo.

As you may have guessed by now, we were wrong. Dead wrong. We had indeed poured the wines for one another in the same order and, lo and behold, the seemingly more complex and well-balanced wine turned out to be the Rosenblum! Before you get all excited and run out and buy a case of Rosenblum Paso Robles Zinfandel, let me just note that we were not especially impressed by either wine. In fact, we have blogged about some well-priced Zins in the past and prefer them all to the Rosenblum. The fact remains, however, that it beat out a more expensive wine from the same area which, incidentally, has a year more age on it. Pretty surprising and, well, pretty impressive.

I guess the moral of the story is never to judge a book — or a wine — by it’s cover. In this case all you get is an emptier wallet.

Stay tuned for breaking news about the reality series "The Wine Makers" on PBS!

Broadbentism: 1974 Chateau Cantermerle

"First tasted flying on Concorde to New York in 1981. It was not a good choice: grubby nose, short, dull and dry. Who selected this inappropriate wine for British Airways 'flagship' I do not know. Not I: because I didn't join the British Airways wine tasting panel until 1984!" MB

Secret Cellar at 21

I was lucky enough to get a tour of the wine cellar at the 21 Club in NYC this weekend. The whole thing is very ‘underground’ which you might expect from a restaurant that started out as a popular speakeasy in the 20s during Prohibition. The restaurant gets its name from the address at 21 West 52nd street. The “secret” wine cellar is actually located at 19 West 52nd street which helped to confuse investigators during Prohibition era liquor raids. Moreover, restaurant workers were able to truthfully tell inspectors that there was no booze on the premises at 21 West 52nd. Clever.

Nowadays you can get to the wine cellar by walking through the kitchen and down the stairs led by a member of the 21 Club wine staff. The door is visible although it does blend in by looking like a regular old brick wall in the basement. The door was built to be imperceptible in the days of the dry movement and was concealed by a pantry of canned goods and hanging meats. Weighing in at 2 ½ tons, the door can only be opened using a meat skewer placed in one of the cracks in the cement. There are many cracks in the door which served to further confuse pesky federal agents.

When you push the heavy door back you step into a wonderland of wine. Although ‘21’ no longer accepts wine from personal cellars — they’ve run out of room housing their own impressive collection — they used to store private collections for their best customers. You can still see bottles with famous names attached. The first one I noticed was Elizabeth Taylor’s private stock which, as far as I could tell, has dwindled down to a single lonely bottle. Unfortunately I couldn’t get close enough to see what it was but considering Ms. Taylor doesn’t drink anymore, it makes perfect sense that she would want Vino Girl to have it, don’t you think? (Unfortunately, the wine director did not agree.) We also saw some of Richard Nixon’s bottles which he is no longer around to enjoy.

Alongside the celebrity bottles there is plenty of Montrachet, Romanee Conti, Lafite and Latour, along with an empty Nebuchadnezzar (20 bottles) of Roederer Champagne that was popped when the cellar was first built. The cellar was remodeled in modern times to incorporate a private dining room seating 20, something you should experience if you have the chance. The restaurant is pricey as is the extensive wine list. If you don’t have the chance to eat in the cellar, stop in for a drink, order from the lounge menu and ask your server if they can give you a quick tour. If there is no one dining down there, they seem more than wiling to oblige. Enjoy!

Broadbentism: 1983 Chateau Palmer

"I was originally informed that it had an unusually high percentage of Petit Verdot but the current managing director told us that it was only 2.4%. Well, whatever, I thought it was hard and stalky in its early days and somewhat raw well into the 1980s...** A disappointing Palmer." MB

Face the music

I’m sure that all you wine lovers out there can point out scores (no pun intended) of connections between wine and music. Music is undoubtedly a lovely backdrop to enjoying a glass of wine. Wine has been mentioned in countless popular songs from “Red Red Wine” by UB40 to “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant” by Billy Joel (no, the name of the song is not “A Bottle of Red, A Bottle of White” so don’t test me.) Music has even been the inspiration for some wines, such as Arietta out of Napa Valley, arietta meaning a short aria. But did you ever expect wine to make music?

Well, ponder the thought no more my friends. A musician from Australia — an acclaimed musician at that — is using wine barrels, bottles, glasses and corks to make music. Okay, so I use the term “music” lightly here but the composer (Tony King) did indeed record an album called, naturally, Wine Music. Looks like there is a new "king" in town -- and I think you'll be sorry that Elvis has left the building.

How does King make this so-called music? Well, for starters he employs some age old tricks such as running his finger around the rim of a wine glass and blowing into wine bottles. The first “technique” strikes me as something I would teach my nieces at the dinner table to amuse them (ok, and me) and the second brings back memories of my Dad watching football and making unpleasant noises with his bottle of Black Label beer -- culture, culture, culture. Mr. King also incorporates the ever pleasing sounds of banging on wine barrels, turning and popping corks and tapping corkscrews against Champagne flutes.

Don’t think for a minute that this isn’t all very well thought out. King even claims that "the richer, deeper sound (of a Bordeaux glass) seems to correlate to the taste of a Bordeaux. A Sauvignon Blanc glass has a more crisp sound." I have officially heard it all. You can check out the CD for yourself at soundofwine.net. I myself couldn’t resist and all I have to say is that if “music is the wine that fills the cup of silence” by all means bring me an empty glass!

1982 Chateau Petrus and the idle hands of the rich

The $6,000 Hardee's Combo Meal offered exclusively at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas has garnered a lot of attention. The Hardee's commercial features the Maloof Brothers, who own the casino, chomping a good looking burger with a better looking female server pouring the best of wines. Something of a higher scale version of Miles drinking his 1961 Cheval Blanc out of a cup at the fast food joint in the movie Sideways. Now while your winemonkey was interested in both the burger and the server, our vino girl reined me in so that we could concentrate on the wine.

What you can't tell from the ad (and we tried- it was clearly a prop or a different bottle) is that the wine being offered as a part of the Palms deal is actually the 1982 Chateau Petrus, a fine wine indeed.

That being said, both vino girl and I have issues with a lot of this offer (none of it hamburger related) so we'd like to lay it out.

1. You are getting ripped off. Okay this is Vegas and when you have to bling it-- you bling it, but those frugal minded fast food consumers who are reading this should be aware that the 1982 Petrus is available to you at retail for about $3,500 leaving you with a lot of left over hamburger money. Even for a restaurant that is a lot of mark up. Oddly, famed wine restaurant Bern's Steak House has it for $2,200 a relative bargain even over retail.

2. You are drinking it too young. Your burger will be ice cold long before this bottle is ready to drink. The '82s we've been tasting lately are nowhere near ready yet. This is a long lived vintage and it is showing it now. Perhaps they should have gone with a '75 Petrus, a superior bottle and drinking now.

3. You are blaspheming the wine. Yeah I said blaspheming. It is honestly a shame that rich, stupid people are going to deny the rest of us quite a few bottles of Petrus all in the name of showing off. If you are going to rub it in our faces at least have the common decency to drink the thing with a fantastic, overly rich, hedonistic french meal that we also can't afford.

Let us know your thoughts on the burger, the wine, or the post. After watching that ad a dozen times to try and get a fix on the bottle, I am now jonesing for a mean burger. Damn that Hardee's.

Broadbentism: 1990 Chateau Trottevieille

"Three Notes. On Christmas Day in 1996 despite double-decating, 'needed air'. It certainly got it, for it was next drunk picnicking with the family at Badminton. A fairly decent, drinkable wine, no more. Last tasted watching the equestrian "eventers' at Badminton, May 1997 **(**)." MB

Let your fingers do the talking...

Another bit on Virginia (See I told you they know how to party.)

Some good news (well maybe just news) for those of you attending the 19th annual Town Point Virginia Festival this weekend. Seems that the Cingular sponsered event, held in Town Point Park in downtown Norfolk, will be breaking out text voting so that you can make a whole host of wineries feel bad about themselves.

Winery booths will be coded with a number you can text to Cingular. There will be regular updates of wineries in the lead broadcasted from the festival's main stage. No Cingular phone you say, no worries as Cingular reps will be roaming the festival for your votes.

Hmmmm.... your winemonkey sees some vote tampering very soon.

Broadbentism: 1986 Chateau Beychevelle

"...on Concorde en route to New York, though deep and still youthful-looking, softer than expected. Must have been the height, speed and dizzy expectations. **(*) Not bad but I wouldn't put my money on it." MB

Send it back!

Harvey Steinman of Wine Spectator recently penned a post about ordering wine at restaurants. The question, he contends, is not whether the wine is faulty but whether or not you like it. I beg to differ on that. When a waiter presents your wine and uncorks it at the table, it is not a taste test. It’s not like you can order the porterhouse and have it prepared for you only to send it back, exclaiming, “I don’t like this. Please bring me the pork chops”. If the porterhouse is undercooked then it warrants a trip back to the kitchen — but it is pretty much your problem if you simply ordered wrong and don’t like it. Unfortunate, yes, but you have to take some responsibility for your decisions. Am I wrong here?

What is frustrating, for an avid wine lover or even a professional, is that some wines do not taste distinctly faulty at first but upon further inspection are clearly flawed. I have made this mistake many times and what it has taught me is that you have to trust your instincts. If a wine gives you pause and you do not have any prior experience with the wine you can ask the waiter or sommelier what the wine is supposed to be like. This way you can determine whether the wine is not quite right or if it is merely the wine’s style. Coming to the conclusion that the wine is faulty after downing half a bottle is bound to ruin your mood and maybe even your dinner.

Restaurants and waiters have widely differing attitudes towards customers that send back wine. Don’t let them intimidate you. After all, they don’t know who you are and what you know (even if it’s nothing!). Trust your instincts and send a questionable wine back, event if you have to ask for another minute to evaluate it. The Winemonkey and I have come across many situations where we wanted to kick ourselves for not sending a bottle back. Situations have ranged from bottles we realized were not quite right after they were half gone (although they were certainly suspect right off), to bottles that the sommelier actually talked us out of sending back (oh, it’s just Brett, is it?).

For those of you who are intimidated by the entire ritual of “testing” the wine for the table (and you have every right to feel that way), remember that your first objective is to confirm that you are being presented the right bottle from the correct vintage. Your second aim is to decide whether the wine is sound. If you are confident and assured, you’ll do just fine. If there is a question in your mind, by all means send it back!

If you have a restaurant wine story to share, we would love to hear it. Send us a quick note in the comments section.

Get your lists straight people!

Oh brother, another night out and another lame wine list.

Your winemonkey was just on a couple of recent nights out with some very lovely ladies and some very lovely couples and as usual the wine list was shunted to me. No problem, I can deal with that. It is my expected duty and I take my job as the "official wine picker" very seriously-- especially when you have to make everyone happy.

No, the problem is that the wine lists I receive are woefully bad. You've seen them too, I'm sure. Too pricey here, not enough selection there. What is it about restaurants that they just think gouge the customer when they build their wine list? Usually you can just eek out one interesting bottle that is not overpriced (in terms of markup) and will fit the bill. One.

The thing is I know there is good wine out there. I've seen those lists and reveled in them. There are interesting choices at all sorts of price points that match up with food. They are not over-marked up. They are not standardized quicklists from major distributors like Southern or Peerless or (God forbid) Paramount-Eber Brothers.

Why can't most restaurants put even a tenth of the effort in building a wine list that they do in building their menu. It shameful. And we all are worse off for it.

I've GOT to start picking the restaurant.

Broadbentism: 1899 Ch. Le Cure Bon La Madeleine

"It looked tired, its old nose trying not to submerge, though it made a last gasp effort - like the Duke of Clarence just before he drowned in the butt of Malmsey. A curiosity. " MB

Pre-Sale Hysteria

Your winemonkey has to admit a bit of fondess for the quasi-industry event known as the pre-sale. I say "quasi" because this event is in fact open to any and all that are interested in attending. And I say "industry" because they are normally attended by the same insider crews and the events themselves are not well published.

The pre-sale, for those that do not know, is a wine tasting extravaganza held a couple of days before an auction. Sotheby's and Christie's are the leaders of this pack in New York city, but they can be found in almost every major city (Chicago has Hart Davis).

Why I enjoy them so much is that for the outrageuously low entrance fee of $75 (I can hear some groans already, but wait), you can quaff down tons of stuff you would most likely be unable to get your hands on. Now obviously this is meant to spurn your interest in purchasing the lots at auction and certainly you may get caught up in a wine enough to bid on it at the auction, but far and away the beauty of these events are the wines being poured and relative calm in which you can enjoy them.

One word of warning, they are unusually short tastings lasting only one hour, but what an hour it will be. Frankly, I would think that with a little planning on your part a pre-sale could be one of the best dates you could take your wine smitten significant other on.

As an example of their wine hedonism and the fun you can have (and by fun I mean wine), I will offer up a recent event your winemonkey attended:

1978 Chateau Margaux
1981 Chateau Ausone
1982 Vieux Chateau Certan
1982 Chateau Latour a Pomerol
1982 & 1995 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou
1985 Chateau Lynch Bages
1990 Chateau Angelus
1996 Chateau Leoville Las Cases
1997 Frescobaldi Castelogioconda Brunello di Montalcino
1979 BV Georges de Latour Private Resource (killer juice)
1987 Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve (you'd be surpised how good it really is)
1993 Heitz Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
1996 Dalla Valle Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
2002 Harlan Estate "The Maiden"
2002 Noon Estate Shiraz Reserve
and a couple I can't remember.

So the next time you want to wow your boyfirend, girlfriend, SO or spouse (and look like a wine insider to boot) just check the auction catalogs or give the the auction house a ring an go get yourself a unique wine night out.

Shaken, Not Stirred

I will warn you right now that this post has nothing to do with wine -- unless you count the fact that the whole experience made me long for a comforting glass (or bottle, or two...) of red wine on steady ground. If you have been following my blog at all you may recall that I was in Hawaii this past week for my brother's wedding, with a little R&R to follow. Yesterday was to be our last day on the Big Island of Hawaii and what a day it turned out to be! Apparently even Paradise doesn't come cheap these days.

It was just after 7am and I was awake (it's tough to sleep past 7am when your body knows it is 1pm at home) but struggling to get some more shut-eye. All of a sudden I heard a large boom and the building began to shake. Wake up call! Thinking that it must be an explosion, I lurched up in bed and peered out the sliding glass doors to see what I could see. Nothing. It was all very surreal. The next thing I (vaguely) remember is my husband screaming "it's an earthquake!” Should I crouch on the floor (I think I did) or is that for a hurricane, or a fire? All rational thought had left me.

"In the doorway", my husband yelled and grabbed hold of me. We made our way over to the bathroom doorway where it seemed we were both holding on to the door frame for dear life. The hotel was literally being shaken roughly -- back and forth, back and forth -- in a very jagged and violent motion. We were both breathing hard as if we had just sprinted in from the rain. It felt as if the rocking was going to go on forever. In reality, the quake lasted less than a minute. When the motion and the racket subsided, we looked around and saw that the television had catapulted out of the TV stand, the drawers were all flung open and our toiletries had been tossed off the bathroom countertop. Conspicuously, a large bowl that sat atop the TV stand had not moved an inch. Apparently we had just experienced a 6.7 magnitude earth quake.

It was difficult to know what to do once the quake had abated. We went outside as my parents were in the room next door. They were out there too, wondering what to do. Our plan was to get dressed quickly (in an act of absurdity we all put our bathing suits on) and head outside. No sooner had we made the decision than the building started to jerk back and forth once again. Now we were all grabbing our outer door frames. Not again! My mother screamed “I am getting out of here!” -- a call to action of sorts. When the aftershock (5.8 in magnitude) passed and we were all safely out on the lawn and on higher ground we all had a good laugh over the “every man for himself” nature of her proclamation.

The hotel, the Hapuna Prince, did a good job of getting guests out to a safe place on the property. Although there was not much communication about what was going on, they did provide plenty of water and, eventually, food, for everyone. Stories were shared and there was some camaraderie over the fact that we were right smack dab at the epicenter of the quake and no one was injured. There were a few more small aftershocks that we could feel and, although people were certainly rattled, the aftermath was relatively calm and panic free. Humor is always welcome in these situations and at one point an old man sauntered by and exclaimed, almost to himself, “I wouldn’t sit under any coconut trees, I'll tell you that.” Hmmm, good advice. Forget the wine, bring me a martini!

Jury Out on Rolland

I was just reading the article that appeared in the NYTimes yesterday about Michel Rolland. I will assume if you are reading this blog that you have heard of him. You probably also know that he is the most famous wine consultant in the world with some 100 clients spread out around the globe. I did see 'Mondovino', the movie that portrayed him as a pompous blowhard who spends a total of 5 minutes with each of his winery clients, pronouncing "micro-oxygenation" as the answer to every problem. Knowing that cameras and editing can make anyone look obnoxious, however, I have tried to keep an open mind about Rolland.

In the Times article, written by Eric Asimov, Rolland espouses that a wine's character comes from the grapes, a statement that is difficult to disagree with. He denies that he, along with industry bigs such as Robert Parker and Wine Spectator, are homogenizing wine but will concede that he prefers (and if he does then everyone must) a bigger, riper, more "modern" style. Rolland is proud that he helps his clients make wines that can be drunk younger and crosses swords with Broadbent and other English critics in general by pointing out that they are used to drinking older wine like "old people always looking back to the old days."

As much as Mr. Rolland says he is not trying to make wines that taste the same, it can be difficult to believe. There is that sense that wine is being stripped of its terroir and individuality to please modern palates. Are we getting that sense from the wine we drink, from the media? It's hard to say. As much as part of me wants to see Rolland as ‘Satan versus Savior’, I look at a partial list of his clients and can't help but be impressed: Chateau Angelus, Ornellaia, Araujo, and the list goes on and on. Moreover, winemakers I have a lot of respect for, such as Andy Erickson, can't say enough nice things about Rolland and his work.

On the other hand, the wine monkey and I attended a tasting of Chateau Ausone recently and you could literally tell when Rolland's influence came to fruition in the wines. Notes on the Rolland vintages included more terms like "ripe fruit", "friendly", "rich" and so on. He changed the Ausone style, of that I am sure.

He also talks a lot about ratings and making no "loser" wines. He seems indirectly to be referring to Corison as one of the "loser wines" that do not do well in the marketplace. That I simply cannot agree with. Cathy Corison's wine are beautiful and balanced, if not terribly fruit-forward, with a consistency that you only find from the best winemakers. As far as Corison not being successful in the marketplace I haven't seen the numbers but I have seen the wines on plenty of well-heeled wine lists around town.

So, the jury is still out for me in regards to Mr. Rolland, making Asimov's question of "Satan or Savior" more of an ongoing query. I guess all we can do is monitor the wines over which he has an influence and see what becomes of it all down the road. All I can say is, he must be doing something right at the going rate of $30,000+ for about 4 visits a year. Sign me up!

Considering Your Audience

My brother was married yesterday to a lovely woman at a beautiful resort in Honolulu. Everything about the day was just perfect, really. After the ceremony we had dinner at a restaurant called La Mer at the Halekulani hotel. The service and food at La Mer were exceptional. In case you are wondering what any of this has to do with wine, I am getting to that — I promise.

Wine was not pre-ordered with the dinner as it was not a foregone conclusion that the wedding guests (all 9 of us!) would actually want wine with dinner. My brother’s now-wife is Japanese and most of her family was in the United States for the first time for the wedding. Although there is big business for Bordeaux and other ultra premium wines in Japan, it is not an integral part of their culture at dinner time, even when compared to the U.S.

My brother seemed very surprised when he asked everyone at the table what they would like to drink and the choice was unanimous – red wine. I saw the sweat slowly creeping across his brow as he looked over the list and so I quietly asked him if he would like some help. The wine list came at me quicker that the waves on Waikiki beach and I knew the decision was now in my hands.

There are not many times when I am at a loss with a wine list but this was surely one of them. The list was pricey and full of big powerhouse reds from the Napa Valley, Bordeaux and Priorat. Thankfully for me, the extremely accommodating host at La Mer, himself Taiwanese, discreetly counseled me on the typical Japanese preference for lighter, fruiter reds (I would have asked my new extended family myself but my Japanese language skills are, well, nonexistent.) The maître d' explained to me that there are so many Japanese tourists in Honolulu that he by now knew which bottles generally were sent back and which bottles produced smiles around the table.

With his help I was able to pick a winner in a fruity, delicious Zinfandel that acted more like a Pinot Noir with a little muscle. Everyone seemed pleased and, at the very least, the wine accommodated our bowing and “Kampai!” and loosely translated toasts around the table.

In the end, I am once again reminded that it is best to carefully consider peoples tastes and not have a “my way or the highway” attitude when it comes to wine. And, besides, Fumiko and David were for certain the focus of the evening, the wine playing its small but vital part in the celebration. Omedetoh Fumiko & David DiDomizio!

Broadbentism: 1980 Chateau Petrus

"A magnum of the '80 was produced for the tasting and an imperiale for the dinner. It was a bit over the top, spicy, specious but an attractive drink. And drink it we did, accompanied by caviar dished out like porridge... At best **" MB

Country roads, take me home

To the place I belong
Ohhhh Virginia, mountain momma
Take me home, country roads

Okay, maybe it's West Virginia in the song, but the sentiment rings true.

For those that are unaware, there was a time in your winemonkey's life, a dark time, an evil time, when wine did not control my life and was but a mere side attraction. Oh... the horror of it. It was during those times when escape to a wine country was a neccesary succor. (yeah, I said succor) Unfortunately, I was an east coast winemonkey and could neither afford the time or expense to travel to Napa, Bordeaux or Tuscany. My wine destination of choice was the Vriginia Wine Valley. A bustling place of wine newness that fit in with my personal wine newness and together we forged a bond of wine entertainment that sustained me through the dark years.

Now there were many weedy and green Viriginia reds to be had (I still use the term 'Viriginia Red' to describe certain non Virginia wines) and some very interesting whites amongst the slog, but that is how it goes with any wine region.

I can certainly say I have had some cru bourgeois and even some classied growths that did not cut the mustard. But Virginia can be fun and so can their wine ad that is the point. They have a great wine tasting event every year out at the horse track for God's sake. I mean, come on, these people know how to party.

I had forgotten that earlier time until I received a blog comment from Dezel who has a great Virginia wine blog and I was reminded of how fun drinking wine without thinking about it could be. To Dezel I say thanks.

Learn about Virginia wines for yourself at Dezel's Virginia Vine Spot or go to the Virginia Wine and Food Society's site at Virginia Wine Guide.

West Virginia ain't gotten nuthin' on you VA.

Concepts in Understanding Wine: Location

In our previous post about the importance of not tasting blind, we briefly touched on the significance of knowing the region in which a wine was produced before tasting and assessing the wine. The location should give a taster clues regarding what to expect from the wine which should, in turn, help the taster review the wine in context.

We believe that a wine from Napa should taste like it is from Napa, a wine from Bordeaux should taste like it is from Bordeaux, and so on. Whether you are an educated wine consumer or at the mercy of a retail clerk or sommelier, you should have some inclination of what is going to be in a bottle of wine before you buy it and uncork it. Part of a wine's identity rests in its region of origin or else why would you decide to purchase wine from a specific region in the first place?

As an example, the climate in Napa is such that, generally speaking and in typical vintages, the Cabernets produced there are bold, full-bodied and full of ripe, rich fruit. Of course there are microclimates that cause discernible variations among the different sub-AVAs (American Viticulture Areas) and even some vineyard sites within Napa but by and large the sunny weather and long growing season help to produce wines with opulent fruit flavors.

If these typical characteristics are not evident in a Napa Valley Cabernet, a taster can conclude that, for instance, the wine is from an atypical vintage, the grapes were picked too early, or something is being done in the winery to adjust the style of wine. A wine that tastes wildly out of character for its particular region is probably fighting against the very factors that make it unique. Moreover, it is confusing to a consumer who expects wines from particular regions to adhere to the basic regional styles. This is not to say that all wine is made in a 'regional style' or that it should be. It is our job as professional wine critics to highlight the differences in wines and the reasons for those differences so that consumers can make a more educated buying decision based on what they know about their palate.

If you have tasted a number of Napa Cabs and enjoy their fruit forward and opulent style, it may be disappointing to you to taste a wine made out of the valley that is made in a very earthy, "Bordeaux style." Alternatively, if you are interested in branching out and trying different styles, it would be useful for you to know that not all Napa Cabs are made alike.

Location is just one of the pieces that make up a wine's unique character. In subsequent posts we will discuss vintage/weather and varietal character as well as winery and winemaker style in terms of evaluating wine and as a bigger part of the concept of not tasting blind.

Broadbentism: 1943 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild

"At a Sunday lunch in March 1983: uncorked at 10AM and poured at 1:30PM to accompany soft brown eggs presented on a wicker-work tray and served with 'soliders' of toast by a white gloved man servant, the Mouton was undeterred..." *****MB


Ed. Note: Anyone who has read a Chrisite's catalog or his book Vintage Wine, is no doubt familiar with the wine note prose of Michael Broadbent. If mouthed by anyone else, surely there would be smack involved. But, when it's coming from the quintessential old-world wine master, you just have to smile, chuckle to yourself, and wonder why you didn't get to live such an extravagent life.

I plan on adding interesting 'Broadbent-isms' from time to time to kept you all in good spirits and immeasurable envy. All credit goes to MB.

Wine Monkey Starts The Wine Blog List!

All the news that's fit to print...

We'll your favorite winemonkey has taken it upon himself to compile a list of wine blogs. Now wine blog watch does a great job but I just needed a little something extra so I decided to try my hand at creating a viable central information source for all your wine needs. So go ahead and check it out and let me know what you think.

The Wine Blog List

South African winery jumps the gun

Continuing our futures discussion, it seems that South African winery Cloof is offering its Bordeaux blend wine to consumers en primeur in the UK. The newly renamed ‘Lynchpin’ right bank blend would be the first commercial offering a South African future.

Publicity stunts aside, it seems to this winemonkey that the whole point of purchasing futures from the consumer’s stand point is to obtain an allocation of wine at a more reasonable price than when the wine will be released. As much as South African wines have come around (don’t get me started on pinotage I still can not go there), I can’t imagine that the wine, which is being offered at about $15, will generate any economies of scale for the consumer versus waiting for the bottle to be released.

The wine which is actually being sold as a pre-release (a technique used by many US wineries) is available only from UK retailer Magnum Fine Wines. On top of that, (US distributors take note here) there doesn’t seem to be any distribution into the US.

Don’t get me wrong I am pulling for all wineries to do a bang up job making and selling their product, but I can’t believe there is going to be a run on Cloof Lynchpin. That being said, apparently an unnamed A-list wine writer from the UK has jumped on this bandwagon and ordered up 30 cases of the ZA juice.

But for me, I can wait.
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Here are your stats:

Cloof Winery
The winery changed ownership in 2002 and is making strides in improving quality. The winery sits on about 1,300 hectares with a bout 100 hectares under vine surrounded by wheat fields. The vines, which are untrellised and dry farmed, bake in the sun and the wines have been described as undoubtedly New World in style.

2005 Cloof Lynchpin
Average age of vines: 8 years
Location: Darling, on the eastern slopes and flats of Dassenberg, 70km north of Cape Town on granite and oakleaf.
Yield: Approximately 2.2 tons per hectare for Cab Franc, 6 for Cab, a mere half a ton for the Merlot.
Blend: 71% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Franc, and 4% Cabernet Sauvignon

The wine, which is culled from prime blocks on the property, is aged in 75% new French oak for 14 months. I haven’t had the wine but the numbers and its locale suggest it will be reminiscent of big Aussie stuff with high ph (thus low acid) and over 15% alcohol. It is interesting to note that this wine is blended at the end of the alcoholic fermentation instead of barrel selected after some maturation time.

Is Canada More Than Just Ice Wine?

I was out to dinner fairly recently with a Brit friend who has been living in Canada and getting ready to move back to the U.S. As the conversation moved to wine he mentioned that he was very impressed with Canadian wine to which I replied, “ice wine, right, good stuff.” He rolled his eyes at me and explained that he meant dry wines — wines from British Columbia in fact. Then it was me who was rolling my eyes. Who had ever heard of a good dry wine from our neighbor up north?

It is very difficult, if not impossible, to find Canadian wines for sale here in the U.S. aside from the occasional ice wine. Having never tried a dry Canadian wine, I did some research and found that most of the dry wines are consumed by Canadians themselves. There has not been a big marketing push here, although there is a small U.S. market in the Border States. According to various reports, Canada’s wine industry is on the rise and a lot of experimentation is taking place to see what will grow best and which grapes will eventually dominate.

Perhaps the problem is one of perception versus reality. When most of us think of Canada we think of ice hockey, the Mackenzie brothers, frigid weather and long winters. Ice wine seems a natural fit but varietals that we know to grow in sunny locations such as Napa Valley seem far from realistic. In truth, both Ontario and British Columbia are protected by water masses that help to moderate the cold winters. The Okanagan Valley in British Columbia has a distinctly mild microclimate particularly well suited to growing grapes. Apparently Bordeaux varietals are thriving in Okanagan Valley, particularly the “right bank” varietals Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

I am in no way predicting that this is going to be the “next big thing” but my interest is peaked. This is exactly the reason I find wine so fascinating — there is always something new and exciting around the corner. So, do me a favor. If you see a dry Canadian wine on your retail shelf, pick it up and give it a try. I’ll do the same. Who knows, we might like it, aye?!

Two bottles of Chateau Picard sell for $6,600!

Seems like your winemonkey has been on an auction rant of late so let us continue.

Two bottles Chateau Picard sold for a whopping $6,600. Unfortunatley for the cru bourgeois St. Estephe property, the bottles were actually vintage 2267 from the fictitious wine estate of Star Trek: Next Generation Captain Jean Luc Picard's fictitious family also known as Chateau Picard. Talk about futures. The bottles which were props and do not contain any wine sold for more than TEN times their estimate. Personally, I could think of many bottles which actually contain wine that I would rather fork over $6,600 for, but to each his own.

And I thought, wine people were nuts.
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Here is some info on the "real" Chateau Picard:
Size: 8 hectares (~20 acres)
Vine density: 9000 vines per hectare
Average age of vines: 30 years
Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Merlot (15%)
Location: Clay interspersed with limestone on sand and gravel in the center of Saint-Estèphe.
Classification: Classified as a cru bourgeois in 1932.

In 1997, Mahler Besse (talk about coinceidence) purchased the property and modernized the winemaking equipment and the cellars. Normally considered one of the better cru bourgeois wines in the appellation, the wine is vinified in 35% new oak barrels for 12 months after 3 weeks extended maceration in temperature controled vats.

And you didn't think you were going get anthing useful out this.

Aloha Means Hello

Vino Girl will be hula-ing over to Hawaii next week and, although I have nothing against a nice Mai Tai by the pool, I thought I would check in to the wine situation in the aloha state. I don't know about you, but I always like to know what I am up against wine-wise when I travel.
First I hit up Wine Spectator's Restaurant Awards List (not that I buy into that whole thing 100% but that is for another post) to see if any Hawaiian restaurants even showed up. My quick check returned 36 'awards' restaurants in Hawaii versus 322 in New York and 486 in California. Okay, I can live with that. Since Oahu is my first stop I dug a little deeper there. Generally speaking, the wine lists in Oahu focus on California wine and run about 200 - 300 deep as far as individual selections. Bring me an umbrella for my Riedel people!

Many of the restaurants do not showcase their wine lists online so when I was able to find one that did, I took a closer look. Hiroshi, a "meat & seafood grilling" restaurant in Honolulu received the award of excellence and boasts over 200 selections. The first thing I spotted was a 1996 Dom Perignon which, while not a daring selection, is priced at right around the restaurant average. The white wine list features some notable names such as Araujo and Kistler and red highlights include DRC La Tache (which seems to be a ridiculous steal at $550), Arietta, Turley, Ramey, Diamond Creek, Dunn, Stag's Leap Cask 23, Harlan, Spottswoode and three of the five Bordeaux first growths. A quick visit to winesearcher.com verifies that they are not robbing you blind with the prices either.

I am relieved to say that I won't have to settle for pineapple wine, or "Maui blanc" as it is commonly called, while visiting the 50th state. And if you think I don't already have my table reserved at Hiroshi then, well, you don't know Vino Girl.

Fair Warning: Part Deux

Just a quick update on wines that you can't afford. At a recent Christie's dinner, your winemonkey confirmed that the record breaking '45 mouton cases previously discussed were in fact Nicolas Reserve bottles with original corks. Phew! The final two buyers battling it out were both phone bidders, one Asian and one European. A nice battle of the continents. So as I said before, look out for strong bidding on that Sotheby's case. There was also some discussion as to the fact that Mahler-Besse (Sotheby's case) typically tops off their bottles, but this winemonkey likens it to some friendly school boy competition as to which house has the better case.

For those that have given up on the Sotheby's lot in light of the expected run up, fear not. Acker's "Cellar Part II" Auction has some '45 Mouton for your drinking pleasure at ridiculously low estimates. I am very interested in how the 6 mag lot (632) is going to fair as it was the record breaker at Chrisite's.

There is still time to get that second mortgage, but you better act fast.

Acker Lots, Get 'em while they're hot!
629 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - Vintage 1945
3bn, 9ts, 3cuc, original cork and short capsule, serial numbered bottling. Non-consecutive but close to each other, very common for this wine from the same owc, outstanding color and condition, owc
12 bottles per lot $80000-120000

630 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - Vintage 1945
6bn, 4ts, 2hs, 3cuc, original cork and short capsule, serial numbered bottling. Non-consecutive but close to each other, very common for this wine from the same owc, outstanding color and condition, owc
12 bottles per lot $80000-120000

631 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - Vintage 1945
bsl, stl, cuc, nicolas bottling, outstanding color and condition
1 bottle per lot $6000-8000

632 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - Vintage 1945
6ts, 2cuc, original cork and short capsule, serial numbered bottling, outstanding color and condition
6 magnums per lot $90000-120000

633 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - Vintage 1945
lbsl, cuc, outstanding color and condition
1 magnum per lot $10000-15000

634 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - Vintage 1945
bsl, lstl, cuc, rebouchée au Château en 1985, Réserve du Château, outstanding color and condition
1 double magnum per lot $20000-30000

635 Chateau Mouton Rothschild - Vintage 1945
bsl, stl, wc, cuc, nicolas bottling, correct dark hand blown glass for the era. Orginal, branded cork stating Mouton Rothschild 1945. Réserve du Château, outstanding color and condition
1 Jeroboam per lot $40000-50000

On the importance of not tasting blind

It is important for us to discuss the general philosophy behind how we taste wine. By outlining the methods and reasons behind our critiques, our subscribers will have a better understanding of how they should weigh our reviews relative to their own palates and wine drinking experiences.

The Blind Leading the Blind

Some people are ardent proponents of the "double blind" method of tasting. For those that are unaware, this method means that the taster is kept in the dark about everything related to the wine. The taster does not know the vintage, region, winery or even the varietal being poured. Why is it “double” and not “triple” or “quadruple”? We don’t know. What we do know is that it is the stuff of James Bond movies and elitist snobbery with one participant claiming the wine to be a 1945 Mouton-Rothschild while another is insistent it is the '61 Lafite.

This method, although no doubt an entertaining cocktail trick, does not enable the taster to judge the wine by applying prior knowledge regarding typical vintage, region and varietal characteristics as well as archetypal winery style. Think of it this way. If a taster assumes that a big, juicy, fruit forward, approachable wine showing black currant and vanilla is a 2002 Napa Cabernet when it is actually a 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux, who's really "getting it wrong" here - the taster or the producer?

Leveling the Playing Field

A less stringent and we think more useful blind tasting is the so-called "single blind" tasting. In this method the taster is aware of the region, vintage and varietal of the wine, but not the winery or wineries being poured. This is obviously an attempt to avoid "winery bias". By tasting wines single blind, the intent is to avoid fawning over a critical "darling" and to judge all wines on their relative merits. Although in some ways this method does level the playing field, it is not ideal as crucial information about the wine itself is left out of the equation.

Each winery is unique and as such the wines posses a unique "style". We have witnessed firsthand, and with great interest, the way proprietors inject their personalities and philosophies into their wines. It would be a shame to not take that into consideration as it is the very soul of the wine. At the professional wine tasting level, we fail to agree with the “bias” argument because we believe that avoiding bias is accomplished at the expense of understanding what the wine is trying to say with respect to its own identity. In fact, we believe knowing the winery actually decreases bias as far as personal tastes are concerned. A taster may, for example, bestow a mediocre review on a Philip Togni wine because they sense a greenness that does not appeal to them. In reality, Philip Togni produces some very well made, well balanced wines and we have found the greenness to be an integral component of the winery’s style.

All that being said, there is a place for single blind tastings (do try this at home — it’s great fun!) and we will continue to make use of them when we it is feel beneficial to do so.

The Importance of Identity

The bottom line is that each wine is unique. We believe it is of utmost importance to taste wine with as much background information as possible in order to understand what the wine is saying. Personal character is what makes wine so special and our boots are set firmly in the camp that believes homogeneity is a bad thing. We have tasted thousands of bottles of wine from the basic to the iconic over many different vintages. We assure you that any fascination with (or aversion to) a particular winery wore off long ago. In the end, we have to ask our subscribers to trust that we are expressing our honest opinion about what is in the bottle and not what is expected of the bottle. It may take some time (and even some single blind tastings) for fledgling tasters to vilify a $200 wine while singing the praises of a $20 wine. All we can say is be brave and the self-assurance will follow.

To Be Continued...

This is the first in a series of blog posts on the subject of Bon Vivant’s wine reviewing philosophy. In later installments, we will delve into specific concepts more in more detail. Stay tuned and, please, reveal yourself and let us know what you think.

2004 Burgundy

How is it that so many new world chardonnays are over the top and yet so many white Burgundies are sublime? Is it the harmony of apple, pear, lemon, spice, hazelnut and vanilla? Is it terroir? Its probably a little bit of both. I have always found the style of white burgundy to be more inline with my personal palate than some showier Cali Chards which to me alwas showed a little too soft and a little to oaky. (Now this was not always the case, we tasted a mid 80s Rombauer Chard the was excellent while their stuff today is too oaked for my palate. )

Recently, I had the chance to taste through many 2004 white burgs and while I am not an expert in this field to the extent of a burghound it is a personal fascination of mine and a white I am inclined to drink. So, since our publication focuses on a very different area of wine, I am more than happy to write about my white burgundy experiences here.

The 2004s are shaping up to be a very fine vintage indeed. Very nice, classically structured and flavored wines across the board. I was sorely disappointed in the 2003s and have avoided them on more than one occasion. And now that it is bookended by both the amazing 2002 and the fine 2004, it looks like 2003 is destined to be a favorite of the cherrypickers. I am sure there will be some outstanding values in 2003 and if I find any I'll let you know.

Now, while your winemonkey certainly likes his Batard-Montrachet, they come few and far between so what I am talking about here is the likeability of so many of the "lesser" and outlying areas.

For example, Olivier Leflaive's wines were outstanding from top to bottom. Now the top is expected to be outstanding. Enough said. But, I have found that the wines toward the value end of the Leflaive portfolio gets lost in the shuffle and are just a tad too simple. In 2004, however, I feel like that is not the case. The basic stuff is a just a notch up and I feel like I am getting a really nice bottle for the price.

Now if you don't expect Montrachet in a bottle of St. Veran I think you will do well so drink up.

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Some of my favorite producers/wines in no particular order (some pricey, some not):
Olivier Leflaive- great across the aboard, good consistency
Domaine Ramonet- come on, its Ramonet
Bonneau de Martray- when I think Corton Charlemagne, I think BdM.
Raveneau- Some of the best values in white burgs are Grand Cru Chablis

Taste & Take Away in NYC

If you live in New York City you know that wine bars seem to be popping up faster than you can hail a cab these days. The concept of an authentic wine bar first entered my wine loving conscious in Italy. I can still remember sitting in an unassuming little wine bar just across the Arno in Florence called L'Volpe eL'Uva. It was perfect. Just a counter and some stools, a simple selection of bruschetta, cured meats and cheeses, and a great selection of wines, all of which were also for sale to take away. Besides the fact that the setting was ultra relaxed and the owners exceedingly friendly and helpful, the place was unique in that if you liked what you tasted, you could walk out the door with it (well, after you paid for it) and drink it with dinner. Perfetto!

While the ‘wine for sale off-premise’ concept is a bit more difficult to get around in NYC wine bars (damn blue laws) there are two new wine bars that have taken the notion and run with it.

VinoVino
This relatively new wine bar in Tribeca has two distinct entrances (the requirement for wine bars/retail stores in NY) but the place looks like one big space, a glass wall the only thing dividing the bar from the shop. VinoVino's decor is relaxed but fashionable with lots of dark wood and candles. The bar carries a decent selection of wines from various regions, mostly from lesser known producers. Choices include 10-15 selections each of dry whites and reds available by the glass or bottle, as well as a smattering of sparkling and dessert wines, sake and beer. The fact that the wines come from various regions and not just Italy is a plus to me mainly because most of the wine bars that get it right in NYC are Italian and, well, sometimes you just want some alternatives. The menu is simple -- cheeses, cured meats and pates -- and the simpler the better I say. All in all VinoVino is a great place to meet up with friends for a libation and a snack.

(Note: VinoVino also features jazz and tastings during the week but best to check out the calendar on their website and not subscribe to their e-mail newsletter until they tone it down and you can actually read beyond the design madness.)

CentoVini
CentoVini opened even more recently near the shopping madness that is Soho. The bar also has an annexed retail shop with a separate entrance. Although the wine is all Italian and the menu a little more involved, the wine selection is bigger and the food is genuinely Italian influenced. The décor is fashionably funky, as you might expect knowing that this is a joint venture between the owners of Moss design shop and I Trulli restaurant. A welcome addition to the neighborhood, Cento Vini is a comforting place to escape the insanity of Broadway during the day or to settle in after the tourists have left and enjoy a full bottle and a light dinner.

Bordeaux varietals and beyond

We think focus is an important concept in the wine world. One of the most intriguing things about the subject of wine is that it is constantly changing and evolving. You can't possibly be an expert on every country, region and grape variety out there. Think of it this way. Australia was but a blip on the wine screen just a few years ago and now you can't walk into a retail shop without seeing shelves and shelves of the Aussie stuff.

As you know by now if you are reading this blog, The Bon Vivant Wine Guide is focused on Bordeaux varietal wines. The main regions Bon Vivant covers are Bordeaux (naturally), California and Tuscany. The guide also covers other world regions delving into Bordeaux varietals including South Africa, Chile, Washington State, and the list goes on. We chose to focus on Bordeaux varietals because they are among the most iconic and collected wines in the world and, frankly, we really like 'em.

Variety, however, is the spice of life and that is why we will occasionally look beyond the Bordeaux varietals to bring our subscribers information filled super reports on other illustrious countries and regions such as Italy and Champagne. If you are a fan of bold Barolos, velvety Brunellos and luscious Amarones, look no further than our Italian Super Reports scheduled for May and November each year. If you prefer a good bubbly -- celebration or not -- tune in to our Champagne & Sparkling Wine Super Reports biannually in June and December.

The aim of these reports is to add value for our subscribers on subjects and wines that we are passionate and knowledgeable about. After all, we know that even those enthusiasts that are crazy about drinking and collecting Bordeaux varietal wines need to reboot the palate every once in a while!

Make this the Fall & Winter of Content

I have a predilection for expensive wine. There, I said it. Of course, as you all know by now, ‘expensive’ does not always lead to greatness so my statement is a bit flawed. Let’s not get caught up in semantics. Fortunately (or unfortunately) I have tasted enough wine to know that there are in fact some 1st growth Bordeaux’s, Montrachets, Napa cult wines and Barolos that really do justify their high prices. I also know that I cannot afford to drink these iconic wines on a daily basis (or weekly, or monthly...) nor would I allow myself to crack open a 1986 Domaine de la Romanee Conti Montrachet on your average Tuesday night.

Given this predicament, I, along with the wine monkey, have been on the lookout for some good, easy drinking “Tuesday night wines” to have around our humble homes. One of the great finds of late has been the Hill of Content Grenache/Shiraz from South Australia. The wine is part of the Australian Premium Wine Collection, a selection of wines compiled by Aussie wine lover John Larchet.

In addition to assembling a list of his favorite Australian wines, Larchet now produces wine under a few of his own labels, one of which is Hill of Content. I have tried a few of the wines under the Hill of Content label (he produces a Chardonnay, a Cab and a Pinot Noir among others) but the Grenache/Shiraz (75% / 25% give or take) is definitely the way to go. This unassuming little screw cap wine is a crowd pleaser to be sure -- and that includes anyone in the crowd with a fondness for the finer things in life.

For an under $15 wine the Hill of Content Grenache/Shiraz has a lot of red fruit and spice character as well as a silky consistency and nice balance. The fruit in the current release 2003 is sweet and clean and the milk chocolate and vanilla notes give it considerable depth. Although this is an easy drinker, it is not one of those wines that people just throw back without noticing. I will bet you a bottle of 1986 Domaine de la Romaine Conti Montrachet that people will ask you what it is and where you got it.

Okay, kidding, but you get my point.

Fair Warning

It is fall in New York and the change of colors on the leaves heralds the wine auction season. A time when those with too much money get to spend it lavishly on wines most of us will never get to taste just so they can rub it our faces. Ahhhh, autumn.

As wine spectator so aptly reported earlier in the week, records are being shattered all around and unfortunately for my favorite wine the 1945 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild. (Like I could afford even a single bottle) Chrisites LA Auction sold a case of the juice for $290,000 followed by 6 mags for $345,000 shattering the previous case record by $175,000. I bet that breaks the wine budget for the year.

The good news is that Sotheby's NY Auction, to be held on October 21, will all so feature a case of the Victory label. Now I am not aware as to the provenance of the Christie's bottles, but Sotheby's has acquired a case and then some from the untouched Mahler-Besse cellars.

All too often the '45 Mouton has been reconditioned (albeit most auction botles come from the famed Nicolas Cellars) but Sotheby's case was acquired by Mahler-Besse in 1946 or 1947 and has been cellared by them ever since-- a deal at an estimated $120,000 to $200,000.

I fear, however, that we will be up against some stiff competition as it was reported that 5 buyers were in play for the Chrisitie's case as prices rose up to $150,000 and a final two battled it out. Now, I would bet there are some sore egos with fat wallets dripping at the chance to snag these bottles for a relative song compared to their Christie's couterparts, so to you all I say good luck.

I think it takes a while for the bank to approve a second mortage so I would get on that.

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Ed. Note:
In all seriousness, those that are attending the auctions would do well to wait out the crowds and bid on lots at the end of the auction when most of the crowd has thinned. Look for "off " vintages and odd lots from your favorites or look for known but non-marquee producers from good vintages that you may want to try. A quick browse of the catalog and I can spot a number of good deals laying in wait at the end of auction. But remember when you get caught up in the bidding that you are going to pay a 19.5% buyer's premium on top of the hammer along with a 1% insurance charge and any sales tax due (on the total not the hammer.) Good luck to you all.

compu-monkey?

Many of you were probably not aware of your winemonkey's penchant for computer geekdom. To the ones that were, I say fear not. I have geeked it up and added a poll to the sidebar to further distract you from my blathering and to up the ante with vinogirl. I popped up a simpleton for the first run but I will rotate in some wine worthy questions for all of you from time to time. Hmmmm.... Perhaps even a poll question about poll questions to ask?

Yeah I went there. In any case answer away.

Because it's so exciting

I love New York. Cliché, I know, but where else can you find practically any wine in the World? I attended a South African wine dinner last night (in NYC, of course) hosted by Cape Classics and, while sitting down to a fabulous meal paired with great wines from Kanu and De Toren, we discussed the virtues of eating and drinking (mostly drinking) in New York. We New Yorkers may take it for granted but we have access to wines from virtually every country and region in the wine world. What other city can say that?

Admittedly, our friends from South Africa are offered almost exclusively South African wines in retail stores and restaurants in Stellenbosch, Johannesburg and Cape Town. They were wildly excited to be in a city that offers the best of South Africa and beyond — way beyond. Just try to dine out in France and order a nice bottle of California Cabernet. Not only is it highly unlikely that you will find one on the list but do you really want to ‘go there’ at the risk of tempting your waiter to spit in your steak frites? By the same token, traveling to Napa and craving a Red Burgundy is akin to yearning for a green salad in Ireland. It’s just not going to happen.

Sure, there are other states in the U.S, and I am sure other countries that offer diversity in their retails stores and wine lists but bottle for bottle, cork for cork, they just can’t go as deep as the big apple. In good ol’ NYC you can drink Italian with your pasta, Gewurztraminer with your Chinese takeout and Riesling with your Indian Tandoori. So, raise a glass of Aghiorgitiko with your Tsatziki and toast to the city that never sleeps — and never settles.

Salute!

A fusion of tastes from South Africa

We attended a South African wine dinner last night hosted by Cape Classics and featuring wines from De Toren among others. South Africa is producing some noteworthy Bordeaux varietal wines and Bon Vivant is always keen on keeping up with regions outside the main focus of Bordeaux, California and Tuscany.

De Toren’s story is of particular interest as they were the first to produce a South African wine to include the five Bordeaux varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. De Toren is in Stellenbosch, close to the Atlantic Ocean, which accounts for, at least in part, the successful growing of Bordeaux varietals. The first vintage of the wine, called Fusion V in a nod to the five grape varietals used in the blend, was 1999 and De Toren is now releasing the 2004 vintage.

An interesting tidbit we learned about the wine at dinner is that the final blend is not created by winemaker Albie Koch and owners Emil and Sonette Den Dulk alone but they are joined by other South African winemakers, sommeliers, and wine drinkers in an effort to come up with a an appealing assemblage of quality wine. And so they have, in Bon Vivant’s opinion. We have enjoyed every vintage we have tasted of this juicy, delicious and well-balanced wine (stay tuned for more extensive notes and grades when www.bonvivantwineguide.com launches.) Another fact we found intriguing is that when the varietals are tasted separately from barrel, the Malbec tends to be a hands-down favorite. Watch your back Argentina! Should we look forward to a varietal Malbec from South Africa in the future? No official word on that.

In a bit of news, De Toren is getting ready to release a “right bank wine” to complement the “left bank” influenced Fusion V, called Z. The wine will have a higher percentage of Merlot and Cabernet Franc and the idea is to make a rounder, fruiter wine with less tannin that is more suited to early drinking. The grapes for Z come from a separate vineyard that features soils more akin to the right bank of Bordeaux. The first vintage is 2004 and we can only hope that De Toren’s efforts pay off. We certainly look forward to raising a glass to their progress.