Wine Importers to Rely On: Kermit Lynch (Specialties: France and Italy)

by Sharon Kapnick       The first in a series of posts about importers to rely on.

Many studies indicate that wine in moderation is good for us, but many of us aren’t sure which wines—especially imported wines—are good. When in doubt, I call upon an easy way to deal with the overwhelming options: I look for wines from importers I’ve come to trust.

These savvy importers help you make smart choices. They’ve done the swirling and the sniffing, the sipping and the spitting, the sleuthing and the schlepping. All you have to do is look for their name on the back of the bottle.

Kermit Lynch of Kermit Lynch Selections (www.kermitlynch.com) is a superstar among importers and a role model for those who followed in his path. His influence has been monumental.

In 1972, he opened a wine shop near Berkeley, California. At the time there was a wine recession, and he was able to scoop up great bargains. “Low prices on great wines,” he wrote, “began to attract customers to my hole-in-the-wall shop.” Lynch quickly became enamored of French wines and soon began importing them. He boldly filled his store—right in the middle of California wine country—with Burgundies and little-known gems from little-known regions in France.

Lynch is a self-described “specialist in off-the-beaten-path wines.” Some have become esteemed wines in the U.S., including Bandol’s Domaine Tempier, Alsace’s Domaine Zind-Humbrecht and Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe. The pioneering Lynch insisted on nonfiltered wines and refrigerated containers for shipping at a time when such practices were uncommon. In the course of all this, he introduced new French grapes to California winemakers, who proceeded to plant them.

In addition to being a retailer and an importer, Lynch is an award-winning author. In 2000 he received the James Beard Foundation Wine Professional of the Year Award and in 2005 the French government dubbed him a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.

Lynch’s friend Alice Waters, who revolutionized American cuisine via her Berkeley restaurant Chez Panisse, touts him as “the revolutionary wine merchant who, almost single-handedly, has brought about a new understanding of wine as a unique expression of land, tradition and people.” Lynch’s name on a label is a very, very good thing.

Tags: james beard foundation, Kermit Lynch, reliable wine importers

Passionate about Pinot: Winemakers on Pinot Noir, the Heartbreak Grape

By Sharon Kapnick

It’s no secret that Pinot Noir grapes are difficult to grow. The delicate, thin-skinned berries are often called temperamental, finicky, troublesome, demanding, high maintenance, fickle, fussy, capricious, headstrong, challenging and/or headache-inducing (sound like anyone you know?). That’s partly because they’re quite particular about growing conditions and prone to mildew and viruses. And the slightest weather change can have a dramatic impact on their well-being.

“Just whisper ‘rain’ to Pinot Noir, and it rots,” George Bursick told me when he was winemaker at Sonoma’s J Vineyards. Julia Vazquez, former winemaker at DeLoach Vineyards in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley, put it a little differently: “You can do almost anything to Zin, and it’s still Zin. You look at Pinot Noir wrong, and it can turn on you.” According to Vazquez, the varietal demands “patience, wisdom and more patience.”

More dramatic still is Michael Hill Smith, co-owner of Australia’s Shaw & Smith winery: “You don’t have to be clinically insane to make Pinot,” he said at a seminar I attended, “but it’s a distinct advantage.”

While winemakers have to contend with many hurdles when crafting Pinot Noir, they’re drawn to it because of its many wonderful qualities (more about them later) and its captivating, alluring mystique. And because, as Matt Kramer writes in his book New California Wine, “a great Pinot Noir brings you as close to God as any wine can.”

Pinot Noir, you see, elicits extremely strong feelings, and Pinotphiles are always eager to talk about it. As Bouchaine winemaker Michael Richmond points out on its website, “Pinot Noir … evokes passionate discussion among those under its spell.”

Among them is Burgundy-born wine impresario Jean-Charles Boisset, president of Boisset Family Estates, for whom Pinot Noir is simply a necessity, practically like air. “If a day goes by without it,” he once told me, “I don’t feel right. I feel a portion of my blood is Pinot.” Among the words he used to describe it are refined, sophisticated, romantic, seductive, ethereal, almost mystical at times, charismatic, mysterious, elusive, sensual, whimsical, silky, lacy, sexy, racy, poetic and inspirational. He’s obviously head-over-heels for the varietal.

Boisset was born into Pinot Noir, but Sonoma winemaker Greg La Follette of his eponymous winery never expected to work with it. “I always thought I would work with something much more sane,” he said. “But people kept sucking me in to Pinot,” starting in the late ʼ80s and then the early ʼ90s at Beaulieu Vineyards with the great influential winemaker André Tchelistcheff. “I kept getting dragged, usually kicking and screaming, into the world of Pinot winegrowing.” Eventually La Follette surrendered, saying to himself, Pinot, take me, I’m yours. “Having done so, I was a much happier person,” he added, “spending a lot less money on therapy and actually starting to enjoy the thrilling roller-coaster ride on which Pinot began to take me.”

While meeting with California winemakers Gary Sitton of Clos du Bois and Scott Kelley of Estancia recently, I asked them about the vagaries of making Pinot Noir. “It’s not hard to make, it’s hard to grow,” Sitton said, “hard to get right on the field. And it changes [more than other varietals] from site to site.” He added via email: “Among red wines, Pinot Noir has the least latitude for error. It shows flaws more readily … and has to be handled more gently.” Kelley agreed. “It shows everything you do to it,” he said.

While it may be hard to produce good Pinot Noirs, the wines are exceedingly easy to drink. Pinot Noirs are loved for their velvety, voluptuous nature; satiny texture, aromatic complexity, depth and food friendliness. They can be charming, entrancing, elegant, ephemeral, smooth and/or subtle. Most Pinot Noirs are lower in tannins and lighter in body than many other reds, and therefore more versatile. And their medium-to-high acidity enhances their compatibility with food.

Recommended Wines

Although winemakers may not use it when explaining the difficulties of producing good Pinot Noir, the language of love is the language used to describe the wines. Here, then, are some California Pinot Noirs to beguile you. (You can supply some of your own loving adjectives.)

More than half are from the 2009 vintage, which was an excellent growing year. According to the Wine Spectator, it produced “wines of uncommon finesse, marked by purity and density of flavor, showing delicacy coupled with great structure.” They are simply wonderful.

Clos du Bois North Coast 2009 (SRP* $14.99): Aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, vanilla and spice. Smooth tannins, silky texture, well balanced, delicious. Excellent value.

Estancia Monterey County Pinnacles Ranches 2009 (SRP $15.99): Aromas and flavors of blackberry and black cherry. Earthy. Excellent value.

Wild Horse Central Coast 2010 (SRP $20): Aromas and flavors of cherry, pomegranate, cranberry and spicy red fruits.

DeLoach Russian River Valley 2010 (SRP $24): Aromas and flavors of Bing and black cherry, strawberry and cranberry. Hand harvested, well balanced, elegant.

Estancia Reserve Santa Lucia Highlands 2008 (SRP $25): Aromas and flavors of black cherry, raspberry, plum, blueberry and spice. Silky tannins, medium to full bodied, intense.

Robert Mondavi Carneros 2010 (SRP $27): Aromas and flavors of blackberry and other black fruit, raspberry, red currant and other red fruit. Elegant.

La Follette Sangiacomo Vineyard Sonoma Coast 2009 (SRP $39.99): The Sangiacomo family works closely with Greg La Follette to get consistently concentrated fruit. Aromas and flavors of raspberry and red cherry. Supple tannins. Has the refined balance and seductive texture La Follette strives for.

La Follette Van der Kamp Vineyard Sonoma Mountain 2009 (SRP $39.99): Aromas and flavors of red fruit and spice. Intensely aromatic, structured, Old-World style; complex. Features eight different Pinot clones, which are individually handpicked as each vine matures. A beautiful wine.

DeLoach Russian River Valley O.F.S. 2009 (SRP $40): Aromas and flavors of blackberry, black cherry, raspberry and rose petals. Silky, well balanced, medium bodied. A spectacular wine. Created completely by hand using ancient Burgundian techniques.

Robert Mondavi Carneros, Napa Valley Reserve 2009 (SRP $65): Aromas and flavors of blueberry, black cherry and raspberry. Velvety tannins, balanced acidity, powerful yet subtle. Hand harvested and sorted.

Wild Horse Cheval Sauvage Santa Maria Valley 2008 (SRP $65): Aromas and flavors of red and black fruit, including black cherry, pomegranate and cranberry. Concentrated and intense.

*Wines can usually be found for less–sometimes considerably less–than the SRP (suggested retail price). Check out wine-searcher.com to get an idea of actual prices.

Note: I received samples of these wines.

Tags: Bouchaine, Clos du Bois, DeLoach, Estancia, Gary Sitton, George Bursick, Greg La Follette, Jean-Charles Boisset, Julia Vazquez, La Follette, matt kramer, Michael Hill Smith, michael richmond, Pinot Noir, Robert Mondavi, russian river valley, Scott Kelley, Wild Horse

Celebrate Malbec World Day: April 17

By Sharon Kapnick

Like many people I know, I’m always eager to have an excuse to celebrate with wine, so I’m looking forward to Malbec World Day on April 17 (when we can also celebrate finishing up and sending in our taxes!).

Argentina also has much to celebrate, for Malbec, its signature red grape, thrives in Mendoza’s high altitudes, dry air, plentiful sun and cool nights. And Argentina’s Malbec has achieved phenomenal growth in the U.S. Annual sales of it have roughly tripled in the past 5 years.

In addition to its good value, Malbec is loved for its lush, fruity, spicy qualities and its soft tannins. In Oldman’s Brave New World of Wine, Mark Oldman writes: “It’s a lesson in vinous voluptuousness.”

Malbec is generally medium to full bodied, with good (medium to high) acidity. Flavors–and it’s a flavorful wine–associated with it are those of black cherries, plums, blackberries, spices and dark chocolate. Its texture is round, rich, silky, smooth, soft and/or velvety. Think of Malbec when you might otherwise choose Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz or Zinfandel. Malbec is best served with (especially) grilled or barbecued beef, game, lamb, pork, veal, sausage, short ribs, steak, venison, goat, cheeseburgers, stews, empanadas, lasagna and other meat-sauced pastas, medium strong cheeses, beans, mushrooms and black olives.

For excellent value and great taste I recommend:

2009 Mapema Malbec (SRP*: $19):

Teamwork is the hallmark of Mariano di Paola and his staff. He’s one of Mendoza’s “Deans of Winemaking” and teaches young winemakers at Don Bosco University.

This Mapema has aromas and flavors of black cherries, black raspberries, blueberries and plums, dark chocolate and mint. It’s spicy and fruity, made from 83-year-old vines, and as good on the second day as the first.

2010 Benmarco Malbec (SRP*: $20):

Susana Balbo has made wine in Australia, California, Chile, France, Italy, South Africa and Spain. In 1999 she added Argentina to the list, crafting wines from her sustainably farmed Mendoza vineyards.

This Benmarco is 90% Malbec and 10% Bonarda (to add complexity and improve balance). It has aromas and flavors of ripe red fruits, currant jam and roasted coffee beans. It’s lush, full bodied, has bright acidity and is  made from 25-year-old vines.

Note: I received these wines as samples from the importer.

*Wines can usually be found for less–sometimes considerably less–than the SRP (suggested retail price).

Tags: Argentina, Benmarco, Malbec, Mapema, Mariano di Paola, Susana Balbo

Bartenura’s Moscatos: Hip, Kosher and Italian–and Ideal for Passover and Easter

While it’s been around since Roman times, when it was called Moscatellum, Moscato today is all the rage. A lovely aromatic grape, overlooked for years but well deserving of its current popularity, Moscato is now the fastest-growing varietal in the U.S. According to a Nielsen report ending Jan. 7, sales of Moscato in 2011 were up 73% in volume and revenue from 2010, a phenomenal 100% increase. Today Moscato is the No. 3 white wine in the U.S., ahead of Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

Impact, a Marvin Shanken (of Wine Spectator fame) trade publication, has just deemed Italy’s Bartenura a “Hot Prospect” since it’s nearly doubled in volume since 2008. Its growth is indeed impressive. With a nod to the sweet Manischewitz wines of yesteryear, this year why not turn to Bartenura, which makes three semisweet and sweet Moscatos that are kosher for Passover: Moscato (SRP: $14.99*), Sparkling Moscato (SRP: $17.99*) and a sparkling Moscato Rosé (SRP $17.99*).

According to Shanken, David Herzog, CEO of Royal Wine, which imports Bartenura, estimates that 85% of its Moscato sales are to those unconcerned with its kosher status. The wines are just as appropriate at the Easter celebration as the Passover table.

Bartenura Moscato: Fruity, light, semisweet, serve with fruit and other desserts
Bartenura Sparkling Moscato Piemonte: semisweet, floral, serve with dessert
Bartenura Sparkling Moscato Rosé: fruity, sweet, from Asti, 85% Moscato, 15% Brachetto for color; serve with cheese, fruit and other desserts

*Wines can usually be found for less–sometimes considerably less–than the SRP (suggested retail price).

by Sharon Kapnick

Only in America: Biltmore Estate Wine Company

With a state-of-the-art winery in North Carolina, a French winemaker and a majority of its grapes transported from California, the Biltmore Estate Wine Company (www.biltmore.com) is a veritable Only in America story.

Biltmore is special in other unexpected ways: It’s the most visited winery in the U.S. And it sells more than 2 million bottles of wine yearly.

The winery benefits from its location on the impressive Vanderbilt estate in Asheville, N.C. The 250-room French Renaissance château, originally home to entrepreneur George W. Vanderbilt and his family, draws some 1 million visitors annually, two-thirds of whom also visit the winery. Many, of course, take some wine home.

While Vanderbilt had a great interest in wine and an impressive wine collection, vineyards weren’t planted on the estate until almost 60 years after his death. First planted were the French-American hybrid grapes, which date to 1971. They were followed by Vitis vinifera  in 1978. The winery itself opened in 1985 in a converted dairy barn. The first Biltmore wines were served at the White House in 1997 for the Governor’s Dinner.

Because not much was known at the time about producing wine on a commercial scale in North Carolina, Vanderbilt’s heir William Cecil consulted with agricultural experts at NC State University, Cornell and the University of California at Davis. In a region in which temperatures can sometimes surprise–in January 1985, for example, the temperature dropped to -27 degrees for three days and the wind chill was -70 degrees!–there was much to learn.

Today Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are grown on the estate. Biltmore sources about two-thirds of its grapes from California, and is the largest purchaser of Vitis vinifera in North Carolina

Its wines are available in 26 states and D.C. and online. Or, if you prefer to shop at the source, perhaps a trip to Asheville is in order.

RECOMMENDED WINES

In 2011 three Biltmore wines–Blanc de Blancs sparkling, Sauvignon Blanc and Century red–were designated Best of Class in the San Francisco Chronicle’s Wine Competition. At a recent tasting with French-trained winemaker Bernard Delille at the Lincoln in New York City, I thought the two Century blends, which were originally made for the centennial in 1995, offered good value. I suggest you start sampling Biltmore’s wines with them and then branch out.

Biltmore Century Red Wine NV American (SRP $15.99): A fruity, Italian style blend of Sangiovese and Merlot, with grapes from Cienega Valley, Sonoma and Lake County. Aromas and flavors of cherries and plums. Food friendly.

Biltmore’s Pairing Suggestions: Prime rib, barbecue ribs and cherries flambé

Biltmore Century White Wine NV American (SRP $15.99): A sweet blend of aromatic Gewürztraminer, Muscat Canelli, Riesling and Symphony from Mendocino, Monterey and North Carolina. Symphony is a cross of Muscat of Alexandria and Grenache Gris. It’s one of dozens of new grapes bred by Dr. Harold Paul Olmo, professor emeritus of the Department of Viticulture and Enology at the University of California, who thought the varietal exhibited “a symphony of aromas and flavors.” The aromas and flavors of this particular wine include roses, tropical fruit, lime, lemon, honeydew and lychee.

Biltmore’s Pairing Suggestions: Aperitif, Chinese, Vietnamese, sweet and sour dishes, coconut shrimp, pear tart and coconut cake

By Sharon Kapnick

Wine Packaging Lightens Up: Eco-Friendly Containers Offer Good Value and Lower Carbon Footprints

By Sharon Kapnick

Heavy glass bottles served well for centuries, ever since commercially produced bottles and corks were united in the 1600s. It wasn’t until the second half of the 20th century that plastic bottles, aluminum cans and cartons became popular for most non-alcoholic beverages. Today, spurred on by environmental issues and the current frugality-is-in mentality, more and more enterprising wine producers are discovering these practical containers–and creating new ones.

No one has embraced the innovative-packaging trend more than Jean-Charles Boisset of Boisset Family Estates. He cleverly puts the situation into perspective when he cites what has come to be known as Boisset’s 70% Rule: More than 31.2 billion bottles of wine are consumed worldwide each year; 70% of them retail for under $12 a bottle, 70% are consumed within 28 minutes to 3 hours of purchase, and 70% of the cost goes to packaging, shipping and related expenses. Conclusion: It’s ridiculous to use 17th century technology for most 21st century wines

The new containers have many advantages. They take less energy to produce, ship and recycle than conventional bottles, thus lowering their carbon footprint, and they cost less to package, store and ship. They’re lightweight, easing the burden on the people who transport the wines, and convenient. Some chill quickly. Several are shatterproof and impermeable to UV rays. Some eliminate the tainted-cork nuisance, the corkscrew hassle and the spoiled-leftover-wine quandary. Box wines, for example, stay fresh up to six weeks after they’re opened thanks to the vacuum-sealed bag inside that collapses as the wine is consumed, preventing oxygen from reaching and spoiling what’s left.

Innovative packaging has created a win-win situation: It makes wine greener and it makes wine cheaper. Here’s a survey of some pioneering producers and current noteworthy options:

BAG-in-BOXES: The thinking behind alternative packaging is, in part, “Give them options and they will come.” And they have been. According to market researcher Nielsen, sales of 3-liter premium boxed wines have been growing in the double digits and gaining share within the table category over the past two years.

Australian Thomas Angove invented the box wine concept in the 1960s, and boxes are very common there. In the U.S., while a number of good box wines have been on the market for years, they’ve been joined more recently by a new generation of boxes, some more attractively packaged, some with better wine and some with both.

In 2010 Underdog Wine Merchants launched the Octavin Home Wine Bar, an artisanal, international collection of 10 wines in cleverly designed octagonal cylinders. Wineberry America’s Berry Boxes, with wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Beaujolais and the Rhône, are made using wood–from sustainable forests, of course–that can be turned into lunch boxes and bird feeders. California’s popular Red Truck sold its Chardonnay and its highly regarded red blend in adorable mini-barrels made of recyclable plastic. (See my story “Tacky No More: Making Boxed Wine Look Chic” at Time.com for more about these boxes.)

For its first two box wines, Cantina di Soave cleverly paired two of the Veneto’s most important grapes with grapes much more familiar to Americans in boxes called Duca del Frassino. Garganega (think Soave) is paired with Pinot Grigio, and Corvina (think Valpolicella and Bardolino) is paired with Cabernet Sauvignon. Their next two boxes blend Durello (generally found in sparkling wines) with Chardonnay and Merlot with Pinot Noir.

Jenny & Francois Selections, known for its natural wines, imports From the Tank boxes, currently a Languedoc white and a Côtes du Rhône red. The white Domaine de la Patience, 100% Chardonnay, hails from the Costières de Nimes. The red blend of Grenache, Syrah and Carignan is made by the Vignerons d’Estezargues, a relatively small cooperative dedicated to winemaking without additives.

Last year California’s McManis Family Vineyards added a red blend and a white blend in nonvintage box-wine formats to their portfolio. The Jack Tone Vineyards Red (see my February McManis post) features Syrah and Petite Sirah. The white is a mix of Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Muscat.

CARTONS: In 2005, California’s Three Thieves were the first to market domestic wine in lightweight, recyclable fruit-juice-like TetraPak containers they call Bandits. The cartons are made up of three layers–plastic, aluminum foil and paper. The Thieves claim it would take 26 trucks filled with empty wine bottles to equal just 1 truck filled with empty Tetra Pak cartons.

Boisset Family Estate’s French Rabbit, from France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region, arrived on U.S. shores the same year. The Rabbits offer vintage-dated, appellation-specific French wine in colorful cartons with screw-top closures. According to Boisset, its cartons are just 3% of the total weight of the product; an eggshell, by comparison, is 7% of the weight of an egg.

Following the success of the French Rabbits, Boisset’s California Rabbits, Hopping White and Hopping Red, debuted in 2010. California Rabbit aims to be a leader in innovation and eco-friendly products, and the wines are currently also available in lightweight glass. Although Boisset has tried many different containers for wine, he considers TetraPaks to be the “most convenient, eco-friendly package available.”

Yellow + Blue (= green) cartons came to market in 2008. Matthew Soif, founder and president, worked with renowned importer Kermit Lynch before marketing his own high-quality, certified-organic wines in TetraPaks. Soif was attracted to them because they lack all the typical environmental and dollar costs. “I’m just trying to deliver great, good-value wines without environmental drawbacks,” he says. “Glass is expensive to make, ship and recycle. We take that out of the equation.” Soif adds that the same wines in standard glass bottles would have double the carbon footprint. And, he notes, while wine in these bottles is 50% wine and 50% packaging, Yellow + Blue is 93% wine and 7% packaging.

LIGHTWEIGHT GLASS: Glass bottles too are becoming eco-friendlier. Joseph Cattaneo of the Glass Packaging Institute says that reducing glass usage by 15% can lead to cost savings of up to 10%. So traditional glass wine bottles have been down-weighting. According to a survey done by Wine Business Monthly last year, almost half of participating wineries have been using lightweight glass for at least some of their wines. While the most commonly used 750-ml bottles weigh 17 oz. to 20.3 oz., the lightweight bottles weigh in at 10.5 oz. to 16.5 oz.

After California Rabbit was launched in TetraPaks, lightweight glass bottles soon followed. Their bottles reduce conventional packaging by 30% and its carbon footprint by 25%.

Even Champagne has downsized, planning to cut its carbon footprint 25% by 2020. In 2010 the Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne approved a new bottle that weighs 7% less than the standard one. (The bottles have to be strong enough to hold up under the pressure of the bubbles.) Most Champagne houses are expected to use them for their non-vintage wines, which are 85% of the region’s output. These Champagnes are just starting to arrive in the U.S.

PLASTIC BOTTLES: In 2008, Jean-Charles Boisset was named “Innovator of the Year” by Wine Enthusiast magazine. Boisset has indeed tried more packaging options than anyone else. Boisset Family Estates, for example, was a leader in wines bottled in PET, or polyethylene terephthalate, a polymer resin that’s a relative of polyester. The first two 750-ml (standard bottle size) PET wines marketed in the U.S. were Boisset’s Yellow Jersey from France’s Languedoc region and Louis Bernard Bonus Passus from the Côtes du Rhône. All of Boisset’s 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau–both Mommessin and Bouchard Ainé & Fils–sent to the U.S. arrived in PET. In 2009, Boisset’s Fog Mountain introduced its organic Merlot in plastic, making it the first 1-liter California wine to be sold in PET. But while Boisset calls the technology for plastic “brilliant,” he’s now using lightweight glass for these wines after running into resistance to plastic from consumers.

Today Oregon’s Naked Winery uses plastic for its Outdoor Wino wines, which makes it convenient for consumers to take wine to the places they usually take beer. Its goal is for consumers to have quality Oregon wine anywhere, anytime, and the wines have been well received.

Because of its light weight, plastic is an obvious choice for airlines, which adopted it early on for their single-serving mini-wines. Other mini-wines have also opted for plastic.

ALUMINUM BOTTLES: Several years ago, Boisset bottled its Mommessin Beaujolais Grande Réserve in aluminum. Mommessin also employed some innovative technology: Because Beaujolais is best when slightly chilled, a Cooldot sticker on the bottle turned blue when the ideal temperature was reached. But because of their high cost, Boisset is no longer using aluminum bottles.

FLASQ, however, a new California brand, offers its Chardonnay, Merlot and Cuvée Blanc wines in aluminum half-bottles. FLASQ’s audience is primarily Gen Xers and Millennials with an active lifestyle: hikers, tailgaters, boaters, golfers, nightclubbers and so on. Their tag line: Great Wine, Any Time.

CANS: Leave it to out-of-the-box-thinking filmmaker turned winemaker Francis Ford Coppola to make the pedestrian can sexy with Coppola Winery’s Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs. In 2004 Coppola introduced Sofia, the sparkling wine he created for his daughter’s wedding, in bold, metallic-magenta colored cans. They’ve become a cool, sophisticated fashion accessory popular with young women at nightclubs.

In 2009 the Australian wine company Barokes won a gold medal for its Cabernet Shiraz Merlot in a can at the Berlin Wine Trophy in Germany. It was the first time a canned wine ever received such recognition. In 2010 its Bubbly Chardonnay Semillon Bin 242 captured the same honor. Barokes wines in cans have gone on to win more than 100 medals at international wine competitions in the U.S. and Europe.

In 2011 Infinite Monkey Theorem, a Colorado winery, came out with a lightly effervescent black muscat in a can. This year it plans to add an Albariño, a Syrah and a Rosé to the line. The cans are a natural at stadiums, concerts and other outdoor venues–and in vending machines. A Chinese company eager to sell the wines via vending machines at Chinese nightclubs has approached the company.

POUCHES: In 2010 Glenora Wine Cellars in New York’s Finger Lakes region became the first winery in the U.S. to sell wine, its Trestle Creek Riesling, in an unbreakable, environmentally friendly 1.5-liter bag-without-box pouch. Each pouch, 7 in. x 10 in. x 2 in., is 98% wine and 2% packaging.

House Band Wines just introduced California Chardonnay and Merlot in 375-ml (half-bottle, 12.7 oz) flexible pouches that provide 2-3 glasses of wine. This handy size is geared toward concertgoers, sports fans, hikers, picnickers and other outdoor enthusiasts.

According to the Wine Spectator, eight premium wine brands, including ecoVINO and Clif Family Winery’s The Climber, currently use pouch packaging.

PAPER (the new frontier): British inventor Martin Myerscough has already placed his plastic-lined paper GreenBottles of milk in the U.K.’s Asda grocery chain. He hopes to do for wine this year what he’s already done for milk. His goal is to reach what he calls the huge “buy now, drink now” market.

Myerscough got the idea when talking with the owner of his local garbage dump, who was complaining about oodles of plastic bottles, which can last 500 years. GreenBottles, on the other hand, decompose in weeks. Myerscough hopes to eventually sell the technology to wineries that will then produce their own paper bottles. The jury’s out on this one.

BOTTOM LINE: These containers are becoming more popular as people experience their many benefits. If you don’t yet see them where you shop, ask for them.

 

Tags: Aluminum Bottles, Bandits, Barokes, Berry Boxes, Box wines, California Rabbits, Cans, Cartons, Champagne, Duca del Frassino, FLASQ, French Rabbits, From the Tank, Glenora Wine Cellars, Infinite Monkey Theorem, Jack Tone Vineyards, Jean-Charles Boisset, Jenny & Francois, lightweight glass, McManis Family Vineyards, Naked Winery, Octavin, Paper Bottles, Plastic Bottles, Pouches, Sofia Mini, Three Thieves, Yellow + Blue

McManis Family Vineyards: Good Wines, Good Values–Even Family Values

By Sharon Kapnick

I’m always pleased to come across a producer that makes good-value wines, so I was delighted to recently discover McManis Family Vineyards, which makes several of them. After I noticed that their $10 2009 Pinot Noir was chosen by the Wine Enthusiast as one of the Top 100 Best Buys of 2011, I wanted to learn more about them. After all, excellent $10 Pinots are about as easy to come by as flamingos in Central Park.

I found out that the McManis family had been growing grapes, almonds and peaches in the Northern Interior region of California since 1938. But Ron McManis fell in love with the grape side of the business, so in 1990, as soon as they could manage it financially, 4th generation farmer McManis and his wife, Jamie, purchased their first vineyard. Then, in 1994, they founded the McManis Family Vineyards, 80 miles east of San Francisco. With some vineyards in Lodi and some in Modesto, the McManises sold only bulk wine until 2001, when they bottled their first wines using the family label.

The wines can generally be found for an easy-on-the-pocketbook $8 to $9 a bottle in a wide range of varietals–Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel, Malbec and Barbera. Last year saw the addition of two even-more-inexpensive options: a red blend and a white blend in nonvintage box-wine formats.

The wines truly are a family effort. Fifth generation daughter Tanya and son Justin are involved, and the McManises look upon their workers as part of an extended family. No big corporations are involved in this business.

In a testament to their skill and hard work, production has gone from 4,000 cases to more than 300,000 cases in a decade. And while McManis started out selling grapes in bulk to other wineries, they now purchase about 25% of the grapes they use in their own wines.

Another reason to support them: the company is currently planning to reach green winery certification from the Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing program and it adheres to sustainable farming practices.

Their goal, Ron says, is to “constantly showcase the passion and commitment we have to make quality wines that overdeliver on value and are consistently good year after year.” They’re doing a pretty good job at it.

RECOMMENDED WINES

2010 Viognier (SRP* $12): aromas and flavors of pear, peach and apricot, a touch of honey, good acidity, good balance; recently won the “Best in Class” award for Viogniers up to $19.99 at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

2010 Malbec (SRP $12): aromas and flavors of raspberry and blackberry, good acidity, medium body, delicious

2010 Merlot (SRP $11): aromas and flavors of black cherry, berries; juicy, soft; recently won the “Best in Class” award for Merlots $10 to $14.99 at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

2010 Petite Sirah (SRP $12): aromas and flavors of blackberry, boysenberry and cassis, smooth, soft, flavorful

Jack Tone Vineyards Red Wine (SRP $22 per 3-L box, equivalent to four bottles): The blend, which may include Petite Sirah, Syrah, Zinfandel and Petit Verdot, will change from year to year. It currently features Syrah and Petite Sirah. Aromas and flavors of dark berries, especially blackberry. A great bargain

* suggested retail price

Full disclosure: I received samples of these wines.

Tags: Box wines, Malbec, McManis Family Vineyards, Merlot, Viognier

Ode to the Beaujolais Crus–and Beaujolais Sorbet

By Sharon Kapnick

It’s easy to sing the praises of Beaujolais, for in addition to being a delicious wine–flavorful, fruity or spicy– it has several special qualities:

1) It’s remarkably versatile, the most versatile red wine of all. It’s an ideal all-season wine that’s as appropriate at the picnic table as the Thanksgiving table.

2) Beaujolais has the well-deserved reputation of being the only white wine that just happens to be red. Because it  has low tannins, a smooth, silky texture and is best when served chilled (60 degrees is perfect for the Crus), Beaujolais is the red wine that white wine fans will find easy to love.

3) Beaujolais is currently underrated by many and therefore offers very good value.

There are four categories of Beaujolais–Nouveau, Beaujolais, Beaujolais-Villages and Cru Beaujolais–all made only from the Gamay grape. The Crus, generally considered best because they offer the most character, richness and complexity, come from ten designated sites—Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à-Vent, Régnié and St. Amour.

Characteristics of the Crus

Brouilly: elegant, full flavored, not unlike Beaujolais-Villages but with more fruit, 20 percent of the Cru area

Chénas: sophisticated, full flavored, soft but concentrated, smallest Cru, rarest, sometimes described as “a bouquet of flowers in a basket of velvet”

Chiroubles: soft, light, lively, flowery, delicately fragrant, ethereal, charming

Côte de Brouilly: some call this wine the Grand Cru of Beaujolais, flavorful, rich, full, intense fruit

Fleurie: Queen of the Crus, most feminine, silky, seductive, floral, velvety

Juliénas: weighty, full bodied, earthy, intense, heady aromatics, has historically been the favorite Cru of Parisian poets, painters and journalists;

Morgon: full bodied, rich, powerful, robust, intensely flavored, virile; known for having “the fruit of Beaujolais, the charm of Burgundy”

Moulin-à-Vent: often called King of the Crus or “the Lord of the Beaujolais,” full-bodied, complex, robust, powerful, hearty, most structured; can be closer in style to Burgundy from the Cote d’Or than to very fruity Beaujolais

Régnié: many different styles, highly aromatic, can drink when young or after 3-5 years

St. Amour: most romantic, graceful, can be light and fruity or weighty and spicy

The lightest of the Crus are Brouilly, Chiroubles and Régnié; the middle in body and richness include Côte de Brouilly, Fleurie and St. Amour; the heaviest and most structured are Chénas, Juliénas, Morgon and Moulin-à-Vent.

I recently attended a Beaujolais Cru event at David Bouley’s Test Kitchen, where I tasted nine wines from the excellent 2009 and 2010 vintages. 2009 is thought by many to be the best vintage since 1947; many of the 2009s will benefit from aging. Although 2010 is another outstanding vintage, most 2010s are ready to drink now.

One of the highlights of the tasting/luncheon was the Beaujolais sorbet–the best sorbet I ever had. I am pleased to have gotten the recipe for it. Although it’s a recipe better suited to a restaurant than to the home kitchen, I’ll include it here. After all, it’s not everyday that a chef at a top eatery reveals a recipe. If it’s too unwieldy for you–as it is for me– it’s still quite interesting. And I hope it will inspire you to find other recipes for Beaujolais sorbet more appropriate for the home chef.

Ingredients:

3225 g water
1400 g sugar
2000 g glucose powder
50 g sorbet stabilizer
3325 g Beaujolais wine

Directions: Bring the water and sugar to a boil. Add the glucose and stabilizer until dissolved and then heat to 80 degrees C. Cool over an ice bath and add the wine. Process in an ice cream machine.

Serves: Many. The pastry chef suggests that 1/4 or 1/5 of this recipe might be the appropriate amount for home use.

The wines we tried are listed below. While all were good, my two favorites are starred.

Prosper Maufoux, Brouilly, 2009
Christophe Pacalet, Chiroubles, 2010
Nicole Chanrion, Côte-de-Brouilly, 2010
Domaine Chignard, Fleurie, 2010
*Château des Rontets, Saint Amour, 2009
Domaine Sancy, Chénas, 2009
Joseph Drouhin, Juliénas, 2009
*Domaine de la Chaponne, Morgon, 2009
Domaine des Côtes de la Molière, Moulin-à-Vent, 2010

Good Food Partners for Beaujolais: Omelets; quiche; lentil soup; salads; grilled vegetables; fish; shellfish; sandwiches; croque monsieur; roast, fried and jerk chicken; chicken pot pie; coq au vin; turkey, including Thanksgiving dinner; game birds; ham; veal; hamburgers; pâtés and terrines; charcuterie; cold cuts and other picnic food; lamb; pork; beef; venison and other game; stews; grilled fish (including salmon and tuna) and grilled meats; barbecue; curries and other spicy cuisine; stir fries; mild to strong cheeses; fresh fruit

Tags: Beaujolais, Beaujolais Crus, Beaujolais sorbet, gamay grape, moulin à vent, st amour

Six Festive, Budget-Friendly Wines to Cheer Up a Dreary Year

By Sharon Kapnick

With turmoil in the Middle East, Europe’s leaders paralyzed and politicians in the U.S. unable to agree on anything, it seems that we could all use a little extra cheer this year. Because we may need to celebrate a little bit more, we may also need to celebrate a little more inexpensively. Here are a few reasonably priced wines to brighten your holidays.

Prosecco is the delicate, crisp, refreshing, charming, fruity, sophisticated yet casual sparkling wine that Italians, especially in the Veneto, sip (occasionally) in the morning, (more regularly in) the afternoon and evening. Mionetto, one of Italy’s largest Prosecco producers, offers many choices. Its IL line ($12 SRP*) comes in three versions–Prosecco, Moscato and Rosé. The Prosecco is frizzante (lightly sparkling), light bodied, fresh and crisp with pear, citrus, apple and peach aromas and flavors.

IL Prosecco makes an excellent aperitif and complements light cuisine. It’s perfect in Bellinis, the signature drink of Venice, and other cocktails. It’s lighter in body than Champagne, lower in alcohol (10.5%), easy on the pocketbook, great for parties–and terribly easy to sip all day long. But it’s not a wine to cellar–it’s best within three months of purchase.

For something more elegant, try Korbel’s 2008 Natural Russian River Valley Champagne ($14 SRP, 12.5% alcohol). Like French Champagne, it’s made using the méthode traditionnelle (formerly called the méthode champenoise), in which the wine is fermented inside the bottle from which it’s served. Korbel also uses traditional French Champagne grapes–in this case 65% Pinot Noir and 35% Chardonnay. The wine is crisp, dry, delicate and delicious–delicious enough to have been served at the last seven presidential Inaugurations. Korbel notes that its Natural is one of the few things both political parties agree on. The wine fares well as an aperitif and also with lighter fish dishes, grilled prawns and fresh fruit, especially citrus and apples.

While it’s been around since Roman times, when it was called Moscatellum, Moscato today is all the rage. It’s recently seen phenomenal growth. Over the 52 weeks ending Nov. 12, according to Nielsen, sales of Muscat wines in the U.S. grew 81.4% while the wine market overall grew  4.4%. Danny Brager, vice president of Nielsen, has dubbed it one of this year’s “speeding bullets.” It’s no longer just the darling of wine connoisseurs. Hip-hop artists–Nelly, Eminem, Lil’ Kim and Kanye West–have embraced the wine in their songs and their beverage preferences, and their audience has followed. Others have too.

The versatile muscat grape, which ranges from dry to sweet, comes in four main varieties. One of the loveliest is Italy’s Moscato d’Asti, a medium-sweet wine from Piedmont. Moscato d’Asti is fizzy (aka frizzante) and light, with heady fruit and floral aromas. It’s delightful, seductive and delicate–never overpowering. One of the loveliest Moscato d’Astis is Vietti’s Cascinetta 2010 ($17 SRP, 5.5% alcohol), with aromas and flavors of peaches, apricots and rose petals. Try it as an aperitif, as well as with cookies, panettone, pastries, fruit and fruit-based desserts and blue cheese.

You may have guessed by now that every region in Italy makes its own sparkling wine. Piedmont is a leading producer of them. In addition to Moscato d’Asti, Brachetto d’Acqui, a fizzy, aromatic, light red, made from Brachetto grapes in the town of Acqui Terme, also dates back to ancient times. Legend has it that Julius Caesar and Marc Antony presented Cleopatra with several gourds of Brachetto d’Acqui as a gift when they were vying for her affections. It’s also said she believed the wine had the power to unleash the passion of her lovers. If you know anyone whose passion you’d like to inspire, you might try it.

One of the most charming Brachettos is Vigne Regali‘s semi-dry (i.e. slightly sweet) Rosa Regale ($20 SRP). It’s low in alcohol (7%), has the aroma and flavors of strawberries, raspberries and rose petals. It’s surprisingly versatile: it shines as an aperitif; it works with savory food including spicy Asian and Latino dishes, quiches, ham and other brunch foods, and some seafood dishes; and its ideal with desserts, especially those that include fresh berries and chocolate. Rosa Regale is conveniently available in many sizes, from single-serve 187-ml bottles to magnums, the equivalent of 2 bottles of wine.

At Washington’s Pacific Rim winery, Riesling rules (see www.rieslingrules.com). Formerly owned by self-described “Riesling fanatic” Randall Grahm, Riesling remains Pacific’s Rim’s focus (talented winemaker Nicolas Quillé serves as vice president of the International Riesling Foundation [drinkriesling.com)–and Pacific Rim’s wines remain excellent values.

Grapes for Pacific Rim’s Vin de Glacière 2010 ($14 SRP, 375 ml, 9% alcohol) are grown in the Wallula Vineyard, the first and only biodynamic and organic-certified vineyard in Washington, where 150 sheep roam around the vineyard eating weeds. Unlike high-priced ice wines, the grapes for this wine are frozen after they’re picked. With aromas and flavors of  apricot, pear and honey, the wine goes especially well with fruit tarts, cheesecake and blue cheese. In addition to being delightful with dessert, it’s delightful as dessert.

Port, a fortified wine with about 20% alcohol, is made in several different styles, with three–vintage, tawny and ruby–being best known. Unlike prestigious vintage Ports, ruby Ports are nonvintage (obviously), simple, fruity, inexpensive and delicious when young. One of the most popular in the U.S. is Fonseca’s Bin No. 27 ($18 SRP), technically a step up, a ruby reserve. It’s a great introduction to Port. Bin No. 27 has aromas and flavors of black fruit, especially blackberry, and cassis and is an excellent match with milk chocolate, dark chocolate, berries and cherries and desserts made with them.

Although 48 grape varieties are permitted in Port, Bin. No. 27 uses six: Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, Tinto Cão and Tinta Amarela. If you’d like to become a member of The Wine Century Club (winecentury.com), for adventurous wine lovers who’ve tasted at least 100 different wine grapes, this is a wine to try!

*The wines can usually be found for less than the SRP (suggested retail price), sometimes considerably less. To get some idea of prices in the marketplace, check out wine-searcher.com. (These wines range from about $6.50 to $16.)

Tags: Brachetto d'Acqui, Holidays, ice wine, Moscato d'Asti, Port, Prosecco, Riesling, Sparkling Wine

The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine by Karen Page with Andrew Dornenburg

By Sharon Kapnick

Every year hundreds of new cookbooks and books about food and books about wine join the thousands already published. But books about food and wine, well, that’s a different story. You can count them on one hand–well, maybe two or three hands. Fortunately, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, the First Couple of Food-and-Wine, have just written their second book that explains and simplifies the task of choosing the right wine and the art of pairing food and wine.

The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine (Little, Brown; 336 pp.; $35) picks up where What to Drink with What You Eat left off by describing the flavors of some 250 wines and varietals. (The authors’ nickname for the new book is “The Flavor Bible for Wine Drinkers.”) It calls upon the familiar language of food as the logical tool to understanding wine. The authors’ premise is that “if you love food, you know flavor — and you can master wine.”

The guide is very timely. While more and more Americans are interested in wine–as of 2011, the U.S. is the world’s number-one consumer of it–many are overwhelmed by the thousands of choices. The authors aim to educate consumers and demystify wine, to take the fear out of buying wine and matching it with food. And they do it so well–clearly, comprehensively, enthusiastically.

The heart of the book is a hefty chapter that profiles more than 250 different wines by grape, region, intensity, acidity, flavors, texture, food pairings, notable producers and more. In this section, you really get to know the characteristics of and differences among the wines. Included, of course, are the usual suspects–Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon–and many of the unusual, like Roter Veltliner, Saperavi, Taurasi, Terroldego, Tsinandali.

To further illuminate this complex subject , they have enlisted the help of dozens of the world’s best sommeliers. Their opinions, advice, passions, loves and secrets play a crucial and entertaining part in this book.

I especially enjoyed the dozens of helpful sidebars on topics like “Matching Wine to Common Dishes,” “Go-To Wines: Sommeliers’ Picks of Wines That Never Let Them Down,” “Choosing a Wine by Flavors,” “Wines Under $15,” “Second Label [Lower-Priced] Wines [from Top Producers].” The last chapter, a valuable resource, features recommended books, websites and magazines.

Bottom Line: With Page and Dornenburg as your guides, you’ll feel comfortable selecting wine, serving it and enjoying it regularly. Their love of wine and food is infectious. They’ve written another must-have book for anyone interested in food-and-wine pairing or furthering their understanding of wine. It’s empowering, eminently browsable and just plain fun.

For more information on the authors, go to  www.becomingachef.com

Tags: Andrew Dornenburg, Book review, Buying Wine, flavor, Karen Page, Matching food and wine