Eating My Words, err Half of Them

The story: A couple of months ago I stated that Pinot Grigio is boring. My post was part grumpiness manifested, part exactly how I feel everytime I drink the stuff, and a pinch of feeling conflict about not letting people know about some of the less than stellar wine I encounter while writing this blog. Mix it all together and you got my post, which got a couple of readers frustrated. They weren't mad, just did not agree that Pinot Grigio is boring. One in particular challenged me to taste three wines of their chosing from the Trentino-Alto Adige/Suditrol region in Italy, arguing that I would come away excited about the fresh, crisp, aromatic whites that Pinot Grigio results in here. Naturally I agreed, never one to back down from a boozey challenge, and so the experiment was underway.

The wines showed up and were tasted, and the examples were:

Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio Suditrol Alto Adige 2010 - Pale straw with a nose of apple, chalk, and a hint of sugar. The palate is of ripe green pears, rather juicy with a subtle minerality streak throughout. It feels a bit flabby on the end, is dry despite the sweetness on the nose, but leaves a pleasing fruity finish that lingers.

Valle Isarco Pinot Grigio Suditrol-Eisacktaler Alto Adige 2009 - A bit higher in alcohol, this juice appeared a bit more viscous and golden in the glass. The nose was quite fruity, apples, pears, orchard fruits, but came across a bit simple. The taste was of ripe golden apples up front, with a juicy transition to grapefruit zest and a rather intense minerality. The flavors were consistent and big in this bottle of PG.

Tramin 'Unterebner' Suditrol Alto Adige Pinot Grigio 2009 - Also golden in color with apples and pears on the nose. This wine had a distinct sense of apple skins that added a pleasant dimension to the nose. A similar taste profile of apple juice blended with a deeper floral tone, and a consistent streak of bitter minerality to take the wine through the finish. This wine had a better sense of acid through the finish, suggesting it would taste great with an afternoon salad.

The verdict: These wines looked, smelled, and tasted rather consistent. I like this. It suggests a region that wants to maintain its sense of what to do with this grape. And I will admit, while none of these wines lit me on fire, I can not rightly call them boring. There is appeal here, there is a style here, there is connection to where the grapes are grown in these bottles. I will humble myself slightly to say that while I may not prefer the flavors that Pinot Grigio is bringing, when done with care, as these wines clearly are, it does not always produce a boring wine. If in the past you have thought yourself a bit of an Italian Pinot Grigio fan, I can without reservation suggest the wines of the Suditrol. Well priced (all under $23) nicely structured, and consistent with a sense of place I will eat half my words with a glass of any of these wines.

Disclaimer: These wines were provided as samples with intent to review.

PSMIOFF 1.03 - Sparkling Wine

Another edition of the Pasadena Society for Millennials Interested in Observations on Fermented Fruit is in the proverbial bag. The theme for September was sparkling wine, any category, any sweetness level, from any region. We were excited to try and break this category free from the 'celebratory' bonds that bind it, and I think we accomplished this. After a brief lesson on the typical methods of dissolving beautiful bubbles into our otherwise still wines we set into a long night of evaluation and elation. The wines, in order of my ranking, were as follow:

1. Henriot Blanc Souverain NV - Surprise, surprise - a true Champagne stole the show. Showing a rather rich and complex style, this wine stunned with apple and hazelnuts, intense minerality, and a bit of a smokey and very complex finish. I kept going back to this wine and thought it truly was worth the $38 price tag. For me this is a wine that clearly shows how Champagne can be mesmerizing.

2. Graham Beck NV Brut - I did not expect South Africa to show its head at this tasting, let alone bring such quality at such value. At south of $16 this dry sparkler, made of the traditional Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, was very floral with apple and a dry honey tone that was delicious. Rivals a first place finish based on the supreme value that this bottle offers. While, not as good as the Henriot, this is probably my favorite find of the night and my biggest recommendation for you to seek out.

3. Domaine J. Laurens Cremant de Limoux Brut NV - From the South of France (near Languedoc) this wine is primarily Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. Also a value at approximately $12, the nose is more citrus and hints at sweet pastry with its yeasty indications. A very nice wine for the price, if not stunning, for those inclined to drink bubbles regularly (and you should be) this is a great option.

4. Cerdon Renardat-Fache Bugey - From a rather obscure region in Eastern France, comes this rather unique sparkling rose wine. Made from 100% gamay, the first fermentation is stopped allowing a bit of sugar to remain. Since the yeast is not dead, a second fermentation occurs under pressure causing the wine to sparkle, or bubble, or however you prefer to refer. The result is a sweet, creamy wine with a very fine mousse that smells of strawberry candy and tastes of watermelon. It is very fun to drink and very pleasant, and yet rather simple. However, many would like this wine, and rightly so. It would make a great and surprising aperitif to start off a dinner party, and at 8% abv wouldn't get the night off on the wrong foot.

5. Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva - A wine I have had several times and always found to be a good value, this simple Cava brings exactly what you should expect. A bit of citrus and pineapple give way to a firm and mineral driven palate that is cleansing and crisp. Nothing spectacular, but nothing off putting, this $7 often gets touted as a 'Best Buy Value' and is a great option for large groups, or mimosas.

6. Paringa Sparkling Shiraz 2008 - Thrown in as a shocker, this certainly was. It smelled of grape soda and mint and drank of coffee, brown sugar, plum sauce and cough syrup. This wine might have been nice if it was fermented dry and kept still. Instead as an awkward and bombastic sweet sparkler it did not work. Certainly a conversation starter, but not something I can rightly recommend, nor in my lack of imagination find an appropriate setting for. Had it been dry it might have had some appeal, but as is - a major pass.

The overarching consensus was that sparkling wine is underrepresented in most people's regular drinking habits. There is a lot of diversity and lots of value to be found in these wines that can be served as before dinner drinks, with food, with dessert, or on their own for an afternoon happy hour. I am of the mindset that sparkling wines may be a bi-annual category for PSMIOFF, and I know no one who attends will be disappointed.

Perspective is Informed by Experience

The story: I live a lot of my life on the road, due to my day job. Some might say too much of my life but I guess it is just a matter of perspective. Whereas there are nights in hotels during which I would trade anything to sleep in my own bed, there are also adventures in exploring great new cities (on someone else's dime). While there are mid-week meals eaten alone in quiet restaurants during which I miss my family, there is also an intensity to my weekend time with them that eliminates any sense of taking them for granted. I often tell people what my schedule is like and get a negative reaction in response. "How can you stand that?" Or "I could never stay in a hotel three nights a week." In the end I find I have less patience these days with these types of blanket statements based partly on inexperience. My family has been diligent to make this work for us, and I rather enjoy both my career and my family time.

I find the same sort of across the board generalization to happen in wine. People make up their mind about what they do and don't like, what they will and won't drink, based on a relatively limited exposure to what is actually available. It seems that no other grape gets this treatment more frequently than Chardonnay. I can see how the commonness of the grape, or the rather outgoing personality of the grape may rub some the wrong way, but I bristle when I hear folks say "I can't stand Chardonnay," or "I have never found a Chardonnay I enjoy." If you don't wish to spend your money or time on Chardonnay find, but you should at least recognize that the wide diversity in the varietal is enough that we could probably find one you enjoy if we just looked. An unwillingness to be open to life's variety, is a willingness to miss out on surprise.

The wine: I recently came across a Chardonnay that changed my perspective about what a balanced application of light oak can truly due (and yes I am usually less inclined to drink oaky Chardonnay). The 2009 Domaine de Deux Roches St. Veran Rives de Longsault shines a rich golden yellow in the glass. It offers a nose of golden apple, a touch of oak, and a light herbaceousness. The elements wrap together so that none stands out in a way that can not necessarily be described but is obvious when enjoying the fresh aromas of this wine. The wine is medium bodied and lithe across the palate, and yet it retains a richness throughout. The golden apple prevails, with hints of malolactic flavors and a persistent citrus and minerality that carries the wine from front to back. The finish is everlasting, a pleasant bitterness rounded out by a great sense of almonds.

The verdict: Don't get me wrong, this wine is obviously Chardonnay from appearance, to aroma, to taste. And yet it was a completely different Chardonnay experience than I had previously had. Somewhere between its Macon roots and its unapologetic spicing with a bit of barrique, this wine finds a middle ground that absolutely does it for me. At $19.95 I was also more than happy to sing its praises. Why such a pleasing wine got me thinking about the naysayers who miss out on life, well I guess that is just where my soul was today.....