Ricks Grape Skinny – Heritage Wake Forest NC
Monday, January 2nd, 2012
Rick
Rick’s Grape Skinny
January 2012
“As soon as we make the decision to try to understand more about wine, all that is demanded is that we exercise our senses of smell and taste…this is the essence of wine tasting.”
(Oz Clarke)
Be It Resolved for 2012…
Let’s just cut to the chase and forget all those resolutions about losing weight, eating less and exercising more, etc., etc.. Borrr-ing! Been there done that…and blew it every time! So…let’s just resolve to do something else…like something that’s fun, and interesting, and educational, and totally enjoyable…like drinking some mighty fine wine! Got your attention!? Well…here’s the skinny!
Six Easy-to-Keep Resolutions
- Think Outside the Box!
No…I’m not talking about box wines! I’m talking about “our personal wine box”…you know, that subconscious mindset that tends to define the wines you and I routinely buy. Be enthusiastic about trying new wineries and different versions of the wines you typically prefer (i.e. a Washington vs. Cali Cab or a non-oaked Chard vs. your usual big ole butter bomb, etc.). 12 new versions of your usual suspects over the next year will truly open your eyes and expand your palate!
- Commit to Taking Notes!
I cannot begin to tell you how many times I hear, “I had this great wine the other night but I’ll be darned if I can remember what it was!” I carry a small notepad…but hey, even a napkin will work! So get with it wineaux! Get serious about recording notes and observations about the wines you drink. Capturing the name, vintage and “what naturally comes to mind” about the wine in a small journal is a great way to start. Just keep it simple…but keep a record…and then, make the effort to reflect and remember!
- Visit 2 Vineyards and Wineries!
As I’ve said many times, there is no wine experience that remotely comes close to generating the amount of knowledge and joy one gains from visiting a Winery. Meeting those salt-of-the-earth farmers and artisans who grow the grapes and make the wines – all while sampling their wares of course — is not only educational…it gets those curiosity juices flowin’ and it amplifies your desire to learn more and experience more. Visit one winery every 6 months – or more if you can — and you’ll be talking about those visits for years…along with planning more trips!
- Attend One “Wine Dinner!”
Now these can be a tad expensive…like $75-$100 per person or thereabouts, so I’m suggesting that you just go to one Wine Dinner this coming year. It’s important to do some research to ensure you make the best choice possible, and you can start by contacting some of your area’s top restaurants and by speaking with the Sommeliers or Executive Chefs.
- Read More and Learn More!
There is no substitute for reading when it comes to learning more about wines. So, go buy a top quality wine book (from an independent book store!!) or subscribe to a wine magazine and start reading more…and more often. Oz Clarke’s New Wine Atlas and Jancis Robinson’s Oxford Companion are two world class resources that can dramatically expand your knowledge of all things wine!
- Taste the world!
Commit to buying and trying wines from 12 different countries in 2012. Alternatively, you might also consider trying wines from 12 of the world’s most famous and most widely respected Wine Regions (i.e. Bordeaux and Champagne from France, Chianti and Piemonte from Italy, etc.) And take the time to discover the various national Signature Grapes (i.e. Carménère from Chile, Pinotage from South Africa, etc.) so you optimize the experience. So many wines…so little time!
Toast of the Month
“May your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, and never in want!”
(Traditional Irish Toast)
Wines of the Month
Pinotage (The Signature Grape of South Africa)
Diemersfontein 2009
Sultry, Heady & Tantalizingly Delicious!
(Wellington, South Africa.)/$18-$22
The Pinotage grape is a cross between the Pinot Noir and the Hermitage (aka Cinsault) grapes – and it was created by a Stellenbosch University Professor of Enology, A. I. Perold, in 1925. This hallmark expression of Pinotage is characterized by not-so-subtle hints of roasted coffee and dark chocolate…and it has earned so much praise and achieved so much popularity that a number of cognoscenti attribute this highly distinctive version of Pinotage from David Sonnenberg with having saved and lifted Pinotage from longstanding commercial obscurity. Folks, not all Pinotage will taste like this…or be this amazingly wonderful…so seek this one out and give it a whirl. Once you do…I’m certain of two things – 1) you too will be singing its praise — and 2) it won’t be your last bottle. http://www.diemersfontein.co.za/
Petite Sirah
Villa San-Juliette Vineyard & Winery 2009
Rich, Intense, Sensuous, & Succulent
(Paso Robles, CA)/$9-$12
Believe it or not, this amazing winery is the brainchild of Simon Lythgoe (of American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance fame) and his business partner Ken Warwick. After a few early years of trials and tribulations (all documented in the TV Reality Show Corkscrewed: The Wrath of Grapes), VSJ is now producing a collection of stunning wines…with this luscious Petite Sirah heading up my list of favorites! Nigel and Ken had the insight and wisdom to simply hire the best. And that’s exactly what they did in landing “Mr. California Winemaker” himself…the incomparable Adam LaZarre. Indeed, after a near decade of heading up winemaking at the hugely successful Hahn Estates, Adam has found a new home “and piece of heaven” on the 168 acres that define
Villa San-Juliette. This intensely flavored vintage – that LaZarre affectionately refers to as Blueberry Motor Oil — is 85% Petite Sirah and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and it was aged for 16 months in a combination of new and neutral French oak. For the money…around $10 everywhere…it’s literally one of the best varietal wines I’ve had — period!
http://www.villasanjuliette.com/
Carménère (Chile’s Signature Grape)
Alma de Chile Private Reserve 2008
Deep, Dark and Devilishly Delectable!
(Aconcagua Valley, Chile)/$12-$14
From vineyards nestled amongst the rich and fertile foothills of the Andes Mountains, this 100% Carménère is a meticulously crafted exemplar of Chile’s Signature grape. With fruit grown on small family vineyards by descendants of the acclaimed Don Francisco de Rojas winemaking family, this delightfully sultry and spicy rendition was produced in partnership with the Vincente family and Viña San Esteban. With nine months of attended aging in a 50/50 combination of new French and American oak, the result is an award-winning Carménère that will tickle and tantalize the most refined and demanding of palates! http://www.almadechile.com/newsite/aboutus.html
Shiraz (The Signature Grape of Australia — known typically as Syrah in most other countries)
hazyblur Kangaroo Island 2006
Luscious, Succulent & Simply Stupendous!
(Virginia, South Australia)/$30–$35 — Inspired by the sight of a blurry haze, “hazyblur” Shiraz was born, and suddenly — the world was a better place! As a boutique winery with limited production, owners and founders, Ross and Robyne Trimboli, specialize in crafting artisanal wines that bear their personal attention…from vine to vessel. This spectacular 100% Shiraz — which was aged for 16 months in an 80% used combination of American and French oak — is no exception…and it serves up “sinfully delicious!” This one’s a keeper that you might not want to share!
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