Ole Imports woos and wows Elm City Wino

I recently attended a tasting of Spanish wines from the Ole Imports portfolio at Meigas Restaurant in Norwalk (the sister restaurant of Ibiza - 39 High St., NH). Ole is the brainchild of Patrick Mata and Alberto Orte, who began importing Spanish wines to Patrick's dorm-room in 1999. They share a passion for Spanish wine that transcends their own portfolio, adding an air of honesty to their work.
Much like Jorge Ordonez, Ole Imports is one of those importers that can almost guarantee you a good bottle. Unlike Ordonez, however, Ole tends to lean more towards an Old World style of fruit characteristics and terroir-expression. Being raised on big California wines, Jorge has always been a safe bet for me, but now, as I experiment more with the European classics, Ole has consistently delivered.
Many of the wines Ole offers see little to no oak, allowing the fruit to fully express its natural flavors without being "tamed" by wood.

There were many great wines in attendance, but some stood out for me more than the rest...

Oreka 2006 Txakoli ($$) from Talai-Berri was a remarkable txakoli. Txakoli consumption is on the rise, particularly in NYC, where it is customary for the server to pour the wine from at least three feet away to soften the effervescence of the white wine. Made from the indigenous grape Hondarribi Zuri, txakoli comes from three sub-regions of North-central Spain. The uncommon amount of rainfall in the area is prohibitive for most other grapes.
The Oreka was full of honey and peach on the nose. The effervescent mouthfeel was nice and gentle, which carried with it flavors of green fruits. The wine is aged in stainless steel, which is evident on the palate. I found it to be "richer" than my recent favorite, Txomin Etxaniz. This wine is a MUST BUY. The '07 ($$) received 90 points from Robert Parker.

Bodegas Berroja Berroia 2007 Txakoli ($-$$) is 90% Hondarribi, with Folle Blanche and Riesling making up the other 10%. The wine was slightly more viscous than the Oreka, with a little less effervescence. The grapes are grown on a steep incline, allowing for more water drainage, giving the wine notes of minerality and vegetation.

I know Barcelona (155 Temple) uses Vinos Pinol Portal on their by-the-glass list, so I was excited to try the white "version". The Portal White 2007 ($-$$) is a blend of 70% White Garnacha (grenache), 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Macabeau, and 5% Viognier. I started taking notes before I read the description of this wine, and my initial impression was of a New Zealand sauvignon blanc. When I saw the 20% sauv. blanc on the description, I was satisfied that my nose hadn't quit working. There was alot of peach on the nose, followed by cold weather fruits on a drier palate. The finish was slightly "tangy" and mellow with a lingering hint of melon.
Vinos Pinol is currently farming organically.

I tried two Rose wines, Columna Rose 2007 ($) from Vinos Sin-ley, and Falset Marca's Falset Rose 2007 ($). The Columna was full of cherries on a lingering finish. The grapes are "Juan Garcia", which I can honestly say I've never heard of. I tried the wine primarily out of curiosity.
The stand-out of the two was the Falset. It had much more nose and bolder tannins than I'm used to in a rose. Bonus points for organic viticulture. This will inevitably make it onto my picnic blanket this summer. For fans of Rose, this is a MUST BUY.

Vizcarra Roble 2006 ($-$$) from B. Vizcarra in the Ribera del Duero region offered freshly turned farm soil on the nose, followed by black pepper and black cherry on the palate. I was pleasantly surprised by this wine, as I believe I may have smack-talked a previous vintage. It proved to me that - 1. you must try different vintages of the same producer, 2. Ribera del Duero continues to be a region for great Tempranillo, and 3. organic wines don't have to suck anymore. This wine's fruit was mellowed out by the use of French Oak.

One of my favorites of the evening was Vinos Pinol's Mather Teresina 2003-2004 ($$$). The "2003-2004" signifies a dual vintage, where grapes from both years are used. Vinos Pinol first did this with a 1998-1999 offering, which had to be declassified because it did not meet the standards of the DO. Pinol kept issuing this dual-vintage wine and now the DO allows the practice, due in large part to the success of Mather Teresina.
At first the fruit was hard to find on the nose, but after a few swirls tons of wild strawberry and dark purple fruits came roaring out with the strength of a freight train. It was an impressive spectacle. The fruit offered up super-ripe tannins, while the 2 years of oak aging (French, American, and Hungarian) gave the wine a "scratchy" texture and dry finish. The sandy soil comes through in the taste of the wine, helping transport the drinker directly to Terra Alta.
After the wine had been open for a few hours, I returned to it to find the naturally occurring lactic acid had given the wine a funkier smell, almost like it had corked. Based on this I would not decant this wine, even though the tannic structure would suggest it. This was not a wine for the uninitiated, but a remarkable choice if any part of you leans toward, "geeky".

Hacienda Molleda 2006 Garnacha is 100% grenache that sees 6 months in French Oak. It was an interesting wine which had the nose of a Carignan, odd because the carignane grape originates from the Carinena region of Spain, where Hacienda Molleda is grown. Conspiracy theories aside, the wine had vegetal and floral notes on the nose, with more than just a hint of kerosene. The vegetal characteristics stayed through the palate where they were met by green olives and venison before a linering finish. This wine was probably the most complex and intriguing of the wines I tried, nothing like I would expect from the garden variety garnacha. For those into science projects, this wine is a MUST TRY.

Another 100% Tempranillo, Bodegas Ortiz' Dacu 2007 ($) had tons of fruit characteristics due to the lack of oak barreling. Black currant was the main fruit, but takes on a whole new role in a no-oak wine. Fans of Cortijo III and Campos Reales NEED to find this wine, which apparently has not yet hit Connecticut.

Anybody who has found themselves a bottle of the Arianna Occhipinti Frappato that I have been raving about should keep their eyes open for Barahonda's 2006 Heredad de Candela ($$-$$$). Strawberry and cracked white pepper show on the nose, while massive amounts of pureed strawberries dominate the palate, allowing just a hint of wild blueberries and black pepper through before the long, luscious finish of dark red fruits and more black pepper. This wine is a MUST BUY, and technically, a must-share.

Another MUST BUY, especially for fans of barnyard aromas, the 2004 Manuel de la Osa ($$$) from Bodegas Manuel de la Osa in la Mancha is balanced out by plums and black raspberry on the palate. Certified organic, the wine is made from a blend of 40% Syrah, 30% Graciano, 10% Tempranillo, 10% Cab Franc, and 10% Merlot, and sees one year in French oak. This wine was more of a Jorge Ordonez style red, which is ironic because many of Jorge's wines are unveiled at the winemaker's restaurant, Las Rejas, in la Mancha. One of the things that stood out for me with this wine was how bad everything after it tasted -- I had to snack on bread and grilled veggies, follow that by a cigarette, and find some water before I could start again!

Vinos Jeromin Manu 2005 ($$$) was another organically grown red, this time a blend of Syrah and Garnacha (40/40) balanced out by Cabernet, Tempranillo, and Merlot, seeing just over a year in French and Russian oak. It offered wet soil and bright red fruits on the nose, with cassis and a hint of strawberry on the palate with a nice "sharp" acidity.

From Falset Marca, the 2005 Etim l'Esparver ($$$) is a blend of Garnacha and Carinena (45/45) balanced by Syrah and Cabernet from Montsant. This wine was right in line with any of the higher end Monstants I have tasted, at a lower price point. The carinena comes through on the nose with wild strawberries and red berry. White pepper, strawberry, and a small amount of plum show on the palate before a nice spicy finish.

A nice treat was the 2005 Vizcarra Ines ($$$$$) from the Ribera del Duero region. While still a little young, it offered freshly tilled earth, cow "plop", and a hint of banana on the nose, with ripe plums and orange rind on the palate. The tannins may need more time to mellow out, but this wine was not un-drinkable by any measure.

Also a bonus was an as-yet-named Malvar (grape I ain't heard of) white wine. It was unlabeled, and apparently only the second bottle to be opened in the United States. It had a beautiful silver color with gold "trim" and seemed to have a slight effervescence, possibly from naturally occurring yeasts. It had copious amounts of fruits, running the gamut from citrus to colder weather red fruits with minerality and lemongrass on the finish. It's from the people who make Zestos and is something to keep an eye out for.

I was invited to dinner at Meigas with Patrick Mata and few others afterwards, where the chef brought out several dishes and paired them with several Spanish wines. My veganism was almost brought into question, and I received a generous amount of ribbing from those at the table. My dishes were great however, and I left feeling stuffed. The only disappointment at dinner was a 2002 San Roman from a relative of the Vega Sicilia winemaker in the Toro region. The wine was over-oaked and made me think more of California than Spain.

Moral of the story?
When perusing the Spanish section of your favorite wine shop (or the not-everything-else section at Grand Vin), check the back of the labels for the Ole Imports logo. They also print useful facts about each wine on the back label and each wine has a 1-800 number for more information. The info they give you is enough to impress any dinner guest, all without having to ask the store staff any questions.

Elm City Gossip

Yeah, yeah. It's been a while.
We've been busy. Really busy.


We hear that Barcelona New Haven has hired a mixologist and now has a full-time DJ. Looks like everyone wants to ride 116 Crown's EXCELLENT rating from the New York Times.
J&D at 116 tell us they'll have to stay, "Three steps ahead". The new chef is already turning heads. Some vegan options have appeared on the menu; I'm into the Tempura Green Beans, although it's a little small. New vegan options are on the horizon as well.
Wine to drink when you're a three-step vegan DJ? Peter Lehmann's Barossa Valley Shiraz.

A new beer bar has opened up in downtown (or "Crowntown" for the boozerati out there). Prime 16 is across from the Omni on Temple Street and features 40 different bottles and 20 different taps, all without a single Budweiser in sight. MoJo is the only beer I'd drop from the list. Apparently they have food, too, but I didn't notice.
Beer to drink at the beer bar? Celebrator Double Bock from Ayinger.

Spoiler Alert: New Haven Advocate Reader's Poll...
Our sources tell us Geronimo (271 Crown St.) has won Best New Restaurant. Interesting, since reviews I've read give the impression that you get better table service at a McDonald's.
Wine to drink at McDonald's? Robert Mondavi (you never know what's in it, but it always tastes like the same old crap)

Rudy's Restaurant (372 Elm St.), known far and wide for their Belgian Frites, appears to have changed their recipe. Mo reports that something is different, but she couldn't exactly pin it down. "The oil seems different. The potatoes are softer. This is definitely different." I didn't notice, but that could have been because of Rudy's stellar beer stash located in a little used cooler to the left of the bar. Anything goes down easy after a couple of Rochefort 10's.
Beer to drink after a couple of Rochies? Leffe

Clos de los Siete is coming back to the area. It's still going to be the 2006 vintage. The Owl Shop has had it by-the-glass the whole time, but it had gotten scarce. The best place in town to find it is definitely going to be Grand Vin (28 E. Grand Ave).
Wine to drink while waiting for the 'Siete? Venta La Ossa, tempranillo from La Mancha.

In non-booze related gossip, it seems that due to a complaint to the health department, Fuel Coffeeshop (516 Chapel St.) can no longer allow dogs into the shop. Fuel is a small neighborhood joint, in a neighborhood full of dog owners. It's sad someone would complain. It's not like the dogs were making those amazing lattes.
Wine to drink when you're anti-dog? Most any California Sauvignon Blanc, which will often smell of cat pee.

Breaking News -- Not an April Fool's Joke

Just heard through the grapevine that Connecticut's already tiny allocation of 2005 Bordeaux has gotten smaller. It appears at this time that at least 1,000 cases of wine have been stolen from a shipping yard in New Haven before it had the chance to be delivered to the CT distributor.
Sources say the heist occurred in the wee hours of Sunday morning using a hot-wired truck. Camera footage apparently shows the thief/thieves opening several trailers, including one full of Jagermeister, leading us to believe the Bordeaux was targeted -- I'm guessing it'd be easier to sell Jager on the street.
While this is not the first time thieves have sought out the good stuff (Atherton Heist 2007, Swedish Grand Cru Heist 2006), this weighs heavily on CT's fine wine market. 2005 Bordeaux has been hailed as one of the best vintages in history, with the Bordeaux Futures Market being one of the few sure-thing investments, with an almost guaranteed return of 30% within the next 5-10 years.

Among the plunder are some of the top producers of the region, including Chateau Leoville, Chateau Cos d'Estournel, Smith Haut-Lafite, Chateau Belgrave, and Chateau Pey la Tour.

Take a hike!

...on the American Whiskey Trail.

I have a thing for rocks

I don't know if it has to do with being born in Maine, or growing up with a creek in the backyard, or summers at Bantam Lake, but I've got a thing for rocks. In various little corners and niches in my apartment, you can find rocks. They're in many shapes and sizes, but each one attracted my attention long enough for me to grab it and bring it home. This fascination with stones seems to run in my family. Aunts, Grandparents, and cousins seem to all have rocks laying about.
When my birthday came and my mother, recently transplanted to Maine, asked me what I wanted, I said, "a rock from the Maine seashore."
Little did I know she'd find one...



Maine rocks and wine-toppers. You can't go wrong.
Of course I have no idea where she found this or how to get more.

EDIT: Mom reads the blog! www.funkyrockdesigns.com

NYC trade tasting

So Joe Dressner has a trade-only tasting event coming up in April in NYC. Of the many winemakers present will be Pierre Breton from Catherine et Pierre Breton (biodynamic!) and Thierry Puzelat from Clos du Tue-Boeuf (In Cot We Trust). These are two producers who produce MUST BUY wines and therefore this event is a must see for the ecW crew. Anybody got any friends in the trade in NYC???

There's an IKEA in New Haven, y'know

...and I'm sure that's news to you.
Besides telling you about their Svalka glassware almost a year ago, I've been mentioning to people their SODA decanter. It's easily broken (I've killed 3 of 'em) but at $15, easily replaced.



Justinsomnia mentions it, too. In the same blog he mentions a $5 bottle of wine from Target. Yowsa! I'm so glad you can't sell wine at Target in CT.

No Reservations

Admit it, your guilty pleasure is Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. It's okay, it's mine, too. Local yokel, Matt Ford, is trying to get the show to come to New Haven...
The video won't embed, so watch it here. There's a quick glimpse, though no mention, of ecWino haunt 116 Crown.

Cachaca

Never one to turn down a free cocktail, I had the distinct pleasure of trying a Caipirinha, Brazil's National Cocktail. Mine was made with Ypioca "Silver" Cachaca ($$), 1/2 lime, quartered and muddled, and 2 teaspoons of cane sugar. Quite tasty, and many more will be consumed as the weather gets better. Wikipedia has the how-to and the where-from. Drinkhacker.com has a nice bit on the Ypioca, which is pretty much the Cachaca.

skappo i biodinamico

Tonight, Mo suggested Skappo (59 Crown St.). It worked out quite well, because as I was perusing the wine list, Arianna Occhipinti jumped out at me. Well, not literally, of course -- I don't think I'd be able to handle that (especially not with Mo present). They're serving the Arianna Occhipinti Frappato 2005 for a measly $55. I've talked about her wines before, and the fact that I found this bottle out, within 1 mile of my home, ensures repeat business for the gang at Skappo.
Oh yeah, they have food, too. Think tapas, but Italian -- real Italian. This is the type of place you'd find in a small village in Tuscany, with long communal tables, and Mom as the enterprising chef who comes out to greet each table. Plenty of veggies, but vegans should say, "no cheese" to everything as pretty much all dishes involve shaved parmesano-reggiano cheese.
The food was great, and the wine list is quite good, even if limited by the Italian only -- bonus points for keeping bottle prices below standard markup.

More marathon tasting notes...

...when you're tasting in a hurry.


Valentina Cubi Iperico 2006 Valpolicella Classico ($-$$)
Wow! Red berry and vanilla -- fruit forward palate with a "rustic" feel.


Yellow Tail Sparkling ($)
Ugh! Foot-in-mouth. Not terrible! Tastes like an average prosecco, for about half the price. Damn you yellow-footed wallaby!!!!


San Fabiano Calcinaia Cellole Chianti Classico Reserva 2003 ($$$)
Nice and smooth. Earthy, almost barn-ey. Dark red fruit palate with earthy accents. Rich, dark plums and barnyard on finish.


Pavilion Napa Cabernet 2006 ($)
This should cost 2-3 times as much, and is the MUST BUY of the lot...
Very approachable. Maybe not over-the-top, but well worth the attention. Good amount of ripe fruit with a well constructed mouthfeel and nice acidity. Over-delivers at the price point.


Chateau Serame 2004 Corbieres ($)
Stunning, new-world style from an old-world producer. Get some.


Chateau Le Boscq St. Estephe 2003 ($$$)
I love barnyard aromas. This wine has barnyard aromas. I love this wine.
Earth + Dark, red fruits + slightly dry = happy wino.


Larmandier-Bernier "No Dosage" Brut N/V Champagne ($$$+)
Biodynamic! Light perfume, jasmine on the nose. White grape, peach, and sour apple palate. Tart grape on dry finish. Yum.


Txomin Etxaniz Txakoli 2007 ($$)
Cotton Candy on the nose, citrus and mineral in the mouth, dry effervescent finish.
MUST BUY.


Alberti 154 Malbec 2006 Mendoza ($)
Blackberry jam. Jam. Blackberries. Jam.

New Haven Advocate Best Of

It'd be real swell if y'all went over to the New Haven Advocate's Best Of Ballot and voted for Drew from 116 Crown as Best Bartender.



That's Drew on the left. That's John Panos (sp?) on the right. He'd make a swell choice for Best DJ as well. Just sayin'...


bonus: funtimes action shot of Drew...

Organic Sake on its way

Fans of Sake may find this li'l tidbit interesting...


"ORGANIC: Coming this June!

We are honored to announce the coming of the first certified organic saké. Momokawa Organic Junmai Ginjo and a Nigori Genshu will begin shipping early June 2008. While there are a few saké on the market that highlight "organic" on their bottles they are not certified organic but are merely made with organic rice. There is a vast difference in "made with" and "organic" with the main differences being a certified brewing facility and complete certification of all ingredients. The complete certification adds value for organic and natural grocers and restaurants alike. Watch for more news including the finalized release date, packaging and sampling opportunities." -- from the SAKE ONE mailing list.

Sake bombers can find more info at SAKE ONE. In the meantime, head over to Miya's (68 Howe St. New Haven) for the Sake Sampler.

Real beer from Italy

New Haven has it's fair share of Italians Italian restaurants. It's not hard to find Moretti or Peroni beers in restaurants or package stores in the 'Have.
We've been drinking the Italian equivalent of Budweiser and Heineken for way too long now. Fortunately, we'll soon see Menabrea in the area.
Birra Menabrea Biella is Italy's oldest craft brewery, having survived 2 World Wars. We'll be seeing a Blonde and an Amber in a couple of weeks time. To be honest, I've never had it, so head over to Tom Ciccateri's review at RealBeer.com.

Alta Vista

The Mendoza region of Argentina has been pumping out some quality wine in recent years. I recently had the chance to taste through a bunch of offerings from Alta Vista, one of but 682 wineries in the region (*).

Alta Vista offers wines in three "classes" -- Alta Vista, Alta Vista Premium, and Alta Vista Grande Reserve. The tasting was a veritable marathon, and my shorthand tasting notes reflect as much...

Alta Vista Chardonnay 2006 ($)
Buttery, New World style Chardonnay. Great for drinkers of California whites.

Alta Vista Torrontes 2006 ($)
Sweet citrus on the nose; almost has a Muscat-like quality. Surprisingly smooth, with more "white wine fruits" and less "muscat" on the palate.

Alta Vista Merlot 2005 ($)
My notes read, "standard Argentine merlot". Argentinian merlot tends to lean towards a Californian style, with focus on the fruit. Price wise, this is a MUST BUY.

Alta Vista Malbec 2005 ($)
A great entry-level Argentinian malbec. Lighter than what most malbec-heads will expect, but offers nice fruit and a "chewy" texture that will please any palate. If you haven't gotten into Argentina's malbecs yet, this is where to start. Nice mellow finish.

Alta Vista Premium Chardonnay 2006 ($+)
Smells as if there is some of the Torrontes in the wine -- Muscat and warm weather citrus fruits dominate the nose. The palate offers more butter than fruit.

Alta Vista Premium Malbec 2005 ($+)
My notes read, "standard representation of Argentinian Malbec". This is the one to start with if you've already entered the malbec-zone (read: Firehouse 12). Spicy black fruits and a nice minerality on the finish. This wine had better replace those jugs at every art opening I attend in New Haven in the next year.

Alta Vista Premium Cabernet 2005 ($+)
This is a nice New World Cabernet with a "dusty" mouthfeel. This would be a great wine for a mix of wine dorks and newbies at the same dinner party.

Alta Vista Grande Reserve Malbec 2005 ($$+)
My notes read, "Where have you been all my life?"
This was a nice, hot, over-the-top malbec. Older vines lend themselves to chocolate and spice on the nose with dark fruits -- black currant, specifically -- on the palate. MUST BUY MUST BUY MUST BUY.

Alta Vista Malbec Rose 2006 ($)
Very interesting and super-complex for an offering under $15, there was only a hint of sweetness on the palate. Cotton candy on the nose. Check the Wine Cask Blog for his review of the '05.

It's been a while...

My apologies! I haven't gotten around to posting, yet there's been so much vino flowing! I promise to get those updates out soon.
My excuse? I've been busy watching these guys...

Speaking of...

Only two months in the cellar, and the Bruno Colin 2004 Premier Cru Santenay "Les Gravieres" ($$$-$$$$) (my top wine of the year) is coming along nicely. The black cherry nose is still there, but the barnyard characteristics one would expect from an aged Burgundy are presenting themselves. The wine is already "smoother", with dark fruits on the lengthy finish. Still my favorite wine of the past 365 days...

Speaking of Bruno Colin, I also got to try his Bruno Colin 2004 Premier Cru Chassagne Montrachet "La Maltroie" ($$$$) today. For the newbs, white Burgundies from the Chassagne-Montrachet appellation are Chardonnay (in its true, non-Californian form). To the old-schoolers, yes, I opened this wine way too soon (like seven years too soon). Young as it was, it had a nose of green apples and fresh almonds, with a full fruit palate, all the while displaying a mineral character, from nose to finish. There is a hint of oak throughout, but it shows most in the aftertaste. Yummy.

Speaking of my top wines of the year, I also had more of the 2006 Clos de los Siete ($$). This time I didn't get the chance to use a decanter (more on that later) and found the wine to be too green. This doesn't bring it off my list, but it does mean you should drink it slowly, or open it at least a half hour before you drink it, or use a decanter. (Better yet, throw it in your basement, and try it again in six months) I mention this wine all the time -- I'm not turning back on it now.

Speaking of "green", I tried more of the 2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo "Alto Moncayo" Campo de Borja ($$$) which Stephen Tanzer gave a 92+ rating because he felt it was too young, but would develop nicely over time. (Read related post here) It's already drinking better, although it was being consumed by two lovers of "New World" reds. Old World types should leave this in the cellar longer.
--Whoa! Matt, we don't have CELLARS, did you forget who you were writing this blog for?!?!?!?!?!
Sorry about that. Don't buy it yet. I know it might not be around for long, but unless you want your red wine to peel your face off from the inside (to quote Rinsey), stay very far away. That said, I'm in love with this wine.

Speaking of "in love", Arianna Occhipinti's 2006 Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso IGT Frappato ($$-$$$) is headed for the States. I'm going to the shipyard to meet it.

Speaking of "decanters", don't ever decant a wine while standing up above a white couch with Drew and Alex of 116 Crown, or you may end up with a broken decanter and a pink couch.

Speaking of pink, find a bottle of 2006 Etude Pinot Noir Rose ($$). Strawberry on the nose, crisp on the palate, short-lived but effective. Just get one.

text messages

Text messages used to make me feel like a 9th grade girl, but I'm starting to get used to them. Here's a little text exchange I thought I'd share...

"Karaoke. Coming Out?"

"Ack! Just opened a btl of Freeman Pinot Noir. I can't afford to leave the house!"


...the Freeman 2005 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($$$) is a classic example of BIG California pinot. As soon as you open the bottle, there is a ton of "cherry coke" on the nose, but given a brief amount of time in the glass, the "cola" loses out to big oak notes and spice. The flavor in the mouth brings cherries and raspberries with a nice, mellow texture with lower acidity than one would expect from a BIG-CALI pinot. This is interesting to note, as other '05 Russian River pinots in this price point have acidity and tannins that make you want to lay the bottle down for a year before opening it. This one is drinking right now. The finish is a little short for my taste, but that's really the only negative thing I can come up with for this wine. Besides, if the finish is too short, just quickly pour yourself another glass and start all over again!
EDIT: It's now about an hour after opening, and this wine has opened up to be a very Burgundian animal. There is almost no "cherry coke" left on the nose, instead earthy notes run the house. The mouthfeel and palate are similar, but the complete about-face in nose, this quick, without a decanter, is wild, pushing this wine to MUST BUY status.
Don't quite get the "Burgundian animal" comment? Pacific West Coast Pinot is a Staffordshire Terrier -- in the wrong hands, it's just a pit bull. Burgundian Pinot is a show-winning Beagle, a work-hound, yet refined and elegant. Moral? They're both dogs.

Speaking of laying down pinot noir, I had the opportunity to sample some higher dollar California pinots from 1998 and 1999. This is without question way too long to hold on to most, if not all, BIG-CALI pinots, but it was fun to try...

note: the following wines tasted were much older vintages than are currently available and in no way reflect the quality of current vintages.
The Saintsbury Brown Ranch Pinot Noir 1998 (current vintage $$$) smelled of "cow plop" and had a taste that amounted to prunes wrapped in notebook paper. Not even joking. Alright maybe a tiny bit.

Flowers Pinot Noir 1998 (current vintage $$$) fared only slightly better, with less "plop" on the nose, and a little less notebook paper on the palate. It lacked any body however, and was also waaaaaaay past its prime.

Gary Farrell Pinot Noir 1998 (current vintage $$$) was my favorite out of the bunch, which while not saying much, was definitely a not-as-bad sign. The nose was closer to the barnyard and wet earth smells I enjoy so much than to the straight up "cow plop" some of the others had. For anyone confused about the difference between "barnyard" and "cow plop", think of "barnyard" as the smell of a stable, minus the ammonia-laden urine; think of "cow plop" as what you stepped in leaving the stable. -- feel better now? The palate of the Farrell still had some of the fruit, but not much, which is understandable at this age (we ain't talkin' Burgundies here), and developed some interesting mineral characters. I'll admit, if I found this bottle again on the open market, I'd try talking the shopkeeper down and buy it, just to try this exercise again. Not by any means a good drinker for ANYONE, but a fun, um, science project.

The Miner Family Pinot Noir 1999 (current vintage $$$$) was alot like the Farrell. Also a SCIENCE PROJECT wine (I love that we've created a new category based on self-torture), I'd probably buy one of these, too, if I happened upon it. A similar barnyard and wet earth nose preceded a palate with slightly more fruit, albeit nothing like a current or recent vintage CA pinot, and an actual finish. The finish on this one made me think of going to my Great-Grandmother's house when I was a kid -- dusty, antiquated house with a beautiful garden out back (that I wasn't allowed to play in). Oddly enough, if you found this wine, from this vintage, properly cellared, you'd know exactly what I meant by that.

It was a fun exercise, one that will ultimately lead to a better understanding of peak times for opening a wine -- after all, the beauty of this (ack!) hobby is that there is always something to learn.


Cheers!

hearts

My temporary infatuation with Arianna Occhipinti and her Frappato has not waned...




...ha!
I even found her website.
To keep the stalker-izing to a minimum, I have sworn off biodynamic wines for the duration of the weekend.
Apparently, my future wife has quite a following, which is evident if one goes to Joe Dressner's site and checks the comments section of all the Italian Wine Attack posts. Not me. I swear. Seriously. Okay, the one about the Frappato was me, but the rest ain't. Really.

NYTimes reviews 116 Crown St.

"Excellent", says the New York Times, but we knew that already. For those who still buy the paper, it's in the Connecticut section.

Congrats to J&D at 116!!!

Dressner's Mafia invades New Haven

Joe Dressner, the influential wine importer and half of Louis/Dressner Selections, brought seven of his portfolio's Italian winemakers to Union League Cafe (1032 Chapel St.) for a tasting of their wines. Click here to find out more about the winemakers.

All of the wines tasted are farmed biodynamically, treating the soil as a living organism, little to no sulphur is used (although sulfites do naturally exist in wine, so these aren't necessarily "sulfite-free"), and the wines are made without the use of high-priced consultants.



"borrowed" from joedressner.com


The stars of the show were Pietro Vergano (second from right), Alessandra Bera (third from left), and Arianna Occhipinti (left).

Pietro Vergano, from Chinati Vergano is a chemist-turned-distiller. He makes Chinato, a mixture of wine, spirits, sweeteners, and spices. Although his Chinato is not what one would expect to find at a "traditional" wine tasting, these were a big hit with everyone who tried them. The room was abuzz with, "Try table eight (his table) first!". The gang from 116 Crown were called in for their opinions, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see Chinati Vergano on their menu soon.
Pietro, who distills spirits from organic grains, offered three variations of Chinato...
The Chinati Vergano Americano ($$$) uses wines from Piedmont mixed with the Absinthe herb, among other spices. We tasted it first, and found it to be a cornucopia of pie spices with a nice sweet finish. Pietro then, excited, threw some ice cubes and orange zest into our glasses and poured more Americano. The difference was amazing, and this is an aperitif that is a MUST TRY.
The Chinati Vergano Luli Chanato Moscato ($$$-$$$$) was, obviously, a moscato d'asti based chinato, sweetened with local sugar and infused with cinnamon, quinine, and corriander. The moscato actually comes from Allesandra and Gianluigi Bera (their moscato was one of the big hits of the show).
The Chinati Vergano Chinato Nebbiolo ($$$-$$$$) features a base of Nebbiolo d'Alba from Barbaresco, which is usually a red wine on the heartier side. This was infused with Rhubarb, Cardamom, and Quinine, as well as a host of other spices, but it gets kind of tough to follow that accent. This Chinato was more of a digestif, and I can picture myself with this at the end of a long day, reading a book, wearing my smoking jacket.
I need to get a smoking jacket.

Alessandra Bera, from Bera Vittorio & Figli, is a rebellious woman. Teaming up with her brother, they make Moscato without "gassing up the wine" (normal practice), instead using spontaneous refermentation by keeping the wine on it's lees for up to a year.
The Bera Moscato d'Asti ($$), while not her only showing, was definitely her best. Most of the attendees felt this was the best white wine at the show. It offered the fruit nose typical of Moscato, but had copious amounts of honey on the palate. The wine was "super-carbonated" for a Moscato, but it was not a hindrance. Instead, it just made me want more. This could've been the most dangerous wine in attendance. This wine, while scarce, is a MUST BUY.

Arianna Occhipinti, from Az. Agr. Arianna Occhipinti, doesn't know it yet, but will be my future wife. (Ha!) Besides being a young, attractive, biodynamic producer from a long lineage of well-known winemakers, she made the best reds I tasted all night.
Her Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso IGT Nero d'Avola Siccagno ($$$$) was a soft and refined Nero d'Avola that still retained some of the heartier elements expected from the grape.
She then offered two vintages of Occhipinti Sicilia Rosso IGT Frappato, 2005 (N/A) and 2006 ($$$$, arrival in spring). I felt there was more fruit on the '06, and it turns out she picked the grapes 15 days later in the growing season than the '05. This longer ripening period translates to more complexity in the wine. The 2006 vintage was definitely my favorite, and offered barnyard and earthy notes on the nose, before giving way to an attack of strawberry on the palate. The finish was smooth and very long, long enough that I sat at the bar at 116 a few hours later without any wine in front of me -- I just couldn't bear to lose that taste. I would call this wine a MUST BUY, but for fear that others will buy the limited amount of this wine before I get any, I won't.

Keep an eye out for the Louis/Dressner logo on the backs of wine bottles, as the enjoyability of these wines is pretty much guaranteed. Dressner keeps his portfolio either Biodynamic or Organic, which is refreshing when most wines marketed as "organic" are just plain terrible.

Not Me

not me

White Flight

...not that kind!

Had the chance to taste a bunch of white wines today, all at very nice price points, that were all pretty decent. Contrary to appearances, I'm not much of a white guy. (Ha!) Alright, I can't jump.

2006 Hob Nob Chardonnay ($)
I've wanted to mention this wine before. It almost made my Top Wines of 2007 list in the $15 and under category until I narrowed the selections down to five. This wine is a "vin de pays d'oc" (read: table wine) from France, that essentially is a blend of chardonnay grapes from different regions-- this keeps it from falling under the rules of appellations. I brought this out to a Critical Mass afterparty, where it was a big hit. Thinking that this meant is was a yellowtail-set wine, I tried bringing it to some friends in the restaurant business. They all loved it (and some now offer it by the glass). It's a surprisingly balanced chardonnay for the price point. It's nose is full of tropical fruits, odd for a French chard. There is a complete about-face in the flavor -- much less fruit, the mouth is full of almonds and a few other exotic nuts. While the finish is brief, normal for the price point, it is not without character, bringing just a hint of the fruit back. This wine is a MUST BUY, even for wine snobs, because it can surprise any palate. Is it a "flavor profile" wine intended for the mass-market? Yes. Is it drinkable? Yes. Will I ultimately buy this and offer it in my home? Yes.

Barone Fini Valdadige Pinot Grigio 2006 ($)
This wine, from the Northeast corner of Italy, is par for the course Pinot Grigio. What sets this wine apart from other P.G.'s is it's price point versus quality. It has nice notes of cold weather fruits (apples, pears) on the nose and a pleasant mouthfeel. For those of you who couldn't find (or couldn't afford) the Marco or Livio Felluga, this wine is for you. At this price, this is a MUST BUY daily drinker for Pinot Grigio types.

2006 Kunde Estate Sauvignon Blanc ($)
Cheap. Organic/Sustainable. Decent, Californian Sauv Blanc. Just buy it, already.

The Crossings Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2007 ($-$$)
This vintage is a new arrival to CT. Anyone who has heard rumblings of the current vintage of Sauv Blancs from New Zealand needs to find this wine. All the tropical fruit, melon, and key lime one would expect from a good Sauvignon Blanc, with none of the limited allocation problems (or radical cost). This wine is available, and if your "guy" doesn't have it, it can be ordered.

Andre Lurton Chateau Bonnet White Bordeaux 2006 ($)
First of all, any other white Bordeaux for less than ten bucks will be bad. I've tried a bunch. They suck. This one, however, has tons of character. Crisp and dry, maybe overly dry for a white, this wine is 50% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillon, and 10% Muscadelle. For a few years, this winemaker was looked down upon for taking a centuries-old vineyard and applying modern techniques. The past few years of this wine have been their real coup d'etat -- proving that old school attention to detail paired with modern techniques can yield a wine of character that remains at an approachable price point. This wine was one of my favorites.

2006 Pierre Sparr Pinot Gris Reserve ($-$$)
We've saved the best for last. Alsace wines are often overlooked here in New Haven County. Maybe because the bottle looks so much like a German wine. Maybe it's because a German dialect was spoken for so long in the region. Maybe because the wines are "sweeter" than most whites from France. Who knows. (and why the hostility towards the Germans?!?!?!)
This wine has all the cold weather white fruit notes you would expect from a German, with a semi-sweet Riesling like mouthfeel. The finish, however, is all France, bringing you back to the wood and "raw" grape. For "sweet" wine drinkers and the rest of us, this one is my MUST BUY of the lot (must-est buy?). If only one of these were coming home, this is it.

Easton, CT digs Spanish wine, Don Mattingly likes Mendoza

I had the opportunity to pour wines at a couple of charity events recently. Pourings generally consist of standing on your feet for hours with no help, being harassed by drunkards and cork dorks, and running out of wine before you actually get to try any. These two were a bit cooler...


Spanish Wine attacks Easton

I was invited by Valley Discount Wine and Liquor (mentioned before) to Easton for a charity silent auction. Four wine tables were to be at the event, representing Argentina, Australia, Italy, and Spain. I was asked to pour Spanish wine and talk the talk with some of Easton's philanthropy set.
We chose six reds and one white, running the gamut of Spanish microclimates, while allowing side by side comparisons of the same grape.

For the white, I poured 2006 Castelo do Papa Godello ($), which made my Top Wines of 2007 list. It was a hit, mainly among those who favor Sauvignon Blanc.

The reds got a bit more complicated, and I served them based on their climates, starting with colder temperatures and moving warmer. Of course, we are talking about Spain, so I really went from hotter to hotterer.
I started with 2003 Matarredonda Juan Rojo ($$), a tempranillo grown in the Toro region of North-Central Spain. Much of the vines used for this wine are between 70 and 140 years old, dating from before the phylloxera epidemic that wiped out much of Europe's vineyards. It's aged for 8 months in French and American oak. The wine is ruby colored with a fruit-driven nose. The mouthfeel is chewy with lots of red berry flavor that shows through to the long, smooth finish. For more information on the wine, visit Ole Imports.
The 2004 Emilio Moro Ribera Del Duero ($$$) is 100% tempranillo grown in the Ribera del Duero region. The area where it is grown can be referred to as the slow-motion D.O., as nighttime temperatures often get so low that the grape ripening process goes into a sort of suspended animation until the morning sun starts it up again. This leads to a longer ripening process, offering multiple, complex character notes. This had the best response out of all the tempranillos I poured that night. Tempranillos from Ribera del Duero are generally a safe bet. This one can be found at Barcelona (155 Temple St.).
The 2005 Bodegas y Vinedos de Aldeanueva Cortijo III Tinto or Cortijo III, for short ($), is an unoaked, entry level tempranillo great for winning over the Yellowtail set. A fruity daily drinker with a mellow finish, this wine falls into my art-opening category.
2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo "Veraton" Campo de Borja ($$$) was a great garnacha from the Spanish Northeast. It was poured along with 2005 Bodegas Alto Moncayo "Alto Moncayo" Campo de Borja ($$$-$$$$+). The "Veraton" has scored 92 points from Stephen Tanzer, and is a MUST BUY for fans of garnacha (grenache). The "Alto Moncayo" rates 92+ points from Tanzer, because he believes it will improve significantly with age. This was evident in the tannic structure of the wine (and the faces of some who drank it). I felt it drank well, considering it was so young, and anyone buying it for immediate consumption would need to use a decanter. This is a MUST BUY for anyone with a proper cellar.
2005 Bodegas Hijos de Juan Gil "Juan Gil" ($-$$) has been mentioned here numerous times and also made my Top Wines of 2007 list. This wine is a MUST BUY for everyone, and anyone who hasn't gone out and grabbed one of these beauties yet has some serious issues. This wine, a monastrell grown in Jumilla, represented the hotterer microclimate out of all the wines I poured, and generated the most buzz out of the crowd. Quite a few people ignored the spit bucket for this one.


Who the hell are these people?!?!

I also got a chance to pour at the Bobby Valentine Celebrity Wine and Food Experience at the Greenwich Hyatt. Another silent auction/tasting event, this one goes to benefit the Mickey Lione Jr. Fund and features hundreds of sports celebrities mingling with the denizens of lower Fairfield County. The event was great, and not just because I got to pour for Don Mattingly, Brian Cashman, and Baba Booey. Phew, let me pick those names up off the floor.
This time I had wines from Mendoza, Argentina, obviously Malbecs and Malbec blends.
2006 Clos de los Siete ($-$$) was in attendance, of course, with 2005 Cuvelier los Andes "Coleccion" ($$$) acting as relief pitcher. Despite the price difference, most people preferred the 'Siete, which I think can be attributed to the extra year of soil time. The vines for both of these wines are fairly young, and the extra year in-soil makes an amazing difference. Both wines are MUST BUYS for fans of fruit-forward-oak-influenced New World-style reds.
The 2005 Alta Vista Grande Reserva Terroir Selection Malbec ($$) was a traditional style malbec that offered a dark purple color, aromas of spice, farmsoil, and berry, and a flavor of ripe fruit. It was a good wine, but I think it is overshadowed by the 2004 vintage. The tannic structure, while soft, lends this wine to the possibility of cellar time (though brief), so it may get better with age.
2005 Colome Estate Malbec ($$$) had a bold, red fruit nose with flavors of blackberry and red cherry, with noticeable tannins, and a long "woody" finish. Many of the people who tried this wine came back to tell me that it got even better when they drank it with food.

Clos de los Siete about to get scarce

Clos de los Siete 2006 ($$), which we have mentioned at least a couple hundred times went and got great ratings from all the top wine critics. Besides reaffirming that the ecWino crew knows what's up, this means it's about to get much harder to find. Connecticut had been the top seller of 'Siete for a few years, but with the great ratings, other states are catching on. In turn, the suppliers are sending quite a bit of Connecticut's allocation elsewhere.
This means you're going to have to get out there and buy this wine now. As a refresher, it's fruit forward and oak-influenced, produced by a superstar team of winemakers, and one of the best bottles of red you're going to find at this price point.

we went and got engaged as an excuse to drink better wine for little to no money

Apologies for the lack of recent posts, it's been a hectic couple of weeks, what with the ecWino team finally getting engaged and all. (It took almost fourteen years)

There have been some impromptu celebrations as a result...

The night of the engagement, we went to Crave in Ansonia (102 Main St. 203.735.3300). We first mentioned it here back in November. I kept hearing it referred to as the new Roomba, and had stopped in a few times for lunch (which by the way offers probably the best black bean burrito I've ever had), but had yet to go for dinner. We got all crazy (read: vegetarian) and ordered a stew that was to die for. More importantly, we ordered Black Bart Stagecoach Vineyard Syrah 2005 ($$$-$$$$) from Veraison.
The past two vintages have scored well over 90 points from anyone worth their salt (and a few who aren't), and this bottle did not disappoint. The color is a striking ruby color, with a nose of bacon or smoked pork and cinnamon. The palate offers some flavors consistent in California syrah -- blackberry, cherry, and black ground pepper -- but also offers up dark chocolate and espresso. The whole wine is smooth and elegantly balanced with a mellow finish.
For comparison, we recently tasted a 2004 Black Bart Syrah ($$$), which had very similar qualities. The main differences in our notes were a nose that offered more wildflowers than "bacon", hints of salted red meat on the palate, and a finish that brings you back to the wildflowers.
Both of these wines are highly recommended if you get the desire to spoil yourself.

Later that evening we ended up at, where else, 116 Crown in New Haven. I wanted to keep the evening on the high note, so we ordered a bottle of 2006 Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($$$-$$$$). This wine is well deserving of its cult status, but was a bit of a let down compared to the Black Bart. I realize I'm comparing apples to oranges, but I suggest drinking this wine on its own, as opposed to giving it second bottle status.
It offers plenty of red fruit on the nose, but the fruit is kept tame by curry spices and French oak, giving this wine an overall exotic character. The wine's mouthfeel is soft and plush with the fruit masking the acidity until the finish. It's definitely a California wine, but the exotic accents made me feel this was the perfect wine for drinking at a Moroccan resort overlooking the sea. The curry makes me think this wine may stand up to spicier light dishes, but is perfectly fine on its own.

There were several celebratory bottles of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Yellow Label ($$$) which is one of our favorite non vintage Champagnes. It was mentioned back on Christmas.
The real star, however, was our celebratory bottle of Krug Grand Cuvee ($$$$$+). This Champagne is a blend of several years worth of grapes, from several vineyards surrounding the main Krug estate. The color is a perfect golden yellow, reminding me more of a fine Weissbier than a Champagne. The nose is floral with touches of honey, while the palate is rich and nutty. This almost spoiled Clicquot for me, but fortunately is normally out of my financial reach. This nonvintage sparkler is ensured consistency in flavor and quality by blending still wines from the previous six to ten vintages with younger grapes.