Wine event: The Wines at the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Banquet in Honour of President Obama in Oslo

Picture: Reuters

The 2009 Nobel Peace Prize Banquet in honor of President Obama was held at the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, on December 10, 2009.

The following wines were served.

NV Champagne Jacquesson Cuvée no 733, France

Jacquesson is a well respected Champagne House founded in 1798. It is among the oldest ones. Napoleon is said to have favored the Jacquesson sparklers. Jacquesson is now run by brothers Jean-Hervé and Laurent Chiquet, with a third partner, Michael Mackenzie, based in London. The Jacquesson vineyards are in the Grand Cru villages of Aÿ, Avize and Oiry and in the Premier Cru villages of Hautvillers, Dizy and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ. These sites account for the majority of the fruit used by the house, but about 15% is sourced from other growers.

Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Émile 2004 – Trimbach, France

A dry white wine from the Alsace region. The Trimbach family has a wine-making history stretching back almost 400 years. One of the great winemakers in the Alcase region, with an emphasis on Riesling and Gewurztraminer. The Cuvée Frédéric Emile (from Grands Crus Osterberg and Geisberg)is probably their best known wine.

Pouilly-Fumé 2008 – André Dezat et fis, France

Another French wine, from the Loire region. The Pouilly-Fumé is dry white wine made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape variety. It is characterized by smoky flavors and minerality. This is an unspectacular wine, but highly appreciated in the US, which is probably the reason, why it was served.

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 – Robert Mondavi, US

An American classic from the Estate of Robert Mondavi - one of the great personalities of the American wine revolution.

Vidal Icewine 2003 – Inniskillin Wines, Canada

An icewine from the top wine maker of Canadian icewine, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. Inniskillin has played an important pioneering role in the modern Canadian wine industry. Vidal Blanc is an inter-specific hybrid variety of white wine grape, which manages to produce high sugar levels in cold climates while maintaining good acid levels.

Schiller Wine - Related Posting

Wine Event: The Wines served at President's Obama State Dinner of the Indian Prime Minister

Wine Event: Wines served at the 2009 Nobel Prize Banquet in Stockholm

Wine Ratings: Austria’s Best Red Wines - 2010

The wine guide, in German, Austria’s Best Red Wines 2010 (Oesterreichs Beste Rotweine 2010) was released on December 3, 2009. The wine guide is published by the two wine journalists Helmut O. Knall and Walter Tucek.

Like Germany, Austria has an international reputation for its white wines, but there has been a revolution going on in terms of red wines in recent years. In both countries, red wine now accounts for about 1/3 of the wine production.

Earlier this years, for the first time, a red wine from Austria has earned 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. Moric, Blaufränkisch, Neckenmarkter Alte Reben, 2006 scooped the high ranking.

This success of the Burgenland red echoed a bit the triumph of the Pinot Noir of Weingut Meyer-Näkel Dernauer Pfarrwingert Spätburgunder Grosses Gewächs 2005, from the Ahr region in Germany that won the 2008 the International Pinot Noir Trophy (Over £10) of the Decanter World Wine Awards.

There are four key Austrian red varieties, although others are grown, including some ‘international’ grapes.

Zwiegelt: The most abundant red grape; makes good wines ranging from simple cherry fruit gluggers to more substantial reds destined for ageing.

Blaufränkisch: Common in Burgenland this makes spicy, sturdy, berry fruited reds which can have some tannic structure. Probably Austria’s best red grape.

Blauer Portugieser: This red grape makes soft, approachable, juicy wines mainly for early consumption. The most widely planted red grape but not for top quality wines.
St Laurent: Makes soft, slight herby, expressive reds; it’s a bit like Pinot Noir.



Picture: Wine makers Glazter (left) and Markowitsch

Knall/Tucek rate wines on a scale of 1 to 5 glasses. 34 wines were awarded 5 glasses.

4 of the 5 glasses wines come from the Carnuntum. The Carnuntum region covers an area south east of Vienna and south of the Danube. The stony lime and loess soils of the Leithagebirge, the Arbesthaler Hügelland and the Hainburger Bergen, together with the Pannonian micro climate and the proximity to the Danube offer ideal natural conditions. Europe's oldest vine can be found in this region. I have bought Glatzer and Markowitsch wines at the RotWeissRot in Munich, one of the leading, if not the best retailer of Austrian wines in Germany.

The 34 wines that were awarded 5 glasses are listed here. They can be considered as word class wines. Interestingly, Moric, who got 95 Parker points, is not on the list.

1. Schwarz Rot 2008 Weingut Johann Schwarz Neusiedlersee
2. St. Laurent Rosenberg 2007 Brigitte und Gerhard Pittnauer Neusiedlersee
3. Blaufränkisch Spitzerberg Reserve 2007 Dietrich - Weinbau am Spitzerberg Carnuntum
4. Spitzerberg 2007 Weingut & Gasthaus Günther Glock Carnuntum
5. Judith 2007 Weingut Beck Neusiedlersee
6. Paradigma 2007 Weingut Claus Preisinger Neusiedlersee
7. Pannobile 2007 Weingut Claus Preisinger Neusiedlersee
8. Pinot Noir 2007 Weingut Claus Preisinger Neusiedlersee
9. Pandur 2007 Weingut Familie Strehn Österreich - Mittelburgenland
10. Zweigelt Dornenvogel 2007 Weingut Glatzer Carnuntum
11. Eruption Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 Weingut Krispel Südost-Steiermark
12. Blaufränkisch Reserve 2007 Weingut Krutzler Süd-Burgenland
13. Gigama 2007 Weingut Leth Wagram
14. Rosenberg 2007 Weingut Markowitsch Carnuntum
15. Pinot Noir 2007 Weingut Neumeister Südost-Steiermark
16. Admiral 2007 Weingut Pöckl Neusiedlersee
17. Kreideberg 2007 Weingut Wagentristl Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
18. Merlot Von den Schlossterrassen 2007 Weingut Winkler-Hermaden Südost-Steiermark
19. Altenberg Reserve 2006 Brigitte und Gerhard Pittnauer Neusiedlersee
20. Blaufränkisch Altenberg 2006 Weingut Beck Neusiedlersee
21. Merlot 2006 Weingut Braunstein Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
22. Cupido 2006 Weingut J. Heinrich Mittelburgenland
23. Eisner 2006 Weingut Kloster am Spitz Neusiedlersee-Hügelland
24. Pannobile 2006 Weingut Leitner Neusiedlersee
25. Hill 1 2006 Weingut Leo Hillinger Neusiedlersee
26. Eruption Rot 2006 Weingut Ploder-Rosenberg Südost-Steiermark
27. Kreos 2006 Weingut Tesch Mittelburgenland
28. Dürrau 2006 Weingut Weninger Mittelburgenland
29. Antares 2006 Weingut Zahel Wien
30. Danubis Grand Select 2005 Weingut Wieninger Wien
31. Zweigelt Hallebühl 2004 Weingut Umathum Neusiedlersee
32. Pinot Noir Grand Select 2004 Weingut Wieninger Wien
33. Langenloiser Dechant Blauburgunder 2003 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Kamptal
34. Vincent Cabernet Franc 2002 Weingut Willi Bründlmayer Kamptal


Tucek & Knall: Österreichs beste Rotweine aus 2009, im Österreichischen Wirtschaftsverlag, 164 Seiten, durchgehend farbig, 9,90 Euro, Alpha Buchhandel alpha@austrodata.at


Schiller Wine – Related Postings:

Wine merchant in Munich: Rotweissrot
German Wine makers in the World: A. Schlumberger, Austria




Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Gerhard Biber, Rotweissrot in Munich

Wine ratings: Mosel and Pfalz regions dominate German Wines on Top 100 Wine Enthusiast Lists in 2009

The Wine Enthusiast has published its Top 100 wines lists - Top 100 Best Buys, Top 100 Cellar Selections and Enthusiast 100. Only Seven of the 300 selected wines come from Germany. All seven wines are either from the Mosel or the Pfalz regions. They are all Rieslings, and, except for one wine, all sweet or noble-sweet wines.

There is a distinct disconnect between the Top 100 Wine Enthusiast lists and what the two leading German wine guides - Gault Millau and Eichelmann – say. This should not come as a surprise. Different markets are assessed. What counts for the German wine guides is what is produced and consumed in Germany. What counts for the Wine Enthusiast is what comes to the American market and is consumed in the US. And there is a huge difference between the two.

Take Ernst Loosen’s Dr. L. A hugely popular German wine in the US, which made it to the Top 100 Wine Spectator list this year, one of two German wines. The Loosen wine is very well regarded in the US, but unheard of in Germany. When you go to the web site of the Dr. Loosen Estate in Germany, you will not find it. A wine, produced only for the export market. A Top 100 wine in the US, an unknown wine in Germany. In general, Dr. Ernst Loosen is a rising star in the US, hugely popular, while in Germany the Estate has just been downgraded in the Gault Millau Guide.

Against this background, here are the Top 100 lists of the Wine Enthusiast.

The Top 100 Best Buys are wines that carry a suggested retail price of no more than $15 and whose quality is outstanding in comparison to its price. Low-cost producers and producing regions dominate the list. There is 1 German wine on this list.

Gräflich von Hohenthal’scher 2005 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer); $12; 89 point.

At $12 for a single vineyard Kabinett, this is an excellent value, delivering exotic honey, apricot and spice notes. The texture is creamy and silky; the finish is lush and soft. Drink it over the next few years. Imported by Scoperta Importing Co. Inc

The Top 100 Cellar Selections are wines that require time in a temperature- and humidity-controlled cellar to reach their maximum potential. These are often among the highest-rated wines of the year, and price is less important in compiling this Top 100 list than for any of the others. Three German wines made it to the list.

Joh. Jos. Prüm 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer); $60; 94 points.

Prüm’s 2007 Sonnenuhr Auslese shows a typical youthful yeasty-leesy-sulfur funk, but also layers of ripe pear and citrus fruit lurking underneath. It’s sweet but wonderfully balanced, plump and creamy in texture and long on the finish. Imported by Valckenberg International

Ökonomierat Rebholz 2007 Kastanienbusch, Riesling Grosses Gewächs (Pfalz); $90, 93 points.

Like the Im Sonnenschein, this wine shows a touch of green on the nose, but there are also some riper notes that bring to mind tangerines. This is almost too intense and minerally; fans of fruity Rieslings will likely be underwhelmed, but if you like the flavors of wet salty stones that extend almost indefinitely on the finish, this wine is a winner. Imported by Cellars International, Inc.

Geh. Rat Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan 2007 Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese (Pfalz); $333/375ml.; 95 points.

The numbers on this wine are amazing (380 g/l residual sugar, 17 g/l TA), but even more impressive is how such an extremely sweet wine can remain reasonably drinkable, complex and harmonious. It’s musky and spice-laden, filled with dried apricot and honey flavors that linger on the incredibly long, citrusy finish. Should age indefinitely. Imported by Valckenberg International, Inc.

The Enthusiast 100 represent the most diverse and dynamic wines available. They are wines that offer extraordinary quality at prices that still represent affordable luxury. They are mostly wines that can be consumed over the near term, although some will undoubtedly benefit from cellaring. Three German wines are on the list.

Grans-Fassian 2007 Trittenheimer Apotheke Riesling Spätlese Goldkapsel (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer); $38; 93 points.

This striking Spätlese comes across as lush and decadent, yet without losing any focus. Crushed stones impart a sense of minerality on the nose, palate and finish, while the roundness comes from notes of honey, apple blossom and orange marmalade. Long and pristinely pure on the finish. Drink now–2030. Imported by Valckenberg International, Inc.

Dr. Loosen 2007 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Auslese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer); $42; 93 points.

This thrilling Auslese starts off with intriguing spicy, musky aromas, then moves easily into flavors of pear, melon, pineapple and even red berries on the palate. It somehow comes across as plump, yet crytalline and pure, with a long, fruit-driven finish. Drink now–2030. Imported by Loosen Bros. USA.

Mönchhof Estate 2007 Mosel Slate Riesling Spätlese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer); $25; 92 points.

With 3,000 cases imported into the U.S., consumers should still be able to track down some of this sweet, luscious Spätlese. Citrus and custard notes mark the nose, followed by rich, tropical elements, even some hints of banana. Despite the sugary richness, the wine ends clean and refreshing, thanks to a burst of lime on the finish. Imported by Cellars International, Inc.

In addition, two German/American wines made it to the list, with the wine being a joint venture of an American and a German wine maker. The German wine makers are Dr. Loosen (Mosel) and Diel (Nahe).

Chateau Ste. Michelle & Dr. Loosen 2008 Eroica Riesling (Columbia Valley); $24; 93 points.

The 10th vintage of Eroica may be the best ever. It’s supremely fresh, spicy, and mineral-driven. The well-textured mouthfeel runs the gamut from celery, chervil, and other fresh herb into melon, citrus and stone. Though technically offdry, this is a low pH, high acid wine with plenty of length and depth.

Poet’s Leap 2007 Riesling (Columbia Valley); $20; 94 points.

Loaded with honeysuckle, melon, pear, peach and hints of sweet grapefruit, this juicy wine perfectly captures the intensity of a Washington Riesling and the complexity of German wines. Buoyant and precise, with notes of chalk and limestone in the finish, this is a stunning achievement in a challenging vintage.


Schiller Wine – Related Posting

Wine ratings: Two American/German wines – Eroica and Poet’s Leap – on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009

Wine ratings: Top 100 of the Wine Spectator 2009 include Wittmann and Loosen Rieslings

In the Glass: A 2007 Pinot Noir from the Gault Millau Shooting Star of the Year - Estate of Baron Gleichenstein

Picture: Johannes and Christina von Gleichenstein

The Estate of Baron Gleichenstein was all over in the wine press these days because it is this year’s shooting star of the Gault Millau.

The Estate was founded in 1634 already. But only in recent years the Estate has taken off under the young Baron Johannes von Gleichenstein. "Increasingly, he uses the great potential of the prime locations in Oberrotweil for excellent Burgundy,” editor Joel Payne of the Gault Millau praised his wines. With his Pinot Noir of 2007 Gleichenstein also moved into the top range of German red wines and with his Pinot Gris from the Oberrotweil Henkenberg into the top range of white wines.

Baron Johann von Gleichenstein has been the head of operations since 2003 in the eleventh generation. He is now supported by his wife Christina and they have a son Philip. His father, Hans-Joachim Freiherr von Gleichenstein, took over the business in 1959 as a mixed farming operation and transformed it into a pure wine making operation.

The Estate is located in the Kaiserstuhl region in Baden, the most southerly German wine-growing area, across Rhine river from Alsace. It is known for its Pinot wines - both red and white.

We tasted

2007 Spaetburgunder Oberrotweiler Eichberg Barrique QbA Trocken Baden Freiherr von Gleichenstein

In Germany, the Pinot Noir is called Spätburgunder. It is to red wine what the Riesling is to white wine: the cream of the crop. In the US, Pinot Noir shows great promise in Oregon and California. The reputation that gets Pinot Noir so much attention, however, is owed to the wines of the Bourgogne in France, where it has probably been cultivated since at least the 4th century (first documented, however, in the 14th century).

Regardless of where it’s grown, Pinot Noir is not typically a value wine. That is so because Pinot Noir is such a delicate grape that it is difficult and expensive to grow and make into the spectacular wine it can be. It is sensitive to climate and soil, Pinot Noir needs warmth (but not intense heat) to thrive and does well in chalky soils. As the German name implies, it ripens late (spät).

Oberrotweiler Eichenberg - a vineyard with a lot of exposure to the sun. The soil consists of weathered volcanic rocks.

Barrique – the wine was in small Barrique barrels for about a year before bottling.

QbA trocken – a dry Qualitaetswein bestimmter Anbaugebiete (QbA) wine where the grapes had a sugar level at harvest that allowed the wine maker to chaptalize the wine, not to increase the residual sugar level, but to increase the alcohol level; this wine had 14 percent alcohol and I would guess around 1 gram per liter residual sugar, i.e. the wine is bone dry.

Light ruby-red in the glass, with thick legs, attack of wet leaves and leather on the nose, coupled with notes of strawberries and cherries, full bodied on the palate with more red fruit tones, elegant and feminine, lasting finish.


His red wines pushed Baron Gleichenstein into the 4 grapes category Gault Millau (with 5 grapes being the maximum). He is also the winner of 2009 of the German Red Wine Award of the journal Vinum.



Schiller Wine - Related Posting

Wine ratings: Gault Millau Germany 2010

In the Glass: 2007 Rheinhessen with Oysters at the Ten Bells in the Lower East Side in Manhattan

In the Glass: 2001 Riesling Gold Quatrat trocken Weingut Sybille Kuntz Mosel

In the Glass: 2005 Christian's Cuvee Woelffer Estate Vineyard Long Island USA

Wine country South Africa: Facts and Figures

Picture: Table Mountain (Copy Right Wosa)

Wine Country South African: Facts and Figures

This article is part of a series of articles on South Africa. It was

Written (in German) by Dirk Wuertz, Germany and
Translated by Christian G.E. Schiller, US and Germany

Dirk Wuertz is a higly regarded wine maker and an active wine blogger in Germany. I had his wine in the US in Manhattan’s trendy wine bar The Ten Bells and wrote about it here.

Actually, I wanted to report in our next article on the South African Sauvignon Blanc. But I have decided to make a video on Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa. Today, I turn in this article to some facts and figures about the wine-growing country South Africa.

Since the political upheaval of 1994, the wine industry has become a major and fast-growing sector of South Africa’s economy. In terms of volume, exports have increased tenfold; the vineyard area has increased to approximately 100,000 hectares. Impressive here is the fact that that this expansion took place in the framework of a well designed and managed process. Quality not quantity was and is the motto. This is partly due to the fact that the country needs to conserve its scarce water resources and comply with strict requirements of conservationists.

Currently there are 481 private wine makers in South Africa, 59 wine cooperatives, the KWV, two dozen wholesalers that buy up grapes from wine growers and make wine, and just under 4,000 wine growers. These wine makers and growers are located in five regions and 21 areas (districts). The five regions are: the coastal region, Olifants River, Little Karoo, Breede River Valley and Owerberg Boberg (only for dessert wines from Paarl Tulbagh).

Since 1972, there has been a system in place that guarantees the authenticity and origin of South African wines, the so-called "Wines of Origin." The guarantee refers to the grape variety, the vintage year and the origin. All wine bottles carry a control number and an identification. The Wine and Spirit Board, part of the Ministry of Agriculture, is the agency in charge of this process.

White wine still dominates. 55 percent of the vineyards are planted with white varieties, 45 percent with the red. Until a few years ago the share of white grape varieties was nearly 75 percent, but lately there were but a significant shift in favor of red wine varieties. This is due to the significantly increased demand for the "international varieties" Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. But the Pinotage, which is a native grape of South Africa, also shows an upward trend. This crossing between Pinot Noir and Cinsault is increasingly becoming a kind of national grape for South Africa (even though I do not like it at all .…).

Among the white wines, Chenin Blanc is the front runner, followed by Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc (which I like very much ....)

The South African success story is based on exports. Currently, around 400 million liters of wine are exported. This is more than half of the total production. The most important export market is England, followed by Germany (!). Compared with 2007, South African wine exports to Germany grew by more than 13 percent in 2008. An end to this trend is not in sight.

The article appeared in German on December 2, 2009

Dirk Würtz
Königsmühle
55239 Gau-Odernheim
Deutschland
E-Mail: kontakt@dirk-wuertz.de
Telefon: 06733 - 94 86 01

Schiller Wine - Previous Articles on Wine Country South Africa:

History

Wine ratings: One German and no American wine on Jancis Robinson's list of red wines

In a series of articles in the FT, Jancis Robinson presents a selection of good buys for the entertaining season, deliberately concentrated on those wines that are drinking well now, as she writes. There are 4 articles, published in the FT as well as on Jancis Robinson’s web site.

White wine on November 29, 2009

Red wine on December 5, 2009

Sparkling wine on 12 Dec, 2009

Strong and sweet wines on 19 Dec, 2009

These 4 articles provide one with a financial sector and English perspective of what is hot in the market now --- financial sector perspective, because the article is written for the readers of the FT and English perspective, because Jancis Robinson is based in London, she provides prices in British Pounds and the names of English retailers where you can find the wine. The Exchange rate is roughly BP 1 = Euro 1.10 = US$ 1.60.

Red wines on December 5, 2009

Jancis Robinson’s list comprises 75 red wines. There is not a single wine from the US and only one red wine from Germany.

As far as the US is concerned, Jancis Robinson refers to the US$/BP exchange rate. But I do not believe that this is a key factor and doubt that even a substantial depreciation of the US$ would change the picture. American wines are just not popular in London.

As for the German reds, Jancis Robinson apparently does not yet fully believe in the German red wine revolution; she included only one red wine from Germany in her list.

Matthias Gaul, Palataia Pinot Noir 2008 Pfalz 16.5 Drink 2009-10
Very pure, flattering Pinot aromas from globally warmed Germany. Opulent fruit and some sweetness but it's not sickly. Much easier to drink than most Pinots at this price. Relatively delicate. Excellent value. 13.5%
£7.99 M&S 250 stores

German red wines are increasingly appearing in the international wine market. Of course, given its location, they tend to be not like the fruity red wines we know from warmer countries, but lean and more elegant, with a lot of finesse. 30 years ago, in the international scene, people would not talk about German red wine. But this has changed. Germany now produces red wines that can compete with the best of the world. The share of red wines in terms of production has increased from 10 percent in the 1980s to about 35 percent now in Germany.

Overall, an Old World wines biased selection, with a lot of focus on France.

Schiller Wine --- Related Posting

Wine ratings: Top 100 of the Wine Spectator 2009 include Wittmann and Loosen Rieslings

Wine ratings: London's Times Top 100 Winter Wines 2009 - November, 27, 2009

In the Glass: The 2007 Liebfrauenberg Cabernet Sauvignon from Ruppert Deginther in Rheinhessen, Germany

Picture: Justus Ruppert, Weingut Ruppert Deginther, Rheinhessen, Germany

2007 Liebfrauenberg Cabernet Sauvignon, Weingut Ruppert Deginther, Rheinhessen, Germany, Euro 9.90

Stuart Pigott's wine of the month of December 2009 is indeed an extraordinary selection, for several reasons.

First, the grape variety – Cabernet Sauvignon. Until a few years ago, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot were grape varieties that Germans would know from Bordeaux or other wine regions in the world, but it was alien to German wine making. This is apparently changing. A few weeks ago, I had my first Merlot from Hochheim am Main (Rheingau) and now Stuart Pigott has selected a Cabernet Sauvignon from Rheinhessen as his wine of the month. Well, the story behind this is global warming. The head of the wine maker association in the Bourgogne has warned that in 50 years, there wouldn’t be any Pinot Noir wines from the Bourgogne any more. But we might have excellent Cabernet Sauvignon in the Rheinhessen region. In this global warming process, there will be winners and loosers. And the concept of terroir will loose its meaning, I fear.

Germany is traditionally a white wine country. But German red wines are increasingly appearing in the international wine market. Of course, given its location, they tend to be not like the fruity red wines we know from warmer countries, but lean and more elegant, with a lot of finesse. 30 years ago, in the international scene, people would not talk about German red wine. But this has changed. Germany now produces red wines that can compete with the best of the world. The share of red wines in terms of production has increased from 10 percent in the 1980s to about 35 percent now in Germany.

Second, this is a wine from Rheinhessen. Rheinhessen is the largest viticultural region in Germany. Every fourth bottle of German wine comes from Rheinhessen. About one third of Rheinhessen’s agricultural area is cultivated with vines, more than 26000 hectares. The high-yielder Mueller-Thurgau accounts for about 1/5 of the vineyards, and Silvaner and Dornfelder both for 1/10. Unlike in other German wine regions, where monoculture of the vine is the norm, here the many rolling hills are host to a wide variety of crops grown alongside the grape. Rheinhessen also has the rather dubious honor of being considered the birthplace of Liebfraumilch.

At the same time, Rheinhessen is among Germany’s most interesting wine regions. A lot is happening there. This is not because of the terroir, but because of the people. There is an increasing group of young, ambitious and dynamic winemakers who want to produce and indeed do produce outstanding wine and not wines in large quantities. Obviously, Justus Ruppert, the brain behind this wine, is one of them.

Third, the wine costs ex-winery about Euro 10, which is about US$ 15. In Stuart Pigott’s judgement, you would need to pay US$ 75 to get a wine of the same quality in California. It is a bargain.

Weingut Ruppert Deginther
Kämmerstraße 8
D-67596 Dittelsheim-Heßloch/Rheinhessen
Tel.: 0 62 44/2 92
Fax: 0 62 44/5 71 34
E-Mail: kontakt@ruppert-deginther.de

Wine ratings: Two American/German wines - Eroica and Poet's Leap - on Top 100 Wines from Washington State list for 2009

Picture: Washington State, in the North-West of the US

About half a century ago, there was basically no wine industry in Washington State. And if wine was made, it was not with the noble European vinifera grapes. But the American wine boom that had its origin in California moved to the north, first to Oregon and then it also reached Washington State.

In 1980, four years after Californian wines had out shined the French wines at the famous tasting in Paris, there were about 20 wineries in Washington State that were producing high-quality wines with European vinifera grapes. Today, there are more that 500 wineries.

In the beginning, white wines were dominating. As recently as 10 years ago, 70 percent of the grapes planted were white grapes, with Chardonnay the No. 1 grape. But encouraged by the success of Oregon with its Pinot Noirs, the balance between white and red wine has shifted towards red; red wines now account for almost half of the wine production.

In general, if California’s wines are rich and powerful, Washington State’s wines are more crisp and delicate, reflecting its location much more up in the North. They remind me a lot of the wines I know from Germany.

Although a relatively young wine industry, Washington State is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions.

Wine adviser Paul Gregutt from the Seattle Times now has published his Top 100 Wines of Washington State for 2009. This ranking is not done strictly by the points the wines received from Paul Gregutt in the tasting, but also takes the price into account.

I was happy to see that there are two wines on the list, which are American/German wines. A third one is an American wine, but has an American/German brother, which I will also review. Let’s start with the wine on the list that has an American/German brother.44. Pacific Rim 2008 Organic Riesling, Pacific Rim Winemakers ($14)

The Pacific Rim Winemakers is a new undertaking of Randall Grahm who made a name for himself with the easy-drinking wines of the Santa Cruz, California-based company, Bonny Dood Vineyard. This is an Organic Riesling. According to Randall Grahm,” it was sustainably produced from vine to bottle --- 99.2% of all components for our Riesling are organic. We even use native — not commercial — yeast to best present the natural character of our vineyard. We use no pesticides and every element within our sustainably-farmed vineyard is native to the vineyard. Our winery is centrally located within fifty miles of all our vineyards, reducing freight and therefore reducing our carbon footprint. Skylights offset demand for electrical lighting. And energy-efficient alternatives are employed throughout our wine making process. Additionally, the package is 100% recyclable.For all our wines, we exclusively use stainless steel tanks to preserve the complex character of the Riesling grape. No oak barrels or malolactic fermentation are used in our wine making.”

Now, let’s move to the brother. Pacific Rim Winemakes also sell a NV Pacific Rim Dry Riesling. This wine is a very unusual wine. It is an intercontinental blend, made from a wine from Washington State and a wine from the Mosel area in Germany. 80 percent of the grapes come from the Columbia valley in Washington State and 20 percent from the Mosel, selected by the German wine maker Johannes Selbach. Because it is a true German/American product, the label cannot show the vintage but has to say NV.

I had a bottle of the wine recently with my daughter Dorothea in Concord, New Hampshire. We ate Maine Lobster and T-Bone Steak and had the wine with the Lobster. It worked very well with Lobster. It may also work with Asian food. There is a geisha on the label that underscored the wine’s affinity for Asian foods.

My tasting notes: Light straw-color with a greenish glint of brass; attack of petrol and green apple on the nose; oily texture, legs; hint of tropical fruit and spices on the palate; mouth-filling, dry and acidic; lasting finish.

25. Eroica 2008 Riesling Chateau Ste. Michelle and Dr. Ernst Loosen ($24)

This is the result of a American/German joint venture, a collaboration between Chateau Ste. Michelle, the huge Washington winemaker, and Dr. Ernst Loosen, the eminent Riesling producer from the Mosel region of Germany. The wine is made at Chateau Ste. Michelle from grapes grown in the Columbia Valley.

Promoting the worldwide ascendancy of Riesling was a big reason why Ernst Loosen began the joint venture with Chateau Ste. Michelle 10 years ago. He was convinced that it would take a seriously good New World Riesling to help bring the variety back to the forefront. Eroica was launched in 1999. An intermingling of Old and New World philosophies and techniques enables the crafting of an extraordinary Riesling from Washington state grapes. Named for Beethoven’s Third Symphony, Eroica is supposed to reflect not only its variety and site, but also its heritage: bold and forward from its Washington roots, elegant and refined from German inspiration.

Founded in 1934, Chateau Ste. Michelle pioneered European vinifera grape growing in Washington State and has been producing classic European varietal wines under the Ste. Michelle label since 1967. The Dr. Ernst Loosen Estate in the Mosel Valley has produced fine Riesling for over two centuries.

12. Poet's Leap 2008 Riesling Long Shadows and Diel Estate ($20)

Long Shadows has become, in a short time, one of the premier wineries in Washington State . It is an unusual set up. Former Stimson-Lane CEO Allen Shoup works with renowned winemakers from around the world for this venture. Each winemaker creates a single wine using Washington fruit. Add resident winemaker Gilles Nicault to shepherd all of the wines along.

The Poet’s Leap Riesling is made by Armin Diel, one of Germany’s most highly regarded Riesling producers. His family has owned the celebrated estate of Schlossgut Diel in Burg Layen in the Nahe river valley since 1802. Schlossgut Diel is international renowned for its white wines, predominately Rieslings, across a wide range of styles. Armin Diel is also one of Germany’s leading wine writers. Armin and his wife Monika live in Burg Layen. Their daughter Caroline just completed her studies in enology in Geisenheim,Germany’s UC Davis equivalent, and is now co-managing the winery in the Nahe valley.

Wine ratings: Best wines for Asian palate announced, Hong Kong, 2009

Picture: Hong Kong

Best wines for Asian palate: The overwhelming majority of the wines on this list are imported wines. But there are also three categories for wines from Asia --- from China, Japan and Thailand. A good introduction to where the Asian wine market is moving to.

(Press Release,5 November, 2009, Hong Kong) The top wines for the Asian palate were revealed last night, as trophy winning wines in the inaugural Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition (Cathay Pacific Hong Kong IWSC), the world’s first authentically Asian and largest pan-Asian wine competition, were announced.

Around 1300 wines from around the world were judged by a truly pan-Asian panel of wine professionals from China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Japan, Thailand and India between 31 October to 3 November, producing a set of results that may surprise many in the wine world.

BEST VARIETAL CLASSES
South China Morning Post Trophy for the Best Pinot Noir AND Best New World Pinot
Wooing Tree Pinot Noir 2007

Best Italian Red
Serpico, Irpinia Aglianico DOC 2005

Best South African Red
Rijk's Private Cellar Pinotage Reserve 2006

Best Other Red
Prodigo Reserva Malbec 2007

Best Other White
Vinokus Grüner Veltliner 2008

Best Merlot
Korbin Kameron Merlot 2004

Best Cabernet Sauvignon/ Cabernet Blend
Quarisa Treasures Cabernet Sauvignon 2006

Best Shiraz AND Best Australian Shiraz
Eden Springs High Eden Shiraz 2007

Best Touriga Nacional & Blends
Casa Santa Vitória Touriga Nacional 2006

Best Tempranillo & Blends
Mr. Riggs 'Yacca Paddock' Tempranillo 2007

Best Sauvignon Blanc AND Best New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
Saint Clair Pioneer Block 3 43 Degrees Sauvignon Blanc 2009

Best Chardonnay AND Best New World Chardonnay
Stella Bella Chardonnay 2007

Best Riesling AND Best New World Riesling
Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling 2009

BEST STYLE CLASSES
Best Sparkling Wine
Champagne Raoul Collet Blanc de Blancs

Best Fortified Wine
Sandeman 20 YO Tawny

Best Sweet White
Tamar Ridge Kayena Vineyard Botrytis Riesling 2007

BEST OF ASIA
Best Wine from China
Helan Mountain Special Reserve Chardonnay 2008

Best Wine from Japan
Grace Chardonnay 2008

Best Wine from Thailand
Monsoon Valley Colombard 2009

BEST VALUE WINES FOR THE HONG KONG MARKET
HKTDC Trophy for Best Bordeaux below HK$300
Chateau Saint-Lo Saint-Emilion Grand Cru 2006

Best Wine with Bubbles below HK$400
Piper Heidsieck Cuvee Brut

Best White Wine below HK$150
Eden Springs High Eden Riesling 2009

Best Red Wine below HK$200
Eden Springs Barossa Valley Shiraz 2007

BEST WINES WITH CHINESE DISHES
Sea Prince Trophy for the Best Wine with Abalone
Jacob's Creek Sparkling Rosé

Best Wine with Kung Pao Chicken
Martin & Weyrich Moscato Allegro 2007

Best Wine with Dim Sum
Wairau River Pinot Gris 2009

Best Wine with Peking Duck
Judas Malbec 2006

Simon Tam, director of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong IWSC said, “The Asian consumer wine market is a valuable segment of the international wine industry, growing at more than seven times the rate of any other region. So it’s about time the millions of Asian wine lovers had an authoritative guide to the best wines, suited to their unique taste and consumption patterns.

“By selecting the top palates in Asia we wanted to ensure the judging panel was representative of this diverse region, making the results truly ‘Asia’s Choice, Asia’s Voice’.

“Because of our pan-Asian panel of judges, there were some surprises among the results. Contrary to popular belief in the international wine industry that Asia is a sponge for hugely concentrated wines, the panel awarded the majority of medals and trophies to those wines displaying subtlety and delicate structure.”

Debra Meiburg MW, director of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong IWSC, said “Out of the four Chinese food and wine pairing categories, it was interesting to note that three trophies were awarded to white wines and rosés. Despite many wine lovers in Asia reaching for a bottle of red to pair with Chinese cuisine or not drinking wine at all, our results highlight that these styles are particularly compatible with a range of classic Chinese dishes.

“Significantly, the trophy winning wines in the Chinese food and wine pairing awards, particularly the Sea Prince Trophy for the Best Wine with Braised Abalone awarded to the Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Rosé, show that pairing the perfect wine with fine food doesn’t have to be expensive.

“We hope these awards will give people the tools and confidence to order wine when eating Chinese food.”

Eden Springs, a smaller producer of premium wines in Australia proved to be a stand out of the show, bagging four trophies (Best White Wine in Hong Kong below HK$150, Best Red Wine in Hong Kong below HK$200, Best Shiraz and Best Australian Shiraz).

Ray Gatt, owner of Eden Spring said, “The results were a fantastic surprise to us. We are confident we produce world class wines and already are receiving increased interest from buyers from across Asia.

“Recognition in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition gives us great credibility in the Asian market. With the Asian judging panel selecting our wines as the very best for the Asian palate in their respective categories, it gives us confidence that our wines are perfect for the market and should give wine lovers in the region confidence when choosing Eden Springs wine.”

The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong IWSC is run in conjunction with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair, which sees thousands of members of the wine trade visit the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre between 4 and 6 November.

The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong IWSC is supported by Cathay Pacific, South China Morning Post, The Upper House, Riedel, Crown Wine Cellars and Sea Prince Lonimar Australia.

For more information or interview requests, please contact:

Media Enquires: Alex Webster at alex.webster@asiasbestwinesandspirits.com

Schiller Wine --- Related posting:

Emerging wine country: China's wine boom since 2000 --- November 2009

Wine market: Update --- Argentinean wine removed from the shelves because of an antibiotic in the wine

I have reported earlier that Wine Control Authorities in Germany have impounded Argentinean wine and removed the wine from the shelves, because the wine contains the antibiotic Natamycin. This posting provides an update based on information provided for in the German press.

The Landesuntersuchungsamt (LUA) in the state of Rheinland-Pfalz has tested 29 wines from Germany, 41 wines from EU countries and 146 wines from non-EU countries so far. They found Natamycin in the following 5 wines from Argentinea:

Villa Paola, 2008, San Rafael (Losnummer: LOT N° 01/2009), Villa Atuel, 2008, San Rafael, Syrah Merlot (L-WT1377), Legend of Polo, 2007, Mendoza, Malbec (L 76605) und Terra Nova, 2008, Mendoza, Malbec (L: 90.0789)

Schiller Wine --- Related Posting:

Wine market: Argentinean wine removed from the shelves because of an antibiotic in the wine

Wine country South Africa: History

Picture: Copy Right Wosa

This article is the first in a series of articles on South Africa. It was

Written (in German) by Dirk Wuertz, Germany and
Translated by Christian G.E. Schiller, US and Germany

Dirk Wuertz is a higly regarded wine maker and an active wine blogger in Germany. I had his wine in the US in Manhattan’s trendy wine bar The Ten Bells and wrote about it here.

South Africa's wine country

As most of our blog readers know, I have a high affinity for South Africa and South African wines. So what could be more natural than another new regular series --- on South Africa. In the future I will report regularly on the wine of South Africa, wine tastings and other related issues. Similar to the Greek column, I will attempt to provide information and facts about this fascinating country. Today, I begin with a short historical overview.

This year, South Africa celebrates an anniversary: 350 years of wine. In most wine-producing countries the trace of the first wineries gets lost in the mists of history. Not so in South Africa, where it all began in 1655, with a ship cargo of wine seedlings from France. These seedlings had been ordered by the commander of the newly formed Holländische station of the East India Company at the Cape. Jan van Riebeeck, then 33 years old, knew that for a ship journey, wine was better than water, which often got rotted in the barrels: Wine helped against the dangerous scorbutic. Four years later, on February 2, 1659, the first wine was made by van Riebeeck. At that time, he did not know that one of the most important wine countries of the Southern Hemisphere would emerge from the small port where the ships to take food on board for their journey to Indian.

Know-how from France

The first settlers on the Cape ( they proudly called themselves "free people") were sailors and adventurers. That some of them became wine growers over time was due to the knowledge about wine of the Huguenot immigrants, who had been expelled by Louis XIV of France. The name of the Franschhoek region reminds us of them. Important was the pioneering work of Governor Simon van der Stel. He not only founded the town of Stellenbosch, but also the Constantia wine estate that would become known all over the world.

Renaissance in the modern era

Britain's war against France brought a false sense of economic prosperity to the wine makers of the Cape. Since 1806, South Africa had been a British colony and the British colonial masters had provided themselves with South African wine. But after the abolition of the high protective tariffs in 1861, the situation became difficult for South African wines, because France was able to export wine again. In 1885 the devastating phylloxera began to spread around; the turn of the century saw a disastrous overproduction of wine. To cope with the economic consequences, the winemakers formed the first wine cooperative in 1918, Kooperatieve Wijnbouw Vereniging van Zuid Afrika (KWV).

Feel Free

It was not until the end of apartheid in 1993/94 and the opening of world markets for South Africa that the wine industry started to see a brighter future again. As the domestic consumption is much too low to absorb the whole local production, South Africa's winemakers have to rely on exports. The South African wine industry responded to increased global demand with substantial investment and focusing on quality.

In the next post we will look at our favorite grape Sauvignon Blanc ...

The article appeared in German on Friday 27 November 2009



Dirk Würtz
Königsmühle
55239 Gau-Odernheim
Deutschland
E-Mail: kontakt@dirk-wuertz.de
Telefon: 06733 - 94 86 01

Emerging wine country: China's wine boom since 2000

Picture: The Great Wall --- China


Source: Greg Mankiw's Blog, November 23, 2009

This is an interesting chart which shows the shares of various regions in world GDP.

Within the past 40 years, the shares of the three main regions --- EU, USA and Asia/Oceania --- have converged to around 27 percent, with the US going steady, the EU falling by roughly 10 percentage points and the Asia/Oceania region increasing by this amount. If you do a trend projection, than you end up, say in 40 years, with something like on the left-hand axe, with the only difference that the top line at above 35% is Asia/Oceania and the line in the middle at 15% is Europe. There is a dramatic shift in purchasing power going on and will continue to go on, with implications for the wine market.

This article will focus on one of the main drivers behind the rise of the Asia/Oceania region, China, and in particular --- this being a wine blog --- wine production and wine consumption in China. The Chart with the shares in world GDP is a useful reference for that.

Amazing things have been going on in China, both in terms of wine consumption and wine production, which, in a globalizing world will have major repercussions on wine production and consumption in other countries. Just take the recent wine auction in Hong Kong with very high volumes and high prices for the top French wines. Everyone in the world will have to pay now these Chinese prices.

Production of Wine in China

China has a long tradition of producing all kinds of wine, but produced practically no vinifera wine before the economic reforms of the early 1980s. Since then, hundreds of wineries have sprung up. Initially, the wine was exported abroad because the domestic demand was weak. But since 2000, when the economic boom finally reached the consumer, things are changing rapidly. At the same time, imported French wine has become very popular in China.

China now ranks 7th in terms of world production, ahead of Germany, South Africa and Chile and almost at par with Australia and Argentina, and it is likely to overtake Australia soon. To reach the level of the 4th placed --- the US --- it will need to double its production.

Looking ahead, experts are very optimistic. Britain's wine merchant, Berry Bros.&Rudd has come to the conclusion that China is set to become a leading wine-producing country. It estimated that China's current 400 wineries would increase more than tenfold in the next 50 years, with perhaps a quarter of them producing fine-quality wine. It also predicted that China would be the world's leading producer by 2058, overtaking France, Italy, Spain and the US. In addition, China has "all the essential ingredients to make fine wine to rival the best of Bordeaux" including "the right soil, low labor costs and soaring domestic demand," the report said.

Consumption of Wine in China

China already ranks behind Germany on fifth place in terms of wine consumption. Given current trends, China will soon overtake Germany.

There are two market segments that are of expected to grow particularly fast. First, the lower end mass wine market. Growth in demand in this market segment --- the easy drinking, low quality cheap wine --- is expected to be high. In this context, China is negotiating with Morocco to set up a bottling plant in China for Moroccan wine. Morocco is exporting in bulk to Europe but is now looking for China to export.

The other market segment, where China will be increasingly present is the top wines. Since 2000, expensive red wines, in particular from France, have become very popular in China among the rich and the famous. Red wine, in particular French red wine, has become a symbol of the elite and the rich. Reflecting that, in 2007 the Chinese wine importer St.Pierre became the most important buyer of Chateau Latour wines. Another wine that has become exceptionally popular in China is Lafite Rothschild. Against this background, Lafite Rothschild is in the process of setting up a winery in China to produce grand cru wines there. Within a decade or so, China’s rich have gone from mixing red wine with cola to checking Parker points when ordering a wine and being ready to pay top dollars to put a couple of cases of these wines in their cellar. They have become a major player in the top market segment.

The November 23, 2009 edition of the New Yorker contains a fascinating article by Evan Osnos on Donald St. Pierre, a Canadian and a prominent importer of wine to China. He arrived in China in 1985, a few years after the economic reform process started, thanks to a position with American Jeep. Ten years later, he started importing wines after forays into other things such as scrap metal, lingerie, and Chinese and Russian ammunition. Dr. Vino's Blog contains a short summary of the article, including an interesting series of comments. The whole article is only available to subscribers of the New Yorker.

To conclude, here is the comment of Chris Robinson, which I found very useful: “The market in China has changed so markedly that no one would claim to be able to meet the diverse range of market demand in China. Leaving aside the huge differences between provinces in China it is clear that there are two market extremes for imported wines – the cheap and cheerful, velvety textured, red only wine, under US$10 and the LafMoutTrus segment where unless it has a Parker 95 plus US$100 plus retail price and can be pronounced by any drunken cadre over a corruption-funded dinner it is going nowhere. The Hong Kong auction market has to be the best indicator of the stupidity of this latter segment. A narrow range of wines sell to mainland Chinese buyers at auction some 20-30% above the retail prices one can pay for them in Hong Kong on the same day as the auction. This is all about one thing the mainland Chinese are masters at – showing off. It will be many years before a serious middle tier develops in China – and therefore many years before any wine marketer a la the West can claim to be a China success story. One amusing experience sums this up. At a recent auction in Hong Kong a rather attractive young mainland Chinese lady of about 20 years of age sat next to me. She was clearly struggling with the English and all the action of the auction. Being a “nice guy” I offered her a few tips and introduced her to some of the things she needed to understand if she was going to bid. She then told me her boyfriend had given her the equivalent of US$100K to buy wine and she was there to buy “Beetroot”, which of course rather threw me. it was only some 20 lots later that I discovered beetroot was in fact Petrus. When mistresses no longer bid on Petrus at auctions we can probably then conclude the wine industry in China may be appraaching maturity, until then today’s heroes are almost certainly tomorrow’s losers. As the Chinese would say, the industry is best described as ” playing a violin in front of a cow”. It will be years before serious wine interest catches up with the marketing bull…”

A good source for what is going on in China is Grape Wall of China, an English-language site about the wine scene in China.

China is clearly the most important emerging wine country, with potentially major implications for consumers and producers of wine around the world.

Schiller Wine --- related postings:

Emerging wine country: Russia --- After the breakdown of the Soviet Union, many important wine growing areas became foreign for Russia, October 24, 2009

Emerging wine country: Poland --- The early days of a climate change gainer? October 21, 2009

Emerging wine country: Serbia --- Still in the early days after the break-up of Yugoslavia, October 12, 2009

German Wine Makers in the World: Anton Mueller Invented the Remuage Technique Revolutionizing Sparkling Wine Drinking, 1800s, France

Pictures: The technique of remuage, Madame Clicquot and the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Label

Anton Mueller, a German, is the inventor, with Veuve Clicquot, of the remuage or riddling process. The remuage technique revolutionized sparkling wine drinking. It remains a key elemement in the production of Champagne until today.

Until the beginning of the 1800s, the appearance of Champagne was marred by the lees, the sediment of dead yeast cells that remained suspended in the wine following the secondary fermentation in the bottle. In consuming a bottle of Champagne it was thus necessary to either decant the sparkling wine before serving it or to leave it in the glass for some time so the sediment could settle before drinking the Champagne.

The remuage technique put an end to that.

The system centers around wooden racks into which the bottles are placed neck first at an angle of 45 degrees. Each day the bottles are turned and tilted so that the bottle points further downwards with each day, the process gradually bringing all the sediment into the neck right behind the cork, from where it can be removed during disgorgement. Today, this manual way of riddling sparkling wine is still used for Prestige Cuvées in the Champagne, but has otherwise been largely abandoned because of the high labor costs. Mechanized riddling equipment called gyropalettes, invented in Spain in the 1970s, are used instead.

When riddling is finished, the sediment collected in the bottle neck is frozen to form a "plug" which the next step in the process removes (dégorgement or "disgorging"). After adjusting the level of fill and setting the sweetness, the bottle is corked, caged and labeled; the sparkler is clear --- without any sediment.

Anton Mueller was born in Germany. He moved to France to work in a Champagne cellar. In 1810, he assumed the position of Veuve Clicquot’s cellar master and developed with Veuve Clicquot the system of remuage in the following years. Then he married into the Ruinart family, a famous Champagne family. The Ruinart Champagne House was the first French Champagne House founded in 1729. With the Ruinart daughter, Mueller created his own Champagne House, Ruinart-Mueller, which does not exist anymore.

While at the helm of Ruinart-Mueller, his compatriot Bollinger was one of his employees, before leaving Ruinart-Mueller and setting up his own Champagne House. Bollinger joined Mueller-Ruinart in 1822 to sell their Champagne in the Kingdoms of Bavaria, Hanover, Wuerttemberg and the Netherlands. In 1829, with his Mueller-Ruinart colleague Paul Renaudin de Villermont, he formed the Renaudin-Bollinger Champagne House which would become the famous Bollinger Champagne House.

Here is an interesting slide show from Cornell University about the production of Champagne.



Schiller Wine --- Related Postings

This is part of the series German wine makers in the world:

Anton (Antoine) Mueller, 1800s,France, November 28, 2009
Dr. Konstantin Frank, 1900s,USA, November 14, 2009
Christian Woelffer and Roman Roth, 1900s/2000s, USA, November 12, 2009
Robert Anton Schlumberger, 1800s, Austria, November 7, 2009
Robert Stemmler, 1900s/2000s, USA, November 3, 2009
Eduard Werle, 1800s, France, October 29, 2009

Meeting Winemaker James Cahill and Tasting his Soter Vineyards Wines from Oregon

Picture: Christian G.E.Schiller with James Cahill, Winemaker at Soter Wines; Steve, On-Site Owner of Out-of-Sight Wines on the left side in the background

James Cahill, the charming winemaker of Soter Vineyards came to the Out-of-Site wine store in Vienna, Virginia to lead us through a tasting of his Sparkling Rosés, Oregon Pinot Noirs, and Napa Valley Cabernet Franc. James Cahill is a 10+ year veteran of the Oregon wine industry and now works full-time as winemaker with Soter Vineyards. James came to Soter after a long stint with Beaux-Freres.

This boutique winery in Oregon is owned by Tony and Michelle Soter. Tony, with over 30 vintages under his belt, came to Napa Valley in 1975, founded Etude Wines in 1982, and served as consulting winemaker to such famous estates as Araujo, Niebaum-Coppola, Shafer, Spottswoode, Viader and Dalle Valle. Etude was known throughout the wine world for elegant and balanced Cabernet sauvignons, Chardonnays and most especially Pinot Noirs. But the Soters decided to return to their native state and to sell Etude in California. They purchased land in Oregon and founded Soter Vineyards
.
Soter Vineyards is devoted to biodynamic wine growing and wine making. There are sheep on the Estate as well as goats. No pesticides, herbicides or fungicides are used within the vineyard. Tony plants beans, peas and other legumes in between the rows of vines as a means to "fix" the nitrogen content in the soil.

Soter Vineyards is in the Willamette Valley, were about two-thirds of the state's wineries and vineyards are. Buffered from Pacific storms on the west by the Coast Range, the valley follows the Willamette River north to south for more than a hundred miles from the Columbia River near Portland to just south of Eugene. It has been recognized as one of the premier Pinot Noir producing areas in the world, although it is still a young wine growing area. Pinot Noir has been planted in Oregon for a bit more than 40 years only. Sater Vineyard lays at the 45th parallel of latitude, just about on par with Burgundy some 6,000 miles to the east.

Tasting Notes

We started out with two sparkling wines.

2004 Soter Brut Rosé, a beautiful example of American sparkling wine, salmon pink-colored, tiny bubbles, with aromas ranging from peach to raspberries, fresh and vibrant on the palate, with a lasting finish.

2005 Soter Brut Rosé, 48% Pinot Noir and 52% Chardonnay, salmon pink-colored, nice legs on the glass, constant stream of tiny bubbles, minerals and raspberries on the nose, medium-bodied, long finish.

Of course, these two world class sparklers are made in the Methode Champenoise. I asked James about the remuage technique, which was invented by Veuve Clicquot with her German cellar master Antoine Mueller. The remuage technique revolutionized sparkling wine drinking. The system centers around wooden racks into which the bottles are placed neck first at an angle of 45 degrees. Each day the bottles are turned and tilted so that the bottle points further downwards with each day, the process gradually bringing all the sediment into the neck right behind the cork, from where it can be removed during disgorgement. With Veuve Clicquot's new technique, Champagne would no longer require decanting before serving, or being left in the glass for the sediment to settle before drinking it. But the system of remuage is a tedious process as James was able to confirm.

We then tasted 3 Pinot Noirs. In the US, Pinot Noir shows great promise in Oregon and California. In Germany, the Pinot Noir is called Spätburgunder. It is to red wine what the Riesling is to white wine: the cream of the crop. The reputation that gets Pinot Noir so much attention, however, is owed to the wines of the Bourgogne in France, where it has probably been cultivated since at least the 4th century (first documented, however, in the 14th century).

Regardless of where it’s grown, Pinot Noir is not typically a value wine. That is so because Pinot Noir is such a delicate grape that it is difficult and expensive to grow and make into the spectacular wine it can be. It is sensitive to climate and soil, Pinot Noir needs warmth (but not intense heat) to thrive and does well in chalky soils. As the German name implies, it ripens late (spät). Oregon’s Willamette Valley has emerged as a highly regarded new-world source for superb Pinot Noirs.

2007 Soter Pinot Noir "North Valley", a blend of Pinots from both Estate-grown fruit and also grapes purchased from some of Tony's esteemed neighbors, medium-ruby colored, attack of strawberry and pain grille on the nose, very delicate and lean on the palate, long note of spice on the finish, a typical cool-climate Pinot Noir, the North Valley wines are mostly aged in previously used French Oak cooperage.

2006 Pinot Noir Beacon Hill Vineyard, medium-ruby colored, attack of concentrated dark red fruit and dark chocolate note on the nose, coupled with wet leaves, spicy wild berries, deep fruit aromas on the palate that lasted through a long finish.

2006 Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Vineyard, medium-ruby colored, beautiful nose with a wave of spice, earth, and strawberries, soft and silky on the tongue, with an a lasting spicy light-tannin finish.

All three Pinot Noirs are very approachable, but could improve with bottle age for several years. However, these are clearly not wines that are not drinkable now and need several years of maturing to display all their brilliance. They do that now

The wines reminded me of top German red wines that are increasingly appearing in the American market. Germany also is an area —- like Oregon --- where people used to say, it does not work for red wines, but now produces extremely elegant red wines with a lot of finesse.

We finished up with a Napa valley wine

2004 Napa Valley "Little Creek" Proprietary Red, a Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon --- a right bank Bordeaux--- blend, the wine was grown in Napa valley (around the house where Tony used to live), harvested, destemmed and brought with dry ice on it, preventing fermentation, to Oregon, much darker in color than the Pinot Noirs, the Cabernet Franc contributes unmistakably to a cigar-box aroma, the bouquet presents impressive concentration and intensity with aromas of black cherry, vanilla and a subtle note of smoky toast, full-bodied, persisting finish, much more closed than the Pinot Noirs, I feel this wine will indeed benefit from putting it away and letting it age gracefully.


Schiller Wine --- related postings

In the glass: Pinot Noir from California, Germany and France

The 100 Top Wines in Germany of 2008 - Weinwirtschaft

Picture: The New ECB Building - European Central Bank - in Frankfurt, Germany

The American Wine Spectator just published its Top 100 Wines List for the American market. Here is a similar list for the German market.

The list was put together by the wine journal WEINWIRTSCHAFT, which is read mostly by professionals and not by the wine consumer, as the American Wine Spectator is. It is a list of the most successful wines in the German wine market. Only wines that sold more than 10.000 bottles in 2008 were included in the contest. That left many of German’s top wines from smaller top wine makers out of the rating.

The criteria for the ratings are the tasting results and four other, mostly commercial criteria: The price-quality-ratio, the bottles sold, the views of the readers of the Weinwirtschaft and the marketing concept for the wine.

It is a bit like the Wine Spectator Top 100 list, where a below $20 wine from Washington State won this year.

Overall, the list is dominated by Old World wines, as the German consumers continue to be reserved vis-à-vis New World wines, lead by the assumption that mother nature plays a much smaller role in growing and making the wine in the New World than in the Old World. Not a single wine from the US made it to the list, although I typically find inexpensive American wines on the shelves of the large supermarkets when I am in Germany.

The red wines are dominated by Italy, with 20 of the 60 wines coming from there. Also, there are only very few German red wines, although the area growing red grapes is rapidly expanding in Germany. Only 4 wines are from Germany.

For the white wines, it is just the opposite. About half of the 40 wines are from Germany, with the 2007 Hochheimer Hölle Riesling Erstes Gewächs (Weingut Künstler, Hochheim) and the 2007 Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Erstes Gewächs (Weingut Robert Weil, Kiedrich) taking the lead. Again, no American wines and just one wine from the New World, New Zealand.

The list reflects the wine consumer behaviour in Germany well. For white wines, you go for German, in particular Riesling, wines. For red wines, you look to other European countries, in particular France, Italy and Spain.

Here is a complete listing of the 100 Top Wines 2008.

Schiller Wine --- Related Postings:

Wine Ratings: Top 100 of the Wine Spectator 2009 includes Wittmann and Loosen

Wine Ratings: Gault Millau Germany Wine 2010

Wine Ratings: German Wine Eichelmann 2010

Wines served at President Obama’s State Dinner in Honor of Prime Minister Singh from India.

Picture: Source-Huffington Post

Picture: Photo by Lynn Sweet

At Tuesday night's inaugural Obama administration State meal, Guests of honor were the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh, and his wife, Mrs. Gursharan Kaur. The following wines were served. In selecting the wine the President and his wife focused on “green” wine.

2008 Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley, California, Modus Operandi

Modus Operandi is operated by Jason Moore, a newcomer to the Napa Valley. His first vintage was in 2004 and 2009 will be the first vintage at "JuiceBox", a state of the art new "business park" winery located in south Napa. A number of wines are made here including several already well established brands. Jason also makes wines here for a few other small boutique producers. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from an organic vineyard in Rutherford. The total production is currently under 1000 cases.

2006 Riesling from the Willamette Valley, Oregon, Brooks Winery

Brooks Winery is a family owned and operated winery in the Willamette Valley in Oregon since 1998, producing old world style Rieslings and Pinot Noirs. Brooks is committed to organic and biodynamic farming, hands on in the vineyard and minimal intervention in the winery. Jimi Brooks was born and raised in Portland. He developed his passion for winemaking while working for the Deschamps family, in the Beaujolais region in France. Brooks returned to Oregon in 1996 and began working at WillaKenzie Estate in Oregon's Yamhill-Carlton wine region. He started the "Brooks Wines” label while still an assistant winemaker at WillaKenzie and oversaw production of 3,500 cases of Brooks-label wine. Brooks died in 2004, at the age of 38, at his home in McMinnville, Oregon. He left the winery to his son, now age 13.

2007 Grenache, from Santa Ynez, California, Beckmen Vineyards

Founded in 1994 by Tom and Steve Beckmen, Beckmen Vineyards is a family-run, estate winery located in Santa Barbara County's Santa Ynez Valley. Since its founding, Beckmen Vineyards has emerged as one of North America's premier producers of Rhone varietal wines, while also helping to establish Santa Barbara County as one of California's most highly regarded winegrowing regions.

Eager to return to his farming roots, and convinced of the Santa Ynez Valley's vast potential to produce world-class wines, Tom Beckmen began searching for promising vineyard property in the early '90s. He found what he was looking for on a 40-acre parcel of land with an existing small winery. There he established Beckmen Vineyards. Working together, Tom and Steve began revitalizing the site. They replanted the vineyard with carefully selected varietals, clones and rootstocks., 2006 marked Beckmen’s transition to a fully dedicated program of biodynamic farming. As a result, all 125 planted vine acres of Purisima Mountain Vineyard are now certified both biodynamic and organic, with the property’s surrounding 240 unplanted acres acting as a natural buffer zone. The estate winery that has established a reputation as one of North America’s premier producers of Rhône-varietal wines, including Syrah, Grenache, and Marsanne.

NV Sparkling Chardonnay, Brut, from Monticello, Virginia, Thibaut Janisson

The dinner was finished with a sparkler from the Monticello district near Charlottesville in Virginia. Thibaut-Janisson is an French-French joint venture and up-and-coming specialist in fine sparkling wine in Virginia. Winemaker Claude Thibaut is convinced that Virginia has the climate and terroir to produce excellent bubbly – and evidently the president agrees. Born and raised in the Champagne/France, this worldly winemaker left his family’s vineyard in France to study oenology in Reims and then spent years creating award-winners in Australia and California. About seven years ago, billionaire-bubbly-bottler Patricia Kluge entreated Thibaut to add sparkle to her cellar. At the Kluge Estate, Thibaut challenged notions that cool climates and limestone soil were essential for producing a wine that compares with its Champagne cousin. When he approached 50, he realized hat his dream would not be complete until his own name—like his father’s—appeared on the bottle. So he launched his own winery, together with Frenchman Manuel Janisson, dedicated exclusively to producing sparkling wines from Virginia grapes. The Janisson Family winery started in 1920’s in France with Manuel Janisson’s grandfather vision to produce his own wines from the vines that he grew in Verzenay France. Manuel Janisson produces Champagne under the name Champagne Janisson & Fils Tradition.

With his third vintage in the bottle, Thibaut-Janisson Blanc de Chardonnay, $28, is a Mid-Atlantic success story.

The dinner's menu is available on the White House Web site here.

Wine ratings: German wine --- Eichelmann 2010

There are three influential wine guides in Germany, the Eichelmann and the Gault Millau, followed by the Feinschmecker

The 2010 Eichelmann was presented this month (November 2009) for the 10th time. 949 wine estates and 10,081 wines are rated and described. It addition, there are 4 special awards.

1. Best wine collection of the year: Weingut Wittmann in Westhofen in Rheinhessen. Since the 1980s, the Wittmanns have grown their grapes organically. Already 5 years ago, Guenther Wittmann and his son Philip got the best wine collection of the year award. "Pure Riesling!" said Eichelmann in presenting his choice.

2. Best red wine collection of the year: Weingut Franz Keller in Oberbergen in the Kaiserstuhl area in Baden. Great "Burgundy" from the Kaiserstuhl by Fritz Keller. His exemplary Pinot Noir combines power and concentration with finesse and elegance.

For decades Franz Keller Senior has led the way for German viticulture, fiercely opposing large scale land consolidation and plot realignment. Often ahead of his time, he vehemently advocated fully fermented wines and the use of barriques at a time when quantity was more important than quality in many German cellars. His son, Fritz Keller, who now runs the estate, shares his father's preference for French-inspired wines. Franz Keller was also one of the leaders of the German food revolution in the 1970s and his restaurant Schwarzer Adler was a must for every German Feinschmecker at that time and still is.

3. Best collection of noble-sweet wine of the year: Weingut Horst Sauer in Escherndorf in Franken. Few wineries in Germany produce outstanding noble-sweet wines with such a consistency as Weingut Sauer, feels Eichelmann. "Without Horst Sauer we would not know what noble-sweet Silvaner can be”.

4. Discovery of the year: Raumland in Florsheim-Dalsheim in Rheinhessen. Raumland is a Sekt Estate and this is the first time an Eichelmann award goes to a Sekt Estate. Volker and Rose Raumland have been making impressive sparklers over a number of years and each year is a step forward in terms of finesse and elegance. The Raumland Sekts are like Champagnes, without copying them.

There is a number of winemakers in Germany, who make first class Sekt. One of those Sekt makers is Volker Raumland, who produces only sparkling wines. He bottle-ferments for himself and for others. He keeps the bottle sur lie up to 12 years before corking and labeling the bottle for sale. There is a large and growing number of winemakers who have started to produce world class Sekts. Unfortunately, their production is very limited and they are difficult to find in the US. Volker Raumland's Sekts are imported by Rudi Wiest.

5. Wine Classic. In addition, Gerhard Eichelmann presented a wine classic award. This is for him a wine that is of high quality and that can be regarded as a prototype of its grape variety and its region. He chose a Riesling from the Rheingau, Ruedesheim Berg Schlossberg Riesling trocken from Weingut Georg Breuer in Ruedesheim with wealth and power, fruit and complexity, minerality and sustainability.

6. Best Red Wine of 1998. On the occasion of the tenth edition of the guide, a special prize for the best red wine of the vintage 1998, the red wine vintage, was awarded to a Pinot Noir from Weingut Siegrist in Leinsweiler in the Pfalz region.


Picture: the Siegrist couple and Gerhard Eichelmann (source: Siegrist web site)


Schiller Wine --- Related Postings

Wine ratings: Gault Millau Germany 2010
Wine ratings: Top 100 wines f the Wine Spectator includes Wittmann and Loosen