Perry, Cocktails, & the Cider Industry with New Hampshire's Farnum Hill Ciders

August's #WineStudio sessions concludes tonight with more tasting and information regarding the cider industry in general and New Hampshire's Farnum Hill Ciders in particular. My previous post focused on the cider house's origins and philosophy.  Last week, the focus was on cocktails and the industry in general with several cider houses and #tastemakers participating.

Cocktails
Farnum Hill and Protocal Wine Studio offer a list of cider based cocktails included the Snakebite (50-50 blend of cider and beer) and  the Happy Apple (run and cider). Darlene Hayes (@allintocider) offers another recipe:

Getting started early w/ @tiltedshed Graviva @_spiritworks Sloe Gin & @AppleEllie Orleans Bitter #winestudio

— Darlene Hayes (@allintocider) August 19, 2015

Kegging Cider
You don't see much kegged cider because most retailers and wholesalers expect the kegged cider to be priced similar to beer. Only the mass produced ciders have the economics of scale to price at that level. Plus these massed produced ciders are mostly likely made from concentrated juice, not freshly pressed.


Regulations
Ciders with alcohol over 7% must be packaged in metric (375, 500, 750 ml) formats which are then taxed like wine and carry a higher tax rate. This Diane Flynt (@FoggyRidgeCider) mentioned that Virginia grown is always above 7% thanks to the warmer temperatures. Unless the cider is diluted, they must be packaged accordingly. Cider makers are hoping the CIDER Act changes this formula.

Perry
Perry is cider made from special pear cultivars that are higher in tannins and acids as compared to common pears and even cider apples.  Because of these tannins, the pear pomace is usually left to on its own as in wine maceration. During this time a secondary malolactic fermentation may result where the harsher malic acids are converted to softer lactic acids.

Farnum Hill Ciders

Farnum Hill Extra Dry Perry ($15, 7.2%) - yeasty and stone fruit nose and less tart than the previous apple ciders. A degree of funk, tannins, and easy acids. This is a special cider.

Farnum Hill Semi Dry ($15, 7.4%) - subtle sweetness which intermingle with the acids for a richer and deeper flavor profile. There's plenty of apple and citrus, both lemon and tangerine, with a touch of honey. Glad we saved the best for last.  

New Hampshire's Farnum Hill Ciders Leads the Resurgence in Hard Cider

August's #WineStudio session moves from wine to hard cider featuring New Hampshire's Farnum Hill Ciders. The cider house is owned and operated by Steve Wood and Louisa Spencer and has been a leader in the resurgence of quality dry hard cider. The fruit is grown at Poverty Lane Orchards which Steve purchased in 1984 and expanded in 1998. The orchard's terrain provides similar benefits as a grape vineyard. The downward slope allows cold air to escape to the neighboring Connecticut River; whereas the rocky, mineral-rich soil and short growing season produces intenser aromas and flavors. Initially planted with Macintosh apples, Poverty Lane Orchards now consists of over 100 apple varieties that fall within four types: bittersweets (hi-tannin, hi-sugar), bittersharps (hi-tannin, hi-acid), sweets, and sharps (acid). When fermenting the apples, Farnum Hill utilizes neutral Champagne yeast that  does not overwhelm the apple character. And the final ciders are generally a blend of multiple apple varieties in order to produce the best acid/bitter balance, complexity, fruit, and astringency.The only sugar added is for dosage.

Farnum Hill Extra Dry Cider ($15, 7.5%) - tart apple & yeasty nose; almost chewy apple texture changing to orange blossom honey; extremely dry; lingering finish - light tannins & effervescence.

Farnum Hill Farmhouse Cider ($15, 6.5%) - bittersweet varieties blended with Spitz and other acidic apples. The cider is tart, slight sweetness, funky palate; full mouth feel; long lemon finish.

#WineStudio Crossing the Andes From Viña Montes to Kaiken Wines

The first half of July's #WineStudio chat focused on Aurelio Montes Sr. and his popular Chilean winery Viña Montes. The second half of the month continued with the same family but segued to his son Aurelio Jr. and the family's venture into Argentina through Kaiken Wines. Their "aim was to make great wines by combining the exceptional conditions of the Mendoza region with the talents of professionals from Argentina and Chile". The Kaiken name refers to this crossing of the Andes as does the Caiquen birds every migratory season. The winery was established in 2001, growing from two wines to five separate brands today. Our tasting focused on two of these brands, the Terroir Series and the Kaiken Ultra.

With the 2015 Kaiken Terroir Series Torrontés ($17, 13.5%), the winery focuses on the Salta wine region - one of the highest in the world. We are talking about 4,500 feet above sea level. Aurelio Jr. mentioned that working at such extreme altitudes presents challenges every year, but the specific location, the Cafayate Valley, has 320 sunny days per year and a large nightly diurnal temperature swing. The vines for Torrontés are over 80 years old but this wine is fresh with a powerful aroma of flowers, apricots and nuts. It then transitions to a velvety creamy mid-palate, finishing with plenty of acids and a hint of saline. Many of us likened it to a Virginia Viognier, although this Torrontés has way more acidity. A fabulous wine.


We returned to Kaiken's Mendoza roots with the 2012 Kaiken Ultra Malbec ($24, 14.5%). The region is not as elevated as Salta, but still pretty hefty at 2,000 to 3,500 feet above sea level. The region accounts for almost 2/3 of Argentina's wine production and was that county's first appellation. Like the Torrontés, this Malbec has plenty of fresh acids that mingle with the red cherry, tobacco, and spicy flavors. There's also plenty of tannins, I got scolded for mentioning that the wine crippled the tongue - but the lively acids alleviate most of the puckering. This one should go down into the cellar - but it's definitely drinkable now.

#WineStudio Online Session XXVI – An Exposé of Viña Montes and Dry Farming

July's weekly #WineStudio chat focuses on the popular Chilean winery Viña Montes; specifically their sustainability program and their venture into Argentina with the Kaiken brand. Montes has been operating since 1988 (founded by Aurelio Montes, Douglas Murray, Alfredo Vidaurre, and Pedro Grand) and soon became the "benchmark for premium Chilean wines".

Eventually the owners determined that a more sustainable farming approach was needed and designed a vineyard management program to satisfy this desire. The program consists of five primary goals or areas:  Integrated Management, Maintaining Plant Cover, Less Water Use, Composting, and Use of Grazing Animals. The most discussed area was the winery's ability to decrease water consumption by dry farming - basically letting mother nature water the vines through rain instead of costly and energy intensive irrigation systems. Obviously, dry farming is most advantageous on soils with high water retention. Montes states that "we have decreased water consumption by 25% in Marchigüe and 10% in Apalta—a savings equivalent to the amount of water used by 3,200 families each year".  An added bonus is that the lower yields more clearly express the terrior of the area as the vines dig ever deeper to find more sources of water.

For the first part of this session we received two wines from Montes that represented the North-South axis of Chile. The Carmenère was grown on the above mentioned "Dry Farming" philosophy and includes a designation on the label.

Montes Spring Harvest Sauvignon Blanc 2015 ($14, 12.5%) - grapes harvested from the northern Leyda Valley, located just 8 kilometers from the Pacific, and area with abundant winter rainfall, with the vines planted in granite and clay soils. Because of judicious canopy management, the grapes were harvested in early spring, which in Chile translates to late February. The result is a fantastic wine, particularly for us acid lovers. There is abundant stone and tropical fruits, some mint and lemongrass, and plenty of acids.

Montes Alpha Carmenère 2012 ($20, 14.5%) - 90% of Carmenère & 10% Cabernet Sauvignon - grapes harvested from the El Arcángel Marchigüe estate, located at the western end of Colchagua Valley, in a more southern locale. The site is further east as well, 18 kilometers from the coast, with clay soils, and a cooler climate enabling later ripening. After fermenting, the wine was aged 12 months in French oak. My first suggestion is to decant. Then enjoy the cherry pepper aroma; dense, dusty, smoky blackberries and dark chocolate; and definite tannic finish. An excellent example of Carmenère.

Another Unique #WineStudio Featured Rosé: Y. Rousseau 2014 Rosé of Tannat

"I don’t follow trend, I make wine of conviction. I make wine I want to enjoy myself." ~ Yannick Rousseau

The final Protocol #WineStudio Rosé series features Yannick Rousseau and his "one of a kind" Rosé of Tannat. Yannick was born in the Gascony region of South-West France and was introduced to wine making at an early age from his grandfather's homemade wine. As an adult he worked at various French wineries before relocating to Napa Valley in 1999 where he interned for Newton Vineyard and consulted at VGS Chateau Potelle Winery. In 2007 he set out to create his own brand, focusing on varietals from his native South-West France; first  with Colombard and then Tannat. Whereas Y. Rousseau Wines base of operation is in Napa, for this rosé he sourced fruit from Saralee’s Vineyard in Sonoma's Russian River Valley. During the tasting, Rousseau mentioned that producing a rosé using Tannat is very challenging - particularly with such a bold, dark grape. He also said his approach with Tannat is different from those produced in Madiran.  He wants his Tannats to be enjoyed early but also to age well.


Y. Rousseau, 2014 Rosé of Tannat Russian River Valley, Sonoma County ($24, 13.5%) - 100% Tannat from Saralee’s Vineyard – Matthew's Station; 75% pressed, 25% saignée; fermented in stainless steel; aged for 5 months on the lees with no stirring. The wine starts with a watermelon aroma moving towards strawberries on the elevated palate, finishes dry and acidic.

#WineStudio Rosé: 2014 Donelan Rosé Sonoma County Syrah / Grenache / Pinot Noir

The third week of the Protocol #WineStudio Rosé series features more Sonoma County rosé, this time from Donelan Family Wines in the 2014 Rosé Sonoma County Syrah / Grenache / Pinot Noir ($25, 13.3%). Now, we all enjoy a nice GSM wine, but a GSP? This shall be interesting.

But first, Donelan winemaker Joe Nielson answered our questions regarding the wine's production. It is made using the Saignee method, where the grapes are loaded into tanks and juice is pulled after short skin contact of 1 hr to 24 hrs. The extracted juice represents 5% to 20% of total volume as it serves a dual purpose of making the red wine, from the remaining juice, more concentrated and allowing for the production of a second wine - a rosé. The exact percentages in the blend is 55% Syrah, 29% Grenache and 16% Pinot Noir, with all juice fermented in neutral oak - similar to fermenting Chardonnay. Nielson believes prefers neutral oak over concrete/stainless steel because "it helps with micro-ox which keeps #rhone wine from stinkin'". The grapes were harvested across multiple Sonoma County vineyards with the lots interestingly named #babs #direstraits #DavidLeeRoth #Prince #BonJovi  - all #terroir driven personality. The one exception to the saignee juice came from the #Prince lot from Bennett Valley, which was lightly pressed.

The result is a wine where the acids comes alive providing a clear contrast to the creamy center and tropical nose. Mango and pineapple comprise those tropical attributes; the neutral oak rounds out the finish and contributes that creamy palate. The acids are key though, helped along by the Syrah harvested from the cooler Russian River Valley Walker Vine Hill and Kobler vineyards. This is a solid wine, one to savor. Well done. Cheers.

#WineStudio Rosé with the POE 2014 Sonoma County Old Vine Pinot Noir - Pinot Meunier

The Protocol #WineStudio Rosé series continued this week by featuring the POE 2014 Sonoma County Old Vine Pinot Noir / Pinot Meunier Rosé ($22, 12%). This unique winery was founded in 2009 by Samantha Sheehan, who wanted to create a wine brand that would showcase the distinct terrior of single vineyards in California. And the name comes from her affection for the famous writer and poet - as portrayed by the wine's label. The rosé is a curious blend of 66% Pinot Noir from Olcese Vineyard and 34% Pinot Meunier from Sonoma Mountain's Van der Kamp Vineyard. The two pinots were specifically selected to mimic Burgundy and Champagne with the Pinot Noir providing "nuance+depth" and the Pinot Meunier providing "fruit+form". Old Vine is appropriate since the Pinot Noir was planted in 1974 and the Pinot Meunier in 1953. She also specifically targeted the Van der Kamp vines and fortunately a few rows became available after her inquiries.

Sheehan told the #winestudio participants that the grapes were harvested early, as in Champagne, to provide bright acids and low alcohols. The grapes were slightly pressed (no saignée) and treated the fermenting juice as a white wine - with cold fermentation and no malolacatic fermentation. For me, the wine opens with raspberry that transitions to a juicy and chewy citrus flavor. Sheehan also hinted at the orange peel and orange blossom characters. The wine finishes long and acidic. Another fabulous dry rosé; give the wine a try and decipher the label. Cheers.

Think Pink, Think Merlot, Think Slovenia: Erzetič Damski Rosé

June's #WineStudio concentrates on dry rosé and features several wines from regions and grapes you'd normally not associate with the style. Case in point, the Erzetič Damski Rosé ($24, 12.5%) produced from Merlot grapes in Slovenia and imported by Old World Vines. The Erzetič Winery is located in the Goriska Brda region, which is part of the larger Primorska wine region. Goriska Brda borders Italy and shares many traits with its Italian neighbors - particularly the predominance of red wines. Although the local white Ribbola would beg to differ. Wine making in the area can be traced back to the 13th century, with the Erzetič property growing grapes since 1725. The vineyards are slightly elevated on rolling hills providing adequate ventilation and the soil is composed of ancient seabed matte. Erzetič is a family business with knowledge passed to each generation; currently Aleksij Erzetič is the winemaker. Interestingly, Erzetič is one of only two wineries in Slovenia making wine from Georgian amphora vases. Cheers to orange wine; but now to the pink wine.

The Damski (Ladies) Rosé is 100% Merlot harvested from estate fruit. The grapes were gently pressed until the desired color, texture, and tannin extraction was reached; fermented occurred in stainless steel.The result is a salmon pink colored wine, with noticeable acidity. Raspberries are prevalent on the nose, but the most impressive feature is the creamy mid-palate where the wine melts into the acids. Quite nice; definitely the best Slovenian Merlot rosé I've ever had. Cheers to that and to next week's WineStudio rosé . 

#WineStudio's Prelude to Turkey With VinoRai - Part II

May's #WineStudio continued it's focus on VinoRai's program to import Turkish wines into the United States. Last week we learned about the program as well as tasted the Turasan 2013 Emir ($14, 13.5%). This week we continued our introduction to Turkish wines with the Diren 2012 Öküzgözü Collection ($15, 13.3%). This wine consists of 85% of the indigenous Öküzgözü grape as well as 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Diren winery is also located in Anatolia, this time in the Tokat region. It was started by Mustafa Vasfi Diren in 1958, with his son Ali taking the helm in 1985. Although French, the winemaker, Jean Luc continues the tradition on focusing on indigenous varieties. Öküzgözü is a favorite and typically produces "medium-bodied wines with ripe fruit and spice flavors with plenty of acidity".  The Diren Öküzgözü was fermented and aged in stainless steel and interestingly, aged 1.5 years in stainless steel. This creates an easy finish with any spiciness an inherent attribute of the grape. The front end starts very dusty but eventually opens to a sour cherry - plum profile and a very easy finish. Another great value wine. Cheers to VinoRai and Turkish wine.

#WineStudio's Prelude to Turkey With VinoRai - Part I

May's #WineStudio presents another opportunity to learn more about VinoRai's en devour to import Turkish wines into the United States. Whereas Turkey is the 6th largest grape grower, it accounts for only 2% of total world wine production. However, in the past 10 years there has been a resurgence in the Turkish wine industry, with wine makers focusing on that country's 800 native varieties.  There are four major grape growing regions: Anatolia, Thrace, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean (the largest region). Wines of Turkey provides a nice overview of these regions; but in general, the coastal regions (Thrace, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean) have a more Mediterranean climate and specialize in international varieties. Regions further inland, such as Anatolia, produce wine from mostly indigenous varieties such as Emir, Narince, Öküzgözü, and Boğazkere.

Cappadocia is a sub-region within Anatolia that has a continental climate with a large diurnal swing in temperatures, volcanic soils and high elevations (4,000 feet). According to VinoRai, wine making has occurred in Cappadocia for 7,000 years  The region specializes in the Emir grape, in fact its the only region in the world where this grape is grown. Emir is an ancient grape having been vinified since the Hittite era (1700 BC).  It is pronounced "eh-MEER" and translates to "prince" - most likely because it was once served as table grapes to royalty.

VinoRai compares it to Torrontes and that was a suitable comparison when we sampled the Turasan 2013 Emir ($14, 13.5%).  The Turasan winery was established in 1943; the first modern, private winery in the region; and the largest producer in the Cappadocia region. And the current winemaker is a third generation owner:  Hasan Turasan. The grapes for the 2013 Emir were fermented in stainless steel then aged sur-lie. The result is a wine with a strong floral aroma; fresh meyer lemon flavor; with a balance between creamy minerals (salt) and refreshing acids. Very nice.  The balloon on the label represents Cappadocia's popular hot air balloon tourism. Need to put this area on the agenda. Cheers.

Discovering Bodegas Paniza Cariñena Garnacha with #WineStudio

The final week of the #WineStudio focus on Cariñena Garnacha centered on two wines from Bodegas Paniza. This winery was founded in 1953 and is named for the village where the winery is located. It is situated in the highest elevation area of D.O.P. Cariñena to the south, in the Sistema Ibérico mountain range. This elevation brings cools the grapes after they've basked in the sun during the day. The area also provides diverse soils from limestone, sand, and clay stone which allows for a diversity in grape varieties planted. The winery co-op consists of 400 growers tending 6,200 acres of vineyards.

We started with the 2012 Viñas Viejas de Paniza Garnacha ($18, 14.5%), 100% Garnacha that has been aged 6 months in American and French oak. This wine started with loads of sour cherry, in both the nose and palette, some chocolate notes, and fresh acids on the tail. As it opened, a chewy leather texture developed - adding depth. This nice wine was followed by the 2008 Paniza Artigazo ($27, 14.5%), a blend of 40% Garnacha, 30% Syrah, and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were hand harvested from 40 year old vines. After the initial fermentation, the malolatic fermentation occurred in new French oak. The wine is then decanted, aged another 18 months in barrel, then a further 18 months in the bottle before release. The result is a muted sour cherry aroma, with a spicy, deeply gummy or tar palette, finishing with a decent mouthfeel. A good wine, but for the price, prefer others. Cheers.

Discovering Cariñena Garnacha with #WineStudio

This Tuesday is the final chapter in Protocol Wine Studio's focus on Cariñena Garnacha - Grenache to most of us. D.O.P. Cariñena is a Spanish wine region located in the northeast, bordering the Pyrenees and France to the north and Catalunya to the east. Monks have been making wine in the area since the 1400s, but the region was not granted D.O.P. status until1932. The region is elevated, with most vineyards located in the 1,800 - 2,000 foot range. That along with a strong diurnal shift and rocky soils provide an ideal environment for Garnacha. In fact, the region was not affected by the 1860s Phylloxera blight because of these sandy soils. A majority of grape growers have formed co-ops, so that the three largest produce a majority of Cariñena Garnacha and all utilize "old vine" with vineyards 50-100 years old.  The Cariñena grape (Carignan) is also prevalent; but Garnacha is the dominant grape and there are more old vine Garnacha in Cariñenathan anywhere else in Spain.

Lyn Farmer (@FizzFan), the James Beard Award-winning wine and food writer, visited the Cariñena region last June led our weekly discussions providing insight into the region and wines. In general, he commented, "lower altitude Cariñena wines have bright, fruity flavors while those from higher altitudes exude concentration & complexity". He also stated.“I believe Cariñena is positioned to take a vibrant place on the world wine stage. It is not (yet) so well known as regions slightly to the north like Ribera del Duero and Rioja, nor is it (yet) so trendy as Priorat and Toro, but Cariñena’s day is coming.” 

The first week of tasting featured two wines from Grandes Vinos y Viñedos, the youngest co-op of the big three - founded in 1997. It sources fruit from each of the region's 14 growing areas and winemaker Marcello Morales uses these to create a Provence-styled rose, the Grandes Vinos y Viñedos, 2014 Beso de Vino Garnacha Rosé ($10, 13% ABV).  After an eight hour cold soak, this free run juice was fermented at low temperatures That's an amazing price for non-saignée rosé and after tasting, a true bargain. This is a bright wine, big red cherry aroma followed by minerals and ending with great acidity. Here's your summer sipper. We then moved on to another great value, the Grandes Vinos y Viñedos, 2014 Corona de Aragón Old Vine Garnacha ($10, 13.5% ABV). The grapes were sourced from the oldest vines in the Villanueva de Huerva region - the highest and most remote in Cariñen. After fermentation, the wine was aged just four months in oak providing a fruity and jammy wine with subtle texture, dusty tannins, and a surprising long finish. Quite nice.

The second week of tasting featured wines from Bodegas San Valero (Grupo BSV), the oldest winery in Cariñena - founded in 1944. The winery manages 700 grape growers and 8,600 acres of land, focusing on low yield plots. I started with the Bodegas San Valero, Castillo Ducay Tinto Joven ($8-10, 13% ABV), where the grapes are sourced from the Monte Ducay vineyard. This plot is located at 2,100 feet and includes15 to 20 year-old vines. The final produce is another value wine that exudes concentrated cherry juice that mellows with decanting. There's a chewy chocolate texture to the wine which finishes gently. Drink now, perhaps a little BBQ.  The second wine was the Bodegas San Valero, 2013 Particular Cariñena ($15), a more complex  and luscious wine with a leathery, herbal, and dark cherry aroma, silky velvety mid, and soft tannins. So far this is my favorite of the Cariñena session and another bargain.

At 9PM Tuesday April 28th, #WineStudio will finish the series with two wines from Bodegas Paniza. Come join the Cariñena Garnacha discussion. Cheers.

Hall Winery, Protocol #WineStudio, and #Wine Credentials

Protocol #WineStudio continued their January discussion on Wine Credentials: Letters of Distinction with more credentials from available from the San Francisco Wine School. These include the California Wine Appellation Specialist® (CWAS) program, the French Wine Scholar (FWS) Program, and the Italian Wine Professional (IWP) Program. And to assist our appetite samples from Hall Winery were distributed to several lucky participants. Me being one of these.  Like Steven Kent Winery, Hall sends their staff to the San Francisco Wine School; they participate in the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) program and plan to start sending staff to take the CWAS. A clear benefit to both the winery and its customers.

The two wines they sent were clear benefits to those of us tasting; these were the 2012 HALL "Eighteen Seventy-Three" Cabernet Sauvignon ($80) and the 2011 HALL "Jack's Masterpiece" Cabernet Sauvignon ($125). The "Eighteen Seventy-Three" honors Captain William Peterson, who in 1873, and established the first incarnation of the many wineries that have operated on Hall's St. Helena site. Although the vineyard Peterson planted was lost to phylloxera, elements of his winery are still evident in the restored winery.  The "Eighteen Seventy-Three" is an incredible wine, made from all Napa Valley fruit and aged in French Oak. Allow this wine to breathe because their are layers of chewy tannins ready to be released. These tannins are proceeded by creamy blackberry flavors then mild acidity.

Jack's Masterpiece is the creation of HALL President and former Winemaker, Mike Reynolds, who was tasked to devise a special release wine. If you notice, Hall supports the arts and uses different paintings in their labels. In 2006, Reynolds' then 18-month-old son Jack presented him with a canvas painted to celebrate Father's Day. Reynolds now had inspiration for the wine, Jack's Masterpiece. The 2011 incarnation is more subtle and earthy than the 1873, but contains plenty of depth and cherry flavor. Another beautiful wine.

Steven Kent Winery, Protocol #WineStudio, and #Wine Credentials

The January theme at Protocol #WineStudio is Wine Credentials: Letters of Distinction and to help sip our way through the discussion, samples of Steven Kent Winery to several participants. The winery started in 1996 with the goal of producing world class Cabernet in the Livermore Valley. Bordeaux grape varieties have been planted in the valley since the 1880's and many believe it's "climate and soils match those of Bordeaux’s left bank of the Gironde".  And Steven Kent Winery is all about Bordeaux - producing wine from all five red varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. The winery was also a perfect match for discussing wine credentials as they have a well educated tasting staff. The winery trains every employee on the Livermore Valley section of the California Wine Appellation Specialist® (CWAS) program from the San Francisco Wine School. And a full 90% of the staff continued with the entire program. That's impressive.

For the #WineStudio twitter event, we tasted the 2011 Small-Lot Petit Verdot, Ghielmetti Vineyard ($50, 14.3% abv) and the 2011 Livermore Vally Cabernet Sauvignon ($48, 13.5% abv). The Ghielmetti Vineyard was planted by the Ghielmetti family in 2001-2002 and hosts vines from 10 different grape varieties. According to Tracey Hoff - VP Sales & Marketing, Petit Verdot thrives in the vineyard's gravelly soil, warm days, and cool evenings. Six barrels were chosen for the small-lot PV and the results are quite impressive. The 2011 Small-Lot Petit Verdot, Ghielmetti Vineyard starts off big, and I mean big, on the nose with dark fruit and tobacco leading to a complex mixture of blackberries, dirt, chocolate and some vanilla at the tail. Quite often, 100% Petit Verdot can be one dimensional - plowing straight ahead - but not the Steven Kent. This wine has depth and character.

The 2011 Livermore Vally Cabernet Sauvignon is also a well structured wine with the help of 5% Petit Verdot, 5% Merlot & 2% Cabernet Franc. The wine was aged 2 years in a combination of new and used French & American Oak. Being an acid hound, my first impression was the racy acidity, but there's also plenty on the nose - most likely an assist from the PV.  The wine has more of a cherry undertone with similar notes of chocolate and vanilla as the Small-Lot Petit Verdot. And the finish is spicier on the sweeter side with more cinnamon than pepper. A solid wine.

And catch the last night of #WineStudio's Wine Credentials: Letters of Distinction on Tuesday January 27th to learn about the San Francisco Wine School's programs on French Wine Scholar (FWS), Italian Wine Professional (IWP), and the above mentioned California Wine Appellation Specialist (CWAS)® program. Cheers.

Cider Week Quiz: Which U.S. state hosts the most hard cider producers?

With apple season in full swing, hard cider is experiencing a seasonal renaissance with increased exposure from consumers, the media, and online tastings (#winestudio). Plus, Cider week starts November 14th in both Virginia and the Hudson Valley -- where consumers can learn more about the beverage through special tastings and events.

Hard cider is produced in 33 states and six Canadian provinces, and I recently learned that Quebec hosts the largest number of cider producers in North America with 53. This number includes both wineries and cideries as well as distilleries that distill hard cider.  So which U.S. state hosts the largest number of hard cider producers? Winecompass.com and theCompass Mobile Application don't tell the full story, since they are limited to establishment's with tasting rooms. Care to guess?  I'll release the answer and source on Friday. Cheers.

Which state hosts the most hard cider producers?

California

Michigan

New York

Oregon

Washington

Other

Please Specify:

Poll Maker

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Friday Update: According to the Cider Guide website there are 29 cider producers in Oregon, 30 in Michigan and California, 33 in Washington, and 39 in New York state.  Many of these are in the Hudson Valley where Cider Week begins today. Cider Week VA also starts today highlight the Commonwealth's nine operating cideries. Cheers to that.

#WineStudio Session XVII – Rinascimento Rising with Italian Wine

For three weeks in September PROTOCOL Wine Studio featured Justin Gallen, owner Rinascimento Wine Company, an importer of Italian wines. We learned about Justin during the first #winestudio session as well as Eric Guy's podcast interview of Justin here. The second and third week's we continued to learn about Justin as well as sampling a few of his imports.

Many of the wines I work with are farmed either organically or biodynamically and are naturally fermented using only native yeasts, but that doesn’t mean they are automatically good; the wines are good because of the blood, sweat and tears that are shed by the producers working with nature to make something great.”

The first wine was the 2013 Agricola Cirelli Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, 100% Montepulciano d'Abruzzo produced by Francesco Cirelli. Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo is the newest DOC in Abruzzo and the grapes are harvested on a vineyard site that is "8 km from the ocean in an environment that is truly devoted to sustainable farming. They are experimenting with geese breeding, figs, olive trees and, of course, a 2.5 h of vineyards. Organic certified by IMC".  The wine itself has an interesting profile, actually two profiles. Chilled it reminds of a tart sour cherry wine with strong acids; warmer a strawberry creamsicle.

The second wine was the 2010 Musto Carmelitano Aglianico del Vulture DOC "Serra Del Prete". Musto Carmelitano is a family winery run by Miss Elisabetta Musto Carmelitano and the grapes for this wine were harvested from their Serra del Prete vineyard. Forget about oak in the already tannic Aglianic, this wine was aged 6 months in steel. The wine is smokey, with dark black fruit, leather and strong, strong tannins.

Week three consisted of two wines from G.D. Vajra, an estate located in Vergne - the highest village of Barolo. The vineyards were first planted in 1972 by Giuseppe Domenico and are currently owned by Milena and Aldo Vaira who both have worked the estate since the early 1970s. In the cellar, "Vajra wines are traditionally driven with longer macerations and use primarily Slavonian casks for aging". Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barbera are the grapes of choice and we started with the later in the 2011 G.D. Vajra Barbera d’Alba DOC. This wine starts with a tart cherry chocolate-tobacco aroma, followed by a silky smooth black fruit flavor, and finishes with nice acids. This was probably my favorite of the entire collection.  The second wine was the 2009 G. D. Vajra Barolo DOCG “Albe” - pure Nebbiolo, pure Barolo di Barolo - and a bad ass wine. The grapes are sourced from three different vineyards situated at three distinct altitudes.  This one needed to sit for three days until it softened into a jammy plum and dirt with slowly mellowing tannins.

Cheers to #winestudio, PROTOCOL Wine Studio, and  Rinascimento Wine Company.

Learning About Hudson Valley Wines on #WineStudio

For the month of August, #WineStudio featured wines from the Hudson River Region AVA - the oldest continually-productive wine region in the United States. The first vines planted in the Hudson Valley occurred in 1677  in Ulster County (New Paltz) and it hosts the oldest continually operating winery in the country: Brotherhood America's Oldest Winery, originally established as Jacques Brothers’ Winery in 1837 to make sacramental wines. The earliest-planted continuously-used vineyard, going back to 1845, was planted by William Cornell in Ulster County. That vineyard is today part of Benmarl Winery & Vineyard, in Marlboro. Interestingly the Hudson River is a tidal estuary meaning the river flows in both directions. The growing season is short in the Hudson Valley (180 to 195 days). "By comparison, Long Island’s season lasts from 215 to 230 days, while the Niagara Escarpment enjoys 205 days, and the Finger Lakes AVA has 190 to 205 growing days."  In order for a winery to place a Hudson River Region label on their wine, then 85% of grapes used were grown in the AVA. And finally, the Hudson Valley Wine and Grape Association has agreed on a benchmark white: Seyval Blanc.

Yet, there was no Seyval Blanc in the wines we tasted. Instead, we received the Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery 2013 Estate Bottled 'White Rose',  the Brotherhood Winery NV “B” Sparkling Wine 100% New York Estate Bottled Chardonnay, the Millbrook Vineyards and Winery 2013 Tocai Friulano Proprietor’s Special Reserve Estate Bottled, and the Millbrook Vineyards and Winery 2012 Cabernet Franc Proprietor’s Special Reserve Estate Bottled.
 
Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery is located on the west of the Hudson River (near New Paltz)opposite the Shawangunk Mountain chain. The winery was established in 1979 and currently the estate is one of the largest vineyards in the Hudson Valley, with over 20 varieties of grapes planted. Two of these are Traminette and Gewurztraminer and proprietor Michael Migliore like the idea of a "father/son blend" since Traminette is a Gewurztraminer hybrid. Thus, the 2013 Estate Bottled 'White Rose' 75% Traminette 25% Gewurztraminer ($18) results from a field blend, where the grapes from both varieties are picked together and co-fermented. The wine, named for the climbing vine on the cliff behind the vineyard, comes in at 12% ABV and .75 RS. The wine starts with plenty of aromatics, lychee and honey, followed by a mouthful of citrus and melon flavors, finishing with refreshing acids and a bit of white pepper. Very nice.

As previously stated Brotherhood America's Oldest Winery originally established as Jacques Brothers’ Winery in 1837 and is also on the New York State Register of Historic Places. The winery is currently owned by Cesar Baeza, who had been a young winemaker, then came back as owner/partner. Baeza purchased the property in 1987, but a near fatal fire almost closed the winery permanently. With a new partnership with two winemaking families from Chile (the Castro and Chadwick families), much needed capital was injected for a complete restoration and renovation.Yet, visitors can still walk through the original cellars built by Jean Jacques over 175 years ago.

For our #winestudio session we were sent the Brotherhood Winery NV “B” Sparkling Wine 100% New York Estate Bottled Chardonnay ($11.99). As in the name, the grapes were grown within the Empire state and the sparkling aspect was generated using the Charmat method.  The aroma and flavor resemble bruised pears co-mingling with yeasty green apples. And the tail finishes with nice acidity. A pretty decent value at $12.

The History of Brotherhood Winery

In 1810, a French Huguenot emigre named Jean Jaques purchased land in New York’s bucolic Hudson Valley and began planting grapes. By 1837, Mr. Jaques needed more land, so he purchased a plot in the quiet village of Washingtonville, NY, and planted another vineyard. By 1839, his first underground cellars were dug and Mr. Jaques fermented his first wine vintage. Those cellars, the oldest and largest in America, are still in use today at Brotherhood Winery.

The Jaques family made wine at the Washingtonville facility for almost 60 years, selling much of it to Jesse and Edward Emerson, two New York City wine merchants. The Emersons, Finger Lakes vinters themselves, understood the high quality of Mr. Jaques’ wine and used it to improve a blend of wine from an organization called The Brotherhood of New Life - an experiment in utopian communal living in the Hudson Valley. When the Emerson family took control of the Washingtonville winery, they renamed it Brotherhood, a name that it still proudly bears today.

The Emerson family operated Brotherhood until Prohibition. In 1921, Louis Farrell purchased the winery and its large stock of sacramental wine. He sold wine for religious ceremonies throughout Prohibition, which was finally repealed in 1933. It has been noted that the clergy population in the area grew substantially during this period.

Louis and his wife were the first to grasp the value of Brotherhood’s location, as the nearest winery to New York City. They began conducting tours of the winery, highlighting the now-enlarged underground cellars, the history of the facility and its picturesque site. In fact, the Farrell family initiated the very concept of wine tourism, hosting parties and events at the winery that drew hundreds of thousands of fans annually, and introduced the Brotherhood brand to generations of American drinkers.

The final winery featured was Millbrook Vineyards & Winery, which was the first Hudson Valley winery to dedicate production exclusively to Vitis Vinifera grapes. Millbrook's founder John Dyson started growing grapes by planting an experimental acre at his family farm in Millbrook in the 1970's. The first commercial vintage was made by winemaker John Graziano in 1984 and Graziano has been producing wines at Millbrook ever since. Millbrook is also in the cutting edge of labeling. Check out the back of the Cabernet Franc and the plethora of information available to consumers. You can thank GM David Bova for this.

Millbrook is also in the cutting edge of grape diversity. Since 1985 they have been producing a Tocai Friulano as Dyson evidently became very fond of the grape during his travels to Italy. Their 2013 Tocai Friulano Proprietor’s Special Reserve Estate Bottled ($20) is a star, bright acidic, and low ABV at 13%. Their 2012 Proprietors Special Reserve Cabernet Franc ($30) is also a solidly delicious wine filled with layers of red fruit, some pepper and tobacco, and nice acidity. It contains 20% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon which may explain the fruit over green pepper dominance. 

I'm really looking forward to visiting the Hudson Valley this fall. Who's with me?

#winestudio: The Independent Spirit | Wines of the USA

Protocol Wine Studio's weekly #winestudio twitter chat session went Americana this July by featuring several wines produced in the other 46 as selected by LeMetro Wine Underground: The Independent Spirit | Wines of the USA. These are all family operations, with interesting stories to tell.  I was familiar with all the wineries selected, except for Vermont's La Garagista, a producer of several french hybrid wines including the 2013 “Coup de Foudre” Pétillant Naturel. Michelle Williams, over at Rockin Red Blog has a nice recap on that wine.

La Garagista was the focus of week 1, and the second week featured Wisconsin's Wollersheim Winery and McPherson Cellars from Texas. I included the Wollersheim 2013 Domaine du Sac in my The United Grapes of America series. In short, this is a very pleasing juicy blackberry-blueberry flavored wine with cedar-spice notes and solid acids. McPherson is also included in the UGA series with their tasty Tre Colore - a southern Rhone blend of Mourvedre, Carignan, and Viognier. During our #winestudio session, we focused on their 2013 Les Copains Texas Dry Rosé ($15), another similar Rhone blend of Cinsault, Mourvèdre, and Viognier. One interesting note, because of frost damage that year, the Viognier was sourced from owner and winemaker Kim McPherson's brother's vineyard in Temecula, CA. This is a dry rosé, with berry and tropic fruit aromas leading to soft cherry flavors, finishing with clean acidity. And at this price, a bargain.

The final week featured the Creekside Cellars 2011 'Franc' Colorado Cabernet Franc ($50) and Ankida Ridge Vineyards 2012 Pinot Noir ($42).  These both are good examples showing how both Colorado and Virginia are producing excellent wine. I just featured Creekside in the UGA, but in short there's also a nice lift and creaminess to the wine which finishes with smooth tannins and fresh acids. The Ankida 2012 Pinot Noir is a fine example how a warm climate Pinot can maintain acids and structure.  The 1800 foot elevation and rocky, well drained soils is a perfect location for the grape - as the summer days are cooler than the surrounding area. The wine has a dusty character with black cherry flavors a hint of spice, and a juicy mouthfeel. A little Burgundy in the Commonwealth.

Tomorrow, #winestudio continues a tour of lesser known wine regions by focusing on the Hudson Valley. Hope to see you online. Cheers.

The United Grapes of America - Colorado - Creekside Cellars Franc

During the 2012 Drink Local Wine Conference, I finally met Michelle Cleveland, winemaker at Creekside Cellars. We had communicated frequently through twitter, but this was the first chance I had to sample her wine; specifically a Cabernet Franc and Viognier during the event's live twitter tasting. As I recall, both were quite pleasing and nailed the varietal character of each grape variety.  This week I had another chance to sample her wine, this time through our friends at Protocal Wine Studio and their informative #WineStudio Tuesday twitter sessions. Michelle had donated the Creekside's 2011 'Franc' Colorado Cabernet Franc ($35) for July's The Independent Spirit | Wines of the USA. 

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

Colorado is a unique region for grape growing. Most of the vineyards are located in the western part of the state in the Grand Valley and West Elk AVA's in addition to the Four Corners region in the southwest.  In general, as you would expect, these are cold climate vineyards - with vineyards in the West Elk AVA the highest in the northern hemisphere. The Grand Valley AVA is a warmer micro-climate, providing over 300 days of sunshine per year  and Creekside owns a vineyard in Palisade, aptly called The Vinelands.  Here, right next to the Colorado River,  they grow Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, and Muscat.

The winery itself was started by Bill and Anita Donahue with their son, Tim in 1996 and is located in Evergreen - a little southwest of Denver. Michelle started working for the winery in 2005 and became the head winemaker in 2008. Once the grapes are harvested at The Vinelands, they are trucked east to Evergreen to be processed.  2011 was a cold year, even by Colorado standards: thus the yields were low, and acids high. After fermentation, the wine for the 2011 'Frank' Colorado Cabernet Franc spent 24 months in half American oak and half French oak - providing more depth, tobacco, and spices to the already black cherry character. This is a ripe Cabernet Franc, meaning little traces of herbal or green peppery character. My kind of Franc. Cheers.

The United Grapes of America - Wisconsin - Wollersheim Winery Domaine du Sac

It's difficult to procure wines from across the United States; you either need to travel or pay shipping fees. But fortunately through the virtues of Protocol Wine Studio's #WineStudio twitter forum (focusing on The Independent Spirit | Wines of the USA), I was able to receive a Wisconsin wine from Wollersheim Winery. This was their 2013 Domaine du Sac ($14), a blend of French-hybrids Marechal Foch (90%) and Leon Millot (10%) from the Lake Wisconsin AVA. There are actual two AVAs (Lake Wisconsin and Wisconsin Ledge) within the Badger state as well as parts of the Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA which spans parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin,  Illinois, and Iowa.

Wollersheim has a compelling history. The land was orginally planted with vines by Agoston Haraszthy in the 1840's. You may recall that Haraszthy would become the Father of California Viticulture by introducing more than three hundred varieties of European grapes and founding Sonoma's Buena Vista Vineyards - with Charles Krug as the winemaker. According to wikipedia, Haraszthy is also "remembered in Wisconsin as the founder of the oldest incorporated village in the state. He also operated the first commercial steamboat on the upper Mississippi River". One fact I never knew is that he died in Nicaragua while trying to develop a sugar plantation and rum distillery.

In 1972 Bob and JoAnn Wollersheim purchased the former Haraszthy Wisconsin property from the Kehl family who had possessed the land since Haraszthy sold it to Peter Kehl, his original vineyard manager. In 1899, a bitter frost destroyed the grape vines and the farm was converted to dairy and livestock. The Wollersheim's replanted grape vines immediately, soon opened the winery, and in 1985, hired the current winemaker Philippe Coquard. In the 1970's, Wollersheim experimented with viniferia varieties based on advice from Dr. Konstantin Frank and Hermann J. Wiemer - with no long term success. Today the winery has 27 acres of hybrids and native labrusca grapes - mostly Marechal Foch, as well as Leon Millot, St. Pepin & La Crosse. 

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

The  2013 Domaine du Sac is made in the Beaujolais style - cold soak and whole berry fermentation in order to express the grape character without the stem and seed tannins. The wine spends five months aging in American or French oak before bottling. The result is a juicy blackberry-blueberry flavored wine with a wet barnyard earthy aroma; finishing with a spicy, acidic character. And there are still a few tannins to balance the wine - and it is balanced. To a few of us, the wine resembled an Austrian Zweigelt - not bad for a Foch wine. Pair with Wisconsin's Bon Iver. Cheers.