Wine 101: Sparkling Wines from Around the World

With Friday October 26th being the 3rd Annual #ChampagneDay 2012, I thought it wise to draft a compendium of the sparkling wines from around the world. First, what is sparkling wine? Basically, it is still wine augmented with significant levels of carbon dioxide - thus the bubbles or fizz. Sparkling wine can be produced using one of two methods: (1) still wines undergo a second fermentation (in the bottle or in a sealed vat) or (2) CO2 is directly injected into the bottled still wine.  The traditional method (méthode champenoise) involves a second fermentation in the bottle where sugar and yeast are added to the bottle, triggering a second fermentation. "Through the process of riddling and eventually disgorgement, the dead yeast cells (lees) are removed from the wine while still maintaining the dissolved carbon dioxide gas." The Charmat method is the other secondary fermentation method which occurs in pressurized stainless steel fermentation tanks. The fresh yeast and sugar mixture is added to the wine in these tanks - basically an economies of size solution to the méthode champenoise. After secondary fermentation the wine is cooled, clarified and bottled using a counter pressure filler.

Champagne - is produced in the Champagne region of France using the méthode champenoise and most likely Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier grapes. Chardonnay is prized for its finesse and aging ability. Pinot Noir adds body and fruit while Pinot Meunier contributes substantially to the aroma, adding fruit and floral notes. The majority of Champagnes produced are non-vintage (or rather, multi-vintage) blends.

Crémant - is sparkling wine produced using méthode champenoise in seven French appellations and one in Luxenbourg. In France, Crémant wines must be hand harvested within fixed yields and the resulting sparkling wine must be aged at least one year. In Luxenbourg, Crémant is produced in the Moselle district using the traditional method followed by at least nine months of aging.

• Crémant d'Alsace - produced from Pinot Blanc grapes, but may also contain Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.
• Crémant de Bordeaux
• Crémant de Bourgogne - produced in Burgundy and must be composed of at least thirty percent Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc or Pinot Gris grapes.
• Crémant de Die - produced in the Rhône Valley region using Clairette, Aligote and Muscat grapes.
• Crémant du Jura - produced in the Jura wine region, located between Burgundy and Switzerland. White and rosé wines can be produced from Poulsard, Trousseau and Pinot Noir red grapes and Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Savagnin white grapes.
• Crémant de Limoux - produced in the Languedoc region, specifically in the villages surrounding Limoux and composed primarily of Mauzac (Blanquette de Limoux).
• Crémant de Loire - second largest producer of sparkling wine in France usually using a blend of Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.
• Crémant de Luxembourg - produced in the Moselle district using the traditional method followed by at least nine months of aging.

Cava - Spanish sparkling wine produced primarily around Catalonia.  According to Spanish law, cava may be produced in eight wine regions: Aragon, the Basque Country, Castile and León, Catalonia, Extremadura, Navarra, Rioja or the Valencian Community. Cava can be white or rosé (small quantities of Cabernet Sauvignon, Garnacha or Monastrell are added). Traditionally Cava is produced from indigenous Macabeu, Parellada, and Xarello grapes but may also contain Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Subirat.

Prosecco - Italian sparkling wine made using the Charmat method and primarily Glera grapes harvested from Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia.

Asti - Italian sparkling wine that is produced in southeastern Piedmont, particularly around the towns of Asti and Alba. The wine is made from the Moscato Bianco grape using the Charmat method and is generally sweet and low in alcohol.

Lambrusco - Italian sparkling wine produced using the Charmat method in four zones in Emilia-Romagna and one in Lombardy using six Lambrusco red varieties: Lambrusco Grasparossa, Lambrusco Maestri, Lambrusco Marani, Lambrusco Montericco, Lambrusco Salamino and Lambrusco Sorbara. All of these various Lambrusco grapes are indigenous to Emilia and neither clones nor sub-clones.
Franciacorta - Italian sparkling wine from Lombardy using a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and using the méthode champenoise.

Sekt - German or Austrian sparkling wine produced usually using the Charmat method. Deutescher Sekt is produced exclusively from German grown grapes (Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir), whereas most Sekt is produced from imported grapes.In Austria, Sekt is produced from Welschriesling and Gruner Vetliner grapes.

Espumante - Portuguese sparkling wine produced throughout Portugal from the northern region of Vinho Verde to the southern region of the Alentejo. Quality Espumante is produced solely in DOC Bairrada, located just south of Vinho Verde, using the méthode champenoise and made from quick-pressed red Baga or Touriga Nacional grapes, fragrant white Maria Gomes, Arinto, Bical and Chardonnay.

Pezsgő - Hungarian sparkling wine produced primarily using the Charmat method, but more recently the méthode champenoise using indigenous Olaszrizling, Kékfrankos, Furmint, Királyleányka, Hárslevelű, Kéknyelű and Juhfark or Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Riesling, and Muscat Ottonel.

Penina - Slovenian sparkling wine made using the using the méthode champenoise usually from the Radgona-Kapela district (Drava Valley) or Bizeljsko-Brežice district ( Lower Sava Valley).

Australia - sparkling wine in Australia is usually made from Champagne grapes using the méthode champenoise with Tasmania and Victoria the most prized regions. Sparkling Shiraz is made from oak aged Syrah that undergoes secondary fermentation using méthode champenoise.

United Kingdom - sparkling wine is produced in the U.K. in Kent and Sussex counties using the méthode champenoise and from multiple grapes Seyval Blanc, Kerner, Müller-Thurgau; and to a lesser extent the Champagne grapes:  Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

South Africa - South African sparkling wine is called Method Cap Classique, South Africa’s name for methode champenoise using traditional Champagne grape varieties.

United States: most American wineries produce sparkling wines using the methode champenoise and traditional Champagne grape varieties.

• Finger Lakes - cooler climate allows for more intense flavors at a lower brix measurement using Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Riesling grapes.

Finger Lakes Wine Country Goes Sparkling and Icy

This week we participated in a Finger Lakes Wine Country Finger Lakes Wine Virtual Tasting Series tasting on Dessert, Sparkling, & Ice Wines. We were sent samples from seven Finger Lakes wineries - specifically three sparkling wines and four dessert or ice wines.during the tasting several bloggers shared their insight on the wines via Twitter (#FLXWineVT), submitted questions to the winemakers, and watched real time as the winemakers discussed their wines. 


We started with the sparkling wines and while tasting learned that this style is a "Labor of Love" for the winemakers and also, the the Finger Lakes cooler climate allows for more intense flavors at a lower brix measurement.  We started with the Atwater Estate Vineyards 2008 Sparkling Cuvee ($30), which is a
66% Pinot Noir and 34% Chardonnay blend. The grapes ripened at the same time, which allowed them to be co-fermented after being whole clustered pressed. The winery then follows the traditional Champagne Methodoise where the the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle with active riddling so that the lees do not settle in one area. The lees are removed during disgorging, more sugar and wine added during dosage, and then sealed with a champagne-style cork closure. The result is an impressive sparkling wines - full of green apple flavor, a strong mid-palette, and a refreshing lemon finish.

We moved next to the 100% Pinot Noir 2008 Blanc de Noir ($30) from McGregor Vineyard Winery. This wine was created because winemaker Jeff Dencenburg wanted to experiment with a 100% PN. My feelings is that the wine is just not on par, particularly when following the Atwater Cuvee. Yes this wine had a decent mouth feel, but the flavor was bland and not exciting. Many of the other bloggers disagreed, proving that no two palettes are the same.

The final sparkling wine was the Swedish Hill Winery Riesling Cuvee ($18) - a most interesting wine fermented to 3.5% R.S. and reminding many of us as a Proseco - with more flavor. The Riesling juice was tank fermented in order to retain the inherent flavor of the grape. The result is a food friendly sparkler with a strong amount of lychee on the nose and a nice balance between sugar and acidity at the tail. Nicely done.

Round two consisted of the dessert and ice wines and these were all well received. We started with the Casa Larga Vineyards 2008 Fiori Vidal Blanc Ice Wine ($45). The name translates to Flower of Stars in Italian and is what the harvest workers view in the dead of night when harvesting the frozen grapes. Yes, true German style Eiswein are produced from grapes harvested when completely frozen in the middle of night - usually in late December or early January. As expected, the volume at harvest is much lower than for grapes harvested on a normal schedule resulting in 1/4 less yield (1 ton of grapes = 160 gallons vs 1 ton of grapes = 40 gallons). The Eiswein juice is then cold fermented and the result is a slightly syrupy sweet nectar. And the beauty of using Vidal Blanc is the natural acidity and the grape balances the concentrated sugar in the wine. The is a very nice apricot flavored wine - perfectly balanced between sweetness and acidity.

The other true "Eiswein" was the Knapp Vineyards Winery 2010 Vidal Ice Wine ($25). The was my preferred dessert wine of the evening showcasing an orange aroma, followed by a full - full apricot profile, finishing with refreshing acidity.  This reminded of the famed Hungarian Tokaji wines - with a high puttonyos. And at $25 a bargain.

The last two wines were produced in an ice wine style where the grapes were harvested late and then immediately frozen in order to concentrate the sugars. The Lucas Vineyards 2010 Vidal Blanc Iced ($25) was very similar to the Knapp, without the orange aroma, but a very similar apricot flavor profile. Just a tad lighter - but a very nice wine. The Standing Stone Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer Ice ($25) is an excellent alternative to the Vidal, emanating a more lychee flavor profile with a spicy finish. Gewurztraminer is an interesting grape to use for an ice styled wine since its low level of acids would be difficult to balance the concentrated sugar. Yet freezing the grapes solves this problem by concentrating the acids in addition to the sugar. The result is a balanced wine.

Cheers to the Finger Lakes - there's more than just Riesling.

Exploring Columbia Crest H3 with ThirstyGirl & Leslie Sbrocco

We were invited to participate in the monthly #TGTaste with Leslie Sbrocco featuring wines from the Columbia Crest Winery H3 brand - specifically three wines from Washington State's Horse Heaven Hills AVA. This area is located in south-eastern Washington and is surrounded by the Columbia Valley AVA and Yakima Valley AVA to the North and the Columbia River to the South. It is responsible for 25% of grapes harvested in the Evergreen state and 100% of the grapes in the wines we received. Winemaker Juan Munoz Oca explains that this AVA gives whites more minerality and reds more cocoa, earth and dust notes.

The first wine poured was the Columbia Crest 2010 Horse Heaven Hills Chardonnay ($15) made from 100% whole berry whole berry pressed Chardonnay with 75% fermented in various types of oak barrels. The result is a very interesting and unique Chardonnay. Yes, it possesses that characteristic Chardonnay flavors, including green apple and even some pineapple, as well as some silky creamy texture from the oak treatment. What distinguishes this wine is a spicy - almost nutmeg - finish - that really alters the tasting experience. Not really sure how to handle the finish. But after breathing the spiciness became more subtle

The second wine was the Columbia Crest 2010 Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) , 97% cab of pure enjoyment. It's medium bodied which oozes cherries with a velvety mid-palette, and a  smooth, soft finish - very little tannins. What an easy drinking wine - and this one came with those cocoa notes. But what about the other 3%? According to Oca, the 1% Cabernet Franc provides herbal notes to the nose and adds layers of fruit and depth. Not bad for a 1 percent-er.  And the 2% Merlot provides some backbone & structure.

The final wine was the Columbia Crest 2010 Horse Heaven Hills Les Chevaux Red ($15) - a Merlot dominant blend augmented with Cabernet Sauvignon & Syrah. Named in honor of the AVA, "the Horses" is also a smooth cherry flavored wine with more acidity than the Cabernet Sauvignon as well as a slight tobacco. This seemed to be the #TGTaste favorite - this writer excluded.

Cheers to Columbia Crest and H3.

Northwest Expressions - #WAWine Food and Wine Experience

This week I was graciously invited to the Northwest Expressions - a  #WAWine Food and Wine Experience hosted by Josh Wade from the Nectar Wine Bar as well as Visit Spokane. The luncheon featured five wines from the Spokane region paired with food catered by Geppetto Catering, Inc. There are just over 20 wineries located around Spokane, with many operating tasting bars downtown. Whereas some grapes used by Spokane are wineries are sourced from other AVAs, we  learned how challenging the Sokane environment is for estate vineyards - particularly their early frost and late Spring. In fact, the region encountered it's first frost of the season two nights ago - whereas here in Virginia - harvest continues for some varieties like Cabernet Franc. And being only 15 or so miles from the Idaho border, the Spokane region probably has more in common with the Snake River Valley AVA then other Washington state AVAs. We also learned that Spokane is home to Washington's first post-Prohibition distillery - Dry Fly Distilling - that's reason enough to plan a visit.

We started our tasting with the Arbor Crest Wine Cellars 2011 Bacchus Vineyard Columbia Valley Sauvignon Blanc paired with an assortment of appetizers - seconds were ordered for the Rabbit Empanadas. Apparently Arbor Crest with their Cliff House Estate is a popular tourist attraction, particularly in the Spring when over 20 thousand tulips bloom. The winery is also one of the oldest in the Evergreen state (the 29th) and has been producing Sauvignon Blanc from the very beginning. The 2011 Bacchus Vineyard is an excellent value ($10) for a lemon-citrus wine with sweet sensations followed by a tart and acidic lemon finish - without the grassy flavor of New Zealand.

Next up was the Barrister Winery Barrister's Block Red, a non-vintage blend of four grape varieties (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, and 5% each Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec) from three separate vineyards ( Pepper Bridge, Seven Hills and Bacchus).  This was my favorite wine of luncheon, pepper in the nose and tail; but a silky creamy mid-palette that was quite savory. This was also the most expensive wine in the tasting - $32.

Josh served the Mountain Dome Winery Brut as a palette cleanser for the main course and this wine proved that affordable and tasty sparklers are available in Spokane. The wine is made méthode champenoise and consists of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay. It is a clean refreshing wine with subtle green apple flavors. Quite tasty - and priced between $15-$18 - a bargain.

The main course included roasted herb chicken and wild Atlantic Salmon cakes,  so we broke etiquette and consumed the Robert Karl Cellars 2009 Horse Heaven Hills Claret ($20). The winery loves to hold wine back in the bottle to allow it to mature and this is no exception. This wine exudes cherries, from front to back, with an interesting leather character.

We finished lunch with the Townshend Cellar Late Harvest Chenin Blanc and an apple tart with Josh explaining that the wine must be sweeter than the dessert. At 12%RS, this is a sweet wine - reminiscent of some Tokaji wines - with apricot flavor predominant. Wonder if dry Chenin Blanc and Furmint are similar? In any case, this was a splendid finale for the lunch - great to spend time with old friends and finally able to meet Josh and the Visit Spokane folks. Hope to share a meal with them again on their side of the country - perhaps in the Spring - we all love Tulips. 

The United Grapes of America - Indiana - Oliver Winery Camelot Mead

Prior to Prohibition, Indiana was the 10th largest wine producer in the states, largely due to the vibrant wine industry centered around Vevay. A century earlier, John James Dufour, a Swiss immigrant, had planted a  a hybrid labrusca grape, Cape, in the vicinity of present day town of Vevay.  The grape flourished and soon after “Vevay" wine was sold to the remainder of the country.  After Prohibition, the decimated Hoosier wine industry was resurrected with the help of the world's oldest fermented beverage: Mead.  Remnants of this libation has been found in Chinese pottery vessels dated 7,000 BC and later in diverse areas as Egypt and northern Europe. A truly global beverage.

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

In the early 1960's Indiana University law professor William Oliver started making wine in his basement. He established a vineyard northwest of Bloomington and with abundant harvest explored opening a commercial venture. He assisted in steering the 1971 Indiana Small Winery Act through the Indiana State Legislature and opened Oliver Winery to the public the following year.  Ever since, their best seller has been the Camelot Mead, a lighter bodied mead, but off-dry with a considerable honey finish. This is an excellent Mead - one that I can consume by the full glass; not just small doses as a dessert wine. It is lighter then most, with no syrupy texture and is made from my favorite honey - Orange Blossom. And at $9 - well worth the price from the Grateful Red in Arlington Virginia. Cheers. 

The United Grapes of America - Virginia - The Trifecta

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

Being a resident of the Old Dominion, I am somewhat familiar with the wines produced from the 210 or so wineries operating in the Commonwealth. Many of my favorites are included in this Northern Virginia Magazine post on Wine Recs From Local Winos.  And there is such nice grape variety in Virginia - from Viognier, Chardonnay, Bordeaux varieties, Vidal Blanc, Petit Manseng, Albarino, and of course, Norton. And yet, I have been able to narrow my favorites to The Trifecta: the Glen Manor Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc, the Boxwood Winery Rosé, and the Barboursville Vineyards Octagon.Why these? Just check out the VirginiaWineTV video below comparing these wines to some I found in the Sunshine state. Cheers.

Kiwi Day Dreaming, #winechat, & New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

Last night, Wednesday September 20th, our friends William and Juli, co-bloggers at Kiwi Day Dreaming hosted a session on Wines of New Zealand for #winechat. For the event, William and Pasternak Wine Imports provided us with two Sauvignon Blancs, the Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2011 ($12) and the Goldwater 2010 Wairau Valley, Marlborough ($16). During the chat we also learned bushels of new facts about the New Zealand wine industry, the Malborough region, and the Wairau Valley sub-region. Specifically, I was fascinated to learn that Sauvignon Blanc from the Wairau Valley characteristically express sub tropical fruits in the finish. And this was identical to my tasting notes for the Goldwater 2010. And the aroma from this one is strong, overpowering so, where the citrus leads to a rich wine - depth and flavor - and a long nicely acidic finish. The Dashwood was lighter, with a nose and flavor of grapefruit and a touch of lemon without the grass. The finish, refreshing acidity with some minerals mixed in. Both are nice wines, nice price points - time to start exploring New Zealand wines.

The United Grapes of America - Tennessee - Countryside Vineyards Chambourcin

I leveraged a trip to the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion  to visit Countryside Vineyards & Winery, located not far down Route 81 in Blountville, Tennessee. There are about three dozen wineries operating in the Volunteer State (visit Tennesse Wine Country), with most producing wine from French hybrids, native labrusca grapes, or country wines from berries. Countryside opened just over a decade ago and owner-winemaker Jim Thomas is most proud of his Chambourcin. This French-American hybrid was developed by Joannes Seibel in the Loire Valley of France in the 1860s - probably to help alleviate the affects of the phyloxera epidemic. However, it wasn't until the 1970s that the grape was planted widely in the United States for commercial use. Since then, its planting
has exploded because of its vineyard hardiness (cold and humidity) and diversity in styles. It can be vinified into a full or medium bodied dry red, a rose, or even a sweeter wine. Countryside's Chambourcin is a medium bodied wine, with smooth cherry-chocolate flavors, and a slightly peppery finish. The is a nice, easy drinking wine; affordable ($13); and worthy of the winery's praise.

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

The United Grapes of America - Washington - Chateau Ste. Michelle Rieslings

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

We continue our Pacific Northwest and the Summer of Riesling binge with Washington State's oldest winery, Chateau Ste. Michelle.  The winery was founded in 1934 - that's getting an early post-Prohibition start - and is located northeast of Seattle, in Woodinville. Although the estate vineyards are located in the Puget Sound AVA; many of their wines are made from grapes harvested in the Columbia Valley AVA. This is the largest AVA in the Evergreen State, accounting for "99% of wine grapes. (See the Washington Wine Commission for more facts on Washington wines.)  Riesling is a major player in the area and benefits from the warm, sunny days and cool evening temperatures. And Chateau Ste. Michelle produces three versions of Riesling which the recently sent me: a 2011 Columbia Valley Dry Riesling, a 2011 Columbia Valley Riesling, and a 2011 Columbia Valley Harvest Select Sweet Riesling.

I tasted these wines on multiple occasions over the weekend, and all are very nice; and every time I preferred the 2011 Harvest Select Sweet Riesling.  This wine possesses a strong peach profile - both in the aroma and flavor - but the wine's acidity has no problems balancing the 5.2% R.S. At times this wine reminded me of several local Petit Mangseng wines I've tasted recently - refreshing even with the sugar.  The Columbia Valley Riesling is made semi-dry at 2.2% R.S. and like the previous, the acidity had no problems balancing the sugar. In fact, I didn't even notice the sugar, just this time an apricot profile with the lemon-tart finish. And this wine tamed a couple spicy fish tacos. The Columbia Valley Dry Riesling is very clean, with more citrus flavors accompanied by the now familiar crisp acidic finish. Yet, this wine just didn't have the full flavor profile as the others. Not bad, but for my tastes, I seem to prefer a little more R.S. in my Riesling. All in all, a nice set of wine; cheers to Columbia Valley Riesling.

The United Grapes of America - Idaho - Sawtooth Winery Riesling

It's still the Summer of Riesling so we turn to Idaho where Sommelier Vino50.com recommended Sawtooth Winery and we selected their 2011 Riesling (a blend of 95% Riesling and just 5% Muscat Blanc).  Any discussion of Northwest wine production should not be monopolized by Oregon and Washington; Idaho and British Columbia should be included - particularly since the first vines in the Pacific Northwest were planted in Idaho in the 1860s. The terrior in Idaho is similar to that of eastern Washington & Oregon except its higher elevation produces a larger diurnal temperature variation. We are talking 30*-40*  at the highest elevations. The Snake River Valley was Idaho's first designated American Viticultural Area (AVA) and encompasses the strategic 43°- 46° latitudes.  Sawtooth Winery was founded in 1987 as started as Pintler Cellars, with early plantings of Chenin Blanc, Riesling, Semillon, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon.  In 1998 Pintler joined Corus Estates & Vineyards and was re-branded as Sawtooth Winery - honoring the Sawtooth Mountains. Today Sawtooth is one of about forty wineries operating in the Gem State.
Andrew Stover of

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

The grapes for the 2011 Sawtooth Winery Riesling were harvested from the winery's Skyline Vineyards, a new vineyard with slopes facing in all directions. The east and north facing slopes are planted with cooler climate grapes such as Sauvignon Blanc and Riesling; whereas the south and west facing slopes are warmer and host Bordeaux varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. Interesting - different micro-climates within he same vineyard.  The wine is made semi-dry with 2.0% RS but tons of acidity to balance the sugar. The aroma exudes peach, whereas the flavor is primarily lemon grass similar to some Sauvignon Blancs. There is also a honey richness to the wine that is followed by the pleasing acidic finish. Also pleasing is the price, $12 at Norms Beer & Wine. Cheers to that.

The United Grapes of America - New Mexico - Gruet Winery Blanc de Noirs

It was unanimous. Every chef and sommelier interviewed by StarChefs.com selected Gruet Winery as their preferred winery from New Mexico. There are about 40 wineries in the "Land of Enchantment" producing wines from Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Johannisburg Riesling, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, and Zinfandel grapes. This Labor Day Weekend, wines from New Mexico will be showcased at the New Mexico Wine Growers Association Harvest Wine Festival at the Southern NM State Fairgrounds in Las Cruces and in Bernalillo at the 25th Annual New Mexico Wine Festival.

Gruet Winery is probably the most popular winery - assisted by its wide distribution network - selling over 100,000 cases to 48 states. The winery was founded by French champagne producer Gilbert Gruet after he and his family visited the American southwest in 1983. As a result of meeting a group of New Mexican winemakers, they (Gruet; his children, winemaker Laurent and daughter Nathalie; and family friend Farid Himeur) planted an experimental vineyard with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes near the town of Engle.  The vineyards are situated at 4,300 feet, allowing for large diurnal temperature change between the extremely hot days and cool nights. Plus, there's little humidity to contribute to grape rot. An excellent location. And using the traditional grapes from Champagne, New Mexican sparkling wine was born.

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

For our tasting ,we selected the Gruet Blanc de Noirs available from Whole Foods for $15. Composed of Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the wine follows traditional Champagne Methodoise practices, maybe too much - since the secondary fermentation gave this sparkler an explosive amount of bubbles. But after the initial fireworks settled, the wine was very tasty, 100% dry with creamy apple flavors and a tart almost citrusy finish. This is a solid sparkling wine, and at that price, why not drink a sparkler a day.

Ron Zacapa 23 - From Cane to Solera to Bottle

We've been fans of the Ron Zacapa 23 Rum for quite some time. And why not. It's nutty aroma, sweet honey flavors, creamy texture, and smooth, long finish - never a burn - should satisfy anyone. We've known that they utilize the first press of sugar cane (virgin sugar cane honey) and that the rum is aged in "The House Above the Clouds"  7,500ft above sea level in eastern Guatemala. Yet, we never really understood their unique Sistema Solera process - modeled after sherry production - and it's contribution to this excellent rum. That is, until now, when the Zacapa distillery sent us a tasting kit, with vials containing rum samples from each stage of the Solera process, plus the final Ron Zacapa 23 blend. What a tasting opportunity.

Before tasting, let's start with their distilling process. As previously mentioned, the rum starts from sugar cane and not molasses. Zacapa's sugar cane is harvested from their plantation "located on the volcanic plains of Retalhuleu, 1,148ft above sea level in south-western Guatemala". The sugar cane is then pressed, and the first press is then fermented using their own strain of yeast extracted from pineapples. The fermented juice is then distilled using a single column copper still. 

Tasting vials from stages in the Solera process

After distillation, the freshly distilled spirit is transported to "The House Above the Clouds" and the Sistema Solera process begins. This process involves several stages or "criadera" - Spanish for nursery. In the first stage or criadera, freshly distilled juice is aged and then blended with juice that has previously aged within the same level as well as a stock from the general reserve. This intermediate blend then moves to the next stage, aged in different barrels and then blended with older lots, and then sent to the next criadera. The process repeats until the final blend is realized and this becomes the Solera - in our case - the Ron Zacapa 23.

The Zacapa Solera process uses four criadera and the tasting kit includes samples from three of these, as well as the finished solera.  (See the image below for more detail.)  The attached video also describes the contents of the tasting kit, and whereas my tasting was less formal, I gained a greater appreciation how each step in the Solera process contributes to the overall complexity of Ron Zacapa 23. In Stage 1, the distilled sugar cane is aged in used American white oak Bourbon barrels for one to three years. The rum is then moved to the  4,500 gallon American Oak intermediate vat where it is blended with older lots. This mixture is then aged in charred Bourbon barrels, resulting in more oak flavors imparted into the spirit. This rum sample is reminiscent of a solid, slightly aged rum, with sugar cane aromas, sweet honey flavors and a slight burn at the tail. I could drink this version, at any time, with no second thoughts.

The Zacapa Solera Process

In Stage 2, the intermediate blend vat is again augmented with rum from the reserve and then aged in used Sherry barrels. Surprisingly, the rum from this sample was toxic to my palette. The aroma from this sample was powerful - full of nuts and honey - but the burn was just as strong - overwhelming the new flavors imparted from the sherry casks.

The sherry infused rum is added back to the vat,  augmented by the reserve, and then sent to the fourth criadera or Stage 3 and aged in used Pedro Ximenez (PX) wine barrels. PX is a white Spanish grape used in sherry and sweet dessert wines.  This sample was much more palatable than the last, exuding a similar nutty aroma but with a fig and banana-ish flavor and milder, albeit, still strong finish. Close, but not quite the same as the finished solera. It was also very 2-dimensional, running straight from the mouth to the tail, without much of the creamy mid-palette I associate with Zacapa 23.   

This blend is then added back to the gigantic intermediate vat and then blended into the older lots in the reserve. Some of the rum is used to augment future processes whereas some are filtered and bottled into the distinctive Ron Zacapa 23 bottles. This last sample - Stage 4 - was the final product that I've come to love about this rum - the honey and nutty aromas mingle with the sweet honey, fig, and raisin flavors; followed by a satiating and creamy mid-palette; and ending with a long fresh finish - with zero - I mean zero -  burn. Love it.  The distillers at Ron Zacapa have patented this process into a science or art, because I was unable to capture this profile using my own blends of the three vials.So there you have it -  Ron Zacapa 23 - From Cane to Solera to Bottle. Cheers

The United Grapes of America - Missouri - Stone Hill Winery Norton Port

Missouri=Norton. That's basically what you need to know about the ^® (thanks Chrysalis Vineyards) to a new level of quality and consumer acceptance.   In order to learn more about the native Virginia grape, we recommend Todd Kliman 's The Wild Vine: A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine.  And it was Kliman who recommended the Norton wines from Stone Hill Winery in the The United Grapes of America. And why not. The winery is listed in  Paul Lukacs book, The Great Wines of America: The Top Forty Vintners, Vineyards, and Vintages because of their ability to produce quality Norton wines each and every year. Before prohibition, it was the second largest winery in the United States and was "winning gold medals in eight world's fairs, including Vienna in 1873 and Philadelphia in 1876". All that fell apart after prohibition until Jim and Betty Held purchased the property in the mid 1960s. They restored the winery, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and resumed producing quality wine recognized by Lukacs and seven Missouri Governor's Cups since 1994. As detailed in Kliman's book, cuttings from Stone Hill were used by Dennis Horton at Horton Vineyards to revive the Norton grape in its native Virginia.
Missouri wine industry. Yes, there's Vignole, Chardonel, Chambourcin, & St. Vincent; but Missouri wineries have raised the Real American Grape!

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

Norton is so popular in The Show Me State that we attended a National Norton Festival in St. Louis which showcased the versatility of the grape. It can be vinified into a full bodied  tannic wine or as a fruit forward summer wine served slightly chilled. Or it can be fortified into a Port style wine like the Stone Hill Winery 2002 Port. I purchased a couple bottles of this wine years ago in Kansas City, in a forgotten time when wine was allowed on-board planes. At the time it had just received some love from Wine Enthusiast magazine who had selected it as the best American Port. And two previous vintages had been awarded the  Missouri Governor’s Cup.

We learned in at the National Norton Festival that Norton wines should mature in the bottle for at least three years after bottling. Most Missouri wineries join Stone Hill in cellaring the wine for you for a couple years before releasing. The same holds for their Port. Along with their vinification methods, the wine does not possess any of the highly acidic and grapey characteristics of young Norton.  The flavor is rich with a blackberry profile and a hint of nuttiness & spiciness that is usually associated with Old Aged Tawny Port. Yes this wine isn't Portugal - but it is a very good American and Missourian port styled wine. 

Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud

Cider 101 - Spencerville Red and Black Twig

After visits to Foggy Ridge Cider and Castle Hill Cider I have become fascinated with the history and diverse apple varieties associated with hard cider. This post starts a new series, Cider 101, helping me, and hopefully you, learn more about the industry.

Maryland is home to two cider makers, Distillery Lane Ciderworks and Great Shoals Winery. The later is just an infant, opening in 2011, and I picked up several of their ciders at the Maryland Wine Bar in Berlin Maryland.  One of these was the Spencerville Red Hard Apple and little did I know that during high school I drove past these orchards during our after-school joy rides in the country - at least back then it was the country. The Spencerville Red apple was discovered and patented by the folks at Heyser Farms in Colesville (Montgomery County) Maryland. It is thought to be a cross between the York Imperial and the crab apple. According to the farm, the "apple is unusual because it has both a high acid and a high sugar content... a tangy flavor when first picked, then sweetens in storage".  Besides selling the apples, Heyser Farms produces the Spencerville Red sweet cider. Matt Cimin, proprietor of Great Shoals, heard about the apple and soon it was the basis for the Spencerville Red Hard Apple sparkling apple wine. Even though it tastes like a hard cider, it is technically a wine since the alcohol content is over 8 percent. According to Maryland law, hard ciders must be less than 7 percent alcohol. The wine is also a sparkler, bottle conditioned to add a little bubbly - no manual carbonation.  The benefits of using apples with high sugar contents. This is a very clean cider, refreshing, with a hint of tartness. And priced at $15 - a nice value. Last year, it won “Best in Class” and Gold medals at the Maryland Governor’s Cup Awards and a “Best Sparkling” at the Maryland Wine Masters’ Choice Awards. Nicely done.

Another single varietal apple cider from Great Shoals is their Black Twig Hard Apple - officially recognized as Delaware’s first hard cider. That is, the apples were harvested from TS Smith and Sons - not far north of the winery in Bridgeville, Delaware. Legend has it that the Black Twig apple variety was first grown near Fayetteville, Tennessee during the 1830s - very Jacksonian of it. The apple is both sweet and tart - some refer to it as extremely tart, with a tannic finish. Like the Spencerville Red, the Black Twig Hard Apple is bottle conditioned sparkling and also labelled a wine because of its alcohol content. However, its flavor profile is completely different - with fuller flavors and the tannins are evident on the tail. Again, at $15, this is a nice value. And now we have to new apple varieties to add to our lexicon, Spencerville Red and Black Twig.

The United Grapes of America - Oregon - A to Z Wineworks Pinot Noir

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

Pinot Noir. That's what fellow bloggers will be consuming this week in Portland Oregon for the 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference. Yes, there will be other wines, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Riesling, Chardonnay, and your standard Bordeaux fare; but in the Beaver State - Pinot Noir is King - or Queen. There is even an Oregon Pinot Noir Club. The first post-prohibition The United Grapes of America I decided to feature one that is priced below $20 and readily available: the A to Z Wineworks 2010 Pinot Noir. The wine was produced from grapes harvested from 30 different vineyards and 60 different fermentation. Plus, 62% of these vineyards are certified sustainable - a very important attribute for environmentally conscious Oregon. The wine itself is medium bodied with red cherries and raspberry flavors, velvety mid-palatte, and a slightly acidic and spicy finish. All in all - a nice, easy drinking wine with plenty of value.
Pinot Noir was planted in the Willamette Valley and by the 1980s.  Today there are over 400 wineries in Oregon - probably closer to 500 - so there are plenty of Pinot Noir to sample. For

The United Grapes of America - New York - Warwick Valley Winery's Black Dirt Red

Black Dirt Red Overlooking Greenwood Lake

New York State is the 4th largest producer of wine in the The United Grapes of America and most readers already are familiar with the popular wine regions of the Finger Lakes and Long Island. Less well known are the wineries of the Hudson Valley - specifically those on the Shawangunk Wine Trail. One of these wineries is a personal favorite, Warwick Valley Winery & Distillery, with their portfolio of wines, ciders, brandies, and Gin. On every trip to Greenwood Lake, we stock up on their Doc's Draft Ciders (Apple, Pear, and seasonal) as well as some wine - like today's feature - the Black Dirt Red.

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

The wine is composed of 100% Baco Noir, a French-American hybrid grape produced by crossing Folle Blanche, a French wine grape, and an unknown variety of Vitis riparia indigenous to North America. The grape is cold tolerant so does well in the Northeast and Canada - and particularly the Hudson Valley. The wine's name refers to the agriculture area centered in Warwick, New York - the Black Dirt Region. This area is comprised of very fertile black soil,  "left over from an ancient glacial lake bottom augmented by decades of past flooding of the Wallkill River".

Doc's Draft Ciders

Warwick Valley Winery's Black Dirt Red has all the standard Baco Noir attributes: medium bodied, cherry flavors, and easy drinking - but his seems to have a more powerful flavor profile as well as a slight spicy - almost leathery - finish.  Plus, the wine fits squarely into our budget for a nice table wine, $10.99. So give Baco Noir a try and specifically, check out the wines from New York's Hudson Valley.

Note: the Doc's Draft Ciders are also highly recommended. I tried the Apple, Pear and Sour Cherry - all have great fruit - which produces a fuller flavor profile than most dry ciders.

Visiting Fauquier County Wineries with Northern Virginia FLITE Tour

Last week we participated in the Fauquier County day of the two day Virginia First Lady Maureen McDonnell FLITE (First Lady's Initiatives Team Effort) tour of northern Virginia wineries. The purpose of FLITE  is to "bring attention to the great work being done by selfless people around the Commonwealth who are taking the opportunity to leave Virginia a better place than they found it". In addition, the First Lady uses these tours as a Bully Pulpit to encourage retailers and restaurants to include local Virginia wine in their portfolio. Thus, our tour was primarily composed of members of those markets as well as a few members of the media, a blogger or two, as well as First Lady Maureen McDonnell and Secretary of Agriculture & Forestry Todd Haymore.

Left Bank Vineyard at Delaplane Cellars

Tasting at the Wine Bar

The first stop for our bus was Delaplane, Virginia and Delaplane Cellars where proprietors and winemaker Jim & Betsy Dolphin met us along with State Senator, Jill Vogel. After a few introductory remarks Jim gave us a tour of the facility as well as his wine making philosophy. Delaplane normally specializes in the Rhone varieties Syrah and  Viognier; but with supplies limited, we sampled their red Bordeaux, Chardonnay, Melange Blanc white blend, and an estate Petit Manseng late harvest. Delaplane has always given center stage to the vineyards where they source their fruit and this year's vintage is no exception, and they are finally able to showcase their estate Left Bank vineyard. Their 2010 Left Band Reserve is more of a left-right combo because of the significant amount of Merlot. Their Splinglot and Williams Gap Bordeaux blends are both fuller, courtesy of the more mature vineyards, with the Williams Gap Reserve my favorite - big blackberry flavors, a chewy mid palette, and a spicy - tannic finish. Their estate Late Harvest Petit Manseng show why that grape has promise in Virginia as it's inherent acidity nicely balances the sweet juice. Petit Manseng is also an input to the Melange Blanc (plus Chardonnay and Viognier), a nice summer wine - particularly for that100 degree day.

We then headed just down the road to Paris, Virginia and lunch at the Ashby Inn And Restaurant. Here our sweet and sour radish soup and crispy port belly were paired with the Pearmund Cellars 2011 "Vinecroft" Viognier and the Chester Gap Cellars 2009 Cabernet Franc respectively.  This magnificent lunch definitely gave the sommeliers in our group inspiration to pair local wine with local produce.

Jim Law

Hardscrapple Vineyard at Linden Vineyards

Our final stop was to Linden Vineyards where famed winemaker Jim Law and Shari Avenius, Linden’s director and owner/winegrower of Avenius Vineyard, received us with a glass of the 2011 Avenius Sauvignon Blanc. This wine was highly appropriate not only to soothe our group from the day's heat index but also to showcase that white Bordeaux can be produced in the region (Glen Manor Vineyards). This is one of my favorite Linden wines; bright, crisp, with a nice combination of citrus and grass.  In the cellar we followed up with the 2009 Hardscapple Chardonnay, 2010 Claret Merlot, 2008 Hardscrapple Red, and 2006 Late Harvest Vidal. Notice how Linden holds back releasing vintages in order for the wine to mature in the bottle. At Linden there is obviously no need to rush vintages out the door. And we learned how meticulous Law is in the cellar by juice to the Claret and in the vineyard by ripping out entire blocks when disease or low quality ensues. No wonder, Linden is considered one of the top - if not the top - producer in the Commonwealth.

And this tour was another example of the McDonnell Administration promoting these excellent wines to local establishments. Several Linden, Chester Gap, and Pearmund wines are available in my area - hopefully they will be available in yours very soon.

The United Grapes of America - McPherson Cellars Texas Tre Colore

StarChefs.com: The United Grapes of America

Depending on who you talk to, Texas is either the 5th or 6th largest wine producer in the The United Grapes of America and the Lone Star State seems to have found a home for Italian and Rhone grape varieties. McPherson Cellars from Lubbock is featured in the StarChefs.com article and I picked up their 2010 Texas Tre Colore specifically because of the southern Rhone blend of Carignan (27%), Mourvedre (62%) and Viognier (11%).  I mean, what a great combination of grapes and this is one excellent medium bodied, easy drinking wine. There are very little tannins in this wine, thus its perfect for consuming solo and the red cherry flavor fits our palette perfectly. Even our Pinot Noir centric friends enjoyed this one. Winemaker Kim McPherson and his father "Doc" were instrumental in jump starting the early Texas wine industry and you can read about that history at the winery's website.  Cheers to a fine Texas wine.

Notes: The Tre Colore was purchased at Wholefoods for $15.