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April 6, 2012

Higher Ground Offers More Than A Good View at Pichon Lalande

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under 2011 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, JJ Buckley Eats, JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , , |
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Higher Ground Offers More Than A Good View at Pichon Lalande

Post by Eddie Wolowski | April 2nd, 2012

Chateau Pichon Lalande

We arrived at Pichon Longueville Comtesse De Lalande, commonly referred to as Pichon Lalande, on a sunny afternoon for a lunch appointment. As we walked up to the estate, we nodded to former stable-mate Pichon Baron across the road (scene of tomorrow night’s dinner for some of us). The two estates were once united, but were split amongst siblings in 1850 and classified as Second Growths five years later.

After a Champagne toast with Chateau Director Sylvie Cazes, I sat down to lunch and a chat with Monsieur Philippe Moreau, the new technical director. Previously employed by Chateau de Pez and Chateau Bernadotte, Philippe completed his first vintage at Lalande last year. He was very generous in answering my questions. I have always wondered why Lalande’s wines take on a certain characteristic that is not reflected in the wines of its close neighbors Baron and Chateau Latour. The disparity between Lalande and Baron has always been particularly interesting, not just because of their proximity, but their common heritage alone should warrant more similarity. Philippe first agreed that while yes, the terrior is nearly identical for all three properties, one contrast lies in the technical winemaking style of Lalande – the way that grapes are pressed gently for finesse and not heavily extracted for power. (more…)

 

April 5, 2012

Terroir and the Art of Assemblage: Vieux Chateau Certan

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under 2011 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , , , , , |
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Terroir and the Art of Assemblage: Vieux Chateau Certan

Post by Devon Magee | April 4th, 2012

Vieux Chateau Certan

2011 is decidedly not 2010 or 2009, yet from our week of intensive tastings in Bordeaux, it is clear that Pomerol is at the least, one of the standouts of the appellation and the vintage. Might cabernet franc play a role? According to Alexandre Thienpont, Vieux Chateau Certan’s owner and winemaker, yes. Here in the gravel and clay soils of Pomerol, fully ripe cabernet franc gives the wine a distinctive violet perfume. And for the first time in more than a decade, the variety ripened fully and uniformly. Its success in Pomerol is a defining characteristic of this singular vintage.

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April 4, 2012

Bottomless Pours at Chateau Margaux

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under 2011 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Bottomless Pours at Chateau Margaux

Post by Alex Shaw | April 2nd, 2012

Here in Bordeaux, two words inspire more reverence than any others: First Growth. Thanks to the 1855 classification system, there are only five First Growths (Lafite, Latour, Haut Brion, and Margaux, with Mouton added to the group in 1973), and they are widely considered to produce the finest wines from the Left Bank. We were lucky to taste all five on Monday, an excellent exercise that shed some light on the possibilities of the top end of the 2011 vintage. For many, including myself, the First Growth that inspires the most passion, even  reverence, is Chateau Margaux, so it was with great anticipation that I looked forward to dining there that evening.

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April 4, 2012

No One-Trick Pony: Recapturing Rusticity at Pontet-Canet

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under 2011 Bordeaux, About, Bordeaux, JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , , |
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No One-Trick Pony: Recapturing Rusticity at Pontet-Canet

Post by Roland Hankerson | April 2nd, 2012

The cool breeze of a spring day in Bordeaux carries with it wisps of dust, which settle between the forty-year-old vines that line the gravelly vineyard of Pontet-Canet. The hoofs of horses drawing plows kicked up the dust, as they are charged with turning the earth on this stately property. The “old ways” of producing classic Bordeaux are new again in a vineyard accustomed to producing world class wine of power and elegance in a manner that preserves its piece of earth with great care.

Brittany horses cultivate the vines of Pontet-Canet

Alfred Tesseron, proprietor of Pontet-Canet, is on a quest to provide a world class wine that adheres to his environmental ethics. He turns to his long-time winemaker, Jean-Michel Comme, (a 22-year veteran of the estate) to not only make the wine, but also head a program of certified organic and biodynamic viticulture on the property. No expense has been spared on this project, and Jean-Michel was handed complete autonomy with which to transform the vineyard over the course of several patient years. By now, he has transformed vineyard operations in a manner that allows the grapes to express in his words, “…the true identity of themselves in terroir while caring for the future of the earth the grapes come from.” (more…)

 

April 2, 2012

A ‘Cos’ for Celebration

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under 2011 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, JJ Buckley Eats, JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , |
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A ‘Cos’ for Celebration

Post by Cory Gowan | March 30th, 2012

It’s no secret that Cos d’Estournel has been on a qualitative roll, but when Robert Parker awarded 100 points to the 2009 vintage, Cos squarely placed itself among the Left Bank elite. Delivering what its winemakers deem as First Growth quality wines from St. Estephe, Cos has worked hard to place its name on every Bordeaux lover’s wishlist.

One of several Asian elephant statues at Cos d'Estournel

With that in mind, you can imagine the anticipation was high for my third visit to Cos d’Estournel to taste the 2011s. With a private, first-look tasting of the new vintage and a special dinner invitation from director Jean Guillaume-Prats, we motored our rental Puegeot up the D-2 highway eager to spend our first night in Bordeaux delving into the 2011s.

Visiting Cos d’Estournel is always a grand affair. After parking in the gravel driveway under our honorary American flag, we found ourselves in a brand new tasting salon (finished in 2008), more reminiscent of a hip Manhattan nightspot than an historic winery (the name Cos d’Estournel dates back to 1810). After a quick trip around the nippy barrel room where we viewed the 2011s in barrel (the 2010 vintage had already been moved for blending), we popped back upstairs to taste. (more…)

 

February 9, 2012

Winery Highlight: Chris Ringland

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under Australia, Chuck's Down Under, JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Winery Highlight: Chris Ringland

Post by Chuck Hayward | February 9nd, 2012

Chris Ringland was surely not prepared for all of this. The popularity, the sudden attention. Working away at a rustic winery where time seemed not only to stand still but actually climbed backwards. He spent that time mentoring young winemakers as they learned the secrets of the Barossa Valley–its vineyards, its people, its history. The last thing he expected was an overflowing fax machine…100 point scores from Parker can do that.

Chris Ringland Surveys his Domain

Justifiably or not, Chris Ringland’s shiraz was catapulted into the global world of wine and things quickly got out of hand. Insane prices. Incessant phone calls. Lots of pot shots. All of this attention resulted in a wine that became bigger than the man and his vines; all thanks to a wine review. The problem is the score regrettably only reflected the wine in the glass. Where was the story? Who was this guy? Where was the information about his plot of dirt? (more…)

 

February 2, 2012

Adding a Little ‘Zip’ to ZAP: Improved venue breathes new life into annual zin event

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under Events, JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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Adding a Little ‘Zip’ to ZAP: Improved venue breathes new life into annual zin event

Post by Chuck Hayward | February 2nd, 2012

The last weekend of January always manages to banish the mid-winter blues with its promise of three highly anticipated annual events: the impending Super Bowl, the release of Silver Oak’s Napa cabernet, and the annual ZAP tasting in San Francisco. No matter what one thinks of the grape, the red wine confab is truly one of the great wine events held in the United States. Populist in approach with its sprinkling of thought-provoking seminars to placate budding wine geeks, the annual tribute to California’s heritage grape attracts a happy crowd of consumers and industry folks alike, and not surprisingly, very few sommeliers.

The Bucklin Winery Trio

As much as ZAP has been a model of consistency from year to year, 2012 brought about a big change as its venue transitioned from the familiar confines of Fort Mason to the far more spacious San Francisco Concourse in San Francisco’s South of Market district. The event certainly benefited from the change, as the new digs seemed to infuse everyone with renewed energy. Incredibly, all the wineries were housed under one roof and with plenty of room to spare. The carpeted floors helped to keep the noise down, especially the cheers that inevitably follow the occasional broken glass. Most importantly, there was plenty of room to maneuver about and tables were noticeably less cramped. (more…)

 

October 7, 2011

Finigan’s Wake: What Robert Finigan Meant to the Wine World

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under JJ Buckley Meets | Tags: , , , |
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Finigan’s Wake: What Robert Finigan Meant to the Wine World

Post by Chuck Hayward | October 7th, 2011

While I never imagined using this blog to write an obituary, Robert Finigan was one of those people who made a powerful impact on me as my passion for wine grew and my career took off. Therefore, it seems appropriate to remember him here.

Robert Finigan's Private Guide to Wines

Finigan’s success began on a trip to Bordeaux where he declared the 1969 vintage to be subpar, an opinion that proved spot on. At a time when wine appreciation in America was starting to gain momentum, wine writing was limited to books and a few columnists in the Los Angeles Times. In 1972, he was the first to publish a wine journal—his influential newsletter, Robert Finigan’s Private Guide to Wines—years before Parker began the Wine Advocate in 1978 and well before the rise of the internet. Finigan set the standard for periodicals that came afterwards, including Charlie Olken’s Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wines (1974) and Nick Ponomareff’s California Grapevine (1973).

In tasting the 1982 Bordeaux from barrel, Finigan found the wines to be too rich and lacking the classic style of the region. Robert Parker, however, lavished praise on the wines, which later became immensely successful. Thus, the Wine Advocate began its ascendency, some would say at the expense of Finnegan’s newsletter, which ceased publication in 1990. (more…)

 

August 24, 2011

Separation of Pinots: New Zealand & More Mt. Difficulty

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under Chuck's Down Under, JJ Buckley Meets, New Zealand | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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Separation of Pinots: New Zealand & More Mt. Difficulty

Post by Chuck Hayward | August 25th, 2011

Back when New Zealand pinot noir first entered the US market, our collective knowledge of these wines was infinitesimal. The country’s first serious attempts at producing pinot noir production had begun only a decade earlier, so the 1995/96 vintages that made the initial splash had few reference points. At that time, no one could say how Marlborough differed from Martinborough. Rather, the question was how the pinots of New Zealand compared to those from Burgundy, California and Oregon.

As the pinot noir industry matured, it became easier to understand the unique attributes and qualities among New Zealand’s growing regions, which was important so that customers could purchase the style of wine they prefer. Almost right away, however, it became apparent that not all wines from Central Otago were the same and that Marlborough pinots from the valley floor were markedly different compared to those from the southern hills. The quest to learn about a New Zealand wine appellation’s subregionality became important rather quickly.

In Central Otago, where subregional differences first became apparent to me, there are 6-7 loosely defined districts whose pinot noirs offer their own unique interpretations of the grape. Martinborough, Marlborough and Waipara also see differing pinot styles depending on their site, while Hawkes Bay Bordeaux-style red blends show incredible diversity that can be attributed to subregional differences.

Mt. Difficulty Single Site Pinots from 2009

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March 16, 2011

Food & Wine Reign Supreme in the Rhone

Posted by Chuck Hayward under JJ Buckley Meets, On Location | Tags: , , , , |
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Food & Wine Reign Supreme in the Rhone

Post by Chuck Hayward | March 16th, 2011

JJBers Taking Orders, Blogging, or Bragging. You Decide.

Visiting wineries is hard work. You might be rolling your eyes, as my non-industry friends tend to do when I say that, but trust me. Now, that’s not to say a little fun can’t be mixed in, too! Our recent trip to the Rhone Valley for Decouvertes provided the perfect opportunity to dabble in both. After marathon tasting sessions during the day, at night we were beneficiaries of some pretty spectacular meals.

When looking for restaurant recommendations, folks in the wine business are usually spot on.  Winemakers and sales reps spend a considerable amount of time wining and dining to promote their products, so they are usually a great source of information for anything from a good cup of coffee to a three star dining experience.  Keep that in mind the next time you visit a wine region and need a suggestion for dinner.

Les Mangevins Restaurant in Tain L'Ermitage

Consequently, the first night on our stop in the Northern Rhone we were steered towards a small restaurant in spitting distance from our hotel, thanks to the export manager at one of the wineries on our schedule. The sleepy village of Tain L’Ermitage provided the setting for what would prove to be the best meal on our whole trip.  Called Le Mangevins, this small, intimate bistro was just what we wanted. With only one evening seating (8pm, with lunch service at 12), diners quickly filled the tables in the small, warm room, and the menu was comprised of a chalkboard with a handful of dishes posted daily. The owner Vincent Dollat guided us to choose intensely flavored dishes, prepared simply by his wife Keiko to highlight fresh, local ingredients. A small loin of pork with just a kiss of seasoning rested atop mushrooms cooked to perfection and made me swoon, as did a soup of scallops. We left the restaurant full and happy. (Le Mangevins, 6 Avenue Dr. Paul Durand, 26600 Tain-l’Hermitage, 04 75 07 73 85)

Wineries also love to host parties during wine tasting festivals, and as great wine and great food go hand-in-hand, these can be ground zero for some pretty stunning cuisine. The next night found us at just such a fête, and it must be said there are few people who can throw a party like Michel Chapoutier. Clearing out warehouse space next to his offices and just down the street from Le Mangevins, some 400 customers, importers, and press members settled into a food-and-wine coma. The dégustation dînatoire (culinary voyeurs will want to check out the menu below) featured no less than thirteen bite-sized dishes elegantly presented in a continuous wave of decadence, many of which employed Chapoutier’s wines in their preparation. Following that procession, plates of meat and game were heaped onto tables, along with a mountain of local cheeses. We were speechless at the bounty, but it didn’t really matter because our mouths were full anyway. (more…)

 

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