On Location

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April 2, 2012

A Different Kettle of Fish: Dinner at Ducru-Beaucaillou

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under On Location, 2011 Bordeaux | Tags: , , , , , , , , |
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A Different Kettle of Fish: Dinner at Ducru-Beaucaillou

Post by Devon Magee | March 31st, 2012

Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou

When I think of popping open a bottle of Left Bank Bordeaux with dinner, I typically think of medium

rare steak. But tonight, Bruno Borie, owner of Second Growth Ducru-Beaucaillou, dared us to think outside the box, pairing his lineup of Cab-based reds with seafood.It makes sense, really, with the bounties of the Atlantic – and especially the Bassin de Arcachon – only a stone’s throw away, eating local here is seafood. Except that drinking local here means structured, tannic Cabs.

And for a producer whose latest release – the ’09 – was just awarded 100 Points by Robert Parker,  the prize of the night was not necessarily the wine, but the fish! We caught a glimpse of the enormous, flat fish through the side door just as we arrived. We watched as the two women manning the kitchen, together hoisted the turbot off the ice and into the oven. I looked at my colleagues in wonderment. Could it be? Fish with Ducru?

Yes! We never saw the Bordeaux staples – duck breast, confit, or even foie gras. Instead, Bruno poured us a Magnum of 2000 Dom Perignon with a side-by-side comparison of Spanish “Pata Nega Bellota” jamón – 5-year aged, acorn-fed ham – and French “Pate Noire” jambon. As we chewed on the juicy question, Bruno hopped into the open kitchen in front of us to sauté clams and mussels.

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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…)

 

March 30, 2012

Under the Bordelais Sun? A Weather Analysis for the 2011 Vintage

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under 2011 Bordeaux, Bordeaux, On Location | Tags: , , |
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Under the Bordelais Sun? A Weather Analysis for the 2011 Vintage

Post by Chuck Hayward | March 30th, 2012

If it’s March, it must be time for Bordeaux en primeur!!

And indeed it is with half of the JJ Buckley sales staff already on the ground and the rest due to arrive tomorrow. Awaiting us is a very full schedule of tastings, appointments and dinners. It promises to be an eventful trip… Indeed, we started out with a (near) bang as Shaun Bishop, our Bordeaux buyer, had a close call in the rental car lot with a major American wine critic (who was clearly in a hurry to get to work tasting the vintage)!

Vines at Bordeaux Airport

As in years past, look for pics, blog posts, and Facebook updates from us as we taste through the latest vintage. In addition to our initial thoughts on the quality of the 2011s, we want to show you what life is like during en primeur week. That’s why we brought along our friend Hardy Wallace again to put together some videos that will give you a unique perspective on what it’s like to be in Bordeaux during this exciting and intense time of year. Stay tuned for those as JJ Buckley embarks on a trip we like to call “A Hard Day’s ‘Flight’”.  And don’t forget that JJ Buckley’s annual Bordeaux report will bring you vintage analysis, hundreds of tasting notes, and articles of interest. (more…)

 

March 1, 2012

Napa on the Block: Behind the scenes at Premiere Napa Valley

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under On Location | Tags: , , , , , , , , , |
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Napa on the Block: Behind the scenes at Premiere Napa Valley

Post by Chuck Hayward | March 1st, 2012

This past weekend saw the wineries of the Napa Valley host their annual Premiere Auction Weekend. This was the 16th edition of the Napa Valley Vintners Association’s second most important event. The Napa Valley Wine Auction held each summer in support of local charities is more well known and geared toward raising funds from consumers. For the wine trade, Premiere Napa Valley is where it’s at. Here, auctions of unfinished wines are directed to bidders in the retail and restaurant industry, with proceeds destined for the region’s marketing and education efforts. Consumers cannot bid on these lots.

The auction represents the culmination of a week-long series of events in the valley, including a wine writers’ symposium, educational tastings, as well as the traditional parties which form the foundation of any gathering of the wine industry. It brings to mind en primeur week in Bordeaux with familiar crowds of journalists and buyers from across the globe traipsing from winery to winery attending tastings and parties.

Tim Mondavi (l) and Stuart Harrison (c) of Continuum with Joshua Greene (r), Editor of Wine & Spirits

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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…)

 

January 17, 2012

From Cloudy to Grey: It’s clear skies for NZ winemaker Kevin Judd

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under Chuck's Down Under, New Zealand, On Location | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |
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From Cloudy to Grey: It’s clear skies for NZ winemaker Kevin Judd

Post by Chuck Hayward | January 17th, 2012

JJ Buckley is proud to be the first retailer in America to sell the wines from Kevin Judd, the founding winemaker from Cloudy Bay. Named after a local soil type, Greywacke (pronounced gray-wack-y) represents Kevin’s effort to get back to the hands on, intuitive and personal approach to winemaking that had become difficult to pursue as the success of Cloudy Bay grew exponentially. Founded just three years ago, the wines have already received significant international acclaim for being some of the top produced in New Zealand.

In spite of the heaping critical praise and excellent ratings, Kevin was unable to secure an American importer…until now! Connecting with Old

Kevin Judd (c) with his dog and cellar assistant

Kevin Judd (c) with his dog Dixie and cellar assistant Fin

Bridge Cellars (known for their high-end Australian portfolio, including such wineries as d’Arenberg and John Duval Wines), Greywacke has become the first New Zealand wine in their portfolio. Thanks to our relationship with Kevin and Old Bridge, JJ Buckley has been selected to introduce his wines to the American market.

Greywacke’s portfolio resembles the wines he made at Cloudy Bay and, indeed, Kevin is working with particular blocks from the growers he came to prefer in his former job. The wines are made at Dog Point Vineyard, owned by best mates and Cloudy Bay alums, James Healy and Ivan Sutherland. During the time when he could not find an American importer, word about the quality of Kevin’s new venture washed ashore here in America, and a rare opportunity to taste a few sips of his sauvignon blanc a few years ago left me wanting more. Accordingly, I took the opportunity on a recent visit to NZ to catch up with Kevin and taste through his portfolio. It was clear to me that he has raised his game and is now well on the way to establishing one of Marlborough’s top wineries. (more…)

 

September 22, 2011

Not Just for Cork Dorks: The Penfolds Recorking Clinic

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under Australia, Chuck's Down Under, On Location | Tags: , , , , |
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Not Just for Cork Dorks: The Penfolds Recorking Clinic

Post by Chuck Hayward | September 22nd, 2011

Australia’s Penfolds is known worldwide for their wines, especially the iconic shiraz-based Grange. Yet it is their unique service, the Penfolds Recorking Clinic, which sets the standard for what chief winemaker Peter Gago calls “service after the sale.” Given the prices of many wines these days, it is seems almost criminal that other wineries do not follow the lead of Penfolds in this regard.

Matt Lane, Penfolds Ambassador, attacks the cork on an old bottle

Developed by the winery some twenty years ago, the Penfolds Recorking Clinic was, until recently, only conducted in Australia. Administered annually in Sydney and Melbourne along with a rotating schedule between Adelaide and Brisbane, the Recorking Clinic now travels to other markets in Europe and America. This week, Penfolds is visiting Washington DC and New Orleans to provide a service that is performed by no other winery and, amazingly in this day and age, free of charge.

Witnessing a Recorking Clinic, especially in Australia, can be quite emotional. Given the reverence for Penfolds there, many families have tucked away a stash of old wines somewhere in their homes. As consumers bring their wines before the winemakers, the tension and nervousness on their faces are palpable. It’s as if they are bringing loved ones to a doctor’s office, anxiously awaiting the diagnosis. (more…)

 

August 3, 2011

No Difficulty Tasting a Vertical of New Zealand Pinot Noirs

Posted by JJ Buckley Fine Wines under Chuck's Down Under, New Zealand, On Location | Tags: , , , , , , , |
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No Difficulty Tasting a Vertical of New Zealand Pinot Noir

Post by Chuck Hayward | August 2nd, 2011

New Zealand is a relative newcomer to the wine scene in the United States. Though the arrival of the 2011 vintage will mark my 20th year working with Kiwi wines, their real growth in America has only occurred over the past decade. Given that New Zealand is a Johnny-come-lately to our shores, there aren’t many chances for a retrospective look at older vintages of any wine. Unless someone in the States actually saves multiple vintages of the wine (how would I find them?) or a winery pulls them from their cellar and ships them over (an expensive proposition), the only option is to cross the date line and taste them in New Zealand (even more expensive).

A vertical tasting of Mt. Difficulty arranged horizontally

So when I heard Mt. Difficulty was going to host a vertical tasting of seven vintages of their estate wine, I cleared the calendar. Sourcing fruit from their vineyards located in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago, Mt. Difficulty is one of the region’s leading pinot noir producers. Their estate pinots show the rich and concentrated, yet soft, style that comes from that particular appellation. One of the few New Zealand wineries with a long-term history in the United States, sales date back to the 1998, their first-ever release. (more…)

 

July 22, 2011

Vindicating Vintage Port

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Vindicating Vintage Port

Post by Chuck Hayward | July 22nd, 2011

Whatever the excuse, be it warm weather or too much wine during dinner, many of us ignore port. Since it can be hard to amass a serious understanding of a wine unless you drink it, I welcomed the opportunity to acquaint myself with some recently declared 2009s and the rare chance to look at how the previous three vintages are shaping up.

In the world of vintage port, the qualities of a specific wine are tied to the nature of the vintage as interpreted through the lens of each port house.  Therefore, it is as important to know what the vintage brings to the table (err, glass) as it is to know the style of the brand. Over the centuries, each house has developed a unique flavor profile. For me, the ability of a port house to make a wine that is true to their style is of utmost importance, as a customer should know what kind of wine to expect when they purchase a bottle of Grahams or Taylor Fladgate port.

Geoff Labitzke, MW (l) and Robert Bower (c) deep in Port

With winemaker David Guimaraens there to detail the vintage variations and sales manager Robert Bower— representing the 8th generation of his family’s involvement in winemaking in the Douro Valley—along to discuss his port lodges, it was the perfect occasion to summarize the vintages we tasted and provide a preview to the upcoming 2009s.

Hopefully, I’ll be drinking more port with friends in the near future and not have to wait until the winemakers of the Douro declare another vintage to keep up with what is happening in this special region. (more…)

 

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