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 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.

Line-up of Greywacke tasted at the winery

What was most exciting in my introduction to Kevin’s wines was the sense of clarity, precision and focus in the flavors and aromas of the entire range. The Sauvignon Blanc impressed me for its elegance and minerality, while the naturally fermented “Wild” Sauv Blanc was a more refined statement of the barrel fermented style when compared to the “Te Koko” he invented at Cloudy Bay. But it was his Pinot Noir that spoke most clearly to me with its bright, pristine flavors. These are grown-up, sophisticated Marlborough wines that mark a new interpretation of what the appellation is capable of.

Hanging out at the winery with Kevin, James, assorted dogs and cellar assistants, it is clear that he enjoys getting back to the basics of winemaking and working with his mates. Running his own winery and being responsible for the bookkeeping and sales promotion tasks are clearly adding to his workload, but it’s not too hard to discern from his quiet demeanor that he is very happy to be here. A bit more time to indulge his passion for photography is in the works, but first, there’s that American market to deal with…

Check out all of Kevin’s releases in stock now at JJ Buckley.

Post by Chuck Hayward | December 7th, 2011

JJ Buckley’s 2011 Champagne Report is out! The new edition expands on last year’s report with new articles, more wine reviews and overviews of additional domaines.

 To download a pdf file click here. The post below is an article from the report about a controversial new trend in drinking champagne.

Champagne has long been on the receiving end of rules—ones about how it is made, how it is labeled, and how it should be drunk. Over the years, we have come to accept those regulations and perhaps even find it comforting that they don’t fluctuate often. But today, champagne is witnessing revisions to concepts that were before considered sacrosanct, and they have nothing to do with grapes or labels. The change has to do with glass vessels.

Chuck pondering glassware, champagne in hand

If there is one rule that has been generally accepted across the board, it is that sparkling wine is best served in a flute, preferably scored at the base to promote effervescence then rinsed with water and dried with a towel. Along that same line of thinking is that the coupe, also referred to as the Marie Antoinette glass, fails to preserve bubbles since the broader surface allows what is in the glass to go flat more quickly. Recently, though, many in the industry are rethinking this.

Most significantly, a slow movement is afoot to replace the traditional flute with a classic wine glass. A number of winemakers and writers claim that in order to maximize the wine’s flavors and enhance aromas, pouring champagne in a burgundy styled glass is preferable to a flute. At the least, they claim, a wider and broader shape to the bowl of the flute is the minimum recommendation.

Another trend that has popped up is for sparkling wines to be decanted. I witnessed this firsthand at a recent tasting hosted by the CIVC (Comité Interprofessionnel du vin de Champagne) where the representatives for Charles Heidsieck poured their bubbly out of Riedel’s Amadeo decanters. Once again, the goal is to reveal the flavors that would otherwise appear much more slowly, if at all, when only poured from a bottle.

These changes to the accepted wisdom about pouring and drinking bubbly do not come without controversy. Much has been written about changes in dosage levels and the various crus that can affect the way a wine tastes in a very minute way, but using decanters and new glassware is such a major change that even champagne makers are in conflict.

At a tasting of the champagnes of Terry Thiese, who has defined the artisanal fizz movement in the US, I conducted an informal survey of the producers in attendance. While some saw a wider bowl more helpful in letting their wines reveal the hidden flavors and aromas, a surprising number drew the line at using decanters. Preserving their wines’ effervescence was very important to them.

Decanters ready for bubbly?

Both of these trends turn our classic understanding of champagne on its head. No doubt, using decanters or burgundy glasses would dissipate the bubbles and effervescence that winemakers work so hard to create (and what consumers have been taught to appreciate). Utilizing regular glassware or decanters is treating sparkling wine more as a still wine. While some drinkers see the flatness as a fault, many connoisseurs still appreciate that older champagnes lose their bubbles over time. The theories that form the logic behind this “glassware revolution” are understandable. However, the question then becomes whether bubbles are still important to champagne. That is a question each consumer and, ultimately the sparkling wine industry, must decide.

Read our new 2011 Champagne Report!

Post by Chuck Hayward | December 1st, 2011

To drink, one must pull corks

Over the course of the past few months, evidence has been put forth that Bordeaux, as Rodney Dangerfield might say, “ain’t got no respect”. It’s an observation that Matt Kramer made in a recent Wine Spectator piece as well as by Eric Asimov in the The New York Times. These articles attempt to discern the “whys” of it all. For instance, why is it that Bordeaux doesn’t get much love these days? But we aren’t asking that question at JJ Buckley, as our third annual tribute to Bordeaux sold out in record time, once again.

Each year, our tasting highlights one of Bordeaux’s frequently forgotten attributes—they are wines of incredible value. And this year, we decided to investigate another important quality of Bordeaux—the capacity of Bordeaux’s flavors and aromas to be transformed with time in the cellar. Spanning vintages from 1998-2003, with prices ranging from $25-$45 per bottle, this tasting was a great opportunity to examine the evidence firsthand.

The verdict? They were holding up magnificently! Going though over two dozen wines from the Left and Right Banks along with a few satellite appellations, everyone remarked on how well the wines were showing. In fact, there wasn’t a dud in the lineup. It was clear to all that wines don’t have to be grand cru classe to reap the benefits of aging.

The scene of the crime: La Folie Lounge

Some high points included a lithe and silky 2001 Rocher-Bellevue-Figeac that was seamless and mellow. As expected, the 2000 vintage showed its pedigree with each example exhibiting power and intensity and bottlings from Haut Marbuzet and Du Terte performing above their punching weight. The 2000s were just beginning to show a modicum of softness and breadth but clearly have the potential to go a few decades. Drinking them now is a bit of infanticide but if you like them young, make sure to splash in a decanter.

The biggest surprise, however, proved to be the performance of a few wines from not-so-well-regarded vintages, such as 2001 and 2002. The ‘01s displayed the elegance and finesse that come from ten years of aging, as each example was poised and balanced, hitting that plateau that can make Bordeaux so seductive. Many critics consider 2002 a further step down from the other assembled vintages, yet the ‘02s proved to be a revelation. Both the La Confession and Rol Valentin had a ripe purity of fruit that provided more power and richness than expected from a moderate vintage. These two vintages should be explored for well-priced mature wines.

What has impressed me about Bordeaux is not only the region’s ability to reinvent itself but its capacity to surprise. This tasting was focused on so-called value wines that celebrated terroir and the influence of vintage in a clear fashion to the amazement of seasoned professionals and enthusiastic consumers. Can’t wait to see what delights lie in wait for next year’s event!

Post by Chuck Hayward | November 16th, 2011

A line up of 2009 barrel samples from Girardin

Highly acclaimed, the 2009 burgundies are slowly arriving on our shores and it’s shaping up to be an excellent vintage. Perhaps you’ve read the press, and while the descriptions are pretty accurate, nothing beats actually trying the wines whether here or in France. Fortunately, I have been able to do both!

In assessing any vintage, I like to use two different methods to discern its quality. One is to visit as many growers and domaines as possible, though the drawback is that one winery may be located in Gevrey Chambertin, another in Meursault. So not only is a lot of traveling involved but it can be difficult to gather an overall perspective of a vintage by looking at just a few places. Therefore, I make sure to also include visits to good negociants who make wines from vineyards up and down the Cote d’Or, thereby providing the perfect opportunity to gain a broad look at a vintage.

Where many firms have long and rich histories going back centuries, a number of new operations have cropped up in the region over the past few decades. Some are outsiders who immigrated to Burgundy from other countries, such as Alex Gambal who came from the United States.

Domaine Voncent Girardin

Then there are those like Vincent Girardin, representing a new wave of the negociant business in Burgundy. The Girardins have a rich history going back to the 17th century but the path to top negociant wasn’t paved until Vincent began his winemaking career in 1982. The domaine quickly grew from 5 to 65 acres of vineyard holdings with additional fruit brought in under contract. A broad range of sites fills the portfolio, including numerous premier cru and grand cru holdings throughout the Cote d’Or. And like many other negociants looking to expand their vineyard holdings, Girardin has traveled south to Beaujolais and the Cote Chalonnaise where land prices are more affordable.

The rise of new negociants in Burgundy comes from recent changes to the local economy. Prices for the best sites, the premier and grand cru vineyards that give the region international acclaim, have risen to stratospheric heights. Grand cru sites have tripled in value over the last ten years and can command 15 million Euros per hectare. Many families sold their plots to the only buyers who could pay the prices—large insurance and finance companies that have little connection to the burgundian lifestyle and culture.

But as with the real estate crisis in the US, a number of these purchases were made with loans. In many of our conversations with winemakers, stories abounded of grand cru fruit being offered by companies who needed to pay off their loans right away. Selling fruit gave them immediate cash that would otherwise take years to collect by selling finished wine. This has allowed negociants like Girardin to gain access to fruit from prized parcels that were previously out of their price range or to purchase small domaines undergoing financial difficulties… a situation that is expected to continue in the near future.

John Sweeney of JJB tasting with Veronique Girardin

Girardin’s success has allowed the family to not only expand their holdings but to also construct a new winery in 2002. Located near Beaune, the new state-of-the-art facility allows Vincent to conduct the many separate vinifications necessary for their new grape sources.

Tasting through the soon-to-be-bottled 2009s at the winery, the Girardin style came through perfectly with a clear expression of each wine’s terroir. Girardin’s wines also emphasize fruit, not in an overly dramatic way but so that the core of each wine shows plush textures along with forward aromatics. Tasting the finished wines a few weeks ago confirmed the quality of the vintage and Girardin’s wines, as his Echezeaux and Corton Charlemagne bottlings proved to be exceptional.

Burgundy fanatics can look forward to some tasty treats as soon as they land!

A delivery of 2009 Girardin Burgundy

Post by Chuck Hayward | October 27th, 2011

So you’re in New York, it’s 5pm and the convention just wrapped up. Or you just caught the Mets day game or matinee performance on Broadway and you have time to kill before the flight home tomorrow morning. What lies ahead is what every foodie and wine lover dreams of: one night to fully explore the food and wine culture of New York. What do you do? I addressed this ‘dilemma’ recently when I found myself with a co-worker on his first visit to New York. With a warning to “Hold on!” we embarked on a trip around lower Manhattan to prove what makes NYC such a mecca.

In a situation like this, one must employ a strategy. First, for a good cross-section of what the city can offer, avoid a big dinner and plan on multiple small bites or appetizers. This will allow you to visit more places and get a broader view of what’s out there. Also try to stay in one section of town, cutting down on travel time.

Ahhh, delicious seafood!

A big night in New York should start with a little bubbly and oysters at Balthazar (80 Spring Street) in Soho. This is a classic interpretation of a Parisian bistro, straight down to the fuzzy mirrors and the raw seafood station in back packed with fresh oysters. Even at 6pm, the energy level is infectious and the wine list even more so. Rather than going deep and listing tons of wine from the top regions, Balthazar takes a broad approach listing two or three top examples from just about every appellation in France, many of which seasoned professionals would not know.

Next catch a cab to Terroir Wine Bar, one of the top wine bars in Manhattan. Make sure you go to the original location (413 E. 12th St. ), the first of now three Terroir locations in NYC. Run by Paul Grieco, who gained international fame for his Summer of Riesling promotion, this showcases the most unique wine list I have ever encountered. It’s as much a political/wine manifesto as it is a wine list fully embracing a punk-rock dada aesthetic that must be seen to be believed. Oh, and there are some good wines as well. While the wines are eclectic by nature, the staff is anything but… and quite helpful in navigating the selection.

By now you’ll need some real food, so walk a half block to Hearth. (403 E. 12th St.) Paul Greico opened this inviting restaurant in 2003 and its take on Italian-influenced cuisine made with local ingredients is just what you’ll need to provide sustenance for the evening. Try their grilled octopus starter or the wild boar papardelle and you’ll feel all warm and fuzzy. The wine list here is more classic while still maintaining Paul’s individualistic view on the world of wine.

Following that filling stop, it’s a good idea to take a beer break at one of the oldest bars in Manhattan, McSorley’s Ale House. (15 E. 7th St.) In this venerable bar, time stands still. Founded in 1854, this is a history museum masquerading as a bar, where you’ll find yourself staring at the walls and discovering knick knacks and objects that have been there for decades. What you order here is “Beer” which gets you two small mugs of their craft ale. And that’s it. No Pabst or trendy Belgian sour beers, just two styles of McSorley’s Ale.

After sampling a bit of France, Germany, Italy and Ireland, jet over to Spain and the intimate confines of Bar Jamon. (125 East 17th St.) Dark and compact, tables jammed closely together, this Mario Batali project exudes energy. Slices of iberico ham or small tapas are perfect foils for the extensive wine list—the most comprehensive view of today’s Spanish wine scene in America. Whether it’s an obscure Anima Negra from the Baleric Islands or a magnum of Vega Sicilia, your passion for Spanish wines will be given a boost after coming here.

Last stop: Bar Veloce

When it’s almost time to call it a night, make one last stop at Bar Veloce (175 Second Ave.) for an after dinner cordial. After all the food, beer and wine, it’s just the place for a little digestivo. The dark bar is long and narrow with a drink list that highlights grappas and Italilan amaros, exactly what you’ll need to cap the evening’s adventures and a perfect night in New York.

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.

I had a chance to ask Charlie Olken for some of his observations on Bob and his life. He observed that:

 Bob Finigan was a pioneer of sorts, and he owned the goose that laid the golden eggs. We never got to be as big as he was at his peak, and the crumbling of his empire was a combination of personal and financial failures… Along the way, he was married to Alice Waters, Alexis Lichine’s daughter and Marimar Torres. That trio by themselves could undue even the strongest of men although I certainly have no insight as to how those relationships came about or why they failed.

Robert Finigan, picture from his blog

Bob Finigan was also a great mentor. When I began working in the biz, I thought I knew a bit about wine. I quickly realized that in Louisiana, I might have been a big fish in a small pond but in San Francisco, I was a small fish in an ocean of bigger, smarter ones. (Wine industry sharks were few and far between back then). Thanks to folks like Bob, Charlie, Gerald Asher and Darrell Corti, I was given lots of insight into the world of wine. But more importantly, they were gentle in their manner, their guidance being more subtle than absolute. All of them acted to reassure me that my path to knowledge was as valid as theirs. At the same time, they acknowledged that the opinions of a new guy were equally valid, even if he had a penchant for Doritos and wore punk rock clothes. It’s a valuable lesson I have remembered to this day.

And even though he knew quite a lot about wine, Bob maintained an inquisitive nature and modest tastes. He frequently sought out my opinion for well-priced wines for everyday drinking or for parties at his home in the Pacific Heights section of San Francisco. Although he had a firm background in French wines, he had no problem sampling wines from the Southern Hemisphere or new varietals that started to appear in the market.

If there is anything that I hope our readers can take from Bob’s passing is that we all, no matter our age or profession, remember those who laid the foundations for the industry that eventually became our career or avocation. Robert Finigan contributed a great deal to the wine industry and I am lucky to have been able to say thanks while he was still around.  I hope you will take the time to recognize those who made the difference in choosing your own path. They will certainly appreciate it, and you won’t have any regrets for missing the opportunity to do so.

Post by Chuck Hayward | September 28th, 2011

Terroir is a hot topic, no doubt. The idea that winemakers are required to transmit the specific qualities of a plot of land to a finished wine is gaining traction, and for many critics, it is considered bad form for the vigneron to leave an imprint that reflects personal style. That camp believes the winemaker’s role is to act as minimally as possible and take a hands-off approach in order to highlight a wine’s terroir.

However, I think it’s impossible to separate the impact of man from winemaking. We as humans are the ones who recognize superior vs. inferior terroir. Growers decide what grapes to plant and how to grow them. Winemakers make endless judgments about when to pick grapes, what yeast to use, how long to age, and so on. The actual decision to practice minimalist winemaking is probably the most important choice that can be made.

Wine writer Dan Berger inspects a bottle of his favorite varietal

Cut to an interesting tasting recently sponsored by New Zealand Winegrowers, responsible for educating consumers and the trade about kiwi wines. In 2010, twelve New Zealand winemakers agreed to create wine from the same batch of fruit— riesling from the Waipara growing region just outside of Christchurch—and were given four tons of uncrushed fruit from Mud House vineyards. They each produced 250 cases of wine at their own facilities, scattered throughout six of the country’s growing regions.

 The Participants and Their Wineries:

Ant McKenzie, Te Awa (Hawkes Bay)

Duncan Forsyth, Mount Edward (Central Otago)

John Forrest, Forrest Estate (Marlborough)

Jules Taylor, Jules Taylor Wines (Marlborough)

Larry McKenna, Escarpment (Martinborough)

Matt Dicey, Mt. Difficulty (Central Otago)

Matt Donaldson, Pegasus Bay (Waipara)

Mike Brown, Golden Hills Estate (Nelson)

Patrick Materman, Brancott Estate (Marlborough)

Paul Bourgeois, Spy Valley (Marlborough)

Simon McGeorge, Waiprara Hills (Waipara)

Simon Waghorn, Astrolabe Wines (Marlborough)

I hoped this project would answer a few questions: How well is the Waipara terroir transmitted in each of their wines?  Can the winemaker’s imprint be easily recognized?

The Answers

I searched and searched for the Waipara character I have come to understand over the years, the Mosel-like aromatics and the mineral-laced flavors. But though each winemaker came with a long history of producing riesling, they also came from areas as diverse as the cold reaches of Central Otago to the warmer climes of Hawkes Bay.

Tasting through the flight, it was clear the wines reflected a wide array of styles, ranging from taut, mineral driven examples to richly textured, sweet bottlings. The finished wines showed alcohol levels ranging from 9.0-12.8% and residual sweetness varied between bone-dry to medium-plus sweet. When the wines were presented to New Zealand wine critics, Matt Donaldson’ version was selected as top wine. In San Francisco, Matt Dicey and Ant McKenzie tied for top honors.

Matt Dicey's Riesling

At the end of the day, my top three wines included the bottlings from Matt Dicey, Matt Donaldson and Simon Waghorn. What struck me was how closely each of their wines resembled the style from the region where they worked. In other words, the riesling from Matt Dicey (who makes wine at Mt. Difficulty in Central Otago) tasted like an Otago riesling. Simon Waghorn has worked in Marlborough for years and his wine was a classic rendition of what Marlborough riesling should be. Meanwhile, Matt Donaldson, who was accustomed to riper fruit, manipulated the grapes by freezing them to concentrate their sugar level and his final product tasted exactly like it came from Pegasus Bay!

Matt Donaldson's Winning Riesling

In looking back at the tasting, it was less about how the terroir of Waipara was expressed in these bottlings. Instead, I walked away realizing that each winemaker had fashioned a wine more reflective of the terroir they called home, almost as if they took their previous creations and experiences and imposed them on the fruit used for this project.

Which poses the question… can you take terroir with you?

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.

Any Penfolds wine, whether a rare Grange or everyday Koonunga Hill, can be submitted, as long as an appointment is made and the wines are 15 years or older. Some folks bring a single treasured bottle, while restaurants have been known to bring cases. Some wines have been discovered that were not in the records of the winery! During a recent visit of the Recorking Clinic, I had the opportunity to again view the procedure firsthand but this time with a bottle from JJ Buckley’s inventory.

Direct from Australia: Penfolds' recorking machine!

The Recorking Clinic itself is conducted at a considerable expense. In addition to Peter Gago and anywhere from 3-10 members of the winemaking team, Penfolds has to ship to the clinic site recorking machines, foil spinners, a vacuum pump, as well as other assorted machines and personnel necessary to recork the wines. And then ship them back to Australia.

The Process
Wines first undergo a visual inspection for such things as fill levels or leakage. Any wines deemed okay are set aside while questionable bottles are brought forward for discussion between the winemaker and client. If further assessment is warranted, a course of action is suggested and agreed upon. For instance, if the wine is to be opened and tasted, the customer must agree to this and understand the repercussions in case the wine does not pass muster. Penfolds retains the right to not approve wines that don’t meet the winemakers’ standards.

Tools of the trade for pulling out the cork

Utilizing tools that look like they came from a 19th century medical office, the corks of each bottle are gently extracted. A layer of inert gas is immediately applied to prevent oxidation and a stopper applied to each bottle. Here is where the Penfolds Recorking Clinic provides its greatest service. Once a bottle is opened, both the winemaker and client sample the wine and discuss its merits and drawbacks. It’s an amazing opportunity for a professional assessment as to whether a particular bottle is maturing as expected and/or obtain recommendations about further cellaring potential. Having Peter Gago on hand to assess these wines is another benefit as he is intimately familiar with all Penfolds wines and their current state of maturity (thanks, no doubt, to the Penfolds wine library as well as all these clinics).

Success! The cork is out with only a little mess.

In the case of the rare 1959 Grange that I brought from JJ Buckley, I could now understand that anxiety I had witnessed in clients at other clinics as I nervously waited for his verdict. If the wine was no good, its value would immediately decrease and its resale potential would be zero. Luckily, Gago declared the bottle to just past the bar required for certification. While quite mature, there was a kernel of sweet fruit that is the hallmark of Grange and the core of the bouquet retained some freshness. He did not recommend further cellaring and suggested that the bottle be opened in the near future.

Penfolds Winemaker Peter Gago takes a look at the 1959 Grange

Gago’s wealth of knowledge also proved useful in answering a concern about the wine’s authenticity. Our bottle did not match pictures I’ve seen in auction catalogs and the label looked questionable to me. It turns out that back then, bottles of Grange were labeled at different times and in different locations. At the time, Penfolds had numerous cellars and the foil color indicated which one had released the wine. Specialized and detailed knowledge like this is priceless. As is the ability of Penfolds to take pro-active steps to ensure authenticity.

Some inert gas before the new cork goes in

After the wine is tasted, a small amount of the current vintage is added to the bottle. Penfolds has conducted numerous tests to show that the wine is not substantially affected by the new wine addition. Special corks branded with the date of the clinic are used for those wines that will be certified, blank corks are applied for wines that do not pass the clinic standards. A new foil is then spun onto the bottle. Once the recorking process has been completed, a numbered sticker is applied with the date of the clinic and signed by the winemaker. Each recorked bottle is placed in the Penfolds database to help fight against fraud or counterfeits.

The '59 Grange gets its Recorking Clinic sticker

The Recorking Clinics represent a unique service to Penfolds customers and allows their customers to assess the current conditions of their wines while providing an invaluable and intimate opportunity to get recommendations on drinkability and market value. That this is provided free of charge just shows why Penfolds sets the standards for more than just great winemaking. Bravo!

JJB's Chuck Hayward & Penfolds winemaker Peter Gago with the certified 1959 Grange

For a complete pictorial tour, click here.

Post by Chuck Hayward | September 13th, 2011

While it may not be filled with glamor and celebrities as some people imagine, the wine industry is great for finding the best recommendations on all things gustatory: must-eat restaurants, the perfect espresso or that funky wine bar. Tips from winemakers or sales representatives make it seem as if I have my very own concierge when traveling.

Instead of keeping those recommendations to myself, I find it best to share. So when asked for suggestions in Paris, Sydney or Barcelona, I would have to sort through assorted matchbooks and business cards to compile a list. Over and over. Therefore, I decided it was time to come up with a permanent list that I could keep on hand and share with everyone who asks, as well as our blog readers. Bon voyage!

 The Wine Bars of Paris

Empty glasses and plates at Le Baron Rouge

Along with bistros, baguettes, the Seine and the Eiffel Tower, Paris also brings wine to mind.  While thoughts of old Bordeaux or Champagne in ice buckets occupy your thoughts on the flight over, the reality can fall short. Wine lists in many cafes only offer an appellation and a price without mention of a vintage or even a producer. Instead of the classics, today one comes face to face with the city’s recent fascination with obscure reds and sparkling wines from the Loire. Not that it’s a bad thing!

Parisian wine bars are meant for drinking, rather than tasting, and wines are usually moderately priced (what with everyone being broke). You’ll be hard pressed to find the more academic, analytical type of wine bar in Paris where flights or small tastes are poured. That being said, a Parisian wine bar can be a great place to learn about wine, accompanied by small plates of food or cheese.

Willi's Wine Bar, picture taken from Willi's website

For many people visiting Paris for the first time, Willi’s Wine Bar (13 Rue des Petits Champs) is a mandatory stop. The international acclaim probably comes from the fact that those who don’t know a lick of French can still find good wine without having to face the stereotypical snooty Parisian waiter looking down his nose at them. (In reality, those types of waiters are few and far between.) The long wooden bar provides a welcoming entrance to a large, airy room complete with tables in the back for the many lunchtime diners enjoying classic bistro fare. While the wine list has always maintained a strong focus on the south of France, you’ll still find a well-selected assortment with a British sensibility, thanks to the choices of founder Mark Williamson.

Right around the corner is Juveniles (47 Rue de Richelieu) run by Tim Johnson, still a partner in Willi’s. Also a retail store, boxes of wine line the walls of this modest, intimate room, along with a few small tables. And having the soul of a retailer means Tim is usually around to hold court and answer inevitable questions that arise. Once again, the focus here is on wines from southern France but the need to move product has afforded Tim the opportunity to cast a wide net. Therefore, you can find an intriguing selection from Italy and Australia, many of which are made specifically for Juveniles. And the very small kitchen churns out a series of tapas-style plates that match the wines perfectly, with Tim being the perfect guy to chat about wine or join you in a post meal prandial.

The bill of fare at Le Garde Robe

If you want to be au courant about the cutting edge wines being slurped down by locals, then get yourself to the centrally located Le Garde Robe (41 rue de l’Arbre Sec) on a narrow street near Les Halles. Deliciously cramped with a few small tables in the back, you can find a great introduction to the booming natural wine movement that has been sweeping Paris. There are some truly tasty wines being poured here along with some tres moderne labels that are downright New World in attitude.  The affordable wines I tried had soul and character, were very drinkable, and seemed to be less extreme in style than what is often seen in the States.  I’ll be going back in order to keep the latest in French wine trends on my radar.

Typical Sunday afternoon crowd

My perfect wine bar, however, both in Paris and in the world, has to Le Baron Rouge (1 rue Théophile-Roussel), a few blocks east of the Rue de Lyon, which links the Bastille with the Gare de Lyon. If I were going to keep any wine bar a secret, it would be this little gem. Whoever buys the wine here has always maintained a keen eye for value and quality in their selection of crisp Loire whites, drinkable Rhones and Beaujolais, along with a broad smattering of spirits for the regulars. It is located near Place d’Aligre, where a bustling market takes place every Sunday. In fact, Sunday is the best day to go, as the market goers spill into the bar after making their purchases.

Oysters at Baron Rouge

Baron Rouge has regularly called out to me for almost two decades. I usually arrive before 11am, grab one of the few tables in the secluded corner and park myself there until we are all thrown out or too buzzed to continue. Here you see the real Paris pass in front of you as locals, young and old, single or in groups, stop by for a quick glass of wine, a small cheese platter and a quick chat with friends after shopping. Others stop by to refill a plastic container with wine straight from the spigot of the old casks along the wall. Quiet at first, the energy level swells until it becomes so crowded that latecomers are forced to place their platters of freshly shucked oysters on the hoods of cars parked outside.

All packed in the corner of Baron Rouge

It’s always been easy to make friends with those nearby as the whole experience transforms into an unforgettable afternoon in Paris, ruined only by the 3pm bell that clears everybody out. I have never left here without smiling and laughing during my entire stay.  Incroyable!!

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

As growers and winemakers become even more familiar with their vineyards, they are now able to discern even finer differences in their fruit. Different blocks within their vineyards are being singled out and bottled separately—giving pinot geeks a unique view of their vineyards. It all started with Felton Road when they issued their rare “Block 3″ and “Block 5″ pinots over a decade ago. Since then, wineries like Rippon, Mountford and Escarpment began making pinots that reflect this passion for subtle nuances in their wines. These new, low quantity wines represent the latest trend in New Zealand pinot noir production.

Very little can "top" a bottle of Mt. Difficulty

Over the past decade, Mt. Difficulty has taken this drilled-down approach to the block level producing small quantities of pinot noir from three different sites. In each vintage, they look at wines from their top three blocks to determine if they should be bottled separately, at the same time, not cause their classic release to suffer from the separation. The 2009 single-vineyard wines represent the first time that the winery has released the Long Gully, Pipeclay Terrace and Target Gully pinots in one year, attesting to the high quality of the vintage. Each of these rare, single vineyard pinots is produced in small amounts of 300 or so cases with only 10-15 sixpacks allocated to the US market.

Mt. Difficulty’s vineyards are located in the Bannockburn subregion of Central Otago, an area renowned for high-quality, fully flavored pinots. Home to wineries like Felton Road, Carrick and Akarua, vineyards here have north-northwest exposures that allow fruit to ripen perfectly. With their first wines released in 1998, the winery quickly found out that certain blocks created some top pinot noirs so they developed their Single Vineyard Wine Series in 2002. The recent Mt. Difficulty tasting held at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco allowed us to be the first in the States to try these wines side by side and afforded many the chance to taste the different blocks comparatively for the first time.

Click this map for a larger view on Mt. Difficulty's website

Long Gully Vineyard

This vineyard has historically produced the most feminine and elegant bottling of the Single Vineyard Series. Located on a small flat plain overlooking Lake Dunstan, the slightly richer soils allow for plush yet delicate fruit textures. But given time, the wines gain richness and weight to become compelling examples as compared to their neighbors.  Winemaker Matt Dicey has seen the fruit from this 20-year-old vineyard evolve to reveal more savory textures.

The 2009 shows deep colors that are just opaque at the core. With a hint of sweet fruit and chocolate on the nose, some classic Otago dusty spices lay underneath. There is some subtle structure here with a core of soft fruit at the palate that maintains purity and density but is tightened up by firm tannins. More delicate compared with the other bottlings, this wine shows a great balance of intensity and grace.

I also had a chance to taste the 2005, which has matured very slowly due to the cool weather conditions. Concentrated and densely packed aromas of spicy blackberry and dark cherry on nose. Overall, the impression is of a true vin de garde, backward and reserved, a bit blocky and lacking some finesse at this point, with a firm finish to complete the experience. Just waking from its slumber in the last 12-18 months, according to Dicey, and given how well the estate pinots have aged, I could see this lasting another ten years.

Target Gully Vineyard

The Target Gully Vineyard occupies a space, both literally and stylistically, in the middle of the Mt. Difficulty trio. It is also the most mysterious cuvee, having only been made twice. This 18-year-old plot lies adjacent to Block 9 and 11 of Felton Road’s vines, tucked behind a small rise and not as exposed as the other Mt. Difficulty sites. In my experience, it is a more compact expression of the Mt. Difficulty style with less expressive fruit and a compact palate profile.

The current release is barely opaque in color. This is a masculine, powerful wine that maintains a beautiful balance of fruit and structure. A trait of the vintage, the tannins are a bit pronounced, with a great concentration of soft fruits at the backpalate but not the lusher textures found in the Long Gully.

The first release was the 2003, and this wine was a bit backward and unevolved with dark fruits and crunchy textures on the backpalate. Displaying a robust facet here, the palate shows an emphasis on the wine’s firm and slightly blocky nature. This somewhat square wine has lovely subtle flavors of dusty, sour cherries as the wine ends up with a firm finish and spicy tannins.

Pipeclay Terrace Vineyard

This has generally been the most powerful of the three wines with intense fruit flavors lying atop structural notes that indicate good aging potential. Offering a richer counterpoint to the more understated Long Gully cuvee, the Pipeclay bottling has become the most popular of the three wines. Winemaker Matt Dicey has noticed a spicy component emerging as the vines have aged.

The 2009 bottling is more translucent in color than the other bottlings. The nose is a bit more subtle but still possesses concentrated, spicy fruit. The fruit on the palate is more compressed in shape with classic dark cherry flavors.  Dicey observed that their 2009s were tannic, which can be seen here with firm tannins on the finish.

A 2004 example is very opaque, almost darker than all the others being shown today. The closed bouquet shows dark cherry coughdrop aromas with subtle chocolate notes underneath. Bottle age has softened the fruit textures with flavors of berries and dark fruit lingering, along with subtle tannins. Very round at the back, the profile is compact and the finish is tight. Another 6-8 years of aging will be easy for this wine.