Wine Five #1

About a month ago John and I randomly decided that making a video series where we drink and talk about wine (but mostly drink) would be ridiculous amounts of fun. That is how the first (and hopefully not last!) Wine Five came into creation. 

For the record we made this around 2am after several glasses of wine. The original cut was much longer and a ton more ridiculous.

Stand-in post

Last summer was when I was very much obsessed with rosés, that was pretty much all I drank. This was before they were cool too, so go me for being ahead of the curve for once (I know, I'm such a hipster). This summer I've been more interested in random, hard-to-find-in-San-Antonio varietals (like Roussanne and Grenache Blanc) and don't honestly think I've bought more than two or three bottles of rosé. So I find it slightly interesting that two of the hands down, most outstanding wines I've had in the past six months have both been rosés. 

I plan on doing posts on both wines in the very near future, this is really just a stand-in to make up for the fact that I've been too lazy to write anything of substance lately. Plus my partner-in-crime finally got one of these gorgeous wines in our store this week (Inman Family's Endless Crush Rosé, $23.99 at Whole Foods Quarry in San Antonio, TX!) so I'm incredibly excited about that. I promise something better post-wise in the very near future!

Kurt Darting Dürkheimer Spielberg Scheurebe Spätlese 2010

My parents are amazing and I know that I am damn lucky to have them. My father is awesome, I got both my dry sense of humor and cynicism (though he’s not too thrilled about that) from him and I am beyond grateful for both those traits. My mother is the kindest, most wonderful woman, who always wants to see the best in everyone. They balance each other out so perfectly and also drive each other crazy at times. I have never doubted that they love each other and my sisters and I (and all the dogs I might have kinda guilted them into getting) very much. If it weren't for them I might have never discovered how utterly fascinating and beautiful wine is.

For my 21^st birthday they had gotten me a bottle of Now and Zen Wasabi White (mainly because my mother loved the label... another habit I picked up from her), but forgot to bring it with them when they drove up to Dallas to see me, so my mother insisted on visiting several different liquor/wine stores in an attempt to find another bottle of it. We didn't find it and I honestly couldn't tell you what they wound up getting me instead to make up for it, but I remember being really amazed by how much they knew about wine, since it was something they'd only started getting into after I left home. What really sealed the deal though was a weekend visit I made probably a few months after that. They’d recently gotten really into New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and one of the last nights I was there we thought it'd be fun to do a blind-tasting of sorts with three different bottles of that varietal. Basically we put all three in paper bags then tasted each one and scored them somehow (the details are a bit fuzzy), not perfect, but still a lot of fun. The wines were Kim Crawford, Drylands (which I'm pretty sure was the winner overall) and a third I can’t recall. The details aren't really all that important... the point is that after that weekend I started to fall madly in love with wine all thanks to my parents.

Since then I've become way more of a wine geek than either of them and I’m sure that my slightly ridiculous passion for wine perplexes them at times, but they have been nothing but supportive anyways. Of course it pays off for them as well since I've introduced them to some rather awesome wines. Of those one of their favorites so far was Kurt Darting Dürkheimer Spielberg Scheurebe Spätlese from Pfalz, Germany.

I have Kye (my friend and fellow wine buyer at Whole Foods), to thank for introducing me to this wine (and for the picture above) and he has Terry Theise to thank for introducing him to Scheurebe. I’m really glad that he stumbled upon this beautiful wine after reading Theise’s book “Reading Between the Vines” and I’m really lucky that he was awesome enough to share that experience with me. Just to give a brief background on this little known varietal: Scheurebe (or Sämling 88) is a crossing of Riesling and an unknown grape (originally thought to be Sylvaner, but DNA analysis ruled that out in the ‘90s). Primarily grown in Austria and Germany it is highly aromatic and, like Riesling, the wines made from it can range from very sweet to bone dry.

The Darting Scheurebe was beyond gorgeous, I still list in as one of the top ten white wines I've ever had. After that first bottle I kept gushing about it to my parents and wound up buying another bottle of it to drink with them so they could experience it as well ($19.99 at Twin Liquors, though I don't believe they carry it anymore). Normally I’d do my best to describe Scheurebe, and I could go into detail about the pink grapefruit, orange zest and honeysuckle flavors but I just feel like Terry Theise does such a better job of explaining this varietal than I could ever do, so I’ll just leave you with his words:

“I don’t drink Riesling all the time, though I’d hardly mind doing so. Still, there are occasions when something more pagan is called for, and that’s when I summon my guiltiest of wine pleasures: Scheurebe.

"Scheurebe (shoy-ray-beh), often shortened to ‘Scheu,’ is Riesling just after it read the Kama Sutra. Put another way, Scheu is what Riesling would be if Riesling were a transvestite. If Riesling expresses all that is Noble and Good, Scheu offers all that is Dirty and Fun. It is Riesling’s evil, horny twin.”

-Terry Theise, "Reading Between the Vines"

Menguante Garnacha Blanca 2009

I don’t have a whole ton of friends, but the ones I do have are as close (if not closer than) family to me. I have no problem with that, I prefer having few close friends, who I can count on no matter what, to having several fair-weather ones I can’t rely on. Of course most of these friends are spread out all over this state (and Louisiana) at the moment, not surprising considering how badly we all wanted out of this city after High School... I'm just the only one so far to return. That just means I appreciate the times they get suckered into coming back to SA all the more and the last time it happened I celebrated by picking up Menguante Garnacha Blanca 2009 from Specs (totally blanking on the price, but will fix that shortly).

I’m not really sure why Grenache Blanc intrigues me so much (in blends or as 100% varietals), but I’m not complaining, it usually works out well for me. So far Spain and South Africa have impressed me the most with their wines made with Grenache Blanc, but a lot of that is due to the fact that you don’t see this varietal so often elsewhere.

This one was ripe with flavors of baked pear, orange peel, dried apricot and lemon zest. There was a bit of oiliness that reminded of the one (and only) Condrieu I’ve ever had. This was balanced out with crisp acidity and bright floral notes that led to a creamy, honey-butterish finish. Really glad I took a chance with this wine and even happier that I got to share it with good people (especially since those seem hard to find these days).

Barranc dels Closos Blanc 2010

I hope most people have experienced the thrill of glancing at their phone and seeing a call/text from a certain person that just makes them grin like an idiot. It’s a nice feeling, one that makes you feel warm and fuzzy (and sometimes just a slight bit apprehensive since you’re not sure what it will bring), but no matter what, just seeing that call (or text) always makes you smile. That is the same feeling I get whenever I’m adventurous in my wine buying and it pays off. At least that is the best way to describe the feeling that envelopes me when I take that first sip and find utter beauty.

Of course that doesn't happen all the time, I have regretted taking on new wines before... which is probably why I cherish the ones that don’t let me down so very much. Tonight’s wine is one of them: Mas Igneus Barranc dels Closos Blanc 2010, a white wine from Priorat, Spain. (Found at Specs, but since they were discontinuing it and I bought the last couple bottles on the shelf, I honestly could not tell you where to find it anymore in SA… but if you do stumble upon it please let me know!)

The 2010 vintage is a blend of 50% Garnatxa Blanca, 30% Macabeu, 17% Pedro Ximenez and 3% Muscat. The muted intensity and dried fruit aromas masked a very complex and lovely palate. Lemon zest, orange peel, white peach and a hint of coconut were in the forefront, followed by notes of toasted almonds, beeswax, honey and wet limestone. It was reminiscent of sherry with the nutty, floral flavors but it didn’t have the same intensity. I loved it, thought it was super gorgeous. Definitely a wine I’d be happy to see on my call log anytime.

Dashe Les Enfants Terribles Zinfandel 2011, Heart Arrow Ranch

I hate reality TV, it is awful and I think that it’s a shining example of how awful this world can be. I actually avoid my parents' place on certain nights because I know I’ll be subjected to that sort of crap if I’m there. The times that I can’t avoid it though I bring wine and Dashe Les Enfants Terribles Zinfandel is what I had this past Monday when I knew the Bachelorette was unavoidable and it was perfect for the occasion. I hadn’t had a Zinfandel in quite some time and this one made me regret that. It also made me rethink my meh-ness towards wine from California.

From the back label:

“Our Les Enfants Terribles (“the Wild Children”) series of wines are made from vineyards that we feel can make distinctive, terrior-driven wines. Fermented on native yeasts, with minimal oak influence and low levels of sulfites, these wines show beautiful fruit undisturbed by unnecessary processing. The essence of the vineyard shines through the resulting wine. This rebel has a cause – we hope you’ll like it.”

It was a really subtle wine for its type, just 13.5% which is pretty restrained for a Californian Zinfandel. I haven’t had many old world Zins, but this wine reminded me more of the few that I’ve had than any of the Californian ones. I’m not trying to bash California here, I do enjoy many wines from there (and all over North America), I just don’t think that they exhibit the same balance and finesse that old world wines do (I could really go off on a tangent there, but I’m going to stop myself because that’s not what this post is about).  There was a distinct earthiness along with the wild strawberry, baked raspberry and dried lavender notes. A hint of spice and round tannins led to a long-ish finish, overall it was really gorgeous.

Frank Cornelissen Contadino 10

A year ago I really didn’t care for Italian wines... a year ago I was also a complete idiot. I’m still an idiot, but at least now I’m an idiot who’s learned to appreciate and (mostly) love the wines of Italy. That was mainly thanks to an amazing friend who made it next to impossible to drink with him without being able to appreciate Italy. Kye opened my eyes to a world of possibilities that I’d never considered and without him I would have never gotten to try some of the most unique wines I’ve ever had the good fortune to come across. Some of the best wines I had in the last year were with him and most of those were Italian, Sicilian more often than not. One Sicilian wine in particular I feel like I’ve been waiting forever to try was Frank Cornelissen’s Contadino 10, a bottle he picked up in Austin ($30) a while back.

The main reason I love Kye is he is one of the only people I’ve ever met who finds wine to be as cool as I do (“Did he say ‘Cool’?”... chances are only my dad will laugh at that reference). Wine is awesome, in so many ridiculous ways and cool really is the best way I can describe it sometimes, it’s got liquor and beer beat as far as I’m concerned. I’d just assumed I was a crazy person, ridiculously obsessed with wine in a way that no one else understood, but he made me realize that it wasn’t just me, there were others, just as utterly insane as I was.

Anyways! Frank Cornelissen’s wines go a long way in embodying that “coolness” that I love about wine. If I poured the Contadino 10 for my parents or friends they’d probably make polite noises and then find a reason to open something else and there is nothing wrong with that. His wines are not for everyone, they are for people who are looking to experience every dusty, dirty nook and cranny of winemaking.

 

From the website: “Our farming philosophy is based on our acceptance of the fact that man will never be able to understand nature's full complexity and interactions. We therefore choose to concentrate on observing and learning the movements of Mother Earth in her various energetic and cosmic passages and prefer to follow her indications as to what to do, instead of deciding ourselves. Consequently this has taken us to avoiding all possible interventions on the land we cultivate, including any treatments, whether chemical, organic, or biodynamic, as these are all a mere reflection of the inability of man to accept nature as she is and will be. “

The wine was cloudy to put it mildy, cloudier than anything else I’d ever had. It was beautiful though, tasted of red fruit, rocks and earth. Such earth! This is what I imagined the ancient Greeks drank, wines imbued with the very essence of the world they inhabited. This was a living wine, that is the BEST way I can describe it and I’m sorry I can do no better than that but that is what it was. I was blown away, it was in no way pretty, I would not suggest it for the faint of heart or amateur wine-lovers, it was made to be appreciated by those who really, truly love wine and I was beyond happy to get to try it. Truly wonderful.

Texas Roussanne

While wandering indecisively up and down the aisles at Spec’s on Monday, I wound up in front of the Texas wines and was reminded of an article my dad had recently sent, Battle of the Texas Roussannes, about a blind tasting of Texas Roussanes, pretty interesting read definitely worth checking out. I really hadn’t paid much attention to Texas wine in recent years (I’d had no idea that Roussanne was even being grown here) and decided that needed to change so I picked up a McPherson 2012 Roussanne and a Brennan Vineyards 2012 Lily Blend. I hadn’t had much experience with Roussanne before trying these wines, so I can’t honestly say if they were a true expression of the varietal or not, but I can say is that they were both very pretty in different ways.

McPherson Roussanne 2012: medium-bodied with notes of dried apricot, baked peach, candied lemon, honey and white flowers. Well-balanced complexity and medium acidity lead to a rich, short finish. I was actually really disappointed with this one when it was first opened, muted flavors and altogether kind of boring, but by the next day it had opened up beautifully and wound up being my favorite of the two.

Brennan Vineyards Lily 2012: a blend of 59% Roussanne, 23% Viognier and 18% Grenache. Medium-bodied with notes of apricot, roasted pineapple, canned peaches, butterscotch, ginger and caramel. Medium complexity and acidity that creeps up on you before being flattened by the creamy finish. It was very nice when first opened, but by the next day the butterscotch and caramel had started to overpower everything else. It was still drinkable, but not quite as enjoyable as before.

Just so I can end this on a completely random note: My dogs are more wine savvy than your dog.

Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2012

 Chilean wines will always have a special place in my heart simply because they remind me of my grandmother (Chilean)  who was a huge part of my life until her death almost 13 years ago. To me she was an extremely graceful woman, cultured and sophisticated, not a single hair out of place. She drilled my sisters and me on proper etiquette and manners until she was satisfied we were perfect (for the record I don't think I ever managed that perfection). It was a bit ridiculous and not very useful in the world outside of her home, but she was determined that her granddaughters not be ill-mannered hooligans. I’m probably making her sound like a ridiculous tyrant, but really she wasn’t, she just had standards for everyone, especially her family, and she made damn sure that we met them. To me she was elegance incarnate and I find most Chilean wines to be that same way.

The Silva family pioneered grape growing in the Colchagua Valley in 1892 and have the oldest cellar in the valley. The Sauvignon Gris is unique in that you almost never find that varietal anywhere since almost going extinct following the phylloxera epidemic. Not much has been planted since it was rediscovered in the 1980s in the Loire Valley. The Casa Silva Sauvignon Gris 2012 is medium-bodied and with crisp citrus flavors of lime zest, orange peel and pink grapefruit.  Fresh floral notes, spice and medium acidity lead into a rich, vibrant finish. It is elegant and complex, a wine I’m sure my grandmother would have loved and not just because her maiden name was Silva.

The Wolftrap White 2012

Last summer I became quite enamored with South African blends. I think it all started when I picked up a bottle of Goats Do Roam White from work mainly because I thought the name was very clever and it was under $10.  After that I started looking for other wines from South Africa and found that most of the white blends I tried were quite lovely, but the absolute best was Wolftrap White.

The 2012 is a blend of 60% Viognier, 21% Chenin Blanc, and 19% Grenache Blanc. Refreshing, medium-bodied bursting with floral notes of honeysuckle and orange blossom coupled with flavors of green apple, lime zest and melon. Crisp minerality and bright acidity are balanced by a hint creaminess which leads to a rich, lingering finish.

The Wolftrap Red is also worth trying, though it’s a bit too heavy for me during hot weather. It’s mostly Syrah and Mouvedre with a tiny amount of Viognier (2%) added to soften the wine a bit. I’m Still hoping to track down their Rosé one of these days, but so far no luck with that.

Chambourcin and Petit Manseng from Virginia

This past weekend I was in Alexandria, VA for my sister’s wedding. It was a happy, but very busy affair and I very much wish I had stayed a few days longer. Thanks to my sister I did manage half a day to explore a few close-by wineries: Narmada, Grey Ghost and Pearmund. Mostly I was interested in the unique varietals being grown in Virginia (namely Chambourcin and Petit Manseng) and I managed to bring back a couple of bottles in my luggage without any unfortunate accidents.

Reflection 2010 from Narmada, a dry Chambourcin. Lots of spice and red fruit with hints of eucalyptus and other herbaceous notes throughout. Soft tannins and some smokiness lead into a medium finish. I had this bottle open for a few days and found that it really opened up by day 3, I really hadn’t expected it to last that long. It’s always a pleasant surprise when a wine gets better after being opened more than 24 hours.

For those who have never heard of Chambourcin (no shame in that, I had no idea what the hell it was before a week ago), it is a French-American hybrid of uncertain parentage that has only been commercially available since 1963. Produces dry, aromatic red wines with deep-red coloring, used in both single-varietal wines and blends.

Late Harvest Petit Manseng 2010 from Pearmund Cellars. I tried both their dry Petit Manseng and the late harvest while I was there and preferred the dessert wine surprisingly enough. Stone fruit notes were present in both, tart and crisp in the dry while overripe and candied in the sweet. The other major similarity was the high acidity found in both. In the dry it was close to overpowering, you almost didn’t pick up on anything else, but in the late harvest it balanced perfectly with the sweetness. It’s incredibly rare that i find a dessert wine I enjoy (and that's not ridiculously expensive) and this late harvest Petit Manseng was definitely the favorite out of the four wines I brought back.