Iffy NZ wine being sold anyway

There are certain phrases in the Latin language that translate well internationally. Perhaps the most common is "Caveat emptor," or "Buyer beware."

That certainly is the watchword for a New Zealand wine that is being sold with no real notice to domestic consumers after being rejected by European buyers because of its high metal content.

The wine is made by the Te Kairanga winery of Martinborough, New Zealand. Its 4,000-case shipment of 2006 pinot noir, bottled under the Rosecreek house brand name for a German market group, was rejected for having a copper content that exceeded European standards. Te Kairanga subsequently has made a deal with two New Zealand supermarket chains to sell the wine with no mention of the rejection.

Stuff.co.nz quoted Te Kairanga's technical director, Tony Pritchard, as saying in defense of his company's decision:

"This was purely and simply an error that occurred in the cellars, but while it might be above the German standard it is completely safe in terms of consumption."

Prichard was named technical director late last year, after the affected batch had been bottled.

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A celebri-quote: Thomas Jefferson

• Thomas Jefferson, regarded as America's first true wine expert, had specific thoughts about buying wine. This one comes from one of his letters, a copy of which was found by historians working at his Virginia home at Monticello:

"Don't go to the middleman. Go straight to the manufacturer. He will always give you the right product.

"The middleman is going to take advantage of you."

[See prior posting on wine research at Monticello.]

[Go here for more Celebri-Quotes.]

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Tom Jefferson, our first wine guy

From National Public Radio's "Weekend Edition":

"Thomas Jefferson was the nation's third president, our first ambassador to France, an inventor and master gardener. He may also have been America's first wine connoisseur — something historians are learning more about as they renovate Jefferson's wine cellar.

"It's been hot in central Virginia this summer, but historians at Monticello have kept cool in the wine cellar, trying to figure out how it would have looked when Jefferson lived there.

" 'This two-layer thick, iron-strapped, fortified, double-locked door is a good indication of the value of what was being housed in here," says architectural historian Justin Sarafin, who was inspecting a door as thousands of visitors trooped by overhead. He says the 220-square-foot room contained a commodity Jefferson treasured."

NPR continues with a fascinating look at TJ -- seen in this drawing that accompanied a story on the Appelation America online site. Go here to read the complete NPR story.

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Palin's international connections

Her detractors say GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin has no experience in international matters. One product from a boutique Chilean winery might be pointed to by her supporters as evidence of her international reach.

It's called Palin Syrah. The actual pronunciation is pah-leen, referring to the ball in a Chilean-style hockey game.

We know such plays on names are all part of the ephemeral thing that is politics, and reading any significance into them is about as useful as, well, as putting lipstick on a pig, as some current poltical hacks would say.

Nevertheless, Fox News thought it important enough to have a reporter for its election news Web site check out the political and business implications of such a wine being available to American consumers.

The bottom line, says Fox, is that San Franciscans are so left-wing they hate anything remotely resembling a Republican in name, wine or anything else, so Palin Syrah is being shunned even though it sold well before anyone outside her state knew of Sarah Palin. And, meanwhile, in the Republican stronghold of Texas, the wine is selling like mad.

If you must read the whole story, just click here.

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Ballet in the Sonoma Valley vineyards

William M. Dowd photos and video

SANTA ROSA, CA -- The grape harvest on the five Russian River Valley ranches supplying grapes to the winemakers at Sonoma-Cutrer wrapped up several weeks early this year, a testament to a good growing season.

But it also was a testament to good old-fashioned manpower.

Under the watchful eye of Javier Torres (right), the senior vineyard manager his colleagues refer to as "The Marlboro Man" because of his attire, 12-man crews made their way through the grape fields, wielding nothing more than a curved cutting knife and a lot of plastic boxes to take down an astounding one ton of grapes every 15 minutes.

"They're really amazing to watch," David Perata, Sonoma-Cutrer general manager, told me during a final-day harvest tour of the 1,100-acre complex. "They make it look effortless, but it's quite a skill to be able to work that fast that long, and without damaging the fruit.

"They work in 12-man teams -- eight to do the cutting, one to drive the tractor and three or so to handle the collection baskets, take care of any other tasks that need doing. Some of them have worked together for quite a while, so they make it a smooth operation."

It is difficult to envision the precision and speed the harvest workers use to get the delicate little chardonnay grapes from vine to the washing and sorting station. This video gives a taste of that speed:



This is the last year the scene at Sonoma-Cutrer will be seen only by employees and invited guests. The company, which is owned by beverage industry giant Brown-Forman of Louisville, KY, is targeting a spring 2009 opening for visitors. At that point, visitors will get to see the actual work depending on what season it is -- pruning, planting, harvesting, trimming back the vines at the end of the season ... whatever is going on is at the six vineyards is what tourists will see as they are taken through the complex on special motorized carts.

Sonoma-Cutrer, which had been a "white house" until producing a pinot noir harvest four years ago, is best known for wines created under winemaker Terry Adams (right), such as its Russian River Ranches cuvée crafted from several estate vineyards, and its Les Pierres and the Cutrer chardonnays.

They're a bit different than a lot of other Sonoma County appelation wines, since the various ranches into which the complex is divided provide a variety of soils virtually side by side. The Cutrer vineyard, located about a dozen miles from the Pacific Ocean, is planted on what once was an ocean floor.

At one time before grapes became the money crop, it was a hops operation. The triple-towered hop kiln barn seen below is what remains of that era.



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Aussies produce first California cabs

Two Hands Wines, the Australian Shiraz specialist, has released the first wines from its new California venture, Two Hands Napa.

They are "Charlie's Patch" and "Some Days Are Diamonds," a pair of 2005 Cabernet Sauvignons. Both were made in very small quantities and will be marketed in select states by Terlato Wines International.

"As with any new region, we are on a steep learning curve," said Michael Twelftree, who owns Two Hands with partner Richard Mintz. "I have always been drawn to the texture and purity of Napa Valley Cabernet and I'm excited to be able to put the Two Hands name behind wine that Richard and I truly believe in."

The wines are made at the Outpost winery on Howell Mountain by winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown. The grapes are grown in elevated vineyards.

The 2005 "Charlie's Patch" carries a suggested retail price $120. Only 5,400 bottles were made. The 2005 "Some Days Are Diamonds" will retail at $45. Only 4,200 bottles were made.

Two Hands is best known for its Garden Series made up of Bella's, Lily's, Samantha's, Sophie's, Harry & Edward's and Max's. It also produces the Picture Series, the new Single Vineyard Series, and the Flagships, a Shiraz, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Grenache named, respectively, Ares, Aphrodite and Aerope.

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Historic CA winery gets back to its roots

Concannon Vineyards in Livermore, CA, marked its 125th anniversary over the weekend by unveiling its new winemaking facility, part of a $30 million renovation project.

Showing that everything old is new again, Concannon recently purchased a new European-built basket press that works the same way as the winery's original 19th century European-built basket press. It walked away from the original press several decades ago, but now has brought its successor on line.

Concannon is owned by The Wine Group LLC, which purchased it in 2002 and is getting the company back to its roots.

"Although the Concannon Estate is one of the most advanced solar-powered, organically farmed operations in the world, we view it as a rediscovery of the past vs. a winery of the future," said David Kent, CEO of The Wine Group LLC.

In addition to the basket press, the cask room has been restored so Concannon's Petite Sirah, America's first, can be crafted the same as when the 1961 vintage wine made its debut in 1964. The room is home to 16 giant French oak casks, each holding the equivalent of 15,000 bottles of wine.

Concannon is located in the Livermore Valley east of the San Francisco Bay Area. Its winemaker is Adam Richardson (above), a Rhône-style specialist with winemaking experience in both Australia and Australia. The former Royal Australian Navy officer previously worked at the Rancho Zabaco and MacMurray Ranch wineries in California. Prior to moving to the U.S. in 1998, he worked for d’Arenberg, Oakridge Estate, Normans, and Miranda wineries in Australia.

Other renovations that have been done under The Wine Group:

• Improving the 200 acres of preserved vineyard land surrounding the winery. These vineyards were the first in the Livermore Valley to be placed under a permanent conservation easement, and are among the last few acres of their kind in the Bay Area that have not been paved over.

• A return to traditional methods of farming and crafting of grapes for Concannon's flagship wine, the Concannon Vineyard Heritage Petite Sirah. A demonstration vineyard planted with different varieties will complete the new landscape plan.

• The restoration of the historic 1883 Concannon family home, extensions to the estate's system of stone walls, patios and arbors, and the doubling in size of its park-like setting. Last year the old Victorian house, complete with mature palm trees, was moved from a now-busy traffic intersection to a new location deeper within the estate. The new front lawn has become the summer home for the Livermore Shakespeare Festival.

The final phase of the estate's redevelopment, a complete renovation of the tasting room and hospitality center, will begin early next year.

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D.C. self-service wine bar debuts

If you dine at a Romano's Macaroni Grill restaurant anywhere in the country, you're invited to partake of the house red wine on the honor system, then let your server know how much you drank.

That's one way to do it. Ceviche Restaurant in Washington, D.C., has unveiled in its second-floor wine bar a self-serve enomatic wine system. Guests will be able to taste 24 varietals of wine by the ounce at the touch of a button.

The automated wine preservation system dispenses wine after insertion of a wine debit card purchased by the customer. Tastes range from $1.50 to $10 per ounce, with an average price of $2. The wine list will change frequently.

Ceviche is located on Wisconsin Avenue near the intersection of Calvert Street, between Georgetown and the Washington National Cathedral.

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First-ever Green Wine Summit scheduled

The first Green Wine Summit has been scheduled for Dec. 1-2 in -- where else? -- California.

The point of the event, say its organizers, is to set the stage for the already-green wine industry to get even greener. It will feature green leadership sessions, speaker panels and a Green Showcase at the Santa Rosa event.

"From Biodynamic farming to carbon neutral wineries, the wine community has consistently been ahead of the curve when it comes to protecting our environment," said U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson, D-CA.

"Not only does sustainable, eco-friendly farming help our environment, it also produces great wines. The ideas and proposals that come from this summit will be viewed as a model for the rest of the country."

More details on the event are available here.

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W&S decrees its 'best value' wines

Wine & Spirits magazine has released its annual list of "best value" wines from around the world.

The top American brands, in the opinion of the magazine's panel, listed alphabetically:

• Barefoot
• Boomtown
• Chateau Ste. Michelle
• Handley
• Husch
• Montpellier
• Snoqualmie
• Sterling Vineyards
• Talus Collection.

For details on why they were picked, as well as the same guide to numerous other selections from around the globe, go here.

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A celebri-quote: Kyle MacLachlan

• Actor Kyle MacLachlan (TV's "Twin Peaks," "Sex and the City" and "Desperate Housewives"; moviedom's "Blue Velvet," "Dune" and "Justice League") is part of the celebrity winemaker fraternity. He and Washington vintner Eric Dunham produce wine under the label Pursued by Bear. He was interviewed by Wine Spectator magazine.

"My first vintage (2005), Pursued by Bear, is a blend of cabernet, syrah and a bit of merlot, with a blackberry jam and a cherry cola component … a mineral element and minimal oak."

And the name? While dining with Steve Martin, MacLachlan settled on a "wonderful Shakespearean stage direction that I’ve always loved: 'Exit, pursued by a bear,' from 'The Winter’s Tale'."

[Go here for more Celebri-Quotes.]

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Letters: Can I import to Sweden?

Hi:
I saw your blog and I thought that you might be the right person to ask about wine import.

I live in Sweden but found a sparkling wine and a cider in Canada that I love. Do you know how to import it to Sweden or where I can find the best prices for that? Thanks.

-- Jill Estblom

Dear Jill:
As you undoubtedly know, Sweden has a long history of making it very difficult to import alcoholic beverages because of its generations-long high incidence of alcoholism and alcohol-related crimes.

In recent years, however, things have gradually been changing under pressure from the European Union seeking rules of fair competition. Some stores are open later as well as on Saturdays. Wider wine selections are on shelves. Beer taxes have been reduced and wine taxes are being targeted for reduction as well.

This sits well with some Swedes, but others worry that it will spark a flare-up in the nation's dark history of alcohol abuse. That situation was so bad that until 1955, Swedes had to have ration cards to buy liquor. Relaxed importation standards didn't come along until 1997.

And last June, the European Court of Justice ruled that Sweden's government monopoly on importing alcohol was an unjustified bar to the movement of goods. However, a Systembolaget official said the court's ruling was "not very important."

Which leaves you right back at square one. The government retains its monopoly on imports, so you'll have to try placing an order for the Canadian products through one of the regulated stores. Obviously, while I don't recommend breaking laws, it probably isn't all that difficult to have friends abroad purchase products for you, then ship them as personal goods. Technically that wouldn't be importing alcohol from a dealer. But you'd better check your local laws before doing that.

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Guest tasting: Fortified Aussie wine

• This is a new feature that will appear from time to time when a colleague reviews a wine I wouldn't normally come across. The inaugural contribution is from Franz Scheurer, creator and editor of Australian Gourmet Pages:

d'Arenberg Nostalgia RARE

I know lots of winemakers who keep a small barrel of fortified wine in the cellar that they keep topping up with different wines and vintages, generally meant for their own consumption. Since the Osborne family took over the 19th Century vineyards in the McLaren Vale in 1912, they made a fair quantity of fortified wines for export to "The Empire"' but now they release tiny quantities under the name of Nostalgia each year -- because they want to, not out of necessity.

The Nostalgia is made from at least 15-year and older stock, predominantly grenache but also some inclusions of shiraz and mataro. It's a clean, luscious, fruit forward style with plenty of depth and does not give you a hangover (I can vouch for that).

This wine, made now by Chester Osborne but going back to father d'Arry, grandfather Frank and great grandfather Joe, is drunk at d'Arenberg to accompany local almonds, currants, cheese and fruit. As this is the oldest and rarest of d'Arenberg's wines it is released each year in tiny quantities only, making the statement of RARE on the label a reality.

Contact d'Arenberg and try and get some; it's delicious.

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With apologies to Neil Diamond ...

... TURN ON YOUR WINE LIGHT.(*)

For wine lovers who are serious about the conditions of their nectar, a digital thermometer about the size of a sugar packet now is available to keep track of bottles' individual temperatures.

In fact, the device will allow consumers to tell whether the bottle fell outside its ideal temperature after shipping from the vineyard. If the status is OK, an embedded light will blink green. If there is a problem, it will blink yellow. And, since this is a digital recorder, you will be able to download the information to a computer spreadsheet.

The device is made by PakSense Inc. of Boise, ID. It sells for $1.60 per unit.

(Get the lyrics for Diamond's "Turn On Your Heartlight" here.)

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F&W's American Wine Awards unveiled

Celia Masyczek has been named "winemaker of the year" in the 11th annual Food & Wine magazine American Wine Awards.

The Oregon native who has become a standout in the California wine universe is particularly known for her Napa Cabs for clients throughout the Napa Valley, from Calistoga to Carneros. She also has her own label, established in 2004, a 200-case cabernet sauvignon named Corra.

The other awards as announced in the October issue of the magazine (seen here):

Outstanding Sparkling Wine: 2004 Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs, $35.

Best Wines Under $20: (Whites) 2007 Foxglove Chardonnay, $15; 2007 Brander Santa Ynez Valley Sauvignon Blanc. (Reds) 2006 A To Z Wineworks Oregon Pinot Noir, $18; 2005 Raymond R Collection Merlot, $15; 2005 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon, $15; 2006 Edmeades Mendocino County Zinfandel, $18; 2006 Qupe Central Coast Syrah, $16.

Best Wines Over $20: (Whites) 2005 Ramey Ritchie Vineyard Chardonnay, $65; 2007 Cluff Lede Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, $22. (Reds) 2005 Talley Vineyards Rosemary'sd Vineyard Pinot Noir, $38; 2005 Shafer Napa Valley Merlot, $45; 2006 Tensley Colson Canyon Vineyard Syrah, $38; 2005 Bella Lily Hill Estate Zinfandel, $36; 2004 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, $600; 2005 Dominus Bordeaux Blend, $129.

Best New Winery: Breggo Cellars, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, CA.

Importer of the Year: Neal Rosenthal, Rosenthal Wine Merchant and author of the new memoir "Reflections of a Wine Merchant."

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Amazon.com to begin selling U.S. wines

William M. Dowd photo

From the Reuters news service:

SAN FRANCISCO -- Amazon.com, the largest global online retailer, plans to start selling U.S.-produced wine on its web site within the United States by early October, wine industry insiders said.

Napa Valley Vintners, a non-profit group representing 315 vintners in the famous California wine-producing region, has already begun to set up workshops for wineries interested in selling through the retail giant, said Terry Hall, communications director for the group.

"They have been working for a while on this wine project. Now they are signing up the wineries," Hall told Reuters. "They're fast-tracking it right now."

An Amazon spokeswoman declined to comment.

(Go here for the rest of the story.)

In my view, it's not so much the convenience. Buying wine online is easy to do from literally hundreds of sources. The real plus here is that Amazon Prime will offer to ship any amount purchased without additional shipping charges once an annual fee of $79 is paid/. That could be a major saving.

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What I'm tasting

Select a wine from this list and follow the link to "Dowd's Tasting Notes" for my take on it.

• Chateau Porteny Graves 2004

• Zette Malbec

• El Coto Rioja

• Bove Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Roggio Antico

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