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Posts made in July, 2009
Posted
by Organic Wine Journal
on Jul 25, 2009
in Features
Discount for Organic Wine Journal readers. Use the promotion code B1G105 and you’ll get a second ticket for the price of one.
Organic, biodynamic, sustainable, natural…these terms tend to confuse more than they clarify, particularly within the wine world. Join Adam Morganstern, editor of the Organic Wine Journal, as we explore these terms in depth (and taste some delicious examples of each along the way). We’ll explore the agricultural practices behind such terms, as well as look at varying techniques for vinification and how this translates into what you taste in the glass. You’ll gain an understanding of the the varying meanings behind these terms from country to country – and you’ll learn why many winemakers choose to forsake these labels altogether. We’ll even get to that tricky matter of sulphites, and debunk a number of myths surrounding the subject. Most of all, you’ll walk away with an appreciation for the time, care, and effort that goes into making these very special wines (and hopefully find a few new favorites along the way).
Price: $55.00
Date: Mon, Jul 27th, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
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Posted
by Organic Wine Journal
on Jul 22, 2009
in Features
Amy Atwood spoke with John Albin, Director of Wine making for King Estate Winery in Oregon. King Estate is certified organic by Oregon Tilth.
How did you become a winemaker?
I started making wine with my father when I was a kid. I grew up in Seattle and at the time there were no grapes grown in Washington so we bought grapes from the Central Valley that came in on a rail car. While attending the UW I worked at Associated Vintners; that lead to UC Davis and a career in winemaking.
King Estate’s own vines are certified organic. But you also purchase grapes from surrounding vineyards that are not certified organic. What specific standards do you hold these outside vineyards to, especially regarding pesticides and herbicides?
All of our contracted vineyards develop an annual vineyard management plan during the off season. That plan is reviewed together. We have worked with most of these growers for many years so we are all on the same page as far as what we are striving for. If you were to examine the practices of all of our growers you would find that they are all in the sustainable camp, some are LIVE certified and some are in the process of being certified organic.
No pre emergent herbicides are used nor are herbicides that “travel”; chemicals like Paraquat or 24D are not allowed. As far as pesticides go, no one uses insecticides; we are fortunate in Oregon that insects are not really a concern. Sometimes sulfur is used to keep mites in control but we use that mainly for powdery mildew. Fungicides would include those on the organic list; sulfur, potassium carbonate, copper sulfate. In addition, many outside growers add DMI’s to the list. All of this boils down to using a little common sense when it comes to using any material responsively whether they are organic or not .
You obviously care about producing pure fruit grown without chemicals. How does this translate in your actual wine making process in the cellars?
The winery is also certified organic. We don’t use any wine additives that you wouldn’t recognize; things like egg whites, yeast, gelatin. Same thing for cleaning supplies.
Do you believe that organic grapes produce better wines or is organic farming simply better for the environment?
I don’t think those statements are mutually exclusive and depends a little on what your definition of “better” is. Organic farming can be better for the environment depending on the farmer. Organic grapes can produce better wines, certainly it can be done sustainably which is better no matter how you slice it. Good farmers on good sites will produce good fruit, that’s the long and the short of it.
What has been your biggest challenge to date as a winemaker?
I think the biggest challenge has been to try and figure out what makes Oregon viticulture tick. There are so many micro climates and soil types along with clonal selections and rootstocks that getting down to what are the best combinations is a life long endeavor.
Which winery or winemaker inspires you and why?
Robert Mondavi; great winemaker and a great promoter of American winemaking. He’s probably done more than any other single person for winemaking in America.
Please share your favorite wine and food match.
We are very fortunate to have a chef on staff. Michael Landsberg makes a seared scallop dish with fresh sweet corn, leeks and a wonderful Aromatique sauce. I’m addicted to it. Our Signature Pinot Gris is dynamite with it.
King Estate Signature Pinot Noir 2007 $25
Beautiful bright ruby color. Tastes like plum tarts and cinnamon. Light style for a domestic pinot noir. Delicious with Moroccan style braised chicken with golden raisins and almonds.
next Riesling from King Estate 2008 $12
Light golden color. Flavors of marinated peaches and lemon custard. Very bright acids to cleanse the palate. This is definitely the wine for spicy food. Great match for Thai or Vietnamese cuisine.
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Posted
by Jonathan Russo
on Jul 20, 2009
in Features
Organic grape grower and vintner Gunther Di Giovanna came to New York this week with his wines for a tasting at ‘inoteca Vino e Cucina in the Lower East Side. Articulate, and poised and clearly devoted to organic growing, Gunther shared six of his vintages. ‘inoteca brought out plates of Italian cheese, salami, spreads and breads as well as organic olive oil from Gunther’s Sicilian farm.
First up was a 2008 Grillo. This uncommon white grape was fruity with a well-balanced acid profile, and a nicely rounded body. It had a bit of a Chardonnay profile in terms of color and density.
Next was a 2007 Grecanico. This was lighter and a bit more fruity. It was lovely and clean and very well balanced. At 12.5% alcohol, it was more than a “summer thirst quencher” but less than a serious wine that would be paired with, say, lobster.
Our third taste was a beautiful 2008 Gerbino Rosé from another uncommon grape, Nerello Mascalese. Gunther was like a proud father when he spoke of this wine, which is fermented in the vat as a rosé, rather than being a blend of red and white wines. He really likes its soft, round quality and clean fresh fruity flavors. He says it goes well with sushi and pizza. As Sicilian weather varies so little from year to year, the vintages do not vary greatly either. We found it an easy-to-like-rose with just enough body to make it interesting.
Next came the reds. We tasted his 2006 Poggionotte Nero d’Avola while Gunther explained he was trying to express the grape without manipulation or oaking. He loves this Sicilian mainstay varietal and wants his wine to be bold and clean. We agree and our notes were all favorable: elegant, soft, and complex were characteristics observed. This is his terroir wine.
He then poured his “market to the world” wine, a 2007 Gerbino Rosso. It is a field blend of 35% cab, 35% merlot 15% syrah and 15% nero d’avola. It was fine and, being organic, delighted us to think that he was providing an easy-drinking answer to conventional wines being sold at this price point ($12). He told us every winery needs one of these for the mass market or “a wine bar.”
His true baby came last, the second use of the Nerello Mascalese grape, this time as a red. This is a rich, well structured, very dense wine. Hints of spices like cinnamon came through, along with the flavor of blackberries. The strength of the wine was tempered by its smoothness and was clearly in oak long enough to reduce the tannin spikes. We really liked this wine and imagined ourselves in a wintry season watching a fire while eating a smoked meat plate or a bowl of pasta with a meat ragu.
Gunther is a modern man who has always been an organic grower, as the Italians say “da sempre.” He is a great spokesperson for his island and his vineyards and added so much to the enjoyment of his wines. The attendees, an attractive young crowd of downtowners, seemed to agree.
The event was under the direction of Joe Denton, co-owner of ‘inoteca. Read our interview with Joe here.
Photo of Gunther Di Giovanna by Suzannah B. Troy.
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Posted
by Michael Tulipan
on Jul 17, 2009
in Features
The Slovenian town of Gorjansko is too small to need traffic signals. Nestled in the hills, just a few kilometers from the Italian border, it is the home of Branko Cotar one of the country’s foremost practitioners of organic winemaking.
Cotar, who works with his son Vasja, began making wine in 1974 for a restaurant he owned in town. Finding he had more passion for winemaking, he closed the restaurant in 1988 and turned his full attention to wine.
Cotar’s wines speak of the rocky, limestone Karst region (Kras in Slovenian, Carso on the Italian side) and its “terra rossa,” the deep red, iron-rich topsoil that has to be brought in to cover the solid limestone, which itself needs to be broken up beforehand in order to cultivate vines – a difficult, expensive and time consuming process. Cotar’s seven hectares of land average 30 centimeters of soil on top of the limestone and are certified organic. The location near the sea (5 km from the coast) and dry climate also contribute to the grape growing process – cooling winds from the sea and mountains bring down temperatures at night and, together with the fierce winter winds of the area known as “bora,” keep the vines dry.
Cotar cultivates native and international varieties, split equally between whites and reds. Local white varietals Vitovska and Malvasia Istriana are grown along with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, while reds include Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and the native Refosco, from which the best known local red Teran is made. The yield is low as well, about 3,500 to 4,000 kg per hectare (or about one bottle of wine per plant), with the winery’s total annual production in the range of 35,000 bottles.
Branko and Vasja oversee the process the way their ancestors did or, as Branko puts it, the wine is “history in a glass.” Vines are tended and harvested by hand, and the Cotars do not use herbicides or pesticides. No enzymes are used during maceration, which takes four to ten days for whites and ten to twenty days for reds. Fermentation takes place without cooling the grape solids or added sulfites, and only indigenous yeasts are used.
As the process progresses, the wine descends deeper into the cellar, which is dug into the natural rock, offering natural climate control. Whites are aged from two to three years and reds five to six years before they are released. The Cotars never filter their wines and add only a tiny amount of sulfites to some of them right before bottling, about 10 mg per liter for both whites and reds. For the past ten years, Branko has also patiently aged several barrels of vinjak brandy, which he will bottle this year. Alfonso Iaccarino, the owner of Don Alfonso 1890, a Michelin starred restaurant in Sorrento, Italy, already has his name on a case.
The Cotars’ devotion to their wines is reflected on the bottle labels, which have the father’s and son’s fingerprints on them as a sign of confidence in the quality, as well as their individuality and uniqueness – Branko’s on the reds and Vasja’s on the whites. If you can find the wines (currently available in Italy, Germany, Japan and Eastern European countries – but hope for the United States may be on the way courtesy of Joe Dressner), they exhibit incredible depth of flavor and elegance. The reds can easily age for a decade or more and the whites also do well with some age on them.
Tasting Notes:
2006 Vitovska 12.5%
Indigenous varietal that’s not well known in the US, which is a shame as it is delicious and fresh with crisp elegance and minerality. Beautiful deep golden yellow. Terrific with cheese.
2004 Malvasia 12.8%
Deep golden yellow. Dry, full body, not much fruit. 2 weeks’ maceration on skins.
2007 Blend of Vitovska, Malvasia and Friulano
Deep rich golden yellow. Dry and complex. Potential to age 10 years. No sulfites added. (This wine has not been released yet.)
2004 Sauvignon 12.8%
This is no green grassy New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Intense aroma; ripe fruit develops to even more richness and toasty brioche flavors. Full, creamy, delicious. Excellent.
2007 Teran 11.5%
Made from refosco grapes. Young with bright acidity and a deep ruby with purple hues. Blueberries, cherries and violets on the nose, hints of fresh cut grass. Slightly tannic. Would complement grilled meats beautifully or the local pršut (prosciutto).
2003 Teran 11.8%
Interesting tasted alongside the fresh, racy 2007. This is all grown up with flavors of cooked red/berry fruit; mellow and soft. In the barrel for 5 years.
2001 Merlot 13%
Ripe fruit, deep and complex with hints of berries and herbs. Ripe tannins round out the minerality. Very good. 3 week maceration, 6 years in barrels.
2001 Cabernet Sauvignon 13%
Ruby color with a complex aroma of dark fruit, spices, balsamic and a faint coffee note. Plenty of freshness and tannins – amazingly young and fresh tasting for a 2001 wine. Will continue to develop for years to come. Minerality reflective of the rocky Karst terrain.
2001 Terra Rossa 13% (40% Teran, 40% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Ruby with deep shades of purple. Intense fruity bouquet redolent of plums and blueberries with spicy and herbal notes and hints of coffee grounds. Warm, soft and full of ripe tannins.
2004 Crna Penina 11.5%
A dry sparkling red made from Teran. No sugar solution or yeast added for second fermentation, instead the Cotars use must from dried grapes. No dosage and no disgorgement result in an unusual but delicious dry sparkling red wine. Excellent hot weather option and good match for seafood, cheese, prosciutto and anything grilled or barbecued.
2003 Passito 14.5%
Dark and complex dessert wine made with refosco grapes. The grapes are collected in October in wooden boxes, in which they dry until the end of February, when they are pressed and fermented. The passito is aged for 5 and half years. No sulfites added.
2003 Sladkominka 14.5%
Made from several vintages of Malvasia Istriana in a method similar to Solera. Lightly oxidized notes, delicious dried fruit flavors. No sulfites added.
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Posted
by Paul Howard
on Jul 15, 2009
in Reviews
The Val di Cecina is a picturesque and unspoilt region of rolling hills toward the coast of Tuscany just north of the Bolgheri wine region, the new frontier for Tuscan wines over the past couple of decades. It is also known as Il Giardino (the Garden), thick with oak and cork trees.
The close proximity to the sea and an altitude of 150-250 metres make a local microclimate where the summer Mediterranean heat is tempered by onshore winds and cool nights.
What is now the Caiarossa estate was, until 1998, a farm known as Podere Serra all’Olio. Today it extends over 39 hectares, with 16 hectares of vines. The rest of the estate is virgin woodland and ancient olive grove. When the new vineyard was created, geological analysis uncovered a dozen different soil types and eleven different grape varieties are grown! Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre are the reds; while the whites are Chardonnay, Viognier and Petit Manseng. This is an unusual mix, even in Tuscan frontier territory, where the dominant paradigm is usually the Bordeaux grapes plus indigenous Sangiovese.
In 2004, Caiarossa was bought by Eric Albada Jelgersma, He is a Dutch entrepreneur that also owns two respected Grand Cru classé estates in Margaux, namely Château Giscours and next door neighbour Château du Tertre.
Today the estate produces four wines, two white and two red – all designated as Toscana IGT.
The flagship wine and the main subject of this review is the eponymous Caiarossa (a cuvée made from the very best red grapes that was first made in 2002), of which some 25,000 bottles are produced each vintage. As has become common on the Tuscan coast, Sangiovese does not play a leading role in this wine; rather it is the Bordeaux varieties that dominate. More unorthodox is to find a wine made from eight different varieties including those more common in the Rhône, these being Merlot (31%), Petit Verdot (20%), Cabernet Franc (17%), Cabernet Sauvignon (16%), Sangiovese (9%), Grenache (3%), Syrah (2%) and Mourvèdre (2%).
The second red wine is Pergolaia, also made since 2002. This is 95% Sangiovese with a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, a more traditional wine aged only in older oak.
Then there are tiny amounts of white. The dry Caiarossa Bianco is made of equal parts Viognier and Chardonnay and there are just 1,400 bottles made each year. Equally rare (1,450 bottles) is a late harvest dessert wine made from Petit Manseng called Oro di Caiarossa.
All are excellent, but the flagship Caiarossa is simply stunning. Here’s why.
Firstly, the farming method employed is Demeter-certified Biodynamic. Preparations of BD 500 cow manure and BD 501 silica are used, complemented by homeopathic treatments of nettle, willow, chamomile and horsetail.
All harvesting is by hand and yields are kept deliberately low to maximise quality. The grapes are taken to a purpose-built winery which is inspired by the tenets of Feng Shui! This influence manifests itself in the architectural design and the colours employed to encourage positive energy. Partially built into the hillside, gravity moves the wine gently through the production process without pumps. The grapes arrive at the top level, where they are hand-sorted and destemmed. The fermentation then takes place on the level below in a combination of oak casks and open barriques. After this is completed the wine matures in the barrel room on the lowest level.
Caiarossa is a skilful blend made by an experienced winemaking team, aged in a mixture of barriques and larger oak casks for 12-14 months. The philosophy is to let the wine express a sense of place, hence only 35% new oak is used – a relatively low percentage, particularly when so many ambitious operations tend to employ new wood at much higher levels.
All the Caiarossa wine labels depict a head of Dionysus that was discovered at the nearby town of Volterra. This dates back to the Etruscan 4th Century BC and is owned by Jelgersma. Fittingly, the Greek god of wine illustrates the no-expense-spared meticulous philosophy of Caiarossa.
Given that this is still a young red wine, it was given a two-hour decant prior to serving in order to help it show at its best. The colour is a deep concentrated ruby, opaque and with viscous pink legs in the glass. Clearly this is a super-ripe wine of extraction and power. A quick check of the alcohol level (14.5%) means this is a wine to be approached with no little trepidation, but the way the alcohol is hidden away and still in balance with the fruit, tannin and acidity is evidence of masterful wine making. Just a touch of alcoholic heat gives it away.
The nose is well worth lingering over, so postpone the pleasure of tasting for few minutes more. Dark fruits waft up, damson and black cherry, accompanied by traces of smoke, menthol, truffle and earth, something new to discover each time the glass is raised. Now finally, the palate: rich, velvety and lush as expected, but this wine shows great structure and cool control rather than the flabby jammy qualities of so many big modern reds.
The polished tannins seem to bind all that dense fruit together into a seamless melange of mouth-filling flavour without a hint of harshness, while the stony acidity is lip-smacking and keeps you coming back for more. An exuberant black cherry and damson fruit character is present, but other things are lurking deeply in the mix – liquorice, fig, tar and leather notes peep through and will probably become more evident with bottle age. Meanwhile the smoke and a hint of torrefaction on a long slightly bitter finish complete the package.
Caiarossa has the surefootedness of a Chamois, but is it a taste of Tuscany? Most certainly. It’s a Supertuscan star that occupies the same firmament as the likes of Ornellaia, Sassicaia and Lupicaia.
This graceful wine is ready to drink now and while there are not enough vintages to confirm how this wine will age, the anticipation would be that it will continue to develop over the next five years and still be at peak in ten.
And food? Heaps of mushroom risotto makes a wonderful combination.
Caiarossa is available in the USA at around $65 for the 2004, which has a little more Sangiovese in a superb vintage. Expect the 2005 soon.
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Posted
by Organic Wine Journal
on Jul 15, 2009
in Features
Jonathan Russo, Publisher of the Organic Wine Journal, was interviewed recently on the Heritage Radio Network’s At The Root Of It program. Host Erin Fitzpatrick talks to Jonathan about the rewards of drinking organically, the Slow Food movement in the Unitesd States and the ethics of luxury.
Listen to Part 1.
Listen to Part 2.
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Beckmen Vineyards is proud to announce that it has achieved both biodynamic and organic certifications for its Purisima Mountain Vineyard located in Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley. The culmination of a rigorous certification process through Demeter USA and Stellar Certification Services, these certifications reflect a strict commitment to both organic and biodynamic practices at Purisima Mountain Vineyard dating back to 2006.
In order to evaluate the benefits of biodynamic farming, its effect on the vineyard, and its elevation of wine quality, founders Tom and Steve Beckmen originally began experimenting with biodynamic farming on select blocks beginning in 2002. “Because consistency and quality are so important,” says Steve Beckmen, “we tested these methods before committing the whole vineyard. The results were immediately impressive. The biodynamically farmed vines grew straight up, the leaves were rich in color and healthy and the soils showed increased signs of life with improved structure. More importantly, the quality of both the grapes and wine from the experimental block was the finest we had ever seen.”
Building on these results, 2006 marked Beckmen’s transition to a fully dedicated program of biodynamic farming at Purisima Mountain Vineyard under the guidance of respected biodynamic consultant, Philippe Armenier. As a result, all 125 planted vine acres of Purisima Mountain Vineyard are now certified both biodynamic and organic, with the property’s surrounding 240 unplanted acres acting as a natural buffer zone.
“This certification is an important validation of our continued hard work,” further states Steve Beckmen. “With more and more businesses talking about their environmental commitment, third party certifications help consumers sort through the hype. This said, biodynamics isn’t just about being good stewards of our land, it’s about making great wines. Biodynamics allows us to achieve the purest possible expression of our Purisima Mountain Vineyard terroir, which is at the very heart of our winegrowing philosophy. Since we’ve gone biodynamic, we have produced our best wines ever.”
Founded in 1994, Beckmen Vineyards is a family-run, estate winery that has established a reputation as one of North America’s premier producers of Rhône-varietal wines. The Beckmen Vineyards portfolio includes estate-grown Syrah, Grenache, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Rosé, Marsanne, and its Cuvée Le Bec and Purisima blends. In addition to its Rhône varietals, Beckmen Vineyards also makes Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon from special vineyard blocks that are ideally suited to these wines.
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Posted
by Amy Atwood
on Jul 7, 2009
in Features
What was the vision behind opening Ten Bells?
The story of The Ten Bells was to open a place where we would go to : good food with the priority of getting ingredients from local producers working organic or sustainable methods, and natural wines.
What did you do before Ten Bells?
I worked for more than 8 years at Le Pere Pinard, a French Bistrot who was located on Ludlow Street, 3 blocks away from The Ten Bells. As the G.M, I was running the day to day operations including taking care of the wine list.
Are all of the wines at Ten Bells considered natural wines?
I would say 99% are.
What does the term natural wine mean to you?
A wine is considered natural when the winemakers use organic methods not only in the vineyard but in the cellar as well, meaning less intervention as possible, indigenous yeast, no sugar added, very low or no sulfites, no collage.
Do your customers understand natural wine and do they ask for wine that is organic or biodynamic?
Some of them knows and come to us because we carry the wines that they’re looking for. But for most of them, we have to explain the difference between organic, natural and biodynamic. The only phase of winemaking that got the “organic” label is the growing of the grapes. After that, winemakers can use chemical yeast, add sugar, wood chips or sulfites as much as he wants, he will still have the “AB” label on his bottle. Then the natural wine keeps the organic methods in the vinification process, and for biodynamic wines, every steps of the process is ruled by the invisible forces of the Earth.
What makes you happy?
Right now, the first thing that makes me happy is my daughter… she was born 3 weeks ago!!! In a more general way, I would say that my life makes me happy. I do what I love. I travel to visit vineyards and winemakers, only in France so far, I visit farms upstate New-York to find ingredients, and the final idea of it is to share it with people that understand or hopefully will understand that it is a necessity for everyone to eat and drink better. And with The Ten Bells, it’s the perfect way to show that you can do so without breaking your wallet.
What makes Sundays so amazing at Ten Bells?
We created the “Sunday Night Delicacies” so every Sunday we offer a special treat to our patron. it changes every week and we like to bring items that people are not use to eat. So from one week to another, you can feast on a roasted baby goat or a suckling pig, a creamy chicken gizzard and heart stew or a spicy lamb curry.
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