Usually I’m a pretty simple guy who is more than willing to eat the local fare and enjoy local wines. I’m really not much into imported stuff. After all, it’s been pretty much proven that we here in the northwest produce wines just as good as any country or region on this great planet.
However, there are times when I just want to get away and try something different. It could have been the rains or the freezing frost outside on the ground the other night. But, for some reason I was really in the mood for a good Cotes Du Rhone. I went down into my closet and pulled out a good one.
Now, this may sound really fancy, but all it means is that the wine is from the Rhone “AOC” of France. “AOC” means the same as “AVA” in the U.S., which means that the wine is from a legally determined area that is determined by the government of that country.
When I say that I drank a Cotes Du Rhone it could mean red, rose’, or white. In this case, which is usually the case, I am speaking about a red wine.
What I love about Cotes Du Rhone red wines is that they are made out of some of my favorite grapes. The red grapes grown in the Rhone River region of France are primarily Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, and Cinsault. Fantastic grapes, bold and rich in color and texture, that finish smooth and velvety with fine light tannins. These grapes all produce juices that are deep ruby red in color.
The Cotes Du Rhone region is quite laid back. They are very relaxed in their business methods, as well as their cooperative farming lifestyles. Few wineries in the region actually produce wine from grape to bottle. That would be too much work. Most produce smaller lots and allow merchants to provide the marketing and distribution of their wines outside the winery. Only a few produce “mis en bouteille au domaine” which means bottled on premise.
The bottle that I enjoyed this evening was a Domaine de Couron. It is one of the larger vintners in the Rhone. Located at the Saint Marcel d’ Ardeche commune in Southeastern France, the wine is grown, picked, fermented, and bottled on site. It is 60% Grenache, and 40% Syrah.
Pouring the wine from the bottle, it comes out a deep ruby red into the glass. The nose is veggie and lightly sulfur initially, but turns into aromas of bing cherries. On the palate the wine opens with a combination of plums, cherries, and canned green beans. It finishes soft and round, with a slight lack of tannin.
Another Cote Du Rhone that I regularly enjoy is Pont D’ Avignon, a vintner that was recently purchased by the Gallo family. Very affordable, and very tasty, I suggest trying this wine when you want a soft, supple, red other than a Pinot Noir. Once again, not very sophisticated, but it is reasonably priced and a lot of fun. Both it, and the Couron, are priced in the under $15 range.
So, when you are tired of drinking the local stuff, I suggest you try a Cotes Du’ Rhone. There are several available locally. Give one a try!
Showing posts with label Eight Syrah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Eight Syrah. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Saturday, August 1, 2009
I Taste Dirt…Discerning Terroir In Wine
You know, when people talk about Terroir affecting the flavor of their wines, I tend to chuckle a little. It isn’t that I don’t believe wines taste different based on the place the grapes are from. It is just, well, my childishness comes out. When people start talking terroir I get visions of them drinking mud. Weird, I know. But, I just have a hard time believing that the dirt that a wine is grown in really has that big of an effect on flavor. Call me a skeptic.
I will admit that wines grown in different regions and climates have a distinctive flavor profile. However, I think that difference comes from the winemaker, the cooperage, and the style or process that the wine was made with. The conclusion I’ve come to over the years is that wine is like any other art form. Regionally, people have a standard that they like to see in their wine, and they train themselves to be just like everyone else on the block.
Now I’m being challenged in my thinking. Dr. Allan Busacca, a geologist and agricultural soils expert, has paired up with Robert Smasne, wine giant and owner of Smasne Cellars. They are releasing their Alma Terra Label together as a true experiment in terroir.
This experiment is not for them. They have already done their painstaking research and packaged it neatly for you to take home and experiment with your friends and family. The real purpose is to allow childish skeptics like me to see once and for all that dirt does make a difference.
The first version of this experiment was chosen to be Syrah. Busacca and Smasne chose three distinctly famous vineyards throughout Eastern Washington to do their project. After picking the lots they painstakingly made sure that the grapes were grown the same, picked at the same brix, pressed, fermented, aged, and bottled in the same way from the same year.
The sources of these grapes were Ciel du Cheval from Red Mountain, Coyote Canyon from Horse Heaven Hills, and Minick from the Yakima Valley. Knowing these were the vineyards will automatically make any wine fanatic realize that these are the top Syrah vineyards in the state, and possibly in the Northern Hemisphere.
A fourth bottle was also produced that mixes generous amounts of each of these vineyards to create a gorgeous blend of the best of the best. The name of this wine is Coéo, which is a Latin term for “coming together”.
As I mentioned earlier, the experiment has been painstakingly prepared for you to try. A beautiful four bottle gift box complete with beautifully designed cards explaining each of the vineyards and wines is available at the winery.
If you are visiting Woodinville, near Seattle, I suggest stopping by their tasting room. Their address is 19495 144th Ave. NE. Suite B240. The website is http://www.almaterrawines.com/. You can also follow them on Facebook.
By the way, yours truly was the photographer who brought over 100 lbs of rocks and dirt into my studio to create the style image and bottle shots for this label. Believe me, after hours of shooting bottles in dirt you do taste terroir!
I will admit that wines grown in different regions and climates have a distinctive flavor profile. However, I think that difference comes from the winemaker, the cooperage, and the style or process that the wine was made with. The conclusion I’ve come to over the years is that wine is like any other art form. Regionally, people have a standard that they like to see in their wine, and they train themselves to be just like everyone else on the block.
Now I’m being challenged in my thinking. Dr. Allan Busacca, a geologist and agricultural soils expert, has paired up with Robert Smasne, wine giant and owner of Smasne Cellars. They are releasing their Alma Terra Label together as a true experiment in terroir.
This experiment is not for them. They have already done their painstaking research and packaged it neatly for you to take home and experiment with your friends and family. The real purpose is to allow childish skeptics like me to see once and for all that dirt does make a difference.
The first version of this experiment was chosen to be Syrah. Busacca and Smasne chose three distinctly famous vineyards throughout Eastern Washington to do their project. After picking the lots they painstakingly made sure that the grapes were grown the same, picked at the same brix, pressed, fermented, aged, and bottled in the same way from the same year.
The sources of these grapes were Ciel du Cheval from Red Mountain, Coyote Canyon from Horse Heaven Hills, and Minick from the Yakima Valley. Knowing these were the vineyards will automatically make any wine fanatic realize that these are the top Syrah vineyards in the state, and possibly in the Northern Hemisphere.
A fourth bottle was also produced that mixes generous amounts of each of these vineyards to create a gorgeous blend of the best of the best. The name of this wine is Coéo, which is a Latin term for “coming together”.
As I mentioned earlier, the experiment has been painstakingly prepared for you to try. A beautiful four bottle gift box complete with beautifully designed cards explaining each of the vineyards and wines is available at the winery.
If you are visiting Woodinville, near Seattle, I suggest stopping by their tasting room. Their address is 19495 144th Ave. NE. Suite B240. The website is http://www.almaterrawines.com/. You can also follow them on Facebook.
By the way, yours truly was the photographer who brought over 100 lbs of rocks and dirt into my studio to create the style image and bottle shots for this label. Believe me, after hours of shooting bottles in dirt you do taste terroir!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Fidelitas Wines Consistently Good
In every industry there is someone who just simply hits it out of the ballpark every time. You know that person. They are the one with the Midas touch. No matter what they do, no matter what they produce, it is always just simply better than the others. People try to imitate their style or their products, but can never create at the same level that they do. These people are simply artisans of their craft.
One such person is Charlie Hoppes, the owner and winemaker for Fidelitas Winery. I’ve known and followed Charlie for years. I’ve even sat behind him in church on Sundays. Not that I’m a stalker. We just happen to live somewhat parallel lives.
What impresses me consistently about Charlie and his winemaking is his clean and no nonsense approach to the business. Every bottle, whether highly acclaimed or his quiet work as an advisor to other wineries, is absolutely beautiful. There is no “just bottle it” mentality that you see with other vintners. If it isn’t Charlie’s best, you aren’t going to taste it.
The other thing you’ll soon note about Charlie, once you get to meet and know him, is that he is a genuinely nice and sincere person. His word is as good as his wine.
Last week I attended a tasting at the AVA Wine Room in Kennewick that featured several Fidelitas wines. For a small fee of $20 we enjoyed four different Fidelitas wines and hors d’ vores. A fifth wine, his newest vintage of Merlot, was poured as a thank you gift from Charlie and appreciated by all.
We started the tasting with the 2007 Semillon. This clean, dry Semillon is simply beautiful. Multiple layers of citrus and floral scents and flavors lead to a wonderfully crisp finish. Perfect with soft cheeses, salads, or spicy foods.
The first red we sampled was the 2005 “Eight” Syrah. Eight is Charlie’s selection of his best eight barrels of Syrah from each vintage. Highly limited in production, and truly divine, the 2005 Eight features flavors of bright cherry, raspberry, and licorice. If you like really good Syrah, you better get this one while it lasts. The 2005 is Charlie’s finale to Syrah, never to be made again.
The 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet is a perfect example of what Columbia Valley fruit is supposed to offer. Flavors of Black Cherry and Licorice fill the mouth. A gentle mouthfeel and long tannins on the finish.
Next, we enjoyed the 2006 Ciel Du Cheval Cabernet. Just awarded a Wine Spectator “94”, the Ciel has a wonderful palate of blueberries, cola, and dark chocolate. This bottle was absolutely fantastic!
Last, we enjoyed a special treat of Fidelitas 2005 Columbia Valley Merlot. Dark stone fruit flavors, black cherry, mocha, and cassis fill the palate. A delicate and long lasting finish with just enough tannin to balance the fruit make this wine a favorite of mine. Yum!!
If you want to try any of these wines, I know that they are fully distributed in both Pendleton and Hermiston. You can pick them up at any of the local wine shops, and at several of the finer dining establishments.
Enjoy!
One such person is Charlie Hoppes, the owner and winemaker for Fidelitas Winery. I’ve known and followed Charlie for years. I’ve even sat behind him in church on Sundays. Not that I’m a stalker. We just happen to live somewhat parallel lives.
What impresses me consistently about Charlie and his winemaking is his clean and no nonsense approach to the business. Every bottle, whether highly acclaimed or his quiet work as an advisor to other wineries, is absolutely beautiful. There is no “just bottle it” mentality that you see with other vintners. If it isn’t Charlie’s best, you aren’t going to taste it.
The other thing you’ll soon note about Charlie, once you get to meet and know him, is that he is a genuinely nice and sincere person. His word is as good as his wine.
Last week I attended a tasting at the AVA Wine Room in Kennewick that featured several Fidelitas wines. For a small fee of $20 we enjoyed four different Fidelitas wines and hors d’ vores. A fifth wine, his newest vintage of Merlot, was poured as a thank you gift from Charlie and appreciated by all.
We started the tasting with the 2007 Semillon. This clean, dry Semillon is simply beautiful. Multiple layers of citrus and floral scents and flavors lead to a wonderfully crisp finish. Perfect with soft cheeses, salads, or spicy foods.
The first red we sampled was the 2005 “Eight” Syrah. Eight is Charlie’s selection of his best eight barrels of Syrah from each vintage. Highly limited in production, and truly divine, the 2005 Eight features flavors of bright cherry, raspberry, and licorice. If you like really good Syrah, you better get this one while it lasts. The 2005 is Charlie’s finale to Syrah, never to be made again.
The 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet is a perfect example of what Columbia Valley fruit is supposed to offer. Flavors of Black Cherry and Licorice fill the mouth. A gentle mouthfeel and long tannins on the finish.
Next, we enjoyed the 2006 Ciel Du Cheval Cabernet. Just awarded a Wine Spectator “94”, the Ciel has a wonderful palate of blueberries, cola, and dark chocolate. This bottle was absolutely fantastic!
Last, we enjoyed a special treat of Fidelitas 2005 Columbia Valley Merlot. Dark stone fruit flavors, black cherry, mocha, and cassis fill the palate. A delicate and long lasting finish with just enough tannin to balance the fruit make this wine a favorite of mine. Yum!!
If you want to try any of these wines, I know that they are fully distributed in both Pendleton and Hermiston. You can pick them up at any of the local wine shops, and at several of the finer dining establishments.
Enjoy!
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