RUMINATING AFTER TURKEY DAY…

Posted on November 29, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man

There are so many articles written about the perfect wine to match up with the Thanksgiving meal. I often wonder how many folks really pay attention to any of it. The Wine Dude claimed that although painful, it is the responsibility of any serious wine writer to contribute something along these lines. I’m not sure if I agree.

I wrote an article about two or three weeks ago on Riesling, not intending it to be a Thanksgiving special. I did mention that Riesling is good with turkey and all, but that was an after-thought since the article was seriously and only on Riesling. I consider myself a serious wine writer and critic and I felt no urge to contribute to the noise of what wines go with turkey.

That being said, I do think that folks are willing to ask their local wine steward for suggestions (I being one of them) on wine pairings with the turkey meal. In the store I work at, they are few and far between. Most folks know what they like, and are willing to take a chance on drinking it during their meal.

Think about it. Thanksgiving is a stressful time as far as getting everything together, cooking the right amount of food, timing the preparation and making sure all your guests are happy (phew)! The last thing we want to do is get on-line, check out some suggestions for wine pairing and then try to understand what we should buy. If there are specific recommendations, what are the chances we will find them in an expedient manner? Almost everyone waits for the last-minute on this, so even if someone like The Wine Dude puts information out there on where to find the wines, who has the time to search them out. I work at a busy grocery store with an awesome wine department and one of our busiest days is the day BEFORE Thanksgiving…Last minute!

My oldest child invited my wife and I to her house for Thanksgiving this year. My youngest and only son who is a Chef, went over the night before to help his sister and her boyfriend prepare the meal. They did an absolutely awesome job with everything! Before we came over, I asked her about the wine. She said she had some sparkling wine, a malbec and something else (I can’t remember). Shocked, I told her that since I was the wine guy of the family, I would bring the goods. It went over her head, because she was consumed with the arrangements for preparing the meal. That taught me a valuable lesson…Wine is the last thing on their mind, even if their relative is a known wine writer.

Wine is important to me, because it is my livelihood. It is important to many who enjoy it as a beverage with a meal, but it does not take priority for most. We like it, we drink what we like, we experiment from time to time and we ask our local guy or girl expert for advice. We may find that the choice we made was not perfect, but it was adequate. Some may make a mental note not to do Cabernet franc again for Thanksgiving, but how many will remember? I do not feel bad for not writing a Turkey Day/Wine article.

I have decided that this day forward, I will write about wine, suggest pairings, and just hope that someone remembers my recommendations and they actually work for them. Christmas is coming soon, and who the hell knows what folks are going to eat that day…I don’t. In any case, I will write a couple of articles about good reds, and bubbles that are great values. I hope you read them, and if anything works for what you are doing in December, that makes me happy.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving as I did, and I hope this article made some sense.

Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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WORD OF THE DAY… LITHE.

Posted on November 25, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man

This is a very interesting word to use in a wine descriptor because it can relay a variety of implications as to what the reviewer is trying to convey about the wine. It is perhaps one of those words that needs some surrounding context in order to clarify what is being said about the wine in question. Another words, without some further details it can be misconstrued, doing the wine injustice.

For example, let’s say I’m describing a Pinot Noir using the word lithe in the descriptor…

Cherries come through on the palate with hints of raspberry and black tea. Lithe, elegant and clean with a bracing long finish.

In this example, what am I conveying about the wine to my reader? Since I noted that the wine is both clean and bracing on the palate, the use of the word lithe in this case would indicate that it is on the lean side not full-bodied (there is another word for another day). Had I just thrown in the word lithe without any surrounding text to clarify, it may have conveyed something entirely different. What do I mean?

Lithe has a couple of meanings that can be applied to wine. It can mean lean as noted above, or it can mean supple and soft. What if I were to describe a Cabernet Sauvignon using this word without any supporting adjectives?

lithe notes of currants and cherries flow seamlessly across the palate into a pleasing finish.

Am I trying to say here that the fruit notes are lean, or am I trying to convey that they are supple and soft on the palate perhaps lacking structure? I say lacking structure, because lithe can also mean pliable and flexible like a ballerina’s body. I don’t know about you, but when I watch a ballerina I sometimes wonder if they have any muscle or bones (structure). Their flexibility is beyond my comprehension (I have trouble reaching around to scratch my back). Can someone be flexible without being lean? Yes, there are bigger folks out there that have amazing genetics, and are quite flexible. I know this is a stretch (no pun intended) on the word lithe, but I am trying to show the importance of surrounding context when using this word.

It can also be used in conjunction with tannins. Are the tannins supple or pliable, instead of rigid and abrasive? Silky tannins are lithe for sure and unless a writer clarifies this, the meaning will be lost.

I myself have never used this word when describing a wine, but since I have spent some time looking into it, I may use it in the future. If I were to use it, I would more than likely use it to indicate a leaner or lighter style of wine, since I believe that is what most wine reviewers are trying to convey with this word. However, I use the word supple a lot when describing the tannins in a wine. I could substitute lithe instead of supple, but again, this would require some surrounding adjectives to clarify my meaning (do you get my drift here?). It’s a good word for describing a wine, but it requires some effort by the writer to convey to the reader what they are trying to describe.

Wines can be skinny, light, graceful or supple. It’s up to us as wine writers to make sure we convey the correct meaning to our readers so that they understand what we are trying to say. Whoever said that writing is easy, has never written for an audience. I can only hope that I have one myself. Anyway, I hope that in some small way, I have helped you understand the word lithe as it relates to wine.

Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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WORD OF THE DAY… GRIP.

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man

This is my third attempt at defining the word grip as a wine descriptor. I’m not sure why I am having difficulty with this since I use it all the time, but for some reason I’m finding hard to put into words. Here we go again…

Have you ever had someone grip your hand, arm or shoulder? A grip is much stronger than just a grasp, it’s a firm grasp meant to get your attention, to hold you in place. After someone has gripped you and then released, the feeling of the pressure lingers for a while. Wine can have the same effect on your palate.

In a wine descriptor, nine times out of ten the word “grip” or “grippy” is used in association with the finish. What is meant by grip when used to describe a wine and what causes it? I can almost guarantee that those of you who drink Cabernet Sauvignon or Bordeaux have experienced “grip” in the mouth. Grip is the sensation of a rough sandpaper feel around your gums on the finish. It’s as if someone gripped your gums with a piece of sandpaper and you can’t readily shake the effect it has on your palate. It’s almost like you have sand stuck around your gums. It holds on and doesn’t let go. What causes such a thing in wine, and is it a bad thing?

As most of you have already concluded (and good for you by the way), grip is caused by tannins, wood, skin, seeds and stems. There are some wines that have more tannins than others. Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Syrah and Nebbiolo come in on the high side as far as tannins are concerned. In their youth, many of these wines exhibit a good dose of tannins that will only calm down as the years pass. Open a youthful Barolo and you will understand the meaning of tannic “grip”. The wine will hang on to your palate like a pit bull spitting out a mouthful of sand.

Wines treated in a heavy dose of new oak will also display a healthy amount of grip on the finish, especially if the fruit quality does not match the oak treatment. Wood tannins tend to be much harsher then skin, seed and stem tannins, so they can be harder to tolerate. Oak has its beneficial effects on a wine, but when it dominates the fruit, it can be detrimental to the wine itself.

Grip on the finish of a wine can be a good thing if it is not too harsh. Eventually the fruit will integrate with the tannins, softening them and getting rid of the harsher effects they can have. This can be true with skin or wood tannins alike. Some folks even like a grip feel on the finish and that is OK with me, because I like it if I am in the mood. Grip can be good or bad. It’s a good thing if the wine is well-built and will improve over age. It’s a bad thing if it’s due to over-use of new oak or use of under-ripe grapes.

The next time you drink a red wine (more than likely) and you get that sandpaper feel on your gums, you will understand the word “grip” as a wine descriptor. You may like it or not, that is up to you. A wine with grip on the finish can be a positive or a negative…Time will tell.

Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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WINE GEEKS AND RIESLING…LIKE PEAS AND CARROTS.

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man

I wasn’t long in the world of wine geekdom before I realized the common denominator that held wine geeks together…Riesling. Riesling? Yes, I said Riesling and I’m not talking the everyday stuff that comes from the likes of Chateau Ste Michelle or Fetzer (nothing wrong with these wines, they just don’t fit into this story as you will see). What I have observed over the past ten or so years, is that anyone that is passionate about wine and absorbed in its world (a wine geek) adores classic, old world style Riesling.

Now, when I say old world style, I’m talking (as wine geeks will attest), petrol, rubber boot, stone fruits, minerals and in some cases razor-sharp acidity. As far as sweetness goes, it doesn’t even have to be sweet. If it is sweet, we are not talking cane sugar sweetness here. No, like some of the best sweet German Riesling they show a sweetness that is both decadent, elegant, honeyed and shows top quality fruit sourcing. It’s kind of like the difference between Brachs chocolates and Sees chocolates…Does that help?

But why Riesling? Aside from being such a wonderful accompaniment to many food dishes, it is simply one of the most compelling whites you can find. Riesling is a terroir-expressive grape showing in it’s flavor profile the influence of the place of origin. Another words, it wears the dirt it was grown in on its sleeve. Having a high acid content, it can be razor-sharp on the palate and mouth-watering. And then there’s the petrol, diesel, rubber boot or whatever comes across on your palate. This can be off-putting to some, but for us wine geeks it is quite interesting (as you explore Riesling, I think you will come to the dark side). On top of all of this, there are Rieslings that are capable of aging for fifty years or more! Are you starting to feel the geekiness creeping into your blood? Seriously folks, Riesling is the bomb!

There is no better time to think about Riesling then now. Why? The traditional Thanksgiving meal lends itself perfectly to Riesling. Consisting of primarily savory dishes, is there anything better to match with the meal then a white wine with an edge of sweetness (or more than and edge)? Another good thing about choosing Riesling for your holiday meal is that you can find great quality juice for a prayer. With that in mind, I have a couple of suggestions for you to look for from your local merchant.

2012 Montinore Estate “Almost Dry” Riesling (Willamette Valley, Oregon)… $16.

Mouth-watering on the palate with notes of peach pit, tangerine and petrol. The acidity is there in spades, but never over-powering bringing the fruit notes into sharp focus and pulling them into a lingering finish. My mouth is watering as I write these notes, thinking about the deliciousness and focus of this wine as it kicks your palate with a rubber boot. (A-)

2011 Vin Du Lac “Lehm” Riesling (Lake Chelan, WA)… $18.

Petrol and rubber boot all over the nose with underlying peach notes (love it baby!). Very bright and steely on the palate with notes of quince, minerals, petrol and lemon grass. Intense and clean with a finish of grapefruit and lime pith. I encourage you to look to the Lake Chelan appellation out of Washington state, because there are some outstanding Riesling coming out of there. (B-)

2012 Barnard Griffin Riesling (Columbia Valley, WA) … $9.

Aromas of apples petrol and melon with an edge of dust and honey. A little edgy on the front of the palate with minerals, petrol, pears and a hint of honey. Stays relatively dry across the palate with minerals, pear and hits of honey and petrol on the finish. It could use a touch more acidity, but I love the petrol and fruit, and especially the price. It’s hard to find this kind of quality for nine bucks. (B+)

2012 San Juan Vineyards Riesling (Les Vignes De Marcoux-Yakima Valley, WA)… $11.

This baby steps outside the petrol theme a bit, which makes it a nice break-in Riesling for you doubters. Aromas of apples and white flowers with a peach and sugar hit. Sweet green apples come through on the front of the palate with a little sugar and peach juice thrown in. There is a nice bright back-bone to this Riesling with a touch of creaminess on the mid-palate showing notes of peach and apricot. The flavors flow into the finish which dries out on the back-end. This is a great Riesling for those who have not been baptized into wine geekdom, but I think the wine geeks will like it to. (B+)

2011 Monchhof Riesling (Mosel_Saar-Ruwer, Germany)… $17.

Aromas of petrol with a slight hit of peach and apple. Nice acidity on the palate with a hit of crisp, sweet apples and peach followed by a hit of rubber boot on the finish. Simple yet effective, leaving your palate thinking where a delicious Riesling like this disappeared to so quickly. (B)

2012 Waitsburg Cellars Riesling (Columbia Valley, WA) … $16.

Wine writer and critic Paul Gregutt, has ventured out on his own in the wine making scene with his Waitsburg Cellars label. He has a couple of really nice Chenin Blanc a Pinot Gris, and this outstanding Riesling. Again, this Riesling doesn’t fall into the “petrol” category, but it has a lot of things I like.
Aromas of sweet peaches, apricots, white flowers and a little cane sugar coming through. There is sort of a reductive element that comes through on the nose. It starts out sweet on the palate and finishes dry with a nice beam of acidity coming through. Apple notes are prominent backed by citrus and grapefruit notes that linger for some time. Excellent Riesling from a man who is no doubt buried deeply in wine geekdom. (A-)

2012 Clean Slate Riesling (Mosel, Germany) … $11.

Aromas of tangerine sorbet, honey and a hit of petrol. Very clean on the palate with notes of tangerine, honey and orange coming through. This baby gets creamy on the mid-palate with the petrol notes showing up, and finishing clean and on the drier side with tangerine notes lingering. The acidity is there and in nice balance with the fruit notes giving them a steely edge. This is a really nice Riesling for twelve bucks and it’s from Mosel no less. (B)

If you are not on the Riesling train yet, I encourage you to go out and find a couple and see how they do with food. I think you will be pleasantly surprised with how well it compliments spicy or savory dishes. It is not only versatile, it is a delicious and interesting white wine. If you are one of those folks that don’t drink whites (I can never figure that one out), and you fancy yourself a wine geek, I think you may be in the wrong room. I true wine geek will try any wine at least once or twice. They have a diversified interest in wines both red and white, and they most certainly are on the Riesling train.

Happy Holidays & Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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