WORDS OF WINEDOM WORD OF THE DAY… HOT.

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man
Excellent Spanish wines at great prices.

“I’m taking the easy route today, because I think that the term “hot” when used in a wine descriptor will not be that hard to understand. When writers use the word hot in a wine descriptor, it is nothing like referring to a woman or man as hot, we save the term “sexy” for that (that will be for another article). The word hot in relation to a wine has nothing to do with temperature either. So, what is a wine writer trying to convey to the reader when using the word “hot” as a descriptor?

Hot is used to indicate the level of alcohol that you sense on your palate when drinking the wine. Have you ever taken a gulp of wine and starting coughing (choking) because of the alcohol kick on the back of your throat? That would be considered a hot wine. You can also smell the alcohol on a wine if it is out of balance with the fruit. It is like someone muddled a little EverClear in the glass before you took a big sniff (and I hope you ARE smelling the wine before you put it in your mouth). A hot wine will be for the most part, a bombastic, fruit forward wine. However, there are exceptions (and these are few) where for some reason the wine is just rubbing alcohol on the nose and no fruit on the palate. Please avoid drinking that and save it for cleaning something off your boat hull or pavement in your driveway.

A mistake that can be made by some wine drinkers, is checking the alcohol level (abv, or alcohol by volume) on the label and making a judgement based on that. I have a good friend who will rarely even try a wine if the abv is 14.5% or above. The problem is that there are some pretty awesome wines that I have tried in the 15% range (and above) that I did not use the term hot in my notes. Why is that? Basically alcohol comes from sugar, so the riper the fruit, the more chance that the abv will be higher. Zinfandels grown in the hotter climate of Paso Robles or Amador county will often times be higher in alcohol because of the ripeness (more sugar) of the fruit. However, if the wine maker is worth their weight they will craft the wine in such a way as to downplay the effect of alcohol and bolster the expression of fruit. Don’t ask me how they do this, I am not a wine maker and I have never broached that subject with one (doesn’t mean I won’t in the near future). Last year, I tasted through a line-up of Mollydooker wines from Australia. They were all 15% abv or above and yet I never got the impression that they were hot in anyway. When talking with Sarah Marquis (one of the wine makers at Mollydooker) she said that it was the quality of fruit that made the difference. I am sure there is a little more to it then that, but the point is that someone would be missing out on a top-notch wine if they judged it merely by the abv on the label.

There is another step you can take if the wine comes across as hot or alcoholic on the nose and palate. Try and decant the wine for a half hour or more and see if the alcohol blows off. I have tried many wines myself that benefited from a little decanting to tone down the effect of the alcohol on the wine. Of course, the wine was still powerful and fruit forward, but the alcohol was not nearly as prominent. Actually, decanting is a practice that not nearly enough wine drinkers use. It is no doubt due to the fast-paced society we live in where getting it and consuming it quickly seems to take priority over patient enjoyment. That being said, I still encourage you to take a little time and decant your red wines if you want to enhance your experience. One simple method of decanting is to pour out half a glass of wine, put the cap or cork back on the bottle and shake it vigorously for 30 seconds or more. This will aerate the wine thus decanting it in a much quicker way. Try it sometime, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Some even pour the bottle in a blender and whip it up for about 15 seconds. This is referred to as hyper-decanting. I tried that one time with a friend on a very expensive wine that was just a little tight on the palate. It definitely opened the wine up, but it also gave it a creamy texture that I did not enjoy as much as my friend did.

Some like their wines hot, and that is o.k. Hell, I like a shot of Jack Daniels every now and then myself, and a wine that is hot and powerful fits the bill for me on rare occasions. However, if a wine is well made, it should not come across as hot on the palate. The alcohol should be integrated with the fruit in such a way as not to come across as alcoholic. The term “hot” is not complementary when analyzing a wine, and that will definitely affect my grade of that wine in my notes.

Some like them hot, some like them bold, some like them feminine and lighter and some even like their reds cold. That is the beauty of wine… it’s subjectivity. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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WORD OF THE DAY… DEFINITION

Posted on July 11, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man

There’s a little irony in this, defining definition in wine as a definition (did that come out right?). However, it is true that many writers when describing a wine will either say it lacks definition, or the elements of the wine have definition. What is the writer trying to convey?

One definition of the word definition (don’t get dizzy on me here) is to make distinct or clearly outlined. When I say a wine lacks definition, I am trying to let the reader know that the wine has no clear or distinct characteristics. Another words, you will have a hard time identifying specific elements of the wine such as flavors, acidity, tannins or mid-palate.

Let’s use the example of a bodybuilder to illustrate. When a bodybuilder lacks definition, it means that certain muscle groups do not stand out from the rest. Perhaps it’s the deltoids, or the pectoral muscles or the hamstrings or the triceps. The person may be muscle-bound, but there is nothing that stands apart from the rest. The person is merely a huge lump of muscle. He or she may be phenomenal to look at, but the bodybuilder has no chance of winning any competitions.

It is the same with a wine. It can be a good glass of wine and a lot of folks will like it. It has flavor and is soft and approachable. However, it is hard to put a finger on any specific thing that makes the wine good. It is simply a muscle-bound wine that tastes good. Loads of fruit, perhaps red or black? Smooth, but is there structure? The flavors are alive, but why? That is a wine that lacks definition.

A wine with definition is clearly outlined. The front side of the palate (the first thing you taste when you put it into your mouth), is loaded with clear flavors of blackberry, blueberry, raspberry or whatever flavors you pick up. The wine will have a definite backbone of acidity that drives the flavors. You will taste it and understand it. The mid-palate will come through as clear as day. There may be similar flavors as the beginning but there may also be new flavors on the backside. The flavors will continue into a finish that is outlined by specific flavors that will linger. Basically, flavors and elements of the wine are clearly defined and stand out.

To be fair, some of you could really like a wine that lacks definition. The wines in this category can be delicious, just like a muscle-bound body-builder that lacks definition can be eye candy to some observers. There is nothing wrong with that. However, for those of us that are a little stuffy about wine and are looking to rate it, definition plays a role in the final judgement of the wine. If that is something you care about, than great. If not, then that is o.k too. I just wanted to try to help you understand what a writer was trying to convey when using this word. I hope it helped. Just enjoy what you like and be willing to expand your palate, that is all that really matters. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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A LITTLE WASHINGTON ACTION IN THE MOLESKINE.

Posted on July 4, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man

Washingtonians are known for being bias about the wines coming from their state. I have to say that they have every reason to be proud of the juice that is being put on the market for consumption. I myself live in Washington State and I enjoy the wines as much as anyone. However, I also recognize that there are great wines coming to us from all over the globe. I feel for those who say they will only drink Washington wines. They are missing out on so much! That being said, I tasted a whole bunch of Washington wines recently and here are tasting notes straight from the Moleskine…

2010 Zero One Vintners “The Sauce” (Columbia Valley, WA)… $12.
Incredibly grape jam like on the nose (like sticking your nose in a jar of Smuckers), backed by intense dark cherry notes. Concentrated notes of grape jam, dark cherries and currants with a hit of spice. There is a worn leather component that comes through on the mid-palate leading into the finish. Structured, smooth tannins, fresh acidity that backs the fruit.
I’ve been a huge fan of this wine for a while and this vintage just keeps me coming back. A blend of Merlot, Syrah and Malbec. (B+)

2009 Corvidae Wine Co. Lenore Syrah (Columbia Valley, WA) … $15.99
This one had an interesting lilac soap element on the nose along with a hit of currants although it was a little challenged (in other words, I had trouble getting these aromas). Blueberries all over the palate backed by a bright core from start to finish with currant liquor notes lingering. (B-)

2011 Purple Star Syrah (Columbia Valley, WA) … $16.99
BBQ boysenberries and bacon fat all over the nose. Rich notes of blackberries and boysenberries hit the front of the palate with a spicy back-round. There is a bright core of fruit that is the backbone of this wine leading into a char-caramel finish. This Syrah sort of smacks you in the palate with attitude and finishes with a smirk. I like the spice and berry notes but missed the bacon-fat on the palate. A lot of folks are going to like this one. (B+)

2008 Barons V Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley, WA) … $44.99
Barons V Winery has come a long way with their cab. The first one I tried had so much wood on it, I was picking splinters from my gums for days. This ’08 version showed much more balance.
Aromas of spice box cherry, tobacco and rose pedal. Structured, sturdy tannins back notes of black currants that penetrate the palate. Notes of chalky minerals with and edge of tobacco hit on the mid-palate flowing into a lingering, spice-box finish with a little tannic grip. This cab will age nicely over the next 8-10 years, but is very drinkable now. Rumor has it, the ’09 shows continued improvement. (A-)

2010 Barons Petit Barone (Columbia Valley, WA)… $21.99
There is a herbaceous element on the nose along with notes of red flowers and perfumed red currants. Red currants and tobacco notes hit the front of the palate backed by tight tannins. Bright acidity comes through giving the flavors a little “pop” in the mouth. Red flower and cassis notes hit on the medium/long finish. This is a young pup and could use some time in the bottle to bring all the elements together. But, if you plan on having some BBQ ribs, you might want to grab a bottle of this juice. I see some potential in that marriage. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon,Merlot and Petite Verdot. (B-)

2012 Barons Sauvignon Blanc (Columbia Valley, WA)… $17.99
mouth-watering aromas of apple, pear and white flowers. Very clean and precise on the palate with applesauce notes coming through. There is a steely edge to this white from the start through the clean finish. I’m picky about Sauvignon Blanc, and haven’t tasted a lot from Washington that I like. This one almost brings it home for me…Just missing some complexity. (B)

There are of course, many more Washington wine notes in my Moleskine… I will share them soon. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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WORD OF THE DAY… SILKY.

Posted on July 3, 2013 by Stan The Wine Man

When I was a child, one of my favorite things I liked to do was rub my fingers across the silky edge of a blanket while I was watching t.v. or when going to bed. To this day, I still enjoy the feel of silk on my skin, especially on my wife’s skin (if you know what I mean). Silk, has an almost exotic connotation attached to it along with implications of wealth. The question is, how does this word relate to wine?

Many wine writers when describing a wine will use the term “silky tannins” or silky on the palate. If you give it a little thought, I think it is easy to understand what the writer is trying to convey. Many wines have tannins especially reds, and most of us think of tannins as harsh or abrasive in the mouth. In a lot of cases this may be true. However, many times tannins can be slick in the mouth like silk and still be present. As an example, let’s consider black tea. Strong black tea can be very abrasive and harsh in the mouth, but add some cream, and all of a sudden the tannins become more approachable…Almost silky in the mouth, making the tea easier to consume (although I like my tea and coffee strong). The tannins are still there, they are just melded in with the cream, making them less noticeable.

Wine can experience a similar phenomena with fruit, rather than cream. When the fruit that goes into a wine is high quality and on the riper side it can dominate the tannins from the seeds and stems as well as oak barrels, giving that wine a slick, silky feel on the palate. Does this mean a wine that is silky will be higher in alcohol? The answer to that would be, more than likely. However, for a wine to be silky on the palate, the alcohol has to be in balance with the fruit in order for it not to come across as predominant. Another words, a wine has to be well made to come across as silky.

Whether you consider this unfortunate or not (I’m on the fence with this one), some wine makers will use a method known as micro-oxygenation when making a wine to impart a softer, silkier element. To totally simplify, basically they send tiny bubbles through the wine either during fermentation or maturation. This method (or intervention as some would say) almost guarantees the wine will come out softer and silkier in a shorter period of time. The subject of intervention with modern methods of wine making is a book all in itself. However, the point is that there are ways, either riper quality or exposure to oxygen (like cream in your black tea), that cause the wine to have that slick, silky feel in the mouth.

I think, if you reach down into your past wine experiences you will remember wines as being oh so slick in the mouth. Many wine makers strive for this style, because the modern consumer seems to lean towards wines that are softer and have a silky mouth-feel. Wines that are a little tough on the palate currently, still have an opportunity to turn to silk. Time in the bottle (with a real cork) will over time mature and soften a harsher wine. This is because a natural cork allows a certain amount of air to come into the bottle over a longer period of time, thus softening the wine and making it silkier (although some wines will never get to that point).

Some consumers like silky and some don’t, that is the beauty of wine, its subjectivity. I hope the next time you read the word “silky” as a wine descriptor, you have a better grasp on what the writer is trying to convey. Cheers! Stan The Wine Man

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