Benchmark Wine Tasting Class: Aromatic Whites

Back in mid-January, I had the privilege to participate in a Benchmark Wine Tasting at Penn State University with the Penns Woods Winery crew. Needless to say, for a wine-nerd like me, it was an awesome experience! First of all, I got to taste approximately 30 different wines - made with different varietals and produced in different regions. But as an added bonus, it was interesting (and somewhat refreshing) to not be the biggest wine nerd in the room!

This series will discuss the wines that were tasted and provided an overview of the region and/or grape of each wine. To keep the posts (relatively) short, the series will be broken up into multiple posts, organized by the flights we tasted. First up, we tasted a flight of aromatic whites, including three Rieslings and two Gewürztraminers. I will also discuss the two Moscatos that we tasted at the end of the day, since Moscato (while sweet) is typically a highly aromatic white wine.

(Above are some of the labels we tried. These images are intended to identify the producer and not necessarily the specify wine/vintage).

So what is the definition of aromatic?

Webster's tells us that, generally, the term "aromatic" means "having a pleasant and distinctive smell." But, we know know that when it comes to wine - everything has multiple definitions. When I hear aromatic, I think white wine. I expect a strong, fruit-forward or almost floral, aroma from the wine. Officially speaking, wine professionals agree the most common winemaking techniques used in the production of "aromatic wines" include: fermentation in stainless steel or concrete and harvesting the grapes later in the harvest to yield high acidity and low alcohol wines.

So what should you look for in the wine store if you want an aromatic white? The most popular varietals include: Gewürztraminer, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Viognier. For now, our discussions will stick to a comparison of Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Moscato.

Photo Source. The International Riesling Foundation (a fine foundation indeed!)

Riesling.

Call me a broken record, but Riesling has a bad rep... especially in the United States. Americans either love it or hate it, but most assume its a honeyed sugar bomb. I can not say it enough -- drop the Riesling assumptions and taste with an open mind. The blog has discussed Riesling a few times, check out the feature here, but we have yet to dedicate a full tasting to this noble grape. Before I give you my thoughts on the individual Rieslings, remember the grape's best qualities, including:

• Ability to withstand cooler climates, 
• Notably food friendly, and
• Light body and naturally high acidity.

Nimble Hill Riesling 2011

Where it's from. Pennsylvania, specifically Sugar Holland Vineyard.

My Thoughts. The room was amazed at the complexity of this Pennsylvania Riesling. I thought it was tart (in a good way), astringent and high acidity, with flavors of stone fruit and citrus.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling 2011

Where it's from. Columbia Valley, Washington.

My Thoughts. This wine was tart as well, but not nearly as astringent when tasted. The group thought it tasted of citrus, grapefruit and even petrol. (not sure where some get this taste from - I'm looking into it!)

S.A. Prum Kabinett Riesling 2009

Where it's from. Mosel, Germany.

My Thoughts. I think one of the reasons Americans (and wine-drinkers internationally) fear Riesling is the ever-daunting German wine label. Germans are nothing if not thorough, and so are the wine labels. So when you see "Kabinett" on the label, remember that the wine was made with late harvest grapes that can be semi-sweet or dry (trocken). When I tasted this wine, I was definitely intrigued. When I heard "Kabinett" I assumed it would be on the sweeter side - I was so wrong. It had a subtle sweet apple flavor without the overpowering honey.

Photo Source.

Gewürztraminer.

Gewürztraminer is distinguishable from Riesling because it has only moderate acidity and is full-bodied. It's primarily grown in the Alsace region of France. I notice the prominent bouquet of aromas from this grape, including: rose, passion fruit and lychee. 

Paul Buecher Gewürztraminer 2011

Where it's From. Alsace, France.

My Thoughts. This wine was awesome. It had a powerful floral aroma including rose and honeysuckle. But the taste was completely different from the aroma. It had an almost hoppy flavor, spicy up front with a mellow finish.

Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewürztraminer 2010

Where it's From. Columbia Valley, Washington.

My Thoughts. This wine was mild in flavor. Drinkable but nothing to write home about.

Photo Source. 

Moscato.

"Moscato" is the Italian name for the Muscat grape. It is known for making semi-sweet, lightly sparkling, and low alcohol wines

Montefiori Moscato

Where it's From. Piedmont, Italy. Moscato is most commonly grown near the northern town of Asti (hence the term Moscato D'Asti, meaning Moscato from Asti).

My Thoughts. This wine totally surprised me. As a fan of red wine and dryer reds I was expected to not enjoy this wine. But I loved it! (As did most of the room). It had a beautiful aroma of rose water, honeysuckle and lemon. It tasted similarly to it's smell and was wonderfully fresh. We compared it to Barefoot Moscato, which even given the price, was flat and less enjoyable than the Montefiori version.

All in all -- it was a great day of tasting wine! Stand by for follow up posts from this benchmark tasting series!

Cheers!

Savor the Last of Summer: Reds that can Take a Chill!

"But there ain't no cure for those summertime blues."

Photo Source: 

http://oddsandsends.blogspot.com/2010/04/vintage-summer-postcards.html

Labor Day has come and (oh too swiftly) gone. The evenings are getting cooler. The days are getting shorter. Its official - summer is coming to a close. For us wine enthusiasts, this means (generally!) the loss of fresh, chilled, ros

é and the return of red, red, red!

But, for those who are clinging to summer or living in a warmer climate - there are some 

reds that can take a chill (gasp!). I say again - some reds can take a chill and still be 

delicious! 

In fact, buzzfeed just posted a rather witty post listing a few reds that can be served cold

here

(worth a look for the Titanic stills alone):

1. Lambrusco from Italy.

  For goodness sake, give this wine a chance! Pretty much every time I mention Lambrusco, I hear "ehhhh..." Ignore this instinct! Lambrusco has brought red bubbles back!! (I know, I am a nerd!). 

Lambrusco is an Italian grape grown primarily in Emilia-Romagna. For almost 10 years, wine writers have been attempting to distinguish Lambrusco today from the fizzy sugar bomb of the 1970s. Lambrusco today can be dry, fresh with tangy fruit and subtle earth flavors. It's made to be consumed young and chilled.

2. Beaujolais from France.

  First, when it comes to Beaujolais you may ask - what is the difference between Beaujolais Nouveau, Beaujolais, and Beaujolais Villages? Here's the spark notes version: consider Beaujolais Noveau

separate

 from Beaujolais.

• Beaujolais has three different quality levels:
  • Beaujolais = basic and lowest price.
  • Beaujolais-Villages = wine from 35 specific villages that consistently produce better quality wine.
  • Cru = highest quality and price.
  • Beaujolais Nouveau: Considered a different style of wine, it's fruity, light and meant to be consumed earlier than typical Beaujolais.

3. Pinot Noir (likely old world).  

I have seen Pinot Noir on some lists of suggested reds that can be chilled - but personally, I am torn. (I see a tasting in my future on this one).

Photo Source: 

http://winemonger.com/catalog/

grapes_info.php?grape_name_id=172

4. Barbera d'Asti from Italy.  

Translation... wine made from the Barbera

(grape)

 in the hilly provence Asti

(place - Northwest Italy, Piedmont).

Barbera is juicy with light to medium body. Unlike the creamy, oaked reds Americans are used to, Barbera retains its acidity and may be dry from tannin.

5. Malbec from Argentina.  

Malbec typically has a spicy taste, which when chilled is thicker, rounder and more pronounced. And while the spice is thicker, the wine itself seems to have lighter body which is refreshing on warmer days.

Generally if you want to drink red cold, just remember...

go for something unoaked or lightly oaked; moderate alcohol; light to medium body; and low to medium tannin.

Cheers!

Introduction to Italy: The Results!

Dear Enthusiasts! This post has been a long time coming - the results from the wine club's Italian wine tasting! The club's gathering on Italian wines was a little less formal and more like a family meal (which was awesome!). We had antipasti, foccacia, and pasta to enjoy with our wine. Since this meeting was less formal, this results post will provide more detail on the grapes behind these wines instead of the traditional detailed review of the individual wines.

For those who hate surprises --

 we tasted the following wines:

 (1) Pinot Grigio, (2) Soave, (3) Chianti Classico, and (4) Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

(1) Pinot Grigio

As previously mentioned, Pinot Grigio is an Italian white wine (the most popular white in Italy) that does not get much love from the wine experts. It's typically criticized for its subtle and sometimes nonexistent flavor. However, despite its lack of popularity with the cool kids, a quality Pinot Grigio can surprise you with its freshness. Its most commonly grown in Italy's northern regions, including: Alto Adige, Friuli-Venezia Guilia, and Lombardy. 

Wine Tasted:

Villa Sonia Pinot Grigio Venezia, 2012

Grapes:

100% Pinot Grigio

Taste:

Apple, pear and melon with a clean finish.

Wine Tasting:

 For the price, I would recommend this wine as a great summer sipper or something to enjoy outside with food. The scent consisted of a honeysuckle aroma. Personally, I felt the taste was a bit too mild and I was hoping for a brighter fruit flavor. 

The group says...

that the wine was refreshing and drinkable. In particular, the Pinot Grigio lovers were satisfied and would buy this wine again. 

(2) Soave

Soave is a misunderstood Italian white wine. Once a powerhouse white in the U.S. during the 70s and 80s, it saw a decline in popularity in the 1990s. The culprit for this decline? None other than the rapper named Gerardo (never heard of him?). He was made famous for his one hit wonder, "Rico Suave," and check out video

here

. Seriously! An article in the

NYTimes

discussed a correlation between the release of this song and decline in popularity of Soave wine in the U.S. 

Despite the effects of "Rico Suave," Soave remained popular in Italy. And, remember that Soave is the name of the

wine region

 and not the main grape in the wine. The primary grape in wines from the Soave region is actually called Garganega (You may see it blended with Trebbiano or Chardonnay). Garganega ripens later in the season and is known for its acidity. You may also see either

classico

 or

superiore

on the label. If you have the choice between the two, go for classico. It refers to wine grown on the hillside, which means the land is less fertile and the grapes struggle a bit more (and we want our grapes to struggle - it means greater flavors!). Superiore, on the other hand, comes from the flat lands, or valley floor, which has more fertile land and prevents the grapes from struggling.

Wine Tasted:

 Pieropan 2010 Soave Classico

Grapes:

 Garganega

Taste:

 Light and crisp taste with vibrant flavors of citrus, apple, pear and tangerine.

Wine Tasting:

 The label says this wine has a brilliant straw yellow color with intense fruit aromas and long lasting fruit forward flavor.

The group says ...

 they agreed! Personally, I have always loved Soave because it's a lot like Sauvignon Blanc (acidity!). The group loved the freshness. 

(3) Chianti

Chianti is one of the most popular wine of Tuscany (one of the most beautiful wine regions in Italy, and definitely on my must see list!). Remember the three levels: (1) Chianti, (2) Chianti Classico, and (3) Chianti Classico Riserva. Just in case the Italian classification system was not complex enough... they introduced a fourth level -

Chianti Classico Gran Selezione.

This new top level must be produced solely from estate-grown grapes and sold at least 30 months after harvest. 

With that said, there is a lot (a lot!) to learn about Chianti that likely needs its own post, so let's get to the wine tasted by the group!

Wine:

 Costello D'albola Chianti Classico

Grapes:

 Approximately 80% Sangiovese

Taste:

Medium body with firm tannins and medium acidity followed by bright red fruit flavor.

Wine Tasting:

The group says...

 the wine had a spicy component and a balanced taste. Personally, I don't love Chianti. No real reason why, the taste just seems hit or miss. But the group thought this moderate flavor of this wine was worth recommending to friends.

(4) Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Montepulciano is a red wine grape grown primarily in central Italy and Italy's second most produced grape, after sangiovese. Wine made from the montepulciano grape is known for soft flavors, strong colors and moderate tannins. It is recommended that these wines are consumed in their youth and with food.

Wine:

Per Linda Montepulciano d'Abruzzo

Grapes:

 At least 85% Montepulciano (can be blended with sangiovese)

Taste:

Moderate acidity with deep cherry and plum flavor

Wine Tasting:

The group says ...

this was by far the groups favorite. They appreciated the complex flavor and noted that it paired well with food. Definitely try this wine!

That brings this (long time coming) post on the group's Italian wine tasting to a close. Until next time!

Cheers!

The Enthusiasts! NYC Wine Club: Introduction to Italy

Chi ha pane e vino, sta meglio del suo vicino*

Photo Source: http://www.kairos-holidays.com

/greek-god-of-wine.html

If you take away only one thing from this post, it should be this... 

Italy is complex.

Seriously. In Italy there are more than two thousand different wine labels, twenty wine producing regions and ninety six provinces. Even the wine classification system is so complicated that  some of the finest sommeliers may break a sweat.

So today, we are going to keep it simple with a little history and an overview of the wine regions, grapes and producers you are more likely to see outside of Italy.

The History of Wine in Italy

Oh those Romans...

 we cannot talk about wine in Italy without mentioning the Romans. After the Romans defeated  the Carthaginians around the second century B.C., they expanded wine on slave-run plantations. Eventually, so much wine was produced that laws were enacted requiring the destruction of vineyards  in order to free land for food production.

A turn towards Modernity...

Italy finally introduced DOC legislation in 1963. The DOC laws (which stands for

denominazione di origine controllata

) were modeled after the French laws to standardized quality. However, the original Italian attempt was flawed because it failed to establish a small number of easily identifiable regions with an identifiable style (like the French law). As a result, the Italian wine became increasingly dominated by mass production and most wineries became passionless factories.

Current Situation...

 However, in 1992 the Italian wine classification was overhauled to comply with EU law (aka Goria's law). This change incorporated a category of wine called IGT, which fell into the system below:

• DO - Denominazione di origine (vini da tavola or "table wine") 
• IGT - Indicazioni geografiche tipiche, established to form a buffer between the DOCs and table wine categories
• DOC - Denominazione di origine controllata (controlled designation of origin)
• DOCG - Denominazione di origine controllata e garantita (controlled designation of origin guaranteed) 

Frankly, this overhaul will not fully transform the Italian wine industry until, like France, the industry is organized into a few major regions with a recognizable style and reputation.

The Basics in Italian Wine

Photo Source: http://my.opera.com

Tuscany - The Home of Chianti

There are three levels of chianti: (1) chianti, (2) chianti classico, and (3) chianti classico riserva, which must be aged  a minimum 2 years and 3 months.

Grapes?

 Under the DOCG, chianti is required to be made at least 80% of sangiovese. 

Other Tuscan wines to watch for:

Other quality reds from Tuscany include: Brunello di Montalcino, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, and Carmignano.

Piedmont - Big Reds

Piedmont is famous for producing fine red wine, specifically Barolo and Barbaresco.

Grapes?

 The major grapes in Piedmont are dolcetto, barbera and nebbiolo.

The Details on Barolo:

 Barolo is made with the nebbiolo grape, consists of at least 12.5% alcohol, contains a more complex flavor and body, and aged at least three years (one in wood). If the wine is a "riserva" it is aged for at least five years.

The Details on Barbaresco:

Barbaresco is also made with the nebbiolo grape, consists of at least 12.5%, contains a lighter body than barolo, and requires at least two years of aging (one in wood). 

If the wine is a "riserva" it is aged for at least four years.

Photo Source: http://www.smh.com.au

Veneto - The Home of Amarone

Veneto is known for producing wines like valpolicella, bardolino and soave.

What is Amarone?

 Amarone is a type of valpolicella wine made with only the ripest grapes (the grapes used include corvina, rondinella and molinara). Then after harvest, the grapes are left to "rasinate," which ferments the sugar and ultimately raises the alcohol content.

Final Notes:

• Italian Wine Labels: Italian wines are named in three different ways: (1) by grape variety, (2) by village or district, and/or (3) by proprietary.
• Other Wine Regions to Look for: Abruzzi, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Umbria, Compania, and Sicily.
• What about Italian Whites? Many wine educators do not address Italian white wine with the same depth as red wine because the majority of Italian white wines are simply less complex then the red wines (and most Italians will admit it). Leave a comment if you disagree! Some known Italian white wines to try include: pinot grigio, soave and gavi.

For more information on Italian wine, check out my ever-awesome sources: Kevin Zraly's Complete Wine Course 2012, The Sotherby's Wine Encyclopedia 5th Edition, and 

winefornomalpeople

.

For those of you looking for a translation of the quote at the beginning of the post, here it is: "

Who has bread and wine is better off than his neighbor." 

Cheers!