Question: What grain is generally used to make whiskey?

Answer: A bit tricky. Traditionally barley has been used to make all whisky. It is still the main grain for Scotch & Irish ones. However Canadian Rye Whiskey (and American) has more than 50% rye. Bourbon which originated in Kentucky uses more than 50% corn or maize.

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The 2003 vintage in Bordeaux is generally on a current plateau of enjoyable drinking but is so variable with many wines far too ripe broad chunky and lower in acidity. I did a blog on them here on January 28, 2013 you can reference. That amazing Summer heat and drought was record breaking resulting in a vintage that is inconsistent lacking the precision and elegance you usually expect in a more classic year. Bill Blatch ex-Vintex and now Christie’s rep in Bordeaux as well as on the Bordeaux Gold Sauternes website conducted a seminar with this scribe on a retrospective of the 2003s in September 2015. Bill has such thorough vintage notes that he brilliantly was able to tell us the important weather conditions and picking dates at various properties on almost a day by day basis. As we know now those who waited for a later harvest during the last 2 weeks of September in the Northern Medoc fared best. Some concentrated Pauillac and St Estephe properties should continue to improve for decades hopefully like the 1982s and the 1959s are doing.

At this tasting the clear winner was the surprising Chateau Duhart-Milon a 4th growth of 1855 in Pauillac with a good DNA connection since 1962 from their parent Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. The replanting in the sixties and seventies resulting in this 73 cab sauv & 27 merlot vintage of reduced 33 hl/hectare yield is a beauty continuing to improve over the last several years. So expressive on the bouquet now with cassis, cigar box, licorice, lead pencil cedar and a full complex classy taste with black fruits. Impressive! Recommend you keep your eyes open to acquire some as you can find this vintage on sale at some wine stores with aged inventory or at a current auction.

Another good value from 2003 with even lower yields is Clos du Marquis from St. Julien with more merlot and bit of petit verdot in the majority cab sauv blend. Shows cloves and subtle spice, plums, cherries, and mocha in the presentation. Drinking well.

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By Joseph Temple

Located just north of the Black Sea, the former Soviet republic of Moldova is a nation that takes its wine industry very seriously. Benefiting from a mild climate and fertile soil, this landlocked country possesses a large agricultural industry that employs close to 40% of the entire population. And a source of great pride for many native Moldovans is the wine that comes from its vineyards. However, with the United States representing only half a percent of Moldova’s total wine exports, most Americans have never had the chance to experience it.  So here are ten interesting facts to keep in mind about this hidden treasure from Eastern Europe … maybe you’ll even find a bottle at your local shop.

1. Currently, Moldova has approximately 150 wineries, processing 1,400 tons of grapes annually on 170,000 hectares of vineyards.
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2. Wine production accounts for nearly
30% of Moldova’s total export earnings.
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3. The wine industry contributes to about 25% to the country’s GDP.
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By Nixalsverdrus (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

4. Ten percent of the country’s soil is covered by vineyards, located mostly in the central and southern regions.

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5. In a good year, Moldova is the world’s seventh largest wine exporter.
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6. Historians believe that Moldova’s wine industry dates back several centuries before the Roman conquest.
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Russavia [CC BY-SA 2.5], via Wikimedia Commons

7. Russia and Ukraine represent nearly 90% of all Moldovan wine exports.
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8. In 2006, Russia banned the importation of all Moldovan wines, considered by many as an act of retribution because the country was seeking the removal of all Russian troops from its territory.
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9. A longstanding rumor has been that Queen Elizabeth II is a big fan of Moldovan wine.
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Photo: Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons, via Wikimedia Commons

10. Consisting of over 200km of tunnels and nearly 2 million bottles, Mileștii Mici has the world’s largest collection of wine in the world.
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Sources:

Bidlack, Richard. Russia and Eurasia 2015-2016. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2015.
Brezianu, Andrei and Spânu, Vlad. Historical Dictionary of Moldova. Lanham: Scarecrow Press, 2007.
Kosienkowski, Marcin and Schreiber, William. Moldova: Arena of International Influences. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2012.
Voorhees, Mara. Eastern Europe. Oakland: Lonely Planet, 2009.

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Question: I am a bit confused about how far north and south Burgundy actually goes. I usually get different answers to my question. What is the correct one Sid?

Answer: Yes many people speak about Burgundy as just the Cote d’Or (“Golden Hillside”) the two regions from just south of Dijon to north of Beaune comprising the Cote de Nuits & from there south to Santenay being the Cote de Beaune. These vineyards are now much in demand for the small quantities produced and are very expensive. However in addition to those 2 main districts there is also 4 other ones from furthest north of all Chablis, and three most southerly ones Cote Chalonnaise, Cote Maconnaise, & Beaujolais – some wines from which are of outstanding quality and still excellent value for the price. Check out the Burgundies – red & white – from all 6 regions!

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The knowledgeable charming Veronique Sanders -van Beek Managing Director of Château Haut-Bailly (www.chateau-haut-bailly.com) was just briefly in Montreal for a dinner and in Vancouver for an update tasting. She was conscientiously monitoring the start mid-September of the very promising early “vendange” 2015 harvest in Bordeaux from afar. I have been a fan of the classy elegance of this property for a long time. Remember a visit back in May 1983 trying their 1982 in barrel – 50% new oak from Demptos was used for it as they were one of the owners of the property at that time whereas each year previously they had used 40%. The then cellar master’s thinking at the time on the 1982 was that the yields were rather high (65 hectolitres/hectare) as were the pHs and the vintage wouldn’t age long. As you know many 1982 Bordeaux have aged very well indeed. The chateau has been in better hands since 1998 owned by the Wilmers and is going from strength to strength. This blog over 2 years ago on May 6, 2013 highlighted 15 vintages from then to 2012. I really like how Veronique aptly tries to summarize each year by one word or so. It naturally focuses on their own wine but has application to many other neighbouring properties as well. They have changed 2004 from “A rare perfection” to “A great precision”; 2009 from “A truly great vintage ” to “Mythic”; and 2010 from “A double triumph” to “Best Ever”. Interesting that they name 2010 “best ever” when 2009 got the Robert Parker perfect 100 score but he also likes 2010 giving it a 97+/98 range. Veronique says the smaller grapes in 2010 gave a higher phenolic content than 2009 resulting in a preferred very good balanced freshness. Here is her update on the two latest vintages:

2013: “A Miracle” – 64% Cab Sauv 34 Merlot 2 Cab Franc – “Full of finesse both lively & supple retaining freshness and a harmonious structure”

2014: “Vibrant” – 66% Cab Sauv 34 Merlot – “Dry perfect weather for picking 12 days over a 22 day period Sept. 24-Oct. 15 gave a vibrant vintage of great style”

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