The Vancouver Branch of the International Wine & Food Society this month in the classy Chartwell Room of the Four Seasons Hotel held a sit down tasting featuring a horizontal of 2005 Bordeaux at nearly 10 years of age. The event was well organized with wines served at perfect cool temperatures in appropriate glassware by Vancouver President James Robertson & Milena with help from Cellar Master Jim Esplen & Karen. Your scribe together with Joan Cross led an in-the-round lively discussion among the members for this sold out four tables of eight seminar with the consensus reached that 2005 Bordeaux now show a wonderful natural balance of youthful fresh acidity and impressive fruit concentration at all price levels. The perfect weather helped with a warm August & September but cooler nights and nearly half the normal rainfall resulted in ripe smaller berries contributing to higher solids to juice ratio. We reflected on other dry and hot years including 45, 47, 49, and 59 all from another era.  82s are great (but usually higher yields with lower concentrations), 89 and 90 (both with less freshness of acidity), 03 (extremely hot), and the current twin favourites 09 & 10 (sunny less hot than 09 and later picked). Vintages ending in 5 have tended to be overrated on release coming after a run of inconsistent years: Check out 75 after 72, 73, and 74; 95 after 91, 92, 93 and 94; and 05 after 01, 02, unique 03, and 04. Please be advised that in my opinion the 2005 is definitely not over hyped. Even Jancis Robinson states after tasting 70 properties in a recent article mid February in weekend The Financial Times Food & Drink section  “The most impressive thing about the 2005 Bordeaux vintage is how consistently exciting it is”. See http://www.jancisrobinson.com/articles/2005-bordeaux-at-10-years

2005 CABANNIEUX Graves 50 Merlot 45 Cab Sauv 5 Cab Franc Underrated property on hilly slope at Portets (near Chateau Rahoul) of Dudignac/Barriere family shows lovely strawberry jam fruit and underbrush with easy current drinkability

2005 ROZIER St. Emilion South of village 80M (on clay limestone) 2CS/18CF (on warmer sandy gravel) Saby family since 1796 has softer concentrated merlot statement on plateau for enjoyment but no rush from this first of 3 Right Bank chateaux

2005 MARSAU Cotes de Francs (AC since 1976 but growing grapes there since 11th century)) East facing hill for extra sun 85M (clay) 15CF by Jean-Marie Chadronnier of Dourthe delivers solid big round more earthy styling from a developing region to watch

2005 LA FLEUR DE BOUARD Lalande de Pomerol 80M 15CF 5CS by Hubert de Bouard de Laforest of L’Angelus St Emilion fame is rich classy powerful cherries using dense plantings, lower yields and mocha vanilla from more new oak

2005 POTENSAC Medoc 60CS 25M 15CF Delon family of Leoville Las Cases magic touch since the 70s shows impressive Left Bank structure and touted as a current Best Value by Jancis Robinson

2005 PETIT BOSQ St Estephe (close to Calon Segur) 55M (high) 43CS 2CF (now have planted some Petit Verdot) started first in 1972 shows impressive tobacco notes on the nose and full thick fruit ending a bit rustic

2005 LANESSAN Haut Medoc (Cussac – South of Gruaud Larose) 75CS (high) 20M 5CF/PV Boutellier family always produced wine to age showing balanced intensity here but might be more complex by adding some more newer oak for lift with their older wood

2005 LA TOUR DU HAUT-MOULIN Haut Medoc (also Cussac but more gravel closer to the Gironde) Poitou family densely planted 50M 45CS 5PV results in a lush full ripe and concentrated blend that will continue to develop

2005 BATAILLEY Pauillac (5th Growth Haut Batailley to South & Grand Puy Lacoste to North) 70CS 26M 3CF 1 PV Borie Manoux/Casteja property now with Denis Dubourdieu consulting shows good young potential with ripe silky tannins not austere or aggressive

1982 BATAILLEY (Magnum) Highlight of the night in this format well stored with patient 33 years of bottle age has improved it dramatically as has put on weight to a stunning open cedar cigar box distinctive Pauillac terroir – so delicious! Lesson: Be patient with 2005.

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By Joseph Temple

If you’ve started to immerse yourself in the world of wine, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll come across the name Bordeaux.  That’s because with nearly 300,000 vineyard acres, it is France’s largest wine growing region—an area bigger than all of Germany’s vineyards combined and ten times the size of New Zealand’s total acreage.  And matching quantity with quality, it is home to some of the most famous wineries in the world including Château Petrus, Château Margaux and Château Lafite Rothschild.

In addition to centuries of winemaking knowledge, another prime reason for Bordeaux’s continued success is geography.  With its close proximity to both the Atlantic Ocean and several rivers, these bodies of water combined with acres of surrounding pine forests help to temper the region’s climate.  The result is approximately 700 million bottles produced every year from Médoc to Sauternes.

But let’s face it.  If you’re learning about Bordeaux for the first time, things can get quite confusing.  For starters, why aren’t the grapes listed on the bottle like they are for American wines? And what does left bank, right bank and first-growth mean?

Have no fear!  For this week’s entry, we present 5 ways to simplify the Bordeaux region for those who are just starting their journey into the world of wine appreciation. So sit back, relax and learn about one of wine’s most historic and powerful regions.

1. When you say Bordeaux, do you mean red wine?

No.  But according to the latest information from the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux, nearly 90% of the region’s grapes are red.  So it’s not hard to see why many people associate Bordeaux with red wine.  However here’s an interesting fact: did you know that until 1970, the region produced more white wine than red on a regular basis?

Despite this seismic shift to red over the past four decades, you can still find some of the world’s best white wines in Bordeaux—most notably in the Graves and Sauternes areas—the latter being home to Château d’Yquem which is renown for its sweet dessert wines, usually made from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc grapes.
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2. On the label, it says Bordeaux but doesn’t show the grapes used to make the wine. 
Does that mean that Bordeaux is the grape?

No.  Wines from France are named after the appellation where it is grown instead of the grape variety used to make the wine.  If you’re used to drinking American bottles, this can be a bit confusing when trying to figure out if the bottle contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or some other grape.  Generally speaking, here is the breakdown according to the March 2015 edition of the Wine Spectator:

Just keep in mind that most Bordeaux wines are a blend of two or more of these grape varieties.
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Domenico-de-ga at the German language Wikipedia [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

3. My friends that are into wine were talking about the differences between “Left Bank”
and “Right Bank” Bordeaux.  What does that mean?

When you look at a map of the Bordeaux, you’ll notice that it is divided by the Gironde estuary, which is formed when the Dordogne and Garonne rivers meet in the heart of this wine region.  All appellations left of these waterways are classified as Left Bank and those to the right are known as Right Bank.  For a map listing all the appellations in Bordeaux, click here.

The rule of thumb is that most Left Bank appellations are predominately Cabernet Sauvignon while the Right Bank is centered around Merlot.  The exceptions are Sauternes and Barsac, which only grow white grapes.
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4. Another term I heard was “first growth.”  What exactly does that mean?

Back in 1855, France hosted the modern-day equivalent of the World’s Fair.  And in preparation for Exposition Universelle de Paris, Emperor Napoleon III asked industry experts to select the best Bordeaux wines to represent the nation.  The result became known as the Official Classification of 1855 with the wines from the Médoc region dominating the list.  Basing their ranking system on the assumption that price equals quality, five different classifications were created, which became known as “growths” with first growths (or Premiers Crus) being the absolute best.  You can view the entire list by clicking here.  So if you’re friends are referring to “first growth,” then it must be either Château Lafite Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Haut-Brion or Château Mouton Rothschild.
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5. Bordeaux seems quite expensive to drink.

Many articles dealing with Bordeaux are usually illustrated with pictures of opulent Châteaus, leading many to believe that drinking wine from this region is a luxury available only to the very wealthy.  And yes, there are many vintages that can run in the three, four and sometimes five figure range such as Château Petrus and many first growths.  But this is a complete misconception about the region.  In fact, wines priced between $8 and $25 represent approximately 80% of Bordeaux’s total production.  Some of these include Mouton-Cadet, Laurentan, Lacour Pavillon and Baron Philippe.

Sources:

“FAQ About Bordeaux.” Wine Spectator Mar. 2015: 124.
MacNeil, Karen. The Wine Bible. New York: Workman Publishing Company Inc., 2001.
Zraly, Kevin.  Windows on the World Complete Wine Course. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2006.

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Question: I am in my twenties and experimenting with the many Okanagan winery choices available. Sid would you please recommend a good versatile value white for me to try?

Answer: Pleasure. So many styles to choose from. The weather conditions were excellent for both whites and reds now being released from the last 3 consecutive vintages of 2012, 2013, and 2014.  Red Rooster Winery has some consistent well priced quality wines right across the board. Their 2013 Riesling at $17 is so well made by their talented winemaker Karen Gillis showing just off-dry with lovely balanced fresh acidity for the refreshing citric mineral fruit. I am enjoying it often as an aperitif myself at only 12.2 alcohol but it would also match well with fish or lemon chicken dishes. Enjoy it!

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The recent 37th Vancouver International Wine Festival spread over 10 days with 170 participating wineries was full of so many memorable food & wine experiences. Here are 10 of my top diverse highlights in no special order:

1. CinCin dinner by Chef Andrew Richardson brilliantly matching Armando Castagnedi’s Tenuta Sant’Antonio Amarones with Roast Squab, Casteluccio lentils, cipollini onions & Valpolicella braised beef short rib + delicately smoked ash baked potato gnocchi on open fire.

2. Laughing Stock Portfolio Bordeaux blend 10 year vertical by Cynthia & David Enns with vintages 2012, 2009, and 2008 really singing a special distinctive Okanagan quality terroir.

3. Cioppino dinner with Chef Pino Posteraro the master finding subtle flavours in friend Sergio Zingarelli’s  Rocca Delle Macie wines to complement his dishes especially adding gingerbread with a light cayenne seasoning for delicious 2010 Roccato (50Sangiovese,50CS).

4. Bruce Tyrrell’s 2005 Semillon Vat 1 showing the incredible ability of early picked Hunter River fruit to really develop so much amazing richness, depth and complexity with bottle age.

5. Hawksworth dinner always a culinary treat to showcase Penfolds with DLynn Proctor featuring the rich dense 2004 Grange Bin 95 (96%shiraz + 4cabsauv) from Barossa Valley (substantial Kalimna), McLaren Vale, and Magill Estate (Adelaide) fruit.

6. Wynn’s Coonawarra seminar Winemaker Sue Hodder showing 2010 cabernets (all concentrated + elegant low 13.5 alcohol range): cooler aromatic deeper terra rosa soils Messenger (2nd release after 2005), muscular tannic Alex 88, to classic complex John Riddoch.

7. La Terrazza Italian Lunch featuring 12 wineries with Raviolo Pasta Envelope filled with ricotta cheese, porcini mushrooms, balsamic-bay leaf butter, toasted walnuts + classy voluptuous 2012 Tenuta Sette Ponti “Oreno” IGT Toscana.

8. Boulevard dinner by Top Chef Matt Stowe & Exec. Chef Alex Chen teaming for “Filet” of Lamb Neck + Chris Hatcher for Wolf Blass including textured 2010 Black Label Cab (51%) Shiraz (49%) from Barossa (51%), Langhorne Creek (32%) & McLaren Vale (17%) fruit.

9. Signorello new 2013 Seta (Italian for silk) 58% Semillon & 42 Sauvignon Blanc dry farmed, low yields on Silverado Trail in Oak Knoll & 100% barrel fermented 11 months lees is outstanding balance + minerals Chateau La Mission Haut Brion Blanc (Laville) wannabe.

10. Damiliano Barolos. Tried 4 2010s all outstanding with 24 months in large barrels Lecinquevigne (5 vineyards blend), Cerequio (La Morra), Brunate (this La Morra vineyard is very cherished in 2010), Cannubi (more sand in the soil) & lighter more floral 2009 Cannubi.

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By Joseph Temple

Mention America’s fifteenth state and many will conjure up images of horse racing, bourbon distilleries and college basketball.  But did you know that before the first thoroughbreds competed at Churchill Downs and prior to Colonel Sanders’ secret recipe, the Commonwealth of Kentucky was the Union’s third largest producer of wine grapes?  Or how about the fact that the America’s first commercial vineyard and winery was founded in the Bluegrass State?  That’s right—before there was Kentucky Bourbon or Kentucky Rain—there was Kentucky Wine.

The story begins in 1798 when a Swiss immigrant named Jean-Jacques Dufour traveled across the newly minted nation in hopes of finding the perfect place to cultivate wine.  Stumbling upon what is now Jessamine County on the banks of the Kentucky River, he decided to make this the spot of America’s first commercial vineyard, the aptly named “First vineyard.”  Raising the necessary capital by selling shares of the Kentucky Vineyard Society, a stock company he helped to create, Dufour used the funds to buy more than 600 acres of land and 10,000 vines of over thirty different varieties.  At first, the experiment looked promising with a few bottles even making it into Thomas Jefferson’s wine cellar at Monticello.  However, as most of America’s first vignerons quickly learned, growing Vitis vinifera grapes in the New World was next to impossible during the early 1800s.  And with black rot, Pierce’s disease and phylloxera plaguing the area, Dufour decided to call it quits and head towards the more fertile Indiana territory.  This, however, didn’t mean the end of Kentucky wine–in fact, it was only the beginning.

Above: A share in “First Vineyard” issued by the Kentucky Vineyard Society, dated 1799.

Another American wine pioneer that would influence the surrounding region was Nicholas Longworth, a banker and aspiring winemaker living in the border city of Cincinnati.  Following many years of trial and error in the Ohio Valley, he would finally hit the jackpot by growing Catawba grapes, a hybrid of European rootstocks and American Vitis labrusca.  And after accidentally fermenting these musky grapes for a second time, the result was a sparkling libation that transformed the Buckeye State into the largest producer of wine in the United States by 1859.  Of course, this success would soon spill over the Ohio River into Northern Kentucky, which shared a similar climate and geology.  In 1840, the Bluegrass State produced just 2,209 gallons of wine.  Twenty years later, that figure jumped to 136,000 gallons.

Unfortunately over the next hundred years, various diseases, a Civil War and ultimately prohibition would decimate Kentucky’s wine industry as farmers switched over to growing tobacco.  But with that industry now in decline, a winemaking resurgence has taken place over the last few decades.  One vital factor in its comeback has been the state government in Frankfort, which agreed to finance half the startup costs for any new vineyard.   From 1998 to 2002, the grape acreage in the Commonwealth quadrupled with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay accounting for much of this phenomenal growth.  Moving away from native/hybrid grapes such as Vidal Blanc and Chambourcin, today’s Kentucky vintners seem to share the same pioneering spirit growing vinifera varieties as their ancestors did more than 200 years ago.

Encompassing part of the Ohio River Valley AVA, the Bluegrass State currently has 65 wineries on over 600 acres producing more than 100,000 cases per year.   “The industry is growing by leaps and bounds,” according to Tyler Madison of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. “It’s an exciting time to be a part of Kentucky wine because it’s all still so new.”  One way to learn more about the state’s best vintages is to check out the winners from the annual Kentucky Commonwealth Commercial Wine Competition and Commissioner’s Cup.  And the next time you’re traveling anywhere from Bowling Green to Lexington, sample some wines from an industry that dates back to the time of Jefferson and is destined for a breakout moment in the twenty-first century.

Sources:

Kentucky’s wine industry: Rich in history, richer in flavor. Go to Louisville. Retrieved from http://www.gotolouisville.com
Fauchald, Nick. (2004, June 28). The Father of American Sparkling Wine. Wine Spectator. Retrieved from http://www.winespectator.com
Loria, Keith. Kentucky Commissioner’s Cup Runneth Over. Farm Flavor. Retrieved from http://www.farmflavor.com
Pinney, Thomas. A History of Wine in America from the Beginnings to Prohibition. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989.
Tenkotte, Paul and Claypool, James. The Encyclopedia of Northern Kentucky. Lexington: The University Press of Kentucky, 2009.

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