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Quesiton: I know the names of barriques and casks for used in wine production. But what are the correct names for them in Madeira, Port & Sherry?
Answer: Yes this is all rather confusing with so many different names used for wine barrels in many varying sizes in regions around the world. Difficult indeed. Madeira & Port both used to be called Pipes with Madeira in a smaller size. Now though generally you have MADEIRA DRUMS & PORT PIPES. Also SHERRY BUTTS.
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Northern Rhone wines have become a hot commodity. Hermitage & Cote Rotie now are expensive collector items with Cornas & Saint Joseph also increasingly in high demand. However back in the seventies and eighties there was another cult wine from Crozes-Hermitage. A special red named Thalabert from Jaboulet domaine was the shining star of this appellation. Today the Crozes wines have lost some lustre compared to their elite neighbours and have become quite variable in quality. The vineyards have quite different soils and range from flat land to hillsides. Most producers have not been able to achieve the desired ripeness of Syrah in Crozes that one finds on the granite hill of Hermitage. During this century of climate change plus younger inspired winemakers Crozes should be on your watch list of good value red wine. During this continuing pandemic your scribe has enjoyed drinking up some choice remaining single oldest bottles that had been retained for possible future vertical tastings. Among these have been some ancient vintages of their star Crozes-Hermitage Thalabert (called Domaine de Thalabert since 1980) of old vines from Paul Jaboulet Aine. They also produced Crozes Les Jalets from the younger vines of Thalabert with blending material from other producers. So impressed still with the 30 year old 1990 (18 months in cask) that Jancis Robinson scored 18/20 in May 2015 stating “Was any better Crozes ever made? Possibly the 1978 Thalabert.” Your scribe agrees on the 1978 being outstanding as did the late Gerard Jaboulet who called that 1978 Thalabert his “best one ever made”. Even today it sings vibrantly with a bouquet that needs time to open up but explodes with true smoky, peppery, black olives, animal gamey notes with smooth intense textures before drying out on the finish. So much black thick sediment deposit now thrown shows just how much original body mass fruit extraction with strong tannins that this wine started out with in a bottle. Especially a delightful treat matched to a roasted lamb shank with ratatouille Provencal stewed vegetables sauce. Remarkable indeed! Doesn’t have the big bold rich concentrated blackberry fruit of the legendary 1978 Hermitage La Chapelle which is an amazing treasure but nonetheless this 1978 Thalabert is memorable in its own way too. Also drank up recently my last quite light mature 1976 and harder more earthy roasted peppers fruit but rather good though 1983 vintage. Gerard had advised me not to open 1983 before 2001. This latter Thalabert 1983 paired so well with a vegetable pasta dish featuring grilled cauliflower with a spicy pesto sauce.
Checking my records it is informative to check out original purchase prices. 1976 Thalabert purchased March 1978 $6.65/bottle; 1978 Thalabert January 1982 for $12 (also bought 1978 La Chapelle at same time for double the price $24); 1983 Thalabert March 1986 for $19.05 (La Chapelle $35.25); 1990 La Chapelle acquired December 1993 at $65.65/bottle.
Fun and nostalgic to look back at some of these crazy purchase prices. Great value if you can make smart decisions on what turn out to be bargain priced bottles on purchase compared with when you later consume them. That is what the present wine consumer is searching for. Look to find fair priced wine from anywhere that you can enjoy rather currently but will improve further complexity with cellaring. Good luck.
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Question: Are the words used to describe wine changing?
Answer: Astute point. Yes I do believe the wine vocabulary like everything is becoming more politically correct. There is less use of wine descriptors like “feminine” (find another word among many choices such as “delicate”, “finesse, “gentle”, etc.), “masculine” (“firm”, “power”, strong” etc.), “legs” (use “tears” or “weight”), “mouthfeel” (prefer “texture”) and others. There are always newer words and concepts to be aware of from “natural”, “orange”, “amphora”, “organic”, “biodynamic” and so many more. It is fun to learn new words to use in describing wine. “Mineral” is everywhere today! The language is evolving especially that used by many of the younger demographics to be less technical and more about just drinkability. Accordingly we see more words like “bright”, “crunchy”, “fresh”, “fruity”, “sense of place” “spicy” and even just “smell” – instead of “aromas” and “bouquet”. Do you have other good examples for us?
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Hope other branches of IWFS are doing as good a job as Vancouver has in reaching out currently to members. In these difficult times during the prolonged pandemic it is impossible to get together as usual so it has become necessary to pivot to more innovative ideas. Virtual on-line webinars are working well in bringing members together socially and continuing everyone’s wine education. Another successful one was held on Monday January 25, 2021 well organized by Jim & Milena Robertson and dependable host Larry Burr with reds from around the world – anything except cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or pinot noir. Thanks for the Zoom photos Milena.
Your scribe requested a short note on this diverse wine tasting from President Jim Robertson who provided this summary:
“Red, Red Wine” but without Neil Diamond and not enough to go to our head! But the Vancouver Chapter of the IWFS did enjoy an evening of red wines from around the world. Following virtual events featuring pinot noir and sparkling wines, the theme for the first virtual tasting of 2021 was “red wines from around the world” – but NOT cabernet sauvignon, merlot or pinot noir. And what an event it turned out to be! The evening featured selections by our members of wines from 9 different countries and 13 different wine regions.
Our Zoom tasting was introduced by host Larry Burr with further information during the evening from the encyclopedic mind of Sid Cross as each member introduced their selected wine, starting with two South American wines, Ruth Grierson’s 2017 Garzon Tannat Reserve and Heb and Shirley Hebenton’s 2018 Dona Paula Malbec from Argentina. We moved across the Atlantic to the Old World with an unusual but very tasty 2017 Frappato from up-and-coming Sicilian producer Ariane Occipinti from Jim and Milena Robertson followed by Michael and Beth Noble’s 2017 Azelia Dolcetto. Judy Maxwell enjoyed a 2010 and also a 2016 Barolo while her Hawaiian guest came back with a 2011 Croix Canon. Alvin Nirenberg and Kim Mead travelled to Slovenia for a 2011 Jamsek Barbera, an interesting wine but not well-loved and Drs. Dorothy Janzen and Bob Rothwell delighted in a 1967 Jaboulet Chateauneuf du Pape, still showing well with some nicely aged fruit. Two more CNPs showed up, a tasty 2006 Le Vieux Donjon from Jim and Karen Esplen and from Vince and Zellie Tan a 2000 Chateau Beaucastel, which showed perfectly.
From the Iberian peninsula, Roy and Christine Gould presented a 2008 Sabor Real Tempranillo and Bob Sinclair and Wendy Taylor enjoyed a Spanish 2012 Cartioxa Scala Dei; moving west, Sid and Joan Cross produced a bottle of 2008 Periquita Superiore Castelao from Portugal. Coming back to north America, Larry and Maggie Burr were enjoying a 2010 Girard Petite Syrah and to finish up, back in good old British Columbia, Ted and Dorothy Chiasson finished up their 2012 Hester Creek Cabernet franc and Nick and Lesley Wright rounded out the evening with a 2017 Syrah from Painted Rock.
The evening was a revelation to some, with several unusual but delicious wines being presented and our special thanks go to Larry Burr for organizing and hosting our Zoom meeting, to Sid Cross for his informative comments and to Milena Robertson for ensuring a proper record of the evening.
This meeting format is recommended with each member having the opportunity to present their chosen wine plus providing detailed background information on it and how it tasted. Many interesting new wines to consider and several memorable highlights to investigate further. One was an old favourite, the 1967 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Cedres from Jaboulet. This is not as well known as their iconic plot of Hermitage La Chapelle and made from purchased grapes. However 1967 was from a special lot of all old vines obtained from Chateau de la Nerthe and was still going strong at over 50 years old! Another mostly unknown top wine worth discovering was our 2008 Periquita Superyor from the Peninsula de Setubal in Portugal by Jose Maria Da Fonseca. Periquita has become a well known inexpensive commercial brand but this Superyor was something remarkable indeed. Produced from 92% Castelao Frances (about 35 year old vines) with 6% cabernet sauvignon and 2% tinta francisca grown on a clay-limestone soil (rather than their usual sand) with some stalks used it was foot trodden in small lagares. It also spent 14 months in small new French oak casks resulting in 9100 litres put in amazing deep punt bottles in May 2010 at an earthy elegant 13.5 alcohol. High marks deserved for this unique top quality wine!
We would really enjoy hearing from you in the comments below as to what innovative new branch events you have experienced over this past year. Please let us know.
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Question: What is a simple explanation of fining & racking during wine making and why do it?
Answer: Some particles during wine production are not heavy enough to fall out of the wine by itself and remain suspended – such as very small dead yeast cells. This “cloudiness” can be cleared making the wine look brighter if the wine is fined by adding a substance (like egg whites, gelatine, isinglass, or bentonite) to precipitate them out so that the wine can then be racked (separation of the wine from the sediment) into another container. Some producers are against fining but even more are against filtering in the belief that it might strip essential aromas, colour, and flavours from the final wine.
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