City Wine Merchants

Le Macchiole Paleo Rosso 2002: Why You Can't Generalize When Talking About Wine

Every month there is a wine at City Wine Merchant that I am most excited about. A wine that surprises me and exceeds expectations, and often changes what I think I "know" about wine. Over the past month, that wine is Le Macchiole's Paleo Rosso 2002. It is a wine from the "worst" vintage in Italy in at least more than a decade.

The wine world - for better or for worse (everyone has an opinion) - is dominated by big media. This can be good because wine consumers have unprecedented access to both wine from around the world, as well as wine information. It can be bad because that information is really largely controlled by a few big sources (Robert Parker and Wine Spectator are the biggest). We can debate that all day long, but I'd like to focus on one specific potential by-product of the media-centric wine industry. That is, the generalizing of vintages, regions and varietals.

Wine consumers and enthusiasts are remarkably influenced by the likes of Parker and Spectator, whether we like it or not. We love wine, and so we immerse ourselves in what others (the "experts") write and think. Why? Because we simply cannot taste all the wine that they do! And so, when one of the experts goes to Tuscany to report on a vintage, we pay attention.

In the case of 2002, we were told that it was the weakest vintage for reds in Italy since at least 1994. Some producers in Piedmont did not release any Dolcetto, Barbera or Barolo. Even fewer producers released "cru" Barolo, and what was released was immediately met with scores not fit for such wines. In Tuscany, 2002 was actually a mixed bag as compared with Piedmont, but production was also down an average of 30-40%, and producers generally declassified to at least improve the quality of the basic wines. In short, the average consumer in the U.S. was told that 2002 Italian reds weren't worth our time and money, and we all pretty much moved on to 2003 (or even better, revisited 2001).

I was among those wine consumers. Very few 2002 Italian reds made it onto store shelves, and I can't remember a single memorable bottle from that vintage until now. I'm not shocked that this 2002 Paleo excites me. Le Macchiole has serious pedigree, and is long recognized as one of the pioneers of the Bolgheri area of Tuscany, along with the likes of Sassicaia and Ornellaia. These wines created the Super-Tuscan category. But this wine definitely was like a splash of cold water to the face, reminding me that we can't generalize things in the wine world.  In fairness, International Wine Cellar did recognize the Paleo Rosso as "one of the most successful wines of Italy's 2002 vintage."  But who was paying attention?

Good wine is all about people and places, and every wine is different.  When we generalize about a macro-region (Tuscany), we may miss something very unique to a specific vineyard in Tuscany, for instance.  When we talk about weather in a macro sense (2002 was "cold and wet"), we ignore the possibility that certain vineyards or varietals fared better than others, and that certain producers handled harvesting more successfully.  We are all guilty of generalizations in the wine world, maybe because it helps make us all sound like we "know" something.  I thought I knew that 2002 reds from Tuscany weren't worth my time.  And yet, here I am surrounded by wines from dozens of vintages and regions around the world, and I am super-excited about a 2002 Tuscan throw-away.  It's a delicious, layered wine with aromatics that force me to hold the glass to my nose for minutes at a time.  It is one of the most enjoyable expressions of Cabernet Franc I've ever had.  I'm glad I took my own journey and traveled down this unlikely road.

And so, as I enjoy the last few bottles of this beauty, I will try to remind myself to always taste and buy wine with an open mind.  Try to throw away the conventional wisdom once in a while.  Maybe, just maybe, something will surprise you.  One reward for those who think out of the box a little?  In a "good" vintage, you could expect to pay $80-$100 for this wine.  You can enjoy this 2002 for less than half the price!

Jan 11, 2010 at 12:00 PM

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Wine Resolutions for the New Year

As I look back on an amazing first 5 months and a great 2009, I have a real sense of excitement for 2010.  City Wine Merchant is still a new business, and there are so many things I'd like to do in the new year!  It is our goal to make wine fun for our customers, and to continue to impact the way our customers buy and enjoy wine.  I promise that will continue, and we will do our part to bring exciting wines to you at great prices.  It has been incredible to meet so many great people over the past few months, and I look forward to seeing all of you in 2010!

Here are a few other suggestions for the new year to help us all continue our wine journey and hopefully discover something new in 2010:

1.  Drink Local!  Discover or continue to enjoy the fantastic wines produced in the Niagara Escarpment (USA).  I will be the first to admit that local wines were barely on my radar screen when I opened CWM.  Sure, I've had a great Finger Lakes Riesling here and there, but little did I know that a wine renaissance was happening right in our backyard.  The Niagara Escarpment is home to numerous innovative winemakers, producing top quality wines (red and white) at great prices.  Don't believe us?  Take home Arrowhead Spring's full lineup of Red Meritage, Chardonnay, Semi-Dry Riesling, Port-style dessert wine, and Icewine -- and I challenge you to find a weak-link in the group!

2.  Discover Oregon and Washington.  These two states are producing some of the most exciting wines in the country, plain and simple.  If you haven't fully explored Oregon's Pinot Noir and Washington's Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style blends, then you are truly missing out on something historic.  These wines are some of the best in the world, and they may change the way you think about these varietals.  While some of you may ultimately prefer generally bigger and more-modern-styled wines from California, you may just find that Washington Cabernet and Oregon Pinot Noir are more to your liking.  Some of our favorite producers from Oregon are Patricia Green, Penner-Ash, Bergstrom, Panther Creek, and A to Z.  From Washington, try something from L'Ecole 41, Pepperbridge, Charles Smith, and Januik. 

3.  Drink wine with food.  We at City Wine Merchant believe that wine is meant to compliment a great meal (and vice-versa).  While wine continues to enjoy unprecedented growth in the United States, it has been our experience that many people still overlook the benefit of pairing wine with food.  That's a shame.  There is a saying that "drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures."  Make it a point to experience that in 2010 by putting a little thought into how you can heighten your enjoyment of wine by pairing it with food.  You just may find that it also heightens your enjoyment of food!  Organize or attend wine dinner, or perhaps try picking a wine first and then try to find a good recipe to match it with!  A suggestion or two?  Try seafood with Vermentino from Sardinia, Italy or Lamb with Malbec from Cahors, France. 

4.  Put that bottle away.  While it is impossible to drink aged-wine every day or every week, there is something magical about a wine that has the benefit of time in a bottle.  Flavors and aromas come together and layers are revealed.  In a world where high alcohol content and big fruit-bombs are a-plenty, we often enjoy wines that hit us over the head like a hammer with flavor.  But we also, more often than not, drink wines too young.  When reading about wines, pay attention to suggested drinking windows, and put a bottle or two down in the cellar to see how it changes and evolves over a couple years or more.  Don't have the patience for that?  Good wine shops always stock past-vintages of wines that are cellar-worthy.  Instead of buying that highly-rated 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, ask your wine merchant for something with a little age on it (2003-2006 were all excellent vintages - try Beaurenard CDP 2004 or Ferrand's 2006 CDP).  You may find a better experience and a better value.  Some of our other suggestions for great values and wines that are becoming ready to drink: 2004 Bordeaux and Burgundy, and 2001 and 2003 vintages from Tuscany and Piedmont, Italy. 

5.  Open that bottle!  Didn't I just say that we should put more bottles away to enjoy them down the road?  Yes, but even more important is to not forget that wine is meant to be enjoyed and shared.  Don't let great bottles sit for years or decades because you can't seem to find the right occasion to open them.  Have a 1986 Lafite still sitting around?  Invite a few great friends over, put some steaks on the grill and pop that cork!  Sometimes organizing a fun night around a special wine is the perfect reason to open that bottle.  Better yet, encourage everyone to do the same, and have everyone say a few words about why that wine is special to them.  This is exactly what Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall Street Journal had in mind when they started touting an "Open That Bottle Night" on the last Saturday in February every year.  I have been celebrating OTBN for a few years, and some of the most memorable wines I've ever had were opened on this night.  Why the arbitrary date?  That's the point.  The wine you open doesn't have to be the most expensive or the highest rated.  Rather, pick that bottle that was special enough, for whatever reason, to make you hold onto while trying to find that perfect night to finally pop the cork.  Now you've found that night!

Dec 31, 2009 at 9:00 AM

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Würtz Riesling Trocken 2008: Think Inside the Box

If you have talked to us or stopped in to browse our store, you hopefully know a few things about us -- that we take a lot of pride in our wine selection, that we taste every wine we bring in, and that we choose all our wines based on a combination of quality and value. All of that remains as true as ever, and visitors to our store this week will notice something new, in the form of sleek, black 3-liter boxes of German Riesling! 

There are a lot of exciting things happening in the wine world, and many of the changes are making high quality wine more accessible and affordable to greater numbers of people.  In short, the wine world is becoming a lot less intimidating and a lot more fun.  Consistent with this trend is premium bag-in-box wine, which is growing in both popularity and production around the world.  Italy now allows some wines that receive the government’s quality assurance label to be sold in boxes; there is wine in a stylish cardboard tube made by a top winemaker in Burgundy; there’s a good, old-vine Grenache from the Pyrenees sold in a box; and there is fantastic unoaked Malbec from organically grown grapes in Argentina now available in the United States thanks to the 1-liter TetraPak.  This is not to advocate or argue that the traditional popping of the corks is a thing of the past (I hope not!).  But premium bag-in-box wine has many positives, and I look forward to seeing more great wine boxed up.

Enter Würtz Riesling Trocken 2008 (3L) (Rheinhessen, Germany).  This is a nearly bone-dry Riesling, with a nose of green apple, quince, and flint. The green apple comes through in the front and mid-palate with a nice more-middle Mosel-than-Rheinhessen white floral accent, finishing with flinty mineral, subtle tartness and very tightly wound sliced lemon citrus. The acid is mouthwatering.  The color is pale and pure, much like a clean Chablis, and fans of crisp white Bordeaux and Viognier will love this.  This is a very good wine at a very good price.  At just over $20, the four regular bottles you get in this box come to less than $6 a bottle!  Plus, you are getting high quality wine that you can keep "open" for weeks, and it will remain as fresh as the day you poured your first glass.

Dirk Würtz is an enigmatic young wine producer in Germany. Known as a fanatic for quality, Würtz gave up his job of over 6 years as winemaker at the acclaimed Robert Weil winery to begin his own project.  He focused on quality and price, and sustainable, ecological agriculture. All the vineyards are farmed naturally, and his yields are significantly lower than many of his neighbors. The winemaking philosophy is one of minimal intervention by means of fermentation with natural yeasts and limited pumping, fining, or filtration.

For me, wine is always about discovery -- finding new exciting wines that often change they way you think about a particular region, varietal, or even the packaging.  If you look for quality wine at a great price, as we always do, then this is a must-try.   Leave a comment below and let us know what your think of the idea of premium bag-in-box wine.

Nov 16, 2009 at 9:00 AM

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Fall Wine Dinner Recap: All About Harmony

I'm usually not lost for some words of my own, but after having a day to reflect on Tabree's Fall Wine Dinner, I think that Mike Depue said it all at the dinner's conclusion: It was all about harmony.  Michael Broadbent said, "drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life's most civilized pleasures."  Good wine with good food elevates both, and every time I have great wine and food pairings like this night, I am reminded how we often forget that wine is for so much more than drinking.  I was also reminded on this night how we live in a world of so many over-the-top wines and over-the-top food dishes with crazy proportions.  This night was a complete escape from that, focusing rather on simplicity and balance.

The evening began with beautiful passed hors d'oeuvres, along with a crisp, mineral-laden Cailbourdin Pouilly-Fume 'Les Cris' 2007.  The wine was focused and raw, with only a subtle note of citrus present.  It struck me that this was how Sauvignon Blanc should taste.

Tabree's Oyster Gratin and Calvados set the stage for one of the evening's true highlights - Henri Billiot Brut Reserve Champagne.  This was grower Champagne at its finest.  From 80% Pinot Noir (100% Grand Cru) and it showed.  I thought this tasted more like Pinot Noir than any Champagne I've ever had.  It was full-bodied with fresh-out-of-the-oven blueberry pie notes, and the pairing was a perfect blending of flavors and textures.  Extremely limited production, from a tiny 5 hectare parcel.

Skate Wing Schnitzle, haricot vert, and beurre rouge allowed us to showcase a young but refined 2005 Burgundy.  Rossignol-Trapet Gevrey-Chambertin 2005 was a classic representative of its appellation, unfolding in the glass to reveal a light, elegant wine of mineral, red fruit, and soft baking spice.  Both the wine and Tabree's dark, rich sauce were a couple of my personal favorites from the evening.

For the main entree, Braised Beef, wild mushroom, pearl onion, and demi-glace paired with Les Baux de Provence 'Mas de Gourgonnier' 2007.  While the rest of the evening showcased refined and elegant pairings, this veered toward rustic while still maintaining great balance and restraint.  This was the best wine value of the night, proving that you can get interesting, quality French wine for under $15.  This is such a cool wine (in a cool bottle), and it throws herbs, fruit and spice at you in waves.  After this course, there was little doubt that this was an authentic French food and wine experience.

For a final pairing, Apple Tart Tatin paired with Chateau Tuileries Sauternes 2005.  The dessert was delicious.  Again, simple but elegant.  And this time the food and wine had exactly the same theme - rich but light at the same time.  The Sauternes was classic, with layers of honey and citrus.  Sauternes can often be very heavy and viscous, but this was almost airy in the mouth.  It was a another great value, as this one sells in a 750ml bottle for a fraction of the price of many half-bottle Icewines. 

Thanks to Tabree for a job well done, and thanks to everyone who turned out for this great experience. 

Oct 6, 2009 at 4:52 PM

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Do Something You Love

There are a lot of things I love in life.  Among them, and in no particular order, are my wife, my dog, and wine.  Thanks to my parents and an early start, it seems as though wine has been a part of just about every significant memory in my life.  Family dinners at home, traveling, parties, birthdays...and my wedding (rumor has it that we went through a few bottles of Champagne).  I became a dad for the first time on July 4th, and I'm already thinking of a fun bottle to put away for his 21st birthday.  Or maybe the 18th?  If I'm anything like my parents, my kid will be tasting wine early and often. 

Wine creates beautiful experiences and enhances others – a long, winding journey up a Tuscan mountain in search of a vineyard restaurant on a warm, early fall day that ended with the most perfectly layered and drinkable bottle of Chianti Classico (now that's a romantic lunch); a Prosecco cocktail and a Pinot Noir on the first night of our honeymoon; the bottle that we forgot we had that rounded out a perfect meal at home (remember that Malbec from Cahors that went perfectly with that lamb)?

I have been given a lot of advice in my life, but perhaps none more important than "do something you love."  And so I am.  I look forward to sharing it with people I know and people I will know.  Together we will create more great life experiences.

Jul 26, 2009 at 9:58 PM

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