2009 Domaine Marquis D'Angerville Volnay 1er Cru "Champans"--Too Legit to Quit

Burgundys are designed to spend some time in the cellar. Ask a Frenchman when he'll drink that premier cru burgundy in his cellar and he'll likely say "at my son's wedding."  His son is ten. You get the picture.

So it seemed a bit like infanticide to open a bottle of 2009 Domaine Marquis D'Angerville 1er cru Volnay at a recent tasting at Bern's Fine Wines and Spirits in Tampa but that is exactly what we did.

And it was delightful. The nose was intense, floral on top with dark red fruit and spice on the second whiff. Round and well-balanced on the palate with layers of ripe fruit and mineral and an incredible 40+ second finish.

This is a beautifully crafted wine, notable for the "hands off" approach this producer has adhered to in the making of this wine--biodynamic farming, cold maceration, no punchdowns, gentle extraction, and minimal new oak. 

Robert Parker gave a 95 point score for this Premier Cru wine and I suspect they didn't have to bring out the dancing girls to get it. Drink it now or wait until 2039. No wedding required.

2009 Rust En Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon

My local wine retailer in Tampa, Florida occasionally scores some amazing deals from their distributors and passes the savings onto their customers. One recent deal was the 2009 Rust En Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon, which was offered at an amazing price of $10.99.

I had visited this vineyard back in 2005 and was extremely impressed with their portfolio of new world red wines, so I bought two bottles, thinking unless it's cooked how bad can it be?

Not bad at all. In fact, quite exceptional for this bargain price point. I consumed both bottles over two weeks, pairing them with grilled lamb sliders and beef ribeye. In both I noted loam and dark fruit on the nose and the scent of the Stellenbosch cellar it came from. The palate was mouth coating, a bit jammy, with discernable but balanced oak. And the finish long, with hints of fig and vanilla.

Wine Spectator gave this wine a rating of 92/100. Drink Now or Hold. I concur. Don't expect to get it at this price, however, as I have bought out the stock in Tampa, FL but you can find it on-line from US $27-29. Very good at that price point too.

The USA is Tops!

Okay, we are no longer the economic superpower we once were, our congress is incapable of passing a law, and our federal government can't balance the budget to save its soul, but in one respect the USA is top rated!

In wine consumption.

Yes, we have surpassed the traditional wine quaffing countries like France and Italy in wine consumption. And although China is fast becoming one of the world's major wine consumers, this is one area where the US currently beats China hands down:

"By 2015, US consumers are expected to be drinking 13 liters per adult per year, while in China they should be drinking an average of 1.9 to 2.0 liters per adult," reports the New York Daily News.

Turns out Americans are increasingly choosing wine over beer and spending slightly more per bottle for wine than they have in the past, according to this article published by delish.com.

What does this say about us as a culture? To me it says that even in the hard times Americans will not, and do not, give up the grape.

God bless America!

Flickr photo by Gimme a Pabst

Yes, I am an officially certified wino!

This past fall I spent a week in Northern California training and tasting in preparation to take my exam for the Advanced Sommelier Certificate, granted by the United States Sommelier Association.

The blind tasting part of the exam was a killer, featuring two wines that rarely make it onto a US wine list — a Portuguese Albariño or Alvarinho (as the Portuguese call it) and a South African Pinotage (that was markedly uncharacteristic in its flavor profile).

My fellow classmates and test-takers and were visibly dismayed when the wines were revealed as we had all failed to identify these two varietals and we expected we had failed the blind tasting portion of the exam (which included only five wines).

So I was delighted and surprised when I was informed that I had passed the exam and I waited in anticipation for the actual certificate to be mailed to me as proof positive that I was officially certified.

What will I do now that I'm a certified wine educator and sommelier? I'm not sure yet. I have been very busy working towards another certification that enhances my executive, life and transition coaching business. This has nothing to do with wine, of course, but I joke with my friends that if I, as an executive, life and transition coach, I can't help my clients move towards their goals and desires I can at very least pour them a well-chosen glass of Bordeaux.

Cheers!

2000 Chehalem Ridgecrest Vineyards Pinot Noir

I've been working my way through 2000 Oregon Pinots in an attempt to put a dent in the cellar and pulled out two bottles of the 2000 Chehalem Ridgecrest Vineyards Pinot Noir. I had first tasted this wine shortly after its release on a trip to Oregon in September 2002 when we visited the winery and had the chance to taste a sample from every vineyard. I recall that this wine was a bit of a brat at release, tighly wound, and in a bit of a pout. But the structure was there, as was the promise of more accessible fruit, if given the chance.

These two bottles where the renmants of the case we left with that day and I wondered how this wine had held up over the many years. The first bottle showed beautifully with a deep garnet color. The only signs of age was a clear lip. The nose was a bit dusty but with hints of dark cherry,vanilla, and bramble. On the palate there was plenty of lovely, sweet fruit, velvety in texture, but with enough acid to keep it from being cloying or flabby.

The finish was long--40+ seconds--hot and slightly medicinal.

A week later I opened the second bottle, wondering if the first bottle was a fluke. Nope. Another pristine cork, terrific color, and almost identical characteristics, proving that this wine was indeed worthy of the wait.

Wine Cruises on the Waterways of Europe

AMAWaterways is offering 6 exclusive wine cruises this fall starting at $1,999.00 per person for 7 days (cruise only).

Chose your rivers (Rhine, Danube, and Mosel) and choose your hosts which include winemakers, wine educators and critics, and TV personalities. Included in the price are wine lectures and food pairings on board, with wine-themed excursions and winery visits offered at additional cost. You can also add nights in Paris, Prague, or Zurich, depending on the cruise itinerary.

AMAWaterways are known for their elegant ships, champagne breakfast buffets and gracious dining. As you might expect regional wines are included with dinner. No worries--if you overindulge, you need only crawl to your cabin.

Photo by Laura Scott

Bonterra -- A Wine Lover's Restaurant in Charlotte, North Carolina

We should have felt just a bit uneasy about quaffy down a ridiculous quantity of wine in a former Methodist church, but something (maybe it was the quantity of the wine or the ghost of Reverend John Butt) said, "Jesus liked his wine too."

I was at Bonterra in Charlotte, North Carolina, a lovely restored church turned restaurant/wine room, and I was too busy marvelling at the extensive list of wines-by-the-glass and the mouthwatering menu to feel much trepidation about sampling Bonterra's many lovely offerings. It's not often you find a Veuve-Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne or a Patz and Hall Pinot by the glass outside of London's bubbly bars or Sonoma Valley's finest bar/restaurants. I did have a glass of the Patz and Hall Pinot and the value-priced (at $8/glass) Hill Family Barrel Blend which is primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. These paired nicely with the artfully conceived meat and seafood dishes which I shared with fellow foodies and friends Stephen and Carolyn Kwiatkowski.

The menu is built for sharing--the entree portions generous and a starter menu that includes cheese, charcuterie, and olive plates, mussels, and Fois Gras. The ambience and the well-trained servers invite you to linger and revisit the menu for dessert or a glass of port, or late-harvest wine.

Okay, if you insist...