Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 257

KNAC �

MAKE IT EASY

WINE
BASICS
!{NACK®

WINE
BASICS
A Complete Illustrated Guide to Understanding, Selecting & Enjoying Wine

ALAN BOEHMER

Principal photography by Renee Comet

KNACIKi
®

MAKE IT EASY

g�,�
An imprint of Globe Pequot Press
To buy books in quantity for corporate use
or incentives, call (800) 962-0973
or e-mail premiums@GlobePequot.com.

®
KNAC(Ki
M A KE IT E A S Y

Copyright© 2009 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our
knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this book may be reproduced or the part of the author or Globe Pequot Press. The author and Globe
transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, Pequot Press disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this
including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage information.
and retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing
from the publisher. Requests for permission should be addressed to Printed in China
Globe Pequot Press, Attn: Rights and Permissions Department, PO.
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Knack is a registered trademark of Morris Publishing Group, LLC,


and is used with express permission.

Editor-in-Chief: Maureen Graney


Editor: Katie Benoit
Cover Design: Paul Beatrice, Bret Kerr
Text Design: Paul Beatrice
Layout: Kim Burdick
Cover photos (left to right): Renee Comet, © Tom Higgins/
shutterstock, Renee Comet,© shutterstock
Back cover photo by Renee Comet
Additional Photo Research by Anna Adesanya
Interior Photos by Renee Comet with the exception of those on p. 235
Maps by Melissa Baker© Morris Book Publishing, LLC

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Boehmer, Alan.
Knack wine basics: a complete illustrated guide to understanding,
selecting & enjoying wine I Alan Boehmer; principal photography
by Renee Comet.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-59921-540-2
1. Wine and wine making--Amateurs' manuals. I. Comet, Renee,
1957- II. Title. Ill. Title: Wine basics.

TP548.2.B64 2009
64 l .2'2--dc22
2009024022
Dedication: Photographer
To B r i a n McC l i ntic, Som mel ier a n d C heva l ier d u C rac h o i r
Acknowledgments
A s peci a l tha n k you to Wide World of Wi nes, Pea rson's Wi ne,
a n d Tota l Wi ne fo r gen erously l e n d i n g bottles of wine. To
Acknowledgments:
Steve Bo rko, who was wi l l i ng to open some very old wi nes
The i nformation conta i n ed i n t h i s book wo u ld not have
from h i s col lection to be photog ra phed. To the people
bee n possi b l e without the assista n ce of the St. Step h en's
at S u r La Ta b l e, who a re a l ways so h e l pfu l a nd ge nero u s.
Wi ne Study G ro u p of San L u i s Obis po, Ca l iforn ia, whose
-Renee Comet
month ly tasti n g s over the past d ecade have u ncovered a
wea lth of va l ua b le knowledge.
An add itio n a l tha n k you goes to:

Wid e World of Wi nes


220 1 Wisco n s i n Ave. NW
Wa s h i ngton, DC 20007
202.3 3 3 .7500
www.wideworldofwi nes.com
E l l i ott Sta re n
Hugo Li n a res
Amy Nea l

Pea rson's Wi n e
2436 Wisco n s i n Ave. N W
Wa s h i n gton, D C 20007
202.333.6666
www.pea rsonswine.com
Steve Si lver

See add itio n a l p h oto c red its on page 234.


CONTENTS
Introduction ...........................................viii C h a pter 7: Sparkl i n g Wi ne
Champagne: The Real Thing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
Chapter 1: Serving Wi ne Sparkling Vouvray . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
Popular Corkscrews .................................... xii Cava: Spain's Inexpensive Bubbly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Glassware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Prosecco: Italy's Festive Sparkler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
The All-purpose Wine Glass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 U.S. Sparkling Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Decanters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Sparkling Wine Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Cha pter 2: Wi ne Ta sti n g Chapter 8 : Rea d i n g La bels


How to Taste Wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 What Wine Labels Tell You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
A Home Wine-tasting Party . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 French & American Wine Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Closures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 German & Italian Wine Labels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Chapter 3: O rdering Wi ne Chapter 9: Ca l iforn ia


Restaurant Wine Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Mendocino County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.

Corkage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Sonoma County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74.

When to Return a Wine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Napa Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76.

Common Wine Defects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Monterey County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78.

San Luis Obispo County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80.

Chapter 4: White Wi ne Santa Barbara County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82.

Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Southern California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84.

Chardonnay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Sacramento Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86.

Chenin Blanc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 San Joaquin Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88.

Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28


Viognier/ Roussanne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Cha pter 1O: Pacific Northwest
Riesling/Gewurztraminer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Columbia Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . 90
.

Puget Sound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
.

Chapter 5: Red Wi ne Walla Walla . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94


.

Cabernet Sauvignon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Lake Chelan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96


.

Merlot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Columbia Gorge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98


.

Pinot Noir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Willamette Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 00


Syrah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Southern Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 02
Zinfandel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Petite Sirah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Cha pter 11: New York State
Finger Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 04
Chapter 6: Rose Wi ne Long Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 06
The White Zinfandel Craze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Hudson River Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 08
Traditional French Rose Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
New World Rose Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Chapter 12: Other Reg ions
Vin Gris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 10
New Mexico & Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 New Zealand: North Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...
. . . . . . 1 78
Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 14 New Zealand: South Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... . . . 1 80
Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 16
Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 18 Chapter 18: Other Regions
South Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . 1 82
Cha pter 13: France South Africa: Stellenbosch ..... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 84
Alsace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 20 Israel ... . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . . . . 1 86
Loire Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 22 Greece . ....... . .. . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 88
Burgundy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 24 Hungary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 90
Beaujolais . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 26
Rhone Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
. . . . . . . . ...
. . . . . . . . . . . 1 28 C h a pter 19: South Am erica
Bordeaux . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ..........
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 30 Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 92
Southern France . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 32 Chile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 194
Sauternes & Barsac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... . . . . 1 34 Chile: Central Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 96

Chapter 1 4: Ita l y C h a pter 20: Classic Pa irings


Piedmont/Piemonte . .... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 36 Aperitif & Party Wines . . . . . . . . . . . . ....... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
Trentino-Alto Adige . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138 Wines for Soup & Salad Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..200
.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 40 Wines for Meat Courses .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202


. . .

Veneto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 42 Wines for Spicy & Ethnic Foods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204


. . .

Tuscany/Toscano . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .....
. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 44 Wines for Dessert Courses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .206
. .

Sardinia/Sardegna . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 46 Wines for Cheese Courses . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
. . .

Southern Italy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
. . . . . . . . . 1 48
Sicily & Pantelleria . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 50 Chapter 2 1: Cooking with Wi ne
White Wines for Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21O
.

Chapter 1S: Germany & Austria Red Wines for Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... 2 1 2 . .

The Mosel- Saar-Ruwer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .... 152


. . Fortified Wines for Cooking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 14
The German Rhineland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 154 . Three Wine Reduction Sauces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 16
Austria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
Chapter 22: Resources
Chapter 16: Spain & Portug a l Wine Web Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . 218
Northwest Spain: Galicia ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 58 Informational Wine Web Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
La Rioja: Spain's Classic Region .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 60 Wine Magazines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Ribero del Duero . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 62 Further Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ... .
. . . . . . . . . . 224
Catalonia/Catalunya . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 64 North American Wine Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . 226
Sherry/Jerez . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 66 Europe's Wine-growing Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
La Mancha: Central Spain .. . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 68 Major Wine-growing Regions of the World . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 30
Portugal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..........
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 70
Port & Madeira . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..... .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 72 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 32
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 36
Chapter 17: Austra l i a & New Zea land
South East Australia . . . . ... . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 74
Western Australia . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 76
INTRODUCTION
If you r home l i bra ry conta i n s o n ly a s i n g le book on wine, atte ntion to the q u a l ity of our food s and w i n es than past

this book wo u l d be an exce l l ent choice. If a pict u re is sti l l generations, we n eed better i nfo rmation on a wide s pec­

worth a thousa nd word s, consider t h e lavi s h u s e o f p h oto­ t r u m of food and w i n e issu es. Past generatio n s paid l ittle

gra p h s a n d captions in t h i s boo k that a l low you to lea rn a attention to such matte rs a s g l a sswa re, opti m u m food

maxi m u m a m o u n t of usefu l i nformation with a m i n i m u m a n d w i n e pa i ri n g, w i n e storage, a n d coo k i n g with wi ne.

of effort. The text h ere provides you with t h e most u sefu l A com mon ma ntra of the past h a s been "red w i n e with

i nfo rmation i n the most succi nct fas h i o n . meat, wh ite wine with c h i cke n a nd fi s h :' Today we a re

z T h e scope o f Knack Wine Basics i s b road, encom pass- confronted by doze n s of food a n d w i n e pa i ri n g possi b i l i­
0

u
ing the d isti nctions of each g ra pe va riety a nd major wine­ ties. It's not enoug h to s i m p l y kn ow that C h a rd o n nay goes

� prod u c i n g reg ion i n the wo rld. You w i l l receive advice on we l l with g r i l led ch icke n . We need to know w h i c h type of
0

� every facet of wine enjoyme nt, from wine openers, g l a ss- C h a rdon nay m a kes the best pa i ri ng-a lean, cri s p C h a b l i s?
z
1--1 wa re, a nd deca nters to pairing wine with food, cooki ng with a n u nwooded A u stra l i a n C h a rd o n n ay? or a fu l l m a l o l actic

wi ne, and ordering wine i n a resta u ra nt. Recom mendations heavi ly-oa ked America n o n e?

a re g iven t h ro u g h out t h i s boo k to g u i de you i n fi nd i n g the

best wines at the rig ht price point. Our Resou rces section Value Wines
l i n ks you to the top wine We b sites for ed ucation a n d wine There was a time i n the l ives of m a ny people rea d i n g t h i s
sales on the I nternet. boo k when a l l wi nes were afford a ble. Fifty yea rs ago t h e

g reat Pre m iere G ra n d Cru wi nes o f Bordeaux cou ld be

Wine and Culture p u rchased for u nder $ 20. Loca l wine s hops in major cities

While w i n e h a s been associated with food a nd cu lture stocked the fi nest wi n es of B u rg u ndy-a l l at afford a b l e

for thousa nds of yea rs, the past ce ntu ry h a s seen a g row­ prices beca use the d e m a n d wa s low. Today those wi nes

i n g evo l ution bot h in q u a l ity w i n e m a k i n g a nd in its ro le cost h u n d reds of d o l l a rs or po u nd s and a re afford a b l e o n ly

as a com pl e ment to foods. Beca u se we a re payi ng closer by the very wea lthy.

viii
That said, there has never before bee n the plethora of

q u a l ity, i n expensive wines that we now see on the ma rket.

Wi nema kers who attend to the va l u e-oriented spectru m a re


h i g h ly tra i ned a n d a re m a k i n g wines to exacting sta n d a rds

to fill that ever-expa n d i ng market n iche.


Wi nes priced u n der $5 a re fl ood i ng the market from C h i le,

I ta ly, a n d S pa i n . M a ny a re perfectly sou nd, flawless wines

a n d extremely good va l ues fo r everyd ay con s u m ption. The

trick: overcropped vi nes, mec h a n ica l h a rvesti ng, a nd ta n k

fermenti ng. These proced u res lead t o decent, i f somewhat

monod i m e n s i o n a l wi nes without noticea ble fl aws. No need


to t u r n up you r nose beca use the wine costs $2 or $ 3 . It may a l l with age. Wh ite wi nes made in a leaner style fare bette r
we l l be perfectly sou nd, just not ve ry a romatic or com plex. i n the ce l l a r t h a n fat, oa ky ones. Sweet w h ite wi nes can la st

fo r m a ny yea rs. The key factor that i nfl uences wine l o ngev­

Older Wines ity is b a l a n ce. That refers to an opti m u m ratio of fru it a nd

It's com monly be l i eved that older wi n es a re better. That's acid, p l u s ta n n i n s i n red wines. If a red wine is deliciously

true of certa i n wines, but not most. Wi nes made with the fru it-d riven but lacks s u fficient acids or ta n n i n s, it s h o u l d be

req u i s ite structu re for exte nded cel l a r i n g wi l l u n d ergo a d r u n k soon after its re lea se. It wi l l beco me fl accid and d u l l

tra n sfo rmation of a roma a nd ta ste over time. M a ny red wi nes over ti me.

wi l l i m prove over a few yea rs fo l l owi ng bott l i n g . Five to ten Wi ne, l i ke a l l other l ivi ng t h i n g s, has a l ifespan and a pea k

yea rs on a typi ca l New Wo rld Cabern et Sauvi g n o n usua l ly of excel le nce. Most wi nes worldwide a re made in a style

h its the opti m u m poi nt. Most red va rieties u s u a l ly pea k a that d r i n ks wel l soon after re lease; but m a ny wi l l i m p rove

few yea rs after bott l i n g a nd few d ry w h ite wi nes i m p rove at ove r time-l i ke peop le.

ix
Older red wines carry a very d iffe re nt flavor a n d a roma co nversation ca n ea s i ly overwhe l m the food/wi n e m a r­
profi le. Over time the fresh fru it evo lves i nto a romas a nd fl a­ riage you have tried so h a rd to achieve. The key is accu rate ly
vo rs of d ried fru it a nd someti mes coffee, to bacco, leather, assessing the proc l ivities of yo u r g uests. Known wine lov­
ea rth, d u st, forest floor, a n d truffl es. Wh ite wines may ers wi l l a l ways pay cl ose atte ntion; ca s u a l wine d r i n kers may
develop flavo rs of b utterscotc h and tropical fru it. These not.

cha racteristics a re prized by wine con noisse u rs, but a re fre­

q uently offp utti ng for the casual wine d ri n ker. Finding the Wine You Like
Loo king at a wine d i s p l ay, con su mers ca n be eas i l y fru s­
Paying Attention trated by the bewi lderi ng choice of va rieties a nd obsc u re
Enjoying wine is l i ke l i sten i ng to classical m u sic. There's a l a be l s. M a ny people fa l l back on known varieties a nd m i ss

6
1-1
spectru m; some of it is l i g ht a nd ea sy, oth er pieces a re more out on lesser known wines that m i g ht be more to their ta ste
1-
u co m p l ex and more dema n d i n g of the l i ste ner or co n s u m e r. or eve n less expens ive. Th is boo k w i l l provide a va l ua b le
::::>

g
a::
If you a re i n a soci a l situation b u sy with co nversation, the resou rce fo r u ndersta nd i ng the d iffe re nces between wine


1-1
com p l exities of a fi ne wine a re l i kely to be lost. Even a m id- va rieties a n d reg ions of orig i n . Yo u wi l l learn how to i nte r­
g rade wine may not fare better tha n a good va l ue wi ne. Fine pret foreign l a be l s that ca n lead you to a n e n h a nced wine
wines, l i ke classica l m u sic, req u i re focu sed attention. If yo u r

g uests a re going t o b e more focu sed on co nversation, let

the conversation be the d o m i n a nt eve nt.

Enjoying a fi n e wine is very m uch l i ke atte n d i n g a con­

cert. You sit q u ietly and l i ste n to eve ry deta i l i n the m u sic you

pa id good money to hea r. You try to catc h as m a ny deta i l s

a nd n u a nces as you c a n . A n d t h e more you notice, the

g reater yo u r enjoyment of the m u sic. Fine wine d e m a n d s

the same level o f attention.

The sa me advice h o l d s for the d i n n er ta ble. D i n ner

x
ex peri ence. You wi l l be a rmed with a l l the necessa ry infor­

mation to m a ke wise a n d cogent wine b uyi ng decisions.

Wine Pricing
Beca use wine prices f1uctuate from vi ntage to vi ntage we

use sym bols to suggest a pproxi m ate p rice ra nges for the

wi nes we reco m m e n d in t h i s book.

$ Under U S $ 20
$$ $ 20- 30
$$$ $ 30- 40
$$$$ $40-50
$$$$$ over $5 0 a head by t h i s ti m e. Newly tra i ned, ta lented winemakers a re

tra n sform i ng the wine i nd ustry wo rldwide. It's an exciti n g

S i nce t h i s book is i nte nd ed to be a resou rce beyo nd the c u r­ t i m e t o b e p u rs u i n g the p l ea s u res o f wine a n d it is o u r hope

re nt yea r we have not l i sted vi ntage s pecifics i n o u r wine that this book w i l l open up n ew vistas of wine a p p reciation

recom mendations. I t 's more usefu l to k now that a ce rta i n for yo u .

prod ucer is a re l i a b l e source o f a certa i n type o f w i n e yea r


Alan Boehmer
after year.
n ewworl dwi ne.su ite l 0 1 .com

Welcome, Reader
And now on to the wo n derfu l jo u rney i nto the fa sci nat­

ing wo rld of wi ne ! The knowledge conta i n ed in the pages

before you re presents a l ifeti m e of expe rience with wi ne.

Much has cha nged over the yea rs and conti n u es to c h a nge

at a n eve r more ra pid pace. Wi n e laws a n d a p pe l l ation des­

i g n ations a re in consta nt f1ux and may have a l ready moved

xi
POPULAR CORKSCREWS
Which one is right for you?
Most fi ne wi nes a re fi n is hed with cork or synthetic clos u res rei nserti ng the corkscrew. I f the cork refu ses to be extracted,
that req u i re the use of a corkscrew. The lead caps u l e cover­ p u s h the re m a i n i ng cork i nto the bottle a n d deca nt the wine
i n g the cork hel ps keep oxygen from entering the wi ne. It i s u s i n g a fi ne fi l ter o r tea stra i ner.
norma l ly re moved b y cutti ng a ro u nd t h e t o p o f t h e ca psu le, The s i m ple ba rtender's corkscrew, a l so known as the "wa it­
exposing the cork. The corksc rew i s p laced in the center o f er's frien d ;' is the most widely u sed. It comes in one- a n d two­
the cork a n d d riven a l l the way to the bottom of the cork. If stage models. The two-stage model has a h i nge that a l lows
the cork should brea k, try to rem ove the re m a i n i n g cork by you to extract corks in two stages. It is genera l ly preferred .

Simple Corkscrew The Waiters Friend Corkscrew

V'l
u
1--t
V'l
<(
cc
lJ..J
z:
1--t
3:

u
<(
z:

• The tradition a l corkscrew • The s i m ple corkscrew is • Its sma l l design a n d ease • The notched end fits over
employs a simple design difficult to use with many of use m a ke the waiter's the rim of the bottle, pro­
and is i nexpensive. synthetic corks whose fit is friend the most widely used vid i n g leverage.
tig hter a nd more u n iform corkscrew desig n .
• The screw portion is cal led than rea l cork. • The waiter's friend gets
the "worm:' Be s u re to i n sert • Most waiter's friend desig n s its name from the fold ing
it a l l the way to the bottom • Sim ple corkscrews a re include a small fol d i ng kn ife design that a l l ows a server
of the cork. P u l l the cork out awkwa rd to use a nd have in the handle for cutti ng to keep it in his pocket
using a twisting motion. l a rgely been replaced by through the lead capsu le. without damaging h is
more efficient designs. clothes.

xii
• • • • • • • • • • • • GREEN 9 LIGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Wine and Health


The butler's friend is operated by roc k i n g the p rongs back Multiple studies have shown that red wine consumed in
a nd forth between the cork a nd the i n side wa l l of the bottle. moderation has significant health benefits. It's been cited
You then twist a n d p u l l out the cork. Th is corkscrew leaves as a preventative for coronary disease and some cancers.
the cork whole a nd u nda maged so a bottle can be sec u rely It's a significant source of resveratro/, which is believed to
reco rked. It's a l so the opener of choice fo r soft o r da maged inhibit the onset of Alzheimer's. Recent studies suggest
corks. that resveratro/ may extend the lifespan in humans; it has
The m o re expens ive a n d b u l ky Rab bit corkscrew w i l l re m ove already done so in mice. The Israeli Institute of Technol­
a cork from both bottle a nd corkscrew with one down-a nd­ ogy has developed a method to increase the health ben­
up motion . efits of white wine.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

The Bu tler's Friend Corkscrew The Rabbit

• The butler's friend is a l so • This is the only wine opener • Its elaborate construc- • The Ra bbit removes the
known as the "ah-so:' that will remove the cork tion makes this corkscrew cork from both the bottle
without damaging it. more expensive than other and worm with a s i n g le
• S l ide the longer prong designs. down-a nd-u p motion.
between the cork a n d • Its name reflects the notion
bottle, and t h e n i n sert t h e that a butler can recork the • Less-expensive models fea­ • It's a good choice for those
shorter prong i n t he oppo­ bottl e for service at a futu re ture fragile worms a n d tend who need to open many
site side. Drive the prongs time. to break easily. They a l so bottles at the same ti me­
down the bottle wa l l by take up more storage space for exa m ple, at a party or
rocking back a n d forth . than other designs. wine-tasting event.
Twist and pu l l out the cork.
GLASSWARE
Learn which glass to use and why it's important
The g l ass you choose for you r wine is s u p remely i m portant. com pa n ies was the French fi rm Baccarat , which i n concert
Choosi n g the wrong g l ass is l i ke watc h i ng a movie with the with the winemakers of Bordea ux o ffered the Perfection
room l i g hts o n . The rig ht g lass fra mes yo u r wine and a l lows wine g lass back in the 1 95 0s. Th i s was an 8-ou nce stra ig ht­
its q u a l ities to s h i n e. sided tu l i p, o ffe red at a t i m e when most wine wa s d r u n k from
Most of the c rysta l compan ies of E u rope a nd America tu m b lers or water g la sses.
offer a l i ne of functional stem ware. These g l a sses atte m pt to More recently, g l asswa re compan ies have i ntrod uced stem­
showca se wine i n the best poss i b l e way. The fi rst of these wa re to showca se s pecific varieta l s. If cost is no object , you

Burgun dy Glass Sa u vignon Blan c Glass

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
co
UJ
:z:
1--1
5:
:::::.:::
u
<(
:z:
:::::.:::

• Red wine glasses typica l ly aerated when swi rled. • White wine g lasses a re • Fine red wines should not
are larger than wh ite wine smaller a n d less b u l bous be served in wh ite wine
glasses. The g lass pictured • The g lass shape is bu l bous than those used for red g lasses beca use they
here holds a fu l l ?SO-milliliter with a n i nward-c urving top wi ne. The h i g h stem reflects req u i re more aeration to
bottle, or 26 ounces. to a l low vigorous swi rli ng. an eleg a nt design rather release their a romas.
than a fu nction.
• A proper red wine g lass • The l a rgest g lasses a re • Ful l-bodied wh ite wines
should hold a m i n i m u m used for big, fu l l-bod ied, • Wh ite wines can be served benefit from l a rger g l asses;
o f 1 6 ou nces. La rge g lasses a romatic red wines such as in red wine g l asses, but lig hter white wines perform
offer a large headspace red Bordeaux and Ca bernet they don't need as much wel l in smaller g lasses of
so the wine can be fu l ly Sauvignon. headspace as do reds. a round 1 2 ou nces.

2
might invest in a stemware arsenal, but many wine lovers
•••••••••• YE LLOW LIGHT •••••••••••••


question whether a few shapes and sizes will fill the bill just A Note about Crystal:
as well. Crystal glassware is made using lead. The higher the lead
Shape and volume are extremely important. For any still content, the clearer the glass-and the softer! High-lead
wine, the glass should hold at least 1 2 ounces and for red crystal glasses scratch easily and may lose their clarity over
wines, much more.The sides must curve inward at the top time if washed in a dishwasher. Lead-free crystal glassware
to allow swirling. A stem allows you to observe the beauty is becoming increasingly available. High quality polycarbon­
of the wine and to keep your hands from warming the wine. ate glassware is beginning to appear, but lacks the heft and
To enjoy your fine wines to the fullest, you will need different appeal of fine crystal.

........................ .
glasses for red, white, sparkling, and dessert wine.

Riedel "O " Glass Colored and Cu t Crystal Glasses

• The O g la sses a re typica l ly


" " "O" g lass i s its sleek and • Colored wine g l a sses • Fine wine is typica l ly served
l a rge capacity-us ua l ly attractive desig n. should never be u sed for in thin, often ha nd-blown
a round 20 ou nces-a nd fi ne wine beca use the g lass g l asswa re that emphasizes
desig ned pri marily for red • T h e l a c k o f a stem gives t h i s obsc u res the color and wine rather than the g lass.
wi nes. The missing stem g lass a lower center o f g rav­ textu re of the wine.
prevents the wine from ity a n d m a kes it less l i kely • Heavy, cut crysta l stemware
expressi ng itself visually to spi l l if b u m ped. • There is a tradition in Ger­ obsc u res the bea uty of
when you a re holding it in many and eastern Europe of wine and is usually i m prop­
you r hand. • Slightly smaller versions of serving wh ite wines in high­ erly shaped. Exceptions a re
the "O" glass a re offered for stem med, colored crystal. made for sparkling wine
• The main rationale for the wh ite wine. a n d dessert wine glasses.

3
THE ALL-PURPOSE WINE GLASS
Can one glass really serve the needs of every wine?
Beca use of i nc rea s i n g pressu re from the resta u ra n t i n d u stry, Sauvignon B l a n c a n d Viog n ier, for exa m p l e, do not need
wine g lass prod ucers have developed m u ltifu ncti o n a l g l a ss­ g l asswa re of s l i g htly d iffere nt s h a pe a nd size, yet some crys­
wa re desi g n s. There have a l ways been w i n e g l a sses that had ta l houses offer them. (The Viog n ier g lass is s l ig htly more b u l ­
no pa rtic u l a r foc u s. And the notion that each va rieta l wine bou s.) T h e ratio n a l e i s t h a t more a romatic wi n es n eed more
s h o u l d be matched to specific s h a pes a n d sizes of g l asswa re heads pace for a romas to be most express ive. At professional
is a rece nt one th at, a bove a l l, promotes the sale of expen­ w i n e tasti n g s where m u ltiple varieties a re eva l u ated, it is ra re
sive g l asswa re. Most wine p rofessi o n a l s wou l d a g ree that to be presented with more than a s i n g le wine g l ass type.

Ra venscroft All-purpose Tasting Glass Spiegela u One4All White and Red

V')
u
1-1
V')
<(
co
UJ
z:
1-1
:s:

u
<(
z:

• Thi s g lass design features a • wine inside the glass when • This glasswa re set d isti n­ • It is made from lead-free
generous bowl size. swirled. g u ishes between glasses crysta l and is d ishwasher
desig ned for red and for safe. This is the design
• It has rou nded sides and is • This glass is 6.25 i nches white wi nes. Pink wi nes often u sed in wine industry
inward slanting at the top. h i g h, is dishwasher safe, should be served i n the tasti ngs.
This design al lows the user and has a ca pacity of 1 2 white wine g lass.
to swirl the wine to release ou nces. • This g lasswa re costs less
its aromatics. • This g lass featu res a u niver­ than dedicated crystal
• It can be used for a ny sti l l sal, a l l-pu rpose design. It designs and is fu nctional for
• The high profi l e keeps wi ne, red, p i n k, o r white. comes in two sizes-la rger a l l d ry wh ite and red wines.
for reds, smaller for wh ites.

4
The old-fa s h io ned, a l l-pu rpose wine g l ass w i l l not s h ow a ny
MAKE IT EASY
wine in its best l i g ht d u e to its i nadeq uate capacity. B ut, new
designs from h o u ses such as Ravenscroft and Spieg e l a u work If you buy p rod u cts of s pecia lty h o u ses s u c h as Riedel
very we l l ove r a broad ra nge of wi nes. They a re offered in red o r S p iegela u, it wil l be easier for you to find a dd itiona l or
a nd wh ite sizes. The s h a pes fo r red wine a n d wh ite wine a re rep l a ce me nt g la sses. The most common w i n e g la s s u sed
a l most id entica l . So if you m u st restrict yo u rself to one or two i n p ub l i c w i n e tasti ng events is a 1 9-ou n ce t radition a l ly
g l ass types, choose those. sha ped stem .
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Assortmen t of Riedel Glasses

• C.ht:1rdOV1VIC1� 5 lt:155: 1 6 01..o1 VIC.e)

• C.ht:1mpt:15V1e f11..o1te : 6-8 01..o1 V1 c.e5

• This is the g l asswa re of tant than the man ufacture.


choice if you reg u l a rly enjoy
a spectru m of wines a nd • The top-q ual ity Som me­
desire the optimum design lier series is very thin and
for each wine type. should be ha ndwashed. The
midd le-g rade Vi n u m series
• The Riedel g l asswa re comes is the most popu lar. These
in severa l col lection series g lasses a re easily obtai ned
at a ra nge of quality levels or replaced throug hout the
and price points. The shape U n ited States a nd Canada.
of the g lass is more i m por-

5
DECANTERS
When should you decant your wine, and what are the best decanters?
Deca nti ng, or pou ri n g a bottl e of wine i nto a nother vesse l, soa ked t h ro u g h most of the cork, as is often the case with
is not j ust a n i cety for fo rmal d i n ner pa rties. There a re m a ny older wines.
good reasons to deca nt, so you shou ld have at least one Most red wi nes wi l l t h row sed i ment as they age. The p u r­
deca nter o n h a n d if you expect to encou nter a ny of these pose of the i ndentation i n the bottom of wine bottles, known
circu msta nces: very old red wines, u n fi ltered a n d u nfi ned red as a "pu nt," is to h e l p conta i n those sed i ments when you
wines, old vi ntage Port wines, or wines with bro ken corks. po u r. The sha pe of a Bordeaux bottle, a lso most New World
Broken corks a re a com mon occu rrence when a wine has Cabernet Sauvi g n o ns, featu res sharply a n g led shou ld ers i n

Traditional Meth od of Decan ting Captain 's Decan ter

(./")
u
1-1
(./")
<r:
ca
UJ
z
1-1
3:

u
<r:
z

• Outdated, this method, • If the wine is heavi ly sed i­ • This is the most popular a tea filter. Very fine silver
using a ca ndle, adjusts the mented, this method may traditional deca nter shape. fi lters a re available and a re
bottle angle to keep the res u lt i n wasted wine. Its primary d i sadva ntage is said to contri bute no meta l­
sedi ment in the shoulder of that its na rrow neck m a kes lic taste to the wi ne, but
the bottle. When sed i ment • It works only with bottles it difficult to clea n . inexpensive fi ne tea fi lters
is passed through the neck with a n g u l a r shoulders, work just as wel l .
of the bottle, the a n g le of such as Bordeaux and Cab­ • T h e very low center of
the bottle is adju sted down ernet Sauvignon bottles. g ravity disco u rages tipping • U n l i ke w i n e glasses, cut
to enco u rage the sed i ment over. c rysta l decanters can
to fa l l i nto the shoulder. showcase the visual bea uty
• Use in conj u n ction with of a wine.

6
which sed i ments co l lect towa rds the end of the pou r. see visible sed i ment. Sed i ment i n wh ite wines is usua l ly a pre­
But when there is too m uc h sed i ment or bro ken cork i n the ci pitation of h a r m l ess ta rtrate c rysta ls. Vi ntage Ports a l most
bottle, you wi l l need to decant. Deca nti ng a l so aerates the a l ways t h row sed i ment over ti me. Some of these a re ca l l ed
wine i n a way that j ust removi ng the cork a n d letting it sta nd "crusted Ports" because of thei r te nde ncy to do so.
u prig ht wi l l not do. The older the red wi ne, the longer it will Wi nes yo u nger than ten yea rs ra re ly w i l l req u i re deca nti ng,
ta ke to recover from its long sleep i nside the bottl e. M a ny but a l l wines benefit from the proced u re. A crysta l deca nter
old red wines actu a l ly ta ke m a ny h o u rs or even overn ight of wine lends a n ele ment of el ega nce to a formal table.
to fu l ly open u p. Deca nti ng shortens the awa ke n i ng time
substa ntial ly.
I n genera l, wh ite wines need not be deca nted u n l ess you

Utilitarian Decan ter Art Decan ter

• This stra ig htforward • Some come prepackaged • Its exotic, visu a l ly a p pea l i n g ers typica l ly cost over $ 1 00
deca nter is trad itional a nd with fu n ne l a n d si lver­ and elegant design makes a n d often much more.
features a no-nonsense plated filter. it a n a rt piece as wel l as a
desig n . practica l wine deca nter. • They must be ha ndwashed
• It's much easier to clean a n d may be very difficult
• It's practical an d fu nctions than exotic-sha ped • Art deca nters add elegance to mai nta i n i n a spa rkl ing,
ju st as wel l as a ny other deca nters. to a formal ta ble. spotless condition.
shape. Traditional deca nt­
ers a re u sed for bra ndy a n d • Some models a re expen­
other spi rits as wel l as for sive. Fine crysta l a rt decant-
wine.

7
HOW TO TASTE WINE
Learn to maximize the pleasure that wine offers through a disciplined
tasting procedure
Enjoyi ng wine to the fu l lest need not be ritual ized, but g lass is tilted. U nfi ltered wi nes may not be crysta l clear but
there a re a few parti c u l a rs that wi l l g reatly e n h a nce yo u r may have a richer flavor. Texture-swi r l the wine a nd see if
wi ne-tasti ng experience: co/or-you ng red wines wi l l b e a it desce nds in sheets or "tea rs" or " legs" o n the i n side of the
bl u i s h red . As they age, the color wa rms to ruby, then g a r­ g la ss. Smell-m uc h of the express iveness of a wine is in its
net, a n d fi na l ly brick red. I n o l d red wi nes, the pigm ent may a roma. All wines shou ld exh ibit stro ng fru it a romas such as
coa lesce, leavi ng a clear edge that can be seen when the citrus, p l u m , cherry, or blackberry. But m a ny other a romas

Swirling the Wine Older Wines Show Special Characteristics

<

• Swi rling revea ls the visua l • Swirling a l l ows you to • The color of red wines a re said to be "maderized:'
bea uty of the wine. see the wine's textu re or cha nges from a b l u ish red
viscosity as it retu rns to the to an ora n ge-red. The older • The pig ments have consoli­
• Swi rling opens u p the wine bottom of the bowl. Older the wine, the more ora nge dated, leaving a clear edge.
by i ntrod ucing oxygen wines and those high i n a n d tra nsparent the color. Older wi nes, when swi rled,
and releasing the wine's s u g a r or a lcohol wi l l form can suggest a bstract pa i nt­
a romatics. "legs" on the i n side of the • Older wh ite wines w il l ings when backl it. Older
g l a ss. Thi s shows viscosity a s s u m e a g o l d e n color. wines ta ke time to open up
• Wines should be swi rled and is a l ways a desirable Eventually they wi l l turn a n d release their a romat­
often between si ps. characteristic. brown a n d become ics. They should a lways be
u ndrinka ble. Those wines deca nted.

8
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
may be present, too, such as herbs, flowers, m i nera l s, ea rth, •

a nd spice. Flavor-the flavor of a wine usua l ly fo l lows the Different kinds of oak barrels add special flavors to •
a romas, but not a lways. Some w i n es wi l l exh ibit d iffe re nces wine, such as vanilla, brown spices, caramel, cream, :
betwee n a romas and flavors. Germ a n Ries l i ngs, fo r exa m p le, coconut, and sweetness.The small French oak bar- :
often ex h ibit a petrol or bu rnt rubber a roma, w h i c h usua l ly rels most favored cost nearly $ 1 ,000 and lose most :
does not a ppear i n the flavor. If you experience a d ryness, of their flavoring potential after three years. :

or puckeri ness, in a red wine, there a re u n resolved ta n n i n s. •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
These wi l l soften over time. Finish-notice how the ta ste of
the wine l i ngers on you r pa late.

Texture

How 01Ak Affecf5 the T1A5fe of


Wi V\e
• Ot::1 k bt::1 rre ls M e to the wiV1emt::1 ker wht::1t the
spice rt::1c k is to the chef fermeV1ti V15 or mt::1t1.o1r­
iV15 C1 wiV1e iV1 ot::1 k bMrels i mpMts C1 secoV1dt::1 r�
lt::1� er of flMor t::1 V1 d t::1 romt::1 to the wiV1e .

• Ot::1 k bMrels mC1� be tot::1sted over C1 fire to pro­


mote certt::1i V1 specific chMt::1c feristics . T�pict::1 I
ot::1 k eV1hC1V1CemeV1tS Me impressioV1S of vt::1 V1 i l lt::1,
Spice , rot::1sfed V'llAk CIV'ld met::1t� flt::1v ors.

• New ot::1 k bt::1 r re ls lose their iV1f11.o1eV1ce t::1fter 3-5


�et::1 rs t::1 V1 d Me St::1i d to be 11 V1e1.o1frt::1 I . "
• Fine wine w i l l a l most a lways the wine a n d a re i nfl uenced
show visual texture. not only by the wine's rich­
ness but a l so by the level of
• Textu re ta kes the form of a lcohol a n d sugar.
"tea rs" or "legs" as they
dri p down the i nside of • Sweet wines a nd wines
the glass. You ng wines a nd higher i n a lcohol have a
w i n e s l ow i n alcohol form g reater viscosity than d ry
sheets rather than legs. wines.

• Tears reflect the viscosity of

9
A HOME WINE-TASTING PARTY
Learn , celebrate, party, and entertain by discovering wine with your
friends
You ca n learn a g reat dea l abo ut wine by hosting a wine­ Another i nteresting a n d i nfo rmative eve nt is the wine din­
tasting party. These fu n-fi l led events ca n be i nfo rmal occa­ ner. The host establ ishes the m e n u , a n d each g uest brings a
sions or struct u red, formal events. I nvite friends to come with food cou rse a n d a bottl e of wine chosen to co m p lement the
a favorite wine. The host or hostess provides a ppetizers. This course. Or the host can i nvite a loca l authority (wi ne mer­
offers a cha nce to experience a ra nge of wines at one ti me. cha nt, ed ucato r, winemaker, or k nowledgeable a mate u r) who
Discoveries a re bo u n d to occ u r. provides all the wines, and g uests chip in to cover costs.

A Formal Tasting A Varietal Tasting

• This is a typical setup for • Compare color and clarity, • Two identica l g l a sses a re to incl ude wines norma l ly
com paring similar wines a romatics, taste, and fi n is h . u sefu l so that compa risons outside individual budgets.
di rectly. M u ltiple identical Neutra l crackers a re often may be made. The wines
glasses are needed. used to cleanse the palate are poured i n pai rs. • Wi nes may be compa red
between tastes. Other foods side by side either blind or
• Wi nes to be com pa red a re a re not served because • All wines a re of the same not blind. Tastings can be of
pou red at the same time. they ca n i nterfere with the va riety. A varietal tasti ng a single va riety or m u ltiple
Tasti ng commences after im pression of the wine. can feature a ra nge of q u a l i­ varieties from a single
a l l wines are pou red. Th is is ties a n d prices. The cost of reg ion.
ca l led "flig ht:'Tasti ngs may • Retaste each wine severa l the wine is shared by the
consist of multiple flig hts. ti mes. g roup, making it possi ble

10
A 750-m i l l i l ite r bottle w i l l provide six 4-o u nce pou rs or a may consist si m ply of sma l l g ro u ps of wine lovers who m eet
doze n 2-ou nce tastes. I n a ny case, p l a n on one bottle of wine reg u la rly i n homes. Belong i n g to such a g ro u p ca n lead to
per perso n . Leftover wine m i g h t be left fo r the host. a more com prehe nsive wine ed ucation than ca n be easi ly
The host should p rovide two wine g lasses per person if both ach ieved otherwise. Loc a l wine mercha nts a re usua l ly awa re
red a n d wh ite wi nes a re to be served. If o n l y a si ng le g l ass per of wine study g ro u ps operating i n their a rea.
person is ava i l able, the host sh ou ld p rovide a p itcher of water Where no g ro u p exists, a nyo ne w i l l i ng to host such eve nts
for ri nsing and a d u m p bucket to receive wine that a g u est cou ld easi ly g a i n the cooperation of a wine mercha nt, who
m ig ht c hoose not to d ri n k. might su p ply not o n ly wine for the events but a l so custo m­
Wine study groups ca n be fou nd in m a ny American cities. ers who wou l d enjoy partici pati ng.
These g ro u ps may be based on fo rmal wine-tasting events or

A Compara tive Tasting A Win e Dinner

• Comparative tastings al low Ca l ifornia Pi not Nair versus • Sparkl ing wines m a ke d i nners that pa i r appro­
guests to observe how d if­ red Burg u ndy, for exa mple. s u perb a peritif wines for priate wines with food
ferent winemakers approach You r wine merchant wi l l be home events a n d wine cou rses. Such events a re
the same g rape va riety. able to offer a dvice. d i n n ers. The foamy head easily d u p l icated at home
is cal led the "mousse:' Be with much less expense.
• Choose varieties that show • Com parative tasti ngs sure to u nderpo u r at fi rst
strong regional differences: req u i re two identica l wine to prevent the mousse from • Typical ly, a single wine is
Sauvignon Blanc from New glasses. Appropriate food spilling over the g l a ss. served with each cou rse.
Zea la n d versu s Ca l ifornia; items may be i nc l uded, The main poi nt is to
Oregon Pi not Gris ver- along with a pitcher of • Many resta u ra nts and win­ explore food a n d wine
sus Alsatian Pi not Gris; water and a d u m p bucket. eries offer expensive wine com plements.

11
CLOSURES
What's right or wrong with cork? And what's the best alternative?
Natura l cork is the tra d itional closu re for wine bottles. It's cork closu res need to be stored on their sides to keep the bot­
made from the ba rk of livi ng cork oaks that will re new their to m of the cork moist a n d expa nded. Dried-out corks i nvite
ba rk te n to twe lve years after bei n g stri pped. Natu ra l cork see page, excess oxygen, a n d brittleness. Corks that a re moist
is sti l l the closure of choice because of its u n iq u e q u a l ities. t h roug hout show that they have not protected the wine from
Beca use it is sem i permeable, cork clos u res a l low a subtle the i ng ress of oxygen, a n d the wine is probably rui ned.
micro-oxygenation to take p lace, without which a wine ca n Althou g h sti l l the closu re of choice, natura l cork has a dark
develop fu n ky or su lfu ro us a romas a nd flavors. Wi nes with side. Aro u nd 5 percent of all nat u ra l corks conta i n traces of

Traditional Cork Closure Syn th etic Cork Closure

Vl
u
1--t
Vl
<(
co
LJ..J
z:
1--t
3:

u
<(
z:

• Cork is ava i l a ble in a ra nge • Store cork-fi n ished wines • Made from fi ne-celled poly­ beca use of their tight
of qual ities an d lengths. on their sides if they a re not olefin foa m, synthetic corks purchase on the bottle neck
Italian corks a re short a nd to be consu med wit h i n a a re ava i lable in a ra nge of a n d d ifficult to rei n sert
na rrow; Bordeaux corks are few weeks. colors. beca use they expa nd u pon
longer an d wider. remova l.
• Cork closures a re d ifficult • Synthetic corks a re much
• Natural cork is the closure to reseal. To resea l a cork­ less expen sive than natura l • Aro u nd 1 0 percent of mod­
of choice for a l l fi ne d ry fi n ished bottle, i n sert the cork. ern wines a re sealed with
wines to be held over a d ry end fi rst. synthetic closures.
period of yea rs. • Synthetic corks a re some­
ti mes difficult to open

12
the c h e m i ca l TCA (2,4,6-tric h loroa niso l e), which w i l l utterly with its own set of d isadva ntages. Presently a E u ropea n com­
destroy a wi ne. Such wines lack a roma or smel l of wet news­ pa ny has developed a ta i nt-free natu ra I cork closu re, but it's not
pa per. Fl avors a re u n p leasa ntly affected. Th is is the p r i m a ry been on the market long enough for a proper eva l uation.
rationale for the presentation of cork a n d sa m p le i n resta u­ Screwcaps a re now used on m a ny wines i n the l ow to
ra nt wine service. med i u m price ra nge. These a re a p p ropriate for wines to be
Co rk-fi n ished bottles a re usua l ly overla i n with a l ead ca p­ enjoyed i n the short term a n d a re m u c h more conven ient
sule that is cut open with a k n ife to expose the cork. Some than traditional cork closu res. Wi nes to be held fo r more than
cork-fi n ished wi nes a re sea l ed with wax, PVC foi l, or polyl a m i­ a yea r sho u l d not be sea led with screwca ps beca use of the
nated foi l . abse nce of m i c ro-oxygenation.
A host o f cork substitutes h a s become ava i l able, each one

ZORK Alterna tive Closure Stelvin Screwcap

• ZORK is a polyethylene clo­ s hort term. Test res ults over • The Stelvin is a hig h-end • Screwca ps a re desig ned
sure i n th ree pa rts: cap, foil twenty-four months com­ screwcap designed s pecifi­ prim a rily for mid-priced
(a l u m i n u m), and p l u nger. pare with those of the best ca l ly for wine. wines not i ntended for
screwca p closures. long-term storage, but dif­
• No opener is needed. The • No opener is needed. Wi nes ferent l i ners ensure va rious
ZORK closure i s u n peeled, • This i n n ovative closure is can be secu rely resea led levels of permea bility, so
removed by ha nd, a n d designed prima rily for m id­ with a twist. even expensive wines a re
re-i n serted. priced wines not i ntended someti mes offered with
for long-term storage. • Stelvi n screwcaps a re Stelvin screwcaps.
• The ZORK i s a n ideal closure offered with a ra nge of l i n­
for wines consumed in the ers, including natura l cork.

13
RESTAURANT WINE SERVICE
Here is all you need to know about ordering wine in a restaurant
Most resta u ra nts offe r wine options by the g lass, a ca rafe of 200 percent of reta i l price i n the case of bottles, m uch more
house wine, or a h a lf or fu l l bottl e from a wine l ist. House in the case of house wines. To determ i n e m a r k u p, sea rc h the
wines may be the least expensive option but usu a l ly offer the wine l ist for a wine whose reta i l price you know. That markup
poorest va l u e. Older wines may offer the best va l ue because reflects the resta u ra nt's pric i ng po l i cy. Wi nes by the g lass a re
their prices reflect the ma rku p at the time the resta u ra nt often based on 25 percent of the bottl e's aski ng pri ce. Order
p u rchased the wi ne. The l o nger the resta u ra nt has held the by the g l ass if you i nte nd to drink only one g l ass. Two people
wi ne, the better the va l ue. Typical markups ra nge from 1 00 to orderi ng the sa me wine m i g h t consider ord eri ng a bottle.

Th e Sommelier or Wine Steward A Resta uran t Wine List

• Sommel iers and wine stew­ wi l l i n g to spend on a bottle • Wi ne l i sts a re organ ized • Popu l a r varieties such as
ards a re eager to share their of wine, the g reater the either by foreig n/domestic Chardonnay, Pinot Noir,
considera ble knowledge options and the better the wines or by variety. a n d Ca bernet Sauvignon
and experience. They can pairing will be. a re usually more expen sive.
usually d i rect you to the • If there's a knowledgea ble Less-favored wines such a s
best food and wine pairings • Be ca reful not to overva l u e steward, don't hesitate to Sa uvignon Bla nc, Riesling,
possi ble. the advice o f servers w h o ask for advice. He may pos­ Barbera, Norton, an d Zin­
have not been tra i ned i n sess personal knowledge of fa ndel may present better
A sommelier wi l l usua l ly w i n e service. a l l the wines on the l ist a n d va l ue.
ask for a price category. be able t o m a ke specific
Genera l ly, the more you a re recom mendations.

14
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

: The Sommelier: A sommelier is a wine steward



If you need h e l p, ask to spea k with the person i n c h a rg e of • devoted to serving wine. Sommeliers are h ighly
: trained students of wine. T here are four levels that
the resta u ra nt's wine ce l la r, not the server u n less you know
: lead to the certification of master sommelier. Stu­
h i m to be knowledgeable. If the resta u ra n t e m pl oys a so m­
: dents pursuing certification are tested in technical
m e l ier, he wi l l ask whether you seek wine advice. I f you do,
: knowledge of every aspect of wine and must pass
be s u re to t i p h i m .
: blind sensory evaluations. He wi l l be informed
If you r pa rty orders a variety o f foods, order by t h e g l ass or
: about the restaurant's wine offerings. Restaurants
order a versati le wine that is enjoyable with a ra nge of foods.
: without sommeliers depend on their regular wait
Such wi nes m ig ht i n c l ude a spa rkl i n g wi ne, d ry rose, or a
: staff to take wine orders. Sommeliers should be
l i g ht-bod ied red .
: tipped separately if you ask for their help .

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Presen ta tion of the Cork The Sample Pour

• The cork i s set on the ta ble sme l l i ng the swirled wine. • A sample pour is offered wines, which may indicate
beside the person who only to assure the wine's oxidation. If it smells fu n ky
ordered the wine. The • Customer nods to ind icate i nteg rity, not to seek the or meta l l ic, return it.
customer may pick it up acceptance or retu rns wine buyer's personal a pproval .
and smell it for cork taint if if defective. Retu rned wines • Wines fi n ished with
he chooses. a re l i kely to be retasted • W i n e m u st not b e retu rned screwca ps a re less l i kely to
beh i n d the scenes. beca use it's not what was d isplay sig n s of damage
• A sma l l pour is offered for expected. than cork-fi nished wines.
tasting. Tasti n g is optional • Server pours the guests'
beca use a ny serious defect g l a sses fi rst, then serves the • Look for a da rker than
will be revea led u pon person who ordered. normal colo r i n wh ite

15
CORKAGE
When is it wise to bring your own bottle to the restaurant?
Corkage is the term used fo r the fee c h a rged by a resta u ra n t t h i n k i n g of bri n g i ng a $ 1 0 bottle, forget it u n l ess the charge
w h e n y o u o p t t o bri ng you r o w n bottl e o f wine a n d receive is m i n i m a l . The sa me wine may be offered by the resta u ra nt
the wa iter's assista nce i n servi ng it. It can ru n from zero to at $ 20. Payi ng the corkage for i n expensive wines may m a ke
$ 5 0 or more per bottle. Ave rag e corkage is presently $ 1 0- 1 5 them even more expensive than o rderi ng off the wine l ist.
(US d o l l a rs) per bottle. S m a l ler resta u ra nts with m i n i m a l or no wine ce l l a r wi l l
If you have a wine ce l la r loaded with o l d h i g h-q u a l ity wines, offer corkage a t l ittle o r n o c h a rge. U psca l e resta u ra nts with
payi ng the corkage c h a rge ma kes a lot of sense. But if you a re expa nsive wine offeri ngs wi l l charge more, but they wi l l offer

The Wine Is Presen ted Wine List with High Markup

\tl ,,.-

V') ,.,

u 1.o oO
1-1 \•"°'°
V') \•.,
o0

<( 1o.&

cc ,.. o
0

seo "°
UJ
\8S.00
:z: 1,00'J .oo
s , ,s
1-1
3: \ \ lo .OO

s 11
0.oo

� eo-r<

u s4•.o0
<( sso o<>
:z: ssi oO
� 1s1 00
1&0 00
11• "°
'j the server 1eo <><>
,., oo
,, 00

• The label is displayed. cork. Smell the wine • Resta u ra nts with exten sive • U n reasonable ma rku ps
Be sure it's the wine you i n stead. wine cel lars typica l ly charge a re a relic of former times
ordered. Check the vintage more for corkage to encour­ when wine was considered
date. • A sample pou r is offered. age their customers to a luxury for the wea lthy
Check for appropriate color. p u rchase from the wine list. rather than a standard d i n­
• The cork is presented for Swirl vigorously a nd smell. ner accom pa n i ment.
eva l u ation. Be sure it's • Markups can be as h i g h as
moist only on one end. If • You may want to take a s i p, 300% reta il price and a re • Bring you r own wine and
it's wet completely through, but the a roma of the wine typica l ly double the reta i l pay corkage when ma rku ps
the wine may be oxid ized. rea l ly shows whether the price. rise a bove double reta i l
You need not smell the wine is sound. price.

16
a h i g her q u a l ity of service. Fo r exa m p le, they w i l l p rovide a n • ••• ••• ••• YELLOW LIGHT ••••••••••••••

ice buc ket for wh ite w i n e a n d more a p p ropriate g lasswa re.


M a ny resta u ra nts a re a l l owed to permit you to bri ng you r Pay corkage o n ly when you bring expensive w i n es; other­
w ise, ord e r i nexpensive w i nes from the resta u ra nt's wine
own wine a n d ta ke home a ny l eftover wine that you have
l i st.
bro u g ht or p u rchased. •
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corkage is charged per bottle, not per event, reg a rd less of
the n u mber of people bei n g se rved.

Win e List with Reasonable Markup Win es by the Glass

.i • ' " '° r r o -. • mul

c bem
1.00

• Double retail markup • Wi nes that a resta u rant has • In a fine resta u ra nt, a l l have more than a thousand
provides a substantial profit cel lared for years may cost wines a re tasted b y the wines.
margin for the restaurant, but l ittle more than its cu rrent wine buyer a n d selected to
the restau rant must provide reta i l price. com plement the restau­ • Wi ne by the g lass is a n
proper storage for the wine. ra nt's food offeri ngs. attractive option for those
• When wines a re offered at i ntend i n g to d ri n k on ly a
• The markup is usually estab­ double reta i l or less it can • The q u a l ity of the wines s i n g l e g la ss.
lished at the time of purchase be wise a nd conven ient to is chosen to com plement
and many wines improve o rder from the wine l ist. the food q u a l ity. Casual • Wi ne is considered a food
with proper cellaring, while resta u ra nts have s hort wine item when ca lculating tip.
retaining its original markup. l i sts; luxury restau ra nts may

17
WHEN TO RETURN A WINE
How often are restaurant wines returned, and what are acceptable
reasons?
It is ra re fo r patrons to ret u rn wine, even thou g h it is known rinsing the e m pty bott le, expe l l i n g a l l oxygen by spa rg i n g
that a ro u n d 5 perce nt of a l l cork-fi n ished w i n es wi l l be con­ w i t h n itrogen, fi l l i ng, a n d a pplying the c l os u re o f c hoice. The
ta m i nated. Most consu mers i n correctly assu me that odd a ro­ wines may have u nde rgone egg wh ite fi n i ng, which removes
mas and fl avors a re a pa rt of the wi ne's p rofi le. g ross parti c u lates, or steri le fi ltration, which rem oves all pa r­
Modern w i neries e m p loy fastidious tec h n iq ues to ensure tic u lates, i n c l u d i n g yeast cel ls.
that their wi nes wi l l be sou nd . These tec h n iq u es i n c l ude Wi nes fi n ished with q ua l ity screwca ps such as Stelvin a re

The Evalua tion Tartra tes

• Exa mine the cork, but there some degree. • Ta rtrates show as wh ite to the wine. It is a l so a
is no need to smell it. If the crysta l s on the u nderside of source of Cream of Ta rta r,
wine has soa ked all the • Swi rl a n d smell to detect the cork a n d inside the neck u sed in cooki ng.
way through the cork, the a ny i n a ppropriate a romas of the bottle.
wine is proba bly oxidized to that might suggest cork • Ta rtrates a re most com­
some deg ree. ta int o r Brett. • The presence of ta rtrates is monly fou n d i n wh ite wines
not a defect. that have not u ndergone
• Observe the color of the • Nod for accepta nce or hars h fi ltration.
wine to see whether oxida­ retu rn the wine if it is • Ta rtrates a re precipitates of
tion is i n evidence. Oxygen defective. tartaric acid, the compo­
turns a l l wines brown to nent that gives brig htness

18
de pendably sou n d, a n d q u a l ity screwca ps a re a p peari ng fresh fru it a n d spice. Oxid ized reds a re h a rder to ide ntify.
more freq uently on h i g h -q u a l ity wi nes. Dry wh ite or p i n k Wi nes subjected to excessive leve ls of heat lose m u c h of
wines a re a l most a l ways i nte nded for early consu m pti on their com plexity a n d may exhibit a "cooked fru it" fiavor. Red
and if fi n ished with a screwca p or a ltern ative clos u re may wines a re occasiona l ly i n fected with a rog ue stra i n of yeast
be po u red with confidence. Wi nes a re retu rned most often known as " B rett" (brettanomyces) . Even when these wines
for cork ta i nt (TCA) a n d oxidatio n . Cork-ta i nted wi nes either u ndergo ste rile fi ltration, yeast has a l ready affected the taste
suffe r a loss of a roma a nd fi avo r o r smel l of wet newspa per. a nd a roma. Such wines may smel l of the ba rnya rd . Pi not Noir
An oxid ized wine a n nou nces its p resence by a d a r ken i n g or is especia l ly v u l nerable. A tiny a mo u nt of Brett i nfi ue nce may
brown i ng of the color. Oxid ized wh ite wi nes may have an add to a red w i n e's co m plexity, so u n less excessive, such
ea rthy, meta l l i c or She rry-l i ke sme l l rather than the expected wines a re not necessa ri ly to be considered defective.

Sedimen t

• Cork fciivif (TC.A)

• txc.e55ive leve l of BreH

• " Cooked " flcivor res1A lfiV)5 from exc.e55ive fem­


peretf1A re iV) fretV)sporf or 5forci5e

• Bottle deposit adheres most sed i ment.


to the sides of the bottle
i n older red wines. These • The presence of sed i ment
wines should be deca nted. is most often fou n d i n high­
q ua l ity older red wines.
• Sed iment consisti ng of pre­
cipitated ta n n i n s, ta rtrates, • The presence of sediment
and proteins col lects at i s not a defect but may
the bottom of the bottle. req u i re that the wine be
Pouring the wine through a deca nted.
fine tea stra i ner wi l l remove

19
COMMON WINE DEFECTS
Learn how to tell when a wine is bad
So m a ny t h i ngs can go wrong i n the w i n e m a k i n g process. Oxidation beca use of cork satu ration: Fi l l leve l in bottles
I t 's a m i racle that these p roblems so ra rel y show up in fi n­ may be low in older wines. Check before open i ng. If cork is
ished wi ne. The m a i n q u estion is often o ne of d eg ree. A l itt le satu rated a n d wine smel ls fu n ky, it's probably oxid ized.
of this or that fa u lt m i g ht pass notice by the consu mer a n d Vo lati le acid ity: The wine smel ls of vineg a r.
usu a l ly does, parti c u l a rly if the co nsu mer doesn't know what Et hyl acetate: The wine smel ls of n a i l po l ish rem over. Th is is
to look for. ve ry co m mon but o n l y a defect when excessive.
Here a re the most com mon ly encou ntered wine defects: Hyd rogen su lfide: S m e l ls of rotten eg gs. Th is ca n be the

Sa tura ted Cork Chardonnay with Normal Color

V')
u
1--t
V')
<(
c:o
UJ
:z:
1--t


u
<(
:z:

• Wine has mig rated to the • Th is is an issue particu l a r to • Normal Chardon nay color is beca use of more extended
top of the cork. very old wines. Such wines light to med i u m straw. skin contact or prefermen­
need considerable aeration tation cold soa king.
• The cork is wet and fragi le. before eva l uating. • U nwooded or unoaked
It may disi ntegrate u pon Chardon nays a re usually • The a roma should be fresh
remova l. • The presentation of the lighter. a n d vi brant. It should sme l l
cork i n restau ra nt wine ser­ o f fruit, flowers, herbs, a n d
• The wine is probably vice assures the customer • Many Chardon nays may va n i l l a if oa ked.
oxidized but may be sou nd. of a sound cork. be slig htly deeper i n color
Swirl, smell, a n d taste.

20
resu lt of a red wine that has been oxyg en deprived . Brett (bretta no myces) : Very common i n sma l l a m ou nts.
Cork tai nt: S m e l ls of wet newspaper or not at a l l . Fl avor is Wi ne smel ls of ba rnya rd, sweaty sad d l e, or cheese.
abse nt. Wi ne is r u i ned. Refermentation: When wine is bottled without fi ltration,
Heat da mage: Th is is the most common wine defect. Wi nt yeast cel ls may referment, prod ucing a slight fizzi ness, which
has been subjected to excessive te m perature in transport or the French ca l l petula nce. Some wines a re made to enco u r­
storage. Wi ne tastes fl at a n d cooked . age it beca use it adds an i nteresting textu re to certa i n wines
Maderization beca use of age: Al l wi nes d iscolor ove r ti me. Some of these fa u lts do not h a rm wine when prese nt i n
Wh ites g rad u a l ly turn brown (t he co lor of Madeira). Dry wines acceptabl e l evels. Others do. Cork ta i nt ru i ns a wi ne, a s does
lose their fresh cha racter. Sweet wi nes can benefit if not too heat da mage. A l l others have acceptable levels that ca n con­
excessive. tribute to the c h a racter of a wi ne.

Chardonnay with Oxidized Color

• Oxidt1fioV1

• Oxygen i n excess turns • Oxidation is usua l ly caused


wines brown . As white by exposu re to h i g h tem­
wines a re affected by peratu re in you ng wines
oxygen, they turn a deep or by cork fa i l u re in older
golden color. This color wines.
should raise a red flag.
• Oxidized wines a re useless
• U n u sual a n d u n pleasant for d ri n ki n g or cooking.
non-fru ity a romas such as Discard them.
meta l a re h a l l ma rks of an
oxid ized white wine.

21
Sauvignon B l a nc, a lso ca l l ed "Sa uvignon" a n d " F u m e B l a n c;' is Made without o a k i nfi u ence, d ry Sauvignon B l a n c shows a
one of the oldest of the so-ca l l ed noble g ra pes a n d a par­ c risp acid ity a n d a gooseberry, g rassy, a n d herbaceo us c h a r­
ent of Cabe rnet Sauvi g n o n . Its homela nd is i n the vineya rds acter. When it is ba rrel-fermented i n oa k, its racy brig htness is
of Bordea ux and the Loi re Va l l ey, but it is g rown successfu l ly s l i g htly m uted a nd may exh ibit h i nts of tropical fru its.
worldwide. Very expressive Sauvignon B l a n c wines a re made Sauvignon B l a n c ma kes an excel lent a peritif wine a n d
i n Italy a n d New Zea l a n d . partners wel l w i t h a w i d e ra nge o f foods, especi a l ly fi s h a n d

Sa u vign on Blan c Cluster

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
cc
lJ..J
z:
1--1
3:

u
<(
z:

• Sauvignon is the fou rth­ warm climates such as the


most-widely pla nted g ra pe Loi re Va l ley in Fra nce and
va riety in France. the Sa nta Ynez Va l l ey i n
Cal ifornia.
• A very vigorous g rowth
pattern leads to i ntensely • It is most successfu l ly
herbaceous wines if g rowth g rown in Fra nce, Chi le, New
is not tig htly control led. Zea la nd, and Ca lifornia.

• It is most successfu l ly
g rown in moderately

22
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• •
• •
pou ltry d ishes. It is the wine of c hoice for goat cheeses. • Semillon is often blended with Sauvignon to •
• •
I n partnersh i p with Se m i l lo n , it ma kes one of the wo rld's • mitigate the crisp acidity. Semillon adds a buttery •
• •
g reatest dessert wines, Sa uternes. Sa uternes is made from • nuttiness to the blend, resulting in a rounder, less- •
• •
gra pes that a re ha rvested late a n d subjected to botrytis, the • assertive wine. Semillon has become specialty • a
• •

"noble rot:' Botrytis mold occ u rs nat u ra l ly o n g ra pes g rown in • varietal wine in Austral ia's Hunter Valley. Consid- •
• •

wet co n d itions fo l lowed by d ry. Sauvignon Blanc a lso ma kes • ered the most age-worthy of all white grapes, •
• •
• it occupies 75 percent of all Bordeaux acreage •
an excellent late ha rvest dessert wine with i nte nse flavors • •
• devoted to white grapes, but is not offered as a •
of pa paya, melon, q u i nce, g i nger, a n d toffee a long with t h is • •
• single-variety wine. It is the primary component of •
va riety's characteristic acid ity. S u perb, i n expe nsive exa m p les
: famed Chateau d'Yquem Sauternes. :
a re made in C h i le a n d Ca l ifornia. • •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Glass of Sa u vign on Blanc Botrytised Sa u vign on Grapes

• Dry versions should be l ig ht wi l l be rou nd er, fru itier, a n d • Noble rot desiccates the the mold affects c l u sters or
straw in color. l e s s agg ressive. g ra pe berries, concentrat­ individ ua l g ra pes at d iffer­
ing their flavors a n d suga rs. ent rates.
• New World exa m ples a re • White Bordeaux (Sauvi­
made to be d r u n k you ng, gnon) ages g racefu l ly for • Botrytis occurs in tem per­ • Botrytis adds a second-
soon after bottling. up to fifteen yea rs. New ate c l i mates where morning a ry palate of honeyed,
World Sa uvignons should mists a re fol l owed by d ry rich flavors. These wines
• Oak-influenced Sauvignons be consu med wit h i n three afternoons. a re a lways very sweet and
should be held for at least a yea rs after rel ease. com plex. The world's most
year before d ri n king. They • Botryti sed vi neyards req u i re expensive dessert wines a re
severa l pickings beca u se a l l botrytis affected.

23
CHARDONNAY
This is America 's most widely planted wine grape
The C h a rdon nay g ra pe is responsible for the wo rld's g reatest Chardon nay can be a refres h i n g wine with a romas a nd flavors
d ry wh ite w i n es. Native to the B u rg u n dy reg ion of Fra n ce, of a p p les, pea rs, a nd lemon, but when ferme nted a nd aged
it reaches its su p reme expression in the g reat w i n es of Le in oa k ba rrels it ta kes on a new spectru m of com p lem enta ry
Montrac het a n d surrou n d i n g vi neya rds. It is g rown world­ cha racteristics, such as va n i l l a a n d tropical fru its.
wide a n d com p rises a ro u n d 40 perce nt of the entire g ra pe No other va riety shows the winemaker's cha racteristic styl e
crop i n Cal iforn ia. better than C h a rdon nay beca use it l e n d s itself t o a wide
When made i n a stra i g htforward style with no oak i nfl u e n ce, ra nge of m a n i p u latio ns. The most common of these is to

A Mechanical Harvester

LU

� • B1A r51AV1d� f dC1SSic , bC1 letV1ced , ele5eiV1t, ver� d r�


3:
t5 · Cheiblis (fretV1ce) : stee l� , tv1iV1erei l l � , ver� dr�
<(
z:
::::£ • Cei liforV1iCt : ripe , ro1A V1d , f1c.vorf1A I , cotv1plex

• Vi neyards m u st be pla nted • Mechanical ha rvesters


and tre l l ised to facilitate remove g ra pe clusters by
mechanical ha rvesting. shaking the tru n k of the
vi ne.
• Mach i n e harvesting does in
hours what a picking crew • Mechanical ha rvesting
wou l d need days to do. helps keep costs of prod uc­
tion down, making lower
• Mechanical h a rvesting is priced wines economical
employed only on l evel or without sacrificing g ra pe
nearly level vineya rd sites. qual ity.

24
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
i n d uce seconda ry, or ma lol actic, fermentatio n . Th is process .

converts the h a rder m a l ic acid i nto softer lactic acid a nd Chard o n n ay made i n sta i n l ess steel ta n ks or neu- •

i m pa rts a textu re that m a ny describe as "buttery:' tra l oa k a re fresh tasti n g . If made u s i n g new oa k, :
The combination of oak ba rrels a nd seco ndary fermenta­ C h a rd o n n ay wi l l be richer a nd fatter. It w i l l d isplay :
tion creates the style of C h a rdon nay most fa m i l i a r to us. The n otes of va n i l l a, tropical fru its, a n d s pice. :

fi nest New World Chard o n n ays i nva riably subject the wine to •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
new oa k ba rre l s, usua l ly French. These 5 5-ga l l on ba rre l s a re
cal led barriques a n d cost a ro u n d $ 1 ,000 each a n d a re used
for t h ree yea rs before bei n g re p laced. This is a p r i n c i pa l factor
that d r ives up the cost of these wines.

Glass of Chardonnay Wha t Differen t Bottle Shapes Can Tell Us

• This is America's favorite ta n ks to preserve the fresh • Most bottle shapes a re wines use the same bottle
wh ite wine. fru it character. Unoaked va riations of the Bordea ux shape out of trad ition .
Cha rdon nay is becom i n g a n d Burg u ndy bottles.
• Chardonnay is made i n a i ncreasi ngly popu l a r. • Burg u ndy bottles a re fatter
va riety of styles ra ng i ng • Beca use red Bordea ux a n d h ave gently sloping
from bone dry to moder­ • Chardon nays may u ndergo wines req u i re yea rs of shoulders, reflecting the
ately sweet. a secondary fermentation bottle age, the Bordea ux fact that the wines of B u r­
that converts harsh m a l ic bottle has sharply a n g led g u ndy, which include Pinot
• U noaked or u nwooded acid i nto rou nder lactic shoulders to help catch Noir a n d Chardonnay, do
Chardon nay is fermented acid, resulting i n a mouth­ sedi ment when the wine not req u ire extensive bottle
and aged in stai n less steel feel often cal led buttery. is pou red. White Bordeaux aging.

25
CHENIN BLANC
A wonderful Chardonnay alternative
Chen i n B l a nc, the g reat va riety from Fra nce's Loi re Va l l ey, was Fra n ce. The re's a lso more i n S o u t h Africa, where it's widely
once the m a i nstay of major Ca l ifornia w i n eries such as C h a rles k nown as "Stee n" a n d occ u p ies a ro u n d 30 percent of all the
Krug a nd Wente. The rise of Ca l ifornia C h a rdon nay ecl i psed co u ntry's vineya rd a rea . In Ca l ifornia Ch e n i n was l a rgely re le­
the pop u l a rity of Chen in B l a n c, a n d m a ny of the best Chen i n gated to the hot Centra l Va l l ey vineya rds a n d used to prop u p
B l a n c vineya rds were budded over t o other va rieties. less-acidic va rieties such a s Thom pson Seedless a nd French
But Ca l ifornia wineries never gave u p on Chen i n . Today Colomba rd fo r use i n cheap j ug wines. We estimate that as
there's more Che n i n i n Ca l ifornia vineya rds than in a l l of m u c h as 95 perce nt of Ca l ifornia Chen i n is c ropped at a ro u nd

Hand Harvesting

• Loi re Vcil le\j , FretV\Ce : flA l l retV15e from boV\e d r\j


to ver\j )wee+. Loi re Vci l le \j CheV1iV1S' diS'plet\j
Ct mi V\eretlit\j rcirel\j folA V\d iV\ New World
exetmple5.

S'oo.Afh Africet : CheV\iV\ BletV\C hCtS' ci lwet\jS' beeV\


S'olAfh Africet '5 moS'f poplA letr whife vetrief\j , blA+
moS'f exetmpleS' lcick fhe complexif\j folAV\d eifher
iV\ fretV\Ce or Cci liforV1iCt.

• Cci liforV1iet: e5pecietl l\j fhe CletrkS'blA r5 etppellci­


fioV\ V\eetr 5cicrci meV\fo , which iS' 5eti V1iV\5 V\Oto­
rief\j CtS' CtV\ ideci l loccifioV\ for CheV1iV1 BletV\C
• Hand harvesting is needed severa l passes through a
whenever a g ra pevi ne vineya rd over a period of
ripens its fru it u nevenly. severa l days to ensure that
no u n ri pe fruit is included.
• Hand harvesting is the
method of choice for a l l • Gra pes for very expensive
prem i u m wines a n d is the dessert wines such a s
only option on steeply Sa uternes, Tokaji, and Ice
i n c l i ned vi neyards. Wine a re someti mes picked
by single berries rather than
• Workers typical ly m a ke whole clusters.

26
1 0 tons per acre, compared with the 1- 3 tons per acre associ­ • • • • • • • • • • • • •

GREEN 9 L IGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

ated with fi ne wine.
: Outstanding California Chenin Blancs come from Santa :
I n Fra n ce, Che n i n B l a n c is made in a ra nge of styl es from
: Ba rbara County (Lucas & Lewellyn), Cla rksburg (Ehrhardt), :
crisply acid ic Save n n ieres to l uscious, ho neyed Q u a rts de
: and Napa Valley (Casa Nuestra). :
C h a u me. The most po p u l a r exa m pl es a re from Vouvray a nd • •
• •
Montlou is. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

New World Chen in B l a n c is l i kely to be rou nder a n d slig htly


sweet. Beca use it is less expensive to prod u ce tha n m a ny
C h a rd o n n ays, Ca l ifornia C he n i n B l a n c often offers excep­
tional va l u e.

Chenin Blanc A Superb Dessert Win e

• New World Chen in Blanc a round 5 0° F, so remove • Quarts de C h a u me a n d Sa uternes, H u ngary's


exh i bits a rou nd, fru ity from you r refrigerator Bonnezeau, m a d e from Tokaji Aszu, a n d Germa ny's
fl avor. a round thirty m in utes Chen i n Blanc in Fra nce's Trocken beerenauslese.
before servi ng. Overc h il l i ng Loire Va l ley, a re a mong the
• It's usually made in a n will m ute the flavors. world's most esteemed des­ • They a re best served only
off-dry style with a sweet­ sert wines. S i m i l a r flavors moderately c h il led a n d with
ness profi l e s i m i l a r to • New World Chen in Blanc a re fou n d i n much lig hter­ a moderate pour because
that of many New World offers excel lent va l ue, with styled wines of neig h boring these wines a re sweet a n d
Chardon nays. fine Cal ifornia exa mples Coteaux d u Layo n . r i c h . Quarts de Chaume is
priced as low a s $ 1 2. a n exce l lent choice to enjoy
• Chenin Blanc is best served • Similar w i n e s in c l u d e with l iver-based d ishes.

27
PINOT GRIS/PINOT GRIGIO
America's second-most popular white wine
Pinot G ris, known i n Ita ly as "Pi not Grigio;' is a m utation of The g ra pe gets its name from the bl u ish-pi n k color of its
Pinot Noir a n d when g rown u nder the rig ht cond itions ren­ ski n. It is one of two i m porta nt Pinot Noir m utatio ns, the
ders a su perb, med i u m-bod ied wh ite wi ne. The northern other bei n g Pinot B l a nc.
I ta l i a n exa m p les te nd to be fa i rly si m pl e, p l easa nt w i n es. The In B u rg u ndy it has been a l lowed to be i n c l u ded in the m ust
Oregon a n d Ca l ifornia exa m p les a re more l i kely to d isplay of red B u rg u ndy, a nd it is thoug ht to add a softe n i n g i nfl u­
gently perfu med a romas of melon, a l mond, peach, fe n n el, ence to wi nes that a re widely thoug ht to consist of 1 00 per­
a n d o ra n g e peel. cent Pi not N o i r.

Pinot Gris

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
cc
UJ
:z:
1--1
• Ittil'j: TreV1fi V10-Alto Adi5e CiVld friv.li
:5:
:::::£
u
• A lsC1c.e
<(
:z:
:::::£ • Ore50V1 : WillC1MeHe Vtil le'j

• C.CiV\CidCi : OkC1VIC15C1V\ Vti lle'j , British C.olvtMbiC1

• C.C1liforV1iC1: S'C1c.rC1MeV1to Vtil le'j (C.IC1rksbvtr5) .


S'CiV\tli BlirbMCi C.ovtV\t'j , Ntipti Vti lle'j

• Pinot Gris is a lig hter, more­ • It's an easy drinking wine,


delicate wine than Char­ an excellent choice when
don nay a n d is considered you a ren't s u re of you r
to be a wine of med i u m guests' wine preferences.
weig ht.
• Avoid the least-expensive
• It features soft, rou nd fla­ bottlings. They a re poorly
vors in New World exa m­ made. The best is obtained
ples, with more com plexity for a few dollars more.
tha n comparably priced Ca l ifornia and Oregon Pi not
Chardonnays. Gris a re more dependable.

28
Pi not G ri s, l i ke its a n cestor Pinot N a i r, strongly reflects its Pinot Gris/G rig io, u n l i ke C h a rd o n n ay, i s made i n sta i n l ess
terroir, or vi neya rd site. In Al sace it m a kes some of the most steel ta n ks and never sees new oak ba rrels. Th i s g ives the
h i g h ly prized wi nes of the reg ion, where it u sed to be known wine a freshness that m a ny New World Chardon nays lack. A
as "To kay Pi not Gri s:' Some of these s p l e n d i d sweet wines few prod u cers age thei r Pi not G ri g io i n older, neutra l oak to
riva l H u ngarian Tokaj i, whereas others a re d ry a nd co m p lex. prom ote a rou nder mouthfee l .
In Ca l iforn ia, Pi not Grig io, as it is most ofte n ca l l ed, te n d s to New World Pi n o t Gris reaches i t s fi nest expression i n Ore­
be made to satisfy co n s u m e rs looking for a gentle, off-d ry gon's Wi l la mette Va l ley. These very affo rdable wines re pre­
wine with laye rs of flavor. It has a strong a p pea l to those who sent Pi not Gris at its best with good body and a layered flavor
a re ti red of oa ky C h a rdon nay but a re offput by the crisp acid­ profi le.
ity of m a ny Sauvignon B l a ncs.

Stainless Steel Ferm en ters

. vke &IS' &IV\ t:tperifif, c.hi l led .

• V1S'e t:tS' t:t P.t:trf'j wiV1e with &\VI t:tS'S'orfrvieV\t of


VllAtS' t:tVld fiV15er foodS'.

• [Vl_jo 'i if with li 5 ht food C.OtArS'eS' , S'lAC.h t:tS' S't:tw


teed f iS'h or S'et:tfood pt:tS'ft:t i VI c.ret:tm S't:ttAC.eS'.

· It p&tirS' ver'j well with delic.&tfe 5oft- ripeV1ed


c.heeS'eS' t:tVld t:tlpiV1e Tomme-S't'j le c.heeS'eS' S'lAC.h
t:tS' AppeV1zeller t:tVld CmmeV1fht:tler.
• Pi not G ris is a l most a lways • The use of sta inless steel
fermented in sta i n less steel versus oak barrels keeps the
rather than oak barrels to cost of prod uction down.
preserve the fresh fru it Th is means that a q ua l ity
character. Pinot Gris w i l l be a much
better va l ue than oa k­
• Sta i n less steel fermenters fi n ished wines of s im il a r
have water jackets that q ua l ity.
a l low precise tem peratu re
control. Pinot Gris is best
when cold fermented.

29
VIOGNIER/ROUSSANNE
White Rhone varieties are becoming increasingly fashionable
Exotic, sensua l , a n d h i g h ly a romatic, Viog n ier is America's The res u l t was not h i n g short o f asto n is h i ng, a n d Viog n ier is
most expensive wh ite g ra pe c rop, costing a l m ost as m uc h now g rown t h ro u g hout northern Ca l ifornia.
a s Cabernet Sa uvig non. Twenty yea rs ago Viog n ier was not Ca l ifo r n ia's acreage pla nted to Viog n ier now fa r surpasses
in com m e rcia l p rod uction a nywhere i n the New World, a n d Fra nce's, where it is re legated to two d isti n g u ished vineya rds
t h e va riety was known o n l y t o w i n e i n d ustry p rofessiona ls. in the northern Rhone Va l ley: Co n d rieu a n d Chatea u G ri l let.
In 1 989 J o h n Alba n i ntrod uced Viog n ier to San Luis Obispo Fra nce's most expensive Syra hs blend up to 5 percent Viog­
Cou nty, Ca l ifornia, after test plantings in five other locations. n ier to add an expressive note and rou nd out the ta n n i ns.

Viognier Grape Cluster

V>
u
1-4
V> To p Prod1.Acers of Vio 5 Vlier ctlll d
<(
cc
UJ
Ro1.AS'S'ctlll lll e
z:
• Albci111 Vi111 e �cirdS'. Ed111 ci Vcil le� , S'ci111 L\Ais
1-4
;:
� ObiS'po C.o\A111 f�
u
<(
z:
� • LCIS'S' Wi111 e r� , PciS'o RobleS', S'ci111 L\AiS'
ObiS'po C.o\A111 f�

• C.cilerci Wi111 e C.o. , Mt. Hcirlci111 , rY\0111 f ere�


LO\A V\t�

• Hci lfer Rci111 c h , PciS'o RobleS', S'ci111 L\AiS'


ObiS'po LO\A 111 f�

• Me lvi l le Vi 111 e �cirdS', S'ci111 fci Rifci Hi llS' , • Viognier is one of the m ost • It offers very low fru it yields.
S'ci111 fci Bcirbcirci C.o\A111 f� d ifficult of a l l wh ite g ra pe
varieties to g row a n d ripen. • Viog n ier can not be suc­
cessfu l ly g rown over a wide
• Viogn ier is rel u ctant to bea r ra nge of vineya rd sites. It's
fru it. very pa rticular.

• It's very s usceptible to


d iseases such as powdery
mildew.

30
I n the southern Rhone Va l ley, Roussa n ne reaches its g reat­ • • • • • • • • • • • • GREEN 9 L IGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

est expressio n . Like Viog n ier in the north, Roussa n ne is used


T he best examples of Viognier and Roussanne come from
in red w i n e blends as we l l as used as a sta nd-a lone wine of
France and California's Central Coast, especially San Luis
considerable d isti nction. It's softe r a n d less com p l ex tha n
Obispo County's Edna Valley and Santa Barbara County's
Viog n ier but d isplays very attractive rou nd fiavors of peach,
Santa Ynez Valley.
lyc hee, g i ng er, and honeysuckle with good acid ity. The t h i rd
pa rtner i n the wh ite Rhone trio is M a rsa n ne, g rown mostly i n • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

southern Fra n ce, Ca l ifornia, a nd Austra l ia. M a rsa n ne i s som e­


what fat a n d is best su ited for use as a blend i n g wine to ta ke
the edge off more-assertive va rieties.

Viognier Condrieu-the Archetype of Viognier

• When g rown i n the best • Viog n ier is trad itiona l ly • The tiny Cond rieu vi neyard Viog n iers from Cal ifornia
sites, Viogn ier yields h i g h ly made in sta i n less steel or in the northern Rhone a re ra pidly catc h i ng u p.
a romatic wines redolent of neutra l oak, but oa ked Va l ley, a long with its
peach, a pricot, a nd o range versions a re beg i n n i n g to neig h bor, Chatea u Gril let, • Med i u m-light in body a n d
blossom. This wine should a ppea r. u ntil recently was the only very d ry, Con d rieu m a kes
a lways be d r u n k you ng. sou rce of Viog n ier in the an excel lent and very fash­
• This variety provides a world. ionable a peritif wi ne.
• French examples a re tra­ splendid accompani ment
ditiona l ly made bone d ry. to many Orienta l foods, par­ • Cond rieu is regarded as the
Most New World exa m ples ticu la rly J a pa nese dishes, world's best exa mple of this
wi l l be off-d ry. i nc l ud i ng sushi. exotic wine, but the best

31
• •

RIESLING/GEWURZTRAMINER
It's the most versatile white wine in the world
Riesl i n g is u n iq ue a mong the wh ite wine g ra pe va rieties. It com monly a s l o w a s 9 percent. New Wo rld Riesl i n gs a re
ca n be successfu l ly g rown i n c l i mates too cold for most oth er usu a l ly m u c h h i g her i n a l cohol a n d ra re ly achieve the nea r­
va rieties and yields a wine with a cha racteristic fi avor pro­ perfect acid-sweetness ba l a n ce fou n d i n their Germ a n
fi le u n l i ke a ny other, often described as "i ntensely fi ora l with cou nterpa rts.
subtle notes of petro l:' The spectru m of wi nes made from the Riesl i n g g ra pe ra nges
Riesl i n g reaches its fi n est expression in the German from very d ry to sticky sweet. I n its native Germa ny, severa l
R h i ne l a n d a n d Mosel R iver Va l ley, where a l cohol leve ls a re ha rvesting passes a re usu a l ly made a week or two a p a rt to

Gewiirztraminer Grape Cluster

UJ
Rhi"'e River Vc.l le'j (GermCl"'lj)
� •

s:
t3 YV)o5e l-S'c.c.r-Rviwer (GermCl"'lj)
<(

� • Akc.c.e

· C.c."'c.d c. : Okc."'c.5c."' Vc. Ue'j , Nic.5c.rc. Pe"'i"'5vi lc.

• C.c. lifor"'i c. : Mo"'ferelj C.ovi"'+'j


• Despite its p i n kish skin • Late ha rvest Riesling
color, Gewu rztra m i ner g ra pes render some of the
renders a wh ite wine. most highly prized dessert
wines in the world, such as
• Both Riesl i ng a n d Germa ny's Trockenbeer­
Gewu rztra m i ner a re bottled ena u slese and N ew World
as s i n g le va rieta l wines late ha rvest Riesli ng, usua l ly
beca use the wines possess sold in h a lf bottles. Ries li n g
a h i g h ly characteristic flavor is t h e preferred g ra pe
profi le that wou l d be d i m i n­ va riety for m a king German
ished by blending. Eiswein.

32
provide g ra pes of d ifferent ri peness l evels-the ea rlier h a r­ GewU rztra m i ner (spe l l ed without t h e u mlaut i n Alsace) is
vest yields fru it for the d rier style such as Kabi nett; later h a r­ si m p ly a m utation of Tra m i ner. Orig i na l ly an I ta l i a n g ra pe,
vests yield g ra pes with i n c reasi ng sugar leve ls. The sweeter GewU rztra m i n er has fo u n d a h a p py home in Germa ny, New
the wi ne, the more com plex the flavo r a n d a roma because Zea land, the Pacific Northwest, a nd British Co l u mbia, but it
of i n c reasing ripeness of the fru it. But leavi ng the fru it on reaches its g reatest expression in Alsace.
the vine after the fi rst pass ca rries the risk of losi ng the entire GewU rztra m i ner featu res a dark p i n k ski n and offers exotic
rem a i n i ng ha rvest to i n clement weather. Th is is a com mon a romas a nd fl avors of lychee a n d heavily perfu med roses. I ts
p roblem i n northern E u rope. With t h is risk comes a n i n c rease opu lent a n d heady a romas a n d flavors m a ke it a good match
in the p rice of the fi n ished wi ne. So the sweeter the Riesl i ng, with Orie nta l cu isi nes, pa rt i c u l a rly those of Southeast Asia.
the more expensive it will be.

Riesling in a Traditional Glass

• TrockeV\ : d r�

• QIAC1 1itdtswei V\ mit Prddikt1t: QIAC11it� wiV\e


with 5overV1meV1t-coV1frolled descriptioV1S. TI.. e
descriptioV1S reflect sweetV1eSS levels.

• k.t1bi V1eH: off-dr� , S1Aitt1ble for light met1t l:1V\d


ve5ett1ble food co1Arses

· S'ptitlese : somewht1t sweet. Good with met1t


co1Arses with fr1Ait St11ACeS, SIACh t1S d1Ack C.
l 'ort1V15e.

• AIAslese : lt1te hMvest. sweet. Evijo� b� itself or


with cheese C01A rSeS.
• Wi nes made from the Ries­ • German Rieslings a re usu­
l i ng g ra pe often d isplay a a l ly very l ow i n a lcohol. • BeereV1t11ASlese : Grt1pe berries t1re picked
subtle smell of bu rnt ru bber Al satian a nd New World i V1divid1At1l l� t1t t:1 ver� lt1te stl15e of ripeVless. A
or petrol that is a defi n ing exa m ples possess normal dessert wiV\e .
cha racteristic of this g ra pe. a lcohol levels.
• TrockeV1 beereV1t11ASlese : litert1 1 1 � , dried i V1di­
• Riesl i n g wines can accom­ • Riesl i ng is often served in vid1At1I 5rt1pe berries . TI.. e se 5rt1pes �ield t1bo1At
pany a broad spectrum of a hock, or hi g h-stem med t:1 d rop of liq1Aid per berr� , l:1V\d the res1A ltiV15
foods. Off-dry a nd sweeter wine g lass. The g lass shape
wiV1e is exfremel� sweet t1Vld ver� expeV1Sive .
exa m ples a re excel lent with reflects trad ition rather
fruit and cheese cou rses. than fu nctional ity.

33
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Powerful , complex, masculine red wine
A re lative late-co mer to the world's pa ntheon of wine g ra pe cha racteristics, i n c l u d i n g a high ratio of skin to p u l p, lea d i n g
va rieties, Cabernet Sauvignon is the resu lt of a u n i ntended t o a d e e p red co lor; l a rge seeds, or pi ps, as they a re ca l l ed,
field cross between Cabernet Fra nc (red) a n d Sauvi g n o n which p rovide a h i g her level of ta n n i n , which in t u rn leads
Blanc (wh ite) t h a t is thoug ht t o have occu rred i n the eig h­ to wines of g reat longevity; and a tolera n ce for d i ffe re nt cli­
teenth centu ry. So a n accident of nat u re p roduced the mates. Altho u g h the best Cabernet Sauvignon g ra pes come
wo rld's most honored red wine g ra pe. from moderately warm c l i m ates with marine i nfluence, the
Cabe rnet Sauvignon has m a ny u n i q u e a n d d isting u ish i n g g ra pe is successfu l ly g rown i n reg ions as d iffe re nt as Russia,

Cha tea u Lafite-Rothschild Beringer Priva te Reserve Cabernet Sa u vignon

B R I N G ER
P R I VA T E R F S F R\ l

200A

�a 'Ja/k1
CABERNET S

J4f� �<i�k tlfU

�._... �ve <j. twi/o <JI


� �de f'{/1 /LP� ll'f

#ft�,..,..,� ��u�r, rh !Iii,/I

• The Lafite-Rothsc h i l d vine­ wine was bottled at the • The g ra pe variety is u s u a l ly of the term Estate Bottled.
ya rd was pla nted in the late chateau . The New World listed, but ra rely w i l l the Wi ne m u st be made at the
seventeenth centu ry. eq u iva lent is Estate Bottled. blend ing g ra pes a ppea r. l i sted winery from fru it
U.S. law a l lows up to 25 g rown in the winery's own
• The va rieties u sed a re not • Bordeaux bottles rarely percent blen d i n g g ra pes vineyard.
l i sted on the la bel, but feature back labels that pro­ to be added to 75 percent
this wine i s predomi nately vide additional descri ptions base wine when the main • The a lcohol content wi l l
Cabernet Sauvignon. of the wi ne. Alcohol content variety is l i sted. a lways be listed. N ew World
is l i sted and i s usua l ly l ower Ca bernets a re usually
• The term Mis en bouteil/es than that of New World Cab­ • The term Produced and h i g her in a lcohol than their
au chateau tel l s us that the ernet Sauvig nons. Bottled is the equ iva lent Europea n cou nterpa rts.

34
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Argentina, southern Fran ce, a n d the Pacific Northwest. •

The f1 avors a n d a romas of Ca bernet Sauvignon re m i n d us • The Bord ea u x Blend/U.S. M eritage: M ost g reat
of b l ackberries a n d black cu rra nts. But its u n usua l parent­ : Ca bernets i nc l u d e sma l l a mo u nts of certai n
age d ispl ays itse lf in layers of ot her f1 avo rs such as c h ocol ate : a l l owed g ra pes. These a re Merlot, Ca bernet Fra n c,
a n d coffee. The g reatest Ca bernet Sauvign ons co m e from : Petite Verdot, a nd M a l bec. Ca l ifornia w i n es usi ng
Bordea ux a n d the Medoc in partic u l a r. These wi nes featu re : this b l e n d i n g form u la may be la beled "Meritage"
proprietary la bels, such as C hatea u Lafite-Rothsc h i l d . Widely : (rhymes with heritage). The b l e n d i n g g ra pes add
considered the eq u a l of Bordeaux's best a re the g reat Cab­ : l ig htness, color, a nd perfu me.

ernet Sauvignons from Cal iforn ia's N a pa Va l l ey. These usua l ly •

ca rry varietal la bels such as N a pa Va l l ey Cabernet Sauvignon. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Cabernet Sa u vign on

• There Me fol.A r widel'j 1.AS'ed rC1ti�5 S'ljS'ternS':

• lAp to three wi�e 5 IC1S'S'eS' (biccieri)-1.AS'ed i�


It61 11j

• The 100-poi�t S'C61 1e-Wi�e S'pedC1tor, Wi�e


AdvocC1te , Robert Pt1rker, 61�d otherS'

• Leve IS' of recornrne�dC1tio� : recornrne�ded ,


hi5hllj recornrne�ded , etc .

• Wi�e j1.Ad5eS' do �ot C1 lwC11jS' C15ree o� the q1.AC1l­


• Ca bernet Sauvig non is rich fruitier, richer, a n d mouth­
an d fu l l bodied, often with fi l ling. Aromas a n d flavo rs
it'j of 61 wi�e. C.hooS'e 61 S'01.A rce whoS'e rC1ti �5S'
" brood i ng" a romatics that suggest blackberries, black rnoS't cloS'el'j reS'ernble 1j01.Ar ow� prefere�ceS' .
reveal themselves i n ti me. cu rra nts, a n d ripe p l u ms.

• French Cabernets ( red Bor­ • Midrange priced Cabernets


deaux from the Medoc) a re a re suita b l e for i m mediate
d rier a n d leaner an d ca rry d ri n king. Expensive bot­
tobacco or cedar notes. tlings from wel l-respected
producers should be laid
• N ew World Cabernets a re down for five to ten yea rs.

35
MERLOT
Meet Cabernet Sauvignon's softer, more voluptuous cousin
Wi nes made from the Merlot g ra pe a re a m o n g the wo rld's north ba n k o f the Dordogne Rive r i n t h e reg ions o f S t . E m i lon
most expensive, with cu rrent re lease prices for the most cov­ a n d Po mero l .
eted exa m pl es as h i g h as $2,000 per bottle. But typica l New M erlot is easier to g row than Cabe rnet Sa uvig non, which i t
Wo rld Merlots a re p riced substa nti a l ly lower than com pa ra­ most c l ose ly resembles, but, u n l i ke Cabe rnet Sa uvignon, wi l l
ble Cabernet Sauvi g n o n . perform we l l only i n certa i n terroi rs. S o h i g h-q u a l ity Merlot,
Merlot is the most w i d e l y p l a nted red g ra pe i n Bordea ux either from E u rope or the Americas, is restricted to j ust a few
a n d fi n ds its most agreeable l ocation i n the vineya rds on the locatio ns. Th ese locations a re sti l l i n the process of d iscovery.

Merlot Cluster

.
l>�- ��\'' ": :.�''
'). · - _ lllr'
(;(��, . 'i -\�·· .
• TwoMe\j Ntipt1 Vti lle\j t'Y'lerlot H' .' � �. (;)f J 1' ,
'u I , . i .. • . !/·...' ·..
'
r r .., .� � :

Beri V15er t'Y'lerlot Bt1V1croft Rt1V'1Ch 'f 'f


· ..
.
• ,,.. , ., ..- \ � ·· ,· '

Pt1h1Me'jer Ntipt1 Vti l le'j t'Y'lerlot 'f 'f

"�
· It/I_:

• D1.1ckhorV1 Three Pt1 1M5 t'Y'lerlot 'f 'f ' ' ' $, , ,
.• �
'
'f
• ...� ... •.. . ' .· ,.·, . � .. '
•·,'
'· '•,

... . . · - · ' ,

,/.·
.....• ·
·.·

. • ....·•..•

, ., �
·.. ...
t '. '' ' ' ' '

AAa tlW l 1 • • � ,' ' �· ·, '


...
.··
···
··
· '


, .
·

• S'ht1fer Nt1pt1 t'Y'lerlot 'f


Merlot g ra pes feature a t h in d uces average q u a l ity wines
• C.. h afet11.1 Le C..t1 5felet, PoMerol 1'

skin t h a t l e a d s t o l ig hter u n less g rown in ideal loca­


color and softer ta n n i ns. tions. I n expensive Merlots
a re often disappointing.
• Merlot prefers a slightly
damp soil a n d ripens earlier • I n creasing acreage world­
than Ca bernet Sauvignon, wide is being budded over
making it less susceptible to Merlot, Ca nada's Oka­
to fickle fa l l weather. naga n Va l l ey and N iagara
Pen insula, South Africa, a n d
• Li ke Pinot Noir, Merlot pro- eastern Europe.

36
Merlot's g reat d isti nction is its textu re. U n l i ke Cabernet Sau­ Whereas t h e Merlot-based wi nes o f St. E m i lon a n d Pomerol
vignon or Cabernet Fra n c, which a re typica l ly high i n mouth­ often d isplay a n herba l character that some New World wine
puckering ta n n i ns, Merlot is soft a nd sm ooth on the pa late. lovers fi nd u nattractive, New World Merlots a re rich with r i pe
Beca use its fiavor profi le para l lels that of Cabernet Sauvignon, fru it fiavors. Excel lent Merl ots a re co m i n g from northeastern
it has earned the mon i ker "Cabe rnet without the pa i n :' Ita ly, Israel, N a pa Va l l ey, Sonoma Cou nty, Lo ng Isla nd (New
The most-sou g ht-after Merlot is C hateau Petrus in Po mero l . York), a n d especia l ly Wash i n gto n State.
U n l i ke the other red wines o f the reg ion, which a re heavily The q u a l ity of Ca l ifornia Merlot has risen d ra matica l ly i n
blended, Ch atea u Petrus is 1 00 percent Merlot. It has no rea l rece nt yea rs a n d w i l l conti n u e t o i m p rove a s more su itable
com petition beca use t h e geology o f t h e vi neya rd-known locations a re identified.
as the "Petrus Bou tonniere"-is u n i q u e a n d very o l d .

Glass of Merlot Cha tea u Petrus

• It is lig hter i n color than Pomerol ca n be very l o n g ­ • Thi s is typically a p u re Mer­ • Li ke all Merlot-based wines
Ca bernet Sauvig non u n less l ived. New World exa mples lot from the world's most of St. Emilon and Pomerol,
blended with Cabernet a re l uscious u pon release. acclaimed Merlot vineyard. C hateau Petrus should not
Fran c, wh ich is common It's fermented i n l i ned con­ be d r u n k u pon release. The
both i n Fra nce a n d the New • Merlot pa i rs wel l with crete vats. wines age extremely wel l.
World. many of the same foods
as Ca bernet Sauvignon. • Its val ue i ncreases sha rply • T h e geology of the Chateau
• Merlot does not need Exceptions a re rich, hea rty with age, making older Petrus vineya rd more
extensive cel laring, as stews, ba rbecued stea ks, bottles worth thousands of c losely resem bles that of
does Cabernet Sauvignon. a nd chocolate. d o l l a rs. B u rg u ndy than the rest of
Merlots from St. Emilon a nd Bordeaux.

37
PINOT NOIR
This classic , ancient variety offers luxurious , complex , and fruity
wines that are sure to please
For centu ries the red wines of B u rg u ndy made from Pi not g ra pe o f Bea ujola is. It i s be l ieved by so me a m pelogra p hers
Noir g ra pes have been a mong the most loved a n d esteemed (sc h o l a rs of the g ra pe) that the name Pi not derives from the
red wines in the wo rld. The Pi not Noir g ra pe not o n l y is native p i n e cone sha pe of its c l usters. U nt i l the twe ntieth centu ry
to B u rg u ndy but a lso has m utated there i nto m a ny of the Pi not N o i r was restri cted to B u rg u ndy and Alsace. From there
world's most-ad m i red wh ite g ra pes-Pi not B l a n c, Pi not G ris/ it m i g rated to Germ a ny u n der the name S patb u rg u nder.
Grig io, Pi not M e u n ier, A l igote, a nd even G a m ay Noi r, the Attem pts to re p l icate g reat red wi nes of B u rg u ndy i n the

Pinot Noir Cluster

LU

� • B1Ar51A V\d� f Cotes- de NIAik ric.her wi V1e)


S:
t5 · B1Ar51A V\d'j : Cote de BeC11AV1e: li5hfer, fr1Aifier
C:::C: wiV1e)
z:
::::.:::

• Wi llCil"VleHe VCil le'j , Ore50V1 : ric.h , )1Al"Vlpf1Ao1A),


deepl'j flCivored wiV\e)

• 5C1V\fC1 RifC1 Hi l ls-, CC1 liforV1iC1 : ver� deep, c.ol"Vlplex


wi V1e) with s-froV\5 terroir ideV1fi fic.C1fioV1

• R1A))iC1V1 River VCi lle'j , CC1liforV1iC1 : c.leC1 V1 , s-ol i d , • Pi not Noir is one of the successful g rowing o f P i not
fr\Aif'j wi V1e) o ldest known wine g ra pe Noir. It req u i res specific
varieties. Its native home is conditions of soil, cli mate.
in Burg u ndy, France.
• Thin-skin ned g ra pes lead to
• H ig h ly m utable, Pinot Noir wines l i g ht in color a n d low
has nearly a h u nd red d if­ i n astringency. They may be
ferent clonal va rieties, with enjoyed i m med iately u pon
more on the way. release, but some examples,
especially French, benefit
• Terroir is a critica l factor i n from cel laring.

38
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
New World we re u ns uccessfu l u nt i l the 1 980s, when c lo n a l
selection proved t o b e key i n growi ng Pi not Noir i n Ca l ifornia When a s u pe rior stra i n of a g ra pe va riety is identi­
a nd Oregon. Beca use Pinot Noir is the most m utable wine fied, it u ndergoes a heat treatment to ki 1 1 a ny patho­
gra pe i n the wo rld, it's not su rprisi ng that there a re dozen s gens or vi ru ses, then is cloned a n d n u mbered for
o f s ports, s o m e o f which adapt t o terro i rs d iffe re nt from B u r­ com mercial d i stribution . When a viticu ltu rist ta kes
g u ndy. When such a sport is d i scovered, it is clo ned for p l a nt­ sa m p l e stock from a g reat vi n eya rd and rep l icates
i n g in a s u itable l ocatio n . C l o n a l development took root i n it, the resu lt is ca l led a "vi n eya rd selection'.'
Dijon, B u rg u ndy's capital city, a n d the resu lta nt clones a re
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
known as "Dijon clones." Clones a re widely p l a n ted i n Cal ifor­
nia a n d Oreg on a n d have l ed to wines of great d isti nction.

Pinot Nair

lA V\iq\Ae C.oV\difioV\S' Needed for This­


Diffic\A f t Vetriefet l
• PiV)of Noir reqV1ire5 coo l , ofteV) fo5-proV)e
5 rowiV)5 coV)difioV)S' titV)d l'YICtriV)e s-edi l'Ylel/)f or
volcCtV)ic 5oi /5. The 5oi /5 of BV1 r5V1V)d 'i COV)S'iS'f of
JV1rCtS'S'ic lil'YleS'foV)e forl'YICtfioV)S' fhCtf forl'YI ver'j
s-foV)'j fops-oi ls- 011) 5eV)tle s-lopes- . The world ' S'
5 reCtfe5f Pi V)of NoirS' hCti l frol'YI fhiS' re5ioV) .

• Next fo fhe 5reCtf GrtitV)d C.rVI BV1r5V1V)die5,


S'V1Ch CtS' Rol'YICtV)ee-C.oV)fi , f5chezeCtV1 , MV1S"i5V)'j •

C.htitl'Ylberfi V) , titV)d C.los- VoV15eof, fhe fi V)-


es-f extitl'Ylples- of 5 reCtf Pi V)of Noi r col'Yle frol'YI
Ore50V) '5 cool Wi l lCtl'YleHe VCt l le'j · The s-oi ls­
• A l i ght ru by color i s typical, ics of its l ocation more than here Ct re bCtS'Ctlfi c .
but some Pinot Noir is Pi not Noir, so a ppel lation is
made using longer skin a n i m porta nt factor.Older
contact, which resu lts i n a Pi not Noirs often develop
da rker, richer wine. strong earthy dimen sions,
such as truffles, forest floor,
• Pinot Noir is a romatic, with a nd m u s h rooms.
fl avors of cherry, p l u m,
violet, an d pomeg ranate. • Pinot Noir, especia lly red
Perhaps no other wine B u rg u ndy, is one of the
va riety expresses the specif- world's g reat food wines.

39
SYRAH
The great grape of the Rhone Valley finds a very agreeable home in
Australia
Syra h is a n a n cient g ra pe, bel i eved to have origi nated i n I ra n . Syra h s of Cote Rotie can cost h u n d reds of d o l l a rs. S l i g htly less
It w a s broug ht t o Fra nce's R hone Va l ley by t h e Ro m a n s i n the expensive a re the s i n g l e-vineya rd Syra h s of Hermitage, j u st
fi rst centu ry A D. I t is n ow g rown worldwide u nder a ra nge of down river.
soi l types a n d c l i mates. New World Syra h s have enjoyed s pectacu l a r s uccess, pa r­
The best and most expensive Syra h wi nes come from the ticu l a rly i n Au stra l ia, where t hey a re known as "S h i raz;' a n d i n
northern Rhone reg ion, south of the city of Lyo n . The g reat Ca l iforn ia's Ce ntra l Coast reg ion.

Open -top Fermenter

V)
u
1--t
V)
<(
co
UJ
z:
• WheV1 price iS' V\Ot ti wiajor COV1S'idert1tioV1 ,
1--t
3: wiV1ewit1ker5 1.AS'e tiVI t1rS'eV1t1I of lt1bor-i V1teV15ive
� techV1iq1.AeS', i V1cl1.AdiV15 biod�Vltiwiic ft1rwii V15 1
u
<( expeV15ive V1ew ot1k bt1rrek t1V1d wietic1.A I01.AS'
z:
� "elevt15e , " or cel lt1r wiethod5. Vt1 l1.Ae-orieV1ted
wiV1eS' t1re like!� to be the prod1.Ad of wiecht1 V1i­
ct1 I ht1rve5tiV15 t1V1d clo5ed-tt1V1k S'tt1iV1leS'S' S'teel
ferwieV1tt1tioV1 .

• Vt1l1.Ae-orieV1ted wi V1eS' CtiVI be expeded to be


le55 t1rowit1ti c , le55 c.owiplex , t1V1d leS'S' vt1riett1 l l�
di5ti V1dive .

• Altho1.A 5 h the 5 ret1t S'�rtihS' frowi Frt1V1ce t1V1d Traditional fermentation a n d flavor components in
A1.AS'frt1lit1 t1re t1 lwt1�S' ver� expeV1S'ive , wiod­ vessels a re l a rge, wooden the g ra pe skins.
ert1tel� priced ext1wiple5 frowi C.t1liforV1it1 t1V1d vats, but l i ned-cement
Wt15hiV15toV1 S'tt1te offer excelleVlt wiV1e) t1t and stai n less steel a re a l so • I n the case of g reat, arti­
wilACh wiore t1Hrt1dive price5. widely used. sa nal wines, the ca p may
be pu nched down every
• The open top a l l ows the few hours, even through
"cap" or solid matter to be the nig ht. Such wines wi l l
stirred or punched down achieve a richness a n d body
at i nterva l s. Th is leads to beyon d those fermented in
g reater extraction of color l a rge sta in less steel ta n ks.

40
Syra h is best g rown i n wa rm c l i mates. When g rown i n the • • • • • • • • • • YE LLOW LIGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

best locatio ns, New World Syra h offers a j a m my m o uthfu l of


For those who a re sensitive to ta n n i n , Syra h may not be the
ripe blackberry, prune, l eather, a n d m eaty overtones. It's a
best choice. Less-ta n n ic wi n es i n c l u d e Pinot Noir, Ba rbera,
big wine a n d ca n be fa i rly ta n n ic, a lthou g h not as astri ngent
G renache, M e rlot, a nd Dolcetto.
as Cabe rnet Sauvign ons of si m i l a r q u a l ity. The French-styl e •

Syra h is d r ier, leaner, a n d very com p lex i n the fi nest exa m p les. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Its su perior structu re-the exq u isite ba la n ce of acid, ta n n i n ,


a n d fru it-ma kes these w i n es very long-l ived. They can be
successfu l ly cel l a red for more than a decade. N ew World
Syra h is best d ru n k with i n ten yea rs of the vi ntage.

A Glass of Syrah Penfold 's Grange Shiraz

• Syra h is characteristica l ly a • The ta n n i n s in Syra h a re • Penfold's Grange is Austra­ Austra l ia" a ppel lation.
very da rk, dense wi ne, often usua l ly a b u n d a nt in fi ne l ia's most collecti ble wine
opaque u n less strongly exa mples but less asser­ a n d considered by many • Althoug h Grange is the
back l it. tive tha n in Ca bernet to be the fi nest exa mple of most-honored a n d expen­
Sauvignon. Syra h (Shiraz) in the N ew sive N ew World Syrah, other
• Syra h resembles Cabernet World. Austra l i a n S h i razes that a re
Sauvignon in depth a n d • Serve Syra h (or S h i raz) with a l most as fi ne can be found
com plexity bu t offers a richl y flavored meat courses • Grange is not the prod uct at much l ower prices. Top
flavor profi le that suggests such as roast beef, g ri l l ed of a s i n g l e vineya rd or even prod ucers a re Hensch ke,
meaty fl avors rather than stea ks, a n d l a m b. a s i n g le a p pel lation. It Torbeck, a n d Ya l u mba.
cedar an d tobacco. carries the genera l "South

41
ZIN FANDEL
Try California's unique wine grape
Z i nfa ndel is u n iq u e a mong the world's major wine g ra pes. Z i nfa ndel, be l i eved to have made its New World debut in
Fi rst of a l l, we d i d n't even know what it was u nt i l ve ry recently a New Yo rk n u rsery in 1 8 1 6, made its way west and q u ickly
when DNA fi ngerpri nti ng positively ide ntified it as a clone beca me the preferred red g ra pe va ri ety. Beca use its a ncient
of the I ta l i a n Prim itivo g ra pe. In post-Pro h ibition yea rs it orig i n s were from south Ita ly, it is most comfortable i n warm
beca me the most widely p l a nted red g ra pe in Ca l ifornia a nd c l i m ates and was p l a nted in Ca l ifornia's Ce ntral Va l ley, Sierra
re m a i ned so u nt i l America n tastes tu rned to more "d i sti n­ Foot h i l ls, a n d in Ca l ifornia's Ce ntra l Coast. It beca me the flag­
g u ished" va rieties. ship red g ra pe of the Paso Robles reg ion.

Zinfandel Cluster

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
co
UJ
z:
1--1
• lAV'llike wi V1eS" from qvi� lit'j -orieV1ted wiV1er­
s: ie5 fh�t m�i V1f�iV1 es-+�+e vi V1eljMdS", m�V'l'j of

u
c� liforV1i� 1 S" top ZiV'lf�V'ldels- Me prodvids- of
<(
z:
wiV1eries- th�t s-pec.i�lize i V1 fhiS" v�rief'j �V'ld
� s-ovi rce their frviit from differeV1t re5ioV1S".

• The bi5 V'l�mes- iV'I c� liforV1i� ZiV'lf�V'ldel Me


Rid5e , R�veV1S"wood , �V'ld Ros-eV'lblvi m . A l l fhes-e
wiV1erie5 offer vi V1eljMd-des-i5V1�ted wi V1eS" from
the bes-+ frviit s-ovi rc.es- �+ moder�te prices-.

• Zinfandel is a heavy bea ring • There a re j u st a few clonal


variety, req u i ring "green selections of Zinfandel.
ha rvests" where j uven i l e They exist i n three " l ines":
clusters a re removed to Croatian (ancient), Ital-
focus the vine's strength in ia n Prim itivo ( 1 800), and
the rema i n in g berries. Cal ifornia ( 1 850). Many Ca li­
fornia Zinfandel vineyards
• Zinfandel is s u bject to a re pla nted with vineyard
bunch rot beca use of its selections rather than reg is­
tight cl u sters that do not tered clones.
promote a i r circu lation.

42
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Central Va l ley Zi nfa ndel h a s h i sto rica l ly se rved as a ba se
wine for i n expen sive generic red w i n es, such a s those Ca l i­ A l most a l l g reat Z i nfa ndel comes from Ca l ifor­
fo rnia wines ca l l ed " B u rg u ndy'.' n ia . Com pa red with other red va rieties, Zi nfa ndel
With the prog ress of viticu ltu re a n d w i n e m a k i n g i n the offers extremely g ood va l ue. Beca u s e it is low i n
1 960s, serious efforts were made to bri ng this va riety i nto ta n n i n, it's best enjoyed soon after rel ea se. I t w i l l
the forefro nt of q u a l ity domestic wi nes. Ea rly exa m p les were n o t i m prove n oticeably w i t h a g e. T h e best Zi nfan­
heavily overextracted ta n n ic "mon sters;' a n d after a brief dels ca rry vineya rd designations o n the label.
enthusiasm the America n market tu rned aga i n st a l l va rieta l ly
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
labe l ed red Z i nfa ndel. Today's Z i nfa n d e l s a re pol ished, very
fru it-d riven, moderate ly low-ta n n i n wi nes.

Zinfan del Head-pruned Zinfandel Vine

• Zinfandel usually d i splays a • Zinfandel is often the most • The term head-pru n i ng • Most New World wine
p u rplish rather than reddish a lcoholic of a l l d ry red ta ble refers to a non-trellised g ra pes are tre l l i sed to
color beca use it is rel eased wines. Alcohol levels aver­ vine tra in in g method by provide easy access to the
ea rlier than those red va riet­ age nea rly 1 5 percent a n d which the vine is a l lowed fru it a nd, i n some cases,
ies that req u i re longer cel lar can rise as h i g h as 1 7 per­ to develop a centra l tru n k mechanical ha rvesting.
time to soften ta n n i n and cent. These wines possess from which t h e fruit hangs
let the wine "come together:' such a strong fru it com­ down. The French ca l l this • Zi nfandel was pla nted
ponent that they a ppea r method "gobelet" beca use throug hout Cal ifornia i n
• Zinfandel is often ha rvested somewhat sweet. its shape resembles a wine t h e nineteenth century
late, which raises the sugar g lass. before the i ntrod uction of
an d a lcohol levels. trell ising.

43
PETITE SIRAH
Rich , dark, and dense , Petite Sirah complements savory stews or
grilled steaks
Petite S i ra h (note spel l i ng), a l ong with Zi nfa ndel, is one of g ra pe, a nd g rowers ho ped that the result wou l d be resista nt
Ca l iforn ia's h isto ric g ra pes a n d is often fou nd planted in the to powdery m i ldew. The new hybrid was na med after its
sa me vi neya rd. Its g rowing cond itions a re si m i l a r, but the i ntrod u cer, Du rif. Occasiona l l y we see t h is va riety labeled as
va rieties a re d isti nctly d ifferent. "Du rif;' but it is usu a l ly ca l l ed "Petite Si ra h :'
It was orig i na l ly deve loped in the n i neteenth ce ntu ry by Petite S i ra h renders a n extremely dark, so meti mes opaque
crossing true Syra h g ra pes with Pel o u rsin, a so uthern French wine a n d is the blend i n g wine of c hoice for Zi nfa ndel and

Wine Barrel Un dergoing the Toasting Process

V'l
u
1--1
V'l
<(
cc
UJ
z:
Three movemeV1tS towt1rds eco-frieV1dllj viticvi ltvire
1--1
:s:
tire COmi V15 ivJo promi V1eV1Ce , Spetirhetided b'J
:::::.:::: Bvir5viV1ditiV1 5rti pe 5 rowers:
u
<(
z:
:::::.::::
· S'visttiiV'ltible ftirmiV15 . Grtipes tire 5 rowV1 i V1 ti
MtiVIV'ler thtit protects the soi l from depleted
V1vtfrieV1k StiliV1itlj , tiV'ld erosioV1 .

• Or5tiV1ic ft1rmi V15 . No herbicides, pesticides, or


chemictil ferti lizers tire ti l lowed .

• BiodljV'ltimic ft1rmiV15. Or5 tiV1iC ft1rmiV15


exteV1ded to i V1clvtde Specific procedvi reS SvtCh
tiS the vise of fermeV1ted herbti l tiV'ld miV1ertil • Oak wine ba rrels a re of toast: Lig ht, Med i u m, a n d
preptirtifiOVIS tiV'ld defereV1ce to the tiSfrolo5ictil formed a n d shaped over Heavy.
Cti leV1dtir. an open flame to fac i l itate
bend ing of the staves. • Each degree of toast pro­
motes a different ra nge of
• The time the wood is flavors a n d aromas to wi ne,
heated by the flame deter­ but this effect fades over
m i nes the degree of "toast:' time.

• Barrels a re custom o rdered


by wineries in th ree degrees

44
other red wines that need p ro p p i n g u p. Petite S i ra h has
fou n d a h a p py home i n the wa rmer pa rts of Ca l ifornia, Argen­
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • RED9 L IGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

ti na, Israel, and Austra l i a . It outperforms the Du rif of southern Petite Sirah is among the thickest, densest red wines in
Fran ce, j ust as Ca l ifornia Z i nfa ndel genera l ly outperforms its the world. It characteristically features firm tannins that
E u ropea n Zi nfa n d e l cou nterpa rts. need some cellar time to soften. For those who enjoy rich,
The best reg ions for Petite S i ra h a re the Russia n River d ra i n­ masculine, assertive wines, Petite Sirah is a winner. Com­
age of Sonoma Co u nty, Paso Robl es, a n d Mendoc i n o. Nota­ bine that profile with high alcohol, and you will have a
ble prod u cers a re Conca n non, Ridge, G u enoc, Rosenbl u m, wine that is difficult to pair with most food courses.
a n d Sta gs' Lea p. Th e densest, most concentrated Petite Si rah • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
is made by Tu rley Wi ne Ce l l a rs u nder the title "Aida."

Petite Sirah

RecorvH'V\eV1ded food Pcii ri V1 5 S' for


Petite S'i rcih
· Gri l led S'fet:tks-

· Het:trf� Beef S'tews-

• S'pic� Chi li

· I"'dit:t"' C.vt rries-

• Most modern viticultu rists • Petite Si ra h is the den sest


bel ieve Petite Sirah to be a n d most fu l l -bodied of a l l
identical to the Du rif g ra pe popular red wine g ra pes
from southern Fra nce. g rown i n the U.S.

• Widely pla nted in Cal ifor­ • Petite Sira h lacks the com­
nia in the ea rly twentieth plexity of Zinfa ndel, which
centu ry, Petite Sira h was it closely resem b les, a n d is
used as a base wine for more ta n n ic beca use of its
generic red wines such as small berry size.
"Burg u ndy:'

45
THE WHITE ZINFANDEL CRAZE
A manufacturing mistake changed American wine preferences
Va rieta l ly labe led red Zi nfa ndel reac hed its zenith i n the Then an asto n ish i ng turn of eve nts occu rred. Bob Tri nchero
1 960s a n d 1 970s when Sa nta Cruz M o u nta i n wineries such of Sutter Home Wi nery in N a pa Va l ley experie nced a "stuck
as David Bruce a n d Ridge offered th ick, rich, a n d very ta n n ic fermentation" while attem pting to ferment Z i nfa ndel. The
sing le-vi neya rd versions. The market q u ickly embraced these fe rmentation stop ped before d ryness was ach ieved, a n d
"mo nster" wines but eventu a l ly tired of the style. At that time, the resu lti ng wine w a s sweet, l o w i n a l cohol-and p i n k! I t
Zinfa n del was the most widely p l a nted red g ra pe i n Ca l ifor­ was offered a t a ba rg a i n price t o tasti ng-room visitors, who
n ia, a nd sa les were ra pid ly d i m i n ish i ng . loaded up their tru n ks with cases of this a noma ly. Thus was

A Casual Approach t o Wine Su tter Home White Zinfandel

• White Zinfandel l a rgely was h a ppily consumed i n • Th is is the wine that sta rted • Sutter Home offers a tradi­
replaced the older pro­ t h e most casual fashion. the Wh ite Zinfandel c raze. tional Zinfandel made from
prieta ry wines (Ripple, I t was the fi rst com m erci a l fru it g rown in Lodi a n d the
Th u nderbird, a n d so forth) • Wh ite Zinfa ndel's main s uccess a n d conti n ues to Sierra foothil ls. Sutter Home
desig ned for people d iscov­ appeal was to those u nac­ the present day. is the third-largest fa m i ly­
ering wine o r g rad uating customed to wine and owned winery in the U n ited
from soda pop. those who embraced "wine • Wh ite Zi nfandel elevated States after E & J Gallo a n d
coolers:' It has a lways been the Sutter Home Wi nery Kendal l-Jackson .
• No "wi ne snob" a men ities, considered a recreational from a small family operated
such as stemwa re, were wi ne, not a wine to com ple­ busi ness to a major l a rge­
needed. White Zinfandel ment foods. scale winery.

46
born Wh ite Zi nfa n del, a wine that had g reat a p pea l to the sta i n l ess steel ta n ks. This kee ps the cost a nd q u a l ity of these
sod a-pop crowd and provided a market for all the red Zi nfa n ­ wines l ow.
del fru it that w a s lang u is h i n g fo r buyers. They a re too sweet fo r most successfu l food pa i ri ngs,
Red Zinfa ndel a l l but d isa p pea red from su permarket a lthou g h there a re exceptions. And they a re monodi men­
she lves, which had ta ken on a d isti nctly p i n k color. It wo u l d sio n a l . There j ust isn't m uch i nterest or com plexity in the wine.
ta ke more t h a n a decade before true Z i nfa ndel w i n es wo u l d They a re wi nes for q uaffi n g if one doesn't mind the sweetness.
beg i n t o reg a i n the i r a p pea l . S u perma rket shelves have now retu rned to their red a n d
Wh ite Zi nfa n del is n o t m a d e i n the m a n ner associated with wh ite coloration, tha n ks t o t h e retu rn o f h i g h-q u a l ity Zi nfa n ­
other rose wines. I t is made in the l east-expensive way, usu­ del, the a p pea ra nce o f q u a l ity rose wines, a nd a n i nc reasing
a l ly from machi ne-harvested fru it partia l ly fermented in l a rge soph istication i n the ma rketplace.

A Glass of White Zinfan del Fruit Compote with White Zinfandel

• Wh ite Zi nfandel is a result ach ieve a modicu m of • White Zinfandel can be • It makes a pleasant picnic
of arrested development. com plexity, Wh ite Zinfandel u sed as a s i m ple dessert wine, but should be served
Wh ile pretty in the g lass, it is sometimes blended with wine with foods that have ice cold.
lacks a ny sense of varieta l a h i g h ly a romatic wh ite some acid ity, such as fresh
character an d is said to be wine such as M u scat. Wh ite fruit. • Wh ite Zinfandel does not
monodi mensional. Zinfandel i s known only i n pa ir wel l with many savory
t h e U n ited States. N o other • It can be used as a base foods, but can work with
• Primary characteristics of cou ntry prod uces it i n com­ wine for wine punches. foods such as a ch icken
White Zinfandel a re low mercial qua ntities. H ig her­ salad sandwich. Avoid pair­
a lcohol, no ta n n i n s, l ow q u a l ity varieta l rose wines ing it with cheeses.
acid, and sweetness. To a re l a rgely replacing it.

47
;

TRADITIONAL FRENCH ROSE WINES


Chilled European-styled dry rose wines add elegance to light foods
and picnics
E u ropea n rose wines have never achieved the pop u la rity of 1 970s but that has since fa l l en out of favor. It is sti l l i m ported
red a n d wh ite wines, a n d in Fra nce they may be made o n l y to America u n der the "Barto n & G u estier" label.
i n a few del i m ited a reas o f the Loi re Va l l ey a n d so uthern Typical French rose wines a re bone d ry with racy acid ity,
Rho ne. m a k i n g them very attractive to pair with si m pl e foods. The
The best-known rose from the Loi re reg ion is Rose d 'Anjou, h isto ric vineya rds of Tavel and Li rac, across the Rhone River
a pleasa nt off-dry rose that was pop u l a r i n America i n the from fa med C hatea u n euf-d u-Pa pe, provided ca refu l ly c rafted

Vineyard in Ta vel The Famous Ta vel Rose

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
c:o
L.L.J
:z:
1--1
5:

u
<(
:z:

• Tavel was the fi rst AC i n domi nate the su rface. • Tavel Rose has long been the s kin s without pressing.
Fra nce t o b e designated considered the world's best A s m a l l portion of the skins,
strictly for rose wi nes. • Cinsa u lt is king in Tavel. The p i n k wine, but modern o r "m u st;' is retu rned to the
Nea rby Lirac prod uces both fa mous wines of this reg ion efforts from Ca l ifornia g ive free-ru n juice for additional
rose and l i g ht red wine. a re Cinsau lt-based, with Tavel stiff com petition. color a n d flavor extraction.
Grenache and sometimes
• The Tavel AC largely shares Mou rvedre blended in. • Tavel Rose is made by • The potential a lcohol level
the same geologic sub­ leavi ng the juice on the ofTavel rose is high, but
strate as Chateau neuf-d u­ • Rose wines ofTavel and ski n s briefly to extract color govern ment reg u lation s
Pape across the river. La rge, Lirac a re deeper a nd more a n d flavor; then the j u ice d isa l low a lcohol t o exceed
polished l i mestone pebbles fu l ly flavored. is "bled " or separated from 1 3.5 percent.

48
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
d ry rose wines for the S u n King, Lo u is XIV. Th ese wi nes have
been considered the q u a l ity sta ndard fo r rose wines fo r cen­ Other E u ro pea n rose w i n es that a re i m ported to
tu ries. The enti re "Tave l " a nd "Lirac" a ppel lations a re m a n d ated America i nc l ude the rosato wi n es of I ta ly, the M o n­
fo r rose wi nes o n l y a n d a re the o n l y French ACs (a p pe l l ation tep u lcia n o Cerasuolo from Abruzzo, a nd S pa n ish
control ee) devoted strictly to rose wi ne. Th ese traditional rosad os from 1 00 p ercent Ga rnacha. All of these
rose wineries of the so uthern Rhone Va l l ey have recently wi nes a re d ry.
been joined by other wineries whose a p pel lation a l l ows rose
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
prod uction in add ition to red a nd wh ite wi ne. Notable is the
winery of Dom a i ne d'Hortus i n the La n g u edoc reg ion. Rose
wi nes from Provence a p pea r in the Am erica n market as we l l .

A Bordea ux Rose

· fiV1i)hed red tiV\d white wiV1e) tire bleV\ded


to5ether: This is the method vised to prodvic.e
most vtilvie-orieV\ted rose wi V\es . Bvit if is
ti l lowed i V1 freV1C.h AOC. re5ioV1) tiV\d is some­
ti me) vised i V1 the prodvicfioV\ of fiV\e wiV1e .

• 11 S'tii5V1ee " or " free-rviV\ jviice " : IV\ this method


the 5 rtipes Me V\Ot pressed , tiV\d the jvi ice fhtit
bleeds off ti) ti resvilt of the wei5ht of the
5rtipes is drtii V1ed off. It CMries some of the
color tiV\d fltivor of the 5 rtipes. The 5rti pes tire
svibseqvieV\tl\j pressed to prodvice ti sttiV\dtird
red wi V1e .
• Bergerac l ies east of St. • Bergerac roses a re known
Emi lon and enjoys the same for their fru ity elega nce and · S'kiV\ c.oV\ttid: The 5rti pes Me p ressed , tiV\d the
soi l type-l i mestone with a re much l ower in a lcohol jviice iS left iV\ COV\fticf wifh fhe )bV\) for fwo
fossil ized sta rfish, known as than their southern Rhone or three dti\jS, fheV\ septirtited .
"Ca lcaire d'Asteries:' cou nterpa rts.

• Rose wines of Bergerac use • French rose wines made


the Bordeaux va rieties: Cab­ from Bordeaux va rieties
ernet Sauvignon, Cabernet more closely resemble N ew
Fra nc, an d Merlot. World roses but are lig hter
i n body.

49
;

NEW WORLD ROSE WINES


This favorite turns a corner and becomes serious
American rose wines became pop u l a r in the 1950s with Another l a rge Ca l ifornia wi nery picked u p t h e c u e a n d tele­
large-scale com mercia l wineries atte m pting to try p i n k wines vised the slog a n "Put a rose in yo u r g l ass:' Rose wine from
instead of the pop u l a r fo rtified wines of that ti me. It was a n Ca l ifornia became the most po p u l a r table wine of the period.
ea rly attem pt t o ma rry w i n e with d i n i ng. An early effort by E & J Th ey were a l l l i g htly sweet.
Gallo to g row Grenache i n Cal iforn ia's hot Centra l Va l ley resu lted Decades passed before Cal ifornia wi nema kers bega n to
in blanched skins that rendered p i n k wi ne. The result was mar­ add ress rose wi nes seriously. Then ca me an onsl a u g h t of vari­
keted widely as G renache Rose a nd was very successfu l. eta l rose wi nes from Syra h, G renache, Cabe rnet Sa uvig non,

L'Aven ture Rose of Cabernet Sa u vign on

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
C.ommOV\ v� riefieS' lAS'ed for New
c::o
u.J
World RoS'e Wi V\eS'
:z:
1--1
� • GreV1t1C.he
:::::..::::
u
<(
:z:
:::::..::::

• L'Aventure winery i n Paso tary l i mestone soil con­


Robles offers a h ig h ly tai n i n g c h a l ky stones that
polished exa mple of N ew a bsorb and hold moistu re.
World rose. Wi nes such as These soi l s provide an ideal
this move rose wine onto wine-growi n g environ ment.
an eq u a l footi n g with q u a l ­
ity red a n d wh ite wines. • Va rieta l roses such as this
display clea r, u nderstated
• L'Aventu re's estate vineya rd varieta l cha racter.
features a geology known
as " l i n ne calodo;' a sed i men-

50
a n d pre m i u m blends. The wi nes g rad u ated from off-d ry to serious wi nes when g reat fru it is used a n d ca re is taken i n
bone d ry. They ra nged from l i g ht p i n k to l i g h t red . The most vi n ification. Excel lent roses a re a lso made from a blend of
successfu l of the early offeri ngs were from p roducers special­ Rhone va rieties.
izi ng i n Rhone va rieties. These wines were mostly blends of N ew Wo rld roses a re typica l ly ve ry d ry and exh ibit a romas
Rhone g ra pes, d o m i n ated by G renache, Syra h, a n d Ci nsa u lt. a n d flavors of strawberry, red c u r ra nt, a nd rose peta ls. Th ey
One of the most successfu l was Bon ny Doon's Vi n G ris de Cig­ sho u l d be served we l l c h i l led. New World roses p rovide
a re, not a true vin g ris but rather a rose made from Rhone exce l l ent acco m pa n i m ents to l ig ht foods, sa ndwiches, and
va rieties. picnic foods. They a lso m a ke splendid a peritif wi nes.
Today's best New World rose wi nes a re often va rieta l roses
made from a si n g l e d isti n g u ished g ra pe va riety. They ca n be

A Range of Rose Wines

• Rose wines a re made i n Fra nce, using the saignee


styles ra n g i ng from very method.
light p i n k to light red . The
lig htest is sometimes cal led • The Italian rosatos and
"Oeil de Perd rix" or "eye of Spanish rosados are deeply
the partridge:'These wines colored and more inten sely
were popu lar in the 1 980s flavored. They can be
and have receded in popu­ splendid wines for light
la rity. The orig inal wines food cou rses such as roast
were made in the Middle chicken, sauteed pork chops,
Ages i n Champag ne, and vegetarian dishes.

51
VIN GRIS
This pink wine is from Pinot Noir
Vi n gris origi nated in Fra nce's Loi re Va l l ey, where l i g ht p i n k t o macerate i n their j u ice. The res u lting j u ice was very l i g htly
wines were m a d e from t h e free-run j u ice o f C i n sa u lt a n d colored, giving rise to the designation Oei l de Perd rix (eye of
G renache g ra pes. These were loca l w i n es b u t ca rried the the partridge) .
label g ris de g ris (g ray from g ray). The wines were not g ray, I n the N e w Wo rld, a n d especia l ly i n Ca l iforn ia, t h e term
of cou rse, but very l i g ht p i n k. They were not made by the vi n g ris became associated specifica l ly with l i g ht rose wines
saig nee p rocess, using the free-ru n j u ice from u n p ressed made from Pi not Noir. When you see a Ca l ifornia rose l abeled
fru it, but rather from p ressed g ra pes that were not a l l owed vi n g ris, it is very l i kely Pinot Noir. A very notable exception

Crusher Showing Free-run Juice Tvvo Pinot Noirs

V>
u
1--1
V>

co
UJ
:z:
1--1
3:

u

:z:

• Free-ru n j u ice, or saignee, pagne wi nes a re made from • These wines were made long maceration imparts.
is the ju ice that is rel eased dark-skin ned Pinot Noir but from the same g ra pe va ri­
from the g ra pes by virtue of show no color if disallowed ety. They d iffer i n color, d ry­ • The Pi not Noir on the left has
the weight of the fru it. skin contact after pressing. ness, a n d flavor i ntensity. been made to express the
fu l l potential of the g ra pe's
• The j ui ce of a l l major g ra pe • Free-run j u ice carries very • Both are fermented to d ry­ a roma a n d flavor. Its aspect
varieties is clear. Color is little, if a ny, ta n n i n a n d ness, but the vi n g ris on the is slig htly sweeter becau se
i m parted by extended con­ m ust b e enjoyed s o o n after right is very d ry a n d deli­ of the rich fruit component.
tact with the skins. M i n i ma l release. cate beca use it did n't have
s k i n contact res u lts i n wh ite time to a bsorb the flavor­ • Lighter-styled Pinot Noirs can
or p i nk wines. Many Cham- i m pa rting phenol ics that be as aromatic as richer ones.

52
is Bon ny Doon's Vi n G ris de Cigare, a n exq u isite p i n k R hone prem i u m Pi not N o i r fru it i nto a vin g ris prog ra m beca use the
blend. bottl e price of a fi ne Ca l ifornia Pi not Noir is about t h ree or fou r
Vi n g ris is a l ways very d ry a nd a l ways very l i g ht p i n k, and ti mes h i g her t h a n t hat of a vin g ris. B ut there a re some n ota­
the best exa m p les carry a c l ea r suggestion of the Pi not Noir ble exceptions. When a prod u cer is confro nted with more
flavor profi le. It is often considered to be the most elegant of fru it than he t h i n ks he can market as va rieta l Pinot Noir, he
New World rose wines by wine lovers beca use of its co m p lex may d i rect the s u r p l u s to a vin g ris progra m . Or lower-q u a l ity
flavo r profi le a n d stri k i n g a romatics. lots of an estate vineya rd may be reserved for vin g ris.
Od d l y, vin g ris is not a l ways associated with the major Pi not
Noir reg ions of Ca l ifo rnia a n d Oregon. The fi n est fru it is neces­
sa rily reserved for red Pi not Noir. No w i n e m a ker wou l d d i rect

Bonny Doon Vin Gris de Cigare

Bon ny Doon's Vi n Gris de i ntroduced many Ameri­


Cigare is one of the ea rliest cans to d ry rose wines after
i ntrod uctions of vi n gris to decades of sweet p i n k
America. It is made from wines had flooded t h e
Rhone va rieties, not Pi not market. Bon ny D o o n was
Noir. not the fi rst to i ntrod uce
d ry rose wines to the U.S.
• The "Ciga re" reference market, but it sparked
is to flying saucers and, a renewed interest i n
specifical ly, their supposed Euro pea n-styled roses.
shape. Vin Gris de Cigare

53
CHAMPAGNE: THE REAL THING
An accidental discovery led to one of the world's most-honored wines
C h a m pagne is the n a m e g ive n to a region that is 1 25 m i les cold a u tu m n c l i mate. Neverthel ess, the wines were bottled
northeast of Pa ris a n d a part of the l a rger Pa ris Basi n . I ts major for s h i pment to E n g l a n d . When the wines wa rmed u p, fe r­
cities, R h e i ms a n d E pernay, preside ove r fo u r cuestas, or l ow me ntation resu med, a n d the carbo n d ioxide gas went i nto
cha l ky h i l l s that provide a u n i q ue terroir for g ra pes i ntended sol ution. When the wine was u ncorked, it was natu ra l ly
for spa r k l i ng wi nes. ca rbonated, a n d the E n g l ish loved it. Beca use of the h i g h
Sparkl i n g wine was orig i na l ly an accident of nat u re. Fer­ i ncide nce o f exp l od i n g bottl es, the E ng l ish develo ped the
mentation ofte n sto p ped short of d ryness in the reg io n's special thick bottl es sti l l used for spa rkl i n g wines.

A Typical Vineyard in Champagn e Champagn e-Th e Real Thing

(./"')
u
1--1
(./"')
<(
CCI
l.J.J
:z:
1--1
:s:
:::::.::::
u
<(
:z:
:::::.::::

• T h e cold, northern c l i mate • Champagne was the bi rth­ • Because there a re so many • Two or three ti mes in a
in Champagne leads to place of the world's fi rst steps in the prod uction of decade a vi ntage yea r is
u nderripe fru it u n su itable wine i n d u stry dominated Champag ne, the wine is declared. These wines wi l l
for sti l l wine but perfect for by la rge-sca le bra nded necessarily expensive. be kept separate from
sparkl i n g wi nes. producers. the house blend an d wi l l
• Most Champagne is be extremely expen sive.
• Germa n s such as Krug, • M me. Cl icquot, who blended from d ifferent Vintage Champagne is
Bol l i nger, a n d Roederer outl ived her h usband a nd vineya rd sources and from aged on the l ees (or spent
fou nded many of the wel l ­ beca me known as "veuve;' different vi ntages in order yeast cel ls) for five to seven
known Champagne houses or widow, fou nded the old­ to m a i ntain a consistent yea rs before fi n i s h i n g and
in the n i n eteenth centu ry. est major house. house style. release.

54
D u ri ng the fi rst fou r decades of the seve ntee nth cent u ry a re h e l d i n a downwa rd position s o t h e dead yeast cel ls can
the tec h n iq u e of control led seco ndary fermentation was co l lect i n the neck of the bottle, which i s then frozen . The
developed by the fou nders of some of the g reat C h a m pagne p l ug of dead yea st cel l s is rem oved, and a dosage is added
houses such a s Madame (Veuve) C l icq uot. The new method, before recorki ng. Th e dosage consists of Cha m pagne wine,
known a s "methode ch a m penoise," req u i res a precise ri pe­ d i ssolved s u g a r, a n d someti mes bran dy. Every house g ua rds
ness level at ha rvest that w i l l lead to a w i n e with a ro u n d 8 its dosage for m u l a ca refu l ly. Different a mou nts of the dosage
percent a lcohol when ferme nted to d ryness. The sti l l wi ne, lead to the va rious styles of C h a m pag ne-Natu re!, Brut, Extra
ca l l ed "c l a i rette;' is bottled, a nd a precise a m o u nt of yea st a n d Dry, a n d Doux.
s u g a r i s added. T h e wine is co rked, a n d a seco nd fermenta­ G ra pe va rieties used for C h a m pagne incl ude Pinot Nair,
tion ta kes pl ace. When this stage is com p l eted, the bottles Chardon nay, a n d Pi not Meu n iere.

A Coupe of Champagne A Flu te of Champagne

• The short, wide g lass known But modern resea rch has • The ta l l, narrow Cham­ bu bble retention.
a s a "coupe" was fashionable shown that it was desig ned pagne fl ute has l a rgely
for serving Champagne u p specifica l ly for Champagne replaced the coupe a s the • The fl ute is preferred over
t o t h e 1 980s, w h e n crysta l by a n English glassmaker g lasswa re of choice for a l l the coupe by caterers a n d
man ufacturers began offer­ i n 1 663. sparkling wines. servers as more g l asses c a n
ing more suita bly shaped b e placed on a tray.
glassware. • The coupe was never a • The main attractions of the
satisfactory desig n for a ny fl ute a re its abil ity to pro­ • Except for visual presenta­
• The coupe was said to have kind of wine beca use its mote the visual a ppea rance tion, Champagne is best
been molded from the straight or outwa rd-slopi ng of Champagne a n d its small served in a sta ndard white
breast of Marie Antoinette. sides lead to spil lage. su rface a rea, which aids wine g lass.

55
SPARKLING VOUVRAY
Here is a French alternative to Champagne at a fraction of the price
Th roug hout the m i d d l e Loi re Va l ley, Chen i n B l a n c is king. It is Fra nc and be nch m a rk wh ites from Sauvignon B l a nc.
one of the few g ra pe va rieties that produces the fu l l ra nge of Spa rkl i ng Vouvray, l i ke a l l the Che n i n B l a n c wines of the
wine styl es, from bone d ry to extremely sweet. And next to Loi re, is com p letely dependent u pon the weather. The Loi re
Cha m pag ne, the best-known French sparkl i n g wi nes come Va l ley is consid ered the d ivid i n g l i ne between the M ed i­
from the hea rt of this reg ion. te rra nean c l i m ate to the south a n d the Atl a ntic c l i m ate of
The weste rn Loi re Va l l ey is best known for very d ry wh ite northern Fra nce. Ha rvests here a re typica l ly the latest i n a l l of
wines; the eastern reg ions prod uce fi rm red s from Ca bernet Fra nce, ofte n ru n n i n g i nto Nove m ber.

Still Vou vray Sparkling Vou vray

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
co
LU
z:
1--1
s:
:::::.:::: LO I R E VA L L E Y
u
<(

VO U V R AY
z:
:::::.::::

• The reg ion a round Tou rs, the Toura i ne. Before then, • Sparkl ing Vouvray resem­ of the N ew World.
ca l l ed the "Toura i ne;' is most Vouvray wines were bles the other spark l i n g
one of Fra nce's oldest wine blended i nto other wines of w in e s o f Fra nce, such as • S parkl i n g Vouvray u ses
regions, dating back to the the region. Blanq uette de Li moux or the same style nomencla­
Middle Ages. Cremant d 'Alsace, more t u re a s C h a m pagne: Brut
• Most of the wines of Vou­ than Champa g ne. for very d ry, Dem i-sec for
• Vouvray received AC (a ppel­ vray lie on northern slopes l i g htly sweet.
lation controlee) statu s above the Loi re River a n d • S parkling Vouvray is i nex­
i n 1 939 w h e n i t s wines a re aged i n caves d ug i nto pensive when compared • S parkling Vouvray, in a ny
were fou nd to be disti nct the hi l lsides. with Champagne or the but the sweet styles, makes
from the other wines of better spark l i n g wines a perfect a p petizer wine.

56
Vouvray prod ucers u se no new oak a n d no s m a l l cooperage. g ra pes, most s pa rkl i n g Vouvray is made from the least-satisfac­
They p refer l a rge old oa k ba rre l s or sta i n l ess steel beca use tory vi ntage yea rs. As a resu lt, there a re large a mou nts of low­
their wi nes a re made with m i n i m a l i ntervention. Vi ntage vari­ q u a l ity spark l i n g Vouvray on the ma rket. It is essentia l to look
ation is g reater here than i n a l most a ny other French reg ion. for wi nes from the best and most dependa ble prod ucers.
When the weather cooperates, Vouvray s i n g s out with sweet, In good yea rs Vouvray Mousseux, a fu l ly sparkl i n g wine, i s
m i nera l ly notes. When fu l l ri peness is not obta i na ble, the prod u ced. These can b e d ry, off-d ry, or s l i g htly sweet. Th ey
wi nes d i s p lay bracing acid ity a n d a re u s u a l ly u sed fo r spar­ can express the true hon eyed nature of Chen in B l a n c.
k l i n g Vo uvray. Beca u se of the dec l i ne of i nterest i n Chen in B l a n c t h roug h­
S pa rk l i n g Vouvray prod uction fol lows the Cha m pagne out the New World ove r the past severa l decades, most Vou­
model. Beca use spark l i n g wi nes benefit from u nderri pe vray prod uction is now spa rkl i n g .

Champagne versus Sparkling Vou vray

Best Prod�cers- of Vo�vr� �

• The visual ap pea ra nce of sensation in the mouth is


Champagne is strikingly a l most electrifyi ng. Vou­
d ifferent from that of vray's textu re i s coa rser.
sparkling Vouvray. Vouvray's
l arger bu bbles resemble • Sparkling Vouvray displays
those fou nd in most New some honeyed notes,
World spa rk l i ng wines. ba ked pea r, a nd a m i neral­
ity pecu liar to the Loire
• The mouthfeel of Cham­ region. Champagne is more
pagne is u n ique beca use of l i kely to suggest yeast or
the sma l l bubble size. The toasted bread.

57
CAVA: SPAIN'S INEXPENSIVE BU BBLY
It's a sparkling white wine for everyday enjoyment
Cava is a Spa n i s h sparkl i ng wine made i n g reat q u a ntity i n the T h e te rm cava mea n s "cel l a r" i n Cata l o n i a . These wi nes a re
northeaste rn reg ion of Penedes, whose major city is Barce­ reg u lated by DO (deno m i n aci6n de origen) ru les a nd m u st
lona. The fi rm of Freixenet m a kes an est i m ated 60 percent of be made u s i n g the tra d itiona l method, as in C ha m pag ne.
a l l Spanish sparkl i ng wine. I ts major riva l, Cord o n i u , prod uces S p a n i s h Cava is read i l y ava i l a b l e i n Am erica n and British
most of the re m a i n i ng 40 percent. Both houses were esta b­ ma rketplaces, a n d it is i n expens ive enoug h to enjoy on a
l i s hed in the late n i n etee nth centu ry, and l ittle has c h a n g ed reg u l a r basis.
in thei r wine styles over the yea rs. Th is d ry, spa rk l i ng wh ite wine makes a n exce l lent acco m-

Freixenet Carta Nevada Segura Viu das Cava

V'l
u
......
V'l
<(
co
LJ..J
z:
......
3:
:::£
u
<(
z:
:::£

• Freixenet is the world's com plex, is ca lled "Carta • Seg u ra Vi udas is an a rtisa­ • Reserva Heredad, Seg u ra
largest prod ucer of Cava. Neg ro" and comes i n a nal, h i g h-qua l ity Cava made Vi udas's flagshi p wine i s
The fi rm was fou nded i n d isti nctive black bottle. to exacting prod uction aged for fou r yea rs on the
1 889. Annual prod uction sta ndard s by Freixenet. yeast (lees). It comes i n a
of Freixenet, including its • Freixenet has holdings d i sti nctive ha nd-blown bot­
subsidiary labels, is over worldwide. It prod uces • Seg u ra Vi udas is priced tle and is ava i lable through­
1 00 m i l l ion bottles. sparkl i n g wines u nder sev­ a bout two or three times a s out America a n d the U nited
era l labels, including "G loria m u c h as Freixenet's most Kingdom. Other Seg u ra
• Carta Nevada is Freixenet's Ferrer;' made i n Sonoma popu l a r brands a n d comes Vi udas wines include three
med i u m-dry Cava. Their County, a nd "Sala Vive;' i n five styles. wines u nder the "Aria" label
Brut Cava, d rier and more made in Mexico. a n d a sparkling Pi not Noir.

58
pa n i ment to a ppetizers, l i g h t food cou rses, a n d even d es­ •••••••••• YE LLOW LIGHT •••••••••••••

se rts. America n wine lovers a re fi n d i ng that S pa n i sh Cava not


The most rel ia ble Cavas a re t hose made by the l a rger pro­
o n ly fi l l s the bi l l for a peritifs but a l so m a kes a perfect base
d u ce rs. Diffe re nces in house style a re a l most neg l i g i b le. A l l
fo r spark l i ng wine cockta i l s and "Ch a m pag n e" p u nches. It's
Cava is m a d e from Vi u ra (Maca beo), Xa rel-lo, a n d Pa re l lada
a l so a good c hoice for wed d i n g receptions a n d other festive
g ra pes g rown a l most exc l usively i n Cata lo n i a .
events where g u ests a re u n l i kely to pay close attention to the •

su btleties of a more-com p lex wi ne. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The q u a l ity of Cava va ries very l ittle from yea r to yea r


beca use these wi n es a re b l en ded t o conform t o t h e house
style. There a re no vi ntage Cavas.

Spanish Cava

• C.c.vc. provide5 c. woV1derfvi l &1 V\ d i V1expeV15ive bc.5e


for Cl rc.V15e of cipfritif c.oc.Hciik

• Ro\jcil k.i r: Add c. tec.5pooV1 or More of C.reMe de


C.c.55i5 to c. flvite of C.c.vc. .

GoodV1i5l-J k.i55: TV\ c. flvite , plcic.e I 5vi5c.r c.vibe ,


cidd I d rop AV1505tvirci biHer5 CIV\d Cl 5plc.5h of
C.c.Mpciri , CIV\d fi l l with C.c.vci .

• MiM05t1 : like 0V1e-third orc.V15e jviic.e , two­


thi rd5 C.c.vc. .

Althoug h Cava lacks the must u ndergo a secondary • TV\veV\t \jovir OwV\ : A ver\j popvi lcir cipfritif i V1
elegance and fi n esse of fine fermentation in the bottle. Evirope i5 MC.de b \j d roppiV15 I 5pooV1fvi l of
Champag ne, it provides a liqvievir i V1to c. flvite of 5pcirkliV15 white wiV\e .
very affordable a l ternative. • The la bor-i ntensive process frviit-flc.vored lici_vievir5 5viC.h C.5 C.hc.Mbord
of freezing the bottle necks work ver\j we l l . If the d riV1k i5 V\Ot Mixed , the
• The textu re and mouth­ to remove spent yeast deV15er liqvievir will 5iV1k to the boHoM of the
feel of Cava a re s i m i l a r cel l s has been replaced
5 /c.55 , providiV15 vi5vic.I iV1tere5t.
t o those o f N e w World by a gyropa lette, wh ich
spark l i ng wines, Cava is a performs this operation
DO reg u lated wine and, l i ke mechanica l ly on h u n d reds
a l l q u a l ity sparkling wi nes, of bottles at a ti me.

59
PROSECCO: ITALY'S FESTIVE SPARKLER
This versatile wine comes from Italy's Veneta region
U n l i ke C h a m pagne (na med fo r a reg ion) a n d Cava (na med Al so, u n l i ke C h a m pag n e and Cava, Prosecco is not made
after a proced u re), Prosecco is a n I ta l i a n s pa rk l i n g wine made u s i n g the tra d itional method of seco n d a ry fe rme ntation i n
from the e ponymous g ra pe va riety. Prosecco g ra pes a re the bottle b u t rather b y t h e Cha rmat process. This wine i s
g rown only in the Veneta reg ion of northea ste rn Ita ly a nd made i n l a rge, p ressu rized, sta i n l ess steel ta n ks, then fi ltered
a re used to m a ke sti l l , frizza nte, a n d spark l i n g wi nes. At t h i s a n d bottled u nder press u re. Apa rt from add i ng carbonation
t i me the only Prosecco wines i m ported t o the N e w Wo rld a re to fi n ished wine, the C h a rmat p rocess is the least-expensive
of the spa rkling va riety. method of getting fizz i nto wi ne.

Zardetto Prosecco Traditional Prosecco Cocktails

V'l
u
1---l
V'l
<(
co
LU
z:
1---l
3:

u
<(
z:

• Zardetto Prosecco is one of Ita l i a n vil lage of the same • The Bel l i n i cocktail: Into Ernest Hemingway, Sinclair
the most widely d istri buted na me. a Champagne flute pou r Lewis, a n d Orson Wel les.
Proseccos i n the U.S. The fac­ one-t h i rd part peach puree;
tory is located in the hea rt of • Approxi mately 1 50 m i l l io n fi l l with two-t h i rd s pa rts • The Poinsettia cockta i l : This
the fi nest Prosecco region­ bottles o f Prosecco a re Prosecco. Garnish with rasp­ eleg a nt Prosecco cock-
Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, produced a n n u a l ly, a round berries or cut strawberries. ta i l consists of 1h ounce
40 mi les northwest of 60 percent from the Coneg­ Cointreau or other ora nge
Venice. l i a no a rea. • The Bel l i n i is a classic liqueur, 3 ou nces cra n berry
Prosecco cockta il, i nvented j u ice, and Prosecco to fi l l a
• The term Prosecco is • Za rdetto ma rkets fou r in Venice around 1 940. It sta ndard Champagne fl ute.
derived from the north Prosecco wi nes. was a favorite cockta i l of Garnish with orange zest.

60
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Prosecco is one of I ta ly's oldest g ra pe va rieties, g rown i n
Roman ti m es a n d descri bed b y P l i ny t h e Elder. The C h a rmat process is u sed for most of the
Prosecco was orig i n a l ly made i n a l i g htly sweet style world's c heaper spa rkl i n g wi nes. The e nti re pro­
s i m i l a r to Asti S p u m a nte, but s i n ce the 1 960s it h a s bee n cess takes p lace in l a rg e pressu rized ta n ks, e l i mi­
offered a l most exc l u sively in a ve ry d ry but not a u ste re style. nati n g most of the la bor-i nte n sive steps of the
Prosecco g ra pes a re a l so g rown in Argentina, B razi l, Roma n ia, tra d itional m ethod. Wines made by the Cha rmat
a n d Austra l ia. p rocess wi l l be s i m pl e and lack the com plexity of
In contra st to no nvi ntage Cha m pag ne, which i s u s u a l ly t ra d itional s pa rkl i ng wines.
blended from a selection of base w i n es, Prosecco is a s i n g le­ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
va riety wi ne.

Prosecco Wines

Pro5ecco Profi le
· S'p�rkliV1 5 wiV1eS � re V10rm�l l\j m�de from bMel'j
ripeV1ed fr1Ait, jlAst �s the herb�ceo1ASV1ess
be5i V1S to 5ive w�'j fo v�riet� I frlAit flMors.

. Most sp�rkliV15 wiV1eS � re m�de from b leVlds of


differeV1t 5 r�pe vMieties. This eV1SV1res � coV1SiS­
feV1t stlj le �Vld complex flMor p�leHe .

S'iV15le-vMietlj Proseccos �re ch�r�derized


b'j th�t v�riet'j 's flMor profi le , someti mes
descri bed �s lemoV15r�ss . or�V15e blossom ,
pe�ch , �Vld fropic�I frlAik

• Italy is the world's l a rgest • Prosecco is prod uced


. Prosecco from the C.Mtizze viV1e'j�rd is widel'j
producer of the g reatest both as a l i g htly sparkling thoV15ht to be the best ex�mple of Prosecco �Vld
ra nge of sparkling wines. wine a nd a fu l ly sparkl i n g is boHled �s � vi V1e'j�rd-desi5V1�ted wiV1 e .
The spectrum incl udes spu­ wine. I m ported exa m ples
ma nte (foa ming) and friz­ a re a l most a l ways fu l ly
za nte ( l i g htly fizzy). Many sparkling.
spuma nte wines a re sweet
a nd have l arge bubbles. • The best Prosecco wines
Prosecco i s d ry and has a re l a beled as "Prosecco di
finer bu bbles. Coneg liano."

61
U.S. SPARKLING WINES
World-class wines come from California, New York State , and New
Mexico
Spa rk l i ng wine in the U n ited States enjoys a centu ry-old tra­ fru it, New York State occu p ied center stage for m uch of the
d ition, beg i n n i n g in N a pa Va l l ey, Ca l ifornia. Ea rly wi nes were twe ntieth centu ry, offering i n expensive m a ss-prod uced bot­
s i m p l y carbonated sti l l wines, but rea l methode champenoise tl i ngs. I ts h i story of spa rkl i n g wine goes back to the 1 860s. A
wi nes beg a n to a p pea r at m idcent u ry u n der the l a be l s of spark l i n g Catawba from the Fi nger La kes reg ion wo n i nte rna­
"Korne l l " a n d "Sc h ra m sberg:' tional acc l a i m in 1 863. Today's spa rkl i n g wines from N ew York
Beca use the best sparkl i n g wine is made from barely ripe State a re made from a ra nge of g ra pe varieties.

Chandon Bru t Gruet Meth ode Champen oise Rose

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
co
UJ
z:
1--1
:s:
::::ii::::
u
<(
z:
::::ii::::

• The N a pa Valley fi r m of wi nes, including a rose, a n • Rose sparkl i n g wines a re the southwestern U n ited
Chandon is a s u bsidiary of off-dry wine, a n d a spar­ made by adding a small States. It specia l izes i n
the French house of Moet et kling red wine from Pi not amount of red Pinot Noir sparkling wi nes. Gruet's
Chandon, which makes the Noir and Zinfa ndel. j u ice to the lig htly colored NV Brut, NV Blanc de Noirs
luxury bran d Dom Perignon. free-run juice of the other (from Pinot Noir), Dem i-sec
Its wines a re known for • Chandon's Reserve l i neup g ra pes. Rose sparkl ing (lig htly sweet), and Rose a re
their rich ness a n d c reamy consists of seven wines, wines can be com plex a n d a l l va l u e priced.
texture. including Pi not Noir rose, elega nt.
Crema nt, and Twenty Yea r • A second tier of Blanc de
• The Ca lifornia l i neup from Cuvee. T h e winery offers • Gruet is one of the most Blancs, Gra n d Rose a n d
Chandon incl udes five vi ntage-dated wines as wel l . d isti ng uished wineries in Reserve, is a lso offered.

62
A sea cha nge i n sparkl i ng w i n e q u a l ity occ u r red when sev­ i n expen sive e n o u g h for everyday enjoyme nt. Per h a ps the
era l tra d itional French houses set u p shop in Ca l ifo r n i a : Moet biggest su rprise i n America n spa rkl i n g wine comes from a
& Cha ndon, M u m m, Pi per-H iedsick, Deutz, a nd Roederer. very u n l i kely p l ace. I n 1 983 a French winemaker from Cham­
Th e i r prod u cts rose to the front ra n ks of New World spark l i n g pag ne passed t h ro u g h the Rio G ra nd e Va l l ey town ofTruth or
wine, a l ong with the a l ready esta b l is hed Schra m sberg wi nes. Con seq uences, New Mexico. He then proceeded to buy l a n d
J Vi neyards & Wi nery joi ned the effo rt in 1 986 and offers a a n d p l a nt a vineya rd devoted t o sparkl i n g wine m a d e i n t h e
ra nge of exce l lent sparkl i ng wines. C h a m pagne trad itio n . Th u s w a s b o r n the N e w Mexico house
Wa s h i ngton State's C hatea u Ste.-Michelle entered spar­ of Gruet, whose sparkl i ng wines now rival some of the best
k l i n g wine prod uction a n d swept u p the low-end ma rket from Ca l iforn i a .
a l most ove r n i g ht with th ree exce l lent va l ue spa rklers that a re

Cha tea u Frank Blan c de Blancs

lA .S'. S'p t1 rkliV1 5 WiV\eS" verS"vtS"


C.ht1m p t1 5 V\e
• Th e term Lht1mpt15V\e is proper!� 1.-1sed OV\ I� for
wiV\eS ori5i V\t1fi V\5 iV\ fhe Lht1mpt15V\e re5ioV\ of

CHA1EAU FRANK FrtiV\ce .

• Lht1mpt15V\e htiS ti fiV\e fexf1.-1 re fhtif is V\Of


d1.-1plict1fed tlV\�where else iV\ fhe world .
F I NG E R LAKES C HAMPAGN E
· lA .S'. SpMkliV\5 wiV\eS occ1.-1p� fhe low- fo mid­
rt1V\5e sedor of fhe mMket. IV\ receV\f �eMS
Some Lti liforV\itl ho1.-1SeS wifh freV\Ch fies htive
i V\frod1.-1ced s1.-1per-premi1Am bottliV\5S i V\feV\ded
• Chateau Fra n k Blanc d e • Chateau Fra n k offers five fo rivti l fr1.-1e Lht1mpt15V\e.
Bla ncs is a n example o f the sparkling wines, a l l made in
hig her-q ual ity methode the classic style u s i ng tradi­ • Lht1mpt15V\e mo1.-1sse (fotim) is more delictife tlV\d
champenoise wines from tional French tec h n i q ues. loV\5- lived fhtiV\ mosf lA .5. SpMkliV\5 wiV\eS.
New York. This winery
earned the accolade "Great­ • Chatea u Fra n k i nsta l led the
est Wi ne Prod ucer in the gyropalette used i n S panish
Atla ntic Northeast" five Cava prod uction, lead ing to
yea rs in a row in Steven­ l ower costs a n d l ower reta il
son's a n n u a l Wine Repo rt. prices.

63
SPARKLING WINE STYLES
The world's most versatile wine comes in a range of styles
Sparkl i ng w i n e provides a good, someti m es even g reat, C h a m pag nes. De l icious sparkl i ng wi nes a re ava i la bl e at every
acco m pa n i ment to a l most a l l food cou rses, from a ppetizers p rice poi nt.
to desserts, from savo ry to sweet. I t i s the world's most versa­ The least-expen sive spark l i n g wi nes a re s i m ply fi n ished sti l l
tile wine type. But there a re m a ny styles wit h i n the spark l i n g wines i nto which carbonation h a s been i ntrod uced. They a re
wine spectru m . They m a y b e s i m ple fi zzy d ry wh ite w i n es known as "soda pop" wi nes. Bu l k processes i n w h i c h a sec­
such as th ose encou ntered at "Ch a m pag n e" bru nches or ele­ o n d a ry ferme ntation takes p l ace in l a rge sta i n l ess steel ta n ks
ga nt, serious, co m pl ex masterpieces s u c h as q u a l ity vi ntage a re u sed to m a ke m a ny va l ue-p riced wi nes.

Bru t Champagne Blan c de Noirs Creman t de Bourgogne

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
cc
LJ..J
:z:
1--1
:s:

u
<(
:z:

• The term brut ("coarse" i n • Wines conta i n i n g no dos­ • Wines labeled "extra d ry" are made outside the Cham­
French) was originally u sed age at all may be labeled sweeter than brut or natura l pagne region. They lack the
to descri be Cham pagne that "natura l;"'natu rel;' or "brut wines b u t appea r t o b e d ry. fin esse of Champagne but
was given a lower level of nature:'These a re the d riest A slightly more generous a re relatively inexpensive.
added sweeteni ng, or dos­ sparkl ing wines of a l l . dosage adds round ness and The main reg ions for cre­
age, leading to a drier wi ne. removes some of the bright man t a re Alsace, Burg u ndy,
• Natura l sparkling w i n e s a re acidity that characterizes and the Li moux reg ion of
• Wi nes la beled brut will most commonly prod uced most brut wines. southern France.
a lways seem to be bone in Cal ifornia. The l a rgest
d ry, even when a very light producer of these wines is • Wines l a beled cremant a re
dosage has been added. Korbel. French sparkling wines

64
A l l fi ne sparkl i n g wines a re refermented in the bott le. These Pi not M e u n iere. Rose: Th is p i n k w i n e is u s ua l ly made from a
wi nes wi l l say "methode c h a m penoi se" or "methode trad itio­ wh ite base wine ble nded with a s m a l l a mo u nt of Pinot Nair.
nel le" or "fermented in the bottl e!' Demi-sec: Th is is a n off-d ry, s l i g htly sweet wine, sweeter than
Here a re the major styles: Brut: These a re very d ry a n d Extra D ry. Doux: Th is wine i s sweet. Spa rkl i ng reds a re becom­
u s ua l ly made from a blend o f C h a rd o n n ay, Pi not Nai r, a n d ing fa shiona ble, particu la rly i n Ita ly. Cremant: Th is is the term
Pinot M e u n iere. Extra Dry: B r u t wi nes a re sweetened s l i g htly u sed for all methode champenoise sparkl i n g wi nes made in
with a "dosage" of sugar after fe rme ntation. B l a n c d e B l a n cs: Fra nce but outside the C ha m pagne reg ion. The most widely
These a re wh ite wines from wh ite g ra pes. They a re 1 00 per­ expo rted exa m p les a re from B u rg u ndy, Al sace, a n d Limoux.
cent C h a rdon nay a n d made bone d ry. Blanc de Noirs: These
wh ite wines a re made from red g ra pes, u s u a l ly Pi not Nair a n d

A Sparkling Win e Closure

• DoVI 't do it! PoppiV15 C.hco-Y1pt:15V1e corks is


dciV1 5 ero1AS t1V1d CC11ASeS fhe wiV1e to focim OIAt of
the bottle .

• To opeV\ ci spcirkliV1 5 wiV1e , look for ci tcib or


opeV1iV15 i V1 fhe foi l coveriV1 5 . PIA l l fhe foi l ciwci� ,
expoSi V15 fhe cci5e . If �OIA CCIV\ 't fi V1d ci wci� to
remove fhe foi l , c1Af CIVI opeV1iV15 t1V1d p'-1 1 1 bcick
the foi l .

· BeV1d 01At the riV15 t1 V1 d fwisf to looseVI fhe cci5e .


It w i l l req1Aire six f1A rV1S . Lift off fhe cci5e fo
ciccess the cork.
• A l l sparkling wines come cage. The ring ca n usually
in extra thick bottles with be seen through the foi l . • Hold fhe bottle firml'j_ wifh OVle ht1V1d , fhe
special clos u res. The clos u re cork with fhe other. Twist fhe bottle whi le
consists of a m u s h room­ • Sparkl ing w i n e bottles a n d 5rippi V15 fhe cork. k.eep holdiV15 fhe cork 1A V1fi l
head cork, cage, and foi l closures a re more expen­ if is removed . Th e wiV1e wi ll pop blAt probcibl�
coveri ng. sive than traditiona l bottles
remt1iV1 i V1Side fhe bottle . A lwci�s hcive Cl 5 lciss
a nd corks. In the case of
V1et1rb� iV1 ccise the wiV1e focims 01Af of the
A meta l ring i s a lways very i nexpensive wines,
incl uded in the cage design. the cost of the bottle a n d
bottle .
It twi sts out to provide a closure far exceeds t h a t of
handle for loose ni ng the its contents.

65
WHAT WINE LABELS TELL YOU
Learn how to read foreign and domestic wine labels and what to
look for
Th ere a re sti l l places in ru ra l E u rope wh ere b u l k wine is d is­ Wi ne l a be l s beg a n to a p pear i n the late n i neteenth cen­
pen sed i nto deca nters for p u rchase. But most peo p l e look to t u ry after the i ntrod uction of g l ues that wou l d bind pa per
a wine l a bel to provide the necessary i nfo rmation to eva l uate to g la ss. La bels u sed for sparkl i ng wines use s peci a l water­
the contents of a bottle. Every w i n e sold com mercia l ly m u st resistant g l ue beca use these wines a re l i kely to spend some
ca rry a m a i n l a bel. Back l a be l s offer fu rther i nformation, a n d time s u b m e rged i n a n ice bucket.
neck l a be l s a re someti mes u sed for vi ntage dates. La be l s ca n be stra ightfo rwa rd, provi d i ng only the basic

A Basic American Wine Label

LJ..J
z:
1--1 • NC1me of fhe wiV1e : CV1 ropeC1V1 wiV1eS' Me offeVI
3: VIC.med c.fter the wiV1er'j ; New World wi V1e) Me ,2()()/

u V1)V1Cl l l'j VIC.med c.ffer H�e 5rc.pe vMief'j .
frRRHRl.CHRHno
<(
z:

• Geogrc.phic.c. I refereV1c.e : VIC.me of C.OV1Vlfr'j or
re5ioV1 of ori5iV1 . If fhe wiV1e iS' from Cl re 5 w
le.fed c.rec. , if will c.c.rr'j CIVI AC, DO , or AVA
refereV1c.e .

• Vol1Ame of wiV1e: V1)V1Clll'j 5iveV1 iV1 mefric. de5i5-


V1C1fioV1 , )V1C.h CIS' 750 milli liter) .

• A lc.oholic. 5freV15th : Tc.ble wi V1eS' wi ll c.oV1fc.iV1 This is a typical, u ncompli­


• wines s o l d in t h e U n ited
from 8 . 5 perc.eV1f to C1rOV1V1d 15 perc.eV1t c. lc.oho l . cated wine l a bel, showing States.
only the basic i nformation
• Ne.me o f prod1Ac.er req u ired. • U n l i ke Europea n labels,
American wine l a bels h i g h­
• A back l a be l is needed to l i g ht the producer, rather
show the vol u me, address than the a ppel lation .
• BoHli V15 de5i5V1c.fioV1 : e5fc.fe bottled or or location of the winery,
ofherwiS'e bott l i ng i nformation, a n d
the req u isite govern ment
wa rning mandated for a l l

66
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
information n ecessa ry to identify the wi ne, or they may be
"a rtist l a be l s" that a re desig n ed by a rtists s pecifica l ly fo r a Back l a be l s a re especia l ly com mon i n New World
pa rticu l a r vi ntage. Chatea u Mouton-Rothsc h i ld i n Bord ea ux w i nes. They can be i nformative when they s u pply
was the fi rst wi n ery to co m m ission l a bel a rt from the world's o bjective s pecifics, s u ch a s the com position of a
best-known contem pora ry a rtists a n d conti n u es to do that b lended wine or i nformation a bout the w i nery. But
u p to the present. Featu red a rtists i nc l u d e Braq ue, Pica sso, often they offe r i nflated "tasti ng notes" desig ned
Motherwe l l, M i ro, Chag a l l, Da l f, a n d Wa rhol. M a ny wi n eries to l u re c ustomers to p u rchase the prod uct.
offer their fi nest wi nes u s i ng cu stom a rtist l a bels. A pa rt from • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

a l a bel's desig n, the i nformation g iven is tig htly reg u l ated to


protect the con su mer from fra ud.

A Typical Ba ck Label

AboVit GoverV\ M€V\t w� rV1i V1 5 S' �V'ld


S'Vi r fi te5
• V1 .S'. wiV1e lcibels mVISt wt:irVI womeVI VIOt to
d riV1k cilc.oholic. beverci5es dV1ri V15 pre5V1t:1V1C.1j ,
wt:irVI of the risk of d riviV15 or opercitiV15
mt:1c.hiV1er'j cifter C.OV1SV1 miV1 5 ci lc.oho l , t:1V1d wt:irVI
of possi ble deleterioV1S hecilfh effects.

· If SVl lfifes SVIC.h cis 50:2 hcive beeV1 cidded , the


wt:1rV1iV15 " C.oV1tt:1iV1S S'Vl lfites " mVISt cippecir.
S'Vl lfifes ci re ci lmost ci lwt:i'jS Vised to preveV1t
oxidcitioV1 t:1V1d fo ki l l V1V1wt:1V1fed bciderici .

• GoverV1meV1+ wt:1rV1i V15S mVISt cippecir i V1 c.cipifci l


• Req u i red i nformation is to the p h rases Estate Bottled letters i V1 ci desi5V1cited +'jpe size .
someti mes moved to a and mis en bouteilles au
back l abel to promote clea n chateau.
• A l l wiV1eS C.Ommerc.icill'j sold iVI fhe V1V1ifed
front l a bel design. These
S'fcifes mVISt c.cirr'j fhese wt:ir V1 iV15S eveV1 if the'j
items include vol ume of the • French bottlings rarely use
cire imported from other C.OV1V1fries .
wine, its a lcoholic strength, back l a bels. New World
bottling i nformation, and bottlings a l m ost a l ways do.
govern ment warni ngs. Back labels provide space
for a description of the wine
• The p h rase Produced and or to i nform the purchaser
Bottled by . . . i s equivalent of its u n ique provenance.

67
FRENCH & AMERICAN WINE LABELS
U . S . Tax and Trade Bureau controls everything a wine label says ;
France is even pickier
The French were not the fi rst to provide govern ment reg u la­ French system is based on terroir, not g ra pe variety. Alsace is
tion over wine labeling. That d isti nction fa l ls to Ita ly (Chia nti). the o n ly exception.
But the French were the fi rst to develop a systematic deli nea­ The French system i nco rporates fou r basic designations: Vi n
tion a nd control of geog ra phical wine reg ions. de Ta ble (u ndesig nated ord i n a ry wi nes, ra rely exported), Vi n
The French a ppel l ation contr61ee reg u lations have become d u Pays (cou ntry wines), VDQS (midgrade wines not entitled
the model worldwide. But u n l i ke most other reg ions, the to the h i g hest designation), a nd AC (a p pe l l ation controlee)

A Typical American Label A Proprietary Label

V'l
u Appellt1fioV\ FOR T I TUDE.
1---1
(AVA) Jfed'mn�· :f5/./_J,tj�/N/
GER
V'l
<( 2005 N PA VALLEY lhm W r x E
co
FORlTfUDE wines celebrate the hard \\Ork o f indrp«nden1
UJ fumj(y grape growers and honor a tradition of 1ustainahlc land
nunagrment that is pwed from one genrration to thr next. The
z:
1---1
3:
2002 Fttdiani Famil!· Im been farming in the '.\apa \'alley sine 189

u
��
C A B ia. N E T S A U V I G N O N
md tixb) the third gmeration tends l'ines that 11err plantl11 m
1935. This 11ine is a unique field blend of charbono (sr/1),
carignane (J2%�petite sirab (5%), and valdiguie (S'lo)
<(
z: The grapes were grown,crushed and fermmtrd toge1hcr 10
produce a wine that expresses uncommon layers of 0a10r in I
..w ,y�<VH7�-

� lull-bodied hut traditionally well·balaJlCt.'ll red tablr 11inc.

9� � '6 �� Yfaduul
A lcohol
�,,t'� �, a wt?uc/
PRODUCED & BOITLED BY ETUDI:: WINES.
SAPA, CALIF. • WWW. FORTITUDEWil\'l:S.CO�I

COV\feV\f (j()\'BINMf.NJ WARNING: ( I ) ACCORDING TO ll!E SURGED�


GE\'ERA!., WOMEN SHOU!D NOT DRIXK ALCOHOIJC
HEID.AGES DURI G PREG. A CY BECAUSE OF THE RllK Of
BIRTH DEFECTS. (2) CO SUMP110N OF ALCOHOLIC BEl'ER.\GE.1
ALCOHOL 14.2% B Y VOl l M IMPIJRS YOUR ABlillY TO DRIVE A CAR OR OPER.\H
MACHINERY. A D MAY Ct\USE HEALTII PROBLEMS.

T�ll. ALC l2.8%BY VOL

• American wine labels give blended from more than • Many American a n d Ita l­ m ust sti l l a p pea r on labels.
a clear ind ication of what's one state, "America" will be ian wines use proprieta ry If the term meritage is u sed,
i nside the bottle. Purchas­ the a ppel lation. na mes, which fa l l outside the wine's com position
ers need not know the some government reg u la­ m u st be approved by the
specific ru les that govern • Na rrowly defi ned appel­ tions and a re often u sed Meritage Association and
the wine's contents. lations, such a s "Temecula to circu mvent l i m iting m u st be a classic Bordea ux
Va l ley;' u s u a l ly ensure restrictions. blend. American l abeling
• The a ppel lation or AVA is hig her-q ual ity wine. I n may include a ny items the
always given. ATF ru les, l i ke blended wines, ATF rules d o • The req u i red items-wi nery winery chooses to incl ude
French AC ru l es, use a con­ not req u i re l a bels t o reveal na me, vi ntage, a lcohol con­ as long as the req u i red
centric system. For wines blend specifics. tent, vol u me, a ppel lation- items a lso a p pear.

68
wi nes. Most exports a re AC wi nes. It is necessa ry to u nder­ m i n i m u m a l cohol potentia l at ha rvest. America n wi ne l a bel­
sta nd the AC req u i rements of an a ppel l ation to know what's i n g is governed by the ATF (Burea u of Alcohol, Tobacco, a nd
i n side the bottle. Fi rea rms). ATF ru les a l low a wide ra nge of l a be l i n g practices
The AC system is a d m i n i stered by the I NAO ( l n stitut National wit h i n specific g u idel i nes. ATF gra nts a ppe l l ation status based
des Appel lations d'Origi ne).The I NAO g ra nts AC status to a geo­ on reg ional d isti nctions. These a re cal led "AVAs" (American Viti­
g raphic reg ion based on its h i story of s u perior performa nce. cu ltura l Areas) . U n l i ke French ACs, AVAs do not extend to single
The reg ion may be a s i n g l e vi neya rd, a reg ion s u rro u nd i n g a vi neya rds, b ut if a wine is vi neya rd-designated, a l l fru it m ust
vi l lage, or an entire reg ion such as Bou rgog ne (Burg u ndy). come from that sou rce. If an a p pellation a p pears on the l a bel,
The I NAO ru les govern every aspect of winemaking wit h i n all wi ne m u st come from the reg ion. And if a va rieta l name is
a n a ppel l ation, i nc l ud i n g w h i c h gra pes m a y b e pla nted a nd u sed, 75 percent of the wine m u st be of the named variety.

Bea ujolais Label Bordea ux Label

DOMAIN E DES M ICHELONS Appellt1fioV) CllATEAU


2007
BEAU - S ITE
� ,t�4 cJl:if'lrieta
RED BEAUJOLAIS WINE SAINT-ESTEPHE
A le.oho! C.oV\feV\f
APPELL\TION SAJNT-ESTtPHf. CONTROLH

SW!CTIONNE ET MIS EN BOUTEILLES PAR . �


JAlio.AvDE DEBEAUNE A 71570 ROMANf::CHE-THORIN -fl

8' 8Y VOL PRODUCE OF FRANCE . \ ,�


.. �

DIPorJED BY : WJ. DEUTSCH & SONS LTD., HARRI SO· .

• Grape varieties a re not • The composition of the • Bordeaux a p pellations m a ker chose to add a touch
a l l owed to ap pear on wine is known only to a re named for vil lages. of some other variety to the
French AC wines except for those who u ndersta nd the The Bordeaux l a bel gives blend, the label could not
Alsatian wines.The name of AC ru les that govern this no information a bout the contai n the words appella­
the wine is the same as the particular a p pel lation . This wine itself. We know this tion contr6/ee.
name of a single vineya rd wine is 1 00 percent Ga may wine is a b lend of Ca bernet
that enjoys AC status. I n Nair beca u se the ru l es Sa uvignon, Ca bernet Fra nc, • French AC ru les do not
the Beaujolais region there req u i re it. Merlot, a n d Petite Verdot mandate the composition
a re thirteen vi neyards beca use those a re the of the blend, only the g ra pe
that receive this coveted grape va rieties mandated va rieties that may be used.
desig nation. by AC ru les. If the wine-

69
GERMAN & ITALI AN WINE LABELS
They ' re easy to decipher if you know a few terms
Of a l l the wi nes sold i n Am erica, Ca nada, a nd the U n ited Also u n i q u e to the Germ a n l a bel i n g syste m is an A P. n u m ber
Ki ngdom, the h a rdest l a bels to deci pher a re those from Ger­ that ide ntifies the s pecific wine a n d g ives deta i l s s u rrou nd­
m a ny a nd Ita ly. M u c h of the most i m porta nt i nfo rmation is i n i n g its offi cial a p p rova l .
t h e native lang uage Tafe l we i n (ta b l e wi ne) i s the lowest classification o f Ger­
Germ a ny does not use the a p pe l l ation system to e n s u re m a n wi nes; l a n dwei n (cou ntry wi ne) is a cut a bove. These
specific geog ra ph ies. I n stea d, it recogn izes t h i rtee n w i n e w i n es a re genera l ly not expo rted. Q u a l itatswe i n bestim mter
reg ions whose n a m es a p pear on every q u a l ity German wine. A n ba u g ebiete (QbA) is the lowest c l a ssifi cation of wines

A German Wine Label

'

• TrockeV): d r'j

• Hc.tlb+rockeV) : S'emi-dr'j

• Ql-ic.tlifCifS'weiV) mif PrCidikc.tf: ql-ic.tlit'j wiV)e wifh


S'pecic.tl de5i5V)c.tfioV)

• The name of a q u a l ity cooperatives. Wines that


German wine consists of do not rise to the hig hest
the vi l lage followed by the sta ndard s may use the vil­
vineyard, a s in Piesporter lage name fol l owed by the
Goldtropfchen, where name of the g rosslage, as in
Piesport is the vil lage; Gold­ Piesporter M ichelsberg.
• BeereV)c.tl-1S'le5e : ver'j lc.tfe hc.trve5f, ver'j S'weet, tropfchen is the vineya rd.
5rc.tpeS' hc.tV)dpicked iV)dividl-1c.tll'j • Common g rosslage
• German wine-growi n g wine im ports incl ude
• TrockeV)beereV)c.tl-1S'le5e : exfremel'j S'weef, reg ions a re d ivided i nto Zel ler Schwa rze Katz and
rc.tiS'i V)ed , botr'jfi5ed 5 rc.tpeS' iV)dividl-1c.t ll'j picked 1 50 g rosslagen, or vineya rd Bern kasteler Ku rfli rtslay.

70
worthy of export. R i s i n g a bove these c la ssifi catio n s is Q u a l ­ a p pel lation a n d i s s i m i l a r to the French r u l es, a d d i ng a taste
itatswe i n m it Pra d i kat (Qm P). Th is is the h i g hest cla ssification, test a n d chemical eva l uation. DOCG is reserved fo r the
a n d the "Pra d i kat" descri bes sweetness leve l s. h i g hest-q ua l ity a reas with i n a DOC region a n d i n corporates
Qual ity Germ a n wi nes a re u s u a l ly na m ed after the v i l ­ stricter g u id e l i nes. IGT s u g gests that the wine is typica l of its
lage a n d vi neya rd : Zelti nger Sch lossberg i s a wine from t h e reg ion. Wi nes not meeting the strict DOC or DOCG g u idel i nes
Sch lossberg vi neya rd i n the v i l lage o f Ze lti ngen. a re cla ssified a s vino do tavola. These may be either s i m ple,
I ta l i a n wine l a be l s wi l l carry one of t h ree cl assifications: DOC u nco m p l icated wi nes or Italy's best wi nes. They a re wi nes that
(Den o m i nazione di Origine Contro l l ata), DOCG (De n o m i nazi­ either do n't q u a l ify for DOC status or that disregard the stri n­
one d i O ri g i n e Contro l l ata e Gara n tita), and I GT (l nd icazione gent official ru les. The very expensive so-ca l led Su per-Tu sca n
Geog rafica Ti p ica). DOC is the Ita l ia n version of control l ed wi nes of the C h i a nti reg ion exem p l ify the latter.

A Typical Italian Wine Label

FRATELLI

REVELLO

• Bicw1 co : white

f.9.97
• Dolce : S"weet
ffiamlo
J17r;7,:·&:;;.;,;,�;" .
• S'ecco : dr�

• S'p1.-1mt1vJe : S"pt1rkliV15
• Ita l i a n wine l abels a re • The l a rgest type is u s u a l ly
particula rly d ifficult to used for the name of the
u ndersta nd because of the wine. The prod ucer's name
common u se of proprieta ry may not be prominent.
na mes.
• Gra pe varieties may be i ndi­
• The terms tenuta, podere, cated if the wine is a s i n g le
agricola, azienda, can tina, variety wine; otherwise a
fattoria,an d badia mean DOC name may be u sed,
winery, farm, or a bbey. such as Chianti Classico or
Sal ice Salentino.

71
MENDOCINO COUNTY
California's most northerly major wine region boasts ripe reds , crisp
whites , and excellent Pinot Noir
The cou nties of Na pa, Sonoma, M a r i n , a n d Mendoc i n o com­ which runs from nea r U.S. 1 0 1 northwest to the coast, a n d
prise Ca l ifornia's North Coast AVA. Any wi nes made from fru it t h ree i n l a n d va l leys east o f U . S . 1 0 1 .
in these cou nties a re entitled to use the AVA on their l a bels. Wi neries operated i n Mendocino as early as 1 900, but a l l d is­
Mendoc i n o is one of Ca l ifornia's l a rg e r cou nti es, known for a ppea red d u ri n g Prohi bition. The fi rst to open after Prohi bi­
its s pectacu l a r rocky coast l i ne a n d a ncient redwood forests. tion wa s Pa rd ucci i n 1 932. John Pa rd u cci, a long with his father,
There a re two m a i n wine-growi ng a reas: Anderspn Va l ley, fou nded the modern wine i n d u stry i n Mendocino Cou nty,

Anderson Valley Vineyard

MeV1doci V\O C.ovt V\f� '5 Three Wi V1e-


5 rowi V1 5 ZoV1e5
• AV\der)OV\ Vci l lelj : OV\e of Cci liforV\iCI ' 5 c.ooles-t
5rowiV\5 re5ioV\) . Beci1Atif1A I , c.riS'p . CIV\d c.omplex
whifeS' CIV\d s-tlAV\V\iV\5 S'pcirkliV\5 wiV\e).

• rY\eV\doc.iV\O Rid 5 e : hi5h-e levcitioV\ viV\eljcirds­


(l .�00-pllAS' feet) , )ome with oc.eciV\ view).
S'IAperb PtV\ot Noir CIV\d 5recit ZiV\fCIV\de l .

• IV\ lciV\d Vci l leljS': le5eV\dC1rlj Petite S'irci h . S'ljrcih .


CI V\ d ZiV\fciV\del

• Anderson Val ley is Cal ifornia's • Anderson Va l ley enjoys a


coolest major wine-growing strong coasta l influence,
region. White varieties do making it a prime reg ion
especially wel l here. for sparkl ing wine, which
req u ires barely ripe g ra pes.
• Anderson Va l ley wh ite
wines a re light, com plex, • Anderson Va l ley wines a re
a n d crisp. Va l ley red s a re hard to fi nd, but they offer
lean, but h i l ltop red s a re excellent val ue beca use the
a mazi ng, especia l ly Pinot region is less known.
Noir and Zinfa ndel.

72
making a rtisa n a l Cabernet Sauvignon a n d Zinfa n del. He wa s is one of C a l ifornia's coo lest wi ne-growi n g reg ions.
the fi rst to sou rce g ra pes from Anderson Va l l ey a nd use that Exce l lent Ries l i ng, Gewu rztra m i ner, a n d Chardon nay a re
l a bel desig nation even before it beca me a n officia l AVA. made from va l ley fru it by w i n eries such as Nava rro, Ed mead es,
Mendocino Cou nty esta b l i s hed itself as a pre m i u m wi ne­ Brutocao, G ree nwood Rid ge, a n d H u sch. For t h i s reason,
g rowi n g a rea with the deve l op m ent of Anderson Va l ley i n Anderson Va l l ey i s often co m pa red with Alsace, even thoug h
the 1 980s when the French C h a m pa g n e house Roed erer its wines a re not as meaty.
dou b led the va l l ey's a rea u n der vi ne. Soon after, wo nderfu l Rich red wines a re produced in the eastern vi neya rd s of Pot­
Zi nfa n del a n d Pi not Noir g rowi n g i n the h i l ltop vineya rd s led te r Va l ley, Redwood Va l l ey, a nd McDowe l l Va l ley. These wines
to a n ew Mendocino Ridge AVA. These vi neya rd s l i e a bove a re g reat va l ue beca use vi neya rd p roperty here is a bout one­
the coa sta l fog that s h rouds the va l l ey fi oor. Anderson Va l l ey t h i rd as expensive a s compara b l e property i n N a pa Va l l ey.

Men docin o Ridge Vineyard

Bes+ MeV\doci V\o C.o\AV\f�


Prod\Acers-
· Netvetrro

· Petrdvicci (reserve)

· Roederer (spetrkliV\5)

· Hvisch
• The ridges a bove Anderson • Some of Ca l iforn ia's fi nest
Va lley lie a bove the fog and Pi not Noir vi neya rds a re
enjoy a cool, s u n ny climate. found here a n d in the
coasta l ridges i n neig h bor­
• Mendocino Ridge enjoys a ing Sonoma Cou nty.
separate AVA from Ander­
son Va l ley. It ru n s northwest • Greenwood Ridge is the
to the Pacific Ocea n. The best-known winery that
a p pel lation is the second offers estate-bottled wines.
i n the U nited States to be Its wines a re wel l made a n d
based on elevation. attractively priced.

73
SONOMA COUNTY
California 's oldest wine region is home of the world's best Zinfandel
Sonoma Cou nty is the cra d l e of the Ca l ifornia wine i n d u stry. In contra st to N a pa Va l ley, Sonoma Cou nty has l a rgely been
I n 1 834 Genera l Mariano Va l l ejo p l a nted the fi rst vineya rd i n a b l e to m a i nta i n its ori g i n a l , casua l, ru ra l c h a racter. It's pos­
Ca l ifornia devoted t o the p rod uction o f ta b l e wi ne. I n 1 85 7 s i b l e to wa l k i nto most tasti ng room s without m a ki n g a res­
Agoston Ha ra szthy esta b l i s hed the fi rst com m ercia l w i n ery, ervation, wa iting in l i ne, ta king a g u ided tou r, or payi ng a n
Buena Vista, in the Ca rneros d i strict of Sonoma Cou nty. I n the expe n s ive tast i n g fee.
decade fol l owing, a bevy of vi neya rds a n d wi neries a p peared Situated less than an hou r's d rive north from Sa n Fra ncisco,
a l l ove r the state. Sonoma Cou ntry enjoys a wider s pectru m of AVAs than a ny

Sonoma Coun ty A Russian River Vineyard

MENDOCINO COUNTY I
, ....
V'l ,- - - - - - - -' LAKE _)
u
1--1
COUNTY
s
V'l I
I
<( /
a::::i
UJ
z:
1--1
3: NAPA
.... COUNTY
� \
u ")
<(
z:
\

PACIFIC OCEAN SONOMA


COUNTY

l soNOMA I
• The Sonoma Coast AVA a nd a re cooled by foggy • The Russian River AVA and Forestvil le. The Russian
l ies on h i l ltops a bove the morni ngs. Alexa nder Va l ley extends from near the coast R iver Wine Road runs from
Pacific Ocea n . Many of is home to more than fo rty up to Healdsburg on U.S. H ealdsburg to G uernevi l le.
Sonoma's best Pinot Noi r's wineries. It is bisected by 1 0 1 . This reg ion prod uces
a re g rown here. U.S. 1 0 1 a nd ru ns up to the g reat Pinot Noir, Chardon­ • This a ppel lation is known
Mendocino Cou nty border. nay, a n d Zinfandel. for sparkl i n g wine prod uc­
• Ca rneros is the oldest wine tion. I ron Horse, Korbel, a n d
reg ion i n Sonoma County. • Knig hts Va l l ey is the h i g hest • The best Russian River J a re based here. Most of
This AVA spi l l s over i nto and warmest of Sonoma vi neya rd l ocations a re i n the wi neries a long the Rus­
Napa County. Carneros Cou nty's wine-growing t h e western part o f the sian River Wine Road offer
vineyards a re near sea level regions. watershed near Guernevi l le com plimenta ry tastings.

74
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
other cou nty i n Cal ifornia. The c h i l ly Sonoma Coast a nd R u s­
sian River AVAs prod u ce some of Ca l iforn ia's fi nest Pi not Noir. Exceptiona l Wines of Sonoma County
The m ost-celebrated Z i nfa nd e l s in the wo rld h a i l from Dry Sid u ri Pi not Noir
Creek and Sonoma Va l l ey. More than 450 wi nes now ca rry Twomey M e riot
"So noma Cou nty" a ppel lations. These wi nes occu py the fu l l Mata nzas Creek Sa uvignon Blanc
spectru m o f g ra pe varieta l s but foc u s most extens ive ly o n S i lver Oa k Ca bernet Sa uvignon
Chard o n n ay, Cabernet Sa uvig non, Merlot, Pi not N o i r, a n d Jord a n Cabernet Sa uvig non
Z i nfa ndel. S o n o m a Cou nty wi nes often offer better va l u e Rose n b l u m Zi nfa ndel
than those from neig h bori ng N a pa Va l ley beca use t h e price Rave n scroft Zinfa ndel
of vineya rd land is co nsidera bly less expensive. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Ferrari-Caran o Winery, Dry Creek Buena Vista Winery

• Ferra ri-Ca ra no is a Sonoma vi neya rd s in fou r a ppella­ from Europe by its fou nder,
Cou nty l uxury wine estate. tions. Although this winery oldest conti nuously operat­ Agonton Haraszthy. These
With more America ns offers twenty-five wines, its ing winery. It typifies the vines beca me the source
embracing fi n e w i n e as a Fu me Blanc is legendary, trad itional Sonoma winery: for most varieties pla nted
part of their l ifestyle, these both for its h i g h q u a l ity a n d casual, sma l l to med i u m in in Ca l ifornia in the mid­
opulent visitor centers i t s val ue. La rger wineries size, and s u rrou nded by an ni neteenth centu ry.
a re a ppea ring i n Sonoma offer excel lent prod ucts at estate vineya rd.
Cou nty. very com petitive prices. The • The Buena Vista Ca rneros
house style here typifies • The orig inal Buena Vista winery is a popu la r tou rist
• Ferra ri-Ca ra n o sources its that of Sonoma Cou nty: fu l l vineya rd was pla nted from attraction, located just
fru it from nineteen estate flavored, rou nd, a n d rich. rootstock h a nd-ca rried m i les from Sonoma.

75
NAPA VALLEY
America's most-celebrated wine region is home to some of the
world's greatest wines
N a pa Va l ley is America's Bordeaux. It's l i ke a g ia nt a m u sement with a visitor's center, g u ided tou rs, a nd su bsta nti a l tasti ng
park for wine lovers a n d u n l i ke every other Am erica n wine fees. Th e g reat wines that gave N a pa Va l l ey its rep utation w i l l
reg i o n . The cost of vi neya rd l a n d i n the N a pa River d ra i nage not b e pou red a nywhere without a sign ifica nt charge.
is the h i g hest a nywh e re i n the U n ited States. Co n seq uently, There a re over th ree h u n d red w i n eries in N a pa Va l ley, nearly
o n ly h i g h ly capita l ized wi neries can set u p shop here. one-q u a rte r of the tota l n u m ber of bonded wi neries i n the
The typica l N a pa Va l ley winery is a lavish ch atea u-l i ke estate entire state. Aro u n d 5 m i l l ion people visit each yea r.

Napa Valley Napa Valley Tasting Room

V'l
u
1--1
V'l
<(
co
LU
z:
1--1
s:
::::ii::::
u
<(
z:
::::ii::::

SONOMA
COUNTY

\- - - - - - -

'
'
- -'
<-)
'\

• N a pa Val ley sh ares the Cou nty. They a re home to • Wi ne tasting here is more short aerial tra m ride up to
Carneros AVA with Sonoma the Mount Veeder, Spring structured a n d more expen­ its tasti ng room in Cal is­
Cou nty. Wi nes made i n the Mou nta i n , a n d Diamond sive than that i n other toga. The basic fee is $20
N a pa Cou nty portion may Mounta i n AVAs. regions. Typical tasting fees including the tra m ride.
use either a "Napa Va l ley" o r ra nge from $5 to $40, with "Cu lt" wineries a re genera l ly
a "Carneros" a ppellation . • The eastern mountains a re most wineries charging $ 1 0. not open to the publ ic. But
dominated by Atl a s Pea k Opus One offers one taste
• T h e Mayacam u s M o u n ­ (south) a nd Howe l l Moun­ • Premium wines from better of its cu rrent release Ca ber­
tai n s l i n e the west side of tain (north). Great ca bernet producers a re not incl uded net Sauvignon for $30.
the val l ey and separate comes from Oa kvi l l e a n d in a genera l tasti ng. The
N a pa Va l ley from Sonoma Rutherford. Sterl i ng Wi nery offers a

76
The u n iq ueness of N a pa Va l ley is its heterogeneity of geog­ • • • • • • • • • • • • GREEN 9 L IGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

ra phy and c l i m ate. The tem perat u re cha nge from the cool
Napa Valley provides a variety of recreational options for
south to the hot north can easily be as m uch as 20° or even
visitors: balloon tours, shuttle tours, a wine dinner train,
more. Mou nta i n ra nges on each side of the va l ley provide
and bicycle tours. Several of America's finest restaurants,
entirely differe nt g rowi ng cond itions. Th is wide ra nge of
such as the French Laundry, as well as luxury spas and
wine-growi ng conditions has made it possible to obta i n opti­
upscale bed and breakfasts, are also located here.
m u m sites for s pecific va rieties. Chardon nay th rives i n cool
Carneros, whereas Cabernet Sauvignon is king of the m idva l­ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

l ey. Mounta i n sites a re idea l for Syra h a nd Z i nfa ndel.

Wine Cave A Napa Valley Picnic

• Nea rly sixty N apa Va l ley • Wine cave tou rs a re priced • M a ny N a pa Va l ley wineries
wineries age their wines a round $50 per person a n d offer free use of their picnic but most visitors stock u p
in wine caves. Many offer req ui re reservations. facil ities. It is customary for i n Oa kvi lle, where there is a
specia l tou rs an d tastings. u sers to purchase a bottle Dean a n d Deluca store.
• Wel l-known wineries that of wine.
• A typical wine cave tou r offer exceptional wine cave • Oakvi l le Grocery, on the
lasts a n h o u r an d a h a l f a n d tou rs include Flora Springs • There a re a round fifty N a pa corner of Oa kvi lle Crossing
incl udes a ba rrel tasti ng a s a n d Pine Ridge. Va l ley wi neries that incl ude a n d S R 29, is a "must stop"
wel l a s a tasti ng o f fi n ished picnic facil ities. Some location for picnic suppl ies.
wine. A picnic l u nch is often wi neries have onsite deli­ It has operated contin u­
incl uded. catessens to s u p ply cheese, ously si nce 1 88 1 .

77
MONTEREY COUNTY
You'll find a beautiful coast, upscale resorts , and high-altitude
w1nenes
When we thi n k of Mo nterey Co u n ty, i mages of the Big S u r as m a ny win eries. Al most a l l the vineya rd s a re in the Sa l i nas
coast come t o m i nd, a long with t h e c h a r m i n g town o f Ca r­ Va l l ey, which ru n s from the crescent of Monterey Bay south­
mel, l uxu rious ocea n-view hote l s, a n d severa l of the wor l d 's east 85 m i les to the San Luis Obispo Cou nty l i ne.
most bea utifu l golf cou rses. The Sa l i nas Va l l ey, south of King City, is home to the wo rld's
S u rprisi ng ly, Mo nterey Cou nty p roduces a bout o ne-fifth l a rgest contig uous v i n eyard-Sa n Berna be Ranch. Here 7,000
more wine g ra pes tha n N a pa Va l l ey a n d h a s a bout one-fifth acres form a ca rpet of vines a s fa r a s the eye can see, 1 1 m i les

Mon terey Coun ty A San ta Lucia Highlands Vineyard

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
co
LU
z:
1--1
5:
::::.::::
u
<(
z:
::::.::::

• This county is sparsely popu­ • A long, winding road leads • This is Monterey Cou nty's • The Sa nta Lucia H ig h lands
lated and largely agricultural. through the mounta i n s premier wine-g rowing enjoys the latest ha rvest
There are five important from Greenfield t o Car- region a n d the fi rst U.S. AVA dates of a ny America n
AVAs, all but one i n or a bove mel, passing through the to be based on elevation. reg ion beca use of its cool
the Sa linas Val ley. Arroyo Seco AVA, Ca rmel climate and lack of a utu m n
H ig h lands AVA, a nd Carmel • The Sa l i nas Va l l ey experi­ rai n . T h e Sa nta Lucia M ou n ­
• U.S. 1 0 1 runs the length Va l ley. Most Ca rmel Va l ley ences cold winds and fog ta i n s form t h e spectacular
of the Salinas Valley. The tasting rooms a re located i n throug hout the g rowi ng Big S u r coast on the west as
vineyards of the Santa Lucia Carmel Va l ley Vi l lage, not a t season, but the vineyards they d rop preci pitously to
Mountains AVA are conspicu­ t h e wineries. i n the "SLH" a ppel lation lie the rocky coastli ne.
ously visible i n the west. a bove the marine layer.

78
long a n d 5 m i les wide. Th is reg ion is Monterey Cou nty's work­ enormous a l l uvial fa ns, some 1 ,000 feet h i g h . Th is is the Sa nta
horse, provi d i n g a h uge a m o u nt of fru it destined fo r "fig hti ng Lucia H i g h l a n d s AVA Pinot Noir a n d Chardon nay here rival
varieta l " wines u nder the u m bre l l a "Ca l ifornia" a p pel lati o n . Ca l iforn ia's fi nest a n d most expensive.
T h e reg ions o f g reatest i nte rest l i e i n the m o u n ta i n s that Monterey Cou nty's fou rth i m po rta nt AVA is Ca rmel Va l l ey.
rise preci pito u s ly on each side of the va l l ey. H ig h i n the east­ Th is is a mou nta i n top reg ion a bove the va l l ey with te n h i g h­
ern Gavi l a n Mou nta i ns, nea r Pin nacles Natio n a l M o n u ment, q u a l ity w i neries. Monterey Co u n ty's h i g h-elevation vi neya rds
is the Cha lone Vi neya rd, now an AVA It was p l a nted i n the su p p ly fru it for C h a rdon nay and Pi not Noir. Lower-elevation
1 920s and now produces some of Monterey Cou nty's fi n­ vi neya rd s su p p ly the va l ue-orie nted market. An exce ption is
est Chardon nay a n d Pi not Noi r. The Sa nta Lucia M o u nta i n s the Arroyo Seco AVA west of G ree nfield. The speci a l soi l s a n d
t o t h e west rise steeply from t h e va l l ey fioor a n d conta i n terra i n a spect s u p port fifteen d iffe rent varieties.

Cannery Row Tasting Room

To p Wi V'leS' froM MoV'lfere �


LOvt V'lt�
· TeilboH C.heirdoV\.V\Ct'j

· Mer et S'olei l C.heirdOV\V\Ct'j

• Visitors to Monterey need dard and premium tasti ng


not m a ke the long trip out with a view for $ 1 0- 1 5.
to the wineries to experi­
ence Monterey Cou nty • Baywood, Ba rgetto, a n d
wi nes. Monterey's fa med Sch ied Wi neries have tast­
Ca nnery Row offers five ing rooms on Can nery Row.
opportu n ities to taste Ca nnery Row offers tasti ng
regional wines. rooms, resta u ra nts, hotel s,
a nd the Monterey Bay
• The Ca n nery Row Bay View Aq uari um , all with in wal k­
Tasting Room offers a sta n- ing d i sta nce.

79
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
It's California 's fastest- growing wine region
If you d rove north on U.S. 1 0 1 t h ro u g h San Lu is Obispo Paso Robles was the cou nty's fi rst wine-g rowi ng a rea, but
Cou nty twenty yea rs ago, you wo u ld p roba bly not have the vineya rd s were l a rgely i n the weste rn h i l l s a n d away from
noticed a ny vineya rd s. Today vi neya rd s ca rpet the reg i o n . It is p u b l ic view. Zi nfa n d e l wa s the m a i n g ra pe, a n d up i nto the
the fastest-growing wine-growing a rea i n Ca l ifornia. 1 980s loca l patro n s wo u l d bring their own jugs to the winer­
Wh ereas Sa nta Ba rba ra Cou nty a n d Mo nterey Cou nty a re ies to be fi l led with wine for l ittle more than a hand sha ke.
mostly coo l reg ions, San Lu is Obispo vi neya rd a reas a re Even in the 1 990s one co u l d buy a half ga l lon of ol d-vine,
l a rgely p l a nted i n wa rmer a reas more su ited to red g ra pes. d ry-fa rmed Z i nfa ndel at the wi nery for $ 5 . Those very g ra pes

San Luis Obispo Coun ty Westside Paso Robles Vineyard

• San Luis Obispo wine­ • Edna Va l l ey l ies southeast of • The term Westside refers to specia lty of this region.
growing regions consist of the city of Sa n Luis Obispo. a l l the wine-g rowi ng a reas
four AVAs: Paso Robles, York It enjoys some m a ritime west of U.S. 1 0 1 . The terra in • No Westside vineya rd can
Mountain, Edna Va l ley, a nd infl uence a nd is known for here is very mou nta i nous be mac h i n e ha rvested.
Arroyo Grande Va l l ey. Chardon nay a nd Pinot Noir. a n d enjoys a l i mestone Gra pes a re kept to low
soi l similar to the southern yields, often arou nd 2
• Paso Robles is the m a i n • York Mou nta in is popu lated Rhone Va l l ey. tons per acre. A g roup of
AVA. U . S . 1 0 1 sepa rates i t by a s i n g l e winery. It i s asso­ Westside wineries known as
i nto rol l i n g bench lands on ciated with famed pian ist • M a ny of Paso Robles' finest the "Fa r Out Wi neries" has
the east and rugged lime­ a nd Pol is h prime minister wines come from Westside a p p l ied for a Paso Robles
stone hills on the west. lg nacy Paderewski. vineya rds. Zinfandel is a Westside AVA.

80
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
now prod uce wine made to more exacting sta ndard s a n d
offered i n fa ncier bottles fo r more than $ 5 0 a p iece. Top Wines of San Luis Obispo County
The rising sta r i n San Lu is O b i s po is Syra h. G a ry Eberle, J usti n l socel es (Ca bernet Blend)
whose orig i na l Paso Robles winery has morp hed i nto g ia nt Ta l l ey Pi not N oi r Rosem a ry's Vi neya rd
Meri d i a n , made the earl iest Cal ifornia Syra h here. Cutt i n g s Clai bourne a n d C h u rc h i l l Dry Gewu rztra m i ner
from h i s vineya rd gave rise t o m a ny o f the fi n e Syra h vi ne­ Dom a i n e Alfred Ca l ifa Pinot Noir
yards on the Central Coa st. Nadeau Fa m i ly Vi ntners Zinfa ndel
A l ba n Viog n ier a n d Syra h

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Edna Valley Vineyard Talley Rin con Vin eyard

• Edna Va l ley ru n s from Sa n eruptions of a stri ng of • Arroyo Grande Va l ley cli­ the early 1 880s. Saucelito
Luis Obispo city l i mits volca noes whose rem­ mate ra nges from very cool Canyon and Touca n Wi nes,
southeast to Arroyo G rande na nts sti l l domi nate the i n the west to very hot in both Zinfandel prod ucers,
Va l l ey. The northern end is s kyli ne. Sa n Luis Obispo the east. The best vi neya rds occu py the east end.
1 5 mi les from the sea and Cou nty's l a rgest contig u­ a re located on h i l lsides.
enjoys a moderate marine ous vineya rd, the Pa ragon­ • Laetitia Wi n ery a n d Ta lley
i nfl uence. Pacific Vi neya rd, is l ocated • Arroyo Grande Va l ley AVA Vi neyards a nd Winery domi­
here. It is pla nted mostly to is home to the o ldest vine­ nate the west. Ta l l ey's Pinot
• Edna Va lley's geology is Chardonnay. Edna Va l ley ya rd i n Cal ifornia's Centra l Noir from Rosemary's Vine­
domi nated by volcanic prod uces the cou nty's fi nest Coast region, Sa ucel ito Can­ yard consistently receives
soi l s, the res u lt of ancient Syra h from Alban Vi neyard. yon, pla nted to Zi nfandel in high rati ngs in wine.

81
SANTA B ARB ARA COUNTY
You'll find upscale ranches and world-class Pinot Nair
The story of Sa nta Barbara Cou nty wine beg i n s in a n u n l i kely, i n c l udes seve n of the top winemakers in the reg ion. Brown
re mote Foxen Ca nyon property in 1 972. A g ro u p of i nvesto rs went on to esta b l i s h Byron Wi nery in Sa nta M a ri a . It's now
p u rchased l a n d a n d p l a nted it to the u s u a l va rieties. The Zaca one of the cou nty's most-prestig i ous l a be l s.
Mesa Wi nery wa s esta bl is hed in 1 978 a s one of the cou nty's A pa ra l l el story took place a bout the same time i n the Sa nta
fi rst, a nd Ken Byron B rown was engaged as w i n e m a ker. Th i s Ynez Va l l ey east of Buel lton when R i c h a rd Sa nford and h i s
winery is less known for i t s wi nes tha n for t h e pa ntheon partner p l a nted the fa mous Sa nford & Bened ict Vi neya rd i n
of Centra l Coast winemakers who i nterned there. The l i st w h a t is now the Santa R ita H i l l s. Th i s vineya rd rem a i n s one of

Santa Yn ez Valley Cambria Winery

V)
u
1--t
V)
<(
co
u.J
z:
1--t
:s:

u
<(
z:

• Sa nta Ba rba ra County has of Buellton. It passes near • Cam bria Wi nery is l ocated Ken neth Vol k Vi neyards a n d
three di stinct wine-growi ng severa l noteworthy winer­ on the h istoric Sa nta Maria Winery.
regions: Sa nta Ynez Va l ley, ies such as Brander, Gainey, Mesa, which overlooks
Sa nta Maria Va l ley, an d Los a n d Ridea u . Sa nta Ma ria Va l l ey. The fin­ • The g ra pe va rieties g rown
Alamos. There a re a lso large est wine g ra pes a re g rown here a re Pi not Noir a n d
vi neyards north of Lom poc • Severa l wi neries m a i ntain on the mesa. Chardonnay. To reach th e
devoted to Chardonnay. tasti ng rooms i n the q uaint mesa, d rive east on Bet­
Da n i s h village of Solvang. • Pri ncipa l vi neya rd s and win­ teravia Road to Sa nta Maria
• SR 1 54 ru n s from Santa Other wineries operate tast­ eries on the mesa a re Bien Mesa Road. Cam bria, Byron,
Barbara northwest to recon­ ing rooms in Los Ol ivos. Nacido Vi neya rd, Cam bria a n d Vol k welcome visitors
nect w i t h U . S . 1 0 1 north Wi nery, Byron Wi nery, a n d to their tasting rooms.

82
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
the pri me Pi not Noir vi neya rd s i n Cal ifornia.
The two a reas pioneered by these people-Santa Ma ria Best Wines of Santa Barbara County
Mesa a nd Sa nta Rita H i l l s-a re now the crown jewe l s of Pi not N o i r from a ny Sa n ta Rita H i l l s Prod ucer $ $
Sa nta Ba rba ra wine-growi ng reg ions. A u B o n C l i mat Chardon n ay $ $
In the early 1 970s exte nsive l a n d o n the Santa Ma ria Mesa Foxen Pinot N o i r Sa nford & Bened ict $ $ $
was p l a nted by the M i l l er fa m i ly, who ren a m ed the property B ra nder Sauvignon B l a n c $ $
"Bien Nacido" (we l l born). It is now one of the cou nty's l a rg est Babcock Pinot Noir a nd Fathom $ $ $
a n d most-ce lebrated vi neya rd s. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

San ta Rita Hills The Brander Vineyard

• Sa nta Rita H i l l s is one of Its geology is u n iq ue, • The Brander Vi neya rd i n j u ice of g ra pes that have
Ca l ifornia's smal lest a n d conta i n i ng a ra re soil type Los Ol ivos w a s inspired by macerated with twenty­
most-recent AVAs. It was cal led " botella;' consisting the chateaux of Bordeaux fou r-hour skin contact-a
gra nted AVA status in 200 1 of a mixtu re of clay and a n d originally pla nted to highly u n u s ua l proced u re
as a res u lt of its u n iq ue ter­ loam with a high calcareous Bordea ux va rieties. for wh ite wines.
roi r and i m pressive wi nes. content.
• Brander's Sa uvignons • Brander was a n ea rly devo­
• Sa nta Rita H i l l s occu pies the • Pinot Noir and Chardon nay a re among the fi nest in tee of close-spaced vine
center portion of the Sa nta g rown here possess a high Cal ifornia. The winery offers pla nti ng, resu lting i n lower
Ynez River corridor ru n n ing degree of com plexity with a ra nge of styles, including yields and more concen­
from the ocea n eastwa rd. m i nera l overtones. wines made from free-ru n trated flavors.

83
SOUTHERN CALIFORNI A
California's forgotten wine region is staging an epic comeback
Althoug h it is true that the m odern Ca l ifornia wine i n d u s­ Sonoma Cou nty. The fi rst com mercial ora nge g rove had not
try traces its roots back to the vineya rd of Mariano Va l l ejo yet bee n pla nted .
i n 1 834, m a ny people a re su rprised to lea rn that the ea rl iest The reg ion c hosen as best su ited to viti c u l t u re was h a rd
co m mercia l wi n eries were esta b l is hed in Los Angeles Cou nty aga i n st the San G a b riel Mou nta i n s, a bout 45 m i les east of
j u st fou r yea rs after Va l lejo p l a nted h is fi rst v i n e a nd n i n e­ Los Angeles, w h i c h had been g ra nted "city" status j u st th ree
teen yea rs before Agoston Ha raszthy beg a n to p l a nt g ra pe yea rs ea rl ier.
cutti ngs i m ported from E u rope at Buena Vista Vi n eya rd i n Th is reg ion, known as "Ra ncho Cuca m o nga;' q u ickly

Rancho Cu camonga

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
co
RecowH'V\eV\ded Wi V\eS" from
UJ
:z:
LvtC�MOV\ 5 �
1--1
3:
:::::.::::
u
<(
:z:
:::::.::::

• Joseph Fi li ppi Wi V1er� & Vi V1e�C1rds Pride


of C.1.ACC1moV15t:1 GreV1&1che Noir, faft:1fe 'f

• G n a rled vines over a cen­ into the g rou nd, searching


tury old were pla nted when for water a n d n utrients.
Los Angeles Cou nty was
u ndeveloped. • Most old-vi ne vi neyards a re
head pruned, not tre l l i sed,
• Old vi nes prod uce low and a re fa rmed without
yields, resulting i n intense i rrigation when possible.
wines of g reat com plexity.
Under the rig ht soil condi­ • Cucamonga now has only
tions their root systems two operating wi neries:
reach 20 o r even 30 feet Gal leano and Fi l i ppi.

84
became the l a rgest viticu ltura l a rea in the U n ited States. I n m o m-a nd-pop operations to l avi s h palaces. There a re sty l i s h
1 920 Cuca monga had two ti m es more acreage u nder vi ne h ote l s, s pa s, a n d fou r-sta r resta u ra nts there as wel l . T h e win­
than N a pa and Sonoma Cou nties com bi ned. Some of th ese eries a re l ocated a l o n g a stri p pa ra l le l i ng Rancho Ca l ifornia
o l d vines sti l l produ ce, a n d Zi nfa ndel fro m the Cuca monga Road, w h i c h ru ns east from I nterstate 1 5 .
AVA is sou rced by to p wi neries t h ro u g h o ut the state. I n the 1 990s Pierce's d i sease destroyed nea rly h a lf of the
About 40 m i les south of Cuca monga l ies the city ofTemec­ entire vineya rd a rea. After yea rs of recovery, Te mecu l a wine­
u l a . A wind g a p in the coast ra nge brings m a r i n e i nf1 uence m a kers a re sti l l resig ned to losing a ro u n d 20 perce nt of their
to this reg ion, m itigating what wou l d otherwise be a very vines each yea r. N everthel ess, Temec u l a wi nes re m a i n attrac­
h ot reg ion a n d making it ideal for vitic u lt u re. Tem ec u la Va l­ tively priced for the h i g h q u a l ity they del iver.
ley now boa sts more tha n forty wineries, ra n g i ng from rustic

Th ornton Winery, Temecula

RecowHV\eVlded Wi VleS' of
Temecvt fC1
5t1Ac.rt Ce lle.rs- Mc.lbec. Temec.1A lc. Vc. lle'j
<f <f

• 501Ath Coc.s-t WiV1er� Chc.rdoMt1'j 5c.Vl5


CheV1e Temec.1A lc. Vc.lle'j <f

• lhorV1toV1 5c.1Avi5V10V1 Blc.VIC. Temec.1A lt1


Vc. lle'j M\As- q\Ae C loV1e L\AH5eV1s- fc.mil'j
ViV1e'jc.rds- H'

• Thornton is one of Temecu­ wines. Thornton offers


la's l argest and most attrac­ seven excel lent sparkl ing • ThorV1toV1 Cc.berV1et-Merlot Temec.1A lc.
tive wineries for visitors. wines, including a true Vc. lle'j Limited BoHli V15 <f <f
Brut Natural, a rose, and an
• Thornton, l i ke many other a l mond-flavored sparkler. • 5t\Ac.rt ViV1tc.5e ZiV1fc.V1del Port Temec.1A ICi
Temecula wineries, enjoys Vc. lle'j <f <f <f
a h i l ltop location that • Severa l l a rger Temecula
provides sweeping views wineries have resta u ra nts
of neig h boring vineyards on ·t heir premises. Thorn­
and wineries. The specia lty ton's restau rant i s Cafe
of this winery i s sparkl ing C h a m pa g ne.

85
SACRAMENTO VALLEY
This region is mitigated by San Francisco Bay and the Sacramento/
San Joaquin River Delta
The Sacra me nto Va l l ey co m p rises the northern h a l f of Ca l i ­ There a re eig hty-six wi neries in the va l l ey, l a rgely prod ucing
fornia's Ce ntra l Va l ley. It is bisected b y the Sacra me nto River, C h a rdon nay, Z i nfa ndel, Petite S i ra h, a nd C h e n i n B l a nc.
Ca l ifornia's l a rgest. This region has two u n i q u e d i sti nctions: The m a i n wine-g rowi ng reg ions a re Lod i in the delta a rea
a m ple water a n d some ma ritime inf1 ue nce f1owing eastwa rd and Cla rks b u rg, between Lod i a nd Sacra mento. Although a
from Sa n Fra ncisco Bay. The va l l ey ru n s 1 40 m i les from Red few Sacra mento Va l ley wineries sou rce fru it fro m o utside the
B l uff in the north to Lod i in the delta. reg ion, the overwhel m i n g a mo u nt of Sacra m e nto Va l ley fru it

Woodbridge Vineyard

V'l
u
1-t
V'l
<(
o:::i
LU
z:
1-t
• Lodi AVA (sixtlj wi V1eries)
s:

u
• C.IMksbvir5 AVA (teVI wi V1eries)
<(
z:
� · North Yvibt1 AVA (three wi V1eries)

• The Lodi-Woodbridge winema king operation here


region is located i n the in 1 923. The Lodi region
Sacramento/Sa n Joaq u i n is cooler i n temperature,
River Delta, d i rectly east of offering a n excel lent terroir
San Francisco Bay. for wine g rapes.

• Wood bridge is a sma l l • Lod i is the fi rst Cal ifornia


village on t h e outski rts of AVA to adopt reg ionwide
Lod i with a rich h istory of susta in a ble fa rming prac­
winema king. The Mon­ tices, known as the "Lodi
davi fa m i ly sta rted its fi rst Rules:'

86
is sou rced by wi neries o utside the a rea. Lod i possesses splend id o l d-vine Zinfa ndel vi neya rd s and
The a rea with the g reatest concentration of wineries is Lod i . offers Zi nfa ndel wi nes that a re ro u nd, fru ity, a n d mouthfi l l i n g.
Th ere a re sixty wi neries operati n g h ere. Th is is the cool est C l a rks bu rg AVA, north of Lod i , enj oys coo l i ng fog s a nd m i sts,
g rowi ng region in the Sacra me nto Va l l ey. It is a l so the a rea's keeping the reg ion a bout 9 degrees coo ler than the city of
o l dest, going back to the 1 850s. Sacra mento. The sta rs here a re Chen in B l a n c and Petite Si ra h .
The Mo ndavi fa m i ly beg a n its h istoric rise to fa m e in Wood­ Aro u n d 9 0 percent o f C l a rksb u rg fru it is sou rced b y wineries
bridge, a s u b u rb of Lod i, and wi nes made u nder the "Mon­ o utside the a p pe l l ation. Cla rks b u rg c u rrently p roduces some
d avi " u m bre l l a a re sti l l l a beled "Wood bridge:' The best of of the best Chen in B l a n c fru it in Ca l ifornia. Ten wi neries a re
these is thei r Port. Eve ryt h i ng e l se u nder t h i s l a bel is g ood, l ocated here. The best known a re Bog l e, which specia l izes i n
va l ue-orie nted va rieta l wine. Petite S i ra h , a n d E h r h a rdt, w h i c h specia l izes i n Chen i n B l a nc.

Bogle Petite Sirah

Pefife S'i reth food Peti ri V\ 5 5


· Ro(d le5 of lcimb

• Ric.hl'j )Clvtc.ed beef )few

· C.keddcir c.hee)e

· Tex-t'V\ex chili

· Bcirbec.vted 5fecik5

• Bogle is the most widely beca use it sou rces fruit


d istributed producer i n the from Lodi as wel l as from its
Clarksb u rg reg ion, north of own Cla rksburg vineyard.
Lodi . The Bogle fa mily has
fa rmed this soil since the • Bog le a lso offers Zinfandel
mid-1 800s a n d is i n its sixth from eig hty-year-old vines
generation. typical of this region.

• This prod ucer is best known


for its Petite Sira h . It ca rries
a "Ca l ifornia" a p pel lation

87
SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY
Discover California's largest and hottest wine-growing region
The San Joaq u i n Va l l ey is the southern h a l f of Cal ifornia's Cen­ Nevada on its east a n d the coa st ra nge on its west. Ove rcrop­
tra l Va l ley and is a mong America's l a rg est a g ricu ltural reg i o n s. p i ng is com mo n here, with yields a p p roac h i ng fou r or five
It extends 220 m i les from Stockto n nea r the d elta to Ba kers­ times that of pre m i u m coasta l a n d m o u nta i n vi neya rd s. Th is
field in the south a n d is 40-50 m i l es wide. Most of Ca l ifo r n i a's leads to a n excel lent ta ble g ra pe crop, but fru it q u a l ity is low
wine, ta b le, a n d ra i s i n g ra pes a re g rown h ere. for winemaking. As a con seq uence, a l m ost a l l San Joaq u i n
Sa n Joaq u i n Va l l ey soi l s a re very deep a n d ferti le bec a u se w i n e g ra pes a re u sed as base w i n e for t h e lea st-expen sive
the va l l ey is a repository of a l l uvia l runoff fro m both the Sierra b l ends. Wines that a re la beled "Ca l ifo r n i a C h a b l i s;"'Cal ifornia

San Joaquin Valley Vineyard Thompson Seedless

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
cc
UJ
z:
1--1

::::.:::
u
<(
z:
::::.:::

• Cal ifornia's Centra l Va l- • Many wi neries l ocated • Thompson Seed less is the • U nti l 1 973 Thompson Seed­
ley i s home to the l a rgest e lsewhere in the state offer primary g ra pe of Centra l less was the main g ra pe
winery operations in the va lue wines with "Ca l iforn ia" Va l l ey. It is a heavy bear­ u sed for blending Centra l
world. Wineries here often a p pel lations. Many of these i n g va riety used for table Va l ley white wi nes. It gave
resemble oil refi nery ta n k wines a re made i n h uge g ra pes a n d ra isins. way to French Colomba rd,
fa rms.These massive o pera­ Centra l Va lley wineries. a n other heavy bea ring
tion s utilize l a rge-sca le • Thompson Seed less is i l l variety with better potential
agricu ltural practices such • Wh ite Zinfandel u nder the su ited for winemaking for winemaking.
as aerial spraying, mechani­ "Sutter Home" l a bel is made because its flavors a re too
ca l pru n i ng, a n d mechani­ in Manteca by Del icato, the monod imensiona l, and its
cal ha rvesti ng. sixth-largest U.S. winery. acids too l ow.

88
B u rg u n dy;' or " R h i n e Wi ne" p robably origi nated here. H ig h­ wine q u a l ity i n som e va l ley vineya rd s beca use of viticu ltu ra l
prod ucing varieta l s a re p referred : French Co l o m b a rd, C h a r­ refi nements, new varieties, rootstocks, a n d tre l l i s systems.
donnay, a n d Tho m pson Seed less fo r w h ites, Zi nfa n d e l for These adva nces a re atte m pting to tra n sform the San Joaq u i n
red s. Va l ley from a generic i nto a va rieta l wine p roducer. Fresno
The San Joaq u i n Va l l ey provides 80 percent of the entire State U n iversity is cha m pi o n i n g the effo rt. The wines pro­
wine g ra pe crush fo r the state of Ca l ifornia. N a pa Va l ley, i n d uced fro m the u n iversity's vineya rd a re re ma rka bly g ood.
contrast, provides 3 percent. The U n iversity of Ca l ifornia at Davis developed a hybrid of
The Sa n Joaq u i n Va l l ey is home to E & J G a l l o, u nti l rece ntly Ca bernet Sauvignon and Carig n a n e ca l led " R u by Cabernet:'
the world's l a rgest wine compa ny. It was i nte nded to with sta nd the heat of the Centra l Va l l ey. I t
I n rece nt yea rs there has been an adva nce in g ra pe a nd fo u n d a h a ppier home i n Texas.

Ruby Cabernet Fresno State University

• The S an J oa q u i n Va l ley crossed with Cabernet • Fresno State U n iversity U niversity of California
p roved too hot to suc­ Sauvignon at the U n iversity occu pies the cutting edge at Berkeley pioneered
cessfu l ly g row Cabernet of Ca l ifornia at Davis a n d of resea rch i nto vi neya rd wine resea rch in the ea rly
Sauvignon, the red variety enjoyed l i m ited success i n ma nagement a n d tra i n s twentieth centu ry. After the
most in dema n d. R u by high-elevation vi neyards l a rge n u m ber o f Californ ia's repea l of Prohi bition, that
Ca bernet was hybrid ized to southea st of Ba kersfield. fi nest winema kers. task fel l to the U niversity of
so lve this problem. Cal ifornia at Davis, whose
• R u by cabernet i s rarely • The commercial side of facu lty im pacted every
• Carignane, a heavy bea r­ offered as a pure varieta l wine prod uction is the aspect of wine g rowing a n d
i ng heat-tolerant grape wi ne. focus of Cal ifornia State winemaking worldwide.
from southern Fra nce, was U n iversity at Fresno. The

89
COLUMBI A VALLEY
It 's America 's second-largest wine-growing region and home of
many value wines
The Col u m bia River, with its tri b uta ries, d ra i n s a l l of eastern that the flow of this rem a rka b l e event more tha n eq u a l ed the
Was h i ngton a n d passes t h ro u g h one of the m ost scenic river modern flow of a l l the world's rivers combi ned. To pso i l s were
gorges i n the U n ited States en route to the Pacific Ocea n . The com plete ly was hed away. Th i s cata strop he, in combi nation
Co l u m bi a Va l l ey was created when ice d a ms on a ncient La ke with conti n uo u s vo lca nic events, res u l ted i n the u n i q ue, if
Missou l a g ave way, se n d i ng a torrent of wate r from Mo nta na t h i n, soi l s of the Col u m bi a River Basin.
t h ro u g h I d a h o a n d Wa s h i ngton State. Geologists esti m ate The Col u m bia Va l l ey AVA encom passes 1 1 m i l l ion acres

Th e Columbia River A Yakima Valley Vineyard

V')
u
1--t
V')
<(
cc
LJ..J
z:
1--t
$:

u
<(
z:

• The Col u m bia River forms lation a re in Was h i ngton . • N ea r ly 40 percent of Wash­ • The soi ls here a re sandy,
the bou ndary between ington's a n n u a l wine pro­ with l ittle water retention.
most of Was h i ngton an d • T h e Puget Sound AVA d uction comes from grapes I rrigation is necessa ry.
Oregon. There a re wineries encompasses a large a rea, g rown i n the Ya kima Va l ley.
on both sides of the river. but few wineries offer wine The va l l ey is u n l i ke the rest • The va lley is su rrounded
from this a ppel lation . of the Col u m bia River Basin by severa l of the state's
• The Wa l la Wa l l a AVA, near i n soil type a n d climate. It is most prestigious sub­
the 90-deg ree bend i n the • T h e Col u m bia Gorge AVA u s u a l ly 5- 1 0 degrees cooler a ppel lations: Rattlesnake
Col u m bia River, i s shared by l ies eq ually i n Was h i ngton here than i n other regions, H i l l s AVA, Horse Heaven
Was h i ngton an d Oregon. and O rego n. It i s centered lead i n g to better acidity i n AVA, and Red Mou ntai n
Most wineries i n this ap pel- in the Hood River a rea. w i n e g ra pes. AVA.

90
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
of l a nd a nd i n c l udes a l l other Wa s h i ngton State a p pe l l a­
tions except for Puget Sou nd AVA and Co l u m bia Gorge AVA. The Col u m bia Va l ley is the lead i n g s u p p l ie r of
M u c h of the wine la be led with the "Col u m bia Va l l ey" a p pel­ high-qual ity va l u e-oriented spa r kl i ng w i n es. The
l ation is made in the g reater Seattle a rea fro m fru it g rown i n B rut, Extra D ry, a n d Blanc de Noi rs from Chatea u
eastern Wa s h i ngto n . Alth o u g h a ro u n d 2 5 0 wine ries re lease Ste.-M ichelle a re i nexpensive, tra d itional m ethod
wine u nder this a p pe l l ation, few win eries receive visitors a n d w i nes that outperfor m m ost other spa rkl i n g wines
offer wine s a l es. Co l u m bia Va l ley wi nes te nd t o b e pol a rized at the sa m e p rice point.
between u ltra pre m i u m bott l i ngs a n d va l ue-oriented wines. •••••••••••••••••••••••••••• • ••••••

G i a nt C hatea u Ste.-Miche\ le, l ocated i n a Seattle s u b u rb,


owns a m aj ority of Co l u m bia Va l l ey vineya rd l a nd.

Wahluke Slope

To p Wi VleS' froM the C.o f l-1Mbi�


V&1 r te 'j
• C.�'j1..1 S'e .2003 A rm�d� S''jr�h 'f 'f 'f

• C. hate�1..1 S'te . -°(V)iche l le Ethos L�+e H�r­


ves+ White RiesliV\5 'f 'f

· S°iV1e�V1V\ B lock OV\e C.h�mpo1..1 x Vi V1eljMd


C.�berV1et S'�1..1 v i5V10V1 'f 'f 'f

• The new Wa h l u ke Slope • Merlot, Syra h, a nd Ca bernet


AVA is Washi ngton State's Sauvignon do especia l ly
wa rmest wine-growing wel l here, but white variet­
ies a re a l so g rown .
· C.hate�1..1 S'fe .-'(V)iche l le troic� RiesliV15
reg ion. It l ies east of Ya kima
on the Col u mbia River. 'f 'f
• There a re twenty vineya rds
This is the o n ly Pacific in this AVA but only two
Northwest a p pel lation con­ small wineries. About 20
sisti ng of a single landform. percent of Washi ngton wine
The Wa h l u ke Slope is a origi nates i n this region but
giant a l l uvia l fa n . i s made el sewhere.

91
PUGET SOUND
This wet , foggy region offers wine from cold-weather grapes and
world-class reds from other regions
Althoug h the Puget S o u n d AVA was recog n ized in 1 995, wet c l i m ates in m i nd a nd q u ickly beca me the most widely
the h i story of wine g rowi ng there goes back to 1 872, when pla nted g ra pe variety in Wa s h i ngto n . Wi n e g rowi ng virtua l ly
Lam bert Eva n s, a reti red soldier fro m the Civi l War, pla nted cea sed with Pro h i bition but res u m ed i n the 1 980s.
a vineya rd o n Stretc h I s l a n d . Wi n e g rowi n g became fi r m ly S m a l l vi neya rd s dot m a ny of Puget So u nd 's i s l a nd s, but the
esta b l is hed there, based o n a Frenc h-America n hybrid ca l led main g rowi ng a reas a re o n Ba i n bridge I s l a nd a nd Whid bey
" I s l a n d Bel l e:' Th i s red g ra pe was deve l oped with very coo l, I s l a nd, where they enj oy some protection by the Olym pic

Puget Sound Vineyard Musca det Cluster

Vl
u
1--1
Vl
<(
co
UJ
z:
1--1
:s:

u
<(
:z

• Puget Sound is cold a nd a re u n l i ke those of the rest • H ig h-acid wh ite vari- Puget Sound vi neya rds.
wet between N ovember of Was h i ngton State. They eta l s are wel l su ited to Hybrid ized i n Germany
and April. Gra pevi nes a re a re natura l ly h i g h in acids, a Puget Sound. M u scadet in 1 929, Gewu rztra m i ner
dormant d u ring this ti me. q u a l ity that many Col u mbia shows g reat promise. Like is a parent, a n d Sieg­
Va l ley wine g rowers h ave Washi ngton State Viog n ier, gerebe possesses char­
• Rainfa l l is a b u n dant here, difficulty ach ieving. Washi ngton State M u scadet acteristics reminiscent of
averaging 60 inches a year. could outperform its French Gewu rztra miner.
Many vi neya rds can be d ry • Twenty-five wineries oper­ cou nterpart.
fa rmed. ate in the Puget Sound AVA. • Madeleine Angevine is a
Most use i m ported g ra pes • Sieggerebe is the most variety that reaches its fullest
• The wines of Puget Sound for their red wines. common wh ite varieta l in potential in Puget Sound.

92
Mou nta i ns. A l l the best vineya rd sites on bot h sides of the • • • • • • • • • • • • •

GREEN 9 L IGHT . · · • • · · · · · · · ·
:
sou nd a re pla nted i n m i c roc l i m ates that offer the protection •
: Many Puget Sound wineries practice sustainable agricul-
of mou nta i ns. :
: ture practices through an integrated pest management •
French va rieties have not done very wel l i n this m a rg i n a l
: program (IPM). Such programs were first developed in :
c l i m ate, b u t t h e Germ a n va rieties ripen wel l , p rod ucing l ig ht, •
: California in the 1 950s and have since taken root in many •
crisp wi nes. Preferred varieties i n c l ude M u l ler-Th u rg a u a n d
: other states. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency :
Sieggerebe. Pi not G ris, w h i c h performs exq u i s ite ly i n the
: publishes a set of principles for insect and disease control :
cool Wi l l a m ette Va l ley of Oreg on, is a ppea ring i n the so u n d,
: that is environmentally friendly. :
as wel l as M u scadet. Red g ra pes i n c l ude Pinot N o i r a nd I s l a n d •
: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bel le. H ood s port Wi nery offers i s l a nd Be l l e a s a va rieta l wine.

Ouilceda Creek Winery

· Beti V\brid5e TsletV\d WiV\er� f OV\l'j 1 00 perceV\t


Pvt5et S'ovtV\d wi V\es- cire prodvtced . Vis-itors- cire
received .

· AV\drew Wi l l : This- wiV\erlj metkes- S'Ome of the


fiV\es-t Merlots- iV\ WetS'hi V\5toV\ S'tcite from
Colvtmbiet Vci l lelj frvtit.

• Hoods-port WiV\erlj : Hoods-port offers- Ct wide


s-pedrvt m of frciditioV\etl etV\d V\OV\fretditioV\etl
vcirietieS' , i V\clvtdiV\5 Lember5er etV\d TsletV\d
Bel le/Merlot.

• Puget Sound's Qu i lceda Va l ley red . Its wines have


Creek Wi nery, fou nded in ach ieved "cu lt" statu s a n d
1 979, was named by wine a re s o l d o n ly t o t h e winery's
a uthority Robert Pa rker J r. su bscriber l i st.
as Washi ngton State's pre­
m ier Ca bernet Sauvig non • Q u i l ceda Creek wines a re
prod ucer. known for their agea bil ity
in spite of their a b u nd a nt
• Qui lceda Creek prod uces ri peness. They consistently
Ca bernet Sa uvignon, rate at the top of "top wines
Merlot, and a Col u m bia of Was h i ngton State" l i sts.

93
WALLA WALLA
Here is the source of many of Washington State's finest red wines
The Wa l l a Wa l l a AVA is one of Was h i ngton State's m ost cel­ s u m mers a re h ot. Odd ly, t h i s other-worldly region proves to
ebrated, with more than n i nety wi neries prod ucing m a ny of be an ideal location for control led viti c u lt u re. Wa l l a Wa l l a
the state's top-rated wi nes. l ies on a l atitude midway between B u rg u ndy a n d Bordeaux.
The soi l s here a re a com plex m ix of sa nd, si lt, a n d volca n i c From J u ne to October, the reg ion enj oys exte nded daylig ht;
a s h . T h e c l i m ate is a rid, req u i ring i rrigati o n . T h e l a n d scape a n d ra i nfa l l at h a rvest time is ra re, a l l owing longer h a n g t i m e
consists mostly of ba rren, g rassy, ro l l i n g h i l l s. Rainfa l l is a ro u n d t h a n i n m a ny other reg ions.
1 0 i nches a yea r (co m pa re w i t h Puget So u nd 's 60 i n c hes). A n d The Wa l l a Wa l la AVA s u p ports a wide ra nge of trad ition a l

L'Ecole No. 4 1 Win ery

V)
u
1--t


co
Where the Wi V1erie5 Are
� LowdeV1 : OV'I SR 1.2 c2 mi les- before the cit'j of
3:

WC1l lC1 WC1l l C1 . L'Ecole No. 4 1 CIV'ld WoodwMd


C3 CCIV'l'jOV'I C1re OV'I the V1orth s-ide of the hi5hwC1'j ·
<(

� • WC1 l lC1 WC1l lC1 CIV'ld ovits-b rk Here 'jovi w i l l fi V'ld


dozeV'IS' of wiV1erie5 CIV'ld tC1s-tiV15 room) , i V1clvid­
i V15 Pepper Brid5e CIV'ld SeveV1 Hilk

• Ore 5 0V1: OV'I SR I I Cl few mi les- s-ovith of WC1 llC1


WC1llC1 'jOvt w i l l cro55 the Ore50V1 border.
There Cl re fovi r wiV1erie5 here . There Clre two
fos-tiV15 room) OV'I SR I I .

• L'Ecole No. 4 1 is a "must designed by a n eight-year­


stop" for Wa lla Wa l la visitors. old child.
Hou sed in a school house
built i n 1 9 1 5, it offers a fu l l • Most of L'Ecole No. 4 1 's fru it
s pectru m o f hig h-q u a l ity is sourced from the region's
Wa l l a Wa l l a wines. fi nest vi neya rds.

• L'Ecole No. 41 is the fi rst • L'Ecole's wines a re excep­


winery on U.S. 1 2 on the tional and attractively
a pproach to Wa l l a Wa l la priced. Woodward Ca nyon
from the west. Its l a bel was is located next door.

94
varieties, fro m Se m i l l on to Ca bernet Sauvi g n o n . And the prod u ced the to p Syra h in a l l of Wa s h i ngton State. The s ma l l
wines a re a l m ost u n ifo rmly su perior. The best a re a mong win ery (2,500 ca ses per yea r) own s five vineya rds south of
Was h i ngton State's fi nest. the city of Wa l l a Wa l l a. A l l a re biodyna m i ca l ly fa rmed. The
The pioneer wineries of t h i s a p pe l l ation sti l l exist a n d a re wines a re sold o n ly to a s u bscriber l i st.
a mong the fi n est prod ucers: Leonetti, Woodwa rd Ca nyon, The Wa l l a Wa l l a AVA is l a rgely in Wa s h i ngton but d i ps d own
and !.:Ecole N o. 4 1 . i nto Oregon to i nc l u d e severa l outsta n d i ng vi neya rd s of the
Wa l l a Wa l la boasts at least two "cu lt" wi neries. Leonetti was reg ion. There a re no l a rg e estate wineries here a n d no l ux u ry
the reg io n's fi rst winery, esta b l i s h ed i n 1 97 7. It se l l s o n ly to wine chatea ux. Wi nery-owned vineya rd s certa i n ly exist, but
a s u bsc riber l i st, but its wi nes ca n be fou n d on the I nter­ most Wa l l a Wa l l a wineries sou rce fru it from the celebrated
net. Esta bl is hed in 1 996, Cayu se Vi neya rd s h a s consiste ntly private ly owned vineya rd s in the reg i o n .

Walla Walla Vineyard

Gre�t Wi V\eS' froM w� 1 1�


w� 1 1�

• Leov-.eHi C.t:1berv-.et S't:11Avi5v-.ov-. <f <f <f

• Woodwt:1rd C.t:1v-.'jov-. Old Vi v-.es- Dedict:1-


fiov-. S'eries- <f <f <f

• L'Ecole No. 41 S'emi l lov-. <f

The best vineyards of this The u n ique Wa l l a Wa l l a soi l s • Wt:1 l lt:1 Wt:1 l lt:1 Vi v-.fv-.ers- Viv-.e'jt:1rd S'elect
region a re pla nted largely a l low the g rapes t o express C.t:1berv-.et S't:11Avi5v-.ov-. <f <f
on gently rol l i n g h i l l s with the special characteristic
excel lent d ra i nage. All minera l ity of this reg ion.
Wa l la Wa lla vi neya rds a re
i rrigated. • The Wa l l a Wa l l a AVA pro­
d uces u n iformly excellent
• Wa l l a Wa l l a vines g row in fru it for Was h i ngton State's
inferti l e, thin soi l s that coax q u a l ity wines. Little or none
them to produce sma l l, is desti ned for the va l ue
richly flavored berries. wine market.

95
LAKE CHELAN
Washington State 's newest wine-growing region has sixteen wineries
Lake Chelan is one of Washi ngton State's oldest gra pe-g rowi ng there a re sixtee n l a keside wi neries, and the region received
a reas-a nd newest, in spite of a win e-growi ng h istory going offic i a l AVA status in 2009.
back to 1 88 1 . The a rea was fi rst settled by I ta l ia n i m m i g ra nts, La ke C h e l a n is a 50-mi le-long na rrow fjord- l i ke l a ke in
one of whom owned a vi neya rd in Ca l ifornia. Lo u i s Conti north-centra l Wa s h i ngto n, ri m med by h i g h mou nta i n s.
proba bly o bta i ned cuttings from Agosto n Ha ra szthy's Buena The m ajestic Ca sca de Mounta i n s rise at its northwest end;
Vista Vi neya rd i n Sonoma. The fi rst La ke Che l a n vineya rd was a ferti le va l ley occu pies the southea st end. At a n e levation
pla nted with cutti ngs from Conti's Ca l ifornia vi neya rd . Today of 1 ,486 feet and a de pth of nea rly 400 feet, La ke C h e l a n is

Lake Chelan Win ery

Vl
u
1--t
Vl
<( North S'hore WiV1erie5 with T�5ti V\ 5
co
UJ
z:
Room5
1--t
3:

u
<(
z:

• With a backd rop of the • Benson Vi neya rds, on


Cascade Mou nta i n s, La ke La ke Chela n's north side,
Chelan is one of Was h i ng­ is the only 1 00 percent
ton State's most scenic estate winery in the
wine-growing reg ions. reg ion. It offers fou rteen
wines, coveri ng the fu l l
• Wineries a re located on the spectrum-including Ice
north and south sides of Wine. Comforta ble accom­
the l a ke near the town of modations and a variety of
Chelan. resta u ra nts a re located in
Chelan and Manson.

96
the t h i rd-deepest l a ke i n the U n ited States. The reg ion is very T h e La ke Chela n wineries have engaged s o m e o f Was h i ng­
rura l, s pa rse ly po p u l ated, a n d pristine. ton's fi nest winemakers, and La ke Chela n wines a re beg i n­
La ke C h e l a n enjoys a c l i m ate s i m i l a r to the Co l u m bi a Va l ley, n i ng to receive acco lades from wine reviewers and med a l s i n
but the l a ke provides a moderati ng i nf1 uence on the vi nes. major w i n e com petitions. With o n ly a ro u n d 200 acres u nder
Con seq uently, a l l the La ke C h e l a n wi neries a re l ocated on vine, most l oca l wineries expa nd their offerings with wi nes
h i l l sides overlooking the water. made from Col u m bia Va l ley fru it. Wi ne tou ring i n this a rea is
The m odern era of winema ki n g in La ke Che l a n d ates back very differe nt from in the better-known and more-esta b l ished
to the 1 990s. The fi rst bonded wi nery opened i n 2000. G row­ wine desti nations i n the state. Wineries a re s m a l l and eager to
ers h ave pla nted to Pi not N o i r, C h a rdon nay, Syra h , Merlot, receive visitors. M a ny roads a re u n paved, and sometimes the
M a l bec, Riesli ng, Pinot G ri s, and Gewu rztra m i ner. o n ly tra n s portation is by ferry or sea p l a ne.

Wine Touring at Lake Ch elan

S'oV1th S'hore Wi Vleries- with T�s-fi V\ 5


Room}

· Lt:1ke Chelt:1� Wi �er'j

· NefMiOlA5 Cell Ms

• La ke Chelan offers a fu l l booked for fou r or six hours


ra nge o f tou rist services. at reasona ble rates. · Plet:1se �ote fht:1f dt:11j5 t:1�d hoV1r5 of opert:1fio�
Off-road vehicles ta ke visi­ Vt1t'"'j .
tors to scenic locations at • Private l i mousine service
attractive prices. is available i n the town of
Chelan. The Lady of the
• W.A.V.E. (Winery Assa ult La ke and Lady Express
Vehicle Exc u rsion) tou rs ferries ta ke visitors to
take g ro u ps to eight winer­ Stehekin, at the far end of
ies. Pinzg a uer vehicles hold La ke Chelan. The rou nd trip
u p to n i ne people. Tou rs a re occu pies a fu l l day.

97
COLUMBIA GORGE
This scenic region produces crisp white wines from Hood River and
complex reds from the Dalles
The Col u m bia Rive r Gorge is one of the Pacific No rthwest's M o u nta i n s to easte rn Wa s h i ngton a n d passes t h ro u g h two
most sce n ic a n d geologica l ly i nte resting reg ions. The Col u m­ d isti nct c l i matic reg ions. The forested g orge a rea is cool, wet,
bia River is wa l l ed i n by m o u nta i n s on both sides. More t h a n a n d windy, but beyo nd the Cascades a desert c l i m ate d o m i­
seventy waterfa l l s g race the Oreg on s i d e . T h e reg ion was nates. Th is clear reg iona l d i sti n ction led to the esta b l i s h ment
declared the natio n's fi rst Nati o n a l Sce n i c Area in 1 986. of a sepa rate AVA fo r the Col u m bi a Gorge i n 2004.
The sea-l evel Col u m bia Rive r cuts t h ro u g h the Cascade The Co l u m bia River Gorge AVA i n c l u des vineya rd a reas i n

A Columbia Gorge Vineyard Ca th edral Ridge Winery

• Cool air flows from the Cas­ cool, s u n ny days, provid i n g • Cathedral Ridge, one of the i ng emphasis l a rgely to
cade Mou nta i n s and picks a n excellent environ ment gorge's fi rst wineries, is a reds, especia l ly Pinot Noir.
up moistu re from the Pacific for g ra pe va rieties. ten m in ute d rive from H ood
Ocea n, making this region River and is one of the few • Cathedral Ridge is one of
one of the Northwest's • G ra pes m u st be hand a rea wineries open to visi­ the few Pacific Northwest
coolest wine-growi ng a reas. pruned a n d hand har­ tors yea r rou nd . wineries offering a Zi nfan­
The soi ls are volca n ic. vested. The best wines del. Cathed ra l Ridge's wine­
carrying a "Colum bia Gorge" • Origi n a l ly specia l izing in maker for the past decade
• Although this reg ion enjoys appellation a re lean a n d white wines, especia l ly Ger­ is M ichael Sebastia ni, of the
abundant ra infa l l, the grow­ com plex, w i t h mi neral man va rieties, this winery eponymous Cal ifornia wine
ing season i s typified by notes. has switched its winemak- fa mi ly.

98
Oregon a nd Wa s h i ngto n . Wi neries a re fo u n d on both sides of tou ri st-orie nted faci l ities with s pecta c u l a r views of the Co l u m­
the river from the city of Hood R iver i n the west to the Da l les. bia River. There a re no l a rge-sca le wi neries here. The fi nest
More t h a n fifty wi neries a re l ocated in the weste rn 40 m i les wines a re made both in ti ny wineries a n d m id sized com­
nea r H ood River. The cool, weste rn end of the Gorge pro­ mercia l wineries. M a ryh i l l Wi nery on the Was h i ngton side is a
d uces delicate Pinot N o i r, C h a rdon nay, and w h ite Germa n co nsiste nt med a l i st i n wine com petitio n s. It is best known for
varieties; m oving ea stwa rd, wa rmer-weat her red g ra pes such its red wi nes. Some of the Pacific N o rthwest's fi nest Viog n ier
a s Syra h , Zi nfa ndel, Cabernet, a n d Barbera d o m i n ate. Most of a n d Syra h a re made by Syncli ne, a two-person operation o n
the g orge wi neries m a ke wh ite wi nes fro m g org e fru it a n d t h e Wa s h i ngton side. Syncl i n e wi nes h ave scored i n the Seat­
i m port red varieties from wa rmer eastern reg ions. tle Times s top twenty-five Was h i ngton State wines a n d n u m­
'

Wi ne ries ra nge from rustic fa m i ly operations to modern ber fou r i n that newspa per's l i sting of" Best Va l ue Prod ucers'.'

Cascade Cliffs Winery

• rY\Cir�hi ll WiV1er� C.'1berV'let fr'1V1C. cf cf

• rY\Cir�hi l l WiV1er� WiV1emt:1ker'5 Red cf

• Phelps- Creek Ot:1krid5e Gewl.1rzfrt:1miV1er cf

• Volcanic esca rpments Was h i ngton side. It enjoys


a ppea r on both sides of a moderate cli mate a n d
the gorge. They erode special izes in Ita l ia n va riet­
i nto basaltic soi l s h i g h ly ies such as Ba rbera .
favored for wine g rowing.
I n contrast, flood deposits • I t s Col u mbia Va l l ey-desig­
domi nate the soi l s of the nated Barbera was awarded
eastern Col u m bia Va l l ey. a double-plati n u m med a l
a n d na med " Best o f t h e
• Cascade Cliffs Wi nery is Best" b y the Pacific North­
fa rther east an d on the west Wi ne Press.

99
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
You'll find a world-class Pinot Noir and superb Pinot Gris
· Oregon's Wi l l a mette (pronou nced Wi l l-a-met) Va l ley is one These i n c l ude the fa mous red D u ndee H i l ls, where m a ny of
of America's most i m portant. a p pel l ations fo r P i n ot N o i r and O rego n's fi nest Pi not Noi rs a re p rod uced.
Pinot Gris. The va l ley ru n s from Po rt l a n d south to Eug ene, a Lyi n g to the west of the Ca scad es, the Wi l la mette Va l l ey is
d ista nce of 1 00 m i les, a n d i n c l udes most of Orego n's l a rgest a m a rg i n a l wi ne-grow i n g reg ion s u ita ble for o n l y a na rrow
cities. It is bound ed o n the west by the Coa st Ra nges a n d on ra nge of coo l-weather varieties. I n contra st, m ost of Wash­
the east by the Cascade M o u nta ins. The 3.3-m i l l i o n-acre AVA i ngton State's viticu ltural a reas a re fo u nd east of the Cascades
conta i n s a h a lf-dozen s m a l ler AVAs with reg iona l d i sti nctions. and a re d rier and warmer.

Hilltop Vineyards

The Ore50V\ WiV\e Tci5fi V15 Roo m , which s+ock5


3 50 Ore50V\ wi V1e), i) loccited 9 mi le) )Ovtfh o (
Y¥\cY¥\iV1V1Vi lle OV\ 5R 1 8 . It COV\fetiVI) the lcir5e5f
col lecfioV1 o ( Ore50V1 wiV1e) CIV11jwhere .

• Y¥\cY¥\iV1V1vi l le ho5f5 the IV1terV1etfioV1etl Pi V\ot Noir


C.elebrcifioV1 , the lcir5e5f eveVlt o ( if5 kiVld i V1 the
world ecich Jvtl'j ·

• The Wi llci met+e Vcil le'j AVA wet) )vtbdivided i V1


.2005 et Vl d .2006 i V1fo cireci5 fhcit 5howed 5peci (ic
chcircicferi5fic5: Y¥\cY¥\i V1 V1vi lle foofhi l /). DvtV\dee
Hi l k RibboV\ Ridge , the Ycimhi l l-C.cirlfoV\ Di5-
frid, tolci-Amif'::l Hi l /5 Di5frid, etV\d C.hehci lem
Y¥\OvtV\fet i V1) . • The best vineya rd sites i n do not have public tasting
t h i s reg ion a re on gentle rooms, so ca l l a head.
to fa irly steep h i l l sides.
Visitors to these wineries • Most of Oregon's finest
a re treated to panoramic vineya rds a re meticulously
views of the s u rrou nding fa rmed. A h i g h percent­
cou ntryside. age of these vi neya rds is
orga n ically fa rmed, a n d
• The wineries of the Wi l­ a n increasing n u m ber of
la mette Va l ley a re a l l sma l l biodyna mic vineya rds a re
t o med i u m i n size. Many beg i n ning to appear.

1 00
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
The Wi l l a mette Va l l ey was never considered a s u ita b l e •

reg ion for viti c u lt u re u nti l David Lett, a g ra d u ate of the U n i­ • Pinot Noir is extremely sensitive to soil type. In Bur-

versity of Cal ifornia at Davis, a rrived with t h ree t h o u s a n d • gundy it grows best on gentle slopes underlain
g ra pevi ne cutt i n g s a nd made the fi rst effo rt to m a ke w i n e : by chalky limestone that originated in the Juras­
here. I n 1 979 Lett's Oreg on P i n ot N o i r bested the fi nest red : sic period. I n California's Santa Rita Hills, the best
B u rg u nd ies in a b l i n d tasti ng in Paris. Th i s s i n g l e eve nt gen­ : Pinot Noir g rows on a specific type of limestone
erated a w i n e i n d u stry that now boasts ove r th ree h u n d red : soil called "botella'.' Oregon's Pinot Noir prefers
w i n eries. Lett a l so p l a nted the fi rst P i n ot Gris in America. : i ron-rich basaltic soils such as those found in the
Oreg on Pi not G ri s h a s earned a n i nternati o n a l re p utati on for : famous Red Hills of Dundee.

q u a l ity a nd style. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Argyle-an Oregon Farmh ouse Win ery

Gre1:1t Wi VleS' of the Wi U1:1Metfe


V1:1 l le 'j
• A rc.her'j S'vtM�if Pi Viot Noir cf H'cf

• PC1Vifher Creek PiViot N o i r cf cf cf

• PC1fric.iC1 GreeVi C.el lC1rS' Res-erve PiViot


Noir cf cf

• Oregon boasts few modern wide d i stri bution, a n d even


wineries with l uxurious those wines can be d ifficult
reception a reas. Most a re to fi n d outside of major
sma l l wineries based i n metropolitan wine stores.
fa rmhouses or ba rns.
• Beca use the O regon wine
• Most of the winery produc­ i nd ustry dates back only
tion is l i mited to sma l l to the mid-1 980s, a l l the
estate vineyards. M u c h of vineyards were pla nted to
it never leaves the state. Burg u nd i a n clones of Pi not
O n ly l a rger wineries enjoy Noir a n d Chardonnay.

1 01
SOUTHERN OREGON
Explore Oregon's little-known Cabernet country
The earl iest atte m pt at com mercia l w i nem a k i ng i n Oregon l ittle, if a ny, com petition, a n d a l l com merc i a l winemaking i n
occ u rred after the Ca l ifornia Gold Rush when Pete r Britt, a southern Oregon ceased with t h e advent o f Pro h i bition. I t
pioneer settler in the Rog ue Va l l ey, pla nted a ro u n d two h u n ­ l a y fa l l ow u n t i l Ric h a rd Som mers, a U n iversity o f Ca l ifornia
d red varieties a nd pressed h i s fi rst g ra pes i n 1 858. Wi ne at at Davis g ra d u ate, opened the reg i on's fi rst post-Pro h i bition
that t i m e sold for 5 0 cents a g a l l o n, but c u stomers b ro u g h t win ery i n 1 96 1 .
their o w n j ugs because bott l i ng l i n es had not yet been The wine-growi n g regions of southern Oreg on a re l u m ped
i nvented. The most su ccessfu l variety was Ries l i ng. B ritt had tog ether i nto one l a rge AVA that ru n s fro m j u st south of

Valley View Win ery and Vineyard

V>
u
1-1
V>
<(
co
L1.J
:z: • The )tA b-etppel letfio"'S' of )otAfher"' Ore50"' lie i "'
1-1
3: fo tA r vetl le'jS' , eetch ev:jo'ji"'5 AVA s-fetftAS': Red
::::.::::
u
Hi l l-DolA5 letS' CotA"'t'j , Ro5tAe Vet lle'j , Apple5etfe
<( Vetl le'j , et"'d lAMpqlAet Vet lle'j .
:z:
::::.::::

• The Ro5tAe Vetl le'j e"'coMpCtS'S'eS' two fribtAfetr'j


vet lle 'j S' : Th e cool Illi"'oiS' Vet lle'j S'lApporfs- BtAr-
5lA"'diet"' vetriefies-. Beetr Creek Vet lle'j , which
rtA"'S' petret l lel to fhe I"'fers-fetfe 5 corridor,
ev:jo'jS' Ct BordeettAx- like cliMetfe .

· f
A p le5etfe Vet l le'j , )otAfh of Gret"'+s- PetS'S' , iS' o"'e
o Ore50"' '5 "'ewes-+ t1ppel letfio"'S' t1"'d iS' plt1"'fed
to Ct1ber"'et S't1tAvi5"'0"' , Merlo+, Cht1rdo"'"'Ct'j , • Va l ley View Winery is a • This estate vineyard is sus­
S''jret h . t1"'d Zi"'fet"'de l . restoration of the orig i n a l ta inably fa rmed. Varieties
1 850-era Peter Britt winery offered are Merlot, Cabernet
of the same name that Sauvignon, Ca bernet Franc,
• Th e lAMpqlAt1 Vt1 l le'j i S' fhe oldes-t etppel lt1fio"'
ceased operati ng after Tem pra n i l l o, Viogn ier, Sau­
i"' the re5io"' , cret1fed i"' 1984. It ev:jo'jS' the Britt's death in 1 906. vignon Bla nc, Roussa n n e,
5ret1fe5f divers-if'j of ferroi rS' t1"'d cliMetfes- . Chardon nay, and Syra h. Its
• Va l ley View was the fi rst wines are not d istri buted
bonded winery in the outside Oregon but can
Rog ue Va l ley AVA since the be obtai ned through the
repea l of Prohi bition. winery's web site.

1 02
Eugene 1 25 m i les to the Ca l ifornia border. I n 1 984-2006 fou r s u pply not o n ly loca l prod ucers but a l so Wi l l a mette Va l ley
su b-a ppel lations were recog n ized t o reflect t h e diversity of wi neries whose estate vi neya rd s a re u na b l e to ripen m a ny
soi l s a n d c l i m ate. The vineya rd a reas occu py h ig h m o u nta i n red wines. Southern Orego n soi l s a re va ried, but m ost vine­
va l leys. H i g h elevation a n d a m a ri n e i n fl u ence, s pi l l i n g ove r ya rd s a re pla nted on m a ri n e sed i m e nta ry fo rmations derived
the coasta l mou nta i n s to the west, a re m ajor elem ents of t h i s from 200- m i l l io n-year-o ld bed rock eroded from the Kla math
reg ion's d i sti nct terro i r. Westerly va l l eys a re cool enou g h for Mou nta i n s. Both the soi l s and c l i m ate sta nd i n sta rk contrast
Germ a n varieties. Easterly va l leys a re wa rm e n o u g h to ripen to those of the Wi l la mette Va l ley. The g ra pe varieties g rown
Ca bernet Sauvignon a n d Syra h . here i nc l u d e Merl ot, Ca bernet Sa uvig non, Syra h, C h a rdon­
A l a rge n u m ber o f h i g h-q u a l ity wi nes e m a n ate from t h i s nay, Ca bernet Fra n c, Ries l i n g, Tem pra n i l lo, Gewu rztra m i ner,
reg ion. There a re twenty wineries a n d 1 20 vineya rd s that a n d Viog n ier. There is a l so some Pi not N o i r and Pi not G ris.

Weisinger 's of Ashland

RecoMMeV\ded Wi V\eS' froM


S'o\AfherV\ Ore 5 0V\

• TrooV\ Vi V\e'jMdS' Res-erve ZiV\f&1V\del


H''f'f

• HeV\ r'j f5f&1te WiV\er'j lArnpqvtt:1 Vt:1 lle'j


Rie5/iV\5 (s-weet) 'f 'f 'f

• Weisinger's Vi neyard-Winery to d iscover wines of the • Melros-e Vi V\e'jt:trds- lArnpqvtt:t Vt:t lle'j
typifies the small modern Rogue Va l ley. Its tasting Merlot 'f 'f
wi nery that has taken root room is open yea r rou n d .
in southern Oregon since
the g rowth of viticu ltu re • Weisinger's prod uces Cab­
there in the 1 980s. ernet Sauvignon, Merlot,
and Syra h, along with red
• Located off U.S. 99 j ust and wh ite blends, a l l from
south of Ash land, Weising­ Rogue Va l l ey fru it. The win­
er's is a favorite tourist stop ery does not have d istri bu­
that caters to those wishing tion outside Oregon.

1 03
FINGER LAKES
Here lies New York State's premier wine-growing region
I n centra l N ew York State l i es a g ro u p of l o ng, na rrow, d eep esta b l i s h ed here to a ssist in the devel opment of a g rowi ng
g lacia l l a kes that suggests on a map the o utstretc hed fi ngers wine i n d u stry. The station g rew to become the l a rgest and
of a h a n d . These a re the Finger La kes. The l a kes enj oy a m icro­ m ost i m po rta nt a g ricu ltu ra l resea rc h center i n the U n ited
c l i mate s u ita b le for viticu lture in a reg ion otherwise too co ld. States a n d sti l l operates as an a r m of Corne l l U n iversity.
The la kes, a l ong with the mounta i n s that su rro u n d them, U ntil 1 95 9 the Finger Lakes reg ion was d o m i n ated by five
moderate both s u m mer a n d winter c l i m ates. l a rge wineries: Taylor, Gold Sea l, Wid mer's, Ca n a n d a i g u a , a n d
In 1 882 the Geneva Ag ricu lture Experiment Station was Pleasant Va l l ey, w h i c h so l d w i n e u nder t h e "G reat Weste rn"

A Finger Lakes Vineyard

C.ommOV'\ FreV\Ch-AmeriC�V'\ H � �:wid


Gr� p eS'

· Vidtil B ltiV\C : hi5h-ticid whife , exce lleV\f for Tee


WiV\e

• Wi neries l i ne the shores Wine Trail, which incl udes


of the fou r m a i n l a kes: over sixty wineries.
Keu ka, Seneca, Cayuga, a n d
Canandaigua. Most Finger • The Finger La kes region is a
La kes wi neries a re open to very popu l a r tou rist desti­
visitors yea r rou nd . nation. Its bea utiful scenery
a ppea l s to reg ular tou rists
• T h e majority o f Finger Lakes and wine lovers a l i ke. Tast­
wineries l ie on one of fou r i ng rooms are crowded on
"wine tra i l s:'The longest of weeken d s, much less so on
these is the Seneca La ke weekdays.

1 04
l a bel. These wi neries s u p p l ied m ost of the spa rkl i n g wine i m m i g ra nt, Dr. Kon sta ntin Fra n k, who esta b l is hed h i s Vi n i fera
sold i n the U n ited States. Sti l l wi nes were made from n ative Ce l la rs i n 1 962. Th is proved to be a t u r n i n g poi nt, not o n l y for
America n a n d Frenc h-America n hybrid g ra pes known for the Fi nger La kes but a l so for a l l ea stern U.S. wineries. Fra n k's
their wi nter h a rd i n ess. Ca n a n d a i g u a , t h ro u g h a series of resea rch i nto g rafting the E u ropea n va rieties onto America n
acq u isitions, has becom e the wo rld's l a rg est wine entity, native rootstock proved to be a key facto r i n g rowi ng these
operating u nder the n a m e "Con ste l l ation Bra n ds." va rieties in co l d c l i m ates a nd protecting the more del icate
The fi rst com merc i a l Finger La kes w i n e made fro m Eu ro­ E u ropea n vines a g a i n st pests a nd d i seases that had h i nd ered
pea n va rieties (v. vinifera) was rel ea sed u nder the "Gold Sea l " a l l p revio u s effo rts. With over one h u n d red wineries h ere a nd
l a be l i n 1 959, b u t t h e m ost i m porta nt advocate a n d pio­ fou r "wine tra i l s;' the Finger La kes AVA has beco me the l a rgest
neer of E u ropea n va rieties in the Fi nger Lakes was a Russian wine-prod ucing reg ion in America outside of Ca l ifornia.

Belh urst Castle a n d Win ery

Wi V\e Tr�i f5 of the fi V\ 5 er L�ke5


AVA with RecowiwieV\ded Wi V\erie5
CetV\etV\deti5vtet WiV\e Trc.i l : Widmer WiV\e
Cel le.rs

· k.evt ket WiV\e Trc.i l : Dr. k.oV\s+etV\fiV\ fretV\k's


ViV\ifere. Cel le.rs

5eV\ecc. WiV\e Trc.i l : Belhvtrsf Cc.sfle etV\d


Wi V\er�

• Cc.�vt5et WiV\e Trc.i l : Goose Wc.fch WiV\er� ,


Hosmer WiV\er�
• Beg u n i n 1 889, Bel h u rst the reg ion's hi storic wi nes,
Castle and Wi nery on the made l a rgely from French­
west shore of Seneca La ke American hybrid g ra pes.
was one of the fi rst wine
estates i n the Finger La kes. • The Bel h u rst Castle estate
incl udes three hotels, two
• The castle overlooks Seneca resta u ra nts, a n d a winery.
La ke and offers a wide array
of u n i q u e modern accom­
modations along with the
opportun ity to experience

1 05
LONG ISLAND
This premier wine-touring destination is less than three hours from
New York City
U n l i ke a l l other N ew Yo rk State wine reg i o n s that enj oy wine­ s u itable varieties from its i ncepti on. Wi ne g rowi ng here has
g rowi ng trad itions going back a s fa r as the eig htee nth cen­ been ba sed on the Bordeaux model, with Lo ng I s l a nd vi nt­
tu ry, the fi rst commerc i a l Long I s l a n d vineya rd was p l a nted i n ners eng aged in freq uent co n s u ltation with French vigner­
1 973. Th is new, dyn a m ic wine reg i o n esca ped t h e decades of o n s. Con seq uently, Lo ng I s l a n d wines h ave more i n common
experimentation assoc iated with the Finger La kes a n d H u d­ with E u ropea n wines t h a n with western U.S. wi nes.
son River d i stricts and wa s i n a position to p l a nt the m ost Lo ng I s l a nd enjoys a u n iq u e c l i mate a mong northeast

A Lyre Trellis

LJ..J

� • H'S' the V\eweS't major wiV\e re5ioV1 iV\ the V\Orth-


3:: eetS'terV\ lAV\ited S'tt1te5 .

u

� • H'S' the Northet1s-f1S' wt1rmeS't wiV1e-5rowiV\5


� di5frid.

• lAV\like thoS'e of other New York re5ioV1S', LoV\5


Ts-lt1V\d viV\e�MdS' Me domi V1t1ted b� Cl-tropet1V\
vt1rietie5 .

• LoV\5 Ts-lt1V\d prodl-lceS' C1 fl-1 11 S'pedrl-tm of wi V1eS',


from C.t1berV1et S't1l-lvi5V10V\ to Tee Wi V\e .

• The Lyre Trellising system cordons, which a re tra i ned


is commonly used in Long vertica l ly on fou r wires,
Island vineyards. It is a while the g ra pe clusters
variation on the widely hang down and receive
used Geneva Double conti n u a l s u n l i g ht.
Cordon system developed
at the Geneva (New York) • This method discourages
Ag riculture Experiment vine d iseases by open ing
Station. u p the center a rea, much
l i ke the sta ndard a pproach
• Vi nes a re split i nto two to pru n ing hybrid tea roses.

1 06
reg ions. The 1 20-m i le-long i s l a n d spl its i nto N orth a n d South portion of the South Fork. The c l i m ate here is s u bsta nti a l ly
Forks at its ea stern end, sepa rated by Peco n i c Bay. The N orth co lder, foggier, a nd more heavi ly i nfl ue nced by winds off the
Fork AVA i s home to a ro u n d t h i rty wi neries whose vineya rd s Atl a ntic Ocea n. Wines from the H a m ptons a re leaner than
enj oy a m i l d c l i m ate d u ri n g the g rowi ng sea son as a res u lt those from the N orth Fork, a n d wh ite wi nes a re more domi­
of the i nfl uences of the G u lf Stream, Long I s l a nd Sou nd, a n d na nt. There a re presently o n l y fou r wi neries that occ u py this
Pecon i c Bay. Th i s AVA i n c l udes the entire North Fork. Wi nes a p pe l lation.
from t h i s a ppel lation a re ro u nder a n d more fru it-forwa rd The main va rieties g rown on Lo ng Island a re the classic Bor­
t h a n those of a ny other New Yo rk State wine reg ion, i n c l ud­ dea ux g ra pes, led by Merl ot a n d Ca bernet Fra n c. C h a rdon nay
i n g the South Fork. is the m ost widely pla nted wh ite va riety i n both N orth a nd
The H a m ptons AVA occu pies a s m a l ler reg ion in the western South Fork reg ions.

A Long Island Winery

• C.ci5fel lo di Bor5he5e ViVle'jcird & WiV1er'j


Merlo+ �

• Pec.0V1ic. Bci'j Ore50V1 Hi l ls- Res-erve Merlot


���

• All the wineries on Long the North or South Fork


Island a re small- to medium­ AVAs could be used in wines
sized operations. Most make carrying a "Long Island"
their wine from their estate appel lation.
vineyards, but some import
fruit from neig h bori ng • Twenty-nine North Fork
vineyards. wineries feature public
tasti ng rooms, and tourism
• In 200 1 a general Long is encou raged. More than
Island AVA was created so a m i l l ion people visit Long
fruit from vineyards outside Island wineries a n n u a l ly.

1 07
HUDSON RIVER VALLEY
America 's oldest wine region comes of age
Th is h i storic reg ion has both the ol dest conti n uously active C l i m atic con d itions h e re a re rem i n iscent of th ose of Germa­
winery in America, the B rotherhood Wi ne ry ( 1 839), a n d the ny's R h i nela nd, which expe riences m i lder wi nters a nd coo ler
oldest operating com mercial vi neya rd i n America ( 1 827), now s u m mers, m itigated by the proxim ity of the rive r. Wate r plays
occu pied by the Ben marl Wi nery. The o rig i n a l vineya rd of the a d o m i n a nt role in a l l of N ew York State's wine-growi ng
B rotherhood Wi nery no longer exists, but the winery su rvived reg ions-Finger La kes, H u dson Rive r Va l l ey, La ke Erie, a nd
Pro h i bition by m a king sacra menta l wine, as d id Bea u l ieu Vi ne­ Long I s l a nd.
ya rds in Ca l ifornia, a nd conti n ues o pe rating today. Ea rly settlers fro m Germa ny's Rhein pfa lz, noti ng the regio n's

Th e Hudson River Win e Region

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
MttiV\ Grtt p e Vttriefie5 of the
cc
LJ..J 1-tlAdS'oV\ River i V\ Order of
:z:
1--1
s: Promi V\eV\ce

u
<(
:z:

• The scenic H ud son River • Total vineyard acreage here


featu res a com plex geol­ reached an a l l-ti me low i n
ogy and topog ra phy. The 1 996, with only 6 5 0 acres
c l i mate becomes harsher as under vi ne. As su bu rba n
one travels north. sprawl spread s north from
N ew York City, vineya rd
• Soils a re domi nated by land has become i nc reas­
schist, slate, a n d l i mestone, in g ly expensive, forci ng
which, along with the some wineries to a bandon
h i l ly terrain, create many riparian sites i n favor of
microclimates. i n land sites.

1 08
rese m b l a nce to the R h i ne River, attem pted to esta b l i s h vine­ a ro m a a n d m i nera l ity. Seyva l B l a n c is the m ost widely pla nted
ya rds ba sed on native America n va rieties in the eig htee nth variety in the H u dson River AVA, but cold-to lera nt E u ropea n
centu ry. As with a l l the early efforts at viti c u lt u re in the ea stern va rieties (v. vinifera) beg a n to a ppea r i n the early 1 970s. Today
U n ited States, their su ccess was l i m ited u ntil the i ntroduction the region prod uces g ood Pinot Noir and C h a rdon nay.
of cold-tolera nt, pest- a n d d i sea se-resista nt French-America n Th i rty-th ree bonded wi neries occ u py the va l l ey, m ost o n
hybrids in the l ate n i netee nth centu ry. The H udson R iver the west s i d e o f the river a n d situ ated t o take advantage of
reg i o n was slow to reg a i n its footi n g in the yea rs fo l lowi n g the morn i n g s u ns h i ne. Al most a l l a re fou nd wit h i n a m i le
Pro h i bition u nti l t h e success of Frenc h -American hybrids of the river's edge. The S h awa n g u n k Wi ne Tra i l ru n s u p the
i n the Finger La kes was esta b l i s h ed, a ro u n d 1 945. The sta r western ba n k; the Dutc hess Wi neTra i l is o n the ea stern side.
variety was Seyva l B l a nc, cha racte rized by a pl easa nt citru s

• A lthovi5h BeV\l'YIMI vi V\e�Md i5 the oldes-+ C.OV\­


fi V\vtovis-1� prodvic.iV\5 viV\e�t:trd i V\ Al'Yleric.t:t , the
• Ot:tk S'vtl'Yll'Ylif Vi V\e�t:trd P. V\ot Noir, C5ft.\fe
wiV\er� wCtS" fhorovi5hl� l'YloderV\ized b� ifs- V\ew
(HvidS"oV\ River re5ioV\) 1'1'
OwV\erS" t:tffer 1 9 5 7 .
• M i l lbrook Vi V\e�t:trds- & WiV\er� Toc.t:ti
• Th e M i l ler ft:tl'Yl i l� ' 5 vi5ioV\ i 5 to prol'Ylote etV\d
frivi lt:tV\O (Hvid)OV\ River re5ioV\) 1'
develop Al'YleriC.CtV\ wi V\e) V\Ot bt:ts-ed OV\ Cvi ropet:tV\
l'Ylodek

• lAV\ti l rec.eV\tl� , BeV\l'Ylt:trl s-pec.it:t lized i V\ wiV\e)


l'Ylt:tde frol'YI freV\c.h-Al'Yleric.t:tV\ h�brids-. Thes-e
vt:triefieS" s-+i l I forty\ fhe core of prodvidioV\ . BeV\­
l'Ylt:trl ht:tS" wOV\ pre5fi5ioviS" Ctwt:trdS" etV\d hCtS" beeV\
ft:tvort:tbl� reviewed b� fhe New York T\ l'Y\e5'5
wiV\e reviewer frt:tV\ k Pri t:t l .

1 09
VIRGINI A
The effort of four centuries begins to flower
If N ew Yo rk State can c l a i m to be the cra d l e of co m mercia l became so i ntrig ued at the notion of i m porting wine from
winemaking in the U n ited States, Vi rg i n ia ca n c l a i m to h ave America that he decreed that eve ry h o u seholder in the Vi r­
made the fi rst effort at wine g ra pe g rowi n g in N o rth America, g i n ia colony wo u ld be req u i red to p l a nt ten vines on h i s
if u n successfu l . property. Eig ht French vig nerons were sent to Vi rg i n ia i n
The settlers o f J a m estown i n 1 607 fo u n d a rich su pply 1 6 1 9 with a s u pply o f cutti ngs "of t h e best sort:'
of N ative America n g ra pevi nes g rowi n g w i l d t h roug h o ut A l l th ese early efforts were doom ed to fa i l u re. The native
the reg ion. E n g l i s h Ki ng Ja mes I of "King Ja m es" B i b l e fa m e g ra pes prod u ced w i n e a d m itted to be "so u r:' And the French

Jefferson Vin eyards

V>
u
1-1
V>
<(
Vi r5 iV\itt '5 Mos-t Wide( � Pltt V\fed
co
LJ..J VttriefieS'
z:
1-1
5:
::::.::::
u
<(
z:
::::.::::

• Merlo+

• S'eljvCt l Blcivic.

Rkcif5ifeli • Jefferson Vi neyards is a • Thomas Jefferson made the


modern vineya rd planted ea rl iest effort to prod uce
on the original site of wine commercia lly in
Thomas Jefferson's 1 774 America after the fa i led
site, 1 m i l e from Monticel lo. attem pt at Ja mestown 1 55
Early i nvestors incl uded yea rs ea rlier.
George Washi ngton a n d
George Mason. • The Jefferson Vi neya rd
l ies with in the Monticello
• The modern vineya rd AVA, one of Vi rgi n ia's six
pla nted dates back to 1 98 1 . a ppel lations.

110
va rieties were i l l eq u i p ped to deal with Vi rg i n ia's h a rs h win­ va riety at the ti me, were won by Vi rg i n ia's Horton Vi neya rd s.
te rs a n d h u m i d s u m mers. The avera ge l ife of a n i m ported Nea rby, Barbou rsvi l le Vi neya rds expa nded its vi neya rd to 1 26
vine in Vi rg i n ia at that time was th ree sea sons-j u st the t i m e acres after its acq u isition by the Zon i n fa m i ly of Ita ly's Veneto.
needed t o prod uce i t s fi rst c rop. After heroic efforts, wi ne­ In the yea rs fol l owing, Vi rg i n ia has found its stride in the com­
m a ki ng in Vi rg i n ia l a n g u i s hed fo r more than th ree centu ries. m u n ity of m id-Atla ntic wine reg ions and now boasts more
Observi ng the success of wine g rowi ng in severa l reg ions t h a n 1 50 vineya rds a n d more than fifty fa rm-style wineries.
outside of Ca l ifornia i n the 1 970s, Vi rg i n ia n s took u p the ca u se Altho u g h there i s sti l l some devotion to French-America n
again, sea rc h i ng out their most su ita ble l ocations a n d g ra pe hybrids such as Seyva l B l a nc, m ost Vi rg i n ia wi neries h ave
va rieties. I n 1 993 shock waves spread t h ro u g h the America n replaced these varieties with E u ropea n vines and offer the
wine i n d u stry when top awards for Viog n ier, a l ittle-known usual a rray of wines.

Barboursville Vineyard & Winery

• Verift1S' Vi"'e'jt1rd & Wi"'er'j S't11.-1vi5"'0"'


Blt11f\C Res-erve 'f 'f

• Ntiked Mo1.-1"'ft1i"' Vi "'eljMdS' Btirre l­


ferme"'+ed ChMdo"'"'Cl'j 'f

· A1.-1f1.-1mlf\ Hi l l Horizo"' Ro1.-15e


(Merift15e) 'f 'f

· Btirbo1.-1rS'vi l le Vi"'e'jtirds- Res-erve


Nebbiolo 'f 'f 'f
• Barbou rsvi l le, with a case During this time the n u m­
prod uction of a round fifteen ber of bonded wineries in
thousand, is one of Virg i n ia's Vi rgi nia rose from six to
largest wineries. It is Ita l ia n thi rty-six.
owned; t h e winemaker ha i l s
from Ita ly's Piedmont region. • Barboursville is one of the
only eastern wi neries focus­
• Barbou rsville was one of ing on Ita l i a n varieties. Its
the fi rst exa m ples i n a wave N ebbiolo-one of the most
of European i nvestment i n d ifficult of va rieties-is a
Vi rg i n ia i n t h e 1 970s- 1 980s. gold medal wi n ner.

111
NEW MEXICO & COLORADO
Here is America's oldest vinifera wine-growing region
Althou g h wineries a re fo u n d i n every state, n owhere is g ra pe i n width from a ro u n d 1 50 m i les d own to 2 m i les. Gra pe g row­
g rowi ng more d ifficu lt t h a n in the Rocky Mou nta i n West. i n g is l a rgely confined to the Rio Gra n d e Va l ley, but there a re
Here, in add ition to the u s u a l ravages of pest a nd d i seases, exte n sive p l a nt i n g s i n the h i g h desert nea r Dem i n g a n d east
g ra pevi nes m u st co nte nd with h i g h a ltitude, d iffic u lt soi l s, of A l b u q u erq u e. Com merci a l viticu lture beg i n s near the city
severe weather, a n d a s hort g row i n g season. ofTruth or Con seq uences, with E u ro pea n va rieties (v. vinifera)
A narrow corridor su ita ble for vitic u lt u re ru n s from centra l d o m i nati ng. As elevation i nc reases north of A l b u q uerq u e,
New Mexico t h ro u g h western Colorado. Th i s corridor va ries French hybrids become more pro m i nent.

A New Mexico Vineyard

UJ
z:
1--t
ViV1e) mlAS't be cold-toleretV'lt.
3:
� • Dr'j climette dis-co1Aret5es- dis-eets-es- .
<(
z:
� • ViV'le'jetrds- mlAS't be i rri5etted i V'I re5ioV1) where
wetter i) S'Cetrce .

• Vi V'le) experieV1ce Ct wide deti l'j temperettlA re s-hift,


with i V1teV1)e )lAV'I CtV'ld cold V1i5hk

WiV'ldS' lAP to 100 mi les- per holA r CtV'ld bets-ebet l l­


)ized heti l etre commOV'I .

• N ew Mexico is home to a • N ew Mexico soi ls consist


burgeo n i ng wine ind us­ of si lty, clay-loam from
try. Gra pes a re g rown in a ncient river deposits a n d
five appel lations. Th ree areideal for grape growing.
border Texas a n d Mexico; The most widely pla nted
one occu pies the centra l va rieties a re Cabernet Sau­
portion o f t h e R i o Grande vignon, Chardonnay, Syra h,
Va l l ey; and the fifth is Baco Noir, a n d Vidal Bla nc.
located near Sa nta Fe, the Zinfandel is appea ring in
state ca pita l. i n creasing n u m bers, as is
Chen i n Bla nc.

1 12
New Mexico lays c l a i m to the fi rst vin ifera vineya rd in the less. Gruet, s pecia l izing i n s pa r k l i n g wines, is the o n ly sizea b l e
U n ited States. There a re records of Eu ropea n vines g row i n g winery. I ts case prod uction is i n excess of fifty thousand.
i n the Mesi l l a Va l l ey as e a r l y a s 1 580. G ra pe g rowi ng beg a n Vitic u lture i n Colorado is fou n d i n two a ppel lations: G ra nd
i n earnest i n 1 629 w h e n the loca l pad res req u i red ever­ Va l l ey a n d West E l ks. West E l ks i s home to Terror Creek Wi nery
i n c reasing q ua ntities of sacra me nta l wine. The vines they a n d the h i g hest vineya rd i n the N orthern H e m i s ph ere (6,400
b ro u g ht from Mexico ca me to be known as the "M ission" feet). Ries l i ng, Gewu rztra m i n er, a n d Pinot N o i r a re especia l ly
g ra pe and were used to m a ke bra ndy as wel l as sacra m enta l su ited to t h i s terro i r, but the m ost widely g rown varieties a re
wi ne. Merlot, C h a rdon nay, a n d Ca bernet Sauvi g n o n . The n u m ber
Th ere a re a ro u n d t h i rty wineries i n N ew Mexico today. A l l of wineries i n Co lorado dou b l ed over the past decade, n ow
a re sma l l, most with case prod uction a ro u n d two thousand or exceed i ng eig hty.

Gru et Winery

RecOMMeVlded Wi VleS' froM


New Mexico
• Grvtet NV Blt:tV\C de Blt:tV\CS" �

C.ht:tfet:tvt S't:ts-S"eV\t:t5e C.t:tberV\et


S't:tvtvi5V\OV\ �

Estab l ished i n 1 984, Gruet tion. Gruet's vineya rd s g row • S't. C.lt:tir D. H . Les-combes­
was one of the fi rst winer­ at an elevation of 4,300 feet. Movtrved re ��
ies associated with the
modern rena issa nce of N ew • Gruet Winery prod uces
Mexico's wine i n d u stry. some of America's fi nest
sparkling wi nes. It has ta ken
• G i l bert Gruet was a partner dozen s of gold medals i n
i n the Champagne house of national a n d i nternational
Gruet et Fi l s and saw New com petitions. The l i neup
Mexico as a n ideal l ocation incl udes seven attractively
for sparkling wine prod uc- priced sparkl i n g wines.

1 13
TEXAS
The Lone Star State is America 's fifth-largest wine producer
The Texas wine i n d u stry traces its h i story back to 1 65 9, when Visitors to the El Paso reg ion cal led t h i s va l ley "the Eden of
the fi rst of fo u r m i ssions was esta b l i s hed i n what is now Ciu­ the G ra pe," a n d the fi rst commercia lly successfu l winery i n
dad J u a rez, j u st across the Mexica n border from El Pa so, in the Ame rica n Southwest w a s l ocated here. Pa ss Wi ne, a s i t
west Texas. The pad res bro u g ht cutti n g s of the Crio l l a C h ica w a s ca l l ed, so l d i n 1 847 for $ 2 a g a l l o n . T h e pad res co m p a red
gra pevi ne, said to have origi nated i n S pa i n, Sard i n ia, or C h i l e. it favo ra bly with the best of Germ a ny and Fra nce. Aro u n d
Th is beca me known as the "M ission g ra pe" a n d was pla nted 200,000 g a l lo n s were made e a c h yea r, a n d P a s s Wi ne was
at eve ry m i ssion where g ra pe g rowi n g was su sta i n a ble. exported wit h i n a rad i u s of 200 m i les.

Fall Creek Vineyards

V'l
u
1--1
V'l
<(
co
UJ
z:
1--1
3:

u
<(
z:
� • rY\e55iV1t1 Hof WiV'le Cel lt1r5
Gewi-irzfrt1miV1er �

IV'lwood [5ft1fe5 Vi V'le'jt1rd5 Pt1 lomiV10-


Cht1rdoV1 V'ltl'j ���

• Wood ro5e Wi V1er'j Ct1berV1et S't11.-1vi5V10V1 ,


[5ft1+e �

• Fal l Creek Vineyards has • Fa l l Creek util izes the Lyre


grown from disastrous Trellis system more com­
beginnings in 1 975 to one of mon to Long Isla nd, New
Texas's premier winery opera­ York, than to the American
tions with a case production Southwest. It prod uces
topping thirty thousand. many hig h-q u a l ity wines. It
is known for its Sauvignon
• Fa l l Creek evokes the charm Blanc, Chen i n Bla nc, and
of an old H i l l Country ra nch Chardonnay; its Meritus
house but with state-of­ red blend is a double gold
the-a rt facil ities. medal winner.

1 14
J u st before Pro h i bition 2,900 acres of Texa s l a n d was u nder The Balcones fa u lt system , ru n n i n g fro m south-centra l
vi ne, a n d twenty commercia l wi neries were operati ng. Wi ne­ Texas northeast to Oklahoma, bisects Texas i nto two reg ions.
m a k i n g ceased with the advent of Pro h i bition a n d was not The eastern reg ion is h u m id a n d h ig h ly su scepti b l e to vine
seriously resu med u ntil the 1 970s. d iseases. Con seq uently, a l most a l l the vineya rd a reas a re i n
The n u m ber of Texas wi ne ries nearly q u a d rupled in the centra l a nd west Texas. Wi neries, h owever, a re fo u nd i n every
yea rs fo l lowing 2000 a nd now sta n d s at more than 1 60. reg ion of the state.
Approxi m ate ly 86 percent of Texa s wine i s consu m ed wit h i n Pri m a ry g ra pe va rieties g rown in Texas a re (in order of
the state. T h e Texas H i l l Cou ntry, west o f Au sti n, is the natio n's d o m i n a nce) Ca bernet Sauvi g n o n , Merlot, C h a rd o n n ay, a n d
seco nd-most-visited wine reg ion after N a pa Va l ley, Ca l ifornia. Chen i n B l a nc. Texas Chen i n B l a n c is a r i s i n g sta r a n d genera l ly
I t i s a l so the la rgest AVA i n the U n ited States. priced very attractively.

Wine Touring in the Hill Coun try

• Of the six Texas a ppella­ tasti ng without charge. • Texas H i l l Country winer­ a re few exceptions.
tions, the Hill Cou ntry in ies a re small- to med i u m ­
centra l Texas receives the • The Texas Wi ne Tra i l ru n s sized o perations, b u t they • Some wineries offer guests
most visitors and is the from Fredericksburg north typica l ly feature modern the opportun ity to taste
most popu lar reg ion for bus to Austi n. This is the most winemaking facil ities. wines in va rious stages of
an d l i mo tou rs. popu l a r a rea for wine tou r­ development in their barrel
ing. Elegantly a ppoi nted • In spite of the cost of rooms. Some of the la rger
• Twenty-fou r H i l l Cou ntry touring van s service the French a n d American oak ba rrel rooms a re designed
wineries receive 5 m i l lion Texas Wine Trai l, o perating barrels (as high as $ 1 ,000 for d i n ner parties a n d wed­
visitors each year. Many H i l l out of Fredericksburg. each), these wines a re very d i ng receptions in add ition
Country wineries offer wine attractively priced. There to wine storage.

115
MISSOURI
Splendid reds and delicious whites flow from American hybrid grapes
M i ssou ri is the su pe rsta r a mong Am erica n M idwestern wi ne­ The M i sso u ri wine reg ions a re l ocated a long benc h l a n d s
g rowi ng states. Fi rst, it saved the Bordea ux vi neya rd s from a bove the weste rn reach o f the M i sso u ri River and i n t h e
tota l a n d pe rmanent deva station fro m the phyl l oxera pest Oza rk Mou nta i n s. T h e m ost i m po rta nt wine reg ion is the Her­
in the late n i netee nth ce ntu ry by s u p p lying a vast q u a ntity m a n n a nd Au g u sta AVAs. Th is l a n d was settled in the early
of America n rootstock that was p hyl l oxera resista nt. Second, n i neteenth ce ntury by Germa n i m m i g ra nts who pla nted
it beca me a pri mary viticu ltura l reg ion for America n hybrid America n a n d French hybrids that had an i ncrea singly suc­
va rieties. cessfu l track record . It m ay h ave been p u re l u c k that g u i ded

Ston e Hill Win ery

• NortoV) : declt1red i V) 1873 the " Best Red WiV)e


of All Nt1tioV1S11 t1t t1 worldwide wiV)e competitioV1
iV) VieV1V1t1. Deep plArple-red wiV1e remiV1isceV)t of
AlASfrt1 lit1V1 S'hi rt1z . flt1vor profi le : w i ld blt1ckber­
ries, blt1ck ClA fft1V1k Chocolt1te , t1V1d Spice .

• Vi5V)oles: t1 white P'1V)ot Noir h�bri d , cret1ted i V)


Frt1V1Ce i V) the V1iV1efeeV1th ceV)tlA r� . Most ext1m­
p les t1re semisweet with fropict11 frlAits domi V1t1t­
i V1 5 . H's especit1 l l� SlAscepti ble to the V)oble rot. It
theV1 reV)ders t1 llASCiOlAS dessert wiV)e with com p lex
hOV1e� , pet1ch . t1V1d flort1 1 t1rOmt1S t1V1d flMors tht1t
liV15er towt1rd iV1fi V1it� OV1 the pt11t1fe .
• Established in 1 847, Stone Hill Pro h i bition they were u sed
Winery is the oldest, most­ for m u s h room cu ltivation.
awarded, and largest winery
in Missouri. I n 1 900 it was • Stone Hill focuses on
the nation's second-largest French-America n hybrids:
winery. It won gold medals in Chardonel, Vidal Blanc,
various competitions. Vig noles, Norton, Cham­
bou rsin, a n d Concord . The
• Stone H i l l's 1 60-p l u s-year­ Norton and Late Ha rvest
old va u lted cel l a rs a re the Vig noles a re the hig hest­
nation's l a rgest. During rated wines of their type.

1 16
the early w i n e g rowers to p l a nt two hybrid va rieties that have i n 1 830, a ro u nd the t i m e of the Germa n i m m ig ration to west­
s i n ce beco me sig natu re va rieties of the state of M isso u ri: ern M i sso u ri . S i m ply put, M i sso u ri is the wo rld's best so u rce
Norton a nd Vig n o l es. for wine made from the Norton g ra pe. The g ra pe Cyn t h i a n a
These va rieties a re a l m ost u n know n west of the Roc kies is bel ieved t o be a m utation o f Norton a nd has a s i m i l a r flavo r
a nd i nternatio n a l ly, but when g rown i n M i ssou ri's best vi ne­ profi le. Vig noles (VEEN-yole) is a m a n ufactu red French hybrid
ya rd s they re nder exq u i s ite a nd u n u s u a l wi n es. The deep red g rown widely i n the M idwest. The fi nest exa m p les a re from
Norton g ra pe orig i nated in a Rich m ond, Vi rg i n ia, vi n eya rd M i ssou ri. It's a flowery, semi sweet or sem i d ry wi n e, some­
as a natural cross between a n ative American g ra pe a nd a ti mes made i nto a l ate-ha rvest dessert wine. That's where
E u ropea n variety p l a nted nearby. It exh i bited the best c h a r­ it s h i n es, com peting with cla ssy Germa n a n d Canad i a n Ice
acte ristics of both parents. It beca me com me rcia l ly ava i l a b l e Wi nes at a fraction of the price.

Cluster of Norton Grapes

RecowiwieV'lded Wi VleS' frowi


MiS'S'O\A ri

• AlA5lAS+t1 Wi V\er� NorfoV\ C.�V\fhit1V\t1 tf

MoV\fe lle WiV\er� Dr� Vi5V\ole5 tf

• AlA5lAS'ft1 WiV\er� 5e�vt11 Blt1V\C tf

• The N orton grape, a prod­ exa m ples so far come from


uct of an accidental natura l M issouri. Vi rg inia wineries
crossing o f v. aestivalis a n d are working hard to su rpass
a v. vinifera in a Vi rginia the cu rrent sta ndard.
vineya rd, is America's most
disti n g uished native red • Wi nes from Norton grapes
g ra pe variety. are deeply colored, moder­
ate in ta n n in, a n d richly
• Norton g ra pes a re g rown flavored. Enjoy them with
l a rgely in Vi rg inia a nd foods appropriate to Cali­
Missou ri, but t h e best fornia Petite S i ra h .

117
CANADA
North America 's most unlikely wine-growing region produces one
of the world 's finest dessert wines
The center of Ca nada's wine i n d u stry is in Onta rio a n d British most Ca nadian vineya rd s were pla nted to la brusca va rieties
Col u m bia. The story of winemaking i n Ca nada is a rocky one. and America n hybrids. Elvi ra was the most widely pla nted
After m u c h experimentation, l a rgely in Onta rio, sixty-seven g ra pe.
wi neries flou ris hed in Ca nada in 1 92 5 . A l l but six were deci­ Typica l Ca nadian wi nes before the 1 980s were fortified,
mated by inc lement weather and Pro h i bition. After Ca n a d i a n sweet wi nes that u sed Port, Sherry, and Madeira as a model.
repea l, win eries were slow t o recover. Even as l ate as 1 980 Liquor laws i n Ca nada h ave been a mong the m ost restrictive

British Columbia 's Okanagan Valley

V')
u


UJ
The YV\�ki V\ 5 of Ice Wi V\e
:z: . Greipes- eire left OV\ the viV1e iV1to the wi V1ter
� moV1thS' to freeze , thei w , C!Vld refreeze .

u
<( • The }-iice become) COV1CeV1freited C!Vld i V1teV15ellj
� fleivored .

• The 5reipeS' eire heiVld heirves-ted C!Vld pres-s-ed i V1 Cl

frozeVI s-teite .

• Approxi meitellj OVle drop of COV1CeV1freited }-iice


remC1iV1S' iV1 eeich 5reipe . Tee WiV1eS' eire V1ece5-
S'eiri llj verlj expeV1)ive .

• The Okanagan Va l l ey, a n More than 1 50 wineries a re


extension o f Was h i ngton l ocated in this va l l ey. This
State's Col u m bia River region is desert, with a b u n­
Va l l ey, prod uces most of dant sunsh ine. Geog ra phers
Canada's q u a l ity red a n d ca l l it the "northern termi­
wh ite wines. n us" of the So no ra n Desert
that originates in Mexico.
• The va l l ey conta i n s a Okanagan wines resemble
90-mile-long l a ke that Europea n wines more than
provides a microcli mate the rich, fruit-forward wines
suitable for viticulture. of the American West.

118
in the modern world, va ryi ng from provi nce to province. Wide m a i n wine-growi ng reg ion is the Oka nagan Va l ley, a northern
va ria nce sti l l exi sts, as i n the U n ited States. extension of Wa s h i ngton State's Col u m bia Va l l ey. Th is is red
Ca nada h it payd i rt when Wa lter H a i n le attem pted to re­ wine cou ntry, with 52 percent red wine va rieties. Most widely
create Germ a n Eiswein from Ontario g ra pes in 1 973. In 1 978 pla nted here a re Merlot, Pinot N o i r, Cabernet Sauvig non,
H a i n le Vi neya rd s fi rst offered Ca nad i a n Ice Wi ne to the world. Syra h, a n d Cabernet Fra nc. Among wh ite va rieties, Chardon­
Over the next severa l decades Ca nadians h ave perfected this nay, Pinot Gris, and Gewu rztra m i n e r lead the pack.
style of wine, a n d it has now ta ken its place a l ongside the Alth oug h wine was made i n Nova Scotia as early as 1 6 1 1 , the
wo rld's best exa m p l es. Ca nada's m ost scenic vi neya rds l i e i n provi nce esta b l ished its fi rst co m mercia l winery, G rand Pre, in
t h e western provi nce o f British Co l u m bia. Nea rly two h u nd red 1 978. Si nce then more than a dozen wineries h ave sprouted,
of Ca nada's five h u n d red wineries have ta ken root here. The catering to the to u rist trade.

An On tario Vineyard in Win ter Inniskillin Ice Win e

• Frozen gra pes a re the source wines a re the result of the • In 1 975 l n niski l l i n Wines in Bordea ux, bringing
of Canada's most celebrated noble rot-botrytis. Ice received the fi rst winery Canadian wines into the
and expensive wi ne. Wine is not a botrytised l icense in Ontario si nce i nternational spotlig ht.
wine and has a d ifferent Pro h i bition.
• Ice Wine (the rest of the flavor profi le. • l n niskil l i n has acq u i red
world ca l l s it "icewi ne" o r • The fi rst Ca nadian Ice Wine property in the Okanagan
"eiswei n") w a s a n acciden­ • Canad ian Ice Wine is u s u a l ly was made here i n 1 984 Va l l ey, British Col u m bia,
ta l discovery i n Germany made from Vidal Blanc or from Vidal Blanc g ra pes. a n d N a pa Va l l ey, Ca l ifornia.
in 1 794. Ca bernet Fra nc i n contrast In 1 99 1 a n l n n i s ki l l i n Ice
to German eisweins that a re Wi ne captured the Grand
• The great European sweet usually made from Riesling. Prix d'Honneur at Vi n expo

1 19
ALSACE
Germany meets France to produce the world 's best Pinot Gris and
Gewurztraminer
Lying in the fa r northeast corner of Fra nce a n d bordering with Germa ny t h a n Fra n ce; yet the wi nes a re d isti nct from
Germa ny's R h i n e l a nd, Alsace i s u n iq u e a mong all of Fra nce's both French and Germ a n models.
wine reg ions. Alsace is b i l i n g u a l a nd s h a res its food a n d wine The R h i n e River forms the eastern border of Al sace, a nd the
cu ltu re with Germa ny. Its wi nes a re d iffere nt fro m all other Al satian vineya rd s l ie on the western side of the river i n the
French wi nes. Alsatian wines a re made m ostly from Ger­ foot h i l l s of the Vosges Mou nta i n s, which fo rm a bo u nd a ry
m a n ic va rieties i n a c l i m ate that has m u c h more i n common between northern Fra nce's cold a n d wet Atl a ntic c l i m ate a n d

Rangen Vineyard

V'l
u
1--1
V'l
<(
co
UJ
z
1--1
• Edelzwic.ker: ti proprietM'J bleV\ded white wiV\e .
3: Th e V\t1Me MetiV\S" 11 V\oble Mi xtvtre . "

u
<(
z
CreMt1V\t d 'A ls-t1c.e : s-pt1rkliV\5 wiV\e IAS"vtti ll'J
� bt1s-ed OV\ Pi V\ot Blt1V\C.

VeV\dt1V\5e Tt1rdive : lt1fe ht1rves-ted . These C.tiV\


rt1V\5e froM boV\e dr'J to MOdert1te l'J S°weet.

· S'eledioV\ des- Grt1iV\S" Nobles- (S'GN) : ver'J sweet


lt1te-ht1rves-t wiV\e froM the fiV\es-t 5 rt1pes-

• Rangen is the most south­ • The Rangen Vi neya rd is


erly Gra n d Cru vineya rd ma inta i ned by the house
in Alsace a n d one of the of Zind-H u m b recht, which
steepest. uses horses to work the
vineya rd because it is too
• Vi neya rds on steep slopes steep for tractors.
a re terraced. Most Alsatian
vineyards a re pla nted on • Mechanica l ha rvesting
rol l i n g h i l locks fa rther down is u sed only in vineyards
the slopes. pla nted on the a l l uvial plains
closer to the Rhine River.

1 20
the more m oderate c l i m ate of Germa ny's R h i n e River Va l l ey. Alsatian wi nes a re na med after the g ra pe variety, a n d o n ly
Althou g h Alsace l ies on the same l atitude as the vineya rd s of th ree types of cu ltiva rs a re a l l owed to u se the "Alsace" a p pel­
C h a m pag ne, the geo l ogy a n d c l i m ate co u l d h a rd ly be more lation: Tra d iti o n a l va rieties (Riesl i ng, Chasse las), B u rg u nd i a n
d ifferent. varieties ( P i n o t N o i r, Pi n o t B l a nc, Pi n o t G ri s), a n d Swi ss/Aus­
The Alsati a n vi neya rd s lie in a 90- m i le-long, na rrow stri p tri a n va rieties (Tra m i n er, Gewu rztra m i ner, Sylva ner, M u scat
ru n n i n g north a nd south a long the foot h i l l s of the Vosges Ottonel). P i n ot Noir is Alsace's o n ly red variety.
west of the city of Col m a r. The reg i o n is i ntersected by fa u lts Th e wh ite varieties here a re vi nted at a h i g her a l coh o l l evel
that created a kaleidoscope of u n i q u e m ic roc l i m ates a n d t h a n the Germ a n w h ites a nd d i s p l ay a reg i o n a l q u a l ity that is
soi l s t h a t a l l ows a s i n g l e g ra pe variety t o exp ress d i sti n ctly often descri bed as comp lex, with notes of g u nfl i nt, m i nera l s,
d iffe re nt c h a racteristics. crisp acid ity, a n d very p u re fru it fl avors.

Alsatian Barrel Room Alsatian Pinot Gris

• Alsatian producers have • Because 90 percent of all • Al sace is the world's Vendange Ta rdive wi nes.
traditional ly used large oval Alsatian wines are white, premier region for Pinot
neutral wood barrels for wine small barrels (barriques) and Gris. Alsatian Pinot Gris • Vendange Ta rdive Pi not
storage. new oak are avoided because expresses the u n ique soi ls Gris may not be l a beled as
they impart their own flavors of the region a n d is d istinct "VT:' It is often im possible
• After many years of repeated to the wine. from N ew World versions. to know whether it's a d ry
use, these barrels develop a or sweet version from the
g lassy lining from tartrates in • When new barrels are neces­ • Alsatian Pi not Gris is made l a bel information. U ntil
the wine. This increases the sary, they are thoroughly i n styles ra nging from bone recently, Alsatian Pinot Gris
inert quality of the barrel. cleansed and used for edelz­ d ry to i ntensely sweet. The was la beled Tokay Pi not
wicker for several years. most successfu l ones are Gris.

1 21
LOIRE VALLEY
It's the land of castles and world-class Chenin Blanc
The Lo i re is Fra nce's l ongest river. It flows from the Centra l d riest a nd m ost acidic wines-a nd its sweetest. The va rieta l
Massif near the northern R h o n e Va l l ey west to the sea at l ist of Loi re wines is too long to l i st here, but there a re two
N a ntes. It is considered the northern l i m it of trad ition a l g ra pe sta nd outs: Sauvi g n o n B l a n c a nd C h e n i n B l a nc.
g rowi ng i n Fra nce. C h a m pa g n e a n d Al sace a re exceptions, Sa ncerre a nd Pou i l ly Fu me, o n opposite sides of the river, a re
the former n ot need i ng to fu l ly ripen its fru it, a nd the l atter sta ndard-bea rers for Sauvignon Blanc and inspired Robert Mon­
enjoying a Germa n i c c l i m ate. davi to adopt the name Fume Blanc for his Sa uvignon Blanc
The Loi re is a reg ion of g reat contra sts. Here we fi nd Fra n ce's that performed sluggishly i n the Ca l ifornia market of 1 968.

The Hill of San cerre

UJ
� • MlA5C.t1det: rt1w o'j5ter5, pot1c.hed white fi5h
;:
C3 · Dr'j Vo1Avrt11j : 5c.t1 l lop5. 5 ri l led fi5h, pt15tt1 with
<t:
z:
olive oil-bt15ed 5t1lAC.e5

• Off-dr'j Vo1Avft11j : htim , IV1dit1V1 t1V1d Pt1b5tt1V1i


di5he5 , 5 ri lled d�ic.keV1

• S't1V1C.erre/Po1Ai l l 'j flAm€: 5et1red tlA V1 t1 , rot15t


c.hic.keV1 , 5t11Ateed pork c.hop5

• Q1At1rf5 de C.ht11Ame : b llAe-vei V1ed c.hee5e5 , fre5h


frlAit, C.lA5tMd5
• Sa ncerre is a d ra matica l ly • By 1 980 Sauvignon Blanc
situated h i l ltop vi l lage on from Sa ncerre replaced a l l
the Loi re's eastern reaches. wh ites as t h e most com­
monly ordered wine in
• Gra pes have been g rown resta u ra nts worldwide for
here si nce Roman times. reasons of disti nction a n d
U nti l the middle of the economy. Sancerre is the
twentieth centu ry, red q u i ntessential expression
wines domi nated, a long of the Sa uvignon g rape,
with whites from the Chas­ with its a l l u ring flavors of
selas g ra pe. gooseberry and fl i nt.

1 22
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
The m idva l ley reg ion a ro u nd Tou rs is where Chen i n B l a n c
reaches i t s g reatest express ion. I t renders a crisp, bone-d ry Of the h u nd reds of g ra pe va rieties g rown i n Fra nce,
version in the biodyn a m ica l ly fa rmed vineya rd s of Saven­ six were h i storica l ly recog n ized by the French for
nieres and a l u scio u s off-dry wine with fi avors of peach, their s u periority. They a re Sauvignon B l a nc, C h a r­
lemon, m i n era l s, a p p les, a n d pea rs i n Vo uvray. These wines d o n n ay, a n d Ries l i n g for w h ites; Ca bernet Sa uvi­
a re made o n ly i n s u ita b l e yea rs. The fru it fro m off-yea rs g oes g non, Merlot, a nd Pi n ot Noir for red s. If such a l ist
i nto sparkl i ng Vouvray prod ucti o n . were d rawn up today, it wou ld be expa nded to
T h e s u persta rs o f the Loi re a re the u nctu ous botryti sed des­ i ncl ude C h e n i n B l a n c, Pi n ot G ris, Gewu rztra m i ner,
sert wines of Bon n ezea u and Q u a rts de C h a u me. a nd Syra h .
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Quarts de Cha ume

• 5etV\Cerre (dr'j)

· Povii l l'j-fvime (d r'j)

• Vovivret'j (off-d r'j)

MoV\flovii5 (5li5l-Jl'j sweet)

• Quarts de Chau me ta kes its acre-ha lf that of most of


place a longside the g reat the world's fi nest vineyards.
Sa uternes of Bordeaux and
the Selection des Grains • The Chenin Blanc grape
Noble of Alsace as one of reaches its fi nest expression
France's g reat dessert wi nes. i n this wine and i n neig h­
bori ng Bonnezea u . Wines
• The "Quarts de Chau me" from s u rroun d i ng vine­
a ppel lation is a round 1 00 yards ca rry the a ppel lation
acres, an d yields a re kept to "Coteaux de Layon :' These
a maxi m u m of 1 .2 tons per a re lig hter sweet wi nes.

1 23
BURGUNDY
Original home of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
B u rg u ndy is an a ncient wi ne-growi ng reg ion in eastern na rrow stri p of vineya rd l a n d ru n n i n g fro m Dijon south to
Fra n ce. Record s of viti c u l t u re go back to the seco nd centu ry Sa ntenay, a d i sta nce of a bout 30 m i l es.
when the Rom a n s conq uered the Ce ltic i n ha bita nts, who The Cote d 'Or is d ivided i nto a northern h a lf (Cote de N u its)
were a l ready m a k i n g wine. and a southern h a lf (Cote de Bea u ne) . The city of Bea u ne i s
The i nd igenous g ra pes of B u rg u ndy a re Pi not N o i r, G a may, the center o f winema ki n g a n d d i stri b ution; i t l ies between
C h a rdonnay, Pinot B l a nc, a n d A l i g ote. These a re the o n ly the two reg ions.
g ra pes a l l owed in B u rg u ndy's Cote d 'Or (Go lden S l o pe), a The Cote de N u its is known fo r g reat red wines made from

Burgundy Clos Vougeot

V')
u
1-1
V')
<(
a::i
UJ
z:
1-1


u
<(
z:

• Burg u ndy, a tiny wine vineyards here a re Cham­ • Clos Vougeot is one of sible for fa rming his portion
region, 30 mi les long a nd 1 1 berti n, Bon nes M a res, B u rg u ndy's most fa mous of the property.
mi les wide, conta ins more M u signy, Clos Vougeot, a n d vi neya rds a n d the la rgest.
classified su b-appel lations Eschezea ux Pere. The "Cl os" refers to the • This h istoric vineya rd is
than any other region i n the stone wa l l that was erected situated on a gently s lopi n g
world of comparable size. • The Cote de Bea u ne by Cistercia n m o n ks in 1 33 6 h il lside. Not every pa rt of
prod uces the g reat wh ite t o enclose thei r vineya rd. the vineyard renders the
• The northern part, the B u rg u ndies of Meursau lt, highest-q ual ity fruit, so
"Cote de Nu its;' produces Corton-Cha rlemagne, a n d • Clos Vougeot is a Gra n d Cru prices for wines u nder this
red wines from Pinot Nair Montrachet. property owned by eig hty l a be l va ry considera bly.
a l most exc l usively. Great negocia nts. Each is respon-

1 24
Pi not N o i r. The Cote de Bea u ne is home to the world's m ost­ The B u rg u n d i a n c l a ssification syste m is fou rfo l d . Wi ne
estee med, fu l l-bod ied d ry wh ite wines made from C h a rdon­ made from g ra pes g rown i n side the " B u rg u n dy" a p pe l l ation
nay. The Cote d 'Or has been the gold sta ndard for the fi n est may be l a be l ed " Bo u rgogne;' the l owest level of c l a ssifica­
wines in the world, both red a n d wh ite. tion. Above that a re the vi l l age w i n es t h at ta ke thei r n a m e
There a re no l a rge estate wi neries in B u rg u ndy, o n ly nego­ fro m a vi l l age a p pe l l ation a n d a re made fro m fru it so u rced
cia nts-hou ses with pa rti a l owners h i p i n a n a rray of vi ne­ fro m m u lt i p l e vi neyards wit h i n the vi l l age a p pe l l ation. They
ya rd properties. A g iven vineya rd m ay be owned a n d fa rmed may conta i n fru it from s u perior v i n eya rd s but o n ly in poor
by d ozen s of negocia nts, some own i ng o n l y a row or two yea rs. Premiere Cru wi nes a re s i n g l e-vi neya rd wi nes from
of vi nes. So you wi l l see Clos Vougeot, for exa m p l e, offered g ood sites. The l a bel i nc l u des the wo rd s " Prem iere Cru:' The
u nder m a ny d ifferent l a bels. best wines a re fro m t h i rty vi neya rd s classified as "Gra n d Cru:'

Th e Grea t Romanee-Con ti

· Loviis Jt1dot

ROMAM EE·CONTI · BoviC.hC1rd Per et fi ls


.,,lll•flOH IOMAHtl-CONU CONUOlll

• For a centu ry or more • At one time half the


Roma nee-Conti has been prod uction of Romanee­
considered the world's fi n­ Conti was on standing
est expression of the Pi not order by fi l m di rector Alfred
Noir g ra pe. H itchcock.

• Roma nee-Conti and five • One bottle of Romanee­


other contiguous Vosne­ Conti i s cu rrently priced
Romanee properties are wel l over $ 1 0,000. Older
u n der single ownersh i p, vi ntages are s u bstanti a l ly
cal led a "monopole:' more costly.

1 25
BEAUJOLAIS
Excellent and affordable red wines come from the Gamay grape
Bea uj o l a i s is the reg ion north of Lyon s a nd south of B u rg u n dy. U n l i ke every other French wine reg ion, a s i n g l e g ra pe
It's home to Fra nce's m ost a p proach a b l e, vivacious, a nd fru ity d o m i nates, a n d a l m ost a l l wine produ ced here is from the
red wi nes. When French law expe l led the Ga m ay N o i r g ra pe u n b lended Ga m ay g ra pe. There is a sma l l a mo u nt of wh ite
from B u rg u n dy, the g ra pe fou nd a very h a ppy home here. I n wine a l so (1 percent) beca use the va rieta l restrictio n s a re not
fact, a l l o f the world's best G a m ay wi nes origi nate here. The q u ite as l i m iting as in the B u rg u n d i a n reg ion. Wh ite Bea uj o l a i s
"Bea uj o l a i s" a p pe l l ation i s one of Fra nce's l a rg est, a bout twice is made from C h a rdon nay, Pi n o t B l a nc, Pi n o t G ris, a n d Aligote.
the size of the state of Rhode I s l a nd. It's a s i m ple wine a n d inexpensive when it ca n be fou n d .

Bea ujolais Vineyards Georges Duboeuf Win ery

• The best vineyards i n Beau­ of its light body, low ta n­ • Georges Du boeuf is the Bea ujolais wine each year.
jolais a re i n the northern n i n s, a n d fruity a ppeal. major player i n Bea ujolais.
h i l l s. The soils here a re The products of this winery • Georges Du boeuf Beaujo­
g ra n itic in contrast to the • Bea ujolais i s meant to be encompass the entire scope lais Nouveau is the most
J u rassic l i mestone soils of d r u n k u pon release, not of Beaujolais wine from widely d istributed wine
the Cote d'Or to the north. cel lared. The Cru Bea ujol a is Bea ujolais AOC to a l l the of its kind i n the world. It
can be held for a yea r o r Cru Beaujolais wines. becomes ava i l a ble every
• These vineyards prod uced two; Bea ujolais N ouveau N ovember, j ust in time for
what i s frequently ca lled m u st be cons u med wit h i n • Fou n ded i n 1 964, the firm American Tha n ksgiving din­
"the only wh ite wine that months o f i t s release. of Georges Du boeuf pro­ ner, where it is particu larly
happens to be red " beca use d u ces 30 m i l l ion bottles of a ppropriate.

1 26
Ga may is a t h i n-skin ned g ra pe with l i m ited ta n n i ns. It lower elevatio n s. There a re sixty vi l lages entitled to m a ke
res u l ted from a natura l cross i n g of Pi not N o i r a n d a n i n d i g­ wine u nder t h i s a ppel l ation. Beaujolais Villages is a cut a bove
enous wh ite variety cal led "Go u a i s:' Co n seq uently, Ga m ay it; origi nated in t h i rty- n i n e of the bette r vil lages in the north­
d i s p lays the brig ht fru iti ness of Pinot N o i r a nd the l ig ht body ern portion of the a p pe l l ation. The term Cru Beaujolais is
of G o u a i s. It's the idea l red wine fo r peo ple who d i s l i ke the reserved for ten s pecific wi nes that represent the best the
heavi ness and ta n n i n s of popu l a r red va rieties. The wi nes of reg ion has to offe r. In Bea ujola is, the term cru may or m ay not
Bea ujolais a re made to be enj oyed soon after release. refer to a parti c u l a r vi neya rd .
There a re fou r q ua l ity tiers of Bea uj o l a i s wine. Wi nes l a beled
Beaujolais can orig i n ate a nywhere i n the a p pel lation but a s
a r u l e a re prod ucts o f the l ea st-desi ra bl e vi neya rd s l y i n g on

Bea ujolais Nou vea u

The Te� C.rvt Bec.vt_jo(c.is Wi �es


· BrotAi l l'j (li5f.-J)

· Re5V)ie Oi5f.J)

· C.hi rotAbles (li5f.J)

Cote de BrotAi ll'j Oi5ht)

• fletArie (li5ht)

· S'eti V)f-AmotA r (li5ht)

• C.heV)C\5 (meditAm-li5ht)
• This u nique wine is made to • This style was created to
be enjoyed with i n weeks of celebrate the ha rvest. The
the harvest. It is released the French law govern i ng it was
third Thursday of N ovem ber esta blished i n 1 95 1 .
fol lowi ng harvest.
• Bea ujolais N ouvea u i s best
• Bea ujolais N ouvea u i s served as a n a peritif wine
brig ht, very fruity, lig ht, or as a n accom pa n i ment to
very aromatic, a nd refresh­ picnic sandwiches. It is best
ing. Its estery a roma sug­ served slig htly c h i l l ed.
gests banana and pea r.

1 27
A

RHONE VALLEY
Luscious , mouth-filling wines from Syrah and Grenache grapes
The Rhone Va l ley is Fra nce's oldest wine-growi ng reg ion. The vineya rd a reas. The best vineya rd sites a re on h i l l sides.
Ro m a n s c u ltivated wine g ra pes h e re as early as the fi rst cen­ The northern Rhone conta i n s some of the wo rld's steep­
tu ry AD. Some s o u rces sugg est that P h oen icians m ay h ave est vineya rd properties. Syra h is the o n ly red va riety a l l owed .
pla nted the earl iest vineya rd s m a ny centu ries earl ier. Viog n ier is the su persta r wh ite, but M a rsa n ne a n d Rou ssa n ne
The Rhone Va l l ey r u n s from Switzerland south to the Med i­ a re a l so g rown . The g reat a ppel lations for red wine here a re
terra nea n Sea, but the main a reas of i nte rest a re two stretc hes "Cote-Rotie" a n d "He rm itage:'These wi nes represe nt the fi nest
south of Lyo n s, sepa rated by a 30-m i le reac h with l itt le o r no express ion of the Syra h g ra pe a nywhere in the wo rld and a re

Th e Rhone Valley A Northern Rhone Vineyard

RHONE
Vl
u
1--1
Vl
<(
co
UJ
z
1--1
:s:

u
<(
z


Nimes
Aix en Provence

• The pri ncipal wi ne-g rowi ng • The southern portion i s • The "Cote-Rotie" ( roasted • As throug hout Fra nce,
region of t h e Rhone Va l ley l e s s h i l l y a nd enjoys a more slope) a ppel lation pro­ i n d ividual vi neyards deter­
is around 1 00 mi les long. moderate c l i mate. The d u ces the fin est a n d most m i n e the price of wi ne. The
southern appe l l ations a l low expen sive Syra h wines i n g reatest vineyards are La
• Steep h i l l side vi neya rd s that as many as twenty differ­ t h e world. La ndon ne, La Mouline, a n d
req uire manual tending ent red a n d wh ite g ra pe L a Tu rq ue.
cha racterize the northern va rieties, but Grenache i s • The main prod ucer here is
portion. Wines from this t h e m a i n red g ra pe a nd is E. Guiga I, whose top Cote­ • Cote Brune et Blonde is a
region are expensive. Syra h req u i red to be used as the Rotie Syra h s cost h u nd reds blend of wines not desti ned
and Viog nier a re the only base wine i n appellation­ of dollars. for vi neya rd desig nation
dominant g rape va rieties. l a beled blends. and is less expensive.

1 28
priced accord i ng ly. Co nd rieu a n d C h atea u G ri l l et a re pla nted ela borate blends. The m a i n red g ra pe of the southern Rhone
to Viog n ier. Th e fi nest p rod ucers here a re Chave, G u igal, is G renache. The most i m porta nt wine here is Chatea u n euf­
Ja bou let, a n d Cha poutier. C raze-Herm itage is a l a rge a p pel­ d u-Pa pe, a blend of up to thi rteen red a n d wh ite va rieties.
lation s u rro u n d i n g the H i l l of Herm itage. These wines never Gigondas and Vacq u eras offer G renache blends s i m i l a r to
rise to the stature of Hermitage but a re m u c h l ess costly. Ch atea u neuf-d u-Pa pe at m uc h l ower prices. Tavel a n d Lirac,
M u c h less ex pensive a re the Syra h s from nei g h boring across the river from Ch atea u n euf-d u-Pa pe, a re the o n ly
reg ions, such as Comas, St-Joseph, a n d St.-Pe ray. a ppel l ations in Fra nce for rose wine.Th e l ower-e levation vine­
The southern Rhone offers a com pletely d ifferent array of ya rd s t h roug hout t h i s reg ion a re entitled to the "Cotes-d u­
wines. Whereas the wi nes of the northern Rhone a re fu nda­ R h one" a ppe l l ation a n d a re made i n vast q u a ntity. Aro u nd 80
menta l ly sing le-va riety wines, the wi nes of the south a re often percent of all southern Rhone wi nes bear t h i s a ppel lation.

The Hill of Hermitage A Vineyard in Cha teauneuf-du -Pape

• This fa mous site is named a ppellation. It's a large • The vineyards of Clement V i n 1 309, a n d
for a medieva l monk who appellation, and the wines Chateauneuf- d u-Pape are bottles o f C hatea u neuf-d u­
b u i lt a chapel for sol ita ry va ry in quality from average cha racterized by a profusion Pa pe bea r an em bossed
med itation . to very good. of wh ite, quartzite pebbles, papal sym bol.
often several i nches across.
• T h e most noteworthy wine • An Austra l i a n vi ntner, using This pebbly su rface a bsorbs • The wines of Chatea uneuf­
i s named after this chapel, the Syra h g ra pe for pre­ the su n's heat and warms d u-Pape va ry in q u a l ity,
Hermitage La Chapelle. The mium q u a l ity wine, named soil, promoti ng vine growth. but a 2004 reserve bottling
flat land surrounding the H i l l the wine to associate it with from Ch. de Bea ucastel
o f Herm itage is entitled to this French wine. It was • This vineya rd was esta b­ brought a price of $485.
use the "Croze-Hermitage" cal led "G range-Hermitage:' lished by the Avignon Pope

1 29
BORDEAUX
It 's the original home of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot
The Bordeaux reg ion i n sout hwest Fra nce p roduces more Viticu ltu re in Bordeaux can be traced back to Rom a n ti mes,
h i g h -q u a l ity wine t h a n a ny other, with a q u a rte r- m i l l i o n acres but there is com pe l l i n g evide nce that g ra pevi nes we re in
u n der vine a nd more t h a n thi rteen thousand p rod uce rs. It is pl ace long before. The Latin poet Auso n i u s, a Bordea ux resi­
a reg ion of l a rge wine estates that has h i storica l ly s u p p l ied d ent, esta b l i shed a p rivate vineya rd here in the fou rth cen­
most of the wo rld's l ux u ry wines. tu ry. St. E m i l ion's C h atea u Ausone is na m ed for h i m .
The m ost fa m o u s exa m ples of Bordeaux wine rep resent G reat w i n e d i d not fl ow from t h i s reg ion u ntil t h e Dutch
a ro u n d 5 percent of the reg io n's p rod ucti o n . d ra i ned the m a rsh l a n d that cha racterized the Medoc i n the

Bordea ux Gravelly Soils of Pessac-Leognan

V')
u

V')
<t:
co
L.J.J
:z
� �
3: �
\..J
0
::::£
u 1:5

<t:
:z �
""'
::::£

• The wine-growi ng a reas • The g reat north (rig ht) • J u st beyond the city l i m its withi n the larger Graves
of this region occu py the ba n k vineyards lie i n the of Bordeaux lie the special region to recog n ize the
Gironde Estua ry, a confl u­ "St. Emil ion" and "Pomero l " soi ls that prod uce the best g rowing a reas.
ence of two rivers: Dor­ appellations in the Dor­ world's most precious and
dogne an d Garon ne. dogne River d ra i nage. costly dessert wines. • Sa uternes and Ba rsac a re
made from g ra pes dehy­
• The great winelands of the • The " Entre-Deux-Mers" • This reg ion is domi nated d rated by the noble rot
south (left) ba n k lie i n the appe l l ation l ies between by g rave l ly soi l s that gave ( botrytis), yielding one d rop
"Medoc" region. Its main vil­ these two regions. This rise to the term Graves. A of j u ice per grape
lages are St. Estephe, Pa ul­ a p pel lation produces wines s u b-appe l l ation-"Pessac­
liac, St. J u l ien, and Marga ux. of lesser q ua l ity. Leog na n"-was created

1 30
seve ntee nth centu ry. The g reat wine estates of C h . Lafite, C h . wi nes of Sauternes a n d Ba rsac a re blends of Sauvi g n o n B l a n c
Marg a ux, a n d C h . Latou r we re p l a nted s o o n after t h i s event. a n d Se m i l l o n .
These wine estates then i ntrodu ced the g reatest red w i n es Th e red wi nes of Bordeaux a re know n for their agea b i l ity.
then know n to the world. Those from good vi ntages s h o u l d never be d ru n k before te n
U n l i ke most other Fre n c h wine reg ions, the w i n es of Bor­ yea rs a n d w i l l i m p rove for at least twe nty. U n l i ke New World
deaux a re ra re ly made from a s i n g le variety. They a re a l most Ca bernets, red Bordea ux often dec l i nes i nto a fu n ky state
a lways blends. Red wi nes made i n the left ba n k wi neries d u ri ng the fi rst decade, after w h ich it em erges l i ke a butte rfly
(Medoc) a re p red o m i n ately Ca bernet Sauvignon with s ma l l from the cocoon. Sauternes a re del icious u pon re lease but
a m o u nts o f Merlot, Cabernet Fra nc, a n d Petite Ve rd ot. The red wi l l develop cha racter ove r time. They ca n be held u nder
wi nes of the rig ht ba n k a re u s ua l ly Merlot based. The sweet p roper conditio n s for decades.

The Most Highly Prized Bordea ux Win e A Bordea ux Cha tea u

• Ch. Petrus is Bordeaux's geologica l ly u n ique among • Large wine estates a n d occasionally M a l bec.
most expensive wine. its Pomerol neigh bors, flam boya nt chatea ux domi­
A n n u a l prod uction is less featu ring an u pwel l in g of nate Bordea ux, in contrast • A l l the Premiere Gra n d Cru
than three thousand cases. J u rassic soi ls u n known a ny­ to B u rg u ndy and all other Bordeaux wines are made
where else in the region. French wine regions. from estate fruit. There are
• The Ch. Petrus vineya rd is five in the Medoc: Ch. Lafite
pla nted to 95 percent Mer­ • The Merlot g ra pe reaches • The estate vineya rds a re Rothschi ld, Ch. Mouton­
lot and 5 percent Ca bernet its fi nest expression in the pla nted to reflect the house Rothschi ld, Ch. Latour, Ch.
Franc. wines of Ch. Petrus. blend of Ca bernet Sa uvi­ Marga ux, and Ch. Ha ut­
g non, Merlot, Cabernet Brion.
• The Ch. Petrus vineya rd is Franc, Petite Verdot, a n d

1 31
SOUTHERN FRANCE
Here is the world's most productive wine-growing region
Fra nce's Med iterra nea n coast conta i n s that n atio n's l a rg­ One reason for the reg io n's b u rgeo n i ng success is the
est wi ne-growi n g reg ion. The La ng uedoc-Ro u ss i l l o n reg i o n compa rative lack of g overn ment reg u lati o n . Those stri ngent
exte nds from the S pa n i s h border t o the m o u t h o f the R h o n e reg u l ations-the most restrictive i n the world-a re meant
River. To the east of the R h o n e the v i n e l a n d s of Proven ce a re to m a i nta i n the q u a l ity a n d identity of Fra nce's g reat wi nes.
fo u n d. Co m b i n ed, t h i s reg ion has more acreage u nder vine But in m ost of the south, vineya rd owners have a freer h a nd
tha n all the vi neya rd s i n the U n ited States. It prod uces o ne­ over g ra pe varieties, wi n e ma k i n g sta n d a rd s, a n d l a be l i ng.
t h i rd of Fra nce's tota l wine outp ut. Whereas wines fro m Fra n ce's tra d itio n a l a p pe l l atio n s m u st

Wine Regions of Fran ce Bush -pruned Vines in Pie St. -Loup

V'l English Channel


u
1--1 e Rheims
V'l tpernay
<( i ,_
co
UJ
z:
1--1

:::::.::::
u
<(
z:
:::::.::::

Bay of Biscay

• Although each of the France that blow throug hout the • Vi nes in the reg ion a re • Bush pru ning protects the
reg ions enjoys its pa rticular year, clea ring the skies pru ned to g row as bushes fru it from both the heat of
d isti nctions, a l l southern and preventi ng the hu m id rather than tra i ned on ver­ the s u m mer s u n an d the
regions a re blessed with conditions t ha t l e a d t o vine tical tre l l i ses. This l i m its the destructive m i stra l winds.
a bu nd a nt sunshine and disease. yield, concentrating flavors
the coasta l infl uence of the in the rem a i n i n g g ra pes. • Pie St-Loup has a round
Med iterra nean Sea. • Corbieres is one of the few fifty wineries, the most
AC reg ions i n the a rea. Its • Bush-pruned vines have nota ble of which a re
• The cli mate of southern best red wines have won g ra pes that hang low, close Demaine L'Hortus a n d Ch.
France is heavily i nfl uenced many national honors a nd to the g round u nder a de Lascou rs.
by the dry m i stra l winds offer g reat va l ue. circ u l a r canopy.

1 32
use the n a m e of the vineya rd to id entify the wine, most win­ the wi nes of t h i s reg ion has i m proved stea d i l y over the past
eries of southern Fra nce a re free to use varieta l l a bel i n g. The two decades. La n g u edoc-Rou ssi l l on, someti mes l u m ped
o n ly other French region to enj oy t h i s l atitu de is Al sace. together as "La ng uedoc;' is red wine cou ntry. Ca rig n a n is the
Another rea son for th e g rowth of the w i n e i n d u stry in south­ most widely pla nted red g ra pe, but there is ple nty of G ren­
ern Fra nce i s the re latively l ow cost of its p roducts. These ache, Mou rved re, Syra h, Merlot, a n d Ca bernet Sauvi g n o n .
wines a re com petitive ly priced with the i n expens ive ta ble Wh ite wines a re made mostly from varieties not wel l known
wines of Austra l ia, South America, a n d the U n ited States. o utside the reg ion, but there a re Viog n iers that riva l th ose
Less t h a n 1 0 percent of La ng uedoc-Roussi l l on a nd Provence of the northern Rhone at a fraction of the p rice. "Limoux" is
is u nder appellation con tro/ee restrictio n s. The re m a i n i ng wine the reg i on's a ppe l l ation for spa rkl i n g wine ca l led " B l a n q u ette:'
is sold as Vi n s de Pays (Vd P, Cou ntry Wi nes). The q u a l ity of Prove nce is known for its crisp, d ry rose wi nes.

A Farmhouse Winery in Languedoc

YV)�i V\ A pp e f l�fioV\S' iV\ L�V\ 5 vtedoc


�V\d ProveV\ce (Wes-+ fo E�s-+)

• Although vast qua ntities of so relaxed that wineries a re


wine flow from La nguedoc, prone to experimentation
a l most a l l is prod uced by with d ifferent varieties a n d
small fa m i ly wineries. blends.

• Some fa rmhouse wi neries • Most fa m i ly wi neries do not


have remai ned i n fa m i ly have p u b l ic tasting rooms
ownersh i p since the French but a re ha ppy to receive
Revol ution. visitors who ca l l a head.

• Wine reg u lation s here a re

1 33
SAUTERNES & B ARSAC
Luscious dessert wines pair wonderfully with seafood, pates, rich
organ meats, and strong cheeses
The Sauternes a nd Ba rsac d istricts southeast of the city of Bor­ o n l y French a p pe l l ation that ta kes its n a m e from the pre­
deaux a re u n iq u e a m o n g a l l Fra nce's a ppe l l ations. They a re d o m i n a nt soil type, g rave l l y a l l uvi u m . But the u n iq u e success
classified exc l u sively fo r sweet wines. I n m ost other French enjoyed by Sa uternes and neig h boring Ba rsac has m o re to
appellations late-ha rvest sweet wines a re a n excepti o n . do with its u n iq u e m i c roc l i m ate t h a n with its soi l s.
Saute rnes l i es i n the G raves d i strict that ru n s u p river fro m Th e C i ron River flows out from the forested h i l l s, del iveri ng
the city l i m its of Bordeaux on the south ba n k. G raves is the cool water that m ixes with the warmer wate r of the G i ron de,

Cha tea u d ' Yquem Botrytised Semillon Grapes

• The "Graves" appe l l ation • Graves topsoil i s a l l uvial • The noble rot works its plete. Botrytis red uces acid
derives its name from the deposits from m i l le nn ia of m i racles only on the s kin s levels, so the wines of Sau­
characteristics of its soil, flood i n g of the Garo n ne o f healthy, r ip e g ra pes. If ternes a re usua l ly blends of
which is g ravelly clay. a nd other rivers. These a re the s kin s a re da maged, g ray Semillon a n d the hig her­
geologica l ly recent soi l s rot develops. acid Sauvignon Bla nc.
• The bed rock soil of Graves i n contrast t o those of
is Calcaire d'Asteries, a l i me­ B u rg u ndy a n d C h . Petrus • The noble rot dehyd rates • Botrytised vineyards ta ke
stone embedded with fos­ i n Pomerol. The Sem i l lon i ndividual g ra pe berries, severa l harvesting passes
sil ized sta rfish that reaches g ra pe th rives here more turning them brownish; because each cluster wi l l
the su rface in Barsac. than in a ny other wine they resemble moist ra isins not b e i nfected t o t h e same
reg ion i n the world. when the process is com- degree at the same ti me.

1 34
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

creati ng an eve n i n g m i st that rem a i n s t h ro u g h the n i g ht and Botrytis, the "no b l e rot;' is fou n d t h ro u g hout the
i nto the late morn i n g . Th is c l i m atic co nd ition, u n iq u e to the world's m ajor wi ne-g rowi ng regions but espe­
southern G raves, pro motes the noble rot-botrytis. It i n fects cia l ly i n Sa u ternes a nd Ba rsac. The spores a re
Sauvignon B l a n c g ra pes, then the Se m i l lon, w h i c h is particu­ present i n the vineya rds a n d spri n g i nto action
l a rly s u scepti ble. The noble rot desiccates g ra pes a nd con­ when the cli m atic conditions a re favora b le. Botry­
centrates fl avors of the l itt le rem a i n i ng j u ice. It a l so i m pa rts a tis m o l d destroys the g ra pe's physica l struct u re.
s pecta c u l a r flavo r spectrum of its own, m a k i n g the wi nes of Late-ha rvest a n d Ice Wi nes a re made from hea lthy
Sauternes and Ba rsac the most prized of a l l the wo rld's des­ fru it and d o not exh i bit the prized Aavor profi l e of
sert wi nes. Neig h boring Ba rsac, across the C i ron River, enj oys botrytised fru it.
different soi l s, and the wines d i s p l ay a s l i g htly fl i nty ele ment. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ch. d 'Yquem-the World 's Premier Dessert Wine

The Premiere C.rlA Wi V\eS' of S'etlAferV\eS'


CtV\d BetrS'CtC :

S'etviferV1eS" • Lhafeetvi Gvii rcivid

• Lhafeetvi Let Tovir • Lhafeetvi Rievis-s-ec


B letV\Che
Chafeetvi Retbetvid-
• Lhafeetvi Letfetvirie- PromiS"
Pe'jret5vie'j
• Chafeetvi S'i5et lcis--
• Chafeetvi C los- Hetvi+- Retbetvid
Pe'j ret5vie'j
BetrS"etC
• Ever si nce the classifica­ • The maxi m u m yield here is • Lhafeetvi de Ret'jV\e-
tion of 1 855, the wine of 1/2 ton per acre, compared Vi5V\eetvi • Lhafeetvi Covi+e+
Ch. d'Yquem has been with the usual 1 .2 ton s per
rega rded as the g reatest acre in other Sa uternes • Lhafeetvi S'vidviiretvif • Lhafeetvt Cli meVlS"
wine of Sauternes. vi neya rds.

• The vineya rd is planted to • Ch. d'Yquem i s the world's


80 percent Sem i l lon/20 costliest wine to prod uce
percent Sauvignon Blanc. a nd the most expen sive
sweet wine, costing more
than $600 a bottle.

1 35
PIEDMONT/PIEMONTE
Welcome to the land of truffles and the " King of Wines and the Wine
of Kings"
The I ta l ia n provi nce of Pied m o nt, known in Italy as "Pie­ a s i m i l a r su m m e r c l i mate. But there is one pa rtic u l a r d i sti nc­
m onte;' is the natio n's most-disti n g u i s hed wine reg i o n . I t is tion here: a prepondera n ce of fog in ce rta i n vineya rd a reas
d i sti n g u is hed by its h i story and the u n i q u e a r ray of i n d ige­ d u ri n g the g rowi ng seaso n . Eve n i n g and morn i ng fog is a
nous g ra pe va rieties that g rows better on its home soi l t h a n critica l facto r in m a ny of the wor l d 's pre m i u m wine reg ions.
. a nywhere e l s e i n the world. Sauternes depends on it to promote the botrytis mold that
Pied mont l ies at the same l atitude as B u rg u ndy and s h a res is essential for its wi nes. In the Pied mont the fog performs a

A Nebbiolo Vineyard in Piedmon t

V')
u
1---4


cc
The Itet fiet� DOC./DOC.G 5'j s+em
LLJ
:z: · DOC : DeV10Mi V1c.zioV1e di Ori5iV1e C.0V1tro l lc.tc. .
� WiV'le M\,15f ori5iV1c.te frol'YI H�e VIC.Med re5ioV1
� CIV'ld C.OV'lfOrM fo S'fric.f 5overV1MeV'lf re51.A lc.fioV1S'.
<(
:z:
� • DOC.G: DeV1ol'YliV1c.zioV1e di Ori5iV1e C.oV'ltrol-
lc.tc. e Gc.rc.V1fitc. . Terl'YI is reserved for Itc. l lj 1S'
fiV1eSf wiV1eS' whose ql.AC. liflj iS 51.AMCI V'lfeed blj
the 5overV1 MeV1t.

• IGT: IV1dic.c.zioV1e Geo5rc.fic.c. li pic.c. . WiV'le


iS' repreS'eV'ltc.tive of ifs re5ioV1 . S'iMi lc.r to the
freV1C.h Vi V'I de Pc.ljS·

• Nebbiolo is the g rape of soften and the true g lory


Barolo and Barbaresco. of this va riety to become
Along with Sangiovese of expressive.
Chianti, Nebbiolo is Italy's
most noble grape va riety. • Modern Nebbiolos a re
made in a style that
• Traditiona l ly made Neb­ m in i mizes the ta n n i ns and
biolo wine is brick red and maximizes the youthfu l
l ig htly pigmented but very fruiti ness. These wines a re
ta n n ic. It ta kes yea rs of da rker than traditionally
cel laring for the ta n n i n s to made wi nes.

1 36
d ifferent fu nction. It m itigates the h ot su m mer te m perat u res Pied mont is home to one of the world's most food-frien d ly
a nd prom otes an ideal c l i m ate fo r the Nebbiolo g ra pe to ri pen red wi nes: Ba rbera. This is a t h i n-ski n ned, low-ta n n i n red that
to perfection. So pa rticu l a r is t h i s g ra pe that it has n't been is a n ideal acco m pa n i ment to I ta l i a n d i shes i n pa rticu l a r,
g rown with com p lete success a nywhere e l se in the world. especia l ly th ose i nvolving to matoes. Dol cetto is a fru ity, soft
And to the chagri n of the i nternati o n a l wine com m u n ity, t h i s red desig ned for ea rly co n s u m ption. Pied mont is a l so home
g ra pe prod uces two o f the wo rld's g reatest wi nes-Baro l o to the wh ite truffle. Typical vis itors to the reg ion come pri­
a n d Barbaresco, known for centu ries as "the king of wi nes m a ri ly for the food a nd wine. Wh ite wines i n c l ude Gavi, a soft,
and the wine of king s'.' Tokaj i Azsu and C h a b l i s h ave a l so d e l i cate d ry wi ne; Roero A rneis, a more-co m p lex, su bsta n­
c l a i m ed the title. Barolo and Barbaresco a re capa b l e of g reat tial wine s i m i l a r to Tocai Fri u l a no; and Moscato, a se m isweet
longevity when kept u nder proper te m peratu re control. wine fi n is hed in a spa rkl i n g style cal led "Asti S p u m a nte'.'

Nebbiolo, Chian ti, a n d Cabernet Sa u vignon

· Mosct1to d 'Asti : frt15rt1V\t, fr"lit'j , 5"1 5 5es­


tive of ort1V\ 5 e b lossoms t1V\d l'jchee, 5fi5l-Jl'j
spt1rklil/)5 white will)e

· Bt1rbert1 : t1bl.1V\dt1V\t fr"lit, medil.1m bod 'J , livel'J


t1cidit'J · Gret1t food will)e .

· Dolcetto : deep red , m i ld tt1V\V\iV\5 , remiV\i5ceV\t


of blt1ckberrie5 t1V\d pl"lm5

· Nebbiolo: disfill)dive , 5ret1t will)es of Bt1rolo


• The color of wines comes as Pinot Nair a nd Barbera t1V\d Bt1rbt1re5co . Best dr"IV\k t1fter five to tell)
from pigments in the g ra pe conta i n less pigment a n d 'jeM5 or more .
skins. The thicker the skins, l e s s ta n n i n . They provide
the more pigment is ava i l ­ wines with lig hter color a n d
able t o c o l o r the wine. med i u m body.

• Most of the pig ment is • Nebbiolo's skin is t h i n a n d


released i nto the ferment­ l i g htly pig mented, b u t
ing wine withi n two days. u n l i ke other red g ra pes, it
possesses strong ta n nins.
• Thin-skin ned grapes such

1 37
TRENTINO-ALTO ADIGE
Fresh , bright white wines come from the Italian Alps and home of
Pinot Grigio
Trenti no a n d Alto Ad ige a re two conti g u o u s provinces i n vineya rd a reas lie on steep slopes a bove the river va l ley.
north-ce ntra l Italy that, a lthoug h sepa rate i n l a n g uage a n d The southern province ofTrenti no is home to some of Italy's
c u ltu re, a re considered a s a s i n g l e entity for po l itica l reasons. l a rgest wine cooperatives s u c h as Mezzacorona a nd Cavit,
These a re the most northerly of a l l Ita l i a n provinces and two whose products a re exported wo rldwide.
of the m ost scen ic. They occ u py an a l p i n e reg ion deeply cut The wines here l a rgely ref1 ect the s i m p l e tastes of former
t h ro u g h by the Ad ige River a nd its tri b utaries. Al most a l l the generations. G ra pes a re h a rvested earl ier rather than later,

Vineyards in Tren tin o-Alto Adige

Major Vtt riefie5 of TreV\fi V\o-A lto


Adi 5 e

• The best vineya rd sites a re • Traditional pergola vine


l ocated on steep h i l l sides tre l l ising, where the vi nes
su rro u nded by the Dolo­ form a ca nopy with the
mites and southern A l ps. g ra pe c l u sters hanging
down, is g radually giving
• Flat lands near the river way to more modern tre l l is­
ba n k a re planted to fruit ing systems.
orchard s a n d the l a rge com­
mercial vineyards that can
be mechanically ha rvested.

1 38
when flavors and sugars a re more mat u re; wi nes a re ta n k World Wa r I. It's m uch more Germ a n than Ita l ia n with res pect
fermented i n large sta i n less steel fermenters. These i n expen­ to l a n g u age a n d cuisi ne. The vineya rds here a re pla nted
sive wi nes a re found on su perma rket shelves throug hout the accord i n g ly to acco m modate the tou rist a ppetite for l i g ht, d ry
U n ited States, Canada, and the U n ited Kingdom. They sta nd red wine. More than 50 perce nt of vineya rd land is devoted to
i n co ntra st to the a rtisa n a l prod ucts of the s m a l ler prod ucers Sch iava, a fa i rly s i m ple l ig ht red wine that pa irs wel l with the
who g row the best-su ited va rieties in the most-favora b l e l oca­ Germ a n ic foods that pro l iferate here but has no place i n the
tions and uti l ize la bor-i ntensive methods to craft the best pos­ export ma rket.
sible wi nes. Trenti no's outsta nding export red va rieties i nclude Teroldego,
Alto Ad ige (u pper Ad ige River Va l ley) was a pa rt of the a fu l l-bod ied spicy wine with sna ppy acid ity, and Lag rein, a
Au stro-Hu ngarian empire u ntil it was tra n sferred to Italy after rich, fru ity wine with notes of leather, m u s h room, and spice.

Mezzacorona Winery, Tren tino

• EleV\CI Wcilch Be'joV\d the C.lo\AdS' Alto


Adi5e (bleV1ded white) cf cf

• Abbcizici di Novcice llei Pi V\ot Gri5io A lto


Adi5e cf cf

· Wei V15\At NiklciS' 5ci\Avi5V10V\ BlciV\C Alto


Adi5e cf cf

· 5t. t'Y\ichcie l-EppciV\ Pi V\ot Bit1V1CO A lto


Adi5e cf

· C.ciV1ti V1C1 Vci lle Ts-circo VeltiV1er Alto


• This winery, fou n ded i n • It receives fru it from 1 ,300 Adi5e cf
1 904, is Italy's oldest com­ local g rowers and vini­
mercial winery and one of fies only g ra pes of its own
the l a rgest in the nation. prod uction.

• Its estate vi neya rds employ • Mezzacorona offers a


both the trad itional pergola ra nge of q ua l ity wines
tre l l ising system a nd the from affordable everyday
more modern espa lier sys­ wines to prestige reserve
tem that a l l ows mecha n ica l bottlings.
harvesting.

1 39
FRIULI-VENEZI A GIULI A
Tocai Friulano is Italy's delicious mystery grape
Fri u l i-Venezia G i u l i a is I ta ly's m ost northeaste rn p rovi n ce, bor­ a n d is u nder fi re from the H u ngarian g overn ment fo r u s i n g
dering Austria and S l ove n i a . Like Alto Ad ige, it was a pa rt of the "Toca i " na me. T h e n a m e "Tokay" h a s a l ready been exci sed
the Au stro- H u ngarian e m p i re u ntil the end of World Wa r I . from A l satian wi nes.
Some sch o l a rs conte nd that t h e H u ngarian Fu r m i nt g ra pe of The Fri u l i reg i o n i s su rro u n ded by l ow h i l l s ca l l ed "Co l l io"
Tokaj i m i g ht have either orig i n ated in Fri u l i or been b ro u g ht a n d "Co l l i Orienta I i" (ea stern h i l l s) . The best vi neya rd sites a re
to the reg ion from H u ng a ry. i n these h i l ly reg ions.
Toca i Fri u l a n o i s the d om i n a nt g ra pe of the reg ion today M a ny wine writers co n sider Fri u l i to be Italy's fi nest reg ion

A Wine Village in Friuli

• Friuli population is a mixtu re off the Adriatic Sea. The


of Slovenians, Austria ns, entire region is said to enjoy
and Italians, but the Ita l ia n "natura l air-conditioning:'
language and cu lture are There a re ten DOC regions
domi nant. i n Friu l i and one DOCG,
Ramandolo, inside the Cel l io
• Friuli enjoys a unique Orienta l i DOC.
cli mate becau se of cool
winds blowing south from • Wi neries a re sma ll. The best
the Alps mixing with the ones are located on hillsides,
moderate breezes coming Cel l io and Cellio Orienta Ii.

1 40
for wh ite wine. Tocai Fri u l a no, its sig natu re g ra pe, yields a na me. It's been g rown elsewhere as "Sa uvignon Vert" a nd
med i u m-bod ied d ry wh ite wine with a ro m a s a n d flavo rs of "Sa uvinona sse" i n C h i le, but the cu rrent preference in Italy
wi ldflowe rs, pea rs, citru s, a n d herbs. is to ca l l it "Fri u l a no:' Th i s practice wi l l certa i n ly lead to con­
Before the l ate 1 960s Ita l i a n w h ite wines were either t h i n, fu sion because there a re six Ca l ifornia wi neries that offer it
acid ic, a n d monod i mension a l wines or ru stic, sweet wi nes u n der the "Toca i Fri u l a n o" \ a bel.
req u i ring fortifi cation to m a ke them palata b le. The wh ite The wh ite wi nes a re made i n sta i n l ess steel, but Western­
wine revo l ution in I ta ly beg a n when m eti c u l o u s w i n e m a kers educated winemakers a re experi me nti ng with expe n sive
l i ke Schiopetti modern ized w i nem a k i ng in Fri u l i . oak barrels a n d m a l o l actic fermentation, w h i c h wi l l certa i n ly
I n 2009 t h e n a m e "Toca i" w a s d i sa l l owed beca u se o f H u n­ d rive u p the price of th ese wines. The Fri u l a nos of the fut u re
g a ri a n o bjections. Th is love ly wine is sea rc h i ng for a new a re l i kely to be fatter and more C h a rdonnay-l i ke.

Tocai Friulano

frilA li '5 S'lA p er-whife5


• fri1.1li '5 top white wiV1e5 tire VIOt vtirietti l l�
ltibe led . The� tire bleV'ld5 . lhe5e tire timoV15 the
world '5 fiV1e5t f1.1 ll-bodied white wiV1e5 . S'ome
di5tiV151.1i5hed extimple5:

• JermtiV'IV'I ViV1tti5e T1.1V1iV1ti (C.httrdoV1V1ti� ,


S'ti1.1vi5V10V1 , Toc.tii , Pic.olit)

• Bti5titiV1ic.h Ve5pti BitiV1C.o (C.httrdoV1V1ti� ,


S'ti1.1vi5V10V1 , P1c.olit)

• Ztimo Tre Vi5V1e (C.httrdOVIV'lti� , S'ti1.1vi5V10V1 ,


Toc.tii)
• Toca i Fri u l a no is a fleshy Furmint g ra pe o r Sauvignon
wh ite wine with flavors of Bla nc, but its orig i n s have
peach, pea r, and a l monds. yet to be confi rmed.
It fi n ishes with a zing of
mi nera l notes a nd good • New World Toca i Fri u la nos
acidity. a re often very good but are
not su rvivi ng the econom­
• Tocai Fri u lano is thought to ics of the market. O n ly six
be related to the H ungarian U.S. wineries offer them.

1 41
VENETO
Enj oy everyday light red wines, round and savory whites, and rich
wines " for reflection"
Veneto is a northeastern province whose wine-growi ng h i g hest-qual ity wines a re ble nds. It's diffic u lt to differentiate
reg ions a re domi n ated by the lower Ad ige River. I ts ca pita l the fi ne wines of the Veneto from the sea of ord i n a ry wi nes
city is Ve nice, a n d the center of its wine i nd ustry is Verona. It is fou nd o n the export market. The more tha n twenty DOC
the l a rgest prod ucer of DOC wine i n Ita ly. reg ions have been expa nded to the point of mea n i ng less­
Nowhere else i n I taly ca n we fi n d a richer pa lette of wine ness. The prod ucer is the key.
types a n d styles. N o single variety domi n ates, a n d all the The best known Veneto wines a re Soave, a G a rga nega wi ne;

Drying Grapes for Amarone

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
cc
Gre�+ ProdvtcerS' of the VeVlefo
LU
z
1--1
• S'peri
3:
::::£
u
<(
z
::::£

• Amarone is Va l po l icel la, • The grapes used for Valpo­


whose g ra pes have been l icel la and Amarone are the
d ried on straw mats or racks indigenous varieties Corvina,
to concentrate the flavors. Rondinella, and Molinari.
Corvina is the base wine.
• Amarone is a thick, mouth­
fi l l i ng, d ry wine and the • The term Amarone mea n s
fou rth-best-sel l in g wine " bitter;' reflecting th e early
type in Ita ly. It can age exa mples, which were more
g racefu l ly for decades. rustic than the polished
exa mples of today.

1 42
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Va l po l ice l l a, a Corvi na blend; a n d Prosecco, a spa rkl i ng wine.
The best exa m ples of these wines come from the ori g i n a l Ripasso-Veneto's Unique Process: Ripasso
classified vineya rd a reas ca l led "c lassico:' A l l the m ajor DOC wines are made by refermenting Valpolicella wine
reg ions have been expa nded to acco m mod ate a g rowi ng on the skins of grapes previously used to make
market demand. Th e expa nded a reas a re not entitled to the Amarone.The result is a richer, much more com­
"classico" designation. The Veneto is home to Italy's l a rgest plex wine with some Amarone character. The
wine cooperatives: Sa nta M a rg herita, Bolla, Zo n i n , a n d others. process used was introduced by the Masi winery
Sa nta M a rg herita i ntrod uced Pinot Grigio to the U.S. m a rket in 1 964. The cost of Ripasso wines is usually just a
more tha n th i rty yea rs ago and d o m i n ated that sector u ntil little higher than that of quality Valpolicella.
the variety beca me popu lar on the i nternatio n a l m a r ket. • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Recioto-Italy 's Supreme Dessert Win e

• Pro5ec.c.o : i V1expeV15ive 5pC-trkliVlg whife wiV1e


mC-tde i V1 blAlk

• S'oC-tve C.IC-t55ic.o : medilAm-bodied , frlAit'J C-tVld


flower'j whife wiV1e wifh mi V1erC-t l overfoV1e5

• VC-t lpolic.e l lC-t C.IC-t55ic.o : light, frC-tgrC-tV1f dr'j red ,


mos+ widel'j prodtAc.ed red wiV1e iV1 TtC-tl'j C-tffer
C.hiC-tV1fi

• 5C-trdoliV10: si mpler, lighter ver5ioV1 of VC-tlpoli­


c.ellC-t from LC-tke GC-trdC-t

• Recioto is Italy's most­ a re d ried for a longer ti me,


honored an d expensive lead i n g to an intense flavor
sweet wine. and elevated suga rs.

• Recioto is made from the • These wines a re very expen­


ri pest hand-picked g rapes sive and so com plex that
of the fi nest c l u sters. Only they a re usua l ly not pa ired
the "ears" of each cluster with food. Ita l i a n s consider
a re used. It uses the same their Recioto "wi nes for
gra pe combi nation as contem plation:'
Va l pol icel la, but the g ra pes

1 43
TUSCANY/TOSCANO
Say " ciao" to Brunello , Vino Nobile, and Chianti-Italy 's most
famous wine
It's been said that Tu sca ny is Ita ly's Bordea ux a n d that Pied­ Altho u g h Tu sca ny is k n own for its red wi nes, wh ite is
mont is its B u rg u ndy. That i s to say that Tu sca ny i s d o m i­ g rown a s wel l . The ove rwhel m i ng n u m ber of Tu sca n Treb­
nated by a h u ge p rod uction a i med at a wo rldwide m a rket, b i a n o w i n es a re t h i n, acid, and fru it-lacking. They a re u sed
whereas sma l l, q u a l ity-orie nted p rod u cers d o m i n ate Pied­ m a i n ly as b l e n d i ng wi nes. But in Fra nce the g ra pe is ca l led
mont. Tu scany's capital city i s Florence (Firenze) ; Siena i s the " U g n i B l a n c " and is one of the pri nci pa l g ra pes u sed to m a ke
center of its wi ne i n d u stry. Cog nac.

Win e Regions of Tuscany A Tuscan Vineyard

'

V') \
u
1--t
V')
<( Pisa
co •
UJ
z:
1--t


u
r-
<(
z: \

)
//
'-' VINO NOBILE
MONTEPULCIANO
'
Montal •
OOCG
Montepulciano '\
BRUN ELLO I
I
DI MONTALCINO
DOCG I

• Tusca ny has more DOC(G) Tyrrhenian Sea. • Although a n ocea n of "Guyot system:'
a reas than a ny other Ita l i a n Chia nti wine is sold to be
provi nce-twenty-six at last • Al most a l l ofTuscany is blended by l a rge exporters, • The Ita l ia n terms podere,
cou nt. u nder vi ne, but the most most of the production is ten uta, azienda ag ricola,
i mportant DOC(G) reg ions from small- t o med i u m­ a n d fattoria a re com monly
• Low u n d u lating h i l l s a re Chianti (Classico), sized wineries. u sed on wine l a bels. These
and stately cypress trees Vernaccia d i Sa n Gimig­ terms simply mean "wi nery"
characterize this reg ion. na no, Bru ne l l e d i Montal­ • Vi ne trel l ising systems in or "farm :'
Its Mediterra nean cli mate cino, a nd Vi no Nobile di Chianti usua l ly util ize the
is moderated by breezes Montepu lciano. modern system of tra i n­
blowing i n land from the ing on wi res, known as the

1 44
The m a i n sta nd-a l o n e wh ite Tu sca n w i n e is Vernaccia d i wi nema ke rs w h o cou l d forgo t h e "Ch i a nti" l a be l a nd l a bel
S a n G i m i g n a no, a w i n e rem i n i scent o f a l ig ht-styled Soave. t h e i r wi n es a s s i m ply vini d i tavo/a-ta b l e wi n es.
The g l ory of Tu scany is C h i a nti. C h i a nti is a win e-g rowi n g The "Big Th ree" red wi n es of Tu sca ny a re C h i a nti C l a ssico
reg ion nea r S i e n a . T h e orig i n a l a rea, ca l led "C h i a nti Class ico;' Riserva, B r u n e l l o d i Monta l c i n o, a n d Vi no N o b i l e d i Mon­
was the fi rst w i n e reg ion in the wo rld to beco m e s u bj ect to te pu lcia no. Monta l c i n o is a ti ny h i l ltop vi l l age south of
g ove r n ment reg u lation (in 1 7 1 6) . Siena with ove r t h ree h u n d red prod u cers, all of whom m a ke
H i storica l ly, C h i a nti was a blend of Sangiovese a n d va rious Bru n e l lo. Bru n e l l o, a va riety of Sang iovese a l so known a s
ot her req u i red g ra pes. One h u n d red percent S a n g i ovese "Sa n g i ovese G rosso;' has th icker s k i n a nd yields one o f Ita ly's
co u l d not be l a be l ed as "C h ia nti." These restrictions led to m ost elegant red wi n es. Wi nes fro m lesser vi nta ges a re sold
the th i n, acidic wines of the past but a l so to experi m e nta l a s "Rosso d i Monta l c i n o:'

A Super- Tuscan Wine Vin San to

• Overly restrictive reg u la­ more a k i n to fossils of the • Vi n Santo, Tuscany's " holy • Many Ita l ia n s enjoy their Vi n
tions of the past led some Burgess Shale than wine­ wine;' is a sweet dessert Sa nto with d ry desserts l i ke
Chia nti producers to aban­ Sassicaia, Ornel la ia, and wine made from Trebbiano biscotti or pa netton i, which
don the blending req ui re­ Tigna nel lo. or Ma lvasia g ra pes. they d i p i nto the wi ne.
ments in order to produce
su perior wine. Some Su per-Tu sca n s a re Vi n Sa nto is made from Although Vin Sa nto is made
1 00 percent Sangiovese, d ried g ra pes in a fashion in other Ita l ia n provi nces,
• These became the so-ca l led but most a re Ca bernet/ similar to Amarone. It it is a signature wine of
Su per-Tusca n s of the late Merlot/Sa ngiovese blends. reaches a lcohol level s of Tusca ny.
twentieth centu ry a n d 1 6- 1 8 percent.
sported fa ntasy names

1 45
SARDINIA/SARDEGNA
You'll find refreshing and underrated white wines and rustic reds
The i s l a n d province of Sa rd i n i a is one of I ta ly's most rem ote, U ntil recently the wi nes of Sard i n ia were below export q u a l­
rustic reg ions. It's j u st s l ig htly s m a l l e r in a rea t h a n Sici ly. It ity, but the i nfu sion of governm ent su bsidy a n d the creation
was u n der S pa n ish control u ntil the eig hteenth centu ry, and of DOC a n d DOCG reg io n s encou raged the rise of q u a l ity
S pa n i s h i nfi ue nce a bo u nds. wi neries. The best wi nes of Sard i n ia now sta nd a longside the
The main g ra pes of Sa rd i n ia a re of S pa n is h orig i n , a nd the fi n e wines of the m a i n l a n d .
loca l prod ucts include u n iq ue wi nes made nowhere else in Sa rd i nia is hot a n d d ry, particula rly i n the u n protected south,
the world. where it receives hot si rocco winds from the Africa n Sa h a ra .

Sardinian Vineyard

UJ
z:
1--1
· VerMeV1tiV10: white , c:trOMc:ttic, with V\OfeS' of
:5: c:t /MOV\d c:tV\d cifr1.1S'

u

� • VerV1c:tCCic:t : white , p l1.1 M p , S'1.15c:tr-rich, 1.1S'ed for


� S'hern:rS't'j le wi V1eS'

• C.c:tV\V\OV1t11.1 : GreV1c:tChe , flc:tvorS' of cherr'j ,


b r5ch , wild red berrieS'

• Today viticu ltu re is the • Sardi nia has sixteen IGTs


most im portant agricu l­ ( l ndicazione Geog rafica
tura l endeavor i n Sard i nia. Ti pica) regions, the most of
Gra pevi nes g row i n every a ny Ita lian provi nce.
part of the island.

• Sard i n ians have sharply


red uced the qua ntity of
prod uction i n recent years,
favoring l ower yield s that
lead to opti m u m wi nes.

1 46
Sard i n ia's most su ccessfu l g ra pe va rieties a re Ca n n o n a u, pa late but fi n ishes d ry. I t's l i ke no other wine i n the wo rld.
a clone of G renache; Mon ica, a l i g ht red q uaffa ble wine fo r Two p rod ucers sta nd out from the pack a n d a re most widely
loca l co n s u m ption; a n d Ve rmenti n o, a wh ite g ra pe that exported. Arg iolas, i n the fa r south of the isla nd, prod uces a
shows se rious potenti a l . celebrated red blend fro m five n ative g ra pes cal led "Tu rriga:'
Ve rnaccia d i Orista no (not re lated t o Ve rn accia d i Sa n It consistently rates i n the l ow 90s i n major reviews. Argiolas
G i m ig n a n o) is made i n a S he rry style. It is ferme nted to h i g h was fou nded i n 1 9 1 7 a nd i s fa m i ly owned a n d operated .
a lco hol ( 1 9 perce nt), aged i n chestnut ba rrels, fi l led t o 9 0 per­ Sa nta d i Terre Bru ne is Sard i n ia's other ce lebrated red wi ne.
cent ca pac ity to enco u rage oxidation, a nd held fo r six yea rs It's one of the best exa m p les of q ua l ity wine fro m an I ta l i a n
before re lea se. I t yie lds com plex fl avo rs of a l m o n d s, ora nge coo pe rative. Te rre B r u n e i s 9 0 percent Carig n a n a n d o n e of
pee l, toba cco, tea, a n d honey. It sugg ests sweetn ess o n the Sard i n ia's fi n est wi nes.

Vermen tino di Gallura

• TeV'lvite S'ellei & Mos-cc. Al5hero MeircheS"e


di Vi l leitv1eiri V1t:1 cf cf cf

PIERO
MAN C I N I
@?Vioani
ARDE NA
Y,ERMENTIN DI GALWRA


'

Vermenti no is Sard i n ia's


'
the north, pa rticularly in the
sig natu re wh ite wine. H is­ G a l l u ra reg ion.
torians tel l u s that it arrived
here in the nineteenth • Sard i n ia n Vermenti no
century BC from Corsica. is crisp and citrusy with
a l mond notes.
• It i s one of only fou r Ita l ian
white wines to be awa rded • Vermentino is grown in other
DOCG status. Italian provinces as wel l and
has become a n attractive,
• The best exa mples a re from inexpensive export.

1 47
SOUTHERN ITALY
Robust and inexpensive red wines grow from native varieties
When yo u enter Italy's southern provinces you encou nter a vineya rd development, o n ly the re p l a nting or restructuring
cu ltu re, terra in, a n d c l i mate very d iffe re nt from those of other of exi sting vi neya rd property. Th i s has res ulted i n a certa i n
reg ions. Ag ric u l t u re is the centra l i n d u stry here, a n d the Ital­ ge ntrifi cation o f these southern vi neya rd s. Whereas i n for­
i a n government is determi ned to m a i nta i n its prim acy i n the mer d ays the wines of southern Ita ly were l a rgely u nworthy
growi ng of wheat (for the pasta m a n ufact u rers i n N a p l es), of export, tod ay's produ cts ca n be s u perb.
ol ives, lemons, and to matoes-a l l prod u cts of i nte rnationa l Ca m pa n ia, the province of which N a ples is the ca pita l, is
significance. The E u ropea n U n ion (EU) fo rbids a ny new known for its wh ite wine made from the G reco g ra pe and

Vineyard in Calabria

V')
u

V') IV\di 5 eV\0\,1S' Gr� p es- of S'o\,ifherV\
<(
co
UJ
It� t 'j
z:


:::::.:::'.
u
<(
z:
• fiC1V'iO: whife 5 rC1pe rel'Yli ll'iiS'CeV'it of pill'te V't1.-1tS'
:::::.:::'. C1V'id herbS'

• A0liC1V'tico: V'iOteS' of blC1ck cherr'j with leC1fher


C1V'id fobC1CCO

Ne 5 roC1MC1rC1 : r1.-1S'tic red with V'toteS' of coffee


C1V'id tobC1CCO

Pri mitivo : Medi1.-1m C1Cidit'j , S'oft-dri ll't ki ll'i5 ,


moderC1te fC1V'ill'iill'iS' • The best vineya rd sites i n • Grape-growing tradi­
Cala bria a re on h i l lsides. tions here were heavi ly
Pugl iese vineyards a re i nfl uenced by the Greek
mostly on l evel g round. occu pation in the eig hth
century BC.
• The hot s u m mer c l i mate
of Cala bria and Pug lia is • Most of southern Italy's
moderated by cross winds indigenous g rape variet­
emanating from the Ionian ies a re of Greek orig i n and
Sea a n d the Ad riatic Sea. d iffer g reatly from those of
the north.

1 48
its red Ag l i a n i co, w h ich g rows on vo lcanic s l o pes s h a red by Pug l i a vies with the Veneto as Italy's m ost prod igious wine
nei g h boring province Basi l icata. Ag l i a n ico di Vu lture, from p rod ucer. Th is p rovince is I ta ly's fiattest reg ion a n d enjoys an
the s l opes of M o u nt Vu ltu re, is widely expo rted. i ron-rich, m a rly soi l ideal for viticulture.
Ca l a bria is in the t h roes of a q u a l ity revo l ution, l a rgely pio­ Most of Pug l ia's red wine is made from the rich ly fiavored
neered by two producers: Li bra n d i and Fatto ria Sa n Fra n ­ Neg roa m a ra (the n a m e m ea n s "black a n d bitter") g ra pe, usu­
cesco. These fi rm s h ave i ntrod uced i nternationa l va rieties a l ly blended with some Ma lvasia Nera to l i g hten it u p. Th is i s
i nto thei r Gal ioppo blen ds, c reati ng wines re m i n i scent of the the form u l a u sed i n Sa l i ce Salenti no, Pug l ia's most popu l a r
Su per-Tu sca n s of C h i a nti. export.
Of g reatest i nterest to Western consum ers a re the wi nes of Pug l ia's Prim itivo d i M a nd u ria, a Zi nfa ndel re lative, yields one
Pug l ia, the heel of Ita ly's boot. Th is is red wine cou ntry, a n d of I ta ly's g reat red wi nes i n the hands of the best prod ucers.

Primitivo di Manduria

Gre&tf Wi �eS' from S'olAfher"'


Tt&t f 'j
• De C.oV\c.i l liS' DoV\V\t1k1V\t1 fit1V\O di Avel­
liV\o 1'1'

• ft1ft1 loV\e Grec.o S'pi V\OmMiV\O,


m�r5it.1 1'1'

• C.t1V\fi V\e LoV\t1rdo Tt1� rt1S'i (A5 lit1V\ic.o)


1' 1' 1' 1'

• Librt1V\di GrMel lo (Gt.1lippoli-C.t1berV\et


• Pug l ia's most elega nt, com­ • Primitivo i s now considered bleV\d) 1'1'1'
plex, and ba lanced single­ to be a clone of Zinfandel
va riety red wine is made a nd is pla nted i n Cal ifornia • ft1ft1 loV\e Gioit.1 del Colle Pri mifivo
from the Primitivo g ra pe. vi neyards a longside esta b­ Ris-ervt1 1'1'1'
l ished Ca l ifornia clones.
• Recent DNA fi ngerpri nti ng
cond ucted at the U niversity • Ita l i a n Primitivo is exported
of Cal ifornia at Davi s has in a ra nge of styles, q u a l ­
determ i ned that Prim itivo i t y levels. Th e best Ita l ia n
is genetical ly identical to Prim itivo i s t he eq ual o f the
Cal iforn ia's Zinfandel. fi n est Ca l ifornia Zinfa ndels.

1 49
SICILY & PANTELLERIA
Here lies Europe's most southerly wine region
Sicily a nd its sma l l southern desert i s l a n d neig h bor Pa nte l­ reg ion, but o n l y 5 percent ever saw a bottle. The other 95
leria see m to be a d ifferent cou ntry from the rest of I ta ly. As a percent was made i nto g ra pe concentrate or b u l k wine to
rule they experience no ra i nfa l l after Februa ry u ntil after the be s h i pped to cooperatives i n northern Italy a n d southern
h a rvest. Dry winds and i ntense su m mer heat el i m i nate vine Fra nce to prop u p their a n e m ic wi nes.
d i seases that plague other Ita l i a n reg ions. Sicily is often ca l led The rise in q u a l ity i n Sici l i a n wine ove r the past two decades
"the Ca l ifornia or Au stra l ia of I taly." has been more than re ma rka ble. Tota l wine prod uction has
Prior to the 1 990s Sicily was Italy's l a rgest wine-prod ucing d ropped to 40 percent of that of previ ous yea rs, a nd the big

A Vineyard in Sicily

V>
u
.......
V>
<( RecoMMeV'lded Wi V1eS" of S'ici f �
co
u.J
z:
C1Vld PC1Vlfe UeriC1
.......
3:

• AVl'j wiV1e from Plt1V1eft1 , especitl l l'j C.. h M­
u dOVIVIC1lj 'f 'f
<(
z:

• fe1Ado Pri V1cipi di B""fert1 IperioV1 (Nero
d 'Avolt1 bleV1d) 'f 'f

• t'Vlor5t1V1fe Nero d 'Avolt1 DoVI AV1foV1io 'f'f

DoV1V1t1f1A5t1ft1 BeV\ R'je Pt155ifo di Pt1Vlfel­


lerit1 'f 'f • Sicily has the largest area north from Africa's Sa hara
u nder vine of a ny reg ion Desert, Sici lian vi neya rds
in Ita ly. Most vineya rd s a re bush pru ned except in
lie around the island's protected a reas.
peri meter, but some l in e
the slopes o f M o u n t Etna, • Sici ly's wines a re made
g rowing at elevations u p to largely from indigenous
2,000 feet. g rapes, most of which g row
nowhere el se.
• Beca use of the strong
si rocco wi nds that blow

1 50
cooperatives h ave a l l but d i sappeared. The Sici l i a n wine scene soi l s, is located j u st 5 2 m i l es from the coast of north Africa.
is now d o m i n ated by passionate wine fa m i l ies devoted to It produces two wi nes of g reat merit Moscato and Pa ssito
ra ising Sici l i a n wine to the h i g h est i nte rnationa l sta nda rds. di Pante l l eria-a ripa sso wine that m a ny co m pa re with the
Sixty percent of Sici l i a n vineya rd s a re p l a nted to Cata rrotto, fi nest Vi n Sa ntos ofTu sca ny. S i p p i n g these wi nes i s l i ke biting
a p l u s h , spicy, waxy wh ite g ra pe u sed in blends, Piemo ntese i nto a ri pe, p l u m p golden ra isin.
Vermouth, a n d M a rsa l a . G rown o n l y in Sicily, Cata rrotto is M a rsa l a is Sici ly's trad itiona l fortified wine. Dry, you ng
Italy's seco nd-most-pl a nted g ra pe (after S a n g i ovese). Ma rsa las a re desti ned for cooking. Aged ve rsions a re made
Sicily's sig natu re g ra pe is Nero d 'Avo la, g rown o n ly here. i n Sherry or solera style. These d i s p l ay a co m p lex pa lette of
Th is Syra h-l i ke g ra pe is s howi ng exciti ng potenti a l . cara mel, o ra n g e peel, n uts, spice, and other exotic fl avors.
T h e i s l a n d o f Pantel leria, w i t h i t s wind-swe pt, black, sandy

Marsala-Sicily's Traditional Fortifi.ed Wine The Sou th ern Island of Pan telleria

• Like S herry a n d Madeira, Age categories a re fi ne (for • The term Pa ntel leria mea n s vated g rape on the island.
the English created Marsala cooking), su periore, a n d "da u g hter o f the wind;' The Arabs introd uced it,
d u ring the Wa r of the verg ine/soleras. Vergi ne/ referri ng to the strong, hot and Pantellerian viticu ltura l
Spa nish Succession, d u ring soleras Marsa las a re aged sirocco that blows across practices are based on Arab
which they had no access for a m i n i m u m of five yea rs the isla n d . models, with stone-wal led
to French wine. in wood; riservas m u st be terraced vineyards and vi nes
held for ten. Fine a n d s u pe­ • It is the most southerly pla nted in sunken holes to
Marsala is made in a rior Marsalas may be d ry wine-g rowi ng region in protect from the wind.
ra nge of styles, colors, a n d or sweet; verg i n e/solera s Euro pe.
sweetness levels. Colors Madeira s a re sweet on the • All the export wines of
a re gold, am ber, a n d ru by. tongue but fi n ish d ry. • Moscato is the most cu lti- Pa ntel leria a re sweet.

1 51
THE MOSEL-SAAR-RUWER
Enj oy winding rivers , steep vineyards, charming villages , and great
low-alcohol Rieslings
Mosel-Saar-Ruwer is the best known of Germ a ny's wine The Mosel-Sa a r-Ruwer defi nes the n o rthern exte nt of
reg ions. Th is n a m e id entifies the pri ncipal river va l l ey of the Eu rope's wine-growi n g reg ions. N orth of Koblenz the h a rsh
Mosel a nd its two tri b uta ries that lie near the Fre n c h border. conti nenta l c l i m ate is i n hos pita ble to viticu ltu re. The o n ly
The wi nes from t h i s reg ion bea r strong s i m i l a rities to each facto r that ma kes wine g rowi ng possible i n the Mosel Va l­
other, so they a re g ro u ped together. In 2007 Germa n l a be l i n g l ey is its re markable a n d scenic topog ra phy. The river has
l a w d ropped "Saar" a n d " Ruwer" from t h e offi c i a l na me. cut a deep va l ley, a n d the vineya rd s a re o n steeply i n c l i ned

Town of Zell

· The vt1 1 1e'j of the Mosel River (freV1ch:


Mose lle) frt1ces t1 tortviovis pt1fh from k.obleVlz
vt p to Trier, where if joiV\S with ifs fri bvtfMies,
fhe S'Mr C1V\d Rviwer.

Abovit t1 dozeV\ fiVl'j vi l lt15es dot the riverbt1V\k


betweeV1 k.obleV1z t1Vld Trier.

• The road from Koblenz to the Mosel a lso supports


Trier passes though a series smal ler cruise s h i ps and bus
of pictu resq ue wine vil lages tou rs.
for a distance of 1 25 mi les.
• A plethora of bed and
• Wi ne bars and wi ne-tasting brea kfasts a re eager to
cel l a rs a re fou nd i n most of receive guests traveling on
these villages. a budget. Loo k for signs
a n nouncing "Zi mmer Frei"
• Although g uest services in ( room ava i l a ble).
the villages are ava ila ble,

1 52
sl opes that offer protection from the e l e me nts a n d expose that g ra pe on t h e i r la be l s. Mosel wines ca rry the n a m e of the
the g ra pes to the s u n . The river m itigates the c l i m ate a n d vi l l age a n d vi neya rd, a s i n U rziger Wu rzg a rten, where " U rzig"
provides a sou rce o f wate r. Prod uction costs a re h i g h e r here i s the vi l lage, a nd "Wu rzg a rten" is the vi neya rd . The prod ucer
beca use of the steeply i n c l i n ed vi neya rd s. i s a l so mentioned on the l a bel. Although vi neya rd s a nd pro­
Soi l s of the Mosel a re m ostly slate and s h a l e, g ivi ng the d u cers a re s m a l l , there a re a ro u nd 1 50 German gross!agen­
wines a fl avor profi l e d i sti n ct fro m those of wi nes of other l a rge wineries that buy h u g e q u a ntities of i nferior fru it. Severa l
Germ a n reg ions. During the m id-twentieth centu ry a ro u n d of these a re located i n the Mosel Va l l ey. These prod ucers a re
9 0 perce nt of the Mosel vineya rd s were pla nted to Ries l i ng . e ntitled to use their vi l l age n a m e a long with the n a m e of the
After a h a lf-ce ntu ry o f experimentation w i t h o t h e r varieties, g ross lage. It's necessa ry to know these g ross lage na mes to
the trend is back to Ries l i n g, and Mosel prod ucers identify avoid confu s i n g them with the q u a l ity wines of the reg i o n .

A Riesling from the Mosel

C.oMMOV\ Gro55f � 5 e Wi V\eS' of the


Mos-e l
· Zel ler S'c.hwMfze ktifz

BerV\ktis+eler kvirfL-irstltilj

· Piesporfer Mic.helsber5

· Wi lfi V\5er S'c.hC1rzber5


• Mosel wines a re among the ta l l bottles a re known as
world's lowest-a lcohol d ry "fl utes:'The producers
wines. They a re often as of the Mosel use g reen
low as 6-9 percent, making bottles to d istinguish
them delightfu l ly light and their wines from those of
a ppea l ing. the Rhinela nd, which use
brown bottles.
• Mosel wines a re tradi­
tiona l ly bottled i n what • The best Mosel Rieslings
Germa n s ca l l "hock"-style can be cel lared for decades.
bottles. I n Al sace these

1 53
THE GERMAN RHINELAND
Quintessential Riesling from the Rheingau , Rheinhessen, and
Rheinpfalz
Althoug h some wine a utho rities believe that the del icate Ko blenz south to the Fre n c h border at Al sace. It i n c l udes
Ries l i ngs of the m i d d l e Mosel re present the s u p reme expres­ th ree major tri buta ries: the Main, fl owi n g west from Fra n k­
sion of that g ra pe variety, the wi nes of the centra l R h i n e l a n d fu rt, the Necka r, fl owi ng west from Heidel berg a n d poi nts
conti n u e t o enj oy their defe nders as the wo rld's g reatest ea st, a nd the N a h e, fl owi n g fro m the southwest.
exa m p les. Wi nes here a re fu l l er bod ied a nd h ig h e r in a lco hol t h a n the
Th e Germ a n R h i ne l a nd is the R h i ne River d ra i nage fro m Mosel Ries l i ngs. They a re a l so more l i kely to ex h i bit Ries l i ng's

Vineyards above Rudesheim

V')
u
1--1
V')
<
cc
u.J
:z:
1--1
• GermCtV\'j does- V\Of 1AS'e CtV\ etppel lc.fioV\ of ori5iV\
3: S''jS'fem like fretV\Ce etV\d mos-+ of fhe world .

u
<
:z:
• The ceV\fret l RhiV1eletV\d occ1Apie5 five delimited
� re5ioV1S' from V\Orfh fo S'OV1fh : MiHel-Rhei V1 ,
Rhei V15et1A , Ncihe , Rhei V1heS'S'e V1 , etV\d Rhei V\pfcilz.

• The RheiV15et1A , c. loV\5 wifh fhe Mos-e l . i5


fhe mos-f-es-feemed wiV1e-5rowiV15 re5ioV1 i V1
GermCtV\'j ·

• The steeply i n c l i n ed • The town of Geisen heim


v i n eya rds of the R h e i n g a u is home to Schloss Johan­
a re a l l south-fa c in g a n d nisberg a nd, si nce 1 872, the
receive more s u n t h a n Geisenheim Grape Breeding
t h ose of t h e Mosel. I nstitute. This was the most
im porta nt academic i nstitu­
• An aerial tra m ta kes tion dealing specifica lly with
visitors from the town of viticulture u ntil the advent
Rudesheim over the vine­ of the School of Enology
ya rds to a h i l ltop restaurant and Viticulture at the Un iver­
featuring reg ional dishes. sity of Cal ifornia at Davis.

1 54
m ost c h a racteristic q u a l ity-a fa i nt a ro m a rem i n iscent of sepa rate the variety from i ncorrectly na med g ra pes such as
petrol or b u rnt ru b ber. G rey Ries l i ng, Emera l d Riesli ng, a n d Fra n ken Ries l i ng-none
Grapes were cu ltivated here as ea rly as 800 AD. The ru i n s of w h i c h is a true Ries l i ng.
o f med ieva l castl es, ca l led "sch l oss;' a bo u n d on the h i l l s The m ost ce lebrated vineya rd s i n the R h i ne l a n d a re l ocated
overlooking the river. A h a rvest at the time of C h a rlemagne in the R h e i n g a u reg i o n : Sch loss Joha n n isberg, Sch loss Vol l­
yiel ded 6,000 l iters of wine at Sch l oss J o h a n n i sberg, a win­ rads, M a rcob ru n n, Jesu itg a rte n, Klosterberg, a nd m a ny oth­
ery that co nti n ues to ope rate. Sch loss Joha n n is berg, i n the ers. I f the wi nes of the Mosel m i g ht be considered fem i n i ne,
R h i n egau reg ion, is the oldest known Ries l i n g vineya rd in these a re the mascu l i ne Germ a n Ries l i ngs.
the wo rld. So honored is this property that m a ny New Wo rld The Rhei n g a u vi neya rd s a re planted on fa i rly steep south­
Riesl i ng s were na med "Jo h a n n is berg Ries l i ng" i n order to fac i n g h i l lsides on the north side of the river.

Rheinga u Rieslings

• A ls'C1c.e : dr'j , 5 rC1c.ef1A I . bC1 rC1V1C.ed moderC1fe C1 lc.o­


I

hol . H C15es- \A P +o feV1 'jeC1rS" .

• Mos-e l : flA l l rC1V15e of s-f'j les- frorn dr'j fo ver'j


S"wee+. C.IC1S"S"ic. Ries-liV15 . Ver'j low C1 lc.oho l . H C15es­
for dee.tides-.

• RheiV1 5 C11A : bold , ric.h, s-+'j lis-h . flA l l rC1V15e of s-+'j les­
frorn dr'j fo ver'j S"wee+. ModerC1fe C1 lc.oho l .

• RheiV1heS"S"eV1 : S'orne exc.elleV1+ Ries-liV15S" , blA+ rnC1Vl'j


of fhe 5 ros-S"IC15e wiV1eS" ori5iV1C1fe here .

• Rheingau Rieslings repre­ • Major prod ucers in the Rhe­


sent the richest expression ingau include Schloss Vol l ­
of the Riesling g ra pe. They rad s, Georg Breuer, Schloss
a re the gold sta ndard a nd Schonborn, Staatsweing­
tower h i g h a bove a l l the uter, Kloster Eberbach, Josef
Riesl ings of the New World. Leitz, a n d Robert Wei l, c u r­
rently the rising sta r among
• Rieslings from the centra l Rheingau prod ucers.
R h i nela nd, l i ke Austria, use
brown-ti nted hock-style
bottles.

1 55
AUSTRI A
The Wachau region provides some of the finest white wines in the
world
Althoug h Austrian wines were largely u n known in New World with this region. The vintage of 1 456 was so bad that the wine
wine markets u ntil the 1 980s, a rcheological evidence shows was used in morta r for building the tower of St. Stephen's Cathe­
that wine was prod uced there as early as 700 BC. Austrian wine dra l in Vienna.
was used to su pply Roman troops, and viticu lture prospered Fol lowi ng World War I, Austria beca me the third-largest wine­
throug hout the Middle Ages. But the wines of former ti mes must prod ucing cou ntry i n the world after Fra nce and Ita ly. The mod­
not be confused with the sublime prod ucts we now associate ern Austrian wine industry got off to a rocky start when it was

A Wa cha u Vineyard

V)
u
1--t


a:::i
A\As-fric:t '5 Trc:tdifio�c:t l Grc:t p e Vc:triefie5
LU
Gr\.i(l)er Veltli(l)er: 37 perce(I)+ (whife)

s:
� • Wel5chrie)/i (l) 5 : 9 perce(I)+ (whife)
<(
z:
� · BltiV1er Zwei5elf: 9 perce(l)t (red)

• Weil5er BV1r5V1 (1)der ti(l)d Chtirdo(l)(l)Ci� f 6 perce(l)t


(white)

• The Wachau reg ion • The fi nest wines of the


straddles the Da n u be River Wachau a re l a beled
northwest of Vienna. Its "Smaragd:' These a re hig her
major city is Krems. i n a lcohol, richer flavored,
and more expensive.
• Gra pes are g rown on the
sandy ba n ks near the • Smaragd mea n s "havi ng the
Da n u be a n d on steep color of emera l d s;' but the
rocky slopes. wine ca rryi ng this distinc­
tion is not g reen.

1 56
d iscovered in 1 985 that u nscru pulous winemakers had "sweet­ the cou ntry.Twenty red grape va rieties and ten wh ites are widely
ened" their low-qual ity wi nes with poisonous d iethylene-g lycol grown, but the sta r is Gru ner Veltliner-Austria's national gra pe.
(antifreeze) to try to pass them for higher-q ual ity wi ne.Th is sca n­ In the Wachau region, this grape prod uces d ry wh ite wine on a
dal rui ned i nternational sa les, a nd Austrian wi nes did n't enjoy pa r with the world's best. About 75 percent of Austrian vi neya rds
wide export unti l the 1 990s. are pla nted to white varieties, but reds a re on the rise.
From 2000 to 2005 Austria refashioned its wine i ndustry to A new generation of winemakers is reshaping the industry.
conform to EU wine reg u lations and adopted the appellation Only si nce the 1 990s have Austria n winemakers traveled a broad
of origin system, known i n Austria as "DAC" (Districtus Austriae to study at the world's g reat schools of enology and viticultu re.
Control latus). As a resu lt, modern approaches, tec h n iques, and eq u i pment a re
Most Austrian vi neya rds lie i n the southern and eastern pa rts of now bei ng uti l ized.

Gruner Veltliner

• Brl-iV\dlwiCl'jer Rie5liV\5 ZobiV\5er Heili5eV\-


5feiV\ L1jrC1 <f H' .

· f. X. Pichler GriAV\er VelfliV\er S'wiC1rC15d <f <f

· Jo5ef Ho5 I S'choV\ GriAV\er VeltliV\er


')wiMC15d 1' <f

• BerV\hC1rd Ott GriAV\er Ve ltliV\er Der


Ott <f <f
• Gru ner Veltl iner i s indig- cal fru its, and wh ite pepper.
enous to Austria a nd has
been c u ltivated there si nce • Gruner Veltliner is one of
Roman ti mes. the world's most versati l e
wines, pairing effectively
• It i s Austria's most d is­ with a wide ra nge of foods
tinguished wine, It's from Asian cuisine to "d iffi­
stu n n i n gly powerfu l a n d cult" foods such as aspara­
i ntense; w h e n s u bjected to gus and a rtichokes.
l ow yields it offers flavors
and a romas of citrus, tropi-

1 57
NORTHWEST SPAIN: GALICI A
Soft, aromatic whites come from Rias Baixas
Gal icia is Spai n's m ost northwestern province a n d com plete ly p i l g ri mage desti nation d u ri n g the M i d d l e Ages.
different from the rest of the cou ntry. With the Atl a ntic Ocea n The west coast of G a l icia features severa l fj o rd- l i ke i n lets
to its west a nd the Bay of Biscay to its n orth, G a l icia is the cal led "rfa s"j u st north of the Portu g uese border. Th is is where
cold est, wettest, a n d m ost-forested reg ion i n S pa i n . It's a l so the m ost nota ble vineya rd s a re l ocated .
the new sta ndard-bea rer for S pa n is h wh ite wi nes. As you m ove i n l a nd, the c l i m ate cha nges from cool to h ot
The s h rine of Santiago de Com postela, w h i c h is said to a nd from h u m i d to d ry. Th e m ost favored vineya rd sites a re
conta i n the rem a i n s of Sai nt Ja mes, is here. It was a m ajor nea r the cool coa st.

A Typical Galician Vineyard in Rias Baixas

V')
u
1--t


co
S'p �i VI '5 Pri V1ci p � ( White Wi V'leS'
LJ.J

� • AireV) (S'petiV) '5 MOS'f widel'j pletV)fed whife 5ret pe)


3:

u
• Albetri V)o (RletS' BetixetS')
<(

Q · Gode llo (Getliciet)

• Vi1..1 ret/Metcetbeo (Riojet , PeV)edeS', etV)d MCtV)'j


other re5ioV)5)

• Rf as Baixas is the only wine­ • Often vine shoots a re


g rowi ng reg ion in Spain that tra i ned u pwa rd on stone
experiences high h u m idity or cement pillars attached
on a reg ular basis. Its soi ls to the pergola to maxi­
a re largely gra n ite and cha l k. mize ventilation and help
prevent d isease. Vi nes a re
• The preferred trellising usua l ly widely spaced for
system u sed here is the per­ venti lation, u n l i ke most
gola system, which keeps modern vineyards, which
the g ra pe cl usters high off prefer c lose vine spacing to
the g round. i n hibit vine vigor.

1 58
U nt i l 1 986, when S pa i n joi ned the EU, G a l icia prod u ced no wine-growi ng a rea. G a l i c i a n winemakers h ave so fa r resi sted
expo rt-q u a l ity wi ne. But with fresh i nfusions of i nvestment the te m ptatio n to experi ment with i nternatio n a l va rieties,
ca pita l a n d the d iscove ry of the potenti a l of G a l icia's sig na­ c hoos i ng to focu s on the i n d igenous varieties of the reg ion.
t u re wh ite g ra pe, Al bari no, q u a l ity beg a n to ri se. A l ba ri n o is a l ways made as a s i n g l e varieta l wine, never
G a l i cia has th ree m a i n wine reg ions (DO) : R fa s Ba ixas, blen ded, beca u se its structu re and flavor profi l e a re com­
Ribeiro, a n d Va ld eorras. Of th ese, Rf as Baixas (l ower i n lets) is plete. Most other G a l ician wines a re blends.
by fa r the m ost i m portant. It consists of th ree s ma l l sepa rated Mencfa i s the m ost-pro m i s i n g red g ra pe of Gal icia. It is
reg ions, two of w h i c h a re on the M i no River that fo rms the g rown i n Rebeiro a n d Va l deorras.
bou n d a ry with Po rtug a l . The R fas Ba ixas is com ple mented by Blended w h ite wi nes and some red s a re exported from the
the Rf as Alta s, or "northern i n l ets;' w h i c h a re not a sig n ificant Ri bei ro DO, but few from Va l deorras.

A Galician Albarino

• t'Vlt.1rflV1 C.odt.1x B1..1 r5&V1S' AH1t.1 riVio �

• Pt.1zo de S'eViort.1V1S' A lbt.1riVio ��

• Alba rino is not only the sig­ • Formerly restricted to Spa n­


nature wine of Galicia but ish Gal icia, Albarino has
also is Spai n's fi nest white been i ntroduced to O regon,
wine. The wine reputation Vi rg i n ia, and Cal ifornia's
of Galicia rests l argely u pon Sa nta Ba rba ra Cou nty,
the success of this variety. where it is expected to
flourish.
• Albarino evokes a romatic
a romas and flavors of
peach, melon, and m i nera l s.

1 59
LA RIOJ A: SPAIN'S CLASSIC REGION
Spain's most famous , versatile blended red wine is grown here
The Rioj a prod uces Spai n's best-known w i n e, a Tem p ra n i l l o­ receive the prestigious Denomi naci6n de Origen Ca l ificada
based blend that is one of the wo rld's fi nest wines to pa i r (DOCa) in 1 99 1 .
with savory food s. The te rm rioj a reflects the nat u re of the soi l s, w h i c h a re red
Most of the Rioja reg ion l ies o n the ba n ks of the Ebro River from a h ig h concentration of c h a l k and i ro n .
at an elevation of a ro u n d 1 ,500 feet. The c l i m ate is co ntinen­ There a re th ree d el i m ited Rioj a regions refl ecting their ele­
ta l-wa rm a n d d ry d u ring the g rowi ng season. vation: Rioja Baja, Rioj a Al avesa, and Rioja Alta. Wi nes from
La Rioja was the fi rst S pa n i s h wi ne-g row i n g reg ion to the Rioja Alta reflect the older styles a n d a re leaner. Rioj a Baja

Village of Laguardia A Vineyard in La Rioja

V')
u
1-4
V')
<(
c:::o
UJ
:z:
1-4
s:
:::::£'.
u
<(
:z:
:::::£'.

• Lag ua rdia is a med ieva l • As the s u rrou nding coun­ • La Rioja's cl imate is conti­ • There a re many old-vi ne
wal led village in La Rioja, tryside developed i nto a nenta l, with l ittle maritime vineyards in the Rioja Ala­
built i n the thi rteenth cen­ wine region, cel l a rs a n d infl uence. It is hot and vesa. These prod uce smaller
tu ry. Very l ittle has changed tunnels provided a perfect windy throug hout the berries with concentrated
si nce that ti me. place for making and aging g rowing season. flavors.
wine.
• During the Middle Ages • The Ca nta brian Mountains • The classic Rioja blend con­
residents of Lag ua rdia dug • Many wine tou rs of the La to the north offer a mea s u re sists of 80 percent Tempra­
deep cel l ars and tunnels Rioja region begi n i n this of protection from the n il l o, 1 5 percent Mazuelo,
u nder the city for food stor­ fascinating vil lage. fierce winds that cha racter­ and 5 percent Gracia no.
age in La Rioja's hot cli mate. ize this region.

1 60
wines ripen m u c h more easily a nd a re often u sed to provi de s u bs i d i a ry of Pepsi Col a p u rchased the rig hts to the wine a n d
strength to the leaner wines. marketed it worldwide.
Red Rioja wi nes a re Tem p ra n i l l o blends. A typical blend w i l l In 2008 the Reg u l atory Cou ncil for La Rioj a Deno m i n ation
consist o f a p p roxi mately 6 0 percent Tem pra n i l l o a n d u p to of Ori g i n c reated a new logo to g o on all bottles of Rioj a . I n
20 percent Garnacha a nd s m a l ler proportions of Mazuelo a n atte m pt to a p pea l t o you n ger wine lovers, the fo rmer logo
a n d G raciano. Th ey a re the Spanish cou nterpa rts to the Ital­ has been re placed with a b rig hter, more modern logo. The
ian C h i a nti a nd ca n be u sed i nte rcha ngea b ly. aim is to reflect the new, m odern aspects of wine g rowi ng in
Bodega Rioj a Santiago developed the fi rst bottl ed version La Rioja. Th e new logo rep resents a Tem pra n i l lo vi ne sym bol­
of the pop wine Sa ng ria back i n the 1 960s u s i n g Rioj a wine izi ng "heritage, creativity, and dyn a m is m :'
a nd exh i bited it at the 1 964 New York World's Fa i r. A n i m po rt

A Rioja Wine Label

S'p t1V\i5h Wi V)e QlAt1 (it'j


C.(t155ifict1fioV\5
• C.riC1V1ZC1 : Th e w i V1 e wCIS' C15ed iV1 the wiV1er'j
(bode5C1) for two 1jeC1rS' prior to re leC1S'e , MiV1i­
l'YllAl'YI of twelve MOVlthS' i V1 0C1k .

• Re5ervC1 : Th e wiV1e wCIS' C15ed for Ci t leC1S't three


ljeMS' : twelve MOVlthS' iV1 0C1k CIV'ld tweVltlj-folA r
l'Y\OVlthS' i V1 bottle . WhiteS' C1V1d roS'C1do5 S'peVld
S'ix l'Y\OVlthS' iV1 OClk CIV'ld OV\e CIV'ld OV1e-hC1lf ljeMS'
iV1 bottle .

• GrC1V1 Re5ervC1 : The wiV1e WCIS' C15ed for five


• S pa n ish wine l a bels a re carry a D O classification. 'j eMS': two ljeMS' i V1 0C1k C1V1d three 'jeClrS' iV1
req u i red to show severa l Exceptional wine reg ions bottle .
specific items. Addition a l may q u a l ify for DOCa
i nformation m a y b e added. (Ca l ificada) .

• The producer's name i s • Other facts include vi ntage


a lways given, along with winery location, q u a l ity
the date when the winery classification, a n d the
was founded. Consejo Reg ulador sticker,
u s u a l ly fou nd on the back
• The best Spanish wines wi l l l a bel.

1 61
RIBERO DEL DUERO
Explore the home of Spain's most-expensive luxury red wines
The Ri bero del Duero region l ies southwest of La Rioj a . The with h ot s u m mer days but cool nig hts. At 2,300-2,790 feet
name mea ns " ba n ks of the Duero R iver." Do not confuse the a bove sea l evel, the Ri bero del Duero is Spai n's h i g h est wine­
Ribero del Duero with the Ribeiro d i strict i n G a l icia. Th is is the g rowi ng reg i o n .
h eadwaters of Portug a l 's D o u ro River, where the g reat Porto Althoug h wine had b e e n made here for centu ries, Ribero's
wines a re m ade. The river's n a m e cha nges to Dou ro at the rise to i nternationa l acc l a i m beg a n i n the late n i n etee nth cen­
border. t u ry when Don El roy Leca nda C haves opened a win ery on
The reg ion enjoys a more temperate c l i m ate t h a n La Rioja, the south ba n k of the river. H e n a m ed h i s wi nery "Vega-Sic i l ia"

Castle of Penafi.el Vega Sicilia-Spain 's Preeminen t Red Win e


WIEQPA\..§II<CIIILJIA\
c ECHA 1998 , . UNICO"

• The castle of Penafiel, with • The vi neya rds here a re i n • For more than a h u n d red strain of Tem pra n i l l o as wel l
its keep and eight turrets, th ree desig nated l oca­ years Vega-Sicilia has been as French va rieties.
was built in the eleventh tions: the campinas along Spai n's most-celebrated
centu ry. It is now sur­ the riverba n k featu ring and most-expensive wine. • Vega-Sici lia was the first
rou nded by some of Spain's a l l uvial, sandy soi l s; the The top-of-the-line wine is Spanish wine to blend
most-precious vineyard land. laderas or slopes a bove the cal led " U n ico:' native Tempra n i l lo with
river, which have cha l ky Cabernet and Merlot. Span­
• The vil lage of Penafiel is l i mestone soi l s; and the • The original Vega-Sicilia ish DO ru l es permit French
the center of R i bero's wine cuestas-hil l sides too steep vineyard, in the western va rieties to be pla nted
industry and a tou rist for practical viticulture. end of the R i bero del Duero, only where they have been
desti nation. was pla nted to a particular previously g rown.

1 62
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
and p l a nted a stra i n ofTe m p ra n i l l o, a l ong with Cabernet Sau­ •

vignon a n d Merlot. In the ensuing yea rs Vega-Sici l i a became • Gra pes of Ri bero del Duero
Spai n's m ost soug ht-after wi ne. Eve n the king of Spa i n h a d to : A l b i l l o (white, u sed in red blends)

be put on a wa iti ng l i st to receive h i s a l lotment. • Ti nto Fi n o (Te m p ra n i l lo stra i n)

Vega-Sici l ia ru led the roost for decades with l ittl e or no com­ • Ti nto Pa is (Te m pra n i l lo va ria nt)

petition u ntil the a rriva l of Alej a n d ro Fernandez i n the 1 970s. • Ga rnacha (used m a i n ly for rose w i n es)
Fe rnandez pla nted the stra i n of Te m p ra n i l l o k nown l oca l ly : Ca bernet, M erlot, a nd M a l bec (lim ited by DO
as "Ti nto Fi no'.' He offered a splendid wine made from 1 00 : ru l es)

percent Te m p ra n i l l o that m a ny consider the best exa m p l e of •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
that g ra pe in a l l of Spa i n . He ca l led h i s wine "Pesquera '.'

Pesqu era-Spain 's Superstar Tempranillo

• S'ptiV'liS'h wiV'lemtikerS' wre5tle with the choice to


5fick to thei r i V"1di 5 eV'IOvtS' vMiefieS' or to bleV'ld
with i V'lterV'ltitiOV'ltil VMiefieS'.

' The i V'ldi 5 eV'IOvtS' vMietieS' \jield wiV'leS' thtit


reflect their S'ptiV'liS'h ori5i V'IS' tiV'ld Me vtV'liqvie iV'I
ti V'I iV'lterV'ltitioV'ltil mtirket domiV'ltited b\j iV'lterV'lti­
tioV'ltil bleV'ldS' thtit clo5el\j reS'emble etich other.

• Pesq uera was the fi rst chal­ • Pesq uera, a 1 00 percent


lenger to legendary Vega Tempra n i l lo wine, is an
Sicilia. afforda ble a lternative to
Spai n's luxury wines.
• Its creator, Alejandro
Ferna ndez, has been a n • Other excellent wines by
eva ngelist for t h e suprem­ Fernandez incl ude Con­
acy of the Tem pra n i l lo dado de Haza, Dehesa la
gra pe in Spain a nd has Gra nja, a nd El Vi nculo.
contended that it need s no
blend i n g com panions.

1 63
CATALONI A/CATALUNYA
You ' ll find a full range from sparkling CAVA to muscular reds
After centu ries of pol itica l turmoil, Cata l o n i a became one of opened a wi nery specia l izing i n trad itio n a l method spa r k l i n g
Spai n's n i n etee n a uto nomous reg ions i n 1 97 7 with Ba rce­ Cava i n 1 898. He ca l led it "Cord o n i u ." H i s winery eve ntu a l ly
lona as its ca pita l . L i ke Al sace, its po pu lation is bicu ltura l a n d became one of Spai n's la rg est. Cord o n i u m a kes m ost of the
b i l i n g u a l . N ative Cata la n s prefer to s pea k i n t h e i r o w n Cata l a n Cava consu med i n S p a i n tod ay. The fi rm Freixenet fo l l owed
l a n g uage. s u it in the early yea rs of the twe ntieth centu ry. These two
Cata l o n i a's l a rgest and m ost i m po rtant DO reg ion i s Pene­ wineries su pply m ost of the world's Cava wi nes.
des, south of Barcelona. I t was here that J ose Ravent6s So successfu l were these two megawineries that the

"Riddling" of Cava A Village in Priora t

V')
u
1--t
V')
<(
c:o
LL.I
z:
1--t
3:
::::.::::
u
<(
z:
::::.::::

• U n l i ke Italy's Prosecco, m i n i m u m of n i ne months. • Priorat is named for the • The vi neyards a re pla nted
which undergoes its The bottles are stored a l most Carth usian priory that was on terraces cut from steep,
secondary fermentation i n u pside down so the sedi­ esta b l ished here i n the stony slopes. Ol ive a n d
pressu rized stai n l ess steel ments can settle on the cork. twelfth centu ry. a l mond trees often share
ta n ks, Spai n's Cava is made Riddling is the process of vineya rd space.
by the traditional methods turning the bottles over a • Rising to 2,600 feet, it is
used in Cha mpag ne. thi rty-day period to col l ect Spai n's h i g hest-elevation • Great Priorat vi neya rds
a l l the sed i ment. The bottle DO region after Ri bero del incl ude Clos Mogador,
• Finished wine is bottled neck i s frozen, a n d the cork Duero. Clos de l 'Obac, Costers del
with added yeast and sugar, a n d sed i ment a re removed. S iu ra na, and Clos Fig ueres.
corked, and cel l a red for a The wine i s then recorked.

1 64
entire reg ion of Penedes beca me identified with Cava a n d which received DO status i n 1 954 a n d DOCa (De n o m i naci6n
l ittle else u nt i l 1 96 1 , w h e n Mig uel Torres retu rned from h is de Origen Cal ificada) status i n 2000, making it the t h i rd DOCa
winemaking stu d i es in Fra nce. To rres a l most s i n g le-ha n d ed ly reg ion in a l l of S pa i n , after La Rioja a n d Ri bero del Duero.
revo l utionized the wine i n d u stry i n Pe nedes by foc u s i n g on Priorat is one of E u rope's most-scen i c wine reg ions. Vines
i nte rnatio n a l va rieties a nd blends. To rres's G ra n Coronas Ca b­ a re planted o n steep s l o pes below c raggy pea ks west of
ernet Sauvignon is one of Spai n's best red wi nes a n d the f1ag­ Ta rrag ona. Ga rnacha is the m a i n g ra pe, and the Garnachas
ship wine of what has g rown to be one of the world's l a rgest of Priorat a re a mong the fi n est a n d m ost-expen sive i n the
wine e m p i res, with wineries in Ca l ifornia and C h i l e a s wel l as world. Th ick, a ro m atic, and plush with f1avor, these wi nes a re
i n Pe nedes. the prod u ct of a n u n u s u a l soil cal led " l l icorel la;' co nsisti ng of
The rising sta r i n Cata l o n i a is the tiny reg i o n of Priorat, sl ate, q ua rtz, a n d heat-reta i n i ng m ica frag ments.

A Ca va Winery Casters del Siurana Clos de J 'Obac

• The wi neries of Penedes • Cava i s m a d e in seve n • Clos de l 'Obac is the flag­ Merlot, and Carig nan. It is
prod uce over 200 m i l lion d e g rees of sweetness: Brut ship wine of Priorat's disti n­ one of Spai n's fi n est red
bottles of Cava a n n u a l ly. Natu re ( n o a d d ed s u g a r) , g u ished winery Casters del wines.
Most of the prod uction Extra Brut, Brut, Extra S i u rana. It was fi rst released
i s from Cordoniu a nd Seco, Seco, S e m i-seco, a n d in 1 989. • The Wine Spectator recently
Freixenet. D u lce (sweet). Sweete r descri bed this wine as "Like
Cavas a re ra rely seen o ut­ • The blend u sed for this a chocolate-covered cherry,
• Cava is sold ready to d ri n k. s i d e of S pa i n . magn ificent wine is 3 5 per­ this red is sweet and fresh
It w i l l deteriorate, not cent Garnacha, 35 percent at once, with l ively fruit,
i m prove, with age. Ca bernet Sauvignon, a n d round ta n n i n s and enough
1 O percent each o f Syra h, acid ity to keep it lively:'

1 65
SHERRY/JEREZ
World-famous fortified wines come from southern Spain
Th e word Sherry is an E n g l i s h corru ption of the Moorish Con seq uently, today's Sherry represents some of the g reatest
ceris, which is what the Moors cal led the modern city of va l u e in wi ne.
Jerez when they occu pied southern S pa i n . The wi nes pro­ S herry beg i n s its career a s a b l a n d d ry wine made from
d uced here a re a m o n g the m ost u n u s u a l a n d co m p l icated the Pa l o m i n o g ra pe. Most modern S herries a re fe rmented i n
wi nes in the wo rld. Althoug h extre mely popu l a r in fo rmer sta i n less steel ta n ks before they a re tra n sferred t o aged oa k
ti mes, especia l ly i n E n g l a nd, S herry has fa l len out of fa s h i o n ba rrels. Wi n e m a kers then decide which style of Sherry they
w i t h the rise a n d ava i l a b i l ity o f q u a l ity red a n d wh ite wi nes. i ntend to prod uce. If they add g ra pe bra ndy to fortify the

Albarizo Soils of Jerez

UJ

� • 5t:1V1 LV1ct:1r de Bt:1rrt:1 medt:1 : cot:1dt:1 I fi5hiV15


S: vi l lt:15e CIV'ld 5ecoV1d-lt:1r5e5t )herr'j-prodV1CiV15
C5 t:1 ret:1 . Proximitlj to the 5et:1 provide5 5ret:1ter

::::..::::
h'-'l midit'j for the flor. The boV1e-dr'j 5herr'j of
S't:1V1 LV1ct:1r i5 ct:1l led " Mt:1V1Zt:1V1 i l lt:1 . "

E l PV1erto d e S't:1V1tt:1 Mt:1rit:1 : 5et:15ide towV1 CIV'ld


loct:1tioV1 of mCIV'l'j S'herr'j bode5t:15, i V1clV1diV15
05borV1e.

Jerez de lt:1 froV1tert:1 : The mCliV'I Pt:1 lomiV10 viV1e­


'j t:1 rd5 t:1re here . 5ome bode5t:15 t:1 re here t:1 l50 ,
bVit fr'-'lit i5 5old to bode5t:15 t:1ll over the re5ioV1 .
• The fin est Pa lomino vine­ causes t h e Al ba rizo soi l s to
ya rds a re pla nted on white crust over d u ri n g the sum­
A l ba rizo soi ls conta i n i n g mer months, preventing
60-80 percent cha l k. the moisture u nderneath
from eva porating.
• The c h a l k soaks up a n d
stores wi nter rai n s, provid­ • A similar soil type, known
ing moisture for the vines as "linne calodo;' is found
d u ri n g the hot sum mer. in Cal ifornia's Centra l Coast
region.
• Exposure to the hot s u n

1 66
wine to a ro u n d 1 5 percent, a fi l m or cap of yea st cel l s ca l l ed solera syste m . The other m ajor Sherry style is cal led "Oloroso:'
"fl or" wi l l form to protect the wine from oxygen a n d i m pa rt Oloroso Sherries a re d a r k, ca ra me ly, a n d n u tty. Fortifyi ng the
its speci a l flavor c h a racteristic. The thickness of the flo r ca p orig i n a l wine to a h i g her degree of a l cohol, typica l ly a ro u n d
is determi ned by the h u m i d ity present a n d w i l l not fo rm i n 1 8 percent, preve nts the flor fro m fo r m i ng . Th i s wine is placed
d ry environ ments. T h e flor can l ive a s l o n g as s i x yea rs if there in its own solera a n d a l l owed to ge ntly oxid ize over ti me.
is adeq u ate oxygen in the ba rre l a n d the wine is conti n ua l ly All Sherries a re bone d ry u n less a sweeten i ng agent is
refres hed with newe r vi ntages. The syste m of i ntrod ucing ad ded. G ra pe j u ice, g ra pe co ncentrate, a n d sweet wine a re
new wines i nto older wines i s ca l l ed the "solera system :' Some a l l u sed to m a ke Cream Sherry a n d sweet Olorosos.
so lera s a re more than a centu ry old.
F i n o a n d M a nza n i l la S h erries a re made u s i n g the fl or a n d

Four Styles of Sh erry A Spanish Solera

• Fino is bone d ry a nd m a kes brown color. Oloroso Sherries • The solera system i s u sed of wine is d rawn from the
a perfect accompa n i ment are dark, rich, and nutty with throug hout the Sherry­ o ldest barrel for bottling.
to Spanish ta pas. Finos from caramel overtones. They prod ucing region. It is a
San Lucar, cal led "Ma nza­ possess higher alcohol levels fu ndamental part of Sherry • The partly em pty ba rrel is
n i l la" Sherries, are the l ig ht­ and were not influenced by prod uction. It consists of fi l led w it h wine from th e
est and d riest. the flor. Pedro Ximenez (PX) is stac ks of neutra l oak ba rrels next-oldest ba rrel, wh ic h i n
a sweet grape grown in outly­ cal led "butts:' turn receives you nger wine.
• True Amonti l lado S herries ing areas. It makes a delicious The oldest ba rrel is never
a re Fi nos that have lost stand-alone wine, but is used • B utts of wines from s ucces­ emptied com pletely. New
their flor and a re a l l owed to to sweeten d ry Sherries. sive vi ntages a re stacked on oak is never u sed in Spanish
oxid ize to a med i u m golden top of each other. A portion soleras.

1 67
LA MANCHA: CENTRAL SPAIN
Spain's largest wine-growing region is the source of half the
country's wine
Th e reg ion of Casti l l a-La Ma ncha, south of M a d rid-is the facto r in determ i n i ng w h ich g ra pe va rieties g row here. Some
la rgest wine-g rowi n g reg ion i n the world. At l ast co u nt it sou rces report that 90 percent of La Ma ncha is pla nted to
co nsisted of nearly a m i l l i o n acres u n der vine a n d p rod u ced the i nd i genous wh ite g ra pe Ai ren. A i ren is wel l su ited to t h i s
53 m i l l ion g a l lons of wine a n n u a l ly. deso l ate reg ion because of i t s thick s k i n and heavy leaf ca n­
The term La Mancha is de rived from the Moori s h term al­ opy. The wi nes it yields a re not yet s u ita ble for export but fi n d
Manshah, mea n i n g "pa rched earth;' a n d water is the principal thei r way i nto export-q u a l ity red s as blend i n g co m ponents.

A Vineyard in Valdepeflas

V')
u
1---l
V')
<(
co
The five Mos+ Wider � PretV\fed
LU
z:
Wi V\e Grt:t p es- Wor(dwide
1---l
s:

• C.C1berV1et S'C11..1 v i5V10V1 ( 6 1 4 , 800 C1C.re5
u
<(
worldwide)
z:

• YV\erlot (598 ,000)

• AireV\ ( 5 7:2 ,000)

• C.hC1rdOV\V\C1� ( 1 7 1 ,:200)

• Vi neyards in La Mancha a n d canopy to shade the g ra pe


Va ldeperias u s e u ltrawide c l u sters from the i ntense
vine spacing beca use of sun and heat.
d rought conditions i n the
sum mer. The n u m ber of • La Mancha's vi neya rds must
vines per acre here is one­ be hand ha rvested beca use
eighth of that in Bordeaux, mecha nical ha rvesters
B u rg u n dy, a n d Champagne. req u i re rows a n d tre l l ises.

• Vi nes in La Mancha a re • Vi neya rd workers are often


bush pruned to a l low the i m ported from Morocco.

1 68
Airen was the wor l d 's m ost widely pla nted wine g ra pe u ntil vineya rd s i n Va ldepenas a re g rowi ng more-d isti n g u i s hed
2000. It's sti l l the m ost widely pla nted w h ite g ra pe. I t su ppl ies varieties. La Ma ncha is a wine region that is slowly rea l iz i n g
the Spa n i s h popu lace with cheap, q uaffa b l e w h ite wine as i t s potentia l, but there a re no fi ne wi nes yet t o a ppea r u nder
wel l as copious a mou nts of g ra pe bra ndy. the "La M a n c h a" DO a ppel l ation. Sta i n less steel ta n ks a re
The vast, se m i a rid, wind-swept reg ion consists of flat l a n d beg i n n i ng to dot the reg io n-a sign that proper te m pera­
a nd u nd u l ati ng h i l l s. It is a l m ost tree less a n d s pa rsely popu­ t u re control wi l l ra ise the q u a l ity of La Ma ncha's wi nes. To
l ated . But the vi neya rd s stretc h out to the horizon i n a l l d i rec­ the southwest of La M a n c h a lie severa l s m a l ler a p pe l lations
tions. The two m a i n DO a reas a re La Ma ncha p roper a nd stretc h i ng out to Va lencia on the Med iterra nea n . Yecla and
Va ldepenas in the south. O n l y a ro u nd 1 0 percent of La M a n­ J u m i l la a re the rising sta rs. El N id o, a Ca bernet-Mou rved re
cha wine satisfies the DO req u i reme nts, but experimenta l ble nd, is now one of Spai n's h i g hest-rated wines.

Monastrell

• Bode5c.s- C.c.s-fc.V10 MoV1c.S"fre l l , Yedc. i'

• C.c.s-c. C.c.s-fi l lo MoV1CtS"frell J..,.mi l lc. cf

Lc.s- Rocc.s- de S'c.VI Alejc.V1dro Gc.rV1c.chc.


C.c.lc.tc.'jlAd cf

• Monastrell i s the Spa nish • It ripens best in locatio n s


word for Mou rvedre. I n Por­ ne a r l a rge bod ies o f water,
tugal a n d the New World it such as the Med iterra nea n
is known as "Mata r6:' Sea.

• Monastrell is a thick­ • In J u mi l la it produces


skin ned red grape that world-class wines with
yields a deeply colored rati ngs a pproaching one
ta n n ic wine. h u n d red poi nts on the one­
h u n d red-point scale.

1 69
PORTUGAL
A sleepy Old World wine region embraces modern technology
While Fra n ce, Ita ly, Germa ny, a n d Ca l ifornia were sucking H istorica l ly the g rowers sold their g ra pes to l a rge coop­
u p i nternatio n a l wine notoriety, the winemakers of Po rtuga l eratives that p rovided a sea of l ow-q u a l ity wine fo r loca l
l a rgely stu ck to their old-fash ioned ways, a nd the natio n's co nsu m ptio n .
u nfo rtified wi nes were ra re ly fou n d outside the cou ntry. Portuga l 's w i n e i n d u stry tu rned a corner with the natio n's
Al m ost 50 percent of Po rtug a l 's l a n d is del i m ited for wine entrance i nto the EU. Recog n izing the cou ntry's enormous
g rowi ng. A confu s i n g myria d of i n d igenous g ra pes with potential for fi ne u nfo rtified wi ne, m a ny of the s ma l l g rowers
nearly u n pronou ncea b l e na mes is g rown on small fa rms. opted out of the cooperative syste m a n d esta b l i s h ed private

A Traditional Trellis in Vinh o Verde

RecownV\e"'ded Porf\A 5 "1eS'e Tetbf e


Wi "'es
• Brot1dbe�t Vi �ho Verde cf

• Lerno) & Vt1� Ze ller Qvii �ft1 Vt1le D .


Mt1rit1 Ti �ft1 Dovi ro �"f

• ;;2.005 C.hr'j)eit1 Dovi ro cf cf

· Xisfo Dovirocf cf cf

• Modern vineya rd s in the cli mate of Vinho Verde.


Vi n ho Verde region req u i re
s u pporti ng structu res • Another common practice
different from those in a ny in Vi n ho Verde is to a l low
other region. g ra pevines to c l im b up into
ta l l trees. The term vinho
• The pergola system of tra­ verde (green wine) refers
d itional trel lising is widely to the d irective to drink
u sed. The vines form over­ it you n g, o r "green:' Loca l
head a rbors, which encour­ Vi n ho Verde wines may be
age venti lation in the h u mid wh ite or red .

1 70
wine estates cal led "q u i ntas:' Typica l m ixed-va riety vi neya rd s The m ost-pro m i s i n g ta ble wine reg ions at present a re Vi n h o
were p u rged of lower-q u a l ity va rieties a n d re pla nted with Verde i n the fa r north, Dou ro (wh i c h is del i m ited for ta ble
better, such a s Tou riga Nacional. Portug a l 's best ta b l e wi nes wine a s wel l as port), Dao south of Dou ro, Alentejo i n the
come fro m these s m a l l private estates, but q u a l ity is very southea st, a n d Setu bal. Th e other reg ions a re sti l l works in
spotty, a n d few enj oy export. The prod ucts of the coopera­ progress. The o n ly Po rtug u ese wh ite wine widely exported is
tives a re i m proving a n d a re more consiste nt. Vi n ho Verde. Export Vi n h o Verde is a l i g ht, s l i g htly fizzy wine,
Recently wineries i n the Set u b a l Pen i n s u l a southeast of Lis­ s l i g htly sweetened to acco m modate i nternational tastes.
bon h ave i m po rted winema kers from Au stra l i a a n d Cal ifornia Th ick, p l u s h red s fro m Dou ro, Dao, a n d Alentejo a re beg i n ­
who a re ra ising the ba r by p l a nting i nternatio n a l varieties n i ng t o becom e ava i l a b l e i n the U n ited Ki ngdom, Ca nada,
a longside the best Portuguese g ra pes. a n d U n ited States. These wines a re priced very attractively.

Portuguese Reds

• To1..o1 ri5et Nc.cioV)et l : red . MetiV) 5retpe of Port


etV)d red Do1..o1 ro .

• TiV)fet Roriz : red . S'etme CtS" TempretV)illo . GrowV)


i V) AleV)tejo .

• Bc.5et : red . Hi5h i V) c.cid et V) d fetV)V)iV) . lAs-ed Ct S" Ct


bc.s-e for Mc.te1..o1 s- Rose.

• Most Portuguese red wines • Portugal's best red wines


a re simple, pleasant, and a re a l l blends beca u se this
ordina ry. These a re i nexpen­ reg ion does not prod uce
sive and offer good va l ue. sing le-va riety, sta nd-alone
red wi nes.
• The past decade has seen
a huge effort to ra ise the • The best red s come from
q u al ity of Portugal's red the u pper Douro Va lley.
ta ble wines to com pete They receive outsta n d ing
with the great blended red ratings i n reviews a n d a re
wines of S pa i n a nd Ita ly. priced attractively.

1 71
PORT & MADEIRA
Portugal 's incomparable dessert wines
Contra ry to popu l a r o p i n ion, the E n g l ish d i d not create the m odern Po rt h o u ses a re owned by E n g l i s h fi rm s a n d ca rry
wine we ca l l " Port:' The sons of a Liverpool wine merc h a n t E n g l i s h n a mes: " Dow," "Gra h a m's," "Wa r re;' "Osborne," a n d
d i scovered it i n 1 678. T h e ea rl iest Port w i n e on record was "Taylor-Flad gate;' t o n a me a few.
made in a monastery i n the Dou ro Va l ley by an a b bot who Madei ra is a fo rtified w h ite wine from the Portug uese i s l a n d
a rrested the fermentation of red wine by a d d i n g bra ndy. The o f Madei ra, 435 m i les o ff the north African coa st. Its h i story
res u lting wine was sweet a nd a l cohol ic. The sweet, fortified goes bac k to the Age of Exploration when Madeira was a
red wine trave led wel l, and the E n g l i s h l oved it. Most of the port of ca l l on the ea st-west tra d i n g routes. Wh ite wines were

The Douro River Valley Graham 's Tvven ty-year-old Ta wny Port

• The Douro DOC beg i n s a terrace, making mecha n i­ • Tawny Port's style is d iffer­ Ports a re lig hter and more
50 miles u pstream from zation i m possible. ent from other Port styles. eleg a nt on the pa late than
Oporto, Portugal's second­ It is the only style that is other Port styles except
largest city a n d location of • The Engl ish Port houses matured i n barrels for long very old vi ntage Ports.
the export houses. The DOC have s h ipped Port wine periods of ti me.
region ru n s to the S pa n i s h from the Douro for over • Tawny Ports a re bottled
border. T h e vi neya rds lie on t h ree h u nd red yea rs. Al l • With age, tawny Ports after wood agi ng, a n d the
steep terraces, largely held t h e g reat Port w i ne s o f t h e a re tra nsformed from bottling yea r is always
i n place by stone reta i n i n g world origi nate here. A t its a rich, deep, ruby color listed on the l a bel. They a re
wa l ls. Often only a s i n g l e best, vi ntage Port has no to a golden red-orange, not i ntended for fu rther
row or two o f vines occupy peers. or "tawny" color. Tawny cel laring.

1 72
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
fortified with a l ittle bra ndy to preserve them on their long •

voyag es. The heat, h u m i d ity, a nd s l os h i ng a ro u nd for weeks • Styles of Port

or months g ave the wine a d esi ra b l e n utty q u a l ity, a nd the • R u by: you ng, i n expensive, d oes n ot i m prove with

prod ucers back o n the island deve loped methods of o bta i n­ • age
i ng the effect by cooking the wine i n ba rre l s a ro u n d fi res. : Late-bottled Vintage (LBV): i ntermed iate-gra d e
Madeira is now made u s i n g more modern tec h n iq ues. The : Port i nten d ed for early d ri n ki ng
trad itio n a l g ra pes a re Verde l h o, Ma lvasia, B u a l , a nd Serc i a l . : Col heita: vi ntage Port from a n u nd ec l a red yea r
: Vi ntage: designed to m at u re i n the bottle over

• m a ny yea rs

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Blandy's Fifteen -year-old Bual Madeira

• t"Vlt1lms-e1:f fhe S'weefe5f t1Vld fiV1eS'f of t1 1 1


t"Vlt1deirt1S'. Thes-e t1re fhe mos-+ t15e-worfh':j ·

• Madeira i s the world's most­ Madeiras a re "cooked" more


resi l ient and longest-living slowly, the best in wooden
wine. Vintage Madeiras can barrels outside the winery.
age g racefu l ly i n ba rrel or These can rem a i n in place
bottle for a century or more. for twenty yea rs before
bottling.
• I n expensive Madeiras a re
made in concrete ta n ks with • Most modern Madeira is
heating elements that hold made from Ti nta N eg ra
the wine at 1 22° F for three Mole, rather than the tradi­
months. H i gh er-qual ity tional varieties.

1 73
SOUTH EAST AUSTRALI A
An unlikely location produces uncommon wines
The a ppe l lation "south east Au stra l ia" (S EA) encom pa sses a l l n ot known for their wine-growi ng expertise. Th is tu rned out
t h e wi ne-g rowing reg ions o f Au stra l i a except for Quee n s l a n d to be to Au stra l ia's a dva ntage: There were no preced ents.
a nd Western Au stra l i a . I t's a catc h-a l l term that wi nes p ro­ No revered terro i rs. N o esta b l i s hed proced u res. And no
d u ced in the southeastern states a re e ntitled to u se. reg u l ations.
Wi n e g rowi ng came to Austra l i a l ate com pa red with other Th is i s a n u n l i kely reg i o n for wine prod u ction, with vo l u mi­
reg i o n s of the world. There was n o i n d igenous g ra pevi n e, no n o u s s u n s h i ne b ut very l ittle water. The o n ly s u ita b l e a reas
c u lt u re of wi ne, a nd it was settl ed by the Britis h-a peo ple a re o n the fri n ges of the southeast coast, a tiny m icroc l i mate

Wine Regions of Sou th East A ustralia Penfold 's Win ery in Adelaide

V> SOUTH
u AUSTRALIA
1--1
V>
<(
co NEW SOUTH WALES

UJ
z:
1--1
3:

u
<(
z:

I SOUTH EAST AUSTRALIA I


• Austra l ia's most-productive H u nter Va l ley (Ca bernet, • Several very large cong l om­ • The Fosters Group owns the
wine regions lie in the states S h i raz). Cool-cli mate g ra pes erates domi nate Austra l ian Penfold's, Rosemou nt, Wolf
of South Austra l ia, Victoria, a re g rown i n Tasmania. exports. Blass, and Lindeman s brands
and N ew South Wa les. These wines have a d is­ as wel l as other brands i n
ti nctly leaner character than • Giant Southcorp merged Cal ifornia and Italy.
• Sta r su breg ions a re Barossa those of the mainla nd. Fifty­ with Fosters to create the
Va l ley (Shiraz), Eden Va l ley two Tasmanian wineries Fosters Gro u p, the second­ • The U n ited Kingdom is the
(Shiraz), Clare (Ca bernet, welcome visitors. Chardon­ l a rgest wine empire i n the largest export market for
Shiraz), Coonawa rra (Ca ber­ nay is g rown everywhere, world after U.S. Constella­ Aussie wi ne; the U n ited
net), Padthaway (Ca bernet), a nd Sem i l lon is becom i ng tion Brands. States is slig htly behind,
Yarra Va l ley (Pi not Noir), a nd an Aussie specia lty. a n d Ca nada is th ird.

1 74
i n Queen s l a nd, a nd the H u nte r River Va l ley north of Syd ney. Fra nce's Syra h, but where the g reat Syra hs of the northern
E n g l a n d provided the pri ma ry m a rket for c hea p Austra l i a n Rhone a re lean a nd m i nera l ly, Aussie S h i raz is pl ush and
w i n e u nti l a b rea kt h ro u g h occu rred at t h e Penfo l d 's wi nery i n mouth-fi l l i ng with rich fl avo rs of black che rry, b l ueberry,
Adelaide i n 1 95 1 . Pe nfo l d 's winema ker, Max Sch u be rt, so u g h t ced a r, a n d va n i l la . The best sta nd a l ongside the best Syra h s
out the best ava i l a b l e g ra pes i n the cou ntry to c reate a S h i raz­ i n the wo rld. Outsta n d i ng prod ucers a re Eden Va l l ey's Hen­
ba sed blend that was destined to beco me one of the wor l d 's sch ke and Barossa Va l l ey's Two Ha nds.
g reatest red wines, G ra nge. Grange is u n l i ke a ny of the other Austra l ia p rod uces a fu l l ra nge of wh ite wi ne, but the clear
g reat red blends; the blend cha nges to reflect the fi nest pos­ fro ntru n ners a re C h a rdon nay a nd late-harvest d essert wi nes,
s i b l e g ra pes ava i l a ble, but S h i raz rem a i ns the base. both red a nd wh ite. Late-ha rvest M u scat from the Ruther­
S h i raz i s Au stra l ia's fi nest red g ra pe. It's the s a m e g ra pe as g l e n a p pe l lation is a n i n expensive l uxu ry.

Hardy 's Cabern et Sa u vignon

RecorvnV\eV\ded Wi V\eS" froM S'o\.ifh


Et:ts-+ AlAs-frt:t f it:t
• Gietco111 d et Es+ette Vi111 e 'jetrd C.hetrdo111 111 Ct lj
Vidoriet H' cf

d 'Are111 b er5 (the Hermit C.ret b) Vio5111 ier/


H A R •

MetrS"Ct111 111 e cf cf
st= fl +
• He111 s- chke C.'j ri l He111 s-chke C.etber111 e t S'etvivi-
5111 0 111 Ede111 Vetl le'j cf cf cf cf

• C.hetrles- Ci mick'j (The Avito5retph) S°hi retz


Betros-s-et cf cf
• Thomas H a rdy & Son bega n • H a rdy's i s Austra l ia's
as a fa mily operation i n second-largest prod ucer
1 850. By 1 894 it w a s Austra­ today and has been
l ia's largest wine producer. acq u i red by Constel lation
Brands (U.S.), the world's
• Through a prog ra m of con­ l a rgest wine conglomerate.
ti n ua l acqu isitions Ha rdy's
maintai ned its preemi nent • Hardy's offers a l a rge portfo­
place u nti l 1 990, when lio from sound, inexpensive
giant Southcorp overtook it. wines to premium Cabernet
Sauvignon and Shiraz.

1 75
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
This area produces well-structured wines in the European style
One of the wor l d 's h ottest wi ne-g rowi ng reg ions is fou n d i n Austra l i a n scene-a wh ite B u rg u ndy made in a th ick, vis­
Weste rn Austra l ia from the city o f Perth south a n d a ro u nd co us, overripe style from C h e n i n B l a n c and M u scade l l e from
Austra l ia's southwest corner. S u m mer tem peratu res rise to the Houg hton Wi nery, fo u nded in 1 85 9 a n d now owned by
1 1 4° F. H a rdy's/Conste l lation B ra nds.
The g ra pevi ne was i ntrod uced to t h i s u n l i kely reg ion soon Western Au stra l ia re m a i ned a backwater w h i l e the wine
after the reg ion beca me settled in the n i netee nth centu ry. i n d u stry i n southea stern Austra l i a fou nd its footi n g . A visit
For a l most a centu ry a s i n g l e wine d o m i n ated the Western from the U n iversity of Ca l ifo r n i a at Davis's Professor H a rold

Western Australia Wine Regions A Margaret River Vineyard

SOUTHWESTERN AUSTRALIA

WESTERN AUSTRA L I A

MARGARET
RIVER

• In contrast to the wine • Coasta l regions enjoy a • Margaret River is a prem i u m • Vineyards here a re pla nted
reg ions of the Northern ma riti me cli mate, par­ a rea for w i n e o f export on low rol l i n g h i l l s at eleva­
Hemisphere, the north is ticula rly Perth H i l l s a n d the q ua l ity. A large percentage tions below 1 50 feet.
hotter an d the south is Southwest Coasta l Plain. of Western Austra lia's best
cooler. wineries is located here. • Vi neyard s in Margaret River
• The M a rgaret River reg ion a re planted as close as 2
• The Swa n Va lley is the hot­ i s rema rka bly similar to • The vi neyards of Margaret m i les from the sea and run
test wine-growing region i n Bordea ux's Medoc, and River experience a u nique east for a round 30 mi les.
Australia. Bordeaux varieties do wel l cli mate as a result of the
here. Margaret River Char­ confl uence of two ocea n s.
don nay is particu l a rly fi ne.

1 76
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
O l m o i n 1 956 spa rked d evelopment i n the more-via b l e • •
• •
reg ions, especia l ly M a rg a ret R ive r a n d G reat Southern. Qual­ • Top Producers in Western Australia •
• •
ity rose to heig hts never before i ma g i ned, a nd by the 1 990s • Ca pe Mente l l e •
• •
Western Austra l ia became com petitive in the i nternationa l • Eva n s & Tate •
• •
ma rketpl ace. • Leeu w i n Estate •
• •
The u n iq ue ness of t h i s reg ion ste ms from the cool i nfl u­ • Howa rd Pa rk •
• •
ence of the Southern Ocea n a n d the wa rmer i nfl ue nce of the • M oss Wood •
• •
I nd i a n Ocea n . Add to that some vineya rd l ocations at eleva­ • P l a n ta g e n et •
• •
tions up to 1 , 1 50 feet a nd a wide variety of soil types. Every­ • Vasse Fel ix •
• •
t h i ng i ma g i n a ble is g rown here, from Ries l i ng to Zi nfa nd e l . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Howard Park Cellar Door

501.-1verie C.hetrdOV'IV'ICt �
• Boviverie is OV'le of fhe fiV'le wiV'leries foviV'ld i V'I
WesferV'I Avisfrt:1lit:1's Gret:1f S'ovifherV'I re5ioV'I .

• The Gret:1f S'ovifherV'I wiV'le re5ioV'I iV'lclvides


A l bt:1V'llj , DeV'I Mt:1rk , frt:1 V'l klt:1V'ld , Movi V'lf Bt:1rker,
t:1V'ld fhe PoroV'l5virvi p foofhi l k H's WesferV'I
Avisfrt:1 lit:1 's coolesf t:1ret:1 for wiV'le 5 rowi V'l 5 .

• Gret:1f S'ovifherV'I Bordet:1vix vt:1riefies t:1re CIMOV\5


fhe hi5hesf-rt:1fed wiV'les i V'I WesferV'I Avisfrt:1 lit:1.

• Gret:1f S'ovifherV'I wiV'leS bet:1r little reseMblt:1V'ICe


to fhe wi V'les of sovifhet:1sferV'I Avisfrt:1lit:1 .
• H owa rd Pa rk is one of Wester n Austra l i a wineries
Austra l ia's most modern welcom e visitors.
wineries. It's l ocated at
the northern "gateway" to • Howa rd Pa rk's Cel lar Door
the M argaret River reg ion, was nomi nated as one of
a bout a three-hour d rive the best a rch itectura l build­
south from Perth. i ng s i n Australia.

• Ce l l a r Door i s the Aussie • Howa rd Park's primary


equ iva l ent of a tast- focus is on u ltra p rem i u m
i n g room. Over twenty Bordeaux va rieties.

1 77
NEW ZEALAND: NORTH ISLAND
New Zealand finds its stride with Chardonnay and Bordeaux
varieties in Hawke 's Bay
N ew Zea l a n d is one of the most rece nt i m porta nt wine long territory, ro u g h ly the d i sta nce from Morocco to Pa ris.
reg ions to be devel oped. After decades of Pro h i bition, restric­ Th e p reva i l i n g c l i mate ru n s from cool i n the north to cold in
tive a l cohol consu m ption, and wine-growi ng fa i l u res, New the south. The main factors affecti n g viticu ltu re a re western
Zea l a n d 's wine i nd ustry has achieved rem a rka b l e success ra i n s, eastern cycl ones, and overly fe rti le soi l s.
with the wo rld's best- loved g ra pe va rieties. Although there a re wine-growi ng regions a l l ove r N o rth
New Zea l a n d 's N o rth a nd South i s l a n d s occ u py a 1 ,000- m i le- Isla nd, the pre m ie r a rea i s Hawke's Bay on the southeast

A Ha wke s Bay Vineyard

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
co
LU
z:
1--1 Jcdso� Estcite Chcirdo��Cl'j if if
s:

u • Te mcitci Colercii�e (BordeCllAX ble�d)
<(
z: if if if

• Crci55'j Rci�5e Gi mble++ Grcivels S'ophici


(Bordeci1Ax ble�d) if if if

· Esk Vci l le'j merlot/mci lbec/Cciber�et


S'ci1Avi5�0� if if if
• An overwhelming majority • Hawke's Bay wineries
of North I sland's export wine export New Zea land's fin est
comes from Hawke's Bay. Chardon nays, Cabernet
Sauvignons, and Bordea ux
• Al most a l l Hawke's Bay blends.
vineyards a re on flat land,
although the best vineya rd • Hawke's Bay Sa uvig non
l ocations, yet to be pla nted, Blanc is rounder and less
a re proba bly on the slopes i ntense than the more­
that rim the a rea. fa mous Sauvignons of
South I s l a nd.

1 78
coast. Some soi l s here a re d eep, p u re g rave l a nd a re often The most successfu l N orth I s l a nd va riety is C h a rd o n n ay.
com pa red with the soi l s of M a rg a u x i n Bordeaux. Hawke's Bay C h a rd o n n ays a re p u re a n d fu l l of va rieta l a n d
Hawke's Bay i s the s u n n i est reg ion i n all of New Zea l a nd, m i nera l cha ra cter, u n l i ke m a ny Aussie C h a rd o n n ays t h a t a re
a n d it's the o n ly reg ion where Bordea ux red va rieties can be overly rich a nd p l u s h . They occ u py a m i d d l e g ro u n d between
sati sfacto ri ly ripened. The western m o u n ta i n s rise to over fi i nty C h a b l i s a nd oaky N ew Wo rld styles. Cabernet Sauvi g n o n
5 ,000 feet a n d soa k u p most of the ra i n w h i l e provi d i ng a nd Bordea ux-style b l e n d s from t h i s reg ion a re a mazing ly
a m ple water fo r i rrigation in eastern-d ra i n i n g rivers. O n l y 1 0 co m p l ex, with enou g h herbal and m i nera l notes to co nvi nce
percent of Hawke's Bay vineya rd s a re i rrigated . Those pla nted you that they a re n ot from Ca l ifornia or Au stra l i a .
on the g rave l ly soi l s need not o n ly i rrigation but a l so ad ded
n utrients, a practice u n heard of el sewhere on the i s l a n d .

Morton Estate Chardonnay

New Zeet fet�d 'S' Certified Ori 5 i �


S'� S'fetV\
• Certified ori5itr1 : The lt:tw 5 vtt:trt:ttr1fees- tht:tt 8 5
percetr1t o f H�e 5 rt:tpes- vtS"ed come from the 5eo-
5 rt:tphic t:tret:t , vitr1tt:t5e , t:ttr1d vt:triet'j s-tt:tted .
H AW K E S BAY
• Geo 5 rt:tphict:tl detr1omitr1t:tfiotr1 : The brot:tdes-t
C H A R D O N N AY t:tppellt:ttiotr1 iS" " New Zet:t lt:ttr1d , " fol lowed b'j
" North klt:ttr1d 11 or "S'ovtth Is-lt:ttr1d . " The fi tr1es-t
witr1eS" will ct:trr'j re5iotr1t:tl des-i5tr1t:ttiotr1S", S"vtCh t:tS"
" Ht:twke 's- Bt:t'j , " " t'Y\t:trlborovt5h . " t:ttr1d " Ott:t50 . "

• Morton Estate Chardon nay Zea land i s extremely costly;


is typica l of Hawke's Bay Austra l ia n barrels could be
Chardonnays a nd is widely obta i ned for a fraction of
exported. the price.

• Despite their attrac- • U n l i ke the typica l ly fat


tive price, Morton Estate a n d buttery Chardon nays
Chardon nays a re ba rrel­ of southeastern Austra l ia,
fermented an d matu red q u a l ity Hawke's Bay Char­
in French oak. I m porting don nays improve when cel­
French oak barrels to New l a red for two to five years.

1 79
NEW ZEALAND: SOUTH ISLAND
A new style of Sauvignon Blanc emerges from the world 's newest
. . .

ma] or wine region


South I s l a nd's meteoric rise to pro m i n ence beg a n in 1 973 The b rea kt h rou g h occ u r red with the fi rst release of C loudy
when the fi rst vi ne was pla nted i n M a r l bo ro u g h, a fl at, non­ Bay Sauvignon Blanc i n 1 985. M a rl boro u g h was elevated by
desc ript reg ion on South I s l a n d 's northeast corner. Beca use wine write rs to a position eq u a l to, if d ifferent fro m, Sancerre
of its cool c l i mate, it see med to be a s u ita ble reg ion for Ger­ a n d Bordeaux. Some p ra i sed it as the best reg ion for Sa uvi­
man va rieties. But vi ntners h it payd i rt when they p l a nted gnon B l a n c i n the world. And C l o udy Bay sti l l bests a l l others
Sa uvignon B l a nc, an u n l i kely va riety for t h i s reg ion. in the a rea with g orgeously bala nced exa m p les.

Sou th Island Vineyard n ear Can terbury

LJ..J

� • Nel50V1 : fortlj -o"'e wi V1erie5 , cool di MCife


3: vMiefie5
'.:::£
u


'.:::£
• MC1rlborovi5h : world-dC155 5C1vivi5V10V1 BIC1V\C

• C.C1V1ferbvirlj : P'1 V1ot Gri5, C.hC1rdoV1 V1C11j , 5pM­


kli"'5 wiV1e

• OfC150 : Pi "'ot Noi r

• Marlbo rough a n d Ca nter­ a re largely on flat land.


bury vi neyards enjoy a pro­ Canterbury vineyards enjoy
tected environ ment with a rol l i n g h i l l terra in wel l
Pacific maritime i nfl uence. su ited t o viticu ltu re.

• Marlbo rough is best known • An old red Loire g ra pe,


for its exciti ng Sauvignon Enigma, is cu ltivated in Ca n­
Blanc from prod ucers such terbu ry. It is u sed to make
as Cloudy Bay. a rose with raspberry and
strawberry flavors.
• M a rl borough vi neya rds

1 80
Th e Sauvignons of M a rl boro u g h a re u n l i ke a l l others. You worl d-c lass Sa uvig non, Otago is the su pporti ng actor. Th is is
l ove them or h ate them, depend i ng on you r ta ste. U n l i ke the the m ost southerly wine reg ion i n the world, a n d its class act
eleg a nt Sauvignons of Bordeaux a nd the brig ht, citru sy Sau­ is Pinot Noir. Nestled i n the southern Al ps, Otago prod uces
vig nons of Sancerre, these a re a g g ressive with stro ng herba l resplendent Pinots. Tod ay there a re a ro u nd one h u nd red
a n d gooseberry fi avors, s u bsta nti a l body, a nd racy acid ity. w i n eries offering everyt h i n g from Sauvi g n o n B l a n c to Pinot
M a r l borou g h is n't the o n ly i m po rta nt wine reg ion on South N o i r. But the m ajor export wine is P i n ot N o i r made i n a style
I s l a n d . J u st d own the coa st is Ca nterbu ry. A l l va rieties ri pe n somewhat rem i n iscent of Oreg o n , which l ies at the same lati­
s l owly here, developing their fiavo rs i n pace w i t h their s u g ­ tude north-45 degrees.
a rs, c reati ng we l l-ba la nced wi nes. T h e best w i n es a re Pinot
G ris a nd Ries l i ng . If M a rl boro u g h is the su persta r with its

Lowb urn Ferry Pin ot Nair Cen tral Otago A Vineyard in Cen tral Otago

Pi n o t No i r
2 0 0 7

1 4.0o/oalc./vol. W I N E O F N EW ZEALA N D 750ml

• Lowbu rn Ferry Pi not Nair is priced very attractively, • Centra l Otago, the world's • Sixty percent of the plant­
was a gold medal ist i n s i m i l a r to comparable most southerly wine region, ings a re of Pi not Nair, which
the very prestigious AWC Pi nots from Oregon and is a land of extreme cli mates th rives here and yield s
Vienna I nternational Wi ne Ca l ifornia. that local s say a re ideal for wi nes t h a t equal or su rpass
Chal lenge i n 2006. Over quality wine g rowing and all other Southern Hemi­
five thousand wines were • These outsta nding New lead to distinctive wines. sphere Pinot Noi rs.
eva l uated i n this com peti­ Zea land Pinot Noirs a re
tion, the second-la rgest in exported to the U n ited • More than twenty-five • Centra l Otago is the fastest­
the world. States, U n ited Kingdom, wi neries and more than g rowin g wine region i n
and Ca nada. seventy vi neya rds a re fou n d N e w Zealand.
• Lowburn Ferry Pi not Nair here.

1 81
SOUTH AFRICA
After a century of missed opportunities , South Africa rises to
prominence
Th e winelands of South Africa l i e at 34 degrees south l atitude, te m pe red by the icy Beng u e l a cu rrent that fiows north from
co m p a ra b le to southern Ca l ifornia. The reg ion experiences Anta rctica, w h i c h brings coo l i n g breezes to the vi neya rd s
a s i m i l a r c l i m ate with h ot s u m mers and m i ld winters. M a ny d u ri n g the day a n d fog a nd moisture d u ri n g the nig ht. With
South Africa n winemakers have la mented that South Africa conditions l i ke these, South Africa's w i n e l a n d s co u l d riva l the
does n1t extend fa rther south, m i m icking the coo l er wine best i n the world.
reg ions of Fra nce. But South Africa's h ot s u m mer c l i m ate i s South Africa's wine h i story is older tha n that of a ny other

Sou th Africa Wine Regions Constan tia Valley

I SOUTH AFRICA I
(./")
u
1--t
(./")
<(
co
UJ
z:
1--t
s:

u
<(
z:

• Con sta ntia was the fi rst the Swa rtland Wi ne Route, • Consta ntia is the pen i nsula • The l ux u ry dessert wines of
wine reg ion to be devel­ consisting of eig hteen win­ south of Cape Town. It is Constantia d isa ppea red at
oped i n South Africa. It eries of various sizes that one of South Africa1s pretti­ the end of the n i neteenth
remains a center of wine welcome visitors. est wine reg ions. centu ry, when the vine­
tou rism. yards were devastated fi rst
• Klein Ka roo is known for its • Constantia was na med by powdery m i ldew a n d
• Most q u a l ity ta ble wine is fortified wines and brandy after the g randdaughter of t h e n b y phyl loxera.
produced i n Paarl, Stellen­ prod uctio n. M u scadel, a Dutch East I ndia official
bosch, a n d Fra n schoek. made i n both red and white by the ca pe's fi rst governor, • Wi neries in this region
versions, is South Africa's Simon va n der Stel. a re sma l l a n d cal led "wine
• Mal mesbury i s home to a nswer to Port. fa rms:1

1 82
N ew World a rea, d isco u nting the fa i l ed efforts of the earl i­ keep pace with the rest of the Western world; l oca l con s u m e rs
est America ns. The fi rst South African wine was made by the re m a i ned h a ppy with their cheap a n d s i m ple Steen (Chen i n
Dutch i n 1 659, s hortly after thei r a r riva l . The vineya rd a rea was B l a n c) made from h i g h ly overc ropped vineya rd s. Eve n today,
located nea r Fa lse Bay southeast of Ca pe Town i n a reg ion h a l f of the South Africa n h a rvest is u sed for bra ndy a nd g ra pe
ca l led "Con sta ntia:' These ea rly wines were blends of Chen in con centrate. The wine revo l ution of the 1 990s is sti l l ru n n i n g
Blanc a n d M u scat. i t s cou rse. Bette r va rieties a n d bette r c lones replace old vi nes,
Th roug hout the eig htee nth centu ry the dessert wi nes of a n d more s ma l l q u a l ity-oriented wine fa rms a p pea r. South
Constantia were h i g h ly prized in E u rope a nd afford a b l e o n ly Africa was s l ow to join the i nte rnati o n a l wine com m u n ity,
by the a ri stocracy. O n ly H u n g a ria n To kaj i Aszu comma nded a but everyt h i ng is now in pl ace fo r South Africa to g a i n its
h i g her price. But the ma rket for q u a l ity d ry ta ble wine d i d n't rig htfu l place as one of the wo rld's pre m ier wine reg ions.

KWV· Sou th Africa 's Largest Wine Coopera tive

S'oVith Africr;. '5 Major Gro. p e


Vo. riefie5

• freV)c.h ColombtH·d (1 1 .4 perc.eV)t)

• S''jreih/S'hireiz (9 . 6 perc.eV)t)

E S TA B L I S H E D 1 9 1 8 • S'eiV1vi5V)oV) BleiV)c. (8 .:J. perc.eV)t)

• CheirdoV)V)C\'j (8 perc.eV)t)
The KWV was esta blished label, and a d m i n isters
PiV)ofeige (6 .:J. perc.eV)t)


in 1 9 1 8 as a giant wine South Africa's Wi ne of Ori­
cooperative. It now has gin system .
4,600 g rower-members
and i s South Africa's l a rgest • T h e KWV i s t h e nation's
prod ucer of alcohol-related l a rgest prod ucer of Steen,
prod ucts. South Africa n Chenin Bla nc.
It's the cou ntry's most
• The KWV cond ucts resea rch widely consumed wh ite
and vine propagation, wine.
m a kes wine under its own

1 83
SOUTH AFRICA: STELLENBOSCH
South Afr ica 's " Napa Valley" is home to its finest producers
Every m ajor wine-growi ng a rea in the world has its "sweet L i ke a l l the wo rld's best vineya rd l ocations, Ste l l e n bosch
spots": Au stra l ia's Eden Va l ley, Germa ny's Mosel, Oregon's Wi l­ enj oys a u n iq u e geo-cl i matic situati on. Altho u g h it l ies at1
lamette, and Fra nce's B u rg u n dy. In South Africa, it's Stel len­ 34 deg rees south l atitude-l i ke most of the wor l d 's hottest
bosc h and the adjacent va l l eys of Paa r l and Fra n schoek. wine-growi ng regions-it is open at its southern end to
Stel len bosch i s the center of the South Africa n wine i n d us­ Fa lse Bay, without w h i c h Ste l l e n bosch wo u l d be l i ke South
try. The g i a nt KWV com pa ny is ba sed i n Pa a rl, a nd m ost of Africa's i nterior w i n e reg ions. The h eat of the i nte rior va l leys
South Africa's u ltra p re m i u m wine p rod ucers a re here a s we l l. s ucks stro ng a n d c h i l ly winds of the Southern Ocean i n l a n d,

A Stellenbosch Vineyard

V'l
u
1--t
V'l
<(
cc
To p Prod'-'tcerS' i V\ S'te l f eV\bOS'Ch
LU
:z
1--t
3:

u
<(
:z

• Neil Ellis

• ThelemC1

• The Stellenbosch a n d va l l ey system becomes


Paarl Va lleys are fla n ked prog ressively hotter as one
on the east by spectacular travels away from the bay.
mountains that provide
decom posed g ra n ite soi l s • A l l Stel lenbosch vineya rds
wel l suited t o viticultu re. are i rrigated. Those planted
on the mountain slopes rise
• The vineyards of Stellenbo­ as h i g h as 1 ,900 feet. Soils
sch begi n a bout 1 m i l e from here are less fertile and
Fa l se Bay. As in Cal ifornia's receive more rainfa l l .
N a pa Va l l ey, the entire

1 84
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
coo l i n g the vines w h i l e not preventing the a bu nd a nt s u n ­ • •
• •
s h i ne t o ripen the fru it. • South Africa's Wi ne of Ori g i n system was fi n a l- •
• •
Most of the Ste l l e n bosch vi neya rd s a re on the va l ley floor, • ized i n 1993. Wine l a bels reflect the g ra pe va riety •
• •
but each passing yea r brings a steady c l i m b u pwa rd i nto the • rather t h a n the vineyard . Va rieta l ly l a beled wi nes •

mou nta i ns, where the fi nest vineya rd sites a re u n dou bted ly : for export m u st conta i n 85 percent of the na med :
to be fo u n d . Th e potenti a l of this reg ion is sti l l i n its i nfa ncy. : va riety. To q u a l ify as a n "estate" wi ne, a l l the g ra pes :
The principal g ra pe va rieties g rown here a re C h a rdon nay, : m u st be prod u ced from g ra pes g rown on the pro- :
Sauvignon B l a nc, Se m i l lon, Chen i n B l a nc, Bordea ux va rieties, : d u cer's own property or a djacent vineya rd s cu lti- :
Pi not Noir, a nd Pinotage. : vated i n the same m a n ne r. :
• •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Pinotage-a Sou th African Crea tion

· If S'ovifh Afric.o. is c.ompo.red to Bordeo.vi x ,


k.o.V\OV\Kop WiV\e Esto.te wovi ld b e C.OV\Sidered OV\e
of o. ho.V\dfvi l of Premiere Gro.V\d C.rvi wi V1eries.

k.o.V\OV\Kop is OV\e of S'ovith Afric.o. 's most o.wo.rded


wiV1eries . Plo.Her's Gviide to wi V\es o.V\d wiV1eries
of S'ovifh Afric.o. V\O.med if ifs �009 WiV1er� of
the Yeo.r. k.o.V\OV\Kop's wiV\emo.ker, Abrie Bees­
lo.o.r, wo.s voted IV1terV10.fioV10.I WiV1emo.ker of fhe
Yeo.r o.t LoV1doV\ 's �008 IV1terV10.fioV10.I WiV\e &
S'pi rifs C.ompefifioV1 .

• k.o.V\OV\Kop wo.S OV\e of the first wiV1eries to esto.b­


lish Pi V1oto.5e o.s o. c.ommerc.io. I c.rop O.V\d fho.t
vo.riet� hO.S bec.ome 0. spec.io. lt� of the wiV1er� .
• Pi notage is a grape va riety • Pi notage i s a th ick, a l most
that was created in 1 925 by opaque red. Dri n ki n g it is
Abrah am Izak Perold, the l i ke biti ng i nto a very ripe
fi rst professor of viticu ltu re p l u m . South Africa is the
at Stel lenbosch U niversity. only major suppl ier, but
two Ca l ifornia wineries
• It's a cross of Pi not Noir have offered it. Pinotage
and Cinsault that bea rs has a worldwide fol lowi ng,
l ittle resemblance to either and there i s a South Africa­
parent. based Pinotage Association.

1 85
ISRAEL
Stunning red wines are made in a lean European style from a warm
region
M a ny C h ri sti a n s a nd Jews co nsider I s rael to be the b i rt h p l ace Ed mond de Roth sc h i l d (son of James de Rothschi ld, who
of wi ne. Accord i n g to the book of Genesis, N oa h pla nted p u rchased Bordea ux's C hatea u Lafite) resta rted I s rael's wine
the fi rst vineya rd . And there a re 1 68 refere nces to vi nes a nd i nd u stry with a n i nfu sion of 60 m i l l i o n gold fra ncs, m a ny
vi neya rd s i n the Old Testa ment. Wi n e fig u red pro m i nently i n ti m es more t h a n h i s father had pa id for C h . Lafite. H is wi nery
I s rael u ntil t h e M u s l i m conq uest i n 6 3 6 AD. was cal led " R i s h o n Le Zion" a nd sti l l operates as Is rae l 's l a rgest
Wi nemaking l ay fa l l ow in I s rael u ntil 1 870, when Baro n winery, exporti n g wi nes u n der the "Ca rme l " l a bel.

Israeli Vineyard

. Y�rdeVI c�berV1et s-�vtvi5V10V1 Gol�VI


Height> H'

. Di5hOVI S'i V15le Vi Vle�Md c�berV1et 5�vtvi-


5VIOVI G� lil 1'1'

· C�5tel Gr�Vld ViVI (Borde�vtx bleVld)


Jvtde�VI Hi /15 cf cf cf

Rec.�Vl�ti Petit 5�r�h-ZiV1f�V1del Re5erve


kr�el cf cf
• The coolest I srae l i wine­ in the coasta l plain region
g rowing a reas a re the Golan of S homron. These soi ls a re
Heig hts and U pper G a l i lee. detrimenta l to viticu ltu re in
Golan soils a re volca nic regions receivi ng adequate
and elevated (3,500 feet); rainfa l l . In centra l Israel they
G a l i lee soils a re iron-rich a re a blessing.
Terra Rosa. Both terroirs
yield splendid Ca bernet • The J udean Hills sur­
Sa uvignon. rou nding Jerusalem a re
the fastest-growi ng wine
• Heavy clay soi l s a re fou n d reg ion in Israel.

1 86
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
It wou l d ta ke a nother h u n d red yea rs before cred ita ble
wine wou l d fiow from I s rael. The spark that ign ited the m od­ The m ajor w i n e-g rowi ng reg ions i n I s ra e l ( north
ern Israeli wine i nd u stry was the acq u i sition of Syria's G o l a n to south) a re G a l i l ee (Ga l i !), i n c l u d i n g Gol a n
Heig hts, the o n l y re latively c o o l wi ne-g rowi ng reg ion i n t h e H e i g h ts; S a m a ria (Sho m ron), o n t h e coast south
cou ntry. A t e levations a ro u n d 3,500 feet, the G o l a n Heig hts of H a ifa; Sa mson (Sh i mshon), in the h i l l s south of
possessed exce l l e nt volca n i c soi l s perfectly su ited to viticu l­ Tel Aviv; J udea n H i l l s ( H a rey Yeh uda), between
t u re. And by the l ate 1 980s s u perior Ca bernet Sauvignon Jerusa l e m a n d the Dead Sea; a n d N eg ev, south
from I s rael fou nd its place i n the export m a rket. of the Dead Sea .
Today wi neries d ot the entire cou ntry fro m G a l i lee in the • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

north to the Negev Desert i n the south.

An Israeli Wine Bar Yarden Cabernet Sa u vignon

YA R O E N
G A L I LEE

Gabernel rSauuig11on 20

• Over the past decade, after Spain's tapas ba rs. Fin­ • Varden Cabernet Sauvignon • Varden (Jordan) is the top
I s rael has embraced a wine ger foods and sma l l plates ( $ $ ) was the wine that cata­ bra nd of the Golan Heig hts
culture second to none in a re offered a long with wines pu lted Israeli wine i nto the Wi nery. Other brands a re
the world. by the g lass or bottle. international spotlig ht. Gamla a n d Golan.

• The fi rst of I srael's wine bars • Wines sold in I srael i wine • It was the fi rst Israeli wine • The Golan Heig hts Winery
opened in Jaffa just a few bars reflect only a very to a ppea r i n the Wine produces a round 6 m i l l ion
yea rs ago. N ow they a re i n modest markup, so the bars Spectator's top one h u n d red bottles a n n ua l ly, 30 percent
a l l o f I srael's major cities. become social gatheri ng wines of the world. of which is exported.
places much l i ke England's
• Israel patterned its wine bars pu bs.

1 87
GREECE
Ancient vines grow amid a modern wine revolution
The sto ry of G reek wine m ig ht be compa red with the cou rse n u m ber of i n d igenous wine g ra pes a re fo u n d a l l over G reece,
of Western civi l ization. A golden age of science a nd p h i l os­ m a ny with a n cient ped i g rees. Over th ree h u n d red va rieties
ophy beca me l ost a nd devastated by the Dark Ages, after h ave been cata log ued so fa r-more t h a n a ny other cou ntry
which a re birth of a rt and science refa s h ioned the cou rse of except Ita ly.
eve nts for futu re generati ons. Wi nemaking in c lassical G reece was certa i n ly crude, a n d
The G reeks certa i n ly d i d n't i nvent winemaking. That honor add itives were com m o n ly u sed t o ta me the bitter ta n n i ns.
proba b ly s h o u ld be rese rved for the Georg i a n s. But a vast The m ost com mo n of th ese we re pine pitch a nd seawater.

A Greek Vineyard

V)
u
1--1


co
Greece 's- To p WiV'\e Gr� p es-
LU

� • Assljrfiko : d rlj , refreshi V\5 white from


$: S't1V\toriV\i
:::::.::::
u


:::::.::::
M1ASC.t1t: t1rOmt1tic. white 5 rt1pe of S't1mOS ,
Pt1frt1 , Rhodes , t1V\d C.epht1 1oV\it1

• Mosc.hofi lero : major MOmt1tic. t1V\d flowerlj


white 5rt1 pe of the PelopOV\V\ese

• A5ior5hifi ko : Greece 's V\oblest red 5rt1 pe

• XiV\Omt1vro : disti V\dive red 5 rt1pe of Mt1c.edoV\it1


t1V\d Thrt1c.e
• Greek vi neya rds occ u py a • The overwhel ming majority
• MMrodt1phV\e : c.ommOV\ bleV\di V\5 red 5rt1pe of 450-mile swath of longi­ of Greek vineyards a re very
tude from the mounta i n s of sma l l parcels of la nd, g iving
the PelopoV\V\ese
Macedonia to Crete. Vi ne­ rise to the cooperatives.
ya rd elevatio n s rise from
sea level to 2,600 feet. • Traditional Greek varieties
are usually bush pru ned or
• Most Greek vi neya rd s are a l l owed to g row i nto trees.
pla nted on rocky l i mestone I m ported varieties are usu­
soi ls of l ow to med i u m a l ly trai ned on tre l l ises.
fertil ity.

1 88
G reece's most sig n ificant contri bution to the world of wine d i d not fl ower u ntil the 1 990s a n d is j u st now fi nd i ng its
was its export of vine stock to southern I ta ly, where it fo u n d footi ng.
a ha ppier enviro n m ent t h a n a nywhere i n the h o m e l a n d . The best G reek ta b l e wi nes so fa r a re blends of G reek and
A n c i e n t G reek varieties such a s G reco a n d Ma lvasia formed i nternati o n a l va rieti es, but a strong movement is afoot to
a fou ndation u po n w h i c h the southern Ita l i a n wine i n d u stry deny a p pel lation l a be l i n g to a ny wine with more tha n 50
wa s fo u nded. percent "foreign" g ra pes.
G reek winemaking col l a psed i n the late fifteenth cent u ry G reece's m ost-exciting wi nes a re the products of sma l l win­
with the conq uest by the Otto m a n Tu rks. Wi n e m a k i n g d i d eries. Most exports a re prod ucts of fou r cooperatives, esta b­
not res u m e on a ny sca le u ntil G reek i nde pendence i n 1 9 1 3 l i s hed in the l ate n i netee nth ce ntu ry: Ach a i a C l a u ss, Boutari
but was s l ow i n developing. The m odern G reek w i n e i n d u stry a nd its s u bsid i a ry Cam bas, Tsa nta l i s, and Ko u rta kis.

Retsina-Greece 's Traditional Win e

• Li rviVIOS' Or5c.V1ic WiV1eS' Mvis-cc.f Le.


Terre. 1'

• Retsina reflects a ncient 50 g a l lo n s, were l i ned with


winemaking practices u sed pine pitch a s a sea ler, a n d
throughout the eastern pieces o f pine pitch were
Med iterra nea n . added to the g ra pe m u st
d u ri ng fermentation.
• I n classical an d preclassi­
cal times when wine was • Modern export Retsi na is
fragile a n d subject to ra pid a wh ite wine with strong
oxidation, many wines were tu rpenti ne notes that many
resi nated. Typical large fi n d offensive. Others con­
a m p horas, holding u p to sider it a n acq u i red taste.

1 89
HUNGARY
New wines rival New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc , French Sauternes ,
and Alsatian Pinot Gris
H u ngary is poi sed to su rpass its former g lory after a genera­ world, coveted by the cza rs of R u ssia.
tion of letha rgy i n itiated by a set of reg u l ations and proce­ A fia s h-i n-the-pa n occu rred i n the 1 960s when a n atte m pt
d u res put in place u n der Soviet d o m i nation. The h i storic to reesta b l i s h the q u a l ity of H u ngarian ta ble wi nes was
wines of H u nga ry were a mong the wo rld's most treas u red. made, but H u ng a ry's most-fa m o u s red wine, Eg ri B i kaver,
In the seve ntee nth and eig hteenth centu ries the wines of had been so emascu lated that the entire i n d u stry's reputa­
Tokaj i were the m ost expe n sive and cheris hed wi nes in the tion suffered .

A Win ery n ear Lake Balaton

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
co
UJ
z
1--1
• RoljC1 1 Tokaji WiV1e Co . Tokaji A<;ziA
3: EmeV1ciC1 'f 'f 'f 'f 'f

u
<(
z
• RoljC11 Tokaji WiV1e Co . Tokaji A<;ziA
� Bef<;ek fir<;t Growth 6 Po.AOVIVlljOVI
'f 'f 'f 'f

• WeV1eV15er & Gere CC1berV1et FrC1VIC


S'e ledioV1 'f 'f

• The modern wine i n d u stry few qual ity exports except


of H u ngary is domi nated by for Tokaji Aszu. H u ngary's
h u n d reds of sma l l vineya rd traditional fine red variety,
owners, many of whom Kada rka, has fal len i nto
make excel lent wines for decl i n e with the growth of
local con s u m ption. i nternational va rieties.The
cu rrent export ma rket for
• Because the H u ngaria n H u ngarian wines is la rgely
wine in d u stry is sti l l recov­ based on i nternational
ering from the doldrums varieties made by itinerant
of the past, there a re very winemakers.

1 90
A re n a i ssance of viticu ltu re a nd wi nema k i n g is n ow u n der The sta r of H u n g a ria n wine has a l ways been To kaj i Aszu.
way a nd ra pid ly g a i n i n g m o mentu m as m odern methods Tokaj i Aszu i s made i n a way u n l i ke all other dessert wi nes. A
a n d i nternati o n a l va rieties a re adopted . C h a rdon nay a nd m ixtu re of g ra pes is u sed, Fu rm i nt bei ng pro m i n ent. It's made
Sauvi g n o n B l a n c a re enjoyi ng pa rtic u l a r s u ccess. But H u n­ i n a ra nge of q u a l ity level s, a nd the h i g h est-q u a l ity exa m p les
g a ry's native g ra pes a re pl ayi n g a ro le, too. F u r m i nt, the g reat can cost as m uc h as $ 1 ,000 per l iter.
g ra pe of Tokaj i, is n ow offered in a d ry style that is exciti n g To kaj i Aszu is cha racterized by fi avors of honey, a p ricots,
the m odern ma rket. It's been compa red w i t h the best Vo u­ butterscotc h , a nd citrus. Its exq u i s ite acid bala nce kee ps the
vrays from the Lo i re. Dry H u n g a ria n wh ite wines w i l l assume sweetness i n ch ec k. Often e njoyed a l o ne, it pa i rs we l l with
a g reater prese nce i n i nte rnati o n a l m a r kets as their q u a l ity foie g ras, fru it ta rts, and b l ue cheeses.
becomes better k n own.

Egri Bika ver Tokaji Aszu-King of Wines

• This i s H u ngary's best­ • After the Soviet occ u pa­ • To kaj i Aszu is made in a d ry base wine for re-fermen­
known exported table tion, Eg ri Bi kaver beca me a unique way. The free-run tation. The amount of paste
wine. The name means blend of the best and worst j u ice is sepa rated and u sed is measu red in put­
" b u l l 's blood of Eger:' wines of the region. Those fermented. It takes over a tonyos. Six is the maximum,
wines a re sti l l i n commerce. decade to complete fer­ except for Esszencia, which
• Eger is a reg ion near Tokaji Qual ity Egri Bi kaver is rarely mentation. This is Esszencia, receives u p to eight.
in northeast H u ngary. I n seen i n American and Brit­ the most prized Tokaji.
former days its wi nes were ish markets. • After a long fermentation,
h i g h ly prized. They a re • The remaining must (skins the solids are removed,
blends of three or more and pi ps) is made i nto a and the resu lting necta r
native va rieties. paste and introduced i nto a becomes Tokaj i Aszu.

1 91
ARGENTINA
Spurned in its land of origin , Malbec finds its true home in the New
World
Argentin a's wine reg i o n is a l a n d of extreme contra sts. Of a l l Zea l a n d 's Otago reg i o n . Mendoza, Argentin a's most promi­
t h e wor l d 's major wi ne-prod ucing cou ntries, it's o n e o f the nent wine reg ion, l ies at the same l atitude as New Zea l a n d 's
hottest ( u p to 1 07° F) a n d driest ( 1 0 i nches per yea r). It's a l s o Hawke's Bay.
one of the h i g h est, w i t h vineya rd elevations toppi ng 6,000 Argentin a's wine-g rowi ng a reas l i e cl ose to the eastern
feet. At 42 deg rees south l atitude, it's a l s o the sout h e r n m ost esca rpment of the pere n n ia l l y s now-covered Andes Moun­
vi neya rd a rea in the Americas, a l m ost as fa r south as N ew ta i n s, w h i c h provide a t h ri l l i ng backd rop a nd a n i nexh a u stible

Prin cipal Wine Regions of Chile and Argen tina A Men doza Vineyard

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
co
UJ
:z:
1--1
3:
::::a::::
u
<(
:z:
::::a::::

• The wine regions of Chile • The Chi lean Central Va l ley • Argentinean vi neyards a re • I n the past twenty yea rs
occu py a longitude of enjoys some ma riti me i nfl u­ a mong the most pictu r­ plantings of prem i u m
a bout 600 mi les in contrast ence as a result of a series esq ue and u n po l l uted i n va rieties increased from 36
to Argenti na's 1 ,200 m i les. of east-west va l l eys that t h e world. Mendoza vine­ percent to more than 61
pu nctuates the l ow-lyi ng yards lie at elevations from percent.
• The Andes Mounta i n s sepa­ coast ra nge. 2,000-3,600 feet.
rate the two wine-g rowi ng • The Mendoza region
regions and provide stu n­ • The Andes cause a ra i n • Soils here a re wel l-dra i ned accounts for a bout 70
n i ngly d ifferent g rowi ng shadow on t h e Argentinea n sandy a l l uvium with some percent of Argenti na's tota l
cond itions. side, provid i n g a hot, d ry c lay. wine prod uction.
cli mate.

1 92
su pply of water to the vineya rd s t h ro u g h a n e l a borate syste m wo u l d be M a l bec, a Bordea ux va riety someti mes u sed to add
of ca n a l s a n d i rrigation fu rrows. co lor to the Bordeaux b l ends. In spite of the va riety's French
Argentina is the fifth-largest wine-prod ucing cou ntry i n orig i n s, no reg i o n i n Fra n ce possesses ideal conditions for
the wo rld, but o n ly a ro u n d 1 0 percent has been o f export Ma l bec to perform at its best. M a l bec req u i res s u n , h eat, and
q u a l ity. Approxi m ate ly 50 percent of the a rea u nder vine is a l a rge d i u rn a l tem perature swi ng to reveal its true natu re.
p l a nted to h ig h -yi e l d i n g nondescri pt va rieties to su pply a Ma l bec is n ow the m ost widely pla nted q u a l ity variety i n
h i storica l ly u n a p p reciative, if t h i rsty, popu lation. Argentin a's Argentina a n d accou nts for t h e m aj ority o f its export w i n es.
u n d isti n g u i s hed Crio l l a C h i ca g ra pe is widely bel ieved to be The seco nd sig natu re wine of Argentina wi l l a l m ost cer­
the prog en itor of Ca l iforn ia's M i ssion g ra pe. ta i n ly be Torrontes, w h i c h yiei lds pleasa nt, soft, g ra pey wh ite
If the Cindere l l a sto ry were told in viticu lt u ra l terms, the sta r wines rem i n iscent of Pinot G rigio.

Tarran tes-Argen tina 's Flagship White Wine A Men doza Malbec

• Torrontes is a n ative j ust beg i n n ing to a ppea r i n • Malbec i s Argenti na's • Argenti ne Mal becs a re usu­
Argentinean wh ite variety t h e U n ited States, Canada, u n i q u e contri bution to the a l ly offered as sta nd-alone
that yields soft, flowery d ry a nd the U n ited Kingdom. world of wi ne. Althoug h wines but a re sometimes
wines. It yields Argenti na's some fi ne examples a re blended with Cabernet
sig natu re wh ite wine a nd • The best exa mples of made elsewhere, Argentina Sa uvignon.
i t s o n l y indigenous g ra pe Torrontes d isplay Pinot is to Mal bec what B u rg u ndy
variety. G rig io-li ke characteristics is to Pi not Noir. • Top Argentine M a l becs
of peach, a l mond, flowers, a re priced over S 1 00, but
• Most of the export Tor­ a nd ora nge peel. • Argentine Malbecs a re deep extraord i nary exa m ples ca n
rontes is unexceptional but i n ky red s with j uicy flavors be found for less than half
pleasant. Fine exa mples a re of p l u m and soft ta n n i n s. that price.

1 93
CHILE
Enjoy affordable everyday wines and world-class Cabernet
Sauvignon
C h i l e is u n iq u e a mong the major wine-prod ucing nations of g ra pevi ne to express its te rro i r more tha n fo reign rootstocks.
the world. It's the o n l y cou ntry that has neve r experien ced C h i l ea n vi nes a re a l most a l l pla nted o n their own roots.
the ravages of the phyl loxera l o u se. The vast maj ority of C h i l e's d i l e m m a is that there is no m i d d l e m a rket. It fl ooded
g ra pevi nes wo rldwide a re g rafted onto phyl l oxera-resi sta nt the export market with excel lent i nexpensive wines, which
rootstock. And more t h a n one C h i l ea n viticu ltu rist has tru m­ fra m ed the cou ntry's reputation as a sou rce of chea p a nd
peted the re m i nder that not h i n g destroys the a b i l ity of a d ri n ka b l e wines. But C h i l e's h i g h-end wi nes ra n k with the best

Casablan ca Valley Vineyard

l/)
u
1-4
l/)
<(
m�iV\ Wi V\e Re 5 iOV\S' iV\ Chi le
co
LU (North fo S'olAth)
z:
1-4
3: • Ac.0V\c.t15l.1t1 : This is the hottest re5ioV\ .

u
<(
z: C.cisciblc.V\CCt : This is the coolest re5ioV\ . NiV\etlj

perc.eV\t is plt1V\ted to Lht1rdOV\V\tilj ·

• Mciipo: jl-1sf sol.1th of S't1V\tit150 . S'l-1perb reds.

· Rcipe l : 5recit C.t1berV\et S't1l.1vi5V\0V\ . Cc.sci Lcipos­


tol le is here .

• Ll.1ric.6 : S't1l.1vi5V\OV\ Blt1V\C. t1V\d P1 V\ot Noir. Tor­


res, YV\oV\+es, etV\d Cc.heverriet t1re here . The Casa bla nca Val ley,
• • Most, but not a l l, of Chile's
east of Va l pa raiso, is C h i le's Chardonnay comes from
premier cool wine-growing the Casa blanca Va l l ey.
region. Wines made exc l u sively
from Casa bla nca fru it wil l
• Open to the sea, morn ing ca rry t h e "Casablanca"
fogs cool the va l ley. The va l­ appe l l ation on the la bel. If
l ey is often compared with this a ppel lation is not listed,
Ca l ifornia's Carneros region, the wine probably origi­
which is a prime l ocation for nates from southern Ch i le
Chardon nay and Pinot Noir. in l ess-desirable locations.

1 94
in the wo rld. They cost m u c h less t h a n compara b l e wi nes wines to l u x u ry bra n ds. Althou g h these exporte rs d o m i n ate
from E u rope and America. But there's l ittle i n between. the wines see n in the U n ited Kingdom, Ca nada, a n d the
C h i l e's wi ne-g rowi ng reg ion con s i sts of a n a l most co ntig u­ U n ited States, they re present o n ly 20 percent of bottled C h i l­
ous stri p ru n n ing north a n d south between two m o u nta i n ea n wi ne.
ra nges, t h e Andes a n d t h e coast ra nges. Rivers d ra i n i n g the Eig hty percent of C h i lea n wine is made by sma l l- and
Andes fl ow to the sea, provid i n g a m ple i rrigatio n for the med i u m-sized wineries. Some private estates a re large enough
vi neya rd s. to enjoy i nternational d istri bution. These i n c l ude Montes,
Most of C h i l e's export wines a re prod ucts of Co ncha y Toro, Cousi no Macu l, Los Vascos, Sa nta Mon ica, and Sa nta I nes.
Sa nta R ita, a n d Sa nta Ca ro l i na, a l l based in Sa ntiago. These The rise to p ro m i ne nce of h i g h-end C h i lean wine is cred­
co m pa n ies offer a ra nge of q u a l ities from sou nd a n d s i m p l e ited to fore i g n i nvestment in the 1 980s.

Carmen ere-Chile 's Signa ture Red Wine

Lhi fe '5 Major Ex p ort


Prodvtcer5
• C.0V1chei � Toro : folA V1ded b� DoV\
Me lchor C.0V1chei � Toro iV1 1 8 8 3 . Wide
reiV15e of we l l-creifted wiV1eS".

• S'eiV\tei Rik es-teiblis-hed i V1 1 8 8 0 . flA l l


reiV15e o f wiV1eS", i V1cllAdiV15 Tri ple C. , Cl
s-tlAV\V\iV\5 C.eirl'Y\eV\ere bleV\d .

• S'eiV1tC1 C.C1roliV1C1: Cl ModerV\ wiV1er�


prodlACiV15 vei llAe-orieV1ted wi V1eS"

C h i l e's Carmenere, l i ke sive ones, a re actu a l ly


Argenti na's M al bec, is a Bor­ Ca rmenere.
deaux blending variety that • Los- Veis-cos-: C.hileeiVI OlAtpos-t of
has fou n d a more s u ita ble • Ca rmenere featu res a DoMC1iV1eS" BeiroV1S" de Roths-child-Leifife
home in the N ew World. profo u nd smoky sensibil­
ity a nd structu re with dark
• Orig i na l ly thought to be blackberry notes.
Merlot, Carmenere was only
recently correctly identi­
fied. Many C h i lean Merlots,
particularly the i nexpen-

1 95
CHILE: CENTRAL VALLEY
Clos Apalta and Don Melchor are two of the finest Cabernet
Sauvignon-based wines in the New World
C h i le a n d Ca l ifornia s h a re a s i m i l a r c l i m ate. Both h ave a centra l reg ion, so m uch so that there is no Ce ntra l Va l l ey AVA Wi ner­
va l ley a ro u nd 600 m i les long fra m ed by a coa st ra nge i n the ies that source their fru it fro m that region use the broader
west a nd h i g h mou nta i ns i n the ea st. Both va l l eys a re m ajor "Ca l iforn ia" a ppel l ation.
viticu ltura l reg ions i rrigated by rivers flow i n g d own from the Chile is u n dersta nd a bly proud of its Centra l Va l l ey beca use
snow-ca p ped m o u nta i n s . But there the s i m i l a rity ends. it is the sou rce of C h i l e's best wines-a n d its least. The "Ce n­
Cal ifornia's Centra l Va l l ey is the state's least-ce lebrated w i n e tra l Va l l ey" or "Va l le Centra l " a ppel l ation a ppea rs o n m a ny

A Cen tral Valley Vineyard

V'l
u
1-1
V'l
<(
c::o
RecOMMeVlded Wi VleS' froM
UJ
:z:
Chi fe 's- CeV\fr� f V� f fe 'j
1-1
3:
� • LOV\Chti � Toro DoV\ Melchor LtiberV\et
u
<(
S°C1vivi5V\OV\ 'f 'f 'f 'f
:z:

• LtiS"ti Ltipos-folle C los- Apti ltti (C.t.1rwieV\ere
b leV\d) 1'1'1'1'

• Crrt1Z1Ariz ViV\edo Lhtidwick LtiberV\et


S°C1vivi5V\OV\ cf cf cf cf

• C.oV\o S"vir ;;w Bt1rre ls- Lht.1rdoV\V\Ci�


LtiS"tiblt.1V\C{.1 1'1'
• Centra l Va l ley vineya rds a re resista nt rootstock as a n
planted on deep volca nic i n s u ra nce measure.
a l l uvium.
• Rainfa l l in the Centra l Va l­
• Most Centra l Val ley ley is approximately one
g ra pevi nes a re pla nted on and one-half times that
their own roots beca use of Argenti na's Mendoza
p hyl loxera has not posed Provi nce on the other side
a problem here. Newly of the Andes.
pla nted vi neya rds a re
using American phyl loxera-

1 96
inexpen sive C h i lea n wines. It ca rries no more mea n i n g tha n a n d Pi not N o i r a ppea r i n the U n ited Kingdom.
the u b i q u itou s "Ca l ifornia" a ppel l ation. C h i le's fi ne wi nes u se a U n l i ke neig h bori ng Argenti na, whose wine reputation rests
more na rrowly defi ned a ppel l ation such as "Ma i po" or "Rapel'.' a l m ost entirely on its M a l bec, C h i l e produces a fu l l ra nge of
Viticu ltura l ly, C h i le's Ce ntra l Va l ley exten d s from Santiago su perior wines, a l l from i nternationa l va rieties. C h i le has no
south to M a u le and i s com posed of fou r l a rg e a p pel lations: native g ra pe va rieties.
"Mai po;' " R a pel;"'Cu ric6;' a n d "Mau le'.' Th e reg ions of l tata a n d C h i le's Centra l Va l ley wine i nd u stry was formed in the 1 980s
Bio Bio l i e south o f M a u le a n d a re planted l a rgely t o Pa is when ski l l ed w i n e m a kers from Fra nce, S pa i n, and Ca l ifornia
(Argentina's Crio l la Ch ica a nd Ca l iforn ia's M i ssion) a n d M u scat formed pa rtners h i ps to explore the reg io n's pote ntia l . Mod­
to be d i stil led i nto Pi sco, the natio n's m ost-popu l a r s p i rit. I n ex­ ern eq u i pment and tech n iq ues h ave replaced the old ways,
pen sive Bio Bio wi nes fro m Sauvi g n o n B l a n c, Gewu rztra m i ner, a n d C h i l e's fi nest wi nes now com pete with the world's best.

Con cha y Taro 's Don Melchor Vina Carmen Cave

• Both the Wine Spectator and • It's a product of a single • Fou nded in 1 850, Viria Ca r­ a re solidly made and attrac­
Robert M. Pa rker J r. hai led vineya rd, Puente Alto in the men is one of Chile's l a rgest tively priced.
Don Melchor as the best Mai po Va l l ey, and consis­ exporters. Its modern
Cabernet Sauvignon from tently rates as outstanding winemaking facil ity was • Vi ria Ca rmen exports 94
C h i le. by major reviewers. built in 1 992. percent of its prod uction to
fifty cou ntries.
• This wine was na med • Don Melchor is the flag- • Vi ria Ca rmen offers a fu l l
after the fou nder of the ship wine of the large firm range o f C h i lean wines from • The Carmenere g ra pe was
compa ny, Don Melchor de Concha y Toro, which offers Casa bla nca Chardon nay to fi rst identified i n one of Vi na
Concha y Toro. everything from Pais in boxes awa rd-wi n n ing Ca bernet Carmen's vineya rds.
to elegant reserve wines. blends. All Carmen wines

1 97

APERITIF & PARTY WINES


Classic starters won't dull your taste buds for the foods that follow
Enterta i n i ng with wine is easy if you keep a few s i m p le ru les va n i l l a a n d tropica l fru it. Such wines d u l l the pa late. Ameri­
i n m i nd . When you a re u ncerta i n a bout the preferences of can Chen i n B l a n c may a l so be too rich and sweet for sti m u­
you r g u ests, serve wines that a re not too a ssertive. Avoid racy lating a ppetites.
Sa uvig non B l a ncs, very d ry M u scad ets, sweet wines, a nd fu l l­ You ca n't go wrong with Cha m pagne or other s pa rkling
bod ied red wi nes. wi nes. These wines a l ways add a festive note a nd prepare the
Alth o u g h C h a rdon nay is America's favo rite wh ite wi ne, pa late for foods a n d wines to fol l ow. Dry rose wines a re a l so
m a ny a re made in an overly sweet style with strong notes of an exce l lent c hoice that has wide a p pea l . If you r preference

Cold Appetizers Sparkling Rose an d Dry White Win e

V')
u
1--1
V')
<(
co
UJ
:z:
1--1
:s:
:::::£
u
<(
:z:
:::::£

• Softer w hites l i ke Pi not richer the d i p, the more • Cha m pagne is perfect ra nge of foods, d ry rose
Grigio work wel l with bodied the wine should be. here. Serve in a fl ute, not a spa rkl ing wines a re more
crud ites, but more-acidic Gai ney Sa uvignon Blanc cou pe. The fl ute showcases versatile. Sparkling roses
wh ite wines l i ke Sa uvignon offers a classic exa m p l e of the textu re of the bu bbles. a re not l i mited to expensive
Blanc and M u scadet cut oak-fi n ished Centra l Coast The coupe causes bu bbles pink Champag ne. Afford­
through richer ap petizers Sa uvignons. Oregon Pi not to dissipate, and the wine is a ble pink cremants such as
l i ke salmon. Gris such a s the Chehalem easily spil led. Bailly-La pierre fill the bill
Pinot G ris pictured here nicely. Gruner Veltliners from
• Like all sa uced foods, the com plements a wide ra nge • Although Champagne and Austria such as the H u g i
wine should be chosen to of a ppetizers. sparkl i ng white wines prop­ pictured a bove a re crisp
com plement the sauce. The erly acco m pa ny a broad and refresh i n g choices.

1 98
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
is for a d ry wh ite wi ne, c hoose one that's l i g ht i n body, very
d ry, and not sweet, such as Pinot Gris/G rigio, Al bari no, or a Classic Kir Cocktail
d ry Riesli ng. If you choose a red wine for you r a peritif wi ne, The classic Kir consists of a glass of Aligote (any
choose a l i g h t d ry one that's not overly fru it d riven. A good full-bodied dry white wine will do) with a dollop
choice wou l d be Bea ujola i s. of creme de cassis. Use the best creme de cas­
Co nsider choos i n g a d ry S h erry for you r a peritif wi ne. Dry sis you can find. T he best comes from Dijon. The
Sherry m a kes an exce l l ent acco m pa n i ment to m a ny h o rs liqueur may be mixed into the wine or allowed
d 'oeuvres, especia l ly S pa n i s h ta pas. Be s u re to c h oose a F i n o, to settle in the bottom of the glass for visual
effect. A Kir Royale substitutes Champagne for
Cockta i l She rry, or M a nza n i l la . A l l other types a re too sweet
the Aligote.
a n d w i l l m a s k the flavors of m ost a p petizers.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Hot Appetizers Dry Sherry

TRIMlC
lA W

PINOT GR �
11 0 0 :1 111 8 8 • R V E

• Hot a p petizers a re good to most savory a ppetizers. • Kir is the classic wine cock­ a l ly served in small stem­
with spark l i ng wh ite a n d Alsatian Pino Gris such as ta i l from B u rg u n dy. There ware that is fi l led to the
rose w i n e s b u t a re even offered by firms l i ke Tri m­ a re dozens of cocktai l s that top beca use Sherry is not
better paired with rou nder, bach a re more s u bstanti a l su bstitute va rious liq ueurs swi rled. I n Spain it's served
fu l l-bodied whites. wines and good choices or fru it syru ps for the creme in a 1 0-ou nce tuli p-sha ped
for meaty a ppetizers. Cru de cassis. stem cal led a "capita:'
• Choose a d ry, u noaked Beaujolais such a s the
Chardonnay, French exa mple by Labou re-Roi a re Always choose a d ry Sherry,
Chablis, Pi not Bla nc, d ry among the more versatile such as Lustau Fi no, Ma nza­
Riesli ng, or Pi not Gri s/Grigio red wines. n i l la, or Cockta i l Sherry for
for a good accompani ment a pertifs. Sherry is trad ition-

1 99
WINES FOR SOUP & SALAD COURSES
Useful wine pairings for difficult food courses
Pa i ri ng wines with sou p a n d salad cou rses ca n be very tricky, fu l l ness and h i g h a l cohol of fo rtified wi nes provide an i nter­
so some peo ple choose to fo rgo servi ng wine entirely with esti ng contrast a n d textu ra l ele ment. Avoid overly sweet for­
these cou rses. Others ca rry over the a peritif wine i nto the tified wi nes with these cou rses.
so u p or salad cou rse. Cream sou ps a l s o pa i r we l l with d ry fortified wines, a nd
There a re some esta b l i s hed tra d itions: Clea r sou ps a re often rich ly fi avored so u ps can work we l l with med i u m-dry fo rtified
pa i red with fortified wines such as d ry Sherry or d ry Madeira . wines such a s Amonti l l ado S h erry and Rai nwater Madeira .
Madeira m a kes a perfect com plement t o conso m me. The Seafood sou ps ca l l for d ry wines. I f the b a s e i s crea my, as

Consomme with Garnish Cream Soup

• Clear soups a re best paired sweetness, such as a n extra • C howders a n d creamy These wines wi l l cleanse
with fortified wines such as d ry or sparkling Vouvray. seafood bisques ca l l for a the palate but provide little
d ry Sherry, d ry Portuguese Avoid "Natura l " a n d Brut lig ht, unoaked wh ite wine com plement to the soup.
Moscatel, or Madei ra l i ke sparkling wines. with med i u m body, such as
the del icious Rai nwater A l baririo, Gru ner Veltl i ner, • Delicate crea m soups based
from Broad bent. • For clear ch icken broth­ or d ry Riesling. on vegetable purees a re
based sou ps, off-dry wh ite best paired with very lig ht,
• Champagne and sparkling wines such as a Kabi nett • Avoid bone-dry wines with d ry, unoaked wines such
wines can work wel l, but Riesling can be pa i red. racy acidity such as Mus­ as Fulget A l ba ririo or the
choose one with a touch of cadet, Vi u ra, Trebbiano, or Silver Chardonnay pictured
very d ry Sauvignon Bla nc. a bove.

200
in a chowder or bisq ue, choose a fu l l-bod ied wh ite s u c h as Try a bone-d ry rose or Brut Cha m pagne with vinegar-based
Pinot B l a n c or d ry Chen i n B l a n c. A h i nt of sweetness i n the salads. Neutra l ize the acid ity of you r salad by a d d i n g n uts,
wine ca n provide a n excel lent com plement. Ka bi nett Ries­ cheese, or o l ives.
l i ng s wo u l d be a good choice a l so. Salads consist i n g of meats a nd vegeta b l es, such as an Ita l i a n
For to mato-ba sed seafood sou ps s u c h as bou i l l a ba i sse a n d a ntipasto or Co b b sa lad, a re co m p lemented b y Bea ujolais, a
ioppi n o, c hoose a m ed i u m-bod ied red wine s u c h a s Bea ujo­ l i g ht G renache, Ag l i a n ico, or Barbera. Salads with very s h a rp
l a is, Va l po l icel la, Ba rbera, or a l i g ht Pi not N o i r. flavors, such as n i�oise, can be se rved with an eq ua l ly b ri g ht
Sa lads present a special problem beca u se they a re usua l ly wine such as Sauvi g n o n B l a nc. Choose one with herbal a n d
d ressed with a vinegar or lemon-based d ressi ng. The sharp­ gooseberry flavo rs such a s those from N ew Zea l a n d . Choose
ness of the vi negar ruins the taste of most wi nes-but not a l l. ta n k-fermented Sauvignons rather than oak-infl u enced o nes.

Cobb Salad Cold Artichoke

• M ixed salads a re easier to • For sa lads consisting of • Artichokes a n d aspa ragus much of its a ppea l. Bonny
pair with wine than s i m ple meat, vegeta bles, a n d a re not as difficult to pair Don n's Vi n Gris de Cigare
vinaigrette-dressed salads cheese, choose a l ig ht with wine as many people is one of Cal ifornia's fi rst
beca use they conta i n a red such as Bardolino, a n believe. Rhone-styled roses. It's
spectrum of rich flavors. i nexpen sive Ita l ian red very d ry a n d makes a good
that is often served l ig htly • There is an acidic s u bsta nce complement to artichokes,
• For mixed salads such as c hi l led. Dry rose wines, sti l l i n a rtichokes and aspara­ asparag u s, and g reen bean
a nti pasto, choose a crisp, or sparkli ng, complement g u s that reacts with other dishes. Dry Creek Chen in
white Sauvignon or Ita l i a n all salad cou rses. A Blanc de flavors i n the mouth, so Blanc, one of Ca l ifornia's
Trebbiano. Noirs such as Chandon is an a com plex, flavorfu l wine outsta nding Cheni n s, has
excellent choice. may turn bitter and lose j ust the rig ht acid ba lance.

20 1
WINES FOR MEAT COURSES
Choose delicate wines for delicate foods, robust wines for richer
dishes
Meat cou rses ca l l for specia l wi nes that not o n ly p rovide a fish a n d fowl " i s much too s i m ple to l ead you to the best
s u ita ble com ple ment but a l so offe r a m a rriage of fiavors that matches.
resu lts i n a cu l i na ry del i g ht that exceed s the plea s u re of the Prime rib, a red m eat, i s g ood with a ra nge of med i u m­
meat a n d the wine enjoyed sepa rate ly. There a re m a ny we l l ­ bod ied red wi nes if it's cooked ra re to med i u m . I f it is cooked
known m a rriages, m ost i nvo lvi ng meats a nd cheeses. past med i u m, you're better off with a fu l l-bod ied wh ite. Add
The old adage "red wines with red meat, wh ite wi nes with horsera d i s h a n d c h oose a spicy d ry Gewu rztra m i ner.

Roast Chicken Roast Ra ck of Lamb

V)
u
1-t
V)
<(
CCI
LU
z
1-t
3:

u
<(
z

• Recom mended wh ite wines Tempra n i l l o, Sangiovese, • La m b a n d Merlot is a classic Zinfa ndel, Austra l i a n Sh iraz,
a re wh ite Burg u ndy, N ew a nd l ig ht-styled Grenache. matc h . Leonetti's i s one New World Syra h, Spa nish
World Chardonnay, Chenin Maculan Pino & Toi i s a of the richest a n d fi nest or Austra l ia n Grenache,
Blanc, Riesling (Kabi nett or blend of th ree Ita l i a n wh ite Merlots from Was h i n gton and Pi not Noir. Very d ry red
Spatlese), Pinot Gris/Grigio, va rieties. It has an excel lent State. Eq u a l l y delicious is wines such as most Ita l ia n
Alba ri no, Gru ner Veltliner, bala nce between ri pe- Ya nga rra's Old Vi ne Gren­ and French wines fight with
Roussan ne, and Ma rsa n ne. ness, acid ity, and structu re. ache from Austra l ia. sweet fruit sauces, so choose
Ya nga rra O l d Vi ne Grenache a fruity, rich red from the
• Recom mended red wines from Austra lia works wel l • With fruit-based sauces U nited States or Australia.
a re Rioja, Chianti, Va l poli­ with more fu l ly flavored these wines a re recom­ White wines a re never the
cel la, Pinot Noir, Bea ujolais, chicken dishes. mended: med i u m-bodied best choice for lamb.

202
Poached ch icken responds best to a l ig ht w h ite wi ne. other. Before you open a b uttery Ca l ifornia C h a rdon nay or
Roa sted ch icken need s a more-s u bsta ntial wine such as a Ca bernet Sauvi g n o n or Zi nfa ndel, be s u re yo u h ave foods
C h a rd o n n ay. G r i l led or barbecued c h i c ken pairs wel l with that can sta nd u p to them. G r i l led and barbecued meats a re
C h a rd o n n ay. Tha n ksg ivi ng tu rkey is especia l ly pro b l ematic g ood choices for those wi nes. The second ru le: If your meat
beca use the breast meat pa i rs best with a soft wh ite such is sauced, pair the wine to the sauce. Poached sa l mon is nicely
as Soave or Ve rnaccia, the d a rk m eat with a l i g ht red. Serving pa i red with a soft, del icate wh ite, but cover it with Hol la nda ise
two wines solves the problem. Or compro m i se by servi ng a sa uce, and you wi l l be better advised to choose a fu l l-bodied
d ry rose. wh ite or a l ig ht red. Some c l a ssic pa i ri n g s i n c l ude d uck with
The fi rst ru l e of food a nd wine pairing: The wine and food Pi not N o i r; g r i l led sa l mon with Pi not N o i r; g r i l led stea ks with
must complemen t each other, neither one overpowering the Merlot or Ca bernet Sauvi g non; meat with C h i a nti or Rioj a .

Italian Stuffed Pork Roast Prime Rib of Beef

f!1EURE
N\oNTE.�GuEs

Napa Velle.J Red Wine


ProprletanJ Blend

• Try to match eth nic and a re Chianti, Va l po l icella, • Prime rib ca l l s for lig hter med i u m-well to wel l done.
reg ional cuisi nes with wines Prim itivo, Sa lice Salenti no, wines than gril led stea ks
from the same region. Rioja, Tem p ra n i l lo, and beca use the s u rface of the • Marsh a l l Cel l a rs' h i g h ly­
Sang iovese. meat is less caramel ized. rated J u l iet Peery is a
• Meat d i s hes with com plex Cabernet-based proprieta ry
flavors a re best served with • For meat di shes fu lly • Wines for prime rib m u st blend from two of Na pa
med i u m-bodied, very d ry cooked, fu l l-bodied wh ite be chosen with regard to Va l l ey's most d i sti nguished
red wi nes. wines can be chosen: un­ the doneness of the meat. vineya rds. For a rich and
oa ked Chardon nay, Alsatia n Choose med i u m-bod ied sed uctive choice, consider
• Recom mended wines Pi not Bla nc, d ry Ries l i ng, d ry red s for ra re to med i u m; a top Chatea u neuf-d u-Pape
for complex meat d ishes and Chenin Bla nc. fu l l-bodied wh ites for from Chateau La Nerthe.

203
WINES FOR SPICY & ETHNIC FOODS
Beer may be the beverage of choice for these foods , but wonderful
wine alternatives exist
Wi ne is not ofte n associated with the c u i s i n es of Asia, I n d ia, spicy foods. But today wine is beco m i ng i n c rea s i n g ly popu­
the Middle East, a n d Mexico, even thoug h wine is prod uced lar worldwide s i m p ly because eve ry food can be co m ple­
in a l l those reg ions. mented with wi ne.
The cu isi nes of m ost of the non-Europea n world devel o ped A pri ncipal issue is the Th i rd Wor l d 's depend ence o n cap­
with other beverages in m i nd, m ostly beer a nd a l e. Those s i c u m , or c h i l i peppers. C h i le adds depth of fi avor to m a ny
a re usua l ly consid ered beverages of choice for eth n ic a n d foods but a l so heat that m a kes wine pairing d ifficu lt.

Chinese Stir-fry Thai Curry

ELBA CH - OSTER
2006
TR E S P I C O S
ZEl.TINC1ER l l lMMELREICH
Rll:1iLINll KABINErl
HALBTROCKEN

• For del icately seasoned • A d ry Ka bi nett Riesling such • I ntensely flavored cu rries from Ca l ifornia's Ca rneros
vegetable or chicken-based as Sel bach-Oster's from req u ire more assertive region has a complex min­
dishes, choose a crisp wh ite Germa ny's Mosel Va l l ey pro­ wines than do delicate era l ity and slight sweetness
wine such as a French or vides a n excellent pairing stir-fries. that ma rries wel l with many
Ca l ifornia Sauvignon Bla nc. for many sti r-fried d i shes. If Thai d i shes. Ful ler-bodied
New Zeal an d Sauvignons the dish i s on the spicy side, • Beca use Thai cu rries a re Thai dishes work nicely
may be too overpowering. try a Zinfandel such as St. sweet, avoid hig h-acid with Grenache. The Tres
If g i nger is promi nent, con­ Ama nt's Old Vi ne Zinfandel wines. They wi l l not Picos Grenache from Spai n's
sider a d ry Gewu rztra m i ner. from Lod i, Cal ifornia. com plement this cuisine. Borsao reg ion is deep a n d
sweet.
• Rombauer Chardon nay

204
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Rich spice a nd heat a re m itigated a n d co m plemented by
sweetness. So wi nes such as Gewu rztra m i ner, sweeter Ries­ You ca n judge the fu l l ness of a w i n e by its a lcohol
l i ngs, a n d Zi nfa n del often pa i r we l l with these foods. conte nt. The lower the a lcohol l evel, the lig hte r
Sa ke, a rice wine, is thou g ht to be the ideal wine fo r m a ny t h e body o f t h e wi ne. Wi nes a bove 1 4 percen t w i l l
Orienta l foods, but other wi nes wo rk very we l l, too. Eth n ic be fu l l bod ied a nd i nten sely flavored.
foods with del icate fl avo rs such as sushi, sa s h i m i , tem p u ra,
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
a n d mild sti r-fries a re bea utifu l ly m atch ed with co m p lex, d ry,
wh ite wi nes such as Viog nier. Another good c ho ice is a bone­
d ry C h e n i n B l a n c such a s Save n n i e res. M u scadet wou l d a l so
be a p propriate.

Indian Curry Tex-Mex Chili

N EYE RS

i' I . ' F A Dl l
Pato V i ne a t
llUd ( o l J { uu

• C hoose the wine accord i ng such as Al bari no, Soave, • Choose a fu ll-bodied, bold, • A fu l l-bodied Zinfandel l i ke
to the i ntensity and heat of Vernaccia, Ka binett Riesli ng, fru ity red wi ne. Avoid overly N eyers is a great match for
the dish. Ma lvasia Bia nca, or Toca i com plex wines beca use the meaty, spicy flavors of
Fri ula no. Zinfandel pa irs spicy food a lways ta kes c h il i . A Petite Sirah from
• Most I nd i a n cu rries served wel l with richl y spiced center stage. Rosen b l u m provides even
in resta u ra nts a re moder­ I nd i a n d i shes. Ravenswood more body an d da rker fru it
ately spiced, but the wine offers an extensive l i ne u p. A • The spiciness of these chil­ flavors.
must not overpower the d ry Riesling such a Chatea u ies overpower a ny delicate
del icacy of the spices. Ste.-Michelle is a good wi ne. You want a powerfu l
choice for vegeta rian I ndian red wine with forward fruit
• Choose a soft, off-d ry wh ite dishes. a n d a note of sweetness.

205
WINES FOR DESSERT COURSES
Dessert wines should be slightly less sweet than the foods they
accompany
Pa i ri n g wine with desserts can be d iffi c u lt beca use yo u need ment foods that a ppea r l ess sweet. But if the wine is n ot
to bala nce the sweetness of the food with the sweetness of sweet e n o u g h , the sweetness of the food wi l l m a ke the wine
the wine. taste more acidic tha n it rea lly is.
Coffee or tea i s a l ways a n option, but some wi nes ca n be The key is bala nce. Dessert wi nes m u st a p pear to be j u st
s u rpri s i n g ly good with sweet desserts. s l i g htly l ess sweet t h a n the foods they accom pa ny. Good ca n­
Wines with g reater a pparent sweetness d o not comp le- d i d ates m ig ht be Auslese Riesli ngs, A l satian Gewu rztra m i n ers,

Fruit Tart Creme Brulee

V'l
u
......
V'l
<(
cc
UJ
:z:
......
3:

u
<(
:z:

2005
Kasder · ies · chcn
Rie ling Spiilbc 2008
Chmin Blanc - Viog11ier

• Fruit ta rts a re easy desserts Riesling, or Gewu rztra m i ner. • Sweet, creamy textu res ca l l Try a To kaj i Aszu, Quarts
to pair with wine beca use A M issou ri d ry Vig noles for a wine with fu ller body de Chau mes, Canadian
fru it and wine have a natu­ wou l d work wel l, too. and g reater sweetness. or German I ce Wi ne, or
ra l affin ity. Sa uternes. P in e R id ge offers
• A sweet Riesling l i ke Ka rls­ • A Californ ia-style rich Char­ a splendid complexe blend
• The flavors a re not i ntense, m ul e S patlese is an ideal don nay might work wel l or of Chardon nay and Viogn ier
so choose a lig ht, med i u m­ choice for a fru it ta rt o r any a New World Chen in Blanc. that offsets the sweetness of
sweet wh ite wine such as fru it dessert that isn't too creme brul ee. Mission H i l l 's
Muscat Ca nel Ii, S patlese acid ic. • The crea miness a n d cara­ Ice Wine from Canada's Oka­
mel ized sugar wou l d a l low nagan Va l ley offers flavors of
even sweeter wines to pair. apricots, honey, and ra isins.

206
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
or sweet Vouvrays. A q u a l ity Asti S p u m a nte wo rks we l l with
m a ny desserts. An exce l l ent choice for m ost desserts is a The great unfortified sweet wines of the world
sweet C h a m pagne or s pa r k l i n g wi ne. These a re l a beled include Sauternes, Tokaji Aszu, Tokaji Aszu Trock­
"Doux. " Most wi nes l i sted as dessert wines a re rea l ly d esserts enbeerenauslese Riesling, lcewine, and Italian
in themse lves. Sauternes-a g reat sweet wine-pa i rs bet­ Recioto. These wines can be desserts i n them­
te r with org a n meats t h a n with apple pie. It a nd others l i ke selves and are most easily paired with strong
it com p lement fru it very we l l but not ca kes a n d pies. Late­ cheeses and roasted nuts.
h a rvest wi nes m a ke d i fficult m atches with foods and should • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
be avoided fo r m ost dessert cou rses except for l ate-ha rvest
red w i n es. They pa i r exq u i s ite ly with ch ocol ate desserts.

Fruit Bowl Flourless Chocolate Cake

CHURCHILl:S
VINTAG E PO RTO
2003

• Dress up a fruit bowl by with good body. Delicate • Cabernet Sauvignon is the or bittersweet chocolate
pouring wine over the fruit. wines taste watered down. wine of choice for choco­ with d ry red wine is s u rpris­
Suggested wines a re French Martin & Weyrich's Moscato late and Mettler's from Lod i, in g ly s uccessfu l. Port a n d
or American hybrids such Allegro i s a pop u l a r sweet Ca l ifornia, is an exa m ple late-ha rvest red wines
as d ry Vignoles, Seyva l, and wine that pairs especia lly that has garnered double com plement chocolate
Vidal. S patlese Rieslings, nicely with fresh fru it. gold meta l s. Vi ntage Port, wel l a lso. Ru by, Reserve,
Ca l ifornia Chen i n Bla nc, a nd S parkling wine i s a lways such as C h u rc h il l 's 2003, LBV, and Vi ntage Ports work
M u scat Ca nel l i work wel l appropriate with fru it. We matches the sweetness of best. Other red wines that
here a lso. suggest one with a s l i g htly chocolate desserts. complement chocolate des­
sweet edge, l i ke Chateau serts a re Austra l ia n Sh iraz,
• Choose sweet white wines Ste.-M ichel le's Extra Dry. • The com bination of sweet Syra h, a n d Zinfandel.

207
WINES FOR CHEESE COURSES
The optimum choices might surprise you
It's easy to c hoose a p p ropriate wines to complement you r Roq u efort, a saltier cheese of the same type, with Sa uternes.
cheese cou rse i f you try t o bala nce t h e del icacy o f the What's usefu l i n t h i s case is to note the genera l ities: Both
cheese with s i m i l a r c h a racteristics i n the wine. But made­ cheeses a re b l ue vei n ed, a nd both wines a re extremely
in-heaven m a rriages req u i re more care. Beca use of varia­ sweet. So we can say that very sha rp, strong cheeses ca l l fo r
tions with i n cheeses of the same type, d iffere nt w i n es very sweet wi nes.
a re sometimes ca l led for. Those who know cheese best A s m a l l sel ection of wines coveri ng a s pectru m of styles
wi l l advise Sti lton to be pa i red with Port or Madeira but w i l l fac i l itate excel lent m atc hes fo r a ny cheese you serve. I n

Goa t Cheeses Cheddar Cheeses

V'l
u
1--t
V'l
<(
co
UJ
z:
1--t
3:

u
<(
z:

• M i l d goat cheeses a re wel l as Gira rd from N a pa Va l ley. • Cheddar is one of the few • Both B r u t Champagne a n d
pai red with very lig ht, d ry cheeses that is best served O loroso S herry make fi ne,
wh ites. Try Champagne, • If strongly flavored or soft­ with a fu l l-bodied red wine. if very different, comple­
M u scadet, or Sauvignon ri pened, l i ke H u m boldt Fog, Try Cabernet Sauvignon, ments. Sharp, ripe Cheddar
Blanc. choose a rich Chardonnay. red Bordea ux, or Syra h . cheeses work wel l with red
Cha l k H i l l Chardonnays a re Bordeaux. Ch. To ur St Bon­
• Light goat cheeses a re best a l ways a fi ne choice. • Cheddar is a l so excel­ net is a n inexpensive wine
complemented by a crisp, lent with A l satian that wi l l fit the bill. Sweet
l i g ht Sauvignon B l a nc, such Gewu rztra m iner and Sherry is a perfect choice.
Auslese Ries l i ng . Choose an Oloroso or Ped ro
Xi menez from Lusta u.

208
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
the case of a fo rma l cheese cou rse where sa m ples of sev­
era l cheeses a re served tog et her, a se lection of wi nes s h o u l d The most-versatile wines for cheese courses
a lways b e offered . include Champagne, Chardonnay, Beaujolais, Sau­
Fu l l-bod ied red wi nes s u c h as Ca bernet Sauvig non, Merl ot, ternes, Oloroso Sherry, and Port. These wines work
Syra h, a n d Zi nfa n del work well with a few strong cheeses, better over a large spectrum of cheeses than do
but in genera l, l i g hter reds work bette r ove r a wider ra nge most d ry red wines.
of cheeses.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Wh ite wines with a touch of sweetness, such as N ew World
C h a rdon nay, work s u rprisi n g l y we l l with m a ny semi soft
ch eeses such as Swiss a n d other a l p i ne cheeses.

Soft-Ripened Cheeses Blu e-vein ed Cheeses

O L D G H O ST

• Soft-ripened cheeses ra nge with Bea ujolais, particularly • Blue-vei ned cheeses • Red wine combinations
from mild to sti n ky strong. Beaujolais Vi l lages and Cru incl ude Roq uefort, Sti lton, incl ude Beaujolais, Zinfan­
Beaujolais. Gorgonzola, Danish Blue, del, Australian Sh iraz, and
• For very m i ld soft-ripened and a large n u m ber of Italian Amarone.
cheese, Albarinos from • Very strong soft-ripening a rtisa nal cheeses.
Rias Baixas a re dependable c heeses work wel l with • Wh ite pairings include a
choices. Alsatian Gewi.i rztra miner • Their sharp fl avors and salti­ sweet Alsatian Pi not Gris,­
and Auslese Riesl ing. ness pair best with sweet Gewu rztra miner, and Italian
• Stronger soft-ripening dessert wines such as Sau­ Moscato.
cheeses l i ke Reblochon and ternes, Madeira, and Port.
Pont l'Eveq ue pair very wel l

209
WHITE WINES FOR COOKING
Choose a great all-purpose white wine for cooking
Te levision chefs freq uently i n c l ude wine i n their reci pes u n pa l ata ble for either d r i n ki n g or coo king.
but a l most never te l l you what it is. The u s u a l a d m o n ition For genera l p u rposes choose a d ry wh ite wine with med i u m
is "don't cook with a ny wine you wo u l d n't d r i n k:' That's l ittl e t o fu l l body. U noa ked C h a rdon nay h a s fu l l body a n d none
hel p beca use y o u m i g ht choose t o d r i n k wi nes w hose fl avors of the oaky sweetness fou nd i n m ost New World C h a rdon­
do n't properly com p lement you r food. nays. Don't c hoose wines with a l ot of d isti nct flavors, such
Avoid a l l wines that a re l a be led "cooki ng wine." These a re a s Gewu rztra m i ner, M u scat, Viog n ier, or N ew Zea l a n d Sa uvi­
poor- q u a l ity wines that h ave bee n sa lted, m a k i n g them g n o n B l a nc. They w i l l i m pact yo u r food in u nexpected ways.

Pork and Linguini in Chili Cream

poaching liquid and red u ce t


l a rge skil let; strew g reen to a round 1h cup. Add crea
onions peppers (of c h i l ies), and continue to red uce u nti
and garlic on top. Arrange slig htly thickened, a bout 5
pork chops on top and m i n utes.
season. Pou r wine over, bring
to a boil, cover, and sim- • Cook l i ng u ini and toss with
mer u ntil pork is tender, 1 5 the sa uce. P lace pork chops
min utes. on top, cover with more
sauce, and top with cheese.
• Remove pork. Cover and
keep warm. Meanwhi le, stra i n
21 0
Do n't u se wines with h i g h acid ity a n d delicate fl avors s u c h • • • • • • • • • • • • GREEN 9 LIGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

as Sauvignon B l a n c a nd M u scadet. They contri b ute l ittl e fl a­


Most Useful White Wines for Cooking
vor. The m a i n factors in c hoosi n g a wh ite for cook i n g a re ( 1 )
White Vermouth
ro u nd, u n assertive fl avo rs, (2) sufficient a l cohol ( 1 2-1 8 per­
Unoaked Chardonnay
ce nt), and (3) price. Ta ble wine d oes not possess s uffi cient
Dry Sherry
a l coh o l to ign ite, so no need to re m ove the pa n from the
Marsala
cooktop. Reco m mended wi nes fo r coo k i n g a re Al bari no,
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
M a rsa n ne, u n oaked C h a rdonnay, Pi not G ris, a nd Soave.

Pouring Wine Tossing Linguini

• The herbal fl avor of Ver­ choice of Julia Child. She rec­ • U se about half the sauce to wou l d provide a nice
mouth complements most om mended decreasing the toss with the pasta. Reserve embel lishment.
foods. I n expensive wines amount of wine cal led for the rest to pour over the
a re com pletely satisfactory by 25 percent because Ver­ pork. • Preparation time for this
for this pu rpose. mouth is strongly flavored. del icious, easy dish is a bout
• Fi nish this dish with a 30 m in utes from sta rt to fi n­
• Its h i g h a lcohol content • Vermouth is inexpensive spri n k l i n g of freshly g rated ish. It serves fou r people.
( 1 8 percent) is u sefu l for compared with a l l a l ter­ Pa rmesa n cheese on both
deg lazi ng pa n s. natives a nd keeps wel l the pork and the l i n g u i n i . • The only item needed to
u n refrigerated beca use of A spri n kl i n g o f toasted com plete this entree is a
• White Vermouth was the its h i g h a lcohol content. pine n uts on the l i n g u i n i vegeta ble or salad.

21 1
RED WINES FOR COOKING
Choose very dry red wines for savory dishes
Red wi nes a re u sed for a wide s pectrum of foods ra n g i ng M a rsala when m a k i n g d i s h es such as vea l sca loppini.
from the classic French coq au vin to boeuf bourguinnone. Red wines of cho ice for cooking can be h ig h i n a lco hol, but
Someti mes s pecific wi nes a re cal led for. These d is hes a re with the h i g her a l cohol wi l l come i nte nsity of f1avor a nd often
na med after the wine a n d showcase its speci a l f1 avors. More a sweet a spect. Th is is preva lent in Zi nfa n del, so that variety
often a good ge neric red wine fi l l s the b i l l q u ite wel l . is best avo ided u n less you want a lot of sweet fru it f1 avors. A
Never u s e a sweet red w i n e for cooking u n less you wa nt Zi nfa ndel pa n sauce or red uction is very good with d uck and
the sweetness i n you r food. Red Ve rmouth ca n s u bstitute for l a m b, but yo u wo u l d choose a d rier red fo r m ost d i sh es.

Italian Braised Lamb Shanks

IV\ 5 redieV\f5
• 4 IC1mb 5hCIV\k5

• I eC1ch: IC1rge CC1rrot CIV\d celer'j 5tC1lk, fiV\el'j


chopped

• ;), whole gC1rlic clove5 , pee led

• herb5 to tC15fe (ro5emC1r'j , oregCIV\O, bC11j leC1f)

• l ;J, 01AV\Ce5 LhiC1V\ti , S'C1 lice S'C1leV\ti V\o, or other dr'j


red wiV\e

• This rich a n d hea rty dish • Red uce heat to med i u m


is a n Ita l i a n version of l o w a n d caramel ize on ions,
comfort food. Prepa ra­ a bout 20 m in utes. Raise
• I ;J,4-0IA V\Ce CCIV\ whole tomC1toe5 , cr1A5hed or C\At
tion time: 40 m i n utes. The heat to med iu m high a n d
iV\ the CCIV\ long, slow oven braising is add vegetables and garl ic.
largely u n attended. Fou r Cook about 5 m in utes,
servings. Brown t h e l a m b sti rri ng occasional ly. The
over med i u m h i g h heat i n caramel ized onions a n d
a Dutch oven a n d remove sa uteed vegetables provide
from pan. Cover to keep for a richer sa uce.
wa rm.

21 2
The best a 1 1-pu rpose red cooking wines a re Eu rope a n . French, • • • • • • • • • • • • GREEN 9 L IGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Ita l ia n , a n d Spa n i sh red wi nes a re leaner and d rier than typica l


Recom mended Red Wines for Cooking
America n, South Am erica n, and Au stra l ia n wines.
Any Italian red such as Chianti, Primitive, Montepulciano,
Do n't use g reat wi nes for coo king u n less the d i s h s h owcases
or Salice Salentino
the s pecific q u a l ities of the wi ne. Do n't use cheap generic
Beaujolais (but not Beaujolais Nouveau)
red s because they will not contri b ute i nteresting fiavors to
C6tes-du Rhone
you r food.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Adding Win e Level of Liquid

• W h e n t h e vegeta bles a re • Add the chicken stock a n d • The l evel of the l iq u id • Greek or Ita l ia n black ol ives
a romatic, return the l a m b tomatoes t o t he p o t a long should be three-qua rters may be added after the
s ha n ks t o the p a n , a l o n g with thei r juice. the height of the meat. meat has fi nished cooking.
w i t h t h e herbs. Adj u st accord i ng l y by add­
• Bring to a simmer. Mean­ ing more wine o r stock. • J u st before servi ng, prepare
• Pou r the wine over the whi le, preheat oven to a pasta of you r choice to be
meat, scraping the bottom 275° F. • Place the pot in the served a longside. The meat
of the pan to thoro ug h ly preheated oven and cook, is served separately from
deg laze it. Red uce the covered, for a bout 3 hours, the sauce, which is tossed
vol u me of the wine by one­ or u ntil the meat is very with the pasta.
half, a bout 1 0 m i n utes. tender.

21 3
FORTIFIED WINES FOR COOKING
Dry, medium-sweet, or sweet fortified wines add depth of flavor to
many dishes
Fortified wi n es a re wi nes to w h i c h g ra pe bra ndy has been s h o u l d be wh ite Ve rmouth a n d d ry Sherry.
added to bri ng the a lco h o l level up to 1 8-20 perce nt. C l a s­ Madeira a n d Ma rsa l a h ave s i m i l a r fl avor a n d sweetness pro­
sic exa m ples a re Sherry, Port, Madeira, a nd M a rsa l a . Fi n o a n d fi les a nd ca n be u sed i nterc h a n gea bly. Madeira is an esse n­
Manza n i l l a a re d ry versions of Sherry, but the others h ave tia l i ng red ient i n ce rta i n classic French sauces, such as Sauce
va rying deg rees of sweetness. Perigord, a nd M a rs a l a is trad itio n a l ly used to m a ke a pan
If you h ave o n ly two wi nes reserved for cooki ng, they sauce for vea l sca l o p p i n i a n d vea l M a rs a l a . Both Madeira a nd

Classic Veal or Chicken Marsala

V)
u
1--1
V)
<(
co
LU
z • :J. boV)e le55 c.hic.keV) bret15f5 povt V)ded fhi V) , or :J.
1--1
5:

vet1 I )c.t1 loppi V)i povt V)ded fhi V)
u
<(
z

• This is a classic Ita l ia n d i s h • Dredge chicken or vea l in


using t h e sweet, n utty seasoned flour and shake
wine of Sici ly. The same off excess. Heat a sa ute pan
recipe can be made with over med i u m high heat.
rea l sca loppini o r ch icken Saute meat i n a m ixtu re of
breasts, pounded thin. This butter and ol ive oil u ntil
easy a n d flavorful d is h can lig htly browned on both
be made i n fifteen m in utes, sides. Do not overcook.
sta rt to fi nish, and serves Remove and reserve.
two people.

214
M a rs a l a bri ng a rich, roasted n u t note to sa uces. . . . . . . . . . . YE LLOW LIGHT • • • • • • • • • • • • •

A d ry S herry i s the wine of choice for a l l C h i nese d i s h es


The h i g h a lcohol content a n d aggressive flavors of fortified
that req u i re wine a nd provides the best s u bstitute for sake
w i n es can easily beco me d o m i n a n t in sou ps and foods. U se
i n J a pa nese d i s hes.
a d e l ica te h a n d .
Dry Sherry is a l so the wine of choice for e n ri c h i n g so u ps •

a nd co nsom mes, a lthou g h sweeter Sherries can work we l l • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

a l so. Forma l d i n n e rs someti mes i n c l ude 1 - or 2-o u n ce via l s of


She rry to be added to the sou p at the ta ble. Po rt w i n es a re
u sed i n sauces o n l y when the fl avor of the w i n e is to d o m i­
nate, as i n Cu m berl a n d Sauce.

Adding Wine Pia ting Dish

• Add m u s h rooms and cook ingredients wi l l com bine to • This classic dish can be with saffron risotto and
u ntil they render their make a delicious sauce. made using Sercial or Rain­ peas. Any rice dish ca n be
j u ices. It wi l l ta ke severa l water Madeira to a n eq u a l ly s u bstituted.
min utes for the m u shroom • Off heat, sti r in the cold good effect, but Ma rsa la is
liquor to eva porate. butter to en rich and thicken traditional. Dry Sherry or • Chianti or a robust Italian
the sauce. Amontil lado can a l so be red wine such as Italian
• Add the wi ne, vinegar, and su bstituted but w il l resu lt in Primitivo or Nero-d'Avola
stock. Cook u ntil red uced • Return meat to the pa n to a very d ifferent flavor. makes an excel lent
by a bout one-ha lf, a bout 5 coat. Check seasoning and accompa n i ment.
min utes. During this time serve immediately. • Vea l or ch icken M a rsala
the flavors of the sepa rate is trad itionally served

21 5
THREE WINE REDUCTION SAUCES
Easy sauces elevate simple foods to extraordinary heights
Wi ne is a component i n m ost sauces i ntended to accom pa ny cooking. Red uce the wine to a bout h a l f or u nti l the sauce
meat d i sh es. S i m ple pa n sauces use it to d eg l aze the pa n w i l l coat a spoo n . Off heat, swirl i n a pat of butter a nd se rve
in which meat or fi s h h a s been cooked. Pan sauces can be i m mediate ly. Pa n sauces a re usefu l for m ost meats, c h icken,
made i n two or t h ree m i n utes by t h i s m ethod: Remove the pork, vea l, and fi s h .
sa uteed meat or fish, pou r one-q u a rter cup of wine i nto the More eleg a nt sauces a re m a d e b y coo king w i n e w i t h fia­
pan-either w h ite or red-a nd t u rn u p the h eat, scra p i n g vori ng i n g redients u nti l the fi avors becom e i nten se a n d the
t h e pa n t o d issolve the browned b its created b y the i n itial textu re t h ickens. Do n't confuse th ese sauces with s i m ple pa n

Classic Beurre Blanc/White Pan Sa u ce Madeira Sa u ce

V')
u

V')
<(
co
UJ
z

3:
::::£
u
<(
z
::::£

• Cube 1 2 ou nces cold high heat u ntil red uced • Bring 1 l iter of vea l stock 1 0 m i n utes. When sauce
u n sa lted butter an d set to half its orig inal vol u me. o r consom me to a boil. is thick enough to coat a
aside. Stra i n out solid ingred ients. Add 1 sta l k of celery, fi nely s poon, add Madeira; cook
chopped, along with 2 fresh slowly u ntil sauce regains
• I n a nonreactive sauce pa n • On very low heat incorpo­ tomatoes, peeled, seeded, its consistency.
combine 4 ou nces d ry white rate the cold butter a little and chopped.
wine, 2 tablespoon s wh ite at a time, whisking con­ • Stra i n sa uce. Add chopped
wine vi negar or tarragon sta ntly. Check for season i ng. • Cook u nti l liquid red uces black truffles. The sauce is
vinegar, a few peppercorns, by half. Add 1 ta blespoon t h e n cal led "sa uce Perigord:'
and one or two chopped • Serve with poached or tomato paste. Red uce Serve with roasted game or
shal lots. Cook over med i u m sa uteed fish. heat to a sim mer; cook tou rnedos of beef

21 6
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
sauces. They a re w i n e red u ction sauces. •

Pa n sauces a re a ssociated with s i m ply prepared d i s hes When a wine provides the main f1avor of a sauce, •
l i ke sauteed fi s h , vea l , or pork c hops; wine red uction sauces choose fine wines-but not too fine- over ordi- :

a re common acco m pa n i ments to the m ost eleg a nt of food nary wines. Look for wines with fundamental core •

prepa rations. f1avors.Delicate nuances will be lost in cooking. •

Those that i n c l ude vinegar or fru it a re cal l ed "gastriques. " •
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Wi ne red u ctions that do not i n c l ude c rea m or b utter ca n be
frozen a n d kept u p to th ree months.

Classic Sa u ce Bordelaise Bla ckberries in Zinfan del Gastriqu e

• Roast 5 pou nds beef mar­ • Remove marrow from • Boil 1 bottle Zi nfandel • Add 1 cup of fresh blackber­
row bones along with a few bones and dice. In a smal ler down to 1 /2 c u p. U se a ta l l ries, raspberries, or straw­
carrots, a n u n peeled yel low saucepan sa ute 4 ou nces saucepa n because t h e wine berries, remove from heat,
onion cut i nto q u a rters, a n d sliced m u s h rooms with 3 w il l spatter. and a llow to cool. Refriger­
celery sticks 2 hours at 400 ou nces m i n ced onion. Add ate. May be made a day i n
degrees. Add beef, vea l, or 1 cup each of red wine • Add 1 /2 c u p wh ite sugar; adva nce, b u t don't freeze it
ch icken stock a n d an eq ual a n d stock. S i m mer u ntil conti nue to cook over after fru it has been added
amount of water to cover. sauce thic kens. Add d i ced med i u m heat u ntil sauce Serve over van i l la ice cream.
Si mmer u ncovered u ntil it ma rrow; correct for season­ reaches the desired
thickens slig htly, 2 hou rs. ing. Serve with gril led or consistency. • Serve sauce cold over des­
roasted meats. serts or warm over pork.

21 7
WINE WEB SITES
Recommended Retail Wine Merchants
S h i pping Note: A l l the U.S. me rc h a nts l i sted below s h i p w i n e at Cal iforn ia: Wine Expo
reta i l prices to cu sto mers whose state l aws a l l ow them to receive www.wineexpo.com
a l co h o l i c beverages t h ro u g h the m a i l . State l aws va ry g reatly. Most La rgest sel ection of Ita l i a n wines and Cha m pa g n e i n the U.S.; s h i ps
states that permit posta l del ivery a l s o a l l ow wine s h i pments d i rectly nationwide in the U.S.
from i nd ivid u a l win eries. The majority of s m a l l wi neries se l l m ost or a l l
thei r products t h ro u g h their We b sites or t o thei r m a i l i n g l i sts. Ca l ifornia: Wal ly's
www.wa l lywi ne.com
Ca nada a l lows wine s h i pping o n ly wit h i n the cou ntry. Provi ncial laws "The #1 wine sto re in Los Ange les" -Zagat Survey
vary g reatly.
Ca l ifo rnia: Wood land H i l l s Wine Co.
Wi ne ca n be s h i pped by U. K. mercha nts to c u stomers a nywhere i n www.whwi neco

1--1
t h e U . K. La rg e selection; fast s h i ppi ng; o utsta n d i n g c u sto mer service.
V')
<(
a:i Ca l iforn ia: H iTime Wine Ill i n ois: B i n ny's Beverage Depot
www. h iti mewi ne.net www.bi n nys.co m
La rge selection of h a rd-to-fi nd, ra re, and obsc u re wines; s h i ps nation­ H uge invento ry of d om estic a n d i nternationa l wi nes; Web site easy to
wide i n the U.S. navig ate; s h i ps worldwide.

Californ ia: K an d L Wines Il l i n o is: Sam's Wines & Spi rits


www.klwi nes.com www.sa mswi ne.com
One of the " 1 0 To p O n l ine Shops" -Food and Wine "G reat Va l u e a n d Extensive se lectio n of d o mestic and i nternationa l wi nes; s h i ps
Selection" -Time i nte rnationa l ly.

Cal ifornia: Wine.com New Y o rk: Bedford Wine Merchants


www.wi ne.com www. bedfordwi nes.com
Outsta n d i n g selection of domestic and i nte rnati o n a l w i n es; very La rge selection of domestic and i nte rnationa l wi nes; s h i ps nation­
attractive s h i pp i n g options; ba sed in N a pa Va l l ey. wide i n the U.S.

Californ ia: Wine Exchange Oregon: Oregon Wine Merchants


www.wi n ex.com www.o rwi nes.com
Th ousands of wi nes, domestic a nd i nternati o n a l , at attractive p rices. La rgest se lectio n of Oreg on wi nes on l i ne.
S h i ps nationwide in the U.S.

218
Was h i ngton D. C.: Schneider's of Capitol H i l l U n ited Kingdom: Berry Bros & Rud d
www.ce l l a r.com www. b br.com
Outsta n d i ng selectio n of domestic and i nternati o n a l wi nes; 1 60 Very fi ne selection of wines fro m every wine prod ucing reg ion. Free
diffe re nt g ra pe varieties stocked; s h i ps i nternati o n a l ly. s h i pping wit h i n the U.K. on orders ove r £ 1 00.

Canada: Win ery to Hom e.com U n ited Kingdom: La ithwa ites Wine
www.wi neryto h o me.com www. l a ithwa ites.co. u k
Ca nad a's l a rgest o n l i n e wine reta i l er; very reaso n a b l e s h i p ping Very l a rge i nventory o f E u ropean a n d Austra l ia n wines; g ood South
c h a rges; s h i ps o n ly to Ontario. Am erica n selectio n . S h i ps to a l l pa rts of the U.K. except for the
Cha n nel Islands and rem ote pa rts of the Scottish h i g h l a nds.

21 9
INFORMATIONAL WINE WEB SITES
There a re m a ny i nformative wine Web sites that do not req u i re paid l isting of m ajor wineries worldwide with l i n ks a nd contact i nfo rma­
su bscriptions. The sites l i sted be l ow h ave operated s uccessfu l ly tion; d iscussion foru m and m e m ber reviews.
for many yea rs a n d enj oy a wide readers h i p. Some sites offer wine
reviews by profess i o n a l staffers. Wine S pectator
www.wi nes pectator.com
About.com: Wine Feature a rticles and u p-to-date wine i nfo rmation; wine reviews
http://wine.about.co m/cs/a .htm req u i re a m e m bers h i p fee.
Rich resou rce of a rticles coveri ng a b road ra nge of wine s u bjects;
i ntern atio n a l focus. The World Wide Wine
www.theworldwidewi ne.com
Appel lation America Very extensive sou rce of worldwide wine reportage; fo l ksy writing
V') styl e, h u n d reds of i nfo rmative a rticl es; focus is on va l ue wi nes.
u http://wine.a ppel lationa merica.com
1--1
V') Sha rply focu ssed sou rce of cu rrent i nformation o n a l l m ajor (a nd
<t:
cc many m i n or) g ra pe va rieties g rown i n U.S. a p pe l l ations; a rticles by
LU
z
wel l-known wine writers, buying g u ide, a n d reco m mended wines
1--1
:s: from eac h a ppe l l ation.
:::::.::::
u
<t: Robin Ga rr's Wine Lovers Page
z
:::::.:::: www.winelovers page.com
The oldest, la rgest, and most popu lar i ndependent wi ne-a ppreciation
site on the World Wide We b.

Suitel 0 1 .com/New World Wine


http://newworldwi ne.s u ite l 0 1 .co m
Feature a rticles a nd reviews by the present a uthor a n d co ntri buting
a uth ors; i nternationa l i n scope.

Wine Anorak
www.winean ora k.co m
The U.K:s prem ier o n l i n e wine magazine; h osted by wine scientist
Jamie Goode.
P ran\\\o
-r•"'

Winegeeks.com
http://winegeeks.com
Exten sive site offering a rticles and m a ny wine resou rces; exte ns ive

220
22 1
WINE MAGAZINES
Periodical p u b l ications p rovide feature a rticles, cu rrent i nfo rmation, Robert Pa rker rating of 92 poi nts as p u b l i s hed i n The Wine Advocate.
wine reviews a n d g raded p u rc h a se reco m mendations. Wine Spec­
tator pop u la rized the 1 00-poi nt rati n g syste m n ow i n use by m ost Stephen Ta nzer's International Wine Cellar
reviewers. These a re the n u m bers seen in wine d i s p l ays in s u permar­ Bi-month ly
kets a n d wine s hops. These n u m bers reflect the o p i n i o n s of a sma l l Expensive 56-page period ica l conta i n i n g 1 ,000- 1 ,5 00 wine reviews
.
n u m ber o f experienced tasters w hose p references m ay o r m ay not by Stephen Ta nzer in each i ssu e. We b ve rsion is a l so ava i la b le by s u b­
coi ncide with you rs. They stro n g ly i n fl ue nce the reta i l price of wine. scri ption. ST92 refers to a Stephen Ta nzer rati ng of 92 poi nts.
A wine rated at 89 poi nts in a m ajor p u b l i cation wi l l often be priced
considera b ly l ower t h a n one rated at 90, eve n thoug h the q u a l ity of
the two wou ld proba bly be i n d i sti n g u i s h a b l e to m ost co n s u m ers.
Wi nes that a ppea r on h i g h ly recom m ended l ists s u c h as the Specta-

1-4
tor's ''Top 1 00 Wines of the Yea r" often fi n d thei r reta i l prices d o u b l e
V> overn i g ht.
<:{
co

� The most widely acc l a i med wine reviews a re p u b l is hed i n the peri-
3: od ica ls l isted here:
:::::..::::
u
<l: Wine Spectator
:z:
:::::..:::: Month ly
America's best-se l l i ng wine p u b l ication. Each issue conta i n s a b uyer's
g u ide. WS92 refers to a Wine Spectator rating of 92 poi nts.

Wine Enthusiast
Month ly
Twenty-year-old period ical focu sses on fi ne l iving, travel, food and
wine; has over 700,000 su bscri bers.

Food & Wine


Month ly
I nternatio n a l foc u s on food, reci pes, travel, a nd wine. P u b l i s h ed by
Ti me, I nc.

The Wine Advocate


Bi-monthly
Expensive, no-fri l l s p resentation of w i n e rat i n g s by Robert M. Pa rker, J r.
Considered by m a ny to be the B i b l e of w i n e reviews. RP92 refers to a

222
223
FURTHER READING
Wine books fa l l i nto five categ ories: wine books with a travel focus; The Oxford Companion to Wine, by J a ncis Ro binson.
p u rchasing g u ides; tech n ical books on the scie nce of w i n e m a k i n g ; The sta ndard encyclopedic wine reference book.
encycloped ias; a n d books devoted t o specific va rieties or reg ions.
Buying g u ides l ose cu rrency with each new vintage a n d a re n ot l i sted The Oxford Companion to the Wines of North America, by B ruce Cass
here. Of the h u n d reds of books c u rrently ava i l a b l e, we believe the fol­ a n d Ja ncis Robi n so n .
lowi ng to be a mong the most usefu l . A u sefu l wine encycloped ia focussing on N o r t h America n wi ne.

The Science of Wine: From Vine to Glass, by J a m ie Goode.


Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins o f Viniculture, b y Patrick E . Viti c u l t u re, terro i r, and winemaking as seen t h ro u g h the eyes of a
McGovern. scientist.
A fascinating a n d schol a rly d i scou rse on the orig i n s of w i n e.
V')
u The University Wine Course, by M a ri a n W. Baldy, P h .D.
1--1
V') Biodynamic Wine, Demystified, by N icolas Joly. A wine a p p reciation cou rse a n d self tutori a l .
<(
co An expla nation of b iodyn a m ic wi negrowi n g by one of the world's
u.J
z lea d i n g p ractitioners. Vino Italiano: a Regional Guide to the Wines o f Italy, b y Joseph
1--1
$: Basti a n i c h .
:::::.::: The Geography of Wine: How Landscapes, Cultures, Terroir, and the A m u st-read book for a nyo ne p l a n n i ng a wine tou r of Italy.
u
<( Weather Make a Good Drop, by Brian J. Som mers.
z
:::::.::: An i l l u m i nating d iscussion a bout the i nfl ue nce of g eogra phy a n d The Wine Bible, by Ka ren MacNei l .
c u l t u re on the development of t h e w i n e i n d u stry wo rldwide. Comprehensive, casua l ly written book on gra pe va rieties, wine-growing
reg ions, a n d practica l i nformation for wine lovers.
Great Wine Terroirs, by Jacq u es Fa net.
A soil scientist exp l a i n s the rol e of geo logy in wi neg rowi ng. The Zin: The History and Mystery ofZinfandel, by David Da rli ngto n .
book has a stro ng French focus, but dea l s with i m po rta nt terro i rs I nformative a n d easy-read i n g d i sc u ssion on the h i story o f Zinfa ndel
worldwide. i n Ca l ifornia.

A History of Wine in America, by Tho m a s Pin ney. Zinfandel: A History o f a Grape a n d Its Wine, by Cha rles L. S u l l iva n.
2 vol s. The defi n itive reference on the h i story of America n w i n e from The a ut h oritative reference on the fascinati ng h i story of Zinfa ndel.
the fi rst attem pts in the l ate sixteenth centu ry to the present d ay.

Napa Wine, by C h a rles L. S u l l iva n .


T h e d efi n itive h i story o f the w i n e i n d u stry i n Ca l ifornia's N a pa Va l ley.

North American Pinot Noir, by J o h n Wi nth ro p Haeger.


The m ost co m p rehensive treatment of American P i n ot N o i r i n pri nt.

224
225
NORTH AMERICAN WINE REGIONS

V>
u
1--1
V>
<(
cc
UJ
:z:
1--1
3:
:::::.::::
u
<(
:z:
:::::.::::

A TL A N TI C O C EA N

.::9\ q
Gulf
MEXICO of , l;, � BAHAMAS
.,,,.
-

'ti

Mexico

\ � -
PA C I F I C O CEA N
� cj .� DOM. REP.

P � JAMA1c

Caribbean Sea

226
No reg ion in the world has c h a l lenged tra d itional notions of q u a l ity Co ncu rrent w i t h the ri se o f vi n icu lture i n the No rth Cou nty w a s a
wine producti on more t h a n North America. And the road to s u c­ ra pid ly developing i n d u stry in Los Angeles Cou nty, pa rti c u l a rly i n
cess has been more tortuous here t h a n a nywhere else in the wo rld. t h e Cucamonga a rea. Th is i n d u stry sti l l exists, a lt h o u g h profo u n d ly
Early efforts were concentrated i n the Atl a ntic sea boa rd states, d ownsized. South of Cuca monga, the Te mec u l a AVA is a rece nt
focu s i ng on native va rieties. Tried-a nd-true E u ro pea n va rieties were deve l o p ment and is now the most pro m i s i n g wi ne-g rowing reg ion
u n ifo r m ly u n s u ccessfu l i n t h i s i n hospita ble envi ro n m e nt a nd the i n southern Ca l iforn ia.
native va rieties produced u n pa l ata ble w i n e. Th e Sie rra Footh i l l s of Ca l ifornia enjoys a tradition ri sing from
Gold R u s h days, but its rise to pro m i nence did n't occ u r u ntil the
past q u a rter centu ry. Nevertheless, some of the orig i n a l n i netee nth
E astern U . S . Wine- Growing Areas
ce ntu ry Zi nfa n d e l vines a re sti l l in prod u ction. The Sie rra Foot h i l l s
Pockets of pro m ise tu rned u p in the m id-Atla ntic states i n the
is home to Ca l ifornia's oldest conti n u o u s ly prod ucing vineya rd­
n i n etee nth ce ntu ry with Scu ppernong i n the southea st, Concord
G ra nd pere in Amador Cou nty.
in Massa c h usetts, a n d Norto n in Vi rg i n ia. The Norton g ra pe is the
Cal ifornia's Centra l Coast i s the principa l riva l to the North Coast.
m a i nstay of red wine prod ucti on i n weste rn M i sso u r i . Today a fel i ci­
Splendid C h a rdon nay, Pinot Noi r, Syra h , and Zinfa ndel h a i l from
tou s co m bi nation of clone se lection and m icroc l i m ate d i scovery
Mo nterey, Sa n Luis Obispo, a n d Sa nta Barbara Cou nties.
has a l l owed successfu l vi nicu ltu re ba sed on E u ro pea n va rieties i n
The b u l k of America's i nexpens ive "j ug wi ne" h a i l s from Ca l ifornia's
t h e easte rn U.S.
hot Centra l Va l l ey, but there a re pockets of h i g h q u a l ity sites in the
The most successfu l wine-growing a reas i n the easte rn U.S. a re i n
north, s u c h a s Lod i a nd C l a rksb u rg.
N ew York State, particu l a rly Lo ng I s l a n d a n d t h e Finger La kes d i s­
trict; and in Vi rg i n i a . La ke Erie is one of the natio n's l a rgest viticul­
t u ra l a reas, l a rgely devoted to the Concord g ra pe. Western U . S . & Beyond
Wa s h i n gto n State was cata p u lted i nto pro m i n ence when the Baron
P h i l i p pe de Rothch i ld dec l a red the Co l u m bia Va l ley idea l ly su ited
California Wine- Growing Areas
to Merlot prod ucti o n . S u perb wi nes now flow from t h i s reg ion.
Concu rrent with the deve l opment of the wine i nd u stry i n the east­
O rego n's Wi l l a mette Va l l ey produces s u perb Pinot N o i r which
ern U.S. was the i ntrod uction of the M i ssion g ra pe to the southwest
some co nsider eq u a l to the world's fi n est.
by the pad res who fou nded the m i ssio n s in Ca l ifornia, N orthern
Canada's m odern wine ind ustry devel oped wit h i n the past forty
Mexi co, and i n the Rio G ra n d e Va l l ey of New Mexico.
yea rs. Ontario p rod uces world-class ice wi ne; British Co l u m bia's
The g reat leap forwa rd occ u r red in Ca l ifornia d u ri n g the m id­
Oka naga n Va l l ey produces a spectru m of wi nes.
n i neteenth ce ntu ry when pio neer wineg rowers fo u nd a c l i m ate
Mexico's wine i n d u stry is sti l l in its i n fa ncy, a lthoug h seve ra l m ajor
that closely resem b led m a ny E u ro pea n terroirs. The g reat experi­
E u ro pea n h o u ses h ave set u p s h o p i n Ensenada. Wi ne from Her­
ment spread from Sonoma Va l l ey to nea rby N a pa Va l ley and u lti­
m os i l lo is l a rgely restricted to l oca l con s u m ption.
mate ly to Mend oci no Cou nty. These th ree cou nties co m prise the
North Coast a p pe l l atio n .

227
EUROPE'S WINE-GROWING REGIONS

North Sea LATVIA

LITHUANIA S-�

BELARUS

V'l
u
1--1
V'l
<(
co
LJ..J
z:
1--1
s:
:::ii::::
u
<(
z:
:::ii::::

V
O
CORSICA

0 � SARDINIA
0
BALEARIC
ISLANDS

228
Althoug h it is widely believed that viticu ltu re origi nated i n the Ca u­ vi neya rd s record ed. That n u m ber sha rply d i m i n i shed w i t h t h e
ca sus reg ion, it was perfected i n Eu rope. Th e Rom a n s were g reat d issol ution o f the monasteries a n d a g a i n w i t h the advent o f t h e
a d m i rers of the fru it of the vine a n d bro u g h t cutti ngs to Fra n ce's " l ittle i c e age:' After severa l fa lse sta rts co m m ercial wineg rowi ng
Rhone Va l l ey in the ea rly yea rs of the Co m m o n E ra . These Roma n com p lete ly cea sed for a q u a rter centu ry between the two World
g ra pes u lt i m ate ly mutated i nto some of Fra nce's classic noble vari­ Wa rs. The rece nt success of south coa sta l vineya rd s is fu e l i n g a
eties: Syra h, Pi not N o i r, Pi not Bla nc, and C h a rdon nay. new, vibra n t wine i n d u stry. There a re now more t h a n 400 Eng l i s h
Wh i l e thousa nds of i n d igenous wine g ra pes spra ng u p t h ro u g h ­ vineya rd s. It s h o u l d b e n oted t h a t "Eng l ish" wine m u st b e made i n
out southern Eu ro pe, o n ly fou r d isti n g u i s h ed va rieties a p peared E n g l a nd from Eng l i s h g ra pes; "British" wine is made from i m ported
o utside Fra nce: Tem pra n i l l o (Spa i n), S a n g i ovese ( I ta ly), Nebbiolo g ra pe concentrate.
(Ita ly), a n d Ries l i n g (Germa ny) . Italy is the m ost vi ne-satu rated cou ntry in Eu rope, with exte n sive
Th e latitude o f the Loi re Va l l ey i n Fra n ce i s the a pp roxi m ate north­ vineya rd acreage in every province. Th e Ve neto in the northea st
ern l i m it of E u ropea n wineg rowi n g ba sed o n trad ition a l va rieties. a n d Pug l i a i n the southeast s u pply most of the wine destined for
But i m po rta nt m ic roc l i m ates exist in northern river va l l eys such as l oca l co nsu m ptio n . Sicily h a s risen to pro m i ne nce as a prod ucer of
Germa ny's Mosel and R h i ne d ra i na ge, A l sa ce's R h i ne, a nd Au stria's fi ne wine i n recent yea rs.
Da n u be. A g rowi ng co m merc i a l export wine i nd u stry is developing in B u l­
g a ria a nd Maced o n i a .
N orth Africa l ies on the same l atitude as southern Ca l ifornia. B u r­
The Champagne District
g u ndy correspo nds to Was h i ngton's Co l u m bia Va l l ey. Th e vine­
The Cha m pagne d i strict is u n ique. Its c l i mate is co ntinental a nd
ya rd s of B riti s h Co l u m bia corres pond to those of southern Eng l a n d .
i l l-su ited to trad itiona l winemaking. But C ha m pa g n e is made
Ca l ifornia's coo l N a pa Va l ley correspo nds t o Spai n's h ot L a M a n c h a
from u n ri pe g ra pes a n d the t h ree va rieties u sed fo r C ha m pa g n e
reg i o n . Va ryi ng c l i mates a n d terroirs acco u nt for the vast d iffer­
(C h a rd o n n ay, P i n ot Meu n ier, a n d Pinot N o i r) th rive there, but do
ences between the wi nes of these correspo n d i n g reg ions.
not ripen enou g h for the prod uction of pa l ata ble sti l l wine. The
sti l l wine from w h i c h Cha m pa g n e is made is cal led "cl a i rette;' a n d
is n o t i ntended for d r i n ki ng before it is tra n sfo rmed i nto the wor l d 's
g reatest sparkl i ng wi ne.

The Old , the New & the Booming


Wine- Growing Areas
Two of the wo rld's l a rgest wine-growi ng a reas a re the La M a ncha
reg ion of Spa i n a nd the La n g u ed oc- Rou ssi l l o n reg ion i n southern
Fra nce. These two reg ions provide m ost of the q u affa b le wi nes for
those cou ntries a n d a re sou rces of i n expe nsive exports.
Wi neg row i n g i n Eng l a n d and Wa les has a spotty h i story. At the
time of H e n ry VI I I (sixteenth centu ry), there were 1 3 9 sizea b l e

229
MAJOR WINE-GROWING REGIONS
OF THE WORLD
A rc tic O c e a n

V')
u
1-1
V')
<( t:)
ICELAND
co R U S S I A
LU
z:
1-1


u MONGOLIA
<( P a c i fi c North North
z: Ocean A tl a n tic Ocean Pacific O c e a n

Tropic ofCancer

Equator

Indian Ocean
S o u th P a c i fi c O ce a n

Tropic ofCapric?!n

S o u th
A tl a n tic O c e a n

NEW ZEALAND

J'

Antarctic Circle

230
A l l the wo rld's major wi ne-g row i n g a reas l i e between 30° a n d 45° on more d i n i n g ta b l es tha n ever before. And prices h ave fa l l en to
north and south l atitude. Wi ne g ra pes wi l l not ripen in colder c l i­ the level of everyday afford a b i l ity. Decent wine can now be fo u nd
mates a n d vine d i seases prevent s uccessfu l g ra pe g rowi n g in hot, at the price of bottl ed water. Cu ltu res previously not associated
h u m i d tropical c l i mates. with wine d r i n k i n g a re now wa rmly em b racing it. Wi ne co n s u m p­
Prior to the twentieth centu ry a l m ost a l l com m ercia l wine pro­ tion is ra pidly g rowi ng in C h i na, J a pa n, Ru ssia a n d the U kra i ne. I nd i a
d u ction was concentrated in Eu ro pe, m ostly in Fra nce, Italy, a n d now has more t h a n t h i rty wineries.
Germa ny. B u t efforts t o esta b l i s h a w i n e i n d u stry were m a d e as Fi ne wine is ra pidly becom i n g one of I s ra e l 's m ost i m porta nt
early as the seventee nth centu ry i n South Africa a n d the eigh­ exports. As M u s l i m cou ntries e m b race m odern ity and developed
teenth centu ry i n Austra l ia . South Africa q u ickly beca m e a favored cou ntries look to renewa ble energy sou rces, wine co u l d rep l ace
sou rce of dessert wines, but Au stra l ia n s d i d n't beco me e n a m ored oil a s a fu nda mental reg i o n a l export. G reat wine exists i n Leba non
with wine u nt i l the l ast decades of the twentieth centu ry. today; there is a s m a l l wine i n d ustry esta b l i s hed i n Egypt; Tu rkey has
Exce pt for South Africa's dessert wine, no cou ntry outside E u rope a n enormous acreage u n der vi ne, mostly for ta ble g ra pes; a n d Syria
was able to com pete with the refi ned prod ucts that were a c u l m i­ possesses some of the fi n est vineya rd sites i n the M i d d l e East.
nation of more tha n a thousand yea rs of viticu ltu re. Wh i le the wo rld wine map sti l l s h ows a strong concentration of
vineya rd acreage i n E u rope, there rem a i n vast u nta pped reg ions
s u ita ble for viti c u lt u re worldwide.
Reshaping the Wine World
I n the m id-twentieth centu ry, viticu ltu ra l stu d ies at Geisen hei m,
Germa ny, a nd the U n iversity of Cal ifornia u s hered in a scientific
a p proach to g ra pe g rowi ng and w i nem a k i ng that res h a ped the
world of wine forever. New vitic u ltural a reas spra ng u p i n regions
previously thought u n s u ita ble fo r wi negrowing: N ew Zea l a nd,
Ca nada, C h i na, a nd even J a p a n . Cou ntries that g rew wine g ra pes
for l oca l consu m ption q u ickly learned tech n iq u es and proced u res
that elevated their rustic wi nes to i nternati o n a l sta n d a rds. C h i le
became one of the l a rgest wine exporte rs i n the world. Argenti na,
once the fo u rth l a rgest wine prod ucer i n the world (mostly for l oca l
con s u m ption), now offe rs the world's fi nest exa m ples of M a l bec.
Weste rn Au stra l ia, whose wine i n d u stry beg a n in the 1 830s, was
u na b l e to esta b l i s h a su ccessfu l export ma rket outside the cou ntry
u ntil the fi n a l d ecades of the twe ntieth centu ry.
Th e q u a l ity of wine wo rldwide has risen to the point where it i s
d iffic u lt t o fi n d poor w i n e i n the export m a rket. There is n ow s o
m u c h cred ita ble w i n e ava i la b le t h a t com petitio n forces out i n ferior
products. And the ta ste for wine has fi ltered d own to the m id d l e
classes. N o longer considered a l ux u ry prod uct, w i n e is n o w fou nd

231
GLOSSARY
Appellation: The de l i m ited reg ion where the g ra pes were g rown Balance: A w i n e is bala nced w h e n the levels of a c i d , body, a n d ta n­
and the wine prod uced. See i ntrod uctio n . nin comple ment eac h other.

AC:Appel lation Contr6 1ee (Fra nce). Control l ed a p pe l l ation o f orig i n . Centra l Coa st: A l a rge a p pe l l ation i nc l u d i ng the Ca l ifornia cou nties
DOC i n Italy, D O i n S p a i n . of Santa C ruz, Mo nterey, San Lu is Obi spo, and Sa nta Barbara.

Acid: A necessa ry a nd desira b le com ponent of wi ne. The p ri m a ry Cl one, clonal selection: A genetica l ly u n iform g ro u p of i nd ividu­
acid in wine is ta rta ric acid, from w h ich Cream ofTa rta r is derived. als derived orig i n a l ly from a single i nd ivid u a l by asexua l p ropagation
(c utt i n g s, g rafti ng, etc.). Cloned va rieties a re u s u a l ly heat treated to
ATF: U.S. B u rea u of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firea rms. Formerly BATF. i n s u re that they a re viru s-free.
The b u rea u ove rsees the AVA syste m a nd g ra nts a p pel l ation status.
� A new government agency, the Alco h o l a n d Toba cco Tax a n d Trade Cru: French te rm for g rowt h . The fi n est wines a re c l a ssified as grand
� Burea u (TIB), has bee n created to ove rsee a lcohol-re lated issu es. cru (o r g ra n d cru cla sse i n Bordea ux).
<
cc

� AVA: Am erica n Viticu ltura l A rea. Replaces the older a p pel lation of Cuvee: A blend res u lting from the m ixing of wines.
� ori g i n syste m u sed i n the U.S.
� Dry: Lacki ng sweetness. The s u g a rs in fermenti ng g ra pe j u i ce t u rn
u
< i nto a lco h o l, but some fe rmentations a re sto pped short of tota l d ry­
z:
� ness. The res u lting wi nes a re said to be off-d ry.

Eiswei n :Sweet wine made from healthy g ra pes that have frozen on
the vine. Also cal led ice w i n e a n d icewi ne.

EU: E u ropean U n io n .

Hybrid G ra pes: New g ra pe va rieties resu lting from natu ra l or


i n d u ced cross i n g s of native a n d vin ifera g ra pes, e.g., N orto n, Seyva l
B l a nc.

International Variety: A g ra pe variety of vitis vinifera associ ated


with E u rope. These a re the most com mon and su ccessfu l of wine
g ra pe varieties, e.g., Ca bernet Sauvig non, C h a rd o n n ay, Syra h .

N ative Variety: An i n d igenous g ra pe variety that g rows natu ra l ly


in a reg ion or cou ntry, e.g., vitis !abrusca, a U.S. native u sed fo r g ra pe
j u ice and g ra pe fl avoring.

232
Noble Gra pes: Mem bers of the s pecies vitis vinifera that h ave h i s­ especia l ly des i ra b l e vineya rd . S i m i l a r to clones, but not s u bjected
torica l ly yiel ded the h ig hest q u a l ity w i n es. to the rigors of l a boratory p ropagation.

N orth Coa st: Ca l ifornia cou nties of N a pa, Sonoma, M a ri n, and Viniculture: The science a n d practice of g rowi ng g ra pes for wi ne.
Mendoci no.
Viticulture: The science and practice of g rowi n g g ra pes.
NV: Non-vi ntage. The wine i s a blend of two o r more vi ntages.
Winegrowi ng: The science and practice of g rowing g ra pes for
Old Vine: U n reg u l ated term u sed to descri be vines p l a nted prior wi ne.
to the 1 960s. M a ny "old vi ne" vineya rd s a re more than a cen t u ry old.
As a vine g rows old its yield decrea ses a n d the fiavor com pon ents
become more concentrated.

Phenol ics: Chem ica l s in wine that a re respo n s i b l e for color, fiavor,
and ta n n i n .

Prohi bition: A period d u ri n g w h i c h t h e con s u m ption o f a l cohol ic


beverages was forbidden. I n the U.S. it was from 1 920 to 1 93 3 . Pro­
h i bition occ u rred at va rious ti mes in Ca nada, Sca n d i navia, R u ssia,
a nd Austra l ia, a s we l l .

South Coa st: Ca l ifornia cou nties o f Ve ntu ra, Los Angeles, R iver­
side, a n d Sa n Diego.

A n astri ngent p h e n o l i c compo u n d present in red wine


Ta n n i n :
a n d tea that puckers the mouth a n d m a kes it fee l d ry. Ta n n i n s a re
said to be "soft" or "ha rd."

Terro i r: The com bi nation of soil, a s pect, a nd c l i m ate that d i st i n ­


g u ishes a partic u l a r vineya rd locatio n fro m others.

Va riety: A parti c u l a r g ra pe cu ltivar. Some older so u rces use the


term "va rieta l."

Vi neya rd Selection: A g ra pevi ne g rown fro m a cutti n g from an

233
PHOTOGRAPHER ACKNOWLE DGME NTS
(con tin ued):
Tota l Wi n e & More B l oo m i ngda les
www.tota lwine.com www.bloomi ngda les.com
Heather G u ay
Pa u l 's Wi n e & Spi rits
5 205 Wisco n s i n Ave. NW Kathy H egwood
Was h i ngton, DC 200 1 5 Kate McCo n n e l l
202.5 3 7 . 1 900
www.pa u l sdc.com Rave nscroft Crysta l
Rick Be l l m a n Zo rk Pty Ltd

Addy Bassi n's MacArt h u r Beverages Food Stylist:


V1
4877 MacArt h u r B lvd . NW Li sa Che rkasky
LJ..J
u Was h i ngton, DC 20007 www. l isacherkasky.com
e::::
:::::> 202.338. 1 433
0 Assista nts:
V) www. bassi ns.com
LJ..J
e:::: P h i l Berste i n Suzie St. Pie rre
Naz Freido u n i
Private Wi ne Co l lectors: Tod d Pa ro la
Steve Ba rko Dov B l ock
Ma rty B l ock
Cafe Bonaparte
Prop Styl ist: 1 5 22 Wisco n s i n Ave NW
Aud rey Weppler Wa s h i ngton, DC 20007
www.a u d reywe ppler.com 202.333.8830
www.cafebonapa rte.com
Pro p C red its: Fat i m a Popa l
S u r La Ta b l e
5 2 1 1 Wisco n s i n Ave. NW E l la's Wood-Fired Pizza
Was h i ngton, DC 200 1 5 90 1 F Street NW
202.23 7.03 75 Wa s h i ngton, DC 20004
www.s u rl ata b l e.com 202.638.3434
www.e l l as pizza .com
Becky Percynski
La na Pa pj n i k Ed H a n son
Richard Hoppe
P h i l i p Fou g ht

234
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDITS
A l l i nterior photos by Renee Comet with the exception of: p. 22 (rig ht) : © Cou rtesy Broa d l ey Vi neya rd s; p. 1 07 (left): Cou rtesy Caste l l o di Borg hese
Vas i l kova I Drea mstime.com; p. 23 (rig ht): © s h u tterstock; p. 24 (rig ht): © Vi neya rd & Wi nery; p. 1 08 (rig ht): © To m Liga ma ri; p. 1 1 0 (rig ht) : Cou rtesy
I I
Va sil kova Drea mstime.com; p. 26 (rig ht): © Coo l ( r) D reamstime.com; p. 29 Jefferson Vi neya rds; p. 1 1 1 (l eft): Cou rtesy Barbou rsvi l l e Vi neya rds; p. 1 1 2
(left): © Ene I Drea msti me.com; p. 30 (rig ht): © Tom H ig g i ns/s h u tterstock; (rig ht): Wi k i pedia/creative com mons; p. 1 1 3 ( l eft): Cou rtesy Gruet Wi nery; p.
p. 32 (rig ht) : © Tom Maack; p. 36 (rig ht): © S h e rri R. Ca m p/s hutterstock; p. 1 1 4 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Fa l l C reek Vi neya rd s; p. 1 1 5 (l eft):© 2007 Jason Ti nacci;
38 (rig ht): Wi ki ped ia/p u b l i c domain; p. 40 (rig ht): © 2007 Jason Ti nacci; p. p. 1 1 5 (rig ht): © M ichael R. Pa ge; p. 1 1 6 (rig ht) a n d p. 1 1 7 (left): Cou rtesy
42 (rig ht): © Peter G riffith, www.sonomacou ntry.com; p. 43 (rig ht) : © A l a n Sto ne H i l l Wi nery; p. 1 1 8 (rig ht): © Treephoto I Dreamsti me.com; p. 1 20
Boe h m e r; p. 4 4 (right): © J i m McCa rty/Ru ra l M i ssouri Magazine; p. 48 (l eft): (rig ht) : © Fotokate/Drea m sti me.com; p. 1 2 1 (l eft) : © Jorisvo I Drea mstime.
Wi kiped ia/p u b l ic d o m a i n; p. 50 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Lf\ventu re Wi nery; p. 5 2 com; p. 1 22 (rig ht) : Wi k i ped ia/creative com mons; p. 1 24 (l eft) : © Bogd a n I
(left): © Rachel l I Drea msti me.com; p . 5 4 (rig ht): © Soundsna ps I D ream­ Drea m sti me.co m; p. 1 24 (rig ht): Wi k i pedia/creative co m mons; p. 1 26 (left) :
stim e.co m; p. 63 (l eft): Cou rtesy of Dr. Konsta ntin Fra n k Vin ifera Wi ne Cel­ © Akare l ias I Drea mstime.com; p. 1 26 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Georges D U BOEU F;
la rs; p. 72 (rig ht), p. 73 (l eft): Cou rtesy of Anderson Va l l ey Wi neg rowers p. 1 28 (rig ht): Cou rtesy E. G u ig a l ; p. 1 29 (left), p. 1 29 (rig ht), p. 1 30 (rig ht),; p.
Assoc; p. 74 (rig ht) : © Nata l ia Brats lavsky/sh utterstock; p. 75 (left): Cou rtesy 1 3 1 (rig ht), p. 1 3 2 (right), p. 1 34 (left), p. 1 3 5 (l eft), p. 1 36 (rig ht): Wi k i ped ia/
Ferra ri-Ca ra noNi ntners I n n/Jo h n Ash & Co.; p. 75 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Ascentia creative com mons; p. 1 3 9 ( l eft): Cou rtesy Mezzacorona Wi nery - Trenti n o,
Wine Estates; p. 76 (rig ht): Cou rtesy N a pa Va l l ey Wi nery; p. 77 (left): © Lig ht­ I ta ly; p. 1 40 (rig ht): Wi kipedia/creative com mons; p. 1 42 (rig ht): © Ag a r i b­
art I Drea msti me.co m; p. 77 (rig ht): Cou rtesy of Sto ne H i l l Wi nery © 2007 aldi I Drea msti m e.com; p. 1 44 (rig ht): Wi ki ped ia/creative com mons; p. 1 46
Jason Ti nacci; p. 78 (l eft): Wi k i pedia/creative co m m o n s; p. 78 (rig ht): Dwig ht (rig ht): G i a n l uca Fi g l iola Fa nti n i/s h u tterstock; p. 1 47 (left): Cou rtesy Ver­
S m ith/sh utterstock; p. 79 (left): Cou rtesy A Taste of Mo nterey; p. 80 (l eft): mentino di Ga l l u ra; p. 1 48 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Libra n d i Winery; p. 1 50 (rig ht),
Cou rtesy Paso Robles Wi ne Cou ntry; p. 80 (rig ht): © C h iyacat Drea msti me. I p. 1 5 2 (rig ht), p. 1 54 (rig ht), p. 1 56 (rig ht), p. 1 5 8 (rig ht): Wikipedia/creative
com; p. 81 ( l eft): Cou rtesy Ba i l eyana Wi nery © Ma rya F i g u e roa; p. 81 (rig ht): commo ns; p. 1 60 (l eft) : © Breathta king I Drea m sti me.com; p. 1 60 (rig ht): ©
Cou rtesy Laetitia Vi neya rd & Wi nery; p. 82 (l eft): © D i n a l a I Drea m sti me. Csp I Drea mstime.com; p. 1 62 (rig ht), p. 1 64 (left), p. 1 64 (rig ht): Wi k i ped ia/
com; p. 82 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Ca m bria Wi nery; p. 83 (left): © Alan Boeh mer; p. creative com mons; p. 1 65 ( l eft): Cou rtesy of Codorn i u Wi nery; p. 1 65 (rig ht):
83 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Bra n der Vi neya rd; p. 84 (rig ht): Dcbhs05 I Drea m sti me. Cou rtesy C l os d e l 'Obac; p. 1 66 (rig ht), p. 1 67 (rig ht): Wikipedia/creative
com; p. 85 (l eft): Cou rtesy Thornton Wi nery; p. 86 (rig ht): © s h utterstock; co m m o ns; p. 1 68 (rig ht): © istockphoto; p. 1 70 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Alto Ad ige
p. 88 (left) : © Sparky2000 I D reamstime.com; p. 88 (rig ht): H a rris S h iffm a n/ Wines; p. 1 72 (l eft) : © Jason Ti nacci; p. 1 74 (rig ht): Cou rtesy of Penfo l d 's; p.
sh utterstock; p. 89 (left) : © istockphoto; p. 89 (rig ht): © J i m Fe l iciano/sh ut­ 1 76 (rig ht) : © istoc kphoto; p. 1 77 (left): © Ch ristian Fletc her Photog ra phy;
terstock; p. 90 (l eft): © jeff sha nes/s h utterstock; p. 90 (rig ht) : Wi k i ped ia/cre­ p. 1 78 (rig ht) : Wi ki ped ia/creative co m m ons; p. 1 79 (left): Cou rtesy of Mor­
ative com mons; p. 91 (left) : © A l exa nderd I Drea msti m e.com; p. 92 (left): ton Estate Wi nes; p. 1 80 (rig ht) : Cou rtesy Daniel S c h u ster Vi neya rds; p. 1 8 1
Cou rtesy The Bain bridge Vi neyards; p. 92 (rig ht): © Zts I Drea mstime.com; (left): Cou rtesy Low b u rn Ferry; p. 1 8 1 (rig ht) : Wi ki ped ia/creative com mons;
p. 93 (left): Cou rtesy Q u i l ceda C reek Wi nery; p. 94 (rig ht): Cou rtesy L'Ecole p. 1 82 (rig ht): Cou rtesy South Africa To u rism Libra ry; p. 1 83 (l eft): Cou rtesy
No. 4 1 ; p. 95 ( left): Wiki ped ia/creative com mons; p. 96 (rig ht): Cou rtesy La ke KWV Steen; p. 1 84 (rig ht) : Wiki ped ia/creative co m mons; p. 1 86 (rig ht) : ©
Chelan Cha m be r of Co m m erce; p. 98 (l eft) : Cou rtesy P h e l ps Creek Vi ne­ Effip/Dreamsti m e.com; p. 1 87 (left): © Se bcz I Dreamsti me.co m; p. 1 88
yards; p. 98 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Cathed ral Ridge Wi nery; p. 99 (left): Photo by (rig ht): And rey Kud i n ov/s hutterstock; p. 1 90 (rig ht) : © Tom pi I Drea msti me.
Robert Lorkowski; p. 1 00 (rig ht): © 2007 Jason Ti nacci; p. 1 0 1 (l eft): Cou rtesy com; p. 1 92 (rig ht) : © The Vi nes of Mendoza Private Vi neyard Estates; p. 1 94
Argyle Wi nery © Jason Tom cza k; p. 1 02 (rig ht): Cou rtesy Va l l ey View Wi n­ (rig ht): Wi kipedia/creative com mons; p. 1 96 (right): © Spa r ky2000 D ream­ I
ery; p. 1 03 ( l eft): Cou rtesy Weisinger's Vi neyard-Wi nery; p. 1 04 (rig ht): © Ted stime.com; p. 1 97 (left): Cou rtersy Concha Y Toro; p. 1 97 (rig ht): © Fi l i p Fuxa/
Crane/tedcra ne.com Seneca; p. 1 05 (left): Cou rtesy Bel h u rst; p. 1 06 (rig ht): s h u tterstock

235
INDEX
A Bog l e Petite S i ra h , 8 7

a g e, ix-x, 8, 9 B o n ny D o o n Vi n G r i s d e C i g a re, 5 3

a h-so corkscrew, 1 Bordea ux, Fra n ce, 1 30-3 1

Al ba ri n o, 1 5 9 botryt i s, 2 3 , 1 34-3 5

A l sa ce, F ra nce bott l e s, 2 5

G e rw u rztra m i n e r, 32-33 Bouve ri e C h a rd o n n ay, 1 77

Pi n ot G ri s/G r i g i o, 28-29 B ra n d e r Vi n eya rd, The, 83

Pi n ot N o i r, 3 8-3 9 B ra n d e r Wi n e ry, 82

R i es l i n g, 32-33 b rett a n o myces, 1 9, 2 1

w i n e s of, 1 20-2 1 B rut C h a m pa g n e, 64-65

A n d e rs o n Va l l ey Vi n eya rd, 72-73 B u e n a Vi sta Wi n e ry, 7 5


[;) B u rg u n dy, F ra nce
c:::::i Arge n t i n a , 1 92-93
z:
� Argy l e - a n O reg o n Fa r m h o u se Wi n e ry, 1 0 1 C h a rd o n n ay, 24-25

Art Deca nter, 7 P i n ot N o i r, 38-39

Au stra l i a wines of, 1 24-2 5

s o u t h ea ste r n , 1 74-75
weste r n , 1 76-7 7
A u stria, 1 5 6-5 7

B
B a r b o u rsvi l l e Vi n eya rd & Wi n e ry, 1 1 1
b a r re l s, 9
b a r ri q u es, 2 5
Ba rsac, Fra n ce, 1 34-35
Bea ujo l a i s, Fra n ce, 1 26-2 7
B e a uj o l a i s N o uve a u , 1 2 7
Becker Vi n eya rd s Ba rrel Roo m , 1 1 5
Bel h u rt Cast l e a n d Wi n e ry, 1 05
B e n m a rl Ba rrel Roo m , 1 08-9
Beri n g e r Private Reserve C a b e r n et Sa uvig n o n , 34-35
B e u rre B l a n c, 2 1 6
b i odyn a m i c fa r m i n g , 44
B l a n d y 's B u a l M a d e i ra , 1 7 3

236
B u rg u ndy g l a ss, 2 C h a b l is, 24
b u t l e r's fri e n d corkscrew, 1 C h a m pa g n e, 5 4-5 5 , 63
C h a n d o n B rut, 62
C h a rd o n n ay, 24-25
c C hatea u Fra n k B l a n c d e B l a n cs, 63
Cabernet Sa uvig n o n , 34-35 C h atea u Lafite-Rot h sc h i l d , 34-35
Ca l ifo r n i a C h atea u Pet r u s, 3 6-3 7
C h a rd o n n ay, 2 4 c h eese cou rse pa i r i n g s, 208-9
C h e n i n B l a n c, 26-27 C h i le, 1 94-95, 1 96-97
M e n d oci n o C o u n ty, 72-73 C l a rks b u rg, CA, 26, 2 7
M o nte rey Co u nty, 78-79 C l a s s i c Sa u ce Bord e l a i se, 2 1 7
N a pa Va l l ey, 76-77 C l o s de l 'Obac, 1 65
Pi n ot G ri s/G ri g i o, 28-29 C l o s Vo u g eot, 1 24-25
P i n ot N o i r, 3 8-39 c l o s u res, 1 2- 1 3 , 65
R o u s sa n n e, 3 0-3 1 c o l o r, 8
Sacra m e nto Va l l ey, 86-8 7 C o l o ra d o, 1 1 2 - 1 3
Sa n J oa q u i n Va l l ey, 88-89 Col u m bi a G o rg e, O R/WA, 98-99
Sa n Lu i s O b i s po Cou nty, 80-8 1 Col u m bi a Va l l ey, O R/WA, 90-9 1
Sa nta B a r b a ra Co u n ty, 82-83 co m pa rative tasti n g , 1 1
Sa uvig n o n B l a n c, 22 C o n c h a y To ro's D o n M e l c h o r, 1 97
S o n o m a Co u nty, 74-75 Con d r i e u , 3 1
S o u t h e r n , 84-85 coo k i n g
Viog n i e r, 30-3 1 fo rtified wi n es, 2 1 4- 1 5
Z i nfa n d e l , 42-43 red wi n es, 2 1 2- 1 3
Ca m b ria Wi n e ry, 82 red ucti o n s, 2 1 6- 1 7
Canada w h ite w i n es, 2 1 0- 1 1
G e rwu rztra m i ne r, 3 2 - 3 3 corks
P i n ot G ri s/G ri g i o, 2 8 co rkag e, 1 6- 1 7
R i es l i n g , 3 2 - 3 3 c o r kscrews, x i i - 1
wi n es of, 1 1 8- 1 9 p rese ntat i o n , 1 5
Ca pta i n's Deca nter, 6 sat u ra t i o n , 20
Ca r m e n e re, 1 95 s pa r k l i n g wi n e, 65
Casca d e C l iffs W i n e ry, 99 ta i nt, 1 8- 1 9, 2 1
Cata l o n i a/Cata l u nya, S pa i n , 1 64-65 types of, 1 2 - 1 3
Cat h ed ra l R i d g e Wi n e ry, 98 c rysta l g l a sswa re, 3
Cava, 5 8-59, 1 64-65 C u ca m o n g a , CA, 84-85
Centra l Va l l ey, C h i le, 1 96-97 c u l t u re, v i i i
Ch. d 'Yq u e m , 1 3 5
C h . Pet r u s, 1 3 1

237
D Vo uvray, 5 6 - 5 7

deca nte rs, 6-7 Fre i xe n et Cava , 5 8

d efects, 20-2 1 Fre s n o State U n iversity, 8 9

dessert cou rse pa i ri n g s, 206-7 Fri u l i-Ve n ezia G i u l ia , I ta ly, 1 40-4 1

Don M e l c h o r, 1 9 7 fu n cti o n a l ste mwa re, 2-3

E
Eg ri B i kaver, 1 90-9 1 G
eth n i c food pa i ri n g s, 2 04- 1 05 G a l icia, S pa i n, 1 58-5 9
ethyl acetate, 20 Georges D u boeuf W i n e ry, 1 26
G e r m a ny
Gerwu rztra m i n e r, 3 2- 3 3

F l a be l s, 70- 7 1

Fa l l C reek Vi neya rd s, 1 1 4 Mose l-Saa r- R uwer, 1 5 2-5 3

fa r m i ng, 44 R h i n e l a nd, 1 54-5 5


x R i e s l i n g, 32-33
w fe rmenta t i o n , 40
0
:z: Fe rra ri-Ca ra n o, 7 5 Gewu rztra m i ne r, 3 2- 3 3

fi n i s h , 9 g l a sswa re, 2 - 5

flavor, 9 G ra h a m's Tawny Po rt, 1 72

fo r m a l ta sti n g , 1 0 G reece, 1 88-89

fo rtified w i n es, 2 1 4- 1 5 G ru et Methode C h a m pe n o i se Rose, 62

Fra nce G ru et Wi n e ry, 1 1 3

Al sa ce, 1 20-2 1 G ru n e r Ve lt l i n e r, 1 5 7

Bea uj o l a i s, 1 26-2 7
B o rd e a u x, 1 3 0-3 1
B u rg u n dy, 24, 1 24-25 H
C h a b l i s, 24 H a rdy's Ca bernet Sa u v i g n o n , 1 75
C h a m pa g n e, 54- 5 5 h a rvest i n g , 24
C h e n i n B l a nc, 26-2 7 head-pru n i n g, 43
Gerwu rztra m i n e r, 32-33 h e a l t h b e n efits, 1
l a be l s, 68-69 h eat d a m a g e, 2 1
Lo i re Va l l ey, 1 22-23 H owa rd Pa r k Ce l l a r Door, 1 7 7
P i n ot G ri s/G rig i o, 28-29 H u d so n R ive r Va l l ey, N Y, 1 08-9
P i n ot N o i r, 3 8-3 9 H u n g a ry, 1 90-9 1
R h o n e Va l l ey, 1 28-29 hyd rog e n s u lfa te, 20-2 1
R i e s l i n g, 3 2- 3 3
rose wi n es, 48-49
Sa uternes a nd Ba rsac, 1 34-3 5
southern, 1 3 2-33 ice w i n es, 1 1 8- 1 9

238
l n n i s k i l l i n Ice Wi n e, 1 1 8- 1 9
I s ra e l , 1 86-87
I ta ly L
Fri u \ i-Ve n ezia G i u l ia, 1 40-4 1 La M a n c h a , S pa i n, 1 68-69
l a be l s, 70-7 1 La R i oj a , S p a i n , 1 60-6 1
Pied m o nt/Pi e m o n te, 1 36-3 7 l a be l s
P i n ot G ri g io, 28 Fre n c h a n d A m e ri ca n , 68-69
Prosecco, 60-6 1 fro nt a n d back, 66-67
Sa rd i n i a/Sa rd eg n a , 1 46-47 G e r m a n a n d I ta l ia n , 70- 7 1
S i c i l y a n d Pa nte l l e ri a , 1 50-5 1 s u lfites, 6 7
s o u t h e r n , 1 48-49 L a ke C h e l a n , WA, 96-97
Tre nti n o-Alto Ad i g e, 1 3 8-39 L'Ave nt u re Rose, 50
Tu sca ny/Tosca n o, 1 44-45 L' Eco l e N o. 41 Wi n e ry, 94-95
Ve n eta, 1 42-43 Lo i re Va l l ey, Fra n ce, 1 22-23
Lo n g I s l a n d , N Y, 1 06-7
Low b u rn Fe r ry P i n ot N a i r Centra l Otag o, 1 8 1
J
J efferson Vi n eya rd s, 1 1 0
J e rez, S pa i n , 1 66-67 M
M a d e i ra, 1 72-73
M a d e i ra Sa u ce, 2 1 6
K m a d e rizat i o n , 8, 2 1
Ka n o n ko p P i n ota g e, 1 85 M a l bec, 1 93
kos h e r w i n es, 1 86 M a rsa l a , 1 5 1
KWV Stee n , 1 83 meat pa i ri n g s, 202-3
M e n d oc i n o Cou nty, CA, 72-73
M e n d oc i n o Ridge Vi n eya rd, 73
M e ritag e, 35
M e r l ot, 3 6-3 7
M ezzacoro n a Wi n e ry, 1 38-39
M i sso u ri , 1 1 6- 1 7
M o n a st re l \ , 1 69
M o nterey C o u n ty, CA
G e rwu rztra m i n e r, 3 2- 3 3
ove rvi ew, 78-79
R i es l i n g, 3 2-33
Voi g n i e r/Ro u ssa n n e, 30-3 1
M o rton Estate C h a rd o n nay, 1 79
M o s e \ -Sa a r- R u we r, G e rm a ny

239
G e rwu rztra m i n e r, 32-33 0
R i es l i n g , 3 2- 3 3 "O" g l a sses, 3
w i n e s of, 1 5 2-53 o a k ba rre l s, 9
o rd e r i n g w i n e
co m m o n d efects, 20-2 1
N corka g e a n d , 1 6- 1 7
N a pa Va l l ey, CA, 2 7 , 76- 7 7 resta u ra nt servi ce, 1 4- 1 5
N ew Mexi co, 1 1 2- 1 3 ret u r n i n g w i n e, 1 8- 1 9
New Yo r k State O reg o n Wi n e Ta sti n g Roo m , Th e, 1 00
F i n g e r La kes, 1 04-5 o rg a n i c fa r m i n g , 44
Gerwu rztra m i ne r, 32-33 Ota g o, N ew Zea l a n d , 3 8-39
H u d so n R ive r Va l l ey, 1 08-9 oxi d a t i o n , 1 9, 20
Lo n g I s l a n d , 1 06-7
R i es l i n g, 32-33
New Zea l a n d p
G5 C h a rd o n n ay, 24 Pa cific N o rthwest
� N o rt h I s l a n d , 1 78-79 Co l u m b i a G o rge, O R/WA, 98-99
1--1
P i n ot N o i r, 3 8-39 Co l u m b ia Va l l ey, O R/WA, 90-9 1
Sauvi g n o n B l a n c, 22 G e rwu rztra m i n e r, 32-33
South I s l a nd, 1 80-8 1 La ke C h e l a n , WA, 96-97
n o b l e rot, 1 34-3 5 P i n ot G r i s/G rig i o, 28-29
N o rt h I s l a n d , N e w Zea l a n d, 1 78-79 P i n ot N o i r, 38-39
P u g et S o u n d , WA, 92-93
R i es l i n g, 32-33
s o u t h e r n O reg o n , 1 02-3
Wa l l a Wa l l a , WA, 94-95
Wi l l a m ette Va l l ey, O R, 1 00- 1 0 1
pa i ri n g s
a pe ritif a n d pa rty wi n e s, 1 98-99
c h eese cou rses, 208-9
d essert c o u rses, 206-7
Loi re Va l l ey, Fra n ce, 1 2 2
m eat cou rses, 202-3
Petite S i ra h , 45, 8 7
P i n ot G r i s/G r i g i o, 2 9
so u p a n d s a l a d c o u rses, 200-20 1
s p i cy a n d eth n i c foo d s, 2 04- 1 05
Pa n te l l e ri a , I ta l y, 1 5 0-5 1
Pe n a fi e l cast l e, 1 62

240
Penfo l d 's G ra n g e S h i raz, 4 1 C u c a m o n g a , CA, 84
Penfo l d 's Wi n e ry, 1 74 F i n g e r La kes, N Y, 1 05
Pesq u e ra , 1 63 Fri u l i-Ve n ezia G i u l i a , I ta ly, 1 40-4 1
Petite S i ra h , 44-45 G a l i c i a , S pa i n, 1 5 9
Pied m o nt/Pi e m on te, I ta l y, 1 3 6-3 7 G reece, 1 89
P i n ot G r i g io, 2 8-29 H u d s o n R ive r Va l l ey, N Y, 1 09
P i n ot G r i s, 28-29 H u n g a ry, 1 90-9 1
P i n ot N o i r, 38-39 kos h e r, 1 86
Pi n ota g e, 1 85 La M a n c h a , S p a i n , 1 69
Po rt, 1 72-73 Loi re Va l l ey, Fra n ce, 1 23
Po rtu g a l Lo n g I s l a n d , N Y, 1 0 7
Port a n d M a d e i ra , 1 72-73 M e n d oc i n o Co u nty, CA, 73
wi n es, 1 70-7 1 M e r l ot, 3 6
Pri m itivo d i M a n d u ri a , 1 49 M i s so u ri , 1 1 7
pro p rieta ry l a be l s, 3 5 M o nte rey Cou nty, CA, 7 9
Prosecco, 60-6 1 New Mexico, 1 1 3
P u g et S o u n d , WA, 92-93 N o rth I s l a n d , New Zea l a n d , 1 78
Portu g a l , 1 70
P u g et S o u n d , WA, 93

Q red coo k i n g , 2 1 3
Q u a rts de C h a u me, 1 2 3 rose wi n es, 5 1
Q u i lceda C reek Wi n e ry, 93 Sa nta Ba rba ra Co u nty, CA, 83
Sa rd i n i a/Sa rd e g n a , I ta ly, 1 47
Sa ute r n e s a n d Ba rsac, F ra n ce, 1 3 5
S i c i ly a n d Pa n te l l e ria, I ta ly, 1 5 0
R
S o n o m a Co u n ty, CA, 7 5
Ra b b it, The, 1
south east A u st ra l ia , 1 75
Ra n c h o C u ca m o n g a , CA, 84-85
s o u t h e r n I t a l y, 1 49
Ra n g e n Vi n eya rd, 1 20
s o u t h e r n O reg o n , 1 03
rat i n g s, 3 5
Te m ec u l a , CA, 85
Rave n s c roft Al l - p u rpose Ta sti n g G l a ss, 4
Texa s, 1 1 4
Recioto, 1 43
Ve n eto, I ta ly, 1 42
reco m m e n d a t i o n s
vi n g ri s, 5 3
A lto Ad i g e, I ta ly, 1 3 9
Vi rg i n i a, 1 1 1
Austria, 1 5 7
Vo uvray, 5 7
Bea uj o l a i s, Fra n ce, 1 2 7
Wa l l a Wa l l a, WA, 9 5
B u rg u ndy, Fra n ce, 1 25
wh ite coo k i ng, 2 1 1
Centra l Va l l ey, C h i le, 1 96
Wi l l a m ette Va l l ey, O R, 1 0 1
Col u m b i a G org e, O R/WA, 99
red w i n e s
Col u m bi a Va l l ey, O R/WA, 90-9 1

24 1
C a b e r n et Sa uvig n o n , 34-35 rose w i n e s
coo k i n g with, 2 1 2- 1 3 New Wo r l d , 5 0-5 1
g l a sswa re, 2-5 reco m m e n d ed , 5 1
M e r l ot, 36-3 7 styl es of, 49
Petite S i ra h, 44-45 tra d i t i o n a l F re n c h , 48-49
Pi n ot N o i r, 3 8-39 v i n g ri s, 5 2- 5 3
Syra h , 40-4 1 Wh ite Z i n fa n d e l , 46-47
Z i n fa n d e l , 42-43 R o u s sa n n e, 3 0-3 1
red u ct i o n s, 2 1 6- 1 7
refe r m e ntat i o n , 2 1
reg i o n s s
E u ro pe, 2 28-29 Sacra m e nto Va l l ey, CA, 86-87
major wo r l d w i d e, 2 3 0-3 1 sa l a d pa i ri n g s, 200-20 1
N o rt h Ame rica, 2 26-2 7 sa m p l e pou rs, 1 5
resou rces Sa n Joaq u i n Va l l ey, CA, 88-89
E u ropean w i n e reg i o n s, 2 28-29 Sa n Lu i s O b i s po Co u n ty, CA, 80-8 1
i nfo rmati o n a l we bsites, 220 Sa n ce rre, 2 2
mag azi n es, 2 2 2 Sa nta B a r b a ra Cou nty, C A , 82-83
maj o r wo r l d w i d e reg i o n s, 2 3 0-3 1 Sa rd i n i a/Sa rd eg n a , I t a l y, 1 46-47
N o rt h A m e r i ca n w i n e reg i o n s, 2 26-2 7 s a u ces, 2 1 6- 1 7
rea d i n g , 2 24 Sa utern es, Fra n ce, 1 34-35
reta i l e r We b sites, 2 1 8- 1 9 Sa uvi g n o n B l a n c, 2 2-23
resta u ra nt service Sa uvig n o n B l a n c g l ass, 2
corka g e a nd , 1 6- 1 7 sed i m e nt, 1 7, 1 9
o rd e ri n g, 1 4- 1 5
ret u r n i n g w i n e, 1 8- 1 9
w i n e d efects a n d, 20-2 1
reta i l e r We b sites, 2 1 8- 1 9
Rets i n a , 1 89
R h i n e R i ve r Va l l ey, G e rm a ny
G e rwu rztra m i ne r, 32-33
R i es l i n g, 3 2-33
R h i n e l a n d , G e r m a ny, 1 54-5 5
R h o n e Va l l ey, Fra n ce, 1 28-29
R i bero del D u e ro, S pa i n , 1 62-63
R i e d e l g l a sswa re, 3, 5
R i e s l i ng , 32-33
R i passo, 1 43
Roma n ee-Conti, 1 2 5

242
Seg u ra Vi u d a s Cava , 5 8 U.S., 62-63
Se m i l l o n , 22-23 Vo uvray, 5 6-5 7
se rvi n g s p i cy food pa i ri n g s, 2 04-5
a l l - p u rpose g l a ss, 4-5 S p i eg e l a u O n e4A l l Red a n d Wh ite g l a sswa re, 4
corkscrews, x i i - 1 Ste l l e n bosc h , S o u t h Africa, 1 84-85
deca nte rs, 6-7 Stelvi n screwca ps, 1 3
g l a sswa re, 2-3 stewa rd s, 1 4
S h e r ry, 1 66-67 Sto n e H i l l Wi n e ry, 1 1 6
S h e rry, S p a i n , 1 66-67 s u lfites, 6 7
S i c i ly, I ta ly, 1 50-5 1 S u pe r-Tu sca n w i n es, 1 45
s i m p l e co rks c rew, x i i s u sta i n a b l e fa rm i n g , 44
s me l l, 8-9 swi r l i n g , 8
so m m e l i e rs, 1 4 synthetic co rks, 1 2
S o n o m a Co u nty, CA, 74-75 Syra h , 40-4 1
so u p pa i ri n g s, 200-20 1
South Africa
C h e n i n B l a n c, 2 6 T
Ste l l e n bosch, 1 84-85 Ta l l ey R i ncon Vi n eya rd, 8 1
w i n e s of, 1 82-83 ta n n i n s, 4 1
South A m e rica ta rtrates, 1 6
Arg e nt i n a , 1 92-93 tast i n g
Centra l Va l l ey, C h i le, 1 96-97 c l o s u res, 1 2- 1 3
C h i le, 1 94-:-95 h o m e pa rty, 1 0- 1 1
South I s l a n d , New Zea l a n d , 1 80-8 1 h ow to, 8-9
S pa i n Tave l Rose, 48-49
Cata l o n ia/Cata l u nya, 1 64-65 Te m ec u l a , CA, 84-85
Cava , 58-59 terro i r, 2 9, 36
Ga l i c i a , 1 5 8-59 Texas, 1 1 4- 1 5
La M a n c ha , 1 68-69 textu re, 8-9
La R i oj a , 1 60-6 1 Thornton Wi n e ry, 85
R i be ro d e l D u e ro, 1 62-63 Toc a i Fri u l a n o, 1 40-4 1
S h e r ry/J e rez, 1 66-67 To kaj i Aszu , 1 90-9 1
S pa n i s h Cava , 58-59 To r ro ntes, 1 93
S pa rk l i n g Vo uvray, 5 6-5 7 Tosca n o, I ta ly, 1 44-45
s p a r k l i n g wi nes Tre n t i n o-Alto Ad i g e, I ta ly, 1 3 8-39
C h a m pa g n e, 5 4-5 5 , 63 Tu sca ny, I ta ly, 1 44-45
P rosecco, 60-6 1
S pa n i s h Cava , 58-59
styl es of, 64-65

243
R i e s l i n g, 32-33
u
R o u s sa n n e, 30-3 1
Uti l ita r i a n Deca nte r, 7
Sa u v i g n o n B l a n c, 22-23
Sem i l l o n , 22-23
Viog n ie r, 3 0-3 1
v
Wh ite Z i nfa n d e l , 46-47
Va l l ey View Wi n e ry a n d Vi n eyard, 1 02
Wi l l a m ette Va l l ey, OR, 1 00- 1 0 1
va l u e wi n es, v i i i-ix
w i n e d i n n e r, 1 1
va rieta l l a be l s, 35
w i n e l i sts, 1 4, 1 7
va rieta l tast i n g , 1 O
w i n e rat i n g, 3 5
Veg a S i c i l i a , 1 62-63
w i n e stewa rd s, 1 4
Ve n eto, I ta ly, 1 42-43
w i n e-ta st i n g pa rty, 1 0- 1 1
Ve r m e nt i n o di Ga l l u ra, 1 47
wines
Vi na C a r m e n Wi n e ry, 1 97
c h oos i n g, x-x i
vi n g ris, 5 2-53
c u lt u re a nd , v i i i
Vi n Sa nto, 1 45
x e njoy i n g , x
� Viog n ie r, 30-3 1
h e a l t h a n d, 1
� Vi rg i n ia , 1 1 0- 1 1
o l d e r, ix-x, 8
vo lati l e a c i d ity, 20
o rd e r i n g , 1 4-2 1
Vo uvray, 5 6-5 7
p ri c i n g , xi
Vo uvray M o u sse ux, 5 7
se rvi ng, xi i-7
ta sti ng, 8- 1 3
va l u e, v i i i -ix
w Wood b r i d g e Vi n eyard, 86-8 7
wa ite r 's fri e n d corkscrew, x i i
Wa l l a Wa l l a , WA, 94-95
Wei s i n g e r 's Vi n eya rd-Wi n e ry, 1 03
y
Wh ite Pa n Sa u ce, 2 1 6
Ya rd e n Ca b e r n et S a u vi g n o n , 1 87
wh ite w i n e s
yea st, 1 8- 1 9
C h a rd o n n ay, 24-25
C h e n i n B l a n c, 26-2 7
coo k i n g w i t h , 2 1 0- 1 1
Gewu rztra m i ne r, 32-33
z
Za rd etto P rosecco, 60-6 1
g l a sswa re, 2-5
Z i n fa n d e l , 42-43
P i n ot G r i g i o, 28-29
ZO R K c l o s u res, 1 3
P i n ot G ri s, 28-29

244

Вам также может понравиться