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If you are curious about chardonnay in California, and want to see Hollywood tell it.. this is a pretty good movie about the famous tasting.
When Chardonnay made a name for itself as a world-wide traveler..
Judgment of Paris
(TIME June 7, 1976) Americans abroad have been boasting for years about California wines, only to be greeted in most cases by polite disbelief – or worse. Among the few fervent and respected admirers of le vin de Californie in France is a transplanted Englishman, Steven Spurrier, 34, who owns the Cave de la Madeleine wine shop, one of the best in Paris, and the Academie du Vin, a wine school whose six-week courses are attended by the French Restaurant Association’s chefs and sommeliers.Last week in Paris, at a formal wine tasting organized by Spurrier, the unthinkable happened: California defeated all Gaul.
The contest was as strictly controlled as the production of a Chateau Lafite. The nine French judges, drawn from an oenophile’s Who’s Who, included such high priests as Pierre Tari, secretary-general of the Association des Grands Crus Classes, and Raymond Oliver, owner of Le Grand Vefour restaurant and doyen of French culinary writers. The wines tasted were transatlantic cousins – four white Burgundies against six California Pinot Chardonnays and four Grands Crus Chateaux reds from Bordeaux against six California Cabernet Sauvignons.
As they swirled, sniffed, sipped and spat, some judges were instantly able to separate an imported upstart from an aristocrat. More often, the panel was confused. “Ah, back to France!” exclaimed Oliver after sipping a 1972 Chardonnay from the Napa Valley. “That is definitely California. It has no nose,” said another judge – after downing a Batard Montrachet ’73. Other comments included such Gallic gems as “this is nervous and agreeable,” “a good nose, but not too much in the mouth,” and “this soars out of the ordinary.”
When the ballots were cast, the top-soaring red was Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars’ ’72 from the Napa Valley, followed by Mouton-Rothschild ’70, Haut-Brion ’70 and Montrose ’70. The four winning whites were, in order, Chateau Montelena ’73 from Napa, French Meursault-Charmes ’73 and two other Californians, Chalone ’74 from Monterey County and Napa’s Spring Mountain ’73. The U.S. winners are little known to wine lovers, since they are in short supply even in California and rather expensive ($6 plus). Jim Barrett, Montelena’s general manager and part owner, said: “Not bad for kids from the sticks.” (via Chateau Montelena - Paris Tasting - Media Coverage from 1976
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![One more vocab word before we go off and learn about Chardonnay..
Terroir
While wine experts disagree as to the “exact” definition, a large focus is given to the natural elements that are generally considered beyond the control of humans. Some of the components often described of terroir include:
[1] * Climate* Soil type * Topography
The interaction of climate and terroir is generally broken down from the macroclimate of a larger area (For example, the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy), down to the mesoclimate of a smaller subsection of that region (such as the village of Vosne-Romanée) and even to the individual microclimate of a particular vineyard or row or grapevines (like the Grand Cru vineyard of La Grande Rue). The element of soil relates both to the composition and the intrinsic nature of the vineyard soils, such as fertility, drainage and ability to retain heat. Topography refers to the natural landscape features like mountains, valleys and bodies of water, which affect how the climate interacts with the region, and includes elements of aspect and altitude of the vineyard location.
The definition of terroir can be expanded to include elements that are controlled or influenced by human decisions. This can include the decision of which grape variety to plant, though whether or not that grape variety will produce quality wine is an innate element of terroir that may be beyond human influence. Some grape varieties thrive better in certain areas than they do in others. The winemaking decision of using wild or ambient yeast in fermentation instead of cultured or laboratory produced yeast can be a reflection of terroir. The use of oak is a controversial element since some will advocate that its use is beneficial in bringing out the natural terroir characteristics while others will argue that its use can mask the influences of the terroir.
(via Terroir - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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One more vocab word before we go off and learn about Chardonnay..
While wine experts disagree as to the “exact” definition, a large focus is given to the natural elements that are generally considered beyond the control of humans. Some of the components often described of terroir include:
[1] * Climate* Soil type * Topography
The interaction of climate and terroir is generally broken down from the macroclimate of a larger area (For example, the Côte de Nuits region of Burgundy), down to the mesoclimate of a smaller subsection of that region (such as the village of Vosne-Romanée) and even to the individual microclimate of a particular vineyard or row or grapevines (like the Grand Cru vineyard of La Grande Rue). The element of soil relates both to the composition and the intrinsic nature of the vineyard soils, such as fertility, drainage and ability to retain heat. Topography refers to the natural landscape features like mountains, valleys and bodies of water, which affect how the climate interacts with the region, and includes elements of aspect and altitude of the vineyard location.
The definition of terroir can be expanded to include elements that are controlled or influenced by human decisions. This can include the decision of which grape variety to plant, though whether or not that grape variety will produce quality wine is an innate element of terroir that may be beyond human influence. Some grape varieties thrive better in certain areas than they do in others. The winemaking decision of using wild or ambient yeast in fermentation instead of cultured or laboratory produced yeast can be a reflection of terroir. The use of oak is a controversial element since some will advocate that its use is beneficial in bringing out the natural terroir characteristics while others will argue that its use can mask the influences of the terroir.
(via Terroir - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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and while we’re at it.. a little vocab
Ampelography (Αμπελος, “vine” + γραφος, ‘writing’) is the field of botany concerned with the identification and classification of grapevines, Vitis spp. Traditionally this has been done by comparing the shape and colour of the vine leaves and grape berries; more recently the study of vines has been revolutionised by DNA fingerprinting.![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=2ddf1057-ad12-4746-ba8c-216031e8b9c8)
Chardonnay!
Image via Wikipedia
Here’s a great article with lots of information on the Chardonnay grape. It’s not too long-so it’s a pretty quick read. Here’s a recap of the good stuff:
- In the Chablis region of France, it is the only grape permitted and it renders a “crisp, flinty” wine. In the Meursault appellation, chardonnay takes on a lush, ripe, “fleshy”, “buttery” quality.
- Unfortunately, chardonnay vines are shy-bearing and susceptible to a myriad of maladies. Chardonnay berries are relatively small, thin-skinned, fragile, and oxidize easily. This makes chardonnay somewhat more sensitive to winemaking techniques and more difficult to handle from harvest to bottling than most other grape types.
- Chardonnay’s intrinsic blank canvas quality also allows its flavors to be dramatically affected by differences in soil, climate, and vineyard practices. Not uncommon among wine grapes, the chardonnay vine also has a tendency to mutate and research has identified over 400 clonal variants.
and if you want to impress your friends
- Researchers at the University of California at Davis used DNA profiling in 1999 to prove that Chardonnay originated as a cross of an obscure, ancient, and nearly extinct variety called gouais blanc with a member of the “pinot” family, quite likely pinot noir (although ampelographic research has not yet been able to pinpoint this).
more to come!
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Food & Wine’s Rose Fact Sheet
Wine Guide Fact Sheet: Rosés By Richard Nalley
- What are they? Rosés are usually made by siphoning off the juice of red grapes after a brief contact with the color-bearing grape skins. (Longer contact would turn the wine red.) Some rosés are produced by tincturing white wine with a little red wine, but the people who use this technique don’t usually brag about it.
- Where are they from? Most of the rosés I look for come from southern France—Provence, Tavel, Bandol, Languedoc, Roussillon. But Italy and Spain make some sensational dry rosés. So does California, though there it’s a labor of love. Consumer confusion with treacly, sweet “blush” wines has discouraged many American producers.
- What do you serve them with? Since dry rosés are as refreshing as chilled white wines, with the body and the spirited fruit character of light reds, they bridge a lot of gaps. In particular, young rosés are wonderful with smoky, salty, peppery flavors. They bring out the best in a dish of charcoal-grilled chicken, garlicky shrimp or peppery sausage, and there’s no other wine you’d want with your ham sandwich.
- What should you look for? Although they come in a range of colors and flavors, European-style dry rosés will typically have a kick of fruitiness, with a dry edge in the finish, and a lift of acidity to keep it lively. If a pink wine tastes like melted bubblegum, you’ve got a “white” Zinfandel, not a rosé.
via: Food & Wine’s Wine Guide Fact Sheet
Rosé: Underrated or Overhyped? | Food & Wine
One of my favorite wine authors from Food & Wine, Lettie Teague, tests out a few Rose wines to put them to the test.
Rose Champagne? Yes it’s true - and delicious.
Below is an excerpt from a great article in Food & Wine about getting to know and beginning to love Rose Champagne.
“In fact, it was the color—anywhere from a soft peach to a pinkish gold to a pale tangerine—that first made me fall in love with rosé Champagne. Created by blending red wine with white (Champagne is the only place in France where this is legal—though perhaps not the only place where it’s done) or, less commonly, bleeding the skins of red grapes, rosés have not only more color than regular Champagne but more body as well. This, in my opinion, makes them great wines with food. A good rosé can stand up to some pretty rich dishes—smoked duck, lobster or even hot sausage. In fact, I’d drink a rosé Champagne with just about any food that demands a light, juicy red or a full-bodied white.” (via Rosé Champagne Debate | Food & Wine )
Biodynamics: The Next Trend | Food & Wine
What is biodynamics?
At its most basic, the biodynamic approach to grape-growing sees the vineyard as an ecological whole: not just rows of grapevines, but the soil beneath them—an organism in its own right—and the other flora and fauna in the area, growing together interdependently.
Why a Rose is Pink
Rosé wine making First of all Rosé wine is not a blending of red and white wine (abstraction made of the exceptional case of Champagne Rosé). Rosé wine is made from red grape-varieties. And, nowadays, many winemakers mix a certain amount of white grapes with the red. The elaboration of rosé wine is delicate. It is probably why the amateur is sometimes disappointed by the quality of a rosé. Particularity, European rosé is “dry”. On the contrary, American rosé is sweet and similar to white wine.
There are at least three methods of making rosé wine:
1. Gray or pale rosé wine
The grapes are pressed as soon as they arrive in the cellar. It allows a quicker diffusion of the color in the must. The juice is left a very short time in contact with the skin. No more than a few hours! That way the must is delicately colored. Rosé wine is then made in the same way as a white wine, fermentation of the must cleared of solid elements with out any more maceration. The winemaker obtains a gray or pale rosé wine (for Gris de Bourgogne or Rosé de Loire).
2. Colored pink wine
To obtain a colored pink wine the grapes are put in the fermentation tank after having been crushed. The juice quickly enriches itself in alcohol with the temperature going up (in the tank). At the contact of the solid element the color quickly diffuses. The winemaker chooses the intensity of the color by controlling a sample every hour. When he is satisfied he devattes. The wine is evacuated in another tank to finish fermenting. The must left in the original tank is evacuated and not used for rosé any more.
3.The bleeding
To obtain an even more intense color, once an hour, during the initial fermentation the winemaker takes out of the tank a certain amount of juice. When the color is satisfying, the wine making process goes on as for a white wine. Rosé de Provence are obtain by that method.
I’m obviously not the only one who thinks that Rose’s are getting a bad rap..
RAP=Rose Avengers and Producers
