B-21 on Facebook
tasting
Sherry on the rise: Attention must be paid
Sherry, a triumph of Spanish winemaking, is at last on the rise, yet it is not being dumbed down. If anything, it is the complexity of the best that adds to their rewards. Glasses in which you can taste the sea, the almond groves, and even evolving and downright split personalities.
A private group of aficionadoes, winemakers and critics decided to celebrate this national treasure by seeking out the finest odd bin butts in sherry country. They watched them evolve and then issued small exclusive bottling under the name “Equipo Navazos.’’
Those I saw were all pale from green straw to a light tawny, but their bouquets were full of more color and complexity than a Pedro Almodovar movie .
La Bota de Palo Cortado ($99.99, 375ml)
Equipo Navazos has brought about 20 to market, and B-21 seminarians were lucky to taste four. One was a delicate Fino and another a sea-breezy Manzanilla. Then, confusions set in.
By all rights, these two sherries are separate from nutty Amontillado and caramelized Oloroso. That’s too simplistic for a shape-shifting, gender-bending millennium.
So Equipo found a Manzanilla Pasada #10, ($54.99) a very old Manzanilla so tasty it’s almost cross-dressing as an Amontillado, a delicious conflict you can taste all the way through.
Their richest oddity was La Bota de Palo Cortado #17, ($99,99, 375 ml) and a complete trans-gender, seeming both Fino and Oloroso. Think of it as a nutty caramel distilled into a fine brandy.
Burgunder on the rise
Man made or not, recent climate change has paid off for wine drinkers in odd ways. In the Rhone, vintages have been remarkably ripe for ten years (excepting hail-wracked 2002).
In Germany, a bigger miracle: warmer weather has changed the color of many German wines. Red wines now amount to 39 percent of wines in Germany. Most are Pinot Noir, aka Spatburgunder, Lemberger, Portugieier and Dornfelder. These new blaus are both numerous and good.
Very good judging by the dry reds poured by Julie Swift from vineyards in Wurtemberg and Baden.
2005 Huber Malterninger Bienenberg Pinot Noir ($59.99)
She reported that Huber’s 2005 Malterninger Bienenberg Pinot ($59.99) had won a Montelena-style blind showdown in Paris.
Not that the whites are shabby or disappearing. Indeed, 2003 and 2006 were so ripe and rich, that the traditional German ranking fails. Even the lowest ranks of QbA and Kabinett were ripe enough they amount to “declassified spatleses.” But at far less than top price. You have to know the law to break it.
You say your Riesling tastes minerally? What color slate do your taste buds see? If the wine is full of tropical fruits, the vineyards were likely on gray or blue slate. Areas of red slate are more rare and give a much spicier edge to the fruit, sprinkling it with cinnamon all the way down the finish. Some labels will give a clue, such as Rottlund (Rot = Red).
Could that be the secret to Washington’s great Red Mountain? Dispatch the rock climbers!
Hugh shouldn’t have dismissed the southern Rhones…
Freddy Mattson of Vineyard Brands walking us through 2007 Perrins
Freddy Mattson of Vineyard brands opened a presentation of the Perrin wines with a 1983 declamation from Hugh Johnson dismissing southern Rhones and their rusticity and high strength. In 1983 his eminence insisted that common grapes could only make common wines.
On a day with wonderful Grenache/Garnacha from Spain and Australia as well as from the Perrins, Mr. Johnson would have been more embarrassed than the southern Rhone.
Where- or what, is Coudolet anyhow? Coudolet de Beaucastel 2007 is a bargain and a great property of the Perrins on the wrong side of the tracks, in this case, the A-2 from Chateauneuf du Pape. Actually, it was in CdP at the beginning of the century, but planners laid the monster highway smack through the district. That left a chunk of vineyards on the east that big shots excluded from a redrawn Chateauneuf du Pape, and dumped into Cotes du Rhone; that became Coudolet ($29.99). Made of the same terroir and the four major grapes, largely Grenache and a big helping of devlish Mourvedre.
No crying over spilt politics now. We’ll laugh all the way to the wine cellar, tucking away a Coudolet full of black fruit and black candies, better than many CdPs but $50 less for a few kilometers.
Holiday tasting rings in the new – and old
Mr. B-Blog enjoying a glass of 2005 Sierra Salinas Mira
It’s been the big tasting of the year since the days when B-21 hid limited allocation bottles around the store during a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt.
The 2009 edition was as much fun, with 128 wines up for pouring and even more at four brilliant seminars. The challenge was picking the best of a remarkably rich selection. Not a dog in the bunch, and many had a classier pedigree than I do.
Listening to the buzz, I found two consistent trails, new and old.
Mike Mattiace and many others sent me to the Spanish table for Mira from Sierra Salinas, What a lush easy drink, two 93s from no less than Parker and B-21’s own Spain Advocate, Summer Martin ($18.99). Other fingers and signals pointed to the Southern Cone, where Argentina wowed me with two great Malbecs, Susana Balbo’s new 2007 Signature and the 2006 Tikal Patriota Altos de Mendoza.
I also hung out in the exclusive chill of Area 21, where the winemeisters revealed much wine lore in secret seminars that I will reveal in postings to come.
Want to see pictures from the Grand Holiday Tasting! Check out these smiles and purple teeth!
A big case of holiday spirits
For wine lovers the holidays are too crowded to be dreary and flat. Look what’s coming this year with some big red letter days:
Nov. 16: Wine Spectator counts down its top 100.
Nov. 20: The 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivee.
Nov. 22: THE BIG B-21 CELEBRATION. The store brings out all its best, including that boatload of Spanish wine that’s just arrived in Miami. No Santa, but Chris Ringland, one of the real wizards of Oz will be here. Plus Freddy Matson to take us through the properties of the Perrins, a guided tour of Germany’s best terroir and instruction in the mysteries of sherry, the most delicious Spanish wine you’re not drinking. And ME, Mr. B-Blog, to help you plan wine gifts, pick wine for holiday meals, or calculate party needs. See you there. Seminars start at 12, tastings at 2. Get your tickets now.
Nov. 26: Thanksgiving, aka What Wine Goes with Turkey Day. Dozens, so be thankful
Dec. 1: Rhone dinner at Currents with Matthieu Perrin, from Chateau Beaucastel, which makes exceptional wine from every appellation from Châteauneuf du Pape on down. You know I can’t resist that one. (Glad I got my ticket because now its sold out!)
Dec. 24: Christmas eve and last chance shopping. Don’t forget Gift Cards are always a quick option!
Dec. 31: Welcome the New Year with new bubbly.
Chris Ringland, the 100-pt shiraz master comes to Tarpon
Winemaker Chris Ringland will be at B-21's Grand Holiday Tasting. Register now for a ticket!
How do you make a 100-point wine? With shiraz and a smile, mate.
How else would a bloke from Oz reach the height of Parkerdom? While his 2005 Longitude Shiraz is out of reach except at auction he’s one of the world’s best, at every price.
Ozzies invented “good value’’ and mean it when they say it. It’s worth applying to a host of wines that comes from the palate of Ringland and the wit of importer Dan Philips, who formed R Wines. Their fun stuff includes Bitch, Evil, Boarding Pass, and Roogle.
For a richer demonstration of the flavors Ringland can bring out of shiraz, from chocolate to licorice candy, step up a few dollars and try the 2007 CR Barossa at $15.99. (Normally 17.99) What a mouthful.
Then come meet the man himself at B-21’s holiday tasting Nov. 22.