Author Archives: Dina Given

3 Alternatives to Chardonnay

Chardonnay is the most popular and widely grown white grape variety in the world. It can be grown successfully in a variety of different climates, from cool through hot, so can be found in just about every wine region. It is also considered a winemaker’s wine because the Chardonnay grape is essentially a blank canvas that can be produced in a variety of styles based on the winemaker’s preference.

Chardonnay’s origins are in Burgundy, France where it is unquestionably made into one of the world’s greatest wines with both power and finesse. However, most people in the United States think of Chardonnay wines as those big, buttery fruit bombs produced in California in years past. That heavy, rich style of Chardonnay is on the decline as most consumers are looking for a more sophisticated style of wine.

If you like the structure and body of Chardonnay, but want to try something a little different, take a look at these alternatives.

Viognier

Viognier originated in France, with the very best coming from Condrieu in the Rhone Valley. It is often used as a blending partner with Syrah/Shiraz, adding beautiful floral aromas. On it’s own, Viognier produces a full-bodied, soft wine with aromas of peach, pears, vanilla and violets. It also has higher alcohol levels that contribute a signature oily texture on the tongue. Viognier has a similar weight and body to Chardonnay, but has more perfumed aromas. Viognier pairs well with seafood, pork, root vegetables and spicy international dishes.

Reccommendations:

  • Miner Viognier ($18)
  • Barboursville Vineyards Reserve Viognier, Virginia ($20)
  • Stags’ Leap Winery Viognier ($25)
  • Darioush Signature Viognier ($50)
  • E. Guigal Condrieu ($55)

White Rhone Blends (Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne, Viognier)

White wines from the Rhone Valley of France, or Rhone-style wines from other parts of the world, are always blends of a number of grape varieties. The most commonly used varieties are:

  • Viognier (see above)
  • Marsanne: contributes lemon, apricot, full body, higher alcohol and an oily texture
  • Roussanne: contributes pear, herbal notes, good acidity and higher alcohol
  • Grenache Blanc: contributes green plum, citrus, pear, brioche, low acidity and higher alcohol
  • Clairette: contributes freshness, fennel, apple, and grapefruit
  • Bourboulenc: contributes lemon and higher acidity

As a result of blending, these wines are typically well balanced, with ripe fruit profiles, higher alcohol and a weightier texture. Less expensive white Rhone wines (e.g., Cotes du Rhone Blanc) will be made in stainless steel and released young for early drinking. The more expensive options (e.g., Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc) will be aged in oak, have greater structure and complexity, and can be cellared for a number of years.

Recommendations:

  • Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee des Terrasses Blanc ($16)
  • d’Arenberg The Hermit Crab McLaren Vale ($17)
  • Francois Villard Les Contours de Mairlant ($20)
  • Domaine de Saint Cosme Les Deux Albion ($25)
  • Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc ($60)

Pinto Gris

Pinot Gris is the same grape as Pinot Grigio, but when produced outside of Italy it tastes like an entirely different wine! Whereas Pinot Grigio has been described as “alcoholic lemon water”, Pinot Gris from areas like Oregon, Washington and Alsace, which are often aged in oak, take on expressiveness and complexity. Oak aged Pinot Gris is very aromatic with aromas of peaches, cantaloupe and marzipan.

Recommendations:

  • Elk Cove Pinot Gris, Oregon ($18)
  • The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris ($25)
  • Trimbach Pinot Gris Alsace Reserve ($30)
  • Albert Boxler Pinot Gris ($40)

Best Value Red Wine Regions

What does “value” mean? Some may interpret this to mean “inexpensive”, but that isn’t entirely accurate. Value is a combination of both price and quality. A wine that is a great value may not necessarily be cheap, but rather, it is priced well in comparison to other wines of the same good quality. In short, value wines drink like much more expensive wines.

There are a number of places around the world where you can find great wine values. However, there is always the risk of inconsistency – in just about every region you can find great wines and terrible wines at the same price point. I wanted to try to eliminate some of the inconsistency by identifying those regions that are a safer bet in terms of finding more consistent quality value wines.

Duoro, Portugal: Red Blends

The Duoro in Portugal is historically known for Port wines, but those sweet, high alcohol fortified wines have plummeted in popularity. To keep the lights on, many Port producers have turned to making dry, unfortified red wines and they are delicious! These wines are made using the same local grape varieties that go into Port – Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz (aka., Tempranillo) and others. This blend produces inky black wines that are deep in flavor, dense and lush with soft tannins, good acidity and a balancing earthiness.

  • Mary Taylor Filipe Ferreira Douro ($16)
  • Casa Ferreirinha Vinha Grande Doc Douro Red ($19)
  • Van Zellers Tinto ($22)

Jumilla, Spain: Monastrell

In general, Spain is one the best value countries in the world. It has the lowest average price point of most wine producing countries, mainly because they produce a lot of bulk wine. However, this also means their better wines don’t command high prices due to the country’s less-than-stellar quality reputation. It doesn’t mean there aren’t amazing values to be had. Look to Jumilla, known for single-varietal bottlings of Monastrell (aka, Mourvedre and Mataro). This is a dark fruited wine with notes of black pepper, blackberry, chocolate and roasted meats.

  • Juan Gil Silver Label ($13)
  • Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya ($13)
  • Volver Tarima Hill Old Vines Monastrell ($16)

Mendoza, Argentina: Malbec

Malbec has become synonymous with Argentina, and the country has done amazing things with this grape variety. Malbec is always a well-liked wine choice, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be in any danger of fading. Malbec is one of your safest low-priced wines – it’s hard to get a really bad wine at any price point. These wines are rich, dark, smooth and chocolatey with soft cocoa powder-like tannins.

  • La Posta Pizzella Malbec ($15)
  • Bodega Catena Zapata Malbec ($16)
  • Kaiken Ultra Malbec ($18)

Lodi, CA: Zinfandel

Although it may seem like there are no good values left in California, this huge state with almost perfect weather continues to reveal special areas with great value wines. Lodi is part of the gigantic, flat, hot, dry, irrigated Central Valley region of California where the majority of lower quality bulk wine grapes are grown for cheap regional wines (think Rex-Goliath, Woodbridge and Sutter Home). However, Lodi stands apart due to its special location immediately east of river deltas that funnel in cooler Pacific breezes, keeping this region more moderated. This is the home of old vine Zinfandel – many vines that were planted over 100 years ago then forgotten and only recently re-discovered. Old Vine Zinfandel is deep, fruit-forward, jammy, smoky and complex.

  • OZV OId Vine Zinfandel ($11)
  • Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel ($17)
  • Boneshaker Old Vine Zinfandel ($18)
  • Brazen Old Vine Zinfandel ($18)

Sicily, Italy: Etna Rosso

Sicily has a historic reputation for high volume, lower quality bulk wine, but that is changing. Some of the best wines coming out of this southern Italian island are Etna Rosso wines from the volcanic mountain soils of Mount Etna. Etna Rosso wines are made from a blend of local Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Mantellato grapes. These wines are reminiscent of elegant, lighter bodied Pinot Noirs. They display red berry fruit, bright acidity, moderate tannins and a trademark volcanic minerality.

  • Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso ($20)
  • Graci Etna Rosso ($23
  • Benanti Etna Rosso ($25)

 

Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is literally translated as Noble Wine of Montepulciano, and historically lived up to its name as a favorite amongst influential Kings, Popes, and Presidents. Even Thomas Jefferson fell under the spell of Vino Nobile. So what happened to this wine and why is not more well known today?

For the present I confine myself to the physical want of some good Montepulciano…this being a very favorite wine and habit having rendered the light and high flavored wines a necessity of life with me. It was most superlatively good.” – Thomas Jefferson

What is Vino Nobile?

Vino Nobile is a red wine that hails from the Montepulciano region within Tuscany, Italy. As with almost all Tuscan red wines, Vino Nobile is made from Sangiovese – the same grape variety used to make its more famous cousins, Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino. Nearly two-thirds of Tuscany’s vineyards are planted with Sangiovese. It’s the region’s most important grape.

So what’s the difference between Vino Nobile and its cousins? Vino Nobile is made from a different clone of Sangiovese called Prugnolo Gentile. A grapegrower may find a specific vine in their vineyard that has a special trait or quality they want to replicate, such as a particular flavor or aroma profile they want to capture, so they clone it. A clone is a cutting or bud of a “mother” vine that is used to propagate a second plant that will be genetically identical to the first. In this case, Prugnolo Gentile is a clone of Sangiovese that has somewhat different characteristics than the Sangiovese clones used to produce Chianti or Brunello (which are also different clones from each other).

As a result of this special clone, Vino Nobile is said to have the perfume of Chianti Classico with the richness of Brunello di Montalcino. These wines are medium bodied with high acid and firm tannins. They are usually maroon-red in color and are delicious, easy to drink, and refreshing. Vino Nobile is characterized by ripe red fruit (strawberries, raspberries), herbs, spice and leather with a gently tannic “tea-leaf” finish.

Sangiovese must make up at least 70% of the final wine, with the remaining 30% being other approval local varieties including Canaiolo and Mammolo. Up to 5% may be white varieties such as Malvasia. The aging period for any Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a minimum of 24 months (36 months for riserva wines), of which at least 12 months must be spent in oak barrels.

History

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was highly regarded for much of Italian wine history. However, it was during the 19th century that many of Montepulciano’s large estates, which had been historically owned by local nobility, were sold to non-Tuscans and foreign investors. This led to a downturn in the wine’s quality and reputation, and it was often mis-labeled as Chianti.

Adding insult to injury, from post-World War II through the 1970s and ‘80s, Tuscan wine production focused largely on quantity over quality. Wine regions expanded into lesser quality areas to handle higher volumes of grapes, further reducing wine quality.

With the arrival of the government wine regulations in the 1960s, Montepulciano began to regain its stature as a fine and noble wine, and received further dues in 1980 when it was awarded the highest DOCG classification. This gave way to a rebirth in which the focus was on re-establishing premium quality regional wines that are world-renowned today.

What Isn’t It More Popular?

Despite its prestigious history, excellent value and high quality, many Americans have not yet discovered Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. The challenge is twofold: if you’re a Tuscan wine with more famous siblings (Chianti Classico and Brunello di Montalcino) and the name of the town you’re from is also the name of a grape from another Italian region (Montepulciano di Abruzzo), you end up getting lost in the shuffle.

Although this fantastic wine might be flying under the radar, it is actually a benefit to wine consumers! The result is that Vino Nobile is a bargain compared with its Tuscan neighbors, while still rivaling them in quality. Excellent bottles can be had for $15-$30.

Recommendations

  • Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ($20)
  • Dei Vino Nobile di Montepulciano ($24
  • Carpineto Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva ($28)

Hallowine Recommendations

Halloween is right around the corner and there are plenty of wines at your local wine shop with labels that work perfectly for the season. Here are some wines that pair with creep-tastic costume parties, trick-or-treating with neighborhood parents, or just relaxing like the dead at home.

#1 Villa Jolanda Halloween Spumante

I always say, you can never go wrong with bubbles! This delightful sparkler from Italy is bright and juicy. It is an Extra Sec, meaning it has a small amount of sweetness that makes it easy drinking and fun to pair with Halloween candy.

#2. The Prisoner Blindfold, $25

The Prisoner Blindfold is a unique blend of Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc with Rhone varietals – Roussanne, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne. It has a toasty base of Chardonnay layered with flavors of pineapple, tangerine and grapefruit.

#3. Phantom Chardonnay, $13

Bogle Vineyards’ Phantom Chardonnay is a hauntingly delicious, full bodied wine. It has all of those yummy Fall flavors of baked apple pie, vanilla, caramel and butter along with mango, pineapple and toasty oak.

#4. Owen Roe Sinister Hand, $25

Sinister Hand is a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend from Washington State’s Columbia Valley. It is spicy and dark with black cherry, strawberry and vanilla notes. It has noticeable chewy tannins, a touch of pepper and some earthiness.

#5. Ghost Pines Cabernet Sauvignon, $15

Fruit for Ghost Pines is sourced from Napa, Sonoma and Lake Counties, with each area bringing its own unique characteristics. This creates a complex and balanced blend of Cabernet Sauvignon. Ghost Pines is a rich wine offering intense blackberry, blackcurrant and dark cherry aromas along with notes of toasty oak, vanilla, and toasted nuts.

 

Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Verdejo

Albarino may be Spain’s most famous white wine, but there is an often overlooked varietal that may just deserve the title of Spain’s best white wine. Verdejo is not many people’s first choice of Spanish wine, and its homeland of Rueda is not a place that tourists tend to visit. Yet it should be on everyone’s “wines to try” list.

Style

Verdejo is a dry white wine that is sometimes compared to Sauvignon Blanc due to its herbaceous character (more similar to Sancerre than New Zealand’s more tropical style), but I think has more depth and complexity. Verdejo has flavors of peach and citrus, aromas of white flowers and honeysuckle, and is balanced by a slightly bitter note of grapefruit, raw almond and fennel. When its aged on lees, it develops a fuller texture.

Wines labeled Rueda must contain at least 50% Verdejo. It is typically blended with Sauvignon Blanc or Macabeo. Wines designated Rueda Verdejo must contain at least 85% Verdejo, but are often 100% Verdejo.

Terroir

The Verdejo grape originated in North Africa and is now most widely planted in Rueda, Spain within Castilla y Leon. This is a landlocked area in the northern central part of the country that sits high on the flats of the Maseta Plateau. In fact, Rueda has some of the highest altitude plantings in the world (some up to 3,000 feet).

This extremely high altitude means Rueda has huge day-night temperature swings of up to 50 degrees. The hot days encourage ripening for sugar and flavor accumulation, then the cool nights allow the grapes to rest and retain refreshing acidity.

Rueda has a very dry climate with deep, sandy soils. This does two things – the lack of humidity reduces fungal disease, allowing widespread organic farming. Also, the sandy soils are inhospitable to the vine-killing louse, phylloxera, so there are many ungrafted old vines here that never had to be replanted.

History

Historically, Verdejo was used to make oxidized, Sherry-like bulk wine that was of low quality. Then in the 1970s, the Rioja-based winemaking company Marqués de Riscal saw the potential in Verdejo and brought in a French winemaker to help them produce a high quality, fresher style of unoaked wine. They then encouraged growers in Rueda to keep their Verdejo vines rather than replant them to higher yielding grapes or other more profitable crops. This was the start of Verdejo’s revival.

Recommendations

  • Protos Verdejo ($13)
  • Garciarévalo Rueda ‘Finca Tresolmos’ ($20)
  • Bodegas Vatan Nisia Las Suertes Old Vines Verdejo ($25)
  • Shaya Habis Old Vines Verdejo 2018 ($30)

My Favorite Celebrity Wines

These days it seems like every sports, television, film and music celebrity is trying to sell their own wine, tequila, gin, [fill in the blank alcohol]. It can be hard to know who is just slapping their name on a bottle for a marketing purposes, and who is actually hands-on involved in the creation of their product. It can be even harder to know which ones are actually worthwhile buying.

This would be a very long article indeed if I tried to cover every celebrity wine. I have tasted quite a few of celebrity wines, but of the ones I have tasted, there are only a few standouts. So rather than review all of them, I am going to focus on my two favorites – the ones that really blew me away with not only their quality, but with the level of involvement their celebrity owners have in the winemaking process.

At the very top of the list is Pursued by Bear by Kyle MacLaughlin (Dune, Twin Peaks, Sex in the City). He started a vineyard in his home state of Washington in 2005 as a passion project and to be close to family. He is involved in every aspect of the business, including vineyard sourcing, blending and even choosing the barrels for aging the wines. He produces a “Baby Bear” Syrah ($55) and Cabernet Sauvignon ($60) that are excellent examples of the high quality wines coming out of Washington State’s Columbia Valley. The Cabernet in particular is silky and elegant, with black fruit balanced by an earthy note, soft tannins and wonderful finesse.

The other celebrity wine that knocked my socks off was Two Paddocks by Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Event Horizon). Pinot Noir isn’t my favorite grape variety, but the Two Paddocks Pinot Noir ($45) took me completely by surprise. This wine is made in Central Otago, New Zealand, and area that is fast becoming renowned as one of the best sources of Pinot Noir in the world. It is cool, dry and gets a tremendous amount of sunlight, which develops intense flavors while retaining all-important acidity. Sam Neill started the winery (which is the southernmost vineyard in the world!) in 1993 and it is certified organic and biodynamic. Two Paddocks is hands down the best Pinot Noir I have tasted from New Zealand, and perhaps beyond. This wine is bursting with red berries, spice and plush tannins, making it full of flavor, elegant yet textured.

The Runners Up

The Runners Up are wines I have tasted and enjoyed, so I would definitely recommend them. However, they didn’t necessarily leave me with the “wow” factor that the above two wines did. Even so, they are definitely worth drinking.

  • Jon Bon Jovi, Hampton Water Rose (South of France), $15
  • Mary J Blige, Sun Goddess Pinot Grigio Ramato (Friuli, Italy), $15
  • George Lucas, Skywalker Vineyards Pinot Noir Rose (Marin County, CA), $35
  • John Legend, LVE Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, CA), $85
  • Kurt Russell, GoGi “Goldie” Chardonnay (Santa Rita Hills, CA), $55

Wine Blends: For Better or For Worse?

The first time someone asked me at one of my wine tasting events why blends were lower quality than single varietal wines, I was taken by surprise. It never occurred to me at the time that this perception even existed. After all, some of my favorite wines, and some of the most prestigious wines in the world, are blends.

After giving it some more thought, I realized this may be more a “New World” perception. After all, some of the most highly reputed wines from the U.S. are labeled as single varietals – Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, etc.. Meanwhile, blends are relegated to a small section of the wine shop labeled with the generic term “Blends” and some may not even have grape varieties listed on the label. Many of those wines are also inexpensive mass market labels – Apothic Red, 19 Crimes, etc.

Classic Blends

On the other hand, in classic wine countries in the Old World, they embrace blends.

  • Bordeaux, France: Reds are blends of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and/or Malbec; whites are blends of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and/or Muscadelle.
  • Southern Rhone, France: Reds are blends of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and/or more than a dozen other grape varieties; whites are blends of Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Marsanne, Rousanne, and/or many others.
  • Champagne, France: Often blends of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with some Pinot Meunier; and/or blends of vintages.
  • Rioja, Spain: Blends of Tempranillo with Graciano, Mazuelo and other varietals.
  • Priorat, Spain: Blends of Grenache and Carignan with other varietals.
  • Toscana & Bogheri, Italy: “Super Tuscans” are blends of Sangiovese, Cabernet, Merlot, other varietals

There are many more high quality wine blends on the market than you may realize!

What many don’t know is that many wines in the U.S. that are labeled as single varietals are actually blends. We have very few wine laws in the U.S., but one of the major ones says that only 75% of a grape variety is required to label a wine as a single varietal. So your bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon may very well be a Bordeaux style blend with Cabernet Franc, Merlot and/or Petit Verdot included. Your California Pinot Noir may have a little Syrah or Merlot added for deeper color. Your Zinfandel may be a field blend where old Zinfandel vines were planted with a mix of other varieties and they’re all picked and vinified at the same time.

An exception to the 75% rule is Willamette Valley, Oregon, which set a stricter law for Pinot Noir that 90% of grapes must be Pinot Noir to be labeled as such.

Why are wines blended?

When we look at the myriad of reasons why a winemaker would blend a wine, the result can be a wine of higher quality and complexity than single varietals, but can also be an inexpensive mass market wine.

  1. Balance: Grapes may be blended to create a more balanced, higher quality wine. For example, grapes from warmer areas that have higher sugar and flavor levels may be blended with grapes from cooler areas that bring balancing acidity.
  2. Complexity: Blending can bring together different characteristics that add complexity of flavors and aromas to make a more interesting and higher quality wine.
  3. Consistency: Winemakers may try to minimize bottle or vintage variation by blending wines to achieve a specific profile year over year. This is usually done by producers of inexpensive high-volume wines, but is also done with most Sherries and Champagnes.
  4. Style: Winemakers blend to achieve a desired style. For example, many big label Champagnes (e.g., Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label, Moet & Chandon Imperial, etc.) are designed in a “house style” to achieve a specific flavor profile each year. Some rosés are a blend of red and white grapes to give the winemaker greater control over the final color and flavor profile.
  5. Price: To be profitable and reduce costs, some winemakers may blend in a portion of less expensive grapes. In places like the U.S., if it’s less than 25% of the blend, these grapes don’t even need to be identified on the label. For example, cheaper Semillon may be added to reduce the price of Chardonnay wines.
  6. Volume: Producers of high volumes wines, or holders of very small vineyards, may need to purchase wine or grapes from others and blend them together to increase the volume of their production.
  7. Minimize faults: It is possible that wines will be blended to hide faults. For example, if one barrel became slightly oxidized, it may be blended with larger volumes of good wine until that oxidized character is diluted.

What types of blends are there?

When most people think about blends, they assume it only means blending different grape varieties together. In fact, there are several other ways to create a blend:

  1. Grapes from different locations (vineyards, regions, countries)
  2. Grapes, juice or wine purchased from different growers or businesses
  3. Wines from different vintages (very common with Champagne, Sherry, etc.)
  4. Wines that have been treated differently in the winery (e.g. wines aged in oak blended with wines made in stainless steel or concrete)
  5. Wines that have been treated the same in the winery, but are stored in different vessels (e.g. wines stored in small barrels must be blended together before bottling to make up required volume)

Recommendations:

So the next time you’re concerned that your blend is lower quality, think again. Shy away from the inexpensive mass market brands and veer toward the classics and more reputable producers:

  • Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc ($18)
  • Daou Pessimist ($22)
  • Bodegas LAN Gran Reserva Rioja ($25)
  • Alvaro Palacios Camins del Priorat ($26)
  • Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Sparkling Wine ($26)
  • Chateau de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel ($28)

Old Vines: Better Quality or Marketing Hype?

At times you will see a wine label boasting the term, “Old Vines” or in France, “vieilles vignes”. It promptly begs a number of questions: How old is “old”? Does it mean the wine is better quality because the vines are old? What difference does the age of the vine make?

Although consumers may perceive this term to indicate a higher quality wine, “Old Vines” is essentially a marketing term. It is not a legally protected labeling term anywhere in the world. This means that anyone can use it on any wine they want without needing to meet any specific vine age requirements at all. The vines may be 20 years old, 100 years old, or may even be brand new and only have a small amount of old vine wine blended in.

That is not to say it is an entirely untrustworthy term. I would always suggest checking the producer’s website to see what they mean by their use of “Old Vines” on the label. For example, one of my favorite Old Vine producers, Bedrock Wine Co., explains that their Bedrock Heritage Wine is from 120-year-old vines. However, Bota Box sells an Old Vine Zinfandel and you won’t find any information at all on their website about vine age.

Lifespan of a Vine

When a new vine is planted, it will take up to five years until that vine produces sufficient quality fruit for wine production. After 20-30 years, a vine begins its decline and starts producing lower yields of fruit. At this point, many growers will replace these vines in an effort to maintain wine production levels. It also gives growers an opportunity to change vineyard layouts, plant different grapes, and otherwise take advantage of new vineyard technology or meet changing market demands. That’s all assuming the vine lives this long and doesn’t succumb earlier to pests, disease, drought, extreme weather events, or other hazards.

For these reasons, not all wines are made from Old Vines. It is even rarer to find old vines that are a century or more old. This is because vineyard regions around the world were decimated in the late 1800s/early 1900s by an infestion of a root louse called phylloxera that feasted on vine roots, killing them swiftly. Only a handful of places in the world escaped the devastation, either through quarantine or inhospitable sandy soils. The only solution was to replant vineyards everywhere with European grape vines grated onto American rootstocks immune to phylloxera.

However, vines have the ability to live a very long life. In fact, the oldest still-producing grapevine in the world can be found in Slovenia. It is a whopping 400 years old, and was planted at the end of the Middle Ages.

Are Old Vines Better?

It is widely believed that Old Vines produce higher quality fruit and therefore better wines. Some would argue it’s a matter of survival of the fittest – old vines are the hardiest, healthiest and best quality producers in the vineyard, so they weren’t pulled.

While likely true, these vines produce better quality fruit because they are old. As a vine ages, the canopy (leaves) become thinner, allowing more sunlight exposure to the fruit for ripening. Old vines also produces less fruit. Lower fruit yields per vine means the vine can focus its energy on ripening fewer bunches. Those bunches become more concentrated and flavorful, producing better wines.

Wine from Old Vines is generally described as having excellent fruit concentration with soft tannins and high acid

Why is there so much Old Vine Zinfandel?

Old vines can be of just about any grape variety. However, we usually see old vine Zinfandel in California based on the state’s history. California is a fairly young wine producing region. Varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay were only planted in the last few decades. However, Zinfandel was brought into the state during the Gold Rush and planted everywhere. At one time, it was the most widely planted grape variety in the state.

There are plenty of places where vineyards had essentially been abandoned during Prohibition because it was too costly to pull them and replant with other agriculture. That left a ton of Zinfandel vines in the ground that were “rediscovered” in more recent decades as old vines. In fact, there is so much old vine Zinfandel in California that you can find these bottles at quite low prices.

Recommendations

  • Klinker Brick Old Vine Zinfandel ($16) – some vineyard blocks up to 120 yrs old
  • Carol Shelton Wild Thing Old Vine Zinfandel ($20) – 60 yr old vines
  • Bedrock Wine Co. Old Vine Zinfandel ($25) – vines average 80 yrs old
  • Seghesio Old Vine Zinfandel ($35) – vines average 75 yrs old

Off the Beaten Wine Trail: Aglianico

Aglianico (pronounced “alli-yawn-nico”) is the best red wine from Italy that you’ve probably never heard of.

For the past several decades, wine critics and therefore wine consumers have almost exclusively favored the wines of northern and central Italy – Barolo, Amarone, Brunello di Montalcino, Super Tuscans, etc. The wines of southern Italy have been not only overlooked, but relegated to a category of low quality bulk wine. There had been a general belief that southern was too hot to produce elegant, ageworthy wines.

However, southern Italy is home to some real gems, including the wine with the region’s greatest potential – Aglianico. Along with Nebbiolo and Sangiovese, Aglianico is generally believed to be one of Italy’s three greatest wine grapes, and yet is often overlooked.

Aglianico has been called the “Barolo of the south”, with its best expressions found in the regions of Campania and Basilicata. It is full-bodied and rustic with dark fruit notes of plum and black cherry. It can also have hints of tobacco, coffee and leather, with earthy and gamey notes as it ages. Aglianico’s high tannins and high acidity make it an ageworthy choice for cellaring. Just like Nebbiolo (Barolo), well-made Aglianico wines come into their best after 10 or so years of age.

When looking for these wines in a wine shop, looked for labeled as Taurasi DOCG or Aglianico del Vulture DOCG.

  • Taurasi is located close to Naples near the coast. The wines must be made from at least 85% Aglianico, but are often 100%. They must be aged for three years, with a minimum of one year in barrel, before release. Taurasi tends to offer more floral notes with aromas of rose and sour cherries. It is also less approachable upon release with most needing at least an 8 years in the cellar to soften their grippy tannins.
  • Aglianico del Vulture is located in Basilicata, closer to central Italy away from the coast. Here, the vines grow on volcanic soils, lending the wines power, structure, complexity and minerality. These wines must be 100% Aglianico and must be aged at least 12 months in cask. The shorter aging period means they are also approachable while young. The riserva style requires five years of aging, with at least 24 months in cask.

Recommendations:

  • di Majo Norante Aglianico Molise Contado ($17)
  • Donnachiara Taurasi Aglianico 2016 ($30)
  • I Capitani Taurasi Bosco Faiano ($40)
  • Salvatore Molettieri Vigna Cinque Querce ($45)

Cabernet Sauvignon: Napa vs. Walla Walla

Walla Walla, WA and Napa Valley, CA are separated by 750 miles, a completely different climate and a resulting distinctly different wine style. I find that Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla sits somewhere between Napa and Bordeaux in style.

Washington State may arguably be one the most underrated wine regions in the new world. It’s tough being in the shadow of Napa’s prestige and Willamette’s fame for Pinot Noir. Washington’s wine diversity is a benefit and a curse. They aren’t known for one particular wine like Napa and Willamette. Instead, they are more like Sonoma – able to produce a wide range of high quality wines. However, that means they aren’t viewed as the “go to” region for anything in particular.

Although Washington makes excellent Riesling, Pinot Gris and Syrah, their fame is rising for Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla, with quality that rivals California but without the insanely high price tag. However, if you are expecting a big, fruity, high alcohol style of wine a la Napa, your expectations will be dashed, for better or for worse, depending on your wine preference.

Cabernet Sauvignon from Walla Walla has higher acidity than Napa and slightly less body, more moderate alcohol levels as well as a very distinct earthy character and grippier tannins. This means Washington Cabs may need a little more cellar time to soften than those lush, hedonistic Napa Cabs. That may sound very Bordeaux-like, and it is, but I would say Walla Walla has riper fruit and more fullness than Bordeaux.

To my palate, Walla Walla Cabernet offers a perfect middle ground – balanced fruit and earth, alcohol that adds body without burning your esophagus, and the ability to improve with time in the cellar. All of that, with a price tag that while not cheap, makes them an excellent value compared to Napa and Bordeaux.

Recommendations:

  • Seven Hills Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon ($25)
  • L’Ecole No. 41 Cabernet Sauvignon ($40)
  • K Vintners The Creator ($60)
  • Reynvaan The Classic Estate Cabernet ($70)
  • Figgins Estate Red ($90)