Friday, March 30, 2012

Hotel Biron – A Hotel? No! A Cosy Wine Bar in San Francisco, USA

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller at Hotel Biron in San Francisco

San Francisco - and this should not come as a surprise - has quite a number of interesting wine bars. I have written about my favorite wine bars in San Francisco here: Schiller’s Favorite Wine Bars in San Francisco, USA. This posting focuses on one of them - Hotel Biron on Rose Street, behind Zuni Cafe.

The Place

Hotel Biron isn't actually a hotel; it is a wine bar on Rose Street, behind Zuni Café. The place is small, with the ambiance of a well-stocked wine cellar. If you want to order something, you have to get up and go to the bar.

Pictures: Hotel Biron

Hotel Biron can be crowded in the post-work hours. After people drift home for the evening, the place opens up for a leg stretch and, of course, more wine.

The Wines

Biron serves up a very nice list of wines, by the glass and by the bottle. Hotel Boron’s wine list includes about 80 wines by the bottle, from all over the world, including the US (15), France (15), Germany and Austria (5) New Zealand, South Africa and Australia (5), Italy (20), Spain and Portugal (15), and Argentina and Chile (5).

Price wise, many bottles are in the $30 to $60 range, with a 1985 Cantine del Castelllo Conti, Boca, for $150 the most expensive wine when I was there the last time.

Picture: Hotel Biron

About half of the wines are also served by the glass, with most wines in the $12 to $15 range.

The Food

A short menu that includes a cheese plate and an olive mix. You choose the cheeses from a small selection of cow's milk, goat and sheep varieties.
45 Rose Street

San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: (415) 703-0403


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Thursday, March 29, 2012

Vin Bio de Bordeaux - At Château Beauséjour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller with Gerard Dupuy and his Partner at  Chateau Beausejour in Puisseguin

My wife Annette and I visited Chateau Beausejour in Puisseguin in anticipation of the upcoming visit of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim in September. We did not taste any wines this time.

In September, we will do a cellar and vineyard tour of Chateau Beausejour and will have lunch there. We will taste the 3 wines of Gerard Dupuy, who owns and makes the wines of Chateau Beausejour (AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion),  Chateau Langlais (AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion) and  Domaines de la Grande Courraye (Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux). All wines are bio wines, certified by Ecocert.

Pictures: Chateau Beausejour in Puisseguin

Gerard Dupuy is not one of the 150 or so winemakers in Bordeaux, who produce a premium  Bordeaux that sells en primeur for several hundreds or even thousands of Euros per bottle. No, Gerard is one of the other 18.000 winemakers that are not in the limelight and who have to struggle against the competition of wines from all over the world, including the New World. But Gerard’s wines are interesting and special for at least 2 reasons. He produces – like so many others – good value Petite Bordeaux wines and he makes them organically.

AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion 

Puisseguin-St. Emilion lies at the heart of the four satellite titles of the St. Emilion appellation on the right bank. The grape varieties permitted here are Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Thus, Puisseguin-St. Emilion produces only red wines. Merlot is predominant, most often partnered with Cabernet Franc.

To qualify for the Puisseguin-St. Emilion appellation, wines must contain a minimum of 11% alcohol and come from vineyards planted to a density of less than 5500 vines per hectare. Puisseguin-St.Emilion was granted AOC status in 1936. 753 hectares of vine planted areas belong to the appellation.

Picture: Map of Bordeaux

The 4 St. Emilion satellites are St.Georges-Saint-Emilion, Montagne-St.Emilion, Lussac-St.Emilion and Puisseguin-St.Emilion itself – all located to the north of St.Emilion town. They are known as satellites because the area's more prestigious wine estates historically resented these supposedly inferior wines using the St.Emilion name.

Chateau Beausejour 

Gerard Dupuy told us that the clay and limestone soil of Chateau Beausejour is planted with Merlot (73%), Cabernet Franc (22%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%).

All grapes are organically grown, certified by Ecocert. Gerard Dupuy: “The refusal of chemical treatments at our wineries dates back to their appearance on the market after 1945. We practice the total grass cover. This method allows regulating the ecosystem in a monoculture, while limiting soil erosion. In our vineyards, wild tulips thrive in the vineyard rows in the spring.” The combined vineyard area of Château Beauséjour and Château Langlais is 25 hectares. The average age of the vines is 40 years.

Moving on to cellar, there he follows the natural wine philosophy. Gerard Dupuy: “In the cellar, we use a minimalist approach. Our wines are aged for a period of 12 to 24 months in oak barrels.”

Picture: Chateau Beausejour in Puisseguin

Domaine de la Grande Courraye

The vineyards of Domaine de la Grande Courraye are in the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. I did not ask Gerard, but my hunch is that Domaine de la Grande Courraye is not more than a name under which the wine from his vineyard in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is sold. The same probably applies to Château Langlais.

Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

East of St. Emilion and its 4 satellites, above the town of Castillon, lie the Côtes de Castillon and the Côtes de Francs AOCs. Côtes de Castillon is an appellation for red wines only.

The dominant grape variety is Merlot (70%). Cabernet-Franc (20%) and Cabernet-Sauvignon (10%) account for the rest.

Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux was recognized AOC only quite recently (1989). For a long time the wines of Castillon were only used as complementary alternatives to enhance Saint-Emilion blendings in poor years. Until 2009, these wines were sold as Cotes de Castillon. In 2009, the Cotes de Castillon appellation was merged with several other Bordeaux cotes to form the new Cotes de Bordeaux title.

Castillon has risen from around 2,450 hectares in 1982 to 3,250 today. During the last 25 years or so, several growers of Saint-Emilion, Pomerol  and other famous areas have recognized the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux’s potential and invested in local vineyards. One of them is Stephan de Niepperg, who has acquired Château d'Aiguilhe. 

Ecocert

Ecocert is an inspection and certification body established in France in 1991. Ecocert has developed its own international network. With 23 offices and subsidiaries, Ecocert operates and offers its services in over 80 countries.

For a "Primer" on the various concepts of winemaking with an ecological mindset see: Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

The Wines of  Gerard Dupuy

We did not taste the wines of Gerard Dupuy this time, but will do so in September, when we will come back with the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim.

Pictures: The Wines of Chateau Beausejour (AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion),  Chateau Langlais (AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion) and  Domaines de la Grande Courraye (Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux). All Wines are Bio Wines, Certified by Ecocert.

Organic Wine in Bordeaux and in France

French organic vineyards doubled between 2007 and 2010 and then increased again 28 percent between 2009 and 2010 to reach 50,268 hectares, compared with a total of 860,000 hectares, accounting for 7 percent of the total. 

The Aquitaine region, around the Garonne river, is today the third largest in the country to experiment with organic vineyards, behind Languedoc-Roussillon and Provences-Alpes-Cote-D'azur, respectively in southwest and southern France.

In Bordeaux, Chateau Guiraud in Sauternes - a 1855 classified producer - was recently approved to carry the organic label.





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Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Meeting Oregon Winemaker Bill Holloran in Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Bill Holloran

Bill Holloran, the founder and man behind Holloran Wines, one of Oregon's premier, family-owned wineries producing top-notch, terroir-driven wines comes to the Washington DC area on a regular basis. I have met Bill in the last two years at wine tastings in Washington DC and McLean, Virginia:

The Jay Somers Wines of Bill Holloran,Oregon
Meeting Bill Holloran from Oregon and Tasting His Holloran and Stafford Hill Wines

This year, I caught up with him at finewine.com - a wine store in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Picture: Cecile Giannangeli, President of finewine.com in Gaitersburg, Maryland

The Wines of Bill Holloran

Bill Holloran's story is: technology executive moves to Oregon to raise his family, starts to dabble in wine, hires one of the best young winemakers in Oregon (Jay Somers), buys a famous vineyard (Le Pavillon), and starts turning out classic Willamette Valley wines at high quality. Bill moved to Oregon in 1999. The winery is located at the northern end of the Willamette Valley, just south of Portland at 2636 SW Schaeffer Road in West Linn, Oregon.

Pictures: Bill Holloran

Until recently, Bill Holloran's winemaker was Jay Somers, better known for his culty J. Christopher label and his co-operation with the German wine giant Ernst Loosen. Bill Holloran and Jay Somers partnered in 1999 and they built the small winery on Holloran's farm. In return for making Holloran's wines, Jay used the facility to make his own J. Christopher label, which he had launched in 1996. Recently, Jay Somers has teamed up with Ernst Loosen, the owner of Weingut Dr. Loosen in the Mosel wine region in Germany. Ernst Loosen makes wine in Germany and in the US. As for the US, first, he makes the Eroica Riesling, in collaboration with Chateau Ste. Michelle, the huge Washington State winemaker. Second, he makes Pinot Noir and other wines in Oregon with Jay Christopher Somers. Though Jay Somers is very busy now with Ernst Loosen, he is still consulting with Holloran and Stafford Hill Wines, Bill Holloran said. I visited Jay last year in Oregon:

The Vineyards

The Le Pavillon vineyard is located in the Dundee Hills AVA and is over 35 years old. The soil type is Jory, an ancient volcanic soil. The producing blocks are Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay. Farmed organically since 1999, biodynamically since 2005.

The La Chenaie vineyard is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Chardonnay and Riesling are planted on south, east, and southwest-facing slopes. Farmed organically.

The estate Vineyard Meute de Chiens has 6 different clones of Pinot Noir. Farmed organically.

Acreage Planted: 13.6 acres; varieties planted: Pinot Noir - 7.5 acres, Riesling - 3.1 acres, Tempranillo -3.0 acres.

The Labels

The top cuvees are offered under the Holloran label and provide flavors and aromas that are representative of their source vineyard or AVA. The Stafford Hill line is the second label. Bill Holloran developed the Stafford Hill label to feature pure, ready-to-drink wines sourced from his own and from other vineyards up and down Oregon's Willamette Valley. Bill Holloran currently produces 3000 to 4000 cases annually.

What Bill Poured

Bill poured the following 5 wines, including his "Le Pavillon" Single Vineyard wines grown in the Dundee Hills with vines over 35 years old, farmed organically since 1999.

Pictures: The Wines

Holloran "Le Pavillon" Pinot Noir 2009

This Pinot comes from 35 year-old vines in Holloran's Le Pavillon vineyard in the Dundee Hills. The vineyard has been farmed organically since 1999 and biodynamically since 2005. Ripe strawberry and cranberry aromas meld with spicy, licorice, cocoa,and cinnamon notes. Flavors follow the nose, and a big, rich, mouthfeel largely obscures the ripe tannin that will allow Le Pavillon to age gracefully.

Holloran Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2009

This is a go-to Pinot. It has aromas of beautiful strawberry and cherry and earth that lead to full red fruit and exotic spices on the palate. The tannins are light and the finish long, lingering, and full of lively fruit and spice. This will drink really well right now but has the depth of fruit and balance to develop for 3-4 years.

Holloran "La Pavillon" Chardonnay 2008

This "single-vineyard" chardonnay exemplifies how low yields and hands-on management makes a wine that expresses the unique characteristics of the Willamette Valley terroir. The nose is dominated with aromas of apple and pear and the finish is crisp and mouth-watering. Full-bodied and luscious, it would be great with roasted chicken and other white meats. Serve this wine only slightly chilled to allow the fruit to come to the fore.

Stafford Hill Eola-Amity Pinot Noir 2009

Stafford Hill is the second label for Holloran Winery. Organically farmed, this vineyard produces wines that give an intensity rarely found in Oregon wines at this price point. Aromas of cherry, spice, and an appealing Willamette Valley earthiness give way to an elegant palate. A long, complex finish will leave you craving salmon, chicken kabobs and mushroom dishes. Even better after 30 minutes in the fridge!

Stafford Hill Chardonnay 2009

This Chardonnay is fermented and aged 100% in stainless steel, which gives it rich flavors and lovely balance. The second label of Holloran Vineyards, this is a blend of Holloran Le Pavillon and Willamette grapes, The addition of earlier-ripening Burgundian clones has given racier flavors to this traditionally produced wine. Perfect for the season, pair this lively Chardonnay with fish, Maryland crabs or enjoy as the perfect summer sipper for you and your guests!

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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Wein am Limit: The “German Gary Vaynerchuck” Hendrik Thoma Moves on, Germany

Picture: Hendrik Thoma and Christian G.E. Schiller in Hamburg

Two years ago I had the pleasure of participating in the production of one of Hendrik Thoma’s TVINO shows. He has now left TVINO and has started a new show – "Wein am Limit".

Hendrik Thoma and TVINO

Hendrik Thoma is a trained wine sommelier who has become a – as he calls it - Web 2.0 Sommelier. He launched in collaboration with the wine retailer giant HAWESKO the internet TV series TVINO about 2 years ago.

With Hendrik, there were on average two shows per week. With the backing of HAWESKO, they were very professionally done and very entertaining. Hendrik typically did the show either by himself, reviewing a couple of wines, or with a guest, tasting the wines with him or her. The guests included such giant wine makers as the Antinori brothers from Italy, the German top wine maker H.O. Spanier from the Battenfeld Spanier Estate in Rheinhessen, and the French actor and super star Gerard Depardieu, who also produces wine.

Picture: Hendrik Thoma

The TVINO show in which I participated was the first TVINO Late Night Show, produced in Hamburg’s red light district. It had very illustrious guests: a famous German travestite actor, a star sommelier from Berlin, and the owner of Hamburg’s top restaurant Old Commercial Room, who grew up in the red light district.

Wein am Limit

At the same time as leaving TVINO, Hendrik has launched his new internet video show – Wein am Limit (Wine at the Limit). In contrast to TVINO, Wein am Limit is not backed by a financially strong wine retailer. But over the years, Hendrik has made a name for himself so that I am not worried about the future of Wein am Limit.

Picture: Hendrik Thoma and his Wife

Hendrik speaks English – in fact, he met his Trinidad and Tobago born wife while he was working in California and he is well connected in the international wine world. I hope he will give his show an international touch. All the best Hendrik.

Interview with Hendrik Thoma

I recently interviewed Hendrik Thoma via Skype:

A Master Sommelier became a Web 2.0 Digital Sommelier- An interview with Germany's Hendrik Thoma (Part 1)

A Master Sommelier became a Web 2.0 Digital Sommelier- An interview with Germany's Hendrik Thoma (Part 2)

Wein am Limit in Hendrik Thoma’s Words

Here is what Hendrik has to say about his new show – in German:

“Wein am Limit ist ein unabhängiger interaktiver Video-Wein-Blog mit dem erklärten Ziel, das Weintrinken nicht zu einer olympischen Disziplin für bornierte Snobs, Besserwisser und Fachidioten werden zu lassen. Im Gegenteil – dieser Blog ist die beste Möglichkeit für Nichtprofis wie Profis einen authentischen Blick auf die Weinbranche zu werfen.

Bei Wein am Limit wird aufgeräumt mit Weinlatein, Halbwissen und einer lebensfernen Welt. Niemand, der sich hier engagiert, soll vor verschlossenen Türen stehen. Wein war und ist immer ein Geschäft, das von persönlichen Beziehungen lebt. So soll es bleiben. Wir sehen uns ganz in dieser Tradition.

Doch die Kommunikationskanäle verändern sich. Das Internet mit seinen fantastischen Möglichkeiten ist das geniale Verbindungsstück, um zeitnah und offen mit Zuschauern und Fans zu kommunizieren. Lange wurde es in dieser Beziehung nicht ernst genommen, dabei hat es sehr gefehlt und wurde einfach unterschätzt. Vorbei sind die Zeiten, in denen Informationen von oben nach unten durchgereicht wurden. Wir arbeiten mit eingebautem Rückkanal.” 

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Monday, March 26, 2012

The Roots of Oregon Winemaker Chris Berg, the Art of Paul Klee, the Wine House of Michael Pearce and the Nice Legs of Al McCosh

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Winemaker/Owner Christian P. Berg

I attended a winemaker dinner at Michael Pearce’s Wine House in Fairfax in Northern Virginia, where Nice Legs owner Al McCosh had brought along owner winemaker Christian P. Berg from Oregon, who presented his wines, including his Klee wine. The dinner was $ 75 per person / $65 wine club members.

Roots Wine Company in Oregon

Born in Racine, Wisconsin and raised in Idaho, Pennsylvania and Illinois, winemaker and winegrower Chris Berg didn't always know he wanted to make wine. In fact, when he graduated from the University of Kansas in Lawrence with a bachelor's in English, he wasn't sure what his future held, as far as a career. Meanwhile his parents had decided to relocate to Oregon from Illinois with the purchase of a manufacturing company in Tualatin. Chris soon followed and helped his parents at the plant, as well as the other reason for the big move: planting a small vineyard. In 1999, the Bergs planted seven acres of mostly Pinot Noir on the 20-acre property near Yamhill in the Yamhill-Carlton District of the Willamette Valley. Chris’ parents Chuck and Dian built a small house on the vineyard, and Chris lived in Portland with his wife, Hilary, also a Jayhawk.

Pictures: Christian G.E. Schiller and Winemaker/Owner Christian P. Berg

The family's business closed their doors in 2000 and the Bergs found themselves full-time winery folk. In 2001, Chris’ parents moved to Arizona and Chris and Hilary were then given the opportunity to move to the vineyard from Portland.

In 2002, the Bergs picked their first harvest of a whopping three tons, which were made into 72 cases of Pinot Noir. In 2003, overall production was increased to 250 cases. In this same year, Roots introduced its reserve bottling, called Racine. In 2004 Chris launched the third label, Klee, which pays homage to Bauhaus artist-in-residence Paul Klee. For the 2005 vintage, Chris also decided to purchase wine grapes other vineyards. In all, 550 cases were produced for the three labels: Roots, Racine and Klee. Over the following 4 years, production increased to 4000 cases. Also, a fourth label was added - the Black Light label for wines made from Washington State fruit.

Chris and Hilary Berg

I did not meet Hilary. “I make the wine, but Hilary tells me what she likes. Hilary designs the labels and runs the social media activities. As editor of Oregon Wine Press, a well respected monthly based in McMinnville, Hilary sits at the center of the wine industry.” Chris said.

Chris’ wine making philosophy is very much grounded in the natural wine approach. The idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for Mother Nature. Natural wines are hands-off wines produced with as little intervention as possible. Typically, only natural yeasts are used, the fermentation is slow, there is little or no use of new oak barrels; and there are no filtrations or cold stabilization. Commercial yeasts are one of the great culprits in today’s homogenization of wine, imparting their own aromas over those of the grape.

Pictures: Christian P. Berg, Christian G.E. Schiller and Al McCosh. Another Oregon Winery that is very interesting and that Al has in his Portfolio is Dominus IV, which I visited last year: Visiting Patrick Reuter and his Dominio IV Winery in McMinnville, Oregon, US

Chris is true to the “roots” of his wines, believing that, “wine making should represent the place” and that a winemaker’s role is to “just help the fruit to the bottle.”

Chris apprenticed with Lynn Penner Ash during her last year at Rex Hill, with Eric Hamacher of Hamacher Wines, and at Archery Summit. He also worked as a sales person for German wine and I was very surprised about his deep knowledge of the German wine scene.

Vineyards

Estate Vineyard - Roots Vineyard: 6.5 acres Pinot Noir. Planted in 1999 and 2000, our estate vineyard is located northeast of Yamhill in the Yamhill-Carlton District. All fruit is organically grown. “We live there” said Chris.

Vineyard Contracts

Cherry Grove Vineyard: 2 acres Pinot Noir. Just northwest of Gaston in the coastal foothills of the Willamette Valley AVA.

Apolloni Vineyard: 1.8 acres Pinot Noir. Deep in the foothills of the coastal range this vineyard in nestled outside of Banks in the northern most part of the Willamette Valley AVA.

Leroy Vineyard: 3 acres Pinot Noir. This 35-year-old vineyard sits on the far northeast side of the Chehalem Mountain AVA, close to Hillsboro.

49 Rows Vineyard: 3 acres of Pinot Noir. This young vineyard is near Willsonville on the southeastern edge of the Chehalem Mountain AVA.

Washington Vineyard Contracts

Seven HIlls Vineyard, Walla Walla AVA; Pepper Bridge Vineyard, Walla Walla AVA; La Colline Vineyard, Walla Walla AVA; Mirage Vineyard, Columbia Valley AVA; Outlook Vineyard, Columbia Valley AVA.

The Roots Wine Portfolio

The Roots Wine Company has four wines in its portfolio.

Picture: Roots Wine Company Wine Portfolio

The “Roots” line wines are all single-vineyard wines, including from the estate vineyard, both red and white.

The “Racine” line wines are “the upper terrace wines that is a selection of the best of the vintage,” said Chris. Racine, the French word for root, is Chris Berg's own birthplace. The bottles are even stamped with his birth date (June 29, 1970).

The “Klee” line wines are “everyman/everywoman wines” said Chris. The wine is named for German artists Paul Klee, whose artistic philosophy was one of functionalism and elegant simplicity. The wine mirrors Klee’s philosophy, and the label image is inspired by Klee’s 1924 “Aus der Mappe für Walter Gropius.”

The “Black Light” is a fun line of red wines made from Washington State grapes.  With a label that is a homage to the Grateful Dead, Chris and Hilary's playful side comes out. The labels glow in the dark.

Paul Klee

When I was a child I remember, I had a Paul Klee print in my room. Paul Klee was born in Switzerland in 1879. He studied art at the Munich Academy of Fine Art (1898-1901) and later became associated with the Blaue Reiter group. Artists in the group believed that they had a responsibility to "heal the gaping wound that separates man from his environment".

Picture: Roots' Klee Wine

Later Klee taught at the Bauhaus in Weimar and Dessau. With the emergence of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany, Klee returned to Switzerland. A large number of his paintings on display in Germany were confiscated by the Nazis as degenerate. Paul Klee died in Switzerland in 1940.

The Wine House in Fairfax

Picture: Winemaker Christian P. Berg and Wine House Owner Michael Pearce with Wine House Manager Dinah Hannif-Ali

The Wine House is a wine store and a wine bistro at the same time. It offers a bistro-style dining experience paired with a large selection of wines from all over the world. I find the atmosphere very appealing – relaxed, sophisticated, and modern.

The wine selection is excellent. You buy by the glass or bottle. When you buy a bottle, owner Michael Pearce explained how it works: “Our wine list is our retail store. Simply pick a bottle off the wine rack at retail price and open it at your table for a $ 10 corking fee. For those of us that enjoy dining out, we know what great value it is to pay retail price versus restaurant mark-ups”. I like this concept very much.

Pictures: Images from the Wine House

What we Ate and Drank

This was a very intimate winemaker dinner. We were all sitting around a communal table – about 12 of us – and talking with the up and coming winemaker Chris P. Berg, tasting his wines and enjoying the wonderful Wine House menu. Al Mcosh, the owner of Nice Legs, joined the conversation as did Michael Pearce.

Pictures: The Dinner Table

Welcome Wine

2010 Roots Pinot Gris $22.99

Light salmon in the glass, hints of peach, pear skin and eastern spices on the nose, really aromatic, the palate is dry but fresh and vibrant, fairly long finish.


I was in particular interested in the wine, after having attended the first Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium last year." Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium at Oak Knoll Winery in Hillsboro"

First Course

Proscuito San Daniel - Roasted Fresh Beet and Shiitake Mushroom Salad with Verjus


2010 Klee Pinot Noir $19.99

Klee Pinot Noir is Chris Berg's (mostly) negoce Pinot Noir made from five Oregon vineyards he works with. Rose petals in the glass, notes of  black cherry, ripe red fruits and brown spice on the nose, good structure,  cranberry, orange peel and clove on the palate, a generous Oregon Pinot Noir.

Second Course

Grilled Salmon Steak - With Sumac, Bok choy in Soy Sauce and Garlic with Sundried Cherry Chutney


2009 Roots Leroy Vineyard Pinot Noir $33.99

A Wine Advocate - 92 points wine: The 2009 Pinot Noir Leroy Vineyard does a fine job of melding the elegance of the vintage with some extra depth, concentration, and complexity. It will continue to blossom for another 1-2 year and should provide enjoyment through 2021. - Jay Miller


Third Course

Duck Confit in a Balsamic Chocolate Glaze Sauce - With Sautéed Potato and Artichoke with Parsley


2008 Racine Pinot Noir $45.99

Dark red in the glass, notes of cherries, wood smoke and Asian spices on the nose, concentrated, elegant wine, amazing silkiness on the palate, a 93/94 points wine. "2008 was a glorius vintage. The wine is starting to give up its fruits, it is a rich wine. it is what the vintage and the vineyard gave us. All I do is to try not to screw it up." said Chris. This wine will clearly improve further over the next couple of years.




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Friday, March 23, 2012

An Afternoon with Jordan Harris, Winemaker of Tarara, Virginia, USA

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Jordan Harris

As head of the Viginia Wine Meet-Up Group, Allan Liska regularly organizes wine events at wineries in Virginia. This time, he had arranged a tasting at Tarara, lead by winemaker Jordan Harris. See: Meeting Virginia and Bordeaux Wine Expert and Wine Blogger Allan Liska, USA

Picture: Allan Liska and Jordan Harris

Tarara

Tarara Winery is in Loudoun County, about an hour by car from Washington DC. The beautifully manicured 475 acre farm stretches along the Potomac River. Founded in 1989 by RJ (Whitie) and Margaret Hubert, Tarara is home to some of Virginia’s finest wines. Annual production is 10.000 cases.

Pictures: Tarara

Last week, the gorgeous pear trees on the property bordering the road were in full bloom. A raised deck just outside the tasting room provides nice views of the Potomac River, back dropped by the Sugar Loaf Mountains in the distance. Tarara has free outdoor concerts every Saturday on the outdoor deck in the summer. 

Vineyards

Tarara’s main vineyards are Nevaeh (the estate vineyard managed by Ben Renshaw), Tranquility (in Purcellville, also managed by Ben Renshaw), Honah Lee (in Orange managed by Wayne and Vera Preddy), Mountainview (in Roanoke County managed by Megan and Andy Seibel), and Indian Springs (in the Winchester area managed by Steven Brown).

Nevaeh is made up of three distinct blocks – The Hill, The Road and The Pond.

The Hill has the deepest soils made up of red clay with limestone deposits cutting through the block. The varieties planted on the Hill and used for Tarara bottlings include: Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Viognier and Petit Manseng. 

The Road is the flattest of the sights and furthest from the Potomac River. Varieties planted and used for Tarara bottlings: Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.

The Pond is the coolest site of Nevaeh. This block is the best for Tarara’s aromatic whites like Viognier, but is also home to some of Tarara’s most elegant Merlot due to the length of the growing season it can have and small amounts of Grenache and Mourvedre. 

Tranquility Vineyard is a seven acre vineyard planted in 1999 by it's owners: Al and Mary Taylor, set in the rolling hills of the Virginia Piedmont. Starting with the 2011 season, the Tranquility Vineyard is being leased entirely by Tarara Winery. Tarara only bottles wine using the Cabernet Sauvignon and Tannat.

Honah Lee Vineyard is a very steep South-West facing slope at about 1000 feet elevation. The wines from Honah Lee tend to be the most “exotic” of the wines produced at Tarara with soft structures and lovely rich ripe fruit. Honah Lee grows the following varieties for Tarara: Viognier, Petit Manseng, Roussanne, Chardonnay, Petit Verdot, Tannat and Pinotage.

Cellar

Jordan Harris – this became more than clear during the tasting – is very passionate about the natural wine concepts. The idea behind the winemaking at Tarara Winery is to take a minimalist approach to allow the vineyards to best express themselves. Jordan believes that fine wines are made in the vineyard. Every time they have to get in the way of the wine, it is less of an expression of that vineyard.

Pictures: The Cellar

The Tarara wines are made in a 6000 square foot cave – which we did not visit, but I could look at the cave from the tasting area - to allow nature to give the winemaker consistent cellar temperatures and perfect humidity. This allows the wine to age gracefully in predominately Virginia Oak barrels until the wine is ready for bottling and eventual release.

Pictures: Tasting Room and Deck

Jordan Harris:  “All of our wines are meant to be a definition of the grapes. The wines are not treated with enzymes, fining agents or any unnecessary additives. The wines will occasionally need slight adjustments with sugar or acid to help the wines keep their balance and to fine tune the alcohol. All of the wines are fermented on indigenous yeasts with limited temperature control. Our belief is that the natural warmer fermentations allow wines to have more structure and depth, while the cooler temperatures are less necessary to preserve the aromatics which are abundant from the vineyard.”

Jordan Harris

Jordan grew up in a little village in Canada, an hour north of Toronto. He went to a Culinary School and became the manager of a fine Italian restaurant. He left the restaurant and went back to school for Oenology and Viticulture at Niagara College. Before moving on to Virginia, he made wine in the Niagara region of Ontario, Canada, where he worked for a few wineries. He made a lot of Icewine, in one country more Icewine  alone then Virginia produces wine in a year.

Pictures: Jordam Harris

Jordan shares the winemaker job with his Canadian compatriot Jonathan Boyle.

Portfolio

The Tarara wine portfolio currently comprises the following wines.

Charval 2009

Our crisp white blend that is all about refreshing acidity paired with bright fruit and complex aromatics. $20.00

Leap 2010

Every four years we will release a wine that is unique to one of the four prior years.  This wine will be released in very limited quantities to celebrate Leap Day - February 29th.  This is Leap XII. $50.00 

Long-Bomb Edition 1

This wine is all about going big, just like the football play. Each vintage the wines blend changes depending on what is the biggest fruit we have in the cellar. $20.00 

Long-Bomb Edition Four

$20.00 

Boneyard Red 2010

$15.00  

Boneyard White 2011

$15.00 

Honah Lee White

Coming from a steep hillside outside Orange, VA, Honah Lee Vineyard wines show great power while the cooler nights from the higher elevation lend to the brighter acidity. With the Honah Lee white, think tropical and exotic while fresh. $30.00  

BossaNoVA 2009

$45.00  

CasaNoVA 2009

Based on the selection of the winemakers favorite barrels of Nevaeh Vineyard, Tranquility Vineyard and Mountainview Vineyard. This wine spent 18 months in New Virginia Oak. Unfined and Unfiltered. $45.00 

Fume Blanc 2010

$35.00 

SuperNoVA 2008

$45.00

TerraNoVA 2009

$45.00 

The Wines We Tasted

Jordan Harris: “In 2011, there will be no flagship wines, only entry level wines; this is what mother nature gave us.”

Pictures: The Tasting

Boneyard White 2011

Jordan Harris: “This first release of this fun wine is as crisp as our harvest mornings”



Petit Manseng 2011

Jordan Harris: “Petit Manseng is in my view an under- rated variety. There is nothing petit about Petit Manseg, other than the berries.”

Three Vineyards Chardonnay 2010
Three Vineyards Chardonnay 2009
Three Vineyards Chardonnay 2007

All blends of Nevaeh, Mountainview and Indian Springs vineyards. All barrel fermented and aged in Jupilles forest oak (10 months, 85% New). Indigenous yeast. Tarara’s flagship wine.



Jordan Harris: “2009 was a much cooler year and is a touch lighter than the 2010. All three wines are made in the same way, 100% barrel fermented, 10 months in oak. 2007 was my first vintage – one of my best vintages.”

Boneyard Red 2010

This is a steal. Pricewise, it is an entry level wine, but from the quality it should be at a different price point. In fact, the grapes were not harvest with this wine in mind but for higher quality wines. But Tarara wanted to start the Boneyard series (Red and White) and therefore decided to utilize higher quality wine that was available.

The wine is approachable and drinkable now, but will also do well with some more age.



Cabernet Franc 2010
Cabernet Franc 2008
Cabernet Franc 2007

18 months in Virginia Oak. Indigenous yeast. Unfined and unfiltered.

Cabernet Franc – one of the 3 Bordeaux grapes, but the one which has not been able to succeed on its own feet, like the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot.


The 2007 was Jordan’s favorite wine. “Has perhaps another 2 years to get to the peak”.


Cabernet Sauvignon 1995

Has meaty leatheriness, certainly past its prime, no fruit anymore, but still decent tannins.



Petit Manseng Late Harvest 2010

Honey, pinapple. Interestingly, as Jason pointed out, this is not a noble-sweet wine. The grapes had plenty of sugar without being frozen (icewine) or rotten (Botrytize) so when the fermentation stopped at 15.4% alcohol, there still was quite a bit of unfermented sugar.

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