Chardonnay; The Experience WINE CLASS

California's San Bernabe Vineyard; 9,400 acres in vines! Think of it this way: if San Bernabe were laid over the Texas Hill country, it would stretch from the Marktplatz in Fredericksburg to Hye Texas’ post office/general store. Nothing but vines all the way!!! WOW!

“It’s weird that everyone is

crazy about Chardonnay.” 

“it is such a neutral grape variety,

yet it is the world's

favorite wine!”

- Jancis Robinson

We continue our series of sessions with the Fredericksburg Tasting Room team we are calling "The Experience Wine Class."  We will be watching and meeting for the purpose of expanding our knowledge and experience with wine.  Our guide will be Jancis Robinson's Wine Course, an excellent resource!  Aired in the United Kingdom in 1995 and is fascinating to see both areas where the wine industry has NOT changed and areas where it HAS. You can watch it all on YouTube!

Episode 2- Chardonnay is AMAZING because of the juxtaposition Jancis shows us; New World vs Old World. She starts out on the Geoff Merrill's winery in McLaren Vale Australia where it is DRY as a bone and there seems to be two maybe three men working with giant machines, pumps, giant hoses, tractors and using additives like enzymes, yeast nutrients and liquid sulfur (to prevent oxidization), and techniques like all MOG removed (Martial Other than Grapes), and cooled like crazy (REFRIGERATION is very important to modern wine making), juice is squeezed as gently as possible to avoid any harsh flavors in the skins, stems and seeds.  Then Mrs. Robinson takes us to France, Meursault specifically, the vineyards and winery of  Dominique Lafon where it is soaking WET and there are DOZENS of people working, a lot of it by hand, some machines, pumps, hoses, tractors are used however only natural yeast and no additives are used. The two wineries are a night and day comparison in every way except one; both wine makers DID NOT like the other's Chardonnay AT ALL! It is GREAT television! Still and watching it again after multiple viewings!!

Jancis returns to Australia driving home even further the point of how dry it is there and interviewing  Adam Wynn of Mountadam in the Barossa Valley. He went to Bordeaux University, worked in Burgundy and had some of the most critical things to say about the French. “They have everything in their favor in France.”  “If you are born lucky enough to inherit three hectares of Meursault; it is a license to print money.”  “It is a tragedy to taste a bad French wine.”  AND the punch line to it all is that Monntadam was founded by Adam's father in 1972 as one of Australia's pioneer Chardonnay producers and handed it all over to Adam who sold off in 2002 and is seemingly out of the wine business and living in Japan!(?). While the other two Mr. Merrill and Mr. Lafon are both passionately making GREAT wines to this very day!!!  

As important to Chardonnay as anything else is the time it spends in oak barrels, so Mrs. Robinson takes us to the Francois Freres cooperage in the Saint-Romain Forests where a 150 year old tree is cut down to make two barrels!  On a whirlwind the way only a DVD can be Jancis takes us to San Francisco where the cooperage has an office and where Chardonnay DOMINATES on restaurant wine lists where she makes the declarative quote listed above.

It is a very compelling episode which is informative and instructional. Our team watched it and I provided this handout which has a few notes from the video and some information and links to more on the web related to the topics Jancis covers, hopefully it adds a bit of depth with some updates on the subjects. It is amazing stuff!!!

Please reply to this blog; is Chardonnay your  favorite wine? If so; why? 

The Experience WINE CLASS...

Endangered by Cabernet Sauvignon? The Rocky Terraces Cailouteuses in Roussillon France

“I have seen the future of wine and it’s name is Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.” –Jancis Robinson

Today we start a series of sessions with the Fredericksburg Tasting Room team we are calling "The Experience Wine Class."  We will be watching and meeting for the purpose of expanding our knowledge and experience with wine.  Our guide will be Jancis Robinson's Wine Course, an excellent resource!  Aired in the United Kingdom in 1995 and is fascinating to see both areas where the wine industry has NOT changed and areas where it HAS. You can watch it all on YouTube!

Episode 1- Aperitif has a powerful hold on me because of the narrative arch Jancis takes us on; after filling in her background she tells you quite convincingly that the ONLY opinion about wine that matters in your own. As she builds the story of the wine industry showing us the competition results and supermarket buyers at work juxtaposition to vines being pulled up and wineries passed over by the buyers, and the changing habits of the wine drinking population.  At the end she boldly proclaims “I have seen the future of wine and it’s name is Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.” Probably not quite prophetic in 1995, it is amazing at how DOMINATE these two grapes have become.  From the vantage point; here in the future, I can see just how right she is today.  To drive the point home we can look up the places featured; the most dramatic being Domaine de Mayrac, which the supermarket buyer passed over, was sold by the Buoro family in five years of the filming.  Carignan, the grape vines being bulldozed in the video, in the Languedoc and Roussillon regions the planting area has decreased by seventy-one percent ((as of 2009, most likely even more today) or is it less...meaning more bulldozing and less Carignan grapes.) This is where it impacts me; yes it is our opinion that matters and the wine choices we make today have deeply profound effects in the lives and communities around the world. As consumers, sellers, educators and lovers of wine we have to make the right choices, informed choices and wise choices. 

It is a very compelling episode which is informative and instructional. Our group watched it and I provided this handout which has a few notes from the video and some information and links to more on the web related to the topics Jancis covers, hopefully it adds a bit of depth on the subjects.

“I have seen the future of Texas wine and it’s name is Carignan.” –Steven Krueger

The Experience WINE CLASS… information is compiled in the spirit of education and communication with the intention of stimulating discussion and helping everyone develop their own Experience with WINE! And please reply to this blog; do you believe the future of wine is Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, OR Carignon???

Grower Champagne: PIERRE PETERS

When it's time to celebrate good times; we reach for Champagne!!! I recommend that you not only seek out TRUE Champagne that represents only eighteen percent of the sparkling wine made in the world, BUT; GEEK OUT and enjoy the VERY RARE; GROWER CHAMPAGNE! Only 5% of the Champagne imported into the USA is grower Champagne.

One of the very best...
PIERRE PETERS
Grand Cru, Brut Cuvée de Réserve
Their flagship Champagne is a blend of more than 20 vintages and is exclusively composed of Chardonnay from Grand Cru villages in the Côte des Blancs. Côte des Blancs is a department of Marne, across 8,000 acres with east facing slopes almost exclusively planted with Chardonnay. The Grand Cru villages here are highly regarded and many the best known prestige cuvees of the big Champagne houses source their fruit from these same vineyards.
Grapes: 100% Chardonnay
APPLE / WHITE PEACH / LIME / HONEYDEW / HYACINTH / TOASTED ALMOND
The Pierre Péters estate is in the heart of the "Côte des Blancs" in the village of Le Mesnil sur Oger. It has been the family house for six generations and has produced Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagnes since 1919. Their wines come exclusively from their vineyards.

In this bottle the wine is completely comparable to the greatest and most famous names in Champagne! The experience will be unforgettable with luminous flavors and deep dimensions that make one wish the glass was bottomless. Seek it out!

You can find it at the NEW Restaurant Poppy at The George Hotel in Collage Station, Texas.

Blind Tasted and Tested...

The first supper where Bingham Family Vineyards wines are served in San Antonio was for my dear friends, the taste makers for San Antonio or as they like to be called; The Varsity Squad. In attendance; Dr. Gary Penny, Dr. Deborah Strus, Lisa Elliott, Tony Cherone, Veronique Cecilia Barretto (full time Sommelier for Pedernales Cellars, Wine Consultant for Folc Restaurant and 'part time' Wine Snob), Gloria Baretto and Ramon Baretto. All experienced wine enthusiasts and foodies.

I gathered them to blind taste the wines from Bingham Family Vineyards against counterpart wines from famous and popular producers from other regions of the world. Not a uncommon practice for wineries and wine professionals to engage in to asses the quality and perceived value of their wines in the glass. And, I will admit more than a little nerve racking when it is your wines being judged.  I did my best to be fearless and put in very serious competition from the 'counterpart wines.'

There were five pairs of wines tasted blind. We tasted each pair and discussed and voted on a preference as we went. The reveal was at the end after all the wines were tasted. Below are my tasting notes for each wine and then a summery of how the group felt.

• Sweet White Blend, Bingham Family Vineyards, "SHORT ROWS," Texas High Plains, 2014 | SRP 15  Aromas of lemon tartness with a rocky minrality. The flavors in contrast are richly sweet and smooth, with pronounced lemon fruit, nuance of apple, a creamy texture and a smooth sweet finish.  

• White Wine Blend, Caymus Vineyards, "Conundrum," California, 2013  |  SRP 20  The aromas are surprisingly earthy with an almost petrol quality and bright lemon and lime notes. The flavors have a richness but only semi-sweet, white grape tastes with a mellow mouthfeel with a balanced finish. Nothing to dislike.

The group picked Caymus blind and once revealed some recanted their choice, there seems to be love/hate reputation for the Conundrum wines. Blind the Short Rows was thought to be a Riesling or Gewurztraminer. Revealed the group could see the potential for sweet white drinkers, the target audience, all in attendance being dry wine lovers. Short Rows provides an excellent value and held it's own against a popular wine that is more expensive.

• Dry White Blend, Bingham Family Vineyards, "CLOUDBURST," Trebbiano, Vermentino, Roussanne, Viognier, and Chardonnay, Texas High Plains, 2014 | SRP 18   The aromas have a smoky nuance up front with a pleasing sweet fruit middle and floral scents that are beautiful. The flavors a rich feeling and dry in experience with peach and vanilla with lush full body and a dry finish.
• Viognier, Freemark Abbey, Napa Valley, California, 2013  |  SRP 26    The nose displayed pronounced minerals with a earthy quality and lemon fruit and apple blossom.  The flavors had lemon and lime up front with a dry apple fruit and a classy elegant mouthfeel all the way to the finish.

The group tied these two up in votes, they are very comparable. I expected the wines to be wildly different with one being a single variety and the other a blend, but I was wrong and very pleasantly surprised. The Cloudbust shows that Bingham Family Vineyards is not only delivering quality but value too! The challenge Texas wineries need to overcome, and we have done it!

• Rosé, Bingham Family Vineyards, "HIGH PLAINS SUNSET," Mourvèdre, Texas High Plains, 2014 | SRP 18    Subtle aromas with strawberry notes and essence of summer flowers. The flavors are tangy and tart with sour cherry fruit and a lush delicious finish.
• Rosé, Orin Swift Cellars, "Skin Deep," Carignan, Grenache and Syrah, Vin de Pays des Côtes Catalanes, Roussillon, Languedoc Roussillon, France | SRP 18   The floral aromas are at the forefront with enticing strawberry notes. The flavors are big and juicy with a very pleasing watermelon fruit and strawberry in the background, substructure of minerals and  a lush delicious finish.

The group picked the Orin Swift unanimously. It is the best rose I have tasted this year; it is amazing!  I was tasting blind also and I was SURE it was the Sunset Rose. The two roses are very similar and both are excellent.  Orin Swift is the hottest brand going; the same team who make the Locations wines, the "TX" blend that partnered with Kim McPherson and the bottles FLEW off the shelf! 

• TX Red Blend, Bingham Family Vineyards, "TURNROW," Mourvèdre and Tempranillo, Texas High Plains, 2014 | SRP 25    So aromatic that it is perfumy in the violet and lilac vain with added complexity of leather, minerals and smoky notes. The flavors are big and juicy up front with raspberry and strawberry fruit and a mellow body and a nice and easy finish.
• Tempranillo Blend, Marques de Caceres Reserva, Tempranillo, Garnacha, Graciano, Rioja DOCa, Spain, 2009 | SRP 22    Fruity aromas of strawberry and raspberry with earthy and leathery notes and an interesting sun dried tomato fragrance. The flavors are big and forward with red cherry and vanilla with notes of old oak echoing in the finish.

The group picked the Turnrow by one vote, everyone loved the floral aromas and found the wine complex and delicious. The Spanish wine was very good and had that old oak note that some liked and some not so much.

• Cab Blend, Bingham Family Vineyards, "DUGOUT," Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc., Texas High Plains,  Multi Vintage Blend | SRP 25   Smoky on the nose with a earthy background and cherry notes with herbaceous hints. The palette has tar upfront with big black cheery flavors, pomegranate with that herb component hinted at in the complex long profound finish.
• Cabernet Sauvignon, Beringer Vineyards, Knights Valley, Sonoma County, California, 2013 | SRP 24  Smoky right away with black berry fruit, liquor notes and a earthy background to the aromas.  The wine is very purple in color. The flavors are vanilla with red and black cherry with a herbal possibly cactus quality in the complex and beguiling finish.

The group picked the Dugout by two votes, they loved the complexity and oak notes. The Beringer Knights Valley was the most different; some thought it was a Malbec. Curiously Beringer seems to have change it's style to be less Napa Cab like. Why?  The Dugout taste like the Knights Valley did ten years ago; it is berry nice.

Overall assessment; three winners out of five selections were made for the Bingham wines. In one instance the wine was out of place in flavor profile or price point, and that was the Beringer Knights Valley. I am very encouraged to witness the value (quality and price) that we are offering. The tasters were very excited on the reveal of the Bingham wines and to be the first in San Antonio to try the wines. It was a very warm and enthusiastic reception. I need you to start spreading the word that the Bingham wines are coming to San Antonio, Austin, the Hill Country and surrounding areas! And look for your opportunity to taste them yourself...

My next posts will cover my journey in more detail...

Watch this blog for notice of consumer events and tasting opportunities we will have for you!
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In the Dallas/Ft. Worth area we have a Tasting Room you can visit:
620 S Main St., Grapevine, Texas  |   phone (682) 651-8668

Or, Join the Wine Club here.

Chardonnay, Rodney Strong, Sustainably Grown, Sonoma County, California

Place Matters.  An early pioneer in Sonoma County, Rodney Strong was an acknowledged visionary who understood the potential that Sonoma County’s soil and climate held for producing world-class wines. He was the first to craft a single-vineyard Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, one of the first to plant Pinot Noir in Russian River Valley and the first to produce a Chalk Hill Chardonnay.  
“Place is not everything. But place is the most important thing.” – Tom Klein, Proprietor

• SUPPLE
• Brown Spice
• Vanilla
• Lemon
• Apple
• Toasty Barrel
• Pear
• Pineapple

From the west and southwestern regions of Sonoma County, ideal for growing chardonnay grapes.  The cool maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean arriving reliably in the form of fog each summer evening maintains the bright natural acidity that is key to the balance of any fine Chardonnay, while the warm summer afternoons ensure plenty of ripe fruit character. A combination of estate grown and locally farmed fruit, grown in the Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley, and Sonoma Coast appellations make this wine delicious.

And please reply to this blog;

have you tried this Chardonnay?

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Chardonnay, Rombauer, Carneros, Napa Valley, California

The Joy of Wine is written on every cork, it is their philosophy of wine and food.  Partly an homage to Koerner Rombauer's great aunt, Irma Rombauer, who wrote the now classic book; The Joy of Cooking, and partly Koerner's ancestors from the wine growing region of Reingau, Germany, where wine is considered an essential complement to a meal.  For the Rombauer Vinyards; The Joy of Wine is a family tradition. 

• SUPPLE
• Vibrant Tropical Fruit 
• Grapefruit
• Lime
• Cantaloupe
• Pineapple
• Vanilla
• Fig
• Apricot
• Richness

Just north of San Francisco is the cold San Pablo Bay famous for it's cold winds and thick fog.  On the north coast of San Pablo Bay is the appellation known as Los Carneros, Spanish for The Rams.  During the day, as the sun heats up the vineyards and mountainsides of Napa Valley to the north, the rising hot air draws cool air and fog from San Pablo Bay. The intrusion of fog over Carneros in the early afternoon moderates the vineyard temperatures, providing just the right conditions for growing cool-climate varietals with crisp acidity and moderate sugar levels. One of the best regions for growing Chardonnay.

And please reply to this blog;
have you tried this Chardonnay?

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Chardonnay, JOSEPH CARR, "DIJON CLONE", Sonoma Coast, California

California estate vineyards with traditional French techniques makes this Chardonnay delicious.  The vines are Dijon Clones 75, 76, 95, 96  growing in the Sonoma Coast region. The Growers picked the grapes by hand at the peak of ripeness and the winery gently pressed the grapes into juice using a membrane press. The juice was then chilled, settled, and racked into Burgundy oak barrels for fermentation. The yeast lees were hand stirred monthly to enhance the creamy finish produced by barrel fermentation and to encourage secondary malolactic fermentation. Less than 1,200 cases were produced.

• Apple
• Pear
• Vanilla
• Butter
• Citrus
• Tropical fruit 
• Creamy Butter
• Toasty

In 2009, New York Times writer Eric Asimov proclaimed Joseph Carr to be “a producer to watch”, and put his wines alongside the likes of Far Niente, Clos du Val, Heitz, Grgich Hills and Rubicon. Mr. Asimov continues to comment that these are “wines of balance and restraint”. As director of Joseph Carr Napa Valley, Joseph continues to work with many of the associates he has met throughout his long career in restaurants as a Sommelier. Influenced by the wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy, Joseph Carr's winemaking philosophy is balance, sophistication and approachable. Since launching his business in 2005, Mr. Carr's wines have been received with great enthusiasm. His wines grace some of the finest restaurant lists in the United States and abroad.

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VEUVE CLICQUOT, BRUT, "YELLOW LABEL" Champagne, France, NV

All champagne producers are judged by the quality of their Brut non vintage wine.  How well they make this wine year in and year out demonstrates their mastery of the true Art of Champagne blending.  Perhaps the one house that does this better than anyone else is Veuve Clicquot. Their Brut Yellow Label is made from the superb vineyards they own with a predominance of Pinot Noir for structure, a Clicquot signature, with a touch of Pinot Meunier to round and soften the blend, with a bit of Chardonnay for elegance and finesse, essential to this perfectly balanced wine.

• VIVACIOUS
• Apple
• Pear
• Plump Raisins
• Vanilla
• Toasty Brioche
• Spice
• Echoing Finish

The Brut Yellow Label is so widely popular the bottle has become iconic, because the wine inside is so utterly reliable both in terms of quality, color and bouquet.  The experienced and well trained Clicquot Cellar Master skillfully achieves total consistency of taste by drawing from priceless reserve wines for the blend: from 25 to 35%, sometimes as much as 40% of the wine in this NV (Non-Vintage) bottle is made up of these older wines - perhaps nine-years old.  This is just one of many reasons why Champagne is one of the greatest wines in the world, and when compared to it's peers, the other great wines of the world, Champagne remains a bargain.

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Chardonnay, MAGNOLIA GROVE, by Chateau St. Jean, California

Magnolia Grove Chardonnay's label evokes a relaxed elegance that is synonymous with the Sonoma County lifestyle and feeling one will experience when traveling and staying in a Starwood Hotels.  This wine was created for Starwood Hotels by Chateau St. Jean to meet the expectations of their consumers who are knowledgeable, yet unpretentious about their wine selections.

• SUPPLE
• Pineapple
• Ripe Peach
• Lemon Zest
• Vanilla
• Oak

Innovative techniques for wood aging are used; toasting the oak at lower temperatures for longer period of time. This "lower and slower" process brings out more sweetness and vanilla in the wine than traditional methods,making the flavors in this wine comparable to Chardonnays that sell for twice the price.  Grapes are sourced primarily from vineyards in the Central Coast and the Northern Interior of California.  Fermented in stainless steel tanks with a portion in French and American oak, the majority of the fruit goes through malolactic fermentation, lending richness and creamy mouthfeel.  Excellent results from a great partnership.

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Tour de France: Chardonnay, Chablis, DOMAINE LONG-DEPAQUIT Burgundy, France, 2011

This is the wine that made the world fall in love with Chardonnay! Crystalline beauty with pale yellow color and light green highlights hint that this is not a California Chardonnay; this is CHABLIS!   Bursting with mineral precision counterbalanced by finesse this is lovely and exciting; more than a glass should contain. 

• SUPPLE
• Melon
• Pear
• Apples
• White Flowers
• Flint
• White Almonds
• Sea Shell

Maison Albert Bichot, a traditional négociant houses of Burgundy, has been reborn.  The date for this rebirth was 2004 when Bichot was named Winemaker of the Year by magazines in both England and France.  This has occurred under the leadership of Albéric Bichot, the sixth generation to run the business, and he has expanded all areas of the operation and increased the quality throughout. While the Bichot portfolio is wide one of its best estates is DomaineLong-Depaquit in Chablis.

Chardonnay, FERRARI-CARANO, Sonoma County, California, 2011

Ferrari-Carano owns over 1,400 acres of vineyards throughout some of the most prestigious wine grape growing appellations. Here they practice sustainable farming techniques, such as recycling organic matter for use as mulch in the vineyards, planting cover crops and other plant species to avoid soil erosion, add desirable nutrients back to the soil and to attract desirable insects, and integrating animals to naturally enhance biodiversity and nutrient recycling.

• SUPPLE
• Apple
• Orange Blossom
• Lemon
• Pear
• Marshmallow
• Graham Cracker

From Sonoma County superior lots of grapes from vineyards in Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley and Carneros to make over 60 individual Chardonnay batches. They are whole-cluster pressed or gently destemmed, crushed, pressed, and then cold settled for two days in stainless steel tanks before moving to barrels for fermentation. Aged separately in French oak, the wines complete 85 percent malolactic fermentation and are sur lie aged and stirred every two weeks for ten months.  Classic California Chardonnay at its best!

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Chardonnay, FREI BROTHERS, "RESERVE" SUSTAINABLY GROWN Russian River Valley, California, 2011

Frei Brothers rich history stretches back to 1890, when Swiss immigrant Andrew Frei purchased the the land that is now Frei Ranch in Sonoma County's Dry Creek Valley.  Already a vineyard, Frei developed it and built a winery that produced 20,000 cases of wine annually in 1895. By 1903, Frei's sons, Walter and Louis, took over running the winery and they adopted the name Frei Brothers.  After Prohibition the Gallo family began buying grapes from Frei Ranch, eventually signing an agreement to purchase the estate's annual wine grape crop.  By the late 1970s Andrew Frei's descendents retired and the Gallo family purchased Frei Ranch, further developing the vineyard and the winery; carrying on the legacy and tradition.

• SUPPEL
• Green Apple
• Orange Zest
• Apple Pie
• Butter And Toast
• Nutty Flavors
• Silky Finish

The Russian River Valley swings from cool fog-cloaked mornings to sunny warm days and cool, refreshing evenings with breezes from the Pacific Ocean.  This unique macroclimate allows for the slow and even maturation of our fruit, developing distinct flavors in our wines which reflect this great Sonoma terroir.  These Chardonnay grapes were whole cluster pressed to prevent any bitterness and maximize the fresh fruit flavors. Then then wine went through malolactic fermentation, which resulted in a plush texture and deep, layered flavors that allow the glorious expression of the Russian River Valley.

And please reply to this blog; 

have you tried this Chardonnay?

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Variety the Spice of Life; Chardonnay

Chardonnay can range from medium to full body with expressive aromas, fruit forward flavors and complexity.  And, most importantly they have a SUPPLE mouthfeel that drives Chardonnay drinkers wild!  This grape is grown everywhere and the styles can be diverse with some being ordinary in their expression and others tasting absolutely sublime!!!

Flavors Commonly Experienced :

• Apple  
• Pineapple
• Pear  
• Lemon / Lime
• Vanilla  
• Oak / Butter

Chardonnay is the offspring of the noble grape Pinot Noir and a rather ignoble grape called Gouais Blanc.  The wines from Gouais Blanc were so bad the French government in acted laws requiring the vines to be pulled out of existing vineyards and forbidding them from ever being replanted.  Learning this genetic origins of Chardonnay helped me to understand the wines from this grape better.  This combined with the grape's ability to reflect the soil composition and vinification techniques used to make it; result in a quite beguiling and fascinating wine.

Some Recommended Chardonnay...

• CHARDONNAY,FREI BROTHERS, "RESERVE" SUSTAINABLY GROWN, RussianRiver Valley, California, 2011
• Chardonnay, FERRARI-CARANO, Sonoma County, California, 2011 

And please reply to this blog; 
what is your  favorite Chardonnay?

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