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???

Becker Wines; Always Available Near YOU!!!

I am very excited to see Becker Vineyards nominated for American Winery of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Their co-nominees are: Abacela (Roseburg, OR) Oregon’s first commercial Tempranillo. (???-SK)  Gramercy Cellars (Walla Walla, WA) darling boutique winery founded by master sommelier Greg Harrington and his wife, Pam. Justin Winery (Paso Robles, CA) Founded in 1981, widely recognized the winery that put Paso on the map. Schramsberg (Calistoga, CA) Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and branched out into high-end Napa reds with the J. Davies Estate label!  This is some tough competition, all VERY deserving of recognition.

This is recognition that the Beckers and their team have earned, I am convinced they should receive this award.  It will be great for them and it is time for Texas to get recognition as a wine region!

The other aspect that is amazing about this is just how widely available the Becker wines are to us in South Texas.  They are everywhere!  Abacela and Gramercy wines I can not find in San Antonio wine shops.  Justin and Schramsberg I can find at specialty shops like Joe Saglimbeni’s Fine Wine and Gaberiel's.  Granted; outside of Texas, where most of Wine Enthusiast readers reside, they will find Becker wines harder to find.  Too bad for them!  But, for us, we can pick up a bottle of Becker wine and a carton of Blue Bell ice cream from HEB on the way home!  And, you should, get a bottle of Becker wine today and toast one of the nominees for American Winery of the Year!

Tour de France: France Saves the U.S.A.!!!

Not all lessons in wine come in a bottle...  Featuring the wines from France during the the Tour de France seems reasonable and even natural, some might even say obvious.  But, featuring French wines on July 4th!?!  Well that seems almost un-American!  Or, at least that is what I thought.  Looking a little further into it I learned that there would be NO Independence Day if it was not for FRANCE...

French involvement proved decisive, with a French naval victory in the Chesapeake leading to the surrender of a British army at Yorktown in 1781. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the war and recognized the sovereignty of the United States over the territory bounded by what is now Canada to the north, Florida to the south, and the Mississippi River to the west.
The war of American independence could be summed up as a civil war fought on foreign soil, as opposing forces comprised both nations' residents. That said, it is a war that America could not have survived without French assistance. 

http://www.revolutionarywar101.com/ 

Like so many things in our world and in history; there is more to the story than what we might commonly know.  The French and American relationship goes much deeper than french fries and fresh bread.  There is a complexity and dynamic here that can be felt and tasted in a glass of wine; a glass of French wine.  Cheers!
Come see me for some excellent selections today.

Texas Wine Month- Plant! Baby, plant!!!

Welcome to Texas Wine Month!  The most important thing for you to know about the Texas Wine Country is that there is a shortage of grape vines growing in Texas soil.  Texas needs more grape vines!  We have many great grape growers working hard and supplying great raw materials for the talented winemakers.  I want to encourage them and thank them for hard work they are doing.  Working outdoors in Texas is not easy, the heat alone keeps many indoors.  Add to this the other weather challenges, the pests, wild life and more.  I admire you strength, determination and true grit to do the work it takes to grow vines here in Texas.  You are doing a great job!  We are tasting better wines every vintage.

The simple math is that today we may have five thousand acres under vine and the current estimate on demand is that the wineries can sell as much wine that would come from eighteen to twenty thousand acres of vines!  Even if these numbers are a little high you can see there is still a great need for more grape vines growing in Texas soil.  So, this Texas Wine Month I call you to drink more Texas wine, visit Texas wineries, thank the wineries for the wine they make, thank the growers for the grapes they grow AND encourage all of them to plant more vines in Texas.  Plant baby! Plant!!!

Digital Wine List...

Earlier this year I had a brush with the potential of having a digital wine list for our guests and the concept has captured my imagination!

Truth be told; today all wine list are digital. Sommeliers are using some form of computer program to log, arrange and track the wines in their charge. There is a divide or canyon between the printed list the guest uses to select wine from and the digital one the sommelier uses. The good news is that this divide is closing; we are beginning to see distal list in the hands of customers. This can take the form of a Ipad or other tablet to other electronic devices. This is one of the challenges; the cost of the hardware is significant. While thinking about this dynamic and watching our customers in the resort; I realize that the vast majority of our customers are already "packing" their own hardware. So then, why wouldn't our guest want to access our digital wine list with their own device? This is how and why I have added the wine list page to my blog page. Please; click on the link below and give me your feedback.  Do you find this list helpful?  How can it be better?

BRANNON'S CAFE

WINE LIST

Tour de France: France Saves the U.S.A.!!!

Not all lessons in wine come in a bottle...  Featuring the wines from France during the the Tour de France seems reasonable and even natural, some might even say obvious.  But, featuring French wines on July 4th!?!  Well that seems almost un-American!  Or, at least that is what I thought.  Looking a little further into it I learned that there would be NO Independence Day if it was not for FRANCE...

French involvement proved decisive, with a French naval victory in the Chesapeake leading to the surrender of a British army at Yorktown in 1781. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 ended the war and recognized the sovereignty of the United States over the territory bounded by what is now Canada to the north, Florida to the south, and the Mississippi River to the west.
The war of American independence could be summed up as a civil war fought on foreign soil, as opposing forces comprised both nations' residents. That said, it is a war that America could not have survived without French assistance. 

http://www.revolutionarywar101.com/ 

Like so many things in our world and in history; there is more to the story than what we might commonly know.  The French and American relationship goes much deeper than french fries and fresh bread.  There is a complexity and dynamic here that can be felt and tasted in a glass of wine; a glass of French wine.  Cheers!

Variety the Spice of Life; Four Whites

If you like variety; then wine tasting is for YOU!  There are literally thousands of different grape varieties.  I have been studying wine for over a decade and there are still many varieties I look forward to tasting for the first time!  Wine study is truly a life time pursuit.  While this is all true you can learn three lessons about white grape varieties and you will be savvy in about ninety percent of the white wine you will encounter...  

First; the most popular grape for white wine making is Chardonnay.  Some people think that all white wine is made from Chardonnay!?!  Many drink this one wine to the exclusion of any other white grape varieties. Not recommended!  However, if you will focus on this one grape variety and the wines made from it and you will have the majority of white wine covered.   Chardonnay makes wines that are SUPPLE and complex, it is as full bodied as white wines get.

Second; if a white wine drinker is looking for a different experience they can choose from many alternatives; Pinot Grigio is DELICATE and refreshing with a very light body, Sauvignon Blanc is DISTINCTIVE and frequently exotic in flavor and a medium body, and Riesling is MOUTHWATERING and flavorful ranging from light to medium body.  While there are many others the vast majority of wine being consumed in North America today is made from these four white varieties.

Third; To sound like a wine expert associate the "EXPERIENTIAL DESCRIPTORS" in all caps with each variety.  Use these like buzzwords for each varietal combined with their body and complexity and you will be talking like a wine expert in no time. These descriptors will take you beyond just saying that the wine is light bodies or sweet and it will start you on the road to talking about what the experience of drinking the wine is like.  And that is what every wine drinker is really after; an experience.  With a good basic understanding of these four white grapes you can are prepared for most of the white wines you will encounter.

  
More to come on these great wines...

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

BRANNON'S CAFE
WINE LIST

Variety the Spice of Life; Syrah / Shiraz

Sometimes you can find one that is light-bodied, while most range from medium to full body and some can be the most complex and full bodied red wine around.  But, no matter the body Syrah / Shiraz is always EXPRESSIVE and flavorful! Very often the aromas carry over in the flavors making this wine straight forward and enjoyable.

Flavors Commonly Experienced :

• Blackberry
• Raspberry
• Currant  
• Liquorice
• Leather  
• Spices / Pepper
• Oak  Raisin

Syrah / Shiraz is one type of grape with two equally popular names.  All romantic folklore aside the genetics research has proven that this grape is native to Southern France.  It is the result of two obscure French varieties crossing: Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche.  It is most likely that this crossing was a random natural occurance.  While being grown in all locations of grerat wine making, the best examples of Syrah / Shiraz come from France's Rhône Valley, Australia and California.

Some Recommended Syrah / Shiraz...

• Shiraz, GREG NORMAN, Limestone Coast, South Australia, 2010

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

BRANNON'S CAFE
WINE LIST

Variety the Spice of Life; Merlot

Merlot is SUCCULENT, often jammy, with fruit flavors being dominate.  I am associating "EXPERIENTIAL DESCRIPTORS" in all caps with each variety, and Merlot is all about the experience.  It is less about the specific fruit flavor that is there and more about it being "JUICY" or "JAMMY."  Merlot is in the medium body territory and it can make it to full bodied and complex. 

Flavors Commonly Experienced :

• Blackberry  

• Currant

• Cherry  

• Plum

• Walnut  

• Mint

• Vanilla  

• Oak / Butter

Merlot's name comes from "merle" French for blackbird, because of the color of the fruit.  Research suggests Merlot may be a mutation of Cabernet Franc, though it also strongly resembles Carmenère. It is a relatively new grape and is believed to be native to Bordeaux, France and it is being successfully grown all over the world with the best examples coming from France, California and Washington.

Recommended Merlot...

• Merlot, CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE, Sustainably Grown, Cold Creek Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington
• Merlot, BENZIGER, SUSTAINABLY GROWN, Sonoma County, California
• Merlot, CELLAR NO. 8, California

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

BRANNON'S CAFE
WINE LIST

Variety the Spice of Life; Pinot Noir

Pinot Noir makes some of the lightest red wines around. They can sometimes be fuller bodied than normal and stretch into the medium body red wine territory.  No matter how light-bodied a Pinot Noir may be; it will also be complex and nuanced.  It might take a discerning palate to notice all the layers of flavor and hints of tastes, making this wine one that is always SOPHISTICATED and when it is really good; sensuous.

Flavors Commonly Experienced :

• Strawberry

• Cranberry

•  Mushroom

• Mint

• Vanilla  Smoky / Oak    

• Violet

• Floral  

• Underbrush  

Pinot Noir grows well in cool climates around the world, including California, New Zealand and France it's home.  Pinot Noir was already in Burgundy when the Romans invaded Gaul and it was among the first vines to be domesticated and cultivated.  It's name, dates to the fourth century; "Pinot" which comes from its small pinecone shaped clusters and "Noir" it's dark almost black color.  With the notable exception of Champagne, Pinot Noir is almost never blended with other grapes. 

Some Recommended Pinot Noir...

• Pinot Noir, EMERITUS, Hallberg Ranch, Russian River Valley,  Sonoma, California
• Pinot Noir, A TO Z, Oregon
• Pinot Noir, GREG NORMAN, Santa Barbara County, California
• Pinot Noir, BUENA VISTA, "VITICULTURAL SOCIETY" Sonoma County, California

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

BRANNON'S CAFE
WINE LIST

Variety the Spice of Life; Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most popular grape for red wine making in the world!   Some people drink this one wine far more than any other red variety, if not exclusively drinking only this one.  
Cabernet Sauvignon makes wines that are POWERFUL and structured even when the wine itself falls in the medium to full body category. The aromas are bold making the fruit aromas are easy-to-read in the flavors.

Flavors Commonly Experienced :

• Cherry

• Plum

• Mint

• Olive

• Cedar     

• Coffee

• Vanilla  

• Anice

Cabernet Sauvignon is at it's best in the great wines from Bordeaux and California.  It is grown all over the world, pretty amazing when we consider that it has only been around since the 1600s.  Genetics research has revealed that it is the result of cross-pollination between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc.

Some Recommended Cabernet Sauvignon...

• Cabernet Sauvignon, Clos Du Val, Napa Valley, California

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


Variety the Spice of Life; Four Reds

If you like variety; then wine tasting is for YOU!  There are literally thousands of different grape varieties.  I have been studying wine for over a decade and there are still many varieties I look forward to tasting for the first time!  Wine study is truly a life time pursuit.  While this is all true you can learn three lessons about red grape varieties and you will be savvy in about ninety percent of the red wine you will encounter...  

First; the most popular grape for red wine making is Cabernet Sauvignon.   Some people drink this one wine far more than any other red variety, if not exclusively drinking this one.  If you focus on this one red grape variety and the wines made from it and you will have the majority covered. Cabernet Sauvignon makes wines that are POWERFUL and structured and while each and every one may not deliver on the big body and heft many red wine drinkers are looking for it will deliver a full body red wine experience.

Second;  there are numerous alternatives  Syrah / Shiraz is EXPRESSIVE and flavorful,  and Merlot is SUCCULENT, often jammy, with fruit flavors being dominate and Pinot Noir is SOPHISTICATED, complex and light-bodied.  And there are many others, however the vast majority of wine being consumed in North America today is made from these four red varieties.

Third; The body of red wine is a great place to begin talking to guest about wine.  With Pinot Noir being the lightest, Merlot and Syrah / Shiraz being in the medium to full body territory with Cabernet Sauvignon also being in the medium to full body area and often producing some of the fullest body wines available.  But, please don't think that is only about recommending the fullest body red.  Not every wine drinker is as into "big reds" as they say, enjoying wine is more about the experience.  Which is why I have associated "EXPERIENTIAL DESCRIPTORS" in all caps with each variety. If you will use these buzzwords when describing wine to your guests you will begin to sound like a wine expert!!!  

With a good basic understanding of these four red grapes you can are prepared for most of the red wines you will encounter.

To see an excellent short list of the thousands of different grape varieties go to the Kobrand web site here.

More to come on these great wines...

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

BRANNON'S CAFE
WINE LIST

sugar + yeast = alcohol, Co2 and heat

"wine is proof that God loves us." -Benjamin Franklin

The formula for wine: sugar + yeast = alcohol, Co2 and heat.  It could not be any simpler.  Out of this tiny equation springs forth a deep ocean of flavors and experiences.  This natural process can and will occur with out mankind’s involvement; prompting the illuminated comment by Benjamin Franklin.

Yeast is all around us in the environment including the skins of grapes, as soon as the yeast comes into contact with the sugar inside the grapes it converts the natural sugars of the juice into alcohol, carbon dioxide and heat. A vat of fermenting grapes is ALIVE!  It looks and feels alive to the touch.  It is a very exciting to experience, to witness! Do yourself a favor and seek out the opportunity.  After the carbon dioxide bubbles and the yeast have done their work what remains is WINE! (Or the winemaker traps the carbon dioxide in the wine for sparkling or method Champenoise.  More on that later.)

(Note: While Fermentation will often occur naturally, many winemakers control the fermentation with cultured yeast.)

The wonderful marvel of this natural phenomenon is that we understand so much about it yet can not duplicate it artificially.  As noted in the sub-section titled “WATER INTO WINE” in The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by Tom Stephenson “The individual flavoring elements in any wine represent barely two percent of its content. Although we can determine with great accuracy the amount and identity of 99 percent of these constituents, the mystery is that if we assembled them and added the requisite volume of water and alcohol, the result would taste nothing like wine, let alone like the specific wine we would be trying to imitate.”  Did you catch that?  Wine can NOT be made in a test tube!

Understanding this genesis of wine is key to loving wine and appreciating this beverage.  It is magical and mystical the way so many varied flavor and taste experiences come from what are very basic ingredients; sugar + yeast = alcohol, Co2 and heat!

To learn more on the technical aspects of fermentation take a look at this great web site: http://www.winepros.org/wine101/enology.htm

why wine?

“In water one sees one's own face;

But in wine one beholds the heart of another.”

~ French proverb

Why not beer or liquor? Or for that matter, why drink at all?  Sure you can drink wine to relax, unwind and PARTY!  I maintain that there is something special about wine that nourishes you from your frivolous funny modern moments, down to the very core of your primordial being.

 

To prove my point, I will not argue wine’s health benefits made popular in our culture by the 60 Minutes TV show’s 1991 French Paradox episode where Dr. Serge Renaud proved the benefits of RED wine, even with a high fat diet.  And continues to be reinforced by countless studies from around the world.  All saying “moderate drinkers of red wine” cut their risk for serious diseases dramatically.

To prove my point, I will not argue wine’s rich history.  Its place in the courts of kings and queens, from dining room tables to smoke-filled rooms.  I will not bore you with how the axis and allies planned the battlefield AROUND the French vineyards. While each side would launch sublime attacks against large populations of humanity, neither side would play a part in the destruction of the vines in Champagne, Bordeaux or Burgundy.

To prove my point, I will not argue wine’s integral role in humankind’s religious and spiritual life.  I will not go back to Ancient Egypt where their god Osiris was known for being resurrected and giving wine to mankind.  Or, Ancient Jerusalem, where a young man, about to meet his own death and resurrection, held up a goblet of wine and said, “This is my blood, take and drink.”

To prove my point, I will not give you a Latin lesson about how root for “vitis” or vine is “vit.”  Which is where we get the word viticulture.  Vit is also the root for the Latin word for life, “vita,” from which we get “vital” and “vitality.”


To prove my point, and answer the question, “Why wine?”  I will present you with a glass of wine to see, to smell, and to taste.  I will remind you that just as a beautiful work of art has moved you, a fantastic piece of music has swept you away, a movie has let you escape your troubles, or a great book has changed your life by changing your mind, the aesthetic experience of wine WILL affect you just as profoundly. Not by seeing it on the wall or hearing it in the air, you experience wine by letting it enter your body; it becomes a part of you.  Wine is an aesthetic experience but on an extremely personal level unparalleled in our world.  You owe it to yourself to become competent and knowledgeable in the joy of wine.  I will endeavor to assist you in this, and you can assist me; through this blog called "lessons in wine."