The Cellar Door

(Posted March 6, 2023)

“One should always be drunk. That’s all that matters…But with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you chose. But get drunk.” ― Charles Baudelaire, Paris Spleen

Two years ago, I was sitting on a beach on Maui reading Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Lover’s Tour of France by the wine importer Kermit Lynch. Lynch, an American wine importer based in Berkeley, California, wrote it in 1988, and it was absolutely one of the most informative and entertaining books on wine I’ve read. In 2013, Lynch published a 25^th anniversary edition, with updated information on some of the wines and domaines he wrote about in 1988. It was as close to an epiphany about wines as I can recall. I have long been interested in wines, collected and read many books, and bought a fair share of relatively inexpensive wines over the years (he often calls such wines “plonk”). But his book pushed me in an altogether different direction, one where I yearned to broaden my horizons and start sampling some of the better wines of the world.

With those thoughts as inspiration, I decided I would buy and taste as many of the wines mentioned in Lynch’s book as possible. Some domaines and appellations he mentioned are no longer around, but many are, so after scouring wine importers and online stores, I started gradually stocking up on some of those beauties that Lynch described. Now admittedly some were pricey, so I spaced out my purchases as my budget allowed. But I was surprised to find that many were affordable, and quite a few were even available at my local wine shop.

My goals in starting this adventure were two-fold. First, as mentioned, I really wanted to broaden my horizons and start sampling some of the better wines of the world. Second, I wanted to compare Lynch’s (and others’) descriptions of tastes and aromas with my own – and with those of friends and family who tasted with me. I don’t think I have a very discriminating wine palate, but I knew I was missing something by not focusing enough on a wine’s smells, textures, look, aftertaste, and other characteristics that are unique to every bottle’s distinct terroir and grape blend. Finally, in a pandemic year when I started, I wanted to satisfy some of my wine yearnings that I haven’t yet been able to accomplish, such as opening a wine shop or wine bar. I decided to do the next best thing – a wine bar in my house!

My long-range plan was to sample and describe as many wines mentioned in Lynch’s book as possible, coupled with random musings and other thoughts about wine in particular and the world in general. Once I completed the French wines mentioned in Lynch’s book, I planned to move to wines from other countries such as Italy, the US, New Zealand, and others (I have already posted a few “vinterludes” with other wines from France, Italy, and elsewhere). I hoped to share with you my thoughts and ideas on wine in all its complexities and simplicities. But overall, I just wanted to have fun – and I wanted you to have fun too.

So with that original broad mission still in mind, we can review the final one on my Kermit Lynch list – and return to the original place of inspiration for its tasting – Maui. The eighteenth and final wine on the list is a 2017 Clos de la Dioterie Chinon from the Loire Valley of France from the Domaine Charles Joguet.

Kermit Lynch was effusive about the Joguet Chinon in his book. He called it part of an “intriguing collection of little known Loire Valley reds…. Thus began my love affair with the Cabernet Franc of Chinon… wines which at their best have such a strong personality that novice tasters are often startled.”

He probably spent more time writing about Charles Joguet than any other winemaker in his book. He described Joguet as “one of those rare vintners whose wines can be gripping aesthetically, spiritually, and intellectually, as well as sensuously…. One has the impression that Charles is out there on the edge, willing to take risks and willing to accept losses in order to make magic. There are not many like him in the world of wine.”

Chinon is a red wine appellation in the Touraine (middle) district of the Loire Valley, widely known as the origin of the best red wines in the Loire. The website princevillewinemarket.com tells us, “The wines of Chinon have long been celebrated. French humanist and native son, François Rabelais, sang their praises as far back as the sixteenth century.” 

Let’s do a little linguistic detective work. I was intrigued by the name “Clos de la Dioterie.” The first part of the name, clos, is a French word meaning, according to Merriam-Webster, “A French winery” (duh), especially “one enclosed by a wall, often used prepositively [!] in a compound naming such a vineyard or its wine.” It is related to the English noun “close,” meaning (again duh) “an enclosed area.”

According to the Charles Joguet website, the Clos de la Dioterie was under vine one or two centuries before 1789. The German wine website lebendigeweine says: “The Clos de la Dioterie is the domaine’s most famous vineyard. It was already mentioned in the Middle Ages, when it still had a complete enclosure.”

According to the Joguet website, the vineyard is “entirely planted with Cabernet Franc” and “dates back to 1830 and perhaps longer. As for the Clos de la Dioterie, it was under vine one or two centuries before 1789.”

Joguet took over the winery when his father died in 1957 after flirting with painting and architecture. After he took over, according to the Kermit Lynch website:

He began to question the common practice of selling grapes to negociants, as his family had done for years. The Joguets owned prime vineyard land between the Loire and Vienne Rivers with distinct variations in the soils. To sell the grapes off or vinify the individualized plots together would have been madness. Separate terroirs, Charles believed, necessitate separate vinifications. He took the risks necessary to master single-vineyard bottling with an artistry that Chinon had never before seen.

The daysontheclaise.com website says:

Joguet was not a winemaker, but had trained as an artist in Paris. When he returned to Chinon and picked up the reins he was viewed as an upstart, an outsider, and with his modern ideas about winemaking in a deeply traditional area was the object of considerable local scorn. By recognising the effect of terroir and his conviction that with a more nuanced approach he could make great wine he more or less single handedly created the reputation Chinon AOC enjoys today. He was the first Chinon winemaker to separately vinify different parcels of vines and to bottle and commercialise on the estate. 

And winespecific.com says, “Joguet had the first stainless steel tanks in the Loire: today they are the standard.”

The Joguet website tells us, “In 1997, Charles Joguet took his leave of the wine industry to devote himself entirely to his other work, his other unquenched passion: painting.” The daysontheclaise.com blog continues the story: “The Domaine is now owned and run by the descendants of his business partner, the Genet family. The Genet family continue the innovative and somewhat rebellious tradition of their predecessor with passion and sensitive attention to detail. The aim is to make the highest quality wines they can whilst expressing the rich diversity of terroirs in the Chinon AOC.”

What did Lynch have to say about Joguet Chinon?

When Lynch drove to Joguet’s village and met the winemaker for the first time, they began tasting the 1976 vintage. “The nose was thick with black currants and violets. It was sizable on the palate too. Ripe, rich, and succulent, it felt as if it must be staining my teeth purple. A serious, extravagantly flavored wine, this was way beyond the little country wines of my first trip. Very simply, at that stage it was the finest 1976 red I had tasted from any of the French vineyards. A Chinon!”

What were we to expect from this vintage?

Wines of the World said, “In general they are fresh, fruity, and invigorating, produced from Cabernet Franc, or Breton as it is known locally. What makes these wines so appealing is that they are digestible, convivial, not tiringly heavy, and above all, food-friendly…. The wines have a soft, rounded texture and weight.” The Oxford Companion to Wine tells us, “Chinon is quintessentially a wine of refreshment, being light to medium bodied, often extravagantly scented (lead pencils is one common tasting note), and with an appetizing combination of fruit and acidity.” Lead pencils huh?

And Anthony Lynch from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants wrote that this 2017 Chinon is “A wine of serious density from north-facing vines planted in the 1930s, only starting to express its full potential. It provides savory sensations highlighted by licorice, mint, and spice, culminating in a majestic tannin. Highly recommended for the cellar, as old vintages of La Dioterie are nothing short of epic.” Epic!

What were our observations?

Our guest tasters (Lisa, Mary, Marcella, and Gabi) and I were – how shall I put this – absolutely blown away by this 2017 Chinon. Several of our tasters weren’t big fans of red wine, but became fans thanks to this vintage. It had aromas of stonefruit, specifically dark cherry and plum. It had a similar taste, with dark cherry and peppery notes. It was described as “forward,” “bright,”, and “extremely drinkable.” One taster – again, someone who was not a big fan of red wines – said, “I really love this wine.” No one mentioned pencil lead! I think it helped that – after our initial tastings – we were enjoying it with a famous Hawaiian “plate lunch” of barbecue mix, rice, and macaroni. This 2017 was 13.5% alcohol and sells for about $70.

So what was the verdict?

On a scale of 1 to 10, this one would have to be at least a nine and maybe higher on the numerical scale. But I have to say that, similar to other wines we’ve reviewed lately, the experience was as important – if not more so – than its purely numerical rating. My four guest tasters were four college friends who met each other 40 years ago and still try to see each other regularly. They were with us on Maui – just about my favorite place in the world, and where the idea for these reviews came to me two years ago – with the cool breeze and light mist outside. We were all celebrating friendship and a wonderful place. So without a doubt, its experience factor would have to be “priceless!”

Where do we go from here?

Now that we’ve completed reviewing all the wines from Kermit Lynch’s book that we could, we will keep going. I have a lot of other fun wines to try – wines from up and coming winemakers, celebrity wines, obscure but highly recommended wines from all parts of the world. As David Letterman would say, hold on to your wigs and keys – it’s going to be a lot of fun!

Book recommendation: Wine and War by Donald and Petie Klastrup, an extremely entertaining and illuminating history of the plight of French wine during World War II. French winemakers went to extraordinary lengths to hide and preserve their wines, often tricking the Nazis into thinking that their best wines were at their disposal. Very enjoyable, and a testament to the spirit of French winemaking even in the darkest of times.

Wine Playlist: As mentioned in earlier posts, I like to create fun and funky playlists based on some of my interests, so I’ve created a wine playlist – songs with titles or lyrics that include wine. You can find it on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5rAwgh9Thiary4zUplUsaN

Here’s this post’s entry: “Bottle of Wine” by The Fireballs, basically a one-hit wonder from my youth in the 1960s.

”Ramblin’ around this dirty old town
And singin’ for nickels and dimes
Times gettin’ rough
I ain’t got enough
To buy me a bottle of wine”

Enjoy! (And as we say in Maui, “hipa hipa!”)

“The discovery of a wine is of greater moment than the discovery of a constellation. The universe is too full of stars.” – Benjamin Franklin

We’re going to take a break from reviewing wines that were mentioned in the great book by Kermit Lynch, Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Lover’s Tour of France, to review some really nice whites (three Chardonnays, three Sauvignon Blancs) we’ve had in the last few weeks. Any of these would make great holiday gifts for the wine lover on your list.

You know the old saying – “You can’t wear white after Labor Day!” Well, a lot of people say you can’t drink white after Labor Day. To that I say “Bah!” Whites are good any time of year. I do admit I tend to drink more red wines in the winter than in the summer, but there are still many, many reasons to drink white wines in the “off-season.” 

Many of these I have found by reviewing Wine Spectator or other publications to try to find good values, new wines, and interesting wineries to sample. So let’s get to it!

First, the Chardonnays….

Chateau Philippe le Hardi Mercurey Chardonnay (Burgundy)

Hmmm…. This looks familiar. Oh yeah, we did the le Hardi Mercurey Pinot Noir in our last blog post. This time we’re focused on the same vineyard, same vintner, but the Chardonnay instead of the Pinot.

Not to repeat myself (okay, I will), but you may remember that in several previous posts, we noted that Burgundy wines are always 100% of one grape. Most of the white wine in Burgundy is Chardonnay (approximately 49% of all grapes grown there).

Our Mercurey Chardonnay comes from the Côte Chalonnaise district of Burgundy; the Oxford Companion says that Mercurey is the “most important village” in that district.” The le Hardi Château has been around for quite a while; mtouton.com told us:

Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi (formerly Château de Santenay) was once the majestic stately home of the first Duke of Burgundy. This historic estate is one of Burgundy’s most prestigious producers….The Château was built in the 9th, 12th and 16th centuries. It was formerly one of several properties belonging to the Duke of Burgundy, Philippe le Hardi (1342-1404), and was named after him for centuries to come.  

Let me just start out by saying that I love, love, love Burgundy Chardonnays. They are so identifiable at first sniff and taste – bold and minerally, usually, but they are clearly more distinctive than other Chardonnays (especially Californians, though I have nothing against Californians!). A few samples of tasting notes from other sources:

·         Winebuyers.com: “A fragrant and delicate wine redolent of citrus and stone fruit, with a creamy texture and refreshing acidity. The finish is impressive, leaving impressions of hazelnuts and sweet spice.”

·         Total: “Hints of mineral, lime and vanilla round out the long, complex finish.”

·         Wine Enthusiast: “This wine is textured, with some spice as well as a tangy orange and lemon character.”

The Oxford Companion notes that Burgundy produces “what are widely considered the finest full-bodied dry white wines in the world.” I would second that emotion! And at $40-$50, this one is a true bargain in my book.

Estate De Wetshof Limestone Hill Chardonnay (South Africa)

This is a lovely Chardonnay from South Africa. I noticed that it kept getting good reviews in Wine Spectator, and it was on the magazine’s Top 100 list in 2021, so I decided to try it. De Wetshof is a famous name in South African wines. According to the estate’s website:

The name De Wetshof has been synonymous with the production of fine wines in South Africa since the 1970’s. As the first registered wine estate in the Robertson Wine Valley, De Wetshof has become known internationally as South Africa’s eminent Chardonnay House due to the pioneering role it played in introducing this noble Burgundian grape to the country. The De Wet family’s winemaking heritage can, however, be traced back to 1694 when the first De Wets arrived at the Cape and immediately made a mark on the South African wine industry.

Gold Medal Wine Club tells us:

The location of the Robertson Valley and its rich limestone base, less than 100 Kilometers (a little over 62 miles) from Agulhas, Africa’s southernmost point, is perfect for the cold-loving Chardonnay to flourish. The chilling currents from the southern oceans causes cooling winds to blow inland on summer afternoons, thereby freshening the vineyards and providing the Chardonnay with a much needed infusion of zest that nourishes the vines.

The winery tells the story: “Heavy clay soils rich in limestone allow this Chardonnay to emit optimum varietal expression in a cloak of rich complexity. An un-wooded wine, Limestone Hill has notes of grapefruit and nuts, with the complexity balanced by a nuanced elegance ending with a delicate ripeness.”

Wine Spectator tells us: “Pear and pineapple fruit flavors are bright and juicy in this lively Chardonnay. Lithe and zesty, with accents of wet stone, grated ginger and verbena gliding through on the lip-smacking finish.” I thought it was crisp and minerally, and a standout Chardonnay. It’s available for around $17 at most wine shops.

Wente Morning Fog Chardonnay

This is a really nice value Chardonnay from an interesting vineyard in California’s Livermore Valley east of San Francisco Bay – not a place you’d normally first think of when considering California wines. According to its website,  “Wente Vineyards is the longest, continuously family-owned and operated winery in the United States…. In 1912, 2nd Generation Ernest Wente persuaded his father and founder, C.H. Wente, to import Chardonnay cuttings from a well-known vine nursery, F. Richter Nursery in Montpellier, France, to the Livermore Valley. Ernest hand-picked vines that showed the best health and pronounced flavors, grafted the two together, and propagated those characteristics forward. The result was aptly called the ‘Wente Clone’, which today makes up over 75% of all Chardonnay planted in California!”

The vineyard takes pride in its sustainability practices and says it is “a certified sustainable vineyard and winery from the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Less than ten percent of wineries hold both the vineyard and winery certifications.”

This one is a personal favorite of Lisa’s and is bright and crisp with light oak and buttery notes. And it’s a bargain at around $12-$14.

Three nice Sauvignon Blancs

I’m generally a big fan of Sauvignon Blancs, especially Savs from New Zealand (yes, that’s what they often call them down there), but sometimes I can get tired of them as some of the more common (and cheaper) New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs are way too citrusy, both on the nose and in the mouth. (Some even get the interesting description of “cat piss” – maybe just a little too much literal interpretation for me!)

First I wanted to try some different SVs from the Marlborough region of New Zealand so I rounded up a couple:

Greywacke is a winery that has been in business since 2009 and, according to the winery website, “is the Marlborough label of the Judd family and the name of New Zealand’s most abundant bedrock. These understated grey river stones are found throughout Marlborough’s rivers and alluvial vineyard soils” and has “a small, dedicated team running the company from Greywacke HQ in the heart of Marlborough’s Omaka Valley.” The website goes on:

The fruit is sourced from mature vineyards in prime viticultural sites to optimise the potential afforded by Marlborough’s sunny South Pacific climate. All vineyards are sustainably managed with substantial and increasing proportions coming from organically farmed sites. Crop levels are restricted to enhance concentration of flavour and a long, cool growing season produces fruit with incredible varietal intensity and bright, natural acidity. Meticulous canopy management regimes are employed to provide sufficient fruit exposure to deliver ripeness of flavour, textural richness and optimum acid balance.

As for tasting notes, the winery’s website says it’s like “a summer fruit salad – ripe golden peaches, honeydew melon, nectarines and passionfruit, with a generous splash of cassis and a sprinkling of lime zest – this is a subtle, delicately aromatic, ripe interpretation of Marlborough sauvignon blanc. The palate is generous and textural, showing great concentration and finishing with a crisp, succulent finish.”

James Suckling’s review: “A very fresh, lime and grapefruit nose with a gently herbal thread, as well as green passion-fruit notes. The palate has a captivating fusion of fresh acidity and rich, fleshy fruit flavors. Zesty and intense.” Christina Pickard in Wine Enthusiast says it has “Aromas of bright peach, passionfruit, orchard blossom and a vegetal note are seamless on the nose. They flow gently to the palate where there’s a lovely texture, freshness and overall harmony.”  Thewinebuyer.com tells us: “Classic New Zealand loaded with succulent passion fruit, guava, pineapple and pink grapefruit aromas which are underscored by a fresh herbal element. Lush layers of sweet melon, tropical and yellow stone fruit flavors are complemented by an attractive minerality.”

All in all, I thought it was an excellent SV, not too citrusy, and definitely lighter and fresher than most from New Zealand. You can find it for around $20.

Update: the 2021 Greywacke Sauvignon Blanc made Wine Spectator‘s Top 100 wines of 2022 at #13.

Nautilus shows up on many lists of favorite Marlborough Savs from New Zealand. According to the winery’s website: “Nautilus is unusual in effectively having two wineries side by side. The first was built in 2000 and is dedicated to the inspiring but sometimes infuriating grape that is Pinot Noir. The second built in 2006 is for white wine making facility to process our Sauvignon Blanc, Cuvée, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris.”

The wine itself is delightful. The winery tells us: “The 2021 Nautilus Sauvignon Blanc displays intense lifted aromas of blackcurrant, guava, ripe grapefruit and a hint of smoky flint. The palate introduces delightful citrus based mouth-watering intensity and finishes with a strong textural component.” Wine Spectator says it is “Elegant and aromatic, with intense lemongrass and lemon thyme notes leaping from the glass, plus supple citrus and apple flavors at the core. Delivers details of white tea and white pepper that linger.”

Nautilus is another great bargain at $17-$20.

Husch Renegade Sauvignon Blanc is a personal favorite of mine. Full disclosure: the owners are personal friends of mine, but that doesn’t mean the wine is not excellent. Husch is a family-owned (3^rd generation) vineyard in the Anderson Valley in Mendocino County in the far northern part of California, and is the oldest winery in the Anderson Valley appellation. It is also a wonderful winery to visit and has a lovely tasting room.

Husch specializes in Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Gewurztraminer (apparently the terroir is especially good for that one), among others. But I am especially partial to its Sauvignon Blanc. The winery’s tasting notes include: “Lively aromas of white grapefruit, guava, lemongrass, green mango, and a hint of Asian pear leap from the glass. The wine is crisp and refreshing with flavors that mirror the aromas, with a lengthy and succulent finish.”

Husch is sometimes hard to find at retail outside California, but it has a great mail-order business, so check out its website. This Sauvignon Blanc is available for about $18. Highly recommended!!

Book recommendation: I’m a sucker for basic books about wine. If you’re looking for a nice gift for a wine newbie, this might be one of the best: The 24-Hour Wine Expert by Jancis Robinson. She’s one of the foremost wine writers and critics in the world and has produced such weighty tomes as The Oxford Companion to Wine. But this is a nice, slim, readable volume that will get anyone started on loving wine.

Wine Playlist: As mentioned in an earlier post, I like to create fun and funky playlists based on some of my interests, so I’ve created a wine playlist – songs with titles or lyrics that include wine. You can find it on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5rAwgh9Thiary4zUplUsaN

Here’s this post’s entry:  The wonderful Emmylou Harris with “Two More Bottles of Wine.” “Ain’t gonna let it bother me today/I been workin’ and I’m too tired anyway/But it’s all right ’cause it’s midnight/And I got two more bottles of wine.”

(Posted October 20, 2022)

“Age is just a number. It’s totally irrelevant unless, of course, you happen to be a bottle of wine.” – Joan Collins

This is the fourteenth and fifteenth in a review of wines that were mentioned in the great book by Kermit Lynch, Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Lover’s Tour of France. Once again a reminder – Lynch’s book is by far one of the most enjoyable and informative books about wine you’ll read.

Our wines for this review are a red blend from the Languedoc region of France – a 2018 Mas de Daumas Gassac – and a 100% Pinot Noir from Burgundy – a 2017 Château Philippe le Hardi Mercurey. My approach to reviewing these two is a little different – I used the excuse of a party to ask attendees to taste both and give me their impressions. We’ll get to the results in a bit, but first, a little background.

The Mas de Daumas Gassac comes from the southern region of France known as the Languedoc. It is a blend of several red grapes – primarily Cabernet Sauvignon (76%) with small percentages each of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Pinot Noir, Malbec, Nebbiolo, and Dolcetto. That seems like a lot!

Wine Trails has this to say about Languedoc and its neighbor, Roussillon:

Some of the most exciting and innovative wines emerging in France are coming from the vast Languedoc-Roussillon region, which covers much of the south, from the Spanish border up to the vineyards of Provence and the Côte d’Azur. A third of France’s wine is produced here, but for years the region suffered from over-production and poor quality. Not any more. [I hear that last sentence in Peter Sellers’ Inspector Clouseau voice: “That was a priceless Steinway.” “Not any more!”]…. The sheer variety of the landscapes here is spectacular, with vineyards pressing up against the Mediterranean… through dramatic limestone hills and valleys….”

Jancis Robinson in The World Atlas of Wine tells us that Languedoc is “France’s best value, most fluid wine region and certainly its most important in terms of volume of wine produced, and in terms of the importance of viticulture to the region’s economy.”

Mas de Dammas Gassac comes from a well-established vineyard west of Montpelier. According to the estate’s website, in the year 780 AD “Saint Benedict of Aniane, an adviser to Charlemagne, created a vineyard in the Gassac valley in the 780s. We have every reason to believe that Saint Benedict would have invited Charlemagne to sample the first wines produced in the valley. Mas de Daumas Gassac’s Grands Vins were thus born in the shadow of a prestigious abbey, like most famous great wines!” The estate bottled its first vintage in 1978.

Kermit Lynch has high praise for the winery and the wine:

Also to be found in this part of the Languedoc, called the Hérault, is one of the most remarkable new wineries in the world, the Mas de Daumas Gassac, where the dynamic Aimé Guibert has created from what was garrigue, brush, and forestland a vineyard whose wine has captured the imagination of the wine press on both sides of the Atlantic. Guibert’s very first vintage, his 1978 from new vines, burst upon the wine scene leaving behind a shower of sparking accolades which have been surpassed only by the notes accorded to subsequent vintages.

Hold on there Sparky! There was a word in there I wasn’t familiar with: garrigue. The Wine Spectator’s Dr. Vinny tells us that “Garrigue refers to the low-growing vegetation on the limestone hills of the Mediterranean coast, not the limestone itself. There are a bunch of bushy, fragrant plants that grow wild there, such as juniper, thyme, rosemary and lavender, and garrigue refers to the sum of them. Think herbes de Provence, or a mix of fresh minty-herbal notes with more pungent, floral fragrances.” So the implication is that the mixture of those fragrant plants affects the aroma and taste of the wine.

Kermit Lynch quotes The Underground Wineletter as saying that this wine “may very well be the very best buy for a wine of this type to be found anywhere in the U.S….. nothing from California comes close to this quality/price relationship.” (For the record, the 2018 we tried is priced at around $50 a bottle – and it has a cool label too.)

Lynch also has this anecdote about the focus on Cabernet Sauvignon:

The single most important decision was Guibert’s choice of grape variety. Going traditional in the Hérault would have meant planting varieties like Carignan, Grenache, and Cinsault. I asked him why he planted Cabernet Sauvignon in his “Burgundian” soil in the Languedoc. “God’s inspiration,” he replied. (These vignerons in the Languedoc are not the most humble race I’ve encountered. At nine in the morning they speak with the pomp of an Irish poet after he’s had a few.) “No,” he continued, “it was actually a matter of personal taste. I am not a partisan of the Pinot.”

Speaking of Pinot, let’s move on to our Pinot Noir from Burgundy. As a refresher from wines from Burgundy we’ve reviewed earlier, Burgundy is, of course, a famous wine-growing region in east central France. Called Bourgogne in French, it is famous for well-regarded red and white wines, with whites coming almost entirely from Chardonnay grapes and reds coming mainly from Pinot Noir. According to The Oxford Companion to Wine, vineyards dating to the first century have been found in the area. A tribe of Burgundians from Scandinavia settled the area in the fifth century, giving the area its name. As noted in The World Atlas of Wine, “Burgundy is not one big vineyard, but the name of a province that contains several distinct and eminent wine regions.”

Our Mercurey Pinot Noir comes from the Côte Chalonnaise district of Burgundy; the Oxford Companion says that Mercurey is “most important village” in that district…. The red wines tend to be deeper in colour, fuller in body, more capable of ageing, and half as expensive again as those of the neighbouring villages.”

Kermit Lynch doesn’t have a lot to say about Mercurey, other than that “No grape is more sensitive to its vineyard site,” and that Mercurey is among several wines from Burgundy that can have “excellent cuvées.” Dr. Vinny of Wine Spectator tells us that cuvee is a “fancy-sounding word, so sometimes it’s used to indicate a wine of superior quality or a special reserve, but the term is not regulated, so that’s not always the case.”

As noted before, Burgundians don’t blend their wines, so most red wine from there is 100% Pinot Noir, as this one was. One interesting side note I discovered in The Booklovers’ Guide to Wine by Patrick Alexander:

By the early Middle Ages, the wines of Burgundy had achieved such a reputation that they were sought after in the French royal courts in Paris and on the Loire, as well as the Pope’s palace in Avignon. Anxious to maintain the high quality and reputation of his wines, Philippe the Bold, Duke of Burgundy in 1395, made it a hanging offense to make red wine with anything other than Pinot Noir on his territories. Offenders would be hanged from scaffolds out in their vineyards as a visual and swinging reminder to their neighbors.

Okay, that’s a little harsh.

And speaking of the Duke of Burgundy, mtouton.com gives us a little more history:

Domaine du Château Philippe le Hardi (formerly Château de Santenay) was once the majestic stately home of the first Duke of Burgundy. This historic estate is one of Burgundy’s most prestigious producers….The Château was built in the 9th, 12th and 16th centuries. It was formerly one of several properties belonging to the Duke of Burgundy, Philippe le Hardi (1342-1404), and was named after him for centuries to come. In 1395, Philippe le Hardi signed the founding document for single varietal cultivation in Burgundy. The document was named the “Ordonnance de Philippe le Hardi”. Pinot Noir thus replaced Gamay as the varietal used for red wine production in Burgundy. 

What was our experience? Crowdsourcing!

As mentioned earlier, for these two wines, I tried something a little bit different – a party of about 20 people, with a rating sheet asking for samplers’ opinions on aroma, taste, and texture, and a contest! Here’s what we found out:

OK, I’m not sure wet concrete or fresh cut garden hose count as real aromas, but I admire peoples’ creativity! I also asked everyone to vote on which one they liked best. Of the ten people who voted, it was an even tie: five to five. Overall, it was a fun experience and highly recommended for your next dinner party.

My vote: I liked the Gassac blend slightly more than the Mercurey Pinot Noir. I thought the Gassac was bold but not too heavy, with a really nice fruity/spicy taste (as others indicated). But they were both very good. By the way, both are available for about $50.

Book recommendation: I mentioned earlier The Booklovers’ Guide to Wine: An Introduction to the History, Mysteries, and Literary Pleasures of Drinking Wine by Patrick Alexander – it’s a really nice reference, with lots of good basic stuff on grapes, regions, and wine history, sprinkled with interesting literary references.

New Feature: Wine Playlist!

I like to create fun and funky playlists based on some of my interests. One of them, of course, is wine, so of course I’ve created a wine playlist – songs with titles or lyrics that include wine. You can find it on Spotify at https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5rAwgh9Thiary4zUplUsaN?si=517901201b994b3d

Here’s one example: The late, great Loretta Lynn singing “Wine, Women, and Song.”  Take a look at the playlist and feel free to send me your suggestions!

(Posted August 21, 2022)

“Wine can of their wits the wise beguile, make the sage frolic, and the serious smile.”
― Homer

We’re taking a break from our one-by-one tastings of the wines mentioned in Kermit Lynch’s Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Lover’s Tour of France. Instead, we spent a few weeks in Italy tasting as many wines as possible.

We spent all of July in Italy – being retired, we are extremely lucky to take this much time in a place we love. This was my third trip to Italy and by far the best. We were lucky to spend a week at a villa in the Chianti Classico region of Tuscany with a total of 21 people (friends and family members), then several days each in Lucca (also in Tuscany), Cinque Terre, Milan, and Lake Como. We always tried to sample the local wines in each of the areas we visited as we wanted to learn about (and taste) as many wines as possible. So I thought I would recap many of the wines we had so that you might try them too.

Tuscany

Well let’s start with arguably the most famous Italian wine region of all – Tuscany, or Toscana. The Oxford Companion to Wine says that it is “the most important region in Central Italy… it is the region which formed Italy’s language, its literature, and its art, and has thus assumed a central place in the country’s culture and self-image.” The handy little book Decoding Italian Wine tells us that Toscana is “probably the most universally recognized region of Italian wines” and “is also one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world.”

It appears, based on expert analysis of early cave drawings and pottery markings, that winemaking in Tuscany began as early as the 4^th century BC when the area was first inhabited by the Etruscans. Back then, it’s believed that Sangiovese grapes grew in the wild, and the Etruscans began creating wine with them.

Wine Trails tells us that the Etruscans used “huge terracotta amphorae that are today being rediscovered by certain natural winemakers.”

As early as the 5^th century BC [4^th century BC, 5^th century BC, what’s a century or two among friends?], Tuscan wines were exported to France and Greece, and Florence founded its own Wine Merchants Guild as early as 1282. So Tuscany has always been the ambassador of Italian wine, from ancient times through to the days when the eponymous straw-covered flask of Chianti became the house wine of every pizzeria in the world.

The Wine Bible tells us that Toscana “stretches from the Tyrrhenian Sea in the west to the low mountains that separate the region from Emilia-Romagna, the Marches, and Umbria, its neighbors in the east. At 9,000 square miles, it is the fifth largest region in Italy.” 

We were in two locations in Tuscany. The first was near the village of Poggibonsi, about 30 miles south of Florence. It is on the far western edge of the Chianti Classico zone. The Chianti region itself encompasses a large area between Florence and Siena. There are several sub-zones in Chianti, with the separate Chianti Classico zone comprising the heart of the area.

Wine Enthusiast tells us that “Chianti Classico must contain at least 80% Sangiovese. A maximum of 20% of other red grapes Colorino, Canaiolo Nero, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot may be used…. There are three quality tiers in the appellation. Annata, or the standard wine, ages for 12 months before release, while Riserva must age 24 months. Gran Selezione has the longest aging requirement at 30 months.”

Wine Enthusiast also tells us that “The emblem of Chianti Classico is the black rooster, or gallo nero. It relates to a legend told about the use of roosters to settle a border dispute between the warring provinces of Sienna and Florence. The black cockerel was the symbol of Florence, while the white cockerel represented Sienna. It’s clear who dominated that contest.” We saw a bunch of black rooster statues at wineries in the area.

So what were the wines we tried in the Chianto Classico region? Well, we tried several Classicos, including:

• Il Vicario from Torciano winery (a large wine/restaurant empire near San Gimignano) – 100% Sangiovese;
• one from Belriguardo, a winery on the far southern end of the region, about 10 miles south of Poggibonsi  – 95% Sangiovese and 5% Merlot;
• one from Bucciarelli, about 10 miles east of Poggibonsi – 100% Sangiovese; and
• one from Cinciano, a lovely winery/hotel/restaurant complex just up the road from us – 100% Sangiovese.

Cinciano’s restaurant is called Osteria 1126 – mainly because the original buildings have been there since the year 1126. It was a magical place – highly recommended if you’re ever in the area.

Our take on Chianti Classico? All of them were delicious. Sangiovese is a rich, red grape full of fruit flavors, mainly cherries and plum, and it was outstanding in all its iterations. Of course, it helped that we were in the Chianti Classico region, but they were wonderful nevertheless. We liked them all, but we especially liked the Cinciano, as we were able to visit the winery and see how it was made.

What about white wines from Tuscany? Tuscan whites don’t get as much press as the reds, but there are some outstanding whites to try. Two in particular stood out.

Vernaccia is one of my favorite whites from the region, for a lot of reasons. First of all, it’s delicious, with bright crisp flavors, and is readily available at most wine stores in the US. Second, it’s from the magical medieval town of San Gimignano (about 15 miles west of where we were staying near Poggibonsi). Wines of the World tells us that this wine has been around since at least 1276 (!) and “has the longest pedigree of any white varietal wine in Italy.” One we tried was from the Cecchi vineyards. It had the added bonus of having a lovely label with the towers of San Gimignano silhouetted.

The second white wine we spent some time with in Tuscany was Vermentino. These wines come mainly from the island of Sardinia, but the grapes are being planted more and more throughout Italy. Similar to Vernaccia, the Vermentino wines were light and crisp, perfect for the hot summer days we had in Italy. One we tried was from Antinori vineyards; this one was from the Bolgheri area on the far western portion of Tuscany along the coast.

Our second stop in Tuscany was the walled medieval town of Lucca, about 50 miles west of Florence. There were two wonderful whites we tried there.

San Germano Passito Toscana is from the Tenuta di Ghizzano winery, an organic winery about 20 miles southwest of Lucca, near Pisa (the word “tenuta” means “estate”). It was comprised of a wonderful blend of 80% Trebbiano along with Colombana Nera and Malvasia grapes. According to Decoding Italian Wine, Trebbiano is the “second most widely planted grape in the world and is used in more than a quarter of Italy’s” primary wines, yet it “flies under the radar” because “it’s most commonly employed as a blending component, and its moniker rarely appears on labels.” Fun fact: “Trebbiano grapes are also used to produce balsamic vinegar. During the course of aging and fermentation over many years, the Trebbiano grape juice syrup gradually turns its trademark dark brown color and develops the unique balsamic vinegar flavor loved by many.” Who knew?

Another white we liked while in Lucca was Fattoria Nanni Origini Verdicchio. In addition to having a wonderful colorful label, it was also from a region we hadn’t experienced before: the Marche. This region is to the east of Tuscany and runs to the Adriatic Sea. Verdicchio, according to The Oxford Companion, is “one of central Italy’s classic white wines….the best wines are cool with minerally mandarin fruit, lifted lemony acidity, and a slight chew on the finish.” Very detailed description!

Cinque Terre

Our next stop was in the far northwest corner of Italy, in the Liguria region. You might say it’s the top of the sock of the boot of Italy. We stayed in the Cinque Terre zone, on the far eastern part of the region. Cinque Terre means “five lands,” and it’s comprised of five former fishing villages that have become tourist meccas in the last 50 years (thanks to new roads and better rail service). It’s often described as Italy’s Riviera. Our base of operations was Monterosso del Mare, the northernmost (and largest) town of the five.

To say that Monterosso (and all of Cinque Terre) is picturesque is an understatement. It was spectacularly beautiful, and we were lucky enough to stay in a rental near the harbor with absolutely wonderful views of boats, people, and stunning sunrises, sunsets, and the harbor at night.

Liguria is the second-smallest wine-producing region in Italy, with most of the vineyards lying on the region’s steep, rocky hills.

Our first wines in the region were three nice whites:

• a Scià, a wonderful wine made of Vermentino along with Bosco and Albarola grapes, aged about seven months (and with possibly the best label I’ve ever seen);
• Lvnae Colli di Luna Vermentino. The winery’s website says that “The name Lvnae is inspired by the town of Luni, an ancient Etruscan and Greek port, consecrated to the goddess Selene by the Greeks (Luna, for the Romans). The first Luna settlement was founded by the Romans in 177 BC.” Quite the pedigree; and
• Macaia Sassarini, a local Monterosso wine, with Vermentino grapes.

You may notice the preponderance of Vermentino grapes in these local wines. As noted earlier, Vermentino is prominent on Sardinia and (to a lesser extent) in Tuscany. But an article in Forbes Magazine had high praises for these locally produced vintages: “producing a Vermentino from seaside vineyards gives the wines a special character that you don’t find from a warmer, inland area. Vermentino from a maritime climate tends to display a minerality or saltiness in the finish – as though you are tasting the soils and/or experiencing the tanginess of the sea when you are enjoying the wine.”

Our next wine adventure was at a nice little bistro in Monterosso called Enoteca Internazionale. It featured a tasting of five different wines from – you guessed it – the five towns of Cinque Terre. The five were:

• Begasti from our home base Monterosso;
• Cheo from Vernazza;
• La Polenza from Corniglia;
• Forlini Cappellini from Manarola; and
• LItan from Riomaggiore.

All five had roughly the same blend of Vermentino, Bosco, and Albarola grapes. Our challenge was to sample all five to determine how each was subtly different based on the specific conditions of each vineyard – sun, soil, verticality, precipitation. They were all wonderful, but we were partial to our “hometown” wine from Begasti. And we got to keep a cool souvenir placemat too.

Finally, I made sure we were able to try one type of local wine we hadn’t had before – Pigato. The Italian Wine Guide tells us that Pigato is genetically identical to Vermentino, but it “nevertheless achieves unique expression: pigato favors the earthy side of the flavor spectrum, is a bit more acidic and has a touch more body weight… in addition, pigato is inclined to have more pronounced saline notes, making it ideal for local seafood and shellfish.”  Yes, we had it with a lovely main course of fish at the Torre Aurora restaurant in Monterosso.

Lombardy

Our last region in Italy that we explored was Lombardy, in the north central portion of Italy along the border with Switzerland. We visited Milan and Lake Como, and both exposed us to wonderful wines. One of our best experiences was a nice rosé from Cantrina vineyards in Beddizole, in the eastern portion of the region. It was made from Pinot Noir grapes and was delightfully refreshing. We had it at a hilltop restaurant in the town of Bellagio on Lake Como. And of course, it had a great label (did I tell you I am a sucker for cool labels?).

Perhaps the most common white wine in Lombardy is Lugana. The Italian Wine Guide tells us that Lugana wines are comprised of “a minimum of 90% Trebbiano [grapes]. Trebbiano-based wines deliver light, crisp green fruits with a touch of chalky minerality and bitter almond.” We had this one several times, primarily at Lake Como, and it was our go-to wine for most meals.

Three in particular we liked, all from vineyards just south of Lake Garda on the eastern border of Lombardy, and all 100% Trebbiano:

• I Frati, with a very elegant label (!), described on the vineyard’s website as “the jewel in the crown”;
• Marangona, from an organic winery; and
• La Rifra.

As noted earlier, Trebbiano is the second most widely planted grape in the world and is used in more than a quarter of Italy’s primary wines, yet it is often looked down upon as a run-of-the-mill grape. Wines of the World calls it a “fairly ordinary grape,” and the Italian Wine Guide says “Overall, it is a lackluster grape and usually makes disappointing neutral-tasting wines” but “At their best, they deliver subtle, crisp green fruits and a touch of chalky minerality with high levels of acidity.” We enjoyed our Luganas, and we thought it was especially refreshing on hot afternoons.

What About the Reds?

You may have noticed that most of the wines I mentioned were whites, other than the Chianti Classicos from Tuscany. Obviously, there are many, many great red wines from Italy – including my favorite, Brunello, along with Barolo, Barbera, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and many more. We tried a few, but honestly, given the extremely hot weather in Italy, we focused primarily on whites just because they were more refreshing on those hot days.

One of these days, I’m going to start reviewing a lot of Italian wines, so I’ll be sure to include my favorite reds, so stand by.

Conclusions and Observations

Overall, we were extremely pleased by the variety of wines we tried in Italy. If I could pick out two favorites, they would be:

• The Chianti Classico, with its wonderful dark and refreshing fruit taste; and
• A tie between the Vernaccia from San Gimignano and the a Scià Vermentino from Cinque Terre. Did I mention the latter had about the best label I’ve ever seen?

Ciao, salute, and cin cin!