WINE TASTING NOTES: Belfast 2006
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June 2006 Wine Tasting
JUNE 15, 2006
For our monthly wine tasting on Thursday, June 15th, from 5-8 PM, we will be traveling to the west coast of the United States to sample six different grape varietals, two each from three outstanding wineries noted for quality wines at value prices. We are featuring pairs of wines from Hogue Cellars in Washington State, Montinore Estate in Oregon and Four Vines Winery in California. We will also be exhibiting an exciting solo show of original abstract art by Lori Glavin, including vibrant and colorful monotypes, collages and oils. So join us for our "Take a Couple to Dinner" tasting!
THE WHITES:
Four Vines, Chardonnay Santa Barbara County "Naked" 2005, $10.99 – Four Vines Cellars is located in Paso Robles, California, the northernmost wine region of the so-called South Central Coast. But its wines rely on fruit sourced from many other growing regions in the state. Perhaps the best introduction to their wines can be through this passionate statement of purpose from winemaker Christian Tietje: "Life is a sensual experience, an adventure to be enjoyed. Winemaking is my contribution to the adventure, creating beauty from raw elements. Monster reds are my passion, and my travels have led me far and wide in pursuit of the red beast Zinfandel. The vision of the Four Vines project is to create powerful and stylish wines from the finest Zinfandel regions anywhere: Paso Robles, Sonoma, Napa and Amador. I sought out eclectic old vine vineyards and began to craft wines which express the unique characteristics of each appellation’s soil, water and sky…the very flavor that terroir imparts to a glass of wine. From earth and sky to barrel and glass my reward is to watch someone swirl, sip and react; to witness the impact of sensual flavors, savored textures, captured magic. A glass of Four Vines that brings a sigh and a lingering smile makes all of my efforts worthwhile." Although focusing on their Zinfandels, one of which we will taste later tonight, the statement is equally applicable to their "Naked" Chardonnay, "naked" being their expression for a "no-oak" style of winemaking: pure fruit that has not seen, nor wants to see any oak. The fruit was harvested from three vineyards in the Cat Canyon in Northern Santa Barbara, all of which are hilltop and south facing slope sites. Hand sorted clusters were gently pressed and fermented in 100% stainless steel and left on the lees as long as possible. In order to maintain the natural acid balance, the wine was not put through malolactic fermentation. As a result the nose is bright with apple and pear laced with clove, mineral and a hint of anise. On the palate it exhibits crisp apple, pear and white peach and has a long finish with hints of citrus and mineral. Please also note the screwcap closure; more on that in my notes for the Hogue wine below. Great as an apéritif, it very food friendly; try this with all of your salads, vegetable dishes, fish and seafood and white meats. And try it often!
Montinore Estate, Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2005, $11.99 - The lovely mansion that graces this estate was built circa 1905 by John Forbis, who named his ranch Montinore – short for Montana-In-Oregon. Forbis' parents stopped and stayed in Montana on their way to Oregon in the 1800's, a migration he completed a generation later. Today Montinore is a 585-acre estate, with 196 acres planted, located at the northern end of the Willamette Valley appellation. The vineyards, mostly planted between 1982 and 1985 on slopes of Cornelius and Laurelwood soils, are at the same latitude as Beaune in Burgundy. Unlike the dry, sunny Columbia River Valley in Washington State mentioned below, the damp, cool, foggy hills of the Willamette Valley are ideal cool-climate vineyard areas due to the Coast Ranges, which ward off just enough of the cold Pacific influences. Pinot Gris is known as Pinot Grigio in northern Italy and there produces a crisp, light and dry wine. Here in Oregon, as in France's Alsace region, it tends to produce a richer and more honeyed wine. This 2005 from Montinore is fermented in stainless steel tanks at cool temperatures and is a light gold color with aromas of citrus, pear, quince and bright apple. Fruit flavors mingle with hints of culinary herbs and freshly cut hay. The finish is crisp and dry with a pleasing mineral edge accenting the fresh fruit characteristics. Served chilled, but not cold, it beautifully accompanies seafood, especially shellfish, as well as poultry, light meats and creamy pasta dishes.
Hogue, Fumé Blanc Columbia Valley 2004, $10.99 – Hogue Cellars was founded in 1982 by Mike and Gary Hogue and is located in eastern Washington State's premier wine growing region, the Columbia Valley, in the rain shadow of the Cascade Range. Because of its northerly location, approximately the same latitude as Bordeaux and Burgundy, Washington receives up to two hours more of sunlight per day during the growing season than does California; more sun equals more flavor development in the grapes and this, coupled with chilly nights and not-too-hot days, low rainfall and controlled irrigation from the Columbia, Snake and Yakima Rivers, results in grapes with intense fruit flavors and high natural acidity. Hogue's lively wines are characterized by ripe, zesty fruit flavors and are made from a consistent blend from a number of vineyards in the area. But, you may ask, what is Fumé Blanc? Well, the term was originally coined by Robert Mondavi and was merely another name for Sauvignon Blanc; my guess is that the marketing guys came up with it by combining the grape name with name of one of the famous towns in France's Loire Valley where it is grown – Pouilly-Fumé. In any event, Hogue's version is tank fermented and blends Sauvignon Blanc with Sémillon. This fresh and crisp wine has aromas of lemon zest and grapefruit, along with sage, peppermint and a hint of smokiness; on the palate, the citrus and herbs are complemented by coconut and dried fig. You should note the screwcap closure, the result of Hogue's 4-year study which found that screwcaps, not cork, best preserve the wine quality in the bottle, keep flavors freshest, eliminate the threat of cork taint and ensure consistency of flavors, not to mention the need for fewer sulfites as a preservative and the obvious ease of opening. Try this dry white with grilled seafood, soft shell crab, raw oysters and your favorite chicken salad recipe.
THE REDS:
Montinore Estate, Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2003, $13.99 – The Willamette Valley is widely held as the best place in America for producing high quality Pinot Noir. The wine industry in Oregon is relatively large, ranking second in number of wineries and fourth in volume in the United States. What sets Oregon apart, aside from its particularly suitable climate and geology, is also the uniqueness of its people. There is a camaraderie and collaborative spirit that values the common good over individual benefit, as well as an overall sense of accountability for the environment and the well being of one's neighbors. The focus is on sustainable practices and a personal, handcrafted approach to viticulture, winemaking and marketing. The result is world-class Pinot. This 2003 Montinore has a dark garnet color and an inviting, aromatic, sweet bouquet of black cherries, light blackberries and coffee notes. The flavors are sweet and multi-layered with red and black cherries and blackberries, finishing with chocolate and coffee characters - all within an earthy frame with pronounced oak and vanilla notes. Ample, fine-grained, background tannins enhance the wine's texture. The ripe fruity flavors that linger complement the spicy black pepper finish. As versatile as any Burgundy, serve this wine with salmon, light red meat, dishes prepared with wine sauces, and chocolate. It's also great with your cheese course or cheese and crackers before dinner.
Four Vines, Zinfandel California "Old Vine Cuvee" 2003, $10.99 – Because Four Vines has such a great wealth of Zinfandel, they have the ability to put together a fantastic multi-appellation Zinfandel Blend. The 2003 "OVC" was selected from vineyards in Mendocino, Amador, Sonoma, Paso Robles and Lodi in the North and Central Coast of California. Included is a little of the old vine fruit from various old vine vineyards to give the wine old vine concentration, structure and character. On the nose the wine has layers of berry fruit and anise aromas with hints of spice. On the palate you will find blackberry and spicy plum fruit with a rich mouth feel. The wine finishes big and opulent on the mid-palate with plenty of structure, trailing to a velvety toasted oak finish. Take this wine on your next picnic to have with cold meats, poultry, cheeses and fruits. It's also great with grilled hotdogs, ribs and burgers, so try it this 4th of July!
Hogue, Cabernet Sauvignon "Genesis" Columbia Valley 2002, $16.99 – While Washington State is often looked at primarily as a Merlot region, it also has a strong history of producing excellent Cabernet Sauvignon. This is truer today than ever with the majority of newer Cabernet plantings being in warmer growing regions having excellent drainage, allowing the grapes to ripen properly. The result is very intense wines with deep color and complexity. This 2002 Genesis Cabernet is a great example of the new style of wines. 2002 was a normal year in terms of heat accumulation, but featured an exceptionally dry and temperate fall; this dry, breezy fall weather led to optimal ripening, with plenty of hang time for flavor development. This is a blend of 86% Cabernet, 9% Syrah for character and 5% Merlot for elegance. Aged in a mix of new, one-year and two-year-old French and American oak barrels for sixteen months, it has a very warm raspberry and cherry fruit core with highlights of black olive, nutmeg, tobacco, vanilla and coffee bean. Being well structured, but definitely not tannic, this is a wine to be enjoyed with food and friends. It is a well-rounded Cabernet with good acidity and great length. Pair this wine with your favorite cut of steak on the grill, lasagna and other hearty pastas or a bittersweet chocolate dessert.
Please join us at THE CLOWN on Thursday, June 15th for our "Take a Couple to Dinner" tasting and art show.
As always, there is no charge for participating in the festivities. |
