The Grapes of Rand: 2012

April 01, 2012

Change of Plans

Contrary to previous posts The Grapes of Rand will stay on ice for the present, but we plan to be back as soon as possible. In the meantime continue your own quest for the wines that are just a little closer to the way nature intended them to be, and as always, keep it natural and keep it interesting!

Cheers,
Rand

March 11, 2012

A brief hiatus, or, Rand decants himself

In the words of that other Seeger guy:

"To everything, Turn, Turn, Turn,

There is a season, Turn Turn Turn"

And for this Sieger guy, your guide through the sometimes treacherous terroirs of Winedom, this is the time to, but for a brief moment, refrain from blogging. A little time to sit back, re-assess, re-charge, and prepare to come back leaner, meaner, and ready to lead you on to new and exciting natural wine adventures. Just look at it as a sort of personal decanting; letting myself rest and breathe a bit while developing clarity, smoothness, and focus.

We will kick things back off on Monday April 2nd with the first ever The Grapes of Rand contest announcement. Then it's on to more great Biodynamic, organic, and natural wine reviews and other good stuff, including our natural wine trip in May (more on that later). Until then browse the reviews, try some of the wines, catch up on the producer profiles, test your wine savvy with the quizzes, and as always, keep it natural and keep it interesting.

And just so you don't forget what it's all about here on the voice of natural wine, here are a few of my favorite quotes from some of my wine-making muses. Cheers!

"A cool climate for me is also an appropriate climate. The grapes come in balanced. You don’t need to acidulate or dealcoholize the wine. If you have to manipulate the wine, this suggests that you are not growing the grape in the right places." - Randall Grahm

"The notion of terroir is the most beautiful idea in wine lore. A true vin de terroir needs a good rooting system. Terroir is a radio signal, and it is a question of the signal to noise ratio. We want to amplify the signal without distorting it. For example, if you restrict yields in a deeply rooted vineyard, you amplify the signal. Drip irrigation dilutes the signal. The ratio of roots to fruit is probably the single greatest determinant of wine quality." - Randall Grahm

"Why is Biodynamics expanding? Modern farming is weakening the system…" - Nicolas Joly

"Is Biodynamics the best of the best? No, it is not a goal, it is a tool! If I plant vines where it is better to plant cabbage, I’ll never have good wine!" - Nicolas Joly

"It is absurd to sell a wine as Biodynamic [on the label]; you sell a wine because it fully reflects the terroir and Biodynamics helps express that terroir at its best!" - Nicolas Joly

"If in the cellar, you don’t use heavy technology, you will have products of nature. Technology in the cellar tries to replace what was destroyed by modern farming." - Nicolas Joly

"If your farming has not destroyed this beauty by stupid actions then in your cellar you have almost nothing to do!" - Nicolas Joly

"There are two families of wine: made by nature, and the other where nature was not considered or respected." - Nicolas Joly

"We want bottles with originality. Sometimes we find them at a flea market from a guy with a terrible French accent, but the wines sing." - Nicolas Joly

“Our main thing is to allow grapes to show their character rather than imposing our will on them.” - Paul Draper

“…find intense, flavorful grapes; intrude upon the process only when necessary; draw the fruit’s distinctive character and richness into the wine.” - Paul Draper

"Traditional viticulture artificializes the vineyards, creating an artificial medium, the result is that the wines are similar to those from other places." - Alvaro Espinoza

"…true quality is that which succeeds in surprising and moving us. It is not locked inside a formula. Its essence is subtle (subjective) and never rational. It resides in the unique, the singular, but it is ultimately connected to something more universal. A great wine is one in which quality is contained. Such a wine will necessarily be uncommon and decidedly unique because it cannot be like any other, and because of this fact it will be atypical, or only typical of itself." - Andre Ostertag

Oh, and just in case you wine-lovers out there think the decanter at the top of the page is as sick as I do, here's the link to get this puppy directly form Rielel: http://www.riedel.com/index.php?article_id=92&clang=0

March 09, 2012

Answers to this week's quiz (Teutonic Trauben Trivia)

1. The common German synonym for Pinot Noir is Spätburgunder, which translates as Late Burgundy.

2. Müller-Thurgau is Germany's second most planted variety after Riesling.

3. Spätrot, also known as Zierfandler is an Austrian white grape variety. The other three varieties are red.

4. Welschriesling is an Austrian grape variety used to make mostly light, dry wines for early drinking and Sekt, but finds its best expression in late harvest wines of Burgenland.

5. Zweigelt, a crossing of St. Laurent and Blaufrankisch is Austria's most planted red variety.

6. The South African variety Cape Riesling is unrelated to true Riesling. It is actually a synonym for the virtually extinct French variety Crouchen Blanc.

7. Widely planted in Germany, Silvaner finds its best expression on the distinctive clay-limestone soils of Franken. It is believed to have made its way there from the banks of the Danube in the 17th century.

March 08, 2012

Grgich Hills Estate 2009 Fumé Blanc Napa Valley

Here's a California Classic from Napa's premiere Biodynamic winemaker.

March 01, 2012

Ridge 2008 Zinfandel Lytton Springs

One of the wonderful estate Zinfandels from Ridge, one the truly iconic California wineries with a long and storied history.

February 29, 2012

Bargain Basement Bonus: Y+B Torrontes and Malbec

This has been an unexpectedly hectic week for me, so regrettably no Quiz & Quote or producer profile. Sometimes in life family just has to come first, and this was one of those times. I'll say a bit more about that by way of explanation on tomorrow's video review, which you definitely don't want to miss.

For now though, here's another $10 and under Bargain Basement Bonus for ya, my fellow wine lovers. A little organic Tetrapack action from Argentina. Disfruta (Enjoy)!

February 24, 2012

Chateau Margaux going Organic?

As those of you who have read my articles in the past know, I am pretty confident that the future of wine is in Biodynamic and Organic production and that producers who resist this trend will inevitably be left in the dust of those willing to convert. I see an ever growing number of wine consumers who are discovering the great beauty, depth, and complexity of wines made from healthier, more vital, naturally produced grapes. More and more evidence points towards natural farming and production no longer being the purview of a small number of niche producers. This was made even more salient this week with Chateau Margaux revealing their nascent move towards organic and Biodynamic farming. And no, Margaux is not just blindly following the latest fad, as I am sure some natural wine detractors would be tempted to assume. In a recent event in London Paul Pontallier of Chateau Margaux was willing to put his faith in this move to the test in a blind tasting. I will re-post the big news from this event here for your edification and enlightenment. Enjoy!

MARGAUX OPTS FOR ORGANICS22nd February, 2012 by Patrick Schmitt

(Re-posted from The Drinks Business)

Château Margaux is considering converting to organic farming for its first growth parcels following viticultural experiments over the last five years.

Photo credit: François Poincet

Speaking at a tasting in London yesterday, Paul Pontallier (pictured) said, “I hope that in two to three years we will be 100% organic for the wines of Château Margaux, but not for our second or third wines.”

Continuing he explained, “It makes sense that we will start there because the best plots have the best drainage, the most vigour, and the least sensitivity to mildew and powdery mildew.”

The comments followed a blind tasting of three different Cabernet Sauvignons from the 2010 vintage, each grown using different farming practices since the beginning of 2008, but all from the same block.

After the tasting, it was revealed that the wines were made using biodynamic, organic and conventional viticultural practices, with the latter system giving the greatest alcohol at 13.8% abv, and the organic yielding the highest tannin index.

Referring to the wines tasted, Pontallier said, “I felt that the conventionally farmed wine was the most tannic, while I liked the organic the most, which I felt had the finest tannins.”

He also stated, “As a general practice we want to go close to organic farming and I started that 25 years ago, and now we are at the point where we are very close to organic farming.

“We haven’t used any pesticides or insecticides for over 10 years but will still spray chemicals against mildew, powdery mildew and sometimes botrytis, because we feel we might be caught by surprise and lose an entire year.”

The event also included tastings of other Château Margaux experiments, such as wines made with or without the addition of a small proportion of stems, as well as wines aged under different closures.

While Pontallier said he believed destemming gave the best wine, he also noted that a miniscule amount of stems for wines from certain plots, “could be of interest”.

As for closures, he said that the wines aged under artificial cork were “catastrophic” and chose not to show them.

From the wines poured yesterday – Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2003 vintage – it was the wine under natural cork that was the “youngest and freshest”, said Pontallier, while the wine aged under “impermeable screwcap was probably my preferred because I find the mouth softer.”

However, he added, “For now it may be the better wine, but what about five to 10 years time? I’m fascinated by the evolution.”

When asked whether he would consider switching to screwcaps if the wine was still better in another 10 years, he said, “Why not, because we are intellectually prepared for that – otherwise why experiment?”

“Our number one priority is to make the best possible wine, and if scewcap is better, then I don’t know how we could resist the temptation to change.”

Concluding the event, which was designed to share the results of Margaux’s experiments, Pontallier said, “We should never stop feeling like students.”

February 23, 2012

Natural Wine Wars: War of the rosés

Rosés from Italy's Alto Adige and France's Languedoc region go head to head in today's battle.

February 22, 2012

Nikolaihof

Shame on me! Here we are almost seven months into our adventures on The Grapes of Rand, and to date I haven't highlighted a single producer from my native land. How could I have committed such an egregious offense towards a country brimming with viticultural history and renown, and one which produces wines that have of late become one of the darlings of trendy sommeliers the world over? The omission becomes even more glaring considering the abundance of naturally, and particularly high quality Biodynamic wine produced there. If you haven't guessed yet I am talking about Austria, a country blessed with, if nothing else, the most sublimely stunning vineyard landscapes anywhere in Winedom.

Well, my failings are about to be redressed as we profile not just Austria's foremost Biodynamic winemaker, but one of the first ever Demeter certified Biodynamic vineyards anywhere in the world, and producer of wines that Wine & Spirits Buying Guide has classed among the world's top 100. Wine & Spirits described Nikolaihof's Im Weingebirge Grüner Veltliner Federspiel this way: "Discreet, complex, the essence of a place built on stones, smoky flint and gorgeous dry white fruit. The length of flavor is joyous, captivating as a sweet lied sung in an Alpine meadow." Indeed, the great Austrian lieder smith Franz Schubert might well have been inspired by the wines of the Nikolaihof estate, as might Mozart's Viennese contemporaries, and many generations of Austrians before them. In fact, the history of viticulture in the area of Nikolaihof goes way back, and I mean WAY back to the time when the Celts inhabited the shores of the Danube. The earliest recorded wine growing reference is during the Roman era around 470 A.D. Nikolaihof, referred to in a document back in 1075 as the central administrative seat of the St Nikola monastery of Passau, may well be Austria's oldest wine estate. Built atop and old Roman fortress (the cellar is actually constructed in a Roman crypt), today's Nikolaihof includes elements that date back to the fifteenth century, including the restored, deconsecrated monastery chapel under whose Gothic vaulting proprietors Christine and Nikoloaus Saahs receive their guests at wine tastings and receptions.

Nikolaihof's vines are planted on 20 hectares of mineral-rich, steep-sloped, sunny terraces of granite, gneiss, and mica in the breathtakingly beautiful Wachau valley bordering the Danube river. Very small yields ensure absolute top quality. Harvesting is carried out only by hand, ensuring that grapes are always at the optimal peak of ripeness.

In the cellar no additives or other treatments are allowed to interfere with the grapes' natural processes. Only naturally occurring yeasts do their magic to transform the must into wine in a huge wooden vat without the aid of temperature control or computer-calculated fermentation techniques. I love when winemakers exercise this kind of faith in the processes of nature. It shows me that they know without a doubt that they have grown healthy, vibrant fruit that will allow its robust genetic material to dictate the kind of wine it becomes. The Saahs' ultimate aim is "to get as much power and energy as possible into the wines whilst interfering with nature as little as possible." Judging by the accolades their wines receive time and again I think they may be on to something. The folks at Wine & Spirits aren't the only ones impressed by the power and finesse of Nikolaihof's wines. The 1990 Riesling Vinothek was judged the best Austrian dry white wine on the American market by the Beverage Tasting Institute, which also scored the 2002 Im Weingebirge Grüner Veltliner Smaragd 90/100 points. The Grapes of Rand will very shortly put in its two cents worth (something I look forward to just a litte), so stay tuned.

One interesting marketing angle Nikolaihof employs, and to my knowledge the only winery in the world to do so quite so openly, is to proclaim their wines the 'healthiest wine in the world.' The Saahs believe firmly that by using only natural nutrients, maintaining the health of the soil, and strictly following all other Biodynamic practices, their wines retain natural substances which strengthen the body's defenses against ageing, allergies, heart and circulatory diseases, cancer, and many other diseases. They back these assertions by touting tests by The German Society for Environmental and Human Toxology (DGUHT) that demonstrate the relative stress level of a wine within the parameter of pH value, redox potential, and conductivity. In DGUHT's tests Nikolaihof Vom Stein Riesling Federspiel comes out as the world's healthiest wine according to these criteria. Wine, according to the Nikolaihof philosophy is considered both a nourishing foodstuff and a medicine and it is therefore incumbent upon the winemaker to keep it free of unnecessary toxic and chemical residues. Another interesting side note for you wine headache sufferers is that according to the Austrian Federal Office for Wine and Fruit Producers, Nikolaihof wines do not contain the headache-inducing histamines found in most other wines. Well Louis Pasteur, maybe you were right after all, maybe wine is indeed the most healthful of all beverages.

Nikolaihof produces a range of dry Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings, an off-dry Frühroter Veltliner, a Chardonnay, an interesting blend of Riesling, GV, Pinot Blanc, and Neuburger (dry), and a range of ageworthy sweet GV's and Rieslings.

Traveling to Austria, and jonesin' for a little wine tasting adventure? Well, you'll be glad to know that Nikolaihof's tavern will welcome you April 21st through the middle of November. The tavern serves primarily organic food sourced from local farmers, and bread is baked fresh on premise. And if you want to spend a few days relaxing in the tranquility of the Wachau, Nikolaihof's 19 room Ad Vineas guesthouse is ready to accommodate the road-weary wine lover with its soothing 4-star atmosphere, including the beautifully landscaped gardens and swimming pond. For a more rustic wine tasting experience, don't forget to visit the area's traditional 'Heurigen' wine gardens.

Interested in sampling the tremendous wines from Nikolaihof, but can't find them? Never fear, have I got the link for you!
Chambers Street Wines

February 17, 2012

From today's Natural Wine News: Reviving ancient wine-growing traditions

Ok, this may sound about as wine geeky as it gets, but so be it. If there is anything that gets me really excited it's the prospect of an old wine region with great potential being re-discovered and coming back to life. When it is a region with incredible climate and soil, and long-lost grape varieties to make wine lovers' lives more exciting, I get nothing less than shivers up my spine. So when I read the following story about the re-birth of wine in Ariege a small area in the French Pyrenees, the chills of excitement set in. I figured, if this story has this kind of effect on me, there must be other natural wine geeks out there who might like to share that experience with me. So, I thought I would re-post the article here. It will have to do for now until the wondrous day when we can get our hands on a bottle of Ariege.

Vintners revive wine tradition near French Pyrenees

By Marcel Michelson

MIREPOIX, France | Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:22am EST

(Reuters) - With the Pyrenees mountain range firmly set on the southern horizon, a few enthusiastic vintners are trying to resuscitate a local wine-growing tradition that has been lost for many decades.

"We were four at the start. Only one of us was already a wine-maker, I was in agriculture. We just could not understand why Ariege was the only area in France without vines while it had been an important producer in the past," said Philippe Babin, one of the pioneers and a former vegetable seed grower.

He said the fledgling movement had little support at the start but that older local people would tell them how vines used to run everywhere in the region. Abandoned wine presses and barrels for making wine can still be found on many local farms.

"We encountered a lot of scepticism but in the end, wine is the noblest product of a region and we felt that Ariege merited wine," Babin said.

On the other side of the Pyrenees, the sunny side in Spain, there are the wines from Navarra and Rioja. To the east lie the French vineyards of Corbieres and the cotes de Malepere, while Irouleguy in the Basque country and Madiran lie to the west.

Here in the Ariege region, the vines had been uprooted to make place for grain farms for bread in Toulouse and to feed the cattle in the gentle plains along the river Hers, which meanders past the Mediaeval town of Mirepoix, best-known for its carved wooden arcades along the central square.

The Ariege's Mediterranean climate provides good conditions for growing vines with its warm days, while the cool mountain air helps to concentrate flavour in the grapes.

"The nearby mountains provide cold nights and it is that daily difference in temperatures that makes the grapes retract at night, putting a concentration of taste and colour in the skins," Babin said.

There had been vineyards here since Roman times and in the Middle Ages monks of the abbey of Saint-Antonin-de-Frédélas (Pamiers) made wines that were transported over the Ariege and Garonne rivers to Bordeaux and even made the sea crossing to England. In 1876, the director of a local model state farm replanted vines and there was a new boom.

EXODUS

The phylloxera 'wine pest' at the end of the 19th century and an exodus of people from this rural area to work in manufacturing up north during the age of industrialisation, sounded the death knell for vines and by 1960 there was only a little production left for family use.

That was the state of play until Babin and the other Ariege "pioneers" re-planted vines and obtained a local IGP (Indication Geographique Protegee) wine classification from the agriculture authorities in 1998. The first harvest was in 2000.

The area is small and production limited. There are some six producers who work on 60 hectares of vineyards on chalky clay ground. The Mediterranean climate provides dry winters and warm summers. In 2009, they made 1,800 hectolitres, of which 75 percent was red wine, 15 percent rose and 10 percent white.

By contrast, the Bordeaux vineyards stretch for 59,000 hectares.

"It was only in 2008 that the revenues of the year were sufficient to cover the costs of that year, all the other years we had to add money," said Babin.

His Coteaux d'Engravies domain now makes some 20 to 25,000 bottles per year and he hopes to arrive at 30-35,000 in 2013 as younger vines come on stream.

Meanwhile the wines have won awards and positive mentions in wine guides such as Hachette or Hugh Johnston. American importer Jeffrey Alpert distributed some Ariege wine to New York restaurants and there were exports to Japan, Austria and Denmark.

"All the producers here have about the same volumes as I do and that is not sufficient for real exports. Alpert took some boxes and the next year he asked for 20,000 bottles, that is almost all the production," Babin said.

Most of the wines go to restaurants and some are sold in the Super-U supermarket in Mirepoix. They sell at around 10 euros per bottle.

VARIETY OF GRAPES

Despite the small production, there is a rich variety of grapes.

The whites can use 15 different grapes which include the well-known Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay Gris, Semillon, Chenin and Viognier. There are also the more ancient grapes such as Arrufiac, Camaralet de Lasseube, Courbu, petit and gross Manseng, Mauzac or Ondenc. These come from the nearby Bearn region and can trace their roots back to the 17th century.

In the reds there are the superstars Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon as well as Cot, petit Verdot and the lesser-known locals Fer, Tannat, and Tempranillo from Spain.

Babin is now experimenting with old Ariege grapes that are not yet allowed to be used in the wines. It will take a few more years before he could present them for acceptance by the authorities.

"We have that gap in our local memory of wine-making, we have to rediscover how the grapes develop in this particular climate," Babin said.

The wines are assembled and the vintner can compose the taste of the wine by using various percentages of the grape varieties. The reds are fresh, pleasant in the mouth with fruity tastes. The whites reveal the minerals of the soil.

"The wines are very similar to Malepere or Corbieres, but due to the mountains we have a bit more concentration in taste, a bit more colour and some more acidity and also sugar, a better balance" Babin said.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

February 16, 2012

Domaine Pallus 2009 Chinon Les Pensées de Pallus

Back in the wonderful Loire Valley! And this time we're going red with a Biodynamic Chinon.

February 15, 2012

Bargain Basement Bonus: Jeriko Estates 2009 Syrah

Here's a bonus episode for ya: A nice organic bargain Mendocino Syrah ($9.99) for everyday drinking.

February 09, 2012

Alma Rosa 2009 Chardonnay Santa Barbara County

A fabulous little Chardonnay from one of my favorite producers on the Central Coast. This is what California Chardonnay should be all about.

Alma Rosa's Santa Rita Hills tasting room taken on my Summer 2010 Central Coast trip.

Remember this guy from Sideways? That's Chris Burroughs, and he is indeed the tasting room manager at Alma Rosa.

February 08, 2012

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words: Biodynamic vs. Conventionally Farmed Vineyards

If you are anything like me the symmetrical, verdant charm of a vineyard is always a soul-soothing sight. But can the mere appearance of a vineyard say anything important about the wine that will come from it? This is a question that I am sure could and has sparked a thousand arguments. As for me, when I see the rich natural complexity of a Biodynamic vineyard I expect that complexity and holistic beauty to be reflected in its wine and I immediately want to taste it. Moreover, when I look at most conventionally farmed vineyards with their clean, sterile looking soils and lack of bio-diversity I expect the wines that come from them to be clean and rather sterile as well.

As I was contemplating the differences between the visual appeal of holistically and conventionally farmed vineyards over the week-end, I thought it might be an interesting exercise to post pictures of some of my favorite Biodynamic vineyards and some typical conventional examples so you, my fellow wine lovers, can gauge your own reaction. So, is it just me, or are there others who are more interested tasting wines from the vineyards in the first set of pictures than the second set? Hmmmm...

Biodynamic Vineyards