"I can certainly see that you know your wine. Most of the guests who stay here wouldn't know the difference between Bordeaux and Claret."
- John Cleese (Basil Fawlty) Fawlty Towers
January 31, 2012
Quiz & Quote #22
January 26, 2012
Natural Wine Wars: Old v. New World Albariño
An Albariño from Rias Baixas, the traditional home of this wonderful Spanish variety goes up against a sustainably produced California Central Coast version.
January 25, 2012
AmByth Estate
As I did my research for information I could pass on to you my fellow natural wine lovers, I came across a very informative article that nicely summarizes of AmByth Estates is all about, with much more in-depth information that I had access to. So with your indulgence I will re-post that article here for your reading enjoyment. But first a few other highlights about AmByth that get me excited.
1. Climate-appropriate varietals including Mourvedre, Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, & Grenache Blanc
2. No fining or filtering
3. Several wines with NO added sulfites
4. Low alcohol - none over 13.5% (unusual for Paso Robles)
5. Indigenous yeasts only as required by Biodynamic wine making practices
6. Whole cluster fermentation, stems and all
7. Real involvement in the work of the vineyard - no outside labor for harvest
8. Stay-small philosophy
9. A great blog that lets you follow AmByth's activities throughout the year
10. A great welsh name that means 'forever' and bespeaks the enduring ties the owners feel towards their property and chosen life, as well as their land in a state of health for future generations
Ambyth Wine Estate: Nuts For Natural Wine
Josh Petray
(Re-posted from VinoPasoRobles.com Fall 2011)
Ambyth Wine Estate crafts fine biodynamic wines out of Templeton Gap
Biodynamic pioneers Mary and Phillip Hart’s Templeton hilltop estate originally planted with vineyards in 2004 has become more of a farm. For the owners, it’s a lifestyle choice. And a healthy one at that, they said.
The Harts, owners of Paso Robles American Viticultural Area’s only certified biodynamic/organic vineyard and winery, say they never undertook the niche certification for the money or the marketing boost it would provide in a culture arguably intrigued with sustainable buzzwords like biodynamic and organic, but their wines happen to be both.
Witnessing the growth of the vines and evolution of farming practices on their estate — situated in the Templeton Gap and cooled by Pacific coastal breezes — is part of what characterizes the “new ancient,” as Phillip coined it, for Ambyth Estate Wines.
“Huge,” Phillip said as he stood perched looking at the two cows mowing weeds on the estate vines in response to the question: How has the growth been on the vineyard since it was planted?
The vines — stronger. Grape clusters — more organized. From a wine-growing perspective, advancement as one could hope, according to Phillip.
Sixty-five apple and pear trees, more than 60 fruit and nut trees and eight beehives adorn the property. Chickens bear eggs that the family eats. Two sheep that roamed the property, fertilizing it, are now in the freezer, awaiting an epicurean twist. Rabbits are reared for weed-eating and eventual consumption.
“We’re not just a vineyard,” he said. “We have become much more of a farm.”
The couple’s love of the land is visible at every step of the way at Ambyth Estate. Olive-oil lovers have been known to make the trek all the way to Ambyth to pick up what Phillip described as fine an olive oil as one can get. Five-hundred-and-forty olive trees adorn the property, producing a two-and-a-half-ton harvest last year.
In addition to the dry-farmed olives, the Harts make their own honey from beehives situated throughout the Templeton property.
“That was outstanding — just to have our own extra virgin olive oil,” Phillip said. “In my opinion, it’s as fine of an olive oil as you can find on this planet. It is purchased by people just the same as honey — it’s just good stuff. Here, right out of the winery.”
He’s quick to point out that whole farming/biodynamic component wasn’t necessarily in the couple’s master plan. It was just “the path that just keeps opening up.”
“When I think by being biodynamic, the path has opened up more because it does tend to make you read more to understand what you’re doing,” he said.
What follows is a learn-and-dothrough- reading approach that’s allowed him to see what others have done successfully on their properties, and then emulate it.
“There’s a gas that apples give off that’s great for all other growing plants,” he said, offering up a theoretical example. “You go, ‘Ooh, I have a west fence that the breeze comes through every day — that would be a great idea.’ That kind of stuff. Really, that’s how it happens.”
“It was never a marketing plan,” he said. “It was a choice of a way of life, but there seems to be a nice peripheral sides that go with that.”
In fact, the proprietor and Persian rug aficionado said he’s not heavy on the whole certification side of things. Although Ambyth carries the heavy organic and biodynamic certifications, it blends in nicely with the natural approach already being undertaken at the farm.
Despite any preconceptions about the mysticism steeped in biodynamic farming, Hart professes that biodynamic pioneer Rudolf Steiner “is no guru,” nor a “prophet,” simply someone who took information from the past and spoke about it in a way that people could understand intellectually and move forward.
“It’s not a mystical way of farming — it’s actually an old-fashioned way of farming,” he said.
The “natural way” of farming biodynamically appeals to Mary, too.
“It’s a safe environment that we’ve created here on our property, not only for our family but for our animals, any beneficial predators or insects that we have. Visitors, if people come and eat at my table they’re going to get food that is healthy and clean for their bodies, and wine as well,” she said.
At Ambyth, Phillip handles the vineyard and winery. Mary takes charge of the gardens, fruit and nut trees, small animals.
“We’re trying to create a closed system,” Mary said. “Things just keep going — it’s circular.”
That’s not to say that biodynamism isn’t something that’s misunderstood by the vast majority of farmers and wine enthusiasts.
“Some people are wide open to it, and of course as with everything else in life, other people are absolutely closed shut, and that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with it,” Hart said.
According to the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, the movement laid its roots in the 1920s with a group of practicing farmers who were concerned with the decline in the health of soils, plants and animals, and sought the advice of Steiner, founder of anthroposophy. The movement embraces a “unified approach to agriculture that relates the ecology of the farm-organism to that of the entire cosmos,” according to the group.
It’s an approach, from the preps to the harvest that the Harts believe in. From planting the vines to making the wines, all facets of winemaking occur onsite at their estate.
Among natural approaches, the Harts do not fine or filter and use only native yeasts. Lower alcohol level wines are sought after.
“Take a look at the property,” Phillip said, offering evidence of the success of biodynamism. “Look at the vines.”
Wines harvested from Ambyth vines are oftentimes described as “interesting,” said Phillip. That — and they’re “very pleasing.”
“I typically hear that they’re all different,” he said. “I think that’s what you get when you go this way. The question of do I really believe in it? Well, it’s self-evident.”
Just this year, the couple purchased quartz from an exclusive New York distributor to be buried in the vineyard, among other prep work undertaken.
Varietals grown on the property include grenache, grenache blanc, mourvedre, syrah, viognier, Rousanne and Cuonoise.
Last year’s vineyard crop was good, in part due to the rain, according to Phillip. This year, the couple has decided to take a step back and sell about half the fruit in order to take a breath and tend to some of the other things around the farm.
Hart comfortably described the zero growth statistic in sales for Ambyth wines in 2010 from the year prior, which he described as “pathetic,” and “a horrible year business-wise.”
“You should have growth in those early years,” he said, adding, “This year we’re on target for where I thought we were last.”
People do travel the beaten path to seek out Ambyth, the couple said. For Mary and Phillip, it’s always kind of fun to see visitors seek out their estate-grown wines, from places near and far. They’ve grown to learn just how many natural wine enthusiasts there are out there. Though limited (and admittedly not providing an exciting business climate due to its limited range), they’re a dedicated bunch that will single Ambyth out for a taste of something distinct and different.
“I didn’t quite realize how many biodynamic wine nuts there were out there,” Phillip said. “Natural wine nuts — and I say that in a friendly way because I’m a natural wine nut.”
Ambyth Wine Estate crafts fine biodynamic wines out of Templeton Gap
Biodynamic pioneers Mary and Phillip Hart’s Templeton hilltop estate originally planted with vineyards in 2004 has become more of a farm. For the owners, it’s a lifestyle choice. And a healthy one at that, they said.
The Harts, owners of Paso Robles American Viticultural Area’s only certified biodynamic/organic vineyard and winery, say they never undertook the niche certification for the money or the marketing boost it would provide in a culture arguably intrigued with sustainable buzzwords like biodynamic and organic, but their wines happen to be both.
Witnessing the growth of the vines and evolution of farming practices on their estate — situated in the Templeton Gap and cooled by Pacific coastal breezes — is part of what characterizes the “new ancient,” as Phillip coined it, for Ambyth Estate Wines.
“Huge,” Phillip said as he stood perched looking at the two cows mowing weeds on the estate vines in response to the question: How has the growth been on the vineyard since it was planted?
The vines — stronger. Grape clusters — more organized. From a wine-growing perspective, advancement as one could hope, according to Phillip.
Sixty-five apple and pear trees, more than 60 fruit and nut trees and eight beehives adorn the property. Chickens bear eggs that the family eats. Two sheep that roamed the property, fertilizing it, are now in the freezer, awaiting an epicurean twist. Rabbits are reared for weed-eating and eventual consumption.
“We’re not just a vineyard,” he said. “We have become much more of a farm.”
The couple’s love of the land is visible at every step of the way at Ambyth Estate. Olive-oil lovers have been known to make the trek all the way to Ambyth to pick up what Phillip described as fine an olive oil as one can get. Five-hundred-and-forty olive trees adorn the property, producing a two-and-a-half-ton harvest last year.
In addition to the dry-farmed olives, the Harts make their own honey from beehives situated throughout the Templeton property.
“That was outstanding — just to have our own extra virgin olive oil,” Phillip said. “In my opinion, it’s as fine of an olive oil as you can find on this planet. It is purchased by people just the same as honey — it’s just good stuff. Here, right out of the winery.”
He’s quick to point out that whole farming/biodynamic component wasn’t necessarily in the couple’s master plan. It was just “the path that just keeps opening up.”
“When I think by being biodynamic, the path has opened up more because it does tend to make you read more to understand what you’re doing,” he said.
What follows is a learn-and-dothrough- reading approach that’s allowed him to see what others have done successfully on their properties, and then emulate it.
“There’s a gas that apples give off that’s great for all other growing plants,” he said, offering up a theoretical example. “You go, ‘Ooh, I have a west fence that the breeze comes through every day — that would be a great idea.’ That kind of stuff. Really, that’s how it happens.”
“It was never a marketing plan,” he said. “It was a choice of a way of life, but there seems to be a nice peripheral sides that go with that.”
In fact, the proprietor and Persian rug aficionado said he’s not heavy on the whole certification side of things. Although Ambyth carries the heavy organic and biodynamic certifications, it blends in nicely with the natural approach already being undertaken at the farm.
Despite any preconceptions about the mysticism steeped in biodynamic farming, Hart professes that biodynamic pioneer Rudolf Steiner “is no guru,” nor a “prophet,” simply someone who took information from the past and spoke about it in a way that people could understand intellectually and move forward.
“It’s not a mystical way of farming — it’s actually an old-fashioned way of farming,” he said.
The “natural way” of farming biodynamically appeals to Mary, too.
“It’s a safe environment that we’ve created here on our property, not only for our family but for our animals, any beneficial predators or insects that we have. Visitors, if people come and eat at my table they’re going to get food that is healthy and clean for their bodies, and wine as well,” she said.
At Ambyth, Phillip handles the vineyard and winery. Mary takes charge of the gardens, fruit and nut trees, small animals.
“We’re trying to create a closed system,” Mary said. “Things just keep going — it’s circular.”
That’s not to say that biodynamism isn’t something that’s misunderstood by the vast majority of farmers and wine enthusiasts.
“Some people are wide open to it, and of course as with everything else in life, other people are absolutely closed shut, and that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with it,” Hart said.
According to the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, the movement laid its roots in the 1920s with a group of practicing farmers who were concerned with the decline in the health of soils, plants and animals, and sought the advice of Steiner, founder of anthroposophy. The movement embraces a “unified approach to agriculture that relates the ecology of the farm-organism to that of the entire cosmos,” according to the group.
It’s an approach, from the preps to the harvest that the Harts believe in. From planting the vines to making the wines, all facets of winemaking occur onsite at their estate.
Among natural approaches, the Harts do not fine or filter and use only native yeasts. Lower alcohol level wines are sought after.
“Take a look at the property,” Phillip said, offering evidence of the success of biodynamism. “Look at the vines.”
Wines harvested from Ambyth vines are oftentimes described as “interesting,” said Phillip. That — and they’re “very pleasing.”
“I typically hear that they’re all different,” he said. “I think that’s what you get when you go this way. The question of do I really believe in it? Well, it’s self-evident.”
Just this year, the couple purchased quartz from an exclusive New York distributor to be buried in the vineyard, among other prep work undertaken.
Varietals grown on the property include grenache, grenache blanc, mourvedre, syrah, viognier, Rousanne and Cuonoise.
Last year’s vineyard crop was good, in part due to the rain, according to Phillip. This year, the couple has decided to take a step back and sell about half the fruit in order to take a breath and tend to some of the other things around the farm.
Hart comfortably described the zero growth statistic in sales for Ambyth wines in 2010 from the year prior, which he described as “pathetic,” and “a horrible year business-wise.”
“You should have growth in those early years,” he said, adding, “This year we’re on target for where I thought we were last.”
People do travel the beaten path to seek out Ambyth, the couple said. For Mary and Phillip, it’s always kind of fun to see visitors seek out their estate-grown wines, from places near and far. They’ve grown to learn just how many natural wine enthusiasts there are out there. Though limited (and admittedly not providing an exciting business climate due to its limited range), they’re a dedicated bunch that will single Ambyth out for a taste of something distinct and different.
“I didn’t quite realize how many biodynamic wine nuts there were out there,” Phillip said. “Natural wine nuts — and I say that in a friendly way because I’m a natural wine nut.”
January 18, 2012
Quiz & Quote #21
"I have lived temperately...I double the doctor's recommendation of a glass and a half of wine a day and even treble it with a friend." - Thomas Jefferson
Super-size Me!
Think you know your extra-large wine bottles? See if you can match these oversized Champagne/Burgundy bottle names with their liter capacity.January 17, 2012
Antiyal: Pioneering Biodynamic Wine of Chile
Antiyal: Mapudungun (language of Chile's native Mapuche) for "sons of the sun." Antiyal was founded in 1996 by winemaker Alvaro Espinoza and his wife Marina Ashton with the idea of teaching their children and anyone else who would listen, about the Earth, work, and wine. Soon this little family vineyard project blossomed into a full-on 19,000 bottle a year winery with wines garnering rave reviews. So much for a small family vineyard project. Alvaro Espinoza is a highly regarded winemaker in Chile. Considered a pioneer in Biodynamic and Organic farming, he is still very much in demand among other wine makers for his grape growing and wine making knowledge, leaving Marina to guide the winery's day-to-day operations. 
Wines produced and accolades:Antiyal is a blend of Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. Stephen Tanzer awarded the 2007 vintage of this wine 92+ points, pointing out its perfumed aromas of blackberry and cherry preserves and smoky herbs, complemented by cracked pepper, cinnamon, and a kiss of candied flowers.
The same vintage of Kuyen, a blend of Syrah and Cabernet, received 91 points from Tanzer, showing dark berry flavors complemented by subtle spicy oak, licorice, and zesty minerality.
January 16, 2012
Winemakers to Watch in 2012: Return to Natural Methods
This article from the San Francisco Chronicle showcases five California winemakers to watch in 2012 for what they are not doing: using intrusive wine making methods. The trend continues to grow!
Winemakers to Watch in 2012 Return to Natural Methods
Enrico Bertoz, Letizia Pauletto
Chris Brockway
Gavin Chanin
Theresa Heredia
Michael McCay
Winemakers to Watch in 2012 Return to Natural Methods
Enrico Bertoz, Letizia Pauletto
Chris Brockway
Gavin Chanin
Theresa Heredia
Michael McCay
January 12, 2012
André-Michel Brégeon 2009 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Tasting a delightful Muscadet from Biodynamic producer André-Michel Brégeon
January 11, 2012
An Argument for Natural Wine: Part 3
We have now followed the progression that has led to the current state where wines have largely lost their individuality and their ability to express their unique sense of place. The problem, we have determined is more fundamental that just a shift in tastes, but begins with industrialized processes that have stripped soils of their ability to grow healthy, happy vines and thus healthy grapes. The deficiency in quality of the fruit must then be made up for in the wine-making process by employing all sorts of mechanical and chemical dressing-up. So, what's wrong with that you may ask, as long as we are getting a consistent product? Well, I for one am not willing to give up the wonderful living, characterful qualities of wine that come from living soil for consistency. And yes, I am willing to accept the occasional funky or downright nasty bottle in the process. Consider my opening paragraph in part one of this article. If wine is created through hundreds of chemical reactions of over a thousand compounds, just think what kind of havoc every bit of human intervention can wreak in that process. Just think about how much of a wine's natural character is lost. There is no way a grape's natural depth and complexity can shine when we start with fruit that has been robbed of it's natural chemical integrity through sterile, artificially nurtured soils, and then treated with mechanical and chemical processes in the winery that further upset the natural progression towards what wine should be.
But, you may ask, is it realistic to expect wine makers to turn back the clock and forgo the benefits of modern technology and risk loss of profits? Maybe not. At least not in the short-term. But I do think that the clock has begun to turn back in subtle ways as consumers have begun to discover the beauty and depth of naturally produced wines. One thing I am definitely not in favor of are the superficial marketing ploys of some large producers who claim to be "organic," "Biodynamic," or "green," but do not fully buy in to these principles in practice. Some of these producers may even have good intentions, going part or all the way towards keeping vineyards free of chemicals, but still feel the need to manipulate their wines in the cellar in order to please today's wine palate. Some make the argument that large-scale producers cannot afford to take the risk or the higher production costs of going all in on natural wine production. This may be true for large-scale producers who are interested only in creating marginal wines for the masses, and I suppose there is a place for that. But in the end I am not interested in those wines and my goal is to prove to the world that there is no reason to drink such mass-produced plonk. I have tasted plenty of truly exciting wines in the value price range that are naturally produced and I want to get others to experience them. That is the main mission of this blog. My experience and my intuition tells me that when people taste naturally produced wines, nine out of ten will have no problem breaking their allegiance to today's boring fruit and oak bombs.
So, I think the answer to the acceptance and return to naturally produced, terroir-driven wines lies in what has already begun to happen in the wine world. Over the past few years small producers have begun to realize that the way to break into and compete against the globalized big-wine industry is not by mimicking and amplifying the accepted international wine styles, but with a return to authenticity. At some point, I suspect, big producers will have no choice but to accept the reality of new, refined consumer palates and will make the shift towards more costly, labor-intensive practices. This process may take it's sweet time, but my guess is that it will happen. In the meantime, there is the wonderfully exciting prospect of an ever-growing number of small producers all over the world working in concert with nature to grow healthy grapes and allowing them to do their thing with minimal intervention in the cellar to create superbly unique and truly wonderful wines. Here on the Grapes of Rand we will continue to seek out these wines and to profile their producers. We will continue to follow the natural wine renaissance in its seminal hotbeds such as the Loire Valley, Alsace, Burgundy and Austria, as well as places such as Oregon, Southern France, South America, and New Zealand, where exciting natural wine producers are popping up like cover crop. I hope you will continue to join us on our journey and spread the word to those still swimming the seas of industrial wine.
January 10, 2012
Quiz & Quote #20
"A man will be eloquent if you give him good wine."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Notables' Potables
Match these celebrities and world leaders past and present with their wine of choice. (Answers at bottom of page)Answers:
1. Chateau Margaux 2. Khvanchkara 3. Dom Perignon 4. Chateau D'Yquem 5. Blue Nun
6. Pol Roger 7. Penfold's Grange 8. Chambertin 9. Chateau Calon-Segur 10. Beaulieu GdL Cabernet
January 05, 2012
Azienda Agricola COS 2008 Cerasuolo di Vittoria Classico
Come along as we travel to Sicily and taste our first wine of 2012 here on The Grapes of Rand. Biodynamically produced by friends who set out 35 years ago to make wines in the traditional way from indigenous grapes the way their ancestors did it, this is also the only DOCG designated wine on the island.
January 03, 2012
Encouraging Signs for 2012
Well, it is 2012, and I am excited and optimistic on many fronts to start this new year. As I will continue to introduce you to the kinds of wines that thrill me and that I think will make your wine drinking experience more rewarding and exciting, I am particularly optimistic that consumers will continue to move away from the boring fruit, oak, and alcohol bombs of the past couple of decades and to re-discover the joys of more delicate, complex, terroir-driven wines.
As I read through my first article of the new year to post here on the Wine News, I couldn't help but smile a little. Here, in commenting on Washington State's 2011 vintage outlook, a wine writer seems to actually be looking forward to the prospects of as he calls them "Euro-centric wines...with nuanced flavors." He writes of lower alcohol, higher acidity, and subtle varietal characteristics such as pepper, smoke, herbs and spices, as something many wine enthusiasts will actually appreciate.
We can thank nature for providing many American wine regions in 2011 with the conditions for more exciting wines. Now it remains to be seen how consumers will respond. If I am right, the trend toward appreciating subtlety, nuance, and varietal expression in wine will continue, and 2012 should prove a great year for wine lovers to continue their discovery of more naturally produced, terroir-driven wines. Here on The Grapes of Rand we will enthusiastically continue to do our part to further this trend, and I hope you continue to join us on our journey.
Here is a link to the story.
2011 Washington Grape Harvest Holds Promise of Subtle, Food-Friendly Wines
As I read through my first article of the new year to post here on the Wine News, I couldn't help but smile a little. Here, in commenting on Washington State's 2011 vintage outlook, a wine writer seems to actually be looking forward to the prospects of as he calls them "Euro-centric wines...with nuanced flavors." He writes of lower alcohol, higher acidity, and subtle varietal characteristics such as pepper, smoke, herbs and spices, as something many wine enthusiasts will actually appreciate.
We can thank nature for providing many American wine regions in 2011 with the conditions for more exciting wines. Now it remains to be seen how consumers will respond. If I am right, the trend toward appreciating subtlety, nuance, and varietal expression in wine will continue, and 2012 should prove a great year for wine lovers to continue their discovery of more naturally produced, terroir-driven wines. Here on The Grapes of Rand we will enthusiastically continue to do our part to further this trend, and I hope you continue to join us on our journey.
Here is a link to the story.
2011 Washington Grape Harvest Holds Promise of Subtle, Food-Friendly Wines
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