And the award for the smallest AVA goes to….

November 7, 2022 Leave a comment

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For decades—since 1983, when it was first established—the Cole Ranch AVA held the title as the smallest AVA in the United States. However, as of June 30, 2021, there’s a new (tiny) kid in town, and it is the Ulupalakua AVA.

The Ulupalakua AVA is unique in many ways—including its location on the Hawaiian Island of Maui. Ulupalakua is Hawaii’s first and only AVA (to date), as well as the southern-most AVA of the United States (it sits in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on the 20th parallel). However, maritime influence and elevation helps to make this tiny corner of the 50th state conducive to quality viticulture. Believe it or not, grape-based wine production was first introduced to the region in the early 1800s—although pineapple wine and other fruit wines were (and remain) a specialty as well.

These days, there are 16 acres of vineyards located within the Ulupalakua AVA. Leading grape varieties include Syrah, Grenache, Malbec, Chenin Blanc, and Viognier. Varietal wines—Syrah is a specialty— blended wines, and sparkling wines are crafted (under several different brands) by the nearby Maui Winery, many of them using estate-grown grapes.

About that new “smallest AVA” title, here are the statistics of our two teeny contenders:

  • Ulupalakua AVA:
    • Total land area: 70 acres
    • (Reported) acres planted to vine: 16
    • Date established: June 30, 2021
  • Cole Ranch AVA:
    • Total land area: 150 acres
    • (Reported) acres planted to vine: 55
    • Date established: May 16, 1983

And the winner of the title smallest AVA in the United States is…the Ulupalakua AVA!

P.S. As part of my day job with the Society of Wine Educators, I’ll be updating the material in the 2023 Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) Study Guide to describe the Cole Ranch AVA as the “smallest AVA in California.”

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

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Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Tempranillo

October 22, 2022 5 Comments

The Soundbyte:  Tempranillo is a primary red grape for much of Northern and Central Spain, including the famous wines of Rioja and Ribera del Duero.  It is also a key blending grape used in Port—where it often goes by the name Tinta Roriz.  It is often said that the name Tempranillo is derived from the Spanish word temprano—meaning early—and refers to the fact that the grape buds, flowers, and ripens a full two weeks before Spain’s other leading red grape— Garnacha (Grenache).

There is a fantastic old legend that says that Tempranillo ended up in Northern Spain via the Camino de Santiago.  According to the legend, Cistercian Monks making the religious pilgrimage from Burgundy to Santiago de Compostela left Pinot Noir cuttings behind at the monasteries around Haro, Burgos, and Logroño.  From these vines, the Pinot Noir grape morphed itself into its new surroundings and ended up as the Tempranillo we know now and love.  Alas, this tale must remain with us as “just a good story” seeing as recent have shown no such genetic connection between the two cultivars.  Tempranillo is, these days, believed to be a native son of Northern Spain.

Typical Attributes of a Tempranillo-based Wine:

  • Medium-to-deep ruby-red color in appearance (while young); Tempranillo-based wines can sometimes show a deep hue but lighter color intensity such as is often seen in Sangiovese or Pinot Noir.
  • These are long-lasting wines that often improve with significant aging and maturation.  This is in part due to the fact that Tempranillo has a low amount of oxidizing enzyme, making it particularly resistant to oxidation.
  • These wines, made from heat-loving, thick-skinned black grapes, tend to be medium to high in alcohol.
  • Medium-to-high levels of tannin, often described as “firm yet round”
  • Intense fruit flavors mingled with spice and earth tones, often enhanced via contact with oak
  • Tempranillo can be made into a fun, fruity, easy drinking wine via Carbonic Maceration.
  • Tempranillo makes some wonderful, dry rosés.

Typical Aromas of a Tempranillo-based Wine:

Red Fruit: tart cherry, raspberry, strawberry, red currant

Blue/Black Fruit: blueberry, blackberry, black currant

Other Fruit: plum, dried plum (prune), raisin

Floral: red flowers, dried flowers

Spicy: clove, cinnamon, anise, black pepper, cumin

Earth/Mineral: dry leaves, crushed rock, wet dirk, baked earth, clay, graphite

Herbal/Vegetal: tobacco, dill, dried herbs, eucalyptus

Oak-Derived: toast, smoke, vanilla, coconut, sandalwood

Associated with Age: leather, tar, coffee, oxidative aromas/rancio

Where The Best Tempranillo is Grown:

  • Spain, where it is one of the leading grapes and grown throughout the country (particularly in the northern reaches of the country). It is (perhaps) best-known as the leading grape of the Rioja DOCa and the Ribera del Duero DO.
  • Tempranillo is also the leading grape variety of the Spanish regions of Valdepeñas and La Mancha, where it sometimes goes by the name of Cencibel, Ojo de Libre, Tinto Fino, Tinto del Pais, Tinto del Toro or Ull de Liebre.
  • Portugal’s Douro Valley, where it is used to produce varietal wines and is also a key blending partner in the fortified wines of Port.
  • Tempranillo is also used as a varietal wine in the Portuguese region of the Alentejo. In Portugal it is usually referred to as Tinta Roriz or Tinta Aragonez.
  • Tempranillo thrives in many locations int he United States, to include California, Washington State, Southern Oregon, and Texas. (One of the first Texas wines I ever tasted (and truly enjoyed) was made a 100% Estate-grown Tempranillo Blend called El Guapo made by Alamosa Wine Cellars in Bend, Texas (alas, the owners have since retired and are now traveling the world in the comfort of a luxury RV).  You can read more about that story here.
  • Australia, particularly McLaren Vale.  Australian producer D’Arenberg has a Tempranillo/Grenache/Souzao blend called “Sticks and Stones”.
  • Chile, Argentina, and Mexico all have some vineyards planted to Tempranillo.

Food Affinities – Base Ingredients:

  • Beef, Lamb, Veal, Pork, Grilled Foods

Food Affinities – Bridge Ingredients:

  • Spanish Ham, Smoked Paprika, Tapas
  • Paella, especially when made with lots of Chicken and Sausage (leave the seafood-heavy paellas to a different/lighter styles of wine)
  • Garlic, Onions, Roasted Garlic
  • Tomatoes, Roasted Tomatoes, Dried Tomatoes
  • Currants, Prunes, Almonds (go easy on the sweetness)
  • Mushrooms, Bell Peppers, Roasted Bell Peppers, Stuffed Peppers

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas…missjane@prodigy.net

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Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Gewürztraminer

October 16, 2022 3 Comments

The Soundbyte:  Simply stated, Gewürztraminer is an enigma.  It is the one wine you either love or hate.  The wine has a tendency to be a bit of a shock to the palate; and is not quite what you expected from its rather forward floral, fruit, and spicy aromas. This is not to say it is not a delightful wine; it can be a delicious wine indeed and, in my opinion, it makes a fantastic pairing partner for many otherwise hard-to-pair foods.

The French region of Alsace has seen the most success with Gewürtraminer, and the name is obviously German, but it is believed that the grape’s history began in Italy (somewhere in the Tyrollean Alps, near the village of Tramin in Alto Adige).  Like many grapes, Gewürztraminer tends to mutate based in its surroundings, so the grapes themselves may be golden yellow, light pink, or even pinkish-brown and spotted.  It also tends to be a difficult vine in the vineyard, being quite susceptible to poor fruit set, frost damage, and certain viral diseases.  However, the grapes, with their thick skins and blotchy colors, can attain very high sugar concentrations and those amazing aromas, which can lead to some pretty interesting wines!

Note: outside of Germany, the grape is typically spelled without the umlaut (Gewurztraminer); both spellings should be considered correct. 

Typical Attributes of a Gewürztraminer Based Wine:

  • The one thing that cannot be denied about Gewürtraminer is its spectacular fragrance.  Be prepared for a waft of rose petals, exotic fruits, and spicy perfume aromas that seem to leap out of the glass.
  • Gewürztraminer’s lychee-like aroma is legendary. It has even been reported that Gewürztramier and lychee share a common chemical structure responsible for the aroma. If you’ve never sniffed a lychee, go grab a can from your neighborhood grocer’s Asian Foods section and prepare to be amazed!
  • Gewürztraminer is made in many styles, from bone dry to very sweet.
  • Guard your palate and brace yourself.  Even in dry styles of the wine, Gewürztraminer’s aromas smell sweet, but the flavor can hit the palate with a bombshell of dry spice and perfume.  I’ve often compared it to eating pure ground cinnamon.  Not entirely bad, but kind of weird if you were expecting cinnamon cookies.
  • Gewürtraminer tends to be low acid, which can be problematic in some of the sweeter wines.  However, at the same time the wine tends to have a bit of bitterness to it.  This can lend a needed balance to a low-acid wine, especially those of the off-dry or sweet styles. P.S. When pairing the wine with food, remember that acidity and bitterness react to food pairings in very different ways.
  • The amazing ability of Gewürztraminer to attain high sugar levels means that dry versions of the wine can be misleadingly high in alcohol…this is a wine to watch out for!
  • Sweet versions of Gewürtraminer are made from late harvest grapes and botrytis-affected grapes.  In Alsace, these wines might be called “Vendages Tardives”or “Sélection de Grains Nobles.”
  • Gewurz also makes a very nice ice wine is made as well.

Typical Aromas of a Gewürztraminer Based Wine:

Fruity:  Pear, Lychee, Peach, Apricot, Guava, Pineapple, Passion Fruit, Mango, Grapefruit, Sultana (Golden Raisin)

Floral:  Roses, Rose Petal, Gardenia, Carnation, Jasmine, Honeysuckle, Honey, Perfume

Spicy:  Ginger, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, White Pepper, Allspice, Clove

Strange but True:  Coconut, Pond’s Cold Cream, Cheap Rose Perfume, Nivea Cream, “Cosmetics,” “Old Lady Perfume” (don’t try to deny it), Church Incense, Petroleum, Turpentine, Diesel, Gasoline

Where The Best Gewürztraminer is Grown:

  • The Alsace region of France, which many people consider to be the place where Gewurztraminer finds its perfect expression.  (Remember that there is no “ü” in Gewurz in the French language, so don’t let anybody tell you it is spelled wrong!)  In Alsace, Gewurztraminer accounts for about 20% of the vineyards, making it one of the most widely planted grapes of the area. Riesling, the number one grape, accounts for 23% of the vineyards.
  • Austria, Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Luxembourg and many of the smaller wine producers of Eastern Europe also grow Gewürztraminer, but it may be going by any one of the following aliases:  Roter Traminer, Drumin, Pinat Cervena, Livora, Tramini, Mala Dinka, among others.
  • True to its history, the grape is still grown in the Trentino/Alto Adige areas in Italy 
  • Areas of Canada, such as Vancouver Island, The Okanagan Valley, and Ontario, as well as New York’s Finger Lakes and Long Island Wine Country 
  • The Cooler regions of Australia and New Zealand  
  • California grew a lot of Gewurztraminer back in the 1870s; a well-regarded version was produced by Charles Krug in Napa and Jacob Gundlach in Sonoma.  These days, the cooler regions of California, including Mendocino County, Monterey County and Sonoma, do quite well with small plantings of the grape.

 Food Affinities—Base Ingredients:

  • Crab, Mussels, Shrimp, Salmon, Smoked Salmon, Sushi, Tuna, Sturdier Fish
  • Smoked Food  
  • Pungent Cheeses, Smoked Cheeses (Roquefort, Muenster, and Gouda among the favorites)
  • Chicken, Turkey, Duck
  • Liver, Chicken Liver, Foie Gras
  • Just about anything made with Pork
  • Salami, Paté, Bacon, Pancetta, just about any type of Charcuterie

 Food Affinities—Bridge Ingredients:

  • Tropical Fruits, Orange, Lychee
  • Ginger, Fennel Seed, Cinnamon, Clove
  • Onions, Garlic
  • Smoked Gouda, Smoked Mozzarella
  • Asian Flavors, Curry, Spicy foods
    • It seems that the pungency of many foods actually cuts the pungency of Gewurz, which does not always happen in the food-and-wine world but this is a great example of a “flavor bridge” being a good thing!
  • French Onion Soup and Gewurz is one of the best food pairings on earth! Click here for My Favorite French Onion Soup Recipe.

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” of Austin, Texas…missjane@prodigy.net

 

 

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Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Chenin Blanc

October 13, 2022 6 Comments

The Soundbyte: Chenin Blanc is native to the Loire Valley Region of France and is widely grown throughout the Loire Valley. It also thrives in many other regions in Europe and beyond!

Chenin Blanc produces a fruity, floral, easy to drink white wine with clean, fresh flavors and a good zing of acidity. However, this is no simple little white wine grape—Chenin Blanc can be made into serious, mineral-driven dry wines, traditional method sparkling wines, and decadent botrytis-affected dessert wines in addition to the well-known, and much beloved easy drinking style.

Typical Attributes of a Chenin Blanc Based Wine:

  • Typical, dry (to off-dry) Chenin Blanc-based wines are generally light bodied with fruity, floral, and nutty overtones. They tend to be low(ish) in alcohol and easy to drink.
  • Chenin Blanc has a good deal of acidity. However, this zing is often balanced with the fruity (and sometimes sweet) flavors typical of the grape; as such, it generally comes across as a smooth, easy-to-drink and easy-to-love wine.
  • Despite its reputation for producing easy drinkers, Chenin Blanc most definitely has a serious side, as is often seen in the western/middle Loire. For example, the steely, nervy, mineral-driven wines of Savenniéres have been called “the most cerebral wines in the world.” (Imho, this means that the wine steals your attention and makes you think.)
  • Chenin Blanc’s delicate character makes it a good match for delicately flavored foods—there are few chances for the flavors of the wine and the food to clash.
  • Chenin Blanc is a great base wine for bubbly, and as such, it is often sparkling wines in the Loire Valley and other regions.
  • While they are somewhat obscure, Chenin Blanc is also used in dessert wines. These are typically produced in a late harvest or botrytis-affected style. Excellent examples of sweet Chenin are produced in the Coteaux du Layon region (in France’s Loire Valley) and South Africa.

Typical Aromas of a Chenin Blanc Based Wine:

Fruity:  Apricot, Melon, Green Apple, Green Plum, Pear, Quince, Lemon, Lime, Grapefruit, Greengage (a light green plum popular in France and England)

Floral/Herbal:  Orange Blossom, Wildflowers, Perfume, Honey, Honeysuckle, Acacia, Grass, Hay, Angelica (an herb that smells somewhat like celery, is often candied, and is used to flavor Chartreuse)

Chalk, Mineral:  Flint, Smoke, “Steely”

Nutty:  Almond, Marzipan

Where The Best Chenin Blanc is Grown:

  • The Loire Valley in France, notably the regions of Vouvray, Coteaux du Layon, Savevnnières, and Saumur.  The Loire Valley is thought to be the native home of Chenin Blanc, and it is used to make just about every type of white wine possible.  The region of Savennières produces bone-dry, steely versions, while Anjou, Montlouis, and Vouvray are made in a variety of styles from dry to sweet.  Saumur and other Loire regions produce sparkling Chenin Blanc from dry to sweet, and world-class dessert wines are the specialty of Bonnezeaux and Quarts-de-Chaume.
  • Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted white wine grape in South Africa, where for centuries it has gone by the name of “Steen.”  The grape may have been one of the original grapes planted by Jan van Riebeeck in 1655, or it may have come to South Africa with the French Huguenots who arrived a bit later.
  • California, Washington, New Mexico and several other states in the US
  • Australia, where it is often blended with Semillon
  • New Zealand, where it is grown in small amounts on the North Island
  • Many other wine producing regions and countries—including the emerging regions of Brazil, Uruguay, and Mexico—have plantings of Chenin Blanc.

Food Affinities – Base Ingredients:

  • Delicately Flavored Seafood, Smoked Seafood, Shellfish
  • Chicken and other types of Poultry
  • Chicken Liver, Duck Liver, Foie Gras
  • Ham, Prosciutto, Bacon
  • Goat Cheese, Sheep’s Milk Cheese (and other salty, flavorful cheeses)
  • Crudities and Dips
  • Potato Dishes, Vegetarian Dishes
  • Savory dishes with a fruit component(such as roast pork with cherry sauce)
Food Affinities – Bridge Ingredients:
  • Curry, Indian Spices, Asian Spices
  • Capers, Herbs
  • Mushrooms, Avocado, Zucchini, Endive, Spinach
  • Honey (go easy on the sweetness with dry wines)
  • Almonds, Hazelnuts
  • Apricot, Melon, Apple

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of San Marcos, Texas

 

 

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Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Zinfandel

August 29, 2022 2 Comments

Zinfandel—The Soundbyte: Zinfandel used to be known as “California’s Mystery Grape,” as an old-timey legend says that Zinfandel vines of the vitis vinifera species were growing happily in California before European settlement of the New World.

This was fun to believe for a while, but today we know better. It is now known that Zinfandel traveled from Croatia to Vienna during the Habsburg Monarchy’s rule over Croatia, when some cuttings ended up in the Imperial Nursery in Vienna. From there, they were sent to a horticulturist in Long Island who sent some vines out to California. In California, Italian immigrants working the gold rush appreciated the grape’s sturdy, robust style and planted them with enthusiasm—only to abandon their vineyards when the gold rush fizzled out.  Those vineyards—and their (Zinfandel) mystery grapes—were rediscovered years later when California experienced a new wave of post-Prohibition winemakers. Quite a story, right?

DNA fingerprinting has revealed that today’s Zinfandel is identical (or near identical) to a grape known as Tribidrag or Crljenak Kaštelanski and native to the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. Zinfandel is also either identical to—or very closely related to—a grape known as Primitivo, as grown in Puglia in Southern Italy.

Wherever it came from and whatever you call it, Zinfandel has proved itself as a hardworking, heat-seeking, robust grape.

Typical Attributes of a Zinfandel-based Wine:

    • Fruit-forward and often intensely fruity…the aromas and flavors of blackberry, cherry and plum are quite recognizable.
    • In my wine tastings I generally introduce Zin as having aromas of blackberry, black pepper, and black licorice.  It’s a pretty good Zin cliché.
    • Medium to high alcohol…sometimes 15% or more
    • Medium to full body; more likely towards the fuller side
    • Medium to high tannin combined with refreshing acidity.  Zinfandel grown in warm climates/warm vintages can show velvety (rather than grippy) tannins, but the medium to high tannin levels abide.
    • Yes…. the Zinfandel grape can be made into White Zinfandel (rosé).  This style of wine is produced by allowing the juice to ferment in contact with the intensely colored red grape skins for a day or two—just until the juice turns a light pink color.  At this point, the juice is pressed off the grape skins and fermentation is allowed to complete using just the (now pink-hued) juice. While it is true that your Mama’s White Zinfandel most likely had a touch of residual sugar and this style remains popular today, Zinfandel is also made into crisp, dry, serious rosé.
    • Late harvest Zinfandel is often made into a luscious, complex dessert wine. (which makes a great pairing for chocolate).

Typical Aromas of a Zinfandel-based Wine:

  • Black Fruit:
    • Blackberry (Blackberry Jam), Boysenberry, Plum, Raisin, Prune
  • Red Fruit:
    • Raspberry, Ripe Cherry, Pomegranate
  • Savory Spice:
    • Black Pepper, White Pepper
  • Baking Spice:
    • Cinnamon, Clove, Nutmeg, Allspice, Anise (Black Licorice)
  • Cocoa/Chocolate
  • Wood-derived:
    • Oak, Vanilla
  • Sometimes:
    • Maple, Mushroom, Mint, Mineral

Where the Best Zinfandel is Grown:

  • California—it grows all over the state; good choices include Sonoma County, Amador County/the Sierra Foothills, Paso Robles, Napa County, and Lodi
  • The south of Italy—where it is known as Primitivo
  • Croatia—the native home, where it is sometimes called Tribidrag or Crljenak Kaštelanski
  • In smaller amounts—South Africa, South America, and Australia

Food Affinities – Base Ingredients:

  • Beef, Lamb, Venison, Pork, Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Sausage

Food Affinities – Bridge Ingredients:

  • Any type of burgers (even turkey burgers)
    • Blue Cheese Bacon Cheeseburgers
    • Burgers with Caramelized Onions
  • Sausage and Peppers
  • Eggplant, Mushrooms, Black Beans
  • Tomatoes, Sun-dried Tomatoes
  • Mint, Rosemary, Oregano
  • Grilled Flavors, Smoky Flavors
  • Onions, Shallots
  • Walnuts, Pecans, Hazelnuts
  • Chocolate—which many people love, but most folks will recommend that you stick to the sweet versions of Zin for dessert.

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

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Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Cabernet Sauvignon

August 25, 2022 1 Comment

Cabernet Sauvignon—the Soundbyte: Cabernet Sauvignon is indisputably the world’s most popular and well-known red grape variety.  Wine lovers in-the-know love to discuss the fascinating fact that Cabernet Sauvignon is the result of a natural cross between Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Just ask one!

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of the main grapes in the world-famous Bordeaux blend and THE wine that made the Napa Valley famous.  The beauty of Cabernet is its thick skin, both literally and figuratively.  Literally, the grape’s thick skin and small berries give a wine deep color, complex flavors, and hearty tannins.  Figuratively, Cabernet Sauvignon shows it thick skin by being resilient and able to thrive in the vineyard under many circumstances (in terms of climate, soil, and other aspects of terroir).

In short, just about every country that has a climate warm enough to consistently ripen red grapes successfully grows Cabernet Sauvignon.

Typical Attributes of a Cabernet Sauvignon-based Wine:

  • Dark ruby red to purple; opaque and almost inky in appearance
  • Young Cabernet Sauvignon is ripe, powerful, and concentrated.
  • Highly tannic and, because of this, Cabernet Sauvignon is capable of producing age-worthy wine.
  • Complex with ever-evolving layers of interesting flavors and textures
  • When handled correctly, aged Cabernet can take on grace, finesse, and an earthy, complex bottle bouquet.

Typical Aromas of a Cabernet Sauvignon-based Wine:

  • Fruity
    • Blackberry, Blueberry, Ripe Cherry, Black Currant, Cassis, Plum, Prune, Raisin
  • Herbal/Vegetative
    • Vanilla, Mint, Eucalyptus, Bay Leaf, Green Bell Pepper, Green Olive, Rosemary, Dried Herb
  • Earthy
    • Cedar, Cigar Box, Cigar Smoke, Pencil Lead, Graphite, Tobacco, Wet Dog
  • Oak-Derived
    • Oak, Fresh Lumber, Cedar, Chocolate, Cocoa, Smoke

 Where The Best Cabernet Sauvignon is Grown:

  • The Bordeaux Region of France
  • California, Washington State, and parts of Southern and inland Oregon
  • Chile and Argentina
  • Australia
  • Italy—where it stars in some Super Tuscans and is used in small amounts in several wines (such as Carmignano DOCG)
  • Cabernet grows successfully in many regions throughout the wine making world…it adapts well to a variety of conditions.

Food Affinities – Base Ingredients:

  • Beef—prime rib, grilled steaks…it’s all good!
  • Lamb—Bubbly Prof prefers Merlot here, but Cab works!
  • Veal
  • Venison
  • Pork

Food Affinities – Bridge Ingredients/Flavor Bridges:

  • Walnuts, pecans, pistachios…roast them up and bring on the salt!
  • Mushrooms, eggplant, tomatoes—especially if you roast those veggies and give them some rich flavors
  • Caramelized onions, roasted garlic
  • Mint, rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil, black pepper
  • Blue Cheese – but be careful with the bitterness! Try a mild blue cheese such as Gorgonzola melted over a filet.
  • Hard, aged cheeses such as aged Cheddar, Gouda, Comté, Gruyère, or Swiss
  • Currants, dates, prunes, raisins (go easy on the sweetness)

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas…

 

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Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Carmenère

July 21, 2022 9 Comments

CarmenereThe Soundbyte: Carmenère is often called “the lost grape of Bordeaux” and was widely planted in Bordeaux in the years before phylloxera. However, in the 1880s as phylloxera ravaged the vineyards of Europe and all the vines needed to be re-planted, Carmenère resisted grafting and was essentially forgotten.

On the other side of the world, many of the original vinifera vines planted in Chile were brought from Bordeaux during the mid-1800s, as phylloxera was ravaging the vineyards of France. Carmenère—along with its better-known cousins such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Merlot—arrived in Chile at about this same time.

Carmenère thrived in Chile, where it was often mistaken for Merlot in the vineyard. In fact, much of what was bottled as a particularly spicy style of Chilean Merlot—Merlot Chileno—before 1994 quite possibly contained quite a bit of Carmenère. The mystery of the spicy Chilean Merlot was solved in 1994 when Professor John-Michel Boursiquot of the Montpellier School of Oenology noticed the distinctive character of the wine and confirmed that much of what was considered to be Chilean Merlot was actually Carmenère.

In the vineyard, Carmenère is often the last grape to be picked, and it requires a lengthy season to reach full maturity. Therefore, it is not well suited to many parts of Bordeaux—but in the right areas it can produce great wines. Chilean Carmenère is rich in color, redolent of red fruits, spice, and berries, and has softer tannins than Cabernet Sauvignon. While Cabernet Sauvignon occupies more Chilean vineyards (by acreage), many consider Carmenère to be the signature grape of Chile.

Typical Attributes of a Carmenère-based Wine:

  • Rich with dark fruit flavors (including ripe berries and plum)
  • grilled steak for carmenre with tomatoesFirm structure, full body and heavy tannins; lush, velvety texture
  • Deep, dark color—this is a big red wine!
  • Carmenère is distinguished by fruitiness accompanied by the flavors of “spice and smok.e”
  • Underripe Carmenère, or grapes from a cool growing season, can have a vegetative “green bell pepper” aroma or flavor. Carmenère  takes longer to ripen than other red grapes, so be on the look-out for these flavors.

Typical Aromas of a Carmenère-based Wine:

  • Fruity: Blackberry, Blueberry, Raspberry, Currant, Dark Plum, Cherry
  • Spicy: Black Pepper, White Pepper, Dried Herb, Cinnamon, Anise, Vanilla, Licorice
  • Earthy:  Smoke, Wet Earth, Leather, Tobacco, Coffee
  • Oak-Derived:  Oak, Chocolate, Mocha, Cocoa
  • Vegetative:  Green Bell Pepper, Green Olive, Herbal, Lavender

Where The Best Carmenère is Grown:

  • Chile, where it is one of the leading red grapes (although Cabernet Sauvignon occupies more acreage)
  • A few wineries in California and Washington State grow Carmenère; it is often used in Meritage-style blends but can also be found as a varietal.
  • The Guenoc Winery in Lake Country brought the grape—which had to withstand a three-year quarantine before being planted—to the United States from Chile
  • The grape is grown a bit in Italy’s Eastern Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions. This includes the Piave DOC allows for varietally-labeled Carmenère.
  • Bordeaux, France; where the grape is grown on a very limited basis but is still considered part of the Bordeaux Blend. Grande Vidure is a historical synonym sometimes used in Bordeaux. Château Clerc Milon has the largest plantings of Carmenère in the region, but there are still less than ten acres in all of Bordeaux
  • China, which grows a great deal of Carmenère, often under the name Cabernet Gernischt

Grilled spicy steakFood Affinities – Base Ingredients:

  • Beef, Lamb, Veal, Venison, Pork
  • Poultry when prepared in a rich, hearty manner such as grilled, smoked, or braised…
  • Grilled Foods, Smoked Foods

Food Affinities – Bridge Ingredients:

  • Garlic, Onions, Mushrooms
  • Walnuts, Pecans
  • Rosemary, Oregano, Basil, fresh Herbs of all kinds
  • Tomatoes, Sun-dried Tomatoes, Eggplant, Bell Peppers
  • Black Pepper, White Pepper, Green Peppercorns, Spicy flavors
  • Barbeque Flavors, Hearty, highly seasoned foods

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas   missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under Cheat Sheets for Red Wine Grapes Tagged with , , , , ,

Wine Grape Cheat Sheets: Chardonnay

July 17, 2022 4 Comments

Chardonnay Salmon PastaThe Soundbyte:  Chardonnay may very well be the world’s most widely recognized white grape variety.  It was very likely the first wine you ever heard of, and what you will most likely be served if you order a glass of “white wine” at a cocktail party.  The grape itself is quite neutral, but can be transformed via wine making magic into an oak-infused butter bomb, a crisp, citrus-and-mineral balancing act, or even Champagne!  There’s a lot to be said about the chameleon-like grape known as Chardonnay!

Typical Attributes of a Chardonnay-Based Wine:

  • Creamy, complex, high alcohol and lush flavors.
  • The fruity aromas wary widely depending on the climate.
  • The grape itself can be called “delicate” in aroma and flavors, but Chardonnay is very susceptible to the influence of the winemaker. As such, this naturally neutral grape can be laden with aromas and flavors of oak, butter, cream, yeast, and vanilla—among others—during the processes of production and aging.
  • Typical attributes of a European (sometimes called Chablis Style) Chardonnay: crisp, medium-bodied, terroir-driven, fruity, and mineral
  • Typical attributes of a New World (sometimes called California Style) Chardonnay:  full-bodied, highly alcoholic, likely oak-aged, and (often) buttery
  • Chardonnay is also used in Sparkling wines, including Champagne, Franciacorta, and many sparkling wines from California, Oregon, Australia, and South Africa

Typical Aromas of a Chardonnay-Based Wine:

  • Fruity:  Green Apple, Red Apple, Baked Apple, Pear, Peach, Apricot, Pineapple and Other Tropical Fruits, Citrus:  Lemon, Lime, Orange
  • Caramel: Honey, Butterscotch, Caramel, Brown Sugar
  • Nutty: Hazelnut, Toasted Hazelnut, Walnut
  • Yeast-Derived: Toast, Baked Bread, Oatmeal, Popcorn
  • Butter (from malo-lactic fermentation…of course!)
  • Mineral: Flint, Wet Stone, Wet Sand
  • Oak-Derived: Vanilla, Coconut, Sweet Wood, Oak, Smoke, Toast, Tar

Chardonnay HarvestWhere Chardonnay is Grown:

  • The Burgundy Region of France, notably Côte de Beaune, Chablis, Côte Chalonnaise, and Mâconnais
  • The Champagne Region of France
  • Other regions of France such as Alsace (where it is only allowed to be used in sparkling wines) and the Languedoc-Roussillon
  • California, where it is grown in many diverse regions and produces a wide range of styles
  • Oregon, where it shines in both still wines and sparklers
  • Australia, where it is a leading white wine grape
  • New Zealand, where it is the #2 white wine grape after Sauvignon Blanc
  • The cooler regions of Chile
  • Franciacorta and other regions in Italy
  • Canada, including Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia
  • And…almost anywhere wine is grown!

Food Affinities – Base Ingredients:

  • Seafood of all kinds
  • Crab Cakes, Lobster, Shrimp dripping with butter and garlic…
  • Chicken, Turkey, Game Hen, Duck
  • Roast Chicken…Roast Chicken…Roast Chicken
  • Veal, Pork…Beef.  (About that beef…be careful with the preparation. As certainly as the heavier bodied white wines, including Chardonnay, can pair with beef, that does not mean that it is a good substitute for red wine in every case.   Keep your dishes plain and simple, seasoned with herbs, mushrooms, or grilled onions.  Unless you want to hurt someone, avoid Texas Chainsaw Barbeque Sauce and other condiments that are over-the-top rich and heavy in flavor, texture, sweetness, or spiciness with Chardonnay. Trust me on this one.)

 Roasted Chicken for ChardonnayFood Affinities – Bridge Ingredients:

  • Corn, Pumpkin, Squash, Polenta
  • Tarragon, Basil, Thyme, Oregano and other fresh herbs
  • Soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert (especially good with unoaked versions)
  • Semi-firm cheeses such as Havarti, Monterey Jack, Muenster and Gouda. Smoked versions of Gouda are especially good.
  • Firm cheese such as Swiss, Emmentaler, Gruyère, Manchego, and Jarlsberg
  • Nutmeg, Cinnamon, and Allspice (but resist the temptation to go sweet…think savory…savory…savory…)
  • Hazelnuts, Cashews, Walnuts, Pecans, Coconut (savory…savory…savory…)
  • Butter, Brown Butter, Cream, Sour Cream, Olive Oil
  • Bacon, Ham, and other cured pork products
  • Mushrooms, Onions, Garlic
  • Dijon Mustard (think about it…where is the town of Dijon?  hmmmm….)

Note: When it comes to food pairings, by all means—drink what you like!

The Bubbly Professor is…”Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas   missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under Cheat Sheets for White Wine Grapes Tagged with , , , , , ,

The Sweet White Wines of La Rioja (the Misfit Series)

April 10, 2022 Leave a comment

One might not expect to find sweet, flowery white wines produced in Rioja—a region known for sturdy, Tempranillo-based red wines. However, if you look close enough, you’ll find them. Here they are—defined by the Valles de Sadacia Vino de la Tierra (VdlT/PGP) designation—sweet, floral-scented, golden-hued wines produced side-by-side with the robust red wines of the Rioja DOCa.

The Valles de Sadacia VdlT territory overlaps with the Rioja DOCa, covering the eastern portion of the area and including the Cidacos, Iregua, Leza, and Alhama River Valleys. All of these rivers are tributaries of the eastward-flowing Ebro River, famous for carving out the larger Ebro River Valley.

Fine wines have been produced in (the area now known as) La Rioja since the time of the Roman Empire. By 1635, the mayor of Logroño took it upon himself to protect the wines of the area by passing a law making it illegal to drive carriages past the storage warehouses, for fear that “the vibrations generated by its passage can harm the precious juice and its upbringing.” In 1787, the Real Sociedad Económica de Cosechero de Rioja was created in order to promote and protect the wines of the area and the rest, as they say, is history.

Throughout this long history of wine production, the leading grapes of the region included Tempranillo, Mazuelo, Graciano, Garnacha, Viura, and Malvasia—much as they do today. However, Moscatel—then known as Moscatel Común (Common Moscatel) or Moscatel de la Tierra—was also widely planted and used to produce a range of white wines, including sweet white wines and mistela (a type of sweet, fortified wine made by mixing unfermented or barely fermented grape must with distilled spirits).

Unfortunately, plantings of Moscatel did not fare well in the time following phylloxera, and when the Rioja DOC—later re-invented as the Rioja DOCa—was codified, Moscatel was not included as a permitted variety. The Valles de Sadacia Vino de la Tierra designation was approved in 2003, part of an effort to preserve the history and tradition of these once-famous sweet white wines. The name is based on the term Sadacia—the Roman name for the Cidacos River.

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under The Misfits Series

Five Fast Facts about Sonoma Creek

March 13, 2022 Leave a comment

Sonoma Creek is dwarfed—in length and volume as well as fame—by the nearby Napa River. However, this small-but-mighty creek makes its mark in the southwest corner of Sonoma County in a very big way. Read on to ponder five fast facts about Sonoma Creek!

#1: From its source on the west side of the Mayacamas Mountains—Sugarloaf Ridge State Park to be exact—Sonoma Creek measures about 33 miles/54 km in total length. After running (mostly) west for about 3 miles/5 km, the creek takes a turn and flows to the south/southwest through Sonoma Valley before emptying into San Pablo Bay.

#2: There is a waterfall! Sonoma Falls is tucked into Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, near the source of the creek. The park is located a short (3-mile/5-kilometer) drive from Kenwood—just turn east off of Sonoma Highway onto Adobe Canyon Road. From the park’s visitor’s center, you can take any one of several short hikes to Sonoma Creek Falls. The falls are somewhat seasonal, but if you catch it during winter, spring, or after a storm, you are likely to be rewarded with the soothing sound of falling water. At its most lively, Sonoma Falls is multi-tiered and can cascade as much as 20 feet/6 meters.

Sonoma Falls (on a good day)

#3: Some of the best-known wine towns in the Sonoma Valley AVA are located directly on Sonoma Creek. The bucolic wine country towns of Kenwood, Glen Ellen, El Verano, and (the town of) Sonoma are located directly on the creek. Dozens of wineries are situated just a few miles from the creek (or even closer)—check out Buena Vista, Kunde Family Winery, Kenwood Vineyards, and Sangiacomo Family Wines.

#4: The Sonoma Creek Watershed is located entirely within the Sonoma Valley AVA. Surrounded by the vineyards of the Sonoma Valley AVA, Sonoma Creek is fed by waters that flow from the very mountains that define the appellation’s boundaries. The Mayacamas—located along the appellation’s eastern boundary—give rise to the headwaters of the creek itself as well as several tributaries including Bear Creek and Calabazas Creek (just north of the town of Glen Ellen). The Sonoma Mountains—forming the northern and western edge of the region—give rise to Yulupa Creek (sourced along the eastern slope of Bennet Mountain), Graham Creek, and Fowler Creek.

#5: Sonoma Creek is one of the three main bodies of water that course through (and drain) the southern portion of Sonoma County. The southern section of Sonoma County is drained by Sonoma Creek, the Petaluma River, and Tolay Creek. The 18 mile-/29 km-long Petaluma River rises in a series of small hills located between the towns of Cotati and Petaluma. After flowing directly through the town of Petaluma, it forms part of the border between Sonoma and Marin County before emptying into San Pablo Bay. Tolay Creek—located between the watershed of Sonoma Creek and the Petaluma River—rises from Tolay Lake (itself located in a narrow ridge near the southern edge of Sonoma Mountains). Somewhat seasonal, Tolay Creek flows in a southerly direction for 12.5 miles/20 km towards San Pablo Bay.  For the last 2 miles/3 km of its run—after it passes underneath Highway 37—Tolay Creek marks the western boundary of the Sonoma Valley AVA.

References/for more information:

The Bubbly Professor is “Miss Jane” Nickles of Austin, Texas… missjane@prodigy.net

Filed under Five Fast Facts, WineGeo

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