Don

Don

Don

Barolo is born on the Langhe Hills of Italy’s Piedmont, on steep craggy Alpine foothills as they tumble out of nearby Switzerland and France.  Barolo is the most masculine of Piedmont’s great Nebbiolo based wines and the focal point in the region’s viticultural tiara.  Barolo’s lineage dates back to the Middle Ages, but it wasn’t until the mid 18^th century that Barolo began to evolve into its present form in the vicinity of Alba, a distinct Old World city that serves as the white truffle capital of Italy as well as Piedmont’s premier wine town.

Today, the limited production of Barolo generates from the huddled hills of two valleys, Serralunga and Barolo, and their five principal communities, all of which lie to the southwest of the city of Alba and are reputed to impart distinctive characteristics and traits to their respective progeny.  The townships of Serralunga, Castiglione Falletto, and Monforte are situated in the Serralunga Valley and are reputed to produce the region’s most masculine, longest-lived Baroli.  Meanwhile, Barolo and La Morra, from which the more “delicate” wines of the zone are said to flow, are part of the Barolo Valley.  However, there are many exceptions, styles, and innumerable variations in Barolo on the same theme, and this only touches upon the decades old debate in Barolo over the relative merits of the modern versus traditional styles of Barolo, which have as much to do with individual winemaking techniques as they do the amount and kind of barrel aging the wines receive.  Happily, in the end, there is great Barolo fashioned in all five of the major townships, in both modern and traditional styles.  However, there is one caveat.  Barolo needs time in bottle; and whether it is young or mature, Barolo needs to breathe.  Decant a Barolo two hours or more before serving and the magic will soon appear in your glass.

Don

In nostalgic moments, I bemoan the loss of a perfect cork exiting every special bottle of wine but the reality of the situation is that not all of those “special bottles” were as special as they should have been or could have been had they been finished with metal caps.  Ten years of positive results with screw caps finishing top end wines should be all the testimony we need.  Nevertheless, perceptions die hard, so I would like to reiterate my initial arguments in favor of the metal cap.

Natural cork is a limited commodity.  It is the refined bark of the cork oak, which grows only in certain Mediterranean climates and locales.  Moreover, it takes decades for a cork oak that has been “harvested” or flayed if you will to once again bear sufficient cork for our precious wine bottles.  In a world enamored of wine, the supply of cork simply cannot keep up with demand.  There just isn’t enough genuine cork to go around, and even less high quality cork to be had.  Hence, the plethora of alternatives:  composite corks, hybrid corks, synthetic corks, and now screw caps.  Each has its attributes as well as its drawbacks, with the exception of the metal screw cap whose only downside is its lack of aesthetic appeal.  Aside from aesthetics, the modern screw cap is the perfect seal for most wines.  It provides an airtight seal, rarely leaks and never spoils or imparts an off taste or smell to a bottle of wine.  Surprisingly, it appears to allow fine wines to mature slowly and consistently in bottle as well.  The same cannot always be said for all genuine cork or the “pseudo corks” we find closing many wines today, so let’s not hold the metal screw cap in contempt.  Besides, the metal cap is here to stay, whether we like it or not, and I predict that more great names in wine will soon adopt or expand their use of the metal screw cap.

Don

Mencia is a red Spanish grape varietal found primarily in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras appellations of northern Spain.  The Mencia varietal was once considered by enologists to be a direct ancestor and precursor of Cabernet Franc, but recent DNA testing has shown that this is not the case.  Mencia and Cabernet Franc do share some common characteristics, but not the same ancestry.  It is now widely believed that Mencia and Portugal’s Jaen de Dão (Jaen for short) grape variety are one and the same.  Still, not everyone agrees.  However, what we do know for certain about Mencia is that it has been around for quite some time, and it is producing outstanding wines.

In Bierzo, original plantings of Mencia likely date to the earliest Roman settlers in Bierzo, who cultivated the varietal two thousand years ago in what remains one of Europe’s most isolated wine regions.  Bierzo is a remote area of Galicia, Spain’s cool, windswept province astride the Atlantic.   Certainly, it is the very isolation of the Bierzo that has allowed Mencia to survive and even thrive.  Moreover, the average age of the hillside vines in Bierzo is quite old, which lends itself to the production of high quality wines.  Consequently, the wonderfully fruity, spicy, and wholly intriguing Mencia varietal has recently been discovered or rather re-discovered by modern legions of wine drinkers.  They are no doubt intrigued by the unique viticultural entity we call Mencia, whose many attributes are accentuated by organic farming, low vineyard yields, and modern winemaking techniques.  In 2013, look for Mencia and other outstanding premium varietals that are not yet household names to arrive at your door.

Don

Conventional thinking tends to relegate Champagne and other fine sparkling wines to special occasions, late night parties, and New Year’s Eve.  To that I say “humbug.” Champagne is a wine for all seasons, and since every day ought to be a celebration, why not pour yourself a glass of Champagne on a cold, rainy day as well as a warm, sunny day?  Why limit the pleasure of good bubbly to a few occasions or just one time of year?  Furthermore, good sparkling wine, and Champagne in particular, cheers the heart as well as the palate.  Personally, I like Champagne at all times of the year, and I especially enjoy it as an aperitif and a prelude to a fun evening.  It cleanses the palate and enlivens the soul.  I believe it was Winston Churchill who once remarked, “In the time left to us between the disaster and the catastrophe, there is time for a glass of Champagne.” To that I will pop a few corks and add Amen!

And after the Champagne, I will open up the best mature white and red wines from my cellar and give thanks for the Holidays and all those who have made my lot in life possible.  Cheers!  All the best to everyone in life and the New Year!

Don

The season between Thanksgiving and New Years is rich with occasions to share the finest wines one has to offer.  It’s also the ideal time to consider giving the gift of wine.  Yes, I am quite predictable; I like to offer wine to those who enjoy it or even to those have never found a wine they liked.  The latter are often the most fun because rare is the person who has tasted enough wine to justify the aversion.  I thrive on the challenge, and I am thrilled when a wine illuminates the senses and captures the noses and palates of theretofore non-believers.

So, few are surprised when I arrive at their doorsteps bearing gifts of Bordeaux and Barolo, Chardonnay and Champagne.  Perhaps, my friends and family are just being polite, but invariably the bottles all lay empty by the end of the evening or disappear within a matter of days from the wine rack where they were put to rest.  So, I will continue to share the fruits of my labor and come bearing gifts that I hope will be akin to liquid gold, aromatic intrigue, and sensual delight.  In truth, it’s my way of sharing a little bit of what’s good and even special about life during the hectic Holiday Season.  It’s also my way of saying thank you for the many gifts I have received in life from family, friends, and acquaintances.

A votre santé

Don