Vol. 4 No. 11
Standard Selection - (1) Red, (1) White
1999 Heron California Merlot - USA
1999 Verget Chablis - France
Red Wines Only Featured Selections
1999 Bodega Lurton Malbec Reserva - Argentina
White Wines Only Featured Selections
1999 Cristom Oregon Washington Pinot Gris - USA
Heron California Merlot 1999-U.S.A.
Laely Heron is the owner and founder of Heron Wines. She is a woman who has lived around the world, sharing cultures and experiences with her family and friends in many far-flung places. Through the course of these adventures, one of the things she has come to value most is the moment of sitting down at the table to share in food and wine and most important, the camaraderie of those around her. The most poignant conversations and moving memories for her have been shared over a glass of wine. It is for this reason that she has involved herself in making wine. “I cannot think of a more diverse, creative, and satisfying world in which to follow my passions,” she says.
After spending years in France deep in the study of the nuts and bolts of winemaking and oenology, Laely felt compelled to see the other end of the spectrum – how wines get from the vintner to the table. She began work at Lindeman’s, helping them crack the US market and establish themselves as a leading importer of Australian wines in the United States; she then moved to Copenhagen, Denmark and began a small import business. From this venture she brought California and other New World wines to the Scandinavian market. Heron also opened a restaurant in Copenhagen that became known for its progressive menu, wine pairings, tastings, and wine education programs. This was a way for her to express her love of the experience of the table and to share her passion with others.
Some time later, Laely returned to the States directed by another vision. She wanted to make beautiful, well-crafted wines that everybody could enjoy. The idea of creating special occasion wines at everyday prices was not new – but she was certain that she could do it better. She continued traveling, trying to locate the best of a combination of elements: great vineyards, great people and great prices. She found some like-minded souls in France and began her first producing adventure. To sell the wine she literally walked around San Francisco with a bottle of Heron Merlot in her purse, stopping in on restaurants and asking them to sit with her and try the wine. Since that small and exhausting start, Laely has grown her brand and expanded it to include a wonderful Chardonnay and California Merlot. “I still like to visit with those same wine lovers who have since become friends and mentors, she says “We sit over a glass of vino, and share in that experience I value the most.” Fortunately, Laely’s journey is far from over. She vows to continue bringing more fabulous wines to the market and to share with everyone the pleasures that wine can bring to the table. So this Thanksgiving, we are thankful for Laely Heron and the few like-minded souls in California who refuse to pass off an excellent $15 bottle of California Merlot on us for $50 – now isn’t that refreshing?
Tasting Notes: Exuberant and lush, the 1999 Heron Merlot has no difficulty living up to its reputation as the ultimate crowd pleaser. Deeply colored and endowed with the heavenly scent of summer berries, plum and subtle spice, the Heron is what real California Merlot ought to taste like, but rarely does – even at an exorbitant price! Loaded with satiny fruit and seductive charm, the Heron is pure and seamless from start to finish. Why so many California producers dump excessive amounts of tartaric acid into their Merlot in the mistaken belief that such acidification adds anything positive to a wine is beyond us? So is the notion that a wine will magically develop complexity and any meaningful longevity from such practices. Obviously, some vintners have forgotten that wine is the fruit of the vine and a reflection of soil, climate and the integrity of the people who make it. Many thanks to Laely Heron for eschewing the excesses of acidification and making an upfront, honest California Merlot at a sensible price. Bless you! Serve this wine at room temperature. After ten or fifteen minutes of airing this easy drink Merlot will give you all it’s got.
Accompaniments: The 1999 Heron Merlot is no prima donna. It’s neither finicky not reticent, making it easy to pair with a wide variety of culinary delights. We’ve enjoyed the Heron with everything from plain pizza to fine filet mignon; and it all tastes good. Spicy food also makes a suitable companion to the Heron: its lush ripe flavors don’t flatten or harden with a little piquancy. Rotisserie grilled chicken, either roasted with butter and garlic or bathed in southwestern spices, provides another good choice with this Merlot. However, the dish that drew the most votes from our panel was the traditional roast turkey and stuffing with all of the trimmings. Although, there is no wine guaranteed to please everyone, the Heron Merlot certainly comes close. Enjoy!
Recipe for Red Wine
Chicken Yucatan
1 chicken – cut up into parts
3 Tbl. orange juice
2 Tbl. pineapple juice
2 Tbl. fresh lime juice
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 Tbl. red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic - minced
1 Tbl. oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
½ tsp. cumin
Preheat oven to 375° F. In a blender, combine all ingredients except chicken and puree until mixture is smooth. Place chicken pieces in a large baking dish and sprinkle with ground pepper. Pour half of the mixture on top of chicken. Bake chicken turning twice and basting with remaining mixture for 35-45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Serve with your favorite Southwestern rice or potatoes.
Jean-Marie Guffens left his home in Belgium nearly a quarter century ago at age 21, determined to become a maker of great wines. His quest appeared more like a dream for this task is a most difficult one even for a Frenchman with a host of family vineyards, but more arduous for a penniless Belgian.
In the past twenty-five years Jean-Marie has come a long way to achieving his ambition. The Macon Pierreclos Blanc and Pouilly Fuisse from his Domaine Guffens – Heynen have become famous for their uncompromising quality and have been praised by Robert Parker, Jr. as some of the very best white wines in southern Burgundy. Successive vintages of Guffen’s wines have startled a sophisticated audience with their pure, ripe flavors and eminent breeding, forcing the inevitable comparison of his wines from relatively modest appellations with the greater appellations of Meursault and elsewhere on the Cote d’Or to the north.
The production of Guffen-Heynen wine is very much an artisanal family affair. Guffen makes the wines, while Madame Guffen-Heynen tends their 7 acres of vineyards, which are spread out in parcels on steep slopes long ago abandoned by others who found them too difficult to cultivate. Madame tends the vines in a manner rarely seen in these days of modern convenience and mechanization. Needless to say, the estate is entirely hand harvested.
With only 7 acres of craggy vineyards, Guffen was literally living on the edge. Having reached a point where his domaine could not expand, Jean-Marie had another ambition and challenge. He wanted to make an impact in quality on other Burgundy appellations with greater quantity, so he formed a “negoce” in order to fulfill his dream. That is, he became a negociant, selecting prime growers and parcels of vineyards to bottle under his Verget label, but Guffen does dot simply buy up lots of unselected grapes as do most negociants, he makes the viticultural and vinification decisions that account for the quality difference, and which set him apart from other negociants. Jean-Marie visits the chosen grower’s entire vineyard to select the parcels of vines to be picked for him. His aim is not to buy a large portion of the total production but only to choose the grapes he wants. In choosing the grapes to harvest, Guffen considers the age of the vines, yields and terroir. This is one reason why many of this Chablis and Macon offerings under the Verget name are single vineyard offerings and hear the name of the site on the label. Once the selection is made, Jean-Marie acts as the grower, deciding on the final pruning, as well as the picking date. He then vinifies the wine himself, either at the domaine or at his own nearby constructed winery in Sologny.
The vinification of Verget wines is based upon the same principles and techniques that have made Guffens so famous for his Chardonnays in Macon and Pouilly Fuisse. He very gently presses the best Chardonnay grapes, clarifies only by gravity feed, utilizes slow barrel or tank fermentation and partially barrel ferments some of each selection. After malolactic fermentation (a secondary fermentation whereby the wine’s harder malic acid is converted naturally into the softer, more buttery lactic acid), Guffens continues to age his wines on the lees and practices only a very light filtration (rare for whites) in order to preserve the greatest amount of flavor in the finished wine. And, because there is no cold process stabilization prior bottling, Verget wines tend to be fuller and more vivacious than other white Burgundies, though they may throw a bit of sediment or harmless tartrate crystal as a result – a small price to pay for such delicious wine.
Tasting Notes: Flinty, lemony, cheesy…and oh so tasty, the 1999 Verget Chablis is a meal in a glass. This Chablis is what fine, truly dry white wine is all about. Neither acidic nor flabby, an amplifying nose of stony fruit combined with racy satisfying flavors in the mid palate make this Verget offering one of the most enjoyable dry white wines we have tasted. There is just one problem, the 1999 Verget Chablis is so good that it’s hard to put down, and like good red wine, it continues to open up as it breathes; revealing more and more nuance of flavor and subtle complexity in each sip. From characteristic green hue to its long, lingering finish, all the liquid mineral goodness that has made real French Chablis (the only real Chablis) the yardstick by which all other dry white wine is measured, is alive and well in the 1999 Verget. Serve moderately chilled, or allow the wine to open in your glass, after a couple of hours of refrigeration. Salut!
Accompaniments: Whether you decide to step up or step down with the menu, or even step out and skip food entirely, the 1999 Verget will have no difficulty responding. Chablis is the quintessential white wine. Perfect in summer or winter, the 1999 Verget Chablis is equally comfortable with lobster as it is with chicken salad or even cold cuts. In fact, we have often used the Verget with great satisfaction to jazz up ordinary weekday fare. So when faced with spending a little extra on the wine or whole heck of a lot more on the food, go for the Verget Chablis. You deserve it, after all…who’s better than you! Holiday fare, particularly rich seafood, shellfish and poultry in a light but complex cream sauce are the traditional pairings with Chablis, but why not be daring, and step out?
Recipe for White Wine:
Crabmeat Mornay
1¼ lbs. lump crabmeat
3 egg yolks
2 Tbl. butter
½ cup light cream
1 Tbl. Parmesan cheese – grated
Béchamel Sauce:
½ stick butter
1 small onion - grated
4 Tbl. flour
2 cups warm milk
2 Tbl. heavy cream
Prepare Béchamel Sauce; heat butter and onion together and slowly stir in flour. Remove from heat. Add warm milk and stir quickly until sauce is smooth. Return to heat and stir until it comes to a boil. Gently simmer for 5 minutes, turn off heat and keep warm.
Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease a 1 ½ quart casserole. Mix the egg yolks with the light cream. Add half of the Béchamel Sauce, butter and crabmeat. Turn mixture into the prepared casserole and combine remaining sauce with the heavy cream and spread over the top of casserole. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400° for 50 minutes or until nicely browned.
Bodega J & F Lurton Malbec Reserva 1999 - Argentina
Jacques and Francois Lurton SA was founded in 1988 by two brothers, the sons of well-known Bordeaux owner Andre Lurton (Chateau Bonnet, La Louviere, Clos Fountet…etc.).
Capitalizing on the considerable expertise in wine production and distribution acquired through their varied international experiences, Jacques and Francois have set up a major company to produce wine in several countries throughout the world. Their guiding principle is their conviction that it is possible to make good wines wherever vines grow in suitable conditions. The brothers maintain that overall, the improvement in the quality of wines world-wide has not kept pace with the technological progress made by many winemakers, and they are bent on improving that scenario, so that consumers can consistently find in the market the reliable, high quality wines they expect. And do they ever deliver.
Presently, the “Feres Lurton” are currently producing world-class wine in Argentina, Australia, Chile, Spain, France and Uruguay. To date, Bodega Lurton in Mendoza, Argentina has been one of their most successful ventures, beginning with their first release in 1992. This brand new winery is surrounded by the Lurton’s own vineyards, totaling some 250 acres with another 250 acres waiting to be planted. These terroirs, selected for the quality of their soil, climate and proximity to pure water, were originally virgin territory, without ever having any input of chemicals. The Lurton’s continue to safeguard these properties by refusing to employ any herbicides. For the estate’s Reserva bottlings, select old vine parcels (some as old as 100 years) at neighboring estates are sourced to augment the Lurton’s more youthful vines.
Tasting Notes: One taste of the 1999 Bodega Lurton Malbec Reserva is ample of evidence of why this lusty varietal reigns supreme in Argentina. Wearing an extremely deep, dark purple robe signals the wines nobility, but it is the aroma and flavor that we found most alluring. Oodles of fat, flamboyant fruit mingle with the spice of luscious oak to beguile the palate. Rich and decadent, but never flabby, this Malbec must be tasted to be believed. “Utterly captivating,” and “the most pleasurable Malbec I’ve ever tasted” gushed from members of the tasting panel. Serve at cool room temperature.
Accompaniments: Beef is the classic Argentine accompaniment to Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon and we wouldn’t disagree with that with the 1999 Bodega Lurton Reserva. Yet, we believe this lusty, hedonistic Malbec is more versatile than most. We enjoyed it with everything from conch fritters in a spicy tropical chutney to buffalo burgers served rare. Ostrich would be another good choice, and we certainly wouldn’t thumb or nose at a well prepared pasta dish with this lovely Lurton either. Come our think of it, we could have made a whole meal out of this wine, so as you like it.
Cristom Oregon Washington Pinot Gris 1999 - USA
Cristom has long been one of our favorite northwest wineries. Specializing in what Oregon has proven to the world what it does best, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, Cristom turns out some of the most enjoyable, full-flavored wines in the state. Using high-density plantings of the best clones, Cristom’s wines are renowned for their low yields and intense natural flavors.
What has surprised and has delighted consumers for years is how adept Cristom is each vintage, at turning out several bottlings of both Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir – all with unique characteristics, but an equal degree of breed and elegance. Some say it is the natural or wild yeasts in the six estate vineyards at Cristom that account for this winery’s quality quotient, while others point to Cristom’s minimal intervention and gentle handling of the grapes and resulting wine. Whatever it is, we wish we could get a heck of a lot more of this estate’s wines. Due to a small, allocated supply and great demand, we are only able to offer Cristom’s wines to our special white wine only customers.
Tasting Notes: A blend of 81% Oregon Pinot Gris from Willamette Valley estates and the remainder from the Celilo Vineyard in neighboring Washington State, the 1999 Cristom Oregon Washington Pinot Gris has it all. A limpid, pale, straw-colored robe recalls this varietal’s connection to Italian Pinot Grigio, while the complex fruit, spice and earth tone in the aroma underscores the grape’s Alsatian relation. Melon, pear, dried apple, spring sap, even hints of honeysuckle are present in the bouquet. On the palate, the Cristom is lush but nicely balanced, structured and dry with hints of anise and yeast on the finish. Wow! Serve this beauty cold, but definitely allow it to sit a few minutes in the glass to unfold.
Accompaniments: If you serve the 1999 Cristom Oregon Washington Pinot Gris at a party and you are sure to go broke! You will definitely go through more than a couple of bottles, as the wine definitely goes down that easy. So better save it to serve to special guests as an aperitif. Smoked salmon, fish quenelles or other light, uncomplicated fare would be out first choices with this wine. Shrimp with lightly stir-fried yellow pepper, zucchini and Vidalia onions is another fine suggestion: we have enjoyed this dish more than once with the Cristom. But, whatever you do, don’t overpower this lovely, fresh, ever so pure wine, and enjoy!
Merlot Madness and Other Trivia
The California wine boom of the 1960’s and 1970’s took place virtually without the benefit of Merlot. Even by 1980 Merlot accounted for less than 2000 acres of the total wine cultivation in California, a tiny fraction of the state’s viticultural planting. Merlot is the heart and often the soul, too, of many great Bordeaux.
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Answer to questions of Merlot Madness:
Merlot, of course. The rest of the cepage is Cabernet Franc.
