Vol. 5 No. 4
Standard Selection - (1) Red, (1) White
Guigal Crozes Hermitage 1999 - France
Huia Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2001 - New Zealand
Red Wines Only Featured Selections
Domaine Ministre St. Chinian 1999 - France
White Wines Only Featured Selections
Domaine Jean-Claude Thevenet Macon-Pierreclos 2000 - France
Guigal Crozes - Hermitage 1999 - France
Marcel Guigal has been called "the planet's greatest living winemaker", "the driving force behind the great success of the wines of the Rhone Valley", and "a genius" - all of which is true. Yet, what is most impressive about the hardworking Guigal is his grounded, down to earth, unpretentious manner, which translates happily into a bevy of excellent, pure expressive Rhone wines at affordable prices.
While best known for his other worldly, single vineyard Cote Rotie wines, those collectible treasures constitute only the tiniest tip of the Guigal empire of outstanding Rhone wines. From his cellars in the antique village of Ampuirs, the birthplace of the Cote Rotie appellation, Marcel Guigal fashions mind-boggling, reference point examples from nearly every important Rhone appellation, including Condrieu, Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Tavel, and most recently Crozes - Hermitage.
The key to Guigal's success is really quite simple. He cultivates his own vineyards organically with no chemical fertilizers or treatments and picks his grapes late when they are just about ready to explode with their own maturity. This late harvest, coupled with low yields and minimal intervention (including no filtration) gives birth to fragrant, round, ripe natural wines that are immensely pleasurable to drink. When purchasing juice from other producers, a practice which has helped Guigal augment his own estate holdings and hone his extraordinary winemaking skills, Guigal holds those growers to the exacting standards he sets in his own vineyard. He buys only from producers he knows well who subscribe to his philosophy that old vines, low yields, and a late harvest are prerequisites for producing excellent wine. And, if these exacting requirements are not enough to insure quality, Guigal adds traditional wine ageing in new oak for extended periods of time; he is presently the only producer in Cote-Rotie to practice such extended ageing in new oak.
Although many of Guigal's vineyards date back to 2400 years, and one can still find the low stone walls constructed by the Romans to terrace the steep vineyard slopes, Domaine Guigal is a relative newcomer to the Rhone. Founded in 1946 by the late Etienne Guigal (Marcel's father) the former quickly began transforming the estate into the reference point by which all other Rhone estates are measured. In addition to elevating the quality of his own estate, the elder Guigal also began the acquisition and refurbishment of Vidal Fleury, another fine Rhone property. Unfortunately, Etienne's wine career was seriously curtailed when he was afflicted with sudden and total blindness in 1961, an event that forced the young Marcel to join the family business as a teenager, devoting his formidable energy and talent to the art of wine. Whether it is by circumstance or Providence, the seeds of greatness were sown early in Marcel Guigal. Today, Marcel is assisted by his able son, Philippe, a fine oenologist in his own right.
Crozes - Hermitage is the largest of the Appellations of the Northern Rhone, compromising just over 2500 acres planted exclusively to Syrah for red wine and Marsanne and Roussanne for white. Not surprisingly with an area of this size, there is great variability of vineyard site, and thus of quality of wine produced. The vineyards are largely on the plain, producing solid, reasonably priced wines, but there are some excellent hillside vineyards, which provide concentrated, long-lived wines. In fine vintages like 1999, the offspring of these hillside sites rival many of the more expensive and better-known wines of Hermitage, displaying forthright Syrah flavors, spice and persistency, along with satisfying vigor and intensity.
For the first time in the 1999 vintage, Marcel Guigal has produced a red Crozes-Hermitage. He has drawn his cuvees exclusively from prime hillside vineyards.
Tasting Notes: Exhibiting a very deep ruby color and an amplifying nose, it is apparent from the very beginning that Guigal's debut Crozes-Hermitage comes from a notable vintage. Blackberry, smoke, spice, meat and black olive scents all soar from the 1999 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage. Ripe round fruit lies entwined in a cloak of tannin, lending credence to our belief that this Crozes-Heritage can go the distance. However, you will have no problem enjoying this wine now. Just open the bottle an hour before serving, allowing the wine to unfold in your glass or decanter. Like all red Rhone wines, we suggest serving the Guigal Crozes-Hermitage around 60°-65° F. Enjoy!
Accompaniments: Robust, savory dishes would be our druthers with the 1999 Guigal Crozes-Hermitage. This wine is no shrinking violet; it can hold its own and then some with a wealth of highly charged foods. Hearty stews, venison, and of course lamb - the quintessential meat of Provence and the surrounding Rhone - all provide splendid complements to Guigal's premier Crozes-Hermitage. The rich, expressive flavors of this wine also provide the perfect foil to the very finest aged beef tenderloin or filet mignon. Buffalo steaks would be another good choice as would any meat or fish served with a sauce laced with fresh ginger, coriander or Provencal herbs.
Recipe for Red Wine:
Provencal Lamb Stew
3 lbs. lamb stew meat
3 Tbl. cooking oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
3-4 Tbl. flour
2 cups beef broth
5 ripe tomatoes - peeled, seeded & chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced
5 peeled carrots
5 peeled potatoes
2 large onions - peeled & quartered
Brown cubed stew meat in a large skillet in oil. As the meat browns, place each piece in a large Dutch oven or casserole. Sprinkle meat with sugar in casserole and caramelize for 5-6 minutes. Mix in salt, pepper and evenly coat meat with flour and place in oven at 350° for 10 minutes until meat is lightly crusted and browned nicely. Remove casserole and add stock and tomatoes and place on stovetop and bring to a boil, stirring well for a few minutes. Add garlic and bake for 1 hour. Add remaining vegetable and simmer on top of stove for about 1 - 2 more hours or until meat is cooked and vegetables are tender.
Huia Marlborough Gewurztraminer 2001 - New Zealand
Mike and Claire Allan bring some of the finest winemaking credentials to their budding 20 acre estate along Rapaura Road in Marlborough. They also have the distinguished honor of being one of the very few husband and wife teams to have studied at Roseworthy in South Australia, that continent's leading school of oenology. Furthermore, they helped the legendary Cloudy Bay estate establish itself as the leading winery in New Zealand before founding Huia, and we haven't yet mentioned the sample's tenure at Veuve Clicquot and Taittinger respectfully, where they mastered the art of producing first-rate bubbly. So when it comes to making expressive, individually styled white wines with flavor and panache, no one knows how to do it better than Mike and Claire Allan.
Strung along a series of hill slopes and terraces cut by an old riverbed, Huia produces award-winning Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and an excellent Champagne Method Brut. All of Huia's wines receive kid glove treatment, from hand harvesting to the final packaging. Yields are kept low to garner deep, rich flavors and the utilization of Seguin Moreau French oak vats and puncheons add considerable dimension to the estate's wines without smothering them in "oak". All of this adds up to excellence at Huia (you ah), an estate appropriately named for the unique, now extinct, New Zealand bird known for its luminescent tail feathers that were said to signify great dignity and wisdom to all who wore them.
Tasting Notes: Whoa…baby! An amplifying nose of lychee, mango and rose petal mingle with a core of pure dry fruit that can only be described as entrancing. An exotic array of mouth-filling flavors then permeate the palate and explode in the mouth, releasing complex floral and fig tones that hone the wine's long, dry finish. Indeed, winemakers Claire and Mike Allen have fashioned a truly dry, world class Gewurztraminer in their 2001 Huia Marlborough offering. Sourced from two great Marlborough vineyards (the Hassan and Fell vineyards), the 2001 Huia Marlborough Gewurztraminer is a tour de force in dry Gewurztraminer, bearing witness to the greatness of this noble varietal in New Zealand and the winemaking acumen that abounds at Huia.
P.S. This Gewurztraminer packs a wallop, sporting an alcohol level in excess of 14%.
Accompaniments: Food or no food…it's your choice! The 2001 Huia Gewurztraminer is more than sufficiently endowed to captivate a wide audience, even without an accompaniment. Yet, the Huia's sensual tantalizing flavors make it a natural partner for most highly charged dishes, most notably Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese specialties, especially those with a long array of flavors, spices and textures. Crispy fish, with crushed pecans and ginger, makes for a rewarding meal alongside the Huia. Lemongrass flavored salads with grilled shrimp and chicken are other fine choices, but we found that more standard Alsatian fare, like pork chops smothered in apples, caraway, and fresh sauerkraut, to be just as rewarding as the more flamboyant, highly charged cuisine of the Orient. However, as you like it…as always. Enjoy!
Recipe for White Wine
Pork Satay
8-10 Brazil nuts - shelled
1 Tbl. coriander
2 cloves garlic -minced
2 Tbl. brown sugar
½ onion - finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ tsp. salt & pepper
¼ stick butter - melted
2 lbs. lean pork - cubed
1 dozen wooden skewers
Chop nuts finely in blender and mix with all ingredients except pork and butter. Mix well. Add the pork and marinate in refrigerator 2-4 hours. Skewer the pork and broil slowly on grill or under broiler, turning often to evenly brown on all sides. Bake on 325° for 25 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked, basting often with melted butter.
Domaine Jean-Claude Thevenet Macon-Pierreclos 2000 - France
Jean-Claude Thevenet is a third generation "vigneron" whose winery is located in the heart of the Maconnais in the village of Pierreclos. Thevenet's grandfather was the winemaker for the Chateau de Pierreclos, while his father developed an enterprise as a supplier of prime vine rootstock. In the early 1950's, Thevenet's father began acquiring vineyards. In 1971, when Jean-Claude was only 17 years old, he and his father began estate bottling their own wines. Today, the Thevenet's own more than 50 acres of vineyards in the adjoining communes of Pierreclos, Prisse, and Rilly Lamortine.
Thevenet's vineyards are planted almost exclusively to Chardonnay and are spread between two major appellations: St. Veran and Macon-Villages Pierreclos. Thevenet also produces a small amount of Bourgogne Rouge and a Macon Rouge as well as an outstanding sparkling wine composed entirely from Chardonnay. The entire harvest each year is done manually, and not a single drop of Thevenet's wine is sold to negociants.
Tasting Notes: In all respects, the 2000 Thevenet Macon-Pierreclos is a classic Maconnais. This wine's clean, apple blossom scent and spring-like freshness epitomize the enjoyable, uncomplicated style of Chardonnay for which the Macon is justifiably renowned. Light, gentle but persuasive, Thevenet's Pierreclos reveals the appealing flavor of clarified butter as well as apple, mingled with a touch of lime and a certain "je ne sais quoi", which makes it go down oh…so easy. What makes this Chardonnay so appealing is its supreme elegance and balance; one never has to work at enjoying it. Serve the Thevenet Macon-Pierreclos moderately chilled (45°-50°).
Accompaniments: Given the elegance and blithe spirit of Thevenet's 2000 Macon-Pierreclos, his wine plays the role perfectly of the aperitif par excellent. Served before dinner at a party or gathering, the 2000 Thevenet Macon-Pierreclos wets the appetite without ruining the appetite or the palate. It also makes for a wonderful accompaniment to simply prepared shellfish. Recently, we served Thevenet's Macon-Pierreclos with whole steamed lobsters to the delight of all. Neither the wine nor the lobster vied for palate supremacy, making the combination a perfect complement. Poached salmon or sole provide other winning complements, as would a fresh pasta primavera. Enjoy!
Domaine Ministre St. Chinian 1999 - France
Domaine du Ministre is a jewel of an estate, producing an excellent Languedoc red, in the hillside appellation of St. Chinian. Vinified by Jacques and Francois Lurton, Domaine du Ministre is crafted in the concentrated, polished style for which the Lurton brothers are famous.
Nearly a third of all French wine is grown in the vast area of southern France known as the Languedoc. Stretching from the Rhone River to the Pyrenees Mountains in a great sweeping arc, the Languedoc is the oldest wine producing region of France. Wine growing prospered here under the Romans as the vine flourished on the hillsides of this wild, savagely beautiful country. Unfortunately, the advent of phylloxera in the 19th century pushed many growers to replant on the plains, but this trend has happily been reversed in the past several decades, restoring the Languedoc and St. Chinian in particular to its former glory.
St. Chinian is generally acknowledged to be one of the two greatest appellations of the Languedoc. Here old vines Grenache and Syrah grapes reign supreme, blended occasionally with small quantities of Mourvedre and Carignan.
Tasting Notes: A cachet of oriental spices and a distinct cedar, cigar box scent overlap pure elegant fruit and eleven months of small oak barrel ageing in the 1999 Domaine du Ministre St. Chinian. Smooth, smooth, smooth…and charming to boot, it's hard to believe that this flavorful blend of very old vines Grenache and Syrah (50% of each varietal) is not only perfectly drinkable now but downright pretty. Hand-harvested, 100% de-stemmed and bottled without filtration, the 1999 Domaine du Ministre aptly reflects its expert elevage. The result is a rich, supple and expressive wine, with black pepper, spice, vanilla and violets in its delightful flavor profile. Lovely now, the Domaine du Ministre is bound to improve in bottle for at least a few more years and can probably sustain as many as six to eight more years in bottle without loosing a beat. Open a half hour or more before serving, allowing the wine to breathe in the glass or decanter before serving it and enjoy!
Accompaniments: Lovely now with grilled meats, game and cheese, the 1999 Domaine du Ministre will only improve, continuing to reveal its versatility with food. Traditional Mediterranean and Provencal fare are already natural accompaniments to this hedonistic St. Chinian, as are complex Middle Eastern dishes, particularly lamb-based recipes. Roasted root vegetables (red onion, carrot, leek, turnip and parsnip) provide another tasty pairing with the Domaine du Ministre. Stuffed veal chops, roast duck and goose are other excellent offerings that are sure to please even the most discerning gourmets. And, as the 1999 Domaine du Ministre ages, it should continue to gain complexity, subtlety, and finesse, making it the perfect partner to lighter fare like roast chicken, turkey, and medallions of veal. Needless to say, wine this good really doesn't need much of anything to be enjoyed, but just about any food seems enhanced by Domaine du Ministre's St. Chinian.
Ask the Panel
Question: While pouring the last part of a bottle of wine, I noticed "metallic sediments" stuck to the bottle. Is this normal? At first I thought the bottle had broken because the sediment resembled glass all over the side and the top of the bottle. Can you explain this?
Answer: The sediment that you describe is tartrate crystal. It is a natural, harmless deposit that adheres to the side of a bottle or over time slips to the bottom of the bottle. It can also cling to the inside of the cork. Tartrate precipitate can occur in either red or white wine; however, highly extracted wines that have not been heavily filtered or cold stabilized are more likely to exhibit this kind of sediment. Tartrate often resembles glass or coffee grinds in appearance and is more apt to be noticed in a mature wine. A sudden cooling of a wine can also hasten the appearance of the precipitate in a bottle of wine, but in no way is this sediment harmful. In fact, its appearance should be seen not as a defect, but as a sign of the maturity and natural handling of a wine.
If tartrate becomes bothersome or heavy, careful decanting is the best way to deal with it. In order to achieve the maximum elimination of sediment from a wine, we suggest standing the bottle upright at least two hours before uncorking, so that the tartrate and any other sediment can fall to the bottom and be left there after decanting.
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