Don Lahey, Author at Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Don’s October Premier Series Top Picks

October 17, 2013 by Don Lahey

This month’s Premier Series Top Pick pays tribute to the legions of Italian immigrant families who settled in California in the early part of the 20^th century. These hardy souls, including John and Jim Pedroncelli’s father John, Sr. weathered Prohibition and helped resurrect the wine industry in Sonoma County before going on to make America a wine drinking nation. Moreover, the Pedroncelli brothers continue to fashion delicious, easy to understand premium wines at prices most of us can afford. John Pedroncelli grew up on the family property and has been principal winemaker at Pedroncelli since 1948. Brother Jim was actually born in the winery’s offices, which were formerly the family’s home, and he has overseen marketing and sales at the winery since 1955. Today, the winery remains a complete family affair with children and grandchildren all involved in daily operations. It would be hard to find two more genuine people than John and Jim Pedroncelli, so this month I raise a toast to these two stalwart souls with a glass of this month’s Top Pick, the 2010 Pedroncelli Mother Clone Zinfandel – a true California classic.

Saluté.
Don

Lisa (Pedroncelli) Blakeley, Lance Blakeley, John Pedroncelli, Maureen Morehouse, Christine Pedroncelli, Joanna Pedroncelli (front) Jim Pedroncelli, Richard Morehouse, Phyllis Pedroncelli, Cathy Pedroncelli, Julie (Pedroncelli) and Ed St. John

In Search of Fine Red Wines That Hardly Anyone Knows

October 10, 2013 by Don Lahey

wineglasses The market is full of fine red wines from every imaginable place, so choosing a good one can be a daunting task. So why bother looking for such wines? Bang for the buck! And where does one start looking for fine red wines that hardly anyone knows? How about beginning with wines you’ve never heard of from a place you would never think of? Start with Uruguay, The Republic of Georgia and circle back to small garagiste producers in California. Consider grapes such as Bonarda, Saperavi, and Tannat before coming back to Mataro, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel. Uruguay, a South American oasis of peace and stability, has been making good wine for centuries, most of which has been consumed by the small but prosperous local population.

Tannat, whose origin is Southwest France where it figures in the legendary “Black Wine” of France known as Cahors, is Uruguay’s signature grape variety. The word tannin derives its name from the Tannat grape, which should tell us something about Tannat: It produces full-bodied, age worthy wines for certain. Alone or when blended with Merlot from wineries such as Artesana, Tannat delivers a lot of bang for the buck and pairs beautifully with red meats and rich sauces.

Saperavi, a red grape from The Republic of Georgia (a small country with a mere 8,000 year old history of wine production) yields another fine red wine that almost nobody knows. Saperavi is a versatile grape that can be made for gratifying early consumption or crafted for the long haul. Marani makes a number of noteworthy wines from the Saperavi varietal. And after further exploration far and wide, head back to California in search of old vine field blends of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Mataro and more from a small producer you’ve never heard of. You will almost certainly find wine worthy of the quest.

Saluté!
Don

Great White Wines That Hardly Anyone Knows

October 3, 2013 by Don Lahey

Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and then there’s more Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. And yeah, there’s the occasional Riesling or Viognier to take a break from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. But isn’t there more to fine white wine than the hegemony of the usual triumvirate? And what are some other great white wines? The world’s full of fine white wines that don’t receive the attention they deserve. For starters, how about Falanghina? Don’t try to pronounce it. Even in Italian, the name Falanghina (an indigenous grape variety of Italy’s Campania) doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue. Bright, fruity, soft, seductive, yet dry and refreshing, a growing number of first class Campanian producers are sending Falanghina our way. Try it! The same can be said for Greco and Fiano di Avellino, two super premium grape varieties from Italy’s alluring Amalfi Coast.

Greco and Fiano di Avellino are truly beautiful white wines that drink well alone and with food, especially seafood. Verdicchio is another crowd pleasing white wine from Italy that is now better than ever. Gruner Veltliner, Austria’s iconic white grape variety, also deserves to be better known. It makes a wonderful aperitif, and it pairs beautifully with Asian and Fusion cuisines. Gewurztraminer is another unsung hero. It’s one of the few white wines that can hold up to heat and heady Asian stir fries as well as rich pâtés and smoked meats. Gewurztraminer is never outclassed by the food, and it can be enjoyed as an aperitif or in place of dessert. And these grapes are just a few of the great white varietals that abound. So, why not really step outside of the Chardonnay/Sauvignon box?

A votre santé
Don Lahey

Don’s September Collector’s Series Top Picks

September 17, 2013 by Don Lahey

The Collector Series Top Picks are always fraught with angst, but here is goes. My first Top Pick this month belongs to the folks at Reyneke and their elegant, flavorful, beautifully balanced 2011 Stellenbosch Syrah. Reyneke’s 2011 Syrah is truly world class Syrah. It exhibits the elegance and polish that one expects from top notch producers from France’s Rhône Valley as well as plenty of ripe fruit and a wonderful array of complex flavors. This is South African wine at the top of its game, a wine to sip and enjoy with cheese or the best meal one can muster.

My second Top Pick is really a toss-up. Valenciso’s 2011 Rioja Blanco is perhaps the finest white Rioja I have tasted in decades, but it is still young and in need of additional time in bottle to fully blossom. Rustenberg’s 2010 John X. Merriman is another classic, a meritage or red Bordeaux blend that highlights how good South African wine can be and how dedicated many of the folks on Africa’s Western Cape are to making great wine. Rustenberg’s John X. Merriman, also, outshines many red Bordeaux and California meritage offerings costing twice the price. But like the Valenciso Rioja Blanco, it, too, is quite young. So, decide if you’re in the mood for white or red.

A votre santé.
Don Lahey

Don’s September Premier Series Top Picks

September 16, 2013 by Don Lahey

This month belongs to the fine white grape varieties of Italy. Consequently, my first Top Pick goes to Tavignano’s 2012 Torre Villa Verdicchio. Verdicchio is and always has been a better wine than the mass produced amphora shaped fish bottle that many came to associate with Verdicchio, and Tavignano’s delicious Torre Villa provides further proof of Verdicchio’s consummate charm. Tavignano’s Verdicchio is a true crowd pleaser: pure, fresh, simple and elegant this delicious white wine delivers pleasure in every sip and slips down ever so easily.

My second Top Pick goes to Cantina del Taburno’s 2012 Greco. The ancient Greco variety is one of the Amalfi Coast’s and Italy’s greatest white grapes and the folks at Taburno have truly raised the bar with their 2012 Greco – in my opinion their finest Greco to date. This is a splendid wine to enjoy on its own or with seafood. This month’s red wines shine as well, but for September, I give the nod to Italy’s beautiful white wines.

A votre santé.
Don Lahey

Zinfandel: California’s Own Grape

September 12, 2013 by Don Lahey

For more than a century Zinfandel has run the gamut in California from boom to bust and back. Brought to fore during California’s Gold Rush, the hills of Amador County still yield plenty of the luscious, spicy, often chameleon-like grape we call Zinfandel. Zinfandel is widely believed to be descended from Primitivo, a European varietal now cultivated in Italy, which happens to be identical in DNA to the ancient Croatian varietal Crljenak Kaštelanski. This DNA match up confirms Zinfandel as one of the oldest continuously cultivated grape varieties in the world. Yet, it wasn’t until Zinfandel traveled to America that it found its true home – California. Although the first definitive California plantings of Zinfandel took place just prior to the middle of the 19^th century, it didn’t take long for Zinfandel to gain favor in America, first with the 49’ers and then with the waves of Italian immigrants who made their way west.

Today, Zinfandel is widely acknowledged as America’s Heritage wine with more than 50,000 acres under cultivation, nearly all of it in California. Although most important grape varieties have their reference points in Europe, Zinfandel bills itself as an American success story, and its history reads as the classic rags to riches tale. What has no doubt made Zinfandel so popular in America is the grape’s ability to adapt to different climates and treatments. Zinfandel is a grape capable of producing rich intense red wines of more than 15% alcohol as well as light fruity “blush” wines. What more can one ask for? How about a glass and a bottle of Terra d’Oro’s 2010 Amador County Zin?

Salud!
Don Lahey

Languedoc: The Source of Fine Red Wine at Affordable Prices

September 5, 2013 by Don Lahey

Languedoc Vineyard — Carcassonne Vineyards in Languedoc

After nearly a century of slumber precipitated by the advent of phylloxera, France’s Languedoc has come roaring back. Once the source of much of France’s finest red wines, the Languedoc fell from oenological grace in the late 19th century. The area’s growers and cooperatives felt compelled to revitalize quickly after the scourge of phylloxera and began re-planting for yield and volume, rather than quality. Languedoc rapidly became the world’s source of oceans of ordinary plonk, a situation that lasted until the 1980s. But what a difference a few decades make. Since the 1980s Languedoc has undergone a veritable renaissance in viticulture. Today, much of the sins of the last century have been rectified, and a coterie of young growers and winemakers continue to push the envelope on quality in the Languedoc.

Premium varietals such as Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre now complement or supplant the region’s old vine Carignan. Vineyards have been moved back up onto the hills, yields are being limited to insure quality and modern winemaking and viticultural practices now predominate. Moreover, organic farming and sustainable agricultural practices are flourishing in Languedoc. So great has been the transformation of France’s oldest and largest wine producing region that the red wines of Corbières, Minervois, and Pic Saint Loup in Languedoc presently constitutes some of the planet’s highest quality, most affordable wines. Be sure not to miss this trend or bypass Languedoc wines when searching for quality and value.

Don Lahey

photo credit: dvdbramhall via photopin cc

« Newer Entries

Older Entries »