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

So, What’s That In My Wine?

June 8, 2012 by Don Lahey

So, what’s that in my wine? This is the question I hear when tartrate crystals appear in a wine, affixed to the cork, or clinging to the sides of the bottle of a fine wine. And lately, we’ve been seeing more of these welcome but unsightly crystals. Why is tartrate a welcome sight? The short answer is that tartrate crystals, which often resemble glass, sugar, or just plan slush, are indicative of minimal intervention and natural handling in the wine making process of both red and white wines.

Tartrate crystal is a natural, harmless, tasteless-sediment that often appears in wines that have not been overly filtered, manipulated, or cold stabilized especially after temperature variations that occur during transit or after refrigeration. The appearance of tartrate in wine is in no way a flaw: rather the appearance of tartrate sediment (tartrate is comprised mostly of potassium bitartrate, whose common name is cream of tartar), should be viewed as a sign of a winery’s commitment to producing the most natural, healthful wine possible. Yet, tartrate can admittedly be unsightly. To minimize the amount of tartrate and other precipitate that flows into your glass, simply stand a bottle of wine upright for several hours and then decant the wine carefully before serving. Enjoy!

A Votre Santé!

Don

Are You a Terroiriste?

June 1, 2012 by Don Lahey

The word terroir sounds like a less savory term we are all too familiar with and hear far too much about today, but happily terroir shares no affinity with the English word that so closely resembles it. So, what is terroir precisely? Terroir is a French word, which means literally soil or ground. However, when used in connection to wine or viticulture, terroir refers to the specific and often unique soil in which individual vines grow, but that is not all. Terroir, also, encompasses the climate, altitude, and the precise position of the vines in a vineyard. In essence, terroir includes the entire environment of a vineyard or even the entire surroundings and upbringing of an individual plot within a vineyard because terroir can vary considerably from one part of a vineyard to the next. Since English and other languages, too, lack a single word to convey as much meaning as the French word terroir, the term has become widely adapted internationally and is now a generally accepted term in English, too, especially in the wine trade and increasingly among critics and consumers alike.

So, to answer the question, yes I am a terroiriste. However, I lend equal credence to the skills and multifarious choices every winemaker must make because no matter how fine the terroir, good winemaking matters, a lot.

A Votre Santé!

Don

Don’s May Collector’s Series Top Picks

May 23, 2012 by Don Lahey

This month’s Collector Series Top Picks give me palpitations. Why? I like all three of the wines for different reasons, and so did the panel. However, two wines it must be, so it comes down to which two wines I find most compelling at the moment. Consequently, the 2005 Domaine La Millière Châteauneuf-du Pape warrants a Top Pick. It’s classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape: a full, rich, polished wine that embodies the commune’s traditional style. Furthermore, it has six and a half years of age behind and it’s hard to find wines of this quality that are still available in the marketplace. And better still, this wine has years to go before it reaches its peak. For present consumption, allow it an hour of aeration: you won’t be disappointed.

My other choice for top billing has to be the 2008 Nash Family Vineyards Shiraz, a mouthwatering blend of Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon from Paarl on the Western Cape of South Africa. We were completely blown away by the quality of this wine, a very limited edition that has never before been available in the United States. In fact, we had to travel to South Africa to find it, and getting it here was no mean feat. We trust you’ll enjoy it as much as we did!

A Votre Santé!

Don

Don’s May Premier Series Top Picks

May 17, 2012 by Don Lahey

Anyone who has been member for awhile can attest to the fact that we have not offered many Beaujolais wines to our members. The reason for that is twofold. First, we can rarely reach a consensus on Beaujolais and secondly, simple Beaujolais and Beaujolais-Villages wines don’t often offer a high quality/value ratio – the more expensive Cru Villages offerings being the exceptions. In the 2010 Château de Pizay Régnie, we found a Cru Village wine we liked, a lot. In fact, the words huggable, scrumptious, and addicting were all descriptions uttered by the panel in deference to the 2010 Château de Pizay Régnie – quintessential Beaujolais from the esteemed village of Régnie. Considering the quality of this special Beaujolais offering and our rare consensus on Beaujolais, the 2010 Château de Pizay Régnie merits one of my Top Picks for this month.

My other Top Pick has to go to the 2008 Mont Marçal, a delicious vintage dated Cava that is both flavorful and fun to drink. It also offers excellent value. Moreover, this wine has been a perennial favorite at parties and tastings since its release, so it’s truly earned a top spot. Enjoy this elegant Cava early in the evening or with light first courses.

A Votre Santé!

Don

Don’s April Collector’s Series Top Picks

April 22, 2012 by Don Lahey

I confess to having a penchant recently for polished, complex Tuscan reds such as Morazzano’s 2005 Re. And what a wine Re is. Born on the hills of Montescudaio close to Sassicaia and some of Tuscany’s other illustrious names, Re outperforms most Brunello di Montalcino in my book and a host of lesser “Super Tuscans,” too. Consequently, Re is one of my top picks for the month time. Give this beauty some breathing time, and then taste it again and again as it works its magic.

My other Top pick for this month is Alejandro Fernandez’s 2005 El Vinculo, an old vine Tempranillo from La Mancha. El Vinculo demonstrates La Mancha’s ability to produce outstanding Tempranillo. It is one of the finest wines I have ever tasted from La Mancha and another resounding success from Alejandro Fernandez, Spain’s King of Tempranillo; hence, my choice as this month’s other Top Pick!

A Votre Santé!

Don

So What Do I Drink …Off the Job – Part II?

April 19, 2012 by Don Lahey

King prawn and fennel risotto with a glass of Barbera

When beef, lamb, and game appear on the menu, red Bordeaux, California Cabernet Sauvignon (preferably with some bottle age), Châteauneuf-du-Pape, full throttle Spanish Tempranillos from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, or elsewhere, Super Tuscans, and thick rich Syrah based wines from Australia, California, or South Africa are likely to be my wines of choice. I like to mix up what I drink with red meat. When pork, pastas with thick tomato sauces, and spicy bean, sausage, or vegetable dishes are the order of the day, Carmenère from Chile, country reds from Spain, California Zinfandel, and of course a whole host of Italian reds will more often than not join me at table. To be frank, I love good Carmenère that is made from physiologically ripe grapes. It drinks well young, needs very little breathing time, and delivers more flavors for the money than almost any other varietal. The best examples are great on their own or with simple dishes; however, not all Carmenères are created equal so sometimes I am disappointed.

While discussing preferences, it is fair to say that risotto is one of my favorite foods, and here I am quite particular about what I like to drink with risotto. I can think of no better wine to accompany risotto than Barbera, Barbaresco, or Barolo from Italy’s Piedmont.

Poultry, cream based pastas, salmon, soft cheeses, rare tuna or for just plain sipping, what wine beats Pinot Noir, and that includes red Burgundy and the finest California, New Zealand, and Oregon Pinots? When Oregon experiences a good vintage, who offers better quality and value Pinot Noir than the top Willamette Valley producers?

A Votre Santé!

Don

Don’s April Premier Series Top Picks

April 12, 2012 by Don Lahey

Shiraz is one of the world’s great red grape varietals. Yet, there are many over cropped, underperforming examples of Australian Shiraz in the market. With that said, I am proud to say that this month’s Primary Red, Berton’s The Black Shiraz, is not one of the underperforming slackers. Although still quite young, Berton’s The Black Shiraz offers plenty of rich varietal fruit, pleasing spice tones, and adequate tannin and structure to improve further in bottle. This wine scores high on my quality/value scale.

Yet, equally impressive is Armandière’s 2008 Ancestral Cahors Malbec, an authentic and traditionally made “black wine” from Cahors – Malbec’s spiritual home. It, too, offers superior quality and value, which makes it my second Top Pick for the month along with Berton’s Shiraz.

However, I can’t overlook Vergenoegd’s 2011 Runner Duck White, another excellent example of how far South Africa has come in producing wines that the rest of the world wants to drink. Runner Duck is a rare blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Colombard. It scored high with our tasting panels both here and in South Africa. I love this wine’s flavor profile, purity, and eminent drinkability.

A Votre Santé!

Don

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