Notes from the Panel Archives - Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Burgundy: Where Dirt is Destiny

April 18, 2022 by Don Lahey

Burgundy is a wine as well as a place. In fact, it is many wines and many distinct locales, all of which were once part of the ancient duchy of Burgundy. Situated several hundred kilometers southwest of Paris, Burgundy is hallowed ground to serious lovers of the vine. From its golden hillsides, whose center slopes are so aptly named the Côte d’Or, flow France’s most expensive and profound wines. Names such as Romanée Conti, Chambertin, Clos de Vougeot, and Le Montrachet, among others, have been delighting serious wine aficionados for centuries. Yet, there is much more to Burgundy and its wines than a few illustrious names. For starters, Burgundy is the ancestral of home of two of the world’s most revered grape varieties – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Clearly, Burgundy is much more than a single wine or one great vineyard: it is a special place, a land almost entirely devoted to wine in one fashion or another. However, what remains surprising to many wine drinkers is that Burgundy is both red and white wine, the best of which come exclusively from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, respectively. With a growing number of exceptions, the finest Burgundies emanate from the region’s hallowed core, the Côte d’Or, which begins on the fabled Côte de Nuits, just to the south of Dijon, and flows all the way south to Santenay at the tip of the Côte de Beaune. The Premier and Grand Cru wines from these illustrious hillsides are worth their weight in gold, but increasingly the wines from the gentle slopes outside the privileged climats are creating the most attention and providing great drinking pleasure, including those on the Côte Chalonnaise and in the Mâconnais south of the Côte d’Or – all Burgundy and increasingly worth their weight in gold. Salut!

Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

January 15, 2022 by Don Lahey

Montepulciano is one of the world’s great wine towns. Even when legions of wine-thirsty tourists descend upon the Tuscan hill town of Montepulciano, it manages to retain its charm and characteristic medieval feel. In fact, this bustling town is a strollers’ paradise, replete with flower bedecked alleyways and steep steps in place of streets. And thanks to a ban on vehicles in much of the old town, one comes to quickly understand how Montepulciano emerged a “Pearl of the 16^th Century.” Set on a steep hill between the Val di Chiana and the Val d’Orcia, Montepulciano is the center of the thriving DOCG (Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin) of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, one of the greatest and oldest names in Italian wine.

The “noble wine” of Montepulciano has enjoyed its renowned reputation ever since the year 790. Even in the early medieval period, the “Vino Nobile” of Montepulciano was highly sought after, even outside of Montepulciano and the surrounding area. In 1549, Sante Lancerio, maître de chaîne to Pope Paul III, called the noble wine of Montepulciano “Vino perfettissimo da Signori” or the Preferred Wine of the Nobility. It was, however, the 17^th century doctor and poet Francesco Redi, who established the reputation of the Nobile of Montepulciano as “The King of all Wine.” The name “Nobile” dates from the era when higher quality wines were exclusively reserved for noble families.

Today, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano remains a special wine. Vino Nobile’s primary grape variety is the local Prugnolo Gentile, a unique clone of Tuscan Sangiovese, which must comprise a minimum 70% of any wine that bears the title of Vino Nobile. Many point to Prugnolo Gentile as the determining factor in the quality quotient of Vino Nobile. And with the supreme polish and depth of flavor that one sees in the finest Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, it would be hard to refute the claim. Since 1980, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano has enjoyed the distinction of DOCG status, one of the first wines in Italy to be so named.

In order to be called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a wine must, also, be matured in wooden casks for at least two years, starting from the 1^st of January following the harvest. After maturing for three years, Vino Nobile is entitled to be called “Riserva.” Prugnolo Gentile must always be the primary grape variety, but other traditional Tuscan varieties such as Malvasia Nero, Canaiolo Nero, Colorino, and Mammolo are also permitted. Small amounts of Merlot and Cabernet are now legal in Vino Nobile as well.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape: France’s First and Greatest Appellation

December 15, 2021 by Don Lahey

Châteauneuf-du-Pape sits astride the swift-moving Rhône River in the sun-drenched heart of Provence, known as the Vaucluse. Blessed with a dry Mediterranean climate ideal for the cultivation of vines and the production of wine, this historic picturesque wine region fashions a vast array of the world’s greatest red wines, thanks in large part to the proliferation of old-vine Grenache.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape championed France’s Appellation Control and was the first wine region in the world to garner Appellation d’Origine Controlée (AOC) status in 1936. Châteauneuf-du-Pape became the model for the entire French system of Appellation Control and nearly all other subsequent attempts to guarantee the authenticity of wine and improve the wine of individual wine regions worldwide. Quality and integrity have long been the hallmarks of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which led Robert Parker, Jr. and other wine critics to dub Châteauneuf-du-Pape France’s greatest appellation.

Great wine almost always begins with healthy old vines, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape possesses some of the oldest vines in France. The average age of the vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is in excess of 40 years, by far the oldest of any major appellation in France, and many of the appellation’s vines have more than 100 years of age.

In addition, the entire production of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is hand harvested. Moreover, there is the region’s fabulous terroir – large, flat stones known as galets roulés that mingle with decomposed gravel. These remnants of Alpine glaciers, which once covered southern France, form Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s glacial till. This sacred till provides excellent drainage and imparts subtle nuances of flavor to the appellation’s outstanding wines. However, many consumers are surprised that both red and white wines emanate from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and that red Châteauneuf-du-Pape may contain all of the appellation’s thirteen legal grape varieties.

Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Muscardin, Cournoise, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Picpoul, Roussanne, Terret Noir, Picardan, and Vaccarese are all legal grape varieties for Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Domaine du Vieux Lazaret among others actually contain all thirteen varieties), and a case can be made that there are really fourteen legal grape varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, as Grenache comes in both red and white varieties. White Châteauneuf-du-Papes has gained in poularity in recent years, but red wine still reigns supreme in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, both in terms of quality and quantity.

Hundreds of proprietors fashion red Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the appellation’s more than 8,000 acres, much of it world class. Some of the most consistent producers of top-notch Châteauneuf-du-Pape include Château Beaucastel, Domaine du Vieux Lazaret, Guigal, and Domaine du Grand Tinel to name just a few.

Stellenbosch: South Africa’s Crown Jewel

November 15, 2021 by Don Lahey

South Africa has had a thriving wine industry since the 17^th century, but only now is the rest of the world taking notice. Quality and innovation push the envelope and values abounds. And nowhere in South Africa is their more to delight wine lovers than in the much heralded Winelands of Stellenbosch.

Located on the Western Cape less than an hour north of Cape Town, the picture post card town of Stellenbosch and the surrounding mountains form a dramatic backdrop for what has justly been heralded as the most beautiful wine country in the world. Although some may try to refute that claim and promote the various picturesque merits of other world renowned wine regions, what is not in question is the integral role Stellenbosch has played for more than three centuries in the formation of South African wine. Yes, the South African wine industry is that old; it dates back to the second half of the 17^th century. Not only is Stellenbosch South Africa’s oldest and most important wine producing region, it is the finest region for red and white wines on the African continent. It is South Africa’s Napa, Sonoma, and Santa Barbara counties and much more. Stellenbosch contains a myriad of microclimates, which allows for the cultivation of a wide array of grape varieties. Consequently, Stellenbosch is responsible for high quality red and white wines from a host of varietals that include Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Viognier, and of course South Africa’s unique varietal Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. From wineries in Stellenbosch old and new flow an enormous variety of wines that are world class and wholly unique in character. It is time to discover the unique, incredibly flavorful wines of Stellenbosch – South Africa’s crown jewel and the world’s most beautiful wine land.

Cabernet Sauvignon: The King of Wines

September 15, 2021 by Don Lahey

Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely cultivated wine grape on the planet. While Cabernet Sauvignon’s preeminence underscores consumers insatiable thirst for the grape and the dark red wine that it yields, Cabernet Sauvignon is a relative newcomer among the world’s wine grape varieties and its immense popularity is of recent origin. Although Cabernet Sauvignon was thought to be an ancient varietal, DNA studies conducted in the 1990s revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon is not nearly as old as was once thought. In fact, it has only been around since the 17^th century. Moreover, what is even more startling is that Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the offspring of Cabernet Franc (a red variety) and Sauvignon Blanc (a white variety).

The origin of Cabernet Sauvignon is now widely acknowledged to be southwest France in the environs of Bordeaux, where it holds court with Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and in rare instances Carmenère. The combination of any three or more of these varieties is what is known in Europe as the Bordeaux Blend or in California and elsewhere as a Meritage selection. Some researchers now suggest that northern Spain, just south of the Pyrenees, may one day also lay a legitimate claim as to an original site of the planet’s most important red grape variety. However, Bordeaux rightly claims to be the disseminator of this noble red grape because from Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon has traveled the world far and wide.

In Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon is the heart and soul of the finest Médoc wines and a leading player in nearly all of the finest red wines of Graves. Châteaux Haut-Brion, Margaux, Latour, and Lafite are all Cabernet Sauvignon based wines. However, even in Bordeaux appellations where Cabernet is King, it is usually blended with Merlot and/or other traditional Bordeaux varietals. By nature, Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick skinned grape that requires a longer maturation than most red grape varieties, which makes blending it a natural choice in winemaking regions such as Bordeaux where climate conditions are variable.

In general, Cabernet Sauvignon thrives under warm, even hot, semi arid conditions, which is one reason why this noble variety has been extensively and successfully cultivated in Argentina, Australia, California, Chile, South Africa, Spain and elsewhere. In particular, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys a privileged place in American viticulture, and it is unquestionably California’s most prestigious red varietal, both in consummate quality as well as price. California’s Napa Valley and surrounding counties are generally acknowledged to produce the New World’s finest varietal Cabernet Sauvignons. However, Argentina, Australia, Chile, Italy, South Africa, and Spain, among others, also fashion world-class Cabernet Sauvignon, and often their wines offer greater quality and value.

In flavor profile, Cabernet Sauvignon can vary considerably, depending upon climate and terroir. However, blackberry and blackcurrant (often referred to as cassis) flavors are most often associated with this premium variety. Earthy and herbaceous aromas, cedar, eucalyptus, graphite, and tobacco are also common. Moreover, of all the world’s red grape varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon has the greatest propensity for successful ageing. Cabernet Sauvignon also contains high amounts of antioxidants and resveratrol, which make its wines some of the most healthful on the planet as well as the most widely enjoyed.

Dão: The Tuscany of Portugal

August 15, 2021 by Don Lahey

Located in the north-central part of Portugal, Dão is surrounded on all sides by mountains which shelter this ancient viticultural region from severe weather and provide ideal conditions for the cultivation of Portugal’s excellent, though mostly unsung, indigenous grape varietals. The region’s high altitude vineyards grow on granite and schist soils up to nearly 3,500 feet. Dão’s high altitude makes for cool nights, slow ripening, and the propensity to produce highly aromatic wines of superior elegance and longevity, attributes which has earned Dão the moniker The Tuscany of Portugal.

Dão produces both red and white wines. The region’s signature white grape is Encruzado, a grape renowned for producing tasty white wines in a myriad of styles, ranging from fresh, light, and supremely elegant white wines to crunchy, complex, barrel-aged versions. Although it is increasingly bottled on its own as a varietal, Encruzado still finds its way into traditional blends with Malvasia Fina, Bical, Cercial, Rabo de Ovela, Verdelho, or other indigenous Portuguese varietals. The region’s finest red grape variety is Touriga Nacional, which stars as the most important grape variety in Port, the Douro, and in the finest wines of Dão. Tinta Roriz (also known as Aragonez or Tempranillo), Jaen, Baga, Bastardo and Tinta Pinheira also figure prominently in the production of red Dão, which most often is a blend of grapes.

Traditionally, Dão was known for elegant medium-bodied red wines, but today Dão is proving to be equally adept at fashioning easy-to-drink, everyday reds as well as deep, sophisticated, age-worthy red wines. Fresh white wines of considerable distinction also emanate from Dão. Now is the time to imbibe in the fine wines of Dão from such excellent producers of both red and white Dão as Taboadella, Quinta dos Roques, and Luis Patos, among others.

Portugal: A Treasure Trove of Excellent and Affordable Wines

July 15, 2021 by Don Lahey

portuguese vineyard — CREDIT: MAURICIO ABREU/GETTY IMAGES via www.travelandleisure.com

The quality of the finest Portuguese wines has never been in doubt. For centuries the fortified wines of Portugal, most notably Port and Madeira, have been duly lauded for their quality as well as their individuality. And even today, few would argue that Vintage Port and the finest Madeira do not deserve their present reputations as two of the world’s greatest and longest lived wines. But there has always been much more to Portuguese wine than Portugal’s two iconic fortified wines or the oceans of pleasant but otherwise innocuous rosé offerings (remember Lancers and Mateus) that flooded the American market in the early 1970s. So why have we not seen more of Portugal’s excellent wines?

Sadly, Portugal like its Iberian neighbor Spain suffered political and economic instability throughout much of the 20^th century and languished behind other top wine producing nations in marketing their best wines and in improving the quality of its wines. In addition, Portuguese producers were slow to adjust to market tastes. Many of Portugal’s traditional wines were robust rustic reds that required considerable time in bottle to attract the attention of international consumers who were growing increasingly accustomed to more immediate gratification. Few Americans in particular understood the need to cellar the splendid red Garrafeira (Special Reserve) offerings from Dão and elsewhere in order to reap gustatory rewards.

However, what most delayed the appreciation of Portugal’s exceptional red wines were government regulations that called for the mandatory use of co-operatives in Dão, Portugal’s leading and most recognized appellation for still red wines. The co-operatives had the exclusive right to the grapes grown in the region and a monopoly on making the wine sold to private merchants. Although the intent of the regulations was to create a national identity for Dão and promote its quality, the effects were adverse due to a lack of competition. What resulted were many inferior, sometimes dirty wines that hardly did justice to the revered name of Dão. Fortunately for Dão and Portuguese wine in general, Portugal’s application to the European Union in 1979 prompted an end in the 1980s to such regulations and monopolistic practices. Once again quality was allowed to come to fore.

Moreover, Dão is hardly the only name to look for in Portuguese red wine. The region around Lisbon and the sprawling Alentejo also fashion excellent red and white wines. In addition to producing a treasure trove of fine wines from the Douro to the Algarve, Portugal has developed a penchant for fashioning Vinho Verde, a light, highly quaffable white wine that can be enjoyed with abandon to accompany Portugal’s splendid seafood. It’s time to rediscover and explore the treasure trove of wines that sunny Portugal has to offer. Enjoy!

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