Wine Blog from The International Wine of the Month Club

Wildfires Ravage California Wine Country

September 1, 2020 by Don Lahey

Unless you are one of the hundreds of thousands of people fleeing the flames throughout California wine country, you cannot imagine the intensity of these blazes and the destruction ignited by more than 20,000 dry lightning strikes. As of this writing, this latest round of seasonal California wildfires has claimed seven lives, destroyed 1,200 homes and businesses, burned more than 800,000 acres, and forced mandatory evacuations in the San Francisco Bay area, Napa, Sonoma, Lake and Solano counties just as the grape harvest began. The heavy smoke from these fires threatens to taint the grapes that remain on the vines, and it is already creating the planet’s worst air pollution throughout the American West.

Even more frightening is the added specter of Covid-19, which impedes firefighters, first responders, and rescue efforts. And with the need to wear masks and the necessity of social distancing to prevent the spread of the disease, the question arises: How do we support essential workers and house and support the thousands of people whose homes and businesses are under siege? In past years, many of the wineries themselves opened their facilities and fed the multitudes who lost homes and had nowhere else to go. In the midst of the Covid crisis, few wineries or public shelters have space to house more than a tiny number of those seeking safety from the fires, and many of the wineries and vineyards are themselves threatened and are closed.

Spawned by more than 11,000 lightning strikes, the L.N.U. Lightning Complex (the largest and most widespread complex of fires) continues to ravage Napa, Sonoma, Lake, and Solano counties, the source of many of California’s iconic wines. Other areas throughout Central and Southern California have also been affected. It is one thing to be aware of a crisis, it is another to take action. What can you and I do to help? Plenty. Although few of us are equipped to fight fires or are too distant to offer shelter, we can support California growers and producers by making a concerted effort to buy and consume California wine, especially wines grown and produced by small family wineries who have the most to lose. And when California winemakers were asked how consumers and the general public could help, they responded by saying “Firefighters are truly on the front lines fighting these fires. They are risking their lives to save others’ lives and property. Helping injured firefighters and the families of those who have lost their lives would be the best way to honor these heroes.”

If you would like to help, please consider making a donation to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation, a non-profit that is active in all states, by going to www.wffoundation.org. The Wildland Firefighter Foundation has been assisting firefighters and their families since 1994 and has been especially supportive of California wildland firefighters and their families, including those who fought the deadly Camp fire that destroyed Paradise. Any support you can render will go a long way to helping those who help the rest of us stay safe.

Petite Sirah: California’s Latest Darling

August 15, 2020 by Don Lahey

Petite Sirah, also known as Durif, is named for Francois Durif, the French botanist who first identified the grape in the late 19^th century in the south of France. Petite Sirah is thought to be the result of a natural chance cross pollination between Syrah and the French grape Peloursin. Durif or Petite Sirah (the names are often used interchangeably) is rarely cultivated today in its native France. However, this adaptable grape has gained considerable favor elsewhere, with California its main proponent. It is increasingly popular in Australia and Israel, too, as the grape is well-suited to a dry, Mediterranean climate.

Although called Petite Sirah, there is nothing petite about Petite Sirah, except the size of its berries. Petite Sirah produces rich, powerful, and often tannic wines that are typically at their best within the first 5 or 6 years of life, but the finest versions benefit from extensive bottle aging and live for up to two decades or more.

Petite Sirah has a long history in California where it has flourished since the 1870s. A favorite of Sonoma County’s Italian immigrant population for its deep color, rich fruit flavors, and tannic structure, Petite Sirah quickly found a place among California’s “field blends,” wines that were enamored by California’s immigrant population and the state’s burgeoning population. At the turn of the 20^th century, Petite Sirah was reputed to be among the three leading grape varieties planted in California. Zinfandel and Mourvèdre were the other players in that triumvirate. Although not nearly so widely cultivated today, Petite Sirah is enjoying resurgence, both as a key component in many of California’s finest Zinfandels and popular field blends but also on its own as a single varietal. Rich dark fruit, plenty of robust flavors, and ample tannins make Petite Sirah popular among American consumers.

Salud!
Don

Malbec: Better Than Ever

July 15, 2020 by Don Lahey

Malbec’s more than decade-long meteoric rise to prominence north of the Rio Grande has secured it a place at dinner tables and around barbecue pits all across America. Invariably, Malbec offers a deeply colored mouthful of wine that complements a wide variety of foods that Americans enjoy: steaks, burgers, pork barbecue, pizza, and a host of everyday, stick to your ribs fare. However, Malbec’s star has not always burned so brightly. For years, much of the Malbec on store shelves in this country were simply blah or at best one trick ponies, with only a handful of notable exceptions. It is not because Malbec makes inherently inferior wine (nothing could be further from the truth), but because for too long there were so few really good Malbecs in North America to choose from. With the exception of Catena, Alta Vista, Achaval-Ferrer, and a handful of other notable producers, most Malbecs in this country in decades past were one dimensional wines that provided the grape variety’s deep hue and jolt, but little else. Thankfully, all that has changed. Today, we in North America have many excellent Malbec wines to choose from and one need not have an expense account to enjoy them.

Although Malbec’s origin is southwest France, including Bordeaux, where it still plays an important supporting role alongside Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, Argentina has come to fore as the contemporary champion and spiritual home of Malbec. A continuous stream of excellent Malbecs now flow north from Argentina to grace North American tables. And I am happy to report that many of my favorite Argentinean Malbecs are now readily available in the U.S. Almarada, a new venture from Malbec specialist Antonio Mas, offers a tasty, crowd-pleasing Malbec from the famed Uco Valley at a very reasonable price. Graffito, La Posta, Luca, Mendel, and Tikal are even more consummate Malbec producers that consistently fashion excellent, affordable Malbecs at the level of Achaval Ferrer, Catena and Alta Vista. With that said, one should also not overlook the top Malbec wines from France’s Cahors appellation where Château Armandière and Domaines Georges Vigouroux are fashioning traditional, world-class Malbecs. So why not fire up the grill, call friends over for a barbecue, and pour a glass of a truly good Malbec?

Salud!
Don

Cabernet Franc

June 15, 2020 by Don Lahey

Cabernet Franc often lives in the shadow of its younger and more assertive sibling, Cabernet Sauvignon. Although reluctant to rely on gender stereotyping of grape varietals or their particular characteristics, a compelling case can be made for describing Cabernet Franc as the feminine side of Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc, whose origin appears to be the Pyrenees Mountains in southwest France, is one of Bordeaux’s oldest and most prestigious grape varietals. It predates Cabernet Sauvignon by many centuries and recent DNA testing has determined that Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc constitute the actual forebears of Cabernet Sauvignon and not the other way around as once thought.

In its spiritual home, Cabernet Franc figures prominently in both Left and Right Bank Bordeaux wines, with the most esteemed Right Bank appellations of Pomerol and St. Émilion relying more heavily on Cabernet Franc’s propensity to ripen earlier than its more famous offspring, Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc also flourishes in France’s Loire Valley, most notably in the appellations of Bourgeuil and Chinon, where it produces elegant, sophisticated red wines. Add Cabernet Franc’s hauntingly beautiful fragrance, enticing berry, currant and leafy flavors, along with rounder, more accessible tannins than its progeny, Cabernet Sauvignon, and it is easy to see why Cabernet Franc is uniformly esteemed in France and increasingly sought after by New World wineries. The most notable Cabernet Francs outside of France emanate from Argentina, California, and Chile where they are bottled as premium varietals and play key supporting roles in Meritage selections

Our Owner’s Top 7 Picks Available in our Wine Store Now

June 5, 2020 by International Wine of the Month Club

We asked the head of our wine curation panel, Don Lahey, to come up with the top 7 wines they’d pick from our inventory to get them through the quarantine (One for each day of the week!). Here’s what we got back:

Put together your own quarantine dream assortment, and save 15% automatically when you order 12 total bottles! And, save an additional 10% on all wine, beer, and cigar store orders over $100 with the code below.

Order Online or by emailing or calling us at 800-625-8238.

Thanks so much for supporting our small, family-owned business during these unprecedented times. It means so much to us.

What to Look for in November

November 15, 2019 by Don Lahey

In November, The International Wine of the Month Club’s Premier Series offers four unique, highly acclaimed wines. To begin this month’s odyssey is the 2018 Château Pizay Morgon, a wine that personifies the endearing side of cru Beaujolais, which is nothing like the oceans of “Nouveau” that inundate the market each fall. From the very first sniff of the 2018 Château de Pizay Morgon, the accolades heralding the superior quality of the 2018 vintage in Beaujolais are confirmed. 92 points from Decanter adds further affirmation. Beautiful cherry and freshly picked strawberry fruit scents leap from the glass. Add a bright crimson and purple robe and savory silky smooth flavors and it’s hard to think of the 2018 Château de Pizay Morgon as anything but hedonism in a glass. In the mouth, raspberry and strawberry fruit with hints of cinnamon, crushed minerals, and a delightfully seductive vinosity seduce the palate. Although wonderful to drink now, this top notch Morgon still has several years of development ahead of it, as the wines of Morgon are traditionally some of the longest-lived Beaujolais.

Next in line is Domaine Houchart’s 2018 Côtes de Provence Blanc, a wine that embodies the best of Provence. In this rare white wine made from traditional Provençal grapes, one can almost taste the Provençal sun, feel the cool breeze wafting from the Mediterranean Sea, and smell the scented fragrance of Provence’s magical landscape. Light, fresh, but full of flavor and pinpoint precision, the 2018 Domaine Houchart Côtes de Provence Blanc offers an intoxicating aroma of citrus, mango and white peach. In the mouth, the wine’s crisp orange peel and spice flavors appear on a sea of delicate acidity, making the wine’s delightful finish both round and refreshing. With Domaine Houchart’s simple but delicious blend of Clairette and Rolle, there is no smoke or mirrors, oak, or butter tones, just one fresh, unique white wine.

This month’s adventure continues with Ernesto Catena’s certified biodynamic 2015 Tikal Natural from organic grapes. This is a masterful blend of Malbec (60%) and Syrah (40%) from this premier estate. Born in an excellent vintage and the offspring of a vineyard in Mendoza’s renowned Vista Flores region, the 2015 Tikal adds further evidence of Argentina’s ability to craft natural tasting world-class red wines that do not require bank loans to enjoy. A more natural, plush, and thoroughly satisfying red wine will be hard to find as the 2015 Tikal Natural captures the essence of biodynamic farming. It offers a deep rich color, fresh cherry and wild raspberry aromas, and a delicious array of fruit, spice, mocha and vanilla flavors to tantalize the palate. Bold-flavored, yet smooth and immensely satisfying, the 2015 Tikal Natural will spoil your palate for anything less natural and sensuous.

The last leg of this month’s odyssey is the 2018 Château de Pizay Beaujolais Blanc. Purity and precision pervade Château de Pizay’s vibrant 2018 Beaujolais Blanc. This recent release from Château de Pizay sports an eye-catching, sunny straw-colored robe, but this wine has more than visual appeal going for it. Fresh draughts of spring, apple blossoms, and melon waft from the glass. In the mouth, this Mâcon style Chardonnay offers delicate floral and fruit flavors infused with a gentle palate-pleasing minerality. Although imbued with the soft lovely fruit of a first rate Mâcon-Villages, the 2018 Château de Pizay retains the pinpoint precision of Beaujolais from the appellation’s granite soil, adding vibrancy to the wine’s smooth palate-cleansing finish.

The International Wine of the Month Club’s Collectors Series is proud to offer three exciting and highly allocated wines in November from three countries. We begin with the 2017 Fore Family Carneros Napa Pinot Noir. Few California producers fashion a Pinot as bold and beautiful as the 2017 Fore Family Carneros Napa Pinot Noir, yet still retain the elegance and complexity for which the finest Pinot Noirs are renowned. The 2017 Fore Family Carneros Napa Pinot Noir does that and more, offering up savory scents of Morello cherries, woodland blackberries and a cornucopia of enticing spices from the minute it is poured. Faithful to the Fore style, the wine’s beckoning aromatics follow through on the palate, carried on a bed of silky tannins that continue to caress the palate long after the wine has been swallowed. Unfolding slowly with each sip, the wine’s hauntingly beautiful fruit, exotic spice, and fresh forest floor tones are an absolute delight. And given Fore Family’s track record for crafting Pinot Noirs that continue to improve in bottle and drink well for up to a decade or more, you can bet the 2017 Fore Family Carneros Napa Pinot Noir will be even more enticing tomorrow than it is today.

This month’s highly allocated Collectors Series white wine is Delamotte’s Brut N.V. Champagne from the celebrated Champagne house that fashions Champagne’s legendary Salon-Le-Mesnil. Elegance, finesse, and delicacy are the hallmarks of all Delamotte champagnes, and Delamotte’s Brut N.V. provides the ideal introduction into Delamotte’s prestigious house style. Lithe in the glass and sporting a fine delicate mousse, Delamotte’s Brut immediately strikes the right chord. Enticing aromas of orchard fruits mingled with soft scents of hazelnuts and pain grillé greet the nose. In the mouth, the wine truly turns on its charm with crisp clean mineral driven flavors that complement the wine’s delicate fruit and delightfully toasty elements. Refreshing and beautifully balanced, it is hard to imagine a finer, more sophisticated Brut champagne than Delamotte’s Brut N.V.

To round out this month’s Collectors Series is the 2015 Casa Silva S38 Los Lingues Single Block Cabernet Sauvignon, the estate’s rarest and most highly allocated wine: Wow! this newly released wine makes quite a statement. Always pushing the envelope, the 2015 S38 Cabernet Sauvignon is unquestionably the finest Cabernet to date from Casa Silva. This illustrious winery has imbued their 2015 S38 Cabernet Sauvignon with a gorgeous deep ruby/ purple color, an intense bouquet, and a wealth of flavors in the form of ripe blackberries, tobacco, mint, and chocolate tones. Long in the mouth and saturated with flavor, the 2015 S38 is a tour de force from Casa Silva. No wonder it garnered 93 points from Descorchados, South America’s most prestigious wine review. Enjoy!

Beaujolais: France’s Unsung Hero

November 10, 2019 by Kristina Manning

Beaujolais remains one of France’s classic and most endearing wines, although its reputation has been maligned by the ocean of Beaujolais Nouveau that began inundating our shores each November a generation ago. Authentic, classic Beaujolais bears little resemblance to Nouveau, and it has never been better. Will the real Beaujolais please stand up?

Situated in the extreme south of Burgundy, Beaujolais is a vast region of nearly two hundred villages and communes, which are spread out on varying subsoils consisting of many individual terroirs. Unofficially, Beaujolais forms the dividing line between northern and southern France. Straddling the un-specified equivalent of the American Mason-Dixon Line, authentic Beaujolais flows in copious quantities north to Paris and south to Lyon and beyond to the delight of millions.

The Gamay Grape

In spite of inherent variations in style and quality, which reflect the differences in soil composition, altitude, and level of production among the region’s thousands of growers, one common denominator comes to fore in Beaujolais – the Gamay grape. Gamay provides the defining character and flavor of Beaujolais, and nowhere is this more the case than in the 10 cru villages of Beaujolais – the source of the finest wines of the region. Although wines bearing a Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages AOC can provide very pleasant drinking, the ten cru villages comprise the heart of Beaujolais and offer the consumer the finest Gamay wines in the world. In addition, each of these ten townships possesses a special terroir and an individual set of characteristics, which make for memorable drinking. These 10 cru villages of Beaujolais are Brouilly, Côte de Brouilly, Chiroubles, St. Amour, Fleurie, Regnie, Chenas, Morgon, Julienas, and Moulin-à-Vent. Although each cru has its merits and particular attributes, Morgon, Julienas, and Moulin-à-Vent are widely acknowledged to be the finest, fullest and most Burgundy-like of the wines of Beaujolais, and they enjoy an enviable reputation for ageing up to five years or more in bottle with excellent results. Some reliable producers of superb cru Beaujolais include Château de Pizay, Château de Saint Lager, Daniel Bouland, Georges Descombes, and Mathieu Lapierre. Like all Beaujolais, cru Beaujolais is best consumed cool or even slightly chilled in the company of good home cooking. Enjoy!

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