Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
A quiet Sunday with 40-some 10-year-old Châteaunefs, with outstanding and classic-rated finds
Posted: November 15, 2011 By James Molesworth
Sundays are for laying in bed and reading the paper, or for getting up and tasting over three-dozen Châteauneuf-du-Papes. Whichever you prefer... For this Sunday in the Rhône, I solicited a more than 40 domaines to submit their 2001 vintage of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The 2001 vintage is arguably the most overlooked of the decade. Following 2000, a big, rich forward styled vintage, the 2001s initially came off as taut, racy and offering more of a bay leaf, tobacco and mineral profile. But now, 10 years after, the '01s are impressive. Here are my tasting notes.
Blogs
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James Laube's Wine Flights
Tasting wines without knowing their identity is both humbling and educational
Posted: November 14, 2011 By James Laube
There are many worthwhile ways to evaluate wines. Probably the most enjoyable is to drink them with food and friends. It’s also very instructive to taste them non-blind, knowing what the wine is and where it comes from, in order to understand its origins and character.
But if you want to be as fair and objective as possible, blind tasting is the most honest and reliable way to assess wine. And that is our methodology here at Wine Spectator. That eliminates bias, which might come from a producer’s prestige, or a wine’s price. It enables you—forces you, really—to judge a wine based on what is truly in the glass.
Blogs
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Harvey Steiman At Large
Winemaking project aims to show how the region's sites vary
Posted: November 14, 2011 By Harvey Steiman
On a visit to the Yalumba winery on Thursday, after tasting through the next-to-arrive vintages of the winery's familiar wines, chief winemaker Brian Walsh showed me three bottlings I hadn't seen before. "Single-site Shiraz," they were called, one labeled Lyndoch, another Eden Valley, the other Light Pass. I thought, yes, this is cool. Someone in Barossa is focusing on the distinctions to be made from specific sites in various parts of the valley.
Next day at First Drop, as I tasted through the 2010 and 2011 bottlings (to try to get a handle on the two vintages in Australia, and specifically the Barossa), the winery's Fat of the Land series reminded me that Yalumba's approach was not unique.
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
Checking out the 2010s Château de Nages in Costières de Nîmes and tasting some of Philippe Cambie's Halos de Jupiter line
Posted: November 11, 2011 By James Molesworth
After five days of tasting 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Papes at some of the Southern Rhônes top domaines, I ventured to Costières de Nîmes for something new. I visited Michel Gassier at Château de Nages and tasted through a selection of Philippe Cambie's Halos de Jupiter line. Here are my notes.
Blogs
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Harvey Steiman At Large
One influential writer plumps for Tempranillo, Vermentino, and others
Posted: November 10, 2011 By Harvey Steiman
Melbourne-based wine writer Max Allen loves a good Shiraz as much as the next guy. He just thinks there is so much more Australia can do, it's time to shake things up. In his book, The Future Makers: Australian Wine for the 21st Century (available online and soon to be published in the U.S.), he argues that a wide range of styles is also coming into focus for existing varieties, made by winegrowers who have adopted organic viticulture, byodynamics and, especially, grape varieties new to Australia.
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
Tasting the 2010s at the Rhône's Bosquets, St.-Cosme and Sang de Cailloux
Posted: November 9, 2011 By James Molesworth
Upon my arrival in France's Rhône Valley last week, I immediately had to cope with my newest rental car, then visited Domaine Tour St.-Michel to taste the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Papes. On my second day I visited Domaine de Boursan, Domaine Charvin and Jean-Paul Daumen at Domaine de la Vielle Julienne. Then it was off to Clos des Papes, Domaine Giraud, Clos St.-Jean and Château de la Font du Loup. Yesterday I visited Château Mont-Redon for the first time, then Beaucastel and Famille Perrin, Domaine de la Janasse and Christophe Sabon and, finally, Vieux Télégraphe and Daniel Brunier. Today, Domaine des Bosquets, St.-Cosme and Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux.
Blogs
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Exploring Wine with Tim Fish
Wine lovers are defined more by their local availability than they realize
Posted: November 9, 2011 By Tim Fish
I took a few days off in New York last month and walked into a grocery store looking for a bottle of wine. It didn’t take long for me to remember that I couldn’t actually buy wine in a New York grocery, but since my preteen son was with me, I paused for his gratification and slapped my forehead.
Blogs
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Harvey Steiman At Large
Viewing wine through the lens of geography, grape variety or style on my way to Australia
Posted: November 8, 2011 By Harvey Steiman
As the big Qantas double-decker Airbus A380 soars over the Pacific Ocean taking me and some 460 of my new friends to Australia, I peer out the window at the vast dark and get philosophical. The 15 hours it takes to fly from California to Melbourne niftily represents the gulf that now seems to separate those who strive to make good wine in Australia from wine buyers that seem to have dismissed them back in the U.S. of A.
One of my intentions over the next couple of weeks is to get a better handle on just what the Australians are doing to remedy that state of affairs. I know from what I sample in my own blind tastings that the range of styles and wine types coming from Australia today is wider and greater than ever. I am looking forward to getting some clarity on what they are actually trying to achieve.
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
Tasting the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Papes at Mont-Redon, Beaucastel, Vieux Télégraphe and more
Posted: November 7, 2011 By James Molesworth
Upon my arrival in France's Rhône Valley lastweek, I immediately had to cope with my newest rental car, then visited Domaine Tour St.-Michel to taste the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Papes. On my second day I visited Domaine de Boursan, Domaine Charvin and Jean-Paul Daumen at Domaine de la Vielle Julienne. Then it was off to Clos des Papes, Domaine Giraud, Clos St.-Jean and Château de la Font du Loup. Today I visited Château Mont-Redon for the first time, then Beaucastel and Famille Perrin, Domaine de la Janasses and Christophe Sabon and, finally, Vieux Télégraphe and Daniel Brunier.
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
Tasting the 2010 Châteauneufs and more at Clos des Papes, Domaine Giraud, Clos St.-Jean and Château de la Font du Loup
Posted: November 4, 2011 By James Molesworth
Upon my arrival in France's Rhône Valley this week, I immediately had to cope with my newest rental car, then visited Domaine Tour St.-Michel to taste the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Papes. On my second day I visited Domaine de Boursan, Domaine Charvin and Jean-Paul Daumen at Domaine de la Vielle Julienne. Today I tasted at Clos des Papes, Domaine Giraud, Clos St.-Jean and Château de la Font du Loup. Here are my tasting notes.
Blogs
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James Laube's Wine Flights
When it comes to having the most clout, who are your candidates in the business?
Posted: November 3, 2011 By James Laube
I have a few thoughts on who wine's king of the hill is, and one clue about my choice as you consider yours: She is not a he.
When he was alive, Ernest Gallo was certainly king of the hill, heading up the world's largest wine company. Big distribution companies flex muscles in many states. Robert Mondavi, at the height of his career, was the most influential, at least in this country. For a long time, Ab Simon, when he ran Seagram Chateau & Estates Wine Co., presided over the largest importer of classified-growth Bordeaux and many of France's and Europe's finest properties.
No, the person I'm thinking of is a petite young woman who heads up one of wine's biggest sellers. Annette Alvarez-Peters heads up Costco Wholesale Corp.'s alcohol sales, the nation's largest retailer of said products.
Blogs
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Exploring Wine with Tim Fish
California's mountainous Central Coast region is known for its distinctive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays
Posted: November 2, 2011 By Tim Fish
There's a lot of hot air in the wine industry about California Pinot Noir and which style is right and which is wrong, which is all a load of nonsense. Excuse me if I don't goose-step in your direction, but I'm capable of liking a variety of Pinot Noirs, from elegant red Burgundies built for the cellar to California's biggest fruit bombs.
Somewhere along the middle of that stylistic sliding scale are the Pinots of Santa Lucia Highlands. Many of the top players in Pinot—and Chardonnay, for that matter—make a wine from there: Kosta-Browne, A.P. Vin, Peter Michael, Vision Cellars, Carlisle and Patz & Hall to name a few.
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
Jean-Paul Versino, Laurent Charvin and Jean-Paul Daumen don't change much, but make some of Châteauneuf's most distinct wines
Posted: November 1, 2011 By James Molesworth
Time to roll up the sleeves and get busy. I was able to partially shake the jet lag, thanks to the adrenaline of a busy day's schedule in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, starting with a quirky rental car and a visit to Tour St.-Michel. Today's program included stops at three vignerons with staunchly traditional winemaking methods in their own right, who each rely on different areas of the appellation and different key varieties to craft their unique styles.
Today I tasted the the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Papes at Domaine Bois de Boursan, Domaine Charvin and Domaine de la Vielle Julienne.
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
After renting an "eco"-lemon, checking out the vintage racecars and 2010 vintage Châteauneufs at Domaine Tour St.-Michel
Posted: November 1, 2011 By James Molesworth
After several years of regular trips to the Rhône, French rental cars never cease to surprise me. This trip's car has continued the tradition. Once I figured it out, I took in a quick lunch and headed to Domain Tour St.-Michel to taste the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Papes.
Blogs
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James Laube's Wine Flights
Wax capsules look nice, but removing them is a messy chore
Posted: November 1, 2011 By James Laube
Some years ago, when Randy Dunn was about to release his first Cabernet from Howell Mountain, he offered to show me the wine, the package, label and closure. The bright red wax capsule that topped the 1979 vintage particularly pleased him; each bottle was hand-dipped in hot wax. It was striking. I liked the wine and the label. The label is still unchanged. But I've come to dislike the wax capsule almost as much as I loathe corks.
Blogs
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Harvey Steiman At Large
How much wine must be available for a wine to be reviewed?
Posted: October 31, 2011 By Harvey Steiman
It's inescapable that many of the world's greatest wines are available to us in extremely small quantities. It has always been thus, but today, as more and more wine regions make wines that challenge the classics, the sheer numbers give me pause. With more than 2 million readers, I constantly ask myself how much readers care about a wine I just tasted that rates 88 points, costs $50 and only 185 cases exist of it. The answer is, not much. But the Internet may be changing that ...
Blogs
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Stirring the Lees with James Molesworth
A tricky 2011 vintage for two of France's most important wine regions
Posted: October 31, 2011 By James Molesworth
Finally, a breather from the office. It's time to make my annual run through the Southern Rhône Valley. I'll be in the Rhône the next two weeks, focusing on the southern portion of this large and diverse region. As usual, I'll visit more than a dozen estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the south's main appellation, plus much more.
Blogs
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James Laube's Wine Flights
Justin Smith, Brian Loring and others are dealing with the late 2011 California grape harvest
Posted: October 28, 2011 By James Laube
We're in the middle of another crazy, late California harvest. Good but spotty are other themes that run through most of what you hear about California's harvest 2011. And on the horizon, the smaller crops in recent years could spell price increases. In areas where grapes are still hanging, harvest is winding down quickly and should be finished by next week, ahead of predictions of rain and cooler weather.
Blogs
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James Laube's Wine Flights
Checking in with California vintners still waiting to harvest their 2011 grape crop
Posted: October 27, 2011 By James Laube
Harvest 2011 is ending up more labor than labor of love in most parts of California.
"What a crazy year," Helen Keplinger of Keplinger and Bryant Family Vineyard, both based in Napa Valley, wrote in an e-mail yesterday. "Indeed it has been very stressful and those rains were less than ideal, but not all has been lost and there will be good wines made this vintage."
Blogs
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Harvey Steiman At Large
People behind fabulous wines take different paths
Posted: October 26, 2011 By Harvey Steiman
Of all the great wines on tap at last week's New York Wine Experience, the ones I keep thinking about are those presented by five individuals tagged as "Wine Stars." Effective as the usual succession of daytime tasting panels are at comparing and contrasting a series of wines, this innovation livened things up by placing a single producer and a single wine in the spotlight for 15 minutes at a time, spread through the weekend.
It was quite a lineup. Angelo Gaja poured Gaja Langhe Sperss 1999 (92 points, $220). Christian Moueix offered Château Trotanoy Pomerol 2005 (95 points, $190), Chuck Wagner offered Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Selection 2005 (94 points, $160), Pablo Álvarez Vega Sicilia Unico Gran Reserva 1994 (96 points, $350). Christian Seely, head of the company that owns Quinta do Noval, offered my favorite wine of the weekend, the incomparable Port Nacional 1994 (100 points, $400).
