Thoreau Wine Society's blog

A Great American Chardonnay

Dear Friends,

Sorry about the one month's silence. Mary was away in France and I was abducted by aliens. Just kidding (you hope!) So let us resume with one of my favorite American wineries, Au Bon Climat, and its magnificent Chardonnay made from Santa Barbara’s finest vineyard for the famous grape, Sanford & Benedict.

Jim Clendenen, the “mind behind” (as he describes himself) Au Bon Climat (“the good vineyard location” en Anglais), is one of the great figures in American winemaking. Jim started way back in the early 1980s in Santa Barbara when wineries from that region could be counted on the fingers of two hands. Clendenen is a true Francophile who has worked in Burgundy and possesses a major cellar of Burgundies. He has always had a way with Burgundy's two grapes, managing to retain
the complex acidity essential to Pinot and Chardonnay and the mineral character of the vineyards from which he has chosen to purchase grapes. Jim was in New York last fall and brought with him some older Pinots and Chardonnays going back to the early 1990s. They showed wonderful life and elegance along with the mellow, earthy flavors that come with proper aging. No surprise to those of us who know him and his wines.

Of the newer wines, the 2008 Sanford & Benedict Chardonnay was particularly memorable. Jim told me that he regards this as the best Chardonnay site in America, not just Santa Barbara. The vineyard is in the heart of a 100-square-mile region in the Santa Rita hills whose location is ideal both for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The dual influence of fog from the Pacific Ocean and the hard, gravelly soil of the S&B vineyard translates into wines which are both intense and restrained--just what we want from Pinot and Chardonnay at their best. Jim Clendenen has been purchasing grapes from the vineyard since the late 1980s. I was immediately struck by a sense of opulence in the
wine, with a commandingly floral bouquet marked by citrus overtones. Past the opulent entry, all that stony minerality holds the fruit in place. Like a fine white Burgundy, the wine seamlessly synthesizes the polarities of dense fruit and acid-infused liquid stoniness. The ability of a fine wine to unite seemingly contrary sensory qualities is what we wine lovers seek. I could take a bottle of the S&B Chardonnay to Burgundy and bring smiles of approval to the faces of growers who recognize excellence in Chardonnay. At one-third the price of 1er Cru White Burgundies, the wine is a veritable bargain.

Bob Millman

2008 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay Sanford & Benedict Vineyard

P.S. There are also some half-bottles available.

Santa recommends Bernard Remy 2002 Brut Champagne

Dear Friends,

Mary and I want to wish you all the happiest of holidays and to tell you how much we appreciate your support since the Thoreau Wine Society began recommending artisanal wines in 2007. It only seems appropriate at this time of year that we recommend a fine Champagne at a reasonable price for your consideration. Santa reminded us that we should not only buy gifts for others but that we should also treat ourselves to something special from time to time.

This year Santa and TWS suggest a superb vintage Champagne from Bernard Remy. It was a little more than a year ago that we recommended Remy's NV Carte Blanche to all of you. It was a big success. As fine as the NV is, the 2002 is even better. If there has been a better vintage for Champagne in 30 years I do not know what it is. 1985 was excellent, 1990 terrific and the mid-decade pair 95 and 96, outstanding in different ways. But the 2002s have an almost magical quality about them: intense, full of flavor with vital but not harsh acidity and what I can only call a smiling charm, a friendliness which occurs infrequently. 2002 is a vintage of unique sensual beauty in Champagne. The growers knew that something extraordinary happened in '02 which may not happen again for a decade.

Bernard and his son Rudy (I assume you get the Santa connection!) make a mere 10,000 cases of 6 different Champagnes each year almost all from their own fruit. Located in Allemant--whose vineyards are all planted to Chardonnay--the small Remy estate also owns Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vineyards in the Aube. Most impartial, experienced tasters will tell you that the correct blend of Chardonnay and the two Pinots produce the most complete and satisfying Champagnes. The vintage Remy is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 25% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Meunier. Like good chefs, the Remys have the taste buds to fashion an ideal blend. The bouquet alone will keep you captivated: Citrus, almond and brioche scents draw you into the glass. On the palate the 2002 does the two things that set a fine Champagne apart: It dances and then expands into a rich, creamy textured wine which lingers without dominating your palate. Only a fine Champagne can seduce the nose and the palate in such an elegant manner.

One could pay a lot for such vinous pleasure. You will de delighted to see that the price of the 2002 Remy is less than that of many NV Champagnes from the big houses. Santa has given you good advice. Follow it and you will be happy.

Bob and Mary

Bernard Remy Millesime 2002 Champagne

A Stunning St. Aubin

Dear Friends,

The white wines from St. Aubin, whose hilly vineyards are bounded on the south by Chassagne-Montrachet and on the north by Puligny-Montrachet, offer much of the quality of its two more famous relatives at 30%-40% lower price. While not exactly a secret, the excellence of the 1er Crus of St. Aubin remains in the background rather than in the foreground of the attention of too many lovers of Burgundian Chardonnay. This posting will hopefully correct that for Thoreauvians who may not have experienced the rewards of a good St. Aubin.

There are several excellent estates in St. Aubin. None is as distinguished as that of Marc Colin, whose wines are often at the quality level of more famous growers like Ramonet, Niellon and Sauzet. I met Marc Colin in the late 1980s and have been drinking his excellent wines for many years. They capture their respective vineyards with an admirable unforced accuracy. There is no "house-style" (unlike at Sauzet for example). There is "just" wonderful white Burgundy. Marc and his wife Michelle started in the mid-1970s with 15 acres. Today the estate has grown to 46 acres and is run by their extremely capable children, Joseph, Caroline and Damien. Nine of their 26 vineyard holdings are in St. Aubin, which shows just how important these "little" wines are to the estate! If the $90 for their Chassagne Montrachet Caillerets or $450 for a bottle of their precious Le Montrachet is a bit steep, then one of the St. Aubin 1er Crus at under $50 will serve as a compelling example of why good white Burgundy is an essential beverage for adults.

The specific wine I am recommending is from the tiny northeast vineyard called Sur Le Sentier du Clou.  The Colin part of this vineyard was acquired in 1985. The Colins make all of three barrels of this beauty--so typical of Burgundian production. The vines are south-facing and the terroir is mostly limestone. I tasted a bottle with an experienced Burgundy aficionando and we both flipped out, to use slang from an earlier era. First there is that Cote de Beaune bouquet: hazelnut skins, Meyer lemon, fine churned butter and freshly ground white pepper. Rich and ripe with palate-penetrating acidity and a finishing layer of minerals, it is a superb wine by any standards.  Only in this stretch from Meursault down through Chassagne does all this happen--and by no means always. Neither expensive nor inexpensive, this St. Aubin is well worth the price of admission.

Bob "Burgundy" Millman

Domaine Marc Colin 2009 St. Aubin 1er Cru Le Sentier du Clou         $44.85

A Sumptuous Piemontese Red

Dear Friends of the Vine,

Piedmont in northwest Italy is famous of course for Barolo and Barbaresco. Indeed, these are two of the greatest wines made anywhere. Often expensive and due to their tannic structure, in need of extensive aging, these two 'B's require a serious commitment on the part of a wine lover. Fortunately, the Piemontese make another wine beginning in 'B' which is both affordable and a pleasure to drink when young: Barbera.

The wine in question is from a relatively new winery established in 2003 by the Faccenda family. They bought an estate with some lovely mature vines in Monforte--the very heart of Barolo. The Faccendas make five wines, two of which are Barberas. The one I tasted and loved is the better of the two and carries the sobriquet "Due Gelsi"--or Two Mulberries--a good name for the bouquet and lush flavors of the wine which will remind you of a range of dark berries. But there is more to the wine than rich, dense yet friendly fruit: that enlivening, uplifting acidity for which a good Barbera is famous. The tannins of Barberas are round and cushioning--quite in contrast to the sterner tannins of Nebbiolo. Fruit and acid: the alpha and omega of wine. Here they are in delightful balance. The long, satisfying finish lifts the "Due Gelsi" above being merely good. This is an excellent example of what Barbera is supposed to be.

Some growers in Piemonte have succumbed to the temptation to try to raise Barbera to the elegant heights of Barolo by lowering yields, aging in new French barrels and extracting every bit of tannin from the skins. Not my cup of red wine. Barbera should be as friendly and hedonistic as it is fresh and vigorous. Save the profundity for the expensive Barolos, please!

The "Due Gelsi" Barbera is a perfect Thanksgiving red wine. In fact, it is a damn good winter red, period. The price: as reasonable as the wine is excellent.

2008 Guidobono Barbera "Due Gelsi" $23.45

Cement Tanks and Carbonic Maceration meet Old Vine Carignan

 

Dear Friends,

While pondering which wine--a common problem among us--I realized I'd be foolish not to highlight perhaps the most essential cornerstone of our portfolio: the increasingly iconic winery of Ollieux Romanis, producers of rich but elegant wines of the Corbieres. It was my friend David who
discovered this winery about ten years ago and has been working with them since. We went together 2 years ago now--my first meaningful passage through the region about which I had prior made too many assumptions and had not done proper diligence. I learned much during one very memorable meal at the (simply incredible) 3 star Auberge de Vieux Puits in Fontjoncouse, whose winelist is strictly comprised of their top selections from the 11 terroirs in the Corbieres--fabulous research, if someone else is paying.

As throughout Europe, the Romans first cultivated vines in this part of southern France, known for it's very pure water. Viticulture was further advanced primarily in the 11th century when this Domaine was created by a devout family who wisely gave their vineyards over for cultivation by the
Abbots of Fontfroide. The ancestors of the current owners took over this estate in 1868, planting their lovely Carignan vines in 1896; a few of the original vines from the early 20th century remain. The estate has grown into 70 hectares in and around what is now legally the second Grand Cru of
the Languedoc--that being Boutenac, where you find the most suitable expression of the incredibly romantic Carignan.

Winemaker Pierre Bories, who among other things has inherited the family reigns of this historic Corbieres property of Ollieux Romanis (meaning Roman Olive Trees) in Monseret, has been a pioneer of sustainable agriculture for the past 15 years and is one of the most knowledgeable and
passionate growers in the region. He staunchly rejected the notion of using significant amounts of new oak and refuses to focus on international varietals to satisfy the market.

His most glorious output is a wine named Atal Sia, which is a single vineyard blend of old vines' fruit from Boutenac which date as old as 109 years. We started working with this wine about 6 months ago; the response was so positive we went back for as much as we could buy. RVF (Revue de Vins de France--a superb publication) declared this wine their top selection for the vintage. Atal Sia in Occitan means 'Let it Be'--and as such the grapes are whole cluster fermented and the juice is raised in cement--no oak to be found--a profoundly wonderful and perfumed though structured and age-worthy mash-up of mostly Carignan with Grenache and Mourvedre.

Serve this wine with just about any meat dish; it will not over-power.  Or go to the excellent NY restaurant Corton for a glass.

Slainte,
Mary

2008 Chateau Ollieux-Romanis 'Atal Sia' Corbieres-Boutenac

$36 per bottle

A Brilliant Italian Chardonnay

Dear Friends of the Vine,

Every so often Mary calls me and says, "I have a few bottles open; would you like to taste them?" I know Mary well enough--and she knows me well enough!--to know that she is not going to pour me some mediocre plonk. I do not like every wine she brings to me, but I like more than I do not like, and some really appeal to me.

Which brings me to an Italian Chardonnay that Mary served me which brought a smile to my face. When she told me the price, my smile turned into enthusiasm. Here is the story--and of course the story is not interesting to me or you unless the wine is terrific. The wine comes from the Collio,
Friuli's sub-region in extreme northeastern Italy. In fact the vineyards of Collio border on what is now called Slovenia. The name 'Collio' means small hills, the very hills on which mostly white wine varietals are planted. Sauvignon Blanc, Tocai and Malvasia are the pricincipal plantings in
Collio. But certain soils within this variegated district have proven most hospitable to Chardonnay. The producer--whose wines were new to me--is named Branko.

Branko is actually the first name of the man who started making wine in Collio in 1998. His last name is Erzetic (Italian you say? Sounds Slovenian to my ears!). His son Igor now supervises the winemaking while his demanding father works their vineyards. They own all of 15 acres and produce only about 2,000 cases per vintage. (Just to put things in perspective, Chateau Lafite makes 10-12 times the amount of wine as does Branko and sells its wines for 50 times more per bottle). 'Nough said on this score.

Quantity and price aside, the Branko Chardonnay is an exciting wine in a world which is awash in wines made from this well-known grape. A delightful bouquet greets your nose: apple, pear, wild flowers and just a hint of oak. Oak has become a dirty word among Wine Geeks. I find that absurd. Properly deployed, with the right grapes, the right kind of oak can contribute positively to the aroma and texture of a wine. No white wine varietal benefits from the careful deployment of oak barrel as does Chardonnay. 40% of the juice at Branko ferments in stainless steel while 60% ferments in 500 liter French barrels--but only for 7 months.

Like a good chef, Erzetic Branko knows just how much time is right to allow the best flavors and aromas to develop. Despite the 14% alcohol, the wine is vigorous, lively and dances professionally on the palate. The Branko Chardonnay reminded me of a really good Pouilly Fuisse but with the crisp acidity and bite of the high-altitude wines from the Collio district.

This is a wonderful wine for fish and is delicious enough to be served as an aperitif wine. As you can tell, I really liked this Italian beauty. You will like both the wine and the price--I guarantee it.

Bob Millman

2007 Branko Chardonnay, Collio

$22.45

A Delicious Gigondas

Dear Friends of Affordable Wines,

The world may seem to be falling apart--which makes enjoyment of the moment ever more important. So I am going to recommend a fine red Rhone from the village of Gigondas, whose dark, rich, deep wines are second only to those of Chateauneuf du Pape. In contrast to the extroversion and larger-than-life volume of many Chateauneufs, properly made Gigondas are more introverted, less overt in expression and pull the taster into the glass rather than exploding out of it. This element of self-contained nobility is not typical of southern Rhone reds. Typical or not, Gigondas has earned the respect of wine professionals and wine lovers everywhere.

Like all the other wines from the Rhone, Gigondas owes its existence to Roman invaders. Indeed, the name of the appellation is of Roman origin. 'Jocunditas' means great pleasure and enjoyment in Latin, with the town being founded as a recreational site for the soldiers from the Roman Second Legion. Grenache is the principal varietal of Gigondas--up to 80% by French law. The wine I tasted comes from the Domaine du Terme, whose proprietor, Rolland Gaudin, just happens to be the Mayor of Gigondas. This can happen only in France. Truth to tell, it is his daughter Anne-Marie who runs the vinous show at du Terme. All farming is done by hand. Lutte Raisonnee--sustainable farming--is the way the vineyards are handled at du Terme. The wines are very traditional, reflecting the long history and special flavors one finds only in properly made Gigondas.

Mary and I rarely quote from the wine critics, but in this case I would like to use Josh Raynolds’ description from 'The International Wine Cellar'. Josh and I know each other for many years. He is a superb taster with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Two years ago he said of the wine: "Exotic aromas of dark berry preserves, incense with a kiss of tobacco. Broad, fleshy and inviting with good finishing sweetness.”

Having recently tasted the wine, I will add that there is excellent underlying acidity and backbone which holds everything firmly in place. It is unmistakably a Gigondas. Did I mention that we are
recommending the 2007? This was a fantastic vintage in the southern Rhone. Everything is a bit grander than usual in the 2007s. No drinking and driving with a 2007 Rhone! This dark beauty should maintain its intensity for 3-5 years--for those of you who can wait. Buy 6 bottles. Have one now and space out the rest. The price is as gentle as the wine is powerful.

Bob Millman

2007 Gigondas, Domaine du Terme        $23.85

Road Tires

Dear Friends,

I rode my bike home to Brooklyn tonight after our 5th or so real fall day in Manhattan, where the temperature is crisp and comfortable but you only notice it here and there because the work day is such a whirlwind - so many impulses, so many scenes whizzing by. Although cycling in Manhattan seems to many like a death-wish, the evening ride over the bridge was a perfect moment of solitude - cool air drained of humidity, complemented by a million specks of light - a reminder that while we are in our private homes, we are together in some way. There were 3 bottles of cru beaujolais
on my kitchen counter, open the day before. My Italian neighbor Giuseppe stopped by to drop off some bottles of Langhe wine and I invited him to join me in a small review of the wines of France which he rarely gets to taste - Brouilly, Morgon, and Regnie. The Brouilly was open and fleshy and
enveloping. The Morgon was stubborn and tight, the Regnie was perfect. Mineral weight, but with a stern iodinic nerviness, a graphite meets lead meets the most bright backbone and ripe Burgundian dark fruit, earthiness and the slightest whiff of wet leaves which paired delightfully with some
broccoli rabe and braised pork. No oak or manipulation whatsoever, but very clean and crisp - i.e. not a cloudy unfiltered beauty which can also be delicious at times. I would have generally erred in favor of the Brouilly - instant gratification, but I wanted something more stern, more mineral,
somehow more refreshing - reminiscent of my hard road tires meeting the cold cement, efficiently gliding me through the streets of New York. In other moments this wine has been a playful, charming delight. Always changing but the core stays the same; at this moment a perfect wine.
Extremely recommended.

Jean Marc Burgaud Regnie 2010 - the great new vintage to overtake the sexy lush 09's - an older sibling, wiser and yet full of momentum.

$19.50 per bottle.

Slainte,
Mary

A Wonderful Red Wine from the Chablis Region

My fellow Thoreauvians,

The pretty village of Irancy is located in the Departement of Yonne, whose most famous sub-region is, of course, Chablis. South and west of Chablis, Irancy is mostly planted to Pinot Noir. One could--and I will--say that Irancy is the red wine of Chablis. Like its much more famous relative, Irancy wines are defined by racy, bracing, refreshing acidity and an undercurrent of saline minerality. But of course these are red wines. Pinot Noir expresses itself in an elegant, vivacious
manner which grows on you with repeated tasting. In ripe vintages, a well-made Irancy can deliver a lacy, balletic charm that is all but irresistible.

All of this is prelude to my recommending a superb Irancy I tasted recently at a trade tasting. The growers in question have a considerable reputation in France. Their names are Jean-Pierre and
Anita Colinot. Their daughter Stephanie is playing an increasingly important role in running the 30-acre estate, which produces a respectable 5,000 cases of Irancy each year. The Colinots make Irancy from five different crus; they also make a wonderful old-vines blend from their holdings, which is the wine I tasted and am recommending to you. The vintage is 2006, which was an excellent year in the Chablis region. There is a touch of warmth from the heat that developed around picking time in 2006, which is most welcome. The Colinots always include a small amount of a local grape called Cesar, which adds a soupcon of rusticity and spice to their wines.

I found myself returning to the wine for repeated tastings. A wine that beckons you back is a wine worth owning! It is difficult to compare an Irancy to any other Pinot Noir- based wine. One could
perhaps say Sancerre rouge, which is not so very far away from Irancy, after all. But there is more going on in a good Irancy than in most Sancerre rouges.

The acidity is high enough to enable you to serve the wine a touch chilled with salmon or a tomato-based fish stew. Chicken, pork, white-meat sausages are perfect food choices. Goat cheeses and hard-ripened mountain cheeses will be beautifully matched by the wine. Neither cheap nor expensive, this Irancy is a worthy addition to your cellar.

Bob Millman

2006 Irancy Vieilles Vignes $33.85

A Regal and Historical French Commune: Bourgeuil

Dear Friends of the Thoreau Wine Society,

As we come into this most aromatic time of year, we should be ready for heightened senses, authenticity, complexity and nuance. Where better to find these complements to our busy lives than within the most beautiful wines?

This past year the desire for authenticity has permeated all aspects of my life; and for a time, my existential explorations made it impossible for me to write anything that felt, well, authentic. Luckily, as you've been reading, Bob Millman has carried the flag for the Thoreau Wine Society. Bob is a great mentor to me, a brilliant soul, a teacher of philosophy, an artist and pianist--and, especially, a wine connoisseur I trust thoroughly.

I might mention that for 30 years he runs an incredible tasting group; unlike many others which frankly feel sophomoric, the Executive Wine Seminars is a great place to experience exemplary verticals of exceptional wines (such as an upcoming retrospective of Domaine du Pegau, wow). Please have a glance at the fall schedule: EwsWine.com.

I bring you, as my first offer in many months, a little Bourgeuil--a lovely romantic flower of feminity coupling with grip and depth--a true harmony of both masculine and feminine characteristics coming together to create a complete wine.

Bourgeuil is a commune located in the heart of the Loire Valley, not far from the more famous Chinon, with soils mostly comprised of "Tuff", which is chalky clay and alluvial limestone, ideal for Cabernet Franc. Bertrand Galbrun is a young man I met thanks to a connection with a brilliantly
deranged fellow who handles the vineyard work for a famous Vouvray estate. He absolutely had to show me what made his juices flow in terms of wine-making in the Loire Valley, and his gut lies with the young (i.e. not in years but in inspiration) visionary growers--those that seek, well, I've
said many times, to express 'terroir'; when you nose the glass an unexpected bouquet greets you,  and you think, "What is this all about? Tell me more." I loved Bertrand's wines--because they are part of that 10 percentile of wine at this price that transcends the 'wine-lake' and does something integral.

Bertrand works organically in the vineyards, and without any yeast or enzymes or chapitalization; he only grows the regal Cabernet Franc, resulting in a wine which truly sings a very elegant tune. This wine does every bit as much for lush, delicious, totally washing you over with perfumed red fruit, depth and intensity, as any other well-made wine. But there is more: There is a floral lavender meets nuance meets high romance meets structure, balance, sexy earthiness, meets ... well, you must taste it. Highly wonderful.

Bertrand Galbrun Bourgeuil "Chatrois" (from a parcel of 20-year-old vines)

$19 per bottle