A Cornerstore Find

I’ve lived in San Francisco for nearly seven years (one year of that in the suburbs). In that time there have been a series of recurring instances that always make me appreciate The Bay Area’s many blessings. I try hard to never take for granted that I can go to my corner store, grab a loaf of fresh baked Acme bread, a couple ripe heirloom tomatoes, a quart of Strauss Farms Cream Top milk, and pick from a selection of reasonably priced, but delicious wines from all over the world. In this manner, I feel blessed. The same journey in your ‘hood may take a little more diligence, but quality local and imported artisan products can be found just about anywhere. You just have to decide for yourself that seeking them out is important.

At our particular corner store, the wine selection is not huge, but it is sensible and well-balanced. Represented on one 8’x10’ grocery rack are wines from France’s Rhone Valley, Germany’s Pfalz and Mosel regions, Rias Baixas in Spain, and Piedmont and Friuli in Italy.  There is, of course, a smattering of California wines, but it’s becoming increasingly harder to find tasty wines from our backyard at a reasonable price point. This may very well illustrate insight into a dynamic which hints at shaping the next turn in California’s winemaking frontier. We’ll go further into this subject at a later date.

Pinot Grigio Cluster

The DOC and DOCG System:
The wine of focus is Pinot Grigio, long thought of as Italy’s faceless white. Like many of it’s Italian counterparts, Pinot Grigio took a serious downturn in overall quality when, in 1963, then Senator Paolo Desana’s introduced the DOC system. The DOC (Denominazione di Origine Controllata) system, modeled after the French AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée – meaning controlled term of origin) system, was designed to officially recognize wine growing regions that had produced superior quality for a sustained amount of time and to elevate their status. Areas of land were designated to be part of a DOC or DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita – the highest designation) appellation. To label their wines as from an appellation, producers would likewise have to meet additional criteria. For example red wine from Chianti DOCG must be comprised of at least 75% of the red grape Sangiovese and the Nebbiolo grape in Barolo, Piedmont must be aged for three years between barrel and bottle to meet the requirements for Barolo DOCG. Barolo Riserva must be aged for five years. These are good things. As an aside: most appellations in the new world have no stipulations as to the use of the word “reserve.”

DOCG

Other wines would fall into the Vino da Tavola (table wine) category. In theory, all of this should work to the benefit of the Italian wine industry, and, to some extent, it does. Unfortunately, when defining the scope of the appellations, not only were the top parcels of hillside land included, where most of the upper tier wine was made, but also included were the fertile surrounding flats and valleys more suitable to making volume jug wine than quality fine wine. It was clear that the agricultural ministry was aiming to use the good name of the best grape-growing areas to boost exports. As such, the markets were flooded with oceans of (sub-standard) product. The focus was to make large volumes of easy-to-drink, cheap, easy-to-sell juice. The imminent defamation of Italy’s most renowned wines became reality. Regions like Soave and Frascati became synonymous with plonk jug wine. By making the designated regions so expansive, the perceived quality of a specific region was reduced to the average overall quality of wine in the entirety of its land area.

Subsequent years have seen steps taken to try to remedy this. Without going off on a lengthy tangent, I will say that Italy as a whole is inching in the right direction. Most of the regions that had become idiomatic of the aforementioned plight are experiencing a resurgence of fine wine. I can also state that indeed much of my excitement in the last couple years has come from everyday exposure to the exciting things happening in the nooks and crannies of the far-off reaches of Italy. Maybe someday, Italy’s DOC system will catch up with the talents of its artisan winemakers.

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Pinot Grigio:

“Pinot Grigio” has suffered the misfortune becoming synonymous with “watered down quaffer,” and, indeed, most of the versions from far corners of the new world and those labeled with the generic Northern Italian regions of Delle Venezie IGT and Valdadige DOC (both of which actually encompass a large landmass that spans all three of the Tre Venezie reagions: Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli Venezia-Giulia) are generally unremarkable.  But, don’t worry; this isn’t all doom and gloom. Grown in the proper place with the proper guidance, Pinot Grigio can be absolutely stunning: fruity, minerally, bright. From the best producers they can rival many of the top whites from around the world. The similarities that persist in the wines simple or complex are Pinot Grigio’s racy acidity and precise edges. The good ones can persist on the palate long after being swallowed. What remains true from the watered down “gateway” wines to the more unctuous and noteworthy is that Pinot Grigio remains unrelentingly refreshing.

Vineyards in Alto Adige. Photo:www.johnmariani.com

The appellations of northeastern Italy offer clean, pure, yet complex and outstanding bottlings again and again, and, while these areas represent the lion’s share of production, the Tre Venezie are not the only regions of note. An easy going, but minerally version from Oregon can really hit the spot, and, by all means, sprint for the unctuous and lush Pinot Gris of Alsace – a style that while starkly different can be utterly amazing.

Pinot Grigio is thought to have originated in Burgundy as the sibling of Pinot Noir, where it is called Pinot Gris. The skins tend to range in color from white, to grayish-pink, to brown, to almost black. So much pigment and variation thereof are unique in a grape used to make white wine. Many times the wines made from Pinot Grigio can have a pink hue. Some can even be rosé. As a white wine it also has the unique character of having an elevated tannin structure. Tannins are a polyphenolic compound found in the grape skins and stems that cause wine to have its perceived astringency. If you’ve ever bitten into an under-ripe persimmon, you are likely familiar with tannin.

Benvolio Pinot Grigio, Friuli

A really great thing to note about Pinot Grigio is the wide availability; virtually anywhere you are, you can find a good one. But, if at all possible, buy from a notable appellation. As with anything the more delimited the area, the better the chance for quality. Buying from a region that covers most of Northeastern Italy doesn’t come with much guarantee. The hillsides and slopes where the wines are kept at their lowest yields offer richer fruits and greater complexity.

Tasting Notes: Fresh pear and melon rind with glinty mineral. Notes of basil, honey, melon rind, jasmine, and lavender. Medium to high acid with a nice long finish.

Price: $11.99

Retailer: 26th and Guerrero Market

Importer: Sovereign Wine imports

Verdict: A good offering. Perfectly yummy for an everyday wine.

The Somm’s Note: For the same reason that people drink Pinot Grigio as a gulpable easy wine, wine is all too commonly served inexcusably cold. The only reason to serve a beverage piping hot or super cold is to conceal undesired characteristics and flavors… e.g. Budweiser and Hot Sake….. It’s not sake that gives you a headache; it’s the searingly hot sake sake from the machine that gives you a headache. If a wine has a balanced and bright acidity, it will remain crisp and refreshing with an elevated temperature even as the middle starts to become richer. For the same reason that I recommend letting Alberto Longo’s “Donadelle” Rosé come up a bit in temp, I’d suggest trying the same thing with your next bottle of crisp white. This is the only way to experience the wealth of flavors that can be hidden in the middle of a wine that is otherwise served too cold.

A Rosé by any other name…..

If you haven’t already, it’s high time to relinquish any and all feelings of disrepute toward rosé. Its reputation may have been tarnished from the years of being thought of as a sugary mess of Kool-Aid that is White Zinfandel. While the argument stands that said juice served its purpose as gateway wine, I’d say avoid it at all cost (unless, of course, you appreciate a good hangover). The truth is elegant and balanced dry rosés of France’s Provence region and Italy’s rosatos have been around all along. These are the wines that have stood the test of time and the wines that serve as inspiration for the host of wonderful rosés from around the world.

Puglia

Traditional Trulli of Puglia

Not necessarily the first place that one would think to look for an amazing example of delicious rosé, or great wine in general, Italy’s Puglia region is forging an identity as a major force in the world wine market. Though Sicily has more land under-vine, Puglia (Apulia) produces more wine than any other region in Italy. Puglia’s focus has traditionally been on oceans of simple land wine and on juice intended on being shipped out for blending in other areas. It’s been more recently that the trend of producing mass quantities of wine has given way somewhat to winemakers focusing on wine as an artisan product and benefit from the area’s clay and limestone rich soil and seaside climate. It is already paying off with delicious examples from all over the region. The future is very bright for Puglian wine!

The Grapes

Primarily known for its reds Primitivo – genetically identical to Califonia’s Zinfandel and Croatia’s Crljenak Kaštelanski (one half of the duo that parented the Croatian grape Plavac Mali), Negroamaro – ubiquitous on Puglia’s Salento peninsula, and Nero di Troia – the star on deck, Puglia also holds plantings of other reds and whites of promise.

2007 Alberto Longo “Donadelle” Pulgia, Italy – Negroamaro Rosé

Alberto Longo "Donadelle" Rosé

Alberto Longo’s “Donadelle” has worn multiple hats since the first time I had it. It’s been the consummate afternoon wine and the late night remedy when, at the end of a long work shift, I really just need something refreshing. The only other beverages that tend to frequent this part of my schedule, flanking the latter end of ten hours of speaking about wine, are water and … well… beer. The Puglian native’s rosé has served well in both of these circumstances and has always tasted delicious. To say that I’ve gone back to this one several times is an understatement. We spent one afternoon drinking it next to rosé from Provence, which in many minds is the one and only real rosé. The pale salmon color was comparable. The weight and acidity were right in line. Yet, I never really noticed the layers as I did in the rosés of Provence. This last time, when I really sat down to get to know it, I found a different story. Each time I’ve strived to get a more intimate feel for it, I’ve been happily surprised. One of the marks of a great wine is one that each time offers a new realm of complexity- one that is something unique each time you revisit the glass for another sip. Another qualifier is a wine that is truly balanced; Alberto Longo’s “Donadelle” is successful in this as well.

Tasting notes:

Textural mid palette and cherry blossom reminiscent of cherries and cream. Around the edges are tons of aromatics and spice: jasmine, undertones of clove, the bright zing of Szechuan green peppercorns. Guava and lime round out the fruit spectrum and everything is brightened and heightened by a racy backbone of acidity. It’s great straight out of the ice, but I’d recommend letting this wine sit out for a little while to really get a feel for what it has to offer.

Pairings:

A hot day, food off the grill, peel and eat shrimp piping hot or icy cold, a second and third glass – basically…. any damn thing you want.

Californians can feel comfortable shopping for rosé in the backyard again. Skip over the Sutter Home and pick up a bottle of Unti Vineyard’s grenache/syrah/mourvedre blend or County Line’s rosé of Pinot Noir!!!

Also recommended from Alberto Longo – “Le Cruste” 100% Nero di Troia (red) – Full bodied, floral, supple and delicious.

Importer: Tamalpais Wine Agency

Purchased at: A16 Restaurant

Price: $40

Also available at: Biondivino

Two Magnificent Reds on a Budget

…the following are the beverages we chose to enjoy with our “Spencer on the Go” French food from a truck…..

2007 René-Jean Dard & François Ribo, Crozes-Hermitage AC (Syrah) – Northern Rhone Red

2007 Crozes-Hermitage, René-Jean Dard and François Ribo

You’ll find Syrah (Shiraz) from Marlborough to Napa, South Africa to Barossa, Washington to the Languedoc, but it’s at its best in France’s Rhône Valley. The Rhône Valley is split into two major areas: The Northern Rhone and The Southern Rhone. Southern Rhone reds are dominated by blends with grenache taking top bill; syrah, mourvedre, and many others round out the mix. In The Northern Rhône however, Syrah is purely expressed as a single varietal wine and is the lone red grape of the region.

The Rhône Valley, France

Much like the rest of the world, The Rhône has benefited from modern wine making techniques; wines are cleaner and less susceptible to contamination. Even though the wines have become cleaner, most of the modernization ends there. The majority of producers still opt for a hands off approach to winemaking, in lieu of the contemporary augmented styles of wine common in the New World. The most sought after wines come from the appellations of Hermitage, Cote Rotie, and Cornas, but some beautiful examples can be found in the second tier – Crozes Hermitage and St. Joseph. On rare occasion these wines of the latter can rival those of the more well known appellations. The wine tasted this evening was from the second group and was wonderful. It’s not to say that this wine is a blockbuster, but that its compelling deliciousness lies in its layers of flavor and purity of fruit. The pair does a fair amount of whole berry fermentation and the wines are indeed made to be consumed in their youth. “What we like is natural wine because it’s alive, wine that does not necessarily have to be kept – just drunk and drunk again.” -François Ribo

Tasting Notes:

Gorgeous, wonderfully balanced and complexly aromatic. A perfect example of Rhône Syrah. Each taste produced layer upon layer of flavor: blackberry, black pepper, rosemary, violets, iron, lemon zest, cured meats, raspberry bubblegum and tar. It is medium bodied, long-lived on the palate and backed by the perfect amount of acidity. This would be a great pairing for red meats and mushrooms, game and herbed dishes. It’s a great way to experience an amazing Rhone Syrah without the huge price tag of the most sought after appellations.

Price: $54

Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections

Enjoyed at: Terroir Natural Wine Merchant

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2007 Clos Roche Blance “L’Arpent Rouge” Touraine AC (Pineau d’Aunis) – Loire Valley Red

2007 Touraine "L'Arpent Rouge" Clos Roche Blanche

When I first drank red wine, it was the girth and power of the likes of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and other bigs that really did it for me. Over time I came to love wine for being the refreshing and delicious beverage that it can be. I found myself wanting less reds that numbed my palate to the possibility of following with anything else. It was at this point that I began to appreciate wines of lighter body, that aimed for complexity and grace over raw power (see: Burgundy). These are the wines that are not clouded by wine making, but show true for what they are. Furthermore, oak will always taste like oak…. and when a winemaker has chosen to go without that, the consumer will get a more pure expression of what that juice is actually like. It’s not to say that oak is bad. Indeed most Burgundy see oak. When oak becomes the dominant flavor in the wine, it’s hard to tell what else is there. Enter: wines of expressiveness and ….. ACID!!! Wines (white and red) with acid have since become my go to and my passion. Don’t be afraid of the word – “acid.” It doesn’t mean that your wine will be sharp and harsh. Can you imagine OJ with no acid? It would be flat (see: Tang). This is not dissimilar to what occurs in wine. Couple this concept with the fact that, after you taste enough wine, “interesting” becomes almost as good as “good.” Now the stage is set for a wine like this Touraine Rouge (an appellation in the Central Loire Valley), made exclusively from the little-known grape Pineau d’Aunis, to shine. Note: Sometimes referred to as Chenin Noir, Pineau d’Aunis is not related to the Pinot family of grapes.

The Loire Valley, France

Tasting Notes:

Weighing in on the light side of medium bodied, the Clos Roche Blanche’s Pineau d’Aunis is one for those looking for something interesting. Though not as exceptionally balanced as the Crozes-Hermitage, it was still very classy and ultra-layered. Tasting notes include: mushroom, cherry, strawberry, peppery spice, bell pepper, and flinty aromatics, plus very bright acidity. The wine was a little tart, but not off-putting.

While I wouldn’t say that a wine like this would be easily found in most markets, I do think that it illustrates a resourceful picture in that, lots of cool flavors can be had in those lesser known wines you may have passed over time after time. They can be hit or miss, but the price point is usually friendly enough that it is worth the experiment. If these “out there” wines are also expensive you can usually bet on one of two things: 1. they have amassed a cult following for their unique and delicious individuality or 2. they are extracted and full of oak and they’ve amassed a following for their similarities to wines the constituency has become used to. Take your pick. I loved this one.

Price: $36

Importer: Louis/Dressner Selections

Enjoyed at: Terroir Natural Wine Merchant

-Wines at Terroir can also be purchased retail.

French Food from a Truck!

Spencer on the Go – French Food Takeaway

I’d been meaning to stop by since Chez Spencer started parking their French-food-to-go-truck across the street from Terroir  (one of our favorite wine bars). This was the first time I had been able to give it a try. Chez Spencer on 14th st. has consistently been one of my favorite dining spots in San Francisco, and their newest endeavor did not disappoint. The restaurant remains an occasion destination, but the menu at the truck rings up at more of an every day price point.

Ordering it up at the taco-less truck

While most of the Roach Coach facilities in San Francisco house the plentiful and delicious taco trucks, others are stretching the boundaries of the mobile culinary envelope e.g. Mission Street Food and Kung Fu (Korean) Tacos.

Clockwise from left: Curried Frog Legs, Wild Mushrooms in Bechamel, Braised Lamb with Puff Pastry, Escargot Puff Lollipops

Anna and I picked up a few snacks and headed across the street to Terroir.  What a great concept this is: carry away French food that you can carry in to a fantastic wine establishment. Just remember to look both ways before crossing the street. We tabled up with some friends, who also had visited Spencer, and shared a few wines. We had a bottle of Gamay, a Crozes-Hermitage, and some Pineau d’Aunis. I will speak on these accompanying beverages in the next post. We sampled the curried frog legs, braised lamb, wild mushrooms in bechamel, and escargot puff lollipops. All the dishes were good, but the mushrooms were our favorite. The total bill was $33. Also available: foie gras torchon, veal sweetbreads, ratatouille, salad, soup, dessert. We’ll certainly be back soon to try through the rest of the menu.

French food to go is a very good thing!

Chez Spencer's To Go Truck-Parked across from Terroir on 7th St. at Folsom, SF

Neighborhood: SOMA
300 7th St (at Folsom St)
San Francisco, CA 94103

Hours: Wed-Sat. 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Enjoy your Chardonnay – every day!

This will be the inaugural entry in two series of posts entitled “Cornerstore finds” and “Tasting Notes” respectively. This post will fit into both categories, but many times I will publish under “Tasting Notes” only. The intention is to chronicle what we are tasting/having with dinner that day. These will inevitably become content entries on the Corkdork Application. Cornerstore Finds will record purchases made at retailers around San Francisco and eventually beyond. I will include importer/distributor information where possible, in case you are interested in finding them in a different market. Now, on to the wine… !

This first entry will be of wines from the kingdom of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – Burgundy. It appears, with the current state of our economic affairs, that the availability of moderately priced wines, from this and other regions in the upper tier of pricing, has become more prevalent. This is not to say that the lower price point has come as surrogate representative in place of quality. The pace of sales has slowed for the very top allocations, and importers have begun to focus more on the quality that has always been present down the chain.

The two wines tasted in this issue come from The Mâconnais, a primarily white wine region between The Côte Chalonnaise and Beaujolais. This Southernmost of the major Chardonnay regions in Burgundy produces three times the amount of white wine than the rest of Burgundy combined. While most of the wine made is simple quaffable every day white, there are some exceptional examples of top quality wine.

2004 Domaine Emilian Gillet – Jean Thevenet, Viré-Clessé AOC

Legendary producer Jean Thevenet’s mid-level white from the AC Viré-Clessé, is a stunning example of just how powerful and how complex a wine from the other end of Burgundy can be. Chardonnay is king in the Mâcon, and this one is beautiful. Born of the Mâcon-Villages level AOCs of Mâcon-Viré and Mâcon-Clessé, this AOC gained its elevated status in 1997. Jean Thevenet farms under strict organic practices. Yields are exceptionally low, resulting in wines of wonderful concentration and racy acidity.

This delicious wine exuded flavors of crisp apple, white flowers, honey, and the right (balanced) amount of butterscotchy oak. Full of limestone minerality, it also showed herbal tones of tarragon and had a wonderful texture, lots of acid, and a supreme balance. This wine will drink beautifully for years to come.

Price: $25

Importer: Martine’s Wines

Retailer: Bi-Rite Market

2007 Mâcon Charnay AOC, Domaine Manciat-Poncet

A great choice for an everyday Chardonnay, Domaine Manciat-Poncet’s Mâcon Charnay exhibits aromas aromas of waxy lemon and pie crust. Driven by a backbone of bright crisp acidity the wine opens as a cornucopia of tree fruits.

Price: $15

Importer: Beaune Imports

Retailer: Bi- Rite Market

These are both great pairing wines. While the former from Thevenet would best suit roasted chicken or fish with beurre blanc, the offering by Manciat-Poncet would be a great addition to a picnic or oysters on the half-shell.

A Beautiful Day: A16 Visits RSV

As the California wine industry shows signs that it may be on the verge of beginning a new chapter, there are a few individuals that stand poised to be liaisons who will usher it in. One of the houses leading the charge to a new way of thinking is that of Robert Sinskey Vineyards.

Robert Sinskey Vineyards

In April, when our restaurant closed for eight days for remodeling, a group of twenty of us from A16 (the Neapolitan restaurant  in San Francisco at which I am employed http://www.a16sf.com) had the pleasure of being invited to enjoy an afternoon at the winery of Robert Sinskey Vineyards in Napa, CA. Robert and his wife Maria Helm Sinskey often stop by the restaurant when they are in San Francisco. To quote Maria: “It’s our favorite restaurant in San Francisco. I know I can get a good meal. I love to see all of you (our A16 family). And, it is a convenient stop.” Indeed it is the last part of town passed through before hopping on the Golden Gate Bridge and heading north. To quote Rob: “Isn’t there another restaurant in San Francisco?” To say they were gracious hosts would be a vast understatement.

It was a perfectly casual experience as restaurant people and dirt farmers came together. It always makes me immediately comfortable when the first “F Bomb” is dropped. Thanks Rob! Upon arrival, we were greeted by Rob (Robert Sinskey), proprietor and vintner, and Jeff Virnig the longtime winemaker. The staff buzzed with glasses of Muscat Blanc and hors d’oeuvres of ham quiche and fried oyster sliders- delicious! The wine was really pretty and typical of the varietal: aromatic, crisp and clean, with racy acidity. Rob said he was required to distinguish Muscat “blanc” on the label, but stated there were no plans to plant any Muscat Rouge (yes, it exists)… Ah, wine nerd jokes.  As an aside to my A16 people, Rouge=Rosso.

The weather could not have been more perfect: a beautifully warm spring day with low humidity. The skies were clear and the view was stunning. They served as backdrop for the ultra-inviting family style banquet table set up on the RSV patio.

We hung out and mingled on the patio for awhile as our friend Ryan’s “best friend” Lola and the Sinskeys’ Portugeuse Water Pooch Paolo became fast friends exchanging many nudges and noses while they got to know eachother.

The best friends: Paolo and Lola

Our Muscat Blanc glasses were refilled with dry Pinot Gris before heading off to the cellar for barrel tasting. We tasted two Pinot Noir from different blocks, of the same vintage and barrel treatment. The 2008 Vandal Vineyard (named for an incident involving a tractor, a wake of destruction, and those damn _____ boys) was riveting with dark fruits and searing acidity. The acid will no doubt calm down a bit after some age, but for my money, this is exactly what I want. The next Pinot Noir was from a block used in the “Three Amigos” bottling. Tasty and more supple, this will please those looking for a softer wine with elegant fruit. We followed this with a sample of the Bordeaux blend “Marciene” (Old French for Martian).  Uncharicteristically Napa in it’s approach the wine was not excessively oaked or high in alcohol. Full of earth, forest and dried fruits, this wine hearkened it’s Right Bank Bordeaux style blend (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon – percentages undisclosed and “unimportant”).

The Philosophy

Rob approached Jeff in 1991 wanting to move to organic methods on the farm. Jeff’s response was “Only if it means that I can make better wine.” Rob took a couple more weeks to research, during which time he was turned on to the theories of Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamics (blog to come on this subject). At the notion of steps far beyond the reaches of conventional organics and the wild success of these practices in Europe, Rob and Jeff decided to implement the biodynamic method at RSV. Biodynamics treats the land as a living organism and follows the belief that everything is connected.

Shelley Lindgren of A16 listening to Rob

Starting with blank ground
The idea that one can just switch their farm to organics is a farse. The manufactured methods that are used to treat pests of both the plant and animal kingdoms not only remove said organisms from the land but also strip the land of vital nutrients. Typically this is what prompts the need for all the other tricks of the trade that go along with the addition of unnatural components to the land. That said, when making the switch, one is essentially starting with blank ground. Not only are there no “pests,” but the nutrients and conditions needed to sustain life naturally are also absent. When I asked Rob how long it took to return to a viable crop, he begrudgingly, but proudly, stated “ten years.”

Check out this video on the RSV Philosophy!!!!

http://www.robertsinskey.com/PointOfView/Organic

“Funny expression, “dirt farmer.” Until recently, I never really gave its meaning much thought. Precious little in agriculture is controllable. What we can control is the dirt. Rob’s philosophy that “Wine is not an athletic event,” still holds true to this day. Rob believes that wine should not be a “quick study,” but rather, sneak up on you, seduce you, and evolve…” – http://www.robertsinskey.com
Through this process the land has experienced a renewed sense of biodiversity. The Sinskeys have begun to raise many of their own animals and other crops in addition to grapes. Their sheep mow and fertilize the vineyards. The chickens follow up to scratch the surface and prune the vines. Much of the rest of their food comes from the surrounding farms of their immediate neighbors. It is Rob’s goal to continue to push closer to sustainability and self-sufficiency.
I had the distinct pleasure of being able to sit next to Rob at the dinner table and bend his ear on all sorts of issues. The conversation was enlightening. The company was wonderful. The food was superb.

The family table on the patio of Robert Sinskey Vineyards

The Meal

Spring Salad of Artichoke, Asparagus, Farm Egg and Shaved Parmesan. Paired with Abraxas, Vin de Terroir, Scintilla Sonoma Vineyard, Los Carneros 2008

Potato Gnocchi with Sweet Peas, Pancetta and Garden Herbs. Paired with Pinot Noir, Three Amigos Vineyard, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 2005

Roasted Pork Rack with Spring Onions and Morels. Paired with POV, Napa Valley 2005 and Marcien, Proprietary Red, Los Carneros, Napa Valley 2005

Broccoli with Chili and Lemon

Rhubarb Galette with Sweet Vanilla Cream. Paired with Pinot Gris Late, A Late Harvest Pinot Gris, Los Carneros 2005

Asparagus with farm egg

We are beginning to ease off the reigns of wine “making” and starting to embrace more hands-off methods. Over-oaking, extra long maceration (time on the grape skins), over-ripening, and micro-oxygenation (aka more oak, more fruit, more booze, softer wines) are all becoming less present. It’s not that oak is an inherently unpleasant flavor, but a barrel always tastes like a barrel. What I mean to say is that, as the spice of the dish it can be quite nice, but it too often tends to be the main ingredient. When the dominant flavors of oak and high alcohol trump the subtler aspects of a wine than we cover up characteristics that differentiate one wine from another. Vintage variation is a beautiful thing as a wine expresses itself differently from one year to another. The idea is to take the wine making out of the lab and return to the dirt. If we are good to the land, it will tell us what we need to do.

Where I had enjoyed many of the Sinskey wines in the past, I had not had personal experience with all of them. They were refined and beautiful. They expressed their place, and they were great with our food.
Thanks Rob, Jeff, Maria and crew! When a day like this can be such a learning experience, such a beautiful coming together of friends, and such a perfect catharsis, one thought comes to mind…. It’s a good life we lead.

Thanks to Janis Bell for the additional photography.

Monster Trout, Middle Earth, and biodynamic Pinot Noir!

I don’t intend to write an epic about every wine that I find delicious. With changes a-swell, though, Pyramid Valley Vineyards on New Zealand’s South Island exhibits a positive future in wine industries of the New World (New Zealand, North America, Australia, South Africa, etc.).

Those who think that New Zealand’s only contribution to the global wine world is mass quantities of grassy, grapefruity, cat pee-y Sauvignon Blanc, should prepare to have your world turned upside down. It’s true that there are some tasty times to be had under the glass of New Zealand SB, but, for now, let’s leave that to the big guys. As forward-thinking but tradition-revering winemakers are exposing promise all over the New World, Marlborough’s new school stands poised to make waves in their push for differentiation.

Enter, Mike Weersing of Pyramid Valley Vineyards. The Northern California native’s resume displays an impressive list of stints in some of the most storied appellations throughout Germany, France, Spain, Australia and Oregon. Mike and his wife Claudia travelled to New Zealand in 1996, when Mike began making wine with Tim and Judy Finn at Neudorf Vineyards in Nelson. At this moment the search began to find the future site of their own vines. After much research, several trips and ultimately unsuccessful attempts to find that perfect piece of land in the winegrowing regions of California, Mike returned his sights to New Zealand’s South Island. What ensued were countless cross-island trips in the cozy confines of Mike’s VW bus, before finally settling on a piece of land in the Pyramid Valley. This is where they would eventually plant the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines of their “Home Vineyard.”

Mike and Claudia spent the subsequent years meticulously guiding their plantings to maturation. Not yet ready to yield a viable crop from their holdings, Mike focused on a different project. Partnerships were born of new relationships with some of Marlborough’s most talented and discerning artisans. “We felt motivated to see recognition given to New Zealand’s grapegrowers, who have played so critical a role in the ascension and the growing acclaim of their country’s wine, but who so rarely receive due credit. How fun, and how just, we thought, to give these craftspeople a chance to show off their site and their skill. The basic arrangement is simple: we lease a chosen area of a grower’s vineyard, at a value set by the average income yielded by that area. We then, at our own cost, introduce a long list of operations geared to ensuring superior grape quality: shorter pruning, bud rubbing, shoot thinning and positioning, leaf plucking, fruit thinning, hand harvesting, and sorting or multiple passes at harvest if necessary. All work is done by hand.” What followed was the advent of the Pyramid Valley Vineyards “Grower’s Collection.” With rare exception Mike and his wife tend their leased holdings themselves. At the Calvert Vineyard on Felton Road, they’ve left the duties with longtime vineyard manager Gareth King, whose longstanding, stellar reputation fits right in line with Mike’s standards.

Over shared stories of wild adolescence and neighbors who hunt rabbits with hatchbacks, coupled with copious amounts of crusty bread, pungent cheese, and racy wine, Mike told one particular story that caught my immediate attention. It was of a grapegrower who had always sold his crop of Semillon to the big Sauvignon Blanc houses in Marlborough. It was Mike who convinced Mr. Hille that the superb qualities of his farm, and his rigorous attention to traditional farming practices, rendered produce well suited to being bottled on its own. Mike purchased rights to a small parcel and bottled it as a 100% Semillon from Marlborough. That night I tasted two vintages of the wine a year apart, the more youthful having characteristic herbiness. The older of the two already showed signs of maturation with delicious flavors of honeyed citrus and tones of spice that seemed to spin like a vibrant color wheel on top of a lanolin-like, mouth-filling texture…… DE-Licious! While you could mimic this maturation with decanting, I’d recommend letting the wine do its thing in the glass. It was intriguing that the more youthful version changed so much and so quickly. The story continued with the telling of Mike returning to the farmer with a bottle that read Pyramid Valley Vineyards Growers Collection “Hille Semillon.” Moved with emotion, Mr. Hille told Mike that he had never tasted or seen a wine made from his grapes. Everything that he had grown in the past was purchased and shipped off into the cosmos.

The other day I was in the market and noticed a bottle of Pyramid Valley Grower’s Collection 2005 Lebecca Riesling on the shelf. Compelled to purchase it, I did not hesitate with my selection. This was a wine that did not disappoint. Although it held itself in a manner that could easily be confused with a German Spätlese, this Riesling is clearly of its own unique place. Full of stony minerality, there are a host of penetrating flavors: pear, lemon oil, sweet wildflowers, honey, and Island spices. There is a fair amount of residual sugar balanced by a lighting bolt of acidity.

The story is of the new world and a promising future for regions seeking a unique identity. The subject is a wine that is supremely delicious and deserves to be sought out. I hope that you will continue to try some of the offerings from a new class of winemakers around the world. How beautiful it is to see artisans making a product that, while of a new geography, hearkens to the focus to tradition that we’ve all grown to love and expect in the Old World.

We love the Grower’s collection and can’t wait to try wines from the Home Vineyard, biodynamically farmed since inception!

“Because we know and trust our fruit, we are confident allowing our wines largely to make themselves.”

“Mike studied oenology and viticulture in Burgundy, beginning at the Lycee Viticole in Beaune, and continuing at the Universite de Bourgogne in Dijon. He has worked extensively in the vineyards and cellars of Europe, for producers such as Hubert de Montille, Domaine de la Pousse d’Or, and Nicolas Potel in Burgundy; Jean-Michel Deiss and Marc Kreydenweiss in Alsace; and Ernst Loosen in the Mosel. He has made wine in France and in Spain for Randall Grahm of Bonny DoonVineyards, vinifying in the Rhone Valley, the Languedoc–Roussillon, and the Navarra. New world vintages include apprenticeships with James Halliday at Coldstream Hills in the Yarra Valley of Australia, and with Russ Raney at Evesham Wood in Oregon’s Eola Hills.”

Pyramid Valley Vineyards Grower’s Collection Lebecca Riesling
Purchased at Bi-Rite Market on 18th St. in San Francisco, CA
$17.99

Excerpts taken directly from the Pyramid Valley Vineyards website appear in italics.

Imported by: Terra Firma Wine Co.

On Foie Gras

-Michael Meier

Those of you who know me well, know this about me: I champion the little guy, the artisan producer, the farmer, the lover of the land. Many of you share the same sentiment. As a matter of fact, this subject is the basis on which of many of our friendships were founded. This is the reason for my career choice, or at least the subject matter that solidified its longevity. That it pains me to see the culture of food changing is also no secret. It’s a constant truth, that I would work harder, pay more, for a smaller amount of something true and pure.

Every now and then someone illustrates this subject matter in a way that clearly presents the dichotomy between old world and new … between brand building and the farmer.

Dan Barber’s (chef and co-owner of Blue Hill, in New York and Westchester) lecture at Taste (http://www.taste3.com/) in Napa is inspiration for me to write down my feelings. Full links to the lecture and other notable media are included at the end of the article. Please click the link to his poignant speech.

Nature provides the human species with a diet that has sustained us for thousands of years. When we learned to cultivate, we did so in a manner that preserved the integrity of the resources in use. Thinking of food as a product and a means to further capitalistic growth is an entirely different mentality. The advent of modern day industrialized agriculture, coupled with the ever-growing presence of the chemical companies and the GMO patent holders (which are quite-frighteningly often one in the same), has changed the culture of food. The macro level of sustenance delivery has brought a host of ramifications, that we’ve only begun to unearth, let alone understand.

When we talk about the love of food, and the little guy, and the slow meal, we evoke the beauty of how complex and thought-provoking a simple sliver of mackerel, a whole roasted young fava bean, or a sweet plum can be when presented in a pure and natural state. Everything we need is provided for us, yet we are determined as a modern civilization to manipulate our natural environment to meet what we perceive to be our modern “needs.” Breaking bread with your neighbor, taking a three hour lunch, stopping to look around and enjoy the simple things, when did we forget the importance of these? These are the things that have always been there… the things that were provided for us. It’s nature humbly presented. It’s ALL WE NEED. And, if we treat it with passion, it’s all we should want.

“…take more, sell more, waste more…”

People actually say that the farmers’ market is pretentious. Conversely, It is my unwavering belief that Wal-Mart selling produce is pretentious. That humans think we can do it better than nature is to me… condescending, arrogant, and “insulting of history.” The farmer is the artist, putting his work on the line and saying “what is it worth to you?”

It’s important that we know the degrees of separation between us and what we consume. Food is the subject, but the attitude is pervasive in all aspects of our society: Produce more, Consume more, Waste more, and (in the name of capitalism) Repeat. I can’t, however, think of anything more relevant than food. Food shouldn’t be a weapon. Food… is love. We should stop “insulting history.”

Talks Dan Barber: A surprising parable of foie gras. http://tinyurl.com/5gr9r7

The World According to Monsanto: A documentary that you won’t see on American television. The gigantic biotech (and chemical) corporation Monsanto is threatening to destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for thousands of years. http://wideeyecinema.com/?p=105
…..What everyone should know……

Mondovino: A documentary on the impact of globalization on the wine regions. http://www.mondovinofilm.com/

King Corn: A feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. http://www.kingcorn.net/

Life and Debt: A feature-length documentary which addresses the impact of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank and current globalization policies on a developing country such as Jamaica. http://www.lifeanddebt.org/

Mondovino: A documentary.

Jonathan Nossiter’s 2004 documentary paints a vivid picture of the separation of old world versus new. He shows us that, as the world becomes smaller and more accessible, our need for instant gratification and our ‘more is more’ mentality are causing us to abandon our sense of place and individuality. He brilliantly showcases the differences between brand building icons and the reverent farmer. With the grape in the starring role, this film is applicable to just about any subject in our modern lives.

Aimé Guibert – Mas de Daumas Gassac

A Review On: Terroir Natural Wine Merchant

As a note to the question “what do they mean natural; is it organic or biodynamic?” Though these winemakers practice organic and often biodynamic farming, many of them have abandoned the personal need of the tag. A large number of the wines are certified, but to others, it’s not important to take on the financial burden, and red tape of receiving the certification. As in, it’s not about the marketability of the word, it’s just what they do. The approach is natural in the farm and in the lack of additives at the winemaking level.

I feel blessed to have a collection this special in our city. There are some truly amazing offerings on this list. If you have trouble translating, just ask one of the guys for help. They are all extremely knowledgeable, and fully prepared to geek out at a moment’s notice. Mark-ups are nominal as compared to many other places around. That said, you won’t see these wines around at too many places – certainly not all in one place. The artisan cheeses are well selected and a nice treat too. On a personal note, thanks for all the Jura blanc!

Check out the recent issue of Wine and spirits which profiles Guilhaume, Luc, and Degan. I did find it interesting that they are referred to as rebels. It’s funny that standing up for the farmer and against manipulated crops and augmented wines is rebelling. Can processes that have been going on for generation upon generation really be rebellious? Not too many years ago it was micro-oxygenation, excessive use of sulfur, and trumping a wine with oak that were considered rebelling.

I say “Rebel On!” Long live natural wine!

Neighborhood: SOMA
1116 Folsom St
(between 7th St & Langton St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 558-9946
http://www.terroirsf.com