WINO 101

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the last! It’s the last of the Thursday newsletters announcing the last of the Friday tastings for the last days for Carpe Vinum (at this location)! It’s been a long stretch of excellent wines and some excellent tastings over the last 5 years. As you know, I plan on doing something similar to this in the coming year, the final product yet to be determined, but for now it’s The Last Carpe Vinum Friday Tasting Summing Up the Year In Wine With the Best of 2007! I’ve hand-selected seven wines that were the runaway hits throughout the year, the best-sellers, the most-surprising, my personal favorites and/or just the best of the best. I can’t think of a better way to wrap up the end of the year, and somewhat sadly the end of the retail shop, than with all of these spectacular wines. Let’s recap the Best of 2007, a year in review!

Patritti NV Shargren: The red and bubbly wines are still a relatively unknown thing to our shores, here. Until this wine, and its contemporary The Black Chook, came around here all the sparkling Shiraz I saw was horribly expensive and they were so few, nobody really had a chance or the budget to try it. This one came on the scene just this year offering everyone a fresh look at this unusual style without breaking anyone’s budget. Over the past few months it’s been like an Easter egg hunt. I think I’ve hidden a few bottles, then they suddenly surface and sell out. It’s certainly not one to miss!

Kiona 2005 Lemberger: I had poured this wine a number of times in the past and it seems to keep getting better with each vintage. Lemberger is a relatively obscure grape in the Northwest wine scene, known better in Austria as Blaufrankisch and in Germany as Blauer Limberger. Obscure as it is, this is another one that is very hard to keep in stock. It’s relatively low in acid and has some dark plummy fruit with some hints of chocolate. Of course, clocking-in at under $11 is also no small reason this is so popular. But by no means the only reason.

Morgante 2005 Nero d’Avola: The time may not be nigh for the revolution of Nero d’Avola. The grape is grown almost exclusively in Sicily, although I think I heard of a vineyard or two in California, but for now it’s just a Sicilian phenomenon. This wine has been one of my most steady sellers throughout the year. Whoever tries it always comes back for more. I find it a decent comparison with Syrah and Grenache, but with a certain extra something that remains uniquely Nero d’Avola.

Saint Cosme 2006 Cotes du Rhone: It’s pronounced “Saint Comb” not “Coz Em” or “Coz Me”. This producer makes quite a few wines throughout the French Rhone, only a few that actually make it to our shores. I initially fell in love with their “Deux Albion” Cotes du Rhone. But then a popular wine magazine reviewer also liked it, so it sold out in a week. Then I went to the 2005 regular Cotes du Rhone. That got a good review, and also sold out. So here we are on the 2006. It’s still one of the best Cotes du Rhone I’ve had in years. Get it now before some other wine reviewer tells other people it’s good!

Peterson 2004 Zinfandel: I love the Zinfandel. Over the last 3 or more years, I’ve been disappointed with the general style all the Zin producers have been going for. I think it’s the unfortunate shift of the entire industry in attempts to please one of the aforementioned wine reviewers that is causing a homogenization of a lot of wines, removing the intricacies and subtleties that actually make these wines different. And also pushing the styles and strength of these wines to the point that is not entirely dissimilar to drinking the wine and then smashing the empty bottles over our heads. The Peterson Zinfandel seems to me a welcome return to Zinfandel as it should be: Big, bold, spicy without being overtly threatening.

Adelsheim 2005 Pinot Noir: Truth be told, I’m not a huge fan of the Pinot Noir. I know what it should be, I know the different styles people are going for, and I know a good one when I find it. But it’s not anything I generally seek out for having with dinner and I’m a bit ambivalent about the worldwide pricing of the stuff. Sure, a well-made Pinot can be a thing of beauty, but I feel any grape, given the appropriate conditions and attention can also excel just as well. With that in mind, when a Pinot can stop me mid-conversation to say “Hey. That’s really, really good!” and then forget what I was talking about, you know it’s a good pinot. And it’s under $30!

Kaesler 2005 The Fave Grenache: It may be a bit early to call this one for the Best of 2007, as I just tried this one several weeks ago, but it was tasty, and I had to fit into one of these tastings. Considering this is the last tasting, at least for a while, it had to fit in here somehow. Besides, I’m always a sucker for Grenache. This one is stable and spicy, and it’s fruity without being too jammy like much of Australia produces. Had I discovered it months ago, it’d probably still have made it in here, anyway. It’s not cheap, but as a LAST pour I thought maybe we could splurge a bit.

So there we go. Seven spectacular wines for the last tasting of the year. And the last tasting for a while, until I get my next move more established. I just want to thank everyone for the support over the years! It’s been a fun ride, and I look forward to a new endeavor which will be somewhat or somehow related to this one. I brought in quite a bit of extra wine for this one since I can’t order any more after this point. So come down for one last taste!

So Friday, December 28th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Best of 2007!!!
Patritti NV Shargren Sparkling Shiraz/Grenache, Australia
Kiona 2005 Lemberger, Red Mountain, Washington
Morgante 2005 Nero d’Avola, Sicily, Italy
Saint Cosme 2006 Cotes du Rhone, France
Peterson 2004 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley, California

Best of the Best of 2007!!!
Adelsheim 2005 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Kaesler 2005 The Fave Grenache, Barossa Valley, Australia

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is . . . um . . . your place . . . ?

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Soon-To-Be Slightly Less Than Weekly But For Now Still Weekly Carpe Vinum Newsletter and Tasting Report! I just wanted to thank everyone for all the support for our regrettable, yet totally un-regrettable decision to close the retail portion of the business. The direction I will be going looks better all the time. I think of the immortal words of the eloquent Obi Wan Kenobi, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine”. I’m not necessarily being “struck down” and I certainly won’t necessarily become “powerful” . . . well, at least not more so than you could possibly imagine. Chances are. But I digress.

So what are we tasting this week? It’s a little thing I like to call The Procrastinator’s Gift Guide! If you shop for the Holidays like I do, hardly at all and at the last minute, this is the tasting for you! Of course, it makes sense that I give bottles of wine as gifts. I’m in a wine shop all day long. One step to my right and I’m “shopping”. And then a step back to my left and I’m “working” again.

So what kinds of wines do I tend to give as gifts? Well, considering that we in Portland are pretty well centrally located as it comes to the Northwest wine, I usually like to give something from our Northwest wineries, especially if it’s gifts to people from outside the region. Many people in other states have a hard time finding Oregon and Washington wines, whereas most wines we see from California and imports from outside the country seem to have more even distribution across The States. So here’s a selection of bottles that come from Oregon and Washington that could be considered “gifty” is some kind of way.

A to Z 2006 Pinot Noir: Many will agree that an Oregon Pinot Noir is one of the best wines to give as gifts. People from all over the world are trying to get their hands on this stuff. The current prices correlate to this, and now there are very few Pinots that fit the budget. A to Z is one of the best wines in its own price category. It’s what you get for when you want to get the very best . . . but when you can’t afford the very best!

The Pines 2006 Big Red: It’s Oregon’s own producer of Old Vine Zinfandel. This isn’t Zin, though. It’s a handful of other Big Red things . . . as you might be able to tell by the name. It’s a good way to show off the fact that Oregon isn’t all about the Pinot Noir. It’s also good for fans of pine trees and fans of things that are big and also happen to be red. Like . . . uh . . . a firetruck? Know any firemen?

Basel Cellars 2005 Claret: This is another big red wine from a winery in Walla Walla. If you’ve ever been to the Basel estate out there, you’d see that it’s the most extravagant winery facility in the whole town, if not the state. The long sprawling drive up to the facility makes you think you’re driving up to Bruce Wayne’s place. It’s also a resort and if you visit the tasting room you can see the guests lounging in the sun out by the pool separated from you by a big sign saying “You can’t go here”. There’s a picture of the place on the label, so if you give this as a gift you can say, “If I could afford it, I’d take you here. But here’s a picture instead. Drink this and pretend we’re there.”

Balboa 2006 The Cat’s Meow: It’s another big Washington red. And as a gift you’d be telling that special someone you think they’re really “The Cat’s Meow” . . . which is a phrase I’ve never really understood. I mean, has anyone ever met my cat? Saying someone is “the Cat’s Meow” sounds like saying someone is “relentlessly annoying and never shuts up”. Maybe they meant someone else’s cat. At any rate, if you use this as a gift, be careful.

Domaine Pierre Noir 2005 Cuvee Amont: This is for someone who asked you for Pinot Noir but you can spend less and pretend you heard them wrong. “Pinot Noir? I thought you said PIERRE Noir. Hm. Oh, well. Enjoy!” It’s another Washington red, always pleasing, if you can see my trend here . . .

Anam Cara 2005 Pinot Noir: Okay, now we’re getting into the serious Pinot territory. The name means “Soul Friend” in old Celtic, and as such always makes a very friendly gift. It’s been one of my favorite Pinot producers for the last couple years, and yet hasn’t been pushed into the “Good lord, they want how much for this?” territory.

Andrew Rich 2005 Coup d’Etat: This is a blend of Rhone varietals from the Columbia Valley. Which side of the river it comes from I am unsure of, but considering the winery is in Oregon, I’ll say Oregon for posterity. Why is it called “Coup d’Etat”? Perhaps because a Rhone-style blend in Oregon is a revolutionary idea? Don’t know. But it’s the perfect wine for that little anarchist on your list.

So that’s the lineup! I’ll have a limited amount available on most of them, so if any sound like the gift idea you’ve been putting off this long, get here early to grab yours. Otherwise, it’s still possible to order more and it will be delivered here on Monday. And yes, that answers that question: I will be here on Monday the 24th, Christmas Eve, from 11 AM until 5 PM or a bit later. I’m not normally here on Monday, but since I’m used to doing my shopping on the 24th, I’ll be here anyway, right?

So Friday, December 21st, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Procrastinator’s Gift Guide 2007!!!
A to Z 2006 Pinot Noir, Oregon
The Pines 2006 Big Red, Columbia Valley, Oregon
Basel Cellars 2005 Claret, Columbia Valley, Washington
Balboa 2006 The Cat’s Meow, Walla Walla Valley, Washington
Domaine Pierre Noir 2005 Cuvee Amont Vin Rouge, Columbia Valley, Washington

More Gifties!!!
Anam Cara 2005 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Andrew Rich 2005 Coup d’Etat, Columbia Valley, Oregon

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is The Best of 2007!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Quasi-Weekly Newsletter-of-Sorts and Announcement for the Friday Tasting here at Carpe Vinum! Last week, due to some online newsletter mailing service weirdness, the newsletter from last week didn’t get cleared until, well, today. But considering sending out two newsletters in one day might just prove to be too confusing (i.e.- just what the heck are we tasting tomorrow?). So for posterity’s sake, the newsletter from last week is posted on the shop’s blogsite at http://www.carpevinumpdx.com. But for the purpose of this week, the tasting tomorrow will be our Sparkletacular 2007! That’s right! It’s seven . . . no wait, eight sparklers served to you tomorrow, and an introduction to eight wines that would be befitting to any holiday celebration! So let’s meet our contenders, shall we?

So just how do they get all those bubbles into those bottles? A question for the ages, to be sure. There are quite a few methods for getting those wines to sparkle. The lo-fi method is to actually carbonate the things artificially, like some of the soft drinks, beers and canned wines out there. Yes, canned wine. To be sipped through a straw. Out of a paper bag on the bus. Okay, okay, that’s not quite fair. Cracking open a can of carbonated wine can be quite fun. Not necessarily tasty, but fun. The more traditional method is to add additional yeast and sweetness to the bottles and put a pretty sturdy cap on there and let fermentation in the bottle do the trick.

Actually, that seems to be the most popular method of doing it. It’s what’s referred to as “Methode Champenoise” or “Methode Traditionelle”. There is some dispute as to who did it first. Bubbles appearing in the wine is technically a flaw in the wine, meaning that the juice was bottled before the fermentation was complete, so winemakers in colder climates had been doing that by accident for centuries. But as far as who started intentionally bottling the wines with the intention of creating bubbles is a hotly contested dispute. Wineries in the Loire have records that they were doing it years before Champagne, but Champagne certainly seems to have perfected the process. Or at least they’ve perfected the marketing of the wines. For an example of this marketing, check out ANY website from producers in Champagne. They are all the most exquisite wine websites on the web. Also, all the animation and scripting on the sites might crash your browser if your bandwidth isn’t quite up to snuff. But that’s another story.

So when I put together a sparkling tasting, I like to do a tour of the world to check out the different styles of bubblies the world has to offer, considering almost every wine-growing region will have their own sparkler. Of course, starting at the top, both by reputation, history and price, we have Champagne. There are very few Champagnes that retail under $40 and quite a few that retail over $200. I guess they have to pay their over-productive webmasters. Also from France is the Cremant from different regions. Usually done in the same methods as Champagne, I find the results are just as pleasant, and the price is even more pleasant. As always, I have to put in my favorite of the bubblies, a Prosecco from Italy and the ever-popular Cava from Spain. Also, we have to look to our own winemakers here in Oregon for some local bubbly. We don’t have many, but they are nice.

Aw, heck. Why not? Just for fun let’s throw in one of Australia’s red sparkling Shiraz. These things had traditionally been terribly expensive but it seems more producers have been making these things and driving the price down. If you’ve not tried one of these things, you really must. Actually, I’d say every one of sparklers is a must. After all it is the Sparklefest!

So Friday, December 14th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Sparklefest 2007!!!
Lucien Albrecht NV Brut Blanc de Blancs, Cremant de Alsace, France
Clemence Guery NV Cremant de Loire, France
Fantinel NV Prosecco, Veneto, Italy
1 + 1 = 3 NV Brut Cava, Spain
Louis Bouillot NV Perle de Aurore, Cremant de Bourgogne Rose’, France

More Sparklies!!!
Argyle 1999 Brut, Knudsen Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Nicholas Feuillatte NV Brut Champagne, France

Okay . . . Just One More . . . Red one too!
The Black Chook NV Sparkling Shiraz, Barossa, Australia

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Procrastinator’s Gift Guide!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Newsletter and Tasting Notes for the Carpe Vinum December and Fourth-to-Final Tasting of the Year that is 2007! It’s the beginning of that time of year where magazines, news shows, weblogs, and people everywhere start referring to things as “The Year In Review” or “The Best of . . . ” or “The Stuff this Year that Made Our Spidey Senses Tingle”. This week, to kick off the “The Best of the Year in Review that Made our Spidey Senses Tingle” we’ve got SangioFest 2007! It’s all Sangiovese, all night long! Well, okay . . . it’s not really a yearly retrospective on Sangiovese. All but one of the wines in this tasting are new to the shop, and none have been featured in a tasting yet. But I just wanted to kick off December with some kind of “2007 Spectacular” so as to not be left behind on dropping the number “2007″ as many times as possible. So here it is! SangioFest 2007!

What is a Sangiovese? It’s a grape! It’s an Italian grape! Can we still consider it an Italian grape if it’s grown outside Italy? Well, no. Okay, so it’s grape of Italian heritage! How about that? At any rate it’s the grape that made Italian wine famous. It accounts for about 10% of all grapes grown in Italy. That sounds like a low percentage, but when you consider just how much grape crop they grow there, and all the variety, that 10% is still makes Sangiovese the most widely grown grape in Italy.

As far as scientists can tell, Sangiovese is most likely native to Tuscany, and not coincidentally is also from where we find most of the Sangiovese-based reds; Tuscany and its neighbors Umbria and Emilia Romagna. Within Tuscany we’ve got some of the most famous of Italian wines that are all based in Sangiovese. For one, just a simple name you may have heard before: Chianti? Of course the Chianti! Now, don’t fret! I happen to know there is a lot of Chianti out there, and I might risk the wrath of Chianti-lovers in saying that I think a good majority of Chianti is garbage. With that in mind, when you see me talking up Chianti as a region, I’m talking only about the good ones. In the neighbors of Chianti we find some of the other famous Sangiovese-based wines of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. (Not to be confused with Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, which is made with the Montepulciano grape.) Also, and the most famous of Tuscany, is the Brunello di Montalcino and its less-expensive sibling the Rosso di Montalcino.

Now, this is not an Italian-only wine tasting. When tasting the single-varietal wines in a setting such as this, I always like comparing the Old World wines to the New World. As it is in the New World regarding wine, we have a rich history of immigrants from Italy bringing with them clippings of their beloved Sangiovese to plant in their new home. So many years ago, vines of Sangiovese made their way to California and to South America (mainly Argentina). It has only been in the more recent years that we’ve seen the grape make its way into our own neighbors in Washington. There the grape is making wines that differ greatly from its relatives in Europe.

For now that’s really the scope and range of the Sangiovese. It’s enough for a full Sangiovese primer of sorts without delving into Italy too much. With Italy still being the world’s wine superpower in gross exports, we could probably put together a tasting like this every day of the year filled with Sangiovese wines from Italy, and never repeat one. New World Sangios are fewer, and so easier to choose. So for this tasting, we’ve got three spectacular Sangiovese wines from Italy, two from California, and then three more from Washington.

Wait . . . isn’t that eight? That’s right! I made an exception to add another On-The-Side pour to bring in one of my favorites from Washington: K Vintner’s 2005 Guido. This stuff is very limited, and I only get 6 bottles this year. And of these 6, I’m opening one for us all to taste, leaving just 5 to sell. So it is definitely not to be missed and it is best to get here early if anyone wants a bottle of this Super Supremo Sangiovese Stuff.

So Friday, December 7th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

SangioFest 2007!!!
Ca’ Del Solo 2005 Sangiovese, San Benito County, California
Jaccuzzi Family Vineyards 2004 Sangiovese, Sonoma County, California
Corte alla Flora 2004 Giuggiolo, Tuscany IGT, Italy
Castellare 2004 Chianti Classico, Tuscany, Italy
Carpazo 2004 Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Sangiovese Sangiovese from Walla Walla!!!
Maninna 2005 Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, Washington
Five Star 2004 Sangiovese, Walla Walla Valley, Washington

Super Supremo Sangiovese!!!
K Vintners 2005 Guido, Morrison Lane, Walla Walla Valley, Washington

A stellar deal at $10 for the First 5, $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours, $4 for the Super Supremo Pour.

Hope to see you here!

Seize the Wine!

Next Friday tasting is Sparlkefest 2007!

M