Sometimes you just need to trust your friends on wine recommendations…especially if those friends have an outstanding palate.

I met Jay Gruber many years ago when we both worked for Sterling Cellars in Mahopac, New York. He then traveled the many twists and turns of the wine business, and eventually, to the good fortune of Sterling Cellars patrons, has returned to the excellent store on Route 6.

During one stop on his journey, Jay spend time as a wine manager at the first Total Wines store established in Connecticut.   My first visit to that Total Wines location introduced me to their unique marketing model as well as to many wines that I had never experienced. Jay spoke glowing about a 2010 Chateau Lilian Ladouys St. Estephe Bordeaux. I bought a couple of bottles.

We stored the bottles in our New York cellar, and then packed them amongst the wines we eventually moved to the Low Country of South Carolina. A few nights ago we opened it. In a regular paradox for wine consumers…we are sorry that we waited to open it, and very glad we did.

This Cabernet based Bordeaux from the Medoc earned 94 points from the Wine Enthusiast and a 91 from James Suckling. It is unlikely that you will find any more 2010. However, every Lilian Ladouys vintage since 2010, and through the current 2018 release has been rated at 90 or higher by every rating agency from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate to Decanter Magazine. However, it is a little tricky to track down a Lilian Ladouys…more on this later in the post. But, first a little background on the wine, the winery, and the region.

Formed in 1654 under the name La Doys, by the 18^th century the estate was controlled by the Barre family. The Barre’s managed the estate for a century and a half and was responsible for building the chateau that defines Lilian Ladouys today.

Unfortunately, the early 20^th century was not kind to the winery, and it “fell into a dilapidated state”. Ownership was ultimately forced to sell vineyards to resolve debt. In the late 20^th century the tides of fortune changed. The Thieblot family purchased the estate, changed the name to Chateau Lilian Ladouys (honoring the wife), and expanded the vineyards. In 2007, the estate was sold to Jacky Lorenzetti, who earned his fortune as the founder of Foncia. Foncia is a real estate management firm with control of nearly 500,000 rental properties.

Lorenzetti is committed to Lilian Ladouys. He has dramatically expanded the vineyard holdings. His winery team has also increased Merlot plantings (older vines – most over 40 years old). “This represents a major change in a vineyard that was previously dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon. Recent vintages of Lilian Ladouys have increased the Merlot in the blend to nearly 40% with a small quantity of Petite Verdot added. The 47 hectares of vineyards, twice the average vineyard acreage for the Medoc, average between 8-10,000 vines per hectare (which is average for the region), are picked by hand, and age their wine in 40% new French oak barrels for between 14 and 16 months.

The result is a serious wine produced by very serious people.

For the wine snobs amongst you…this is not a ‘classified growth’. For those of you who may be interested…some explanation.

In 1855 the French government classified the wines of France. The classification was largely done on the basis of price. The operating assumption in development of the classification was that the more expensive a wine, the better the wine. The ‘best wines of Bordeaux’ were rigidly classified in growths 1-5. The classification is so rigid, that in the past 150 years there have been only two alterations to the list. One of those changes was the addition of Mouton Rothschild as a First Growth. The price of Mouton Rothschild would have justified its inclusion as a First Growth in 1855, but the estate was excluded because winery had been recently purchased by an English group.

All of the 1855 classified wines were from Medoc with the exception of Haut-Brion from Graves. Petrus, generally regarded as one of France’s finest wines, was not included because it was from the ‘Right Bank’ and produced predominately from Merlot. ‘Left Bank’ (designated by the rivers that separate Bordeaux) wines are more than 50% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cheval-Blanc and Ausone, two of the most respected Bordeaux wines, were not included because they originated in St. Emilion.

What if your Bordeaux winery was not one of the fortunate 58 chateaus to be included in the 1855 classification?   For nearly 75 years…nothing…but, in 1932 The Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce selected 444 estates as Cru Bourgeois. The term was granted to wineries a step below the classified estates, but still of high quality. And, although the status of these previously ignored wineries was never official ratified, many named estates printed the term Cru Bourgeois on their labels. However, there were multiple lawsuits from estates not ‘granted’ Cru Bourgeois status. The term was at first both eliminated and eventually reinstated throughout the early 21^st century.  In 2010 a program by which estates could apply for the  Cru Bourgeois status (starting with their 2008 vintage) earned through an assessment of both the estate’s production quality and an evaluation of the final product.

French wines have a complicated history, and the competition between estates for status is fierce. Status is very important to sales. By way of illustration, there are 6,000 Bordeaux estates producing wine from less than 300,000 acres. By comparison, the United States has approximately 3,000 wineries drawing from more than 1,000,000 acres of vineyards.

The Lilian Ladouys has certainly earned the status of Cru Bourgeois. The 2010 was vibrant red, and the wood and fresh fruit on the nose continued onto the palate. The wine is velvety in texture and the finish lingered. Newer vintages, with equally excellent ratings, offer similar flavor profiles.

You can find Lilian Ladouys at Total Wines (where it is identified as a Winery Direct product) and is generally available at a price in the low $30s. And, interestingly, you can also find it at Sterling Cellars in Mahopac, New York at the same price point.

Track a bottle down…it will be well worth the effort.

As many of you know, I spend nearly four decades as a debater and a debate coach. During those decades we debated dozens of domestic and international policy issues…including the danger of species loss via natural selection and human interaction with the planet.

In the most recent post to the Wine and Spirits Report we examined the potential risk to the future of the wine industry as wine species are lost worldwide. The questions we examine in this post is twofold: what is the impact of this species loss? And, even more critically, is there a means by which to reverse, or slow this loss of species?

Let’s start with the concept of ‘keystone species.

National Geographic defines a keystone species as “an organism that helps define an entire ecosystem. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Keystone species have low functional redundancy. This means that if the species were to disappear from the ecosystem, no other species would be able to fill its ecological niche. The ecosystem would be forced to radically change, allowing new and possibly invasive species to populate the habitat”. And, “any organism, from plants to fungi, may be a keystone species”.

Vineyards are ecosystems. There are small ecosystems (like a pond or puddle), and there are large ecosystems (like the earth). A vineyard according to the publication Scientia Horticulturae, is an ecosystem, and as such, needs balance to prevent disease and to maintain control of pests.

Grapes belong to a species named Vitis. There are eight species of grapes in the Vitis genus. Of the eight, six are native to North America with only vinifera (native to Europe), and amurensis (Asia) are non-American species. It is the European vinifera that is the basis of virtually every wine we consume (the six Noble grapes from Cabernet Sauvignon to Chardonnay).

Domestic species of grapes, for the most part, do not make drinkable wine. There are exceptions. However, there has been very little effort to vinify these grapes because the Europe’s vinifera has dominated the U.S. market. The Wine Mosaic (introduced in the last post) has been devoted, despite “working with scarce funding and apathetic growers” to “improving heirloom grapes and encouraging adventurous wine drinkers to broaden their palates”. They hope to appeal “To wine lovers in search of authenticity”.

We reviewed in the last post how inbreeding developed. Following the phylloxera crisis of the late 19^th century, grape growers initiated processes to both prevent a recurrence of phylloxera and to propagate vines that would be resistant to mildew and botrytis (a grape rot). Eventually, they sought to resolve virtually every vineyard issue from insects to fungi through ‘genetic engineering’.

Vineyard yields improved, and vine were less likely, in the short run, to contract diseases. However, through the process of inbreeding growers also made it necessary for vines to have assistance from pesticides and insecticides to survive and thrive. And, they did…

There are wine writers (including New Zealand’s Wine Guy) who argue that there is no real threat to the future of grapes and wine. He argues that terroir assures diversity and protects diversity. “There is no danger of running out of interesting wine any time soon, as it is the geography, climate, winemaker and cultural influences which all play their part in making interesting wines.” I believe he is wrong.

However, despite differences of opinion, science supports the proposition that the reduction of any species (varietal) is a risk to the environment. The key is to expand our very parochial palates.

Old World Wines…a focus on “tradition and the roles of terroir versus the New World where science and the role of the winemaker are more often emphasized”.

Today, the ‘winemaker’s art’ has too often become the domain of marketing. From reviewers with their ratings driving customer interest, and distributors with consumer analysis and a need for placement of products, it should be no surprise that you will find a hundred Chardonnay options, but not a single bottle of a Norton, a robust North American native grape cultivated near St. Louis.

It is difficult to place the blame on retailers. They are simply meeting demand. White Zinfandel to Merlot to Australian Shiraz to Pinot Noir…retailers simply respond to market forces. So, the solution resides in us.

We need to understand the underpinnings of our ‘cultural palate’, and we need to challenge it. Americans have a sweet tooth and that sweet tooth has influenced our choice of beverages. We like sweet soft drinks, sugar in our coffee and tea, we like cocktails that are sweet, and we like our wine and spirits to have a ‘touch’ of sweetness. However, we should be aware that most wine is not sweet. There are fruit elements in wine which may be suggestive of sweet, but most wines, if vinified properly, are dry.

We need to be aware that wine and food are natural partners, and we need to experiment with those pairings. And, we need to experiment with taste.

Especially, considering experimenting with more ‘field blends’.

The Old-World Wine movement encourages the return to a time before mechanical farming and harvesting. And, the movement focuses on how well the “wine communicates the sense of the place where it originates”. The focus on terroir is not new  Growers and winemakers have long been aware that the soil dictates the flavor as much as the varietal.

However, the Old-World wine people also believe in a return to use of wild yeast. ‘New World’ winemakers traditionally rely on cultured yeast strains. Cultured yeast, controlled fermentation through temperature-controlled tanks, and limited maceration (contact of juice with the grapes) all suggest a wine more influenced by the winemaker than the grapes.

Field Blends are an excellent example of Old-World Wine. Made from a blend of grapes grown together in the same field or vineyard. The grapes are then picked and fermented at the same time. “Old World winemakers planted some for ripeness, some for acidity and others for color”. The process ensured that if environmental conditions impacting one of the varieties, the remaining varieties would survive. Quality control is provided by nature. The varietal is not as important as the final product.

There are ‘field blends’ you have likely already sampled. The Prisoner, Ménage a Trois, and Apothic Red/White would all qualify as Field Blends. Field Blends can even mix red and white grapes. And, the field blends tend to focus on old vines. There is an  assumption being older vines represent a more intense flavor profile. And, winemakers are generally not as concerned about what grapes are included in the final ‘mix’ as what the flavor profile might be.

However, this is a flavor profile that requires a ‘trained palate’. The tannins are more aggressive, and the flavor profile require a palate willing to be challenged. This is tricky process. The blending is handled in the vineyard not in the winery. The skill of the winemaker is ultimately determined by the decision as when it is the ideal time to harvest a vineyard populated with multiple varietals.

Ask your local retailer for suggestions of other ‘field blends’. Your palates will expand, and you may ultimately save a grape species. If your retailer is not stocking any field blends, encourage them to do so.

There is always so much more to learn.

Joy and I have participated in many wine clubs over the years. We have enjoyed the extraordinary Syrah and Pinot Noir of Sonoma’s Tom Dehlinger and the old-world characteristics of Oregon’s Patricia Green. We have opened boxes of excellent Cabernet and luscious Chardonnay. We have been involved in the importation of wine, including the excellent Refosk of Slovenia’s San Tomas, and we have purchased small production Brunello from a wonderful enoteca in Montalcino. We have tasted wines produced in states as varied as Illinois, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, and decades ago we stumbled across a wonderful sparkling wine producer named Gruet north of Albuquerque. We traveled through Northern Italy tasting only local products, including a bottle of Lambrusco declared by a Modena waiter to be the “finest in the region” as he ‘popped’ the cork. However, despite our efforts to explore and learn, we continue to be surprised by a wine or a grape with which we have had no experience.

It is the potential for surprise offered by a new wine or grape that offers an appropriate segue into Kevin Begos new book, Tasting the Past (2018, Algonquin), and a companion conversation about Accent On Wine’s newly formed Wine Club.

Vinny Wedderspoon (AOC wine club guru/wine specialist) and Stephane Peltier (former Woodland’s sommelier/owner of AOW) introduced their wine club in late 2018. As with many wine clubs they offer a red and white option (or mixed), and you could acquire 1-3 bottles of each. However, unlike many wine clubs, Vinny and Stephane are willing to challenge your wine palate. Chardonnay and Cabernet are not the common offerings. We have recently discussed Abouriou from the Rhone and will review Sicily’s Catarratto and Austrian Blaufrankisch in the near future. The world of wine is certainly wider than Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and Vinny and Stephane explore the wide range of grapes and the flavors they offer a consumer.

Begos, in Tasting the Past becomes intrigued by the origins of wine initially sparked by a taste of a Cremisan wine produced from indigenous Israeli grapes. Much like Kermit Lynch’s 1988 classic, Adventures on the Wine Route, Tasting the Past is a narrative of wine revelations. Lynch travels through the French wine country as he comes to a nuanced understanding of French wines.  However, unlike Lynch, who focused primarily on the discussion of the dominant six varietals and the producers of contemporary French wine, Begos explores the origins of both wines and grapes outside the mainstream.

Begos, in seeking the Cremisan wines of his youth, discovered that there were wines that have been, or soon would be, lost. He cites Sean Myles, an expert on wine biodiversity, who argues that the world is practicing “viticultural apartheid”. The focus of the wine world (both producers and consumers) is on the six French ‘noble’ grapes – Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. While Tempranillo, Airen (Spanish White), Syrah, and Grenache Noir are included among the ‘big ten’ in acres planted, it is the six ‘noble varietals’ that have generated a self-fulling prophecy regarding the questionable future of wine diversity. Many producers/distributors heavily market the ‘big six’ while arguing that those are the wines sought by their customers. The customers, of course, seek those wines that are heavily marketed…and so the cycle goes.

The wine industry is just that…an industry…and industry is driven by profit. Grapes are one of “the most economically important horticultural crops in the world”. However, instead of an increase in the diversity of grapes, thus expanding the flavor palate to attract more consumers, just the opposite has occurred. Sean Myles determined through a study of genomes that “despite their distinct differences in color and flavor, all wine grapes of European origin are very closely related from a genetic point of view”. The genetic inbreeding of grapes represents a significant danger for the survival of viticulture.

Grape growers are farmers, and in the short term farmers seek crops that are vigorous. In order to increase yields and combat pests, growers “have taken to grafting new grape vines from old stock, rather than growing new plants from seed”. Ultimately, many of today’s grape varieties, according to Cornell’s Institute of Geonomic Diversity, are “genetic siblings to those grown a thousand years ago, and some vineyard fields are filled entirely with clones of a single plant. From a plant’s perspective, that’s a problem”.

Inbreeding diminishes variation between varieties and that inbreeding has “prevented the plants from evolving pest resistance over time…and grapes have become more and more susceptible to fungi, viruses and insects”.

The Wine Mosaic Project, a non-profit organization championing vinodiversity, has determined that there are 155 endangered varieties in the Mediterranean region alone, and those varieties are planted on less than 24 acres. The Project reports that many others are moving toward inclusion on the ‘endangered’ list. Many of the ‘endangered’ varieties “make lousy wine”, but others, like Abouriou, are certainly worth saving.

The need for increased variety on the shelves of wine shops is not the only reason for protecting a greater grape species. The Wine Mosaic Project has utilized DNA research to “provide clues to wine history”, they also “offer researchers a genetic toolbox for overcoming challenges of climate change, vine disease and changing consumer tastes”. Plylloxera, a disease at the end of the 19^th century and the early part of the 20^th, devastated the wine industry on both sides of the Atlantic, and “wiped out many varieties”. Sadly, “even more varieties disappeared in the last decades of the 20^th century when indigenous grapes were replaced by more marketable international varieties”. Man can be more dangerous than disease.

This post offers a bleak outlook…the next post will be more optimistic.

Our friends at Accent on Wine introduced us to the unique 2016 Elian Da Ros, Le Vin Est Une Fete from Cotes-du-Marmandais in the south of France. It was both enlightening and delightful.

I had no experience with either the wine or the region. I had never heard of Abouriou, the primary grape of Marmandais, nor could I have easily pointed to Marmandais on a map. My failure to know anything about this grape could be explained that there are over 10,000 varieties of wine grapes in the world of which nearly 1,400 are vinified, and knowing them all would be a challenge, and tasting them a virtual impossibility. It could also be explained that of those more than 10,000 varieties, just 10 dominate vineyard plantings around the world. Those 10 varieties demand a lion’s share of the study associated with wine.

There are an estimated 18 million acres of cultivated vineyards worldwide. Of those 18 million acres, only 800 are producing Abouriou. Most of those vineyards are in the south of France (with a few in acres in California), and most of those vineyards (although Abouriou is noted for its vigorous growth), are controlled for very low yields. A medium yield for a vineyard is considered five tons per acre, Abouriou producers restrict their yields to as little as 1 ½ tons per acre. Doing the math, the maximum number of Abouriou cases produced would be less than 60,000. By comparison between 90-100 million cases of Cabernet Sauvignon are produced each year.

In many ways Abouriou should be attractive grape for growers. The grapes ripen early and has a reduced risk of mildew and other diseases. The grape also is also known for being successfully cultivated in cool sites. However, the variety has so little following that nearly half of Abouriou vineyards were replanted to other varietals between 2007 and 2011. Those vineyards that remain are largely farmed and harvested by cooperatives.

Generally blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Syrah, Fer, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot to produce varieties of the Cotes du Marmandais, it is also vinified in small quantities as a single varietal. Plant scientists, studying the DNA of grape vines, have determined that Abouriou is either “a half-sibling or grandparent” to Malbec and Merlot. However, Abouriou as a varietal offers neither the depth of Mabec, nor the fruit forward elements of Merlot.

The California version of the grape, largely planted in the Russian River Valley, ripens early in the harvest season, and is often referred to as New Burgundy. Planted initially by Giuseppe Martinelli (the scion of the Martinelli Winery…better known for Zinfandel), those Abouriou vines are still in use today. The grapes are now largely the responsibility of Darak Trowbridge and his Sonoma Old World Winery. Trowbridge produces biodynamic ‘field blends’ of natural wines that “are singular expressions if the winemaker, the grapes and the land”. Old World Wines are available through their website or from smaller California retail outlets.

The dark-skinned grape offers low acidity, high levels of tannin, spice on the nose, and a tart element on the palate.

The Accent on Wine version of the wine adds Cabernet Franc and Merlot to the blend, and their notes accurately suggest that you will find plum, pomegranate and cherries on the nose. You will find rhubarb and strawberries both on the palate and through the medium finish.

Elian Da Ros is considered the ‘father of Marmandais wines”. He developed his winery in 1998 following five years working with the extraordinary Domaine Zind-Humbrecht in Alsace. Upon his return to the south of France, his father gifted him five hectares planted with vineyards with grapes that were largely destined for local wine cooperatives. Today, Elian and his wife Sandrine, now biodynamically farm and vinify grapes from 22 hectres.

The winery uses native yeasts for fermentation and after experimenting with a variety of aging processes, ultimately settled on eight-foot-tall amphoras made ‘from a mix of concrete, clay, and sand’ named ‘Drunk Turtles’ for his white wines. Red wines are aged in concrete eggs and concrete tanks as well as oak barrels.

However, do not get too excited about tracking down Abouriou. You could find it in select French wine shops, and from a few retailers in the U.S. (including Accent on Wine). And, should you be unable to locate an Abouriou, ask a trusted wine specialist to recommend another wine vinified from a grape outside of the ‘big six’. Trust the retailer to guide you, and your palate to inform you.

That brings us to a conversation about why there is so little  Abouriou available, and to the concept of endangered species…”an animal or plant that is seriously at risk of extinction”.  Risk of extinction includes grapes.

Stay tuned…

Recently, Joy and I shared a bottle of 2006 Myuge Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Even now, 13 years past its vintage, this wine is excellent. The dark fruit we remembered from earlier bottles remained. The texture is rich, the color deep, and the finish long.

Sterling Cellars in Mahopac, New York, had carried a couple of vintages of Myuge Cab and I went on the hunt for more. Nope …

Not only was it impossible to find Myuge, it is also apparently difficult to find the individuals who had been responsible for Myuge finding its way onto retail shelves. It seems that the Myuge people, headed by “prominent New York sommelier”  Michael Greenlee, had eventually formed a broader wine entity named Amedo, and purchased a wine shipping operation named Wineflite. Things do not seem to have been successful.

Amedo was closed in 2015, and states began to “seize wine shipped by Amedeo and associated entities, for failure to comply with state tax laws”. Napa Valley wineries were successful in winning judgments against the “absent owners”. Greenlee has a recent profile on Linkedin indicating a continued connection to the wine industry. The wine and companies associated with it are gone, but the individuals appear to have moved on.

We know that the 2006 vintage was nearing the end of the ‘wine glut’. Vineyards production had been reduced and was more closely matched with consumption. Myuge, like many fine and reasonably priced wines, was likely vinified from surplus grapes, and with the inability to acquire those grapes, likely disappeared (apparently like the company that marketed it).

Myuge is apparently no more, but my questions are…where did those grapes grow? And, who was the winemaker?

I will continue the hunt for an answer and will share it should I find one. If anyone has a clue…let us know.

Joy and I recently had the pleasure of sharing an extraordinary bottle of 1979 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande gifted to us by our dear friends Steve and Phyllis.

A Second Growth Bordeaux (based on the French government’s 1855 classification), this Cabernet based wine is a product of the Pauillac appellation. The winery, now owned by the Roederer Champagne people, has been unique in its approach to winemaking since a 1925 expansion of planting of Merlot. Since then, the Pichon Lalande has included far more Merlot than Cabernet (35% to 45%) than do most Pauillac wines. Thus, the Pichon Lalande is noted for softer tannins and is also more approachable earlier than many its Bordeaux brethren.

Ironically, the Pinchon Lalande vineyards are located just a row of grapes from First Growth (and very, very expensive) Latour. Latour, a wine defined as more ‘masculine’, blends nearly 75% Cabernet with less than 25% Merlot. Pichon Lalande also relies on older vines than does many Classified Growths (nearly 50 years for the Pichon Lalande) that produce fewer, but generally more intensely flavored, grapes.

Classified Bordeaux is generally noted for its longevity. The rule for Bordeaux has been to buy it as a future, store it wisely, and enjoy it decades later. However, there are exceptions to the rule. Wine critics recommend that some vintages be consumed younger.

The ‘softer’ tannins characteristic of 1979 Pichon Lalande mentioned earlier resulted in a wine often described as ‘feminine’. The lower tannins would also suggest that, unlike many other Bordeaux products, a Pichon Lalande generally has limited potential to age. In fact, many wine reviewers, assumed that the 1979’s drinkable life should have ended a decade ago.

The Bordeaux grape crop in 1979 was large and resulted in many diluted wines. The summer of 1979 in Bordeaux was cool and the brix level of the (sugar) crop was generally low. As a result, the prices of 1979’s were very modest by classified Bordeaux standards. And, unfortunately, most distributors and retailers still had large quantities of vintages of 1975-1978 still in warehouses or on shelves. Adding injury to insult, the 1979 vintage earned just 83 points from the Wine Spectator.  But, there are always wines that outperform the vintage, and Pichon Lalande was one of those.

This specific bottle also proves that there is one factor other that can significantly alter a wine’s survival equation…proper storage.

We opened our 1979 at Nico, a favorite Charleston area restaurant. It had been stored in its original wood case, and in ideal conditions, since its release. The bottle’s fill level was like new as was both its label and foil.

The color was still excellent and the earth, dark berries, and spices that the Wine Spectator noted in a 1997 review were evident through a still lingering finish. The 1979, while soft, was still a vibrant drink 40 years after it was vinified. A 1979 Pichon Lalande, properly stored, still has a couple of years before it is beyond the peak of ‘drinkability’. Ideal storage is what permitted this Pichon Lalande to maintain its vitality.

The same rule would apply to virtually any other bottle…cool, dark, and on its said to keep the cork moist…and don’t forget it is there.

It is not surprising that Randall Graham, the owner-winemaker of Bonny Doon, refers to himself as the product of a “permanent liberal arts” education. It is clear, that while ‘liberal arts’ may have been his area of study as a student at The University of California Santa Cruz, Graham has historically been on the side of the ‘liberal’ spectrum regarding winemaking strategies.

Although Graham was born in Los Angeles (1953), it is his work in Santa Cruz for which he is best known. Following his undergraduate time at UC Santa Cruz, Graham returned home and eventually found work sweeping floors at The Wine Merchant (now a 20,000 square foot retail store in West Los Angeles). Somehow, while sweeping floors, he uncovered a passion for wine that extended beyond consumption. In 1979 Graham enrolled in the Plant Sciences program at The University of California at Davis. It was at UC Davis that Graham began his obsession (particularly regarding Pinot Noir) with wines that at the time would have been considered ‘off the beaten path’.

Graham’s family helped him purchase Santa Cruz Mountains property in the “quaint hamlet of Bonny Doon”. And, the wine legend known as ‘The Rhone Ranger’ was formed. Joined by Bob Lunquist of Qupe Wine Cellars, Fred Cline of Cline Cellars, and Joseph Phelps of Joseph Phelps Winery (and a few others) the ‘Rhone Rangers’ pioneered and encouraged other grower/winemakers to plant Rhone varietals and the group was ultimately instrumental in “popularizing Rhone varietals”. The group was very active throughout the 1980s, and following a quiet 1990s, were reenergized in the late 1990s advocating for the expansion of Syrah as a primary California varietal.

Graham’s original goal was to “replicate Burgundy in California”. However, despite his affinity for Pinot Noir, Graham “realized early on that he would have far more success creating more distinctive and original wines working with Rhone varieties in the Central Coast of California”. The first Le Cigare Volant (1984), a tribute to Chateauneuf-du-Pape (CDP), was released in 1986. Summerville’s Accent on Wine included the 2012 version of Le Cigare Volant as the inaugural red offering for their newly formed Wine Club.

There are 18 varietals which may be utilized, under 2009 French AOC rules, in the blending of CDP. However, there are 13 traditional varieties (including both red and white grapes) employed in the blend. And, while there are no rules regarding percentages, Grenache dominates most CDP blends. The Rhone region is planted to more than 70% Grenache (Syrah at 10.5% and Mourvedre at 7%). There are just under 4,000 acres of Grenache planted in California. By comparison, there are more than 70,000 acres of Cabernet. Syrah is found on just over 15,000 acres. There are 250,000 acres of Grenache planted in France (second only to Merlot). Spain grows Grenache on 170,000 vineyard acres.

Grenache is a prolific grape. Each acre can potentially produce an average of 10-12 tons of grapes per year. However, older Grenache vines are prized for ‘the depth of flavor’. Older vines generally produce less fruit. Grenache yields in California, however, are generally limited to just two tons per acre (eight tons of fruit per acre is the average yield for wine grapes in California). Two tons of grapes will produce just 120 cases of wine And, while the ratio of low yield to excellent wine is not absolute, many California Grenache growers and winemakers using Grenache subscribe to the lower tonnage mantra.

The 2012 Le Cigare Volant was blended from 39% Mourvedre; 33% Grenache, and 26% Syrah (with a touch of Cinsault). The wine was the product of biodynamic production, and there were only 4,000 cases of this Santa Cruz based wine available.

This deeply colored liquid offers elements of earth on the nose and just a hint of softer red fruit. The palate has pleasant cherry and chocolate tones on the palate. There is “lively acidity” and soft tannins with a flavor package that offers a medium finish.

Current vintages of the Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant generally sells for more than $40. However, Bonny Doon does offer many excellent wines at more ‘budget’ friendly prices. A Proper Claret is priced lower than $15 (and rated more than 90 points by James Suckling), The Vin Gris is priced at less than $12. Bonny Doon wines are available nationwide.

Randall Graham still makes wine ‘his way’. He pioneered screwcaps as a bottle closure and believed it was important for consumers to know what was in the bottle – thus, he supports the listing of ingredients on the label.  He is also a strong proponent of biodynamic processes. I am working on a longer post devoted to new trends on biodynamic winemaking, including Graham’s thoughts on this process.

Graham also argues that everyone, winemakers and consumers, should be aware of the difference between ‘vine de terroir’ – “wine that expresses a sense of place, and ‘vin d’effort’, a wine that expresses the stylistic intention of the winemaker’s will”. Graham does not believe that the winemaker is any “more responsible for making wine than they are responsible for converting sunlight striking the leaves of a grapevine into sugars and more complex flavor components elaborated within the vine”. Graham is clearly a supporter of the winemaking model that argues for great wines being the product of the vineyard.

Regardless of the process employed in getting juice into the bottle, conversations with Randall Graham often include the comment that he makes wines that he enjoys consuming.

So will you…

Most of us are attracted to labels.  Marketing survey specialists Nielsen determined that “six of 10 consumers prefer to buy new products from familiar brands…because they signify quality and inspire confidence”. We are generally willing to spend more for shirts sporting an alligator logo and perfume produced in France.

We also spend more for wines vinified from grapes sourced in Napa Valley. Napa Valley grapes set the post Prohibition standard for quality Cabernet, and that perception of quality logically increased interest in Napa Cab. Inevitably increased interest in a product available in limited quantities in turn leads to an increase in price. A basic principle of economics is that increased demand for a product available only in finite quantities will ultimately lead to an increase in price. Eventually, the increase in price also generates a perception (often deserved) of quality. It is price that ultimately determined the classification of French Bordeaux from first to fifth growths. “Brokers from the wine industry ranked the wines according to a chateau’s reputation and trading price, which at the time directly related to quality”.

In Napa, this demand-price upward spiral has resulted in Cabernet grapes that, according to the California Department of Food and Agriculture April 2019 report on the 2018 statewide grape harvest, pushed the average price to $7,500 per ton(up 6.6% from 2017). The price of Napa Cabernet grapes translates into an average of $75 per bottle, and a profit of $24,000 per acre. Obviously, the price widely varies from Screaming Eagle at more than $3,500, and Harlen Estate at more than $1,000, to Louis Martini in the $30 range.

Comparatively, a vintner can purchase a ton of Sonoma or Marin County Cabernet for approximately $2,800. According to Wine Searcher, the most expensive Sonoma County wines are Chardonnay (Peter Michel “Point Rouge” at just over $400 a bottle). The most expensive Sonoma Cab on the Wine Searcher list is Kamen’s Estate Kashmire selling at less than $200 a bottle. Interestingly, Napa’s Screaming Eagle has a 91 rating, while Sonoma’s Kamen was scored a 93. Lake County Cabernet generally sells for even less per ton.

One of the expensive Napa Cabernet options, and one of the finest, is Caymus Special Selection ($170 retail for the 2016) produced by the Wagner Family.

The Wagner Family helped pioneer Northern California wine. In 1906 Carl Wagner purchased Napa Valley vineyard land in Rutherford. By 1915 the family built a winery that would eventually produce 30,000 gallons per year just prior to Prohibition. Unfortunately, Prohibition shut down the winery. In 1941 the second generation of the Wagner Family (Charlie) and his wife, the former Lorna Belle Glos, purchased 73 acres of their own near the family farm in Napa and plant fruit trees. The orchards were not profitable and in the 1960s Charlie pulled the orchards and planted vineyards, including some with Cabernet Sauvignon clones “acquired from Stags Leap grown by Nathan Fay”. The new business model was not working. Charlie was preparing to “give up…and move to Australia”.

A pivotal moment then occurred in the history of Napa and for the legacy of the Wagner Family. In 1972, the third Wagner generation, represented by Charlie and Lorna’s son Chuck, joins the operation, not long out of high school, promises to make the enterprise solvent. The family ‘store’ becomes very solvent. They establish Caymus Vineyards and in 1975 released the first ‘Special Selection’.

Caymus Special Selection has twice been named Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year and earned a slot on the magazine’s “Top Ten List” six times in nine years.

Today, the fourth generation of Wagner’s are making wine. Chuck’s son Joe launched Belle Glos (and eventually Meiomi Pinot Noir…eventually sold to Constellation Brands for $315 million). Chuck’s son Charlie develops Mer Soleil, including the popular Silver, an unoaked Chardonnay fermented in cement tanks. And, in 2013 daughter Jenny joined the family business and today is responsible for Emmolo (named for her mother) Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot.

In the late 1980s, the Caymus created Conundrum (eventually producing Red, White, Rose and Sparkling) blending multiple varietals into wines that are consistently agreeable from vintage to vintage.

The Wagners are in the forefront of both the wine history and the wine business of Napa Valley.

Okay…so you are saying that this post seems disjointed. I begin with a conversation about the price of grapes and then pivot to the Caymus and the Wagner family.

There is a connection…

Joy and I just returned from a driving trip from Charleston to Ohio, to the Catskills, to Westchester County New York, to New York City (see the musical Tootsie if the opportunity should present itself), to Washington D.C. (dinner with nieces now working there), and finally back home.

The trip provided the seeds for multiple posts, but we begin with Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 1. It was wonderful to Steve Morrison and Jay Gruber of Sterling Cellars who shared many wonderful wines and were very interested in our reaction to this one.

Bonanza is, ‘surprise’, another Wagner product. But, it is also a unique wine.

As most of you known, virtually every wine, particularly reds, are the result of blending various varietals and various vineyards. Bonanza is also a product of blending. However, unlike blending just varietals and vineyards, Bonanza is the result of blending various vintages.

To be fair, the Wagner Bonanza is not the first wine to explore the blending of vintages. Champagne and Sherry producers have long followed this model. Distributors and retailers were suspicious of NV8 Cain Cuvee (a blend of the 1997 and 1998 vintages), but a positive reception by consumers mitigated those fears. Sean Thackrey’s XIX Pleiades (a blend of primarily Sangiovese, Voignier, Mourvedre from multiple vintages) earned 93 points from the Wine Enthusiast. Marietta has produced more than 50 vintages of ‘Old Vine Red’, a popular wine amongst many Sterling patrons.

The law permits wineries to blend as much as 5% from previous vintages into blends without referencing that addition to the blend. Understand…5% from a strong vintage to a weaker vintage may significantly, and positively, alter the consuming public’s perception of the weaker vintage. Cain Cuvee, Pleiades, and Old Vine Red simply extend their vintage blending beyond 5%.

The real issue is not vintage labeling, the issue is quality offered at a reasonable price.

The Wagners make excellent wine. Caymus (both the regular bottling and the Special Selection are outstanding); The Unoaked Silver Chardonnay is popular even among Chardonnay drinkers who would prefer a ‘buttery and oaky’ wine. Meiomi remains popular as a Constellation mainstay, and Belle Glos Pinot Noir is uniformly excellent. Good winemakers know how to make good wine.

With Bonanza, the Wagners have sourced excellent grapes from locations that are not as expensive as Napa. They can produce a wine that is hopefully (Lot 1 is the first vintage) consistently good at a price that is potentially attractive as an ‘everyday’ wine.

The first vintage offers a deep red color with floral tones, lightly toasted oak, and elements of dried dark fruit on the nose.  The palate elements include the dried fruit with added hints of vanilla. There is also an element of sweetness (similar to Meiomi Pinot Noir). The tannins are soft, and the finish is medium in length.

Wine Searcher suggests an average national price below $25. And, keep in mind that Bonanza is worthy of a place in your wine rotation, you can often receive a discount from retailers by joining their wine club or by purchasing ‘unbroken’ or mixed cases. This is an excellent $20 California Cabernet value.   You can find it in many of our favorite wine shops…Chan’s Wine World in Florida, Sterling Cellars in New York, and at most Total Wine locations.

The circular route that took us from South Carolina and through New York allowed us to visit with friends of many years. And, the trip also offered an introduction to new products. I will discuss many of them in the coming weeks.

In the meantime, considered trying Bonanza Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 1.

Francis Ford Coppola is an American entertainment legend. For nearly 50 years Coppola has been recognized as one of America’s finest film directors and writers. He won an Academy Award for his co-authorship of Patton (1970) and was rightfully lauded for 1972’s Godfather (Best Picture). In 1974, The Godfather Part II, became the first sequel to win an Academy Award for Best Picture. Although many of his recent efforts have not been as successful, his reputation and his fortune were already assured.

In 1975, using proceeds from the Godfather films, Coppola and his wife Eleanor purchased a Napa Vineyard. And, for 45 years he has steadily developed The Family Coppola – ‘Movies, Wine, Food, Hideaways & Adventure’.

While the movie connection is interesting, the focus of this blog is wine. And, it is wine for which Coppola has been known for nearly as long as he has been writing and directing films.

He was a raised with the ready availability of wine that his grandfather, Agostino, made in the basement of his New York apartment building. Wine has long been at the center of Coppola’s life.

Interestingly, despite his long tenure and success in Napa/Sonoma wine Coppola has attracted nearly as much criticism for his wine efforts as he garnered for his unfortunate 1996 film, Jack. The film starred Robin Williams as 10-year-old trapped in a 40-year-old body. One film critic (in a retrospective of all Coppola films listing them from worst to best) noted that Jack underscored “all the ways in which Big (the wonderful Penny Marshall 1988 film starring Tom Hanks) could have gone horribly wrong”.

Coppola clearly took a misstep with Jack, and James Conaway believes that Coppola also took a misstep in his efforts to engage with Napa wine. Conaway is a critic of the industrial approach to wine, and the effect of wineries on the social and physical ecosystem of Napa and Sonoma.  Conaway has referred to Coppola as a “lifestyle vintner. A ‘lifestyle vintner’ is by definition (according to Conaway)…somebody who wants to have the vintners’ life and let somebody else do all the work…”. Conaway’s criticism has been largely focused on Coppola’s efforts to restore Inglenook.

Inglenook’s twisted history is actually the story of many Napa wineries. Founded in 1879 by a prosperous Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum, the winery architect he hired pioneered the growth of gravity flow wineries. The winery prospered. Niebaum died in 1908 and during Prohibition the winery, as did most of its neighbors, closed. Inglenook reopened following Prohibition, and Niebaum’s great-nephew, John Daniel Jr. eventually took control of operations. By the mid-1940s Daniel’s Inglenook wines were considered amongst the best of Napa.

By the 1960s, however, rumors circulated that Inglenook was in financial difficulty. There were very strong indicators that the winery had not generated a profit since 1933. Equipment was aging and the Niebaum fortune was depleted. John Daniel was nearing 60 and there were no heirs interested in taking responsibility for Inglenook. In 1964 United Vintners, a financial descendant of Allied Grape Growers, and the producer of Italian Swiss Colony, purchased the Inglenook name, winery, and 94 acres (there were originally more than 1,600) of vineyards for $1.2 million.

United Vintners promised to maintain quality production, but abandoned that promise by 1967, and in 1969 United Vintners was purchased by Connecticut based Heublein Spirits. Focused on low cost-high profit production, Heublein grew Inglenook into a seven million case brand…most of it high alcohol and low cost. Any Inglenook association with quality wine ended during the Heublein era.

Heublein was eventually purchased by R.J. Reynolds and the wine assets were slowly sold off.

In 1975 Francis Food Coppola purchased more than 1,500 acres of the original Inglenook property and the Niebaum family home (but not the winery) for $2.2 million. He established Niebaum-Coppola, and in 1985 released a Cabernet focused blend named Rubicon under the hyphenated name.

In 1995 Coppola spend an additional $10 million to purchase the winery buildings. He immediately removed the industrial look of newer United Vintners and Hublein structures to restore  Inglenook’s historic appearance. In 2011 Coppola spend millions more acquire the trademark rights to the Inglenook name. Coppola now controlled the property and name of a winery whose heritage only existed in rare bottles of cellared bottles from the 1940s and 50s. In 2009 a new Inglenook Cabernet was on the market.

Questions now swirled around Coppola’s intentions. Did he hope to recreate Inglenook in the image (and flavor profile of John Daniel), or did he hope to fashion a 21^st Century Inglenook?

Critics of Coppola’s efforts are in agreement with former Acacia owner/winemaker Mike Richmond that Inglenook’s “time has passed”, and that the winery can never recover the mystique it enjoyed during the ‘glory days’ of John Daniel. However, John Daniel’s daughter Robin Lail, owner of Lail Vineyards and a friend of Coppola, believes that Coppola “set out to create a new Inglenook for the 21^st Century and beyond”.

Coppola responds to both critics and supporters saying that, “Our goals are very similar to a European family that owns a first-growth. We are proud of it, we live here, we revel in this beauty. We consider ourselves custodians of it”. The goal, says Coppola, is not to make money, “I don’t get money out of Inglenook, I put money into it. I live off of the movies that I made 40 years ago”.

In 2011, Philippe Bascaules was named Inglenook’s General Manager. Bascaules splits his time between Napa and Bordeaux where he is the Director of First Growth Margaux. He says that his responsibility is to respect “the heritage…to preserve the elegance…and to evoke emotion”.

Bascaules hiring was not easily accepted by ‘Napa classicists’ who believe that Napa Cabernet should represent the efforts of Napa winemakers. Both Bascaules and Coppola have withstood the criticism and have served the legacy of Gustave Niebaum and John Daniels well. Inglenook Cabernet (generally in the $60+ range) have been consistently rated 90+ (the 2014 received a 94 from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate).

Most of us, however, are not drinking $60 wines regularly, but we can still enjoy the ‘fruits’ of Coppola’s ‘Winemaker Lifestyle’. Beyond Inglenook, The Family Coppola now bottles more than 1.7 million cases of wine (mostly from California…although in 2018 they purchased Willamette Valley’s Vista Hills). Most of the 1.7 million cases are bottles that sell under $15. The Family Coppola winery is now the 15^th largest in the United States.

Joy and I recently enjoyed a ‘cocktail hour’ with friends and neighbors and opened a few bottles of the Coppola Diamond Collection 2016 Claret. Aged for 14 months in French Oak, this Cabernet based (75% with 21% Petit Verdot and 4% Petite Sirah) offers a dark and rich Bordeaux style wine at a budget friendly price.  And, for followers of ratings, the 2016 Claret earned 91 points from the Wine Enthusiast.

The Claret may not carry the prestige of Inglenook, but it does carry its ‘lifestyle winemakers’ determination to “make the resources and provide the direction”. Francis Ford Coppola may never turn a profit from his efforts to restore Napa’s Inglenook. However, he seems to be making money with Family Coppola wines based in Sonoma, vinified “in the same spirit as the wines of his grandfather…to share with friends and family”.

It is clear that even though Francis Ford Coppola ‘does not know how to make wine’, he knows how to direct the making of wine. He knows how to put the parts together…be it be a $60 Inglenook or a $15 Claret.

The ‘lifestyle vintner’ has invested 45 years and untold millions in his quest to restore Inglenook and grow Family Coppola. And, while he may only have a layman’s knowledge of the process by which wine is vinified, but he is very well steeped in the process by which classic wineries are preserved and new ones are developed.

As regular readers know, Joy and I often enjoy a lunch of cheese, meats, or ‘lunch bites’ at Accent on Wine in Summerville. The state of South Carolina allows wine shops (with the appropriate license) to sell wine by both the bottle and by the glass. And, we take advantage of that policy to try new wines and to reacquaint ourselves with old ‘friends’ in new vintages.

This past week, while visiting Accent on Wine, I spotted a bottle of Ridge 2016 Lytton Estate Petite Sirah. Produced with fruit sourced from the Dry Creek Valley of Sonoma, this 90+ point wine (according to Antonia Galloni and James Suckling ratings) was retailing in the mid-$30s. The combination of Ridge and Petite Sirah was irresistible.

This 2016 Petite Sirah (2000 cases produced) is sourced from vines that were planted between 1901 and 2008. The age range may seem enormous, but the older vines produce fewer, but intensely flavored grapes, while the newer vines produce larger crops with grapes that give the winemaker an opportunity to create a product that is both fresh and juicy. Ridge first bottled a version of this wine in 2002 and has decided to age the Lytton Estate in American Oak for 12 months (10% new oak and 45% of barrels that are up to two years old and 45% in barrels as old as four years). Many American winemakers (particularly those working with an intensely deep dark wine like Petite Sirah) have focused their barrel program on French Oak. The decision to age a big wine in American Oak is unique, but Ridge has long been noted for a unique approach to wine making.

The original Ridge winery is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains just south of San Francisco. That winery is located at 2,300 feet of elevation on Monte Bello Ridge. The drive to visit the Santa Cruz winery requires a trip along a  road that is not ideal for those with any hint of acrophobia. Nevertheless, the trip up (and up and up) that road ultimately brings you to a beautiful winery and tasting area and tasting facility with extraordinary vistas.

In 1991 they purchased a second facility at Lytton Springs in the Dry Creek Valley area of Sonoma.

The ‘original’ Ridge vineyards were planted in 1885 by a “prominent member of the northern California Italian immigrant community”, and was largely operated as a hobby. It was shuttered during Prohibition. Following the passage of the 21^st Amendment, the mountaintop vineyard was reestablished and managed by another group of amateur winemakers. In 1959 Stanford Research Institute engineers with commercial ambitions, led by David Bennion, purchased the vineyards and winery. The new ownership immediately bonded Ridge and by 1962 produced a Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon. The first Zinfandel, the grape for which Ridge may be best known, found its way to bottle in 1964.

Bennion was both the winemaker and the manager of Ridge until 1970. In 1970 Bennion made the winery defining decision to hire Paul Draper as winemaker.

Draper, who majored in philosophy while a student at Stanford, eventually strayed from seeking the meaning of life to improving the quality of life. He made wine in Chile, and then moved to Bordeaux (reviewing 19^th century wine texts in their original French) and studied the process by which many of the world’s finest wines were vinified. As part of his self-education in winemaking, Draper had the opportunity to taste the 1962 and 1964 versions of Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet (both 90+ point rating vintages) “made in old oak barrels with native yeasts and natural malolactic fermentation”. He recognized the potential and he accepted Bennion’s job offer. For the next 47 vintages Draper guided Ridge first as winemaker and then as CEO and winemaker.

It should be mentioned that the 1971 Ridge Monte Bello was included in the famous 1976 Paris tasting that put California wines on par with the best of France (see Bottle Shock for the movie version of George Tabor’s fun read, Judgement in Paris). The Ridge entry finished a “respectable fifth” in this initial contest. However, a 30^th Anniversary Tasting rated Ridge Monte Bello first. Stag’s Leap, whose Cabernet finished first in 1976, was ranked second. In fact, California Cabernet based wines finished 1-5 in the 30th Anniversary Tasting ahead of both Bordeaux classic’s Mouton-Rothschild and Haut-Brion. Clearly, Ridge DNA grape’s could create a great wine with the ability to age. Draper institutionalized that ‘greatness’.

But, back to Zinfandel. Draper loved the grape and ultimately worked with more than 100 Zinfandel vineyards. However, by 2016, the year of his retirement, Draper had cut the number to his 14 favorites.  One of our favorites is the Ridge Pagani Ranch Zinfandel. Consistently rated over 90 points, this Sonoma Valley vineyard located near the town of Kenwood, features century old vines that produce consistently excellent wine…with a little help from the winemaker. Ridge has been bottling Pagani Ranch Zin since 1991. With more than 4500 cases of Pagani Ranch bottled you should be able to find this wine virtually everywhere.

Draper is a viticultural purest, but he is also a scientist. He dislikes the ‘homogenizing’ effect of university programs that focus on developing wines that will score over 90 points thus competing for consumer attention. He also dislikes high alcohol wines because he feels that higher ABV often serves to hide the imperfections in the wine. The Ridge 2012 Monte Bello Cabernet was universally rated north of 95 points and only offered 13.8% ABV. Despite this lower alcohol content, Decanter Magazine’s reviewers suggested would not be fully ready to drink until 2022. And, while the Ridge labs are considered one of the most sophisticated of any ‘smaller’ winery, Draper argues that the function of the lab is to “analyze, not tweak, the wine”. Ridge also strongly supports sustainable farming practices, and an organic approach to winemaking.

John Olney is the Ridge Winemaker in Lytton Springs, and a longtime friend and colleague of Paul Draper. His most telling comment regarding Draper is that “he is a relentless taster”. And, during his tenure Draper encouraged everyone associated with Ridge to taste continuously. He believed that the winemaker’s art was validated by those who consumed their wine.

So…whatever your budget can handle, be it a Pagani Ranch Zin, a Monte Bello Cab, or a Lytton Estate Petite Sirah…you should taste…as Paul Draper would urge…you will not be disappointed.