I had the distinct pleasure (and I truly mean it) to have been engaged in the retail element of the wine and spirits industry for nearly 20 years. I was able to share both customer interests and my insights about interesting and unique beverages over that time. I assumed that customers were honest in their interests and that, in turn, they trusted me for advice. Conversely, if I have regularly trusted sommeliers and wine retailers to share with me their insights as to wines and spirits they recommend.

This trust in local wine and spirits merchants has been particularly important as we have moved to South Carolina, and the process has served us well as we have traveled the country and the world. There are many more qualified palates than mine, and there are many more qualified advocates for specific wines and spirits. This approach to trust has served us well as we have traveled across the country and Europe have enjoyed a wide variety of wine and spirits from Slovenia to Oregon.

In Summerville, South Carolina, we have come to appreciate the extraordinary talent of proprietor Stephane Peltier, and his excellent staff at Accent on Wine, in both by-the-glass and bottle choices. The same holds true for the newer, but also excellent, sommeliers at Graft Wine Shop (and wine bar) on Upper King Street in Charleston. A smaller footprint than Accent on Wine, their use of a Coravin wine preservation system allows them to offer a wider range of excellent (although more expensive) by-the-glass options. However, the choices offered by Graft are outstanding.

This brings us to our recent trip to the south of Spain.

Friends invited us to visit them in their long-time second family home outside of Malaga. Their house offers a spectacular view of a Mediterranean marine sanctuary and offers easy access to both Granada and Sevilla. While both Granada and Sevilla were extraordinary, one of the most enjoyable experiences was visits to their favorite tapa’s bars in the wonderful local town of La Herradura.

Referred to by locals as Bola 1,2 and 3, (three separate locations) we had the pleasure of visiting both Bola 2 and 3 (Bola 2 twice). We tasted a wide range of the wines offered by the glass (each served with a ‘free’ plate of tapas – the Calamari and meatballs were outstanding, and the wine was only $4 a glass). We were never disappointed.

I focused in reds. I first enjoyed the excellent products of Rioja. The 2015 Izadi is a 100% Tempranillo at 14% ABV that is aged for 14 months in oak (mostly American). The wine sells for $19 in the United States. Zachys of Scarsdale, NY, seems to be the only notable U.S. retailer. This is the perfect representation of Rioja. There is great color and excellent red fruit with hints of smoke and floral elements that extend through the finish.

The Bola sommeliers suggested that if we enjoyed the Izadi, we would really like the 2014 Glorioso (another Rioja). They were correct. This was another wine at $4 per glass, that has aged in French oak for 12 months. Unique for Rioja, this is a wine that drinks young and fresh. The Glorioso is fruit forward with a medium body and outstanding finish. And, of course, another wine served with another outstanding tapas. This Crianza is a wine that sells for approximately $15 in the U.S. (if you can find it).

Our second trip to Bola 2 introduced us (at the sommeliers recommendation) to the 2016 Montelaguna Ribera del Duero (aged in oak for 6 months). The acidity provides a vibrancy and the fruit (blackberry and raspberry) appears early on the palate and continues through the finish. Great with cheese (or meatballs), this wine would sell for $15…but you are unlikely to find it in the U.S.

Trust your local wine merchant…they know both their patrons and their wines…no matter where you might travel.

Still another discovery from the Charleston Food and Wine Event’s, “Blended” Evening at Founder’s Hall in West Ashley.

The Cline Winery Farmhouse Red is next up …

Many years ago, when visiting the Northern California Wine Country, Joy and stopped by the Cline Winery in southern Sonoma. On prominent display outside the winery was a beautiful vintage Red Truck. Acquired by Cline owners Fred and Nancy Cline through an auction to support the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, the truck became the symbol behind the blend of Syrah, Petite Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Mourvedre and Grenache. Introduced in 2002, and was very popular, but the label was sold three years later to Dan Leese and Doug Walker, two former Foster’s Wine Estates executives. Cline Cellars continued to source the grapes for Red Truck wines.

Cline has been producing wine since 1982, and they have long focused on sustainable approaches to farming and wine making. They have now fully embraced the ‘Green String” method of sustainable farming. Working on the principle that farming and winemaking should “optimize the health of the soil, plants, and animals”. They promote biodiversity and to seek to minimize pollution.

Winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos also produces a product that is vegan (no animal derived products) and gluten free.

Vinified from nearly 60% Zinfandel (with some smaller quantities of Syrah, Carignane, Mourvedre, Petite Sirah and something called ‘mixed red’) this offers the flavor characteristics of a field blend sourced from the Southern Rhone. This Farmhouse Red is aged for 7 months in 40% new French Oak.

The wine was medium bodied with excellent dark fruit elements on the nose and palate. This will be excellent with grilled sausage and lamb…Summer is coming.

I could not find a ‘downstate’ New York retailer, but the Farmhouse Red is available at Stew’s in Danbury. In South Carolina you could find the wine at Bill’s in Summerville or Harris Teeter.

The Farmhouse Red should sell for under $12…but drinks as more expensive…

Another wine from the Charleston Food and Wine event.

At a ‘Blended’ event offering blended wines with a wide variety of small plates (ranging from lamb chops to gnocchi based ‘Mac n Cheese’) we had the opportunity to taste three vintages of the Vinoce Mt. Veeder Cabernet Franc (2008, 2011, 2014). Obviously, the organizers ‘cheated’ and allowed a few single varietals to be poured. Good for us …

The Vinoce wines were uniformly excellent. They age beautifully. The 2008 was complex with excellent balance; the 2011 evolved with the fruit more prominent and the finish extraordinary; the 2014 was fruit forward and simply fun. There are two issue…they are expensive (about $70), and they are only available in California. This wine would be worth the hunt and worth the wait for it to age a few years.

However, Vinoce also produces 20 Rows Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is more widely distributed and more affordable (about $20). Very good. Look for this one …

We have returned from our European journey. I will discuss wine and spirits experiences in Spain and Ireland in future posts, but today’s conversation is about Robert Sinskey and a luncheon at The Establishment during Charleston’s Food and Wine Festival.

Joy and I visited Robert Sinskey’s winery on the Silverado Trail in the Napa Valley nearly 30 years ago. The winery building was new and Bob Sinskey, a physician and the founder of Sinskey Wines, had turned over the winemaking reigns to his son, THE Robert Sinskey who has been producing unique and flavorful wines for the past 30 years.

Sinskey offered this 2014 Pinot Blanc in the 1.5 format. I know that 2014 sounds a bit ‘long in the tooth’ for this delicate wine, but the age provided both depth and an earthiness that was excellent with poached scallop with ‘compressed cucumber’ and pear. The winemaker reports that this wine is only available in mags and .375s. He suggests that “you either start with it or party with it”.

We moved to a 2015 Abraxas as a companion to Roasted Cobia (white and flakey fish) in a ham-mushroom broth. The Abraxas is a blend of Riesling, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Gewurztraminer. There is a pleasant mineral element that extends from the nose through the finish. The green apple on the palate was an excellent complement to a fish without a fishy taste. This is a wine that be a wonderful addition to vegetarian dishes. As to his approach to winemaking, Sinskey simply recommends that “you grow the grapes and try not to screw it up”.

The final course was squab with morels and foie gras. Sinskey paired this unique dish with his 2014 POV. This is a Bordeaux blend (Right Bank) of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. There was an excellent floral element on the nose and earthy tones of dark fruit on the palate. This wine worked wonderfully with the delicate qualities of the squab.

Sinskey was passionate about efforts to develop elegant and balanced wines that “should not hurt the palate or the planet”. The Sinskey Winery has been organic since 1991, practices regenerative farming, and strives to meet carbon offset standards.

This is also a winery that does not submit wines for review. They do not want alcohol above 13.5% and they want to let each vintage to speak for itself rather than be a clone of the ‘best’ of each wine. Sinskey argues that “each vintage is an impression of the vintage that came before it”. Tasting the 2014 Pinot Blanc provides a reminder of the 2013 Pinot Blanc and provides a forecast of the 2015.

Ultimately, Sinskey believes that good grapes good wine…can’t argue with that…

How about an excellent Barolo for $40? If the price and the style are of interest to you then track down the 2014 Oddero. Following the rule that wonderful wines do not always receive wonderful scores, this Barolo earned an 88 (very low) from the Wine Enthusiast while the vintage received an 89 from Robert Parker. We had an opportunity to taste the Oddero to accompany a wonderful meal of gnocchi with lobster (me), and scallops (Joy) at Tradd’s, a new and excellent Charleston eatery on East Bay Street. The score is too low…

The 2014 vintage was difficult in Piedmont. The region had a stormy summer that was fortunately followed by an excellent September (perfect for harvest). While many winemakers struggled, others were able to vinify elegant wines. The Oddero DOCG is an excellent example of a successful effort.

Keep in mind that the DOCG designation is an indication of highest Italian quality. In the mid-20^th century, Italian winemaker’s had difficulty placing their product in the world market. Consumers sought a means by which to determine quality. The Italian government ultimate developed a three-level identification process (IGT, DOC, DOCG). DOCG wines must meet rigorous standards and pass taste tests administered by government licensed specialists, and finally, have their cork or foil sealed with a numbered and government approved seal.

The Oddero family has been making wine since the end of the 17^th century. The family controls nearly 90 acres of vineyards spread across the Langhe (some as small as 1 acre) and produces virtually all of Piedmont’s renowned grapes from Barbaresco and Nebbiolo to Moscato. They vinify in a winery located in Santa Maria of La Morroa. La Morra is a beautiful hilltop town in the far northwest of the Italian boot.

The families DOCG Barolo is produced from 100% Nebbiolo grown on three plots 250 meters above sea level, and from vines that are as old as 60 years. They manually sort grapes by vineyard, then ferment in stainless steel for 20 days and follow with malolactic fermentation.  Juice from each of the three vineyards are then aged separately in varied sized Slovenian and Austrian oak barrels for 30 months. The Barolo DOCG is blended in the spring, bottled at the end of the summer and then aged in bottle for an additional six months before it is released to the public.

The result is bright and fresh garnet colored wine with an excellent floral nose with hints of truffle. There is excellent balance between tannins and fruit, and while this is a wine that will age nicely for the next few years, it is also a wine very ready to consume now.

That truffles are a key element of the flavor package is ironic. Giacomo Oddero, who managed the winery through the 20^th century, its period of greatest growth, was instrumental in the development of the National Center for Alba Truffle Studies to study and promote “The King of Mushrooms”. It is not surprising that he produced wines ideal as companions for a variety of cuisines.

The 2014 Oddero DOCG is worth a little hunt.

We will be out of the country for a couple of weeks. The trip should provide an opportunity to share insights on new wines and spirits.

This past week Joy and I were fortunate to find two seats at one of Charleston’s most noted restaurants, the Obstinate Daughter on Sullivan’s Island. Noted for combining unique flavors with fascinating presentations, the small but well-staffed eatery offers a limited but very interesting wine list. Most of the wines are available by the glass.

I choose a Primitivo Antico Sigillo 2016 to enjoy with the Obstinate Daughter’s baked oyster special (lightly seasoned).

Thus, it seems like the right time to talk about a wine/grape that is both an ideal pairing with food and is price friendly (should be under $20).

Primitivo has been the subject of substantial study by oenologists. In the 1990s there was DNA evidence that linked Italian (Puglia) Primitivo and California Zinfandel. Apparently, there is a real DNA link between Primitivo and Zinfandel. However, rather than being ‘two peas in a pod’ the two grapes are clones of a Croatian grape Crjenak Kastelanski. Primitivo and Zinfandel are, in reality, cousins.

The Crjenak Kastelanski is the basis of fruit-forward and spicy wines…sound familiar…could be a description of both Primitivo and Zinfandel. Both Primitivo and Zinfandel are prodigious producers and ripen early. And, like their Croatian relative you will find both sweet pepper and sweet spice on the nose. They both produce wines that are ready to consume young with an excellent balance between tannin and fruit. These are wines that are not vinified with the intention of long-term aging.

They are, however, distinctly unique grapes. They grow in different climates, and, interestingly, they produce wines that far too many wine drinkers choose to ignore. But both are dark-skinned grapes that produce inky and deeply flavored wine. A dark and deeply flavored wine should be enough to drive customers to Primitivo and Zinfandel. Unfortunately, ‘red’ Zinfandel is too often confused with the ‘white’ version, and Primitivo is often viewed as another confusing and expensive European grape.  

Most Primitivo is oak barrel aged (generally for less than a year), and the result is a fresh wine with depth and character.

Be sure to look for the 2016 Puglia Primitivo. The 2016 vintage was a challenge for Italian winemakers. Risk of too much and too little rain as well as frost both during bud break and early growth negatively impacted winemakers in the central part of Italy. Puglia was fortunate. The weather issues that impacted both Abruzzo and Campania struggled, but the temperatures were moderate and the skies clear. The moderate temperatures will keep alcohol down. Recent vintages of Primitivo have been bottled above 16% (like many Zinfandels). Lower alcohol by volume allows for more elegant and food friendly wines.

Let’s talk price. The 2016 Primitivo Antico Sigillo can be purchased for less than $15. Unfortunately, the only place that the $15 price was advertised was in Colorado. Checking the websites of my favorite wine outlets, I could not uncover any Antico Sigillo. Fortunately, I could find many 2016 Primitivos currently in the market.

You may have difficulty tracking down a bottle of the 2016 Antico Sigillo Primitivo, but there are many other 2014-2016 Puglia Primitivo that will serve you equally well. The Sigillo does appear on the front-page website image at Bottles in Mt. Pleasant…thus we could assume that they carry the wine.  Talk with your favorite wine merchant for their favorites. Good luck and good drinking…

A few Saturdays ago, Joy and I decided to participate in a theatrical double-header. Pure, a company previously located on King Street in Charleston, recently moved to a newly renovated performance space on Canon Street. Pure was offering two different (and well-performed/directed) plays by the late Sam Shepard.

Following the matinee, we walked a few blocks to a new restaurant (new for us – it has been open for about a year), Goulette. The restaurant is billed as a French Bistro, but there are some items (like fish and chips) that are not traditional French Bistro fare. They refer to themselves as ‘frenchish’…”French heritage with just the right amount of American”. I know this is not a food blog, but a shout-out is appropriate for this relatively new addition to the excellent Charleston food scene. However, more to the point, the wine list was both focused and reasonably priced. And, on the wine list, was a 2013 Chateau Pibran from Pauillac. This wine, which we had never experienced, was an excellent choice as a companion to both the restaurant’s ‘famed’ Rotisserie Chicken and very flavorful Grilled Merguez Lamb Sausage.

Pibran is, by Bordeaux standards, a new winery. The Chateau can date its history ‘only’ to the beginning of the 20^th century.  By comparison, Haut-Brion from neighboring Pessac can trace its legacy to the mid-17^th century. Lafite Rothschild, also of Pauillac, likewise qualifies as a 17^th chateau, but has actually been producing wine in the same location since the early 13^th century. The Pibran estate was purchased in 1941 by Paul Pibran Billa and was renamed using his middle name. In 1987 the AXA Insurance Group purchased the winery and its 42 acres of grapes. Jean Michel Cazes of Chateau Lynch Bages was named manager of the estate.  If you are familiar with Lynch Bages then you know that the new ownership made an excellent decision to hire Cazes. AXA has also acquired Pichon-Baron, Quinta do Noval (Port) in Northern Portugal, and Disznoko, Hungary’s outstanding Tokaj producer. AXA clearly considers fine wine a worthy element of the company’s portfolio.

Unique for the Pauillac region, 54% of the Pibran vineyards are planted with Merlot. Pauillac is located on Bordeaux’s West Bank. The West Bank is considered the ‘holy grail’ of Bordeaux.  Three of the five Grand Cru wine, Latour, Mouton Rothschild, and Lafite Rothschild all claim Pauillac as home. But Grand Cru producers focus on Cabernet. First Growth wines are created with aging as an expectation and Cabernet is fundamental to their aging calculus. By contrast, the Pibran, with its Merlot base, offers a very smooth texture and is approachable soon after bottling.  The Pibran will not age as long as a Lafite nor is it intended to do so…

Despite its youth, the Pibran is a dark and dense wine (despite being only 13% ABV) with dark fruit that appears on the nose and continues through the palate and lingering finish. Wine reviewer Steve Spurrier graded the 2013 Pibran with an 88 (a rating that needs to be revisited) noting that it offers “very good depth of fruit, spicy, smoothness, ripeness, and elegance, good future”. Spurrier also suggests that the 2013 version of the wine we experienced is now at its peak of ‘drinkability’. Recent vintages of the wine have earned even more favorable reviews.

Sterling Cellars of Mahopac, New York still offers the 2013 on its website at $29.99. Total Wines in Charleston offers the 2015 at $39.99. And, of course, try this wine at Charleston’s Goulette, or look for the Pibran on a wine list near you.

Last night, we visited Summerville’s Accent on Wine to enjoy a “The Whole Shebang” (a generous amount of six personally selected meats and cheese) a nice red. South Carolina permits the sale of wine by both the bottle and glass in the same establishment, and Accent of Wine has a modest, but very interesting (and well-priced) collection.

We chose a bottle of 2014 Robert Foley Napa Valley Charbono.

Foley only produces about 600 cases of Charbono each vintage sourced from grapes grown by the Heitz Family in Napa Valley’s Calistoga region. Heitz originally sold the grapes to Inglenook but when Inglenook stopped vinifying the grape, they were prepared to rip out the vines and growing a something they could sell. Robert Foley came calling. Today, Foley is the largest producer of Charbono in the world.

Charbono is widely planted in Argentina where it is known as Bonarda. Second only to Malbec is acreage but is primarily vinified for fruity and medium-bodied bulk wines. The grapes European origins are thought to be Savoie where is also referred to as Bonarda or Douce noir. France gained control of the region from Italy in 1860s, and the original cuttings are thought to have been transported to California by 19^th century immigrants.  Originally the cuttings were thought to be Barbara. Researchers at The University of California at Davis eventually determined that the Barbara and Charbono were unique varietals.   

The Charbono grape, grown on vines as old as 70 years, thrives in the wild temperature swings inherent to Calistoga. Interestingly, the sugar content (brix) stops developing late in the summer while the skins continue to mature. The wine is deeply colored and full-bodied with a wonderful mouthfeel. Enjoy black fruit and plum from the nose through the lingering finish. And, although Foley suggests that the wine could have a long life despite the relatively low alcohol (generally less than 14%), you can enjoy the Charbono young.

The Foley 2014 Charbono was a wonderful addition to our Whole Shebang. This wine would also work wonderfully with beef brisket or a well-grilled burger. The 2015 is currently on the shelf (approximately $40).

This is a difficult time for the business of wine. There are extraordinary pressures that influence the bottom line. And, sadly, these are largely pressures over which those in the industry have no control.

Natural disasters ranging from forest fires and drought, to the increasing concerns over global warming have threatening wineries as they plan for both the near and long-term. The increasing interest in craft beer and the resurgence of cocktails reallocates monies for beverages to those ‘the new and trendy’. A wine glut as new producing regions come on-line will negatively impact long established producers bottom-line. National news media reporting on the negative impact of alcohol impacts all segments of the adult beverage industry. And, now competition from legalized marijuana…

While the threats from foreign producers and environmental impacts are significant (and, worthy of in-depth future discussion), today we will examine growing concern over the impact of cannabis.

Marijuana has been approved for medicinal use in over 30 states and the District of Columbia, and for recreational use in 10 states as well as the District of Columbia. However, marijuana remains a Schedule 1 drug by the Federal Government. A Schedule 1 drug is deemed to have no health benefit and a high potential for abuse.

This was not always the case. The medical value of marijuana has been long recognized, but so too has been the potential for the abuse of the drug. Adulteration of marijuana-based products prompted concerns about the safety of the drug (pre-FDA), and films like Reefer Madness served to demonize it. Marijuana was listed as a Schedule 1 substance in the 1970 Controlled Substances Act.

Times have changed. A new generation of politicians, more effective lobbying, and pressure for decentralized decision making have prompted marijuana legalization/decriminalization to slowly make its way through state legislatures. Marijuana now competes for an individual’s ‘expendable capital’.

Let’s look at some numbers. Internet research suggests that the cost of a 1/8 of an ounce of marijuana averages about $40. The product is less expensive in the east than in the west (by approximately 22%). For our purposes we will extend the cost to slightly over $5,000 (wholesale) for a pound of quality marijuana, and $7,500 retail assuming a 50% retail markup. Additional research indicates that a pound of marijuana would allow for the rolling of approximately 640 ‘joints’. The math suggests that each joint has a retail value of slightly over $11.70.

Using a glass of wine as a relative measure, a .750 ml bottle of wine will yield 6 glasses of wine. An equivalent bottle of quality wine would require an expenditure nearly $80 – good wine vs. good ‘weed’. The $80 bottle would be a hard sell for wine retailers attempting to compete with marijuana shops.

Now, this concern about lost revenues assumes evidence that does not exist (or has not been uncovered). SVB on Wine (a blog devoted to the business of U.S. fine wine) argues that for “cannabis to impact wine sales a wine consumer also has to be a cannabis consumer”.  In fact, young (under 21) consumers dominate the cannabis market. There are multiple arguments for why…younger consumer can access marijuana easier than alcohol and once over 21 alcohol is legal and tempered use does not represent an illegal act. In fact, examining the collection of state taxes (SVB on Wine tells us) in Colorado and Oregon following the legalization of marijuana indicated “no change in alcohol consumption”. The greater concern for the wine retailer is not the competition from marijuana but rather the need to effectively sell that $80 bottle or to find comparable (and less expensive) alternatives.

The importance of wine as a compliment to food and as a beverage with a sense of place related to travel and history cannot be supplanted by marijuana. Studies suggest that the ‘half-life intoxicating’ impact of a glass of wine is approximately one hour. By comparison the half-life of coffee is six hours. The half-life of marijuana is 36 hours. The legal, employment, and physical impact of this ‘half-life’ negatively impacts the image, and thus the market, of marijuana. Moreover, in the first months of 2019, marijuana is still a Federally scheduled narcotic with the stigmas that accompany that designation.

There are serious issues facing the wine industry. Marijuana legalization is not one of them.

A few of you have responded to the Eight Years in the Desert post. Don’t let those bottles sit too long. David Phinney believes his wines are ready to drink when you purchase them. I will share some insights from Phinney (and me) regarding some of his other wines in the near future.