07.25.2007
Uncorked: talking wine
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Few industries are more caught up in their own language, and manipulation of it, than the wine world.
News releases touting new wines are full of flavored description, some of it as confusing as it is amusing. We enjoy the wordplay. Consider this one:
“This wine is ideal for drinking,” a recent release states, underscoring the obvious.
Well, what else would you do with it? Flush out your car radiator? Use it to clean jewelry? No, this wine was intended to be drunk, the winemaker insists. And not only is the wine meant for drinking, instructions are given on where the drinking should take place.
“A perfect wine,” it notes, “to be shared with friends at a barbecue on a warm summer night.”
Now we’re getting somewhere. It’s really a quaffing wine, which means drinking without thinking, so there’s no need for detailed discussion about its character. This sort of drinking wine also has an uncanny way of morphing from a liquid into a lifestyle, and often breaks into a “summer sipping sensation.”
But as soon as autumn arrives, the sensation wanes, and people uncork wines meant to be discussed. The news releases for these wines come in thick folders with raised letters that talk about family legacies andterroir.
The wines bristle with personality and hint of toasted mineral scents, gooseberries and lychee nuts.
So, when was the last time you had a lychee nut?
New Vino Web Site
If you want to learn more about wine on your laptop, check out the new Wine Answers Web site, a slick repository of easy-to-digest information about the grape, food pairings and trends. Maintained by the Wine Market Council, the site also offers a handy Wine 101 chapter, question of the day and glossary. Find it at http://www.wineanswers.com.
Crying Over Spilled Cab
So it was recently after I pulled from my temperature-controlled cave a bottle of Simi 2003 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. I received the $60 bottle as a birthday gift and laid it down for a special occasion. But instead of enjoying its earthy pleasures, it slipped from my hands and exploded on the hard tile floor. I spent a profanity-laced half-hour cleaning up shards of glass and licking up the spill — with a mop.
Have similar wine fiascos to share? , and we will combine them in a future Uncorked column.
Tasting Notes
Babich Hawkes Bay 2006 Unoaked Chardonnay: This sturdy, nicely integrated wine avoids the barrels and oak chips that impart butter and vanilla to so much American chardonnay and, instead, offers a clean aroma and the sharper taste of apples and melons. A process known as malolactic fermentation softens the acidity. This delicious wine is another example of the good things coming out of New Zealand. Retail: $12.
Mount Veeder 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon: This big, tasty cab is packed with lots of forward fruit and spice without being jammy. Mount Veeder has made an exceptional wine, complex and full of expressive flavors that do cartwheels in the mouth. The finish alone is worth $40.
Foley 2005 Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir: Made from 100 percent pinot grapes and aged a year in French oak, this velvety wine impresses with its deep garnet color and aromas of dark berries and tea. It can cellar for up to 10 years, but the preserving tannins aren’t overpowering, so go ahead and pop it open over a rack of lamb. Retail: $35.
Domaines Schlumberger 2004 Pinot Blanc: The old-fashioned European winery still uses horses for its work in the steeped terraced slopes of Alsace, home to some of the world’s great whites. The “Les Princes Abbes” is light and refreshing, but let your glass sit awhile as it takes on depth and a rich perfume. Retail: $14.
Robert Mondavi 2005 Fume Blanc Reserve: Many people don’t realize that Mondavi helped put California sauvignon blanc on the map, and this multilayered wine drinks like liquid orange blossom. Fermented in French oak, the juice wraps the tongue in a crisp acidity and hints of grass and citrus. Retail: $35.