I was preparing a petit d�jeuner for my friends Stephen et Bruno. Stephen was fresh from the roof, because I've banned him from smoking in my apartment. He sat down to be served. The phone rang. Out of Area. "Pascaline," I thought.
"Ah, Alice, how are you? I need to talk to you about Demeter. I am very upset, Alice."
Pascaline, a sommelier in France who is very influenced by the vin naturel movement, has been setting up a wine list here in New York City and is required to put U.S. wines on the list. She recently sent me a listing of approved Demeter vineyards and asked, "Are there any good ones here?"
I told her that while there were some interesting wines on that list she needed to be careful and to not assume biodynamic vineyards means the same thing as n biodynamic wines or even natural wines as wines made from biodynamic grapes--and labeled as such--can have acid and sugar adjustment, yeast, bacteria, RO, MOX, oak chips, tannins. Etc. She needed to look for the words, Biodynamic wine and even then she had to look out for inoculation for Malolactic, as well as the use of RO and MOX.
She was shocked. Stunned. "In France Demeter means something! I call you tomorrow."
And there she was, talking to me as I was drinking my coffee and I let Bruno tend to Stephen. They found my bitter marmalade from Calabria and didn't miss me one bit as they were busy slathering on the burnt orange colored, chunky preserve on black bread as if it were buttercream on a birthday cake. "Tell me, why is that there are two categories for biodynamie farming and biodynamie grapes? This is impossible. In Europe there is only one designation, biodynamie. And if you see biodynamie it is a natural wine. But you are saying I can't trust Demeter for wine in the United States? Ach, Alice, this is a disaster."
"And what about this green merdre, sustainable and salmon and organic grape and low carbon, you mean to tell me this does not mean the wine is made naturally?"
I had to break it to her. �No, in fact "Green" wine or "Sustainable," often just means conventional winemaking practice.�
Pascaline was shocked. "Why is this, Alice. Why is this?"
"Good question, Pascaline. But, I think that one of the problems is in the New World winemaking structure. As long as there's not a vigneron model in the U.S., as long as the winemaker and vineyard manager are separated by church and state, and there are people making rulings over Demeter who are not winemakers, can it ever really change? �
That's when I realized that most of the wine in this country is actually what would be called negociant wine in France. Why did I not get that before. I also noted; I have never seen any two men go through so much marmelade in my life. They were crazy about it.
�Ah, Alice,� she said. �This is so sad.a
I tried to imagine some wine drinker at Union Square being so concerned about this disconnect. It just doesn�t seem to bother people�except the people I know and that is a very small group. But after being in California so much lately with more coming down the pike I�m thinking about the issues a lot. The disconnect is something I don�t understand.
I met a man growing Sagrantino grapes. One of the wines of his life was a Bea Sagrantino. So, this gent who lives in the middle of his vineyards wants to get Demeter certified and is shopping for a consultant. Then he emailed me last week, do I by any chance know which yeast Bea uses for his wine?
It never occurred to him that Giampiero would has soon yeast his wine as put his mother in the oven. (he loves his mother.)
I hear there was a tornado over the ocean off of Long Island last night as well as eighty one strikes of lightning.
I was preparing a petit d�jeuner for my friends Stephen et Bruno. Stephen was fresh from the roof, because I've banned him from smoking in my apartment. He sat down to be served. The phone rang. Out of Area. "Pascaline," I thought.
"Ah, Alice, how are you? I need to talk to you about Demeter. I am very upset, Alice."
Pascaline, a sommelier in France who is very influenced by the vin naturel movement, has been setting up a wine list here in New York City and is required to put U.S. wines on the list. She recently sent me a listing of approved Demeter vineyards and asked, "Are there any good ones here?"
I told her that while there were some interesting wines on that list she needed to be careful and to not assume biodynamic vineyards means the same thing as n biodynamic wines or even natural wines as wines made from biodynamic grapes--and labeled as such--can have acid and sugar adjustment, yeast, bacteria, RO, MOX, oak chips, tannins. Etc. She needed to look for the words, Biodynamic wine and even then she had to look out for inoculation for Malolactic, as well as the use of RO and MOX.
She was shocked. Stunned. "In France Demeter means something! I call you tomorrow."
And there she was, talking to me as I was drinking my coffee and I let Bruno tend to Stephen. They found my bitter marmalade from Calabria and didn't miss me one bit as they were busy slathering on the burnt orange colored, chunky preserve on black bread as if it were buttercream on a birthday cake. "Tell me, why is that there are two categories for biodynamie farming and biodynamie grapes? This is impossible. In Europe there is only one designation, biodynamie. And if you see biodynamie it is a natural wine. But you are saying I can't trust Demeter for wine in the United States? Ach, Alice, this is a disaster."
"And what about this green merdre, sustainable and salmon and organic grape and low carbon, you mean to tell me this does not mean the wine is made naturally?"
I had to break it to her. �No, in fact "Green" wine or "Sustainable," often just means conventional winemaking practice.�
Pascaline was shocked. "Why is this, Alice. Why is this?"
"Good question, Pascaline. But, I think that one of the problems is in the New World winemaking structure. As long as there's not a vigneron model in the U.S., as long as the winemaker and vineyard manager are separated by church and state, and there are people making rulings over Demeter who are not winemakers, can it ever really change? �
That's when I realized that most of the wine in this country is actually what would be called negociant wine in France. Why did I not get that before. I also noted; I have never seen any two men go through so much marmelade in my life. They were crazy about it.
�Ah, Alice,� she said. �This is so sad.a
I tried to imagine some wine drinker at Union Square being so concerned about this disconnect. It just doesn�t seem to bother people�except the people I know and that is a very small group. But after being in California so much lately with more coming down the pike I�m thinking about the issues a lot. The disconnect is something I don�t understand.
I met a man growing Sagrantino grapes. One of the wines of his life was a Bea Sagrantino. So, this gent who lives in the middle of his vineyards wants to get Demeter certified and is shopping for a consultant. Then he emailed me last week, do I by any chance know which yeast Bea uses for his wine?
It never occurred to him that Giampiero would has soon yeast his wine as put his mother in the oven. (he loves his mother.)
I hear there was a tornado over the ocean off of Long Island last night as well as eighty one strikes of lightning.
Many thanks for reader, Paolo, for alerting me about this cogent piece on the recent scandal about the alleged pollution of Brunello posted to Jancis Robinson's site.
It would be awful of me to reprint this fabulous letter from Italy that writer (and biodynamic consultant ?) Monte Walden penned in her "Don't Quote Me" pages of her Purple ones, and so I won't ---except for this exerpt:
** What is incontrovertible is that the least scrupulous producers and the more gullible wine writers have combined to push the Brunello 'myth'. For instance, the most critically acclaimed Brunello of recent years (a 2001) was described by an American publication as having picture postcard vineyards, but whenever I drive past mud has leached from the vineyard on to road from heavy use of vineyard tractors. Compacted, eroding vineyards that are heavily sprayed like this one is don't normally produce world-beating wines.
The wine was said to show intense, full-bodied, velvet-like chocolate and black fruit flavours. None are typical flavour or texture characteristics of Sangiovese, especially one grown on the kind of heavy, alluvial, low lying, compacted clay soils converted from cereal crops this producer has. Chocolate suggests to me that brown, cocoa-like tannin powder was added for mouthfeel.
I know of a company north of Siena that has sold fruit concentrate used in jam-making (and illegal for Brunello) in the Brunello zone. Cash sale, no invoice, no paper trail, no risk of getting caught. If used in a Brunello it would provide the kind of taste profile ascribed to this wine. **
The writing is impassioned, takes no prisoners, believable (because the source is) and tells me that if this stuff appears regularly on Jancis' website, it's worth the annual fee.
Many thanks for reader, Paolo, for alerting me about this cogent piece on the recent scandal about the alleged pollution of Brunello posted to Jancis Robinson's site.
It would be awful of me to reprint this fabulous letter from Italy that writer (and biodynamic consultant ?) Monte Walden penned in her "Don't Quote Me" pages of her Purple ones, and so I won't ---except for this exerpt:
** What is incontrovertible is that the least scrupulous producers and the more gullible wine writers have combined to push the Brunello 'myth'. For instance, the most critically acclaimed Brunello of recent years (a 2001) was described by an American publication as having picture postcard vineyards, but whenever I drive past mud has leached from the vineyard on to road from heavy use of vineyard tractors. Compacted, eroding vineyards that are heavily sprayed like this one is don't normally produce world-beating wines.
The wine was said to show intense, full-bodied, velvet-like chocolate and black fruit flavours. None are typical flavour or texture characteristics of Sangiovese, especially one grown on the kind of heavy, alluvial, low lying, compacted clay soils converted from cereal crops this producer has. Chocolate suggests to me that brown, cocoa-like tannin powder was added for mouthfeel.
I know of a company north of Siena that has sold fruit concentrate used in jam-making (and illegal for Brunello) in the Brunello zone. Cash sale, no invoice, no paper trail, no risk of getting caught. If used in a Brunello it would provide the kind of taste profile ascribed to this wine. **
The writing is impassioned, takes no prisoners, believable (because the source is) and tells me that if this stuff appears regularly on Jancis' website, it's worth the annual fee.
THE SHRINKS ARE AWAY READING
with Susan Shapiro, Jonathan Fast, Alice
Feiring, Liza Monroy & Kimberly Auerbach
Wednesday August 6 from 7-8:30pm
McNally Robinson Booksellers in Soho
52 Prince Street (at Mulberry)
WINE IS BEING SPONSORED BY THE INDIE WINE FESTIVAL, PROUDLY FEATURING THE FIRST VINTAGE OF RESONANCE PINOT NOIR, BIODYNAMIC GROWN AND MADE WINE WHICH, AF APPROVED.
Also, tune your radios for the show that prompted the host to tell me I needed some media training tomorrow. It's West Coast time.
WCRW, Saturday, August 2.
Good Food airs every Saturday from 11:00am-noon Pacific, locally at 89.9-FM and online at www.kcrw.com. You can also access the interview after that time from the archives at www.kcrw.com/goodfood
THE SHRINKS ARE AWAY READING
with Susan Shapiro, Jonathan Fast, Alice
Feiring, Liza Monroy & Kimberly Auerbach
Wednesday August 6 from 7-8:30pm
McNally Robinson Booksellers in Soho
52 Prince Street (at Mulberry)
WINE IS BEING SPONSORED BY THE INDIE WINE FESTIVAL, PROUDLY FEATURING THE FIRST VINTAGE OF RESONANCE PINOT NOIR, BIODYNAMIC GROWN AND MADE WINE WHICH, AF APPROVED.
Also, tune your radios for the show that prompted the host to tell me I needed some media training tomorrow. It's West Coast time.
WCRW, Saturday, August 2.
Good Food airs every Saturday from 11:00am-noon Pacific, locally at 89.9-FM and online at www.kcrw.com. You can also access the interview after that time from the archives at www.kcrw.com/goodfood
And I'm not talking the weedkiller. But if I could, I'd sprinkle some of (we're sustainable, we just use Round-Up) on a great big weed that has sprung up in my neighborhood.
A scourge, a blemish on what once was a real neighborhood, now takes up real estate on the corner of Prince and Lafayette. This is the former home of the local favorite greasy spoon, Buffa's. The corner spot was boarded up for two years. When I returned from San Francisco, it was blasting its attitude into the world, waiting to ambush me. Meet Delicatessen. The name only brings up the bloody mess of the French movie of that name, but while the film was a riot of irony and fun, this place is a blight of pandering; style no substance.
Oh it's loud. And oh, that wine list!
They have "House wines."
Meaning, Industrial wines.
And they SHOULD have Industrial wines. It makes sense for this place.
The price for drinking Industrial, mass produced wines range from $40-$78 and the typos and mistakes come free.
Gruner Veltliner; Grooner, Austria
Should we tell them that Grooner is not a wine growing region in Austria but a new Gruner on the market aimed at the Pinot Grigio market.
It's $10 retail. Here? What about $40.
Hey, another fun fact. Did you know that the Alta Vista (Premium?) Torrentes is not from Argentina but actually from ...Italy? And a steal at $44. (about $12 retail)
Let's take that Hugel Gewurtz. (here spelled Gewrztraminer)
Yours at retail for $17-$18? Yours here for $78
And I just love that they have blended MusArdel with Chardonnay.
I make plenty of mistakes. I make plenty of typos. I dread them but they are an ASF reality. But they have the money to have some one proof. But here's where it all gets dangerous. There are actually things on that list I can drink and I do not understand why. I wasn't happy to see them there. This is not the equivalent of walking into CostCo and seeing Produttori del Barbaresco. It is more like when I walked into my uncle�s house a few years before he died--Jack was so cheap he squeezed the buffalo off the nickel-- and he showed me his 1982 Petrus. It was kept in a hot basement, locked in a file cabinet. The evaporation was good indication that he killed the juice. Ach, that's not it either. Help me out here. It's more that I see that these real wines are becoming a victim of their label. It's like putting a rock under glass and labeling it, "Terroir!"
They have fashioned an "Artisinal" section. Who can resist the allure of drinking artisinally? But will anyone frequenting that hell hole of a restaurant know that under their 'Artisinal" section they shouldn't be spending $78 for the Domaine La Noblaie Chinon, or the $78 for the Domaine St. Nicolas Pinot. That is indeed delicious but yours for $21 or less in the stores.
I just finished carrying up my Chambers Street Wine delivery up my five flights of steps. It's hot out. I'm dripping in sweat and that's when it hit. What am I more upset about, the stupid wine list and the wasting of some good wine on a cynical restaurant filled with posers and people who want to live the Carrie life? Or, am I more upset about duping the public with the pricing? That's when it hit. Someone forgot that the restaurant pricing policy usually is in between 3-4X WHOLESALE?
Or am I trying to make excuses for a stick-em-up attitude. Stupid enough to come here for a loud, canned scene? Then pay up.
Why was I there? I got a call from my friend Nancy who told me it was imperative I meet her there. She sounded scared. She sounded desperate. She needed help. It was 11pm. I ran. I was horrified. She just wanted some company. I said, let's blow this joint, but first I stole the wine list. We headed around the corner to Balthazar. A pichet of Domaine Pepiere muscadet? $18. It was spelled correctly. It was delicious. I was very happy. And I asked her please, don't make me do that again.
And I'm not talking the weedkiller. But if I could, I'd sprinkle some of (we're sustainable, we just use Round-Up) on a great big weed that has sprung up in my neighborhood.
A scourge, a blemish on what once was a real neighborhood, now takes up real estate on the corner of Prince and Lafayette. This is the former home of the local favorite greasy spoon, Buffa's. The corner spot was boarded up for two years. When I returned from San Francisco, it was blasting its attitude into the world, waiting to ambush me. Meet Delicatessen. The name only brings up the bloody mess of the French movie of that name, but while the film was a riot of irony and fun, this place is a blight of pandering; style no substance.
Oh it's loud. And oh, that wine list!
They have "House wines."
Meaning, Industrial wines.
And they SHOULD have Industrial wines. It makes sense for this place.
The price for drinking Industrial, mass produced wines range from $40-$78 and the typos and mistakes come free.
Gruner Veltliner; Grooner, Austria
Should we tell them that Grooner is not a wine growing region in Austria but a new Gruner on the market aimed at the Pinot Grigio market.
It's $10 retail. Here? What about $40.
Hey, another fun fact. Did you know that the Alta Vista (Premium?) Torrentes is not from Argentina but actually from ...Italy? And a steal at $44. (about $12 retail)
Let's take that Hugel Gewurtz. (here spelled Gewrztraminer)
Yours at retail for $17-$18? Yours here for $78
And I just love that they have blended MusArdel with Chardonnay.
I make plenty of mistakes. I make plenty of typos. I dread them but they are an ASF reality. But they have the money to have some one proof. But here's where it all gets dangerous. There are actually things on that list I can drink and I do not understand why. I wasn't happy to see them there. This is not the equivalent of walking into CostCo and seeing Produttori del Barbaresco. It is more like when I walked into my uncle�s house a few years before he died--Jack was so cheap he squeezed the buffalo off the nickel-- and he showed me his 1982 Petrus. It was kept in a hot basement, locked in a file cabinet. The evaporation was good indication that he killed the juice. Ach, that's not it either. Help me out here. It's more that I see that these real wines are becoming a victim of their label. It's like putting a rock under glass and labeling it, "Terroir!"
They have fashioned an "Artisinal" section. Who can resist the allure of drinking artisinally? But will anyone frequenting that hell hole of a restaurant know that under their 'Artisinal" section they shouldn't be spending $78 for the Domaine La Noblaie Chinon, or the $78 for the Domaine St. Nicolas Pinot. That is indeed delicious but yours for $21 or less in the stores.
I just finished carrying up my Chambers Street Wine delivery up my five flights of steps. It's hot out. I'm dripping in sweat and that's when it hit. What am I more upset about, the stupid wine list and the wasting of some good wine on a cynical restaurant filled with posers and people who want to live the Carrie life? Or, am I more upset about duping the public with the pricing? That's when it hit. Someone forgot that the restaurant pricing policy usually is in between 3-4X WHOLESALE?
Or am I trying to make excuses for a stick-em-up attitude. Stupid enough to come here for a loud, canned scene? Then pay up.
Why was I there? I got a call from my friend Nancy who told me it was imperative I meet her there. She sounded scared. She sounded desperate. She needed help. It was 11pm. I ran. I was horrified. She just wanted some company. I said, let's blow this joint, but first I stole the wine list. We headed around the corner to Balthazar. A pichet of Domaine Pepiere muscadet? $18. It was spelled correctly. It was delicious. I was very happy. And I asked her please, don't make me do that again.
I'm hunting the Leon Trotskys, the Philip Roths, the Chaucers and the Edith Whartons of the wine world. I want them natural and most of all, I want them to speak the truth even if we argue. With this messiah thing going on, I'm trying to swell the ranks of those who crave the differences in each vintage, celebrate nuance and desire wines that make them think, laugh, and feel. Welcome.
And, if you'd like a signed copy, feel free to contact me directly.
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