The Feiring Line

Chardonnay in California: Part Five

When I got this assignment a friend in Portland said, "Al, it's going to kill you." I thought, yes, this is possible, but in the end, I ended up with a few more wrinkles and if not a little wiser, at least a lot more thoughtful. So, what DOES this character learn at the end of the play? Even though she didn't taste them all, but a good spectrum of about 50 wines from all over California, she's of the opinion that there are more styles of the wine available than a decade ago. There is less toast on the oak and far less tropical flavors and more wines that are blocking malolactic. She still found too many examples of overripe fruit under oak and too high a price. Yet this character, (that would be me)--to HER palate--(that would be mine), did taste one chardonnay she would buy. During my guest appearance stomp at Kevin Kelley's joint (Salinias and Lioco) I tasted a Chardonnay minutes old. I found it compelling. I first met Kevin through Field Maloney (then living in California researching a book or two) this past June. KK makes wine with no hanky panky. No yeast, no inoculation, not even much temperature control that doesn't have to do with the actual temperatures in and outside of his place in an industrial park. KK is going to be a true wine revolutionary. This means his whites are going to go through malolactic fermentation because that is what comes naturally. Lets shelve what I think about that until a full out malo conversation. Meanwhile, if you feel like speaking to it in the comments, please! Hold forth. The other bit of info needed here was that this Chardonnay was fermented on its skins. Skin-contact for white wines is quite the hip technique in Northern Italy as well as in the amphora wines craze. Few people use it even though, as veteran winemaker David Bruce said, "...flavoring elements are in the skin (of Chardonnay), not in the pulp of the grape." While few people use it, some are fans, such as Abe Schoener of the Scholium project (who is on this blog in video). He vinifies several compelling and controversial whites on their skins for over 30 days. But this is the first time I had the technique from American soil in a wine that has low-ish alcohol. While mulling its fresh, meyer lemon-like taste in my mouth I though,. California Chard is about the fruit. The soil (to me) does not lend it the balancing act of minerality. Skin contact seems to stand in for limestone and the result is a layered wine with yes, fruit but with interest and complexity. Is Chardonnay's salvation in its skins? I asked Kevin if he could send me a small sample after it was dry. One arrived in the mail shortly before New Years. It was still a fascinating drink. The man who was called The Owl Man was over to dinner. TOM is even more militant about wine than I am, he drank the whole thing, "I can't believe this is California," he said. Glug. Glug. When the wine goes through malo, it will change for sure. The edges will round out, the wine will gain some weight. This wine will have no wood, and no bottle. It is destined for local restaurants and delivered in refillable boxes and bought at a TBD glugable price. Let's see what happens. But it could be the beginning of an exciting time and at least a happy addition to the literature of Chardonnay.

Chardonnay in California: Part Five

When I got this assignment a friend in Portland said, "Al, it's going to kill you." I thought, yes, this is possible, but in the end, I ended up with a few more wrinkles and if not a little wiser, at least a lot more thoughtful. So, what DOES this character learn at the end of the play? Even though she didn't taste them all, but a good spectrum of about 50 wines from all over California, she's of the opinion that there are more styles of the wine available than a decade ago. There is less toast on the oak and far less tropical flavors and more wines that are blocking malolactic. She still found too many examples of overripe fruit under oak and too high a price. Yet this character, (that would be me)--to HER palate--(that would be mine), did taste one chardonnay she would buy. During my guest appearance stomp at Kevin Kelley's joint (Salinias and Lioco) I tasted a Chardonnay minutes old. I found it compelling. I first met Kevin through Field Maloney (then living in California researching a book or two) this past June. KK makes wine with no hanky panky. No yeast, no inoculation, not even much temperature control that doesn't have to do with the actual temperatures in and outside of his place in an industrial park. KK is going to be a true wine revolutionary. This means his whites are going to go through malolactic fermentation because that is what comes naturally. Lets shelve what I think about that until a full out malo conversation. Meanwhile, if you feel like speaking to it in the comments, please! Hold forth. The other bit of info needed here was that this Chardonnay was fermented on its skins. Skin-contact for white wines is quite the hip technique in Northern Italy as well as in the amphora wines craze. Few people use it even though, as veteran winemaker David Bruce said, "...flavoring elements are in the skin (of Chardonnay), not in the pulp of the grape." While few people use it, some are fans, such as Abe Schoener of the Scholium project (who is on this blog in video). He vinifies several compelling and controversial whites on their skins for over 30 days. But this is the first time I had the technique from American soil in a wine that has low-ish alcohol. While mulling its fresh, meyer lemon-like taste in my mouth I though,. California Chard is about the fruit. The soil (to me) does not lend it the balancing act of minerality. Skin contact seems to stand in for limestone and the result is a layered wine with yes, fruit but with interest and complexity. Is Chardonnay's salvation in its skins? I asked Kevin if he could send me a small sample after it was dry. One arrived in the mail shortly before New Years. It was still a fascinating drink. The man who was called The Owl Man was over to dinner. TOM is even more militant about wine than I am, he drank the whole thing, "I can't believe this is California," he said. Glug. Glug. When the wine goes through malo, it will change for sure. The edges will round out, the wine will gain some weight. This wine will have no wood, and no bottle. It is destined for local restaurants and delivered in refillable boxes and bought at a TBD glugable price. Let's see what happens. But it could be the beginning of an exciting time and at least a happy addition to the literature of Chardonnay.

Chardonnay Series: Part Four. Hedda Gabler

Last night, as a preamble to other plans, I stuck my nose into a Contra Dance for three spins around the dance floor. I then trekked back on the F-train, so engrossed in Charles Isherwood's take

Chardonnay Series: Part Four. Hedda Gabler

Last night, as a preamble to other plans, I stuck my nose into a Contra Dance for three spins around the dance floor. I then trekked back on the F-train, so engrossed in Charles Isherwood's take

Chardonnay Series: Part 3A. She's a treacherous mistress."

I caught up with Ted Lemon of LittoraiWine Market Council

Chardonnay Series: Part 3A. She's a treacherous mistress."

I caught up with Ted Lemon of LittoraiWine Market Council

Another Domaine Up For Sale

They're dropping like flies. The spies in France tell me that Guy Bossard, one of the great masters of Muscadet has put his domaine up for sale. Guy sat at the head of the communal table, eating oysters and drinking muscadeet at La Dive 2007. Hearing the news reminded me of this story, two years ago, when I traveled to Le Havre for the Dive. +++++ Because Le Havre is shuttered on Sunday night, we settled on dinner next door, the one with the sepia signage of a bubbie-like-creature ostensibly the restaurant's inspiration. Though we all knew it to be false advertising, our only other choice was Doner Kebab, which might have been the better option. As it turned out the carrots were sawdust, the beets were filmy, the marinated mackeral was a terrifying mistake, the fries were limp and it was a blessing that Dressner didn't go for the tartare. The wine situation was just as dicey. We pointed to a Loire pinot gris rosé from Reuilly hoping it would be the safest wine on the list. Dressner bowed to the pressure to taste it. He made a face as if the pink stuff was liquid tetracycline. Shawn and I, desperate to drink suspended our ethics and palate and just deal with it. Just then, with glass to lip, one of the Muscadet Gods, Guy Bossard walked into the restaurant. Dapper in his fly fisherman’s vest, he came over to our table to say hello, picked the bottle out of the ice bucked and raised an eyebrow in disbelief which surely said, "Such crap on your table?" When he sat down to have his way way with the menu and wine list he didn’t do much better. Neither one of our parties polished off the bottle. But then Shawn and I made saved the night with some Calvados, 8-year old Roger Groult. +++++ Sometimes you do what you have to do. Bossard was one of the earliest committed to sane growing in the Nantes. The estate became organic in 1975, and biodynamic in 1986. The wines are long-lived (like nearly all great Muscadet) steely, austere complex. And the fact that he has had enough, and wants to spend the stretch of decades in front of him fishing, makes me sad. But, winemaking is a very physical and taxing life. Who can blame him I am just hoping one of the other gods of muscadet will take over the property. Meanwhile, maybe SFJoe might consider a Loire purchase?

Another Domaine Up For Sale

They're dropping like flies. The spies in France tell me that Guy Bossard, one of the great masters of Muscadet has put his domaine up for sale. Guy sat at the head of the communal table, eating oysters and drinking muscadeet at La Dive 2007. Hearing the news reminded me of this story, two years ago, when I traveled to Le Havre for the Dive. +++++ Because Le Havre is shuttered on Sunday night, we settled on dinner next door, the one with the sepia signage of a bubbie-like-creature ostensibly the restaurant's inspiration. Though we all knew it to be false advertising, our only other choice was Doner Kebab, which might have been the better option. As it turned out the carrots were sawdust, the beets were filmy, the marinated mackeral was a terrifying mistake, the fries were limp and it was a blessing that Dressner didn't go for the tartare. The wine situation was just as dicey. We pointed to a Loire pinot gris rosé from Reuilly hoping it would be the safest wine on the list. Dressner bowed to the pressure to taste it. He made a face as if the pink stuff was liquid tetracycline. Shawn and I, desperate to drink suspended our ethics and palate and just deal with it. Just then, with glass to lip, one of the Muscadet Gods, Guy Bossard walked into the restaurant. Dapper in his fly fisherman’s vest, he came over to our table to say hello, picked the bottle out of the ice bucked and raised an eyebrow in disbelief which surely said, "Such crap on your table?" When he sat down to have his way way with the menu and wine list he didn’t do much better. Neither one of our parties polished off the bottle. But then Shawn and I made saved the night with some Calvados, 8-year old Roger Groult. +++++ Sometimes you do what you have to do. Bossard was one of the earliest committed to sane growing in the Nantes. The estate became organic in 1975, and biodynamic in 1986. The wines are long-lived (like nearly all great Muscadet) steely, austere complex. And the fact that he has had enough, and wants to spend the stretch of decades in front of him fishing, makes me sad. But, winemaking is a very physical and taxing life. Who can blame him I am just hoping one of the other gods of muscadet will take over the property. Meanwhile, maybe SFJoe might consider a Loire purchase?

Chardonnay Series: Part Two

In December I met up with a friend at the bar at Blue Hill (off of Washington Square Park in the West Village). We were happily enjoying the comforting 2002 Cubillo Rioja from Lopez de Heredia, when a well-fed writer I knew was leaving, having just dined with a Sonoma wine produce.' "Alice is a wine writer," our mutual friend said. Then he informed Mr. Sonoma about my recent blog on making Sagrantino Kevin Kelley (I'm beginning to think everyone in the world is now named Kevin!) is the winemaker and he makes it for another Kevin---if you can believe it. The wine is a youngster: mid-weigth wine; pithy, lemony, with whifs and licks of ripe tangerine comice pear. Great now, I might want to see what this baby does in a few years. Look to Part Three for more on Lioco, its winemaker and what Alice Learned in Chardonnay School.

Chardonnay Series: Part Two

In December I met up with a friend at the bar at Blue Hill (off of Washington Square Park in the West Village). We were happily enjoying the comforting 2002 Cubillo Rioja from Lopez de Heredia, when a well-fed writer I knew was leaving, having just dined with a Sonoma wine produce.' "Alice is a wine writer," our mutual friend said. Then he informed Mr. Sonoma about my recent blog on making Sagrantino Kevin Kelley (I'm beginning to think everyone in the world is now named Kevin!) is the winemaker and he makes it for another Kevin---if you can believe it. The wine is a youngster: mid-weigth wine; pithy, lemony, with whifs and licks of ripe tangerine comice pear. Great now, I might want to see what this baby does in a few years. Look to Part Three for more on Lioco, its winemaker and what Alice Learned in Chardonnay School.