Weather and Wine

The Great Grapes Wine Festival, presented by Mills Wine of Annapolis, Maryland, at the county fairgrounds July 29-30, 2006, in blistering heat, was a welcome excuse to sample a number of fine wines. Not, I hasten to add, all 200 on display from 30 wineries! The surprise was how weather patterns and their effect on the growing of grapes kept dominating our conversations as I tasted the following wines and swapped notes with growers and distributors.

    Most of the weather news was bad. In much of Europe, including the prime wine regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy, record heat for the month of July, 2006, recalled the record August heat that the same regions struggled through in 2003. I wrote that much of the wine that was made in 2003 would be iffy, despite the glorious reviews that many gave that vintage. And so it may be proving, as some 2003 wines are proving to be one dimensional, lacking structure. There was just too much heat, too little moisture, and the grapes suffered. Some of the wines, including nearly every Alsatian Riesling I have tasted from that vintage, should not have been made at all. Many of the French wines I tasted during the Great Grapes Festival, on the other hand, were from the more normal 2004 vintage. (The 2005 vintage, except for some wines that do not have grand vin pretensions, have not been released. The vintage is by all accounts exceptionally good.)

    However, the intense heat of July, 2006, is raising the alarm in Europe for wine growing. (I was in Italy a week ago, and the temperature hit an alltime high of 103 degrees Fahrenheit, or 39 degrees Centigrade.) Coping strategies are being improvised, I was told, to attempt to deal with the problem and save the grape crops. Mainly, the pruning of leaves on the grape plants, usually started in June to allow a maximum of sunshine for the grapes to reach a concentration of flavor, has at many properties been delayed a month. Grapes are being allowed to cluster more than usual, in order to promote stem nourishment. There will, I am sure, be more measures taken, as these have the air of improvisation. Will it be necessary to somehow artificially lower the vineyard temperatures?

    The problem of extreme weather was not limited to our European vintner colleagues. I was told by a distributor of wines produced in the Finger Lakes of New York State, and the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, Canada, that wine producers in those two areas had the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to deal with, as torrential rains came pouring down at precisely the wrong time, when the grapes were ready for harvest, in September, 2005. Various coping strategies included great care in not including grapes that had bcome too sodden with rainwater. Production was therefore limited.

    From France I tasted a Pabiot Pouilly Fume 2004 ($21 retail) which was an excellent white wine, tasty and dry. Their Sancerre ($20) from the same vintage was even dryer. I found their Beaujolais offering, a Jacky Piret Brouilly ($10), too thin for my taste. A Domaine de la Presidente Cotes du Rhone ($10), “mostly Grenache,” was a reliable basic red Rhone.

    Some California wines followed. The Archipel Meritage 2001 ($43) was a good effort, a Bordeaux blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc that would be comparable to a midlevel Bordeaux. It is produced by Oliver Rousset in the Sonoma and Napa Valleys. The Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc ($21) lacked the characteristic grassy taste of that varietal, a plus in my view. I was told that some Semillon is also used, and that just 10% of the wine was aged in new oak, to add some structure and tannin to the wine while keeping down the “oakiness” many find objectionable. The distributor said, in response to my question, that under California law 85% of the wine must be from the same varietal, in order for it to be bottled as a varietal. That explains why some California wines, such as the Archipel Meritage, name their wines instead.

    J. Lohr Estates in Monterrey County had an extensive sampling. Their Arroyo Vista Sauvignon Blanc 2004 ($18) was tasty and refreshing. (Believe me, when you are sampling wines in 95 degree heat, “refreshing” is a real plus!) Their Cypress Chardonnay ($10) was thin. The J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard 2002 (a takeoff from the classic Martha’s Vineyard?) ($48) was closed and hard to judge.
    From the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, a Cave Spring Dry Riesling 2005 ($22) was excellent, full of flavor and refreshing. Their Semi-Dry Riesling from the same year ($18) was quite different, and would appeal to those who prefer a sweeter taste. The Dr. Konstantin Frank Chardonnay 2003 ($22) was full-bodied, and on the sweet side.

    Since we had just returned from Italy, I was pleased to taste a Canela Prosecco de Conegliano NV ($17), a tasty sparkling white wine that is produced in great quantity. It is said that the Bellini cocktail was invented by Claudio, the bartender at Harry’s Bar in Venice, by adding some white peach nectar to sparkling prosecco. That is a tasty aperitif, and the imaginative transformation of an overproduced wine reminds me of the kir that the French  invented, by adding cassis to white wine. However, the bottled Bellini Cocktail de Venezia ($15) struck me as too sweet, and not a very successful adaptation of the original drink. As with cognac, some caramel is used to add color to the beverage.

    Our treat was the Moet Hennessy exhibit. They poured Moet et Chandon Nectar Imperial ($48), a largely Pinot Noir based demi-sec nonvintage wine that was very tasty. I had not tried it before, and was surprised to learn from the distributor that this wine has become, in 8-9 years, the fourth largest selling champagne in the United States! It seems that more and more Americans appreciate the slightly sweet taste of demi-sec, rather than the traditional dry brut champagnes. Visitors to the exhibit confirmed that to us – they said that a touch of sweetness in the bubbles was a real plus, and that they had always preferred it. The Moet et Chandon brut is being discontinued here for lack of sales, and the sweeter Moet et Chandon White Star Extra Dry NV ($51), which I found a very tasty and refreshing mouthful, is being sold along with the Nectar in its place.

    The Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut NV    ($52) was very tasty, a clear improvement over this champagne in previous years. I am pleased that the producers are evidently taking more care in its production, as Taittinger and Pol Roger have done with their NV Brut champagnes in recent years. As expected, the Veuve Clicquot Brut Vintage 1999 ($72) was very, very good. It was dry, but had a creamy taste at the same time. It was an excellent finale to a fine wine fair.
Wines of the Month
    Two wines are highlighted. The new tendency to make rose wines is spreading in Bordeaux, and I was pleased to see that Chateau Monbosquet, on the St. Emilion plain, has done so, with distinguished results. Their wine, Chateau Monbousquet rose, largely Merlot based, was light and tasty. For those who want something a bit different from a producer of known quality, this is a good summer choice.
    Some Sauternes producers are now also making second wines, of a lighter style. This is a welcome development for those who prefer a lighter style of dessert wine, and one that does not require 20 years to achieve a peak of flavor. The Carmes de Chateau Rieussec 2002 ($17 for a 500 ml bottle) is a very good wine, light, just sweet enough, and satisfying.