wine journal Sept emb er/O ctob er 2016
ABC F I N E W I N E & SPI R ITS W I N E MAGA ZI N E
The Unforeseen Quality of Box Wines
The Boedeckers Flex their Viticulture Muscles A MONTH IN CALIFORNIA
The ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Journal is a bimonthly publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Copyright 2016 ABC Liquors, Inc. All rights reserved. Not all products are available in all stores. If the product you’re looking for isn’t available, ask us to order it for you! Prices in this publication have been rounded to the nearest dollar, including those ending in 8. Allie Smallwood Editor allies@abcfws.com
“Variety is the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” - William Cowper, The Task Bulliat Beaujolais 3 Domaine 10 Villages is one of the highest
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Meghan Guarino Contributing Editor meghang@abcfws.com
quality wines from the region. The classic elements of Sauvignon Blanc in four different expressions.
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Athena Pappas and Stewart Boedecker are a solid team with a soft heart for complex wines. The Chilean wine that others try to emulate.
OUR WINE EXPERTS: Jim Greeley Southwest Florida Wine & Spirits Sales Manager Shayne Hebert Central Florida Wine & Spirits Sales Manager Atanas Nechkov Central Florida Wine & Spirits Sales Manager Paul Quaglini Southeast Florida Wine & Spirits Sales Manager Bill Stobbs West Florida Wine & Spirits Sales Manager Dan Eddy Northeast Florida Wine & Spirits Sales Manager Dave Malone Northwest Florida Wine & Spirits Sales Manager Brad Lewis Contributing Writer If you would like to ensure you’re receiving the Wine Journal each time it’s published, send an email to Jennifer Baker (JenniferB@abcfws.com) and we’ll add you to the “always mail” list. Follow us on Twitter @abcwinecountr y. We’re also blogging daily at blog.abcfws.com.
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abcfws.com wine journal | A
With so much more to explore in Piedmont, Paul takes us through Barolo, Barbaresco and Dogliani. Drink outside the box with these surprisingly fine boxed wines. These varying Spanish varietals are guaranteed to break your go-to wine mold.
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Something about these West Coast wines makes us want to keep our head in the clouds. Ripe with tropical notes of coconut and melon, this Lake County Chardonnay exhibits a strong sense of place.
Domaine Bulliat ATA N A S N E C H KO V • @A B C W I N E ATA N A S • ATA N A S N@A B C F W S.C O M
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the vine rows to avoid the use of herbicides and
and Crus Beaujolais at last year’s VineExpo in
naturally limit yields as well as to prevent ero-
Bordeaux, I knew they were special and some
sion, and grape picking is always done by hand.
When I first tasted Beaujolais Villages
of the highest quality wines from the region. A visit to the winery last March confirmed the initial finding and more—it raised Domaine Bulliat to the very top of the quality pyramid of the region.
Loïc is also experimenting for the first time this year with a couple of amphoras (a jar with a large oval body, narrow neck and two handles), making wine like it was done thousands of years ago in ancient Greece
It all started in 1978 when Noël Bulliat bought
and Rome. Amphoras are still in current use
four hectares of Beaujolais Villages after
in some eastern countries, like Georgia and
graduating from viticulture school. Today,
Armenia, where the practice has persisted as
the estate covers 27 hectares in eight differ-
tradition. The taste of amphora wine is pure
ent appellations in the Beaujolais region and
but intense; the wine needs to age and rest for
produces around 70,000 bottles of wine per
an extended time before bottling.
year. Noël is still actively involved in the family estate, though much of the success is attributed to his young and very talented son, Loïc. Loïc was only 26 years old when he was first elected president of the Association of The Producers of Beaujolais—a huge recognition!—by fellow winemakers for his talent, innovation, quality and drive. He works organically in all of his vineyards. The transition to organic practices began in 2010 and the domain was officially certified organic in 2013. At Domaine Bulliat, organic practice is a desire to work in harmony alongside nature and its rhythms/patterns, to listen more
Currently available at select ABC Fine Wine & Spirits are the Beaujolais Villages ($11) and the 2014 Morgon ($17). Domaine Bulliat Beaujolais Villages 2014 is 100% Gamay from 40-year-old vines, exhibiting bright ruby-red color and aromas and flavors of red fruits dominated by black cherry, strawberry and currant, perfectly balanced by fine tannins and nice acidity that adds freshness. This is Beaujolais Villages at its finest! Enjoy with light appetizers, cold cuts, charcuterie, grilled meats, vegetables and aged cheeses.
closely to it, and to understand and sublimate
The 2014 Morgon Cuvée du Colombier,
it… that obviously excludes all use of
100% Gamay from 50-year-old vines, re-
chemicals for treatment. Nature’s balance
ceived 91 points from The Wine Enthusiast:
is disturbed by the use of herbicides and
“Named after the street where the winery
pesticides; the soil becomes sterile.
stands, this is jammy and ripe while also
Only natural, biodynamic treatments are used in the vineyards; grass is left growing between
structured with some firm tannins. Rich and juicy red berry fruits have both crisp
Noel and Loic Bulliat on pruning day
acidity and a dense texture.” o wine journal | 3
WINE LIST WHITES ALBARIÑO
BOBAL Bobal Desanjuan Viñas Viejas (p 9)
CHARDONNAY
CABERNET SAUVIGNON Casillero del Diablo Cabernet
Coral do Mar Albariño (p 9) Black Box Chardonnay (p 8) Purity Chardonnay (p 10) Shannon Ridge Reserve Chardonnay (p 16)
PINOT BLANC
Pappas Wine Co. Pinot Blanc (p 10)
PINOT GRIS
Pappas Wine Co. Pinot Gris (p 10)
SANCERRE
Domaine Serge Laloue Sancerre 2015 (p 5) Domaine Serge Laloue Sancerre Silex 2015 (p 5) Domaine Serge Laloue Sancerre Le Cul de Beaujeu 2015 (p 5) Jonathan Didier Pabiot Pouilly-Fumé 2013 (p 5)
VERDEJO
Cuatro Rayas Verdejo Vinedos Centenarios (p 9)
REDS BAROLO
Cabutto Barolo La Volta Riserva (p 6) Cabutto Barolo Riserva (p 6)
BARBERA Cabutto Barbera (p 6) BLEND Bota Box Redvolution Red Blend (p 8) Navigator Red Blend (p 14)
wine journal | 4
Sauvignon (p 12) Octopoda Cabernet Sauvignon Oakville (p 14) Owner’s Box Cabernet (p 8)
GAMAY 2014 Morgon Cuvée du Colombier (p 3) Domaine Bulliat Beaujolais Villages (p 3)
GARNACHA Teorema Garnacha (p 9) MALBEC Casillero del Diablo Malbec (p 12) MERLOT Casillero del Diablo Merlot (p 12) NUBIOLA Pelissero Barbaresco Nubiola (p 6) DOLCETTO Chionetti San Luigi Dolcetto Dogliani (p 6)
PINOT NOIR Athena Pinot Noir (p 10)
Stewart Pinot Noir (p 10)
When Sauvignon Blanc is Done Well BRAD LEWIS • CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Sauvignon Blanc is one of the world’s classic
own several plots (as do most producers) to avoid
Domaine Serge Laloue Sancerre Le Cul de
grape varieties. It has been transplanted to most
total hail damage and to give some complexity
Beaujeu ($29)
of the wine-producing countries of the world
from different soil types. I visited them in the
and shows its diversity by the terroir in which it’s
summer of 2013 before Vinexpo and toured their
planted, the harvest time and the way it’s handled in
vineyards. The difference between their vineyards
the cellar. The variety can run the gamut from pear
and those of some of their neighbors was striking.
I met the father and son team of Didier and
and melon to grassy to very crisp and mineral.
The Laloues are into organic farming with green
Jonathan Pabiot in 2006. To say that Jonathan is
grass between the rows that is tilled into the soil
into organic agriculture is like saying Babe Ruth
adding natural richness and keeping the soil alive.
hit a few home runs. Vineyard plots are often
One of their plots is on the Monts Damnés, the
contiguous with the neighbors’ vineyards and
Damned Mountains. The slope in this vineyard
you can really see the difference between those
is about 70% and I thought I knew why the locals
farmed organically and those on which shortcuts
named it that but asked anyway—it’s because
have been taken. In Pabiot’s vineyards the soil had
of the difficulty of working this vineyard, as
been turned, there were signs of green life and the
suspected. Another vineyard is only 2.5 hectares
plants looked healthy. In the neighbor’s rows the
on the flint soil of a hill, the source of the Cuvée
soil was hard-packed and the vegetation between
Silex. The vines average 40 years of age there. The
the rows was brown and dead. Jonathan told us
entry level cuvée comes from only 11.5 hectares
that many growers use Roundup to kill the grass
of vines. This is a small, quality-oriented producer.
and weeds which soaks into the soil to the vine
In France’s Loire Valley, Sauvignon Blanc reigns supreme in the eastern towns of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire. The soil is largely calcareous limestone from a former seabed but there are also plots of clay and gravel and hillsides of flint, silex in French. My first sip of these wines in the ‘70s started a love affair. The wines have always been considered the perfect matches to shellfish and grilled fish, staples in abundance in Florida. Producers vary in their styles of wine and focus in the vineyards. I wanted to find growers with dedication to producing crisp wines from clean, unpolluted vineyards. The search took time but was worth the effort.
Domaine Serge Laloue Sancerre ($18) This is essential Sancerre with notes of citrus
I met Christine Laloue of Domaine Serge Laloue
and white flowers carried on a crispy framework.
at Vinexpo in 2011 after a day-long search for
It’s the perfect shellfish match.
a good Sancerre producer. After tasting a lot of wines, this estate stuck out. Christine does most of
Domaine Serge Laloue Sancerre Silex ($22)
the administrative work and her brother, Franck,
The minerality stands out in the middle backed
works the vineyards and makes the wines. They
by bright acidity.
Christine and Franck Laloue
This wine shows the distinct terroir in its round and floral style with the typical acidity of Sancerre.
roots. The proof was in the bottle as I tasted the new vintages. The wines are clean and crisp with loads of minerality. Jonathan Didier Pabiot Pouilly-Fumé ($19) The wine shows green apple, lime and floral notes on a framework of firm minerality and acidity. o
EXPLORING PIEDMONT, PART II PAUL QUAGLINI • @ABCWINEPAULQ • PAULQ@ABCFWS.COM
T
tacular newly built winery. As was the
siblings, Dogliani has a fascinating
ty to spend four memorable days ex-
case with Tenuta La Volta, Azienda
and ancient story to tell. Grapes have
ploring the Piedmont countryside. In
Agricola Pelissero sits high upon a hill
been grown here since before the
our previous edition of Wine Journal
with sweeping views of the Barbares-
Romans but it was in 1593 that the
I began my narrative of this captivat-
co region. Giorgio greeted me at the
Dolcetto grape was first mentioned
ing region with stopovers in Asti and
entrance of his estate and then for
for producing superior wines in the
Roero. My journey proceeded on with
more than an hour gave me a lesson
Dogliani region. In 1912 a gentleman
visits to Barolo, Barbaresco and finally
on the landscape of Barbaresco. From
called Giuseppe Chionetti realized the
Dogliani. I returned home more fasci-
this location Giorgio pointed out the
potential of this area and started his
nated than ever with a region so full of
three villages (Neive, Tresio and the
family winery. For more than 50 years
rich traditions, natural beauty, history,
village of Barbaresco itself) just below
the winery has been run by Giuseppe’s
culture and of course, splendid wines.
us that make up the region. He pointed
grandson Quinto. A legendary figure
out the differences in exposure and
in the region, Quinto Chionetti is now
soil type where Nebbiolo grows best as
90 years young and still works in the
opposed to where Barbera or Dolcet-
winery every day.
his past spring I had the opportuni-
A light snowfall had blanketed the vineyards the night before which made my drive up the mountain to Tenuta La Volta all the more striking. The Tenuta La Volta winery is located at one of the highest points in Barolo right next to the historic Castello Della
was that I didn’t record his eloquent description of what makes Barbaresco one of the world’s greatest wines.
Quinto’s grandson Nicola, who is taking over as the fifth generation at the Chionetti winery, welcomed me upon my arrival. Nicola was beaming with
Volta. The vantage point was breath-
After finally showing me the state-
pride and enthusiasm as he told me the
taking. I was immediately greeted by
of-the-art facility and then tasting
story of Dogliani and his family ties to
one of the owners, Bruno Cabbutto.
through his extensive portfolio of
the region: “Dolcetto grown in Dogli-
Bruno proudly gave me a brief history
wines, we set off to explore the family
ani can produce wonderfully complex,
of the estate starting in 1920 when
vineyards and the surrounding area.
food-friendly wines at a fraction of the
his great grandfather purchased the
Over lunch at the Michelin-starred La
cost of our more famous neighbors.”
winery and the surrounding vineyards.
Ciau Del Tornavento restaurant, we
Chionetti San Luigi Dolcetto Dogliani
Today Bruno and his brother Osvaldo
enjoyed the three crus of Pelissero Bar-
($22) is one of my favorite everyday
produce traditionally styled wines
baresco. These wonderfully complex
Italian reds.
from nearly 18 hectares of vines. You
wines were from the three vineyards
can find three of the Cabbutto wines in
we had just walked through. Giorgio
our stores; Cabutto Barolo La Volta,
was incredibly generous with his time
Cabutto Barolo Riserva, and
and gave me a priceless education on
Cabutto Barbera.
his homeland. Look for the Pelissero
Less than 10 miles to the north my next rendezvous was with Giorgio
wine journal | 66
to might be planted. My only regret
Barbaresco Nubiola in 1.5L ($95) in our stores.
Piedmont is a region of astonishing natural beauty, great food and wine, and very proud people who love to share the authenticity of their homeland. I am grateful to all the winemakers who welcomed me with typical Italian hospitality and then some. I’d
Pelissero at his winery in Barbaresco.
On my final day in Piedmont I headed
also like to thank my GPS because
Giorgio is not only a talented wine-
a few miles south to Dogliani. Dogliani
without it I might still be lost in
maker but also one of those unique,
is a beautiful, historic town and wine
amongst the innumerable hills, castles,
gregarious personalities you meet
growing region just south of Barolo
villages and vines of Piedmont… on
all so often in the wine world. I had
and Barbaresco. While not nearly
second thought, forget that. Thank
arranged to meet Giorgio at his spec-
as well-known as it’s more famous
you to my GPS. o
Castello Della Volta - historic castle right next to Cabutto winery
Nicola and Quinto Chionetti
Giorgio Pelissero’s winery
The gregarious Giorgio Pelissero
wine journal | 7
Drink Outside the Box DAVE MALONE • @ABCWINEDAVEM • DAVEM@ABCFWS.COM
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he wine market has seen a boom in recent
These brands include the previously mentioned
years in alternative packaging. From Beaujolais
Black Box, along with others, such as Bota Box,
Nouveau in plastic bottles, to wine in a can, to
Loft, Vin Vault, Naked Grape and Owner’s Box.
glasses of wine with tear-off tops, companies have pushed the envelope on developing packaging that is both convenient and eye-catching for consumers. Even in restaurants alternative packaging has become increasingly popular with wines poured directly from a cask
ready to give up their favorites for wines in a box (and they shouldn’t), but there are many circumstances where box wine can be advantageous and appropriate.
designed to keep the wine fresh and free from
First, box wines are eco-friendly. The pack-
oxidation. No alternative packaging, however,
aging is easily recyclable and leaves a smaller
has been more popular than the beloved box
carbon footprint. Producers, such as Bota Box,
wine, also known as bag-in-the-box or cask
have embraced this and conveyed it through
wine. Gone are the days of reserving this pack-
their packaging, appealing to a growing num-
aging for cheap, barely drinkable wines. Many
ber of consumers who wish to be more envi-
quality producers are utilizing this packaging
ronmentally conscious in their consumption.
option, and for solid, everyday drinking wine, box wines are worth consideration.
Second, box wines are designed in such a way that when a glass of wine is dispensed, the bag
First, a little history. The concept of the box
inside collapses on itself preventing the wine
wine was first developed in 1935 by Austra-
from oxidizing. This offers an economic alter-
lian winemaker Thomas Angove. His system
native to consumers wishing to have a solid,
utilized 1-gallon bladders placed in corrugated
everyday wine that they can enjoy without the
boxes. Consumers would cut the corner of the
worry of the remaining contents going bad in
bag to serve the wine and reseal with a special
a few days.
peg. In 1967, an Australian inventor worked with Penfolds winery to develop a system that used an air-tight tap to make serving the wine more convenient. To this day, nearly all box wines use some sort of tap system to dispense the wine from a bag kept secure by the box.
Lastly, box wines are easily portable. Going on a rafting trip and prefer wine? Camping with your wine-drinking buddies? Want to take some wine to the tailgate? Need to serve several glasses at an event where glass isn’t allowed or feasible? Box wine will fit the bill, providing an
For years, box wines in the United States were
easy-drinking wine without the excess packag-
seen as inferior in quality. In 2003, this all
ing from traditional bottles.
changed when a Central Coast-based producer called Black Box packaged a premium Chardonnay and took the market by storm. The Black Box brand grew quickly, adding varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Riesling to the mix. Today there are numerous options available on the shelves at ABC for quality boxed wines. wine journal | 8
Many wine drinkers, myself included, aren’t
Next time you are looking for a budget-friendly everyday wine, consider trying one of the many box wines available at ABC. I suggest the Black Box Chardonnay ($18), Bota Box Redvolution Red Blend ($17) or Owner’s Box Cabernet ($19). Cheers! o
La Variedad es la Sal de la Vida JIM GREELEY • @ABCWINEJIMG • JAMESG@ABCFWS.COM
F
profile, with hints of lavender, rosemary and
by the warming Mediterranean influence of the
writers of our time, throughout literary history
anise. As the name suggests, producer Agricola
Costa Blanca. Produced from Bobal grown on
allusions to the subject of wine have graced the
Castellana makes this stunning Verdejo wine
chalky sub-soils, Bobal Desanjuan Viñas Viejas
printed page. Of course, Cowper’s idiom is not
with fruit sourced from old-vine parcels surpass-
($10) displays elegant cherry and strawberry fruit
a reference to wine per se but rather part of a
ing 100 years in age. Try it with a simple plate
with hints of violet, licorice and pepper to pair
treatise on diverse themes including faith, nature,
of Pimientos de Padrón fried in olive oil and
nicely with the local meat paella that Valencia is
the politics of the age and retired life. And while
sprinkled with a little coarse sea salt.
famous for.
Further northwest along the craggy Galician
The grape Garnacha Tinta is known outside of
coast lays another white wine region, Rias Baixas.
Spain under its French name, Grenache Noir.
The local Albariño grape excels here, planted on
The origins of Garnacha Tinta harken back to the
rom the epics of ancient Greece to the great
it may not mirror the author’s original intent, I believe our modern interpretation of “variety is the spice of life” runs the gamut of life’s happiest pursuits, including the enjoyment of wine.
granitic soils and trellised in traditional pergolas
Crown of Aragon and the dawn of the Middle
Contained within España’s vast vineyards is a
to promote phenolic ripeness. This method helps
Ages in what is presently the province of Zarago-
dizzying array of indigenous wine grapes, pur-
to mitigate Rias Baixas’ significant rainfall, al-
za in the north of Spain. The wine region of Cala-
portedly somewhere in the neighborhood of 600
lowing the Atlantic sea breezes to freely circulate
tayud is a reference point for old-vine Garnacha
distinct varietals. Variety indeed!
though the vineyards and maintain healthy fruit.
Tinta grown at elevation on friable slate and
Single vineyard and estate-bottled, Coral do Mar
quartzite sub-soils. The top wine cooperative in
Albariño ($13) sports green apple, citrus and
Calatayud, Bodegas y Viñedos del Jalón routinely
floral aromas with crisp, vibrant acidity inviting
excels with its many Garnacha offerings. Teorema
you back for another mouthwatering sip. This is a
Garnacha ($10) is a generous, deep red with
must for fresh seafood or goat cheese.
smoky Asian spices, wild thyme, black plums
Let’s start our journey with Verdejo, the white grape of Rueda. The Rueda appellation is located in the western province of Valladolid along the banks of the Douro River. It’s primarily a white wine region with Verdejo far and away the all-star here. Cuatro Rayas Verdejo Vinedos Centenarios
The native red variety Bobal is topmost among
($11) reveals a juicy quince and nectarine-skin
plantings in Utiel-Requena, a region specializing in both reds and rosés. The area is part of the
and a long mineral finish. For a real treat, pair it with thin slices of Spain’s singular dry-cured ham, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota.
high plateau of Valencia and is characterized
wine journal | 9
THE BOEDECKER POWERHOUSE DANIEL EDDY • @ABCWINEDANE • DANE@ABCFWS.COM
I
Stewart said. It was a hot vintage at first, run-
with visiting winemakers, and when Athena
ning far ahead in its ripening than a typical
Pappas and Stewart Boedecker came to Flor-
year, but then the monsoon hit and they had
ida for the TPC Golf Event Wine Tasting at
10 inches of rain in two days. This forced
final selection is made when the wine is aging
our Ponte Vedra store, I got the chance to talk
Stewart and Athena to push back harvest
in barrels. As they sample they mark which
about our mutual love of wine and all things
for about 10 days while they waited for the
barrels truly embody each of their wines’
Oregon. As winemakers and winery owners
vineyards to dry out and for the concentra-
styles. “I love this one,” they might say, “but it
their job is not over when the grapes are
tion to return. That time patience paid off
really has to be for your blend, not mine.”
crushed, fermented and the juice is aging in
for the winemakers who were willing to wait.
barrels. They also spearhead their marketing
Those producers who did not wait suffered
After the success of the Boedecker line they
campaign, which was part of their reason to
from all that extra moisture. As in all great
visit sunny Florida. Not only did they sample
winemaking areas of the world, the mantra
and sign bottles at TPC, but they visited
“Buy the winery, not the vintage” held true
most of our stores between Jacksonville and
for the Boedecker wines.
t’s always a treat to spend a couple of days
Orlando, sampled and signed at one of our
decided to expand into the Pappas Wine Co. line, which was always intended as a softer, younger Pinot Noir, released a couple of vintages ahead of the Boedecker Pinot Noirs. Pappas is also where they make their
The grapes for the Boedecker Athena and
excellent Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc wines,
the Stewart Pinot Noirs are sourced from
classic Oregon whites perfect for our Florida
neighboring vineyards in the northern half
weather. The Gris has more floral notes and
of the Willamette Valley, stretching across
a hint more fruit on the palate, though it isn’t
multiple AVAs. The core sites for the Athena
technically sweet. It pairs perfectly with spicy
Pinot Noir are in the McMinnville and Yam-
Asian dishes and Florida seafood. The Pinot
Stewart started working with winemaker Eric
hill-Carlton AVAs where sedimentary soils
Blanc is a little fatter on the palate moving
Hamacher back in 1996, a boutique wine-
dominate and daytime temperatures run a
a step towards Chardonnay, but is still light
maker in Oregon who created the Carlton
little warmer with more extreme temperature
and elegant and perfect to pair with subtler
Winemaker’s Studio, a co-op-style facility
shifts from day to night, bringing darker fruit
seafood fare like scallops and lobster. At Boe-
where smaller winemakers could make their
with Bing cherry and plum flavors, a broader
decker they also make their Purity Chardon-
wine without having to purchase all the
mouthfeel and some spice notes. Core
nay, which is a light oak Chardonnay (using
machinery. Stewart used a 2-week vacation to
vineyards for the Stewart Pinot Noir lie on
only neutral oak barrels) with plenty of zesty,
apprentice with Eric and was soon hooked,
slightly higher elevation hillsides in Dundee
food-friendly acidity, appealing to unoaked
working two jobs: one to pay the bills and
Hills and Chehalem Mountains and provide
Chardonnay adherents.
one to feed the soul. He and Athena’s first
a softer and juicier profile with sweeter cher-
vintage was 2003 (they made 400 cases)
ry and currant notes, mingled with raspberry
and in 2008 they built their own winery
and lighter fruit finishing softer.
larger tastings in Ocala and then sampled and signed their wines at a smaller tasting in Winter Park. They spent their last few days in Satellite Beach to recover from this whirlwind visit.
in Portland.
Athena runs the cellar and Stewart tends to be more of the wine geek, but I can tell you that they are a formidable team, showing
Local geography makes things a little more
their passion and love for their business.
The 2013 vintage was heralded as a very
complicated, as the winds through the Van
Athena and Stewart are committed to their
problematic vintage due to an arrant tropical
Duzer Gap from the coast moderate the
vineyards, to their growers and to making the
storm that hit the Northwest in the early fall.
character of certain blocks, sometimes split-
best possible wine using ethical practices that
Therefore 2013 was “all about the viticulture,”
ting fruit between the Stewart and Athena
support long term sustainability. o
styles for true micro-climate variation! The wine journal | 10
Athena Pappas and Stewart Boedecker
wine winejournal journal || 11
CASILLERO DEL DIABLO ALLIE SMALLWOOD • @ABCWINECOUNTRY • ALLIES@ABCFWS.COM
W
ine, like many other sophistications in life, has curious little quirks that make it all the more attractive. Chilean wine, with its potent finesse and understated fruit character, usually draws only the most developed of palates. Casillero del Diablo is a shining example of Chilean wines that have tantalized American glasses over the past five years. Marcelo Papa, winemaker of Concha y Toro’s Casillero del Diablo and Marques di Casa Concha, shared with me a few of the peculiarities that allows him to work with the fruit and terroir to make these versatile wines: “Casillero is a wine where we blend many different vineyards and different areas and valleys and then we make the final [wine], so Casillero, normally Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc or Cabernet is a blend of 20, 30, 40 different vineyards from Chile. When I’m working on Marques, it’s different because it’s a single vineyard concept, so it’s one vineyard, which we use for the Marques grapes, so but in different areas. Every single variety needs different soils, weather, climate to express the best. I mean for Cabernet Sauvignon we have a vineyard in Maipo, for Chardonnay we have a vineyard in the Limarí region. But the difference between the two projects (Casillero and Marques) is that Marques is a single vineyard concept and Casillero is a blend.” A blend of some perfectly suited grapes to their most appropriate environment. In Limarí, where many of the Casillero vineyards are, Marcelo explained that the top of the soil is red clay which is crucial because the wet clay gives structure and good texture to the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir. These wines, he discussed, are very delicate and need the red clay to support the volume and the limestone which is under the clay. “It’s great because it gets close to the humidity and it gets the water drop by drop to these two varieties to move and grow in a good way. The limestone also gives a very nice minerality in the wines; when you taste those wines you will find that the wines are quite mineral, quite salty with good acidity and good extract.” As many world-class chefs will tell you, salt and more salt is really a powerhouse flavor bomb. It enhances everything, and the more you add, the more complexities will come from the food. Marcelo recognizes that
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this is, interestingly enough, what happens to Chilean wines when Mother Nature takes the reigns. “It’s true, it’s true! These mineral conditions help [coax] out flavor… and the Pinot Noir and the Chardonnay, they like these type of conditions. So what better than to be in an area like Limarí which has good climate, limestone and red clay?” But there are two factors that really allow Casillero del Diablo to shine uniquely. “I have two really big influences from 1) the Pacific Ocean and 2) the winds are coming from the west to the east, always, so the winds are coming from the ocean inland. We are receiving a fresh breeze from the Pacific Ocean all the time. And then on the other side we have the separation between Argentina and Chile, and it’s a big wall that keeps all the freshness in one central area, and so all these factors make it so that the wines from Chile are different. Usually we have a beautiful blue sky so we have a lot of sun to get good fruit character.” The wines no doubt have a very good balance between power and elegance. But at the end of the day, these well-made Chilean wines taste like a higher end bottle and they boast a well-priced tag. Marcelo mentioned that many people, when they first taste them, often ask why they are not more expensive. Expensive wines aren’t always the best and Casillero produces quality wine with a sense of terroir. o
CASILLERO DEL DIABLO MERLOT ($9) So delicious, this red from Chile is too good to miss. Inhale the amazing aromas of black cherries and coal leading to a sumptuous taste of plum, cedar, black cherry and milk chocolate. Pair with beef, duck and game.
CASILLERO DEL DIABLO CABERNET SAUVIGNON ($9) This has a sappy, kirsch-like feel, with ripe, dark fruit, well-integrated toast and a medium-weight, accessible and polished finish. Drink now and pair with BBQ, beef and lamb.
CASILLERO DEL DIABLO MALBEC ($9) Good plum, herb and vanilla notes run through this focused, medium-weight Merlot. Drink now and pair with beef, duck and game.
Marcelo Papa
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California S H AY N E H E B E R T • @ A B C W I N E S H AY N E • S H AY N E H @ A B C F W S .C O M
I
n early summer 2016, ABC’s wine team put forth
an all-out effort to sniff out more California wine. The task was unlike anything we had done in the past: It was a month spent banging on doors, meeting with friends and getting lost on the dusty back roads of both Napa Valley and Sonoma County in our biggest organized attempt yet to source juice for our Direct To You portfolio. Following the recent 2012, 2013 and 2014 vintages in Northern California is no simple task— But when the 2015 crop arrived two facts were quickly apparent: 1) The wines were again fabulous, with great color, lovely aromatics and depth provided by ripe fruit, and 2) Yields would turn out to be between 30-40% lower than the three preceding vintages, but of average size based on a 10-year average.
In Napa Valley, the much reported drought took a summer off… kind of. Precipitation was close to three-quarters of their average. Vine shatter took its toll (shatter is the vines’ response to wind, rain or extreme temperature variations) and with reported
In Sonoma County, growers were expecting yields
heat spikes in October, picking commenced early
to be about 30% lower than the previous three vin-
and harvest was complete by mid-October, 2-3
tages, and despite inconsistent weather, the grapes
weeks ahead of normal schedule. Fortunately, the
came in with good ripeness and concentration, a
grapes (very small clusters caused by shatter) were
few weeks ahead of normal harvest patterns.
healthy and offered good concentration and depth, just as you’d expect from Napa wines. So what does all that mean once the wines arrive on our shelves? It means you should consider stocking up on your favorite Napa Cabernet, Russian River Pinot Noir and Sonoma Coast Chardonnay! Space limits me from noting all of the great wines we tasted, (each meeting offered at least a surprise or two) but I’ll mention the real stand-outs. We spent one late afternoon at Roth Estate Winery in the Chalk Hill district of Sonoma County working through the wines from the Foley Wine Group.
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D reamin’ We found excellent juice from them in the past from
was flawless—the salad alone was simply perfect!
the Santa Rita Hills AVA and were excited this year
Grilled local artichokes with 2013 Lieu Dit Sau-
to find both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay again, this
vignon Blanc Santa Ynez Valley at the Rutherford
time from one of my favorite AVAs, Chalone, which
Grill… Grilled cuttlefish, sweetbreads and stinko
is located in the Gabilan Range. I cannot wait for
at Osteria Ca’Momi… An 8-course tasting menu at
these to arrive!
Morimoto Napa with wines like Raveneau Chablis
Tasting with Trevor Sheehan at his soon-to-open restaurant in downtown Napa, we fell in love with the new vintage of the Navigator Napa Red Wine
‘Montée de Tonnerre,’ Jacques Selosse ‘Initial’ Champagne, 1955 Chateau Siran and more. Next year can’t come fast enough! o
($17)—it’s a beauty with deep color and a flavorful blend of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah. We also secured a good supply of Octopoda Cabernet Oakville ($40) as well as the sister wine, a Cabernet from the Atlas Peak AVA. This writing on Napa and Sonoma would be incomplete if the cuisine didn’t receive equal billing! Wine Country, California, just does it right! They specialize in fresh, local, organic and simplistic preparation that captures intense flavors, local flare and match so well with the wine. One highlight was dinner at Chalk Hill Winery. Rivaling a Michelin-starred restaurant, the 4-course symphony
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