The Wine Curmudgeon

Expensive wine 48: J Vineyards Pinot Noir 2011

Winemakers like to talk about “difficult” vintages, where the weather was too cold or too dry or too something. We tend to forget, given modern winemaking technology and California’s usually perfect weather, how much of wine involves farming and depends on things that the winemaker can’t control.

I mention this because J winemaker Melissa Stackhouse had one of those too something harvests in 2011. There has been a lot of Winestream Media chatter about how difficult that harvest was (cooler and wetter than normal), most of which isn’t relevant to those of us who are trying to decide if we should spend $37 for a bottle of wine.

In the case of this pinot noir (sample, 14.3%), the answer is yes. Stackhouse turned difficult to her advantage, producing a wine that is much more interesting than the over-ripe, over-alcoholic examples that are the current favorites. It’s not an insult to say that this pinot noir tastes like pinot noir: raspberry fruit, some black pepper and smokiness, and a little oak on the back -- but also the restraint that separates pinot noir from other red wines. I was particularly impressed with the wine’s balance, something sadly lacking in post-modern California pinot noir, regardless of price. It’s both a food wine (lamb, of course, but also roasted pork) and something to sip and enjoy.

The caveat: There are only 7,000 cases, less than half of normal. Chalk it up to the difficult vintage, which reduced grape yield. No doubt it will be gone quickly.

Wine of the week: Dry Creek Dry Chenin Blanc 2011

I’m doing research for an upcoming blog post about U.S. wine sales – what varietals we’re drinking, the brands we’re buying, and so forth. Chardonnay, not surprisingly, is still the white wine of choice for most of us.

This wine and grape are not high on those lists. Which, frankly, is a shame. The Wine Curmudgeon has long been an advocate of chenin blanc, a white wine grape that is fairly well known in France but is known in the U.S., if at all, for indifferently made sweet wine. Chenin blanc is much better than that.

The Dry Creek ($10, purchased) is not indifferently made and is not sweet. In fact, It's one of the few wines in the world that isn’t reisling that lists the residual sugar on the label -- 0.6 percent, which makes it as dry as many red wines. (Though, given that hardly any consumers know what residual sugar is, it’s more a good idea in effort than execution).

Look for lots of white fruit aromas, a little lemon peel fruit, and a sort of slate-like, fruit pit finish. This is a wonderful alternative to chardonnay, especially for salads, grilled vegetables, and cheese courses.

Mini-reviews 44: Knez, Leese-Fitch, Camelot, Paul Blanck

Reviews of wines that don’t need their own post, but are worth noting for one reason or another. Look for it on the final Friday of each month

• Knez Pinot Noir 2010 ($30, sample): California red was OK as far as it went, but not very interesting. The various parts were there – pinot smokiness and some black fruit – but something was missing.

• Leese-Fitch Sauvignon Blanc 2011 ($12, sample): A stunning grocery store white that I’d drink again -- just 13 percent alcohol and almost no fruit at all (for a California wine, anyway). Lots of grassiness on the aroma and an almost flinty finish.

• Camelot Chardonnay NV ($7, sample): Lots and lots of fake oak, though it does taste like California chardonnay if you like lots and lots of fake oak.

• Domaine Paul Blanck Riesling 2011 ($18, sample): Disappointing, especially considering how much I enjoy Alsace riesling. Too sweet for the alcohol level, and though it had the requisite amounts of petrol on the nose and soft, ripe white fruit, seemed out of balance.

Wine of the week: Line 39 Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Here’s today’s metaphysical question: Is Cecchetti Wine Company, which makes Line 39, an artisan producer because it’s family-owned, or part of evil Big Wine because its owners once worked for the company that makes Pepperwood Grove, about as $7 a grocery store wine as it gets?

Sometimes, we make wine harder than it needs to be.

The question we should be asking “What does the wine taste like?” And. as I noted for the 2009, the 2010 Line 39 ($10, purchased, 13.5%) is “more than I expected.”

It’s also interestingly different from the ‘09, with less fruit and more California grassy-ness (the smell of a freshly mowed lawn that is a hallmark of a certain kind of California sauvignon blanc). Look for some lime zest and a sort of slate finish – all clean and crisp. This is nicely done wine that, if it not quite $10 Hall of Fame quality, is the sort of thing to keep chilled around the house so it’s handy when you feel like a glass.

Expensive wine 46: Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages 2005

This is a classic California wine, practically dating to the state’s wine pre-history. In 1990, when the first vintage was bottled, Robert Parker had barely scratched the surface of California wine.

This is a critical part of the success of Cing Cepages, a red blend that is mostly cabernet sauvignon. It has an identity that few other high-end, highly-valued, and highly-scored wines have, which give it a basis for comparison. Each vintage doesn’t exist in a vacuum, ready to be discarded when the next winemaking trend comes along.

This does not mean that the wine doesn’t change, because it should. The weather and soil aren’t constant, and different winemakers bring different approaches. But the change comes within the house style, something that doesn’t happen often enough in this country.

The 2005 ($75, sample, 14.4%) is just getting ready to enjoy, is still available, and at a discount. I had it with prime rib and Yorkshire pudding, and the pairing couldn’t have been better. Look for rich black fruit that is well forward, but complemented by  layers and layers of flavor (graphite even). This is an iconic wine, and it's easy to see why after you’ve tasted it.

Expensive wine 45: Terlato Vineyards Syrah Block #9 2007

Shortly after I started the blog, I was invited to attend a huge, big-deal wine event featuring five of California’s best-known expensive red blends, including Dominus and Opus One. The wines were all terrific, if terribly expensive and kind of same-tasting, and I had a surprisingly good time.

The irony in this – because, given that it involves the Wine Curmudgeon, there is always irony – is that none of the five were my favorite that day. The wine I liked the best was a $30 syrah from Terlato Family Vineyards, which sponsored the event. It was very little like the red blends, earthy and distinctive.

Since then, I have always appreciated Terlato’s syrah, and the Block #9 ($48, sample) did nothing to change my mind. It combines a New World focus on fruit with the Terlato earthiness that takes syrah in a direction it doesn’t go often enough.

Look for beautiful fruit, with a peppery aroma and blueberry notes that last through the entire wine. The finish isn't quite as long or what one would expect from a wine at this price; in this, it’s still young and the finish should flesh out over time.

This is Christmas beef wine, ready to drink now, or a gift for someone who wants to put it down for another couple of years. Availability may be limited, which is about the only bad thing I can say about it.

Wine of the week: Ravenswood Old Vine Vintners Zinfandel 2009

One of the things that the Wine Curmudgeon doesn’t like about this job is how cynical it has made me about grocery store wine. So many of them have been so disappointing that I’m at the point that if the front or back label uses adjectives or descriptions like reserve, old vine, or artisan, I figure the marketing department is compensating for quality (given that federal regulations for using terms like these is vague, at best).

So I expected absolutely nothing from the Ravenswood ($10, sample); that’s why it sat in the wine closet for 13 months. Shows how much I know, other than to reiterate the No. 1 rule of wine reviewing: Don’t judge the wine until you taste it.

This red is surprising in many ways, not the least of which is that it held up for a year. There is lots of sweet berry fruit in the modern zinfandel style, but it’s not unpleasant and it’s balanced by some some traditional zinfandel character (particularly pepper). It’s a nice value for $10.

Don’t worry too much if the wine you find is the current vintage and not this one. One of the good things about grocery store wines is that they are consistent in taste and style from year to year.