Wine Travel Stories

Costa Rican Cuisine, Wine & Ecotourism – Living the “Pura Vida”

2013-03-20T13:59:00.001-07:00

March 13, 2013 –This past week I enjoyed my first visit to the beautiful country of Costa Rica. Though better known for coffee than wine, since I was in the country to present a paper on the wine supply chain at the NBES academic conferences, I was naturally curious to learn about the types of wine available in Costa Rica. Therefore I made it my mission to investigate wine lists and store selections during my stay.

Chilean Wine Dominates, Followed by Argentina and Spain

After visiting six restaurants, three grocery stores and four wine shops, I would have to say that Chilean wine seems to dominate the market place by about 50% – at least on the Pacific Coast near Jaco where I was staying. This was followed by Argentinian and Spanish wine, both with estimates of around 20%, and California wine making up the last 10%. The most common US brands were KJ, Robert Mondavi Woodbridge, and Barefoot (Gallo).

Obviously this was not a scientific poll, but it does provide an idea of what types of wine you will find when visiting the country. In addition, Costa Rica actually produces some fruit wines, because wine grapes cannot grow in such a hot, tropical climate. It is interesting to note, that since their alcohol taxes are higher, wine prices are more expensive as well. For example, a bottle of 2011 Barefoot Chardonnay was $12 in the grocery store, whereas in the US it usually sells for around $7. In a restaurant I paid $11 for a glass of 2012 Montez Alpha Sauvignon Blanc.

Hot, Humid Climate Calls for Chilled White Wine, Beer or Rum Drinks

Since Costa Rica is covered with many rainforests and volcanoes, and is known for producing coffee and bananas, it obviously has a warm and moist climate. Indeed, from December through May, the Pacific side of the country where I visited is very hot and sunny. Everyday the temperatures hovered in the high 90’s F with 90% humidity. Then during July through November, the rains come – dumping an average of 400 inches on the land, and allowing them to grow rice in the fields.

Because of the warm climate, most locals drink beer or rum with a preference and pride in their homegrown brands of Imperial beer and Cacique Guaro rum. The latter is blended with fruit juice or “agua de pipa” - coconut water. Because of the intense heat, when I bought wine, I was drawn to the crisp, chilled sauvignon blancs from Chile and verdejos from Spain. At the Marriott Los Suenos, I was interested to see that when they did serve cabernet sauvignon, it was chilled because they kept the bottles on ice. Though that may sound strange for a red wine, it made sense in Costa Rica because the nights were so sweltering and sticky.

Costa Rican Food – Fresh and Simple

Not much has been written on Costa Rican cuisine, and that is because it is rather simple, consisting of fresh fish, fruit, rice, and beans. They also enjoy chicken and fried plantains, and craft some local cheeses. The food has a bit of Caribbean flare, but I found I was missing sauces, salsas, and spices in general that would make the cuisine more interesting.

A very strange experience occurred when I ordered a whole red snapper, which is supposed to be a specialty of the region. However when it arrived, it was so tough and rubbery I could barely eat it. Apparently the custom is to flour and salt it, then deep fry it for about an hour. It is served with fresh lime, but no sauce. I found the best bet is to order fresh filet of sea bass or mahi mahi. They also make good ceviche with tilapia and/or mango.

Costa Rica is World Class in Ecotourism

Where Costa Rica does excel is in ecotourism. I have never visited a country that has perfected this subject to such an art form. It is very inspiring how the whole economy seems to revolve around protecting the rainforests, their national parks (which make up more than 25% of the country), conservation, recycling, and education on all of these issues to tourists.

We visited Manuel Antonio and Carara National Parks, and in both cases had professional guides with degrees in biology and conservation that guided us through the rainforest. They carried large telescopes and could easily spot toucans, red macaws, sloths, monkeys, fruit bats, and other exotic rare birds and creatures. They knew the name of every tree, bug, and bush, and showed great enthusiasm in explaining nature and the impact of man on the environment.

We also did a kayak trip through a mangrove swamp and learned how the mangroves protect the land from erosion. We visited a few beaches and discovered that they are quite varied, with some having rocks and grey sand, whereas others are pure white sand with native coconut palms. Another highlight of the trip were the very large crocodiles that live in the many rivers and crawl out to rest in the sun on muddy banks.

Overall, Costa Rica is a beautiful country with abundant wildlife, friendly and enthusiastic people, and a belief in enjoying life as illustrated by their motto of “pura vida”, which means “pure life” or “live life in the moment.”

Enjoying a Slow Food Feast in San Minato and Visit to Falaschi Butcher Shop

2013-03-01T12:55:00.000-08:00

Jan. 10, 2013 – After leaving Bolgheri the evening before, we arrived back in Florence rather late and checked into Hotel Donatello. This is a beautifully decorated hotel with ornate furniture and draperies in the rooms, but rather tense and unfriendly service. Its upside is a location that is within easy walking distance of downtown Florence, the Duomo, and the railroad station.

We awoke the next morning to our first raindrops of the trip and were grateful the rain had waited until our last day to arrive. As it turned out, it only sprinkled during the morning, and dried up in the afternoon.

The Slow Food Butcher Shop of Macelleria Sergio Falaschi

We boarded the bus and drove about 45 minutes to the ancient town of San Minato, home of the slow food movement. Our first appointment was at the famous butcher shop of Macelleria Sergio Falaschi where we saw a demonstration of how to make sausage. I never realized they used the real pig intestines as the cases of the sausage, and will now make sure to always remove them before I cook my sausages.

We were impressed with how concerned the butchers were with the source of the meat, how the animals were treated, and what they ate. The samples of salami, sausage, and prosciutto they shared were excellent, and my favorite was one that was made with fennel seeds and vin santo. I purchased some to take home and was allowed to bring it back into the country when I told US customs I had bought it in Italy. Unfortunately others in our group had their meat confiscated when they arrived – not sure why.

Wandering Around San Minato

Another ancient hill-top city, San Minato is extremely charming with many small winding streets, a few shops and restaurants, a famous church that was bombed in WWII, and a tower on the top of the hill which a magnificent view. We climbed to the top and enjoyed taking photos of the misty countryside.

Slow Food Lunch at La Colombaie Restaurant

La Colombaie is a small, casual restaurant outside the town of San Minato, and is apparently known for its slow food meals. We sat down in a private dining room upstairs where they had a table that seated 30 people. It was very nice that we could all be together for this last meal.

They served five courses with a tasty Chianti Classico and a local vermintino to wash it down. The first course was a nice soup made of winter vegetables, but the second course (my favorite) was frowned upon by many of the chefs within our group because it was fried zucchini blossoms. Though excellent, they were not in season, and philosophically, all slow food meals should only be made from local foods that are in season.

This was also a problem with the next course, which was pasta with tomato sauce. They mourned the fact that tomatoes were not in season, and therefore, the course was not authentic. The remaining three courses were average – another pasta, a shredded chicken in orange sauce, and an Italian cake for dessert. So all in all, our slow food lunch was slightly disappointing – including the fact that the ingredients were not explained to us – but the company was great, and the wine flowed freely, and we could all relax on the bus back to Florence.

Last Evening in Florence and Flight Home

That evening, I went out for a light calzone dinner with Janeen and found a new digestif which I greatly enjoyed, Fernet Branca Mint – very refreshing. Later we met up with some other members of the group in an Irish pub and celebrated with lemoncello shots. The next morning, I caught a taxi to the airport around 6:45am, and flew back to San Francisco via Zurich, while the rest of the group enjoyed one last free day in Florence and day trips to Rome and Venice.

Video of the Trip

When we all returned to San Francisco, each person sent their 5 top photographs and we put together this YouTube Video (7 minutes) highlighting our trip. Enjoy! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-cOIEqE4-I)

Lunch in Bolgheri and Amazing Visit to Tenuta dell 'Ornellaia

2013-02-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

Jan. 9, 2013 - The road to the small town of Bolgheri is lined with ancient cedar trees that give it a very royal feel. A small castle near the entrance enhances this feeling, and the tiny streets with small shops and restaurants complete the fairytale atmosphere.

Lunch at Bionda Maria Societa

After our tasting of Sassicaia at Tenuta San Guido, the bus dropped us off outside that town walls and we walked into town in search of a restaurant. One of the first we saw was Bionda Maria Societa where the owner stood on the doorstep and beckoned us in with a big smile.

We started with a local vermintino, which jumped out of the glass with crisp acidity and fresh lemon notes. We tried this with a huge platter of local cheese and honey. The main course was fish in red tomato sauce that I had with a glass of the local Super Tuscan. What a match – it isn’t everyday that you can pair fish with a big red, but in this case, the hearty sauce on the fish worked perfectly with the cab based wine.

Visiting the Vineyards of Tenuta dell'Ornellaia

After lunch, we walked back to the bus and were very impressed that Ricardo, Hospitality Director at Tenuta dell'Ornellaia, had come to greet us and personally direct us to one of their vineyards.

We drove a short distance to a merlot vineyard further up the hill and Ricardo took us to an outlook where we could see the sea in the distance. I’m not sure why it is so exciting for me to see vineyards and the ocean so close together, but I am always filled with delight. Perhaps it is because there are not that many vineyards in the world with a view of the sea.

Ricardo explained that Bolgheri was originally a very poor area known for muddy soils and malaria. However, now there are 45 to 50 wineries here, and many cabernet sauvignon, cab franc and merlot vineyards. He said the soil is too rich and the climate too warm for sangiovese to do well here.

Tenuta dell 'Ornellaia", founded in 1991, has over 100 hectares of vineyards, and they employee 140 workers year round to take care of the vineyards and olive orchards. The cab is primarily cordon whereas the merlot is guyot cane-pruned. They are not organic, but try to farm sustainably. Spacing in the modern vineyards is 1.2m by .75cm, and ranges from 8,000 to 12,000 plants per hectare.

Massetto Vineyard, a merlot vineyard planted in 1986, has now become so famous that it has its own label, and they are designing a new winery there. We stopped at the Massetto vineyard, which is next to the entrance to Ornellaia winery, and I was impressed with its vastness and hillside position.

The Art of Ornellaia

Entering the winery is like visiting an art gallery. There are beautiful sculptures on the lawn, and the architecture is an amazing pentagon design. Ricardo said, “We link wine with art. Italians do this naturally.” I have to agree that they do it very well.

He explained their practice of hiring an internationally acclaimed artist to create art to match the theme of each vintage. I really enjoyed the theme aspect, because this reminded me of poetry and each year really is quite different in a vineyard and for the resulting wine. Thus they had named 2006 Exuberance, 2007 Harmony, 2008 Energy, and 2009 Equilibrium.

Winemaking at Ornellaia

Ricardo toured us through the cellar and we were very impressed with the state of the art equipment, and the red lacquered floor of the barrel room (see photo). They do sort berry by berry at this winery, use a basket press for more general winemaking, and are beginning to resort back to concrete for fermentation though currently they are still using large foudres. Especially impressive was the bottling machine which can do 6000 bottles per hour.

Tasting at Ornellaia

The winemaker, Axel, joined us for the tasting of 3 wines and provided an excellent commentary on his winemaking philosophy. We were impressed with the wide variety of wines and price points they are producing at this winery. I did not know it was so large, with more than half a million bottles produced of the entry-level wine.

We started with the entry level 2010 Le Vogt which is a Tuscan IGT, (50% merlot, 25% cab, and 25% sangio), which they said was a great pizza wine. Next was the 2010 Le Serre Nuova, which I very much enjoyed. It is their second label, and has big structured tannins, cassis, tobacco and excellent concentration.

We concluded with the 2009 Ornellaia that was very approachable now due to the hot vintage. Most Americans will enjoy the ripe lush fruit on this wine with its softer tannins and opulence, though it may be too ripe for Europeans. Regardless, it was a beautiful wine, and everyone was quite impressed with its length and concentration.

World-Class Marketing at Ornellaia

A special treat of this visit was a chance to meet with Alex, the legendary marketing director at Ornellaia. She entranced the group with her knowledgeable presentation on their marketing and PR efforts, and everyone wished they could have listened to her much longer. She did say Italy was their best market, with the USA being the second major consumer. This was refreshing as many wineries told us Italy had been a tough market in the past few years due to the recession. Italy, though, is proud of its Super Tuscans, and Ornellaia wants to make sure they are well-represented in the local market.

We left Ornellaia with a sense of awe and appreciation for all they are doing -- not only crafting beautiful wines, but by marrying art and wine for the beautification of the world.

Beautiful Bolgheri by the Sea and Tasting Sassicaia

2013-02-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

Jan 9, 2013 – We checked out of our hotel in Siena early so we could drive 2 hours through the Tuscan countryside to Bolgheri by the sea. Linda, our tour director, considered asking our bus driver to take the longer route via freeway to avoid the chance of people getting car sick again on the very twisting roads through the hills, but in the end everyone voted that we take the faster and more winding route past the ancient hilltop town of Volterra. The drive ended up not being as bad as we feared and we arrived at Tenuta San Guido, the home of the very famous Super-Tuscan wine, Sassicaia, a little earlier than our appointment – which made me feel quite relieved.

It had taken months to schedule our trade delegation appointment here, and I was fearful of any delays that could cause it to be canceled. However, we were greeted by the friendly, smart and energetic, Elena, who made us feel very welcome and many people in our group said this winery was the highlight of the trip.

Vineyards of Tenuta San Guido

Elena started with an overview of the vineyards and explained that though Bolgheri was a DOC on its own, they also had their very own Bolgheri Sassicaia that was granted in 1994. All together Tenuta San Guido has 77 hectares of vines, with the first cabernet sauvignon being planted in 1944; the first vintage for the market was not released until 1968.

They are located 10 kilometers from the sea, with the vineyards ranging from 36 to 60 meters above sea level. The soil is a combination of stones, clay, and sand. The term “Sassi” means “wines from rocky soil.” Most of the vineyards are on a north/south orientation in order to avoid the salty ocean breezes. The soil is rather rich, so they have had to use wide spacing and VSP cordon trellis in order to achieve the “power and elegance” they want in their wines. The average age of the vineyards is 30 years.

Winemaking at Tenuta San Guido

After reviewing the vineyards, Elena led us into the first year barrel room where we were all overcome with the sweet smell of aging Sassicaia in French oak barrels. Though we were not able to see the fermentation tanks, Elena explained that the grapes are first sorted before being transferred into stainless steel tanks where they undergo fermentation using natural yeast for around 15 days at an average temperature of 31C. Pump overs and delestage are used, and ML occurs in tank.

Next the wine is moved to 225 liter French oak barrels where it ages for 2 years in 20 to 25% new oak with medium toast. The wine is racked 5 to 6 times with no topping. The cellar has excellent humidity control so topping is not necessary. The wine is not filtered, and nitrogen gas is used to protect the wine when being transferred.

After the blend is assembled, it marries for one month in tank and 3 months in bottle before release. In general, Sassicaia should be saved for 10 years before drinking. Elena explained that Jacomo, their winemaker had just retired, so now a team of people under the leadership of Niccolo, the present owner, makes the wine.

Marketing of Sassicaia

Since the majority of Sassicaia wine is allocated, “soft marketing” was the term Elena used to describe their promotion methods. They do submit the wine to very high end auctions, and make sure to pour at key events such as Vin Italy. They work very closely with selected distributors within Italy and around the world. Currently they export 45 to 50% of their wine with the USA being the largest market.

Tasting of 4 Wines at Tenuta San Guido

We were honored to be able to taste 4 wines from this estate, with the first being the 2009 Barrua from their sister estate in Sardinia. Though I generally do not care much for the rough taste of carignan, this had to be the best example I’ve ever tasted. It was 85% carignan and 15% merlot and cab, and had a savory, dark berry and herb nose and palate, with fresh acidity and a long finish.

Next we tried the 2010 Le Difese, 70% cab and 30% sangiovese, and named after the wild boar tooth. It was a light and elegant drinking red which Elena said pairs quite well with the local fish in red tomato sauce.

Third was the 2010 Guidalberto, 60% cab and 40% merlot aged 15 months in French oak with a touch of American oak as well. Some people refer to this wine as a “Baby Sassicaia,” and I must admit it still needs some time to open. It had a beautiful nose, but was tight with dark berry, earth and a long finish.

The last wine was the 2009 Sassicaia, which exploded on the palate with rich plum, berry, and spices of nutmeg and pepper. It is 85% cab and 15% cab franc with good balance, softer tannins and medium-high acidity. I was surprised at how approachable it tasted, since other young Sassicaia’s I have tasted are often rather tight with strong herbal notes. This was full of fresh fruit and spice, and I wondered about its aging potential. Most probably because of its fruit-intensity, this wine was an immediate hit with everyone in the room.

After the tasting, Elena made arrangements for us to visit the Tenuta San Guido wine shop across the road from the winery. Here we purchased olive oil from the estate, and many people picked up a bottle of the Sardinian wine, but we didn’t buy the Sassicaia because we realized we could purchase it for the same price in San Francisco ($155) and not have to risk breaking it in our luggage on the way home.

Visiting & Tasting Sassicaia – A Dream Come True

For most people in our group, visiting this estate was a dream come true. The wines were spectacular, and everyone was charmed by Elena. Sassicaia is definitely a “bucket list” wine for most wine lovers, and this visit is one that all will remember fondly for the rest of their lives.

Lunch in the Hilltop Town of Montepulciano and Visiting Poliziano Winery

2013-02-06T11:14:00.000-08:00

Jan. 8, 2013 – It only took about 10 minutes to drive from Bindella Winery to the outskirts of the beautiful stone wall surrounding the old section of Montepulciano. We wandered through the narrow streets, tempted by the many shops with cheese, wine, other food, and Italian leather purses and housewares.

We stopped to have lunch at the famous Café Poliziano where I had a steaming bowl of the winter Italian soup made with kale, bread, and other vegetables. It was delectable with a warming glass of Vino Nobile. The view from the café is also stunning, with a panoramic scene of the surrounding countryside. Even though it was still foggy, the view was mesmerizing (see photo above).

After lunch I hiked the rest of the way up the narrow roads to arrive at the main plaza. I took photos of the ancient well and church, and remembered when I visited in September two years ago and it was hot, sunny, and packed with tourists. Now I had the place to myself, and even though it was cold and foggy, it was still very beautiful.

Visiting Poliziano Winery

After lunch, we drove a short distance to Poliziano Winery, named after the famous Italian poet. Founded in 1961 by Dino Carletti, it is still managed today by his family, and we were charmed and honored to meet Federico Carletti, the owner, when we were tasting wine later in the afternoon.

Margaurita, the Director of Hospitality, took us on an excellent tour of the vineyards, cellars, and then explained the export/marketing process during the wine-tasting portion of the tour.

Vineyards of Poliziano

The estate is 120 hectares, making it the 2nd largest winery in Montepulciano. (All together there are around 70 wineries in the region.) The spacing in the newer sangiovese vineyards is 6 x 3 feet, but the older vineyards, such as the famous 50 year old “Asinone Vineyard” named for a donkey, is on wider spacing and filled with stones.

They use sustainable winegrowing practices, but try to limit applications to organic substances such as sulfur and copper. They have 50 full-time employees but swell to 100 during harvest. Interestingly they mainly hire harvest employees from near-by farms, using local Italian workers rather than bringing in workers from other countries.

Winemaking at Poliziano

Production averages 700,000 bottles per year. They have a state-of-the art gravity flow winery which was impressive to walk through, including truncated cone stainless steel fermenters (see photo). Margaurita said they prefer this shape of fermenter because it is easier to punch down the cap, and therefore is more gentle with sangiovese which needs to be treated more like pinot noir.

The berries are sorted in two stages (by bunch first, then by berry). Next they ferment the Vino Nobile for 20 to 25 days at 30 to 32C using selected yeast. Both pump overs and punch downs are used. The wine is pressed and then moved to French oak for aging, with 1/3 going to cask, 1/3 to 500 liter, and 1/3 to 225 liter barrels with a blend of 50% new oak. The wine is racked every 6 months (3 times total), and is topped once a month. They have two cellars, one for the first year and the second for the second year aged wines – very much like Bordeaux practices. For the Rosso they are using some American oak.

Tasting the Wines of Poliziano

We tasted the 2010 Rosso which had a nose of black cherry and anise, but was rather thin on the palate. The 2009 Vino Nobile was classic with violets and earth on both nose and palate, but with a higher alcohol than I was expecting. My favorite was the 2009 Asinone Single Vineyard, which was 100% sangiovese in 50% new oak. It had an amazing nose of violets and spice, and on the palate had exquisite inky concentraction with a long finish. Yes!

Poliziano Expanding into Direct to Consumer Channels

One aspect of Poliziano in which we were all very impressed was the fact that they are aggressively pursing the Direct to Consumer channel in Italy. With the expection of Castello di Verranzzanno, no other wineries we visited considered this to be a viable channel. However, under the guidance of Margaurita, they have completed a brand new visitor center which last year attracted more than 8,000 visitors with 5 – 7% in direct sales.

As we were a California delegation and used to large direct to consumer channels with very healthy wine tourism campaigns in Napa and Sonoma, many were surprised that Tuscan wineries did not seem to be using this channel. However, Margaurita told us that thousands of tourists pass by their winery every year on the way to Montepulciano and Cortona, so they decided to expand into this channel. It only makes sense, and we were very impressed they are doing this. In fact, several people in our group said they would like to hire Margaurita to come to California because of her excellent knowledge of winemaking and enthusiastic and professional manner of communicating.

In terms of exports, Poliziano sends 60% of their wine abroad to 45 different countries, with Germany being their number one market. In California, they use Dalla Terra, based in Napa, as their importer/distributor.

A Foggy Day in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Wine Region - Visiting Bindella Winery

2013-02-05T10:09:00.000-08:00

Jan. 8, 2013 – Siena was shrouded in fog when we awoke, and though we were hopeful it would dissipate later in the day, it never did. Our first winery was Bindella, which is located in the hills outside the town of Montepulciano. The view of the surrounding countryside and the hilltop town in the distance would have been spectacular except for the very thick white fog that cloaked everything. Our hostess, Francesca, apologized profusely but no one can control the weather, and in some way, the drifting fog through the winter vineyards and tall green cedars made the whole scene even more hauntingly beautiful.

Francesca led us to a colorino vineyard next to the cellars and it was interesting to see they used guyot with cane pruning for this variety, whereas they preferred cordon for sangiovese. They have 74 acres of vineyards, and use IPM farming (Integrated Pest Management) with 8 x 3 spacing. Like many other Italian wine estates, they have multiple crops, including 27 acres of olives, 86 acres of wheat and 50 acres of wood.

Do Not Confuse Vino Nobile with Montepulciano d’Abbruzo

Thomas, the Director of the Consorzio Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, was also on hand to welcome us and provided useful brochures describing the regulations of the region. Francesca cautioned us not to confuse the sangiovese grapes from this area, which are called Vino Noble di Montepulciano with the actual “montepulciano” grapes from the Abruzzo region, which have softer tannins and plush dark purple fruit. She admitted that she had to explain this difference constantly to visitors, and I wondered for about the tenth time why they insist on using the same name for both a town and grape when they are completely different.

Part of the explanation is that the town of Montepulciano is quite ancient, and the term “Vino Nobile” means “noble wine from Montepulciano,” dating from 746 A.D. Obviously they do not want to give up this prestigious history, and so they must continue to explain constantly that they are different. I’ve finally just started calling the region “Vino Nobile” and leave off the “Montepulciano” so it doesn’t confuse my students. “Vino Nobile” produces sangiovese (usually the prugnolo clone with its violet scent), and d’Abruzzo produces the montepulciano grape.

Regulations of Vino Nobile “(di Montepulciano)

The grapes must come from the region and be processed into wine there in order to be called Vino Nobile. Regulations are more generous in that only 70% of the wine must be sangiovese, whereas the other 30% can be a variety of grapes including merlot, cabernet sauvignon, colorino, caniolo and others. This results in a wide variety of styles, and therefore sometimes makes it difficult to differentiate a Vino Nobile from Chianti in a blind tasting. I have a tendency to like the ones that blend colorino and merlot, resulting in a deep colored wine from the colorino, with the plush tannins of merlot, but the fresh acidity of the sangiovese. Regular Vino Nobile must be aged at least 2 years before release whereas riserva is 3 years.

The Cellars of Bindella and Tasting Colorino

Giovanni, the winemaker at Bindella, explained the winemaking process for Vino Nobile. He said that the sangiovese grapes grown on clay soil created more powerful wines with stronger tannins so he aged those in smaller oak barrels, whereas the sangiovese from sandy soils with smoother tannins were destined for the 300 liter casks. He said they all age 20 to 22 months in oak and 6 months in bottle. Fermentation temperature for Vino Nobile is 25 to 28C, and they use commercial yeast.

We also spent some time discussing the rare Vin Santo from this region, which is made from 100% sangiovese and called Occhio di Pernice. It is a unique red color the Italians call “Eye of the Partridge.” The grapes are hung in a dry location from September to February and then pressed. They age 7 years in small oak barrels with no racking or topping so the wine is oxidized and usually quite sweet with an alcohol level averaging 16%.

Probably one of the most interesting aspects of this tasting is that Giovanni allowed us to taste tank samples of colorino and sangiovese. The colorino was a dense dark purple with huge grippy tannins and an inky berry taste. It is primarily used as a coloring agent in Vino Nobiles.

We tasted the 2009 Bindella Rosso and Vino Nobile. Both were excellent and made in a more elegant style. The Rosso actually had 10% syrah, whereas the Vino Nobile was 85% sangiovese with the remaining 15% colorino, candiolo and mammolo, another Italian grape that adds a violet flower note to the wine.

Bindella exports 65% of their wine, with Switzerland as the number one export country (the owners of the estate are Swiss). They have 14 employees, produce around 11,600 cases per year and have annual revenues of around 1 million euros.

We found our visit here to be highly hospitable. Both Francesca and Giovanni were ultimate professionals, being very open, friendly, and willing to share information freely about the winery.

Arriving in Siena and Enjoying Hotel Chiusarelli & Restaurant Bagoga Grotta di Santa Catarina

2013-02-04T14:13:00.000-08:00

(Jan. 7, 2013) - We didn't arrive in Siena until around 9pm that evening but it was impressive to drive into the night lit city and see the ancient walls and our hotel, an old Italian villa, with welcome lights shining through the marble pillars that fronted the lobby.

Hotel Chiusarelli is housed in a beautiful old neoclassical villa built in the 1860’s. In addition to the lovely entrance with a charming garden, it is graced with high ceilings with frescos, lovely arched doorways, and has a nice breakfast room downstairs. The memory of the smell of home-made hot croissants served every morning still makes my mouth water. They had 3 different types, and it was impossible to resist the chocolate filled ones.

On the downside, the hotel has no elevator, so we were not pleased that our room was on the top floor and we had to haul our luggage up multiple flights of marble steps. However, once we reached the room, it was cozy with two beds, a refrigerator, a nice bathroom and a great view out the shuttered windows. Some of our group even got rooms with balconies.

Drinks at the Palazzo de Campo

After unpacking, we walked to the Palazzo de Campo, which took about 10 minutes from the hotel. Even though we didn’t get there until after 10pm on a Monday night, two of the restaurants/bars on the plaza were packed with locals. We decided to sit outside like everyone else, and settled into table under heaters with warm blankets. It was cozy to sit there, have a drink, and watch the world go by on the very famous Palazzo where the ancient Palio still runs every year.

Dinner at Restaurant Bagoga in Siena

One very valid complaint that our tour participants had was that we didn’t spend enough time in Siena, and worse – they didn’t get to see the city during the day. This was because the winery tours took all day, and each time we returned to Siena the sun had already set. However, the second night, we asked the desk clerk at the hotel to recommend a restaurant and he raved about Bagoga – Grotta di Santa Catarina.

Therefore, after getting lost several time and eventually having a nice local lady walk us to the restaurant, we settled into a table in a cozy dining room that was decorated with warm brick walls, arches, and painted plates.

We decided to order a bottle of Morellino di Scansano, because this was the one DOCG in Tuscany we had not yet tried and weren’t planning on visiting. It was very good, with rich dried cherry fruit, spices, and plush tannins – more like a merlot, than a sangiovese.

We started with a simple salad, but for the main course I splurged on a filet mignon in truffle sauce. The aroma of the truffles when it arrived at the table made me giddy with joy, and I was impressed with the small pieces of black truffle sprinkling the steak and sauce. However, I was even more impressed with the waiter came over and began to shave very thin slices of white truffle over the top of the steak. Yessssssss…doesn’t get much better than this. And the steak was only 20 euros!

We ended with a double dessert of two different types of cake and two glasses of the local vin santo (see photo). It was a very nice meal!

A Very Warm and Heartfelt Visit to Fuligni Winery

2013-01-29T13:57:00.000-08:00

(Jan. 7, 2013) - The sun had just set as we left Casanova di Neri Winery to drive the short 10 minute distance to Fuligni Winery. The sky had turned to a lovely orange and the tall cedar trees were dark silhouettes against the sunset colors.

Unfortunately as we wound our way down the hill, we missed the sharp left turn into Fuligni and had to go to the bottom of the Montalcino hill before we could turn the bus around. Then once we arrived, the bus was too large to enter the narrow driveway without scrapping against the long row of ancient olive trees. So all 29 of us alighted from the bus to walk down the gravel driveway as the first stars began twinkling in the dark sky above.

We couldn’t have had a warmer welcome than we received at Fuligni. We were met by Mr. Fuligni himself, as well as his marketing manager, Michael. We stood outside in the beautiful night next to vineyards as Mr. Fuligni described the 8 hectares of Brunello and 3 of Rosso that he had farmed here since the 1960’s. He described how the old wide spaced vineyard rows of 12 x 4 feet had been replaced with tighter spacing and new clones, but that half of the vineyard was still planted to the old Brunello Santi clones.

Visiting the Old Cellars of Fuligni

Next we walked through the vineyards to the cellar, which was situated about ¼ of a mile downhill. It was a beautiful experience to walk through the cold clear night with millions of stars shining overhead and know we were in such a special Montalcino vineyard. When we arrived at the old stone building, we were all inspired to see that they had raised the American flag to welcome us.

Fuligni believes in producing Brunello in a traditional fashion, and they limit their production to around 40,000 bottles. They still use old Slovenian casks for much of their aging, but have recently added some larger French oak casks as well. They export 85% of their wine, with the US being the largest customer at 35%.

Tasting Fuligni Wines With a Warm Fire, Bread, Salami, and Olive Oil

After the cellar tour, Mr Fuligni invited us into his warm house with a fire crackling in the fireplace in the living room and a large boar’s head on the wall. He served us bread, olive oil, and salami with the wines, and regaled us with stories of the old days. Everyone said this was one of the warmest and friendliest visits we had on our trip.

We tasted the 2010 Fuligni Rosso Di Montalcino, which appears to be an excellent vintage. It was beautiful with ripe fruit, approachable tannins, and a long finish. Michael told us we should be able to find this wine at the Wine Warehouse in California.

Next we tasted both the 2008 and 2007 Fuligni Brunellos. There was a large difference in vintage variation with the 2008 much lighter and more elegant with black cheery and smoke flavors. I preferred the larger and more concentrated 2007 with its larger tannins and dense dark fruit and earthy notes. To me, it was more of a classic Brunello.

It was difficult to leave Fuligni with all of the warmth, the crackling fire, the wine, food and good company, but we were already way behind schedule and still had to drive to Siena and check into our hotel for the evening. So eventually we said good-bye and walked back to the bus under the twinkling stars.

Visiting Casanova di Neri Winery – Home of Award Winning Brunellos

2013-01-25T12:08:00.000-08:00

Jan. 7, 2013 - Our appointment at Casanova di Neri Winery wasn’t until 3:30, so we enjoyed a leisurely lunch in Montalcino without being rushed. However, we ended up being late for our appointment because as the bus was heading down the hill towards the winery, we encountered a funeral procession with a priest and a cop leading it. The cop refused to let us pass, so we had to follow the procession for 20 minutes until they finally turned in the opposite direction.

Viticulture Practices at Casanova di Neri

Pier Luigi met us at the winery door and immediately led us across the street into one of their vineyards. He explained that this sangiovese vineyard was primarily clay based with 8 x 3 feet spacing, VPS cordon and around 7000 vines per hectare. However, their famous Cerretalto vineyard, planted in 1961 was on wider spacing with around 5000 vines per hectare and more gravely soil.

They are using sustainable winegrowing practices with no irrigation. He explained that recently they were “doing less” in the vineyard in terms of suckering, deleafing and green harvest as part of a new philosophy and in response to global warming. He mentioned that there is a big difference in day/night temperatures in Montalcino, with much cooler nights, which helps maintain grape quality.

While we were there, a large tractor was plowing a hillside close to the winery in order to plant more wheat. Pier Luigi explained that in Tuscany they believe in agriculture diversity, and that most wineries have 4 types of crops: vineyards, olive oil, wheat, and forest. He gestured to the surrounding countryside, and it was then that I realized that this practice was what created the beautiful checkerboard landscape of Tuscany with the tall cypress trees to delineate the fields and surround houses.

Winemaking Practices at Casanova di Neri

The Casanova di Neri Winery is a state-of-the-art gravity flow building buried in a hillside so you don’t even see it when you arrive at the small farmhouse that serves as winery visitor center. They produce around 18,000 cases per year. The process starts with sorting tables and destemmer on top, then grapes are gently transported to stainless steel tanks on the next level where they undergo fermentation for 24 days with average temperature of 25 to 29 C and punch down 2 to 6 times, depending on the vintage. Brix is usually 24 to 26 at harvest resulting in a 14.5% alcohol.

After fermentation only the free run juice is using for Brunello with the pressed juice going into other wines. They age in 10 to 30% new French and Slavonian oak, racking 2 to 3 times in first year but not in the second year. They try not to filter, but may fine. Total SO2 is 70. The blend is assembled and married in tank for 10-14 days before bottling. Pier Luigi said they export 50% of their wine, with the as USA their number one export market at 15% of production.

Tasting the 2007 Brunello

Back in the tasting room, Pier Luigi opened two bottles of the 2007 Brunello Casanova di Neri for us to taste. He said all of the grapes came from the vineyard across the street that we had visited. Both 2006 and 2007 were excellent vintages in Montalcino with the 2007 being bigger and fruiter, whereas the 2006 is known for more elegance.

The wine we tasted had a magnificent nose with dried cherry, spice, and dark berry notes. The tannins were huge, but it was still well-balanced with strong fruit, good acidity and well integrated oak. Excellent intensity and concentration of flavors with longing aging potential.

Pier Luigi suggested that this wine would be best in 2017, because ideally Brunello should be aged 10 years before drinking. Before we left, most of us purchased a bottle of two of Brunello, before heading to our second winery of the day.

Visiting Montalcino – Hilltop City and Bastion of Brunello

2013-01-21T10:53:00.000-08:00

Jan. 7, 2013 – As we left Florence to drive the 1.5 hours to Montalcino, the fog was just lifting from the city, and as we crested the hilltop with the bronze statue of David, we could look back and see all of the red-tiled roofs and domes of Florence gleaming in the sunlight. However the blue sky was short-lived as we headed south into Chianti Classico and the fog shrouded the bus again. It was only as we climbed the last twisting turns of the road into the small hilltop town of Montalcino that we burst out of the fog and into the clear sun that was bathing the village.

As we climbed down from the bus we could look down into the valleys and see a lake of white fog, and it felt like Montalcino was a floating island. We entered the Consorzio di Montalcino and were ushered into a conference room where we received an excellent presentation from Stefano regarding the wines of Montalcino.

Montalcino Wine Regulations

The Montalcino wine region is 600 meters above sea level and 240 square kilometers, with around 260 wineries producing around 9 million bottles of Brunello per year. The term “brunello” is their local word for sangiovese.

Regulations require that they use 100% sangiovese in their Brunellos and Rosso di Montalcinos, and that all the grapes must come from the Montalcino region. They use a specific clone of sangiovese called “grosso,” which has thicker skin and produces more tannic, highly structured wines. It is for this reason that their aging requirements are 4 years for regular Brunello and 5 years for riserva. Of this, at least 2 years must be in wood and a minimum of 4 months in bottle.

Wines can be released to the market on Jan. 1st four/five years after the harvest. As we arrived in Montalcino on Jan. 7, 2013, they had just released the 2008 regular Brunello and 2007 Riserva. Rosso di Montalcino’s, affectionaltely known as “Baby Brunellos” only need to age 1 year, and usually see 4 to 6 months in wood.

In addition to Brunello and Rosso, Montalcino also produces Moscadello, sweet dessert wines from the Moscato grape, as well as Sant’ Antimo and IGT Tuscany wines. Altogether they have 3500 hectares of vineyards with an average production rate of 8 tons per hectare.

Viticulture and Winemaking Practices in Montalcino for Brunello & Rosso

In terms of viticulture, Stefano explained that most of the sangiovese vines are on VSP trellis with spur-pruned cordon. All harvest is done by hand, and most grapes go through a sorting process. Brunello fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks for 15 to 25 days, whereas Rossos are 10-12 days. Temperatures usually range from 30 to 32 C and they conduct pump-overs 2 – 3 times per day. Aging takes place in small barrels as well as large casks, with 300 to 500 liters most common.

One hundred percent of the producers are members of the Consorzio which provides annual marketing tours to the US, Canada, Russia and Brazil. The Consorzio also acts as a public and trade relations agency, and while we were there professional tasters from Wine Enthusiastic magazine and Jancis Robinson were evaluating the newly released vintage.

Lunch at Taverna Grappolo Blu

After the presentation, we wandered through the charming village of Montalcino and found a restaurant called Taverna Grappolo Blu. The owner waited upon us and assisted in our food and wine selection. Their wine list is one of the most impressive I’ve ever seen, with an amazing list of Brunellos.

We started with a local white from Banfi, which I had with an arugula salad with dates stuffed with goat cheese and then wrapped in pig ear bacon. For the main course, we ordered a half bottle of the 2007 Brunello Col D'orcia to pair with Rabbit in Brunello Sauce. Though the rabbit had a lot of bones, the savory sauce went beautifully with the Brunello.

After lunch we climbed up to the castle and took pictures of the breath-taking view. The fog had cleared from the valleys, so we could see the hills, vineyards, houses and tall green cypress trees that separated estates. I also stopped in a local wine shop and purchased a couple bottles of wine.

A Free Sunday in Lucca – City of Red Tiled Roofs

2013-01-16T09:07:00.000-08:00

Jan. 6, 2013 – Since the 6th of January is an important religious holiday in Italy, we did not schedule any winey visits, and instead provided a free day. Many members of our group took the train the Venice, but Janeen and I decided to go to Lucca. We had both been to Venice before several times, but the city of Lucca was still unknown to us.

I awoke rather hungry, as we didn’t eat any dinner the night before. We had decided to eat large lunches, and just have cheese and wine for dinner for the remainder of the trip. This plan worked well as we often returned to the hotel rather late. So after breakfast at the hotel, we started out around 9:30.

Train from Florence to Lucca

The morning in Florence was very foggy, and though the weather forecast said it would be sunny, the fog hovered over both cities most of the day. We walked the 20 minutes to the train station and took the local train to Lucca. It was 7 euros each way and took about 1 hour and 20 minutes with frequent stops. The train was comfortable and it was interesting watching the Italian countryside flow by outside the window.

Wandering Around Lucca

We arrived in Lucca around 11:30 and were delighted to discover we could walk right into the ancient walled city -- just a few minutes from the train station. We began by walking around the top of the ancient wall until we saw the tourist office. Even though it was a holiday, the tourist office was open all day, and we were very impressed with the excellent service, advice, maps and brochures we found there.

Armed with these reinforcements we set off to explore the city and I fell in love with Lucca. It has small narrow streets filled with charming shops, delectable restaurants, beautiful churches and museums and nice squares. When we entered the first plaza we were greeted by a musician playing Italian music on an accordion – how appropriate. The other aspect of Lucca that I appreciated were the beautifully painted stucco buildings in shades of yellow, gold, and cream with red tiled roofs. Shutters were in dark green, blue, white and black. Also the city was very clean – not covered with graffiti and garbage as you often see in Florence.

Lunch at L'oste di Lucca

We wandered around a bit, until we found a restaurant called L’oste di Lucca. There we ordered a bottle of the local red wine, and I had a wild boar dish with red wine sauce and a side of spinach. Janeen said she had the best homemade pasta of the trip at this restaurant – a perciatelli with cheese and vegetables. Afterwards we went shopping, and visited most of the major sites and the Duomo. When we reached the famous medieval tower with the trees on top, we decided to pay the 4-euro admission price and climb the steps to the top. It was well worth it, because then we were able to witness the amazing panorama of the red tiled roofs of Lucca. Later we stumbled across a farmer's market and bought local olive oil, cheese, and prosciutto.

We caught the 4:30 train back to Florence, and my friend Vincenzo, a professor at the University of Florence, picked us up at the station. He took us to his house where he introduced us to his wife and children, and we enjoyed a pleasant hour catching up over wine and cheese. Later I spent time doing emails, while the rest of the group engaged in a floor party that ended up getting shut down around 2am due to complaints from other guests in the hotel regarding the loud singing.

Badia a Coltibuono – An Organic Winery in an 11th Century Abbey

2013-01-14T07:38:00.000-08:00

(Jan. 5, 2013) - Before arriving at our 2:30pm appointment at Badia a Coltibuono, we stopped in the small town of Radda where Janeen had made a reservation to eat lunch at La Botte di Bacco Restaurant. This turned out to be one of the best meals of my trip.

Lunch at La Botte di Bacco in Radda

We started with a glass of local vermintino and a fresh salad mista. They served this with a big basket of mixed breads, including a very delectable mini-fried bread, which were addictive and hard to stop eating. In general, I usually do not care for Italian bread because it is often hard and has no salt, but La Botte breaks the mold with their bread. The main course was pork loin served on a bed of spinach with a honey and balsamic vinegar sauce. This was so large I could not finish it, but enjoyed the pairing of a nice glass of Chianti Classico sangiovese.

Vineyards of Coltibuono – Organic and Progressive

After lunch we drove through the winding hills of Tuscany and many people on the bus became car sick due to the switchback turns on the way to Badia a Coltibuono Winery. However, once there, we were met by the very eloquent general manager, Robert, and he walked us into a nearby sangiovese vineyard.

The clouds cleared and the sun came out, shining with bright clarity on the dormant winter vines and very green grass. Robert informed us that the vineyard was organic and described with much passion their farming processes. They have 60 hectares of which 90% is sangiovese. Replanted in 1988, the density is 5500 vines per hectare with 7 x ¾ feet spacing. Trellising is VSP with cane pruning. The soil is a mix of clay and rock. Production is 3 tons per acre. Rootstock includes 420a and 1103 with a masale selection of clones.

Interestingly, Robert said they have stopped doing green harvest (dropping of fruit clusters) and instead do an early harvest and then a regular harvest again later. In this way, they pick younger clusters to ferment separately to provide higher acidity and freshness for the blend. The second harvest is the riper, more mature clusters with bigger tannins, but less acid. Later in the trip, we found this same practice being used at other estates, and many said it was in response to global warming.

We learned much from Robert about sangiovese, which he says “is an amplifier that over-responds to changes in the environment,… and is over-emotional.” During the course of the trip, we came to recognize that sangiovese in Tuscany is treated more like pinot noir in Burgundy. It is a more delicate grape that requires a cooler climate, and needs gentle handling in the cellar with less extraction, lower temperature fermentation, and less racking than cabernet sauvignon or merlot.

The Benefits of Organic Farming

Robert also strongly advocated the benefits of organic farming, though Coltibuono was the only one of the eight estates we visited that was using organic methods. They were certified organic in 2005, but Robert said it took about 20 years to see clear benefits. He reported that now organic farming provided “higher quality and lower costs” for Coltibuono. Because the immune system is now built into the soil, the vines continue to flourish even in hot summers with little rain, and are more disease resistant.

Interestingly, while we were standing in the vineyard we could hear gunshots in the nearby hills. I asked Robert the source, and he said it was people hunting wild boar. He then gestured to the fence around the vineyard, and told us it was electric to keep the boar out of the vines.

Winemaking at Coltibuono

The winery of Coltibuono, which is located about 20 minutes from the Abbey which houses the tasting room and a bed & breakfast, is very impressive. Built in 1996, it is designed to be a gravity flow winery. We started at the top where the grapes are sorted manually on sorting tables before de-stemming. Robert said they have a specially designed de-stemming machine, which is very gentle, because sangiovese stems are very brittle and can add too much astringency and tannin to the wine. He said the machine has made a big difference in reducing these negative influences. After destemming the grapes are very lightly broken in preparation for fermentation.

Indigenous yeast is generally used with the sangiovese, with a madre batch created in the vineyard reserved as back up if needed for a stuck fermentation. Stainless steel is used with a 30 C temperature and lasting 7 to 9 days, with two gentle punch downs per day using gentle mechanical pressure. Vineyard blocks and different types of grapes are fermented separately.

The resulting wine is 12.5 to 14% alcohol, depending on the vintage. The wine is pressed off the skins using two bladder presses, and then goes back into stainless steel tank for ML. (We discovered that the majority of Tuscan wineries we visited completed ML in tank, rather than barrel.) Very little SO2 is used, as the new European requirements for organic wine were implemented at the end of 2012 and limit it to 100 ppm for red wine, verses non-organic wine that is 150 ppm.

Aging takes place in both barrel and large cask depending on the level of wine (see wine tasting notes below). Production is around 30,000 cases annually, but they also produce a second negotiant label from purchased wine that increases total production to around 50,000 cases.

Tasting of Coltibuono Wines at the Abbey

After touring the winery, we boarded the bus and drove about 20 minutes to the 11th century Abbey of Coltibuono. It is a beautiful old stucco building, and as we arrived the sun was setting and the stars came out to fill up the night sky. Robert gave us a tour of the beautiful building showing us the ancient frescos of the monks on the walls and a statue of the founding monk who was a leader in local agriculture.

As we entered a lovely room set with four round tables for the tasting, the winery dog – a large white sheep dog – followed us and wandered throughout the tables during the tasting, delighting all.

We tasted 3 wines of the estate, beginning with the 2009 Chianti Classico, which was lighter in style with fresh fruity sangiovese and canaiolo, aged 12 months in oak casks. We then moved onto the 2008 Badia Coltibueno Chianti Classico Riserva, which was my favorite. It was very traditional in style with strong sour cherry and leather notes, and a high cleansing acidity. It was also a blend of sangiovese and canaiolo, but with 24 months in oak casks. We ended with a 2008 Sangioveto di Toscana, that was 100% sangiovese, and which Robert called a “Super Tuscan.” The aromatics on this wine were stunning with lifted violet, cherry, and spices, and many declared it their favorite. It was aged 12 months in newer French oak barrels.

All in all, I found the wines of Coltibuono to be beautifully crafted in a traditional style with clear terroir notes that reflected the land and environment.

That evening we returned to the hotel in Florence where we had another professor briefing and tasted some Rossi di Montalcino in preparation for the next day’s tour. That evening, I was not hungry so I went to bed early, while many of the others went out for a night on the town again.

Visiting Castello de Verrazzano in Chianti Classico Italy

2013-01-13T05:27:00.000-08:00

Jan. 5, 2013 – The next day, we boarded the bus at 8:45 to drive to Chianti Classico and our scheduled visit with two wineries. On the bus, I provided a brief overview of the DOCG regulations for this region, including the mandatory 80% sangiovese rule with the remainder 20% up to the winery where they can use other grapes such as merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, and the traditional caniolo and colorino. As of 2006, white grapes are no longer allowed in Chianti Classico red wine. We also reviewed the production method of the famous dessert wine of the region, Vin Santo, which means “holy wine” and is made from dried grapes.

The day was still cool and cloudy when we arrived at the Castello de Verrazzano for our 10am appointment. Despite the cloud cover, the view from the castle walls was still amazing, with a panorama of the Tuscan countryside complete with undulating hills, olive trees, vineyards, wheat fields, and tall green cypress trees. It looked like a picture postcard or something from a movie set.

We were pleased to be greeted by the owner, Luigi, who provided a 2-hour private tour and tasting that was excellent. Since the winery was closed for the holiday season (Christmas break last through Jan. 6 in Italy), we were very honored that he opened it especially for our delegation. Luigi described the history of the castle, which dates back to 1150, and the interesting background of Verrazzano who explored and mapped much of the Eastern coast of the US. The Verrazzano Bridge in NY City is named after him.

Viticulture and Production

The estate is a total of 250 hectares, with 45 devoted to vineyards. They produce 300,000 bottles, or 25,000 cases annually. The vineyards are sustainably farmed, and Luigi’s goal is to produce wines that have elegance and spice and reflect “the place”. The predominate grape is sangiovese, but they also grow caniolo, merlot, malvasia and trebbianno.

Trellising is primarily VSP with single cordon and spur pruning for the sangiovese. Soil is calcareous. Grapes are handpicked with gentle pressing. We did not receive much detail on production here, but Luigi did mention that fermentation temperatures are rather high. This was different from most other estates that reported they used more moderate temperatures for sangiovese, around 26 to 30 C. The castello ages primarily in large casks with only a small amount of new oak. We enjoyed touring the ancient cellars and seeing the huge wooden casks.

During the tour, Luigi described their Vin Santo production, which includes hanging malvasia and trebbiano grapes vertically to dry, and aging the wine a minimum of 3 years with no topping. Interestingly he was using 225 liter used oak barrels, rather than the smaller chestnut barrels.

Wine Tasting and Marketing

As we were running short on time, our tasting was limited to two wines. The first was the entry-level light and fruity Chianti, which Luigi called a minituscan, or 2010 Verrazzano Rosso with 45% sangiovese, 55% merlot and canaiolo, and 10 months aging in older oak. The second was the 2008 Castello de Verrazano Riserva Chianti Classico Sassello. This wine was my favorite, with sour cherry and earthy notes on palate, high acidity, and big tannins.

Castello de Verrazano has won numerous awards for wine tourism, and is a frequent stop of tourist buses. Because of this, they sell more wine direct than any other winery we visited – at a rate of 40%. The remainder is used for export and for sale to wine shops and restaurants within Italy. Overall, this was a delightful tour, and everyone was very impressed with the charm and knowledge of Luigi. Before we left, most everyone purchased wine or olive oil from the estate.

Arriving in Tuscany and Walking Tour of Florence Italy

2013-01-12T13:07:00.001-08:00

Jan. 3, 2013 – Our group of 28 California wine professionals left San Francisco at 7:30pm on Swiss Air Flight to Florence with a 2 hour stop-over in Zurich. Though a long flight with over 12 hours of flight time, Swiss Air was quite generous in giving us two meals and plenty of Prosecco as well as a house white and red wine. Everyone was quite excited to be going on a 10 day wine tour of Tuscany.

We were met at the Florence Airport by our EF College Tour Guide, Linda, who efficiently loaded us on a bus and whisked us away to the 3-star Hotel Meridiana near downtown Florence. We stayed here 4 nights and found this hotel to have very friendly service, clean basic rooms, but no shelves or dressers for clothes. Breakfast was included and was comprised of the standard croissants, cheese, salami, bread, cereal, yogurt and chocolate.

Welcome Dinner at the Palazzo Borghese

After a 30-minute refresh break, we boarded the bus again and drove a short distance to the Palazzo Borghese, a renaissance palace complete with elaborate chandeliers and gold rococo design. EF had booked a private room for our welcome dinner, which turned out to be one of the best group meals of the trip. The first course was wonderful gnocchi pasta with pesto sauce. This was followed by a Tuscan beef, potato and vegetable stew, and we concluded the meal with tiramisu. They also provided a basic red Chianti and coffee with dessert.

Walking Tour of Florence

The next morning Linda led us on a tour of Florence. We walked the 20 minutes from the hotel to the Duomo where a local tour guide took us through the amazing church and walked us by all of the important buildings in the city, describing the history and colorful characters of this city of art. One of my favorite places, which I had not visited on my previous 2 times in the city, was Dante’s chapel – a small church commorating him and Beatrice. The tour ended with a private demonstration in a leather factory, and then we were free until 6:30 to wander around the city.

Janeen and I had a nice lunch at the Golden View Restaurant on the River Arno where we had a window seat of the famous bridge. We both ordered pizza, and though not actually a food of Tuscany, the thin crust and fresh vegetables were wonderful with a glass of house wine. Afterwards we paid the admission to tour the Palazzo Vecchio, as we had both already visited the Academie and Uffizi museums. Aftewards we went shopping, and then prepared for our first Professor Briefing at the hotel at 6:30.

That evening we had another group dinner, but this one was more informal. It was held at the La Rotunda Taverna where we were treated to a 3-course meal of homemade cheese ravioli, Tuscan beefsteak with arugula, and a chocolate torte for dessert. We had to purchase our own wine for this meal, and even though our table of 10 people ordered 6 bottles, the cost was only 6 euros per person. I definitely enjoy the prices of wine in Italy. After dinner, Janeen and I went to bed early, but many of the others stayed out until 1 or 2 in the morning – a tradition that became quite common throughout our 10-day trip.

The Flourishing Missouri Wine Industry and Visiting Stone Hill, Home of the Norton Grape

2012-12-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

Oct. 28, 2012 – I am in St. Louis for two days preparing to embark on a Mississippi River Board cruise where we will celebrate the Historic Wineries of America. As part of the pre-cruise outings, we spent an afternoon driving about one hour west of the city to the small town of Hermann, home to some of the oldest wineries in Missouri, including the famous Stone Hill Winery that I have wanted to visit for years.

According to the listing on the Missouri Wine Roads app there are around 120 wineries in Missouri. They were primarily settled by German immigrants in the 1830’s along the Missouri River (same river that Lewis & Clark followed west-ward when they started their famous trip from St. Louis). Missouri is famous for having the oldest AVA (American Viticulture Area) in the US, the Augusta AVA, approved in 1980 several months before the Napa Valley AVA was approved.

Missouri Wine Grapes – Famous for Norton (Cynthiana)

Due to the humid summers and cold winters, Missouri specializes in many hybrid and Native American grapes. The most famous of these is the Norton grape (also called Cynthiana) that reminds me slightly of syrah but with higher acidity and more tannins. Missouri is also well known for excellent Chardonnel, Traminette, Catawba, Viognoles, Vidal Blanc, and Chambourcin, amongst other varieties.

Stone Hill Winery – Founded 1847

We arrived at Stone Hill Winery around 2pm on a sunny but cool day in the mid 50’s. The drive from St. Louis to Hermann, Missouri takes a little over one hour, and the fall foliage along the way was beautiful to behold. The Germans settled Hermann in the 1800’s, and it is picturesque country town located on the bluffs of the river with small charming restaurants and B&Bs.

Our group consisted of 16 people, and a cheerful tour guide met our bus. After posing to take photos next to the sign stating the winery was established in 1847 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, we started with a view of a Norton vineyard that was trained to a very high trellis system. Harvest was over for the year, but there were still a few loan purple grape clusters hanging amongst the browning leaves.

Next we entered the old vaulted cellars, and the guide explained the winemaking processes. At one time, Stone Hill was the second largest winery in America, producing 1, 250,000 gallons of wine per year, and winning medals in Europe. However, Prohibition decimated the Missouri wine industry, and all of the winemaking property of Stone Hill was destroyed -- a very sad story. For a while they used the old cellars to grow mushrooms, which made it very difficult to clean when the Held family purchased the decaying estate in 1965 in order to revive the winery.

After the tour, our group was treated to a private tasting of more than 20 wines. They were all well made, but some of the group had never tasted the hybrids before and found them unusual. My favorites were the dry Vignoles and Chardonnel, the Reserve Norton, the semi-sweet Traminette, and some of the dessert wines. Afterwards we had a good time buying souvenirs in the large gift shop, and shared a bottle of the Traminette on the bus drive back to St. Louis.

Originally we had planned to stop at a few more Missouri wineries, and I was disappointed when we ran out of time. But we did have a wonderful 5 course dinner at the famous Mike Shannon's restaurant in St. Louis that evening. We even got to watch a big screen TV and celebrate when the San Francisco Giants beat Detroit in the World Series in the Hall of Fame Room.

Wine Judging Trip to Blue Mountains of Australia and Lillianfels Resort

2012-11-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

October 2012 - During the second week of October, I was honored to be invited to participate in the Sydney International Wine Competition in Australia with 12 other wine judges from around the world. Two of us arrived on the non-stop flight from San Francisco to Sydney on Sunday morning at 7:30am and took a taxi ($15 with tip) to the Mercure Airport Hotel where they had reserved a day room so we could shower before meeting the rest of our group at 10am. We then boarded a small bus and drove the 1.5 hours into the Blue Mountains and Lillianfels Resort.

The Blue Mountains and the Three Sisters Rock Formation

The Blue Mountains of Australia are a World Heritage Site and renown for their beauty. They remind me of a smaller version of the Grand Canyon with trees. I was told they are called “blue” because the eucalyptus trees that cover the steep mountains release a blue resin in the air that causes the mountains to look blue – especially in the evening before sunset.

It is a breathtakingly beautiful area with multiple hiking trails, and huge cliffs and rock formations. Colorful parrots fly through the trees including red and blue rosettas, pink and grey gulahs, and large, loud white and yellow cockatoos. They even have the rare Lyre Bird, which has a large fan-shaped tail that looks like a lyre, and is related to the peacock.

One of the most famous areas of the Blue Mountains is the Three Sisters overlook. These are three large rock formations that rise up from the canyon floor and are beautiful to behold. Thousands of tourists visit every year, and it turned out that our hotel, Lillianfels Resort, was located only a five minute walk from the Three Sisters Look-out.

Lillianfels Resort

Lillianfels is a famous old resort on the edge of the canyon near the Three Sisters. It looks and feels like an old country manor with large comfortable lobby and rooms decorated in Victorian fashion with fabric wallpaper and large draperies above each bed (in most rooms). It is quite expensive with prices ranging from $250 to $600 a night. The beds are some of the most comfortable I have ever slept in, and the breakfast – which is included in the price – is a decent size buffet in a sunny dining room. There is an indoor and outdoor pool, spa, tennis courts, billiard room, and a Devonshire tea served every afternoon in the lobby.

My experience here was mixed in that I enjoyed the amenities but had problems with my room, and a very poor response from the staff that didn’t match their claim to be a 5-star hotel. The first night I arrived there was no hot water in my room. When I called to complain they told me it would be off for 1 to 2 hours. So after a 14-hour flight and a long day, I fell asleep without being able to take a hot bath. The next morning, when I took a shower, the drain didn’t work and it flooded the bathroom. I called to report it, and they said it would be fixed, but it wasn’t until the second day – after the bathroom had flooded two more times – that they finally suggested I change rooms. I was happy about this, because the lock on the door didn’t work that well, and when I arrived back to my room the second day, the door to my room was open! Apparently the maid had done this because I remember distinctly how I had to slam it very hard in order for the lock to catch.

The new room was much nicer because it didn’t have a view of the large green dumpsters near the tennis course. Instead it had a view of the parking lot and trees. One disappointment about this hotel is that only a few of the very expensive rooms on the upper floors have a view of the beautiful canyon. Once in the new room, I continued to have small problems that I wouldn’t expect with a regular 5-star hotel, such as the bedside phone not working and the bathtub plug missing. I was able to use the desk phone and finally get these small issues resolved, however the service and maintenance here is not what would be expected of their rating and claim to be a Starwood Luxury Resort.

Excellent Wine Tasting Event at Birdland – Determining the 100 Top Wines

Fortunately the small issues at the hotel were eclipsed by the excellent time I had at the wine judging. The director, Warren Mason, hosted the judging at his charming house called “Birdland,” because it has a large beautiful garden filled with colorful Australian birds. The first two days, we evaluated 2000 wines (approximately 150 wines per day per judge, spitting), and on breaks we would congregate in the gardens or play boule, ping-pong, or darts. Once we narrowed down the wines to the top 400, we spent the next 2.5 days evaluating these wines again with food. It was a fascinating judging process that I haven’t experienced before. Our scores for these will determine the 100 top wines for the competition. See: www.100topwines.com for more information.

In the mornings and evenings, we would take hikes along the Blue Mountains trails, and one morning I even ventured down the famous 1000 stairs and took the loop walk. There is a caution sign stating it is only for strong walkers. It took me 2 hours, and was beautiful as we passed the Katoomba waterfall and saw a Lyrebird on the path. For the next two days however, my legs were very sore.

In the evenings, we generally met in the lobby for a cocktail around 7pm and then sat down to a wonderful dinner at 8. I felt like I was staying at an English manor for a week as a houseguest with a group of fascinating people, and found I really enjoyed the camaraderie and getting to know the other judges better each day. Every night they shared special bottles of wine from around the world, and one night we enjoyed a 1992 Grange Hermitage – bellisimmo!

Special Meals: Welcome Lunch, Australian BBQ and Judge’s Farewell Dinner at Darley’s Restaurant in Blue Mountains of Australia

There were three special meals during my wine-judging week in the Blue Mountains of Australia. The first was the Welcome Lunch held at Birdland, where Warren Mason and his wife, Jacqueline, welcomed everyone with warm hospitality. We started with sparkling vouvray and oysters, then moved on to salmon in papette, followed by beef tenderloin, and finished with a cream brulee. For each course, Warren served two wines – one from the old world and one from the new. Then he gleefully quizzed us on the varietals and region. I have to admit it was a little tough after flying for 14 hours and feeling quite jet-lagged, but Wilfred Wong and I managed to get most of the varietals correct. It turns out that the common theme was wine from the Loire, the birthplace of Jacqueline. Furthermore, she was the talented chef who cooked the magnificent meal.

The second memorable meal was a real Australian BBQ at the house of the stewards (those who set up the wine judging) where we had shrimp, kangaroo burgers, and beef tenderloin. We enjoyed this feast with several bottles of Champagne and many excellent Australian and New Zealand wines, as well as six wines from Thailand that were fun to taste. We were also serenaded by two strapping guitar players who sang slightly X-rated Australian bar ditties.

The third meal was the Farewell Dinner that Warren held at Darling’s Restaurant. This is a splendid establishment with exceptional service. The architecture is old Australian with the mansion dating from 1886. The menu, which follows, was mouthwatering, and Warren was an excellent master of ceremonies as he called upon the judges to stand up and guess the wines (all Australian) for the various courses.

• Aperitif – Deviation road Adelaide Hills Methode Champenoise 2009
• 1st Plate – Seared Nova Scotia Scallops with Texture of Lobster & Pea Puree with 3 Medium Bodied White wines: Saddler’s Creek Semillon 2005, Symphonia Savagnin 2008, and Yalumba Viogner 2004
• 2nd Plate – Redgate Farm Jurassic Quail, White Asparagus, Artichoke Puree, Madeira Jus with 3 Lighter Bodied Red Wines: Freeman Corvina 2003, Grove Estate Shiraz 2008, and Paringa Estate Pinot Noir 2002
• 3rd Plate – O’Connor Premium Gippsland Grass-Fed Beef Tenderloin, Blue Mountains Grain Fed Wagyu Braised Brisket, Cavolo Nero, Foie Gras Butter with 3 Fuller Bodied Red Wines: Grant Burge Shiraz 2002, Kilikanoon Grenache 2002, and Wirra Wirra Cabernet Sauvignon 2002
• 4th Plate – White Peach Fool, Almond Macaroon Crumble, Peach and Moscato Granita, White Peach Sorbet with 3 dessert wines: De Bortoli Botrytis Semillon 2008, Josef Chromy Tasmania Botrytis Riesling 2007, and LillyPilly Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon 2011.
• Digestifs – Optional coffee and 3 Australian stickies: Hardy’s Show Tawny Show Port NV, Morris of Rutherglen Old Premium Liqueur Muscat NV, and Buller Rutherglen Museum Reserve Tokay NV

It was hard to leave Australia after such a wonderful week. I should mention that the weather was excellent – sunny blue skies and in the 80’s most everyday. When we finished tasting the last 90 wines on Friday morning at 11am, we toasted with Pommery Champagne, and then headed to the airport. We caught the 3:45 non-stop home to San Francisco, and I was able to gaze out the window at the spectacular view of Sydney with the sun glinting off its downtown buildings and the ocean wrapping itself around the land in bays and inlets. In my opinion Sydney is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, along with San Francisco, Paris, and Capetown.

Average Vineyard Worker Wages in South Africa – Emerging as a BRICS Country

2012-11-11T12:38:00.000-08:00

Sept. 2012 - Several times throughout my wine trip to South Africa I asked winemakers the average wage they paid their vineyard workers. The answer was it depends on the region, as well as whether or not the workers have housing and benefits on the property.

In terms of regional pay differences, it appears that Stellenbosch pays the highest wages at 170 Rand ($21) per day for a basic vineyard worker who does not live on the estate. Wineries in Cape Point and the Constantia region said they paid 120 – 150R per day ($15 - $18). In Swartland I was told they pay 100 to 120R ($12 - $15) per day, but also provide food in the form of a large BBQ.

For wineries who provide worker housing and other benefits, the rates also vary by region. In Stellenbosch, we were informed that the monthly rages for a basic vineyard worker are 3000 R per month, or 143 R ($18) per day with housing. However, I had another person tell me that basic farm workers in the outlying areas often receive only 60 R ($8) per day with housing. More experienced workers receive higher wages. For example, one winery told us that a vineyard supervisor living on the estate makes around 8000 R per month ($1000 per month, or $47 per day assuming 21 work days per month).

Considering the official unemployment rate in South Africa is currently 20%, and the unofficial rate is 30%, it is interesting to learn of these wages. They are higher than China, which is only around $8 to $10 per day in the Xinjiang wine region, but much lower than Napa Valley which pays an average of $12 per hour ($96 per day) for vineyard workers and around $16 per hour ($128 per day) for supervisors.

After seeing the townships that surround Capetown with tiny shacks made of corrugated metal and wood fires built in old oil containers in the front yard for cooking, the houses of the vineyard workers appear plusher. They are usually larger and built of brick, clay or wood with green grass instead of dirt and pavement as seen in the townships.

I asked the spouse of one winery owner what was different in the vineyards since Apartheid had ended. She said not much had changed, and that most of the workers had remained to work the farm. The main difference, she noted, was that they were becoming more independent. In the past she had to drive them to doctor, the store and other places, but now they were doing it themselves.

At the same time, keeping children in school seems to be an issue. Several people told me that many farm children drop out of school around the 7th and 8th grade because it is the custom with their friends. The current culture doesn’t encourage being different or sticking out from the crowd. In fact, at one winery when I asked how many of the workers had finished school and gone to university, the answer was “none - yet.”

It is interesting to see where South Africa is since Apartheid ended in 1994. The whole world is cheering for them as they emerge from a time when inter-racial marriages were forbidden, black leaders such as Nelson Mandela were jailed on Robbins Island, and more than 3000 people were forcibly removed from their homes in District 6 of Capetown because of the color of their skin. They watched their houses bulldozed, and were relocated many miles away. It’s hard to believe that these types of actions – which seem so reminiscent of Hitler – actually occurred between 1960 and 1993. Now the new black government is building houses in District 6 and trying to encourage the original owners to return, but there are many who find it too painful to do so.

The Positive Future of South Africa and Its Wine Industry

Yet despite the poverty witnessed in the townships and the high unemployment rate, there is still much to be hopeful for in South Africa. It is an incredibly beautiful country that takes your breath away at times, with views of vistas that often left the word “Eden” whispering through my mind. There are huge rugged mountains that are reminiscent of the granite cliffs of Yosemite. These meet in multiple verdant green valleys where charming towns and cities are built. Then there is the breath-taking coastline with steep twisting roads above the ocean reminding me of Big Sur, and white sandy beaches similar to Hawaii. Further inland lays the desert where the Big 5 roam: elephant, leopard, rhino, lion, and Cape buffalo. And everywhere there is a plethora of birds, flowers, and beautiful protea—the national flower of South Africa – that is part of the fynbos family, native vegetation that only occurs here in the world.

Even more, the people are very friendly, and there seems to be a positive optimism despite the unemployment and the poverty. Tourists are welcomed warmly and there are many affordable tours available. In addition to city tours, safaris and sea dives with sharks, the best way to tap into the soul of South Africa is to listen to live music. We attended an African music night in one of the townships where the singing was so moving that in one moment, people had tears streaming down their faces, and the next they were dancing and shouting in the aisle.

After this eight-day visit, I can see why experts believe that South Africa should be added to the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China) as a new up and coming economic power. They are now adding an “S” to create BRICS with South Africa as the fifth country. It appears to have a huge potential for economic and cultural success in the future. And the South African wineries, which have been here for more than 300 years, can play a part in that economic engine – especially since wine quality has improved so much over the past several years. Furthermore, with the global recession waning, and global wine supplies dwindling, it seems like a great opportunity for South African wines to develop a unified promotion to expand sales, not only in their own country and continent, but in the USA, China, Japan, and other countries outside of Europe.

Last 24 Hours in Capetown, South Africa – Diamond and Red Bus City Tour

2012-11-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

Sept. 29 – 30, 2012 - After our tour of Meerlust, we returned to Capetown where almost everyone in our group caught night flights home. As a flight was not available for me, I checked back into the Cullinan Hotel and then walked downtown to go on the 30-minute free diamond tour at Jewel Africa. This was informative, and they explain to you how diamonds are mined, cut, where the term “carat” comes from, and provide an overview of the world’s most famous diamonds. On the walk back, I bought more souvenirs at a small street market (much better prices than in the stores), then stopped at a Thai restaurant and ordered take-out soup and a glass of chenin blanc. I had this in my room while the rain poured down outside the window, and watched old movies until I feel asleep.

The next morning, I slept in, had breakfast at the buffet for the last time, and then packed. Of course on my last day, the sun came out and there was a beautiful blue sky with a temperature in the high 70’s. I left all of my luggage with the concierge and then took the 2 hour Red Bus Tour of Capetown. This is a great experience for around $18, and I wish I had done it the first day. They provide an excellent overview of the major town sites and history, including a tour through District 6, past the building where Nelson Mandela gave his famous speech, and to all of the Clifton beaches. Plus you can hop on and off any time.

At 1:15pm I returned to the hotel to take my pre-arranged taxi to the airport that the concierge had booked for me. Here I was ripped off slightly by the taxi driver. The MW tour leader told me to plan on spending 200 - 250 Rand to take a taxi to the airport; the hotel said 300 Rand, but the driver tried to charge me 350. When I told him all I had was 320 – which was true – he said that was fine. Doesn’t leave a good taste in your mouth when the local taxis try to rip you off as you leave the country. Regardless, my flight was on time, and I eventually made it back home to San Francisco via London after more than 30 hours travel time.

Wine Tasting & Vineyard Tour at Meerlust Wine Estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa

2012-11-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

Sept. 29, 2012 - After breakfast, we spent an hour shopping in downtown Stellenbosch. This is a charming town with historic buildings, tree-lined streets, and fun shops. It is a great place for tourists, and is also home to the famous Stellenbosch University.

Next we drove to Meerlust Wine Estates near the town of Stellenbosch. Here over fifty palm trees line the driveway as you entered the gates and approach the historic Cape Dutch Architecture of the winery (see photo). Even the rain that spattered our windshield could not dampen our spirits as we passed the vineyards and a large pond on the right with over fifty different birds and a magnificent black and white South African Fish Eagle posed on a tree branch.

Chris Williams, Meerlust winemaker and MW candidate, welcomed us as we alighted from our vans and ushered us into the barrel room where a long table with white tables clothes and wine glasses was set for twenty people (see photo).

Brief History of Meerlust

As we settled into our seats, Chris provided a quick overview of the history of Meerlust, which is one of the oldest and most historic wineries in South Africa, established in 1692. The name “Meerlust” means “Pleasure of the Sea,” which is an apt name because it is located 3.5 kilometers from False Bay, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. Meerlust comprises 400 hectares, of which 110 are planted to vineyards. It bottles, on average, 50,000 cases of 100% estate wines annually. Grape varieties include cabernet sauvignon, merlot, and cab franc on the warmer valley floor, and chardonnay and pinot noir in the cooler climate and higher elevation (1000 meters) of the hills. These higher points are also accosted by the “Cape Doctor” - the southeast wind that sweeps across this part of Africa – effectively cooling these vineyards further.

Chris informed us that in 1756 the estate was purchased by the family of the current owner, Hannes Myburgh. Hannes is the 8th generation to manage the estate, and is apparently a shy reclusive person whom we did not meet, but apparently cooked our complete lunch and brought it into the barrel room, hidden behind a base cap, and then departed. When Chris told us this, it just made me want to meet Hans even more!

Through most of its history, Meerlust was known for producing sweet white wines, which were popular at the time, and also used as a medicine for sailors to combat scurvy. However, in the 1960’s, on his Gap year (a year which many Europeans, South Africans, Australians, and New Zealanders have between high school and university in which they travel the world), Hans went to Bordeaux and Burgundy and fell in love with their wines. He returned to the estate and tried to convince his father to switch to dry reds, but when he refused, Hans purchased the farm and replanted the vineyards.

In 1974 the winery was one of the first in South Africa to modernize with stainless steel tanks and cooling systems. From 1975 – 1980, they began to establish their reputation as a high quality producer of cabernet sauvignon. Then in 1980 they introduced Rubicon – a Bordeaux blend – which has become their flagship. (Interestingly they have recently come to a collegial co-marketing agreement with Rubicon Estates in Napa Valley, owned by Francis Ford Coppola. Both wineries are allowed to use the name “Rubicon” when selling on the international market but must also include the winery estate name on the label.)

Tasting of Six Meerlust Estate Wines

Christ poured six wines from the estate, and then kindly gave us some quiet time to taste and evaluate them. Then we reviewed each wine as a group. The line-up included:

• 2010 Meerlust Chardonnay
• 2011 Meerlust Pinot Noir
• 2009 Meerlust Merlot
• 2009 Meerlust Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2007 Meerlust Rubicon
• 2005 Meerlust Rubicon

Of these my favorite was the 2005 Meerlust Rubicon, which was amazingly fresh for its age with ripe red berries, herbs, and cassis. This followed through on the palate with spice, pepper, big tannins, high acid, and a very long finish. Chris said it was 70% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, and 10% cabernet franc with two years aging on 70% new French oak and 2 years in bottle. In general Rubicon is designed to be aged 7 to 8 years before opening. Interestingly the 2007 was not nearly as fresh, and instead had a stewed earthy note with big chalky tannins, which Chris explained was due to a cooler vintage, whereas 2005 was quite warm.

Excellent Lunch at Meerlust

After the tasting huge platters of sliced beef with white mustard sauce appeared on a banquet table, along with loaves of freshly baked bread, butter, vegetables and rice. For dessert we had Slow Cooked Poached Pears and Cambrinie – a local cheese that is a combination of brie and camembert. We enjoyed this feast with the Rubicon and other wines from the tasting.

A Walk in the Vineyards

Fortunately by the time we finished lunch the rain had abated and we were able to walk a short way from the cellar to a near-by cabernet sauvignon vineyard. Chris said it was planted in 1994, and the vines showed their age with thick shaggy trunks and spur-pruned cordons spread bi-laterally along a VSP trellis system. The spacing was 1 meter by 2.5 meters and the soil an alluvial deposit called Dundee soil. Chris said it was quite fertile and produced vigor in the vines, which required much thinning of shoots, leaves and clusters to control. The vines are irrigated as they only receive 500 – 600 ml of rain each year. The farming method is luttee raisonee, though Chris said he is pushing toward all organic practices. Indeed the vineyard had a healthy cover crop of wheat that they will disk in soon, with further plans to use organic fertilizer.

Fair Trade Practices at Meerlust

Though not Fair Trade certified, Chris reported that Meerlust has adopted many of the practices, which include providing support for schooling, health insurance, housing, and other social services for the workers on the estate. Meerlust currently has 35 families, many who have been with them for 8 centuries. Each family is provided a house on the property free of rent, as well as basic healthcare, and subsidized utilities and schooling.

They have recently started a new trust company with two other wineries called Meerlust Logistics, which handles packaging and shipping for all wines. The workers are trained to manage and operate the company, and so far it is working very smoothly and is already profitable.

Devon Valley Hotel in Stellenbosch, South Africa & Jamming with Amazink Live in Township

2012-11-05T10:38:00.001-08:00

Sept. 2012 - We left the Swartland wine region around 5:30 and drove back to Stellenbosch where we checked into the lovely Devon Valley Hotel. This is a long, elegant country inn perched on a hillside overlooking the vineyards. I was given a magnificent room decorated in purple and gold with a king size bed, fireplace, huge bathtub, and an expansive vineyard view.

The downside was I only was able to enjoy the room for about 90 minutes while fully awake. It was still raining softly when we arrived, and as we were running late, I only had 30 minutes to rest in the room before being rushed back into the van to head to our evening venue (see below). Despite this, I managed to enjoy a cup of tea in front of the fire while gazing at the view, and then change cloths quickly for dinner. When I returned to my room around midnight, I immediately fell asleep, but set my alarm early enough to wake up, enjoy some coffee in front of the fire, then take a hot bath in the large and inviting tub. The breakfast buffet was delightful with over 30 different dishes in a large dining room with many windows and white tablecloths. Next time, I would linger at this resort and enjoy all the lovely amenities.

Jamming with Amazink Live in South African Township

Another highlight of my trip to South Africa was the evening we spent at Amazink Live in a local Stellenbosch Township. This is a dinner show run by local entertainers as a way to support the community and create revenue for singers and dancers. It is one of many efforts in South Africa to promote entrepreneurship and independence for people living in the townships.

Dinner was very casual in that you placed your order at a window and then collected a plate of barbequed beef with salad. It was quite tasty, and our group was fortunate in that the Stellenbosch wineries had donated over 50 different bottles of wine for us to taste along with the meal.

But it was the music that took my breath away and brought most of the audience to tears one minute, and then dancing in the aisles in celebration the next. This was the deep throbbing soul of Africa with drums, dancing, and vocal harmony that shook me to the core. All the pain and sorrow of Apartheid echoed in the music, and then the hope and joy of the human spirit which refuses to be bound. The memory of this experience still brings tears to my eyes.

Visiting Swartland, South Africa - Renegade Winemaker’s Paradise

2012-11-04T13:49:00.000-08:00

Friday, Sept. 28 – The next morning the skies above Capetown were overcast and the day was cool. After the breakfast buffet, we boarded the van and drove almost one hour northwest to Swartland, which is known as a warmer viticulture climate and home to some very historic vineyards and “big reds”. Swartland also has a reputation for spawning “renegade winemakers” with a bent towards natural, organic wines and innovative blends and styles.

Sadie Family Wines – Tour of Historic South African Vineyards

Our first stop was the Sadie Family Vineyards where winemaker Eben greeted us and provided a tour of his amazing old bushvine vineyards which produce only ¼ to ½ tons per acre. When we arrived Eben showed us the soil by picking up the wet clay and sandstone substance and letting it dribble through his fingers (see photo).

Eben is a true “natural winemaker” in that he believes in almost complete non-interventionist winemaking. Not only does he preserve as many old South African historic vineyards as he can, but he promotes biodynamic farming practices (not certified), natural yeast, as little sulfur/SO2 as possible, and fermentation in concrete eggs, cement tanks, and recently, South African clay amphora. His wines are unique, and sometimes, magnificent.

Badenhorst Winery & Amazing Roasted Lemon & Vegetable Cups

The next stop was a wonderful BBQ chicken lunch at Badenhorst Winery, which is located in an old farmhouse overlooking the vineyards, and hosted by Adi Badenhorst, his family, and other local winemakers. Here I felt like I was transported to Mendocino County wine country in California, as I was surrounded by “natural winemakers” with bushy beards, and an exuberance and passion for making wine “on the edge.” Our group was joined by the sommelier group, and we all enjoyed the magnificent buffet of food fresh from the garden and succulent BBQ.

After tasting through 20 to 30 Swartland wines, we sat down at rough wooden picnic tables and enjoyed the meal. The sun came out, and temporarily we were treated to clear blue skies and a beautiful view of spring vineyards. It was here that I found the Amazing Roasted Lemon & Vegetable Cups. They were so tasty that I ate two of them, and then beckoned the BBQ chef over to ask how he created them:

1) Cut lemon in half. Scoop out pulp. Cut off bottom to create small flat cups.
2) Roast lemon cups in oven for 5 minutes on 450 to eliminate tart taste.
3) Stuff with cut up pieces of following vegetables: marinated artichoke heart pieces, black olives, red tomatoes – all sautéed briefly in olive oil, garlic, and salt.
4) Top with creamy goat cheese (alternative: cream cheese).
5) Bake in 350 oven for 20 minutes

Porseleinberg – The Hilltop Chicken Winery

After lunch, we drove on rough red dirt roads through wheat fields for around 20 minutes until we crested a hill to arrive at Porseleinberg Winery. This looked like a dilapidated farm with small outbuildings and many chickens running around. As soon as we arrived, a huge grey cloud approached and we were drenched in a spring rainstorm.

We hosted umbrellas and ran into the small stucco building were winemaker, Callie Loew, offered us a tasting of his famous Porseleinberg Syrah – the only wine produced here. It is composed of pure fruit, very streamlined, with well-balanced acid, fruit and tannins, and a long finish. As we were tasting, a chicken ran into the building and got trapped against a large picture window. Callie bent down to pick up the chicken and cradle it in his arms as he continued to describe the wine. I felt that we were truly in the “renegade arena of the Swartland Wine Revolutionaries.” A very fun and memorable visit.

Tasting with 10 Swartland Winemakers at Mullineux Winery

We left Porseleinberg with only a few raindrops following and slowly made our way to Mullineux Winery in the small and charming town of Riebeek Kasteel. This is a picture perfect wine tourist town with an historic hotel and beautiful vineyard and mountain scenery. I would definitely return and stay here again in the future. The tasting of the Swartland producers, and especially Mullineux Family Wines, in the center of town, was excellent. Here I was especially impressed with the red wines, including complex mineral-laden syrahs and fruity malbecs.

Constantia Wine Tasting & Lunch at Steenberg Estate, South Africa

2012-11-01T09:48:00.000-07:00

Sept. 27, 2012 - After walking through the beautiful vineyards at Cape Point, we discovered that the fuel pump of our transport van had gone out. Therefore we were delayed for almost an hour before back-up transport arrived so we could continue our trip to Steenberg Winery in Constantia.

Fortunately Constantia, which is really a suberb of Capetown, was only a 20 minute drive from Cape Point Winery. As we drove the clouds descended and it started to rain. The tasting included six producers from Constantia, which is the oldest wine growing region in South Africa and boasts the legendary wine called Klein Constantia. This is a late harvest non-botrytis wine made from the Muscat de Frontignan grape and sells for $50 for a 500 liter hand-blown glass bottle made in Italy (see photo). We had the 2007 and it was delicious with sweet apricot fruit on nose and palate, a cleansing acidity, and long finish.

The tasting included around 20 wines from Constantia, and in this region I was very impressed with the chardonnays, Chenin blancs and of course, the famous Klein Constantia.

Lunch was a grand affair at the public Restaurant at Steenberg Estate where we had a three course lunch that didn’t end until close to five o’clock. The food, wine, service, and view were excellent, and I would definitely return here again on a future trip. It started with a fried South African Soft-Shelled Crab with the Steenberg Brut of Pinot Noir. The main course was beef filet with 2008 Eagle’s Crest Merlot. Dessert was a mixed assortment of chocolates and petit fours artistically presented on a long board.

Platter’s Tasting of 5-Star South African Wines

We left Constantia in the pouring rain and returned to our hotel for a short rest. At 6:15 we boarded the bus again and headed to a wine bar called French Toast where they had reserved the second floor for a tasting of South Africa’s top 5 star wines for the past 3 decades.

It was a fascinating tasting consisting of 24 wines from the 1970’s, 80s, 90’s and 2000s, of which 7 were white and the remaining 14 were red. It was impossible to select a favorite as they all were exceptional.

Cape Point Winery & Chapman’s Peak, South Africa

2012-10-29T12:30:00.002-07:00

Thursday, Sept. 27 – I awoke to sunshine, which was nice because we were driving to Cape Point that morning. The winding mountain road from downtown Capetown to the ocean road passing along the large rock buttresses of the 12 Apostles was breathtaking. As we passed Clifton beaches number 4 and 5, our leader explained that these are the most famous as more celebreties can be found at these two white sand areas than the other three.

Chapman’s Peak – Famous View of Capetown

After driving about 30 minutes along the winding ocean view road, the van stopped at Chapman’s Peak Lookout (see photo above). This is a world-famous view of the surging waves, cliffs, unique mountain formations and Capetown with its beaches in the distance. After a group photo, we continued down the narrow cliff road – which reminded me very much of Highway 1 along Big Sur in California – until we came to the town of Noordhoek, which is known for its long white beach known for surfing.

Cape Point Vineyards

In addition to surfing, Noordhoek is also known as the home of Cape Point Winery, the southern most winery in the Cape area. It should be noted that Cape Point is not really the most southern tip of Africa, as many people believe. That point is about a 3 hour drive south from Capetown and is where the cold Atlantic and warm Indian oceans meet.

Cape Point Winery is situated in the foothills above Noordhoek with a sweeping view of the ocean and beach below. Their motto is “surf and wine,” and their hillside vineyards are a good example of extreme viticulture because the vines are battered by “southeasterners” – rough wind and salt-laden rain. This causes the skins to toughen up, creating more flavor and character in the wine. They only grow sauvignon blanc, semillion and chardonnay. Duncan, the winemaker said they planted pinot noir, but it did not fair well in the rough environment.

Production is 30,000 cases, but this includes a negotiant brand called “Splattered Toad” – rather clever name. ( I accidently called it “Squished Frog.”) They source the grapes from other places around the Cape. The wine is named after the leopard frogs that congregate in the evenings outside the front gate of the winery. It is a sauvignon blanc and is fresh, approachable with an herbal nose, lime on the palate and a semi-sweet finish.

We tasted through 8 wines, and I was most impressed by the 2010 and 2011 sauvignon/semillon blends. Earlier vintages had a lot of the green herbal charactertistics that are popular in South Africa, but the later vintages were perfumed with floral, grapefruit and even some pineapple notes. My favorite was the 2010 Cape Point Reserve which was a 90% sauvignon blanc and 10% semillion blend aged in 600 liter neutral barrel for 14 months. It has a ripe pineapple/grapefruit nose with lemon the palate and a crisp acid with very long finish. Other favorites were the 2010 Cape Point Isliedh Vineyard and the 2011 Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc.

The “Dribble Test” for Wine Acid Levels

While there, one British MW showed us the “dribble test” which he uses to determine the acid level of a wine. You taste the wine, spit it out, then lean over and see how much “dribble” come out of your mouth. The more dribble, the higher the acid. An interesting party trick.

Use of Amphora at Cape Point Vineyards

Duncan primarily ferments his wines in stainless steel and 600 liter barrels, but recently he has added amphora made of South African clay. It is necessary to place the amphora in a refrigerated crates to maintain cooler temperatures. In general, he inoculates with commercial yeast, and will use battonage if the acids are very high and the wine needs more texture.

The Hillside Vineyards of Cape Point

After the tasting, we drove to the vineyard blocks to learn about farming practices. The soil is a mixture of sandstone and clay. Average temperature in summer is only 21 (70 F), so it is quite a cool climate. They have 20 hectares of vineyards that were planted in 2000 on 8 x 4 spacing. They use a short VSP trellis, which is spur pruned with double cordon and a kicker cane on the sauvignon blanc to help deflect vigor. De-leafing is performed to insure the clusters get enough sun and heat to prevent green notes in the wine. Tonnage averages 4.5 per hectare.

Sustainable farming is used with some Round-up applied to combat weeds. Rocks are also placed under the vines to help keep them warm. Fava beans and mustard are planted as cover crops, and there were plenty of spring flowers to be seen. They do not have baboons in the vineyard here, but a leopard was recently sighted in a neighboring vineyard. The main pests are beetles and mealy. Birds are not a threat so they don’t need to net the vines.

One-Day Safari to Inverdoorn in the Great Karoo Desert of South Africa and Dance Party at the Bungalow

2012-10-21T15:47:00.000-07:00

Sept. 2012 - I set my alarm for 6am so I had time to dress quickly, wolf down a fast breakfast at the buffet that opened at 6:30am (I was the first one there), and board a van at 6:40 to drive the 2.5 hours to Inverdoorn Game Park in the Great Karoo Desert of South Africa. The day dawned grey and cloudy, and as we drove it started to rain, but 74- year old Stanley, the van driver, told us not to worry, because as soon as we left Capetown and crossed the mountains into the desert, the sun would shine.

My only other companion on the van was a woman from Japan who was taking a two-week vacation from her job as a schoolteacher in Australia. We got to know each other quite well by the end of the trip, and I was very glad to have such a positive and adventurous companion. She actually travels all over the world by herself and hopes to retire in South America.

As we drove through the vineyards of Paarl, Stanley kept us regaled with stories of South Africa. He described how the region of Paarl received its name from two large rock formations in the valley that look like pearls when it rains. Stanley was a native South African but of Malay decent, and an extremely extroverted driver who talked constantly and near went off the road several times. He seemed to have a fetish for baboons, and continually reminded us that the baboons were watching us from the rocks. He pointed at the signs warning people not to feed baboons, and said they often surround picnickers scavenging for food.

South Africa in the Spring Time

Eventually we passed through the mountains and burst forth into a wide valley where the sun shone down between the clouds like rays streaming from heaven. As we continued to drive the land became flatter and we passed pear orchards in full bloom, vineyards with pale green leaves, and many chicken farms. In the distance we saw snow on the mountains, and passed a field with of grazing cows filled with purple flowers, and three magnificent South African blue cranes.

We stopped in the small town of Ceres for a 10-minute coffee break, and then continued until the pavement ended, and we drove the last 22 kilometers on a bumpy dirt road where we had to swerve to miss the many turtles crossing the red dirt. The landscape all around us reminded me of Arizona in the springtime, with bushes that looked like sagebrush and small flowers dotting the landscape.

Arriving at Inverdoon Safari Resort

We arrived at Inverdoon around 10:15, entering through its impressive white stucco gates to the main complex with lodging, restaurants, and small gift shop. The day was now bright blue and sunny with the temperature reaching 80 F by early afternoon. We were greeted and offered coffee and a quick break before our guide – a young college student studying nature conservancy and using the job as his university practical – motioned for us to climb aboard the open-topped Range Rover.

Animals Sighted on Our One-Day Safari at Inverdoon

Our guide reminded us that all of the animals were wild with the exception of the cheetahs that they raise there for conservation. He carried a gun with him and warned us not to make loud noises or lean out of the vehicle. As we entered the reserve we saw a large sign warning poachers that the rhinos had poisoned horns. This was done to protect them because poachers do not receive money for rhino horns that are treated this way. Our guide told us that since January of this year, poachers have already killed more than 350 rhinos. Very sad.

We immediately saw a group of springbok by a pond, and then a family of ostriches running along the road with 3 foot tall babies that had only been born 2 weeks ago. Next we saw oryx and other types of deer, before stealthily seeking out the lions. We could only see them from a distance, but there were a large male and two female lions. They were so magnificent and large in the wild – quite different from seeing them in a zoo back home. Next we encountered the three rhinos on the preserve resting together. Apparently the mother and daughter will stay together for life. The male was only 10 years old, and our guide said they didn’t mate until they were 15, and that most lived 50 to 60 years.

Right near the rhinos was a herd of zebras and two had babies. They were adorable trying to get milk from their mothers. Ostriches intermingled with the zebras, and it was an interesting site to see.

As we drove further into the preserve, we came across a group of giraffe. Since there were not other predators around, our guide told us we could climb down off the Range Rover and try to walk closer to the giraffes. We did, and it was pretty amazing to track them, watch them run away, and then eventually let us get close enough to take some photos (see video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw7GhtgwAGo&feature=plcp). Back in the truck, we saw African antelope, wildebeest, and a jackal slinking across the desert.

The Most Dangerous Animal in Africa – The Hippopotamus

As we approached a very large pond, we saw a fish eagle soaring by, and then stopped to wait for the hippopotamus. Unfortunately they never did surface from the pond, so we didn’t get to see them. Our guide said that more people are killed each year in Africa by hippos than by any other animal. This is because people wash their clothes in the rivers or ponds and don’t see the hippos that either bite them or step on them.

I had an MW tell me a horrible story at a bar one evening about a hippo encounter. He said his cleaning lady was originally from Zimbabwe, and that she and two of her female friends swam across the river at night to escape the war in Zimbabwe and to flee into South Africa. Half way across the river, a crocodile bit one of her friends. She and the other lady helped their friend to shore, and then she went to get help. When she returned the next morning, one lady had bled to death from the crocodile bite and the other had been stomped to death by a hippopotamus, because they had accidently slept in the hippo’s track to the river.

What Are The Big 5?

I had heard the term “Big 5” several times since I arrived in South Africa, but I didn’t know what it meant, so I asked our guide. He said the Big 5 were named because they were the most 5 most dangerous animals when settlers first came to South Africa. The Big 5 are: lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and cape buffalo. All five will hunt man to kill. Apparently the lion will roar first, the leopard hisses and scratches its front paws on ground, the rhino turns back it ears, and the elephant will trumpet before attacking. But the cape buffalo will hide in the bush all day and never make a sound before charging to the kill. Therefore the cape buffalo is considered to be the most dangerous of the Big 5.

So we ended up only seeing two of the Big 5 -- the lion and rhino. Our guide explained that the leopards stay in mountains, the cape buffalos were hiding in the bush, and the elephants would not be on the reserve until October. All five of these animals are native to South Africa, but some were pushed out, and were now being reintroduced.

Lunch with the Cheetahs and the Long Drive Home

On the way back, we stopped at the Cheetah Conservation Center and we able to see these animals up close. They are being bred to be released into the wild. At lunch, we were allowed to pet a cheetah that was on a leash with its trainer.

The food was very good with many native African dishes including ground beef with vegetables, chicken with potatoes, fried aubergine, vegetables, and a flan-like pudding for dessert.

After lunch I wandered over to the pool and sat in the sun for a short time. It was difficult to leave the warm sun of the desert and drive back to rainy Capetown. We took a short nap in the back of the van, and woke up as Stanley was zigzagging through towering grey mountains shrouded in fog with nightmarish drops to a yellow river hundreds of feet below down a sheer cliff. A Brazilian couple that had stayed overnight at the preserve came back with us, and they were sitting in front cautioning Stanley to drive carefully. It was a hair-raising road, and Stanley continually pointed and chuckled at the many baboons we passed sitting on rocks and starring at us, or running along the roadside with their babies.

Chenin Blanc Tasting and Dancing at the Bungalow

Eventually we made it back to Capetown around 4:30, descending back into the rain and clouds. I asked them to drop me at the Convention Center and went in for another hour to taste some wines. At 5:30, I went back to the hotel to clean up a bit, and then attended an excellent Chenin Blanc tasting. All of the wines were excellent in my opinion. South Africa has a jewel in its Chenin blancs. There were a variety of styles – bone dry and refreshing, semi-sweet, wooded with creamy malolactic and similar to chardonnay, as well as rich sweet dessert chenins. That evening the wines I enjoyed the most were produced by: Jean Daniel, Mulderbosh, Simonsig, Ken Forrester, Debos, and Cederberg.

Afterwards we went to the DGB Born in Africa Bash at the Bungalow on the ocean. This was a very fun party where everyone had to change into rubber boots for dancing. The food was plentiful and tasty including fresh oysters with sparkling wine, shrimp, sausages with pinotage, and many other appetizers and deserts. A face-painter circulated through the crowds painting dots of flowers and other designs on people’s faces, including mine.

In the corner, a foot-stomping African band was playing complete with multiple drums and even a saxophone. Very talented dancers performed (see photo), and they encouraged all of us to dance with our rubber boots (see videos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=668hgQpvA40&feature=relmfu/ and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI5W2hQGlZM&feature=relmfu/)

I had a wonderful time at this party, and couldn’t understand where I got all of my energy considered I had been on safari all day. However, when someone suggested we go to a second party, I said yes, and we headed to the Cape Grace Hotel for the Grape Minds After Party, where there was even better wine and more dancing. I finally got back to my hotel room around 1am, but heard that many others didn’t return until around 3 in the morning. This was my favorite day in South Africa.

Capewine Conference and Reception at Clifton Villa, South Africa

2012-10-14T16:05:00.000-07:00

Sept. 25 & 26 – Tuesday morning was nice because I finally had a little time to sleep in before walking across the street from the Cullinan Hotel to the Capetown Conference Center. Capewine, held once every two years, was scheduled here for the next three days. Our schedules were flexible, and many MW’s had pre-arranged meetings with trade people to taste and negotiate wine purchases. Those of us in wine education and journalism, however, were free to wander through the exhibit hall and attend the many wine seminars.

Overview of South African Wine Stats

I attended the welcome seminar where statistics on the South African wine industry were provided, including the fact that South Africa is currently the 8th largest wine producer in world. The first harvest and crush took place in 1659, seven years after the Dutch arrived in the area in 1652. Today there are more than 650 wineries and over 3500 vineyards, and South Africa exports 53% of wine. Signature grape varietals include chenin blanc and pinotage.

South Africa is considered by some to be a fifth BRIC country – countries like Brazil, Russia, India, and China with huge work forces and the opportunity to achieve large economic gains in the next 50 years. Therefore some have added an “S” to “BRICS” to designate South Africa in this grouping. Indeed one speaker compared South Africa to a sleeping giant, and in a similar position to China in the 1970s before they took the world by storm with their manufacturing expertise.

I was interested to learn that South Africa is ranked 3rd in the world when it comes to financial competence, and was one of the few countries unmarred by the global recession. Apparently its banks are very conservative. In terms of wine, however, they believe they have a way to go, and need to create a wine drinking culture within their own country, which traditionally has drank brandy and spirits.

Other speakers described investment opportunities within the wine industry, including the former owner of Screaming Eagle who has purchased Mulderbash and Fable Wineries, and the CEO of Acccolade Wines (formerly Constellation International) who now owns the Flagstone brand in South Africa with plans to launch in the US market. For further information on South African wine and statistics, see www.wosa.org.

Great Seminar on Premium Wines of South Africa

I also attended a seminar where we tasted the six top premium wines in South Africa – all which have won numerous awards and competitions. Following is the list illustrating retail price points.

• The Stork 2008 Syrah, Stellenbosch ($70)
• Caldera 2010 Rhone Blend Swartland ($17)
• Ernie Els 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon ($36)
• 2009 Spier 5 Creative Block Bordeaux Blend ($18)
• 2004 Simosing Cape Blend ($25)
• 2010 Flagstone Pinotage Reserve ($110)

Spier Winery, Established 1692

My favorite from the above list was the 2009 Spier 5 Creative Block Bordeaux Blend ($18). I was so impressed by this wine and the amazing price point that I went in search of the winemaker to learn how the wine was made. He told me the grapes were all handpicked and sorted by varietal and lot, then went through a 3-day cold soak. Natural and commercial yeast fermentation in a combination of stainless and one ton vats. Delestage on tanks and hand punch down on vats. Fermentation temperature at 24 – 26 C for 12-14 days, then three-week extended maceration. Aged in 60 – 70% new French oak for 16 – 18 months. Blended 2 to 3 months before bottling and put back in barrel for flavor marriage. A lot of work for a wine that sells for only $18!

It turns out that Spier is one of the oldest wineries in South Africa, established in 1692. They also have multiple product lines ranging from everyday drinking wines of less than $10 and a cult wine that sells for over $100. For my money, I will seek out the $18 Creative Block – a seamless and beautifully complex wine.

Sunset Reception at Clifton Villa Overlooking Ocean

Later we dressed for the evening and boarded the van to drive about twenty minutes to the suburb of Clifton situated on cliffs overlooking the ocean. The drive itself was spectacular as the day had been sunny with clear blue skies, and the sun was starting to set as we passed by Table Mountain and wound our way down the hill towards the indigo ocean with frothy white waves.

It was a very elegant reception hosted by four high-end wineries. In addition to our MW crowd, a group of international sommeliers was also invited. As we entered we were each handed a glass of South African bubbly and then invited to watch the sunset over the infinity swimming pool that appeared to melt into the ocean. A violin and guitar duet played in the corner, and circulating waiters served small appetizers.

All the wines were excellent, but my favorite was the Ernie Fels Auction wine – a big complex red blend with a very long finish. Later in the evening we had a tour of the private art collection at the villa before heading back to the hotel.