Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

I might be temporarily abstaining from wine on school nights (due to lent) but that doesn’t mean that I can’t continue to talk about the wines that I have already tasted.    This wine, like the Passion Has Red Lips, also falls into the Tip O’Neil Corollary territory and I was lucky enough to get to taste it when the rep came into the store.

The Chono wines are  associated with a wine I discussed a while ago… say, in the Fall of 2008, the Palin Syrah, which are both distributed by GeoWines.  I always like Chilean Carménère because it reminds me of my wine history. Carménère is the lost grape of Bordeaux where it was used to enhance the flavors of the other noble grapes of the region, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot and Merlot.  After Phylloxera destroyed most of the vineyards in the region, it was believed that Carménère was all but wiped out.  In 1994, an oenologist discovered that a variety of Merlot in Chile that tended to ripen faster was in fact the long, lost grape.  They were interplanted with Merlot which they resemble and accounted for a  large percentage of the grapes produced.  It turns out that Chilean winemaking owed more to France than Spain as one might have expected.

I have also learned that there were so many Carménère grapes produced that they were often used in the production of Pisco and Aguardiente.

The Carménère is produced in the Maipo River Valley of Chile which is in the heart of the most productive vineyards in the country and relatively close to Santiago. The grapes are picked in the second week of May are macerated in stainless steel and then partially aged in oak.  My first sip gave me a smokey taste of dark fruit. The second sip after a few minutes allowed the wine to open up and become smoother and fuller with more of an emphasis on black cherries and less on the smoke.  Clearly, a wine to let breathe a moment or two.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

I don’t think it is news to anyone that I love wine. Ok. Stop laughing already. I SAID it wouldn’t be news. And as much as I love local wine, I love trying wine from all over the world. Is this inconsistent with my locapour ways? Not at all… I refer to it as the Tip O’Neil Corollary, when speaking of politics, Speaker O’Neil once famously pointed out that “All politics are local”. And I believe that the same holds true with wine. It is local to somebody.

when I got a chance to try some wine from the “local” vineyards of the Clare Valley of Australia, I naturally jumped at the chance.

The wine is produced by Some Young Punks. Already, you know that I was enjoying this. Their name alone, indicates to me that while they love their wine, they don’t take themselves too seriously. The wine was the 2007 Passion Has Red Lips which was a Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blend. I thought it was earthy, almost leathery. 1500 cases were produced. The artwork was taken from an old pulp fiction novel, Sin On Wheels.

I am hoping to find more of it soon.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

The answer is neither. Snipes Mountain is named after an early pioneer to Yakima, Ben Snipes, who built a house at the base of the mountain and established a cattle ranch in the 1850s. The viticultural area is a subset of both the Columbia Valley and Yakima Valley AVAs and is unique due to the existence of rocky aridisols which contain gravel deposits that range in size from that of a fist to melons. The appellation is in the rain shadow of the Cascade Mountains which deprives the region of precipitation and yet lies in the ancient river bed of the Columbia River. The AVA includes Snipes Mountain as well as nearby Harrison Hill and can be located between the towns of Sunnyside and Granger, Washington.

Vineyards were initially planted on the mountain beginning in 1914. Only one winery is currently in operation in the AVA, but other vineyards exist supplies grapes to other wineries. The appellation is one of the smallest in the state with only 4,145 acres in total area of which only 535 are in production.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

For my next installment of Lists for Locapours I am going to tell you about a Chicago restaurant that includes local wines on their list. Naturally, you would assume that this restaurant is of a lower quality.

You would be wrong.

Charlie Trotter’s even has a page on his website dedicated to American wines, stating:
“….By 2001, there were licensed wineries in all 50 states. All these producers have great pride in what they’re cultivating. Thus far, the results are good, with incredible potential in the years to come…..we invite you to enjoy our ongoing search for the quintessential wine produced in each of the 50 states, either from European and native North American grape varieties, or from other fruits. They may be red or white, dry or sweet. This chapter, like winemaking in North America , is a work in progress, and evolution. The search will continue as we cross borders and venture into Canada and Mexico .”
Some of the wines that are included on this list are:

1994 Lynfred Cabernet Sauvignon, from Roselle, Illinois… We have been there!
Hopkins Vineyard Cabernet Franc, Western Connecticut Highlands (VinoVerve has been there!)
Cedar Creek “Semidry” Vidal, Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin (VV has been there but I forgot to post it… ugh! But I will soon)
2003 Sakonnet Vidal Blanc, Southeastern New England (from Rhode Island, and yes… we’ve been there!)

So, remember, the next time someone tells you that there are no decent local wines, and they certainly don’t pair in a fine dining environment remind them that Charlie Trotter disagrees.

Viva the Locapour, Charlie!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

(Editor’s Note: This is another in my on-going explorations of the AVAs in Washington State. Unfortunately, writing all of these posts at the same time has re-ignited my college years love of freaky titles. I apologize in advance.)

The Wahluke Slope is another small AVA located within the Columbia Valley. Established in 2005, it is known primarily for producing Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon and is known as the warmest grape growing region in the State of Washington. Additionally, it is the only appellation that is a single geological landform. It is cradle by the Columbia River and protected by the presence of the Saddle Mountains to the north, but was formed when the Great Missoula Floods tore through ice dams at the end of the last ice age creating an alluvial fan of fine basaltic silt over a short period of time.

In terms of more modern disasters, the AVA is located across the Columbia from the Hanford Site, a decommissioned US DOE nuclear research facility. To the west is the Yakima Firing Range.

The appellation is home to more than 20 vineyards operated by wineries outside of the AVA. There are three wineries operating within the appellation as well.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

I hate this time of year. I can’t hit the road and explore the way I would like to as there are too many things going on here. (Birthdays, Superbowls, etc.) So, instead? I make plans and dream of hitting the road.

And with a trip to Washington State coming up at the end of the June that gives me some time to think about where I will be going. Washington is full of viticultural areas that are mostly part of the larger Columbia Valley AVA. I am working on exploring the smaller viticultural areas first.. and began with Walla Walla since that is where I will be visiting.

This time, I am exploring the Yakima Valley. Years ago, Kevin and I drove around parts of Washington State and got pretty close to Yakima. It was an amazing place. Highly irrigated, the area is a fruit belt. Orchards of apples, peaches and even a town called Apricot (which we passed). The rest of the area not being irrigated looks like a moonscape. It is dry and desolate and I was amazed by the difference between the lush valleys and bleak hills.

That being said, the area is home to nearly 50 wineries and has cultivated wine grapes since 1869. The main varietals planted are Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Lemberger, Sangiovese, Malbec, Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillion, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Pinot Gris and Viognier.

Hopefully, I will be able see some of these wineries on my trip west. Oh, and like my map of of the Central Delaware Valley AVA, I find a recognizable shape in this map. Instead of a dragon, today, I see a whale. In fact, given that I grew up on the East Coast, I see Fudgie The Whale, the beloved ice cream cake shape from Carvel. I won’t test this theory by inverting the shape to see if I can identify the equally beloved Cookie Puss. But you East Coasters will understand my drift….

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

Despite my recent diatribe about the cloyingly sweet and nasty wine from my youth (pronounced ‘yute’ in my best “My Cousin Vinny” manner) I have largely been irritated with people who sneer at any sweet wine.

When did sweet become bad? Our bodies are designed to find sweet appealing. Indeed, almost universally, sweetness has been associated with pleasure. Yet, when it comes to wine sweet has become synonymous with inferiority. But are sweet wines really inferior?

The answer is simple. Like everything else, it depends. Are you drinking Ripple or Canei? Or Chateau d’Yquem?

They all are sweet. Only one is quality wine. Can you guess which?

Ripple and related brands were an outgrowth of Prohibition which led to binge drinking as entertainment (just proof that so-called adults can’t resist snubbing their nose at authority any more than teenagers can). High alcohol fortified wines were produced cheaply and sold relatively (by bootlegging standards) so. Unfortunately, after Prohibition was over, they became the wine standard in the U.S. Because they were inexpensive, they became associated with the poor, the underaged and college students…  Wine for people looking for a buzz.

German and Alsatian wines were as varied as any other wine became painted with the “cheap and inferior” label due to the proliferation and marketing of low-quality mass produced wines such as Liebfraumilch (which itself was a venerable German wine produced by the vineyards of the Church of Our Lady in Worms who’s reputation was destroyed by association).

Riesling, Muller-Thurgau, Gewurtztraminer all came to be seen as varietals that produced low quality, sweet wines. Do they deserve this reputation? It depends. The German government has changed their standards that designate what a quality wine is. They measure potential alcohol which is a measure of sugar. This does NOT necessarily translate into sweetness. Wines with balanced acid contents may even be perceived of as “dry”. And these new German wines have become very popular.

Too often I have heard people who claim to love wine turn their nose at wines with any lingering sweetness. Why? I suppose because it is not currently in vogue. But this is not always been the case. As for the other sweet wines? Ports, sherries, sauternes, tokaj’s, passito.. These can all be high quality wines who’s merits shouldn’t be judged by its sweetness.

So you don’t like sweet wine? Ok. Drink what you like. You will get no complaint from me. Particularly since you are leaving more of these jewels for me. I will try not to be too smug while you regale me with tales of things that you WON’T even try. After all, you left more for me to enjoy. But don’t denigrate their quality because of your personal opinion.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

When I was driving out east for my Grandmother’s birthday last year (can you believe she is 102 already!), I passed all sorts of signs for wineries…

Unfortunately my timing was awful and I didn’t get to visit any in Maryland. I am working on rectifying this in the future and have started mapping out AVAs and wineries.. ok. mostly AVAs.

I was ridiculously close to this AVA and am now annoyed that I missed it.  The Linganore AVA was established August 18, 1983 and contains portions of Frederick and Carroll Counties.  There are 57,600 acres in the area which is part of the Piedmont Plateau northwest of Charm City (Baltimore to the rest of you).

There are 4 wineries in the AVA:

• Linganore Winecellars at Berrywine Plantations
• Loew Vineyards
• Black Ankle Vineyards
• Elk Run Vineyards

Frankly, if I had known that I was that close to Black Ankle, I would have veered off the road in a heart beat.  I have had their wine before and it is great!  Maybe for Nanny’s 103rd!

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

As I mentioned a while ago, the Calistoga AVA was finally approved after years of negotiations. When the final description was published in the Federal Register and I got right to the mapping of the area (ok, I took some time getting to it).

But here it is! The AVA is located between St. Helena to the southeast and Kellogg on the northwest and is centered around the town of Calistoga.

As always, these maps are done to the best of my puny abilities as a geography nerd and should not be used for land speculation or navigation purposes.

Powered by Bookmarkify™

Gretchen Neuman
VinoVerve Editor

So you want to try a local wine and don’t know where to go in Chicago to get it? (And I am using Chicago because that is where I live… if YOU find a restaurant wine list that includes local selections email me at gretchen@vinoverve dot com and I will include it in my links….

But this week, I am starting off with a restaurant that is known for its excellent wine.

Bin 36 recently featured these American wines including one from the Upper Mississippi River Valley AVA.

All American Whites
12.35
These domestic beauties are worth raising a flag over. Each of these unique wines express individuality, great purity of flavor and distinctive personality. Explore these compelling wines and get patriotic!

6 oz | 2.5 oz

BIN 17

8.65 / 3.60
2007 Chardonnay, Gruet Winery, New Mexico
Skillfully balanced with bright fresh apple, pear and citrus notes accented with vivid minerality.

BIN 18
7.50 / 3.15
2007 Pinot Gris, Wallace Brook Cellars (Adelsheim), Wilamette Valley, Oregon
Medium bodied, balanced and round with juicy apples and stoney minerals.

BIN 19
9.00 / 3.75
2008 Seyval, Wollersheim Winery, “Prarie Fume,” Prarie du Sac, Wisconsin
This French-American hybrid is widely grown in the eastern United States, the midwest, England and northern France. This lively, juicy expression delivers notes of grapefruit, lime and grassy flavors similar to a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

BIN 20
7.75 / 3.20
2007 Gewurztraminer, Pacific Rim (Bonny Doon), Washington/Oregon
Classic floral nose with fresh juicy flavors of apple, lychee and minerals.

Powered by Bookmarkify™