by Margaret Swaine | Apr 1, 2003
I confess to years of extolling the virtues of Austrian wines in my columns. In fact I’ve travelled to Austria so many times that a former Austrian Consul General once quipped that he was going to make me an honorary Austrian citizen. There’s Vienna for opera, dance and music. Salzburg for Mozart. And…
As often as I can I go to Austria to ski. Lech far in the Alps is my favourite spot. It’s a snazzy little town high up the mountains where the scenery is gorgeous, the food generally delicious whether it’s pork hock, liver dumpling soup or fancy haute cuisine. It’s the wide choice of Austrian wines however that clinches it for me. A lot of English and American tourists frequent the hotels I stay in and they like wine but don’t know where to begin when faced with a predominately Austrian wine list. I end up an ambassador to Austrian wines – a stand in sommelier to advise people what to drink. I do so because I can’t bear to see the tourists missing out on such great wine because of simple ignorance. But you can’t blame them for being stymied when it comes to Austrian wine.
In a wine producing country no bigger than Rioja or the Loire with less than 1% of the world production, there are 40,000 wine makers of which over 6,500 produce bottled wines. Within the four federal states there are 16 wine regions, often quite tiny, each producing dozens and dozens of different wine types – according to vineyards, sugar levels, grape varieties and so forth. There are 21 officially recognized white grape varieties and 13 red divided into a myriad of quality designations. So where does a drinker begin?
First of all Austrian vineyards are largely white – 77%. And grüner veltliner represents over a third of the production (37%). Yes GV – that wonderful marvellous grape that can beat the pants off chardonnay or any other white in blind tastings.
I always drink in on the slopes – in it’s fresh, peppery, fruity form after skiing or at lunch. And in its full bodied, smooth, complex style with dinner. So it’s no wonder that Austria’s first denomination of control will feature grüner veltliner from Austria’s largest wine growing area the Weinviertel, just north of Vienna. The introduction of DAC (Districtus Austria Controllatus) has happened this year. The first DAC wines are on the market from over 400 producers. The next DAC will probably be Mittelburgenland which plans to introduce the system with the 2003 vintage. Favourite for the status is Blaufrankisch., a powerful dense long-lived red with typical regional character. Other areas are expected to follow suit.
Let’s begin the tasting. You were greeted with Schlumberger Blanc de Blanc from the Wienviertel. Robert Schlumberger who learned how to make champagne at Ruinart in France founded the company in 1842. Made in the traditional method it has 18 to 24 months in bottle on the lees and is from welschriesling grapes.
The first flight is all grüner veltliner. I remember a blind tasting I attended in Vienna in 1998 where wines from this grape handily beat out 21 top “chardonnay and company” whites such as Corton Charlemagne, Caymus, Le Montrachet, Jermann, Gaja and more. Overall winner that year was Brundlmayer Ried Lamm 1995.
GV can be traced back to the northern part of Lower Austria and remains rarely planted outside of the country, hence Austria’s true speciality. It believed to be a descendant of the traminer variety.
1. Undhof Salomon has vineyards next to the old towns of Stein and Krems with their narrow romantic streets and historic buildings (some of Austria’s oldest communities). It’s a seven generation family business. There used to be a wine tasting room open to the public in the cellar of Kloster Und, in the town of Und run by the Salomon’s but I heard it’s now closed. The region is called Kremstal and is known for gv and riesling. Kremstal is one third of the Grüner Veltliner Triumvirate Wachau-Kremstal-Kamptal. Kremstal is the transition point where the steely, mineral laden power of the Wachau meets the broad, fruit driven, expansive richness of the Kamptal. The ground is primarily of rock, granite, loess and schist. I’m a great fan of the clean purity of Salomon wines and of Bertold who used to run the Austrian Wine Marketing Board before returning to his family’s winery. The single vineyard Wieden just behind the winery produces an archetypal gv with typical peppery character.
2. Felsner: is also from Kremstal region near the town of Krems. They have the steep slopes of Lossterrassen and old vines – many as old as 45 years. This is a Kabinett level (picked at a higher sugar level and can’t be chaptalised).
3. Angerer estate has 27 acres in the Kamptal region. The winemaker Kurt Angerer is attached to tradition and terroir but does use new experimental production methods. Remember being impressed by his wines in previous years – a new star. This has been stainless steel fermented.
4. Brundlmayer is continually at the top of national and international competitions. Organic as organic as possible – natural fertilizers. Winemaker Willi Brundlmayer ferments this in 2 – 3 year old 300 litre Austrian oak, then racks into larger 25 hectolitre old casks. The soil of Ried Kaferberg is similar to that of Petrus – sandy clay – making a potent wine. The vines are old, hence concentrated, weighty wine. Kamptal district.
5. Schloss Gobelsburg. An ancient winery owned by Cistercian Monks of Stift Zwettl. (Castle first mentioned as property of Earl Hadmar of Kuenring. Various aristocratic owners kept upping the size and embellishments until last one forced the son to enter the monastery of Zwettl to bring in the whole property and incurred debts. Willi Brundlmayer and Michael Moosbrugger now involved with winemaking. Former times used grapes for alter wine. Ried Lamm is on a slight south facing slope at the foot of Heiligenstein. It’s fermented and aged in 25 hectolitre oak. Also Kamptal district.
Other White Grapes
1. Machherndl: Wine family since 1786. House dates to the 13th century. Young Erich Machherndl aims for quality naturally. Riesling from the Wachau – a beautiful and treasured region with steep, terraced vineyards overlooking the Danube. The baroque masterpiece the monastry of Melk and the walled town of Durnstein with fortress ruins on the hills. Apricot trees. Mainly whites classified into three categories of Steinfeder (light, racy), federspiel (elegant, medium bodied) and smaragd (ripe, full-bodied) based on sugar content of the must (grape juice at picking). This is a smaragd from Steinterrassen (stone terrace).
2. Tement: Manfred Tement’s winery has been called one of the best in Austria. It’s in southern Styria. This lesser known region, called Austria’s Tuscany is southwest of Vienna, bordering Slovenia. Tement aims for pure varietal character with the klassik line. He also makes impressive TBA’s from chardonnay or morillon as it is locally known.
3. Wohlmuth is also from southern Styria. Gerhard Wohlmuth was named Austria’s winemaker of the year in 2001. Family run winery since 1803.
4. Hofbauer: Family biz since 1615. From the Wienviertel in the wine town of Unterretzbach. Largest region just northwest of Vienna.
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5. Neumeister. In Straden. Was a buschenschank (aka heurige) – family run farm tavern where home grown food and wine is sold. Now a restaurant and building a guest house.
Reds Wines (first three single varietals)
1. Leth: made from Blauer Zweigelt (rotburgunder – a crossing of blaufrankish and St. Laurent created by Dr. Zweigelt in 1922 at Klosterneuburg) now the leading red variety of Austria. Gigama name to designate it’s an outstanding red only made in the best vintages. Matured 24 months in French oak barriques. Winery known as one of the top red producers. From Donauland just north west of Vienna where the historical town of Klosterneuburg is and the stunning abbey whose cornerstone was laid in 1114. Heart of loess area. Up and comer, export active – founded in 1960 and continually expanding – acquired 35hectares which is large by Austrian standards.
2. Iby: Blaufraufrankisch. (aka lemberger in Washington or limburger in Germany)Widely planted with notable high acidity. Iby grows exclusively reds on their 29 hectares. This aged in small French oak. From Mittelburgenland. Burgenland to the southeast of Vienna contains a series of low-lying lakes that are well-suited to production of dessert wine and is also the heart of red wine production in Austria.
3. Stift Klosterneuburg: St. Laurent belongs to the burgunder family and shares many of pinot noir’s characteristics (juicy fruit and relatively low in tannins). However it ripens much sooner so can be cultivated in many more places. It gets its name from Saint Laurent whose name day in August 10 around the time when St. Laurent starts to ripen. This is the classic line meant to be drunk fresh and fruity. Vineyards are 100 hectares around Vienna in Danauland.
4. Hans Moser: Family vintners since 1648 more red 65% than white producers. Recently planted shiraz. VTS is blend of cab sauv, blaufrankisch, merlot, cab franc and Zweigelt, oak aged. From Neusiedlersee in Burgenland.
5. Beisteiner. Blend of blaufrankisch (50%), Zweigelt (10%) and cab sauv (40%) aged for 18 to 24 months in big Austrian oak barrels. From Neckenmarkt in Mittelburgenland in the heart – known as blaufrankischland.
Sweeties
The first TBA was produced in 1526, the legendary Lutherwien for the Neusiedlersee in Burgenland. Today the lake is more like a swamp with lots of mosquitoes in summer. The lake doesn’t cool in the summer but in the winter gets cold – frost damage is possible. Can make icewines about 2 years out of three. The most famous sweet wine came from the town of Rust where small amounts of healthy grapes were added to grapes affected by botrytis to produce Ruster Ausbruch, similar in style to the famous Hungarian wine of Tokay. (as a matter of fact the area now known as Burgenland belonged to Hungary until 1921). The most prosperous time for Ruster Ausbruch was during the 16th and 17th centuries until the drying out of the shallow Neusiedlersee between 1865 and 1871. Alois Kracher revived the sweet wines in about 1991. Anyone who has met him would agreed his label as the crazy Austrian was well earned. He has had an enormous influence on Austrian sweet wines.
1. Hafner: In the small town of Monchhof 35 miles from Vienna on the eastern shore of Lake Neusiedl. Voted the most successful red and noble white producer in 2002. Concentrated on kosher wines – mevushal kosher.
2. Nittnaus: Forefathers laid estate 300 years ago. Have 22 hectares near Lake Neusiedl. Do reds, whites and specialty botrytis sweeties. This from muscat ottonell and welschriesling.
3. Sepp Moser: Twin brother of Lenz Moser, one of top estates. Two separate vineyard locations. Terrace out into the mountain in Kremstal and in the plain of Lake Neusiedlersee in the sunniest spot in Austria ideal for sweet wines. Fermented in 300 litre oak, matured 2½ months in oak then put in stainless.
4. Elfenhof: TBA barrique from Neusidlersee-Hugelland
5. Alfred Fischer: Founded in 1931. Bouvier a particular grape mainly found in Burgenland. Winery one of finest sweet producers. TBA.
Austria Wine Contacts:
https://www.austrianwine.com/
by Margaret Swaine | Feb 1, 2003
The mere idea of picking grapes in the dead of a Canadian winter’s night in below freezing weather may make your blood run cold. However in Canada wine aficionados reserve in advance for the privilege. Canadian icewine is so coveted and delicious people will do just about anything to get it. For some that includes leaving a warm bed, maybe even a New Year’s party, to go pick. When the temperature drops below –8 Celsius, the calls go out to those on each wineries list, to come pick henceforth. The precious bunches of grapes hanging forlornly for so long into the winter need immediate picking lest the weather warm up. Certain people do it for the money, but for others the reward is a bottle of icewine and at some wineries their name listed on the back label as a picker that year. I did it for the camaraderie but once was enough.
Canadian icewines have silenced the snicker of European vintners. They have scooped top prizes in so many international competitions that even the French have taken note (some have joined up with British Columbian and Ontario vintners to establish wineries in Canada). Beginning in 1991 when Inniskillin 1989 Vidal Icewine won the Grand Prix d’Honneur at Vinexpo in France, every year Canada’s wineries have won gold medals, top of class, even best of show in global competitions. This year Vineland Estates made history by winning the top overall award at Vinitaly’s international taste-off. The Grand Vinitaly 2003 Award is given to the winery that achieves the highest combined score in all categories. It was Vineland’s Vidal Icewine 1999 and Vidal Icewine 2000 that clinched it for them.
Canada is recognized as the world’s leading producer of icewine, a wine so challenging to make that few countries can do it authentically. The two other notable nations are Germany, the birthplace of icewine, and Austria. One can also find a smattering of icewine from places such as Luxembourg, Hungary, Switzerland and northern United States. True icewine is made from grapes that have naturally frozen on the vine. They must be hand-harvested in winter when temperatures dip to at least -8° Celsius and are immediately pressed while still frozen. The resultant syrup slowly ferments for a long time, months even. This natural method results in an icewine of finesse, complex in structure with subtle layers of honey and fruits such as apricot, peach and pineapple. The signature of a great icewine is the balance between sweetness and acidity that creates a refreshing tension on the palate.
Some warm climate areas make much paler versions of icewine by placing the grapes in freezers and later pressing the juice. Even an amateur can taste the difference. Grapes left on the vine long after they are ripe gain considerable depth of flavor. It intensifies further waiting for the deep freeze to occur as they thaw and freeze and shrivel. Sometimes they get botrytis – a noble rot responsible for the world’s best dessert wines that deepens the honey flavors.
Icewine is pricey – about sixty dollars and up a half bottle in America. Justifiably so. The volume of wine made from frozen winter grapes is as little as five to 15 percent of what those same grapes would have produced picked during regular fall harvest. There are big risks involved with leaving fruit on the vine. Bunches fall prey to hungry birds and bears, rain can cause the bad rot and wind can strip the grapes from the vines. Farmers in the Okanagan Valley, whom some would call foolhardy, had to wait until February 24, 2003 before it was cold enough to harvest the 2002 icewine crop. Many didn’t wait, preferring the safety of making a late harvest but those who did like Red Rooster, Gehringer Brothers, Summerhill and Sumac Ridge were rewarded with excellent quality.
Walter Hainle from British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley is credited with making Canada’s first commercial icewine in 1973. A German immigrant he knew what to do when the Okanagan Riesling grapes he had ordered from a grower were caught by an early frost. At the same time in Ontario a few savvy European born oenologists were making icewine as a hobby and trying to interest their bosses in it. Trials began somewhat more in earnest at Brights Winery from 1979 on but the resultant wines tended to be consumed within the winery or taken home by the owners. It took Brights until 1986 to bring a product to market. It was Walter Strehn, an Austrian immigrant who was winemaker at Pelee Island near Windsor who made the first commercial quantity of icewine in Ontario in 1983. The wine retailed for $12.50 a half bottle and so little was sold the Liquor Control Board of Ontario returned it for a refund. More appreciative markets were found in the United States were it reached prices of over $100 a bottle.
Inniskillin under Austrian Karl Kaiser and Reif Winery under German born Klaus Reif were next in Ontario to market in 1984 thanks to nets over the vines. They both had tried in 1983 but lost their entire crop to birds. Reif grabbed world attention when they shipped a bottle of 1987 vidal icewine to American Robert M. Parker, Jr. author of the Wine Advocate, arguably the most influential English language wine newsletter in the world. He included it among the best wines he had tasted in 1989. Hillebrand Winery also made icewine in 1983 but they took the coward’s route by harvesting in October, putting the grapes in cold storage and them bringing them out to freeze in December. Since the 1985 harvest they have been doing it the authentic way. In fact Canadian laws for making icewine are now the strictest in the world.
Slowly but surely every winery that could in Canada began to make icewine. Unlike in Germany, icewine temperatures are expected every year, even if it means one year’s harvest is several months into the next. It’s never possible to predict when things will get cold enough. An Artic chill could mean harvest in November or the weather could blow hot and cold. Then the harvest may end up spread over several months grasping at each cold snap as it comes along. It’s trickier in the warmer Okanagan Valley of British Columbia than Ontario’s Niagara peninsula. Never is it easy.
Now Quebec province has got into the act. Chapelle Sainte Agnès in Sutton for example planted vineyards in 1997 of riesling, vidal, gewürztraminer and other grapes precisely to focus on icewine, straw wine and late harvest. There is a tradition of ice cider in the province and while apples may be less susceptible to winter kill, the dreams are big. In the case of Chapelle Sainte Agnès they must wrap each vine individually in insulating fabric each fall. In Nova Scotia, another province with impressively cold winters, Jost Vineyards made one of the earliest icewines in 1985. Most recently Jost Vidal Icewine 1999 won wine of the year in a blind taste test against 594 wines from across Canada.
About three quarters of Canadian icewine is made from the vidal grape. Vidal is a hybrid grape remarkably good for icewine but mainly forgettable as a table wine. It’s plump, thick-skinned, resistant to disease and clings well to the stalks. The resultant icewine is rich, full bodied with flavors of ripe tropical fruit, apricot and often caramelized brown sugar. The next in importance is the riesling, more noble, refined by acidity with minerally, citrus tones to the apricot honeyed taste. Other white icewine varieties include gewürztraminer, pinot blanc, chardonnay, auxerrois and ehrenfelser. Red grapes tend to be less successful in my opinion but nonetheless the icewines made from cabernet franc, merlot and pinot noir include some that have a sweet strawberry charm such as Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Cabernet Franc. Crown Bench Estates in Niagara offers unusual flavoured icewines such as Hot Ice, which is flavoured with three kinds of hot peppers and ambrosia, which is chocolate infused icewine.
Icewines can be aged. They certainly have the sugar and the acidity to preserve them. However after about a decade they will often become quite amber in colour, losing their fruitiness as the nutty, honeyed, brown sugar tastes dominate. Most Canadian winemakers would recommend drinking their icewine within three to four years to enjoy the lively fruity intensity.
What should you serve with icewine? I find an apricot or peach flan, cobbler or crisp mirrors the flavours of the wine nicely. Certain cheeses go well like creamy blues or sharp cheddar. Of course having icewine on its own as a dessert replacement is never a mistake.
How to choose from the 80 or so Canadian wineries producing icewine and the range of grape varieties available? Generally you can’t go wrong with just about anybody’s vidal or riesling icewine which have a universally appealing flavour. That said the other varieties, particularly the more aromatic such as gewürztraminer, can be very intriguing. Wineries that roll of my tongue as consistently wonderful producers of icewines include Inniskillin, Reif, Thirty Bench, Cave Spring, Jackson-Triggs, Mission Hill, Chateau des Charmes, Royal DeMaria and Vineland Estate. But that’s just a beginning. Perhaps you should volunteer to pick. As the volume grows it’s harder for the vintners to find enough winter pickers. You’ll have a true Canadian winter experience if you do and a close encounter with one of the sweetest nectars in the world.
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1. Vineland Estates Vidal Icewine (1999 and 2000 vintage) from Niagara Peninsula in Ontario: 905-562-7088 or 1-888-846-3526 www.vineland.com
2. Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery Proprietor’s Grand Reserve Riesling Icewine 2000: 905-468-4637 www.jacksontriggswinery.com
3. Royal DeMaria Riesling Icewine 2001 and Royal de Maria Vidal Icewine 2000, from Niagara Peninsula: 905-562-6767 www.royaldemaria.com
4. Chateau des Charmes Riesling Icewine 2000, from Niagara Peninsula: 905-262-4219 www.chateaudescharmes.com
5. Thirty Bench Riesling Icewine 2000 from Niagara Peninsula: 905-563-1698 www.thirtybench.com
6. Cave Spring Riesling Icewine 2000 from Niagara Peninsula: 905-562-3581 www.cavespringcellars.com
7. Pelee Island Riesling Icewine 2000 from Pelee Island in Ontario: 519-733-6551 or 1-800-597-3533 www.peleeisland.com
8. Mission Hill Riesling Icewine 2001 from Okanagan Valley in British Columbia: 205-768-7611 www.missionhillwinery.com
Icewine Festivals:
Sun Peaks a ski resort in the Okanagan holds an annual Icewine Festival in January. Events include a “ progressive tasting” where participants stroll around the alpine village sampling icewines, late harvest and table wines from over 20 wineries, and icewine seminars, along with lift passes of course. Key in www.sunpeaksresort.com and www.TheWineFestivals.com
Ontario holds an icewine festival every year under the banner of Niagara Grape & Wine Festival Icewine Celebrations. The Xerox “Images of Winter” Icewine Evening showcases wines from Ontario’s premier wineries and features Canada’s largest tasting of icewine paired with food. Ten days of touring, tasting and special events are associated with the Icewine Touring Passport Program. Call (905) 688-0212 or visit www.grapeandwine.com.
Icewine Purchase:
Icewine Niagara is the largest distributor of icewine internationally through the internet. They ship about one thousand cases a year to the United States, clearing the product themselves through customs. The company claims that they can home deliver the icewine to Americans for less than it costs retail in the US. At the moment they represent 13 Niagara icewine producers.
by Margaret Swaine | Nov 1, 2002
A sampling of articles from my Toronto Life columns from 2002–2003.
Please click the month below to read each article.
by Margaret Swaine | Oct 1, 2002
By Margaret Swaine
1. What are some good wine accessories worth buying?
Until screwcaps become ubiquitous, the most essential is a corkscrew. There are many types, styles and price levels. The most basic is the sommelier corkscrew that looks like a pocketknife with the worm (i.e. screw that winds into the cork) and foil blade folding into its base. These are inexpensive (generally less than ten dollars) unless you go for the ultimate luxury of those hand made by Laguiole which will set you back well over $100. My favourites for ease of use are made by Screwpull. Swissmar is the distributor in Canada – to find your nearest retailer call 187-swissmar (1-877-947-7627) or visit www.swissmar.com The Teflon coated worm and brilliant design pulls the cork out as you turn the screw. The basic table models cost around $40 while the top of the line professional lever model is amazing but pricey ($200). As a result there are many copycats. The best version is by Trudeau, a Montreal based kitchenware manufacturer that spends much time and money on research for their lines. Their Trulever that sells for $100 has a snazzy design that’s cool enough to leave displayed on the kitchen counter. Wine coolers are a handy item. Vacu Vin (www.vacuvin.nl) makes Rapid Ice Coolers ($15.) in colours and fun designs that you keep in the freezer and slip over a bottle to cool wine quickly. Systems to preserve an unfinished bottle of wine are useful for those who like to enjoy a glass at a time. Vacu Vin’s Concerto wine saver ($20. – $25.) is a wine pump with a vacuum indicator that clicks when all the air is out of the bottle. Swissmar sells a duo function one that purges air or with the flip of a knob puts air into a Champagne bottle to keep the bubbles under pressure ($30 a gift set). A spritz or three into the bottle and then you can recap with its own cork. I always use Screwpull’s Champagne “Star” to easily remove corks from bottles of bubbly. To recork these type of bottles you’ll need a “champagne stopper” which seals pressure, hence the bubbles, in the bottle. To decant a port without spillage, a wine funnel is handy. Both these latter two items can be found in various designs and prices at many retailers. Trudeau makes a nifty funnel ($30.) that comes with a stand, sieve and little saucer to catch drips. Swissmar has just come out with two new stainless steel funnels with stands ($26.) If you’ve opened a bottle that turns out to be harsh and tannic, The Wine Cellar Express made by B & W Marketing can come to the rescue. By putting the bottle on this high powered magnetic coaster, in about half an hour the wine tastes silkier. Finally Wine Away ($12/6oz) is a red wine stain remover that actually works. I keep a bottle handy at home and travel with a purse size one.
2. How should I store my wine?
There are a few major principles to keep in mind. Sunlight, heat and smells are enemies of wine. Therefore look for a dark, cool and clean area for storage. That means forget the furnace room, the top of the fridge (which lets off heat) or above the stove and any windowed area where the sun can reach the bottles. Winter cloth closets with mothballs, paint storage areas, or musty cellars should also be avoided. Vibrations can also be detrimental, dry air will cause the corks to shrink as they lose moisture and rapid fluctuations in temperature will prematurely age the wine. Therefore forego the inside of the fridge (unless it’s just for a few days), the laundry room and the garage. If you are in an apartment, a closet (but not the one where you store the cleaning fluids) will be best. However if you keep your place quite warm, the wine will age faster than if it’s kept at an ideal 57 to 59 degrees (14 to 16C). In a house a basement works best as long as it’s reasonable clean and not wet or musty. Humidity however is good; around 70 per cent to 95 per cent (above that mold can set in) is ideal. If you have a serious collection, you will want to consider building a special temperature controlled wine cellar room. Professional cooling units are available that humidify as well as cool a room. Vintage Keeper (to find a dealer near you visit www.vintagekeeper.com or call 905-501-8582) is a Canadian manufacturer that sells cooling units, racking systems and prefab wine cellars all over the world. They sell thousands annually of their most popular 220-bottle wine vault ($1,595), a self-contained, refrigerated unit that plugs into an electric outlet.
3. Does the shape or type of glass matter when serving a wine?
Yes you can appreciate wine’s aromas and flavour components much more in a fine glass (with stems) appropriate to the type of wine. Georg Riedel (www.riedelcrystal.com), tenth generation of an Austrian stemware making family, has made a career of proving this point. His company produces five million lead crystal glasses a year and he travels the world to convince skeptics that the size and shape of a glass profoundly affects our perception of the wine. Riedel sells a different glass for just about every type of wine but I think that’s going too far. A few basics are all most of us need. First all glasses are best if basically clear to show off the colour of the wine, and for the optimum feel against the lips, as thin and fine as is affordable and practical. For sparkling wines a tall elongated tulip or flute shaped glass with a capacity for 8 to 12 ounces works to hold in the bubbles and concentrate the aromas on the nose. A balloon shaped glass, holding anywhere from 12 to 24 ounces will aerate red wines because of its shape and works well for burgundies, barolos and other elegant, refined wines. An oval shaped bowl that’s narrower at its mouth, with a capacity from 12 to 24 ounces, is ideal for cabernet sauvignons, merlots and other bordeaux style reds. For whites, a capacity of 10 to 12 ounces is enough in a regular tulip shape or oval. Riedel’s Vinum line (about $25 per stem) is machine made crystal hence costs less than their hand-blown ($35. to over $90.). German manufacturer Speigelau (www.spiegelau.com) makes a knock-off of the Vinum line called Vino Grande that’s about half the price and very good. Waterford Crystal (https://www.waterford.com) in their Marquis Vintage Tasting Collection has created a stylish line, well shaped for wine appreciation. NovaScotia Crystal’s mouth-blown, hand-cut line are on the heavy side for wine but my husband loves their single malt scotch glass ($83.) which can be ordered on line at www.NovaScotianCrystal.com or 1-888-977-2797.
by Margaret Swaine | Aug 1, 2002
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by Margaret Swaine | Jun 1, 2002
By Margaret Swaine
My brother Ralph’s not much of a wine drinker. Actually he’s not much of a drinker period. So when he opened a bottle of Bordeaux at my birthday dinner he and his wife Jane had cooked, I was impressed.
Now he’s a frugal sort, so we’re not talking expensive Chateau Lafite from the famous Pauillac area, but Chateau Puyfromage from Côtes de Francs on general list (#33605) for $13.95. It went just ducky with the duck they cooked.
Puyfromage happens to be one of the most popular Bordeaux wines in Ontario, selling over 6,000 cases last year. Others besides me therefore obviously agree with his taste. And French wines are by far the most popular imported wines in Canada capturing about a quarter of all wine sales, with Bordeaux a leading region. Impressive figures, considering Bordeaux’s reputation for being so costly as to be unobtainable.
My husband’s first word when I asked him for his opinion on Bordeaux wine was, expensive. That’s also what he says when I mention vacation or shopping so it puts this wine in the category of special occasions only. This is a misnomer. Just like you can get super savers buying travel and cloths, so you can with Bordeaux. While this region boasts some of the world’s classiest and most pricy wines, it also has an enormous array of well made bargains from among its 13,500 producers, including the over 7,000 chateau selling wines. The trick is to sift the good from the bad.
Bordeaux, as you can clearly deduce, is an enormous producer of wine, not only in the number of properties but also in the shear quantity. This area in the southwest of France has some of the nation’s largest estates. Even a mid-size Médoc producer with about 150 acres will make about 26,000 cases a year, more than two or three times that of a North American boutique winery.
There are 57 appellations and hundreds of classified growths – those officially ranked according to quality. I’ll tell more about the classification systems later, after I’ve simplified the region enough to remove a bit of the fear factor. Yes, the fear factor. That sinking feeling you get when confronted with a restaurants wine list, see pages of Bordeaux listed and you don’t have a clue where to begin. Usually you are only looking in this section when you want something special, which makes the task all the more daunting. In this instance call for the resident expert, namely the owner or sommelier to assist. I would and do. Even the wine pros who specialize in the region, say they can never completely master Bordeaux. First there’s the huge number of properties, the fortunes of which shift around like the sand dunes of the nearby Arcachon basin. Then there are the usual suspects namely vintage variations and changes in winemaking techniques that alter how a wine tastes from year to year.
At the LCBO too you can always ask for a consultant to help you. However for a little independence and to know something of which you talk and want, it’s good to have the Bordeaux basics down pat. These are as easy to learn as one, two, three – that is grape varieties, main regions and classifications.
Grapes
Cabernet Sauvignon and merlot are the dominant red grapes, often blended with cabernet franc. Petit verdot has a role of minor importance in some blends. The resultant red wines tend to be more structured and restrained than the New World interlopers. Flavours lean towards herbs, spices and wood and they demand a more educated palate than the ripe, sweet fruit tastes from the young nations.
Sauvignon blanc and sémillon are the two dominant white grapes, sometimes blended with muscadelle to add more aromatics. Both dry and sweet dessert wines are produced. The dry whites are aromatic, fresh and crisp. The sweet whites, among the world’s best, are rich, full flavoured and concentrated with honeyed fruit tastes.
Regions/wine groups
The 57 Bordeaux appellations can be divided into six “families” of wine: four red and two white. Each group shares similar characteristics because of the regulated blends used in production and their similar growing conditions. The Gironde estuary cuts through the middle of the region, splitting north of the city of Bordeaux into the rivers Garonne which heads southeast and Dordogne going somewhat northeast. Thus the land is neatly divided into left and right bank with the area in the middle called Entre-Deux-Mers (between the seas).
Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur are the most generic among the reds, coming from anywhere in the region, and hence offer the best price. Meant to be drunk young, they are light to medium bodied, fairly crisp, and often lean with herby fresh berry notes. Côtes de Bordeaux from the various côtes appellations dotted around, tend to be finer in quality and are light to medium bodied, fresh and quick maturing with typical Bordeaux bouquets. Some of the Côtes are Côtes de Bourg, Côtes de Castillon and Côtes de Francs.
The third grouping, the Libournais vineyards, situated on the eastern bank of the Dordogne River (hence often called right bank wines) includes the prestigious Saint-Emilion and Pomerol wine districts. The picturesque, cobble stoned town of Saint Emilion, perched on an escarpment above the Dordogne, is a tourist’s jewel crowning the region. The soil is particularly suited for merlot and hence the wines tend to be softer and fruitier than wines from the left bank. They are medium to full bodied and the best can be aged many years to bring out their full complexities. Satellite appellations include Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion, Lalande-de-Pomerol, Fronsac and Canon-Fronsac.
The Médoc and Graves “family” of wines are renowned for the stately 19th century châteaux where some of the most legendary and age-worthy wines of the world are produced. On this rather flat, plain land along the left bank of the Gironde and Garonne, vineyards are laid out in prim, perfectly aligned, densely planted rows. Graves is just south of the captivating city of Bordeaux itself, while Médoc is to the north . Cabernet Sauvignon dominates in these districts and the wines, often big, complex and full flavoured, can demand long aging to bring out their potential. Appellations within these areas include Haut-Médoc, Saint-Estèphe, Pauillac, Saint-Julien, Margaux and Pessac-Léognan.
The dry whites basically fall into two styles, either crisp and fresh or fuller bodied and aged in oak. The appellations seen most often here include Bordeaux, Graves, Entre-Deux-Mers and Pessac-Léognan. The sweet whites are produced with a majority of sémillon grape, a variety susceptible to noble rot (a beneficial fungus that concentrates flavours). The most famous region for sweets is Sauternes that makes luscious wines from classified châteaux. Barsac, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Cadillac and Cèrons are others.
Ranking the wine
The king of all the globe’s wine ranking systems comes from Bordeaux, and dates back to 1855. At the time, Bordeaux was enjoying its considerable riches as a major port for world trade. Large land holdings were crowned with chateaux (castles), many built in the previous century by the aristocracy of the day. The rich merchant class used their wealth to purchased chateaux and the vineyards surrounding. Some such as Barton and Guestier are still to this day important chateaux owners as well as negotiants. For the 1855 Paris Exhibition, Napoleon III, the Emperor of France at the time, invited Bordeaux’s wine brokers to rank the region’s top wines. After much debate, a five-tier classification was chosen ranging from Premiers Cru (First Growth) to Cinquièmes Cru (Fifth Growth). The final list consisted of 61 red wines from leading chateaux, all from Médoc with the exception of Haut-Brion which was the most prominent Graves chateau. In addition 25 highly rated sweet wines of Sauternes, Barsac and such, were ranked in three tiers (Grand First, First and Second Growths).
While no one likely intended this classification to last so long, little of it has changed to this day. Much of the mystique surrounding Bordeaux wines even now can be traced to top growths or crus classes with their elegant castles, aristocratic tone and of course high prices. The First Growths (Lafite, Latour, Margaux, Haut Brion and Mouton-Rothschild – which received the only official change when upgraded from Second to First Growth in 1973) are so long lived as to be almost immortal. However many of the classed growths have expanded their vineyards holdings since their classification, some have been ravaged by inheritance taxes, others have invested profits into better equipment and technology. Numerous now copy the Americans somewhat, aiming for riper grapes with softer, less green tannins. A lot have reduced aging in oak from three to four years down to 18 to 24 months to make the wine ready to drink earlier. For you, the consumer, this means the Médoc classification system of today can not guarantee that a wine ranked Second Growth for example, will be better than one ranked Fifth. And since price goes up with ranking, some of the best quality buys are found on the lower tiers. Bottom line – don’t fret about learning the individual classifications – you do better to follow the ranking of current wine critics on the wine.
The other systems are no less confusing. Graves was classified first in 1953 and revised in 1959 with no attempt to rank among the chosen wines. The Saint-Emilion classification, which divides into two categories, has been revised several times since first being published in 1955. The crus bourgeois, châteaux of Médoc that were not originally classified, have greatly grown in numbers over the years. This year these over 470 chateaux are being divided into a new pecking order. Some high quality properties with excellent track records are among this group.
Just know there are multi-classifications, wines will generally cost more the higher they are ranked, but quality does not necessarily correspond. However among all, even the lesser, the style is uniquely Bordeaux: with elegance, a defined structure and an herby edge rather than sweet fruit. The aesthete palate steers towards this style, the more educated it becomes. World-renowned British wine writer and critic Hugh Johnson wrote in his Pocket Wine Book 2002 about generic bordeaux “If I had to choose one simple daily wine, this would be it.”
Assuming you’re equally enthused, what do you match with it? The reds like the one my brother served, do go well with duck and equally with goose or even turkey if you have it with a savory stuffing. The chateaux I’ve visited in Médoc, often have served me lamb with their fine reds – a perfect marriage. Steak, stew and sausages are also good with the deeper, fuller Bordeaux reds. With the dry whites, shellfish, grilled fish, oysters, chicken and green vegetables, such as asparagus do well. Cheese, dessert or the classic combo foie gras, go with the sweet whites.
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This holiday season give yourself a treat, buy the best Bordeaux you can afford and start your palate on its upward journey.
Best Bets on General List
White Wines
The most popular Bordeaux whites in Ontario are Calvet Reserve (#144568, $10.95) a dry yet rounded blend of sauvignon blanc and sémillon with citrus character and the perennially popular Mouton Cadet (#2527, $12.35) which has sauvignon, sémillon and muscadelle blended in a crisp, clean style. My own top current choices are:
Chateau Bonnet Entre-Deux-Mers 2001 (83709, $12.95) produced by the fine winemaker André Lurton at his 18th century chateau, which his family acquired at the end of the 19th century. From the vast vineyards surrounding the chateau he creates a blend of 45% sauvignon blanc, 45% sémillon and rest muscadelle that has a fresh passionfruit/grapefruit bouquet and an expressive, refreshing citrus taste with a good finish.
Cordier Collection Privée Sauvignon Blanc 2001 (560235, $9.65) named after founder Desirée Cordier(1858-1940). It’s medium bodied with a crisp, fresh fruity character and tangy finish.
Red Wines
There’s a good selection of Bordeaux reds on general list, over two dozen at the moment. Among the best are:
Chateau de Cartillon 1998 (359653, $20.05), a Cru Bourgeois from Haut-Médoc it’s a blend of equal amounts of merlot, cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon with 10% petit verdot. It’s robust and generous with spiced, herby, fruity flavours and nice earthy depth. A match for meat, game or hearty meat pies and stews.
Chateau Puyfromage 2000 (33605, $13.35), a Côtes de Francs from a 1574 chateau built on a high plateau called Puy. During the 100 Years War, English troupes stationed in the plain below waited for smoke signals “from edge” of the plateau. Given a French pronunciation the words became “fromage” hence the chateau’s name. The flavours are typically goût Français of herbaceous spiced berry, medium body with no rough edges.
Chateau Canada 1999 (559468, $13.95) from the village of Cubzac-les-Ponts north of Bordeaux city, it’s a blend of 70% merlot with rest cabernet sauvignon. Aged over six months in oak, it has a herby nose and mint-berry taste with a lively structure and good concentration.
Chateau des Laurets 1999 Saint-Emilion Puisseguin (371401, $15.40), a mainly merlot blend with 14% cabernet franc and 11% cabernet sauvignon. The bouquet is a beguiling cassis berry with hints of herbs and the taste is elegant, fresh berry crispness with a dry finish.
Chateau Bonnet 1999 (99044, $15.95), majority cabernet sauvignon with 40% merlot, has a fairly full body and deep, ripe berry, herby character with spiced oak. It’s Bordeaux type-caste while expressive and supple.
Chateau de Terrefort-Quancard 1998 (145110, $15.) has its 16th century property in Cubzac-les-Ponts. Its blend of 70% merlot with cabernets sauvignon and franc is aged in oak. It has an oaky spiced berry nose and tight forest leaf flavours which need air or age to open up, but are worth the wait.
Calvet Saint-Germain 1999 (152587, $13.95) is an Entre-Deux-Mers estate that makes a pleasant, earthy berry red with a dry finish.
Chateau Guibon 1999 (559476, $12.95) a beautiful property, once owned by the Monks at Abbey La Sauve, is now part of André Lurton’s holdings. Half and half merlot and cabernet sauvignon, it’s medium light with a supple, fresh spiced fruit taste.
Chateau de la Tour 1999 (264986, $12.95) near the village of Salleboeuf is named after the ruins of a medieval castle found amongst the vines. It’s cabernet sauvignon with 42% merlot, blended to a fairly bold tangy fruit style with supple tannins, medium body and dry spiced berry finish.
Chateau de Courteillac 2000 (360552, $9.45) from a 16th century chateau in the Entre-Deux-Mers region is mainly merlot. Its minerally, leafy, ripe fruit nose carries through in the rounded berry taste, that’s very French style.
Jacques et François Lurton Merlot 1999 (456665, $9.95), the best of the solely merlot “fighting varietals”, is from the sons of André who have struck out very successfully on their own. Its smooth and easy style has a fairly ripe clean berry character.
What to Watch for in Vintages
The top classified growths and the older, great vintages, are regularly found in the Classics Catalogue. Here you’ll find the likes of Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1995, an exulted wine with a price to match (#709022, $654) but also the occasional little chateau in the $30 to $40 range. In vintages you’ll find even more of the later. It’s often among these Cru Bourgeois and petits chateaux where the best bargains are found. Chateaux like Phélan-Ségur, Sociando-Mallet, D’Angludet and Clarke-Rothschild tend to be consistently good for example. Other good deals can be found among the lesser known properties of Saint Emilion, the Pomerol satellites and Graves. This fall in vintages, for example, are two wines from the Graves estate of Chateau Roquetaillade La Grange. From the excellent 2000 vintage, are a white (240374, $13.95) and a red (193102, $18.55) both well priced with lovely typical character.
The wine’s vintage is important in Bordeaux, more than with New World wines where weather conditions tend to be more consistent. Among the recent years, the best are 1989, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2000. Finally, here are some tips about the four vintages most likely to be found for sale in Ontario today. The 1997 vintage was good but lighter and tended to be overpriced. Stocks languished and now bargains can be found as they get deeply discounted to push sales. In 1998, wines were very good, especially in Pomerol and Saint Emilion. These are a good bet to buy. The 1999 vintage saw lots of rain at harvest and to compensate, good growers had to limit yields, pick at just the right time and use new concentration methods to get rid of excess water. Pick your way thought these by checking reviews. Then the exceptional 2000 harvest came, which has been called a magic year, the best in decades and one of the top of the century. Buy it as it comes on the market.
