Archive for September, 2009:
Posted by Greg Schroeder on September 29, 2009 at 3:29 pm
From time to time we get asked this question, “I’m having trouble finding this particular wine. Any ideas of where I can find it?”
Whether the problem is a hard to find wine, a past vintage on a wine, or a wine that is sold out at your favorite store, there is one place that might be able to help - Wine-Searcher.com
WineSearcher is an online search feature that collects prices on wines being offered all over the internet into one simple location. It is THE tool that we in the wine retail industry utilize to see what wines are selling for across the country at other online retailers and how much they are.
WineSearcher comes in a free version and a paid, “professional” version. If you’re not in the wine industry the professional version may not make a whole lot of sense as you can pretty much get every functionality that you need in the free version. Both have a powerful search function that allow you to search by wine maker and wine, by vintage, and even by format. These kinds of searchers are especially good for those hard to find wines, like wines in alternative formats and past vintages of wines. Searches also allow you to link directly to the particular online retailer, and some even take you directly to the web page for the particular wine.
A few words of caution. Not all online retailers have the stock that they claim they have online, so it might be a good idea to check with the retailer to see if they truly have the inventory. Also, be aware that some retailers listed are actually auction houses who are auctioning bottles of wine using WineSearcher. For the most part these auction bottles are marked as such, but sometimes not. Remember that the prices you see are almost always without the cost of shipping, so be sure to factor in that wines purchased will need to travel from where they are to where you are – and that has a cost attached. The farther a bottle needs to travel, the more expensive it will be. And, finally, as always, if a deal looks too good to be true, it very well might be.
One final thought. While Wine Searcher is a powerful tool, nothing beats building a relationship with a retailer. There are often deals that go unseen on WineSearcher and are special offers. If you’ve developed a relationship with a retailer, often you are the very first to find these extraordinary deals.
That’s all for now. If you have any questions regarding particular wines, wineries, or the wine industry, feel free to email me any time and we’ll respond here.
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Posted by Greg Schroeder on September 29, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I’ll be honest. There are some tastings that you get invited to that are good. Then there are those that you walk away from thinking, “That was why I love being in the wine industry.” Yesterday was one of those days, as I was invited to a special tasting with Manuel Ferrer of Achaval Ferrer at Michael Mina’s restaurant XIV in Los Angeles.
The invitation came via email and promised that we would be tasting not only the current vintage of all of Achaval Ferrer’s offerings, but that we would tasting wines from their library, hand selected by Manuel for the tasting.
All I can say is that is was better than advertised.
We began our tasting with a blind tasting of three wines from three different regions in the world. After sampling Manuel asked, “Is there any of the wines that you feel quality-wise does not belong with the others?” Honestly, there was not. Each wine, one Old World and two definite New World wines were showing gorgeously. After a bit of bantering, they revealed the identity of the three wines. The first, Ornellaia. The third wine, Joseph Phelps Insignia. The second wine, you might be wondering, was Achaval Ferrer 2007 Quimera, a bottle that retails at our store for $31.98. Imagine our surprise, in a room full of wine buyers and sommeliers, that we could not differentiate between the quality and price of the wines. Brilliant. The Quimera drank just as well as the Ornellaia and the Insignia at a fraction of the price.
The rest of the tasting went something like this:
Achaval Ferrer ’08 Malbec Mendoza
Achaval Ferrer ’07 Quimera
Achaval Ferrer ’07 Finca Mirador
Achaval Ferrer ’07 Finca Bella Vista
Achaval Ferrer ’07 Finca Altamira
Achaval Ferrer ’01 Quimera
Achaval Ferrer ’02 Quimera
Achaval Ferrer ’03 Quimera
Achaval Ferrer ’03 Finca Mirador
Achaval Ferrer ’04 Finca Mirador
Achaval Ferrer ’04 Altamira
Here’s what I found in tasting all of these stunning wines. When asked what his favorite wine ever produced by Achaval Ferrer, with instantaneous ease Manuel Ferrer offered, “The 2002 Quimera. I think it is the most elegant wine we have ever produced.” Judging by the reaction of the guests, he was right on. The 2002 Quimera has an elegance that is relatively unheard of in Argentine wines. The depth of fruit and complexity is a thing of beauty. Fully integrated, the wine draws you in first with the color, a deep purple, then with the nose, a rich combination of blueberry and blackberry, and finally on the palate, a seamless delivery of fruit with a finish that went on for minutes.
Other gems of the tasting were the 2004 vintages, both the Mirador and Altamira, which are perhaps some of the best I’ve personally tasted from their single vineyard projects. The other stunner was the 2007 Bella Vista, their mid-elevation vineyard that is at the same elevation as the entire winery. Bella Vista is an exceptional vineyard, which produces very, very low yields [think 0.9 tons per acre]. Bella Vista is only done in good years, as it was not made in 2005 or 2006. It is a prize well worth finding, and the 2007 vintage is flat out exceptional.
If you are looking for a cellar-worthy Argentine wine, look no further. The Achaval Ferrer wines are well worth your interest. If you can find the 2002 Quimera, grab as many as you can. If you can find anything from the 2004 vintage, pick up a few. If you’re out of luck there, no fear… the 2007 vintage is one of the best they’ve produced in quite a bit of time. You can scan our Achaval Ferrer offerings here.
Enjoy.
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Posted by Jeffrey Hall on September 28, 2009 at 3:24 pm
Like many of you, we’re always on the hunt for a great wine at a great price. And it seems like everyone these days is trying to promote their value wine. In the sea of choices out there, how are you supposed to know what wine offers an exceptional value at a great price. Well, we think we’ve stumble across a wine that is sure to turn heads.
Last Friday, I attend a lunch with Peter de Wet from Excelsior wines, one of the oldest wineries in South Africa. Excelsior was established in 1859 and produces some of the finest value wines in the region. Here’s what we tried:
Excelsior ’08 Chardonnay [Wine Enthusiast: 86 Points] – In a world of highly oaked Chardonnays, this Chardonnay stands out as one of the more balanced offerings available at a value level. With a rich aroma of peach and orange blossoms, the palate delivers crisp green apple balanced with a smooth a creamy finish. While crisp and clean, this wine has a balanced acidity that keeps the finish from falling off. Lightly oaked, this wine is a perfect wine match for seafood.
Excelsior ’07 Paddock Shiraz [2009 Michelangelo Silver Award Winner] – While Australia is what one thinks about when you think about Shiraz, South African Shiraz is something to be reckoned with. If Australian Shiraz often seems over-extracted and one dimensional, South African Shiraz may be just the thing. Understated and extremely elegant, South Africa seems to have more in common with the Southern Rhone than its Southern Hemisphere counterpart. Excelsior’s Shiraz is a great example. Filled with deep, ripe black cherries and smoked meat, the Paddock Shiraz leads to a lengthy finish marked with gentle hints of vanilla and new oak.
Excelsior ’07 Cabernet Sauvignon [2009 Michelangelo Silver Award Winner and Wine Advocate: 86 Points] – The 2007 Cabernet is the wine that put Excelsior on the map, as it is the best selling Cabernet in South Africa. Filled with ripe blackcurrants and rich plum, the soft tannins offer a complex balance between rich fruit, toasted oak, and earth notes. Because of water stress, the vines, some of which are 20 years old or better, produce deeply concentrated berries, which in turn produce the deep color, as well as the rich fruit components.
What is most amazing about these wines is while they boast beautiful fruit characteristics, they do not break the bank at a mind-blowing $6.98 per bottle. [Yes, you read that right, $6.98 per bottle! We were a bit shocked ourselves...]
At this point the 2007 Cabernet is in stock, with the other two wines close behind. If you are looking for an exceptional value in wine, something that will astound friends and guests, this is your wine. It will seem like you’ve spent upwards of $20 on this bottle, but only you will know the truth.
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Posted by Jeffrey Hall on September 28, 2009 at 2:45 pm
In an earlier post I wrote that the recession “appears” to be over – or at least waning. Well, if the lineup of luxury cars in front of The Pacific Club in Newport Beach is a testimony – it’s officially over in my book!! Sheesh, I felt so inferior in my Toyota Hybrid Hylander. The premium cars were an obvious precursor to what was waiting for us inside.
I was one of a few lucky guests invited to taste Australia’s ‘Best of the Best’ wines. Leading the seminar and hosting the tasting was John Larchet, proprietor of The Australian Premium Wine Collection. Traveling with John was three of Australia’s finest wine makers/representatives that presented their wines.
First up was Patrick Gehrig (Yes, he is related to Lou Gehrig – very cool) of Rutherglen Estates which is located in Rutherglen, Victoria, located in the south eastern area of Australia. Patrick poured the following wines:
Rutherglen Estates “The Allicane” – A blend of 70% Marsanne and 30%Viognier. Lemony, creamy which bode well for a great food wine. The Viognier adds a nice touch of honeysuckle. ‘Red’ – This wine is an extremely good value for the money; it has great color, peppery Shiraz characters, berries and brambles, intense spice and is a mouthful of rich flavor and juicy tannins. Great food wine that would be great with a pizza. The Reunion – A blend of 60% Mourvedre, 20% Shiraz, 20% Grenache, this wine is dominated by the Mourvedre, showing off savory notes and a hint of spice. Pair this one with lamb chops. Durif, AKA Petit Sirah – This is the main variety of Rutherglen – obviously their flagship wine. The color was ink black, like you’d expect from Petit Sirah. Savory, earthy, black current flavors, chocolate spice and a huge tannin finish on the back end. Delicious! Muscat – Very difficult decision to spit this out! Fortified with 7% alcohol and made in a sherry solera type system. Flavors of caramel and toffee that reminded me of liquid brown sugar. This would be great over vanilla ice cream. Or if you’re adventurous, make a Muscat slushy!
Next up was Dean Hewiston, owner and founder of Hewitson located in South Australia (Adelaide). Dean poured the following wines:
‘Lulu’ Sauvignon Blanc. Named after his wife Lulu who adores Sauvignon Blanc, this region is considered the premier area to produce Sauvignon Blancs. Like drinking fermented grapefruit juice! ‘Miss Harry’ (The daughter’s nickname). A blend of Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre grapes that come from bush (head pruned) vines dating back the 1800′s with roots that go 30′ into the ground searching for water. This wine was carried in 100% French old barriques that gave a lovely complexity to this wine. Because of the old barrigues, no one varietal dominates and the treatment gave this wine such a nice strawberry cream flavor and smoothness. Delicious. ‘Ned and Henry’s’ Shiraz (Miss Harry’s older brothers). Beautiful Barossa Valley fruit gives off a wonderful bouquet and great minerality flavor – mostly limestone. This was a graceful, not in your face fruit bomb, shiraz. I’d put this up against any French wine. Clearly my favorite of this winery. ‘Old Garden’ Mourvedre – These vines are living in 6 feet of sand over limestone. The sand is important as it helps drain away the rain so that the grapes can ripen. Without it, no grapes! Vines are head pruned about 2′ off the ground. Contained an interesting hint of orange peel which you wouldn’t expect to encounter. ‘The Mad Hatter’ Shiraz – Single vineyard grapes from Blewitt Springs in McLaren Valley that spend almost 2 years on new French oak. More what I’m used to with Australian Shiraz. The third winery and presenter was Allister Ashmead with Elderton Estate. He along with his useless brother (his description, not mine!) are the current owners of Elderton Estate in the Barossa Valley. Allister presented the following wines:
E Series Unoaked Chardonnay – Tasted more like a Sauvignon Blanc than a Chardonnay. Grassy and flinty – according to the distributor, lots of people are buying and loving this wine. Not my cup of tea. E Series 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet – Probably a good value wine, but structure, richness and boldness would not be my description. Estate Shiraz – Much better!! Now things are starting to look up. Very much a stinky, fruity, leathery Shiraz that was soft and easy to drink with a hint of chocolate. Classic Barossa Shiraz. ‘Ode to Lorraine’. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot – Dedicated to Allisters mother as a last great tribute before they kick her out of the house and stick her in a nursing home (again, his words, not mine!) Supposedly from the three best vineyards on the property, it was interesting but not great. This was the #16 wine of the year last year and this year is supposed to be better? We’ll see. Command Shiraz – Wow, wow, wow – I kept this in my mouth while I wrote so that it didn’t end! Clearly their best wine and one we will probably have in the store. This Shiraz spent almost 3 years in oak and 1 year in bottle. Beautiful power, structure and balance.
The next wines are all from John Larchet, our host.
‘The Wishing Tree’ Unoaked Chardonnay. Western Australia fruit from 11 different growers. Each batch is fermented separately. Done this way for complexity and to withhold batches they don’t want/like. Didn’t care for this either. I just don’t think Aussie Chards, especially stainless, can compare with the French. Again, tasted like Sauvignon Blanc. John told us that others have questioned this as well, so I’m not nuts! ‘The Wishing Tree’ Shiraz – 16 different growers. Medium body because of the use of neutral barrels. ‘Hill of Content’ Cabernet – Pretty true expression of cabernet sauvignon. Sweet, lush dry – bone dry – wine. Again with the neutral barrels, held for 28 months. ‘Tir na N’og’ Old Vines Grenache – Land of the Young is the English translation of this Irish saying. High toned, sweet fruit, very aromatic, not to be drunk alone but with a piece of pork smothered in a reduced cherry sauce. ‘The Old Faithful’ Top of the Hill Shiraz – Old reliable is the meaning behind the name as the grapes for this wine come from very old vines. Probably the best of the five presented by John, but that’s like saying it was the tallest midget. Hits you with a smack of fruit up front but it disappears quickly. As soon as we determine which of these wines will be in our store, I’ll update the post. In the mean time, Australia has my heart!
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Posted by Greg Schroeder on September 12, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Every once in a while, we get the opportunity to taste a series of wines that are truly extraordinary.
Last Friday was that day.
Andres Blanchard, the U.S. Export Manager for Catena Wines, was in store with the new line-up of Catena Wines for 2006. I had the opportunity to tast through the line-up of the 2005 vintage a ways back and were absolutely blown away by how the wines were showing that day. So with that memory fresh in my mind, I looked forward to what the 2006 vintage held in store. Let me just say this… I was not disappointed.
In short, here’s what we tasted last Friday:
- Catena Alta 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon
- Catena Alta 2006 Malbec
- Catena Zapata 2006 Adrianna Malbec
- Catena Zapata 2006 Nicasia Malbec
- Catena Zapata 2006 Argentino Malbec [blend of the Adrianna and Nicasia]
- Catena Zapata 2006 Nicolas
Here was our take. Compared to the 2005 vintage, which showed a bit more extraction, the 2006 vintage showed a greater depth and complexity than its predecessor. The wines were absolutely gorgeous. While each of the single vineyard Malbecs had its own distinct character, the blend offers what is perhaps the best introduction to high end Malbecs available. The flagship wine, the Nicolas, also was at the top of its game offering a depth of character that rivals any California Cabernet at double its price.
In the end, I believe the 2006 vintage will be more cellar worthy than the 2005 vintage, offering a more complex structure. In my estimation, the Catena Wines, are perhaps some of the best made wines in the entire region, if not beyond. They consistently score very high and are some of the most sought after Argentine wines in the world. Yet unlike many other wines, the bottle backs up the hype.
Like the old saying goes, if you really want to know what wines are worth the money, ask wine buyers what they have in the personal collection. That being said, as the Southern Hemisphere wine buyer for Amazing Grapes I’ll tell you what takes a prominant spot in my personal collection – a healthy dose of Catena Wines. And from what I tasted last Friday, the 2006 vintage will sit nicely along my 2004′s and 2005′s from Catena.
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Posted by Greg Schroeder on September 12, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Is it possible? Is it true?
If the last three weeks are any indication, then yes, it’s true! Not wanting to believe our own press, I’ve been asking owners I know of other local businesses and they too are reporting an uptick in their businesses in the last three weeks too. Finally!
So what’s attributing to the change? I have no idea, but perhaps people are feeling better about our economy and are starting to loosen up a bit? This is great news as we head into the biggest season of the year for buying wine – the fourth quarter holidays. I’m just hoping that the press doesn’t screw it up by reporting only negative news instead of good news like this.
So what about my initial question – are people buying expensive wines again? Yes, but only if they’re being offered at big discounts. Thankfully, wineries are getting it – they have to move their wine and right now the only way to do that is to discount it. Which leads me to the debate of whether or not discounting hurts a brand.
When we talk to the distributors and the wineries, discounting is a big concern. They’re afraid that if they traditionally sell a wine for $100, discounting it to $50 will hurt them as they won’t be able to raise the prices after the economy get’s better. I say “Hogwash.” Consumers today are demanding discounts on everything from everyone, so why would a winery think they’d be any different. Discounting isn’t about establishing a new price level for a particular wine, it’s about giving the consumer a deal because they can demand it today. Customers knows that this is a short lived situation and when times get better, they’ll have to go back to paying the higher prices. But for now, those with cash love getting the deals.
I don’t know if anyone else remembers this, but right after 9/11 happened, American’s stopped buying wine then too. Wine retailers had to resort to selling wines at a steep discount then just to survive. I was one of those lucky people to have cash back then and bought lots of wine at steep discounts. But I never expected to be able to continue to buy at those prices. It was merely a point in time deal and you took advantage of it – period. And you guessed it, I bought the wines later at their “normal” prices because I still wanted the wine. And look what happened to those retailers then; those that survived went on to have an 8 year run of highly prosperous times. Wines that were discounted then went right back up when they could. And it will happen again now.
History is about teaching us lessons and the message here is clear – mark it down, get cash flow moving again and move on. Don’t worry about brand dilution Mr. Winery owner – I for one think its a big deal about nothing. It’s about survival.
Be sure to check out our sister site too (www.wineblowout.com) for amazing deals on wines at deep discounts.
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Posted by Greg Schroeder on September 7, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Paso Robles has exploded with new wineries, most of which are up and running and can be taste tested any day of the week. The newcomer to this still rural city is Daniel Daou of Daou Vineyards, which cannot be visited by the public . . . yet. I’ve had the honor to come to know owner/winemaker Daniel Daou and to have visited his vineyard property where the winery will be built some day and to drink his wines early. I personally think this IS the new Jewel of Paso Robles and here’s why:
The vineyards and winery site are on the right side of the 101 (right means the west side). But lots of good Paso wineries are. What makes Daou’s property unique is “where” it is located on the west side. The year old vines have been planted at an elevation of 2,200 feet in the Adelaida Mountains.
Check out this video of Daou Vineyards! A truly stunning property!
This is one huge pile of limestone rock, ideal for making a French influenced wine. IMHO, the best French wines are ones that are grown in limestone vineyards and that fact is not lost on Daniel.
If you get a chance to have a personal tour of the property, what strikes you is how beautiful the views are and how meticulous the vineyards look. It’s straight out of a movie. It’s immediately obvious that Daniel has spared no expense in doing this right and that’s he’s very serious about his wines becoming the best there is in Paso Robles.
Most new vineyards today are carefully plotted, soil tested, charted and planned, down to the root stocks that should be planted. If the company who performed this plan said to use treated lumber, Daniel bought the most expensive posts. If the plan said to plant $2.50 root stocks, Daniel “upgraded” to the $3.50 root stocks and so it goes with every item. This guy is serious about being the best! What makes this idyllic scene even more beautiful is to see the striking difference with his neighbors vineyards. Picture someone who has built a mansion on their property while their neighbor’s property is trailer trash!
Even though Daniel’s vineyards have yet to produce a cluster of grapes, he’s already making wine with an impressive team that is practicing for the big day these beautiful vines begin their journey to fame. Paso Robles typically doesn’t make wines in a French style, yet this is clearly where Daniel is heading. His wines are not your usual fruit bomb, alcohol heavy reds that are typically produced in Paso. These are elegant, finely structured wines that need time in the bottle to evolve. These are wines that will richly reward your patience.
As a retailer, I’d prefer to hoard Daniel Daou to myself and my customers, but I have a feeling that he’s not going to need my help for very long. My prediction is that his winery will quickly ascend to cult status like some of Paso’s famous wineries; Alban, Saxum and Paul Lato to name a few, with all of his wines being purchased off the mailing list or wine club. So I’m giving you a valuable tip - sign up with this guy today! You can thank me by purchasing the wines I can get from Daniel now!
Hopefully my gratuitous sucking up will see Daniel allocating a few cases for our lucky store customers each year (hint, hint, hint)!
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