do’s and dont’s – an update

Back when this blog was young, I ran a piece called do’s and dont’s. The impetus was that I’d been reading other blogs which, at the time, were loaded with lists of things that needed to go away, things that should be encouraged, things they thought you should own and do, and so on. Is there any field of interest in the universe more loaded with know-it-alls than wine? I think not.

To be honest, I have done my share of these lists over the years. When the Seattle Times was running a Wednesday Food & Wine section, I was actually afforded the opportunity to write a wine column that often approached 1500 words, and occasionally I’d indulge in a rant. Those rants might cover any range of subjects.

I ranted in favor of the elimination of non-recyclable Styrofoam and “popcorn” packaging; I railed about the stupidity of faux “wax” capsules (which still come my way, which still look ridiculous, and are still a pain in the ass to remove); I predicated the demise of impossible-to-remove plastic corks (which has pretty much happened); I pleaded for a winnowing down of single vineyard wines especially pinots (not likely). I expressed my appreciation for wines that have well-modulated herbal components (especially cabernets and syrahs); less reliance (by the trade) on critic’s scores to sell wines; fewer wine books promising to “take the snobbery out of wine”; better coverage of Washington (and Oregon) in the big name annual wine guides; and an end to the sorry-ass trend to give wines seemingly-obscene names (like Fat Bastard) just because some people will buy them for shock value.

when everything wrong is right

Luther Ingram probably wasn’t sipping a bottle of Blue Moon Riesling when he sang this country classic:

“If loving you is wrong, I don’t wanna be right;
If being right means being without you...”

But if ever a wine was wrong in all the right ways, it’s this one.

There are actually three different Blue Moon Rieslings, and a passel of other Blue Moon offerings, including Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. All come in blue bottles. The bottles, with their simple, emblematic labels, certainly stand out on a grocery shelf. But that doesn’t make them any less unattractive.

I have not tasted the entire lineup recently, just the Rieslings. But they go against the grain of what is “right” in just about every way. Blue bottles? Check. Ugly labels? Check. Sweet, sweeter and sweetest styles? Check check check.

kevin white – doin' it right!

There’s a sea change in the way new, tiny, boutique wineries are being prepped and presented, at least among some of the more compelling examples that have appeared here in the Pacific Northwest in the recent past.

Credit better education, mentoring, global experience, youthful energy, a bit of history to draw upon, the challenging economy, changing tastes and lifestyles – any or all of the above come into play.

But in more than a few instances, I’m seeing wineries debut with limited releases of well-crafted, well-designed, affordable wines that showcase fruit and vintage and variety, while eschewing high alcohol, heavy-handed oak, and over-ripe, jammy excess.

The poster child for this renaissance may well be the Kevin White Winery, whose second vintage, released a few weeks ago, is already causing a big buzz around Seattle. White is a 30-something Microsoft engineer, an east coast transplant, whose interest in wine went from zero to pedal-to-the-medal in just the past decade.

nose in the nooze

Some odd tidbits from the digital flotsam and jetsam arriving on the tide this morning...

From the Drinks Business online comes word that Swedish and Spanish engineers have invented an electronic nose that works better than a human organ. There are still a few hiccups to be worked out, however. As the article reveals, the nose, which resembles a deconstructed vacuum cleaner, only works with chopped apples and pears. Its main claim to fame is that it can detect methane and butane. Nonetheless, its creators are convinced that eventually it will replace wine critics. Not that anyone would really mind. As long as the thing was programmed to spit out 90+ point scores along with its tasting notes. Here's a sample:

the stu sutcliffe and pete best of bordeaux grapes

Students of Beatles trivia know that Sutcliffe and Best were both Beatles (playing bass and drums respectively) before the group solidified as a quartet, with McCartney on bass and Ringo on drums. I’ve often felt that among the six red Bordeaux grapes, Sutcliffe and Best must be the Malbec and Carmenère. John Lennon’s the Cabernet Sauvignon, Paul’s the Merlot, George the Cab Franc and Ringo the Petit Verdot (obviously). But Stu and Pete are destined to remain footnotes to greatness, as were Malbec and Carmenère in Bordeaux.

At least until South America got hold of them. Somehow, Malbec has become the superstar of Argentine reds, and Carmenère (also seen misspelled as Carménère, Carmenére, Carmeneré and other convolutions) has been claimed by Chile. This seems like a huge mistake. While Argentine Malbecs have proven to be both popular and capable of making very good, though not great wines, at all price levels, it is difficult to say the same about Carmenère. In fact, I find it hard to say anything positive about Carmenère.

friday wrap - while i was at the beach

I am catching up after a week on the road. Of course, everything important seems to happen when you’re gone. Spring not only came to our Waitsburg gardens, it exploded into full-blown glory. This barely a week after temps had dipped into the upper 20s at night. Grapevines are fine, but some of the roses and early-budding trees took a hit.

An official announcement from Walla Walla Community College welcomed Dr. Alan Busacca to the position of Director of Enology and Viticulture at the College. Dr. Busacca has an extensive background in both education and the wine industry – he is a Professor Emeritus of Soil Science and Geology at WSU where he did groundbreaking [pun intended] research into the terroirs of the Walla Walla Valley. His consulting company, Vinitas Vineyard Consultants, has served the wine industry in the Northwest, Colorado, South America, and beyond. He also founded and co-owns Volcano Ridge Vineyard near The Dalles, Oregon in the Columbia Valley AVA, and co-owns AlmaTerra wines, a terroir-centered boutique.

The staff and Advisory Board (of which I am a member) could not be happier with this appointment. Myles Anderson, who has served admirably for the past couple of years following his aborted retirement, deserves our most effusive thanks. He is passing the baton into capable hands.

the hunt for oregon’s iconic white wine

Much of the discussion among winemakers and those in the audience at last Saturday’s Oregon Chardonnay Symposium centered around the idea of defining an ‘Oregon’ style of Chardonnay. Winemakers noted that they sensed a lot of enthusiasm for the grape among their tasting room visitors, but the question of how (or if) to describe a specific Oregon style seemed to be a bit of a head-scratcher.

My take – there is no such thing as an Oregon style, nor need there be. Now, I am the same guy who has spent much of the last two Oregon Pinot Gris Symposiums preaching just the opposite. Stop talking about how your Pinot Gris is Alsatian or Italian in style, I have said, over and over. Talk about the style of Oregon Pinot Gris. So, why should Chardonnay be any different?

It’s different because the market opportunities are different. In Pinot Gris, Oregon vintners have a grape that is clearly theirs to own, at least domestically. David Lett planted the first Pinot Gris vines anywhere in the country more than four decades ago. I’d be hard-pressed to name any significant producer of Pinot Gris in California. It’s a rising star in Washington, but likely to remain a minor player for a long while in a state super-saturated with great white wines. So Oregon has a real chance to claim that niche.

Chardonnay, on the other hand, is the grape that everyone takes to the Prom.