‘Freedom of choice.’ Are you really required to buy that 95 point wine that is under $20?

‘a victim of collision on the open sea
nobody ever said that life was free
sank, swam, go down with the ship
but use your freedom of choice’
Devo

If 15 is the new 14, what do we do about 16.5?

The review came out. There was a slight rumbling from our most ardent ‘Parkerophiles.’ We were able to secure a reasonably healthy allocation of the basic wines and bottles of the higher priced ones. Then they arrived. Nice labels. Cute! I very slowly and carefully turned to the back-label as I have learned to do with a Sparky Marquis wine. There it was! It was just as I had suspected. I was aghast! 16.0! The next type, 16.0! The next type, 16.5! Oy! What are people going to do with these things? These alcohol levels are setting new records. The Carnival of Love review from Parker reads ‘Great purity, symmetry, and harmony as well as remarkable balance for such a rich, intense wine, as it sat in the glass espresso, vanillin, white chocolate, and additional black fruits also emerged,’ 99 points. Sorry, but at 16.5% the wine should be re-named ‘The Carnival of Sleep.’ How do you past the first glass of this stuff? Then weighing in at 16.0%, ‘The Boxer’ reviews as ‘an incredible density of fruit along with that tell-tale purity, blackberries, white flowers, melted chocolate, sweet licorice, and subtle wood. Full-bodied, beautifully textured and layered with an awesome finish,’ receiving a 95 point score by Parker and a Top 100 in The Wine Spectator for calendar year 2006 while retailing for $20. My wife’s comments on the wine differed. I always taste her on things blind to get an objective view. ‘What IS that? It tastes like cough medicine. That’s just not pleasant to me.’ This is from a lady who is not afraid of high powered Zins. The quick jump to buy a wine with a score without any prior experience with the wine reminds me a bit of a Bob Johnson wine cartoon. In the cartoon the store customer tastes a wine, makes a face and says 'Geez that's repulsive.' The wine shop owner calmly states that 'The Wine Advisor gave it a 96.' The customer then quickly says 'I'll Take a case.' Having polled a few of our stores, our customers have not complained. One customer said that the wines are just tight. The wines that he shipped in from California a few months back are now starting to come around. Personally I don’t see how? The fruit is nice, but the alcohol overwhelms the fruit in the bouquet and the 16% gave a burn to the back of my throat. However, I must admire a person ‘sticking by their guns’ with their ‘glass half-full’ by believing in their purchase. There is another cute name in this line of wines called ‘Enchanted Path.’ My suggestion should Sparky choose to do a line extension and the alcohols continue to remain high is to call the next wine ‘The Designated Driver.’

Let me hit you with some knowledge: Grape sugar levels are measured by different countries in units of brix, baume and oeschle. Simply multiply your Brix reading by 0.55. Now, because yeasts differ and their living conditions vary, the exact amount of alcohol produced will waver, more or less. But this is the general picture: Brix X 0.55 = % alcohol. One unit of Baume is equivalent to 1.8 degrees Brix. Oechsle is the unit used in Germany and Switzerland to measure the sugar content of must, the unfermented liquour from which wine is made. One degree Oechsle (or Öchsle) is roughly equivalent to 0.2% sugar by weight. Alcohol in wine is produced by the conversion of the grapes must sugars by yeasts.

We can go on and on about why alcohol levels in wine have been and are still increasing. The truth is that people are harvesting at riper levels. The documentary film Mondovino blames the influence of wine-writer Robert Parker. Darker colored reds with higher extract usually do get better reviews. The environmentalists blame ‘global warming.’ We are in a period where temperatures are rising around the globe just as it was in the 1500’s. With more heat, there is more ripeness. There are other possibilities for higher alcohol levels in wine. New vine clones are very efficient at ripening grapes. Various grape trellises are suited to vineyard sites to optimally ripen grapes. Green harvesting can reduce the crop load and quicken ripening of the remaining bunches. New commercial yeasts in the winery are extremely efficient and can now ferment to higher alcohol levels without stopping. Premium wineries are hesitant to harvest grapes with any green in their seeds. There are many new plantings. Young vines generally need to have higher sugars in their grapes to lose the green pips. Then there are the tricks………. One can extract water from grape must by reverse osmosis, the spinning cone or by cryo-extraction. Less water means higher sugars. Many top Chateaus in Bordeaux have a Reverse Osmosis machine on site. Higher sugar means more potential alcohol. One famous California winemaker is rumored to add concentrated Cabernet Sauvignon grape must to her Cabernets. Excess alcohol can then be removed by the spinning cone or by reverse osmosis. But the machines can only remove the alcohol up to a point without the wine seeming disjointed.
Are wineries harvesting riper? A two-year survey was conducted by the Napa County UC Cooperative Extension to determine the amount of weight loss in grapes that have experienced extended ripening. It was concluded that growers lose money when their contracted clients insist on the practice of hang time. Winemakers are trying to coax as much sugar and maturity out of the grapes as possible. But, by doing so, growers have complained that as sugar levels increase, their grapes dehydrate, which results in weight loss, and therefore clients have been getting away with paying less. A new system is being worked out to add costs to a winery once the sugar levels go past a pre-determined degree. Some vineyard owners just sell by the acre and not by the ton. They calculate what a good return is based upon tons of grapes per acre, then the winery is free to request as much green harvesting or hang time as they choose. Marc Kent of Boekenhoutskloof in South Africa has been called the ‘King of SA Syrah’ by Jancis Robinson. He says that he looks for ‘old man’s face’ or slight dehydration in his Syrah grapes before harvesting. Sparky must be looking for ‘Rip Van Winkle.’

We have just received another container of the Click Imports Australian wines. The alcohol levels on these offerings are much more in check than the above examples. Balance rocks! Speaking of rocks……………….

Rockbare

Approximately 25 miles from Adelaide’s back door is the McLaren Vale wine district. RockBare's winemaker, Tim Burvill, has established strong relationships with grape growers throughout the vale. So he has his choice of the best grapes the area has to offer. He then uses a winemaking process without a lot of handling or manipulation. The idea is to get the best grapes and let the fruit speak for itself. Tim Burvill gained extensive winemaking experience working at Southcorp, where he was responsible for making one of Australia's most expensive premium chardonnays, Yattarna. So Tim knows all the most modern winemaking techniques. But when Tim created the RockBare label in 2000, he made a conscious decision to incorporate winemaking techniques that go back a hundred years or more. Using a minimal-filtering or no-filtering approach and very little oak ageing, Tim makes wines that are filled with complex flavors driven by the fruit. McLaren Vale is most famous for its Shiraz. One taste of RockBare's Shiraz and you know why. It has a deep, intense color and a peppery taste with hints of licorice.

The fruit for the Rockbare Reserve Chardonnay 2003 comes off one of the original Penfolds Yattarna Vineyards. The 20-year-old vines are nestled in a particularly cool part of the Adelaide Hills. This allows for the slow and maximum flavor development in the berries during ripening. The wine underwent 66 percent barrel fermentation, 50 percent malolactic fermentation and was stored for 10 months on lees with battonage. In 2003 there was a nationwide drought; extreme heat in some regions; widespread rains in February; and low fruitfulness in cool-climate areas. As a result Adelaide Hills had low crops with very intense, yet elegant flavors.

The superb 2003 Chardonnay Reserve exhibits a slight greenish hue to its color along with notions of peach, lemon blossom, orange rind, and a nutty, brioche-like component. Medium to full-bodied, with a fabulous texture as well as a long finish, it is reminiscent of a New World version of a premier cru Chassagne-Montrachet from the likes of Michel Niellon. 91pts Wine Advocate. 13.0% alcohol.

Rockbare Reserve Chardonnay 2003, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

Rockbare’s regular Chardonnay employs cool fermentation over four weeks, 40 percent maloactic fermentation, maturation on yeast lees for five months.

The remarkable Rockbare 2005 Chardonnay sells for a song. It sees about 40% malolactic and includes 13% Semillon in the blend. A flamboyant perfume of lemon blossom, flowers, orange marmalade, and white peaches is followed by a wine with great weight in the mouth, gorgeous acidity, beautiful freshness, and a long, heady finish. This terrific Chardonnay blew me away. 92 points Wine Advocate. 13.5% alcohol.

Rockbare Chardonnay 2005, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

Rockbare’s Reserve Shiraz is made predominantly from 140-year-old Barossa Valley Shiraz vines. Warm fermentation in small open fermenters. Spent 18 months storage in oak (70 percent new French oak barrel, 30 percent new American oak barrels).

Structured, massive, and backward is the 2001 Shiraz Reserve, whose major component emerges from a 100-year plus vineyard. Its deep plum/ruby color is followed by aromas of figs, plums, black currants, berries, licorice, and pepper. This full-bodied, powerful, moderately tannic, rich Shiraz requires 1-2 years of cellaring. 91 points Wine Advocate. 15.5% alcohol. OK, this is a bit over the top……………

The 2002 Rockbare Shiraz Reserve is a blockbuster-styled Shiraz. Its dense purple color is accompanied by gorgeous aromas of toasty oak intermixed with licorice, spice box, blackberries, and figs, fabulous concentration, a huge, muscular yet silky-textured, opulent mid-palate, and an explosive finish. Enjoy this knock-out Shiraz over the next 10-12 years. 92 points Wine Advocate. 14.0% alcohol.

Rockbare Shiraz Reserve 2002, Retail $33.99 Warehouse $26.99

Rockbare Shiraz Reserve 2001, Retail $33.99 Warehouse $26.99

Rockbare’s regular Shiraz is hand harvested from very old vines and machine harvested from old vines. Warm fermented on skins for 10 to 14 days at 22ºC. Aerobic fermentation, gentle pressing of the skins using airbags and maloactic fermentation in the barrel. Matured 14 months in the barrel. 2/3’s new French oak with the remainder predominantly new American oak.

A beautiful, pure, intense, concentrated effort is the Rockbare 2004 Shiraz. A deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by aromas of mocha, white chocolate, black cherries, and cassis. This full-bodied, opulent, gorgeous Shiraz can be enjoyed over the next 5-6 years. 90 points Wine Advocate. 14.5% alcohol.

Rockbare Shiraz 2004, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $12.99

Cape Barren The Cape Barren Winery is located in Brookman’s Road, Blewitt Springs in the Mediterranean-style appellation of McLaren Vale. McLaren Vale experiences moderate temperatures throughout the year, with warm and dry spring and summer days ideal for growing high quality grapes. Cape Barren soils have deep sand over ironstone and clay subsoil perfect for holding moisture. I had mentioned the Old Vine Shiraz in a previous blog. This and the GSM are blue fruit bombs. These are impressive!

This has tremendous presence, pouring out its blueberry, plum, vanilla and dark chocolate flavors into a plush stream that lets the flavors sail on and on. Tannins are well-submerged, and the structure feels like it could carry the intense flavors this easily for a long time. Only 224 cases of this made it into the US. 92 points Wine Spectator. 14.5% alcohol.

Cape Barren GSM 2004, Retail $23.99 Warehouse $19.99

Brokenwood Established in 1970, Brokenwood Wines has evolved from a weekend venture for self-professed hobby winemakers into one of Australia's most reputable wine labels. Brokenwood was established by a trio of Sydney-based solicitors who then paid a record price of $970 per acre for a 10-acre block in the foothills of the Brokenback Ranges. The original block, initially planned as a cricket round for the local community (hence the Cricket Pitch blends) was planted with the Cabernet Sauvignon and later Shiraz.

A dynamite value in dry, fragrant, tasty white wine is the Brokenwood 2004 Cricket Pitch White, a blend of 55% Sauvignon Blanc and 45% Semillon that was fermented and aged in stainless steel prior to bottling. Elegant aromas of lemons, limes, white peaches, and orange rinds emerge from this crisp, medium-bodied, well-made dry white. 86 points Wine Advocate. 13.0% alcohol.

Brokenwood Cricket Pitch White 2004, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99



Brokenwood Cricket Pitch Red 2002, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

Brokenwood 2002 Area Blend, a 100% Shiraz aged in primarily American oak. Earthy, with hints of fresh mushrooms, black cherries, underbrush, and cassis, this medium-bodied, somewhat rustic effort reveals slightly jagged edges. 88 points Wine Advocate. 14.0% alcohol.

Brokenwood Area Shiraz 2002, Retail $27.99 Warehouse $22.99

Nepenthe

Throughout many of the premium vineyards of South Australia you'll find large signs which read "Nepenthe Viticulture." That's because Nepenthe is widely known as the premier cool-climate viticultural management company in South Australia. In the past decade, Nepenthe wines have made a huge splash in the premium, cool-climate Australian wine scene. Nepenthe is located in the Lenswood area of the Adelaide Hills, one of the premier cool climate wine regions in Australia. The vineyards are on beautiful, wooded rolling terrain that is only a 40-minute drive from the center of Adelaide. With an altitude above 1,200 feet, plentiful rainfall, and deep, well-drained soils, the vineyards are ideal for cool climate varieties such as chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.

The sumptuously rich, but light on its feet Nepenthe 2005 Tryst White is a gorgeous blend of 59% Sauvignon Blanc, 36% Semillon, and 5% Pinot Gris. A stunning effort, it offers subtle aromas of spice, honeysuckle, citrus oil, and orange marmalade. 91 points Wine Advocate. 13.5% alcohol.

Nepenthe Tryst White 2005, Retail 14.99 Warehouse $11.99

Although the medium to dark ruby-hued Nepenthe 2004 Tryst red (a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Tempranillo, and 10% Zinfandel) spent 10 months in primarily French oak, it emphasizes fruit over structure and tannin, offering aromas of black currants, licorice, smoke, dried herbs, and sweet cherries and currants. It should drink well for 2-3 years. 87 points Wine Advocate. 13.5% alcohol.

Nepenthe Tryst Red 2004, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $11.99

The medium-bodied, crisp, tasty Nepenthe 2005 Sauvignon Blanc exhibits wonderful notes of melons, dried herbs, figs, and passion fruit. 88 points Wine Advocate. 13.0% alcohol.

Nepenthe Sauvignon Blanc 2005, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

Sticks

Winemaker Rob 'Sticks' Dolan crafts these wines from fruit grown on premium vineyards in Victoria's Yarra Valley. The Yarra Valley is unquestionably one of Australia's leading producers of super-premium, cool-climate wine. The region is cooler than Bordeaux but warmer than Burgundy. Its long ripening period allows sugar levels to rise gradually while still retaining natural acidity, resulting in excellent flavors and acid balance.

This cool-climate offering, which is versatile with an assortment of foods, emphasizes the varietal’s fruit, and possess good nuances as well as surprising elegance. For example, the Sticks 2004 Chardonnay exhibits plenty of pear, lemon blossom, pineapple, and mineral characteristics. It is an excellent, medium-bodied Chardonnay with surprising flavor depth and length. Drink it over the next 1-2 years. 88 points Wine Advocate. 13.0% alcohol.

Sticks Chardonnay 2004, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $12.99

This cool-climate offering, which is versatile with an assortment of foods, emphasizes the varietal’s fruit, and possess good nuances as well as surprising elegance. Sticks’ 2004 Pinot Noir reveals aromas of herbs and tart cherries, medium body, and a spicy, earthy finish. 84 points Wine Advocate. 13.0% alcohol.

Sticks Pinot Noir 2004, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $12.99

Kangarilla Road

Kevin O’Brien’s wines were featured here several weeks ago. We have just received more in. Kevin will be back in Florida to taste his wines with us in January. Before creating the Kangarilla Road vineyard and winery, Kevin was a winemaker educated at the highly regarded Roseworthy College in Adelaide. Kangarilla Road is located in the McLaren Vale district west of the Adelaide Hills and east of the Gulf of St. Vincent. This is an area known for its mild, Mediterranean-style climate. And his vineyard is situated on a higher, and therefore slightly cooler plateau than many others in the region. Rainfall is plentiful in winter; and summers are generally warm and sunny with low humidity. The terrain is gently rolling hills and the soils are predominantly deep alluvial hard red loam complex soils. The soils drain well but hold deep winter water that the vines draw from in summer.

The stunning Kangarilla Road 2004 Shiraz boasts deep mocha, blackberry, cherry, and white chocolate notes interspersed with hints of new oak (both French and American wood are used), pepper, smoke, and coffee. This rich, layered, tasty Aussie red can be drunk now and over the next 7-8 years. 92 points Wine Advocate. 14.0% alcohol.

Kangarilla Road Shiraz 2004, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $ 17.99

One of my favorite McLaren Vale wineries, Kangarilla Road offers very realistic prices for the quality of their wines. It is tough for Australian Zinfandel to compete with those from California. While some Aussie Zins are very good, prices are generally high, reflecting their rarity Down Under. Kangarilla Road’s very good 2004 Zinfandel Langhorne Creek reveals peppery fig and berry-like fruit, medium body, decent acidity, and a surprising elegance. It is ideal for drinking over the next 2-3 years. 87 points Wine Advocate. 14.0% alcohol.

Kangarilla Road Zinfandel Langhorne Creek 2004, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $13.99

Kangarilla Road does a beautiful job with Zinfandel, and the 2004 McLaren Vale possesses a dark ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet, briery-scented perfume displaying hints of herbs, pepper, and spice. Aged in one-year-old French oak for 14 months, it reveals a powerful Zinfandel character. 89 points Wine Advocate. 15.5% alcohol. OK, the outer boundaries have been reached here too.

Kangarilla Road Zinfandel McLaren Vale 2004, Retail $32.99 Warehouse $25.99

A delicate, nuanced style of Kangarilla Road Viognier, the 2005 makes a mockery of many New World, tooty fruity, bubble gum type wines. Exceptional freshness, a mineral-like character, medium body, and plenty of peach, apricot, and citrus oil notes are present in this impressively endowed effort. 90 points Wine Advocate. 14.0% alcohol.

Kangarilla Road Viognier 2005, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $15.99

The 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon may be one of the best buys in Cabernet Sauvignon in the marketplace. A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon aged 18 months in both French and American oak, it exhibits a deep ruby/purple color as well as classic creme de cassis, toasty oak, and licorice characteristics. This dense, opulently textured, pure, rich, flavorful red reveals sweet tannin in addition to a long, velvety-textured finish. 91 points Wine Advocate. 14.0% alcohol.

The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) was aged in a combination of new and old French and American wood. This vintage’s long, cool growing season resulted in a wine with beautifully pure notes of black currants, mint, white chocolate, and spicy vanillin. Medium to full-bodied and super-rich with lovely purity, this is a polished, sophisticated Cabernet that should drink well for a decade or more. 91 points Wine Advocate. 14.0% alcohol.

Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2002, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $18.99
Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $18.99
Kangarilla Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $18.99

2 UP

This wine is a joint venture between importer Peter Click and winemaker Kevin O’Brien, who produces the youthful cuvees from McLaren Vale’s Kangarilla Road estate. The 2004 did not get reviewed, the 2005 review is as follows: This deep ruby/purple-tinged 2 Up Shiraz offers gorgeous aromas of sweet blackberries, figs, plums, and kirsch. Dense, opulent, and full-bodied, it is a terrific South Australian fruit bomb. Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. It is the type of wine value that simply can’t be found in California. 90 points Wine Advocate. 14% alcohol.

2 UP Shiraz 2004, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $11.99

Campbell’s

We had discussed Campbell”s in a previous blog, but they are worth mentioning again as they are part of the Click portfolio. Campbells produces some of the world's finest and most intense dessert wines. This family-owned vineyard and winery uses a modified ‘solera’ method of blending and maturing new and old wines over a period of years. Some of the material used for blending is 70, 80, even 90 years old. The solera, originally made famous by the Spanish and Portuguese, is a series of up to seven casks, each containing wine at successive stages of maturation. The result is a uniformity of quality, age and concentrated character.

The unctuous, light amber-hued non-vintage Campbell’s Muscat exhibits a sweet, caramelized, raisiny character with notes of plums, fruitcakes, and marmalade. It is gloriously sweet yet relatively light on its feet. 93 points Wine Advocate. 17% alcohol. This wine is fortified with grape neutral spirits to arrest fermentation and retain natural sweetness.

Campbell’s Liqueur Muscat 375ml, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $14.99

The non-vintage Campbell’s Tokay reveals hints of Chinese black tea interwoven with caramel, buttered nuts, prunes, and toffee. These wines rarely improve in the bottle, but even after 5-10 years, they do not reveal any signs of falling apart. 91 points Wine Advocate. 17% alcohol. This wine is fortified with grape neutral spirits to arrest fermentation and retain natural sweetness.

Campbell’s Tokay 375ml, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $14.99



Balance in wine is in the eye of the beholder as balance is essentially the difference in magnitude between opposing forces or influences. Vive la difference!

G'day from Monsieur Bloogy