'Central' Pinot; those who know, are 'in the know.'

"Many believe this is where the Pinot grail is to be found" (Jancis Robinson - Wine Atlas of the World)

“This is God’s Country when it comes to Pinot Noir.” (James Halliday in Panorama 2000)

“Central Otago, Git’ r’ done.” (Larry ‘the Cable Guy’ 2006)


I hate to come off like a chamber of commerce mouthpiece. Here it goes anyway. Ever picture a place as beautiful as Aspen or Vail with the ability to grow world class Pinot Noir? Picture the clean green land of New Zealand. Enter Central Otago, New Zealand's most inland region. Central Otago, affectionately called "Central" by those that know it well, covers an area of 10,000 km and has fewer than 16,000 permanent residents. “Central” is the home of the first ‘bungee jump’ and the land of fiords. “Central” is also NZ’s hottest, coldest and driest region. Located on a fragmented schist plateau in a semi-desert environment, “Central” is a living museum, scattered with historic features preserved by a dry climate. This peaceful, powerful place has barely changed over centuries. With so much to discover, “Central” is fast becoming one of New Zealand's leading tourist destinations. If you enjoy beautiful landscapes, summer sunshine, a bountiful grape harvest in the fall and skiing in the winter, “Central” might just be your place.

“There are no traffic lights or metered parking anywhere in Central Otago. Air pollution is not an issue. Despite the low population density, our facilities will match those of any other region in the country. We have excellent schools and medical services. Most of the major retail chains are represented and there is a thriving, and growing, cafe and art scene. The district abounds in wineries and is the source of a number of world-renowned wines, especially Pinot Noir, the local specialty.” Central Otago’s Mayor McPherson.


My fondest memories of “Central” are many. My first trip was in March of 2000. The first memory was having the stewardess on the flight from Auckland to Queenstown ask my then 6 year old whether he was ready to go visit the pilots in the cockpit. This was in 2000 remember. We had stunning views overlooking Mount Cook while discussing NZ wines with the pilots. The next memory was learning to drive on the wrong side of the road. The bellman at Millbrook golf resort told me the key to driving in New Zealand; remember to keep your 'passenger in the ditch.' Funny enough, it made sense. The last and most poignant memory to this blog were the wines that evening; Gibbston Valley and Felton Road Pinot Noirs. Wow! There is nothing better than partaking in a world-class wine within kilometres of where its grapes were grown. Central Otago is officially on the world-class wine map. “Central” to me is very Oregonian in its style with many of its wines being quite favourably priced.

The Central Otago Pinot Noir Celebration last January was a blast. I was picked up by Amisfield winemaker Jeff Sinnott and whisked off to a blind tasting of 100 Pinot Noirs from around the country. This was arranged by the wines of New Zealand and shows the country's unity. What other regional wine festival would allow a tasting of their competitors wines at their venue? The tasting was arranged in a giant horseshoe and was arranged by region with the wines being in numbered brown paper bags. Felton Road winmaker Blair Walter looked after the tasting and was another incredible host chauffeuring around many a guest. After a free evening there was a bus that took us to a custom crush facility the next morning for a tasting of many of the 'Central' wineries. The 04 releases and 05 barrel samples were shown. The 04's are good but the 05's are stunning. After the tasting, the bus took us to Mt Difficulty for lunch and more tasting. Dinner that evening was a casual affair under a tent on the lake in the center of Queenstown. The next morning there were a few seminars with Allen Meadows of Burghound. The tasting was of the 2002 Burgundy wines of Jean Jacques Confuron. Ted Lemon of Littorai of Sonoma consults in Central Otago was part of the Burgundy panel and also showed his own wines. Lunch was on the lake and I was off to Marlborough the next day. Wineries that stood out at the event were Richardson, Rockburn, Olssen's, Felton Road, Amisfield and Akarua.


Let me hit you with some knowledge: Central Otago is the southern-most grape-growing region in the world located at latitude 45º south (similar to both Oregon’s Willamette Valley, U.S.A., and Burgundy in France). The first wine-grapes were planted in Central Otago in 1864. Despite the district’s potential as a wine growing area being recognized by French and Australian viticulturists from the 1860’s onwards, wine-grapes were not commercially grown again in Central Otago for more than a century. Modern day wine growing began in 1972 and shortly followed in 1975 with experimental plantings at Rippon Vineyard, Lake Wanaka. The first commercial release of a Pinot Noir from Central Otago, the regions flagship variety, was the 1987 vintage from pioneer Alan Brady at the Gibbston Valley winery.


Rockburn, Central Otago. As I was boarding a plane to go to Melbourne, Australia via Auckland, New Zealand from Seoul, Korea after taking off from Washington Dulles……..thank you Delta frequent flyer miles……I had received an e-mail on my blackberry from Chris James of Rockburn. Chris found out that I was traveling to the Central Otago Pinot Noir Fest after the MW seminar in Melbourne and wanted me to taste his wines. Rockburn’s wines are first class and the rest is history. Wine Warehouse is the first to bring them into Florida.

Rockburn’s vineyards are bounded on the west by mountains on whose seaward slopes are rain forests, which receive 5000mm of rain a year. Heavy frosts are common throughout winter and frost can occur at any time between March and November. These vines are susceptible to frost in the growing season and as a result most vineyards are on warm north-facing slopes which promote cold-air drainage. On flatter sites wind machines, water sprinklers and misting systems or other frost protection measures are adopted. To the east is a barren, moon-like landscape that receives less than 25mm of rain a year. Situated between these extremes are Rockburn’s vineyards that produce not only Pinot Noir of stunning quality (gold medals at New Zealand Wine Society Royal Easter Wine Show, Bragato Awards, Air New Zealand,and Winestate Wine of the Year) , but also medal winning Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris , Riesling and Gewutztraminer.

In early 2006 Rockburn opened their winery and tasting facility in Cromwell to handle the 06 vintage. The new winemaker is Malcolm Francis who was previously with Felton Road. Prior to this vintage the wine was custom crushed by one of ‘Central’s’ star winemakers, Rudi Schultz, the dynamic Austrian from Quartz Reef vineyard.

In “Central” it has become apparent that like Burgundy there are distinct 'appellations' within the region. The Gibbston Valley tends to produce Pinot Noir with beautiful perfume, reminiscent of violets, and earthy, forest floor sensations on the palate. The Lowburn- Bannockburn area Pinot Noir tends to produce wines with darker color with fuller-bodied and sweeter fruit. For this reason to fully exploit the potential of the region it is a distinct advantage to have vineyards in different 'appellations'. Rockburn grows its Pinot Noir from its own Gibbston Valley and Lowburn fruit.


Some notes on Rockburn's 2003 Pinot Noir:

Jancis Robinson, M.W. 18/20 – Vibrant, deep, intense nose. Extremely full and fruity start with some fine, grainy tannin on the finish and very good acidity. Round and slightly herbal.

93pts Gold Medal - June 2005 Home & Entertaining Magazine – “It’s a mix of black cherry, plum, and dried spice flavours with a silken texture and lingering finish. A minor fruit bomb with appealing sappy complexity.” Bob Campbell, M.W.

90pts July 2005 Wine Spectator “Tangy and rich, with lovely, ripe strawberry and blackberry flavors supported by zingy acidity, all of it lasting nicely on the generous finish.” Harvey Steinman

Gold Medal – New Zealand International Wine Show 2005.

Rockburn ‘Central Otago’ Pinot Noir 2003, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $21.99

Other NZ Pinots to look out for:

Richardson ‘Central Otago’ Pinot Noir 2004, Retail $49.99 Warehouse $39.99
look for the 05 to be here in March.



Felton Road ‘Central Otago’ Pinot Noir 2004, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $34.99



Vidal Marlborough Pinot Noir 2004, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $21.99

Villa Maria ‘Cellar Select’ Marlborough Pinot Noir 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $ 21.99

Villa Maria ‘ Private Bin’ Marlborough Pinot Noir 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $17.99

Who needs resveratrol tablets anyway? Make mine a Pinot Noir please.

Bloggy new year.

Shopping at the Wine Warehouse in 2006. These are the best of times. Just ask the CPI.

1979. The year that our founder and CEO, Tom Dorn, opened the first Wine Warehouse in Gainesville. As this was the year after the release of the movie 'Animal House,' many people would come up to Tom and ask him whether he realized that he looked like John Belushi. Tom had been the assistant manager at Albertson’s Liquor store and was startled at the premium wines that they were able to sell. The store that he worked at was not the typical Albertson’s Liquor store as it sold an amazing amount of classified growth Bordeaux Chateaus, Estate bottle German wines, and for the time period an enormous amount of French Champagne. Tom’s vision was to take wine to this market without all of the beaurocracy of a large grocery chain. This is how we now have 19 Wine Warehouses in Florida. Tom recalled a 100 case stack of Veuve Clicquot that caused a stir. At the time LVMH was not the brand’s owner and Clicquot was imported by Jack Daniels’ owner, Brown Forman. That 100 case display was said to be the largest Clicquot display in the country. Boy, have fashions changed. The most interesting thing about the year 1979 display was the price that the wines were sold at. Clicquot Brut NV was $19.99. Using the handy-dandy CPI calculator, that $19.99 comes to $55.48 in 2006 dollars. Wine Warehouse now sells Veuve Clicquot Brut NV at $34.99 coming in at just under 43% of the CPI increase. For wine drinkers, these are the best of times.


Let me hit you with some knowledge: The CPI is an inflationary indicator that measures the change in the cost of a fixed basket of products and services, including housing, electricity, food, and transportation. The CPI is also called the cost of living index and is published monthly.

So what has changed in the US wine market since our first store opened in 1979? After the plateau of the middle 1970s, U.S. wine consumption and production picked up in the late 1970s and 1980s. But, that growth was not sustained, and consumption peaked in the middle 1980s at almost 9.20 liters per capita, declining gradually for a decade before moving back up again. This is likely due to the wine cooler consumption being counted towards per capita wine consumption. Anyone remember California Cooler and Bartles and James? Per capita consumption had only reached 7.7 liters per capita again by the end of the 20th Century. People have changed their consumption habits though. Let’s take a look at today’s market in the US.

Sales in the U.S. of wine grew five percent in 2005 to an estimated 703 million gallons valued at $26 billion at retail. Of the total, table wine amounted to 619 million gallons; dessert wine was 53 million gallons; champagne and sparkling wine, 30 million gallons. I’d say that that’s a bunch of gallons.

How are we drinking differently now than we were in 1979? In terms of sparkling wines, consumption has gone down but people are drinking better quality. In 1980 we consumed 12.5 million cases of fizz in the US and last year that number is just above 12 million cases. The demographics have changed as imported sparkling has gone from 16% of the market to 40% of the sparkling market. The Andre’s of the world have declined and French Champagne has gained market share. In still wines we have the ’60 Minutes phenomenon.’ Red wine consumption has gone from 17% of the market in 1991 to 42% in 2005. White wine has declined slightly from 49% to 41% and Rose/Blush wines have gone from 34% of the market to 17%.

Are we really drinking ‘better’ now? This is a hard question to answer without an explanation of what is ‘better?’ Is better used in terms of higher priced, better quality, or better price to quality ratios? Super premium wines (over $14) are now 12% of the market in volume and 35% of the market in value. Wines over $7 per 750ml are 35% of the volume and are 2/3’s of the value of the US wine market. That just means that 2/3’s of the volume and 1/3 of the value will be under $7.

What do you get for under $7 these days? We have stores that feature a $7 and under section. You would be amazed at the quality wines that fall into this area. One of the crazier deals that we have received lately is on Turner Road. These are fresh wines from the world’s largest wine company, Constellation. The Cabernet has a Paso Robles appellation and there is a Central Coast Chardonnay and a Pinot Grigio. Typically found at $8-9, we have them all at $4.99 ($1.80 in 1979 dollars) with a mail in $30 per case rebate (one per household). There was nothing like this at under $2 back in 1979. Bring on the CPI!

Some end of the year specials:

Turner Road Chardonnay 2005, Retail $8.99 Warehouse $4.99
Turner Road Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Retail $8.99 Warehouse $4.99
Turner Road Pinot Grigio 2005, Retail $8.99 Warehouse $4.99

Columbia Crest ‘Two Vines’ Merlot, Retail $7.99 Warehouse $4.99
Columbia Crest ‘Two Vine’ Chardonnay, Retail $7.99 Warehouse $4.99

Coppola Bianco ‘Pinot Grigio,’ Retail $9.99 Warehouse $5.99
Coppola Rosso, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $5.99

Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Village 2005, Retail $7.99 Warehouse $5.99

Geyser Peak Sauvignon Blanc, Retail $10.99 Warehouse $5.95
Geyser Peak Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Alexander Valley,’ Retail $14.99 Warehouse $9.99

And on the Champagne front………………………

Mumm’s Cordon Rouge Brut n/v, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $26.99
Mumm’s Carte Classique Extra Dry n/v, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99
Mumm’s Napa Brut Prestige, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $13.99

Moet et Chandon Brut Rose n/v, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $39.99
Moet et Chandon ‘White Star’ Extra Dry n/v, Retail $34.99 Warehouse $25.99
Moet et Chandon Nectar Imperial, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $29.99

Perrier Jouet Grand Brut n/v, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $28.99

Pol Roger Brut n/v, Retail $47.99 Warehouse $26.99

Veuve Clicquot Brut n/v, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $34.99
Veuve Clicquot Brut Rose n/v, Retail $59.99 Warehouse $49.99
Veuve Clicquot La Grand Dame 1996, Retail $149.99 Warehouse $109.99

And yes, we do have grower Champagnes:

Check out the many organic and biodynamically farmed producers we have such as:

J Lassale
Tarlant
Bedel
Bruno Michel

Franck Pascal

When I have a chance to work the stores, more and more people are asking if we have grower Champagnes. This is an evolutionary step in Champagne consumption and is highly recommended.

As we are coming to the close of 2006, we would like to thank ‘you’ our customers for your continued patronage. There now seems to be more and more wine concepts opening daily. When you have seen the others we know that you will realize the value that we at the Wine Warehouse bring to the market. This is why we feel that you are really the most tuned-in wine consumers on the planet.

We hope you have a safe and Happy New Year.

Cheers…………..

Living in the land of opportunity. It’s a Calamity!

Getting a product to market. It seems so simple for the end consumer. For a wine, you pop down to your local Wine Warehouse store, the wine is then boxed up, carried to your car and enjoyed when you get home. However, there are many unseen hurdles that need to be cleared for the juice of crushed and fermented grapes to make it to your dinner table. From grape to glass there are a number of mouths to feed in the food chain of wine. The ability to become more efficient with these various costs is what we strive to do and what we base our model upon at the Wine Warehouse. This efficiency is how we bring value to you the consumer and the reason why shopping at the Wine Warehouse means that you will ‘never pay retail again.’

As the Wine Warehouse is currently at 19 stores with expansion plans for 2007 and beyond, we have reached a volume level to be able to receive extremely favorable prices. As with most things in the business world, volume equals lower prices. Our 50,000 square foot temperature controlled warehouse is equipped to handle volume purchases while assuring that your wine stays in top condition.

Have you ever wondered how we at Wine Warehouse are always below the prices of the ‘big box’ retailers? It is by working the wine efficiency model as best we know how. We do this without having a PR machine beat its chests with the claim of being the largest seller of wine in the US or by taking out full page ads in the paper with a smattering of branded items at enticing prices (though still not as low as ours) and then try and switch you to brands that you have never heard of and which represent no real value at all. Our stores are locally owned and operated, convenient to your homes and are run by a staff of people who have a passion for wine.

Let me hit you with some knowledge! The fixed costs from grape to glass are the taxes. Federal tax is just over $3 per 9 liter case, Florida state tax is $5.35 and then there is your local tax at the register. The variables begin with the cost that the case of wine leaves the winery at, the freight charges and the clearing fees by a wholesaler. The ‘food chain’ of wine can be as cumbersome as going from the grape-grower to the winery, then through an agent or importer, then to a wholesaler and then through a retailer or a restaurant. When the variable costs go down, the landed cost will be less and thus there will be a lower price to the ultimate consumer.

One might think that buying direct from a winery is the most efficient way to purchase wine. This is not necessarily so. How does wine get priced by its producers? On the winery front, a friend of mine who is the comptroller for a group of Australian wineries gave me the return on investment that they will receive from the various forms of getting wine to market. They will sell at various prices to their various methods of distribution with the hope of keeping similar end pricing. They would sell less expensively to export markets where there was an importer involved, a little higher to local wholesalers, a little higher to direct mail order specialists and higher again to their own tasting rooms. The returns on each sale were similar based on the costs involved. The tasting room had labor and rent expenses with relatively low volumes sold. The mail order business had higher volumes balanced against the costs of marketing and packing and shipping the wines. The wholesale volumes were higher again but there was a level of support needed for promotions and in the field help. Export markets combined for the largest volumes with most costs being absorbed by the various importers. Our model looks to get our base costs down to the importers price while minimizing the variable costs to bring a product in. This is one of the ways that we bring you the best prices everyday. Wine Warehouse has taken the next step as we are now working directly with the source.

So what does this have to do with Calamity and why the wine is named Calamity? A friend of ours in Napa called our founder, Tom Dorn, one day and alerted him about an opportunity to purchase some Cabernet Sauvignon from a top boutique producer. The only stipulation was that it had to be labeled with no reference to its source and that we could not say where the wine came from. Apparently the supply and demand curve chart of selling a $60 Cabernet was broken out and it was felt that there around 1000 gallons of top quality wine was not going to be sold based on the previous years sales. Tom felt that based upon the quality of the juice and the reputation of the winery, that this situation was a real calamity. Hence, we find the name Calamity on a wine label.

Each Calamity wine has its own story and origin. The common thread that runs through all the Calamity wines is the combination of fine quality at a fantastic value. Let’s introduce you to a few of the new releases.

Calamity Petit Verdot 2004. This is a variety that has a nice reputation but is often blended into a Meritage or Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Petit Verdot typically has some nice structure, dark color and full blown flavors. We were only able to secure 130 cases of this wine and we still happily jumped at the opportunity. The PV was sampled it upon its arrival to our warehouse and we were impressed. We were even more impressed when we tasted it three days later. This can be a keeper but is quite showy now.

Produced from 100% Petit Verdot. This grape generally adds color, spice and lift to a Meritage blend. Dark black fruit color with a bouquet of black cherries, fresh violet-tinged currant flavor and vanilla. On the palate the black cherry fruit combines with flavors of spicy gumdrops and ends with silky vanillan overtones.

Calamity Petit Verdot 2004, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $19.99


Calamity Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Sidney Frank Vineyard’ Alexander Valley 2004. This Cabernet Sauvignon hails from the vineyard of Grey Goose Founder and Jaegermeister importer, Sidney Frank. You may be aware that Mr. Frank had sold Grey Goose to Bacardi for five billion dollars. If I had a spare ‘five bil’ I might be planting myself a vineyard as well. Unfortunately Mr. Frank passed away this year so we asked if we could put the Sidney Frank vineyard name on the bottle in his memory. The winery agreed and therefore we have our first non-Napa Calamity bottling. This is from the Alexander Valley, the home of many fine Cabernets.

This wine sports classic Cabernet flavors and aromas of cassis, cedar and sweet red fruits. On the palate these flavors combine with vanilla from the oak barrels for a long and delicious finish. Excellent structure, depth and concentration, a seductive wine that has a complex ripe plummy-smoky and berry finish with soft tannins on a full finish.

Calamity Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Sidney Frank Vineyard’ Alexander Valley 2004, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $12.99


Calamity Zinfandel 2005. This wine is a custom crush. Produced from old Zinfandel vines in Calistoga, the nice thing about this Zin is the elegance and grace it has while showing off its overt fruit. Many Zins in the market give you over the top and raisiny characters, this wine is a cross between the flavors and color of Zinfandel with the texture and character of a nice Cabernet.

Cedar, vanilla and coconut macaroon aromas dominate, accented by plum and wild berry flavors ripe, cherry, raspberry and cassis flavor with a nice touch of earthiness, very good balance with a fleshy texture and a long, full, fruity finish.

Calamity Zinfandel Napa Valley 2005, Retail $19.99 Warehouse $14.99


Calamity Chardonnay ‘Carneros’ 2005. Besides this wine coming off of vines in a fantastic part of the Napa Valley, the fermentation was done on natural yeasts that tend to ferment out slower and gives a rich glycerol coating to the palate. This Chardonnay is extremely fresh, but the texture and flavors are a mouthful.

An absolutely fresh and vibrant Chardonnay. This wine has characters of pear, tropical fruits and vanilla jumping out of the glass.. Ripe and complex, turning elegant and creamy, with lots of peach, pear, fig and nectarine flavors that are smooth and plush.

Calamity Chardonnay ‘Carneros’ 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $14.99

Other Calamity offerings:

Calamity Chardonnay ‘Napa Valley’ 2004, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $14.99 Buy 3 and get 1 free nets to $11.25. This will not last long as we are on our last 100 cases.

Calamity Red ‘Napa Valley’ 2003, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $19.99, this wine is 72% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Merlot and Cabernet Franc. From the Rutherford area in Napa. I have to imagine that it is drinking at or near its peak as it is perfectly delicious today.

There may be a smattering of the original Calamity Napa Cabernet Sauvignon 2003, Retail $59.99 Warehouse $24.99 left in a few of the stores.

Be on the lookout for many new terrific offerings in the ‘new year.’

Have a safe and bloggy holiday.

Obrigado. I’ll have the bottled water please.

The wine business has its benefits. I had recently taken a job with the Symington family of Portugal. My job was representing the Symington Port and Madeira brands in the eastern part of the US. This was a ‘slam-dunk’ job for someone who loves Port and Madeira as the Symington Port houses are Graham’s, Dow’s, Warre’s, Smith Woodhouse, Quinta do Vesuvio, and Maderia lodges of Blandy’s, Leacock’s and Miles. The obligatory trip to Portugal for indoctrination took place in the fall of 1989. As I was working with Bartholomew Broadbent, we took the trip to Portugal via a quick stop in London. We were able to visit Bollew’s father Michael at his Christie’s auction house office. Must have been a typical day for Michael, there were several bottles of 19th century vintage Madeiras opened that we were welcomed to sample. Dinner that evening was at Chez Broadbent. That picture that you see in Decanter magazine of Michael Broadbent wearing his suit while standing next to a bicycle has some meaning. Michael commutes in downtown London to Christies on his bicycle nearly everyday. This trip to London was special as we were able to spend time with the man who wrote the book that I often take to my favorite restaurant (Bern’s Steak House) as a useful reference for their tome of a wine list. Michael Broadbent’s Great Vintage Wine Book is the ultimate reference guide for wines with some age with the strongest categories being Bordeaux wines and Porto in particular. This book is a great cheat-sheet when trying to navigate the hundreds of pages that make up Bern’s wine list. The next morning we were off to Oporto.

We arrived in Oporto late that morning and were off to the Symington’s offices in Vila Nova da Gaia. This is the town across the river from Oporto where most of the major port houses age their best wines. This seaside town is much cooler than it is up the Douro river where the vineyards are located. The cooler Vila Nova da Gaia cellars help wines avoid the dreadful ‘Douro Bake’ because temperatures there in the summer can easily reach over 100 degress Fahrenheit. With the lack of air conditioning up the Douro, wines could literally caramelize and hence ‘The Douro Bake.’ We tasted through about 50 Ports in the lab with Peter Symington, had a quick al fresco lunch and then went off to tour the Lodges where the ports are aged. The next day we took the old train line that travels along the Douro river. The landscape became more and more rugged as we traveled east and inland. It seemed like we were going back in time. Then it was revealed that UK students would travel here to do third world studies. At dinner that evening James Suckling was with us. The wines during dinner were a bit rustic but correct. As I mentioned in my last blog that wine tasting is a sport, decanters were routinely brought out after dinner and we would then wait in anticipation for a chance to guess the house and vintage of the port. To my amazement, JS did not even wait for his turn to guess the wine in the two decanters. He who had the most to lose made his pronouncement and unfortunately was not close. One was guessed as a single Quinta without much age on it and the other being a vintage port of 10 years greater age but the guess was slightly more than ten years off target. The blind wine was a magnum of 1966 Graham’s poured into two decanters. James Symington’s wife Penny was the only one who stated that the wines were so similar that she had a hard time telling them apart. My guess was Graham’s 1970 and 1966 as the glass I called the 1966 had more sediment in it so I though it had to be older. Obviously the second decanter was poured from the second half of the bottle where the sediment would reside. After 'pudding' we were off to watch the satellites on deck chairs overlooking the Douro in the clear night sky, anticipating our next days water skiing outing with Aussie winemaker and then Symington Family enologist, David Baverstock.

The Douro was once a very active river flowing out to the Atlantic, but now that it has a dam the river is about as still as a bathtub. It was so calm that even I could get up on one ski. Later that day I witnessed a few of the Symingtons in a bit of a heated discussion with the staff. I wasn’t sure what was going on because my Portuguese consists of bom dia, desculpe and obrigado. After that, you can forget it. As it turned out they were discussing the water source having run out to the house and the staff had decided to hook up the house to the Douro water. As this part of Portugal was the equivalent to being in an underdeveloped country, I was soon to find out that the river was accustomed to getting all of the land’s run-off, including sewage. Apparently my system wasn’t as tough as I thought it was. Obrigado, I’ll have the bottled water please.

I had the pleasure of visiting Oporto this June for a few nights. EU money has gone a long way in Oporto. The airport is brand new and very modern. The Sheraton and Le Meridien hotels are world class. The convention center is as fancy as the airport. I was in town a wine fair which showed many of the country’s small producers. The wines and packaging have also come a long way since 1989. Below you can see some examples of the many styles of Portuguese wines that are new and happening. These wineries are all representative of the modern qualitative revolution happening in today's Portugal.

Let me hit you with some knowledge: The region of Vinho Verde lies in Northwest Portugal. Although the region has been producing wine for centuries, it wasn’t until 1959 that the D.O. was created to establish quality controls and help to establish a sense of place for the wines from the zone. The region is characterized by gently rolling hills with some terraces.


The Quinta do Ameal estate dates from the 1850s, but the Araujo family has owned it for just 15 years. This old estate is owned today by one of Vinho Verde’s most ambitious proponents, Pedro Araujo. When taking over the estate, one of his first projects was to turn the entire property over to organic viticulture, one of the few to practice this in the zone. I met Pedro Araujo this June in Oporto at the wine show and revisited his wines. I owe a deep amount of gratitude to Pedro as he gave me the name of a fabulous seafood restaurant where I had a late lunch after the show. Pedro is a serious winemaker, determined to show that the undervalued terroir and grapes of Vinho Verde can be harnessed to make great wines. He is particularly devoted to the Loureiro variety, which he has planted in favor of other indigenous varieties. He ferments and ages Loureiro in new French oak barrels for six months, and feels that the floral character of the Loureiro blends perfectly with the oak aromas which add to the overall complexity of his wine. For grape quality, Pedro has cut yields from 17 tons per acre to just five tons per acre, mostly through green harvesting. He farms organically, with cover crops - legumes, grasses and clover - grown between rows to loosen soils through the roots and get oxygen into earth.

Jancis Robinson, M.W. writes: Most white Vinho Verde left me pretty cold; it seemed so tart and fruitless compared to the more sumptuous Albariños and so on produced in Rías Baixas in Spain to the north But clearly this part of Portugal has been touched by wine revolution and evolution just as much as any other, and producers such as Quinta de Covela and Quinta do Ameal are in the vanguard, dragging the rest, I hope, in their wake.

This wine is fresh with both floral and pear notes, on the palate there's a mass of lemony acidity, has excellent body, is smooth yet keeps its refreshing qualities with nice length on the palate. Not your typical spritzy Vinho Verde.

Quinta do Ameal Loureiro 2004, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $9.99

The Douro might be Portugal’s answer to Spain’s Priorat and France’s Roussillon region, is located in Northeastern Portugal. Historically, the region was the country’s port-producing center, with the city of Oporto as the worldwide seat of the port industry. Now, a few great producers are creating dry bottlings from these same grapes to startling success. Many of these parcels are field blends, with several varietals planted alongside each other.

Quinta de Covela is a beautiful south-facing estate, formed as an amphitheatre overlooking the Douro river. Farmed organically, 19 hectares of terraced vineyards curl around the ruins of the original 16th century manor house. Since the Quinta has undertaken an organic regime in their vineyards, they feel that they are now producing some superb wines in very hot, drought vintages as "the fruit retains balance and keeps its acidity and minerality." The vines seem to absorb the shock of a tough year without showing signs of stress. All work on the Quinta is done by hand, and vinification takes place in both barriques and stainless steel vats.

Quinta de Covela (Portugal) Escolha Rosé 2004A blend of Touriga Nacional, Merlot and many others. It has a soft, sweet earth and plummy-fruited nose with the creaminess and richness of a red wine. On the palate it has some real structure with wild red fruits, a hint of spice and a nice dry finish.

Quinta de Covela Escolha Rose 2004, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $ 4.99

Quinta de Covela (Portugal) Escolha Red 2003Produced from a base of Touriga Nacional, some Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah in the blend. There is plenty of lush, full berry fruit. On the palate there is a nice balance and structure with flavors of wild black fruits, black cherries and fresh menthol. Well balanced with soft tannins and a long finish.

Quinta de Covela Eschola Red 2003, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $14.99


Started in August of 2000, Lavradores de Feitoria is a collective project between 15 quality-minded Quintas in the Douro. While it is technically a cooperative venture, it is unlike a coop in many ways. Principally, there are some single Quinta wines which come from only one estate. Not all quintas produce their own wine and only 4 or 5 are chosen each year. Dirk Niepoort helped start the project and is highly involved in this.

The idea behind this novel project is to take advantage of the climatic and terroir advantages that each of the three Douro sub-regions has to offer. Some of the wines are made from only one of these zones, while some are produced from all three. The Douro Superior tends to produce wines of greater strength while the Cima Corgo and Baixo Corgo tends to produce wines with higher levels of natural acidity and elegance.

The Lavradores shows bright plum and cherry fruits, has a hint of spice on its medium textured palate. Lavradores is a fantastic value and a nice way to experiment with a wine from the Douro region.

Lavradores de Feitoria ‘Douro’ Red 2004, Retail $10.99 Warehouse $7.99

Also from the Douro Valley is the Quinta das Hidrângeas, a perfect example of the current trend in the Douro. Hidrangeas respects the inherited traditions of the region yet is open to the latest technologies. The Quinta has preserved the harmony of its landscape by maintaining the traditional stone walls that cradle it, while reconverting a part of its vineyards.

This Douro wine was nourished by schist-covered slopes and was produced from native grape varieties Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Amarela. The grapes were de-stemmed and then crushed in a granite lagar by traditional treading. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel and then aged for 12 months in French oak. This wine has an incredible depth of flavors, with spicy blue and black fruits reigning supreme. We had a sample of this open for five days and it was still kicking!

Quinta das Hidrângeas ‘Douro’ Red 2001, Retail $34.99 Warehouse $19.99


Dirk Niepoort is in charge of the Niepoort winery and is the driving force behind this world-famous property. Dirk heads his family’s business that began making port in 1847. A fifth generation Dutchman, Dirk made his first port vintage in 1987 and has continued creating amazing port bottlings while adding dry red cuvees that have become the talk of the Douro. Dirk is known as one of the main forces behind the progression of dry red wine production in the zone and is certainly its main proponent worldwide.

What Dirk is really known for is the quality of his Tawny ports. The Tawnies have the silky expression of a supple Pinot Noir, with incredible length and complexity. If you speak to a winemaker who makes port, you will find that they are most proud of their 20 year old Tawny wines as this style really shows the skill of the blender and can be incredibly complex.

Niepoort 10 year Tawny Port, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $34.99
Niepoort 20 year Tawny Port, Retail $64.99 Warehouse $54.99
Niepoort 30 year Tawny Port, Retail $129.99 Warehouse $119.99
Niepoort Late Bottled Vintage 2000, Retail 29.99 Warehouse $24.99
Niepoort 2003 Vintage Port 375ml, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $34.99

Pintas is one of the more exciting projects to come out of the Douro in quite some time. The project of husband and wife team Jorge Serodio Borges formerly of Niepoort and Sandra Tavares who is a winemaker in her own right. Together, they farm 2 small hectares of up to 30 different varietals, all planted alongside each other on these hillsides. There is no fancy winery, just a simple structure that allows them to make a terrific wine from their very small holdings. The vineyard is full south facing, helping to explain the dark richness of Pintas.

The Pintas 2003 Vintage Port was produced from the very intense grapes from a very warm year. This port is ripe, rich and has a savory intensity with great depth. Complex and spicy with black fruits and pepper. Extremely concentrated stuff.

Pintas Vintage Port 2003, Retail $49.99 Warehouse $29.99

And in honor of my trip in 1989, please check out our tremendous deals on bottled water:

Pellegrino sparkling from Italy, liters retail $1.99 Warehouse $1.39












Aquapanna still from Italy, liters retail $1.99 Warehouse $1.39










Volvic still from France, 1.5L retail $1.89 Warehouse $1.29
Volvic still from France, liters $1.49 Warehouse $.99












Bloggy dia.........

Why doesn’t my Saumur taste like beets?

Who says that wine tasting is not a sport?

Flashing back to late January, 1993………….to the Drake Hotel in NYC. The setting was a seminar for aspiring Master of Wine candidates. In the ‘candidate’ crowd were a number of American wine notables including Larry Stone, Andrea Immer, Mary Ewing-Mulligan and Doug Frost. The drill encompassed having 12 wines set in front of you in individual glasses. There was nothing other than the questions being asked about the wine as a clue to what the wines might be. Candidates were randomly asked to ‘read their notes’ about a specific wine. After several candidates took their stab as to how the wine was made, what its characteristics were, and what grape/grapes might make up this wine, what appellation and vintage the wine was while giving reasons for the answers; Anthony Foster, M.W. would then proclaim ‘Right! I’ll read MY notes.’ Of course as Anthony knew what the wine was, he had a serious advantage. One would always hope that Anthony would choose them to ‘read their notes’ when there was a confidence level that their tasting notes were strong and accurate on that particular wine. There was a specific red wine that I was hoping that Anthony would spare me having to ‘read my notes.’ This wine had a brick-like red color, had a green-herbal-vegetal like nose, and a rather low level of alcohol and extract. I figured it must come from a cool climate, but other than that I was stumped. It seemed that the rest of the crowd was stumped as well judging from their ‘notes.’ Then there was this one guy at the back of the room who perfectly described the wine, gave a reasoned analysis why the cool climate that this wine came from was the Loire Valley and nailed the variety as Cabernet Franc. The wine was from Saumur Champigny and he was confident that it came from either there or Chinon. Anthony acknowledged that these were the ideal tasting notes. Several of us went up to the guy after the session and asked him how he was able to ‘nail’ that wine when nobody else came close. He said ‘it was easy because the wine smelled and tasted of beets, which is a marker for cool climate reds and in particular Cabernet Franc from the Loire.’ It turns out that this guy had a good bit of experience with Loire Valley reds as he was Kermit Lynch’s national sales manager. The guy was Fran Kysela.




You may be asking yourselves what any of the above has to do with beets? It is all about chaptalization or enrichment. The process is named after Jean-Antoine Chaptal in France during the 1800’s. The process is used to increase the final alcoholic strength of a wine by adding sugar to the grape juice or must before or during fermentation. This would be the opposite of last week’s blog which discussed the problem with grapes that are potentially too ripe.

Let me hit you with some knowledge: Traditionally used to compensate or underripeness in cool winegrowing regions, ‘enrichment’ encompasses the addition of sugar, grape must, or concentrated grape must to a wine. Enrichment is the counterpoint to acidification which is the norm in hot regions. Sucrose is the usual enrichment material used. In northern Europe this has normally been refined sugar beet, or occasionally cane sugar.

So why doesn’t my Saumur taste like beets? It is because we are working with high quality producers from the region. They are farming their vines with lower than average yields, have their vines planted in optimal terroirs and have had good luck with the weather being warmer than usual. With these factors, the Cabernet Franc ripens properly and therefore no enrichment is needed. Be on the lookout for Domaine des Roches Neuves. You’ll be glad that you did.

At the Wine Warehouse, we look to separate ourselves from the pack by aligning with producers who are on the cutting edge. We found a relatively new importer in Jon-David Headrick whose own importing business started in 2003 and who has a portfolio of small wineries from Northern France focusing on the chalk line from Champagne that runs through the Loire Valley. His portfolio currently includes 15 properties from the Loire and 5 growers from Champagne.

The properties with which Jon-David works are consumed with making wines which are true to where they come from, true to the earth, and true to the winemaker’s obsession with quality. The wines are harvested by hand and the grapes are grown according to either organic or biodynamic practices. Many of the properties are certified organic or biodynamic. All are leaders in their appellations and harvest lower yields than their neighbors to ensure a premium product.

Domaine des Roches Neuves (Saumur, Saumur-Champigny) One of the brightest stars in French winemaking today, Thierry Germain is making the wine world re-think how it has perceived Cabernet Franc from the Loire. His tiny property is certified biodynamic and his yields are a miniscule 15-30 hl/ha, almost a full 40 hl/ha under his neighbors and hence, the lack of the need for beets. The vines are vibrant and wild, with tiny berries filled with concentrated fruit and minerality. His white wine ‘Insolite’ is an intensely floral and mineral offering produced entirely from Chenin Blanc.

Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur Champigny Rouge 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99
Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur ‘Insolite’ 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

Domaine Saint Nicolas (Fiefs Vendeens) With vineyards just a stone's throw from the Atlantic ocean, the Fiefs Vendeens is the southernmost of the Loire’s wine growing regions, located about an hour south of Nantes (Muscadet). Domaine St. Nicolas, run by the dynamic Thierry Michon, is one of the few certified biodynamic vineyards in the Loire, and is planted to Chenin, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and other varietals planted mostly on pink slate and quartz. These wines are pure examples of terroir, often expressing the salinity of the nearby sea and the minerality of the slate on which they are planted.

Domaine Saint Nicolas ‘Gammes en May’ 2005, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $9.99

Domaine du Viking (Vouvray) Lionel Gauthier, known to his friends and foes as “the

Viking” is as much a “character” as he is a winemaker with his shock of “Viking” blond hair and big build. His winemaking is all about purity and simplicity, with no manipulation. Aged in older chestnut barrels, this Chenin Blanc is almost always created in a style that he refers to as “tendre” (tender), basically a demi-sec with mouthwatering acidity. His older vintages are prime examples of how Chenin Blanc ages.

Off-dry at first impression, with green almond, fig and pear flavors, this gives way to a more cut on the back end, with floral and candied ginger notes. Long, minerally finish. An absolute steal at this price. Drink now through 2020. 2,000 cases made. 92pts Wine Spectator.

Domaine du Viking Vouvray 2002, Retail $ 21.99 Warehouse $16.99

Like its 1990 sibling, this has candied citrus, pineapple and melon flavors that are mature and defined. But there's extra richness here, with more obvious sweetness and a more open-knit finish. Drink now through 2010. 2,000 cases made. 92pts Wine Spectator

Domaine du Viking Vouvray 1989, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $21.99

Domaine des Huards (Cheverny, Cour-Cheverny) The property is certified biodynamic and uses only indigenous yeasts. Huards Cheverny Rouge is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay. This is a very fine and stylish red. Worth seeking out for you Pinot Noir lovers.

Domaine de Huards Cheverny Rouge 2005, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $14.99

Domaine Vincent Ogereau The picture above shows Vincent Ogereau on the left, with Jon-David on the right. Just south of the Loire river from Savennieres, the area of the Anjou where Vincent Ogereau produces Chenin Blanc is composed of the same dense slate that Savennieres is planted on, giving the wine of this tiny part of the Anjou the same density and minerality. There may be some of the Anjou Blanc left in our shops. Our current arrival is the 03 Anjou rouge produced from Cabernet Franc grapes. This is organically farmed, undergoes a long maceration and spends 12 months in barrel.

Domaine Ogereau Anjou Villages Rouge 2003, Retail $ 18.99 Warehouse $15.99

Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre. Each step over the Domaine Vacheron’s 100% silex soil sounds like the intense crunching of oyster shells. What's underfoot is the power that makes “Les Romains” fresh, with great minerality, and thus long-lived. It's also why Domaine Vacheron today is 100% organic/biodynamic—what you taste in every glass is exactly what nature intended.

The cousins Vacheron, Jean-Dominique and Jean-Laurent harvest with yields consistently lower than the average Sancerre harvest. This is just one reason why “Les Romains” is so outstanding—not only does it represent one of the finest terroirs in Sancerre, but its yields (30 ha/hl) are miniscule. Grapes are pressed whole, then aged in large foudres for more oxygen contact and thus more complexity than would be achieved in a stainless steel vessel. This wine has vibrancy and verve. The 2005 Sancerre “Les Romains” is described by The Wine Spectator as a young, bony white, with a flinty spine holding the chalk, chive flower and grass flavors together. Drink now through 2007. 89pts Wine Spectator

Domaine Vacheron Sancerre 2005, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

In Champagne, JD works only with growers and not with negociants. This approach allows for more place specificity. A few blogs ago I had mentioned that the large Champagne houses end up spending 95% of their profits on promotions and marketing. The following Champagne houses are small and do not have to spend like this. That is why these wines are such good values for the quality that they bring.

Champagne Tarlant (Marne) Benoit Tarlant believes that Champagne doesn’t need an abundance of sugar or liqueur added to taste good, and as such, is one of the new wave of young growers in Champagne to bottle with zero dosage, called “Brut Zero” in French. This approach means that the raw material must be pristine as there is nothing added that can mask it. Located just west of Epernay on the right bank of the Marne, Benoit farms his steep hillsides organically, and harvests and vinifies by parcel, which is a rarity in Champagne.

Champagne Tarlant Brut Zero, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $29.99
Champagne Tarlant La Vigne d’Antan, Retail $59.99 Warehouse $49.99

Champagne Franck Pascal (Marne) One of the leaders of the new revolution in grower Champagne, Franck Pascal owns only 4 hectares of vines in the hills north of the Marne river. As his parcels are completely surrounded by vines controlled by the larger negociants, most of whom use helicopters and huge tractors to spray chemicals on their vines, Franck is forced to buy buffer zones around his vines to keep them in the biodynamic
way that he has raised them. One of the great proponents of Pinot Meunier, Franck believes intensely in the varietal and his bottlings are Meunier-heavy beauties of great class and depth.

Champagne Frank Pascal Brut Prestige 1996, Retail $ 49.99 Warehouse $ 39.99

Champagne Francoise Bedel et Fils (Marne) Francoise rarely calls a vintage. She prefers instead to impress customers with her non-vintage wines, almost all of which actually come from a single year’s fruit. No cultured yeast is used and Francoise insists that the wild yeasts present in the vineyard add to the character. Francoise is one of the few growers who grow their own fruit and make their own wine that is exported to the US. In the 90’s she began the conversion to organic agriculture realizing she was destroying her vineyards with synthetic products. She prepares her own treatments and remains one of the leaders of this movement in Champagne.

Champagne Francoise Bedel Brut Entre Ciel et Terre, Retail $ 59.99 Warehouse $49.99

Bruno Michel Champagne is located in the midst of the village of Pierry, in the heart of Epernay. His entire "terroir" consists of more than forty plots of vines, all of them rich and balanced with soil of chalk and marl in order to produce the best possible champagne grapes. The vines average thirty years of age and have deeply nestled their roots in this famous appellation. Bruno’s terroirs are perfectly situated mid-slope which is optimal for capturing sunshine.
Bruno mixes the traditional with the modern in his cellar by using a combination of oak vats as well as temperature controlled stainless steel. Both of these offerings display tremendous purity and complexity.

Champagne Bruno Michel Cuvee Blanche, Retail $ 38.99 Warehouse $29.99
Champagne Bruno Michel Cuvee Terre Blanc de Blancs, Retail $ 49.99 Warehouse $ 39.99

Perfectly ripe grapes, you just can’t ‘beet’ em.