Adopt a Maligned Grape: Pinotage

There are a lot of Pinotage poo poo'ers out there.  I don't judge them too harshly, there are a lot of bad mass market Pinotages giving the good ones a bad name.  This oft maligned grape is under constant critique.  Some say that at its worst, it tastes like rubber tires (tyres in South Africa) band-aids, paint thinner and/or rubbing alcohol.  I've found some beautiful Pinotages that have complex aromas of brambly fruits, red cherry, earthiness, barn-yardy notes and even a hint of an exotic and sassy note that I will simply call: Animale.

What is Pinotage?

Pinotage is a crossing (not a hybrid) of two grapes of the same species, in this case of Vitis Vinifera.  All of the famous grapes of quality are Vitis Vinifera and you know them: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Malbec, Chardonnay, etc. 

Made official in 1925, Pinotage is the love child between Pinot Noir and Cinsault.  Mother Pinot Noir is from a good family of high social standing - she's aloof, moody, elegant and delicate, but can be warm and smell like cherries. Pappa Cinsault, a decidedly less popular grape from humbler southern beginnings, but sturdy, strapping, earthy, he brings darker richer fruits to the party. It's a little Lady Chatterly-esque, no?

Pinotage has become the signature grape of South Africa.  That's not hard to believe since it was created there.  Pinotages can range in price from $8.99 upwards of $50.  The two I have listed below are in the under $25 category and they just might turn you into a Pinotage lover, or at the very least, pique your interest.  

Pinotage has a wide range of typical aromas and tastes, but basically, you can expect something that is a little like Pinot Noir (cherry, strawberry, spice) and Cinsault (blackberry, black cherry, earthy) with the addition of an exotic element we have already touched upon that I call Animale. Cabernet lovers will be drawn to the sheer power of the wines, and if you are a Shiraz enthusiast, the funky spice and boldness will appeal to you.  Pinotage is NOT for the faint of heart!  Check with your doctor before popping the cork.

Doolhof "Dark Lady" Pinotage 2009, from Wellington South Africa really seduced me.  The more I smelled this, the more interesting it became.  I won't lie to you, at first sniff I was afraid.  There was that initial funky junk that I often smell with Pinotage.  It is so distinct and so polarizing.   It challenging to describe, but just think black strap molasses on a hot rubber tire.  Once that dissipated, aromas of burnt molasses and blackberry with macerated strawberry came into play.  There was a spicy note too, of clove and nutmeg. After a little more time, chocolaty aromas evolved.  It was really spectacular to see how much this wine changed in the glass minute after minute. 

Another one of my faves is the Warwick Pinotage.  They have mastered the art of making a fruity spicy Pinotage that has prominent aromas of Bing cherry and old bay spice instead of the inside of rubber tire (or tyre if you're in South Africa).  This a full bodied beauty that has the bright red fruit that is expertly co-mingled with this earthy Animale.  The result is a very interesting and almost intellectual wine.  It keeps challenging your senses.  For me, that is a very agreeable position to be in.  I do dislike a boring wine!

Dark Lady Pinotage 2009

color: dark ruby

nose: initially burnt and charred notes, moving into blackberry and strawberry and then spiced leather and chocolate

palate: smooth and rich, full bodied and velvety

approx retail: $17.99

A Rye Story: McKenzie Rye, Sazerc Rye and Russell's 6 Year Reserve

With the increase in popularity of brown spirits and my shopping addiction,  it's no wonder that we have about 6 different Rye's in our home bar.  Rye the preferred spirit in our house cocktail; the Manhattan.  Today, I take 3 different Ryes for 3 different reasons to make a boozy evaluation:

1) Sazerac - the classic

2) Russell's Reserve - 6 Year - the aged, with a big company backing

3) McKenzie - the newcomer - artisinal small batch spirit

What is rye?

We've all had rye bread and pumpernickel bread, no?  This is the same grain that we are talking about.  Bourbon is a corn-heavy spirit (at least 51% of the mash must be corn), and Rye is a rye grain based spirit. Rye bread is a little spicier and and sharper than corn bread, so it's no surprise that Rye spirits have a distinct spice to them and are less sweet tasting than Bourbons.  After distillation, Rye must be age in new oak barrels.  It must be aged for at least 2 years if it is to be called "Straight Rye Whiskey".

Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey 90 Proof
The Classic

This is the first Rye that I ever purchased.  It claims to be have been America's first branded cocktail; the Sazerac, which is enjoying a revival thanks to Rye-minded bar folk on both sides of the zinc. From it's New Orleans beginnings in the late 1800's, Sazerac has grown in size to be a part of a sizable company that also owns Buffalo Trace, Rain Vodka, Firefly Vodka,  Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, and Chi Chi's cocktail mixers (I know my readers will know and love that last one).  The crispness of the Sazerac makes it a fantastic partner for a cocktail.  This classic has staying power.

color: light amber

nose: pleasantly and subtly, aromatic, heather honey, slightly fruity, spice, light caramel

palate: crisp and light, spiced caramel, candied orange peel

cost: $24.99

Russell's Reserve Rye - 6 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye -   90 Proof
The Designer Aged

Made by our friends over at Wild Turkey in Kentucky this is a smooth and unctuous Rye.  There is certainly the familiar Rye spice, but there is a distinct richness that differs from the Sazerac (for better or worse).   Russell's is a straight rye, so it's been aged for more than 2 years - 6 years in this case.  I know we love to hate big corporations, but because they are Wild Turkey, they have the luxury of making this pet project.  Because it's small batch distilled, it's time consuming.  They claim to hand select the rye and slow ferment it; two practices that are costly.   The long term aging has taken a little of the raw spiciness out, but it is undeniably a Rye and you could drink this puppy straight (or with a few Fabbri cherries).

color: light amber

nose: smoky caramel, clove and other baking spices

palate: smooth rich and luscious - golden caramel

$34.99

McKenzie Rye Whiskey 91 Proof
The Indie Small Batch
This Rye is from the Finger Lakes area of upstate New York made using local grains from area farms.  They produce some other spirits, but this one seems to be their most popular in NYC. They are true craft distillers, making their booze in small batches with a traditional copper pot still (this one was custom made in Germany - and you can allegedly see the gleam from the highway) without the addition of commercial enzymes.  They finish the wine in sherry casks (we looooove sherry!)  http://www.fingerlakesdistilling.com/. The McKenzie had a woodier, vanilla aroma and was as smooth, powerful and luscious (similar to the Russell Reserve) on the palate with tons of butterscotch.  For my New York area readers, we can drink a somewhat local spirit, and for all us, we can support an artisinal endeavor!  It's a win-win because this Rye is really delicious.

color: honeyed amber

nose: spice, molasses, vanilla, brown sugar, praline
palate: woody spice, smooth butterscotch finish

$34.99

Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and Sharecroppers Pinot Noir 2008 - One Tagine and two delicious Wines

The wonderful part about food and wine pairing is that there isn't one true answer.  There are certainly better pairings than others and some that don't work at all.  Sometimes two very different wines will elevate and compliment the same dish in two very different ways.  There are some classic pairings that I won't mess with like Foie Gras and Sauternes or Dark Chocolate and Port.

Our sassy friend, Judy,  prepared a tasty chicken tagine and had several amazing wines on the table.  I love dinners like that - it truly appeals to my non-committal side.  I can have several small glasses of different wines instead of one (or 3) glasses of the same wine.  The two wines that were winners for me were the Merry Edwards barrel fermented Sauvignon Blanc 2009 and the Owe Roe Sharecropper's Pinot Noir 2008 (my contribution to the dinner party, heh heh).

Merry Edwards is such an icon that I think I felt honored to be drinking her wine in the first place.  She's been making wine for 40 years or something impressive like that.  She makes world class Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.  This Sauvignon Blanc is made with almost half of the grapes coming from 30+ year old vines (ANCIENT for Sonoma) in the Russian River Valley of Sonoma.  They get some gorgeous fog and cool breezes that you can almost taste in the wine. She barrel ferments the wine and allows lees aging, so there is a smoothness and a bit of a fuller body to it compared to a wine that fermented in stainless steel.

I was drinking this before the tagine and then when everyone switched to red, I had the rest of the bottle to myself (good party scam).  There is a lovely lush Meyer lemon nose that is echoed on the palate.  There's something akin to a honeyed grapefruit with bright minerality on the palate too.  I really enjoyed the lusciousness and it really stood up to the chicken thigh and couscous.

When I had drained the Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc I reached for the Oregon Pinot Noir, an Owen Roe bottling called Sharecropper's from the Willamette Valley.  The minerality and cherry cola flavors really brought out the richness of the dark chicken meat and made the cherry studded couscous sing.

Owen Roe is a great winery in the Pacific Northwest that specializes in grapes that grow best in theWillamette Valley of Oregon and the Yakima Valley in Washington.  Sharecropper's sources its fruit from the Willamette Valley.  This particular bottle had a gorgeous aromatic nose full of wild strawberries, cherry cola and delicate earth.  It was bright on the palate with more cherries and spice and had a lengthy finish.

Verdict: Drink multiple wines with dinner to hedge your bets and check out these two wineries.

Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc 2009: $30.00
Sharecropper's Pinot Noir 2008: $24.00

When it's Chilly - Pinot Noir from Chile Kingston Family Vineyards Pinot Noir 2008, Casablanca Chile

I work for a Chilean winery so I am always keen to check out what other wineries have out there in my markets. Okay, it's really just an excuse to drink more wine, but Chile has a lot of great wine to offer and usually at fantastic prices. I used to favor bigger, fruity and jammy wines (I used to work for an Australian winery) but now, I am drawn to wines that are more subtle and elegant. 

I made veal chops last night.  I opened up two wines the Stag's Leap Petite Syrah 2006 from Napa Valley, California and this Tobiano Pinot Noir 2008 from Kingston Family Vineyards, Casablanca Valley, Chile.  My boyfriend loved the big bold Petite Syrah (note that he drank a Manhattan with his chop and came to drink wine apres diner).  I thought the Tobiano Pinot Noir was better match.  I'm not saying that I'm right, I'm just saying that I'm the one who has the blog.

The Tobiano Pinot had a really great balance of delicate earthiness, spice and sour red cherry/macerated strawberry brightness.  There was good acidity, but it wasn't overpowering.  It was a perfect food wine, but it was also great to drink long after the chop was gone.  The Petite Syrah was more of a dense fudge frosted cake, whereas the Pinot Noir was a chocolate souffle... with those macerated strawberries on the side. There's nothing wrong with fudge frosted cake.  I was just in the mood for something lighter, leaner, elegant and a little more dynamic.

I support Chilean wines. It's part of what I do everyday, but it's also important to me that wine enthusiasts are open to trying wines from different regions. Some people are so shocked that Chile could produce Pinot Noir and then more shocked that it's of any quality.  They tend to think of Chile as an extension of Argentina's Mendoza.  Chile is actually more similar to California's coast than it is to Mendoza.  Chile has all of that coast line to work with, dramatic mountain ranges (the Andes AND the coastal mountian ranges), a chilly air bringing Humbolt Current, and narrow valleys.  Casablanca is one of the areas that has emerged as a region of great wine quality.  It is due west of Santiago in the center of the country and just a few miles away from the coast.  There is outstanding Pinot Noir, Syrah Chardonnay, and Sauvignon Blanc being produced here.

The Kingston Family are from Michigan originally.  They came to Chile in the early 1900's looking for copper and gold.  I don't know if they found any gold, but they have a winery now and it's still family owned.   Originally a cattle ranch, they've been growing grapes for the past 13 years in Casablanca. 

The Verdict:  pick up a Casablanca Pinot Noir from Chile.  Usually priced under 20 bucks and they are really awesome.  They are not a syrupy cherry cola Pinot Noir, they are a lean and elegant expression. 

Color:  light ruby

Nose: Spicy macerated wild strawberry, clove, forest floor, vanilla

Palate: medium bodied, sour cherry, strawberry, baking spices acidity balanced with fruit and spice.

Approximate price: $18.99

It's OK to like Chardonnay!! Louis Latour Saint-Veran Les Deux Moulins 2007, Burgundy France

I am a fan of Chardonnay.   I'm not afraid to admit it.  Nor should you, especially when it tastes as good this one. One of my many New Year's resolutions is to learn (drink) more about French wines.  I have been very lax in my knowledge about Burgundian so we will learn together.

I like Saint Véran wines for many reasons.  1) They have a nice balance of minerality, toast and citrus/apple flavors and aromas. 2)They are well priced under and around $20. 3) You sound very sophisticated saying the name Sahn Verahn!!

Here's a little information about St. Véran.  It's located in the very south of Burgundy (before you get to Beaujolais country), this is just north of Lyons. The St. Véran vineyards are found bordering the Pouilly-Fuisse vineyards (remember these wines - they were hugely popular in the 70's and 80's in the US and have since fallen a little out of favor with younger drinkers).  Where Pouilly-Fuisse Chardonnay is bigger, bolder, and more powerful, Chardonnay from St. Véran is a little leaner version of that.  The soils of St. Véran are chalky - not the coveted limestone of the Grand Cru, however, the chalkiness still gives the wines some beautiful clean minerality.  Often there is less or no oak used.  The wine I had was stainless steel fermented although it felt rich and I thought I could detect some toastiness.

Basically, if you are looking for a great value and extremely tasty wine that won't set you back more than $20 venture into St. Véran.  The wines are mineral driven, crisp and lemony with hints of pear and golden apple. They are not oaky bombs by any stretch of the imagination.  If you long for that, best find some butterscotch hard candy!

Don't fear Burgundy!  Go for it!!

color: pale gold

nose: peach, pear, citrus

palate: golden apple, mineral, lemon

Approximate Price: $17.99
 
 

German Pinot Noir! Ja Vol! Weinhaus Heger Pinot Noir 2005, Baden Germany

Recently, I hosted a wine night where we blind tasted a dozen Pinot Noirs. Although we correctly guessed the varietal each time (thankfully), we were often divided when we tried to determine the country or region of origin for that particular Pinot Noir.  One of the wines that particularly surprised us was this Pinot Noir or Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir in German) from the Baden region of Germany.    

Half of the room said that it was definitely old world and the other claimed it was Oregon or Santa Barbara.  Germany was nowhere on our radar when it came to Pinot Noir.  It had a classic spiced cherry and strawberry nose and a somewhat full body.  I don't think that any of us expected such a full bodied red wine from Germany.  It wasn't like some crazy Carneros Pinot Noir, but it wasn't thin and overly acidic either.

None of us knew anything about Baden save for the fact that it was a southerly wine region along the Rhine in Germany. I have learned that Baden is the third largest wine region in Germany.  More that 50 percent of the grapes grown there are Spätburgunder.  It's climate is comparable to Alsace which also produces some cool Pinot Noirs.

Maybe this region doesn't get a lot of respect because the vast majority of the wine is made by cooperatives.  Perhaps that's why it's not super popular.  However, the wine we tasted was from an estate.  The winery is Heger, it's a family winery.  They have been around since the 1940's.  They have become famous for their Pinot Noir and their Pinot Gris.  Both of these grapes grow well on the estate's loess soils.

Loess is one of those cool soils you also see in Austria, its name means "loose" in German.  It's made up of sand and clay and calcium carbonate (fish skeletons)- basically the bed of an ancient sea.  Very cool.

Basically -give Pinot Noir from Germany a try.  Keep an open mind! 

color: ruby red

nose: cinnamon spice, red cherry, wild strawberry
palate: cherry and red currant on palate, full body with balanced acidity, medium finish

approximate retail $25