Too Much Information?

Matt Kramer's "Manifesto 2010" column in the new Wine Spectator (March 31, 2010) hits on the theme of transparency in winemaking. Among all the talk about high alcohol levels; interventionist vs. natural winemaking; biodynamic farming; and the myriad of other topics surrounding the making of wine- I agree with Mr. Kramer that transparency is the centerpiece in the discussion.

At the same time, I'm not sure how much unsolicited information is owed by vintners about their winemaking techniques and philosophies. Accurate alcohol by volume seems like a no-brainer to me, but the 1% (on wines less than 14%) and 1.5% (on wines greater than 14%) leeway that US law allows on label is such a large range that you have to take the information with a grain of salt. You'd think this would be the most basic information that you could rely upon regarding the wine.

Outside of that, how much information is owed to the consumer? I've seen tech sheets detailing rootstock, clones, soil, yeasts, percentage of new oak, type of oak, size of barrel, farming methods, and everything in between. On the other side of the coin, I've seen only the most basic technical information given. I was looking on the website for Chateau La Tour Carnet the other evening and it couldn't tell me the percentage of new oak that was used in aging.

Is it more interesting to speculate whether a wine was watered back, or aged in what percentage of new oak, or fermented with natural yeast... or more interesting to know all this information going in? I like to get my own impressions and then see how they might be correct or mistaken. I'm not sure that any of the detailed technical information is owed to me- part of the onus is on me to find it out if I have an interest. I'm not sure what to read into the less detailed tech sheets and websites... as long is doesn't potentially affect the health of the consumer (i.e. alcohol, sulfites), then to me its proprietary information. If the winery thinks putting it out there is useful then I guess they do it. Maybe they just think if you or me is interested enough we'll find a way to get the information... maybe we ask the question in the tasting room or email the winery.

That's not to say that I don't appreciate full disclosure when it is offered- both positive and negative. I guess its easy to disclose that you farm biodynamically, or ferment with natural yeast, or don't filter or fine on your tech sheets if you think this is appealing to your target customers. What's impressive to me, as Matt Kramer mentioned in the column, is the concept of disclosing a potentially unfashionable detail about your wine. In New Classic Winemakers of California, Bill Wathen of Foxen mentions that some wines have to be watered back- but not something they like to do. I overheard Steve Beckmen of Beckmen Vineyards saying in their tasting room last year that the 2007 vintage didn't need to by acidified... I don't doubt the integrity of Foxen or Beckmen for these reasons. I'm sure there are plenty who avoid talking about that stuff, but in avoidance maybe the opportunity is missed for a meaningful discussion with perspective about hot-button winemaking issues.

It would be great to see a more open discussion, but I'm still unsure that I am owed any more from a winemaker than I would be from a musician, or an artist. Maybe the methods are essential to the final result, maybe the ends always justify the means. It's in the eye of the beholder I guess- from the winemaker to the consumer.

Wines of Germany tasting

Tonight was the Wines of Germany class at Atlanta Wine School. A great opportunity for exposure to more serious German Wines. I don't often drink German wines, although not due to lack of interest. It's more a case of lack of exposure to anything beyond the basic mass-imported QbA's, Kabinetts, and Spatlese. I know that profound expressions of Riesling emanate from the beautiful slopes above the Mosel River and throughout the rest of the German wine countryside- so the class was a welcome opportunity.

German wine can seem a bit dense on the surface. The nomenclature on the labels seems complicated, but is actually fairly simple upon memorization. The classification of levels of ripeness/sweetness on the top level QmP wines is different, but overall the quality classifications are similar to other European countries. The aesthetics of the bottles are unique but grow on you as you come to appreciate the wines. The German Wines website is a good source of specific information.

We tasted wines from Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheinhessen, Pfalz, and Rheingau. All were Riesling (QbA, Kabinett, Spatlese, and Auslese) except for a Scheurebe Spatlese from Pfalz and a QbA Troken (dry) Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir) from Rheingau. Generally, I ended up preferring the sweeter Kabinetts and Auslese wines as the residual sugar consistently came with an intensity from the fruit profile and acidity. A good example of this was the Joh Jos Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Auslese 2006 from Mosel- beautifully elegant and sweet heather honey flavors that were ushered into the palate by an attacking tart tropical fruit profile- bone dry on the tip of the tongue before the lush sweetness comes in. The Joh Jos Prum Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Spatlese 2005 was less sweet and more marked with apple, lime, petrol, and floral notes- very nice as well.

Other favorites included Gysler Weinheim Riesling Kabinett 2007 from Rheinhessen- red floral notes, red apple, and honey on the nose moving into citrus, exotic spice, pear, apple, and honey on the palate- very rich and complex. I also liked the Kurt Darting Durkheimer Spielberg Scheurebe Spatlese 2007. Great aromatics of currants, grapefruit, and wet stone and a palate of honeycomb, forest floor, grapefruit, and apricot- very nice. Both of these wines are selections of noteworthy importer Terry Theise.

A great overall experience, and a nice break from my usual wine suspects...

2005 Chateau Fombrauge

I recently was the recipient of an email from Green's, a large beverage retailer in Atlanta. They had secured a great deal on a few 2005 Bordeaux as the wholesaler was reducing inventory. Some of the available wines originally were priced in the $50 price range, but were on sale for more than half off. One of them was the 2005 Château Fombrauge Saint-Emilion Grand Cru.

Picking this up for $24.99, there was no guilt about opening it early and partaking in the great 2005 Bordeaux vintage for Valentine's Day. Dinner was at 10 Degrees South in Buckhead, a great little spot serving South African-influenced cuisine. (see yelp review here). The corkage fee was very fair and the sommelier provided great service. With my wife's filet in a peppercorn cream sauce and my rack of lamb, the wine was a good overall fit with dinner.

As for details of the wine- it gets 18 months in oak; is 77% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon; and the AbV is 14.5%. In the glass it is a highly extracted black-ruby color with full body. Light notes in the nose of blueberry, creme de cassis, vanillin, and oak. Blueberry and pencil shavings open on the front palate with full flavors of cedar, espresso, dried herbs, and leather in the middle, accompanied by secondary notes of dark fruit and chocolate. It finishes with coffee and black cherry with very firm tannins. It's tight but has good structure and a broad range of integrated flavors. Very nice- the complexity is very pleasurable, and with time to brighten the fruit this can reach an even higher level. Very respectable at its original price point, and quite a find at $24.99.

I've had good luck with wine store email lists; it's a great way to shop for wine. You never know what's coming down the pike next... Here's to great food and wine on Valentine's Day!

**On a side note, I'd like to thank the State of Georgia for passing the law that allows consumers to take open bottles of wine home from restaurants. It's consumer and business friendly while promoting responsible drinking.

Purchased at Green's

Thoughts From New Classic Winemakers of California

I recently read New Classic Winemakers of California. The book is a series of conversational interviews conducted by Steve Heimoff from Wine Enthusiast with noteworthy California winemakers. The sections are divided by decades which the winemakers got their start, either the 70's, 80's, or 90's. Big names such as John Alban, Heidi Peterson Barrett, Greg Brewer, Merry Edwards, Elias Fernandez are profiled- and the list goes on and on.

Heimoff does a great job conducting candid conversations with the subjects. For instance, the question is often asked about rising alcohol levels in California fine wines. The variations of responses are fascinating, and some winemakers offer theories about why this might be the case. An idea that came up more than once was the role that lowering yields plays in driving up sugars in the remaining fruit. If the goal is to pick with ripe mature tannins, then the brix is often already high due to the reduced yields, resulting in higher alcohol. Another idea that was mentioned was the lack of old vines in California. The idea being that old vines produce a naturally lower yield and this allows the tannins to ripen in concert with the sugars in the grape- allowing for a complex profile at a lower brix. This makes sense when considering the recent history of California viticulture- new vineyard development, replantings, phylloxera in the late 80's, etc.

The discussion also gets into cellar techniques that winemakers may or may not use when picking at high brix. At least one noteworthy producer admits that they are willing to resort to water addition as a means to lower alcohol. Others say the high alcohol is better than using reverse osmosis or water addition, they view it as the natural expression of the vineyard. Most seem to regard it as an issue that they are beginning to deal with and that the levels will start to come down in the future. Plenty of other subjects in the cellar and the vineyard are discussed, the brix discussion just happens to be what resonated most with me.

If you're interested in issues in the vineyard and the cellar and haven't checked this out, it's a fascinating and worthwhile read. I like Steve Heimoff's stuff in Wine Enthusiast- his reviews seem to correspond with my tastes, and he's not easy to peg like other critics can be. I'll look forward to reading his earlier book, A Wine Journey Along The Russian River.