The Wine Inquirer Speaks with Philippe Guigal about his wine cellars. For retailers carrying Rhone wines in Tucson, please click here.
Archive for August, 2010
The wine cellars of E. Guigal.
Saturday, August 14th, 2010Asian Markets Reluctant to Buy ’09 Bordeaux En Primeur
Tuesday, August 17th, 20102010 Weather Continues to Challenge Sonoita Vineyards
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010As if a late April freeze, damaging and destroying vines, wasn’t enough of a challenge for Sonoita vintners, now many have been impacted by severe thunderstorms with drenching rain, wind and destructive hail. The recent storms hit many vineyards such as Dos Cabezas and Callaghan Vineyards, stripping vines of their canopy of leaves and grapes, leaving precious little to work with, in some cases. While the storms have been inconsistent this summer in numbers, what has developed has been intense.
The pattern of weather extremes seems to be a common theme around the globe this summer with century temperatures in Moscow and flooding rains in China and Pakistan and Iowa. Scientists question whether such extremes may become increasingly common in the decades ahead, the result of global warming. NOAA measurements indicate that June 2010 is the warmest on record and measurements from ice cores, geologic records and sediment cores from oceanic cores all support a carbon dioxide level in our atmosphere that is higher than at any other time in the last 650,000 years. How and whether this plays into our weather extremes is the big unknown.
EU Rejects Proposal to Create Organic Wine Category
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010The European Union has rejected a proposal to create an organic wine category, despite the need for regulation. Politicians have been debating the introduction of an organic wine category. Organic wine producers in Europe can only state their wine is made from organically-grown grapes
Copa-Cogeca, which represents 11 million European farmers and 40,000 cooperatives, has criticised the EU for the proposal's collapse. Its secretary-general Pekka Pesonen, said: 'I am really disappointed by the move.' Legislation is desperately needed in order to regulate organic wine at EU level and to develop the worldwide market for this product. The proposal looked for a lower limit on sulphites, fewer permitted additives, and banning five winemaking techniques which removes alcohol from wine.
Automated Wine Dispensers Approved in Pennsylvania
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010Here’s a first in the U.S. Consumers can now dispense wine from a kiosk after fulfilling very stringent criteria. The two demo kiosks in Harrisburg can dispense up to 53 wines.
Consumers must insert an ID to verify their age AND take an instant read breathalyzer test. Until now in Pennsylvania, alcohol has been sold in state-owned wine and spirits shops under the authority of the state's liquor control board. Kiosks will be installed in regular supermarkets for customer convenience. Thus far, customers have responded favorably, embracing the opportunity to purchase their wines while doing supermarket shopping. In just over two weeks, sales have totaled nearly $22,000 with over 1,900 bottles purchased. The kiosk is still in a testing phase at just two locations but if all goes well, another 100 will be rolled out this fall. Time to “filler up, please.”
Global Warming Benefiting Riesling
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010Yes, I know that it sounds odd but global warming is benefiting Riesling growers, this according to seasoned veterans at a July, 2010 Seattle based conference. Speakers suggested that warmer temperatures worldwide were opening up new regions for Riesling and guaranteeing more consistency in traditional regions. Maynard Amerine and Albert Winkler from UC Davis classified the optimum sites for Riesling as zones with average temperatures between 13.2 and 15.2 Celsius between 1 April and 31 October. Temperatures in classical growing regions such as the Rheingau, Wachau and Alsace have risen by just over 1 degree in the past 30 years, resulting in increased consistency in quality there. At the same time, temperature increases have fuelled a rise in production in areas such as the Finger Lakes region of New York, Niagara in Ontario or the Old Mission Peninsula in Michigan. At the same time new data was presented on how global warming might affect Riesling's future.
Rising temperatures mean optimum production sites are moving further north, to higher altitudes and to cooler sites,. The result is that viticulturalists may be forced to look to different forms of canopy management to guarantee the proper fruit balance. While 15.2 degrees has been accepted traditionally as the upper limit of average temperatures from growing Riesling, this boundry is not fixed in stone.
Wine May Lessen Risks and Severity of Arthritis
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010Regular alcohol consumption seems to decrease the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis as well as reducing the symptoms of the disease for those sufferers, this from a study by a team of doctors at the University of Sheffield U.K. The study has been published on the website of the journal Rheumatology. These findings could lead to valuable new research for limiting this painful and sometimes disabling condition. While the identity of the cause is still in question, previous studies have shown that moderate alcohol intake can reduce the risk of arthritis in rodents. Researchers examined 1,877 volunteers—873 who have been diagnosed with arthritis for at least three years and 1,004 healthy subjects. Inflammatory status of bone and cartilage was determined using radiographs and all participants were asked to fill in questionnaires on their lifestyle habits. Results found that nondrinkers were four times more likely to develop arthritis than those who consumed more than 10 days a month. It was also noteworthy even in those who drank and exhibited signs of arthritis, their levels of bone and cartilage inflammation were lower.
Researchers cautioned, however, that they only studied alcohol frequency and not amounts. The study did not differentiate between wine and spirits and intake frequency categories were broad: one to five days per month, six to 10 or more than 10. This leaves the door open to questions relating to type and strength of alcoholic beverage as well as the details in frequency of intake. Here is still another study that seems to point toward the benefits of responsible alcohol intake, if not otherwise contraindicated.
Innovation versus Tradition
Thursday, August 19th, 2010As we were traveling throughout Burgundy and Rhone wine country recently, I was struck by how much tradition plays a role in their life, not surprising in that so many of the vineyards have been passed down for multiple generations. For example, Chateau Beaurenard in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation, now run by the Coulon brothers Daniel and Frederick, has been in the family for seven generations dating back to the late 1600’s. E Guigal still has artifacts from two centuries ago in their vineyards, recalling Roman times, and a wine cave hanging sculpture that dates back well over a thousand years. All of this got me to thinking about the role of tradition and what some might consider to be its nemesis, innovation.
Now I have to admit, I have a soft sentimental spot for tradition. When younger and asked what I would wish for if I had a time machine, I would response that I wanted to meet the great settlers, leaders and innovators who set the foundation of what we have today. On a fundamental basis, tradition allows us to reconnect to our past, to those people, processes and events without which we probably wouldn’t be what we are today. If not for the colonists, willing to chance a break from England, I suspect that our destiny might have altered. Personally, I use the Thanksgiving holiday and Independence Day to reconnect me to those who sacrificed themselves so that I can live the way I do today. I’m sure that many of you use Veterans Day in the same manner. It’s a subtle reminder of what we have today, the results of hard work, dedication to principles and risk taking. Tradition also lends us a sense of security, something to adhere to when doubts tremor our foundation. How many times have you heard your parents say, “this is how we’ve always done it.” If it got them to where they are today and safely, why not continue? As my father used to say, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
From Australia to Argentina to France to the US
Monday, August 23rd, 2010Two Hands Shiraz Barossa Valley Bad Impersonator, 2003:
So from where does this fabulous red derive its name? Perhaps it’s from its description as a Shiraz that’s a little different from the classic rugged sterotype; this wine soft and aromatic with good structure and spice. In essence, it displays its own style and personality. Aged in French oak, this wonderful red reflects elegance and depth simultaneously with aromatics of juicy plum and cherry, threads of molasses and a long finish. Fresh acidity just keeps the wine rolling along. Runs around $35 and still has another good couple of years left to it. We paired this with some baby back ribs…………WOW!
Looking For Dinner in All the Wrong Places
Monday, August 23rd, 2010I was in a quandary the other evening when my wife asked me what we should have for dinner. Hemming and hawing, jumping from one food group to the other, I just couldn’t get my palate excited about anything. It was one of those searing hot mid August days with just enough humidity to add discomfort but not enough to fuel any storms. Speaking to my wife and dog who was only half listening, I pondered a summer salad………no not enough body…….....then a steak……..nope………..too filling. At that point, my wife said, let’s have a steak salad. Suddenly, I had my solution. Here I go mumbling and my wife cobbles it together in a second. Do we make a great team?
While she whipped up a very hearty salad, I salted, peppered and hickory smoked a juicy sirloin. I also swabbed some butter on the steak to add some richness to the flavor. To give the salad a bit of added earthiness, I suggested sautéing some sliced portabella mushrooms in butter and garlic and for “kicks,” several smoked Hatch New Mexico Chiles. This would add some great summer smoked scents to the salad. I fired up the grill and let it heat for about 30 minutes, wanting to get the temperature to around 500 degrees. Once it was there, I seared the steaks on both sides, turned the heat down to low and allowed the steaks to cook inside. With the outside well cooked yet the steaks still plump with juices, I removed them and proceeded to remove the fat and cut the lean portion into very thin slices. I layered the steak tastefully (no pun intended……….really) on top of the salad and then came the first challenge……………….dressing…………….no dressing…………….what do I do? Fortunately, my palate directed me all the way because my brain was of no help. I was in the mood for blue cheese. It pairs outstandingly with steak. Even better, I had some fresh blue cheese to crumble in as well. This all got my taste buds jumping in anticipation.
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