La Pelle Wines: Quality Being Made and Expressed
What I believe is most important to the wine aficionado is the quality in the bottle. Does what is in my glass represent the varietal, and is it well-crafted to enjoy slowly with thoughtfulness and great pleasure? The label is La Pelle; and the winemaker is Maayan Koschitsky; and the answer is “yes” on all counts.
DuMOL’s 2021 MacIntyre Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir: Wine of the Year
In a follow up to my previous post about DuMOL, you will see the newest accolade for them. Their 2021 MacIntyre Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir was named "Wine of the Year" by wine critic Antonio Galloni. This is a prestigious acknowledgement of the quality that DuMOL crafts and delivers. Find yourself a bottle from this vintage and enjoy!
DuMOL: The Evolution of Outstanding Pinot Noir and Chardonnay
DuMOL is a Sonoma County winery that has evolved since its inception in 1996. And that is truly a progression that rewards you and me as enjoyers of wine. The original owners named the winery using an amalgamation of the names of their children (Duncan and Molly). The wines at that time were made from grapes bought from Dutton Ranch in Sebastopol, CA. In 1999, Andy Smith joined DuMOL as their winemaker/viticulturist. In 2005, Andy became part owner of the winery; and, in 2015, he and an associate bought full ownership of the winery. The results today are remarkable.
Price of a Bottle of Wine
I have a dear friend who holds value in great regard. He spent years working in finance, so what a dollar will buy is very important to him. Recently, he reached out with a question about his purchase of a $10 bottle of Pinot Noir. He thoroughly enjoyed it and bought a few more. His question to me was is it really good or was he just kidding himself?
His purchase was a bottle of 2021 Pinot Noir. I let him know that the vintage was an outrageously successful growing season for beautiful, expressive grapes. This may have been the exception, yet it was very possible that it was a pleasurable bottle. It also may be that the vintner had an excess of grapes in this vintage and sold off some fruit that another winery took and made this very nice Pinot Noir for such a low price.
The word I emphasize is “exception.” Ten dollar bottles of wine from California are few and far between. Why is that? Well, consider what costs go into making a bottle of wine:
Kale Wines: The Next Chapter
I first met winemaker Kale Anderson at a wonderful wine experience hosted by Pahlmeyer Winery, where each participant was charged with crafting their own red blends out of Cabernet, Merlot and Petit Verdot. It was challenging; yet Kale, who was the Director of Winemaking for Pahlmeyer, was there as a resource and guide. His knowledge was very apparent, and his willingness to share with us was a gift. Pahlmeyer was the next step in his journey and expression of the vine.
Why Is Wine Important?
Wine, in itself, is not important. What it contributes and what it allows for are more relevant. Wine is meant for sharing; it allows for and encourages being together to make memories. Every bottle represents the caring and love we have for friends and relatives. Each occasion calls for a type of wine and helps create a setting for mutual experiences and expression of emotions. Wine is an entrée to moments and pleasure to be with one another, and the beauty of wine is an integral part.
What it takes to create that bottle of wine is vastly important. The caring and effort to bring to fruition the magic inside are immense. The people who dedicate their time and energy to each step of the process are very important. The fields that need to be furrowed, the vines that need to be planted, the grafting of each one, and the tender care it takes to have it all flourish are remarkable. The care each plant is given throughout the season requires diligence and competence. The leaf management to ensure that each cluster receives just the right amount of sun and warmth is amazing. What it takes to bring those luscious berries to their fullest expression is a work of art. Then, there is harvest! This is where the challenge takes on a greater relevance as the winemaker begins the journey from grape to bottle.
Veraison: What Is That?
Veraison is a pivotal time in the vineyard. It is when the grapes change color and rapidly begin to store sugar. The time is notable, as it is a predictor of harvest. The time for each varietal is variable, yet you can look forward to harvest some 40 to 60 days from veraison.
Veraison itself means “change of color of the grape berries.” For red grapes, it is most obvious when the young green grapes become a red hue. White grapes also change in appearance, they remain green yet become translucent or golden. It never happens all at once for a bunch as you will see in the pictures. (The vineyard in the photos is a cabernet vineyard.) The grapes change color at varying times on the same bunch on the same vine.
Wine: How Do I Choose??
This is a simple question, yet the answer can be very complex. In surveys, the number one reason people do not drink wine is that they find it too hard to choose which one to buy. It is a big question, no doubt. Just recently I read a blog that listed the number of different bottles of wine available to buy in the world at any point in time, and it totaled a million. Whoa, that is a big number to sort through. I fully appreciate the challenge.
Wine itself is not a single note expression like cola. When you pick up a bottle of Coca Cola or Pepsi, there is a specific flavor profile that is expected. The degree to which that expectation is met is tied to customer satisfaction and repeat sales. So, for a manufacturer to deliver, they must adhere to a specific process to replicate the product’s profile, time after time.
Whose Fault Is It, Anyway??
We all know that taste is 80% smell. You still remember the day you had a stuffy nose and nothing tasted good. You couldn’t taste much at all. So, what is it when the aromas and flavors are off in a wine?? What does that mean?? Is it the wine’s fault, a bad bottle, or something else? That is the question.
Here is the first rule of thumb in drinking wine. Yes, it is a rule. Before you pour that wine, smell the glass. I mean that emphatically. Today’s dishwashers are wonderful, yet they recycle water. I have many times been put off by the stinky odors in a clean glass that was washed in the dishwasher. It is a simple fix. If you get anything other than a neutral aroma, simply rinse the glass with water. Dry it with a towel specifically for crystal, if that is what you are using, to avoid scratching the glass. Once that glass is neutral, then you can pour.
Enjoying Wine with All Senses
Many times, I have observed people drinking wine in a casual environment, at a gathering or over dinner. They raise the glass to their lips and drink it in. What is wrong with that you might ask? Nothing, nothing at all; yet there may be more to garner from the pleasure of wine if there were more thoughtfulness in the process.
Wine is a multi-faceted beverage, and the more curious approach may yield more depth and breadth of flavor when you engage more of the senses. This type of exploration may heighten the enjoyment and offer expanded knowledge each time. Each glass becomes a practice session for engagement of the senses to discover what is in the glass.