Wines of Braida

Folks, let me start by apologizing for my extended absence. Two contributing factors have left me sans-blogging for far too long. 1- I've been using my iPad more and more in place of my laptop, and the iPad and blogging don't cooperate well. and 2- I've been spending a lot (i.e. the vast majority) of my free time fishing. Point being, I'm sorry and I'll try to be more consistent. What a better week to get back into blogging than the week we have a visitor from the Braida winery!

The Braida winery was founded over fifty years ago by Giacomo Bologna. Giacomo and his winery Braida are widely recognized as the founding father of the modern wine we know as Barbera. Giacomo was the first person to really put time, energy, and money into the wine of the Barbera grape. Before his time, Barbera was largely used to produce large volumes of easy-drinking table wine. Utilizing very strict yields in the vineyards, meticulous winemaking methods, and an unflinching desire for perfection, Giacomo Bologna put Barbera on the map. Reborn in the image of "Bricco dell'Uccellone" and "Ai Suma" the winery's two top reds, wine in northern Italy has never been the same. (Some of you might remember my blog post back in February on one of the Braida wines: Montebruna.)

The wine "Ai Suma" (which translates to an expression similar to "We've arrived" or "We've done it"), is the very pinnacle of wine made from Barbera grapes. The Ai Suma wine is bade from 100% Barbera grapes in the DOCG of Barbera d'Asti. Grapes are harvested from a single vineyard in Rocchetta Tanaro, the best of all areas for the Barbera grapes. The grapes are left out on the vine just a touch past 'ripe', not quite late harvest, so let's say 'extra ripe.' Because of the harvesting method, the Ai Suma can only be made in the best vintages, when the climate and weather cooperate absolutely perfectly. The wine undergoes a long twenty day maceration, followed by roughly fifteen months in oak. The resulting wine is big and intense, about as enormous as you could possibly get a Barbera d'Asti under natural circumstances. The extra-ripe grapes and winemaking style gives the Ai Suma an unparalleled flavor profile and mouthfeel. The Ai Suma is the Italian wine for drinkers who love big, bold, over-the-top cabernet or syrah.

The wine "Bricco dell'Uccellone" is the little brother to the Ai Suma, but there is absolutely nothing little about this wine. Bricco dell'Uccellone takes it's name from the old woman who used to live next to the vineyard. As the story goes, she was always dressed in black and the neighbors called her "l'uselun", the big bird. The name of the wine "Bricco dell'Uccellone" means "the hilltop of the big bird." This wine serves as the flagship of the Braida winery. The grapes are again harvested from a single vineyard in Rocchetta Tanaro. Maceration is at least twenty days under strict temperature control, followed by fifteen months in French barriques and another year in bottle before release. The Bricco dell'Uccellone is a little softer and more elegant than the Ai Suma, making it the perfect representation of incredible, world-class Barbera.

Today the Braida winery is run by Giacomo's children, Raffaela and Guiseppe (Beppe). Both are third-generation winemakers and have carried on their father's legacy like few could imagine. Together they continue to make headlines for their stunning wines, including the Ai Suma and Bricco dell'Uccellone described above. The winery is also world-famous for their Moscato d'Asti and Brachetto d'Acqui, often referenced as the definitive wines in their respective DOCG's. As a matter of fact, if you've got a wine book at home that doesn't reference the Braida wines as some of the best in the Piedmonte region, simply throw the book in the trash. I've seen the Braida winery referenced in almost every serious wine book I own; I've even heard other winemakers mention the winery in an attempt to compare their own wines to the legacy that Braida has created.

If you've never tried any of the Braida wines, you absolutely must seek them out! Not only are they available in fine wine shops throughout Connecticut and New York, but they're readily available throughout many states. If you happen to be in Connecticut (like me), Sergio from Braida will be here in CT this week and there will be some tastings popping up over the next week or so. If you're in western CT, I believe Sergio is going to be in Kent this Friday, June 7th. Then on Saturday, June 8th, Sergio will be stopping at a couple stores near the shoreline: Spirits of Madison in Madison and Seaside Wines in Old Saybrook. If everything comes together, we're even hoping to do a little dinner with the Braida wines at Tosca Restaurant in Suffield on Saturday night.

Check your schedule, give your local wine shop a call, and get ready to experience the wines of Braida!

Hidden Bench Riesling (from Canada!)

Another little trip to the northern land of Ontario, this is the Hidden Bench Vineyards Beamsville Bench VQA Riesling. Located in an area of Ontario labeled as the Niagara Peninsula, on the southern shores of Lake Ontario.  The growing region as a whole is known as the Niagara Peninsula, while the vineyards of Hidden Bench are located in the Beamsville Bench sub-appellation.

A quick tour of the Hidden Bench Vineyards website makes it apparent that these folks are very focused on quality, terroir, and sustainability. Now there's a word that gets thrown around a lot but rarely discussed.  As best I can sum it up for you, "terroir" means a "sense of place."  It's the ultimate sum of climate, soil, environment, and other natural surroundings.  Terroir is what provides that little something extra to Maryland Crabs, French Cognac, Italian Olive Oil, etc. Serious winemakers want their wines to express that sense of terroir through their wine, not taste like everything else out on the market.  The winemaking team at Hidden Bench is very conscious of this concept, and very actively pursuing its benefits.

Now, back to the wine...I've tried a lot of riesling lately.  As a matter of fact, after my trip to Florida and my quick read of the fantastic Terry Theise book "Reading Between The Wines" I decided to drink nothing but riesling for several weeks.  I came to one major realization during this little pilgrimage, I LOVE good riesling! My favorite rieslings have been those German rieslings with such strong acidity that they balance the high sugar content perfectly.

The Hidden Bench Riesling reminds me of those awesome German rieslings.  At only 11.5% alcohol, I expected a fairly high sugar content, and that's exactly what I'm detecting.  The nose has just a touch of that petrol and minerality that I hoped for.  The acidity balances the residual sugar nicely, and the finish is clean but long.  There's a richness to the wine that's hard to pin down, and it's very enjoyable.  In my tasting notes from earlier in the day I wrote "Not quite the Dragonstone, but damn close!"  The Leitz Dragonstone Riesling has been my favorite so far, but the Hidden Bench is now a serious competitor!

Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery
Beamsville Bench Riesling
TCSH Rating - 9/10
Aka - Another Canadian wine to blow my mind

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Canadian Chardonnay Norman Hardie

Yes, you read that correctly, Canadian Chardonnay...

One of my salesman has been talking about getting Canadian wines for at least a month now. Honestly, I've just been chuckling about it every time he mentioned them. I'm not saying I have anything against Canadian wine, I'm just saying I've never had a Canadian wine that I loved.  Matter of fact, I've never had a Canadian wine, ever.  Thank you Jim for this little sample tonight.

This bottle of Norman Hardie Chardonnay is labeled as "VQA Niagara Peninsula VQA" which I'm not entirely sure I understand.  The logo on the back of the bottle states "Ontario Vintners Quality Alliance" with a 7 digit alpha-numeric code.  I'm guessing this is something like the DOC system combined with the coding on a bottle of Champagne.  I'll find out more just as soon as I can.  For tonight, we'll just have to focus on the wine.

The picture shows a little bit of bubbles, but that's purely because of my vigorous pour.  The nose has burgundy written all over it, finely integrated oak without being "california oaky" and over the top.  There's some nice fruit and minerality poking though, but the nose is dominated by that soft and firm oak that can only be described as French-style.  The back of the label also reads "The vines and oak barrels are from France. The limestone soil and ideal climate are in Southern Ontario. The taste and nose are from me. Enjoy."  Well, that answers some of the questions about the oak!

The body and mouthfeel are beautiful! The oak is seamlessly integrated, not too much, not too little.  There's very little of that california butter-bomb feel, the closest thing I could possibly compare the Norman Hardie to is a great bottle of Meursault.  The alcohol is soft, the back label shows only 11.9% abv.

All in all, I am thoroughly impressed!  The guys at Artisan Wines have done it again, and selected some incredible wines from a unique place that is distinctly unique. Not only is the Norman Hardie Chardonnay unique, but I am sincerely surprised at not only it's quality for a Canadian wine, but it's quality for a chardonnay from anywhere.  Sign me up, we're going to be putting this wine on our shelves very soon!

Norman Hardie Chardonnay
Ontario, Canada
TCSH Rating - 12/10
Aka - The first Chardonnay to blow my mind in quite some time!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

H.Lun "Sandbichler" Gewurztraminer

In my opinion, the Gewurztraminer is one of the most under-rated grapes in the business. I think it gets pushed to the side because people are often nervous to say the name out loud. But once you try the Gewurz a few times, you'll fall in love too.

This "Sandbichler" from H.Lun is from their best vineyard sites in Alto Adige. In this region of Italy, so close to Austria, many towns speak more Austrian than they do Italian. The wine follows suit, with this very Austrian-style white from northern Italy.

The aromas on the Sandbichler is an interesting mix of floral notes and spices. No one aspect overwhelms the others, so it's very difficult to put my finger on any specific characters.

On the palate, I'm fairly surprised by this Gewurztraminer. Many Gewurz that I've had in the past have just a bit of residual sugar. The Sandbichler is refreshingly crisp and dry. I sense just the tiniest little bit of residual sugar, but it's completely balanced by the acidity and the alcohol. At nearly 15% abv, this is a little higher than I remember many of the other Gewurz I've tried in the past.

H.Lun continues to be one of my favorite producers of Alto Adige. Ever had a Alsace white that you enjoyed?  Ever had a dry riesling that you thought was beautiful? Then the Sandbichler Gewurztraminer is something you should give a try.

H.Lun "Sandbichler" Gewurztraminer
TCSH Rating - 8/10
Aka - A delicious white everyone should try

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Pierre Jourdan Brut

Pierre Jourdan Brut - a South African imitation of French champagne. Traditional champagne is largely a blend of chardonnay and pinot noir, and this bubbly from South Africa is no different. Made from 60% chardonnay and 40% pinot noir, I've been a fan of the Pierre Jourdan since the first time I tried it.

The Brut pours out a bright golden-straw color, with plenty of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass. A beautiful nose of delicate fruits, soft florals, and mild toast. The chardonnay is always used in champagne to give the wine an elegance, while the pinot is used for fruit and structure.

Taking a sip, my palate detects the same characters as my nose. Light and delicate fruit is balanced nicely with some mild richness, subtle toastiness, and great structure. Good acidity cleanses the palate quickly, but before long I'm diving in for another sip.

I've told numerous clients about the Pierre Jourdan Brut over the past couple years, and I stand by my statement.  The Pierre Jourdan Brut tastes more like "champagne" than many actual champagnes. Plus, at under $20 per bottle, this is a super-value! There are few $40 bottles of bubbly that do this good of a job in the world of sparkling wine.  I'd recommend the Pierre Jourdan for two distinct types of people: a) the person that says they only like 'real' champagne, and b) the person who says they don't like sparkling wine.

Pierre Jourdan Brut
TCSH Rating: 9/10
Aka - Doesn't get much better than this!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Wine Country

You know the difference between wine country, and wanna-be wine country? Spend a weekend in real wine country, and you'll never forget it.

In Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, you can tour the local vineyards and wineries. You can see their barrel rooms, taste their wines, maybe even hit a few in one day.

In Prosser, WA, the entire atmosphere is different. I've been in this town of 5,000 residents for less than 24 hours and I can see the difference. The town of Prosser has about thirty wineries, only a small fraction of the 700 or so in all of Washington state.

Literally, you can walk from tasting room to tasting room, like bar-hopping in a big city. Everywhere you go you can see either wine bars, tasting rooms, vineyards, or wineries. This is wine country, no doubt about it.
Eli
Bibo ergo sum

Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc

The Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc, California 2009

This continues to be the number one white I recommend in the store. Joel Gott wines are always right on the money. I haven't yet had a product endorsed by Joel that wasn't great. I'm pretty confident in saying that anything Joel Gott touches turns to gold.

This Sauvignon Blanc follows in line. A light straw yellow color. I prefer my white wine just a little about fridge temperature, generally more like cellar temp, to get more of the fruit and body.

Joel Gott SB is the definitive California Sauvignon Blanc. The palate is overflowing with fruit: apple, pear, citrus, and even some floral notes. The palate is freshly crisp and acidic, yet very smooth and easy drinking.

Some of my customers refer to a California SB as 'sweet', but fruity and bright are better discriptors. Perfect for drinking by itself, or with a light meal, this Sauvignon Blanc is the perfect wine for any occasion.

Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc
California 2007
T.C.S.H. Rating: 9/10
AKA- I can imagine better, but only because I have a strong imagination

Eli
I drink, therefore I am.