Archive for the 'Wine Legends' Category

What is complexity in wine? I always thought that was a pretty straightforward proposition until a recent conversation with Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast’s tasting director and my YodaVino.

We were tasting a Torres Mas la Plana ’97, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Spain. Joe admired it very much, while I had a “meh” reaction to it. We sparred for a few rounds, neither giving ground, until Joe got me to entertain this possibility: that what I took to be a relatively simple wine actually exhibited what he called integrated complexity.

A complex wine exhibits different facets in terms of aroma, flavor and mouthfeel. Some of these may even change as the aerates or warms, which can be vexing to the reviewer who wants to nail it down but a great pleasure to the private citizen who finds a new evolution every few minutes. Eventually, it will offer a character with different nuances of spice, wood or caramel-vanilla from the oak; the tannins and acidity will be present—not intrusive, but rather coaxing a galaxy of potential flavors from the fruit.

My assumption has always been that in a complex wine, those elements can be isolated and identified, pleasurably.

What Joe was suggesting is that in certain wines, many of those elements are present, but the wine itself is so well structured, so very much itself, that it’s hard to discern the component parts. And you wouldn’t necessarily want to, because what all such wines do is: they knock you out. You love them, and may not necessarily know why.

This relatively simple revelation had me rethinking some stellar wine experiences, where I was in so much thrall enjoying the wines that I was at a loss (or couldn’t be bothered) to analyze them. Heidi Barrett’s Amuse Bouche; Riccardo Cotarella’s Falesco Montiano; any wine from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy; a Columbia Winery Red Willow Syrah from the late David Lake.

It’s similar to the reaction you get to a work of art that moves you in a way that you can’t quite describe, moves you far beyond how you would evaluate its component parts.

Have you had a similar experience, and which wines moved the earth for you?

So many intriguing, influential characters over the centuries have populated the wine world that it would be impossible to tell their stories in one fell swoop. But one segment that is often overlooked in the history of wine is the women of centuries past and their contributions to the category. These trailblazers defied the odds and built powerful brands despite the obstacles and male-dominated times in which they lived. There’s no two ways about it, these sisters made a mark in a male-dominated business and did it with finesse and vision.

When I first started learning about wine while living in Sonoma, I was surprised at how often the stories of plucky and innovative daughters, wives and sisters popped up in relation to the founding and early days of iconic California wineries. Simi’s story was especially powerful: Founded in 1876 by two Italian brothers, Giuseppe and Pietro Simi, the winery was taken over by Giuseppe Simi’s daughter, Isabelle, in 1904, and she continued to helm the brand throughout Prohibition, ensuring its survival. The pioneering continued in 1973, when Maryann Graf, the first woman to graduate from an American university with a degree in oenology, joined the winery. And Zelma Long, one of California’s most important winemakers, added to Simi girl power in 1979. All of these women, especially Isabel were anomalies in their own time.

Across the pond a century before in 1805, 27-year-old Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot gained control of late husband François Clicquot’s banking, wool trading, and Champagne production in a time when female business owners were essentially non-existent. Using funds from her father-in-law, “Veuve (widow) Clicquot” focused the company completely on Champagne production, developed an early Champagne technique called riddling and impacting the future of all Champagne styles and production. She also helped catapult the brand to success and it’s still one of the most important names in the wine world to date.

These are just a few of the stories that solidify women’s roles in the wine world—they were integral in paving the way for a new era in which women are prominent at all levels of wine business. Female sommeliers, wine directors, winemakers, buyers, owners—even wine editors like me—owe it to these great ladies for their bravery, skill and strength. Today, the trend continues, with stars like Helen Turley, Jancis Robinson, Karen McNeil and Baroness Philippine de Rothschild carrying the noble torch.

The next time you pop the cork on a great sip, don’t forget the women behind the wine. And let me know who I’ve missed!

I recently traveled to Greece and Cyprus on a wine tasting tour and besides being seduced by the beauty, food and culture of the countries, was fascinated by stories of the ancient Greek, Roman and Crusader-era history of the places. Both countries have been making wine for millennia, and many of the wine and food traditions we enjoy today were born in that part of the world.

Read the rest of this entry »

I am saddened and shocked to learn of the premature death of Italian vintner Gianni Masciarelli. He died of a sudden stroke on July 31st at the young age of 53 while on a business trip to Munich. Italy has lost much more than a great winemaker. Masciarelli was a feisty and charismatic voice of truth and he served as a moral compass for Italian wine many years before scandalous reports of fraudulent wines were splashed across headlines.

Read the rest of this entry »