WINE COUNTRY: MINNESOTA - FIELDSTONE VINEYARDS

The Now And Zin Wine Country series keeps rolling across America, shedding a little light on wine producing areas somewhat lesser-known than California.

Minnesota - The North Star State - has been billed on the state's license plates as "The Land Of 10,000 Lakes."  I'm told that lakes actually number closer to 12,000 in Minnesota, but who's counting?  Apparently someone is, but let's just say there are way more lakes than vineyards in Minnesota.

We'll keep an eye on that, though, because the Minnesota grape industry has seen huge growth in recent years.  The number of vineyards in the state doubled between 2003 and 2008.  Even so, the state's grape and wine industries are still young.  Minnesota's wine production in 2009 was ranked the eighth lowest in America, at just over 114,000 gallons.

It gets cold in Minnesota, so winemakers there rely largely on grape varieties that are hardy enough to survive the winters.  French hybrids are popular, and the state has even created its own varieties like Edelweiss and St. Croix specifically for their cold weather durability.  The University of Minnesota's oenology program came up with the Frontenac and Marquette grapes.

Fieldstone Vineyards in Redwood Falls, Minnesota responded to my request for an entry in this series.  Thanks to owner Charles M. Quast and owner/winemaker Mark Wedge, who provided me with a bottle of their Marquette wine to sample.

Fieldstone is the state's largest 100% Minnesota-grown winery, and they use grapes from a network of Minnesota growers.  The vineyards and winery are just two hours southwest of the Twin Cities and a couple of hours northeast of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  They utilize some of those hardy grapes like Frontenac, LaCrescent, St. Pepin and Marquette.  Fieldstone was founded in 2003, at the beginning of a big growth in the state's wine industry.  Their menu includes semi-sweet white wines made from LaCrescent, Frontenac, and Edelweiss and a semi-sweet Frontenac rosé.  Their reds range from sweet to dry.  The Marquette wine I sampled is dry.

The Fieldstone Marquette is a very dark colored wine, so dark I can hardly see through it.  A grapey nose shows some herbal notes, too.  The wine runs a bit hot at first, with a noticeable presence of alcohol.  Decant - or just let it sit in the glass - for an hour or so, and things change dramatically.  The grapiness just about goes away and a slight sense of tar joins the herbal bouquet.  The tannins settle down, too, and the wine becomes silky smooth.  It's very dry and a bit tart, with lots of minerality and a fair amount of acidity.  After the time to open up, the Marquette's dark, sour blackberry flavor is really a delight.

If other wineries in Minnesota produce wines as interesting as the Fieldstone Vineyards Marquette, the state's small wine industry should be in for more big growth.


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VIBRANT RIOJA TASTING - LOPEZ DE HEREDIA

It was a Spanish wine tasting event that really got me started exploring wine years ago, and I am repeatedly drawn back to events which feature Spanish wines.  The Vibrant Rioja tasting event of April 11, 2011 jumped onto my calendar instantly.  It was held at Hatfield's Restaurant in Los Angeles.

The room was perhaps a little small for the gathering of 20 or so importers, all pouring a number of wines at their tables.  Space was extremely limited and enthusiastic wine dealers, sommeliers and writers jammed the dining area for the afternoon event.

Great wines abounded, and I'll cover some of them in another post.  Today I want to concentrate on my favorite table of the event, the one that was so crowded the whole afternoon I could hardly edge myself in for a few tastes.  That would be the table where the wines of Lopez de Heredia were poured.

Lopez de Heredia was founded in 1877 and is a Rioja institution, still owned and operated by the same family.  They are particularly proud of their Tondonia Vineyard on the right bank of Ebro River, around which the Rioja region is drawn.  Heredia also has three other vineyards, also in Rioja Alta - Cubillo, Bosconia and Zaconia.

The winery is known as much for white wines as for red, maybe more so.  They age their whites and rosés in much the same manner the reds are aged, and they stand as a testament to age-worthy whites.  White, pink or red, this is what old-world wine is all about.

Heredia's Viña Gravonia 2000 Crianza is a white wine made from 100% Viura grapes.  This golden treat is tasting great, with a smokey and nutty taste.  It's nice and dry with great acidity.

Viña Tondonia Rosado Gran Reserva 2000 - This brownish peach-colored rosé is a blend of 60% Garnacha, 30% Tempranillo and 10% Viura.  The unusual, smokey nose leads to a palate decorated with a nutty strawberry flavor.

Viña Cubillo Crianza 2005 - A red blend of 65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacha and some Graciano and Mazuelo filling out the rest, this wine offers a hint of anise on the nose and rustic, earthy cherry flavors.

Viña Bosconia Reserva 2002 - Smooth, dusty cherry aromas and flavors dominate this blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha and Graciano and Mazuelo.  It's aged in French oak for five years.

Viña Tondonia Tinto Gran Reserva 1991 - Heredia says 1991 was one of the best vintages in the history of the Tondonia Vineyard, and this wine bears out that claim.  Toasted vanilla notes and a full mouthfeel are featured in this very dry Tempranillo/Garnacha blend filled out with Graciano and Mazuelo grapes.  Aged in barrels for nine years, this wine is old-world elegance defined.

Viña Ijalba Graciano 2007 - Amanda Linn of WineWise was also pouring this new-world style, almost as an afterthought.  Its extreme fruitiness was delicious and served as an excellent counterpoint to the Heredia old-world style.

MOVE OVER WHITE ZINFANDEL - MOSCATO HAS ARRIVED

A recent article in The Wine Economist explored a question that's always on the minds of those interested in wine - what's the next big thing?  Figures cited in the story - taken from another article in Wine Business Monthly - show that sales of Moscato wines increased by about 91% during 2010, when overall wines sales only grew by just under five percent.

The Wine Economist speculated that some White Zinfandel drinkers may be moving over to Moscato, as sales of White Zin have fallen off a bit.  The originator of White Zinfandel - Sutter Home - produces a Moscato Alexandria, while the article also cites Moscato entries from Robert Mondavi Woodbridge, Barefoot Cellars, Columbia Crest and other wineries.

In the comments to the article, a reader suggested much of Mocasto's newfound popularity may be due to hip-hop artist Drake, who sang about the grape variety in his 2009 single called "Do It Now," in which he raps for "lobster, shrimp and a glass of Moscato."

Popular culture has certainly affected the wine industry before.  Rapper Jay-Z put an obscure Champagne by the name of Armand de Brignac on the map when he featured it in his 2006 video for the song, "Show Me What You Got."  Now, reportedly, the French producer can't make enough of it. 

The 2004 film "Sideways" was credited - or blamed - for ruining the market for Merlot.  One of the movie's characters had a decided bias against that particular grape, preferring Pinot Noir.  Sales of Pinot Noir went up in the "Sideways" aftermath.

AMERICANS ARE DRINKING MORE WINE THAN ANYBODY

The numbers are out, and Americans can give a big "We're number one!" cheer, because in 20-10 the U.S. surpassed France as the nation consuming the most wine in the world.  According to Wine Institute, the tally came to 330 million cases, up two percent from the previous year and a record high for the industry.  All that wine is said to be worth $30 billion, and that number is four percent higher than 2009.

What kind of California wines are we drinking in such great quantities?  The report went on to show 53 million of those cases were California Chardonnay, while 33 million cases were Cabernet Sauvignon from the Golden State.  California Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, Riesling and Muscat also showed an uptick in consumption.

Some of us may have been celebrating our new status early, as U.S. consumption of sparkling wine and Champagne was up ten percent, to 15.4 million cases.

REPORT: WINE HELPS PREVENT DEMENTIA

Reports of the health benefits related to alcohol consumption - particularly wine consumption - seem to pop up regularly.  Here's another one, which appeared recently in Wine Spectator magazine.

A German study has found that light to moderate drinking seems to help stave off the effects of dementia, even in people older than 75.  According to the article, "on average, the daily consumption of alcohol reduces the risk of dementia by nearly 30 percent compared to nondrinkers.  Additionally, the risk is another 30 percent lower for people who drink between one or two servings per day."

These are the findings from a three-year study of 3,200 patients.  Although the sample is small, the researchers put a lot of credence in the numbers, and so does the medical community.  The magazine says the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research found the results of the German study convincing.  The Forum also notes that "Happy people with many friends have the most opportunities for social drinking and, in this study, alcohol consumption was significantly associated with factors that are protective for the development of dementia: better education, not living alone and absence of depression."

Despite these issues, the study shows the risk of dementia to be lower among light to moderate drinkers, and lower still among those who drink wine.

STA. RITA HILLS WINEGROWERS TASTING EVENT RECAP

California's Santa Barbara County offers some tremendous wines, many of which come from the Sta. Rita Hills appellation.  The area lies between the small towns of Buellton and Lompoc, and is cooled by winds from the Pacific Ocean which blow along the Santa Ynez River.

The winegrowers of this region gathered recently at Palate Food + Wine in Glendale, California to pour some of their best.  The public packed the house on Sunday April 3, 2011.  I attended the trade tasting event the following day.

The Sta. Rita Hills region is home to big names like Longoria, Sea Smoke, D'Alfonso-Curran, Cargasacchi and Foley, as well as rising stars like Zotovich, Weber and Flying Goat.  I sampled the wines of ten Sta. Rita Hills producers at this event.

The Winemakers

Peter Cargasacchi planted the Cargasacchi and Jalama vineyards in the late 1990s.  His Italian and winemaking heritage are points of pride, as are his wines.  Peter was manning his own table and poured some exceptional wines for me.  His '09 Jamala Vineyard Pinot Noir is rich and dense, while the '07 Pinot Noir shows nice minerals and spices with a good acidity.  The Cargasacchi Pinot Grigio Dessert Wine is succulent.  Peter explained that he gambled on good weather and left the grapes on the vines an extra ten days for additional ripening, harvesting them at 40 brix.

Wes Hagen advises you lay down his Clos Pepe Estate Pinot Noirs for four or five years to get maximum expression from them, but nobody will fault you if you can't wait that long.  Wes and his wines always draw a big crowd at every event where I've seen him pouring.  His Pinots show great minerality with hints of chocolate peeking from behind the fruit.  As a treat, Wes was pouring his Clos Pepe '01 Estate Pinot Noir in addition to more recent releases.

Morgan Clendenen's Cold Heaven Cellars poured several Viogniers, as she's best known for her work with that variety.  Her Le Bon Climat Viognier shows off a lush mouthfeel and an abundance of honeysuckle aromas with plenty of minerals on the palate.  Cold Heaven's '09 Viognier from the Sanford and Benedict Vineyard has a great citrus zest profile, while the Santa Ynez Valley Viognier is produced using a Viognier clone that was once thought to be Roussanne.  One taste will show you why that mistaken identity came about.  Her gentle Pinot Noir, "Nevertell," is grown in a Sta. Rita Hills vineyard - which one?  She'll never tell.

Kris Curran and Bruno D'Alfonso, of D'Alfonso-Curran Wines, have many fans, myself included.  D'Alfonso's history with Edna Valley Vineyards and Sanford Winery and Curran's with Sanford, Cambria, Koehler, Sea Smoke and Foley form a pedigree that would be difficult - if not impossible - to match.  The D'Alfonso-Curran 2008 Chardonnay from White Hills Vineyard was one of the hits of the event.  Big, buttery and smokey in the tradition of California Chardonnay, this wine also has a zippy acidity.  A trio of '06 Pinot Noirs on this label hail from different vineyards but show a high level of winemaking skill.  On the Badge label, the '06 Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir is loaded with minerality and great acidity.  The latter quality is a hallmark of the duo's wines.

Norm Yost's Flying Goat Cellars poured a couple of winners.  The '09 Goat Bubbles is a rosé of Pinot Noir sparkling wine, light and airy with tons of summery flavors.  Flying Goat's Pinot Noir Rancho Santa Rosa Sta. Rita Hills is rustic and earthy.

Norman Huber is not only a winegrower, but a woodworker, too.  His handiwork is on display aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach, as he headed up the restoration of the grand lady of the sea.  His custom-built bars grace the tasting rooms of fellow SRH winemakers Longoria Wines and Fiddlehead Cellars.  Huber's '08 Chardonnay is steely with plenty of bracing acidity and tropical flavors.  The '08 Huber Pinot Noir has a beautiful bouquet and feels lovely on the palate.  It's a pity they ran out of his Dornfelder.  He devotes a portion of his vineyard to that grape as a tribute to his German upbringing.

Dan Kessler of Kessler-Haak Vineyard and Winery poured his 2010 Rosé of Pinot Noir made from the grapes of the estate vineyard.  It's lush, and you'll want more.  Kessler-Haak specializes in the main grapes of the Sta. Rita Hills, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  They also do a fine Syrah with Turner Vineyard fruit.  It's bold and spicy.

Rick Longoria started making his own wine in 1982 and opened Longoria Wine in '98, the first winery to locate in what would come to be affectionately known as the Lompoc Wine Ghetto.  Longoria sources his wine from choice locations in Santa Barbara County, including the Sta. Rita Hills.  His '07 Tempranillo was one of my favorites at this event.  The grapes come from the Clover Creek Vineyard and the wine is edgy with a great mineral presence on both the nose and palate.

Pali Wine Company scored with their '08 Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir, sporting cinnamon, raspberries and strawberries.  Pali's '08 "Huntington" Pinot Noir has 60% Sta. Rita Hills fruit, 35% Santa Maria Valley grapes and 5% sourced elsewhere in Santa Barbara County.  It's nice and earthy.

Weber Wine Company sources fruit from the Sta. Rita Hills as well as Paso Robles, Sonoma Coast and Dundee Hills in Oregon.  Their '09 "Mishelle" Pinot Noir is from Babcock Vineyard.  Earthy notes dominate the nose while the palate is a bit tart, yet smooth as silk.

EARTH DAY CALIFORNIA 2011

Earth Day is April 22nd, 2011, and Wine Institute reports that many California wineries have events scheduled throughout the month to attract eco-friendly wine lovers.  A number of wine country hotels and travel companies are also offering travel deals to make the trip a little easier and less expensive.  For Wine Institute's list of events and lodging, visit their website.  Take a look into the world of California wine here.

Northern California wineries in Napa Valley, Sonoma County, Livermore Valley, Anderson Valley, Mendocino County and the Sierra Nevada Foothills have specials planned for the month of April.

Central Coast wineries in Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo's Edna Valley, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Barbara County and Southern California's Temecula Valley will also be celebrating Earth Month with special events.

The 5th Annual Earth Day Food & Wine Festival will take place the weekend of April 15th at Pomar Junction Vineyard and Winery in Templeton, California.  Food, wine, barrel samples and music will set a festive scene for the celebration of ecological care.

TWO WINNERS IN TEMECULA

Ponte Family Estate Winery

A daytrip to the Temecula California wine country found us at Ponte Family Estate Winery.  Overseen by Claudio Ponte, the joint was jumping on a spring Saturday afternoon.  Granted, it was the World of Wine barrel tasting weekend, but I was assured by several staffers the crowd was not unusually large for a Saturday afternoon.

Ponte's tasting room is festive, the restaurant - the Smokehouse Winery Restaurant - does good business and appears to satisfy, judging from the smiles on the diners' faces.  I'm also judging from the samples offered in the barrel room over the weekend event.

The Ponte Winery motto is stated on their website: "If you like it, then it's good wine."  So heartfelt is that mission statement, they have registered the thought as a trademark.  Winemaker Mark Schabel does his part to make sure you like the wines.

The 2009 Viognier has a nose of pears and melons with some tropical flavors and a lively acidity.  Framing the fruit is an intriguing savory, nutty edge on the palate.  It retails for $24.  The '09 Sangiovese barrel sample shows very bright cherry flavors, good acidity and mellow tannins.  It's rustic and deemed "not ready yet" by the winemaking crew, but it's definitely getting there.  I was told it should be ready for release "sometime this year," by the gentleman pouring for us.

A couple of tasty food samples were provided along with the wines.  Arancini - Italian rice balls - were provided to those tasting.  They paired beautifully with the Viognier, and when adorned with the duck Bolognese sauce, went well with the Sangiovese.  Executive Chef Greg Stillman and Sous Chef Vincent Logan (pictured) are to be commended for turning out a large quantity at high quality.  Logan told me early Saturday afternoon, "We did 800 of the Arancini, and we're running out.  So Greg's in the kitchen working on another batch."

As I said, they do a good business at the restaurant.

Maurice Car'rie Winery

After Ponte, we were to meet some friends at Maurice Car'rie Winery, which works in tandem with neighboring Van Roekel Winery.  A fun tasting room in a Victorian style house offers some fun wines at the winery established in 1986.  Most of the wines are a little on the sweet side for me, but that's what Jose and Heather like about them.  It's their favorite Temecula winery.  They do make great sippers on the porch, though, especially the whites.  Winemaker Gus Vizgirda is of Lithuanian ancestry and studied German wines while serving in the U.S. Air Force there.

A door in back leads to the barrel room, where we tried a new release and a not-quite-released barrel sample.  Some spicy little meatballs were kept over heat next to an array of cheese and bread.  After the barrel room, we took a table on the porch, where Jose produced a couple of bottles of his favorites.  There are some picnic tables on the grounds also available.

Sampled in the back room was the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc - a slight grassiness was offset by a sweet side.  Pineapple and tropical notes abound.  A barrel sample of the '10 Chardonnay - only 4 months in oak so far - shows very nice tropical fruit as well.  They are giving it some more time in the barrel, but for my palate the oak is just right.

Pineapple Champagne caught my eye in the tasting room.  It isn't really Champagne, of course, and has a small amount of pineapple juice augmenting the sparkling wine.  It's tasty and fun, much like a sparkling cocktail.  The 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon is simple on the nose and palate.  We drank it chilled outside and it was enjoyable.  The 2010 Riesling has a honeysuckle nose, tasting of pears with good acidity, especially on the finish.  It was fantastic with the bread.

Oh, the bread!  Baked Brie and Sourdough loaf, with the brie baked inside.  It's available baked on weekends only - lucky us - and unbaked every day.

FATA MORGANA GRECO 2009

This Italian wine proved to be a little hard to find in Los Angeles once it dropped off the restaurant wine list on which it was discovered.  My friend Marge found and fell in love with the '08 vintage of Fata Morgana Greco at an eastside eatery recently.  After putting in some diligent work tracking down the wine, she ended up finding the 2009 bottling.  She bought a case and is quite happy with her purchase.

From the Fattoria San Francesco Winery, the wine is made from 100% Greco di Bianco grapes sourced from a vineyard featuring 20-plus year-old vines in Calabria, in the toe of Italy's boot.  The loose, sandy soil over volcanic chalk and limestone in which they are grown makes its mark in the form of a nice minerality in the wine.  Fermented in stainless steel vats, the Greco undergoes malolactic fermentation - which tends to leave a creamy mouthfeel - and ages on lees for 8 months before bottling.  That means the wine is not removed from the dead yeast that drops to the bottom of the vat.  It gives a bit of a yeasty feel to the palate.

The nose is floral and tropical, and the wine feels full-bodied - not a surprise.  This white has a great acidity level making it very food-friendly.  It paired well with Sheryl's jambalaya and even with sauceless pulled pork.  I gave it big pairing points for its performance with sweet items, sweet-corn cornbread and pralines.  Fata Morgana has a 12.5% alcohol level and sells for around $15.

If you'd like to find it for yourself, here's how Marge did it.  "I bought mine through Susan Brink at Venokado, 7714 Fountain in West Hollywood.  She bought a case for the store when she bought mine."  You might want to hurry.

THE WINES OF FOUR BRIX WINERY IN VENTURA COUNTY

A great bunch of Ventura wine people showed off a great bunch of wine in Thousand Oaks recently.  Four Brix Winery invited some media representatives to their tasting room in The Wineyard on Thousand Oaks Boulevard.  I was fortunate to be included in the group who tasted some of Four Brix offerings.

Gary Stewart (pictured) hosted, while Lora Simonsgaard helped me taste through a flight of really exceptional wines.  Four Brix is located in Ventura County, and they source their grapes from a variety of great California regions - Santa Barbara County, Paso Robles, Monterey and Sonoma among them.  Their wines are predominately blends - they do a fantastic job getting the mixtures right for incredible bouquets and delightful flavors.

Many of their wines use grapes from a specific area, even though the labels denote a rather generic "California" designation.  I suggested to them that they use more specific designations for a little more "label pizzazz," but they were way ahead of me.  The next vintages of several of their blends will feature designations of "Central Coast" and "Paso Robles" on the labels.

The Wines

Smitten 2009 - The only white on the table for this event is a Viognier/Marsanne blend.  The '10 vintage won't have as much Marsanne, only 5%, I'm told.  The '09 shows the Viognier well, with a lovely, floral nose and a little white pepper.  The nose is so full and the mouthfeel so creamy, I assumed some oak is involved.  Not so, though - it's a stainless steel white.

Roseo 2010 - This is a barrel sample, as the wine is scheduled for a May 14th release.  It's Grenache-based and some Zinfandel is used in the mix.  It's unusual, but it works.  A big strawberry nose meets great acidity and fruity flavors on the palate.  It's definitely a wonderful rose for food.  The crew at Four Brix is shooting for a price point under $15.

Temptress 2008 - A five grape blend of Tempranillo, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Petite Sirah and Zinfandel, this one is juicy and spicy on the nose with a dash of cinnamon showing.  Big, red fruit flavors are joined by good minerality and acidity and plenty of spicy notes.  I'd love a piece of smoked sausage with this wine.  The '09 vintage will be labeled Central Coast.

Rhondevous 2008 - Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache and Counoise make up this vintage, while the '09 will feature Grenache in the lead position.  The nose is fragrant and lovely and the taste is spicy blackberries.  It's all San Luis Obispo County fruit despite the "California" label.  Look for a Paso Robles designation on the label for the '09 vintage.

Scosso 2008 - Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot make up this beauty with a smokey, bright cherry nose and deep, rich flavors of spicy dark berries.  The name comes from the Italian horse race called the Palio di Siena, which is held in the town square.  It's a rough race in which horses sometimes finish without their jockeys, a condition known as "scosso."  You'd be well advised to stay in the saddle for this ride, though.  The Sangiovese is sourced from McGourty Vineyard on Paso Robles' west side.

Petite Sirah 2008 - Fruit from Sonoma County's Gold Hawk Vineyard brings the Russian River Valley to Ventura County.  A 100% varietal wine, the nose is dark and spicy with an iodine note while the palate is fruity and tannic.  The 2010 vintage will feature Charbono in a blend, from Calistoga's Frediani Vineyard.

One of the Four Brix wine wizards, Gary Stewart, told me about going to the vineyard to harvest the Charbono grapes.  Due to a quarantine caused by the European grape moth, Stewart was not allowed to bring the grapes to the crush facility.  He had to "field press" the grapes right there in the vineyard, leaving the leaves and stems behind!  No doubt, that extra effort will be appreciated when the vintage is ready.

All the wines at this tasting were paired with Vosges Haut Chocolate from TIFA Foods, an Agoura Hills venture.  Mike Ashamalla was on hand to describe each morsel.  The chocolate with notes of Indian curry and coconut paired with Smitten, while a disc made from Fiji beans went with the Roseo.  Temptress paired well with an Indonesian chocolate with earthy, mushroom flavors and one with spicy Ancho chipotle and cinnamon elements scored with Rhondevous.  Scosso was a hit with a Madagascar chocolate with a dark, smokey edge.  TIFA is working with Four Brix Winery on a project to create chocolates especially for their wines.

WINE COUNTRY: MICHIGAN - L. MAWBY VINEYARDS

With all the attention that California, Oregon, Washington and New York receive as wine producing states, it's sometimes difficult to remember that "the other 46" states also make important contributions to America's winescape.  Let's take a look at a Michigan winery in this edition of Wine Country.

In an interview with the wine blog "Michigan By The Bottle," Linda Jones, the Executive Director of the Michigan Grape and Wine Industry Council, says over the past decade, the wine industry in Michigan has grown ten to fifteen percent each year.  She says Michigan is the eighth largest producer of wine grapes in the U.S.

Suttons Bay, Michigan is in the northwestern portion of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, just east of Lake Leelanau.  The tiny town is about halfway up the eastern shore of the Leelanau Peninsula.  It sports a Farmers Market, a lighthouse, a state park, a casino and a handful of small wineries, including one that's unique, in that it only makes sparkling wines.

L. Mawby Vineyards - and their M. Lawrence label - produce 14 different sparkling wines, many of them made from the traditional grapes for bubbly: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  They do produce one sparkler made from Vignoles, a hardy grape that thrives in cold weather.

Of the four Michigan bubblies I tried - kindly supplied by L. Mawby Vineyards - two bear the L. Mawby label and were produced using the méthode champenoise, in which the wine undergoes a secondary fermentation in the bottle.  The two wines under the M. Lawrence flag are produced in the méthode cuve close, in which the secondary fermentation takes place in a closed tank.

L. Mawby Vineyards produces 14 different sparkling wines, and all but one are non-vintage efforts.  Their top of the line entry - the 2002 Mille - is $50, but most of their offerings sell for between $13-$22.  The two L. Mawby wines received a brut dosage of 0.8 percent residual sugar, while the M. Lawrence Sex received a slightly higher brut dosage of 1.4 percent RS.  The final wine I'll mention, M. Lawrence Fizz, is finished with a Demi-Sec dosage of 3.5 percent RS.

These wines, as different as they are, are all very well made and are quite impressive.

The L. Mawby Cremant Classic is made from 100% Leelanau Peninsula Vignoles from the Cremant Vineyard.  It's an impressive wine, with frothy white bubbles, sweet citrus notes and almonds on the nose, lots of nuts in the flavor profile and a pleasant lemony feel on the palate.  It shows a very pleasant sensation of ginger beer on the finish.  The grapes used in making this wine - and the other three I'll mention - are hand-harvested and whole cluster pressed.  Only the cuvée - the initial, gently pressed juice - is used in making the Cremant Classic.  It retails for $22.

L. Mawby Blanc de Blancs - like the Cremant Classic - is also produced in the méthode champenoise.  It's a non-vintage sparkler of 100% Chardonnay from the Leelanau Peninsula AVA.  Only the cuvée is used and it is bottle fermented and aged a minimum of 24 months.  This wine sports a nutty nose with lemon-lime citrus notes and a yeasty feel on both the nose and palate.  It's bright and festive, and retails for $19.

The M. Lawrence Sex is a rosé bubbly made from 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay grapes.  This one is a tad sweeter, getting a Brut dosage of 1.4% RS.  Again, only the cuvée is used, but this wine is produced using cuve closefermentation - receiving its second fermentation in a closed tank.

It is aptly named, as the wine is sexy looking, with a deep pink rosato-style coloring and those frothy white fine bubbles, this time with a nose of cherry candy and strawberries.  Very fruity aromas mingle with a slight herbal edge and a bready nose.  The taste is vivid and bright, bursting with flavor and acidity.  An extremely refreshing mouthfeel sports a touch of earthiness on the finish.  It is extremely drinkable and extremely food-friendly.  You'll find it's a little sweeter than the Cremant and the Blanc de Blancs but just barely so, with 1.4 percent residual sugar.  The retail price of Sex is $15, a bargain.

Fizz is also under the M. Lawrence label, and it's their sweetest sparkling wine.  Produced from 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay grapes, Fizz differs from the other three L. Mawby wines I tasted, in that the tailles juice is used - the second fraction of juice pressed, after cuvée - and it's finished with a Demi-Sec dosage, 3.5% RS.

Fizz is honey-golden in color with a honey aroma on the yeasty apricot nose.  There's a slight taste of honey on the palate, too, but it’s not anywhere near overly sweet.  The finish is long and satisfying.  Fizz is sold for $13 retail.

The Wine Country stop in Michigan gave us four wonderful sparkling wines with ten more on the L. Mawby menu to try.  These wines are special enough to save for special occasions, but why wait?  Every day is special in its own way.


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SEMLER CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2005

A visit to Firenze Osteria - Fabio Viviani's place on Lankershim Boulevard in Los Angeles' San Fernando Valley - was a special night out.  Denise was looking forward to it more than I was, as she gets into the Top Chef thing more than I do.  It's a nice dining spot on a street that could use a few more nice spots.

Judging by what I've seen on the television competition, service seems to be one of Fabio's specialties, and he has trained his staff well at Firenze.  Very personable attention was given to our table throughout the meal.

The lobster bisque won out over the waiter's offer of garlic bisque, one of the specials mentioned.  As good as it was, I may have to return and try the garlic.  Penne Amatriciana featured spicy pork belly and onions, while two great raviolis came to our table, one of butternut squash with a brown butter sage cream sauce and another of braised short ribs.  Delicious on all counts.

The wine I had was from Malibu Family Wines, the '05 Semler Cabernet Sauvignon. The room is rather dark, and it may have added to the darkness of the wine - I couldn't see through it.

The nose shows cassis, blueberry, blackberry and violets - plus a bit of heat.  The alcohol also shows up on the palate, but decreases after some time for the wine to sit in the glass.  There's a big, rich mouthfeel with the Semler, displaying dark fruit and a very dry sensation.  The wine has nice acidity and strong tannins.  It's not the right choice for the spicy pork, but it paired excellently with the short rib ravioli.

The Semler Cab retails for $27, sells for around $20 a bottle on some internet sites and is $12 by the glass at Firenze.

TORO: LAND OF STRENGTH, WINES OF SUBSTANCE

Spanish wines have always held a particular fascination for me.  One of the first tasting events I attended was one showcasing Spanish wines.  Since then, I have been drawn to the wines of Spain over and over again.

Recently I was invited to a presentation of wines from the Toro region - "Toro: Land Of Strength, Wines Of Substance" - held at the José Andrés restaurant The Bazaar at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles.  The group was on a three-city tour, with Southern California as the last stop.

A tasting seminar led by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer (pictured below) proved to be informative on a region that is overshadowed by more well-known Spanish wine regions.

Toro is in the northwest part Spain, in the Castilla y Leon region.  Records show wine production there since the second century.  A climate featuring warm days and cool nights facilitates the ripening of the grapes, which tend to have thick skins and small berries, helping to structure and color the wines.  Sandy soil protects the grapes from vine-killing phylloxera.

The 1200 growers in Toro produce wines which have a much darker fruit expression in than those found in in Rioja.  Most of the wines tasted at this seminar were between 14% and 15.5% in alcohol content.  Toro has whites made from Verdejo and Malvasia.  Garnacha is also employed here, but the reds are all about Tinta de Toro, and this tasting was all about the reds.

About 30 tables were set up for the seminar, with 14 wines poured at each place.  The room smelled intensely of Toro wine - a dusty, black fruit aroma.  Dexheimer noted that the winemakers represented picked the wines they wanted to show, so there was only the cream of the crop on the table.

Comments from José Amancio Moyano Muoz, President of theCRDO Toro, opened the event.  He spoke earnestly of the Toro region and the wines which are a huge part of the life there.

The Wines:

All the wines sampled were made from 100% Tinta de Toro grapes - the Toro name for Tempranillo - except for #8, which had a smattering of Garnacha included.

1. Bodegas Estancia Piedra "Vina Azul" 2009 - The only unoaked wine of the bunch.  Inky black at the core with bright purple edges.  Intense nose of dark fruit and a floral aspect.  On the palate, intense dark, huge fruit expression of blackberry and raspberry, with muscular tannins.

2. Coral Duero Rompesedas 2006 - Even darker than the first wine, with less purple at the edges.  Oak is 60% French, 20% Hungarian, 20% American.  The oak comes through strong, showing its 18 months in the barrel.  A dark violet nose with spices, big tannins and strong acidity - a calling card of Toro wines.

3. Valduero "Arbucala" 2006 - A light nose with coffee notes, this wine received only 6 months in 100% American oak.  From 60-100 year-old vines, there is a savory taste with herb notes, minerals and earth.  Very dry.  With a $60 suggested price tag, this was by far the most expensive wine on the table.

4. Bodegas Francisco Casas "Vina Abba" 2007 - Only 13.5% abv in this one, aged 14 months in French and American oak.  Fruity floral nose had some in attendance thinking of walnuts and herbal components.  Tart taste and strong tannins.

5. Bodegas Covitoro "Arco del Reloj 2008 - From vineyards planted between 1880 and1910.
 14 months in French and American oak, aged 12 months in the bottle.  On the nose: a sweet facet of toasty vanilla and tobacco.  Very ripe fruit on the palate with hints of earth and some black cherry notes.

6. Quinta Quietude 2005 - 15% abv.  Extremely dark with very little purple at the edge.  A big, funky nose!  A huge herbal play, some coffee, baseball glove.  It tastes savory with black fruit, bell pepper, spices.  Great tannic structure.

7. Liberalia Enologica "Cuatro" 2006 - 15% abv.  Redder than the wines so far, it shows a red fruit nose, dried fruit taste.  Very smooth.  12 months in French and American oak.

8. Bodegas Farina "Gran Dama de Toro" 2004 - 6% Garnacha with the Tinta de Toro.  15 months in 70% American, 30% French oak.  80-90 yr old vines.  The nose is huge with dried plums, anise, licorice, clove.  Plums and cherries on the very interesting palate.  Very smooth tannins.

9. Vina Zangarron "Volvoreta Probus" 2009 - Organic and biodynamic, from a young female winemaker.  French oak for only 5 months.  It has a showy, pretty violet/blackberry/raspberry nose with a little spice.  Elegant rather than rustic.  Dexheimer called this the "sensitive side of Tinta de Toro."

10. Bodega Carmen Rodriguez Mendez "Carodorum Crianza Seleccion Especial" 2007 - Garnet with a purple brick edge, a floral nose with spices - black and red pepper, cinnamon.  Peppery raspberry and blueberry on palate.  24 months in new French oak.

11. Canada del Pino "Finca Yerro Crianza Viejas Vinas" 2006 - 15 months in French oak, 50+ yr old vines.  This shows the lightest color of the day, garnet brick.  A touch of red fruit on the dark, plummy nose.

12. Bodega Cyan "Calera" 2004 - Coffee and mocha with slight touch of raisins on the nose, making me think of a dessert wine.  Nice structure, good tannins, dry, nice grip.

13. Bodegas Rejadorada "Sango" 2006 - Very dark, inky color.  Dark oily nose, a very distinctive iodine aroma.  Very tannic, dry, big dark fruit with black pepper and a menthol, minty herbal angle.  That's something the old vines of Toro tend to produce, according to Dexheimer.

14. Bodega del Palacio de los Frontaura y Victoria Reserva 2005 - Elegant and complex nose and a taste of refreshing minerality.  A nice oak profile, big fruit, silky tannins.  Very soft, especially when compared to the other wines.

WINE IN A BAG

Wine containers are getting a lot of scrutiny lately as consumers look for environmentally friendly solutions and better prices on the wine and shipping costs.  Plastic bottles and boxes have already made their way into the marketplace.  Now there's the Astrapouch.

Edward Deitch wrote recently in his Vint-ed column about this alternative wine container.  It's a bag, without the box, which reminds Ed of an I-V drip bag.  He says they also look rather like a large version of the kind of containers in which juice drinks for kids come packaged.

He tried a California North Coast Sauvignon Blanc packaged in the Astrapouch, and reported that it was good, but not great.

The one-and-a-half liter bag is designed to make wine more easily portable.  It spreads at the bottom, so it can stand up in the fridge and features a spout for dispensing the wine.  Holes at the top of the bag make it easy to carry.  The maker of the Astrapouch claims they keep their contents fresh for up to 30 days.

The bags would seem to be environmentally proper, and as for shipping costs, Deitch reports the weight of the Astrapouch is 98% wine, so you save money on the cost shipping heavy glass bottles.

WINE MYTHS

There are plenty of myths about wine which have been repeated so often many people take them for the truth.  Wine writer James Lawrence took a look at a few of these old wives tales and gives his verdict on them at the website Wine And Food Travel.

Lawrence says using the freezer to chill wine is considered by many to be a no-no.  He says it's perfectly alright, though - as long as you don't forget it's in there.

He says using white wine and salt to remove red wine stains just makes a bigger mess.  As for placing the narrow end of a teaspoon in a bottle of sparkling wine to keep it fizzy - it doesn't work.

Old wine is often thought to be generally better than young wine, but Lawrence says no.  In fact, most of the wine produced these days is designed to be enjoyed immediately.

The notion that France produces the best wine in the world gets Lawrence all worked up.  Clearly, there's great wine being made all over the world.  He calls the idea that France is the final word in wine "complete and utter..."  Well, he didn't print it, so neither will I.

WINE COUNTRY: NORTH CAROLINA

The North Carolina Winegrowers Association had only about 20 members in North Carolina in 1994.  Today their membership numbers about 350, so the growth in winemaking in North Carolina has been fairly explosive.

Winemaking actually goes back to the early days in North Carolina's history, according to the NCWGA, but it wasn't until the 1970s that Muscadine growers formed an organization and got serious about it.  A decade later, interest in European wine grapes - vinifera - really brought North Carolina's winemaking efforts to the forefront.

Biltmore Estate Winery is one of the big names in North Carolina wine.  Most wine estates have grapes figuring prominently.  At Biltmore Estates - due to its size, splendor and history - wine takes a plush backseat to the mansion itself, a structure built by George Washington Vanderbilt II.

Located in the Mountain Region, in the western part of the state, Biltmore grows a number of different vinifera varieties and produces about 75,000 cases of wine each year.  Head winemaker Bernard Delille oversees the winemaking operation, which is housed in what was once the estate's dairy.  He was schooled in Lyon, France and did his internship in the Bordeaux region - pretty good credentials.  He's been with Biltmore since 1986.  Winemaker Sharon Fenchak, a Pennsylvanian, joined their ranks in 1999.

Biltmore joined the Now And Zin Wine Country series when they sent three of their wines for me to sample.

Biltmore Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 North Carolina

Biltmore does make a Cabernet Sauvignon using grapes from California's Alexander Valley.  This Cab uses 89% homegrown North Carolina grapes and 11% California fruit.  The wine is composed of 96% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, 1% Syrah and 1% Malbec.  The alcohol content is a moderate 13.9% abv.

The juice of the grapes is fermented in stainless steel, on the skins, and then transferred to French and American oak barrels, where it ages for 14 months. It retails for $19.

The color of the wine is quite dark fruit on the nose along with an herbal note.  The flavors are dark, too, with plum and blackberry riding on very pronounced tannins.  It's dry, and seems to become drier after sitting awhile.  An earthy minerality is the kicker on a very pleasant drink, which will perform well with any kind of meat you are serving.

Biltmore Reserve Chardonnay 2009 North Carolina

North Carolina fruit is 83% of the Chardonnay's makeup, while California grapes account for 17%.  Chardonnay grapes comprise 97% of the wine, with a 3% smattering of Viognier.  The alcohol is restrained, at 13.7% abv, and the retail price is $15.

The Biltmore Chardonnay is barrel fermented in French and American oak, with about half the wine undergoing malolactic fermentation.  This process is what creates a creamy texture from the more acidic malic acid.  The wine is aged for 6-8 months before bottling.

Its golden-green hue is pretty, and some fine bubbles formed on the sides of the glass.  There is a lot of oak showing on the nose, reminiscent of the big California Chardonnays.  There are some tropical notes, as well as a citrus scent.  On the palate, the fruit shows better than I thought it would, with pears and mangoes taking the lead.  The big, buttery play is there, for sure, but so is a surprising citrus zing.  I didn’t expect such a zippy acidity, and it's a pleasure to find.

Biltmore Estate Château Reserve Blanc de Blancs 2008 North Carolina Méthode Champenoise Brut

This sparkling wine is 100% Chardonnay, with 88% of the grapes grown in North Carolina, 12% in California.  At 12.4% abv, it's quite drinkable and it sells for $35.

Fermented in stainless steel, the wine undergoes secondary fermentation in the bottle and ages 12-16 months before disgorging.  It's a lovely golden straw sparkler with a yeasty nose showing nutty aromas.  Orange and pineapple flavors on the palate are topped by a touch of yeast and a bit of toasty almond on the finish.  The bubbles are festive and plentiful, leaving a frothy beard on the glass.

The Biltmore Estate wines can be found in stores throughout the southern and eastern U.S., or from their online store.

CURRAN GRENACHE BLANC AT AKASHA

People have different reasons to explain their particular attraction to one restaurant or another.  A special dish or a favorite waiter might bring you back to a certain restaurant repeatedly.  As you might guess, I find myself returning over and over to eateries which have nice wine lists.  Akasha, in the Los Angeles suburb of Culver City, is one of those places.

The wines on their blackboard have pleased me each time I've had one, and they feature quite a few wines of California's Central Coast, particularly the Santa Barbara area.

Lunchtime fish tacos - sea bass instead of the usual mahi mahi - fit perfectly with a wine from the Santa Ynez Valley, the Curran Grenache Blanc 2009, from winemaker Kris Curran.

Showing a lovely golden-yellow hue in the glass, the Curran's nose is accented by cantaloupe and flowers, with some wet rocks to show the minerals.  It tastes a bit of those minerals, too, but offers mainly a tropical guava flavor.  The acidity doesn't seem to be too strong until the finish, where it really kicks in.  The wine has very good weight and a full mouthfeel.  Despite the minerality, the mid-palate is smooth and almost creamy feeling.

That smooth nature plays very well with the somewhat picante guacamole which topped the fish.  The acidity shows up right when you need it, at the end.

BEST WINE OF VIRGINIA

Top Ten lists - where writers offer their opinions about which wines they deem to be the best - can offer an interesting insight into what's going on in a wine region.  Wine blogger Frank J. Morgan always has interesting things to say about Virginia wines on his blog Drink What You Like.  He did a little research on some of the top twenty lists that have been circulating concerning Virginia wines.

Morgan found that, from those top twenty lists, the favorite winery of those who know Virginia wines appears to be Linden Vineyards in Linden, Virgina.  Winemaker Jim Law accounted for 11% of all the wines mentioned as Virginia favorites.

Breaux Vineyards, in Purcellville, Virginia also had quite a few mentions, as did Glen Manor Vineyards in Front Royal, Virginia.

The results also show what types of wines are most respected in Virginia.  Among the top twenty wines cited, white wines held a slight edge over red.  Both the red and the Chardonnay from Linden Vineyards was mentioned often.  Viognier seemed to be the most popular grape, but there were mentions for Sauvignon Blanc, Albarino, Nebbiolo, Merlot and Norton.

A dessert wine from Gray Ghost Vineyards in Amissville, Virginia placed on several lists.  It's made from late harvest Vidal Blanc grapes.

WINE TEETH

If you drink red wine, you may have noticed a tendency for the wine's color to show up on your teeth.  This can result in a purple smile that's a common sight at wine tasting events.

An article in the online publication Palate Press offers some advice from a dental expert, Dr. Dan Marut, a dentist in Medford, Oregon.

He says the wine's acidity is at fault for breaking down your tooth enamel, which makes the teeth more porous.  This allows the color in a red wine to attach itself easily to your formerly pearly whites.  Even white wine does this damage, but has no color to leave.  However, after drinking white wine you may find stains from other foods becoming a problem.

Dr. Marut says don't reach for the toothbrush - not immediately, anyway.  Using abrasive toothpaste on your acid-washed teeth may actually do more damage.  You should rinse thoroughly, wait an hour and then brush your teeth.

As you have heard all your life, flossing is stressed by dental experts, and this case is no exception.  Regular visits to your dentist for a complete cleaning are also recommended.

POP SINGER PUTS WINE COLLECTION UP FOR AUCTION

You may remember him as the singer of the 1986 hit record, "The Lady In Red," but Chris De Burgh has found another way to make red pay off for him.

Decanter reported last year that DeBurgh has decided to put up for auction 320 bottles and 84 magnums from his extensive wine collection.  He told Decanter that he simply couldn't bring himself to drink them.  Luxist says the collection of mainly red wines is expected to bring in about 200,000 pounds at Christie's King Street in London on March 23, 2011.

De Burgh's collection includes such prizes as a case ofChateau Lafite-Rothschild 1945, with an estimated value of 12,000 to 16,000 pounds. He is also offering Latour '61, Mouton '82, Cheval Blanc '78 and a complete vertical collection of Chateau Mouton-Rothschild vintages from 1945 to the present.  That 62-magnum vertical is expected to fetch 70,000 to 90,000 pounds.