Maison l'Envoyé Pinot Noir

A President’s Day Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon, that would make our Founding Fathers proud.

Producer: Maison l'Envoyé

Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon

Grape(s): Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes: Cherry, fresh raspberry, pomegranate, subtle spices

Pairings: Furikake salmon, Cantonese roast duck, sautéed Japanese mushroom medley, chocolate, medium-firm cheeses

Price (approximately): $27 (stay tuned for a review of Maison l'Envoyé’s less expensive label!)

Buy: Fujioka’s Wine Times

 

My Musings:

Happy President’s Day! I had the special privilege of being invited to chat about wine this morning for National Drink Wine Day on KHON’s Living 808 with host Tannya Joaquin. What a treat! On this special occasion, I thought it fitting to pay tribute to my favorite President/Oenophile, Thomas Jefferson, by recounting a few of his nerdy, vinous tendencies and breaking out a bottle of American Pinot Noir that would truly make him proud. I couldn’t say nearly enough about Jefferson or this fabulous wine on air, so here is a special post that gets a little geeky!

“I double the doctor’s recommendation of a glass and a half of wine each day and even treble it with a friend.”
— Thomas Jefferson

Jefferson was a wine wonk through and through. During his time in Europe, he maintained a travel log that contained detailed notations on numerous aspects of viniculture and viticulture. Wherever Jefferson went, he tasted, investigated, and documented. Jefferson’s wine manifesto illustrated (sometimes literally) his scientific process related to wine. And apparently it was good. Although he spent a mere four days in Bordeaux, his evaluations of the region are still referenced as authoritative work on the Bordeaux wine trade circa 1787.

Jefferson deeply desired that the young nation be one of winemakers and wine drinkers. He firmly believed that wine had important health benefits and was a way to connect people and effectively disseminate knowledge. Of course, it was also fun, too!

“My measure is a perfectly sober 3 or 4 glasses at dinner.”
— Thomas Jefferson

Although it was not realized in his lifetime, Jefferson’s early vision for the country has finally borne much fruit. Wine is commercially grown in all 50 states, and Jefferson’s favorite wines from Rhône, Bordeaux and Burgundy have their vinous second homes in Napa Valley, Columbia Valley, Sonoma, and Willamette Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, all varietals Jefferson wanted to produce in Monticello, are the most popular grapes in the United States.

Most of western Oregon’s present-day wine country was once submerged in an ocean basin with active subsurface volcanoes. The remnants of Willamette Valley’s ancient beginnings can still be found amongst the soils. Ocean basalt, siliceous lava and other volcanic deposits, combined with sedimentary wash from the ice age, produce well-drained, mineral-rich terroir.  

Today, the region is a focal point for world-class Pinot Noir. Clouds and humidity from the Pacific sweep east across the Valley through breaks in the Coastal Range, resulting in cool summers and wet autumns. As a result of the climate and terroir, Pinot Noir produced here is softer, more fruit forward, and matures earlier than its European counterparts.

This wine showcases the potential of Oregon Pint Noir. The first impressions are in the expressive, alluring bouquet of ripe raspberry, cherry, and pomegranate with a touch of floral elements. On the palate, the wine is lighter in body, soft and elegant with flavors of red fruit, minerals, and spices. An eminently drinkable wine that pairs beautifully with a variety of cheeses, chocolates, duck, salmon, or a relaxing pizza-and-movie night.

Cheers!

2014 Mt. Beautiful Pinot Noir

Year: 2014

Producer: Mt. Beautiful Winery

Region: North Canterbury, New Zealand

Grape(s): Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 14.5%

Price (approximately): $19.99

Pairing: Classic Pinot Noir pairings include salmon, duck and mushrooms. A local Hawaiian twist on these classics include furikake salmon, Cantonese roast duck and a sautéed Japanese mushroom medley.

My Musings:

This wine was a beautiful, luminous ruby red color and possessed fruit aromas of cherry, cranberry and blackberry with orange blossom, subtle earth and baking spice. On the palate, the wine wonderfully balanced fruit, earth and mineral elements, with soft tannins that provided structure and a long, lingering finish. An absolutely stunning and tremendously enjoyable wine. 

Mt. Beautiful Winery is wonkish heaven. It’s founder, David Teece, is [obviously] an oenophile, but he doubles as a professor of Global Business and Economics at the University of California Berkeley’s Haas School of Business and has authored over 30 books. For me, trained in global business law and economics, I have discovered a new vinous exemplar. Hail to the geeks. 

Mt. Beautiful also makes it easy to feel good about yourself while sipping your refreshing inebriating beverage. Committed to sustainable farming methods, holistic vineyard management and alternative bottle closure methods (which bottle closure lore I explored in this post), Mt. Beautiful ensures that its practices assist in safeguarding the picturesque landscape famous to New Zealand. The world needs more wineries like Mt. Beautiful (and regions like New Zealand) that wholeheartedly embrace and emphasize the importance of sustainable viticultural practices.

In Honolulu, procure as many bottles as you are physically able to carry from Tamura’s Fine Wine and Liquors.  

Aotearoa: The Land of the Long White Cloud

While Côte-d'Or remains the gold standard, one of the most exciting New World regions for Pinot Noir, in my experience, lies on the outskirts of the Antarctic, in the Land of the Long White Cloud. 

Bibles and grapevines were traveling companions to New Zealand, brought in the suitcases of Anglican missionaries in the early Nineteenth Century. Where there are missionaries, there is wine. Early local wines were a cheap proletarian drink that possessed few ardent admirers. Inebriation sufficient; craft not necessary. The fledgling industry was later disrupted by the Prohibition movement at the end of World War I, when temperance advocates denounced the inexpensive intoxicant as “vile Australian wine” and “Dally plonk,” pejoratively referring to the winemakers’ Croatian descent. Racism, patriotism, and temperance bundled into a short, succinct phrase. Well played, temperance movement.

Fortunately, the industry survived its early challenges, and has matured to become, in my opinion, one of the preeminent value wine regions in the world. With a re-focused strategy on quality rather than quantity, it is no longer difficult to procure well-crafted, high-quality vino in the Southern Hemisphere.

New Zealand, home to the southernmost vineyards in the world, is breathtaking in its natural beauty. Dense tropical and temperate forests, majestic mountain ranges, imposing volcanoes, and a craggy coastline constantly battered by the Pacific Ocean produce endless picturesque landscapes. It is naturally divided into two regions, the North and South Islands, each unique in culture, climate, and winemaking.

The South Island is a cool, maritime climate that benefits from extended, sunny summer days due to cloud dissipation and the earth’s axial tilt. Obliquity lends a helping hand. The Southern Alps, the tallest mountain range in the Southern Hemisphere, cause a rain shadow effect that shelters the vineyards from the prevailing westerlies generated in the Pacific Ocean. Vineyards find a weathered safe harbor in the east. On the downside, water is scarce and irrigation essential.

Midway along the eastern coast of the South Island is the capital city of Christchurch and the rolling, breezy plains of Canterbury, the home of Mt. Beautiful Winery. Canterbury’s vineyards are planted primarily in shallow, stony alluvial topsoil consisting of sand, limestone, schist and loam, overlaying deep free-draining glacial gravels from Jurassic periods long ago. These soils possess low-to-moderate fertility and absorb heat during the day that is slowly released throughout the chilly nights. Vine roots’ rocky heat regulators. Here the Burgundian varietals of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay thrive, alongside elegant and expressive Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

In a country where sheep residents outnumber their human counterparts 10 to 1, there is plenty of open range for farming and viniculture. Kiwis have made the most of it. Their wines are brilliant, expressive and unique. At every opportunity, I would unequivocally recommend exploring these wine regions and varietals. You will not be disappointed! And you can confidently commence exploration at Mt. Beautiful Winery ...

Cheers!

2016 Domaine du Salvard Cheverny Rosé

Year: 2016

Producer: Domaine du Salvard

Region: Cheverny, Loire Valley, France

Grape(s): Pinot Noir (65%), Gamay (35%)

Alcohol: 12.5%

Body: Light

Dry/Sweet: Dry

Tasting Notes: Strawberry, Kiwi, Floral, Pink Grapefruit, Lemon

Pairings: Steamed salmon, Burmese tea leaf salad, Vietnamese spring rolls (without peanut sauce), strawberry, spinach and goat cheese salad

Price (approximately): $16.99

 

My Musings:

Happy New Year! I was celebrating in France, metaphorically speaking, with a not-so-bargain Champagne and wonderfully-priced bargain rosé from the Loire Valley. Wait ... rosé, for New Year? You might wonder how the non-bubbly version managed to sneak onto the sparkling menu, but this rosé was definitely worth the New Year’s Eve spotlight. 

The Loire River is the longest river flowing through France. It begins in Massif Central, a south-central, mountainous region, and flows north several hundred miles into the center of France near the city of Orleans before turning west and eventually emptying into the Atlantic. The climate of the Loire Valley becomes cooler as one travels east and away from the tempering effects of the Atlantic Ocean. The banks of this river are prime real estate for vineyards, and because of its long length and different climate zones, grape varietals and styles vary significantly within the region.  Here, there is something for everyone.

Touraine is a large appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) located in the central portion of the Loire Valley. This far inland, the Atlantic’s influence is significantly diminished, and the climate is more mild and temperate. Touraine is the largest subregion of the Loire Valley, and home to more than 150 AOC subregions.

In upper Touraine, the AOC of Cheverny has a few unique aspects working in its favor. First, terroir. Erosion of the Loire River, and corresponding deposits, is higher here than most other regions. Second, blending. Much of the Loire Valley’s wine regions subscribe to a singular varietal paradigm. One grape to rule them all. In contrast, Cheverny’s wines take a more polyvarietal path, and winemakers are not afraid to experiment with different grapes and blends. For Cheverny, more is better.

This wine, consisting of 65 percent Pinot Noir and 35 percent Gamay, dazzles in the glass with a stunning light salmon color. While Pinot Noir is a common varietal utilized for rosé blends, Gamay, most associated with the Burgundian subregion of Beaujolais, is not. In fact, I don’t recall ever seeing it used for rosé. [Anyone have another example?] The grape, however, offers incredible ripe berry fruit flavors and floral characteristics packed into a lighter body.

On the nose, ripe red fruit, dominated by fresh strawberries, kiwi fruit and citrus (lemon, lime and pink grapefruit) rounded out an expressive bouquet. On the palate, the character was light and fruit-forward with plenty of ripe strawberries and citrus. Light and crisp, with pleasing mineralality and balanced acidity. The wine did drink a touch thin, perhaps due to the Gamay, and the complexity wouldn’t rival the best rosé producers. But at a $17 price point, this wine really impresses. 

Light and delicate, the wine shines on its own. Need a refreshing glass on a warm summer afternoon? This wine would satisfy brilliantly. For food, try pairing with steamed salmon, strawberry, spinach and goat cheese salad, Burmese tea leaf salad, or Vietnamese summer rolls (sans peanut sauce). 

In Honolulu, pick up a bottle at Fujioka's Wine Times.

You may notice that my Bargain Wines received a price increase for 2018. In Hawaii I have found it extraordinarily difficult to consistently find intriguing bargain wines priced under $20. My objective is to find interesting and unique wines from regions across the globe that you can enjoy at the weekday table without breaking the bank. Along the way, I hope to explore rare grape varietals, interesting blends, and regions less traveled that can broaden our knowledge of, and appreciation for, the vinous world. I have discovered that increasing my ceiling by a few dollars provides access to a host of new and exciting wines to share. I hope you enjoy them. 

Cheers!

 

 

2016 Anniello Soil Blanco de Pinot Noir

Year: 2016

Producer: Aniello

Region: Río Negro, Patagonia, Argentina

Grape(s): Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13%

Body: Light

Dry/Sweet: Dry

Tasting Notes: Green Apple, Peach, Minerals, Lemon Citrus

Pairings: Steamed or sauteed fish (e.g., Opakapaka, Halibut, Cod), poke, crab salad, green vegetables, fresh herbs and vinaigrette

Price (approximately): $16

 

My Musings:

Looking for something off the beaten path? This blanco de Pinot Noir is a good candidate. All the way to the south of Argentina lies Patagonia, a cool and dry climate that is heavily influenced by the Antarctic. The wines from this region are characteristically less intense than other Argentina regions, but pleasantly dry and well-structured. This wine fits the profile nicely.

This wine is crisp and almost effervescent on the palate, with strong flavors of apple and lemon citrus (maybe a touch of lime as well).  As the wine warmed, some subtle stone fruit arrived at the party, predominantly peach. Balancing the wine on the palate was structured minerality and bright acidity. Pleasant, round flavors, great acidity and a long finish. This is a good chance to get out of the box and try something a little different. It is (sadly) not easy, at least locally in Honolulu, to procure wines from Patagonia, and blanco de Pinot Noir is not a style you come across with regularity.

Sold at Fujioka's Wine Times in Honolulu.

As a fun musing to discuss over a glass, Patagonia's name, colloquially meaning "Land of the Bigfeet" (though the etymology is not entirely clear), was derived from Ferdinand Magellan, who found the natives to be giants in comparison to the small European explorers.

Cheers!

NV Kirkland Signature Champagne Brut

Year: NV

Producer: Kirkland Signature

Region: Champagne, France

Grape(s): Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier

Alcohol: 12%

Body: Light-Medium

Dry/Sweet: Dry

Tasting Notes: Green Apple, Minerals, Lemon

Pairings: Seafood (Oysters!), Tako Poke, Brie or Soft Goat Cheese, Fruity Dessert Crepes, Fruit Tarts, Acai Bowl

Price (approximately): $20

 

My Musings:

This one is a little tough to wholeheartedly recommend. True to Kirkland form, the wine is not a magnificent specimen of its home appellation. It is also $20 in a region that is rarely accessed for less than $40.

On the nose and palate, green apple, apple and more apple in a rather one-dimensional offering. The finish provides a little more structure with citrus (lemon), pleasant minerality and a subtle, toasty richness.  Delicate, persistent effervescence makes for an enjoyable experience on the palate, and a beautiful presentation in the flute.

Would I recommend? Conditionally, yes. Champagne is world famous for providing a complex sparkling wine balancing ripe fruit, minerality, and citrus, with bright acidity to add freshness to the palate. It is simply tremendous when done well, and the best the sparkling world has to offer. If you have not experienced this region, and want to give it a try at a cheaper price point, then this would be worth picking up. Two things to keep in mind. First, the Kirkland label has some signature characteristics of Champagne, but does not afford the complexity of flavor that distinguishes the region. If that is what you seek, best to expend in the extra cash for a notable producer. Second, you likely won't find a good Champagne for less than $40. That is the price to pay for excellent bubbles.

If you are simply looking for tasty, good value sparkling wine, there are other and better options available. At $20 or less, it might be time to explore Cava from the Catalan region of Spain, or Prosecco and Lambrusco from Northern Italy, among others.

Cheers!

 

 

2014 Peter Yealands Pinot Noir

Year: 2014

Producer: Yealands Estate Winery

Region: Marlborough, New Zealand

Grape(s): Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 14.0%

Price (approximately): $17

My Musings:

The wine is a beautiful, bright ruby red color and possesses smokey aromas of red cherry, plum, and raspberry with subtle cedar and spice. On the palate, the wine really brings the fruit, with fresh red fruit flavors, subtle earth and floral elements, soft tannins and long, lingering finish.

At $17, this is an extraordinary value for a Pinot Noir that has great depth and complexity, ageing potential, and provides a classic example of New Zealand Pinot Noir. I reckon you should secure a few bottles on your next Costco trip.

Check out my full Costco Corner New Zealand post here!

Cheers!