Seattle Bon Vivant

WBW #16 (Judge a Bottle By Its Cover): 2004 Domaine de la Sansonnière Rosé D'Un Jour

Derrick over at An Obsession with Food  is hosting this month's Wine Blogging Wednesday. For #16, he chose the theme Judge a Bottle By Its Cover and was instructing us to, ideally, choose a wine with a pretty label, preferably one that we didn’t already know.

With that in mind, I skipped the wine shops altogether and searched our small but well stocked cellar and found a bottle perfect for the occasion, a wine I've been very looking forward to taste since the day I was first introduced to it by Arnie Millan, a local sommelier and guru on all things wine here in Seattle.

About the label:

As much as I enjoy a floral or minimalist-styled label (black an white is a favorite) on a bottle of wine I really did not pick my Domaine de la Sansonnière Rosé d'un Jour (2004) just for looks. Afterall, the Rosé bears a pretty straightforward sticker with barely a design--there is only a small white unicorn on the silver and purple shield.

What struck me about this wine's label was less decorative and more abstract. I found it a very gutsy and different label, perhaps even the most outspoken, in your face wine label I've ever encountered so far. 

The producer of this wine is none other than French viticulturist Mark Angéli, who importer Joe Dressner has called a passionate biodynamiste whose relentless pursuit of quality in Biodynamic farming practices have establish him as one of the heroes of the movement, of this school of wine growing and wine making.

You see, I've been more and more interested in learning about this aspect of viticulture and had been looking forward to trying this wine.

These bio-dynamic wine growers are making the wine in the vineyards. They are tending the vines, pruning, harvesting and blending the grapes themselves, using a combination of strict terroir elements, old country lore, science and nature principles (guided by the phases of the moon, using organic methods of fertilizing, playing music to the vines, talking to the plants, etc.) to create a superior, organic wine that is conceived in a sustainable manner.

To this mix of pseudo religion, philosophy and granted, a bit of hocus pocus, traditional wine producers have not only balked and scoffed at the concept but laughed at some of the efforts (the Rosé was "declined the AOC a few years ago for being atypical", Dressner added.

So instead of sucking up to the AOC, Mark Angéli had decided to play with their heads not only using  botrytized grapes in the blend but by calling his wine a table wine, naming it Rosé D'Un Jour, all the while attacking his detractors in a hilarious indictment right on the bottle's label (I laughed out loud when I read the snippy "take that" message on the side of the bottle. It takes chutzpah put that on a label!).

Another thing about the label that gave me a chuckle was the note at the bottom of the sticker that detailed the composition of the wine as grapes and sulfur dioxide and how the winemaker calls himself a paysan, a countryman of Thouarcé (Pays de la Loire region).

Now, on to the tasting:

Tonight, paired with a Pork Tenderloin with caramelized onions and a Lillet-Apple Cider reduction (served with a sweet potato, red potato and apple purée) we opened this baby up and sipped it both as aperitif  and dessert wine.

We both loved it.

The wine, pure nectar, a blend of 60% Grillo, 20% Gamay, 20% Cabernet Franc, had a gorgeous apricot color, with mouthwatering and intoxicating--albeit focused and full of finesse--botrytized aromas, concentrated orange peel, honey and white peach.

A bit of a herbal character, expansive palate, full of ripe fruit and acidity. Creamy, with a powerful and lasting finish.

Do not be confused by the Rosé labeling, This is not an ordinary Rosé. Angéli's wine far more refined, and a lot more precious. Rather than being just a casual, dry and unremarkable summer quaffer to be enjoyed on a terrace while waiting for a steak on the grill, this is a wine to linger with, to sip and allow it to show you all its got, to surprise you even.

This is a beautiful wine that was not only enjoyed with our food but also did pretty well sipped on its own after dinner. Next time I'll pair it with a chunk of Point Reyes, sliced Comice pear and a few unsalted pistachios, perfect for a dessert course.

The Rosé D'Un Jour is proof positive that bio-dynamic wines are not just hocus pocus and that Angéli is a master at what he does. And being that Rosé D'Un Jour is now considered one of the best examples of wines in this particular appellation, Angeli is the one having the last laugh.

WBW #13: Domaine de la Rectorie (AOC Banyuls) Léon Parcé 2003

WBW#13, Like Wine for Chocolate, dared us to find a wine that would be the perfect pairing for a Melt-in-your-mouth Chocolate Cake.

When it comes to chocolate desserts, especially dense, rich and intense chocolate cake, my choice is simple and probably the most obvious: Banyuls, one of our favorite dessert wines.

We like to serve Banyuls anytime but especially with a-n-y-t-h-i-n-g chocolate and ppst!, even over ice, with a twist of lemon or even better, orange.

Banyuls is a fortified wine (Port-style) made in Roussillon, around the area where France meets Spain. High in alcohol (around 17-19%), Banyuls is aromatic, fruity, juicy, sweet and ultra elegant.

Around these parts we love Banyuls almost as much as we do a great Sauternes, Tokaji Aszú, Late Harvest Riesling or Ice Wine and we definitely find it more delicate than a Vintage Port.

We had our Domaine de la Rectorie (AOC Banyuls) Léon Parcé 2003 (100% Black Grenache, $29) over the week with an array of chocolate focused treats:

• Delicious Christian Constant Mandarin Orangettes (also Pistachio and Tea infused ganache pieces)
• An asortment of Fauchon chocolates
• A few Jaffa Cakes (my first, ever)
• A box of fresh as can be, locally made chocolates (Balsamico e Fragola, Caffè, Cioccolato Nera, Lavanda e Miele, Vaniglia, Yoshino and Zafferano) from Fiori Chocolatiers
• Amazingly scrumptious Dilettante Bing Cherry Dragées
• An über rich Spuma Cioccolato (chocolate mousse cake with raspberries and chocolate shavings and curls) from the corner Bakery at Il Fornaio

WBW #12: Cadence Winery 2003 Coda

As I was saying yesterday...

My wine and I found each other quite serendipitously. Last month, on my way home from work driving north on 99 I decided to avoid the viaduct altogether and take the road less traveled, a quick right turn onto 4th Avenue South.

Since I was already in the neighborhood and in no rush to do anything I stopped at Esquin to browse around and pick up a bottle of Sauternes and a Pineau de Charentes to chill and sip later on.

While perusing the aisles I quickly became distracted by the Rosé display (from all countries, shades of pink and varietals imaginable) and by the time I had scanned bottle by bottle the dessert wine and Port selections I remember about Lenn’s WBW#12. I was going to spend the rest of the time shopping for my wine.

But what to get was the question? Washington is America’s second most important wine state and nowadays, with so much great wine being produced it would have been easy for me to go to the cellar, grab a favorite bottle of Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, Andrew Will, Woodward Canyon or McCrea and wax poetic.

Even simpler would have been to go fetch a dessert wine from Kiona, Hyatt, Hogue or Gordon Brothers. But I was already here and the store was full of great options to consider.

The fun thing about this particular installment of WBW was that it triggered a real challenge: an opportunity to do a little digging, a little research, while furthering our wine education in the process, which is what these Wine Blogging Wednesdays are, in essence, all about. Going local forced us to look within our area. Lucky for us in Washington, we did not have to look too hard or too long.

However, I felt I needed to look a little closer to home, to a lesser known winery with smaller releases and less marketing power behind them.

But, how local was local? How close could I get my local wine? Walking distance, a bike or cab ride away? A few miles, perhaps? How about a quick ferry ride? Could I take a back road or will I have to get on I-5 or I-90 to find it.

That’s when I approached one of the friendly wine guys and got the ball rolling. I explained about this virtual tasting with a local theme. I was then given a walk-through of Washington wines around the store and eventually we stopped in front of a case of Cadence Bel Canto and Coda.

Where do you live?, he asked. "Downtown, by Pacific Place”. “Did you know Cadence is a couple blocks from here, on 6th Avenue?

You mean to tell me there is a winery in this industrial area behind you guys, in the middle of SoDo?, I asked in return.

Yes, and the wine is really good. You should take a bottle home. I don't think you'll find a closer winery than Cadence. In fact, I’ll give you this book (out comes a Guide to Washington Wines). The winery address, phone number and website is there. I’m sure if you call him he’ll explain more about his wines.

I paid for the bottle and called from the car. Ben Smith answers the phone. Greetings and salutations follow. I know your winery is by appointment only so I’d like to schedule a visit if I may. "Where are you?, Mr. Smith asks. In front of Esquin, I answered. "You are not far from here. Just come on down. It really is no problem."

So, I went. Over the train tracks, past the yeasty aromas of Gai’s bread baking plant. He greeted me at the door, invited me inside the winery, to the chilled room where all the magic happens: the blending, bottling, aging, labeling, packaging and marketing of Cadence wines.

We sat at the table that had just been vacated by a very well known wine writer who had traveled to Seattle from New York City earlier in the day to do a massive tasting of Washington wine from dozens of local wineries, all over the state.

The gorgeous handmade ceramic spittoons (a friend of Ben’s made them out of lovely lapiz lazuli blue and copper glazed pottery were still on the table. There were what seemed like 100 bottles opened, at least, wine stains of every shade of red imaginable, everywhere. It was quite the sight!

I proceeded to explain how I had come to know about his winery and told him I had just purchased a bottle of Coda and wished to ask him a few questions about the wine. He went for a bottle to open and try. Unfortunately, I can’t drink any wine today. I’m driving. But thank you.

On to the questions: He told me about his home state, Ohio, of how he ended up in our city (he loves Seattle and the Pacific Northwest in general) and explained how he had made beer in the 80’s (“everyone was doing it”), about coming to Seattle to work as a Boeing engineer, about getting hooked on wine making through the Boeing Wine Club and how he eventually realized a career at Boeing ended up being “just a job” but wine was his real passion.

He had started making wine with grapes from a friend’s vineyard (Boushey Vineyards) located in the Yakima Valley . After getting married, Ben and his wife Gale started the winery in 1998 in a building (1,700 sq feet) near REI in the Cascade neighborhood.

Since then they have purchased sandy, loamy, full of wonderful gravel (see picture above), cobblestone and clay land in the Tri-Cities region, even planted their own vineyards. Different varietals are planted in designated plots of land. For Smith, terroir is key and king. About every two weeks Ben goes out there to check on the vines and the fruit.

In September, there is the calling for volunteers (email Cadence for more info) that will help with the harvest and the bottling (rewards: a bottle of the lovely juice) and Cadence becomes a beehive of activity.

Needless to say, I was impressed. This one man operation, out of this 3,500 sq feet warehouse, is proof positive that great wine (award wining, in fact) is being made west of the Cascades, in the city no less.

This was indeed a find and I have the kind wine guy at Esquin to thank for the education. I’ll have to go back there this week.

WBW #12: Drink Local. Real Local: 2003 Cadence Coda

Local huh? Real local, you say? How's 3.8 miles, approximate travel time: 6 mins, for local, Lenn? Well, after much searching, research and questions, I found the closest winery to my downtown neighborhood, to the 98101, to home. For you Lenn, nothing but a little gem, a relatively new-ish kid on the block, just for you.

Not a tasting room either, nor one of those big name wineries in Woodinville. I did not even have to take a ferry or drive to West Seattle, the U-District or Burien. And of course, I did not have to drive three to five hours to Walla Walla, Yakima or Columbia Valley.

Nope, the winery my wine comes from is right here in the city of Seattle, in the SoDo neighborhood, south of Safeco Field. Who would have thought? What a surprise!

But we barely finished drinking the wine and savouring our dinner (I rounded up the troops for a tasting). And then we all went out to Vios for gelato (nutella, chocolate and cherry) and coffee to complete the evening.

That means my write-up will be coming tomorrow. Hic.

WBW #11: Off Dry- 2004 Rancho Sisquoc Sylvaner

 

Get Off! (dry) was the theme for this edition of Wine Blogging Wednesdays. I had already decided to go with a Crèmant from Alsace or California and call it a day. Instead, it took a long holiday weekend in Southern California to find the perfect off-dry wine. Serendipity is my friend.

Whenever I fly down south to visit with my friends in Los Angeles I know they'll be a lot of animated conversation, shopping, browsing, eating, drinking and dining out. Wine shopping is also a big part of the festivities.

In fact, a couple hours after arriving in Sherman Oaks, I was picked up by Monsieur R. who had taken the afternoon off to drive me around town to one of his favorite wine shops (Wine House and Twenty Twenty Wine Merchants are the other two), a nearby Nordstrom (he is a clothes horse) only to end the tour at Bristol Farms in Pasadena for some food and wine shopping (they stock Château Pétrus in their wine case, sheesh!) before dinner (Mexican, from Tony's, yay!)

It was while perusing the aisles at Topline Wines and Spirits in Glendale that it occurred to me to ask one of the most knowledgeable and funny wine merchants a-n-y-w-h-e-r-e for a wine recommendation for this WBW.

It was Mike, the manager of this family owned business (his family, in operation for over 25 years) who a few years ago had sold me a great vintage of Château d'Yquem at a very good price, a bottle that still sits in my small cellar waiting for the perfect day to drink up. If there was a chance to clone a wine guy, I would clone him.

When you talk to this Mr. M you can perceive immediately that the wine feedback and tips he mouths off are honest and take no prisoners, that there is no bs or misguided snobbery about them.

You get the sense that this loud and boisterous oenophile is passionate about the grape and his job, that he tries more wines than you and I could ever wish to taste, says what he thinks and rather than selling you the most expensive or trendy bottle of wine he has in stock, he wants you to walk away with the best bottle--regardless of price--you'll want to drink and will enjoy drinking.

And if you happen to know what you want to drink, he'll find you the best bottle and best value for your money. So I told Mike a bit about what we were doing today. Virtual tasting, off-dry themed, moderate price ok, just not too expensive. I'd take a look at his suggestions and pick one of the bottles. Great.

After walking around the shop with me, pointing at a bottle here and there all of a sudden, with  eyes wide open, he grabbed a certain bottling from a winery I had never heard of before and a varietal it had never ocurred to me to try until that afternoon. 

"This is it! This is the wine you want for your tasting. Great wine, small family owned vineyard, lovely and crisp, definitely off-dry, price is great. Take it. I know you'll love it."

WBW #10: Mount Baker Vineyards 2002 Late Harvest Pinot Gris

For the 10th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, Alice's White Pinot I wanted something special,  truly different from the run of the mill Pinot Gris popping up at wine merchant shelves everywhere.

Instead of opening a bottle from the cellar--something decidedly Alsatian or from our neighbor to the south, Oregon (well known for their Pinot Gris) I went looking for a wine not only a little bit more my style--a dessert wine, a late harvest White Pinot to be precise--but a Washington wine if at all possible.

I got lucky at Champion Wine Cellars where owner Emile Ninaud himself recommended 2002 Mount Baker Vineyards Crawford's Late Harvest Pinot Gris

The fact that Randy Finley (that is him and his wife Pat on the label, gathering the grapes in the field) happens to be the owner of the winery and the winemaker is not only quite serendipitous but a happy coincidence of sorts.

As a cinéphile I was glad--and amazed--to learn that Mr. Finley's passion for wine is right on par with his love of cinema. I read about his long relationship with Seattle's independent art houses, that he used to be the city's "leading art film exhibitor".

In a city known for its love of cinema, and host of SIFF, one of the top film festivals in the world, Mr. Finley, a Washington native, was the man--in the early 70's--behind both Seven Gables and Grand Illusion movie houses--later sold to Landmark Theaters.

He was a force to be reckon with when bringing to Seattle and marketing around the country rare and obscure foreign films that nobody else would buy the rights of, wished to distribute or wanted to play.

After selling his movie houses and moving to France with his family, Finley, with a latent passion to make wine, purchased the Mount Baker Vineyards in 1989. This property, located in the Nooksack Valley-- north of Bellingham-- (part of the Puget Sound AVA) is said to be the "northernmost vineyard in the contiguous United States".

It is there that Finley started producing wines from rare varietals such as Chasselas, Madeline Angevine, Müller-Thurgau and Siegerrebe (they also produce, depending on the yields and the weather a bit of Chardonnay, Dry Riesling, Cab/Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Lemberger, Merlot and Pinot Noir).

WBW #9: Pretty in Pink

Two bottles purchased, three glasses consumed (3 different wines, tasted today) and a couple recommendations but it will have to wait until tomorrow...

Update: Yet another Rosé to be sampled tonight (Thursday)...this time the original sparkler I purchased for this WBW. Hopefully tomorrow (Friday) I'll get a chance to write my pinkish hued thoughts...for now we are off to celebrate a happy reunion.

WBW #8: Sicilian Reds- The round-up

In record time, Ronald has already posted the round-up for yesterday's (the 8th already!) edition of Wine Blogging Wednesdays. There are twenty six Sicilian Reds reviewed so go take a look!

WBW #8: Wine & Memories: a trip to Sicily with Michele Zacco of Pontevecchio

The second I read that Ronald (and Katia) of Love Sicily and ismyblogburning.com had chosen Vinni Rossi di Sicilia (Sicilian Reds) as the theme for the eight installment of Wine Blogging Wednesdays I let out a big Yes!

There would be no need for me to explore the many fabulous wine merchants in the city, drive around searching for juice or even have any of my favorite wine guys and gals special order an obscure bottling or two.

Nope, for this effort all I’d have to do is grab my phone and call my dear friend and neighbor (dinner party guest, master griller, expert taster, and host extraordinaire) Michelle Zacco, who happens to be Sicilian, the most knowledgeable person I know on Sicilian wine--and how's this for a bonus?--the chef owner of Pontevecchio in Fremont where it's all Sicilian, all the time.

His is, without a doubt--along with Armandino Batali's Salumi and my very own humble homemade efforts--my favorite Italian food in the city. The fact that he is always eager and enthusiastic to try my culinary experiments and can whip up a meal in two shakes also scores highly in my book.

And last night, around dusk, it was time to drive down Westlake Avenue to Fremont to sit down and talk Sicily, il vino Siciliano and perhaps--why not?-- even whip up a Sicilian food pairing, cooked especially for the occasion by Michele himself.

We talked about growing up in Catania, in his nonna (little bambino sitting on the counter) and mamma's kitchen (garlic first, basil last) picking up culinary inspiration and family heirloom dishes along the way.

Later on, while living in Edinburgh, falling in love with a Seattle woman and following her and his lust--his words-- all the way across the pond to Emerald City.

Before opening his restaurant, Michele taught Italian at local community colleges and through private lessons, and even worked as a pronunciation coach with Seattle Opera--opera being yet another of his passions.

He told me about how disappointed he was in the Italian offerings at local restaurants with too many Americanized dishes (spaghetti and meatballs, cheesy lasagna and not enough heart) so he saw a need that he could meet. Italian comfort food with dishes from his family's repertoire, unlike anything else in the city.

So here he is, after more than nine years living in Seattle, still in love…only this time with the city itself--the girl long gone--, its culinary scene and everything that it entails.

The restaurant, Pontevecchio, named after the Florentine bridge, sits across one of the oldest bridges in Seattle, the orange-and-blue Fremont Bridge.

Nine years ago when it opened, the neighborhood was ripe for a cozy bistro--inspired by the turn of the century Café Teatros who were in turn molded after Parisian Bistrot des Artistes, places to go be entertained with food, music and warmth, that made you feel as if you were dining in somebody's home, the kind of atmosphere that would inspire artists such as Puccini to write La Bohème.

At Pontevecchio the menu speaks of home and family gatherings. In this cozy room food and wine are 100% Sicilian. There is always music in the background--lots of Puccini-- and not a scintilla of corporate or sterile feel. The neighborhood was ready for such a place, it embraced Michele's vision and it has been a success ever since.

So it was about this point in our conversation that the wine started pouring in. A bottle of MandraRossa 2003 Shiraz, the latest varietal to come out of Sicily and the next big thing according to Mr. Zacco.

This is a wine that reflects the passionate cultural individuality and wine traditions of the Sicilians. Not content with being known globally for their fabulous citrus fruits (blood oranges and those amazing Sicilian lemons) they continue to improve an already thriving and yet utterly insular wine industry.

Sicilian winemakers have been honouring and exalting their better known varietals such as the Nero D'Avola and experimenting with grapes as brambly as the Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Mantellato (both grapes that  grow exclusively on the mineral-rich, volcanic sands of Mount Etna) that makes wines such as the Etna Rosso, tomorrow's upscale Barolo.

The MandraRossa is a wine without a hint of ego, made with Shiraz grown on the southern coast of Sicily, facing North Africa. A lovely juice that wants to be enjoyed with food instead of just showing off meaty or overpowering spiciness and intensity.

It has a beautiful ruby red color--evident even as the pale blue afternoon light gave way to the evening sky with the light of the candles growing brighter and warmer by the minute--and a subtle but beautiful and well rounded bouquet.

Wine Blogging Wednesdays #7: Obscure Red Grape Varieties: 2001 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Carmenère

Yep, we are still on holiday in Paris! But being thousands of miles away could not possibly keep me from joining in the fun in this month's WBW. And this is one of those times when having the ability to post-date entries comes in very handy (thank you Typepad).

For this Wine Blogging Wednesdays #7: Obscure Red Grape Varieties hosted by Andrew of Spitoon I propose the Carmenère grape in my 2001 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Carmenère Reserva Valle del Rape. This surprisingly lovely wine was found quite serendipitously while enjoying a fabulous dinner a couple weekends ago at Ipanema Grill.

Ipanema is located at the old Wolfgang Puck Cafe on the ground floor of Harbor Steps (First Avenue) here in Seattle. This colorful and roomy churrasquería is the the latest invention of neighborhood restauranteur Marco Casas-Beaux, the friendly and always warm and chatty owner of our favorite Buenos Aires Grill.

According to Dan Miller from Cellarnotes.net the Carmenère grape variety was once heavily planted in Bordeaux but because of problems ripening the crop each year, Carmenère is now almost impossible to find in that region of France. It is used in Chile to make what Mr. Miller calls undistinguished wines when bottled as a single varietal.

Wine Press Northwest on the other hand predicts that Carmenère, a grape that is being cultivated--albeit in very small quantities-- in Washington and Oregon, will "gain a cult following among wine lovers in the know".

So perhaps my little Rothschild Carmenère is a promising sign of good things to come with this humble varietal.  This wine was delightful, paired with a meal that was heavy on red meat, mostly grilled. I was quite taken with this easy to drink red that although a bit similar in character to Merlot (my least favorite red grape varietal) had a better structure and more oomph than previously tasted and notoriously wimpy Chilean reds.

The Carmenère, garnet colored, with great legs and a very moderate price to boot, was the perfect companion for a dinner comprised of a few delicious bites:

• Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Mayonnaise ($6.95)
• Beef Croquettes ($3.95)
• Garlic Steak with Fried Bananas and Brazilian Salsa ($6.95)
• Bauru Sandwich with Fries ($5.95)
• Top Sirloin Rodizio ($6.95)
• Pastel de Forno (Beef Empanadas) ($4.95)

and a lovely Pudim de Laranja (Orange Creme Caramel with a Raspberry Coulis) $6.00 with a couple cups of full bodied and quite delicious Brazilian coffee. 

Looking the wine up on the web I found this great bit on the Carmenère in an article by Leslie Sbrocco--originally published on Thursday, February 10, 2005-- by the San Francisco Gate titled Good-value varietals will steal your heart

"If you're looking for something less mainstream than Merlot, try Carmenère. This forgotten Bordeaux grape variety that found its way to Chile long ago is making a comeback. For many years Carmenère produced in Chile was mistaken for Merlot due to its similar smoothness, but Carmenère sports a distinctive green-spice complexity that makes it unique.

To discover Chile's signature wine, pick up the 2002 Baron Philippe de Rothschild Reserva Valle del Rapel Carmenère ($10). Made by the Chilean outpost of the famous French firm, Baron Philippe de Rothschild, this bottling is loaded with plummy fruit flavors accented with a whiff of green peppercorns. The colorful red and deep blue label makes this an ideal Cupid's gift."