This week’s wine reviews. All wines were received as press samples and tasted single blind.

Review: 2010 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Estate
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Pretty cherry color. Aromas of blackberries and cherries, along with rich loam and a distinct musk and herbal tinge. Dry tannins and lots of fresh acid provide a solid background for the ripe plum and strawberry flavors. Cedar and pepper linger onto the finish. I imagine this would be more expressive in a year or two, but it’s still quite impressive. (88 pts.)

Review: 2010 Stepping Stone by Cornerstone Pinot Noir
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Dark ruby color. Gushing cherries on the nose. Also very floral , like a potpourri of dried roses, and hints of earth. On the palate, cherry and red licorice lead the way to some rose petals, tobacco and beef flavors. The acid is really pretty and it keeps the wine balanced in the face of grainy tannins. It seems approachable now, but I’d like to see what five years would do for some of those savory-herbal elements. (89 pts.)

Review: 2010 Cornerstone Cellars Pinot Noir
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Bright purple colored. Explosive aromas of cherry pie filling, brown sugar and black pepper. The palate shows bright acid, very rich cherry fruit, and a nice kick of pepper. The toasty oak adds a real richness to this wine, and it borders on the extreme end of the oak spectrum. That said, the fine tannins and solid fruit hold up well against the oak. (87 pts.)

Review: 2009 Stoller Pinot Noir JV Estate
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Bright cherry colored with a tiny hint of spritz. More strawberry and cherry fruit on the nose than the other wines, with some vanilla coke as well. A nice kick of dill and sage linger on the nose. On the palate, this is fresh and light, with an approachable personality. Really pure flavors of cherry and raspberry, but there’s some sage and pepper flavors that add complexity. An undeniably tasty pinot. (89 pts.)

Review: 2010 Robert Mondavi Winery Pinot Noir
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Dark and deep on the nose, showing black cherries and plums along with a hint of anise. Fine tannins and medium-to-low acid on the palate. Flavors of sweet plum, cassis and red licorice, beefed up with toasted oak. Hints of chocolate linger on the finish. Big, hedonistic and very toasty. (85 pts.)

Review: 2009 Inman Family Pinot Noir Olivet Grange Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Russian River Valley
Light ruby color. The burst of rhubarb and white pepper on the nose is really interesting. Underneath, aromas of raspberry jam, wild strawberry and rose petals. The acid on this wine is really superb, giving the wine incredible freshness for a New World pinot. Raspberry and wild strawberry fruit flavors blend nicely with white pepper and incense. Medium-to-fine grained tannins provide structure. Long, zesty finish. It would probably benefit from a few hours in the decanter or a few more years in the cellar, but this is a beautiful and elegant young pinot. (91 pts.)

Review: 2011 Hahn Estates Pinot Noir
USA, California
Pretty cherry color, very clear. Soft and inviting on the nose with cherry cola, rose petals and rich soil. Fine-grained tannins and just below medium acid. Juicy flavors of cherry preserves, red plums along with that same rich soil note that’s so nice on the nose. Sweet cherry, earth and mocha carry the finish. A big, fruity pinot with decent structure. (86 pts.)

Review: 2010 Gainey Pinot Noir
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Rita Hills
Raspberry jam colored. Lots of cedar on the nose, along with raspberry and sour cherries. On the palate, a burst of sour cherry fruit and acid leads the way to a richer, blackberry flavor, along with some vanilla and toasted oak. Very pretty, with medium-grain tannins and a Thanksgiving dinner-like finish of cranberry sauce and pepper. It has a unique sense of purity and balance. (90 pts.)

Review: 2010 Hahn Estates Pinot Noir SLH
USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia Highlands
Vibrant red plum color. Plum skins and cherry jam on the nose, mixed in with a sweet, almost molasses-like aroma. On the palate, the wine is surprisingly smooth, with tannins like satin and medium acid providing a soft background for the bright red and black fruit. Notes of baker’s chocolate, coffee and coconut-toasty oak round out the finish. Unashamedly delicious. Very silky, but the structure hints that it could last a few years. (88 pts.)

Review: 2010 Breggo Cellars Pinot Noir Savoy Vineyard
USA, California, North Coast, Anderson Valley
Medium ruby colored. Aromatically, this wine explodes with sweet berries, rose petals, vanilla bean and a hint of coconut. Firm tannins on the palate, medium acid, and gushing cherry and raspberry fruit combine in a full-bodied, but juicy style. This wine has a great herbal-savory kick that adds complexity. Tinges of sweet mocha and oak linger onto the finish, but not enough to overwhelm the wine’s other aspects. Despite its richness, the wine somehow maintains lightness and balance, aspects which will probably only improve with time. (93 pts.)

Review: 2010 Robert Mondavi Winery Pinot Noir Reserve
USA, California, Napa / Sonoma, Carneros
Bright ruby colored. Very dense on the nose, a bit closed, but with swirling the aromas of cool plum and pomegranate came out, also some notes of pine needle and dried leaves. Very full on the palate, with medium acid and incredibly silky tannins. It’s got the big flavors of cherry pie, vanilla cola and milk chocolate, but it’s accented with notes of cinnamon stick and pine wood. Toasty oak lingers on a long, creamy finish. Seems like it has a long time ahead of it. Very impressive. (91 pts.)

Each week, as regular readers know, we pose a series of questions to a winemaker. This week, we’re featuring Jennifer and Terry Hoage, the owners and winemakers at Terry Hoage Vineyards in Paso Robles, California. (For another Paso winemaker interview, you can see our chat with Blake Kuhn at Clayhouse.)

I sat across from Jennifer Hoage during a lively dinner at Il Cortile in Paso Robles, where she brought her 2011 “Pik Pool” Picpoul Blanc to kick off the meal. The traditionally Rhone-grown wine doesn’t pop up much here in the U.S., but was fun to try – refreshing Meyer lemon, warm floral notes, and just a hint of something round, honeyed, and tropical. Jennifer explained that their winery typically focuses on red wines, but she loves whites and they are her babies in the vineyard.

Jennifer and Terry have a great story. Jennifer, a total firecracker, is a native of New Orleans, and studied to become a mime in Paris years ago. (This is not a story one hears everyday). Her husband, Terry, previously played professional football from 1984-1996 for the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Oilers, and Arizona Cardinals. After leaving the NFL, Terry explored several careers (including finance and construction) before settling down on farm in California.

In 2002, they bought a vineyard in Paso Robles, where they have been making Rhone-style wines, many named with a nod to Terry’s football past, ever since. Because I found their story so engaging, I thought it would be fun to have them each answer the interview questions separately. Read more below the fold! Read the rest of this entry »

On WineSpectator.com, Ben O’Donnell writes a wonderful piece on the “Iron Ladies of Champagne.” According to O’Donnell, some visionary women “introduced nearly every innovation in Champagne-making this side of bubbles.”

From Wikipedia.

Evan Dawson urges the Finger Lakes wine industry to watch A Year in Burgundy and Leading Between The Vines.

“Spitting is sometimes a pleasure unto itself.” In Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray writes about a critical part of wine evaluation, spitting!

Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, Gray interviews Paul Lukacs, author of the new book Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World’s Most Ancient Pleasures.

Mike Hayes, the owner of Symphony Hill Wines in Queensland, plans on giving “full moon” a whole new meaning. This year, he plans on recreating “an ancient winemaking ritual nearly 4,000 years old — by harvesting some of his grapes in the nude during a full moon.”

Jamie Goode writes about climate change and wine in Nature.

Joe Roberts writes about his ten most memorable wines of the year. A Pinot Gris from Colorado makes the list!

“I consider the cool-climate adherents as having found Syrah’s holy grail.” Dan Berger contends that “cool climates can save Syrah.”

Longtime Clos Du Val winemaker, John Clews, has resigned. Kristy Melton, who joined the Clos Du Val team in 2010, will “step up to manage overall winemaking and winery operations during this transition period.”

The large oak casks at Soldera.

“He was an angry man who knew exactly what he was doing. It was an act of unthinkable revenge.” In the Daily Beast, Barbie Latza Nadeau has the scoop on the arrest of Andrea Di Grisi, who has confessed to destroying five vintages of Soldera. Reuters has more.

“If in fact Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate has lost its game, lost its influence and is in its last days, what would be the evidence of this?” Tom Wark persuasively argues that the Wine Advocate brand is as strong as it’s ever been.

“Perhaps the biggest thing for us in 2012 was the move into supernatural wines.” From Robert Joseph, a contender for the funniest blog post of the year!

Mike Veseth visits Red Mountain, Washington’s smallest AVA, and sees “two of globalization’s many local faces.”

Jeff Leve names his 10 best wines of the year.

Jon Bonné highlights his favorite wine books of the year. They’re all perfect for Christmas!

Olivier Bernard, owner of the Domaine de Chevalier, has been elected president of the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux.

Gothamist takes a tour of “21,” the New York City restaurant where food should be treated “as a solid foundation for the liquid entertainment.” The photos are incredible.

Bloomberg News reports: “South Africa will probably produce the third-biggest wine-grape crop on record in 2013.”

“A Starbucks in Rancho Santa Margarita is one of two California cafes testing a theory that consumers want their local Starbucks to give them a jolt of espresso in the morning followed by a chilled brewski after dark.” The Orange County Register investigates Starbucks decision to sell beer and wine.

From NatalieMacLean.com.

Within hours of this weekend’s bombshell editorial from Palate Press about copyright infringement by Canadian wine writer Natalie MacLean, a new scandal broke.

“[We have] unearthed new allegations of unethical behavior by the well-known wine writer,” wrote Gary Thomas and David Honig, Palate Press’ wine review editor and publisher, respectively.

“Online comments as well as social media reaction to that story brought to light new information that outlines a ‘pay-for-play’ policy by MacLean in which she requires wineries to purchase a subscription to her online wine review pages before she will review the wines,” they continued.

Those online comments inspired dozens of reactions. Many were quite harsh.

“If she charges for sample submission,” wrote British wine writer Jamie Goode, “then that’s horridly parasitic behavior. It gives honest wine writers a bad name.”

Goode followed up with a more nuanced reaction on his blog, and admitted in an email exchange with me that pay-for-play wine criticism is a thornier issue than it seems at first blush.

“I realize it is a complicated situation, and that some reviewers in New Zealand charge wineries for reviews, but I think it has the danger of being exploitative,” he wrote. “As writers we exist in a delicate place in our relationships with wineries. We already cost them quite a bit in terms of hospitality and samples, and to add on to that some sort of fee seems a bit parasitical.”

Charging a winery to review its wines is unusual, to be sure. But calling such fees “parasitical” while cheerily accepting free meals and free trips seems arbitrary and even hypocritical.

The problem with MacLean’s alleged pay-for-play policy is the lack of transparency — not the policy itself.

Consider Goode. I followed his recent trip to Alsace (part 1; part 2), eagerly reading his notes on wines like Hugel’s Gentil. Assuming the trip to Alsace was a press junket, why, exactly, is that so different from charging a winery a fee to review its wines? Couldn’t one argue that the latter is actually much more economical for a winery — especially if the winery’s only goal is to get a review?

Or, for a better comparison to MacLean’s “horridly parasitic” pay-for-play policy, consider Robert Whitley, publisher of Wine Review Online. Whitley writes a nationally syndicated for Creators, a monthly column for Reuters, and hosts an online radio show.

He’s also the director of four international wine competitions — Critics Challenge, Sommelier Challenge, Winemaker Challenge, and San Diego International Wine Competition. All charge an entry fee of $75 or more for each bottle submitted.

Why are wine competitions so different? Sure, those fees are typically used to cover the event’s expenses — things like judges’ travel and honorariums, food, support staff, and other logistics. But at the end of the day, wineries are shelling out cash in exchange for a critic’s review.

Plus, Whitley frequently praises the wines that win his competitions without disclosing that the producers were forced to pay a steep fee to garner his attention.

It’s also important to note that reviewing wines isn’t a costless endeavor. Read the rest of this entry »

Vintage posters courtesy of Weimax Wines & Spirits

“Yes, Wine Writer had been horribly sick before he passed, a pathetic shadow of what he once had been, reduced to a kind of Laubotomized babbling, a sad and tired victim of Parkerson’s Disease, covered in nasty Suckling wounds, his Hugh Johnson Feiring nothing but blanks.” The HoseMaster delivers the eulogy for Wine Writer.

Forbes names its “30 Under 30” in Food And Wine. Big congratulations to wine writer Talia Baiocchi!

Meanwhile, on WineSpectator.com, Baiocchi brings attention to Loam Baby, a new wine magazine that “offers a raw, witty look at American winemaking.”

“Talking about wine doesn’t involve flavor descriptors.” Elsewhere on WineSpectator.com, Matt Kramer defines “the six most important words in wine tasting.” Licorice isn’t on the list.

Alder Yarrow profiles and praises the wines of Cantina Ferrari. (In case you missed it, Terroirist Scott Claffee wrote about a number of wines from Ferrari earlier this year.)

“This tale isn’t yet 1,000 years old. But it has kings, crusades, the cult of the Virgin, poverty, drunk clerics, extinct grapes, the Devil and the world’s biggest wine bottle. And the irony is, the winery it’s about is one of the most forward-thinking in France.” From W. Blake Gray, a wonderful story.

On his own site, W. Blake Gray reacts to the news that Canadian wine writer Natalie MacLean has committed “egregious content theft.”

Bloomberg reports: “Wine sales by the biggest auction houses plunged 19 percent in 2012 as economic and political uncertainty in China cooled demand for trophy-name Bordeaux.”

Paul Hobbs has purchased the 90-acre Tourmaline Vineyard, located in Napa Valley’s new Coombsville AVA.

On NPR, Corey Flintoff posits that “Wine And Food May Rekindle Love Lost Between Russia And Georgia.”

The vineyards of Chateau d'Yquem. From Wikipedia.

This weekend’s bombshell editorial from Palate Press about copyright infringement by Natalie MacLean “has unearthed new allegations of unethical behavior… winery proprietors [have] described a pay-for-play system for wine reviews.”

Château d’Yquem has announced that it will not produce a 2012 Sauternes due to insufficient quality.

Napa Valley is experiencing a “critical shortage” of new grapevine rootstock.

In Italy, Albiera, Alessia, and Allegra Antinori — the three daughters of Italian winemaker Piero Antinori — are preparing to take over the operations at their family’s winery. The Antinori family has been making wine for 600 years, and this will be the first time that women have had “any significant role” in the business.

On Jancis Robinson’s Purple Pages, a cautionary tale from YiXin Ong on shipping temperatures.

Lettie Teague writes about “The Stylish Science of Nonvintage Champagne.”

Joe Herrig attempts to define “structure.”

Elin McCoy profiles her “Top 10 Wines of 2012.” They range in price from $15,000/bottle (2009 Domaine de la Romanee-Conti Romanee-Conti) to $14/bottle (2010 Gaba do Xil Mencia Valdeorras).

In case you missed it, Jeff Siegel writes the second part of his two-part feature on big wine companies and wine quality. (The first installment can be found here.)

In Food & Wine, Kate Krader writes the “Insider Guide to New Orleans.”

Palate Press wonders if Natalie MacLean is the “World’s Best Wine Writer or [a] Content Thief?”

According to Eric Asimov, “a handful of small grower-producers in Champagne are demonstrating the very real potential of pinot meunier to produce wines that are not merely palatable but superb: distinctive, joyful and intriguing.” I couldn’t agree more — Egly-Ouriet’s “Les Vignes de Vrigny” is one of my favorite wines. (In case you missed it, Scott Claffee wrote a wonderful piece on Pinot Meunier earlier this year.)

In the Napa Valley Register, Kip Davis writes a wonderful profile of superstar winemaker Aaron Pott.

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon Bonné writes a “hybrid” column that’s “part gift guide, part road map to holiday cheer.”

In ancient Iran, the Persians weren’t just fond of wine — “they routinely made important decisions while drunk on it.”

Dwight Garner, a ook critic for the New York Times, drinks his way across Manhattan in an effort to rediscover the city’s literary culture.

Enobytes has the scoop on America’s leading wine markets.

Kyle Schlachter of Colorado Wine Press makes “five predictions for 2013.”

Dan Berger deciphers tasting notes.

On the Huffington Post, Mary Orlin reviews Eric Asimov’s How to Love Wine.

VinConnect announces new partnerships with three of Germany’s top wineries — Dr. Loosen from the Mosel, Robert Weil from the Rheingau, and von Schubert – Maximin Grunhaus from the Ruwer.

From wikipedia.

“Focusing on Parker’s influence and the growth of American wine culture got me thinking about the comparative lack of influence he’s had on me and what that says about the current generation’s changed perspective on wine.” Talia Baiocchi reflects on Robert Parker’s (lack of) influence on today’s young wine consumers.

In Wine Review Online, Pierre-Emmanuel Taittinger makes an ass of himself. Kudos to W. Blake Gray for writing this piece.

K&L Wine Merchants names Jim Rutledge “the best, most passionate, friendliest, most talented, amazing, inspiring person in the booze business is for 2012.”

From Jeff Siegel, “the first of two parts looking at consolidation in the wine business and the rise of the giant producer — a smattering of which dominate the U.S. wine business.” Check it out!

On the blog for JJ Buckley, Chuck Hayward “looks at the recent debate surrounding the optimal glasses and decanters for bubbly.”

In Wine-Searcher, Rose Hoare chats with Corinne Mentzelopoulos, the owner of Château Margaux.

Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, Maureen Downey suggests ways to avoid becoming the victim of wine fraud.

2012 should be a great vintage for German eiswein!

From the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Michelle Minton, How the Mandatory Three-Tier Distribution System Inhibits Competition. (H/T: Tom Wark.)

Business Insider reports: “Lot18, The Troubled Wine Startup, Has A New CEO.”

Will Lyons finds the perfect pairing… for cigars.

From Wikipedia.

Lettie Teague clarifies some details on the changes at Wine Advocate.

Meanwhile, Mike Steinberger writes a “not-so-instant but thoroughly original response to the Parker (hedonistic fruit) bombshell.”

“Five years ago, the Jura wasn’t on Guillaume d’Angerville’s mind. But on a visit to one of his favorite Paris restaurants, the eminent Burgundian vintner became fascinated by this lesser-known French wine region.” In her latest Wine Spectator column, Talia Baiocchi writes about Domaine Marquis d’Angerville expansion to the Jura.

Decanter.com reports: “Maison Louis Latour has just taken an 18-year lease on Chateau des Labourons in Fleurie – an important move in their long-term plan for Beaujolais presence.”

“According to new research from leading scientists, mankind’s long history of cultivating grapes for wine began in southeast Anatolia, located in modern-day Turkey.” Wine Spectator covers some fascinating new research.

“Jamie Goode takes a closer look at the deliberate choice by many winemakers to leave the stems in their red wine fermentations.” (H/T: Eric Asimov.)

In the San Francisco Chronicle, Andy Perdue and Eric Degerman of Wine Press Northwest suggest five wine books to give to wine lovers this holiday season.

Wines & Vines reports: “The number of states permitting direct-to-consumer shipments by wineries grew to 40 in 2012, a big increase from 31 in 2005, according to the firm ShipCompliant.”

Some fascinating findings from UC Davis, where “researchers found that bag-in-box wine is more vulnerable to warmer storage temperatures than bottled wine.”

In Oregon, the commercial wine industry is growing, fast.

Tyler Colman highlights the Naples Children and Education Foundation’s charity wine auction.