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As regular readers know, I write a free, twice monthly wine column that’s distributed to newspapers across the country.

These columns are hosted by Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine. If you don’t see my column in your local newspaper, please send an email to your paper’s editor and CC me (David – at – Terroirist.com).

My latest column, which offers a quick primer on wine flaws, went out this morning.

Identifying Flaws and Faults in Wine

Sniff, swirl, sip.

Whether at home or at a restaurant, analyzing wine is a fairly straightforward process. And when you stick your nose in a glass of wine, you’ll typically encounter pleasant aromas like fruits, flowers, and spices. Sometimes, though, a wine will seem off.

One unfortunate truth about wine is that a decent percentage is flawed — somehow spoiled along the way to your table. Flawed wines should be poured down the drain or returned to your server. Wine should be delicious — and life is too short to drink bad wine.

Recognizing common wine flaws is at least as important as memorizing grape names and tasting descriptors. So here’s a quick primer on some common faults.

Check out the rest of the piece on Palate Press: The Online Wine Magazine. 

On WineSpecator.com, Ben O’Donnell explains how Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and other presidents treated wine at the White House. 

“Folks like Parker, Suckling, and to a lesser degree, Robinson, are more driven by delivering information from their portals. I sense Galloni has his ears a little closer to the ground, listening to the drumbeat outside his immediate world. I like that about him.” Alfonso Cevola explains “Why Galloni Matters.”

“In terms of quality, the wines of the Western Cape, in particular, have made great strides in the past decade.” In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons praises the wines of South Africa. 

“Forgive repetition but Raj Parr’s Central Coast Chardonnays, and Pinot Noirs, just get better and better.” Jancis Robinson names the 2009 Sandhi Chardonnay her wine of the week. 

“New York is the third-largest wine-producing state in the nation, and one reason for its growth is directly linked to quality. Now all that needs to be done is to gain recognition for that quality so national distribution can become a reality, not a just pipe dream.” Dan Berger writes about the wines of New York. 

Elin McCoy joins “an eager-tongued group of New York journalists and sommeliers at Corkbuzz Wine Studio” to learn some behind-the-scene secrets from Chateau Margaux. 

Andrew Jefford considers “delicacy.” 

Alder Yarrow enjoys some “Hawke’s Bay Wines With Some Age On Them.”

Mike Robbins, the founder of Spring Mountain Vineyards, has passed away. He was 89.

“On these shores, the Rhoneish blend — most typically with Mourvedre and Syrah in the mix, although not exclusively — has never been in better shape.” In the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon Bonné praises America’s “Rhoneish” blends.  

“In the popular imagination, wine and cheese were meant for each other. The reality is more frictious, and the cheese usually wins. Its waxy texture coats your palate and its powerful flavors saturate your senses, making it impossible to taste the wine. And then there is Vin Jaune, the vinous pride of the Jura region of France. Vin Jaune is one of the few wines that can stand up properly to cheese.” Eric Pfanner writes a fantastic column on Vin Jaune. 

“Sometimes, you gotta Krankl.”  In Wine-Searcher, Jennifer Ashcroft profiles Manfred Krankl, “the motorcycle-riding Austrian making California’s best Rhône blends.” 

Elsewhere in Wine-Searcher, Rebecca Gibb chats with Ned Goodwin MW. An Australian, Goodwin lives in Japan, is “the wine buyer for Nippon Airways, the face of Heidsieck Champagne in Asia, runs Wine & Spirit Education Trust classes in China and has launched his own label, Good Wine.

Lettie Teague profiles Pierre-Yves Colin, “The New Master of Affordable White Burgundies.” 

“Instead of fretting about the complexity of the subject, Rupert offers this council to the Port-phobic: ‘Don’t bother to understand it, drink it.'” From Jameson Fink, a great piece about “unwinding” with Port. 

Aaron Nix-Gomez writes about a visit to RdV Vineyards.

Great Northwest Wine profiles Josh Maloney, the former winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle, Milbrandt Vineyards, and Wahluke Wine Co. He is launching his own small operation called Maloney Wine, and the first vintage is already in barrel.

“0% French grown. Sorry we’re not sorry. GO AMERICA.” Patricia M. Roth is impressed with Naked Rebel Winery.

“The best part of the modern wine writing world is the ability to engage with each other. Heimoff has decided that silencing his critics, and going backwards at the same time, is more important than continuing down the path towards progress in democratizing wine.” Kyle Schlachter isn’t happy with Steve Heimoff. 

“Personally, I think the moderation of the CA fruit and Loire funk make Colorado cabernet franc some of the tastiest and most balanced examples of this variety anywhere in the world.” In a separate post, Schlachter explains why he’s so excited about Franc, Colorado’s Cabernet. 

“For these producers, balance is not static but kinetic, like one of Pollock’s paintings or Calder’s mobiles — wildly turbulent, even as they stand perfectly still.” Patrick Comiskey praises the producers who took part in this year’s In Pursuit of Balance tastings. 

Speaking of balance, Jamie Goode recently dined with Rajat Parr of Sandhi and Jamie Kutch of his eponymous label. 

When Katie Kelly Bell wrote a piece on Forbes.com on Oregon’s female winemakers, she forgot to mention a few dozen of them. 

This spring, look for a rosé called Miraval. The producers? Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Eater provides some snark. 

“Would it surprise you if I tell you that this dish is fantastic with Fino Sherry?” Brooklynguy discovers the beauty of pairing Fino Sherry with Japanese cuisine. (H/T: Eric Asimov.) 

In Palate Press, L.M. Archer writes a brief history of Paso Robles Wine Country.  

In the Napa Valley Register, a fascinating story about “Abacus,” a solara-style Cabernet Sauvignon from ZD, and the Tour of California. 

In beer news, Brooklyn Brewery is headed to France.

Thomas Rivers Brown.

It’s no secret that I love the wines of Thomas Rivers Brown. One of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had was tasting with Thomas in Calistoga a few years ago. And today, a full 10 percent of my cellar is comprised of wines from Rivers-Marie, his personal label. (The Summa “Old Vines” Pinot Noir is consistently amazing.)

Of course, just about everyone is a fan of his wines. In 2008, Brown made history as the youngest winemaker to receive a perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker — and he received two of them, for the 2006 Schrader “Old Sparky” and 2006 Schrader CCS Cabernet Sauvignons. The next vintage, with the same two wines, he again received two 100-point scores from Parker, and also received two 100-point scores from the Wine Spectator’s James Laube. And he was Food & Wine’s “Winemaker of the Year” in 2010.

So when a few friends started chatting about doing a blind tasting of TRB’s wines, I jumped at the chance. After all, everyone at Terroirist’s global headquarters loves blind tastings — sometimes, the results are shocking!

So this past Tuesday night, I gathered with five friends at Bourbon Steak DC to taste through six of TRB’s 2008 Cabernet Sauvignons. The results were, indeed, surprising. My own ranking lined up with the group’s.

Full tasting notes and results below the fold. Notes and scores were written before wines were revealed. Huge thanks to Julian Mayor, David Metz, and the rest of the team at Bourbon Steak for sharing so many decanters and keeping the identity of each wine a secret! Read the rest of this entry »

“Yes, it is low alcohol,” Mahle tells me. “But that is not the point. The site gives that result. These wines could not be more representative of this part of California.” Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka continues her streak of awesome posts with a great piece about a recent visit with Pax Mahle.

“At the turn of the millennium, only a few visionary winemakers might have put the words ‘Virginia’ and ‘American classics’ in the same sentence. That one of the world’s most eminent wine writers does so today illustrates not only how far the Old Dominion’s vintners have come but also how exciting is the story of modern American wine.” In the Washington Post, Dave McIntyre reviews American Wine, the just-released book from Jancis Robinson and Linda Murphy. 

“Just a little history, just a modicum of perspective, merely a trifle of context can produce a wine review of a different sort that I think today’s readers of wine reviews deserve more than ever.” Tom Wark offers perspective on Antonio Galloni’s resignation from the Wine Advocate. 

“Every new grape needs to have its first vintage in the New World, and it certainly was fascinating to be at Grüner’s Kiwi coming out party. I’m just glad there was some Riesling to wash it down with.” Alder Yarrow shares his thoughts on New Zealand Gruner Veltliner. 

Jon Bonné explores what California’s record grape crush means for the state’s wine industry.

On Monday, Cesar Chavez will be inducted to Vintners Hall of Fame. 

From USA Today: “The Federal Trade Commission said an ‘alcohol facts panel’ should be on the back of flavored malt beverage cans containing more than two servings of alcohol.” 

Consumer Reports has just issued a report and buying guide on 10 wine chillers. In the Los Angeles Times, S. Irene Virbila has the details. 

The Taste sounds like a television show worth watching. In the latest episode, the participants were asked to create “a food and wine pairing with one of four distinctive wine styles, including German riesling, California chardonnay, a French Cotes du Rhone and Italian Barolo.” 

On Tuesday, Ellen Degeneres, Kathie Lee, and Hoda got drunk. On wine. On TV.

I realize that not a single reader will relate to this (aside from my two sisters), but I’m the daughter of a wild hog expert.

I hadn’t fully grasped my privileged pedigree while growing up, but it became apparent when I was 25. One night, while channel surfing on my sofa in Washington DC, I landed on the most incredible and hilarious program ever, “MonsterQuest: MegaHog.”

The show’s goal is to terrify viewers by assembling a group of wildlife experts and supposed spotters to track down evidence of beastly, monstrous animals. This particular episode focused on the epidemic of gigantic wild hogs running amok in the southern United States. On the screen, my dad was holding a pair of binoculars and scanning the landscape where a group of wild hogs gathered in the distance. Yes, it’s true. He was brought in as the hog expert. And he’d been so modest, he hadn’t even told us about it!

So, not only was I raised in an obsessively carnivorous Texas home, I’m also the daughter of a hog guru?! Needless to say, when I learned about a dinner which featured an entire wild boar from Texas paired with a vertical tasting of Brunello, I was delighted. The dinner was hosted at Aroma Kitchen & Wine Bar in NYC and prepared by head chef Vito Polosa.

The verdict? Boar is good and should be consumed more often. The 2007 Brunellos showed restraint, while the 2006’s were the Beyoncés of the line-up — perfumed and pretty, but with an unmistakable ferocity and focus. The 2004 is drinking really nicely now, especially with food (ideally, boar). I’m still wrapping my head around older Brunellos, like the 1998 we tried.

Tasting notes and pairings are below the fold.  And finally, feel free to let me know if you have any pig-related questions that I can pass along to Pat Canan, MegaHog Expert. [Here’s a link to the MonsterQuest episode, fast forward to minute 12:10]. Read the rest of this entry »

Antonio Galloni

Some huge news rocked the wine world yesterday: Antonio Galloni announced his resignation from the Wine Advocate and the launch of AntonioGalloni.com. Eric Asimov scored the scoop. Check out the commentary on WineBerserkers. 

“Wine draws some of the world’s most intelligent and remarkable people to it.” In anticipation of the Decanter World Wine Awards 2013, Decanter.com chats with Jon Bonné. 

“As we consider the major increase in bulk wine shipments around the world — 45 percent of all New World wine exports are now big bag – big box bulk shipments – you can’t help but wonder if Juice Box globalization might be on the horizon.” Some interesting commentary on “Juice Box Globalization” from Mike Veseth. 

“In the current craze for craft spirits, the drink is in resurrection mode.” In the New York Times, Alice Feiring writes about small-batch Vermouth. 

“Boomers don’t just exit the wine market “feet first”… they exit it in droves when they retire. The message is this: if you’re a wine producer who hasn’t been courting younger generations as well as Boomers (And as we’ll see in a minute or two, chances are good that you haven’t), you ought to be crapping a brick right about now…” Joe Roberts analyzes Silicon Valley Bank’s 2013 State Of The Wine Industry Report. 

In 2012, despite the weak economy, Champagne “had its fourth-highest sales year in history.” 

In Wine-Searcher, W. Blake Gray writes a great piece about “a really wild ferment.” 

Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka tastes the Eyrie Vineyards 2011 Original Vines Pinot Gris. 

“Good libations at a lower cost with a reduced environmental impact: What’s not to love about wine on tap?” In Zester Daily, Kathy Hunt writes about the rising popularity of wines on tap.

Courtesy of Cameron Hughes.

“Today there are no truly must have wines, in the sense of wines that must be on lists for them to be taken seriously, and that has brought along ramifications all throughout the industry.” In Eater, superstar sommelier Levi Dalton explains how wine lists have changed.

“Tasting with The Collector is a nail-biting experience: you hope for unexpected sunbeams of sublimity, but you realise at the outset that the darkly macabre awaits.” Andrew Jefford writes about a fascinating tasting with a wine enthusiast who has “a singular yet unquenchable passion – to find, purchase and bring home wines made from the world’s obscurest varieties. 

Just before the holidays, Jon Bonné “covered the affordable side of Champagne.” So for Valentine’s Day, he’s decided to go large.

Meanwhile, in Wine-Searcher, Jon Bonné tells W. Blake Gray about his most memorable wine. Unsurprisingly, he can’t settle on just one. 

Lily-Elaine Hawk Wakawaka writes a wonderful post about a recent conversation with Sonja Magdevski, winemaker of Casa Dumetz. 

In Palate Press, Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher discuss the history of Open That Bottle Night — and reveal what they’ll be drinking. 

“If I came in from a blizzard crusted with snow, a glass of Port would be very nice.” In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague urges readers to make time for Port. 

In the southern Rhone, according to Jancis Robinson, 2011 was not “a thrilling vintage” 

Ever wonder how some Australian wines sell for so little? A big reason is that many ship in “24,000-liter plastic bags, each able to carry the equivalent of 32,000 bottles of vino.” 

The HoseMaster reviews the latest offerings from Loring Wine Company. Seriously. 

“The folks in the Veneto and the Prosecco consortium get it. The folks in Montalcino and the Brunello consortium, well, they must be waiting for a better internet connection.” So proclaims Alfonso Cevola. 

Howard Goldberg is impressed with the latest releases from Bedell Cellars. 

In South Africa, unemployed teenagers have a new vocation: wine advisors.  

To celebrate its “top destinations of 2012,” Wine Enthusiast is giving away four trips — one to each of the following regions: Rioja, Spain; Monterey, California; Stellenbosch, South Africa; and the Danube region of Austria. Good luck!

Sardinia has piqued my interest as long as I can recall. It’s Italy, but different. Italian aside, the residents speak four distinct languages — influenced by Corsica in the north, and various Spanish dialects in the central and south. Culinary specialties include bottarga and lamb along with pristine Mediterranean seafood. And it looks like this, appealing to beach bums and rock climbers alike. Sardinia may also host my favorite episode of No Reservations.

Oh, and there is wine. Some really, really good wine. Along with too many Tre Bicchiere awards to list, one recent award for Sardinian standout Sella & Mosca stands above them all: The Gambero Rosso’s 2013 Winery of the Year.

Sella & Mosca has been around for a while. Founded in 1899 by two serendipitous Piemontese businessmen, they helped to save the world’s wine industry. While the European wine countries were being devastated by phylloxera, Sella & Mosca used their sandy soils and geographic isolation to house a nursery for new rootstocks. Many of the new plantings made their way to the south of France, Bordeaux, Spain and Italy.

Sella & Mosca’s flagship wine, Marchese di Villamarina, is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Knowing how the staunchly traditionalist mainland Italians felt about planting Cabernet Sauvignon, I figured there’s another Darmagi-like story here. Not so. Those vines in the nursery were largely Cabernet, so unlike the influx of international varietals in the latter 1900s in Piedmont and Tuscany, Cabernet has been a part of Sardinia for some time. The wine itself is tasty.

At a recent tasting, I was impressed with the 2004, 2005, and 2006 vintages of Marchese di Villamarina. All sported a concentrated dark color in their cores, a heft of savory herbs, and a mix of ripe and dried fruits, tart and sweet. They each seemed to have aged evenly, with perhaps five more years to go. A great pairing for a roasted Sardinian wild boar.

My favorite red of the tasting was the Terre Rare Carignano de Sulcis. From an appellation in Sardinia’s southwestern corner comes a varietal wine with a rusty, iron minerality coupled with dark fruits like plums, blackberries and prunes. The weight of the fruit was counteracted nicely by the minerality and a refreshing bright acidity. With a $15 SRP, it’s certainly worth seeking out.

The wine of the day, however, was a Sella & Mocsa exclusive. Terre Bianche is the only 100% Torbato in the world. Named after the white, chalky earth the grapes thrives on at the Sella & Mosca estate in Alghero this wine was unlike many I have ever tasted. The nose was bright and intense with citrusy notes of key lime, tangerine and tropical pineapple. Where this wine really shines is on the palate. The texture of the wine was waxy and broad with a slight grainy aspect. I don’t know if that had to do with Torbato’s fibrous nature but it yielded a texture reminiscent of Aussie Semillon. This wine could match any simply prepared seafood right out of the Sardinian waters (topped with bottarga please).

Sardinia is known to have one of the highest life-expectancies in the world. The locals cite their fresh cuisine, great weather, and stress-free lifestyle for this feat. Sounds like a place you might not leave once you get there.