APRIL 2011 · 3.

95

The New Spirits

Thin-dustry Legitimizing the
Bethenny Frankel thinks thin in front of a 300 case
Low-cal Category
display of Skinnygirl Margarita at the Stater Bros.
grocery store in Huntington Beach, CA. PHOTO: ROB BROWN
 PA N E L

THE
SELECTED CONTRIBUTORS editor in chief publisher / executive editor
E. C. GladstonE writes about food,
wine, luxury and travel for Orbitz, Away.
Anthony Dias Blue Meridith May
com, Wine & Spirits and Tasting Table ablue@[Link] mmay@[Link]
among many others from his base in Los 818-990-0350
Angeles. He has held Contributing Editor
positions at Niche Magazines (Ocean
Drive, VEGAS) and [Link],
and in a former life covered Hollywood managing editor
for US Weekly. His wine satori came in
David Gadd dgadd@[Link]
the form of a ‘66 Pétrus, aged 30 years
in the bottle. We are proud to announce
that Eric is our new Editor at Large. senior art director
James McManus mcmanusdesign@[Link]
Born and raised in Los Angeles,
EstEvan oriol pulls inspiration from east coast editor
the city and reflects its sensibilities in his
work. Whether he’s photographing gang Lana Bortolot lanab@[Link]
life, a fashion model or Dr. Dre, there is
a voice in his work that is distinctly L.A.- northern california editor
bred. Oriol has directed music videos Deborah Parker Wong
for Eminem, Cypress Hill, Blink 182 and
others, and his work has been featured
in FHM, GQ, Vibe and Rolling Stone. See
texas editor
more at [Link]. Anthony Head
tim tEiChGraEbEr is a music attorney editor at large
and freelance wine writer who lives in
San Francisco and contributes regularly E. C. Gladstone

10.875” to both the San Francisco Chronicle

and Minneapolis Star Tribune food and london correspondent
wine sections. Tim travels frequently Steven Spurrier
throughout the U.S., Europe and South
America to track the latest trends in food contributing editors
and drink.
Tony Abou-Ganim, Ian Buxton,
FOLLOW US! Becky Sue Epstein, Richard Carleton Hacker,
THE TASTING PANEL makes frequent updates to its Rudy Maxa, Merrill Shindler
Twitter and Facebook pages. Follow us to keep up
with our lastest news and get the inside scoop on our
stories as they are being written and photographed. operations manager
Cecilia Loschin closchin@[Link]

CorrECtions associate editor

In Steven Spurrier’s March Letter from London, there was Rachel Burkons rburkons@[Link]
an error in the mention of an appellation in Chile: Limarí
Valley should have read “Leyda Valley.” The editor accepts marketing + events director
all responsibility for this mistake.
Allison Levine alevine@[Link]

Published monthly with combined January and February issues advertising/production manager
ISSN# 2153-0122 USPS 476-430
Chairman/CEO: Anthony Dias Blue
Sara Deckers sdeckers@[Link]
President/COO: Meridith May
Vice President: David Gadd assistant executive editor
Subscription Rate: $36 One Year ; $60 Two Years; Single Copy: $3.95 Nicolette Teo nteo@[Link]
For all subscriptions, email: subscriptions@[Link]
Periodicals Postage Paid at Van Nuys and at additional mailing offices
Devoted to the interests and welfare of United States restaurant contributors
and retail store licensees, wholesalers, impor ters and manufacturers Martin Bihl, Ro Brown, Maria Helena Carey, Leigh Castelli, Tina Chao,
in the beverage industry. Tom Clark, Andrew Faulkner, Dakota Fine, E. C. Gladstone, Peter Griffith,
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Tasting Panel Magazine Daedalus Howell, David Huff, Eric Ita, Judy Jones, Bonjwing Lee, Ryan Lely,
15335 Morrison Street, Suite 345,
Kelly A. Magyarics, Jonathan Mitchell, Estevan Oriol, Michael Quiet,
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403, 818-990-0350
©2010 The Tasting Panel magazine. All rights reserved. Laura Sanchez, Maria Schriber, Tim Teichgraeber, Robert Rex Waller,
Reproduction in whole or par t without written permission is prohibited. Thomas Wilmer, Doug Young, Tom Zasadzinski
Í

april 2011  /  the tasting panel  /  

 FROM THE EDITOR

Restaurant Ruffians
Bullying has become a hot topic crude and completely uncalled for.
in the media lately. It usually involves kids In all forms of human activity there are certain
in school, but sometimes alleged adults unspoken rules of civility and decorum. There is no
indulge in the practice. A recent incident excuse for rude and thuggish behavior in any field.
in Los Angeles is a case in point. Instead of embarrassing the critic, these people
The esteemed restaurant critic of the managed to embarrass themselves. Bullying makes
PHOTO: CATHY TWIGG-BLUMEL

Los Angeles Times, S. Irene Virbilia, the bully look bad.

arrived at a new restaurant in Beverly In the past, the power of restaurant criticism used
Hills and was recognized by the owners. to rest in very few hands. Newspaper and magazine
Instead of welcoming her like any other critics brandished the ability to boost or cripple
guest, as they should have, they saw fit a restaurant. But times have changed, and every
to keep her waiting for 40 minutes before diner with a few minutes and a computer can add
informing her that they would not serve his/her two cents through sites such as Yelp!, Eater,
deAd_Final.pdf 3/22/11 [Link] AM
her and her party. Then, in a crass display Urbanspoon and Zagat. Thus, such a hostile act is
of sophomoric arrogance, they took her useless and only helps to perpetuate the idea that
picture and posted it on the internet. the restaurant owners have something to hide.
Ms. Virbilia prefers to be anonymous when Maybe the boneheads at this restaurant should
she visits restaurants, and these Neanderthal kick out anyone who dares to pull out an iPhone
restaurateurs chose to “unmask” her and and snap a picture of the food.
humiliate her. They chose to bully her. Sure, a restaurateur is well within his or her
What did they expect to achieve? Notoriety? rights to eject someone who is drunk or disorderly.
Revenge? Publicity? Yes, they got publicity, but Otherwise, it is important to remember the mean-
probably not the kind they wanted. Most news ing of the name that describes the industry we
media have condemned their behavior as cruel, work in: hospitality.

  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 UP

Up Front With
Fuzzy
Zoellerby E. C. Gladstone / photos by Rob Brown

6  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Fuzzy Zoeller may in fact be the
World’s Best Drinking Buddy. The Masters-
and U.S. Open–winning golfer is a bit like
that gruff, wry uncle everyone seems to
have, who is so much fun to be around
despite his constant ribbing. “Hopeless.
Absolutely hopeless,” is what Zoeller
declares my golf swing after he agrees to
give me some pointers when we meet up
at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel before
a Champions Tour event. Once he shows
me how to improve my grip and stance,
though, things improve significantly, and
he whispers that he could have me in good
shape with an hour of work, after I loosen
up. “Would a drink help?” I wonder aloud.
“Absolutely!” he says, proffering a bottle of
Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium Vodka.

Introducing Fuzzy’s
Ultra Premium Vodka
Though Fuzzy is an inveterate joker
on the circuit, there is still one thing he
takes seriously. Faced with several offers
to put his name on a wine or spirit he
didn’t even enjoy, Zoeller instead decided
to find something he actually did, and sell
it himself. Hence, Fuzzy’s Ultra Premium
Vodka, a proudly all-American corn-based
spirit, filtered no less than ten times for
maximum smoothness. After testing several
formulas, Zoeller liked this product best,
made by Bend Spirits in Oregon using pure
spring water from the Cascade Mountains.
But he didn’t just trust his own opinion.
“I took it over to the Covered Bridge Club,”
says Zoeller, referring to the golf club he
designed in his Southern Indiana hometown,
Sellersburg, “and did a blind taste test of this
and other premium vodkas with six of the
girls there.” They all voted the same. “Women
understand the nuances of vodka,” he says
with some understatement. “Then I blind
tasted eight guys—some of my fellow players.
And seven of them also picked this, blind.”
That was enough to tell Zoeller all he
needed to know. The crisp, clean spirit mixes
well in a number of twists on classic vodka
cocktail recipes posted on the official website
([Link]), my favorite being Zoeller offers some advice on
the Hairy Navel, though the Fuzzy Palmer Editor-at-Large E. C. Gladstone’s
Ice Tea also has its charms. Zoeller himself golf swing.
prefers his drink with only ice and tonic.
With an eye-catching interior-image
design (and a bottle that can also be used
as a tee, as Fuzzy demonstrates for us),
Fuzzy’s is undeniably focused on watering
every 19th hole lounge, but with a grass-
roots-style marketing plan focused on bottle
signing events and tastings rather than slick
gimmicks. Says Zoeller simply, “There’s no
better advertisement than people talking.”

april 2011  /  the tasting panel  /  7

contents PA N E L
| April 2011 Vol. 69 No. 4

COVER STORY
48 THE NEW SPIRITS THIN-DUSTRY
Legitimizing the Low-Cal Category

FEATURES
5 UP FRONT
Major Player: Golf Champion Fuzzy Zoeller
Scores Another Title—As Vodka Entrepreneur

40 HIGH TEQ
Classy New Tequilas Keep the Agave
Stakes Elevated

62 PINK IS THE NEW BLACK

New Chambord Flavored Vodka Is Giving
Mixology a Makeover

68 GOTT TEAMWORK?
Winemaker Sarah Gott Is One Half of the
Family Duo behind Joel Gott Wines

70 DOWN TO EARTH
Robert Mondavi Winery’s “Taste of Place”
Showcases the Soul of Soil

80 CAPE CRUSADER
South African Importer Peter Koff MW Explores
the Rest of the World

84 FINDING ITS OWN

Passionate and Adventursome Vintners in
Temecula Explore This Area’s Great Potential

92 THE CALL OF CHOICE

Whether We’re in Miami, Chicago, San Fran-
cisco or Points In-Between, the Gate-Keepers
Know What’s Selling

94 PASO AND FUTURE

Paso Robles’s Time Has Come, and Its
Sure-to-be-Shining Fate Lies in the Hands
of Its Talented Winemakers

103 OLD DOMINION, NEW PROSPECTS

119
All Signs Indicate Virginia Could Become a
Top U.S. Wine state
PHOTO: DOUG YOUG

Mixologist Katipai Richardson-

108 FROM JEANS TO JUICE Wilson of The Breslin in NYC.
At Blankiet Estate in Napa Valley, Innovator
Claude Blankiet Talks Denim and Determination
8  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011
 14958 Gran Gala TAST [Link]:Layout 5 3/1/11 10:42 AM

Rated 94
by BTI

46
DEPARTMENTS
4 Letter from the Editor
10 Industry Spotlight
16 Brief Encounters
22 Steven Spurrier’s Letter from London
24 Scotch Report
26 A New Look: Michael Collins Irish Whiskey
28 Vodka News: Belvedere
30 Intro-Vinous: Wines Not to Pass Over
34 Liqueurs: Kahlúa
36
38
Saké Tasting
ZAP Festival Top Picks PASSIONATELY COMMITTED
52
54
56
Publisher’s Picks
Midwest: Kansas City
Blue Reviews
TO A BETTER COCKTAIL
64 D.C. Cocktails The Beverage Testing Institute rated us the #1 orange
66 Merrill Shindler’s Word of Mouth liqueur. So, when you practically double your profits by
72 In the Biz: Brand Action Team
pouring Imported Gran Gala you won’t be cutting corners.
73 Launch Pad: Skyy Dragon Fruit
74 The Drink and The Dish Gran Gala is a celebration of taste, life and expression.
76 Wine Briefs: Italy A triple celebration, to match the intensity of our triple
78 A Lone Star Life orange flavor. Express yourself with Gran Gala and the
82 On-Premise Patter
88 Las Vegas: The Mixologists of Cosmopolitan
limitless flavorful drinks you can make with it.
90 Cocktails and Cuisine
100 Industry Honors: Wente Legacy Awards
NATURAL ITALIAN ESSENCE WITH ORANGE APPEAL
106 Bihl Your Brand: The Macallan [Link]
110 VINO 2011 Report
112 Cocktails for Geeks: Making Syrups
114 Road Trip: Sonoma
116 What We’re D rinking
117 Gadd’s Sixpack
Please Drink Responsibly.
118 Cellar Focus: 2008 Bordeaux
#1 RATING IN MARGARITAS BY BEVERAGE TESTING INSTITUTE, CHICAGO, IL. Gran Gala, ©2010 Stock Spirits Group U.S.A., Inc.
119 New York City: Jameson at The Breslin Imported by Sazerac Company, Inc., New Orleans, LA. Sole Agents in U.S.A. 40% Alc/Vol. Phone 866-729-3722 or email info@[Link]

120 Taking Inventory

april 2011  /  the tasting panel  /  9

 INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

From South Beach In Memoriam

Wine & Food Festival Hank Rubin, father of the Berkeley
Food Revolution and well-known
writer about food and wine, passed

F rench wine producers

Georges and Franck
Duboeuf with Paula Deen at
away in San Francisco on February
24. He was 94 years old. After
his retirement from the Berkeley
Paula’s Down Home Gospel restaurant business in the mid-
Brunch February 27th 1970s, Rubin focused his energies

PHOTO: CHRISTIE’S PHOTOGRAPHY

during the South Beach on writing about food and wine.
Wine & Food festival. Les He penned “The Wine Master,”
Vins Georges Duboeuf was a weekly column in the San
the exclusive wine spon- Francisco Chronicle, for 15 years
sor for the brunch for 600 and served as Wine Editor of Bon
people at the Loews Miami Appétit, where he was the founder
Beach Hotel. of the Bon Appétit Tasting Panel, a
group which was later headed by
Anthony Dias Blue and became
the precursor to THE TASTING
Fetzer Sale PANEL magazine. Hank Rubin was
a man beloved by all who knew

B rown-Forman has agreed to sell Fetzer Vineyards to Chilean wine

producer Viña Concha y Toro S.A. for $238 million. Included in this sale
of Fetzer Vineyards are the Fetzer winery, bottling facility and vineyards,
him for integrity, his generosity of
spirit and his lifelong commitment
to service in the community, to
as well as the Fetzer brand and other Hopland, CA–based wines, including his profession and to his family.
Bonterra, Little Black Dress, Jekel, Five Rivers, Bel Arbor, Coldwater Creek He is survived by his wife Lillian,
and Sanctuary. The sale does not include the super-premium Sonoma- daughter Marci, grandson Blake
Cutrer brand or the company’s long-term agency relationship with Korbel and his wife Margaret and great-
California Champagnes. grandson Edward.

Austria Uncorked Chicago Shows

T he Austrian Wine Marketing
Board and the Austrian Trade
Commission are presenting the
ers, importers and representatives
in Los Angeles on May 2 at the SLS
Hotel in Beverly Hills from 12–4
The 2011 National Restaurant
Association Restaurant, Hotel-
Motel Show begins Saturday, May
second annual Austria Uncorked p.m. and in NYC on May 4 at the 21, 2011 through Tuesday, May 24,
tasting series. Wine and spirits Tribeca Rooftop from 12–4 p.m. To 2011 at McCormick Place in Chicago.
trade and press are invited to join register for the trade portion please Saturday–Monday, 9:30 a.m. to 5
more than 100 Austrian winemak- email Austria@[Link]. p.m. and Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to
3 p.m. For more information, visit
[Link].

Allen Balik Searches for Next The International Wine, Spirits

Wine Brand Superstar & Beer Event (IWSB), beginning
Sunday, May 22, 2011 through

P ioneered by sister company TGIC Importers,

wine consultant Allen Balik has been recruited
to pair exclusive premium domestic brands with
Monday, May 23, 2011, is held at
the NRA Show at McCormick Place
as well. IWSB is the only forum
newly formed California distribution company focusing exclusively on restaurant
TITAN Wine & Spirits. Balik will research and and hospitality beverage alcohol
evaluate potential candidates for TITAN and TGIC sales. Hours will be Sunday and
by size, varietals, existing presence in the market, Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
strength of label, geographic diversity, number of Complete information at www.
years in business and quality-to-price value ratio. Allen Balik. [Link].

10  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 It isn’t Maker’s Mark.®

Is too.
Is not.
Is too.
Is not.

We always felt one handcrafted recipe for Maker’s Mark was plenty.
But some people wanted something bigger, bolder – more of what they
loved about our bourbon. So we created Maker’s 46. As to whether
TM

or not it’s Maker’s Mark, we recommend years of repeated tastings.

We make our bourbon carefully. Please enjoy it that Way.

Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Whisky and Maker’s 46™ Bourbon Whisky, 45% and 47% Alc./Vol., ©2011 Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc. Loretto, KY [Link]
 INTRODUCING

[Link]
JOSE CUERVO TRADICIONAL TEQUILA. 40% ALC/VOL. ©2011 IMPORTED BY HEUBLEIN, NORWALK, CT UNDER LICENSE FROM THE TRADEMARK OWNER. HANDCRAFTED USING THE SAME METHODS SINCE 1795. DRINK RESPONSIBLY.
 INDUSTRY SPOTLIGHT

BevForce Movers & Shakers

A
s the beverage industry’s largest career network, BevForce knows
who’s coming and who’s going at the leading global beverage compa-
nies. BevForce is the only beverage industry staffing agency providing
both an online job board and executive recruiting services. Visit www.
[Link] to sign up for the Movers & Shakers newsletter or to report
your job move or recent hire.

Peter Kaye has been named Vice President of Marketing at Honest Tea. He
had been Principal Consultant at PK Brand Consulting.

Jennifer Clarke has been named Headquarter Director East, National

Accounts at Charmer Sunbelt Group. She had been National Accounts
Director at Capital Wine & Spirits in Pennsylvania.

Mike Young has been named Vice President of Marketing at Republic

National Distributing Company. He had been Vice President of Sales
Operations at Beam Global Spirits & Wine.

Tom Morgan has been named President at RNDC Indiana. He had been
Executive Vice President and General Manager at RNDC Indiana.

Jessica Bernosky has been named Headquarter Director West, National

Accounts at Charmer Sunbelt Group. She had been National Accounts
Director at Beverage Distributors Company in Colorado.

Ed Merklen has been named General Manager, East Sales Division at

Pernod Ricard USA. He had been VP of Sales - National Chain Drug Stores at
Coca-Cola Company.

Hugh Reimers has been named Chief Operating Officer at Jackson Family
Wines. He had been President of California Production at Jackson Family Wines.

Don Grasse has been named President, Alaska at Young’s Market

Company. He had been Executive Vice President, Alaska at Young’s.

Sharon Charny has been named Headquarter Director Hotels, National

Accounts at Charmer Sunbelt Group. She had been Regional Director CSG
National Accounts at Charmer Sunbelt.

Rick Perez has been named District Manager - Florida at Pernod Ricard
USA - Wines & Champagnes. He had been State Manager - Florida at
Western Spirits.

Gregory Weinberg has been named NY Metro Distributor Beer Merchant

at Tenth and Blake Beer Company (a division of MillerCoors). He had been
NY Metro Regional Sales and Marketing Manager at Paulaner HP USA .

Robert Furniss-Roe has been named Regional President of Latin America at

Bacardi Limited. He had been Chief of Staff and Vice President of Global Sales,
Corporate Communications and Corporate Responsibility at Bacardi Limited.

Tom Kappenman has been named General Manager of Young’s Market’s

brokerage business in the Pacific Northwest. He had been Arizona Division
Manager at Pernod Ricard.

1  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

THE MESSAGE
Whether THE TASTING PANEL goes to the brand execs or the brands
call us, there is an abundance of news to report, from the latest
releases to behind-the-scenes experiences with some of the world’s
most influential importers, winemakers, distillers . . . well, you name it.

Brief Encounters We may not have enough pages in each issue to devote as much
attention as we would like to each person whose path we cross, but
please note that if it’s in the publication, we deem it noteworthy
—Meridith May, Publisher & Executive Editor

An Officer and a Gentleman

M el Dick, President of the
Wine Division & Senior
Vice President of Southern
Wine & Spirits of America, has
been elevated to Officier of the
Legion of Honor. The honor-
able Gaël de Maisonneuve,
Consul General of France in
Miami, officially presented the
title in early February during
a ceremony at the French
Consulate in Miami.
The French Republic first
recognized Mel Dick in 2000
with the distinction of Chevalier
of the Legion of Honor. This
honor was bestowed in
PHOTO: BUSINESS WIRE
recognition of his outstanding
contribution to the French
wine, champagne, spirits
and water industries. French
President Nicolas Sarkozy
confirmed Mel Dick’s elevation
to Officier when he signed an official decree on October 28, 2010. Gaël de Maisonneuve,
This honor serves as a sign of France’s appreciation for Mel Dick’s dedication and Consul General of
contributions to the advancement of France and its culture. Created by Napoléon France in Miami, with
Bonaparte in 1802, the Legion of Honor is the highest honor given by the French Mel & Bobbi Dick.
government. It acknowledges outstanding military and civil service and can be
bestowed on foreigners as well as French citizens.
“It has been an honor and pleasure to live a life of wine, spirits and mineral water
and to be associated with the wonderful people who make up our great beverage
industry all over the world,” Mel Dick tells THE TASTING PANEL. “I am honored to
once again be recognized by the French Republic with my elevation to Officier de La
Légion d’Honneur.”

16  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 BAM_3rdPg_AD_FINAL_crop.pdf 1 8/9/10 4:50 PM

CM

MY

CY

CMY
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE CAPITAL GRILLE

The Capital Grille Master Sommelier George Milliotes.

A Capital Idea
T he Capital Grille announces the return of its annual Artist Series
Wine Event, a unique celebration of the worlds of fine art and wine-
making, featuring an exclusive, limited-allocation wine adorned with an
original piece of artwork as its label. Starting in late March, the nation-
ally-known fine-dining spot offered an exquisite Cabernet Sauvignon
during its second annual Artist Series Wine Event. The coveted vintage
is not sold at retail and is available exclusively at Capital Grille locations
across the U.S. The company will donate $25 from the sale of each
limited bottle to national charity Share Our Strength in support of its
mission to end childhood hunger in America.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  17

 G
THE MESSAGE

Welcome to Meet Sara Deckers

Matt Rinehart
T HE TASTING PANEL I
T he Phoenician, Arizona’s premier
AAA Five Diamond destination, has
named Matt Rinehart Director of Food
magazine is a close-knit
team that works hard to
bring you the latest and
and Beverage. In his new role, Rinehart greatest in the beverage
will be responsible for the daily industry. We are thrilled to
operation of the resort’s award-win- introduce our newest team
ning culinary and beverage programs member, Sara Deckers, who
across all venues. He replaces Mac has stepped into the role of
Gregory, who was recently promoted Advertising Manager.
to Corporate Director of Food and Sara brings her experi-
Beverage, Franchise, for parent com- ence working for the Pepsi
pany Starwood Hotels & Resorts’ North Bottling Group’s off-premise
America Division. sales and marketing divi-
sion and, at THE TASTING
PANEL, will oversee various
aspects of production. She
works directly with the
editorial team to provide
marketing for both new and
established brands.
For information on how your brand can be profiled in the magazine,
contact Sara at sdeckers@[Link].
PHOTO: COURTESY OF THE PHOENICIAN

Introducing Anchor
Distilling Company
Matt Rinehart of The Phoenician. A nchor Brewers & Distillers
will be announcing an
exciting new twist to its
Bringing diverse managerial experi- business model at WSWA in
ence to The Phoenician, Rinehart most Orlando. Anchor is bringing
recently served as Hotel Manager for together over 500 years of
the 676-room Westin San Francisco alcoholic beverage experience
Market Street, and he spent more due to a strategic partnership
than two years as Food and Beverage with venerable London-based
Director at the Arizona Biltmore. Berry Bros. & Rudd—the
“Mac left big shoes to fill,” says the world’s oldest wine and spirits
47-year-old F&B veteran, who loves the merchant, whose portfolio
bold side of wine and spirits. “I have includes The King’s Ginger
always had an affinity for—and love to liqueur, No. 3 Gin and Berrys’
experiment with—single malts and big rums—and with California-
PHOTO: DAVID GADD

red wines. I enjoy the expressive side of based Preiss Imports.

food and beverage. I want to continue Beers and spirits from San
the quality of products on the property, Francisco’s iconic Anchor
including supporting our tremendous Brewing & Distilling will
tequila and malt beverage collection. form a core part of the line.
My new role is to build on the great David King (left), new President Anchor will have a suite
platform that Mac already established of Anchor Distilling Company, and at WSWA and would be
here at our luxury resort property.” importer Henry Preiss at their recent delighted to share their vision
portfolio tasting in Hollywood, CA. with interested parties.
6

18  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011
GO NATURAL
INTRODUCING THE LATEST ADDITIONS
™

TO THE LINE RANKED #1 IN TASTE.

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 THE MESSAGE

The Purity
Factor at
Rolling Stone
O pened in Los Angeles in
early March, Rolling Stone
Restaurant & Lounge keeps
good company. A new fixture
at the Hollywood & Highland
complex—home to American
Idol live performances and The
Academy Awards—this two-
leveled homage to a national
treasure of a publication has a
super-impressive team behind its
food and drink program. Watch
for upcoming stories on what’s
happening behind the bar from
some of the industry experts who
are crafting some extraordinary
cocktails here.
—Meridith May Rolling Stone bartenders Joey Kloberdanz and Lindsay Reich reached for
Purity vodka to make our super sippers on a recent visit.

Words for
the Wine-Wise
S ideways author Rex Pickett
showed off his new book,
Vertical, at the Paso Robles Wine
Alliance tour in Los Angeles (see
our story on the tasting on page
94). Before signing autographs
and discussing philosophies
on wine, women and writing,
Pickett couldn’t help but read
THE TASTING PANEL at the
event to get the real behind-the-
scenes scoop.
PHOTO: TOM ZASADZINSKI

Author Rex Pickett.

20  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 BoissetTastingPanel1_2Vert.pdf 1 2/15/2011 [Link] AM

PHOTO: LAURA SANCHEZ

M
Bob Lindquist.
Y

CM

Capitalizing MY

on Central Coast CY

Syrah
CMY

O n March 8, finance firm Bacchus Capital

Management announced that it will
provide growth capital in the form of a
second lien loan to Santa Barbara County
winery Qupé. Owner Bob Lindquist plans to
use the resources to expand and eventually
double the winery’s Syrah production.
In 1982, Lindquist was the first winemaker
to produce a Santa Barbara County Syrah.
“It was the wine that put us on the map,” he
says. Today Qupé’s Central Coast Syrah, a
yin-yang blend of savory cool-climate juice
and ripe Paso Robles fruit, accounts for 50%
of the winery’s total 35,000-case production.
Lindquist hopes to capitalize on the cur-
rent over-abundance of Syrah fruit on the
market to produce more of the Northern
Rhône—style wines he is known for.
“More than half of our sales are within
California,” Lindquist states. “Bacchus
Capital Management sees the potential
beyond California and is willing to help us
expand. We’re gambling on the future of
Syrah.” —Laura Sanchez
Steven Spurrier’S LETTER FROM LONDON

2001 Bordeaux
T
he first thing to be said about LEFT BANK balance and will continue to improve.
the 2001 vintage in Bordeaux is The Médoc benefitted from the 18+ Cheval Blanc (2011-21) Fragrant
that it suffered coming after the slow-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and ripe autumnal fruit; lovely elegance
Millennium 2000s. The flowering was into October, which gave the wines an and balance.
a little later and July a little wetter, but edge over the Pessac-Léognans, where 18 Latour (2012-28) Young depth,
August was dry; ripening was aided Cabernets were less successful than the spicy Cabernet fruit; great depth for
by long, warm days in September and Merlots the future.
perfect weather in October meant that Pessac-Léognan Mouton-Rothschild (2011-20) Earthy,
there was no rush to complete the 17.5 Pape-Clément (2011-16) balsamic, spicy, rich; a very exciting
harvest. Overall, acidities were a frac- 17 Haut-Bailly (2011-18) wine.
tion higher and tannins a little leaner 16.5 Domaine de Chevalier (2011-16) Haut-Brion (2011-22) Attractive
than in 2000, but this made for classic 16 Malartic-Lagravière (2011-15) fragrance, taffeta texture, great length
Bordeaux structure which, at ten years Margaux and harmony.
on, was positively elegant. Both Left 17.5 Rauzan-Ségla (2011-20) Lafleur (2011-25) Superb concentra-
and Right Banks came out well, with 17.5 Palmer (2011-25) tion of old-vine Merlot; both power and
a slight advantage to those châteaux 16.5 Brane-Cantenac (2011-16) finesse.
with a high proportion of Merlot. As Saint-Julien 17.5 Margaux (2012-25) Deep
for Sauternes, the 2001 vintage was not 18.5 Léoville-Las Cases (2012-25) Cabernet fruit; not yet very expressive,
surpassed during the decade. 17.5 Léoville-Barton (2012-22) needs time.
The tasting held at Bordeaux Index’s 17 Gruaud-Larose (2011-18) 17 La Mission Haut Brion (2012-20)
offices in London offered 19 Right 16.5 Langoa-Barton (2011-16), Earthy and good structure, but still a
Bank reds, 36 Left Bank reds and Lagrange (2011-17), Léoville-Poyferré touch green.
10 Sauternes. Here are my rankings (2011-15)
in order of preference within each 16 Branaire-Ducru (2011-15) SAUTERNES AND BARSAC
appellation. Due to space constraints, Pauillac FIRST GROWTHS
notes have only been given to the These wines seemed overall a little A vintage of great purity and depth,
First Growths and their equivalents. green, but should round out in their with two decades in front of it.
Drinking dates are my personal second decade. 19.5 Climens (2011-30) Brilliant full
opinion. 17 Pichon-Longueville Baron gold, perfectly extracted fruit; a very
(2012-2), Les Forts de Latour (2012-22), great wine.
RIGHT BANK Lynch-Bages (2011-20), Pontet-Canet 19 Yquem (2011-35) Lemony gold;
The Pomerols seemed to me better (2011-20) almost discreet for Yquem; terrific
than the Saint-Émilions. 16 Pichon-Longueville-Comtesse depth, beautifully expressive.
Pomerol (2011-16) , Grand-Puy-Lacoste (2011-15) 18.5 Fargues (honorary First

California Table Wine, ©2011 Frei Bros. Winery, Healdsburg, CA. All rights reserved.
18/20 Vieux Ch. Certan (2011-24), St-Estèphe Growth) Full gold, great depth; the
Trotanoy (2011-25), L’Eglise-Clinet Two excellent but very different wines. pure concentration of top Sauternes.
(2011-21) 18 Montrose (2011-25) (2011-25)
17.5 Clos d’Eglise (2011-17), La 17.5 Cos d’Estournel (2011-18) 18 La Tour Blanche (2011-20) Fine
Conseillante (2011-21) gold, polished honeyed bouquet, floral,
17 Gazin (2011-22) FIRST GROWTHS AND THEIR rich, luscious, long.
16.5 Hosanna (2011-16), La Fleur EQUIVALENTS 18 Coutet (2011-25) Fine gold, lovely
Pétrus (2011-16) 19 Lafite-Rothschild (2011-30) Deep purity of expression; classic Coutet.
16 Clinet (2011-14) young colour, fragrant bouquet, great 17 Guiraud (2011-17) Full gold, exotic
Saint-Émilion length, silky texture; but the structure and rich, more breadth than finesse.
18 Angelus (2011-22) is there to age superbly. 16 Rayne-Vigneau (2011-16) Lemon
17 Tertre-Roteboeuf (2011-18), La 18.5 Petrus (2011-22) Marvelous gold, honeyed, rich and rounded.
Tour Figeac (2011-16) natural concentration, quite exotic,
16.5 Canon La Gaffelière (2011-18), vigourous and exciting . Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Rieussec and
Clos Fourtet (2011-15) 18+ Le Pin (2011-18) Wonderful con- Suduiraut were absent from the tast-
16 Troplong-Mondot (2012-16) centration of warm fruit; everything in ing.

22  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 Better Choices. Better Wine.

We’ve been Earth-friendly farmers and winemakers

California Table Wine, ©2011 Frei Bros. Winery, Healdsburg, CA. All rights reserved.

for more than 30 years. Our choices translate to

award-winning wines that reflect a way of life
and a dedication to quality.

[Link]
 Bo
SCOTCH REPORT

From Fishing to Fashion

SCOTCH PRODUCERS ANGLE FOR SALMON AND HOIST THE
UNION JACK, AMONG OTHER MARKETING INITIATIVES
by Ian Buxton

L
arge and small producers alike are
continuing their efforts to spread knowl-
edge of Scotch whisky to the U.S. trade
and consumer, with ever greater resources put
into brand ambassador, training and sampling
programs.
One example is Ed Kohl of South San
Francisco’s ImpEx Beverages, Inc. who is
expecting shipments of a number of Chieftains
bottlings of rare single malts in april. These
include an 18 Year Old Ardmore, 14 Year Old
Isle of Jura and a spectacular 28 Year Old
Teaninich from the Northern Highland region,
a whisky rarely seen in its native land and
definitely one to look out for.
Ed tells THE TASTING PANEL that he has
a busy program of tastings lined up including
events at Vine & Table, Indianapolis, IN, on april
12; Gomer’s Mid-Town, Kansas City, MO, on
april 13; Binny’s Whisky Night, Chicago, IL, on
april 14; Whisky Fest, Chicago, on april 15; and It’s not coming Stateside, but Chivas Regal 18
concluding at Grapevine Wine, Kirkwood, MO, with packaging by fashion designer Vivienne
on May 16. Westwood is available in many markets
Meanwhile, brand leader Johnnie Walker worldwide.
has not been idle in spreading the word
about blending. Barkeeps need to look out for in these pages, Jameson has now passed the
consumers informed by a visit to the House of one-million-case sales mark in the U.S.
Walker Experience, a free private whisky I seemed to have reviewed The Dalmore fairly
tasting series hosted by Johnnie Walker, frequently in recent columns, mainly in con-
which will tour the country through nection with their ever more expensive luxury
the spring. Stops are planned in Los bottlings, so it’s a pleasure to be able to mention
Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, something more accessible from them, with a
D.C., Jersey City, Chicago, Miami and charitable aim as well. The Dalmore Rivers col-
New York. Guests are invited to master lection aims to contribute around $6 per bottle
Scotch whisky courtesy of the world’s sold to conservation work on the salmon fishing
leading Scotch whisky brand. Each House on the Rivers Tweed, Dee, Don and Spey. As
of Walker Experience event features well as being an iconic image of Scotland,
complimentary Johnnie Walker cocktails, salmon fishing is hugely important to tourism
an interactive tasting culminating with the and the rural economy, so it’s an imaginative
luxury Blue Label and a chance to ques- collaboration that deserves every success.
tion the Walker Master of Whisky. More Finally, there’s just space to mention another
information at [Link]. British icon, fashion designer Vivienne
In a sign of the times, Pernod Ricard’s Westwood. Continuing the limited-edition
The Dalmore Jameson chose to break its new U.S. TV execu- Chivas Regal series created by leading design-
Rivers series ben- tion on Facebook, where the brand has more ers, Westwood has wrapped 2,500 bottles of
efits conservation than 165,000 fans, prior to airing the commercial the brand’s 18 Year Old in her distinctive Union
efforts on Scottish on broadcast media, including national cable Jack print (from $495 in many markets). Te
salmon habitats. television channels such as ESPN, Comedy Collectors can salute the flag; they probably
Central, FX and Spike. As previously reported won’t ever drink this whisky!
10 E
24  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011
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BRAND PROFILE

Michael Collins
was featured at a
recent mixologists’
event at 15 Romolo
in San Francisco.

PHOTO: DAEDALUS HOWELL

Eire Apparent MICHAEL COLLINS IRISH WHISKEY MEANS
CHARACTER AND INDEPENDENCE
by Daedalus Howell

F
or those with any inkling of Irish history or—more likely on
this side of the pond—who remember a certain mid-‘90s flick
depicting the life and death of an IRA revolutionary played by
Liam Neeson, the name Michael Collins might ring a bell. And that’s
the point, explains Abaigeal Hendron, Marketing Brand Manager for
Michael Collins Irish Whiskey.
“Instead of naming it after a distiller or a place in Ireland, we
decided to name it after a gentleman named Michael Collins who
fought for Irish independence in the 1920s,” she elaborates. “The
whole theme of the brand is independence, character and being
authentically Irish.”
Distilled by Cooley Distillery, the only independently-owned distill-
ery in Ireland, both the Blend and 10 Year Old Single Malt, while very
different in style, are complex and well-balanced whiskeys. Malted
barley is double-distilled in small, long-neck stills that increase the
spirit’s exposure to copper, resulting in flavors and characteristics
that can stand up on their own or when mixed in a cocktail. The
Blend is a combination of malted barley and corn whiskies, while the
Single Malt has at least ten percent of peated malt, for quiet hints of
smoke and oak.
At a recent mixologists’ event at San Francisco’s 15 Romolo,
Michael Collins made its case that, as Hendron puts it, “There’s more
Michael Collins now to life than a shot or an Irish Coffee.” Sláinte!
sports new packaging.
Michael Collins, which won a Double Gold medal in this year’s San
Francisco World Spirits Competition, is imported by Sidney Frank
Importing Co.

26  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

VODKA

Let’s Re-Do Brunch! BELVEDERE BLOODY MARY PUTS NEW SPIRIT INTO
AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION
by David Gadd

I
n the American psyche, brunch is a final bend. The product is re-distilled for
deeply ingrained behavior pattern. On clarity and blended with regular Belvedere
weekend mornings from Manhattan for consistency before bottling at full 80
to Mendocino, couples migrate to their proof—another point of differentiation
favorite café like deer to a salt lick, toting from other flavored brands.
along inky copies of the Sunday New York “What this unique process means,” Gibb
Times to peruse during the long, leisurely explains, “is that when you pour one of our
wait for a table. Once they’re seated, flavors, it will go slightly opaque because
another automatic reflex kicks in as brunch- of the essential oils in it. You can see that
ers instinctively order the drink that we it’s authentic.” Belvedere Bloody Mary’s
suspect is the raison d’être for the entire seven components—tomato, horseradish,
ritual: the Bloody Mary. black pepper, red pepper, chili
Charles Gibb, President of Belvedere pepper, lemon and vinegar— are
Vodka, may be a Scotsman by birth, but blended for a strikingly balanced
he’s lived in the States long enough to and genuine flavor profile. “If
understand the brunch instinct. Gibb is you put it in a black glass,” Gibb
also well acquainted with the cocktail says, “you would swear you were
that’s the lifeblood of this hybrid repast. drinking a Bloody Mary.”
That’s why Belvedere is now introducing Gibb feels Belvedere Bloody
a new maceration that’s geared to kick the Mary will hit a mark both
commonplace brunch habit up an order of on-premise and off. “For
magnitude: Belvedere Bloody Mary. consumers who may be unsure
“Vodka operates in a fast-moving how to make a Bloody Mary at
world,” says Gibb, explaining the impetus home, this product provides an
to develop trendsetting new flavors like instant solution.” In the on-
Bloody Mary. “Consumers expect innova- premise world, Gibb suggests
tion; they expect excitement. In the past 18 that Belvedere Bloody Mary can
months, we’ve launched five new prod- be served on the rocks, with soda
ucts.” First, Gibb notes, Belvedere reintro- water, in Martinis or even with
duced its Citrus and Orange versions. His fresh oysters as an appetizer shot.
voice picks up speed and enthusiasm as he It’s obviously a boon to mix-
ticks off Belvedere’s newest flavors. “Then ologists eager to experiment.
we launched Belvedere Black Raspberry. “Already people in the bartending
We launched Pink Grapefruit last year, and community are talking about
now we’re launching Belvedere Bloody how they’re going to be using
Mary. We now have a portfolio that makes Belvedere Bloody Mary,” Gibb
us a serious player in flavored vodka.” says. “And since the bar and the
What makes Belvedere different from kitchen have become the same
other brands is the way it produces its place, it’s also a very exciting
flavors. Other companies, Gibb points out, product for chefs to play with.”
may inject essences, syrups, sugars or And yes, brunch figures prominently in
aromas into a base vodka. “It’s a fabricated Gibb’s launch plan for Belvedere Bloody
product,” he says; “it’s synthetic.” Belvedere Mary. The new maceration will be rolled out Keeping pace in a
uses a natural maceration process in which in a series of celebrity chef events—the Belve fast-moving world:
individual fruits and aromatics are soaked Bloody Brunch—to be staged this month in newly-introduced
in the vodka for four to six weeks, releasing Los Angeles, New York and London. Similar Belvedere Bloody Mary.
their natural oils and flavors. With each events will be scheduled for other markets.
component macerated separately, it’s up to So grab your New York Times—brunch may
Master Distiller Claire Smith to create the never be the same again.

28  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Our Family of Wines
Just for You

Ferrari-Carano Vineyards & Winery

8761 Dry Creek Road | Healdsburg, CA 95448 707.433.6700 | 800.831.0381 | [Link]
KOSHER

Wines Not to Pass Over

THESE WINES MAY BE KOSHER, BUT THAT’S NOT
THE ONLY MEASURE OF THEIR MERIT

O
ne of my photos by Maria Schriber
favorite events
to attend is
the yearly interna-
tional wine festival Close to Home
that Herzog Winery
hosts at their lovely Every year, Herzog’s Director of
state-of-the-art facility Winemaking, Joe Hurliman, intro-
in Oxnard, CA. Not duces a stellar single-vineyard wine
only am I lured by from one of California’s best growing
an intriguing global regions. “The project allows me to
portfolio of wine and go from vineyard to vineyard, across
spirits, but I can always Napa and Sonoma, to source from
count on some of the sub-appellations,” Hurliman points
best gourmet nibbles out. “But I still allow the grapes
from their in-house and terroir to dictate the results, as
restaurant, Tierra Sur. Joseph Herzog of Royal Wines (left) with COSTCO anthropomorphic as that may sound.”
Chef Todd Aarons’s Assistant Buyer Spring Allec and John Ruiz of Southern In what he also refers to as a
Mediterranean-influ- Wine & Spirits at the Herzog Winery International Wine “narrative between myself and the
enced seasonal cuisine and Food Festival. vineyard,” Hurliman’s latest release
showcases California’s is a 2008 Oak Knoll–Napa Valley
most delectable local produce. Cabernet Sauvignon, just released
The following wines are available through Royal Wine Corp.; check with your in mid-February. Aged in 100%
local distributor. These are all on my Highly Recommended list. —Meridith May French oak (over 70% new), this
big, elegantly-tuned red showcases
“This is our white revolution,” says Asaf Paz, winemaker its complexity by going from dusty
for Binyamina in Israel’s Judean Hills. The unoaked raspberry to coffee and dark choco-
Binyamina 2009 Chardonnay was originally meant to late to tobacco leaf and soil in record
be a base for their sparkling wine, but the still wine was time. Only 350 cases; SRP $75.
so magnificent, they decided to bottle it as is. Mineral
and floral essences make for a clean and crisp sipper—a
remarkable value at $20 SRP.

Capçanes La Flor 2007 “del flor de primavera” is an

old-vine Garnarcha from Spain’s Monsant D.O. The 110-
year-old-vine red tastes like an old soul: The soil glimmers
through, and the ripest-ever plum, raspberry and lavender
thread through each sip, with a deep anise finish. SRP $80

Jean Jacques and Clarisse Bokobsa are a great father-

and-daughter winemaking team from France, produc-
ing good stuff from the Côtes du Rhône to Chablis and
Bordeaux. What stopped me in my tracks was their 2009
Côtes de Provence rosé from Château Maïme. The
hand-harvested wine displays a pale peach hue and com-
bines Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah for a gorgeous dusty
palate of Asian pear and white flowers. Check availability
with your Royal Wines representative.

30 / the tasting panel / april 2011

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Left Side Righ

Right Side
LIQUEURS

Delicious, Naturally
THE NEW “DELICIOSO” CAMPAIGN FROM KAHLÚA DEEPENS
CONSUMER APPRECIATION OF THE MEXICAN COFFEE LIQUEUR
by Lana Bortolot

Y
ou’ve heard of farm to table. lotion,” Nash says. Now the appear- “Delicioso” will also call upon
Now, there’s bean to bottle—a ance of “real” people helps “bring the the equally photogenic chef Aarón
new campaign by Kahlúa to raise delicious lifestyle to life.” Sanchez, co-star of Food Network’s hit
awareness of the heritage brand. Now, he says, the communications series Chefs vs. City, to create recipes
If you’re asking, “Who hasn’t heard are “very much about going back to that complement Kahlúa. Sanchez will
of Kahlúa?” brand spokesman Andrew the brand roots and place of origin.” also lend his celebrity to a promotion,
Nash can tell you the surprising results The new “Delicioso” campaign tells the called “Delicious Night In,” that invites
of a consumer survey Pernod Ricard, story, emphasizing the origins of the consumers to spend time at home
Kahlúa’s parent company, conducted. liquor in Veracruz, and using celebrities with food, friends and Kahlúa, with
“A huge number couldn’t tell us that to drive the message home. Television a chance to win a night of hospitality
it was made from coffee, or that it was and print ads show model and actress with the chef at his New York City
from Mexico,” he reports. “About half Ana de la Reguera—herself a Veracruz restaurant, and a four-day trip to
believed it was a cream liqueur because native—lounging in a field of sugar- Veracruz for four.
of the way it was drunk with milk.” cane, a scenario that evokes Kahlúa’s “We’re not reinventing the brand.
Previous campaigns spoke about naturalness and locally sourced What we’re talking about now is based
Kahlúa as exotic, which Nash says was ingredients. The local sugarcane on the truth of the brand. We’re just tell-
too vague. “That confused consumers: spirit—called rum elsewhere—is the ing consumers more things about it, in
What is exotic? It could be suntan base spirit in Kahlúa. different and bold ways,” says Nash.

Actress and Veracruz native

Ana de la Reguera lounges in
a field of sugarcane in a new
Kahlúa campaign designed to
evoke the brand’s naturalness.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PERNOD RICARD USA

34  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011
JAPAN

Pedigreed Rice HENRY SIDEL’S JOTO SAKÉS ARE CHOSEN FROM TOP
JAPANESE BREWERIES TO BEST FIT THE U.S. MARKET

H
ow much the world has changed. How much
Japan has changed and will change. What Chikurin “Karoyaka” Junmai Gingo (SRP $50, 720
incredible destruction and tragedy. There it ml.) This is the first 100% Japanese, USDA-certified
was: Earthquake Hits Japan. Sendai is the first place organic saké and the only 100% “estate bottled”
I remember seeing. I also saw Iwate, where Nanbu – or home-grown—brand in Japan, from Marumoto
Bijin brewery is located—“Southern Beauty,” as many Brewery in the Okayama region. The rice, grown by
people know the saké here. One cannot think of this the brewery itself, is the most prestigious variety
saké without thinking of Kuji-san, its gregarious and used for saké, known as Yamada Nishiki.
nutty owner. I thought of him, sadly. As soon as I saw The name “Karoyaka” means lightness, and the
Fukushima, I thought of Hiro, my homestay family’s subtle nature of this mineral-inspired junmai gingo
son. I still had a small yellow envelope from him, (referring to rice polished to 60% or less of the
ripped open and empty on our entryway table. His original size of the grain) offers a balanced fruit-to-
parents and brother, Mako, had been in New York a acidity profile. Spring flowers, melon, cucumber,
month ago and shared photos and our address with green banana and Asian pear are just some of the
Hiro. His two young girls had written a card with notes from this feminine saké.
American flags in crayon and warm wishes to our
two boys. I had never known Hiro well when I lived Watari Bune Junmai Daiginjo (SRP $109, 720
with the Tomodas in 1987, but now he was deep in ml.) Watari Bune is named for the rice variety
my thoughts, as was the image of this empty, yellow used to make this saké, which became a cult
envelope from him and his family, in Fukushima. brand in Japan, winning rave reviews in the press
This is where Daiichi and Daini nuclear reactors and from the brewing community. It is from the
are located. Ibaraki-ken region, bordering Tokyo. Watari Bune
—Henry Sidel, founder, Joto Saké (“Ferry Boat”) is one of the only pure strains
of saké rice in use today, the father strain to
Henry Sidel understands Japan’s major saké produc- the most celebrated saké rice, Yamada Nishiki.
ing regions. The founder of Joto Saké LLC strives for Honeydew and apricot blossom go deep and
the highest level when it comes to the artisanal “rice layered on a graceful texture.
wine” selected for his importing company. It’s no
coincidence that Joto means as “highest level” HouHouShu Sparkling Saké ($14.99, 300
in Japanese. ml.) This is a fun, lighthearted saké, produced in
His portfolio is diverse, with sakés coming from a fashion similar to méthode champenoise sparkling
major saké-producing regions in Japan, all crafting wines. It’s made at Marumoto Brewery, at the base
their finest brews in small batches, primarily using of the Chikurine-ji Mountains in Okayama-ken,
locally-raised rice. Over the past six years, Sidel has one of Japan’s most prized agricultural regions.
selected only eight breweries, and turned down as A national landmark, the brewery is managed by
many as 20. the sixth-generation son, Niichiro Marumoto. Soft
Joto’s eight breweries represent 61 generations and “fluffy” on the palate, HouHouShu is light and
and more than 1,550 years of family ownership and fruity in flavor. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to give
saké history. Every saké label from Joto has been it a bright fresh kick.
translated into English, providing brand information
to help educate and inform a purchasing decision.
In my recent sit-down tasting, I also relied on
expertise from Los Angeles saké expert Anthony
Fagundes, who guided me with some back stories
along with way, which we can share at a later time.
Here are our combined tasting notes on some of our Sixth-generation son
top picks from the Joto saké portfolio. Niichiro Marumoto
—Meridith May harvesting rice.

36  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

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 MILESTONES

Zin Fans Unite! ZAP TURNS 20

by Christopher Sawyer

I
n late January, Zinfandel Sommelier Christopher Sawyer’s Top Appellation Selections
Advocates and Producers (ZAP) at the ZAP 2011 Grand Tasting
celebrated the organization’s
20-year anniversary in San Scott Harvey Wines 2007 Vineyard Dashe 2008 Todd
Francisco. Highlights of the three- 1869, Amador County ($45) From Brothers Ranch, Alexander
day event included Good Eats America’s oldest documented Zinfandel Valley ($24) Old-vine
& Zinfandel Pairings featuring vineyard. Deep flavors of ripe rasp- Zinfandel with a splash of
cooking sensation Nadia G of the berry, black currants, clove, black pep- Petite Sirah. Enticing floral
Cooking Channel series Bitchin’ per, and fresh roasted espresso beans. notes and rich flavors of
Kitchen; Flights!, an educational In Scott Harvey’s words, “Old-vine blackberry, boysenberry
tasting following the legacy of complexity with first-growth quality!” and baking chocolate.
historic vineyards; a fashionable Four Vines 2008 Biker Zin, Paso Boo Berry meets Count
1920s-style Evening with the Robles ($25) Big, bold, in-your-face Chocula in liquid form!
Winemakers, a benefit auction combo of ripe fruit from the low-yield- Rosenblum 2008
and dinner held at the Westin ing Dusi and Preston vineyards. Flavors Rockpile Road
St. Francis Hotel; and the annual of briary blackberry, allspice, black Vineyard, Rockpile
Grand Tasting, featuring over licorice and vanilla. An intense wine ($40) Aromas of coffee
400 wines, a silent auction and with plenty of old-vine attitude! grounds, tobacco and
intimate Winemaker’s Workshops. Cline 2008 Big Break, Contra Costa hickory smoke. Rich
For more information about the County ($25) Classic Contra Costa flavors of sweet black
festival and other upcoming ZAP aromas of bright red fruit wrapped in cherry, blackberry, blood
events, visit [Link]. eucalyptus and bay leaves. Succulent orange rind, vanilla,
flavors of ripe boysenberry, raspberry black pepper and layers
coulis and savory spices. of spice. Rustic and proud!
Joel Gott 2008 Mohr-Fry Ranch, Acorn 2008 Heritage Vines, Alegria
Lodi ($25) Old vineyard planted at the Vineyard, Russian River Valley ($32)
Mohr-Fry Ranches in the 1940s with Memorable field blend of Zinfandel,
a small dollop of Alicante Bouschet Alicante Bouschet, Petite Sirah and
planted in the 1920s. Dense wine a multitude of other grape varieties.
with opulent flavors of ripe plum, Plump flavors of ripe red fruit, plum,
black cherry, cocoa and earth; smooth briary blackberry and a hint
mouthfeel and balanced tannins. The of nectarine core. Smooth
St. Amant 2009 from the same vineyard texture, vibrant acidity and
is stunning as well. long lingering finish.
Robert Biale 2009 Black Chicken, Ravenswood 2008
Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley ($40) Teldeschi Vineyard, Dry
Bright and juicy new release. On the Creek Valley ($35) New
palate, lavish flavors of ripe blackberry, single-vineyard release
cherry cola, allspice, cardamom; with aromatic notes
PHOTO: WAYDE CARROLL

plenty of structure and generous silky of blackberry, licorice,

mouthfeel. cinnamon and vanilla.
Seghesio 2009 Sonoma County Bold flavors of black
($24) Spirited young version of the cherry, ripe plum, and
Seghesio’s blue label wine made with black pepper. Smaller
fruit from vineyards sites averaging 25 amounts of Petite Sirah
to 45 years old. Sophisticated flavors and Carignane used
of sweet red fruit, wild-berry compote, in the blend to add
fresh anise, black pepper, baking spice, more complexity to the
and zesty acidity on the finish. finished wine.

38  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

CATEGORY REPORT

High TEQ
CLASSY NEW TEQUILAS KEEP THE
AGAVE STAKES ELEVATED
by Robert Plotkin

T
he differences between brands of 100% agave tequilas are years in the making.
From the planting of the agave to the bottling of the añejo, the production
cycle can take in excess of a decade to complete. It is a time-honored process,
steeped in tradition and culture, one in which every decision made along the way
will have a perceptible impact on the finished product. Cutting corners or speeding
up the process may make financial sense, but it’s not how to make great tequila.
America’s fascination with 100% agave tequilas can be traced back to the
early ‘50s, when Bing Crosby and Phil Harris first imported Herradura Silver into
the States. Now more than a half of a century later, consumption of tequila is at
a record high, which in turn, has prompted producers to hike production. As
of November 2010, there were 1,132 brands of tequila—an increase of 163 new
brands last year alone.
The unfettered growth of handcrafted tequilas has left many consumers feeling
overwhelmed.
So which of the brands of 100% agave tequila just making their way
onto shelves have what it takes to play in the bigs? Here’s our take on the top
12 contenders.
Undoubtedly the most striking tequila making its American debut is artisanal
KAH Day of the Dead. The brand is presented in hand-painted ceramic skulls that
pay homage to the Meso-American Día de los Muertos tradition. As gorgeous
as the bottles are, the certified organic tequila is even more so. The Añejo is aged
in American oak for up to two years, while the extraordinarily flavorful KAH
Reposado is bottled at a lip-tingling 110 proof. ELEMENTS SPIRITS, INC.

40 / the tasting panel / april 201 1

 Equally remarkable is Tequila Corrido, which
offers a distinguished range of single estate/single
barrel Highland tequilas. While the Corrido
Reposado and Añejo are museum-grade,
the cornerstone of the portfolio is limited
production Corrido Extra Añejo. The dark
amber tequila is aged to perfection in charred
white oak barrels for three years. Its finish
is remarkably similar to that of a
well-aged cognac. All four expressions
are top-notch.
TEQUILA CORRIDO

Don Diego Santa is an overnight tequila sensation

generations in the making. The brand’s coming out
party was the prestigious Spirits of Mexico competi-
tion in 2010, where each of its three expressions
earned gold medals. The small-batch Reposado is
an elegant, easy-to-drink spirit aged for around
eight months, while the Añejo is matured 12 to
18 months in small white oak barrels.
FRANK-LIN BEVERAGE

The Spirits of Mexico Competition also

saw the debut of Abandonado. Made by
Tequila Tres Mujeres in Amatitán, the
range sports an 18-month-old Añejo and
an Extra Añejo aged 40 months in medium-
char American oak. The traditionally crafted
tequilas are produced in limited quantity and
packaged in curvy, attention-
grabbing bottles.
AGAVE, INC.

Two of this year’s franchise players—

Regional and Azuñia—hail from Empresa
Ejidal Tequilera in Amatitán, which lies
across the road from Herradura’s Hacienda
San Jose del Refugio. The Regional Blanco
is especially brilliant, which earned it Best of
Category honors at the 2010 Spirits of Mexico
Competition. The Azuñia Platinum Blanco is
light and vivacious, while the Añejo is loaded
with vanilla and savory wisps of toasted oak.
INTERSECT BEVERAGE

Ultra-premium
Nobleza Azul is
crafted in the Los
Altos Mountains of Jalisco. Launched
in 2010, the Torres family began
working on the brand in 2006 after
four generations of cultivating
estate-grown agaves for other
producers. All the expressions in the
Nobleza Azul range are sexy, sophis-
ticated and brimming with character.
NOBLEZA TEQUILA

april 201 1 /  the tasting panel  / 41

CATEGORY REPORT

Sublime Don Cuco Sotol is an unknown entity to most

Americans; that is, until they try it, and then it’s impossible to When French-born fashion
forget. The brand is distilled from the desert spoon plant, a variety entrepreneur Christian
of agave native to Chihuahua. Although not a tequila, it has Audigier acquired the rights
directly benefited from tequila’s surging popularity. The sotol has to market products bearing
been handmade for six generations at a small distillery in Sierra the name of Ed Hardy—
Nevada. Demand for Don Cuco invariably exceeds supply, so grab “Godfather of the Modern
some while you can. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Tattoo”—he knew his line of
DON CUCO SOTOL edgy, tattoo-inspired clothing
and accessories couldn’t
Newcomer Aha Toro is made in the constitute a complete lifestyle
countryside of Los Altos at Rancho without beverages to assuage
El Olvido from estate-grown agave. the thirst of the celebrities
The award-winning portfolio includes and influencers who wear the
an all-pro Añejo aged 18 months strikingly unique Ed Hardy
in new French oak barrels. It’s lushly teeshirts and trucker hats.
textured with an engaging floral and Among the complementary
fruit palate. line of Ed Hardy Vif Drinks is
WILLIAM RYAN SELECT, LTD. now found Ed Hardy Tequila,
a spirit as colorful and full of
Few brands are better prepared for suc- life as a design by the master
cess than T1–Tequila Uno. What could easily be the poster child for ink artist himself. Available
artisanal tequilas, Tequila Uno is the creation of Master Distiller now in a Silver expression, Ed
Germán González of Chinaco fame. The Reposado Excepcional is Hardy tequila is—like it says
barrel-aged just under a year and the Añejo Estelar is matured 18 right on the bottle—“beautiful
months in American white oak. This month, the brand will debut but dangerous.”
Tequila Uno Maduro, a blanco distilled to produce a fuller-bodied, WORLDWIDE BEVERAGE
more flavorful spirit. IMPORTS
T1 TEQUILA

Agave 99 heads the small

contingent of brands with
elevated amounts of alcohol.
Being bottled at 99 proof means
less water is added to the
tequila after it is taken off the
still. In the case of Agave 99, the
result is a smash success. The
overproof tequila thrums like a
throaty V-8 when sipped neat
and blends well in cocktails and
mixed drinks. All three expressions are high-octane gems.
WORLDWIDE BEVERAGE IMPORTS

Those seeking an ultra-suave blanco for their shelves should

sample 901 Silver. The silky smooth spirit is triple-distilled in small
batches at Tequilera Newton e Hijos in Jalisco. The tequila has Complete contact information on
an oily-textured body and is generously spicy and herbaceous. It these tequilas is available at www.
makes an excellent entree to the pleasures of sipping [Link].
blanco tequila. 901 Silver won a Double Gold at this
year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
PALM BAY INTERNATIONAL

Rounding out the group is TequilaRack, an exclusive

set of 100% agave tequilas handmade in extremely small
batches at different family-owned distilleries. The col-
lection features the Reposados from Arette Unique, Don
Celso Plascencia and El Caudillo. Each of the boutique
brands is characteristically distinctive. Salud!
INTERNATIONAL TASTING GROUP

42  /  the tasting panel  /  april 201 1

TEQUILA

Lucky Tres Sietes

AS THIS NEW BRAND TAKES A GAMBLE AT THE TEQUILA GAME,
ITS NAME—SPANISH FOR “THREE SEVENS”—BODES GOOD FORTUNE
FOR THE ELEGANT LIQUID INSIDE THESE BOUTIQUE BOTTLES

“I
was introduced to tequila the way
most of us are these days, first a shot
of the most famous name in tequila at
a college bar and then at some point you
“graduate” to the other more upscale famous
brand,” says Brady Bunte, owner of a new
line-up called Tres Sietes. His super pure-
tasting Silver, Reposado and Añejo are just
  now threading their way through some of
the best accounts in the West and he wants
to go further than “graduating” and believes
he has just the brand to do so.
Tequila guru Frank Gonzalez shared
this same passion of wanting to introduce
the masses to the “true tequila” that really
does live amongst the hills surrounding
Jalisco, Mexico and is consumed by true
connoisseurs. Hailing from these lands,
Tres Sietes Silver On the Gonzalez was well on his way to marketing
nose, sweet brown sugar and a brand—albeit a hand-sell—to buyers
mouth-watering agave tones who understand the nature of a top sip.
combine with peaches and “Tres Sietes means Three Sevens. And
cherry notes. The palate is clean we all know that means good luck.”
and cucumber’d, with hints explains Brent Fayad, Tres Sietes West At Tavern in Los Angeles, bartender Juan
of tobacco, bread dough and Coast Regional Sales Manager (formerly Sanchez creates a sensational cocktail
peppered peaches. SRP $47 of DeLeon). Although he knows it will take with Tres Sietes Silver using fresh lime,
92 points more than luck to get the Tres Sietes sales blood orange and Tabasco.
team operating and piercing each market,
Tres Sietes Reposado Mango, there’s a definite confidence in the juice within... and the brand's upcoming
banana and papaya play rhythmi- campaigns that feature the upscale French-made perfume-style bottle. “It’s an
cally with taffy on the nose. elegant bottle that offers the modern tastemaker a brand to get behind and a
The palate is a plush, elegantly price that allows him to confidently pour it for friends instead of popping $125
textured tropical treat with a to $250 for the only other truly classic straight lined bottles.”
dash of white pepper. SRP $52
92 points Di≠used for Di≠erentiation and Purification
At Fábrica Tres Sietes, Frank Gonzalez has finally found the break to make the
Tres Sietes Añejo This could tequila he always wanted to perfect. Already housed in a seven-million-dollar
be a Highlands Scotch – just a facility, Gonzalez was literally waiting for someone like Bunte to come along.
smidgen of peat and heather Bunte brought an infusion of passion to Gonzalez. Gonzalez and Bunte now had
but then the agave slowly a recipe for success to complement his recipe for tequila. His state-of-the-art
weaves its way in for its true facility includes a diffuser, a two-million-dollar health-conscious technology
identity. The gorgeous, creamy imported from Spain that extracts the agave in its initial stage without harmful
texture is rich with cherry and a by-products from the traditional burning of wood. After the agave piñas are
sophisticated but subtle com- broken down prior to cooking, the diffuser steams the plant pieces, extracting
plexity of zest and zip. SRP $60 more flavor than an oven, with less disturbance to the fiber and, as a consequence
94 points less methanol production. The end result: purity.
—Meridith May

44  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

  

The Heart
GROWING RIAZUL
of the Matter
by Anthony Head
TEQUILA FROM THE
GROUND UP
R
iazul Tequila founder and CEO Iñaki Orozco travels a lot. Though he lives in
New York, he’s been making his way to a growing number of liquor stores,
restaurants and clubs across the country to get the word out about his
premium spirit. In February, in between trips to Houston and other Texas cities, he
found time to hook up with THE TASTING PANEL in a small, comfortable diner in
Columbus, a small, equally comfortable town in southeast Texas.
“I was pursuing my MBA at Rice University in Houston when I first truly learned
about the American tastes for tequila,” Orozco tells me. “I saw firsthand how Patrón
had taken the premium tequila market to new heights.”
Orozco was paying such close attention to tequila because in Jalisco, in his native
Mexico, his own tequila project was taking shape. About 13 years ago, he first
planted blue agave on family land dating back 200 years to the Mexican War of
Independence. The history of the land, he says, is exceptionally important to him
and his family, but it’s the location that makes all the difference between Riazul and
other tequilas.
“It’s the juice,” says Orozco.
“Our agave was first planted in
virgin soils of the Highlands,
where there can be extreme
temperatures. As a defense
mechanism, the agave trig-
gers the production of a lot
of nectar, making the tequila
extremely rich and flavorful.”

PHOTO: ANTHONY HEAD

Before the plants are
harvested, that sweet nectar
pulls the brix up to around 26
percent. That’s not the whole
story, though. Riazul’s produc-
tion includes double distillation On the road: Riazul Tequila founder and CEO Iñaki
through both a copper pot still Orozco in Columbus, TX.
and a tower. “Then, our Master
Distiller applies some singular, pre-bottling techniques with filtering and applying
oxygen vapors to play with the aromas,” Orozco says. “Our silver has so much
agave feel and aroma and taste that we call it an authentic agave experience.”
As proud as he is of the Riazul Silver, it’s obvious Orozco’s heart lies with the
aged varieties. In fact, the first Riazul was released in 2008, and contrary to some
business models, he waited the extra years to debut the Riazul Añejo first. Aged
24 months in medium-char barrels that once held cognac and brandy, the Añejo
absorbs vanilla tannins and develops peppery, citrusy notes to complement the
full-bodied, fruity agave.
“A lot of people called me crazy when we waited and released Riazul Añejo
before either the Silver or Reposado. But with this Añejo, we set ourselves apart.
We raise the bar,” says Orozco. “Eighty percent of tequila in this country is con-
sumed in Margaritas, which is great, and our Silver is fantastic in cocktails. But at
the end of the day, I’m here to make a statement about how unique and different
aged tequila can be.” And with that, Orozco paid his tab and hit the road again.
Riazul is available through Regency Wines.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  45

TEQUILA

Judy Rivera, owner of 100%

female-made Sino Tequila, is a
savvy businesswoman whose
hard work has helped put Sino
on the tequila map. “It gave me
incentive, doing it all by myself.
I worked hard to get Sino into
over 400 accounts, and as a
result, Young’s [Market Company]
was impressed,” she says of the
brand’s California distributor.

Sino: The Can-Do Tequila

WOMEN MAKE—AND MARKET—A NEW TEQUILA
SENSATION WITH A LATINO VIBE
by Rachel Burkons / photos by Estevan Oriol

C
lose your eyes and imagine ally on her own. Although the tequila
what premium tequila produc- is so good that it practically sells itself,
tion looks like in the Highlands the Sino story is unique: In addition
of Jalisco. You’ll likely imagine dusty to the female-owned and -operated
fields of blue agave being harvested, angle, Sino taps into a vibrant Latino
their giant piñas hacked to bits, then arts community that melds revered
cooked in ovens, fermented and Mexican tradición with modern street
distilled—all by the labor of hulking, smarts—putting Sino in the unique
sweaty men. That traditional image position of relating directly to its target
is almost right when it comes to Sino consumers, especially in accounts that
tequila: There’s the blue agave and the reflect the brand’s creative mentality.
diligently roasted piñas, but this time, Sino is a favorite at Villain’s Tavern,
the tequila is 100% produced for example, a hidden hotspot in
by women. the middle of an industrial section
“The fact that Sino is female-owned of Downtown Los Angeles, where
and -made makes us very different,” live music plays five nights a week
admits Sino owner Judy Rivera as she and revelers can enjoy handcrafted
poses on the hood of a 1947 Chevy cocktails. Villain’s Tavern owner Dave
Dave Whitton, owner of Villian’s Fleetline holding a bottle of Sino Whitton sees Sino’s artisanal roots
Tavern in Los Angeles, serves the Reposado. But what’s in the bottle as a merit that is reflective of the
Inigo Montoya, named after the stands out in terms of quality—even current cocktail culture’s emphasis
famed archenemy in The Princess without the benefit of a classic car. on boutique and craft spirits. “When
Bride, and made with Sino tequila. The Sino Silver tequila is mixable Sino came around, it was a perfect fit
and vibrant with kiwi, cucumber and for what we’re all about here: well-
ripe melon, and the Reposado, which crafted, artisanal spirits in handmade
spends four months in oak, is subtle cocktails,” attests Whitton as he shakes
with lovely notes of brown sugar. the delightfully spicy Inigo Montoya
Rivera is a savvy businesswoman cocktail, made with Sino, agave, fresh
who has taken this just over one-year- lime and pineapple juices, jalapeño and
old brand to more than 400 accounts cucumber. “It’s got attitude,” he says,
and has secured California distribution and we couldn’t agree more.
with Young’s Market Company, virtu- [Link]

46  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

1&7D
 napa REDEfInED
©2011 Napa Cellars, Oakville, CA

At Napa Cellars, we’re putting a modern spin on classic Napa wines, combining Napa’s legendary
terroir with contemporary sensibilities to create delicious wines that possess all of the character
you’ve come to expect from Napa, but with an attitude and price that we think you’ll find rather
refreshing. In doing so, we’re redefining what Napa wine can be. Cheers!

[Link]

1&7DVWLQJ3DQHO$G)HEUXDU\LQGG $0
COVER STORY

t he epiphany came shortly after Bethenny Frankel mixed herself a cocktail on the
reality show Real Housewives of New York and said, “You know what this is? It’s
a Skinnygirl Margarita! The minute I said that on Bravo, it was earth-moving,”
continues Frankel. “It generated tremendous response on bulletin boards and in
emails. Everyone wanted to know what was in the Skinnygirl Margarita.”
Frankel knew that she had stumbled onto a potential hit in her recipe for a
lightly sweetened, lower calorie pre-mixed Margarita. Two years later, she’s proven
herself right.
A natural food chef and the author of two bestselling food books—Naturally Thin
and The Skinnygirl Dish—Frankel has long been an advocate of healthy eating and
specializes in developing healthy versions of conventional high-calorie dishes. When
it came to cocktails, though, Frankel had been a bit frustrated. “I wanted a drink that

The New Spirits

PALM BAY IS
LEGITIMIZING
THE LOW-CAL
Thin-du s

by Tim Teichgraeber and Rachel Burkons

CATEGORY I could order every night. I’d try to order something that was low in calories and it
would end up being raspberry vodka on the rocks with a lime, and I’d be miserable.
I’d wind up drinking 700-calorie Margaritas afterward because I wasn’t satisfied.”
As a solution, she created Skinnygirl Margarita. Frankel compares her straightfor-
ward recipe of blue agave silver tequila, lime juice and agave nectar to the Margaritas
she had enjoyed on vacation in Mexico—only less sweet. The subtle natural sweetness
of agave nectar meshes perfectly with its distilled counterpart and is considerably
lower on the glycemic index than corn syrup, sucrose or fructose.

Phenomenal Growth
Marc Taub, President of Palm Bay International, a significant player in the wine import
As of business, was in the process of building a strong portfolio of spirits, including Aperol,

March 21, 2011, one of the fastest-growing spirits brands in the world. He, along with his father David,
Chairman and CEO, decided to hire Alain Barbet, a Pernod-Ricard veteran, to expand
Skinnygirl that portfolio and lead a dedicated spirits operation. Then, in early 2010, Marc discov-
ered Skinnygirl Margarita and saw it as a potential winning addition to that portfolio.
Cocktails “Bethenny and her public profile were getting bigger and bigger by the month. We
tasted the product and thought the concept was really interesting. We knew that Palm
became part Bay’s distribution strength and wholesaler relationships could take the brand to a
of the Beam whole other level. We decided to take it on,” says Barbet.
Skinnygirl had sold a few thousand cases in its first six months before coming to
Global Spirits Palm Bay. With Palm Bay’s powerful national sales force behind it and production kinks
worked out, sales growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. In the past year, the
& Wines
PHOTO: ROB BROWN

brand has rocketed to being the fastest growing ready-to-serve on the market.
portfolio. “At this point we have depleted over 120,000 cases in ten months, despite supply
challenges. I’ve been in the business for about 12 years now, and this is one of the
most successful launches ever,” says Barbet.

48  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

u stry

Bethenny Frankel thinks thin in front

of a 300-case display of Skinnygirl
Margarita at the Stater Bros. grocery
store in Huntington Beach, CA.
PHOTO: ROB BROWN

Hair and makeup by Jose Monzon.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  49

 COVER STORY

Low-Cal at Retail
Palm Bay’s long-standing network of relationships with
key national and regional chains has been an integral
component of Skinnygirl’s success. One of those chains
is Nugget Market in Northern California. Hank Beal,
Director of Adult Beverages for both Nugget Market
and Food 4 Less, has put Skinnygirl Margarita into all
of his stores. “It has been the category leader for us
since we brought it in,” says Beal, noting that it has
outsold some very well-established brands.
“You’d expect it to be a good summertime product,
but this has done well right through the winter
months,” says Beal. “I look forward to seeing how it
does in summer. With enough product to sell now, it’s
going to look really appealing come June, July and
PHOTO: RYAN LELY

August.”

Hank Beal is impressed with the Skinnygirl sales at the

Nugget Market chain in Northern California.

Costa Mesa, CA, in Southern California’s (in)famous

Orange County, is known for being a hotbed of beau-
“Skinnygirl sells tiful bodies on beaches, and sales of both Skinnygirl
so well because it and Voli Vodka at Hi-Time Wine Cellar are reflec-
is the first ready- tive of the city’s fitness-conscious mentality. “The
to-drink Margarita response to these brands has been quite amazing,”
that doesn’t have admits Keith Hanson, who owns the store and has
lots of excess carried both products since their initial launches.
sugar and calories, “We get a lot of people calling the store in advance,
and that’s exactly from all over the country, asking specifically for
what our custom- Skinnygirl and Voli by name, because they’ve heard
PHOTO: RACHEL BURKONS

ers are looking for,” about the brands and they are interested in low-cal
says Pete Burra, options,” says
owner of John Hanson. Skinnygirl,
and Pete’s in West in particular, has
Hollywood, CA. captured the atten-
tion of Hanson, who
sees that it stands
out from the rest of
At John and Pete’s in L.A.’s chic West Hollywood the ready-to-drink
neighborhood, image-conscious customers have pack. “It’s much
been driving successful sales of Skinnygirl since more palatable than
before the brand’s partnership with Palm Bay. anything else on the
“When it first launched, we couldn’t keep it in stock,” market,” he says.
says owner Pete Burra Jr. Now that the brand is
PHOTO: ROB BROWN

in the Palm Bay portfolio, Burra is able to meet his Keith Hanson.
customers’ demands for Skinnygirl, which he cites as
particularly popular among “young ladies who want
to look their best.”

50  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Low-Cal
Category
Leader
W
ith Skinnygirl’s success on the rise, Palm
Bay is looking to build a new calorie-con-
scious category into the spirits industry,
a move that seems like a natural progression to Voli
Vodka CEO Adam Kamenstein, who has also joined
Palm Bay’s pioneering effort.
“If you go to the grocery store, you’ll see that
every food and beverage category has a lighter or
low-calorie component—then you turn the corner
to the spirits section and you see there’s no such
choice for the consumers,” says Kamenstein of the
pre-Voli and -Skinnygirl days.
Since early 2010, Voli has been working to bring
that low-cal option to consumers with a lineup of
unique fusion-flavor vodkas, including Espresso
Vanilla, Raspberry Cocoa and Orange Vanilla, all of
which weigh in with 25–40 percent fewer calories
than traditional vodkas on the market.

PHOTO: MARIA SHRIBER

As a ready-to-drink product, Skinnygirl takes the
guesswork out of calorie-counting for consumers,
and Kamenstein hopes to do the same with Voli,
thanks to the rich smoothness of the fusion flavors
that can be enjoyed without the addition of high-
calorie mixers. “We wanted to develop flavors that
are delicious enough to just drink on the rocks, or
with a splash of soda or tonic,” explains Kamenstein.
“It made no sense to offer a low-calorie product that
was undermined in its use through mixers.” Voli’s fusion-flavor vodkas have 25–40 percent
With Palm Bay’s support, Kamenstein and Frankel fewer calories than traditional vodkas.
have been bringing the low-cal revolution to fitness-
conscious consumers who don’t want to undermine
an entire week’s worth of weight-watching with a
Friday night cocktail, and sales of both brands have
reflected that Palm Bay is answering a long-awaited
consumer call.
We’re forever
“With the help of Palm Bay, we look at ourselves
as pioneering a new category: the low-cal spirit,”
changing the
spirits industry.”
says Kamenstein. “It’s exciting; we’re forever chang-
ing the spirits industry, and we’re legitimizing the
calorie-conscious spirit category.”

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  51

 Publisher’s
PICKS
Wines
Quinta de Aveleda 2005 Follies Cabernet
Voss Vineyards 2009 Sauvignon–Touriga Nacional,
PHOTO: DAVID HUFF

Sauvignon Blanc, Bairrada, Portugal ($15) Although

Rutherford–Napa in its youth, and showcasing a vibrancy
Valley ($18) Sure, the thanks to its acid structure, there are
just-squeezed grapefruit glimpses of earth, stone and ready-to-
Meridith May is flanked by nose delivers the SB mes- ripen blackberry. Lots of potential. 89
Arizona top F&B guys Todd sage, but then bright pineapple goes head-to- HGC IMPORTS
DeSilva of the Montelucia Resort head with a spice rack and a neat set
and Todd Grobstein, Director of of minerals. Certainly a multi-faceted
Bar Operations, W Scottsdale. persona! 91 Black Stallion Estate Winery
NEGOCIANTS USA 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon,
Napa Valley ($23) A winding road
of blackberry and chocolate lead to
In each issue Emma Pearl 2009 a jam fest of plums and red fruit. A
THE TASTING PANEL’s Chardonnay, Central Coast silky, easy drinker. 88
($18) Perhaps it’s the 10% DFV WINES
Publisher and Executive
Viognier that changes the game
Editor, Meridith May, so much for this crystal-crisp
selects her favorite wines white. It has creamy body , yes. Rock Wren 2007 Syrah, Solano County–
Richly textured, yes. But underly- Green Valley ($24) Rich components of
and spirits of the month. ing honey and summer pear brown sugar and coffee bean are patterned with
Check here for the latest along with baking spices keep the black fruit, grilled meat and a saltiness that leads
arrivals in our offices, the linger long. 89 to an anise-tobacco finish. 91
TREASURY WINE ESTATES
hottest new brands on the
market and an occasional
revisited classic. Mt. Beautiful 2009 Riesling, Cheviot Hills, Curtis Winery 2007
New Zealand ($19) More floral Grenache, Santa
than honeyed or fruited, this is a Barbara County—
springtime sip—citrus blossoms and a Santa Ynez Valley
hint of roses tell you that. 89 ($25) A gobby suit of
strawberry and cherry
wears a spicy undergar-
Worthy of a smooch. Tabalí 2009 Pinot Noir ment . Buttoned up with
Reserva, Limarí Valley, Chile a creamy texture that
French-style double bizou. ($16) I expected the generous speaks of its 18 months
cherry and raspberry—okay, of French oak aging. 92
so I took this Chilean Pinot for CLASSIC WINES OF CALIFORNIA
Wildly infatuated. granted. But the exotic spice
and lush texture had a spool
Seriously smitten. of mineral threading through.
Intrigued, I drank on. 90
Head over heels in love. SOUTHERN WINE GROUP

52 / the tasting panel / april 201 1

 Spirits
Frozen Ghost Vodka, Canada ($36) With a spec- John L. Sullivan Irish Whiskey,
tral lure of vanilla and blueberry on the nose, Frozen Ireland ($23) Clover honey and
Ghost vodka has an eerie way of presenting itself in so hazelnut inspired me to close my eyes
many forms once it floats on the palate. Mocha-cocoa and picture what was next. I was right:
cream and a hint of red berries suddenly appear amidst oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins. This
an ethereally textured marshmallow pillow. 94 is a wonderful value whiskey, sweet
FROZEN GHOST DISTILLING CO. and woodsy with an orange-peel and
peaches finish. 91
UNDISPUTED
Soul Cachaça, Brazil ($27) On the nose, INTL. LLC
pungent cucumber plays with ripe honeydew amidst a
mental picture of a sugarcane field on a hot summer
day. On the palate, no heat; instead, white pepper
and green peppercorn against a deep core of cooked Jack Daniel’s Tennessee
pineapple. 93 Honey, USA ($22) On the
PREMIER SPIRITS LLC nose, one could think it a rum:
rancio and molasses, almonds
and lanolin. On the palate, it’s
peach pits, cinnamon, jasmine

¡Viva España! and, of course, honey. What a

nice surprise! 92
I recently tasted several thrilling BROWN-FORMAN
releases from Ribera del Duero and
came away impressed not only with
the superb flavors, but also with the
incredible quality-to-price ratio of
these wines.

Bodegas Neo 2009 Vivir, vivir, Ribera del Duero,

Spain ($12) A pitch-perfect start: The velvet ribbon is all
plummed out with violets and dusted tannins. The dried black
cherry on the back end is dramatic for such a young soul. 91
GRAPES OF SPAIN

Bodegas Neo 2009 Sentido, Ribera del Duero, Spain

($28) A glamorous red: sinewy and chewy with accompany-
ing lean acidity. Opulent fruit and sweet tobacco charm. 91
GRAPES OF SPAIN

Bodegas Comenge 2006 Comenge, Ribera del Duero,

Spain ($25) You’d think the winery grew its own designer
fruit; pungent, sweet aromas and a floral elegance create a
superior surrounding for this exciting combo of plum, boy-
senberry and cherry. Soft and seamless with a surprise hit of
minerality, white pepper, fennel and spearmint. 92
FOLIO FINE WINE PARTNERS

Finca Torremilanos 2006 Ribera del Duero, Spain

($30) This 100% Tempranillo transforms its inky purple self
into violet-soaked black jam. Its vibrant acidity is searing and it
has a grip that edges up the top of the palate like ivy covered 949-228-6896
in earthy mocha espresso. 93
GRAPES OF SPAIN

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  53

 Tr
MIDWEST

Kansas City Blues No More S

LOCALS REJOICE AT THE ADVENT OF DRINKS-SAVVY
RESTAURANTS LIKE BLUESTEM Ne
by Judy Jones / photos by Bonjwing Lee
Tu
Got

T 135
here were times in Kansas City when we locals—and our
visitors—had to choose between a good drink in a lively setting
and fabulous food. Fortunately, with the trend toward quality
1:00
cocktails and more innovative bar food, we’re now enjoying the best
of both worlds.
As a prime example, chic-ly lower-case bluestem, one of Kansas Jo
City’s premier restaurants, opened in 2004 in a corner space just half
the size of its current footprint. Two years later the adjacent space sho
became available and, while the fundamental approach to fine dining
did not change, the bluestem experience did—and all for the better. A
cool, welcoming room appeared, a talented staff was assembled and
are
the cocktail and bar menus were born.
Van Zarr, the original mixologist, recalls, “Since we opened the
lounge, just over five years ago, it has been our goal not only to
make it an extension of the dining room and what we do—which is
great food and atmosphere, treated simply and with respect—but
also to make the lounge almost a segue into the dining room, much
like the living room of your home.” The expansion enabled a much
deeper and broader wine program to enhance the pairings available
to those enjoying degustation menus in the dining room. Co-owner
and Executive Chef Colby Garrelts, a four-time James Beard Award
nominee, works closely with General Manager and Sommelier Jeremy
Lamb to ensure bluestem’s food and wines stay happily married.
With several nearby restaurants boasting award-winning cellars,
bluestem’s clientele expect the best wines to enrich their dining
experience. Local liquor codes prevent any BYOB/corkage arrange-
General Manager and Sommelier Jeremy Lamb ment, so it is up to the house to anticipate any match a customer
ensures that bluestem’s food and wines stay might request to complement the oft-changing menu. “This can be
happily married. a challenge,” says Lamb, a Certified Sommelier. “Colby likes to take
advantage of the best ingredients available, so it is not uncommon for
the menu to be tweaked even after service has begun. My goal is to
have a cellar that is nimble enough to keep pace as his flavor profiles
interact with the day’s bounty.”
On the sweet side, co-owner and Executive Pastry Chef Megan
Schultz Garrelts is equally innovative, making whimsical use of
traditional sweets and savories for just the right finishing touch. Lamb
rises to the occasion, sometimes with ports or late-season wines,
sometimes inventing a cocktail of his own if he isn’t completely satis-
fied with a more traditional pairing.
In addition to the stellar dining room fare, the staff has created a
fun, approachable lounge menu that is the talk of the town. While the
lounge crowd skews younger than the dining room, it’s not unusual to
find three or four generations rubbing elbows at the bar. Fueling the
demand for such favorites as Wagyu tartar, shrimp and grits and mus-
The lounge at bluestem. sels are unique cocktails grounded in tradition but always with a twist.
“The cocktail menu ranges from ever-changing seasonal selections to
year-round favorites,” Zarr explains, “and our staff has the knowledge
and ability to whip up the bespoke cocktail of the moment, or create
something on-the-fly to accompany any meal and enhance the guests’
experience—with or without food.”

54  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Tradeshow2011

SPANISHWINE CELLAR&PANTRY
NeW York SAN FrANCiSCo
TueSdAY, APril 12, 2011 THurSdAY, APril 14, 2011
Gotham Hall The Bently reserve
1356 Broadway @ 36th St. 301 Battery Street
1:00 pm to 5:30 pm 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Join more than 50 Spanish producers at The Spanish Wine Cellar & Pantry, an exclusive
showcase of up-and-coming wine and food products from Spain. All participating companies
are seeking distribution and look forward to sharing their products with you.

WiNerieS PArTiCiPATiNG iN THe TrAde SHoWS * only participating in NY

** only participating in SF

Agrícola Castellana Bodegas real, S.l. * Grupo Magalia *

Asociacion ribeiros do Avia Bodegas riojanas SA Grupo Príncipe de Viana
Belondrade, S.l. ** Bodegas romero de Ávila Salcedo, S.l. Marqués de Valdelacasa, Sl
Bodega Viña Costeira ** Bodegas San dionisio S Coop ** Montalvo Wilmot
Bodega Viñedos Tinedo S.l. Bodegas San Valero Pago Casa Gran
Bodegas Alcardet Bodegas Vega Clara, S.l. * Propiedad Vitícola Suertes del Marqués *
Bodegas el Cidacos, Sl Bodegas Verduguez roqueta origen Comercial, S.l.
Bodegas Fernandez S.A. Bodegas Viña Vilano * Sangenís i Vaqué **
Bodegas Fuenmayor, SA ** Castillo de Consuegra * Santa Catalina, S.C.l.
Bodegas Grupo Yllera S.l. Cerveses la Gardènia, S.l. * Tera y Castro S.l.
Bodegas Hacienda Albae, S.l. Covinca, [Link]. Viña extremeña, S.A.
Bodegas Heredad Baños Bezares Sl * de Muller, S.A. Viña olabarri S.A.A *
Bodegas Jose Felix Coloma * domaines lupier Viña Santa Marina S.l. *
Bodegas laus, Sl * dominio de la Vega Viñedos de Alfaro, S.A. *
Bodegas Medrano irazu, S.l. dominio de Punctum, S.l. Viñedos y Crianzas del Alto Aragón **
Bodegas olarra, S.A. ** Félix Solis Avantis * Wine innovators
Bodegas Piedemonte * Finca los Alijares, S.l.

Please rSVP online at [Link]

This event is for the Media and Trade only.

Please provide a business card for registration at the event.
Advance registration is requested.

Contact Gregory White Pr

718-403-9473
e-mail: info@[Link]
BLUE REVIEWS

Anthony Dias
BLUE REVIEWS

I
n each issue, Editor-in-Chief DOMESTIC
Anthony Dias Blue selects a wide
range of the best wines and spirits
from among the more than 500
he samples over the course of a
89 Robert Hall
2009 Viognier,
Paso Robles ($20)
92 Beckmen Vineyards 2008
Syrah, Clone #1, Purisma
Mountain Vineyard, Santa Ynez
month. The reviews are subjective Smooth and spicy with Valley ($52) Another winner from
editorial evaluations, made without creamy texture and this benchmark Santa Barbara winery;
regard to advertising, and products aromatic peach and powerful, rich and intense with black
are scored on a 100-point scale: honeysuckle; tropical and plum and blackberry; ripe, deep, complex
lush with a long finish and and impressive.
nice balance.
85-89: VERY GOOD
90-94: OUTSTANDING 92 C. Donatiello 2009
Chardonnay, Russian
River Valley ($24) Bright, ripe and
95-100: CLASSIC fresh with silky texture and lovely sweet

Once products are selected for

publication, producers and importers
new oak; juicy, alive and precise with
pure, elegant flavors; long and classic. 91 Three Rivers Winery 2007
Malbec, Columbia Valley
($29) Smooth and juicy with silky
will be offered the option of having
their review accompanied by an
image (bottle photo or label art) for
90 Thomas
George
Estates 2009
texture and ripe plum and blackberry;
mellow and balanced with excellent
structure and a long, lush finish.
a nominal fee. There is no obligation Viognier, Catie’s FOLEY FAMILY WINES
to add an image, nor does the Corner Vineyard,
decision affect the review or score in
any way.
Russian River
Valley ($28)
Creamy and smooth with rich tropical
92 Adelaida Cellars 2007
Cabernet Sauvignon,
Reserve, Rootstock 110R, Clone
The “twisty” icon indicates fruit flavors and lush aromatics; ripe, 8, Viking Estate, Paso Robles
wines sealed with a screwcap closure. dense and elegant with balance and a ($75) Dense and rich with ripe plum,
lingering finish. cassis, juicy berry fruit and spice;
For additional Blue Reviews, go to smooth, concentrated but balanced and
[Link].
91 Sonoma-Cutrer 2006
Chardonnay, Les Pierres,
Sonoma Coast ($36) Minerals, juicy
charming; fresh and supple with a long,
friendly finish.

fruit and clean, smooth flavors on silky

texture; rich and balanced with lovely
acidity and ripe fruit.
91 Newton Vineyard 2007
The Puzzle, Spring
Mountain District, Napa Valley
BROWN-FORMAN ($80) A smooth and silky Bordeaux-
style blend (56% Cabernet Sauvignon,

91 Testarossa Vineyards 2009

Chardonnay, Bien Nacido
Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley
33% Merlot, 8% Petit Verdot, 3%
Cabernet Franc) with restraint and soft
tannins; plum and cassis fruit and good
($39) Firm and juicy with lively acidity, acid structure; long and balanced, with
white flowers and lovely balance; elegant great aging potential.
and fresh with a lingering finish. MOËT-HENNESSY USA

56  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 Meet Brahm Callahan
91 Scaggs Vineyard 2008 Mount
Veeder Montage, Napa Valley
($75) Silky smooth and elegant with ripe
photos by Michael Quiet

blackberry, blueberry and spice; generous

and lush with sweet oak and a long,
complex finish; supple and intense. Boz has
another hit! Organic.

IMPORTS
90 Robert
Oatley 2009
Tempranillo, King
Valley, Australia ($20)
Smooth and juicy with
bright acidity and ripe
raspberry fruit; lively, fresh Brahm Callahan of
and tangy with balance and Boston’s Post 390.
a good, long finish.

88 T
Giovanni Puiatti 2008 HE TASTING PANEL checked in with Brahm Callahan, Beverage
Sauvignon, Zuccole, Venezia Director at Post 390, a modern urban tavern in Boston’s Back Bay
Giulia, Italy ($19) Bright and juicy with neighborhood. The 27-year-old wunder-somm has a Master’s Degree
fresh citrus fruit and lively acidity; clean, in ancient history, but his palate is firmly planted in what’s hot today.
snappy and balanced. “I thought I would become a professor,” Callahan notes of his former
VINDIVINO studies, “but now I get to be a teacher of wine.” Holding weekly classes
and tasting seminars for his staff allows the crew at Post 390 to hand-sell

89 Bastianich 2009 Adriatico

Friulano, Colli Orientali del
Friuli, Italy ($20) Lush and bright with
wines and further a major cause for our industry: educate the customer.
Having passed the advanced exam for the Court of Master Sommeliers
this year, Callahan also helps the “cause” by not selling his wines with
notes of peach and rich minerals; creamy traditional mark-ups. “I’ll buy a wine for $100 and sell it for $150,” he
and bright with almonds and soft spice; insists. With 200 domestic bins (out of the restaurant’s 500-bin collection),
100% Tocai Friulano. California represents at least 40 percent of his stock. “California wines
DARK STAR IMPORTS became more affordable—that makes a difference to our bottom line. Our
list changes every ten days. We sell a lot of wine.”

92 Peregrine Wines
2008 Pinot Noir,
Central Otago, New
Introducing Roth Estate Chardonnay
The Roth Estate 2009 Chardonnay from
Zealand ($32) Bright and the Sonoma Coast represents the balance
racy with snappy, fresh cherry and finesse that I have come to expect from
and lively acidity; lean and this spectacular growing region. Fermented
pure with lovely structure entirely in French oak, this Chardonnay has
and style; no fat, just pure the structure to age well, and with a bal-
Pinot from one of the most ance of fruit and minerality, it is extremely
exciting wine regions in the food-friendly and pairs particularly well with
world. Post 390’s jumbo lump and Maine crab cakes
VINEYARD BRANDS served with fingerling potatoes, haricots
verts and bacon aioli.

89 Clarendelle 2003
Amberwine, Monbazillac,
France ($35/500 ml.) A late-harvest
I enjoy this wine because it speaks to
where the variety is from, while staying true
to its California roots. A cool climate like the
release from the Dillon family, owners of Sonoma Coast has the potential to produce
Haut-Brion; silky and smooth with juicy fruit world-class Chardonnay, and the quality
and sweet notes of honey and vanilla; 80% of the Roth Chardonnay is a great indication for the future of not just the
Semillon, 10% Muscadelle, 10% Sauvignon Sonoma Coast, but all of California.
Blanc. —Brahm Callahan, Beverage Director, Post 390
ADVENTURES IN WINE Roth Estate is available through Wilson Daniels.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  57

 BLUE REVIEWS

ui
y
Larger Than Life 90 Mendel 2010 Semillon,
Mendoza, Argentina ($25)
Fresh and ripe with juicy acidity and
y; Sbragia Family Vineyards Continues clean citrus fruit; silky, long and pure with
balance and a long, lovely finish.
A Family Tradition VINE CONNECTIONS
ES

4)
Ed SbRagIa admItS that he has
“one foot in Sonoma and the other
in Napa.” As Winemaker Emeritus
94 Robert Weil 2008 Riesling
Spätlese, Kiedrich
Gräfenberg, Rheingau, Germany
at Beringer, where he made wines ($48) Exquisite floral nose; juicy, fresh and
for more than 30 years, Ed obvi- creamy with lovely sweetness balanced
ously feels strong attachments to by searing acidity that creates a wine with

PHOTO COURTESY OF SBRAGIA FAMILY VINEYARDS

Napa Valley. But he also owns five lovely tension and nerve; pure, elegant and
DS
vineyards on the east side of Dry complex with great depth and stunning
Creek, and he has raised his family in flavors. Wow!
Sonoma wine country. LOOSEN BROS. USA
Ed inherited the family vineyards—
and at least some of his winemaking
skills—from his father, Gino Sbragia,
a former employee at Italian Swiss
90 Miguel Torres 2007
Salmos, Priorat, Spain
($37) Silky and tangy with pure,
Colony and later a winemaker, fruit Ed Sbragia. juicy black raspberry and spice; edgy
NS and grape farmer. In true family style, and fresh with balance and good
Ed’s son Adam now makes the Sbragia Family wines with him, while other length.
family members work in the cellar, the vineyards and the tasting room. DREYFUS ASHBY
Although the wines are marketed by Treasury Wine Estates, Beringer’s
parent company, there is nothing corporate or impersonal about the Sbragia
Family portfolio—these are intense, massively-styled wines, sourced from
both Napa and Sonoma. Like Ed himself, they are larger than life.
92 Poliziano 2006
Merlot, In Violas,
Cortona, Italy ($50) Smooth
and fresh with bright plum and

91 Sbragia Family Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay, Gamble Ranch,

Napa Valley ($40) Dense and creamy with sweet oak and ripe fruit;
vanilla and lush texture; long, rich and balanced with depth and style.
raspberry fruit; juicy and racy
with tangy flavors and unremitting
charm; balanced, lively and long.
PALM BAY INTERNATIONAL

90 Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon,

Andolsen Vineyard, Dry Creek Valley ($35) Dark and ripe with
plum, cassis and spice; smooth, rich, balanced and long with style and depth. 95 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi
2006 Castello di Nipozzano
Mormoreto, Toscana, Italy ($65)

92 Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Monte

Rosso Vineyard, Sonoma Valley ($50) Smooth and velvety with
black raspberry, cherry and earth; supple and spicy with tangy acidity and beautifully
Dark, lush and velvety with lovely plum,
cassis, black raspberry and spice; juicy
and smooth with tangy acid structure
knit flavors; lush and big but in lovely balance and with a long, rich finish. and notes of oak, vanilla and licorice; rich
and beautifully constructed from 60%

93 Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon,

Cimarossa Vineyard, Napa Valley ($75) Bright and racy with
complex wild berry fruit and juicy acidity; big, complex and neatly balanced; rich and
Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 15%
Cab Franc and 3% Petit Verdot; exquisite.
FOLIO FINE WINE PARTNERS
layered; toasty with lovely texture and a long, focused finish.

95 Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Rancho

del Oso Vineyard, Napa Valley, Howell Moutain ($75) Black
cherry, black raspberry, astonishing licorice and vanilla—all come together in this
SPIRITS
remarkable wine; mellow toasty oak and supple texture lead to a long finish that
brings out tea and floral notes; unique and exciting. 90 Americana Vodka
($22) Silky and
smooth with soft vanilla and

96 Sbragia Family Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wall

Vineyard, Napa Valley, Mt. Veeder ($75) Rich and explosive with
deep flavors of black raspberry, cassis and plum with minerals and licorice nuance;
clean, sleek texture; nicely
balanced and elegant with a
soft slightly short finish.
supple, toasted and floral with great intensity and lovely balance; stunning. VISION WINE & SPIRITS

Sbragia Family Vineyards wines are marketed by Treasury Wine Estates.

58  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 94 Fifty Pounds
93 Springbank IM
London Dry Gin,
England ($33) Lovely
juniper, vanilla and sugar
12 Year
Old Cask Strength
Single Malt
9
Vi
nose; creamy texture and Scotch Whisky, ($1
hints of citrus, spice, exotic Scotland ($100) aro
botanicals and lush vanilla; long, Intense and smoky pe
harmonious and incredibly with lovely grains and and
smooth with an aftertaste that spice; notes of dried
lasts and lasts; rich, expansive fruits and sherry;
and quite beautiful. earth, malt and IM
8
SHAW-ROSS INTERNATIONAL forest floor; rich and
IMPORTERS yet quite elegant; very long and complex
with lovely malty notes and a deep flnish. Ea
92 Camarena Silver
Tequila, Mexico
PREISS IMPORTS Sm
plu
($20) Soft agave and vanilla
nose; creamy, lush and spicy
with agave and vanillins; rich
93 Knappogue Castle
Twin Wood - Sherry
Finish Irish Single Malt
lov
lon

and balanced with long, Whiskey, Ireland ($100)

lovely finish.
ALTO SPIRITS LTD.
Aged 16 years; smoke and
caramel nose; spice, smoke, 8
Ch
toast and notes of grapefruit;

91 Big Bottom dense and loaded with red

che
Whiskey Aged character; complex and showing
sna
3 Years, USA ($30) a very long finish; exceptional.
American straight bourbon CASTLE BRANDS
from Oregon with
shimmering amber color
from aging in white oak 92 Pisco Portón
Mosto Verde
8
Me
casks; smooth and mellow Pisco, Peru ($45) Bri
with caramel and vanilla, Smooth and creamy with and
creamy and lush with pretty, vanilla and hints of black oa
balanced flavors; long, complex, pepper; thick, spicy with a Su
harmonious and rich. note of grappa earthiness;
BIG BOTTOM WHISKEY long and rich with an
aromatic finish. 8
88 Early Times 354
Bourbon, USA
($16) Medium amber
($6
ear
be

90
color; vanilla, caramel and Underberg, Germany ($4.75 nic
spice with dried oranges per threepack) First shipped ple
and lush wood; mild to San Francisco in 1860, this functional
but showing some nice post-prandial digestive bitters has
character; long and likable. therapeutic qualities, but also happens
BROWN-FORMAN to taste great.
Aromas of spice,

95 Knob Creek Single

Barrel Reserve,
USA ($40) A triumph of
clove, licorice;
silky-textured
and minty with
American distillation: lush, anise, licorice
complex spice and oak and engaging
nose; remarkably smooth gentian herbal
for such a high-proof spirit flavors with
with creamy texture and a sweet
deep flavors of spice, toasty undertone—
wood and dried fruits; and it’s kosher!
layered and intense with a UNDERBERG USA
long, articulate finish; amazing.
BEAM GLOBAL SPIRITS & WINE

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  59

 COMPETITIONS

E
Pisco Sour Hour WASHINGTON, DC COMPETITORS KICK OFF
NATIONAL SEARCH FOR BEST PISCO COCKTAIL

by Kelly A. Magyarics

T
m
he original recipe is sublimely simple: pisco, lemon,
sugar and egg white, served up, on the rocks or
blended, and garnished with a few drops of Angostura
bitters. But as twelve mixologists from the Washington,
DC area recently proved, the unabashedly sippable classic
cocktail has infinite—and infinitely delicious—variations.
In February, the Embassy of Peru and producer Macchu
y Pisco kicked off a nationwide search for the “Centennial
Macchu Pisco Sour” to commemorate the 100th anniversary
of the re-discovery of Macchu Picchu. I was on the judging
panel along with Derek Brown, cocktail consultant and
mixologist at DC’s Columbia Room, Washington Life
editor Michael Clements and CNN en Español Producer
Willie Lora.
Pisco is a clear, grape-based brandy developed in Peru in
the 16th century by Spanish settlers. Though both Peru and
Chile lay claim to pisco in a fiercely patriotic and contentious
battle, most will at least concede that the Pisco Sour is actu-
ally a North American invention, created by an American
in the early 1900s. “It’s incredible that there’s so much pride
and animosity over a cocktail,” mused contestant Clinton
Terry of Alexandria, VA speakeasy PX. “But it’s always fun to
see those so passionate about what they believe in.”
, Passion and creativity were certainly not in short order in
a contest where area bar stars brought their A-game. Overall
winner Jason Strich of DC Indian restaurant Rasika won
over judges and guests with his Chicha Sour. Strich created
PHOTO: ROBERT REX WALLER

his house-made sweet-and-spicy chicha by germinating

g purple corn, boiling it with spices and fermenting it with
beer yeast. “Chicha has been consumed throughout the
Andres for centuries,” explained Strich.
Terry’s Tusán cocktail took the award for Best Creativity.
The drink’s name pays homage to Peruvians of Chinese
descent—a bridge, he said, for the cultures in his cocktail. “I Overall winner Jason Strich of Rasika with his Chicha Sour.
tried to envision seasonal, indigenous ingredients from both
lands, hence the different citrus, vinegar and chilies.” Peruvian Restaurant Imperio Inca in Norfolk, VA. His quaff-
,
Channeling Peru by way of India, Best Presentation able Imperio Sour tweaked the original version with the
winner Michael Saccone of Alexandria, VA’s Majestic Café addition of sweet potato syrup, yet the winner for Best Taste
offered up a fragrant, garam masala–based libation. “The still allowed the flavor of the base spirit to shine through.
inspiration came from a trip to India,” remarked Saccone, The national search for the “Centennial Pisco Sour” is cur-
who has an affinity for Indian food. “I felt that carrot would rently traveling to other cities including Boston, San Francisco,
hold up well with the pisco and spices, as well as give the Las Vegas and New York, before returning to Washington, DC
drink a bright color.” Though this curry in a glass perhaps in July for the grand finale at the Peruvian Embassy.
strayed the furthest from the original Pisco Sour, it offered
up a truly innovative spin. Look for more photos and complete recipes for the winning
Rounding out the winners was Carlos Espinoza of drinks at [Link].

60  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

:7DV
 Ribera del Duero
A 2,000-year-old legacy of fine Spanish wines

In Spain’s northern plateau, about two hours the Roman Era. Ribera’s earliest underground maximum yield of 3.1 tons of grapes per acre,
north of Madrid, the Duero River Valley is a cellars, with their distinctive chimneys, were the yield is typically about half that, or about
place of extremes – hot summers, cold winters, built in the 13th Century in towns across the 1.6 tons. In addition, the barrels, made of
a short growing season, limited rainfall and a region, and still serve to protect wines from French and American oak, are changed every
wide variety of soils. Perfect conditions, as it the extreme climate. three years.
turns out, for creating the pinnacle of Spanish
winemaking and the ultimate expression of the The region’s climate, coupled with the loftiest There are several designations for wines
country’s most noble red grape – Tempranillo. elevations of any winemaking region in Europe produced in Ribera del Duero. Joven wines,
– some vineyards are as high as 3,100 feet – which are fruitier, are aged only three to six
With nearly 250 wineries in Ribera del Duero creates unique growing conditions. Summer months, display no oak characteristics and
now devoted to their craft, the world is temperatures in Ribera can reach over 100°F are meant to be consumed young. Crianza
taking notice of the region’s outstanding and during the day, then fall to 50°F at night. wines, aged two years, display well-balanced
approachable wines. tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. Aged for
“We like to say that we put the Tempranillo in three years, with a minimum of one year in
“They are honest and unique wines with a the refrigerator every night to make it better,” oak barrels and then bottled-aged in cellars,
personality that can be found nowhere else,” says Jose Trillo. Reserva wines are elegant and intense with a
says Jose Trillo, President of Ribera del Duero’s rich, lingering finish. Gran Reserva wines are
official Consejo Regulador, the governing “The coldness stops the grape from maturing aged a minimum of five years (two years in oak
body that oversees all aspects of the region’s and then it starts all over again during the day. barrels) and are complex and structured with
viticultural and winemaking process. This continual maturing and then stopping great balance and vitality. And the Rosado,
is what brings out the very best qualities of or Rosé wines, fermented with minimal skin-
While the wines of Ribera del Duero have Tempranillo.” to-juice contact, boast refreshing wild berry
only begun to emerge on the international What also sets the wines of Ribera del Duero flavors and are available shortly after each
scene in relatively recent years, winemaking apart is the region’s emphasis on quality over year’s harvest.
in Ribera dates back at least 2,000 years, to quantity. While vineyards could produce a

For more information about the wines of Ribera del Duero, please visit [Link]

&23DGLQGG 30 &23DG

,
t
f
y

s
,

drink RIBERA. drink SPAIN.

x
d
a
d
r
n IS COMING TO LOS ANGELES!
,
a
e
k
h
, Join us for an exclusive event on May 2, 2011
-
y
At the SLS Hotel Beverly Hills
h

Drink Ribera Los Angeles Workshop

Monday, May 2, 2011
SLS Hotel
The Garden Room and Terrace
465 South La Cienega Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90048

Taste a complete selection of Ribera del Duero wines — from wineries seeking importers
to wines available in Los Angeles, and the outstanding wines of Vega Sicilia.

Walk Around Tasting

12:00 – 5:00 PM
Media and VIP Trade Seminar featuring Vega Sicilia*
12:00 – 1:00 PM & 3:00 – 4:00 PM

RSVP at [Link] or call (310) 459-7570 x 2

*Please specify the time and seminar you plan to attend.

info@[Link]
[Link]/drinkribera
[Link]/drinkribera

30 &23DGLQGG 30

Pink
NEW CHAMBORD FLAVORED VODKA
IS GIVING MIXOLOGY A MAKEOVER
AND MAKING IT SWEETLY SIMPLE
FOR BARTENDERS NATIONWIDE
TO THINK PINK

is the New Black photos by David Huff

I
n February, THE TASTING PANEL met up with the Chambord team for a
pre–Valentine’s Day party at the Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale, AZ. With six
fiercely femme bartenders offering up some pretty, rose-hued quaffs and a
sophisticated consumer crowd, Chambord Flavored Vodka was painting the town
pink, and we were there to capture it all. In order to bring you the best on this
brand, we gathered five of the heaviest-hitting male beverage buyers in the Valley
of the Sun to offer their comments on the new Chambord Flavored Vodka, and the
romantic cocktails being sipped and savored under the stars. —Rachel Burkons

Although the cocktails

were flowing all night,
Todd Grobstein of the W
Hotel Scottsdale doesn’t
overlook the merits of
Chambord Flavored Vodka
straight out of the bottle.
“Off the nose, it’s some-
thing you just want to drink,
and then when you taste it,
it’s quite palate-pleasing.”

Meet our super-powered panel of judges, who proved they’re not afraid of a pink drink:
(left to right) Mike Muncal, Wine and Spirits Specialist, BevMo!; Todd Grobstein, Director
of Bar Operations, W Hotel Scottsdale; Todd DeSilva, Director of Food and Beverage,
Montelucia Resort and Spa; Mac Gregory, Corporate Director of Food and Beverage,
Starwood North America; Alex Summer, Corporate Beverage Director, RA Sushi. “I’m
pretty solid with who I am as a guy,” joked Summer when asked if he minded sampling
such pretty cocktails, “so anything pink is fine by me.”

62  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Samantha Rogers of the Hotel Valley Niki Kotantoulas of Scottsdale’s Stephanie Buckley of the Scottsdale
Ho in Scottsdale, AZ offered our judges Maybel’s on Main had one of the most Convention Center came up the His
a refreshing take on romance with the favored drinks of the night with the and Hers French Connection, with
Chambord Basil Summer Squeeze. gorgeous, light pink Ophelia cocktail. Chambord Liqueur in the “Hers”
“What’s good about Chambord is that Chambord Brand Manager Josh Hayes offering. “I really enjoy the influence
you can mix it in almost every drink remarked, “It’s so good; the floral of the limoncello on the drink,” said
and make it that much better,” said aromatics are really accented.” THE Todd DeSilva of the Montelucia Resort
Rogers. Mike Muncal, Wine and Spirits TASTING PANEL’s Rachel Burkons had and Spa. “Chambord Flavored Vodka
Specialist, BevMo!, commented, “If you a more vivid comparison: “It’s like has made such an impact in our area,”
want to take another sip of a cocktail, perfume for your mouth!” he attested, referring to the Paradise
you know it’s a good start. It’s crisp, Valley area of Scottsdale, where the
balanced, fresh and not overly sweet.” luxury Montelucia resort caters to a
hip young crowd. “It’s been a great
presence on our vodka menus.”

Left to right: Mike Threadgill, Vice President Sales, Sonoran Mike Muncal, Wine and Spirits Specialist, BevMo! samples
Division, Alliance Beverage; Lizz Adcox, Brown-Forman Stacy Whiteside’s Raspberry Fields, a cocktail she originally
On-Premise State Manager, AZ; Jim Conroy, Territory created for THE TASTING PANEL (see our January-February
Manager, AZ/NV Brown-Forman; Josh Hayes, Brand Manager, issue) and which landed her a job at new Phoenix hotspot
Chambord. Hayes has been wowed with the response of mix- The Arrogant Butcher. “A lot of flavored vodkas out there
ologists from around the world when they glimpse Chambord have either too much of a taste or are too sweet, so this is
Flavored Vodka’s pretty pinkness. “With premium French perfectly in the middle and very versatile,” she said. Panelist
vodka, the black raspberry flavor of Chambord, hibiscus Mac Gregory, whose longtime tenure in the AZ beverage
and vanilla, these things all add to the aromatics and flavor, industry has made him one of the key figures in this blos-
but real fruit has real color—and it’s great to see bartenders soming market, remarked, “This is a great cocktail to show
embrace that.” off Chambord’s versatility. Having the new vodka is great
because it’s a step-saver,” he continued. “In the past, after
reaching for Chambord, you had to grab a bottle of clear
distillate vodka to build your cocktail around, but now you
get the vodka and the great flavor of Chambord in one.”
 Michter

DC

Drinking in the
District

PHOTO: MARIA HELENA CAREY

THE TALENT AND INNOVATIVE CONCEPTS IN
WASHINGTON, DC TODAY UNDISPUTEDLY RIVAL
THE BAR SCENES OF LARGER AND MORE
TRADITIONALLY BUZZ-WORTHY CITIES. WE Erik Holzherr shakes it up at
RECENTLY CHECKED OUT A DUO OF SIP-WORTHY, Washington, DC’s Church & State.
TRIP-WORTHY SPOTS IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL Erik Holzherr already manages
popular DC bar Wisdom as well
by Kelly A. Magyarics as that mecca of DIY mixology,
Fruit Bat. He recently expanded

W
ashington, DC’s Atlas Arts District will soon be the site of a retro the second floor of the latter with
transportation method not seen in the city for decades: the streetcar. the opening of Church & State.
It’s also home to a hotspot right on the upcoming H Street line. New The décor and atmosphere evoke
dining room and public house Smith Commons offers approachable international a most holy vibe, from the dark
cuisine, classic and modern cocktails, craft beers and off-the-beaten-path wines woodwork, pews and stained glass
(Michigan sparkling wine, anyone?) on three levels in an historic building. windows, to the dimly lit, cozy
The list of 28 beers and the same number of wines leans heavily on what nook complete with a confessional.
management views as the most talented domestic producers, with a few inter- The bar faithfully adheres to a
national selections reverent devotion of using only
for comparison’s American products. “The resur-
sake. Thirteen gence of the craft cocktail culture
libations on the is no secret, but many people do
cocktail menu—all not realize the cocktail’s completely
priced at $10—offer American origins,” notes Holzherr.
up everything “We are a very young country with
from a Pisco Sour few outstanding traditions, so we
to the Bourbon-, need to be proud of this history
honey- and grape- and embrace it!”
fruit-based James Any ingredient that can’t be
Brown Derby. sourced domestically is made in-
PHOTO: DAKOTA FINE

Most popular is the house—including tonic, grenadine

Felicity Watermelon and some bitters. The permanent
Smith, with Ambhar specialty cocktail list, dubbed The
Reposado Tequila, Bill of Rights, features ten drinks
Managing Partner Miles Gray (second from left) and his staff lime, ginger, water- that, according to Holzherr, “all
offer off-the-beaten-path wines and craft beers from all over melon and basil. Americans have the God-given
the U.S. at his Atlas District hotspot, Smith Commons. “Our focus is right to have made perfectly.”
multi-seasonal Rotating seasonal cocktails appear
cocktails that work well with food,” explains Managing Partner Miles Gray. “Fresh on the Seven Deadly Sins list. “I
ingredients made in-house when possible, paired with great representations of basically wanted to build a church
the various categories of spirits.” to American cocktails and have a
Warmer weather will see the addition of a brunch menu, as well as the sight of bit of fun with it,” admits Holzherr.
guests enjoying a cold draft beer on the second level patio. “Smith Commons is As the bar’s tagline points out,
designed to be a tree house for sorts for all people,” muses Gray. “Just a refined “This is not a church, and DC is not
but casual hangout for the refined but casual Atlas District.” a state.”
[Link] [Link]

64  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Michters_Real_Rye-Tasting_Panel_Ad:Michters Real Rye Tasting Panel Ad 11/11/10 1:10 PM Page 1

Limited Production

Real Rye
MICHTER’S AMERICAN WHISKEY CO. H BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY
april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  65
MERRILL SHINDLER’S WORD OF MOUTH

Miss Manners?
WE DO. MERRILL SHINDLER EXPOUNDS IN EXTENSO
ON THE RETURN OF THE TIE

T
here was a time, back when dinosaurs Twain who observed that, “Clothes make the man.”
roamed the earth, when men dressed for (Actually, that much is Shakespeare; Twain’s full
dinner in a fine dining restaurant, wearing quote is: “Clothes make the man. Naked people
ties, jackets and well-polished shoes made of fine have little or no influence on society.”)
leather that would last for years. They were freshly Can it not be argued, fairly, that in a society
shaved; their hair shone with pomade. Women where the social contract is intact—where we agree
wore dresses and hose, and had their hair and to dress well for a lunch at, say, Marea on Central
nails done. When those same people went to the Park South, where a recent table was attired in
theater, it was an event of epic proportions—they worn jeans, t-shirts and sneakers—that manners
wore their finery, beginning the evening with a (and the corollary of common decency) will be
proper cocktail and dinner, and ending it with an observed, even venerated?
après-theater libation. And there is evidence that the times they are
Back then, if you showed up at a restaurant a-changin’—yet again. On a recent trip to The
lacking tie and jacket, you were either turned Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas (see our story on page
away, or offered an outfit from a closet filled with 88), I was heartened to find diners actually dressing
clothing that made you look like Bozo the Clown for an evening at José Andrés’s Jaleo, and at Costas
on his night off. You were given a tie that looked Spiliadis’s Milos. Not everyone. But enough that it
like a lobster bib. If you were short, you were given could be discerned. Diners dress for dinner at Per
a jacket that was extra long. If you were tall, the Se in New York, at Gary Danko in San Francisco,
jacket was extra short. It was often madras. The at Mélisse in Los Angeles, at the Fountain
humiliation usually worked; you didn’t show up in Philadelphia. Slowly, ever so
poorly dressed again. slowly, elegance and propriety are
Back in those seemingly lost days, I recall making a return.
showing up at a neighborhood Chinese restaurant And well they should, for we
in New York’s Greenwich Village—the Boho Capital are in a state of crisis. We have
of the Universe—wearing khakis and a chambray reached a point in our civiliza-
work shirt, and being told I’d need to wear a tie and tion where manners that flow
jacket to eat my lo mein. I recall putting on my very naturally from proper attire are
best double-breasted gray Kent & Curwen suit to a forgotten virtue. It is, I would
have a cocktail at the 21 Club—and being glared hope, not too late. The trim
at by one and all. No one was wearing anything as tab is small—but it can
wild as . . . gray. change the
And then, things changed. I remember going course of
to Ouest on New York’s Upper West Side—and a mighty
finding myself the only person wearing not just a ship. My
tie, but a jacket as well. More recently, I had dinner sugges-
at Joël Robuchon in Las Vegas. Only the maître d' tion: Go into
and I were dressed; the rest of the room felt your closet,
that flip-flops and shorts were fine for an evening take out a
of the finest foods and wines in the world. (As the clean white shirt,
maître d’ explained, when I asked about the lack of knot a tie, slip on
proper dress: “When a customer has lost $25,000 at a jacket. Then, go
the tables, you don’t tell him to wear a tie.” Yes . . . out to dinner. You’ll
but how about shoes?) be amazed by how
Is there actually a connection between wearing a empowered you feel.
tie and common decency? Perhaps—and perhaps A simple sliver of silk
not. This may be a classic example of reductio ad may be all it takes . . . to
absurdum, but it was no less a luminary than Mark save the world.

66  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 VIVA
VINO
L A 2011 LOS ANGELES 16-21 May, 2011
Announcing Viva Vino LA, an exciting and comprehensive annual festival of Italian wine and
food being produced by Blue Lifestyle, the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West and the Italian
Sommeliers Association and sponsored by THE TASTING PANEL magazine.

Viva Vino LA is the first major event designed to promote the traditional varietals of Italy on the U.S. West
Coast. There are more than 3,000 wine grape varieties grown in Italy; Viva Vino LA will give these native
vines visibility and educate the trade and consumers about their style and the terroirs that produce them.
Viva Vino LA will provide the opportunity for the wineries that produce these wines to meet importers,
buyers, retailers, press and consumers from throughout Los Angeles and Southern California, one of the
largest wine markets in the United States.

For participation information, email info@[Link]

Grand Tasting, Wednesday, May 18

Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
trade 1:00 – 5:00 pm
consumers 6.30 – 9.30 pm
For more information and to purchase tickets, [Link]
visit [Link].

IACCW Italian Sommeliers Association

Italy-America Chamber of Commerce West
VIVA
VINO
LA
FAMILY WINEMAKERS SERIES

Gott
WINEMAKER SARAH
GOTT IS ONE HALF OF
THE FAMILY DUO BEHIND
JOEL GOTT WINES

Teamwork? by Daedalus Howell / photos by Ryan Lely

I
f winemaker Sarah Pelkan Gott wasn’t squeamish about blood, the
animal kingdom might be a healthier place. The world of wine,
however, would suffer greatly. Fortunately, for wine drinkers, Gott
changed her academic pursuits at the University of California, Davis in
the early 90s from veterinary science to viticulture and enology. Since
then, she’s been a winemaker at several esteemed outfits, but perhaps
most notably at Joel Gott Wines.
As one of only 12 students in her program at the time, Gott walked
with the three undergrads to earn a degree in fermentation sciences in
1993. In the nearly 20 years hence, Gott has enjoyed professional turns
with such premium wine ventures as Joseph Phelps Vineyards and
Quintessa in the Napa Valley. Throughout, however, she kept a hand
in Joel Gott Wines, which was launched in 1996
under the name of the habitually entrepreneurial
man she would marry a year later.

Joel and Sarah Gott at

the winery in St. Helena.

68  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 In 2004, as the Gotts began to have children
(their brood now totals three), they became not
only family-focused but family-business-focused.
Sarah joined Joel Gott Wines full-bore, resulting
in an indefatigable winemaking team. Much
about their business reflects a family-themed
approach—even their offices in St. Helena are a
converted home with a lab fashioned from the
vestiges of a living room. Moreover, the additional
talent that surrounds them shares a jovial, sibling-
like camaraderie. Taunts and jokes abound while
serious work blending their critically lauded
Cabernet, Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Riesling
takes place in the homey premises.
Joel Gott Wines sources grapes from all over
California, with an emphasis on Amador, Lodi,
Monterey, Napa and SSonoma County’s Knights
Valley and Russian River Valley for certain lines.
(Their Riesling hails from Columbia Valley in
Washington State.) They’re also keen on blending
the best California has to offer.
“My passion for it really took because it wasn’t like
‘Okay, you have one wine and one vineyard to work
with, which is a great thing, but I’m really not a huge
estate person,” opines Gott, who adds, “I think there
are some incredible estate wines but what’s to say
it’s not better if you blended something else into it?
That’s what I think we do here best with our team:
We create wines from all over California and we’re
able to do that and deliver at our price point because
we make blending our priority.”
Indeed, most Joel Gott Wines retail for between
$15 and $20, yet, their consistent excellence has
made them rivals of many wines at higher price
points. “Yes, we work in the vineyard and we do all Winemaker Sarah Gott traded veterinary studies for winemaking.
of that but we’re also here with our team tweaking
and seeing what else we can do, because we’re not necessar- over the product. This is particularly important when
ily tied to Napa and having a higher price point,” says Gott, one’s name is on the bottle—a fact that has become almost
who puts an emphasis on “over-delivering.” completely abstracted to Joel, who also is a co-creator of
Gott endeavors to create wines that find balance and the Three Thieves brand and has interests in several
elegance through the blending process that are characteris- food-themed ventures, including the iconic Gott’s Roadside
tically nuanced and subtle, sidestepping the “cherry bomb” eateries. He comfortably speaks of his namesake brand as if
trend of super-fruity Cabs, which often come with higher its name were a random collection of phonemes.
alcohol levels. Though the Gotts have worked together on the brand
“I do feel that the pendulum may be swinging back a bit. since its inception, Sarah’s main employers at the time would
There are so many good wines out there that may not get have perceived having her name on the bottle as a conflict of
the credit they deserve because they’re not pushing the interest. Besides, she isn’t remotely interested in being the
envelope,” Gott says, then laughs, “I’m not sure where the face of the family enterprise. “Joel can do the talk and do the
envelope goes. Clearly, you don’t want to be completely dog-and-pony show; I would much rather come and do this
oblivious, but you do want to develop that good quality and and then go home to the kids and not have to be out doing
balance, that refinement that we’re hoping people enjoy.” winemaker dinners and stuff,” she says with a laugh.
Moreover, the quality of her wine and its relatively afford- The family’s business and their personal lives often overlap,
able price has left Joel Gott Wines well positioned during and that’s how they like it. “The business is such a part of our
the economic downturn. Those who formerly wouldn’t life, that I don’t see any difference between the two,” Joel
think twice about a $40 or even $60 bottle have grown more observes. To wit, the duo has dubbed their top-tier product
circumspect about their spending, yet seek a comparable simply “Gott.” As Joel makes abundantly clear, theirs is a
experience. “They’re buying our wine for $20 and they’re family business, not the “Joel Gott” business. “It’s family
happy,” says Gott. for sure,” he affirms. “Honestly after 15 years of having the
Joel Gott Wines are marketed and sold by Trinchero label, it just seems like it’s a brand, there’s ‘Joel Gott’ and
Family Estates, a relationship that has helped the Gotts there’s Joel Gott—and fortunately, I know the difference
reach a wide market without losing autonomy or control between the two.”

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  69

 PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG
Soil + water = aromatic “mud,” which
helped guests appreciate terroir, but it was
the dirt from the famed To Kalon that was
the star among the soil samples.

Down to Earth ROBERT MONDAVI We got our hands and palates dirt-y at Mondavi’s recent Taste of Place
events, at which San Francisco installation artist Laura Parker and
WINERY’S “TASTE Mondavi Director of Winemaking Geneviève Janssens paired food,
wine and terroir. Parker’s work focuses on the relationship between
OF PLACE” food and its source; the Mondavi offerings were the logical comple-
ment—expressions of soil as it pertains to wine. Here are our earthy
SHOWCASES THE reports from New York City and Los Angeles as Lana Bortolot and
SOUL OF SOIL Meridith May do the ground work.

New York City of Coombs gravelly loam before delving into Cabernet
Sauvignon grapes, harvested and dried in 2010.

T
hey say you can’t bring the mountain to Mohammad, And if they couldn’t taste the Mondavi legacy off the stem,
but that didn’t stop Robert Mondavi Winery from guests tasted it in the glass: Five wines from the esteemed
bringing a little piece of his earth to New York City. vineyard were expertly paired with dinner.
In a month when snow blanketed much of the city, a little “To Kalon is the First Growth of Napa,” said Janssens.
dirt was a welcome sign. Held at Hearth, the trendsetting That’s quite a statement coming from a French-raised and
restaurant of wine geek Paul Grieco (who, along with Chef Bordeaux-trained enologist. Janssens, the former Director
Marco Canora, has been nominated for a 2011 James Beard of Winemaking at Opus One, has worked on To Kalon for
Foundation award), the New York edition of Taste of Place 25 years, seeing it through three generations of replanting,
featured interactive tasting stations showcasing locally each yielding wines she calls powerful and distinctive.
sourced soils and the food grown in them. Guests nibbled “Every single year—no matter the weather or the impact
on Tokyo white t urnips and baby greens while sniffing mud of humans, the wines are absolutely fantastic. We have been
mixes of the soils from which they came: Bucks silt loam going in the same direction since 1966 with the Cabernet
from Chickadee Creek Farm in Pennington, NJ, and Carlisle Sauvignon; it is our heritage and our future.”
muck—which, despite its name, surprised tasters with its silky, When asked where she sees the wines going in the future,
powdery texture—from Rogowski Farm in Pine Island, NY. you might say Janssens channeled her inner Bordeaux
But the star of the show was the pungent soil from Napa winemaker. “To Kalon is so strong, we don’t need any
Valley’s To Kalon Vineyard, prized for producing some artificial makeup. We are traditional, we don’t have to try to
of Mondavi’s most elegant and complex wines. From the be trendy,” she said, adding, “To Kalon is not a toy to play
Monastery Block, Oakville AVA, guest inhaled aromas with to please the consumers.”—Lana Bortolot

70  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 TERROIR

Los Angeles
A
t Akasha, a Culver City-area restaurant touting organic, locally-
sourced foods, the option of smelling and possibly tasting dirt felt
like a natural occurrence. But it was the enticing opportunity to
sniff the aromas of the soils that was so
cleverly exciting for a pack of Southern
California journalists who, jaded when it
comes to the run-of-the-mill wine dinner,
had something new to experience.
“Our invitees get to do what we, as
winemakers, do all day long: smell the
soil,” noted Robert Mondavi Director
of Winemaking Genevieve Janssens.
“That part of our job is of paramount
importance.”
PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG

Sniffing and swirling the famed To

Kalon dirt, mixed with a splash of water, I

PHOTO: MARIA SCHRIBER

experienced sweet garden peas, dried fruit
and clay. Not to say that is what you taste
when you sip Robert Mondavi “I” Block
Lola Duck with Confit Turnips, Passata Sauce, Fumé Blanc, a barely 200-case production
Pomegranate, Red Quinoa paired with Robert of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines in
Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, North America, but I did get sweet pea, We found new perspec-
2007 and 1996 along with lemon verbena and a distinct tive in the already famed
clay minerality, despite the barrel fermenta- Robert Mondavi “I” Block
tion and oak aging. Sauvignon Blanc.
The taste of place exercise was rewarded
by the well-paired dishes at Akasha, where ingredients from small family
farm producers and artisan food makers shine even more now that I can
picture them tilling the soil.
—Meridith May

Robert Mondavi Director of Winemaking

Genevieve Janssens explains the signifi-
cance of the To Kalon wines and vineyard.

PHOTO: MARIA SCHRIBER

James Beard Award–nominated owner At Akasha restaurant,THE TASTING PANEL’S Meridith May
(Hearth & Terroir restaurants) and and Richard Carleton Hacker get an understanding of
Wine Director Paul Grieco sniffing and swirling soil-turned-mud.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  71

IN THE BIZ

Entrée
for Entrepreneurs
BRAND ACTION TEAM OPENS IMPORTANT
DOORS FOR THE INDUSTRY

N
ew products are recognized as the lifeblood of the wine and spirits
industry, and there is no lack of entrepreneurs with creative ideas. The
obstacle they commonly face, however, is sourcing cash to get those ideas
off the ground and, in the case of foreign brands, an importer to get them in front
of consumers.
Brand Action Team (BAT), a Connecticut-based marketing consulting firm
whose core business is helping new brands get launched in the U.S., has come
up with solutions to both problems.

Finding Money
“Until now, there really weren’t
any industry-experienced resources
to get entrepreneurs in front of the
right money people,” according to Jeff
Grindrod, Managing Partner at Brand
Action Team.
Jeff Grindrod, Managing Partner at So BAT has partnered with financial
Brand Action Team is helping to experts at GBS Capital Advisor to cre-
put entrepreneurs in front of ate a solution. “GBS Capital Advisor is designed specifically to bring early-stage
the right money people. beverage brands from concept to commercialization through the development
of a rigorous business plan and a practical strategy for attracting angel, private
equity and venture capital funding,” says Jack Brennan, Managing Partner.

Finding an Importer
Addressing the difficult issue of finding a potential importer, BAT has intro-
duced ImporterConnect, a trademarked concept that provides a unique new
way for foreign suppliers to find and qualify importers in the U.S.
According to Steve Raye, Managing Partner at BAT, “The engine that drives
ImporterConnect is a database we created that goes beyond basic contact
information and specifies which markets an importer works in, which countries
they specialize in, which suppliers and brands they represent and other key
information suppliers really need to make an informed decision.”
ImporterConnect is a suite of services that gives suppliers a way to identify
the right potential partner for both sides. “Our experience in the business adds
value to the database, so that we can act on behalf of suppliers as the U.S.-based
representative to conduct the search. We’ll talk to importers, find those that are
interested in a client’s products and help bring them to the table to negotiate a
deal,” Raye says.
With its unique experience combined with an exclusive set of tools and
Steve Raye, Managing Partner at services, Brand Action Team is opening doors for wine and spirits entrepreneurs
Brand Action Team. and paving the way for new brands to move from concept to market.
[Link]

72  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 LAUNCH PAD

Year of the
Dragon
ASIAN TRADITION MAY HAVE OTHER IDEAS, BUT THE
MYTHICAL CREATURE IS DEFINITELY ASCENDANT FOR
MIXOLOGISTS IN 2011, THANKS TO THE LAUNCH OF NEW
SKYY INFUSIONS DRAGON FRUIT

G
iving rise to fantasy, dragons may be feared or respected,
representing a primal force of nature. While the serpent-
like creature may have breathed fire, SKYY Spirits' newest
infusion, Dragon Fruit, is breathing refreshing life into the mixol-
ogy scene.
Yes, there really is a dragon fruit. Also known as the pitahaya or
strawberry pear, it is the fruit from several cactus species in tropi-
cal regions such as South America, Indonesia and Vietnam.
The first nationally available dragon fruit–infused vodka, SKYY
Infusions Dragon Fruit is all natural and packs aromatics that fly
out of the glass—maybe not on the wings of our mythical dragon,
but certainly carrying vivid notes of raspberry and cranberry. On
the palate, freshly crushed raspberries mingle with a dash of white
pepper and a Cajun-spiced Mandarin orange peel. It quickly cools
down to a smooth, pleasant fruity finish. 91 points. —Meridith May

Here’s How a Few Celebrated

Mixologists Are Taming the Dragon
DRAGON FRUIT FIZZ FRENCH DRAGON DRAGON’S CUP
created by Adam Wilson, created by Aaron Gregory Smith, created by Patricia Richards,
Beretta, San Francisco USBG National VP and owner of 15 Property Mixologist, Wynn and
Romolo, San Francisco Encore, Las Vegas
■
2½ oz. SKYY Infusions Dragon Fruit
■
1 oz. passion fruit purée ■
1½ oz. SKYY Infusions Dragon ■
2¼ oz. SKYY Infusions
■
½ oz. raspberry liqueur Fruit Dragon Fruit
■
½ oz. lime juice ■
½ oz. Yellow Chartreuse ■
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
■
4 oz. lemon-lime soda ■
½ oz. pineapple juice ■
1¼ oz. simple syrup
■
½ oz. lime juice ■
1½ oz. long English cucumber, diced
Combine all ingredients except ■
Angostura bitters ■
1 large, ripe strawberry
soda in cocktail shaker with
ice. Shake vigorously and strain Shake ingredients over ice. Strain Muddle cucumber and
into a highball glass. Top with into a Collins glass and garnish strawberry in cocktail shaker;
lemon-lime soda and garnish with with a lime wheel. add remaining ingredients and
lime wheel and raspberries. shake vigorously with ice. Garnish
with strawberry and cucumber and
serve in an Old Fashioned glass.

april 201 11  /  the tasting panel  //  73

 the Micro-Seasonal
drınk
Spirit
and the THIS MONTH, BRIDGET ALBERT HEADS

dısh
TO BERKELEY, CA TO GATHER, WHERE
VODKA PLAYS A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN
BEVERAGE AND CUISINE
photos by Andrew Faulkner

T
wo facts about vodka: It’s both the number-one-selling
spirit in the country and the least favorite spirit of
many classic mixologists to use in creating a cocktail.
With the resurgence of classic cocktails, over-processed
cocktails such as the Apple Martini and Cosmo have caused
vodka to fall off of the classic mixologist’s menu.
Given the many ingredients vodka can be made from, and
with organic brands now available, the time is right to take
a look at this category with a fresh set of eyes. In my travels
out West, I was thrilled to come across Gather. Located in
Berkeley, California, the restaurant is known for its rustic
cocktails and food. Although there are many vodka cocktails
on menus in bars around the country, finding vodka cock-
tails made with fresh ingredients can be difficult. Mixologist
Sarah Bondick and Chef Sean Baker get it right with their
use of vodka in the glass and on the plate.

Bridget Albert: Tell me about your relationship.

Sarah: Sean and I work closely together to make sure
that Gather’s beverage program matches the quality and
philosophy of the kitchen. We taste wines together to keep
our list evolving and innovative. Sean offers direction with
micro-seasonal changes to our menu, which keeps me on
my toes and inspired to craft new cocktails. We also love
sharing some shaved pig head and a cold strong IPA at the
end of a long shift.

B.A: In San Francisco you are blessed with some of the best
farmers’ markets in the U.S. What’s your favorite season for
cooking and mixing?
Sean: Not to avoid the question, but we really love
the change of the seasons to keep things evolving and
interesting. In the kitchen, we get just as excited about the
challenges of a smaller selection of produce in the winter as
we do about the bounty of fall harvest time. During winter,
Gather mixologist Sarah Bondick. I enjoy braising meats as well as roasting roots, thistles and
brassicas to offer a warm meal for our guests coming in
from the cold weather outdoors. In summertime, we play
with lighter cuisine and offer various crudo dishes as well as

74  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 steelhead comes from the California
coast, and we work with Monterey
Bay Fish, who always recommends the
most sustainable seafood available on
the market.

B.A.: What’s your mission at Gather?

Sean: Gather was created to be a
lively restaurant where you can find
peak-season rustic farm food, carefully
sourced and thoughtfully prepared
to appeal equally to vegetarians and
omnivores. Our sustainable sourcing
values extend beyond the kitchen
into the building materials we used to
design the space, to our “organic” bar,
our cleaning materials and more. We
specifically opened our restaurant in
the David Brower Center because it
was one of the most innovative LEED
Platinum–rated green buildings in the
Sean Baker is the Chef at Gather restaurant in Berkeley, CA. Bay Area.

salads from unique heirloom produce. Square One botanical vodka, ginger,
At the bar, we love winter for the lemon, honey and mint. It is sure to get
tremendous variety of citrus, including you stung! BEE STING
the strange but delectable Buddha’s
Hand; and in the heart of summer we B.A.: Chef, are there other uses for ■
1½ oz. Square
get to play with cucumbers and created vodka in cooking besides in a tradi- One vodka
a gin cocktail we called Summer tional sauce? ■
½ oz. gingercello
Sandals, which includes a sandalwood Sean: Beyond sauces, we use vodka ■
¼ oz. honey
simple syrup, basil and lime. to cure fish and fish eggs. In winter ■
¾ oz. lemon
B.A.: Sarah, what’s your most creative we quick-cure steelhead for crudo and juice
use of vodka in a cocktail recipe? serve it with its roe alongside fried ■
3–4 mint leaves
Sarah: One of our most coveted heirloom potatoes, sunchokes and salsa
cocktails, earning coverage in The New verde. ■
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a
York Times, is the Bee Sting. This herbal cocktail coupe. Garnish with a mint sprig.
tangy creation contains B.A.: Sarah, are there any myths
about vodka that you can dispel?
Sarah: A couple of myths I’d like CUCUMBER VODKA–CURED
to dispel are that all vodkas taste the STEELHEAD CRUDO, WHIPPED
same, when actually each can be quite HORSERADISH, SALSA VERDE
unique in flavor, varying from producer
to producer. Another myth is that vod-
& CRISPY POTATO
kas are generally thought to be made ■
1 side of steelhead
mainly from potatoes; in fact, they can ■
1 cup sea salt
be made from rye, quinoa or grapes, ■
1 cup sugar
and the majority from corn. Each of ■
1 cup dill
these can bring its own nuances of ■
4 oz. cucumber-infused
flavor to enhance the taste of a cocktail. Absolut vodka

B.A.: Tell me about some of the local ■

Mix salt, sugar, dill in
resources you use for ingredients in a mixing bowl; rub the
both of your recipes. mixture evenly over the
Sarah: We work closely with various steelhead. Pour the vodka
farmers such as Linda and Steven over the fish, cover with
Butler of Lindencroft Farms to plan plastic and refrigerate for 3
Salmon crudo is a specialty creation out our shifting menus. Linda grows a hours. Remove the fish from curing vessel
of Sean Baker. The ingredients include really tasty mint that works perfectly and rinse with cold water. Slice on a thin
salmon, roe, crème fraîche, miner’s in the Bee Sting, which she brings to bias at the tail, cutting toward the tail.
lettuce, olive oil and shaved radish. the restaurant herself every week. Our

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  75

ITALY

Passito Perfect THE DRIED-GRAPE WINES OF UMBRIA’S SAGRANTINO DI

MONTEFALCO DOCG ARE A TREASURE
by Anthony Dias Blue

I
taly is a county that holds many wine treasures. Nearly every corner of the
boot-shaped nation has its own indigenous grapes and its own specialty wines
made using techniques that date back many centuries. One of these little-known
treasures is the passito wine made from Umbria’s native Sagrantino grape.
Grown in a very small area in and around Montefalco, the red Sagrantino grape
is highly tannic, one reason that the wines bearing the Sagrantino di Montefalco
DOCG are mellowed by aging for a requisite 30 months before release. The dry
Sagrantino di Montefalco table wines are deep and heady, but Montefalco also
produces red passito wines from Sagrantino, using hand-selected grapes naturally
dried on open racks for up to three months.
UMBRIATOP
Created in 2009, UMBRIATOP
is a cooperative of more than 50
premium wine producers and as-
sociations from the top Umbrian
wine-growing areas of Monte-
falco, Orvieto and Torgiano. The
organization represents a diverse
group of world-class winemakers,
producing wines of the highest
PHOTO COURTESY OF UMBRIATOP

quality in limited quantities. As

the first collaboration of its kind,
the cooperative aims to promote
Umbrian products in the American
market—ultimately allowing con-
sumers to access and purchase
Sagrantino grapes drying for passito.
Umbrian wines easily. UMBRI-
ATOP is focused on educating
These sweet versions are historically the traditional wines of consumers about the high-quality
Montefalco and the process dates back to the 15th century. Like their wines of Umbria as well as the
table wine counterparts, the passito wines carry the Sagrantino di unique and compelling history of
Montefalco DOCG designation and must be made from 100 percent this important region of Italy.
Sagrantino. [Link]
The Tiburzi 2005 Sacciamerli Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito
($20, 375 ml., through Wine Emporium) is earthy, dense and sweet
with peppery spice and firm tannins. Rich and dark with concen-
trated plum and cassis flavors, the Tenuta Rocca di Fabbri 2005
Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito ($30, 500 ml.,
available from Monsieur Touton Selection Ltd.) is
tangy-sweet, with deep, long flavors of rich black Tips on Serving Passito
fruit. The stunning Antonelli 2006 Sagrantino
di Montefalco Passito ($45, 375 ml., through • Stand bottle upright for 12–24
Omniwines and other importers) showcases hours before serving
tannins, wild berries and spice, with complex forest floor and • Open bottle and let breathe for
chocolate tones on a finish that’s intense, smooth and balanced. up to two hours
These are wonderful “meditation wines,” as they are called in • Best served slightly chilled
Italy—meant to be savored slowly in thoughtful peace and quiet, perhaps with (not cold)
ripe cheeses, nuts or dried fruit to accompany their dusky, intriguing flavors.

76  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 ITALY

Where Sangiovese Is

Sangiovese
PHOTO COURTESY OF ENOTECA REGIONALE EMILIA ROMAGNA

LABELS FROM
EMILIA-ROMAGNA
MAKE VARIETAL
SELECTION EASY
by Becky Sue Epstein

Sangiovese is considered indigenous to Emilia-Romagna.

B
oth on- and off-premise, customers are asking for vineyards, wine classified Superiore can be released in the
Sangiovese. Many U.S. consumers are unaware this spring following harvest, while the Riserva wines need only
grape is the major component of the famed Tuscan two years of aging before release.
wines of Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di The first “modern” producers established their wineries
Montepulciano, but this gives Emilia-Romagna a marketing here in the 1980s, so many winemakers have had their
advantage over neighboring Tuscany: Its Sangiovese wines updated vineyards and wineries for ten, 20, 30 years—long
are varietally labeled with the name of the grape right on enough to get to know the grapes and what types of wines
the bottle. they are capable of.
Sangiovese is considered indigenous to Emilia-Romagna, hav- Offering distributors and the public tastes of Emilia-
ing been cultivated here for at least 500 years. It grows mainly in Romagna’s wines, the 6th annual “Vini ad Arte” exhibition was
Romagna, in an area that rises gently in a northwesterly direction held in Faenza in February, sponsored this year by several
from near the Adriatic toward Bologna, reaching an altitude of organizations, including Enoteca Regionale Emilia Romagna
about 1,500 feet inland. Sangiovese wines made here are very and Consorzio Vini di Romagna, as well as the founding
approachable, and drink well in only a few years—though many Convito di Romagna, a consortium whose eight member
will age well for a few decades. wineries—Calonga, Drei Donà/Tenuta La Palazza, Fattoria
Sangiovese di Romagna has been a DOC since 1967; Zerbina, Stefano Ferucci, Poderi Morini, San Patrignano, San
this wine must be at least 85% Sangiovese. From the finest Valentino and Tre Monti—are all worth getting to know.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  77

A LONE STAR LIFE

¡Viva la
Michelada! THE GREATEST BEER COCKTAIL
YOU’VE NEVER TASTED
by Anthony Head / photo by Kirk Weddle

I
took an informal poll of thirsty friends around the country to answer
the following question: If you ordered a Michelada in a bar, what
would you be served? No one knew the answer, although a couple
folks in California got close. A Michelada is a beer cocktail imported
from Mexico, and it’s apparently still trying to find its way into America.
That’s not the case in Texas, especially San Antonio and Austin, where
Micheladas have gained a foothold. Although I’ve seen no evidence of a
single inventor or official recipe lineage, the drink has been ordered in
cafés, bars and restaurants throughout Mexico for decades. “Michelada”
has no true translation, but it kind of means “my beer” or “mix beer”;
either way, it’s an ambiguous term.
The basic, and ambiguous, recipe usually involves beer, tomato juice,
lime juice and salt: a simple concoction to satisfy cerveza’s willingness to
pair with savory flavors. What else goes into a Michelada depends a lot on
personal preference. Throughout Mexico, Clamato is often substituted for
tomato juice. Internet-sourced recipes include adding a dash of picante
sauce, a few splashes of Worcestershire sauce and/or a soupçon of soy
sauce. Maybe even a pinch of black pepper. Not surprisingly, the drink
has been linked with the Bloody Mary and the Red Eye (beer, tomato
juice, raw egg) for its curative hair-of-the-dog-that-bit-you properties.
At El Chile Café y Cantina in Austin, the Michelada begins with a
schooner of Dos Equis Lager from the tap. Tabasco and Worcestershire
are splashed in along with a healthy pour of fresh lime juice. The rim’s
already been dusted with El Chile’s proprietary chili powder blend, M ICHEL E’S M ICHE L A D A S
which adds some savory heat without the flame to the cool draft. Try serving these alongside Margaritas at
“Our mixologist, Rachael Davis, takes the drink very seriously,” next month’s Cinco de Mayo fiestas.
Orlando Sanchez tells me, “and it goes with almost everything we
serve.” Sanchez is El Chile’s COO, and he says the Michelada is becom- ■
Juice from 3 limes
ing an important component of the city’s bar menus because it adds ■
1 tsp. Cholula hot sauce
complexity to beer without diluting any of its refreshingness. ■
1 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce
After confiding that he prefers his Micheladas over ice, Sanchez says, ■
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
“Almost everyone has their own recipe.” Almost everyone around here ■
½ tsp. ground black pepper
does, anyway. That’s because for the home bar chef there are bottled ■
½ tsp. chili powder
varieties of liquid Michelada seasoning available. My brother-in-law, ■
lime salt
over near San Antonio, makes his own, but also highly recommends ■
12 oz. Corona
canned Budweiser & Clamato Chelada.
The strongest evidence of the staying power of this savory cocktail ■
Rim serving glass with lime salt. Combine
is my wife’s excellent original recipe. It’s nothing to you, perhaps, but all ingredients except beer and lime salt in
my wife normally eschews beer. So for her to enthusiastically whip up cocktail shaker; shake well. Pour into glass,
a round of these . . . well, I think that shows a whole lot of range for just add beer, stir and serve.
one drink.

78  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Cape
Crusader ONCE KNOWN ONLY AS
A SOUTH AFRICAN WINE
IMPORTER, FAIREST CAPE’S
PRESIDENT, PETER KOFF
MW, EXPLORES THE REST
OF THE WORLD

by Meridith May / photos

Peter Koff is the President of Fairest Cape by David Gadd
Beverages. He is one of only two people in the
world to hold both Master of Wine and Cape
Wine Master titles.

80  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 PORTFOLIO TASTING
“This must be Domaine des Malandes 2008 Chablis

the fairest cape Vieilles Vignes, France The magnificent

aromas burst through with ripe pear and

of them all.”
vanilla wafers. The minerality is but a
slight hint of clay and stone. SRP $26

—Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias, on discovering VillIera Estate 2010 “Down to Earth,”
the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, circa 1488 Stellenbosch, South Africa Vibrant,
zingy asparagus backed by citrus,
green peppercorns and wet pebbles
By the time Peter Koff left South Africa in 1988, he was make this Sauv Blanc/Semillon blend
already immersed in wine knowledge, armed with the certi- a stand-out and one you won’t forget
fication of Cape Wine Master (CWM), a program based on a in a sea of whites. “We love Sauvignon
thorough education in the wines from his native country. Blanc in South Africa,” insists Peter Koff;
Involved in the tech industry, Koff decided to study “we’re not afraid of its overt character.
for his Master of Wine (MW) here in the States. He earned However, Semillon is our secret ingredi-
his degree, joining an elite few who hold this prestigious ent, which lifts [up the base notes of] the
title. Perhaps it was that extra boost that allowed him to other grape.” SRP $14
realize the corporate environment was not his path. “So I
selected wine,” he tells THE TASTING PANEL at a recent Delheim 2010 Pinotage Rosé, South
portfolio tasting at The Thompson Hotel in Beverly Hills. Africa A big name in S.A. wine, Delheim
In 1992, he had his first container shipped in from the creates a big-flavored yet delicately
Cape. “At the time, there were only two of us importing crafted rosé with rose petals, raspberries
wines from South Africa. The embargo was lifted a mere and the most subtle dusting of miner-
three weeks later.” Koff was the only salesperson for his als. “What I look for is elegance and
newly formed company, Fairest Cape Imports, traveling the complexity,” Koff says. “I’ll trade that for
entire U.S.—and hitting a few walls, including some buyers power and punch anytime.” SRP $15
who asked in disbelief, “They’re producing wine in Africa?
No %$&!” Cristom Vineyards, 2008 Pinot Noir Mt.
From an original portfolio consisting solely of South Je≠erson Cuvée, Oregon The majority
African imports to a current line of emerging wines from of this delectable fruit comes from the
Italy, France, New Zealand, Argentina, Spain and the U.S., Eola-Amity Hills appellation and, aged
Fairest Cape Beverages, as the company is known today, for a year in French oak, displays what
is proud of its credo: “Best of genre, great prices!” Koff we can only describe as the sweet side of
continually circles the globe tasting wines in order to satin. Strawberry and Bing cherry—and
source great offerings at great value. a noticeable absence of the earth that
“We want to deliver the same qualities and technical some may associate with Oregon—take
pleasures and benefits as the high-priced counterparts,” Koff this Pinot to the next level for us. The
claims. For him, “technical pleasure” refers to the wines’ creamy vanilla texture and taste seals the
structure, fruit and/or mineral components—that is, the deal. SRP $26
factors that really count, even if his fairly-priced bottles don’t
necessarily offer the “emotional satisfaction of drinking a Boland Cellars 2010 Pinotage “cap-
Château Pétrus, for example.” pupino ccinotage,” Paarl, South Africa
While Fairest Cape enjoys national distribution for its Nicknamed an “undercover Pinotage”
wines from South Africa and Italy, the remainder of the port- by Fairest Cape’s Arno Gelderbloem,
folio is concentrated in the California and Nevada markets. this coffee-stylized red combines the
We met with Koff and Arno Gelderbloem to taste buoyancy of a Pinot Noir and the grilled
just a sampling of Fairest Cape’s international offerings. meatiness of a Syrah. Guided by a hand-
Here are notes on some of our favorites. ful of juicy strawberry, it’s backed up by
a triple espresso mocha latte. A superb
Champagne Chevalier Fabré NV Brut by-the-glass selection. SRP $15
Champagne, France A blend of 50%
Pinot Meunier, 45% Pinot Noir and 5% Fattoria Buccicatino 2000 “Stilla
Chardonnay sourced from 30 different Rubra,” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
crus throughout Champagne. Due to its D.O.C., Italy Its earthy, mushroom-y nose
slightly higher dosage, this light, softly and flavor profile reminds us of a rich
bubbled beauty is redolent with sweet collector’s wine cellar. Old World brood-
honey-citrus and whole wheat bready ing, long notes linger without any harsh
character. Vinified without ML. Only 250 tannins. Ripe and raisiny. SRP $32
cases. SRP $29 [Link]

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  81

ON-PREMISE PATTER

In a city as large as Los Angeles, the diversity in the flavors and flairs of bars and restaurants is equaled only
by the amount of traffic you’ll hit getting from point A to point B. THE TASTING PANEL calls L.A. home
base, but we’re continually surprised by the unique energy of un- or re-discovered gems that make up this
sprawling City of Angels. Here’s a closer look at two accounts that are

Making L.A. Great by Rachel Burkons / photos by Maria Schriber

A Southern (Wine) Revival it with a touch of California cool, resulting

From 1966 until the early 1990s, Maverick’s in a restaurant that delivers consistently
Flat was a central figure in the African- great food and hand-crafted cocktails—and
American entertainment industry and was a is rented out for the occasional bar mitzvah
must-stop venue for Blaxploitation stars, prom- or serves as a ladies’ night meeting spot
inent musicians and big-name comedians who complete with pole-dancing lessons.
gathered to listen to great music, celebrate “We just like to have fun here,” says wwner
their community and, of course, have a great Brian McKeaney as he chows down on one
drink. After falling into disrepair in the ‘90s of Rush Street’s signature burgers before
and sitting vacant for 12 years, Maverick’s Flat washing it down with a Kahlúa- and Absolut
was restored, refurbished and reborn in late Vanilla–based “Death by Coffee” cocktail-slash-
2010 and is now back in action with live music, dessert. His staff agrees, including mixology
a Gospel Brunch, fine dining and a beverage mastermind Steve Taschler, who built Rush
program that focuses on the classics. Street’s cocktail program around the concept of
“We want to give people that old-school, having a cocktail to please every palate.
classic drink experience,” explains General
Manager Earnest Ross as he relaxes in the
straight-out-of-the-‘70s (in the best way
possible) private lounge, where the original
furniture has been reupholstered in white
leather and hand-made candle-wax tiles
softly glow from the ceiling. For Ross, an
industry vet and jazz enthusiast (he refers to
GM Earnest Ross knows the genre as a “humble delight of measures,”
that his customers want a a description too good not to print), putting
name they recognize when together a classic beverage program means
making their wine selec- more than just Manhattans and Martinis.
tions. “The Coppola Cab is “I’ve been around the restaurant business
a classic,” he says. long enough to know that a great wine Rush Street GM Charles Hueston, Mixologist
list makes the difference,” says Ross, who Steve Taschler, Event Coordinator Jennifer
explained that this was the reasoning behind Collins and owner Brian McKeaney enjoy a
putting Maverick’s Flat’s wine program in the snack and some cocktails in the restaurant’s
capable hands of Southern Wine & Spirits, upstairs lounge. Downstairs, Hollywood execu-
resulting in a balanced, 100%-SWS list that tives meet for power lunches, while the upstairs
provides his customers with the perfect lounge becomes a see-and-be-seen scene.
wine experience. “With as many suppliers as
Southern has, there’s something for every- “We always ask people what they like,
one,” explains Ross. and then we’re able to turn around and use
every type of alcohol to create different flavor
A Taste of Chicago profiles,” attests Taschler, who has noticed a
For those familiar with the Windy City, particular uptick in the demand for low-cal
the name Rush Street signifies a collection cocktails, creating the Spring Rain in response.
of some of Chicago’s hottest bars; in the au “With Plymouth gin, muddled cucumber and
courant Los Angeles neighborhood of Culver other low-cal ingredients, this is the perfect
City, Rush Street is a bar/restaurant that cocktail for our weight-conscious crowd.” It
channels the best of the Midwest and mixes doesn’t get more “L.A.” than that.

82  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

APPELLATIONS
PASSIONATE AND ADVENTURSOME
VINTNERS IN TEMECULA EXPLORE THIS
AREA’S GREAT POTENTIAL

Finding Its Own

story and photos by David Gadd

O
ne of the ways American wine regions
and their specific appellations mature
and ultimately become successful is by
determining which set of grape varieties works
best in their particular geography and climate.
Trial and error, which can be a very long process
in the time-consuming world of winemaking,
plays a huge part, with vintners—and
ultimately the buying public—making the
final judgement.
It was decided decades ago that
Napa is Cabernet country, with other
Bordelais players such as Merlot
and Sauvignon Blanc assigned
important supporting roles. Cooler
Oregon opted for Burgundian
Pinot Noir and other members
of the Pinot family. Although
the jury is still out on California’s
Central Coast, the verdict seems to
be tending increasingly toward Rhône
varieties, whether varietal Syrahs or
heady GSM blends getting the nod. In
southerly Temecula, an up-and-coming AVA on
the border between California’s Riverside and San
Diego counties, the trial is still underway.

Wild, Wild West

On a recent trip to Temecula, THE TASTING
PANEL sampled everything from classic
Bordeaux-style blends worthy of a collector’s
cellar to orange- and almond-flavored sparkling
wines geared toward the wedding and tourist
trade that’s so important to the area’s fiscal
bottom line. In between, we found worthy
Zinfandels (some made from the ancient vines in
Cucamonga, to the north of Temecula), Malbecs
rivaling those of Argentina, delicious rosés
of Cabernet Franc, prize-winning Sauvignon
Blancs and aromatic Viogniers. Some vintners Temecula pioneer
sing the praises of Italian varieties (even the winemaker Joe Hart
notoriously difficult Nebbiolo is having a go and his son Jim at
in Temecula), while others are experimental their tasting room.
Rhônists who label their Grenache “Garnacha.”

84  /  the tasting panel  /  april 201 1

 In short, the area is currently a
riotous free-for-all of winemaking,
as passionate as it is lawless. Like its
quaint Western movie-set downtown,
Temecula wine country is the Old
West—a vinous Dodge City with
no Marshal Dillon. Not only has
Temecula not come to any definitive
conclusions on which varieties work
best in its scenic parallel valleys, it
also hasn’t determined—yet—exactly
who its target customers are.
This isn’t necessarily a bad
thing, since it means that the
Mediterranean-climate area is also
a hotbed of experimentation, where
ideas are flowing as fast as new
batches of White Tempranillo. On our
trip, we visited several very different
Temecula wineries and spoke with the
vintners who are forging their own
individual paths in an AVA where
both terroir and market-share are still
up for grabs.
A gathering of Temecula vint-
Country Mouse, City Mouse ners at Wilson Creek Winery.
There could hardly be a better place to begin than at Hart Family Winery, which became Top row (left to right): Ray
a favorite during our brief visit. As we drive up to what looks like a frontier general store, Falkner of Falkner Winery;
owner-winemaker Joe Hart mozies out onto his front porch, glass of red wine in hand. An Bill, Rosie, Gerry and Deanna
old-timer by Temecula standards, Joe planted his first grapes here in 1974 on a single acre; Wilson of Wilson Creek
today, working with his son Jim, he’s got eight-and-a-half acres and makes 4,000 cases. In Winery. Bottom row: Wilson
a steady trickle, weekday visitors sidle up to the tasting bar for a taste of Joe’s wares and a Creek winemaker Etienne
dose of down-home winechat. Cowper; Golden Retrievers
A former middle-school teacher, Joe knows the history of Chianti and Cabernet; Robert
Temecula intimately and has seen it evolve from cattle-ranching Renzoni of Robert Renzoni
and dry-farming to the wine and housing boom of the 1980s Vineyards; Nick Palumbo of
and beyond. The Harts make a range of carefully-crafted wines, Palumbo Family Vineyards.
with a wall full of ribbons to show for them. We loved the intense,
citrusy Hart 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, with its pineapple core. Even
more impressive, the stylish, fruit-forward 2007 Syrah shows the
father-son team’s mastery of Rhône varieties. They also make
expressive varietal Grenache and Mourvèdre, and their 2008 Tres
Hermanos is a powerful yet integrated GSM blend. But, typical
of Temecula, Joe hasn’t committed exclusively to Rhônes, as his
tangy, food-friendly Sangiovese shows.
Going from homespun Hart to sprawling Wilson Creek Winery
is a little like going from Bugtussle to Versailles—no offense to
either Jed Clampett or Louis XIV. One of the showplaces of the
AVA, Wilson Creek is the creation of retired financial industry
The Hart Syrah executive Gerry Wilson, his wife Rosie and their extended family
shows a mastery of of children, sons- and daughers-in-law and grandkids. “My
Rhône varietals. commute is 200 feet,” says the affable Gerry Wilson, pointing to
his house on the property.
Four silky Golden Retrievers greet the many passing tourists who hit the brakes at the
20-acre estate for a requisite taste of the signature Wilson Creek Almond Champagne. This
easy-drinking stuff may keep Wilson Creek’s books in the black, but their soft-spoken wine-
maker, Etienne Cowper, widely acknowledged as one of the best working in Temecula, will
confide to anyone willing to listen that “Temecula is more than almond champagne.” His
talent—and Temecula’s potential for Bordelais varietals—is apparent in the Wilson Creek
2008 Merlot, with its lovely Right Bank nose, lovely vanillins and elegant acid structure.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  85

APPELLATIONS

Bordeaux Bandwagon
While the tourist side of Baily
Winery happens at the tasting room
just off busy Rancho California Road
(Temecula’s main wine route), we meet
Phil Baily at his spotless—and bless-
edly quiet—winemaking facility on De
Portola Road, just a couple of miles to
the south. Although Baily marks its
25th anniversary this year, “the first
15 years were experimentation,” Phil
modesly suggests.
With so much experience under his
belt, Baily has taken a stand, varietally
speaking. Although he does make other
wines (“Those who don’t are shooting
themselves in the foot,” he avers), he’s
a confirmed believer in the Bordeaux
creed. His classy Meritage spends 18
months in barrel before blending and
another twelve after the cuvée has been
assembled. Largely driven by Cabernet shows us her stately 2006 Cabernet Classy Bordeaux-style blends: Phil Baily
Sauvignon, the wines include between Sauvignon and her limited-release 2005 keeps tabs on his Meritage in the Baily
30 and 40 percent Cabernet Franc Long Valley Red, a heady Meritage barrel room.
and have traditionally been rounded that includes all five Bordelais grapes.
off with Merlot, although in the most At Briar Rose Winery, housed in and
recent edition (2007) Phil substituted around a storybook-style cottage,
Malbec—a grape he’s obviously excited owner-winemaker Les Linkogle prac-
about. He just bottled his first varietal tices unorthodox techniques such as
Malbec, and it’s spot on the money. three-month maceration and ultraviolet
With an additional one to three years sterilization on his long-aged Cabernets
of bottle age (under Nomacorc) before and blends, the most expensive of
release, the Baily blends are among which have price tags of three digits,
Temecula’s gems—soft, voluptuous making them some of Temecula’s costli-
yet structured, full of style and ready est offerings.
to drink upon release. “Is Temecula a Wiens Family Cellars is perhaps
substitute for Bordeaux’s terroir?” we a proto-typical Temecula winery in
ask Phil. He takes a sip of his supple that winemaker Doug Wiens (one of
2004 Meritage, with its licorice-laced the four Wiens brothers involved in
flavors and lovely bottle bouquet, and the business) makes a wide spectrum
simply replies: “Terroir is overrated.” of wines, from Syrah to Sangiovese,
Also on-board with Bordeaux is from Pinot Gris to White Port, and
Stuart Cellars, where Susan Stuart the winery caters heavily to drive-by
traffic. But one of the winery’s
strong suits is its Meritage, a
Bordeaux-influenced blend
with jammy, black-fruit flavors.
We tasted it in the stylish
Wiens barrel room, fitted with Dorian and Les Linkogle run pictur-
state-of-the-art (and expensive) esque Briar Rose Winery.
sliding barrel racks manufac-
tured in Spain. alum of both Scheid in Monterey and
Cuvaison in Napa, Schabel heads up
Other Directions a winemaking program that treads
“I think Temecula is going in down the path toward Tuscany—not
the direction of Italian, Spanish surprising given owner Claudio
and Mediterranean wines,” Ponte’s Italian-Argentine roots. With
Susan Stuart of Stuart Cellars. The vine cuttings says Ponte Family Esate input from Argentine enologist Daniel
shown were grafted this winter. winemaker Mark Schabel. An Gomez and viticulturalist Dr. Enrique

86  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 Winemaker Mark Schabel heads
up the Italian-heavy program at
Ponte Family Estate.

Bordeaux varietals such as Cabernet

Sauvignon play a central role at Wiens
Family Cellars.

Ferro, Schabel takes the estate’s 125

planted acres of Sangiovese and other
varieties from vineyard to bottle in a
spacious facility that also includes one
of Temecula’s best restaurants.
Ponte’s 2007 Sangiovese shows tight
structure with acid backbone behind
distinctive black-cherry fruit—a jigsaw
match with Italian cuisine. Ponte’s more
full-bodied Super Tuscan (52 percent
Sangiovese and 48 percent Cabernet
Sauvignon) is a mouthful of summery
blackberry with a crisp finish. In
addition to a Barbera, the winery also
gives the nod to Piemonte with a rare
Nebbiolo release.
Keyways Winery is in the midst of
Temecula’s equestrian countryside,
along rustic De Portola Road. Young
winemaker David Raffaele, a New from Bordeaux varieties.” We were
York State native, became engrossed impressed with the feisty, spicy
with wine during a Navy stint in Italy. Garnacha, while Dave’s 2010 White
“When I first came here, Temecula Tempranillo was charming, ripe and
reminded me of Sicily,” David recalls perfect for afternoon quaffing in such
as we sample wines on a picnic table a lovely setting. And, the Italian-
with a direct view of towering Palomar American hints, “I’ve got my eye on
Mountain and its famed observatory. Nero d’Avola.”
In spite of successful Bordeaux-style The young winemaker is also sourc-
efforts from Keyways—a charming ing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from
Merlot, an oaky Petit Verdot and the De Luz Valley, a cool microclimate to the
restrained “Territage” blend among west of Interstate 15—where Temecula’s
them—David predicts that “Temecula next experiments could result in, yes, Winemaker David Raffaele at
will eventually start diverging away another new direction. Keyways Winery.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  87

VEGAS

Carte Blanche
Mixology FRESH IS THE KEY INGREDIENT AT
THE COSMOPOLITAN OF LAS VEGAS
by E. C. Gladstone / photo by Eric Ita

F
rom signage to spas to Cirque du Soleil shows, Las Vegas may not create
trends, but it enlarges and enhances them in a way that no other city could.
Take as one perfect example, the remarkable cocktail program at The
Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
This newest Strip casino/resort has many “wow” elements, but they all seem to
revolve around what may be the world’s greatest bar crawl. Under the supervision
of three competition cocktailers—Mariena Mercer, Andrew Pollard and Kristin
Schaefer, all 27—each of the resort’s bars offers its own menu of signature cock-
tails, as well as wines by-the-glass and craft beers. A total of 150 unique hand-
crafted cocktail recipes is available property-wide, most calling for specific brands,
There’s from Ransom Old Tom Gin (the Sage 75) to Aperol (the Aperol Necklace), and in
the case of at least one, garnishes that cost over a dollar apiece (the Verbena’s
szechuan button).
not a “In order to do a fresh program on this scale, we had to have carte blanche,”
says Pollard. They got it, clearly: Mercer and Schafer point out tthat almost all
juices and syrups are made in-house (with bitters in the works), there’s not a single

single blender behind a bar, and ice is made in a slow-freezing Kold-Draft machine—the
only one on the Strip. “It even sounds sexy when you shake it,” Schafer says, with
a wrinkle of the nose.

blender The results would inspire awe in even the most intrepid tippler. The property’s
centerpiece Chandelier bar, encased in two million strung crystals, offers interna-
tionally-inspired drinks on the ground floor, a molecular mixology kitchen on the

behind a loge and, on the top retail-adjacent tier, more feminine Martinis and fruity Fizzes
(all under Mercer’s watch). Adjacent to the hotel lobby, Pollard’s Vesper celebrates
Mid-Century elegance, with vested bartenders creating twists on classic “up”

bar.” drinks. Facing the Strip, Schafer’s Bond features LED projections, uptempo house
music and window-box dancers.
While Book & Stage is more focused on entertainment—sports on the TV
screens and bands (often national acts) on the stage—there is also a carefully
curated selection of craft beers here and at every other venue. Queue bar is
specifically designed as a feeder to the rooftop Marquee (the largest day/night-
club of its kind), a mood-setter and place to meet. Even the pool’s Tiki bar and
Sahra spa have their own cocktails, and room service features a unique steamer
trunk—essentially a full bar in a one-price box—readymade for a suite party.
Perhaps most impressively, staffers from all aspects of the property—down to
valets and housekeepers—participated in spirits education by industry experts
including Tony Abou-Ganim and Charlotte Voisey. “We’re going back to emphasiz-
ing service,” says Mercer. “Doing things because they’re the right thing to do.”

88  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 DEPARTMENT HEADER

The Cosmopolitan
mixologists/managers
Kristin Schaefer,
Andrew Pollard and
Mariena Mercer.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  89

 B

MATCH UP

Cocktails
& Cuisine
MIXED DRINKS MOVE FROM
THE BAR TO THE DINNER TABLE
At the St. Regis Monarch One of the signature cocktails
story and photos by Richard Carleton Hacker Beach in Dana Point, CA, of the St. Regis Monarch
Executive Chef Frédéric Beach, a Strawberry Lemonade

W
hen Lobby Lounge guests at the Forbes Castan created this pictur- made with Ketel One Citroen,
Five-Star St. Regis Monarch Beach order the esque and flavorful mission fig pairs well with Executive Chef
resort’s signature Bloody Mary or Mandarin and port wine confit especially Frédéric Castan’s heirloom baby
Blossom, they also may request hors d’oeuvres prepared for cocktails made with blanco beet salad and goat cheese
by Executive Chef Frédéric Castan (a Maître Cuisinier de tequila, vodka or gin. topped with truffle vinaigrette.
France) especially to match these cocktails. And for the
launch of Moon Mountain organic vodka at Hatfield’s
restaurant in Los Angeles, Bar Manager Peter Birmingham
worked with distiller Gerry Webb to create a different
cocktail for each course. Meanwhile, at The Forum at
Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, General Manager Brian
Mongeon of BOA Steak House created a tasting menu with
cocktails and steaks that proved so popular he is bringing it
back this spring. If you sense a trend, you are right.
“Cocktail and food pairings are available in any of our
restaurants,” says Brent Berkowitz, Operations Director
of BOA’s Innovative Dining Group. “They might not be
as prolific as BOA Las Vegas, but it is a part of all servers’
and bartenders’ training to know and understand what
cocktails go with which food items.”
Serving cocktails instead of wine with food not
only gives the waitstaff a talking point (“Would you
like a Martini instead of a Chardonnay with that trout
meunière?”), a cocktail pairing menu adds to your custom-
er’s dining experience while adding to your bottom line.
“We are starting to train our staff to suggest a cer-
tain cocktail with a customer’s meal,” notes Christian
Rassinoux, who oversees 12 restaurants as Executive
Chef of MGM Grand in Las Vegas. “For example, chocolate
desserts lend themselves to cognac-based cocktails.
Spicy foods suggest vodka. Tapas are another great way
to match food with cocktails. In Fiamma, our Italian
restaurant, we are expanding the bar menu so instead of
wine with dinner, customers will have a wider range of
cocktails to choose from.”
Even DISCUS (the Distilled Spirits Council of the United
States) offers cocktail and cuisine guidelines. “Consider Bringing 125 years of New York eating and drinking history
food pairings to enhance the flavor of your chosen cock- to Las Vegas, P. J. Clarke’s at the Forum Shops at Caesars
tails,” reads the organization’s press release. “Fresh seafood Palace features a $250,000 “Phoenix Bar” carved in France,
and breads accentuate vodka cocktails, spiced and smoked hearty American food and “manly” cocktails, as evidenced
meats and cheeses complement bourbon and Scotch by their classic corned beef Reuben with Swiss cheese and
whiskies, and fruit enhances rum and tequila flavors.” homemade sauerkraut, plus onion strings, cleverly paired with
Just be sure the garnish complements the entrée. a Knob Creek Manhattan.

90  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

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 BRAND SPOTLIGHT

The Call of Choice

WHETHER WE’RE IN MIAMI, CHICAGO, SAN FRANCISCO OR POINTS
IN-BETWEEN, THE GATE-KEEPERS KNOW WHAT’S SELLING

W
ith an internationally-
known and -loved name,
a reputation for excel-
lence and a product so good that it
practically sells itself, it’s no wonder
that the José Cuervo line of tequilas
has set the standard for Mexico’s
native spirit at bars and restaurants
across the U.S.
Although Cuervo’s influence
is so strong that it’s got a built-in
consumer base nationwide, two of
the brand’s offerings—Jose Cuervo
Platino and Jose Cuervo Reserva
de la Familia—have been hitting
PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI

especially high notes with super-

premium cocktails at super-premium
accounts in some of the most
influential markets in the country.
THE TASTING PANEL recently met
Mike Moreno of Moreno’s Liquors in Chicago boasts big sales of Jose Cuervo with four industry leaders who told
tequila: “Jose Cuervo is a staple in my store; without it, it couldn’t properly be us why Cuervo is the (tequila) talk of
called a liquor store. Cuervo has always been an anchor for the discriminating their towns.
tequila clientele; this iconic brand is known for smoothness that’s unparalleled.”

MIAMI: Cuervo Brings the Heat

T
he historic Fontainebleau Hotel has had more celebrities come through its
doors than many of Hollywood’s current hotspots, with the likes of Elvis,
Lucille Ball, Bob Hope and Marlene Dietrich all sidling up to the bar for a
cocktail during its heyday as a meeting place for the stars in the 1950s and ’60s.
But these days, the Fontainebleau brings a whole different kind of celebrity
heat to its Bleau Bar, where handcrafted cocktails set the spotlight on superstar
spirits, and the Cuervo brands have stepped center stage.
With over 40 tequilas to choose from, the hotel’s Beverage Manager, David
Mokha highlights Cuervo Platino in the aptly-named Platino Punch, a cocktail
designed to showcase Platino’s subtle notes of vanilla, white pepper and
PHOTO: TOM CLARK

clove. “I really like the Cuervo Platino,” says Mokha, “because when mixing it
with fresh fruits and spices, it stays very balanced and is well-integrated into
cocktails in a clean style.” But in Miami, and nationwide, the public’s love affair
with tequila means there’s a need for products that are as sippable as they are
mixable. “The Reserva de la Familia is a really, really great sipping tequila,” Fontainebleau’s David Mokha and
notes Mokha. —Rachel Burkons his popular Platino Punch.

92  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 SAN FRANCISCO: Platino
En Fuego in Fog City Made with 100% estate-
grown blue agave, everything

“C
uervo is the real face of Mexico,” says Sandra Tafur, Manager about Jose Cuervo Platino
of Mexico DF, a bustling Mexico City–themed restaurant where is handcrafted, from the
authenticity reigns supreme, and dancers and art direct from individually-numbered hand-
Mexico City help set the scene. “When you go to Mexico City, there is blown bottles, to the hand-
Cuervo Tradicional dipped wax seal and elegant
frozen everywhere . packaging.
. . everywhere!” she
continues. Reserva de la Familia
Having conquered The Cuervo brand’s finest
Mexico, Cuervo’s tequila is made from a secret
decades-long love family recipe and born out
affair North of the of the finest hand-selected,
Border is on full dis- ten-year-old agave plants on
play here, creating a the estate. Since its release
demand for Cuervo in 1995, each bottle’s hand-

PHOTO: ANDREW FAULKNER

so strong at Mexico crafted wooden box has
DF that on my first been designed by a local
visit, the well had Mexican artist.
literally run dry, and Jose Cuervo is imported by
customers—and cer- Diageo North America
tainly Tafur—were
anxiously awaiting a Mexico DF Manager Sandra Tafur.
new shipment.
Popularity aside,
what drives Tafur’s loyalty is Cuervo’s portfolio-wide authenticity, quality
and consistency, with a few shining standouts. “I like that for the premium
brands, the Platino and the Reserva de la Familia are well-executed
tequilas,” she says. A moment later, on further consideration, she asserts,
“I believe Reserva de la Familia is by far the best tequila on the market.”
A few blocks away, Carlos Delgado, Manager of Maya, an upscale eatery
with a Cuervo-driven cocktail program, notes that the restaurant has
been serving Cuervo products since day one, over ten years ago. “In this
market, that says a lot,” he says. Like Tafur, Delgado has turned to Cuervo

PHOTO: TOM CLARK

Platino, which shines in a Cucumber Margarita, and Cuervo Reserva de la
Familia, the main ingredient in a popular super-premium Margarita.
—Andrew Faulkner

CHICAGO: Tequila’s First in the Second City

S
ince it opened in 2004, Chicago residents have turned to
Salud Tequila Lounge in the city’s Wicker Park neighbor-
hood, where customers pick Cuervo out of an extensive
tequila list and cocktail menu. “With so much great history, Jose
Cuervo offers a variety of 100% agave tequilas that we feature,”
says Adam Geenen, General Manager. “Whether making a
Margarita with the Cuervo Tradicional Silver, a Paloma with
the Cuervo Tradicional Reposado, a Bandera with Jose Cuervo
Platino or simply sipping on a Reserva de la Familia Extra Añejo
PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI

in a snifter, we are able to offer our customers a unique experi-

ence with all of the 100% agave tequilas in the Jose Cuervo
portfolio.” —R. B.

Adam Geenen, GM of Chicago’s Salud.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  93

Paso and
DEPARTMENT HEADER

The Paso Robles

Wine Alliance’s
Christopher Taranto,
Communications
Manager, and Stacie
Jacob, Executive
Director, are tak-
ing Paso wine on a
national tour.

94  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Future PASO ROBLES’S TIME HAS COME, AND
ITS SURE-TO-BE-SHINING FATE LIES IN THE
HANDS OF ITS TALENTED WINEMAKERS

by Rachel Burkons and Meridith May / photos by Tom Zasadzinski

In our last issue, we got to know some of the producers from Paso Robles—the fastest-
growing wine region in California—and met the area’s pioneers as well as its newest players and
game changers.
Based on our readers’ response and the quality of wines bursting out of this fertile region,
we have no doubt that this “rural sprawl” of a wine country has ignited a fervent following.
And thanks to its uniting organization, the Paso Robles Wine Alliance, its big-hearted reds and
Rhône-rousing whites are making headway into stores and onto wine lists all over the country.
Wrapping up its Los Angeles Grand Tasting in early March—while winemakers and sales reps
head to New York City on April 12, Chicago on April 14 and end up in San Francisco on July
17—THE TASTING PANEL introduces you to more of our top sips and favorite personalities from
El Paso de Robles. The region is blessed with diverse calcareous soils, huge diurnal swings in
temperature and a growing band of talented winemakers who are crafting ever-improving trib-
utes to its unique multi-faceted Central Coast terroir. Visit [Link] for event information.

Le Vigne Winery Pomar Junction

The Vines: Owned
by the Filippini family
Vineyard
(best known for their The Vines: Named after
gourmet cheeses), Le the Pomar district in Paso
Vigne crafts approach- Robles, in the Templeton
able, well-made wines Gap, Pomar Junction’s
on the Northeast side 1920s farmhouse tasting
of Paso. room and historic train
The Wine: We paraphernalia make the
savored Le Vigne 2007 visit unforgettable. The
“Âme de la Vigne” best part? The rustic
(SRP $35); its name— charm translates to the
“soul of the vine”— wines as well.
is appropriate. We The Wine: The Zinfandel
deemed the small- blend known as the Pomar
production blend of Junction 2008 Train
Syrah, Petite Sirah and Wreck (SRP $50) stopped
a smidgen of Grenache us in our tracks.
world-class. Look for a ribbon of
Good architecture and inky black fruit could have texture, a ballast of fruit
made for a big bad boy of a wine, but this plushy and an engine of Zin that
drinker —with its pretty hints of lavender—was well- elegantly powers this
rounded and generous on the finish. beauty.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  95

 Tablas Creek Clavo Cellars
The Vines: With its famed The Vines: Sustainable farming is a notable factor in
founders, the Perrin family the award-winning wines from this boutique winery,
of Château de Beaucastel which among other noteworthy features, houses
and importer Robert Haas, owls for pest control. New concrete fermenters were
Tablas Creek has become installed at the winery to soften the texture of the
one of the leaders in Paso wines and bring out minerality. An increase in produc-
Robles’s growth and rising tion of intriguing varietals such as Vermentino and
celebrity in the world wine Albariño also sets Clavo apart.
arena. This is California The Wine: Clavo Cellars 2008 Dreamer (SRP $32) is
estate-grown Rhônes at the a teeth-coating single-vineyard Petite Sirah from the
top of its game. The hillsides breezy Templeton Gap,
of the Las Tablas district in aged for 24 months in
west Paso are similar to French and Hungarian
Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s oak barrels.
limestone soils and rugged Texture like this—a
terrain. combination of gritty
The Wine: The first-ever and juicy—makes for a
non-estate release from Tablas Creek is Patelin de concentrated wine with
Tablas Blanc 2010 (SRP $20) which blends Grenache plenty of blackberries
Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. “We intro- to last through the
duced Grenache Blanc to California in 1992,” Jason finish. Leather and a
Haas points out, “and it thrived.” A red version of hint of tobacco give it a
Patelin, which is French for “country neighborhood,” is more serious side.
coming this fall.
Fresh, crisp and bright: all the adjectives you want Neil Roberts is the man
— and expect — from this tropical-mineral easy-drink- behind Clavo Cellars.
ing gem.

Ortman Family Lone Madrone

Vineyards The Vines: Small
and boutique-y, Lone
The Vines: When Chuck Madrone prides itself
Ortman sold Meridian to on its dry-farmed,
Beringer, he began his head-trained organi-
own winery. Once known cally grown Westside
as “Mr. Chardonnay,” fruit. Winemaker Neil
Ortman broke tradition Collins believes that
and started developing when you begin with
Pinot Noir. But Paso grapes from vineyards
Robles’s terroir has him of high caliber in what
moving in Rhône circles he calls “outrageous
these days, and he has soils,” it only makes
set up shop with a tasting sense to “let them
room in downtown Paso. sing for themselves
The Wine: Chuck’s son without being masked
Matt Ortman tasted us by our hand.”
on the Ortman Family The Wine: The fruit
Vineyards 2007 Cuvée for Lone Madrone
Eddy (SRP $20), a blend 2007 Bailey Ranch
of Syrah, Grenache, Zinfandel (SRP $33) is sourced from certified organic
Mourvèdre and Petite grapes grown off Peachy Canyon Road.
Sirah. “It’s our Tuesday, An earthy nose leads to fragrant and ripe blueberry
Wednesday, Thursday wine,” he explained. “Also a and blackberry. Spiced with elegance in a deep, brood-
great match with tri-tip.” ing and dusty finish that tastes like pressed roses.

96  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines
The Vines: When J. Lohr founder Jerry Lohr began planting Cabernet Sauvignon
in Paso Robles in 1986, he could not have imagined that today the winery would con-
trol 2,000 acres of red varieties in Paso (not to mention the vines in Monterey County
and Napa) and be known as one of the finest producers of Cabernet Sauvignon in
California. The winery’s J. Lohr Cuvée series, inspired by Bordelais winemaking in
St. Emilion, Pauillac and Pomerol, is a reflection of California terroir at its best, with
well-drained gravelly soils and harsh climactic conditions.
The Wine: J. Lohr 2007 Cuvée POM (SRP $50) is modeled after the blending of
Bordeaux varietals in Pomerol, and, according to Executive Vice President Steve
Lohr, is “meant to represent the style of how the best châteaux in Bordeaux would
blend their wines.” After selecting only the very best of lots of Merlot (81%), Cabernet
Sauvignon (16%), Petit Verdot (2%) and other Bordeaux reds (1%), the 2007 Cuvée
POM is aged for 21 months in French oak, then rested for at least one year in bottle.
Crisp, clear and bright with blueberry, plum, black pepper and a touch of marjoram
rounding out medium-soft tannins; bright and fruit-forward.

J. Lohr Executive Vice President Steve Lohr.

Zenaida Cellars Vina Robles

The Vines: Sustainably-farmed The Vines: European-inspired
estate Zinfandel, Syrah and wines, produced from 19 variet-
a variety of blends mark this ies, have made Vina Robles one of
Templeton Gap-based winery. Paso’s most remarkable up-and-
A biologist by trade, winemaker coming wineries in the past five
Eric Ogorsolka understands Paso years. With its awe-inspiring
Robles terroir and hand-crafts his tasting
wines for a unique profile. room along
The Wine: Zenaida Cellars Highway 46
2008 Zephyr (SRP $32) may East and its
be the only blend of Zinfandel, stunning, roll-
Syrah and Viognier we’ve ever ing Huerhuero
tasted, and it reminded us of our
grandma’s homemade jam.
Vineyard, Vina
Robles works
Thacher Winery
Floral and spiced on the nose, with interna- The Vines: The Adelaida Hills
the fruit combines for a sensation- tional talent to area of west Paso Robles is
ally textured treat. create memo- known for its high-elevation
rable wines. vineyards and limestone soils,
Production is capable of keeping yields low
expected to and resulting in rich, complex
increase from flavored wines. Sherman Thacher,
just over 25,000 cases to close to morphing from the brewing
40,000 by 2012. industry to winemaking, pro-
The Wine: What we like about duces fewer than 2,000 cases.
Vina Robles 2009 White4 (SRP The Wine: The 15.7% alcohol
$14) is the unusual blend of doesn’t deter us or cut our palate!
Vermentino, Verdelho, Viognier The Thacher 2007 Triumvirate
and Sauvignon Blanc from the Zinfandel (SRP $36) draws on a trio
Huerhuero Vineyard. All varietals of vineyards to create a blend that
are fermented separately before shows how Zinfandel rules in Paso.
blending. Rich and plummy, a stirring
A sweet fruit sensation of mouthful of cocoa and plum jam,
Zenaida Winemaker pineapple and summer pear. with a better-than-average acid
Eric Ogorsolka. Minerality zings with a fresh structure for a big wine that dusts
breeze of white flowers. the mouth on the way out.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  97

 Clayhouse Wines Peachy Canyon
The Vines: Home to the oldest Petite Sirah vines The Vines: A family-owned winery established in
in the county, Clayhouse makes wines that are 1988, Peachy Canyon produces some of Paso’s best
handcrafted and terroir-driven, inspired by the Estate Zinfandel—all while adhering to sustainable farm-
Red Cedar Vineyard just east of Paso. Winemaker ing guidelines. Each of Peachy Canyon’s four estate
David Frick carries on the vision of the Middleton vineyards is situated in a specific microclimate, giving
family, which has roots in agriculture dating back four the wines sourced from these vineyards uniquely
generations. distinguishable characteristics that readily appear in
The Wine: Clayhouse 2007 Show Pony Petite Sirah the single-vineyard selections.
(SRP $40) is crafted from old-vine grapes harvested The Wine: Peachy
two weeks later than the rest of Clayhouse’s vines, Canyon 2008
at 27.9 degrees Brix for full, rich flavor. Aged in WestsideZinfandel
Hungarian, French and American oak barrels, this (SRP $19) is blended
charmer was originally developed as a wine club–only from fruit sourced
offering; it quickly proved to be more than a one-trick from all four Peachy
Pony and was developed into a full release. Canyon estate
Rich and vibrant with notes of floral sweetness, Bing vineyards, capturing
cherry and warming spice; smooth and supple with four microclimates
tangy acidity. in one bottle. “From
cool-climate, to hot
areas, to vineyards
where the grapes
need longer hang-
Treana and Hope time, the coolest thing
about this wine is that
Family Wines it’s a Zin with all of
those characteristics,
The Vines: With more which you can taste
than 30 years of experi- alone in the single-
ence growing grapes vineyard wines,”
and making wines in says winemaker Josh
Paso, the Hope family Beckett.
has been instrumental Round with rich
in shaping the region’s berry notes; clear,
ever-growing reputation bright and not too
for excellence in Rhône jammy with nice,
varietals. With 42 acres balanced acid.
planted primarily to
Syrah, Mourvèdre and
Grenache, the Hope
Family Vineyard has
inspired winemaker
Austin Hope to cre-
Grey Wolf Vineyards
ate the Westside Red
brand, in addition to
& Cellars
overseeing the rest of The Vines: Owned and operated by mother-son team
the family’s portfolio of Shirlene and Joe Barton Jr., all wines at Grey Wolf
excellent wines. Vineyards & Cellars are made in an Old World style by
The Wine: Westside Joe Jr., who bucks one Paso winemaking trend: “As the
Red Troublemaker (SRP $20) is a wine that takes Rhônes have taken off, I chased it a bit, but we haven’t
rule-breaking seriously. A multi-vintage 100% estate jumped on the Rhône front. We’re sticking to the
fruit Rhône blend (53% Syrah, 37% Grenache and 10% varieties that we think are classic California.”
Mourvèdre), Troublemaker combined barrel-aged wine The Wine: Grey Wolf 2006 Barton Estate Cabernet
from the 2007 and 2008 vintages, and daringly mixes Sauvignon (SRP $34) is pure California Cab and
it with the bright new wine from the 2009 vintage, barrel-aged in 50% new-wood French, Hungarian and
resulting in a blend that’s multi-dimensional, and just American Oak casks, imbuing the wine with lovely
plain ole’ fun. oaky notes.
Bright, bold and clean with juicy fruit intensity and Sleek and smooth; bright plum and subtle cinnamon
plump, bursting blackberry. effortlessly combine in this easy-drinker.

98  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

Kiamie Wine Cellars Halter Ranch
The Vines: Blending is the key to Kiamie’s collection,
where Westside Paso mountain vineyards give way to
Vineyard
some of the region’s most favored fruit. The Vines: Both
Winemaker Steve Glossner’s heavy-hit- Bordeaux- and Rhône-
ting reputation gives Kiamie a leg-up in style blends reign at
securing the best grapes from Paso’s Halter Ranch’s sustain-
most distinguished growers. ably-farmed vineyards,
The Wine: “The 2006 Kiamie Kuvée located on Paso’s West
(SRP $38) showcases what happens Side and vines are
without the restrictions of doing planted on steep south-
just a Rhône blend or a Bordeaux facing slopes that boast
blend,” explains Aram Deirmenijian, lovely, rich limestone
Kiamie’s General Manager, who soils. The winery’s
grew up in a grape-grower family. estate vineyard holds an
“Imagine what happens when we unusually high number
can combine them both,” he contin- of grape varieties: 20.
ues, but with one sip, imagination The Wine: Halter
is no longer necessary: Without the Ranch 2010 Rosé (SRP
restrictions of blending along stark $14) is a certified organic
Rhône/Bordeaux lines, this is one blend (43% Grenache,
killer Kuvée. 42% Syrah, 15%
Ripe fruit and enticing aromas Mourvèdre) reminiscent
draw you in, coffee and oaky-plum of wines coming out of
convince you to stay; lush, complex the Southern Rhône.
and rich. Pretty pink tropicality blends pineapple, banana and
strawberries together in a fruity, floral and feminine
fashion; lovely botanicals balance out the sweetness.

Niner Wine Estates Anglim Winery

The Vines: When owner The Vines: A small
Dick Niner first came to family-owned producer
the Paso region in 1996, a that sources grapes for its
love affair blossomed; but it Rhône wines and blends,
wasn’t until 2006 when the Anglim partners with
inaugural Niner vintage was boutique growers to secure
released, unleashing some of only the best fruit. Capping
the winningest wines in Paso. case production at 3,500
Today, Niner boasts a state-of- per year gives Steve and
the-art gravity-flow winery on Steffanie Anglim the
Paso’s Westside, with 46 acres control to focus on making
of vines planted to mainly handcrafted wines that are
Bordeaux varietals. elegant and expressive.
The Wines: Niner 2006 Fog The Wine: Anglim Winery
Catcher (SRP $58) is the 2007 Hastings Ranch
winery’s flagship blend, with Mourvédr (SRP $34) is
barrel-selected 70% Cabernet a single-vineyard, 100%
Sauvigon, 21% Cab Franc and varietal offering that was
9% Merlot coming together originally planned to be
in a sophisticated homage to part of a blend, but when
Bordeaux. the Anglim team saw what they had on their hands,
Big, bold and bright, with they knew they had something special. “It’s a complex
tart cherry and cranberries wine, and a tough grape,” explains Steffanie.
giving way to a lovely linger- Rich and brisk with earthy, peppery notes that lead to
ing spice. tart berry-cherry fruit; lovely.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  99

AWARDS

And The Winners Are . . .

TOP PERFORMING DISTRIBUTORS AND IMPORTERS TIER ONE AWARDS
ARE HONORED AT THE THIRD ANNUAL Distributors Selling the Highest Quantity
Glazer’s Distributors of Texas
WENTE FAMILY ESTATES LEGACY AWARDS Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida
Southern Wine & Spirits of New York
by Thomas Wilmer / photos by Peter Griffith

“F
TIER TWO AWARDS
amily” is intrinsic in every in distribution and portfolio growth.
Lauber Selections of New Jersey
aspect of Wente Family Estates’ “In the past year we experienced an
Paustis Wine Company of Minnesota
worldwide success. Founded in incredible growth of more than twenty
Southern Wine & Spirits of Colorado
1883 by German immigrant Carl Heinrich percent—and much of the credit goes
Wente, five generations later the com- to our distributors’ attention and focus,” TIER THREE AWARDS
pany produces 500,000 cases annually said Carolyn Wente. “Of our 90 distribu-
[Link] of Vermont
and remains America’s oldest continu- tors in the United States, the nine in this
Glazer’s Distributing in Iowa
ously-operating family-owned winery. room tonight represent 44 percent of Southern Wine & Spirits of Arizona
To honor the winery’s extended family the incremental growth of our brands
of distributors and importers, Wente cre- over the past twelve months. The Legacy WENTE FAMILY ESTATES’
ated the aptly titled Legacy Awards. The Award is a coming together of a group INTERNATIONAL IMPORTERS
third annual celebration and announce- of people who have worked so very hard
Most Successful Growth of Wente Family
ment of the winners was held on to make us what we are today. Too often
Estates’ Wine Portfolio
February 28 at the Restaurant at Wente people do not take the time to recognize
Arion Wine Company, Aruba
Vineyards in Livermore Valley. Drawing achievements, so when great friends
Churchill Cellars, Toronto, Ontario Canada
award-winning distributors from across come together to be awarded for their
Global Wineries, Belgium
the country, Canada, Belgium and incredible accomplishments, it’s very
Aruba, the Legacy Awards honor top satisfying. It’s all about relationships.” SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD
distributors and importers who have
demonstrated outstanding achievement Outstanding Portfolio Performance for
Wente Family Estates
Tryon Distributing, Charlotte, NC

Jeffrey Floyd (Wente

Family Estates Southwest
Regional Manager), Scot
Richardson (Glazer’s
Distributing of Texas), Amy
Hoopes (WFE EVP Global
Sales/CMO), Blair Casey
(Glazer’s Distributing of
Texas), Larry DiPietro (WFE
VP Sales Western Region)
and Michael Wilber (Glazer’s
Distributing of Texas).
100  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011
L to R: Eric Wente (Fourth Generation Winemaker), Govert L to R: John Bengivenni (Lauber Selections/New Jersey), Bill
van der Hout (Arion Wine Company, Aruba) and Marc Bourreli Swenarton (Lauber Selections/NJ) and Chris Giudice (WFE
(Diva/CA). Aruba wholesaler van der Hout claimed, “We got Vice President of Sales, Eastern Division).
started with Wente distribution on Aruba about ten years
ago and their wines are now incredibly popular on the
island—equally so with locals and tourists.”

L to R: Eric Wente (Fourth Generation Winegrower), Aaron

Nielsen (Glazer’s Distributing of Iowa) and Bridget Epp (WFE
Vice President of Sales, Central Division).
L to R: Eric Wente (Fourth Generation Winegrower), Eric
Niccolls (Southern Wines & Spirits of New York) and Chris
Giudice (WFE Vice President of Sales , Eastern Division).

L to R: Blair Casey (Glazer’s Distributing of Texas), Larry

DiPietro (WFE VP Sales, Western Region), Jeffrey Floyd
(WFE Southwest Regional Manager), Scot Richardson
L to R: Jim Broderick (Brittany Sales Co.), Max Perkins (Glazer’s Distributing of Texas) and Michael Wilber
(Tryon Distributing, North Carolina) and Brad Johnston (Glazer’s Distributing of Texas). “It’s all about family. There’s
(Tryon Distributing, North Carolina). Special recognition was really no other privately owned family wine business that
awarded to Charlotte, NC-–based Tryon Distributing for gives us such incredible support,” said Blair Casey of
Outstanding Portfolio Performance for Wente Family Estates. Glazer’s/Texas. Wente’s Jeff Floyd responded, “There’s a
President of Tryon, Johnston announced, “I really relate to the lot of forward momentum for the Wente brand in Texas; it’s
Wente Family as I also operate a family organization. We are a huge, growing market. Over the past two years, Glazer’s
both growing our family businesses in similar fashions—and Texas has grown their market share by 50 percent and the
they make great wine. It’s really all about family.” sky’s the limit—it’s an untapped market.”

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  101

AWARDS

L to R: Larry DiPietro (WFE Vice President of Sales, Western Division),

Bobby Goodman (Brittany Sales Co.), Mark Halpern (Brittany Sales Co.)
and Richard Booth (Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida).

Welcome to the Blogosphere:

Karl’s Corner
L to R: Eric Wente (Fourth Generation Winegrower), When you are a fifth-genera-
Chris Churchill (Churchill Cellars, Toronto, ON) tion winemaker at a label as
and Michael Parr (Wente Family Estates, well-respected as Wente
VP International Sales). Vineyards, paying homage
to your family’s heritage is a
no-brainer. Fifth Generation
Winemaker Karl Wente
honors the foundation laid by
his grandfather (and name-
sake), the first Karl Wente,
in a recent blog entry. Check
out this excerpt below, and
for the full entry, visit www.
[Link]/blog.

My grandfather, the first

Karl Wente, was only 49
years old when he suddenly
The first Karl Wente. passed away in 1977. Even
so, it was not before he could
leave my father, aunt and uncle—Eric, Carolyn and Philip
Wente—a truly great gift and legacy: an extremely productive
550-acre Monterey vineyard in the ultra-premium-quality
sub-region now known as the Arroyo Seco AVA, which he
first began planting in 1962.
Today that property has grown to 800 acres, and I’m simply
amazed, whenever I walk through it, to think what incredible
prescience of mind grandfather must have had when he
selected this particular site in the Salinas Valley. A vineyard
steeped in extremely rocky, well-drained soil—something all
the best wine grapes traditionally love—yet rich enough in
silty loam for vines to thrive with naturally abundant quality,
L to R: Larry DiPietro (WFE VP Sales, Western many of them to this day.
Division) with Richard Crossland (Southern Wine
& Spirits of Colorado).

102  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 VIRGINIA

Old Dominion,
New Prospects
ALL SIGNS INDICATE VIRGINIA COULD
BECOME A TOP U.S. WINE STATE
story and photos by Fred Minnick

A
s Gabriele Rausse walked up to the podium at the 2011 Virginia Wine
Expo to accept the Virginia Agribusiness Council’s Distinguished Service
Award, he was overtaken with emotion. Rausse, referred to as the “father of
modern Virginia wine,” tried to crack a joke. “If you fail, people leave you alone,”
he said to a crowd hanging on to his every word. “Unfortunately, that didn’t work
out. Now, we have the Virginia wine industry.”
Everybody, including Virginia’s First Lady and the state’s Secretary of
Agriculture, laughed at his witticism. But Rausse, who immigrated to America
in the 1970s from Vicenza, Italy, to work at the Barboursville Vineyards, could no
longer overcome his joy. He hoisted the award, tears forming in his soft brown
eyes, and said, “Thank you for another magical moment.”
Virginia was once a promising terroir that was home to the native Norton
grape; a varietal Norton was named “Best Red Wine of All Nations” at the Vienna
The award-winning World’s Fair in 1873 and another was honored with a gold medal at the 1889 Paris
Barboursville Vineyards Petit Universal Exposition. But Prohibition destroyed Virginia’s potential.
Verdot Reserve, crafted by In an effort to bounce back, winemakers experimented with vinifera plantings
winemaker Luca Paschina, is
one of Virginia’s top wines.

A dormant vine at King Family

Vineyards in Crozet, Virginia.
King’s wide range of wines shows
Virgnia’s varietal diversity.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  103

 VIRGINIA
throughout the 1950s. But it wasn’t moving beyond the regional market in his vineyard’s microclimate influ-
until Italian vintner Gianni Zonin hired and will soon be available in eight enced by a nearby mountaintop. “A lot
Rausse to help with Barboursville states and England. Significantly, it of the thunderstorms skip over us,” he
Vineyards that the industry was on its is the first U.S. winery represented says. “We have a drier microclimate,
way back. Rausse helped bring Virginia by Broadbent Selections Inc., which which lends itself to more robust red
wine out of the Thomas Jefferson imports some 2,000 wines from wines.” Hidden Croft grows Cabernet
biographies and back into the hands of Europe and South Africa. Franc, Chambourcin, Traminette,
consumers. Barboursville became the “Virginia wines will start cropping Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc.
first commercial seed that would grow up on wine lists now that we repre- Other than the Eastern Shore, which
Virginia into the burgeoning American sent Barboursville. It is the first U.S. has sandy soil, most Virginia vineyards
wine region it is today. winery that we decided to represent, grow in loamy soil with a component of
which should tell you how I perceive gravel or granite. “This gives us good
State of the State the future for Virginia,” says CEO drainage,” explains Matthieu Finot,
While Rausse was experimenting, Bartholomew Broadbent. “I believe the French-born winemaker for King
learning which grapes grow where, he Virginia could become the most impor- Family Vineyards.
helped others create their own vine- tant U.S. wine-producing state after
yards. By 1995, there were 46 vineyards California, Washington and Oregon. A Sense of Adventure
across the state. Virginia now boasts Barboursville has proven that great Virginia winemakers are an adventur-
more than 190 wineries. wine can be made consistently.” ous bunch who are cultivating more
Although the majority of Virginia’s than a dozen varieties and are boxing
wines are still sold from local tast- Terroir on Tap on average 2,000 to 4,000 cases a year.
ing rooms, in recent years Virginia Virginia has five distinct climates that Almost all of them grow Cabernet Franc
labels have been popping up on range from a 160-day growing season and Viognier, two French varieties that
menus in New York, Washington in the Shenandoah Valley to a 200-day have earned Virginia winemakers gold
D.C. and throughout Maryland. season in the Blue Ridge. Clyde Housel, medals in international competitions.
Leading the way as it did in the owner of Hidden Croft Vineyards, says Beyond those two grapes, it’s a free-
1970s, Barboursville Vineyards is Cabernet Franc grows especially well for-all. Vineyards such as King Family

es
Garbiele Rausse accepts the Virginia Agribusiness Council’s Winemaker Matthieu Finot of King Family Vineyards comes
Distinguished Service Award. Known as the father of modern from a long line of French winemakers. Born in Crozes
d
Virginia wine, Rausse was the first winemaker at trendsetting Hermitage, in the Rhône Valley, he studied viticulture and
Barboursville Vineyards. enology in Burgundy.

104  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 Some Virginia
Gold Medal
Winners
Keswick Vineyards 2009 Caber-
net Franc ($21.95) With vibrant
aromas of black pepper, black
currant and strawberry jam, this
Keswick wine is followed by subtle
spice and a soft tannin frame.

Afton Mountain Vineyard 2009

Cabernet Sauvignon ($25) Very
French in style, Afton’s Cabernet
Sauvignon brings out aromas of
chocolate and toasted caramel. It
opens up quickly on the palate with
intense dark fruits and ends with a
nice, crisp finish.

Fox Meadow Winery 2008 Red

Meritage ($29) The winner of the
Governor’s Cup, this blend of 50%
Cabernet Franc and 50% Merlot
hits the nose quickly with concen-
trated aromas of fig, dark cherry,
blackberry and raspberry. Similar
flavors follow, but oak pleasantly
reveals itself during the finish.

Cooper Vineyards 2008 Norton

($22) It’s amazing to think this
varietal once represented the best
in American wine. The long-forgot-
Cooper Vineayrds owner Geoff Cooper and his daughter Rebecca. Cooper earned a ten grape shows great promise in
gold medal in the 2011 Virginia Governor’s Cup for red wine for its varietal Norton. this Cooper vintage, with brilliant
aromas of dark cherry, blackberry
Vineyards, Barboursville and Pollak says that Norton has a lot of potential. and anise, followed by a well-bal-
Vineyards are carving out nice niches “Norton is being planted across the anced finish.
with Petit Verdots that are earthy and country, but it does
peppery. Afton Mountain Vineyards not have universal Barboursville Vineyards 2008
is the only Virginia brand growing appeal,” Cooper Petit Verdot Reserve ($25)
Sangiovese and Gewürztraminer. notes. “With exuber- This lovely 100-percent Petit Verdot
Virginia winemakers are also ant fruit up front, makes us wonder why there are
attempting some unusual dessert Norton is Virginia’s not more varietal Petit Verdots on
wines. Pollak Vineyards, in the Zinfandel. It’s not the market—and whether Virginia
Monticello region, makes Mille Fleurs, going to be Cabernet can make this grape its own, as
a blend of eau-de-vie and late-harvest Sauvignon.” Oregon did with Pinot Noir. This
Viognier. King Family Vineyards makes Back at Barboursville Vineyards, very elegant wine meets the eye
7, a Porto-style Merlot fortified with Italian winemaker Luca Paschina is pick- with a deep purple and gives the
brandy and aged in retired Woodford ing up where Rausse left off. Paschina’s nose wonderful sensations of
Reserve barrels. Octagon—a blend of Merlot, Cabernet blueberry, coconut and chocolate.
Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Medium-bodied, it has a smooth
Virginia Real Verdot—has won numerous awards apple and mineral finish.
Meanwhile, vineyards such as Horton and shows Virginia’s grape-growing
Vineyards, Cooper Vineyards, La Grange diversity. But most importantly, he says,
and Weston Farm are trying to bring “it has helped show the world how great
back Virginia’s native grape, Norton. Virginia can be.” Just like Rausse did so
Geoffrey Cooper, President of Cooper, many years ago.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  105

Craft
and
Collectibility
RARE AND DESIRABLE,
THE MACALLAN 64 YEAR OLD
DISTILLS EXCITEMENT
by Martin Bihl / photos by Doug Young

Jim Brennan, photographed at

St. Andrew’s, a popular Scottish
restaurant on 46th Street in NYC.

106  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 BIHL YOUR BRAND

W
hen is a $150,000 bottle of whisky not a
$150,000 bottle of whisky?
When it’s a $460,000 bottle of The
Macallan 64.
Jim Brennan, Brand Director of The Macallan,
tells the story this way: “We had this great oppor-
tunity to offer the public an incredibly rare 64
Year Old Macallan. And since we already had a
relationship with Lalique, we asked them to create
a unique—and, as you can imagine, stunningly
beautiful—cire perdue bottle for it. And then we
took it on the road.”
What followed was a world tour—Paris, Moscow,
Hong Kong, Shanghai, Osaka—culminating in an
auction at Sotheby’s in New York. “Seeing the buzz
and excitement around the world, we figured 150
was the number we’d hit,” Brennan recalls. “And
when we did, that was great. When we hit 200, we
thought, hey, that’s cool—especially since the pro-
ceeds were going to charity. So imagine how we felt
when we hit 400! We were in shock. And it wasn’t
just a couple of guys; there were a lot of people in
there at the end. We couldn’t believe it.”
But that’s what makes The Macallan unique. In
addition to a reputation for quality that is unparal-
leled, it is also highly collectible.
“In a sense, what happened with The Macallan 64
is a great example of the question we ask ourselves
every day: How can we creatively delight our
consumers while delivering the tradition and craft
of the brand? Look, there’s a lot of ‘heather and
weather’ in whisky advertising, and that’s fine. We

just want to offer something a little different, take a

different tack.”
And it’s a tack that has led to some fascinating
places. The Macallan’s “Masters of Photography” pro-
gram, for example, which features some of the world’s
greatest photographers interpreting The Macallan in
their own way. “The first edition, with Rankin, captured
life at Easter Elchies, Macallan’s spiritual home, in
1,000 Polaroid images. The latest edition features
Albert Watson following the wood that makes the
casks from the forests of Spain to Speyside.”
“And there’s the partnership with Lalique,” Brennan
continues, “with whom we’re producing a series of
distinctive Macallans for each of our six pillars.”
Six pillars? “Those are the unique qualities that lie
at the heart of what makes The Macallan, well, The
Macallan. From the spiritual home that you see on
the label, to those sherry casks, to the curiously
small stills—which, by the way, are so famous you
can find them on ten-pound notes from the Bank of
Scotland—to the liquid and the cut and the natural
color. Those unique qualities we—and whisky lovers
around the world—celebrate every time we raise a
The Macallan 64 Year Old in its cire perdue decanter glass of Macallan.”
from Lalique. And that sounds good at any price.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  107

CALIFORNIA

From Jeans
to Juice
AT BLANKIET ESTATE IN NAPA VALLEY, INNOVATOR CLAUDE
BLANKIET TALKS DENIM AND DETERMINATION

by Daedalus Howell / photos by Ryan Lely

P
ublicists get naturally wary in Napa Valley. The change from jeans
when pitching clients who have to juice, however, did require some
distinguished themselves in one adjustments.
industry while positioning them in “I had to kind of slow down. I really
another. Some career moves have obvi- enjoy that. All my life before this,
ous relationships (drill sergeant to gym the pace of business was always my
coach, for example), whereas others decision,” says Blankiet, a contempla-
might appear disparate on the surface tive man whose native French accent
but share subtle relationships upon (his name is pronounced blahn-kyay)
meditation. Deep meditation. Like, say, adds a certain worldly panache to his
the relationship between winemaking observations. “Here, we have to work
and acid wash jeans. with the pace of the season. Working
Such is the career legacy of Claude with nature at this point in our lives is
Blankiet. Once known as the man an improvement.”
who introduced stonewashed jeans For a man who had perfected the
to the American market (among other art of accelerating aging techniques in
techniques of artificially distressing textiles, ceding control to nature and
and aging denim—from sandblast- its often time-intensive processes was
ing to hand-tooling), he and his wife initially an adjustment for Blankiet.
Katherine have enjoyed continuing “It’s challenging, but it’s what I like
success in wine since establishing in life. I enjoy asking a question and
Blankiet Estate in 1996. They’ve not necessarily getting the answer that
received scores of 95 points or more you expect,” he says wryly. “From the
from such luminaries as Robert Parker, very beginning, our idea was to satisfy
who has lauded their wine as “world- personal interest and curiosity. The An imposing bottle from Blankiet Estate. In
class, combining the extraordinary idea was to plant just a small vineyard the background is the Blankiet residence,
power of the site with unbelievable to make wine for our friends and which is designed to look naturally aged.
elegance and definition.” ourselves, and perhaps sell wine to few
In other words, Blankiet has gone restaurants. The commercial aspect lence in whatever passion presently
from faking vintage jeans to making was not at all in the picture.” drives him, he wanted to create wine at
vintage wines. On the surface, this Indeed, as one might glean from a “high level.” This meant conducting
might seem like casual word play, Blankiet’s wife and business partner a three-year search for the right piece
but the notion actually bears out in Katherine, the winery represented of land and sourcing the best talent
Blankiet’s critically-lauded work, then something of a partial retirement. “The available to realize his vision. “I wanted
and now. Essentially, he’s seeing what romantic notion of a having a simple to get the best talent right as I could
natural materials can do, be they tex- ‘country life’ has long disappeared,” away because I knew my limitations. I
tiles or 16 acres of vineyard in the says Katherine with a laugh. “We’re knew about wine inasmuch as I was a
western foothills of the Mayacamas very busy.” good consumer and a good taster, but I
mountain range overlooking Yountville Given Blankiet’s proclivity for excel- didn’t know how to make wine,” recalls

108  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 DEPARTMENT HEADER

Katherine and
Claude Blankiet
in their home in
Yountville, CA.

Blankiet, whose first eight vintages and a quiet minerality). Blankiet describes himself as
were made by Helen Turley, followed “In my industry before, I was the link an “instigator” when it comes to
by Martha McClellan-Levy for the 2006, between designers and chemists. Those working with his team. “I was always
2007 and 2008 vintages, with assistance people usually don’t talk to each other— questioning, ‘What if? What if?’
from world-renowned consulting they use different parts of the brain,” Some winemakers like that, some
enologist Michel Rolland. Since 2009, says Blankiet. “For whatever reason, I winemakers do not,” he laughs. “Some
former Château Latour maître de chai was able to navigate those two worlds winemakers and viticulturalists are
Denis Malbec has served as winemaker. and be comfortable in either one. I can very enthusiastic about my approach
Moreover, acclaimed viticulturist David hopefully do it now between the farmers of trying new things.”
Abreu has overseen the development and people who work the land and the Though Blankiet Estate has produced
of 16 of 46 acres of vineyards, whimsi- people who make the technology, which more wine in years past, now Blankiet
cally dubbed “Paradise Hills.” is quite innovative in America.” prefers doing smaller case releases
Throughout the volcanic soils are Blankiet is no slouch himself when (often less than a thousand cases of its
planted Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet it comes to innovation. Among his flagship proprietary red a year) and
Franc and Petit Verdot, with Merlot accomplishments are a technique enjoys the support of a loyal list of wine
taking up residence in a layer of alluvial for decolorizing indigo in denim club members.
clay left by the naturally drainage of processing by means of ozone—an “In spite of the stressful situations
streams running from the mountain oxygen-based gas that he now uses to that you have sometimes because of
range. The combination of terroir, fend off mold, bacteria and fruit flies. weather or pests in the vineyard, learn-
talent and technology (all vinification is Likewise, he developed a “fingerprint- ing to work with nature had definitely
conducted on-site using state-of-the-art ing” system to authenticate fine wines been rewarding for us,” says Blankiet.
equipment) results in palate-pleasing and prevent fraud via “bubble tags.” “You have to try to have fun and
wines of expressive and complex char- Blankiet has also experimented with believe in what you’re doing. That’s the
acter. (The 2007 Paradise Hills Vineyard rosé production by using the juice bled approach we try to have here. We don’t
Proprietary Red is of particular note, from his 2006 harvest and fermenting it make a lot of wine—but that’s what it
not least for its impressive notes of in new French oak barrels; the results takes to do it right.”
dark mocha, dark coffee, black currant garnered critical plaudits. [Link]

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  109

 EVENT WRAP-UP

Italian
VINO 2011
TAKES NEW
YORK BY STORM

Immersion
MISSION

by Deborah Parker Wong

Ambassador Umberto Vattani,

W
Chairman of the Italian Trade hile several feet of snow shut down schools and slowed traffic in
Commission-ICE, addresses mem- downtown Manhattan, attendees of Italy’s third annual VINO 2011
bers of the press at VINO 2011. Italian Wine Week were safely ensconced in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
for a week-long exploration of Italian wine and spirits. Hosted by the Italian Trade
Commission, VINO 2011 was an ambitious undertaking that showcased hundreds
of Italian producers and dozens of importers, with as many as 80 wineries pouring
their wines in the U.S. for the first time.
Designed as an Italian wine immersion for an audience of American buyers,
educators and media, this year’s event included a star-studded cast of panelists
and moderators whose seminars and tastings encompassed everything from
a celebration of the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification to the rosy future of
Italian wines in the U.S. market, and dozens of compelling topics in between.

1 10  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 THE TASTING PANEL’s own Anthony
Dias Blue lent his expertise and humor to
seminars on the role of wine competitions
and medals in consumer marketing, and
was joined by contributor Camper English
on a panel that explored opportunities for
Italian spirits in the flourishing cocktail
culture in the U.S. In addition to seated tast-
ings that examined wines from the regions
of Apulia, Fruili, Lombardy, Montefalco,
Soave, Tuscany, the Veneto and others, a
series of seminars directed at on- and off-
premise buyers covered building a dynamic
Italian wine section, tricks of the trade from
senior wine buyers and constructing a

PHOTO: ITC
profitable Italian wine list.
Less wine-centric topics, such as social
media, cuisine and new regulatory issues,
also attracted standing room–only atten- THE TASTING PANEL’S Editor-in-Chief Anthony Dias Blue with importer Brian
dance. The event’s grand tasting, the Italian Larky, founder of Dalla Terra.
Wine Exchange, occupied the greater part
of the final day and lived up to its billing as
the largest selection of Italian wines under
one roof in the U.S.
In discussing the future of Italian wines,
moderator Elin McCoy of Bloomberg News
said, “[For Americans,] drinking Italian
wine is the next best thing to being there.”
The good news for Italian producers is
that America’s affinity for all things Italian
remains strong; our favorite restaurants
serve Italian cuisine, we drink more Italian
wine than any other import and, through
our long familiarity with Italian culture, we
continue to aspire to the Italian lifestyle.
But, as moderator Vic Motto pointed out

PHOTO: ITC
in his closing keynote address to Italian
producers, the realities of the U.S. market
include a shrinking number of distribu-
tors, fewer larger importers but a growing Francesco Lafranconi (center), SW&S National Director of Mixology & Spirits
number of small, specialized importers, a Education, Las Vegas, and conference attendees appreciate Moccia Zabov
strong local market advantage by domestic zabaglione liqueur.
producers and a fast-growing but highly
competitive premium segment. “To suc-
ceed,” said Motto, “your product must be
perceived as having more value and better
quality than your neighbor’s.”
Motto’s advice for producers entering
the market emphasized effective marketing
and the need to grow in profit not just
in volume to capitalize on the consumer
shift toward premium wines. He cited the
premium wine category ($15 and up) as
the fastest-growing segment and the one
PHOTO: DEBORAH PARKER WONG

with the largest profit potential, noting that

“within this category, consumers demand
quality and authenticity.” McCoy reiterated
with regard to the press, “Journalists do not
really want to cover wines under $10; they
would rather concentrate on luxury cat-
egory.” When selecting wine to showcase,
McCoy pointed to quality—and story—as a Today Show expert Leslie Sbrocco and Ambassador Umberto Vattani, chair-
priority. man of the Italian Trade Commission-ICE.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  111

ROAD TRIP

Somm Enchanted
Wine Journey
JONATHAN MITCHELL, ASSISTANT GM AND BEVERAGE
MANAGER AT THE PALM IN LOS ANGELES, REPORTS ON
HIS SONOMA STOP-OVER
photo by Tina Chao

S
onoma Wine Country is the home of some of the best 17 different wines—an impressive lineup of Zins, Syrahs,
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay on the planet, and has Mourvèdres, Carignanes, Viogniers, Marsannes and Pinot
always been “the other wine destination” for those Gris. What a great way to start the day!
seeking to avoid the crowds in Napa, but now more and It was an incredibly beautiful and windy drive up to
more of us are realizing the true charm of this easy to-get-to Kenwood on this frost-covered morning. It was my first
jewel. I only had two days for a getaway, and with Horizon trip to Chateau St Jean, a meticulously maintained 250-
Airlines now flying right into the heart of wine country, acre estate built in 1920. I was taken on a journey through
“popping in” couldn’t be easier and more affordable.
First stop, Iron Horse, where they are not only
making ten amazing sparkling wines, but also six
Chardonnays and four Pinot Noirs. The Sterling family
has also become known for their commitment to the
environment. When you buy a bottle of their Ocean
Reserve Sparkling Wine, they donate $4 to establish
protected marine areas, in partnership with The
National Geographic Society.
Up the road a tad, I stopped in to visit Shane Finley,
winemaker at Kosta Browne, who is pushing the
envelope in the world of Pinot Noir. Shane took me
through barrel after barrel of Pinots that were amaz-
ingly opulent, intense, well-structured and consistent.
These wines are not for the faint of heart.
Next on the agenda, Jordan, one of the most beautiful
wineries in Sonoma. In 1972, Tom Jordan set out to
build the most perfect Bordeaux-inspired winery he
could, settling on this gorgeous spot in Alexander Valley. Jonathan Mitchell at Chateau St. Jean.
Winemaker Rob Davis has been with him since 1976, taking
over the helm from André Tchelistcheff, and still turns out the impressive lineup of Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs,
top-notch iconic Cabernet Sauvignon today. We also had the Merlots and Cabernets, including of course, the seminal
fortune of trying their crisp, Burgundian Chardonnay and Cinq Cépages red. The wines and winery are gorgeous
even their homemade extra-virgin olive oil. and pure Sonoma terroir.
After vineyard tours, it was time to explore Sonoma Town Last stop, I had the privilege of visiting with Tripp
Square. There is no shortage of great restaurants here, Donelan, whose family makes Donelan Family Wines (for-
including Cyrus, Ravenous, Zin, Willi’s Seafood Bar, Rustic merly Pax), producing dense, age-worthy Rhône-style wines.
and Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen. I was craving We tasted through an array of ’08 Syrahs such as the Cuvée
seafood so went with tapas-style small plates of seafood at Moriah, Cuvée Christine, and Kobler Family, as well as some
Willi’s, then stopped for after-dinner drinks at Dry Creek of the ’07 Pax gems. These wines are huge and muscular
Kitchen. Great wines by the glass and top-notch mixology with a long life ahead of them.
were in no short supply here! But I kept it an early night as But alas, it was 2:45 p.m., and the 3:30 back to LA beck-
there was an early morning agenda for more wine tasting. oned. A ten-minute drive from the Donelan’s and I was back
Our second day started with a visit to Cline Cellars, at Sonoma’s Charles M. Schulz Airport and a one-hour flight
where winemaker Charlie Tsegeletos is making more than on the Horizon Q400 . . . then back to The Palm for me!

1 14  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

WHAT WE’RE DRINKING

Spring Fling
FIVE PRODUCTS I’VE GOT A CRUSH ON THIS SEASON
by Rachel Burkons

This Flip is No Flop Fizz Biz

The snow has finally melted, which I love sparkles. From sequins to cham-
means—Hallelujah!—your feet can finally pagne, nothing adds more pizzazz to the
be freed from the sweltering oppression mundane than that little something extra
of wool socks and heavy boots. That’s provided by a good ole’ sparkle or two.
right, toes, it’s finally flip-flop weather. Putting this non-scientific fact in action is
Helping get your palate in the spring Sipp, a line of luxury carbonated “eco bever-
swing is the new lineup of flipflop wines, ages” that caters to the green-chic crowd
a fun, value-driven brand that offers a with Ginger Blossom, Honey Pear and Mojo
casual drinking experience meant to Berry sparklers sure to sass up any cocktail
be paired (and shared) with comfort in an environmentally-conscious way.
food. I opened a bottle to share with my [Link]
mom, and we flipped for the zesty tropi-
cal pear-and-citrus nature of the Pinot
Grigio—pedicure not included. Hands-On Spirits
[Link] With names like Root and
Snap, these artisan spirits—cre-
Citrus Kisses ated by the think tank entre-
Lemonade stands may preneurs at Philly-based Art
be for kids, but Bella Lula’s in the Age of Mechanical
refreshingly sophisticated Reproduction—sound more
line of lemonades and like some über-hip new bar
orangeades, crafted in or restaurant than excellent
Bordeaux from all natural certified organic,
ingredients, is anything 80-proof liqueurs
but juvenile. With bright, (wild root and ginger,
lightly-sweet flavors kissed respectively). But
by a hint of mint, they beg drinkable and mixable
to be mixed into spring-y they are, with their roots (pun cer-
cocktails. My mouth is still tainly intended) in the pre-Prohibition
watering from a Bella Lula world of small-batch production,
and Tanqueray concoction I resulting in finely-honed, nuanced
threw together at home, so flavors that are extremely mixable
imagine what this base could and also lovely when explored neat.
do in the hands of a real [Link]
mixologist. [Link]

Snack Attack
I hate math (curses to you, high school pre-calculus), but here’s
some simple addition I can get behind: beer + chocolate + pretzels
= a seriously good thing. Combining the three in a way that will
make your taste buds sing is Chicago-based tru±e tru±e, a
confectionery that offers a collection of beer-and-pretzel treats
that will hit your sweet and salty receptors—all with a hint of
chocolate stout goodness. [Link]

1 16  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 GADD’S SIXPACK
LAST YEAR, I DISCOVERED TWITTER AND
REDISCOVERED CANNED BEER. I’M STILL TRYING
TO FIND A USE FOR TWITTER (LOL)—MEANWHILE,
HERE’S THE NEXT INSTALLMENT OF

Pop-Top Wonders by David Gadd

Caldera Ashland Amber naive, unsuspecting tongue, with edgy, bitter love-’em-or-
Although they’ve also moved into 22-ounce leave-’em flavors and the downright aggressive efferves-
bottles, Caldera was the first microbrewery in cence of a soft drink. My first reaction: WTF? Ten minutes
Oregon to brew and can its own beer. The rainbow- later, I’m completely sold. Heady, strange and wonderful.
colored aluminum cans, seemingly designed with
input from Wavy Gravy, prevent light damage and Minott’s Black Star Double Hopped
oxidation, are safer and lighter to carry than glass Golden Lager
bottles and—ask any physicist—will chill quicker. A year- This Montana lager—created in 1995 by Minott
round staple at Caldera, Ashland Amber is a straight-ahead Wessinger, fifth-generation brewer and great-great-
beer-lover’s brew with expressive malt and nicely tipped-in grandson of West Coast brewing pioneer Henry
hops that show their best (‘natch) when the beer is poured Weinhard—is now available in 24-ounce cans. Thanks
into a glass. A Pacific Northwest classic in a can. to its double dose of hops, it’s as bracing as a night
spent under the open sky, and the new, generous packaging
Narragansett Bock makes it even more convenient to tote along for outdoor
I was first attracted to this Rhode Island outfit recreation. (That suggestion is void where prohibited by law.
after running across their cheeky JAM OUT WITH YOUR —Legal Dept.) A treasure from the Treasure State.
CLAM OUT teeshirts online. One week later, out of
nowhere, come samples of their superb Bock, in Oranjeboom Premium Beer
cans. Perhaps there is a Supreme Being after all. Created in Holland but now brewed in Germany by
Fruit-ester aromas like those wafting from a cluster InBev, this bourgeois-in-a-good-way pilsner is as ready as
of speckled bananas come leaping out of the glass Rembrandt’s Night Watch guards to keep you company in
like an adolescent’s dream of 13-proof Juicy Fruit gum. In a session of midnight quaffery (hey, it’s just 5.0 abv). With
the mouth, flavors of bittersweet hops are perfectly synched its quick, incisive attack on the palate and unpretentious
with lacquer-y malt tones on a texture as nigh-unto-perfect drinkability, it’s now officially my favorite “cheap” beer. FYI,
as my loofah of a cerebellum can recall. The tall, garishly the name means “orange tree”—say bohm, not boom.
green can contains a full 16 ounces of fun fluid, so haul AB INBEV
out your pint glass and pour yourself a beer with meaning
deeper than Moby-Dick.
Victoria
Avery White Rascal After rolling out in Texas and Colorado,
Fresh-pineapple yellow in color, this Victoria—“Mexico’s best-kept secret”—is
cloudy Belgian-style ale from Colorado expanding to more north-of-the-border markets,
comes on like Carmen Miranda in including Arizona, California, Georgia, North
Technicolor, delivering spicy fruit- Carolina, New Mexico, Nevada and Washington
cocktail flavors on top with a promise State. The coppery Vienna-style lager has been
of sweet tropical seduction down produced in Mexico since 1865, making it that
below, all of it singing along on a voluptuous and finely country’s oldest beer brand and bringing it
beaded texture. As the samba winds down, it leaves an exotic immediate loyalty among Hispanic consumers.
sugared-bitters finish that demands a reprise. Considering the dusky, crisp-textured flavor that
puts it at least a couple of sombreros above
Uncommon Brewers Siamese Twin Ale Mexico’s most ubiquitous import (which is also
It takes a while to get your mind and palate around this brought in by Crown), premium Victoria should
uncommon California-brewed, Belgian-style ale, flavored appeal to gringos looking for the next word
with Thai spices: coriander, lemongrass and Kaffir lime. in Latin American beer. A great brew to have
The critter from Santa Cruz stages an intense entry onto the on-hand 24/7/365. CROWN IMPORTS

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  117

CELLAR FOCUS

A Vintage Redeemed
2008 BORDEAUX ARE CLASSIC, BALANCED—AND A SURPRISING VALUE
by Anthony Dias Blue

T
he early word on the Château Angélus 2008 Saint-Emilion Château Lascombes 2008 Margaux
2008 vintage was not Smooth and lush; dense and ripe; intense Packing ripe plum, lively fruit and keen
good. Much of the and layered; complex. 91 acidity; elegant and bright. 89
growing season had been cool
and rainy and most vintners Château Beychevelle 2008 Saint-Julien Château Léoville-Barton 2008 Saint-
expected the worst. But much Mellow and balanced with supple, classy Julien Lush and deep with minerals, plum
to the delight and surprise flavors and a lingering finsih. 90 and spice; charming flavors. 89
of the Bordelais, a warm and
sunny harvest time performed Château Brane-Cantenac 2008 Margaux Château Malescot-Saint-Exupéry 2008
a miraculous rescue and the Bright plum and lovely berry; long and Margaux Concentrated fruit on a plush
end result is a vintage that is, graceful. 90 texture; quite charming. 89
as a whole, quite good.
The wines are classic and Château Canon 2008 Saint-Emilion Spicy Château Pape-Clément 2008 Pessac-
balanced with some good tobacco and plum tones with freshness Léognan Full of ripe plum fruit with lovely
flesh. Unlike the 2007 wines, and balance. 90 depth; rich, meaty and complex. 91
which tend to be a bit thin and
under- ripe, this year pro- Château Cantenac-Brown 2008 Margaux Château de Pez 2008 Saint-Estéphe
duced many lovely wines. And Bright and juicy with black raspberry and Fruity and fresh with a racy backbone of
there’s good news on prices: nice acidity; long. 89 firm acid and nice balance. 90
2008 Bordeaux wines, because
they were initially offered in Château Figeac 2008 Saint-Emilion Brisk Château Phélan Ségur 2008 Saint-Estéphe
the depths of the recession plum fruit on a lively structure with a keen Supple strength wihtin a juicy yet structured
and weren’t expected to be finish. 89 body; long and lively at the end. 90
particularly good, are going
to arrive in the market at what Château Grand-Mayne 2008 Saint-Emilion Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse
can only be described as “rea- Fresh and feisty with plum tones and 2008 Pauillac Elegant, complex, and
sonable” prices. In addition, poised structure. 90 balanced with lively plum and blackberry;
the much-anticipated 2009 lush, layered and classic. 93
vintage is looming ahead and Château Gruaud-Larose 2008 Saint-
the first wines from 2010 seem Julien Lush and dense with lovely plum Château Pichon-Longueville Baron 2008
to be just as good. Figure the and spice; supple and lovely. 90 Pauillac Smooth and lush; balanced, long,
2008s to be about half the rich. 89
price of equivalent 2009s. Château Haut-Bages-Libéral 2008
For restaurants, retailers Pauillac Ripe and alive with lively black Château Rauzan-Segla 2008 Margaux
and consumers, this vintage raspberry; fresh and snappy. 89 Dense and powerful yet elegant and rich
may offer a unique buying with plum notes and lovely texture; strong
opportunity. Here are some of Château Kirwan 2008 Margaux on the finish. 92
my favorite bottlings from the Juicy and dense, with long plum and a
2008 Bordeaux vintage, which solid core of acidity. 91 Château Smith-Haut-Lafitte 2008
was presented to press and Pessac-Léognan Warm, ripe nose;
trade at the Union des Grands Château Lafon-Rochet 2008 Saint- smooth, long and elegant with balanced
Crus de Bordeaux tasting in Estéphe Forward and expressive; long flavor; a long, rich finish. 90
New York in January. and racy with classic structure. 91
Château Talbot 2008 Saint-Julien Bright,
Château Lagrange 2008 Saint-Julien firm and compact with ripe plum and
Minerally tones with fresh, balanced spice; fleshy and long. 89
flavors; long and bright. 89
Château Troplong-Mondot 2008 Saint-
Emilion Smooth and rich; dense, complex and
balanced with a long, elegant finish. 90

1 18  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 NEW YORK CITY

Pub Date JAMESON IS A PERFECT MATCH FOR THE BRESLIN IN NEW YORK CITY
by Lana Bortolot / photos by Doug Young

I
f you’re lucky enough to get into The Breslin Bar & Dining Room, the
white-hot gastropub adjacent to the vibe-y Ace Hotel, sidle up to the
bar and get ready to be charmed. But you’ll have to be sure Katipai is
behind the bar. The New Zealand native and resident cutie-pie has a shy
wit and a quiet charm, which doesn’t cave under the steady stream of
cocktails coming across the bar.
Her unusual name is an adaptation of the Maori phrase kei te pei,
meaning “very good.” The mixologist, 34, whose full name is Katipai
Richardson-Wilson, is currently serving up Jameson in a cocktail called
Back in Black, a nod to the AC/DC album, and a drink that also keeps in
the tradition of the English-style pub.
“The atmosphere here is tuned in to whiskey,” she said. “You feel
like you’re in a country lodge where you can relax after a long day, so
you do want something that’s conducive to a working man’s image of
Jameson.” This being the land
of the New York deli, the
working man here is likely to
have a pickle with his potion,
so The Breslin features a
“Pickleback”—a shot of
Jameson chased down with
a homemade pickle.
And even though the pub
has a strong guy vibe, plenty of women
nurse their drinks here. Richardson-Wilson says
she’s seen an uptick in the number of women drinking whiskey—herself
included. “As people are starting to experiment more with whiskey as a
cocktail, women are starting to drink more masculine beverages,” she
said. “They haven’t entirely quit Cosmopolitans, but we try to steer them
away from that.”
Her own drink philosophy? “Here we used what’s fresh and available
and not what’s trendy,” she said, adding, “I appreciate a beautifully
executed cocktail and the focus that the bartender has put back on the
profession, but I’m the not person who will spend five minutes making
that cocktail.”

Back in Black
■
¾ oz. Jameson
■
¾ oz. Ramazzotti Amaro
■
dash of bitters
■
Guinness
Mixologit Katipai
■
Mix all ingredients in a tall glass and Richardson-Wilson builds
top with Guinness from the tap. the Back in Black cocktail
using Jameson Irish whis-
key, Guinness and bitters.

april 201 1  /  the tasting panel  /  119

Taking Inventory with. . .
The F&B Team at The Palmer House Hilton in Chicago

Sasa Sinanagic
Stephen Henry
Lounge Manager and
THE
“10”
Stephen Henry’s Five Pet Peeves
LIST

Executive Chef 1 Hot food on cold plates—your food will

always be cold!
2 Waitstaff who take a bottle of wine
halfway around the room to chill it and
the guest never sees it again
3 Waiters who disappear at the end of an
otherwise great restaurant experience
4 A noisy table with that one person
who is just a little too loud
5 When guests with reservations are
seated at the bar to wait for a table and
then have to pay out their tab before
being seated. Why can’t they pay it
with their meal?

Stephen Henry’s Top Five Faves

1 Todd English’s Olives at Bellagio in Las
Vegas; when I fly in during the morn-
Sasa Sinanagic. Executive Chef Stephen Henry. ing, I enjoy going to the bar and having
lunch there.

D
ating back to 1871, The Palmer House was originally a 2 My all-time favorite foods are comfort
wedding gift from business magnate Potter Palmer to his foods: a really well-done casserole and
wife, Bertha. The Chicago Fire destroyed the structure stew.
13 days later, but Potter rebuilt across the street, creating My brother lives near the Curragh
3
the world’s first fireproof hotel. The first guest checked in on Racecourse in Ireland—there’s nothing
November 8, 1873. Located in the heart of the Chicago Loop, The better than having a beer there and
Palmer House Hilton stands as an icon within walking distance of watching the races.
the city’s famed cultural, business and shopping destinations.
Executive Chef Stephen N. Henry is a 29-year veteran of the 4 Handy work at
home: from lawn
culinary arts profession. A native of Dublin, Ireland, Henry
care to house
began his culinary career at the age of 15 as a chef’s apprentice.
care, I love it all!
It was here on a daily basis that he peeled 50 pounds of Dublin
Bay shrimp—a task that might deter others from moving forward 5 Chicago Cutlery
on the long, often arduous road toward becoming a chef. knives: nice blades,
Chef Henry began his ascent to his present position as the wooden handles, not
internationally renowned Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin in 1985, too expensive
where he functioned as Chef Garde Manger. It was during this
time that a scholarship was presented to Henry by the National
Tourism Authority, granting him the opportunity to come to the
United States and work with Hilton Hotels Corporation.
Trends come and go in the hospitality industry. What never
changes is the importance of good service. Sasa Sinanagic,
Manager at Lockwood and Potter’s Lounge, learned this lesson
early. While working as an apprentice at the classic Maritim Our series continues, thanks to Funkin
Hotel in Würzburg, Germany, the hotel’s food and beverage fresh fruit purées, a brand that
manager taught him that no matter how attractive the property supports the integrity of the Food and
or trendy the menu, good service is what consistently draws Beverage people in our industry.
guests back. Today, Sinanagic, a native of Bosnia who started his
hotel and restaurant career in Germany and holds a Bachelor of
Science in hospitality and tourism management from Roosevelt
University in Chicago, shares this message with his staff at The
Palmer House.

120  /  the tasting panel  /  april 2011

 T

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THE NEW
A D D I T I O N S TO O U R
AWA R D -W I N N I N G
P O RT F O L I O
Belvedere is a quality choice. Drinking responsibly is too. Belvedere Vodka 40% ALC./VOL. (80 PROOF) 100% neutral spirits distilled from rye grain. ©2011 Imported by Moët Hennessy USA, Inc., New York, NY.

F R O M T H E M O S T I N N O VA T I V E V O D K A
I N T E N S E U N F I LT E R E D 8 0
T H E U LT I M AT E B E LV E D E R E

New Diamond Rye, unfiltered to magnify

the rye’s natural character
Full-bodied with naturally smooth, intense flavor
Perfect for the ultimate Martini
The sophisticated, versatile new choice

F ROM OU R U N IQU E M AC E R AT ION P ROC E S S

B L O O D Y M A RY
T H E F I R S T VO D K A C R E A T E D F R O M A C O C K T A I L

100% natural
The 7 key ingredients of a classic Bloody Mary
Just add tomato juice and a squeeze of lemon
Mix exciting new cocktails by substituting
for mezcal or tequila
Ready. Set. Brunch.

T RU S T YO U R I N S T I N C T S
N A T U R A L L Y S M O O T H®

F A C E B O O K . C O M / B E LV E D E R E VO D K A

Safety Safety

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