Monthly Archive for August, 2008

Bottleshock - A History of Napa Valley

Published
by
joanie
on August 10, 2008
in Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Competitions and Joanie Hudson
. 1 Comment

It is truly amazing what a popular movie can do to generate hype and publicity for its subject.  In the instance of Bottleshock, a historical and revolutionary tasting becomes an issue of pop culture.  People love to see a story, become aquainted with characters, and watch events unfold.  Movies can bring historical awareness to the public on a grand scale in a way that no other medium is able to do. 

The movie Sideways brought awareness and a business boom to Santa Barbara County and pinot noir. Now Bottleshock has reintroduced the world to Napa Valley, as it chronicles the events leading up to the industry shattering breakthrough that was the 1976 Judgment of Paris.  Bottleshock debuted at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and opened in movie theatres last week.  It appeals to wine lovers, history buffs, and has a beautifully written story line to capitivate all audience members. 

Today Napa Valley (which means “land of plenty”) is home to over 300 wineries.  Although the first commercial winery was started back in 1861, it has been a rocky road to get where it is.  Phylloxera was the first major setback in the late 1800s.  1919 brought a halt to commercial winemaking practices with the enactment of Prohibition.  This lasted until 1933, and the industry has been slowly growing ever since, gaining an official designation as a recognized AVA in 1982.  California vintners flocked to Napa where they began feverishly producing vintage after vintage of chardonnay and cabernet.  Its global prestige is as recent as 1976, when it gained overnight fame in the Judgment of Paris. 

So what is this Judgment of Paris? What makes it so important that an entire movie is dedicated to capturing it?  The competition was organized by a British wine merchant named Steven Spurrier.  A panel of 11 French and American judges did a blind tasting of top quality chardonnay and cabernet from France and California.  The results were shocking to the wine world and promoted the expansion of California wine production (the emergence of New World wines).  California wines rated the best in each category when pitted up against the French.  Now, this is not to say that California wines are “better” than French wines.  The main outcome of this event was to really knock France off of their pedestal and bring California onto the same level playing field as the French. 

The wines that were entered into the competition are listed below:

Red Wines:

1973 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cab 

1970 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild

1971 Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello Cab

1970 Chateau Montrose

1970 Heitz Wine Cellars Martha’s Vineyard Cab

1970 Chateau Haut-Brion

1970 Clos Du Val Winery Cab

1971 Chateau Leoville Las Cases

1971 Mayacamas Vineyards Cab

1969 Freemark Abbey Winery

White Wines:

1973 Chateau Montelena Chard

1973 Meursault Charmes Roulet

1974 Chalone Vineyard Chard

1973 Spring Mountain Vineyard

1972 Freemark Abbey Winery Chard

1973 Batard-Montrachet Romenet-Prudhon

1972 Veedercrest Vineyards Chard

1972 Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles

1973 David Bruce Winery Chard

Steven Spurrier discussed the controversy of the tasting results stating, “The results of a blind tasting cannot be predicted and will not even be reproduced the next day by the same panel tasting the same wines.  A side by side chart of best to worst rankings of 18 wines by a roster of experienced tasters showed about as much consistency as a table of random numbers.”

Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery

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Lafond BBQs and Spiritland Bistro Dinners

Published
by
joanie
on August 6, 2008
in Joanie Hudson, Special Events, Wine Club and Wine and Food Pairing
. 0 Comments

A couple of fun things to announce that are coming up quickly!

First off, I hope that wine club members that are able to attend have all signed up for the Annual BBQ up at Lafond Vineyard this Saturday (August 9).  We are so excited about it here at the winery and very much looking forward to the food, the wine, the venue, and getting to mingle with our beloved loyal customers.  

Also, I wrote earlier about the Rose Wine and Dine Dinner hosted by Spiritland Bistro last week, but have yet to write any after thoughts.  To put it simply, if you live in Santa Barbara and have any interest at all in wine (which I assume that if you are reading this you most likely do), this is an event that you just can’t skip.  

It was just so much fun, the company was fantastic, and apparently the Rose dinner set a record for the number of bottles consumed at one of these dinners (the Rose dinner was the sixth one).  The cat is out of the bag and getting a coveted seat at this event is getting tougher and tougher as almost everybody I was with signed up for as many dinners that were scheduled for the rest of the year at the end of the event last time.  

The one that I wanted to announce on our website is the Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir themed dinner that will be on October 6.  Ryan Ralston, our assistant winemaker, will be the speaker and will be there to represent Lafond Winery (I will be there as well of course - I was one of those people who signed up through the end of October).  I’m not sure yet what the menu will be as it is in progress right now, but as soon as I know I will post it here first.  I have already decided that I am bringing our 06 Lafond Martin Ray Clone Pinot because it is my favorite!  

The next dinner is August 27 and the theme is Viognier/Roussanne/Marsanne.  The speaker will be Jaffurs Wine Cellars, one of my local favorites for rhone varietals such as these.  Here is the menu below:

First Course: Assorted gourmet cheeses

Second Course: Corn & Spinach Chowder with crispy onions and chile oil

Third Course: Halibut with Asian-style Julienned Vegetables in a coconut lemon grass sauce, over red angel hair pasta

Fourth Course: Coconut Tapioca Pudding with pan sauteed caramelized peaches and roasted hazelnuts

$45 includes tax and tip for four-course organic meal.  Bring a bottle to share that matches the theme - no corkage fee!

Spiritland Bistro 966-7759

Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery

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Pinot Noir Pairings

Published
by
joanie
on August 2, 2008
in Joanie Hudson, Pinot Noir and Wine and Food Pairing
. 0 Comments

I know that it is difficult to imagine that summer will be over before we know it.  September and Harvest 2008 are right around the corner.  I usually try to put the end of summer and the end of long days out of my head until it actually comes that time.  But I got thinking about it because I was recently asked to think about ideas for a Pinot Noir wine dinner in October.  My brainstorming left me with a few ideas that got me looking forward to harvest flavors.

I recently came across a recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks, Mario Batali’s Italian Grill, that is totally unique and a really nice pair with light red wines such as Pinot Noir and Sangiovese.  The recipe is a Grilled Polenta Verde (or Green Polenta).  The rustic polenta turns a rich green color when you blend in a puree of parsley, spinach, and olive oil.  This is an extremely versatile dish that can be served as a side or a main course.  

Other flavors that pair well with the berry and floral aromatics characteristic of Pinot Noir are:

Morel or Porcini Mushrooms with Parsley

Root Vegetables such as Butternut Squash, Parsnip, and Beetroot

Green Lentil Soup with Sausage

Butternut Squash Polenta or Butternut Squash Lasagna (pinot noir will cut through the richness)

Pumpkin-based dishes

Small Butterflied Leg of Lamp

Roast Duck Legs

Quail

Grilled Pacific Salmon

Pinot Noir is an extremely versatile food wine primarily because it is light with soft tannins (the texture is pillowy on your tongue).  You don’t have to start planning for your October dinners just yet, but I’m just giving you some ‘food for thought’ (literally).  What is your favorite pinot pairing?

Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery

 

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Pinot Noir Veraison at Lafond Vineyards

Published
by
Pierre
on August 1, 2008
in Articles on Wine and Vineyards, Pinot Noir, Vineyard and Wine News
. 0 Comments

Wikipedia has a very good description of the process which is both visual and physical…

Véraison is a French term, but has been adopted into the English literature on viticulture. The official definition of véraison is “change of color of the grape berries.” Véraison signifies the change from berry growth to berry ripening in grapevines.

Process:
Many changes occur at veraison. Grape berries follow a double sigmoid growth curve. The initial phase of berry growth is a result of cell division and cell expansion. As berry growth of phase I slows this is termed the Lag phase. The lag phase is not a physiological growth stage, but an artificial designation between the two growth periods of grape berry development.

Degradation of Malic acid results in a decrease of berry titratable acidity. Grapes also possess a small amount of citric acid, but Tartaric acid is another dominant acid. Tartrate accumulates early in phase I of berry growth, while Malic acid accumulates at the end of phase berry growth.

Accumulation of hexose sugars (sucrose, fructose) is associated with the development of xylem cell discontinuities. The deposition of sugar into the berry depends on the level of leaf photosynthesis, the number of competing sinks on the vine and sugar importation. Herbaceous aromas are degraded. It is unknown whether the degradation of herbaceous aromas allows fruit aromas to be detected, or if fruity aromas develop later in berry ripening.

The berry also changes in color. Presumably chlorophyll is broken down. In White cultivars carotenoids are formed, while in red cultivars anthocyanins and xanthophylls are formed. The trigger of veraison is unknown, but veraison signifies the seed reaching maturity. However, seed maturity is unlikely to cause as seedless berries also proceed through veraison.

 

At the beginning of véraison we need to cover the vines with netting since birds seem particularly fond of Pinot Noir.

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