What are friends for? Pimping pinot, apparently

Lettie Teague posted on her blog at WSJ.com that her Fourth included an “explosively good pinot noir.” One thing she neglected to mention is that her friend and travel partner Scott Manlin is a co-owner of the winery. Teague has featured Manlin in both her Food & Wine columns over the years and recently had [...]

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Cool Climate Chilean Reds: A Pinot Noir Value Play?

Wines of Chile hosted an online tasting this past Wednesday night offering bloggers across the US a chance to taste through Chilean Pinot Noirs and Syrahs. The event was moderated by Master Sommelier Fred Dexheimer in New York with Chilean winemakers appearing via a live video stream.

The Pinot Noirs were impressive, especially considering their price points. A question I had on my mind coming into the tasting is which iconic Pinot Noir producing regions Chilean Pinot Noir most closely aligns with? The answer from the winemakers was that Pinot Noir is still a relatively new variety in Chile and they're exploring what works best. I think I have an idea based on the four we tasted - check out the conclusions below for more on that.

The Syrah we tasted were smoky, with higher levels of acidity than you'd find in Australia Shiraz for example. Priced between $13 and $29 I thought each was flavorful and had substantial tannins.

Here are my thoughts on the wines:

Pinot Noirs

 
2009 Valdivieso Reserve Pinot Noir
14.5% alc
$16.99

There's an aroma in this wine that reminds me of fresh residential carpeting. Really unique. But once you get past that it's pretty clean, round and enjoyable. Light in body but brings legitimate flavor. Nice slightly sweet spice. Dances lightly on the palate.

85/100 WWP: Good

2009 Vina Casablanca Nimbus Estate Pinot Noir
14.0% alc
$19.99

Aromatically perfumy. Ample fruit. A little smoke. Nicely balanced. Great velvety mouth feel. 

87/100 WWP: Very Good


2009 Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir
14% alc
$19.99

Nice long finish. I like this wine a lot but it's surprisingly "grippy" for a Pinot Noir which differentiates it from most Pinot Noir made in the US. A great overall package for less than $20. 

88/100 WWP: Very Good


2008 Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir
14% alc
$65

Though Cono Sur makes a very good entry-level Pinot Noir you can find for under $15. Only 50 cases of this high-end $65 bottling were imported to the US. That scarcity is unfortunate because this wine is gorgeous. What stands out about it is its purity - not a single off note anywhere in the bottle. Great wine.

92/100 WWP: Outstanding

Syrahs

2009 Tamaya Syrah Reserva
97% Syrah 3% Viognier
13.5% alc
$16.99

A very unique nose. Black pepper to the point it almost made me sneeze. A little volatile acidity perhaps? A little rough going on the palate. Kind of hard to switch gears from the Pinot Noirs to this.

82/100 WWP: Good

2006 Loma Large Syrah
14.5% alc
$29

Major smokeyness on this wine. Have you ever been to Disneyland? It reminds me of the smell you get when the Disneyland Railroad goes through the tunnels. You know - the part with the Grand Canyon and the dinos and all that? Beyond that there's substantial acidity and tannins. Definitely one to pair with food. 

84/100 WWP: Good

2009 Undurraga T.H. Syrah
13.5% alc
$24.99

The "Terroir Hunter". Friendly, fresh, fruity nose compared to the two previoius Syrah. A serious wine. Good dose of acidity. Tannins are present but the wine is smooth. Very nice. 

87/100 WWP: Very Good


2009 Hacienda Araucano Reserva Syrah
14.5% alc
$13

Pretty nose that wouldn't be out of place in a Napa Syrah. Warmer and richer than the prior three Syrah on the palate, but with substantial chewy tannins. Most similar of the bunch to what I'd expect from a Napa Syrah. Nice value at $13. 

86/100 WWP: Very Good

Conclusion and Recommendations

The story of the night for me was the quality of these Pinot Noir especially given most of them cost less than $20. The Cono Sur Ocio was beautiful but at $65 with only 50 cases imported it will be hard to find - and pricey. The style of these more affordable Pinot Noir reminds me of a clean Sonoma Coast style with higher acidity and more robust tannins.

The Veramonte Ritual, from the Quintessa portfolio, is one to check out given its wide availability. Shop for it on Wine-Searcher.com here.

As a group I wasn't blown away by the Syrah. It's been said it is easier to get rid of a case of pneumonia than a case of Syrah so I wonder: What will differentiate Chilean Syrah on US retailer shelves?

My thanks to the folks from Wines of Chile and the winemakers for sharing these wines and their time with us. Samples for review. 

Question of the Day: What do you think of cool climate Chilean Reds? Anything value plays you'd like to share?


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WellesleyWinePress/~3/WQU62ZTiKCM/cool-climate-chilean-reds-pinot-noir.html

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The Domestic Wine World in a Nutshell

Constellation Brands, the 2nd largest wine company in the U.S. behind E&J Gallo, has turned a nice trick.  Since May, their PR activities and the ensuing media coverage (across a diversity of topics) largely encapsulate the trends in the domestic wine world if not the larger American business environment. 

I pay attention to Constellation Brands.  I read the annual report, dry though it may be, and while I find that Constellation tends to get painted with the, “Corporate wine” brush that suggests a blend of big business and wine is necessarily bad, I haven’t found that to be the case with Constellation, at least anecdotally.  In fact, most former employees of Constellation that I’ve talked with offer respect for the organization while citing a host of more individual reasons for why they moved on.

No business is perfect, but Constellation hardly seems to be the bogeyman that the Agrarian Utopianists would have you believe.  Though, one quote from their 10-K seems to summarize the largely unspoken tension that exists between wine big business, the land and the globalization that tugs at both of them.

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“We are primarily a branding consumer products company and we rely on consumers’ demand for our products.  Consumer preferences may shift due to a variety of factors, including changes in demographic or social trends, public health policies, and changes in leisure, dining and beverage consumption patterns.  Our continued success will require us to anticipate and respond effectively to shifts in consumer behavior and drinking tastes.”

Opinion with the most strident wine conservatives holds that a winery should be a rock in the stream, rooted in terroir, not yielding to the fashion of the day and certainly not functioning as a branded, “consumer products company” answering to the vagaries of fickle, “consumer preferences.”

Yet, pursuant to the essential truth or not, that’s where the domestic wine world is today.  Let’s take a look at Constellation headlines dating to May of this year to see the domestic wine world trends in a nutshell:

Targeting Millenial Wine Drinkers Online / May 12, 2011      
Key reference(s) in the article:  Sensory analytics to understand consumer preferences.  Brand building akin to Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola.  Expansion of its Project Genome research that studies wine drinkers’ buying habits.

Under the Microscope:  Constellation Brands’ push into digital marketing / May 13, 2011      
Key reference(s) in the article:  “Social media has caught executives’ interest, given that most wine is discovered by consumer(s) via personal recommendation.”  “Since implementing the psychographic targeting, the company has seen an increase of click through rates of 150%, increased fans of 75%.”

Constellation Takes Long-View Approach / May 15, 2011                    
Key reference point(s) in article: “Much of the work Constellation did in reshaping the company came during the recession. For a time, sales took a hit and losses were evident.  But the company continued to pay down debt and build cash flow. ‘We could have pulled back and stopped investing in the business.  That would have been dangerous.  But we didn’t overreact,’ said CEO Rob Sands.’”

Europe:  Constellation plots greater push into Eastern Europe / May 18, 2011      
Key reference(s) in article:  While Constellation divested itself of the majority of this business earlier this year, they did maintain a minority stake in the organization renamed Accolade Wines on July 1st.  “Speaking on Eastern Europe more generally, (Constellation’s General Manager for Europe, James Lousada) said that Constellation is prepared to play a long game in the likes of Poland, Ukraine, Czech and Russia.  ‘If we start now then in five years we will have a significant business in those countries.’”

Constellation Plans Major Innovation Push In 2011, With Launch of 20 New Wines / May 18, 2011            
Key reference(s) in article: “Constellation Wines U.S. President Jay Wright said today that the company is planning a blitz of 20 new wine products this fiscal year (ending next February), targeting fast-growing segments like sweet red blends, Prosecco, Moscato and Malbec. Among the new rollouts will be a sweet red blend in the $8 to $11 range, Primal Roots, and a new offering in the rising unoaked wine segment, Simply Naked (around $10 a bottle). Both will launch June 1st. A new premium Spanish brand, Rioja Vega, is also poised for rollout.”

What Does China Need?  More Table Wine / May 20, 2011
Key reference(s) in article: “Chief Executive Rob Sands of the New York-based beverage company said he will formally announce a top executive for its Asian business.  Sands says he sees a sweet spot in the Chinese market in imported table wines … that market has grown 20% a year in the five-year period leading to 2010, according to a report by Rabobank.”              

Constellation Unveils Winery Expansion / June 8, 2011      
Key reference(s) in article: “’This expansion is a cornerstone for the future of our business,’ (COO Jay) Wright said.”

Constellation Brands to Cut Jobs to Save Money / June 30, 2011      
Key reference(s) in article: Despite higher than expected earnings in its first quarter of fiscal year 2012, Constellation plans, “…to cut about 100 jobs, or 2.3 percent of its workforce, as part of a business realignment meant to save money … the company expects the moves to save it more than $10 million …”

Constellation Sales Slide in First Quarter / June 30, 2011      
Key reference(s) in article: “Constellation has rolled out around 50% of the 20 new wine products it has slated for this year, with Rex Goliath Moscato, Ruffino Prosecco, Arbor Mist Pomegranate Berry Pinot Noir and the Simply Naked unoaked line already making their debuts.”

Summary

By looking at the wine business through the prism of Constellation’s news, I see a number of trends that are palpably present for the entirety of the domestic wine business:  Globalization, digital, Millenials, investing in growth, layoffs, new “hot” segments or varetials like Prosecco, Moscato, unoaked chardonnay, sweet wines.

While these trends are on a more granular level than the seismic macro shifts that Mike Veseth describes in his new book, Wine Wars, the point continues to be reinforced for me that we’re at the tail end of a Golden Age of wine, the agrarian ideal is quickly becoming a slippery slope necessitating changing with the times and 20 years from now the first decade of the millennium will be viewed as the halcyon days of old. 

Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/the_domestic_wine_world_in_a_nutshell/

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What are friends for? Pimping pinot, apparently

Lettie Teague posted on her blog at WSJ.com that her Fourth included an “explosively good pinot noir.” One thing she neglected to mention is that her friend and travel partner Scott Manlin is a co-owner of the winery. Teague has featured Manlin in both her Food & Wine columns over the years and recently had [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/-ROAZTmz-k4/

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