Dallas Wine Chick

Loudoun County Wine Pre-Trip: Continues to Bring Great Surprises

I came out of my early morning haze with two words running through my mind – Dig Deepa! You see, I brought along the Shaun T Insanity workouts and I knew that I was about to sweat out the wine, cheese, dessert, nuts and other sins of yesterday. After a very ugly workout session, I was ready for day two.

Our first stop was Chrysalis Vineyards. This was to be my first experience with Norton and I was excited. I had read the “The Wild Vine: A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine,” by Todd Kliman and was very intrigued to taste the native Virginia grape that was such a labor of love for Dr. Norton. The Norton grape was almost destroyed during the Civil War and then again during Prohibition.

Chrysalis Vineyards is a 412-acre farm that is known for being the world’s largest grower of Norton, deemed by owner Jennifer McCloud as the “real American grape.” In addition to Norton, McCloud has planted a variety of Spanish and French varietals in addition to the usual line-up. The vineyard also has several American milking Devon cows and will be making cheese and ice-cream soon.

We were split into two groups and our hostess, Pat, was born to showcase Chrysalis wines. She introduced us to “Sarah,” namesake of several blended wines and the vineyards gorgeous outdoor patio. Sarah, who died an untimely death of “consumption” or tuberculosis at the age of 16 in 1855, was the daughter of the property owners of the estate in the 1800s. Based on what I saw, she’s definitely resting in peace.

We tried 15 wines – all except for two were grown on the estate:

- 10 Chardonnay – this was made in the Old World almost Chablis-like style with lots of acidity and green apple. This is one of the wines sourced from grapes outside the vineyard, $17.

 - 09 Barrel Reserve Chardonnay – more New World in style. Citrus and oak abounded, $24.

 - 10 Viognier – very refreshing with notes of vanilla, melon, floral and peach notes, $29.

 - 10 Mariposa – a dry rose with notes of raspberries and strawberries. Not my favorite wine as I struggle with rose wines that do not sparkle, $15.

- 10 Sarah’s Patio White – I tasted citrus, honey and almost a Chinese spice, $15

- 10 Sarah’s Patio Red – This 100 percent Norton had almost a hint of sweetness to it. Big cherry, raspberry and a note of Asian spice. Pat talked about how good this is as a base to sangria and I’m inclined to agree, $15.

 - 08 Rubiana – This wine combined Spanish and Portuguese varieties and tasted of black fruits and pepper, $17.

 - 07 Norton Estate – I really wanted to love Norton especially after reading about its resurrection and knowing this vineyard brought back Norton in 1992, but the earthiness combined with fruitiness made me pause, $17.

- 10 Norton Barrel Select – This wine was made in a Beaujolis style and was very fruity, n/a

- 08 Norton Locksley Reserve – Aged for three years in the bottle, this blend of Norton (75 percent), Petit Verdot and Nebbiollo was very earthy with pepper and chocolate. I would have been interested to see what happened to this wine had it been decanted.

- 06 Petit Verdot – I tasted chocolate, pepper and earthiness, $35.

- 07 Tannat (or poker playing wine) – I tasted mocha, currant, vanilla and blackberry. This wine could benefit with several more years in the bottle, but had nice structure, $35.

 - 08 Papillon – Had notes of mocha, cedar, pepper and pine, $35.

 - 10 Albarino – An explosion of white peaches, floral and even a bit of mango. This was one of my absolute Virginia favorites at $24.

Then it was time for the pinnacle – the 10 Petit Manseng, reserved for only the VIP wine club members and it usually sells out instantly. Chrysalis was the first to bring this wine to the Americas. I tasted honey, candid fruit, spice and orange. It was a very special wine and as much as I tried, I couldn’t convince anyone to sell me a bottle.

Our next stop was Boxwood Winery. Rachel Martin, EVP of Boxwood and the daughter of Rita and John Cook, former owners of the Washington Redskins, greeted us and talked about the history of the winery. Designed by Architect Hugh Jacobsen, it’s an airy, light filled and cheery place to experience wine. The 16-acre winery was first planted in 2004 and focuses on French Bordeaux varietals – Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot and Petit Verdot. The focus is producing fine wines in a French style with Virginia terrior.

Stephane Derenoncourt, a French winemaker, consults with Adam McTaggart, Boxwood’s day-to-day winemaker. Boxwood was Derenoncourt’s first U.S. consulting venture.

We tried several wines:

- 09 Topiary Rose, a dry sipping wine with tasted of strawberry. You guys know I struggle with roses, but the rest of the bloggers enjoyed this wine, $14-16

 - 08 Topiary, a blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, was done in a right bank style. It had a deep purple color, dark fruits, berry, smokiness, spiciness and eucalyptus notes, $25-27.

- 08 Boxwood was done in the left bank style and was a blend of petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon and merlot. I tasted blackberries, black cherries and almost a sandalwood essence, $25-27. – 09 Topiary, muted berry, cedar and earthiness. This wine will be released in the Fall, n/a.

- 09 Boxwood had big berry, a powerful structure and benefitted from a quick whirl in the Wine Soiree (actually both 09 wines did). I brought home a bottle of the 08 and 09 to compare at a future tasting, n/a.

A few things struck me after spending these two days tasting Virginia wines. First, I was surprised at the number of European influences on the wine styles and the grapes being planted. Second, it is clear that no expense has been paid to bring in some of the world’s top wine consultants. And finally, Virginia is an area that is making the commitment today to make some serious wine in the future.

Kindred Spirits Unite!

Happy New Year to everyone!  I hope you had a great time and good wine to ring in 2011.

Back in November, I read my friend Bruce’s East Dallas Times article about how Jon Whitaker, the owner of local wine shop, Kindred Spirits had secured one of the highly rated Charles Smith Royal City Syrahs.  Charles Smith is known for throwing some great parties, including one with burlesque dancers with flaming pasties at the Wine Blogger’s Conference in 2010.  But I digress, that is another story for another time, with you over wine.  This bottle received a perfect 100 score from the Wine Enthusiast and a 98 from Robert Parker.  Six bottles made it to the Dallas area – five were sold at ridiculously inflated prices to a select list of customers who were “lucky” enough to be on the list in the first place.  Instead of taking the same approach as his brethren in the area, Jon conducted a drawing to see who would purchase the wine at its retail price.

I respected this unusual approach so I reached out to him.  We met at his store at Mockingbird and Abrams one chilly Wednesday afternoon and instantly was greeted by his vivacious, not to mention utterly charming ten-year-old son, Chris.  It turns out that the TABC will let the oldest child work in the family business.  After watching he and Jon interact, I was impressed at how well he knew the store and the products that they offered.  Jon has an interesting wine/spirits distribution, operations and sales background.  He put himself through Baylor and then took a sales rep job after school in a territory so bad that he joked about Schlitz Malt Liquor keeping him alive because his clients knew no one else would bring it in.  He then successfully worked in hospital administration until his hospitals were acquired by a larger chain.  That’s when he decided to get back in the business and acquired Kindred Spirits.

It had been a few years since I had been in Kindred Spirits and I remember the wine selection being pretty pedestrian and predictable – your basic grocery store fare.  Whitaker has definitely made the selection interesting with everything from Grange to an “off the beaten path” selection of wines under $15.  He highlighted one in particular, the 09 Oveja Negra Cabernet Franc Carmenere Reserva from Chile.  Since I received a flip cam from Santa this year, I recorded his thoughts on why he liked this wine.  After trying to get it to download for almost two hours, I give my concession to the great technology gods and my apologies to Jon for sticking a camera in his face.  Update: You can see the video on the Dallas Wine Chick page on Facebook.

He gave me a bottle to taste and I found that it had evolved drastically from day one to day two.  Wow – today it was mellow and silky with hints of spice and blackberry with a great mouth feel.  Today it had great balance and an almost velvet mouth feel.  At less than $10, it is a good buy on day one, but a great buy on day two.

Kindred Spirits is definitely worth the trip and I’m excited to check out some of his recommendations like the La Joya Merlot or the Cycles Gladiator Pinot Noir.  It’s nice to have a family owned wine shop with someone in it for the love of offering all of his customers a fair shot at the best products that he can bring to the market.

Dallas’ Most Interesting Wine List is at a National Hotel?

Last month I attended the Texas/New York Gridiron wine challenge had the opportunity to sit at a table with Hunter Hammett, sommelier for the Dallas Fairmont Hotel.  Surprisingly enough, our conversation shifted to wine and he told me about the Fairmont’s wine list which he had totally overhauled including a large number of Texas wines.  I was intrigued, so I asked Hunter if I could spend some time with him learning more about the list.

He’s an agreeable guy and very passionate about wine, so I found myself in the totally revamped Pyramid Restaurant & Bar at the Fairmont – with a tasteful local focus on Texas products and a rooftop garden.  I was handed the list, which received a Wine Spectator 2010 Award of Excellence, and like a kid in the candy store, I started perusing.  As Hunter hand-selected the 250 wines that are on the list, it was important find a variety of on and off “the beaten path” wines at any price that patrons would love.  I especially enjoyed the Underrated Reds and Underrated Whites sections that had a number of wines I have enjoyed in small little wine bars or across the country.  I never expected to see them at a restaurant in a national hotel.  You’ll also find grapes you’ve probably never heard of nor had the opportunity to try like Aligoté, at least in Texas, until now. 

Gruet was one of the selections on the Underrated Reds list and I mentioned that I had never tried its still wines.  In short notice, I had a glass of the 06 Gruet Pinot Noir Cuvee Gilbert in hand.  Hunter also had a large selection of wines that are positioned by varietal vs. region to encourage experimentation of all different types of grapes from around the world.

Of course, because this is Texas, you will find the usual big suspect Cabernets -we all know that restaurants have to carry these to please certain patrons.  Also, I believe that having some of the big steakhouse wines gives people the trust factor to try other wines that may not have considered otherwise.  

Wines that are sustainable, organic and environmentally farmed are given special consideration.  You’ll probably see a future focus on building out the French section of the list in 2011.  Hunter’s credo, like The Wine Century Club, is to broaden the wine drinking scope at every opportunity.  I, for one, look forward to my trip around the world with his wine list as my guide.

Taste Napa Meets My Grape Expectations

During #wbc10, Julie Crafton, communications coordinator of Napa Valley Vintners, led several of us up to her room with the promise of trying some small, boutique Napa wines and we were not disappointed.  She told me that #tastenapa was coming to Texas in October and I marked my calendar on July 1 hoping against hope that work travel wouldn’t keep me away.

Those of you that know me (or know me through this blog) know that I am a big fan of both Napa wines and Twitter.  I was feeling a little melancholy knowing I couldn’t return to the Valley this year, so I was very excited about this event.  As the event approached, I was able to get a sneak preview through the Tweets of @winewonkette and @houston wino from Another Wine Blog, who share my palate.  I took copious notes and formulated my game day plan as I literally could have tasted somewhere in the neighborhood of 150 plus wines. 

Because I have a day job, I arrived at CityPlace Center much later than those in the trade and was able to get some additional intel.  As I made my way around the packed room, two things were reinforced. The first was how many wine makers were in the room, which overscored how much Napa wine we drink here in Dallas.  Not surprising considering we are the land of the steakhouse, but winemaker after winemaker told me how profitable a market Texas is for them.

Winemaker John Anthony

Betty O’Shaughnessy of O’Shaughnessy Vineyards

The second is how much I adore Napa wines. Granted, a Stags Leap Cast 23 was my first wine “a ha” moment, and the wine didn’t disappoint.  My favorites included the Meander Napa Valley Cabernet 07 ($65); the Larkin Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc 07 (both $60), the 07 Gemstone (price not released, but averaged $140 online), the O’Shaughnessy Mount Veeder Cabernet ($95), the John Anthony 06 Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) and Waterstone’s  07 “Study in Blue” ($45). 

Brenda Coqueral from Coqueral Family Estates

I also really enjoyed meeting Brenda from Coqueral Family Estates, a fellow Texan who caught the vineyard “bug” and moved to Calistoga to make wine with her husband.  They focus exclusively on the Sauvignon Blanc grape and make three wines.  My favorite was the Terroir Coquerel at $37.   

Herta Behensky “HB” Peju from Peju Vineyards

And, I must give a special shout out of the 2004 Peju Cabernet Sauvignon H.B. Vineyard, Rutherford, Napa Valley, which was fantastic.  The wine spent 30 months in French Oak and I believe I savored every drop, especially for the $225 library wine price.  I enjoyed my conversation with Herta Behensky “HB” Peju, who must have spent 20 minutes with me discussing her wines, the Valley and her perspective on winemaking.  A delightful and talented winemaker who has made some of Napa’s great wines since 1982.

Look for these vintages coming to your favorite wine bar, restaurant or wine store soon. Let me know your favorites or the Napa wines you wish you could get in Texas. Your voice (and dollar) matter and based on the attendance, our wholesalers, distributors and suppliers are listening.

Cabernet, Women and Shoes: The Trifecta

I had the chance to catch up with my girlfriends last week over dinner. We’ve known each other long enough that usually no stone goes unturned when we get together. I was in need for blog content and needed a different angle for a #Cabernet Twitter tasting coming up on Sept 2.  As a sidenote, Mark your calendars, grab a bottle, get online and join in the fun.

Rather than review another wine, I asked the group an important question – if you were stuck on a desert island with only one brand of Cabernet Sauvignon that you’d have to drink until rescue, what would it be? The initial feedback was that it is August in Texas with 100 plus degree days and white would be better suited to this scenario.  The conversation did finally divert into a discussion about our favorite cabs and why. Understanding that this is a subjective topic, there were a few brands that came up from the group including Pahlmeyer, William Hill Reserve, Lail Blueprint, Hourglass, Tapestry and Joseph Phelps.  Interesting that none of the usual “brand” suspects were mentioned although there was a heated debate on whether Silver Oak was worth the money with no final consensus.

The conversation quickly diverted to over-rated cabs and how many bottles of three figure cabernets were purchased at a winery that seemed magical at the time, but disappointed at home. Maybe we got caught up in the moment? Maybe it was stop number four of a full day of tasting?  But, the reality was that some of those same bottles opened at home with high hopes and a lighter wallet, didn’t live up to the memory.

The subject then shifted to the key to buying higher end cabernet – consistency in the brands that you trust. Knowing that your first (and last) bottle can change based on age, but will remain consistently good. Good cab is a great deal like good shoes. Everyone needs a favorite pair (or eight), but a nice pair of designer shoes better lasts the test of time. And even more importantly, can you ever have enough cabernets or enough designer shoes? And the consensus is no for either choice.

Can’t Drive 55!

This was the photo that I got from my lead footed husband as he made the solo drive from the Portland Airport to join me on a tour through Prosser, Red Mountain and Yakima.  I was lucky enough to have one of the top experts, Margot, and her husband, Dave,  show us Washington “wine o’clock” style.

You see, John didn’t join me until after #wbc10 was over. He’s a bourbon boy from the South and while he has a strong appreciation of wine and a collection that reinforces that point, seven days of wine tasting would render him to a state where he would want to poke his eyes out with a fork.  For the sake of our marriage and my enjoyment of the experience, he arrived late on Sunday. 

Unfortunately he missed out on some wonderful experiences.  Our first stop was family-owned L’Ecole. The name, L’Ecole Nº 41 is French for “the school”.  The winery is located in district 41 in historic Frenchtown, a small community outside of Walla Walla that was named for the many French Canadians that settled there in the early 1800s. 

We arrived at the converted schoolhouse that serves as the tasting room and were greeted by Jamie, a fun new friend who hosted us for a fantastic vertical tasting of library wines.  We began with a refreshing glass of the 08 Estate Luminesce ($19) that I loved, but alas, it was completely sold out.  We then tasted the 99, 03 and 07 Apogee from Pepper Bridge Vineyard and the 03 and 07 Estate Perigee from Seven Hills Vineyard.  I personally loved the Apogee – especially the earlier vintages that tasted of earthiness, black cherry, cassis and notes of chocolate.  The evolution in the glass was noteworthy and I left with a case of my own to taste test in the future.

Our next stop was to Va Piano Vineyards to meet Winemaker Justin Wylie.  Its motto: “Chi va piano, va sano e va lontano.” The translation is “He who goes slowly, goes safely and goes far” – an old Italian saying and the winery’s approach to living. This recommendation came from Greg Kassanoff, who owns Pioneer Wine here in Dallas.  We started with two Brunos Blend I and VI wines, one Sauvignon Blanc and one red blend as well as the Semillon.  Father Bruno Segatta, who Justin met during his time at Gonzaga University, is an artist and selfless priest.  Father Segatta inspired Justin to give back to the community. When the Bruno blends are sold out, Va Piano donates a portion of the proceeds to a charity of Father Bruno’s choice.  We tried two Syrah’s – the 07 Syrah and 08 Estate Syrah, which were inky black, spicy and fabulous.  But it was the 07 Cabernet that made me a card carrying member of Va Piano’s wine club.  At $38 a bottle, it rivaled some of Napa’s heavy hitters currently in my cellar.  Let’s just say that I cancelled my Far Niente membership because I liked it that much (the rule in my house is that if I add a wine club, I must cancel a wine club – actually my husband made up this rule after one particular Visa bill).

The next day, we made a brief stop at Airfield Wines where my favorite wine was the Aviator ( $30). It was a big Bordeaux style blend and since my cousin is in process of finalizing his clearance to be a fighter pilot, I loved the history of the winery.

The next day we headed to visit Alexandria Nicole Cellars.  Because Margot and Dave were wine club members, we were given VIP treatment and access to the back room, where we tried more than 16 wines on their tasting list – we even showed restraint as they have 21 varietals.  My favorites included the 07 Jet Black Syrah, 09 Rousanne, 08 Quarry Butte (ah Quarry Butte…), 07 Cabernet and 08 Crawford Viognier.  We also had the chance to sample some older vintages – the 03 and 05 cabernets and merlots from Alexandria Nicole’s enomatics system.  Again, the evolution in the glass and the changes over a two-year period were notable.

Then it was time for lunch.  I was excited to finally meet Scott who has been a long-time friend on Twitter, but I wasn’t prepared for the red carpet that was rolled out by my new Washington friends.  We went to eat at Tuscany and were met by Coop, Sara and Kevin.  Coop brought a bottle of his not yet released 08 Pinot Gris and it paired perfectly with the delicious food.

Mark your calendars for the debut of Cooper Wine Company’s Red Mountain grand opening on Sept. 11.  If his Bordeaux-style reds rival the Pinot Gris, you won’t be sorry. 

We left Tuscany and I had the chance to experience Fidelitas Wines in Red Mountain.  We originally planned to visit several wineries on Red Mountain, but were drawn in by Charlie Hoppes’ big red wines at Fidelitas Wines along with the hospitality of Marilyn and Cindy.  Let’s just say that another case of wine now has a home in Dallas that includes the 07 Red Mountain Cabernet Franc ($40), the 07 Jaguar red ($20), 2007 Champoux Vineyard Cabernet  ($60) and 07 Red Mountain Red ($50).   

P.S. Here is a photo of the not debuted yet packaging…

Our last and final stop was Sean Gilbert at Gilbert Cellars in Yakima where we tasted an array of reds, whites and a Rose’ of Mourvedre paired with cheeses, olives and Marcona almonds.  While I enjoyed every one of his wines, it was the 07 Cabernet Sauvignon ($28) and 07 Cabernet Franc ($32) that will be joining us in Dallas once the Texas heat has diminished.

Sean also talked us out of our dinner selection and sent us to an unmarked sports bar with a hunter complete with a scoped rifle as the signage.  Thankfully we trusted him and enjoyed a great dinner with a bottle of Gilbert Cellars’ Malbec.  We ended the evening hanging out with Margot and Dave in their room where we told stories and toasted a wonderful trip with a few special favorite wines.

Marietta Cellars: A Conversation with the Prodigal Son

It all started with the need to catch up with my dear friend, Julie, who I had not seen in ages and who had some big life decisions to make.  We sat outside Veritas on a glorious Spring day in Dallas.  We actually only get about twenty days a year like this before the temperature makes the jump from low 70’s to high 80’s and above, so we were savoring the sunshine and the tasty wine in front of us. 

Brooks, the owner of Veritas, came out to greet us and told us that we needed to leave the sunshine in order to attend a tasting of his latest find – Marietta Cellars.  Of course I can’t pass up the chance to taste a new winery and meet the winery family.  Also…it was free.  We started talking to Sam Bilbro, one of the brothers involved in the business whose business card reads “Prodigal Son.”  Sam had a clear passion for the wine business and his family’s wines.  He’s considered prodigal because he just returned to the vineyard after working for several other wineries.  After answering about 101 questions from me about Napa, his wines and what it is like to work in a family business, he began to pour.

We tasted five wines that day and I had a very definite favorite.   Our first wine was Marietta Old Vine Lot 51 NV (retails around $13).  Let me just name this an official pizza wine.  It was very fruit forward and bursting with spice and jam.

The next wine was the 06 Marietta Petite Syrah, which retails for $19.99.  Big blueberry fruit with spice, it was a full-bodied wine.  We then moved on to the 07 Marietta Zinfandel, which retails for $19.99.  It was a well balanced zin with hints of earthiness and a big berry taste.  The 06 Marietta Cabernet Sauvignon followed.  This  is an everyday drinking wine with lots of blackberry flavor,  priced at $19.99.

My favorite was the more expensive Marietta Angeli Cuvee.  Worth every penny of its $29.99 price tag (it drank like a more expensive wine), the Old Vines brought out the complexity of this wine.  I love the blend of berries, the spice and the balance.  It’s what a big red wine should be and one that will soon be joining my collection.

This week, Sam reached out to me to offer any assistance or answer any questions – even about other wineries.  Even though this little blog is less than two months old, I have been amazed at the responsiveness and willingness to help offered by the winemakers and families involved in the wine business.   Having worked in another industry for about 20 years, it is a nice discovery and I believe a testament to why wine consumption has continued to grow in the US.

There’s No Business Like Snow Business

Last week, I had it all planned out.  I was going to go to a Women for Wine Sense event in Dallas featuring notable women in the wine industry including award-winning proprietor, Lindsay Woodward.  Then I was lucky enough to be on the short list for a small post event dinner with Lindsay and her explosive Retour Pinot Noir. 

Then snow threatened to get in the way.  I was called to Michigan for work.  I crossed my fingers and flew into the eye of the storm – literally – successfully connecting flights in Chicago and then on to Michigan.  I was relieved to get home, but I was too late to make the original event.  I joined a small group of women for dinner at Salum, a local favorite and I am so happy that I did since Lindsay’s wines exceeded my expectations with the 07 vintage (I was lucky enough to try her first vintage with a friend last year).

For those of you who have not had the opportunity to try her Retour Pinot Noir, it is coming to a wine list near you soon.  Retour, which is only in its second vintage and is the French term for returning home, was rated a 92 and named by the Wine Spectator as “one of the most important new labels in Oregon.”  Bottom line – the Pinot is delightful – big fruit, spice and a long finish.  But what was more delightful was Lindsay.  She’s smart, she’s funny, she’s sassy and she loves what she does.  She took a gamble and left a successful communications job.  She turned her love of wine, knowledge of the industry and her passion into a successful venture while she was in her early 30’s.  She’s agreed to do a Q&A with me for a future posting, so look for that soon.

On another note — I returned from Michigan on Wednesday evening with the thought of writing my article about my dinner at Salum and posting  it no later than Saturday.  Then the mother of all storms hit Dallas.  We woke up on Thursday to a dusting of snow.  It was pretty – nothing that would keep me from going to work.  But, it continued to snow. And snow.  And snow.  Ten and a half inches later, our power went out and wasn’t restored until very late on Saturday.  Because we have a young daughter, we finally threw in the towel, grabbed two bottles of red wine (2005 Del Dotto Cab Frank and 06 Sojourn Cabernet Sauvignon) and went to a hotel on Friday night.  I do have to admit that I was worried about my wine collection and thankful that the power outage happened during the winter months. (No power in August for a few days in Dallas is not good for wine).

So, this Dallas girl now completely empathizes with what has been going on in DC, New York, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati and Detroit.  What I did gain from this experience is an appreciation for what I have and the knowledge to pack my wine bottles, wine opener, Riedel glasses and head to a hotel much faster should Dallas become a winter wonderland and I lose my electricity once more.