by Patrick Ogle

Philippe Vandelle L' Etoile savagnin is a wine from the Jura region of France. Smell it, taste it and if you are not ready for what this is? You may not like it. You may think it has “gone bad.” In a sense it has because this wine is purposefully oxidized; it has a taste that is similar to, but lighter than, fino sherry.

This is a wine you will likely love or hate. If you are fond of sherry then you will likely be a fan of this wine. If you are not the taste may not appeal. Fruit is a little harder to peg for this wine but think white fruits, peach or even a hint of lemon. There is also a nuttiness (probably related to the fermentation and the type of yeast used).

Jura is well known for wines with these qualities. This wine is aged in oak barrels and fermented with a yeast similar to what is used in sherry using the “sous voile” method (meaning “under the veil”). The aging takes 3 years and a film forms on the top of the wine (“the veil”). The wine in the barrel evaporates a bit which leads to contact with oxygen, hence the oxidation. OK, what I am saying here is probably simplified and can be quibbled with—but basically this is how a vin jaune from Jura comes to be. There is no fortification (adding alcohol) like in a sherry nor is the solera system used (wines are aged long term in a series of stacked barrels).

Savagnin, which is not to be confused with sauvignon blanc, is a little grown grape outside of Jura and is one of three grapes allowed in the L'Etoile AOC (the others are chardonnay and another little grown grape, poulsard). Vin jaune is always savagnin. Savagnin is a descendent of the traminer grape—probably--and is also used in blends with chardonnay. These blends are more "normal" than this varietal savagnin.

This is a wine that you also won't see everywhere. If you are fond of it and see it for sale be sure to grab a couple bottles.

$33-38

Treviso La Llorena 2009 Viognier, Chardonnay And Roussanne Blend A Wine For Lovers Of Big Oaky Wine.

by Patrick Ogle

You need two words to describe this lovely Northern California blend—‘oak’ and ‘bomb’. At first taste you might think this is a straight up chardonnay varietal. It isn't. This wine is a blend of chardonnay, viognier and roussanne which are moderating influences that come into focus as you ponder ( although you don't really need to ponder; you can just drink). If you are fond of lighter wines or don't like oak this might not be for you.

This is, as noted, a big white that is nicely balanced with acidity and a hint of citrus. I tend to harp on balance over describing arcane fruit flavors. When someone says a wine tastes like peach pits do you really sense that? I am not suggesting it isn't there simply that it doesn't matter when most folks are having a glass of wine. On the other hand a wine that is unbalanced, sweet with no acidity or acidic without fruit etcetera; these are wines you probably don't want to be drinking (unless it is free).

Viognier and roussanne often impart similar, but not identical, flavors to a wine. You will hear “stonefruit” (peaches, apricots) for the former and usually pear and even tea in descriptions of the latter. Viognier also give the wine some viscosity, a sensation that might be described as oily (nothing to do with the taste). The texture of a wine can influence your drinking experience as much as flavor.

This blend is one you will find in France (Languedoc), USA (California )and occasionally other places. When you see this blend do not assume it will always taste similar. Different winemakers use wildly different proportions in such blends. This version has 45 percent chardonnay, 45 percent viognier and 10 percent roussanne. The preponderance of chardonnay and viognier here are what lend this wine its weight, is big body while the touch of roussanne adds acidity and lighter aromatics.

$33-37

by Patrick Ogle

Raventos i Blanc's Silencis xarel-lo 2013 is a tart, crisp wine with a super dry finish. It might seem a little cloudy in the glass. It has nice acidity—higher than American or Aussie sauvignon blancs. If you are a sauvignon blanc-- or chenin blanc-- lover looking for something a little different? This is a wine worth your attention.

When you think of “acid” you may think it a negative. This isn't true in wine. Certainly you do not want an overly acidic wine but some acid adds to a wine's character. Acidity is one part of a complex wine.

Sniff this you get a hint of grassiness but this isn’t readily apparent in the taste. While smell and taste are connected they are certainly not identical. There is a hint of grapefruit pith; really I am not just writing that to be obscure, beer drinkers may recall this taste from various grapefruit summer beers. It imparts a certain citrusy bitterness. As this wine warms up the grassy elements become more apparent. If you like that? Maybe serve it a little warmer? If you do not? Serve it colder! There is a hint of minerality here too—maybe even something approaching saltiness.

You may have had xarel-lo and not realized it; the grape is one of the components in the Spanish sparkling wine, Cava. It is one of three main grapes used in making Cava. I've read about this being the more aromatic of the grapes used in making Cava (with all due respect to macabeo/viura).

This wine will make you want to explore more from this Spanish winemaker (especially their sparklers).

$22-26

by Patrick Ogle

Laurent Miguel albarino 2013 is a wine that is the result of a vinicultural homecoming. Laurent Miguel brought the grape back to its homeland—France--with solid results.

The wine is a light crisp wine with grapefruit and other citrus flavors that doesn’t linger and a finish that is slightly bitter. There are floral and herbal hints in the wine but one of the great things about this wine is that no single aspect of it is overwhelming.

One thing I keep forgetting to note in these little pieces is what sort of wine drinker is going to LIKE a particular wine. I would recommend this wine to people who usually drink chardonnay or sauvignon blanc but want something a little different. It isn’t super grassy and while there is, as noted, grapefruit, this isn’t too “in your face.” Nonetheless this wine will appeal to drinkers of New Zealand sauvingnon blancs as well as sauvignon blancs from other areas. It also is a good option for those of you who like unoaked chardonnays; this is aged in stainless steel and has some body to it. Do you like big oaky, creamy chardonnays and only these?  This might not be your thing.

I suggest this for folks who like these two wines not because it is identical but because it is something of a change; this grape produces wine that is different from chards or sauvignon blancs. It is lighter and more flowery but it has body and various tastes to think about. Isn’t that one of the great things about good wine? Being able to stop and think about what you taste?

We associate albarino with Spain and, to a lesser extent, Portugal. But ultimately the grapes origins go back to France. Monks brought the grape to Spain where it took root, literally and figuratively. The grape then basically vanished from France until Laurent Miguel decided to bring it home. I am not sure if Lagrasse, France is exactly home but close enough. Lagrasse is in actually at high altitude in Corbieres and also at Cazal Viel (both in Languedoc).  This homecoming goes back to at least 2011.

Those of you who note wine labels will note the “Vin de France” on the label. The albarino grape isn’t approved in the area so the label cannot use any of the area’s AOC designations. In France AOCs (in Italy they are DOCs and AVAs in the USA etc.) correspond to a specific area but they also have to meet certain other requirements—the use of certain grapes for instance. The area may be large like a department which is similar to a US state or much smaller. The smaller the area covered by an AOC the higher the quality (generally speaking). One way to look at this is that Laurent Miguel is breaking with tradition to bring back an even older tradition.

Winemakers with a rebellious streak have gone outside the AOC/DOC restrictions successfully before in other countries. Italian “super Tuscans” spring to mind. Those wines are basically wines made in Tuscany that use nontraditional grapes.

$18-20

by Patrick Ogle

Rolly Gassmann 2009 auxerrois is a sweet wine from Alsace in France. The grape is often used to make dry wines but this particular version takes a walk on the sugary side. Auxerrois is a grape that many have never heard of but if you have had a pinot blanc from Alsace, you’ve likely drank it. The grape is often used in blends with pinot blanc that are allowed to be labeled only as pinot blanc. You will also find it in cremant de Alsace, the sparkling wine of the region. While it is often used in blends it is also a varietal wine.

This wine has sweetness and an almost oily feel like something you might expect in a riesling. Yet this is not an analog for a riesling for a variety of reasons.  The sweetness and fruitiness are not balanced out with acidity and its lack of some qualities you usually associate with sweet wines will make this not to everyone’s taste.  If you are not a fan of sweet wines this will not appeal to you while some high end rieslings or gewurtztraminers might. Some might find the wine a little "flabby." It is a bit one dimensional.

Usually auxerrois refers to this grape but the name has been applied to other varietals too. If you want to be more specific and avoid any confusion you can call it auxerrois blanc.  It is mostly grown in France, in Alsace, but there have been plantings in the Pacific Northwest and Canada (and other areas). The grape is thought to be offspring of gouais blanc and pinot noir which means chardonnay shares at least one parent grape with auxerrois.

One thing to note, and be certain to note, is that not liking sweet wines does not make you special. There are a large number of great sweet wines; these may be rieslings or dessert wines.  You are not showing sophistication by stating “I don’t like sweet wine.” Keep in mind the person writing this is not generally a fan of sweet wine; I am just not proud of it. There will be more sweet wines discussed here soon.

$25-30

by Patrick Ogle

Paul Anheuser's Blanc de Noir 2014 is a white pinot noir from Germany. The wine is an unusual and affordable  white that may not appeal to everyone but certainly has its charms and its place.

When you pour this wine into the glass the first thing you notice is its lightness of color. Take a whiff of it and you may, incongruously, think of...cheese. Yes it has a strangely cheesy nose and this was not just my strange olfactory sense others noted the scent too. This sensation doesn’t translate into the taste of the wine.

The wine is light with a hint of sweetness, bit of honey when you hold the wine in your mouth.  If you have to pick a fruit to hang on this wine you might come up with cherry—but there is nothing of the tartness of many types of cherry.  You might, at first taste, also sense plum. But neither the plum nor the cherry is what you would really call red or black fruit here—imagine those cherry and plums that are less pigmented. Some might try this and think “It is sweeter than that?” but that would be the fruit. There is sugar here but the fruitiness is what amplifies that.

Pinot noir is usually a red wine obviously but you could make (almost) any grape into a white wine. Two of the main grapes used in making Champagne pinot noir and pinot meunier are red grapes. What gives the vast majority of red wines color is contact with red skins. When making a white wine with red grapes the juice is simply not left in contact with the skins. You will frequently find rose wines made from grapes that usually produce red wines (cabernet franc, blaufrankisch, zweigelt, pinot noir, mourvedre etc.).

I’ve read before that white pinots are big bodied golden colored wine.  Perhaps they are but this one, while having some complexity isn’t; it is light in color and light to MAYBE medium in body. Hard to say that a wine that is less than 12 percent alcohol is even medium bodied but there is a sort of viscous sensation with this wine.

It is, all in all, an interesting wine for a hot day. It was not love at first sip but later, with some spicy food, the wine really came into its own. Try it with a dinner with some heat.

As a side note there are red grapes that produce red juice without skin contact. These are called teinturiers. They are rare and not, generally, highly regarded.

$14-16

by Patrick Ogle

Kir-Yianni Akakies rosé is a Greek wine made from 100 percent xinomavro. This wine is a sharp, crisp and not super fruity rosé with red fruit hints and floral flavors. Floral here means refers not to chewing on greenery but inhaling the fragrance of a subtle field of flowers.  When you take a sip and exhale these floral flavors appear. They don’t exactly “appear” they are there in every sip but they are perhaps more obvious at the finish.

This wine has a dark color for a rosé and more body and more too it. The sharpness, the tartness and acidity balance with the floral and the fruit.  This is a wine you can serve cold but as it warms you will notice more complexity and flavor. This is true of most wines that HAVE complexity—as the temperature goes up you will taste more.

Some people still think of rosés as sweet.  Maybe it is remembering the bad old white zinfandel of days past. Maybe it is the pink color. These days most roses you find are, at least, fairly dry. Roses may be blends or may, like this one, be 100 percent from a single grape. You see cabernet franc used in Chinon rosés and other grapes you associate with medium to even heavy red wines.

The grape’s name translates literally to “acid black.”  Yet the wine made from this grape is often described as similar to pinot noir. There is nothing extremely acidic about this wine even though there is enough acid to make things interesting.

Reading on this grape you read some fairly contradictory things; the wines are highly tannic or the wines are similar to a pinot. Which is true?  This is something that will have to be explored more fully—finding some red xinomavros seems to be in order.

$16-20