Get Your Blend On!

Have you ever wondered how winemakers create such dynamic, complex wines that sing like a symphony as they flood your mouth—wines that begin with an enticing aroma and continue with a flurry of mid-palate harmonies and a series of trills and crescendos that overlay the drumbeat of the wine’s tannic structure? The answer, aside from meticulous winemaking, is by blending a number of different wines.

This month I’ve had the incredible opportunity to observe some of Santa Barbara County’s finest winemakers in action, blending their 2010 vintages. I have to admit that I had never experienced this process before and, quite frankly, was rather intimidated by the thought of Pearsons squares, complex ratios, and—gasp—math! As it turns out, blending is one of the coolest, wine experiences this girl has ever had—and something that I thought I’d share with all of you, my fellow winos.

Blending is all about studying the interplay of flavors and nuances and layering them to create the optimum effect. We like to think of every wine as having its own melody—a composition of notes, differing rhythms, and crescendos. Blending is combining these divergent melodies to form the chords that create a dynamic overture.

The best part? Anyone can try their hand at it. All it takes is purchasing a few bottles of inexpensive wines (we suggest starting with a single varietal), taking careful notes of each of the different wines’ characteristics, and combining them in varying proportions to create a wine that is better, more complex and complete than the base wines alone.

Wine appeals to all of the senses. So in blending it’s important to evaluate and be conscious of how the individual wines best accomplish that. While winemakers sip and spit out every drop, we’ll leave that decision to you, dear oenophiles. But keep in mind that your intoxication levels will directly affect the end result (which, in our opinion, is all part of the fun). As you sip, take note of each wine’s visual attributes: color and viscosity; aromatic qualities; mouth feel, and texture; and finally, the wine’s flavor: the tastes that it connotes, where it hits the palate and when, as well as the wine’s finish.

The number of variables that winemakers work with is pretty staggering. It seems that every step of the winemaking process has a direct and fairly dramatic affect on the wine being made. The varietal, the vineyard it’s grown in, the specific row/relation to the sun, all influence the end result. Factor in the sugar content, picking time, the yeast used in fermentation, and the vessel used to contain it (from steel tanks to oak barrels that impart differing degrees of oak) and you’ve got a lot of flavor variations. Winemakers use these flavor variations the way chefs use spices—a dash of pepper here, a touch of vanilla, and a pinch of clove.

So go to it, intrepid wine blenders! Once you have taken stock of the individual wines’ best attributes, using some form of measurement (graduated cylinder or Dixie cup—you choose), play with different ratios until you achieve the formula that tickles your taste buds. This will require a lot of trial and error, sipping and evaluating. We suggest keeping track of the proportions so that you can recreate your wine and share it with your friends—or at least compare it to their blending concoctions.

Have fun, my fellow winos, and feel free to post results and tasting notes below.

We’d love to hear how your blends turn out!

Cheers!

Wine Porn: When Tasting Notes Transcend Temptation

No, there’s no pulsing music in the background, no soft mood lighting, and no mellifluous moaning but, my friends, there is such a thing as wine porn. Cover your ears if you’re not ready for its excessive alliteration, sappy sexual suggestions, or mouth-filling modifiers. Make sure that the children are otherwise occupied, loosen your tie, and read away. But be warned, you might feel the need to indulge in a glass of wine—or even a cigarette—after reading this.

Countless tasting notes cross my desk each week as an editor at a wine magazine. Though many of them are accurate, descriptive, and intriguing, others are grossly over-written, overtly sexual, and, well, just ridiculous. Many of these tawdry little gems have found their way into my file of “Cheesy Wine Porn,” a selection of which I thought would be deliciously fun to share with you all.

The ultimate objective of tasting notes is to sell wine. I get that. Winemakers and wine sales people compile these notes with the specific intention to intrigue buyers with lush descriptions to purchase wines. And yes, sex sells. But in my personal opinion, there’s trying…and, hey, there’s trying just a little too hard. While it’s a fine line between evocative and excessively sensuous, it exists nonetheless. Wine porn, my friends, is when a description goes from suggestive, a la Scarlett Johansson, to Jena Jameson.

Now, I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with cheesy descriptions. In fact, I’m all about celebrating the silliness of these excerpts. Sometimes you’ve just gotta rock a gold chain or two and savor the smut-factor.

Just like traditional porn, wine porn exists in a variety of, shall we say “flavors” to appeal to every appetite: food, sex, fantasy—you name it. I’ve taken the opportunity to put together a few of my favorite examples. Keep in mind that these are real tasting notes meant for publication. I’ve removed the label information and winery names. But they are otherwise, completely unadulterated.

Foodie Foreplay
Some tasting notes tempt the palate with abundant—and often overly abundant—flavor descriptions. They go into great detail about textures, use imagery involving “ribbons” of a particular flavor, and are generally written as gooey, over-indulgent prose. They are what I consider foodie foreplay—designed to not only pique the appetite of the erotic-minded epicure, but feed the foodie fetish.

“The Estate Syrah opens with aromas of vanilla and coco powder, framed by spicy oak that gives way to deep, dark floral accents. Once decanted, the wine develops dark fruit flavors, particularly of cassis and dried black fruit. A dark chocolate layer emerges and melds with these fruit essences, providing a deeply symphonic mouth-filling flavor. Full of soft, chewy tannins, the Estate Syrah displays a moderate licorice and herbal spice which carry through the long mid-palette to a lingering finish.”

Va va va voom! This is a vixen of a wine description…chewy tannins…a dark chocolate layer…” that is, until the “deeply symphonic mouth-filling flavor” pushes it across the proverbial “tracks” straight into tramp territory.

“The wine is sleek and glossy, laden with a delectable profusion of super ripe plum, cherry, raspberry, and pomegranate fruit accented with alluring vanilla, cola, pepper, sweet herb and warm spice notes.”

One has to wonder if this is describing a wine or a candy Ferrari? You decide.


Naughty Notes
Other descriptions are overtly sexual. I like to call them "Dirk Diggler Descriptions." They are the true “bow chicka bow bow” beauties that are written with a mission for serious seduction.

“This wine delivers a complex weave of vanilla, cigar box, and dark cocoa that unite with the fruit to form an exquisite tapestry. The bouquet exudes sensuality and sophistication, like a sexy afternoon tryst in the dark-paneled, leather-furniture-adorned library of a secret society.”

Do you think that the writer has actually experienced a sexy afternoon tryst in the library of a secret society? And wouldn’t that qualify as an over-share? I have no idea what that bouquet would smell like… nor do I really want to.

“Juicy and mouth-filling, this estate-grown Sauvignon Blanc holds itself together in a lively and flirtatious package, tempting the senses with a sweetly seductive cabaret of luscious pear, honeydew melon, grapefruit, and faint citrus flowers.”

Just so I’m clear, this is wine we’re talking about…and it’s like a fruity striptease? Sangria will never be the same.


F---ing Fantastic…literally
And finally, there are wine descriptions that appeal to those imaginative folks that relish fantasy: medieval jousts, chivalry, and maidens getting lost in the forest. I know, I know, it’s totally Dungeons and Dragons but hey, whatever turns you on…

“Deep in the heart of Sherwood Forest, nestled amongst the lush green trees laden with the sweet aroma of morning dew, the rogue awaits his true love. The fair maiden approaches with a delicate air of lavender and rosemary, which is instantly met by his bold kiss of blackberries and black cherries. Their matches met, the couple steals away with graceful agility, leaving behind lingering hints of strawberries, olallieberries, and a moment of peppery love that will not soon be forgotten. As all timeless tales go, this wine will be one to treasure for the next 5 to 7 years, but the stories that accompany each bottle will live on forever.”

This is wine smut at its finest, my friends. And there are plenty of gooey, over-the-top descriptions where these came from!

Until next time, my wine-guzzling gang, keep sippin’ in style and be on the lookout for those tasting notes that transcend temptation and end up, well, in the truck stop.

Cheers!

Reading the Leaves: What Bud Break Foretells

Springtime in wine country is a beautiful and exciting time of year. Tall grasses dappled with wildflowers—purple lupine and golden California poppies—sway in the breeze along country roads throughout Santa Barbara County. Amidst all of this pastoral beauty vineyard managers and winemakers wring their hands anxiously as they await the first signs of growth, also known as bud break--a moment in the vineyard that can make or break an entire vintage.

Buds are present on the outside of the dormant canes throughout the winter, beneath the silver skin. In the springtime, with the perfect amount of sunlight and water, the vine’s new growth emerges, breaking through the woody scales and unfurling its verdant tendrils.

This week I spoke with vineyard expert Jeff Newton of Coastal Vineyard Care Associates to gain his perspective on this time of year as well as his predictions for the upcoming vintage.

What does bud break signify?
It indicates the beginning of the vine’s growth season and thus, the beginning of our year in the vineyard. It is when we spring into action.

When did it begin in Santa Barbara County?
In Santa Barbara County it typically happens in mid March. We first noticed buds early last week on Pinot Noir vines in the Sta. Rita Hills. Bud break is very varietal dependent—usually Pinot Noir begins first, followed by Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Rousanne. Today we’re seeing Chardonnay push out over at Zaca Mesa.

Is the timing significant?
Yes, if bud break happens early, the buds are more vulnerable to potential frost. It can be devastating. Last year we lost a significant part of our crop to frost—fifty percent on several of the vineyards we manage, totalling 200-acres—and throughout Santa Barbara County yields were extremely low.

So what does it mean for future vintages that bud break is on schedule this year?
It bodes well for our crop. Because buds are emerging at a fairly frost-safe time of year, blossoms, which begin 60 days after bud break, will consequently appear during a warmer period. This should increase the production of fruit and improve the crop throughout Santa Barbara County.

Rosé Wines: Oft Overlooked but Packed With Potential

Springtime is picnic time in wine country. The earth awakens with verdant sprouts as the sun warms the vines and best of all, local wineries release their newly bottled rosé wines to accompany idyllic alfresco feasts.

Rosés are crisp, juicy wines that balance fruit and floral essences with lively acidity. The best time to purchase these vibrant wines—not to mention enjoy them—is soon after bottling in the early spring when their color and concentrated character is newly captured.

Rosé wines can be made from any red grape varietal. Those that are fruitier in character like Syrah and Grenache are particularly well-suited to making this lovely, refreshing wine. In a practice called saignée, winemakers often remove the first press, free-run juices from grapes as they make red wine in an effort to concentrate the flavor and richness of the reds they are producing. The first free-run juice is lightly tinted with the skin pigment, delicately flavored, and is typically made separately into rosé.

Though winemakers often consider rosés to be more of a byproduct than a stand alone wine and consumers sometimes avoid them--blame it on the White Zinfandel/California blush wine snafu of the 1970’s--these wines have plenty of merit and are not to be missed. They’re ultra-versatile, economical (at about $15 a bottle), food-friendly, and delicious. What’s not to love?

I know some of you may ONLY drink Cabernet or are Pinot purists—you know who you are—but I encourage you this spring to savor the palate-tingling citrus and berry nuances of an Ampelos 2007 Rosé of Syrah with a warm goat cheese salad (recipe follows) or pair the alluring spiciness and woodsy structure of a Beckmen 2007 Rosé with grilled asparagus sprinkled with sea salt or a rustic tomato tart.

Go ahead and kick off your shoes, spread the picnic blanket, and sip a chilled glass among friends.

Cheers!

P.S. Here’s a recipe for a salad that pairs nicely with rosé.

Warm Crusted Goat Cheese Salad
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Salad
1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 4-ounce logs soft fresh goat cheese (good quality), each halved crosswise, halves pressed to 1/2-inch thickness
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten until foamy
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 5-ounce packages mixed baby greens
½ cup dried cherries
1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Preparation:
For vinaigrette:Place oil, basil, vinegar, and mustard in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For salad:Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
Dip each cheese round into egg whites, turning to coat.
Coat each with breadcrumb mixture. Transfer coated cheese rounds to plate and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add cheese rounds and cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.
Place greens, walnuts, and cherries in large bowl and toss with vinaigrette; season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among plates. Top each with 2 cheese rounds.

Enjoy!