What Makes Good Wine Good?

The simplest answer comes from a Duke Ellington paraphrase, if it tastes good, it is good. However, the “experts” for years have told us what we like and what not to like, but we can certainly decide for ourselves. The more wines you taste the more developed your palate will become. You’ll start to develop a quick sense for what you do and do not like. When my husband and I seriously started drinking wine, we never drank the same wine twice. We kept a wine spreadsheet, yes we’re wine dorks! We rated how we liked each wine on a scale of one to five. After tasting several, we went back and resampled some to see if we still felt the same way. It was a good way to measure how our palate was changing.

 

The biggest mistake most individuals and restaurants make is serving wine at the incorrect temperature. To enjoy the full richness and complexity of the wine it must be served at the proper temperature. White wines served at 45-50 degrees, will bring out the aromas of fruit and acidity on the palate. Red wines should range between 55-60 degrees, the perfect temperature of a French cellar. With the red wine, your mouth will taste the powerful fruit flavors and mouthwatering tannins.

 

Great grapes make great wine. Centuries of experience have taught winemakers and wine lovers which grapes are responsible for the most prized wines in the world. Cabernet Sauvignon has proven to be one of the greatest red wine grapes, while Riesling, when ripened under ideal conditions, yields a unique and remarkable wine. It is important that a grape be given optimal growing conditions. Different grapes prefer different soils, temperatures and moisture. Discovering the grapes ideal growing conditions will yield the best juice and thus the best wine. For example, Chardonnay grows best in soil with a chalk or limestone component. However, Riesling grapes prefer the slate-rich slopes of the Mosel valley.

 

The production of good wines comes from winemakers with the knowledge and desire to produce high caliber wines. Detail is paid to every step of the winemaking process. In some instances, the attitude of no expense spared is taken. This can lead to a higher priced bottle of wine for the consumer. As consumers realize the superior quality of one particular wine, the winemaker and winery gain a reputation. Most well-known winemakers produce high quality, low quantity wine,thus making it more difficult to find and more expensive.

 

E. Guigal Cotes du Rhone Blanc

 

Winery:  E. Guigal

Wine: Cotes du Rhone Blanc 2006

Location: Rhone, France

Purchased: The Corkscrew

Price: $12.99

 

On our trip to California wine country last summer, we discovered “the red drinkers’ white.” These are white wines primarily made from the following grapes: Viognier, Roussane, Marsanne and Grenache blanc. They fit the category of wines from the Rhone region in France, although we found a few in California. Since last summer we searched for more whites from the Rhone region and found one new regular favorite, E. Guigal’s Cotes du Rhone Blanc.

 

This wine is a blend of 55% Viognier, 20% Roussane and 10% Marsanne. The other 15% are three smaller grapes grown in the region. The color of the wine is nearly brilliant, with just a light golden color. The nose presents a freshness marked by aromas distinctly of a Viognier. They are soft and subtle to the individual. White flowers, apricots, and peaches tickle the nose.

 

This wine is well-balanced and gives the drinker a fruity richness on their palate. The Cotes du Rhone Blanc had a stronger finish than most whites and left a mouthwatering taste, almost like a red. This wine is aged in stainless steel tanks so it presents no oak in taste or smell. We took it out of the cooler a few minutes before serving and it was perfect.

 

The Guigal domain was founded in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in the village of Ampuis. He first arrived in this region in 1923, and made over 67 vintages of wine, participating in the development of the Vidal-Fleury establishment. His son, Marcel Guigal, took over in 1961. Through hard work and perseverance, the Guigal’s purchased the Jean-Louis Grippat estate in Saint-Joseph and Hermitage and Domaine de Vallauit in Cote Rotie, Hermitage, Saint-Joseph and Crozes-Hermitage. Today, Philippe Guigal, a third generation family member, continues to run the family endeavor.

Treana White

 

Winery: Treana Winery

Wine:  Treana White

Location: Mer Soliel Vineyard, Paso Robles, CA

Purchased: wine.com

Price: $19.99 (normally $27.00)

 

The Treana white is a 50/50 blend of Marsanne and Viognier grapes. These two grapes are typically found in the Rhone region in France, which happens to be one of my favorite areas for white wine.

 

When first poured into the glass, Treana features a deep golden color. Almost as if it were melted butter poured over popcorn. The nose on the wine is nearly overpowering. A strong, luscious fruit smell hits my nose before I can raise the glass for a complete smell. There are subtle hints of spice that underlay the apricot, melon and jasmine.

 

This wine offers a fantastic buttery flavor when it hits your palate. There are slight hints of oak present, but not overwhelming to the drinker. As the wine warms slightly, the fruit makes its presence known. Apricots and peaches dominate the palate. The richness persists on the finish, but this wine remains light and crisp.

 

Treana symbolizes a trinity of natural elements – the sun, the soil and the ocean. These elements make the Central Coast area a prime region for premium wine grapes. The Hope family founded Treana in 1996, but started planting vineyards in the area in 1978. This hands-on experience has shown them the tremendous potential of the region. Today, they cultivate vineyards of Syrah, Cabernet Suvignon, Petite Sirah, Grenache, Petite Verdot, Mourverdre and Merlot.

Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noirs

 

Winery:  Domaine Chandon

Wine: Blanc de Noirs

Location: Yountville, CA

Purchased: World Market

Price: $8.99 ($19.99 on wine.com)

 

I must admit, I’m not a huge champagne or sparkling wine drinker, but on a special occasion a glass can be refreshing. It’s an aspect of wine that I’d like to learn more about myself so I figure I’ll do a little tasting, a little research and tell you my thoughts.

 

Champagne is produced exclusively in the champagne region of France. All other productions are considered sparkling wine. Methode Champenoise is the traditional method of making champagne. After fermentation and bottling, a second alcoholic fermentation occurs within the bottle. This fermentation is introduced by adding yeast and sugar. At this time the bottle is sealed with a crown cap similar to a beer bottle.

 

After aging, the Champagne goes through a process called remuage. This allows the lees, the residual from the yeast, to settle in the neck of the bottle. The bottles are chilled and, the neck frozen. The cap is removed and the pressure in the bottle forces out the ice containing the lees. Quickly, the bottle is corked to maintain the carbon dioxide in the solution.

 

Blanc de Noirs, meaning white wine made from red grapes, uses 87% Pinot Noir, 7% Pinot Meunier and 6% Chardonnay to compose this wine. The result is a light pink or salmon color with golden glistening highlights. Blanc de Noirs invites the drinker in, with hints of strawberries, blackberries and dark cherries on the nose. The finish seems moderate with subtle undertones of creaminess. I enjoyed this Champagne the more I drank it!

 

Domaine Chandon sits in the heart of Napa Valley. It was the first French-owned winery in California to produce sparkling wines. Since its establishment in 1973, Domaine Chandon added to it’s list of firsts. They were the first California sparkling wine producers to use only the traditional Champagne method. Domaine Chandon was the first California winery to exclusively use Napa Valley Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for all their sparkling wines.

Le Cloitre du Chateau Prieure-Lichine Bordeaux

 

Winery: Le Cloitre du Chateau Prieure-Lichine

Wine: Red Bordeaux Blend 2003

Location: Margaux Appellation, France

Purchased: World Market

Price: $16.79 (Normally 27.99)

 

 

This wine seemed to continually change, but never for the better. It was difficult to get a read on, and with each sip I seemed to taste and smell something different. This particular Bordeaux was a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. In appearance, the Bordeaux presented a brown, rustic earthy color. It lacked the deep, rich inviting impression of many wines.

 

Then the fun began, on first sniff I thought, “I can’t quite place this.” After taking another deep, long smell into the glass, I came away with leather, earth and soil. Not the most inviting smells for a glass of wine. As for taste, this Bordeaux is a very simple wine not showing the complexity of other wines from the region. I did think it was a little overpowering to sip and drink by itself. The finish left a slight bitterness on the tongue.

 

We paired this wine with grilled steak and sauteed zucchini. As we began eating, the wine gained some complexity, possibly due to the food. Still nothing to brag about. We decided to further chill the wine and decant. After decanting, my husband and I both noticed a slight hint of creaminess in texture. Also, it seemed to loose the bitterness on the finish. “This is a rich and seamless wine with lots of everything going on in the bottle,” said Wine Spectator in reviewing this wine. I’m don’t agree with the rich and seamless aspect, but I definitely agree with the “everything going on in the bottle.”

 

 

The Ballande Group bought Chateau Prieure-Lichine vineyards in June 1999. Since then, this estate has undergone a major transformation in order to enhance the reputation of its wine even further. The winemakers at Chateau Prieure-Lichine are devoted to bringing out the charm, elegance and finesse of the Margaux appellation.