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The Grapevine
Hosted by Michael Franz
Special to the Washington Post
Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2002; Noon EST
Today at Noon EST, Washington Post wine columnist Michael Franz comes to the Web for The Grapevine to talk about the art of wine and his latest column.
Franz, who says he's been "drinking wine for 20 years and intently studying it for 13 years," regularly conducts public tastings for the Washington Wine Academy. You can find his column on alternating Wednesdays in The Washington Post Food section.
The transcript follows -- enjoy the oenological banter.
Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control
over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.
Michael Franz: G’day mates! Happy New Year and welcome to The Grapevine, an interactive forum on all things vinous. The basic idea for the show is that you submit any question plausibly related to wine, and I do my best to shed some light on the matter. Anything from the growing of wine grapes, to the craft of the winemaker, to the workings of the wine trade, to issues of buying, storing and serving the stuff is fair game, so the range of potential discussion points is very broad. I’m always especially interested in questions regarding the pairing of wines with food, so let me help if you’ve got a question along these lines.
As usual, I want to give you Grapevinistas a special tip on a hot bottling, and today’s pick is one that anybody should be able to locate without working up a major sweat: Hogue Cellars Columbia Valley Merlot 2000, $10. I love to recommend wines like this that are produced in large quantities and are hence easy to find (without making the rounds of all the local retailers and begging some clerk to please, please let you chave a bottle of Chateau such-and-such), but the sad fact is that most wines fitting this description are really rather nondescript and uninteresting. The commercial reality behind this fact is easy to understand, inasmuch as a winery trying to sell a million bottles of a particular wine must make it in a way that will prove appealing to a million palates, which naturally requires hitting the lowest common denominator of taste, which in turn requires moderating tannins, monderating acidity, moderating fruit, etc., until the finished product is, well, nondescript and uninteresting. Although this Hogue bottling is not eccentrically styled, it does have real depth and character and meatiness, which is conspicuously rare for Merlot at any price below about $18. So, when you hit a bottle like this at $10, it is news, even if one can’t really claim a “scoop” on a wine that is made in large quantities. This particular bottling will restore a lot of people’s faith in Merlot, with its rich and flavorful berry fruit, soft texture, and excellent balance. It does not have the too-overt, seemingly candied fruit one often finds in California bottlings, and yet it is more generous than the typical Merlot from the Languedoc or Chile. A delicious bottle and an impressive achievement in commercial winemaking.
So…on to your questions!
Washington D.C. 20005:
Two questions, actually.
1. I recently splurged on one of Steve Kistler's amazing single-vinyard chardonnays (Vine Hill Vinyard, 1995) and am wondering what to serve it with. Any thoughts?
2. More generally, what would you recommend as a good resource on food and wine pairings? Your advice is great, but I don't want to burden you with every pairing question I have.
Michael Franz: Hi there,
Big Chardonnays are a perpetual challenge for food pairing, but the best matches I've found are swordfish, lobster, or the white sausages that the French call Boudin Blanc and German speakers from Austria or Germany call weisswurst. You can also enjoy these as coctail-style aperitifs, of course, and this may be their best usage.
The best book I've ever seen on wine and food pairing is Rosengarten & Wesson's "Red Wine With Fish," which I believe is now out of print. Your best chance to find a copy is probably by contacting the Wine Appreciation Guild in San Francisco.
Anybody out there got another good book on the subject to recommend?
Washington D.C.:
Michael:
Thank you for the online tip a few weeks ago about the Cairanne Cotes du Rhone Village. (You gave us a 2-week head start on readers of Giliberti's column.) It was a major hit! And timely, too, coming as it did as the last bottles of Chateau Pesquie Cote de Ventoux were disappearing from store shelves. These two $10-12 Southern France wines have sustained me through the fall and winter. It seems the very best price-to-quality ratios these days are coming out of the lesser-known vintages in Southeast France.
Michael Franz: Hi,
I heard from Ben not long after that show, and he mentioned that I had beaten him to the punch on that wine, which is no mean feat. It is really delicious stuff, and I checked with the importer, who has about 500 cases to sell of that particular cuvee as well as a few other botlings, so I don't think anyone should be shut out.
Also, I agree that many of the most exciting new wines are coming not from the New World but rather from France, Italy and Spain, and as I indicated in my piece on Navarra in today's paper, I intend to continue working this beat on a regular basis.
Washington, D.C.:
Michael: A few comments on wine service etiquette: I enjoy most parts of the ritual of restaurant wine service -- offering for inspection the label, the cork, and a small serving in the glass. But I have serious reservations about the practice of servers periodically re-filling glasses. Almost invariably, (1) they do it too soon; (2) they do it without regard to the pace of different drinkers, leading to the phenomenon of, "he who drinks the fastest drinks the most", and, worst, (3) they overfill the glass, which (to my mind) reduces the sensory enjoyment of the wine by reducing the area in which the bouquet can form in the glass. I understand the theory behind re-filling glasses, and I know it is possible for a server to do it properly and unobtrusively, but it takes an extraordinarily attentive and restrained waiter, and they are rare. Instead, in most cases I can't help feeling that it's all about pushing rapid consumption of the wine, and I resent it. Any thoughts on this issue?
Michael Franz: All of your points are well taken, and I suspect that the practice of filling glasses at every opportunity stems from a combination of simple inattention and ignorance and wanting to speed consumption (both to speed the general pace of guests' meals to clear the table, and also to promote additional wine purchases, which naturally drive up the check total and the waiter's tip). As I've noted several times in the past, I do some wait staff training as a consultant, and the fact is that today, at all but the best restaurants, most waiters are college-age people who rarely drink wine and know virtually nothing about it. Of course, it is possible to train such people, but they often move from job to job so quickly that it is virtually impossible to keep a staff of any size adequately trained without breaking the bank in the attempt. So, sad to say, I suspect the state of affairs you are rightly bemoaning is here to stay for the indefinite future....
Alexandria, Va.:
What is your choice of white wine to cook seafood with?
Michael Franz: Good question, thanks. I believe that the best wine is fresh and clean, with nothing overly dramatic in terms of fruit or wood or particular aromatic or flavor components. Since these elements can be accentuated in impact as a result of being concentrated through reduction and evaporation, you really are best off using something relatively simple, though this is less important if you are preparing a dish that has other flavor components that will prove more intense and prominent than the wine. I usually use something like a simple, unoaked Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Blanc, especially if the dish is a subtle one like a white clam sauce.
Oakton, Va.:
I received a bottle of Chateau Haut-Surget Lalande-de-Pomerol 1998 for Christmas, but I'm sorry to say that I'm a complete naif when it comes to wine. Did I do well? It's also the first time I've seen a numbered bottle -- 050793; any idea of how many bottles were produced?
A Beginner
Michael Franz: Hi there,
That should be a nice bottle, though it isn't terribly expensive (my guess is that it cost about $15-$20 at most). You could enjoy it now with something robust like beef, or keep it for another three years. Enjoy!
Dulles, Va.:
Maybe not the right forum....
I have a bottle of 1992 Cristal which was planned to be taken to San Francisco to celebrate our 10th anniversary next week... Now I am nervous about traveling with it with increased security. Have you heard any stories about taking wine on an airplane?
Had a 1990 Pommery Cuvee Lousie for Christmas. Enjoyed it, but was not "wowed". Will the Cristal be a step up?
Michael Franz: Hi, and congratulations in advance.
I haven't flown since 9/11, and haven't heard from others about this issue, but I think you'd be taking a chance since I doubt many airport security workers will understand your horror when they want to open your bottle to make sure you're not toting a Molotov Coctail....
There is also the issue of jostling the thing around in transit and exposing the bottle to changes in temperature and atmospheric pressusre, so, might it not be a better idea to leave the bottle at home and buy something in SF?
Washington, D.C.:
Would you please recommend a wine, other than Chardonnay, that I could serve with a shrimp, feta and spinach in puff pastry combo?
Michael Franz: How about Pinot Blanc, which should be great with that? My favorite one is made in Germany (the Rheingau, to be more specific) by Hans Lang. The Germans call the grape "Weissburgunder," and you should look for the 1999 or 2000 vintage. Call around first, and if you can't find that, look back to my Thanksgiving column, which had a number of Pinot Blanc Recommendations included.
Washington, D.C.:
I just returned last night from Napa and Sonoma (including a visit to Copia). Why do the vineyards charge so much more per bottle than retail stores?
Michael Franz: Often the prices will be roughly comparable, but since DC is such a competitive market, you can indeed find wines discounted here well below the prices asked at the wineries themselves. The reason? Producers have as their most important customers the distributors, retailers and restaurants who buy their products in bulk, and if the winery sells to you at a price below what retail stores are charging, they are under-cutting their principal clients.
New York, N.Y.:
Dear Mr. Franz, Thanks for your wonderful article on Navarra wines. I wonder whether you have tried the Etim Falset wine from Tarragona, or anything from the Castano winery, made in the Yecla region. They are both reat blends including Spain's monastrell.
Michael Franz: Hi up there, and thank you. I have had a few fantastic wines from Tarragona during the past year, and hope to write about these in the Post before long. Sorry to say that I haven't tried anything from Castano, but I'll keep an eye out. BTW, for those who may not know, Monastrell is what he Spanish call the grape referred to by the French as Mourvedre (and by some in california and Australia as Mataro), and it is the second most widely-planted red grape in Spain. Wonderful stuff can be made from it, so those who are looking to get out of the Cabernet and Merlot run should keep this in mind and form a New Year's resolution to learn more....
Wine Glass:
Michael, is there a proper way of holding a wine glass? I am not a drinker at all and I do not know the etiquette regarding wine. My husband on Christmas had made a comment about how I was holding my wine glass in the dinner table (just the family so I wasn't terribly embarrassed) but he kind of got on my nerves. Thanks.
Michael Franz: Great question, and one that, remarkably, I've never been asked during the past three years of this show! There IS a proper way, and it is pretty simple: BY THE STEM! Wine glasses, unlike beer glasses, have stems because it is important to keep the wine at the optimal temperature and also to keep the beautiful color and clarity of a fine wine apparent and unobscured by fingerprints. I suppose that one could extend this logic to a beer glass as well, but we all know that beer drinkers chug the stuff down before a change of temperature could occurr, and that they are not as aesthetically developed as we wine drinkers, and hence don't care about fingerprints. (Trying to provoke a fight here...anybody up for one?) I suppose that there may be more to HOW one should hold a wine glass by the stem (e.g., pinky extended or not, etc.), but the fact is that this would be about etiquette (about which I care not a fig) rather than real practicality (about which I care greatly).
Thanks again!
Washington, D.C.:
I have flown 7 or 8 times since 9/11 including home for Christmas. The writer going to San Francisco could probably take the bottle with him but it will be stressful. First, take it in your carry on and try to take only one carry on with you. You might be searched as many as three times if you change planes on the way. Also, you can't watch as they search your bag because they will also be using the wand on you and it is so hectic you might forget to warn them about the breakables. (As I did before they almost dropped and broke a Waterford gift.) While all my gifts arrived intact I was worried that the bag would be stolen in security while they frisked me, that they would break the items as they searched me and the bag simultaneously and I decided that next year I am mailing everything ahead.
Michael Franz: Thank you for the lowdown!
Washington, D.C.:
As a follow up to the wine charges at the vineyard -- many people feel obligated to buy a bottle of wine at a winery after a free tasting, at least if they enjoy the wine. I figure I'm bringing business to the winery if I later buy their wine at a retail store. Is there an understanding you should buy wine? Is there a set etiquette?
Michael Franz: There is no set protocol on this, but my sense is that you are not obliged to buy anything at all under two conditions: If you have been charged to taste (as is common in CA; $3 to $5 is standard) or if the winery has a big tasting room that is obviously being used to drum up business as a sort of showroom. However, if you are visiting a boutique producer by appointment, and the proprietor or winemaker personally takes you into the cellars and spends lots of time with you and shows you lots of wine, it really is nice to buy a bottle. However, especially in light of the current realities of air travel, I'm confident that any producer would understand if you simply said that you are concerned about traveling with the bottle, and would prefer to make a purchase in your home city. You could ask for the name of their wholesaler in your home area as a sign of genuine interest....
Arlington, Va.:
Enjoyed today's column on Spanish wines, which appears to be the first of a series. I'm hoping to visit Spain this year and will try to take in some of the wine country as part of the tour. My question is: I tend to prefer lighter reds such as Pinot Noir, which you don't mention in connection with Spain. Is there a Spanish equivalent?
Michael Franz: Sure. Both Garnacha (Grenache in French) and Tempranillo can produce light- to medium-bodied wines like Pinot Noir, so you'll find plenty to like in Spain!
Flying w/ Wine Post 9/11:
I flew from Oregon back to DC over Thanksgiving w/ two cases of wine in my carry-on luggage (well, mine and my husbands). No problem whatsoever.
Michael Franz: Thanks. BTW, you were running a bit of a risk on another front of which you may not have been aware: You were circumventing the state and local tax authorities by bring ing that much wine into your home jurisdiction...but we Grapevinistas will certainly not rat on you!
Washington, D.C.:
I have flown several times post 9/11 with wine bottles. Out of DC, I have had no troubles, nor San Francisco where everyone is toting wine bottles around. However, in a small airport in Wisconsin, I had to pull out my wine bottles for inspection to ensure the original seals were on. So, I might not risk it with a very pricy wine (I know of one person in same small airport in Wisconsin that was not permitted to fly with the wine bottles), it's unlikely to create a problem, unless the bottles have been opened.
Michael Franz: Thanks!
Re: Airport traveling with wine:
I took a bottle in a carry on through Dulles Airport before Christmas, and I had no issues. They will confiscate any corkscrews you take on board, however.
Michael Franz: Thanks to you, too!
re: airplane travel with liquids:
If you carry the wine on, you might be asked to take a sip of the contents when you scan your carry-on luggage. Each time through security, I was asked to drink some of my bottled water before being allowed through security. Something to keep in mind.
Michael Franz: Yep! I often travel with a stainless steel coffee vessel, and am often asked to take a sip (which I gurgle audibly as a sign of my bona fides!). So, I can just imagine our friend (who got us going on this topic) chugging that entire bottle of 1992 Cristal at the secutrity checkpoint....
Washington, D.C.:
Speaking of Pinot Noir, what is your opinion of the up and coming pinot noir's coming out of Oregon in the past few years? Do you have any recomendations that would be available in the D.C. area--either at a restaurant or retail?
Longing for a taste from home. Thanks!
Michael Franz: Funny you should mention! I'm at work on a story regarding the Oregon Pinots from the great string of vintages running from 1998 through 2000, so stay tuned!
Washington, D.C. 22026:
Hello Michael,
My wife and I find ourselves enjoying wine as of late, and we would like to start a small/modest collection of wines to have on hand. What would you suggest to start? We'd probably only want to initially spend $200-$300 and add on to it in time.
Your suggestions are appreciated.
Michael Franz: Hi,
This is exactly the position I was in when I was first bitten by the wine bug, except that I was thoroughly broke while newly married and struggling to complete a Ph.D. I recommend buying in small lots (one, two or three bottles, not cases) so that you can maximize your exposure. In my view, wine collecting should be not about heaping up possessions, but rather about learning, and also saving money (by taking advantage of sales) so that you can buy more wine--again in the service of learning! So, you might try working from the wines that you already know you like, buying a few when the price is right, but also working out in concentric circles from those bottlings to others that are similar but a bit different. For example, if you know you like California Cabs, try some cabs from Chile and Australia as well, to learn whether you like them more or less. Then, move out a bit more to see if you like, say, a Merlot made by the maker of the Chilean Cab you just learned that you like. Then, try several other Chilean Merlots to learn whether it is the region or the producer who is striking your fancy...and so forth. Read, read and read some more, and taste whenever you can (and don't spend more than you can afford and bring anxiety or spousal conflict into your love affair with wine) and you'll have a blast!
Washington, D.C.:
I hope I'm never in the aisle seat below those two cases of wine in the overhead bin.
BTW, I hope you don't write up this airplane stuff in the print edition -- otherwise it might cause the airlines to stop allowing wine bottles on board or give some freak some crazy idea!
Michael Franz: Good point! Mum's the word!
Michael Franz: Sheesh...time flies! Already our hour is up, and there are still a couple dozen great questions that must go unanswered. Please forgive me if I didn't get to your question, and please join in when we next crank up The Grapevine in two weeks, same time, same site. Until then, Cheers!
washingtonpost.com:
That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the
discussion.
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