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The Grapevine
Summer Wines
Hosted by Michael Franz
Special to the Washington Post
Tuesday, July 3, 2001; Noon EDT
Celebrate the Fourth of July with the best of this summer's wines. 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! Coming to you today with a special show (since wasingtonpost.com will be shut down for the holiday tomorrow). I’ll be especially happy to help with any holiday party/picnic questions that you may have regarding wine, and naturally the full range of questions that we deal with on this show is also fair game. That range is pretty broad indeed, stretching from how grapes are grown and wine is made, to how the stuff is shipped and sold, to how you should buy, store and serve it. I’m always especially eager to help with wine-and-food issues, so if there’s a family favorite dish for which you’d like to get the right wine (or, for that matter, a family disaster dish that you’d like to mitigate), I’m your boy.
So, please keep the questions coming…I am stoked with strong Indonesian coffee as is my custom, and I’ll take as many questions as possible before 1:00 EDT. Fire away!
Glover Park, Washington, D.C.:
Hi Michael. Two weeks ago I asked about a strategy for pursuing a career as a sommelier.
You recalled that someone was offering courses in the D.C. area recently, asked readers to email you with any information they could provide, and suggested that I send you a reminder this week.
Would you be kind enough to share what you learned? I am eager to hear what folks reported.
Thanks so much.
Michael Franz: Hi...sorry to report that nothing came in. So, once again, let's put out a plea: If anybody knows of a local course that might enable one to become a professional wine waiter, please send the info to me at mfranz@loyola.edu
Are you willing to travel if necessary? I'd be surprised if there were not courses available at the two sites of the Culinary Institute of America (one in New York and one in Napa)or at Cornell University's school for hotel mgmt. and hospitality stuff (inexact name...apologies to you alumns out there). Some web surfing may also be in order...have a look to see if there is a site for the Court of Master Sommelliers (creepy name, I grant), which is the organization that grants the M.S. designation. Good luck...and keep after me for help!
Foggy Bottom:
So, have a '92 bottle of DP... planning on popping it in our new home to celebrate. Just curious... do you think it is ready to be uncorked? (Not that it'll stop me!)
Second... any further word on sommelier studies? I think you mentioned in your last chat that you may have some information for us?
Cheers!
Michael Franz: Your Dom Perignon '92 is ready to go...which is not to say that you NEED to drink it now. I've had bottles that were 25 years old that were delicious (if notably different than when first released; much softer in effervescence, with lots of subtle secondary aromas but much less primary fruit). Still, I'd say that opening a new home is a decidedly worthy occasion, so I'd let 'er rip!
Washington, D.C.:
Please help me settle a minor dispute. Should red wine be refrigerated after the bottle is opened? I say yes, and my husband says no. Thanks.
Michael Franz: I say you win. In the past, I consistently found whites better on the second day than reds, and since this was a counter-intuitive finding (because reds are generally longer-lived as a result of having greater tannin content), I did some checking to see whether it was attributable to the difference in what was happening to the bottles overnight. When I chilled the reds as I had been doing with the whites, the gap in preservation closed completely. The reason for this is simply that biological deterioration is slowed at lower temperatures (ask any undertaker!). Of course, there is the problem that your reds will need to come up in temperature before they can be fully enjoyed, so you might pour out a couple of glasses when you get home the next day. The wine should be back around 62-66 degrees (optimal for reds, in my view) within an hour. Oh, and since your husband loses, he's gotta do the dishes after dinner!
Baltimore, Md.:
The in-laws never drink anything but KJ Chardonnay, which is all right but I think shows a lack of imagination/character. Any recommendations on something more interesting that they might like?
Michael Franz: I'd agree that this shows a lack of imagination, as it is hard to see why anybody would drink yjust one wine when there are 55,000 out there for sale across the USA. I hope that your reference to a lack of character refers to the Chardonnay and not your in-laws (since they are probably just intimidated by the sheer number of options at their disposal and are reverting to the brand-loyalty behavior of beer and spirits drinkers). So, what to do? I'd say try them on an off-dry Riesling. KJ Chardonnay is itself off-dry, and you want to wean them off of the stuff with a wine that won't be a shock to their sweet tooth. My pick would be Hans Lang Rheingau Riesling Trocken 1999, which sells for only about $10 in a full liter bottle. It has LOTS of character, real acidity, some mineral notes, and true varietal aromas, and yet I think it is a wine that almost anyone can enjoy. Good luck!
Washington, D.C.:
I desperately need your advice on what to serve with a bottle of 1990 Vega Sicilia Unico. I'm having someone over this Thursday for a "full moon" celebration and would love to hear your recommendations for something relatively easy I could prepare that would be nice with this wonderful wine. I could also order something from a nice restaurant. What would you serve? (if you could give me some non-red meat and non-chicken suggestions as well, I would appreciate it) Thanks!
Michael Franz: Here's my suggestion: Since you want to show of fthe wine, and want also to steer clear of red meat and chicken, I propose that you serve a two course meal. First, get some good sushi and serve it with a nice (but not overly expensive) bottle of true Champagne (Bollinger if you like Pinot Noir-based bottlings; Jacques Selosse if you like Blancs de Blancs). Then, try the Vega Sicilia with some nice cheese. Go for a good Manchego from Spain, along with a nice creamy, runny Serra from Portugal, as well as a ripe goat cheese like Boucheron. The Manchego and Boucheron won't be hard to find, but you may need to go to Sutton Place Gourmet or Dean & DeLuca for the Serra. Full moon indeed...you'll have your guests howling with pleasure!
Silver Spring, Md.:
Here is a website from the ms court regarding sommelier courses. Orlando is probably the closest location:
https://commerce.freerun.com/courtofmastersommelier/application.html
Michael Franz: Voila! Thanks for you help!
Alexandria, Va.:
What does cuvee mean?
Michael Franz: It can actually mean several things, but is almost always USED to mean "blend" or "lot." The term is French, of course, and you'll usually find it used to designate a limited release bottling that consists of the best lot from a producer's cellar, or a blend of the best casks, and it will often have a proprietary name attached, as in "Cuvee de Snoutie." Hope that helps...if you've got a more specific question, hit me again.
Rockville, Md.:
Hi Michael,
I purchased Cape Indaba S.B. I have never tried a SA wine before. Can you give me your opinion of Cape Indaba and what I should expect from its SB? Thanks
Michael Franz: I like their wines when they are very young and fresh. If you've got the 2000 Sauvignon Blanc, it should be good, and it won't be long before 2001 becomes avaiable. The 1999 is cracking up...take it back if that's what you've got and exchange it for something else. Cape Indaba also makes nice Chenin Blanc, which is called Steen in South Africa and is usually overcropped but can, as this wine shows, be very nice.
Takoma Park, Md.:
Hi,
Do you know if the University of Maryland offers courses in introductory grape growing/winemaking similar to those offered at UVA?
Michael Franz: I would be very surprised if they do, as Maryland has been chronically inhospitable to wine. In VA, I'm pretty sure it is actually Virginia Tech that provides this service.
USA:
Here's a question for the holiday, inspired by an article I just read in USA Today: what wine might go well with the all-American favorite, hot dogs (slathered with mustard and onion)? I know the best answer is "beer," but do you have any alternative suggestions?
Michael Franz: Here's the rub: Wine is great with sausages, but mustard is pretty hard on it. If you've gotta have that mustard, I'd recommend a white wine with minimal oak, some body, and just a hint of sweetness, such as Pinot Gris (try King Estate) or Chardonnay (try Cinnabar). Good luck...and please report back on your findings, for science is a collaborative enterprise!
Largo, Md.:
Michael - How about a tip on a good, inexpensive red wine to accompany those grilled hamburgers tomorrow? Happy 4th!
Michael Franz: I find that grilled hamburgers with onions and tomatoes and so forth need a pretty big wine with minimal oak and some juicy fruit to balance out the charring. I'd recommend Shiraz but the 4th is, after all an American holiday, so let's go with Zinfandel. The best deal on teh market at the moment is Rancho Zabaco "Heritage Vines" Zinfandel 1998, which rings up at $12.
Clarendon, Va.:
How should one store sparkling wine or champagne? Here at work (where we sometimes receive bottles from clients), my boss sticks them in the fridge, where they often sit for quite awhile. I have a bottle at home that's been in a cabinet on its side for a few months (and won't be for much longer). Should one follow the same rules as still wine? Can sparkling wine actually be stored in the fridge?
Unrelated to the fourth, I know! Have a happy one!
Michael Franz: Standard refrigerators are bad for sparklers. The vibration from the compressor has been known to knock down effervesence, and the very dry internal air can dry out corks (which then shrink and permit oxidation and further loss of bubbles). Even if your cabinet is not in a terribly cool place, it is a better storage site if the bottle is laying on its side. Conclusion: You are smarter than your boss. But then, you already knew that, right?
Arlington, Va.:
Hi Michael, I learn a lot from these chats. I wrote in a month or so ago asking about a saumur I had tried at a restaurant and really liked (I think Clos something was the name). So far I have been to four good wine stores to no avail. I found a nicely-priced Domaine Sauvion wine called saumur-champigny but haven't tried it yet. One store said, on the phone, that they had a saumur, but then when we arrived there, they didn't actually have it. Another wine store recommended something allegedly similar, which we tried, but it wasn't similar at all.
So, advice: What do you do in a situation like this? Just give up on ever finding it and move on to concentrate on other great wines? Or keep searching for the holy grail?
Michael Franz: I can't believe I'm saying this but yes, I'd advise you to give up (I am tenatious to a fault and never seem to know when discretion is the better part of valor, as they say). Sadly, Loire wines are very poorly represented in the USA, and if you stay fixed on any red (or even any particualar white appellation outside of Pouilly-Fume, Sancerre, Muscadet or Vouvray), you're banging your head against the wall. If you like lighter-bodied reds, start playing around with the wonderful Chianti Classicos from 1997, 1998 and 1999, or with some Villages Burgundies or cru Beaujolais.
You Can Have Shiraz And Still Be Patriotic...:
Just go with Washington State! Lots of yummy Shiraz/Syrah finds from there.
Michael Franz: Quite right...and of course CA makes lots of nice Syrah too these days. Trouble is that there isn't much at the $12 level to compete with something like Rancho Zabaco. McDowell makes good, reasonably-priced Syrah, but they are virtually alone (J. Lohr makes one that I cannot recommend).
Washington, D.C.:
Could you recommend a good pinot noir in the $10 range?
Michael Franz: And I suppose you'd also like a Corvette that you could get in trade for your Carolla? Sorry...intemperate outburst caused by coffee overload. The sad fact is that Pinot Noir is just about the hardest wine category in which to find good renditions at the $10 level, but if you can go to $12 I can help: Villa Mount Eden makes a very nice little bottling (1999 is the current release) for $12. It won't make you see God as if it were Jayer-Gilles Echezeaux, but it really tastes like Pinot Noir and will work well with a whole host of moderately-robust foods. Sorry again for lashing out!
Former New Yorker:
Hi Michael.
I'm originally from Upstate New York and miss my Finger Lakes wines. I can't seem to find them in stores anywhere around here, any ideas? (I especially miss Lucas Vineyards wine from near Ithaca.)
Michael Franz: Wish I could help! The unfortunate reality is that New York wines are mostly snapped up by the (very numerous and rather aggressive) people of that state, and I rarely see any down this way. Truly excellent wines are also made out on Long Island (arguably the USA's best Merlots), but that stuff never gets here either. There are so many ex-pat NYC types living here that you'd think it would be in someone's interest to act as a sort of importer for the stuff....
Washington, D.C.:
Michael,
I think I've stumbled on a tiny little secret. A friend of mine recently introduced me to a couple of wines from the Livermore valley in California, specifically the Concannon Vendimia and the Wente Crane's Ridge Merlot. I was astounded, especially considering I hadn't heard of much outside of Napa and Sonoma. Any experience with Livermore or any thoughts?
Thanks!
Michael Franz: These wines are made east of the SF Bay, and are surprisingly little-known despite the fact that there are relatively large producers of long-standing such as the two you mention. Look also for Wente's very solid Chardonnay and Concannon's excellent Petite Sirah.
Tennessee Red:
Ciao Michael! Just a quick report on my Italy trip. Thanks for your tip on transporting wine back to the states (fill your carry on and check your clothes). The problem was, my suitcase was too heavy to lift into the overhead! Had to drink a couple of bottles the night before to get the weight down! No problem with Customs, even though I went over the duty-free limit. The wine over there was superb and so inexpensive. A can of Coke Light costs more than a bottle of wine. Because the Italians drink wine like we drink Coke, finding wine worth the investment of carrying home was more difficult than I'd imagined. There are few liquor or wine stores that sell a broad selection, but there are lots of corner markets that sell local table wine. Considering the low cost of wine over there, why does Italian wine cost so much here?
Michael Franz: Hi'ya red...glad to learn we're not going to have to bake file-laden cakes to get you sprung from the slammer.
Italian wines cost more here largely because by the time they get to you a markup has been taken by the importer, the wholesaler and either the retailer or restaurateur. Also, import duties have been paid, as well as state (and, in some places) local taxes. Also, remember that you were working with a very strong dollar when you were there. Still, if you buy any six Sangiovese wines from California, I'd bet that I could buy 6 Chiantis for less money that would trounce them in a blind tasting with food! So, I guess we don't have it so bad here after all!
Michael Franz: Sorry folds, but we're out of time. Please forgive me if I didn't get to your question; try again when we next crank up The Grapevine two weeks from tomorrow, same time same site. Until then, enjoy the fourth, careful with the fireworks (you need all your fingers to work that corkscrew), and cheers!
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