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The Grapevine
Hosted by Michael Franz
Special to the Washington Post
Wednesday, June 19, 2002; Noon EDT
Every other Wednesday at Noon EDT, 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! 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. Please don’t be offended if I can’t get to your question during the hour, as there are almost always more than I can manage. Generally speaking, I try to respond first to those questions that may be of most general interest, or at least those that I can answer with information that will be useful to participants other than the questioner. However, I also take questions to help individuals, so please be patient and keep trying!
For those of you who may have an interest in tracking down some wines from Calera Wine Company, they are distributed in D.C. and Maryland by Bacchus Importers.
Finally, I want to follow my usual practice of giving you Grapevinistas a special tip on a hot bottling or two, and today’s pick is:
Badiola (by Mazzei in Fonterutoli) Toscana 2000 ($14): This is a straight Toscana Rosso IGT, which means an essentially generic, regional wine from Tuscany, and $14 might seem a bit steep for the category (especially when excellent wines like Monte Antico Rosso 1999 ring up at $10). However, the producer is one of the very top producers in all of Tuscany, and the Mazzei family’s Fonterutoli Chianti Classico Riserva is arguably the very finest wine of its type in many vintages, so you should be open to the possibility that the wine is outstanding both in quality and value. It is. Dark and densely pigmented, with alluring aromas of black cherries and subtle, smoky oak and very deeply flavored fruit, this wine is delicious immediately upon uncorking and improves for a couple of hours once opened…if you can restrain yourself long enough for that to happen. If there were any justice, all California Sangioveses priced above $15 (which is the great majority of them) would do the honorable thing and tip themselves off of store shelves and onto the floor. This is a totally convincing wine that suggests that Tuscany may have another great vintage coming on line in the wake of the wonderful 1997, 1998 and 1999 vintages.
So, on to your questions…
Lynchburg, Va.:
Why do "reviewers" always seem to review wines you can't find. Last week your colum said that stores can order wine for you. I was in Fairfax and could only find one of the reds that you reviewed (at Total Beverage). Why not review wines that people can go into stores and get?
Bill
Michael Franz: Hi Bill,
Couple things here: Last week's column was by my friend and colleague Ben Giliberti, who is slightly more optimistic than I am regarding the willingness of retailers to order from wholesalers on behalf of consumers (and, moreover, regarding the willingness of whoesalers to direct customers toward retailers who have purchased particular wines). Nevertheless, we are predominantly in agreement on this issue (as on most others), and we try to provide wholesaler information (Ben in his column; me in this show) just to enhance your odds of tracking down particular bottles.
Two quesitons: Did you actually ask a clerk in that store to order particular wines for you?
Did you try other stores? Total Beverage has a nice selection, but I don't think any impartial observer would regard them as leaders in customer service.
Finally, the fact is that Ben and I do try very hard to review wines that are available, which doesn't mean that you'll routinely succeed in finding them. I'll paste in a response to a question that I published in the paper that may shed a bit of light on the situation:
Ask the Wine Guys:
Q: Where can I purchase the wines you recommend? I often find that they are not in stock or have already been sold out where I shop.
--J. D., Takoma Park, MD
A: No question is put to me (or my colleague Ben Giliberti) with greater frequency. Although we would love to make it easy for you to find and taste our favorites, it is simply impossible for us to track availability of multiple wines through the vast numbers of retail stores (and restaurants) scattered across the area. The problems posed by the sheer number of stores is aggravated by the jurisdictional lines that divide Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and Montgomery County into distinct zones for wholesale distribution, which are served by different sets of companies. Moreover, even if it were possible to know which stores had the wines in stock when Wednesday’s paper hit the streets, this information would become useless very quickly, as wines receiving strong recommendations are often snapped up within a matter of hours.
Nevertheless, your situation is far from hopeless. The most promising tactic is to get on the phone quickly and call around in search of a wine you are seeking rather than depending on any one retailer to have it on hand. Also, you should know that we work with local distributors (especially in D.C.) and try to feature wines still available in reasonable quantities at the wholesale level. These stocks are sometimes depleted almost as quickly as those already in stores, but if you ask a retailer to place an order on your behalf, your chances will improve. To facilitate that process, Ben Giliberti usually indicates the D.C. wholesaler for each wine in his articles, and I provide this information at the top of “The Grapevine,” my Live Online show on washingtonpost.com, which runs at noon on days when my column appears here.
--Michael Franz
Leesburg, Va.:
Do you think viognier is the best white wine grape in Virginia? If not, what is?
Michael Franz: Hi Leesburg,
Having just returned from two days of tasting down in Virginia, I would emphatically say that yes, Viognier is currently the most promising. Chardonnay does well, but then again it does well--and is planted--almost everywhere, so Virginia's renditions face vastly more competition and look rather less special in relative terms. Viognier may not only be Virginia's best white, but Virginia's Viogniers may well be America's best. California's can be wonderful, but they are very often absurdly alcoholic and heavy (checking in at 14.5% alcohol or higher), whereas Virginia seems able to get the full range of peach and honeysuckle notes with alcohol as low as 12.5%. As an inidcatior that I'm not alone in my judgement here, I just learned that Crysalis (located very near to you) took top honors for white wines at the recent San Diego judging, in which more than 2000 wines were entered....
Boston, Mass.:
I generally keep about 3 cases worth of wines in a wine rack I keep in my living room -- it looks nice there -- and I drink the wines within 3-6 months. Should I be concerned about the heat (about 70-85 daytime) during the summer months? I do have a few bottles of $30-40 cabernets.
Thank you
Michael Franz: Hi Boston,
Yes, if you are letting the temperature get above about 78, you should be concerned, though the damage may not be grave if you are drinking the wines that quickly. Is your place adequately insulated so that you could leave a thermostatically-controlled air conditioner on to keep the temperature from going above 75 degrees? If not, try to find a cooler place for your more expensive wines, and be sure to drink the others within the time frame you mention.
Bethesda, Md.:
Michael,
Thanks for the interesting column about the comparative tasting. Given the very different aging curves of burgundy vs. Cal pinot, it seems to be a bit of a red herring to compare by vintage. I'm sure you weren't surprised that '95-'96 burg was in awkward stage, and that '97 burg was more flattering (now) with ripe flavors and less structure. In this format, I was most interested in the '85 flight and would've liked to see a comparison of new ('99?) releases. Thanks again for the change of pace. washingtonpost.com:
California-France Face-Off (Post, June 19)
Michael Franz: Hi there,
That 1995 Armand Rousseau had profound problems that didn't seem attributable to--or resolvable by--age, so we should clear that out of the way quickly. The 1996 Chambolle from Comte de Vogue MAY come around, but as I noted, I don't have much confidence in this. You sound like a Burgundy afficianado, in which case I think you'll acknowledge that there are lots and lots of Burgundies (like, say, almost all of them from 1988!) that are hard and tight and NEVER get over it, though defenders always insist that time will cure everything. Although there is clearly some unfairness if comparing wines by vintage (given the fact that growing seasons in Burgundy and California bear no relation to one another), the business of using different years to get more comparable growing seasons would itself open a wicked can or worms, and certainly Josh Jensen did the right thing in avoiding this and showing wines of the same age. Also, he was quite clear that he didn't regard this as some sort of conclusive test, but rather as the "experimental illustration) I noted in the piece.
Thanks for your comment!
Virginia Viognier:
Then, specifically, which VA Viogniers rise to the top of your list?
Michael Franz: Crysalis, Michael Shaps, and Horton are all excellent!
Washington, D.C.:
Re: Old Whites and Crow.
Michael - I wrote in 2 weeks ago to get an idea of a food pairing with a 1976 White Rioja. Your first thought, as mine would be, was that the wine is probably undrinkable. However, a major wine magazine recently (February of this year) profiled this particular winery (Lopez de Heredia) and rated this particular wine outstanding -- recommending drinking through 2005. So - back to my original question - what do you suggest pairing with old whites, especially old white Riojas? After I try the wine I'll let you know how it was, and hopefully suggest some preparations for Crow. Thanks again for the chats.
Michael Franz: Hi! Thanks for staying in touch on this...and I shall prepare myself for that Crow, which I'll need to eat if that wine turns out to be great. You won't mind if I come by your place and hook you up to my portable lie detector, would you?
I have no experience with old Rioja Blancos, but the general rule is to match complex, old wines with simple foods so that you don't have complexities fighting complexities. Good luck, and please report back!
Parkton, Md.:
Michael, soon we will be visiting New York, and we plan to dine at Wallse and at Danube, for some Austrian experiences. Can you recommend some good wines for us to choose? Thank you very much.
Michael Franz: Hi Parkton! Hey, if you bump into my long-lost buddy Bob Parker by the cracker barrel at the country store up there, please say hello for me.
Lucky dog on those dinners! I've just returned a week ago from 5 days of tasting in Austria, and boy, are you in for a treat! The 2001s are lovely, with deep flavors and excellent ripe acidity. Hopefully some of them will already be available. Try a Gelber Muscateller from south Styria for starters...they are wonderful aperitifs, and the one from Polz was probably my favorite. Then, a few Gruner Veltliners are clearly in order, and some of the best I tasted were from the usual suspects: Nicolaihof, Hirtzberger, F.X. Pichler and Prager. I also tasted some stunning Chardonnays from Velich, and world-class reds from Anton Bauer and Heinrich. There were also some surprises from hitherto-unknown producers (unknown to me, at least, but I'd take too long fumbling through my notes to extract these). Have fun!
franc in blancmange Lake Ridge:
So, Vinous One, what oeonological pressing would you recommend for a celebratory toast to U.S. Men's football team around, say, 9:30 a.m. this Friday...strictly to honor their passage to the semi-finals of Copa Mundial, of course. Hint: no German varietals!
Michael Franz: I was really warming to you and your question when...NO GERMAN VARIETALS????? You don't want a lovely, crisp, 7.5% alcohol Riesling from J.J. Prum or Fritz Haag in the Mosel that will transport you sensorially to nirvana while also leaving you sufficiently sober to find your way to work and contrive a plausible excuse? Really? Then, I guess I recommend Roses Late Bottled Vintage Port 1994, as well as a quick look at the employment section in today's classified ads....
Baltimore, Md.:
Dear Michael, I enjoyed your column this morning. I share your love of Burgundy pinot noirs, and wish the good ones were more affordable (and predictable).
You recently recommended some "rogue reds", and I enjoyed the Anton Bauer from Austria. The Ramnista, from Greece, was quite tannic but otherwise splendid--would it be likely to improve in bottle, and for how long? Thanks! washingtonpost.com:
California-France Face-Off (Post, June 19)
Michael Franz: Hi,
Yes, it will certainly soften. I tasted the 1994 in Greece in March and it was the top red wine of my trip. Even a Xinomavro of this top quality will, however, be much better with food incorporating a bit of dietary fat.
Washington, D.C.:
Michael, have you heard of any local "wine clubs" where couples/individuals get together every so often to taste different wines at each others' homes? Husband and I would love something like this. Thanks!
Michael Franz: There are plenty of informal "tasting groups" composed of friends, but I know of no "clubs" that take applications. Anybody out there with a lead on this?
Bethesda Md.:
I enjoy your comments on wine and food pairings. Now I am just curious. Is there any food with which wine expressly does not go? Really spicy Mexican food? Chocolate mousse? Thanks.
Michael Franz: Really spicy Mexican food is pretty tough on wine, and though some bottles would be much more successful than others, I'd opt against even the most successful in favor of a really good beer. Chocolate is easier (though Cabernet as a partner is not--in my view--anywhere near as good as it is cracked up to be). Try aged tawny Ports or--optimally--Banyuls.
Somewhere, USA -- veggie land:
Hi Michael, really enjoy the chats and
have learned a lot about wine, so thank
you!
Wine and food pairing is one area where
you are very informative - but as a
vegetarian, I sometimes wonder how
wine pairings translate. I mean, pasta
diashes are reasonably easy to figure
out, but sometimes if you recommend a
wine with a very particular beef dish
(grilled flank steak, for example), what
might be the vegetarian counterpart? Are
there any quick generalities you can
make about summer lighter vegetarian
fare, bean dishes, heavier winter root
vegetable stuff, etc? Thanks - hope this
makes sense as a question.
Michael Franz: Hi...and yes, this makes perfect sense as a question. First, if you eat cheese, it will greatly ease the difficulties and make it possible for you to enjoy bigger, more robust reds that might have been recommended with flank steak. If you don't eat cheese, I respect your decision, but ask you to tell me how you find life worth living. In any case, if you can't or won't incorporate cheese, stick to moderately robust wines. If you brush your vegies with olive oil and grill them, the charring will enable you to enjoy light reds like Pinots and Sangioveses, and I think you'll find that good, dry Roses work ver well.
Washington, D.C.:
This is such a great chat, is there any way you could do it weekly? My wine question: I have read the “conventional wisdom” that white wines don’t improve with age. But I have also read that some white burgundies, sauternes and rieslings do improve with age and in some cases should be aged. What is it about those wines that make them improve, and are you losing anything by drinking them when they are young? Thanks!
Michael Franz: Hi,
Certain great whites do indeed improve. Sauternes ages because its great sweetness and high acidity and firming oak enable it to do so, whereas it is the acidity that is the real key to the ageability of top Rieslings (from Alsace, Germany and Austria...and Clare Valley in South Australia) and white Burgundies.
Washington, D.C.:
Old Rioja and Crow: Just FYI, the Winespectator said:
Winery: R. López de Heredia Viña Tondonia
Wine: 1976 Rioja White Viña Tondonia Gran Reserva
Score: 91
Price: $NA
Country: Spain
Region: Spain
Issue: Feb 28, 2002
Add to Wine List
This elegant white still has plenty of backbone to support its rich yet dry flavors of almond, vanilla, mineral and dried pear. It marries intensity and harmony with distinctive character. An assertive wine that is still evolving.--López de Heredia vertical. Drink now through 2005. 580 cases made. (TM)
Michael Franz: Wouldn't be the first time I was wrong if this turns out to be good. But I am hardly taking the Wine Spectator's word for this....
Denver, Colo.:
Recently, a couple of your recommendations (Pepperwood Grove Viognier and Z-teca Rose)shared a common trait--they came with synthetic, plastic corks. Does the cork make a difference? Are these corks the future? They certainly are not as aethetically pleasing.
By the way both were thought provoking, interesting selections, and good values.
Michael Franz: Hi Denver,
You okay out there? Hav eyour wines been showing smoky undertones during the past week? Good luck!
The future regarding closures is very unclear. There are terrible problems with TCA (tricloranisol) contamination in natural corks, and the plastic ones may have resiliency problems and be unsuitable for long-term ageing. Screw caps have many advantages...but the aesthetic issue you mention is a real problem here. The short answer here is that I don't know; my guess is that screw caps and will plastic will win out for cheaper, early-drinking wines, and that fancy wines will continue to sport corks (albeit ones that are more expensive as a result of more robust quality control measures).
Columbia, Md.:
My husband and I are having a dinner party on Saturday and selecting the wines tonight. I am strongly leaning toward a wine recommened by Ben Gilberti a few weeks ago, but I've never tried it.
Do you ever/routinely serve wines you've never tasted to dinner guests? I routinely try out new recipes on guests (who have never complained at this treatment) but was wondering if wines are a different animal? I would never serve and untasted and unrecommened wine to guests.
Michael Franz: Hi Columbia,
If Ben recommended it, you can serve it with confidence. Period.
On the larger issue, I CONSTANTLY serve wines to guests without having tried them before. Of course, if the wine fails, I may have a few more replacements in my basement than you have in yours, but nevertheless, you shouldn't feel that your standing in the eyes of your guests is somehow a function of how your wines perform. Love of wine is, like philosophy (literally, "love of wisdom," and not "possession of truth") an ongoing process of experimentation and discovery and revision. When you crack a bottle for friends, you are simply inviting them to join you in this...not presenting them with the finished product of your researches!
Michael Franz: Aaaargh! Out of time, with lots of good questions to go. Please join in when we next do this in two weeks, same time, same site. Until then, Cheers!
washingtonpost.com:
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