Monday, July 24, 2017

'The Package' delivered by Philip S. Kampe




                                                           The Package

There is a knock on the door and suddenly the bell rings loudly. There is another feverish knock. I open the door and the post man smiles and says, ‘Sign for this please’ and hands me an electronic pad to sign. 

After business is taken care of, the post man smiles and suggests that I open the package-as is the case when packages that contain wine are delivered to me. Its sort of a ritual for the two of us.

He comes inside. I take out a paring knife to open the secured brown box, which is bound with brown, sticky tape. I open the box-there are no technical sheets or a handwritten notes-just four bottles of wine. The mailman, as part of the ritual, takes out bottle number one. It is a 2016 Sancerre named ‘Liberte’. I grab the second bottle, a 2016 Vermentino ‘Tuvaoes’from Sardegna. I’m beginning to think oysters…

The mailman lifts the third bottle out of the box-it’s a Rose-but, one I have read about and heard that it was the Rose everyone drinks in the Hamptons-Maison Belle Claire 2016 from Provence. I took out the final bottle, number four. It was red, from Tuscany and a 2014 Terigi Pugnitello-probably made with one of my favorite grapes-Sangiovese.

The opening of The Package was complete. Like normal, I assured the postman that I would leave a quarter of each bottle for him to sample. I would put the bottles in a canvas wine bag and leave it for him inside the garage door. We have been doing this exercise for many years-it’s educational for him, as I leave notes with each wine he samples.

This is our pet project.

The wine was delivered Saturday morning. By Sunday evening, I had the usual suspects over to share a meal and taste and comment on the wine. With four bottles and six people, the task should be flawless.

I am not one for matching food with wine, but, the Sancerre, Vermentino and Rose all call out for seafood: clams, oysters, scallops and shrimp.

For dinner, I made a seafood stew with saffron and the seafood I mentioned except oysters, which we ate on the half shell-definitely intended for the Vermentiono.

The wines which arrived were from Romano Brands, owned by a very innovative importer/distributor, Michael Romano, who I met nearly twenty years ago, as I began my wine journey. I do know, his Rose, Maison Belle Claire is a homage to his wife, whose name is Claire (the same as my mother).

Before reviewing the wines, I must admit that the four wines that were sent to me immediately made me realize that Michael Romano put a lot of thought into the contents of the package, a Sancerrre, a Vermentino, a Rose and a Tuscan red.
Our findings:
2016 Liberte Sancerre
This Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley is magnificently crafted. The limestone delivers a creamy and rich white wine that epitomizes what acidity and smokiness can do when paired effectively together. Its an amazing bottle that retails for under $20. The wine has magical qualities that develop in the palate and grow in length as it seems to bubble an ambitious lemon-lime flavor in your mouth.

2016 Tuvaoes Vermentino di Sardegna by Cherchi. The origin of Vermentino in Sardegna is unclear. But in 1996, the first DOCG Vermentino was acknowledged. Since then, high quality Vermentiono’s have been making their way into the New World. With Tuvaoes at a little under $30 a bottle, you are reaching the islands ultimate product, a soft and fruity white wine that must be served very cold. The citrus notes scream for a little spice on the palate, if not, seafood. This bottle was extremely pleasing, seamless, bright, dry, crisp with truly balanced acidity. Personally, this was the best Vermentino I had sampled in my lifetime.

2016 Maison Belle Claire Rose.  This mixture of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault stole my heart. Its crisp acidity and light, dry citrus notes create a complex, dry Rose that is both rich and fresh on the palate. We first sampled Maison Belle Claire as an aperitif, then put it in its rotation after the Vermentino. The wine is stunning-it’s the talk of the Hamptons and the world beyond. At well under $20 a bottle, the Rose steal of the summer and beyond is here to stay. Its not a wine to cellar, but, one to drink immediately.

2014 Terigi Toscana Pugnitello. The Sangiovese grape is what Tuscany is known for. Think Chianti. Add a specific indigenous grape, Pugnitello to the blend and, in this case, you create a special red wine that is terroir specific. It’s a big wine meant to pair with beef, lamb and cured meats. The plump tannins cut the fat, while the acidity helps to balance this monster of a wine. The dark hue from the pugnitello grape adds distinction to this rich, bold wine. (under $25)

The tasting has ended and four, quarter bottles of wine are waiting for our mailman to retrieve.
I wonder what his thoughts will be???

To learn more about these wines and others, visit: www.romanobrands.com

Philip S. Kampe
Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com








Thursday, July 20, 2017

Time To Get To Know Gascony's Treasure: Armagnac by Philip S. Kampe


                                              Gascony’s Treasure: Armagnac

Imagine finding gold and not being able to sell that gold to the world because you are basically cut off from the rest of the world. Well, the Armagnac community from Gers (Gascony), in southwest France, had that same problem many years ago. Their problem arose, like the gold, from an area that had been cut off from the outside world in such a way that the Armagnac that was produced by well over two hundred, independent distillers had little means of getting their product to the world. There were and are no airports, oceans or large rivers nearby (inland, the Garonne is the closest), no super highways or large train stations that run through Gascony.

For years, Armagnac has the best kept secret of France, while Cognac, with its large houses, such as Remey Martin, Martell, Hennessey and others have provided the access for the worldwide growth and recognition that Armagnac lacks.

The cognac area has airports, large train station and super highways nearby. Cognac is north of Bordeaux and Armagnac is south. They really aren’t too far from each other, but, far enough to make one area, Cognac, overly successful and the other, Armagnac, vying, finally for worldwide attention.

Much of Armagnac’s newly found success must be contributed to the Armagnac Academy, an educational group that travels the world promoting Armagnac. 

I am a recent graduate of the Armagnac Academy and believe in the promotion of Armagnac. I taught my first class about Armagnac and am beginning to suggest to wine shops that they should carry a full range of products from Gascony.

The understanding of Armagnac is quite basic.
The Arabs brought the alembic stills (wood fired copper continuous stills) that produce Armagnac to the world in the 10th century..

The Romans brought the vines.

Armagnac was first developed for its therapeutic qualities-an excuse I use each day when consuming my daily dose. Master Vital Dufour explained in 1310 that ‘the spirit sharpens the mind, preserves youth and delays senility, when taken in moderation.’

In 1410, the Dutch traders exported Armagnac through the port in Bordeaux.
Louis XIV favored Armagnac in Versailles.

In 1441, a treatise described more than 30 medicinal uses of Armagnac. An ‘elixir for life’ recognized medicinal benefits of the wonder drug.

From 1775-1783, Armagnac sold well in the United States because of the war with the British.

By 1818, local Gascon hero, D’Artagnon and the Three Musketeers upheld the rights of Armagnac. Today, Gascons uphold the same spirit of passion and love of life, acknowledging that Armagnac is their DNA.

Today, there are nearly 13,000 acres of grapevines for Armagnac. Only ten varieties of grapes are allowed. The reality, only four grapes account for the overall production.

Armagnac is divided into three specific regions: Bas Armagnac, Tenareze and Haut Armagnac.

Two-thirds of the vineyards are in Bas Armagnac, known for its sandy, loamy soil.
Clay and limestone occupy Tenareze’s demgraphics, where nearly a third of the vines grow.

Haut Armagnac has few vines and produces a very small percentage of Armagnac today.

The four major grape varieties include: Bacco, Folle Blanche, Ugni Blanc and Colombard.

Armaganac spirits are distilled once and are aged at cask strength, about 48% alcohol. Water is not used, like Cognac, to reduce its strength.

Six million bottles of Armagnac are produced a year compared to Cognac’s 180 million bottles. The largest producer of Armagnac produces around 25,000 cases a year, while most of the smaller houses produce 200-300 cases a year.

Single distillation produces a bigger spirit with more weight. Aged in used French oak for up to 25 years, the end result is deeper, richer flavors that are full of depth versus Cognac’s double distillation, added water and smoother finish.

With its 700 year history, Armagnac is France’s oldest eau-du-vie.

VS Armagnac is aged a minimum of 2 years> golden orange in color with a dominate fruit bouquet.

VSOP Armagnac is aged a minimum of 4 years> golden amber in color with candied cooked fruit that dominate the nose.

XO Armagnac is aged a minimum of 6 years> Amber with mahogany highlights and a nose bursting with dried fruit, nuts, figs and prunes.

Hors d’Age is aged a minimum of 10 years> dark chestnut in color with a lengthy spicy finish.

To me, Armagnac is a lot like Scotch Whisky-full of character, complexity and natural flavors that linger on your palate. (Armagnac is normally priced half that of Cognac)

Isn’t it time to sample Armagnac?


                                                      Laubade Vintage 1987
                     Laubade is a fine producer with availability throughout North America
                                                        Laubade XO Armagnac
                                                       Laubade VSOP Armagnac


Philip S. Kampe
Philip.kampe@thewinehub.com
  



                                                   




 



Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Is there another Burgundy? The Terroir from Cantina Tramin (Alto Adige) May Qualify?




                 Is there another Burgundy? The Terroir from Cantina Tramin May Qualify?

Italy is such a large country that has so many styles of wine, like food, each province or region or even village or city supports their wine and their often indigenous grapes as their own, often unique, identification.

Recently, on a short tour of the Veneto and the Alto Adige region, I sampled wines that ranged from iconic Amarones in Verona, sparkly Prosecco in Asolo and bold, stuctured Gewürztraminers in Alto Adige.  Within a half days drive, one could argue that the best reds in Italy come from Verona, the best Prosecco’s come from the Asolo area and the best Gewürztraminers come from Alto Adige.

On this wine journey in northern Italy, one vineyard that stood out from the rest, Cantina Tramin, in fairy tale, breathtaking Alto Adige.

Cantina Tramin’s winemaker, with the looks of a movie star-think James Bond-Willi Sturz, has taken on the true voice as the ambassador for Cantina Tramin. He says, 'Gewurztraminer is our Mission.'

Willi Sturz is a very sophisticated winemaker that possesses an exceptional palate, supported solely by the high quality and variety of wines he produces.  Couple that with a diagnostic approach to winemaking, linked with unusual cellar practices.

What would be unusual about his cellar practices? Try storing wine in an abandoned silver mine tucked away in a snow-covered, 6,500 foot mountain. Innovation in aging wine results in palate pleasing wines that have their unique taste-as did the unveiling of Epokale-a wine that we sampled in a specially designed press tasting.

Our group was the first to sample a 2009 Epokale-a week before Decanter magazine, also online, could expose this newly ordained ‘classic cult wine’ to their readership. The silver mine maintains a constant temperature of 52F, with humidity at 90%, perfect for slower aging according to Mr. Sturz.

Cantina Tramin is a co-op that was founded in 1898. Today, there are over 150 members growing numerous varieties on 600+ acres.  

Willi Sturz is their winemaker and is constantly in motion, visiting the growers that supply the grapes for Cantina Tramin, sampling the varietals, checking the soil and doing everything necessary to insure high quality.

If the grapes don’t meet Willi’s standards, they will not be turned into the wine they were intended for.

Northern Italy, where Cantina Tramin is located, is near the Austrian border. The area reminds me of little Switzerland, with Alpine houses, cattle in the fields, sunbursts and romantic mists.

Apple trees are everywhere.

The food in Alto Adige focuses on speck, dumpling soup, beef chops with onion and of course, apple strudel.

Unlike the Italian regions to the south, pasta and tomato sauce have little place in these northern hill towns, the foothills of the Dolomites.

Tramin and the nearby hill towns of Ora, Egna and Montagna  provide the ideal conditions for producing great wines. This small strip-not unlike Burgundy-has been known since BC times for its various soil types, microclimates, sunny slopes and favorable altitude for growing grapes.

Tramin, since the Middle Ages, is and always has been linked to Gewürztraminer. Its herbaceous notes of dried citrus fruit drench the palate with its persistent minerality, creamy spice notes and dominant, yet poised, floral aromas.

Cantina Tramin is the pioneer of Gewürztraminer.

Look for any year-I sampled the exquisite 2015 Sudtirol, Alto Adige DOC Gewürztraminer, Nussbaumer. This is unlike any Gewürztraminer I have ever sampled. It is in a category of its own, totally unlike the floral, sweeter influence of the German versions, but, closer to the Alsatian style, but, much bolder and thought provoking.

Willi Sturz explained that that the grape has been the influential, historical grape of the region for thousands of years. The limestone soil coupled with lower altitudes (below 1,800 feet) create unique palate pleasing qualities.

Gewürztraminer  has evolved in Willi’s lifetime as a combination of two grapes.  After painstakingly replanting the vineyards that once housed the overly productive Schiava grape with the lower yielding Alsatian Gewürztraminer stock, Willi combined the two, one for aroma and the other for structure to insure Cantina Tramin’s stronghold on unique palate euphoria.

Besides the Nussbaumer Gewürztraminer, Cantine Tramin also produces and exports to the U.S. (Winebow is their importer/distributor) Terminum Gewürztraminer, Pinot Bianco, Chardonnay, Moriz Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Nero, Gewürztraminer, Lagrein, Unterebner Pinot Grigio and Hexenbichler.

After sampling all of the above varieties, it is hard pick favorites. The price points seem fair, often a bit lower then I would have expected-possibly due to the weakness of the euro? Whatever the case, ask your local wine shop to order a couple of bottles and you will see why I am ‘star struck’ with this winery.

As I eluded to earlier, much like Burgundy, a small strip of land, where Cantina Tramin is located, has captivated the palates of so many through the ages.
Is it the perfect microclimate for growing varietals?
I think so…

For more information on Cantina Tramin, visit www.kellereitramin.it

                                                      Winemaker Willi Sturz



                                                           The Alpine Terroir

                                                 Cantina Tramin's Headquarters





Philip S. Kampe
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com


         

            





Saturday, July 15, 2017

This one is for #winelovers and #LifeLovers who live in Brazil: "#wineloversFORdan" (in Portuguese)

https://thewinehub.blogspot.com/2017/07/my-dear-winelover-s-and-lifelover-s-of.html

Voce quer comprar vinhos fantásticos e ajudar uma grande causa ao mesmo tempo? 
Essa é sua grande chance!
Heloise Merolli da Vinícola Legado se juntou a nossa luta para angariar fundos para "#winelovers FOR Dan" e vai doar 5% em toda compra que voce efetuar nos próximos dias!  


Heloise Merolli, #winelover & #LifeLover

Va para o site e escolha seus vinhos:
http://www.vinicolalegado.com.br/home
O código que você deve usar (ou divulgar) é
ZKBT-LIY1-VE4C-QN27X

E, mesmo que voce nao tome vinho, voce pode ajudar com uma pequena doação também. Qualquer coisa ajuda! Não da pra doar? Por favor compartilhe com seus amigos!

Eu e o Dan desde ja agradecemos a sua ajuda! Saúde!!
 

 — feeling blessed 

Cheers,

Luiz Alberto
  • Master of Wine candidate
  • Member of the Circle of Wine Writers
  • Italian Wine Ambassador
  • I combine my passion for wine with social media

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Cantina Tramin in Alto Adige

I am in the middle of my article on this truly iconic winery in beautiful Alto Adige (Italy).

Yes, its been awhile since I have posted my articles. There is no excuse, except that the summer in the Berkshires, where I live, has been jam packed with the array of summer events that occupy my time, day in and day out.

Concerts at Tanglewood  (Lenox, Ma) have taken time away from my writing skills. The concerts included James Taylor, Joan Baez, The Indigo Girls, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Arlo Guthrie and Yo Yo Ma.Now that the majority of the popular artist series has ended, my voice at The Wine Hub will shine again.

Thank you for your kind emails asking me to get back to work.

This is a visual preview of my next article on Cantina Tramin...

(attached are the photos from Cantina Tramin- from my article is forthcoming)

     




Monday, July 10, 2017

My dear #winelover-s and #LifeLover-s of the world, we have a great cause to help: Dan Hegyi.

Help For Dan

For: Dan Hegyi
Timișoara, TM, Romania
Organizer: Asociatia Ceva De Spus



The Story

Inside Dan’s head things happen a bit differently sometimes.

Normally, any thought, any action is controlled by neurons. Neurons send out electrical signals from one to another, forming a communication chain. One neuron receives the information and it passes it on.

Inside Dan’s head, sometimes all of the neurons send out signals, but none of them receives them.

That is how an epilepsy seizure occurs. Dan suffers from this condition since he was 3 months old, and it affects his short term memory, attention span, problem solving and anticipation skills.

Although Dan’s IQ is high, his condition affects his ability to work.

Seizures are hard to anticipate. They begin with stomach aches, nausea, followed by a loss of consciousness, which leads to him falling down and injuring himself, wherever he may be at that time. During the seizure, his muscles spasm painfully and his whole body shakes.

Once the seizure has passed, Dan has difficulties speaking, he is dizzy and his vision is blurry.

The frequency of the seizures can be fairly high, up to three per day.

In 2012, during a seizure which occurred in the staircase of the building where he lives, Dan fell, hit his head and ended up in a coma at the hospital. A brain surgery saved his life at that moment, but Dan lost a portion of his brainpan and epilepsy continues to endanger his life.

Very recently, Dan found out that all these problems could be solved by a surgery performed at a hospital in Budapest. All he needs is money and courage.

A successful surgery would give back to Dan his health, dignity, safety and capacity to work.

Things would begin to happen as they should, inside Dan’s head. 

Please click on this link to make your donation:
https://www.youcaring.com/danhegyi-867648 - Anything helps!

You can also donate...
  • via paypal zoli@cevadespus.ro
  • via direct transfer to the following bank accounts (account owner: Asociația Ceva de Spus)
EUR account: RO36 BACX 0000 0009 4543 5001 
USD account: RO09 BACX 0000 0009 4543 5002

And... please don't forget to share this via social media. Together we can make a difference in this world.

Thank you so much!

Cheers,

Luiz Alberto
  • Master of Wine candidate
  • Member of the Circle of Wine Writers
  • Italian Wine Ambassador
  • I combine my passion for wine with social media

Sunday, July 2, 2017

I said it once and I'll say it again: I have the best friends of the world!

I said it once and I'll say it again: I have the best friends of the world!

These are some of the "best wishes & HBs" that we posted yesterday on my FaceBook wall. 
I can't thank you enough for taking the time to stop by and tell that you care about me. 
I love you guys!! 












































Cheers,

Luiz Alberto
  • Master of Wine candidate
  • Member of the Circle of Wine Writers
  • Italian Wine Ambassador
  • I combine my passion for wine with social media

40 Years of Winemaking at Russian River Valleys Sonoma-Cutrer by Philip S. Kampe

 Innovation in Winemaking at Sonoma-Cutrer began forty years ago. The focus has always been innovation for this Russian River Valley winery....