 Wines from the Czech Republic are a secret no more. Do you know that a wine from the Czech Republic was selected the “Best White Wine” at the prestigious 2014 San Francisco International Wine Competition? NOTE: All wines tasted at this event were provided by the sponsoring wineries. Please see my page ' Submissions, Reviews, Invitations & Disclaimers'. It seems the ‘cat is out of the bag’ when it comes to the quality and character of these delicious wines from eastern Europe, thanks to the Petr Vacenovsky 2013 Riesling winning double gold and best of show at the competition. Now, it used to be when I thought of this historic nation, I would think of handcrafted crystal, intricate garnet jewelry, a treasure-trove of culture and architecture, and of course, Pilsner, but after having an opportunity to try a selection of Czech wines, I can now add vino to the list.  Photo Credit: Juan de Vojnikov; wikimedia.org Viticulture and wine are nothing new to this region of the world. Like many parts of Europe, the Romans brought the vine to the area and are credited with introducing Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling which are still grown today. During the Middle Ages the industry really took hold mostly due to the power of the monasteries. Importing grapes from France and Germany, they began to establish vineyard designations and winemaking rules as far back as 1309. Although the territory was conquered and occupied over the centuries, vineyards here supplied wines for the aristocracy of Europe until phylloxera destroyed much of the vines at the turn of the 19th to 20th century.  photo credit: wineandvinesearch.com Today, the Czech Republic has a small but thriving wine industry. The majority of the vineyards (96%) are located in the southern region of Moravia ( Mo-rahv-EE-ah) which is just north of the well known Austrian wine region, Weinviertel. A small number of vineyards may be found in the northern region of Bohemia which is on the same latitude as the Rheingau area of neighboring Germany. The nation itself is landlocked and the terrain is predominately rolling hills, with the White Carpathian mountains sheltering the wine regions of the south. Soil types range from rich dark clay to gravel, marl and limestone. There are are about 18,000 winemakers in the country - many of them extremely small with production of only a few barrels - continuing the age old traditions of local winemaking. They make wines for their own palates - bone dry and full of crispy minerality with hints of spiciness. It’s not uncommon to see a group of local winemakers getting together on a Saturday afternoon to sip and critique each others product! The majority of production is white wine - around 60% - with red and rosé making up the balance. With larger producers looking to export more of their product, they are now producing wines from dry to off dry as well as the popular sweet, dessert ’straw wines’ . (For more on this wine style, click here) Many of the grapes grown here are familiar names:, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. Just as fabulous, but perhaps not household names (yet!) are: Müller-Thurgau, Blaufränkisch (Frankovka), St. Laurent (Svatovavnnecké) and Welschriesling (Ryzlink Vlassky). A system of quality designation, based on the French AOC and Austrian DAC, regulates things such as where the grapes are grown, hand harvesting, oak barrel usage, alcohol levels and many other factors. This ensures that the wines labeled with a regional VOC (Vina Originální Certifikace) mark have a guaranteed level of quality and reflect the best attributes of Czech wines.
 Spicy Crab Salad
There’s a distinctive feature that can’t go un-noticed - the absolutely captivating labels on the Vino z Czech vintages. Every one bears artwork by the famous Art Nouveau artist Alphonse Mucha. These sensuous depictions of female beauty are not only eye-catching, but also reflect the artistic integrity of the wines themselves. (For more on the Art Nouveau movement in the Czech Republic, see below)  Spicy Grüner Veltliner Our first wine was the Grüner Veltliner Michlovsky 2011 ($16) - Fragrant dried apricot, sweet grass and white pepper with ripe red apple and lemon balm on the palate - showing a slight hint of effervescense. Clean and minerally, it paired well with a spicy crab salad and the bacon and onion tart.  Wine & Food - perfect! Next, Welschriesling Spielberg 2013 ($23). This variety is not related to the famous Riesling grape, even though the names are similar. All white flower blossoms, sweet grass and honey with touches of pepper and lemon peel. Great paired with that onion tart, and gobs of brie.  Czech Pinot Blanc Two examples of Pinot Blanc followed. Here’s a hint - if you enjoy Pinot Gris/Grigio, give their ‘relative’ Pinot Blanc a try! Pinot Blanc Vyskocil 2009 ($23) showed unexpected tropical character - kumquat, perfumey guava, ripe peaches, light honeysuckle and spicy clove/nutmeg. Paired beautifully with brie, Comte cheeses and sushi - especially the cucumber roll.  Alphonse Mucha labels Pinot Blanc Spielberg 2009 ($34) was quite different - lots of ripe apple and stone fruits with an abundance of dusty rose aromas. Off dry, the finish was long, clean and supple with more baked apple and honey notes. Once again, it was terrific with the sushi and the onion tart, too.  Refreshing Riesling Now, on to Riesling Michlovsky 2011 ($19) Classic Riesling with crunchy green apples, linden flowers and a passing whiff of petrol! Plump apricots on the palate with a slight, refreshing touch of ‘fizz’. Perfect with the sushi, Persian dolmas with rice, veg and dill and, believe it or not, a walnut baklava!  Rivaner aka Müller-Thurgau Rivaner Valtice 2011 ($16) Rivaner is the local name for Müller-Thurgau and, if you enjoy off-dry wines from the Rhine, this will be your new favorite! Soft, supple apple and ripe, ripe pear flavors make this an easy sipping wine. I loved it with the crab salad and the sushi and the hot, spicy Sriracha chicken wings found a refreshing friend in this wine.  Great with food or on its own. Rouci Stapelton and Springr 2007 ($40) A blend of Pinot Noir and St. Laurent (the most widely planted red grape in the Czech Republic - also popular in Austria). Earthy and velvety, red plum with caramel, black pepper and milk chocolate undertones, the palate is full with dried strawberry, black raspberry and ripe rich cherry. If you like a fruity, lighter red wine like Beaujolais, this is right up your alley. I loved it with a spicy ginger snap cookie, the spicy wings and Comte cheese. Super sipper, too.  Blauer Portugieser Our final wine was a ‘mystery’ treat, selected by the Sommelier back in the Czech Republic. Modry Portugal 2012 from Vinarstvi Vyskocil is made with the grape variety Blauer Portugieser. The deep garnet color is reflected in the nose and on the palate - lots of super juicy, purple fruits and soft baking spices, red licorice and black plum - reminiscent of a Christmas Pudding in a glass.  Hair of the dog! To finish the event in true Czech tradition, we each had a ‘wee dram’ of a local digesif called Becherovka. And a tiny sip is all that’s needed. Although the locals tout this as a ‘cure all’ and a great pick me up for the ‘morning after’, I think I’ll stick with my new-found friends - the delicious and intriguing wines of the Czech Republic. NOTE: All wines tasted at this event were provided by the sponsoring wineries. Please see my page ' Submissions, Reviews, Invitations & Disclaimers'. What is Art Nouveau? By Øyvind Holmstad (Own work) wikimedia.org The distinctive designs of world renowned Czech artist Alphonse Mucha are a true representation of the Art Nouveau style.
This undulating, sensuous artistic movement began in Europe in the late 1800’s and continued into the early years of the 20th century. Using nature’s graceful, flowing lines as it’s inspiration, the style infiltrated all the arts. From architecture to fashion, from everyday household items to the painting, sculpture and art glass, “The New Art” took the world by storm. Mucha was, and continues to be, one of the most recognizable proponents of the period and his homeland of the Czech Republic has respected and preserved many architectural representations. For more information: www.czechtourism/a/art-nouveau/
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NOTE: All wines tasted at this event were provided by the sponsoring wineries. Please see my page ' Submissions, Reviews, Invitations & Disclaimers'. Here we go with Round Two of the Wine Bloggers Conference speed sipping, slurping, spitting and blogging extravaganza. As with the whites, we were given five minutes to absorb not just the wine itself but also the story of the winery and the process of the winemaking. A challenge, to be sure, but a good one. So I present to you the ten wines brought to our table, just as they were described at the time (with typos corrected to protect the innocent).  J. Lohr Pinot Noir J Lohr Falcon's Perch Pinot Noir 2012 Award winning and inky $17. Slighty smokey- succulent silky strawberry. 13.5% alcohol means really drinkable. Can we say BBQ salmon with something chocolaty for afters?  Westerly from Santa Barbara County Westerly Fletcher's Red 2010 Bordeaux style blend from Happy Canyon AVA . Black juicy berry meets licorice and black plum. Dark cocoa and earth and terrific balance of fruit acid and tannin keeps this rich and balanced. Sip alone or try with some braised short ribs. Winemaker hails from Harlan Estate. Need I say more?  BevMo's own from Sonoma Main and Geary Dry Creek Zinfandel 2011 Big and plush palate zin from BevMo Private label series $19.95 and even less when you go to the 5 cent sale. Heat up the grill and get your party started with this very quaffable wine.  Not your typical Napa winery! Cornerstone Cellars 'The Cornerstone’ Napa Valley 2011. Releasing this September & made to be aged for 10 years plus. Blend Cab Sauv/ Merlot/ Cab Franc. Everything is there: acidity, tannin and plummy cassis fruit blending all together. Balanced wine to savor in the years to come. Only 100 cases.  Little Winery, Big Hart. White Hart Pinot Noir 2012 Santa Lucia Highlands Central Coast 2012 40 year old vines in this cooler AVA brings out dark strawberry aromas with juicy red currants and subtle clove nutmeg spice. An elegant feminine Pinot made for sipping or cuisine. Delicious.  Photo Courtesy of Banfi Wines. Banfi Centine Rosso 2012 Banfi Wines are in the house. Sangio-Merlot marriage is your everyday "let's have some wine with dinner" vino and at around $10-12 you can make this tasty little fellow your house wine. The soil is limestone dominant so we have great structure welding together cherry, berry and a bit of tar with great palate cleansing acidity. Bueno.  Saperavi is the variety - Marani Winery 2008 Satrapezo Saperavi from Georgia - the country! The grape is native to Georgia and the juice as well as the skin is red giving the wine a deep opaque hue. Rustic and earthy with plummy notes. Interesting.  Aridus Syrah from Arizona Aridus 2012 Syrah The winery is in Arizona but while they wait for the vines to produce they have sourced from the Russian River for this vintage. Dried sage herbs and black fruit with solid tannins would be good compliment to grilled meats and root veg.  Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Charles Krug Howell Mt Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 Broody and big with dark fruit and cocoa tobacco leaf. A touch of Petit Verdot and all French oak ups the anti on this voluptuous red. Prime Rib is calling.  Ottimino-Exclusively Zinfandel Ottimino Vineyard 2011 Russian River Valley Zinfandel Cooler climate means longer, slower ripening so higher acidity and low alcohol- for a Zin!! Dark strawberry jam and cassis with black Dutch licorice, tealeaf and vanilla bean. Thinking some Tex-Mex. NOTE: All wines tasted at this event were provided by the sponsoring wineries. Please see my page ' Submissions, Reviews, Invitations & Disclaimers'.
Disclosure: Wine tasting is a highly individual experience and, scientifically, none of us perceive wine in exactly the same way. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and mine alone and although the wines sampled were supplied by the designated wineries for review I describe them as I see them.  The connection between the grapevine and Greece is almost as old as wine itself. The ancient Greeks spread viticulture throughout the Ancient World and, for them, wine was not just a commodity but life and culture as well. So with this long history in mind, it was with great excitement that I joined with other members of the Temecula Wine Council to sample five wines kindly supplied by the “New Wines of Greece”. For many of us, when we here “Greek wine” we immediately think of ‘Retsina’, perhaps crafted in rustic old wineries from grapes we can’t pronounce! I am glad to report that nothing could be further from the truth. There has been a mammoth revival in the Greek wine industry, beginning in the late 20th century. Many local winemakers, who ventured to wine producing areas throughout the world, have returned to their roots, building shiny new production facilities that rival those of the ‘New World’. While embracing many new winemaking techniques there is desire to blend them with time-honored philosophies such as biodynamic and organic viticulture and the use of indigenous grape varieties. And so, we gathered at the Dorland Mountain Arts Colony, just outside Temecula, CA. The fresh air and solitude made for the perfect venue. Each of the six members attending the tasting were assigned one of the wines and asked to prepare a compatible dish for everyone to share. As you will discover, much of the fare paired well with many of the wines, showing just how food friendly and versatile these vintages turned out to be! First up was “Thema 2012” from Pavlidis Estate near the Macadonian town of Drama in northern Greece. A 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Assyrtiko, (ah-SEER-tea-ko) the wine is a prime example of old meets new. The region of Macadonia has been a prime grape growing area for millennia and founder Christoforos Pavlidis has been cultivating both native and international varieties since 1998. The winery embraces modern viticulural practices on its 148 acres planted on a variety of soils in two vineyard sites. The winery itself is state of the art and visitors are welcome in their modern tasting room located on the “Wine Road of Dionysus”. The wine was delightful, with a subtle, elegant nose of lemon cream enchanced with touches of fresh green herbs. The zippy acidity and lime zest flavor accentuated the saltiness of the smoked salmon brought to pair with it. Our second vintage came to us from the home of the famous Greek varietal, Assyrtiko – the Aegean island of Santorini.  courtesy New Wines of Greece.com Domaine Sigalas Assyrtiko-Athiri 2011 is another example of traditional grape varietals truly showing their ‘terroir’ through more modern production. Domaine Sigalas was founded in 1991 and by 1998 had constructed a brand new winery/production center near Ola, in the northern part of the island. Their 47 acres of vineyards are planted on volcanic soils comprised of cinders, lava and pumice. They specialize in indigenous grape varieties grown in the traditional manner unique to Santorini. Vines are trained low to the ground, woven around itself like a round basket. This format, called a Kouloura meaning wreath or basket, protects the vines from strong winds and also shields the grape clusters from the intense, direct sunlight. The wine was a prime example of how the local white grapes of Greece have evolved to withstand the heat and sun of the Mediterranean without losing any of their distinctive, refreshing acidity. The clean, citrusy aromas were a true indication of what was found in the glass! Amazing, racy, mouth-watering acidity combined with a slight hint of sea air minerality and touches of lime blossoms. It was a terrific compliment to the steamed artichokes in olive oil, herbs and seasonings; the wine acting like a spritz of brightness, bringing out the flavor of the vegetable and freshness of the herbs. The last white of the evening also hailed from Macadonia - Ovilos Estate Biblia Chora 2010 a blend of a traditional native grape (50% Assyrtiko) and an international variety (50% Semillon). Vineyards here were first planted by the Phoenicians who found this “Golden Mountain” while in search of precious metals. Alexander the Great mined gold here to finance his expeditions and the Cult of Dionysus (or Bacchaus to the Romans) made their wines from Macadonian fruit. But enough history! The winery’s founders both studied in Bordeaux and returned to their homeland to make wine. The original 70 acres were planted in 1998 and now there are close to 350, all of which are farmed organically. A modern winery, built to resemble a grand Bordelais Chateau, was built in 2001 and their efforts have paid off; the wines have won numerous awards throughout the world.  This blend had a beautiful brilliant gold appearance, reflecting the 8 months the wine spent in oak. The aromas were clean and fresh with notes of golden apple, soft fruit blossom florals and a suggestion of dried apricot. The palate was supple and honeyed showing touches of mango and toasted pine nuts.
It went very nicely with the food I had paired – grilled chicken Breast with herbed zucchini stuffing. The wine lifted the herbaceous notes in the dish and surprisingly, also complimented the artichokes and another traditional dish – Moussaka. Next up was the first red,“Xinomavro 2008 Urano” from Thumiopoulos Vineyards in Naoussa, also located in Macadonia. This winery is owned by Apostolos Thumiopoulos who, at the tender age of 31, is acknowledged as the ‘rising star’ in this famous wine growing region, Naoussa. His vineyards, all biodynamic, are planted on complex soils – a mixture of marl, schist and granite - in the southern part of the appellation. The winemaker embraces a minimally invasive philosophy when it comes to making wine, letting the grapes express themselves and showing their unique character, vintage to vintage. He uses naturally occurring yeast and little, if any, filtration to produce terroir driven results. This wine, made from the native Xinomavro (ksee-NO-mah-vro) varietal, showed aromas of dark strawberry jam laced with white pepper and soft touches of toasty rye bread. Dried tomato and a slightly spicy note lingered on the finish. The tannins and acidity were nicely balanced, which made it a wonderful compliment to the tasty ‘Boubaria’ – a traditional meat sausage of the area, bringing out spicy notes of cumin. It also paired beautifully with the Moussaka and some decadent spiced fig cakes! Our final wine of the evening kept us in the appellation of Naoussa and was also an expression of Xinomavro –“2007 Boutari Grande Reserve Naoussa.” The name Boutari is a familiar one around the world. It is the regions oldest winery – its history goes back 130 years – and has been an ambassador for Naoussa, the Xinomavro grape and Greek wine for almost as long. The vineyards are on the south-east slopes of Mount Vermio where the grapes enjoy lots of sunshine, generous rainfall and are shielded from the cold northerly winds. The marl soils, a mixture of limestone and clay, give the wines their rich body and ageing potential. The Grande Reserve is one of Boutari’s most collectable red wines and this vintage still has room to mature. Prune, plum and baking spices abound on the nose and palate with ripe dark berries and vanilla hanging on through the finish. The tannins are still firm and the acidity bright. Definitely a wine you would want to cellar or use a decanter or aerator to enjoy now. Also on hand was a fantastic Greek dip – feta, oregano, kalamata olives, and sun-dried tomatoes – served with pita chips that went with a variety of the evening’s wines. And lest we forget to mention the sinful chocolate brownies – frosted no less! As expected, they were a treat with both red wines and made a suitable ending to our feast. It was a terrific and enlightening group of wines that made me want to go out and find other “New Wines of Greece” to explore and enjoy. As they say in Greece “Yia Mas” - Here’s to Health!  It's time for another "wine day" and tomorrow, September 24th, will be the 2nd annual Grenache Day.
The joy of having a blog is that it gives one a forum, so in order to promote my belief that to know a grape is to love it, here are some fun and fascinating things you may or may not know about this terrific varietal.
Typical Flavor Characteristics may include: Deep Strawberry Cherry Cranberry Black Pepper Licorice (Anise) Soft Floral So now that you know a bit more about this famous, hard working grape, go ahead an find something "Grenache" for tomorrow. Perhaps a Gigondas (a terrific area) or something New World - but whatever your tipple, relax, enjoy and don'f forget some tunes to go with it! |
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