|
|
 |
|
|
Cellar Tips...
Wine lovers across the country are very fortunate to
taste any number of bottlings from the greatest
regions in the world. From a Napa Valley Cabernet,
to an Australian Shiraz, a French Bordeaux, an Italian
Brunello, an Argentine Malbec, a Spanish Rioja, a
Greek Retsina, a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, or a
South African Pinotage. How about a Chinese
Cabernet Franc or Chardonnay? China you say! Don’t
be crazy. They don’t make wine in China. Well my
friends, get ready to add one of these wines from the
Far East to your cellar list. They make them and they
are coming.
I recently took a 2 week trek throughout China and
came away very surprised. Not only are the cities
becoming marvels of modern engineering, you can
clearly see how Western culture has invaded the
country far beyond our expectations. From the great
cities of Shanghai and Beijing to the remote villages
along the Yangtze River, wine in China is fast
becoming a staple of their everyday lifestyle.
|
|
|
|
|
My years of travel have taken me throughout Europe
to countries south of the equator, places where wine
is found as abundant as tap water. Before I left for
my trip to the Far East, I thought a little pre trip
research would be necessary since I didn’t believe
that my favorite beverage would be readily available.
Heaven forbid having a wonderful meal and not
having a glass of wine within reach to compliment the
food. Surprisingly, here is what I found.
The Chinese have been making wine since the time
before Christ. There are as many as 500 wineries
scattered throughout the country but only a handful
of them make up the bulk of what is seen in the
marketplace. Most of the well known brands are
produced in an area near Beijing where vineyards
date back to the 6th and 7th Century. The
government tightly controls much of what is
produced and released to the public, yet strides are
being made by savvy winemakers in hopes of
producing world class wines in the very foreseeable
future.
On most wine lists I came across, either in fine
restaurants or at our hotel lounges, the local Chinese
wines dominated the menu. The only other country
that featured any number of selections were of
French origin. On occasion I would notice a familiar
Australian or United States brand that were typically
of the inexpensive nature but found them to be as
non satisfying to drink in China as they would be here
at home and the price for them reaching 7 to 10
times their normal U.S. shelf cost.
Electing to go by the principle When in Rome I
decided to try as many of the local brands that I
could, mostly for curiosity but also for my newsletter
research. (Always thinking of my Champane Wine
Cellar patrons, even while on vacation) I indulged in
both red and white wines from the following wineries:
Huadong Winery, Dynasty, Great Wall, Dragon Seal,
Grace Vineyards, Suntime, Changyu, and Xi Xia. A
few examples had varietal names such as Cabernet
Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay, but
most times, they were simply labeled as Red Wine or
White Wine.
The red wines ranged from soft, medium bodied to a
bit tannic in flavor, with most having cherry, toast,
leather and a hint of oak on the palate. The few
chardonnay I tested were full of bright fresh fruit
leaning towards apple and pear flavors. Nearly all the
wines I tried seemed to have a French influence to
their character, right down to their corks and
labeling.
As far as flavor and quality, I must admit that most
sampling’s were very drinkable. They were by no
means eye opening examples of world class wines,
yet I found them to be quite tasty. All in all, they
were as good or better than most of their inexpensive
counterparts here in the States. I truly expect that
within the next 5 to 10 years, once winemaker’s are
able to convince owners that mass production inhibits
quality and when standardized vineyard practices are
set in place, such as crop thinning and finding the
right terrior to match varietal planting’s, they will
become a new player in the worldwide wine
scene.
|
|
|
|
|
The prices of their wines were rather inexpensive.
Whether in a small wine shop, in a grocery store, or
from any number of small street vendors, the prices
ranged from about $7 to $10 on average and only
slightly higher in a restaurant or hotel lounge. Prices
for foreign bottling’s would have to be categorized as
moderate to expensive, starting at about $40 and
going off into the stratosphere for world class
offerings.
At many dinner gatherings, I was treated to
numerous examples of Chinese Sake. At first glance, I
thought my hosts had misspoken when they placed a
glass in front of me, qualifying it as sake. The liquid
was a bit foamy and amber in color, unlike any sake I
had seen before. They were served cold and were
quite sweet to the taste. Thank you anyway but I l
gladly stick to the warm, clear and satisfying sake
from Japan.
Speaking with a few locals who had a similar interest
in wine, I was more than happy to share some of my
knowledge with them and compare tasting notes. I
found it interesting that they often compared wine
with the national beverage of China, tea. Having so
many varietals of tea leaves, their taste each
uniquely different from one another, it was not hard
to understand their comparisons. We passionately
agreed about the cross over health benefits exhibited
by both tea and wine, a point recently promoted by
the Chinese government to the public. For years,
various types of grain alcohol had been popular with
those seeking to indulge in a liquor beverage, but
with recent findings about the benefits of drinking
wine, the powers that be are leading the charge to
make the Chinese a leading wine consuming
population.<
From extensive wine lists in restaurants and in hotel
lounges, even a few wine bar establishments I wasn’t
able to visit but wish I had the chance to, my fear
that wine was going to be as hard to find as a giant
panda went unfounded. But I firmly believe that I
have seen the future. That future being Chinese
wine, both red and white, soon to appear on our
store shelves.
It may take them a bit of time, not unlike California,
Chile, Australia and New Zealand in their infancy, to
find their stride, correct their faults, find out what
works where, when to pick, what to plant, and most
important, adopt and trust worldwide influence to
their winemaking practices. Believe me when I say,
when you see and taste your first bottle of wine from
the Far East, remember, you heard it here first. True
to form, I guarantee you that Champane’s Wine
Cellars will lead the way by being the first to stock,
sell, and promote this new global partner in the world
of wine.
|
|
|
|
|
Beaujolais Nouveau....
What do you get when
you invite 100 people to a wine tasting party on the
3rd Thursday of November? Oenophiles around the
world know its time for the new release of Beaujolais
Nouveau and those in the Detroit Metro area came to
the annual celebration hosted by Champane’s Wine
Cellars. This years fund raising event for the
Children’s Home of Detroit featured all the new
releases by the most prominent Beaujolais houses of
France plus over 20 other specially selected wines
that kept the party going strong for those in
attendance
What made this years event so special was the
exclusive appearance of a 6 liter bottle of Beaujolais
Nouveau, equal to 8 regular bottles, the first time a
bottle of this size has ever entered the United
States. Only 3 such bottles were manufactured, one
being shipped to London, England the other to Tokyo,
Japan. This showpiece was a major coup for
Champane’s Wine Cellars, the only establishment in
the country to feature a bottle of this size
This years releases were well received by those in
attendance, heralding the vintage as another
success. Tastebuds of those who took home the new
release that evening, and those who came in the
days following, purchased in excess of 200 cases of
Beaujolais Nouveau and Beaujolais Villages in the first
2 weeks of its release, making Champane’s Wine
Cellars patrons the largest buyers of this years
vintage in the Metro area.
|
|
|
|
|
Wine Tasting Notes
2003 Grgich Hills Violetta Dessert
Wine.............. Seems like the more Ice Wine or
Dessert Wines I consume these days, the more they
all begin to taste asimilar. Most lean towards ultra
sweet, smooth and fruity, serving as adequate after
dinner quaffs. Mike Grgich has gone one step further
with this exquisite example of premium nectar. Think
of every wonderful fruit dessert you e ever had,
liquify it, put it in a bottle, and wish it could be part
of your everyday dessert. The price may inhibit this
practice but the treasure exists. The peaches,
lemons, and apricots are so explosive on the palate,
the sweetness fresh and perfumy, it a happiness
genie waiting to gently be released from under its
cork.
2004 Los Vascos Reserve Cabernet
Sauvignon................ Always one of Chile
most underrated value , it a wonder why more
people haven jumped on Los Vascos bandwagon.
This big firm red has all the makings of what you look
for in an American Cabernet, at a fraction of the
cost. The dark fruit takes a back seat to its
chocolate, spice, espresso and tea nuances. Why
waste time searching for a good affordable Cab, its
right here ready for the picking.
2003 E. Guigal Gigondas................ More
and more wine buffs are touting the praises of this
Rhone Valley specialty and this example shows why.
Full of dark ripe spicy fruit, its meaty, creamy and full
of chewy fresh tannins that will make your tastebuds
dance with glee. Its coffee and chocolate texture
makes it a hit with lamb, steak, or any hearty cuisine
during the cold Winter months. Warm up to it and it l
grow on you for years to come.
2003 Goldeneye Pinot Noir............. The
Duckhorn Gang have hit another home run with the
release of this years blockbuster Pinot. The longer it
opens up, the more its complex flavors are released
into your senses. Jammy and seductive, it has classic
raspberry, cherry, and cranberry, with a mix of rose
petal on the finish. So juicy smooth, so enticingly
luscious, it a shame that its still really a baby in the
bottle. Give it a few years and you l be sitting on
liquid gold.
|
|
|
|
|
Tasting the Classics
1990 Opus One............... What a major
letdown. When this was first released, it was truly
one of the finest red blends on the market. Sorry to
say, so many other great wines have come along,
many at half the price, and left Opus in the dust. The
wine itself was still enjoyable, but with its overly
hyped reputation, I found it to be rather mediocre
compared to lesser touted and rated wines. My
suggestion for this vintage is to drink up, enjoy it
while it still has some life, because it won be getting
any better.
Tasted 11/9/06
1995 Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside
Estate........................... I long anticipated
drinking this beauty for years with a Holiday meal and
this was the year. When decanted, I took a sample
taste and wasn’t too optimistic as to its quality,
thinking it may have went passed its peak. I almost
opted to open an alternative wine but stuck to my
guns to let it open up and see what develops. Praise
the Lord because this beauty was touched by the
angels. Explosive huge fruit on the nose and even
more powerful in the glass, silky smooth, well
balanced between fruit, spice, and overall character.
If food could talk, the Turducken meal it was served
with would have gobbled, quacked and cackled their
wings with approval. Tasted 11/23/06
|
|
|
|
