Weekly Wine News Around the Web

More than $3 Million Raised at Napa Auction: It was quite a weekend at the Premiere Napa Valley wine auction, with 67 successful bidders dropping just over $3 million on wines from the region, according to this report.

Critics, the Advocate, and Big Change: Change comes slow in the wine world, in many cases, but it seems to be percolating at a faster pace among the leading critic cognoscenti. First, Robert Parker (pictured at right) decided to sell his influential Wine Advocate ratings and reviews empire to an Asian concern, and now one of the publication's most recognized voices, Antonio Galloni, is striking out on his own. All of these developments leave the state of wine criticism and ratings at an interesting juncture, according to this San Francisco Chronicle report.

Unified Inspiration: One of our favorite winery blogs, from Paso Robles, Calif.-based Tablas Creek Vineyard, offered some interesting thoughts on surviving consolidation in the current wine market, as part of a post in advance of this year’s Unified wine and Grape Symposium in Sacramento, Calif. Check it out – It’s a good primer from a Central Coast success story.

$1.4 Billion in U.S. Wine Exports: The world continues to love U.S. wines, particularly from California, with exports in 2012 up for the third straight year, according to this Los Angeles Times report. Perhaps most interesting, exports to China grew 18 percent, thought it remains a small portion of total exports at $74 million, according to the report.

Will It Blend?: Of course we all decant our wines. Perhaps not everytime we pop or unscrew a bottle, but when that bottle is a special one - or even if it's not so special but could use a little breathing room to try and make it better - we break out our aerating toys. Inventor / chef Nathan Myhrvold believes wine should blended to really release a wine's full potential, according to this NBC News report. Myhrvold feels that the practice will let the wine breathe faster through the oxidization of certain flavor compounds, vent pent-up gases such as sulfur dioxide or release other volatile components from the wine. The 'Zilla plans to give this idea a spin.

Mandela Wine: It was announced that the family of South African Nobel Peace Prize-winning former president, Nelson Mandela, will be introducing House of Mandela wines to the U.S. market at Miami's South Beach Wine & Food Festival according to this Miami Hearlod report. House of Mandela has a two-tier line with prices ranging from $13 to $51.

Brunello Expands U.S. Focus: After focusing on large U.S. markets such as New York, California and Florida, the promotional group behind Sangiovese-based Brunello producers is targeting additional markets in the hopes of expanding exports from Italy, according to this report. Brunello is viewed as a more reasonable luxury option for many consumers, the report said.

Spring Mountain Pioneer Passes: Knight Michael Robbins, a Napa Valley pioneer who founded the Spring Mountain vineyard, passed away recently at the age of 89, according to this report. Though he left the industry in 1992, his impact on the Spring Mountain appellation (View from Barnett Vineyards of Spring Mountain at left) located above St. Helena, Calif. was huge. The 'Zilla delved into Spring Mountain in a series on the American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 2011.

Recent Wine Travels in the Bay Area

By Ben Heskett

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – There’s been a diverse array of wine events here recently, and though CORKZILLA can’t be everywhere, we tried to stop by a few of the most interesting ones. Due to scheduling conflicts and perhaps a preference for smaller gatherings, the ‘Zilla eschewed larger tasting in this early part of the year like the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) Festival and the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition tasting this year, in favor of more intimate encounters with different varietals. Our notes from these confabs follow:

- It’s not often you can explore a varietal such as Riesling with a vintner who lives and breathes the grape, like Raimund Prum. A President’s Day luncheon at San Francisco’s RN74 (restaurant and wine mecca, thanks to Rajat Parr) showcased the wide variations in vintages among SA Prum wines, with particular emphasis on the famous Mosel region's Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard, comprised of vines up to 120 years old. Fabulous fruit, well-rounded on the palate, complex, with varied acidity depending on the year for a flight comprised of a 2004, 2006 and 2007. Later vintages poured were also expressive, with lower alcohol levels of 7.5 to 8.5 percent. A wonderful dessert flight is pictured at the right, including a sublime, exceptional and rare 2005 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Trockenbeerenauslese, also known as a TBA, featuring botrytised Riesling grapes. All in all, an interesting journey through Mosel via SA Prum, a winery with a vast history that continues to produce world class whites.

- Earlier this month, Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays took center stage at the third annual In Pursuit of Balance (IPOB) San Francisco event at the Bluxome Street Winery near AT&T Park where the Giants play. Some of my favorite California Pinot producers were there, such as Anthill Farms Winery and Copain Winery, but I focused on the Chardonnay being poured at the event. Among the standouts: Arnot-Roberts, Hirsch Vineyards, Knez Winery, Red Car Wine, Sandhi Wines, and Varner Wines. Though they varied in terms of appellation, most if not all of the winery participants shared a worthwhile quality: not too much oak. It’s a manageable event that any lover of Pinots and Chardonnays should attend. There’s also an edition that takes place the same week in Los Angeles.

- An additional luncheon in San Francisco focused on Sardinia as a wine region and Sella and Mosca, now owned by the Campari Group, as a producer of a wide range of interesting varietals, including an impressive flight of Cabernet Sauvignons (2004-2006). In the “price/performance” category that the ‘Zilla loves to champion whenever possible, the Sella and Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva DOC 2008 for $12 to $16 per bottle hit the spot, an approachable, versatile Grenache that benefits from two years of aging in barrel. Check it out.

- Finally, last month, as part of an occasional trip to Sonoma wine country, the ‘Zilla had an opportunity to not only check out the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from Jordan Vineyard and Winery of Alexander Valley, but take a tour of the sprawling family property. The wines? The 2008 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon needs some time in the cellar to evolve, but includes the usual winery elements – depth and approachability, with interesting nuances based on the vintage and tweaks to the blend (which in 2008 includes 18 percent Merlot and 5 percent Petit Verdot). The Chardonnay was a nice change of pace, with a lot of apple throughout. The property? We’ll let the photo at the bottom speak to that – It’s an amazing 1,000-plus acres.

Weekly Wine News Around the Web

Trinchero Invests $300M in Lodi: Trinchero Family Estates is expanding its footprint in the Lodi, Calif. wine country, adding space and machinery that will grow its annual case production to 30 million, according to this report in the Shanken News Daily blog. Current production is 20 million cases, according to the report. It’ll mean 400 additional jobs for the area, according to this take.

The Chinese Wine Century?: China is expected to be the sixth largest producer of wine by 2016, according to this report. The country is also expected to be  the second biggest wine consumer by the same time, according to the report, based on research completed by Vinexpo.

Legal Quacking: Duckhorn Vineyards of California has filed a complaint against a Long Island, NY-based winery called Duck Walk Vineyards for breach of contract , according to this On Reserve wine law blog post. The complaint stems from an agreement for Duck Walk to include its geographic region on its labels. By not doing so, the complaint alleges, the NY winery is creating “customer confusion.” This is one to watch given how many duck-related labels there are in the industry.

View from the Conglomerate: A good piece by wine blogger and Washington Post writer Dave McIntire about the impact on small wineries when they’re gobbled up by big alcohol conglomerates, such as, say, Constellation Brands. An interesting quote from Joel Peterson, one-time winemaker at Ravenswood, now part of Constellation: "There is no doubt that acquisition by a larger entity negatively impacts the reputation of a smaller winery…Frequently this opinion is unjustified. The wines that Ravenswood produces now are as unique . . . as they have ever been. The corporate input is strictly budgetary." This issue continues to be an intriguing one for small wineries.

Winemaker Archive: Napa Valley’s Shafer Vineyards has posted an archive of several columns by winemaker Elias Fernandez. Check it out here – There’s some interesting topics and information.

'Zilla's Monthly Wine and Tunes Pairing

Editor's note: My colleague's contribution to this monthly CORKZILLA feature is delayed so we'll get you started with one portion of the Wine and Tunes Pairing.

By Ben Heskett

The first month of this New Year blew past us a CORKZILLA. It’s been a busy start to 2013, and we’re just now catching our breath. During this portion of the year, I often look forward to hibernating over a good meal with an appropriate wine accompaniment.

To kick of this year’s Wine and Tunes Pairing feature in style, I’ll feature a terrific wintertime red wine from a favorite winery of ours. To go with those hearty winter dishes, such as the feast I cooked up for New Year’s Eve (liquid accompaniment at right), we’ll pop the Justin Vineyards and Winery 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon.

Justin is one of the trailblazers along the Central Coast of California. Based in Paso Robles, just north of San Luis Obispo, Justin has been delivering world class Bordeaux-style wines for years, as Paso Robles has evolved into a wine destination for many from an oenophile backwater. Paso Robles is booming now, with hundreds of established and up-and-coming wineries, but Justin got a head start at its vineyards west of Route 101.

The result of a reduced 2008 crop due to weather fluctuations, the 2008 vintage of a Justin stalwart is made up of 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon grapes (not to be confused with Justin’s red blends). It’s aged in 100 percent French oak for 18 months and could easily be cellared for another five years or more. We couldn't wait.

To pair with this seasonal delight, I turn to a true legend, Bonnie Raitt, who released a stellar new album in 2012. I initially thought I would choose a song from that opus, but amid my YouTube travels I found an older gem that I believe is the perfect combination with a Justin Cabernet – “Angel from Montgomery” (a cover of the John Prine original). Her take reflects a soulfulness and a certain California vibe that is matched by this Justin vintage.

I’ve known for some time that Raitt could really deliver on this song, but it crystallized during a 2004 benefit for the quixotic Presidential campaign of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean in San Francisco. Raitt belted out a wonderful version. It was striking – The highlight of the show. Pair this Justin Cabernet with Bonnie and you can't go wrong. Cheers!

Weekly Wine News Around the Web

Corked: CORTICEIRA AMORIM, the largest cork company in the world, is opening up shop right in the heart of Napa on February 1st. The U.S. arm of this mega stopper producer plans to operate it's sales and distribution efforts from a brand new 50,000 square foot energy-efficient facility, according to this piece from WineBusiness.com. Amorim Cork America’s general manager, Pedro Fernandes, says “Building this facility is part of a strategic investment in the future of both the U.S. wine industry and the natural cork industry."

Wine's Future: It seems the world's wine industry is going to have to do some heavy lifting if it's going to make any headway in today's current global economic uncertainty, according to a new report by Rabobank which focused on the outlook for the global beverage industry in 2013. The wine industry will face tighter availability of global wine inventories, a soft consumer environment, and the need to continue developing many emerging markets, according to this report in The Wall Street Journal.

Australia's Wine Push: In an effort to spread the good word about wines from 'Down Under', the Australian government backed organization, Wine Australia, has launched a new campaign called 'Next Chapter'. The intent here is to bring awareness to the undiscovered side of Australian wine, varietals, regions, families and characters, according to this report in SFGate. In a campaign similar to what Greece is doing, Wine Australia aims to highlight the county's regional, boutique and historical/classic wines.

Wine Held Hostage By Sandy: Since Hurricane Sandy blasted trough the East Coast in late October, roughly 1,600 cases of top-notch wine has been the focus of a heated battle between the wine owner, restaurateur Keith McNally, and the storage facility that has had a tight grip on the bottles since the storm passed. The downtown Manhattan storage facility, WineCare, suffered damage from Hurricane Sandy and has yet to resume operations—or allow clients to access their wines, according to this report from Wine Spectator. Apparently WineCare has recently filled for bankruptcy which is leaving it's customers wondering when and if they'll see their wine again.

Weekly Wine News Around the Web

Treasury a Takeover Target?: Speculation is increasing that Treasury Wine Estates, the second largest wine business in the world, is ripe for acquisition by a Chinese company, according to this report in Decanter magazine. This is an interesting development to watch, as it would further China’s aim to be a player in the global wine industry.

Asia and U.S. Driving Wine Sales Growth: Some interesting observations from the CEO of the annual Vinexpo conference held in Bordeaux, France, on the key drivers of sales in the wine business – increased Asia momentum and ongoing U.S.  growth. It’s a good Q&A from the Shanken News Daily blog.

Some Memorable Wines of 2012: The blog of the Tablas Creek Vineyard in Paso Robles, Calif. is always a good read and we thought it was appropriate to pass along some of their favorite bottles of wines from 2012. Agree or disagree?

Oxygen Nerd: Here’s some great information on the impact of oxygen on wine, as well as shipping and bottling, from Jamie Goode’s blog. It goes pretty deep but it’s useful for those wine consumers that want to know.

Keep Rocking: Though promotional in nature, this video series below offers some interesting insights into the geological factors that make California’s Napa Valley the abundant grape-growing region that it has become. See below along with links to the right on the YouTube page for other segments in the series:

Quick Note: Sonoma State Wine Biz Certificate Program

By Ben Heskett

As some of our readers know, the roots of CORKZILLA can be traced to a nondescript classroom at Sonoma State University where the co-founders took a course called "Wine Entrepreneurship." As a result of that class, a variety of efforts began among classmates, with the 'Zilla being just one example.

I chose to further my wine education by taking a series of online wine courses as part of Sonoma State's Wine Business Certificate Program, a practical, innovative and thought-provoking way to get a deep dive into the wine business and all of its complexities, from the vineyard to sales of your product. I know it has furthered my own  knowledge of the industry and also helped guide me in my efforts to find a role in the wine business that suits my talents.

They're firing up another year of this offering, with the "Foundation Level" course, and I wanted to give the effort a little shout-out as a proud graduate. They're doing great work. The application deadline for the first portion of the certificate is Feb. 1, 2013.

Shameless Plug Dept.: Science Project SF Gig

CORKZILLA Co-founder Ben Heskett uses a portion of his copious free time to play percussion and sing a bit in a blues-infused band called Science Project. The band is opening the night at the Red Devil Lounge in San Francisco, Calif. tomorrow night. Check it out if you can! It's FREE!

Science Project takes the stage at 8:30-9 PM, with set highlights that will include tunes from the Grateful Dead, Neil Young, and the Black Crowes.

Our Holiday Wine and Tunes Pairing

Editor’s note: The 2012 edition of the monthly Wine and Tunes Pairing has had its fits and starts, and our holiday rollout is no exception. Pardon our tardiness, but we at CORKZILLA believe there’s still ample time to enjoy some fine selections as we barrel toward 2013. For this version of the Wine and Tunes Pairing, we’re going to do something a little different and offer a few selections for the holidays – both wine and music. How you pair them is up to you.

By Joe Colgan and Ben Heskett

The waning days of the year often provoke reflection on what’s past and hope for what’s to come. It’s in this spirit that this holiday version of the monthly Wine and Tunes Pairing will attempt to provide a few offerings for the holiday season that may go well with one of your celebrations and a few seasonal music gems to go with those fetes.

We’ll offer several wines for your holiday consideration – All intended to go well with holiday meal flavors and the festive occasions associated with the season. The first choice, Barrel 27 Wine Company’s “High on the Hog” white Rhone blend has made a previous appearance in a pairing (See our June edition) and normally would be ruled out for a return appearance, but given its presence at one of our Thanksgiving tables, we thought it was apropos to include it, since it performed nicely as an evening-starting white wine option. As mentioned, you can read more specifics about the wine here.

To pair with our wine choices, we’re interspersing a few of our musical favorites of the season. For starters, check out this rendition of the Pogues holiday classic, with Shane MacGowan is true form, bad teeth and all:

Moving on, Sequana Vineyards 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir is on the low end of the winery’s single vineyard approach, in terms of pricing, but this blend proves that you don’t need to empty your wallet to find a worthy companion for holiday foods. There’s plenty of rich berry flavors and a little bit of smoke, but what really stands out for me is the depth of flavors for a Pinot Noir in the $30 a bottle range. I’m not sure there’s too much of the 2009 vintage left with a new 2010 version already out on the market, but try to find it.

Another holiday classic I can never get enough of is this punky rave up on the Christmas holiday from The Kinks, back when the band was in their rocking prime:

Next we'll keep it in Sonoma with the Parmalee-Hill Wines and Vineyards 2009 Block B Syrah was part of an Eighth Street Wineries tasting the ‘Zilla attended in Feb. of 2012. I picked up a couple of bottles of this Syrah, put them away in the ‘Zilla cellar, and promptly forgot about them for a few months. I recently opened a bottle and had one of those rare “wow” reactions – a great representation of Sonoma County, Calif. Syrah, with a lot of great fruit, good structure and unique character.

Finally, we present a taste test that occurred in the final days of 2012 from two wineries that are high on the 'Zilla's list of California recommendations. It was a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon NorCal vs SoCal showdown between Stags' Leap 'The Leap' from Napa Valley & Niner's 'Bootjack Ranch' from Paso Robles. The order of consumption proved to be the important factor here. Although both were born the same year, the very different terriors of each provided vastly different characteristics.

First came 'The Leap' ($85), which was a tremendously silky fruit forward experience right out the gate. Great structure and balance makes this is a very delicious and iconic Napa Valley Cab that can go toe-to-toe with some of the best. Next up we had the Niner ($35), which was not a fruit bomb like 'The Leap', but did have some incredible smoky espresso and dark fruit on the palate. The great thing here was on the backend with a beautiful long rounded finish.

To kick off 2013 with a little inspiration, we'll leave you with a thought-provoking two-minute discussion with Apple founder Steve Jobs, recorded back when he was "in exile" at Next Computer. It's not about music, or wine, or technology's role in either, but about his rather succinct views on the secrets of life - the 'Zilla hopes these words carry you on to greater things in the New Year. Cheers to all and be safe.

A Jam - The Stones with Mayer, Clark Jr.

As part of the recent Rolling Stones 50th anniversary run of shows in the New York area, the band welcomed a few special guests. This version of the bluesy "Going Down" by Freddie King with John Mayer and Gary Clark Jr. helping out on guitar is simply smokin' - Enjoy! And special thanks to Mayer for leaving the "Desire"-era Bob Dylan hat at home.