In My Glass
2022 Viña Zorzal Garnacha Blanca
Ready to be wowed? It’s time to explore wines of Navarra, Spain (Rioja’s less famous and far too-underrated neighbor). Garnacha reigns supreme here in both red and rosé wines where its notably fresh and bright, but you’ll also find a smattering of Garnacha Blanca (aka Grenache Blanc). And in the case of this example from Viña Zorzal, you’ll discover an absolute banger of a wine. From bush vines planted at 495 meters above sea level in stony soils, this is one of the more eminently balanced white wines I experienced in the region. It’s astronomically radiant and brimming with aromas of flower petals, citrus, and minerals. On the palate its a stunner with lime-driven citrus and stone fruits. It’s crisp, refreshing, and stays with you for what feels like a blissful eternity. It’s most definitely a mid-summer’s night dream - paired with seafood, grilled vegetables, or a just a bowl of OG flavor Doritos. Sirius. $15
Graciano, no gracias. That’s the saying I picked up in Rioja. It’s not the favorite child. I, however, am a “Graciano, sí gracias!” girl. It can be deep in color, tannins, and fruit flavors. It’s also got a bit of earthy, herbaceous-ness that lends to a burly rusticity. In this version, it’s reminiscent of a freshly pressed wine at harvest. It’s leafy, raw and lifted, with both red and dark berries, baking spices, and a touch of chocolate. It’s well-balanced with malleable tannins, a lively body, and a refreshing acidity. Slap a chill on this beauty and it’s perfectly suited for summer pastas, pizza, bbq, and even salads. Honestly, I’d drink this year round. I love it’s rusticity melded with a distinctive freshness. For me, this is the less polished, more authentic side of Spain and I’m here for it. Death in the Afternoon. $22
2017 Corollary Winter's Hill Extended Tirage Magnum
Always be prepared; and in this case for that next celebration or special occasion, small or big. Magnums say you care. And with a 1.5 liter of bubbles, frankly, now you’re at love language levels. From the young and passionate husband and wife team at Corollary Wines, a fast rising star in Willamette Valley’s sparkling wine scene, this single-vintage, single-vineyard bottle of Champagne method Pinot Blanc is a noteworthy experience.
Only 91 bottles were made of this inaugural vintage sparkler in magnum which spent 72 months on the lees before disgorgement and the added dosage of 3g/liter (extra brut). It’s a remarkable representation of how Pinot Blanc can showcase its more delicate attributes in sparkling form with incredible depth, finesse, and character. And similar to the other “prodigious” sparkling wine I wrote about a few weeks ago, it is leap years ahead of most domestic sparkling wines I’ve tasted.
The Winter’s Hill is available in regular 750ml bottles as well, but given the extended tirage on the magnum as well as the slower and different evolution of the wine in the larger bottle format, they’re two very different adventures. For me, the magnum was more floral and crisp with fresh lemon, minerals, and orchard fruits, while the 750ml showcased more of the yeasty, brioche, lemon curd type characteristics. They’re both great in my opinion, and had I not tasted them side-by-side, I’d likely love them equally. But in this case, I’m picking a favorite. Size matters. $190
P.S. Another favorite from Corollary’s inaugural vintage magnum release party this week was the 2017 Cattrall Brothers Rosé Extended Tirage Magnum. If you like rosé Champagne, this domestic sparkler is a must. I’m saving my pennies for this one. It’s a bit pricier, but also one of those that I haven’t stopped thinking about since. Only 72 magnums were made.
Serena Mode 0.0 Sauvignon Blanc
I don’t dabble in non-alcoholic wine often, but I’ve tried enough to know they’re not really my thing. They typically lack something in my opinion. Most often good flavors. The only two I found to be reasonably tolerable were both sparkling wines. So, I admit I was skeptical going into this Sauvignon Blanc from Miguel Torres in Chile. The tasting:
Technical aspects: pH: 2.98, Total acidity: 7,4 g/L, Residual sugar: 38.5 g/L, the wine was intentionally made as a standard Sauvignon Blanc and then dealcoholized.
Appearance: Clean, clear, and pale lemon in color.
Aromas: Bell pepper, grass, citrus, and apples. No off or offensive aromas.
Palate: It’s got medium body and a medium acidity. It’s off-dry with flavors of green pepper, apples, and grapefruit. It’s decidedly less acidic than most Sauvignon Blanc and the body while medium, feels more like juice than wine.
Overall, I was impressed. It retains its grape’s varietal character; however, without the alcohol and with the fair amount of residual sugars, the acidity comes across muted. It presents more like a grape juice in the mouth and in the stomach; after a glass and a half I had to call it quits. That said, sipping it on a hot summer afternoon did mimic the ritual of enjoying a glass of wine. And frankly, I have yet to feel that with an NA wine. So, to the Miguel Torres team, I say, kudos! For the category, this is among the best examples and the closest to tasting like wine that I’ve come across. Promising.
In the Spotlight
“Pee-wee” Wine
Ever heard of PIWI grapes (pronounced pee-wee)? No? But, I’m guessing you’ve likely heard of hybrid grapes, especially in the cool climate growing regions. Well, PIWI wines are essentially hybrids, but in a category of their own. They are vines produced with the sole intention of fungal resistance. That, and the international PIWI organization does not like them referred to as hybrids.
PIWI (an abbreviation of the German term “Pilzwiderstandsfähige Reben”) grape vines are crosses between Vitis Vinifera grape vine species and American vine species aimed at fungal disease resistance. The goals are high-quality flavors, greater sustainability, and adaptability to challenging climates, areas facing uncertain climate change, and various terroirs. The PIWI vines are cultivated in vineyards, not laboratories, and the breeding of a new grape variety takes about 20 years from the time of crossing to official approval as a viable PIWI grape.
I recently had the opportunity to experience a PIWI wine at Bresolin Bio Winery in Asolo, Italy, the Souvignier gris. Bred in 1983 by Norbert Becker at the State Viticulture Institute in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, Souvignier gris is a cross between Seyval Blanc x Zähringer. According to PIWI International, the grape, a relative newcomer, can produce a variety of expressions from simple quality wines to excellent quality sparkling wines that are representative of terroir.
At Bresolin, we were able to taste a 2023 Souvignier gris from the tank. Interested in both fungal resistance and the sustainability potential in the vineyard, it’s a new variety for the winery. The winemaker was eager for our opinion, but did suggest that he thought it still needed more time in tank before it was ready to be bottled. Ready or not, the unfinished wine shows remarkably, with notable acidity, a satisfying mouthfeel, and flavors of citrus, herbs, and white pepper. It was almost reminiscent of a Grüner Veltliner and it certainly would make for a high-quality, summery, white table wine, and I think would be interesting as a pet nat or traditional method sparkling wine as well. While technically my first PIWI wine, it’s not my first hybrid. Once upon a time, I even helped to make Seyval Blanc. So I feel confident in saying it’s among the better white versions of a hybrid I’ve experienced - or at least in the talented hands at Bresolin it is. Souvignier gris is found largely in Austria and Germany, and I’ll be curious to see not only where Bresolin takes this wine, but where else it’s bound to pop up.
In Living Color
If you don’t know much about the wines of Portugal, you’re not alone. I’ve just barely begun to scrape the surface. And while the country has been on every expat’s and tourist’s radar for the last several years, the wines - and we’re not talking Port - have been less quick to catch-on with the mainstream wine drinker. Perhaps it’s the many indigenous and largely unrecognized grapes, or the hard to pronounce grape names and regions, or more than likely, the lack of availability in many US markets. Whatever the case, most wine professionals will tell you, Portuguese wines are worth exploring. Not only are they vast, interesting, delicious, and approachable, they’re also very affordable (for now).
All that said, where do you start? I have one answer for you: John Sumners’ book, There’s More Than Port in Portugal - The Unpretentious Guide to Portuguese Wine.
And it is unpretentious. It’s even entertaining! The number of times I laughed out loud - at a wine book nonetheless! Take this gem for instance, “Have fun with it. Portuguese wines in general are so attractively priced that a few duds here and there are no big deal. The kitchen sink gets thirsty, too.” Or this one, “Wonder Twin powers activate.” And, “Stop thinking about it, buy it by the case, and put it in your face.”
The 119-page paperback is easily digestible with personal insights and “nitty gritty” info. John, who currently lives in Lisbon, writes in a way that makes you want to sit down and have a glass of wine - or even a beer - with him. I’ve been lucky enough to do both, and I can tell you this, he is as authentic and unpretentious as this book and keeps things very real. Each chapter breaks down a wine region in Portugal with an overview, pairings, geeky data (soils, climate, etc.), and then gets into the wine discoveries. You can read it cover-to-cover, like I did, or explore a section at a time. And it’s definitely worth referring back to when you pop a bottle of Portuguese wine. So, to steal a phrase, put this book in your face.
In Production
These next words, well, they’re hard to write. I’ve racked my last wine and cleaned my last tank. For the time being. While in Italy, I made the difficult decision to end my winery production work after six incredible years in both Michigan and Oregon. The reasons are many, but primarily because I know I don’t want to be a winemaker. I’m a writer, a communicator, a critic, and an educator, and the last six years in vineyards and cellars have given me a deeply rooted foundation in viticulture and winemaking along with an indelible appreciation of its trials, tribulations, and triumphs. It’s made me a better taster, writer, teacher, and ultimately, a much more enriched person.
Will I miss it? You bet. I love it. Like really freaking love it. And not just harvest, which was what first pulled me to the production side of the industry in 2018 - those intense, intimate, long, grueling, physically demanding, emotionally draining, and absolutely exhilarating days - but also the every day. I’ve missed the vineyards since I left Michigan, and I’ll miss the winery side too, cleaning tanks, squeegeeing the crush pad, helping with blending trials, and even topping barrels. I imagine I’ll still pop in for a punch down, bottling run, or some various miscellaneous cellar task somewhere, but as I walked through a small family-run winery in Asolo Prosecco, I knew. Don’t ask me why, in that particular moment or that cellar, but the decision washed over me with a confidence and contentment. It’s been an adventure, but now, it’s time for the next one.
In Box
You asked: What is a corked wine?
When someone says the wine has been corked, or smells corked, they are referencing a fault found in some bottles of wine. Cork taint occurs when a wine is bottled with a TCA-infected cork*, which unfortunately, is often not discovered until the wine is opened. The chemical compound called TCA, or more formally 2,4,6 – trichloroanisole, occurs when natural cork fungi come in contact with certain chlorides found in winery sanitation and sterilization products. These tiny molecules can live in various parts of a cellar, sometimes on cardboard, on corks, or on barrels and they can spread. It’s not the result of dirty or low-quality winemaking. It just happens. Everywhere.
As for how to recognize a corked wine, well, it often smells pretty funky - kind of like damp or wet newspapers, a moldy basement, or soggy cardboard. Or in my case, it reminds me of the smell of my apartment in Arizona after the fire department and overhead sprinklers put out the grease fire I accidentally started in the kitchen. (Talk about adding insult to injury! Ha) It can smell a little different to everyone, but in general it’s not a pleasant aroma. And on the palate - if you make it that far - the cork taint dulls the fruit in a wine and renders it anywhere from lackluster to a sort of oddly tasting, sometimes gross, nothingness.
What can be frustrating, or even occasionally awkward, is that cork taint isn’t always obvious. It depends on the extent of the contamination as well as your sensitivity to it. For example, a wine that only has a hint of cork taint may not be noticeable to everyone, but to those sensitive to the aroma, even small amounts can be clearly recognizable. And that sensitivity doesn’t necessarily have to do with experience or education. Sometimes we’re just more sensitive to certain smells versus others. But when in doubt, trust your gut. If you think it’s tainted, chances are, it is. If you’re in a restaurant, you can let the sommelier or server know and they will replace the bottle. Or if you picked it up at a local shop or winery, you can return it for another bottle as well. Unfortunately, if you brought it home from a trip, or don’t recall where you picked it up, it’s a loss - or to put a positive spin on it, a learning opportunity!
*Synthetic corks, screw caps and Diam Corks all help to reduce the risk of cork taint; however, since the pesky molecules can reside on various surfaces, it doesn’t completely eliminate the occurrence.
In the Hopper
We’ve got a busy week of tasting ahead, from Champagne to Pinot Noir, wine dinners, blind tastings, winery visits, and the International Pinot Noir Celebration right here in McMinnville, Oregon. And I’m working on a special edition newsletter dedicated to all things Asolo, Italy as well as my first travel guide and another wine guide, this time featuring two grape varieties. Stay-tuned! And please help spread the word to your wine loving and wine curious friends and family. Cheers!
I love the Vina Zorzal reds but yet to try their Blanca - looking forward to the Doritos pairing! Enjoy the rest of your week, sounds like a lot of fun!
His book is pretty much the only one worthwhile if you don’t want pretension! Big fan of his egoless writing style- it is a breath of fresh air. And you know me, I have read every book on Portugal wine printed in English.