AKS-AWS NEWSLETTER FOR WINE DINNER ON MARCH 23

Following is the menu for the Saturday, March 23, dinner at 6:30, at the Olde
Loyal Oak Tavern. Our previous group dinners there have been so good that
we thought we would see if the "third time will still be a charm!" Mike
Milkovich has put together a menu accompanied by American wines that sounds
like a crowd-pleaser.

Price is $55 per person inclusive. Because Spike and Olie are basking in
the sunny south, reservations should be sent to Carole Cummings (330-688-6325 )
or cjcstow@AOL.com). Please follow up with your check made out to Carole
Cummings, 1693 Mohican Rd., Stow OH 44224, so that I can present Mike with
just one check. I will need the reservations by March 20 and the check by
March 22. We need a minimum of 10. Guests are welcome. Oh, yes, local dues
are also due--$5.00. If you want to include them in this check, I'll see to
it that Olie receives a record of this.

The Olde Loyal Oak Tavern is on the southeast corner of Wadsworth Road and
Cleveland-Massilon Road. From the north take SR21 south and exit at SR261. Turn
left and follow Wadsworth Road to Cleveland-Massilon Road. The Tavern will be on
your right. From the east, take Interstate 76 west to Cleveland-Massilon Road exit.
Turn right and continue to the corner at Wadsworth Road, and you are there.
Be forewarned, this does not look like a place for a gourmet wine dinner from
the outside! Banquet room is upstairs.

For those of you who missed Jim Mihaloew's sharing of his old Merlots, you
missed an educational and palate-testing experience. We, as a group, are
extremely fortunate that Jim is so willing to share his knowledge with us.

Following are Jim's thoughts and group comments on the
wines as well as notes on White Merlot, the aperitif, an article on Merlot,

and a list of current offering by the superstars

White Merlot

There is a relatively new wine among the plethora of white wine from red grape varieties which are adding to the festive offerings available. Because white Zinfandel took the nation by storm, makers of white Merlot hope to carry an alternative banner. When wineries make white Zinfandel or any other white wine from red grapes, they stop the fermentation process before the red skins of the red grape can turn the white juice red. Stopping the fermentation process also means that all the sugar has not turned into alcohol leaving the resultant wine a bit on the sweet side.

The result is a pink, sweet fun wine which, although a bit sweet, can be used as an aperitif. The same process works for white Merlot, also producing a pink wine that is a little bit drier than white Zinfandel with a bit of soft tannin. White Merlots are not new to the the marketplace. The Italians, notably Bolla, started selling them about 10 years ago. Now many other producers are trying to cash in on the magic name of white Zinfandel and the vast amounts of Merlot grapes and the popularity of Merlot in general. For most drinkers, especially those people who don't normally drink much wine, there is a comfort zone in the sweetness.

In addition to the Merlot grape, or more correctly Merlot noir since there is a true white berried version called Merlot blanc, there is a grape called the Merlot blanc or white Merlot grown in France which should not be confused with the true white Merlot grape or the wine being produced called white Merlot in this country or elsewhere. It is an obscure white berried, low prestige French cultivar used for white wine blends, currently thought by the ampelographer Pierre Galet to be unrelated in any way to the Merlot red wine cépage. The Merlot blanc, either authentic or otherwise, is cultivated on a much smaller and decreasing scale in France.

Most tasters don't cheer when they taste white Zinfandel or white Merlot, for these are simple wines that offer little to distinguish them. They are mostly inexpensive and lightly sweet and are best when served cold. But, there are some differences among them. Here are a few that are available in the Ohio market. The first three are included as an aperitif for the Old Merlot tasting.

2000 Beringer California White Merlot $6. Beringer consistently has made one of the top white Zinfandels, and its expertise helps make its white Merlot the best of the lot. Floral, cherry, zesty orange peel aromas and smooth fruity flavors with an interesting note of cinnamon spice. Balanced bright cherry fruit flavors and acidity. This wine is easy to drink, but not tart at all. This White Merlot was made by the traditional French blanc de noirs winemaking method to preserve the fruit's fresh aromas and flavors. After harvesting, the grapes were gently crushed and immediately chilled. The juice was then left on the skins for a few hours to extract a pretty, light ruby color from the deeply colored Merlot grapes. Slow, cool fermentations were managed closely so that the wine's floral, cherry, zesty orange peel aromas and smooth, fruity flavors would stay prominent. It's delicious as a simple before dinner refresher or with lighter dishes like grilled halibut or shrimp stir-fry.

2000 Sutter Home White Merlot $6. A dark blush wine produced from the red Merlot grape, was produced primarily from grapes grown in the marine-influenced Sacramento Delta region, including those from the winery's own Delta Ranch vineyard. This well made wine, served chilled, is an ideal way for white and blush wine drinkers to experience the appealing flavors of the Merlot grape. A portion of the fruit went directly to press without crushing to minimize the extraction of color from the skin, while other lots were crushed and pressed. A ten-day cold fermentation in stainless steel tanks fully extracted the Merlot grape's cherry like fruitiness. The wine displays a bright, pretty, light red color, with fresh, ripe cherry aromas. It has soft, round, juicy, red cherry flavors with a full, rich texture and a touch of tannin for structure. Served chilled, it's also an excellent choice for picnic and barbecue fare, seafood, poultry and ham dishes, and spicy Asian cuisine.

2000 Forest Fire White Merlot $9. This wine, by Forest Glen, had a floral aroma but an earthy flavor in the mouth. The fruit flavors, which one would expect in such a drink, were not there. The most expensive of the bunch. Value?

2000 Zonin White Merlot $7. This wine has the most pale color of the bunch, the lightest body and the lowest level of sweetness. It had more Merlot characteristics than the others which one might expect since it is Italian. It was slightly spicy, with a taste of watermelon on the finish.

2000 Nectar Valley White Merlot $5. This is the fruitiest of the wines listed. Its flavors are dominated by a strawberry preserve character and sweetness to match.

NV Fortant de France Merlot Blanc $8. The Fortant Merlot has just a touch of sweetness but finishes dry and refreshing, an excellent value for a bottle. American versions are sweeter than the Fortant de France. Made of 100 % Merlot produced in Pays d'Oc, it has an intense aroma of ripe raspberries. A full mouth with a tinge of liveliness allows the expression of all the perfumes picked up by the aroma. The sweetness blends fully with acidity to bring a refreshing balance. Good accompaniment with aperitifs, salads, and fruit salad. Silver Medal winner at the 2000 San Francisco Wine Competition.

There you have it, several white Merlots with enough differences to make a choice. And they are easy on the pocketbook.

Old Merlot Superstars Never Die
(They Don't Even Fade Away!)

Merlot often gets bashed by wine writers from time to time adding insult to the already gutted market. They lament that too much Merlot is being planted and much of that in the wrong places. It also seems that wineries have overreacted to consumer demand by churning out vast quantities of plonkish Merlot. Most Merlot being made today doesn't age (because its not made to age) and it lacks depth. Yet, it's difficult to deny that among consumers, Merlot is extremely popular for the same reasons. It may lack depth, but at the same time it doesn't have those big tannins that come with new Cabernet Sauvignon and some Zinfandel. There's lots of Merlot on the market from California, Washington, Chile and southern France which helps to keep prices low as compared to Cabernet and, unfortunately, many Zinfandels. These are the novas and supernovas of the Merlot producers, those seemingly static stars that become bright only to fade from the sky like a burned out light bulb.

To restore faith in Merlot, one has to look for the superstars, those producers that have gleamed as bright as our sun for over a long period of time, like the top Merlots of France, particularly those of Pomerol and in particular Chateau Petrus, whose legendary wines jockey for position as the world's most expensive red wine, and California.

A product of unique terroir, Petrus has long been described as a wine of incredible power, depth and richness, yet possessing an exquisite balance that facilitates its remarkable longevity. It is equally famous for its silky texture harmonious balance and exquisite finesse. Powerful and deep on the palate with perfectly ripe black fruits, tobacco leaf and green olive herbaceousness intertwining in complex layers of flavor. The aromatics of the wine are true harbingers of the flavors to follow, focusing on black cherry-black berry fruit, cocoa, vanilla and a hint of smoke, enhanced by attractive herbaceousness. A complete extraordinary wine that combines power, depth, texture and concentration in a seamless expression of the uniqueness that is Petrus, the superstars of superstars.

In this country, Merlot can aspire to such greatness, but only in the hands of talented winemakers who truly respect the grape variety, have access to exceptional fruit, and who want to make the very best wine possible from that fruit. American Merlots from Duckhorn, Stag's Leap, St. Francis, Clos du Val, Matanzas Creek, Rutherford Hill, and Markham, generally considered to be among the best the New World has to offer, confirm that, indeed, France does not have a monopoly on outstanding Merlot. These are the superstars of Merlot!

THE GRAPE

Merlot, or technically Merlot noir, is the classic grape widely grown in the Bordeaux region of France and elsewhere. The red wine bears a resemblance to Cabernet Sauvignon wine, with which it is sometimes blended, but is usually not so intense, with softer tannins. It matures earlier than Cabernet Sauvignon, with mid-late ripening and is moderate cold-hardy. In California it is a popular varietal on its own and also as a percentage constituent of the red wine blend resembling Bordeaux claret called "Meritage". It does extremely well in the state of Washington and shows great promise on Long Island (New York). Results in the Finger Lakes region of New York, where it ripens in early October, have been mixed due its relative lack of cold-hardiness and the fruit subject to bunch rots. Other countries such as Chile, Argentina and New Zealand also seem to have a suitable climate for this variety. The grape has many alias names such as Médoc Noir, Petit Merle, Vitraille, Crabutet Noir and Bigney.

There is also a Merlot blanc which is an obscure, low prestige french cultivar used for white-wine blends. Currently it is thought by Pierre Galet, the world expert in ampelography, to be unrelated in any way to the Merlot red-wine cépage.

Merlot is not an easy grape to grow. This is a point dramatically reinforced by the fact that over 40% of the Merlot vines planted between 1971 and 1974 were subsequently pulled up or grafted over to other varieties. The reason for this decline was not a drop in winery interest in Merlot. It was that Merlot is far less tolerant of nitrogen rich soils than Cabernet and a not many growers realized this when they first planted their vineyards. With an ample supply of nutrients and moisture, Merlot will grow vigorously as a vine but will not produce fruit nor offer the balance in components in its grapes to produce wine of fine character. The obvious result is a shakedown in the vineyards which is seeing many of the less suitable sites shifting to the production of other varieties.

During the seventies, it appeared that Merlot might soon reach the market in considerable volume. Total acreage rose from a meager few hundred in 1970 to several thousand in 1976. After that decade ended, the trend went into reverse and Merlot acreage dropped to just under 3000 acres. The decade of the eighties saw modest growth to just over 5000 acres. Then the proverbial vines hit the fan with explosive growth to just over 40000 acres in 2000 while Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay merely doubled! This trend follows the Cabernet and Zinfandel growth explosions which resulted in the great Cabernet bud-over and the great white Zinfandel craze. Now we are into the great white Merlot fashion.

YEAR 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000
Barbera 10,215 9,770 9,870 9,261 8,538 9,739 10,916 10,987 11,595 10,566
Cabernet Sauvignon 25,959 29,006 31,650 32,595 33,497 33,359 34,221 34,583 39,988 48,285
Carignane 10,206 9,564 9,145 8,883 8,449 7,732 7,811 7,620 7,629 7,145
Grenache 12,080 12,320 12,359 12,107 11,323 10,902 11,117 10,754 11,167 10,841
Merlot 5,071 6,564 7,944 9,605 11,231 14,811 22,118 28,114 36,506 42,070
Pinot Noir 8,522 8,492 8,576 8,727 8,503 8,264 8,085 8,179 9,183 11,769
Rubired 6,675 6,733 7,541 7,312 7,377 8,899 8,983 9,636 10,263 10,841
Zinfandel 31,244 32,584 32,729 32,704 33,929 36,249 40,942 43,380 46,000 47,152
Chardonnay 44,040 48,696 53,309 56,257 58,649 62,883 65,058 70,629 80,998 89,272

As interested observers of this early fast rise and fall in acreage of Merlot sensed, there were many problems of working with Merlot. First of all is the vineyard location. For example Monterey County, Merlot develops a green, vegetative character that is similar to but not as intense as the Cabernet. Back in the late seventies and early eighties, Cabernet constituted the largest concentration of that varietal in the world! Merlot has very erratic yields. Even within the same row one side will be just blown out. One vine may have a decent set and the next vine virtually no grapes. Merlot really needs to be given less than ideal growing conditions. The more you hold back on the nutrients the more it's going to show great potential. Merlot also has to be watched very carefully when the time for harvest approaches because as the grapes gain in sugar the acid starts to expire rapidly and the pH soars to worrisome levels. As a result the problem can be substantially overcome by ignoring the sugar level and pick for low pH. Low pH has the multiple advantages of causing cleaner fermentations, minimizing the need for acid correction, assuring better stability and avoiding a bitter, salty flavor to the wine. Merlot is a fine variety if it is grown on light, very well drained soil and is properly pruned. An additional problem with Merlot is,however, that it takes a long time for the vine to produce grapes with character. An example is Three Palms Vineyard in Calistoga. For the first two years the grapes were totally uninteresting. The next year, 1973, they began to show character, but not until 1978 did they produce outstanding grapes.

Merlot needs a lean, well drained site since it is a "nitrate accumulator" meaning that Merlot doesn't seem to be able to metabolize nitrates very well and has a problem setting fruit under high nitrogen conditions. These high nitrogen conditions are common to any vineyard land that was formerly pasture, row crops or orchards. The reason Merlot takes well to warm, rock strewn gravel patches such as Three Palms Vineyard in Calistoga and Arroyo Secco in Monterey and hillside sites is that nitrates tend to leach out in sandy, gravely, well drained sites. Perhaps California grapes growers should have studied Pomerol and St. Emilion better. There may be little wrong with Merlot in California that a few nice scraggly, nutrient barren sites won't substantially cure, provided the vines have time to mature.

There are a fair number of exceptionally attractive wines. As always, selection is the key and this admonition is as least true for Merlot as for any California varietal. An increasing number of winemakers seem to be gaining a handle on how to make appealing and sometimes outstanding Merlots. There is an upward trend here and that California will become renown for its graceful Merlots.

THE WINE

Merlot is the hot red grape of the moment, the red equivalent to Chardonnay. Typically, Merlot grapes give medium to full-bodied wines that have a roundness and lushness to their taste and texture that make them almost universally loved. Merlot is the primary grape in the well-known Bordeaux appellations of St. Émilion and Pomerol, and makes up a smaller percentage of the blend in most other Bordeaux wines. Interestingly enough, although varietally designated Merlots are now ubiquitous, the first commercial bottling of a California Merlot was made less than 30 years ago by the Louis M. Martini Winery.

In some California Merlots you will find familial ties to the red wines of Bordeaux, which seems natural since Merlot is as much a staple of wines from that region as Cabernet Sauvignon. In fact, a number of the wines are reminiscent of the rich yet supple qualities found in the better wines of Bordeaux's St. Emilion and Pomerol Districts where Merlot is the predominant variety. Among lower priced wines, California Merlots reflect the same early drinkability as their comparable French counterparts.

These similarities notwithstanding, the local products often bear an even stronger stamp of identity with California Cabernet Sauvignons than with imported Merlot. The reasons are for this are twofold. the first is the nature of the vineyards where Merlot is grown, and the manner in which it is grown. Much of the better Merlot, but certainly not all, was planted as a complement to Cabernet Sauvignon. Often the vines occupy the same vineyard sharing identical soil, exposure, temperature variation and other viticultural influences with Cabernets of the same producer. Secondly, when the grapes come into the winery they are handled by the same winemaker, who, having been weaned on Cabernet, often approaches Merlot in a similar manner. The Merlots and Cabernets of a producer often bear a marked resemblance. Two examples of this point are Keenan Winery's Merlot which shows the power and tannic roughness from which its Cabernets are noted while Stag's Leap Wine Cellars' Merlot focuses on the suppleness that proprietor Warren Winiarski tries to achieve in his Cabernets.

Although Merlot offers some of the same appeal as Cabernet, its tannins are perceived to be softer allowing the wine to be enjoyed with less bottle age. Furthermore, most of the producers are setting the price of their Merlot just a shade below their comparable quality Cabernet offerings. The combination of these two advantages certainly makes Merlot worth trying for all but the most hard line Cabernet devotees. However, quality is of prime concern and the substantial appeal of the best of these wines seems to reaffirm a continuing place for Merlot among California's premium red wines despite characteristics that present problems for both growers and winemakers.

In California (Napa Valley and Sonoma) the following descriptors can be used as a guide to evaluating Merlot: Components: Low to moderate acidity, dry. Flavors: Cassis, black cherry, plum, black olive, raspberry, blackberry, herbs (tea), chocolate, cedar, vanilla, toast, smoke, and coffee. Textures: Medium to full bodied.

THE SACRED ORDER OF THINGS (or Conventional Wisdom)

DRINK YOUNG BEFORE OLD! DRINK RED BEFORE WHITE! DRINK DRY BEFORE SWEET! People seem to be "comfortable" (dead is comfortable, too!) with rules like these, but few have really ever done a definitive tasting on the subject. For example, the logic of pouring young wines prior to more mature wines is grounded in the belief that older wines are, by definition, more complex and, therefore, more deserving of attention. Simply stated, the idea is that you build up to the big guns. Although the dynamic tension and the thrill of crescendo are important components of any musical experience, wining and dining, too, has its certain drama. It is said that younger wines set the stage for their elder statesmen, like warm ups, playing the role of supporting actors to the meals more worthy stars. To serve old wine before the new is to invite the disappointment of anticlimax; if the lead actor gets killed in the first act, can the other acts survive without letdown? In the Sacred order of Things, the lingering tastes of the first youthful wine can and usually does radically alter the perception of the second older wine making the older wine seem more solemn and harsher in the finish. Older wines tend to unravel at the seams when placed anywhere near its younger counterpart. Surprisingly, when tasting older to younger, the complexity of the older starter seems more evident, with more integrated flavors. Eventually, one works his place back to the womb, and nothing seems amiss. Thus, placing young wines before older ones, while dramatic, is not always the best strategy. It is better to show off an older, more subtle wine before the withering abuse of a younger wine's fruit and especially tannin have a chance to upset the balance. Going young to old can work but you must exercise a strategy to avoid conflicts through common sense, not blind adherence to the Sacred Order of Things! More attention should be placed on the progression especially if new to old leads to increasingly fragile wines. Going from light to heavy wines with increasing age makes more sense also.

THE OLD MERLOT WINES

The following notes give a brief history of the wineries and, in particular, their current offerings. The tasting notes gathered here for the wine that we will be tasting come from mainly two sources: The California Grapevine (CG), and Connoisseur's Guide to California Wine (CGCW). The attempt is to give a kind of chronological progression of the wines as they developed and were evaluated. Most of the notes are from the seventies and eighties and only Duckhorn gives some inkling on what to expect as recently as 1999. Our notes from this tasting will eventually be published and added to the hallmarks which follow. Each use their own particular scoring method which should be self evident. I have not included my notes from the mid-'80s on these wines, but comment where the mood strikes me. My notes from the mid-'80s remain mine. Most interesting should be the "settling down" of the wines as time progresses, and the rather spectacular rise in prices! The price given in the title line is the average of the most recent prices from winesearcher.com. To compare the release price with the current price, one can capitalize the principal and adjust for inflation. In most cases the appreciation factor is really over twice that value.

Markham Vineyards

The winery actually began in 1874 making it the fourth oldest continuously operated winery in Napa County. In 1977, this small winery was reborn with the name Markham Vineyards. During those years in the late 1970's and early 1980's the winery focused on making Cabernet Sauvignon. As flawless as this Cabernet was, the modest production left the winery relatively unnoticed. Over the following years, Markham received increasing praise as they began producing new varietals particularly the Merlot which was introduced with the 1980 vintage. In 1988 they began an ambitious four-year, multimillion dollar renovation, expansion and vineyard replanting program. These efforts would more than double their capacity and make Markham one of the most advanced facilities in Napa.

The vineyards are strategically located in several of the Napa Valley's best growing regions. Markham is able to select grapes from several micro climates in order to achieve the balanced, rich style for which the winery is known. Calistoga Ranch At the headwaters of the Napa River, the rocky soils uniquely concentrate the aroma and flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Yountville Ranch One hundred acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc enjoy the one of the world's most famous and cherished red wine micro climates. Trubody Ranch One hundred twenty acres of prime valley floor, with deep soil versatile for growing Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Merlot. Napa Ranch Proximity to San Pablo Bay brings a cooling fog and climatic moderation, ideal for the development of Chardonnay.

1981 Markham Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot $20

MARKHAM VINEYARDS 1981 Napa Valley. Though broadly oaked, the medium intense aromas convey pert cherry and currant fruit accented with intriguing hints of dried flowers. Light in tannin, firmed balanced and supple, the wine delivers pretty, fairly bright varietal fruit flavors enriched by vanillin oak. In all, a nimble and fruity effort that emphasizes balance over weight and concentration. GOOD VALUE. $8.75 bb CGCW 1/85

St. Francis Winery

In the last few years, St. Francis has emerged as a leading producer of premium Merlot. Following a string of solid, but undistinguished bottlings, the winery's 1983 regular and reserve efforts earned exceptionally outstanding quality awards respectively, and established a trend to quality reflected in the 1984, 1985 and 1986 offerings. While many makers of Merlot find the need to strengthen their wines with the addition of Cabernet, St. Francis finds desired levels of color, weight and density with 100% varietal bottlings derived completely from some 20 acres of estate-owned vineyards surrounding the winery's Sonoma Valley site. The limited reserve bottlings, which have accounted for roughly 12% of the winery's 6000 plus case output of Merlot, are typically produced from grapes grown in a special four acre parcel and given and extra four to six month age age in the barrel.

St. Francis Winery and Vineyards is a 100-acre vineyard on the west side of the Sonoma Valley floor in Kenwood. A 19th century redwood ranch home on 100 acres near Sugarloaf State Park serves as the tasting room at St. Francis. The vineyard has been converted to 70% Merlot and 30% Chardonnay. St. Francis also owns the Nunns Canyon and Wild Oak Vineyards in Sonoma Valley and has acquired the Lagomarcino Ranch near Healdsburg. These vineyards will add to St. Francis Reserve and Sonoma County wines. With the hiring of Tom Mackey as winemaker in 1983, the potential quality of the vineyards began to show and St. Francis is now known to produce one of the top five Merlots in America.

1982 St. Francis Winery Sonoma Valley Estate Merlot $25

1982 St. Francis, Sonoma Valley ($10.75) - Medium ruby; pleasant, slightly floral, smokey, rich, rounded, spicy, berry aroma with an enhancing, slightly volatile component; well balanced; medium-full body (13% alcohol); forward, rich fruit flavors; medium tannin, but relatively soft on the palate; clean, slightly tart finish; lingering aftertaste. Above-average quality. Avery attractive, well-made wine that resembles a good Pinot Noir in character. Some 5300 cases were produced. (Group Score: 15.7, 3/3/2; My Score: 16.5, second place). True Ranking: [1]. CG April-May 1985.

ST. FRANCIS WINERY 1982 Sonoma Valley. There is a good bit of ripe, attractive fruit in this wine, but to find it, one must first get past coffee and herb smells and earthy, herbal flavor impressions. Supple and nicely open in the palate and a handsomely rich layering of oak, the wine could well prove intriguing with savory dishes like Spanakopeta and Hungarian Goulash. $10.75. CGCW 2/86

RUTHERFORD HILL WINERY 1978 Napa Valley The word "classic does not apply here. The nose is halfway between Merlot and Cabernet with the herbal, round qualities of the one and the deeply fruity slightly vegetal notes of the other but seemingly a bit heavier in earthy, loamy qualities than either. In the mouth, the wine is much more tightly structured than most Merlots yet possesses Merlot's sense of open, easy-to-taste flavors. Here, though, the flavors are broader, deep and, perhaps, even heavier. Look for several years of aging potential. GOOD VALUE. $8.50. bb CGCW 9/81. Note: Although this wine is not included in the tasting, the notes are, however, it indicate the quality of this particular winery's Merlot.

Clos du Val Winery

Clos Du Val was founded in 1972 by American businessman, John Goelet, a descendant of the distinguished Guestier family of Bordeaux, and sixth-generation, Bordeaux-raised and trained winemaker, Bernard Portet. After two years of searching the globe for the best possible terroir outside of Bordeaux in which to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Goelet and Portet chose a site in the heart of what is now the renowned Stags Leap District of Napa Valley. They also own Taltarni Vineyards in Australia. Portet's first wines, made in 1972, firmly established Clos Du Val's international recognition for excellence in winemaking, as well as bringing worldwide recognition to Napa Valley and the Stags Leap District. In 1976, the well-known British wine journalist Steven Spurrier held a now famous tasting in Paris which included the top chateau of Bordeaux and five Cabernet Sauvignons from California (see Stag's Leap also). Clos Du Val's 1972 Cabernet Sauvignon was among the five. In 1986, in a "rematch" of this renowned Paris tasting, the Clos Du Val '72 Cabernet took first place over its French and American counterparts. Portet, considered one of the "deans" of the industry, pioneered a more classical style of winemaking. Clos Du Val is known for the creation of consistently outstanding wines of balance, complexity and especially elegance, "Napa Valley wines with a French accent."

1978 Clos du Val Wine Company Napa Valley Merlot $80

CLOS DU VAL 1978 Napa Valley Superbly crafted ripe, orange and cherry fruitiness with tea herb and sweet, oaky components also in evidence. The wine has a firm but not rough texture that heightens the elegance of the accessible, alluring flavors. It will show very well for many years to come. $10. bb CGCW 9/81.

Matanzas Creek Winery

While many wineries express enthusiasm for Merlot, few have been so convinced of its potential as Matanzas Creek. In fact, this small Bennett Valley estate has abandoned its Cabernet Sauvignon program to better focus its energies on Merlot production. Presently working from winery-owned vineyards planted in 1974, Matanzas Creek produces roughly 1500 cases of Merlot, but the winery clearly intends to increase its future output. The wines are made in what the winemaker David Ramey terms "a traditional Bordeaux style" employing long skin contact, frequent racking, extensive use of new French oak barrels and the inclusion of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in the final blend.

1983 Matanzas Creek Winery Sonoma Valley Merlot $60

1983 Matanzas Creek Winery, Sonoma Valley ($12.50) - Medium dark ruby; pleasant, slightly rich, varietal aroma with a hint of volatile acidity (not detracting) and distinct herbal overtones; medium to medium-full body (13.5% alcohol); moderately rich, herbal fruit flavors with good depth and a bit of texture on the palate; medium to medium-light tannin; slightly rough finish; lingering aftertaste. Above average quality. This wine shows attractive varietal character supported by a good amount of Cabernet Sauvignon (24%). Drinkable now and should continue to improve over the next several years. (Group Score: 15.4, 2.2.3; My Score: 16, second place) True Ranking [2] CG April-May 1986, 1983 Merlot New Releases

MATANZAS CREEK WINERY 1983 Sonoma Valley The deep, beautifully focused aromas of concentrated, optimally ripe, black cherry fruit are replete with vanilla, hints of orange and a scant touch of herbs. Ripe and yet bright and buoyant in flavor, the wine tastes of very deep fruit with an element of varietal herbaceousness that is more pronounced that that of the nose. Medium full and ideally balanced, it carries modest tannin and good acidity without a trace of hardness. Although certain to age, it already makes a stunning match to such dishes as roast loin of beef. $10.50. bb CGCW 2/87

Duckhorn Vineyards

Fashions come and go in wine as all else, but since its inaugural release in 1978, Duckhorn has remained one of the most, if not the most, highly regarded and in demand producers of Merlot in California. The search for why need not go any further than the wine itself. Always deeply fruited and solidly structured, the Duckhorn Merlots have never earned less than a good to very good rating while many have achieved the outstanding and exceptionally outstanding quality status. Producing both a Napa Valley bottling and a limited single vineyard "Three Palms Vineyards" designation (and in 1985, a "Vine Hill" release), Duckhorn points to vineyard selection as the key to great Merlot. the wines are typically blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and occasionally with Cabernet Franc, each of which supply a measure of strength and firmness that makes them among the most eminently age worthy Merlots being produced today.

In the late 1800s, the land that is now home to the Three Palms Vineyard was a residence for famed San Francisco socialite Lillie Hitchcock Coit. She left her mark on San Francisco in the form of Coit Tower. She left her mark on the Napa Valley in the form of three lone palm trees, which were all that remained from her estate after the house fell into disuse and ruin. The 83-acre vineyard is located on the northeast side of the Napa Valley in an alluvial fan created by the out wash of Selby Creek where it spills out of Dutch Henry Canyon. The site is covered with volcanic stones washed down over the centuries from the canyon. The soil is rocky and well drained, causing the vines to send their roots far, wide, and deep to find the necessary nutrients and water. The stones aid the vineyard, absorbing the sun's heat during the day and radiating the heat during the night to protect the vines during frost season and help ripen the fruit. Duckhorn has produced a Three Palms Merlot since their inaugural 1978 vintage.

1979 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot $99

DUCKHORN VINEYARDS 1978 Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard Dark ruby color. Perhaps because this wine is a bit more clearly Merlot in its origins or perhaps because it is more generously flavored, it earns the nod on its vintage '79 successor. Like the '79, it is loaded with fruit and displays interesting suggestions of complexity to come with bottle age. In time, its wood and ripe grape flavors will blend more completely with the varietal spice and tea notes achieving in our estimation the subtle and seductive nuances of a fine Pomerol. $12.50. bbb CGCW 9/81. Note: This wine wine is not included in the tasting but is only given here as a comparison to the Duckhorn wines which were included.

DUCKHORN VINEYARDS 1979 Napa Valley. Medium-deep ruby color with youthful purple tints. A wonderfully inviting aroma full of rich oak esters and Merlot's tea and orange rind scents all underlain by hints of black currant ripeness. The wine is lean and firm on the palate, medium-full bodied and displays marvelous depth of fruit under the appropriately noticeable tannins. Allow several years of cellar aging for this lovely offering to reach its peak. $12.50. bb CGCW 9/81

1979 Duckhorn Vineyards, Napa Valley ($12.50) - Medium to medium dark ruby color; attractive, fruity, rich, slightly herbal aroma of medium full intensity with good depth; well balanced; medium body (12.9% alcohol); fairly rich fruit on the palate with good backbone and structure; lingering aftertaste. Above average quality. this attractive, well-made wine contains 30% Cabernet Sauvignon for backbone. The 1700 cases made were released in September. Enjoyable now and over the next several years. Not quite as big as or concentrated as their outstanding 1978 bottling. (Group Score: 16.3 of 20 points, 4 of 12 first votes/0 seconds/4 thirds; My Score: 16.5, first place). CG December 1981-January 1982.

1979 Duckhorn Vineyards, Napa Valley - Medium-dark ruby; attractive, cherry fruit, smokey, tea-like aroma with slightly weedy varietal components; medium-full body (12.9% alcohol); moderately rich with good body and firm structure; moderate tannin; lingering aftertaste. Superior quality. Drinkable now and over the next several years. Blended with 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. Some 1700 cases were produced and released September 1981 at $12.50 per bottle. (Group Score, 55/1/0; My Score 16.5, fourth place) True Ranking [1] CG June-July 1986. Note: From a vertical tasting of Duckhorn 1978-1983 vintages.

1983 Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard Merlot $99

1983 Duckhorn Vineyards, "Three Palms Vineyards", Napa Valley ($18) - Medium-dark ruby with purplish tinges; fairly intense and concentrated in the aroma with very rich fruit and herbal components along with sweet oak; medium-full body (13.0% alcohol); also very rich and concentrated on the palate with good balance, structure and depth of flavors; lingering aftertaste. Above-average quality. This wine shows outstanding potential but needs three to five more years of bottle aging. Blended with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon (also from the Three Palms Vineyard). 1370 cases were produced and released in March of 1986. Still available at some retail outlets. (Group Score: 15.8, 0/2/6; My Score: 17, second place. True Ranking [1] CG June-July 1986. Note: From a vertical tasting of Duckhorn 1978-1983 vintages.

DUCKHORN VINEYARDS 1983 Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard. Black Cherries, anise and a tarry note help give the nose interest. A lust entry to the mouth leads towards flavors that seem just a little too ripe, tarry and sweet but not with the well defined fruit evident in the aromas. A rough edge will fade with bottle edge. $18. b CGCW 2/87

1983 Duckhorn Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard Merlot - These notes are from a retrospective completed by Duckhorn's winemakers in January of 1999. 75 percent Merlot, 25 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. Color and clarity: Ruby red, slight bricking. Bouquet and aroma: Somewhat closed aromas of cedar, mushrooms, tea, juniper, eucalyptus, mocha and soy; a very subdued nose with fruit, dusty chocolate, leather, cherry, and cola. Flavor and mouth feel: Lush bright and balanced in acid and tannin with lots of sweet cherry fruit, many layers of flavor and dense tannins that grab the tongue. Drinkability and age ability: Drink now and for the next 3-5 years.

DUCKHORN VINEYARDS 1983 Napa Valley. An undertone of sweet oak slightly broadens the intense, but tightly focused aromas of dense, young cherry-like fruit. similar impressions of density and tightness are conveyed by the wine's rich oak and bountiful fruit flavors. Moderately full and built upon a foundation of broad and sinewy tannins, the wine shows attractive fruity length and good balance with every indication of solid aging potential. $15. bb CGCW 2/86
Note: Although this wine is not in the tasting, it is interesting to note that the Napa Valley version out ranked the Three Palms wine. And at $3 less per bottle!

STAG'S LEAP WINE CELLARS

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars ranks among Napa Valley's most experienced Merlot makers and has offered varietal bottlings since 1974. Favoring a supple and easy going style of Merlot that emphasizes fruitiness over heavy extracts, the winery has been a consistent performer with wines generally in the good to very good quality range. The estate owns a scant five acres of the varietal and looks for premium fruit through purchased grapes to increase its limited supplies. However, new vineyard plantings and a budding program in the recently purchased Fay Vineyard will go a long way in assuring accomplishment of the winery's goal of an annual production of 5000 cases.

Stag's Leap Vineyards, the appellation now known as SLV due to a naming conflict with Stag's Leap Winery, was Warren Winiarski's first vineyard investment in 1970. Originally a walnut and plum orchard, it adjoined a property owned by Nathan Fay, who was growing and making a successful Cabernet Sauvignon in an area thought unsuitable for the variety. Proving beyond a doubt that such prejudice was ill conceived, SLV produced the 1973 Cabernet Sauvignon that vanquished the French competition in the 1976 Paris Tasting and forever changed the world's view of California winemaking in the process. Today, the property encompasses roughly 32 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and, as mentioned, 5 acres of Merlot. The vineyard soil is volcanic and alluvial with good drainage, and benefits from warm afternoons and cool evening breezes. SLV fruit offers classical Bordeaux elements of tea leaf, earthy richness with dense structure, and multilayered textures, producing a wine with complex black fruit and berry character, excellent structure and complexity. Different vineyard blocks impart decidedly unique flavor characteristics and are intended to be harvested at different times. For example, an early harvested block of Merlot delivers firm structure and flavor, a closed nose and suggestions of strawberry and chocolate. Four weeks later, the same varietal in a neighboring block yields aromas of plum, blackberry and briar and a velvety soft mouth feel to compliment the blend.

1979 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Napa Valley Stag's Leap Vineyards $100

1979 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Napa Valley ($12) - Medium ruby color; very attractive, rich, floral, fruity, almost Bordeaux-like aroma with hints of spice and some Cabernet fruit; well-balanced; medium body (12.8% alcohol); moderately forward, rich fruit flavors with good structure and backbone; lingering aftertaste. Above average quality. Avery attractive Merlot that is quite enjoyable now and with potential to improve over the next few years. (Group Score: 15.8 of 20 points, 8 of 15 first place votes/1 second/4 thirds; My Score: 17, first place). CG April-May 1982.

1974 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Napa Valley Stag's Leap Vineyards $115

STAG'S LEAP WINE CELLARS 1974 Napa Valley. A nicely measured sense of ripeness is apparent at all stops of this direct and fully mature bottling. Soft and viscous on the palate, the wine delivers pleasant, slightly fattish fruit along with hints of sweet oak that work together nicely in both aroma and flavor. But do drink up soon, it has arrived at its destination and will grow no further. CGCW 1/85 Note: This wine was included in a tasting by CGCW and hosted by Sterling vineyards at which Warren Winiarski of Stag's Leap and other wine makers evaluated eight to ten year old Merlots. Only Stag's Leap was one of the "superstars" of Merlot. Winiarski's comment reflected Bernard Portet's remark about wines dying on their feet like soldiers. He said " one wine is standing up but it's dead." Not his, of course!

STERLING VINEYARDS 1975 Napa Valley. From it's dark ruby color to its obvious acidity and undeveloped narrowness, this is a wine that seems to have changed remarkably little in its nine-year life span. Ripe and plummy yet still tough and very tannic, it is a dense and extracted offering in clear need of at least another five years of cellaring. b CGCW 1/85 Note: This wine is not included in the tasting but was included in the Sterling event mentioned above. Three Palms Vineyards Merlot is also used in Sterling Vineyard's version. Jim.

STERLING VINEYARDS 1975 Napa Valley. A fairly developed, open aroma offers some rich oak and floral impressions. Interesting cherry-like taste is drawn short by a hard, tannic finish. A fairly full-bodied and seemingly high alcohol example of this varietal. $7.50. b CGCW 6/79

KEENAN WINERY

Unquestionably a leading producer of Cabernets and Chardonnays by almost every measure, Keenan probably stands highest for its Merlot. Produced for many years from the small but legendary hillside plot of Merlot at Winery Lake Vineyard, Keenan lost that source after the 1985 vintage when the property was purchased by Seagram's/Sterling. Now, its production of Merlot comes mostly from an adjacent vineyard in the Carneros region and from hillside grapes on Spring Mountain, Howell Mountain and Pope Valley. Judging from the results given below, the changes of vineyard source have not dampened the winery's ability to succeed with Merlot. Note: This winery is not included in the tasting but only presented here for completion.

1978 Keenan Winery Napa Valley

1978 Keenan, Napa Valley ($9) - Medium dark to dark ruby; very ripe, berry-like rich, fat aroma with herbal varietal overtones and hints of tobacco; balanced; full body (14.1% alcohol); big on the palate with assertive, concentrated fruit flavors; tannic; lingering aftertaste. Above average quality and tending to be controversial due to its very big and somewhat overstated style. Too big and tannic to be drunk now; hold it for a good five years or more of aging. About 500 cases were released in October. (Group Score: 15.6, 4/1/2; My Score: 15.5, sixth place; True Ranking; [1]). CG February-March 1981

KEENAN WINERY 1978 Napa Valley. Deep garnet color. Very ripe, sweet flavors that go beyond varietal character into spicy and chocolatey, almost Rhone-like tones. The wine is big, rich and mouth filling on the palate with youthful, grapey, somewhat overripe flavors that lead to the lengthy but high alcohol hot finish. Plenty of depth here, very little elegance. $9. b CGCW 9/81
Note: The 1979 version of this wine got two b but was very much the same style. Jim.

Ah, Old Age!
Never underestimate the character of an old wine!

"Ah, the sweet, sweet smell of old wine,
that meets my nostrils.
It draws me into the open, dark as it is.
I love it so.
I need it so.
Wherever is it?
Ah, it's near, near.

Oh joy! I have found it.
Ah, there, sweetheart mine, beauty of Bacchus!
You're old like me.
The old will comfort the old.
Why the odour of all the essences are only
stinking water as compared with yours.
You're my rose, my oil of cassia and saffron,
my myrrh, my cinnamon."

Plautus (254-184 B.C.)

It is said that you have to be tough to get old. That admonition is true
enough with humans but how does it apply to wine? To age, a wine has to
exhibit "tough" characteristics in its youth in order for it to age well.
Among these are: the various balances of fruit/tannin, dryness/acidity, and
the qualities of concentration, richness, depth and complexity. Watching,
and tasting/drinking a wine as it goes from its youthful smack and lusty
pleasure of simple fruit flavors to the more subtle scents of earthiness, the
intrigue of complexity, the intellectual pleasure and thought provoking
character of age is akin to observing the development of your children and
grand children over your lifetime.

On Friday, February 22nd, at the "Hall of Merlot" otherwise known as the
Fritschel's, Akron-Kent-Stow had the unique opportunity to investigate old
wines in the form of Merlots as Jim Mihaloew presented "Old Merlot Superstars
Never Die". The chapter sampled eight classic superstar Merlots from vintages
of 1974 to 1983.

Using notes describing several superstar Merlots at release from old issues
of the California Grapevine and Connoisseur's Guide to California Wines (see notes below),
each wine was compared with their characteristics as they now stand particularly
as to their predicted longevity. Conventional wisdom made have dictated that
the younger wines be tasted prior to the more mature wines in the belief that
older wines are more complex and more deserving of attention, but
unconventional wisdom suggests tasting older to younger so that the
complexity of the older seems more evident with more integrated flavors. We
chose to ignore both and ordered the wines by relative value in order to
emphasize that value.

On opening, the condition of wines was sound without any defects, although
some may say they were faulted since they all did (as most wines do) lacked
something essential to perfection. Each bottle was decanted and poured
without airing so that it could be tasted as it emerged from the bottle with
the opportunity to experience it as it changed in the glass. The normal
halftime break for food, relinquishing that pleasure to the conclusion, was
also postponed to assure continuity.

The Results

1981 Markham $20 Napa Valley
The Markham was a sound wine but with no place to go. What would you expect
from a $20 Merlot. Drink up!

1982 St. Francis $25 Sonoma Valley Estate
The St. Francis was a rather disjointed, hard wine with a touch of acecence.
At 100% Merlot, it still exhibited herbal, green pepper aromas with an
earthy bouquet.

1983 Matanzas Creek $60 Sonoma Valley
The 1983 Matanzas Creek had a bright ruby color with aromas still exuding
black cherry. With excellent balance, tannin developed late in the
aftertaste. It seemed to be drying out somewhat but still with some time yet
to go to plateau. Karen, our Merlot freak, loved it!

1978 Clos du Val $80 Napa Valley
Clos du Val, the second oldest wine, showed an amazing ruby color but with a
developing orange edge. Classic varietal character with herbs and tea, light
but distinct. Most women this age should have a body like this wine! A
long, softly tannic aftertaste. On or near the plateau. Nice wine!

1979 Duckhorn $99 Napa Valley
The older Duckhorn showed lots of Cabernet cassis which dominated the wine
past being considered a Merlot. In spite of this, the wine is on its flat
plateau and ready! Don't delay on this one for it may turn on you like a
woman scorned!

1983 Duckhorn $99 Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard
The younger brother of the Duckhorn pair was as near a "Wow!" wine as anyone
could expect. with solid black cherry, cassis and tar aromas that followed
well into the mouth. Still lots of ripe fruit with a long tannic ending,
albeit soft and fruity.

1979 Stag's Leap $100 Napa Valley
Bright burgundy color with an orange edge. This wine had a Cabernet-like
character but with the complexity of tea and herbal varietal Merlot fruit and
a minty quality, all of which was still up. Soft and elegant in the mouth
with a complimentary touch of vanillin. The aftertaste had a long soft fruit
finish with some late tannin. Sound, but showing its age.

1974 Stag's Leap $115 Napa Valley Stag's Leap Vineyard
The last wine , the 1974 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, Stag's Leap Vineyard (now
known as SLV), the granddaddy of them all, was tired and a wee bit weary from
age but still showing its ability to display a catlike spurt of flavor
qualities before withering to dust and going to that great wine cellar in the
sky!

Overall, it seemed that the Merlot component of most of these wines was faded
showing mostly hints of the blended varieties where blended.
Do California merlots age and age well? How do they compare to the Pomerol
and St. Emilion of Bordeaux? Our next experiment in aged wines should answer
that question! September 2002!

Just as Plautus expounds above, old wine is one's joy of life, its catharsis,
its accompaniment to food, and when one is laid to rest, one's preservative
© Cleveland Wine Line

Current Offerings of the Superstars

The current offerings of the superstars are listed below with notes gleaned from the Wine Spectator and specifically from Jim Laube. It is interesting to note how they compare in price with their older counterparts when they were released.

Winery: Matanzas Creek
Wine: 1998 Merlot Sonoma Valley
Score: 88
Price: $60
Country: California
Region: Sonoma
Issue: Oct 31, 2001
Impressive for its array of ripe plum, currant, blackberry and wild berry flavors, it offers depth, richness, concentration and length. Cedary oak and fine-grained tannins are well-proportioned. Drink now through 2006. 5,404 cases made. (JL)

Winery: St. Francis
Wine: 1998 Merlot Sonoma County California Selection
Score: 87
Price: $25
Country: California
Region: Sonoma
Issue: Mar 31, 2001
Well-balanced, with lively currant, cherry and cedary oak flavors that offer richness and depth, finishing with firm tannins. Drink now through 2004. 30,000 cases made. (JL)

Winery: St. Francis
Wine: 1998 Merlot Sonoma Valley Behler Vineyard Reserve
Score: 86
Price: $45
Country: California
Region: Sonoma
Issue: Feb 28, 2002
Muscular style that's well-oaked, with toasty, dill and cedar flavors. Concentrated anise, sage and currant flavors take a while to unfold, and even when they do, they're dry and tannic. Drink now through 2005. 8,200 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Markham
Wine: 1997 Merlot Napa Valley Reserve
Score: 88
Price: $35
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Mar 31, 2001
Complex and inviting, with waxy berry, currant, cherry and plum, picking up hints of anise, mineral, sage and spice. Firms up on the finish, where the tannins show more strength. Drink now through 2008. 1,430 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Duckhorn
Wine: 1997 Merlot Howell Mountain
Score: 88
Price: $55
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Sep 30, 2001
Lots of pretty flavors and fine balance, with black cherry, spice, currant and plum, finishing with touches of cedar and more spice. Mildly tannic, it can stand short-term cellaring. Best from 2002 through 2007. 4,466 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Duckhorn
Wine: 1998 Merlot Napa Valley Three Palms Vineyard
Score: 88
Price: $65
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Sep 30, 2001
Lots of complex flavors, with a range of herb, currant, olive, cedar, leather and spice, gaining depth and nuance on the long, intricate finish. Drink now through 2009. 1,364 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Duckhorn
Wine: 1999 Merlot Napa Valley
Score: 88
Price: $44
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Feb 28, 2002
An enticing mix of ripe fruit and toasty oak, this is a complex, rich and elegant wine, with well-focused currant, spice, black cherry and plummy notes. Enough tannin to merit short-term cellaring. Drink now through 2006. 24,033 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Duckhorn
Wine: 1998 Merlot Napa Valley Estate Grown
Score: 88
Price: $75
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Sep 30, 2001
Well-balanced, with a supple texture and rich currant, anise, cedar, berry and spice, with hints of vanilla and toast. Long, complex aftertaste. Drink now through 2006. 1,146 cases made. (JL)

Rutherford Hill began a love affair with Merlot in the late '60s and consequently embared on an ambitious and successful crusade to establish the grape as an important Napa Valley varietal. Finding the climate and soil of the Oad Knoll area just north of Napa to ber ideally suited to its purpose, Rutherford Hill planted in 1972, 55 acres of the grape and, today, its Ashby block planting is the single largest plot of Merlot in Napa Valley. 1977 saw the first bottling by Rutherford Hill and, from that time forward, the winery has remained a leading proponent of the varietal with wines often achieving good to very good and outstanding ratings. CGCW Feb 88

Winery: Rutherford Hill
Wine: 1997 Merlot Napa Valley Reserve
Score: 86
Price: $60
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Sep 30, 2001
A mix of tart cherry, currant and berry fruit, with hints of herb, chocolate and cedar, firming up on the finish, where the tannins weigh in. Best from 2002 through 2006. 1,269 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Sterling
Wine: 1997 Merlot Napa Valley Reserve
Score: 87
Price: $70
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Apr 30, 2001
Medium-weight, offering a pleasing array of spicy currant, black cherry, anise, cedar and leather. Drink now through 2007. 1,900 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Sterling
Wine: 1998 Merlot Napa Valley Reserve
Score: 86
Price: $70
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Dec 31, 2001
A solid, chunky style, with tar, blackberry, anise and mineral flavors that are framed by toasty oak. Never really comes into focus, but has concentration and depth. Drink now through 2004. 2,750 cases made. (JL)

Winery: Keenan
Wine: 1998 Merlot Napa Valley
Score: 85
Price: $29
Country: California
Region: Napa
Issue: Sep 30, 2001
Firm, with currant, herb and leather notes wrapped within dry tannins. Drink now through 2003. 2,175 cases made.

The wines from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars were not included in the Wine Spectator's review. The following descriptions are from Stag's Leap itself.

1998 Merlot Napa Valley $40

Wine The bouquet presents an enticing melange of dense black cherry, clove, dried currant, lavender and vanilla bean. A round, fleshy entry moves across the palate, delivering the rich fruit expressions promised in the nose, like the bold strokes of a painter's brush delivering vibrant color to a satiny canvas. Flavors recede slowly along an elegant tannic backbone. This wine would be a wonderful companion to sweetbreads served in a creamy veal reduction or a wild mushroom stew served in puff pastry.

Vineyards The blends for the "Napa Valley" wines change from year to year. In any given vintage, we search for different lots of wine that will work together as the best expression of the varietal from the valley as a whole. In 1998, the various lots we gathered for blending naturally took shape as two distinctive, yet equally beautiful, expressions of 'Napa Valley' Merlot. It is noteworthy that these two very different wines (1998 Napa Valley Merlot and 1998 Napa Valley Merlot Lot 2) were created from nearly identical grape sources. The biggest change lay in the proportions of those wines used in the final blend. A major component of the 1998 Napa Valley Merlot comes from one of our newer estate vineyards located along a strand of foothills just east of Napa. Through continued exploration of the land's various mesoclimates, we have discovered an area that produces Merlot bursting with black cherry and spicy fruitiness, with a silken texture. Grapes from both of our Stags Leap District vineyards played a guiding role in creating this wine's distinctiveness. The crushed leaf and dried currant elements typical of S.L.V. beautifully complement the voluptuously ripe berry elements from FAY, contributing multidimensional layers of fruit and distinct textures. A small percentage of the blend came from Carneros, whose cooler conditions augment spicy attributes. The Oakville appellation provides space for the fruit to evolve through layers of tenderly honed tannins.

1998 Merlot Napa Valley Lot 2 $40
 
Wine This wine's sultry perfume blooms gracefully in the glass, slowly revealing its beautiful elements like the steps in a perfectly choreographed dance in which each step seamlessly introduces the next. Lush aromas of Bing cherry, blackberry and chocolate truffle wrap around a core of dried rose petal with accompanying highlights of allspice. The smooth, fleshly entry reminds one of biting into a ripe, black plum that gains a pleasing texture midpalate as supporting tannins carry flavors of cherries, toasted almond, and cassis through a lingering finish. Pair this wine with tea-smoked duck or vegetarian lasagne featuring grilled vegetables.

Vineyards As we gather the lots of grapes we purchase, we create a palette that gives us the maximum flexibility to create the greatest expression of fruit from the valley. The 1998 vintage provided us the rare opportunity to produce two separate "Napa Valley" interpretations. Fruit for the 1998 Napa Valley Lot 2 Merlot comes primarily from a new vineyard that we purchased in 1996. The vineyard is located on a strand of gentle hills, just east of Napa at the foot of Mount George. The soils are of marine origin. The hills were formed as marine terraces along the base of Mount George and volcanic cliffs south of the vineyard from 1 million to 125,000 years ago. Most of the surface soil is a gravelly silt loam with good drainage and moderate water-holding capacity. At higher elevations, well-drained sandy clay loam is present. Temperatures fall between those of Carneros and Stags Leap District. We continue to explore the various mesoclimates within this vineyard, and we have found, just as we found for Chardonnay, an area that produces a particularly beautiful and distinctive expression of the land for Merlot. A small percentage of the blend is made up of S.L.V., our Stag's Leap District estate vineyard that contributes black fruit flavors with nuances of tea leaf and multilayered, elegant tannins.

Old Merlot Superstars Never Die
(They Don't Even Fade Away!)

Merlot often gets bashed by wine writers from time to time adding insult to the already gutted market. They lament that too much Merlot is being planted and much of that in the wrong places. It also seems that wineries have over-reacted to consumer demand by churning out vast quantities of plonkish Merlot. Most merlot being made today doesn't age (because its not made to age) and it lacks depth. Yet, it's difficult to deny that among consumers, Merlot is extremely popular for the same reasons. It may lack depth, but at the same time it doesn't have those big tannins that come with new Cabernet Sauvignon and some Zinfandel. There's lots of Merlot on the market from California, Washington, Chile and southern France which helps to keep prices low as compared to Cabernet and, unfortunately, many Zinfandels. These are the novas and supernovas of the merlot producers, those seemingly static stars that become bright only to fade from the sky like a burned out light bulb.

To restore faith in Merlot, one has to look for the superstatrs, those producers that have gleamed as bright as our sun for over a long period of time, like the top Merlots of France, particularly those of Pomerol and in particular Chateau Petrus, whose legendary wines jockey for position as the world's most expensive red wine, and California.

In this country, Merlot can aspire to such greatness, but only in the hands of talented winemakers who truly respect the grape variety, have access to exceptional fruit, and who want to make the very best wine possible from that fruit. American Merlots from Duckhorm, Stag's Leap, St. Francis, Clos du Val, Matanzas Creek, and Markham, generally considered to be among the best the New World has to offer, confirm that, indeed, France does not have a monopoly on outstanding Merlot. These are the superstars of Merlot!

On Friday, February 22nd, at 7:30 PM, Akron-Kent-Stow will have the unique opportunity to enjoy the best of these Merlots as Jim Mihaloew presents "Old Merlot Superstars Never Die" as we sample eight classic Merlots of vintages from 1974 to 1983. Included will be offerings from Stag's Leap Wine Cellars (including Stag's Leap Vineyard), Duckhorn (including Three Palms Vineyard), Clos du Val, St. Francis, Markham, and Matanzas Creek totalling about $600 in value (see the complete final list below). The cost will be $25 per person. There will be a minimum of 13 persons required to produce the tasting, and will be limited to 16 persons since there will be only one bottle of each wine available. Call Ollie Nielsen at 330.867.6790 for reservations. In order to complement these wines, consider culinary specialties for our mid tasting break. Check out www.recipesource.com for suggestions and recipes. The tasting will be held at the "Hall of Merlot" otherwise known as the Fritschel's, the location of which everyone knows.

The Wines

1981 Markham $20
Napa Valley

1982 St. Francis $25
Sonoma Valley Estate

1983 Matanzas Creek $60
Sonoma Valley

1978 Clos du Val $80
Napa Valley

1979 Duckhorn $99
Napa Valley


1983 Duckhorn $99
Napa Valley
Three Palms Vineyard

1979 Stag's Leap $100
Napa Valley

1974 Stag's Leap $115
Napa Valley
Stag's Leap Vineyard

It's that time of year for Peace on Earth and good will to all mankind. Join
together with your AWS friends for holiday cheer and good memories. Our
annual dinner and tasting will be Sunday, December 16 at the home of John and
Carole Cummings. For the third year Carole will prepare her now-traditional
brisket in caramelized onion sauce. But--before that, we will begin with
aperitif and canapes at 4:30. This will be followed by a tasting presented
by our fearless leader, Olie, and his lovely wife, Spike. The theme is
"Consumers 'r Us", and Olie will present six wines--2 merlots, 2 pinot noirs,
and 2 (sorry Karen) chardonnays. These are wines that were rated in the
October and November issues of Consumers' Reports. We will be the REAL
Judges!!!

Your reservation response is a two-parter this month. First, your check
for $10 per person should be sent to Olie Nielsen by Dec. 12 to secure your
reservation. Remember the limit is 15 celebrants. Olie's address is 679 N.
Revere Rd., Akron 44333--Phone-330/678-7890. Second, please call Carole
(330/688-6325) and tell her what you will bring for a canape and for a dinner
accompaniment so we can avoid duplications. And equally important, bring a
bottle of wine to share during the meal. Singles need not bring both canape
and covered dish. Just let us know which it will be.

GREETINGS FROM YOUR NEW EDITORS

Carole and John are happy to be able to" fill the breach" (as Olie put it) but we will not even attempt to fill the shoes of our previous editor. His knowledge and creativity are without equal. I think he missed his calling in engineering and should have been an English professor!! Since all members are welcome to contribute to this publication, I hope we will hear from ALL of you from time to time. All ideas are welcome--no censorship!

FROM THE CHAIR

We owe Larry Fritschel a big vote of thanks for guiding us through the valleys of the Andes to taste the wines of Chili, and to share his knowledge of the various micro-climates. And to the Wilens, as well, a "think you" for hosting the October tasting. We agreed to postpone the dinner out until January or February. The November tasting will be hosted by the Fritschels on Nov. 16, and the Cummings will present "Bargains from Abroad". On Sunday, Dec. 16, Cummings will host our now -traditional Christmas dinner with the now- famous brisket. You don't want to miss this one! Nielsens will conduct a pre-dinner tasting of Finger Lake wines.

BACK TO CHILI

Here is a list of the wines tasted on Oct. 19 and the club favorites.
1999 Casa La Postolle Chardonnay(Casablanca Valley-$15)
2000 Montes-Reserve Chardonnay (Curico Valley-$11)
2000 Walnut Crest Merlot (Rapel Valley-$6)
2000 Concha y Toro Xplorador Merlot (Rapel Valley-$9) 3rd. place
1999 Montes 70% Cab.Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere(Colchagua Valley-$15) 2nd.place
1998 Caliterra 100% cab.Sauvigon Mondavi-Chadowick(Valle Central-$9)
1998 Veramonte Merlot(Maipo-Casablanca Valleys-$9)
1996 Don Melchor cab.sauvignon-private reserve Concha y Toro(Maipo Valley-$43) 1st. place
All wines except the Don Melchor are readily available in wine stores and super markets.

AND NOW--NOVEMBER 16

John and Carole have enjoyed purchasing wines at Regency in Fairlawn from manager K.C. Yost. He brings in a lot of European labels at very good prices. (He also carries plenty of pricey wines, too.) He tries to taste new wines before he recommends them, and he has come up with some winners--French, Italian, Spanish, and German.
We'll meet at Fritschel's at 7:30. The cost will be $15, and your check to Olie Nielsen by Wed., Nov. 14, will secure your reservation. (679 N. Revere Rd., Akron 44333--Phone-330/867-6790. Don't forget a munchie for intermission. Karen and Larry Fritschel's address is 3956 Redwing Trail, Stow.

Dear Friends Whom We Have Not Seen Recently.

We have missed you (and you know who you are). How about joining us this month to renew old friendships in the face of world tragedies. And to those of you who receive this letter but have never come to one of our tastings, be assured we are usually serious but never stuffy about our wine.

A Fond Adieu! The End of an Era

I am saddened to say that I am retiring from being editor and publisher of the AKSionLine Newsletter. This issue, the October edition, will be the last issue.

When I resigned from all active participation in AWS activities effective the beginning of this year, I abided by that commitment by giving up all the elements stated in that resignation except one, and that was the writing of the AKSionLine Newsletter. I did not feel that it was fair to the members of this good chapter to stop abruptly and leave them in a lurch. That is not my style. Akron-Kent-Stow has been good to me and for me. High quality people demand high quality results and I wanted to accommodate this philosophy. However, the time has come when I must abide by my commitment and end the editorship and publishing of the newsletter.

I have enjoyed writing the newsletter for, lo, these last 2 1/2 years. It progressed to a high level of design and content rarely achieved in the amateur ranks of AWS. It spurred a challenge for other to achieve a higher level of professionalism. I shall never forget the chapter nor their help especially in supplying me with an almost endless source of inspiration and material. The AKSionLine has garnered many and frequent kudos and accolades both locally and elsewhere. A past AWS president called it "the best chapter newsletter in AWS". Another chapter chairperson said "erudite, nicely formatted, informative, serious."

However, actions within the national element of the society, both current and long standing, have made me cynical towards them. It is therefore not in the best interests of the chapter nor myself to continue to contribute to the society. My concern at this point is with the members of the AKS chapter who have been very gracious to me with their lauds and recognition. For this I am most thankful and appreciative. Unfortunately, the national organization expects members to contribute to the society without recognition or recompensation year after year, thus furthering their own self serving ends. I cannot contribute to an organization that fosters this end. At this point, I wish only to become "a member" and retreat to the common benefit others enjoy.

With much regret and hope for a joyous conclusion, I remain,

Jim Mihaloew

WineSpeak

"The qualities that make for a happy and genial life, Martial, are these: a small estate with fruitful vineyards, a fire to curtail the rigours of winter, freedom from law troubles, a contented mind, a man's strength and healthy body, frankness tempered by tact, congenial associates, happy guests, a table spread with simple viands, wine not in excess but enough to drive away care, an unprudish wife, yet virtuous withall; sound sleep to make dark hours fly, no longing for change, just contentment with what you are, no fear of death, nor yet a desire for it."

The Epigrams of Martial, Book 10

Peaks From Chilean Valleys

AKS's next chapter event will be a tasting of wines from Chile entitled "Peaks From Chilean Valleys" on Friday, October 19th at 7:30PM at John and Carole Cummings' home, 1693 Mohican Road, Stow, 330.688.6325. Our own Larry Fritschel will make the presentation in his own inimitable style. The cost for this tasting, including a complementary aperitif, will be $15 per person. Call Ollie Nielsen at 330.867.6790 for reservations. Your reservations will be confirmed by sending your check to Ollie at 679 North Revere Road, Akron 44333 before October 17th. The tasting will be limited to a maximum of 16 persons. Bring a complementary hors d'oeuvre for our customary timeout. See the April edition of AKSionLine for the article "A Chilean Wine Primer" to provide some basic background on Chilean wines.

Please note that the tasting, "Peaks From Chilean Valleys", will be staged at the home of Bill and Kathy Wilen at 123 Silver Valley Boulevard, Munroe Falls, 330.688.3226, and NOT at the Cummings'. Sorry for the error! My tongue got in the way of my eyeteeth and I couldn't see what I was saying! Ed.

Upcoming Events of Note

Since no one from the AKS chapter will be going to the national conference, it was decided that we will try for a dinner tasting on either Friday, November 16th or Saturday, November 17th. Mark your calendar! Vacarro's on Ghent Road in Fairlawn is one of restaurants being considered. More on this event next month via email.

From the Chair

Jim Mihaloew's editorship of our wonderful AKSionLine newsletter ends, at his request, with this October issue. Over the last 2 1/2 years Jim has informed us, amused us, and educated us, and we'll miss the topnotch content and format of this fine publication. It has brightened our mail-boxes on many an otherwise bad mail day. Many thanks and appreciation from all of us!

Carole and John Cummings have graciously agreed to step into the newsletter breach, and will, for the immediate future at least, produce an e-mail edition of the AKSionLine newsletter. If you need to add or update your e-mail address, contact the Cummings' at cjcstow@aol.com, or at 330.688.6325. Those without e-mail will receive snail mail.

Spike and Ollie Nielsen

From The Cellar

2000 Nissley Chambourcin Lancaster Valley Estate $12

Nissley Vineyards & Winery Estate of Pennsylvania, has produced a well made estate bottled Chambourcin made of 87% Chambourcin and 13% Cabernet Franc. It is dry with light tannin, a hint of oak and has a refreshing crisp finish. This wine garnered a Bronze Medal at the 2001 International Eastern Wine Competition and a Silver Medal at the 2001 San  Francisco  International Wine Competition sponsored by Bon Appétit Magazine. It pairs nicely with pasta in tomato based sauces, and prime rib of beef.  It is highly recommended for those who like Merlot. Karen, take note!

1999 Horton Viognier Orange County Virginia $20          

Viognier has become a highly fashionable grape during the '90s partly due to its most famous wine Condrieu which is both distinctive and, more importantly, scarce. It became increasingly popular in California because of its faddish association with the Rhone. The grapes are a deep yellow and the resulting wine is high in color, alcohol, and has a very particular flowery perfume redolent of apricots and peaches. Viognier is one of the few highly regarded white wines that should probably be drunk young while the perfume is most heady and before the wine's slightly low acidity fades.

This grape has apparently also found a home in Virginia and seems to ripens extremely well during the warm summers. Horton, of Virginia, is a recognized leader in producing world class Viognier to the extent that it would blow almost every California version off the table. In their version, bold and aristocratic, the wine is the essence of the grape with intense floral aromas and exotic melon, peach and vanilla flavors making this a luscious wine with a long, complex finish. Smoked salmon is the perfect match with this gem.

1998 Horton Marsanne Orange County Virginia  $15

Marsanne produces the fine white wines of the Northern Rhone where it is increasingly popular and has all but taken over from the traditional Roussane for blending, doubtlessly due to its relative productivity. Marsanne, as a wine, tends toward flabbiness which has been mitigated somewhat by modern wine making techniques. It is earning itself a reputation as a full bodied , characterful varietal, and as a blending partner for more aromatic, acid varieties such as Viognier. The wine is typically particularly deep colored, full bodied with a heady, if often heavy, nutty aroma of almonds.

Marsanne seems ideally suited to the climate of the Old Dominion which is precisely what Horton's vision of grape growing is. Horton's version has delicate floral aroma and a buttery mouth feel and flavor, ostensibly from the French oak barrel fermentation, followed by an intriguing spicy nutty flavor and finish of bitter almond. An unspecified portion of Viognier was blended to provide finesse and structure .

Zinners Come Awake!

The promised land arrived for all the zin freaks in vinousland last month at the AWS National Tasting Project. The event was staged at Carole and John Cummings' "Den of Ziniquity", led by our own chief devil, Larry Fritschel. The six core wines as designated by national were tasted including the same vintages. This compliments the selector, Dick Fruewald, and his ability to know what is in the marketplace and where.

New this year was an included description of each wine, one from the winery and one from a rating or review of the wine. After the scores were tallied, each pair of descriptions were read to the group and a vote on which description most closely reflects the wine will be recorded. The results of the tasting were as follows. Not surprisingly, the virtually overwhelming description chosen was from the rating or review which, for the most part, was less superfluous

1998 Vigil Zinfandel Lodi Mohr-Fry Ranch Old Vines $18

Herbal, aparagus-like aromas, with mineral, cooked asparagus and earth flavors dominating the cherry notes.

Vigil claims this to be their best Zinfandel vintage ever, overcoming the biggest challenge of growing zinfandel, that of even ripening, aided by a compact bloom period. The unusually cool summer allowed the fruit to ripen structurally before the heat of the classic Indian summer spiked the sugars to optimum levels. Unfortunately, the ripeness, tending to overripeness, prompted the vegetal character in the wine.

This wine garnered a Gold Medal and Best of Price Class at the New World International Wine Competition, a Silver Medal at the prestigious International Eastern Wine Competition, and Bronze Medals at the Los Angeles County Fair, Orange County Fair, San Diego National Wine Competition, and the West Coast Wine Competition attesting to the fact that the west coast doesn't appreciate a good zin like the east coast .

Vigil Vineyard offers a wine club, curiously named the "Vigilante Wine Club", "to take a stand, to be alert and vigilant in only offering unique, individualistic, take no prisoners kind of wine", "a cadre of wine mercenaries ever vigilant against bad wine".. They obviously missed one here!

1999 Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County Sonoma $18

A complex aroma of plum, cherry, some currant, with spicy blackberry, chocolate and oak flavors in a frame of toasty oak and touch of complementary vanillin. Excellent balance and soft tannins and a nice tart finish. Should age well for the next five years.

Seghesio is an old family vineyard in Sonoma County dating back to 1895. In 1893, newly wed Edoardo and Angela Seghesio purchased their new home in Alexander Valley. Recognizing the great vineyard potential surrounding their modest home, they planted the Home Ranch and began a lineage of four generations of grape growers. This vineyard, in addition to producing quintessential Zinfandel, has long been the source for subsequent plantings of Seghesio Zinfandel. Their 1999 Old Vine Zinfandel, from low yielding head trained vines from three prohibition time vineyards, produced a wine of exceptionally rich and concentrated fruit. Try it at $30.

1998 Monteviña Sierra Foothills Amador County $10

Lots of classic Amador County raspberry and briar are bracketed with a light American oak frame. Unfortunately, the light body does not carry it through to the finish and it fades into a 15.5% alcoholic hot pot. Rather disappointing and finished well out of the race.

In 1970, Monteviña became the first new, post Prohibition winery in the Sierra foothills which inspired a revival of the historic foothill wine industry. Located in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County, its first wines were released in 1973 and it thereafter became the foothills' flagship vintner, renowned for robust, full flavored red wines, especially zinfandel and barbera.

Monteviña's bottlings are produced entirely old, dry farmed, low yielding hillside vines from their estate and other Shenadoah Valley vines. In addition, barbera, sangiovese , and syrah, with smaller plots of other Italian grape varieties such as nebbiolo, refosco, aglianico, and freisa are also grown and produce some bottlings of note.

1998 Rodney Strong 'Knotty Vines' Northern Sonoma $17

Radiant deep red violet color. A very intensely perfumed aroma of raspberry and blackberry fruit and a touch of typical pepper . Soft, ripe fruit flavors with excellent body and balance.
A substantial meat dish like beef tenderloin with goat cheese and mustard sauce or a mixed grill of Italian sausage would match well with this wine.

Formerly known as "Old Vine Zinfandel", this Knotty Vines introduces the addition of fruit from twenty-one year old Zinfandel vines from the Alexander Valley "Hubbard Ranch" vineyard. The 1998 Knotty Vines Zinfandel is a blend of fruit from young vines and seasoned old vines. Cellaring took place for 18 months in a mixture of new American and French barrels, with the preponderance of time in older American and French versions.

The Rodney Strong came in with a strong third place amongst the AKS tasters.

1998 Chateau Souverain Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley $13

Briery, lacquery American oak aromas set this wine off with ripe plum flavors in a frame of soft but tight oak. Light tannins led to a rather hot, medium aftertaste which finished flat. A somewhat soft fruit driven wine.

This Zinfandel, composing 85% Zinfandel, 10% Syrah, and 5% Petite Sirah, came from old vines in Dry Creek Valley. The two major vineyard sources for this blend are Buchignani & Garcia Vineyards and the Faloni Vineyard. Most of the vines are head pruned, and all are planted in rocky, volcanic soils. The Syrah, from the estate vineyard, and Petite Sirah components came from plantings in similar soils. Aged 10 months in 100% French Nevers oak barrels of which 20% were new.

Traditional techniques including open top, punched down fermentation vessels and seven to ten days of skin contact were used to extract maximum flavors, aroma and color. After secondary malolactic fermentation, the wine was put up in small French barrels for a ten-month aging period. A small amount of Syrah and Petite Sirah were fermented separately and then blended to enhance the wine's complexity and color.

1998 Burgess Zinfandel Napa Valley Estate $19

Concentrated bramble berry and "salty" oak aromas. Flavors similar with a plummy character. A rather elegant style but structured well by a tannic backbone. A warmly pleasant, long fruity aftertaste. Should hold for about five years for improved drinkability.

Tom Burgess, long retired pilot, has an Ohio connection in that he is from Cuyahoga Falls. His support to local events attest to his deep roots, like grapes, to this area. His estate Zinfandel grapes are grown on the Howell Mountain Vineyards. The slope, exposure and relative scarcity of ground water adds natural stress to the vines, producing a smaller berry, thus creating a greater skin to juice ratio, packed with intense varietal flavor, color and aroma. With the addition of 8% Petite Sirah, this wine has a classic style of spicy, berry flavors. Mediterranean style dishes with roasted vegetables and olive oil are strongly suggested with this wine.

The Burgess Zinfandel placed a solid second with the group. Incidentally, the description of the wine from the notes, which came from the Wine Spectator, were for the 1998 version and not the 1999 version as we tasted. Did someone try to slip one in on us? Tsk, tsk! Not to AKS!

Although not evaluated at the tasting, notes on the alternate wines are also included here for completeness and interest so we can lament the good ones we missed!

1998 J. Lohr 'Bramblewood' Lodi $20

The wine had a rather youthful bluish red color of medium intensity. Raspberry, boysenberry and strawberry jam are among the aromas with the signature hint of black pepper common to some Zinfandel. The brambly fruit aromas carry through in the flavors. Medium body with ripe tannins, smooth finishing texture and touch of refreshing acidity. Grilled meats or pastas with zesty red sauces come to mind with this wine.

The wine, made up of 97% Zinfandel and 3% Petite Sirah from the Bramblewood Vineyard, Spenker Ranch, in Lodi, was the first commercial vintage of this varietal. It was crushed, in stainless steel, and fermented and barrel aged in 15 months in older 4th and 5th fill French oak barrels.

J. Lohr is the Lohr of the old Monterey County winery of Turgeon & Lohr. After a marketing analysis of their winery was executed, it was found that the wine buying public associated their name with sturgeon, a fish, and thus, J. Lohr was coined. The old vine, head trained Zinfandel vines in the Lodi appellation of central California is one of California's best kept secrets. The forward aromas of raspberry, boysenberry and strawberry jam are hallmarks of old vine Zinfandel. The vines are dry farmed in some of the finest agricultural sandy loam soils in California. Many vineyards were planted in the 19th century and many more in the 1930's and 40's. The great tragedy is that much of production from these vineyards was used for White Zinfandel in the 1980's and early 1990's. Fortunately,, with the resurgence of interest in the "red version" of this variety, many excellent Zinfandel vineyards are being rediscovered.

This is another Zinfandel where the East gave lauds and the West gave only a nod. The wine was given a Double Gold at the 2000 International Eastern Competition and only Bronze Medals at the 2000 Long Beach Grand Cru Competition and the 2000 Los Angeles County Fair. Incidentally, the Beverage Testing Institute, and eastern outfit, gave it an 85.

1997 Buehler Zinfandel Napa Valley $14

Medium bodied, with simple, Bramble berry and strawberry flavors in a rather loosely knit structure that does not bode well for aging. An up front, "drink me now" wine. Spaghetti come to mind. The Wine Spectator lists this wine at $25.

Grapes for the Zinfandel came entirely from the Buehler estate estate vineyard block adjacent to the winery. Planted in 1972, these mature, dry farmed, head-trained vines continue to give meager amounts of delicious hillside zinfandel fruit. The fruit typically leans to the strawberry end of the zinfandel spectrum and tends to be more forward and less tannic.

1999 Bogle Zinfandel California Old Vine $11

A firm and ripe Zinfandel of a deep, ruby color with bright fruit aromas of rich blackberry and spicy clove melding pleasantly with a pleasing touch of classic pepper. Finishes with a warm alcoholic punch to smoky dried berry, tea, dried apricot and toasty oak flavors. A nicely affordable California Zinfandel, it. should age well for 3 to 5 years. This is a wine that you can cozy up to on a cold, fire brightened, evening. A best buy!

The sources of the grapes for this wine came from Fiddletown, Amador County and Lodi vineyards consisting of 30 to 90 year old hillside and head-trained vineyards. It was aged for 12 months in French and American oak.

In Conclusion

The wines for the national tasting project were, overall, a significant step above, both in quality and price, the wines which have typically graced the somewhat austere and common selections of the past. Our chapter compliments to Dick Fruewald on his fine effort. Now, if we can just get a good meaningful statistical analysis of the project, it will be in good shape! We need standard deviation and true ranking instead of the standard arithmetic averages that typically appear.

Celebrating The Art of Wine

The Second Annual "Taste of Little Italy" Regional Amateur Wine Competition, sponsored by the Collinwood Juice Company, was held on Sunday, September 9, 2001, as the premier regional amateur wine competition event of the year. The competition was in conjunction with the Fourth Annual "Taste of Little Italy" Festival of in Cleveland's Little Italy, The Italian food and wine event representing the culinary and cultural ethnicity of the Italian community in Cleveland. All proceeds from the competition and festival go directly to the Montessori School at Holy Rosary.
The event was organized and conducted by Jim Mihaloew, CWE, CWJ, for the festival organizers. Wine judges representing expertise in winemaking, wine education, wine technology and professional wine judging sniffed, sipped and savored 65 entries involving 26 winemakers. The judging criteria was based on gold, silver, and bronze awards, that is, wines were judged against a benchmark wine which was considered to be the best example of the wine being judged without regard as to whether it was amateur or commercial within the experience of the judges. As a result, the bar on quality was raised to a high level. The judges were a tremendous asset to the quality of the results and added immensely to the prestige of the competition. The goal of the competition is to become the best and most prestigious amateur competition in the region.

The judges used a new objective numerical evaluation form generated by Jim Mihaloew based on the InterVin system with modifications suitable for amateur wines. This evaluation system, based on a one hundred point scale, has 18 weighted evaluation criteria covering all four sensory areas and their combination. There were nine wine classes and thirty categories, expanded this year to accommodate a wider range of wines and awards.

Of the winners, there were 47 recipients of 2 gold medals, 12 silver medals, and 33 bronze medals. Top honors with a consensus (all judges on the panel voted gold unanimously) Gold Medal and Best of Show ribbons went to team the of Gogol and Madda for a superbly blended Bordeaux red wine in the Cabernet Sauvignon category of the Red Vinifera class. Their prize was a grape press donated by Carl Cocita of the Collinwood Juice Company. All medal winners were awarded ribbons. For the best wine in each of the nine classes, certificates worth $25 towards the purchase of grapes or juice from the Collinwood Juice Company were awarded. Among these winners was a Syrah which received a Gold Medal, a wine that would have attracted the attention of any Australian aficionado; a finely crafted 2000 Pinot Grigio by Tom and Jan Cobett of Strongsville with a consensus Silver Medal; a superbly blended Muscat-Barbera-Concord wine, yet another consensus Silver Medal, which demonstrated that a fine wine does not necessarily have to be a European vinifera or popular varietal; and from our own little AKS chapter, Bill Wilen with a Silver Medal for a Leon Millot-Cabernet Sauvignon blend. Other medal winners included a Silver Medal for a Zinfandel by Bill Wilen, another Silver Medal for a Cabernet Franc by the Cobetts, and a host of Bronze Medals for, you guessed it, the Cobetts, for a Sauvignon Blanc, a Syrah, a Zinfandel-Petite Sirah blend, and a very nice Chambourcin-Cabernet Sauvignon blend.

A reception for the competing amateur winemakers, following the judging, was given to announce the winners and their awards.

Amateur winemaking has progressed to a high quality level of over the years. The availability of quality fruit and juice as well as the development and availability of winemaking technology to amateur winemakers has contributed to this progress. The gap between amateur and commercial producers has narrowed to the extent that many amateur wines give their commercial counterparts a real run for their money.

Oh, caudalie, My Caudalie!

It's always fun to explore some of the more obscure nooks and crannies of wine tasting terms especially those from the French. Our understanding of them is rather rudimentary. Terms like terroir, elevage, and caudalie don't have exact translations. They actually translate more as a phrase or feeling.

Consider the French word caudalie, a term used to measure the flavor persistence of a wine that remains in your mouth after you swallow, or as it were, spit. An approximate English translation might be "aftertaste" or "finish," but the French take it to a measurable level. Caudalie measures the actual duration of the wine's finish in seconds. So a wine rated at 15 caudalie lingers on the palate, in the taster's estimation, for 15 seconds.

This adds a little more precision in wine tasting, perhaps more than is necessary. But there is an underlying lesson to be taught, and that is that when you're tasting wine for enjoyment as well as to learn, it can pay to focus closely on the details.

I first came across this term several years ago in reading Emile Peynaud's The Taste of Wine, a truly fine standard on the subject of sensory evaluation. Actually, caudalie translates better as "intense aromatic persistence", not as flavor persistence, which is the combination of smell and taste. It was first described by Vedel who also did work in wine balance, and and whose balance chart is known but hardly practiced, unfortunately. [I did a session at the Knoxville conference on it and included the paper as a handout for first year Wine Judge Certification Program (WJCP).] Caudalie pertains only to the smell component, not the taste element. The method by which caudalie are determined, which is heavily dependent on one's breathing rhythm, needs validation but it does command a careful analysis, one which is probably too rigid for a precision which does not exist. Taste length and aromatic length are two different entities which are too often confused by tasters. This is why I used to teach this concept at WJCP. As Peynaud says, "--the time when the taster will use a metronome and stopwatch as standard equipment is still a long way off."

Oh yes, the other definitions are:

ÉLEVAGE (Breeding): Combination of the operations intended to prepare the wines with aging until the setting out in bottle.

Elevage is the French term for the steps a wine follows between its fermentation and its bottling. Much like the French term terroir, there isn't a direct equivalent in English.

Perhaps the best metaphor is to think of elevage as a wine's adolescence or education. The raw fermented juice is shaped during this period into something resembling its final form, perhaps through barrel aging, perhaps through filtering or fining, or through other techniques which lie at the winemaker's disposal. Good decisions during elevage can help the juice achieve its full potential as a wine; bad ones can imbue it with flaws or deficiencies from which it may never completely recover.

TERROIR (Soil): Total environmental elements of the vineyard Which determine the physical characteristics for its wine.

Again, another totally misunderstood and oft misused French term. It's more than soil. Its, well, total geographic conditions surrounding a vineyard and ethereal French pride!

Wine Judge Recertification Update

A letter to all graduate wine judges of record was sent out recently detailing the new wine judge recertification program that is being instituted. The program is essentially the same as reported last month in AKSionLine with some minor exceptions emanating from criticism of the program. As expected, though, the main objections were ignored as national continues in its self serving ways. The letter was very confusing and even contradictory in that it described two conflicting schemes. Hopefully, someone at national will recognize the confusion and correct it. So much for the professionalism touted by national!

The Pain of Broken Windows
In Solemn Remembrance of Windows on the World

Tragedy touched many very deeply and broadly on the morning of Tuesday, September 11th, even to the restaurant industry. It began as it always did for most people. With notable exception, however, several people changed their routine - and their fate. Frank Aquilino, an AWS board member, was among these favored few, who, going to work near the World Trade Center, stopped for doughnuts and coffee. Those twenty minutes probably saved his life.

Others were fatally trapped when