Animals in the Vineyard - Tablas Creek Patelin de Tablas

Tablas Creek is a winery I have seen much written about in very positive terms over the years but I have never had the opportunity to try any of their wines. They are one of the so-called "Rhone Rangers" of California, producing wines from grapes that are common in the Rhone Valley of southern France. Tablas Creek was started as a joint venture between the Perrin family of Chateauneuf du Pape super star Chateau de Beaucastel and Robert Haas, the owner of Vineyard Brands, which imports the famous winery. Tablas Creek is a winery I don't see much here in New Jersey, probably because most consumers do not step outside of their Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir comfort zone very often - and usually not until someone puts something unusual in their hands. This makes wines like this a tough sell where there isn't knowledgeable staff on hand to promote it.

What led me to Tablas Creek though wasn't the burning desire to sample their wines, for in truth, they've never been at the forefront of my wine consciousness due to their lack of exposure. What got me on this kick was a tweet that someone in my feed put out there with a link to Tablas Creek's blog and a post mentioning Cline Cellars' use of Donkeys in their vineyard. A little investigation revealed that Tablas Creek also had a vineyard herd. We're animal friendly here in the rural western central part of Jersey and in fact we have a few of our own so this was fascinating to me. I emailed one of the viticulturists at Tablas Creek, Levi Glenn, and he was kind enough to answer a few questions for me.

A few years ago Tablas Creek began farming parts of their vineyards biodynamically, which strives to create a balanced farm ecosystem and thus generate health and fertility in the soil. The use of animals in the vineyard is part of that equation. As the herd eats the grass and weeds between the vines they fertilize the soil and help produce a natural balance that let's Tablas Creek keep their vineyards free of herbicides and pesticides. The herd consists of 60 sheep, a ram, 2 donkeys, 4 alpacas, and 1 llama. They also have two mobile chicken coops, each with 15-20 hens. The hens not only fertilize the soil but they eat bugs as well. The donkeys, alpacas and llama are there partly as protection for the sheep and chickens. Because they are an unfamiliar part of the local, natural environment, they keep the coyotes away. The Tablas Creek herd is in the vineyards from November through March and kept out during the growing season. They are outside 95% of the time and only brought in for events or when the ewes have given birth and the weather is foul.

Photograph courtesy of Tablas Creek Winery

I ordered one of each of Tablas Creek's entry level wines from my local store - the Patelin de Tablas 2011 and the Patelin de Tablas Blanc 2012. They are both produced with a blend of Rhone varietals from the Tablas Creek vineyards and from purchased fruit. The red is produced with Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre and the white with Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne. I really wanted to love these wines but I have to be honest, I was a bit disappointed. They're not bad, they're just okay - and I was expecting more. The white's somewhat stunted aromatics offered some white peach notes. There was good texture in the mouth but I kept wishing that there was more fruit. The red was better with nice light red berry aromatics and soft cherry and raspberry flavors but not much in the way of secondary elements. Tablas Creek deserves kudos for their environmentally sound farming practices and I'm sure that their upper echelon wines deserve all the great reviews that they receive. I'd just like to see them do more with their entry level red and white. Cheers.

First Taste of the 2012 Rhones - Chateau Beauchene Cotes du Rhone

Cotes du Rhones are my favorite everyday reds so I was very excited when the bottlings from the very heralded 2012 vintage starting showing up on retailer's shelves. 2011 wasn't a bad vintage but there were some problems during the growing season that led to some variable quality across the board. Not so with 2012. A more typical growing season has led to wines of consistently higher quality than those from 2011. It's got the fruit and balance you want from a good Southern Rhone vintage.

Chateau Beauchene is run by a family that has been in the region since the 17th century. They call this bottling their "Grande Reserve" though I don't know why you would give that label to your entry level wine. No matter, this is usually a very good everyday wine and it shines brightly in the light of a good vintage like 2012. This lovely blend is made up of 60% Grenache, 27% Syrah, 10% Carignan and 3% Cinsault from de-stemmed fruit. It spends a short 6 to 8 months in oak prior to bottling. This very nice Cotes du Rhone is translucent ruby red in color and has all the bright cherry and peppery aromas you expect from these wines. In the mouth it has smooth cherry and berryish fruit supported by floral and Provencal spice notes. It finishes with very smooth tannins and good supporting acidity, and at $10.99 it's an excellent value. This beauty is imported by Regal, a company with an excellent portfolio of small to medium sized producers. Bottoms up!

The Sun and the Soil - Tessellae Cotes de Roussillon Old Vines 2011

2011 is a better vintage in Southern France than most people thought it would be. But really, on the heels of the stellar '09s and '10s, pretty much any kind of 2011 vintage would suffer in comparison. Despite a very cool summer, the weather turned warmer in September and the change allowed producers to let the fruit hang long enough to ripen fully.

The 2011 Tessellae Old Vines is a joint venture of Domaine Lafage and Eric Solomon's European Cellars, one of my favorite importers. This wonderful Cotes du Roussillon blend consists of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. The Grenache is from 60 year old vines. This rustic, rocky region inhabits the extreme southern end of France, right on the Mediterranean. It's warm here and the soils frequently lend a distinct mineral edge to the wines. My favorite wines from southern France usually have a higher percentage of Grenache in them but this beauty delivers a lot of enjoyment for the $11.99 I paid for it. The Syrah lends this blend a dark, dense color and it's plummy fruit, with supporting notes of black cherry, coffee and spices. There's a definite dusty minerality in the aromas also. It's fairly large scaled in the mouth with the darker fruits dominating. It finishes long with some licorice notes and and some drying tannins. We recently tried a $30 Syrah from one of California's hot young winemakers, and I have to say that it was good but at the same time it was completely underwhelming. I'd much rather drink the Tessellae - especially considering the price. Cheers.

Spanish Value Again! Los Dos 2012

I don't know how they do it, but there is something amazing about the level of quality coming out of Spain. When you can find a $6.99 wine like Los Dos you begin to realize that you can drink more wine without your finances taking a major hit. So what if it's Monday, we'll open a bottle anyway! Another great find of one of the best importers we have here in the States, Winebow, Los Dos is a sure everyday winner.

This blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah is produced for Winebow by the Bodegas Aragonesas, a co-op in the Campo de Borja DO of northeastern Spain. Grenache is common here but Syrah is not, so this blend is a bit unusual for the region. This is high altitude fruit as the 35 - 50 year old vines sit at around 2000 ft. in rocky soils that are rich in clay and iron. Campo de Borja is a very hot and dry region, but night time cooling breezes from the Mediterranean slow down the ripening and keep the acidity of the grapes from dropping to low. There's no wood on this wine. It's fermented entirely in stainless steel and bottled quickly to maintain it's aromatic freshness.

As the wine consultant for the popular and wonderful Nomad Pizza in Philadelphia, I can't tell how thrilled I was to find Los Dos. Pennsylvania has a state controlled liquor system and restaurants have to buy their product from the state at full retail markup. It's quite a challenge finding wines that are both cheap enough and good enough to pour by the glass.

Los Dos features forthcoming aromas of blueberry, blackberry and a bit of Grenache peppery spice. It's fruit forward, offering up soft, mouth filling dark berry and plum flavors while retaining enough acidity to keep it fresh and lively tasting. It finishes long, with coffee and a roasted fruit note on the back end. This is absolutely one of the best bargains I've come across this year and may just be the perfect pizza wine. Cheers everyone!

Flavors of the French Countryside - Pont de Nyons Cotes du Rhone 2010

There are certain kinds of wine that really resonate with consumers. Some folks might be Zinfandel fans. Others might only drink Cabernet Sauvignon - a phenomenon I have witnessed many times in the store I moonlight in. Still others have to have their Malbec and only Malbec. As someone who is equal opportunity and likes to try wines of many different types, varietals and origins, I sometimes find this obsessive loyalty almost comical. I mean really, are you actually going to drink a cab with pasta and clam sauce? The evening's dinner dish should have at least some influence on your wine choice and though I am no food and wine pairing dictator, you should give a modicum of thought to your choices.

That being said, I always have 2 or 3 Cotes du Rhones in my kitchen rack. There's no other wine I'd rather drink on an everyday basis. They're good with just about any meat dish and I've had them on numerous occasions with shrimp dishes, grilled or pan fried salmon and grilled tuna as well. The best ones are blends based mostly on the Grenache grape with other Rhone Valley varietals playing smaller but important supporting roles. For me, the common thread that links good Cotes du Rhones from different producers, is the black pepper element in the aromas. As soon as I smell that, I know I have what I like - as long as the fruit is there as well.

The 2010 Pont de Nyons Cotes du Rhone is a private label project of HB Wine Imports and R. Shack Selections, bottled by a friend of theirs in the village of Cairanne. 2009 and '10 were wonderful vintages in this part of the wine world, and this bottling gave me all I could want. The blend in this case consists of 70% Grenache, and 10% each Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault. Forthcoming aromas of black cherry, black pepper and what the French call "garrigues", a blend of local spice elements that may or may not suggest lavender, rosemary or thyme etc., are supported by mineral elements from the old vines that produced this fruit in very stony soils. In the mouth, there's lovely texture to the dark berry flavors, excellent supporting acidity and pepper and mineral elements repeating on the long, lightly tannic finish. This everyday winner cost me a mere $9.99. Cheers.

End of Summer Update - Petit Chapeau Cotes du Rhone 2010

I have a soft spot for this utterly drinkable everyday red as it was the first bottle I touted on these pages. As many of you know, I also have a fondness for these blends from the Rhone Valley of southern France. Factor into the equation a great 2010 vintage and a $9.99 price tag and you have a winner. This great little bottle is comprised of 50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 20% Cinsault, and 5% Mourvedre and is a private label project of Daniel Johnnes, which means that the wine was tailored to his taste and imported with his name on the bottle. Mr. Johnnes is one of the most important Sommeliers in the U.S. and imports quite a few wines as well. Most of the top importers now have at least one private label wine in their portfolio.

The Petit Chapeau red has just what you expect from a Cotes du Rhone, with classic aromas of black cherry, cola, damp earth and a note of black pepper. In the mouth it has excellent concentration to it's dark berry flavors, but never tastes heavy as it's bright acids lend balance and give it lift. It finishes long and lightly tannic and should make excellent company for a roast chicken, grilled sausage or even grilled shrimp. Imported for Daniel Johnnes by Michael Skurnick. Cheers!

99 Degrees - Rose to the Rescue Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence 2011

Now I'm not one to totally turn my back on red wines during the summer months, but last week's temperatures found me taking a pass on the reds. I love dry roses this time of year - cold, fruity and refreshing. They go well with just about anything and I think they are a must have for the kitchen rack during grilling season. Years ago the choices for dry roses in the marketplace were not nearly as diverse as they are now and you can pretty much find these beautiful pink wines from every country in almost every varietal. Yet for some reason, consumers are still wary of these wines. I'm not sure if they think that they're sweet but there is clearly some reticence on the part of many buyers.

The beautiful 2011 Cotes de Provence rose from Domaine Houchart is one I could drink all day long. A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvedre from 40 year old vines, the light salmon pink color leads to typical light red berry aromas of strawberry and raspberry. There's also floral notes and a touch of stony minerals. It's got beautiful texture, excellent medium bodied, red berry flavors, good balancing acidity and a long, creamy finish. Try this with grilled chicken, salmon or shrimp, a white pizza with clams or even sushi. Repped by David Milligan Selections, this $11.99 rose is a sure winner. Bottoms up!

Domaine du Pesquier Cotes du Rhone 2009

I've previously stated my love for these wines for everyday use and here is another great example from the fantastic '09 vintage. There is something special about the Grenache grape from this part of the world. In this version, the blend is 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre and 10% split between Carignan and Cinsault. This beauty features prominent aromatics of dark berries, licorice and pepper. It's bold, very ripe and fruity in the mouth, with coffee and earthy notes. It finishes long and lightly tannic, though in this case the fruit balances the tannins out. At Pesquier, the destemmed grapes are fermented in cement tanks that provide excellent temperature control and are then racked into large wooden tanks called "foudres". There's no new wood on these wines whatsoever. They also use a technique called "delestage", which removes the seeds from the fermenting process. Seed tannins are generally thought of as being harsher and greener than skin tannins, so this process will theoretically produce a softer, more approachable wine. Imported by VOS Selections, this tasty wine cost me $12.99. Cheers.

Wellington Vineyards - Sonoma County Value

On our recent trip to California, we spent a day in Sonoma and visited a small family winery that makes wonderful wines that sell for reasonable prices. Some are a little more expensive than my stated price range for everyday wine, but some others fit right in. They are well made, delicious and true to type. In addition, we got to spend some time with owner Peter Wellington and Manager Toby Germano. 8 acres of Wellington's 21 total go back as far as 117 years. The picture below shows some of the vines from a block that goes back to 1912. These old vine parcels are planted mostly with Grenache, Zinfandel, Alicante Bouschet, Syrah and Carignan. These varietals are mixed together in "field blends", the thinking back then being that if one or two didn't fair well in a particular vintage, then the others would pick up the slack.

Now however, Wellington is bottling the Syrah, Zinfandel and Grenache separately, as well as Marsanne, Rousanne, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and several bottlings of Cabernet Sauvignon. In the above photo, Janet gets a pruning lesson from owner Peter Wellington. The really old vines produce less fruit and thus more concentrated, more complex juice. These vineyards are cultivated in a sustainable manner, just a step shy of certified organic. Sulfur dust is occasionally used to control powdery mildew but insecticides and herbicides are never used.

3 of Wellington's everyday reds are readily available here on the east coast, the Cabernet Sauvignon from the Mohrhardt Ridge Vineyard, a Sonoma Merlot and a Sonoma Zinfandel. The Cab has all the good primary fruit you expect from a from a California wine with a good bit of that herbal Cabernet character. It's balanced and finishes long and smooth with soft tannins. It sells for $16.99 at my local store. The Zinfandel is also wonderful, giving forth all the peppery dark fruit flavors you expect from this uniquely American varietal in a nicely balanced format. Though coming in at 15.5% alcohol, there is enough acidity to keep this brawny wine fresh tasting. It sells here for $12.99. Last but not least, the Sonoma Merlot hits all the right notes. And despite the movie "Sideways" and it's famous Merlot line, this grape still outsells Pinot Noir. Wellington's Merlot has all the bright cherry fruit you expect from this varietal with notes of chocolate and brown spices. It's soft and smooth and has none of the "weedy" characteristics you sometimes get from a hot climate Merlot. It also sells for $12.99. Cheers.

Chateau Viranel St. Chinian Rose 2011

As I mentioned in the Vibrant Rioja Tasting post, I drink a lot of rose this time of year. The weather's getting warmer, the grill is getting hotter and the wines are getting cooler. St. Chinian is one of those little known AOC's of the Languedoc, the large, southernmost wine region of France. It sits at the base of the Massif Central, a collection of plateaus made up of hundreds of extinct volcanos. This geology contributes structure and flavor to the wines of the region. The Chateau Viranel rose is a blend comprised of 40% Syrah, 40% Grenache, and 20% Cinsault from 30-60 year old vines from limestone terraced vineyards. With a beautiful deep pink color, this beauty features pungent aromas of fresh strawberry, raspberry and floral elements with light red berry flavors, notes of honey and excellent acidity and balance. It's fruity yet light on it's feet. It finishes long with mineral notes. Imported by the Maximum Wine Company, this kind of wine can really compliment your weeknight dining. At $14.99, it's a bit higher in price than most roses, but it's a bit more special than most also. Cheers.

Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone 2009

 Kermit Lynch is an importer who in no small way has helped bring about the world wide quality revolution in wine. He was one of the first importers to travel the back roads of France seeking small quantity, high quality producers doing things the natural way. Although now in his 60's, Mr. Lynch is still traveling those back roads. His 1988 book, "Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyer's Tour of France", was extremely influential. Nowadays, many of the small importers that I've written up have the same philosophy as Mr. Lynch - that small production wineries making wine in the most natural way possible will produce wines that express the soil that the grapes are grown in. Eric Asimov of the NY Times wrote a brief profile of Mr. Lynch in 2007.

The private label Cotes du Rhone that bears Mr. Lynch's name is a perfect example of everything that he stands for in an inexpensive everyday format. 2009 was a wonderful vintage in southern France and here beautiful aromas of black cherry and pepper are complicated by floral notes. It's got great concentration and balance with bold berry flavors and a distinct earthiness that keeps you coming back for more. This beauty finishes long and lightly tannic with good acidity and firm structure. At $12..99, this is a bottle I could easily pick to be my house wine. Cheers.

Mas de Gourgonnier Les Baux de Provence 2007

   The french word "terroir", when used in wine speak, refers to flavors that come from the soil. This elusive notion at times is a very clear reality, and when you find it, it makes your wine experience special. These flavors that are more than mere fruit are what give wine "a sense of place". In this case, the red blend from Mas de Gourgonnier is one of those wines that as soon as you smell it, your are transported to the rocky soils of Provence in the AOC known as Les Baux de Provence. Wine has been made here for at least 2,600 years and this interesting wine is comprised of Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan. Lovers of the more new world fruity styles may not care for this wine, but for me, this is what great wine is all about, at any price point. Wild aromas of black pepper, licorice, leather and plummy fruit give you all the sensations of the French countryside...and I could sniff this wine all day. It's got wonderful, medium-bodied plum and black cherry flavors with a heavy dose of Provencal spiciness, all supported by good acidity and a mineral spine. It finishes long with perhaps a bit more tannin than you expect at this price point. Still, this is an excellent value that gives you plenty to talk about while you sip, and I'm sure the '09 and the'10 will be just as good when they hit the market. Imported by Michael Skurnick, this beauty cost me $12.99. Cheers.

Chateau d'Oupia Minervois 2009

  Minervois is one of those unheralded Southern French AOC's that very few people know about, or know what it is. It's located In the extreme south, right on the Mediterranean Sea and it is the source of some very good everyday wines. The Chateau d'Oupia Minervois, from importer Louis/Dressner, is a wonderful bargain year in and year out. It's dominated by the Carignan grape to the tune of 60% with the rest of the blend made up of 30% Syrah and 10% Grenache. With 2009 being a very warm and fruit forward vintage in the region, this version of Chateau d'Oupia is sure to please just about anybody looking for an excellent wallet friendly bottle. The nose is dominated by intense black pepper and dark berry aromas along with a touch of minerals. It's very forward and fruity in the mouth with bold berry flavors that never turn jammy. It finishes long and smooth with spicy notes. It's all estate grown and bottled and at $10.99, this beauty is one to seek out. Cheers.

Domaine Boisson Cotes du Rhone '09

Yes, I sometimes sound like a broken record (you remember vinyl don't you?) but I can't help it. Cotes du Rhones are hands down my favorite everyday reds. For me, no other wines give as much complexity and pleasure in the low end category. 2009 was a fantastic vintage in the Rhone Valley and the CDR from Domaine Boisson is an absolute steal at the $9.99 my local shop is charging for it. This beauty is a blend made up of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Carignan, and 5% each Cinsault and Mourvedre. It's got all the stuff I love; big aromatics of bing cherry, pepper and Provencal spice and a big bold mouthful of dark berry fruit. It has excellent structure and finishes lightly tannic with note of minerality. I could easily go through a case of this over the next month. We sampled this beauty last night with some southwest style venison burgers with chipotle mayo. Imported by the wonderful small importer Alain Junguenet and his company, Wines of France, this is a portfolio to seek out. Cheers!

Clos du Mont Olivet "Font de Blanche" Cotes du Rhone '07

   I still love Cotes du Rhones. There are very few wines that serve up such complex aromas and flavors at their price point and are so versatile in terms of what you can pair them with. We've had CDR's many times with salmon, shrimp or tuna as well as just about any meat preparation. '07 was a great vintage in France's Rhone Valley as is the case with '09. But the '07's are special and now that they have had the benefit of resting for a year or two, they have smoothed out a bit and they are drinking really well. I am thrilled every time I walk into my primary wine shop and see that the owner still has the '07 Mont Olivet on the shelf. He either bought a ton of it or I'm the only one drinking it, which would be a shame. These wines are blends that are usually based on the Grenache grape with other grapes like Syrah, Mouverdre, Cinsault and Carignan filling out the blend. This particular beauty serves up quintessential Grenache aromas of cherry, raspberry, pepper and garrigue, which is kind of an amalgam all those Provencal herbs like lavender, rosemary and marjoram. This wine is sweet and smooth with bright cherryish fruit and a finishing note of licorice. An import of Michael Skurnick, this house favorite cost me $12.99. Cheers!

Another Great Spanish Value - Panarroz '09

   Here is another $7.99 Spanish bargain that I have to rave about - Panarroz. A three grape blend of Monastrell, Grenache and Syrah grown in the Jumilla DO, this great little wine serves up aromas of cherry, blueberry and a distinct earthy note. It's aromas are quite large and complex for a wine at this price point. In the mouth, it delivers bold berryish fruit, medium-bodied textures and a finishing note of pepper. A private label product of the fine importer Hand Picked Selections, this great value can be found almost everywhere. Year after year, Panarroz is one of the finest values on the market.

....and while I'm here, I have to give some props to our local artisanal pizza place since one of their pies is what I enjoyed the Panarroz with. Nomad Pizza in Hopewell, NJ is without a doubt the best pizza I have had in a long time - maybe ever. Owners Thomas Grim and Stalin Bedon had their wood-fired oven built in and then imported from Italy. Below is a pic of their Margherita with shitake mushrooms. They use as much local and organic ingredients as possible and their thin crust pies remind me of the individual pizzas you get in Rome. The salads are also great and it's a BYO but beware... they do not take reservations so if you are going on a warm summer night on the weekend, there will probably be a wait. I suggest going early, late or during the week. No matter when you go though, this place is definitely worth the trip!!