it is just grapejuice

Garnacha is hot, rich, spicy and indigenous to Spain… no matter what the french (or the rest of the world) call it. It also happens to be one of the most widely planted varietals on the planet. Usually used for blending in southern France, Rioja and traveling well to Australia and California, it is a grape with a lengthy resume. What is appealing about this bottle, after the $8 price in the shop, is it’s 100% garnacha composition from vines over fifty years old. It is an opportunity to get closer to the “backbone” grape of many wines of great character from Chateauneuf-du-Pape in which it is most often blended with as many as 12 other varietals. The flavor is big on this one, so much so that it needed to cool off, breathe a little before it could be enjoyable. Megatons of power, softened with some oxygen, provided some jammy raspberry and currant fruit, tipping the scales in terms of ripeness, juiciness and just plain bigness. Not spastic or imbalanced, big alcoholic nose but a mere 13.5% on the label. Not for the faint of heart or light supper. If you are looking for something big in everything but price, this is for you. Match it up with a rich dish such as lamb, a nice thick tenderloin, or even a hearty winter stew and you have Hulk Hogan body-slamming Andre the Giant in your mouth.

RF

While in Tucson, I had the chance to eat at a place called ‘Feast’ off of Speedway. I had just driven the 90 minutes from Phoenix and wanted to initiate the visit with a good meal. After some mild research on places to eat with interesting food and expansive wine lists (not to mention inexpensive), I chose this from a handful of other equally intriguing candidates. A table for one is lonely, so I sat up at the bar next to a fella with DESIRE tattooed in block letters across his forehead along with an entire universe of graphics crowding arms and legs; sitting next to girlfriend with an aspiring amount of tattoos herself… just another couple in an odd but cohesive blend of desert baked cityfolk. Choosing from between potato tacos and chicken tandoori sandwich to match a half bottle of Trimbach riesling and then a unique gazpacho with whole black olives. The Trimbach was great… the first few sips had to reschool the palate and wanted food; refreshing and unexpected is a good riesling and especially one from Alsace.
The food and ambience were casually eclectic as was the 200+ bottle wine list. If I ever have the mixed fortune to land in Tucson overnight again, I’m going back for the potato tacos and Guigal Condrieu.

RF

Turns out the old man had a few of these stashed which were purchased 15 years ago for about $20 each. 1987 was not a very good year for Bordeaux, but it was the Baron Philippe’s last harvest before he died, managing, perhaps, the wine of the vintage. When pulled from the cellar, we kept the bottle on it’s side and eased the deteriorating cork ever so delicately at such an angle so as not to let a drop spill. “It’s like delivering a baby,” my Dad commented.
A 20 year old baby at that. Carefully, we poured the brick brown Pauillac through a strainer into a decanter and managed to keep most of the sediment in the bottle. Meanwhile, ahi tuna was seared on the grill, counting up to 10 mississippi each side and potatoes and asparagus plated up for accompaniment. The moment of truth… possibly the best glass of wine I would ever have before me. The nose was dense, a symphony of fruit, character, age, and grace. On the palate, after about 10 blissful inhalations, it seemed surprisingly thin and moderate to low in length, with more of an aftertaste than a finish. It was beautiful, no mistake, but the mouth was not treated to the abundant complexity aroused by the nose by a mile… much more subtlety there. I felt pretty damn lucky to enjoy this wine and it was an ace with dinner… I suppose I expected fireworks (and they were there, on the nose) and had to be content with a firecracker.

RF

This is where I have been living lately, on top of this wine soaked plank with a punch down tool in hand. The grapes get crushed into these ton and 1/2 fermenting bins. The grapes stay in these “boxes” for the duration of fermentation which can last anywhere from a week to a month. During that time, and through the process of fermentation, a cap will form. It is critical in making red wine to make sure that the cap stays as wet as possible. We (I say we but mean me) punch down each box between 2 and 3 times a day- depending on what part of fermentation they are in. We have over 30 boxes going right now. By the time I finish morning punch downs it is time to start the afternoon ones…

Q- What are the DOCG’S of Italy’s Umbria region?
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As we were getting ready to crush/destem 6 tons of Demetria Vineyard syrah, Seth became concerned with the amount of saw dust and 2 stroke oil that was in the air. Amazingly, and after several phone calls, he was able to get the crew to stop cutting down the trees long enough so we could process the fruit. This syrah is going to be used in a project that Seth and famed Cote Rotie producer Yves Gangloff are working on. You have heard of Mondavi and Rothschild…it is time to get ready for Kunin and Gangloff!

Q- What is the smallest AVA in Washington State?
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A good friend of ours has just finished putting his inaugural vintage of Pinot Noir into barrel. My advice is to get on his mailing list as soon as possible! His name is Mike Padrick and you can find him and his very interesting harvest blog at…

http://www.p2wine.com/

Seth is showing me the inner workings of a crusher/de-stemmer. It is go time right now for Westerly and Kunin Wineries. Yesterday, we brought in 15 tons of Zinfandel from a vineyard in Paso Robles know as Rancho Santa Margarita. In addition to the Zin, we also brought in 7 tons of Alisos Vineyard Grenache.

What is the primary grape in the Jumilla region of Spain?
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