Category Archives: Wine Events

Beckmen Vineyards Winemaker Dinner

16 Sunday Feb 2020

Posted by musingsonthevine in Restaurants, Wine Events, Wines

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I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a wonderful wine dinner at Legal Sea Foods, Park Square. The dinner was memorable for many reasons. First, I was able to reconnect with an old friend, who is one of the key influencers of my wine journey, Sandy Block, MW. Second, I was able to taste some great wines from Santa Inez, from a west coast winery that does it right and is hard to find on this side of the map. And lastly, I was able to experience the amazing Food and Beverage program at Legal Seafoods and meet our absolutely gracious and amazing host, Bryn Burke.

Sandy Block, MW is an icon, not only in the Boston area, but in the world of wine. I have been remarkably fortunate to have met some of this area’s wine luminaries over the years and more importantly, I have had the opportunity to taste and discuss wine with them, at length. The experience has been immeasurably important to my personal development as a wine educator. Enjoying this evening with Sandy was truly something special. Sandy is the consummate gentleman. Soft spoken, laid back and completely unassuming, making you feel right at home. His keen observations and deep knowledge provide the proper balance between sybaritic enjoyment and educational awareness.

If I look at the program that Sandy has created at Legal Seafoods, it is a model of exactly how the hospitality industry, specifically restaurants should approach wine (and spirits). First, concentrate on staff education. It is proven that a restaurant will sell more wine when the staff are properly educated and can provide trusted input towards a patron’s wine choices. Legal Seafoods invest significant effort into training staff so that they know and understand wine as an integral part of the dining experience. Second, create a wine list that is interesting with great value, appealing to a wide range of diners from novice to expert. A wine list should have enough diversity, with the usual “suspects,” peppered with eclectic bottles from far-flung regions to give choice without being overwhelming. Lastly, offering fun wine dinner experiences is critical to program success. Such dinners allow consumers contact with the wine makers without having to travel to far-away regions, which for wine enthusiasts is like meeting their favorite Hollywood movie stars. Wine dinners also provide a vehicle whereby the importance of wine and food pairing is showcased.

Beckmen-Menu
Beckmen-Folder

The dinner in question was the Beckmen Vineyards Winemaker Dinner, with Jeff Beckmen, the current proprietor. This was the first time attending a Legal Sea Foods wine dinner and I have to say, the experience was truly amazing. Upon arrival, we were ushered downstairs into the basement dining area and offered as a greeting wine, a glass of the Beckmen Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc. I will preface my remarks by saying that it is very rare that I find California Sauvignon Blanc that is true to type, or very interesting. The Beckmen was a delightful surprise. The wine had a perfumed nose of grapefruit and fresh mown grass with hints of honeysuckle and orange blossom – quite attractive. The palate was well-balanced with crisp acidity and clean, refreshing aftertaste. More grapefruit on the palate with notes of citrus and papaya. Showing beautifully, the wine was a perfect way to kick off the evening!

The dinner consisted of six courses, each paired with on or more Beckman wines. Once we were seated, our taste buds were tantalized by a mix of Hors D’oeuvres, including Baby Octopus Pintxo, Scallop Crudo, and Crabmeat-stuffed Shrimp was served. A wonderful mélange of flavors and textures that made an ideal accompaniment to the Beckmen Sauvignon Blanc.

Beckmen-SauvignonBlanc

The first entrée was a Spinach-wrapped Ora King Salmon with Wild Rice and Tarragon Beurre Rouge. Paired with the Salmon was the 2017 Beckmen Cuvee le Bec, a charming, fruit-forward blend of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Counois. One doesn’t instinctively think of pairing red with fish, but I was shown early in my career that medium-bodied, fruit-forward reds can pair well with certain fish, Salmon being one. The wine was all fruit in the nose with loads of black cherry and red currant. Well-balanced with moderate acidity and firm, well integrated tannin. A lush palate with more cherry, resolving with a spicy, herbaceous finish. Truly charming and a perfect mate to the fleshy, earthy tones of the Salmon and Tarragon. Heaven and we were only at the first stop of the journey.

Beckmen-Salmon

Next up was a Toasted Sesame-Crusted Tuna and Nori Roll, with Fermented Kelp and Sesame Chili Vinaigrette, paired with the 2017 Beckmen Grenache. Another red wine with fish paring that worked perfectly because of the savory flavors found in the sesame and fermented kelp. The chili tang created magical synergy with the spicy-sweet quality of the Grenache. The nose of the wine was somewhat tight with bright, red fruits and a very light floral perfume of violets. Well-balanced with a dark fruit core, moderate acid and firm, intense tannin – Massive is the word that comes to mind. A long, almost sweet aftertaste softened the blow of the tannin. Ordinarily, pairing a wine with this tannic strength with fish is a recipe for disaster, but in this case, the flavors matched very well and created a complementary blend of sweet and savory. Well done!

Beckmen-Tuna
Beckmen-Grenache

The main course was a Panko-Crusted Lamb Chop with Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Sautéed Provençal Vegetables, paired with two Beckmen wines, both from Purisima Mountain and both Syrah – one, the 2014 and the other, the 2017. If the food and wine to this point were truly amazing, the perfectly cooked lamb chop was absolutely sublime. The perfect degree of doneness showcased the tender, succulent nature of the meat. Mild without any gaminess, the flavor of the crust wove delicate streams of earthy, nutty goodness through the dish.

Beckmen-Lamb
Beckmen-LambCut
Beckmen-Syrah2014

The two wines could not have been any more different, despite coming from the same vineyard and following a similar wine-making regimen. The two wines highlighted the importance of climate in this part of California, which, according to the pioneer of this region, Richard Sanford, are the reasons why California Central Coast wines are, and I second his opinion, the best the state as to offer. The 2014 Beckmen was a masterpiece. Dark fruit on the nose, earthy with concentrated black cherry and tar hints, mixed with delicate cedar and spice. Well-balanced with moderate acidity and firm, well-integrated tannin. Dark fruit with chocolate and cocoa dust on the palate. Tight finish. This wine is a sleeping monster, largely due to heavily reduced yields (only 80% of normal) as a result of droughts during the spring and growing season.

The 2017 Beckmen showed similar lineage, but the wine was much more overtly expressive. A jammy fruit-driven nose with allspice and blackberry jam hints leads the way. Good balance, not as well integrated as the 2014. Bright and fruity on the palate – ripe berries and just a hint of eucalyptus. My imperfect prediction is that the 2017 is not the massive wine that is the 2014, and as a result may not age as long or as gracefully. Jeff Beckmen, a man who obviously has much more experience with aging his wines, politely disagrees and sees as much potential in the 2017 as was shown on the 2014. It matters not – the wine and food pairing was again, heavenly!

We next had a wonderful cheese course of Brillat-Savarin, Montrachet and Morbier, with Mission Figs, Jamon Serrano and Toasted Almonds, paired with the 2016 Beckmen Cabernet Sauvignon. The cheese was perfectly ripe and was the ideal way of finishing the meal. Anything sweeter would have pushed the limit on one’s appetite.

Beckmen-Dessert

The principle vineyards owned by Beckmen are in the western portion of the region in what is called the Ballard Canyon, where the mountain valley vineyards benefit from the broad diurnal pattern of Santa Ynez climate. The soil, highly limestone and clay, also shares many similarities to the Rhone Valley, where the varieties of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre and Counois are made into historically significant wines. It may be that Ballard Canyon will share in some of this notoriety that the Rhone Valley enjoys. I suspect that the positive press received by Beckmen wines hints as such.

The Cabernet grapes that went into the 2016 were NOT from Ballard Canyon… Not surprised because the climate that grows great Rhone varietals is NOT the climate that grows great Cabernet. This wine is sourced from grapes further east in Los Olivos, another favorite region that I tripped over nearly 20 years ago!

The 2016 shows an earthy nose with menthol, eucalyptus, tobacco leaf and brambles. Cherry aromas wove within the “terroir-like” bouquet and gave the wine a lightly fruity character. Well-balanced with moderate acidity and well-integrated tannin creates a lush mid-palate loaded with bright red cherry and red currant. I bought several bottles of the wine because I want to see how it evolves with some bottle age – you should too!

I can’t offer any higher recommendation for the Legal Sea Foods wine dinner series than to insist that you find a way to attend a dinner soon. The dinners are offered at both the Park Square and Long Wharf Waterfront locations – if you have not done so, visit https://www.legalseafoods.com/ and sign up for their special events newsletter. As someone who has been enjoying fine wine and food for over thirty-five years, the Legal Sea Food wine dinners are a throwback to the golden age of fine wine and food appreciation mid-1980’s Boston!

Also, I will be conducting an extensive wine tasting of Beckmen Vineyards wines – some from the wine dinner and others from the library of Jeff and his family. I am working out sourcing as I type. Follow me at: https://www.facebook.com/pg/MusingsontheVine/events/?ref=page_internal, my Facebook events page for more details and sign up details when the event becomes reality. Expect a June timeframe if all goes well.

— Cheers!

2016 Chateauneuf-du-Pape

21 Saturday Dec 2019

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events, Wines

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Back in September we assembled a brave group to taste through a small, but classic assortment of wines from the storied region of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the highly-touted 2016 vintage. We tasted two whites and eleven reds and not one disappointed. In a scene reminiscent of tasting the 1998 vintage, it seemed like each bottle delivered even greater enjoyment as the afternoon carried on.

Before we look at the wines, let me provide some background to Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Chateauneuf-du-Pape is by far the most famous region within the larger region referred to as the southern Rhone valley in France. Its name translates to “Pope’s new castle,” which is derived from the period in Papal history when the Pope’s summer residence was located in this region of France, under Pope Clement V in 1309. While he made his home here, Pope Clement V did not cultivate the vine. It was under Pope John XXII when serious viticulture began to take place.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape is quite distinctive for a variety of reasons.

  • The wine has the highest minimum strength of any French wine (12.5%).
  • The wine has thirteen (13) allowed grapes in its cepage (grape blend).
    • Chateau de Beaucastel is one of the few wineries in the region that actually still use all thirteen in their wine.
  • As a region, Chateauneuf-du-Pape has some of the most varied soil, ranging from large, rounded, heat-absorbing stones (galets) to more traditional clay topsoil.
  • In 1923, Chateauneuf-du-Pape was the first region to initiate the Appellation Origine d’Controllee system that would become the standard for French wine law.
  • Chateauneuf-du-Pape also doesn’t allow chaptalization (the addition of sugar to grape must to increase total alcohol in the finished wine), which is unlike many other regions in France.

The region is located at about the midpoint of the overall Rhone Valley, just south of the city of Orange.CDP-Map

 

 

Chateauneuf-du-Pape – Grapes

Reds

  • Grenache
  • Syrah
  • Counoise
  • Picpoul Noir
  • Mourvedre
  • Cinsault
  • Vaccarese
  • Terrent Noir

Whites

  • Grenache Blanc
  • Bourboulenc
  • Picardin
  • Clairette
  • Roussanne

The traditional cepage, or blend, allows for all thirteen of the aforementioned varieties to be used in making the wine. Traditionally, the high alcohol of Grenache often gives many Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines their prodigious 14% alcohol. Mourvedre and Syrah add structure, while Cinsault and Counoise add flesh and body to the wines. The white grapes were often used to further soften what can sometimes be extremely tannic wines.

About 6% of the wines made in Chateauneuf-du-Pape are made entirely from white grapes, wines that are very rare indeed.

2016 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Wines

The following are the wines in the flight.

The whites:

CDP2016-Vieux-Lazaret

  • 2016 Domaine de Vieux-Lazaret Blanc: Bright lemon and citrus nose with hints of peach and wet stone. Grapefruit on the palate – refreshing with little oak.

CDP2016-VieuxTelegrapheBlanc

  • 2016 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Le Crau Blanc: Grassy with wet stone and grapefruit on the nose. Medium weight on the palate with hay, citrus, chalk and light vanilla notes.

The reds:

CDP2016-Bosquet

  • 2016 Bosquet des Papes: Dried currants, saddle leather, vanilla and black pepper in the nose. Tannic, structured with a deep, dense core of black fruit. Should age well.

CDP2016-Fortia

  • 2016 Chateau-Fortia: Earthy nose with hints of molasses and dried plums. Well rounded palate with red currants and tobacco leaf.

CDP2016-ClosBrusquieres

  • 2016 Clos des Brusquieres: Earthy with dried herbs and light campfire smoke. Blackberry fruit on the palate, closed.

CDP2016-ClosduMontOlivet

  • 2016 Clos du Mont Olivet La Cuvee du Papet: Fruit forward nose with black cherry and blackberry hints, some smoke. Tannic, structured, but lacking a strong fruit core. Higher than expected acid.

CDP2016-Domainede3

  • 2016 Domaine de 3 Cellier Alchimie: Cedar and bramble in the nose with light vanilla and caramel. Dried cherry and saddle leather on the palate. Complex finish.

CDP2016-FontdeMichele

  • 2016 Font de Michele: Cedar, cigar humidor and dried stone fruits in the nose. Gorgeous and seductive. Blackberry, black cherry and black pepper with hints of vanilla on the palate. Spectacular.

CDP2016-LeVieuxDonjon

  • 2016 Le Vieux Donjon: Soft nose with hints of red berry and wet stone. Tannic and structured with a tight core of black fruit. Black pepper on the finish. Lovely.

CDP2016-MasdeBorslauzon

  • 2016 Mas de Boislauzon: Classic. Jammy nose with dried herb, wet stone and black pepper. Well-balanced palate with more jammy fruit and silky tannins. Should age magnificently.

CDP2016-OlivierHilaire

  • 2016 Domaine Olivier Hilaire: Phenomenal. Another classic. Fruit forward nose with black cherry and black pepper notes. Well-balanced with a solid core of almost Port-like fruit. Seemingly endless on the palate. Stunning.

CDP2016-VieuxTelegrapheRouge

  • 2016 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Le Crau Rouge: Tight nose – Port-like with stewed fruit hints. Tannic with a good core of fruit. Cherry and dried herb on the palate.

CDP2016-Beaucastel

  •  2016 Chateau de Beaucastel: Tight nose with faint hints of blackberry and wet stone. Fruit forward palate – very young – firm tannin with a tight finish. Needs lots of time.

CDP2016-Flight

  • The flight – Overall – impressive and each bears examination in the coming years.

A superb tasting, which will be repeated in another five years to see how the wines are evolving. One of the best arguments for purchasing multiple bottles is the ability to study the wines over their life…

Cin-Cin!

 

Napa – Bordeaux Shootout VIII

14 Sunday Oct 2018

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events

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Napa-BordeauxVIIITableNapa-BordeauxVIIICockpitNapaBordeauxVIIIBlind

What is now becoming a regular event at Musings on the Vine is the Napa-Bordeaux Shootout.

This past weekend, on October 13, 2018, installment number eight took place, with France just edging out Napa for bragging rights to yet another win.

Napa-BordeauxVIIICheeseNapa-BordeauxVIIIFlight

The results of the tasting were thus:

NapaBordeauxVIIIResults (2)

Well, as you can see, this was a close contest. Despite Napa having wines scoring in second and third place, France managed to garner more overall points.
So, after eight installments, the results stack up as follows:
France’s lead is a strong 6 – 2 in overall wins. Point-wise, the French have 282 points to Napa’s 238 points, a widening margin.

A few observations are in order…

  • In prior meetings, it was clear that Napa was sometimes hampered by wines that did not age as well as their French counterparts. At this installment, to “level the playing field,” wines were staggered in age, with the French wines being on average a decade older than their American competitors. It appears to have helped the Americans by keeping the scoring close.
  • None of the wines had scored over 90 points when they were first reviewed upon release. Also, none of the wines are considered “trophy” wines. Despite their lack of “star power,” the flight showed that you don’t always need to be a star to shine.
  • I was again pleased with the 1989 vintage. The Olivier showed considerable aging potential despite being 29 years old. Another surprise? The 1988 Gloria… tons of aging potential left in this wine, a true testament to the quality of St. Julien Bordeaux.

NapaBordeauxLaLaguneNapaBordeauxMagnificatNapaBordeauxClosPegaseNapaBordeauxGloriaNapaBordeauxOlivierNapaBordeauxJosephPhelpsNapaBordeauxFarNienteNapaBordeauxPavie

Where does it go from here? Well if history repeats itself, I imagine a ninth match-up in the not too distant future…

Should be fun, as usual!

2018 Musings on the Vine Wine Events!

25 Thursday Jan 2018

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events

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MusingsLogo

To Our Supporters…

The Schedule of 2018 Wine Events is now available on the Musings website here: 2018 Wine Events

You can also check out our: Facebook Events Page

Please visit for all the details and make sure you sign up early! These events usually always fill up fast!

** Please Note: Attendance at all events MUST be confirmed by sending email to Paul_Malagrifa@MusingsOnTheVine.com

Cheers!

Old Bordeaux

09 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events, Wines

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In the thirty-five or so years that I have been tasting, exploring and enjoying wine I have been extremely fortunate. I have had gracious and generous teachers, men and women who have opened their minds, their hearts and their cellars for my benefit. I like to think that their sharing was a reward for my passion and enthusiasm about this magical elixir, which has been with us for the last six thousand years, or more.

OldBFLight

Recently I was privy to a once in a life time opportunity, the tasting of twelve incredible Bordeaux wines dating back to 1953, including many from 1961, 1962, 1966, 1967 and 1974. The flight was simply the most incredible collection of wines, all but one showing Bordeaux’s eminent potential for greatness.

The flight was as follows:

OldB1974Carbonieux

1974 Carbonnieux Blanc, Graves, Pessac-Léognan

Truly noteworthy. For a white wine with 43 years of age, it was showing beautifully. Deep amber in color with a light, almost floral nose. As it spent time in the glass, the bouquet opened to vanilla, butterscotch, pear and custard. On the palate, the wine was expectantly dry, very light-bodied with moderate acidity. With more time, the wine began to show an Amontillado-like character with layers of complexity on the finish. Clearly builds a case for the aging potential of white Graves.

OldB1953Montrose

1953 Montrose, St. Estèphe

Marvelous. Vibrant nose with cooked fruit, saddle leather, cedar and mineral hints. Medium-bodied, very well-balanced with almost no tannin. Soft and earthy on the palate, with gamey, roasted meat and mushroom notes. Very long, complex finish. Hints of red fruit were an amazing testament to the aging potential of this wine. To have any trace of freshness at 64 years old is simply amazing. The fact that the wine was a 375mL split is even more incredible.

OldB1961Talbot

1961 Talbot, Saint-Julien

A bit disappointing. Brownish tint with a hint of ascetic acid on the nose. Sweet cooked fruit, prunes. Sherry-like with a strong Oloroso nature. Burnt orange rind on the palate with forward acidity. In this case, the 375mL format is showing its age.

OldB1962Gruaud

1962 Gruaud Larose, Saint-Julien

The overwhelming favorite of the flight, by weighted score. Brickish tint with a strong earthy nose. Roasted game, cooked fruit, menthol, saddle and cedar hints abound. Charming. Medium-to-full-bodied with great mid-palate weight. Some acid and a sour cherry tartness. Dark fruit with an evolving, ultra-complex finish. Absolutely wonderful.

OldB1966Fourcas

1966 Fourcas Hosten, Listrac-Médoc

Brickish with a faded, garnet robe. Peppery nose with dark, cooked fruit hints. Medium-bodied but very dry on the palate. Tart with briarwood notes. Long finish, but a little abrasive.

OldB1966LesOrmes

1966 Les Ormes-de-Pez, St. Estèphe

Briskish but with a blood-red robe. Cooked fruit nose with prune, saddle leather and cedar hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity and surprisingly firm tannin. Dry and lacking mid-palate weight. Dark fruit and anise on the finish.

OldB1966Palmer

1966 Palmer, Margaux

The overwhelming favorite of the flight, by first place votes. Brickish with a fig-like nose with stewed fruit, prunes, saddle leather and cedar. Medium-bodied with good mid-palate weight. Some acidity and firm tannin. Dried fruit and roasted game on the finish that is almost endless. Awesome vibrancy for 51 years old.

OldB1966LasCases

1966 Leoville-Las Cases, Saint-Julien

A bit disappointing. Brickish with faded garnet robe. Tired nose with saddle leather and cedar hints. Medium-bodied with firm acidity. Very dry. Tart. The 375mL format did not help this wine age. Very tired overall.

OldB1966HautBrion

1966 Haut-Brion, Graves, Pessac-Lèognan

Second in terms of weighted score, as well as first place votes. Brickish but with a dark, opaque robe. Dark fruited nose with black cherry/blackberry jam hints. Medium-to-full-bodied with loads of dark fruit. Lovely. Gamey, roasted meat palate with smoky notes. Long finish with strong mineral/granitic notes. Another wine of incredible vibrancy for 51 years old.

OldB1967Smith

1967 Smith Haut Lafitte, Graves, Pessac-Lèognan

Unfortunately, the cork had failed and the wine was pure vinegar.

OldB1967Cos

1967 Cos D’Estournel, St. Estèphe

Very disappointing. Light brickish, faded rose. Bright nose with some cherry fruit hints. Very light-bodied with no tannin and firm acidity. Tasting more like an old Burgundy than Bordeaux with dried red berry notes.

OldB1967HautBrion

1967 Haut-Brion, Graves, Pessac-Lèognan

A solid wine coming in third by the number of third place votes. Deep coloration with a faded rose tint on the disk. Cooked fruit nose. Meaty with saddle leather, cedar and smoky hints. Medium-to-full-bodied with firm tannin and moderate acidity. Great mid-palate weight with dark fruit notes. Long finish, a bit muddled.

OldBordeauxTableA few notes about the vintages.

1953 Not deemed to be a spectacular vintage. The growing season was considered hot, which developed strong sugar levels. September rains pushed the harvest out far enough to allow for added hangtime, which is one reason why the wines from 1953 are showing such great potential.

1961 Considered a legendary vintage with many wines still drinking exceptionally well.

1962 Classic shadow vintage, coming on the heels of the legendary 1961 vintage. Many wines are showing great potential, not unlike 1983 and 1996 wines.

1966 A very strong vintage with many wines, like the Palmer and Haut-Brion above showing an almost youthful vigor.

1967 Deemed a minor vintage. Some wines continue to show well, but most are tired and were likely at their peak back in the late 1990’s.

1974 A very weak vintage with a few standouts, but overall very poor quality and aging potential.

Masi Agricola

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events, Wines

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logo_cantina_privata

The more time I spend tasting the wines from the Veneto, the more I appreciate their many treasures. The Veneto has a long history of wine making and is one of the most productive regions in all of Italy. The wines of the Veneto have great diversity of style and represent the largest production of DOC-level wines in all of Italy. More than half the wine production is to white wines, but it is the red wine that has made the Veneto so famous. While Soave is undeniably one of the most well-known white wines in the world, Valpolicella and Bardolino rank high on the list of well-known reds. A lot of this fame is due to the massive quantities of mediocre wine that flooded the market during the 60’s and 70’s, which is something that producers in the Veneto are actively trying to change. The good news is that the once low-brow opinion of Venetian wines is being supplanted by critical acclaim.

 

One of the producers leading the way to excellence is Masi Agricola (http://www.masi.it/eng/home/), an old, family-owned operation that has its roots in the Veneto going back to the 18th century in the Vaio dei Masi, or the small valley in Valpolicella where their original production began. The original owners of Masi, the Boscaini family still own what has grown into a massive wine enterprise, producing some of the best wines from the Veneto, as well as extending beyond Italy to produce award-winning wines from Argentina. Masi is considered a leader in the Veneto, perfecting the time-honored process of Appassimento, or air-drying of the grapes to produce wines of great intensity and complexity.

MasiFranklin

 

I had the pleasure of joining several folks at the Franklin Wine Club last week to taste through a representative portfolio of Masi wines. The tasting was led by Tony Apostolakos, US Director of Marketing and Sales for Masi Agricola. Tony was entertaining and informative and the wines showed beautifully. The wines that stood out for me, are the following:

MasiPG

 

2015 Masi Agricola Masianco Pinot Grigio, Venezie – A lovely wine with a lemony/citrus nose with honey and toffee hints. The wine is surprisingly full-bodied for a Pinot Grigio, likely due to the addition of Verduzo to the blend. Well-balanced with a pleasant, long finish. A very good value.

MasiRosa

 

2016 Masi Agricola Rosa die Masi, Venezie – A charming and refreshing rosé wine with a soft floral nose and peach hints. Medium-bodied with moderate acidity. Red berry and strawberry notes on the palate with moderate length. 100% Refosco. Good value.

MasiCampofiorin

 

2013 Masi Agricola Campofiorin Rosso, Veronese – A deep, dark wine with black cherry, exotic spice and dried fruit hints on the nose. Medium-bodied with firm acidity and tannin. Sour cherry palate with subtle complexity on the finish. 70% Corvina, 25% Rondinella and 5% Molinara, vinified individually after a brief appassimento and then blended.

MasiBrolo

 

2010 Masi Agricola Brolo Campofiorin Oro, Veronese – An intense and magical wine with a complex nose suggesting allspice, dried fruit, leather and blackberry jam. Medium-to-Full-bodied with soft acids and moderate, but well-integrated tannin. The palate is rich and laden with black fruits and tarry, tobacco notes. Very long finish with more spicy complexity and light cocoa and dark chocolate notes. The traditional blend of Corvina and Rondinella is enjoined by the rare Oseleta grape and aging takes place in small oak cooperage.

MasiTupungato

 

2014 Masi Tupungato Passo Doble, Mendoza, Argentina – Another deep, intense wine with a lively, fruity nose with blackberry and black cherry hints. Medium-to-Full-bodied with moderate acidity and a tight, tannic structure. Jammy palate with an intense, dark core of black fruit. Long finish with layered complexity. Blend of Malbec and appassimento-treated Corvina. A superb value.

MasiCostasera

 

2011 Masi Agricola Costasera Amarone Classico – A tremendous, age-worthy wine with a vibrant nose suggesting figs, dried fruit, exotic spice and floral hints. Full-bodied with moderate acidity and firm tannin. Lush palate with layers of complexity. Very long finish – endless flavors emerge on the aftertaste. Very young with incredible potential – will easily improve and evolve over the next 30 – 40 years. Excellent value for Amarone.

 

Musings on the Vine: 2015 in Review

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events

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I’m not often one to share statistics, but I wanted to say thanks to all my followers and to those folks who merely stopped in for a casual read. Wine and spirits are a passion for me and nothing gives me more pleasure than to share that passion with you!

We have lots of things tee’d up for 2016, so stay tuned for another exciting year with Musings on the Vine!

Happy New Year!

 

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2015 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 8,400 times in 2015. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 3 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.

Click here to see the complete report.

Napa versus Bordeaux – Part VI

23 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events

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Back in May of 2013 we had the fifth installment of our version of the Judgement of Paris: https://blog.musingsonthevine.com/2013/05/13/napa-versus-bordeaux-part-v-the-saga-continues/

As predicted in that post, we conducted match-up number six and have the following to report.

The sixth installment took place on November 14, 2015, matching a comparable set of eight wines. The results were as follows:

By Wine
Wine 1st 2nd 3rd Total
(3 pts) (2 pts) (1 pt)
1986 Silverado Vineyards 2 3 1 13 pts
1986 Forman 1 0 3 6 pts
1987 Mondavi Reserve 1 1 0 5 pts
1985 Caymus Special Select 3 0 1 10 pts
1986 D’Angludet 0 2 0 4 pts
1989 Cos Laboury 3 4 1 18 pts
1989 Grand Mayne 2 2 2 12 pts
1982 Haut Batailley 5 1 2 19 pts
By Region
Napa Valley 34 pts
Bordeaux 53 pts

Well, as you can see, France took the prize this time around fairly handily.

So after six installments, the results stack up as follows:

France’s lead is back to 4 – 2 in overall wins. Point-wise the French have 202 points to Napa’s 174 points, a widening margin.

A few observations are in order… In this installment, the wines were from closer vintages, which definitely helped the French. The US wines were all very good, but showed their age. On the contrary, the French wines were drinking marvelously – mature but not tired – vibrant with layers of complexity.

The US wines included a Wine Spectator 100-point wine – the 1985 Caymus Special Select and while it garnered a handful of first place votes, the wine was decidedly average.

IMG_2249

One of the most touted, or should I say “hyped” vintages is represented with the 1982 Haut Batailley – Robert Parker was made famous by this vintage and interestingly, he did not think much of this wine. He last tasted the wine in 1995 and felt that it might last another 7 – 8 years. Our results suggest that the predictability of aging potential is still more art than science… For me personally, I was thrilled with the quality of the two 1989 Bordeaux wines – both were from the first futures I ever bought!

IMG_2243

Where does it go from here? Well if history repeats itself, I imagine a seventh match-up in 2017, either in April, or October…

Should be fun, as usual!

Greater Boston Wine Festival – July 27th!

23 Wednesday Jul 2014

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events

≈ Leave a comment

MAFWGA-logo-1color-WEB-Main

Musings on the Vine will be at the Greater Boston Wine Festival this coming Sunday, July 27th.

The festival is being held at the Marshfield Fairgrounds in Marshfield, MA.

We will deliver three sessions during each of the Festival hours – 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM.

The sessions are:

Exploring Massachusetts Grown Wines (11:30 AM or 4:30 PM)

Exploring Apple Wines and Ciders (12:15 PM or 5:15 PM)

Wine & Food in Balance (1:00 PM or 6:00 PM)

 

Check out: http://www.masswinery.com/events/ for more information!

Cheers!

Wine Tasting @ Sweet Basil in Needham, MA – Sunday May 4, 2014 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM

07 Monday Apr 2014

Posted by musingsonthevine in Wine Events

≈ Leave a comment

Our last Wine Tasting in March was so well received, Needham Community Education is offering another installment!

At this time there are still (9) seats available!!

Wine-Tasting class at Sweet Basil
942 Great Plain Ave. Needham 02492

Join us for a fun and relaxing afternoon of wine tasting
as one of Needham’s most popular restaurants, Sweet
Basil, opens its doors for this class only. You will
learn more about the complex and fascinating world
of wines, savor delicious tapas-style appetizers, and
sample a variety of wines. You will learn about where
and how wine is produced, how to classify it into
broad types, how to buy, order, serve and store it, and,
of course, how to enjoy it. Sweet Basil will provide
appetizers carefully chosen to complement the wines
you’ll sample. So sign up alone, with a significant
other, or with a group for a special afternoon! A wine
fee of $15 per person is payable in class. Limited to
18.

Code: 10601.3
Sunday, May 4th, from 2-4pm
Paul Malagrifa, Certified Wine Educator, Instructor
Fee: $69 (with additional wine fee of $15 payable in class)
An array of appetizers will be served to complement wines being tasted!
Call Needham Community Education to register: 781-455-0400 x223 or 235
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