KJPcreations

By Katrina Joy Plam / Originally published in OUT Magazine, May 2008

The religious dogma behind biodynamic farming may be simultaneously over the top and a thing of beauty. Skeptics scoff at a wine whose production details include a cow horn filled with manure and buried in the ground to bathe in autumn and winter only to be dug out in spring and sprayed on the vines. But is there any voodoo to the doodoo?

Biodynamic farming was developed in 1924 by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner. He believed a farm should be a self-contained living organism with a vibrant ecology in harmony with the seasons, the moon cycles, and the local environment. Today, the 400-plus winemakers working in biodynamic practices, which focuses on composting and manures eschewing artificial chemicals, believe that the biodiversity they foster engenders resilient and sustainable vines; true believers insist that wines produced in harmony with their environment exhibit a better expression of a wine’s true nature. With sustainable agriculture leading to heartier land, the wine’s character is responding; the taste of theses unique terroirs practically blossoms from the glass.

But the true test lies in the mouth of the beholder. With the emergence of several standout biodynamic wines, we now have the opportunity to kiss them all and decide for ourselves if this affair will be fleeting or steal our hearts.

2005 Francois Chidaine Les Tuffeaux Montlouis: A demi-sec Chenin Blanc, this penetrating wine unfolds with layers of baked fruits, candied apple, and creamy notes of peach, raw honey, and cobbler. Lush and voluminous, an ideal bottle for a carpet picnic or an after-dinner terrace tête-à-tête. $20

2002 Radikon Oslavje Bianco: A radical wine reflective of its maverick winemaker, Stanislao Radikon, this project embodies the unexpected with golden rich fruits and complex aromas possessing a remarkably long finish. $45

2006 Brickhouse “Select” Pinot Noir: Seductive, lush, and complex, this uniquely cloudy beauty delivers vanilla and dark fruits in the mouth with a long lingering finish showing notes of black cherry, cocoa, anise, and cinnamon. $30

2005 Ehlers St. Helena Cabernet Sauvignon: Smooth and velvety with a balanced mid-body, this butterscotch candied brute is sure to strip you of your clothes. A big Cab, typical of Napa, this wine engenders conversation, pleasingly pairs with a steak and possesses a classic structure good for the cellar or open on a table near you. $45

2003 Clos Rougeard Saumur Champigny : A focused project with a dense, luscious structure carrying flavors of plum, black cherry and dried fruit; this expressive wine is desirable with plenty of refinement. A lingering finish leaves impressions of blueberry, mocha, and anise. It’s the kind of wine fantasies are made with. 100% Cab Franc. $39

Part One: The Tasting Room

This three part series will explore wine tasting etiquette from the tasting room to the barrel room to the living room. Don’t be that guy who asks if they can drink the contents of the dump bucket or makes inappropriate jokes about the bung hole. Taste like a pro and be proud of it. You don’t have to be the sommelier of The French Laundry to taste like the experts. Learn your way around a wine glass in three easy steps: stop, drop and roll.

~Stop: reading reviews and start tasting~
Tasting makes perfect. The best way to learn about wine is to drink and drink lots of it. Develop your own vocabulary and scribble down notes on what you see, smell and taste. Soon, you will begin tasting repetitive qualities and recognize true varietal characteristics. And by all means, trust your own palette. You are the master of your own mouth!

Every tasting room experience is different and ranges from the boutique, off the map winery to the big guns of Napa scattered along Highway 29. I have a few ubiquitous reminders and expectations to keep in mind as you explore your chosen wine country. Usually, there is a greeter and someone who will explain the ins and outs of their tasting room including what wines are open for tasting. Pricings for tasting vary from free to upwards of $45 dollars. Tip: plan ahead and check out the websites of the wineries your planning on visiting. You can find information such as tasting notes on the current releases, awards and upcoming events. And if you want a more intimate and organized experience, make an appointment. Also, ask your eagerly anticipated winery host to offer suggestions as to their favorite places to visit. You’d be surprised at how many “unknown” producers can be discovered through word of mouth.

Every winery has their unique style and staff appropriately. Be aware of your surroundings and respect the winery. Several wineries operate with small crews who wear many hats and are not simply waiting in the tasting room, drinking the dump bucket in anticipation of your arrival.

Typically white wines are poured first, followed by the reds in order of their intensity. The idea being not to let the different strengths and flavors of these wines interfere with each other.

~Drop: pretension~
Leave your snobbery for the runway. People have their opinions about wine and are quick to share them. Listen with an open mind but trust yourself. Nobody is the boss of your mouth! So let’s talk about the actual quaff in three easy steps: check it out, get a whiff of this and yummy-in-my-mouth.

• Check it out!
Not only do most people miss the smell (huge olfactory-goodness mistake) but also few take the time to check out the look of the yummy in the glass. Make note of the clarity and brilliance of color as well as the intensity. Wines vary in color and texture. Hint: hold your wine glass at an angle up towards the light.

• Get a whiff of this!
Hold the wine glass by its stem and swirl the wine in your glass by rotating your wrist. Do not abuse the wine in your glass. You’re not whipping an egg. This takes a little practice. You may try keeping your glass on the tasting table, resting your hand on the base of the glass and rotating the wrist while holding the rest of the arm still. The swirly action is not just to look like a hip-quaffer but it actually releases the wine’s aromas. Next, don’t be shy with your schnoz; get your nose up in that glass and keep your mouth open. Whiff, whiff, whiff and pull the glass away and take a moment to reflect. (It’s true you can overwhelm your olfactory senses so take your time with this step; the wine is not going anywhere.) Please don’t be intimidated by the dude next to you who smells black cherries whilst you are whiffing on some dried apricot. People smell differently. Check out: Different wine whiffs are down to our genes (Thirty Fifty Online, By Sandra Clement) http://www.thirtyfifty.co.uk/wine-news-detail.asp?id=239&title=Different-wine-whiffs-are-down-to-our-genes

• Yummy-in-my-mouth!
After getting you fair share of whiffs, it’s time to taste. Take a sip and roll the wine over your tongue several times before swallowing. (Be nice to the juice! It’s not mouthwash people.) Try and exhale through your nose as you swallow to allow your taste buds and sense of smell to be best friends forever! If you’re feeling brave, you can try to aerate your wine by allowing the wine to be exposed by the surrounding air. Take a small sip and essentially slurp with your mouth slightly open. By exposing some air you open up the wine and release the intended aromas and flavors. If you discover yourself aerating your coffee then you’ve truly graduated.

The spit bucket is your friend. Dump away and don’t feel you have to gulp it all down or your will hurt your host’s feeling. The tasting room wines are open for you and will be left for vinegar if not poured for your enjoyment. Special containers are provided so that you may gracefully discard the wine from your glass or your mouth.

~Roll: with style~
Take the time to methodically explore wines that reflects your own style and tastes. I suggest taking on a specific varietal in a specific region and tunneling down. Not only will you familiarize yourself with the characteristics of the vareital, but also you can begin to understand how terroir (the dirt) shows up in the glass. The Cabernet Sauvignon cone planted in Napa will not taste the same planted in the Willamette Valley. There are several inexpensive wines being imported from countries like Chile and Argentina and Australia so grab your tasting passport and take a trip.

One last reminder about the tasting room, “Yo, boozy-the-clown, don’t ask for a second tasting unless you are ready to take her (cough) I mean the wine home with you. Tastings are not designed to get you lit and start drunk dialing your last boyfriend but to cultivate and entice those taste buds of yours. And on that note, do not feel obligated to taste have every wine in your path. Not only can you dump with impunity but also you can skip (I know, try it folks) those wines you think you may not dig. Why strain the palate unnecessarily? If you’re on a specific varietal kick like say Petite Verdot then you can even stick to the PV for the day.

Tasting wine is a blast and touring wine country or bellying up to the tasting bar at your local wine shop gives you the opportunity to commune with your fellow wine heads. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and share what you are tasting. It’s an enriching and educational experience for every wine enthusiast both novice and expert alike. Get on with your wineglass toting self and stop, drop & roll. Experience the magic!

While I have been coiffing delicious wine of the life changing type, like incredible Grenaches and Portuguese wines that would make a starburst jealous, I am not sure if that’s a good thing at all. In fact, I am not sure what to write about wine anymore since I’ve set a goal for myself of altering the way we speak about wine. And to be honest, I am frozen in a state of panic. How can I change something I am fairly new to learning? To boast, I trust my palette unquestionably but I have discovered the more you unveil in the mysterious world of wine the more there is to know. But I am fine with that. For now. Maybe I am in the drinking phase and defining the vocabulary I wish to utilize in my wine revolution. So be it. Some one has to drink all this good juice and if that some one has to be me then I am okay with that. I will even drink some not so good juice. For now.

But don’t sleep on it. I will be back. DaVine words are inevitable!!!

It’s no small factoid that over 80% of wine drinkers are woman in their thirties buying Chardonnay under $10 a bottle. Hmmm. I like to think of Chardonnay as the gateway grape to more interesting varietals with more exciting flavor profiles. I like the reds. I like the BIG reds with fine extractions, balance and finesse that showcase their unique terroir. I prefer wines that are drinkable now but age worthy; cough, as if I keep a bottle longer than an evening but, if I had a cellar, I’d have that baby chock o’ block full o’ the finest.

But back to Chardonnay: I want to celebrate the inaugural wine blog launch of Kat’s Chai with a varietal often overlooked, snubbed and dubbed as the weaker sex: Chardonnay.

Tonight’s Quaff:
Valley of the Moon, Chardonnay, 2005
Cost: $15-$20

Valley of the Moon Chardonnay drinks like a green apple kiss. The mouth feel is velvety and smooth with notes of crisp, ripe fruit accompanied by accents of vanilla and spring cherries. This is a light wine that lacks the cloying, buttery characteristics often associated with the big “C” varietals.

Suggested Food Pairing:
Braised Tofu & Black Bean Soup; Sauteed Spinach with Garlic; Grilled Papaya on Crostini.

Suggested Musical Pairing:
Phoebe Snow’s Poetry Man