Tasting Chinon with Fabrice Gasnier

This is installment two of a February 2004 visit at Vignoble Gasnier in Chinon. If you missed part one, please see On the Farm in Chinon with Fabrice Gasnier.

Our walk through the vineyards and tour of the Cravant Les Coteaux hillsides complete, we headed to Fabrice’s cellar and winery to learn what happens indoors and to sample what he had wrought from the last couple of vintages. Gasnier’s winery is dominated by cement vats, which Fabrice prefers to steel for their slight oxygen permeability. All vats are temperature controlled, with all primary and most malolactic fermentation conducted in cement. The couple of stainless steel tanks in evidence are used only for assemblage and short-term holding. All fruit is de-stemmed and sorted prior to being crushed in a small vertical press. Following natural malolactic fermentation, the wines are left alone, saving for some occasional batonage if deemed necessary.

Fabrice Gasnier pulling a sample from the younger of the two foudres in which he ages his "Cuvée Vieilles Vignes."
Vignoble Gasnier bottles six different wines: four reds – cuvées called Les Graves, Vieilles Vignes, Prestige (since renamed Cuvée à l’Ancienne) and Fabrice – one rosé and a sparkling wine. As no white fruit is planted, Chenin Blanc being the only permitted variety in AOC Chinon whites, no white wine is made. Box wine is produced and available for local sale only.

“Cuvée Les Graves” is Gasnier’s “young vine” red, made from an assemblage of various parcels from throughout the property but dominated by those planted in the gravelly (thus the name) soil nearest the river. It is varietal Cabernet Franc. Less conscientious producers in some parts of the world might be tempted to call this an old vines bottling, as it comes from 20-25 year-old vines. Fruit from any vines younger than 20 is either sold off or used to produce the aforementioned box wines. “Les Graves” represents about 50% of the estate’s total annual production of roughly 10,000 cases. Fermentation is conducted in two separate batches at different temperatures: one at about 22 degrees Celsius to highlight aromatics and one at around 28 degrees to provide extraction and body. Malolactic follows, also in cement, at a cooler temperature of 20 degrees. Maceration lasts 16-17 days. Assemblage of the two batches is performed after completion of primary and secondary fermentation. Typically bottled in May following the vintage, it is the only one of the reds that sees no wood whatsoever. Because the six month aging regime does not allow enough time for all solids to settle in the large-volume cement vats, a light filtration is conducted before bottling.

Gasnier’s “Cuvée Vieilles Vignes,” also 100% Cabernet Franc, comes from vines of 45-50 years, planted in soils of both argilo-siliceous and gravelly character. Primary and malolactic fermentations are conducted in cement, with a maceration period of 22 days. The wine is then moved into two large, 3700 liter oak foudres, one older than the other, for aging. The contents of the two casks are remarried in steel cuves, after which, again because of volume, a light filtration is performed prior to bottling in the September following the vintage. In all cases, Fabrice prefers to bottle on the early side in order to preserve fruit freshness. The Vieilles Vignes represents about 25% of the estate’s annual production.

The “Cuvée Prestige” comes from two specific plots of even older vines – 50-55 years – grown entirely in argilo-siliceous soil. A touch of Cabernet Sauvignon, a small amount of which is planted in one of Fabrice’s oldest plots, makes it into the Prestige. The Cabernet Sauvignon, which is vinified separately, never represents more than 10% of the final blend. Initial vinification practices, in terms of fermentation vessel and maceration period, are identical to the Vieilles Vignes. Aging, though, occurs in barriques used previously for two to six years. Here, the settling rate in smaller casks allows for bottling, also in September following the vintage, with no filtration. Beginning with the 2004 release, “Cuvée Prestige” was rechristened as “Cuvée à l’Ancienne.” This bottling makes up 15% of Gasnier’s annual production. For reasons unbeknownst to me, though perhaps because it tends to have the sternest character of the four reds, this is the cuvée least frequently available on the US market.

Gasnier’s top red is also his most modern. Though I’ve referred to it for years as “Cuvée Fabrice,” it was only in 2005 that Fabrice actually made it official with a subtle change to the wine’s label, replacing the signature “Fabrice Gasnier” with the name “Cuvée Fabrice.” It seems somewhat common for young vignerons, taking over chief winemaking responsibilities from the previous generation, to add a new or signature wine to the lineup. I’m not sure, though, how many decide to name it in self-homage. Somehow it does seem to fit Fabrice’s big, garrulous personality. Anyway, back to the wine….

“Fabrice” comes from a single plot of the oldest vines (60+ years) on the property. As with “Cuvée Prestige,” it includes 5-10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Primary fermentation, as with all of Gasnier’s wines, occurs in cement. At 25 days, maceration is longer than with the other wines. The modern approach begins after maceration and fermentation, as the wine is moved to barriques – 50% new and 50% one-year-old – for malolactic fermentation and aging. As this regime suggests, it is the only wine in Fabrice’s portfolio that shows an obvious oak influence, at least in terms of aroma and primary flavors. It is bottled without filtration after 14 months, in December of the year following its vintage, and represents only 5% of total production.

The remaining five percent of the Gasniers’ crop goes to the production of Rosé. It is produced by taking a bleeding (saignée) of juice from the production of various lots of Cabernet Franc after 24-48 hours of maceration, depending on the vintage characteristics and the desired level of color extraction. Fermentation is then conducted entirely in cement, with bottling in the spring following harvest.

At the time of our visit in 2004, Fabrice also produced tiny quantities of an unlabeled, unnamed sparkling wine, solely for consumption by family and friends. It is varietal Cabernet Franc, solely from the gravelly terroir of the estate. Lacking the facilities and equipment necessary to craft méthode traditionelle wines, he takes his fruit to the local cooperative, where it is produced, aged sur-latte for one year and bottled without dosage. Since then, perhaps based on our vociferous prodding at dinner later that night, he’s started to commercialize small quantities. He calls it “La Cravantine,” a diminutive term for a creation of the Cravant Les Coteaux commune. Originally produced as rosé, he now strives for a clear Blanc de Noir; a barely discernible salmon hue can still be detected by a knowing eye.

Fabrice feels that Chinon rouge, in general, shows its best between three-to-six years of age. Drinking earlier is ok, of course, while wines from the best vintages can be candidates for 10-15 years or more. He opted to begin our tasting session with finished wines, primarily from the bottled but not yet shipped 2002 vintage, which he considers one of the best growing years since 1996.

• Chinon “Cuvée Les Graves,” 2002
  Beautifully aromatic, with lots of red currant fruit, leaves and spice. Gentle but lively tannic structure. Fabrice always regards this as his “cuvée gourmande,” intended for every day, easy drinking. A pure expression of Cabernet Franc.
  
  
• Chinon “Cuvée Vieilles Vignes,” 2002
  Aromatically closed but already showing richness of body. Less peppery than in some years but still showed fresh, herbaceous suggestions of dill and basil. Darker red tree fruits than in “Les Graves.” Excellent grip.
  
  
• Chinon “Cuvée Prestige,” 2002
  Continuing the climb upwards in terms of grip and structure. Some influence from wood tannins, along with gorgeous fruit concentration. Wild raspberries, cassis and rainier cherries.
  
  
• Chinon “Cuvée Fabrice,” 2002
  The richest texture, with dark plum and black currant fruit. The oak is forward but adds well integrated vanillin and chocolate overtones. A hint of earth on the nose.
  
  
• Chinon “Cuvée Prestige,” 2001
  Here we found the bell pepper that was less in evidence in the 2002 wines. Fresh, damp, loamy earth on the nose. Starting to show some bottle bouquet. Definitely a food wine (but then all Chinon is…).

The landscape surrounding Gasnier's vineyards in Chezelet provides a natural environment for bottle aging caves, excavated directly into the tufa hillsides.
Notes from barrel tastings may not make for the most exciting reading. However, tasting from barrel and vat – particularly after tasting from bottle and spending so much time learning about the viticultural and oenological peculiarities of a producer’s various wines – can be extremely illuminating. It can help to give one a greater sense of how any given wine comes together, from its component parts and through the vinification regimen, to form a whole.

• A sample of “Les Graves” 2003, from a vat fermented at warmer temperature, had a deep purple color, was firmly tannic and still held a trace of unresolved CO2. The warmer fermentation, combined with a preceding three-day cold soak, is intended to give structure to the final blend. I could almost sense the vines’ plant matter on the palate.
  
  
• From another tank of “Les Graves” 2003, fermented cooler for attainment of aromatic freshness, the scents were more peppery and wine-like. Tannins were softer and suppler. It tasted more finished, with no traces of carbon dioxide.
  
  
• 2003 “Vieilles Vignes,” from the older of two large foudres, had a very peppery nose and showed signs of reduction. In Fabrice’s words, it was “going through a bizarre stage.” Yet it showed promising concentration and structure.
  
  
• From the younger cask of 2003 “VV,” aromas were more shut down but the wine was softer and already pleasing in the mouth, with no signs of reductivity. All wine coming from the same sites and same fermentation tanks, the only difference between the two samples was the age of the foudres, with the younger cask allowing more oxygen interchange between wood and wine than in its older neighbor.
  
  
• 2003 “Prestige” tasted from barrel was lush and velvety in texture. Rich cherry kirsch, with nary a hint of pepperiness in the mouth. Substantial grip. At 13.6% potential alcohol and lower apparent acidity than in the Graves and VV, this was showing signs of what to expect from the freakish 2003 vintage.
  
  
• That trend continued with a sample of “Cuvée Fabrice” 2003, pulled from barrel. Dense and dark but ungenerous on the nose. Very rich palate. Plenty of oak influence on the nose. Already, the lower than usual acidity along with the opulent nature of its fruit pointed toward a wine that would be a hit with the “big red crowd,” not the usual Chinon audience. At 13.8% potential alcohol, this was harvested at about a degree higher than in a typical vintage.

To bring us back from the raw experience of tasting samples of the big 2003s and to finish off our tasting session, Fabrice extracted the cork from a bottle of his 1998 signature cuvée. As it turned out, he’d also chosen to finish on a high note. In 1998, Fabrice did not use any new oak for this wine, instead aging it in all first passage barrels that he’d purchased from Château Margaux. The same barrels, he told us, were now (in 2004 that is) being used for his “Cuvée Prestige.” Beautiful aromatic development had occurred in the bottle, with a nose of dried red fruits, fresh tanned leather, curing tobacco and prunes which followed to a supple, silky and well balanced palate. Red currants and intensely concentrated strawberry preserves blossomed on the follow through. Lovely stuff.

* * *
Our work day was done but there was still more to come. Fabrice and his wife Sandrine invited us to return for dinner. It would turn out to be quite the Rabelaisian evening…. So please stay tuned for part three, coming soon.

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On the Farm in Chinon with Fabrice Gasnier

Provided with impetus by the most recent Wine Blogging Wednesday theme – French Cabernet Franc – we return to the midpoint of a European wine junket. It’s late February 2004, on my group’s second day in the middle-Loire. Leaving our morning appointment with Domaine Ricard, near Thésée la Romaine, just east of Chenonceau, we headed west, straight past Tours and toward the western border of the Touraine district, toward Chinon.


After stopping to check into our rooms and freshen up, we grabbed a quick bite to eat – ham and cheese on baguettes from a local café. Our hotel, directly across the Vienne River from the center of Chinon, provided a spectacular view of the fortress that dominates Chinon’s profile. No time to sightsee though. We were right back to it. Heading across the river and turning immediately right, we avoided the town center entirely, instead following the path of the Vienne back eastwards, against its flow, to the commune of Cravant Les Coteaux. It was there, in the small hamlet of Chezelet, that we were scheduled to visit Vignoble Gasnier.

We discovered Fabrice Gasnier at work in his vineyards, pruning his vines in preparation for the coming of spring. Fabrice began his work at the property during the benchmark vintage of 1989. He and his father Jacky, who has since retired, incorporated the Domaine as it now stands in 1993. Their family has owned land and farmed here in Chezelet for four generations, during which time the estate has grown from its original three hectares to its current 24. All of those 24 hectares – 23 planted to Cabernet Franc and one to Cabernet Sauvignon – are located on the flat portions of the Cravantine landscape, within a two kilometer radius of Chezelet. Finding Fabrice in his fields presented the perfect opportunity to really gain an understanding of his farming techniques and of some of the peculiarities of his terroir.

All of Gasnier’s vines are Simple Guyot trained, with one main baguette producing seven eyes. A second, smaller baguette is pruned to two eyes and trained in the opposite direction, the intention being both to begin the growth cycle for the following year’s season and to prevent bunch clustering. Farming is entirely organic (the estate is now in the process of organic certification through ECOCERT), using only natural products and homeopathic principles, practices which Fabrice describes as preventive rather than curative viticulture. Predator insects and bio-organisms are relied upon for pest control. As we can see, standing in a freshly plowed 2.5 hectare plot of vines planted by his grandfather 50-60 years earlier, the earth is turned regularly to promote deep root systems and a maximum expression of terroir. Following pruning – and completing the cycle – vine cuttings are mulched and returned to the soil to reintroduce their stored energy to the vineyard.

Fabrice typically conducts a green harvest – vendange verte – in July in order to reduce the farm’s yields to the desired number of bunches per vine. At harvest, his aim is always for medium ripeness. As natural as Fabrice’s farming is, we were surprised to learn that he machine harvests, a practice that many view as an impediment to creating truly natural wines. He explained his reasons in simple terms. With 24 hectares (nearly 60 acres) and a mere six full-time staff members, of which only three are dedicated to the fields, machine harvesting is an economic necessity of scale. On the plus side, mechanical picking allows for the entire estate to be harvested in just two days, ensuring uniform ripeness levels across the various parcels of property and decreasing the risk of damage by fall rainstorms.

A plot of Gasnier's Vieilles Vignes waiting for pre-season pruning.
Soil is of two basic types on Gasnier’s property. Here at the heart of the estate, the primary makeup is of argilo-siliceous clay, to a depth of approximately 1.5 meters, below which lies rock. Closer to the river Vienne, the vineyards are planted on gravelly terraces. Given the proximity of the river and the northerly situation of Chinon in general, spring frosts can be a major danger. A day earlier and only a few kilometers away, we’d learned of severe frost damage to Francois Chidaine’s Montlouis vineyards at the beginning of the 2003 growing season. To combat the problem here in Chinon, Fabrice relies on a system of human nighttime weather watchers to sound the frost alarm and three different frost prevention mechanisms. Wind circulators, which look like small turbine engines mounted on flagpoles, are scattered at intervals throughout the vineyards, their aim being to move warmer air from above down to the cooler ground and vine level. Paraffin pots are burned amongst the vines to ward off the cold. Lastly, water may be sprayed on the vines to form a protective outer coating of ice that will prevent frost from penetrating the plants.

Not only did Fabrice manage to avoid any frost damage in 2003, he was also the only vigneron we met on our entire trip who laid claim to a problem free 2003 growing season. Given the extreme heat and drought of the summer, which continued right up to harvest time, that’s a big statement. He attributed the success to the deep root system and general good health of his vines. Nonetheless, 2003 was not without its natural effects. Following 2002, a great vintage in Fabrice’s estimation, the dry heat in 2003 produced fruit with the highest natural sugar levels – approaching 14% – on record in the area. Acidity levels were normal, while tannin levels were greater than usual, helping to balance the high sugar levels.

Our walk through the vineyards and tour of the Cravant Les Coteaux hillsides complete, we headed to Fabrice’s cellar and winery to learn what happens indoors and to sample what he had wrought from the last couple of vintages….

* * *
Editor’s note:
To avoid creating the longest posting in the history of the blogosphere (at least that’s where I feel like this was heading), the rest of this Vignoble Gasnier trip report will appear in installments. Stay tuned for parts two and three.

Part Two: Tasting Chinon with Fabrice Gasnier
Part Three: Celebrating the Chevaliers de Chezelet

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WBW #44: French Cabernet Franc

Today marks the monthly meeting of the meme called Wine Blogging Wednesday, which was originated by Lenn Thompson of LennDevours back in the autumn of 2004. For the theme of this 44th edition, this month’s host, Gary V at Wine Library TV, chose French Cabernet Franc. For many of the participants, I expect this might open the door to new tasting experiences. For me, on the other hand, it’s a no-brainer.

Sure, there’s the occasional Bordeaux blend that’s dominated by Cabernet Franc, particularly in the northern crescent of Saint-Emilion. Think of Châteaux Cheval Blanc, Jean-Faure and some of their neighbors, for instance. And for those who go out of their way to find them, there’s the occasional oddball Franc from the hinterlands of the southwest corner of the country. In fact, I could have just taken the lazy way out of today’s assignment by recycling an old post on Irouléguy Rouge. However, when one thinks of French Cabernet Franc, all roads ineluctably lead to the Loire Valley, the undisputed center in France – and the globe for that matter – for the cultivation of Cabernet Franc.

Not only am I a Loire enthusiast, I’m also a Cabernet Franc adulator, a certified Breton-head and a firm believer in the vine’s overall merits. It gives birth to some of the most food capable red wines out there. I drink Chinon, Bourgueil and St. Nicolas de Bourgueil, not to mention various reds from the Anjou-Saumur, on a pretty regular basis. So the challenge for this event was not in finding a wine to review; it was deciding which ones to review. Again, I could have just recycled an old post, maybe the one from a tasting with F.X. Barc of the Chinons of Domaine Charles Joguet. In the end, however, I decided to write two new notes: the first because it ties into another posting I’m working on and the second just because I felt like it.


Chinon “Cuvée Fabrice,” Jacky & Fabrice Gasnier 2003
I’ll be pleasantly surprised if any other participants choose a wine from this estate, as Fabrice Gasnier produces some of the least talked about, most underappreciated wines of Chinon. This is his top red, produced from a specific vineyard of 60 year-old vines, a blend of 95% or more Cabernet Franc with just a peppering of Cabernet Sauvignon. It undergoes primary fermentation in cement vat, followed by Malolactic fermentation and aging for 12-14 months in barriques, 50% new and 50% from wines of one year. As such, it’s also the estate’s only modernist cuvée, new barrels being a relative exception to the traditional rule in Chinon.

I chose the 2003 from among the several vintages in my cellar because it comes from the growing season which immediately preceded my visit to the estate in February 2004 (a report on which will be coming soon). Also, I wanted to check in on the progress of a wine grown in the notoriously hot and dry conditions of 2003. I wasn’t completely happy with or terribly surprised by the results.

Aromas are of ripe red fruit, cocoa and dark baking spices. There’s plenty of red cassis and chocolaty richness in the mouth, and even a decent amount of muscle. But it’s all covered with a squishy layer of baby fat that makes the wine feel unfocused and atypical. Alcoholic warmth, both on the nose and on the finish, doesn’t help. It’s not the burn that comes from overly high alcohol but rather a slightly unbalanced glow, driven by alcohol that’s not fully interwoven with the wine’s physiological structure. I know from my barrel tasting notes that the alcohol is close to a degree higher than the listed 13%. While 14% (13.8, actually) may not sound high by modern international standards, it’s awfully high for Chinon, where the typical degree averages 12.5 to 13. In spite of all this, there’s an element to this cuvée, mainly in its round texture and gushing red fruit, which a lot of people might find easy to like. Though I enjoyed it on release, this is now just not singing. All things considered, a strong sign that 2003 is a vintage to drink up rather than hold. $20 on release. Labeled at 13% alcohol. Natural cork. Imported by Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.

Chinon “Beaumont,” Catherine & Pierre Breton 2005
No technical notes for this one. I’ll leave that to someone else, as I expect to see one or the other of Catherine and Pierre Breton’s Bretons (yep, I had to do it) in any number of this month’s WBW submissions. Heck, I’ve already noticed this exact cuvée among Dr. Vino’s notes. The Breton’s, who produce wine in both Chinon and Bourgueil, are among the current crop of natural wine growers who have been attracting a lot of high energy attention of late.

This is classic if young and slightly disjointed Chinon. Electric energy flows through the fruit, letting your palate know it’s alive. There’s lean sinew here; no baby fat. Wild red berries, rhubarb and red cassis ride a frame of crackly acidity and firm yet light-handed tannins. Its sense of disjointedness stems not from any imbalance but rather from a feeling that the wine’s parts have yet to harmonize into a whole, a feeling that’s exacerbated by a slightly plastic flavor that snakes its way through the wine’s center. I need to try this again in three months, maybe six, or even twelve. Why not just make it all of the above. There’s promise here, assuming everything integrates and resolves, for serious mid-term enjoyment. $16. 12.5% alcohol. Nomacorc. Imported by Louis/Dressner Selections, New York, NY.

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Easter at Osteria Redux

Every tradition has to start somewhere. For my wife and I, this one started a year ago (in retrospect), with our first meal at Osteria, which just happened to be on Easter Sunday. So when Easter rolled around this year and we had none of the usual family plans, my wife suggested a repeat. And there you have it, a tradition in the making.


In the course of the last year, we made it back to Osteria on several occasions (including lunch just a couple of days prior to Easter), enough for me substantiate and build upon my original impressions. I felt strongly enough about the overall experience at Osteria to call it the best new restaurant in Philadelphia in my 2007 year-end roundup. I still feel that way. Apparently I’m not alone, as Philadelphia Magazine rated Osteria as number one in their first ever Philly Mag 50, while Craig LaBan of the Philadelphia Inquirer awarded it a solid three bells.

Our most recent visit clarified many of the strengths of Osteria, showing growth in some areas yet pointing out further room for improvement in others. Antipasti and primi, along with fantastic pizzas, are consistently the stars of the lineup.

Pancetta wrapped snail “spiedini” grilled with celery root purée and truffle parsley butter
My antipasto for the evening showcased the chef’s willingness to reflect pan-European influences. French-inspired snails, with a parsley butter and celeriac dipping sauce, were wrapped up in Italian cured pork. Skewering those little morsels of goodness and grilling them over a wood fire threw in a little tapas influence for good measure. The escargots were complemented rather than dominated by the salty goodness of the pancetta and the richness of the sauce. This would be a great dish to replicate for caterers in search of something more interesting to replace the ubiquitous bacon wrapped scallops.

Chicken liver rigatoni with cipolline onions and sage
The ragu of chicken livers and cipollini adorning my choice of primo epitomizes Osteria’s approach. Take a country-style dish – herbs from the garden, a quick homemade batch of pasta and an inexpensive cut/portion of meat – and elevate it to the sublime through spot-on execution. Large pipes of rigatoni were an inspired choice of pasta, allowing for tastes from the top of the bowl that just hinted at the creaminess of the sauce yet permitting one to dig deep for a hearty scoop of the liver and onion-rich sauce.

Rabbit “casalinga” with pancetta, sage, brown butter and soft polenta
Secondi seem to be the Achilles’ heel in Osteria’s trifecta, consistently falling short of their potential and stepping down rather than up a notch relative to the quality of the preceding courses. Case in point, although at the extreme end of the spectrum compared to previous experiences, was this house specialty (casalinga). Three small morsels of on-the-bone rabbit, braised in red wine and then roasted over the kitchen’s wood fire, were served on a bed of soft polenta spiked with little nuggets of pancetta. In the darker meat portions, the rabbit was juicy and flavorful; however, the leaner sections were dry and chewy. Intensely caramelized brown butter and reduced wine, combined with heavily smoked polenta and pancetta, imbued the dish with inconsistent flavor pockets. One bite was intoxicatingly sweet and smoky, the next too much so, hinting at the acrid scent of burnt rubber.

Goat cheese frittelle with chocolate, pistachio and tangerine curd
Osteria’s house-made dolci bring things right back on track. Goat cheese fritters, studded with shards of dark chocolate and pistachios, are deep fried to order and delivered piping hot on a sheet of butcher’s paper. Whether popped straight up or dipped into deliciously tangy tangerine curd, they were addictively good.

The wine program at Osteria has continued to evolve over the course of the year as well. The list remains rooted primarily in modestly priced whites and reds, with an appropriate focus, in keeping with the northern Italian bent of the restaurant, on wines from the top of the Italian boot. Markups seem to have crept up slightly since this time last year. However, the quality of wine service has improved; all glassware is seasoned, recommendations are offered thoughtfully and some earlier issues with serving temperature seem to have been addressed. Befitting the restaurant’s casual mission, the list is compact and selected with an eye toward food-friendliness rather than impressiveness. Actually, if there’s a shortcoming to the list, it is its rather limited and narrow offering of higher-end bottles.


Brda Ribolla, Movia 2005
I’ve been trying to delve a little deeper into northeastern Italian whites as of late, so when I saw Movia’s Ribolla Gialla on the list I jumped at it (in spite of the fact that it’s actually from Slovenia). Movia farms biodynamically, producing fruit of great concentration. In this case, winemaker Aleš Kristančič opts for new oak barrel fermentation. The concentration and firm, medium-acidity of the wine stood up to the oak treatment, showing the barrel influence aromatically and texturally yet not being weighted down by its presence. Its honeyed opening, mango and tangerine driven mid-palate and mineral finish made it a solid if slightly weighty pairing to most of our antipasti and primi.

Südtirol/Alto Adige Lagrein “Castel Turmhof,” Tiefenbrunner 2006
With secondi at the table ranging from game to fish and from poultry to vegetarian options, we needed a versatile red. We also wanted something interesting. After a little consultation with the sommelier on duty, we narrowed his recommendations down to Tiefenbrunner’s Lagrein, which he assured us was not as big and brash as Lagrein can often be. It certainly screamed deep purple, Lagrein’s typical shade, when poured. But our wine steward was right; it was medium-bodied and relatively food-friendly, with spicy, red berry fruit, gentle tannins and just enough acid to give it lift. A suggestion of rot and slightly baked fruit at the wine’s core kept it from being more exciting.

I can no longer touch the stuff after noon but the espresso at Osteria is the real deal.

* * *
Without question, Osteria is making strong statements through the quality of its food, the style of its service and the ambience of its quarters. Strong statements – whether expressed in a person’s personality, through art or even in restaurants – tend to elicit strongly opinionated responses. Witness this anonymous letter to the editor that appears in the current issue of Philadelphia Magazine:

"In regards to “The Philly Mag 50” [February], what is the city’s infatuation with Osteria? How can my two favorite sources of dining establishments – Philly Mag and Craig LaBan – choose that place as the best restaurant in Philadelphia? I guess there’s nothing else to compare it to. Doesn’t anyone ever eat in Italian restaurants in New York?"
- Name withheld
(From “Mailbox,” Philadelphia Magazine, Vol. 99, No. 4, April 2008.)

Quality of the food aside, the writer’s comments about both New York and the lack of a peer group for Osteria bring up good points. In a city flooded with a wealth of casual Italian BYOBs and a handful of corporate, upscale Italian wannabes, Osteria stands out for its sparkling, almost clubby ambiance, its warm, casual aura and its mostly excellent food – more New York than Philly in impact. I think that easy upscale sense has been a strong contributor to the success of Marc Vetri and Jeff Benjamin’s joint venture, which works as a local hotspot and as a destination restaurant. However, Osteria does struggle with a bit of a personality conflict. Both high prices and high concept design seem a bit at odds with the very implication of the name “Osteria,” essentially a tavern, a casual meeting place oriented around friends, wine and simple food.

Perhaps it’s that very conflict that has gained Osteria so much notoriety. With just a few tweaks to its main dishes, Osteria should be able to comfortably live in the role – that it's already practicing – as one of the brightest stars in Philadelphia’s burgeoning dining scene.

Osteria 640 North Broad Street (at Wallace) Philadelphia, PA 19130 215-763-0920 Other visits to Osteria: Easter 2007 Easter 2009

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Diva

With the 17th annual Philadelphia Film Festival looming large (April 3-15), I thought a little music from one of my favorite cinematic explorations of the early '80s would be an appropriate wrap for the weekend.

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Blogs of Note: West Coast Edition

Not surprisingly, America’s left coast is a veritable hotbed for wine bloggers, home to some of the most widely read sites in the vinous corner of the blogosphere. This edition of Blogs of Note is hardly meant to be comprehensive as I could barely begin to do justice to all the worthy sites in California alone, not to mention the Pacific Northwest. Instead, it’s just my shout-out for a few of the bloggers who keep me inspired and coming back for more.

Representing the old guard (in the best possible sense), Craig Camp has been at it since the first wave of wine blogging. The taglines for his site, Wine Camp, say it all: “a points-free zone” with “a terroir-ist twist.” Though a winemaker by day, at Anne Amie Vineyards in the Willamette Valley, Craig rarely uses Wine Camp as a vehicle for discussing or promoting his wines. Rather, he focuses on many of the same topics we all do, from tasting notes to the hot topics of the day, standing out not with brashness but with a sense of calm, wisdom and smartness that should be an inspiration to us all. His recent post on the long in the tooth sport of Parker-bashing is a perfect example.

At it since September 2007, Joe Manekin brings what I interpret as a more east coast sensibility to the diversity of his content at Old World Old School. Given that he’s a native Baltimorean, I suppose that makes sense, though he’s now soundly ensconced in the San Francisco scene. I’ll admit to a shared bond which may sway my opinions; we both post about music from time to time, including some shared tastes, and both lean toward, well, the old world when it comes to wine. He’s been on a Greek wine kick of late, a category in which I’ve barely begun to scratch the surface.

The newest kid on the block is Wolgang Weber, who launched his blog Spume in December of ’07. Wolfgang hit the ground running, backed up by his experience as Senior Editor and Italian wine critic-at-large for Wine & Spirits magazine. He writes thoughtfully about all of his topics, yet offers, through Spume, a personal touch that’s not possible in the more formalized world of mainstream print publishing. The personal affinity this time is cycling. I’m also a sucker for posts that reference Gang of Four while taking on the current fascination with natural wines and writing up what sounds like a great new San Fran shop and wine bar, Terroir.

If these three blogs aren’t already on your radar or in your reader, you owe it to yourself to give them a look. I hope you’ll find them as meaningful as I do.

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Phood Phloggers Meetup and Pheed #3

Those crazy Philly food (and wine) bloggers are at it again. The third "Phloggers" potluck and meetup is scheduled for the evening of Friday, April 18, 2008, graciously hosted at e's crib in Fairmount. You'll find all the details at the host's site, Foodaphilia, or at the blog of the organizer behind it all, Mac & Cheese. If you're a Philly-based food, wine or beverage blogger, check it out and come on down.

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Getting Reacquainted with Château Calissanne

I first visited Château Calissanne in the fall of 2000, far too long ago to merit as much detail as my usual winery profiles. Besides, I wasn’t taking notes. It was my honeymoon. Aside from the romance of the occasion and of being in Provence in general, the visit stands out in my memory. It’s not so much the winery tour and tasting that I fondly recall; they were nice enough but pretty typical. What made the visit special was a tour around, and I do mean around, the property in winemaker Jean Bonnet’s farm vehicle, an Isuzu Trooper if memory serves. Driving up the single-track dirt path that climbs the cliffs to the north of Calissanne’s vineyards, we passed first through the farm, vineyards to one side and olive groves to the other. Continuing the climb, we saw a group of partridges scurry across the trail. A short distance further, we traversed the mud puddle, formed in the wheel ruts left by the occasional 4x4, where the local wild boars come to wallow.

We disembarked at the end of the road, atop the bluffs – starkly white limestone outcroppings streaked with red veins – that form the backdrop of the landscape surrounding Calissanne’s property. From the 360º vista those bluffs provide, one can see the entire estate spread out below. Mont St. Victoire looms to the near northeast. Immediately to the south is the inland sea, Étang de Berre, just to the west of which spread the fingers of the Rhône delta. The proximal influence of the saline sea air becomes apparent, as do the effects of the Mistral. Most of all, it becomes clear just how hot, dry and arid is this viticultural area at the southern reaches of the sprawling Coteaux d’Aix en Provence AOC. Immediately to either side of the property, we witnessed the ravages to the landscape caused by wildfires that swept through the area the year before, taking the lives of two local firemen (pompiers) and narrowly missing Calissanne’s vineyards. I think I learned more about the wines of Aix en Provence during that short journey than in all my years of tasting them, before and since.

Learning, though, never stops. I have not yet had the opportunity to return to Château Calissanne. However, I’ve been graced, through the draw of my workplace, with two visits over the last few years from Monsieur Denis Langue, Commercial Director for Calissanne. His most recent visit, just a couple of weeks ago, afforded the opportunity to reacquaint myself with many of the estate’s wines as well as to taste a few new entries in their lineup.

Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Rosé, Château Calissanne 2007
A classic Provencal rosé de saignée, this is a blend of approximately 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Somewhere in there is a smidgen of Mourvedre, a relatively new entry to the estate’s rosé blend. Brilliantly silver-toned salmon pink in the glass. Explosively aromatic. Denis mentions that it’s considered “too dark” according to the current fashion for faintingly pale rosés in the south of France; nonetheless, it’s several shades paler than the 2005 and 2006 versions of the same cuvée. Totally dry, with refreshing acidity, snappy red berry fruit and a whiff of rosemary. 13% alcohol.

Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Rouge, Château Calissanne 2005
Identical in makeup to the 2007 rosé, save the absence of any Mourvedre. Bright fruit with fine tannin delineation. Smoke, garrigue and blackberry, along with cinnamon bark. Juicy and at the same time briary texture. Temperature controlled pipes were installed in the winery in 2004, allowing fruit to be chilled to around 12ºC/52ºF before entry into the fermentation vats. The slower, gentler start to fermentation this enables has led to a wine that shows more boisterous, fresh fruit than in the pre-2004 years, when roasted fruit (not unpleasantly so) and more herbal flavors were not uncommon. In some respects, I preferred the earlier versions for their food-friendliness. (I even poured the 1996 vintage at my wedding just prior to our visit to the estate.) But the 2005 is hard not to enjoy, especially as it’s showing well now that it’s had some time in the bottle. 13% alcohol.


Retired industrialist Philippe Kessler acquired Château Calissanne in 2001. He is largely responsible for introducing temperature control and other technological improvements to the Calissanne winery. Apparently intent on expanding his reach, he purchased an estate in Châteauneuf du Pape, Domaine des Relagnes, in December 2006. Along with the 7.5-hectare property, to which Kessler has already added another 2.5 hectares with plans for five more, wines at varying stages of completion were included from the 2004, 2005 and 2006 vintages. Jean Bonnet, longtime winemaker at Calissanne, will also be head winemaker and oversee the farming and production at Relagnes.

Châteauneuf du Pape, Domaine des Relagnes 2005
With all wines from the 2005 vintage (as well as 2004) already finished and aging mostly in cement vats and about 20% old foudres, Bonnet was responsible only for the final assemblage and bottling of this vintage. 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. Detailed black raspberry fruit with firm, well developed tannins. Surprisingly restrained, at least in the context of an AOC not particularly know for restraint, especially from a fairly blockbuster vintage. Old school in its vinification as well as its style and balance. 14.5% alcohol.

Châteauneuf du Pape, Domaine des Relagnes 2004
Same story here as with the 2005, same blend and same vinification. A touch more delicate in its fruit than the 2005, it’s also a touch more firmly tannic, with spicy, red berry fruit on the palate. Equally well balanced and drinkable now or later. Bonnet plans to add some new oak and smaller barrels starting in 2006, which will be the estate’s first full vintage under the new ownership and management. The introduction of more oak is a shame, I think. One can only hope the wines will remain as fine. 14.5% alcohol.

Coteaux d’Aix en Provence “Clos Victoire” Rouge, Château Calissanne 2003
Switching gears back to Calissanne, “Clos Victoire” is the estate’s best vineyard site and has historically been their top wine. It’s also unabashedly modern in style. 70% Syrah, done in 100% new barriques, plus 30% Cabernet Sauvignon that is aged in barriques of one-to-two wines. The regulations for the Coteaux d’Aix AOC require a relatively even spread between Grenache, Syrah and Cabernet in the vineyard, and allow for small amounts of Mourvedre and Cinsault. In the cellar, however, those same regulations allow what essentially amounts to total freedom in terms of blending ratio. Even varietal wines are permitted. Chocolate and blackberry scented, darkly spicy. The oak, which is obvious on the nose, is better integrated on the palate. Tight and muscular. This was the last vintage produced before the upgrade to the winery’s temperature control systems. Labeled as 13% alcohol.

Coteaux d’Aix en Provence “Rocher Rouge,” Château Calissanne 2003
Totally new to me, this is varietal Mourvedre from a 1.8-hectare plot near the red rock (rocher rouge) cliffs behind the estate. 2003 is the first commercialized vintage, with 2000 the first year it was produced on an exploratory basis. Big, deep impact, without being driven by big, rich fruit. Sauvage aromas, wild red berry fruit, bacon and ripe, savory herbs. Full, wide-grained tannins, good acidity and very long on the finish. This packs more finesse and delicacy on a less rich frame than the Clos Victoire. In Denis’ estimation, it’s like Burgundy crossed with Bandol. It’s not terribly like either, though obviously closer to its Provencal cousin, just with greater fruit freshness than in the average Bandol. Downright delicious wine. The question will be one of QPR, given the estimated $75 price point. 13.5% alcohol.

A man after my own heart apparently, Denis chose to end rather than begin our tasting with whites. I don’t often do this at home or when pairing with meals but when I open and taste in preparation for an event or class, I almost always start with reds and finish with whites. This serves double duty, both refreshing and literally cleansing the palate. The whites act as a tooth and tongue scrubber, clearing away at least a little of the purple stain left by the reds without destroying your palate as tooth brushing might.

Coteaux d’Aix en Provence Blanc, Château Calissanne 2007
Denis described the 2007 vintage as beautiful in the south. It shows in this wine, which I’ve found flabby and bland in many past vintages. 60% Rolle (Vermentino), 30% Semillon and 10% Clairette, with vinification and aging in steel and cement. Just bottled in mid-February. A little tropical but not overly yeasty, with peach nectar and white grapiness balanced by medium acidity and a hint of chalkiness. Not a bad choice for summer glugging and pairing with simple fish dishes. 13.5% alcohol.


Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc, Domaine des Relagnes 2006
An equal part blend of Roussanne, Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc, co-fermented and aged entirely in cement vats. No barrel at all. Bonnet was responsible for bottling only. Rich nose of peach and apple skins, with pear and pineapple on the palate. White stone minerality and wild honey cascade on the finish. Produced from 80-100 year-old vines, cropped at low yields of 30 hl/ha with each vine producing four-to-six clusters. Lovely wine, with good structure and backbone to spare. Built to cellar though plenty tasty now. 14.5% alcohol.

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Beautiful Ugly, aka Friday in Philly

Beautiful: A Friday off, just to enjoy one's own town. Lunch at Osteria and an afternoon at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.


Beautiful: The sun streaming in through the windows at Osteria. And the elevation of the least interesting sounding dish on a menu, in this case "marinated vegetable antipasto," to an art form, a symphony of complementary and contrasting flavors. The porchetta tonnato was subtle in comparison yet equally lovely.


Beautiful ugly: I took it, so perhaps I'm biased, but I'm pretty happy with the composition in this photo of our lunch wine. On the down side, Tomasso Bussola's 2005 Valpolicella Classico did nothing to change my general displeasure with Valpo of late. Adequate as a pizza wine, I suppose, but otherwise flat, short and uninteresting, maybe even a tad heat-wacked.


Beautiful ugly: A joy to look at? Perhaps not, but then beauty, as the cliché goes, is in the eye of the beholder. The beauty couldn't be denied in the gullet, however. Osteria is well deserving of their rep for turning out some of the best pizza in town, from the simple perfection of the margherita to the robust, rustic decadence of the Lombarda (which is apparently their most popular pie).


Beautiful: A good restaurant that doesn't give up the ghost when it comes to dessert. Everything at Osteria is done in house, including their cannoli with torrone semifreddo and their "piccolo pasticceria," a delightful assortment of Italianate petit-fours. I'd happily take a box of that pistachio brittle to go.


Beautiful ugly: I'm still undecided on the "wine wall" at Osteria. It looks decent. The feel is rustic, in keeping with the spirit of the menu (rustic in content if not in price). And it complements the bar it abuts. However, the celebration of mostly high-end, luxury wines is a touch out of step with the relaxed intent of the restaurant. Perhaps it's just a visual manifestation of the casual vs. costly conundrum that Osteria presents. Don't let the prices scare you away from the experience.


Ugly: The current facade (this shot is of the rear entrance) of the PMA. I'm not sure the huge banner is any less of an eyesore than the scaffolding it's designed to hide. On the up-side, it does provide plenty of space for self-promotion.


Beautiful: Turn around, take a short walk down the hill and past the museum's construction zone. You'll find sure signs of the arrival of Spring.

Ugly: The crowds at the Kahlo exhibit (sorry, no photos allowed in the museum). Even with ticketed entrance, the attendees were packed in like sardines. All but a few of Kahlo's paintings are modest in scale. The photos, included in the exhibit to provide historical and biographical context to her works, even smaller. Patience is a must, and even then it was tough to get close enough for a good view of many of the pieces. It made me pine for the exhibition entitled "Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Twentieth-Century Mexican Art" held at New York's El Museu del Barrio in 2002. More paintings, less people.


Beautiful: The paintings themselves. In spite of the crowds, I found myself drawn into Kahlo's mixture of surrealism and naive realism. The autobiographical, symbolic and cultural elements of her major works are intensely compelling.


Beautiful ugly: The inspiration for this posting, Frida Kahlo's self-titled self-portrait, "Very Ugly." The eye of the beholder speaks, through her brush and through her works. There's undeniable beauty in Kahlo's face, in her spirit and in her art. And undeniable ugliness in the pain, misfortune and tempestuous relationships that followed her throughout her short life. Don't let the crowds keep you away from the experience.

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Just a Teaser

I haven't been able to post anything in a couple of days, as I've been focusing on preparing and developing the presentation for my seminar on organic and biodynamic wines at Tria Fermentation School this evening. I did manage to sneak out for some fun over the weekend though, so this is just a teaser, a photo I snapped near Boathouse Row on Philly's Kelly Drive on Friday. Spring is in the air, my friends. I feel it.

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