Newport Mansions Wine Festival Weathers the Recession
The sun shone, the sky was a radiant blue, the tents billowed in a late summer breeze. In short, Mother Nature—or maybe it was Mrs. Vanderbilt—cooperated this year with the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival (at least on Saturday.) Last year’s event was marred by monsoon-like rain, which sent rivulets of mud through those same beautiful tents. This year not even the recession could tarnish this fantastic seaside festival. Yes, the Friday night gala at The Breakers served up a little less haute cuisine and a little more comfort food, but wine is the main event of this annual affair and the wine flowed steadily through two Vanderbilt mansions, economy be damned.
At the weekend Grand Tasting, held once again at Marble House, more than 100 wineries from the US, Europe, and a handful of other wine-producing regions poured 400+ wines. Try as we might we just couldn’t taste them all, but we did find a baker’s dozen of outstanding wines to recommend.
Where Italy dominated last year’s European offerings, France seemed to take center stage. Côtes du Rhône, Burgundy, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and The Loire Valley were all well represented. Gary swooned over one Chateauneuf. Lisa was unmoved by the Loire’s Sancerre (despite its claim to fame as the “spiritual home of Sauvignon Blanc,” her white varietal of choice.) Of the 13 wines we’re recommending, eight are from the US, three from Portugal, and two from Italy. I guess the New World still claims our heart and palate, but the Old World is making steady inroads.
Disclosure: VinoDuo did not pay for tickets to the Festival; our press pass was good for both Friday and Saturday. However, anyone who reads our blog knows we are not swayed by freebies…we tell ‘em as we see ‘em.
Whites
Sonoma Loeb Wines 2007 Private Reserve Chardonnay $25
A delicious Chardonnay (especially at this price point) with a great balance of butterscotch, fruit, and a touch of creamy butter. Some hints of toasty oak on the palate. This made it onto our buy list The Loeb of the title is winery owner Ambassador John Loeb Jr, former ambassador to Denmark during the Reagan administration. This elegant, elder statesman was in attendance at the tasting, looking not a little uncomfortable and probably wishing he were at a state dinner in Copenhagen.
Langworthy Farm (Westerly RI) Shelter Harbor 2006 Chardonnay $15
We’ve done the Connecticut Coastal Wine Trail and the Massachusetts Coastal Wine Trail, but after tasting the Langworthy Farm Chardonnay, it’s obviously time to hit the Rhode Island Trail. Chardonnay is not Lisa’s white wine of choice, but she was taken with the honey and butterscotch notes on the nose; wet limestone mineral and citrus on palate. Hmmm… “Limestone?” Mineral and citrus? Sounds a bit Sauvignon Blanc-y… no wonder Lisa liked it.
Reds
Kenefick Ranch Winery—2006 Merlot $42
Gary says this is a “really wonderful example of how this much maligned wine can be elegant and collectible.” On the palate, there’s an immediate deep blackberry-cherry fruit with silky tannins and a long finish. This is definitely a “new world” style wine crying out for ground for ground lamb burgers on the grille. The grapes are 100% Estate Grown, and the wine is aged in oak for 18 months.
Hope Family Wines--Candor Merlot NV $18
What’s this? A second Merlot worthy of a write up? This version is a slightly fruit forward style wine with velvety tannins and smooth, slightly dry finish. We were happy to taste a Merlot from Paso Robles, which we think of as prime Zinfandel territory. Note that we did not taste the Candor Zinfandel At this price point, Hope’s Merlot is a very good value.
Four Vines 2006 Biker Zinfandel (Paso Robles, CA) $26
What do you want from your Zin? Well, our resident Zinfandel expert, Lisa, says “Spice, deep blackberry and currant fruit, a smooth, silky texture and a long interesting finish.” Well, the Four Vines Biker Zin is all that and more… and the best of the Zins at the Four Vines tasting booth. This is on our Buy List. In answer to the question, “What do you want from your Zin,” Lisa also says, “I want my Four Vines Zin Bitch glass back; it broke on the way home from the vineyard three years ago. Won't someone send me a new one?"
Olho De Mocho Reserva 2007 (Portugal)--$30
A great wine to pair with lamb sirloin steaks on the barbeque. Fruit and tannins balance to deliver a terrific, complex wine with a long, silky finish. Syrah and Touriga Nacional. A great value now on our Buy List!
Herdade do Pombal 2006 Vino Tinto (Portugal)--$35
Absolutely delicious! Bursting with fruit, caramel, and leather on the palate, terrific tannin structure and balance throughout the tasting. Combination of Aragones, Trincadeira, Alicante, Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon juice. Compare this to some $50+ Bordeaux’s in terms of value—a real bargain.
2004 Michael David Winery Rapture Cabernet Sauvignon--$65
This wine is bursting with deep blackberry, black plum fruit, and chocolate highlights. The smooth tannins mid-palate keep this powerful wine very accessible and delicious throughout its full, long finish with toasted oak-vanilla notes. The wine is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. What’s unusual is the length of time in the French oak; @3 years. The high (15%) alcohol content perks up the fruit in this great example of a new world wine.
Valle Reale San Calisto Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC 2004--$30
This wine is outstanding! Noted leather and some tobacco on the nose; strong, fruit forward on the palate with notes of spicy cherry-blackberry puree and earthiness on the palate. Silky tannins make this a terrific wine to serve with any roasted meat or red sauce dish. This is on our Buy list!
San Polo 2003 Brunello Del Montalcino--$65 - $85
The San Polo is a terrific wine that lives up to the Brunello heritage of elegance. It’s incredibly smooth, creamy, and complex. With the summer of 2003 marked by drought and high temperatures, this wine is testament to what great winemakers can do under just about any conditions. We’ll shop around for this wine and while it’s not inexpensive, it rivals many wines of higher price and higher scores.
Wagner (Caymus CA) --2007 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas $35 -$40
A succulent Pinot Noir with consistent light cherry and strawberry notes throughout the tasting. Full tannins make this smooth Pinot a truly special wine that carries on the Caymus tradition of superior winemaking. While a bit on the expensive side, it’s worth a try.
Trinchero (CA) 2007 Central Park West Cabernet Sauvignon. $40
Two days after the Newport show we popped into our local wine shop and put in an order this fab Cab. Eucalyptus and toasty oak/vanilla on the nose. We noted a great balance of fruit (blueberry and blackberry), cassis notes, and cocoa edges with opulent tannins that lead into a smoot and pleasingly long finish. This was the first time that Trinchero had trotted-out this wine for a tasting in a public setting—glad we were there to welcome it.
2006 AOC Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateuax Cuvee Mourre Des Pedrix, $55
Why is this amazing Chateauneuf? Its luscious, silky tannins blend amazingly well with the deep black cherry/blackberry fruit that’s consistent throughout the long finish. It’s drinking well right now and should age gracefully. This is a must buy for special—no, all—occasions.
Brunello di Montalcino 'Col di Sole', Lionello Marchesi 2003, $75
2003 was a very difficult year in the European winery business due to the record high summer temperatures. The heat stressed the vines and fruit yields were down by as much as 30%. In an interview with Mr. Marchesi, who graced the Newport show with his presence, the winemaker said that he and his vineyard management decided to trim back extra leaf canopy, exposing more of the grapes to the sun. Perhaps the subtle concentrated black fruit flavor is the result of this technique, perhaps not. On the nose, the Col di Sol Brunello starts with toasty cedar and aromas of sun-dried cherries. On the palate, the lush tannins embrace consistent fruit throughout the taste. This may be the perfect wine to pair with a deliciously aged Black Angus rib eye steak. With the economic recovery in-sight, perhaps we’ll be adding this wine to our Must Buy list.
At the weekend Grand Tasting, held once again at Marble House, more than 100 wineries from the US, Europe, and a handful of other wine-producing regions poured 400+ wines. Try as we might we just couldn’t taste them all, but we did find a baker’s dozen of outstanding wines to recommend.
Where Italy dominated last year’s European offerings, France seemed to take center stage. Côtes du Rhône, Burgundy, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and The Loire Valley were all well represented. Gary swooned over one Chateauneuf. Lisa was unmoved by the Loire’s Sancerre (despite its claim to fame as the “spiritual home of Sauvignon Blanc,” her white varietal of choice.) Of the 13 wines we’re recommending, eight are from the US, three from Portugal, and two from Italy. I guess the New World still claims our heart and palate, but the Old World is making steady inroads.
Disclosure: VinoDuo did not pay for tickets to the Festival; our press pass was good for both Friday and Saturday. However, anyone who reads our blog knows we are not swayed by freebies…we tell ‘em as we see ‘em.
Whites
Sonoma Loeb Wines 2007 Private Reserve Chardonnay $25
A delicious Chardonnay (especially at this price point) with a great balance of butterscotch, fruit, and a touch of creamy butter. Some hints of toasty oak on the palate. This made it onto our buy list The Loeb of the title is winery owner Ambassador John Loeb Jr, former ambassador to Denmark during the Reagan administration. This elegant, elder statesman was in attendance at the tasting, looking not a little uncomfortable and probably wishing he were at a state dinner in Copenhagen.
Langworthy Farm (Westerly RI) Shelter Harbor 2006 Chardonnay $15
We’ve done the Connecticut Coastal Wine Trail and the Massachusetts Coastal Wine Trail, but after tasting the Langworthy Farm Chardonnay, it’s obviously time to hit the Rhode Island Trail. Chardonnay is not Lisa’s white wine of choice, but she was taken with the honey and butterscotch notes on the nose; wet limestone mineral and citrus on palate. Hmmm… “Limestone?” Mineral and citrus? Sounds a bit Sauvignon Blanc-y… no wonder Lisa liked it.
Reds
Gary says this is a “really wonderful example of how this much maligned wine can be elegant and collectible.” On the palate, there’s an immediate deep blackberry-cherry fruit with silky tannins and a long finish. This is definitely a “new world” style wine crying out for ground for ground lamb burgers on the grille. The grapes are 100% Estate Grown, and the wine is aged in oak for 18 months.
Hope Family Wines--Candor Merlot NV $18
What’s this? A second Merlot worthy of a write up? This version is a slightly fruit forward style wine with velvety tannins and smooth, slightly dry finish. We were happy to taste a Merlot from Paso Robles, which we think of as prime Zinfandel territory. Note that we did not taste the Candor Zinfandel At this price point, Hope’s Merlot is a very good value.
Four Vines 2006 Biker Zinfandel (Paso Robles, CA) $26
What do you want from your Zin? Well, our resident Zinfandel expert, Lisa, says “Spice, deep blackberry and currant fruit, a smooth, silky texture and a long interesting finish.” Well, the Four Vines Biker Zin is all that and more… and the best of the Zins at the Four Vines tasting booth. This is on our Buy List. In answer to the question, “What do you want from your Zin,” Lisa also says, “I want my Four Vines Zin Bitch glass back; it broke on the way home from the vineyard three years ago. Won't someone send me a new one?"
Olho De Mocho Reserva 2007 (Portugal)--$30
A great wine to pair with lamb sirloin steaks on the barbeque. Fruit and tannins balance to deliver a terrific, complex wine with a long, silky finish. Syrah and Touriga Nacional. A great value now on our Buy List!
Herdade do Pombal 2006 Vino Tinto (Portugal)--$35
Absolutely delicious! Bursting with fruit, caramel, and leather on the palate, terrific tannin structure and balance throughout the tasting. Combination of Aragones, Trincadeira, Alicante, Bouschet and Cabernet Sauvignon juice. Compare this to some $50+ Bordeaux’s in terms of value—a real bargain.
2004 Michael David Winery Rapture Cabernet Sauvignon--$65
This wine is bursting with deep blackberry, black plum fruit, and chocolate highlights. The smooth tannins mid-palate keep this powerful wine very accessible and delicious throughout its full, long finish with toasted oak-vanilla notes. The wine is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Cabernet Franc. What’s unusual is the length of time in the French oak; @3 years. The high (15%) alcohol content perks up the fruit in this great example of a new world wine.
Valle Reale San Calisto Montepulciano D’Abruzzo DOC 2004--$30
This wine is outstanding! Noted leather and some tobacco on the nose; strong, fruit forward on the palate with notes of spicy cherry-blackberry puree and earthiness on the palate. Silky tannins make this a terrific wine to serve with any roasted meat or red sauce dish. This is on our Buy list!
San Polo 2003 Brunello Del Montalcino--$65 - $85
The San Polo is a terrific wine that lives up to the Brunello heritage of elegance. It’s incredibly smooth, creamy, and complex. With the summer of 2003 marked by drought and high temperatures, this wine is testament to what great winemakers can do under just about any conditions. We’ll shop around for this wine and while it’s not inexpensive, it rivals many wines of higher price and higher scores.
Wagner (Caymus CA) --2007 Belle Glos Pinot Noir Las Alturas $35 -$40
A succulent Pinot Noir with consistent light cherry and strawberry notes throughout the tasting. Full tannins make this smooth Pinot a truly special wine that carries on the Caymus tradition of superior winemaking. While a bit on the expensive side, it’s worth a try.
Trinchero (CA) 2007 Central Park West Cabernet Sauvignon. $40
Two days after the Newport show we popped into our local wine shop and put in an order this fab Cab. Eucalyptus and toasty oak/vanilla on the nose. We noted a great balance of fruit (blueberry and blackberry), cassis notes, and cocoa edges with opulent tannins that lead into a smoot and pleasingly long finish. This was the first time that Trinchero had trotted-out this wine for a tasting in a public setting—glad we were there to welcome it.
2006 AOC Domaine de la Charbonniere Chateuax Cuvee Mourre Des Pedrix, $55
Why is this amazing Chateauneuf? Its luscious, silky tannins blend amazingly well with the deep black cherry/blackberry fruit that’s consistent throughout the long finish. It’s drinking well right now and should age gracefully. This is a must buy for special—no, all—occasions.
Brunello di Montalcino 'Col di Sole', Lionello Marchesi 2003, $75
2003 was a very difficult year in the European winery business due to the record high summer temperatures. The heat stressed the vines and fruit yields were down by as much as 30%. In an interview with Mr. Marchesi, who graced the Newport show with his presence, the winemaker said that he and his vineyard management decided to trim back extra leaf canopy, exposing more of the grapes to the sun. Perhaps the subtle concentrated black fruit flavor is the result of this technique, perhaps not. On the nose, the Col di Sol Brunello starts with toasty cedar and aromas of sun-dried cherries. On the palate, the lush tannins embrace consistent fruit throughout the taste. This may be the perfect wine to pair with a deliciously aged Black Angus rib eye steak. With the economic recovery in-sight, perhaps we’ll be adding this wine to our Must Buy list.
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