Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc Mexican wine
November 17, 2018

Wine Diary: Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc Viña Kristel 2017

Last week I made a post about my first experience with Mexican wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon/ Merlot blend from Monte Xanic in the Guadalupe Valley. If you haven’t read the post I’ll summarize: it was awesome.

Well, I actually bought another bottle from the same producer that day, a Sauvignon Blanc. As I mentioned, some of the chefs I know were skeptical about the quality of a wine coming out of Mexico and my enthusiasm wasn’t enough to dissuade their concerns. To be fair, I have something of a predilection for counter-culture wines, the bottles you assume must only be on the shelves to soothe the heartache of homesick ex-pats. However, when I mention that they’re also pouring this wine at the French Laundry, those harsh opinions suddenly seem a bit softer.

Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc Mexican wine

It’s funny what makes a wine good or bad in our minds. For me, there’s a big difference between disliking a wine and thinking a wine is bad. It’s not unheard of for me to dislike a perfectly well-made wine, but I wouldn’t make the leap in logic to call that a bad wine. For example, I generally don’t like Sauvignon Blanc, it doesn’t mean that grape is incapable of making good wine, it’s just not my thing, which is going seem ironic based on what I’m about to say.

This is one of the best Sauvignon Blanc wines I’ve had in recent memory, maybe ever. Despite what I said earlier I… I think I liked it. I mean, not only was it well made, but I enjoyed it. I would buy another bottle. I would buy another bottle and share with friends. I would buy another bottle and elope with it. The wine was well-balanced, with a symphony of herbal, citrus, and tropical flavors that lingered on the palate like a pleasant memory. More importantly, it wasn’t so overwhelmingly acidic that it left chemical burns down my esophagus, which I appreciate.

Monte Xanic Sauvignon Blanc Mexican wine

I bought this bottle because I wanted to try a wine from Mexico; I wanted to know if the disdain I heard in reference to fine wine coming out of that country was well founded or not. I had my reservations, not about the nation of origin, but about it being a Sauvignon Blanc (that’s why I drank the red wine first). Not only did they produce good wine, they produced wine I enjoyed. I guess my point is, don’t be afraid to try new things and, more importantly, don’t be afraid to try things other people scoff at. If they haven’t tried it, they don’t know what they’re talking about. To quote Hitchens, “That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”

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German Saar Mosel Riesling Hofgut Falkenstein white wine glass cork
November 3, 2018

Wine Diary: Hofgut Falkenstein Krettnacher Euchariusberg Kabinett Riesling 2016

Out of an entire wall of German Riesling this bottle somehow caught my eye. I think I liked the name, we used to sell a Riesling at the Chopping Block from Dr. Frank wines that the staff affectionately dubbed, “That Dr. Frankenstein wine,” …because we’re culinary professionals. I usually try not to get sold by a label, but in this case, I guess I was sold on the name; it reminded me of the immature laughter of some people I truly care about, I had to buy it. In my search for information about the winery, I stumbled across Lars Carlsberg’s write up, which quickly made me realize I don’t know shit about German Riesling.

German white wine Riesling Saar Mosel bottle glass

Hofgut Falkenstein is in the Mosel region of Germany, named for the Mosel River which twists its way through Germany, Luxembourg, and France. However, it may more accurately be linked to the Saar River, a tributary of the Mosel with a longstanding reputation for great Riesling wines. Carlsberg gives an impressive write-up of both winemaker and winery, peppering technical details in between personal anecdotes. If you’re interested in learning more about Mosel wines, his website is an amazing resource.

I can’t help that feel I’m biting off more than I can chew with this blog or, perhaps, uncorking more than I can drink. From Carlsberg’s write-up, this is everything I claim to want out of a wine: produced by a small family of passionate of winemakers in a very rustic, artisanal, method. Part of me wants to a book a flight to Germany just to meet these people. I should be volunteering to pick up their banner and carry it into battle against the Constellations and Broncos of the world, but in the end the wine just didn’t resonate with me.

The wine had complexity and impressive flavors, but it finished quickly and seemed unbalanced in its sweetness. From my perspective as a retailer, it’s exactly the kind of Riesling Americans are afraid of, sweet without a complimentary acidity. I would be reluctant to stock this in my store, unless I was offering a sweet alternative to Moscato. That being said, I finished the bottle by myself and enjoyed every bit of it, but I’ve had better.

Hofgut Falkenstein cork

My ratings on German Rieslings are generally favorable, so much so that I often wonder if I’m showing bias when I rate these wines on Vivino. This wine scored low for me, nearly a full point below the aggregate score, and I’m very conflicted about that. Perhaps this is an issue of my expectations being at odds with reality, or maybe I was just having an off day, or maybe my assessment is right and I’m simply questioning myself because I want to like this wine so badly. Instead of buying into a label or a name, have I simply allowed myself to be sold on the idea of the artisanal winemaker?

There is no doubt that the world of German Riesling is much more complex than I understand it to be and I’m looking forward to diving deeper into that rabbithole. Maybe in time I’ll be able to wax poetic about the nuances of Saar Rieslings compared to the greater Mosel region or Rheinhessen. For the moment, I have to leave this wine where it is, but I hope to return to it one day and give it another chance. If you’ve tried this wine or have strong opinions on German Riesling in general, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

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Chinese coin wine bottle
October 31, 2018

Wine Diary: Dragon’s Hollow Unoaked Chardonnay 2005

I was browsing through the Artisan Cellar one day when I discovered a glitch in the matrix in the form of a 13 year old bottle of unoaked Chinese Chardonnay. It was just sitting there in the discount bin, the same bin I had combed over countless times before. How had I missed this?

I’ve been on the hunt for good Chinese wine ever since I read Thirsty Dragon, but it seems most wine shops won’t touch it. The few people I know who have encountered it tell me the quality isn’t there. Of course, they say the same thing about those Eastern European wines I’ve come to love so much, so I figured it’s worth checking out. Unfortunately, Chinese grape wine is nearly impossible to find.

I had some minor success in Chicago’s Chinatown Square, where I was able to find Chinese wine for sale, but both bottles I purchased were oxidized. It was a dire omen for my hopes of finding a good Chinese wine. Then this happened.

Dragon's Hollow Chinese unoaked Chardonnay label wine bottle

The bottle was one big red flag. Chardonnay is capable of aging, but my limited knowledge on the subject told me it needed oak. As I understood it, this wine would have been best within 1-2 years, maybe up 5. Some of the best Chardonnay in the world can age a decade or more, but that’s something we associate with high dollar Burgundy, not bargain bin Chinese wine. Bottom line, it was a risky bottle. So what do you do? On one hand this may be that good Chinese wine I’ve been searching for, but on the other everything about the situation screamed, “Walk away!”

It was a difficult decision, so I reached into the furthest depths of my arcane wine knowledge and asked the clerk what he thought. “Do you stand by this wine?” Was my question.

“Would you?” He asked. “Look, that bottle has been knocking around the shelves for years. If you want it, I’ll sell it to you for half price just to get rid of it. It’s something my predecessor bought. If it’s no good, let me know and I’ll make it up to you.”

At this point, the bottle was now essentially risk free. Obviously, I bought it.

Chinese wine Dragon's Hollow unoaked Chardonnay label glass

I strongly suspect the wine was past its prime, but not unpleasantly so. It had great complexity, flavors of cantaloupe and pear with herbal notes, the acidity was well balanced, and overall I found it to be a smooth and pleasant experience. I would absolutely buy another bottle from this producer.

I don’t have much knowledge of Chinese wine. In my two WSET certifications, it wasn’t even mentioned. The instructor went out of his way to ridicule South African Pinotage, he didn’t seem like the kind of guy to ask about wine off the beaten path.

According to the bottle, Dragon’s Hollow is produced in the Helan Mountain Appellation. This mountain range is in northwest China, right against a desert region that separates China from Mongolia. It’s part of the Ningxia region, which has developed a some positive attention for their wines.

I was able to find the producer’s website, though it appears they haven’t updated their site or social media accounts in about seven years, with the exception of posts on Twitter about the Voice and Friskies cat fishing scores. According to the bottle, the wine was imported by Broadbent Selections, but the label is not currently listed on their site. However, the Dragon’s Hollow website lists MHW as their importer, though they also do not appear to list the wine on their site.

To make a long story short (too late), I do not know if they are still producing wine. While it would be a shame to lose the only good wine producer I’ve found just as I discover them, the experience has encouraged me to continue looking for new wines and new wine regions.

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Pinot Blanc Alsace white wine bottle
October 29, 2018

Wine Diary: Chateau d’Orschwihr Pinot Blanc 2015

Similar to Nemean wine, there’s something about Alsatian wines that just makes me want to put the rest of the world on hold. So, when I stumbled across this Pinot Blanc at Gene’s Sausage Shop, I knew it was time to clear my calendar.

According to their website, Chateau d’Orschwihr dates back to 1049 and is known to have been producing wine since the seventeenth century. The vineyard has been family owned since the 1950’s and have made a strong effort to produce wine sustainably, they touch on everything from fertilizer use to additives and even their recycling program.

Bollenberg, referenced on the label, is a hill that sits between the communes of Orschwihr, Rouffach, and Westhalten. It is home to a small church that dates back to the 6th century. It also, according to some sources I found, held significance for local Celts in the pre-Roman era. Some myths claim is was once a meeting place for witches, in fact, the church is sometimes referred to as the Chapel of Witches. Every August locals gather for a festival to burn an effigy of a witch.

Cat Wine Bottle Alsace France Pinot Blanc Chateau d'Orschwihr

As for the wine, this may be the first time I wasn’t absolutely blown away by a wine from Alsace. There was nothing technically off about it, I just wasn’t enjoying it as much usually do. It seemed to have this harsh grapefruit finish that I couldn’t get passed. I finished one glass and put it back in the fridge disappointed. The next night I tried it again and it seemed much more enjoyable. I don’t know if it needed time to mellow or if my palate was just off on the first day, in either case I developed a much more favorable opinion after the second tasting. If I find another bottle I may pick it up, just to see if I have a similar experience.

Despite my initial negative reaction, I had a lot of fun with this bottle. After taking it home and setting up the camera to get some pics, my cat decided I wasn’t paying enough attention to him and jumped up on the table. No matter how many times I put him back on the floor, he kept jumping back up there. I eventually gave up and used it as an excuse to get some pics of him with the wine bottle. He never sits still long enough for me to get a good photo.

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