Vintus

The answer to our Tokaji newsletter question.

G.A.M. Stands for?  Gemma, Alexander and Marco.  The answer to last week's newsletter question about Mitolo.

The answer to our newsletter's question about Engelgarten: gravel.  See the note attached.

The Sandrone's response to our newsletter question on Valmaggiore Nebbiolo d'Alba, attached.

Richard Sanford's response to our newsletter question last week:

Friends of Alma Rosa,

Thank you for responding to the historical question about the original Rancho Santa Rosa land grant.  You may know that since all our certified organic estate vineyards are on the original land grant, Thekla and I consider that our wines are a reflection of the soul (Alma) of the Rancho.  That is the origin of the name “Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards.”

From the Spanish discovery of California until the eve of the Yankee arrival, California was governed by Royal Presidios protecting Mission lands.

Secularization of the Missions occurred in 1834 under Mexican rule and the land became available to ex-presidio soldiers.  Ex-Corporal Francisco Cota from Santa Barbara Presidio, petitioned for the 15,526 acre Rancho Santa Rosa land grant in 1834.  Once determining that Mr. Cota was fit to own land in California and clearing title from Mission lands, the Governor of California Juan Bautista Alvarado granted the land in 1839.  Land patents had to be defended after Yankee domination and on April 30, 1872 heirs of Francisco Cota received the United States Government Patent for the Rancho from President Ulysses S. Grant

Thanks for your enjoyment of Alma Rosa Wines.  Please come for a visit when next in the neighborhood.

Best wishes,

Richard Sanford

The Santa Fe Wine and Chile Organization have recognized Richard and Thekla Sanford as their winemakers of the year.  This honor is an important one, and the attached article that appeared in Edible Santa Fe provides some great background on the winery, especially Richard's dedication to sustainable farming - for over 25 years he has farmed without herbicides or pesticides, composted all organic waste on site, and used grape pomace as mulch.  Fantastic pictures as well. 

Matt Thomson, the co-owner and winemaker of Delta Wines, has won the highly coveted White Wine Maker of the Year at the 2008 International Wine Challenge awards in London.  The International Wine Challenge judges almost 10,000 wines a year, so the competition for this award is particularly fierce.  In order to be shortlisted for the award, all the wines entered need to do consistently well in the Challenge.   The 2007 Delta Sauvignon Blanc won a gold medal in this competition, so was a key part of Matt’s success.
 
As well as being co-owner of Delta, Matt is also a consultant winemaker to others in Marlborough (including Saint Clair), and in Italy and France for Liberty Wines, the U.K. importer of Delta Wines.
 
This is a great result not only for Matt and Delta, but for New Zealand wines in general!
 

In an article on his website, Robert Parker writes about a dinner in Tokyo he recently had in which great French wines were paired with Japanese cuisine.  Bruno Paillard was in attendance (as was Joel Robuchon), and Parker states in a video on the dinner that appears on his site about Paillard's N.P.U. 1995, "I think it is one of the great champagnes I've tasted."  He then gives it 96 points in his notes on the dinner wines.  Other wines tasted at the dinner included Chateau Petrus 1990, Chateau Cheval Blanc 2000, Chateau Haut-Brion Blanc 2005, and Chateau Doisy-Daene 1948.

Burghound is now considered perhaps the United States' most comprehensive, authoritative guide on the wines of Burgundy.  Allen Meadows has expanded into a few areas, and just included for the first time Champagne reviews.  Meadows writes that the same phenomenon is occurring in Burgundy as in Champagne -- "a significant proportion of the supply of top quality grapes has moved away from the big houses."

Meadows chooses 61 Champagne producers to review, specifically those that sell either only a portion of their production to the big houses, or none at all.  He writes that these producers make Champagnes that have more character and individuality.  About the Bruno Paillard Brut Première Cuvée specifically, Meadows has the following to say:
 
“An elegant and slightly yeasty nose that is quite fine and leads to detailed, intense, crisp and savory flavors that possess good richness and this does not thin out or stop short on the finish. Very solid quality at this level and it will certainly offer several years of in-bottle improvement if you enjoy aging non-vintage cuvées.” 90/now+ Burghound, 4th Quarter 2007

Wine & Spirits has released their issue on the Top 100 Wineries and Wines of the Year, and we have the following Top 100 Wineries winners:

•    Lucien Le Moine (Mounir and Rotem "established Lucien Le Moine in 1999 and today make wines that rival Burgundy's best")
•    Telmo Rodriguez ("one of the most innovative wine portfolios in Spain")
•    Schiopetto ("Mario Schiopetto was the father of fresh white wines in Fruili")


We also had a number of wines featured in the Top 100 wines, adding to this wonderful reviews:

•    Best Friuli Whites: Schiopetto 2005 Blanc des Rosis
•    Best Burgundy Red: Lucien Le Moine 2004 Vosne Romanee Les Suchots
•    Best Burgundy Whites: Lucien Le Moine 2004 Coroton-Charlemagne

Congratulations to all!