With the popularity the first FINKUS COLLECTION DOURO wines, LOLITA & MILF (made in co-op with the fabulous Quinta do Popa), it was just a matter of time till the next collection was planned!

It is with great honour we announce that Finkus Bripp GC is teaming up with award winning Austrian winemaker Fred Loimer from Langenlois to bring you two Great Whites – Kamptal Grüner Veltliner to be exact – and they’re going to be named … you’ll have to watch the video in order to find that out :0)

Fred Loimer is not only respected as a leader in the Austrian wine world but internationally as well. His wines and winemaking skills have garnered pretty much any & every international award which can be bestowed upon a winemaker but we won’t start listing these as Finkus prefers the wines speak for themselves.

Stay tuned to find out which artist will be designing the new FINKUS COLLECTION labels and we’ll also be bringing you videos shot during the blending process.

Keep on keepin’ ON!

VINHO VERDE

Spring is a time of beginnings, of renewals, of discoveries; it’s a refresher course that includes becoming reacquainted with the neighbors and a post-winter appreciation of all things green.

In the world of wine, is there a comparable all-of-the-above example than Portugal’s iconoclastic Vinho Verde?

Even the new Vinho Verde website looks fresh – is splashy, colorful and fun and covers all things VV.

Light-weight, easy on the budget, low in alcohol and slightly spritzy—(not enough to be called ‘semi-sparkling’ but enough to titillate the tongue) Vinho Verde hails from the Minho region of northern Portugal.  Minho’s proximity to the Atlantic, along the coastline known as Costa Verde, allows for a steady supply of cool, ocean-borne rain to wash across it, making the appellation far more amenable to agriculture than drier regions further inland.  Ironically, Baixo Corgo (home to Port—a style of wine so different as to be Vinho Verde’s antithesis), is contiguous to Vino Verdhe along the Douro River.

Having first achieved Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC) status in 1908, the demarcated zone covers nine sub-regions, many of which specialize in a specific varietal—true connoisseurs can tell them apart, although subzones often appear on the labels along with the Vinho Verde designation.

It Isn’t Easy Being Green

The term ‘Vinho Verde’, translated as ‘green wine’, has nothing to do with its origins near the Costa Verde (Green Coast) nor to its slight greenish tint when made with alvarinho grapes (often picked before they are fully ripe), nor even to the fact that the greenest of all holidays—St. Patrick’s Day—is also a harbinger of spring.  The name is a colloquial reference to green as in ‘young’ and speaks to the buoyant and stimulating youthful snap inherent to the wine—although it also indicates that you’ve got a fairly short window of time to enjoy it.  Most  Vinho Verde is meant to be consumed within a year or so of bottling; that way, the racy citrus and apple aromatics remain fully realized.

In older vintages, these notes can be as fleeting as the sunshine on a perfect April afternoon.

VV Varietals 

One of the most common Vinho Verde misconception is that all ‘green wine’ is white.  In fact, the DOC allows a number of red grapes, and almost a third of the wines released as Vinho Verde Tinto is made with a blend of them, among them vinhão (also used in port), azal tinto (its cousin, azal branco, is used in white Vinho Verde blends) and espadiero.  Generally harvested while still young and acidic, red Vinho Verde varietals can be fierce on the tongue with tannins that have not fully matured—as a result, many vintners rely upon malolactic fermentation to soften the sharpest edges.

There are also rosé Vinho Verde versions, often made with espadiero and padeiro grapes; producers may or may not encourage a secondary fermentation to mellow the acidity.

Still, it’s the white Vinho Verde that receives the most press, and with them for the most part, a malolactic stage is frowned upon.  Most producers prefer to add carbon dioxide at bottling time rather than allow a ‘natural’ fizz to develop.  This is based upon the belief that malolactic—a secondary fermentation which converts a portion of the tart malic acid that’s present in grape must to softer, creamier tasting lactic acid—takes away some of Vinho Verde’s characteristic spunk.

The grapes most commonly used in white Vinho Verde are alvarinho (called albariño in Spain), trajadura, and the workhouse varietal, accounting for 45% of the cultivars grown in the DOC, loureiro.   This fascinating, laurel-scented grape does not develop a lot of natural sugars while ripening, and thus helps maintain Vinho Verde below its legal limit of 11.5% alcohol.

To this day, much of Minho’s winemaking force is comprised of small growers who often produce Vinho Verde as a supplement to their agricultural livelihood.  As a result, vines are often trained above the ground, along trees, pergolas—even telephone poles—while vegetables grow underneath.

One unique producer who bucks the trend by being both large, new and family-centered is Pedro Araújo of  Quinta do Ameal, behind only Soalheiro in volume.  After twelve solo years at the estate his father first planted in 1990, his small yields of louriero—5 tons/hectare—have placed this varietal on the wine map of such wine-lit luminaries as Jancis Robinson, Steven Spurrier and Hugh Johnson.  Referring to himself as ‘a winemaker who happens to work in Vinho Verde’ rather than ‘a Vinho Verde producer’, Araújo is fond of such iconoclastic techniques as fermentation in new French barriques and a six month age time in the same, resulting in loureiro with the characteristic bay-leaf aromatics blending with the nuttiness of oak.

At the other end of the ‘age’ spectrum is Avaleda S.A., a family-owned concern which has been in business for more than three hundred years.  Now into a fifth generation, the company remains entirely in the hand hands of the Guedes clan, producing crisp, award-winning, mass-oriented wines in Valongo do Vouga and Penafiel, within the heart of Vinho Verde DOC.  As a wonderful example of a multitasking winery, Avaleda is also renowned for its brandies and cheeses.

Equally upscale, perhaps, is Quinta de Azavedo, owned since 1980 by Sogrape Vinhos—the company that brought you Mateus.  Although it is the largest wine producer in Portugal, Sogrape’s dedication has been to produce quality wines with the style of a small family winery.  Azavedo is a living example.  With 37 hectares planted to loureiro and pedernã, the quaint, tradition-steeped winery has embraced some modernity with an advanced trellis system that replaces their old pergola-trained vines; the wines are spritzy, smoky and succulent.

Monção’s incomparably lovely Solar de Serrade, whose 17^th century manor house—the centerpiece of the estate—is known equally for its  is justifiably noted for its furniture, tapestries and china collection as for its excellent Vinho Verdes, both red and white.

As the trend toward lighter, lower alcohol wines gathers pace, a number of wineries are altering styles and programs to accommodate the changing tastes.   It’s an ideal time to discover or renew your relationship with Vinho Verde—a wine which hasn’t had to change a thing.

Some of my favourites from the region:

Quinta do Ameal Loureiro:  From the Vinho Verde sub-region of Lima, this wine shows the characteristic minerality and delicacy of the area’s granitic soil, which has proved the most ideal spot in Minho for loureiro.  Light, golden with a hint of green, there’s lemon grass on the nose that’s somewhat reminiscent of a New Zealand sauvignon blanc; also, a touch of sparkle and flinty undercurrent that carries through to the finish.

Available in the WINE ON THE ROCKS SHOP – www.wineontherocks.com

Quinta do Ameal Escolha: Also from Lima, this nearly transparent beauty reflects the sub-region’s terroir in a big blossomy nose; lots of orange fruit—tangerine especially—and a substructure of butter and nutty tannins from bâtonnage and the six months the wine slumbered in new Nevers barriques.

Quinta Edmun do Val Alvarinho: At 13% AVB, this crisp, beautifully focused alvarinho is not technically a Vinho Verde, and in fact, having been aged on its lees for eight months (and then, another eight in the bottle before leaving the winery), it shows more girth than is typically seen in the region.  A serious and complex expression of alvarinho, the wine, made by the talented Olalla Ruibal, displays juicy acidity loaded with warm lemon, melon, green apple and floral notes, finishing with a slightly bitter citrus bite and a satisfying powderiness.

Casa do Vilacetinho Loureiro: Served to Queen Elizabeth II during her trip to Portugal, the historical highlights of the Vinho Verde can be traced to 1790, when the great winegrower, the 1st Viscount of Alpendurada built the manor house which today serves as the estate’s centerpiece.  The wines are steeped in tradition as well, and reflect Vinho Verde’s purest pedigree.  Strong citrus scents mingle with fresh flowers and stone fruits; there’s a bit of residual sugar to temper an electrifying dose of acidity.

Solar de Serrade Alvarinho:  Spritzy, with lemon/lime pith and refreshing and approachable acidity, this grassy green wine is an ideal shellfish mate.   From Monção, in the heart of Vinho Verde, it shows the pronounced minerality of the zone with an undercurrent of tart apple, melon, ripe Bosc pear and light, tingly carbonation on the finish.

I was on the go in Kamptal, Austria and decided to visit my buddy Vincent Bründlmayer  of Weingut Bründlmayer in Langenlois, one of Austria’s leading wineries. Vincent’s father, Willi Bründlmayer, is regarded as one of Austria’s top winemakers and has helped put the country on the map with his fantastic Grüner Veltliner and high-quality reds.

More information on Weingut Bründlmayer (taken from their website – bruendlmayer.com)

Weingut Bründlmayer is situated in Langenlois, some 70 km north-west of Vienna, upstream along the Danube in the Lower Austrian Kamp Valley. The wooded hills of the Waldviertel protect the vineyards from the cold north-westerly winds.

During the day, the sun warms the stony terraces, while at night the fresh, fragrant forest air drifts through the Kamp Valley into the Langenlois Arena. The wines are characterised by a combination of hot days and cool nights, the meeting of the Danube and Kamp valleys, and the geological and climatic diversity of the vineyards.

The winery includes the family dwelling, a cellar equipped with best available technology and a heuriger which is open almost all year round and where all wines can be tasted in a convivial atmosphere. The family members and a committed, enthusiastic workforce devote care and attention to the vinification of the hand-picked grapes.

[Show as slideshow]

Contact information:

Weingut Bründlmayer
Zwettlerstraße 23
A-3550 Langenlois

T +43 (0) 2734 2172 0
F +43 (0) 2734 3748

weingut@bruendlmayer.at
www.bruendlmayer.at

In December 2011 Jim Budd, professional wine journalist based in London with 24+ years experience, was bestowed the title of “This Blogger…” by Robert Parker in relation to his findings in the “Campogate” story (together with Harold Heckle) where an email by Pancho Campo MW was found offering the region of Murcia a 50% discount (€20.000,- instead of the “usual” €40.000,-) to have Jay Miller, a (since then) former Wine Advocate critic, come and review the region’s wines.

On February 14, 2012, Jim’s title was lengthened to “This Blogger Budd…” where Robert Parker alleges on erobertparker.com that Jim is reluctant to co-operate with his legal team in regards to the investigation. This interview was filmed on January 29, 2012… you be the judge if this is a true statement on the part of Mr. Parker.

Since one cannot live from wine alone – eventhough that would be nice – WOTR also does food! It’s not been quite a year since I decided to launch Wine On The Rocks and quite a bit has happened since DAY 001 and much more will happen by DAY 365… but that’s another blog entry. This entry is dedicated to my first JOINT episode with another blogger: Swiss Author and Foodie extraordinaire, Claudio Del Principe (Anonyme Köche). In addition to this episode, I also filmed a two part interview with Dieter Meier in regards to his Oranic Malbec & Malbec blends.

Claudio kinda thought I was crazy from the very beginning for even thinking of asking Dieter Meier to take part in a WOTR episode… considering I didn’t have an appointment… and was kinda just hoping he’d walk in to his own restaurant (Ojo de Agua)… and if/when he did, hoping he wouldn’t brush us off like a couple of groupies when I’d ask him to take part in my online show…

As Claudio and I were dining at Dieter Meier’s Ojo de Agua Contor back in November, who happened to walk in that very night? The man himself, Dieter Meier. A few words and laughs were exchanged and since the planets were in alignment after enjoying a bottle of his PURO Malbec, I asked Dieter if he’d take part in a Wine On The Rocks episode and he not only obliged but took part in two: the wine interview and Brazing Beef (screens above). Thanks to mobile devices with video capabilities, he liked what he saw. Which of course is a huge compliment coming from such an accomplished artist and full-out-all-rounder!

As the saying goes “Ask, and Ye shall receive!” Dieter was ON from the very beginning and all I can say is, his organic wines and meats are absolutely fabulous. The episodes were filmed in February 2010 at Dieter Meier’s Restaurant Bärengasse in downtown Zurich, one of the city’s finest culinary addresses.

Please visit:
Ojo de Agua website >>>

Restaurant Bärengasse in Zurich, SUI >>>
Anonyme Köche (German language)

Thanks go out to Dieter, Claudio and Henry Head for his help on cam.

Enjoy!

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Richard Karlo (Owner and Winemaker) and Sherry Martin (Marketing) run Karlo Estates (founded in 2006),  one of the newer wineries in “The County” . Up until ten years ago Prince Edward County was a weekend getaway known for the Sandbanks Provincial Park and not so much for its wine production and gourmet culture. With just a few wineries experimenting on the Burgundian type soils a decade ago and their wines gaining critical acclaim, it wasn’t long before 31 wineries made up what is known as one of Canada’s most exciting wine regions. The production is very limited and with “The County’s” growing popularity (proximity to Toronto: approx 2 hour drive), these wines are going quite fast. If you’re not so big on the overly “polished” (often sterile wineries filled with busloads of weekend wine warriors, my personal opinion) Niagara On The Lake region, Prince Edward County is the perfect place for you: Real people making real wines! With a treasure trove of privately owned farms and organic culture, it’s foody heaven!

It wasn’t very long ago that I got a heads up about Karlo Estates in Prince Edward County and the first thing I did was think “Huh? They grow wine on Prince Edward Island?” just to find out that PEC is actually in Ontario, not far from where I was born and raised… shame on me, shame on me! But since PEC actually is an island community located at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, I wasn’t that far off.

Pinot Noir is the flagship varietal of the region and I also noticed a lot of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Chardonnay. Richard Karlo has been experimenting with the virtually unknown Frontenac grape, a cold hardy varietal able to resist -30 degree Celsius temperatures and used in the production of fortified (Port style) wines. Judging by the firs vintage he has maturing at the moment, a great choice.

One of the main themes touched on in this interview is the “Cellared in Canada” schlamazel! With Mr. Harper having gained a majority vote in the May 2nd, 2011 elections, maybe he can finally tackle this ridiculous term used to describe foreign wine which is bottled in Canada (British Columbia is allowed to bottle 100% foreign wine, Ontario up to 70% with the rest having to be Canadian wine) and it be sold in the “Canadian Wine Section” of the government run liquor stores. How ridiculous is that??!! If you’re not trying to “mislead” the consumer, then why don’t you just call it what it is? Imported wine!! Which should be sold in the proper section, should it not? There’s more information on this subject in the Wine On The Rocks Jancis Robinson interview which can be viewed here.

Some helpful links:
www.karloestates.com
www.visitprinceedwardcounty.com
www.prince-edward-county.com

One of my favourite things when it comes to Social Media is the offline aspect. I’ve taken the conversation offline on a few occasions, in this case with Chris on my Napa visit (as well as with Paul Mabray of VinTank – see interview) strictly because I liked what he had to say and most of all, how he said it. So it just seemed natural to give him a heads up that I was coming to town and just wanted to say hi IRL. I’m glad I did, Chris and the Plumpjack/Cade Team were absolutely forthcoming and very generous with their time… not to mention, the wines I tasted on that day really helped change my view of the California wine scene.

I wasn’t familiar with the Plumpjack or Cade brands before flying out to the West Coast so it was very much a day of discovery. One thing that intrigued me about their complete range, whether it be the estate wine or top end bottle, they’ve all been treated with velvet gloves. Really! The blending techniques are world class, the wines have an incredible tannin structure  (every single ONE! ) and eventhough the alcohol levels are quite high in some of their wines, it’s very well integrated (meaning: the actual levels seem to be much less than they are). But my favourite aspect was the fact that they let some “funk” shine through, I love funk. Call me old school or old world, just give me barnyard!! Don’t get me wrong, the wines are nowhere near “penetrating” in regards to this characteristic, they just haven’t been vinified in the typical fruit bomb manner. Couple that with some of Napa’s best terroir (Stag’s Leap and Opus One are just a stone’s throw away) and you have a recipe for something GREAT!

If Tony Biagi (Chief Winemaker at Plumpjack and Cade) were a makeup artist, his work would look like this:

Unfortunately many winemakers still tend to overdo it with the “makeup” they give wines and therefore their work looks something like this:

All in all, many thanks go out to Chris and the PJ/C team! The day spent together was a blast and the only thing left to do now is find me some Plumpjack and Cade on this side of the pond.

Keep on keepin’ ON!

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Paul Mabray, CSO at VinTank is definitely one of the most motivational people I’ve met in a long time, with a ton of passion & heart to boot. When it comes to business, he shoots from the hip and his aim is dead ON! We met up in Napa, shared some great bottles, broke bread, killed my “waterproof” GoPro camera in the HotTub (that’s another story)  and also found the time to talk about Social Media in the Wine Industry.

Seeing what Paul and the VinTank team have put together in such a short time is truly inspirational. When it comes to innovation in the wine tech industry, VinTank is truly a leader! With so many charlatans and gold diggers spewing three year old recycled Gary Vee jargon (pseudo Social Media Consultants) out there today preying on the insecurities of the wine industry when it comes to Social Media activities, it’s a breath of fresh air to finally meet someone who talks the talk and walks the walk: a true original.

VinTank produces innovative platforms such as www.cruvee.com (helping wine brands protect and promote themselves effectively by measuring, interpreting and engaging the online chatter, clutter) and www.vinpass.com (allowing users to taste, review, and score wines to win exclusive passes and rewards!), setting the international standard when it comes to using the web in today’s complex marketing mix.

Enjoy the interview… surely 07:29 minutes well spent!

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Why pay for a bottled red wine cola mix when you can make your own at home? As juvenile as I am, I only wanted to try it because of the name (I won’t even go near the translation)… see who comes out on top.

Editing this vid was pure hell… it’s the shortest vid I’ve done to date and was one of the longest to edit. There’s nothing worse than taking things “a little” overboard during the shoot only to find out later how overboard you actually went in the KrAss department. I was cruisin’ for a bruisin’ and oh so ON when it came to being a recipient of hate mail.

But there’s nothing better than being your own sensor and WOTR is surely about having fun but being ordinary & plainly stupid isn’t part of it. Therefore excuse the conotation tied to the product – yes, I could have refused to taste this product – but I do feel this kind of stuff should be taken with a grain of salt.

Thanks to Dom Crossover for helping on the cam… he said he’d help again, so I’m guessing he had a good time!

Keep on keepin’ ON!

Product info: Kalte Muschi is only available in Germany (as far as I know). If you’re looking for more info, visit www.kalte-muschi.de

This is definitely a WOTR LIGHT episode but it was much fun to produce none the less. Having Jancis in front of the lense and to myself for an hour was an experience I’ll never forget. The themes covered…The themes covered in the first part of the Jancis interview series are the following:

1. Mosel Bridge – B50 “One reason why I don’t like politics” (That’s me quoting me, not Jancis)
Some politicians (Germany’s Kurt Beck of the SPD party for one) has OK’d the building of Germany’s longest bridge (B50) in the Mosel Valley in order to shorten commuters’ routes by approx. 30 minutes – all in the name of progress! Not so far off is the Frankfurt Hahn airport which is one of Germany’s Ryan Air hubs… no wonder. With this behemoth they will also be destroying thousands of years of history. Great huh?

Link to Jancis Robinson’s article on the subject
More info on the Mosel Madness can be found on the Dr. Loosen site

Latest update offered by Sarah Washington (JAN 11-2010): The bridge building has not yet started, but trees are being cut down. The local resistance is growing now that the project is visible. Still a long way to go, but it is increasingly encouraging to see people fighting on all fronts – costs, environment, prize vineyards, lack of traffic, unstable geology, tourism, UNESCO etc.
The German press is finally taking notice – in no small part due to criticism from abroad. National radio will be here for a live radio debate on 13th January with the State Transport Minister. That will be noisy!

2. Cellared in Canada – “Another political schlamazel!” Me again.
The provincial governments of Canada (except Alberta, which is private) have their fat little fingers firmly grasped around the large alc cake, better known as a monopoly – but there’s no play money involved here. Billions of Canuck Dollars flow here in tax revenue and it’s all in the name of “responsible drinking” and “control”. The current cherry on the cake is the “Cellared in Canada” issue – wines are bought in bulk from wherever and once bottled in Canada, they receive this wonderful marketing slogan which nobody really cares to question. Jancis brings up some great points about this.

Join the Boycott Cellared in Canada Wines Facebook group
Link to an article on the subject – The WineHub

Keep on keepin’ ON!

The Master of Wine interview is the third and final episode of the Jancis Robinson Trilogy – wow, what a word – Trilogy! I must admit, editing the interview videos surely helped improve my vocabulary and clarity of speech – one notices how many light years away one is from being anywhere near a video personality when confronted with pros like Jancis.

The only way my name will probably ever appear with an MW behind it is when it comes to MORE WINE! But I guess you can’t do everything now can you?

Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to comment on the site/Twitter/Facebook – it really makes it all worth it and helps me improve by knowing what works and what doesn’t.

“Learning by doing” is definitely the claim of the day… enjoy!!

In this segment of the interview, Finkus discusses the Purple Pages, social networking and how Jancis’ wine writing has developed from 1975 to now.

A full 3min & 35secs – quick & dirty, just the way Finkus likes it. Enjoy!