Wine Article

7/29/2013
Dandelion Nectar
Dear Friends
Some observations from France...
Trends:
• New speed bumps are everywhere like a fad that has taken hold all the way from Paris to
the small towns. The Maserati-cruising young Italians are not happy – the design of the
speed bumps is in a long rectangular shape, not a round/short shape, which really does
prevent motoring along at 100kmh on a single lane country road (or risk tearing apart your
precious hand-built Ferrari). The bigger result of the speed bump craze is traffic – where
traffic used to flow, now every car must come to a near halt all over the country, time after
time after time. I can sense outage just around the corner...
• The moustique rules the roost this summer. If you are coming to Provence (or anywhere in
France) this summer, be prepared to be mauled (think northern Minnesota, Lake Bemidji
around 8:00pm on a hot July evening – there's a reason the unofficial state bird of Minnesota
is the mosquito). The constant rain and uncanny humidity this spring/early summer has bred
a bountiful denizen of blood thirsty critters (literally) that no layer of repellant or citronella
can help. The buggers are hungry, fast, aggressive and waiting for your precious sanguine
liquid...en masse. At last count, I have over 40 bites on my legs alone...and that’s with
repellant. In other words, there’s almost no way to sit outside, grill and enjoy a meal in the
evening – a dozen geranium candles can help but not really...it’s the worst outbreak of
mosquitoes I can ever remember in all my travels here. It's almost like the Camargue all
over the country – those that have been south of Arles (at dusk) will know what I mean...
• There’s a massive bread billboard campaign around France (formed by a national bread
alliance) in an attempt to make you aware that the cultural virtues of what it means to smell,
taste and enjoy true French bread is being eroded. Authentic, hand-made French bread has
become nearly non-existent (except from young/upstart bakers in and around Paris and the
most traditional of boulangeries). Everywhere, “artisinal” bread is made from frozen spears
baked by a central bakery somewhere and re-heated in nice looking ovens that seem
innocent enough. Even those that bake their own from scratch are using a pre-made bread
mix from their central franchise (Banette etc). It reminds me of US fast-food in some way –
no matter how hard you try to instill the fact that McDonalds is serving salad, it's still
McDonalds. The commercial baguette trend is good for no one.
• 2013: there's no way to sugar-coat 2013 – it is an anemic, almost non-vintage so far. The
grapes are so far behind (even in warm climes such as the Rhone) that it will take nearperfect
condiitons from here out to save the year. Stranger things have happened, so I won’t
make any ridiculous proclamations until the grapes are pulled from their stems in late
Sept/Oct but things are looking bleak...at best.
• 2012: case in point - a vintage that appeared to be mostly lost all over France (except the
Southern Rhone and Provence, where the reds are, in some cases, on par with 2010 – yes,
you can take that to the bank) has turned not a bevy of fresh, mineral-soaked whites and
charming reds that definitely have a place in our cellars. The most surprising thing for me is
the quality of the whites from Lyon south – among the best in a long time (from a
tension/electric standpoint, not a glycerol-BobJeb standpoint). Many producers in Provence
claim their 2012 whites are the best since 1988 – a strong statement. The reds, by contrast,
are from a very small crop but they are deep, dark, tannic and beastly entrants with jaw
breaking extractives and burly personas...except (unlike many 2009s that were very
alcoholic) - somehow the wines retain a balance in their elevated scheme...much like 2010.
The critics may pooh-pooh 2012 reds due to coarse/angular tannin and actual acidity but, if
so, they need to try more examples. This is a very serious year that’s come out of nowhere -
on par with rich and structured vintages such as 1998...but output was among the smallest
in 20 years and it’s not an across the board success – you have to pick and choose with care.
• 2011: lovely vintage all around, for white and red (why is that US consumers tend to take
the world “lovely” in the same breath as “marginal”?) – right now, 2011 is my favorite for
drinking in the near/mid-term. The wines are perfumed and full of true varietal tone that is
missing from an extract/tannin year such as 2012. Yes, the massive years always gain the
headlines but it's the nuanced vintages (i.e. 2001, 2007, 2011 in Burgundy) that collectors
find themselves actually drinking and enjoying while they end up selling their more “coveted”
years as they take so long to come around – a constraint that more buyers should be aware
of when stocking up on vintages of the century. For me, many of the 2011 CdP's (as an
example) are a throwback to less alcohol, less showmanship and more pure fruit and
garrigue. I have no doubt you will enjoy them to actually drink rather than stare at in your
cellar rack.
On to today’s find...
Many of you require a sweet wine or two to have on hand for the holidays (or other) and,
even if you are not a grandiose indulger of vinous sucrosity, this wine will grab you and
refuse to release its velveteen, caramel-doused grip.
In addition to its obvious appeal and ability to satisfy the most ardent critics of the genre, it
can also be had for a bizarrely low $.
Another example I’ve been watching for a few years, it is now ready for release and the
quality that was previously evident has entered a new realm. As one of the pioneers of the
Australian uprising (twice, in the mid 1990’s and again today), I believe my sight on this
rare tawny is based both on hind and fore.
From a Syrah (Shiraz) solera of up to 70 years of age, with the average age at over 30
years, this non-vintage tawny Shiraz will break your heat and the hearts of nearly anyone
that drips its slow to pour oil over their tongue. If you are a fan of the more widely
distributed Campbell's or or other Rutherglen tawnies, this very rare and difficult to come by
entrant is at an even higher level. It is more artisinal in nature with a production that
stresses hands-on with detail but hands-off with regard to technology and/or manipulation
(the new trend in Oz). Even those that are fans of PX or other Iberian desert vessels will fall
head over wine thief for this outstanding sweet wine. I’d like to see its standing (once the
curtains are lifted) in a blind line-up of the top dessert wines of the world.
A real treat and one of the highlights of my summer tastings (even though it’s not from
France!):
Tanzer's IWC; August 2013 (Josh Raynolds): “Bright amber color. Toffee, quince paste,
orange marmalade and cherry pit on the smoky, spice-accented nose. Plush and intensely
sweet but also lively, offering deep caramel apple, roasted fig and singed orange flavors that
stain the palate. Refused to let up on a finish distinguished by intense notes of toffee and
gingerbread. 93 pts”
VERY HARD TO FIND
ONE SMALL PARCEL ONLY directly from the winery cellar with the finest provenance
available.
FIRST COME FIRST SERVED up to 24 x 375ml until we run out:
NV Dandelion Vineyards “Sleeping Beauty” Tawny Shiraz 375ml (Barossa) -
$18.93 (IWC93)
(compare at $20-25+ in Australia)
To order: simply reply to this email or send Nicki a note (be sure not to change the subject
line in your email or your order may get dropped to the end of the stack if Nicki can’t find
your request!)
This parcel is now on its way from the Barossa – it will arrive this summer and will ship as
soon as weather cools. Please check The Center for local pick up in late summer. Drink:
every day.
Out of state orders will be held for free under ideal storage conditions (56
degrees/70%humidity) until shipping is possible. Locals may pick up at their leisure.
For current order status information, please log in to the Customer Center
athttp://customer.garagiste.com.
For local pick-ups, please go to:http://www.garagiste.com/pickup to schedule a time to pick
up your order(s).
If you are having trouble accessing your account, please
contact:support@garagistewine.com
NO SALES TO RETAILERS OR WHOLESALERS
Thank you,
Jon Rimmerman
Garagiste
Seattle, WA