Fermented Thoughts

Tasting Italy 2009

Nicholas Solga — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:00:44 +0000

No eloquent words, no loquacious lead-in, just good times. This trip to Italy will not be forgotten.

I think the video says it best…

Photos & film by: Fermented Thoughts
Music by: Zucchero Fornaciari

A Visit to Spring Mountain Vineyard

Nicholas Solga — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 17:00:10 +0000

While in Napa this past July, my palate began to dream… Vivid and fermented thoughts of rich mountain fruit dominated the reverie. Knowing this urge couldn’t be restrained, I quickly found my way to Spring Mountain Vineyard, and my palate was thankful.

Taken directly from the source: “Spring Mountain Vineyard is an 850 acre estate of forest and vineyard on the eastern slopes of Spring Mountain which rises behind the town of Saint Helena. The vineyard occupies about 226 acres of the estate and is broken into 135 small and separate hillside vineyard blocks. Each small block and slope has a unique soil, exposure to the sun, and microclimate.”

When I arrived, it was a beautiful day, the sun beat down and I couldn’t have asked for better hospitality. The pleasure of sampling a serious line-up of wine was soon to be mine.

We started with a refreshing 2007 Spring Mountain Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. Barrel fermentation and sur-lie batonnage give the crisp juice a delightfully rich nuance. From here, we moved onto the decadent 2001 Elivette. From the famed ‘01 vintage, this Gobelet-grown wine packs serious depth while offering seamless, elegant fruit and a velvety, prolonged finish.

We ended with a very special library release, the storied 1993 Spring Mountain Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon. With only 760 cases made, this treat was rare. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon 76%, Merlot 13%, and Cabernet Franc 11%, marry together from separate blocks transforming into something more than the sum of its parts. Still impressively young, the first release from the new estate, sets the bar high with a sweet kiss of cedar folded with classic blackberry, minty dark chocolate, and lead-wrapped earthy goodness.

As outlined on their website, “Spring Mountain Vineyard’s goal is to produce exceptional wines that showcase powerful mountain fruit that through gentle and graceful winemaking produces wine with elegance and strength.”

Given Spring Mountain’s cool, rainy climate compared to other AVAs, the vineyard’s vertical goblet trellising and resulting low yields, I find these vines produce wines that sing!

Should you find yourself in Napa, California in search of wine from serious mountain fruit - I suggest you find your way to Spring Mountain Vineyard and taste the dream.

Photos & film by: Fermented Thoughts

Music by: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

Source: Spring Mountain Vineyard

Returning to Italia

Nicholas Solga — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 02:27:21 +0000

Just shy of one year ago I set out on a journey. A journey of taste. Accompanied by two close friends, together we formed an impressively insatiable force. Our stomachs were empty, our palates dry, and our spirit strong. Seeking sustenance for the mind, body, and soul we soon found ourselves sitting at Italian and French tables and feeling very much at home. As we trekked through Pisa, the Cinque Terre, BeauSoleil, and Monaco, good times were had and many a bottle shed its lifeblood in our glass…

In less than a week, Fermented Thoughts will invade Italy once more – feasting on culture. We’ll be in search of lively Ligurian wines, freshly caught Mediterranean cuisine, and views that exude the essence of laid-back, riviera living. After hiking from Monterosso al Mare to Riomaggiore, we’ll find our way to Florence, back up to Pisa, over to Portofino and back again.

Until we return with a new sack full o’ pics – enjoy last year’s harvest!

Ciao.

Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva Rioja 1956

Nicholas Solga — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 00:25:48 +0000

I was told but, cannot say that I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing, that this was no ‘55 or ‘58 (both excellent Rioja vintages) however, the 1956 Marqués de Riscal Gran Reserva Rioja energized, impressed, and indeed educated my perpetually parched palate. How often are you able to enjoy and taste something 53 years old? Rarely… To that point, there’s been a lot of discussion in professional wino circles of late about Gran Reserva Rioja’s ability to age, and age well. Seems that many Spanish winemakers are now choosing to age their precious Tempranillo less in oak, to preserve the natural flavors and produce a lighter wine with more fruit clarity – key for today’s new-world driven palates. So, less Gran Reserva, more Reserva and much more Crianza.

This Rioja seems a little nonconformist. I respect that. Rather than the typical blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and perhaps Garnacha or Mazuelo – this beauty is 55% Tempranillo and 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, and thankfully so. One key reason it aged so well, I’d wager, is the heavy amount of Cab. Also adding staying power would be the four years it spent in French oak rather than the minimum of two years, required by DOCa law for Gran Reservas.

Brick red to onion skin in color, the wine announces its age as it clears to the rim. One of the most interesting bouquets I’ve come across showcasing primary notes of leather, olive tapenade, tobacco, fresh brewed coffee, cedar, and faint secondary hints of caramel laced red fruit.

On the palate … BANG … this juice still rocks! I don’t know about younger Gran Riservas but, I stumbled upon electricity here. Very much alive, holding tight hands with some serious acidity, carrying it along its 53 year journey to refresh and caress my palate. The once powerful tannins have all but vanished in favor of a light, toasted profile. Over time, she has unwound – now offering flavors of dried herbs folded with tart, smokey cranberry.

Grand, graceful, a bit majestic … leaving one to think – what if I had tasted this in ‘56? Your palate thanks Marqués de Riscal for holding until today!

1970 Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja Blanca

Nicholas Solga — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:13:02 +0000

39 year old white Rioja…

Today, I have the pleasure of tasting an amazing lineup of Spanish wines with Pancho Campo, MW as part of the Society of Wine Educators conference in Sacramento.

This wine proves that Spanish whites can age and, age well. Eight years of cask ageing bolsters this beauty and allows us to taste 1970, today.

1970 Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Rioja Blanco:

85% Viura, 15% Malvasia.

Vibrant golden with a complex perfume of olives and truffles. Full on the palate, giving massive puffs of orange peel and toffee. Serious acidity will carry this bottle for years to come.

Wine Bloggers Conference

Nicholas Solga — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:43:36 +0000

Barry Schuler (former CEO of AOL and now VC and Vintner) addresses the crowd on new technologies and how they apply to the business of wine. Wine Bloggers Conference is indeed up and running at full speed.

This man is passionate and can read an audience. Humor is just as important as knowledge when commanding a room.

Key take aways? Right now, we’re going through “Death Valley”, where traditional media is deflating faster than new models are being developed. Today’s new business model is “if they come, we will build it!”

We’ve gone from broad to narrow to micro and now nano casting. The message continues to get more fragmented however, every downturn leads to opportunity.

As Wine Bloggers, we are reshaping the media industry and so long as we stay passionate, build a brand, tell the story well and continue to survive – we may ultimately thrive.

Disaggregation and fragmentation is bound to consolidate in a new form with time… Those that stay strong will be the victors who cash in on the opportunity.

‘82 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon

Nicholas Solga — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:31:05 +0000

Just enjoyed a nice 1982 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon… Freakishly young with plenty of horsepower to carry it for another 5-7 years. Nice brick red color with cranberry, anise and dusty black pepper on the nose. Restrained palate with fine tannins and faint black berry and licorice spice. Seriously elegant. Not my first encounter with Mayacamas. Not my last.

Bernhard Eifel Riesling Spatlese 2005

Nicholas Solga — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 02:56:21 +0000

The way I get over eye surgery…

Yeah, yeah. I know. I had surgery this morning… So! I ask you then, what is the proper wine to pair with Tylenol? In fact, I asked this exact question just now, of 50+ wine bloggers over on Twitter. The best answer received? Arneis. Decent, refreshing, but not for me. Not now.

Thinking for a moment, I recalled the words of an old friend, Frank Sinatra, who once said “I Did it My Way.”

What I really love about Riesling, is its modesty. Amid today’s market of over-ripe, over-extracted, over-blown wine, it’s easy to find respite amid the restrained, low-alcohol, yet bracingly flavorful richness of a good Riesling. Following this path, I’ve encountered mesmerizing bouquets and flavors that have arrested – all modestly wrapped in wine that left me feeling refreshed, energetic and alive.

Tonight I consulted the wine rack and selected the Bernhard Eifel Riesling Spatlese 2005. An excellent value, purchased at retail from Wine Library for $14.

Surprisingly greenish and faintly golden in color with a lively nose of lime, wet pavement, and citrusy meringue. Full on the palate with creamy vanilla hints reminiscent of Creme Brulee mixed with sweet Clementine, honey and a rich caramelized sugar finish.

Modest opulence with a citrus edge that Sinatra himself would be proud of. The Chairman would say… “The record shows I took the blows – And did it my way!”

Wine to Water

Nicholas Solga — Thu, 21 May 2009 23:02:43 +0000

Jesus did it (well, in reverse…). Doc Hendly did it. We did it and you can too!

In 2003, Doc Hendley was a bartender from North Carolina that had a dream. That dream became a reality in 2007 when he founded Wine to Water, a non-profit organization who’s mission is to support clean water projects – helping deliver fresh, clean, and sustainable drinking water around the world.

How did he do it? Wine tastings! Quoting their website “…The first fundraiser was a great success. With its success, and others to follow, came a confidence that Wine to Water would continue to grow as an organization. As a result, wine tastings became just one of many ways that we raise awareness and support for the global water crisis. We have worked to provide clean water and sanitation in many countries including Sudan, India, Cambodia, Uganda, Ethiopia, and Haiti.”

Since 2004 Doc’s organization has brought sustainable, clean water to more than 25,000 individuals in more than 5 countries. ”

Doc’s dream, and now the goal of Wine To Water, is to quench the thirst of the needy in a way that sets them apart from the rest of the world.” -Wine to Water

Doc’s story humbles and inspires. Join us in raising a glass to Doc, his team and to all of those who work to quench the thrist of the needy and in doing so, help to make our world a better place!

To host a Wine to Water tasting – click here.

To support this worthy cause by making a donation click here and help make a difference.

Playing for Change

Nicholas Solga — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:15:31 +0000

Do yourself a favor and watch this ENTIRE 5 minute video. You’ll be very glad you did. Given the crazy times we all live in today and the recent strife experienced by so many, it’s pretty uplifting to see an organization focusing on bringing joy to the masses, even at its most elemental level. This video was done by a group called Playing for Change. Their mission is to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music.

Quoting one of the artists in the film, Roger Ridley, these people, much like him, are “in the JOY business” and I see great dividends in their future.

Looking beyond limitations, walls, and current situations of doubt, we benefit ourselves by benefiting others and seeking to speak and relate to each other in a universal voice.

Enjoy.