Interesting trend?

Reading the Wednesday wine articles in The New York Times and The Washington Post, I couldn't help noticing what I hope is a trend, though it may just reflect the predilections of the specific writers involved. Both write about West Coast wines (Pinot Noir and Syrah, respectively). Both decry the overripe fruit bombs designed to generate high points from the big reviewers, and both single out producers who choose finesse, balance and food-friendliness over alcohol.

From Eric Asimov's column in The Times -- http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/11/dining/11pour.html?ref=dining:

From Mendocino and Sonoma through the Santa Cruz Mountains and Arroyo Grande south to the rolling hills of Santa Barbara County, a rebellion is brewing. The dominant style of California pinot noir remains round, ripe and extravagant, with sweet flavors of dark fruit and alcohol levels approaching and sometimes surpassing 15 percent.

But on a recent trip through these leading pinot noir areas I was thrilled to find a small but growing number of producers pulling in the opposite direction.

Instead of power, they strive for finesse. Instead of a rich, mouth-coating impression of sweetness, they seek a dry vitality meant to whet the appetite rather than squelch it. Instead of weight, they prize lightness and an almost transparent intensity.

From Dave McIntyre's column in The Post -- http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/10/AR2009031000655.html:

With so many U.S. wineries producing syrah, I decided to see whether an American expression of the grape was emerging. I wanted to know if winemakers here could, in effect, bring home the bacon.

Instead, I got pancakes, or at least pancake topping. Too many American syrahs, from California up the coast through Oregon and Washington, are syrupy monsters, with alcohol levels often exceeding 15 percent but not enough fruit to back that up. Some were downright undrinkable; others fell apart after a few favorable sips. None of these behemoths are welcome at my dinner table. . . . [snip]

American syrah cannot be successful as a category until more wineries produce high-quality, drinkable, food-friendly wines that excite the palate rather than dull it. Preferably at a price point we can afford.

"Food friendly" used to be a politely dismissive term to describe wines that show poorly in competitive tastings against big, floozy blockbusters. It's time to elevate "food friendly" to the top rank of praise and reward wines that complement, rather than obliterate, dinner.

Asimov, who's my favorite newspaper wine writer, has long had this welcome perspective. And McIntyre, who's fairly new to The Post, once wrote for this site, if I remember correctly. So maybe they're exceptions to the rule. Or maybe they're bringing welcome change to wine writing and reviewing in America. I guess time will tell...

[David M. Bueker]

Asimov is getting hammered on eBob for not genuflecting at the altar of "all wine styles are great, especially those made by posters on the forum."

Asimov is getting hammered on eBob for not genuflecting at the altar of "all wine styles are great, especially those made by posters on the forum."

Badge of honor!

Here's hoping more get onboard!

I stopped reading at this point:
"Parker has an American palate and has more influence among the Brits than all their own critics combined."

The author speaking from Napa.

Without a ******* clue.

Sadly typical of a significantly vocal element of that crowd.

Especially the McIntyre article on Syrah. His praise of the BoomBoom Syrah (a wine that sells particularly well in LosAlamos
for reasons I cannot fathom) is waaaay off base. I'm sceptical of the 13.5% alcohol unless it's been RO'd. It a big/sloppy/fruit bomb/
syrupy version of Syrah (that I actually happen to like) and the antythesis of the wines he's praising.
Though I can agree w/ his point, these kinds of articles are rapidly becomming tedious & boring.
Tom

Maybe I'm an effete Euro-snob, but I would not even think of buying a Syrah labeled "Boom Boom"

I resist telling this story because it seems to sum everything up. But it might make a difference. I was in an unnamed tasting room in Sonoma and at the end of the tasting bar, so I felt that I could be frank with the guy pouring the wines. I said "You know I really like this part of the country, the people, the scenery, and the food is great, but I have a real problem with all this alcohol!". He replied instantly, "Awe, none of us drink this stuff out here! We all drink European wines!" That exchange might speak volumes as to the problem. The typical American wine drinker (with their toe in the water) is led to believe that California wines are 1) Cheaper, 2) Better, 3) Sexy and Trendy so why bother with anything else. Not to mention that "old world wines" are impossibly difficult to fathom. I don't know if California can compete with the AOC and DOC systems in place in France and Italy--we would never accept the planting and varietal restrictions--so we may be at an impasse. But the cognoscenti are already tuned in, and from a marketing stand-point (and selfishly I'm not sure that I want Joe Blow to "figure it out") new world wines are probably safe, but so are "old world".

Lyle Fass's blog has a commentary on the succintness of Asimov's winery reviews at the end of the pinot noir article:

http://rockssandfruit.blogspot.com/

Are we going back to the Prial-inspired "food wine" trend of the early 80s?

-Paul W.

Asimov wrote a similar piece about the few producers of Napa Cabernet who have resisted the 29 brix tendency.

The actual alchohol number is beside the point, though; syrupy flavors can come from 13.9 just as easily as 15.5 if the wine is watered and de-alcoholised.

Are we going back to the Prial-inspired "food wine" trend of the early 80s?
-Paul W.

Yet another article decrying the size/extraction/alcohol levels in Calif wines, including McIntyre's version on Syrah in today's WashPost. These articles are getting so tedious/tiring/and boring to read. It's exemplary of the kind of wine journalism we suffer these days. These guys all read each other's stuff and decide that this is the controversy-du-jour and dash off another 100 column-inches on the subject. If Asimov would have spent the time of this Calif trip visiting the UkiahVlly, or Nevada Cnty, or HumboltCnty; I think he could have come up w/ an article that would have much more reader interest (at least for this reader, anyway).
To lend a bit of historical perspective (by crackey): Back in the late '70's (by crackey), there was a lot of Zins being produced at 15%+ alcohol levels and fairly high levels of extraction.
Then the wine journalists of the day started raising this same ol' hue&cry about alcohol levels in Zin. Good ole Charlie Olken: "Monster Zins w/ shabby table manners". There was something about mastadon steaks in there too, I believe. RobertFinigan, NateChroman, Robert what's-his-name in LosAngeles...Balzer I think, FrankPrial, Gerald Boyd....same-ol same-ol all writing on the controversy-du-jour. Yet (differently then), they were not singing the praises of LouisMartini, Gus Sebastiani, CharlesKrug, Inglenook, SanMartin, Mirassou Zins; all bright/zesty/food-friendly wines that you could drink w/ pleasure w/ your enchiladas. And...I might add...had little in the way of terroir or intellectual appeal.
Whot happened?? The friggen' winemakers listened to these know-it-all journalists, instead of following their instincts and started harvesting earlier, reducing extraction, reducing oak levels. "Food-frindly Zins" was the mantra of the day. And what did we get?? A whole raft of "food-friendly" wines that were dull/insipid and utterly boring. It almost killed the Zin market of that time. Really good Zins in that era were a vanishing commodity and you had to search high&low to find any. Ridge was dealing w/ a bad brett problem then and were kinda out of the picture until '84-'85. Thank you Charlie Olken.
So we're seeing much the same repeat of that Zin debacle of the late '70's, now w/ PinotNoir and Syrah. Yet...thank gawd....the outcome is going to be a whole lot different this time...because the winemakers are not letting these know-it-all journalists tell them how to make their wines but are following their own instincts. There are winemakers out there that are dialing back the alcohol levels and size...not because of these journalistic rants...but because that's the kind of wine they like to drink. And because there's a much greater appreciation of a diversity in style of Pinot and Syrah.
So.....these endless/tedious discussions, in the press and on the wine boards, of high alcohol levels in wine is getting awfully tedious & boring. Why don't we just let the winemakers make the kind and style of wine they want to..and we'll buy the kind & style of wine we like...with whatever kind of food we're having...and let go of it all. There's so much interesting stuff to write about out there in the world of wine...time for them to get a life.
End of rant...thanks for listening. I'm outta here.
Tom

Tom,

I think 'points' are driving the trend towards very high sugar at harvest, and given that a segment of the press has promoted this style of wine to the point where one has to look for alternatives, I see nothing whatsoever wrong with a different (minority) segment of the press decrying it, very articulately.

FWIW I agree completely with Asimov. I loved some of the Napa Cabs of the '60s and '70s, and I hate what I taste now from up there. For one thing, wines picked very ripe tend to taste very similar, which eradicates terroir, it doesn't encourage it. One could argue that Zinfandel has more tolerance than Cab, but what about Pinot? And again, the numbers aren't the point, it's the Brix that cause blobby flavors, the alcohol is an after-effect.

So.....these endless/tedious discussions, in the press and on the wine boards, of high alcohol levels in wine is getting awfully tedious & boring. Why don't we just let the winemakers make the kind and style of wine they want to..and we'll buy the kind & style of wine we like...with whatever kind of food we're having...and let go of it all.

Completely agree. I don't like slasher movies but I don't complain about the people that make them. In fact I don't discuss them at all. I just choose not to watch them.

.... I see nothing whatsoever wrong with a different (minority) segment of the press decrying it, very articulately.
FWIW I agree completely with Asimov.

I, too, agree w/ Asimov. However....three articles in major newspapers (SFChron, WashPost, NYTimes) in a metter of a few days gets awfullt tiring to read. The subject has been talked & retalked over the last yr or two that I'm just not interested in reading, yet again, another rant on the subject. Enough already.
I didn't think Asimov's article was particularly articulate, though.
Will miss seeing you out there at BayWolf next week. Will have dinner w/ Steve after RhoneRangers at SlantedDoor. There may be wine involved!!
Tom

Asimov is getting hammered on eBob for not genuflecting at the altar of "all wine styles are great, especially those made by posters on the forum."

Ugh, its completely awful. And 2 of the most active posters are Adam Lee (who makes Pinots that I find so overripe as to be undrinkable) and Peter Cargasacchi (whose vineyard grows Pinot so overrripe that the resulting wines are invariably undrinkable).

I'm jealous of those guys, bless their souls, for not being sensitive to the overripe stewed black cherry aromas that their wines produce. Even Siduri's basic Willamette Valley bottling, which generally has low alcohol and shouldn't taste like boiled overrripe bing cherry and baking spices, manages to taste overripe. I've participated in 3 blind tastings in which Siduri was involved- in all 3 tastings I both identified it blind and picked it last in the flight. Yet this incompetent nincompoop dominates the discussion on a forum which is otherwise filled with people who have interesting things to say (wine makers and such).

I'm not ruling out the possibility that I'm just unduly sensitive to overripe pinot flavors and aromas and maybe Adam Lee is a genius and Cargasacchi vineyard makes luscious wine and I'm just missing the boat. But at least I can back up my preference for red-fruit Burgundy with blind-tasting consistency. The next time I have a CA Pinot that is red fruit dominated, without overripe characteristics (cola, baking spice) but otherwise fully ripe (not vegetal or harshly lean) will be the first.

Yet this incompetent nincompoop dominates the discussion on a forum which is otherwise filled with people who have interesting things to say (wine makers and such).

I'm not ruling out the possibility that I'm just unduly sensitive to overripe pinot flavors and aromas and maybe Adam Lee is a genius and Cargasacchi vineyard makes luscious wine and I'm just missing the boat. But at least I can back up my preference for red-fruit Burgundy with blind-tasting consistency. The next time I have a CA Pinot that is red fruit dominated, without overripe characteristics (cola, baking spice) but otherwise fully ripe (not vegetal or harshly lean) will be the first.

Even if Adam Lee makes wine in a style you don't like, that hardly makes him incompetent or a nincompoop. Try and act with a little class.

FWIW I'm strongly in the "I can enjoy Pinots in many styles" camp. I've even found some of Adam's wines to be enjoyable. (the '99 Christian David bottling I sampled a few years ago comes to mind)

.... I see nothing whatsoever wrong with a different (minority) segment of the press decrying it, very articulately.
FWIW I agree completely with Asimov.

I, too, agree w/ Asimov. However....three articles in major newspapers (SFChron, WashPost, NYTimes) in a metter of a few days gets awfullt tiring to read. The subject has been talked & retalked over the last yr or two that I'm just not interested in reading, yet again, another rant on the subject. Enough already.
I didn't think Asimov's article was particularly articulate, though.
Will miss seeing you out there at BayWolf next week. Will have dinner w/ Steve after RhoneRangers at SlantedDoor. There may be wine involved!!
Tom

I will say 'enough' when the stylistic wind changes and I can start drinking CA wine again. Steve Edmunds and a few others are about it right now for me. Until that time Asimov is a small voice in the wilderness.

I have not read either of the two articles that are being referenced here and on E-Bob, but I have to say I'm happy to finally see this as a topic. For many years it has bothered me to see the style changes, and the bar upon which a pinot noir is judged by some of the most read critics (read into this the names you choose). I won't comment on the syrahs as I have no experience with them, other than just a few drinkers now and then.
A number of years ago I had to learn what Pinot Noir was, had to offer and what style I felt it was.. so I spent over a year drinking nothing but Pinot, and this is after being a big cabernet lady. It took well over 6 months for me to finally realize this:
Pinot Noir is a lady
She is delicate
Even though she may be the most beautiful woman at the ball, she does not seek attention or admiration
She is a gracious date, looking lovely, yet behaving very much a refined woman she is and complimenting her escort
Iget my drift...
Think Grace Kelly
ENTER, the "New" style Pinot
She is far from a Lady
She seeks the attention from all, putting her attributes forward for all to see
She is not demure, but rather "in your face"
She holds no surprises
She is proud of her body and the work she has had done to it, wecloming anyone that would like to take a look
Think Linda Lovelace, Pam Anderson

I think by now you get my idea and if this weren't such a public forum, I may opt to describe this in a bit more detail.. I also believe that the bigger style of pinot is quite often what the critics award the high points to, which fuels the desire of winemakers to continue on this path. No need to name names, but it's obvious who they are, and what they are striving for.

As a winemaker, it has always been my goal to compliment food, not over-power it with a Pinot Noir. Allow the grapes to drive the direction of the wine, without interfering with the ability to create something that is still delicate and gentle. Most of this decision is made in the vineyards, not trying to reach for 26+ brix at harvest, just letting mother nature and common sense come together. I have been quite dissapointed lately watching this trend move to the big in your face high alcohol wines, that by the way, cost WAY too much, become the benchmark.

It's time we go back to letting a good pinot noir show a sense of place, a balance between mother nature and winemaker, and a subtle yet "Oh so beautiful" bottle of wine.

Just my two cents worth ---- Linda

Nice post Linda.

I think by now you get my idea and if this weren't such a public forum, I may opt to describe this in a bit more detail..

I say go for it.

As a winemaker, it has always been my goal to compliment food, not over-power it with a Pinot Noir. Allow the grapes to drive the direction of the wine, without interfering with the ability to create something that is still delicate and gentle. Most of this decision is made in the vineyards, not trying to reach for 26+ brix at harvest, just letting mother nature and common sense come together. I have been quite dissapointed lately watching this trend move to the big in your face high alcohol wines, that by the way, cost WAY too much, become the benchmark.
It's time we go back to letting a good pinot noir show a sense of place, a balance between mother nature and winemaker, and a subtle yet "Oh so beautiful" bottle of wine.
Just my two cents worth ---- Linda

If your mantra is that Pinot can only accompany, say, salmon....then you are probably right, Linda. But what if you are having BarBQue beef brisket. I suppose you can insist that only, say, LateHrvst Zin or Priorat Grenache can accompany that...but I can think of a number of Pinots that would go with BBQ brisket perfectly well. And there are any number of bigger Pinots that show full well there terroir of the StaRitaHills or SantaLuciaHighlands.
I guess I'm just not one to worship at the altar of variatal typicity. If you're given, say, Rondinella & Croatina, what is the "correct" expression of those two grapes?? Is it a light/lively Ripasso style?? Or is it a Amarone style?? True...the later is less an expression of terroir and more an expression of a winemaking process. But I would think they're both equally valid expressions of those grape varieties.
I would assert that there are plenty of Pinots out there that express a sense of place, and Asimov cited some of them. Some of them say Peay or TriViti on the label, and some of them even say Loring. Some I would serve w/ grilled salmon, some I would serve w/ BarBQue beef brisket. Maybe I'm a neanderthal for liking some of those later ones.
Tom

Tom
I guess my feeling is there are no end of wines that I could put against a BBQ beef brisket, many of them cheap but fine matches. On the whole we pay more for pinot and if it's doing the job that a wine half the price could also do, then it's not a good deal. If it matches, does it match better than a zin or syrah? What might make you choose the 16% Pinot over the 16% Zin? Maybe at 16% it still carries a haunting perfume, dances on the tongue or becomes something truly unique and interesting. If it does then maybe there's hope for the style.

regards

Ian

Tom
I guess my feeling is there are no end of wines that I could put against a BBQ beef brisket, many of them cheap but fine matches. On the whole we pay more for pinot and if it's doing the job that a wine half the price could also do, then it's not a good deal. If it matches, does it match better than a zin or syrah? What might make you choose the 16% Pinot over the 16% Zin? Maybe at 16% it still carries a haunting perfume, dances on the tongue or becomes something truly unique and interesting. If it does then maybe there's hope for the style.
regards
Ian

Ian,
Point well taken. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense to match a big/high $$ Pinot w/ my BarBQue Brisket when a Zin at half the price, or less, would fill the bill nicely.
OTOH, when I'm picking a wine to drink w/ my BarBQue Brisket, I don't always (in fact...seldom) look for a wine that I think will
be an ideal match. If I just got in a few days before a DrewCllrs or Loring shipment of Pinot, that's probably what I'd crack open w/ the BarBQue Brisket, knowing full well it might not go w/ that as well as the LateHrvst Zin that I had several months ago.
Tom

Good rant Tom!
Hope your having fun at the Rhone Rangers event.

Salute