Amantivino’s Blog

Travis Glohs, our beer guru and fellow wine lover, just returned from his trip to Germany armed with a ton of new ideas about one of the world’s greatest beer and wine producing nations. The following are his musings on an incredibly underrepresented section of the domestic marketplace: dry Riesling.

I recently taught a class on German wines and the first question I asked my students was “How many people here assume that German wines are sweet”? Instantly more then half of the class raised their hands, silently echoing a common misconception of consumers in the United States. Historically, Germany has produced wines that were both dry and sweet. Records show that sweet German wines would frequently fetch the highest prices at auction houses in England in the 1800’s. These extremely high prices led to Germany gaining a world wide reputation for their expensive sweet wines. After World War II the German’s began producing mass quantities of sweet wine to export to the American G.I.s who had acquired a taste for the stuff at the end of the conflict.  The misconception was well solidified by the 1970s and 1980s as the cheap (and terrible) Blue Nun flooded the marketplace (this was made not from Riesling but from the much inferior Muller Thurgau).

Despite this early success, sweet wines fell out of fashion and dry wines became en vogue. In response to this shift in consumer preferences a lot of small, quality conscience producers in Germany began producing drier styles of wine, especially from the Riesling grape . I  just returned from a trip to Germany and the majority of the wines that we drank were dry Rieslings. At most of the wineries that I visited the Trocken wines were consistently the first wines to sell out. Refreshing with racy acidity, bright fruit and a clean finish, trocken Rieslings are great wines for the spring and summer. Not only are these wines refreshing they are also some of the most versatile whites in regards to food pairing. They preform beautifully with Japanese, Thai, Chinese, Mexican and a plethora of other fare. So next time you are walking past the Riesling section, don’t write off all the wines as being too sweet. Try a Trocken example and open you eyes to the wide range of wines available on the market.

Travis Glohs

We are pleased and proud to announce that New Jersey Monthly, a monthly periodical supplemented by a website that aims to highlight  “fascinating people, breathtaking places, must-attend events, lifestyle, fashion, and home and gardens in New Jersey,” has named Amanti Vino the Best Wine Boutique in North New Jersey. Thank you to everyone who has supported us for the last three and a half years, we couldn’t have done this without you!

Sharon and I are on our way to the airport to fly to VinItaly.  Held annually in Verona, Italy, VinItaly is the biggest Italian wine show in the world hosting, every producer in the country. The show gives us a unique opportunity to taste wines that would not normally be imported into the United States. If we like something enough we will  import it directly and be the only store in northern New Jersey with the wine. Last year Sharon found a number of gems, many in the $10-$20 range, that we all enjoyed (Ventoso, San Raetia Pinot Nero, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio, Torlicoso Aglianco, Grimadi Nebbiolo, etc.). We are extremely excited to taste the new vintages of old favorites and to find some new winners for the shelves. We look forward to seeing some of our favorite producers and promise to come back with stories about what makes them, and their wines, so special.

Sorry for the lack of posts in the last few weeks. Things have been pretty crazy around the store as we attend tastings to find great new wines, put on amazing wine pairing dinners, teach classes and host our weekend tastings. Last week Steve Doerner from Cristom Vineyards, located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, came to Montclair to present his wines alongside the incredible fare of Ariane Duarte of Culinariane and Top Chef fame. We filled the dining room for two seatings (6:00 and 8:30) and had a ton of fun. Our next dinner will feature two winemakers, Joey Tensley from Santa Barbara, California and Cecile Dusserre from Domaine de Montvac in France’s Rhone Valley. Each will showcase their wines and unveil a new collaboration called “Detente Red,” made from grapes grown on both sides of the Atlantic. This dinner will be held at Fascino, one of New Jersey’s finest Italian restaurants, on Tuesday, March 24th at 7:30. Space is limited but we still have a few spots open for anyone who would like to join us.

The next month should be full of interesting posts from numerous members of the Amanti Vino crew. As I write, Travis is in Germany visiting some of our favorite Riesling producers, along with some of the world’s finest breweries. Once he returns, Sue will be jet setting to Italy to visit her son and perhaps enjoy a few glasses of wine along the way. She will return just in time for Sharon and I to travel to one of the biggest wine shows in the world, Vin Italy, which is held in Verona every year. Like last year, we will go with the hopes of finding some hidden gems that can be exported directly back to the store and will only be available at Amanti Vino.

In keeping with the educational theme of our last entry we would like to discuss different ways that you can tell if your bottle is “off”. There are no sure ways to know until you smell and taste it, but there are signs you can look for before you do. First off, look at the cork (don’t smell it, it smells like cork!) to see if the wine seeped to the top of the cork. If it did, you will see wet marks along the side of the cork and maybe on the top of the cork (naturally, this is easier to discern with a red wine). If this is the case, it doesn’t necessarily mean the wine is bad, as the bottle may have been filled higher than it should have been during the bottling process and the wine simply spilled over when the cork was inserted. On a side note, depending on the age of the bottle, that wine that spilled over may have molded. If so, it doesn’t mean the wine is bad. A cork that is wet to the top may signal the wine has been stored in either too warm conditions or too dry conditions (not enough humidity). Another pre-tasting option is to simply look at the wine in a glass. If it is a young wine (generally 5 years or younger) and the white is gold or the red is brown (there are always exceptions), the wine may be bad. I say generally because some wines are intentionally oxidized, and if so, the color will resemble that of an aged wine (gold for white and brown for red). If you suspect the wine may be bad, pour a taste into a glass and put your hand over the top for 30 seconds. Don’t swirl! After 30 seconds, remove your hand and stick your nose in the glass and take a couple deep whiffs. If you don’t smell any “fruit” (e.g., citrus, peaches, apples, etc. for white wines or strawberries, cherries, blackberries, etc. for red wines), the wine is probably “off”. As usual, there are always exceptions to the rules, and the best tools you can use to determine if a wine is off are you nose and mouth. Smell the wine, taste the wine and give it a few minutes (occasionally a little must or funk will “blow off” after the bottle has had the opportunity to reacquaint itself with some oxygen). When all is said and done, don’t be too upset. Wine is a living, evolving, fragile commodity. In fact, 1 in 10 bottles with cork enclosures go “bad”. If those odds are too great for you, only 1 in 200 screw cap enclosed bottles go “bad”!

How does a bottle of wine go “bad”? Not surprisingly, the answer depends on several variables because wine is a fragile, living thing. It is often faulty before it leaves the winery. More than 10% of bottles with real corks will be tainted by a bacteria called TCA (2,4,6-Trichloroanisole). Without getting too geeky, it’s the stuff that makes your wine smell like wet books, must or sometimes, simply cork. Most often this flaw can be smelled but I sometimes find that it’s easier to tell on the finish, after you take a sip, which will be harsh and metallic. While the wine-drinking public has been dragged kicking and screaming into the realm of screw caps and glass enclosures, producers love the fact that 10% of their wine isn’t ruined by TCA. If your wine is bottled under a sound cork or screw cap, avoiding bacterial infection, there are some threats that exist outside of the winery, most notably extreme temperatures. With that in mind, here are a few things to remember:

1) If you walk in to a store and it is noticeably warm, be cautious (we usually turn around and walk out)! Too much heat will cause a wine to age prematurely (best case scenario) and become vinegar in the most extreme cases. Either way, if the wines have been on the shelf for a long time they will not be at their best.

2) If you put a bottle of wine in your car and drive around on a warm day while shopping, there is a good chance you will hurt the wine. On a warm day the fruit flavors may become tired and not show their bright freshness. On a very hot day the wine might actually “cook” in the bottle and be ruined.

3) The same thing is true of your home. Placing the bottle in a warm room or too close to a heat source is also very risky. Some of the high risk areas include the tops of refrigerators, in cabinets above the stove, in direct sunlight or near radiators. The best conditions obviously exist in a wine fridge or wine cellar, but if you don’t have these options a cool, shady spot that avoids massive temperature fluctuations is best. The basement of your home is a good choice, as long as it’s not too near a dryer or water heater.

4) It’s also important not to leave whites in the refrigerator for too long. Forty degrees is much too cold to store, or drink, white wine. When a wine is too cold it doesn’t express itself as fully as it should. Think about the taste difference between a piece of fruit pulled from the fridge and one kept on the kitchen counter. The piece closer to room temperature will always have more taste and the same principal applies to wine. The fridge also exposes the wine to vibrations that can disturb the juice in the bottle. Furthermore, the bright light that goes on every time the door is open is harmful. Stick your whites in the fridge about 45 minutes before you want to drink them or in a bucket of ice water with a pinch of salt for 10 minutes if you are pressed for time.

So, to sum up, assuming the wine was in great shape before you bought it, poor transport and storage conditions are the two most likely culprits in a wine going “bad”. Stay tuned!! In the coming days we will discuss how to tell if your bottle has gone bad and how to remedy the situation.

A couple weeks ago we received a post from Judge George Shinas, one of our favorite Australian producers, discussing the difficulties of the vintage down under in 2009. Around the same time, Stephen Ross Dooley came to Montclair and poured his wine in Amanti Vino. I asked Stephen to pen us note our the blog and he sent along this letter on Saturday. Looks like we are in for another great vintage from Stephen Ross Wines.

Will,

It was very nice being in your store again and meeting some of the locals of Montclair. At your request, here are my thoughts of the day. I barrel tasted through a number of 2008 Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs with one of my barrel suppliers Alain Sirugue and his USA agent Francoise Gouge (Dooley uses French Oak to age his wines). We are very fortunate to have a great 2007 vintage on the market and a really great 2008 vintage in the barrels. For most California wineries, the 2007 vintage was superlative, it wasn’t just Stephen Ross, but I think the results were mixed with the 2008 vintage due to an erratic growing season especially with Spring frost damage in some areas. The Stephen Ross 2008 wines have great flavor concentration, a good level of acidity and fine tannins. The only vineyard we work with that was hurt by Spring frost was Dante Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel, and although the crop level was reduced, the wine is excellent. Unfortunately, for the Dusi family, they had less fruit to sell than in a typical year. All in all, we remain positive, and we are very pleased with a couple of recent outstanding vintages.

Stephen

Last month Sharon Sevrens, the proprietor of Amanti Vino, traveled to Europe to receive her Diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. The WSET is a London based organization that provides wine education for wine lovers and professionals alike. The WSET Diploma is one of the highest distinctions that can be achieved in the world of wine. Only a handful of people complete the grueling three year process that is full of written theory examinations and blind tastings. Fewer still take the step, or more properly the giant leap, to becoming a Master of Wine. Currently there are only 265 MWs in the world. Sharon had a chance to chat with some of these luminaries at her Diploma ceremony:

“A year and a half after actually completing my wine studies, I was invited to London to receive my Diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), the UK-based organization responsible for training people for the Master of Wine (MW) program. My first thought was “How can I fly to London for that?” but my second thought, “How could I miss this?” prevailed. It was held in Guild Hall, whose history dates back to 1441. And after wandering (getting hopelessly lost in) the streets of London we found beautiful building and it was worth the effort! As soon as I walked into the historic location, I understood the weight of my accomplishment. The room was filled with MWs from around the world including Michael Broadbent, Hugh Johnson and Mary Ewing Mulligan to name a few. Receiving my Diploma from Michael Broadbent, was the greatest honor of my wine career. Broadbent has tasted more wine than anyone in the world, especially older vintages from as far back as the 17th century. He keeps meticulous tasting notes for each bottle which he has compiled in his Great Vintage Wine Book, published in multiple editions. My only disappointment was my realization that I was the only representative from my NYC Diploma class of about 10. It was an honor that I hope more Diploma grads from this side of the pond will get to realize in years to come.”

Written By Sharon Sevrens

We are happy to introduce our first in a series of posts from some of our favorite winemakers. George Shinas is a sitting judge in Australia and has been making wine as a hobby for many years. His wines have been a staple at Amanti Vino since we opened, beginning with the Guilty Shiraz and the Innocent Viognier. More recently we have added the Verdict Cabernet Sauvignon. Thanks in a large part to George’s dynamic personality and his annual trips to Montclair, Amanti Vino sells more of his wines than any store in the country. Here are his thoughts on the upcoming 2009 vintage which promises to be a difficult year for many growers in Australia:

“The 2009 growing year will be the most difficult year for Shinas Estate in our region’s 110 years of growing grapes due to the prolonged drought. We are in our 14th year of drought and due to Global Warming it seems the drought is here to stay and that the grape harvests will remain very small. I’m an optimist and I have found the drought has done me a favor. Due to lack of rain, disease pressure and rain damage is non-existent, allowing the grapes to be of the highest quality.

The other positive to come out of the drought is the quality of the fruit is rising due to the stressed vines producing smaller crops than previous years. With every new vintage release I am informed by wine lovers around the world; my latest vintage is the best I have produced. As we get ready to bottle our latest vintage, I am happy to announce that the drought has done it again. It has helped us produce another awesome Guilty Shiraz, Verdict Cabernet Sauvignon and Innocent Viognier.”

George Shinas

Shinas Estates, Australia

There are an increasing number of producers throughout the world crafting organic or biodynamic wines. They are made in all styles and price points by farmers leading organic revolutions and European grape growers who avoid chemicals simply because their families have done so for generations. The following producers represent the wide range of wines available to those looking to “drink green.”

Robert Sinskey is perhaps the most well known biodynamic pioneer in the Golden State. His wife Maria is a world class chef and a candidate in the highly competitive Master of Wine program. Sinskey has been a staple on the shelves at Amanti Vino since we opened over three years ago.  His new Bordeaux Blend called “Marcien” is a dead ringer for the best of St. Julien. An herbal nose, displaying aromas of blackberries, cassis and vanilla gives way to an incredibly structured palate which suggests decades of life ahead of this wine. His new vintage of “Abraxas” is spectacular as ever showing notes of peach, apricot pit, minerals and honey, among a myriad of floral aromas that waft from the glass as it sits on the table. Most critics thought Rob was nuts when he uprooted his Chardonnay vines at the height of the grape’s seemingly boundless popularity to plant Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris. Fortunately, his decision has paid off in spades as his 2006 “Abraxas” was called California’s “most exciting and unusual find” by Dan Berger in Tom Sevenson’s highly regarded Wine Report 2009.

Organic wine making is certainly not contained within the United States. Producers in Europe have been keeping immaculate, organic vineyards for generations, with many more committing in recent years. In the early 1980s many producers in Burgundy’s Cote d’Or realized that they were destroying some of the world’s greatest terroir by overburdening their vines with harmful chemicals. Since then many growers have embraced organic viticulture, including the famed Domaine de la Romanee Conti, which is now completely biodynamic. Even in places like the Loire Valley, Bordeaux and Rioja, where marginal weather makes avoiding chemicals very difficult, an increasing number of wineries are signing on.

Domaine Fontaine Gagnard is one of our favorite houses in Burgundy. Known primarily for their whites from Chassagne and Puligny, including minuscule amounts from Le Montrachet, they have a couple of delicious reds that have been unduly ignored. Their Bourgogne Rouge, which is essentially declassified Volnay from the Premier Cru “Clos des Chenes” vineyard comes in at under $25 and is an incredible value in the astronomically expensive Red Burgundy market.  Their commitment to organic viticulture is rewarded by a distinctive, terroir driven Pinot Noir with subtle hints of red cherries, mushrooms and a floral quality reminiscent of dried rose petals. This is a great everyday red whose mouthwatering acidity makes it the perfect dinner companion.

Not far off, in the eastern half of the Loire Valley lies Domaine de la Potine. While they don’t enjoy the luxury of vines planted in the most heralded vineyards of the Cote d’Or, or the prestige that comes with them, their passion for organic farming has resulted in some fantastic, affordable whites. Our favorite is their Sauvignon Blanc from Touraine, an AOC just west of Sancerre. The crisp white shows intense notes of grapefruit, peach, grass and a distinct minerality that absolutely screams Loire Valley. At $12.99 its a wine that can be enjoyed everyday as your Sancerre lingers in the cellar waiting for a special occasion.

These few examples just scratch the surface of what is out there for the discerning palate looking for organic choices. We carry almost 100 different certified organic or biodynamic wines at Amanti Vino with countless others from producers who are practicing organic or involved in sustainable farming. Drop me a note or stop by the store to reveal some of your favorites.

By: Will Sugerman (will@amantivino.com)

Our aims for this blog are much in line with those of the store. We want every visit to both to be fun, informative and free of the slightest hint of pretension. We will aim to update several times a week with major happenings in the wine world, news from the store, highlights from great pairing dinners or events, stories from our travels around the world’s best wine regions and much, much more.

In an effort to keep this blog current and diverse we will include a number of contributors from the Amanti Vino team. Proprietor Sharon Sevrens was blogging long before she opened the store and has recently earned the distinguished Diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust. Her writing will introduce the world to the palate that gives Amanti Vino its dynamic character and intriguing inventory.

Sue Guerra has been with Amanti for over a year and blogs as a free-lance writer for New Jersey Monthly. She will bring her unique, witty and informative style to the blog.  

Along with his love for wine, Travis Glohs displays a passion and knowledge for beer that is unrivaled at Amanti Vino. Time and time again, Travis has shown the ability to stay on the cutting edge of a constantly evolving micro-brew market. His restaurant background and impressive memory for fantastic meals and successful pairings will ensure that food is not neglected here.

I have been with Amanti Vino for almost three years and am reaching the end of my WSET Diploma work. I am a certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers and am extremely passionate about wine education. While I certainly enjoy the occasional “splurge bottle,” nothing excites me more than seeking out fantastic values from little known producers or appellations.

There will be a number of other contributors as well, possibly including visiting winemakers, our favorite importers, local chefs and other members of the Amanti Vino team. We would like to thank you in advance for stopping by to read this and would like this space to be as interactive as possible. We know how many of you are certified “wine nerds” or “cork dorks” and we want to hear from you often. We have high hopes for this space and hope that you enjoy reading it as much as we do building it.

By: Will Sugerman (will@amantivino.com)