The Wine Savant: A Guide to the New Wine Culture (23 page)

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Authors: Michael Steinberger

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oenophobia, 4

Official Guide to Wine Snobbery, The
(Bernstein), 14

Old Bridge Cellars, 51

Olé Imports, 53

Oregon, 168

wines of, 9, 33, 35, 103, 112

Outliers
(Gladwell), 26

País grape, 6

palates, 37, 61, 79

cleansing of, 67, 91

evolution of, 62

fickleness of, 45

German, 133

sensitive, 39

superior, 39

Western, 91

Paris, 26, 49, 85, 94–95, 115, 117

Intercontinental Hotel in, 94

wine drinking in, 4

Parker, Robert, 14, 16, 27, 28, 42–43, 45–47, 54, 69, 113, 134, 140

influence of, 43, 66–67, 96, 99, 112, 147

as polarizing figure, 61, 62, 64–65, 112

ratings by, 100, 112, 145

Parr, Rajat, 84–85, 100

Pastor, José, 52, 151–52

Paul Masson Winery, 97

Pedralonga Wine, 135

Petit Verdot, 111

Pétrus, Château, 124, 145

1947, 164

1982, 53–54

1989, 25

Peynaud, Émile, 79

Phelps Insignia, 95–96

phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), 39–41

phylloxera root louse, 7, 153–55

Pickering, Gary, 40

Pierre Gimonnet Champagne, 118

Pierre Moncuit Champagne, 118

Pierre Peters Champagne, 118

Pierre-Yves Colin Morey, Domaine, 125

Pinon, François, 137

Pinot Meunier grape, 117

Pinot Noir, 4, 21, 24, 68, 100, 132

best qualities in, 102

California, 22, 33, 67, 84, 97–98, 102, 108, 109, 112, 146

French, 67, 96, 110, 112–13, 127, 128

high-alcohol, 67

New Zealand, 33, 34, 103, 112

Oregon, 33, 35, 84, 103, 112

popularity of, 110, 112–13

Sonoma, 22

Pinot Noir grape, 8, 67, 97, 99, 100, 101, 103, 110–11, 117, 121, 136, 166

Pithon, Jo, 138

Pitte, Jean-Robert, 115

Poland, 70

Polaner Selections, 53

Ponsot, Domaine, 125

Port, 92

vintage, 25, 55–56

Portugal, 9

Douro region of, 8

Madeira Island, 168–69

preservatives, 76

Prohibition, 129, 169

repeal of, 43

propylthiouracil (PROP), 39–41

Prosecco, 90

Quinta do Noval Vintage Port Nacional, 1963, 25

radiation poisoning, 19

Ramonet Montrachet, 1986, 57

Raveneau, Domaine (Chablis), 125

Ravines Winery, 135

Recession, Great, 4, 21, 99, 113, 141

red wines, 30, 34, 38–39

acidity of, 56

aging of, 56

Australian, 32

California, 32, 94–95

color in, 39

flavinoids in, 18

French, 32–33, 48, 67, 111, 113, 126–27

great vintages of, 56

health benefits of, 18–20

Italian, 33, 35, 55

pairing food and, 91, 92

resveratrol in, 18–20

Spanish, 152

stemware for, 35

restaurants, 81–93, 132

BYO bottles in, 89–90

chefs in, 81–84, 85–86

corkage fees in, 89

eclectic cooking trends in, 85–87

French, 133

high-end, 85

ordering wine in, 36, 81–89, 90–93

rejecting wine in, 59, 89

tasting menus in, 86–87

tips for a happy wine experience in, 87–89

see also
sommeliers; wine lists

resveratrol, health benefits of, 18–20

reverse osmosis machines, 77, 140

Rhône, 56

Rhône grape, 145

Rhys Vineyards, 97, 101–3, 108, 131

Ribolla Gialla grape, 152

Richaud, Marcel, 106

Ridge Vineyards, 95–96, 98, 108, 131, 145, 168

Sonoma County Three Valleys Zinfandel, 145

Riedel family, 35

Riesling, 131–36, 145, 159

acidity in, 133

alcohol levels in, 133

Alsatian, 92, 132, 139

American, 108, 109, 134–35

Austrian, 134, 135, 139

California, 108, 109, 134

dry, 5, 132, 133–34, 139

Finger Lakes, 135

German, 56, 91, 92, 132–34, 135, 139, 165–66

off-dry, 92, 134

popularity of, 131–32, 134

traditional sweet, fruity, 5, 91, 132–34

Riesling grape, 8, 131–32, 134–35, 136, 150

Rieussec, Château, 144

Riojas, 33, 155

aging of, 64

classical, 5, 17, 64

López de Heredia, 17

old vintages of, 55

RN74 restaurant, 84

Robert Kacher Selections, 51

Robert Mondavi Winery, 66

Roberts, Nathan Lee, 98

Robinson, Jancis, 27, 112–13

rodent control, 71

Rolland, Michel, 99

Romanée-Conti, Domaine de la, 10, 54, 64, 69, 95, 116, 121–22, 124, 140, 145, 147

grand cru
reds of, 121

Montrachet, 121

vineyards of, 121

Romanée-Conti La Tâche, Domaine de la, 121

1971, 25

1990, 25, 162

Romanée-Conti Le Montrachet, Domaine de la (Burgundy), 138

Romans, ancient, 82, 159

Rosé, López de Heredia, 17

Rosenthal Wine Merchant, 52

Rothschild, Baron Philippe de, 124

Roy Cloud/Vintage '59 Imports, 52

Rudi Wiest Selections, 52, 134

Rukeyser, Louis, 54

Russian Revolution, 169

Russian wine market, 8

Salon (Champagne), 138

Samuel Goldwyn Films, 82

San Andreas Fault, 102

Sandhi Wines, 84, 108, 131

Sanford & Benedict Vineyard, 131

San Francisco, Calif., 84, 97, 98, 100, 167

wine drinking in, 4, 135, 156

Sangiovese grape, 160

San Sebastián, 156

Santa Barbara International Film Festival of 2013, 82

Santa Cruz Mountains, 96, 97–98, 101–2, 168

Sardinia, 158

Sauternes, 91–92, 144

Sauvignon Blanc, 127–28

Sauvignon Blanc grape, 127–28, 135, 136, 152–53, 157

Savennières, 71–72, 73, 137–38

Savio Soares Selections, 52

Schäfer-Fröhlich Wine, 139

Schildknecht, David, 134

Science of Wines, The
(Goode), 40

screw caps, 57–58

Sea Smoke Cellars, 103–4

Seattle, Wash., 84

Secrets of the Sommeliers
(Parr and Mackay), 84

Sercial grape, 169

sex, erectile function and, 19

Shanghai, 8

Shaw, David, 45–46

Shenzhen, 8

Sherry, 5, 38, 56, 119

Shiraz, 37, 91, 141

Sicily, 51

Sideways
(film), 3–4, 97, 136

Silesia, 70, 72

Sine Qua Non Winery, 145–46

60 Minutes
, 18

Slate
, 11, 127–28, 141, 142, 145, 163

Smith, Barry, 37–38

Smith, Douglass, 73–74

Smith, Stu, 73, 75

Smith-Vadrone Vineyards, 109

soil, 107

chalky, 166

limestone-rich, 96–98, 103

matching grapes with, 104

mineral-rich, 135

qualities derived from, 102

shallow, weathered, 101–2

Somm
(film), 82

sommeliers, 33, 61, 81–89, 131, 135

American, 83–84

bad attitudes of, 88

ceremony and élan of, 82

dealing with, 88–89

French, 82–83

offering a taste to, 88

prominence of, 81–85

role of, 82–83, 86–87, 88

as tastemakers, 81, 101

South African wines, 136

South American wines, 6–7

Spain, 85, 135, 161

Basque country in, 156

Bierzo region of, 157

Galicia region of, 51, 153–54, 156

Rías Baixas appellation in, 156

Ribeira Sacra region of, 157

Ribera del Duero region of, 152

Rioja region of, 64, 152

Rueda appellation in, 156

Valdeorras appellation in, 156, 157, 159

wine importers of, 52–53, 151–52

wines of, 4, 9, 49, 64, 74, 90, 151–58

sparkling wines, 35, 128, 135, 137, 166

American, 90

food combination with, 90

see also
Champagne

Spätlese, 133, 166

Spiegelau stemware, 35

spinning cones, 77

Spottswoode Estate Vineyard and Winery, 95–96

Spurrier, Steve, 94

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, 94

Steiner, Rudolf, 69–71, 72–73, 74, 75

homeopathic preparations of, 71, 74

see also
biodynamic viticulture

steroids, 79

Stone, Larry, 83

Stony Hill Vineyard, 108, 131

sulfur dioxide (SO2), 76, 77, 78, 120

Summer of Riesling, 131–32

sushi, 90, 92

Sydney, 153

Syrah, 67, 76, 127

California, 97–98, 100, 108, 146

Syrah grape, 8, 100, 152

Taber, George, 129

Taille aux Loups, Domaine de la, 137

Taittinger Champagne, 116–17, 138

tannins, 23, 31, 56, 64, 76, 160

TAS2R38 gene, 40–41

taste, 60, 76, 99

bitter, 39–41

five basic sensations of, 40

harmony and balance of, 23, 30

“hollow midplate,” 22

individuality of, 37, 45

“peacock's tail,” 23

salty, 40, 41

savory (umami), 40, 41

sour, 40, 41

sweet, 40, 41

see also
flavor; wine tasters; wine tastings

tasting notes, 24, 27–31

“professional,” 29, 31

purpose of, 30

Tasting Pleasures
(Robinson), 27

Tatler
, 29

taverns, 15

Taylor Wines, 56

tectonic plates, 102

Terrantez, 1795, 169

Terrantez grape, 169

Terres Dorées, Domaine des, 2007 Beaujolais l'Ancien, 154–55

terroir
concept, 18, 23, 50, 60, 67, 68, 96, 98–100, 102, 107–8, 114–15, 117–18, 121

Terry Theise Estate Selections, 52, 134

Theise, Terry, 51, 52, 134

Thévenet, Jean, 106

Time
, 129

Tokyo, 85

tongues, 40–41

circumvallate papillae on, 40

foliate papillae on, 40

fungiform papillae on, 39, 40

taste buds of, 39

Treixadura grape, 151

Trimbach Winery, 132

Riesling Clos Ste. Hune of, 25, 132, 139

Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile of, 132, 139

Trockenbeerenauslese Wine, 133

Trousseau, 153

Turley, Helen, 99

Twitter, 61, 84

2, 4, 6–trichloroanisole (TCA), 56

Txakoli, 153, 156

Tyler Winery, 108, 131

Ulysse Collin Champagne, 118

United States:

ascendancy of confident and sophisticated wine drinking in, 4–5, 12–14, 16–18, 43–44, 50–51, 62, 82, 143

beer and liquor vs. wine drinkers in, 3–4, 12, 15

campaign finance system in, 44

importing wines to, 50–51

pop culture in, 12–13

professional wine service in, 83–85

Prohibition and Repeal in, 43, 129, 169

regulatory alcohol law in, 43–44, 65

social mobility in, 105

wine consumption statistics in, 4

Valencia, 151

Valhalla, 55

Vanity Fair
, 10

Vega Sicilia Winery, 155

Verdejo grape, 8, 156, 157

Vermentino grape, 158

Veuve Clicquot Champagne, 116–17

Viagra, 19

Vias Imports, 52

Vienna, 69

Vieux Château Certan, 1947, 164

Vilmart Champagne, 118

Vincent Dauvissat, Domaine (Chablis), 125

Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Les Preuses, Domaine (Burgundy), 138

vinegar, 76, 77

Vines, Grapes, and Wines
(Robinson), 112–13

Vineyard Brands, 53

vineyards, 23, 75, 111

age of, 103

appellation system for, 103–6

California, 108–9

cool-climate sites for, 100–102

disease in, 169

environmental sustainability of, 68

expenses of, 143, 146, 147

farming practices in, 66, 68–75, 76–77, 78, 102, 113–14, 143

monopole
, 121

as most important influence on wine, 49, 50, 64, 67, 75, 78

planting of, 100, 103, 107, 136, 156

rain and rot in, 49

ranking of
à la
1855 Burgundy
cru
system, 103–5

rootstocks of, 66

site selection for, 99, 100–102, 104

viticulture, 32

biodynamic, 68–75, 102, 138

California history of, 104

French, 49, 103–8

organic, 70–71, 74

Volnay, 112, 126

Waldorf education movement, 70

Wall Street Week
, 54

Washington, George, 169

Waugh, Auberon, 29

Waugh, Evelyn, 29

Welles, Orson, 121

Weygandt-Metzler, 53

What Price Bordeaux?
(Lewin), 114

white wines, 34, 38, 126–39, 158–59

acidity of, 56

aging of, 56

California, 94–95

dry, 92

French, 72, 83, 92, 94–96, 104, 111, 126–27, 136–38

Spanish, 152, 158

stemware for, 35

Wiest, Rudi, 52, 134

Wind Gap Wines, 108, 131

Windows on the World, 83

Wine Advocate, The
, 28, 134

Wine and Food Guide to the Loire, A
(Friedrich), 137

wineberserkers.com, 48

wine cabinets, 34

wine cellars, 57, 58, 64, 75, 83

collecting wines for, 8, 10, 26, 32, 34, 56, 83

filthy, 79

temperature and humidity in, 34, 44

wine classes, 26, 84, 94, 167

wine critics, 7, 14–16, 28, 127–28, 142

agreement vs. disagreement among, 38, 47

catering to, 66, 96, 99, 147

consistency and reliability of, 45–46

influence of, 43, 66–67, 96

professional vs. amateur, 9, 29, 31, 42, 45–47

ratings of, 42–43, 45–48, 99

wine discussion boards, 48

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