The Advantages of Mountain Fruit: A WFNP Video and 2004 La Jota Anniversary Release Cab From Howell Mountain

Sometimes you save a wine and every time you look through your stash you get excited about the night that you're finally going to pop the cork and savor the deliciousness. Since I'm not a collector, I have a few precious bottles and for me, the site of the label of a "saved" wine brings a smile as I think about when I'm going to crack that baby open.

Recently, M.C. Ice and I had a good string of days so we decided to stop lusting after the bottle and on a regular Wednesday night, we opened the 2004 La Jota Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Anniversary Release. 

A friend had sported us the bottle and I had high expectations, given that I'd heard good things about La Jota (means "J" in Spanish and is pronounced La HO-ta). Although owned by mega-giant-wine-monster Kendall-Jackson, the production isn't that big -- thousands of cases versus 2 million for KJ Chard. I've had a few Cabs from Napa's Howell Mountain, where the vineyards are located, so I was feeling very confident that this wine was going to be a winner.

If I may dork out for a second before I get to the wine, I'll tell you a little about Howell Mountain, which is located on the east side of Napa in the Vaca Mountains. 

I think the first important thing to know is that as in the case of many places, there is a huge difference between the style of wine produced from mountain fruit versus valley floor fruit. Here's a video from me explaining more, if you're interested.


This isn't new news in the winemaking world and the different kind of flavors you get from mountain vineyards didn't escape the French winemaking duo, Jean Adolph Brun and Jean V. Chaix, who planted acres of Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Carmenere) on Howell Mountain in the late 1800s. Their foresight was rewarded with international recognition for their wines. They built the stone winery that would become Ladera (see this post for more details on that gorgeous property) and others followed suit, including W.S Keyes who built the stone winery in which La Jota is now housed.


There are a bunch of mountains in the Vacas (it's a mountain chain, after all). So what makes  Howell Mountain different and special? Well, for starters it's tall. 1,400 feet tall to be exact. This means that when fog blankets Napa in the morning, it doesn't touch the vineyards atop Howell Mountain. That allows the grapes to get consistent sun. The altitude also means that the days are cooler and the evenings a little warmer than in the valley. With fewer dramatic swings in temperature, the grapes build acid and sugar slowly. The wines tend to have a good balance of alcohol, acid, and mouth-drying tannins, and they aren't fruit bombs. 

Can it get any better for this place? Oh yes! Behold, the perfect storm (and I mean that proverbially since their weather isn't that dramatic!): it has volcanic and clay soils, which are poor in the nutrients grapes need to thrive. Sounds bad, but actually that stress on the vines results in fewer, more flavorful grapes that, in turn, make more flavorful wines (fewer grapes mean each gets more of the nutrients that are available). 

All in all, Howell Mountain has a winning combination. Nature is pretty generous, so the winemaker shouldn't have to do too much to make these sing...

The Wine: 2004 La Jota, Cabernet Sauvignon, 23rd Anniversary Release

Alcohol Content: 14.5%

The Grapes: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon


The Price: $95

Color: Inky nearly purple in the center. Lots of sediment -- we had to filter it to drink it. Very dark with a pink rim.

Nose: Cinnamon, plum, blackberry, plum pie. The cinnamon and nutmeg aromas made the wine smell like a baked berry cobbler. A second sniff and I got the earthy, green pepper, tobacco, and smoke smells I'd expect from a Cab.

Taste:  The wine didn't have much fruit to it. I got a lot of earthiness and woodiness from what appeared to be heavily toasted oak barrels that imparted lots of flavor. The wine was definitely earthy it tasted like salty soil and green pepper. 

From the oak there was a cedar flavor and a singed character that was a little like a hamburger or like eating something charred, and a whole bunch of vanilla and burnt sugar flavors. As expected, the wine had a great texture: Good acid, and higher alcohol but well balanced and the tannins were powerful and chewy. The wine had a long, long finish.

Drink or Sink?: Drink because it's a perfectly fine wine...BUT I gotta say, the wine was far better after being open for two days, but I was disappointed. Given the story of Howell Mountain and what I've tasted in the past, I expected the wine to be more unique. Apart from excellent tannins, the wine left me wanting more. It didn't have much character -- nothing to make it memorable. For the price, I'd buy something that stood out more in my memory.

Have you had La Jota Anniversary Release? What do you think? Let me know by commenting below or hopping on Facebook or Twitter!

Mosel v. Rheingau Riesling: Ding, Ding...Round 6

Just in time for Thanksgiving, two great wines that would both go well with a traditional turkey dish and side dishes like potatoes, stuffing, and butternut squash soup.

They'd also ROCK out with Asian or Indian food any time. These are two different styles because they're from Rheingau and Mosel, but regardless of where it's from, Riesling can usually complement the spice and make everything seem more harmonious...and less hot. Important.

I've written so much about the differences between Mosel and Rheingau Rieslings, but to recap:

• Rheingau has lower acid, more mellow peach and lime flavors, and is much lighter and more delicate. It makes much less of a statement than... 
• Mosel, which is screaming with acidity, tastes like minerals, citrus, and Chai tea, and is bolder in its constitution.

Both are beautiful in their own right, but if you love high acid wines, Mosel is your go-to. And remember, not all Riesling, or German Riesling for that matter, is sweet. See this post for the low-down on how to tell.

And I owe a thanks to the Wines of Germany program for sending these as samples for unbiased review.

On to the wines...

Wine #1: 2010 Vom Schiefer Riesling, Trocken from Weingut (winery) Ansgar Clüesserath

Quick note: This wine is from a challenging vintage, so it's a little more tart than usual. It's from estate-grown fruit (for you German wine lovers, it is QbA but Gutsabfüllung, or estate bottled), and is made by Eva Clüesserath, an ambitious, young, female winemaker. 


Price: $16

Alcohol: 11.5%

Grape: 100% Riesling, dry in style (indicated by the word "Trocken")

Where it's from: Mosel, Germany

Color: A little spritzy, kind of golden, rich in color -- very yellow and darker than I'd expect but the winemaker likes to give the grapes time to sit with the skins and enrich the flavors, and that darkens the wine. Mystery solved.

Smell: Chalk dust, peaches, and wild flowers were all over this wine. It reminded me of a meadow or when you're hiking and you reach a clearing and smell a fresh, sweet herb/floral smell. The wine was like minerals or like a mountain stream with some lime. On a second whiff, there was some interesting Indian spice smells too. Good stuff. 

Taste: It was balanced, with moderate acid and lots of pineapple and papaya flavors. Super tropical and good acid that left my mouth feeling clean (go acid!). It was refreshing, but more tame and simple than it smelled like it was going to be.

Pairing: We had it with salty food -- first hard Parmesan and then with Trader Joe's Parmesan and arugula ravioli. It was a total hit with that kind of stuff. Salty food is a friend of this wine!

Drink or sink: Drink. It's not even close to being the best Mosel I've had for the money, but if you see it on a wine list or in the store, it's serviceable and good with food. I need to try this from another vintage, since the winery has a great reputation and 2010 was just a weird year. I'll report back. 

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Wine #2: 2011 Balthasar Ress Hattenheimer Schützenhaus (town of Hattenheim, vineyard Schützenhaus) Kabinett Riesling

Quick note: Located in Hattenheim, this winery has been around since 1870. The Schützenhaus vineyard, in the town of Hattenheim, is located on south-facing slopes and is in an area protected from cold winds, so the grapes are fruitier with more mild acid. 

Price: $20

Alcohol: 10%

Grape: 100% Riesling (Kabinett is the quality level. It means the grapes were ripe when picked)

Where it's from: Rheingau, Germany

Color: Much lighter than the Vom Schiefer, this wine was almost platinum with a little spritz. The light color made me think that I was in for some high acid (usually higher acid wines don't have a lot of color because the grapes don't get as ripe/skins don't get as dark and there is less sugar...) read on to see if my guess was right!).

Smell: This was an unusual one. It smelled like grapes, which is not something I usually associate with Riesling. It had some dried peach and dried apricot aromas too, but that grape-y thing threw me off. There were some nice notes on the second sniff -- something like lily of the valley (a fresh springtime flower) and minerals.

Taste: Kabinett is often off-dry/slightly sweet and this was true to form. It tasted kind of like fresh cut tarragon and like ripe peach and limeade. It has some sweet grapefruit flavor -- like a pink grapefruit with sugar on top. It really reminded me of Margarita mix, and it wasn't very...ummm...Riesling-y or wine-y for that matter. 

It had a nice spritz to it and the acid was high (I was right about my judgement from the color), which it needed because it balanced the sweetness of the wine. I did find the alcohol to be really low, which meant the wine tasted more like fruit juice than wine.

Pairing: This was a little too sweet for our pasta with veggies but it was better with the salty, aged Gruyére cheese we had before dinner. I think it may be great with lighter Mexican too, given the similarity to a Margarita or a caipirinha (sugary lime cocktail with Brazilian rum/Cachaça). 

Drink or sink: Sink. The alcohol was too low for a wine with this much fruit. The main components of a wine's structure -- acid, tannin, alcohol, sugar in some cases -- have to be balanced for a wine to be great in my book.

In this wine, the sugar and the acid took over and the wine reminded me of a cocktail or a mixer. So just from a pure "is it well made"? perspective, I have to flunk it. 

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Thanks again to the Wines of Germany for sending these. And thanks to you for reading. Although we had one drink and one sink, check out this page for a bunch more Rieslings that are outstanding. 

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 063 Thanksgiving (Winter Solstice) Wines To Match Your Heritage

Last year we covered so much in last year's Thanksgiving episode that we barely left anything for this year. 

We didn't just want to do a recap or recite the same old wines that everyone else recommends. So for this Winter Solstice Plus (for our international listeners)/Thanksgiving edition, we talk about how to incorporate your original heritage into the feast this year. 

Here is the LINK

After we give thanks to some folks for comments, we address:

• The basics of food and wine pairing
• The largest ethnic groups from which most people in the US derive -- German, English, Italian, French, Hungarian, Portuguese, and Austrian -- and which wines associated with these countries will pair with the big day.
• More detail on food and wine pairing.

As promised, here are a few of the wines we mentioned: 

1. German Riesling (Spätlese, Auslese, Spätburgunder/Pinot Noir)
2. White Bordeaux
3. Italian Fiano d'Avellino, Falanghina, Barbera
4. The white wines of Alsace and Rhône, Rosé (not more than 1 year old -- forgot to mention in the podcast that wines like Tavel and Bandol do age longer)
5. Tokaji
6. Port, Vinho Verde 
7. Grüner Veltliner, Blaufrankish, St. Laurent

Happy Thanksgiving/Winter Solstice! Here is a bunch more info on pairing for Thanksgiving that I've covered on the blog: LINK

We thank you so much for listening to Wine For Normal People radio!

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If you like the podcast, please pass it on to your friends, review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

And if you've got a question you want us to answer, post it on any of those places and we'll include it on the show!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you!

Podcast music: "Café connection" by morgantj / CC BY 3.0, ©2009 - Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) Map: Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license

Wine For Normal People Radio: Episode 62 -- Our Most Memorable Wines (So Far)

This week we cover lots of ground but the main topic is from listener, Tony Jacobson. Thanks so much for the suggestion! 

Here is the link ....and the show notes:

First, a special word on our sympathies for the victims of Hurricane Sandy, which demolished parts of the Northeast of the U.S. We are praying for you! (If you are interested in donating to the ASPCA or the Humane Society, or learning more about how you can help the animals displaced by the storm, Ellie thanks you). 

If you're interested in the article I mentioned on MSN.com where I was a featured contributor...here's a link to:

7 under-the-radar wine regions that deserve a toast

And then to the big 8 (they say everything should always be in odd numbers when you're describing something or writing about it. I say I don't care because I think these are worthwhile!):

1. We start with the moment that got me into wine: A white tasting at the Boston Center for Adult Education. Life-changing. See my sister's notes (right). 

2. A few classic Bordeaux that M.C. Ice and I won't ever forget: Chateau Palmer and Cos d'Estournel.

3. Next, a food and wine pairing experience that rocked M.C. Ice's world: white Chateauneuf du Pape from the Southern Rhône Valley of France that transformed with the meal and created a "never forget" moment in the financial district of San Francisco.

4. Port. From 1855. 'Nuff said, but read the post for more. 

5. A tasting at Chateau Montelena that had us scratching our  eads about why Napa makes wines the way they make them, and about not judging a book by its cover.

6. An experience of helping make wine at a home winemaking operation at which we helped. Learning by doing was fun and taught us so much!

7. Travel and wine ...an experience with Brunello in Montalcino Italy that reminded us how to do things right! 

8. And a short nod to our engagement wine, Domaine Carneros, which we enjoyed on slippery ocean rocks of Big Sur, California (not a great idea, wet rocks, nearby sea lions, and alcohol are a bad combo), and a wine we can't forget because it was all about the experience together.

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If you like the podcast, please pass it on to your friends, review it on iTunes, drop a comment below, or join the awesome conversation on Facebook (Wine For Normal People page) and Twitter @normalwine!

And if you've got a question you want us to answer, post it on any of those places and we'll include it on the show!

Thanks for listening! We can't wait to hear from you!

Ruinart: Defining "Elegant" Champagne

Post Summary

1. Monks, Champagne, and Capitalism
2. Bottle shape, riddling, and Roman chalk caves
3. Some great wines

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I love wine because it is ever-changing. I mean, every year you get a new story and there always seems to be new areas to explore. But though new-ness is great, one thing I love the most about wine is its history and traditions. 

For me, what's old is cool. So when I got the chance to have lunch with the folks from Maison Ruinart, the oldest established Champagne house (a.k.a. winery), I was thrilled.

Dom who? If you haven't heard of the House before, it's because Ruinart is less out-and-about than stuff like Veuve Clicquot, Moët & Chandon, Piper Heidsieck, Dom Perignon, Bollinger, etc. Why? They're in shorter supply --  they are the smallest big house in Champagne.

For a little background, in 1729, Nicolas Ruinart began the House in homage to his winemaking monk uncle, Dom Thierry Ruinart (kind of scary, horror movie portrait, left). 

Dom Ruinart encouraged Nicolas to start a Champagne House, because he saw that Champagne had serious potential ($$$) after the fall of a ridiculously dumb law, which made it illegal to transport wine in anything but an oak cask or barrel. If you know about how Champagne is made (or if you want to peruse a post on it or listen to this podcast and find out) you know that this law made bubbly a strictly local product.

But with the legislative change, when the stuff could be commercially viable, Nicolas Ruinart found religion and started obeying his monk-cle. They set up shop and first shipped cases of wine in 1730.

They've come a long way but one thing Ruinart has kept the same: The bottle. It's got a skinny neck and is squat, not long and elegant like a Burgundy bottle. 

Why this design? Well in the early- to mid-1700s they didn't have riddling racks (those sandwich board type things that Champagne producers use to slowly turn the bottles until they're upside-down and can be popped open to release the dead yeast, which helped the bubble-inducing fermentation occur). So winemakers stuck the bottles in the floor of the caves, upside down, to get the yeast out. 

The proportions of the Ruinart bottle make this possible. If you take a regular Champagne bottle today and try to stick it neck down in the dirt or sand, you'd be out of luck. It may look different, but I give serious credit to Ruinart for keeping the design as a nod to the past, even though no family members work there and it's been owned by Moët Hennessy since the 1960s.

Another thing about Ruinart that's kind of awesome: they have the deepest cellars in Champagne. The cool, slightly humid underground tunnels keep the wine cold naturally. These "crayères" or chalk pits, which were originally dug out by the Romans became an historical monument in 1931.

I'm not going to be shy here: I love this Champagne House. There's a distinct reason. Dom Ruinart uses a bigger proportion of Chardonnay in its blends than other Houses. I can't tell you how much it matters. The only word that comes to mind when I taste the wines: elegant. They are so delicate and subtle, it's like liquid silk in your mouth.

When it comes to Ruinart, I've been spoiled. My first interaction with the wines was with the 1998 vintage wine (only in superb years is a vintage "declared" in Champagne and 1998 was a great one) and their Rosé. I still think about that vintage blanc de blanc. It was outstanding. 

This time around we didn't have the chance to taste the vintage stuff. Instead we had the wines for which they're best known: blanc de blanc (white from white, or 100% Chardonnay) and the brut rosé (45% Chardonnay, 55% Pinot Noir). They're more expensive than some of the cuvees of other houses, but it's so worth it!

They are both resounding "Drinks" so I'm not putting in the "drink or sink" section here.

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The Wine: Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

Grapes: 100% Chardonnay

Where it's from: Mostly sourced from Premier Cru vineyards (the second best vineyards as graded by the Champagne governing body) in Côte des Blancs and Montagne de Reims.

Vintage: The wine is a blend -- 75% to 80% is from the current year, 20 - 25% of the mix is from the two previous years

Alcohol: 12.5%

Price: $70

Quick note: A pale golden color with a really small bubble that lasted until I downed the glass. 

The wine smelled like lemons and a baguette. It had high acid and was light, delicate, spritzy and citrusy. The bread and floral flavors combined with the lime and chalky notes made this refreshing. But what I love most about this wine: it was fabulously delicate, acidic, light, but layered in flavor. 

I'm sure it would have been outstanding with fish, but I had to settle for potato chips (the salad wasn't a great pairing) and it was awesome (stay tuned for our podcast on pairings with everyday food...coming in a few weeks). 

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The Wine: Ruinart Rosé

Grapes: 45% Chardonnay, 55% Pinot Noir

Where it's from: Mostly sourced from Premier Cru vineyards in Montagne de Reims and Cote de Blancs. 

Alcohol: 12.5%

Price: $70

Quick note: A beautiful bright pink -- like a pink grapefruit with tiny bubbles. It smelled like a pink grapefruit too and a strawberry. There was a gardenia flower smell with some yeast and chalk.

The wine had light berry flavors (strawberry, raspberry), pronounced acid, and a mineral flavor. It had on-going bubbles but not the kind that get into your nose -- totally subtle. Like the white, this wine was delicate, mild, but still full of flavor. 

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If you get a chance to try these wines, know that their elegance and subtlety is their hallmark. Don't expect huge flavor or obvious smells. These wines are more for analysis -- you have to think about them to appreciate them. 

Thanks to the folks at Moët and Dom Ruinart for hosting a great lunch! 

Please drop a comment below if you have questions or if you've had this wine and want to add something!

**All photos courtesy of Dom Ruinart and Moët Hennessey.