Coming Soon: Robert Craig’s 2004 Cabernets

We tasted Robert Craig’s forthcoming 2004 Cabernet Sauvignons this morning when he visited Hinsdale Wine Shop in Chicago’s western suburbs. Bob (left), as he congenially introduces himself, was here to talk about his limited releases – the Affinity Bordeaux-style blend and the Howell Moutain and Mount Veeder Cabernets.

The headline for Craig fans is that the ’04 Affinity (85% Cabernet Sauvignon), produced from yields in southern Napa Valley’s Tulocay appellation, is unfiltered for the first time in its history. The goal is to achieve “more depth” for the blend, which tended to show less power and structure than Bob’s “mountain wines”. Our Wednesday tasting suggests the new approach is doing the job.

More news: Next year there will be a fourth appellation represented under the Craig umbrella when he unveils his first vintage from the Spring Mountain AVA between Mt. Veeder and Howell Mountain.

Craig, who is nearing his 30th anniversary in the wine industry, is naturally partial to Mt. Veeder. He was one of the early investors and developers in the region, where he spent one 10-year period as general manager at Hess Collection winery. Bob also led a campaign that succeeded in bringing an AVA designation to Mt. Veeder in 1990.

His 1,400-case Mt. Veeder Cabernet, from a single, 26-acre vineyard, is again exhibiting its signature elegance, black fruit depth and supporting cedar notes. By contrast (and because of geographic variances), the 2004 Howell Mountain is more peppery, herbal and powerful.

“We are really pleased by how it has unfolded this year,” Bob said as we sampled the 900-case Howell Mountain Cab. “In the past, it always has taken a bit longer (after release) to open up.”

  

 

Wine Lover Gift Strategies

The Best of Bruce Schoenfeld

From our Archives

My sister called from Florida last year when her husband Ed was turning 50. He had been dropping hints that he’d like a wine gift.

She wanted advice on a half-case (six bottles) that would average $100 or less. I didn’t want to include anything as obvious as a Bordeaux first-growth from the affordable 1999 or 2001 vintages, or even a second-wave cult Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa. Ed could suss out those for himself.

But this was a 50th birthday, after all, so it also wouldn’t be appropriate to fill the gift box with underrated Chablis and best-buy Dolcetto. I needed skyrockets, marching bands, that sort of thing.

After much careful consideration, I suggested the following options (which you can apply to any upcoming landmark or holiday events in your life, too):

1. Like most wine lovers, Ed regards Bordeaux as the world’s benchmark region. The 2002s are the most reasonably priced recent vintage, but let’s splurge on a 2000 for him, though we might have to dig to find it. How about Margaux’s silky Chateau Kirwan ($75), which is at the forefront of that appellation’s recent revival? It won’t be drinkable for a few years, but that’s fine. He’ll be reminded of this gift each time he looks in his wine cellar.

2. Italy next. Few wine lovers give proper appreciation to Barolo, and I don’t think Ed has any in his collection. Good ones are expensive, but we’re under budget. So let’s buy a Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc 2001 ($105), one of the best Piemontese bottlings from a deservedly hyped vintage. Tight now, it’ll open with a few hours in the decanter, or three more years in the bottle.

3. To Burgundy. Maison Joseph Drouhin’s Vosne Romanee Les Petits Monts ($110) is made by the engaging Veronique Drouhin – who also runs the family’s Oregon property – from grapes grown in her own small vineyard. I haven’t had the 2003, the current release, but the 2001 and 2002 were gorgeous. And in Burgundy, I always trust the producer and the terroir more than the vintage.

4. Spain’s Pago de los Capellanes Reserva 2001 ($50) is the perfect gift for a true wine lover. This Ribera del Duero ranks among my favorite reasonably priced reds anywhere in the world. It’s balanced and elegant, but has the seriousness of purpose to be drunk on a milestone birthday. I’d be tempted to buy two bottles.

5. I’ve written before about Christophe Baron’s single-vineyard Cayuse Syrahs, but if you’re not on the Cayuse mailing list, they’ll be hard to find. Instead, Ed would enjoy a K Syrah Cougar Hills 2003 ($45), which tastes like plums and blueberries.

6. This leaves one wine gift for Ed to go, so I’m heading back to Italy. Though the ultra-ripe Fanti Brunello di Montalcino 1999 ($90) is made in a California style by Stefano Chioccioli, the Tuscan sun shines through the velvety fruit and new oak. It isn’t as restrained and beautiful as the ‘99 or ‘01 Sesta di Sopra, or as balanced as the ‘01 Ciacci Piccolomini Vigna di Pianrossa, but if you like that full-throttle approach, it might well be the most exciting wine in our gift repertoire.

Bruce Schoenfeld is a HinsdaleCellars.com columnist, author and nationally published magazine writer on wine, travel and sports.

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An Authentic Tuscan Lunch

Castelnuovo Berardenga, Italy 

From the moment we were greeted on a breezy afternoon outside their lovely Tuscan villa, Seamus O’Kelly and recently wed spouse Patrizia Barbieri (below) extended to us the warmth and hospitality one might expect of old friends.

Our time together was delightful for the palate, uplifting for the soul and enlightening for the mind. The woman who arranged our villa for a weeklong stay in southern Tuscany (La Dolce Via Italy) suggested lunch in the home of an authentic local chef. We signed on without hesitation. It was our best decision of the week.

Seated outdoors with a sweeping vineyard view, we savored the chef’s delicate sage leaves (grown on property) prepared with a light batter, then moved inside to a table adorned with sparkling stemware (photo below). A delicious dish comprised of boiled wheat germ bathed in red wine over a bed of fresh arugula was the next course.

Seamus soon appeared from his kitchen with a platter of green-peppercorn rissoto marinated in Chianti and served with grated local pecorino. We were then treated to classic Sienese duck a l’orange with a garnish of goose, followed by a fragrant green salad and aged pecorino paired with slightly seared handmade marmalade (concentrating its sweetness). Dessert? A simply excellent tiramisu, light and flavorful.

Every course was accompanied by a gem from the wine cellar, most notably a 1998 Montevertine Le Pergole Torte Sangiovese-based red. The 2 1/2 hours flew by, the dining experience exceeded only by Seamus’ engaging wit and Patrizia’s considerable charm. It was truly an exceptional afternoon.

Seamus de Pentheny O’Kelly is not a stranger to foodophiles in the U.S., as he has appeared on Discovery Channel’s master chef series over the years. He is of Irish descent but was born and raised in South Africa. Seamus moved to Italy in the early 1980s, first working in Rome but ultimately finding his calling in Tuscany’s Chianto Classico region. He recently retired from restaurant ownership after selling Osteria del Castello, a celebrated dining destination for many years within the Castello di Brolio wine estate.

Together, he and Patrizia, a certified sommelier and tourism specialist, plan to operate cooking schools and create private dining experiences close to home and across the United States. A percussionist and arranger, Seamus often punctuates an evening of fine food and wine by treating guests to musical performances. He collaborated with a friend to produce a CD of traditional African music, the sales of which support efforts to help African children battling AIDS.

Seamus is passionate about music, good conversation, irises (he has a sizeable iris farm in Switzerland), wine and Tuscan cuisine. He says two obvious red flags signaling when a meal is not authentically Tuscan are the presence of parmesan cheese (instead of pecorino) and butter (instead of olive oil).

“The basis of Tuscan cooking,” Seamus told us as we devoured his rissoto, “is not the ingredient but the quality of the ingredient.” 

– Steve Woodward    

 

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