The Next O’Shaughnessy Cab

The charming vintner Betty O’Shaughnessy left her enviable perch on Howell Mountain to be in Chicago this week. She began by dining at the celebrated TRU, then the following day reconnected with sommeliers, restaurateurs and retailers during a private lunch in the gallery room at NoMI, an acclaimed dining destination inside Chicago’s posh Park Hyatt. The event’s host was leading Midwest distributor Troy Clements of Pure Wine Co.

With her new husband, Paul, at her side, Betty is on the road with new sales and marketing director Mike Steffel to herald the forthcoming release of the 2004 O’Shaughnessy Estate Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. There is much to herald.

Betty and winemaker Sean Capiaux have patiently awaited this release. They have been out of the consumer market for a year. The 2003 Howell Mountain Cab sold out quickly, followed by a decision to bottle-age the ‘04 Cab six months more than earlier vintages (resulting in a total of 12 months in the bottle).

“It was a good decision,” she said during a memorable lunch created by NoMI executive chef Christophe David. “We are pleased we waited the extra six months.”

The ‘04, with decanting, was highly drinkable when we sipped it with a delicious roasted lamb/spinach cannelloni dish (left) at NoMi on Tuesday. This is the fifth O’Shaughnessy vintage, but the first to contain all six Bordeaux blending varietals planted on her 36-acres of vineyards. The combination of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon with Merlot (6%), Petit Verdot (4%), Malbec (3%), Carmenere (2%), Cabernet Franc and St. Macaire (1% each) results in a premium Napa red wine that has “more complexity” and tames the “harsh tannins of Howell Mountain (fruit),” Betty said.

Besides her marriage last September, which finds Betty living part-time near Los Angeles (where her husband’s law firm is based), the other big news delivered during her stop is that O’Shaughnessy Estate is one of only 12 California Cabernet producers invited to participate in a prestigious tasting this October.

The Oct. 19 blind tasting at Chateau Brane-Cantenac in the Bordeaux region is organized by the Vintners Club of San Francisco. A panel comprised of chateau owners, negociants, European aficionados and wine journalists from London and Paris will blind taste 12 California Cabs from the 2002 vintage. The other invitees are Caymus Vineyards, Flora Springs, Justin Vineyards, L’Aventure, The Nth Degree, Palmaz Vineyards, Ramey Wine Cellars, Ridge Vineyards, Robert Craig (also from Howell Mountain), Rocca Family Vineyards and ZD Wines.

As we savored a menu that also included a delicate heirloom tomato and buffalo mozzarella starter (right), later concluding with a dessert of artisan cheeses, Betty mentioned that O’Shaughnessy is releasing a 2004 Mt. Veeder Cabernet. Unfortunately, only 300 cases were produced and will be available only to the winery’s mailing list customers.

Tuscany Report: La Brancaia

Chianti Classico, Italy

Honestly, I feared I would never see La Brancaia’s principal wine production facility tucked away in the rolling hills of a town called Radda-in-Chianti. We’d plodded along on the dusty, winding gravel roads (a.k.a., ”white roads”) for so long I half expected to end up hopelessly turned around and lost, or, perhaps, plunging off a cliff into a remote vineyard. (Maybe not the worst way to go).

But when finally we navigated our Alfa Romeo into a small parking area on the grounds of Brancaia, the exceedingly patient Julia Plescenko assured us that ours had been a typical journey.

“There are two roads to arrive here,” the sales and customer service manager said. “Both are horrible.”

The trail blazed by Brancaia’s founders over the past quarter century today finds the winery traveling in the fast lanes among Super Tuscans. The 2004 La Brancaia Il Blu IGT Rosso Toscana ranks No. 9 in Wine Spectator’s current Top 100 list, and is the highest rated Super Tuscan blend on that impressive roster. The magazine’s James Suckling assigned Il Blu 96 points.

We tasted in succession the ‘04 and the soon-to-be-released 2005, both similarily comprised of 55% Sangiovese, 40% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Barrel aging was 18-20 months in French oak. Both are lush, full, explosive in the mouth, reflections of the clay and limestone soils of the south-facing vineyards (the “Poppi” vineyard is over our shoulders, below, while the nearby Brancaia vineyard is in Castellina in Chianti) where the grapes are nurtured to harvest and handpicked.

The word around the vineyards is that the 2005 Il Blu to be released this fall is a bit more “elegant” than its famous predecessor. It was just bottled in July. “You can taste the promise,” Julia says.

There is promise elsewhere as well owed to the expansion of La Brancaia in 1998. That was the year the Widmer family unveiled a new cellar (having formerly leased production space in the area) and acquired more vineyards, including those far removed from inland Tuscany in a region known as The Marrema. Specifically, this is coastal Tuscany in the Bolgheri hills, the so-called ”California of Italy” about seven miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea. (Maremma was no-man’s land 10 years ago but now is attracting other top producers such as Angelo Gaja of Piemonte).

The daughter of the founders, Barbara Kronenberg-Widmer, and her spouse Martin Kronenberg manage the 100-acre Brancaia in Maremma, where the Super Tuscan known as Ilatraia is produced. Consulting winemaker Carlo Ferrini, a decorated oenologist, is of major influence on all of the wines produced by Brancaia, including the Ilatraia blend.

Fewer than 3,000 cases of the 2005 Ilatraia will be released later this year. It is a different breed than Il Blu as it is dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), with only 30% Sangiovese and 10% Petite Verdot.

“Maremma,” Julia says as we taste the still-developing ‘05, “is the future of Tuscan wines.”

We’ll plan to pay a visit next time — and hope the future means better roads.

– Steve Woodward

Inspired Destinations: Tuscany

 

Montalcino, Italy

A week in Tuscany certainly is not enough. A month or two would be optimal. But we tried to make the most of our week in a lovely villa outside of Buonconvento, just a few miles north of Montalcino’s outskirts and famous Sangiovese vineyards. From the villa’s pool area we faced south toward the vastness of 4,300-acre Castiglion del Bosco, one of the area’s oldest estate vineyards and the site of an exciting development project partially underwritten by the design conglomerate of the late Salvatore Ferragamo (and headed by Ferragamo heir Massimo).

A few headlines now, with more detailed reports from major wine producers and dining destinations still to come. Check back in the days ahead.

Resort watch: Massimo Ferragamo and American real estate developer Corky Severson are finally doing it — combining a world renowned destination for wine worshippers with a strictly upscale resort property. The Castiglion del Bosco project is progressing briskly toward a 2008 unveiling. There will be a central resort and spa, plus members’ only villas (21 are planned) and a Troon Golf 18-hole private course designed by PGA legend Tom Weiskopf. That’s not all. Plans call for a culinary academy, a sommelier institute and an equestrian facility.

We were given a private tour of the nearby Castiglion del Bosco wine production facility, La Cantinia Nuova, completed just three years ago after new ownership took charge. It is a Taj Mahal containing offices, fermentation, aging and bottling rooms, in addition to a beautifully appointed but casual dining room with state-of-the-art kitchen. The resident chef, Sampath, a former Sri Lankan national soccer team member, was happy to show us around. Fortunately for us, he also did the cooking at our villa several miles away.

A few gems for consideration when planning a visit to Tuscany:

1. Established chef and musician Seamus O’Kelly (below, with me and his lovely new wife Patrizia) will host you in his home and serve a delicious lunch prepared with local ingredients and paired with premium wine from his cellar. O’Kelly does not serve Irish fare. He is a South African in his third decade in Tuscany, recently having sold his restaurant near Siena. (He also owns a property near Lausanne, Switzerland, that is one of the world’s prolific Iris farms). Seamus is an entertaining character and master conversationalist. We are looking forward to seeing him this fall when he travels to the U.S. to host several private dinner events for longtime clients.

2. Casanova di Neri outside of Montalcino. Producer of premium Brunello di Montalcino and Wine Spectator’s 2006 wine of the year, a 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Tenuta Nuovo (97 points). By appointment.

3. Ristorante di Poggio Antico. On the grounds of renowned estate vineyards. Casual setting. Friendly service. Try medallions of grilled wild boar with Poggio Antico’s 2001 Brunello ($88).

Avoid: The overhyped Il Canto, an upscale French dining destination in Siena’s Hotel Certosa di Maggiano. At about $136/person less wine, it was a marathon three-hour tasting menu featuring several truly bizarre (dare we say, funky) courses such as a sort of creme brulee of garlic. Service was tedious and the staff was not thrilled by the presence of my 10-year-old daughter. (Everywhere else we dined, children were welcome and accommodated).

– Steve Woodward

  

  

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