Bordeaux Wines are Back with the 2010 Vintage

by Frank Mangio
Bordeaux – it’s the most elite name in the history of wine.  It’s red wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, and Petit Verdot command worldwide attention.  These Bordeaux grapes, created the backbone for the California wine miracle.

I say that because the shaping of Napa Valley’s  fabled wine success as the greatest of all the wine countries in California was woven by grapes  brought over from Bordeaux.  Eventually the Napa Valley “made in heaven” climate and soil would propel this area past its mother-earth French mentor, signaled by the “Paris Tasting” in 1976 when California’s wine entries defeated the French in each category it entered.

The current 2010 vintage of Bordeaux wines were rated the highest in over 10 years by the world respected Wine Spectator Magazine

  Up to that date, the legendary Chateau Latour, Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Margaux, Chateau Petrus, Chateau Haut-Brion and so on were the world’s finest wines. They were known as wines of terroir, meaning all that they were, they derived from single plots of land.  We were led to believe that only those pieces of property could provide us with the exalted grapes that made up those bottles.

The wine landscape has certainly changed and French wines have undergone great change with new faces, who have made French wines much more approachable.

The wine districts of Bordeaux, both on the left and right bank of the  river that divides Bordeaux, must be congratulated with a brilliant 2010 vintage, cheered by Wine Spectator and other world-class publications, with the best year in over 10 years. With Cabernet on the left bank of the Gironde River and the silky elegance of Merlot on the right bank, the result was “gorgeously integrated structure for long term cellaring,” reported Wine Spectator.  But expensive French wines have lately been a hard sell.  The wild and crazy “futures” market, where collectors gather to gamble and pay cash in advance without tasting, on prices set by the wineries on future vintages, have not gone well for buyers.  The news of the excellent 2010 vintage should help in the recovery.

Some lofty prices for the 2010 vintage include:  Chateau Latour, 2010 Pauillac, rated 99 for $1,450. and Chateau Mouton-Rothschild, 2010 Pauillac, rated 98 for $1,200.  It must be remembered that most French wines are not the wildly expensive, complex wines chased by multi-millionaires.  Most Bordeaux wines are modest dinner wines with very reasonable prices. In my search for a low priced 2010 Bordeaux red blend, I found a Croix De Mason Left Bank Bordeaux for just $6.00.  Drink it now and be happy you had the best French vintage in over 10 years.

Balboa Bay’s Nice Guy Chef is Josef Lageder

With a crisp glass of Napa Valley Chateaux Montelena Riesling in one hand, the Balboa Bay Resort’s Executive Chef, Josef Lageder, took me on a words-eye tour of Southern California’s version of Portofino Italy.  With the yachts almost within reach, Chef Josef traced his roots in Italy’s Alto Adige, where healthy salads and fish where the prime presentation on the menu.

Josef Lageder is the Executive Chef of Balboa Bay Resort

For pastas, chef is a huge fan of gnocchi, with each village in Italy accenting here and there with a singularly different taste.  “I also love risottos, the world’s best comfort food,” he revealed.  Add lemon, parmesan cheese and mushroom with truffles as a garnish and you have a marvelous delicacy.”

The resort is now undergoing upscale changes and wants to be more accessible.  Duke’s Place, a tribute to actor John Wayne who was a neighbor, is being totally re-done with an open air, contemporary design and over 600 wines to select from.  The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. See www.balboabayresort.com.

Wine Bytes
Bacchus Wine Market downtown SanDiego offers an Affordable Bordeaux wine event Sat. May 11 from 2 to 8:30pm.  6 red and white wines poured for a $20. charge.  Call 619-236-0005.

An Artisan Festival is planned for Orfila Winery Sun. May 12 in Escondido from 3 to 7:30pm.  20 local artists and vendors with 10 gourmet food trucks and live entertainment.  $20. ea.  Club members discounts available.  Call 760-738-6500 x 22.

Mothers Day is being celebrated with a special 3 course brunch at Fleming’s.  Lots of entrée choices for $36.95 and a $25. dining card rebate for Mom.  Call 858-535-0078 for an RSVP.

The Rotary Club of Bonsall presents the annual benefit Wine, Brews and Blues Festival Sat. May 18 from 5:30 to 10pm at the Ca. Center for the Arts in Escondido.  Wine and handcrafted beer tastings, tasty bites from local restaurants, silent auction, cigar lounge, and dancing to live blues bands.  Tickets are $65. pp.  For more information 760-695-4042.  Purchase tickets at www.BonsallRotary.com.

Raising the Bar on Wine Speak

by Frank Mangio
What do the “experts” really talk about when they ramble on about the qualities of a wine varietal.  You’ve heard the drill on the language of wine-speak: “crispy, grassy, okay, velvety, smooth, tannic, spicy,” etc. etc. In the effort to de-mystify wine, a lot of nouveau riche wine “experts” spew garbage descriptions that really have no place in the lexicon of wine.

Rather than get creative and cute in voicing a sipping description, the taster is far better off learning the basic terms of what wine is all about.

To start out, most of the labels on wine bottles will contain some basic notes from the winemaker and other required information to give the taster a running start in the understanding of wine. I give great credit for my start-up knowledge to Karen MacNeil, the author of the Wine Bible.

Karen MacNeil has written an important guide to the wines of the world with her Wine Bible, 

a 900 page essential book for wine lovers.

My copy that I purchased in 2002, has taken on dog-ears and is filled with post-its of my notesas I was inspired by and returned to what I had learned.  The publisher, when he read the original 4,000 page manuscript, excitedly declared “Oh my God, this is the Wine Bible”!  And the name stuck, even as it has gone through a number of editions.  MacNeil is an easy to understand translator.  Her biggest challenge, she says is to “stand between the producer and consumer of wine and have it all make sense.”  Her advise is to “taste as many wines as you can, with as many groups as you can where thoughts can be exchanged.”

A more focused, much smaller  book is How to Talk about Wine, by Bernard Klem.  The first part of his book gets into what wine is, where and how it is made and a primer on the Four S’s: sight, smell, sip and swallow. The 2nd part helps the reader in getting the words and basic terms together on how to compare the wines to distinguish quality. It’s less than 100 pages and a quick and concise read.

So relax, you don’t’ have to be eloquent and exact.  If you’re getting tongue-tied, just say you like it.  Don’t complicate your wine experience.

Morgan’s Rises in the Desert
La Quinta Resort has always been quiet, private and with the ambience of a sophisticated hacienda .  Nestled against the Santa Rosa Mountains near Palm Desert, its casitas bring guests back to the spirit of a storied past. The resort’s guest villages encourage strolling through gardens, several pool patios and the pampering spa.

Jimmy Schmidt is Executive Chef of the resort’s Morgan’s in the Desert, the quintessential farm-to-table fresh cuisine menu that is all the rage in restaurants today. Jimmy is an award winning  chef and pioneer of the healthy dining trend that embraces flavor in his technique.

A 30 year Executive Chef, Jimmy Schmidt has built the farm-to-table menu at Morgan's in the Desert.

He has several books on this subject.  His 30 year career is impressive and evident in the Morgan’s menu.  I build my choices around my selection of wine and this night it was the Grgich “Miljenko’s” Old Vine Zinfandel 2007.($85. at the winery) This wine is a tribute to the winemaker who lives at La Quinta Resort & Club in the winter, Mike Grgich himself.  Taste it with the hand cut pasta and the generous array of steak choices. All are Certified Angus Beef.  Access more information at www.laquintaresort.com.

Wine Bytes
A big Orange County night with big wines is planned at the Balboa Bay Club Fri Nov. 2 from 6 to 9pm.  Trinitas Cellar Wines plus dinner and Valet parking for $100. pp. RSVP at 949-474-7368 x 213.
Meritage Wine Market in Encinitas pours the World of Pinot Noir Wines Fri. Nov. 9 from 6 to 8pm.  Cost is $20.  Call 760-479-2500.

Holiday Wine Cellar of Escondido presents German and Austrian wines Mon. Nov. 12 5:30 to 7:30pm.  $5. charge.  Call 760-745-1200.

The Westgate Hotel downtown San Diego celebrates the annual French Beaujolais Nouveau wine tasting Thurs. Nov. 15 from 6 to 9pm.  It’s a 3 course French dinner plus 2 glasses of Beaujolais.  RSVP at 619-557-3655.