Pinot Blanc for a Moody Day

I don't mind the rain. I prefer the overcast sometimes. The black, slick streets, the green leaves and white sky reflecting off the roads, that damp verdant smell of wet soil and shower-kissed lawns. There is a pensive aura in the atmosphere which can often be balanced not by a boisterous, black-pepper Shiraz or red currant cab but something lovely, lively, and interesting. 

Something different...

A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

In the world of Pinot Noir, there have been many mutations. Pinot Gris is an ancient mutation of Noir and in the 19th century the lighter-berried Gris gave birth to a whiter version. 

Pinot Blanc, hence, was born.

And I should emphasize, mutations are not bad things. Not really. It is simply a spontaneous and unforeseen change to the vine's genetic material, occurring during cell division. And when we look at the world of vitis vinifera (the European vine family making up more than 90% of the world's quality wine), there have been numerous mutations. How else to explain the wide range of varieties available today?

Not only Pinot Noir but also popular Spanish Grenache and French Carignan have been prone to mutations. 

BLANC, WEISBURGUNDER and BIANCO

Like Pinot Gris, Blanc find its familial home in Alsace. Though it may be a member of the Noble Pinot Noir clan, Blanc is sadly used and abused as the workhorse grape in northeastern France (often called Clevner) and less popular than Riesling or Silvaner. ('Pinot Blanc' in Alsace is not so much a varietal as a blend of Blanc and Auxerrois)

Thankfully the German-speaking nations give it more respect. 

As Weissburgunder, it is Germany's sixth most planted white variety, grown in Baden, the Pfalz, and along the banks of the Nahe as well as the Mosel and its tributaries. From the full and  generously rich to the delicate, the variety can take on many different guises. 

Across the border, in eastern Austria, Weissburgunder makes up about 6% of the country's total vineyards and can be made into a varietal with a floral-almond scent or botrytized Trockenbeerenauslese (i.e. late-late-late harvested grapes of super-sweet character), either stand alone or blended with Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc. 

In Northern Italy, the grape is well-received as Pinot Bianco in Alto Adige. Though less popular than Pinot Grigio, the variety shows potential when harvested from low-yielding vineyards and oak-aged.

NEW WORLD PINOT BLANC

Chardonnay is king (or queen) of the hill in the world of white grapes (ironically enough, Pinot Blanc was often mistaken for Chardonnay in French vineyards) and many New World winemakers put their  big money behind him (or her). 

But you'll find respectable if not incredible Pinot Blanc in the Pacific Northwest. It is grown in California, Oregon and British Columbia. Chalone Vineyards in the Salinas Valley produces oak-aged Pinot Blanc, left on the lees (taking cues from the Northern Italians) while Willakenzie Estate of the Willamette Valley opts for the older-neutral-barrel-stainless-steel approach, making a Pinot Blanc closer to Viognier with its honeydew-apricot character. 

The same could be said of Peller Estates Okanagan Pinot Blanc. 

ONTARIO PINOT BLANC

In my Dionysian travels, I rarely see Pinot Blanc here in the Niagara region. But two wineries do spring to mind: Konzelmann in the Lakeshore Sub-Appellation of Niagara-on-the-Lake and Henry of Pelham on the Short Hills Bench in West St.Catharines.

Konzelmann Pinot Blanc is typically off-dry (a one on the sweetness code). It is a must for summer decks, docks and other places of sunlit distraction. There is a pear-apple-citrus tango going on in the glass but still, a hint of white flower. 

Henry of Pelham 2010 Pinot Blanc is another strong offering. I love how it says on the back label "restrained peach" in the description. Nope, I shake my head because the Peach here feels like a focused sucker-punch to the palate. The wine is truly lively and lovely and according to my father, "deadly" because it goes down far too easy. 

Ontario wines like these can make it easy for the trendy wine consumer to forget his (typically her) Pinot Grigio.

And on a damp, moody day, something bright and peach-like can make looking out on rain-drizzled street all the more balanced and pleasurable. 

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Firriato's Etna Rosso - An Esoteric Sicilian Red

The beaten path is boring. For every new California Chardonnay or Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon there is an audible yawn amidst true wine lovers. Though we are often deplored as geeks or wine bloggers, like film critics who have seen the same romantic comedy formula tried out again and again, we tire of the same wines.

Certain wines are like moods and there's a time and place for beginners to get their share of the famous, 'noble' varieties. 

But as palates become more intelligent, it's time to indulge in the 'market of the multitudes' as Chris Anderson in his bestselling book, The Long Tail explains. Though we all begin somewhere the same, we eventually diversify and become acquainted with unique offerings that expand our awareness and knowledge. 

This is why I love Southern Italian wines - they are somewhere off the radar but remain in range and deliver not only the intensity of stand-by varietals and blends but also tweak one's curiosity. 

SICILIAN WINE

The famous German poet, playwright, naturalist, novelist and statesman Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once wrote in his Italian Journey that without “seeing Sicily one cannot get a clear idea of what Italy is.” 

Goethe had escaped to Italy to discover himself, to learn about art, to fall in love and surround himself with an Ancient Culture. He wanted to get beyond the stuffy confines of Weimar and the customs of his Germanic homeland.

For many wine consumers looking for a way to break out from the heaps of everyday Cabs and Aussie Shiraz, Nero d'Avola (also known as Calabrese) has become the first  and most famous go-to Sicilian wine, a fun popular choice for those leaving the beaten path.

In terms of white varieties, you can look to traditional Catarratto and Inzolia as well as Grecanico  to please your curious summer palate. 

But for those questing out something special, I recommend wines from....

ETNA ROSSO

In the nineteenth century, the Etna wine district - Northeast, just south of Messina - became popular overnight. As phylloxera made its way through the vineyards of France, the Etna region with the help of the modern railway made it possible for grapes to be carried to wineries.

In the twentieth century, output fell, the volcano erupted (several times) and vineyards slowly became abandoned.

But as with many things overlooked, there is a return to greatness. 

Today, with modern research and the passion and enthusiasm of today's wine makers, the region is enjoying a small, but quiet renaissance. 

The soil is obviously volcanic, well-drained and temperatures shift back and forth between hot days and cool nights. Vines are old, sometimes 80 plus years. 

FIRRIATO'S ETNA ROSSO

Salvatore Di Gaetano and his wife Vinzia Novara are the dynamic couple behind Firriato's's success. Begun in the 1980's, the winery has since acquired several estates throughout Sicily, notably vineyard land south of Trapani  (in the west) and on the north eastern slope of Mount Etna in the region of Castiglione di Sicilia. 

In the latter area, one can find the Cavanera vineyards, 11 hectares planted to Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappucio and Carricante. The soils here are rich with minerals making their 2008 Etna Rosso, a blend of 80% Nerello Mescalese and 20% Nerello Cappucio a charismatic choice for savvy wine consumers. 

I was immediately struck by the licorice aroma of this wine. But I must emphasize, not a typical black licorice but more the Dutch, salted drop kind, the one I had in childhood. There's also a welcome hint of chocolate but also charred stone and candied raspberries.

My first sip, a fine balance of sinewy acidity and chewy tannins. This wine is absolutely refreshing and delicious (the raspberries carry through with the salted licorice). 

An easy, esoteric wine to recommend and available through your LCBO Vintages sections.

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Greener Days for Grüner Veltliner

Here in Niagara, we are finally beginning to experience the greener, warmer weather. The evenings are longer, the dusky shadows lengthen in front of us on the sidewalks and the verdant trees scent the sky.

Soon we'll be opening wine magazines telling us of the latest trends, what wine to drink during the warmer weather. Soon, more and more wine lovers will be heading to the LCBO coolers to seek out refreshing whites instead of brooding reds (wines that made the harsh winter tolerable, reminding us of the hotter days to come). 

I figure this is the time to offer my recommendation. 

AUSTRIA'S GRAPE: GRÜNER VELTLINER

In our Anglo-American culture, certain wines can be difficult to pronounce, especially those from Eastern Europe. The grape varieties of Greece raise eye-brows while German crossings, Scheurebe and Huxelrebe leave wine lovers bewildered as to where to put the accent. 

Grüner Veltliner, like Gewürztraminer, is fortunate enough to garner enough attention that wine buyers can put up with mispronunciation for the sake of a dry, refreshing white of white pepper and stone fruit character. (GROON-er FELT-leaner for those that want to make the attempt. I should emphasize, the 'r' in German has a slight guttural sound so instead of grrrewner, say GRWHOOnair...)

Of all of Austria's varieties, it is the most popular worldwide, planted on more than a third of the country's 48, 500 ha/119, 800 acres. In Lower Austria, it represent more than half of total white grape production and in Vienna, a third of all plantings. It can be used to make sparkling Austrian sekt, simple whites served at wine inns (Heurigen) as well as medium-bodied and opulent, concentrated wines.

Historically, its origins remain obscured, first documented in 1766 as Grüner Muskateller in the then Hapsburg Empire. We find 'Grüner Veltliner' first mentioned in 1855; by the 1930's it became more common. Near the end of the twentieth century, the grape emerged as the premier variety of Austria.

NOT JUST ANOTHER RIESLING

Unlike Germany's flagship variety, Grüner Veltliner is typically dry and made in a range of styles depending on where it is grown. 

In Lower Austria, the best of Austria's four regions (Weinbauregionen) for Grüner, one can find a wide range of offerings in the many subregions (Weinbaugebeite).

Wachau Grüner can age better than Riesling while retaining a complexity similar to white Burgundy. In the loam and loess soils of Kamptal and Kremstal, the wines offer notes reminiscent of Riesling. Here, the vineyards are steep and terraced for maximum exposure to the sun. The autumns are long and the grapes ripen allowing for the highest concentration of flavour compounds in the skin. 

In Weinviertel, the wines are cheaper but with often light, fresh, fruity and spicy notes. 

LETH GRÜNER VELTLINER 2009
This is a rather lush wine for a mild, spring evening. In the bouquet, the wine exudes peaches and apricot with a whiff of vanilla-mineral floating over the stone fruits. On the palate, you will find a comparable character as the wine follows through from the aromas to the flavours.

This is a versatile wine but I wouldn't recommend heavy meat dishes. Cod, sole, and salmon would work with a light cream sauce or a lemon pepper chicken. Either way, it's a nice way to ease into the greener season. 

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