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In China, caveat emptor . . .
'82 Lafite Rothschild for 98000 RMB?? What a bargain!! That's only $15,463.51 a bottle— I'll take a case!
There are three things that really bother me about this opportunity. . .
1. I cannot afford Lafite— even at it's most reasonable prices;
2. the markup and tax here in China on wine is out of control . . . the '82 Lafite Rothschild generally sells for a mere $6,000- $7,000 in the United States and France;
3. and, even if I could afford it, there is a good chance it is fake.
That's right— there is a good chance it is fake.
China's consumption of wine has grown dramatically over the past decade (now #7 in the world) and with it, counterfeiters have increased their activities. One of the most "replicated" wine is French wine because it holds so much cachet with the Chinese consumer— Bordeaux in particular.
Fakes are "everywhere— from bottom to top of the range" says Romain Vandervoorde, head wine importer at Le Baron. "There is more Lafite '82 in China than was produced in France", he recently told Google news.
The most common practice of local counterfeiters is to tweak existing labels to look almost exactly like existing popular labels to make consumers believe they are buying the real thing. The real gutsy counterfeiters will the even purchase booths at wine fairs next to the legitimate wine producers and sell their substandard "wine". A bold example recently at a Chinese wine fair was "Benfolds" ( a play on Penfolds— one of Australia's oldest wineries) which sold wine made of citric acid, sodium citrate, flavoring essence, and coloring. The label though was the familiar red, white and black of the Penfolds brand- and in English— not understood by many locals.
The other form of counterfeiting uses old bottles of premier wineries— label and all. There are bottle scavengers in China that will pay as much as $320 for an empty bottle of Lafite Rothschild. They then fill the bottle with their "swill", recork and sell it on the market as the real thing— for real Lafite prices. It has gotten so bad, that Christie's Auction House in Hong Kong destroys all of the empty premier bottles of wine they use for fear they will be sold on the black market.
Counterfeiters prey on the undeveloped palates of Chinese consumers. 75% of the market in China is still local producers like Great Wall and Dragon Seal, but, trust me, they are less than appealing wines. This leads me to believe that the Chinese consumer has a long way to go understand good wine from fraudulent wine.
For some business people and government officials though, the value of sharing a Lafite lies in how much "face" it bestows, not on how well it tastes. With this lack of knowledge and emphasis on saving face, the counterfeiters will just keep on rolling out their juice— and at the price for wine here, who can blame them.
I am ever weary of the wine purchases I make here in Shanghai. I used to worry, when I paid for wine in the States, about whether I would enjoy the wine in a bottle, especially wine I had never tried. Now, I have the same worries but I also worry about whether the liquid in the wine bottle I purchase is actually wine!
Cheers for now. . .
It's been a while. . .
It has been quite a while since my last post.
I have had thoughts of just dropping the whole "wine blog" gig to be honest.
I mean, the wine market here in China can be less than wonderful. . . or is it?
While it has been my recent experience that there is very little diversity between what wine retailers offer here in Shanghai— unless you are looking for French wine— that is here in abundance, China does have a lot to offer for me.
China is a country that is just discovering how to make "decent" wine. . . even though the country has thousands of years of history. It also offers me more Bordeaux wine than I have ever seen in Michigan. Along with that, my opportunities to attend tastings of First and Second Growth Bordeaux here are more than I could hope for, along with a good number of Burgundy tastings just for fun.
I started the Wine Monologues as a diary of my wine experiences and for a while I lost sight of that purpose. Not any more. Please stay tuned as my Monologues will continue to give you an eye into the China wine market, my own personal tastings and experiences here, as well as my trip this summer to France.
Cheers!
Snake wine. . . yep, snake wine.
I am all about trying new things. Just "give it a shot". You will never know until you try it.
I just returned from Vietnam and had the chance to put this ideal to the test.
On a tour of the Mekong Delta, we visited a local group that produces coconut candy— in the middle of the jungle. In fact, this group uses the coconuts, the trees, and the leaves to create many useful products. The Vietnamese generally try to make use of everything from their plants, trees, fruits and vegetables in their daily lives.
As we toured the facility we came around to the backside of the counter selling the coconut candy. A few bottles sat on the counter and our guide, Tien, asked if I wanted to try some rice wine, coconut wine and banana wine. I, of course, was "all in".
The rice wine was as close to straight grain alcohol as I have ever had. In fact, it probably was. The coconut wine was much more smooth (it is hard not to be after the first drink). It had a creamy texture and there was a hint of coconut to it. The banana wine was about the same, with a hint of banana.
Then I saw it. . .
Snake wine is believed to be a healthy drink with medicinal attributes in southeast Asia. It is said to be especially good for one's kidneys. The snakes are generally venomous snakes fermented with rice wine.
As a new resident of southeast Asia, I thought. . . "when in Rome" . . . and gave it a shot. More mind over matter, the wine was smoother than the first rice wine I had tasted (still think it was just grain alcohol). With no scent, surprisingly, the wine tasted a bit "fishy".
Gladly, I am still a proponent of trying new things- even though this was a stretch. Now, where are those chicken feet 
Cheers!
Chateau Palmer Tasting
One thing I have learned in my short time here in China. . . the Chinese love French wine. . . particularly Bordeaux. I can find obscene amounts of Bordeaux here in any wine store or local grocery store. That love of Bordeaux led me to a unique tasting last Saturday at Enoteca, a local wine venue. Chateau Palmer was on the menu and, as it is also an iconic producer from the left bank, I jumped at the chance to taste.
A quick review. . .
Red Bordeaux wines are generally blends of six varietals (although a very few produce single varietals). The AOC only permits Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Malbec, and Petit Verdot in the blends. Use of other varietals are known as Vin de Table or "table wines" — not true Bordeaux.
The Bordeaux region is situated on the Gironde estuary and its tributaries, the Garonne River, and the Dordogne River. This wonderful "irrigation system" helps the wineries of Bordeaux produce world reknowned wines. Wineries from the left side of the Gironde, or the "left bank," are known for producing wines blended with a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wineries on the right side of the Gironde, or the "right bank," tend to be blended with more Merlot.
The Bordeaux region is situated on the Gironde estuary and its tributaries, the Garonne River, and the Dordogne River. This wonderful "irrigation system" helps the wineries of Bordeaux produce world reknowned wines. Wineries from the left side of the Gironde, or the "left bank," are known for producing wines blended with a majority of Cabernet Sauvignon. The wineries on the right side of the Gironde, or the "right bank," tend to be blended with more Merlot.
Chateau Palmer. . .
Chateau Palmer is situated on the left bank. It is located in the Margeaux Appellation in Bordeaux. Chateau Palmer dates back to 1748 and was originally part of the ancient estate Chateau d'lssan.
The vineyard is about 52 hectares in size and is composed of equal amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot as well as some Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.
Chateau Palmer is considered one of the two most popular Third Growth wines in Bordeaux.
The Tasting. . .
Last Saturday, this wonderful and historical Chateau offered six different bottles for tasting at a local wine store in Shanghai. Enoteca served as the host to about 40 wine enthusiasts. The wines offered were the 1995, 2004, 2007 and 2008 Chateau Palmer; the 2006 and 2008 Alter Ego de Palmer; and the "Historical Blend" Lot 20.07 (a sly way to put a vintage on this "non-vintage" wine).
Chateau Palmer, while a left bank Bordeaux, generally features Merlot over Cabernet Sauvignon as its main varietal. In fact, in only one of the bottles tasted, the 2006 Alter Ego, was Cabernet Sauvignon the predominant varietal.
Our host for the evening from Chateau Palmer, Bernard de Laage de Meux, explained that many Bordeaux winemakers are moving toward a more even blend of Merlot and Cab as a way to produce a more "smooth-velvety" blend for the consumer. In the case of the wines we tasted, there definitely was a wonderful velvety overtone in all the wines.
The 'Alter Ego' from the Chateau is a second label that has been produced since 1998. The Alter Ego uses the same grapes as Chateau Palmers but are made with different techniques and different percentages of varietals to produce earlier drinking wines. The Alter Ego label now accounts for 40% of Chateau Palmer's production.
All of the Alter Ego and Chateau Palmers were what you might expect. . . rich, elegant and velvety— with the exception of the 1995 Chateau Palmer and the Historical Blend.
The '95 Palmer was devine. Not as deep in color as its younger predecessors, it has a brown tinge around its ruby coloring in the glass. The nose is dusty and musty with red berries coming through. The palate is old world all the way, full of raisins, red fruit, dirt and a hint of chocolate.
The "Historical Blend" is Chateau Palmer's little experiment. The Chateau believes that there may be a way to make a more "interesting" wine from the region by using a varietal from another part of France. The Historical Blend is Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, from "difficult" vintages, blended with Syrah from the northern Cotes du Rhone. Because of the use of a varietal outside those allowed by the Bordeaux AOC, this is considered a vin de table (table wine). It is not what most Americans would consider a normal "table wine" though, in that it has the wonderful characteristics of a Bordeaux with the added spice of Syrah on the back end. (The blend is 88% Merlot and Cab and 12% Syrah). The finished product is an outstanding array of flavors for the palate that I truly enjoyed.
China has been a bit of a challenge for my wine world. Except, of course, for the availability of Bordeaux. This local love of the region led to this unique opportunity for me to taste the wines of Chateau Palmer. I hope these unique opportunities keep coming my way while I am here!
Cheers!
A little cross promotion!
As you may know, I have relocated to Shanghai. I have also picked up a new hobby—photography.
I have joined the "365 Day Project" and would like to invite you to follow along.
The project is a year long journey of my life, one day at a time, one picture at a time. As you might expect, I will be focusing on my life here in Asia and documenting my experiences, wine related and otherwise.
To follow along, just check in here.
I hope you enjoy it and find it interesting.
Cheers!
Cabernet Day wrapup
For those of us social media nuts with an interest in wine, September 1 was "Carbernet Day" throughout the world. If you are a Tweeter or Facebooker, you may have heard the clammer about this event.
The idea behind Cabernet Day is for thousands of wine fans, all around the world, to drink and comment, via social media, on Cabernets. It was also an opportunity to learn about this wonderful varietal, with writers posting articles and blogs throughout the day.
For me, it provided the opportunity to take my first shot at Chinese wine. Chinese Cabernet Sauvignon is prevalent here in the Middle Kingdom and I was determined to jump right into it. Just for the heck of it, I procured a second Cab just in case I had the time and inclination to do some more Cabernet "research".
DYNASTY CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Dynasty is a Sino-French Joint Venture out of Tianjin. Their second largest shareholder is Remy Cointreau, who provides the basis for the production process within the winery. Established in 1980, Dynasty holds a very strong presence in the Chinese wine market and is very profitable, with 100 different wine and wine related products. http://www.dynasty-wines.com/en/ab_profile.htm
The Dynasty Cabernet Sauvignon, unfortunately, was not one of the best Cabs I have ever tasted. It was lacking on both the nose and the palate. The nose was very closed showing only a slight hint of red fruit. The palate was also limited displaying a small amount of red fruit with very little body. I had to search for tannins and acidity which gave the Cab a "flat" characteristic. This was not what I was hoping for in terms of my entry into the Chinese wine world.
Chinese wine production has been growing dramatically in the past couple of years. The Chinese have the taste and market for fine wine— currently inflating the futures market for Bordeaux wines in particular. Unfortunately, the general consumer here has to, for the near future, live with wine producers/farmers, who are used to producing grapes for quantity and not quality. Until they reverse that trend, winemakers here will continue to produce wine that is going to be difficult to export successfully.
On the bright side of my Chinese wine exploration, there is wine here that has some upside. In researching the industry I have discovered that two producers are starting to make some good wine. Grace Vineyards and Silver Heights, with winemaker Emma Gao, are starting to produce respectable vino. I am on the lookout for these producers and will let you know what I find.
Peter Lehmann Cabernet
For my second Cab of the day (because I had all day to taste Cabernet), I chose a Peter Lehmann Cabernet. Peter Lehmann is a Barossa Valley producer of some award winning, reasonably priced wines. They are easily accessible— especially here in China! I have had the Lehmann Shiraz, which I enjoyed a great deal, so I thought I would give their Cab a shot.
This Aussie Cab is ruby red in the glass. Cedar, leather and cherry aromas fill your nose. On the palate, I got hints of black and red fruits, coffee and a bit of green pepper on the back end. The tannins are firm and the acid is good. Peter Lehmann wines have a great QPR and are worth trying if you have not done so already.
Peter Lehmann Cabernet
For my second Cab of the day (because I had all day to taste Cabernet), I chose a Peter Lehmann Cabernet. Peter Lehmann is a Barossa Valley producer of some award winning, reasonably priced wines. They are easily accessible— especially here in China! I have had the Lehmann Shiraz, which I enjoyed a great deal, so I thought I would give their Cab a shot.
This Aussie Cab is ruby red in the glass. Cedar, leather and cherry aromas fill your nose. On the palate, I got hints of black and red fruits, coffee and a bit of green pepper on the back end. The tannins are firm and the acid is good. Peter Lehmann wines have a great QPR and are worth trying if you have not done so already.
I enjoyed my Cabernet Day from China. It is my intent to explore the world of wine in China and their Cabernet is a great place to start. I look forward to the journey and hope that you will follow along into this "new world" of wine.
Gan bei!
Old Shore Vineyards Winemaker Dinner at Vinology
As many of you know, I have set off on a 3 year journey to the Middle Kingdom— Shanghai China to be exact. Before I departed in mid-August though, I set out to have one last grand weekend in Michigan. I took in the Lions' first preseason game on Friday night down at Ford Field and saw Kid Rock through the rain on Saturday night at Comerica Park. But before all that fun and frivolity, on the Thursday night before my grand weekend, I attended one of the best wine tastings I have ever been to. I was lucky enough to procure a seat at the Old Shore Vineyards Winemaker Dinner at Vinology in Ann Arbor. Not only was the wine and food fantastic, but the company was outstanding as well.
Vinology
One of my favorite venues for wine, Vinology is an wonderful destination for wine lovers and foodies alike! I was greeted by the host for the evening John Jonna who escorted me downstairs to the "Bubble Room" in Vinology. The evening began with a little "Sex" by Larry Mawby— a Michigan institution in and of himself. John, always the gracious host, introduced me to some of his best customers that were there that evening. He apologized for his daughter Kristin not being able to make the evening— she had just recently delivered twins— "red" and "white"— as Grandpa likes to call them. He then told me about the tasting events they host at Vinology.
I knew that they host wonderful wine tastings and dinners. They even are a favorite spot for many bachelorette parties. What I did not know— and I will pass along to you— is that you, the customer, can choose the wine tasting topic for a private event at Vinology. If you have a varietal, flight, producer or even winemaker that you would like to try at Vinology, you just need to contact John. He will help you organize and host the event and add his own wine and food expertise to make the evening a success. There is a minimum number of 12 guests that you would need to guarantee, but I thought it was a wonderful service that Vinology provides to their customers.
A pleasant surprise upon being seated. . .
It was time to be seated to begin our tasting and seated next to me, just by chance, were Dick and Sally Scheer, owners of the Village Corner in Ann Arbor. Another one of my favorite wine destinations, Village Corner recently closed after 40 years on campus at the University of Michigan. I had never met Dick or Sally, but have "chatted" with Sally through email and Twitter. I am happy to say that both are true local gems. Dick is a true wine expert, both of Michigan wines and wines in general. He gladly offered his insight on this evening for us about Old Shore Vineyards wine and wine in general. Sally was a pleasure to talk to and let me know that the "new" Village Corner should be opening very soon at their new home at 1747 Plymouth Road in the Courtyard Shops. If you used to shop at Village Corner or have never had the opportunity, do so, as soon as they open back up. Utilize their website to check out all the wine they have available. Sally told me that it will be even better than before with more detail and even more selection. I have missed being able to look for certain varietals or labels just by checking the Village Corner site— but now, Sally assured me— customers will be able to do that, and then some! She said it will be a true "wine geek" site—-so, keep checking for the grand opening soon
The Dinner
All that was left was the dinner. . . and wow, was the wait worth it.
David Maki and Dannielle Alphonse are the owners of Old Shore Vineyards (OSV). Old Shore's winemaker is Cornel Olivier. David and Dannielle graciously lead us through five wonderfully prepared courses featuring their 2009 'Turkey Nest' Pinot Gris, 2010 'Sofia' Rose of Pinot Noir, and all three vintages of the 'Tree Line' Pinot Noir. . . the 2008 (the original vintage-not released for sale), the 2009 (which I recently tasted and loved), and the 2010 (which had been bottled the evening before this event— so it was as close to a barrel sample as we could get). To enjoy with these wines, Vinology served us Alderwoood Smoked Alaskan Halibut, Togarashi Crusted Black Pearl Salmon, "Seventy-Two Hour" Beef Short Rib, Chargrilled Domestic Lamb Chop and, lastly, Cherry Berry Tasting with Michigan Cherry clafoutis, raspberry 'linguine', and lingonberry ice cream.
We were guided through this wonderful tasting adventure by Dannielle, David and Cornel, each offering us insight into the vintage and varietal of the wines and how they were produced. John Jonna even conducted a blind tasting between the 2009 'Tree Line' Pinot and the 2009 Albert Bichot Burgundy— which was quite interesting (the '09 OSV was the fave of the group).
A few notes . . .
. . . Danielle and David have a true passion for their wine and it shows in their product
. . . Cornel, although softspoken, has a dedication to his craft that is admirable
. . . the 2009 'Turkey Nest' Pinot Gris is a bold Pinot Gris with more flavors of apple pie than I remember and would be a great addition to anyone's Thanksgiving table in a few months
. . . the 2009 'Tree Line' Pinot Noir is just as good as I remember and wrote about not that long ago
. . . it was an honor to taste the 2008 Pinot Noir as it was not released to the public— but could have been—- Danielle, David and Cornel just did not know what they had
. . . the OSV Rose is like nothing you have ever tasted— this is not your normal 'pink' rose, and
. . . the 2010 'Tree Line' Pinot Noir promises to be a wonderful bottle of wine when released— different from both the '08 and '09— you better get them once released while they last!
I have quickly become a great fan of the Old Shore Vineyards' label. I am now a true fan of the people behind that label.
OSV is a boutique winery with only great things to come. Their production at this time is small, so do not wait too long to order your bottles. I would also suggest that if you have the time, and are on the western side of the state of Michigan, send Danielle and David a note and see if you can stop by— you will not be disappointed. I know I plan to pay them a visit next summer!
Cheers!
(Gan bei!)
Chianti. . . breaking it down. . .
Chianti is one of my absolute favorite wines.
No longer perched in a basket sitting on the red and white checkered table in your favorite Italian restaurant, this world class wine from Italy is worth delving into.
"True" chianti wine comes from the Chianti region in Tuscany Italy. Its primary red grapes are Sangiovese and Canaiolo. A true chianti wine must use at least 75% Sangiovese grapes (and may use up to 100%). Not as widely known, the white varietals from Chianti are Trebbiano and Malvasia, although good luck locating a "white chianti".
The confusing part for the everyday consumer of chianti is the labeling. Here is, hopefully, a simple breakdown:
- "Chianti" and "Chianti Classico" are two distinct areas in Tuscany producing Chianti wine. They each hold their own status as a "DOGC" (Denominazlone di Origine Controllata e Garantita— denoting the highest quality recognition for Italian wines);
- Chianti Classico must have a minimum alcohol level of 12% and have been fermented in oak for a minimum of 7 months; additionally, Chianti Classicos that are labeled "Riserva" must be aged at least 27 months at the winery, with a minimum alcohol level of at least 12.5%;
- Chianti wine, from the Chianti DOGC, that meet some very stringent requirements (lower yield, higher alcohol content and dry extract and produced in the provinces of Arezzo, Florence, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena of the Chianti DOGC), may be labeled as "Chianti Superiore"
- Chianti from the "Classico" sub-area is never allowed to be labeled as "Superiore";
- Chianti is generally a medium to full bodied wine. You can expect to experience tastes of cherries, plums, cinnamon, strawberries, vanilla, violets, and raspberries, but, similar to Bordeaux, each sub-region of Chianti produces its own unique flavor profiled wines. Chianti wines generally have a good amount of acidity and pair very well with food including beef, lamb, chicken and tomato-based sauces over pasta.
Chianti
The DOCG in Chianti covers 5 provinces: Arezzo, Firenze, Pisa, Pistoria and Siena. Within the provinces are 7 subregions: Chianti Colli Aretini, Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti Colli Senesi, Chianti Colline Pisance, Chianti Montalbano, Chianti Rufina and Chianti Montespertoli.Chianti Classico
The Chianti Classico region covers an area of approximate 100 square miles (259 square kilometers) between the city of Florence to the north and Siena to the south. The four communes of Castellina in Chianti, Gaiole in Chianti, Greve in Chianti and Radda in Chianti are located entirely within the boundaries of the Classico region.In Simple Terms. . .
The best news of us is that your "basic" Chianti is usually priced from $10.00 to $15.00 per bottle. For $10.00 more, generally, you can purchase a very good Chianti Classico.
Take a look at Chianti, if you have not done so since you last saw a bottle in a basket in your favorite Italian restaurant. They are great "value" red wines and at the Superiore and Riserva levels, are world class red wines.
Cheers!
Wine and Food Pairing Event
Have you heard? Michigan by the Bottle has revamped their site. Check it out!
One of their first events planned after the big renewal is a Michigan Wine Tasting Course. Master Sommelier Claudia Tyagi will lead a small "class" in tasting and pairing five Michigan wines with various Michigan bread and cheese selections at noon on August 6th at The Forest Grill in Birmingham. The cost of the course is a mere $25.00 and space is limited. To make a reservation, check out the MBTB website.
If you follow this blog, you know that I think very highly of Michigan by the Bottle's Cortney and Shannon Casey, as people, and as tireless promoters of the Michigan Wine industry. In addition to their exquisite company on the 6th, you will also have the opportunity to learn from a true gem, Claudia Tyagi. Claudia is unpretentious in her approach to wine and will serve as a wealth of Michigan wine knowledge.
If you have always wanted to explore Michigan wine, have not done so in a while, or just want to come and learn from a Master Sommelier, please join Shannon and Cortney on August 6th at noon for a great wine experience.
Cheers!
The most unique wine I (or you) may ever taste.
A few weeks ago, I was "encouraged" to have a wine tasting by my good friend Kurt. He was holding a very "unusual wine" for us to try and wanted an opportunity to share it.
We gathered some friends at my place and, along with all the bottles our friends brought and my wife's fantastic work in the kitchen, we set out to drink some wine! We had some Champagne to start, a wonderful Cab, a great Cab Franc from California and then Kurt broke out his pride and joy. . . the 2008 Susucaru 2 Vino da Tavola Rosato!
The Susucaru 2 is the creation of "non-interventionalist" winemaker Frank Cornelissen and comes from the Etna DOC in Sicily. The wine, according to its bottle, "has not been modified, neither chemically nor mechanically and does not contain preservatives or stabilizers. It will develop natural sedimentation as our wines are not filtered or altered."
The Mt. Etna region. . .
The Etna DOC was established in 1968 and is the oldest DOC in Sicily. The DOC is made up of the eastern, northern and southern faces of Mt. Etna, a famous volcano in the region. Wines produced in Etna include roses, dry whites and dry reds. The white wines are made from a minimum of 60% Caricante, a maximum of 40% Catarratto, with up to 15% Trebbiano, Minella or other authorized white grapes. The red wines have a minimum of 80% of Nerello Mascalese. The remaining 20% can be made from Nerello Cappuccio or a blend of at least 10% Nerello Cappuccio and up to 10% other red or even, somewhat surprisingly, white grapes.
2008 Susucaru 2
As described by Jon Rimmerman of Garagiste Wines, the importer of this bottle: "From a blend of Malvasia, Black Muscat and Nerello Mascalese (Frank's signature varietal, this portion is pre-phyloxera planted in 1871, 138 years of age) the "Susucaru" is his most limited wine (even more limited than the Magma R) - it is not exported and not sold to the US. To be blunt, this wine is indescribable and it cannot be compared to any other wine in my experience (nor in Frank's). It is technically a rose', produced from free-run juice and no actual pressings of solid matter/seeds/skins. Whole clusters are allowed to gently leak their juice and the most pristine, unfiltered liquid is used for this wine. Nothing is added, nothing is taken away and no chemical treatments are used in the vineyard or in the wine (no sulfur, stabilizers, enzymes or yeast) - this is pure grape extract in its most primal, volcanic form.
The Susucaru is a wine geek's fantasy beverage full of intrigue at every turn - it is not trying to be hip or cool but it is held in the "coolest" of circles for the very reason that is is trying to be nothing - it just is. Due to its free run nature, the Susucaru requires 3-4 times the grapes than Cornelissen's other wines thus it is very costly to produce. While I cannot describe this wine in proper words, it contains whiffs and flavors of Aramis cologne, Trinidad bitters, orange rind, cinnamon (no oak is used - it's from the grapes), fresh tobacco, nutmeg, wild fennel and a host of other tantalizing aromas and tastes that slather the palate with a luxurious texture and divine length. Full-flavored and unctuous with terrific acidity, this wine is one of a kind - it's that simple. In its fresh state, the color is orange with pink tinges from vinification in completely neutral "vessels" (all of the Cornelissen wines are raised in a trade secret mix of "vessels" that cannot be revealed but I suspect they are various sizes of clay pots). In the end, the Susucaru is not technically what I would refer to as "wine" - it is more a mix of ideology, philosophy and grapes that were grown and vinified with the freest of spirit leading the way.
As mentioned above, this wine is not exported for retail and it is not available in the US (besides this small parcel) - the entire Italian retail allocation is less than 50 bottles and they are very expensive. In total, only 43 cases were produced (as opposed to the little wonder beverage, the Contadino, of which there are nearly 500 cases). Most of the production of Susucaru is reserved for the top restaurants in Italy (Cornelissen's wines are now on the list at half of the Tre Forchetti restaurants in Italy and all of them have come to him to purchase wine directly - he has no distributor in Italy).
Please note: Those looking for the typical wine experience of red, white or rose' need to recalibrate their thinking - this is about an open mind and palate and the Susucaru fits no description of red, white or rose' - it defies all of our perceptions about wine and it is happy to redefine the term "wine" for all of us." www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=686173
For our group, Susucaru 2 is salmon in color. It has the most diverse nose I have ever smelled. . . full of ever changing scents of orange peel, watermelon, apples, big doses of rusty nail, nail polish, grapefruit, varnish, lemons, strawberry and cinnamon. Every time I went back just to smell this one, it changed. . . sometimes for the good, and sometimes, not so good. On the palate, the expansive list of scents followed through to my taste buds, including, nail polish, oranges, lemons, tangerine, apples, strawberries, watermelon, herbal tea, and on and on. The more I tasted, the more flavors I tasted!
The reaction at the table of friends ranged from "this is awful", to this "gets better with time", to "this isn't good enough to cook with" to "this is indescribable". . . and it almost was. This wine "is what it is" and does not apologize for its unique flavor profile.
Why do I taste wines as "unique" as this? Because I like to try new and "out of the box" wine— and you should try them too! It is worth the effort to try new varietals and new regions. You will not like them all, but at least you will have the experience to say so AND, you may just find one you truly enjoy more than the usual Cab, Zin or Chard. . .
As for the Susucaru 2 . . . it is not an everyday wine for me, nor even a once a month wine, BUT, I can say, it is a very intriguing and unique wine that I am thankful for having had the opportunity to try.
Cheers!
The Susucaru is a wine geek's fantasy beverage full of intrigue at every turn - it is not trying to be hip or cool but it is held in the "coolest" of circles for the very reason that is is trying to be nothing - it just is. Due to its free run nature, the Susucaru requires 3-4 times the grapes than Cornelissen's other wines thus it is very costly to produce. While I cannot describe this wine in proper words, it contains whiffs and flavors of Aramis cologne, Trinidad bitters, orange rind, cinnamon (no oak is used - it's from the grapes), fresh tobacco, nutmeg, wild fennel and a host of other tantalizing aromas and tastes that slather the palate with a luxurious texture and divine length. Full-flavored and unctuous with terrific acidity, this wine is one of a kind - it's that simple. In its fresh state, the color is orange with pink tinges from vinification in completely neutral "vessels" (all of the Cornelissen wines are raised in a trade secret mix of "vessels" that cannot be revealed but I suspect they are various sizes of clay pots). In the end, the Susucaru is not technically what I would refer to as "wine" - it is more a mix of ideology, philosophy and grapes that were grown and vinified with the freest of spirit leading the way.
As mentioned above, this wine is not exported for retail and it is not available in the US (besides this small parcel) - the entire Italian retail allocation is less than 50 bottles and they are very expensive. In total, only 43 cases were produced (as opposed to the little wonder beverage, the Contadino, of which there are nearly 500 cases). Most of the production of Susucaru is reserved for the top restaurants in Italy (Cornelissen's wines are now on the list at half of the Tre Forchetti restaurants in Italy and all of them have come to him to purchase wine directly - he has no distributor in Italy).
Please note: Those looking for the typical wine experience of red, white or rose' need to recalibrate their thinking - this is about an open mind and palate and the Susucaru fits no description of red, white or rose' - it defies all of our perceptions about wine and it is happy to redefine the term "wine" for all of us." www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=686173
For our group, Susucaru 2 is salmon in color. It has the most diverse nose I have ever smelled. . . full of ever changing scents of orange peel, watermelon, apples, big doses of rusty nail, nail polish, grapefruit, varnish, lemons, strawberry and cinnamon. Every time I went back just to smell this one, it changed. . . sometimes for the good, and sometimes, not so good. On the palate, the expansive list of scents followed through to my taste buds, including, nail polish, oranges, lemons, tangerine, apples, strawberries, watermelon, herbal tea, and on and on. The more I tasted, the more flavors I tasted!
The reaction at the table of friends ranged from "this is awful", to this "gets better with time", to "this isn't good enough to cook with" to "this is indescribable". . . and it almost was. This wine "is what it is" and does not apologize for its unique flavor profile.
Why do I taste wines as "unique" as this? Because I like to try new and "out of the box" wine— and you should try them too! It is worth the effort to try new varietals and new regions. You will not like them all, but at least you will have the experience to say so AND, you may just find one you truly enjoy more than the usual Cab, Zin or Chard. . .
As for the Susucaru 2 . . . it is not an everyday wine for me, nor even a once a month wine, BUT, I can say, it is a very intriguing and unique wine that I am thankful for having had the opportunity to try.
Cheers!
