2008 ~ No. 8
Wine Talk: Bouchard
Finlayson
Winemaker Peter Finlayson is South Africa’s Pinot Pioneer,
taking this notoriously heartbreaking grape and turning it into
something magical and unique in the winery.
So how does he keep his heart intact?
“Perhaps it is stupidity because I am the first to admit
there has been a lot of pain, but so sweet are the rewards when
one triumphs,” he says.
One of the reasons Peter went into winemaking was to “conquer
the mystery surrounding” Pinot Noir, a grape he calls “alluring
and capricious.” As you might suspect, he is a bit of a
maverick whose funny and charming demeanor masks the fact that
he is one of his country’s legendary winemakers.
His first vintage in the valley - a beautiful spot on Walker
Bay called Hemel-en-Aarde, or Heaven and Earth – was in
1981. Working with his first tank of Pinot ferment cemented his
belief that it, not Cabernet Sauvignon, had the “pole position”
in the world of red wine grapes, and set him on this course.
Over the years, South Africa has been known for a variety of
grapes, particularly Pinotage, Chenin Blanc and, recently, Shiraz.
But as befitting his nature to confront challenges (“I failed
my final chemistry exam at high school, then [did] a chemistry
major at university,” he notes), none of these grapes seems
to have particularly captivated Peter as a winemaker.
In addition to his passion for Pinot (Galpin Peak is his signature
wine), Peter makes wines from Chardonnay (including two single-vineyard
wines and a sans barrique version). He also offers a
“very drinkable” Sauvignon Blanc as well as a delightful
blend of Viognier, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc dubbed Blanc
de Mer.
But the wine that is, perhaps, most emblematic of Peter’s
style is Hannibal. Best described as a Burgundian Super Tuscan,
this wine is a unique blend of Sangiovese, Petite Syrah, Pinot
Noir, Nebbiolo and Mourvedre.
Curiously for someone so captivated by Pinot, Peter has devoted
considerable time to this wine, which was nearly 30 years in the
making.
The idea began in 1975, when Peter spent eight months abroad
and developed a love for Italian wines, which were quite different
from the South African wines he was used to. “I have long
pondered over this palate change and asked myself the question
why should South African wines be popular to the European taste
if the market is conditioned to a different taste profile?”
he notes.
In
an effort to bring some of the European style to South Africa,
he requested that he be allowed to import Nebbiolo and Sangiovese.
It took years for it to become relatively easy to do so, thus
it was 1994 before the first plantings were made at Bouchard Finlayson.
The grapes needed a few years to grow then the years 1997 to 1999
saw much experimental winemaking to develop the right style for
the cuvee. Hannibal finally debuted in 2002.
Yet, the grapes are more similar than you would imagine, says
Peter. “Sangiovese is not unlike Pinot Noir in its challenges.
Depending on location it also can be a wine without resolve, but
given the right clay terroir and the same attention as Pinot Noir
and it’s a different experience when it works!”
Making it work, Peter notes, requires a mix of emotion, focus
and artistry. “Looking back, I can see perfectly the vintages
that have let me down. [They correlate] to other events in my
life. There is no doubt that feeling on top of one’s game
has a contagious effect on performance.” But before getting
too melancholy, he adds, “Winemaking…succeeds as long
as one respects that overall importance of focusing on what one
is doing!”
Whatever Peter Finlayson is doing, it’s obviously something
right!
Find out more about Peter’s wines
here. Bouchard Finlayson also has an interesting biodiversity
program in place, which you can read about here.
Stocking Up
So,
for someone looking to explore some South African wines and, perhaps
put a few in the cellar, what would Peter recommend?
“A difficult question!” he replies. “Hopefully
[some from] yours truly!”
And while you can’t go wrong, particularly with the Bouchard
Finlayson Pinot Noir Galpin Peak or Hannibal, Peter also names
some of South Africa’s other top estates: Hartenberg,
Glen Carlou,
Jordan,
Thelema,
Vergelegen and (if
a little nepotism is allowed), Crystallus, a new label from his
son, Peter-Allen.
A Few Misconceptions
A reader sent me
this
link to Steven D. Levitt’s New York Times Freakonomics
blog entry on cheap wine. The basic premise is that, since one
generally can’t tell expensive wine from plonk, one shouldn’t
develop the palate – thereby saving a ton of money by only
buying cheap swill.
There was a spirited discussion in the comments section, and
while many people raised excellent points, many also showed
a lack of understanding about wine. Which makes this a great
opportunity to address these misconceptions.
For example, try to imagine eating a rich, juicy gorgonzola
burger with a dry, acidic wine like Pinot Grigio. The textures
are completely at odds, bringing out the worst in each other.
The wine may seem thin or bitter, and the meat bitter or salty,
which doesn’t seem like the best way to enjoy the food
or the wine.
An easy and fun way to make this point is to pick up a bottle
of an oaky Chardonnay, a Barbaresco or a Cabernet Sauvignon
– all popular wines that can be challenging to pair with
food. Also bring home a selection of various styles of cheese
- perhaps a cheddar, a blue veined cheese, a soft-ripened cheese
like Brie, a hard, tart variety such as parmesan, and a goat
cheese. Then go home and try the wine with a bite of each cheese.
You’ll be amazed at how the character changes with each
pairing.
- The 71st post suggests that the cost of an over-$20 bottle
is mostly marketing. Nope! Not even close. Think of some wines
commonly advertised – you’ll probably come up with
names like [yellow tail], Clos du Bois, Corbett Canyon or Beringer.
All are everyday, inexpensive wines.
For a facile comparison, look at the wildly popular, mass
market [yellow tail] wines and Anne
Amie Vineyards, a boutique producer in Oregon specializing
in Pinot Noir. Last year, the Aussie
juggernaut sold 8.5 million cases in the US and spent a
whopping $5.9 million on advertising. In contrast, the smaller
estate produced roughly 15,000 cases annually and spent just
$30,000 on advertising, according to this
article.
A better perspective can be had by taking a look at the production
process – obviously a key factor in a wine’s cost.
This is a simplified rundown of how an inexpensive wine versus
an expensive one might be made.
The grapes for an everyday wine are probably picked in bulk
by a machine, put into large tubs (or on a truck) and taken
to the winery. They will likely be crushed with lots of the
stems, leaves, dirt and other materials still with the fruit.
(Or, the process will be done mechanically, which gets most,
but probably not all, of the detritus out.) Fermentation is
probably done in very large vats, then, if the wine sees oak
treatment, it’s probably from oak chips being poured into
the wine.
On
the other hand, the grapes that go into an expensive bottle
are probably picked by hand, maybe on one sweep through the
vineyard, but more likely with dozens of sweeps to pick the
grapes at their optimal ripeness. The grapes may be put into
small baskets for transportation to the winery to minimize crushing
before they go into fermentation, and an effort is likely made
to hand-sort the grapes, removing dirt, stems and other foreign
debris before the grapes are crushed. (As at Anne Amie, photo.)
If the grapes come from different vineyards or plots of land,
they will probably be vinified separately – both fermented
and barrel-aged in their separate lots. If there is oak treatment,
it will be in barrel, with each lot again kept separately. When
its time to make the wine, the winemaker and her team will taste
from each barrel and determine the best way to create the blend.
One factor alone – oak chips or barrel – accounts
for hundreds of dollars difference. Oak chips for 1,000 gallons
of wine can easily be had for less than $50, while a single
new oak barrel, which can hold 25 cases (about 59 gallons, if
my math is right), runs $700 or more.
A broad perspective, but these differences help explain why
one Chardonnay costs $7 and another $70.
- Finally, two items from comment 140, which notes, “If
a good red wine deteriorates when it is not drunk the day it
is opened…” and adds that “we” buy white
wine in magnums because “whites keep better in the refrigerator.”
First off, every wine begins to deteriorate once it’s
opened – red, white, pink, bubbly, still, cheap, expensive,
made with superior technology or by your uncle Bill in his basement.
Oxygen, while beneficial in small doses, is wine’s archenemy,
which is why most wines will last only two to three days once
opened. However, I’d also argue that a better made, more
expensive wine has the structure to last longer once it’s
opened than a cheap bottle. (See the review of Laetitia, below,
for one example.)
Furthermore,
any wine (again, regardless of color or cost) will last better
in the refrigerator once it’s opened. Why? The cool air
helps slow the effect of oxygen on the wine. (The Wine Doctor
offers more detail here.)
Doing this helps give you those extra few days. An open bottle
left on the counter will most likely deteriorate overnight.
All these details aside, it’s important to remember
that there are really good $10 bottles and crappy $60 bottles.
Ultimately, a good wine (assuming that it is technically good
and not, for example, corked, overly tannic or showing some
other flaw) is the one that you enjoy best.
Recently Tasted
Vineyard
7&8 Chardonnay 2002
The initial aromas were all oaky and buttery, but comfortingly
- not overwhelmingly – so. On the palate, it was very creamy
with notes of vanilla and green apple that’s slightly overripe.
In all, some nice complexity and layers that made you think, but
not too hard. This is from my cellar, so I can’t remember
what I originally paid, but $35-40 is probably in the ballpark.
Rating: B2
Laetitia Les Galets Pinot
Noir 2005
Right off the bat, this wine struck me as very Burgundian in style
– lots of deep, earthy flavors that go better with food.
Then I had some from the bottle several hours later, and the wine
started to relax, with some floral notes emerging. By the time
the final glass was poured (after, ahem, two days waiting patiently
in the refrigerator), the wine was smooth and delightful. Still
Burgundian, and silkily so. Retails for $50-60. Rating: B2
Williams Selyem Pinot
Noir Russian River Valley 2004
The initial impression was sharp with peppery notes. The second
sip revealed savory notes of cola and dark cherry. Within five
minutes, this wine had mellowed completely and was showing light
floral undertones. It was such a pleasure to drink this wine!
The bottle was about $40 from the winery. Rating: B1
Krug 1990
Mmmm. The sensations this wine offers are wonderful – yeasty
and toasty with hints of vanilla and crisp fruit. It has a lush,
rich feel and is silky smooth going down. Each sip took me to
heaven. It was even better since it was shared with friends over
a phenomenal birthday dinner. Release price is $224, though current
retail is about $300 and up, so I can’t in good conscience
give this a “1.” Rating: A2
In
the 10th post, DJH writes “Rules such as ‘Never
drink white wine with steak’ are largely overblown …
you should instead drink wines you like with food you like.”
