Ryan (friend of TEW), Joe B., PC, KU, Rain, JP

Yesterday’s Gran Fondo New York ride was epic. Not because of the 100 miles, nor the 8,000 feet of climbing. We’d been there and done that last year.  What was missing from yesterday’s journey was the spring time temps and the sun and blue skies, which would have felt like the “Second Coming” had either appeared, if only for a second, during yesterday’s ride.

After waking at 4:45AM on Sunday, I dressed for the forecast: 10-20% chance of rain with high temps reaching 64 degrees–in shorts and thin base layers with a light spring vest.  When I stepped outside my door it was already raining, but I/we expected that it would stop.  Riding up the West Side, there were scores of other crazies in their official lemon-green Gran Fondo jerseys.  And our Team TEW of five found each other near the ramp leading up to the George Washington Bridge, where we then made our way to the first coral to wait for the 7:00AM start.

Roads wet. Rain falling. A chill in the air made colder with the constant 15mph “breeze”.  We started at the end of Lidia’s countdown and regrouped at the first stop in Piermont, when I wanted nothing more than to go home to a warm, dry bed.  But home turned out to not be an option; all of my teammates were in: Joe, JP, Rain, and after a moment’s thought, PC was also wholly committed.  Not wanting to be the lone quitter, I had no choice.  And so in that moment, I too was in ’til the end, but clearly, I wasn’t the only one with second thoughts.  With over 5,500 participants registered, only 2,230 started and/or finished.

PC, wide-eyed, at the start

Following the pit stop at Piermont, we splintered until we met again at the top of Bear Mountain (Montagna dell’Orso), a 4.68 mile climb.  We’ve only one photo from the top, as only Joe had the mind to shoot a self-portrait (see below), one that doesn’t quite capture the soupy fog, nor the nonstop rain.  But the fact that we haven’t any other photos of us there, is enough to illustrate exactly how terrible the conditions were.  And when we write that we much preferred the climb to the decent, we really mean it!  To say that the decent was hell is a huge understatement.  The cold was so unbearable (PC’s computer generated an average temperature of 48degrees for the entire ride!!!), and the road surface so dangerously wet. One had to maintain enough frozen finger pressure on the breaks to manage a safe decent, and each and everyone of us would have preferred to go back up and climb again, in lieu of going down.

Joe B at the top of Bear Mountain

The remaining 50+ miles demonstrated the capacity of the body’s potential and the human spirit.  That decent undid us all, chilled raw to the bone, but there was no where to ride but upward and on.  No way to get home, other than on two wheels.  No way to avoid the remaining miles.  Sure, we could have bypassed the remaining two timed climbs:  Colle Andrea Pinarello and Col Formaggio, and perhaps found an easier route, but that’s not how we ride….

KU at the start on the George Washington Bridge

We continued on, up the remaining hills, along the half-mile of torn up road, on the shoulder of 9W from Piermont to River Road, while cars and trucks sped by, spraying from puddles and adding to the pools of water that’d collected in our shoes, and straight to the finish on River Road, joining the other HCMF-ers who’d finished.

Congrats to everyone who weathered the storm, battled the elements and beat the mental dips that whispered–I can’t go on– each and every time the wind gust through our thin, wet kits. We hope that you all feel the calm after yesterday’s surge, knowing that if you can get through yesterday’s Gran Fondo NY, then you can accomplish anything you wish.

 David Jeffrey of Calluna Vineyards with JC & Irene of Bar American 

When David Jeffrey, winegrower, vintner and proprietor at Calluna Estate, heard that the Lurton family of Château Cheval Blanc and Château d’Yquem had purchased the neighboring farm on Chalk Hill, he wasn’t surprised.  ”They were advised [by Pierre Seillan of Verite Wines] that if they wanted Bordeaux growing soil,” said Jeffrey at Tuesday’s Lafayette luncheon, then they “must choose Chalk Hill.”  After all, it’s what brought Jeffrey to the AVA himself.  Striving to “make wines which have the strength of great Bordeaux, but with the attributes of Sonoma terroir,” Jeffrey founded Calluna Estate in 2004 and planted 12 acres at the very top of Chalk Hill, when it was just a barren landscape of tumbleweed and brush.

Possessing a moderate climate, Chalk Hill is situated between the cool climate Russian River Valley, and the warmer regions of Alexander, Knights and Napa Valleys, which is what makes it optimal for the growing of Bordeaux varietals.  With vineyards that reside at the AVA’s highest elevation, Calluna’s site experiences cool afternoons and warm nights.  ”So much of California’s viticulture equals extended hang times,” said Jeffrey.  ”I’m against that, so I selected a cooler area to grow so that I could make wine in a straightforward way.”  And so, following his three and a half years at Frenso State’s Enology Program, Jeffrey worked at Château Quinault with Dr. Alain Raynaud, which he says is what, “led me to select the Chalk Hill Appellation.  It allows me good California fruit, but I [also] want to respect the thousands of years of winemaking [before me] with good fruit and acidity.”

Beginning with a host of soil tests, Jeffery said that he conducted “a lot of soil pit work before planting to determine which root stock to use,” leaving the climate to determine which varietals he should plant.  In addition, he also had to identify the slopes beneath the wild grass to discover where he could draw the lines and make the vineyards work.  With 100 acres at the top of Chalk Hill, Jeffrey planted 12 acres to vine in soils of shale and sandstone, with the Cabernet Sauvignon facing southwest and the Merlot facing north because it “needs less sun”.

“I wanted to do it in a way that I was directly involved,” he added.  ”I planted the vineyards. I live in the vineyard with my family and I make the wine.”

Maintaining small vines that are densely planted (3 x 7), Jeffrey had to space the vines to allow for a tractor to pass through on hillsides with steep slopes, ensuring that it wouldn’t hit the tops of the trellises when it passed through at an angle.  Harvesting earlier than his peers, Jeffery said, “I wait for the grapes to get over their herbaceous state, but they don’t need to taste like raisins.”  By early September, he harvests his Malbec, which is quickly followed by Merlot.  After a slight lull, he picks the Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, which is usually done by the end of September, but “2010 was a cool year, so it went into October”.  The Cabernet comes last.

Planning to bottle his 2011 vintage in June, just before the 2013 vintage comes in, Jeffery said, “I want to be a California wine grower that respects tradition.”   And while many winemakers from California make adaptations of Bordeaux, Jeffrey has identified the sweet spot that will allow him to make Bordeaux wines with Chalk Hill terroir.  Working with eight blocks and two vineyard specific sites: The Colonel’s Vineyard (1.25 acres) planted to Cabernet Sauvignon and the “Aux Raynauds” Vineyard (1 acre) planted to Merlot, Jeffrey makes 2,000 cases (in a good year) of four different wines.

The Calluna “CVC” Cuvee 2010 is a blend of all the varietals, including 44% Merlot and 36% Cabernet Sauvignon.  With 750 cases made, this is Calluna’s highest production.  Hand-harvested, and fermented in open-top tanks, the wine is then aged for 21 months in French oak, 25% new, before being bottled unfiltered.  Inspired by Saint Emilion, where Jeffrey worked with Raynaud, the 2010 CVC is rich with plum and dark berry fruit, with savory notes and velvety tannins that are seamlessly integrated.

From a single acre vineyard, the Calluna Merlot “Aux Raynauds” 2010 shows “the voluptuousness and roundness of Merlot, but with acidity that goes well with food,” said Jeffrey.  Making only 75 cases made in 2010, Jeffrey added that he is “committed to making only 100 cases, even if I get 200 cases from the Merlot.”  Totaling four barrels in production, he selects only the best for the “Aux Raynauds” while the remaining wine goes into the CVC.  Fermented with native yeasts, the wine spends 21 months in French oak, 40% new.  Savory and herbaceous, the fruit here is not plummy but rather fully developed, dark and of the earth.

Also from a single vineyard that is located at the top of the property, the Calluna Cabernet Sauvignon Colonel’s Vineyard 2009 is whole-berry fermented in French oak barrels, and aged for 21 months in French oak, 60% new.  Again inspired by the winemaking techniques at Château Quinault, Jeffrey said, “I’m not fond of new oak, yet it’s amazing how you can ferment in new oak and have integration early.  It gives an expansiveness that oak can give without it tasting like wood.”  A labor intensive technique, Jeffrey’s work was featured in Wines and Vines magazine in an article titled Red Barrel Fermentation.  Silky and lush, the Colonel’s Vineyard shows black cherry and licorice spice with notes of tobacco on the finish.

As the winery’s flagship wine, the Calluna Estate 2009 is a blend of 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot and 17% Cabernet franc with Petit Verdot and Malbec, and is inspired by Bordeaux’s Left Bank.  Fermented in open-top tanks, the wines spend eight months in barrel before blending, and the cuvee is then aged for 21 months in French oak, 60% new.  With Bordeaux style fruit, the wine exhibits cedar spice mid-palate and earthy minerality with soft tannins–drinkable now and most certainly worthy of cellar aging.

As the only Piedmont rosé that is made entirely from Barbera, the Cascina La Ghersa Piagé 2012 comes to us from the Pastura family whose ancestors first replanted their Vignassa vineyard in 1925, after their vines were destroyed by phylloxera.  With four generations of vine owners and growers behind him, Massimo Patura joined his parents to help run the family estate in 1989, the same year that they extended their cellar and modernized their winery equipment.  A boutique winery with 24ha of vineyards that yield their annual production of 170,000 bottles, Cascina La Ghersa cultivates their grassy vineyards with organic treatments, committed to preserving the health of their land for future generations by avoiding all chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides.

Driven by the belief that “The more man loves and respects nature, the more she will be generous with him, offering him prized and precious fruits,” Massimo aims to craft  wines of limited production and great quality from low-yielding vines in the town of Mosca, in Asti, Piedmont.

The family outside their cantine di Mosca

Deep in color like the wines of Tavel, the Cascina La Ghersa Piagé Rosé 2012 is made from the fruit of 15-20 year old vines that are planted to clayey limestone at an altitude of 150-250 meters.  With 5,000 vines per hectare that are facing south/southwest, Massimo yields nine tons of grapes and 60hl of wine from each hectare.

Fermented for five to six days after a gentle de-stemming, the wine is pumped-over regularly before undergoing malolactic fermentation and aging for five to six months in a concrete tank, so that the wine can achieve a harmonious balance between flavors, tannins and aromas.

A big-bodied rosé, the Piagé 2012 is deeply colored and scented with aromas of strawberries and raspberries with a hint of chalky minerality.  Dry and lean, but fruit-forward, the Piagé is structured with soft-boned tannins that guide the palate to its herbaceous finish.

Giuseppe Fanti, Photo Credit

Twenty years ago, Alessandro Fanti, the son of Giuseppe, was the first in the Trentino to plant Manzoni Bianco– a cross between Riesling and Pinot Blanc–  in two plots, at 300m and 600m.  A champion of indigenous varietals, he was also a pioneer in elevating the quality of Nosiola, an indigenous grape from Trentino that was at the time, near extinction.  A true farmer who lives close to the land, Alessandro Fanti took over Giuseppe Fanti from his father in 1972, and became the first in the family since the 18th century to start bottling his wines.

Producing only 17,000 bottles a year, Alessandro is hands-on, managing and engaged in every step of the process from farming to fermenting and bottling his wines.  Experimenting with biodynamic techniques, Fanti’s vineyards are ICEA certified organic and with low-yielding vines (approximately 1 kilo per vine) that are the result of an intense green harvest, especially with the Nosiola, a varietal that needs a lot of sun and ventilation.  Planted at 500m to soils of marnose calcareous with red soils that are rich in iron and aluminum, Nosiola elsewhere is typically reserved for blends or bottled with elevated residual sugar, but here it is aged on lees for approximately nine months before being bottled at 100%. Giuseppe recommends serving it with trout, anchovies and antipasto.

Alessandro Fanti, photo credit

“A grape of large structure and freshness,” said Giuseppe, the Manzoni Blanco, along with Fanti’s other varietals, are planted to the rolling hills of Pressano, on the eastern side of the Adige River, just opposite the Dolomites.  With eight months on its lees, the Manzoni Blanco is long on the palate with floral, citrus and mineral notes that pair well with crustations.

Also made from 100% Manzoni Blanco that’s planted at 600m (the highest plot of Manzoni) to mountain soils of loess, stone and granite in the Vigo Vineyard, the “Isador” ferments for 3-4 weeks in a “completely reductive environment” before spending another ten months on it’s fine lees, followed by 10-12 months in the bottle.

A blend of barrel fermented Chardonnay and stainless steel fermented Manzoni with a touch of Nosiola, the Giuseppe Fanti Pritianum –round and structured with great acidity– is an expression of Alessandro’s best vineyards.

“The only way to be a true contadino [or farmer], is to endeavor to understand a little,” said Giuseppe when we last visited the winery.  ”The system is as old as the world.  An empirical system.  Solutions are not on a label or a certificate.”

]]> http://blog.tedwardwines.com/2013/05/13/guiseppe-fanti-in-trentino/feed/ 0 Karen Ulrich T. Edward Wines, Organic/Biodynamic wine importer, Guiseppe Fanti T. Edward Wines, Organic Wine Importer, Guiseppe Fanti http://blog.tedwardwines.com/2013/05/09/domaine-de-lharmas-in-chateauneuf-du-pape/ http://blog.tedwardwines.com/2013/05/09/domaine-de-lharmas-in-chateauneuf-du-pape/#comments Thu, 09 May 2013 20:39:04 +0000 Karen Ulrich http://blog.tedwardwines.com/?p=5494 ]]>

Nathalie Fabre standing in  lieu-dit Mont-Redon amongst the vines of Grenache planted by her grandfather in 1927

Nathalie Fabre left the tasting room at Domaine de l’Harmas and returned with a typewritten document from 1933, with much greater speed than it would have taken to locate the document online.  Her grandfather, Bois Lauzon, had joined the fight to create the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC, and this was the document that she inherited, along with 3.5ha in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, split between three different parcels, including a 1ha plot in the lieu-dit Mont-Redon.  With the lieu-dit Boislauzon named for her grandfather, which is now farmed by her siblings, Daniel and Christine Chaussey at Mas de Boislauzon, her family has been farming in Châteauneuf-du-Pape for five generations.

As of 2012, all of the properties that she farms with her husband Patrick in Chateauneuf du Pape are certified organic, and in 2014 and 2015, their 7ha in Côtes du Rhone and Côtes du Rhone Village will become certified in parts.  ”We wanted to do it for nature,” said Patrick, “for the earth and for our health.”  In 2002, they ceased using chemicals in the vineyards.  ”With me,” he added, “if I stop something, I do it until the end.  Not everyone does the manual labor that we do.”

“This afternoon,” explained Nathalie, “he’s going to clean by hand around the trunks of the vines.”

Patrick and Nathalie Fabre in the Côtes du Rhone Village plot behind their house

At first, she admittedly was nervous about the conversion to organics, because with a single bad vintage they could lose the entire crop.  However, in the last 25 years, Chateâuneuf-du-Pape has only seen a few bad vintages.  ”The climate here is ideal,” she added, knowing that organic viticulture suited them best because they’re “in the vineyard all the time.”

Located up near Beaucastle, sits their single parcel of 0.5ha of 85-year-old Grenache vines that were planted by her grandfather.  In 2012, it yielded 20hl/ha, and in the best of vintages, the fruit here is fermented and bottled separately, but in most years it is blended with fruit from the other two parcels for their Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine.

Lieu-dit Mont-Redon Grenache planted in 1927

In Mont-Redon where Nathalie and Patrick farm their 1ha of Grenache vines that were planted by her grandfather in 1927, Chateau Mont-Redon sits just across the dirt road.  Residing in the northwest corner of the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in the commune of the same name, Mont-Redon borders the commune of Orange, with soils of red clay, sand and thick layers of Galets Roulés.  “It’s some of the finest terroir in Châteauneuf-du-Pape,” said Patrick, and it is also one of a handful of vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape with winegrowing that dates back to Roman times, with Mont-Redon first documented as a vineyard in 1344.

Their third parcel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the lieu-dit Cabrières (South).  Co-planted to Grenache and Mourvedre (50/50), at 60-years-old, these are their youngest Châteauneuf-du-Pape vines.  Once planted to cherry orchards, the plateau sits at 95-115m and consists of clay, calcareous limestone and large pebbles.  ”The Mourvedre is a difficult grape to ripen,” said Patrick, so he drops a lot of fruit and pulls a lot of leaves, leaving only eight bunches per vine.  But it “does better here,” he added, so they are replacing the Grenache with Mourvedre when the opportunity to replant arrives.

Old vines in lieu-dit Cabrières (South)

Named for an old French slang term for a ‘field that lays fallow’, Domaine de l’Harmas bottled its first vintage in 2000.  In the beginning, the couple made whole cluster, big tannic wines that took time to come around.  In 2007, they started partially de-stemming the clusters for their Châteaunuef-du-Pape, and now, they craft wines that are far more approachable than they were ten years ago, a change that came with the expansion of the winery.

With the cellar located in what resembles a large garage from the outside, their house is on the property, as is a parcel of Côtes du Rhone Village  Syrah that was planted in 1999.

Blended on March 29th, the Domaine de l’Harmas Côtes du Rhone 2012 is a blend of 50-year-old vines of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah.  From the tank, it offered cherry fruit, smokey notes and mid-palate spice.  The Côtes du Rhone 2011 is of the same blend, with ripe fruit, round acidity and pepper spice on the finish. Both wines are 100% de-stemmed and fermented for 29 days in stainless steel and concrete vats, before being aged for five months in large oak casks.

In the cellar with Patrick and Nathalie Fabre

Co-fermented from the lieu-dit Cabrières (South), but not yet the final blend, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2012 was savory with dark berry fruit and slightly smokey.  Using a small destemmer, Patrick said that it takes a long time, but the process is gentler on the fruit.  He also works with a pneumatic press that they purchased a few years ago, which is also easy on the fruit.  As of a few years ago, their filteration process was only to remove the larger particles, so the wine is essentially unfiltered and unfined.

From the bottle, the Domaine de l’Harmas Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010 is spicy on the nose and with aromas of dark berry fruits and plum.  Silky in texture, the tannins are integrated, offering a light grip, while the fruit recedes on the finish leaving the savory black pepper spice to linger.  ”2010 is a great vintage,” said Patrick.

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Patty, KU, Patrick, Patrick and Joe at Cabrières (South)

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Côtes du Rhone Village vines behind the Fabre’s home

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As a true expression of terroir, Kevin Kelley‘s Salinia “Sun Hawk Farms” Red Field Blend 2011 consists of ten red and white biodynamically farmed varietals that are simultaneously harvested and co-fermented whole cluster, with foot-treading occurring twice daily.  Planted 15 years ago, by John Schaeffer and Nancy Hensley who own and operate Sun Hawk Farms–a biodynamic farm and homestead–the vines reside in soils of goldridge, granite and loam.  Wholly committed to both “living off the grid” and to regenerative farming, the couple writes: “It is the biodiversity of the farm, organized so that the waste of one part of the farm becomes the energy for another, that results in an increase in the farm’s capacity for self-renewal and ultimately makes the farm sustainable.”  And since Kelley’s subscribes to the old world/old school winemaking practice of “leaving shit alone”, it is imperative that his wine be made in the vineyard.

When a vineyard manager with whom Kelley had been working initially suggested that Kelley come and visit the vines at Sun Hawk, he acquiesced, without knowing the varietals.  ”He knew how it was being farmed,” said Kelley, “how it was special. He [also] knew to keep his mouth closed, not to tell me the varietals, to get me out there,” he added and laughed.  ”I wasn’t looking for Syrah, but after three minutes on the property, I knew the soil, the way it’s farmed.  It was still three years before producing its first grape.  [But] I took everything and asked him not to tell anyone.” Kelley released his first vintage of the Salinia “Sun Hawk Farms” Red Field Blend in 2008.

Sun Hawk Farms

Farmed on a hill side and divided into three plots with three different soil profiles that are separated by olive groves, lavender fields, California Oak and chaparral, the ten varietals consist of: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, Cabernet Sauvignon, Marsanne, Rousanne, Viognier, Picpoul Blanc and Muscat Blanc.  With “the Syrah providing black fruit and olive flavors, Grenache with its red fruit and floral aromatics to the Picpoul blanc that lends minerality and acidity to the blend,” writes Kelly, the Red Field Blend is fermented with indigenous yeast and aged for 18 months in Acacia 500-liter barrels.

With aromas of vibrant purple flowers, dark cherries, red plum and black pepper spice with anise, the Red Field Blend is intensely earthy with hints of dried burdock root.  The acidity is bright, yet calm and the palate is savory with notes of olive, and tannins that reside gently behind the fruit.  Demeter certified, this is a red that’s perfect when slightly chilled for spring and summer drinking.

And though the Red Field Blend sees only small amounts of sulfur added to the bottle, Kelley also makes Salinia “Sun Hawk Farms” Sans Soufre Red Field Blend 2011, which we also carry.

“Trepat is a grape that shows the characteristics of the area,” said Ricard Sebastia of Mas Foraster.  And though most all other Cava Rosés are the result of a varietal blend, the Josep Foraster Cava Brut Rosé Trepat NV is made from 100% Trepat.  In Catalunya, where the family resides, 900 of the overall 1000ha of planted Trepat vines are used for producing Cava, however, in 2009 Mas Foraster became the second to produce a still Trepat wine, from their 3ha of 55-year-old vines.  Now that their 4ha of younger Trepat vines have reached the ripe old age of 10-15  years, the fruit is finally ready for Cava.  And while perhaps the stakes here for being ‘ready’ are not as high as those for the solar plane that recently landed in Phoenix, we commend their decision to wait until the time was right.  ”This is the most important for us,” he said, “it was time for us to make a good Cava.”

Surrounded by mountains, the vineyards at Conca de Barbera reside at 370-800m, planted to soils of clay and sand.  With the occurrence of a 15-20 degree celsius diurnal shift, which allows for greater acidity, accompanied by the Marinada or “Wind of the Sea”– a dry wind by the time it arrives at Conca– the region is ideal for Trepat, a varietal of medium- sized fruit that cannot be transplanted.

Harvested in mid-September, the fruit for the Cava requires lesser skin contact than that of the Trepat for the still red wine, which is harvested in late October.   Yielding 11,000k/ha, these young organically farmed vines see a green harvest, when the larger berries are removed, before their fruit goes through a second selection on the sorting table.

Ricard Sebastia with the Josep Foraster Cava Brut Rosé Trepat before the design of its original label

With higher acidity and typical aromas of red fruit and pepper, Ricard said of Trepat, “you can sense the clay and the terroir.  It’s like creamy strawberries.  Also,” he added, “Trepat makes smaller bubbles than the blends.”

Fermented in steel tanks at just below 5 degrees celsius, and topped with “carbonic snow” or dry ice, of the process Ricard said, “you don’t need a long skin maceration.  This low temperature allows for more fruit aromas.”  Slowing the fermentation while blocking oxidation, the ‘carbonic snow’ isn’t used by many because the process is expensive.  ”Without the dry ice,” he added, “the Cava is darker in color, and less complexity/aromas are extracted from the fruit.”

At 11.5%, the Josep Foraster Cava Brut Rosé Trepat NV offers the earthy fruit aromas of a wild strawberry patch, cherry blossoms and fruit.  On the palate, there a great balance of fruit driven acidity, light spice and earth.  And while the red fruit prevails, it’s never cloying; and yes, the bubbles are most certainly small in the mouth and friendly.

Max Hames, Rich Watts, Dave Kyerejko, Zac Bruner and Peter Simon of Industry City Distillery, Bridget Firtle of The Noble Experiment NYC, Ted Palmer of Roundhouse Spirits and Laurence Spiewak of Suerte Tequila

On Tuesday we debuted our Craft Spirits Portfolio at Lafayette, with each of our distillers hosting round table tastings and talks, holding court when four mixologists arrived to present the cocktails that they’d created, specifically for the launch.  And though the sun was blazing spring on the streets above, there was no lack of warmth or shine being generated in the cave below.  With a selection of spirits-inspired tunes curated by PC (and printed on the cover of our tasting book), the room was abuzz with pleasured palates and realized connections. “The first thing I learned making cocktails,” said Tiffany Short, Bar Manager at The Library at the Public, “[is] you can’t have good cocktails without great products.  It’s our first priority, so it’s great when people like this make it easy for us.”

“All flavors are made in the fermentation process,” said Peter Simon, one of five partners at Industry City Distillery (ICD) in Brooklyn.  ”We’re using distillation to break flavors out into different cuts.  [And] that’s when it turns from a science into art.  We sit there with these 40 different cuts, to isolate what we like and remove what we don’t, which gives us tremendous control for what ends up in our product.”

“I normally don’t care about vodka at all,” said Tiffany, “they kind of all taste the same to me.  But I really like these ICD guys.  Smooth taste; great product with a great story.  It’s one of the first vodka’s that’s really spoken to me.”

Laurence Spiewak of Suerte Tequila

“Our Blanco is really sippable,” said Laurence.  ”A lot of people want to shoot it but we’re trying to help people understand that it’s sippable and mixable…[With] a lot of other Blancos, you just get heat.  We credit the flavor to the Tahona,” a 2500-3000 pound wheel chiseled from volcanic rock, and driven by an electric motor to crush the agave fruit.  In all of  Mexico, there are only four other tequila brands that use a Tahona, however, Suerte is one of the three to ground 100% of their fruit with the Tahona.  

On the market for just six months, Suerte Tequila is located in Atotonilco El Alto, Jalisco, which is also home to the distilleries of Don Julio and Patron.  However, while these corporate distilleries make tequilas from agave that is grown in five different states, the agave for Suerte is not only all from Jalisco, but it is also grown on a single estate. ”The CRT, the governing body of Tequila, called to allow five states to supply agave to fit the demand,” said Laurence, “so the bigger houses are now making tequila from outside of Jalisco.”

Bridget Firtle of The Noble Experiment NYC

“I want to bring back a New York distinctive rum,” said Bridget Firtle of The Noble Experiment NYC in East Williamsburg, who uses only three ingredients to craft her Owney’s Original Small Batch Rum: Grade A, all natural, non-GMO molasses, filtered NYC tap water and yeast.  Much like her brethren at ICD, Bridget is also fiercely selective with her cuts.  ”Out of a 1000L still,” she said, “I’m only taking 50L off.  It doesn’t make much financial sense,” she added and laughed, “but it’s what separates Owney’s from the big guys.”  Attentive not only to product, Bridget also has a craft-eye for design.  When speaking of her uniquely designed bottles she laughed again and said, “It’s another reason why I don’t [yet] have an employee.”

Georgia Blume with Ted Palmer of Roundhouse Spirits

“Everyone says the same thing [of the Roundhouse Spirits Barrel Aged Gin],” said Ted Palmer of Roundhouse Spirits, “wow.  It’s been the same thing since I’ve been making the stuff.  Everyone is surprised by the new barrel,” he explained of his aging technique.  ”A used barrel is an abused barrel.”

Asked how best to drink his Barrel Aged Gin, Ted replied, “I like it as a Manhattan.  It’s also really good neat.”

Pictured left to right: Kevin Abbot, Managing Partner of Joe’s Pub & The Library, KB Berton, Bar Manager of Joe’s Pub, and Jeffery Pogash, of the Cocktail Guru

“The [Roundhouse] Barrel Aged Gin stands out absolutely as one of the most delicious spirits I’ve had,” said Jeffrey Pogash, of the Cocktail Guru (pictured above, right). It’s the most “interesting, unusual gin I’ve ever had.   I love it in Katie’s cocktail, The Barrel Aged Breakfast.  I’m impressed with the balance…how the spirits yield a well balanced cocktail.”

Katie Stipe with the Roundhouse Punch

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Kathy Hubler serving The Kraken, with Suerte Reposado

“The tequila is great,” said Jeffery.  ”It’s all about the flavor profile.  I’m a tequila freak, and the Suerte would make a really, really good Bloody Maria.”

Scott Rosenbaum, Spirits Strategist, and Juerie Park, Domestic Brand Co-Manager

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Natasha David, mixing it up with Owney’s Original Small Batch Rum

“The ultimate test is whether you can put rum in a simple daiquiri,” said Natasha David.  ”I love sherry with rum.  I love how it dries it out a little bit, and peach was the first flavor that came to mind when I tasted it,” she said of her cocktail, Gopher Gang.

Dave Kyerejko of ICD

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Jane Elkins measuring Martinis with Industry Standard Vodka

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Looking down the bar with Katie Stripe

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Big thanks to our distillers and mixologists, and to all of the folks who made a great showing at the event.  Stay tuned for more to come…

Bridget Firtle of The Noble Experiment NYC

In honor of our Portfolio of Craft Spirits Launch tomorrow, we introduce Bridget Firtle, the master-mind/proprietor/distiller/labeler of Owney’s Original Small Batch Rum at The Noble Experiment NYC in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn.  Be sure to come by tomorrow to meet Bridget, who will be pouring alongside our other craft distillers.

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1.  What made you decide to distill rum, as opposed to any other spirit?

I love rum.  I want to teach people how cool rum is.

I think it’s an extremely versatile spirit of rich historic importance to the US.  Rum is also generally under appreciated and I believe there is an opportunity to educate consumers on how rum is made and how to use it in different ways than they’re used to seeing it.  Since rum is made in lots of different countries around the world and there is little regulation on how to make it, I’ve had fun making a unique product that I believe to be distinctive to NYC.  The first distillery on record (c. 1664) in this country was located on present day Staten Island and rum was distilled there — it’s time for a rum to come back to the 5 boroughs!

2.  How did you decide upon the molasses that you use and what led you to the producer?

My rum is made from 100% molasses.  It’s simply molasses, filtered NYC tap water, and yeast.  I don’t add sugar or preservatives or flavoring.  It is therefore imperative to have the best molasses I can find to get to a flavor profile I am undoubtedly happy with.

There were a few major stipulations that I was fastidious about when searching for my molasses.  It had to be 100% domestically produced, super premium (grade A), all natural, and non-GMO.  After sifting through several credible suppliers in the South East I was able to narrow down 3 types of molasses that I wanted to trial.  The main differences among them were sucrose content which made them very unique and pleasurable on the pallet in their own right.  However, once fermented and distilled there was a clear winner in my mind that stood out in the final product leading to an unbelievable aroma and very unique taste that was extremely similar to what I had envisioned.

3.  What inspired the flavor profile of Owney’s and what techniques help realize this profile?

I wanted to create a unique rum — something that was different from other rums on the market.  I love the earthiness of agricole rums but really wanted to replicate how Americans made rum in the colonial era.  That’s one of the reasons I was led to a very high sugar content molasses as it is almost similar to a sugar cane juice – a ‘fresher’ molasses almost.  Since molasses is a by-product of sugar refining (process of extracting sucrose from juice), most molasses that is widely and available (and cheapest) is a blackstrap molasses – really low in sugar and high in various other minerals.  This is what most molasses-based rum is made from.  My molasses hasn’t had all the sugar refined out of it so it retains a lot of the characteristics of a juice.  I like to say it tastes somewhere along the spectrum of a 100% blackstrap based rum and an agricole – you get some cane sweetness and some dry, earthiness and minerality on the pallet.

I also spent lots of time studying fermentation science and how slight variables during that time period in the process can dramatically affect flavors.  The Owney’s wash is fermented in cold, temperature controlled tanks for five full days — this fermentation philosophy permits the development of various esters that can be strongly realized in the taste.

4.  Have you any role models/mentors?

I don’t have any mentors in the business (yet!) — I have basically been self-taught.  I don’t have any role models either, however, I do have much respect and admiration for many people involved in the spirits industry.  From the craft pioneers of ten years ago to the leaders of today to the big guys in Kentucky, I am excited and honored to be involved in an industry with such innovative, helpful, and smart people.  I have a lot to learn and a lot of great distillers to look towards for inspiration.

5.  What led you to the story of Owen Madden, and what made you decide to incorporate it into your story?

The Noble Experiment NYC pays homage to both my hometown, New York City, and its heritage of home-grown spirits.  The basement of my family home in Rockaway Beach, Queens houses what once was an active speakeasy during Prohibition.  My fond memories of the bar inspired me to look towards Prohibition for my rum.  Owen “Owney” Madden was an overall badass since day 1 — he grew up in Hell’s Kitchen during the turn of the century and became a leader of the Gopher Gang at an early age.  When Prohibition was enacted, he was quick to capitalize on the new legislation.  Owney was a speakeasy proprietor, bootlegger, and most endearing to me – a rum-runner.  He had an estate in Rockaway where he would run rum off the Atlantic Ocean.  It was the first time since the colonial era that rum really had a resurgence in popularity in this country due to the proximity of the Caribbean.

6.  How did you come to your label and bottle design?

I happen to have a good friend who is a super talented graphic designer — Mr. Aesthetic.  He was one of the first people I told about the distillery and this crazy idea to make my own rum.  Over the course of the following 6 months to a year we collaborated on the design of the Owney’s label – I think we probably analyzed every liquor label/bottle (old and new) ever to be made.  We wanted to remain vintage since the brand pays homage to a different time, but also be unique, cool and eye catching to today’s consumer.  I think rum was and is cool and wanted to present it accordingly.  I really believe we really achieved what we set out to represent from the graphics, to the dye, to the paper, to the embossing — the attention to detail was paramount.   I’m very lucky to have had the talents of a friend for this part of Owney’s development.

The custom bottle was not part of the original business plan.  I went out on a limb and all in last minute on this decision.  I couldn’t let go of wanting something both different and embossed since that was so prevalent in old school bottles.  No regrets.

7.  What makes your rum different from that of other craft distillers?

I can’t speak to every single craft rum out there of course.  There are a handful of distillers selling very well made rums and I don’t know their proprietary techniques.  I would say that the four major things that differentiate Owney’s from others are: the feedstock (specific molasses + NYC water), yeast, fermentation philosophy, and distillation technique.  I’ve already addressed the ingredients and fermentation philosophy.  As for my distillation technique, I use a pot-column hybrid still which allows me to make relatively ‘fine’ cuts of distillate — keeping only what I believe to be the highest quality and best tasting parts of the run.

8.  What do you love most about your work and what’s been its greatest challenge?

There is a lot that I love about my work — I love the challenge, I love the tangibility of making something with my hands and getting to share it with others, I love that I only have myself to answer to and that I’m in control of my own destiny.  I love the fight of building a business from nothing and I love learning new things every day.

Just like there isn’t one thing I love most, there hasn’t been one greatest challenge either.  Everything about The Noble Experiment NYC has been and continues to be a challenge.  There’s a challenge in finding the money to build a distillery, to physically build it, to learn how to make a spirits, to actually make a rum you’re proud of, to sell that rum, to figure out how you are going to sell enough of that rum to keep the lights on each month…all while managing inventory, maintenance, PR, the books.

I challenge myself every day to improve upon each one of those areas.  I have a personality that thrives off of the stress and excitement of it all which is big reason I left my cushy job in the first place.

Thanks Bridget!

“Wines have been made here for 2000 years,” said Aurélien Pont, the winemaker at Domaine de Chateau Pigoudet since 2008.  ”One mile south, you can see a Roman cellar, the second largest in the world,”  where one can find 50HL and 20HL Roman amphora.  With 40ha of vineyards facing north, south, west and east, Chateau Pigoudet  is situated at 400m above sea level, at the furtherest most north-eastern point of Côteaux d’Aix-en-Provence.   Surrounded by pine trees, the slopes –home to the best parcels– are planted to Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon and the plains to Cinsault and Grenache.  ”For 120 years, wines have been made here,” he later added, pointing to the the exposed wooden beams in the cellar where one can see inscriptions dated to 1910.

With 85% of their fruit farmed for rosé production, the vineyards here are managed by Daniel Laugier, who has worked the vines for 25 years, and his son Benois.  ”He really loves the vines,” said Aurélien.  ”They spend lots of time analyzing parcel by parcel,” employing organic treatments and setting pheromone traps for insects.

Aurélien Pont with vines of Cabernet Sauvignon

Planted to soils of chalky clay with lots of small stone and gravel, the Cabernet Sauvignon vines here (pictured above) were planted in 2000.  Each year, Daniel and Benois remove and replant 1ha of vines, employing the “layering” effect of propagation.  This year, they replanted 4000 vines in a single hectare by twisting the canes of old vines down into the soil so that they remain in contact with the old vine as it begins to develop its own  root system.  ”If you cut the cane,” explained Aurélien, “it’s not protected [from phylloxera] by the rootstock.”

As the Mistral passes through the vines each day at 1:00PM, the grapes and vines are dried, resulting in high-quality fruit without the use of chemical treatments.  This, in addition to the cold nights that allow the grapes to ripen slowly, helps preserve the wine’s aromas and acidity.  ”To produce rosé, we need acidity,” said Aurélien.  ”For the rosé, we taste the grapes and make an analysis between acidity and sugar, and they we harvest.”  In 2012, he continued, “we had time to taste the fruit in the field.  We felt a big change every four days.”  The 2012 vintage saw the Cabernet Sauvignon ripen first, followed by Grenache and then Syrah.

In the cellar

Harvested between 3:00-9:00 AM, the grapes for their white and rosé wines are then brought to the winery, which is just five minutes away.  ”We need cool grapes for less color, less body and [fewer] heavy aromas,” said Aurélien, “we want elegance.”  Six years ago, they used to wait for 45 minutes to remove the free-run juice from the press, now they wait just ten, “because we want lighter color and body.”  Starting four years ago, Pigoudet began to leave the juice on its sediment after pressing and before racking, at zero degrees celsius, for 4-15 days, to further the development of aromas during fermentation.  One “can find heavy rosé wines from Aix-en-Provence, which is why we started the stabilization four years ago, to preserve the freshness and aromas.”  After racking to another tank, they ferment each varietal separately with natural yeast, at low temperatures, a “process that produces a lot of citrus aromas with a roundness that fills your mouth.”

Chateau Pigoudet

Launched three years ago, because “we wanted to produce a high quality rosé,” the Chateau Pigoudet ‘Insolite’ 2012 is made from vines that average 35-years in age.  A blend of 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Grenache and 5% Syrah, the wines were aged for 4 months in stainless steel, before being blended.  At 13.5%, the 2012 is clean and light with chalky aromas, fresh acidity and strawberry/cherry fruit.

Slightly fruiter than the ‘Insolite’, the Pigoudet Premiere 2012 is a blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Cinsault and 10% Syrah that offers strawberry and citrus fruits infused with white stone minerality, followed by a linear driven acidity on the palate.