2004 HOSPICE DU RHÔNE - PASO ROBLES, CA -

Following are some seminar notes and wine tasting notes from the four Rhône wine seminars frrom the 12th annual Hospice du Rhône. Held Friday & Saturday, May 21 & 22, 2004, in Paso Robles, CA., this annual event draws Rhône wine producers and enthusiasts from around the world to see, hear and taste what's new (and old, for that matter) in Syrah, Grenache, and twenty other Rhône varietals.

The HdR is a two-day event featuring wine seminars that include tastings, two very large library and Grand tastings, plus the unique opportunity to meet and talk with the people who are at the forefront of an increasingly popular Rhône varietal movement throughout the world. Seminar presenters, wineries and attendees have come from France, Australia, South Africa, and several other countries, including the U.S. to attend this annual function.

The seminars described here are only included in the "complete weekend package;" and tickets are not available to attend the individual presentations. The HdR seminars are always a cut above any others, because they are moderated and paneled by established growers, producers and winemakers - each of them industry legends. Were that not enough, the wines assembled for each seminar are invariably an excellent match to the seminar theme.

Despite the instructive nature of these seminars, stiff and boring just doesn't play well here at HdR. There are always one or more surprises - often gags played on or by presenters or HdR organizers. This is never out of character for Mat Garretson, who has no trouble finding the funny angle to things. This year was no exception, with Mat furthering his annual 'drink pink' mantra - his personal campaign for Rose wines.

Parodying the current "makeover" rage in TV shows, Mat and his band of pro-Rose Pink Guys presented a video of the new HdR-TV pilot show - "Pink Eye for the Wine Guy." The video ran about 15 minutes between seminars, with Mat's 'Fab Four' singling out non-other than Chuck Ortman (Meridian Vnyds) for a makeover. The Fab Four discover Ortman wearing an "I Love Oak" T-shirt and eating something out of a bowl. What are you eating, they ask. Ortman deadpans a reply that it's a mixture of butter and oak - another obvious jab at the prolific Chardonnay vintner. The four pink guys are stunned, and swear to make him over into a rose wine fan (this is a recurring theme at HdR), promising to debut the 'new Chuck' later at lunch. Finally, at lunch, the 'new Chuck' reappears ...in the person of Daniel Ravier (Dom.Tempier), who proceeds to rip off his "I Love Oak" T-shirt, and proclaim himself (obviously in a real French accent) to now be a fan of pink wines. The audience applauds, and hold up their pinky fingers in a show of support.

Mat's skits are always a hoot, but it's John Alban's introductions that I often find memorable. This time, he involved us all in a surprise celebration for his father Seymour's eightieth birthday - complete with noisemakers and cake. John also seems to be expert at weaving humorous "shaggy dog" stories about presenters. Washington state vintner Christophe Baron (Cayuse) was the butt of this one. Here's a shortened version: during one of the introductions, John related a story about Christophe being raised in a family of Champagne vintners. But according to John, Christophe never quite acclimated to a "sparkling" environment, and ultimately set out for the New World to establish himself. Upon arriving in the U.S., Christophe was looking for an ideal rocky place to plant a vineyard. In John's words, Christophe arrived at the airport, and held up a rock, saying, Viola! Viola! And THAT, John says, got him a one-way ticket Walla Walla ...Washington! John then proceeded to accent the "Yak" in Yakima Valley in introducing McCrea Vineyards vintner, Doug McCrea. The humor of the setting wasn't lost on Doug either, as he opened his remarks in a thoroughly convincing French accent.

(Moderated by Steve Edmunds, this seminar gave us a look at the wines from the quintessential Bandol producer, Domaine Tempier, with insight provided by Dom. Tempier winemaker Daniel Ravier.)

With Mouvedre as the underlying theme of the 2004 HdR, we took our first look at the grape, from the French side of things. Moderator Steve Edmunds began by recounting his own interest in Mourvedre - something that sprang from a 1986 single vineyard bottling he produced with fruit from the Brandlin Ranch on Mt. Veeder. Steve wanted to make Rhone varietals, and had been looking for the right kind of fruit - something in relatively short supply in California at the time. Visiting Brandlin Ranch, he was pleased with the quality of the Mataro (same thing - different name). His interest in the grape led him to visit Bandol some months later, tasting the wonderful wines of Domaine Tempier, and meeting Francois Peyraud, its vineyardist. By now, Steve was smitten. (For some fascinating reading, Steve has chronicled the details of the Brandlin adventure on the ESJ website.)

Steve then introduced Dom. Tempier's winemaker Daniel Ravier who went on to describe Bandol and the Domaine Tempier property. Located in the Provence region in the south of France, the small appellation of Bandol comprises only about 3,300 acres of primarily Mourvedre-based wines - in fact, the wines from Bandol must be a minimum of 50% Mouvedre. Other red grapes include Grenache, Carignane, and Cinsault, while the white grapes of Clairette and Ugni Blanc are also planted.

The soil here is a mixture of clay, limestone and gravel, and the hot climate (...but, it's a dry heat) is ideal for the late ripening Mourvedre. Organics is the watchword here, and sulphur is apparently never used, plus, Mourvedre's thick skins make it highly resistant to problems. No mechanical harvesting is allowed; the grapes are all hand-picked. The appellation also requires that the wine stay 18 months in wood - and very large wooden foudres, at that, with each being anywhere 260 to 1300 gallons. Interestingly, nearly 1/3 of the wines produced here are Rose.

Founded by Lucien Peyraud in the 1930s, Domaine Tempier has an enviable track record of producing beautiful long aging wines - arguably the best that Bandol has to offer. The domaine is now operated by Lucien's sons, Francois and Jean-Marie Peyraud. Though, b eginning with the 2000 vintage, Jean-Marie turned over the winemaking reins to Daniel Ravier. Daniel has maintained the classic house style, while also making wines that are seemingly more accessible to some. In fact, when asked later about whether he was taking more of a "new world" approach to his winemaking, Daniel replied that it wasn't so much a style change of his, rather it was global warming that was probably more influential in any perceived increase in the ripeness of the fruit, and/or softer tannins.

Domaine Tempier currently farms about 100 acres. With hillside plantings all the rage, it was interesting to hear that Daniel feels the best location for his vines is at the bottom of a slope. Validating the current trend, he also agrees that "95% of the job is done in vineyard." In Bandol southeast winds are apparently fierce, thus they use no cordon trellising for Mourvedre, and Gobelet trellising for other varietals. Daniel believes soil and climate are the most important things to a vineyard - in that order, and feels Bandol is much more suited to Mourvedre than to Grenache. He mentioned that Tempier has not traditionally put their wines through ML in past, but he does so now, indicating that ML is "...more important to terroir than even yeast," indicating that ML shows off the terroir. "I love stinky wines," he says.

In winemaking methods, Daniel feels it's important to "...follow the old guys - see what they did." And, as if following his own advice, he intends to continue blending his wines, rather than striving to bottle a single varietal Mourvedre. Daniel racks 2-3 times during the mandatory 18 months that the wine is in large barrels, and no fining or filtration is done. Production is about 1000 cases annually.

Unfortunately, property developers have their eyes on the land in Bandol, and Daniel sees housing as a major threat to the future of vines in region. Nevertheless, he remains philosophical and even humorous about life. "Do you know the difference between God and a winemaker," he asks. "God doesn't think he's a winemaker."

Impressions: Less about tasting through the wines with Daniel Ravier, this seminar was more about hearing reflections of a resident winemaker from a renowned place far away. Bandol has always been more of a legend to me, and I am always fascinated to hear the "old world" philosophy, intention and approach to winegrowing and winemaking. Tasting these wines is an experience. Tasting these wines with the winemaker is always an unforgettable experience.

(Moderated by Debbie Zachareas, Ferry Plaza Wine Merchant & Bacar, the seminar gave us a closer look at Syrahs coming from Napa and Sonoma Valleys, with panel members Richard Arrowood, of Arrowood Vineyards, and Randy Lewis, of Lewis Cellars.)

Debbie Zachareas (l), Richard Arrowood (c), and Randy Lewis

Richard Arrowood may arguably have been the originator of quality single-vineyard bottlings in California (Paul Draper would be the other contender). But, if not the originator, Richard surely was one of its most ardent enthusiasts. In fact, his many Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay bottlings are still used as an example of what can be achieved with vineyard-specific fruit.

Beginning with his days at CSJ, Richard told us how he felt making a single-vineyard bottling was a good practice - provided of course the vineyard has a quality of fruit that was individually recognizable. Also, Richard explained his general preference to 100% varietal bottlings - rather than making a blended wine. That said, his Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages became the proto-typical American Bordeaux-blend, and today he does use a small percentage of Viognier blended into his Saralee's Syrah bottlings, as he puts it, to boost the aromatics. When asked when or how much Viognier he would add to the Sryah, Richard noted that he uses the "SWAG" method - 'Scientific Wild Ass Guess,' to determine when to add Viognier.

When asked his opinion about the some of the different Aussie-Shiraz blends, Arrowood says he thus far hasn't liked the results of efforts to blend Cabernet with Syrah. However, he does admit to being impressed with what Randy Lewis is doing with blending in a little Merlot to his Syrahs.

When the inevitable question about Napa vs. Sonoma came up, Arrowood cited Tommy Smothers as saying that 'Sonoma makes great wines, and Napa makes fabulous auto parts.' Preferring to use oak as a "nuance," rather than something to "dominate" the wine, Arrowood stated a preference for French oak, but also uses Seguin Moreau American oak - about 40% new altogether.

Meanwhile, Randy uses mostly American oak with his Syrah. Lewis needs to let the grapes "hang out there." Asked about how his previous experience with Cabernet may have helped with his Syrah..."completely different." But, being able to make a good Cab helps make a good wine. Echoing something he must've found true in his auto racing career, Lewis said to let "quality without compromise be your mentor."

Both were asked compare the 2001 with 2002 vintages, whereupon Lewis stated that he prefers 2002 - finding it more uniform. Arrowood says 2002 and 2003 are both very-good to excellent.

Impressions: I half expected this to be a good-natured "whose valley is better" type of seminar, but it never really 'went there.'. Oh sure, there were the usual Napa vs. Sonoma jibes, but this turned out to be an enlightening session with both proprietors. Arrowood was a bit more taciturn, while Lewis seemed more animated. I came away with a abiding respect for both men - each continuously trying to get the most out of their respective vineyards, wines, and ...uh, valleys.

(Moderated by Justin Smith of Saxum, with an introduction by John Alban, this seminar gave us a in-depth look at the wines of Rolf Binder, along with a visit by Chester Osbourne of d'Arenberg to discuss his wines.)

Justin Smith (l), Rolf Binder (c), and John Alban

In his introduction, John Alban fondly recalled his long-ago drive up to Paso Robles to visit the James Berry Vineyard for the first time. He says he knew immediately that this was a vineyard of quality, and destined for great things. At the time, Justin Smith (who allegedly was just a small boy at the time), also had a recollection of that same day. He recalled how one day a silver convertible pulled up with 'A Flock of Seagulls' blaring from the car audio system, and a guy at the wheel, whose long hair was blowing in the wind. Perception is everything, I guess. (I could tell you how I drove up to JBV with my long hair blowing in the wind, but you'd see right through that.)

Rolf opened with a slide show demonstrating an amusing perception of what sort of person might drink what kind of wine. Funny, in a sort of 'people who look like their dogs' sort-of-way, it showed how specific varietals seem to fit certain categories of apparel (i.e. Pinot Noir = Top Hat and Tails). Interestingly, each of the Rhone varietals fit into his categories quite well - kind of mannered, yet still a bit racy.

Rolf is well aware that Australia is quite lucky to have old vines, and concedes that this is a major bounty in helping the Aussies make great wines. Due to both climate and geographic location, they've never had Phylloxera in the Barossa. The winds are Westerly, so "touch wood," there is less danger.

Like many vintners, Rolf feels that the wine is made in the vineyard. "Terroir is 125% of winemaking, with the winemaker doing 25%, he says with a chuckle. They have 4-1/2 acres of old vines, and, tongue-in-cheek, alludes to, "growers know that winemakers are evil." Comparing Syrah to Shiraz, he says that using the name Mataro is a marketing thing by the Aussies, in that the French have staked out Mourvedre.

In discussing his techniques, Rolf points out that Mourvedre has very thick skins, and feels sandy soils are best, as Mataro (Mouvedre) is a very vigorous grower. He does irrigate younger vines - those planted since 1972. He irrigates at veraison. Doesn't believe in "controlled stress," and says it's too difficult to manage. He drops about 10-15% of his crop, and picks by mid-May - equivalent to our mid-November. He let's the grapes get "blousey" - ripe and fat, and says he is looking for something just shy of shrivel in them.

Rolf believes in blends of all the available grapes. He crushes and destems, putting 8-10 tons in open fermenters. Also adds some air during fermentation. He uses no cold maceration - since color is not a problem, and during pump-over, they seem to mirror the U.S. winemaker's mantra - 'it takes a lot of beer to make a good wine.' Only with the Aussies, it's required to "have a Coopers in one hand and a pumping wand in the other."

Rolf says that after maceration, the process has basically destroyed the skins and any seeds. Tries not to chill the wine for at least 5-7 days. Uses gentle press to "press softly." Uses older oak, stating that "Wine is the hand; oak is the glove." He has tried fermenting free-run juice in barrels, then pouring it over skins, and back into barrels.

Apparently a Virginia winery named Veritas has pressured Binder to change his label's name for wines distributed in the U.S. So now, Rolf Binder wines will be the U.S. label for the Veritas wines. Rolf seems to be taking it all in stride, though.

Toward the end of the seminar, Rolf introduced Chester Osbourne from d'Arenberg, as "...an Australian shirt salesman." (Well, Chester's shirt did seem to call out to the audience.) The two settled in for a discussion of d'Arenberg, and the 2000 Mourvedre.

Impressions: this was a fascinating look at Rolf Binder's wines - especially in comparison to American and French styles of Syrah. I had met Rolf the night before at our un-sanctioned Friday BBQ, and liked the guy right away. Honest and outgoing, I continued to pour him a steady stream of some unusual American wines from a variety of unusual sources (San Diego, Arizona, etc.) that I had procured from various sources.

(Moderated by John Alban, Alban Vnyds, the seminar gave us a in-depth look at two appellations in Washington State: the Walla Walla Valley, and the Yakima Valley.)

After John Alban's very funny introductions , and Doug McCrea's equally interesting French accent (see above), we got on to discussing the great state of Washington, or more properly the Yakima and Walla Walla Valleys.

Doug had a great slide presentation showing latitude and longitude comparisons to the Rhone Valley, along with climatological and degree day info. He also described the differences in the state - from east to west.

Despite our impression of the rainy west-side of the Cascades, it's apparently much hotter on the east-side of the range - in fact, Red Mountain is largely a desert. Another slid showed glacier activity in the area, and a large body of water in eastern Washington, with all the northern part covered in glacier.

The Yakima Valley has three major soil types: loam, fine sand, and gravel. Everyone originally thought Reisling was the "cat's meow" for Washington. Then, Merlot later showed that it was a good area for reds as well.

McCrea founded in 1988 in the Yakima Valley. In 1996, he had less than 100 acres but is now up to 2100 acres, "and that's bearing acres," he is quick to point out. "Now we have Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Counoise, etc."

While the Yakima valley has lots of sandy loam, Cayuse is loaded with rocks. Planting Syrah in 1997, Christophe admitted to also being a "Pinot freak" (notice he didn't say "geek"), and claims to have gotten his primary "education in Burgundy in the wine bars."

No real surprise, and a common theme here, Christophe felt the answer to great wines is to work hard work in the vineyard. "I'm a farmer," he says. Cristophe figures he gets about 1.5-2 tons per acre, and performs lots of crop thinning. He uses Estrella clone in all but the Armada Vineyard, and saves the wider spaced Armada for his experimentation with clones.

To keep the vines from freezing during the harsh winter, Christophe bury the vines with rocks and dirt. His vines are on their own rootstalks, and grafting is a problem because of the cold winters - grafts would have difficulty surviving. Roots go 12' deep. The vineyards are at an elevation of 800', with a 1-2% slope and a north face.

Impressions: altogether an excellent slide show and presentation by Doug McCrea, covering the geography and geology of Washington State. Here was a completely undiscovered area of the planet from which to get wine. Interestingly, Christophe Baron didn't seem to be his usual animated self - at least the one I usually encounter at the tasting table. He was much more reserved, and possibly a bit nervous - practically waiving the opportunity to 'take us through his wines.' he preferred to let the wines speak for themselves. and they did.

2004 HdR : Intro | the Tastings | the Auction Lots | Photo Journal