The Honest Pour with John Lenart

Over the centuries Alsace has been ruled buy both Germany and France. The cuisine and culture here have certain Germanic influences and while the wines from this region are made from the same varieties often found in Germany, the style in which they are made is uniquely Alsatian. I met with Laure Adam of Jean-Baptiste Adam, a winery in Alsace that is over 400 years old, to talk about the wines from this intriguing region and of course to taste some delicious wines.

 Laure and Jean-Baptiste Adam

Jean-Baptiste Adam Crémant d’Alsace Les Natures NV

Made with classic Champagne grapes, chardonnay and pinot noir. On the nose aromas of green apples, lime, white flowers, wet stones, and brie mingle in a wonderful complexity. Flavors of lime zest and red apples are balanced by a fine mousse and good acidity.

SRP:  $24

Jean-Baptiste Adam Crémant d’Alsace Rosé NV

Pretty salmon color. The nose brings forward aromas of strawberry and a flinty minerality. On the palate flavors of mixed red berries, red apple, and hints of fresh herbs. The round structure is balanced by pronounced acidity.

SRP:  $24

2015 Jean-Baptiste Adam Riesling Les Natures

Wonderful nose of petrol and burnt rubber. Beneath this are aromas of peach and yellow citrus. On the palate flavors of yellow citrus and stone fruit are balance by nice acidity and pronounced minerality with savory hints on the finessed finish.

SRP:  $20

2012 Riesling Kaefferkopf Vieilles Vignes Grand Cru

Aromas of tropical fruits, rubber, sweet citrus, and yellow flower explode from the glass. A rich body leads to complex flavors of pear, apple, lemon zest and a distinct salinity. Very age-worthy. A classic.

SRP:  $28

The Yamhill-Carlton AVA, in the far northern reaches of Willamette Valley, was founded in 2004. Often known for producing pinot noir bottlings that are bold and expressive some wine makers look in another direction and create wines of great finesse. Shane Moore of Gran Moraine is one such wine maker. Not only is he making sophisticated pinto noir, but also an exceptionally balanced chardonnay.

Shane Moore, Wine Maker, Gran Moraine

2017 Gran Moraine, Yamhill-Carlton Rosé of Pinot Noir

Quite delicate on color this easy drinker starts with aromas of rose petals, honey suckle, delicate cherry and light citrus notes, backed up by hints of creme fraiche. The slightly creamy texture is balanced by bright acidity and a touch of fine tannin.  Flavors of watermelon rind, pear and lime zest lead to a long finish.

SRP:  $28

2015 Gran Moraine, Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir

Delicate garnet in color with hints of purple. Aromas of mixed berries and earthy notes, hints of leather. Beautiful balance and finesse on the palate. Flavors of  fresh plum, cherry, and strawberry are followed by notes of fresh herbs and hints of spice with fine tannin.  Great food wine!

SRP:  $45

2015 Gran Moraine, Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay

A complex aroma of stone fruits, green apple and creme fraiche with distinct minerality. On the palate this wine offers a stunning balance of fruit, acid, lees, and minerality. Flavors of stone fruit, lime zest, hints of nuts, and a flinty minerality combine in a complex yet refined chardonnay. One of the most exciting wines I’ve had this year.

SRP:  $45

Value priced wines are an often overlooked segment of the wine world, yet, questions about sub twenty buck wines are the most frequent I get. It can be tough. There are a lot of bad wines out there in the lower price ranges. So, when I got to taste the wines from Austerity, I knew they were wines I could direct curious listeners to. It’s hard to find good quality, distinctive, wines in the sub $20 range. But Steven DeCosta is creating just that. I met with him to talk about the challenges of making these wines, how he provides great quality while maintaining value prices, and of course to taste some delicious wines.

Steven DeCosta, Winemaker, Austerity

2016 Austerity, Arroyo Seco, Chardonnay

Aromas of apple, pear and hints of wood. Medium weight. Flavors of golden delicious apple. are balanced by moderate acidity, a bit of creaminess and hints of minerality.

SRP:  $17

2016 Austerity, Santa Lucia Highlands, Pinot Noir

Aromas of Cherry and fresh herbs give way to cedar notes. On the palate fresh cranberry and pomegranate flavors are balance by earthy notes and flavors of fresh savory herbs. Fine tannins and fresh acidity balance out this easy drinker.

SRP:  $17

2014 Austerity, Paso Robles, Cabernet Sauvignon

Ripe red fruit aromas are rounded out by notes of sage, green olive and vanilla. On the palate flavors of red cherry, cocoa and anise are given structure from fine tannins and balance with moderate acidity followed by a spicy finish.

SRP:  $17

I love a winery with a great story behind it. Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli is one such winery. Roughly translated as “Chasing away the devil” Scacciadiavoli is named for a local priest believed to have been an exorcist. But a great story only takes you so far. Scacciadiavoli, in Montefalco located in Umbria, also makes some delicious wines. The primary red grape variety in Montefalco is Sagrantino. An indigenous, hugely tannic, high acid grape that makes wines with a rough exterior which gives way to delicate, elegant, and complex flavors. Like all Italian wines, when paired with food, Sagrantino really shines. These wines also offer an amazing value. Because its not widely known, consumers can buy the absolutely best Sagrantinos available for under $100.  I met with Liu Pambuffetti of Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli to talk about her family’s winery, learn about the intriguing Sagrantino di Montelfalco wines, and of course to taste some!

Liu Pambuffetti, Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli

2015, Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli, Montefalco Bianco

Nose of stonefruit and pronounced limestone minerality. Flavors of pear, apricot, and lime zest. A medium full body is balanced by crisp acidity and a backbone of minerality.

SRP:  $20

2015 Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli, Montefalco Rosso

Aromas of fresh herbs, purple flowers and red fruit. A lush full body with flavors of cherries and plum, nuanced by hints of cocoa, balanced acidity and fine tannins.

SRP:  $20

2012, Azienda Agraria Scacciadiavoli , Montefalco Sagrantino

Purple in color with a nose leading with a dusty minerality, fresh cherries, plum, and purple flowers. The attack of the wine on the palate begins with fine, but grippy tannins which give way to elegant flavors of cherry, balsamico, chocolate and fresh herbs. Serve with roast lamb and you can thank me later!

SRP:  $40

I love port wine. But it can be a complicated subject.  Broken down into two distinct groups, tawny and ruby, each style offers different characteristics.  Vintage Port is the grandest expression of all ports. Selected for extraordinary qualities and capacity for aging in the bottle, only about three times per decade are ports declared to have the special qualities of a true “vintage.” When a port is declared as a vintage you can be certain it will be an exceptional wine. 2016 was just such a vintage.  David Guimaraens, Technical Director and Head Wine Maker, The Fladgate Partnership was in Chicago with a group of other port wine makers to introduce the wines of this magical vintage. We met to talk about the 2016’s and of course to taste through his Croft, Fonseca, and Taylor’s vintage ports.

David Guimaraens, Technical Director and Head Wine Maker, The Fladgate Partnership

2016 Croft Vintage Port

Aromas of passion fruit, and other tropical notes are followed by lavender, ginger and lemongrass. On the palate flavors of black plum, Chinese five spice, passion fruit and eucalyptus are followed by fine tannins. Silky, luxurious and expressive.

SRP: $99.99

2016 Fonseca Vintage Port

Aromas of black currant, black cherry and blackberry are layered with notes of violet. On the palate flavors of mixed dark berries are backed up with youthful acidity and tannins which are quite pronounced. This wine will age beautifully for decades to come.

SRP:  $119.99

2016 Taylor’s Vintage Port

Fresh violets lead the way on the nose of this wine which are followed by notes of fresh raspberry, plum and candied orange rind. Elegant texture and intriguing flavors of mixed berries and a spicy long and complex finish. You can drink this now, but you’ll be rewarded for your patience if you age this for 3 decades or more.

SRP:  $119.99