"I would happily die with a bottle of white burgundy in my mouth." ....Julia Child
Take
a ride with me aboard my time machine, leaving the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976,
and travelling forward back to 2016 – forty years later and two years ago in
September. That’s when the Chardonnay grapes,
grown adjacent to the South River (Russian River Valley sub-AVA) on Rochioli’s
estate (in Sonoma, California) were harvested and began their own time journey
into becoming wine.
I
tasted this wine side-by-side with a 2013 Meursault (in the Cote de Beaune,
France). Admittedly, not the fairest
comparison. The vintage of 2013 from
that region was rated 90 by Wine Spectator and 94 by Wine Enthusiast. Neither
publication has yet rated Sonoma’s 2016 Chardonnay vintage. Allowing for time
allows for development. And Tom Rochioli
estimated a cellaring period of five to six years for his “South River”
Chardonnay, a single-vineyard selection through not his most pricey. Generally, it’s accepted that white
burgundies will have a longer life. The Meursault’s
anticipated cellaring maximum, for example, was eleven years.
Then
again, this is not about cellaring. It’s
about taste. And, in that sense, we (I and another taster) were certainly not doing
a validated test for the industry, nor was that our intention. So what was
the point? It was, based on my
assumption, that if you were invited to a dinner in which Chardonnay would be
an appropriate wine to enjoy with the meal and you wanted to impress – it’s my
assumption that you would bring a French wine and not one from California.
Is
that always the right choice? France has history. Imports have cache, and France
has them both. France’s reputation of producing quality wine has been
rightfully earned. But assuming one
is always better carries with it the assumption that the other is always less.
We attempted to keep things reasonably equal for this comparison. So, Le Montrachet was “out.” The Meursault was from a well-respected winery
and vineyard (and will remain unnamed) and of comparable price (the Meursault
was $6 less, average retail price).
The
photo here of each wine as it appeared in the glass is a good starting
point. After sniffing and tasting, each
wine could be identified. But they
were so close, on the nose and on the palate also, as to prove the
understanding of subtle difference by definition. On the first sampling of Rochioli’s “South
River,” aromas of oak and burnt butterscotch were forward but with air, lemon
brightened the presentation.
The
palate of the “South River” was more involved (our opinion). The oak was
apparent, but now subservient to lychee and green apple. Notes of almond announced. Lemon was hinted. As the wine warmed, apricot became present.
This
is, perhaps, less a review of “South River” than a comparison of this
Chardonnay from Rochioli in Sonoma to that of the Meursault in France. The natural question, then, is “What’s the
difference?” The answer is “not much”
but important to some palates. On the second day, again tasting side-by-side,
it seemed the “South River” emphasized lemon on the nose, while the Meursault
was still dominated by smoke. The “South
River” (while presenting only slight differences) was brighter: more citrus,
more buttery lemon. It may have been a mind trick, based on acidity, but the
“South River” had a somewhat zippier body.
I wondered, had the barrel toast not been so heavy on the “South River”? The Meursault seemed weightier with oak. (I
learned later that “South River” was aged nine months; the Meursault was
fermented 100% in wood and aged 15 months). And the lemon in the Meursault was
less integrated. It was weighted down
with toasted oak and browned butter. Notes of bitter orange were enjoyable, but
opposed by a posse of the heavier notes of smoke and oak.
So
what?
That’s
for you to decide. After all, there are
those who prefer Chardonnay fermented and aged in steel only. I belong to the camp of believers that wine
should pair with the meal so I enjoy both styles (which includes blends of
juice aged in steel and wood). What’s interesting is that our little,
unscientific test resulted in both of us preferring the “South River” from
Rochioli. As a confirmed Francophile, I
found that surprising. I suspect it has
to do with the wine being (our opinion) better balanced, lighter, brighter and
zippier. Though oak was apparent, it was
restrained enough to prevent the wine from being overpowered by it.
For
the detectives out there wondering how a taste could be blind with only two
people, I mention that my companion switched the glasses however times she did
after I left the room. She had no idea
which glass was from which country as they were poured without her being
present. And, as you saw from the top
photo, it would be difficult to visually discern which was which anyway. We selected by number and the bottles (put
away) had been numbered.
Several
philosophers have opined along the lines of “No prophet (being) accepted in his
home town”. If there is a moral to this
rant, it is this: Yes, there are certain
grapes (Malbec, Sangiovese and others) that are extremely sensitive to the area
in which they are grown and I totally accept the reality of terroir.
But Chardonnay is called an
international grape for a reason. It is
also the most malleable and that which is most influenced by the winemaker’s
election regarding its vinification. But
most importantly, this rant is about assumptions. Yours.
Wine is an on-going pleasure and assumptions about quality (without
on-going tasting over the years) will limit the joy of your wine
experience. You’ll have denied
acknowledging how your palate may have changed; how the industry in your own
country has changed. You’ll be stuck in a time machine with a dead battery.
Cheers!
……………..Jim
Follow and “Like” Wine Mizer on Facebook for mini-reviews,
industry news and more.
Winemizer.net does not accept any
advertisements, nor is it affiliated with any winery, vineyard, importer or distributor.
You may be assured that any opinions are not economically biased (though they
may not be appropriate to your individual and unique palate.
Note: “South
River” is a limited production, single-vineyard made wine and unlikely to be available
at retail though it may be obtained at auction on-line. “Single vineyard” wines from here and
elsewhere, despite being of the same varietal, will produce wines with
different nuances. However, a good place
to start with Rochioli’s Chardonnay is with their “Estate” label. The 2016 Estate Chardonnay, for example, was
rated 91 Points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and is available at most large
wine retailers.
PAIRING
THE WINE?
Lobster, scallops and chicken,
especially roast chicken, Dijon-tarragon cream chicken, chicken Kiev. Fish
cakes. Eggs Benedict. Veggies with a béarnaise sauce. Turbot. Grilled veal chops with mushrooms
(great with mushrooms). Pumpkin filled
ravioli or lasagna made with butternut squash and white sauce. I made Chilean
Sea Bass with an orange-lemon-butter sauce, roasted, then finished with threads
of saffron and garnished with citrus rinds. Enjoyed with a green vegetable and
baked rings of acorn squash drizzled with pure maple syrup and filled with
pecans and baked apple pieces.
For other reviews of J. Rochioli Wines
see: https://www.winemizer.net/2018/08/rochioli-vineyards-rose-of-pinot-n-oir.html
TECH SPECS & ETC. (South River):
Rochioli Vineyards & Winery: http://www.rochioliwinery.com/
6192
Westside Rd.
Healdsburg,
CA 95448
(707) 433-2305
Varietal: Chardonnay, 100%
Vines’ Age: 26 Years
Soil: Yolo: very deep, alluvial, well drained &
from mixed rocks.
Date Picked: September 7, 2016
Days Fermented: Primary, 10.
Malolactic, 20
Type: Whole
cluster, no skin contact, pressed directly to barrel
Barrels: 60 gallon, 100% French, 30% new, Aged Sur Lie
Aging: 9
months
Acidity: .62gm/100ml
Ph: 3.50
ALC: 14.5%
Cases Produced: 223
Rating: 94 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
ARP: N/A
No comments:
Post a Comment