Our favorite was the 1999 Red Newt Off-Dry Riesling. I was surprised at how beautifully this wine had aged, and how much it showed similarities to its German brethren. The nose was light and flowery with that pronounced petrol character that is a sure-fire indicator of a good riesling. On the palate it was rich and juicy, maintaining a really nice freshness of ripe peaches and green apple with that beautiful razor’s edge of acidity balancing the sweetness, even after 10 years. Pretty much the only bad thing about this wine was that we finished what little of the vintage remained that night. Still, bravo Dave and Deb for 10 years of a job well done, and many more to come!

If the ’99 is any indicator, I can’t wait to cellar and forget a couple of other Red Newt rieslings we have, to see how they develop and blossom over the next decade.

2006 Morgan Pinot Noir – The Monterey Wine Country table was our first stop upon entering the tasting, and we were definitely not disappointed. This pinot was lush and ripe while being mindful of where the fruit bomb line is drawn. It maintained great balance straight to the oak kissed finish. I believe this was either the Gary’s or Rosella’s vineyard cuvees, but I can’t recall.

2007 Dr. Konstantin Frank Reserve Gewurztraminer – It was a pleasure to meet Barbara Frank and talk to her about the winery’s impressive catalog. The Gewurz stole the show for me, despite the delicious Rieslings and amazing Rkatsiteli we also tasted. Spicy and zingy flowers on the nose with a big body and a bit of residual sweetness that compliments the lychee nut flavors. Just some really beautiful fruit.  It also paired beautifully with the Rosa Mexicano guacamole being served right next door (coincidence? I think not.)

2004 Amadio Shiraz – We were really impressed with the full Amadio list but the Shiraz stood out most for me. Ripe black fruits and luscious mouthfeel with silky tannins and enough acidity to hold the heat of the 15.5% alcohol at bay. At $17, I thought this was one of the best bangs for the buck we encountered.

Zonin 2006 Masseria Altemura Primitivo – Maybe it was the outstanding tartare I was noshing on at the time, but this primitivo really shined. The nose was cured meats and red berries leading to a medium bodied palate that was perfectly balanced. Sarah also had much love for the Zonin Prosecco, which at $13 makes an undeniably attractive alternative to champagne this summer.

2007 Schafer-Frolich Bockenauer Felseneck Riesling Spatlese – If the name doesn’t wear your palate out you’re in for a major treat on this one. This one had a really interesting nose of ripe peaches and citrus with herbal notes flitting through it. On the palate it was truly an experience, the kind of balance that only German Riesling can achieve. Stone fruit and bright acidity coupled with sweet honeysuckle on a background of minerality. Reminded me again why Riesling is my favorite grape.

So, those wines really sum up the night in a nutshell for me. Great choices for every palate and price point, friendly passionate presenters, and great food. Any chance we can turn this into a monthly event?

You will pay less for more

There’s a lot of higher math and science involved with wine making, so we can be sure that good vintners aren’t stupid. Even for the econ challenged, it has already become evident that those once-in-a-lifetime bottles are turning into not-in-a-lifetime bottles, at least for the time being. The smart winemaker will probably turn his attention from perfecting that premium haute cuvee to increasing the quality and affordability of his bread and butter offerings. As recent events have shown, even the big guys are buying into this idea and aiming for a lower price point. Whole new  lines may be developed so that traditionally small scale, boutique producers will become a bit more accessible to the greater market.  The $11 to $20 price range for a bottle of wine is still moving while the $30+ is slowing considerably, and the $100+ is dead in the water, so I look forward to seeing Ten Acres Napa Valley Cab on my local wine store’s shelves.

Adversity breeds innovation

As the value wine market becomes even more flooded and California winemakers are forced to do battle with Chile, Argentina, and other New World phenoms (in a horrible vintage no less), expect innovation and experimentation to become more common. Whereas in the past it was a fun project for the winemaker and his wine geek friends, in the new, overcrowded market experimentation can distinguish a winery. Viticulturists have been experimenting with new varietals for quite some time, and there are some truly crazy things happening in the wine making process itself. From the introduction of new varietals, to new experimental practices, to greener techniques, there are a lot of things to get excited about despite the dreary forecast.

Wine 2.0

With the traditional distribution model becoming nearly impossible for small wineries under the current economic conditions, we will see the wine world continue to expand onto the world wide web in creative new ways. A recent study by the Wine Market Council showed that the Millennial and Gen Xer’s are spurring wine growth and sales, and it is becoming more and more apparent that the most effective way to reach that demographic is through e-marketing. Already, tons of small wineries all around the country are adopting the strategies that Gary V. spearheaded. The web provides limitless potential for wineries to break the mold and make their messages heard. Websites like cellartracker, wine2.0, twitter, open wine consortium and cork’d show that social networking and wine go hand in hand. This benefits the smaller wineries who are doing interesting things by gaining them exposure even when their distribution is not wide enough for the larger outlets such as Wine Spectator to take notice. I don’t doubt that very soon the major outlets will even have a hard time keeping up with trends and news, as the Millennials take over the market.

Whether all of these things really come to pass or not, I think it’s safe to say that times, they are a-changing. I for one am putting on rose-colored glasses, because maybe in hindsight this crisis will look less like an imminent and unavoidable disaster, and more like the precipice of a great new era in wine making and connoisseurship.

Nevertheless, we were quite fortunate and found a few wineries with open tasting rooms including the excellent Roger Sabon. But Robert Parker can tell you all about their wines, so I won’t waste words. What really caught our attention was Domaine de Nalys is better known for their whites than their reds. This is far from the ordinary in this region. Still, Nalys is showing that Chateauneuf can produce some solid whites. You want proof you say? How about ageability of 8-10 years.

We tasted the 2005, 2007 and 2008, with each being vastly different from the next. The 2005 vintage tasted unlike anything we’ve drank in the past. The nose was quite musky, yet tasted like a ripe canteloupe in the mouth. Amazingly, even with the juicy melon profile, it maintained a dry finish. While some people really enjoyed this wine and its uniqueness, it was not for me and I can only imagine that these melon flavors will continue to bloom in the bottle. Nalys’ website notes that this wine will keep for at least another 10 years.

The 2008 on the other hand was delightful. Like most Chateauneuf’s, many varietals were used to create this wine. According to the winery, it consists of: Le Grenache blanc à 46%, la Clairette à 37 %, le Bourboulenc à 10%, et dans de plus faibles proportions, la Roussanne, le Picpoul et le Picardan pour 7%. This wine has a delicate floral nose like the flowering herbs of Provence. It tastes its age, but right now it’s a pleasant combination of citrus and limestone. We bought a bottle of each and plan on cellaring both for some time. It will be interesting to see how both these wines develope and age and if the region continues to venture into les vins blancs.