Husband & wife team Erinn and Janet Klein run Ngeringa. They planted their vineyards in 2001 and have begun releasing wines to the public very recently; 2013 is the first year these wines will be available in NYC, though we got a sneak preview with some samples in 2012. In addition to vines they have cattle and sheep, as well as orchards, an olive grove, and vegetable gardens. 

They have five hectares planted over two distinct areas. Both areas were certified biodynamic in the 1980s (since before their vineyards were planted). They ferment with wild yeasts, and use just a small amount of French oak. 

They have also recently started working with sangiovese, nebbiolo, and aglianico in a different part of their Mount Barker Springs vineyard. 

Here is what they have to say about the importance of biodynamic farming: 
"Our approach to both the growing and the making of the wine is traditional-- doing much in the vineyard by hand and being as least interventionalist in the winemaking as possible. We respect biodynamics as a sensitivity to the rhythms of nature, the health of the soil and the connection between plant, animal and cosmos. It is our inherent belief that only through the practice of biodynamics can we allow the vineyard to reach its potential."

The Kleins are one of five Australian biodynamic producers that are currently members of Nicolas Joly's "Renaissance des Appellations" (along with Castagna, Cobaw Ridge and Jasper Hill in Victoria, and Cullen in the Margaret River). 

I particularly enjoyed the lovely, rich and balanced '09 chardonnay, and the J&E '09 syrah!

Every year for Boxing Day my mother-in-law cooks an incredible feast. This year it featured classic home cooking, mostly domestic cheeses, and all local wines from the Monticello AVA of Virginia. 

We kicked things off with some cheese and bubbles-- this time some prosecco-like,  charmat method sparkling, 80% chardonnay/20% pinot noir, from Barboursville with a yeasty, fresh-bread aroma and tart acidity. 

These classic Italian arancini are a delicious and whimsical way to start any meal- risotto balls stuffed with cheese and prosciutto, breaded and fried, then topped with a bay leaves to look like "little oranges" or, in Italian, "arancini." 

Pollak Vineyards makes a great chardonnay vinegar and we used it to dress our blood orange and fennel salad!

                   We broke into this Barboursville sangiovese reserve and it was perfect with rustic mushroom soup. 
Winemaker Luca Paschina does an amazing job with varieties from his native Italy, including sangiovese and nebbiolo. 

Pollak Petit Verdot 2010 (Monticello, Virginia)
To pair with Braciole and Mac 'n Cheese we hit this big, bold petit verdot from Pollak Vineyards. The wine is small production, only 365 cases. Over the last few decades Virginia has experimented with hundreds of varietals, and two have strongly prevailed. Especially the Monticello AVA, cabernet franc and viognier reign, with some great Bordeaux blends livening up the mix as well. Petit verdot is sneaking up in popularity as some extremely high quality wines hit the market. This Pollak petit verdot was rich and balanced, with a serious amount of fine tannins, and rich aromas or black fruits and tar-- a wine practically made for braised meat. 

It was a toss-up between who preferred the Barboursville sangiovese or the Pollak petit verdot.....

This little nephew of mine voted for the warm milk as his favorite 
thing to drink... and wear. 

                      Apple Cake                                                                       Star of Zurich                                                      Cassata alla Siciliana 

Then my favorite part came... dessert!  We had several different kinds of traditional cakes from around the world. The Cassata alla Siciliana was my favorite, made "casalinga" style (homestyle, as opposed to pastry shop style). It has a fresh ricotta filling that is seriously addictive.  

King Family Vineyards was one of the first wineries in Virginia to make port style wine, and after their great success many other wineries have followed suit. This "7" is a fortified merlot ruby, aged for 2 years in bourbon barrels. The Kings love polo, and "7" refers to the imaginary 7th chukker (they liken it to the "19th hole in golf..." as polo only has 6 chukkers). 

The 7 is amazing, with great rich red fruit and chocolatey flavor, structure and definite potential for ageability. We had this with some local Charlottesville chocolates (Gearharts), which are some of the best I have ever had. In Manhattan, my favorite small production chocolatiers are Kee's and the former Bespoke for their incredibly fresh tasting chocolates with unique yet satisfying flavors, and Gearharts Chocolates can easily rival these. 

The "7" wine paired great with the chocolate genache and the earl grey flavored chocolate. 

I'm constantly amazed at the wide array and ever-growing selection of Virginia wines. Each time I come home there are more and more unique wines to try, and so many bottles that I want to add to my cellar. As this state's vines get older and producers gain more experience with their vineyards and varietals, the quality will just continue to grow. 

What better way to say Happy Holidays than with some awesome Tchaikovsky played on partially filled wine glasses? 

With legendary status among the ports its reputation precedes it, and when I tasted a sip of this last night... it lived up to all expectations! 

Quinta do Noval, 1994 Vintage port (Douro, Portugal)
Very complex with aromas/flavors of dried plums, dried meats, dried leaves, wet moss, nutbread, underbrush, fruitcake, fresh caramel, and more....

History
Quinta do Noval has a storied history dating back to at least 1715. In 1894 Quinta do Noval was purchased by António José da Silva; he and his family took the estate into high quality port production and established the house as one of the top port producers. Not only have they driven quality, but they helped define what different styles of port mean today by introducing blended tawnies and LBVs in the mid-20th century. 


A New Era
In 1993, almost exactly 100 years after their first ownership transition, the estate changed hands again, this time being sold to a French group. Soon after this, Quinta do Noval announced several changes, and in 1994 they ripped out several vineyards, re-terraced, and replanted. They also built a new winery, storage facility, and bottling line, and renovated the existing buildings on the property. And, though they may have experimented with other crushing methods, from that point forward it would be foot crushing only! 

The 1994
This 1994 vintage port is particularly important because it was made in the midst of transition and its quality has potential to define the new era of ownership. Because of the vineyard uprootings during this period we know that this was made from only a small portion of their absolute best vineyard sites that were spared from renovation. I imagine that with all the building going on during this year that the wine was produced amidst hustle and bustle, and possible in the midst of a construction zone. And despite - or possibly because- of all this, the wine is still delicious. 

One year ago I put up my first post, and it has been an amazing journey ever since.  I've watched the daily visits to the website grow from 5 hits a day to over 500 hits a day, and your overwhelming support is AWESOME! Thank you!

Here are some of my favorite posts from this past year: 

This post explains how the location of one drinking water well on Ocracoke Island altered the nautical pathways of pirates and changed history! 

Here is a fun post about Chateau Jiahu neolithic grog.

Notes on a pretty amazing visit to Contino in Rioja....

Orange Wine-- if you don't know, now you know...  

An amazing Burgundy that I will never, ever forget...... 

Where to get awesome coffee in Charlottesville, Virginia... 

Thank you Shout-Outs!
I have to take a minute and give a shout out to all the amazing people in my life (in alphabetical), who have supported me and retweeted me, and posted my stuff on facebook, and spread the word... THANK YOU SO MUCH!!  Love you all... 

Aaron Ridgway- love working with you- and you win for coolest accent. Thank you Aaron Nix-Gomez (his blog is http://hogsheadwine.wordpress.com/ and it's awesome-- here is a link to my fav post),  Thank you Andre Mack for making awesome wine and inspiring my staff at work!! Mouton Noir Wine Thank you Adam Flocke- you are one of the most disciplined people I know! It amazes me how you wake up at 7 to do martial arts every day before work, show up to work early, rock your job, and are so hardworking! Despite your crazy schedule, you still maintain one of the most positive outlooks of anyone I know. The way you connect with people is amazing, and it is an honor to work with you and learn from you. Adam Lampell- you keep this city looking good! Thanks Aileen Morgan-- love your grace and smile! AJ Ojeda-Pons- Inspired by your shoes on a daily basis!  Alberto Taddei- you are the best! Come visit on your next NYC trip! Ali P- It's been a long time! I think of you every time I drink a '98 Chateauneuf du Pape! Thanks for introducing me to so many lovely people in the wine world. Alice Wang- hello, my sagrantino sister! Angeliki K & Steve- love you both! I love all the bottles we share & so happy for you two. Thank you Ashley Hiemenz for being a great sister, introducing me to Moldovan wine, and always coming to visit me at the restaurant. Ben Martin: thanks for the insightful email chats, I can spell "yeah" one thousand ways now. Bevin- you are a great mom and a great inspiration! Thank you Blair Barbour  for posting my articles on your facebook wall and getting all of your friends to read about about wine, and for videotaping fun wine videos for me and helping me start the video portion of this blog. And for being an incredible sister-- I have no words for my thanks for you & I can't imagine my life without you.  Thank you Bob Cook-- for, well, college! And for all the support over the years! Thank you Brad Royale, for writing the FUNNIEST twitter posts (@BradRoyale) and having such descriptive tasting notes. Thank you Brian Helleberg for introducing me to fine dining and starting me on my path. I love seeing you and the success of your restaurants in Cville, and I will always be your biggest fan (besides Paco)!  Brian Kuchcicki - love your after-hours style! JP wants to see you in his office, by the way... Brice Cunningham- thanks for showing me my first Chateauneuf du Pape so many years ago. Thank you Camille Riviere for keeping me swimming in good wine, for being such an inspiration with your business, your cycling, and your jubilant personality! The world is better & happier with you in it!  Carson Demmond- you are a great presence in the wine world! Your clear, concise way of talking about wine always blows me away! Thank you Catherine Gerdes for being the social glue of our blind tasting group, for your neon shorts, and for your insightful wine recommendations-- I love your somm style! Cathy Lewis- you're amazing.. Thank you Chris Desor for the JayZ tix!!! Chris McPherson- love what you do! Thank you Clare Peskuric for teaching me about software sales, for organizing rooftop yoga sessions, for loving Clos Fantine as much as me, for being a great friend, for dancing with me on the bar top, for being there on my birthday, for the flowers, for the cheese pack you gave me on my road trip, for sooo much more- you have a sweet and generous heart :) and you are the MAYOR of Public to me, no matter what Four Square says! Colin Maxwell- Take me out to the baaaalll game... (!!) Can't wait to see what cocktails you think up next... Corry Arnold- Your photographs always inspire. Thanks again for all your beautiful pictures... Daniel Shannon- My own personal cello cheerleader! I love reading your essays... Davanna Jared- your happiness is so infectious! I hope we get to hang out soon! Thank you David Hamburger- lets form a band where only wine people are in it. Between you and me we have a rhythm section, so we just need like a sax. Oh, and thanks for having all of the most ridiculous wine dinners in Manhattan (the world?). David Roth- you are a powerhouse. Thanks Delano Burrows for bringing me altoids/P-toids every day, for our brief but wondrous Words-With-Friends tournament, for proofreading my writing, and for being my wordsmith hero. You are a joy to work with every day. Dena L. - You win for Best Tressed. :) Deshawn Dumas- don't forget about me when you are a famous artist!! Thank you Diane Wilkin- you are an amazing mom! Every day when I wake up and see your incredible artwork hanging on my walls, it inspires me to do my best at work. Love you, mom. Thanks Doug Polak for sharing some fantastic bottles! Thank you Ed Barbour, for taking me to my first wine growing regions so many years ago. Maybe this year you will learn to pronounce sommelier. Love you, dad! Thank you Ed T. (& Co.)-- you have been so generous with your wine cellar and your wine collection! I love hanging out with you, and so many of the best wines I have tried have been in your company. I am floored by your generosity, and inspired by your approach to life. Thank you Elizabeth Langham; we started off when you were my student & I was your teacher... watching you grow over the years has been so inspiring, and now it is me who learns from you. I am so proud of all of your success! Thank you Erin Kette for having an awesome first name, for the beer you got me at the Yankees game, and for fun times like First Growth raps...  Franz Loacker- thanks for your family's amazing wines, and for all the fun times! Vielen dank! Thank you Gary Olmstead, for everything you've taught me about drumming, discipline, and life. You are a special mentor in my life... Gigi- I cannot wait to see one of your plays being performed. Gina Goyette- thanks for the amazing experience at dinner- we are still talking about it! Guillaume Lanvin- It's so much fun to work with you and your wines! Jacob Galecki- Come over for some Cru-- I serve it to all my TJ scholar house guests! Thanks James Endo for your sage advice, your good sips, and your inspired 3am emails. Jamie Unwin- Thanks for giving me my first NYC job! Thank you Janet Smith for being the best grandma on the planet, for your visits to NYC, for your interest in wine, for re-learning the piano after 50 years and giving impromptu concerts, for your constant encouragement, and for forcing me to train home after work with no sleep to visit the family every few months, because that stuff is important! I am so lucky to have such a strong and powerful woman in my life; LOVE YOU grandma! Thank you Janet Goebel-- Dr. Goebel, you are one of the most fantastic people I have ever met-- thanks for your constant inspiration and guidance throughout the years. You are a special teacher who continues teaching long after your students have graduated!  Jason Enany- Boop! Thank you Jeff Greenip- you and Michelle are two shining lights of my life. I LOVE wine/breakdancing nights at your place!! Jeff O'Connor- hey stylish man, it's been so much fun working with you this past year. :) I can't wait to see what you do next! Jen Jayden- you're a rockstar! Thank you Jennifer Chin, for introducing me to so many cool people, and for being a great cheerleader during my hardest wine exams!! Thanks Jenny Morgan for being a great friend & always making me laugh.  Thank you Jesse Webster for being a great boss and mentor.  Thank you Jessica Hiemenz! You are a true role model, the way you always stick to your beliefs! We will do our vegan wine seminar this year!!  Thank you Jesus Madrazo for popping a rare and delicious bottle from my birth year!! That was such a special experience. Also thanks for the incredible visit to your vineyards and for making awesome wine. Thank you, Jill Zimorski for being so awesome and keeping me up-to-date with the DC dining scene.... and now, Aspen! Jim Wilkin- thanks for being a great dad! Thank you to my AMAZING husband Joe Scala for always supporting me, love you.  Joe P- 1/2 of my Jiu Jitsu Boys! Joe Q- you are pure poetry. Joel Schott- wow, you are an inspiration & the most energetic person in the wine business! John Lenkard: one word: YEAAAAAARGH! John Marino- Turn it like it's hot. Thanks Jordan for keeping my tresses in good form. Julia Ries- I think we had the best CVille summer ever... I'll always miss our vespa rides!  Julianne Skurdis- Hey anchor-lady! Love working with you :) Thank you Karin McCard for traveling around with me last minute to wineries, for always being up for something crazy, and for the gift of pink soap. Karine Morgan- The Queen of Chai!  Thank you Kerry O'Brien, for being a cool sister of wine, and I love that you just now got your motorcycle license and are driving all around on it. BADASS!  Thanks Kathy Compton! Your panda-work inspires from afar! Thank you Kevin Chojnowski- your cooking skills and endless knowledge never cease to amaze me, and it is an honor/pleasure to work with you every day. Thanks Kimberly Johnson for being so great at your job and making mine so fun. Take me for a ride in your Lincoln! Kimble Knight- I hope the west coast is treating you well! Miss you tons. Thank you Laura Mac- you are a great friend! Your grace and charm wears off on everyone around you. Laura Williams- Girl, I can't wait to see you and your little man! Hope all is well & miss you. Thanks for helping me get started in NYC, and for the awesome shoes. Thank you Lindsay Dunn for being a super cool wine rep, and for turning me on to amazing wines. I love your sample bag, I love seeing you at The Daily, and I love your wines on my wine list! Logan Rich- two words: fierce! You rock NYC. Mary Ellen Drayer- your grace is amazing, and your commitment to saving animals is nothing short of heroic! Thank you Mary Joy Scala for being such a cool mother-in-law, and for turning me onto Vin Santo all those years ago. Thank you Mary Zayaruzny!! Я тебя люблю!!! You make me smile every day, love your spirit and your M. star! You are always welcome to drink from any decanter I have lying around. Masa U- I love the unique perspective you bring to the bar! Mata U.- thanks for introducing me to some amazing sakes! Matt Lambert- how would I make freezer pops without you?! Thank you Matt Stinton, for making me laugh so hard that I now have rock-hard abs, for making me (and every other somm) seriously contemplate the perception of RS for hours on end, for always being at the other end of my prank phone calls, for letting me drink out of the bottle, and for really driving home for me just how awesome Michael Jordan really is. You are one of the really awesome people in this world, HERR BLANCO! Meghan Madara! Thanks for introducing me to dirty martinis all those years ago :) Melissa Rodriguez- M-ROD! Let's hang out soon & work on a new song. Melody L- my favorite Steiner product! Michael Balducci! You are the BEST! Can't wait until the next Derby Day. Thank you Michael Madrigal for spicing up NYC with your large-format life. Thank you Michelle Greenip for many things, including bottles on the rooftop! I am still dreaming of that bottle of 98 Araujo syrah we shared with Alison. Thank you Mika Godbole for being my bestie, for visiting me at work after your concerts, and for always being so sweet! Misha Mariani- Thanks to you and P for all of the amazing dinners we have shared this past year! Thank you Molly Rydzel-- you are a wonderful sommelier, and I has been great to watch you grow into your new role. Thank you Nacho, I think you are THE BEST bartender in Manhattan, HANDS DOWN! You are amazing and you bring up the energy in any room you work. You are fantastic! Now, can I get some mezcal, por favor? Nic Bradley- you are a part of the family... Thanks for always making the trip up to the Bronx to hang out with us. Thank you Pascaline Lepeltier for introducing me to the aesthetics of wine labels! #monkeylabel  And I thought it was so cool when you ran that hurricane relief cocktail. Paul Behnken- you are a powerhouse. Wishing you all the best in your new life out west! Paul Hinton- you are a shining star. You've taught me so much....  Paula W.- Can't thank you enough for the incredible intro to AZ wine. Pepe Raventos- Pepe! Thanks for the amazing visit to your vineyards, and for all of your support in NYC! You and your family are awesome! Peter Ellison- glad to have some I can discuss stellar genetics with... :) So happy for you as you do this college thing. Phil Abram- 3,000 miles away, and still rocking bev trainings! Prudence Groube- Love your beautiful artwork! One day I will be rich enough to afford some! Thanks Raj Vaidya, for sharing sick bottles so generously when we hang out, and for always providing a different perspective that makes me re-think things.  And for always having cooler glasses than me.  Thank you Rochelle Lee for your amazing smile & fashion tips! I love spotting Holst & Lee necklaces around town-- I remember when it was just an idea!! Rudi Bauer- thanks for making amazing sparkling wines in NZ. Thanks Rudi Wiest for bringing in amazing wines, and for all the tips on the NYC jazz scene! For that riesling too!!!! Rui Abecassis- thanks for the amazing tour of Vinho Verde, and for sharing all of your insights into Portuguese wine! Thank you Scott Tyson, for.... Scott, there is just so much. Thank you for the Scala hat, for introducing me to Clare (I can't imagine my life without you two!), for introducing me to Bernard, for getting Joe & I to go out to eat on our nights off, for teaching me about models and PolySci, for being my fake somm at lonely tastings, for getting red Scala pants, for keeping Public in business, and everything else.  Sherry Stolar- Miss you and can't wait to share our next bottle. Thanks Steve Robinson, for your hip-hop, your stuffed animals, and your insights into the Canadian wine scene. Thanks Aunt Susan Barbour for always sending me cool newspaper clippings about wine. Thanks Sur Lucero, for making me drink straight Underberg bitters, and for always having a bottle of awesome Chablis or Barolo in your backpack-- you are an inspiration, Mr. Krug Cup!!  And for getting the gang to ride that crazy carnival ride! Thiago Silva- Thiago, your cakes are so amazing that they inspire all people in all disciplines and walks of life. It is so awesome to see your cakes really take off-- so happy for you, and thank you SO MUCH for the beautiful wedding cake. Thierry Holweck- Pandas forever!  Trisha Hitko- thanks for all your wine support when I had just moved to NYC! Thank you Tom/Linda Scala for all your support! And for the warmest gloves on the planet. Thank you Tom/Jenny/Carmine Scala for being the cutest, most colorful family, and for finding some Pappy Van Winkle for us! Woody- you are the man! Thank you Urs Kaufmann, for being a great friend, and my WSET cheerleader during the diploma. Yes, we are classy diploma students, drinking jeager on our nights off!!

I'm sure I missed a thousand people-- thank you all! 

Sine Qua Non, Mr.K "The Noble Man" 2005 Chardonnay


Three incredibly nice wine collectors stopped in the restaurant the other day, and one of them pulled this out for everyone to try-- it's the first Sine Qua Non dessert wine I've tasted (and the first noble chardonnay, for that matter), made from Alban Vineyard chardonnay grapes hit with botrytis. This was a special treat because this wine is no longer made. 

Manfred Krankl and his good buddy Alois Kracher teamed up for years to make this wine. From their unique and special collaboration came the whimsical label: both are Mr. K. Kracher passed away exactly five years ago today from pancriatic cancer, and his projects (including Mr. K), ended then (though his son carries on at their family's Austrian wine estate). 

Sine Qua Non: a Latin term meaning "[something that] without which there would be nothing," and a term that invokes us to inquire upon the meaning of existence.  Also a winery name that functions as both its brand and its mission statement. 

Elaine and Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non are well known for their evocative, artistic, and poetic wine labels. Originally garagistes making wine from purchased grapes in southern California, they are a unique anomaly in the fine wine world, where most fine wines are terroir and location driven. For example, people buy top Burgundies because of the uniqueness and expressiveness of the Grand Cru vineyards, cabernet sauvignon because the grapes were grown on terra rossa soil in Coonwarra, tempranillo from Rioja because that location expresses it best, or riesling from the Mosel because of the way the slate soils can be tasted in the wine. 

Very seldom can a producer distinguish their product and break into the top tier of fine wine when their juice is based more on the character of the grape varietal as opposed to a provenance from a special place or soil type. Only a few producers have been able to manage this with mostly contracted fruit-- for example, some of the top Champagne houses come to mind, as does Grange. What makes Sine Qua Non even more unique is that they have managed to do what these top Champagne houses have done, what Penfolds Grange has done (i.e. secure a place in the fine wine market with wine produced from mostly contracted and blended fruit)-- but they haven't really done any advertising or sought out critics. Their wines sell on quality and word-of-mouth. Their production is incredibly limited and their winery is small. They made 4.5 barrels worth of their first wine ('94 Queen of Spades) and production hasn't grown that much since. 

Soil or Grape?
Sine Qua Non wines, for the most part, are celebrations of varieties or blends of varieties (mostly Rhone-style varieties). From a horticultural perspective, we find the locus of most edible pleasures in the DNA of almost every plant-based food or beverage. For example, a carbon tomato is special because of its DNA, because the tomato itself is tasty-- whether the carbon is grown in NY or VA is of secondary consequence. Our approach to wine can be a bit different-- from a terroirist perspective, the grape is seen as a conduit of the soil, and the specific varietal genetic qualities that distinguish that grape's DNA from others is oft seen as a secondary experience in wine drinking. Winemakers that buck this perspective of winemaking, that do not seek to transmit the essence of soil, but rather, transmit the essence of the varietal, are sometimes looked down upon. When it comes to varietal vs. terroir, it's true: you can never have one without the other; but the perspective difference lies in which will be the bedrock of the winemaker's approach. Sine Qua Non makes varietal-inspired wines, and because they sell out each year, they have-- in a way-- side-stepped this terroir issue. Generally, Sine Qua Non labels let you know what state the fruit is from (California, Oregon), but there aren't too many details about soil type or specific vineyards or blends. This doesn't mean that Krankl isn't overseeing the contracts and cherry-picking the best sites based on terroir-- there is a focus in his mind on finding the best fruit from the best places. The difference is that his wines are not sold as terroir-driven wines. We buy them because he makes them, and because he works with varieties we enjoy, not because he got his grapes from X vineyard. (It works in reverse too-- we've all tried wines from great terroirs that have been totally ruined by the producer). 

Sine Qua Non wines (and Champagne and Grange) always throw me into a quandary. I struggle when I immensely enjoy a wine that is made more on variety than soil, because, as sommeliers, we are generally taught to love clarity-of-place more than DNA/variety. But should it be this way? Which is rarer and more special: elements found in billions of galaxies throughout the universe that make up our soil, or plant life that-- as far as we know-- exists only for a brief season in our remote solar system? If you look at it from a universe perspective, the living grape varietal is far more precious and rare than the limestone or granite on which it is grown. But ultimately, both terroir and genetic variety are sine qua non-- without either there would be nothing, no wine. To the terroirists and to those who seek the tastes of specific varietals: I think there is room for diversity of approach in quality winemaking, and that this diversity of approach is healthy. 

Things are changing at Sine Qua Non, too-- they have grown since their first release, and are well into the transition toward estate production. They have a winery and organic home vineyards now. They have recently added additional vineyards to their holdings, and they still keep some contracts. The information about these fruit sources is now clearly available on their website. Their bottles may not say which vineyard/s the fruit comes from, but you can take an educated guess.  Of course, throughout their production, there have been glimpses of clearly labeled terroir driven wines ('96 Left Field), but overall you see mostly "California Table Wine" on the back. 

Mr.K noble chardonnay is different primarily because it is a product of collaboration between two winemakers. Second, it is a dessert wine (so different from the normal style of Sine Qua Non). Third, check out the back label: as you can see in the photo above they clearly listed the single vineyard (owned by their friend). Perhaps this unexpected style of labeling comes from the collaborative efforts between Krankl and Kracher. It is interesting to notice this slight shift toward hailing the terroir. 

The Noble Chardonnay
It had this brilliant tiger-eye color, aromas of orange marmalade, kumquat, spices and musk. It tasted like candied oranges and apricots; it was lusciously sweet, but still had plenty of acidity to balance it out. There was an after-bite that reminded me of the orange pith you find in orange marmalade. 

Though quite distinctive, if I had to draw a parallel, the closest dessert wine I've ever had that resembles the taste of this might be the Donnafugata Ben Ryé Zibibbo (Passito di Pantelleria). 

In case you were wondering what to do with all your glasses when they are not in use: 

Richard Pockrich (1695–1759), one of the first people accredited with creating and playing the glass harp, popularized the instrument in Europe. Ben Franklin heard it on one of his trips and got some ideas of his own on how to improve it: 

I'm wondering, will my somm series Burgundy glass be more appropriate for Bach or Mozart?

Chef Jeremy Bearman and Wine Director Pascaline Lepeltier of Rouge Tomate in Manhattan, New York need little introduction. Chef Bearman has long been a proponent of sustainable and local foods, and Pascaline is a global champion of organic wines.  A few weeks ago they collaborated to put on an amazing wine dinner focused on special wines from the West Coast (West Coast Winemakers' Dinner: A Tribute to Natural Wines).  The wines curated were a telling cross section of a movement gaining momentum in California and Oregon. 

The line-up included: 

Dirty & Rowdy semillon, 2011
Dirty & Rowdy mourvedre, 2010, 2011
Coturri chardonnay, Grebenikoff 2010
Coturri zinfandel, Estate 2007
Coturri red blend, "Sandocino" NV
Montebruno pinot noir, 2007, 2008, 2009
Hardesty merlot/cab sauv, "Trinity" 2009

Dirty & Rowdy
Of all the wines we tasted that night, I'm going to focus on just one producer-- Dirty & Rowdy-- because, well, I was sitting next to Hardy Wallace, aka Dirty (one of the winemakers) and we talked mostly about his wines. 

I always wonder what it must feel like for hard-working winemakers who see all the grit--  the dusty, bloomy grapes, the bugs and pests, the mess of the crush, all the gross after-stuff of fermentation, the clean up, the unrelenting, backbreaking, sleeplessness of harvest time-- and then see their finished wine in a leisurely setting like a private dining room in a fancy NYC restaurant, packaged in bottles, served by people in suits, and sipped by well-heeled diners. It must be a trip. Wine is a delicate agricultural product that, at times, can seem so far separated from its farm-based source. The wines served with this dinner are all wines that attempt to bridge the separation that can occur after grapes are transformed into bottles wine, and all are made by small-volume winemakers specifically focused on organic farming and natural winemaking. 

At dinner I sat next to one such winemaker, who goes by his nickname "Dirty," (yes, he is the "Dirty" in Dirty & Rowdy). First, a little bit about Dirty & Rowdy. Two guys: one wine blogger (Dirty South Wine), one former food blogger from Atlanta. They frequently collaborated on their websites, and one day decided to make wine. After quitting their jobs they up and moved to California, then set up shop making wines. I love that this can happen for some people in life. 

The label has a pretty cool story. 

Dirty and Rowdy have spent hours upon hours up in the Santa Barbera hills at the mourvedre vineyard with old school weed-whackers and clippers. During the weed-whacking, Dirty puts on headphones, but the whacker still creates a constant drone in the background, an almost lulling sound that can make you forget about the two dangers he is always on the lookout for: poisonous snakes and mountain lions. 

When it came time for a label design, they had the idea to be battling snakes and mountain lions with weed-whackers and clippers. Their artist friend took some liberties and made the snake an anaconda, and the mountain lion a formidable tiger. 

After a few glasses and the normal pleasantries, Dirty said something about terroir that made my thoughts wander to drumming (the other big part of my life). We were talking about mourvedre and his choice to make it. I asked "Why mourvedre in Santa Barbera?" He mentioned that the decision was really driven by what desirable parcels were available at that time and which of those fell in their price range. Practical desire. Or maybe more precisely: Desire limited by the confines of practicalness. Winemaking isn't always a result of when-creative-planning-meets-endless-resources; sometimes it is simply taking advantage of what resources are available to you at a particular time. As a new wine label, Dirty & Rowdy has started off like most new labels do: making wine from contracted grapes, with a solid plan to buy their own vineyards in the near future. The mourvedre is a beautiful and unforeseen result of the collision of need and desire. 

Rhythm, Wine, & Expression
As a semi-artistic expression created out of available resources, the genesis of their mourvedre has parallels in other disciplines. As a drummer, I couldn't help but think of the early beginnings of the drum set. The short version is this: marching bands in New Orleans were called upon to play dance music in dance halls. It didn't make economic sense to split up the band money between a cymbal player, a bass drum player, a snare player, etc., so somewhere along the way, one guy got the idea to stick them all together & play them all himself. It caught on fast, and the individual band members all got a bigger cut because of it. The drum set was created happenstance out of available resources and financial restrictions. Each drummer assembled their drum set a bit differently (as they still do today). The idea of a "drum set" is a universal one, yet the enactment of any single particular drum set is one that is personal and distinct and can result in a highly unique configuration based on available resources. In this way, the drum set is much different from most other instruments that are standardized in form (such as the trombone, the violin, the saxophone, and the modern day piano). 

In one of my favorite books that touches on the subject, Percussion: Drumming, Beating, Striking (John Mowitt: 2002), Mowitt makes a statement that has stuck in my brain for years: 

You could take out the word "trap set" in his statement and replace it with "wine" or "terroir" and get a pretty profound notion of how we use land to create a wide array of wines. 

Though wine and drumming seem like two disjointed subjects, after a glass of wine I had the courage to mention this thought to Dirty. "Ok," I said, "this may sound kind of off-subject, but I play the drums and how your mourvedre came to be kind of reminds me of how drum sets came to be." If he looked disinterested I had a plan to change the subject, fast. 

Dirty paused, looked at me for a minute, and blinked through his glasses. "You play the drums? I play the drums too, I don't think that sounds weird at all." Both our eyebrows raised and something clicked-- like two random guys suddenly realizing that they both were in the same fraternity but from different colleges. 

It turns out that Dirty is an accomplished tabla drummer who has studied Indian classical music pretty extensively. Is it possible to separate the id of the winemaker/grower from the final product? I don't believe so; and so, I think a brief look at the ideology that informs Indian classical music can serve as a useful prism through which to view the wines of Dirty & Rowdy. 

Indian Classical Music and The Raga
Indian Classical Music traces its deep origins to the Sanskrit Vedas, where the concept of the raga is an integral notion of music. Slightly similar to the concept of a scale (but not quite), the raga is a series of notes used to construct a melody. The raga is integrally linked to mood, time, and place. There are ragas for early morning, ragas for dusk, ragas for the heat of summer, ragas for winter... the idea is that music is linked to the mood of the time and place. How illuminating it is that the etymology of the word raga is hue, and like a hue, a raga is useful in coloring the sonic landscape of time, place, and circumstance. 

A raga has defining parameters, but once inside a raga, a musician has room to stretch and play with improvisation, embellishment, and time. The execution of these sometimes subtle freedoms distinguish good musicians from great ones, and they also allow the musician to tailor the particular performance to what is happening in the moment. 

Is there anything else besides a raga (or music in general) that has the ability to-- each time it is endeavored-- capture and portray a unique collision of time, place, and circumstance? Is there some other human endeavor that also seeks to highlight the beauty and struggle of the passage of time, and then transmit this aesthetic to others in a form consumable by the senses? I'd venture to say that winemaking does just this.  Dirty alluded to this when he once posted on his own wine blog: 

How lucky for us that two wine-obsessed drummers were randomly sat next to each other for this dinner. 
 

The Dinner
And we had dinner.... 

                
                                                                                                                 

      
                                  Cauliflower Custard                                                                             Dirty & Rowdy Semillon 2011

This was a great pairing. The semillon is grown in Yountville (Napa, CA) and fermented in two different ways. Half of it is skin fermented (orange) and the other half is done in a concrete egg. The two batches are then blended. The skin fermentation adds density, weight, tannin, and texture. The concrete egg portion is interesting-- the shape of the egg forces the CO2 back down into the bottom of the egg, so the contents are always in motion and no cap management is necessary. The finished wine is unfiltered, so it's a bit cloudy-- but nothing to be afraid of! The savory aromas and the richness of texture went so well with the custard and cauliflower. 

                      Sardines a la Plancha                                         herbed olive oil                                          Sunchoke Farrotto

This was possibly one of the best pairings of the night. This duck preparation is one of Chef Bearman's classic dishes, and it went beautifully with the Dirty & Rowdy mourvedre. 

Long Island Duck, Moroccan Spices, Fregola Sarda, Baby Turnip, Medjool Date, Beldi Olive, Marcona Almond

Dirty & Rowdy mourvedre 2010 & 2011



And, if you missed it earlier, Dirty & Rowdy and their wives have risked stepping on angry snakes and getting jumped by mountain lions to bring us this high elevation mourvedre from Santa Barbera. Thanks guys! 

Bibliography
Mowitt, John. (2002) Percussion: Drumming, Beating, Striking. Duke University Press: Duhram and London.