Marisa D'Vari - Latest Blogs

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Book Review: Penin's Guide to Spanish Wine
May 5, 2008

Do you like Spanish wine? If you are like most wine aficionados, the answer is a resounding ‘yes.” Why do so many people around the world prefer Spanish wine? Well, for one thing, in today’s challenging economic climate, Spanish wine is a delicious bargain. And there isn’t anything remotely close to “generic” Spanish wine because each region has its own grape varietal and vinification technique.

Making Spanish wine easy to understand is Jose Penin and his Penin Guide to Spanish Wine. The 2008 guide has just come out, and many producers from Spain came to celebrate and showcase their wine at New York’s W Hotel. The wines exhibited were rated 87 to 93 points, and reflect the “New Values” of Spanish Wine.

Jose Pennin is Spain’s version of Robert Parker. His guide rates wines and provides very vivid descriptions, and also educates the reader about the various regions, terroir, and soils. Even if you know nothing of wine or Spain, by the time you finish reading this book you will be an expert.

The book begins with a discussion of Spanish varietals. White grapes include Airen (Spain’s most widely planted grape), Albarino, Garnacha Blanca, Malvasia, Palomino, and dozens of other white grapes you probably have not heard of. You probably are already familiar with Spain’s reds, which include the famous Tempranillo, Garnacha, and the very trendy Mencia from Bierzo. Scanning the other red grape varieties in Penin’s book will alert you to know many other dozens of grapes you can find in Spain.

In the next chapter, Penin introduces you to the best terroirs in Spain, which includes stony soils, clay-calcareous soils, sandy soils, and volcanic soils. The influence of the soil on the aroma of wine is tremendous. Granite and sandy soils, for example, provide a certain bluntness to the wine and give it clean aromas. Gravel soils produce wine with earthy aromas. Simply scan the information about the soil’s effect on aroma and you will surprise and amaze your friends with your knowledge.

Next, you will learn about climates and microclimates. The Atlantic, as you may well imagine, is humid and wet with rain all year round. Wines struggle to mature and are high in malic acid (which is why some of the best wines from Galacia are so acidic and mineral-driven). In contrasts, wines from a Mediterranean climate like Jumilla produce fuller-bodied wines with a higher alcohol content. If you want to go to Spain to experience the wines first hand, Penin also includes a list of local wine fairs in Spain, along with his personal comments and contact numbers.

However, the “meat” of the book is the reviews and ratings of the wines themselves, organized by Denomination of Origin (DO), which is the Spanish ranking system of quality wines. You will find illustrative maps of the DO region and main concentration of vineyards, a general view of the area with a brief commentary on its current situation and foreseeable future, general characteristics of the regions wines, and a fantastic index. This book is really a must for the casual wine drinker as well as the connoisseur. Cheers!

Author: Marisa D'Vari
Category: New & Notable

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Wines of Cinque Terre
May 3, 2008

... now you might be wondering why this blog has been so quiet ... and the reason is I just got back from a trip to Italy.

In any event, one of the towns I visited was Cinque Terre. The only reason I'm mentioning it, out of the blue like this, is because it was one of the most remote and smallest towns I have ever seeen. And while scanning the Internet came upon a woman writing a blog (you can read her excerpt and see her picture).

I took some pictures of this dramatic landscape too, on my blackberry, but my blackberry is no longer so I just have the memory of that long, jagged seascape.

Now I'm sure you're wondering about the local wine. It is a white wine made from three grapes: Albarola, Bosco, and Buzzetto. It tastes a bit like Vermentino, called Pigato here. When my friend asked for a taste, prior to ordering by the bottle, he received a very small taste and was charged seven Euros for it. Here's another link from the NY Times ... and yet another blog ...

I'll be writing up posts about the wine and some experiences. Right now, I'm studying for a test for the Wine and Spirits Educational Trust in which I'll be expected to know everything possible about every wine in the world, possibly even the wines of Cinque Terre, along with the terroir, the climate, key producers, current developments, trade issues, and so forth. Stay tuned!

Oh, and meanwhile, visit my main site at http://www.awinestory.com

Author: Marisa D'Vari
Category: Bordeaux

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Marketing Wine Seminars
April 24, 2008

Of course, most of you are aware of the power of email marketing for wine store seminars or sales. Either you are a "victim" of wine store spamming or are a marketer and have hopped onto this "proven" method of mass emailing people who have signed up (double opted in!) for your newsletter.

If you are like many recipients of email newsletters, though, it's possible that after a few newsletters or sales alerts, you lowered your subscription to "junk mail status" or unsubscribed.

Here is some interesting news ... as I was rsvp'ing for a seminar, the woman answering the phone at a large wine shop in New York asked how I found out. When I told her, she asked if I'd like to subscribe to their newsletter. "Actually," I said, "I'm probably on it, but I never open them."

"Oh, well that's why I developed two lists. One for sales and seminars, and one for seminars only. This way, you never get blasted with emails about our sales."

This approach makes sense. If you are a wine marketer, it's more importatant than ever to know your customer and what specific information they want from you.

Author: Marisa D'Vari
Category: Bordeaux

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AVineStory.com Featured on Typepad
April 1, 2008

So pardon me for a moment blowing my own horn! Typepad has featured http://www.AVineStory.com as its blog of the month! Here is what they say:

Marisa D'Vari knows her wine – an expertise due in part to her having hosted the cable TV show, A Taste of Luxury, which featured celebrity chefs and wine makers from around the world. Today, Marisa's views, opinions, and talents can be observed in her blog, A Wine Story. In these pages, you'll experience culinary delights and sample some of the world's best wines, as her journeys through Bordeaux and Languedoc will attest (don't despair Americans, there's a positive review of an American wine from an unexpected source too). In a unique post, Marisa has the chance to sample the "same" wines and views that were likely enjoyed by Thomas Jefferson over 200 years ago. Naturally, the grape is the featured subject here and in addition to reviews on the complexities and nuances of both popular and little known wines, Marisa's knowledge and experience powers her observations on such diverse topics as Wine Etiquette and Psychology. Related blogs, restaurant reviews, video, and a fun "wine Tarot reading” round out what is one of the more robust, full-bodied sites we’ve sampled in a while.

also see http://www.AWineStory.com

Author: Marisa D'Vari
Category: New & Notable

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Experienceing Artesa Wines
March 28, 2008

Consider the year 1551. Michelangelo is in Italy, chiseling the finishing touches on his last work, the Rondanini Pietà. In merry old England, Edward VI succeeds Henry VIII as king. And in the Spanish town of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, just west of Barcelona, Jaume Codorníu bequeathes his wine cellars, presses, barrels and vats to his heirs.

You’ve heard of Codorniu. It’s the popular sparkling wine with the artistic image. Today the Codorniu family has moved forward into the international still wine scene with the birth of the aptly named Artesa Winery, which owns 400 acres of planted vineyards on both sides of the Mayacamas Mountains (including Napa’s Carneros and Atlas Peak appellations, and in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley).

Recently I’ve had a chance to try some of their wine. Artesa (more about the story behind the name in a minute) has what they call a “multi-appellation strategy” meaning that they obtain grapes from the best appellations for growing each variety. For example, in the northern Alexander Valley in Sonoma County, the vineyard location is best for Bordeaux varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot in addition to Spanish Tempranillo. On the Sonoma Coast, they have 300 acres of land to producing Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Albarino.

The master alchemist at Artesa is winemaker David Dobson, who earned many accolades during his time at Rutherford Hill. At a recent press lunch to showcase the new vintage, Dobson walked journalists through the steps of creating a Bordeaux-style blend by giving participants a pipette (a straw-like utensil used in chemistry classes) and samples of their Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.

The Codorniu family made a considerable investment in both making great wine and contributing to the arts. Over a century ago, the Raventos family (Codorniu’s owners) commissioned a renowned architect to construct Codorníu Cellars, now a Spanish national artistic and historical monument. Codorníu also sponsored a turn-of-the-century Art Nouveau poster competition for leading 19th century artists.

Today the tradition continues with the work of Napa Valley based resident artist, Gordon Huether. For Artesa, Gordon creates works in a variety of media including glass, metal and canvas. But these words can not even begin to describe the awesome power of Gordon’s art, especially as it relates to the geometric shape of the winery’s architecture, and the way the art is viewed against the backdrop of the big, blue, open sky.

You will find Artesa wines available in wine stores, but also visit Artesa online and check out their wine club. Artesa favors its members with access and discounts on new releases, yet also offers a very active calendar of events. Members can prune vines and have lunch afterwards, attend Spanish dinners, luxuriate on Mexican cruises, and more. And if you are visiting the Napa Valley, visit the tasting room and enjoy wine and cheese on the sun-swept patio overlooking the vineyards, the gorgeous winery, and Gordon’s fabulous art.

Oh, and if you liked this article, see many features on different wine regions at http://www.AWineStory.com

Author: Marisa D'Vari
Category: New & Notable

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