Adieu, Art Buchwald

When I first read about Art Buchwald, it was his book “Too Soon to Say Goodbye” which I bought in Borders about 2 months ago. He was such a unique man that I had the strongest urge to fly to his hometown and, like many of his friends and readers, be part of the entourage to his long farewell.

Forever the satirist, he has wished to pass away on a day that no head of state or Nobel Prize winner dies. I bet his wish of having a big obituary in The New York Times is granted too. A unique man indeed, we probably will not find another Art in a long time. His sense of humor has touched many readers and even in his last book, I would let out hearty laughter in the middle of the night reading it. He has brought new meaning to the definition of “death” whose journey need not be an emotionally draining one and it should not be a taboo subject for one to plan for it when God makes his row call.

I am glad to be “acquainted” with Art in his last journey. His approach in life, turning humor into the best medicine for all mankind’s illnesses has taught me to live life differently. It is subconsciously that I decided to take up French class to open up my unexplored senses, adding new positive energy to my emotions, knowing that I too can breakaway from setting self-imposed career milestones and just do what I enjoy most! Most importantly, it is a plan to have a happy soul to the last day of my life when the time comes.

As Ethel Kennedy puts it, “Arty kept us laughing, from Paris to hospice. Now heaven will be a lot more fun”.

Adieu, Art.

By Cher Lim
Wine Treasures Pte Ltd
Website:http://www.wine-treasures.com

Email: limce@singnet.com.sg

What does 100 year old vine mean?

A couple of weeks ago, I shared a few bottles of Montevina Terra d’oro Zinfandel 2003 with my customers. The wine labels printed “Deaver Vineyard, 100 year old vines” and this sparked off an interesting discussion on the significance of the age of vines. I shall take this opportunity to explore the viticultural aspects of wine growing and I hope it will help in the understanding towards winemaking.

When one mentions that terroir determines the wine’s flavor and style, this term has a multi-dimension meaning. It consists of the climate, soil, landscape and a composition of factors such as hours of sunlight, slope, drainage, rainfall distribution .. etc.

A winegrower is one who cultivates grapes and makes wine from them. He/She understands that wine is made in the vineyard, is familiar with the latest viticultural practices, employs sustainable procedures to optimize the grape-growing environment for good quality grapes. The flavor, color and palate of the finished wine is largely dependant on the grapes and the environment that they are cultivated in.

Having said this, the age of vines is a health indicator of the plant’s root system and potentially a measure of its resilience to diseases. The soil that the vine grows on consists of a 3 to 4 sub-layer profile which facilitates the roots with the necessary nutrients for plant growth. Theoretically, the deeper the root system travels, the more minerals will be absorbed. This however, is not a golden rule and varies with the condition and quality of soil available. Vines that thrive under a harsh condition usually have a deep root system. As the vine ages, its root system is developed and become more resistant to diseases and climatic changes. Therefore, a vine which survived through a hundred years should be hardy and therefore carry a greater chance of producing healthy fruits.

This is a statistical assumption and I will use this extra information on the label as a data point when tasting the wine. Fortunately, this wine reflects the healthy soil and the warm climate has left its signature on the palate composition of the final product. It is a full-bodied red with an upfront nose of blackberries and plums. It is filled with black fruits on the palate. There is cinnamon and spices as well, making it a rich and powerful wine. The long finish and a trace of heat at the back of the throat suggest that the wine is indeed made from rather ripe fruits. Overall, the 100 year old vines did not disappoint this tasting!

Copyright of Wine Treasures Pte Ltd

By Cher Lim
Wine Treasures Pte Ltd
Website: http://www.wine-treasures.com
Email: limce@singnet.com.sg

Celebrating New Year with Merry Edwards

It was mid-2005 when I first heard of Merry Edwards as the Pinot Noir winemaker to watch out for in California. After tasting her wine in several occasions, I concluded that it is one which could challenge the Burgundy eventually. I decided to bring in this wine to share with my customers this new year, also to provide an insight into the Californian winemaking scene.

For the past 10 years, American wine has been viewed as expensive in most parts of Asia compared to the other new world winemaking countries. It is partly due to the exchange rate and transportation cost in comparison to its counterparts. As with most agricultural sectors, the supply glut of grapes in America has also initiated a series of corrective action to prevent an oversupply of the wine in the market. The growers and wineries have taken hard steps to sustain the industry as a whole. Fortunately, the wine industry has come around with quality wine at value prices. This has benefited the American consumers and we are beginning to see the spread over effect to its exports.

The most noticeable benefits are the fine winemaking techniques adopted by those wineries who have survived the consolidation phase. They know that it is quality and finesse that will bring them far and will eventually challenge the French wine status in the world.

Merry Edwards, like many premium winemakers, has employed a mix of traditions and technology in her methods of winemaking. I tasted two different vintages of her Pinot Noir (Russian River), 2003 and 2004. Merry cold soaked her grapes prior to fermentation which she has moved to using a higher temperature than before. Research has shown that cold soaking will extract more color and tannins from the grapes skins (the component extracted is called monomeric anthoyanins). A warmer fermentation could also prepare the grapes for a deeper aroma profile during aging. I recalled the 2003 vintage as one that has an upfront cherry nose with hints of mint. The color is bright red and very delightful to the eyes. There is a lot of cranberry flavors and a smooth texture. The tannins is refined and pleasant, mixed with a slight sweetness which suggests a favorable 2003 climate.

I decided to usher in the new year with Merry’s Russian River Pinot Noir 2004. Instead of watching the usual count down on TV, we decided to rent a movie called DejaVu (starring Denzel Washington) to accompany this wine. I thought the name of the movie is really appropriate for this tasting.

With the movie running and our dog falling asleep in his sofa bed, I decided that it is time to open the wine. It greets me with a nose of cherry and almond, with the latter stimulating some gastronomic juice. The aroma profile seems to be more complex than the traditional Pinot Noir I have tried, with additional hints of jasmine and plum as the wine breathes. The palate is a little more spicy than the 2003 vintage and reminds me of mushroom as well. The tannins are more pronounced but very well integrated into the finishes of the wine. I think the wine has a good aging potential and for those who are impatient, I will recommend a quick decanting to enhance the drinking pleasure. Overall, there is a clear difference in the wine’s aroma and palate presentation between the two vintages, I thought the 2004 is more robust and closer to the style of Burgundy.

Merry Edwards is probably the most unique winemaker in America, especially her Pinot Noir. I was told that her wine is now adored by the Japanese consumers and I can understand the reason. I hope my customers will like it too. More of their comments later.

My Best Wishes to all my friends in a prosperous and healthy 2007!


Copyright of Wine Treasures Pte Ltd

By Cher Lim
Wine Treasures Pte Ltd
Website: http://www.wine-treasures.com
Email: limce@singnet.com.sg