Author: Fred Matuszewski

The winemaker for Peter Paul Wines

Meet Martin Reyes, a Master of Wine and the first American of Mexican descent to achieve that honor. Reyes is a wine maker and chief wine officer for Peter Paul Wines in Napa Valley, California, and an importer for the Pennsylvania market. The recipient of many wine accolades, Reyes said in a recent phone interview that he stumbled into the wine industry. A graduate of Stanford in 2000, he set out to become a recruiter for high-tech companies, up until the bottom fell out of the tech economy immediately thereafter. Without a job, he tended bar and became interested in the business of wine, winemaking and viticulture. He stocked shelves and then landed a job with Fred Beringer at the St. Helena Wine Center (re-named The Bottle Shop last year). In this well-established tasting room, Martin learned how to appreciate extraordinary wines, his favorite of which is Champagne. He credits his accomplishments to the support of the Beringers.

The Institute of Masters of Wine is the home of exceptional expertise in the wine world. Started more than 65 years ago as an exam for the U.K. wine trade, it is now a globally recognized title held by just over 400 individuals worldwide and 50 in the United States. The exam tests the breadth and depth of a candidate’s theoretical knowledge and tasting skills in the art, science, and business of wine. One must prepare a theory paper and in-depth research project. Martin’s MW dissertation, “Crowdsourced Ratings for Wine: Exploring the Rise of the Consumer Critic and Its Impact on Purchasing Behavior in a U.S.A. Environment,” was recently published (read it at reyeswinegroup.com).

Peter Paul Wines is owned by Peter T. Paul, CEO of Headlands Asset Management, and an alumnus and benefactor of the University of New Hampshire. Shortly after forming the winery, Peter Paul brought on Martin to develop a portfolio of wines. Martin set out to source grapes from some of the best vineyards in Napa and Sonoma and is now producing extraordinary wines, the “Live Free or Die” wines being exclusive to the state of New Hampshire. A portion of the sale of these wines also goes back toward supporting local New Hampshire organizations.

Peter Paul “LIVE FREE OR DIE” 2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (originally $24.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet and reduced to $21.99) has a beautiful straw color and floral aromas of apple and peach along with some yeast. It is full to the mouth with melon and minerality, along with a touch of citrus. Vanilla is also present in the long finish on the palate, a perfect pairing to shellfish. The grapes of this wine come from the Bacigalupi Vineyard, in the Russian River Valley. The Bacigalupi Vineyard is famous for having produced the fruit that went into the Napa Valley Chardonnay from Château Montelena, which triumphed over acclaimed French wines in the 1973 Paris tasting.

Peter Paul “LIVE FREE OR DIE” 2018 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir (also originally $24.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet, and reduced to $21.99) is a pedigree from another outstanding vineyard in Sonoma, Terra de Promissio vineyard in the Petaluma Gap. Terra de Promissio (Land of Promise) grapes go into some of the finest wineries’ blends, including Castello di Amerosa, Hanzell Vineyards, Kosta Browne and Williams-Selyem. Planted in 2002 by Charles and Diana Karren, a converted 53-acre ranch with rolling hills and a southwestern exposure, it is one of the most sought-after producers of pinot noir grapes. This wine has a beautiful red garnet color. It has a light bouquet of cherry, along with some earthiness, a departure from many pinot noirs and more akin to Burgundian pinot noirs. The nose carries through to the palate with a bright and lush texture and acidity to a long finish.

Peter Paul 2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (available at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet at $39.99) is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, petit verdot, merlot and malbec grapes, sourced throughout Napa Valley from Rutherford, to Mount Veeder, to St. Helena. This is a low production line of only 400 to 500 cases. The nose is of cassis, plum and vanilla. On the tongue, the wine is full of black cherry fruit and light, velvety tannins. The finish is long, which makes this a perfect pairing for a fine, rare rib-eye steak. This wine was awarded “One of the U.S.’s Best Napa Cabernets” by Wine & Spirits magazine.

Working alongside Trevor Smith, a former cellar master at Screaming Eagle who offers his technical expertise, Martin has created wines that are not only great tasting but appealing because of their price points, one of the hallmarks of Martin’s goals to popularize wine.

Featured photo: Peter Paul wines. Courtesy photo. Martin Reyes. Courtesy photo.

Napa and Sonoma offer a perfect spot for pinots and chards

Napa and Sonoma counties, known for producing some of our nation’s greatest wines, have been described as having a Mediterranean climate. While the valley floor of Napa and Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa can reach summer temperatures well into the 90s, the two counties have several cooler microclimates produced by air movement over the diverse terrain.

These counties lie north of San Francisco and San Pablo Bay. Combined they are about 50 miles long and almost 50 miles wide and are bordered on the east by the Vaca and Howell mountains, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The Mayacamas Mountains, a range that is more than 50 miles long, running from just north of the San Pablo Bay to Mendocino County, separates Napa and Sonoma counties with slopes that vary from hilly knolls to peaks that can climb to well over 4,000 feet. These mountain ranges and their lower, stepped hills, referred to as “benches,” augment the climate of the two counties, contributing to several microclimates throughout the area.

San Pablo Bay is a shallow estuary that mixes the fresh water of several rivers with the salt water of San Francisco Bay. This low-lying and gently sloping land shared by these two counties is known as the Los Carneros AVA (American Viticultural Area). The cold, brackish water of the bay evaporates into the hot, arid air of the two valleys to the north to produce cool foggy nights that can last well into the morning hours.

This climate is ideal for growing chardonnay and pinot noir grapes, varietals grown in the Champagne regions of France for the production of Champagne. The cooler climate of Carneros is attractive to the cultivation of these same varietals and is used in the production of California sparkling wines. With more than 6,000 acres cultivated in vineyards, the Carneros District was the first wine region in California to be defined by its climate characteristics rather than political boundaries. Elevations of these vineyards range from 400 feet in the foothills of the Mayacamas mountains to near sea level at the bay’s edge. With the combination of poor soil and cooler climates, the wines developed from grapes grown in this region have higher levels of acidity.

Our first wine is a chardonnay, Bouchaine Vineyard 2016 Chêne d’Argent Estate Chardonnay (originally priced at $32.99, reduced to $16.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets). Bouchaine is the oldest continuously operated winery in the Carneros district. The land was first owned by a native of Missouri, Boon Fly, who planted grapes and fruit trees in the late 1880’s. The land changed hands and was eventually purchased by its current owners, Gerret and Tatiana Copeland. This wine has a light, transparent gold color. The nose is light, with notes of citric and green apple along with a bit of smokiness. To the tongue the taste is full, citric, with a bit of grapefruit, yeasty brioche, and that same smoky sense, derived from some time in oak barrels. The finish is quite long. This wine will pair well with roasted chicken or grilled pork or can just be slowly sipped.

In the northern region of Sonoma County, 50 miles from San Pablo Bay, is Anderson Valley. About 15 miles long and running along the banks of the Russian River, it extends into Mendocino County. Elevations can range to 2,500 feet above sea level. Vineyards are planted from the valley floor to the benchlands of the nearby mountains. While we typically think of Napa and Sonoma counties as having hot summers, this area is different. Owing to its proximity to the Pacific, and flanked to the east by the Mayacamas Mountains, it is one of the coolest wine-producing areas of the state. Receiving about 40 inches of rain each year, it is also one of the wettest of the various grape-growing and wine-producing regions of Sonoma County.

The 2019 V. Sattui Anderson Valley Classico Pinot Noir (originally priced at $48.99, reduced to $23.99 at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets) is a classic Burgundian pinot noir. V. Sattui, based in Napa, purchases these Anderson Valley grapes and trucks them to its winery in St. Helena — a common practice among wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties. The color is an almost transparent garnet red; the nose is of raspberries, which recede on the tongue to a dry and full-mouth sense of pepper spice with just a touch of leather. Given the cool climate, the wine is light with a low alcohol content at 13.8 percent. This wine will pair well with seafood or chicken.

Featured photo: Bouchaine Vineyard 2016 Chêne d’Argent Estate Chardonnay, 2019 V. Sattui Anderson Valley Classico Pinot Noir

Veggies and seafood pair well with white wines

Grilled steak or spaghetti and meatballs call for a robust wine such as a cabernet sauvignon or a Chianti. Easy enough. But when the dishes are lighter fare, such as a baked or broiled fish or seafood, a salad, a cheese plate, the selection of the wine becomes a bit more complicated and can result in either a perfect pairing of flavors and richness or sheer disaster.

Often wines for these dishes tend to be white wines, although a bright, light red pinot noir or Beaujolais can be paired with some seafood, such as grilled salmon, grilled scallops and tuna, or a mushroom risotto. White wines can be light and crisp or fuller in body with some creaminess to the mouth. They span the spectrum from the dry citric notes of sauvignon blanc of Bordeaux to the less acidic notes of whites from the Venezia district of Italy, to Alsatian whites with their minerality, to California chardonnays, with their full mouth feel along with the possibility of oak.

The first wine is Bertani’s 2018 Velante Pinot Grigio (originally $14.99, reduced to $7.99, at New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets). As the name suggests, this may be considered the “Italian white wine” as pinot grigio is the most imported variety of wine in America. The grape variety is indigenous to Burgundy but is now grown throughout northern Italy and has migrated to the rest of the world. In Italy it is found in Veneto, Trentino, Friuli, and south to Umbria and Emilia-Romagna. This wine is mildly acidic, with a low alcohol content of 12.5 percent. The grapes come from the Venezia Giulia region, grown vertically trellised, harvested, and fermented in steel containers for three months, followed by another three months in bottle maturation.

To the nose it has an aroma of green or golden tart apples along with the subtle sweetness of pear and peach. It remains light and crisp to the tongue and to my palate is a bit like an unoaked chardonnay. This wine is perfect with light plates like a salad with greens, oranges and nuts, or broiled fish, pasta dishes and risottos. It is a pleasure to be enjoyed when cooled to 45 to 50 degrees.

Our second wine is Substance 2019 Washington State Chardonnay (originally $18.99, reduced to $14.99 at state stores). Charles Smith, winemaker and former rock concert tour manager, respects hard work and puts that hard work into his wine. This is a chardonnay that is aromatic with some citric, apples and flowers to your nose. The mouth is rich and creamy, with oak and vanilla and a bit of yeast that you would find in a Champagne. At 14 percent it is higher in alcohol than the pinot grigio, nudging the alcoholic content of rich cabernet sauvignons.

The wine is sourced from several vineyards in the Columbia Valley, all at elevations from 1,350 to 1,650 feet above sea level. Interestingly, the high elevations allow the vineyards an extended growing season as early late-summer harvest frosts can settle into the valleys before reaching the hillsides. This results in a higher sugar content in the grape and a full, rich flavor that excels beyond the citric notes a less mature chardonnay would have. This is an excellent wine to pair with lobster or salmon, but it can also hold up to a Caesar or vegetarian Cobb salad, and perhaps a simple green salad of lettuces and herbs, with a creamy and not too acidic dressing.

Celebrate with chocolate and red wine

How to celebrate Valentine’s Day? With red wine and chocolate, of course! The wine should be rich with fruit to the nose and palate but not too “jammy.” It should have subtle tannins and be “just a little dry” to counter the sweetness of the chocolate.

The chocolate should be among the best you can find, with a cocoa content of 70 percent or higher, because dark chocolate contains a higher concentration of antioxidants and nutrients compared to chocolate with a lower percentage of cocoa. So a good red wine with excellent chocolate is a must not just for Valentine’s Day but for the entire month.

A great wine to pair with a dark chocolate is a 2015 Stewart Merlot by Stewart Cellars, originally priced at $39.99 and on sale at the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet at $19.99. Michael Stewart, founder of Texas MicroSystems, a Houston-based company that produced personal computers and servers for the telecommunications industry, and a lover of fine wine, settled in Napa Valley in 1999. He and his wife, Anne, entered the wine business by purchasing a majority interest in the Juliana Vineyard in the eastern section of Napa Valley. Since then, Stewart Cellars has become a family venture with their children, James and Caroline, along with Caroline’s husband, Blair, joining in the enterprise. Stewart Cellars, a very small production winery, is noted for its cabernet sauvignon, sourced from grapes grown in the finest vineyards in St. Helena and Atlas Peak.

This merlot has a dark, thick (almost opaque) purple color, with the characteristic orange rim, and strong notes of cherry and plum to the nose, less dominant to the tongue. The tannins are subtle and the taste is long. California merlots tend to be more fruit forward than merlots grown elsewhere. Typically raspberry and blackberry with strong mocha and chocolate notes prevail through complex nuances of leather and tobacco. Unfortunately, with the release of the movie Sideways, entire vineyards of merlot were pulled, resulting in a paucity of the grape in California. Fortunately, this wholesale destruction of this superior varietal did not affect the plantings in Bordeaux, and now, almost 20 years later, merlot can be appreciated as the third most popular wine in the U.S. after cabernet sauvignon and red blends.

Now to the question of what kind of chocolate to pair with this luscious wine! Local candy makers, including Granite State Candies, Van Otis and Dancing Lion, which uses Jivara chocolate from Ecuador, offer superlative dark chocolate. Locally available, and wonderfully delicious, is Divine 70 percent cocoa chocolate, sourced from São Tomé, a volcanic island off the coast of Africa, and Lily’s 70 percent cocoa chocolate, traded in compliance with Fair Trade Standards, sweetened with stevia, an extract from a South American shrub.

So settle back, relax, appreciate the labor that went into this wonderful pairing of a rich, full-bodied wine, with the full mouth feel of a smooth, dark chocolate.

Featured photo: Courtesy photo.

How grape varietals come together in wine blends

Most wines produced today are made up of a blend of wines from different casks or vats. Fundamentally the goal of blending wines is for the final product to be greater than the sum of its constituent parts. These “parts” could be wines from different grape varieties, or simply distinct parts within the same vineyard.

Wines exposed to or without oak barrels, or different vintages and other variations, such as percentages of each wine component, can make up a blend. Blending is a skill developed by experience, requiring a fine palate and the foresight of how the different flavors will work together.

Champagne and American sparkling wine is a blend. It can be a blend of different chardonnay wines, or a chardonnay blended with pinot noir. This blend results from the process of making the wine, as new wine is added to the bottle during the dosage. A white wine such as sauvignon blanc will often have sémillon added to it to quiet the acidity and citric notes of the sauvignon. Even Prosecco, the wine from a particular region in northeast Italy, is made mainly from the glera grape but can have up to 15 percent chardonnay, pinot bianco, pinot grigio or some less familiar native grapes to add to its sweetness and complexity.

Chianti, the darling of Italian restaurants with red-checkered tablecloths, gets its name from the hills that stretch south from Florence to Siena. While the main grape is 80 percent sangiovese, up to 20 percent canaiolo, cabernet sauvignon and merlot are added to provide the wine with a silkier texture, finer finish and more fruit flavors than 100 percent sangiovese wine can offer.

Bordeaux is more than a world-famous wine region; it is a wine empire, with 463 square miles of vineyards (half the size of the state of Rhode Island) and 57 appellations of grape growers, vineyard owners and numerous cooperatives. Bordeaux is well-known for its red wine, the blends made from cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot combined in varying percentages based on the estates’ locations, soils and weather of the growing season, an intricate balance that changes from year to year. The cabernet franc is lighter than the lead cabernet sauvignon and, when added, contributes a finesse to the more robust leading grapes of cabernet sauvignon and merlot.

Blends do not always have to be traditional or formulaic. In an exclusive offer to the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlets, Frog’s Leap Vineyards owner John Williams presents his 2018 Granite Red Blend (originally priced at $54.99, reduced to $19.99). While almost all the wines produced and bottled by Frog’s Leap Vineyards are estate grown, sometimes, due to weather or the estate’s production in a given year, they will supplement with purchased grapes. For the 2018 Granite Red Blend, Frog’s Leap used carignan grapes from a Mendocino County vineyard planted in 1942. Typically the carignan grape is used in blends, as it has a tannic, rustic quality. It has a dark red color and produces a wine with notes of the dark red fruit of cherries and plums. While this blend of mostly carignan along with some cabernet sauvignon lacks a long finish, it is the perfect wine for the weeknight dinner.

In the New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet’s website under Education is a window titled “The Tasting Room.” As part of their “90 Days Around the World” promotion, there is an hour-long Zoom interview with John Williams from November ― “Wines of Frog’s Leap with John Williams.” It is highly entertaining and informative as John is an endearing personality who presents his philosophies of making wine, protecting the environment and living life to the fullest. It’s worth checking out.

Featured photo: Rory and John Williams. Courtesy photo.