VinoWeek - Episode 53 Are More Tariffs In Our Future?

It’s been rather calm and quite in Northern California of late. Mother nature is giving us a break from natural disasters and has turned her hell raising ways onto the continent of Australia. For months now Australia has been suffering with continuing wildfires which have to date destroyed over 10 million hectares. Phoebe French provides a list of events and organizations you can make donations to for helping those most in need. While Rebecca Hopkins an expat of Australia pens a fine piece on other ways you can aid in the recovery.

I’m excited about the new reverse microwave technology that can chill a bottle of wine to the proper serving temperature in three minutes, however Bill does not see its merits.

If I had ten dollars for every article I’ve read over the past few weeks on the proposed 100% tariffs on all European Union wines I could take my wife out to a very exclusive dinner in San Francisco and afford to tip big. Translation, the topic of additional tariffs has dominated the wine news. It’s amazing how much hysteria can be whipped up over a proposal. To be sure this proposal and its projected disastrous consequences are being taken very seriously by most that are in the alcohol business on both sides of the Atlantic, but I think there has been a collective yawn from the average consumer. Alfonso Cevola writes one of the better pieces I’ve read on the subject of Tariffs. Jeremy Parzen and Mitch Frank also weigh in on the issue of the doubling of wine prices at the retail level.

We finish the podcast with some local news. All that and more in this week's addition of VinoWeek.

Thanks to everyone for listening. Cheers!

We have three wine recommendations this week. First up is the 2017 Pico Maccario Lavignone Barbera D’Asti. I discovered this wine at last years Gambero Rosso Tre Bicchieri wine tasting in San Francisco. This brand was started by the brothers Pico and Vitaliano Maccario in 1997. The Maccario’s are Barbera specialist. Their operation is in the northwest region of Piedmonte, Italy, near the village of Mombaruzzo, an hours drive southeast of Asti in the middle of the Barbera d’Asti DOCG. The region of Piedmonte is bordered by Switzerland to the north, France to the west, Italy’s Lombardia region to the east and the region of Liguria is its southern border. Lavignone is 100% Barbera and is vinified and aged completely in stainless steel. A number of super premium Barbera producers, La Spinetta, Renato Ratti and Vietti come to mind, have made Barbera very chic by decreasing yields in the vineyards and ageing it in small french oak barrels. If you want to discover Barbera minus the lathering of oak, Lavignone is a prime example. On the nose you’ll notice aromas of purple flowers, violets and red cherries. While on the palate there are rich red and black cherry flavors. Barbera is naturally high in acids and lighter in the tannin department hence the temptation to put it in oak to beef its body up a bit. Lavignone’s tannins are soft and well integrated and the acidity gives this medium bodied wine good length and a savory finish. It’s an excellent value at $13 to $15 a bottle and it should be easy to find as they produce over 29,000 cases. 13.5% alc Buy it here.

Parducci’s 2016 True Grit Reserve Petite Sirah is all Mendocino County fruit. It’s 100% estate grown, 100% Petite Sirah that is aged in a combination of American and French oak. Parducci was established in 1933 following the end of prohibition. Although the Parducci family no longer owns the winery it’s still a family run operation, now being operated by the Thornhill clan.

Photo courtesy of Parducci

The wine has a deep blackish ruby color, with aromas of black fruit and spice. Petite Sirah can be a very aggressive wine and this version of True Grit (the John Wayne of wines) doesn’t disappoint . On the palate black fruit, vanilla, pepper spice, hints of smoke and chalky tannins. It’s full bodied with a long finish. This is a wine to buy now at a great price, drink a few and save as many as you can to drink five years from now. Although they don’t brag about it on the label the wine is vegan which means there was no monkeying around during the winemaking process. I found this bottling at Costco and when I went back a week later it was all gone. The good wines alway go fast. 14.5 abv Buy it here.

The Boss Jean-Marc Photo courtesy of Domaine Beau Mistral

Photo Courtesy of Domaine Beau Mistral

2016 Domaine Beau Mistral Rasteau is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30%Mourvedre and 10% Syrah. Jean-Marc Brun started making wine in 1987 in a winery he rented in the center of the village of Rasteau. Twelve years later he went all in and built his own winery. The village of Rasteau is located in the southeastern region of Frances Rhone Valley. Domaine Beau Mistral covers 70 acres composed of mainly older plots on rocky hillsides. The grapes are hand harvested and punch downs are done manually and by mechanical means. The wines are aged 90% in tank and the rest in barrel. Red raspberry and kirsch aromas with a hint of herbs. The palate displays juicy red fruit, licorice and is direct and thoroughly enjoyable. The tannins are soft, and the wine has ample acidity with an elegant finish. 14% alc $15 Buy it here.