Weekly Noodle Baker

[JimCook]

Okay - time for another question of the week. This week, I wanted something that would require a little more effort than the fruit wine question from last week, to which there were an impressive number of responses. Without further ado here is the situation at hand...


You are a winemaker that is being commissioned to craft a wine by an eccentric individual looking to have a wine crafted in her own image. She describes herself as bright, bold, and aggressive, but also smooth, sultry and sleek. Giving you no information other than this, she awaits your expert outcome. Which kind of grape(s) from what areas would you source to fill the bill and what other techniques would you use to craft this unique wine?
- Jim

 

[grapeman]

This is going to take a bit of thinking on my part. I can say though that the grapes will be sourced from my own vineyard and will most certainly be a white. I have several varieties fitting the bill. I will give it more thought and get back to you in a bit to let you know the verdict.

 

[AlFulchino]

well that would be my Mirabella....i wish i could provide more infoas to how i make it..... its smooth...its sensual....its silky.....it reaches your heart...actually it reaches peoples hearts

 

[cbw]

Viognier ... grape and varietal ... hey, my wife loves it when I make it ... and she's sultry, bright and bold

 

[Dean]

Albariño! This wine can certainly be all that and more. Grapes would be sourced from Rias Baixas DOC in Spain. This is an amazing, very under-appreciated white varietal.

 

[JWMINNESOTA]

 

[Brent2489]

MD20/20!!

I get all googley-eyed just thinking about it!!

 

[Cracked Cork]

She describes herself as bright, bold, and aggressive, but also smooth, sultry and sleek.

Why limit yourself to just grapes?

per gallon:
Bright - 3 lb Blackberry
Bold - 2 lb elderberry
Agressive - EC-1118
Smooth - 1 cup ELDME
Sultry - 4 oz dried elderberry
Sleek - 1 L red grape concentrate

Ferment on the fruit for only 3 days, feed it a little before putting it under glass and let it bulk age for a year before bottling.

CrackedCork

 

[xanxer82]

Sauvingonese, merlot and barbera blended. pressed then fermented. light toasted oak.

 

[grapeman]

Well after giving it a bit of thought as to proportions, I have decided on the blend I made last year that pretty much fits the bill.


LaCrescent - well ripened in 60% for the bulk of the blend. It brings to the table Bright, bold and crisp with a bit of assertiveness(aggressive).


St. Pepin - in 25% definitely contributes sultryness and a certain "je ne sais quois" as one European taster described of mine last summer(she tried to buy a case from me). It is also quite sleek and aggressive in it's own right.


Adalmiina - oh yeah 15% of this wil make it smooth as silk while adding great body to the blend. Anymore and it will add too much of it's own flavors- which we don't want in this one.


I know you guys can't have these varieties in any quantity where you all are from, but I am blessed to have them all- they just don't have the name recognition yet. This wine will be just slightly off dry for the residual sugars to balance the crispness of the Lacrescent. I may have to draw off some of all of these tomorrow and see how it is from last years grapes........ If you don't hear from me tomorrow, I may have gotten carried away with that eccentric vixen.............................................

 

[JimCook]

I've given this some consistent thought and there are definitely several angles of approach that come to the front of my mind, however I think I would go with the following...


Bright to me says fruit character and the bold & aggressive part says tannic support and flavor/mouthfeel intensity. Smooth to me means the tannins need to be rounded out and the sultry and sleek make me think of dark but not overpowering flavors and pleasant, lingering aftertastes.


Since logistics aren't as much of a problem, I'm swinging for the fence. A Napa (Mt. Veeder, Diamond Mountain, or Spring Mountain) Cabernet Sauvignon blended with some cool-weather Syrah from Santa Maria/Santa Barbara with a bit of Napa Petit Verdot for added 'sultry.' I'll go with 60% Cab, 35% Syrah, and 5% Petite Verdot. The Cab should provide some good structure since Cab currently trends toward smoothness rather than a tannic bomb of old. The cool weather Syrah will provide rich, deep color and more of that bold fruit character while providing some meatiness to the wine. The Petite Verdot adds that mysterious sultry depth with dark fruit character and solid structure. Ferment it on a mix of BDX and Rockpile yeast and oak it all in French Oak barrels (30% new - medium plus toast) and maybe I'll come up with something that fits the bill.


Dean - We just finished a very good Albariño from Rias Biaxas earlier this week. I enjoy Albariño wines - they remind me almost of a cross between Viognier and Chardonnay at times.


Appleman - Have fun. It is Valentine's Day weekend after all.

- Jim

 

[markg]

My wife wanted a wine after her too. I put in all the ingredients above but added an important ingredient per trait. I added cayenne cuz at the end, she's a pain in the a$$