What is the difference between whole cluster and de-stemmed wines?
Producers will remove stems and leaves before fermentation in order to limit the presence of tannin and to create a wine that is more fruit-forward. Because the stems contain significantly more tannin than the grape, and since tannin is the predominant ageing factor of a wine, wines that are fermented whole-cluster are meant to be more tannic and to have more ageing capabilities.
What determines the ageability of a wine?
Producers will remove stems and leaves before fermentation in order to limit the presence of tannin and to create a wine that is more fruit-forward. Because the stems contain significantly more tannin than the grape, and since tannin is the predominant ageing factor of a wine, wines that are fermented whole-cluster are meant to be more tannic and to have more ageing capabilities.
What determines the ageability of a wine?
Easy answer: Everything. Lasciami spiegare.
1. Grape Variety
Some varietals lend themselves better to ageing than others. Among international varieties, Cabernet, Merlot, Pinor Noir, and Syrah are notorious for the ageing potential. Is it a surprise that they are some of the most-planted grapes in the world? When it comes to Italian varietals, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, and Aglianico are probably the three most age-worthy grapes. Ageability is base on the levels of the four fundamental characteristics of the wine: sugar, alcohol, tannins, and acid. All these characteristics are natural preserving agents that not only soften with age but add character to the wine.
2. Vintage
Some years produce better wines than others. Inclement weather conditions can ruin a vintage, and yet an amiable summer, for example, can turn a good vineyard into a great year. Even within the same winery, winemakers specify each individual vintage's ageing potential compared to other years.
3. Quality of the grapes
Vines that have been growing for, say, two-thousand years, like the vines of Aglianico del Vulture, for example, will by-and-large yield better fruit than vineyards that are just starting out. The best grapes also receive the best land, as in the Barolo district. Land quality is determined by its position to the sun, the content of the soil, and any unusual but salutary quirks to the mesoclimate, such as fog.
6. Barreling
Like tannin and acid, oak preserves the wine. In general, the longer a wine remains in oak before bottling, the more ageing potential it has (Although too much time in the barrel can result in an undesirable, overly-contrived oak taste). Producers will put their best grapes in oak to age the longest, because the value of the wine will increase almost exponentially if it has time to mature before being accessible to the market. Some French and Italian laws require certain wine styles to age a certain number of years before being released.
What is the ideal wine to bring to a dinner party?
As a rule of thumb, you should try to bring a wine that will complement the meal. If you know the hosts fairly well, go ahead and inquire as to what’s on the menu beforehand. They’ll be flattered that you took that much effort. There’s nothing worse than bringing, say, a burly Cabernet to pair with a delicate dish such as oysters on the half shell. If, however, you bring a lush Syrah to pair with lamb chops, you’ll instantly look like a pro.
When the hosts are unfamiliar and the meal is unknown, there are still some safe bets to reduce your chances of blundering. You must go to wines that will pair well with almost anything. I have three suggestions.
First, Champagne is always a nice “go-to” because it functions as an aperitif. No one’s going to look twice if you’re still sipping bubbly with your Filet Mignon. It’s the perfect toast at a dinner party that is celebrating a particular event, such as a graduation or job promotion. Make sure to bring it chilled if you can so that the hosts know you intend to drink it that night.
California Pinot Noir is also an excellent choice because its high acid content makes it pair well with most dishes and many drinkers who are turned off by highly tannic wines such as Cabernet will find it very approachable. And even avid drinkers of those “manlier” wines enjoy a good Pinot on an “off” day. Pinot Noirs from warmers climates and that are made in a certain style can contain a high amount of residual sugar, enabling it to pair well with even sweet and spicy foods such as Thai or Chinese.
Finally, and this shouldn’t come as a shock, I recommend any medium-bodied Italian wine. These wines, too, are naturally very acidic and can cut through the sometimes complex flavors of a dish while not overpowering them. Italian cooking is so ubiquitous in the US now that, while a main dish might not necessarily be Italian, it’s almost always the case that at least one of the appetizers is. True, Barbera won’t complement seared Ahi well, but boy does it go great with Bruscetta! Bring a Chianti, a Valpolicella, or an Aglianico (or even a Dolcetto!) and you should be in the clear. Stay away from tannin monsters such as Barolo and Barbaresco, because they can turn off drinkers that don’t have the palate for those wines.
If none of these appeals to you, I also highly recommend Martin Miller’s London Dry gin. Don’t forget the limes.
When is it appropriate to bring your own wine to drink at a restaurant?
A few scenarios come to mind. If you have a bottle that you’ve been saving for a special occasion that happens to coincide with reservations at a certain restaurant, and that restaurant does not offer anything quite like that bottle, then go for it. Under no circumstances should you arrive with a bottle that the restaurant already offers, or that is similar in style or price-point to what they offer. If you’re looking to drink a more high-end wine (retails for $50+), it might be in your best interest to pay the corkage ($15 is standard, although fine-dining restaurants now charge $25) and not worry about how much it’s being marked up, how it was stored, or frauds. For example, a bottle that you bought for $100 at the wine store will probably go for anywhere between $200 and $250 at the restaurant, which means the $25 corkage is chump change in comparison. Restaurant staff should be intrigued if you bring in an interesting or rare bottle that they’ve never encountered. If they’re snobby or distant about the whole thing, it’s not your problem. The corkage fee is a safe-guard against being taken advantage of. Even if you bring in your own bottle, you’re still tipping as if you were to buy a very inexpensive bottle. Don’t feel bad.
