Updated Sept. 23
The last couple of weeks have been bountiful ones on the wine front. I’ve crossed paths with special old friends — Chateau Montelena, the Paul Hobbs wine family and Villa Antinori most prominent among them — but I also encountered a bunch of new ones: a super special family of Cavas, gems from the Cotes de Bordeaux, Mendoza malbec blends and several superbly priced Barolos, Barberescos and Barberas. In short, life has been good during what’s normally a slow time of the wine year.
If they’re available for purchase either in Houston or on line, you’ll be reading about my favorites in my September “Sippin’ with Sporty” post, so I won’t go into detail today except to share a few thoughts about each of the producers that turned my head.
First, my longtime acquaintances . . .
Chateau Montelena — Not sure there’s anything to say about this iconic winery, shown above, that you don’t already know, but here’s a little personal history. The first case of any single wine I ever purchased was the 1987 Estate Cabernet, which earned 98 points from Robert Parker as a recall. And I probably paid less than $40 per bottle. Today, the 2019 sells for $200, worth every dime but a little out of my price range these days — just as, frankly, that case was in 1990. The 2021 Chardonnay ($75 at http://montelena.com) and 2023 Sauvignon Blanc ($50) were drinking splendidly, too, and should be on shelves around town.
Villa Antinori — Speaking of iconic producers, there are no more famous names than Antinori in the whole world of wine. The business, which dates to the 14th century is now run by the Marchese Piero di Antinori’s daughter Albieri, with lots of help from her sisters Allegra and Alesssia. I’ve had a breakfast — sans wine, sadly — with the Marchese at the Granduca Hotel when he came to Houston in 2014 to present his twice-champion Antinori Guado al Tasso Bolgheri Superiore at the Rodeo’s Best Bites competition. I also enjoyed a dinner at Damian’s (yes, RIP) with Alessia, an art lover — it runs in the family — whom I then took to the Menil Collection and the Cy Twombly Museum. Splendid family.
Paul Hobbs — Like Bo Barrett at Montelena, Hobbs is a certified California legend. But, unlike Barrett, who stayed close to home, Hobbs has expanded his wine-making reach to eight other countries. A first trip to Argentina in 1988 marked the beginning of a South American winemaking adventure that carries on today with his wines from Viña Cobos in Mendoza, which I recently tasted for the first time in a long time at AOC. Mostly malbec-centric, of course, they’re terrific and offer superb value. Hobbs route to global fame began more than four decades ago when Robert Mondavi picked him for the team that launched Opus One. Today, in addition to Paul Hobbs Winery and Crossbarn in California and Viña Cobos, he’s front and center with Crocus of Cahors in France, Yacoubian-Hobbs in Armenia and Alvaredos-Hobbs in Spain’s Galicia and Hillick & Hobbs, which focuses on Finger Lakes riesling. The latter closes a circle because Hobbs hails from Upstate New York.
My recent eye-opening discoveries . . .
Bava, San Silvestro, Trediberri — You know you’re living right when Piemontese producers keep showing up on your doorstep. I’ve spent more time in the Langhe and environs than any wine region save for Napa Valley, but none of these were on my radar when I received invitations to tastings. Bava, which goes back 100 vintages, makes extraordinary ageworthy Barberas. I zoned in on the terrific Pianoaltos from Nizza in the Asti neighborhood, tasting all the way back to the 2011 vintage thanks to my friends at AOC. San Silvestro, steeped in four generations of winemaking tradition, is based in Novello in the heart of Barolo country but also makes a lovely Barbaresco. You’ll find Trediberri near La Morra. It’s the new kid in the bunch, having released its first vintage in 2011.
Gramona — The current owners represent the fifth and six generations of this world-class sparkling wine producer in Spain’s Catalan, specifically the Anoia and Bitlles river basins near Sant Sadurní d’Anoia in the Alt Penedés. Of late, they left the Cava family in order to do their own thing at a higher level, using only the xarel’lo grape. They’ve got two gems priced under $30 at AOC and also a big-boy 2006 Gran Riserva Brut Cava that sells for $207.
Côtes de Bordeaux — A tasting of 10 of these off-the-beaten path wines from one of the world’s most revered regions, and presided over by Master Sommelier Guy Stout, proved equal parts fascinating and frustrating. None would sell for more than $30 according to Stout, but none are currently available in the Houston market, best I could tell. Anyway, the villages in the Côtes de Bordeaux are Blaye (the largest producer by far with 40 percent of the total production), Cadillac, Francs, Castillon and Sainte-Foy, although Côtes de Bourg works closely with the group. Regarding Cadillac, shown below, it seemed the perfect place to produce rosé, but none is made there. So, nope, no pink Cadillacs. Yeah, I know, I’m a very funny guy.
The Sports Page
Raising a glass to . . . DeMeco Ryans and C. J. Stroud
Seeing the words “Texans” and “Super Bowl” in the same sentence no longer sends us convulsing in laughter. The rookie head coach and the rookie quarterback made extraordinary debuts last season. But the NFL, like other sports, is a “what have you done for us lately” enterprise and their debuts in 2023 will be formidable acts to follow in 2024. Stroud’s in particular. He’s coming off the best rookie season for an quarterback in modern times, and achieving the best second year seems an impossible aspiration unless he does indeed lead the Texans to a Super Bowl victory, as Tom Brady did as a second-year Patriot. That’s a very high bar.
And to . . . Frances Tiafoe and Ben Shelton
The 2023 and 2024 U.S. Men’s Clay Court champions squared off in an epic third-round match at the U.S. Open Friday with Tiafoe gained revenge for his loss to Shelton in the finals at River Oaks in April. His four-hour, five-set victory kept him alive in his bid for a first-ever major championship, but he would again be denied in Arthur Ashe Stadium, losing a grueling five-setter in the semifinals to his buddy Taylor Fritz, who instead became the first American to reach the Open final since Andy Roddick 19 years ago. It’s a pity that Shelton and Tiafoe had to face off so early in the season’s final Grand Slam, but they battled like the title was on the line. Tough guys both, with great personalities and back stories. Hope they’ll keep Houston on their 2025 calendars.
Pouring one out for . . . Johnny Gaudreau
The Columbus Blue Jackets star, who answered to “Johnny Hockey,” and his younger brother were both killed by an apparently drunken driver in New Jersey while riding their bikes — the night before their sister’s wedding. In 2017, the 11-year-veteran Gaudreau was awarded the NHL’s Lady Bing Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct. The seven-time All-Star was three seasons into a seven-year, $68-million contract after spending eight seasons with Calgary. He married his wife Meredith in 2021 and they have two children under the age of 2. To quote F. Scott Fitzgerald: “Show me a hero and I’ll write you a tragendy.” What an horrific, heartbreaking story at every level.
H-town happenings
Jean-Charles Boisset Exclusives Wine Event — 6:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at Central Market. $30. http://eventbrite.com
Serente Jazz And Wine Escapes Present “A Summer Madness of Sax” — 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Scott Gertner’s Rhythm Room. $45. http://eventbrite.com
2024 Houston Trap Wine Fest — 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 14, at Guadalupe Plaza Park. $12. http://eventbrite.com
High Value Reds From Our Cellar — 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 18, at the Atkins House. http://eventbrite.com
Very Demure Wine Tasting & Evening of Conversation — 7-9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at Four Seasons Bandista Bar. $15 http://eventbrite.com
Texas Wines & Small Bites Tasting — 6:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at the Brazoria County Agrilife Extension Office. $45. http://eventbrite.com
Charcuterie Class and Wine Flight Night — 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20, at Maggiano’s Little Italy. $50. http://eventbrite.com
The Palm Wine Dinner — 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20, at The Palm. $169. http://eventbrite.com
Far Niente Wine Dinner — 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Mastros. $295 http://eventbrite.com
Barolo Wine Dinner with Giuseppe Luisi — 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 25, at Roma. $89. 713 664-7581
Dinner With Red Wines From Our Cellar — 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at Atkins House. $105. http://eventbrite.com
Brunello Wine Reception — 5 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27, at La Griglia. $125 http://eventbrite.com
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