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By The Glass Chuck Furuya |
2004 promises a
vintage year for
wine loversThe year is coming to an end, and we will be ushering in 2004 and a promising future. In terms of wines, here are some lessons learned and delights to anticipate.
Closing out 2003
>> Values are still en vogue, and we found many in 2003, especially from Spain (Altos de Hoya, $11, and Pergolas, $10, are red-wine examples) and Australia (Trevor Jones Chardonnay, $16, and Paringa Merlot, $11).>> Riesling works well with Asian-style foods. (Want to have even more fun? Try the fruity 2000 Zilliken Estate Riesling and the medium-dry 2002 Zilliken "Butterfly" Riesling with the food at your next Chinese restaurant jaunt.)
>> Exciting wines are coming from the 2000 and 2001 vintages of Santa Barbara pinot noirs. Au Bon Climat, Ojai, Melville, Brewer-Clifton, Drew and Babcock are just a few of the winemakers to seek out.
>> The 2001 and 2002 German rieslings were across-the-board magnificent vintages. If you had a child in 2001 or 2002 and want to put something away for their 21st birthday, this is the best place to look.
Looking toward 2004
>> Dry rosés will become increasingly more popular as more people understand how wonderfully they work with foods.>> California Cabernet Sauvignon will finally stabilize in price. In fact, we will see more value-oriented labels pop up.
>> The land down under will continue to send us some lavish, showy, incredibly intense yet supple wines, as 2002 was a phenomenal vintage for most.
>> Repeating success, the 2002 Santa Barbara pinot noirs will be sure to rock you! Again, look for Au Bon Climat, Ojai, Melville and Brewer-Clifton labels. And if you have a chance to visit Santa Barbara to taste these wines at their source, I highly recommend a meal stop at these area restaurants: for Mexican, La Super-Rica in Santa Barbara, or if it's steak you're looking for, the Hitching Post in Buelton.
>> In 2004, syrah is going to be a happening grape, but you'll need to be really selective. Good syrah comes from grapes that are challenged in the vineyard, meaning they must survive difficult growing conditions. The best come from hillside vineyards in cool climates with meager soils. From California, consider Ojai from Santa Barbara, Saxum from Paso Robles and Copain in the Russian River Valley, whose best wines, interestingly, come from syrah grown at Cailloux vineyard in Washington state. From France's Rhone Valley, consider syrahs from Chave, Colombier or Gangloff.
Chuck Furuya is Hawaii's only master sommelier and a consultant to Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar. This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals.
This column is a weekly lesson in wine pairing written by a rotating panel of wine professionals. Write to features@starbulletin.com