Between The Wines Between The Wines
april april 2023 2023
Hidden Hidden Treasures Treasures
Most European wineries are family affairs Sometimes farms that happen to grow wine grapes (frequently taking the next step and turning them into wine), sometimes muti-generational estates that have grown into large multi-region (or even multicountry) entities; the Antinori family has their 27th generation waiting in the wings to take over their billion-dollar enterprise. But Agricola Punica had a different start.
The late Giacomo Tachis was the alpha dog of a generation of Italian wine consultants that brought Italy into the modern era winewise in the late 60’s into the 80’s (previously, the standards for much of Italy was high-yielding clones, unhygienic cellars, outdated equipment).
It was Mr. Tachis that helped create the groundbreaking Tignanello (as well as refining the ‘house wine’ of an Antinori scion called Sassicaia) and to lift Antinori to its current superstar status.
Near the end of his run, Mr. Tachis was engaged to do some consulting on the island of Sardinia by the local Consortium, then was hired by a sleepy Co-Op in the southern part of the island. So impressed was he with the unrealized potential, Tachis put together a group of wine friends and created Agricola Punica a wine estate founded by wine people!
Doing all the things we now know that elevate quality: good clones, low yielding vineyards, French oak, temperature-controlled fermenters…things we take for granted today but which was revelatory on the island at the time.
hidden Treasures
Trends & observations
What's New
Quotation of the Month:
“Wine is sunlight, held together by water” – Galileo Galilei
Continued...
Between The Wines Between The Wines
April April 2023 2023
Hidden Hidden Treasures Treasures
Continued.. Continued..
Mr. Tachis also felt that, though the main red grape of the island Cannonau, aka Grenache produced good wines, the secondary red grape there Carignan had more potential than was being realized So vineyards were planted primarily with that, with the addition of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc.
The end result is fantastic. Three wines: Samas, a white made from the islands signature Vermentino along with Chardonnay; Montessu, their red kitchen sink blend based on Carignan enhanced by all of the other red varietals; and Barrua, a single-vineyard wine from the signature Carignan along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot If you like big reds, this is for you!
Thoughts & Thoughts & Observations Observations
Passing the Torch, Part II: Darioush
Of course, we think all (ok, most) of the wines in our book are good to great And among those that are family owned, we have many long-term friends. Sat the top of that list of our winery friends is Mr Darioush Khaledi of Darioush.
Michigan is the 10th largest state by population in the US, so we are typically about 10th in terms of sales volume for most Napa wineries. But for Darioush, we are a ‘Top 3’ Of course, the wines are delicious and we feel over deliver at their price point, but that would apply to other states as well.
So why so much love from Michigan? It’s the man himself. Mr. Khaledi is very successful financially, and getting up there a bit in age, so traveling to hawk his wines is not something he needs to do anymore. But he has visited Michigan many, many times over the last 25 years and hence has a personal relationship with our ownership, our sales teams, and countless customers in Michigan. His warmth and charm makes one feel like a friend instantly. While visiting Detroit last month to host an event for the membership at the Detroit Athletic Club, Darioush had his lovely daughter Sally in tow.
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After numerous other endeavors, Darioush has brought Sally back into the winery so, as he begins to step away, Sally will be the face of the winery, and will continue the Khaledi charm offensive that the family is known for (note that Darioush’s equally charming son Kashy owns his own Napa winery: Ashes & Diamonds)
So, welcome Sally! We look forward to continuing our love affair with Darioush wines & the Khaledi family.
Between The Wines Between The Wines
What's What's New New
Mawby Vineyards 50th Anniversary Cuvee What’s new? this month's is actually 50 years old
We have been active participants in selling Mawby wines for 43 of their 50 years and will be serving up a ‘Serenade to the Prince of Suttons Bay’ in an upcoming Wine Geek Speaks, but for this newsletter, a short headsup on this very special release. The list of U.S. wineries in continuous operation for 50 years or more is rather short. The list of Northern Michigan wineries that can make that claim is as short as can be: one* Larry Mawby produced his first wine 50 years ago and has since passed the torch to his friends the Laing family, with brothers Mike & Peter leading the way. We’re very confident that we (well, someone) will be writing about their 100th in the future. As many of those reading this know, Mawby pivoted from still wines to still and sparkling, and then in the early 2000’s to sparkling only (northern Michigan’s very cool climate screams for sparkling wine production). Since that decision, their range of offerings has become vast, a style and price-point for everyone. To celebrate the 50th, of course, the family came out with an extraordinary sparkling wine:
Between The Wines Between The Wines
April April 22023 023
The 50th Anniversary Cuvee. Predominantly Chardonnay (enhanced with Riesling) using only first press/cuvee juice (the best stuff) which is then blended with reserve wines, and then aged en tirage for 3 full years The ‘Liqueur d’Expedition’ includes aged grape brandy the way it used to be done and finished at a quite dry (.8 residual sugar) Brut Reminiscent of a great Champagne house’s ‘Tete de Cuvee’, this wine has richness and roundness, yet with lively, tiny bubbles and zippy acidity. Needless to say we didn’t get much.
We cannot wait to see what the next 50 years will bring
‘*Bernie Rink and his Boskydel Vineyard was the first commercial winery in Leelanau County, but he did it for a mere 42 years, albeit after a previous career; in southwest Michigan, St Julian Winery celebrated their 100th 2 years ago, and Warner Vineyards commence biz in 1938 Traverse City’s seminal Chateau Grand Traverse turned 49 this year
