Analysis of a Roy's style wine list, circa 1999-2001 (part 3)
From the chapter: Case study
Continuation of communiqués sent to Roy’s wine buyers in 1999-2001.
The two latest ROY'S CUVÉES
As a result of my most recent visits to Germany and France, I am proud to announce the arrival of two new Roy's label wines. When presenting these products to your guests, please remember the benefits of all Roy's wines:
They represent extraordinary quality per price (re value to the nth degree)
Sensory qualities achieving 100% compatibility with the widest possible range of Roy's cuisine
Handcrafted by strictly the best winemakers in the finest wine regions of the world
The 1998 Roy's Euro-Asian Riesling came about only after I visited over 2 dozen producers in the Rhine in Moselle during the winter of 1998. At the end, I selected Weingut Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan to be the producer of all future Roy's Rieslings, the first of which was selected at the winery, early in the following year.
As you all know, we have long needed a Riesling in our private label portfolio, as it is a natural with our food. I have always thought it needed to come from Germany, since no other place in the world can come close to duplicating the extraordinary level of crisp, zesty, light, and of course fruit and mineral qualities of the grape, which any number of top German producers can achieve on a consistent basis. Why go for second or third best in the world?
As with our 10 other private label wines, however, I decided to go with a producer that is really second to none in Pfalz region (which used to be called Rheinpfalz, and is still called Palatinate). Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan has long held, extensive, prime real estate above the villages of Deidesheim and Forst. The Pfalz is ideal because it is a little warmer than the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer as well as the nearby Rheingau region. Therefore, I believe that it will not be as prone to lean, narrow, acidic years, plus the fact that this region produces first class Riesling at a significantly lower cost (its gently sloping hills are not nearly as difficult to cultivate as the occasionally treacherous, steep vineyards of the Mosel).
But because in Germany there is much sanctity associated with officially established vineyard sites—or einzellage, identified and mapped out centuries ago—I have decided that the best policy for now would be to choose a single vineyard-associated cuvée (out of the 16 possible cuvées tasted tasted just at von Basserman-Jordan alone) whose expression and terroir best expresses a style of Riesling ideal for our restaurants.
So for the 1998, I have chosen a Kabinett (slightly sweet) level Riesling from the Leinhöler vineyard of Deidesheim (when von Bassermann-Jordan bottles this wine, it is labeled Deidesheimer Leinhöhle, pronounced die-des-HIME-er LINE-her-ler). My notes, tasted at the winery:
Delicate, lightly sweet wine with rich, almost hedonistic aromas of tropical, pineappley fruit with distinct flinty/mineral qualities; lightly tart on the palate, with an elegant, mineral toned exotic fruit profile, evolving with dramatic intensity through a long, zesty yet soft, off-dry finish.
The '98 Leinhöhler, in fact, is a tad drier than most of the Riesling Kabinetts that I tasted in the Pfalz region. This factor, plus the unusual "pineapple" note (practically screaming "Hawaii") distinguishing Leinhöhler from all other vineyards in Germany, was the reason I selected it for Roy's.
The plan is to sell the first Roy's Euro-Asian Riesling for $36.00 a bottle, and $8.75 per 6 oz. glass.
Regarding the label: We have completed the printing and approval process of the art label, and the wine has been bottled at the winery. The artwork features a bright, spring-fresh looking floral image painted by Hawaii artist Julie Kerns Schaper (who also recently did our Italian labels).
Secondly, we now have a 1998 Roy's Rustique: The result of a 2-day process (in summer of 2009) done with Laely Heron of Heron Wines in the St. Chinian region of France's Languedoc-Roussillon, located not far from Montpellier along the Mediterranean coast, close to where Southwest France meets Spain.
Here is the story: Laely and I spent the first day examining vineyard sites owned and farmed by one of her growers, some of which she uses for her own Merlot production—consisting of well situated limestone crusted hillsides planted to trellised vines, plus lower elevation, clay dominated vineyards dominated by older, "bush" or head trained vines. Interestingly, these vignerons also farm Cabernet Sauvignon, on top of the more traditional Southern French varieties (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Carignan).
Getting this visual picture first would prove significant the next day in the winery, as it gave me an understanding of how the pieces might fit together while I tasted through the specific vineyard lots and different varietal cuvées. I discovered, for instance, that the lower slopes with more clay soils—also surrounded by denser patches of garrigue (native varieties of resiny, herby scrub and bushes)—generally produced earthier, gamier, less brightly fruited or flowery scented wines than the higher slopes which have sparser, rockier, chalkier soils.
We immediately commenced to working on trial blends, selecting 12 different cuvées to work with. To be specific: There was Merlot from young vines on lower plains with partial clay soils, Merlot from older vines on higher, chalky hillsides, Merlot aged in new French oak, Merlot aged in neutral barrels, plus hillside grown Syrah and older vine Syrah from another hillside. We also seriously considered Mourvèdre and Grenache, while leaving out Carignan (the latter, extremely interesting but probably a little too "wild" in earthy components, I was afraid, for most of our guests).
When it came to actual task of blending these components to come up with "something," I made the decision right there and then that it should be a wine that combines a New World style brightness of fruit with just a smidgen of Old World earthiness—but not a "Merlot," not a "Cabernet Sauvignon," nor a "Grenache" nor a "Syrah." Sticking to one varietal profile seemed too limiting, especially for our culinary purposes at home. Instead, a more unique, soft, supple, yet densely textured wine seemed to emerge; one still retaining the somewhat wild, spiced up berry flavors of the region and grapes... something that could be called "Rustique"⏤the name emerging along with the identity of the wine itself.
There were four of us working on the blend. In my corner, I experimented with several Cabernet Sauvignon based cuvées, since I was really impressed with the quality of those wines (Cabernet Sauvignon grown in St. Chinian retains a touch of sagebrush-like garrigue in the nose). Laely worked on a Merlot based blend, since this was the variety she loves most. The estate's winemaker worked together with his consulting oenologist from the University of Montepellier on a Grenache based blend (closer to the St. Chinian tradition).
Half-way through we all had to agree that Laely's blends were coming closest to my vision of a Southern French style red that also has a flexible compatibility with Roy's cuisine. My own blends were too Cabernet-ish (and we already have a Roy's Cabernet Sauvignon) no matter how much Syrah or Mourvèdre I would add to the blend. So towards the end, we all worked along Laely's lines and ended up with this final blend:
40% Merlot Boise (hillside vineyard #2; sweetness from new oak and concentrated fruit)
10% Merlot #3 (old vines; gravelly topsoil; low yield; thick, minty, anise-like strength)
10% Syrah #1 (sweet, jammy fragrance, full tannin, gamey meatiness and pine needle/pepper, oak and fruit spices)
10% Syrah #2 (a wild "back door" element; huge tannin; dark, exotic, peppery spice)
20% Mourvèdre (heady, meaty, juicy, tough; earthy gaminess bringing out the Syrah spice)
10% Grenache #1 (jammy, upbeat, fraise-like strawberry fruitiness; smidgen of spice; slender yet firm feel)
And my tasting notes on the final blend for the '98 Roy's Rustique:
Juicy black cherry, berryish fruit aroma infused with cracked peppercorn and anise—or, suggestive of the French quatre-épices ("four-spice") mixture of peppercorn, nutmeg, clove and ginger—underlined by smoky, caramelized oak qualities; wonderfully smooth texture and medium weight body, fleshed out by soft, rounded tannins and lush black cherry flavors and peppery spices.
Keep in mind that the idea behind this wine was not to achieve a ferociously full body or high tannin content, nor with the super-fruitiness or herbiness of typical American Merlot. I was going for a restrained weight and more fluid phenolic feel in order to get an almost Pinot Noir-like sense of levity (and hence, food-versatility), but with a totally different flavorful profile: a black cherry Merlot generosity tinged by perceptible garrigue and Syrah-derived animal, plus the meatiness of the Mourvèdre rounded by the lightness of Grenache.
These sensory qualities will especially shine with braised meats sweetened by earthy, caramelized jus, wine and Asian spices, but is just beefy and peppery enough to handle grilled red meats, with or without red wine reductions. It will also be ideal for stuffed pastas (especially with shortribs) in Mediterranean herb scented broths or sauces, or dumplings and half-moons with Asian spiced meats (especially pork, but also meaty shellfish or vegetables).
Laely Heron will act as our importer and national negociant for our Roy's Rustique program, and between her and her winery in France, there was an agreement to produce 2000 cases, which we will sell for $29.00 a bottle and $7.00 per 6 oz. glass.
The art label already selected and on the bottle depicts a work by Hawaii's Scottie Flamm, featuring an exotically done-up, Josephine Baker-ish hula dancer in dense, earthy colors—a touch of "France," a little rustique, and just enough "Hawaii."
Roy's label wines (circa 1999/2001)
By 1999 all the Roy's restaurants featured at least 11 or 12 house cuvées, served by the glass or bottle, produced by some of the world's most respected winemakers specifically with Roy's cuisine in mind. The idea grew from the simple concept: Rather than just scour the world for wines with optimal sensory qualities for our food (which we did), why not have them custom grown and produced for us as well?
Each year I traveled to each vineyard and winery in Sonoma County and Santa Barbara in California, Willamette Valley in Oregon, Umbria in Italy, Germany's Pfalz and Baden regions, South-West France, as well as South Australia to work hand-in-hand with growers and producers.
My final cuvée, finished just before my retirement at the end of 2001, was a Roy's Shiraz produced for us by Sparky and Sarah Marquis⏤a wine that was prioritized because of the increasing popularity, in the late '90s, of braised meat dishes distinctly tinged with Asian spices in their finished concentrations of jus.
Some of the wines, such as our Roy's "Late Disgorged" Brut and Roy's Oregon Pinot Noir, would require at least two visits a year. Sparkling wines involved selections of base wines followed by dosage trials. Tastings with Penner-Ash in Oregon were always an ongoing discussion, with intricate blending of numerous components; whereas winemakers such as Laurel Glen's Patrick Campbell and Au Bon Climat's Jim Clendenen were pretty much one-and-done sort of guys, especially because they have the most personal experience with our cuisine and preferences.
On our wine lists we spelled this out clearly to our guests: That these were quintessential "Roy's" wines—saying, "sleek, supple, intensely aromatic, fresh and buoyant on the palate"—enhanced by eye-catching art labels contributed entirely by artists living and working in the Hawaiian Islands.
The Roy's label wines produced and offered between 1999 and 2001, along with the descriptions that appeared on our wine lists (all glass prices reflecting 6 oz. pours except when specified otherwise):
Roy's "Late Disgorged Brut Sparkling Wine 1993 (7.95 - 5 oz./39.50)
Elegantly dry, multi-scented sparkling wine vinified exclusively for Roy's in the classic Champagne style by Forrest Tancer at Iron Horse Vineyards in California's Sonoma/Green Valley
Roy Yamaguchi's Y "Wind" Dry Junmai Daiginjo Saké ($7.95 - 5 oz./$39.50)
Our finest saké—very dry, full bodied, crisp, silken layering of mineral, tropical breeze and crystal clear water sensations—crafted from Yamada Nishiki rice grown specifically for the finest sakés exclusively for Chef Roy Yamaguchi by SakéOne in Oregon (SMV +4; 16% alcohol; 1.8 acidity)
Roy's Euro-Asian Riesling 1998 (8.75/36.00)
Fabulous white for Asian/fusion seasoned foods! Beautifully soft yet crism, fresh, lively, exotically scented pure varietal vinified exclusively for Roy's by Dr. von Bassermann-Jordan in Germany's Rhine River region from Kabinett quality grapes grown in the classic Deidesheimer Leinhöhle vineyard
Roy's Santa Barbara Chardonnay 1998 (9.00/36.00)
Sleek, sumptuously full yet crisp and elegant style of Chardonnay; grown in Santa Maria Valley's Bien Nacido Vineyard, and barrel fermented exclusively for Roy's cuisine by winemaker extraordinaire Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat
Roy's Oregon Pinot Gris 1998 (7.50/30.00)
Dry, minerally fresh, fragrant and highly food-friendly varietal white, primarily barrel fermented in neutral wood to achieve a creamy, crisp roundness for Roy's style of food by Rex Hill's Lynn Penner-Ash
Roy's "The Unchard" Pinot Blanc 1998 (8.00/32.00)
Now for something completely different! A dry, crisp yet extraordinarily smooth, supple, stony nuanced white, barrel fermented from Santa Barbara grown Pinot Blanc by Au Bon Climat's Jim Clendenen
Roy's "Loess is More" Baden Pinot 2000 (12.00/45.00)
Silken fine, powerfully fragrant, zesty edged trocken (bone dry) white wine masterfully barrel fermented and handcrafted by Baden, Germany winemaster Joachim Heger from Pinot blanc (50.4%), Chardonnay (27%), Pinot gris (16%), Riesling (5%) and Auxerrois (1.6%) grown primarily in loess (silty/sandy soil)— almost nothing better with Roy's seafoods and white meats in complex butter sauces
Roy's Pinot Grigio Umbria 1998 (5.50/22.00)
Our lightest yet most refreshingly dry, crisp, lively white wine mixing floral and mineral sensations; grown and vinified for Roy's restaurants in Umbria, Italy by world renowned master winemaker Riccardo Cotarella
Roy's "Desolation" Cabernet Sauvignon 1997 (9.00/36.00)
Dense and full bodied, yet round, supple, richly aromatic varietal red crafted in a balanced style optimal for Roy's cuisine from Sonoma Mountain, Sonoma County and Napa Valley grapes by Laurel Glen's Patrick Campbell
Roy's "Pinot Rising" Oregon Pinot Noir 1997 (8.50/34.00)
Our most popular and food-versatile red! Velvety rich, round, spicy scented Pinot Noir custom made for us in the Willamette Valley by Rex Hill's Lynn Penner-Ash
Roy's Santa Barbara County AÎNÉ (12.00/45.00)
Absolutely sumptuous, silky smooth and succulent Cabernet Franc—the "elder" (i.e., aîné) parent grape of Cabernet Sauvignon—handcrafted and French oak aged exclusively for our cuisine by Bryan Babcock at Babcock Vineyards in Santa Barbara's Sta. Rita Hills
Roy's South-West France "Rustique" 1998 (7.00/28.00)
A round yet extraordinarily rich, spicy (black pepper and clove) blend of Merlot, Syrah,, Mourvèdre and Grenache; grown for us in the chalky hills of South-West France's St. Chinian region—perfect match for our braised meats, roasts and any white or red meats with peppery or Asian spices!
Roy's Merlot Umbria 1998 (5.50/22.00)
No ordinary "house red," but rather a soft, juicy, sumptuously fruited style of Merlot vinified and aged in elegant, subtlely scented French oak by the legendary Riccardo Cotarella in Umbria Italy