WineSmith Petit Manseng, Yolo County, Novavine Nursery Vineyard, 375ml
Tasting Notes
This crazy grape produces a Sauternes-style dessert wine in southern France in the regions of Jurançon and Pecherenc du Vic Bilh, a white wine appellation superimposed on Madiran, where I received my tutelage in postmodern winemaking techniques from my guru, Patrick Ducournau.
This obscure ancient grape of the Muscat tree is highly aromatic and achieves very high sugars while retaining exceptionally high acidity. It was treasured by the ancients because it stops fermenting while still sweet, producing a luscious dessert wine without the need for modern sterile filtration.
To enhance its aromatic richness and complexity, we fermented in the presence of Acacia wood chips to add a honeysuckle element to the nose and some tannin structure to the mouth. Each year we bottle two-thirds and return the rest to barrel for increased aged complexity before blending in the following year’s new wine.
Use it as you would a Sauternes, with chocolate mousse, strawberry shortcake, or just by itself. The French like it with half-shell oysters or duck foie gras.
Specs
100% Petit Manseng
33% 2017 Hidden Springs Vineyard, Alexander Valley
Harvested 20 October 2017
31.6 Brix
12.6 gm/L TA
pH 2.90
67% 2018 Novavine Nursey Vineyard, Yolo County
Harvested 1 October 2018
31.0 Brix
11.8 gm/L TA, pH 2.95
Fermentation techniques:
Anchor NT 116 yeast inoculum
60o F fermentation
1.0 g.L aromatic Acacia wood chips
Stopped at 8% RS and 13% alcohol
Elevage details:
3 weeks microbüllage pre ML
33% aged 18 months in neutral French oak
8% RS and 12.9% alcohol
Silkscreen 375 ml bottle designed by Monvera
130 cases 375s produced.
WineSmith Any Gorilla, California, 375ml
Tasting Notes
In the wonderful feature film Wine Diamonds, which chronicles the struggles of five lovely Midwestern family wineries, noted wine judge Bob Foster declares “Hell, any gorilla can make wine in California.” Ain’t it the truth! So when we decided to make a forgery of vintage port and forbidden by the Fedsto call it that, we chose Bob’s observation as an appropriate proprietary name for our fortified sweet red.
In all candor, this wine is a mish-mash of pieces that failed as standalone dry reds whose flaws became virtues when married together. Our base was an overripe 2017 Lodi Cabernet whose dry tannins made it unacceptable for our graceful Eurocentric style. For age, we exhumed a single barrel of 2006 Meritage we somehow forgot to bottle a decade ago. In 2018, we threw these together, blended in two tons of glorious, freshly crushed Lake County Petite Sirah and two barrels of high proof neutral brandy and voilá!
It wasn’t hard, and all happened in an hour. But Bacchus smiled on the project, and we ended up with a convincing port knock-off, albeit with a bit less alcohol.
Use it as you would a vintage port: Stilton cheese, glazed walnuts, dark chocolate, celery, Cuban cigars, and a roaring fire.
Specs
Blend: 48% Petit Sirah, 48% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot
295 gallons 2017 Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon
60 gallons ‘06 left over from CheapSkate Miser Meritage
340 gallons 2018 Petite Sirah juice, skins and seeds
110 gallons 170-proof neutral brandy
Sugar at Harvest: 25% degrees brix
Fermentation: None.
Elevage details:
Cellared in very old French oak.
Bottled 45% and left the rest in wood.
Bottling:
16.9% alcohol
8% residual sugar
110 cases 375s produced.
88 cases 750s produced.
Included In The Box
4-bottles:
2x WineSmith Petit Manseng, Yolo County, Novavine Nursery Vineyard, 375ml
2x WineSmith Any Gorilla, California, 375ml
Case:
6x WineSmith Petit Manseng, Yolo County, Novavine Nursery Vineyard, 375ml
Clark Smith is an MIT drop-out who wandered out to California in 1972 and sold wine retail in the Bay Area for several years, where he acquired a love of Bordeaux, Burgundy and all things French and observed first hand the California winery explosion in the 1970s. After a three year stint at Veedercrest Vineyards, he secured enology training at UC Davis and spent the 1980s as founding winemaker for The R.H. Phillips Vineyard in Yolo County. In 1990, he founded WineSmith Consulting and patented a group of new winemaking techniques involving reverse osmosis, spinning off Vinovation, which went on to become the world’s largest wine production consulting firm over its 17-year history.
Frustrated with California’s winemaking trends, Clark started WineSmith Cellars in 1993 as a teaching winery to make Eurocentric wines to explore traditions beyond the mainstream, expanding for his winemaking clients the range of possibility for California fruit. Choosing to create long-term partnerships with committed growers rather than growing his own grapes, Clark has become a renowned expert on Cabernet Franc, having vinified twenty vintages from a wide variety of sites.
Teaching at Napa Valley College gave him access to the Student Vineyard for Faux Chablis and his Pauillac-style $100 “Crucible” Cabernet Sauvignon. From Renaissance Vineyards in North Yuba County, he has made a sulfite-free Roman Syrah and also produces a Pinot Noir from Fiddlestix Vineyard in the Santa Rita Hills in a delicate, age-worthy Côtes de Beaune style. These wines are vinified in an ancient beat-up warehouse in Sebastopol, California.
WineSmith wines are noted for their longevity, classic balance, structural integrity, minerality, and understated soulfulness. They often are aged extensively prior to release. When drinking a WineSmith wine, always ask yourself “What is this wine trying to teach me?” Clark is a vocal advocate of living soil and graceful longevity, and generally avoids excessive oak, alcohol, or extended hang-time. He is not shy about employing new tools when they are needed, such as alcohol adjustment to bring fruit into balance or micro-oxygenation to build refined structure, but always fully discloses techniques which are controversial and is outspoken in explaining his rationale.
His book, Postmodern Winemaking, is the culmination of four decades of reflection on wine’s true nature.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
It’s a great privilege to ring in the New Year with my Casemates homies. Today we repeat the sweet treats we ran a year ago. We sold a ton of this duo then and you’ve all had plenty of time to savor and enjoy.
Since these wines are so weird, I could use a little help here to get through to all your champagne-addled brethren and sistren so they don’t miss out on this special treats. I invite you to testify to your mates about your impressions. Did we meet your expectations? What pairings did you try?
What your fellow Casemates said last year about Any Gorilla:
“How the heck do you make such awesome wine out of scraps? My wife and I are totally loving this. We loved it right away, even right after being opened. It’s not as overtly rich as vintage port, but the wine just works. Nice acidity and fine tannins to balance the sweetness, and a sense that I find in all of Clark’s wines that if you can give it some air it will become more and more interesting.”
“Any Gorilla was very enjoyable. I would put it as a great introduction to Port as it is much easier drinking than most other Ports I have had, maybe due to the lower alcohol.”
“This is a wine that’s ready now to enhance a Winter evening. I think Clark did make a silk (well, maybe a satin) purse out of a couple of sow’s ears. Very successful wine and I don’t think anyone is going to do much better putting together a port based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah…highly recommended.”
“Day 1 - I detected ripe fruit, cherries, maybe some berries…had a nice mouthfeel with a little heavier viscosity, but not overly sweet…a fun wine, fruit forward, nice balance, medium tannins, medium finish, a wine to introduce new wine drinkers to the port style. Nice, and fun, nothing too serious. Day 2 - The wine has evolved overnight. Today the nose is richer, more complex. Scents of dried fruits have joined the ripe fruits, and a touch of vanilla. The taste has changed considerably too. It has gone from a “fun” wine to something more serious, or complex.”
What the critics said about our Petit Manseng:
“Finally a dessert wine that’s delicate, light and dare I say refreshing. I think it’s dessert in a glass and the perfect nightcap.” -Laurie Allen, SipofSpokane.com
“This is a sweet one, yet not a viscous sticky style…I picked up some nutty Sherry-like notes…we enjoyed it with some cheese.” - Nancy Croisier, VinoSocial.wine
“Crazy interesting…This wine is absolutely lovely. It has a fantastic acidity so that the residual sugar (8%) is not the least bit cloying. I also recommend you pair it with a nice aged cheddar, as opposed to a sweet dessert.”
-Catherine Schafer, Side HustleWino.com
“Delicate, textured, and delicious.” – Linda Whipple, MyFullGlass.com
@winesmith
Not bad Clark!
Prime booking for a year ending Friday offer.
Gifted the case(s) I got on the first offer.
All wanted more, hope I can find them all tomorrow to spread the goodness.
@rjquillin I was hoping somebody would notice the durant. It’s entirely decorative. A fine way to open vintage ports after decades in the bottle, it is completely unnecessary in the case of Any Gorilla, which we bottled in August of 2019. But it just looks so cool that I couldn’t resist its photogenicity.
This trailer from the feature film Wine Diamonds shows where we got the name for our port knock-off.
I strongly recommend you rent the whole film. It’s all about the secret American Wine Revolution, or what I refer to as “The Invisible Rainbow”. We are living in a Golden Age and nobody knows about it because the wines aren’t in national distribution. But I’m telling you, these wines are seriously good.
@winesmith
Thanks, Clark. We just watched this on Amazon prime. Nice to see Mike Drash formerly of Tallulah in Napa, touting his Minnesota wines at Chankaska Creek Winery. We also caught a glimpse of our friend Todd Steiner at a Mid-Western Wine Competition in Iowa.
@winesmith We had watched and enjoyed the film after Thanksgiving dinner while sipping your Any Gorilla. Which, of course, went very well with pumpkin pie. Appreciate the “Wine Diamonds” tip.
@winesmith@Winedavid49 I bought last year and will again. Honestly we did not always wait till after dinner to drink these beautiful wines. The Petite actually goes well with spicy dishes and bbq chicken. The Gorilla goes well with beef, include Flannery offerings and even blue cheese burgers. Don’t get me wrong, they also go with dessert. But I found, if you are in the mood, go for it. I have never had a WineSmith wine that I wish I had not bought more of.
@danandlisa This is true, and very insightful of you. I am currently enjoying the Petit Manseng with some Chinese ginger chicken wings.
As for the Any Gorilla as an accompaniment to an entree, I just sent out my latest episode of cooking show, “Gracious Living in the Time of Corona.” It’s a pork tenderloin with an unsweetened blueberry sauce designed to go with Any Gorilla. It’s terrific.
@winesmith Thanks. I am/was a professionally trained chef in a former life. The Petit Manseng also goes well with umami flavors like truffle/ mushroom risotto. I love pork with fruit. Bet your Any Goriila would go with real cranberry sauce, minus most sugar recipes,and more cinnamon, cloves, and candied ginger.
Silly question, how long can one hold on to desert wines and do they age the same as typical wines? I’m very unfamiliar with white wines let alone desert wines. Wife and I are not big on sweet sugary wines but wouldn’t mind holding on to a few bottles if they age well, especially if they are winesmith which we are big fans of.
I’m quite confident that these will age for easily ten years. However, as Danandlisa pointed out, these are not sugary. They are in fact extremely drinkable, and you are going to have a hard time keeeping your hands off them. Still, it’s a noble experiment, and you should hide at least some in the nether reaches of your cellar.
@i8dacat perhaps more importantly, the sugar and acidity balance is the key that makes a wine refreshing and lively rather than just “Sweet”. That’s why most sweet Muscat wines at 6% sugar are cloying while icewine at 25% sugar can be downright mouthwatering. We’ll try to bring something to demonstrate to the next gathering.
Also, these are both delicious and far from cloying.
I’m a big WineSmith fan, so I felt honored to be chosen to be a Lab Rat for Clark’s dessert wine offerings. These arrived before Christmas, giving me plenty of time to enjoy these wines around a very quiet Christmas season. I’ve had and enjoyed quite a few WineSmith wines but had not tried the dessert wines until this wonderful opportunity. So, let’s get to them.
Petit Manseng
I let it chill overnight in the fridge, but took it out and poured a glass about 20 minutes before taking my first sip. I didn’t try it straight from the refrigerator, and from what I can tell that would be the wrong thing to do - a little bit of warmth allowed it to open up and added to my enjoyment.
On the initial sniff, I certainly got the apricot that is very common with white dessert wines. There were slight hints of other aromas, that I figured as citrus and even kiwi. There was something else that I in my ignorance couldn’t readily identify. The nose dissipated fairly quickly, or maybe I just got used to it and it didn’t register quite as strongly as when first poured.
This is definitely on the lighter side of dessert wines, some of which can be really in-your-face sweet. I like that, as I have grown tired of many of the cloying, syrupy, high viscosity dessert wines that I’ve had in the past. Since sweetness doesn’t overwhelm the other characteristics of the wine, I found it to be very well balanced. On the tongue the apricot really steps forward, and the finish was insanely long - I timed it after one swallow, and I still had a distinct taste on the back of the tongue a full 66 seconds later. But don’t just rely on the back of the tongue - it’s on the side of the tongue that the taste was most prominent and enjoyable for me. I paired it with a key lime cheesecake, which might not have been the best of pairings but it’s what I had, and I thought they went together fairly well.
There wasn’t a whole lot of change on the second day, which was just fine since I enjoyed it so much on day one. It didn’t make it to day three somehow… how did that bottle get empty so quickly? It’s a mystery. This is well worth the CaseMate price.
P. S.: I cheated after my initial write-up, and looked at Clark’s write-up above to see if it named the elusive other smell. Honeysuckle! That’s it!
Any Gorilla
I have to confess something here: I’m not much of a Port drinker. It’s probably the brandy or whatever else is used to fortify it - I don’t drink any hard liquors (beer, wine, and water are my three drinks). And since this is a genuine imitation ersatz takeoff/forgery of Port, I had my fears.
I poured this one a full three hours before drinking. The nose was very strong - even just walking into the kitchen where the glass was, I got a shot of plums and berries, which I identified as blackberries. The smell certainly didn’t dissipate with this wine, as it did with the Petit Manseng - even after the full three hours, it was still quite strong, giving me some reassurance that I don’t have Covid. I wouldn’t want to lose my sense of smell, even if only for a short time!
On the tongue, I could definitely taste the alcohol, though maybe it was just the brandy coming through and I identified it with a high alcohol content. I got a distinct taste of sour cherry, and raisin in the back of the mouth. I tried it with a firm farmstead cheese and with a chocolate truffle (alas, I only had one), and it went better with the chocolate but only by a narrow margin. It got better as I drank it, and to my taste it’s better than a Port, but it’s just not my cup of tea. You would be well advised, if you like Port wines, to pay more attention to any other Lab Rats rather than me for this wine.
On day two, I tried it slightly chilled. Either that or the passage of time/breathing diminished the alcohol taste considerably, and while the raisin taste was still there I got a bit of currant as well. The nose was reduced, but that’s to be expected, and it was by no means eliminated - I could still smell it from several feet away. I timed the finish for this wine as well and came out with a 24-second finish, by no means as long as for the PM but not shabby at all. By day three it had mellowed out even further, and the sour notes were almost gone. If I’m going to open another bottle at some time, I think I’ll pour it into the glass on Thursday to drink on Sunday.
@coynedj Thanks for such thorough reviews. That honeysuckle aroma comes from some acacia wood chips (=mimosa tree, the one with the effusion of yellow flowers). I really like them in aromatic whites.
@MarkDaSpark@rjquillin There’s no need for another case. Haven’t been to the locker yet.
We’re rationing wine buying this year because no other approach seems to have worked!
Starting the year on a strict “no buying” diet. But if a case of these ended up in Atlanta for someone else it would be wrong of me not to help lighten the load.
I enjoy port frequently, and picked up this mixed case last year. Although it’s not exactly port, it is delicious, and I’m glad to have it in my port arsenal. And the Manseng is delicious, too, just the thing if you like wines in the Sauternes ballpark, but can’t really afford the season ticket.
ETA: In for another case.
/giphy passing-angelic-otter
I received a bottle of each of these wines last week, but held them in my cool storage (basement, 60 degrees at 60%irh) until Wednesday. +1 joined me, as usual, in the tasting. I will admit that I reviewed the offer from 12/13/2019, which had excellent reviews by rjquillin, rpm and mm1, so I am not going to reinvent the wheel and do a detailed review. Today’s lab rat review by coynedj is also excellent.
PETIT MANSENG
The initial aromas were a little difficult to pinpoint, although they were similar to toasted marshmallow or butterscotch, maybe even some buttered popcorn. However, this wine tastes like none of those. Instead, it is more in line with white peaches and apricots. This is NOT a sweet wine, so do not think sauterne. It paired well with nuts (almonds, cashews) and cheeses (Manchego, basque sheep’s milk, asiago), but not so well with dark chocolate. It was easy to sip and the bottle was empty, a problem with 375’s, well before we were ready for it to be.
ANY GORILLA
This wine did remind us of a port when we opened it, favoring prune/fig, black cherry and cassis. The flavor profile followed the aromas. This is NOT a sweet wine. It paired very well with dark chocolate. This bottle emptied quickly as well.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Both were easy to sip and would pair well with our suggestions and probably many more that you could think of. We will be ordering some and you will not be disappointed if you do the same. Although, you may be disappointed later when you realize you should have ordered more than four bottles.
I agree what you and others have said about sweetness. It’s a little baffling to me as a winemaker since the AG and PM really are 9% and 8% residual sugar respectively yet functionally they are suitable as rich table wines. This shows how important the other elements are in balancing sugar. I’m talking about acidity, tannin and other phenolics as well as fruit aromatics.
Also true is the tendency for these half bottles to disappear with alarming rapidity. It reminds me of when my wife and I in some brasserie in France - for a while we would order one fois gras appetizer and split it (because they were so expensive). Mayhem ensued, and we quickly discovered that it was better to split TWO orders. Be prepared that your approach to these delicious morsels wines may repeat this phenomenon.
@CorTot Here are the back labels:
Interesting story about the Any Gorilla. We started out by explaining all the components and submitting the text to the Feds for label approval. TTB rejected the label four times, eventually ruling out the inclusion of brandy, the vintages of the wines and the characterization as fortified wine. It was RuthE who suggested we just say “magic happened,” which they decided was just fine. So much for our guardians of truth in labeling.
Clark’s wines are always worth a try. Bet you Any Gorilla would go good with a cigar. Look forward to trying it with Clark. We also need to see Clark’s book offered on Casemates. All new winery employees are given a copy as required reading.
Happy New Year and a healthy 2021.
@ScottHarveyWine You are correct, Scott. I managed to get TTB to approve that recommendation: “Cigar fanciers will find uses.”
I really liked the video you and Jana made about 2020. What a year. I know why all those folks showed up for your social-distanced tasting room in 100F weather in all that smoke. I was one of them. Despite everything, both of us dodged the smoke taint bullet and I agree that this is one of the great vintages of our careers (for me it was #59).
I should caution these people that Postmodern Winemaking is a pretty geeky read, but I’m proud of it. The reason it hasn’t appeared on Casemates is that I only make a couple bucks a copy and can’t really discount it. I will, however, provide a signed copy.
@ScottHarveyWine@winesmith
Every time I go back to read a portion, I realize how much I’ve forgotten between times, or how much I just missed to begin with.
Highly recommend, signed is a plus.
Hi Clark, We have a book store section and sell books in two of our tasting rooms. Can you send me five copies (with a bill) so I can sell them in the tasting rooms?
Cheers,
Scott
@pmarin Well, ya gotta to be a little bit courageous and a little bit crazy to go for this one. It ain’t exactly yer grandma’s Cab Sauv. Plus one also would need to recover from one’s drunken stupor owing to one’s over-celebration of the end of the year from hell. I assure you, not everybody’s here.
For those who are, you have been given good advice from your mates - the only unhappiness you can anticipate is failure to punch that button as shutdown time approaches…
@pmarin@winesmith
I too, was wondering why so quiet.
Must be the pounding headaches, perhaps of cheap industrial wine, but I’d not really suggest that on this forum and with these 'mates…
@pmarin@rjquillin@winesmith I personally can’t imagine many people who decide not to buy who were planning on buying because of it. But I can imagine people on the fence who decide to buy as a result of the openness and discussions. So it’s good marketing in my opinion.
But maybe I’m the wrong type of person to ask, you know what I mean, since I am the type of person that I’m describing. Then again, how many people come to this site and never look at the forums? And if they don’t look at the forums, then it doesn’t matter what gets said here anyways.
Got a 4-banger… that’s 3 yet-to-be-delivered orders right now and one of those is the BV dessert wine 3-pack, so I need to up my dessert wine game!
/giphy defeated-dependent-ring
Loved the paella recipes. Actually ordered some saffron and some Spanish short-grained rice…then the mice got into the rice, so, no paella yet. paella recipes
WineSmith Petit Manseng, Yolo County, Novavine Nursery Vineyard, 375ml
Tasting Notes
Specs
WineSmith Any Gorilla, California, 375ml
Tasting Notes
Specs
Included In The Box
Price Comparison
$390 at WineSmith Cellars for 6x WineSmith Petit Manseng, Yolo County, Novavine Nursery Vineyard, 6x WineSmith Any Gorilla, California
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Jan 25 - Tuesday, Jan 26
WineSmith Cellars Dessert Wines
4 bottles for $54.99 $13.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $149.99 $12.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
NV WineSmith Petit Manseng
NV WineSmith Any Gorilla
It’s a great privilege to ring in the New Year with my Casemates homies. Today we repeat the sweet treats we ran a year ago. We sold a ton of this duo then and you’ve all had plenty of time to savor and enjoy.
Since these wines are so weird, I could use a little help here to get through to all your champagne-addled brethren and sistren so they don’t miss out on this special treats. I invite you to testify to your mates about your impressions. Did we meet your expectations? What pairings did you try?
What your fellow Casemates said last year about Any Gorilla:
“How the heck do you make such awesome wine out of scraps? My wife and I are totally loving this. We loved it right away, even right after being opened. It’s not as overtly rich as vintage port, but the wine just works. Nice acidity and fine tannins to balance the sweetness, and a sense that I find in all of Clark’s wines that if you can give it some air it will become more and more interesting.”
“Any Gorilla was very enjoyable. I would put it as a great introduction to Port as it is much easier drinking than most other Ports I have had, maybe due to the lower alcohol.”
“This is a wine that’s ready now to enhance a Winter evening. I think Clark did make a silk (well, maybe a satin) purse out of a couple of sow’s ears. Very successful wine and I don’t think anyone is going to do much better putting together a port based on Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah…highly recommended.”
“Day 1 - I detected ripe fruit, cherries, maybe some berries…had a nice mouthfeel with a little heavier viscosity, but not overly sweet…a fun wine, fruit forward, nice balance, medium tannins, medium finish, a wine to introduce new wine drinkers to the port style. Nice, and fun, nothing too serious. Day 2 - The wine has evolved overnight. Today the nose is richer, more complex. Scents of dried fruits have joined the ripe fruits, and a touch of vanilla. The taste has changed considerably too. It has gone from a “fun” wine to something more serious, or complex.”
What the critics said about our Petit Manseng:
“Finally a dessert wine that’s delicate, light and dare I say refreshing. I think it’s dessert in a glass and the perfect nightcap.” -Laurie Allen, SipofSpokane.com
“This is a sweet one, yet not a viscous sticky style…I picked up some nutty Sherry-like notes…we enjoyed it with some cheese.” - Nancy Croisier, VinoSocial.wine
“Crazy interesting…This wine is absolutely lovely. It has a fantastic acidity so that the residual sugar (8%) is not the least bit cloying. I also recommend you pair it with a nice aged cheddar, as opposed to a sweet dessert.”
-Catherine Schafer, Side HustleWino.com
“Delicate, textured, and delicious.” – Linda Whipple, MyFullGlass.com
MEALS! DEALS! EELS! AWESOME!
@winesmith
Not bad Clark!
Prime booking for a year ending Friday offer.
Gifted the case(s) I got on the first offer.
All wanted more, hope I can find them all tomorrow to spread the goodness.
Which bottle needs the Durant?
@rjquillin I was hoping somebody would notice the durant. It’s entirely decorative. A fine way to open vintage ports after decades in the bottle, it is completely unnecessary in the case of Any Gorilla, which we bottled in August of 2019. But it just looks so cool that I couldn’t resist its photogenicity.
This trailer from the feature film Wine Diamonds shows where we got the name for our port knock-off.
I strongly recommend you rent the whole film. It’s all about the secret American Wine Revolution, or what I refer to as “The Invisible Rainbow”. We are living in a Golden Age and nobody knows about it because the wines aren’t in national distribution. But I’m telling you, these wines are seriously good.
@winesmith
Thanks, Clark. We just watched this on Amazon prime. Nice to see Mike Drash formerly of Tallulah in Napa, touting his Minnesota wines at Chankaska Creek Winery. We also caught a glimpse of our friend Todd Steiner at a Mid-Western Wine Competition in Iowa.
@winesmith We had watched and enjoyed the film after Thanksgiving dinner while sipping your Any Gorilla. Which, of course, went very well with pumpkin pie. Appreciate the “Wine Diamonds” tip.
@winesmith @Winedavid49 I bought last year and will again. Honestly we did not always wait till after dinner to drink these beautiful wines. The Petite actually goes well with spicy dishes and bbq chicken. The Gorilla goes well with beef, include Flannery offerings and even blue cheese burgers. Don’t get me wrong, they also go with dessert. But I found, if you are in the mood, go for it. I have never had a WineSmith wine that I wish I had not bought more of.
@danandlisa This is true, and very insightful of you. I am currently enjoying the Petit Manseng with some Chinese ginger chicken wings.
As for the Any Gorilla as an accompaniment to an entree, I just sent out my latest episode of cooking show, “Gracious Living in the Time of Corona.” It’s a pork tenderloin with an unsweetened blueberry sauce designed to go with Any Gorilla. It’s terrific.
@winesmith Thanks. I am/was a professionally trained chef in a former life. The Petit Manseng also goes well with umami flavors like truffle/ mushroom risotto. I love pork with fruit. Bet your Any Goriila would go with real cranberry sauce, minus most sugar recipes,and more cinnamon, cloves, and candied ginger.
Welp, I may be under the influence of the Sauvage I got from the last order I made, but…
Giphy.com/teal-porky-tungsten
@moczy start a new line with /giphy the-order-number like this
/giphy teal-porky-tungsten
@TimW Yeah - I know, but formatting is of least concern at 00:15 on NYE at the bottom of the bubbles and comments arent editable, lol
Yeeeehaw!!
/giphy unnatural-unanswered-milk
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings WineSmith Cellars Dessert Wines - $15 = 9.08%
/giphy radiant-stupid-feast
Happy new year!! Got a 4 pack.
Silly question, how long can one hold on to desert wines and do they age the same as typical wines? I’m very unfamiliar with white wines let alone desert wines. Wife and I are not big on sweet sugary wines but wouldn’t mind holding on to a few bottles if they age well, especially if they are winesmith which we are big fans of.
@i8dacat
I’m quite confident that these will age for easily ten years. However, as Danandlisa pointed out, these are not sugary. They are in fact extremely drinkable, and you are going to have a hard time keeeping your hands off them. Still, it’s a noble experiment, and you should hide at least some in the nether reaches of your cellar.
@i8dacat perhaps more importantly, the sugar and acidity balance is the key that makes a wine refreshing and lively rather than just “Sweet”. That’s why most sweet Muscat wines at 6% sugar are cloying while icewine at 25% sugar can be downright mouthwatering. We’ll try to bring something to demonstrate to the next gathering.
Also, these are both delicious and far from cloying.
YAAAAYYY! Good way to end this shit year. I’m excited to try these strange dessert wines.
/giphy costly-reputable-hair
I’m a big WineSmith fan, so I felt honored to be chosen to be a Lab Rat for Clark’s dessert wine offerings. These arrived before Christmas, giving me plenty of time to enjoy these wines around a very quiet Christmas season. I’ve had and enjoyed quite a few WineSmith wines but had not tried the dessert wines until this wonderful opportunity. So, let’s get to them.
Petit Manseng
I let it chill overnight in the fridge, but took it out and poured a glass about 20 minutes before taking my first sip. I didn’t try it straight from the refrigerator, and from what I can tell that would be the wrong thing to do - a little bit of warmth allowed it to open up and added to my enjoyment.
On the initial sniff, I certainly got the apricot that is very common with white dessert wines. There were slight hints of other aromas, that I figured as citrus and even kiwi. There was something else that I in my ignorance couldn’t readily identify. The nose dissipated fairly quickly, or maybe I just got used to it and it didn’t register quite as strongly as when first poured.
This is definitely on the lighter side of dessert wines, some of which can be really in-your-face sweet. I like that, as I have grown tired of many of the cloying, syrupy, high viscosity dessert wines that I’ve had in the past. Since sweetness doesn’t overwhelm the other characteristics of the wine, I found it to be very well balanced. On the tongue the apricot really steps forward, and the finish was insanely long - I timed it after one swallow, and I still had a distinct taste on the back of the tongue a full 66 seconds later. But don’t just rely on the back of the tongue - it’s on the side of the tongue that the taste was most prominent and enjoyable for me. I paired it with a key lime cheesecake, which might not have been the best of pairings but it’s what I had, and I thought they went together fairly well.
There wasn’t a whole lot of change on the second day, which was just fine since I enjoyed it so much on day one. It didn’t make it to day three somehow… how did that bottle get empty so quickly? It’s a mystery. This is well worth the CaseMate price.
P. S.: I cheated after my initial write-up, and looked at Clark’s write-up above to see if it named the elusive other smell. Honeysuckle! That’s it!
Any Gorilla
I have to confess something here: I’m not much of a Port drinker. It’s probably the brandy or whatever else is used to fortify it - I don’t drink any hard liquors (beer, wine, and water are my three drinks). And since this is a genuine imitation ersatz takeoff/forgery of Port, I had my fears.
I poured this one a full three hours before drinking. The nose was very strong - even just walking into the kitchen where the glass was, I got a shot of plums and berries, which I identified as blackberries. The smell certainly didn’t dissipate with this wine, as it did with the Petit Manseng - even after the full three hours, it was still quite strong, giving me some reassurance that I don’t have Covid. I wouldn’t want to lose my sense of smell, even if only for a short time!
On the tongue, I could definitely taste the alcohol, though maybe it was just the brandy coming through and I identified it with a high alcohol content. I got a distinct taste of sour cherry, and raisin in the back of the mouth. I tried it with a firm farmstead cheese and with a chocolate truffle (alas, I only had one), and it went better with the chocolate but only by a narrow margin. It got better as I drank it, and to my taste it’s better than a Port, but it’s just not my cup of tea. You would be well advised, if you like Port wines, to pay more attention to any other Lab Rats rather than me for this wine.
On day two, I tried it slightly chilled. Either that or the passage of time/breathing diminished the alcohol taste considerably, and while the raisin taste was still there I got a bit of currant as well. The nose was reduced, but that’s to be expected, and it was by no means eliminated - I could still smell it from several feet away. I timed the finish for this wine as well and came out with a 24-second finish, by no means as long as for the PM but not shabby at all. By day three it had mellowed out even further, and the sour notes were almost gone. If I’m going to open another bottle at some time, I think I’ll pour it into the glass on Thursday to drink on Sunday.
@coynedj Thanks for such thorough reviews. That honeysuckle aroma comes from some acacia wood chips (=mimosa tree, the one with the effusion of yellow flowers). I really like them in aromatic whites.
Any in SoCal want a set or 2?
/giphy quilled-fundamental-ocean
@MarkDaSpark seriously considering it… These are really tasty.
@klezman @MarkDaSpark
Gonna split with MdS, or should I send a case north?
You get the second locker yet?
@MarkDaSpark @rjquillin There’s no need for another case. Haven’t been to the locker yet.
We’re rationing wine buying this year because no other approach seems to have worked!
@klezman @rjquillin
Sweet way to bring in the year.
/giphy ripe-wry-tarzan
Happy New Year!!!
/giphy impervious-blunt-structure
/giphy grating-coy-bean
Starting the year on a strict “no buying” diet. But if a case of these ended up in Atlanta for someone else it would be wrong of me not to help lighten the load.
I enjoy port frequently, and picked up this mixed case last year. Although it’s not exactly port, it is delicious, and I’m glad to have it in my port arsenal. And the Manseng is delicious, too, just the thing if you like wines in the Sauternes ballpark, but can’t really afford the season ticket.
ETA: In for another case.
/giphy passing-angelic-otter
@jmdavidson1 Well, my review disappeared so I’ll redo it.
I received a bottle of each of these wines last week, but held them in my cool storage (basement, 60 degrees at 60%irh) until Wednesday. +1 joined me, as usual, in the tasting. I will admit that I reviewed the offer from 12/13/2019, which had excellent reviews by rjquillin, rpm and mm1, so I am not going to reinvent the wheel and do a detailed review. Today’s lab rat review by coynedj is also excellent.
PETIT MANSENG
The initial aromas were a little difficult to pinpoint, although they were similar to toasted marshmallow or butterscotch, maybe even some buttered popcorn. However, this wine tastes like none of those. Instead, it is more in line with white peaches and apricots. This is NOT a sweet wine, so do not think sauterne. It paired well with nuts (almonds, cashews) and cheeses (Manchego, basque sheep’s milk, asiago), but not so well with dark chocolate. It was easy to sip and the bottle was empty, a problem with 375’s, well before we were ready for it to be.
ANY GORILLA
This wine did remind us of a port when we opened it, favoring prune/fig, black cherry and cassis. The flavor profile followed the aromas. This is NOT a sweet wine. It paired very well with dark chocolate. This bottle emptied quickly as well.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Both were easy to sip and would pair well with our suggestions and probably many more that you could think of. We will be ordering some and you will not be disappointed if you do the same. Although, you may be disappointed later when you realize you should have ordered more than four bottles.
@jmdavidson1
I agree what you and others have said about sweetness. It’s a little baffling to me as a winemaker since the AG and PM really are 9% and 8% residual sugar respectively yet functionally they are suitable as rich table wines. This shows how important the other elements are in balancing sugar. I’m talking about acidity, tannin and other phenolics as well as fruit aromatics.
Also true is the tendency for these half bottles to disappear with alarming rapidity. It reminds me of when my wife and I in some brasserie in France - for a while we would order one fois gras appetizer and split it (because they were so expensive). Mayhem ensued, and we quickly discovered that it was better to split TWO orders. Be prepared that your approach to these delicious morsels wines may repeat this phenomenon.
@jmdavidson1 Order in. Thanks David and WineSmith for the free (labrat) bottles.
With names like these WD might as well slap a casemates cellars and a goofy cartoon label on these.
@CorTot Here are the back labels:
Interesting story about the Any Gorilla. We started out by explaining all the components and submitting the text to the Feds for label approval. TTB rejected the label four times, eventually ruling out the inclusion of brandy, the vintages of the wines and the characterization as fortified wine. It was RuthE who suggested we just say “magic happened,” which they decided was just fine. So much for our guardians of truth in labeling.
@CorTot @winesmith
@CorTot @pmarin I think you nailed the inspiration for “magic happened” in this well-known cartoon. At least it was well known when I was at MIT.
Clark’s wines are always worth a try. Bet you Any Gorilla would go good with a cigar. Look forward to trying it with Clark. We also need to see Clark’s book offered on Casemates. All new winery employees are given a copy as required reading.
Happy New Year and a healthy 2021.
@ScottHarveyWine You are correct, Scott. I managed to get TTB to approve that recommendation: “Cigar fanciers will find uses.”
I really liked the video you and Jana made about 2020. What a year. I know why all those folks showed up for your social-distanced tasting room in 100F weather in all that smoke. I was one of them. Despite everything, both of us dodged the smoke taint bullet and I agree that this is one of the great vintages of our careers (for me it was #59).
I should caution these people that Postmodern Winemaking is a pretty geeky read, but I’m proud of it. The reason it hasn’t appeared on Casemates is that I only make a couple bucks a copy and can’t really discount it. I will, however, provide a signed copy.
@ScottHarveyWine @winesmith
Every time I go back to read a portion, I realize how much I’ve forgotten between times, or how much I just missed to begin with.
Highly recommend, signed is a plus.
Hi Clark, We have a book store section and sell books in two of our tasting rooms. Can you send me five copies (with a bill) so I can sell them in the tasting rooms?
Cheers,
Scott
what’s wrong with you guys? Why didn’t this sell out yet?
/giphy round-passe-cobra
@pmarin Well, ya gotta to be a little bit courageous and a little bit crazy to go for this one. It ain’t exactly yer grandma’s Cab Sauv. Plus one also would need to recover from one’s drunken stupor owing to one’s over-celebration of the end of the year from hell. I assure you, not everybody’s here.
For those who are, you have been given good advice from your mates - the only unhappiness you can anticipate is failure to punch that button as shutdown time approaches…
@pmarin @winesmith
I too, was wondering why so quiet.
Must be the pounding headaches, perhaps of cheap industrial wine, but I’d not really suggest that on this forum and with these 'mates…
@pmarin @rjquillin I do wonder if I supply too much info to wade through. What do you people think?
@winesmith
The more the better! We love your insight and contributions here. Thank you as always!
@pmarin @rjquillin @winesmith I personally can’t imagine many people who decide not to buy who were planning on buying because of it. But I can imagine people on the fence who decide to buy as a result of the openness and discussions. So it’s good marketing in my opinion.
But maybe I’m the wrong type of person to ask, you know what I mean, since I am the type of person that I’m describing. Then again, how many people come to this site and never look at the forums? And if they don’t look at the forums, then it doesn’t matter what gets said here anyways.
@Twich22 @winesmith
What he said.
Got a 4-banger… that’s 3 yet-to-be-delivered orders right now
and one of those is the BV dessert wine 3-pack, so I need to up my dessert wine game!
/giphy defeated-dependent-ring
I have quite a few Ports and Dessert Wines… but I couldn’t resist!
/giphy scandalous-enchanting-cushion
/giphy engaging-tough-quiver
Loved the paella recipes. Actually ordered some saffron and some Spanish short-grained rice…then the mice got into the rice, so, no paella yet. paella recipes
@FritzCat The saffrom is really essential. It’s only about $6 per paella.
/giphy used-learned-lemur
@lagloriafan that’s a strange giphy for used-learned-lemur!
/giphy equable-cloudy-scarf
/giphy uptight-beastly-doll
Disliked the white… yuck. The red is delicious!
@caribou so sad to hear, what about the white wasn’t palatable?
@bunnymasseuse @caribou Yes, also curious. We quite enjoyed it.
@bunnymasseuse @klezman probably I have defective taste buds … to me it came across oaky like Chardonnay (which I generally don’t care for).
“Yuck” may be a strong word since I finished the bottle but … I’ll likely gift the rest.
@bunnymasseuse @caribou what you like is what you like.