Two Peruvian Restaurants Win Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence

Versión en español

Central Restaurante and La Huaca Pucllana are the only two Peruvian restaurants awarded by Wine Spectator.

Each year in August the U.S. magazine, Wine Spectator, announces the winners of its awards of excellence.  Wine Spectator, published since 1976, stands among the most renowned wine publications in the world.  This year the magazine celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of its Restaurant Award’s program.  The wine list awards program began in 1981 with just thirteen winners.  Today, the program has reached an international level, and this year includes 3,734 winners that represent three levels of awards in nearly sixty countries.  In order to qualify a restaurant must present a wine list with complete and correct information, which includes vintages and appellations as well as correct spelling.  The overall design of the wine list is also considered.  This year 2,827 restaurants received the Award of Excellence, the basic award level.  Restaurants receiving this award typically have a wine list with at least one hundred wines, and the list complements both the style and pricing of the menu.  Eight hundred thirty-three restaurants received the Best of Award of Excellence.  A wine list receiving this award typically has at least 400 selections and represent major producers in important regions, as well as several verticals, different vintages of the same wine by the same producer.  The most prestigious award, the Grand Award, was received by 74 restaurants.  These wine lists typically include at least 1,500 wines although the wine lists of several winners topped 5,000 wines with cellars with capacities of more than 100,000 bottles.  These wine lists offer show serious depth and breadth of selections from important regions, top producers as well as impressive verticals.  The complete list of winners can be found in the current edition of Wine Spectator (August 31, 2011), and at their website at http://www.winespectator.com/.

South American Winners Listed by Country

• Argentina
  
  • BISTRO M, Mendoza, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • CABAÑA LAS LILAS, Buenos Aires, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • LA BOURGOGNE, Buenos Aires, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • PUERTO CRISTAL, Buenos Aires, Best of Award of Excellence 
• Brazil
  
  • A FIGUEIRA RUBAIYAT, São Paulo, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • AMADEUS, São Paulo, Award of Excellence 
  • AROLA VINTETRES, São Paulo, Award of Excellence 
  • BABY BEEF RUBAIYAT, São Paulo, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • BAH RESTAURANTE, Porto Alegre, Award of Excellence 
  • DURSKI INTERNATIONAL CUISINE, Curitiba, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • FOGO DE CHÃO, Belo Horizonte, Award of Excellence 
  • FOGO DE CHÃO, Brasilia, Award of Excellence 
  • FOGO DE CHÃO, Salvador, Award of Excellence 
  • FOGO DE CHÃO, São Paulo, Award of Excellence 
  • FOGO DE CHÃO, São Paulo (Moema), Award of Excellence 
  • FOGO DE CHÃO, São Paulo (Vila Olimpia), Award of Excellence 
  • LAGUIOLE, Rio de Janeiro, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • OLIVETTO RESTAURANTE E ENOTECA, Campinas, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • RESTAURANTE VICOLO NOSTRO, São Paulo, Award of Excellence 
  • TASTE-VIN, Belo Horizonte, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • VINHERIA PERCUSSI, São Paulo, Award of Excellence 
• Chile
  
  • RESTAURANT SENSO, Santiago, Award of Excellence 
• Colombia
  
  • ASTRID Y GASTÓN, Bogotá, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • CRITERIÓN, Bogotá, Best of Award of Excellence 
  • RESTAURANTE ALLAN, Bogotá, Award of Excellence 
• Ecuador
  
  • ALMA COCINA, Quito, Award of Excellence 
  • ZAZU, Quito, Award of Excellence 
• Peru
  
  • CENTRAL RESTAURANTE, Lima, Award of Excellence 
  • LA HUACA PUCLLANA, Lima, Award of Excellence 
• Venezuela
• LE GOURMET, Caracas, Award of Excellence 

Quotes from Wine Spectator's Restaurant Awards Issue (August 31, 2011)
"Wine is a good 60 percent of the reason Valentino has lasted 38 years.  Piero [as host] is important, the food is important, but the wine makes the difference."

Piero Selvaggio, Valentino, Wine Spectator Grand Award Winner

"In 1981, sommeliers dressed in forbidding, dark uniforms.  More like guardians than guides, they struck fear into the hearts of the uninitiated.  Most restaurants let wine distributors assemble their wine lists, which were often full of closeouts and castoffs.  If you wanted just a glass, your only choice was the 'house wine,' often cheap and nasty."
Harvey Steiman, Editor-at-Large, Wine Spectator

"Today, any restaurant with a serious wine program must have at least 25 or 30 [wines by-the-glass]."
Piero Selvaggio, Valentino, Wine Spectator Grand Award Winner

"Thirty years ago, updating a wine list meant sending it off to a printer every six months; if a restaurant ran out of a wine, the sommelier would have to hand-alter every copy of the book."
Harvey Steiman, Editor-at-Large, Wine Spectator

" 'I have no regrets,' says Charlie Trotter, who built three additional cellars over the years to accommodate all the wine he has amassed for his famed Chicago restaurant.  'I only wish I could buy more wine.' "
Charlie Trotter, Charlie Trotter's, Wine Spectator Grand Award Winner

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Laurent Roumier Chambolle Musigny 2007

Versión en español

From time to time we encounter a wine that truly attracts our attention.  A wine that causes us to take pause and focus on its aromas, flavors and textures.  One that evokes feelings and memories.  A wine tasted last week did just this.  The tasting had included other quality wines from France and the United States, and this wine was the next to last tasted.  We were all quite happy with the quality and range of flavors the others wines had presented us, but this wine seduced us from the first whiff.  I’m not going to tell you that this was the most fantastic wine I’ve ever tasted, or that it deserves 100 points from Parker or Wine Spectator, rather that it captivated me with its complexity and harmony.  Was it just me?  The reaction of my friend and sommelier at Central restaurant, José Miguel Burga, confirmed that I was not the only one charmed by this wine.  With his nose in the glass I could see that the world around him ceased to exist for a few moments.  We ended the tasting with a powerful red from the Coteaux du Languedoc, also of good quality, but all of us returned to this seductive wine.

The village and appellation of Chambolle-Musigny is located in the Côte de Nuits district just south-west of the city of Dijon.  The wines of this appellation are red, made principally of Pinot Noir although regulations do permit the inclusion of Pinot Gris and Pinot Liébault.  The wines labeled “Chambolle-Musigny”, the most basic wine of the appellation, are indeed of very high quality for “village” wines, and are known for their fine elegance.

Medium intense ruby-red in color.  On the nose notes of perfectly ripe cherries and strawberries.  Hints of violets, dried mushrooms, burnt orange peel and underbrush.  A refreshing mineral note of iron.  Silky on the nose and palate.  Exquisitely rich in the mouth but balanced by good acidity.  Beautiful, seductive, elegant.

• Winery:  Laurent Roumier
• Wine:  Chambolle-Musigny
• Vintage:  2007
• Country:  France
• Appellation:  Chambolle-Musigny A.O.P.
• Type: dry red wine
• Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
• Alcohol:  13.0%
• Format:  750 ml
• Closure:  Natural cork
• Serving temperature:  14° – 16°C.
  (57° - 61°F.)
• Optimum consumption:  through 2016
• Pairing:  Roast leg of lamb, duck magret
• In Peru imported by Opus Wine
• Suggested retail price:  S/. 220.00

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The Buffalo's Trace

Versión en español

Buffalo Trace Distillery

One activity I’ve always promised myself I’d do on a visit to my home state of Kentucky would be to visit one of the many distilleries located around the capital city, Frankfort.  Although there are dozens of distilleries located in the state, and quite a few located near my brother’s house, the cold and snow obliged me to visit only the ones closest, and on days that I could drive without worry.  One of the distilleries I was fortunate enough to visit was Buffalo Trace Distillery, the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States, producing whiskey since 1787.

In the eighteenth century the tiny city of Frankfort was surrounded by wilderness, covered in dense forest and inhabited by the emblematic American bison, colloquially known as buffalo.  In their daily activities the bison created trails that eventually became the area’s modern roads.  The distillery took its name from these trails created by the bison, Buffalo Trace.

Colonial Virginia

Although the history of the production of Bourbon whiskey is not well documented, we do know that pioneers began distilling whiskey in the eighteenth century, using the abundant grain of the region, corn in particular, and fabricating wooden barrels from the immense forests of American White Oak (Quercus alba).  The nameBourbon came to be associated with the spirit due to the geographic name of Bourbon County, in those times part of the large state of Virginia which included much of the eastern part of the modern state of Kentucky.  Sometime during the first half of the nineteenth century the use of sour mash was introduced.  In this process a small amount of the remains of a previous fermentation is used to initiate a new fermentation.  This sour mash introduces acidity to the fermenting liquid which inhibits the growth of bacteria and maintains a pH favorable to the growth of yeasts.  This process also gives the whiskey a characteristic flavor, and today all producers of whiskey in the United States employ this process.  In 1964 the Congress of the United States declared Bourbon whiskey a product unique to the United States, and outlawed the importation of whiskey from other countries labeled “bourbon”.

To their good fortune, Buffalo Trace Distillery was allowed to continue its operations during the time of Prohibition in the United States.  Distillation of whiskey continued uninterrupted during the years of Prohibition, 1920 – 1933, as whiskey was considered a medicinal product.  Each and every person, including children, was allowed to purchase (with a doctor’s prescription) up to three bottles of whiskey monthly.  Indeed, the distillery produced more than one million bottles during this era.  All other distilleries were required to dismantle their operations.

Kettle Still Nº 1

I arrived for the “Hard Hat” tour at 1:30 p.m.  This in-depth tour shows the functioning of the distillery as well as the processes used in the production of whiskey.  Our tour guide was Freddy, whose father and grandfather had also worked in the distillery.  After a short introduction to facts and history, our tour began outside.  Much of the equipment used in production is of such a size that one must view the outside of the building to appreciate its size.  We began with Kettle Still Nº 1, impressive for its size and capacity of 48,255 gallons (182,665 liters).  From there we walked to the grain reception area.  Freddy explained the importance of the origin and quality of the grain.  Corn is sourced only from the states of Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio.  Barley and rye are sourced from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.  Genetically-modified grains are never used:  according to Freddy they change the flavor profile of the whiskey.  The grains are required to have a water content less than 14%, and must be intact and free of contaminants.

White Limestone Cliffs of Frankfort

After reception of the grain, the first step in production is the milling of the grains.  The whole grains are milled to a size of 10/64 of an inch (4 millimeters) to assure a homogenous solution favorable to fermentation.  The milled grain is then mixed with water from the Kentucky River.  During the production season, in winter when the cold water has less microbial activity, the distillery takes 1.5 million gallons (5,700,000 liters) daily from the river.  The river water plays a key role in the whiskey’s flavor.  Because of the marble and white limestone in the surrounding soil, the water has a high phosphorous content, responsible for the sensation of sweetness so typical of Kentucky Bourbon.

Mixing the Sour (left pipe) and Sweet (right pipe) Mashes

The grains are now cooked.  First the corn, under pressure, is cooked at a temperature of 240° F (115°C) for twenty minutes.  The temperature is then lowered to 190°F (88°C) and the rye is added.  The temperature is then lowered a third time, to 64°F (18°C), and the malted barley is added.  The barley is not allowed to cook so conserving its enzymes which convert carbohydrates into fermentable sugars, which yeast in turn will convert into alcohol.  This liquid, thesweet mash, is now transferred to enormous tanks of 89,962 gallons (340,542 liters) and mixed with small quantities of sour mash.  The fermentation will last from three to five days, resulting in a liquid tasting of flat, unhopped beer.  This “beer” enters unfiltered directly into the still and emerges colorless with an alcohol content of 62.5%.  This distillate, called white dog, is transferred into new, toasted White American oak barrels, and then moved to the distillery’s own ageing houses.  Buffalo Trace Distillery at any given moment has 250 – 310 thousand barrels (of 53 gallons, 200 liters) of whiskey on hand.  In order to maintain healthy forests, the distillery plants two new trees for every one tree harvested for barrel production.

Warehouse C

Buffalo Trace Distillery maintains several warehouses for the ageing of its whiskey.  Each warehouse has several floors, and depending on its location in a warehouse each barrel will mature in a different manner.  The seasonal change of temperature is key in the maturation of the whiskey.  The high summer temperatures cause the whiskey to expand into the pores of the oak barrels.  In the cold winters of Kentucky the whiskey contracts, pulling flavor and color from the wood.  In general, the whiskey will mature two to four years in barrel, although longer in the case of other premium brands which are also created at Buffalo Trace Distillery.  At 23 years, whiskey will completely penetrate the staves of a wooden barrel.  With years of experience the experts at the distillery have identified the zones in each warehouse for the optimum ageing of whiskey.  Floors four and five of Warehouse C, and floors four through six of Warehouses I and K, always produce the best barrels of whiskey.

The contents of each barrel will be tasted by a panel of experts to determine if the whiskey conforms to the required standard of quality.  Any one of the members of the tasting panel has the right to reject any barrel for any reason.  Should this happen, the whiskey in the rejected barrel will never be used for Buffalo Trace Bourbon.  From here, the whiskeys will be blended to produce a style typical of the house.  The whiskey is chill-filtered at a temperature of 30°F (-1°C) to stabilize it.  The last step is the addition of reverse osmosis-purified water to reduce the volume of alcohol to 45%.

Bourbons produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery

In addition to the emblematic whiskey of Buffalo Trace, the distillery produces several other whiskeys, and one vodka, Rain, made from organically-produced white corn sourced from a single farm in Yale, Illinois.  Among the other brands of whiskeys are Blantons and Eagle Rare, a personal favorite. Peychaud’s bitters is also produced by Buffalo Trace Distillery, and indispensible ingredient in mixing of several important classic cocktails such as the Sazerac.

The distillery offers complimentary free tours daily except for holidays.

Buffalo Trace Distillery
113 Great Buffalo Trace
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
USA
Telf:  +1 800 654 8471
http://www.buffalotrace.com/

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Grüner Veltliner: The Groovy Grape

Versión en español

Ripe Grüner Veltliner Grapes

In the sea of wines available today there are some that exhibit truly interesting characteristics. One increasingly popular variety is Grüner Veltliner, an indigenous variety from Austria. This variety has silently infiltrated the world of wine lovers, those looking for something different than the wines with the ubiquitous vanilla flavor. Grüner, as it’s known among its fans, exhibits a wide range of scintillating aromas and flavors and refreshing acidity.

The origin of Grüner Veltliner is not exactly known although it was already found in Roman times. The grape was documented in the eighteenth century with the name Grüner Muskateller (grün = green). Today it is the most-planted white grape in Austria, accounting for more than 36% of the vineyard area there and principally found in the regions of Weinviertel, Kamptal, Kremstal, Wagram and Wachau. Although other varieties have similar names, Grüner Veltliner is botanically unrelated to Brauner Veltliner, Roter Veltliner or Frühroter Veltliner. DNA testing has shown that one parent of Grüner Veltliner could be Gewürztraminer although the other parent remains unknown and probably is not found in modern Austria.

The famous Pfaffenberg Vineyard
overlooking the Danube River.

After the second World War, Austria sought productive varieties that didn’t require much attention. Grüner Veltliner was a good selection in this regard as it thrives in various types of soils, and even at high yields it produces light and spicy wines. When grown in poor soils like those in Kamptal, Kremstal or Wachau, and with a restricted yield, the wines develop intense aromas and profound flavors and maintain a refreshing acidity. And thanks to this acidity the best examples, like the best Rieslings, can mature for decades in bottle. The lighter examples of Grüner Veltliner have a refreshing acidity with notes of fresh apple, citrus and grass, but the aroma most associated with Grüner Veltliner is white pepper, called pfefferl by the Austrians. The best examples are dry, full-bodied and with aromas of pepper and lentils and with bottle age can develop characteristics typical of white Burgundy, soft and nutty. The vast majority of Grüner Veltliners from Austria are dry. Look for the word “trocken” on the label which signifies “dry” in German.

On 9 June 2002, Jan Paulson of Rare Wine organized a competition, sponsored by VieVinum, of the best Grüner Veltliners of Austria and the best Chardonnays from Burgundy and California. The results were astounding, with Grüner Veltliner winning all three categories. Even more astounding was that the Burgundies appeared at the bottom of the list of 37 wines. Although one could criticize the competition on various grounds what is important is that the competition showed that Grüner Veltliner can produce wines of world-class quality, and that serious wine lovers who are unfamiliar with it should seek it out.

Rainer Wess Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg

Just like Riesling, Grüner Veltliner can produce wines in various styles. It’s a popular selection in the production of Sekt, the sparkling wine of Austria and Germany. The young wines can be found in the Heuriger of Austria, the taverns that serve the new wines. Although not typical some enologists have experimented with oak-aged Grüner Veltliner. And in the tradition of dessert wines, Grüner Veltliner can produce excellent Eiswein, Beerenauslesen, and Trockenbeerenauslesen. Grüner Veltliner is excellent with various types of cuisine and is one of the few wines that can stand up to asparagus. The lighter examples are perfect as an aperitif or with various canapés, shellfish and salads. The more full-bodied and structured versions are great with veal, chicken, and fish with complex sauces. The best wines with bottle age can even accompany red meats. The wines are also very good with salmon, trout and Thai cuisine. The late-harvest sweet wines are delicious with apple-based desserts, or for a special taste treat try one of the “stickies” foie gras or paté.

Although Austria is the spiritual homeland of Grüner Veltliner, it is also grown in small quantities in the Pfalz region of Germany where it is known simply as Veltliner; in the Czech Republic as Veltlínské Zelené; and in Hungary as Zöldveltelini. There are also tiny quantities grown in California and in Otago, New Zealand.

Some of my favorite Austrian producers are:


• Weingut Wieninger, Viena www.wieninger.at


• Weingut Bründlmayer, Kamptal www.bruendlmayer.at


• Weingut Fred Loimer, Kamptal www.loimer.at


• Weingut Nigl, Kremstal www.weingutnigl.at


• Domäne Wachau, Wachau www.domaene-wachau.at


• Weingut Franz Hirtzberger, Wachau www.hirtzberger.com


• Weingut Emmerich Knoll, Wachau www.loibnerhof.at/en/the-winery.html


• Weingut F.X. Pichler, Wachau www.fx-pichler.at


• Weingut Rudi Pichler, Wachau www.rudipichler.at


• Weingut Prager, Wachau www.weingutprager.at


• Weingut Rainer Wess, Wachau www.weingut-wess.at


• Weingut Setzer, Weinviertel www.weingut-setzer.at


You can find more information about Austrian wines at Austrian Wine.

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