2008 Vigneto Due Santi, Zonta, a Cabernet based wine from volcanic soils

Vigneto Due Santi is an estate located in the north-east portion of Italy in Veneto.  The estate was founded in the 1960s and today is run by the two brothers.  The vineyards are located in Breganze on a blend of volcanic soils.  Apparently this region has the only stretch of volcanic soils in Northern Italy which are regarded as ideal for Cabernet based wines.  As a result, the red wines of Vigneto Due Santi are primarily made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with some Merlot.  What I particularly liked about this wine was the freshness both on the nose and in the mouth as well as the lively fruit flavors.  The use of oak is in balance with the wine and while I have no previous experience with this estate, I would not be surprised if this wine tasted even better after several more years of age.  At $26 it is at a price one can afford to find out.  This wine is available at MacArthur Beverages.

2008 Vigneto Due Santi, Zonta, Breganze – $26
Imported by Siema LLC.  This wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Cabernet Franc, and 10% Merlot that was fermented in stainless steel tanks then underwent malolactic fermentation and 15-18 months of aging in new barrels.  Alcohol 14.5%.  There were fresh and concentrated aromas of red and black fruit with a hint of floral greenhouse.  In the mouth the black fruit had a lively and textured start before picking up slightly ripe raspberry fruit, polished wood, tobacco, and salivating acidity.  With air the wine firmed up a bit and developed raspberry and strawberry flavors in the fine, drying structure.  The aftertaste was fresh as well.  There were some notes of maturity but the wine will continue to develop.  *** Now-2022.

I enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Petit Verdot in Italian wine

This winter I have been interested in Italian wines that are made from non-native grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah.  Tim has walked me through his selections and there is quite a range of these wines available for under $30 with vintages going back to 2007.  Of the five wines featured in this post the two younger vintages could stand with further aging.  The 2012 Le Macchiole, Bolgheri Rosso and 2011 Tenuta Di Valgiano, Palistorti di Valgiano, Colline Lucchesi Rosso are completely different wines.  The former has no Sangiovese but that is not missed due to the lifted nose, minerally black fruit, and tension in the mouth. The later is mostly Sangiovese and while it comes across as young it has great cut and just the right amount of greenhouse notes.  I recommend you purchase both of these.  Of the older bottles the 2009 Arcanum, Il Fauno di Arcanum, Toscana is my clear favorite.  It only has a splash of Sangiovese so now that it is entering maturity, the cedar box infused darker fruit and structure clearly speak to a Bordeaux blend.  It is a great price and in a great state so you should drink many bottles of this while the younger wines age.  The 2010 Umberto Cesari, Liano, Rubicone was too hedonistic and showy for me but it is tasty and should have many fans.  Finally, the 2009 Guado al Melo, Bolgheri Rosso was almost too earthy for me on the nose.  It did clean up but it ultimately proved soft in flavor.  These wines are available at MacArthur Beverages.

2012 Le Macchiole, Bolgheri Rosso – $26
Imported by Vintus.  This wine is a blend of 50% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Syrah.  Alcohol 14%.  There was a fresh nose of lifted aromas.  In the mouth were dense flavors of blue and black fruit with powdery tannins and good tension.  Minerally black flavors developed along with grippy cola, juicy acidity, and a good aftertaste.  With air more tart black fruit and salivating acidity came out.  Young.  **(*) 2017-2022.

2011 Tenuta Di Valgiano, Palistorti di Valgiano, Colline Lucchesi Rosso- $28
Imported by Cantiniere Imports and Distributing.  This wine is a blend of 70% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot and 10% Syrah sourced from vines averaging 14 years of age.  The wine was aged for 12 months in 5% new French oak barrels followed by 6 months in cement vat.  Alcohol 14%.  This bore a young nose followed by rounded, powdery ripe black cherry flavors.  It showed an attractive hint of greenhouse flavors, almost juicy acidity, and a little woodsy tannins.  Though a bit forward and approachable this really is a short-term ager.  With extended air the flavors turned towards the blacker side with a hint of tar, good acidity, good cut, and a citric and mineral infused finish.  *** 2017-2023.

2010 Umberto Cesari, Liano, Rubicone – $33
Imported by Opici Wines.  This wine is a blend of 70% Sangiovese and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from vines averaging 15 years of age.  It was fermented in stainless steel, aged for 18 months in a variety of oak sizes.  Alcohol 13.5%.  This had a light, attractive nose.  In the mouth were forward, hedonistic flavors of chocolate infused fruit.  The wine had some weight, ripe, chocolate tannins, and robustness before the drier finish.  This young, showy wine is lavish with its oak flavors.  The wine was quite filling and clearly needs time to integrate but remains completely drinkable. **(*) 2017-2023.

2009 Arcanum, Il Fauno di Arcanum, Toscana – $26
Imported by Sovereign Wine Imports.  This wine is a blend of 61% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 16% Cabernet Franc, 2% Sangiovese, and 1% Petit Verdot.  Alcohol 14.5%.  There were maturing, claret-like flavors of cedar box mixed with ripe, tight blue and black fruit,  that had a greenhouse hint.  The finish brought ripe and billowy flavors that filled the mouth and left tannins on the gums.  This tasty and flavorful wine became a little spicy and earthy with air.  **** Now – 2020.

2009 Guado al Melo, Bolgheri Rosso – $26
Imported by Artisan Wines.  This wine is a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot that was aged for 12 months in oak barrels.  Alcohol 13%.  The nose was quite earthy at first but it cleaned up to reveal mushrooms.  In the mouth was a black foundation of fruit that was soft at first.  Some acidity was there but the powdery roundness lacked definition.  The wine did tighten up in the finish to reveal some subtle tannins.  Not my style.  ** Now-2019.

A Cotes du Rhone to drink by the case

The 2012 Domaine La Manarine, Cotes du Rhone represents an ideal Cotes du Rhone for early drinking.   The estate was created in 2001 by Giles Gasq who had previously worked under Paul Jeune at Domaine Monpertuis.  The vineyards are located on Le Plan de Dieu with the vast majority planted to Grenache.  This is no heady Grenache based wine, rather it is a wine full of energy and clean fruit.  I suspect it will peak in the spring or summer so I strongly suggest you buy a case right now.  At only $14 this is another compelling reason to drink from the Rhone.  This wine was purchased at MacArthur Beverages.

2012 Domaine La Manarine, Cotes du Rhone – $14
Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchants. This wine is 100% Grenache sourced from vines averaging 35 years of age. The fruit was destemmed with elevage taking 20-24 months.  Alcohol 14%.  This was clearly a fun, young wine right from the very first glass.  There were tart flavors of cranberry and black fruit with fresh but not grapey flavors. There were some cinnamon and chocolate mixed spices with the drying, somewhat coarse tannins.  There is good energy to the wine.  **(*) 2015-2018.

Diagram of the “Experiment Vineyard” at College Park, Maryland

In 1891 the “experiment vineyard” was laid out at the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station of the Maryland Agricultural College which is now known as The University of Maryland.  The goal of the experiment was to determine the best grape varieties and methods of treatment specific to Maryland.  Over much objection, a portion of the old college garden was chosen for the vineyard.  The soils was plowed “as if for corn” then harrowed.  The rows were ten feet apart and sown with rye to counteract erosion from winter rains.  Trellises made from posts and wire were put in.  The vineyard was planted with 294 vines representing 108 different varieties as well as several dozen wild vines.  Below you will find the the diagram of this scientifically laid out vineyard.

Diagram of Vineyard at College Park, Maryland. 1891. [1]

I have not researched the history of the vineyard but it was still around in 1920 for it is named in the University of Maryland’s 1920-21 Catalogue.[2]  One could study grapes in three classes of “Small Fruit Culture” that ran through Junior year.  Given Prohibition there is sadly no mention of wine.

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[1] “Experiment vineyard”, Bulletin No. 15 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station. December 1891. URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2027/uiug.30112019612123
[2] Catalogue. University of Maryland, College Park. 1920. URL: https://books.google.com/books?id=aH_OAAAAMAAJ&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false

Old-vine wine and simply old wine with Roy Hersh

I met up with Roy Hersh (For the Love of Port) during my most recent trip to Seattle.  That this was our first time meeting, despite all of my trips to Seattle, is in retrospect a shame on my part but we now have the future ahead.  As it was my first night in town we went to dinner near my hotel at Matt’s in the Market.  We each brought a bottle of wine, both of which fueled hours of conversation until there were no other customers left.  I did not bother taking notes but the wines were remarkable in their own way and deserve to be mentioned.

Roy brought the 2006 Quinta do Crasto, Vinha Maria Teresa, Douro (imported by Broadbent Selections) to start.  This wine is produced from Crato’s oldest plot of vines which were 91 years of age at the time of harvest.  As was typical for the period of planting, this plot is a blend of grapes of which some 45 different varieties have been identified.  Roy related that to preserve the nature of the plot every vine is mapped out and any dead vine is replaced with an identical variety.  Roy had double-decanted the wine a few hours ahead but it promptly went into another decanter at our table.  I could smell the wine as it was poured into my glass which proved quite a prelude. In the mouth, you could tell the edges had softened but the wine still had a balanced density suggesting that after shedding the structure of youth it would now start developing.  It had that old-vine confidence of flavor.

With the Quinta do Crasto finished we switched gears.  I flew over with a bottle of 1970’s NV Lopez de Heredia, Viña Bosconia 5° Año, Rioja (imported by The Rare Wine Co.) with good fill, great labels, and not that much sediment.  This too was decanted.  An immediate taste showed it was sound but it really took an hour or two to flesh out.  It then showed moderate complexity on the nose, hints of ripeness at the start followed by that more elegantly mouth filling nature of an old wine.  The wine itself kept delivering until there was none left in the decanter.  It it is a good thing that we did not have a third bottle because I know we would have stayed until midnight.

A mature Cotes du Rhone Villages from Les Aphillanthes

It was some 7 years ago that I first came across the 2000 vintage from Domaine Les Aphillanthes.  Back then the 2000 Domaine Les Aphillanthes, Cuvee du Cros, Cotes du Rhone Villages needed several hours of air before it was ready to drink but it clearly had a strong potential.  This wine is now drinking in full maturity but has a surprising amount of vigor and years to come.  I really wish I had cases of this stuff!  This wine was purchased a long time ago from MacArthur Beverages.

2000 Domaine Les Aphillanthes, Cuvee du Cros, Cotes du Rhone Villages –
Imported by Weygandt-Metzler.  This is 100% Syrah aged in demi-muids.  Alcohol 14.7%.  There were aromas of cedar box, dark fruit, and roast earth.  In the mouth were round, dense, and expansive flavors that were infused with wood box, integrated acidity and black minerals in the finish.  The flavors became drier towards the finish.  With air the wine was clearly bright on the tongue with dry extract, strength, and a hint of flavor leaning towards the prune.  **** Now-2019.

“not a drop of the wine so called was ever in the province of Burgundy”: An account of the wines from the cellar of Lord George Sackville during 1751

Lord George Germaine. 1780. [2]

There is a treasure-trove of vinous details and accounts found in the papers published by the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts.  Today’s post comes from the papers of George Germain, 1st Viscount Sackville (1716-1785).  It is true that this collection of manuscripts contain very few accounts of wine but this single major entry is all that is required.  In this letter the Primate, Dr. George Stone, Archbishop of Armagh, tastes through the wines sent to Lord George Sackville for the entertainment of the Duke of Dorset, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.  Dr. George Stones finds that all but the Chateau Margaux and Chateau Latour are “a vile infamous mixture”.

The Primate to Lord George Sackville.

1751, May 1 8. “From your lodgings at the Castle. I have tasted all the different wines & find to my great concern that there is nothing but the claret which can be made to answer any purpose. Of the two sorts of champagne, that sealed with yellow wax might go off at balls, if there were a better kind for select meetings. The red wax is too bad for an election dinner at Dover. The four parcels of Burgundy are almost equally bad. If there is any difference, that sealed with black wax and falsely and impudently called Vin de Beaune is the worst, and is indeed as bad as the worst tavern could afford ; but I am sure that no person will ever drink a second glass of either. I know how unhappy his Grace and you would be to see the tables so provided. What can be done I know not. You have been most scandalously abused, but I doubt his Grace will not think that a sufficient excuse for bad entertainment through a whole winter.  The claret called Chateau Margoux is excellently good ; the La Tour very good ; but the smallness of the bottles (though a trifling circumstance compared with the others) is so remarkable that I am very apt to conclude the whole business has been dishonestly transacted, and I am confident that not a drop of the wine so called was ever in the province of Burgundy. The melancholy operation of tasting was performed at my house yesterday. General Bragge, and eight or nine more, and most nearly related to the family, were present and agree to this sentence in the utmost extent. To prevent as far as I could any fancy or prejudice I slipt in a bottle of my own Burgundy, and they all cried out, ‘This will do.’ I would not have you persuaded that the fault is from want of keeping or from having been disturbed in the passage. If I have any knowledge, the wine is fundamentally bad. It is a vile infamous mixture and can never be better. The only security against its growing worse is that there is hardly room for it.”

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[1] Report on the Manuscripts of Mrs. Stopford-Sackville, of Drayton House.  Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. 1904. URL: https://books.google.com/books?id=Uh4Vfn-FFekC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false
[2] Lord George Germaine. 1780. LC-USZ62-45273. Library of Congress Rare Book and Special Collections Division. URL: http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003675592/

Annual Bordeaux Dinner: Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron

Earlier this week I had the privilege to attend the annual Bordeaux dinner hosted by Panos Kakaviatos (Wine Chronicles) at the restaurant Ripple.  For this year the focus was on the wines of Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron.  To complement the 13-vintage vertical of wines we were joined by Jean-Rene Matignon.  Jean-Rene Matignon has been technical director at the estate since it was purchased by AXA Insurance in 1987.  As the vintages reached back to 1989, he was able to share his comprehensive knowledge.  Jean-Rene Matignon provided a pamphlet on the history of the estate as well as a tasting booklet describing each of the wines served at our dinner.

We started the evening in the bar side of Ripple drinking glasses of 2000 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut.  With glass in hand of lovely full-bodied lemon flavors I chatted with many familiar wine lovers and met several others for the first time.  The wines were decanted that morning and Panos fortunately revealed there was only one corked bottle.  This meant there were ample pours of all wines included significant pours of the 1989 and 1990 vintages.  As a whole I thought the wines showed incredibly well with attractive and engaging vintage variation.  Of the younger wines the 2005, 2009, and 2010 showed significant potential for future the development.  Whereas the 2005 was quite strong the 2010 had more of everything, including an already significant amount of complexity.  These are wines for future decades.  Of the mature wines I preferred the pair of 1989 and 1990 over the 2000 which came across as more advanced.  The 1989 has entered its mature peak with the 1990 distinctly youthful with its pure fruit, good acidity, and integrated structure.  I suspect this wine will develop even further!

We tasted all of these wines in flights of two and three.  My notes are a bit short this year for, I will admit, for my table spent a good amount of time conversing.  It was a pleasure to not only enjoy the wine and food but Ben Giliberti’s knowledge about Bordeaux and Keith Levenberg’s shrewd observations.  Please find my notes below as well as Jean-Rene Matignon’s comments which I have paraphrased.

Jean-Rene Matignon: In the 2006 vintage, the Cabernet Sauvignon was very ripe and the wine shows a lot of minerality.  The 2007 vintage experienced a tropical summer with humidity and low ripeness.  The fruit was slowly picked.  The wine is for drinking now.  The 2008 vintage demonstrates a lot of potential.  With low yields and a strict selection the production level was low.  This wine was assembled in the new cellar, built in 2006, that has more space allowing the lots to be kept separate for a precise selection.

2006 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 28% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc that was aged in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  The nose was dense and meaty with minerally aromas of dark blue and black fruit.  The density continued in the mouth with savory fruit, lifted minerality, and cedar hints in the finish.  The drying structure came out with air but everything was balanced by the lively acidity. ***(*).

2007 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Merlot that was aged in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  There was a meaty, bloody nose marked by greenhouse aromas.  In the mouth the tart red fruit had a greenhouse hint before a racy, line of flavor brought more greenhouse flavors. ***.

2008 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot that was aged in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  Though tighter in the mouth this retained balance with minerals, blue-black fruit, and fine cola-like tannins.  The wine was fresh with plenty of focus.  Young with a good future ahead. ***(*).

Jean-Rene Matignon: The 2001 vintage saw a green harvest and produced a wine that is elegant and balanced with very good potential.  The 2002 vintage saw a very cold spring where they lost many berries.  Good weather in September pushed the ripeness into balance but still left a low-yield.  Some green berries made it into the wine.  The 2004 vintage experienced very good, regular weather that provided a big challenge to reduce quantity.  There was a green harvest and the largest quantity of generic wine made.

2001 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc that was aged in 70% new oak barrels and 30% one-year old oak barrels.  This was an aromatic wine with tart red and black fruit, good bright and deep flavors, complex spices, and a long aftertaste. ****.

2002 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot that was aged in 70% new oak barrels and 30% one-year old oak barrels.  There was textured fruit on the nose.  In the mouth there was concentrated red fruit, good wood flavors, and an almost glycerin mouthfeel.  This was easy to drink due to the ripe, young fruit and freshness but the good structure and acidity will allow this to develop further. ***(*).

2004 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc that was aged in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  There was a nice expression of black fruit, watering acidity from the start, and a racy nature.  The ripe fruit was matched by ripe, citric tannins on the gums. ****.

Jean-Rene Matignon: The 2000 vintage saw a special blending of the wine with managing director Christian Seely.  This was a vintage for winemaking with the revelation coming after tasting through the tanks and vats.  It marks the beginning of the great vintages, classic for the Bordelais, and a taste for the world.  The 2003 vintage was famously hot and difficult to sort out the very ripe fruit.  For the second wine a second pick was employed.  The 2005 vintage was strict and austere being about terroir and one for our children.

2000 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 5% Cabernet Franc that was aged 15 months in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  The fruit showed gentle concentration with a hint of greenhouse, some luxurious fat, and a mineral finish.  One of the softer, more advanced showings of the evening that is drinking very well right now. ****.

2003 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot that was aged in 70% new oak barrels and 30% one-year old oak barrels.  This had ample black fruit flavors, good structure, and a cinnamon spiced finish. ***(*).

2005 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc that was aged in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  The precise nose offered blue and black fruit with an earthy hint.  In the mouth the black fruit enveloped the tongue taking on spices, some back-end heat, and drying tannins in the aftertaste of ethereal flavors.  Young with great potential. ****(*).

Jean-Rene Matignon: The 1989 and 1990 vintages produced from the historic, smaller vineyard on the estate.  The new winery was not built until 1991 so they reflect the raw quality of the fruit.  The 1989 vintage experienced such nice weather that the fruit was picked with students.  There were exceptional berries so it was not necessary to sort as it is recently common.  The 1990 vintage showed the potential of the Pichon Baron fruit producing a fresh wine that will last forever.

1989 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and 4% Cabernet Franc that was aged for 15 months in 65% new oak barrels and 35% one-year old oak barrels.  There were minerals and blood on the nose followed by fresh fruit in the mouth.  The wine had a rounded edge with attractive incense and cedar notes that mixed with ripe, red fruit. ****(*).

1990 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 73% Cabernet Sauvignon and 27% Merlot that was aged for 15 months in 70% new oak barrels and 30% one-year old oak barrels.  The nose was rather aromatic with mature notes.  In the mouth was an easy entry with tart, black fruit, lovely tannins, and good lively attitude.  A very long life ahead of continued development. ****(*).

The dinner wrapped up with a pair of the youngest wines.  Jean-Rene Matignon: This pair also marks the introduction of the optical sorter in 2009.

2009 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot that was aged in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  There was an exotic nose of red fruit and Lebanese spices.  In the mouth were tart cherry and pomegranate flavors that show ripe, fuzziness in the finish. ****(*).

2010 Chateau Pichon-Longueville Baron, Pauillac
This wine is a blend of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon and 21% Merlot that was aged in 80% new oak barrels and 20% one-year old oak barrels.  This was an aromatic wine with complex aromas and leather.  The flavors had depth and concentration.  Showing strength in its youth there was plenty of power, ample structure, and clearly all of the components for a great future.  A stunning wine even at the end of a long evening. *****.

Map showing Chateau Longueville in 1886

I am working on my post about the Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron tasting organized by Panos Kakaviatos (Wine Chronicles).  To stay on subject here is a 19th century map showing the location of the estate.  If you follow the route south from Pauillac you will encounter Chateau Latour followed by Chateau Longueville.  By this date both Chateau Pichon Longueville Baron and Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande were in existence.  It was most likely due to space that they were combined into a single entry on the map.   A classified list of the estates appears at the bottom of the sheet which contains this map.   Under the “2mes CRUS” list is Pichon-Longueville owned by Baron de Pichon and Pichon-Lalande owned by Comtesse de Lalande.

The location of Ch. Longueville from the Carte routière et vinicole de la Gironde. [1]

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[1] Carte routière et vinicole de la Gironde. Lapierre, Alfred. 1886. Bibliothèque nationale de France, GED-491. URL: http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb407247271

“Thanks for the genteel present”: John Adam’s receipt of two cases of Constantia wine in 1788

The rare Constantia wines of the Cape of Good Hope in what is now South Africa were historically held in such high regard that it seems incredible there is no record of Thomas Jefferson having purchased, let alone tasted these wines.  Apparently there have been enough claims to the contrary that the Constantia Wine entry at Monticello states the researchers are “unable to find any documentary evidence that Thomas Jefferson purchased or consumed Constantia wines or ‘vins du Constance.’”   Contemporary research into the history of Constantia wine is being passionately pursued by Joanne Gibson (Winewriter).  She noted in The World of Fine Wine Magazine that she searched “(in vain) for evidence that US founding father and noted wine connoisseur Thomas Jefferson ever drank Constantia”.[1]

Location of Constantia farms from the map City of Cape Town and environs. 1931. The William and Yvonne Jacobson Digital Africana Program at UCT.

I too have, admittedly, spent much time searching for this connection to no avail.  We do know through newspaper advertisements that Constantia wine was sold in America as early as 1750.[2]  The wine was periodically advertised for sale over the years even in such close locations to Washington, DC, as Baltimore, Maryland in 1805.[3]   While this suggests that there was some knowledge of the wine in America it does not reveal who drank the wine.  For that we must look beyond Thomas Jefferson.  Fortunately, there are other Founding Fathers who loved and drank amongst the best wines.  I first revealed on this blog how George Washington received a case of Constantia wine while encamped at Valley Forge in 1778.[4]  I also demonstrated that John Adams drank Constantia wine at a fabulous dinner in Spain during 1779.[5]

It turns out that John Adams received a shipment of Constantia wine upon his return to America in 1788.  His return marked the end of several years living in Europe as ambassador to the Dutch Republic and minister to the Court of St. James’s.    On August 21, 1788, Nicolaas and Jacob van Staphorst of Amsterdam sent a letter to John Adams informing him that they had shipped two cases to him, one case “containing Two Dozen Bottles Constantia Wine”.[6]  John Adams worked with the van Staphorst brothers, who were Dutch bankers, to arrange a series of loans to the United States.  The wine represented a token of their “Remembrance and Esteem.”  That the brothers were able to procure such a quantity of Constantia wine makes sense because at the time the Dutch East India Company had rights to purchase and bring up casks of Constantia from the farms of Hendrick Cloete and Johannes Colyn.

The van Staphorst letter states there was an “inclosed Bill of Lading” but this does not appear to have survived.[7]  This is unfortunate because these bills can hold important facts such as vintage and producer.  Despite the lack of any documentation tracking the shipment of this wine we do know that the bottles were received by John Adams.  On December 2, 1788, he wrote back from Boston with “my Thanks for the genteel present contained in two Cases”.[8]

I can find no further documentation about this case of wine during this period even in the handful of John Adams’ letters with George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.  It does appear that knowledge about Constantia wine is broader than generally held before.  There is no documentary evidence that James Madison drank Constantia wine but he is recorded as recounting in 1816 a witticism of Theodore A. Erskine.  In this case a “Cape wine” served in a small bottle, meaning Constantia, was promptly emptied and with no hope for more, it was stated “‘Well, sir, if we cannot double the cape, we must get into port.’”[9]

Extract of letter from Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, June 01, 1807. [10]

It seems odd then that if George Washington and John Adams had bottles of Constantia and James Madison was at least aware of it that Thomas Jefferson appears silent.  I do not think this is necessarily true.  It is frequently cited that Thomas Jefferson classified wines of the “Cape” as the most expensive alongside Tokay, Malmsey, and Hock in a letter regarding wine tariffs dated June 1, 1807.[10] The high cost per gallon implies he was describing the extraordinary Constantia wine.  Based on two letters we know that John Adams equated “Vin de Cap” with Constantia wine.  Thomas Jefferson used such a term in two letters dated May 26, 1819. In these letters he described the different qualities of wine placing “Vin du Cap” under the category “1. sweet wines”.[11]  Given that Constantia was a sweet wine, I believe this increases the possibility that this is the wine Thomas Jefferson was describing.

Extract of letter from Thomas Jefferson to Stephen Catalan Jr., May 26, 1819. [11]

Regardless of which Cape wines Thomas Jefferson was referring to, it appears he did not succeed in adding these wines to the tariff list.  Neither appears next to Malmsey nor Tokay in an 1814 list of duties for “Wines in casks, bottles, or other vessels” imported into America.[12]  This perhaps speaks to the general rarity of these wines landing on American shores.  Though the mystery between Thomas Jefferson and Constantia wine still stands, I find it very exciting that John Adams received two cases of it.  It not only shows the high regard for the wine amongst the Founding Fathers, it also demonstrates how the history of wine may evolve due to the continued development of digital archives.

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[1] Gibson, Joanne. “The Cape Grape and the Beginnings of American Viticulture”.  The World of Fine Wine. Issue 42, 2013.
[2] ““curious white Constantia Cape Wine”: The Advertisement of Constantia Wine Through 1795” URL: https://hogsheadwine.wordpress.com/2013/08/30/curious-white-constantia-cape-wine-the-advertisement-of-constantia-wine-through-1795/
[3] Date: Monday, December 16, 1805               Paper: American and Commercial Daily Advertiser (Baltimore, MD)   Volume: XI   Issue: 2067   Page: 3
[4] “General George Washington’s Curious Case of Constantia Wine”. URL: https://hogsheadwine.wordpress.com/2013/07/03/general-george-washingtons-curious-case-of-constantia-wine/
[5] “John Adams Drank Constantia Wine in Spain”. URL: https://hogsheadwine.wordpress.com/2014/03/14/john-adams-drank-constantia-wine-in-spain/
[6] “To John Adams from Nicolaas Van Staphorst, 21 August 1788,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-0413 [last update: 2014-12-01]). Source: this is an Early Access document from The Adams Papers. It is not an authoritative final version.
[7] Private correspondence with Andrea Cronin, Asst. Reference Librarian, Massachusetts Historical Society.
[8] “From John Adams to Nicolaas Van Staphorst, 2 December 1788,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/99-02-02-0440 [last update: 2014-12-01]). Source: this is an Early Access document from The Adams Papers. It is not an authoritative final version.
[9] A Frenchman Visits Norfolk, Fredericksburg and Orange County, 1816 Author(s): L. G. Moffatt, J. M. Carrière and J. G. Moffatt Source: The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 53, No. 3 (Jul., 1945), pp. 197-214. URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4245357 .
[10] “From Thomas Jefferson to Albert Gallatin, 1 June 1807,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/99-01-02-5674 [last update: 2014-12-01]). Source: this is an Early Access document from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson. It is not an authoritative final version.
[11] “From Thomas Jefferson to Stephen Cathalan, Jr., 26 May 1819,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-0434 [last update: 2014-12-01]). Source: this is an Early Access document from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series. It is not an authoritative final version.  And “From Thomas Jefferson to Victor Adolphus Sasserno, 26 May 1819,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/98-01-02-0437 [last update: 2014-12-01]). Source: this is an Early Access document from The Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series. It is not an authoritative final version.
[12] Brice, John. A selection of all the laws of the United States, now in force, relative to commercial subjects. 1814. URL: https://books.google.com/books?id=WjNKAAAAMAAJ&pg=PR1#v=onepage&q&f=false