Rượu vang Mỹ: Khi người khổng lồ thức dậy - Lê Văn, Certified Specialist of Wine (05/10/04)

Nhu+~ng bu+o+'c kho+?i dda^`u

Chi? mo+'i tru+o+'c dda^y chu+`ng 30 na(m tho^i, ru+o+.u vang My~ no'i
chung va^~n co`n bi. coi nhu+ mo^.t thu+' sa?n pha^?m loa.i xoa`ng,
gia' re?, da`nh cho gio+'i bi`nh da^n, cho nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i de^~ ti'nh,
mie^~n sao co' ru+o+.u uo^'ng la` ddu+o+.c ro^`i, kho^ng ca^`n dde^? y'
nhie^`u la('m dde^'n pha^?m cha^'t cao hay tha^'p\. Loa.i ru+o+.u My~
ddu+o+.c tie^u thu. vo+'i so^' lu+o+.ng nhie^`u nha^'t va`o ho^`i ddo'
la` "jug wine", ddu+.ng trong nhu+~ng bi`nh chu+'a to tu+` 3 to+'i 4
li't, va` gia' tie^`n chi? va`o khoa?ng $4, tu+'c la` mo^~i li't co'
$1\. Ru+o+.u ma` ba'n vo+'i gia' re? nhu+ va^.y thi` cha^'t lu+o+.ng
di~ nhie^n kho^ng the^? kha' ho+n Coca Cola la` ma^'y!

Nhu+~ng nha` sa?n xua^'t jug wine lo+'n nha^'t la` Gallo, Paul Masson,
Carlo Rossi va` Almaden, mo^~i na(m tung ra thi. tru+o+`ng ca? trie^.u
li't va` thu ve^` kha' nhie^`u lo+.i nhua^.n\. Ho. ngang nhie^n da'n
le^n nhu+~ng bi`nh ru+o+.u to co+~ 1 gallon nhu+~ng nha~n hie^.u nhu+
Hearty Burgundy hay Claret cho ru+o+.u ddo?, Chablis hay Riesling cho
ru+o+.u tra('ng, v.v..., ma(.c du` chu'ng cha(?ng co' chu't lie^n he^.
na`o vo+'i nhu+~ng vu`ng Burgundy hay Chablis be^n Pha'p ca?\. Co^ng
ba(`ng ma` no'i, jug wine cu~ng kho^ng dde^'n no^~i te^. la('m bo+?i
vi` no' ddu+o+.c pha che^' ho+i ngo.t ngo.t, de^~ uo^'ng, cha(?ng kha'c
gi` ta uo^'ng nu+o+'c nho dde^? gia?i kha't, ma` la.i co' the^m chu't
i't cha^'t alcohol khie^'n cho ta co' ca?m gia'c nga` nga` say\.

Thu+.c ra, va^~n co' mo^.t so^' i't nhu+~ng tru+o+`ng ho+.p ngoa.i
le^., trong ddo' ca'c nha` sa?n xua^'t ru+o+.u co+~ nho? hoa(.c co+~
trung bi`nh (va`o ho^`i a^'y), nhu+ Inglenook, Robert Mondavi, hay
Beaulieu Vineyard cha(?ng ha.n, va^~n la`m ra nhu+~ng chai ru+o+.u
ra^'t ngon ma` ho. xe^'p va`o loa.i special reserve hoa(.c private
reserve, gia' ba'n co' the^? tu+` da(m ba chu.c cho dde^'n ga^`n 100
ddo^`ng mo^.t chai ma` va^~n co' ngu+o+`i mua vi` cha^'t lu+o+.ng ro~
ra`ng la` xua^'t sa('c cu?a no'\. Loa.i na`y kha'c ha(?n vo+'i loa.i
ru+o+.u thu+o+`ng cu~ng cu?a ca'c nha` sa?n xua^'t vu+`a ke^? nhu+ng
gia' chi? tu+` $6 tro+? xuo^'ng\.

Ru+o+.u vang My~ tre^n tru+o+`ng quo^'c te^'

Tru+o+'c tha^.p nie^n 1970, nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i sa`nh ddie^.u, bie^'t
thu+o+?ng thu+'c hu+o+ng vi. tho+m ngon cu?a ru+o+.u, bie^'t pha^n
ti'ch nhu+~ng ye^'u to^' phu+'c ta.p ma` ha`i ho`a trong cha^'t
ru+o+.u, va` la.i co' phu+o+ng tie^.n dde^? mua nhu+~ng chai ru+o+.u
loa.i dda('t tie^`n thi` ddu+o+ng nhie^n la` ho. ti`m mua ru+o+.u vang
Pha'p chu+' i't ai dde^? y' dde^'n ru+o+.u My~\. Ru+o+.u Pha'p lu'c
a^'y ha^`u nhu+ giu+~ ngo^i vi. ddo^.c to^n\. No' ddu+o+.c coi la`
Tha'i So+n Ba('c DDa^?u, la` “khuo^n va`ng thu+o+'c ngo.c” dde^?
ddo lu+o+`ng pha^?m cha^'t ngon hay do+? cu?a ta^'t ca? mo.i thu+'
ru+o+.u vang sa?n xua^'t o+? ba^'t cu+' no+i na`o tre^n the^' gio+'i\.

Vo+'i tu+ the^' nhu+ va^.y, ca'c nha` la`m ru+o+.u danh tie^'ng cu?a
Pha'p o+? vu`ng Bordeaux, va` nha^'t la` vu`ng Bourgogne, tha ho^`
muo^'n "charge" bao nhie^u tie^`n cu~ng va^~n co' ngu+o+`i mua sa?n
pha^?m cu?a ho.\. Gio+'i tie^u thu. My~ che^ ru+o+.u Pha'p qua' dda('t,
kho^ng chi.u mua u+\? Thi` dda~ co' o^ng DDu+'c, o^ng Nha^.t sa(~n
sa`ng tung tie^`n ra mua ngay\. Ho^`i ddo', ne^`n kinh te^' cu?a DDu+'c
va` Nha^.t ddang bo^'c le^n nhu+ die^`u ga(.p gio', ho. co' qua'
nhie^`u tie^`n, kho^ng bie^'t xa`i va`o dda^u cho he^'t ne^n "phu' quy'
sinh le^~ nghi~a", ho. be`n quay sang thu+o+?ng thu+'c ru+o+.u vang
ngon cu?a Pha'p, gia' cao bao nhie^u cu~ng ba^'t ca^`n\.

Pha?i co^ng nha^.n ra(`ng ma^'y o^ng Ta^y ba` DDa^`m ra^'t gio?i ve^`
chuye^.n tie^'p thi., tu+'c la` dde^` cao nhu+~ng loa.i ru+o+.u vang
ngon cu?a ho., la`m cho ca? the^' gio+'i ca?m tha^'y ha'o hu+'c no^n
no'ng muo^'n mua ve^` uo^'ng thu+? coi cho bie^'t\. Ho. la.i khe'o le'o
ga'n cho ru+o+.u vang Pha'p nhu+~ng hi`nh a?nh tha^.t ha`o hoa phong
nha~ khie^'n ai cu~ng ham thi'ch\.

Co^ be' lo. lem bie^'n tha`nh co^ng chu'a

Ngoa`i ra, mo^~i na(m cu+' va`o mu`a ha'i nho go.i la` vendanges
khoa?ng tu+` tha'ng 9 dde^'n tha'ng 10, ca'c nha` sa?n xua^'t ru+o+.u
vang Pha'p la.i to^? chu+'c nhu+~ng ho^.i cho+. trie^?n la~m ca'c sa?n
pha^?m cu?a ho. o+? ha^`u kha('p mo.i no+i trong nu+o+'c, ma` lo+'n
nha^'t la` Vinexpo o+? vu`ng Bordeaux va` ca'c Concours des
Vins-nhu+~ng cuo^.c thi ru+o+.u o+? thu? ddo^ Paris\. Ho. co' nha~ y'
mo+`i ta^'t ca? ca'c quo^'c gia sa?n xua^'t ru+o+.u vang tre^n the^'
gio+'i ddem sa?n pha^?m cu?a mi`nh dde^'n tham du+., chi? vo+'i mu.c
ddi'ch la` dde^? ti`m hie^?u xem nhu+~ng thu+' sa?n pha^?m "ngoa`i
le^`" ddo' so vo+'i ru+o+.u vang Pha'p thi` dda~ ho.c ho?i ddu+o+.c bao
nhie^u, chu+' co`n chuye^.n thi ddua dde^? chie^'m gia?i nha^'t nhi`
la` chi? giu+~a ru+o+.u Pha'p vo+'i nhau tho^i\.

Ne^'u no'i theo va(n chu+o+ng kie^'m hie^.p cu?a Kim Dung thi` nhu+~ng
Concours des Vins na`y cu~ng gio^'ng nhu+ nhu+~ng cuo^.c "Hoa So+n
lua^.n kie^'m", trong ddo' ca'c Chateaux danh tie^'ng nha^'t cu?a Pha'p
nhu+ Lafite Rothschild, Mouton Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, Haut-Brion,
Pe'trus, Cheval Blanc, v.v\... cu~ng gio^'ng nhu+ nhu+~ng danh mo^n
chi'nh pha'i Thie^'u La^m, Vo~ DDang, Nga Mi, Co^n Lua^n\... Ho. thay
nhau giu+~ ngo^i vi. ba' chu? trong vo~ la^m\.

Ru+o+.u Y', ru+o+.u DDu+'c, ru+o+.u Ta^y Ban Nha chi? ddu+o+.c coi nhu+
nhu+~ng bang ho^.i va(.t va~nh tre^n cho^'n giang ho^`\. Co`n dde^'n
nhu+ ru+o+.u My~, ru+o+.u U'c, ru+o+.u Chi-Le^ thi` dda.i kha'i cu~ng
nhu+ bo.n ba`ng mo^n ta? dda.o o+? ngoa`i 36 dda?o, 72 ddo^.ng; ne^'u
co' ddu+o+.c va`o chu+'ng kie^'n vo~ co^ng thu+o+.ng tha(.ng cu?a Trung
quo^'c cu~ng chi? la` dde^? may ra ho.c lo?m ddu+o+.c mo^.t va`i chie^u
thu+'c ddem ve^` nghie^`n nga^~m vo+'i nhau ma` tho^i\.

Tuy nhie^n, trong mo^.t Concours des Vins ddu+o+.c to^? chu+'c ta.i
Paris va`o na(m 1976, mo^.t chuye^.n ba^'t ngo+` chu+a tu+`ng co' dda~
xa?y ra\. Cu~ng nhu+ tho^ng le^., ta.i cuo^.c thi na`y nha` to^? chu+'c
mo+`i mo^.t ban gia'm kha?o go^`m nhu+~ng nha^n va^.t ddu+o+.c coi la`
co' tha^?m quye^`n trong nga`nh ru+o+.u vang, nhu+~ng ngu+o+`i tu+`ng
vie^'t sa'ch vie^'t ba'o phe^ bi`nh ve^` ru+o+.u vang, hoa(.c la`
nhu+~ng sommeliers (chuye^n vie^n ru+o+.u vang ma` nghe^` nghie^.p chi?
la` ne^'m va` lu+.a cho.n ru+o+.u ngon cho nhu+~ng tie^.m a(n sang
tro.ng nha^'t) dde^'n cha^'m ddie^?m cho ca'c loa.i ru+o+.u du+. thi'\.

Ca'c gia'm kha?o ne^'m ru+o+.u theo kie^?u "blind tasting", tu+'c la`
ca'c nha~n hie^.u tre^n chai dde^`u bi.t ki'n, nhu+~ng ly ru+o+.u
tru+o+'c ma(.t ho. chi? ddu+o+.c dda'nh da^'u ba(`ng ma~ so^' A, B, C,
D hay 1, 2, 3, 4, v.v\... Ho. tha^?m ddi.nh pha^?m cha^'t cu?a tu+`ng
loa.i ru+o+.u, ca(n cu+' tre^n ma`u sa('c (robe), hu+o+ng tho+m
(bouquet), mu`i vi. o+? dda^`u lu+o+~i (gout), du+ vi. trong cuo^'ng
ho.ng (arrie`re-gout), ro^`i cho ddie^?m theo mo^~i tie^u chua^?n
ddo'\.

Cuo^'i cu`ng, khi ca'c ddie^?m so^' da`nh cho mo^~i loa.i ru+o+.u
ddu+o+.c to^?ng co^.ng la.i ro^`i ddem ra co^ng bo^' thi` kinh nga.c
thay, chai ru+o+.u ddu+o+.c nhie^`u ddie^?m nha^'t, ddu+o+.c huy
chu+o+ng va`ng, la.i kho^ng pha?i la` mo^.t chateau danh tie^'ng la^~y
lu+`ng na`o cu?a Pha'p, ma` la` mo^.t chai ru+o+.u My~! Chai ru+o+.u
na`y do mo^.t nha` sa?n xua^'t vo^ danh tie^?u to^'t la` Stags' Leap
Wine Cellars o+? Napa Valley trong bang California vu+`a la`m ra na(m
1973, ro^`i sau 2 na(m nga^m trong thu`ng go^~ so^`i va` mo^.t na(m
ddo'ng trong chai dda(.t du+o+'i ha^`m, no' ddu+o+.c ddu+a sang Pha'p
dde^? go.i la` "ddem chuo^ng ddi dda^'m xu+' ngu+o+`i"\. Ai ngo+` dda^u
chuo^ng la.i ke^u to dde^'n mu+'c cha^'n ddo^.ng giang ho^` nhu+
va^.y\.

The^' la` ke^? tu+` sau tha('ng lo+.i ba^'t ngo+` ddo' cu?a nha` Stags'
Leap Wine Cellars, ru+o+.u vang My~ dda~ ddu+o+.c ca? the^' gio+'i
nhi`n ba(`ng con ma('t ki'nh tro.ng ho+n chu+' kho^ng co`n bi. xem
thu+o+`ng nhu+ tru+o+'c nu+~a\. Va` cu~ng chi? tu+` sau na(m 1976, My~
mo+'i co' ddu+o+.c mo^.t cho^~ ddu+'ng dda'ng ke^? tre^n ba?n ddo^`
ru+o+.u vang the^' gio+'i\.

Khi ngu+o+`i kho^?ng lo^` thu+'c da^.y

Thu+`a tha('ng xo^ng le^n, ru+o+.u vang My~ tu+` 1976 to+'i nay dda~
tie^'n bu+o+'c ba(`ng ddo^i hia 7 da(.m\. Ngoa`i ha~ng Stags' Leap Wine
Cellars ra, ngu+o+`i ta co`n tha^'y nhu+~ng nha` la`m ru+o+.u nho? go.i
la` "boutique wineries" nhu+ Plumpjack, Silver Oaks, Caymus, v.v\...
mo.c le^n nhu+ na^'m trong vu`ng Napa, ro^`i Sonoma Valley, lan tra`n
ca? xuo^'ng vu`ng Monterey, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara\.... Mo^~i nha`
la.i sa?n xua^'t ra nhu+~ng thu+' ru+o+.u vo+'i ca' ti'nh dda(.c sa('c
kha'c nhau tu`y theo thu?y tho^?, khi' ha^.u, loa.i nho va` ta`i la`m
ru+o+.u cu?a nhu+~ng chuye^n vie^n ma` ho. tin ca^.y\.

Nhu+ng kho^ng pha?i chi? co' California mo+'i la`m ra ddu+o+.c ru+o+.u
vang ngon\. Hie^.n gio+`, ta^'t ca? 48 tie^?u bang tre^n lu.c ddi.a Hoa
Ky` dde^`u co' tro^`ng nho va` sa?n xua^'t ru+o+.u vang\. Thu+.c ra, so
vo+'i ca'c tie^?u bang o+? mie^`n DDo^ng thi` California chi? ddu+o+.c
xe^'p va`o ha`ng ha^.u bo^'i, sinh sau dde? muo^.n trong nga`nh la`m
ru+o+.u\. Nhu+ng California co' ca'i may ma('n la` khi' ha^.u ra^'t
to^'t, dda^'t ddai la.i dda(.c bie^.t thi'ch ho+.p cho ca'c loa.i nho
ddem tu+` A^u cha^u sang nhu+ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir,
Syrah, dde^? la`m ru+o+.u ddo?; Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc,
Riesling\... dde^? la`m ru+o+.u tra('ng, cho ne^n California ddu+o+.c
coi la` tie^u bie^?u cho nga`nh co^ng nghie^.p ru+o+.u vang cu?a My~\.

Nhu+ng ga^`n dda^y, ca'c tie^?u bang tre^n mie^`n Ta^y Ba('c nhu+
Washington, Oregon, ddang sa?n xua^'t ddu+o+.c nhu+~ng loa.i ru+o+.u
vang ngon co' khi co`n qua ma(.t ca? California\. Thi' du.: vu`ng thung
lu~ng Willamette trong bang Oregon la` no+i ma` nho Pinot Noir, mo^.t
loa.i nho vo^'n no^?i tie^'ng la` kho' ti'nh, kho' tro^`ng, la.i pha't
trie^?n ra^'t to^'t va` cho nhu+~ng thu+' ru+o+.u vang tuye^.t ha?o
cha(?ng ke'm gi` ru+o+.u o+? vu`ng Bourgogne cu?a Pha'p\.

Su+'c chi.u ddu+.ng de?o dai chu+a tu+`ng tha^'y

Ba^y gio+` thi` ru+o+.u vang My~ dda~ nghie^~m nhie^n co' mo^.t tu+
the^' ra^'t dda'ng ne^? o+? kha('p mo.i no+i tre^n the^' gio+'i, ke^?
ca? tre^n ba?ng danh sa'ch ru+o+.u cu?a nhu+~ng tie^.m a(n co+~ 3 sao
Michelin nhu+ Le Doyen o+? Paris hay Paul Bocuse o+? Lyon be^n Pha'p\.
Nhu+ng tru+o+'c khi dda.t ddu+o+.c tu+ the^' ddo', nga`nh sa?n xua^'t
ru+o+.u vang o+? My~ dda~ pha?i tra?i qua nhie^`u giai ddoa.n vo^ cu`ng
kho' kha(n va^'t va?, co' lu'c tu+o+?ng nhu+ no' che^'t luo^n kho^ng
sao ngo'c dda^`u le^n ddu+o+.c nu+~a\.

Thi' du. ho^`i cuo^'i the^' ky? thu+' 19, khi ca'c loa.i nho la`m
ru+o+.u ddu+a tu+` A^u cha^u sang tro^`ng o+? My~ ddang na?y no+? to^'t
dde.p thi` mo^.t na.n di.ch go.i la` phylloxera, do nhu+~ng con bo.
nho? li ti chuye^n a(n ha.i re^~ nho ga^y ra, la`m che^'t ru.i ha^`u
he^'t mo.i ruo^.ng nho o+? California\. Cho dde^'n khi ngu+o+`i ta ti`m
ddu+o+.c ca'ch ghe'p ca'c loa.i nho A^u cha^u va`o go^'c nhu+~ng ca^y
nho ba?n xu+', dda~ tu+`ng chi.u ddu+.ng su+. ta^'n co^ng cu?a
phylloxera va` dda~ pha't trie^?n ddu+o+.c ti'nh mie^~n nhie^~m
(immunity), thi` nho mo+'i so^'ng so't va` nga`nh la`m ru+o+.u cu?a My~
mo+'i phu.c ho^`i tro+? la.i\.

Phu.c ho^`i chu+a ddu+o+.c bao la^u, ru+o+.u vang My~ la.i bi. mo^.t
dda.i na.n kha'c nu+~a, ddo' la` dda.o lua^.t ca^'m ba'n ru+o+.u, ca^'m
uo^'ng ru+o+.u tre^n toa`n quo^'c, go.i la` Prohibition, ke'o da`i
trong vo`ng 13 na(m, tu+` 1920 dde^'n 1933\.

Nguye^n ho^`i a^'y phu. nu+~ My~ vu+`a tranh thu? ddu+o+.c quye^`n ddi
bo? phie^'u sau bao nhie^u na(m va^.n ddo^.ng cam go\. Vo+'i su+'c
ma.nh chi'nh tri. mo+'i da`nh ddu+o+.c, ho. be`n ga^y a'p lu+.c dde^?
ca'c u+'ng cu+? vie^n va`o quo^'c ho^.i pha?i cam ke^'t se~ tho^ng qua
mo^.t dda.o lua^.t ca^'m ru+o+.u\. Ly' do la` vi` va`o tho+`i ddo'
pha^`n lo+'n ca'c o^ng cho^`ng dde^`u ru+o+.u che` be be't, say su+a
qua' tro+'n ro^`i dda'nh vo+. dda^.p con la`m kho^? gia ddi`nh ne^n
ca'c ba` va^.n ddo^.ng ca^'m ru+o+.u luo^n\. The^' la` he^'t uo^'ng!
Ha^.u qua? la` ta^'t ca? mo.i vu`ng tro^`ng nho tre^n nu+o+'c My~
dde^`u pha?i nho^? he^'t ca^y nho ddem ddo^'t ddi, thay the^' va`o ddo'
ba(`ng nhu+~ng loa.i no^ng pha^?m kha'c\.

La~nh mo^.t ddo`n chi' tu+? na`y, ru+o+.u vang My~ tu+o+?ng chu+`ng
nhu+ dda~ bi. xo'a bo? ha(?n tre^n ma(.t ddi.a ca^`u\. Va^.y ma` nga`y
nay no' cha(?ng nhu+~ng dda~ ho^`i phu.c ha(?n, la.i co`n so^'ng hu`ng
so^'ng ma.nh\. Nho+` ddo' chu'ng ta va^~n ddu+o+.c thu+o+?ng thu+'c
nhu+~ng chai ru+o+.u My~ ra^'t pho^? tho^ng nhu+ Hogue, Petite Syrah,
gia' chi? khoa?ng $7, hoa(.c Clos du Bois Barrel Chardonnay khoa?ng $9,
ma` co' the^? go.i la` kha' ngon; cho dde^'n nhu+~ng chai thu+o+.ng
tha(.ng, pha^?m cha^'t tuye^.t vo+`i nhu+ Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) George
de La Tour Private Reserve hoa(.c Shafer, Cabernet Sauvignon, Hillside
Select, Napa Valley, gia' tu+` $150 cho dde^'n $200…

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