Looking Back...and Forward

Today I received an e-mail telling me that Kevin Zraly is following me on Twitter. I don’t know Kevin, but I certainly know who he is.

Back in 1995, I took a job as the manager of a wine shop that was in the process of opening. The owner was in the jewelry business and decided to open a wine shop just for the heck of it.

Now, I’m not saying this guy didn’t know a whole lot about wine, but he was constantly asking me, “Merlot is basically a blend, right?”

He tapped me as his go-to guy for wine knowledge, even though I knew practically nothing. One of my greatest talents is creating the impression (illusion?) of knowing something useful.

I did, however, have a copy of Windows on the World Complete Wine Course, which had been a gift from one of my brothers. That book, along with Wine for Dummies, served as my guide to the very confusing world of wine for many years.

I’m sorry to say I lost that book along life’s path; I’m usually pretty obsessive about holding on to books. As someone who came of age pre-Internet, I’m accustomed to looking for information in books. Sometimes I actually forget that I can look something up online…sometimes I’d just rather not.

I was reminded of all this by seeing Kevin’s name pop up in my inbox. My mind wandered back to my experiences in the wine business. I’ve worked for two wine stores and have come close to taking several jobs in the distributing business.

So, why am I working in a fabric box doing corporate marketing, instead of selling wine?

The answer is complicated. Most importantly, I’m actually not much of a salesperson. I can do pretty well in retail sales, but I’d never cut it in outside sales.

I love wine, and I like to talk about wine, but that seems to be increasingly irrelevant in the distribution business. When I talk to my friends in the business, they seem unsure about what their future holds. Like so many businesses, selling wine frequently has little to do with the actual juice.

So, where does that leave someone like me, who would like to work in a business they’re passionate about, but isn’t sure where in that business they would fit?

I still harbor fantasies about opening a little wine shop somewhere, but in a world of Costco, Trader Joe’s and Total Wine & More that seems unlikely at best. And, short of a Powerball jackpot, I could never come up with the necessary capital.

I’ve considered moving somewhere wine is produced. The West Coast is out due to family and budget considerations, but there are more and more wineries opening in North Carolina and Virginia. I don’t know anything about making wine, but maybe there’s a living to be made helping those wineries market themselves.

(Yes, I still dream of being a winemaker, but that also falls in the not-unless-I-win-the-Powerball category.)

Writing about wine is, of course, something I consider, but writing about anything is a dicey way to pay the bills. Blogging is a way of dipping my toe in those waters. So far, the water is ice cold.

We’ll see what the future holds for me. In any case, thanks Kevin — for following me, for the knowledge you shared, for a trip down memory lane and for making me consider the future.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #53

It’s been a long time since I joined in Wine Blogging Wednesday. Leave it to Jeff Stai (aka El Jefe) from Twisted Oak Winery to come up with a theme that could draw me back in.

It’s Wine for Breakfast! Granted, when we drink wine for breakfast it’s usually bubbly, which was verboten (I always follow the rules). The other times we find ourselves craving something high-octane in the morning, we typically favor a Carolina Liquor Drink (CLD).

However, I had no problem picking a wine for this subject. One of my favorite dining experiences has been brunch at Motor Supply Company Bistro. Although we haven’t done it lately, I’m forever grateful to them for adding Torbreck Woodcutter's Semillon to their wine list.

It’s the perfect breakfast wine.

I enjoy traditional breakfast food as much as the next person, but I also love something a little more substantial.

So, to celebrate our breakfast wine, I made my crab cakes, and in place of hash browns, I made very simple roasted potatoes. To dress things up a bit, I added a roasted red pepper sauce, which was excellent with both the cakes and the taters.

The Torbreck Semillon is just the right thing with this meal. It’s busting with aromas of pineapple, lemon and melon. The flavors are more of the same with a hint of coriander and a nice touch of minerals, framed by bracing acidity.

In other words, it’s freakin’ good…breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Thanks to Jeff for being our host, and thanks to the founding father of WBW, Lenn.

Thanks also to Kat and Eli (from Green's Beverages), who procured this bottle just in time, and to Danielle, who works for Grassroots Wine Wholesalers - the fine folks who bring Torbreck into South Carolina.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #53 - Torbreck Woodcutter’s Semillon Barossa Valley 2007

Roasted red pepper sauce ala John:

1 roasted red pepper

1 clove of garlic
About ¼ cup plain yogurt
2-ish tablespoons olive oil
Healthy splash of sherry vinegar
Pinch of cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Blend. Heat gently. Consume.

Carolina Liquor Drink*:

Start with a Solo cup (16 oz.) filled with ice cubes. Add vodka to your heart’s content (about 1/3 cup). Top with good cranberry juice and a big, ole lime wedge.

*I don’t advise having more than one, although you may want to. If you’re so inclined, hide the car keys and enjoy your day! What you remember anyway….

A Wine (and Love) Story

Back in the days when I was selling wine, a friend of a friend came to see me about a wine tasting party for her boyfriend.

We decided to compare varietals from different parts of the world as a theme. For syrah, I picked out an Australian shiraz and a French syrah to match up. The Aussie was Piping Shrike Shiraz 2001 and the Frenchie was Mas de Aveylans Syrah VDP du Gard 2002.

Both good wines to be sure. The Aveylans, however, blew the Shrike away in terms of complexity – in my humble opinion. That particular vintage really sticks out in my mind…it was inky dark and layered with black fruit, tar, herbs and a hundred other aromas and flavors. Every sniff and sip was a new discovery.

But, to each their own, right?

The next time I saw her, she thanked me for my help and raved about the Aveylans. Her guests had preferred the Shrike, but she went for the more complex wine.

Fast-forward several months, and the boyfriend was gone. We ran into each other at our mutual friend’s house, and we found that we had lots in common, besides wine.

Fast-forward again several years, and that girl is now my wife. We were married over the summer (during my blogging hiatus), in the house that we now share. Our mutual friend performed the very private ceremony. (Thanks, P. We owe you so much.)

For those of you who have been following me, the girl of which I speak is, of course, the amazing E.

A picture is truly worth a thousand words.

(photo by Graeme Fouste)

Am I a Twit?

Don’t answer that.

However, you can now follow me on Twitter. Why would you? Good question.

I’ll try to keep my updates related to wine, at least as much as BTTD is about wine. I drink a ridiculous amount of good wines (apologies to my liver) and many of them never get blogged about. So, I’ll keep you abreast of what I’m up to on a daily basis, not just wine but good beers, great food and my increasingly diverse coffee selections.

One of the reasons I follow other bloggers is to look for suggestions on new wines, etc. If you’re one of the fine folks in my blog list, you can bet I rely on you for suggestions.

I have to laugh about the Twitter thing, because I’m not exactly on the cutting edge of things.

I came late to blogging. I don’t have a Facebook page. I never did MySpace. I don’t have a Blackberry or an iPhone. Hell, I don’t even text.

For the last three years, I haven’t had a television. Best decision I ever made.

So, why Twitter? Well, it’s partly to remind me to pay more attention to BTTD. It’s also another way to keep tabs on what other bloggers are up to.

We’ll see. Look to the left for the link and follow me. It just might give you the wine suggestion you desperately need.

The Much-Maligned Merlot

I delight in drinking what's not popular. I got the biggest kick out of running into a co-worker at a wine tasting who was scouting pinot noirs (at the height of the Sideways craze). She recoiled when I mentioned a great merlot I had just tasted.

I've done this rant before, but it's worth repeating.

The anti-merlot backlash has faded, but I think it still doesn't get its due. Sure, there are a lot of less than inspiring merlots out there, but the same can be said for any popular varietal. Syrah is probably on its way to over-saturation...if it isn't already there.

So, I look for merlot when I'm shopping, hoping to discover what others have overlooked. I've had an older vintage of Hope Estate Merlot that impressed me, so when I saw a bottle of the 2005 vintage, I grabbed it

What a great choice. This is serious merlot. It has wonderful depth with flavors of plum, cherry, chocolate and a nice bit of herb. Even though it's a warm-climate merlot, it's got amazing structure and a firm backbone of acidity. Well done.

I have to admit I've been off Aussie wines lately. There are so many over-done, fruit bombs crowding the market lately. This is not one.

Hope Estate produces some excellent wines in a more balanced style. Their verdelho is not to be missed.

2009 Checklist

As many of you are doing (or deliberately not doing, as the case may be), I'm thinking of what I hope to accomplish in 2009. 

So, here are my wine goals for '09:

Share the Bounty

I often wonder if some of our neighbors look at our recycling bin with envy. (I've actually done this myself with other people's bins.) We drink a ridiculous amount of good wine, and we should enjoy more of it with friends. Wine is such a social beverage. I'm not saying I'm going to start a wine group, but I need to cultivate some more people to share my wine stash with.

Break from the Pack

I enjoy being different. I like not drinking what everyone else is drinking. I never jumped on the pinot noir bandwagon, and I never dissed merlot. I'll admit that I drink my share of Parker-esque wines, but I'm always looking to go in new directions. I need to find a path less-traveled in the new year.

Find my Voice

2008 was a bleak year for Brim. I need to get back to writing and decide what this blog is all about -- 11 posts in a year is not acceptable.

Beat the Heat

The $75,000 question at my house is: what wine goes with Vindaloo? or garam masala? or my never-the-same-twice chili? I love spicy food, and finding the right wines to match up is quite a challenge. It's time for some research.

They may not be lofty goals, but they're mine. Thanks go to Dr. Debs and Sonadora for inspiring me to write them down. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Notes on a Wine Shop

I stopped into a little wine shop today. Much like my father is unable to pass up a used bookstore, I am unable to pass by a wine shop without stopping to browse.

I’ve written previously about a somewhat recent trend in wine shops: smaller selection, wines arranged by style and a hand-sell approach to staffing. This place was called “Corked.”

That’s right – Corked.

Okay, so they chose the commonly used term for a bad bottle of wine as the name for a wine shop. Strike one.

It’s the same basic layout I’ve seen elsewhere, with wines lined up on opposite walls and not much of a selection. They had maybe 60 or so wines to choose from.

It’s not unusual to have a selection like that at our house. Strike two.

It was a good-looking store, and the prices certainly reflected the décor. Most of the wines were easily $3-$5 more than I would pay elsewhere, more in some cases. But, it’s catering to upscale clients. Fine.

I didn’t want to leave without buying something – the place was empty less than 10 days before Christmas. Not good. They happened to have one of my very favorite, inexpensive white Burgundies, Caves de Lugny Mâcon-Lugny “Les Charmes.” It wasn’t a terrible deal, so I grabbed a bottle.

The guy running the place looked at my selection and said, “Ah, you got the may-kin.”

You know, like the city in Georgia. Strike three.

All I could think was for the money they spent on that place I could have opened a great, cool wine shop with a larger, diverse, quirky selection. And my French pronunciations would be much better.

And if I can top you at that, you’re in bad shape.

Food Wimps

Kristian Niemi is a restaurateur and the proprietor of Gervais & Vine, a wine and tapas bar in Columbia, S.C. He's also a veritable reference guide to food, wine and common sense. Gervine, as it's fondly referred to, will always hold a special place in my culinary pantheon.

The following is an excerpt from one of Kristian's weekly Gervine e-mail updates. I hope this will be the first of many contributions from him.


A curious thing happened the other day. It’s happened before, but since this time triggered a childhood memory, I figured I’d get my thoughts on it out in the open.

When I was kid (I guess I kind of still am a kid…at heart, at least), my cousin Bill and I would raid our grandma’s fridge in a quest to put together the most bizarre combinations of food, then the other would have to eat it…and you couldn’t chicken out. Spaghetti noodles and blueberries? Not bad. Roast beef with strawberry jam? Also, not bad. Lemon meringue pie with chicken gravy? Not good. Not good at all.

However, no matter how bad it was, we tried it. It didn’t kill us and most of the time it taught us that sometimes the least likely combinations actually work quite well together. It also taught us that if something truly tastes bad, you can just spit it out.

What nudged this long-dormant memory to life? Well, I’m not going to name names, since I don’t know it anyway, but let’s just say we had a modern day John Wayne in here the other day and for all his roughness and toughness, the guy was a bit of a wussy when it came to food. His lady friend had ordered what I considered one of the best items on the menu and he simply refused to try it.

No matter HOW good she claimed it was AND that she knew he liked both of the ingredients, he simply wouldn’t even put any in his mouth. The logic of “you like this ingredient” and “you like that ingredient” didn’t even work. This was a guy who looked like he would rush into a burning building, reach into a badger hole or wrestle a bear---afraid of nothing…except food.

The food in question, by the way, was the utterly delicious Duck and Cherry Meatballs that Chef Jason made for the Rosso event the other night at Coplon’s. Ground duck meat, sage, garlic and seasonings studded with sun-dried cherries in a meatball? To me, that’s food nirvana. Like a Reese’s…two great tastes that go great together!

Why do I bring it up? I’m not really sure I have a deep, poignant answer to that question except that like the old adage goes, “life is short.” Experience everything you can at least once. If you don’t like it…fine…spit it out…in a napkin, please. But if you don’t try it, you may be missing out on something that could make your life so much richer, even if it’s something as small and inconsequential as a duck meatball.

Heck, a lot of my happily married friends will admit that they never thought they’d end up with their significant others, but since they took a chance and simply “tried them out” (not in the dirty way…gutter minds), their lives are much better. On the other hand, a lot of my friends have “spit out” their former spouses, so my analogy is pretty darn appropriate, eh?

Palate Fatigue

When it comes to red wine, my palate has been feeling a little weary. I drink a pretty wide variety of wine in general, and I enjoy them all for what they are. However, the red wines I've had lately seem to be merging towards one ideal: fat, plush, fruity...Parker wines.

I went to Total Wine and More the other day shopping for sparkling wines. While I was there, I went in search of something a little different – a red to snap me out of my routine. E was baking a goat cheese and prosciutto strata for dinner, and I wanted a red that wouldn’t overpower it.

I found it in Jean-Claude Bougrier Chinon Domaine De La Semellerie 2006.

This Chinon (cabernet franc is the grape) is bright and focused with lean cherry, herb and anise flavors with just a bit of earthy-ness. It was also well-balanced and very subdued, in the most pleasant of ways.

It was just what I needed. Enotheque has a very nice write up of the 2005 vintage, which is very enlightening.

Speaking of keeping one’s palate amused, I do tend to seek out bolder flavors in my food and drinks. I’ve satisfying my thirst for beer lately with Shiner Bohemian Black Lager, originally a limited release from the Texas brewery. It’s as dark as advertised with flavors of coffee and cocoa without getting overbearing and a nice nip of hops. I’m no beer connoisseur, but it’s pretty good in my book.

Our beers stores in South Carolina are loaded with new selections, as the local law keeping out craft brews has been changed. Old Brown Dog Ale from Smuttynose Brewing Company (New Hampshire) is another excellent brew I’ve been enjoying. I love brown ale and it’s nice to find something other then my usual English selections.

The Chinon was a great match for the strata, but I thought the other wine we sampled with our meal stole the show, Louis Bouillot Crémant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé. The Bouillot absolutely sang with the strata and our apple-bleu cheese salads. It's light and elegant, with notes of cherry, strawberry and fresh bread. It reminded me to serve more sparkling wines with our meals.

It’s good to mix it up.

The Abandoned Blog

What happened?

There’s nothing so frustrating as a deserted blog. I watched it happen to some of my favorite blogs, and it always made me wonder what was going on with the writer and if they would be back. Now it’s my blog that’s abandoned.

The truth is that, besides being overwhelmed with other responsibilities, I suffered a crisis of confidence about writing Brim. The truth is that there are much more knowledgeable, interesting and prolific wine bloggers out there.

What makes Brim worth reading?

I really didn’t know what I was getting into when I started blogging. Like most of my endeavors, I made it up as I went along. I developed some wonderful and loyal readers (who I greatly appreciate), but my overall traffic was always pretty low.

After being silent for so long, I've been struggling with how to start over. I guess the only thing to do is just start writing again.

Happy Birthday

Our boy is one year old today.

It was an odd string of events that brought him to our home, and it’s been quite an adventure ever since. I had forgotten the energy a young dog can bring into your life. Having Hogan has shaken up our routine in some very good ways.

It’s also been a lot of work and more than once I’ve been ready to wring his furry little neck. He’s grown into a nice young dog, but he’s the canine version of a male teenager. Need I say more?

What he needs more than anything right now is my time—the same time I need to write this blog. In the contest of dog versus blog, the dog wins every time. I’m still writing posts in my head, but they rarely make it to the computer.

I could go on and on about everything my dogs bring to my life, but I’ll spare you. Instead, I’ll just ask those of you who share their life with a dog, cat, horse or other animal companion to give them some extra love today in honor of Hogan’s big day.

He'd like that.

An Educated Palate

It’s finally happened. I’ve become a coffee snob.

For a long time, I’ve avoided the worst of coffee: gas station sludge, office coffee and junk food java. But, beyond that, I was happy with most whole bean coffee, freshly ground and brewed in my French press.

Lately I’ve been very particular about my beans — to the point where I’ve tossed a couple of half-full bags because they didn’t measure up. Actually, they ended up in the compost pile; the worms aren’t picky.

It made me laugh when I realized it. I’ve gone the same route with wine and food. There was a day when a bottle of white zinfandel and store-bought spaghetti sauce was just fine. I’m not at the apex of food and wine appreciation, but I’m getting closer.

My palate seems to prefer big flavors: intense red wines, bold coffees and rich spices. I sometimes worry that I’m bludgeoning my taste buds. My cooking is not for the weak of heart—or anyone that doesn’t like garlic.

Although I definitely have my preferences, I enjoy tasting all sorts of things. Even if I don’t care for it, I want to know how it tastes. I think your palate needs to be stretched and exercised, just like your body and mind.

The artificial flavor of over-processed food and wine is what I really object to these days. I have a low tolerance for things that taste like they came from a factory. Not that I don’t get tempted by junk food and the like...I do.

But when I indulge, it’s never as good as I imagined. My memories of some old favorites don’t match the reality.

I’m experiencing the same thing with some inexpensive wines I used to like just fine. When I revisit them, I find myself wondering if there is something else I could open.

Although I’m aware that some people go through life liking the exact same things they’ve always liked, I’m glad my tastes have evolved over the years. I'm glad Captain Morgan and Coke isn’t my favorite drink anymore.

It does make life a little more expensive sometimes. I used to buy a bargain brand coffee that was (I thought) really good. This morning I ground up the rest of the bag and tossed it out for the worms.

I guess that’s what I get for educating my palate.

A Hard-Working Chicken - The Whole Story

The economy is bad. Prices on gas, milk, orange juice and a decent bottle of grower-produced Champagne are skyrocketing. Desperate times call for drastic measures.

It's time to get to work.

This fine country was founded by hard-working folks and I'm not going to be the one to let our reputation slip. With that in mind, I headed off to my freelance fundraising gig. It's a pretty sweet deal: lots of fresh air, meeting new people and good times shared with my fellow freelancers.

Since Twisted Oak Winery was proclaiming the week, Take Your Rubber Chicken to Work Week, I brought along "Soup," my Twisted Chicken, and of course, I brought along P-Nut, my trusted canine sidekick--in case any other freelancers try to move in on my block.

Well, it seems the Twisted Crew liked the pictures I sent of our day. They even selected me as a finalist in their photo contest. I'm not saying you should vote for me, but you should.

Unfortunately, the picture they posted was only one of three that I sent, and it might reflect badly on my work ethic. In the interest of fairness, I think my readers deserve to see the whole story.


We've just gotten set up in this one. I'm checking out the scene. Traffic looks slow. Not good.
 



You have to work it for the crowd. This business is all about style. 
"Hey Brother! Can you spare a few bucks for a bottle of Tanner Vineyard Syrah?"




*@#$! cheapskates!



Well, that's it. It wasn't our best day ever, but we had lots of fun.

Don't forget to vote for me.

Green Wine on the Web

Trolling around the Web, I've found some interesting items related to earth-friendly wine consumption that I wanted to share.

Mike Dunne of the The Sacramento Bee has this article concerning what some winemakers are doing to be more environmentally conscious.

On the other side of the world, Darby Higgs of Vinodiversity and Albarino to Zinfandel has this lens on Squidoo about reusable wine bottles.

A new Brim reader, Sean, told me about Glunz Family Winery, outside of Chicago. Glunz sells most of their wines in refillable one-liter swing top bottles. They give a one-dollar discount on the next purchase when the bottle is returned.

It's wonderful to see so much interest in ways that wine drinkers and winemakers can be more environmentally responsible.

Local Wines

My last post has me thinking about local wines. I’m a great proponent of local wines, which can vary widely depending on where you live.

If you live in Washington State, Oregon, California or New York, you probably have a good selection of wineries that are “local.” If you live in Florida (and don’t have an affection for muscadine wine), your options are much more limited. Even states with newly blooming wine industries don’t offer the same quality of vitis vinifera wines as states with a long history of wine production.

I am thrilled, however, by the proliferation of wineries across the country. Appellation America provides a wealth of information about wineries in your area and nationwide, along with the ability to buy many of them.

The rise of local wineries no doubt leads many wine lovers (like myself) to dream about planting their own vines and making Chateau John. A while back, I stumbled across a great blog, Vine Stress, which chronicles the day-to-day work of starting a commercial vineyard in Missouri. It’s a fascinating look into local wine production and a must-read for anyone who is thinking about planting some vines.

My hat's off to Dave, Vine Stress’ author, and all the other fine folks in Kansas, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and the other “non-traditional” wine states who are busting their hump to make Thomas Jefferson’s dream of a nation rich in vineyards and great wines a reality.

Cheers.

Red, White or Green?

Green is the word of the moment.

Like many people, I’m trying to be more aware of where the products I buy come from and purchase more items locally — or as locally as possible. I even found a company in Montana, West Paw Designs, that makes all kinds of cool stuff for my dogs. No more “Made in China” for the pups.

Unfortunately, finding local goods can be challenging, as well as expensive. While I’m doing my best to re-think my food purchases and examining labels a little more closely, wine presents a bit of a dilemma.

Those of you who live in California Wine Country have a distinct advantage when it comes to buying local wine. I would love to be able to visit so many great wineries and purchase my wine there, or at least know my wine didn’t have to travel far.

Since it’s a bit of a haul from South Carolina to California, that’s not really an option. I could still buy California wine on the premise that it’s closer than some of the other places that produce the wines I enjoy.

That brings up the issue of cost. I drink very little California wine, simply because it costs significantly more than wines of comparable quality from elsewhere. Even the once super-affordable zinfandel is climbing towards $20 a bottle for decent juice. When there are so many great wines coming from Spain, Italy and South America in the $8-$12 range, I have a hard time justifying the higher cost of California wines.

Plus, I'm poor (and cheap).

The East Coast is certainly producing great wines and production is increasing every year. From Massachusetts and New York to Virginia and North Carolina, new wineries are popping up and existing wineries are coming into their own as national players.

South Carolina, as with many things, is far behind the curve.

Thanks to bickering between the states and archaic alcohol laws, I can get all the California wine I want, but North Carolina and Virginia wines are difficult to find. I have been able to find some of the wines I love, especially the wines of Horton Vineyards, but I'd like a larger selection.

I’m aware that most retailers shy away from East Coast wines because there isn’t much of a demand, at least around here. I hope that as people become more aware of the energy it takes to move your beloved vino from the winery to your table, buying local will become more of a priority.

I also hope the less-than-enlightened politicians (yes, I’m talking to you, S.C. politicians) realize that grape growing and winemaking are a big asset for the local economy. One look at the success New York or Virginia has had is enough to convince anyone that a local wine industry attracts tourism, creates jobs and (if done right) has a relatively low environmental impact.

It's also up to wine drinkers to discover, drink and promote local wines, whether they live in Napa or Missouri. Wine lovers are frequently the people who search out local produce, and then enjoy their meal with a French wine that has travled more than 4,000 miles.  

In future posts, I hope to dig a little deeper into ways I can reduce the impact my wine consumption has on the environment. In the meantime, I guess I’ll have to start making an occasional trip up to North Carolina to stock up on some local wine.

I’d really rather save the gas and spend my money at home, but you got to do what you got to do. As a wise frog once said, “It ain’t easy bein' green.”


Just for fun, here's a sample of how far some of the wines in my collection might have traveled:

Southeastern Australia - 10,197 miles

Buenos Aires, Argentina - 4,923 miles

Paris, France - 4,226 miles

Madrid, Spain - 4,148 miles

Twisted Oak Winery, Vallecito, California - 2,645 miles

Horton Vineyards, Gordonsville, Virginia - 422 miles

Westbend Vineyards, Lewisville, North Carolina - 175 miles

My Dog Ate My Blog

For anyone who has been wondering what happened to me, the answer is pictured above.

The moments of my life that had been carved out for writing are now spent at the park or walking my neighborhood. My wine choice is now frequently based on the question, what wine goes with a slobbery tennis ball?

I have enjoyed some wonderful wines lately, although I don't remember all of them quite clearly because I was focused on the canine missile careening through my house. My comments have gone from, "This has some lovely blueberry notes" to "Hey! Put down that plant!"

Actually, Hogan is a pretty good boy, but he is high-maintenance. In fact, instead of sitting here typing, I should be running him around the park, but he's having a still moment so I'll take advantage of it to knock out a few lines.

At least my wine is well-guarded. Having Hogan on duty gives my other guard dog more time to sleep. At least someone is getting more sleep. Lucky dog.

Happy Anniversary!

Well, I missed Brim's actual anniversary by about a week, but given my track record with birthdays, anniversaries and holidays, that's not at all surprising. My family can attest to how many times they have received Christmas presents in March.

After one year, 97 posts and more great comments than I care to tabulate, I have to say writing a blog has been quite a experience. I've made some friends among my fellow bloggers, drunk some great wine and learned an awful lot. The main thing I've learned is that writing a blog (and doing it well) takes a lot of hard work. I'm a little embarrassed that there have been so few new posts lately, and I've even considered throwing in the towel. I can't expect my readers to take Brim seriously if I'm not taking it seriously.

However, I'm inspired by the efforts of some of my fellow bloggers. Wine blogs are getting much more respect these days thanks to the hard work of people like Dr. Debs at Good Wine Under $20, Lenn at Lenndevours and many, many others. Wine blogs inform, entertain and provide a welcome relief to the traditional wine press.

So, I'm going to give it another year. If I can put forth the effort to make Brim a good read, then it will live on. If not, I'll take it for that long walk in the woods - the one that involves a shovel.

Thanks to all my readers, past and present. Without your commentary and support, I never would have made it this far.

Salud!

Columbia, S.C. — Screen Door to Hell

The joke goes that the only thing between South Carolina and Hell is a screen door. After getting blasted with ten straight days of triple-digit temperatures, I’m not even sure the screen door is still there. In case you’re wondering, 107 degrees is hot, damn hot.

When it’s that hot, common sense tells us to slow down. However, since most of the modern world is not based in any way on common sense, people continue to march around in the hottest part of the day. I’m right there with them; the bills still have to be paid and someone needs to sit in my cubicle.

I envy people who live in countries where they just stop all activity during the hottest part of the day. It makes perfect sense to get up early, get things done when it’s cooler and then find a comfortable spot to ride out the heat. When the sun starts going down, everyone picks up where they left off and works (or not) and enjoys the cooler evening air long into the night.

I’m working on my plan to adopt the “siesta” lifestyle. I’ll keep you posted.

While I have been enjoying some wine (I’m way behind on posts), this part of the summer is when I do most of my beer drinking. I enjoy beer year-round, of course, and I use beer quite a bit in my cooking, so I always have some around. There are almost always a couple Newcastles hiding in my fridge.

When I get home from work, there is nothing quite as fine as heading out to my shady back yard, kicking back in my favorite yard chair and enjoying a cold beer while the dogs play. As long as you stay in the shade, dress appropriately and keep a cold beverage handy, the heat actually feels nice. It feels like August in the Deep South.

If a beer isn’t your thing — a glass of well-chilled Vinho Verde is another option to help you survive the heat. We’ve been enjoying Famega Vinho Verde 2006, a lively, crisp, effervescent, almost clear white wine with flavors of lemon, apple, peach and a hint of honeysuckle. It’s in the single digits in alcohol content, so a glass or two won’t send you over the edge.

Hot summers are a part of living in South Carolina, just as much as pork barbecue and bad driving. There is something almost masochistically appealing about the sweltering days of late summer here. I revel in them, and yet long for the cool days of fall at the same time.

Thanks to my loyal readers who are checking back for new posts. My rapidly growing puppy is still taking all of my energy, but he’s becoming less labor intensive by the day. I’ll be posting more new material before long.

Look for posts on South Carolina’s exciting new beer selections (thanks to the revision of some antiquated alcohol laws) and a rant about how much pinot grigio people drink when there are so many other great Italian white wines.

Until then, salud.

A Taste of Summer

Here’s a recipe that captures the essence of fresh summer produce. And, it’s just about as easy as putting water to boil.

Put a large pot of salted water on the stove to boil.

While you’re waiting for the water to boil, rough chop ½ medium red onion and ½ sweet bell pepper. In a blender or food processor, pulse onion, pepper and a generous handful of cherry or grape tomatoes along with a splash of good olive oil until fluid, but still chunky.

Prick three or four medium tomatoes with a fork in several places and drop in boiling water for 45 seconds or so. Remove and run under cold water. Peel, core and rough-chop tomatoes. Combine pureed veggies and chopped tomatoes.

Cook 1 lb. dry pasta (I like bowtie or penne for this dish). Toss hot, drained pasta with veggie mix. Add a generous amount of chopped fresh basil or the herb(s) of your choosing, more olive oil, if desired, and salt and pepper to taste.

I like to serve this over some greens with grated parmesan and a sprinkle of really great vinegar on top. You can dress it up in any number of ways.

This evening, I served this dish with Omaka Springs Estates Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2004. It’s a wonderful New Zealand SB with flavors of grapefruit, pineapple and bell pepper, framed with zingy acidity – a perfect match for the fresh flavors of the pasta.

If that ain't summer, I don't know what is.

A (Brief) Moment of Relaxation

Wow. The past couple weeks have been exhausting, and yet quite entertaining at the same time (see previous post).

I’ve made every effort to maintain my usual schedule, but it’s just impossible. My new housemate is running me ragged. If any of you are looking for a new fitness program, I highly recommend getting a puppy. It sure knocked a few pounds off me in a hurry.

I haven’t surrendered every aspect of my life to Mr. Hogan, however. The other night I managed to put a couple steaks on the grill and pop open a lovely bottle of wine.

E brought home two beautiful top sirloin fillets, which I dry-rubbed with my super-secret spice mix and grilled to a lovely medium rare (I’m really getting better with steaks). I sliced the fillets and laid them over a bed of mixed greens with red onion, sweet pepper, sweet tangerine tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, and then drizzled the whole plate with a balsamic vinegar reduction.

The warm steak and the cool greens were a wonderful combination, but a challenge for wine pairing. The perfect match turned out to be Daniel Gehrs Syrah Paso Robles 2005. This is a restrained style of syrah, with fresh raspberry and strawberry flavors accented with a touch of spicy cinnamon and herbs. It had enough body to stand up to the steak, but didn’t out-muscle the greens.

I even almost finished the entire meal before I had to chase after a wayward Malinois.

New Arrival and Other Excuses

Down the middle drops one more grain of sand

They say that new life makes losing life easier to understand

Words are kind they help ease the mind, I’ll miss my old friend

And though you’ve got to go we’ll keep a piece of your soul

One goes out, one comes in.

Jack Johnson
If I Could

Sully

1994 - 2006

Hogan
April 24, 2007 -

If I don’t write something about wine soon, I’ll have to stop calling this a wine blog. My hope is that my kind readers will forgive a scarcity of posts over the next couple weeks.

Although I had no intention of bringing a puppy into my life right now, a friend had a dog that needed a good home, and I happen to be able to provide one. I’m also lucky enough to have someone in my life to help me raise him.

I’ll spare you my philosophic comparisons of young wine and young dogs. Instead, I’ll just say that I’ll be very busy in the coming weeks, doing the hard work that will pay rewards years from now, when I have a mature, well-balanced, amazing dog.

Hopefully, before long he’ll be sleeping at my feet while I write posts.

What I Did on my Summer Vacation

I’ve been treating myself to a summer break from blogging. Here in South Carolina, we’re into the part of summer when slowing your activity level is necessary for survival. One hundred degree days with humidity that wraps you like a hot, wet blanket will slow just about anyone’s pace.

Although the break has been nice, it’s time to get back to work. I even missed Wine Blogging Wednesday #35, and the topic was Spanish bargain wines, a subject which I can drone on about for hours. If you’re so inclined, check out some of my past Spanish posts. This month's WBW is hosted byMichelle and Kevin at My Wine Education.

I have quite a few posts rattling around in my head, and I have a couple posts that are long overdue. I’ll be writing about some of my favorite dining haunts here in hot, sultry Columbia, S.C. With lots of fresh produce on hand, I’ve been working on some new summer dishes I want to share, along with the wines I’ve been enjoying with them.

So, what did I do on my summer vacation from blogging? Well, I slept in, instead of getting up early to write. I enjoyed several great wines without taking notes. As I mentioned above, I did some work in my test kitchen. Summer also brings more outdoor chores, which require a significant chunk of my time.

The rest of the time was spent relaxing in the AC, directly under a ceiling fan. That’s the place to be in July in the Deep South.

Here’s one of the wines that is helping me through the heat:

Bodegas Castaño Rosado Monastrell Yecla 2006

Bodegas Castaño makes an excellent monastrell named Hecula that I’ve enjoyed several years in a row. This is the first I’ve seen of a rosé from them. Monastrell makes for a very full, round rosé with flavors of dark berries and cinnamon with just a touch of herbs. It’s one of the most substantial rosés I’ve ever had.

Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 wrote a great post on another of their wines for WBW #35, and the Wine Doctor has some interesting background on Castaño in this post.

Before and After

Before


Bulgarian #7 tomato on the vine.







After


The same tomato on my plate with fresh mozzerella, baby greens, ground black pepper and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.

“H” is for Hondarribi Zurri

Some letters are more difficult than others.

When I dreamed up the idea of writing a post for every letter of the alphabet, my goal was to highlight the incredible diversity of wine and, hopefully, inspire my readers to try something a little different.

I have to admit I was sweating my “H” post, but then, along comes a wine made from hondarribi zuri. Talk about something different.

Arabako Txakolina “Xarmant” Txakoli Arabako Txakolina ($14)
(This is either a 2005 or 2006 vintage. I couldn't find a vintage anywhere on the bottle, but I know it is a vintage-bottled wine.)

To clear any confusion, there is no typo in the name. The name of the producer is the same as the name of the Denominatión de Origen (D.O.). The producer is actually a collective of 12 growers who pooled their resources. This collective is the only producer of any real quantity in the D.O., which is comprised of 60 hectares.

So, what’s with the funky name? Although this is a Spanish wine, it hails from a very distinct part of Spain—Basque Country.

Basque Country is one of Spain’s autonomous regions, located in the north-central part of the country, bordering Castilla y León on one side and Navarre on the other. The vineyard sites are located within the valley of Ayala, which encompasses the municipalities of Llodio, Amurrio, Okondo, Artiziega, and Aiara.

Winemaking in this region dates back to 760 A.D., but phylloxera devastated the majority of the vineyards in the 19th century. The vineyards were resurrected in the 1980’s, although the Arabako Txakolina D.O. was only created in 2003.

The grapes used in Txakoli (Chakoli in Spanish) are the traditional and indigenous hondarribi zuri and hondarribi beltza, as well as other local varieties: izkiriota, izkiriota ttippia and hondarribi zuri zerratia (is everyone taking notes?). The blend for this particular wine is 80% hondarribi zuri and 20% hondarribi zuri zerratia.

Xarmant, which is Basque (or French, depending on who you ask) for “charming,” is well-named. “Charming” is how I would describe this wine. Straw-colored and slightly fizzy from a touch of residual carbon dioxide, it is definitely reminiscent of Vinho Verde.

The nose was a bit muted and reminiscent of lemon rind and oyster shells (I swear). This turned out to be false advertising, because the flavor was definitely not muted; although it starts out lean with prominent citrus flavors, it quickly opens up to a creamy mouthful of peach, pear and fig, and finishes on a firm, mineral note.

An interesting tidbit about this wine is that it is traditionally served in a tumbler rather than a wine glass. The idea is to pour a very small amount from a great height (holding the bottle above your shoulder), thereby releasing more of the aromas and flavors. Please feel free to try this at home.

This turned out to be an outstanding discovery, just in time for the really hot weather in South Carolina. Txakolina is meant to be consumed very cold, works well as a low-alcohol (11.5%) apéritif and is very food-friendly. Try it with anything from seafood to chicken curry.

Or, pick up a bottle just to impress your friends with your comprehensive knowledge of the wines of the world.

Weekend Photo Update

Sweet, delicious, sungold cherry tomatoes.

WBW #34 is WWWBW

Could it be WBW #34 already? It seems like just the other day that I was missing the deadline for WBW #33.

In any case, we have a fantastic theme for this month. Washington is an exciting area for grape growers and winemakers.

I happened across this article about the turning point for Washington’s wine industry and the role of Walter Clore in driving the creation of Washingon's world-class wines. It’s very interesting reading.

Our kind host this month is Catie, the Wild Walla Walla Wine Woman, of Through The Walla Walla Grape Vine. Our mission was to avoid the Ch. Ste. Michelle and Columbia Crest wines and seek out cabernet sauvignon from some of the state’s numerous other wineries.

With this in mind, I went out scouting for WA cabs. To my immense delight, I found a bottle of 2001 Isenhower Batchelor’s Button Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley 2001 ($32).

While this is actually a Columbia Valley wine, it is from a Walla Walla winery, which hopefully will score me some extra credit points.

As soon as I picked up the bottle, I realized that I was on to something. The beautiful label suggested a small winery. The back of the label told me that the wine was bottled unfined and unfiltered, which I love, and that 450 cases were produced. The vintage was another good sign, as 2001 was a very good year for Washington cabernet.

My hunches were nicely rewarded. It definitely needs some air, but after some time in my glass and in the decanter—it was pure heaven.

I read somewhere that Isenhower makes their cabernet more in the style of Bordeaux rather than California cabs. Bordeaux-ish is certainly an apt description in my opinion. The blend for this vintage is 90% cabernet sauvignon and 10% merlot, and it reminded me of of some of the best attributes of Paulliac.

In the glass, the 2001 Batchelor’s Button is opaque purple with a deep, concentrated nose of black cherry, cassis, currant, eucalyptus, cocoa, mint, and cigar box. Those flavors continue in the long, complex mouthfeel, which is framed by bracing acidity and persistent tannins.

It nicely sidesteps the plush, overdone fruit and oak of some California cabs, while not leaning too far towards the austerity of Bordeaux wines. Given the amount of breathing time it took for this wine to really show its stuff, I would guess it will continue to improve for another 5-10 years.

What’s even more fascinating about this wine is that this is the first vintage Isenhower produced. Bravo.

I highly recommend a visit to the Isenhower Web site. Denise and Brett have a great story to tell and clearly have a commitment to making outstanding wines. I believe I'll be back to that wine shop in search of another bottle.

Thanks to Catie, and thanks, as always, to our WBW guru, Lenn, of Lenndevours.

Who Loves an Old Wine?

The resounding silence on my earlier post regarding the locating of older wines leaves me with the impression there is little interest in such wines. Either that, or no one is reading.

Is this thing on?

Certainly, the price and hassle associated with purchasing "old" wines causes some wine lovers to decide, as a friend put it, "to save my money for Cristal and the [ladies]." New World wine drinkers are notorious for loving young, vivacious wines, but there is still a brisk trade in older vintages, both online and in bricks-and-mortar retailers.

My concerns are about pricing and bottle condition. 1969 was a good year for red Burgundy, but I really don't have four grand to put towards a bottle of wine. It was an off-year for Bordeaux, but the prices are still restrictive.

It's my good fortune, however, that the year of my birth was a good year in the Rhone. Maybe I'll be drinking 1969 Hermitage? Maybe 1969 Côte Rôtie?

But, I’m looking at other options. Cognac, Armagnac and any long-lived wine, such as Cahors, are possibilities. But, the last thing I want is an expensive, poorly-stored bottle of wine. I need to know that every effort has been given to proper care.

Thanks to Golly, of Golly’s Wine Drops, for suggesting Berry Bros and Rudd, a company that has a long history of dealing in older vintages. I believe I’m a little too far away for their services, but you never know.

Maybe they’ll send me a sample.

Weekend Update

The Canna Lillies are blooming.

Summer of '69

Normally, I do the expounding and you, as my readers, do the patient reading. For this post, however, I really want to hear from you. I need some wine advice.

If you were looking for a wine from a certain vintage, say...1969, where would you go to buy it?

What kind of wine would you look for? Bordeaux? Burgundy? Port? Something completely different?

I know nothing about buying vintage wine, so I could use some insight into the best way to find great wines in great condition without getting robbed. If you don't know, but you know someone who might, please pass this along to them. Hopefully, I'll find something cool and report back on it.

I'm just curious to see how a 38-year-old wine is holding up.

Fireflies

I saw the first fireflies of the season the other night. They appeared like magic after the first drenching rain in what has been a parched couple of months.

Luckily, my neighborhood has enough old-growth shrubs and natural areas to support a modest population of “lightning bugs.” There is something incredibly nostalgic about seeing the sparkle of fireflies on a summer evening.

Fireflies to wine, you might ask? How’s he going to make that connection?

You don’t have to be an environmentalist to love wine, but wine—like fireflies—is one of nature's products. I’m sure many of my fellow wine drinkers have a keen understanding that the product they love so much is best produced in a healthy, natural environment. Biodynamics aside, the wine industry in general seems to be paying much more regard to nature’s process, instead of altering nature to suit its needs.

For those of us who tend back yards instead of vineyards, I recommend a fine piece of reading material, Noah’s Garden: Restoring the Ecology of Our Own Back Yards, by Sara B. Stein. It’s a personal discovery of place and a guidebook for anyone who manages a chunk of this beautiful planet.

It’s been part of my inspiration to convert a sterile, empty back yard into my very own mini woodland garden. With fireflies.

Catavino Virtual Wine Tasting for May

I’ve been meaning to do this posting all month, and, of course, here it is on the very last day of May. I am nothing if not a prolific procrastinator.

Catavino’s Virtual Wine Tasting theme for May is albariño. I had hoped to compare some California albariños to some from Spain, but that did not pan out. What I did manage to do was find a different Spanish albariño to sample.

Bodegas As Laxas Albariño Rias Baixas Val do Sosego 2006

This wine is much more complicated than the albariños I've had in the past. The nose is very lemony with pronounced notes of grass and wet rocks. I tasted lemon, pineapple, pear, bell pepper and just a bit of slate. What struck me the most about this wine was the balance between a very creamy mouth-feel and bright acidity.

The albariños I’m used to drinking are a bit more simple, but pleasant all the same. Dr. Debs (and friends) at Good Wine Under $20 tasted the 2005 Martín Códax Burgáns (a past favorite) and found it a little lacking. Tasting the Bodegas As Laxas certainly opened my eyes to another, more complex, side of albariño.

Whether you know it or not, the Albariño Invasion is underway. Spanish albariños are becoming more numerous in my local wine shops. Albariño is also gaining popularity with U.S. wineries. Although I couldn’t locate any in my local stores, one of my favorite restaurants is featuring a California albariño on its list. Interestingly, when I asked a very knowledgeable wine salesperson about ordering some CA albariños, she was almost dismissive, as if they didn’t exist.

In the coming months, I’ll definitely by sampling more albariños. In fact, there’s a bottle of Martín Códax Albariño waiting at home right now. I think it would pair nicely with grilled tilapia with apple/red pepper/red onion salsa and a side of garlic pasta served over fresh spinach.

I’ll also be on the lookout for some U.S. albariños. Maybe I’ll even track down a bottle of Twisted Oak Albariño. One can always hope.

Stay tuned.

A Glass in Hand

The above photograph is a sampling of my ragtag stemware/glassware collection. I have some fairly nice wine glasses, including some Riedel glasses, and some pretty cheap glasses. I also have some favorites.

For instance, the small rocks glass in the lower right corner was “borrowed” about ten years ago from Buckley’s Tavern in Greenville, Delaware by my ex-wife. (Okay, it was at my suggestion.) When filled with two fingers of good scotch and a splash of water, it feels awfully nice in my hand.

Even though I have a Riedel scotch glass, which I do use on occasion, I really like the heft and size of that little, cheap glass.

There’s been a great deal of discussion in the wine community about stemware and Riedel glasses in particular. Riedel's selection of location/varietal-specific wine glasses is seemingly endless, and many other manufacturers have jumped on board as well. Does an Oregon pinot noir really need its own glass?

Many years ago, I attended a Riedel tasting, where we compared the same wine in various glasses: cheap wine glasses, the proper Riedel glass and the “wrong” Riedel glass.

The impact on the aroma and flavor of the wine from one glass to another was undeniable to me. The wines all showed much better in the proper glass. I became a believer.

I live in the real world, however. I can’t really afford to always drink from expensive wine glasses, much less own glasses for all the various types of wine I drink. (Where the hell is my tempranillo glass?)

Not to mention, my wine drinking does not always take place in a controlled setting—my concrete porch is quite unforgiving when it comes to wine glasses.

With all this in mind, I use a variety of glasses, depending on the occasion. Great wines get the good glasses; clumsy guests get the cheap ones.

My little story about the scotch glass reminds me of an important aspect to wine and stemware pairing—sensory pleasure.

Really great glasses feel great in your hand. They look beautiful. They’re balanced, just the right size and downright sexy. Even some of my cheap glasses fit the bill and might easily be mistaken for expensive (except for the off-key "clank," instead of the melodious ring of crystal when glasses meet).

My latest favorites are actually very simple water goblets from Nachtmann. They work great for white wines and aren’t a bad size for reds either, especially lighter-bodied reds. They're beautiful, and they feel great in my hand. They were über-cheap at a discount store—because of some minor flaw, no doubt.

Wine is definitely a sensory experience, so it makes sense that one should pay attention to what type of vessel you’re using. But, the most expensive or “correct” glass isn’t always the right one.

The right one just feels right.

Note: Buckley’s Tavern is located in Greenville, Delaware, which is right outside of Wilmington and not far from Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. It is one of my favorite places in the world—a place where blue-collar workers rub shoulders with multi-millionaires. It’s got great food, great beer and wine, and a cool roof-top deck. If you’re ever in the area, don’t miss it; and if you live in the area and don’t know about Buckley’s—shame on you.

And, I hope that plug makes up for the unauthorized use of their glassware.

WBW Goes to WA

The word is out on Wine Blogging Wednesday #34.

Catie at Through the Walla Walla Grape Vine is hosting this one, and the theme is Washington State cabernet sauvignon. I’m really excited about the theme, because Washington is such an interesting area for grape growing and winemaking.

I’ll be looking for something really interesting and unique, and I also plan on learning more about Washington’s AVAs.

The lowdown on WBW # 34 is right here.

Don’t miss it—all the cool kids will be there.

Shopping: The Sequel

I thought you might be interested in the results of some weekend shopping.

No sooner had I finished my last post then I walked back into World Market to pick another bottle of the Aussie shiraz-viognier that I mentioned in my previous post. Two racks full of wines marked down 50% met me at the front of the store.

I took a quick look and found an empty wine box.

The wine that brought me back is Zonte’s Footstep Shiraz-Viognier Langhorne Creek 2003 ($7.49). It’s the vinous equivalent of red velvet cake, a fruit-forward, over-the-top, luscious, whore of a wine. I love it.

Here are the other wines I bought with their post-discount prices:

Paringa Shiraz ‘Individual Vineyard’ South Australia 2003 ($5.49)

Fairview Viognier Coastal Region South Africa 2006 ($6.99)

Scharffenberger Brut Mendocino County NV ($8.99)

Omaka Springs Estate Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2004 ($7.49)

Dr. Thanisch Riesling Classic Q.B.A. 2005 ($8.99)

Kim Crawford Unoaked Chardonnay Marlborough 2005 ($7.99)

Mak ‘Snowy River’ Red Coonawarra 2001 ($7.99)

Joseph Drouhin St. Veran 2005 ($6.99)

Li Veli Passamante Salento 2003 ($5.99)

Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma County 2005 ($9.49)

Roederer Estate L’Ermitage Anderson Valley 1999 ($18.49)

Not a bad case of wine for about $100. Some of these wines I’m familiar with: Paringa, Joseph Drouhin and Kim Crawford. Others are new to me: Omaka Springs, Dr. Thanish and Mak.

The L’Ermitage alone made the trip worthwhile. I can’t wait to open that one. You will no doubt hear more about these as I taste them.

And seriously, Joseph Drouhin St. Veran for $6.99? Somebody pinch me.

Back to the Midi

I was looking through some old posts (the ones that don’t make me cringe), and noticed a couple wines from the Languedoc that I’ve written about previously.

With Wine Blogging Wednesday #33 just behind us, I thought it would be worthwhile to revisit them. These two wines represent what I believe this region does best—produces unique, delicious and very affordable wines. I've included blurbs from the original posts, along with links if you want to read the entire posts.


Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet Cotes du Languedoc 2005

“We enjoyed a bottle of Hugues Beaulieu Picpoul de Pinet Cotes du Languedoc 2005 with the shrimp and grits. Picpoul blanc is grown within sight of the local oyster beds, so it’s a natural match with seafood. It’s light, clean and fresh with tones of lemon and grapefruit. It’s also nicely dry and slightly flinty.

I’ve read about picpoul blanc, but this is the first time I had tried it. Picpoul de Pinet is one the named Crus of Languedoc. This was another great find in French wines. You can find it at Total Wine & More for $7.99.”

The entire post is here.


Château de Pennautier A.O.C. Cabardès 2004

“My other French discovery was of an A.O.C. that I was totally ignorant of—Cabardès.

‘The western-most vineyard of the Languedoc-Roussillon and the eastern-most of the south-west, the dry stony soil and growing environment are ideal for low yield, top quality wine production. Cabardès is the only Languedoc A.O.C. to blend in equal proportions Bordeaux grape varieties (Cabernet and Merlot) with those of the Rhone (Syrah and Grenache).’

Never heard of it.

My education in French wines hit a plateau some years back and I haven’t been aggressive about moving it to a higher level. The other day I ran across something in a wine store that looked interesting, so I gave it a try. It was Château de Pennautier A.O.C. Cabardès 2004.

The combination of Rhone and Bordeaux varietals makes for an interesting mix. The Pennautier is dark and silky with great black fruit, soft tannins, spice and a long, caressing finish. For $11, it was a smashing find, and I’ll bet it can be had for less elsewhere.

The blend on this wine is 10% cabernet franc, 25% cabernet sauvignon, 20% merlot, 15% cot (also known as malbec) and 30% syrah. With such an interesting mix of grapes to blend with, I am very excited about trying more wines from this region.”

The entire post is here.


They both have become favorites at my house. Vive le difference indeed.

Shop 'Til You Drop

Most everyone has their favorite shopping experience, whether it’s the mall (my sister-in-law), used bookstores (my dad) or wine shops (me).

I love to shop for wine. I know I’m not alone in this affliction, especially among my fellow wine bloggers. I’ve certainly read some interesting posts on wine buying lately.

Farley over at Wine Outlook wrote this about collecting, hunting for wine and the folly of those who would pay someone to stock their wine cellar. I don't see how any “wine lover” could not enjoy shopping for wine or stocking their own cellar.

Some guy named Eric (I think he works for a newspaper), who writes a blog called “The Pour,” has been writing about mixed cases of wine. It’s a pretty good blog, and I like his taste in wine. I even recognize some of the selections in his cases as wines I’ve enjoyed.

He sure does get a lot of comments.

Anyway, I really enjoy prowling wine shops, big-box beverage stores and anywhere else where wine is sold. After ten-plus years of practice and two stints in retail wine sales, I think I’m a pretty savvy wine shopper.

One of my favorite experiences is buying wines on clearance. Grocery stores and other large retailers whose main focus isn’t wine usually need to liquidate stock that doesn’t move. Frequently, the wines that don’t move are things that don’t appeal to the masses, but might appeal to a wine geek like me.

I recently bought several bottles from World Market that were 25% off. As a rule I don’t buy anything there, because their prices are high. I picked up a Bordeaux-style blend and a shiraz/viognier from Australia, and a yummy negroamaro from Italy.

Grocery stores are even more ruthless when they are clearing the shelves. I’ve seen wines piled up in shopping carts at 50% off. Most of it is usually junk, but you never know. A couple years ago, I found a bottle of 1997 Marcelina Cabernet Sauvignon for $11 in a clearance cart. It was, quite possibly, the best $11 I have ever spent.

I spend most of my wine dollars at the same store, but wherever I go, if wine is sold, I’ll make time to browse. Just about any wine junkie has at least one story about discovering an exceptional bottle tucked in the corner of a wine shop or a rare vintage lurking in the corner grocery.

Awhile back I wrote about independent wine shops and what the future holds for them. Whenever I’m out of town, I’m always on the lookout for cool wine shops to explore. Beau over at Basic Juice just posted about one peculiar wine shop he encountered in his travels.

The Internet is rapidly changing the way people shop for wine, and creating some really cool wine-buying experiences, not to mention increasing the availability of wines. However, it can't replicate the experience of actually handling the bottles or having a friendly face to assist you.

It reminds me of how the Net has changed the way we get our news. Like most people, I read lots of news online. But I still get the daily paper, because there’s nothing like pouring a cup of coffee, kicking back in my favorite chair on the porch and getting ink on my fingers.

So what am I doing this weekend? It’s time to buy some wine.

But only after I’ve read the paper.

Wine Blogging Thursday?

Once again, I missed my deadline on Wine Blogging Wednesday. I've been accused in the past of not playing well with others, but this is really more about my tendency to be a day late and a dollar short.

WBW #33 was hosted by Marcus at Doktor Weingolb. WBW, of course, is the brainchild of Lenn Thompson at Lenndevours.

The theme this month was mid-priced wines from the Midi region of France, “mid” meaning wines in the $15-$30 range. This was an interesting assignment for me, because I tend to think of this region as a treasure trove of bargains—$15 and under wines.

As my regular readers know, my wine-buying focus is in the $10-ish range. I don’t mind paying a little more, but I delight in finding great, inexpensive wines.

Doktor Weingolb is a great source of information on this region. I won’t pretend to know very much about this area of France—because I don’t, but Marcus has compiled an impressive amount of information on this region and many others.

The Midi refers to the Langedoc-Roussilon area of southern France. A wide variety of grapes are permitted, and perhaps because it doesn’t enjoy the prestige of some of the country’s other wine growing areas, the wines can be a real steal.

Corbières is the region within the Midi I’m most familiar with and also the largest AOC in the region. So, it was natural that the wine I selected was from Corbières. The other deciding factor was that my local wine stores don’t carry very much wine from the Midi and most of it is under $15—yet another indication that the wines from this part of the world are under-appreciated and pleasantly priced.

2001 Château Aumèdes Corbières Cuveé Emilien Raissac ($20)

This wine was in many ways exactly what I would expect from Corbières and also surprising at the same time. I couldn’t find very much information on it, but the best I can determine is that the blend is carignan, syrah and/or grenache, and( maybe) some mourvèdre.

The nose was a bit muted at first, but it opened up nicely to reveal notes of blackberry, smoked meat and earth. As with many European wines, wines from the Midi often show more “earthy” characteristics than their New World counterparts.

The flavors were fairly simple, but very pleasant: blackberry, cinnamon and tar predominated, followed by firm tannins and a pleasing acidity. Compared to many of the reds I’ve been drinking lately, this struck me as a bit one-dimensional at first.

However, the more I sipped, the more I liked it. It’s understated, interesting and subtle.

Finding a Rhone-style wine in Corbières wasn’t surprising. Many of the Rhone grapes do extremely well in the warmer temperatures of southern France. I was, however, surprised at the elegance and style of this wine.

Was it worth the extra money? I’m not sure. It does make me want to taste more wines from this region. Stayed tuned for more Midi wines.

A Mother of a Day

Does the name Anna Jarvis sound familiar? Unless you’re a trivia buff, or you happened to pick up the May issue of Smithsonian, it probably doesn’t.

Anna Jarvis is the woman who created Mother’s Day, to fulfill her deceased mother’s wish of a national holiday to honor mothers. Jarvis ultimately lived to regret the day she created this monster of a holiday.

She spent much of the latter half of her life fighting the corruption and commercialization of the holiday she worked so hard to create. Jarvis was horrified by how the candy/florist/opportunist crowd stepped in to make a profit, and how people embraced these trivial tokens of affection.

Although I haven’t started making my own cards, it’s not far off. And, I take pains to avoid feeding the Holiday Machine in general. I don’t eat out on holidays…ever. I don’t buy chocolate anytime near Valentine’s Day. You get the picture.

Unfortunately, my mom lives a pretty fair distance from me, so she has to settle for a card and a phone call. The other mother in my life is my girlfriend, E. Her 16-year-old son takes care of the heart-warming moments of appreciation all good mothers are due.

That leaves me to cook.

Not that I mind. It gives me an excuse to make some extra-special meals and share time with a couple of great people. I’ll spare you the entire weekend’s menu, but I will mention a couple highlights.

Mother’s Day dinner was grilled, spice-rubbed Angus filets with bleu cheese cream sauce, roasted garlic mashed yellow potatoes and sautéed spinach.

And, no, I didn’t ruin the steaks.

The meal was tasty. The wine was equally tasty. Since the occasion called for something special, I opened my other bottle of 2003 Twisted Oak Murgatroyd. If you missed my earlier review of this wine, it’s right here.

Because these bottles were sent to me as samples, the first bottle was subjected to a rigorous, scientific process of evaluation. This bottle was pure enjoyment. The food and wine were a glorious combination.

And speaking of pure enjoyment, no Mother’s Day weekend is really complete without mom kicked back enjoying a liquor drink. Since distance prevented me from tempting my own mother with booze, I forced E to enjoy a pre-dinner margarita on the porch. I’ll have you know—it wasn’t easy. (Okay, it was.)

The next time you’re craving a ‘rita. Treat yourself with this recipe from The Best Recipes in the World, by Mark Bittman (an excellent cookbook).

¾ cup tequila
Scant ¼ cup Grand Marnier, triple sec or other orange liqueur
¼ cup fresh lime juice (or to taste)
Lime wedges to garnish

Combine ingredients and ice in a shaker or pitcher. Shake or stir. Strain into salt-rimmed, ice-filled glasses. Makes 3-4 drinks.

Use 100% Agave, silver tequila. I doubled the amount of lime juice, and they were still plenty strong. Adjust to your liking.

Dance on a (sturdy) table as needed.

"G" is for Grüner Veltliner

It’s been a long time since I’ve written an alphabetical post. “G” offers so many choices of topics: grenache, gewürztraminer, gamay, and Germany just to name a few.

Ultimately, I chose grüner veltliner because it’s getting pretty warm here in South Carolina and my thoughts are turning to white wines. Grüner is also a hot-topic wine right now, so you’ll be seeing more on the shelves at your local wine stores.

There’s a good chance you’re already familiar with this Austrian native. Grüner is grown almost exclusively in Austria, and has become the country's best known grape by far.

Grüner (grüner = green) veltliner is one of several varieties of veltliner, although it’s the only one you’re likely to find around town. Thanks the increasing popularity of grüner and some slick packaging, you’re likely to bump into a case stack on your next wine buying trip.

Several merchants in my area are featuring 2005 Graf Koenigsegg ‘Velt. 1’ Grüner Veltliner ($9), which is hard to miss because of its neon-lime label. Velt. 1 even has a hipster-ish Web site where you can post photos of you and your pals sipping (or guzzling) Velt. 1.

Another grüner that’s hard to miss because of a Day-Glo label is 2005 Loimer Kamptal ‘Lois’ Grüner Veltliner ($9). It’s a nice bit of marketing to put these wines in eye-catching packages, give them simple, easy-to-remember (and pronounce) nicknames, and top them off with screw cap enclosures.

Both of the wines I mentioned are light, simple versions of grüner. They are bursting with fresh apple, lemon and herbaceous flavors. With its low alcohol and zippy acidity, grüner is very food-friendly. It’s also perfect for sipping (or guzzling) with friends.

Inexpensive grüner comes mostly from low elevation vineyards, while the pricier, more complex wines come from the steep, hillside vineyards. The higher quality grüners are renowned for their aging potential and are gaining notoriety as some of the world’s best white wines.

I found an interesting article in the LA Times from April about grüner that included some more recommendations. The Lois is the only one I recognize on the list, but with the temperature climbing ever higher here in the South, you can be sure I’ll be sampling more grüners very soon.

Show and Tell

Every now and again, I like to just chat about wines I’ve enjoyed recently. On their own, these wines aren’t worth a whole post. But, I enjoy reading about what my fellow wine writers are drinking, so I hope you’re interested in what’s been in my glass.

2005 Viñedos y Bodegas Pablo Menguante Garnacha Cariñena ($9)

I just commented to Joe of Joe's Wine that I think Spanish wines in general are the most interesting, delicious and affordable wines around at the moment. This is a stunning example of garnacha from 80-100 year-old vines. Garnacha can be light and quaffable, but it also can be rich and complex. This is the latter.

2002 Preston Cabernet Franc Columbia Valley ($12)

If cabernet franc needs an agent, I’ll take the job. The “other” cab is fantastic when it’s done well. This is done well: silky, lush and spicy with abundant red and black fruit. Preston makes some seriously good wines. If you’re not familiar with them, I highly recommend seeking out their wines.

2001 Preston Merlot Columbia Valley ($12)

I’m not kidding about Preston. This is a merlot that could well restore merlot’s good name. A little time in the bottle has revealed a subtle, elegant wine with sweet notes of dried cherries, herbs, cedar and leather. Merlot can age quite gracefully, and given its lack of popularity, post-Sideways, there’s never been a better time to hunt for hidden gems like this one.

2001 Hope Merlot Hunter Valley ($9)

Speaking of merlot from older vintages...here’s another. I normally wouldn’t think of Australia for merlot, but Hope makes some really unique, hand-crafted and well-priced wines. This was a random pick at a restaurant wine sale—and what a great find it was. A little more fruit focused than the Preston, but still showing its age very well: velvet-smooth with lovely black cherry, plum and cedar.

2004 Trentadue Old Patch Red Sonoma Valley ($13)

I’m hooked on field-blend style Cailfornia reds at the moment. This is a mix of 76% zinfandel, 16% petite sirah and 8% carignane. I wish more CA wineries would make wines in this style. Sonodora at Wannabe Wino has an excellent write up about Trentadue along with tasting notes for most of their wines, including the Old Patch Red. Check it out.

NV Dover Canyon Winery Renegade Red Central Coast ($11)

A cool wine from a cool winery. Another field-blend style red wine from the fine folks at Dover Canyon made from zin, sangiovese, barbera and syrah. It’s lively, fresh and intoxicatingly good. This is the wine that Bacchus wants us to drink. Get a bottle and dance with Pan. I’ve added the Dover Canyon Winery blog to my links, so now you have no excuse not to visit. Mary Baker, co-owner of Dover Canyon, is also editor of the Women Wine Critics Board blog, which is full of some great writing.

That’s all for my show and tell. What wines have made you happy lately?

Crab Cakes and Mom

While I generally try to avoid posts that involve recipes, I’m doing this one as a special request from my mom.

While I generally try to avoid posts that involve my mom (it doesn’t sound very professional), there is some relevance here. You see, my mom introduced me to cooking and de-mystified the process for me.

What she told me was (and I paraphrase), “It’s not nuclear science, Oppenheimer. Read the recipe and do what it says.”

She also taught me that when baking—you’d better follow the recipe pretty closely, but if you’re cooking—you can improvise as needed. She makes a mean lasagna with whatever pasta happens to be on hand.

These days I look to recipes mainly for inspiration. Sometimes I follow along to a certain degree, and sometimes I just steal a technique or a sauce. This is based on a recipe that I got from a can of Phillips crabmeat. Crab cakes aren’t difficult at all, and they make the perfect simple summer meal or Sunday brunch food. Or, you can make tiny ones for appetizers.

1 egg
1 tablespoon (or so) Duke’s Mayonnaise (or Hellman’s for you unfortunate souls who can’t get Duke’s)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon (or so) chopped fresh chive (or your favorite fresh herb)
1 tablespoon (or so) finely diced red onion
1 tablespoon (or so) finely diced sweet red pepper
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Dash or two (or three) of fresh ground pepper
¼ cup dry bread crumbs
8 oz. crabmeat (Claw is fine.)

Beat egg in a medium bowl. Add all other ingredients except breadcrumbs and crabmeat. Mix well.

Add breadcrumbs. Mix. Gently fold in crabmeat until combined. Pat out into four crab cakes. Allow to rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes (not a must).

Cook over medium heat on a well-oiled, non-stick surface approximately five minutes per side until browned and cooked through .

It’s worth mentioning that I love Old Bay seasoning (I would snort it if that was the only way I was allowed to ingest it). Feel free to substitute the seasoning(s) of your liking. Add salt if you want, although if you use a seasoning mix like Old Bay you shouldn’t need any.

A homemade tartar sauce, aioli or salsa is a nice addition. I’ll leave you to your own devices for that.

A few other tips:

Your cooking surface is of utmost importance. I tried cooking them in a stainless steel pan with some melted butted and they stuck like crazy. I now use a lovingly-cared-for, two-burner flat grill and never have problems with sticking. Make sure your surface is nice and hot before you put the cakes on.

Treat the crabmeat gently and you’ll get a better texture in your cakes. I add the crabmeat last and mix gently with my hands.

I like something bubbly if I’m serving these for brunch. The last time I made them, I opened a bottle of Jacob's Creek Sparkling Rosé NV, which was excellent. The sparkling wines from Jacob's Creek show exceptional complexity and character for around $10. If you haven’t tried them—you really should.

And thanks for the cooking lessons, mom. They’ve served me well.