Besides my current technological difficulties, I now have to contend with another sinister force working to prevent me from blogging—gardening.
Every year about this time, I am faced with the uncontrollable urge to dig, plant, water and generally spend as much time as possible mucking around my yard. However, this year, I’ll need to balance my horticultural urges with my writing—which I have sworn not to neglect.
You might ask, what the hell does this have to do with wine?
Well, my gardening addiction and my wine obsession afflicted me at roughly the same period in my life. And, like many other wine zealots, I harbor fantasies of grape-growing and winemaking.
I suspect that there is some sort of correlation between an affinity for gardening and an appreciation of wine. After all, wine is (ideally) a very simple concoction comprised almost entirely of grape juice. What determines much of the difference between one wine and another is the type of grape (or grapes) used, where they are grown and how they are tended.
I’m certain this has led many a gardener to an interest in wine and vice versa. Of course, before the advent of supermarkets, interstate commerce and Yellow Tail, if you wanted wine, you planted some vines and made your own. Or, you traded with your neighbor who made wine.
Around ten years ago, when I was living in North Carolina, I became fixated on the idea of buying land, planting grapes and going into the winemaking business. (Incidentally, this would have been an excellent time to get into the blossoming N.C. wine industry.) All I was lacking was any experience growing grapes or making wine, and I was completely broke.
Inexperience and incompetence have never stopped me before, but the lack of funds was a bit of a roadblock. So, my field of dreams went unplanted, but every spring the dream of vineyard-ownership returns.
However, unless I happen to win the Powerball jackpot, I think I’ll be sticking to tomatoes. At least I’m getting better with those.
One step at a time.
On a side note—I have to thank Dr. Debs at Good Wine Under $20 for informing me about Bacchanalia. While I enjoy hoisting a pint of Guinness to honor St. Patrick as much as the next person, in Columbia S.C., this holiday is celebrated by guzzling Bud Light out of 32 oz. cups while wearing green plastic beads. So, I spent the weekend honoring the spirit of Bacchus instead.
Of course, I do that most weekends anyway. At least this weekend I had a reason.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Communication Breakdown
Technology can be a blessing or curse.
At any rate, lack of technology is currently making me want to curse. I’ve been virtually without e-mail and subject to very limited Internet access as of late, which has brought my blogging to a screeching halt.
The situation will remedied very soon, just as soon as I decide between two equally unappealing options for high-speed Internet access. Choosing between the local cable monopoly and the local DSL provider is the equivalent of choosing whether to be shot or stabbed. Either way it’s not going to be pleasant.
The really unfortunate part of this frustrating process is that it caught me right in the midst of a burst of enthusiasm for making some upgrades to Brim. Look for some serious improvements when I finally get reconnected with the world.
Until then, eat, drink and be merry.
At any rate, lack of technology is currently making me want to curse. I’ve been virtually without e-mail and subject to very limited Internet access as of late, which has brought my blogging to a screeching halt.
The situation will remedied very soon, just as soon as I decide between two equally unappealing options for high-speed Internet access. Choosing between the local cable monopoly and the local DSL provider is the equivalent of choosing whether to be shot or stabbed. Either way it’s not going to be pleasant.
The really unfortunate part of this frustrating process is that it caught me right in the midst of a burst of enthusiasm for making some upgrades to Brim. Look for some serious improvements when I finally get reconnected with the world.
Until then, eat, drink and be merry.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Endangered Species
Tucked away in the back of the December 2006 issue of The Atlantic is an interesting article on the future of independent wineshops. With larger retailers and chain stores narrowing the already small margins on retail wine sales, the fate of these smaller shops is certainly in question.
Being an aggressive price shopper when it comes to wine, I often wonder if I’m contributing to the extinction of these shops. The city I reside in has a good variety of choices when it comes to buying wine: Sam’s Club, Total Wine & More, Green’s Beverage Stores, well-stocked grocery stores and several small wineshops.
I’m not a Sam’s Club person, so I don’t shop there, although they have a good selection and the prices are competitive. The grocery stores rarely have wine that interests me and the prices aren’t very good in general; I occasionally find an amazing bottle for some ridiculous clearance price.
I do the bulk of my shopping at Total Wine or Green’s. Having two large retailers—Total is an East Coast chain and Green’s is a local chain with stores in South Carolina and Georgia—doing business in the same city has dropped wine prices through the floor. They both have great selections.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I worked for Green’s for three years, but I’m certainly not what you would call an advocate for the company. I do, however, have some trusted sources of information with Green’s, which makes my shopping experiences much easier.
Total is well-staffed with salespeople who have varying degrees of wine knowledge. I am aware when I shop there that the company’s marketing tactic is to hard-sell customers on private label wine with high margins, and they pressure their sales staff to push these wines under threat of dismissal. I shop there occasionally because they have a larger selection.
Unfortunately, this leaves small wine shops in a tough position. They have neither the buying power nor the volume of sales to compete with the big boys. When I see wines that I know I can buy for $3 less elsewhere, I just can’t bring myself to do it, no matter how much I enjoy the wine shop experience. So I buy an occasional bottle that I haven’t seen anywhere else, but still with the knowledge that I’m paying a higher mark-up.
The retail margin on wine is shockingly small—usually between 25% and 35%. Large retailers have trimmed the margins even further. While I’m glad that people still enjoy the wine shop experience enough to patronize those places, I still can’t bring myself to do it. My wine dollars are too precious.
If the margins are 10% lower in the big stores, that means for every case of wine I buy, I get a bottle for free. Green’s kicks in a 10% mixed-case discount, which is like getting another bottle for free.
It’s worth mentioning that although these small wine shops put real effort into personal service, I’ve never found any of them to be helpful enough to make me shop there. I’m sure there are well-heeled customers that are waited on hand and foot, but for a $10-a-bottle shopper like me they don’t seem very interested in building relationships.
I think this is what the success of small shops depends on—knowing your customers, what they drink and taking good care of them. Knowledge also plays a large part.
“Wineshop owners can not only tell you what Aglianico tastes like, they can also pour you a sample. They can tell you what to serve it with—and give you a recipe,” writes Corby Kummer in The Atlantic.
That’s the sort of experience that will keep wine shops alive. Larger cities are more likely to be able to support smaller, independent shops, but smart owners in smaller market can cash in on quirky selections and the personal service that stores like Costco and Total Wine cannot replicate.
Independent wineshops might look to the example of independent bookstores, which have faced the same threat from Borders and Barnes & Noble. Those bookstores that have survived have using innovative marketing practices combined with old-fashioned customer service to develop loyal customer bases.
Unfortunately, wine shops can’t pool their buying power like bookstores have done, because of the complex systems of distributorships and laws that control wine sales. However, independent wine shops should be eyeing ways to cooperate with each other.
I hope that independent wine shops can find a way to survive. Wandering around a quirky, cool wine shop is one of the great pleasures of life for a wino like me.
And if you want to try a bottle of aglianico, look for Di Majo Norante Contado 2002 or 2003. This is a stunning example of 100% aglianico. Try serving it with your favorite lasagna recipe.
Being an aggressive price shopper when it comes to wine, I often wonder if I’m contributing to the extinction of these shops. The city I reside in has a good variety of choices when it comes to buying wine: Sam’s Club, Total Wine & More, Green’s Beverage Stores, well-stocked grocery stores and several small wineshops.
I’m not a Sam’s Club person, so I don’t shop there, although they have a good selection and the prices are competitive. The grocery stores rarely have wine that interests me and the prices aren’t very good in general; I occasionally find an amazing bottle for some ridiculous clearance price.
I do the bulk of my shopping at Total Wine or Green’s. Having two large retailers—Total is an East Coast chain and Green’s is a local chain with stores in South Carolina and Georgia—doing business in the same city has dropped wine prices through the floor. They both have great selections.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I worked for Green’s for three years, but I’m certainly not what you would call an advocate for the company. I do, however, have some trusted sources of information with Green’s, which makes my shopping experiences much easier.
Total is well-staffed with salespeople who have varying degrees of wine knowledge. I am aware when I shop there that the company’s marketing tactic is to hard-sell customers on private label wine with high margins, and they pressure their sales staff to push these wines under threat of dismissal. I shop there occasionally because they have a larger selection.
Unfortunately, this leaves small wine shops in a tough position. They have neither the buying power nor the volume of sales to compete with the big boys. When I see wines that I know I can buy for $3 less elsewhere, I just can’t bring myself to do it, no matter how much I enjoy the wine shop experience. So I buy an occasional bottle that I haven’t seen anywhere else, but still with the knowledge that I’m paying a higher mark-up.
The retail margin on wine is shockingly small—usually between 25% and 35%. Large retailers have trimmed the margins even further. While I’m glad that people still enjoy the wine shop experience enough to patronize those places, I still can’t bring myself to do it. My wine dollars are too precious.
If the margins are 10% lower in the big stores, that means for every case of wine I buy, I get a bottle for free. Green’s kicks in a 10% mixed-case discount, which is like getting another bottle for free.
It’s worth mentioning that although these small wine shops put real effort into personal service, I’ve never found any of them to be helpful enough to make me shop there. I’m sure there are well-heeled customers that are waited on hand and foot, but for a $10-a-bottle shopper like me they don’t seem very interested in building relationships.
I think this is what the success of small shops depends on—knowing your customers, what they drink and taking good care of them. Knowledge also plays a large part.
“Wineshop owners can not only tell you what Aglianico tastes like, they can also pour you a sample. They can tell you what to serve it with—and give you a recipe,” writes Corby Kummer in The Atlantic.
That’s the sort of experience that will keep wine shops alive. Larger cities are more likely to be able to support smaller, independent shops, but smart owners in smaller market can cash in on quirky selections and the personal service that stores like Costco and Total Wine cannot replicate.
Independent wineshops might look to the example of independent bookstores, which have faced the same threat from Borders and Barnes & Noble. Those bookstores that have survived have using innovative marketing practices combined with old-fashioned customer service to develop loyal customer bases.
Unfortunately, wine shops can’t pool their buying power like bookstores have done, because of the complex systems of distributorships and laws that control wine sales. However, independent wine shops should be eyeing ways to cooperate with each other.
I hope that independent wine shops can find a way to survive. Wandering around a quirky, cool wine shop is one of the great pleasures of life for a wino like me.
And if you want to try a bottle of aglianico, look for Di Majo Norante Contado 2002 or 2003. This is a stunning example of 100% aglianico. Try serving it with your favorite lasagna recipe.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Low-Budget Livin'
If you’re anything like me (for your sake, I hope you’re not), the old checking account looks pretty empty this time of year.
After that money-sucking vacuum known as the Holiday Season, post-holiday bills and Valentine’s Day, I find myself hopefully scanning the floor of my car for loose change. Factor in those unexpected bills that life throws at you, and what you have is a recipe for Ramen noodles and Gallo Hearty Burgundy.
Even Wine Bogging Wednesday #31 is themed around box wines. Although they broadened it slightly to include “non-traditional packaging,” it’s clear that I’m not the only one pondering how to reduce their wine budget.
However, I would sell a kidney before I would resort to drinking swill. It’s not that I’m a snob; it’s just that once your taste buds get acclimated to drinking good wines, there’s no going back.
So in the spirit of thrift, here is a short list of some my favorite bargain wines:
Hardys Nottage Hill Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz 2003 – $5.99
This is my current undisputed champ of good and cheap. Balanced and stylish, this rises way above most inexpensive Aussie red. Perfect for when you want something to drink and enjoy, without feeling the need to contemplate or savor every sip.
Trapiche Malbec Oak Cask Mendoza 2004 - $7.99
The last three vintages of this wine have been so consistently good that it’s earned a permanent place in my pantheon of everyday reds. The go-to wine for pizza, burgers and unexpected guests.
Columbia Crest Two Vines Shiraz 2003 - $4.79
Perhaps a little a too fruity for some people’s taste, but this is an amazing value for the money. It’s displays great varietal character, and the fruitiness goes great with spicy foods. The wines of Columbia Crest are some of the best values around.
Domaine de Pouy Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne 2005 – $5.99
Crisp and zingy, this a perennial favorite for summertime quaffing, but it also make a perfect match for shellfish, white fish or light chicken dishes in the winter. It’s a blend of ugni blanc (trebbiano) and colombard.
Smoking Loon Viognier California 2005 – $6.79
Think Sunday brunch and spicy crab cakes. Fat, juicy and delicious – this is the most reliable inexpensive viognier out there. Smoking Loon is part of the Sebastiani wine family.
If you want to spend a couple more dollars, here are two reds that will make you forget you’re drinking under $10 wine:
Terre Nero d’Avola Sicilia 2003 – $8.99
Lots of people have never even tasted a Sicilian wine. This one is complex without being over-powering – raspberry, cherry, spice and earth. And at $9 a bottle, you won’t feel bad about having it with take-out pizza and Sopranos re-runs.
Di Majo Norante Sangiovese Terre degli Osci 2005 – $8.99
Licorice and violets for $9 a bottle? Count me in. Inexpensive sangiovese can be really good or really bad; this is the former – deep, complex and wonderful. I will even go so far as to say that it gives one a glimpse of the amazing heights that sangiovese can achieve.
On a side note, both the Terre and the Di Majo Norante are Leonardo Locassio Selections from Winebow. I’ve had some excellent wines from this group lately, which I’ll write more about soon. Keep your eye out for that name on the back label.
These are obviously prices from my local retailers, but hopefully some of these are bargains where you live also. They all are widely distributed nationwide.
After that money-sucking vacuum known as the Holiday Season, post-holiday bills and Valentine’s Day, I find myself hopefully scanning the floor of my car for loose change. Factor in those unexpected bills that life throws at you, and what you have is a recipe for Ramen noodles and Gallo Hearty Burgundy.
Even Wine Bogging Wednesday #31 is themed around box wines. Although they broadened it slightly to include “non-traditional packaging,” it’s clear that I’m not the only one pondering how to reduce their wine budget.
However, I would sell a kidney before I would resort to drinking swill. It’s not that I’m a snob; it’s just that once your taste buds get acclimated to drinking good wines, there’s no going back.
So in the spirit of thrift, here is a short list of some my favorite bargain wines:
Hardys Nottage Hill Cabernet Sauvignon - Shiraz 2003 – $5.99
This is my current undisputed champ of good and cheap. Balanced and stylish, this rises way above most inexpensive Aussie red. Perfect for when you want something to drink and enjoy, without feeling the need to contemplate or savor every sip.
Trapiche Malbec Oak Cask Mendoza 2004 - $7.99
The last three vintages of this wine have been so consistently good that it’s earned a permanent place in my pantheon of everyday reds. The go-to wine for pizza, burgers and unexpected guests.
Columbia Crest Two Vines Shiraz 2003 - $4.79
Perhaps a little a too fruity for some people’s taste, but this is an amazing value for the money. It’s displays great varietal character, and the fruitiness goes great with spicy foods. The wines of Columbia Crest are some of the best values around.
Domaine de Pouy Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne 2005 – $5.99
Crisp and zingy, this a perennial favorite for summertime quaffing, but it also make a perfect match for shellfish, white fish or light chicken dishes in the winter. It’s a blend of ugni blanc (trebbiano) and colombard.
Smoking Loon Viognier California 2005 – $6.79
Think Sunday brunch and spicy crab cakes. Fat, juicy and delicious – this is the most reliable inexpensive viognier out there. Smoking Loon is part of the Sebastiani wine family.
If you want to spend a couple more dollars, here are two reds that will make you forget you’re drinking under $10 wine:
Terre Nero d’Avola Sicilia 2003 – $8.99
Lots of people have never even tasted a Sicilian wine. This one is complex without being over-powering – raspberry, cherry, spice and earth. And at $9 a bottle, you won’t feel bad about having it with take-out pizza and Sopranos re-runs.
Di Majo Norante Sangiovese Terre degli Osci 2005 – $8.99
Licorice and violets for $9 a bottle? Count me in. Inexpensive sangiovese can be really good or really bad; this is the former – deep, complex and wonderful. I will even go so far as to say that it gives one a glimpse of the amazing heights that sangiovese can achieve.
On a side note, both the Terre and the Di Majo Norante are Leonardo Locassio Selections from Winebow. I’ve had some excellent wines from this group lately, which I’ll write more about soon. Keep your eye out for that name on the back label.
These are obviously prices from my local retailers, but hopefully some of these are bargains where you live also. They all are widely distributed nationwide.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Valentine's Day Recap
Call me a cynic, but Valentine’s Day has gotten way out of control. I won’t bore you with my rant on the over-commercialization of this once sweet-and-simple holiday, but let’s just say that I was not one of those rose-buying, dinner-reservation-searching, last-minute-shopping-in-desperation men.
Actually, I spent a large portion of yesterday making arrangements to acquire a new water heater and have it installed, as my old one had ruptured during the night. Not only did I accomplish this mission, I also had time left over to prepare a wonderful Valentine’s Day feast for my sweetheart, Ms. E.
The menu was pretty simple. I grilled a couple of marinated tuna steaks and paired them with my roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. The tuna was a perfect medium rare; the potatoes were creamy and delicious; and the spinach was pretty good considering I can’t cook vegetables to save my life.
My other nod to V-Day is always some really good wine. This year we started out with Roederer Estate Brut Rosé NV, which is always lovely and was a perfect match to the meal.
We moved on to Cellers Scala Dei Cartoixa Reserva 2000 (goes well with dark chocolate), which is from Priorat in Spain. I love the wines from this region, and this wine is a perfect example of why.
It’s a blend of 48% cabernet sauvignon, 47% garnacha and 5% syrah. It’s also round and full-bodied with lots of dark fruit, nuances of chocolate and spice, and a long, silky finish. While it normally retails for around $30 a bottle, a friend in the business got me some at $10 a bottle.
Why? Because the distributor was getting rid of it.
I’m certain that most people who looked at it either didn’t know what it was or thought they could never sell it. Oh well, their loss is my gain.
So I have three pieces of post V-Day advice:
1.) Never buy roses for Valentine’s Day.
2.) If you haven’t already discovered the wines of Priorat, start now.
3.) Try marinating tuna steaks in Stubb’s Pork Marinade (trust me, it’s good).
Actually, I spent a large portion of yesterday making arrangements to acquire a new water heater and have it installed, as my old one had ruptured during the night. Not only did I accomplish this mission, I also had time left over to prepare a wonderful Valentine’s Day feast for my sweetheart, Ms. E.
The menu was pretty simple. I grilled a couple of marinated tuna steaks and paired them with my roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. The tuna was a perfect medium rare; the potatoes were creamy and delicious; and the spinach was pretty good considering I can’t cook vegetables to save my life.
My other nod to V-Day is always some really good wine. This year we started out with Roederer Estate Brut Rosé NV, which is always lovely and was a perfect match to the meal.
We moved on to Cellers Scala Dei Cartoixa Reserva 2000 (goes well with dark chocolate), which is from Priorat in Spain. I love the wines from this region, and this wine is a perfect example of why.
It’s a blend of 48% cabernet sauvignon, 47% garnacha and 5% syrah. It’s also round and full-bodied with lots of dark fruit, nuances of chocolate and spice, and a long, silky finish. While it normally retails for around $30 a bottle, a friend in the business got me some at $10 a bottle.
Why? Because the distributor was getting rid of it.
I’m certain that most people who looked at it either didn’t know what it was or thought they could never sell it. Oh well, their loss is my gain.
So I have three pieces of post V-Day advice:
1.) Never buy roses for Valentine’s Day.
2.) If you haven’t already discovered the wines of Priorat, start now.
3.) Try marinating tuna steaks in Stubb’s Pork Marinade (trust me, it’s good).
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Wine Blogging Wednesday #30
Wine Blogging Wednesday is turning out to be a dangerous thing for me.
Normally, I drink bargain wines. I religiously stay under $15 and whenever possible under $10. I’m not afraid to admit it—I’m poor.
While others were working hard to improve their station in life and raise their income levels, I was…hmm…well, I can’t seem to remember, but apparently my attention was focused elsewhere.
So, I drink inexpensive wine (not to be confused with cheap plonk). No big deal. But then WBW comes along and gives me a reason to splurge for the occasional bottle of something nice.
The utility bill will just have to wait.
Tim Elliot of Winecast is our distinguished host for this round, and the topic is New World syrah. This is an easy topic to accommodate because it seems syrah is the “It” grape for winemakers from Washington State to Australia and everywhere in between.
I selected Luca Winery 2004 Syrah Altos de Mendoza ($30), which was recommended to me by a trusted source. The 2004 vintage is a blend of 85% syrah and 15% malbec. 800 cases were produced, and it was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
If you find yourself with an extra 30 bucks, go buy a bottle. You won’t regret it.
I decanted it for 45 minutes or so before pouring on the advice of the aforementioned trusted source. In the decanter, the color was an inky purple and the aromas drifting out were all black fruit: blackberry, plum and blueberry.
Once in my glass, the nose had opened up to include vanilla, eucalyptus and tar. The first sip was a silky mouthful of blackberry, plum, vanilla, tea, earth, tar, cola and licorice. Not necessarily in that order.
This is a serious bottle of syrah. The longer I sipped and swirled, the more layers of flavor and smell I discovered. If you have the opportunity to drink this wine, do so very slowly. You will be rewarded.
Laura Catena, of the well-known Argentine winemaking family, is the proprietor of Luca Winery. Named after her first son, the winery focuses on making small-production wine from low-yield, high-elevation vineyards in Mendoza. The average vineyard elevation for this wine was 3,020 feet.
The Catena name is synonymous with quality in Argentina. Nicolás Catena, Laura’s father, produces some of Argentina’s most highly respected wines, along with the Alamos brand, which is priced for poor souls like myself.
After tasting this wine, I may have to spring for a bottle of some of the family’s other wines. It certainly left no doubt in my mind that the wines currently coming out of Argentina, syrah and otherwise, can lay legitimate claim to being among the world’s best.
Not to mention, they are still a relative value. Although $30 is a bit steep for my thin wallet, a wine of this quality would run you twice as much (or more) if Napa or Hermitage was on the label.
So...don't cry for me, I'm drinking Argentina.
I just couldn't pass that up.
Normally, I drink bargain wines. I religiously stay under $15 and whenever possible under $10. I’m not afraid to admit it—I’m poor.
While others were working hard to improve their station in life and raise their income levels, I was…hmm…well, I can’t seem to remember, but apparently my attention was focused elsewhere.
So, I drink inexpensive wine (not to be confused with cheap plonk). No big deal. But then WBW comes along and gives me a reason to splurge for the occasional bottle of something nice.
The utility bill will just have to wait.
Tim Elliot of Winecast is our distinguished host for this round, and the topic is New World syrah. This is an easy topic to accommodate because it seems syrah is the “It” grape for winemakers from Washington State to Australia and everywhere in between.
I selected Luca Winery 2004 Syrah Altos de Mendoza ($30), which was recommended to me by a trusted source. The 2004 vintage is a blend of 85% syrah and 15% malbec. 800 cases were produced, and it was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
If you find yourself with an extra 30 bucks, go buy a bottle. You won’t regret it.
I decanted it for 45 minutes or so before pouring on the advice of the aforementioned trusted source. In the decanter, the color was an inky purple and the aromas drifting out were all black fruit: blackberry, plum and blueberry.
Once in my glass, the nose had opened up to include vanilla, eucalyptus and tar. The first sip was a silky mouthful of blackberry, plum, vanilla, tea, earth, tar, cola and licorice. Not necessarily in that order.
This is a serious bottle of syrah. The longer I sipped and swirled, the more layers of flavor and smell I discovered. If you have the opportunity to drink this wine, do so very slowly. You will be rewarded.
Laura Catena, of the well-known Argentine winemaking family, is the proprietor of Luca Winery. Named after her first son, the winery focuses on making small-production wine from low-yield, high-elevation vineyards in Mendoza. The average vineyard elevation for this wine was 3,020 feet.
The Catena name is synonymous with quality in Argentina. Nicolás Catena, Laura’s father, produces some of Argentina’s most highly respected wines, along with the Alamos brand, which is priced for poor souls like myself.
After tasting this wine, I may have to spring for a bottle of some of the family’s other wines. It certainly left no doubt in my mind that the wines currently coming out of Argentina, syrah and otherwise, can lay legitimate claim to being among the world’s best.
Not to mention, they are still a relative value. Although $30 is a bit steep for my thin wallet, a wine of this quality would run you twice as much (or more) if Napa or Hermitage was on the label.
So...don't cry for me, I'm drinking Argentina.
I just couldn't pass that up.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
A Twisted Tasting
I really like people who march to the beat of their own drummer.
With that in mind, I’ve been wanting to try some of the wines from Twisted Oak Winery and winemaker Jeff Stai. Many of us in the wine blogosphere have gotten to know a little about Twisted Oak and Jeff (El Jefe) through the winery’s blog, El Bloggo Torcido, and Jeff’s frequent comments on other blogs.
Unfortunately, Twisted Oak wines have not found there way to my part of the world. However, the Gods of Good Fortune smiled upon me, and I recently received a box with two bottles of Twisted Oak 2003 California Murgatroyd and, of course, a rubber chicken.
When they are not involved in rubber chicken distribution, Twisted Oak produces an eclectic line-up of wines from varietals such as verdelho, albariño, temperanillo, grenache, syrah and petite sirah.
With a blog called El Bloggo Torcido, a wine called the Spaniard and a collection of typical Spanish grapes, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine that Twisted Oak has a decidedly Spanish flair.
Which brings me back to the Murgatroyd, this wine is a blend of 36% cabernet sauvignon, 31% tempranillo, 19% petite sirah and 14% grenache. This wine grabbed my attention partly because the interesting blend of grapes. It reminds me of some of the wines coming out of the Priorat region of Spain, which usually incorporate cabernet sauvignon and grenache, along with some other grapes.
On a side note, any wine named after the catch-phrase of a cartoon character from my youth automatically gets a few extra points in my book.
The Murgatroyd is a deep purple with lush aromas of blueberry, cinnamon and a touch of vanilla. The flavors are soft and round with blueberry,raspberry, mint, vanilla and just a hint of oak. I decanted it for 30 minutes of so before drinking, and it continued to open up nicely while we sipped it over dinner.
My intuition about the blend was dead-on—this wine is very reminiscent of a young Priorat. I’m also willing to bet it will gain even more complexity with a little more bottle age.
Most of the grapes for the Murgatroyd come from the Vallecito and Tanner Vineyards in Calaveras County, the remainder come from the Bokisch and Silvaspoon Ranches in the Central Valley. Because not enough of the grapes come from the same region, the Murgatroyd is labeled simply as California wine.
I wondered if this is akin to really good French wine that ends up being labeled as Vin de Pays (which several of my favorite French wines are). So, I put the following questions to Jeff via e-mail:
With that in mind, I’ve been wanting to try some of the wines from Twisted Oak Winery and winemaker Jeff Stai. Many of us in the wine blogosphere have gotten to know a little about Twisted Oak and Jeff (El Jefe) through the winery’s blog, El Bloggo Torcido, and Jeff’s frequent comments on other blogs.
Unfortunately, Twisted Oak wines have not found there way to my part of the world. However, the Gods of Good Fortune smiled upon me, and I recently received a box with two bottles of Twisted Oak 2003 California Murgatroyd and, of course, a rubber chicken.
When they are not involved in rubber chicken distribution, Twisted Oak produces an eclectic line-up of wines from varietals such as verdelho, albariño, temperanillo, grenache, syrah and petite sirah.
With a blog called El Bloggo Torcido, a wine called the Spaniard and a collection of typical Spanish grapes, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to determine that Twisted Oak has a decidedly Spanish flair.
Which brings me back to the Murgatroyd, this wine is a blend of 36% cabernet sauvignon, 31% tempranillo, 19% petite sirah and 14% grenache. This wine grabbed my attention partly because the interesting blend of grapes. It reminds me of some of the wines coming out of the Priorat region of Spain, which usually incorporate cabernet sauvignon and grenache, along with some other grapes.
On a side note, any wine named after the catch-phrase of a cartoon character from my youth automatically gets a few extra points in my book.
The Murgatroyd is a deep purple with lush aromas of blueberry, cinnamon and a touch of vanilla. The flavors are soft and round with blueberry,raspberry, mint, vanilla and just a hint of oak. I decanted it for 30 minutes of so before drinking, and it continued to open up nicely while we sipped it over dinner.
My intuition about the blend was dead-on—this wine is very reminiscent of a young Priorat. I’m also willing to bet it will gain even more complexity with a little more bottle age.
Most of the grapes for the Murgatroyd come from the Vallecito and Tanner Vineyards in Calaveras County, the remainder come from the Bokisch and Silvaspoon Ranches in the Central Valley. Because not enough of the grapes come from the same region, the Murgatroyd is labeled simply as California wine.
I wondered if this is akin to really good French wine that ends up being labeled as Vin de Pays (which several of my favorite French wines are). So, I put the following questions to Jeff via e-mail:
Me: Since you know the source of the grapes, why is it labeled as a California wine?
El Jefe: Two of the vineyards are in Calaveras, and two of the vineyards are in Lodi. Since Lodi is not in the Sierra Foothills, we had to go with California. To call it Calaveras we would have to have a higher percentage of Calaveras fruit in it.
Me: What are your thoughts about labeling a high-quality wine with the California designation?
El Jefe: I don't think there is anything deeply wrong with it (I think it is a nice state), but I would prefer not to. It helps that we are up front with the blend and vineyards, and that the wine is popular and it tastes good. Future vintages will be "Calaveras County" AVA!
I always wondered if having to use the California designation on more expensive wines was a bit of a “black-eye.” It certainly doesn’t bother me, but I’m sure some wine buyers associate the California designation with cheap, mass-produced wines.
In any case, Twisted Oak Winery is a great example of what I hope will be the next wave of California wineries: wineries that produce interesting and different wines from grape varieties they are passionate about and not just the “grape du jour.”
Another bit of related good news—Jeff informs me that hopefully I’ll be able to buy Twisted Oak wines down here in the South before to long.
And you can’t beat that with a rubber chicken.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
From the Gutter to Cloud 9
Even though I couldn’t make it to the 16th Annual Zinfandel Festival (which for me would be the equivalent of nirvana), I did get a chance to enjoy a really smokin’ good bottle of zin recently.
I realized when I began this posting that I haven’t written anything about zinfandel thus far. It’s odd because I really love zin. Unfortunately, most of the zin that’s available in my price range is pretty uninspiring.
It’s ironic that such a humble grape now commands such a high price. I’ve had some decent zins in the $15 range, but to get something really interesting, $20 is something of a starting point.
Which is why I relished every sip of the Cloud 9 Winery Seity Zinfandel 2003. It isn’t exactly cheap—$30-ish retail, and I had it at a restaurant, so it was even pricier—but it was worth every penny.
The grapes are sourced from the Seity Vineyard in Amador County, which is one of the best (if not the best) areas for zin growing. Instead of paraphrasing from the winery’s Web site, I’ll let them do the “talking:”
"Seity is Cloud 9’s first vineyard-designated wine - from a vineyard that unquestionably epitomizes Cloud 9’s drive for quality and distinctiveness. This 10-acre vineyard is home to the oldest Zinfandel vines on Earth, with proof of existence dating to 1869 when the vineyard was listed as a descriptor on a deed from the U.S. Geological Survey. The roots plunge to a depth of nearly 20 feet, passing through multiple soil layers and adding unique flavor components and complexity that can only be found in such a historic vineyard. Lying on a north-facing slope in the Sierra Foothills, the vineyard flowers and ripens later than most and is typically the last vineyard to be harvested in Amador County. The colder temperatures result in increased pigmentation build-up – creating a dark red wine with intense flavors, including chocolate and coffee – two endemic characteristics of this unique vineyard."
Are you drooling yet? I know I am.
The aromas explode out of the glass: strawberry, raspberry, tea, vanilla and spice. On the palate, the flavors are an enticing blend of red and black fruit, sweet spice, vanilla and, yes, coffee and chocolate. Then, the angels start singing.
Okay, maybe that last bit is a bit of an exaggeration, but that’s roughly how I felt.
It’s a shame zinfandel doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Alternately, it’s a shame that while it gets little respect, it’s still hard to find inexpensive zin that’s worthwhile. Zin makes the perfect pizza/burger wine, and for a chili fanatic like myself, it pairs very well with hot and spicy foods.
I realized when I began this posting that I haven’t written anything about zinfandel thus far. It’s odd because I really love zin. Unfortunately, most of the zin that’s available in my price range is pretty uninspiring.
It’s ironic that such a humble grape now commands such a high price. I’ve had some decent zins in the $15 range, but to get something really interesting, $20 is something of a starting point.
Which is why I relished every sip of the Cloud 9 Winery Seity Zinfandel 2003. It isn’t exactly cheap—$30-ish retail, and I had it at a restaurant, so it was even pricier—but it was worth every penny.
The grapes are sourced from the Seity Vineyard in Amador County, which is one of the best (if not the best) areas for zin growing. Instead of paraphrasing from the winery’s Web site, I’ll let them do the “talking:”
"Seity is Cloud 9’s first vineyard-designated wine - from a vineyard that unquestionably epitomizes Cloud 9’s drive for quality and distinctiveness. This 10-acre vineyard is home to the oldest Zinfandel vines on Earth, with proof of existence dating to 1869 when the vineyard was listed as a descriptor on a deed from the U.S. Geological Survey. The roots plunge to a depth of nearly 20 feet, passing through multiple soil layers and adding unique flavor components and complexity that can only be found in such a historic vineyard. Lying on a north-facing slope in the Sierra Foothills, the vineyard flowers and ripens later than most and is typically the last vineyard to be harvested in Amador County. The colder temperatures result in increased pigmentation build-up – creating a dark red wine with intense flavors, including chocolate and coffee – two endemic characteristics of this unique vineyard."
Are you drooling yet? I know I am.
The aromas explode out of the glass: strawberry, raspberry, tea, vanilla and spice. On the palate, the flavors are an enticing blend of red and black fruit, sweet spice, vanilla and, yes, coffee and chocolate. Then, the angels start singing.
Okay, maybe that last bit is a bit of an exaggeration, but that’s roughly how I felt.
It’s a shame zinfandel doesn’t get the respect it deserves. Alternately, it’s a shame that while it gets little respect, it’s still hard to find inexpensive zin that’s worthwhile. Zin makes the perfect pizza/burger wine, and for a chili fanatic like myself, it pairs very well with hot and spicy foods.
Any recommendations on good, cheap zin?
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
A One-Way Ticket on the Train
I’m sure you've been wondering where I’ve been.
Maybe you were thinking I’ve been exploring the cellars of Burgundy, tasting the last hundred years of magic from the finest winemakers with Eric Asimov. Or maybe I've been circling the globe as Michael Rolland’s personal assistant.
Sadly, I’ve been in a not-so-happy-place, besieged by work and stress. Things turned worse when I found out that January 24th is the worst day of the year. My life spiraled out of control.
Luckily, the amazing Ms. E found me napping between a couple dumpsters, cradling a half-empty bottle of Night Train in my arms, and brought me back to reality.
So, kind reader, don’t desert me now. There’s lots of good stuff to come: great wine, bad humor and…other good stuff.
January just isn’t my month.
Maybe you were thinking I’ve been exploring the cellars of Burgundy, tasting the last hundred years of magic from the finest winemakers with Eric Asimov. Or maybe I've been circling the globe as Michael Rolland’s personal assistant.
Sadly, I’ve been in a not-so-happy-place, besieged by work and stress. Things turned worse when I found out that January 24th is the worst day of the year. My life spiraled out of control.
Luckily, the amazing Ms. E found me napping between a couple dumpsters, cradling a half-empty bottle of Night Train in my arms, and brought me back to reality.
So, kind reader, don’t desert me now. There’s lots of good stuff to come: great wine, bad humor and…other good stuff.
January just isn’t my month.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Of Wine and Dogs
Wine is one of two subjects about which I can speak with a small amount of authority. The other is dogs.In what now seems like another lifetime, I was co-owner/trainer of a dog training, boarding and day care facility. I spent two years—365 days a year, 7 days a week and 12 or more hours a day—with dogs. And that doesn’t count the pack of dogs I was living with at the time.
At first glance there doesn’t seem to be much similarity between these two subjects. The differences are pretty clear: one is a living, breathing animal and the other is a liquid (although Kermit Lynch would argue that good wine is also living). The more I consider it, however, the more I find in common between these two passions of mine.
The more you learn about wine, the more you realize you don’t know. The same can be said about dogs. The sheer number of breeds and various mixes certainly rivals the number of grapes, blends and wines. People have spent lifetimes breeding and blending genetic traits in search of the perfect dog, just as winemakers pursue the perfect vintage or cuvée.
Although I know very little about winemaking, I think there are some similarities between making wine and teaching dogs. Both require lots of time, patience and experience. And for those who master either trade, the results of their work can be breathtaking. Anyone who has ever watched a service dog in action should understand.
Both wine and dogs never cease to amaze me. There is subtly, beauty, grace, aggression, simplicity, complexity, strengths and defects to be found in each.
For an information junkie like me, there is an endless amount of knowledge waiting to be discovered on both subjects. And they both require hands-on learning; books can provide a foundation of knowledge, but can never replace the glass, or the leash, in your hand.
And just as each individual bottle of wine is different, so is each individual dog. No two Labrador Retrievers are carbon copies any more than any two syrahs are exactly alike.
I imagine these two passions will stay with me until the end. I can’t imagine a life without holding a nice glass of wine in one hand and stroking a dog’s head with the other.
That one in the picture is a Belgian Malinois Eastern North Carolina 1996. She’s a little funky on the nose, but once you get past that she’s warm, delicate and soft with undertones of neurosis and the suggestion of an impending bite.
I wouldn’t trade her for two cases of Château Lafite-Rothschild 1961.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Wine Blogging Wednesday #29
Welcome to Wine Blogging Wednesday # 29. Muchas gracias to Fork & Bottle for being the gracious hosts.
When I went looking for a biodynamic wine, the wines of M. Chapoutier immediately came to mind. I have a serious affection for Rhône wines and Michel Chapoutier stands tall (not in stature, but in reputation) as one of the superstars of the Rhône Valley.
He is also an outspoken proponent of biodynamics. All of the vineyards under his control are managed using biodynamic techniques, and he is clearly a man who respects the soil.
In “A Hedonist in the Cellar,” Jay McInerney quotes him as saying, “I am a soil discoverer.” Most of his quotes are peppered with references to soil, earth and terrior.
Apparently there are quite a few people who would describe him in different terms. The term “Napoleonic” has been tossed around. (The fact that he has a pronounced limp probably doesn't help.)
But whatever his quirks, he does make a mean bottle of wine. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my checking account), the only one of his many wines that I could turn up was the M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône “Belleruche” Rouge 2003 ($12.99). I was hoping to find one of his white Hermitages, but no dice.
It was far from a disappointing find, however. I drink a fair amount of Côtes du Rhône wines and so I am somewhat hard to impress. This wine definitely impressed me.
The nose was absolutely gorgeous—deep, concentrated and swimming with dark cherries, cassis and white pepper. The flavor was just as stunning—silky and rich with a nice balance of black and red fruit, a pleasant earthy note and finishing up with that white pepper I love so much.
The grapes for this wine are hand-picked, 100% destemmed before crushing and the wines is aged in a combination of barrels and vats. The blend varies from year to year, but as best I can tell this vintage is 50% syrah and 50% grenache.
So did it taste biodynamic? It’s hard for me to say. It tasted like a bottle of wine that someone made with a whole lotta love. And if they did so without the use of pesticides and chemicals, while also treating the soil with respect, then all the better. It certainly makes me want to seek out other biodynamic wines.
This Wine Blogging Wednesday has made me consider the importance of vineyard management techniques in the winemaking process. On a personal level, it also reinforces some of the home gardening practices I have adopted: not using pesticides or chemicals, using natural compost and selecting plants based on harmony within my environment.
Cheers, Jack and Joanne. Thanks for spreading the gospel on biodynamics.
When I went looking for a biodynamic wine, the wines of M. Chapoutier immediately came to mind. I have a serious affection for Rhône wines and Michel Chapoutier stands tall (not in stature, but in reputation) as one of the superstars of the Rhône Valley.
He is also an outspoken proponent of biodynamics. All of the vineyards under his control are managed using biodynamic techniques, and he is clearly a man who respects the soil.
In “A Hedonist in the Cellar,” Jay McInerney quotes him as saying, “I am a soil discoverer.” Most of his quotes are peppered with references to soil, earth and terrior.
Apparently there are quite a few people who would describe him in different terms. The term “Napoleonic” has been tossed around. (The fact that he has a pronounced limp probably doesn't help.)
But whatever his quirks, he does make a mean bottle of wine. Unfortunately (or fortunately for my checking account), the only one of his many wines that I could turn up was the M. Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône “Belleruche” Rouge 2003 ($12.99). I was hoping to find one of his white Hermitages, but no dice.
It was far from a disappointing find, however. I drink a fair amount of Côtes du Rhône wines and so I am somewhat hard to impress. This wine definitely impressed me.
The nose was absolutely gorgeous—deep, concentrated and swimming with dark cherries, cassis and white pepper. The flavor was just as stunning—silky and rich with a nice balance of black and red fruit, a pleasant earthy note and finishing up with that white pepper I love so much.
The grapes for this wine are hand-picked, 100% destemmed before crushing and the wines is aged in a combination of barrels and vats. The blend varies from year to year, but as best I can tell this vintage is 50% syrah and 50% grenache.
So did it taste biodynamic? It’s hard for me to say. It tasted like a bottle of wine that someone made with a whole lotta love. And if they did so without the use of pesticides and chemicals, while also treating the soil with respect, then all the better. It certainly makes me want to seek out other biodynamic wines.
This Wine Blogging Wednesday has made me consider the importance of vineyard management techniques in the winemaking process. On a personal level, it also reinforces some of the home gardening practices I have adopted: not using pesticides or chemicals, using natural compost and selecting plants based on harmony within my environment.
Cheers, Jack and Joanne. Thanks for spreading the gospel on biodynamics.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
"F" is for Friuli
I like pinot grigio. I’m not afraid to admit it.
I even like the cheap, quaffable pinot grigios that come in large bottles. Especially during our long, hot, South Carolina summers, when a reliable “porch wine” is absolutely necessary for survival.
I like Italian white wines in general, especially the light, refreshing, simple white wines like pinot grigio, Orvieto and Frascati (another F!). They don’t take themselves too seriously. Not meant for contemplation, they are meant for drinking and enjoying.
But pinot grigio (or pinot gris, as it is also known) does have a serious side, as Oregon and Washington wineries are proving now, and as Alsace has been doing for a long time. This mutation of pinot noir can make serious wine in the right place and with the right winemaking.
The place in Italy to look for good pinot grigio is Friuli, or officially, Friuli-Venezia Giulla. This is Northeast Italy, where it borders Austria. It makes sense that this cooler-climate area produces richer, more interesting wines from pinot grigio.
The wine I selected from this region was Primosic Pinot Grigio 2005 (Alfio Moriconi Selection, Total Wine & More, $9.99). It’s straw colored with a nose of apple, lemon and pear. It’s quite a mouthful for pinot grigio. Underneath the fruit is an earthy note along with some spice.
This wine is from the Friuli Isonzo, which is one of the numerous DOCs within Friuli. At this point, I have to make another plug for Italian Made. It is a very informative and cool resource about Italian food and wine.
Primosic is a family-owned winery, which produces some other whites, including another pinot grigio from the Collio DOC (another region within Friuli), a native varietal called ribolla gialla and a single-vineyard pinot grigio.
Friuli also produces some reds, mostly from merlot, cabernet franc and pinot nero. However, living in an area which doesn’t have a wide selection of Italian wines, I doubt I’ll ever find any.
And whatever you do, don't be the guy who, after I recommended a pinot grigio from Friuli, looked at the label and said, "Nah, it says it's fruity."
God, I don't miss retail.
I even like the cheap, quaffable pinot grigios that come in large bottles. Especially during our long, hot, South Carolina summers, when a reliable “porch wine” is absolutely necessary for survival.
I like Italian white wines in general, especially the light, refreshing, simple white wines like pinot grigio, Orvieto and Frascati (another F!). They don’t take themselves too seriously. Not meant for contemplation, they are meant for drinking and enjoying.
But pinot grigio (or pinot gris, as it is also known) does have a serious side, as Oregon and Washington wineries are proving now, and as Alsace has been doing for a long time. This mutation of pinot noir can make serious wine in the right place and with the right winemaking.
The place in Italy to look for good pinot grigio is Friuli, or officially, Friuli-Venezia Giulla. This is Northeast Italy, where it borders Austria. It makes sense that this cooler-climate area produces richer, more interesting wines from pinot grigio.
The wine I selected from this region was Primosic Pinot Grigio 2005 (Alfio Moriconi Selection, Total Wine & More, $9.99). It’s straw colored with a nose of apple, lemon and pear. It’s quite a mouthful for pinot grigio. Underneath the fruit is an earthy note along with some spice.
This wine is from the Friuli Isonzo, which is one of the numerous DOCs within Friuli. At this point, I have to make another plug for Italian Made. It is a very informative and cool resource about Italian food and wine.
Primosic is a family-owned winery, which produces some other whites, including another pinot grigio from the Collio DOC (another region within Friuli), a native varietal called ribolla gialla and a single-vineyard pinot grigio.
Friuli also produces some reds, mostly from merlot, cabernet franc and pinot nero. However, living in an area which doesn’t have a wide selection of Italian wines, I doubt I’ll ever find any.
And whatever you do, don't be the guy who, after I recommended a pinot grigio from Friuli, looked at the label and said, "Nah, it says it's fruity."
God, I don't miss retail.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
"I Wonder What the Poor People Are Drinking?"
NEW YORK, NY--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 9, 2007 -- According to the 2007 Luxury Institute Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey of Super-Premium Table Wines, Robert Mondavi Private Selection edged out Sterling Vintner's Collection. Raymond placed third, followed closely by Chateau St. Michelle and Antinori.
Wealthy consumers who know the brand rate Robert Mondavi Private Selection highest in delivering consistently superior quality and being consumed by those who are admired and respected.
(Read the entire press release here.)
Thanks to St. Vini over at Zinquistion for pointing me towards this information. Having worked retail wine sales, I can confirm that a surprising number of well-heeled customers prefer brands like Mondavi PS. Probably for the same reasons they like Outback, Starbucks and Borders—they know what to expect.
There are so many wine drinkers that just can’t bring themselves to deviate from their favorites. And while I can rant about trying new things—and Eric Asimov can write about it, people don’t change.
But that’s just fine with me. They can drink up all the Sterling VC they want. That leaves more Argentine malbec, Côtes du Rhône, white Bordeaux and all of the other, lesser-known wine bargains in the world for the rest of us.
For about the same $10 that a bottle of Mondavi PS would run me, here are two wines that I’ve had recently that put to shame most of the corporate wine out there.
Wishing Tree Shiraz 2004 ($9.99) – This is a blend of grapes from Western Australia and South Australia, which is another way of saying that they are from Somewhere in Australia. In any case, wherever they got them…those were some good grapes. I referenced this wine when I mentioned my affection for Aussie fruit-bomb wines, and for that I owe it an apology. I’m sorry.
While the fruit is both prominent and pleasant, there is much more to this wine. In addition to flavors of blackberry and cherry, there is licorice, a little smoke and a lovely aroma of tea. The wine’s firm acidity gives it a focused mouth-feel and keeps it from being flabby and overly soft.
Winzer Krems Grüner Veltliner “Reid Sandgrube” 2005 ($7.99) – Yeah, yeah, I know that I usually try to stay away from any wine that is “hot.” However, if the “hot” wine happens to be $7.99 and real tasty, I can make an exception.
This is a lovely example of grüner on the cheap. The flavors are reminiscent of apricots, peach, apple and Alpine flowers. It’s soft, refreshing and very food-friendly; it made friends right away with our sushi.
(By the way, I made up that bit about “Alpine flowers.” It does have some nice floral notes though.)
I was interested that Chateau St. Michelle was on the short list. For a big corporate winery, they crank out some seriously-good value wines.
Wealthy consumers who know the brand rate Robert Mondavi Private Selection highest in delivering consistently superior quality and being consumed by those who are admired and respected.
(Read the entire press release here.)
Thanks to St. Vini over at Zinquistion for pointing me towards this information. Having worked retail wine sales, I can confirm that a surprising number of well-heeled customers prefer brands like Mondavi PS. Probably for the same reasons they like Outback, Starbucks and Borders—they know what to expect.
There are so many wine drinkers that just can’t bring themselves to deviate from their favorites. And while I can rant about trying new things—and Eric Asimov can write about it, people don’t change.
But that’s just fine with me. They can drink up all the Sterling VC they want. That leaves more Argentine malbec, Côtes du Rhône, white Bordeaux and all of the other, lesser-known wine bargains in the world for the rest of us.
For about the same $10 that a bottle of Mondavi PS would run me, here are two wines that I’ve had recently that put to shame most of the corporate wine out there.
Wishing Tree Shiraz 2004 ($9.99) – This is a blend of grapes from Western Australia and South Australia, which is another way of saying that they are from Somewhere in Australia. In any case, wherever they got them…those were some good grapes. I referenced this wine when I mentioned my affection for Aussie fruit-bomb wines, and for that I owe it an apology. I’m sorry.
While the fruit is both prominent and pleasant, there is much more to this wine. In addition to flavors of blackberry and cherry, there is licorice, a little smoke and a lovely aroma of tea. The wine’s firm acidity gives it a focused mouth-feel and keeps it from being flabby and overly soft.
Winzer Krems Grüner Veltliner “Reid Sandgrube” 2005 ($7.99) – Yeah, yeah, I know that I usually try to stay away from any wine that is “hot.” However, if the “hot” wine happens to be $7.99 and real tasty, I can make an exception.
This is a lovely example of grüner on the cheap. The flavors are reminiscent of apricots, peach, apple and Alpine flowers. It’s soft, refreshing and very food-friendly; it made friends right away with our sushi.
(By the way, I made up that bit about “Alpine flowers.” It does have some nice floral notes though.)
I was interested that Chateau St. Michelle was on the short list. For a big corporate winery, they crank out some seriously-good value wines.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Who You Callin' Fat?
Some grapes really are fat.
They can’t help it; it’s hereditary.
When it comes to describing wine, you can’t mince words. Some grapes are plump and round; others are lean and angular.
Merlot is fat; temperanillo is lean. Malbec is fat; grenache is lean. As with any rule, there are exceptions. Winemaking techniques can lend some curves to a skinny grape or can whip a fat one in to shape.
Mourvèdre is a big, fat grape.
I was reminded of this when I opened a bottle of Salvador Poveda Monastrell Toscar Alicante 2005 the other night. This is a serious bottling of monastrell (mourvèdre). Aromas of smoked meat, earth and plum billowed out of my glass. In the glass, the color is inky-purple. A sip reveals layers of plum, blueberry, baking spices and bacon held together by firm tannins.
And that was just the first night. When we returned to this the next night, some of the smoky, earthy notes had blown off, leaving gobs and gobs of rich, unctuous black fruit framed by those nice baking spices. Decanting is definitely a good idea for this wine, as well as a rich, hearty meal to accompany it.
This is yet another from my eclectic case. The label notes really caught my eye on this wine. I truly appreciate being given some basics about what’s in the bottle on wine labels. In this case, I learned this wine is produced from dry farmed vines in stony soil, and that it’s bottled unfined and unfiltered. Sold.
Mourvèdre by itself (it is more commonly used as a blending grape) is certainly not for everyone, but if you want to see this grape displayed in all of its big, fat, naked glory. This is a good place to start.
Friday, January 05, 2007
I Will Serve No Wine Before Its Time.
This recent article by Eric Asimov, put me in mind of two things:
1.) I am terribly jealous of Eric Asimov.
2.) Most wine enthusiasts reach a point in their disease where they begin considering keeping wine for aging.
Unfortunately, most of us aren’t lucky enough to have a large underground cavern. Hell, I don’t even have a basement in my house.
Cellaring wine can mean stashing a couple of cases in a closet, purchasing a wine storage unit or excavating your backyard. I’ve been reading about Dr. Debs' venture into wine cellaring (also slightly jealousy inducing) over at Good Wine Under $20.
My “cellar” consists of a stack of wooden wine boxes where I stash bottles that I think could benefit from a couple years of rest. The longest I expect wines to stay in “the stack” is five years. My one nod to proper storage conditions is that “the stack” is located in the most temperature-consistent, dark and quiet corner of my tiny bungalow.
Although I know I’m not keeping my wines in optimal conditions. I’m comforted by the knowledge that much wine is stored under less-than-ideal conditions and somehow survives.
I’ve mentioned my friend, Steve, and his large, improperly stored collection. He does his best to treat his wine right, but it’s hardly perfect. All the same, I’ve drunk some amazing bottles that were stored for a decade or more under those conditions. He’ll readily admit that he loses some bottles, but everyone who stores wine, even under pristine conditions, will say the same thing.
One day, I’d like to invest in some sort of proper cellar, but for the time being “the stack” will have to do. As a rule, I don’t stash expensive bottles, so there’s never much to lose. And since I’m not planning to keep them more than five years, there’s less of a chance that they will go bad on me.
All that being said, I am fortunate enough to have experienced the joy of drinking properly aged wine. There’s just nothing like tasting the magical effects of just the right amount of time and oxygen.
After reading Eric’s article, I remembered that I had a bottle of a 1994 Barolo that needed drinking. The last one I opened had turned bad, so I was fully expecting to send this one down the drain.
But, I’m an optimist, so I popped the cork, poured it in a decanter and went to work whipping up a simple red sauce with meat to serve over pasta.
The cork was in perfect condition—one good sign. The aroma coming out of the decanter was pleasant—another good sign.
The wine was Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo DOCG 1994. This isn’t an expensive bottling and ’94 wasn’t a stellar vintage (in fact, it was a lousy vintage). But someone recommended it to me, so I grabbed a couple bottles.
I didn’t store it either, but I know the distributor that did is one of the few around here that actually has a temperature-controlled warehouse. It spent around three years in "the stack."
So how was it?
It was lovely. It probably was a little worse for the wear, although I can’t really say because I never tasted it young.
The color was a light garnet/brick. The nose was all alcohol at first but gradually gave way to cinnamon, dried cherry and wet earth. The flavor was cherry, cedar, a little leather and some very muted spice. It went great with the simple, rustic pasta dish.
It was subdued, subtle and dignified. It was a really nice change from the boisterous young wines I normally drink. It might have gotten better with a few more years of age, but maybe not.
Luckily, I don’t stress over such things.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
A Glass of Wine and a Bowl of Soup
Many years ago, a customer at the wine shop where I worked befriended me and introduced me to a whole new world of wine appreciation. I’m not sure whether to thank him or curse him.
Of course, I am truly grateful that Steve recognized I was a wine geek in the making. He had, at the time, a thousand-or-so odd bottles crowding every closet, corner, nook and cranny in his modest house. And he wasn’t afraid to share.
Everyone needs a friend like that.
I have previously mentioned him in this blog as the person who taught me that good wine need not be expensive, and conversely, expensive wine isn’t always good. He also pointed me towards a region that abounds with great, value-priced wines—Côtes du Rhône.
At the same time, he introduced me to the wines of Robert Kacher, who imports a great many wines from the Rhône, as well as elsewhere in France.
I was reminded of this last night when I was enjoying a glass of Domain de Coste Chaude Côtes du Rhône 2004. This wine is, to me, heaven in a glass.
It’s 70% grenache and 30% syrah, bottled unfined and unfiltered. It displays the bright cherry and white pepper characteristics of grenache with subtle notes of black fruit and spice from the syrah, all held together by an appropriate amount of acidity. That, combined with a reasonable percentage of alcohol, makes it extremely food-friendly.
My girlfriend and I enjoyed it with a steaming bowl of her potato soup. The acidity was firm enough to cut through the thick, creamy soup and the flavors paired together perfectly.
Although some estates are moving towards bigger, more alcoholic wines, there are still plenty of wines like this in the Côtes du Rhône—wines that lean towards finesse and subtly instead of power and bravado.
With many of these wines costing less than $10 a bottle, they are also gentle on your wine budget. The Coste Chaude set me back $8, less a 10% mixed case discount.
I’d also recommend that you look for the wines of Robert Kacher. He imports many wines in the under-$15 category, and I’ve been happy with his selections more times than not.
Thanks again, Steve.
Of course, I am truly grateful that Steve recognized I was a wine geek in the making. He had, at the time, a thousand-or-so odd bottles crowding every closet, corner, nook and cranny in his modest house. And he wasn’t afraid to share.
Everyone needs a friend like that.
I have previously mentioned him in this blog as the person who taught me that good wine need not be expensive, and conversely, expensive wine isn’t always good. He also pointed me towards a region that abounds with great, value-priced wines—Côtes du Rhône.
At the same time, he introduced me to the wines of Robert Kacher, who imports a great many wines from the Rhône, as well as elsewhere in France.
I was reminded of this last night when I was enjoying a glass of Domain de Coste Chaude Côtes du Rhône 2004. This wine is, to me, heaven in a glass.
It’s 70% grenache and 30% syrah, bottled unfined and unfiltered. It displays the bright cherry and white pepper characteristics of grenache with subtle notes of black fruit and spice from the syrah, all held together by an appropriate amount of acidity. That, combined with a reasonable percentage of alcohol, makes it extremely food-friendly.
My girlfriend and I enjoyed it with a steaming bowl of her potato soup. The acidity was firm enough to cut through the thick, creamy soup and the flavors paired together perfectly.
Although some estates are moving towards bigger, more alcoholic wines, there are still plenty of wines like this in the Côtes du Rhône—wines that lean towards finesse and subtly instead of power and bravado.
With many of these wines costing less than $10 a bottle, they are also gentle on your wine budget. The Coste Chaude set me back $8, less a 10% mixed case discount.
I’d also recommend that you look for the wines of Robert Kacher. He imports many wines in the under-$15 category, and I’ve been happy with his selections more times than not.
Thanks again, Steve.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
A Trip to Italy
One of the wines I mentioned in my eclectic case was an Italian red from the DOC Rosso Piceno. I’ve mentioned before that I know very little about Italian wine, although, many years ago, one of my first discoveries from "Wine for Dummies" was that Chianti Classico Riserva represents an excellent value.
I uncorked my bottle of Saladini Pilastri Rosso Piceno Vigna Piediprato 2003 the other night and was promptly shamed by my lack of knowledge about what I was drinking. I knew it was 50% montepulciano and 50% sangiovese, imported by Winebow and Robert Parker thought pretty highly of it (WA 90).
A quick Google seach turned up an extremely cool Web site, Italian Made. Within seconds, I learned that Rosso Piceno is located in Marches, which is due west of Tuscany and right next door to Umbria. The vineyards are mostly located in the hills, ranging up to 700 meters above sea level, and montepulciano, sangiovese and trebbianno are the most common varietals, along with a local grape, passerina.
Italian Made is a goldmine of information about Italy’s regions, foods, wines and much more. It’s a great place to spend a slow day at work.
Not that I would know, of course.
If the Saladini Pilastri is any indication of what the other wines from this area are like, then I’ll be hunting down some more real soon. The nose was smoky and earthy with underlying dark berries. On the palate, it was more of the same, mixed with tar, violets and plum.
We enjoyed this one with some of my girlfriend’s lasagna. I was reminded that nothing—I repeat—nothing, goes with tomato-based pasta dishes like Italian reds. Not even Cal-Ital wines really do as well.
I’ll be exploring more of Italy in the very near future.
Molte grazie, Italian Made.
I uncorked my bottle of Saladini Pilastri Rosso Piceno Vigna Piediprato 2003 the other night and was promptly shamed by my lack of knowledge about what I was drinking. I knew it was 50% montepulciano and 50% sangiovese, imported by Winebow and Robert Parker thought pretty highly of it (WA 90).
A quick Google seach turned up an extremely cool Web site, Italian Made. Within seconds, I learned that Rosso Piceno is located in Marches, which is due west of Tuscany and right next door to Umbria. The vineyards are mostly located in the hills, ranging up to 700 meters above sea level, and montepulciano, sangiovese and trebbianno are the most common varietals, along with a local grape, passerina.
Italian Made is a goldmine of information about Italy’s regions, foods, wines and much more. It’s a great place to spend a slow day at work.
Not that I would know, of course.
If the Saladini Pilastri is any indication of what the other wines from this area are like, then I’ll be hunting down some more real soon. The nose was smoky and earthy with underlying dark berries. On the palate, it was more of the same, mixed with tar, violets and plum.
We enjoyed this one with some of my girlfriend’s lasagna. I was reminded that nothing—I repeat—nothing, goes with tomato-based pasta dishes like Italian reds. Not even Cal-Ital wines really do as well.
I’ll be exploring more of Italy in the very near future.
Molte grazie, Italian Made.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy 2007!
I hope all of you had a wonderful New Year’s Eve and are currently enjoying New Year’s Day as much as I am. Last night was filled with great food, great wine and great company.
As I mentioned, we dined on fondue. I used a very simple recipe using Emmentaler and Gruyère with the slight addition of some roasted garlic. For dipping, we had crusty bread, roasted Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes, Granny Smith apples and thin slices of prosciutto.
A couple great wines accompanied this feast, both selected from my eclectic case:
Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling Finger Lakes 2005 – I can’t say enough about how well this went with the meal. It has loads of fruit balanced with zingy acidity and a long, complex, dry finish.
Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles Barossa Valley 2005 – this was a great choice for our meal, but perhaps not for everyone’s taste buds. It is entirely done in stainless steel, so the emphasis is on the fruit. Torbreck is definitely a winery to watch. We enjoyed a bottle of their Woodcutter’s semillion at a local restaurant recently, and it was fat, juicy and delicious.
We decided to save our New Year’s toast until today, so we popped a bottle of Schramsberg Brut Rosé. It’s 58% pinot noir, 42% chardonnay and 100% incredible. Delicate flavors of cherry and strawberry dance with melon, lemon and toasted bread culminating in a creamy, focused finish.
Not only that, but it’s a great match with BBQ chicken pizza. What more could you really ask for?
Best wishes for a happy and peaceful 2007 to all of you.
As I mentioned, we dined on fondue. I used a very simple recipe using Emmentaler and Gruyère with the slight addition of some roasted garlic. For dipping, we had crusty bread, roasted Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes, Granny Smith apples and thin slices of prosciutto.
A couple great wines accompanied this feast, both selected from my eclectic case:
Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling Finger Lakes 2005 – I can’t say enough about how well this went with the meal. It has loads of fruit balanced with zingy acidity and a long, complex, dry finish.
Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles Barossa Valley 2005 – this was a great choice for our meal, but perhaps not for everyone’s taste buds. It is entirely done in stainless steel, so the emphasis is on the fruit. Torbreck is definitely a winery to watch. We enjoyed a bottle of their Woodcutter’s semillion at a local restaurant recently, and it was fat, juicy and delicious.
We decided to save our New Year’s toast until today, so we popped a bottle of Schramsberg Brut Rosé. It’s 58% pinot noir, 42% chardonnay and 100% incredible. Delicate flavors of cherry and strawberry dance with melon, lemon and toasted bread culminating in a creamy, focused finish.
Not only that, but it’s a great match with BBQ chicken pizza. What more could you really ask for?
Best wishes for a happy and peaceful 2007 to all of you.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Welcome to Amateur Night!
Also know as New Year’s Eve.
All across this great land, people of different religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations and socio-economic status will come together for an over-priced buffet, open bar and a “champagne toast at midnight.” All for the low price of $75 per person ($140 per couple).
In all fairness, many of us will be attending wine dinners, small parties or very, very small parties involving two people, a couch and a bottle of something bubbly—wink-wink, nod-nod, say no more.
New Year’s Eve symbolizes much of what is wrong with the alcohol culture in this country. Not because it’s a booze-propelled frenzy of dancing with a lampshade on your head, making out with your neighbor’s wife and singing terribly out of tune. That sort of thing has been going on since someone left a pot of berries sitting around a little too long.
The problem is that too many people only drink a couple times a years, and when they do, they have no idea what they’re doing. Especially here in the South, drinking is an odd social taboo for so many. Lots of people do it, but they don’t do it well. Drinking means long periods of abstinence followed by occasional nights of overindulgence.
A great many ills in the world can be traced back to alcohol, to be sure. Drunk driving, alcoholism and violence top the list. But in this country, some of those problems arise because of the way society treats alcohol as a forbidden fruit/recreational vehicle.
The puritanical attitudes of some of our forbearers still drive the wicked image of any sort of booze. It wasn’t that long ago that alcohol was completely outlawed in this country. Some counties here in the South are still “dry.”
At least that’s the official story.
Don’t you know that Europeans had a good laugh about Prohibition. We kicked out the British, fought a war with each other and endured all the other trials of a newly formed nation, only to deny ourselves the right to drink to our accomplishments.
Predictably, the 18th Amendment was not a great success. People drank anyway; gangsters flourished; and down here, some good-old-boys made a sport of outrunning the law with a trunk full of hooch, now known as NASCAR.
Another result was the decimation of a flourishing wine industry. We can only surmise what the United States wine biz would look like today, had we not taken that asinine detour.
Thankfully, this country’s wine industry is once again flourishing and growing, despite our government’s dubious treatment of it. More and more people are coming to see a glass of wine, a pint of beer or a martini as part of a healthy lifestyle.
In my view (and not just mine), wine is the healthiest of those choices, but research seems to indicate that beer and cocktails in very moderate amounts are actually good for you. Or, maybe it’s just that the people who enjoy a drink after a long day tend to lead happier, healthier, more balanced lives. Either way, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.
I was lucky enough to grow up in a home where alcohol wasn’t demonized. I was allowed to taste beer and wine at an early age. There was no mystery to it. My parents also provided great role models for responsible drinking.
Although now I have a bit more of a bacchanalian attitude about drinking, I’m still very responsible about it. A glass of wine or a beer is part of my meals, as much as a salad or a loaf of bread. Anymore, I have no interest in a steak if there isn’t a glass of red wine to accompany it. It just isn’t the same experience.
And I only occasionally dance with a lampshade on my head.
I wish all the revelers that will consume a month’s worth of drinks tonight would spread those drinks out over a month and actually enjoy them. Instead of swilling André Extra Dry at midnight, they would sip a glass of Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blanc or Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’ Aqui.
As for me I’ll be dipping fondue (thanks for the pot, mom) and sipping something really tasty.
It won’t be Champagne this year. Wine Blogging Wednesday #28 reminded me that the sparkling wine of this great post-Prohibition country is every bit as good as the noble wine from across the Pond.
And for you, gentle reader, I won’t ask you not to drink and drive, because I know you’re much too smart for that. Instead, I’ll ask you to stay off the road altogether, because of all the other idiots.
Have a safe and wonderful New Year’s Eve and I’ll see you in ’07.
All across this great land, people of different religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations and socio-economic status will come together for an over-priced buffet, open bar and a “champagne toast at midnight.” All for the low price of $75 per person ($140 per couple).
In all fairness, many of us will be attending wine dinners, small parties or very, very small parties involving two people, a couch and a bottle of something bubbly—wink-wink, nod-nod, say no more.
New Year’s Eve symbolizes much of what is wrong with the alcohol culture in this country. Not because it’s a booze-propelled frenzy of dancing with a lampshade on your head, making out with your neighbor’s wife and singing terribly out of tune. That sort of thing has been going on since someone left a pot of berries sitting around a little too long.
The problem is that too many people only drink a couple times a years, and when they do, they have no idea what they’re doing. Especially here in the South, drinking is an odd social taboo for so many. Lots of people do it, but they don’t do it well. Drinking means long periods of abstinence followed by occasional nights of overindulgence.
A great many ills in the world can be traced back to alcohol, to be sure. Drunk driving, alcoholism and violence top the list. But in this country, some of those problems arise because of the way society treats alcohol as a forbidden fruit/recreational vehicle.
The puritanical attitudes of some of our forbearers still drive the wicked image of any sort of booze. It wasn’t that long ago that alcohol was completely outlawed in this country. Some counties here in the South are still “dry.”
At least that’s the official story.
Don’t you know that Europeans had a good laugh about Prohibition. We kicked out the British, fought a war with each other and endured all the other trials of a newly formed nation, only to deny ourselves the right to drink to our accomplishments.
Predictably, the 18th Amendment was not a great success. People drank anyway; gangsters flourished; and down here, some good-old-boys made a sport of outrunning the law with a trunk full of hooch, now known as NASCAR.
Another result was the decimation of a flourishing wine industry. We can only surmise what the United States wine biz would look like today, had we not taken that asinine detour.
Thankfully, this country’s wine industry is once again flourishing and growing, despite our government’s dubious treatment of it. More and more people are coming to see a glass of wine, a pint of beer or a martini as part of a healthy lifestyle.
In my view (and not just mine), wine is the healthiest of those choices, but research seems to indicate that beer and cocktails in very moderate amounts are actually good for you. Or, maybe it’s just that the people who enjoy a drink after a long day tend to lead happier, healthier, more balanced lives. Either way, it’s six of one, half a dozen of the other.
I was lucky enough to grow up in a home where alcohol wasn’t demonized. I was allowed to taste beer and wine at an early age. There was no mystery to it. My parents also provided great role models for responsible drinking.
Although now I have a bit more of a bacchanalian attitude about drinking, I’m still very responsible about it. A glass of wine or a beer is part of my meals, as much as a salad or a loaf of bread. Anymore, I have no interest in a steak if there isn’t a glass of red wine to accompany it. It just isn’t the same experience.
And I only occasionally dance with a lampshade on my head.
I wish all the revelers that will consume a month’s worth of drinks tonight would spread those drinks out over a month and actually enjoy them. Instead of swilling André Extra Dry at midnight, they would sip a glass of Domaine Ste. Michelle Blanc de Blanc or Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto d’ Aqui.
As for me I’ll be dipping fondue (thanks for the pot, mom) and sipping something really tasty.
It won’t be Champagne this year. Wine Blogging Wednesday #28 reminded me that the sparkling wine of this great post-Prohibition country is every bit as good as the noble wine from across the Pond.
And for you, gentle reader, I won’t ask you not to drink and drive, because I know you’re much too smart for that. Instead, I’ll ask you to stay off the road altogether, because of all the other idiots.
Have a safe and wonderful New Year’s Eve and I’ll see you in ’07.
Friday, December 29, 2006
A Few Thoughts on WBW #29
By way of introducing Wine Blogging Wednesday #29, I’ll offer a few last quotes from my recent reading material.
In "Adventures on the Wine Route," Kermit Lynch quotes lengendary Burgundy winemaker Henri Jayer:
"We tend to count too much on science, when, before, people gave importance to natural things. One thing is certain, the ancients were not dumb, and if they established a tradition it was because of their experience, They tried to eliminate unfavorable elements and preserve what worked best.”
Almost twenty years later, in "A Hedonist in the Cellar," Jay McInerey writes this about Biodynamic vintner Robert Sinskey:
"Sinskey attributes the new subtlety of many California Chards in part to a new appreciation for the vineyard itself, and a de-emphasis on high-tech interventionist techniques."
I hope modern winemaking is moving towards reduced use of chemicals and artificial fertilizers. However, I do sympathize with winemakers and grape growers who do it in order to survive. We need to find a balance that we all, and the planet, can live with.
In any case, I’m happy to support winemakers and growers who listen to the earth and the vines, and treat them with respect. So without further ado, here is Wine Blogging Wednesday #29:
Biodynamic wines hosted by Fork and Bottle
See you on the 17th.
And, I promise. No more quotes.
In "Adventures on the Wine Route," Kermit Lynch quotes lengendary Burgundy winemaker Henri Jayer:
"We tend to count too much on science, when, before, people gave importance to natural things. One thing is certain, the ancients were not dumb, and if they established a tradition it was because of their experience, They tried to eliminate unfavorable elements and preserve what worked best.”
Almost twenty years later, in "A Hedonist in the Cellar," Jay McInerey writes this about Biodynamic vintner Robert Sinskey:
"Sinskey attributes the new subtlety of many California Chards in part to a new appreciation for the vineyard itself, and a de-emphasis on high-tech interventionist techniques."
I hope modern winemaking is moving towards reduced use of chemicals and artificial fertilizers. However, I do sympathize with winemakers and grape growers who do it in order to survive. We need to find a balance that we all, and the planet, can live with.
In any case, I’m happy to support winemakers and growers who listen to the earth and the vines, and treat them with respect. So without further ado, here is Wine Blogging Wednesday #29:
Biodynamic wines hosted by Fork and Bottle
See you on the 17th.
And, I promise. No more quotes.
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