Another Day in Paradise

Things are starting to slow down a bit so now I have some time to recall a recent dinner.

December 21, 2004.
The day before setting out on the road doing my part to rid the world of petroleum. The Financial Advisor and myself were invited to dinner in the home of Bob & Lauren Tomhave. These two are not only very good clients, they are very good friends. We have been swapping off dinners and without exception the meals and wines have been spectacular. This evening would prove no different.

***While reading the following, please keep this in mind. Evenings like this are the exception to the rule. While it would be nice to drink wines of this caliber every night, doing so would diminish the significance of them. Also, I have precious little patience for articles written that carry the undertone ( or overtone) of the old: 'Look what I got to drink, haha, you suck!' This is in no way intended to be 'one of those' articles.***

Reception: Kistler 'Vine Hill Vineyard' Chardonnay 1999

It should be stated that when it comes to wine, my friend Bob is not messing around. After the hellos and exchanging of gifts, we set about drinking proper. Kistler has long been a favorite producer of mine. I know that sounds rather predictable since everybody and their brother will wax eloquent on all things Kistler given the chance, but he is a man I truly respect. On to the bottle. While it is was obvious that the wine was made with California fruit (strong ripeness levels, relatively high alcohol, etc..), it was equally obvious that the wine was made in as 'Burgundian' a style as possible. The use of oak (or at least, its presence) was quite reserved. The wine tasted as if it had seen a partial malolactic fermentation, and there was abslolutely none of the obligatory 'buttery' notes that seem to have permeated all things California Chardonnay. The wine was amazing. The fruit was tight and concentrated but incredibly focused. There was an underlying minerality to the wine that was almost reminiscent of Puligny-Montrachet. Again, it was obviously a California wine, but in no way did it wear this fact on its sleeve. What a world it could be if there were more wines like this being made out west.

Dinner:
Peter Michael 'Les Pavots' 1997
Torbreck 'Runrig' Barossa Valley 1997

At table, we set on to the reds. The Peter Micheal is a house blend comprised of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 9% Cabernet Franc. If I had to hazard a guess based on this information alone, I would think someone had a taste for the left bank of Bordeaux. In fact, the wine drinks like it could be from St. Julien. The aromatics were very tight and often fleeting. I could go down the list of cedar, pencil lead shavings, and blah, blah, blah. They were all there. This wine drank beautifully, albeit very early in its life. Next up, the Torbreck. Another wine that can turn the most burly dude into a little schoolgirl at the mere mention of its name. The press can't seem to get enough of these wines and while I have had some in the past, this one justified the amount of ink this house gets. 97% Syrah, 3% Viognier. The classic formula from Côte Rôtie and that's exactly how this wine drank. The last wine that I had from Australia that got this much of my attention was the Groom Shiraz 1998. Admittedly, the fruit was a little more open-knit than what you might expect from the Northern Rhône but guess what, it ain't from the Northern Rhône. The wine was casting a fair bit of sediment at 7 years old which is always a good thing. Remember, a little junk in the bottom of your glass is good, better to leave in the good, the bad, and the ugly lest you take out the amazing through fining and filtration. I have no idea what a bottle of this stuff goes for these days, but short of re-financing the house, I would highly recommend buying a bottle if the opportunity avails itself.

Dessert: Alban Vineyards ¿Oechsle? Edna Valley 1999

I know the press get all giddy using catch phrases like 'Rhône Rangers' and the like, me not so much. The only man in California that truly matters to me is John Alban. The rest of the New World could learn a thing or two from this guy. The last wine that I was fortunate to have from Alban Vineyards was the 'Pandora 1998'. It's kind of funny that Bob was the one that pulled that bottle as well. I was transfixed on that wine, so much so that I wrote Mr. Alban a letter the next day thanking him for doing what he does. Ironically, it was the Alban Viognier 1997 that put me on the course towards Franco-phile-dom, and it was one of his wines that gave faith in California wines once again. The ¿Oechsle? was no different. The name, while it looks kind of wierd, has vinous meaning. It is the German method of measuring grape sugars (hence, grape ripeness) and is obviously Mr. Alban's homage to the incredible dessert wines of Germany. It is a late harvest Viognier and tastes as if the grapes saw some botrytis. Interestingly, the only other wine like this that I have had is the 'Luminescence' from Guigal, also a 1999. I'm not sure if Marcel and John were in on this thing together but the wines are almost exactly the same. The concentration of honey, peach, apricot, cinnamon, and carmelized apple is unreal. The wine, while obviously meant for a dessert with its high residual sugar, also maintained relatively high acidity. These two in concert create an equilibrium on the palate that is nearly beyond description. Good God!

I know that I have not addressed the food during this review and that is not for lack of desire. Lauren is a great cook and I feel like a jerk for not having taken better notes during the course of the meal. The appetizers were a couple of cheeses with cracker, the main course was chicken (Cacciatore, I think) and for dessert was an apple crisp that paired amazingly with the Alban.

Lastly, I want to re-iterate that this post is not meant as an exercise in wine masturbation. I feel that there way too much of that already and the last thing I want to be is 'that dude'. I figured it might be interesting for a Euro-centric freak to opine on wines that are most definitely not.

¡Vive La France!
¡Vive Alban!
¡Vive Bob & Lauren!

The 'Ugly Duckling' of the Southwest

Regular readers of this thing blog probably already recognize the leanings towards the Old World. for newcomers let me say this: I am a full-blown Franco-phile and I'm not ashamed to admit it. In that light, and in the interest of 'spreading the good word', the word of the day is 'Cahors'.

I'll grant that the name doesn't bring to mind the romanticism of Bordeaux or Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and truth be known the wines may not either, but in all reality the wines from this little piece of paradise aren't trying to. Pronounced phoenetically it goes something like this: 'Kah' (as in Cannes, if you're into hanging out with movie stars in the South of France - or like Card if you're from Boston) and 'Oer' (as in 'oar' - fancy speak for a paddle). Remember, the 's' is silent. The region is about 30 miles wide and about 15 miles deep with about 4,000 hectares (just under 10,000 acres) under vine. The namesake of the appelation is an ancient town in the eastern side of the appellation. The major landmark of the town Cahors is the 'Tour du Diable' - (Devil's Tower). Not exactly sure how it got this name but it was built in 1308. And speaking of history, there is documentation showing wine being produced here as far back as the 7th century. In a nutshell, this place is the epitome of 'Old World'.

The primary grape grown here is Malbec. That's right, the same grape that everybody gets all giddy about when it comes from Argentina. Cahors is its home. Just for fun, or to keep the visitors guessing this same grape can be/is called 'Auxerrois' or 'Côt'. Regardless of name, the result is the same. The other permitted grapes in Cahors are Tannat (found in the Pyrénees in Irouleguy, as well as the appellation of Madiran, south of Cognac) and Merlot (from the famed Right Bank of Bordeaux as well as every other damn place that can make a bottle of Ripple). According to the appellation regulations, Malbec must constitute 70% of the final wine. For the record, I kid around in saying that to 'get into' the wines of Cahors, one must have a slight sado-masochistic bend to their personality. Malbec, when grown here produces a wine that is nearly black in color, fruit that almost challenges the drinker to find, and tannins that can require a pry bar to separate your lips from your teeth. It is because of these characteristics that the Tannat and (more especially) the Merlot are added. I have never had a Cahors that was 100% Malbec but I would imagine it to be nearly undrinkable.

I titled this entry the 'ugly duckling' because that is how I feel these wines are treated as a whole, at the very least in the U.S. and in the 'wine media' in this country. As I said earlier, these wines don't have the 'sex appeal' like those from Bordeaux and (for some reason) aren't afforded the 'Senior Citizen' status that Châteauneuf-du-Pape enjoys (even though Cahors has C.d.P. beat by about 600 years). In your average 'wine book' dedicated solely to France there are probably 10-15 pages devoted to the wines of the Southwest, with 1-3 of those speaking on Cahors (including pictures and maps, et al). In a more 'worldly' wine book, you'd be lucky to get more than a few paragraphs talking about this region. I feel this unfortunate and thus the impetus for my rambling.

Again, the nature of these wines is nothing remotely similar to what most people think of when they hear Malbec. The Argentinian model is (not surprisingly) made in a more 'New World' style. I don't mean this as an insult but there are stark differences. The South American version is far more 'open-knit'. Aromatics and flavor profiles are almost immediately recognizable, the fruit is right out in the open and tannins, while they may be present, take a back seat to the more 'gratifying' aspects of the wine. Not so with Cahors. These wines beat you into submission. It's almost as if the wine is in your glass and its thinking 'Bring it...what you got?!?' Admittedly, this wine is not for everyone and it does require some patience but Cahors is unlike anything else.

There are many producers in this region and like anywhere else thay have their quirks and differences, but here's one that was opened on Tuesday, Dec. 28. The Financial Advisor threatened to prepare dinner, all I had to do is bring the wine. Clos Triguedina 2000. Just so happened that I got some of this wine in that day and cracked it around 2:30 in the pee em. Spot on Cahors. It was silly to even taste the wine at this point and I knew so, but what the hell. I couldn't really get much out of the wine other than it wasn't corked and it most definitely was Cahors. Get home around 8:30 and started with a Madiran left over from a sampling. Spectacular. Still wound up a bit, but drinking very well. Halfway through the meal, time to switch over to the Cahors. The F.A. tasted it blind and offered a few guesses but to no avail. I don't blame her, this is not a wine that gives much up. At 6 hours being open, the wine still refused to yield what it had. The F.A. initially didn't care for the wine. This was within the context of sitting around drinking a glass of wine. This would not be what I would recommend for such an occasion. But when taken with the meal (Roast Chicken over Leeks with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes), the wine changed dramatically. Still wound up, the tannins made 'more sense'.

The F.A. said that while it wasn't her favorite that night, she could sense that in the future this wine wouldbe quite different. She went so far as to draw a comparison to the 'super-model' in high school. Meaning that at a younger age, the 'wierd' looking girl has a lanky build, funny looking knees, big lips, etc... Of course, 8 years later, every dude in the world is kicking himself for not seeing the 'potential'. And that is dead-on as to my experience with Cahors. Kind of weird and 'socially-ungracefull' but afforded time, they become something unreal. And given the relative anonymity of Cahors, the prices are still quite reasonable especially considering the age-worthiness they have.

I may finish the bottle tonight or maybe just check in and then see what it does on day 4. Either way, it'll be good.

Check it out.

What the hell is going on?

During the recent hoilday break, my various travels took me, among other places to McAllister's Deli in Rock Hill, North Cacalacky. A decent enough place, kind of like Subway meets Crapplebee's with some jerseys of the local high schools hanging all over the place. While placing my order, I noticed a sign taped to the front of the register explaining that in the interest of their customers, McAllister's had/has suspended the use of green onions across their menu. Fearing that I had missed the memo during all my running about, I inquired as to the problem with green onions. The guy behind the counter explained that the fine folks that were harvesting the stuff had come down with a bit of the old Hepatitis and were spreading the wealth, so to speak. News to me and seeing as I'm not really in the market for incurable/deathly viruses, no green onions it shall be. Then he told me that the sign had been up for about a year. I would think that by now they have 'cleaned' things up but maybe not.

But it doesn't end there....

Feinstein plans bill package to reduce perchlorate risks

I know, you're thinking just like I did: 'Where's the fun?' Everybody's favorite chemical is turning up in some rather unexpected places. And it's not all good:

"U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein said Wednesday that she plans to introduce legislation in January that would help identify and clean sources of perchlorate, a contaminant that is turning up in food and water across the nation."

Perchlorate? Sounds like it could be the 'good-times' version of Percodan. All the party, none of drooling on yourself. As it turns out, not so much:

" Perchlorate is both naturally occurring and man-made. Most of the perchlorate manufactured nationwide is used as the primary ingredient in rocket fuel."

I have kidded around about having to watch what I say in the past but this seems almost surreal. Could there be truth to my description of so many high octane Zinfandels? It usually goes something like this: 'a delicate balace of Jet fuel and an IHOP syrup wheel'.

Glenn: 'The worlds a crazy place.'

HI: 'Someone ought to sell tickets.'

Glenn: 'Hell, I'd buy one.'

(For the record, those last three lines are from the movie 'Raising Arizona'. It is without a doubt, the finest movie ever made. In my time, I have found almost no situation in life where one couldn't directly quote from it. Check it out, seriously.)

Way to go, Reilly!!!

AG REILLY STOPS THREE ONLINE ALCOHOL RETAILERS FROM SELLING TO UNDERAGE BUYERS

Read the article if you want but it has all the usual blah, blah, blah about how a couple of 6 year olds got on the web and ordered a case of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the evil retailers stopped only short of pulling the corks for them. The first paragraph pretty much sums it up:

"Three out-of-state alcohol retailers accused of selling alcohol to underage buyers...will no longer accept illegal orders from Massachusetts consumers, including minors, under the terms of three separate consent judgments, Attorney General Tom Reilly announced today."

So if they're not accepting 'illegal' orders from the great state of MA, including those from minors, how many other 'illegal' types of orders are there? And how long do you think it will be before these three stop taking any orders from MA. all together. One or two more stings like this I suspect.

Maybe I should look into another career.

That's not to say that I've given up, far from it. But according to this article, the next cool thing is whisky.

Manhattan champagne set put fizz into whisky sales

That's right, apparently as goes New York, the world shall follow. Did I miss the memo on this little nugget of truth? I can think of more than a few things that came out of New York that could just as well have stayed there.

"NEVER mind Sex and the City-style cosmopolitan cocktails and endless bottles of champagne - that is so last year. Cool New Yorkers have moved out of the vodka bars and into the whisky lounges."

I understand where the writer is coming from but this statement only re-affirms a belief that I have held for a long time: 'If they do it on TV, it's probably not that cool'. I know, the old argument about these 4 hotties (or 5? I don't know, I've seen about 3.5 minutes total) made it 'O.K.' to drink something more that Gin & Tonic and thus brought more people around to drinking better drinks. I would agree with this except that 'The Show' did little more than permit every shithole with some Ocean Spray and a bottle of Mr. Boston's to make a half-ass drink and charge the girl $8.00-$10.00 for it. Besides, my girl drinks Gin & Tonics and she rocks. She can drink them and Basil Hayden's at the same time and do a better job than most 'dudes' I know.

"Single malts and blended Scotch are both making their mark in the US - and during the Christmas season, whisky cocktails are particularly popular. The Drinks International Cocktail of the Year 2004 - The Famous Grouse Crimson Crush made with ginger beer and fresh raspberries - is in high demand."

Maybe I'm just having trouble imagining this, but Scotch, Ginger Beer, and Raspberries? This sounds disgusting. And what's the going rate for one of these?

"It’s amazing - everyone I know is drinking whisky in New York," she said. "I used to hate the smell and now I can drink them straight.

"It’s so cool to order malts, and especially cool if they are incredibly expensive."

I can sympathize with the first point. Scotch (both single malt and blended takes some time to used to and in the end you find that drinking it straight is by far the best way. I can't help but laugh on the second statement. You know what would be even cooler? Buying a house or giving $80 to some dude sleeping in a box, or maybe, just maybe understanding what you're drinking,why it tastes the way it tastes, and enjoying it, regardless of what it costs.

"Specialist whisky bars are currently topping the polls for Christmas and New Year party venues."

Thank God. With a little hard work, we can collectively run the appreciation of Scotch whisky straight in the ground, right beside Micro Breweries, Cigars, and potentially (God Forbid) Wine.

"The Angel’s Share, hidden in a Japanese restaurant, requires all patrons to have a seat and keep their voices down, and it limits groups to four or fewer so whisky lovers can drink their shots with serenity."

This sounds like my kind of place. 'Sit down, shut up, and drink'. Why doesn't NYC make this the 'new trend'. If they do, they have my support 100%.

Back again.

After logging about 1300 miles in 4 days, the F.A. and myself returned from the obligatory whirlwind tour of Christmas. Despite the efforts of Johnny Law, monkeys that have no clue where they are going (much less how to drive), and about 100,000 of my closest friends turning I-95 into a parking lot, we are back in the SAV. I'm sure at least one of you reading this was on I-95 or some other major interstate doing your part to ruin a perfectly good day, so here's a bit of advice: BUY AN ATLAS!! Believe it or not, people did travel before the advent of the six lane uber-highway. And the upshot is that you get to see parts of the country that you would normally fly right past. Look into it, they're pretty cool.

Let us resume our normal broadcast...

See you on the backside

Things have been incredibly busy at the shop the last week thus effecting the amount of time and energy I have been able to afford the blog. Tomorrow, the Financial Advisor and myself set out on the annual trek across the southeast proper. I will try to check in once a while, but I have plans to drink a number of wines that I have been holding back so this may preclude all things opine.

Drink Riesling, Be Cool, and Happy Holidays.

Later.

Can you hear me now?

In the ever expanding web that is the cell phone network in this country, it should come as no surprise that there would eventually be an effect on the wine country of California.

Cellular tower OK'd for vineyard

At first, you think - 'Damnit! Is there nowhere that is sacred?'. Of course, the reality is that the people coming to Sonoma to buy the juice and stay in the B&B's are going to want to talk to their peeps while doing all of that. It may not be the end of the world...

"The green pole in which the six panel antennas are mounted will be 24 inches in diameter and is designed to look like the windmills that already exist in the vineyard. The company has a similar model in use in Healdsburg."

I had a wine rep tell me yesterday about a cell tower that was built alongside GA. 400 in Atlanta. As it was going up he thought 'How ugly can this thing get?' A few days later, the crew had painted it and strapped a bunch of branches to it, thus disguising its true purpose.

You know, along time ago, there used to be a wind mill in Beaujolais. From what I understand, it's long gone but everyone still refers to this place as 'Moulin-à-Vent'. Maybe this is a start for California. In 50 years, they can name the AVA - AT&T Heights or some such thing. AT&T would probably even throw a few bones in for the financing.

Think about it.

Friday night in Savannah

In a previous life, I served more than a few years in the restaurant industry. It is for this reason that I am now in the retail end of things. But once in a while, I dust off the monkey suit and do my thing in private residences. Friday was one such occasion.

Dinner for 20. Sounds simple enough. The hostess gives me free reign on selecting the wines (given the budget). One of my former partners-in-crime at Café Metropole, John Kitt was lined up to sling the hash so I had an inside track on the menu. Here's how it went down.

Reception: The hostess first wanted to have a Champagne for arriving guests. Right on, except there isn't a whole lot of Champagne for those on a budget, especially a budget for 20. My recommendation for the 'Champagne' proper was Montaudon. This is a grower-producer house that makes a very nice wine and dirt cheap by Champagne standards. Usually around $30 for a 750, and right at half that for the 375ml. So what about an alternative? What I suggested and served was this:

François Montand 'Blanc de Blancs' Brut NV

While this wine is sparkling, it is no Champagne. This comes from Crançot, more or less in the Jura region of France. As the name implies it is made entirely from white grapes. Usually (at least in regards to Champagne) this would mean 100% Chardonnay. In fact, this wine is made from 100% Ugni Blanc. I'll admit that the name doesn't roll off the tongue all that well but this wine is solid. At the restaurant previously mentioned, I poured this by the glass and had great success with it. For a 'daily drinker', you would be hard pressed to find a better sparkling wine. Usually retails for $13-$14.

All the usual 'How you doing?' and 'Good to see you' and blah, blah blah. An hour later, everybody gets to table and it's time to get down.

First course: Tuna Tartare and Blue Crab with Papaya served with Fresh Cucumber, Watercress and a Toasted Sesame Seed Vinaigrette.

Selected Wine: Fred Loimer 'Lois' Grüner Veltliner 2003

The idea throughout the meal was to bring wines that might not be 'expected'. An Austrain white is a far cry from the Chardonnay most were expecting. I have a soft spot in my heart for wines like this. They are pure, clean, and incredibly versatile. The 'Lois' commands a little bit of attention because of its packaging. Very clean lines on the label and a clear bottle that seem to magnify what is in it. The wine drinks exactly how it looks - Clean and Green. It paired with the Tuna perfectly and I had people asking what this stuff was. I also had a few comments on the closure. The .03 vintage was the first to carry a Stelvin (screw cap) closure. Of course, some people immediately questioned the 'value' of a wine as such, so I had explain. While I am not the biggest fan of screw caps, for a wine such as this, it makes absolute sense. It is meant to be consumed in the first year or two of life and economically speaking, why put the money in a synthetic or natural cork? General consensus: It's a hit. Usually retails for around $14.

Second course: Grilled Beef Tenderloin and Gorgonzola Cream sauce with Carmelized Onion, Pears, and Parsnips in a Rosemary Vinaigrette on a bed of Fresh Arugula.

Selected wine: Château Routas 'Agrippa' Coteaux Varois 2001

I have been running with the wines from Routas for some time now. They are one of the few houses I have found that produces incredibly good wines at unbelievably low prices. Across the board, if it says Routas, buy it. I had sold the 2000 vintage like gangbusters, and had hoped to serve it at this dinner. The day before the event, a case of the 2001 arrived. I was a bit worried, not having had time to sit with the wine, but it performed true to form, albeit a little quicker in progression. This wine is 50%/50% Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah. There's a little blurb on the back label about an old (and now highly illegal) practice of the people of Bordeaux heading east to buy Syrah from the Rhône valley to bolster the Cab in weaker vintages. This wine is Routas' homage to this. Straight away, the wine screams Italian. The nose shows (for lack of a better term) a certain rusticity that I associate with wines from The Boot. The acid is blazing, another Italian characteristic and the fruit on the palate guarded. About 20-30 minutes in, the Cab starts to flesh out and the wine drinks like a Left Bank Bordeaux. Maybe the homage is a little too close to reality. After 45 minutes or so, the fruit works itself out, the tannins while present, become a little more integrated and the wine drinks like a Pomerol with a few years on it. Curious, because there is no Merlot in the mix, but that's how I read it. The pairing? Spot on. Retails around $15-$16.

Third Course: Chocolate Raspberry Torte Souflée with Chocolate Ganache, Raspberry Sauce, and Fresh Whipped Cream

Selected Wine: Gianni Vergnano 'Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Busco'Cascina Gilli Asti 2000

I had to kind of talk the hostess into this one, but it was worth it. I suggested that we throw something out there that (most) people would have never seen before. Score one for me. This is wine come from Piedmonte and would be the last thing you would expect from there. Barolo or Barberesco this is not. It is made from Malvasia Nera and is made as a dessert wine. The grapes are harvested, crushed, and fermentation is begun. Shortly thereafter, fermentation is arrested leaving a finished wine with relatively low alcohol and a fair amount of residual sugar. This one in particular comes in at 5.5%. The wine is bottled with a slight effervescence and closed with a 'normal' cork, no wire cage, et al. It's not as carbonated as a sparkling and not flat like a table wine. The wine tastes a bit 'grape-y', vibrant dark fruits, and the pairing with the chocolate was exactly what was called for. Not too much, not too little. One guest said, 'It tastes like a carbonated Port'. I would say that's pretty close. Maybe not for everyone or every meal, but if you find one, give it shot. Pretty cool wine. Usually retails for $14.

A good time was had by all, and hopefully I turned a few people on to some new stuff.

Just another day in paradise.

'Tis the season

Been away from the blog for a bit. Working in (and out) of the shop, trying to keep people from freaking out and celebrated a birthday of a very good friend.

We now return to the regularly scheduled program.

Huge Johnson dropping the hammer

For those of you who haven't check it out, a man of the blog got down in true form. I defer to Mr. Huge:

Ingredient labeling: Is there an Issue?

Carry on, my good man, Carry on.

For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

That was proposed by this dude Newton back in the 1600's. I'm sure he had more than few people call him 'crazy' but it turns out that Isaac was onto something. He's got a modern day counterpart on this theory.

'Hang Time': You may have to pay for it

It seems that Andy Beckstoffer (he of myriad single vineyard Cab fame) is stirring the soup over what has become 'S.O.P' in Napa and probably the rest of California.

"Beckstoffer, who owns more than 1,000 acres in the Napa Valley, contends that the practice of leaving fruit on the vine from what used to be a standard 24 Brix to upwards of 30 percent sugar levels in recent harvests, shrinks the grapes as much as 25 percent. And it's costing him money.

Additionally, Beckstoffer believes that longer hang time is sapping the strength and energy of his vines and making them susceptible to disease."

I have absolutely no doubt on the 'averages' that Andy is putting forward, and simple mathematics would make it obvious that there would be a monetary loss because of smaller grape size. The effect of longer hang time on the vines themselves is something that I haven't really thought about. It would seem that a plant produces fruit for one main reason: So that it will be taken away from the plant. I'm not versed in all things horticulture but it would stand to reason that fruit remaining on vine longer than 'naturally' designed could/would have a detrimental effect.

"Beckstoffer further says the notion of paying him by the acre for his grapes, instead of by the ton, is an idea he's "not sure works. You can't pay me enough. It's not a dilemma that gets easily solved. We're not talking about overproducing. They're reasonable parameters."

Not sure it works? I'll admit that I understand the concept of 'négociant' wines but I know very little about the way prices are negotiated. And for the record, that's exactly what every bottle of wine that says 'Beckstoffer Vineyard' is, a négociant wine. Think about that the next time you spout off about a French wine with the old 'It doesn't say 'Mise en Bouteille au Château, this wine can't be any good'. Maybe Andy was knocking back too many single vineyard Zins and his judgment was impaired, but paying for grapes by the acre seems to me ridiculous. I would think that Andy's reputation is pretty well established and that at this point, he could command a premium. Maybe I'm wrong, but I see people get all sorts of misty-eyed when the see the 'B'-word on a label. So why agree to a 'per acre' pricing plan. If the quality is there, pay up sucka!

By the way, I understand that Becks says that he doesn't have any 'hard' data to back up his suspicions but why hasn't someone dropped a dime and called the Germans? Or hell, the Canadians for that matter. The amount of hang time required for a Riesling vine to produce a trockenbeerenauslese would make your average Cab cry like a schoolgirl. Maybe they have to replant these things every other year in Germany, but I doubt it. I'll admit that it's like comparing apples and oranges but a vine is a vine, right?

One more thing, the 'volume' loss per grape is precisely why you won't find a TBA for less than $100. So little juice, so many people that 'get' Riesling.

Anybody out there?

So I'm sitting here at my desk, ten after one in the morning, finishing up the last of my research on the wines for various parties, emails, and blog.

I know somebody is reading this thing. I also know that I'm well on my way to being a jaded bastard. Given that, I feel like I should wax eloquent on more things wine, i.e 'educational'. Let the peeps know about the real deal - French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Don't forget about the Austrians, the Hungarians, and the kind citizens of Portugal.

Somebody give me some feedback. I know you're reading. What are you curious about? There's no pride lost, just let me know.

Screw me, screw you...literally

I mean that in the 'Meta'-phorical sense. My apologies at the outset. Too many phone calls, not enough wine.

Cork company sues Mondavi Winery, says it broke contract

There's way too much info in the article, to cite, so I'll get to the scoop:

"If you get Bob Mondavi to place MetaCork on his wine, the entire wine industry will start using it," was a typical refrain from industry executives, the Gardner suit states. "This is not unusual in an industry that is slow to change unless industry leaders initiate that change."

While I would agree on the point made in the statement, just because 'Bob' is down, a good idea it does not make. Why? Check out the promo:

For Windows Media Player

For those running :Quicktime

Seriously, what's the damned point? You unscrew the 'barrel'. You pop out the 'cork' (which apparently never enters the neck of the bottle), remove the replacable 'screw cap', present the 'cork' for inspection (eye-candy only), re-attach the barrel for a 'non-drip' collar, and so on.

I don't blame him for going after Mondavi, it would have made him silly cash. But is all of this really necessary?

Small town, USA

I mean no ill towards the people of Deadwood, but it must be nice that this is the breaking news. The entire article:

"Deadwood - Two weeks ago the city commission of Deadwood heard a report back from City Attorney John Frederickson on the status of an application for renewal of a wine license for the Deadwood Thyme café owned by Mike Chaput.

Frederickson said there were no legal reasons not to grant the renewal to Chaput who recently pleaded guilty to felony theft charges over the previous operation of a funeral home business. Police Chief Kelly Fuller reported no problems in his examination of the renewal for Chaput and the board voted unanimously to grant the renewal."

May God bless the middle of nowhere.

Would somebody please shoot me

Seriously. I've had enough of this crap.

Premium NZ wine leaking into spy network

"Marlborough’s award-winning wine Spy Valley has attracted growing worldwide attention this year because of its undercover name.

Spying will reach a peak in the year 007."

I wonder who the genius was that came up with this one. And we're only knocking on the door of 2005. Does that mean that we could have another two years of this 'uber-cheese' promtion?

"Some of our best cellar door customers are the employees of the American spy base who find good humour in the brand, enjoy the quality of the wine.

"They love posting Spy Valley wine and our promotional clothing to their friends and colleagues overseas: the Spy network is working! "The 007 vintage is in the planning stage but naturally we have great ideas connecting the year 007 and Spy!"

So maybe television is a little closer to reality than I thought. I sort of assumed that every undercover agent wasn't a total hottie, globetrotting in disguise, kicking ass and trying to solve Romaldi's, Rombaldi, or DaVinci's code. In truth, I sort of enjoy the show, the lady is a freak for it.

Then there's this:

"America’s leading wine magazine, the USA Wine Spectator rated the Spy Valley wines all above 88 points this year. The Wine Spectator is a US buyers bible and their ratings are taken very seriously by the US consumer. Wines are ranked out of 100 points so to get a 90 or above is the magic number to have. The Spectator is also shipped globally and has a huge distribution and readership."

Damnit!

Another nail in the coffin?

One of the things I find amazing (and often frustrating) about the web is the way you find things. Pull up one page, link to another page which quotes a third page and so on. Such is how I found this:

Among Toledo-area consumers, beaujolais nouveau less bodacious

I suppose Toledo could be used as a microcosm of the U.S. I have never been there, but why the hell not?

"retailers this year report sluggish sales because of a 25 percent price increase, some anti-French sentiment among consumers, and what many perceive as a fad that has run its course.

"It was a fun thing for a while, but consumers are looking for some more serious wines," said Richard Fortney, owner of Maumee Wines."

I'll give the $US vs. Euro thing, every time a container hits our shores, the wines go up a price point or two. The anti-French bit is getting a little tired. To be honest, I have had to talk a few people 'off the ledge' but for the most part, this has been a non-issue. Of course, I only deal in European wines so maybe that automatically negates the 'Frog-haters'. And for the rest of you still waving the flag, boycotting France for whatever reasons, 'Don't hate the playa, hate the game'. And lastly, I think that this thing really has run its course.

I will admit to not being a huge fan of Gamay (grown in Beaujolais or otherwise). There are some very good/excellent wines made from this grape but it has been my experience that they come from Moulin-á-Vent or Morgon. I would also like to believe that generally speaking - (I repeat, generally speaking), the portion of the American public that is buying wine is better educated about that which they buy. Given this, I think most people are starting to recognize Beaujolais Nouveau for what it is: a monument to marketing. That, in and of itself is an impressive thing. The efforts of Deboeuf and others have gone over gangbusters in the past and (hopefully) brought wine into more peoples' lives.

A side note: From the article:

"Though similar in style to the French versions, the California wines labeled "Gamay Beaujolais" are actually made with Pinot Noir and Valdiguie grapes. But, she added, there has been a sense of fun surrounding the name beaujolais nouveau, which will be phased out in America by 2007."

I guess I was asleep at the wheel when this one came down. A little more research, and I found this

"Due to the lobbying efforts of French purists, wineries will only be able to use the term on American products until 2007. After that, they'll have to come up with another name.

Right on. Score one for the French. I should say that I take exception with the notion that it was the 'purists' that got this passed and somehow that is a negative. If American wineries are making wines from grapes other that Gamay, and it isn't grown in Beaujolais, why should they get to bite on the 'fame' of the region? For the record, Valdiguie is also known as 'Gros Auxerrois' and was later named Napa Gamay.

Don't drink the kool-aid, look into Morgon instead.

The Land of Milk and Honey - part 2

So if you work in a vineyard in New Zealand you're entitled to some 'q.t.' at the condo. But what happens when you drink too much or lunh just doesn't agree?

When you have to go ... in the vineyards

Maybe this is another aspect of vineyard life that I just never really gave any thought . Everybody has to go sometime, right? Here a few quotes from the article:

"The importance of being able to sit down on the job is being pushed in Marlborough.

Wine industry members, including contractors, growers and health and safety officials are taking a peek at vineyard toilets, and finding a number of them are a long drop from minimum standards."

You've got to love the 'cheeky' writing. From the way it sounds, these things are a far cry from the 'Johnny-on-the-spot' that we have come to love in this country.

"At Montana's Fairhall Estate, a smoko room with tea, coffee and a sunblock dispenser sits near a gleaming white portable toilet with washbasin and flush."

Maybe New Zealand can update their slogon.

Welcome to Kiwi-land, workers get a hot, a pot, and a cot.

New Zealand - The Land of Milk and Honey

I suppose that I'm as guilty as anyone when it comes to matters like this. It's easy to pull a cork and consider the origins of the universe through a Côte Rôtie but what about the people who got the the juice from the cradle to the grave? To me, this is one of the most amazing things about wine. All the people that play a role in the process and get a bottle on your table for eight or nine bucks. Well, in New Zealand they have not forgotten about the 'working man'.

Outdated vineyard law to be reviewed

"The Department of Labour is to review a regulation that makes vineyard employers legally responsible for workers’ accommodation.

Occupational Safety and Health highlighted a little-known rule under which employers are responsible for minimum standards of accommodation for agricultural workers."

Readng this straight-away, it sort of makes sense. Grapes are generally grown where people aren't. That is to say, there isn't a whole lot of vineyard space left in L.A. But what about harvesting the grapes? That's when you need a bunch a people. In the states, we have the 'migrant worker'. Wouldn't it be safe to assume the same would be true in New Zealand? Why then, would it not be reasonable that the vineyard owner should provide some lodging for those breaking their backs for that $800 bottle of Cab?

"That upset Marlborough grape contractors and growers, as well as Federated Farmers New Zealand, who asked why agricultural employers should be liable when supermarket employers, for example, were not."

I'll tell you why not. Because they work in a supermarket! How many people are commuting for hours to ring up Cheetos at the Bi-Lo?It keeps getting better:

"Regardless of who you are as an employer, if your worker is regularly turning up looking sleepy and not in good shape, it is prudent to ask why is that happening."

Is it prudent to ask? Maybe 'your worker' is getting down every night. Maybe 'your worker' loves smoking crack. Maybe, 'your worker sleeps under a bridge.

"If your workers are sleeping in a car or under a bridge, they are not going to be as productive."

I'm guessing that it is this type of sheer brilliance that landed Mr. Bob Hill the position of 'Principal' of the Occupational Safety and Health Department.

Where's the money, Lebowski?!?!?

Alas, it seems that nothing is above the fray:

Ex-president of James Beard culinary foundation arraigned over missing funds

I'm assuming that most people know

1. Who James Beard was
and
2. What the purpose of the foundation carrying his name is.

If not, you can check their website at give it a read. Here's is the mission statement:

"To foster the appreciation and development of gastronomy by preserving and promulgating our culinary heritage, and by recognizing and promoting excellence in all aspects of the culinary arts."

It is pretty safe to say that the Beard Founddation is more or less the gold standard of all things gastronomique in this country. The good man James passed on a few years back and this foundation was started up to carry on the legacy. Here's how it works: James bought a little shack in NYC and this is home base for the foundation. World famous cooks come in and strut their stuff. I could drop some names, but why do it myself? From the website:

"Nearly every night of the week, culinary talents such as Jody Adams, Daniel Boulud, Gail Gand, Suzanne Goin, Emeril Lagasse, Nobu Matsuhisa, Mark Peel and Nancy Silverton, Caprial Pence, Jacques Pépin, Douglas Rodriguez, Anne Rosenzweig, Susan Spicer, and Charlie Trotter, work their magic in Beard's kitchen. These dinners not only offer an opportunity to enjoy splendid meals, but a chance to discuss food with great chefs, wine professionals, journalists, cookbook authors, and other members"

If you're a member of the foundation, they knock a few points off the total cost of the meal. So what does it all mean? Well. the Beard Foundation is a non-profit organization. As it turns out, it may be non-profit by design:

"Leonard Pickell, 50, pleaded not guilty to an indictment that charges him with second-degree grand larceny - stealing at least $50,000 US - and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Assistant Attorney General Johanna Sullivan told Justice James Yates: "He came into our office and confessed to taking over $90,000."

Now, I'm no lawyer so forgive me for saying this,but 'Am I a total idiot or is this guy Pickell a genius? He's being charged with stealing $50K but is pleading 'not guilty'. Is that because he's holding out for 'first-degree grand larceny?

"The prosecutor said Pickell wrote checks on foundation accounts to cover personal expenses. She said he stole the money by getting reimbursed on bogus receipts or by submitting multiple repayment requests for a single expense."

and then...

"The probe started after foundation members alleged that Pickell improperly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars, that the foundation had not filed tax returns for two years and that less scholarship money than expected went to students."

I would agrue that Pickell didn't do anything wrong. He was just following the lead of countless restauranteurs in the 'Real World'. Somebody find out if this guy developed a taste for the booger sugar recently. Or maybe, he bought a boat.

If so, I win.

KWV, Chemistry, Ladybugs, and Vin au naturel

So I've been commenting on all things KWV since the whole 'tainting' thing broke. It has been interesting to see this whole thing unfold. From the 'those 2 clown were on their own' to the 'it was an experiment' to the we have eradicated the problem' to the 'another vat found tampered with' and so on... All the while, the only thing reported having been added to the wine was whole bell peppers, ground green peppers, a homemade extract of bell peppers, and blah, blah, blah. Up until now:

KWV sacks winemakers in additive scandal

Surprisingly, Decanter.com seems to be a little late in the reporting game but they did bring a little more to the table.

"The Laborie was adulterated with green pepper and the Reserve with piracine. Both are natural substances but are illegal."

Piracine? I suppose I should have paid more attention in Chemistry class and maybe this stuff is actually not bad for you or wine, but it does have a slightly menacing name. Not knowing what this stuff is, I starting snooping around the web. A google search for 'piracine' yields very few results, most of which are referencing the article I cited from Decanter. Apparently, there is a different spelling on this side of the pond. Not so surprising, except when you do a search for 'pyrazine'. I'm sure there are myriad people who know far more about this than I but here a some things I found when searching for the 'American' spelling.

PYRAZINE

Some of the highlights from the run down are:

Storage:
Keep tightly closed.
Store in a cool dry place.
Keep away from heat, sparks, and open flame.

Inhalation: May be harmful and cause irritation to respiratory tract.
Skin: May be harmful if absorbed through skin. May cause skin irritation.
Eyes: May cause eye irritation.
Ingestion: May be harmful if swallowed.

Boiling point: 115-116ºC
Melting point: 54-56ºC
Specific Gravity: 1.031
Appearance: white crystals

I know this reads with a bit of the old 'Doom and Gloom' but maybe it isn't so bad. Further digging yielded this exchange about my grandmother's favorite insect:

"Phil: There were millions of them and they were everywhere. Since most grapes are harvested with machines that have many fingers the buggers went into the containers along with the grapes. they were then crushed. the smell you get from them is pyrazine. some wines like Chardonnay have
naturally occurring pyrazine but with the buggers bodies it is over the top horrid. We bought a car vac to vaccum them from our house each day. We have a 160 year old non air tight house that invites the little buggers in each day.

When they have eaten enough aphids they turn to other crops. They also
ruined raspberry and strawberry crops. These are the Asian variety and are a light orange colour and bite you.We had customers run from their cars to our showroom while being swarmed by clouds of them."

I'm sitting here possibly re-thinking my stance on wine altogether. I have been a whole-hearted subscriber to the school of organic/bio-dynamic, unfined, unfiltered wines. Maybe they don't have ladybugs in Europe. And ladybugs that bite? I thought we had it bad enough with flying palmetto bugs (that's local speak for 'big damn cock roaches).

Evolution can be a bastard.

Letters to the Editor

Wasting a few minutes that I'll never get back, I was looking around on the web and came across a listing of recent letters to the Food and Wine Editor of the San Francisco Gate. Apparently, there was a recent article on ther Martini. I have very definite opinions on this subject and I will refrain from waxing eloquent at this time. One of the things that gets most under my skin is the 'Dirty Martini'. This drink seems perfect for people who don't like the taste of gin or brackish water. I have suggested on many occasions that people not drink this but it was always a matter of opinion. Here's what someone who should know thinks about it:

Editor -- Olive brine, in particular the commercial liquid used in packing olives, is not necessarily a healthy or recommended product for consumption.

Salt, lactic acid, citric acid, sodium alginate, guar gum, calcium chloride, potassium sorbate and other chemicals used for preservation could be harmful.

A Dirty Martini could be better prepared with peppered alcohol. Just add about 10 white peppercorns, or, if a little color is desired, black peppercorns to the bottle.

L. JERATH MOHINDER, Ph.D

Forensic Toxicologist

Professor Emeritus

Alameda

So next time you're in a bar, give it some thought.

How does Karma work again?

"Livonia's deputy police chief drank alcohol before he smashed his police vehicle on Thanksgiving night, investigators have concluded."

"James Howton will be issued a traffic violation for careless driving and will be disciplined internally, Police Chief Robert Stevenson said."

I wonder how severe the 'internal discipline' will be for the deputy police chief.

"Our investigation did indicate Deputy Chief Howton had consumed alcohol prior to the accident," Stevenson stated. "However, that didn't prove he was intoxicated at the time of the accident."

Really?!? Can I expect the same assumption the next time some cop has got nothing better to do than to pull me over? It has been my experience that once anyone admits to consuming alcohol, the whole dynamic changes into 'Drunk, until proven sober'.

"According to Stevenson, the fender, hood and bumper were moderately damaged when Howton hit a stop sign and a tree on Wayne Road north of 6 Mile about 10 p.m. on Nov. 25."

Must be nice to have friends in high places. I avoided two cars and didn't scratch a thing. All I got was a one way ticket to jail.

When Life gives you lemons, make lemonade?

In the recent tastings that I have had, both large scale and individual, one thing has been glaringly obvious when it come to the 2003 vintage: Too much heat. This is not necessarily a blanket statement as most of the stuff from the Loire and parts of Bordeaux have been showing well. But the vast majority of Burgundy, most of what I have had from the Southern Rhône and just about everything south of Veneto in Italy shows vitually no acidity. To my palate, this is the single biggest difference between the Old World and the New. I think generally this is more a reflection of the growing environs and thus physical ripeness of the fruit to begin with, regardless of winemaking style. In 2003, the heat was far above anything that could be considered 'normal', and in my opinion the wines have suffered from it. Apparently, Europe is not alone.

Burnt offerings from Australia

The article talks about the excessive heat that Australia went through in 2003 but it also brings up another issue that they had: brush fires.

"As bushfire smoke and haze shrouded the floors of the King and Alpine valleys during January and February - just weeks before vintage - grapevines became a susceptible target, with the smoke somehow entering the plants' system."

"Maybe it's through the leaves - no one knows for sure until more studies are performed - but one thing is certain, the smoke taint survived the winemaking process and was noticeable in the finished wine."

This is kind of interesting in a few different ways. First off, I find it curious that there is some sort of mystery as to how the fires altered the final wines. I would think this to be a no-brainer. If you accept the idea that terroir, more importantly the soil types, minerals, and basic chemical make-up of the vineyard play a role in what the wine will taste like, why wouldn't the presence of smoke have some impact. Sun (or the lack thereof), rain, wind, hail, and myriad other environmental elements have consequence, why not smoke?

"The biggest indicator that something was wrong came after fermentation with a lingering, stale ashtray taste and a hardness on the finish of the wine."

This is a cross brand promoter's dream: Cuvée du Pall Mall. Then the author drops in this little treat.

"One sample of smoke-tainted cabernet I tasted appeared quite oaky on the nose. Trouble was, the wine had never seen oak!"

Maybe the Aussies have fallen back asswards into the next 'revolution' of wine. While the bushfires of 2003 were unintentional (I think), the grape growers/wine makers didn't foresee them having any influence on the wine. What if they were to take a more pro-active stance on the presence of smoke and fire in the vineyard. The Australian wine industry (as a whole) has absolutely no quams taking unconventional approaches to making wine. The wide spread use of mechanical manipulation has lead to wines that were previously impossible. Why not do some research on smoke? The author speaks of a heavy oak presence on the nose of a wine that saw only stainless steel. With a little bit of practice, I'd be willing to bet that somebody down there could figure out how to temper the role of smoke in the final wine.

The era of barrel-aging might very well be waning.


Am I crazy, or am I the most sane person you know?

KWV -- The song that never ends.

As covered ( and commented on) numerous times here, KWV seemed to have more or less wrapped up the P.R. nightmare that has befallen them in the last week or two. First off, they admitted there was a problem. Next they 'fired' the two clowns 'responsible' for this tragic breech of trust, and lastly the destroyed the tainted wine. All the while, screaming from the mountain top that this was an 'isolated' incident and that the standards and mechanisms are in place to ensure that nothing like this will ever happen again.

Well, it's happened again.

"Last week the Wine and Spirits Board discovered that two batches of wine intended for KWV cellars had had artificial flavourants added, and now another has been added to the list."

I'm no stockbroker so you can take it or leave, but here's my two cents: SELL!

Anybody up for moving to Wyoming?

I've never really entertained the idea of living anywhere other than my fair city of Savannah, but after reading this, Wyoming is starting to sound a little better.

Senate bill would close loophole in state open-container law

It's not the idea of the Senate taking action that makes this place look attractive, rather the fact that a law like this still exists in this country. A loophole big enough to drive a beer truck through.

"A car gets pulled over. The driver has been drinking. A passenger is holding an open bottle of beer.

Did the driver break the law by driving with an open container? Law enforcement officers say they just can't tell."

This is great!

"There's potentially a way for people to get around the (current) law by switching drivers or passing (the drink) to a passenger," Ross said Tuesday.

I can understand the potential for the one dude to hand over the bottle of Jack to his buddy riding shotgun, but how would one go about switching drivers? If the vehicle is being pulled over for a moving violation, wouldn't it be safe to assume that the officer would be with eye shot of the occupants? I would think running a stop sign and running the old 'Chinese Fire Drill' would be a little obvious.

"Opponents say such restrictions are an invasion of the driver's rights."

In all seriousness, can anybody make a real argument as to how this violates the driver's rights? I love to drink as much as the next guy, and I enjoy getting out on the open road and winding up the GTI, but is it really a good idea to be throwing back shots of Jaeger at the same time? Six or seven years ago, I was on tour. We were playing a show in Raleigh-Durham and were scheduled to play Asheville the following night. A very good friend came from Statesville to see us and invited us back to her place for food, shower, laundry...all the essentials when on tour. We load up in her Accord and start heading out of town. Liz stops to get some gas and comes out with a 12 pack in each hand. She proceeds to explain how anybody in the car, except the driver can drink whatever they want. No problem. Sounded like a good idea for about 20 minutes. Until I had to use the bathroom. Then somebody else had to go 10 minutes later. And so on and so on. And here's the rub: You spend so much time pulling over for nature that you never get to where you want to go.

Subsequent visits have yielded no confirmation that any such law exists or ever did. Urban legend, I suspect. But maybe Wyoming is not alone.

Is this the end of the KWV story???

'Tainted' wine to bite the dust

Read the article if you so wish, but the opening line is brilliant:

"How does one dispose of 56 000 litres of wine? You simply pour it into a trench and cover it up."

How late did they stay up trying to figure this one out? Here, I've got one myself...I'm half Polish, so don't get all offended...

How do get a one armed Polack out of a tree? You wave at him.

Okay, my second grade humor is kicking in....here's one more...

A three legged dog walks into the bar....pissed off

He walks up to the bartender and says, "I'm lookin for that son-bitch who shot my Pa!

I'll be here all week....Get the prime rib....tip you bartender.

Paging Dr. Freud....Dr. Freud.

First Container of Oregon Wine Arrives in China

Here's the entire article:

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The first container of premium Oregon pinot noir has arrived in Beijing, marking the opening of a new frontier for the state's cadre of vintners.

The 1,250 cases were supplied by Amity Vinyards, Henry Estate and King Estate.

Another container is to be shipped in January with wine from 14 producers.

The venture was born with a chance encounter by Doyle Hinman of Henry Estate winery with a wine-savy Chinese businessman in France.

Hinman says the implications for Oregon's wine industry are hung if they can get just a small fraction of China's 1.3 billion people to try Oregon wines.

All in all, it reads like a sweet little diddy on the Oregon wine trade and its attempts at expanding the empire.Everything except for the last sentence.

I have had the good fortune to work with a great number of Chinese and many occasions to eat with them as well. There is this strange undertone at the table when it comes to eating certain parts of animals or certain peppers. Apparently eating most things is either good for your strength or your member, which may be one in the same. Could this move into China do the same for Oregon wineries?

Something else totally useless but kind of curious.

From the same OLCC document in the previous post:

"The Oregon Liquor Control Comission opened its first liquor stores in February 1934 at the end of Prohibition, and 70 years later, there are 242 stores around the state - three inside supermarkets.

Many liquor stores sell lottery tickets and restaurants and bars offer video poker and a wide variety of games and entertainment. But it was a different time in the 1930s.

For instance, OLCC archives show that when the McMinnville Elks Lodge applied for a liquor license in 1938, they listed closing time as 1 a.m. They indicated that cards, pool and billiards would be played on the premesis. Under entertainment they listed radio and phonograph, and for gambling devices, pinball machines. They listed the restaurant equipment value at $500."

That's right, things were different in the 1930's. A pinball machine that pays out? Damn, I was born too late.

Life in the OLCC

I know it sounds like the reality show love child of MTV and the WB, but in fact it stands for the Oregon Liquor Contol Commission. The fine folks here have given in to the wishes of Roxylee Winery as well as a few other wineries and are permitting the use of the word 'claret' on labels of wine produced in Oregon. The original article doesn't go into too much depth so I did some snooping around and found the O.D. (original document).

For those not familiar with the word 'claret', its roots are English. At various times throughout history, it has meant a few different things but the most widely accepted interpretation of the word is that 'claret' is red wine from the Bordeaux region of France. And according to the document,

"Under the new rules, Claret must be a mixture of at least two of these grape varieties: Cabernet franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Carmenere, or Malbec."

Guess where all these varieties are indigenous to. That's right, Bordeaux. In fact, the Bordelais have similar legislation specifying which grapes can be grown there. While it is no surprise that I am full on pro place-name labeling, I was a bit curious to see that this would even be an issue in Oregon. After all, the word 'claret' is an English (as in England) word and there is no place (that I know of) named 'Claret', so who cares. From the minutes of the OLCC meeting:

"Commissioners amended OARs 845-010-0905 (definitions) and 845-010-0915 (graper variety names) to allow the label change effective Dec. 1, 2004. The first change removed Claret from the list of semi-generic designations, whicha re generally prohibited in Oregon. THe second rule was change to indicate that Claret doesn't derive from or refer to a geographical area of feature."

So what should we take from this? While I agree with the interpretation of the word 'claret' it seems that someone in the past had some amount of respect for place-names and as such wrote it into law that they were not to be used. In doing so, they put the onus on the winemakers of Oregon to come up with another name to describe their product. This is what should be happening everywhere. I understand it's not as convenient as using an existing name (who doesn't know what Champagne is? as it turns out, quite a few people), but that's the whole point. The established have worked for years to become just that, established.

Dig in an get ready for the long haul. If the same amount of energy afforded the promotion of 'true' Champagne was spent on promoting Oregon, they won't need to worry about what to call it.

For anybody interested...

I was thinking that somebody else might get some use out of this. It is an email that I received and resonded to. The names have been removed to protect the innocent. Maybe more information than he bargained for, but once I get going....

Christian:

I don't know if you'll remember me but my wife (_______'s daughter) and I visited your shop a few months ago. We bought some paintings from your wife, which by the way let her know we framed them and they look awesome. Anyway, I bought some wine from you on your recommendation. One was a dry Rose I believe it is called Routas. It was awesome and I wish I bought more becuase I have not been able to find it in Baltimore where we live.The other bottle was I believe a french white wine that was in a green glass bottle with a screw cap rather than a cork.The name escapes me and the couple of wine stores I have gone to in the area haven't a clue. When you get a chance can you give me the names and makers to those wines so that I can continue my search with more ammunition. Hope you doing well.

Thanks

____ __________

____ ______ __

Baltimore, MD 21230

______________________________________


_____ ,

It's good to hear from you. I am glad that the paintings turned out well. I will pass the word along to the F.A. The two wines in question are as follows:

The rosé is indeed from Château Routas. This estate is located in Provence and the particular bottling that you bought from me is called 'Rouviere' from the 2003 vintage. It is one of the finest examples of a proper French rosé that I have come across but by all means not the only rosé I have seen recently. If you are having trouble finding this particular label, you may look for wines from the region of Tavel. Tavel is located in the southern Rhône valley (near other appellations like Lirac, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Vacqueyras) and the only 'legally permitted' wines to be labeled as 'Tavel' must be rosé. This appellation is arguably the king of rosé, not only in France but throughout the world. A word to wise: Because of the fame of Tavel and the relatively small size of the appellation, the price of your average Tavel will be more expensive than the Routas. I would expect to pay anywhere from $16 - $30 per bottle depending on the producer and the vintage. A couple of producers of Tavel that I would recommend are Chapoutier, Canton-Perdrix, and Ségriès. Also, Guigal makes a pretty good Tavel.

You can learn more about the original wine and others produced by the house at www.routas.com .

The other wine you picked up at that time was in fact from Austria. The producer was Fred Loimer and the particular bottling that I sold you was called 'Lois'. It did have a screw cap and it was the 2003 vintage (the first vintage from this house to carry this type of closure). The grape in this wine is called Grüner Veltliner. This could very well be considered the 'national' grape of Austria. There are myriad houses making wine from this grape and almost without exception, they are all good, if not excellent. If this particular wine is proving elusive, a more general way to find a comparable wine is to take a look at the back label on the bottle. There are multiple wine importers in this country, but very few that I would recommend 'blindly' when it comes to Austrian Grüner Veltliner. The Loimer 'Lois' is imported by a company called Vin Divino based out of Chicago. I am not familiar with any other wines they are importing from Austria but generally speaking, Vin Divino does not sell bad wine. At the end of the day, all importers have only their reputations on which to rely. Another importer I would highly recommend is Terry Theise. This man has probably forgotten more about Austrian and German wines than most people will ever know. I would almost without exception recommend anything with his name on it. Whatever wine it is, it will be 100% sound and true to form. It may not necessarily be the 'perfect' wine that you were looking for, but it will be correct. The back label will read something like this:

A Terry Thiese Estate Selection
Imported by Michael Skurnik Wines
Syosset, New York 11791

You can also get a look at Thiese's portfolio at www.skurnikwines.com.

I trust all is well and I will talk to you soon.

Take care,

Christian Depken

Gordon bringing juice to the masses

Nascar may have its roots in running moonshine, but Jeff Gordon is going to do his part to bring the great unwashed a little bit of culture.

"Jeff Gordon will market a series of upscale wines under a label bearing his own name, starting with a 2004 Carneros Chardonnay, which will be available in October, 2005."

I know this sounds a bit funny, and maybe it is. Can the home of the Busch Grand National and the Winston Cup actually get supporters of 'Heaven's Race Team' to imbide in the grape? It will be interesting to see. Before you write this stuff off with the likes of Marilyn Merlot and that bottle of KISS Cabernet, Mr. Gordon wants you to understand something:

"These wines are not intended to be a novelty item, and they are not connected whatsoever with souvenir sales," said Gordon. "Instead, they're being sold in the ‘fine wine' market such as restaurants and upscale wine shops."

Someone much wiser than me once said, 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions'. I appreciate the intent but I seriously doubt that these wines will be treated like anything other than novelties. So where are the grapes to come from? Did Gordon sneak in the back door and buy some part of Stag's Leap or Mount Veeder?

"Jeff likes quality and so do we here at August Briggs. I like to make a lot of different wines and in small quantities so I can keep the quality high. I choose grapes from areas where the variety is best grown. I want the fruit and the essence of each vineyard to stand out, to define the wine."

I love reading this kind of stuff. It sounds so good the first six hundred million times you hear it 'We only use the best grapes, from the finest locales, and respect each individual terroir, blah, blah, blah...' Maybe it's true, but I doubt it. Could these two actually stick to their guns and focus their efforts on making one or two wines?

"In later vintages, Gordon is considering adding other varieties, possibly a Pinot Noir, Syrah and Petite Syrah."

I guess not. No, following the trail blazed by countless before him, Gordon will make ten different wines, most of them crap, relying on 'Star Power' to gain audience and ultimately continuing the marginalization of wine and its role in our society.

I hope I'm wrong.

"We're going to have a great wine in a great looking package," Gordon said.

Well, maybe I'm right.

How many ways are there to skin a cat?

Just in case there weren't enough wine publications in this country running on at the mouth about this and that, I now have one more to ignore.

American Gold Medal Wines Directory Debuts

As the name might imply, this is a directory based not on numerical ratings, stars (and half stars), or even on the merits of the wine itself. No, this one organizes the wines according to "the highest-ranking medal winning American wines from the country's 20 most influential wine competitions." Of course, I am not exactly sure which 20 wine competitions are the most influential or why. And this press release does very little to shed any light on that. I have a sneaking suspicion that having a 'wine competition' is becoming more akin to hosting a 'film festival'. Every wide spot in the road is having one these days.

And how much would such an essential tool for buying your next bottle set you back?

American Gold Medal Wines has a suggested retail price of $11.95 and is available nationwide in bookstores and online at www.AmericanGoldMedalWines.com. An additional
three-year subscription is available for just $24.

Just in case you were thinking about getting me something for Christmas, don't bother. Just roll down the window and throw the $36 out. Some dude on the side of the highway could then use the money to go buy a bottle or two that won some medal somewhere. He'll be better off than me.

BTW, a quick glance at the namesake's website yielded this little nugget of wisdom:

"Commercial wine competitions are the key to success when it comes to identifying top quality American wine."

This is arguably one of the dumbest things I have read recently. 'Commercial wine competitions' are precisely that...Commercial. And as far as being some sort of 'key', I would argue that a gold medal from the Missouri Straight Shooter/Morning Gazette wine fair would be more of an indication of a wine to avoid than to buy. And finally, what does a wines' performance in a 'competition' actually say about the wine. In my experience, it indicates that the wine 'shows' well, but more often than not it isn't exactly 'correct' or 'true to form'.

Case in point: The wines of Movia and Vila Marija from Slovenia. Wine Spectator just about lost it when reviewing these wines. They proclaimed the Movia Pinot Grigio 'Brda' and "the greatest Pinot Grigio ever". I have had this and other wines from this property and I have sold them as well. First off, the idea that it could be the 'greatest ever' is a little silly and somewhat arrogant. Second, it's the 'greatest Pinot Grigio' because it doesn't taste like Pinot Grigio. It drinks more akin to a Chardonnay than anything else. And while this may be impressive, it does not make it necessarily 'correct'. While I enjoy the wine very much, it is not what I would expect were I ordering a glass of Pinot in a restaurant.

How about this for an idea. Instead of trying guess your way through the labyrinth that is most wine shops, why not try establishing a relationship with somebody who is truly invested in the world of wine. And I don't mean some jack-hole who dropped $500 K on a bunch of bottles, I mean somebody who has an interest in helping you find the appropriate bottle for the occasion and budget you have. I trust that the doctor taking the tumor out of some poor child knows what he's doing. More importantly, his reputation is on the line. Wouldn't it be fair to assume that the same goes for your local independent shop.

Would you like any pepper?

I love watching these types of events unfold. The poetry and dance that is put on for the public is a beautiful thing. One the one side, you've got the company shoveling the crap off of their 'image' and on the other side, you've got the scape goat digging his own grave.

Here's is the latest in the KWV 'scandal'.

Wine flavour 'an experiment'

"A winemaker, who was fired for doctoring wine with which he had won an award, says he's got to be strong now.

"I had 10 good years with KWV and I do not regret it, but now I have to keep my head up and be strong," said former Laborie winemaker Gideon Theron after his dismissal from KWV."

He's got to be strong all right. Strong enough to pack all his stuff up and move to Sheboygan because the closest he's going to get to making wine after this is taking a leak the morning after a good bender. But it gets better:

"Theron said on Tuesday that he did not use a flavourant, but that he had added a grounded green pepper to the wine. He said: "No, I am not innocent", adding that it was also illegal to add the green pepper. He also admitted guilt during an internal KWV investigation, he said."

I fully understand that there are subtle and not-so-subtle differences between South Africa and the U.S. but what the hell is this guy saying? I didn't use a flavourant, but I added something that has a flavor. This guy must have access to our news channels because this is a classic page in the book of American politics.

"He did not want to comment, but said adding of the green pepper had nothing to do with competitions or "personal egos", but was purely experimental."

Could this become the precedent for all jack asses in the future. Maybe Barry Bonds' lawyer should be keeping an eye on this one.

"A disgrace such as this has the ability to cause real damage to the industry that would take years to rectify if not handled correctly."

Gee, this is kind of funny. If you took just this one sentence, you would have no idea if they were talking about wine or baseball. Yo, Bud Selig, over here.

Godspeed, my good man Gideon. You're gonna need it.