It's about damn time

Lobbying group targets GM to halt its support of MADD

"A national campaign - called MADDatGM - has been launched with the backing of 17,000 bars, taverns and liquor stores to attack the automaker and Mothers Against Drunk Driving, mostly for their efforts to lower legal blood-alcohol levels. The effort has so far been a low-key one, but GM officials say the Washington-based trade group behind it is threatening that its members will quit buying GM vehicles for corporate fleet use - which could cost the automaker millions of dollars."

My first response is basically the title of this entry. My second, how many bars, taverns and liquor stores maintain a 'corporate fleet' of any kind? My guess would be not that many, but who knows.

"The campaign, which already has a Web site and will distribute posters and coasters at various stores and bars, argues that MADD is no longer just trying to halt drunken driving, but has become a "prohibitionist group" that wants to criminalize all drinking. The campaign argues that GM, with its long-running support of MADD, supports prohibition and that tavern or liquor-store owners should think twice about buying GM cars or trucks."

This is awesome. Finally, someone getting some ink and at the same time calling MADD out for what it is. Before you start in with the whole 'It's about the kids' thing, think about it. I suspect that given the opportunity, MADD would have you arrested for even thinking about a beer. Hell, I'm thinking about one right now, and I'm only typing. Maybe, there's some law against that. Maybe, there will be in the near future.

"A spokeswoman for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency in charge of auto safety, defended MADD, saying because of them the number of alcohol-related deaths has dropped from 26,173 in 1982 to 17,013 in 2003."

I know this sounds good, and at face value, makes a half-ass argument in favor of the actions of MADD. But what about the number of automotive deaths in general, alcohol or no alcohol? I would think that this number has gone done considerably as well. Given the advent of technology, namely airbags and crumple zones, one would think that overall safety has improved exponetially in the last 21 years.

How about this? Why not boycott General Motors regardless of their affiliation with MADD. I boycott them every chance I get. Of course, my boycott is based on the fact that they make shitty cars, but everybody's got to have a reason. What's yours?

When mixers fight back...

you had better watch out. I don't mean to make light of this situation, but this is pretty damn bizarre:

A temporary farm worker has been killed in an explosion while working on a wine tank on a farm near Bonnievale.

The 30-year-old man's identity was not disclosed as his next of kin had not been notified.
He had apparently been sitting on the tank's cement top while mixing its contents with an electric mixer when the explosion occurred yesterday.
Police spokesperson Captain William Reid said on Tuesday night: "It is believed that a spark came from the mixer, causing the gases inside the tank to ignite, resulting in an explosion that blew the cement top off the tank.
"The victim then fell into the tank and, when police arrived to investigate the incident, (he) was found dead inside."
The freak accident, which happened at about 9am, was reported to police by witnesses on the farm Mooi Uitsig.
Reid said an inquest docket had been opened to determine the exact cause of death.
The man had lived alone in Bonnievale and apparently had no relatives in the area, he added.

Possibly another argument against high alcohol wines?

Is this for real?

I read the article and then read it again. All indications are that it is from the Harper's Wine News site.

AOC BAROSSA?

By Stuart Peskett

A group of Australian winemakers has called for a French-style AOC system for the
Barossa Valley. Speaking at the Australia Day tastings in London, Dan Standish, winemaker at famed Barossa estate Torbreck, told Harpers: ‘We’ve formed a committee for an AOC-type system. We don’t want Chardonnay in the Barossa. I’m not saying we should just ban it outright, but maybe phase it out gradually. You just can’t make a good Chardonnay in the Barossa.’ Standish claimed that the majority of Barossa winemakers were in agreement that regulation over varieties grown should exist, although he added: ‘We’re not closing the doors and saying, “You can only grow Shiraz.” The beauty of Australia is its diversity.
I’d like to experiment with Tempranillo. The oldest Tempranillo vine in the Barossa is only about five years old. Nebbiolo is a bit weedy – too light, but Barbera works well. This is a quality thing, and it’s something we’ve been talking about for a long time.’ A name for the regulations has not been finalised, but ‘The Barossa Appellation Control’ is the current favourite, even though a handful of McLaren Vale and Clare Valley producers are involved.
* At the Naples Food and Wine Fair in Florida, US, a single imperial of 2002
Torbreck Les Amis achieved the record price of $70,000 in the annual children’s
charity auction, the highest auction price ever achieved for an Australian wine.

Does this mean that the French were actually right all along. I know that's a tough pill to swallow for many, but it appears to be the case.

Without order, there is chaos. Well, maybe not chaos, but millions of gallons of marginal wine being passed off as something other than it is... crap.

Change? Maybe, maybe not.

Kicking around the web and I came across an article on Dr. Vino's site. All in all, it is well written and makes some good points. But there are a few that I have some problems with:

"The challenge for France today is to make the wine that the consumer wants," said Beynat. "We need to concentrate and simplify our offer."

This is arguably one of the dumbest things that I have ever heard. For the record, the man who made the statement was Robert Beynat, head of VinExpo and one of the more powerful figures in Bordeaux. The challenge is not to make what the customer wants. The reality is that for the most part (and this is not only limited to wine, or French wine), the customer doesn't know jack. I have opined on this before and one need look no further than their local uber-mall to see that most people think a 'Bloomin' Onion' is eating high on the hog. I have contended that the big difference between the Old World and New is a matter of markets. The Old World makes a market for their wine, whereas the New World makes their wine for a market. I will grant that if one is in the business a making money (and alot of it), the New World model obviously makes more sense. That, however, in no way makes it better. To the contrary. 'To simplify your offer' would be like pissing up a rope. And it is counter to all things wine, including French wine. To simplify is to realize defeat. And if this were to happen, what a sad world it would be.

"Thus the prospect of consumers being able to select a syrah from the Chateauneuf-de-Pape region is not far off. The only question is whether it would be labeled under the Australian name for the grape, a shiraz?"

With all due respect, the prospect already exists. For those of you who are unaware, there are 13 grapes that are permissible in the production of Châteaneuf-du-Pape. That is, the producers are limited to 13 varieties, yet precious few use anywhere near that many. At most, you will find the final blend on most of these wines made up of 4-5 grapes, with Syrah and Grenache battling it out for the lead role. So, assuming the almighty consumer can put down the L.L. Bean catalog for about a minute, remembering this fact is really not all that much of a stretch. Or maybe it is. It is, after all, this same consumer that keeps myriad tabloids in business reporting the goings-on of Beniffer and Bradniston. Oh, and about that Shiraz bit? I seriously doubt that any of the producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape will start using this monkier. I understand the whole 'If you can't beat 'em, join em' thing, but I don't see it happening here.

"Changing the label is but one step in a helping the ailing French industry. Consolidation has been a major trend in the global wine industry and France has a fragmented industry. Bordeaux alone has over 10,000 growers while Australia has some 1,600 wineries and the US a total around 4,000."

The first statement is more or less true. And depending on who you talk to and who you believe, the 'consolidation' has had more of an effect on the 'ownership' of said properties than it has on the wines that are produced by them. I have my doubts about the long term effect of the consolidation thing, but either way, it's really just a matter of big corporations becoming even bigger. I fail to see any real correlation between the number of wineries that a particular country has, and its percentage of market share. Italy has over 22,000 wineries and they seem to being okay. Or maybe they're not. I think its kind of funny how it's always the French that get put up on the pedestal only to become target practice for a bunch of people that 'know what France needs to do'.

For the umteenth time, here's what I think they should do. Do not give in on the practice of labelling by place-name. It makes absolute sense and people will figure it out. Make use of the back label. Instead of leaving this for the importers' name and the Surgeon General's warning, use this space to give a more detailed description of the wine inside. The clowns in California and Australia are doing this, albeit with the same 6-7 descriptors that are so vague/useless that after reading three or four of them one realizes that every wine ever made goes great with pasta, grilled meats, chicken, cheese, and just about anything else one might consider eating. French is a beautiful language. Make use of it. I understand that some things might not translate perfectly, but what the hell?!? The answer to most of France's woes is in education. That and the US dollar. I don't have that many ideas on the money thing, but France, you can sleep well knowing that this dumb white boy in South Georgia is doing his best to spread the word.

Please don't make my work in vain.

Just remember, I told you so.

Because as soon as Monsieur Parker rates this one, it will be 'Las Rocas' all over again. That's assuming Mr. Solomon decants this wine before the tasting.

The wine: 2003 Bodegas Emeterio Fernández 'La Legua' Cigales

I have been running with this wine for some time now (i.e months) and while none of the monkeys (retail) here in Savannah have picked up on it, it seems the hell-hole that is Atlanta has. As such, the supply is nil. Word has it a container left Spain this week, so it should be back in about a month. I suspect that between now and then, the ratings will come out and it's going to be off to the races.

For the Spanish-challenged readers, the wine come from the Cigales region of Spain. I know it's in another language, so think the first part of 'Cigar' and then tack on the maker of those tasty potato chips, Lay's. It is located in the region of the Valladolid. Another funny word. Think Vaya-dough-lead (as in not to follow). The importer of the wine is Eric Solomon and he along with Jorge Ordoñez (another importer) are bringing Spain and its wines to the front and center. This vintage of La Legua is 94% Tempranillo (Temp-rah-knee-yo) and 6% Garnacha (aka Grenache). Pricing varies, but I have seen it from $9-$12US. I sell it for $10.75 and it's worth every penny, and then some.

My first encounter with this wine was during a tasting of 12-13 Spanish reds. The La Legua was about #3 in the line-up. I tasted it, jotted down a few notes, and inquired as to the price. The wine performed about what a $10-$11 bottle should. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. I trust this post is proof that the latter is not true. After going through the remaining ten or so wines, I step out on the lanai for a tasty tobacco flavored treat. Upon returning, I set about re-visiting the wines. This is a practice I do as often as possible (sometimes tasting at 9.00 in the morning then re-tasting at 5.00 at night) because wines being the living things that they are, they can and often do change dramatically. Enter La Legua.

What I had initially written off as some entry-level bottle of decent ripple had gone through the vinous version of Bill Bixby (Don't make me mad...) to Lou Ferrigno. Subsequent bottles (and there have been many) have proven this process to take about 15-20 minutes from when the cork is pulled. Again, straight-away the wine has the usual suspects of your average 'quaffable' juice. Muted/non-exciting nose, decent fruit, tannins are present, maybe a bit strong but all in all, somewhat blasé. Given a little time, this wine explodes. Aromatics of leather, earth, dry-aged beef scream from the glass. The palate unfolds giving incredible dark fruits which help balance out the tannin that seems abit strong at the outset. Another flavor that comes through and one that I have found in other wines from nearby (specifically Toro) proved intitally hard to pin down. The F.A. and I went round and round about it. The consensus: buttered popcorn. I know that sounds like the last things you would want in a wine (unless you can't get enough CA. Chardonnay), and especially a Spanish red, but I think its pretty accurate. Possibly a combination of the terroir (effectively high desert with extreme temperature fluxuations) and the barrels in which it is aged (French and American). Either way, this is a wine to seek out. I have yet to find a client that wasn't impressed by this wine. I suspect you will be too.

From a Spanish wine website:

"En la tierra de los rosados hay tambien grandes tintos, este es un ejemplo"

Translation: In the land of rosés, there are also great reds, this is an example.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Flavor Of The Month(s)?

Let me make one thing clear: I have not seen the movie 'Sideways'

With that said, if current trends keep up, I may go to my grave that way. This is not because of some aversion to Hollywood, although I have many. I've got nothing personal against the cast, Paul Giamatti is brilliant. Ironically, what may prevent me from losing a couple hours of my life that I will never get back is simply a matter of attitude. An attitude that has apparently been embraced by the industry I love and in which I am trying to make a living. I know that I am jaded but allow me to explain.

Since the release of this film, I would venture that no more than 6 waking hours have passed without an email, phone call, or patron telling me that I have to see this film. What's more, since the movie has gained in popularity (and more so after it was nominated) I have read almost daily about some wine shop somewhere who can't keep Pinot Noir in stock, a shop that has put together a mixed case of wines featured in the film, or some enterprising company who guides 'Sideways' tours. While some of this might be expected, I feel that is has long since gotten out of hand.

Let me offer an analogy. I live in Savannah, Georgia. A while back a man named John Berendt wrote a book about some goings-on here. The book sold about 500 billion copies. It was then made into a movie and raked in more cash. As a result of both, thousands of people come to this little piece of paradise. Some, without a doubt, can get their noses out of 'The Book' long enough to truly appreciate the beauty that is Savannah. Others, not so much. One could argue that without 'The Book' and 'The Movie' many people would never have known about this town. I would agree and counter that shortly after getting done with one of the 10 or so tours, many of the 'guests' proceed to tell us locals how great wherever the hell they came from is and what Savannah 'needs to do'. With all due respect, I don't give a shit how they do it in Boulder, or New York, or San Francisco.

What's the point? The same argument could be made of 'Sideways'. 'This movie is bringing people around to Pinot', one says....'At least it's getting them off Merlot', chimes another....'It's great for Santa Barbara',...and blah, blah, blah. Here's the crux of the matter. What I take issue with is how one grape is heralded while another is somehow marginalized. In the line that is most often repeated to me , one character proclaims 'I ain't drinking no fucking Merlot.' I would agree but for my own reasons. Primarily, because the vast majority of it from California is crap. But that's another story.

The idea of promoting (read 'shoving it down the consumers' throat) one particular grape over another is short-sighted and silly. The reason some people are getting off the Merlot train (other than the one previously stated) is that they have come to realize that there is no one ideal wine. Better said, there is a time and a place for Merlot, just as there is with Pinot Noir and the myriad other grapes grown throughout the world. To re-iterate the analogy above, there's a reason Boston is different from Los Angeles and Venice and Madrid. This doesn't make Boston better (although they may disagree), just different. In an attempt to make a quick buck, wineries, retailers and distributors alike are setting themselves up to be a momentary presence in someone's life, ultimately carrying the same cultural significance as the pet rock. 'You know, that guy made a million dollars' (Credit to Mike Judge and Office Space).

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe this movie and the wines featured in it will bring millions into the fold and wine will be present at every meal on every table across this country. For some reason, I doubt it. Of course, most of the Pinots from California that I have had recently are more akin to Syrah than anything remotely resembling their French counterparts. And isn't Syrah supposed to be the next big thing? How convenient.

And for the last time (I wish), yes they do make Pinot Noir in France. And when you reach the end of your rope with 'the fucking Merlot' (or for that matter, the Pinot Syrah), give me a call or drop me an email. There is a whole world in about 23,000 acres known as Burgundy.

'Come on in boys, the water is fine.' (Free bottle of Passetoutgrains for whoever can correctly identify the source of that quote. Just kidding the BATF and the DOR would have me drawn and quartered.)

My Apologies

From ABC - Australia:

Man hurt in grape harvester mishap

Wednesday, 16 February 2005

A man has been taken to hospital after becoming trapped in a grape harvester on a Lyrup property in the early hours of this morning.

It is believed the incident happened about 1:00am ACDT.

State Emergency Service crews were called to the scene and were able to free the man from the machine.

The man is believed to be badly bruised, but it is unknown what other injuries he sustained from the accident.

I think the timing should be a dead giveaway. Folks around here say that nothing but trouble happens after midnight. Of course, these same people are, for the most part, closet prohibitionists. But maybe they're right. Think of what all that 24% Alc/Vol Shiraz would do to your faculties.

The man is believed to be badly bruised? I would recommend he be de-stemmed, given a temperature controlled maceration, followed by a cold stabilization, and then racked for 18-24 months with someone coming by to occasionally stir his lees.

Again, I apologized in advance.

Why not shoot for the moon?

It appears that the rub between Bronco Wine Company and The Napa Valley Vintners Association is reaching a fevered pitch. Evidently, they're gearing up for a dance with the big boys.

Wine label case before top court

It seems to me that the Supreme Court has a good bit on its plate these days and the chances of the Big 9 actually hearing this one out are slim to none. I find it somewhat ironic that more than a few members of the NVV stand to benefit moreso from the S.C. decision on interstate transportation than the use of the word 'Napa'. Be that as it may, I support the NVV's fight for place name protection. I also support equal protection for regions that are far older and far more important (alright, that last one was a matter of personal opinion, but still...)

Linda Reiff has been getting a good bit of ink lately, and being executive director of the NVV, I suppose this shows that she's doing her job. Here's her argument:

"We have put over $1 million into this fight in legal fees, it is a huge issue, a tremendous issue for the Napa Valley and the name Napa," Reiff said. "The vintners have worked hard to produce great wines and build up this region and now have to protect it."

Fair enough. And what's that about Champagne? Here's the other side of the coin:

"If someone was to raise his hand and say there is some confusion, deal with it like you do with other products. If you have Hawaiian punch, it doesn't come from Hawaii. Maybe there is a call for a disclaimer on the back."

This is brilliant! I would pay a pretty penny to hear a lawyer make this case in front of the Supreme Court. This type of logic is almost as good as the argument the states went in with a few months back: We do it for the kids.

Truth? What you know about that?

This is beautiful.

Napa Valley Vintners Files Brief with U.S. Supreme Court to Defend Truth in Labeling

The article is rather short so read it if you like. This is the statement that simply takes the cake:

"The Napa Valley Vintners remain totally committed to defending our position, the basis of which is simple:Consumers understand that food -- and wine in particular -- is very much a product of the place where it's grown," says Linda Reiff, executive director of the Napa Valley Vintners. "Washington apples, Florida oranges, Napa Valley wine -- if you can't rely on a label to clearly tell you where your food, or in this case, wine is from, then you don't know what you are buying. It's a matter of consumer protection. Place names imply unique qualities and characteristics. The bottom line is that a wine label shouldn't suggest the grapes come from Napa unless they really do." (emphasis and underlining: T.t.S)

So what does the above statements say about the practices of the French (and most of Europe) that are always being derided? I thought the French were just making up that whole terroir bit. And if you want to start talking about consumer protection, you need look no further that the AOC system that is in place in France (and it's counterparts across Europe). How about this? Why not protect the consumer from Malolactic/New Oak-induced comatose. That would be a real public service.

So is it safe to assume that once the NVV gets their way, they will cease and desist the use of Champagne and other words of this ilk? For some reason, I doubt it.

When I say Old World, I mean Old World

For real:

Unique Grape Sort Discovered in Bulgaria

Lifestyle: 14 February 2005, Monday.

Bulgarian historians discovered a grape sort unknown by now.

The grape was found near the mythical Orpheus temple located in Southern Bulgaria. Experts point out that it is still not possible to explain how the 3,000-year-old plant grew up and survived near the temple, as there are no wine yards in the region.

Still, Bulgarian historians are exploring the version that the vine was used for the produce of ancient world hailed "heavy, red wine" made by the ancient Thracians.

The historians called the unique grape sort "Orpheus Tear."

I'm sure it's only a matter of time before somebody proclaims this to be 'the next cool thing' and starts planting acres across California

Super, you say?

***This one may go on for a bit. Hopefully it will be worth reading.***

Last week I took the opportunity to revisit a wine I hadn't had in some time. The wine: Fattoria Valtellina 'Convivio' 1996. The back label reads simply:

RED TABLE WINE
1996
CONVIVIO
VINO DA TAVOLA DI TOSCANA

This is a bit misleading and modest as the words (both in English and Italian) imply this to be a simple wine that one would drink casually over dinner. Of course, one could do that with this wine but it is so much more.

This wine, along with myriad others falls under the general catagory of 'Super-Tuscan'. Many people, layman and critic alike, get all sorts of excited at the mere mention of the phrase. And more often than not, the wines warrant this kind of affection, but I suspect that most people don't know what the big deal is. It is this that I will try to clear up.

The moniker 'Super-Tuscan' was created to describe wines made in the region of Tuscany but made in 'un-accepted' methods, or more specifically, made with 'un-approved' grapes. Actually, the latter is only partially true, the crux of the matter is the percentage of 'foreign' grapes in the final blend. To give some context, the mother grape of Tuscany is the Sangiovese (San-gee-oh-vay-say). This is the primary grape in Chianti (and its related subregions) and it produces wines of varying quality, from incredibly disappointing to literally 'life-changing'. In the 1970's and 1980's, a number of producers started making wines that had greater percentages of traditionally French grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The local laws permit these grapes to be only 10% of the final blend. Most of the 'Super-Tuscans' you will find today start with 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and go up from there, the remainder being usually Sangiovese.

Are they really 'super'? Well, for the most part, yes. I have had Sassicaia, Ornellaia, and Tignanelloa, and while the wines may not be what you would expect from your average Tuscan, they were phenomenal. Another thing that was phenomenal was the price. Thankfully, I didn't have to pay for any of these wines. Suffice it to say, these things are astronomical in what they command. Unfortunately, this is driven mostly by the hype given them through the press. These are generally considered 'trophy' wines and I fear that most of them produced will never be consumed, merely shown off. Enough about that, let us on to the wine at hand.

Fattoria Valtelline 'Convivio' 1996. I keeping with the usual blend this wine is 75% Sangiovese and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate makes four wines, of which the Convivio is the flagship. The vineyards are farmed organically, yields are kept very low and the wine is aged 16-22 months in French oak, depending on the vintage. All in all, this wine is amazing. Here's how it went down.

The Financial Advisor prepared dinner. Whole Roasted Chicken stuffed with Lemon, Onion, and Sage, Mashed Potatoes with Fresh Horseradish, and Sautéed Asparagus with Sel de Mer and Fresh Garlic. I opened the bottle around 8:30 in the pee em. Straight away, the aromatics of the wine gave the tell-tale acidity that I always enjoy in Italian reds. (Truth be known, Acidity is a must for me. It should be for you as well. I will opine on this in a future post) The chicken didn't want to go down without a fight, and as such required longer cooking time than anticipated. We got to table around 9:20. During this time, the wine had begun to flesh out a good bit. That's a term throw around alot, but for those of you unsure about it, it means exactly what it implies. The wine had 'stretched out' metaphorically speaking and the aromatics and palate were broader than when it initially hit the glass. When queried, the F.A. said that on the nose, the wine smelled "not of pee or poo, but more like hay and horses". Her words, not mine. I took it to mean that wine showed a hint of brett (brettanomyces) with a strong dried leather aromatic and the vibrant acidity one would expect with a wine from Chianti. With the food, it went very well. The tannins in the wine were kept well in check by the chicken. The sage, while not overbearing in the meat of the bird seemed to bring out an herbal asthetic to the wine. I mean that in a positive way, and while it may easy to say the wine tasted like sage, that would be incorrect. The closest analogy that I can think of is the garrigue that certain critics speak of when talking of wines from the Southern Rhône and Provence. Awesome!

The F.A. needed to get her 'marginal foodstuff' fix and requested that I run her to McDonald's for a hot fudge sundae. Against my better judgement, I relented and off we went. For those unfamiliar with Savannah, the restaurant in question is literally about a mile away from my house. Total time spent on said sundae (including the 2 minutes in travel to and from): 40 minutes. Unbelievable.

Back at the house, I returned to the wine. The acidity on the palate was still present, yet toned down. Not surprising given the amount of time in glass. What was interesting was how the wine had progressed as a whole. It drank like a 'quasi-Barolo' i.e. A nice Burgundy with an uber-shot of tannin. Is this wine at its peak? I seriously doubt it. The levels of both acidity and tannin suggest to me that this wine could easily hold for another 4-5 years and will continue to drink well for 3-4 after that. All in all, this was (is, and will continue to be) a very nice bottle of wine.

Mr. Parker wrote of this wine something along the lines that "it is priced for the rich and famous". I retail this wine at $53. While that may not fit into your 'everyday' budget (and it certainly doesn't fit into mine), this is a far cry from what the more 'well known' Super-Tuscans that are on the market, particularly the big three I mentioned earlier.

Been away for a bit

But I have returned. Mired in the world of accounting and home improvement, I have not had the time as of late to keep fighting the good fight. My apologies.

We now return to the originally scheduled programming.

Enter the Rodenator

or more specifically, The Rodenator Pro. A look at their website speaks nothing of the entry level version, so I reckon everybody that buys one of these is a 'Pro'.

It seems like a pretty good concept and if you are interested, they have a video of this thing in the field. (May not be 56K friendly)

Aside from the crappy sort-of-James Bond-theme music, this looks pretty cool. The only other thing I might question is the use of the words 'humanely' and 'extermination'. I would assume that the gopher might have a different take on all that.

Bill Murray's got nothing on this guy.

The whole point of posting this is because apparently they use this device in vineyards. Not sure how this fits into the organic/bio-dynamic equation. Maybe, just fine seeing as oxygen, propane (to a lesser extent), and decomposing gophers are all natural. Right?

"Man, I need a fish sandwich. Where's Hardee's!?!

***Optional Title - What's a Christian honoring Lent supposed to do?***

I'm starting to think there is something more to the saying 'Ignorance is Bliss' :

"Jan. 31, 2005
St. Louis, MO

HARDEE’S® ADDS BEER-BATTERED COD FISH ITEMS TO MENU

HARDEE’S® ADDS BEER-BATTERED COD FISH ITEMS TO MENU
Fish Supreme Sandwich and Fish ‘N’ Chips Basket Featured During Lenten Season

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – January 31, 2005 – Beginning today, local Hardee’s® restaurants are offering two Lenten season menu items: the Fish Supreme Sandwich and a Fish ‘N’ Chips Basket. Both items feature beer-battered cod fish fillets and are available at participating Hardee’s through April 10.

“As we have done with our 100% Angus beef Thickburgers™, we wanted to make sure that our Lenten fish items were very high quality,” said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Hardee’s. “So we’re using only premium cod fish fillets with real beer in the batter.”

The Fish Supreme Sandwich features two beer-battered cod fish fillets, a slice of American cheese, iceberg lettuce and tartar sauce on a buttered, toasted bun. The Fish ‘N’ Chips Basket includes three beer-battered cod fish fillets, French fries and tartar sauce. The suggested retail price for the Fish Supreme Sandwich is $2.99; for the Fish ‘N’ Chips Basket, $5.49. Prices may vary.

I'm at a loss for words.

Maybe not. Remember the 'WWJD' paraphernalia that was all the rage a while back. Well, I think we know the answer. Jesus would teach a man to fish, but since that takes a few hours, he would have taken his 'disciple' down to the nearest deepfryer, tossed the cod in with some Miller Lite and a little flour, fried the hell out of it, thrown some 'yellow' cheese and tartar sauce on for good measure, and then charged his new 'buddy' six bucks.

It's great to see a gastronomic institution such as this keeping a mindful eye on religous observances.

The Art of Making Milk - Part 2

For a house that normally doesn't grant alot of interviews, the folks at E. & J. Gallo seem to be making the rounds. I had previously opined on certain business practices of this house and the man at the center of most of it was Mr. Gerry Glasgow. It looks like he's back for round two:

"Gerry Glasgow, Gallo vice president of marketing, said the company was pleased with the recognition.

"We think it is significant. It shows the success we've had in the market. The company understands the consumer and develops products consumers are looking for," Glasgow said."

A few years back, they had a bit of an oil problem going on in this country. Truth be known, it's still going on. But anyway, back in the 80's, Chrysler did a little market research and came to the conclusion that the average driver needed to get from one cubicle at home to another cubicle at work. In other words, simple transportation. The result: The K-Car. True, it was what the consumer was looking for, but I'm not sure the word 'significant' applies.

"While the wines use grapes from those countries, they are made to Gallo's specifications based on market research that identifies consumer tastes and market niches."

Could we get a ruling on the use of the word 'niche', please? I think the phrase 'market niches' to mean one area of the country is partial to the nuances of Sancerre or the subtleties of Pouilly-Fumé, not the differences between the 'McRib' and the 'Monster Thickburger'. (All props to McDonald's and Hardee's repectively for these 'significant' culinary contributions)

I suppose this might explain why Gallo stopped calling me for advice some time back.

An honest man in Washington?

Sounds about as likely as a 'sane' politician in California. But there appears to be at least one. Who knew? Here's the whole thing for the link-following challenged:

"Dear editor,

I would like to further explain why the Calistoga City Council voted against naming Highway 29 the "Robert Mondavi Highway."

First, knowing that Mr. Mondavi is alive and well, it is inappropriate for such a significant tribute to be considered at this time. This was an idea hatched in the office of Sen. Wes Chesbro and the timing of this endeavor gives the appearance of being politically motivated.

The resolution honoring Mr. Mondavi was first introduced to the Napa County Transportation Planning Agency board, which oversees all transportation issues in Napa County. It was passed unanimously. However, there was a "condition." The condition was that the board's support for the name change was subject to the support of the wine industry. The board listed seven different wine industry organizations and thus far, only a few have taken action.

The problem with this vote of support, however, is that it has created a false pretense that there's valley-wide support. Additionally, who wants to say "no" to Robert Mondavi, especially when you're being told by Wes Chesbro's office that everybody in Napa Valley supports the initiative? The impetus for proposing this legislation should have come from the wine industry and not from Sen. Chesbro's office. Additionally, it should have come at a later time to avoid a potentially embarrassing situation.

Since we've now been forced to debate the merits of the proposal, people in Calistoga feel there are other men who have contributed equally to what the Napa Valley is today, and to grant something as significant as naming the main thoroughfare through the Valley is too big to bestow on any one man.

Calistogans have great admiration for Bob Mondavi. However, we must not forget that "Robert Mondavi" now represents big business and is now a corporate icon. His winery recently sold for $1.36 billion. That's billion with a "B." He was a visionary and a master of marketing and has been rewarded handsomely for his success. And because of this, there are numerous accolades already in his name.

The long-term success of the Napa Valley depends on the preservation of the intricate balance between agriculture and commercialism; however, agriculture always has to remain number one. It is the small family wineries that are now the treasures of the Napa Valley and they should not be overshadowed. God bless Bob Mondavi, but let's not "Disneyfy" the Napa Valley and turn it into "Mondaviland."

Michael Dunsford

City Council Member

Calistoga"

Right on, Dunsford!

A True Loss

Posted to jancisrobinson.com

Farewell Hans Selbach

I never had the opportunity to meet the patriarch of the Selbach family. I did however, have the occasion to spend time and enjoy a meal with one of his sons, Johannes. It was and still is one of the most informative and enjoyable experiences that I have had to date. Johannes was candid, honest, and incredibly personable. The time he spent with the Financial Advisor and myself brought front and center the reason I enjoy wine as I do.

If the old adage about 'the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree' holds any water, I can only imagine the knowledge and desire to share it with others that Hans Selbach possessed.

Farewell, indeed.

Is the world coming to an end?

I generally limit the comments here to the world of wine. Occasionally, I will pipe off on food and my love of Bourbon. All and all, these are subjects of an 'adult' nature. In keeping with that theme, here are a couple of reasons you may want to touch up that 'Last Will and Testament'.

First up, All Nude Drive-Thru

That's right, a drive-thru. For the low, low sum of $400K, you could be the proud owner of the only one in the world. It seems that there may be a new low in laziness. I have long contended that instead of going to the strip bar, one should simply roll down their window on the way and throw the money into the wind. Maybe someone was listening to me.

And then, Nude juice bar squeezes past legal challenges

Unbelievable! What the hell is going on in Salem, South Dakota? Bob Rieger is either a complete moron or a total genius. I suppose there's a fine line between the two.

"The mix of nude dancers, orange juice and black-and-white independent films wasn’t in Bob Rieger’s original business plan."

I should hope not. But when life gives you lemons, I suppose the logical thing to do is hire a naked lady and charge people to watch her make lemonade.

"... fend off a two-year barrage of challenges from politicians and outraged members of Citizens Against Nude Juicebars and Pornography."

Gee, it seem the members stayed up all night coming up with the title of this PAC. I wonder what/who it is they're fighting against? The article is hilarious and I would recommend reading it. To wrap it up:

"Republican state Sen. Clarence Kooistra plans to take the fight to the next level and propose a state law that would require Rieger’s dancers to cover up.

“We do not want the Salem area and McCook County to be known as Sin City, South Dakota,” he says."

With all due respect, Mr Kooistra, nobody knows where Salem, South Dakota is, so I wouldn't worry too much about tarnishing that sterling reputation.

Latest American Export : Arrogance

I have long objected to the use of place names when applied to products from 'foreign' lands. Mostly this has been limited to American companies and the products that they 'mis-label'. Apparently, they are not alone: NZ spirit sticks by Italian name

If reading the article proves to be too taxing, there is a video version as well. And after watching it, the 'spokesman' for Saratoga seems to speak with a decidely 'non-Kiwi' accent. Further proof that you can lead a horse to water but you can't take the arrogance out of the jackass.

From the article:

"Grappa's been produced in Italy for around 400 years; several other countries in Europe make a similar product but European law forbids them from using the same name."

European Law among other things like respect and a conscienceness. For the record, this stuff, when made on France is called 'marc'. When made in Portugal, it is called 'bagaceira'.

Chalk another one up for lack of imagination and least common denominator thinking

WTF?!?!?

Anyone who has read this blog for any period of time should know that I am a Franco-phile. Even when the chips are down, I do my best to defend their actions (or inaction, as the case may be) to the best of my abilities. For the life of me, I can find no way to do so with this one:

'Sexy' face of Bordeaux wine is banned

In an effort to boost wine sales throughout France, some of the regulations regarding the marketing of the juice have been relaxed. Apparently, not too much. The crux of the article comes down to the differences between the following two pictures:


and

From the article:

"A court agreed with the health campaigners that the first, with the glass of wine far too close to Mrs Gachet's lips, was "too sexy" to meet the strict requirements of the so-called Evin Law which rules how alcoholic drinks can be promoted."

Unbelievable!

Don't break your arm patting yourself on the back

A few days ago, I posted a short quip about an article concerning the state of affairs in France, the surplus of wine, and the potential solutions to remedy the situation. I did so, somewhat facetiously and figured I would leave it at that. Since then, I am finding more and more blogs that have taken this 'football' and hauled ass off in the wrong direction.

Tom at Fermentations recently posted about this and cited more than a few blogs that are doing precisely that. He took one in particular, Neural Fusion to task over some of the initial comments made. The author, Justin, then posted a response to Tom's remarks and it is here that I would like to throw in my two cents.

To his credit, Justin did do more research for his follow-up than most probably would. And he does bring up some interesting points, but then leaves a few out as well.

"According to reports, American wine consumption and imports have increased steadily for the last ten years. However, imports of French wines have been falling slowly for about five years. Chalk it up to competition. The picture gets decidedly more interesting when looking at the last two years of wine imports. French wines took a nosedive in America, falling about 25% in 2003, and an additional 11% in 2004."

There can be no way of ignoring the amount of competition that has come on the scene in the last 10 years and this would obviously have some effect on overall sales of French wine. As far as the last two years are concerned, yes the picture does get 'decidely more interesting'. Especially when you take into account the relationship (or lack thereof) between the Euro and the US Dollar. I would think this to be an integral part of this picture. Look at what the exchange rates between these two have been during this time period. It is almost a mirror image to the Franch wine sales.

"This could all be circumstantial. Maybe French wine imports to the U.S. haven't fallen by about a third because they're a bunch of back-stabbing surrender monkeys."

Nice one. I just can't get enough of comments like this and it seems that no one can talk about the French without throwing in some such line. I suppose we should take down Lady Liberty and send it back, right? And may I remind everyone that Mr. Thomas Jefferson, hero to many, god to some, was a full-blown,out of the closet, bed-wetting Franco-phile.

"Expensive wines tend to be more valued than cheap wines, French wines (tended to be) more valued than Australian wines. So, it seems the French have built a wine industry on a reputation of snobbery."

There is a reason a Ford Escort only costs $10K. And that reason is because no moron is willing to pay $11K for it. Along this thinking, I suppose Ferrari is 'King Shit' when it comes to pulling the wool over peoples' eyes. The main reason the French wines have been more valued (i.e. desired) is because of pedigree and track record. I understand it may be hard to fathom, but Australia wasn't even a bug on the windshield until recently. It is true that there are some amazing wines coming out of Australia but even still, the big dog is Grange and that is because of the history and longevity associated with the wine.

" French wines tend to cost over $20.00 a bottle. Wine.com's 90 under 20 list contains 4 French wines costing less than $20.00. California, by comparison has 25. This can most likely be chalked up to regulatory burden."

Oh boy. In a word, this is Horse shit. I am ready, capable, and more than willing (interstate laws permitting) to introduce Justin and anybody else out there to a whole slew of French wines that don't cost $20. Of course, doing anymore research than Wine.com would have made this very obvious. And speaking of Wine.com, their '90 under 20' list is based solely on ratings. Ratings from all the big boys. Another stretch I know, but to lack Parker's seal of approval plonk this does not make. There are myriad wines (and myriad reasons) that never get face time with Laube, Tanzer and the like. Of course, since most people wouldn't piss with their pants on fire unless Spectator told them it would get 87 points, I'm sure this comes as a huge surprise. And then to speak of burden? How about this for burden? Take into account simply producing a wine that is true to form and place. Then try shipping it across the ocean. But to do that, and insure that what arrives on our shores isn't really pretty vinegar, you must ship in refrigerated containers. Once in port, the Bioterrorism Law (which Justin cited for sales figures) kicks in and the wine can be hung up in the red tape for weeks. Once it gets through that, the wine then has to be trucked from NYC or Savannah or any port across the damn country, again in a 'refer' trailer. For the wine to have gone through all of this and still be available to you at $9.00 is no minor miracle. Of course, this is all predicated on the wine actually being wine instead of cutely packaged Kool-Aid. And while it's true California must deal with similar shipping issues to get their wine to Georgia, the whole pond thing is a non-issue. What French wine is good and costs 9 bucks? Delas Frères Côtes-du- Ventoux 2002. Oh yeah, I forgot, you don't even drink wine, so forget it.

And furthermore, can you really participate in a boycott of something you don't even use?

The reality is that there are many forces at work that have brought France (and the world of wine) to where it is. If it makes you feel good 'boycotting' the French, so be it. The initial 'boycott' did precious little to truly effect the French. All that wine that was passed over or poured out was already paid for by an American, maybe even your neighbor. It seems silly to me that one would forego a 'pleasure' for some sort of retribution. But then again, I can (and do)separate a people from their government. Another novel idea, maybe one to look into.

Crist is alive and well....

and living in Florida where he's apparently the Attorney General. Crist, I thought you were a carpenter not a lawyer. It looks like there is a small movement brewing in Florida to change how 'The Sunshine State' deals with interstate/direct shipping. And evidently, Old Jeb is for the change. So where's the hold up? Cue the Crist-dude:

"Attorney General Charlie Crist, also a Republican, joined representatives of businesses that would be hurt by the legislation at a news conference Tuesday to support current practices.

"Florida law properly exercises tight control over alcohol sales and helps keep kids from getting their hands on beer, wine and liquor," Crist said."

Crist, you're a liar! And an uneducated one at that:

"The attorney general said he had not read either senator's proposed legislation, but the coalition of businesses and law enforcers at the news conference issued a statement specifically opposing the Dockery and Saunders legislation."

Brilliant!

Words To Live By

My brother turned me on an economic article. Usually these things bring the kind of excitement one gets when opening a jar of mayonnaise. This one may too, except for the second paragraph:

"When she sat down for dinner with her host family on her very first night, she asked for some water with her meal, a common request in the United States. Yet, the response she got from a 75-year-old Italian was not what she expected:"Wine is for drinking, water is for washing," he said. With this, she was welcomed into the world of living and studying abroad, and this incident stuck with her and became the theme of her valedictorian speech at her graduation ceremony 3 years later. She will always look upon a glass of water in a different light as will many who heard her speech."

So there's your thought for the day.