March 9, 2010 at 6:40 pm (California Taste Fine Wine, Collecting, Food, Tasting, Uncategorized, wine critics)
Tags: California Taste Fine Wine, Food, Taste, Tasting
A recent article on ABCnews.com stated that fro women, a glass of wine a day helps keep down the weight. Now I ma one for acknowledging that wine in drinking in moderation has a few benefits, especially to the cardiovascular system.
But weight? A typical glass of wine has about 140 calories. That coupled with a nice meal and the calorie count jumps up pretty quickly. The study had this to say:
The study started out with nearly 20,000 trim middle-aged and older women. Over time, women who drank alcohol in moderation put on less weight and were less apt to become overweight compared to non-drinkers. This was true even after taking into account various lifestyle and dietary factors that might influence a woman’s weight.
Red wine seemed best at keeping weight in check, but white wine, beer and spirits also had some benefit.
“Our study results showed that middle-aged and older women who have normal body weight initially and consume light-to-moderate amount of alcohol could maintain their drinking habits without gaining more weight compared with similar women who did not drink any alcohol,” Dr. Lu Wang from the division of preventive medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, noted in an email to Reuters Health.
The new study, published in the latest issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, is the first to examine ties between alcohol consumption by a normal-weight individual and the risk of becoming overweight or obese.
The women were all at least 39 years old when the study began. About 38 percent said they did not drink alcohol; 33 percent said they drank less than 5 grams daily (a standard drink has about 10 grams of alcohol); 20 percent drank 5 to less than 15 grams daily; 6 percent drank 15 to less than 30 grams daily; and 3 percent downed 30 grams of alcohol or more daily (about 2 to 3 drinks per day or more).
Over an average of about 13 years, the women generally gained weight. However, the teetotalers gained the most weight, with weight gain decreasing with increasing amount of alcohol consumed.
Women who did not drink gained an average of 3.63 kilograms (8 pounds) compared with 1.55 kilograms (3.4 pounds) for those who consumed 30 grams of alcohol or more each day.
During the 13 years the initially normal-weight women were followed, 41 percent became overweight or obese. Women who drank 15 to less than 30 grams per day had the lowest risk of becoming overweight or obese, which was 30 percent less than that of non-drinkers.
Put another way, Wang said an initially trim woman who did not drink alcohol had about a 43 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese over 13 years. Her risk fell to 33 percent if she drank 15 to 30 grams of alcohol a day.
Women who drank higher amounts of alcohol were generally more physically active, weighed slightly less at the outset and were more apt to be smokers, than other women. However, the association between drinking and less weight gain and risk of becoming obese.
So if you drink, the unfortunate fact is that you tend to gain a little. Wine drinking is part of a lifestyle that includes rich meals and shared experiences with friends. I tend to think that we are responsible for most of what we put in our bodies. I know that I have a few bad habits. and when you are with friends who drink, then things at times get a bit out f hand. Ad as we grow older, we do not metabolize things as rapidly. I know that I cannot drink as much as i used to, without suffering the effects the ext day.
So yes, I encourage people to enjoy wine in moderation and make it part of a healthy lifestyle. Wine should not be used as a tool for weight control. Just let it enhance your meal as you Uncork a Little Happiness.
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March 2, 2010 at 9:24 pm (Age, Barbera, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Chardonnay, Comparisions, Earthiness, Fruit, Laguna Niguel, Lake County, Malbec, Napa, Nebbiolo, Paso Robles, Petit Sirah, Pinot Noir, Red Fruit, Soil, Sonoma, Syrah, Tasting, Tempranillo, wine critics, Winemakers, Zinfandel)
Tags: Acid, Adam Carruth, Barbera, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Carruth Cellars, Cellaring, Chardonnay, chocolate, Clear Lake, Dry Creek, Earthiness, Lake County, Malbec, Merlot, Nebbiolo, Paso Robles, Pepper, Petit Sirah, Port, Port of Syrah, Retail Wine Stores, Soil, St. Olaf vineyard, Syrah, Tannins, Taste, Tempranillo, Zinfandel
Adam Carruth is a nice, unassuming guy. He is that neighborhood friend you had growing up . But when you meet him and talk to him, he has one overriding passion: Wine. You would never guess that he owns a winery and makes 17 different wines.
Adam makes a large number of wines in his north San Diego facility at Solana Beach. He buys grapes from all over California and turns them into solid, good wines at very reasonable prices. At California Taste Fine Wine in Laguna Niguel, we just had a tasting with a few of his varietals. The place was packed and mood boisterous.
We started off with his 2007 Lake County red Hills Sauvignon Blanc. This is a lean, crisp wine packed with grapefruit, citrus and lots of acid. A food wine, this Sauvignon Blanc does not scream New Zealand. And that is a good thing. It reflects its California roots with the upfront fruit and the richness that many golden state-wide wines have. A smooth finish with this one.
Next up was the 2007 Barbera. This varietal, originally from Italy, grows well throughout California. This wine hails from Clear Lake and has a rich velvety mouthfeel with plenty of black and red fruit characteristics. Wen you are unsure what to serve with pasta and red sauce or the fully loaded pizza, this is a fun choice. And this wine is low in tannins.
Adam sometimes takes a bit of his wines and makes what he calls “Friends Blend.” The 2007 blend has Zinfandel, Cabernet , Malbec and Petit Sirah. This is a perfect red table wine and it is another very smooth finishing wine.
Next was the Yolo County Tempranillo. It seems that this spicy finishing wine has become the favorite in the store. One of our employees likes this the day after Thanksgiving with a perfectly made turkey sandwich. As for me, I think the fruit and earthiness are a perfect match to a Chile Relleno. Many would prefer beer, but the red does not amplify the heat of the chili.
Adam goes to Dry Creek in Sonoma for his 2007 Zinfandel. This is not a big, heavy fruit bomb loaded with alcohol. rather it is nice example of a medium bodied wine that has a long finish with those tastes of blackberry and spice that are the hallmarks of a Zinfandel. This is a wine I like to pour at BBQs and with a steak.
Malbec is one of my favorite grapes. I feel I was ahead of the curve on this one, enjoying Malbecs twenty years ago, before most people realized it is grape often used in top Bordeaux. the 2007 Carruth Malbec has an intense fruit flavor and log finish. It is another wine to pair with BBQ or even a slow simmered pot roast. The grapes for his wine come from the St. Olaf vineyard in Lake County. This is the same vineyard that the Barbera comes from.
The 2007 Syrah is another Sonoma wine. Syrah is often overlooked by wine buyers. This Syrah is big and plummy with a finish of black pepper. Syrah is one of those very food friendly wines, that once you have a good one, memories of Cabernet Sauvignon fade away. Syrah is the next big thing one the wine scene, or so I have been told. People need to get out and try a bottle of Syrah with their favorite meal. It will open the eyes to other possibilities.
The Red Hills of Lake County are covered in grape vines. Some of those are Cabernet Sauvignon, where Adam sources his grapes for his 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. The vines struggle in the volcanic soil and produce wines with blackberries, bing and sour cherry and tobacco/mocha notes. This is a full-bodied red with minimal tannins and a long, smooth finish. The acid and fruit is very well balanced, making this a definite go to Cabernet Sauvignon.
We finished the tasting with Carruth’s 2007 Paso Robles Petit Sirah. This is a rich,dark wine that is good with roasts and osso bucco as well as say a chocolate dessert. Made for the red wine drinker who enjoys a wine that stains the glass, this a big red.
Adam makes a number of other wines including a two different Ports, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a Nebbiolo. He is also experimenting and vinifying the first ever Flor, a crossing grape from the University of Davis, California. Adam likes his wine., when people enjoy his wine, he says they are Uncorking happiness. Me, I just think they are opening a good bottle of wine.
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February 24, 2010 at 5:54 pm (Age, California Taste Fine Wine, Campagne, Collecting, Comparisions, Earthiness, Fruit, Napa, Soil, wine critics, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Bitter, Black Fruit, California Taste Fine Wine, Champagne, Cherry, Master Sommelier, Napa Valley, Nose, Retail Wine Stores, Salt, Sauvignon blanc, Soil, Sour, Sweet, Tasting, Terrior, Umami, wine, wine critics
My parents were in Napa recently and sent me a few bottles of wine to try. I am looking forward to trying them. But my dad asked, “Why have you not tried them yet?” I replied that I had to take things slowly.
As I continue my studies towards becoming a Master Sommelier, I have found that I have a much sharper nose and tasting ability if I take a day or two ff per week from tasting. This is counter intuitive to the norm where you should try as much as possible. But not drinking seems to heighten my sense.
A few friends have said that I am bit different because root beer cleanses my palate. Many in the wine industry use beer to cleanse out the taste buds. But all of this is actually very important.
We know that taste is at least 70% in the nose. When evaluating glass of wine, the firs t thing to do i to take in the bouquet or nose. That is where you get the cherries or lemon or whatever the wine has to offer. The same holds true for champagne. The mouth only gives us sweet, sour bitter, salt and Umami. Umami is the sensation of full or fattiness in the mouth. When someone says there is a great mouthfeel to the wine, then it is being experienced all over the mouth, Umami.
But by not drinking each day, it seems my sense are heightened and I get more out of each taste. The hard part is memorizing each wine and it’s smells and markers. I wish someone would send me a list of wines with accurate markers. But when doing blind valuations, it is best to stick with classic wines from classic regions. Modern wine writers have influenced many wine makers to make big, extracted wines that to me often taste homogenous with other wines. Many of these wines are fine, but too many wine makers are losing a sense of terrior or place that makes that wine distinct. I look forward to always trying to taste the difference in most wines.
Because at California Taste Fine Wine, I taste a lot of wine, I suspect I am becoming a professional wine taster. I have definite opinions. Just do not get me going on Sauvignon Blanc. You know who you are.
So when you are Uncorking Happiness, it is often best to occasionally take a break from tasting and drinking for a few hours or a day or two. The following bottle will be just that much better.
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February 23, 2010 at 7:35 pm (Age, Bordeaux, breathable glass, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Collecting, Comparisions, Earthiness, Food, Francec, glasses, Laguna Niguel, Malbec, Napa, Petit Sirah, Petit Verdot, Soil, Tasting, wine critics, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Boyd 2006 Big Ranch Cuvee, breathable glass, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Cherry, chocolate, Clos du Val, cornerstone 2005 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon, Earthiness, Hope and Grace 2006 Napa CAbernet, JR 2005 rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Modis Operandi 2007 Vicarious Red, Napa Valley, Petit Sirah, Retail Wine Stores, Rutherford Dust, Soil, Stags Leap, Tasting, Value Wines
It is not often that I say I love a certain wine tasting, but that was just the case this last Friday. We featured a few boutique wines from Napa and one solid Cabernet Sauvignon from Stags Leap district. All of the wines were big reds. The few I got to sample the day after the tasting were even better.
Which brings me to a slight digression. I am finding more and more that the wines in our tastings typically taste better on day two than day one. At California Taste Fine Wine, we do not decant that often before a tasting. The thinking goes, that if we are going to sell a bottle of wine, we like to have it just as you would at home. You are going to open and then just pour yourself a glass. That is kind of how we want to do the tastings. We want to mimic the home experience.
But Friday, these wines were all so good. We started with the Cornerstone Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc. I wrote a bit about the wine earlier (See my Cabernet Franc Post). Suffice to say, this was an excellent wine to start a tasting with. Then came the 2006 Clos du Val Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. This is actually a blend of a few wines, much like a Bordeaux. The trick with Clos du Val is to let them age a few years. The rewards are immense. This is a solid bottle of wine, with lots of black and red fruit and a long finish. The idea is to stock up and put a few into the cellar. Go back to the older vintages while you wait. At least that is what I do. And I recently had a 1981 Clos du Val Cabernet that was drinking beautifully.
We also tasted the Boyd 2006 Big Ranch Cuvee. This is a blend of 40% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Syrah. This is a big, luscious red blend that lingers. Aged in oak, they only made 325 cases. So this is one to collect.
We opened the Modis Operandi 2007 Vicarious Red. The tasters really liked this wine and this is another sudo Bordeaux blend were one of the grapes is Syrah. This is one of those wines that lingering in the head and on the tongue. Big fruit and a long finish. Again one of those low production wines. Only 12 barrels produced.
Hope and Grace 2006 Napa Cabernet was at first just okay. But on day two, it was absolutely incredible. The wine unwound to a lush nose of violets and Cassis, coupled with Oak and blackberry. Wow! Totally unexpected and quite a treat. And so smooth.
The JR 2005 Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon was yet another sleeper. The first night, the wine should the dark fruit and a hint of the famous Rutherford dust. Rutherford dust is a special earthiness that wines get in a special are of Napa. There is an alluvial fan of dirt, dust, stone and gravel that spread out eastward from Mt. St. Helena after an eruption many thousands of years ago. Wines grown in this region have a very distinct taste. There are a few areas in Chile that are similar, but a Rutherford Cabernet is a very tasty thing. On day two, this wine was in full swing. If you like Napa Cabernets, this wine would be at the top of your list.
We finished the tasting with the Cornerstone 2005 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon. Only 500 cases were produced of this black beauty. It is a very concentrated wine with plum, cherry and mocha. This was a very smooth wine and on day two, it was absolutely spectacular.
I have often thought that there are amazing values in the $30-$60 range of wines out of Napa. These wines certainly prove that point. But what I am really discovering is that so many wines are tasting better the second day. So now I think I need to open two bottles at once. I need to enjoy half of each and wait for the rewards that come with drinking the wines on day two.
And yes, this is indeed happening with a number of whites as well. You will have to experiment for yourself, but the journey is well worth it. Ask your local retailer for help in finding these boutique wines. Great reds from premier wine areas such as Napa do not have to cost $100 or more. Value is what tastes good and delivers. These wines did just that.
So think like me and open two at once. Swirl them around your mouth and enjoy as they go down like silk. Then cork them as you save save some of each for the next day. Let me know if I am not absolutely correct. If you cannot wait, decant or use breathable glass. So now you are Uncorking Happiness, times two.
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February 20, 2010 at 9:59 pm (Age, Anjou, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Chateau Passavant, Chinon, cleaning, Collecting, Comparisions, Cooking, Earthiness, Food, Francec, Fruit, LoireValley, Malbec, Napa, Paso Robles, Rose, Soil, Sonoma, Storage, Tasting, wine critics, Winemakers, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Anjou, Black Fruit, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernt Franc, Cellaring, Charles Joguet Cuvee de la Cure 2005, Chateau Passavant, Chateau Petrus, Chinon, Cornerstone Winery, Earthiness, France, Loire Valley, Malbec, Merlot, Napa Valley, Rose, Soil, Stepping Stone Cabernt Franc, Taste, Tasting
So many people have gotten into the habit of calling most reds, Cabernet. Not only are there hundreds of red grapes, but in the Cabernet family, there are quite a few as well. But the parent of all Cabernet Sauvignon and their ilk is Cabernet Franc.
It is said that Cabernet Franc was crossed with Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon was born. But dad is still around and asking for a little respect. Cabernet Franc is a major player in the Loire Valley of France and is a major grape in Bordeaux, France as well. Most of the right bank Bordeaux, that is the ones that are Merlot based are blended with Cabernet Franc, just ask Chateau Petrus. Left bank Bordeaux are also blended with Cabernet Franc, but to a lesser degree as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot take a starring role. There a number of Bordeaux from the right bank that are primarily Cabernet Franc, but it is hard to find a bottle that is 100% Cabernet Franc. Typically, something is blended in that helps the color, structure and nose of the wine.
In the Loire, in places like Anjou, they blend Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignon. These are big reds and they have a very earthy taste. The organic red blend from Chateau Passavant is a good example of how an earthy red can be made and priced very reasonably. Chateau Passavant also makes a 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Cabernet Franc Rose that is fruity and very smooth. Many Cabernet Francs can also have a sense of vegetal smell. Some say asparagus and other s say brussels sprouts. When ever you are drinking a red and you get these stemmy, green smells, typically there is Cabernet Franc present. Cabernet Sauvignon has a hint of this as well.
Chinon is considered perhaps ground zero for Cabernet Franc in the Loire Valley. Wines from this area a have a wet, earthy nose, blackberry and cherry aromas coupled with spice and oakiness. One vintage that stands out at a great price is Charles Joguet Cuvee de la Cure 2005. This is a very earthy wine and when paired with a steak, is a match made for any palate.
In California, Cabernet Franc has been growing for a long time and is now just gaining recognition. Cornerstone Winery in Nap makes a Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc. Stepping Stone is 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Merlot. It does not have any of the green characteristics of the French Cabernet Francs. It has a deep, dark blackberry and cherry taste. It might be the best California Cabernet Franc I have ever had. I kept thinking how good would this be with grilled Portobello mushrooms. There was a good acidity and a long finish. With proper storage, cellaring, this is a wine that can gae well.
It is no secret that I like some of the lesser sampled grape types like Malbec and Cabernet Franc. I think it is important to try as many grape types as possible and then as many different styles of the same grape. This helps determine your own taste. Discovering a style or varietal that pleases you is always a fun way to Uncork Happiness.
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February 4, 2010 at 4:46 am (Age, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Collecting, Earthiness, Food, Fruit, Merlot, Paso Robles, Soil, Storage, Tasting, wine critics, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Taste Fine Wine, Clos du Val, France, Italy, Languedoc, Magnums, Merlot, Retail Wine Stores, Rioja, Tannins, Tasting
I have mentioned before that it is smart to immediately start buying wines for your birthday or from your birth year. The longer you wait , the wines are more expensive and harder to find. remember to ask your friendly neighborhood wine retailer for help.
But you can also just start collecting wines you like or wines from wineries you like. That is exactly what I did. One of my favorite wineries in the world is Clos du Val in Napa Valley. This Stags Leap winery has a very French flair.
We enjoyed a magnum of 1981 Napa Cabernet. MAny will say that Napa Cabernets will not last. I beg to differ. Two Thanksgivings ago, we open a 1976 Cabernet from Clos du Val that was absolutely stunning. Both wines had abundant fruit, strong acidity and soft tannins. Each wine had a long finish and could have aged at least five more years.
One other wine we enjoyed in the last week was a 1999 Palisades Vineyard Cabernet from Clos du Val. This was another Magnum and was indeed very fruit forward. It was well balanced between fruit, tannins and acid. A real treat. And the crowd favorite.
A few thoughts about this whole birthday wine thing. First, if you can get a magnum or larger bottle, you should go for it. The little extra expense is well worth it. Larger bottles age slower and are less affected by temperature fluctuation. Plus when celebrating, typically there a few folks around and you want them to try the wine. And most importantly, wine is mean to be shared and enjoyed. It does not do any good to kep huge amounts on hand, unless your plan is to properly age the wine for future enjoyment.
We had always had a philosophy about wine buying. One for today, two for tomorrow. For me, tomorrow is now as I enjoy some great wines with a bit of age. And surprises occur all the time. I had a bottle of Chateau Lafleur Merlot from the Languedoc region of France. This is a wine that was made to be consumed right away. I buried it in the cellar and a month ago found it and popped the cork. The vintage: 1996. It was wonderful. Same thing with a 1992 Rioja. Both bottles cost about $6. Miracles can happen.
So get to a local retail shop like mine and start building that collection. You will be Uncorking Happiness with each bottle.
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January 13, 2010 at 1:27 am (California Taste Fine Wine, Comparisions, Laguna Niguel, Merlot, Napa, Tasting, wine critics, Winemakers, wineries, Zinfandel)
Tags: Ballentine, California Taste Fine Wine, Chenin Blanc, Laguna Niguel, Merlot, Petit Syrah, St. Clemnet. Three Clicks, Tasting, Winemakers, Zinfandel
It is not often that both husband and wife are wine makers. Each one doing his or her thing for winery. So it is with Bruce Devlin of Ballentine Vineyards and Danille Cyrot of St. Clement. Danielle was voted winemaker of the year for 2009. Both wineries are located in Napa, California. Ironically, they are almost directly across the street from each other.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bruce in July of last year. We tasted through the entire lineup of Ballentine wines. We also took quite a few bottles home with us. I have also tried the St. Clement wines which are consistently some of the best from a small Napa winery. The following is a copy of the press release about Saturdays tasting at California Taste Fine Wine. Marketing guru Ken Nicholas suggested we do a live blog from the event. So stay tuned. And if you are in Laguna Niguel Saturday at 4pm, try and join us.
California Taste Fine Wine is excited to host the 2009 winemaker of the year, Danielle Cyrot from St. Clement winery. She is going to face off against her husband, Bruce Devlin of Ballentine Vineyards.
Both winemakers have their own wine as well, Three Clicks. They make Sauvignon Blanc and Petit Syrah. This will be the first time that they have ever done a Southern California wine tasting.
Saturday, January 15 at 4pm, California Taste Fine Wine will be pitting Cabernet Sauvignon against Cabernet Sauvignon. Merlot vs. Merlot. And so much more.
The Chenin Blanc from Ballentine is a Wine Spectator top 100 wine and their Old Vine Zinfandel was awarded 92 points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. St. Clement has been voted best boutique winery two years in a row by Napa and Sonoma Valley Magazine. These and more will be available to sample on Saturday, January 16.
The showdown begins at 4pm and costs $25 per person. We will have cheese and crackers to nibble on as well. Reserve your space today at 949-218-9974.
For more information, contact Ken Spears at California Taste Fine Wine at 949-218-9974.
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January 8, 2010 at 4:07 pm (California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Heat, Tasting, wine critics)
Tags: California Taste Fine Wine, Cellaring, Pulltex, Taste, Vacu-vin, Zinfandel
Occasionally, it happen that we do no finish the bottle we have opened. And that is okay. The wine tends to actaully be better most of the time the next day. And a few reare wines will hold on for a week or more with just the cork stuck in the top.
But if you want to keep a bottle for a few days, the best things to do are the following. And everyone’s home is different. Different light, heat and even the amount of wine remaining in the bottle will effect it’s longevity.
1. Put the cork back in and place the bottle in the refrigerator. That is for both red and white wines. For reds, take it out and let it get back to room temperature before drinking. You can also put it back in the wine cellar as well. The goal is that since the volume of wine is less than a whole bottle, you do not want the air inside the wine to heat up.
2. Suck the air out. Air is both beneficial and damaging to wine. When you open a bottle of wine, air helps soften the tannins and starts to break down the wine. But the process does not stop once a bottle is opened. Air will eventually turn a wine into what could be very expensive vineger. Could for your lettuce, not so greta in a glass. Vacu-vins and other pump devices do the job nicely. Look for the Pulltex.
3. Gas. There are a number of products o the market that you spray into the bottle to kick out the oxygen. These will help a bottle stay a bit fresher longr, but on occasion, you can taste and smell the gas when a bottle is reopened.
4. Cooking with left over wine is always a good thing. When you can add wine to a dish instead of water, flavors are enhanced . The extra dimension of the wine in the dish makes for layers of flavor.
5. Make wine ice cubes. These are easy to make. Save the cubes in a baggie and use them when you cook.
We will save the discussion of the wines that are good for a week or more for a later blog. So a bottle of wine can be used a day or more. Do not be afraid to Uncork Happiness.
If you have left over
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January 7, 2010 at 4:17 pm (California Taste Fine Wine, Pinot Noir, Tasting, wine critics, wineries, Zinfandel)
Tags: California Taste Fine Wine, Opus One, Pinot Noir, Retail Wine Stores, Tasting, wine critics, Zinfandel
It is a cold, blustery night. What better time than to go to a local wine retailer for a sampling of wine. These types of events are the best way to hone your taste. I tell people everyday that the best way to learn about wine is to go as many wine tastings as possible. The best thing about going to a wine store wine tasting is that the store owner or wine buyer has had an opportunity to try hundreds of wines.
This means the store has brought in what they feel are the best wines for their customers based on taste, value and what the local market enjoys.I personally try hundreds of wines,some weeks the number gets to be a bit much, but I look for those very things. I think about a taste to value ratio. And when I plan a wine tasting in my store, I keep those things in mind.
A retail store can offer the both the experience ad new wine drinker opportunities to try things they might never get to do. Such as pairing Zinfandels from around the world or a survey of Pinot Noir. The goal is that these tastings are highlighting wines that are in the store and available for purchase. It is like buying a car. You are taking the wines for a test drive.
But more importantly, you are developing your own personal taste. You do not have to like every wine in the line-up, but here is the opportunity to find a wine or style that you do enjoy. That knowledge, gained over a number of tastings means that you will no longer bring home a bottle of wine that you deem to be marginal. The knowledge gained at tastings give you a baseline for wines and styles you like. This information can then be used by a smart and knowledgeable retailer to help guide you to a wine that will surprise and amaze you. And no, the more expensive the bottle does not necessarily indicate greater quality. I won’t name names, Opus One.
So go to your local retailer and try as much wine as possible. Do ask questions and help define your own personal taste. Retail wine stores want to help. And look for the small wine retailer. Large stores box stores tend to purchase from a corporate list. They miss those wines that say, only 50 cases were produced. And ask questions. There are no stupid questions.
In my store, California Taste Fine Wine, we offer at least two themed tastings a week. Fridays at 6pm and Saturdays at 4pm. It is fun to compare and contrast wines. There is always a surprise or two. The most shocking thing is that a wine that is grand on it’s own sometimes does not match well or taste as good when pitted against others in the same category. Once in a while it is placement in the line up.
The lineup is important as it is designed to have the wines that will put the “smack down” on you taste buds are usually at the end. A good in store tasting builds to a climax with the last two or three wines.
The other thing about retail store wine tastings is that the retailer will usually know all about the wine. So you can gain a a deeper understanding of the bottle as each bottle has it’s own story to tell. And if you like it and take it home to share with family and friends, you can tell the story as you Uncork Happiness.
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January 6, 2010 at 6:36 pm (California Taste Fine Wine, Comparisions, Napa, Paso Robles, Soil, Sonoma, Tasting, wine critics, wineries)
Tags: Acid, Cortese, Gavi, Italy, Loire ValleyChenin Blanc, Mosby, Nickel & Nickel, pa, Paso Robles, Soil, Sonoma, Zinfandel
There is never a happier moment when you get to a winery and prepare to sample the wine. You are happy and in a receptive mood for enjoying the experience and learning about the winery.Tasting at a winery is the best way to learn intimate details about the winery and the believes of the winemaker(s).
So let’s start with the wine. typically the tasting is designed to help open your palette. Often, people say they only like red wines and tend to ignore the whites or Roses. That is a huge mistake. Often the whites and Roses highlight a certain grape varietal that might be unique to to the winery. Two cases in point are the Chenin Blanc at Ballantine in Napa Valley. An absolutely incredible wine, value priced. Chenin Blanc, which finds it’s main home in the Loire Valley of France is a very versatile grape. The wine from Ballentine takes the fruit forward nature of California and combines it with the high acidity and finish of a french Chenin. At Mosby winery in Santa Barbara, they specialize in Cal/Ital varietals. One of those is the Cortese grape. Often known as Gavi, this white is the perfect alternative to Chardonnay. Again, here is perfect example of combning the best of California with the best of Italy. So do not skip the whites and Roses.
When at a winery, try to learn about the wine making techniques. The soil and why the winemaker choose to do things a certain way. This were each wine starts to distinguish themselves. A good case n point is Nickel & Nickel. When at the winery, they have tubes that highlight the various soil types of their single vineyard wines. The wines taste so different because of the soil. And of course the angle of the sun on the slopes plays a part as well. Water, that is a long discussion as well.
When at a winery, ask the person behind the bar guide you. And ask questions. There are no dumb questions. But do not fall victim to what I call winery mouth. That is when you have had a few tastes and your taste buds start to go flat, the alcohol is taking effect and everything you taste is really good. So how do fight this effect? Always travel with water and fresh bread in your car. Having a certain thing, for me it is root beer, to help cleanse your palette is also a good thing. And do not forget to eat every so often to help mitigate the effects of the wine. Nothing is more frustrating then coming home and opening a bottle of wine and then saying, “why did I buy this?” Winery Mouth.
If driving in wine country, try and have a designated driver. Nothing would ruin a trip to wine country more than a DUI. And if you are at a winery and cannot drive, ask the person behind the bar to call you a taxi. They are happy to do it.
There is a certain wine buying strategy that should be used when visiting a winery. I will have to assume that you have called and made your appointments for tastings and know a little bit about the wine. So when you are at the winery, buy things on special and winery only bottlings. Often, you can find the flagship wine in a retail location at the same or less price then the winery. Less to carry home, but you the ones you do bring back will be the envy of all of your friends.
The final thing when in wine country to keep in mind is this: when dinning out in wine country, try and order a bottle at dinner that is new. I often try to do this from a winery that we were unable to visit. This is easy as most restaurants feature local wines. This practice makes for a broader tasting experience.
When I am in wine country, I try and go to as many wineries as possible. I do not recommend this for everyone. But I do feel that when in wine country, we want to try and do as much as possible.
Being in Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles or even wine tasting in Italy, I find that I get to Uncork (my own) Happiness.
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