Wine For Novices

Honig, Miner, ZD and others

A great Christmas meal last evening of Creme de Tomate en Croute, Beef Tenderloin, Russian Fingerling Potatoes, Salad and Dessert combined with...

In order,
CONVERSATION BY JOHN ALBAN & YVES GANGLOFF, 2003 VIOGNIER , EDNA VALLEY $64.99 - A VERY LIMITED PRODUCTION WINE JOINTLY MADE BY ALBAN AND GANGLOFF BY WAY OF CONVERSATIONS ON THE TELEPHONE. YVES ALSO CONTRIBUTED SOME LOVELY FRENCH BARRELS. STRONG AROMAS OF SPICY, CREAMY WHITE STONE FRUITS, TURN TO VISCOUS, LEESY, SPICY AND PEPPERY FLAVORS ON THE PALATE. I give this a 9 out of 10. Golden and delicious.

Honig Wines, Napa Valley,  Sauvignon Blanc, 2006$13.99 Bright and lively, a Loire style Sauvignon Blanc with fresh aromas of ruby grapefruit, mango, papaya, and peach. The vibrant citrus and tropical flavors linger on the finish and the texture is crisp and minerally. I give this a 7 out of 10. A wonderful white for the money. Paired very well with the soup.

ZD Wines, Carneros, Pinot Noir, 2006 $40.00 Dark ruby in color, with aromas of ripe cherries, plum and rhubarb, this wine is classic Carneros Pinot Noir. Hints of cedar, vanilla and toasted nuts lead into a full, rich palate of flavors and silky tannins. 7 out of 10. A great complement to the Beef Tenderloin.

Benedetto (Miner Wines) Cabernet Sauvignon, 2003 $100 SOLD OUT One of the best Cabernets of my life. Wow! 10 out of 10. Luscious, earthy and full-bodied.

Pierre Moncuit Cuvee de Reserve, Brut Grand Cru, Blanc de Blancs $56.99 A  decent pale golden hue on inspection, with an appealing fine bead. Lovely nose, fresh and lively, but with praline notes to suggest a little richness too. Broad, expansive palate, buoyed up by a gently foaming and very persistent mousse. Lovely, biting acidity. Again just little notes of bread and nuts in the background; predominantly this is a freshly flavoured, herbal white fruit style.  A phenomenal Champagne. 9 out of 10.

The Sacred & the Succulent

by Angela Hart

Usually, when I have a swig of wine in church, I’m on my knees, acquiescing to the mystery of transubstantiation—the transformation of bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ. It is the rare and happy occasion to be at church sipping luscious Pinots and eating locally baked bread and fare, juxtaposing the sacred with the succulent!

The event was Edgefield Uncorked!, the fifth annual wine-tasting fund-raiser at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in East Nashville. With flickering expectations, my friend and I donned Saturday-night versions of our Sunday best and headed out. Being West Side girls, it’s always a treat to cross the Cumberland, and this perfectly mild September night, crowned with a full, dazzling moon, was no exception. We were met by the thud of African drums, beating in a tent outside the church; East Nashville’s version of a red carpet, we presumed. African dancing at a wine tasting? We were all in—after a few rounds of vino, of course! Inside the church there was live entertainment throughout the night, with performances by local musicians Brooke Waggoner, The Love Drums, and Ariana Terrell.

We did our once around, taking in the food, wine varietals, and music from each corridor and sanctuary of this neighborhood church. We felt like we were flirting with apples in Eden, all curious, smiley-faced and big-eyed, swooned by the aesthetic of good wines and wholesome foods in such a hallowed setting. I felt sympathetic to poor Eve’s plight; I too have such little discipline when it comes to objects of my affection. Thankfully, the troubles of the human condition were not weighing heavy on me this specific night. Au contraire, I was ready to throw my particular troubles to the sky, allowing God and wine to alternately work their miracles.

A Man's Best Friend?

Glasses Can Help You Drink Better

by Dan Perkins (My friend and now to be regular guest blogger)

It happens often, you order a glass of wine with your dinner and the server brings you a glass filled to the brim hoping to keep each precious drop contained within until it finally rests on the table in front of you. You may be thinking, "€œGood, they gave me a full glass of wine!" And I say... "€œBad... bad, bad, bad!"

Several years ago winery tasting rooms were pouring their varietal samples in simple inexpensive 6 ounce glasses. At the same time glass companies began to market their specialty glasses in these same tasting rooms as the wineries began expanding their business into retail sales of accessories such as clothing to help further their brand. These glasses were much larger and elegant than the glasses used at the tasting bar and they packed a hefty punch at the cash register too.

The first time I tasted wine from one of these glasses was at a small boutique winery in Santa Barbara County. The tasting room attendant had just poured their flagship wine in the usual, $.95, mass produced, glass-glass with their logo etched into the bowl. She then said, "€œYou want to try something amazing?" I thought she was going to pull out a special bottle from under the counter (which, if you'€™re on your good behavior... usually happens, but more on that at another time).

Instead she grabbed a Riedel, Bordeaux Vinum glass and poured the same wine in it that was in the glass I was already drinking from. "Side by side, can you tell a difference?" She was smiling with a smug gleam in her eye like she had been keeping a secret... I couldn'€™t believe it! Was I drinking the same wine? I asked to look at the bottle to be sure. Yep, same wine but it was much better in the big glass... That day I plunked down $25 for my first Riedel glass. My wife thought I was crazy, but today we only drink from Riedel and Spiegelau stemware.

What made the difference?

Several years ago, I was fortunate...

Where Did Wine Come From?

First, realize beer came first.  From the dawn of civilization before the end of the last ice age, man was gathering grain and making beer.  When the pyramids were constructed, the workers were given a daily ration of 8 pints of beer.  They loved their work!

The Greeks replaced beer with wine to be the most sophisticated of drinks – a status it enjoys today – but the Syrians discovered wine.  How did the Syrians discover that fermented grape juice was an excellent beverage?  There are several stories.

Chateau Montelena

What a beautiful setting. Chateau Montelena features terrific wine and is also the second oldest winery in Napa Valley. Hailing back to 1896.

Their Chardonnay stole my heart AND my palette. The best chardonnay of my life.  Wow! Shades of muscat and pear.

Pictured is their fabulous tasting room.

Napa Valley Day 3...

More photographs HERE.

My New Favorite Wine Book

I discovered this book at Dave Miner's guest house and could not put it down. It is superb. A coffee table book to die for.

Michael Chiarello's Napa Stories, written with Janet Fletcher, profiles these and others whose lives are intimately entwined with Napa wine production and enjoyment. A Valley resident for 15 years, Chiarello knows many of his subjects personally, and has also cooked for many of them at his award-winning restaurant in St. Helena, Tra Vigne. This personal involvement gives his book's narrative immediacy; his cooking savvy results in the book's selection of delicious, accessible valley recipes, such as Roast Chicken with Fennel and Cheese, Grilled Lamb Loins with Napa Cabernet, and Bing Cherry Compote with Basil Gelato.

The book is organized around the illustrated profiles; in addition, Chiarello provides fascinating vignettes, such as Right Grape, Right Place; Napa Cheese; and Napa Wine, that elucidate the winemaking process (touching on such matters as varietal planting, fermentation, and blending) or celebrate the relationship of Napa food and wine. The Valley's compelling beauty and multicultural richness are captured in 150 color photos, which also depict the dishes in all their savor. With a resource list for authentic Napa Valley products, the book is an intimate blend of personal and territorial history--telling visual depictions, good food, and, of course, good wine.

Get It HERE

Ehlers Estate Vineyard

Winemaker Rudy Zuidema of Ehlers Estate, a passionate and knowledgeable  young man, makes some of the best wine I have ever tasted.

Keegan, Francisco and Rudy rolled out the red carpet for Charles and I as we toured the estate, listened to the philosophy of organic and bio-dynamic
viticulture, and enjoyed phenomenal barrel tasting.

Great pictures of the stunningly beautiful Ehlers Estate to follow tomorrow.

Great Wine Preserver

Winemaker Dave Miner told me about this great product last night at dinner.

Voted Best Wine Preservation System and endorsed by some of the country's best-known wine critics, this system uses 100% inert gas (non-toxic) to remove all of the oxygen from your opened bottle.

Preserve your wine's freshness in 4 easy steps. 1) Insert included tube securely into nozzle with a twisting motion. 2) Place the tip of the tube into the neck of the bottle midway down and against the glass. 3) Have cork or stopper ready on top of bottle resting against the tube. 4) Spray for 1/2 of a second and then 4 shorter bursts, both quickly pull the tube out and insert cork or stopper into the bottle.

An amazing 120-plus uses in 1 can.
Get it HERE