Well hello again. I hope everybody's had a nice summer. It's been hot as hades here in the south this year so I'm beginning to welcome the change of the season.It's been a summer filled with great wines and great memories. We've had many occasions to share good food and wine with friends and neighbors and that's what it's all about.
Recently spent a week in northern Napa and Sonoma valleys with my wine group, the Mad Dawgs. We've been together for over 10 years and we love sharing great wines with each other. We've traveled together a number of times and always seem to top our previous trips with even better ones! Spending quality time with winemakers/vintners/proprietors is something we love to do and they've always been so gracious and generous to us. Sharing time in their vineyards, tasting rooms, barrel rooms and the homes of these wonderful people is what it's all about! And when they share their stories and their wines with us, there is nothing finer. Hanging out with wine people makes for lasting memories.
When we get to know a "wine person" and they've been generous and nice enough to invite us to hang with them or do some barrel tasting or join us for a meal, we usually make them an Honorary Mad Dawg ,which includes presenting them with a special T-shirt with the Mad Dawgs logo. Over the past 10 years, we're proud to have bestowed that honor to 85 special friends in the business... so far! They are the best of the best and we love them all!
Well, after having 15 friends and neighbors over last night for smoked pork shoulder and a bevy of other great food and some lip-smacking wines, I think it's time to take a break and relax today. See y'all on the flip side. Till next time... Let's drink some wine.
Monday, September 3, 2012
Monday, July 2, 2012
Hot Hot Hot...
Beware the hot weather, Wine Lovers! It will cook your wines in an instant... and you may not even know it until it's too late. It's been hotter than hell lately and unless you've been smart enough to pack an iced cooler with you when you're wine shopping or plan to quickly head home in air conditioned comfort once you leave the store, prepare to be disappointed that you're wines got COOKED! When wine reached temperatures above 80 to 85 degrees for any sustained period, lots of really bad things happen... not the least of which is that the good juice you have invested in will turn nasty in a hurry.
We Americans tend to store and drink our wines too warm anyway. Ideally, a white should be served in the 55 degree range, reds in the 65 degree range and sparklers in the mid - forty range. If you don't have temperature regulated storage for your collection, at least try to keep the wines away from direct heat, sun light and vibration. If you can at least give them a quiet shaded/dark spot to rest, they'll be grateful and will live longer than if they're stuffed into one of those stupid racks over the top of your refrigerator! Who in the world ever thought that was a good idea?????
Anyway, keep your wines cool and they'll live longer, taste better and make you happy. And that's what it's all about, isn't it?
We Americans tend to store and drink our wines too warm anyway. Ideally, a white should be served in the 55 degree range, reds in the 65 degree range and sparklers in the mid - forty range. If you don't have temperature regulated storage for your collection, at least try to keep the wines away from direct heat, sun light and vibration. If you can at least give them a quiet shaded/dark spot to rest, they'll be grateful and will live longer than if they're stuffed into one of those stupid racks over the top of your refrigerator! Who in the world ever thought that was a good idea?????
Anyway, keep your wines cool and they'll live longer, taste better and make you happy. And that's what it's all about, isn't it?
Monday, June 11, 2012
Can you put it into words?
Think about it... the language of wine almost never has to do with describing something that tastes like wine. We use flowery verbiage to tease the imagination, such as "essence of fine leather and bacon fat" or "a rush of honeysuckle and white peaches" or "briary, with a powerful wallop of black cherries and chocolate"... you get my drift. I daresay that if we couldn't describe the myriad flavors and/or smells of a wine with terms other than white/purple/sweet/sour/tart/good/bad, etc., we probably wouldn't have as much fun with it and we definitely would not enjoy wine nearly as much.
So, when my wife says, "I want something crisp" or my friend requests something "chewy", I know exactly what will satisfy them. Crisp, flowery, chewy, unctuous, tart, silky, soft, robust, bold, tropical, spicy, "barnyardy" - it's such a colorful language, isn't it? I love it. In fact, I never get enough of it. Reading wine reviews is so much fun because I'm always amazed at the new and creative ways that writers can find to describe fermented grape juice. Life is too short to be boring!
So, when my wife says, "I want something crisp" or my friend requests something "chewy", I know exactly what will satisfy them. Crisp, flowery, chewy, unctuous, tart, silky, soft, robust, bold, tropical, spicy, "barnyardy" - it's such a colorful language, isn't it? I love it. In fact, I never get enough of it. Reading wine reviews is so much fun because I'm always amazed at the new and creative ways that writers can find to describe fermented grape juice. Life is too short to be boring!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Every single day is special!
It seems that almost every single "wine person" I know (with the exception of a very fortunate few who own a zillion bottles) is always holding on to a few 'special' bottles for the proverbial 'special occasion'. I guess it's normal to do that and I know I've been guilty of that sin myself... but... as I age along with my wines, I've come to the conclusion that every day is special, so why not be willing to open that special bottle to celebrate it?
Over the years I've developed the habit of segregating my coveted little wine collection into three categories: (1) Wines to share with those who don't know or care much about wine - i.e., most people; (2) Wines to share with those who DO know a little about wine, want to learn more about it, and generally appreciate getting to try something different - a smaller group of mostly neighbors and close friends; and (3) Wines to share with those who GET IT and are appreciative that I'd be willing to open that bottle and share it with them - a very small and select group that includes my wife, the Mad Dawgs and a handful of very close friends with whom I'd share anything in my cellar. Do other people do that, too? Or am I just an oddball? Whatever; it works for me.
Twelve years ago, a couple of wine people decided that there should be a special occasion to Open That Bottle just in case you seem to be one of those people who is always waiting for a special occasion. Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall Street Journal founded Open That Bottle Night and designated it to be the last Saturday of February. Iver the years it's really caught on and nowadays a lot of people celebrate that as just such a special event to justify opening that bottle they've been saving. Well, while I love the idea and applaud them for it, I believe the good Lord only gave us so many days on this earth and that every single one of them is special. So, henceforth, anytime you feel a need to treat your self, significant other and/or friend(s) to a special bottle, I implore you to OPEN IT! For heaven's sake, don't wait... because none of us is guaranteed a tomorrow. And who the heck wants to unexpectedly meet his Maker knowing that he's left a cellar full of great wines behinds for other people to drink?!?! You can't take it with you.
Over the years I've developed the habit of segregating my coveted little wine collection into three categories: (1) Wines to share with those who don't know or care much about wine - i.e., most people; (2) Wines to share with those who DO know a little about wine, want to learn more about it, and generally appreciate getting to try something different - a smaller group of mostly neighbors and close friends; and (3) Wines to share with those who GET IT and are appreciative that I'd be willing to open that bottle and share it with them - a very small and select group that includes my wife, the Mad Dawgs and a handful of very close friends with whom I'd share anything in my cellar. Do other people do that, too? Or am I just an oddball? Whatever; it works for me.
Twelve years ago, a couple of wine people decided that there should be a special occasion to Open That Bottle just in case you seem to be one of those people who is always waiting for a special occasion. Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall Street Journal founded Open That Bottle Night and designated it to be the last Saturday of February. Iver the years it's really caught on and nowadays a lot of people celebrate that as just such a special event to justify opening that bottle they've been saving. Well, while I love the idea and applaud them for it, I believe the good Lord only gave us so many days on this earth and that every single one of them is special. So, henceforth, anytime you feel a need to treat your self, significant other and/or friend(s) to a special bottle, I implore you to OPEN IT! For heaven's sake, don't wait... because none of us is guaranteed a tomorrow. And who the heck wants to unexpectedly meet his Maker knowing that he's left a cellar full of great wines behinds for other people to drink?!?! You can't take it with you.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Does the glass really make a difference?
Lately I've been keeping up with a zillion posts on a LinkedIn wine group in which I'm a member regarding the question of whether the glass actually makes a difference in the taste/enjoyment of the wine. So far I've been pretty amazed at the diverse answers/assessments/evaluations and sundry judgements from far and wide. It would seem that the consensus is that a "proper" stemmed glass does indeed make a difference.
As one who has attended a presentation/seminar/tasting event on behalf of the makers of Riedel stemware, I can say unequivocally that there was an impressive improvement when tasting the same liquids (wines and some cheap Scotch) from everyday glassware versus the Riedel glass designed for that particular liquid. Interestingly enough, I personally thought the most astonishing difference (i.e., improvement) was with the Scotch. Maybe it was because I was not a scotch drinker at the time, but over the years I have continues to be amazed at how the Riedel Single Malt glass improves almost any small batch whisky/whiskey. That having been said, maybe there were not enough variables to do a true scientific research study but the the purpose of the event was to sell Riedel glasses! Go figure.
Anyway, fast forward to the present... this I know. A high quality stemmed glass will almost always improve the enjoyment of a decent wine and will enhance the best attributes of a great wine more so than a jelly jar or a paper cup. We can probably all agree that a good glass will not make a bad wine good but a cheap glass won't do an extraordinary wine any favors either. And it definitely differs from person to person. My wife still loves her favorite plastic thrift shop stemmed "glass", regardless of what goes in it. I rest my case.
As one who has attended a presentation/seminar/tasting event on behalf of the makers of Riedel stemware, I can say unequivocally that there was an impressive improvement when tasting the same liquids (wines and some cheap Scotch) from everyday glassware versus the Riedel glass designed for that particular liquid. Interestingly enough, I personally thought the most astonishing difference (i.e., improvement) was with the Scotch. Maybe it was because I was not a scotch drinker at the time, but over the years I have continues to be amazed at how the Riedel Single Malt glass improves almost any small batch whisky/whiskey. That having been said, maybe there were not enough variables to do a true scientific research study but the the purpose of the event was to sell Riedel glasses! Go figure.
Anyway, fast forward to the present... this I know. A high quality stemmed glass will almost always improve the enjoyment of a decent wine and will enhance the best attributes of a great wine more so than a jelly jar or a paper cup. We can probably all agree that a good glass will not make a bad wine good but a cheap glass won't do an extraordinary wine any favors either. And it definitely differs from person to person. My wife still loves her favorite plastic thrift shop stemmed "glass", regardless of what goes in it. I rest my case.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Putting thoughts into words
Have you ever had a day when your thoughts just couldn't quite translate to words... either verbally or on paper? No? Well, it's hard to explain but there are often times when I wish that we could translate words into more than a combination of letters and sounds... maybe with the other senses of smells, tastes and textures. It'd sure make describing the wine tasting experience easier.
I mean, who really knows if the way a wine is described by someone else is what your or my senses will detect? When a reviewer, critic or winemaker uses mere words to describe what they have experienced (in their words), they are really asking us to accept on faith that our senses will come close to experiencing what they experienced. Think about it, to use an analogy, if I say I want to buy a red Ferrari, you'll instantly "see" one in your mind... although we may be envisioning completely different shades of red or for that matter, completely different cars. That having been said, that's why I love to taste wines blind. And that's why I also love to offer wines blind in my classes. It's interesting to hear the different ways people will try to describe what they are tasting, and the reasons why they do or don't like it. It never ceases to amaze me how the same wine can be described in so many different ways!
And somebody PLEASE tell me how a wine can taste like wet dog or cat pee unless you've actually tasted such nasty things yourself. If you have, then I'll reserve comment for a later time! And if you haven't, then stop trying to convince me that I should know what such things taste like, because even though I love dogs and cats, I'm drawing the line right there!
I mean, who really knows if the way a wine is described by someone else is what your or my senses will detect? When a reviewer, critic or winemaker uses mere words to describe what they have experienced (in their words), they are really asking us to accept on faith that our senses will come close to experiencing what they experienced. Think about it, to use an analogy, if I say I want to buy a red Ferrari, you'll instantly "see" one in your mind... although we may be envisioning completely different shades of red or for that matter, completely different cars. That having been said, that's why I love to taste wines blind. And that's why I also love to offer wines blind in my classes. It's interesting to hear the different ways people will try to describe what they are tasting, and the reasons why they do or don't like it. It never ceases to amaze me how the same wine can be described in so many different ways!
And somebody PLEASE tell me how a wine can taste like wet dog or cat pee unless you've actually tasted such nasty things yourself. If you have, then I'll reserve comment for a later time! And if you haven't, then stop trying to convince me that I should know what such things taste like, because even though I love dogs and cats, I'm drawing the line right there!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Thoughts about teaching about wine...
Teaching wine classes is a pretty cool thing to do... mainly because I tend to learn so much from the "students" I am teaching. There isn't much money in it but I guess it's still nice to be able to get paid to teach while I'm able to learn a few things along the way for free.
My classes tend to center on the "Demystification of Wine - Keeping It Simple". It's a great subject because it is subject matter that has no end. There is a bottomless pit of information out there. I've discovered that there are and will always be those among us who feel that wine is some scary, mysterious thing that can, for a variety of reasons, be intimidating and a bit overwhelming. Well, I'll let you in on a little secret... it's all in your mind. Wine is a fun, social beverage and best when enjoyed and shared with friends. Once you get over the initial uneasiness and learn the basics, you'll discover that the world of wine will demystify itself and you'll get extremely comfortable with the process of learning as much as you want to know and then some.
The underlying key to it all is to relax, have a little fun and understand there is absolutely no reason to get uptight over fermented grape juice. Sure, it can be a little overwhelming at first, what with all the different types of grapes and glasses and geography and chemistry and styles and blends and accessories and... well, you get the picture. Like the process of eating an elephant, learning about (and demystifying) wine is best done one bite at a time. Don't fret... ENJOY!
My classes tend to center on the "Demystification of Wine - Keeping It Simple". It's a great subject because it is subject matter that has no end. There is a bottomless pit of information out there. I've discovered that there are and will always be those among us who feel that wine is some scary, mysterious thing that can, for a variety of reasons, be intimidating and a bit overwhelming. Well, I'll let you in on a little secret... it's all in your mind. Wine is a fun, social beverage and best when enjoyed and shared with friends. Once you get over the initial uneasiness and learn the basics, you'll discover that the world of wine will demystify itself and you'll get extremely comfortable with the process of learning as much as you want to know and then some.
The underlying key to it all is to relax, have a little fun and understand there is absolutely no reason to get uptight over fermented grape juice. Sure, it can be a little overwhelming at first, what with all the different types of grapes and glasses and geography and chemistry and styles and blends and accessories and... well, you get the picture. Like the process of eating an elephant, learning about (and demystifying) wine is best done one bite at a time. Don't fret... ENJOY!
Monday, April 16, 2012
Is enough ever enough?
Wow, after the amazing weekend I just survived, I guess I should give my liver a break. Or not! Beer and spicy Cajun food with my hunting buddies turned out to be a nice break from the week's stress overload. Then a quiet dinner with friends Saturday over several bottle of great vintage juice was again "just what the doctor ordered". But the ultimate weekend capper was the Italian wine dinner with the Mad Dawgs yesterday. Twenty or so world-class Brunellos from the legendary 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001 vintages were lined up and paired with a massive amount of delicious food. After ten years of doing amazing tastings and dinners with the Mad Dawgs, it still keeps getting better and better!
On a different subject, I just went by the empty skeleton of yet another local wine shop that has gone out of business. I'll have to admit, since this is the second failure of this store after the original owners were open for something like twenty years, one has to think that there is definitely something missing in the mindset of local entrepreneurs these days. So many folks jump into the wine business on a lark, perhaps under the mistaken assumption of "How hard could it be? Come on... it's WINE!!!". I've seen so many wine shops come and go. It's sad, but then, there are some people who actually grasp the concept that there is more to running a successful wine store than having two tastings a week and inundating their customers with constant emails. Come on people... IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT WHO CAN SELL WINE FOR THE LOWEST PRICE. Unfortunately some will never get it.
Having, in the past, run a wine auction website for a decade, I discovered that trying to turn an avocation into a vocation isn't as simple as it may seem on the surface. I've never put so many hours into something for so little money... EVER. I've toyed with doing the retail wine shop thing myself, but I've always come to my senses. Maybe someday though... A guy can dream can't he?
On a different subject, I just went by the empty skeleton of yet another local wine shop that has gone out of business. I'll have to admit, since this is the second failure of this store after the original owners were open for something like twenty years, one has to think that there is definitely something missing in the mindset of local entrepreneurs these days. So many folks jump into the wine business on a lark, perhaps under the mistaken assumption of "How hard could it be? Come on... it's WINE!!!". I've seen so many wine shops come and go. It's sad, but then, there are some people who actually grasp the concept that there is more to running a successful wine store than having two tastings a week and inundating their customers with constant emails. Come on people... IT'S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT WHO CAN SELL WINE FOR THE LOWEST PRICE. Unfortunately some will never get it.
Having, in the past, run a wine auction website for a decade, I discovered that trying to turn an avocation into a vocation isn't as simple as it may seem on the surface. I've never put so many hours into something for so little money... EVER. I've toyed with doing the retail wine shop thing myself, but I've always come to my senses. Maybe someday though... A guy can dream can't he?
Friday, April 13, 2012
What a week. Looking forward to the weekend!
Well, with the week I've had it'll be easy to justify enjoying some great wines this weekend. Sometimes too much stress tends to cloud my judgement, but... on the other hand, a little wine sometimes leads to greater clarity!
Tonight though, it'll be beer with my hunting buddies. Beer just seems more comfortable accompanying a big bowl of spicy Cajun 'sauce picquant' filled with all kinds of yummy stuff. But tomorrow night my lovely wife and I are visiting some great 'wine friends' and that's always an excuse to raid my cellar for a couple of special bottles to share. I don't know about you, but I think wine is ALWAYS more enjoyable when shared with friends who appreciate good juice!
And Sunday is going to be really special. My wine group, the Mad Dawgs, will be having an incredible Italian event that will feature classic Brunellos from the fabled 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001 vintages. That will be memorable for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it'll be honoring the memory of John Dickson, a charter member that we lost to kidney cancer a few years back. John LOVED his Italian wines. And we miss him.
Tonight though, it'll be beer with my hunting buddies. Beer just seems more comfortable accompanying a big bowl of spicy Cajun 'sauce picquant' filled with all kinds of yummy stuff. But tomorrow night my lovely wife and I are visiting some great 'wine friends' and that's always an excuse to raid my cellar for a couple of special bottles to share. I don't know about you, but I think wine is ALWAYS more enjoyable when shared with friends who appreciate good juice!
And Sunday is going to be really special. My wine group, the Mad Dawgs, will be having an incredible Italian event that will feature classic Brunellos from the fabled 1995, 1997, 1999 and 2001 vintages. That will be memorable for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is that it'll be honoring the memory of John Dickson, a charter member that we lost to kidney cancer a few years back. John LOVED his Italian wines. And we miss him.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Why is wine so mysterious?
As I write these first few words, I'm reminded of the old saying, "To scale a mountain one must take the first step". Well, here goes... I fell in love with fine wine when I was in college and, like most of my peers. I was looking for an alternative to cheap beer. I was drinking a lot of plonk - Boone's Farm, Annie Green Springs, cheap Chianti in those cute little basket covered bottles, Mateus and Lancers - that kind of stuff. Then one night a buddy brought over a bottle of French stuff to share with dinner. I don't remember the chateau or the vintage of that Bordeaux
I suppose that ignorance can truly be bliss and not knowing what you don't know may in fact be a good thing sometime. In the world of fine wine though, I continue to be amazed even today, just how ignorant (well, at least unaware and/or mis-informed) people allow themselves to be. What the heck's the big deal anyway? Wine is essentially nothing more than organic fermented grape juice and yet an incredible mass of humanity still sees it as something mysterious or even intimidating and even more often than not, snobbish, and it's followers, aloof and geeky. Well, I'm here to tell you that I love the world of wine, the people who make it and all of the incredible passionate people who are involved in that world. And, in my humble opinion, there is absolutely NOTHING to be intimidated about.
Sure, there have been volumes written (shall I even say it... pontificated) about wine. Peel back the layers though and what you've got is a social beverage that is created by farmers and chemists and God (or if you prefer - Mother Nature). Talk about it. Write about it. Learn about it. But above all, enjoy it and share it.
I thoroughly enjoy teaching the basics of wine and the demystification of it all to those who are brave enough to admit they want to know more. In my classes and tastings, I think I get the best end of the deal because I learn so much from my students. Getting direct feedback from a person tasting something new and different or learning the "art" of swirling wine in a proper glass or discovering that it's okay to break the age old "rules" regarding pairing wines with food, is refreshing and invigorating. It assures me that there is hope for us all. And I love it.
I suppose that ignorance can truly be bliss and not knowing what you don't know may in fact be a good thing sometime. In the world of fine wine though, I continue to be amazed even today, just how ignorant (well, at least unaware and/or mis-informed) people allow themselves to be. What the heck's the big deal anyway? Wine is essentially nothing more than organic fermented grape juice and yet an incredible mass of humanity still sees it as something mysterious or even intimidating and even more often than not, snobbish, and it's followers, aloof and geeky. Well, I'm here to tell you that I love the world of wine, the people who make it and all of the incredible passionate people who are involved in that world. And, in my humble opinion, there is absolutely NOTHING to be intimidated about.
Sure, there have been volumes written (shall I even say it... pontificated) about wine. Peel back the layers though and what you've got is a social beverage that is created by farmers and chemists and God (or if you prefer - Mother Nature). Talk about it. Write about it. Learn about it. But above all, enjoy it and share it.
I thoroughly enjoy teaching the basics of wine and the demystification of it all to those who are brave enough to admit they want to know more. In my classes and tastings, I think I get the best end of the deal because I learn so much from my students. Getting direct feedback from a person tasting something new and different or learning the "art" of swirling wine in a proper glass or discovering that it's okay to break the age old "rules" regarding pairing wines with food, is refreshing and invigorating. It assures me that there is hope for us all. And I love it.
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