Friday, August 28, 2009

Favorite Wine

Hello Wine Lovers!

I just had another birthday (too many to tell you) and I was asked what my favorite wine was. (I assumed it was for the purpose of buying me a bottle for a gift) After giving this a quick once over I said to the person asking “Honig Cabernet is my favorite bottle of wine”.

Of course after getting in my car and traveling the hour commute to my home I realized what a loaded question that was! When you think about all the different wines you have consumed in your lifetime, is there really a favorite? I can certainly recall some memorable wines as well as some world class wines including, but not limited to 47 Cheval Blanc, 61 Haut Brion, 82 Gruaud, Heitz Cellars Cabernet and the list goes on! But to name a favorite… well I just don’t know!

I think it all depends on the moment you are drinking the wine. Are you sharing with a special person or friends? Are you relaxed and is your focus on the juice in the bottle? Is it a special occasion? Are you having fun? You get the picture. I have had some very memorable wines that were not very high up on the scale of quality but because of what I was doing and who I was sharing it with, that particular wine could be considered one of my favorites.

My answer is this… whatever wine I consumed last night is my new favorite. I have a lot of favorites!

Cheers!
J

Monday, August 24, 2009

Wine Containers

There has been much controversy over bottling of wine over the years. The Europeans (for the most part) believe in the traditional cork and us Americans, but certainly not limited to, are a little more relaxed and have given in to the twist cap and even in some cases, quality wine in a box!

Let’s talk about these…

First the cork. Today over 70% of all cork is produced in Portugal and it is produced from the bark of a tree. (Is that crazy or what)? It has been around since the beginning of time and in many circles the preferred method to seal wine. Arguably the only way to seal wines worthy of aging due to the fact there has not been research conducted long enough to see the effects (if any) on age worthy wine. The other argument is the lack of “romance” of opening a bottle of wine without a cork. The peeling of the cap, (the foil cover over the top of the bottle) using a wine key to extract the cork and the wonderful “pop” sound of pulling the cork from the bottle. The major problem with cork is the problem of “corked” wine. What the heck is corked wine you ask? It is a fungus that grows within the cork and taints the wine with a very musty smell as well as steals the character from the wine. What you are left with is a flat, smelly horrible tasting wine that is so far from what the wine maker intended that it is ridiculous. But what happens is that the consumer thinks that is what it is intended to taste like and never buys or recommends this wine again! According to recent numbers about 10% of wine using real cork is in this category, which is a lot of bad wine!

Second the screw top. Some of the top producers have been slowly introducing the screw top to their line of wines. Outside of the fact you do not have the romance of opening a bottle with a cork, you at least don’t have to worry about a corked wine. You can still have a bad wine due to the fact that it was not handled correctly at the vineyard or distributor, but far less chance of this happening. I personally like the cork, call me crazy, but I like the whole presentation of opening a bottle with a cork. If I was a wine maker / owner and was losing 10% of my product (not to mention how this would translate to future sales) to bad wine caused by the cork I may like the screw top. As a loyalist give me the cork!

Thirdly the box wine. Believe it or not this is not what your parents and grandparents served at their holiday get togethers. The box in their refrigerator or on their counter is not the same box today! Technology has improved the bag in the box as well as it is more "green" than bottles. There are a number of quality wines in this format, certainly more than in the past!
Regardless of all the fuss… it still comes down to one thing. What do you prefer? Whatever that is I say go for it!

Cheers!
J

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Revist This Cabernet

Hello Wine Friends!

It has been a while since I have had this wine... the J Lohr Cabernet Seven Oaks from Paso Robles, and shame on me! This wine is a great value with typical characteristics from wines of this region in California. This wine is dense purple red color with aromas of black cherry, black currant and plum fruit, complemented by vanilla, and just a touch of toasty notes. This comes from the time spent in the barrel. This wine is ready to drink now but I would say it is cellar-worthy for an additional 5 years. Jeff Meier is the winemaker and I would like to tip my hat to another nice wine from him and his team!

Cheers!

J

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

2 Sleepers from Washington




Hello Fellow Wine Friends!

A couple of sleepers from Washington State are worth looking in to, one a cabernet and one a sauvignon blanc.

Lets start with the sauvignon blanc. Terra Blanca is the producer and it is from the Yakima Valley. This wine is fresh, clean and crisp... perfect for these hot days and nights. It is not "grassy" as many sauvignon blancs can be (certainly from New Zealand) but more on the citrus side with lemon and grapefruit notes. A good buy at around $13.

Here is a little trivia about the grape.

Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape gets its name from the French word sauvage ("wild") and blanc ("white") due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France. This grape produces a crisp, dry, and refreshing white wine that for me, is a nice change from the over the top chardonnays that most wine makers produce today. (this will be a topic in the future). Sauvignon blanc, when slightly chilled, pairs well with fish or cheese, particularly Chèvre. It is also known as one of the few wines that can pair well with sushi.

Next up we have the cabernet, Ridge Crest the producer from Columbia Valley. This wine is not your big meaty in your face cabernet that many of us enjoy (certainly my lovely daughter) but a soft fruity approachable cabernet that has just enough structure to stand up to your food on the plate. You will find notes of blackberry and plum with a soft elegant finish. Again, at $10.99 you can't beat this wine!

Both of these wines are available at the Wine Discount Center and Binny's Beverage Depot.

Cheers!

J

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Decant or Not To Decant... That is the question?

Hello wine lovers!

Who actually owns a decanter nowadays? Anyone who wants the best from their wine should own one. Decanting wines is not just for show, and even in this modern age of industrial, fined and filtered wines, some will still benefit from spending some time in a decanter.

Years ago many wines were bottled with stems and particles from the wine making process but with modern techniques today and with wines filtered, very few particles or "sediment" is in a bottle of wine. However, most wines will benefit from decanting or "aerating" them before drinking.

Wines which have aged in bottles, typically red wines rather than white, will generally throw a sediment by perhaps ten years of age or more. More than any other wines, these are the ones that deserve decanting. Young wines also benefit from decanting, although the aim is not to take the wine off its sediment (there is rarely any such sediment in young wines), but rather to aerate the wine. When the wine comes in contact with the air in the decanter, it alters the wine, softening its youthful bite and encouraging the development of the more complex aromas that normally develop with years in bottle. For this reason even inexpensive wines can benefit from decanting, if a first taste reveals a tannic, gutsy taste.

Simply pour the young wine vigorously into your decanter and let it sit for 20 minutes or so before drinking. This should do the trick.

The older wines (aged in bottles 7 years and up) need to be handled differently. Keep the bottle horizontal (the same way you took it from the shelf in your cellar or cabinet) as not to "upset" the sediment. Open carefully and place a candle on the counter behind the bottle. This is done in order to see through the bottle to allow you to see the cloud of sediment you are separating from the wine. Slowly pour the wine into your decanter while carefully watching for the cloud to remain on the bottom. When you finish, you should have the sediment at the bottom of the bottle with approximately 1 inch of wine remaining. Do this up to an hour before drinking the older wines.

Review: Decant your young reds to aerate them vigorously before drinking.
Decant the old wines to separate the sediment from the wine.

Cheers!

J

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Italian Sleeper

Hello out there in the world of wine! This is one of those wines that you should go out and fill up your trunk with! Skip the utility bill this month and spend it on this stuff!

Pio Cesare Barbera d Alba from Piedmont Italy near the town of Alba. The winery has been around since 1881 ans has a long history of quality Barolos in its portfolio.

This is sassy and spunky with a velvety finish for under $10 at Wine Discount Centers. i have also seen this wine at Binny's. Check it out, you will not be disappointed!

Cheers

j

Friday, August 14, 2009

Wine Shopping

Good Morning Everyone! This article is on shopping for wine. Many wine enthusiasts (certainly new wine drinkers) are intimidated and overwhelmed by the number of choices of wines in a wine shop or even a grocery store these days. It is quite easy really... just ask questions and have an open mind to learn!

Introduce yourself to the staff at your local wine shop and remember the person's name that takes care of you and ask for them on your next visit. Everyone likes to be called by their name, this will help you build a relationship with your wine shop! In my opinion you should always have a wine shop clerk(s), restaurant owner, massage therapist and a clothing expert as friends!

Think about the last bottle of wine you had and what you liked about it. Now when a sales person asks what you are looking for, tell them that particular bottle. If they have 2 wits about them they should be able to guide you to wines in that flavor profile. (if they don't carry that particular wine) Let them know what you want to spend on a bottle(s) and don't be embarrassed on this amount. It doesn't matter if it is $8 or $50, wine is wine!

Ask the salesperson for any recommendations or his/her last exciting bottle they had in your price range. This is a fun way to experience new and different wines.

I like to ask the staff for the bottle that sells for $10 but drinks like it is $20. Remember they taste a lot of wine, that is part of their job to put quality and wine that will sell on their shelves! I get more interesting wine that way!

Take notes! When you are in a restaurant and order something you like write it down! Ask the server questions as well. Where could I buy this particular wine? Who is the distributor? (this may help your local wine shop get the wine if they don't already carry it)

Finally, don't be afraid to try different wines you may not have previous knowledge of. There are over 8000 grape varietals out there! Have fun and experiment!

It all comes down to this... you either like the juice in the bottle or you don't! It doesn't matter if it is $5 or $3000 for that bottle of nectar, it is worth nothing if you don't like it!

Cheers!

J

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Cheep drinkable wine




Here are two wines that will knock your socks off... Los Vascos Cabernet from Chile and Colombelle Vin de Pays from Southern France. Both under $10 and nice!




The Los Vascos is from the Rothschild family of wines. Typical of their reputation... quality in a bottle. The only thing that doesn't make sense is that it is cheap!




Cheers




J
A value driven wine you should look for on your next rip to the store is Chateau St. Jean California Cabernet. This wine is around $10 and drinks like it is more costly than that. It certainly is not a "big" blockbuster of a cabernet but nice! Enjoy!

Cheers

J

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

introduction

Hello fellow wine drinkers and lovers! Allow me to introduce myself and my blog. My name is Michael Jackson (the one that is alive and well) and I have been consuming wine since I was 10 (yes, 10... wine mixed with water thank you) and I am sick and tired of the pretentious, over zelous, too many words to describe, too much information etc to attempt the reader to try or buy a wine. I believe you will find my wine talk fun, easy to understand and most importantly, useful. I will not recommend a wine that is not readily available at your local wine shop... what good is it if I recommend something you can't find? Not a damn thing!

So, read, follow, go to your wine shop and pass the blog to all your friends! (even if they aren't wine lovers, I will win them over)

All for now,

J

Cheers!