Wine and France

Hello Wine Lovers.

Today I thought I would write about (in as few words as possible because you could easily write a book on the subject) what wine means to the French. I know, I know, who really cares? Well, if you like history at all you may want to read on.

I am not going back to the discovery of France, just back to WW II. Recently the French government commissioned a study of what makes the French "French," or, as one scholar put ti, "to access what makes up French historical memory and identity." It was a vast work, in seven volumes. Part of it was a survey in which people were asked to define the qualities that made them French. Places one thru three were what you would expect: being born in France, defending liberty and speaking French. But right behind number three, wine, specifically knowing and appreciating "good" wine. The authors stated this was no surprise, "Wine is part of our history; it's what defines us."

In 1932 Hubert de Mirepoix, president of the French Winegrowers Association, gave a speech in which he described how wine "contributed to the French race by giving them wit, gaiety and good taste, qualities which set it profoundly apart from people who drink beer."

Well then! Hitler knew the way to defeat France was to take it's pride and "culture" away from them. Not their factories, their trains, their churches, their waterways, but their most prised possession, food and wine! If he took that away from them they would be so morally defeated they would surrender easily and without much of a fight. Well, they did surrender, but not without a fight, and Hitler and his armies took their food and wine away! Countless barbaric invasions of Burgundy, The Loire Valley, Bordeaux, Champagne and many more. Stole millions and millions of the world's greatest wines and stored them in caves. he gave them to his armies when they won and he gave it to them when they did not, the German soldier always had wine.

Julius Caesar and Napoleon Bonaparte were believers too. Napoleon even hauled wagon loads of champagne on his campaigns, most of the time anyway. It is said the reason for his defeat at Waterloo was that he did not have time to pick up any champagne and had to fight on Belgian beer alone.

Well we all know our history books, the world defeated Hitler and the French survived. The wine regions that were so badly destroyed are once again producing some of the best wines in the world. So the next time you meet a French person and you feel a tinge of arrogance... it is in their blood!

Ok Ok... the wine already!

2007 Mas Donis Barrica from Spain! It is a blend of 85% Garnacha (from vineyards over 80 years of age) and 15% Syrah. Aged for eight months in French and American oak, it was bottled without fining and filtration. It offers a bouquet of smoke, earth notes, clove, cinnamon, and black cherry. This leads to a wine with remarkable depth and concentration for its humble price, savory flavors, and a fruit-filled finish. This wine will set you back a whopping $9.99! Unbelievable!

Cheers!

J

Enthusiastic Estancia

Hello Wine Drinkers!

Today's entry is a great value from our beloved state of California, Paso Robles Region, Estancia Cabernet. This little beauty will set you back a whopping $8.99 a bottle. I dare you to find a value like this! For this money it could be the value of the year!

Dark in color with rich dark fruits on the mouth with slight tannins and a long lingering finish. This wine is beautiful in your mouth, soft yet velvety and it finishes on the back of your tongue to remind you it is a Cabernet.

In 1999 Estancia planted nearly 700 acres of vines along the Estrella River, of which 400 acres was Cabernet. The Paso Robles Region has the most extreme temperature swings in the state which in turn produces complex rich Cabernet's. Because of this the grapes are small with tiny clusters and a high skin to juice ratio which help make intense wines.

Buy this wine by the cart full.

Cheers!

J

Portugal Prize

Hello Wine Lovers!

Sorry about last week, I missed my entry with Easter and all. We hosted Easter at our home so I was a little busy! It seems like a lifetime since I posted even though it has only been a week. Today I am excited about a white wine from Portugal, Quinta da Aveleda Vinho Verde 2008. This little number will blow your socks off at $6.99 a bottle it has depth and character. The Vinho Verde is the region located in the northwest of Portugal, the Vinhos Verdes region is unique in both landscape and wine. The region is exposed to the sea in the west and mountains in the east. The climate is particularly different from other wine regions in the country with high levels of precipitation and humidity, and lengthy periods of fog and low temperatures. You will find this wine full of citrus fruit and the sea on the nose with enough acidity to balance the finish. It goes well with food as well as a nice aperitif to kick off your party. At your local wine shop you will find more and more wines from Portugal on the shelves. In the last 5-10 years there has been a lot more wines other than Port imported from this beautiful wine producing country. Primarily due to increased quality and modern wine making techniques to make them competitive in the wine world. Don't get me wrong, this is still "Old World" wine but with a twist.

Impress your friends and serve something different, tell them where the region is located... and poof... you're considered a wine expert!

Cheers!

J

Argentina Winner

Hello Wine Lovers!

Don't cry for me Argentina... sorry I was thinking of the scene in Evita when Madonna sings this song. Argentina is beautiful, it's people proud and hard working, it's food full of flavor and texture. What does all of this have to do with wine you ask. The wine today is High Note Malbec and when you pour it in your glass and close your eyes, you will smell Argentina! It is beautiful, proud to be a Malbec, it works hard and it is full of flavor. This wine has fig, dark fruit, and toast on the palette and a long, lush juicy finish! This wine may very well be the bargain of the year so far at $8.99.

This wine is great with food, hearty fare, meat, heavy braised dishes, steak and lamb on the grille. If you don't find this wine to be outstanding then I'm just nuts!

Cheers!

J

Spanish White Winner

Hello Wine Lovers!

I drink a lot of wine, and I'm sure like many of you, I like variety. I have long been an advocate of the ABC rule... anything but chardonnay, unless of course it is from France. It is this guy's humble opinion that they are the only people that know exactly what to do with this grape. But anyway... that leads me to this week's entry. Bodegas Montecillo Verdemar Albarino 2008. This wine is from Spain's second oldest producer, Montecillo, which was established in 1874. It is 100% Albarino and at $7.99 will just thrill ya to death!

Pale in color with a nose of grapefruit, apple, pear and pineapple with with a long finish with minerals and a touch of acidity. A perfect match to food as well as a nice sipper on the patio.

Let's talk Albarino. This grape has been argued that it is a relative of the Riesling grape from Alsace around the 12 to 15 Century. It is grown in Spain's Rias Baixas DO and significantly in the town of Cambados. It is often blended with other white grapes but more and more producers are turning out wines made up of 100% Albarino. The grape is known for its distinctive aroma and high acidity, which of course makes it a good food wine.

The next time you feel like a white wine give this little number a try, I'm quite sure you won't be disappointed!

Cheers!

J

Zinfandel Winner

Hello Wine Lovers!

Last night I had a wonderful (you won't believe the price) wine with a steak cooked on the grille. Fuego Old Vine Zinfandel at $6.99 a bottle. That's right, $6.99 a bottle and notice I said wonderful. It is bright purple in color and has smoky blackberry and blueberry on the nose,with spice and a long lingering finish. Deep dark berry flavors, supple texture and bright minerals add complexity to this wine. It drinks like wines costing three times the price!

Lets talk a minute about Zinfandel. This varietal can be traced back to the Primativo grape grown in the heel of the boot in Italy and also traced to the Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski dating back to the 17th Century. It produces a deep red robust wine with a high sugar content which translates to a high alcohol content, in many cases well over 15%. Zinfandel vines are quite vigorous and grow best in climates that are warm but not too hot, because grapes may shrivel in hot weather. Zinfandel's has a thin skin and grow in large, tight bunches that are sometimes prone to rot on the vines. The fruit ripen fairly early and produce juice with high sugar levels. If weather conditions permit, the grapes may be late harvested to make dessert wines. Zinfandel is often praised for its ability to reflect both its terroir and its winemakers style and skill. Grape vines grow for over 120 years and start to produce less fruit after about 20 years. This wine is made from "Old Vine" grapes which simply put, the vines are old which produce smaller grapes, which in turn have more intense flavors. At least that is the plan.

Whatever the case may be... run don't walk to your favorite wine merchant and buy this stuff!

Cheers!

J

Paper or Plastic

Hey Wine Lovers!

It's that time again...time for a new entry. I poured myself a glass of wine the other day and was not happy with my glassware selection so I poured it into another glass, one that made me happy! I sat down in my favorite chair and I started to think why one glass made me happy and one I didn't particularly like?

Forget about all the pretentious wine snobs you know that need 5 different glasses to have dinner. Or the snob that is totally appalled that a Pinot Noir is served in a Cabernet glass. Or the crazy nut that insists on a Chardonnay glass to drink from. It all boils down to this... drink what you want, when you want, with what you want and out of whatever you want! Forget it all! Just enjoy the wine and the moment. I personally like thin glassware to drink from. I like the feel of the stem in my hand and how it puts the wine in my mouth, it doesn't make it right or wrong, it's just what I like. If you like drinking wine from a small juice glass then so be it, that's what you like! If you like drinking wine from a jelly glass, fine. Who cares?

OK lets talk wine! Hahn Pinot Noir Monterey County. Another Pinot bargain you won't believe your taste buds! At $8.99 a bottle you will be blown away! A dynamic and multi-faceted wine with deep ruby hues, aromas of fresh raspberries with a burst of fruit and spice on the palate. Run out and buy this jewel by the case! You'll love it!

Cheers!

J