Mo's Wine & Spirits

It’s not just a romantic notion about wine that it is a living and breathing force. Wine really does mature and breathe over time - sometimes for the better, but sometimes for the worse. You need to be selective. There are several good reasons to cellar, but far more reasons not to. While it’s true that a great wine can gain complexity and soften mouth-puckering tannins as it ages, it is also true that the vast majority of wines sold are produced for immediate consumption, and that cellaring will not improve them.

A “huge bold and brassy wine with sharp tannins” may be a promising candidate for aging, while a wine that is “mellow, silky, and big fruit forward” may not add anything with aging. With time wine can develop in the bottle, balancing its characteristics and gaining nuances that were not present upon release. But there are several other factors to consider when you lay down a few bottles or a case. Not just the quality of the wine, but the track record of the wine producer is important. The over-all quality of the vintage too, which will varies not only from year to year and country to country, but varietal to varietal, and from appellation to appellation only miles apart.

Also key is your storage capabilities. To lay down wine for an extended period, it must be properly stored. A natural underground basement cellar is your best choice, but if you do not have this advantage, make due following some basic storage rules -

• Always store your still wines on their sides, Sparkling wines upright
• Keep your wines in a cool spot - ideally 55 to 60 Fahrenheit. If it’s too cold, it can impede development; a space too warm and it will damage the wine.
• Keep your bottles away from direct sunlight
• A good level of humidity is important too, so the wine corks do not dry out (and you start to see leakage from the wine bottle neck).
• Generally, Whites will age less successfully than Reds.

I took a walk on the wine wild side and tried a little experiment. I brought home an offering from Revelry Vintners of Columbia Valley, Washington. It was a cardboard tube of Merlot.The container is a 1.5ml cylinder/tube just a bit bigger than a regular 750ml size bottle of wine. Looking like a chapstick gone wild, my Revelry Merlot has a very festive scene on the outside. Besides all the little people dancing, there is a three inch tall man in a John Travolta-ish Saturday Night Fever pose with his wine glass reaching to the sky. The packaging intrigued me.

Turning the tube over I was greeted with “Guaranteed barrel fresh 30 days after opening.”  The glove had been thrown down. Revelry has a laminated film barrier that keeps the wine fresh inside the tube. We shall see.

The tube is sturdy. I did not do a floor drop test, but it may stand up to one. the vitop tap was easy to put into place. Great nose. I can taste a lot of cherry and berries and just enough toasty oak. Pretty good for a tube. I quickly learned to drain about a half teaspoon every time I went for a taste test. It seemed that the tiny bit of wine left in the vitop tap was a bit stale. Otherwise the wine stayed pleasant to drink. I tested every couple of days for 30 days. Overall the results are positive. I have tried less tasty wines out of our beloved glass bottles many times. I give Revelry Vintners Merlot the nod.  I could see the tube as an economical way to end wine drama in two varietal homes.                                    

  Jared Burns is the winemaker for Reverly Vintners. He is no stranger to the world of wine closures . His father, Dennis Burns invented the first synthetic wine cork in the early 1990’s. Reverly Vintners offers a Washington Cabernet and Chardonnay as well. They tease with other locations and varietals to be had in the near future.  Will the dance continue with the Reverly and new locations? I’ll be watching, maybe dancing too!

                                               Cheers, Sharon

In the broadly weakened economy that the U.S. is going through, you might find it more difficult to shell out that $40 or $50 for a favorite wine, even for special occasions. But tough times and budgetary constraints don’t mean that you need to downgrade your wine enjoyment. Look at it as an opportunity to open up a new appreciation for modestly priced wines that still show real character and finesse. A wine doesn’t have to have a steep price to make it worth the climb. There are literally thousands of choices out there that are priced less, and show as well, as some wines that cost two or three times as much. Wine magazines are a good source for value ratings - Wine Spectator or Wine and Spirit Magazine . They outline hundreds of well reviewed and value priced wines for under $15 and $20 And in addition there are many web sites dedicated to value wine searches, try Good Wine Under $20 or  Wine Lovers Page.

In a recent National Public Radio interview, wine expert Gary Vaynerchuk of the Wine Library TV Online reminds us repeatedly that price has no bearing on quality - but he recognizes that it is a hard perception to break. Many wine shops are feeling a backlash from the sagging U.S. economy, says Vaynerchuk, and his business has also slowed unnecessarily when there are so many less expensive options available. In the NPR interview he states “When you spend $100 on a bottle of wine, it’s very possible to not be as good as the $20 wine”. Wine makers concede that some issues that impact wine costs for the consumer do not have as much to do with the taste of the wine, as with name recognition, scarcity of the vintage or cases produced. These issues can add costs, without necessarily adding quality.

So wine lovers need not suffer with the current state of the economy. Live a little! Look for selections for dinner tonight that won’t break your budget and increase your wine savvy. It all fits in to the goal of breaking down the barriers that prevent people from enjoying all the amazing wines the world has to offer.

I read everything. Just ask my co-workers who tease me.  I am a source of information both useful and some not quite so. Cereal boxes and album covers that turned into adventures. Books and magazines were  friends. Enter the infinite internet. It makes perfect sense to find me pouring over wine bottles searching for any clues they might hold on their labels. 

Once in awhile something besides the government warning is on the back of the bottle. Some wineries go to great lengths to have taste profiles written up about the positive characteristics of the grape. Here is the best example I have seen yet. This is taken from an an actual 2006 Chardonnay bottle from “Winery Y”

“Pear and tropical fruit flavors with a hint of smoke and vanilla. Buttery and smooth with a crisp finish.”

  Sounds great, except it isn’t. All those pretty words shouldn’t happen at the same time in the same bottle. Many flavors happily co-exist in a bottle of wine. this is simply a Chardonnay Overload!  Buttery, smooth , smokey,tropical, and Crisp! OK! I can see confused wine drinkers wandering down the aisles of wine shops across the country seeking out bottles of all purpose Chardonnay.

I did check the” Winery Y’s” website. There was another taste profile of the 2006 Chardonnay listed. With different words. This one sounded drinkable.  I might even give Winery Y a break and try the (confused )Chardonnay. They make fun wine at this price. Until then I have a go-to wine for customers who like all types of Chardonnay!

                                     Cheers, Sharon                                  

Time won’t pass fast enough before wine takes center stage in movie theaters across the nation. But if you’re thinking this has something to do with film producer and vineyard owner Francis Ford Coppola, think again! It’s all thanks to a small-town American who “came to dominate the wine world.”

That American, Robert Parker, who is arguably world’s most celebrated wine critic, is the focus of a new biopic. There’s no doubt the man, now in his sixties, has influenced the wine world considerably as creator of the magazine, The Wine Advocate. Indeed, the eRobertParker web site notes that, “today, virtually every knowledgeable observer agrees that The Wine Advocate exerts the most significant influence on the serious wine consumer’s buying habits and trends not only in America, but in France, England, Switzerland, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Russia, Mexico, Brazil, and China.”

Pretty impressive for someone who launched his wine magazine as recently as the 1970s.

The working title of the movie which centers on Parker’s life is The First Emperor, and filming is slated to begin soon. According to Decanter.com, “The part of Parker himself is not yet finalized, but [Oscar-winner] Javier Bardem … is ‘very interested’.” A source has revealed to Decanter that “Javier is a wine lover, and will approach the role of the great wine writer with the same intensity he brought to the part of Chigurh [in No Country For Old Men].”

The First Emperor is, according to Decanter, “the latest in a line of high-profile wine films, by far the most successful of which is 2004’s Sideways. January this year saw the release of Bottle Shock, starring Alan Rickman.”

I love wine. I have a lot of respect for those that plant, grow, tend, and finally crush and bottle our beloved grape juice. I have been known to go to great lengths to enjoy my wine drinking experience. I might have to travel to purchase said wine if I can’t find it at work. When wine comes in that I know I cannot live without I must sometimes wait patiently. A verbal waltz with the boss may allow me to buy what I need to go on in my wine life. He is an avid wine lover and understands my wine affliction.

Memorial day 2008. The names have been left out to protect the wine and the people connected to it. I had waited for this day since I bought the bottle. A Sauvignon Blanc crafted by one of the best in the business. Her wines are impossible to get. At least for now.  She is the winemaker for the “X” family. She is considered by some to be The Queen of wine making. This will be our introduction.

A glorious sunny day, yard work done, birds chirping, Riedel ready. The bottle itself is beautiful, sparkling in the sunlight. All things great wait inside. I have done a blog about her, read about the family, I am SO ready

.Here we go… nose in glass, good to go. Sip, swish, spit. Hmm, maybe it’s me. I didn’t drink for a couple days…OK it’s a new wine..they put a little barrel on..I’m confused..look at the cork..that’s OK..they even squeeze cluster juice for The Queen to taste before the family picks.. Try it again-Big sip, swish and Swallow. Not for long. The wine was BAD. Turpentine must taste better. A day later the wine smelled sour. I kept it in the fridge to see what would happen. I would not have tasted it had it smelled upfront.

 I was ready to have another religious wine experience and instead got another wine scar. Yes, this has happened before, folks. This happens in wine world. I’ll admit it sometimes I put my preconceived expectations on that little bottle of wine. Why not? Sports fans believe in their players prowess. I believe in the artistry and vision of each winemaker every time I open up one of their wines. Anyhow, my story has a happy ending. I went and comforted myself with a Pinot Noir from Oregon. The Queen and her medicine will have to prove herself another day.

                                              Cheers, Sharon

Reading about Cakebread Cellars family winery  is a good-time-shall-be-had-by-all type of experience. As a matter of fact, there is still time to sign up for the photo of the year contest! Who else offers fly fishing clinics AND hands on cooking classes AND famous artist tastings AND generous hospitality AND outstanding wine? Cakebread Cellars does, of course!

Most people get a smile and a dreamy look on their face when they come in to buy their first bottle of Cakebread wine . I get to see the excitement in their eyes as they tell me about their dinner and the moment when the wine passed their lips,  a smile spreads over their face. Cakebread can be found on many restaurant wine list from steakhouses to sushi bars. Cakebread wants the fruit to be showcased, wants the food to like the wine.

1973-That was when the now famous first vintage of Cakebread Chardonnay was produced and sold. Jack and Dolores Cakebread have been part of their family run business ever since. The family has always promoted drinking California wine and eating locally grown food. Hospitality and first rate cuisine are almost as important as the wine! Dolores completed the cooking courses at Le Cordon Rouge in San Rafael. Every year Cakebread Cellars hosts the American Harvest Workshop. This event over the past  20 years celebrates wine, people and food. Paring top chefs, local ingredients, vintners, guests and fun together to learn form each other for a four day festival. Now people come from all over the world to participate and attend.

Cakebread Cellars can produce some really nice wines. There is land in Caneros for Chardonnay. Cabernet is grown in Stags Leap, Oakville and Rutherford. Rutherford for Sauvignon Blanc. Julianne Laks has been with the Cakebreads for 20 years. She was Brian Cakebread’s assistant and was promoted to head winemaker when Brian was promoted to president of the winery in 2002. Oh, seven Cakebreads work for Cakebread Cellars.

Jack Cakebread had studied with  Ansel Adams the photographer for many years. They were good friends. Adams advice to Cakebread “Don’t take a short cut in anything you do in life” Thanks, Ansel. The long way turns out to be the right way when it comes to Cakebread wines.

                                                  Cheers, Sharon

According to Wine Spectator editor James Molesworth, American palates are receptive to the new red and white wines coming out of South Africa. In a recently posted video interview on Brightcove TV, Molesworth spoke with Brett Curtin, the owner of Xai Xai Winebar (pronounced “SHY SHY”), a South African restaurant in New York City. Discussion included South African wine varieties and specific food pairings for these wines, with entrees of fish and lamb.

To get a preview of the featured wines or for serving ideas, check out the video here. 

Every hostess knows that harmonious food and wine pairings are essential ingredients for a successful dinner party. But you can take the event to even greater heights when you go one step further to orchestrate your menu with music. Kathleen Lisson’s blog can help you do just that.

In a recent post, musician Joe Roberts offers tips for choosing just the right music for the tone you’re trying to set for the night. “Serving Italian food and wine?” he asks. “Check out some of Italy’s Baroque composers like Vivaldi and Corelli to go along with it. Their music is famous for having a broad appeal, with enough interesting counter-melodies to impress the music buffs.”

Or, if your food – and your wine – is American, consider something from Miles Davis, his ballad period in particular. Or add a special ambiance with jazz artists like Dave Brubeck (his “Take Five” album merits special consideration) and Alice Coltrane (“Transcendence” should hit the right notes for an enjoyable evening).

For more music ideas to complement your fare and fine wine, read Robert’s complete suggestions here.