The Wine Gift Guy

This past Friday was our 22nd wedding anniversary and for such a special occasion I selected a 2003 Gigondas from Brotte to enjoy with my wife during a nice, quiet dinner at home. Since the word Gigondas means joy and jubilation in Latin I thought it very appropriate for such a special evening. We had decided to stay at home instead of venturing out for a nice dinner for several reasons. The first being we had blown our dining-out budget the Sunday before having great steaks and fine wine at the Taste of Texas here in Houston with family and friends. Plus it was a Friday night and it can be less than a peaceful evening fighting the crowds at some of the popular restaurants. So a nice evening at home seemed appropriate.

Gigondas is a blend that consists mainly of Grenache along with Syrah and Mourvedre, which comes from the nice little Provencal village with the same name in the southern part of the Rhone Valley in France. Grenache is a grape which is quite hard to characterize: it does not have the prominent varietal characteristics of Syrah or Cabernet and often produces wines that, while concentrated, alcoholic and tannic, are surprisingly light in color. However, given low yields and careful vinification, this grape is capable of producing serious, herby, spicy, earthy, cinnamon-laced wines with good ageing capacity.

Gigondas went very well with the roasted pork loin that we had and would go well with any meat or tuna cooked with red wine, beef stew, game, mushrooms, and strong cheeses. It also matches very well with spicy Mexican, Indian and exotic foods. All in all, Gigondas is a very nice wine for under $20.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, red wine, French Wine, Cotes du Rhone

I was just recently introduced to some new wines that included the Cruz Alta President’s Reserve 2004. This blend, which includes 85% Malbec, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah was produced by Bedegas Escorihuela Gascon out of Mendoza, Argentina. It is a special limited edition wine from the company president’s personal cellar. The blend of Malbec, Cabernet and Syrah grapes, selected from the best high altitude zones in Mendoza, combine to produce an intense and complex wine. This wine was aged for 14 months in new barrels which include 85% French and 15% American oak. The wine has a deep red color with violet tones. Its nose exhibits black and red fruit aromas with vanilla, chocolate and coffee aromas. This wine is full bodied and complex and has a velvety finish that lingers in the mouth. At about $16 this wine is well worth it and is ready to be explored and enjoyed.

With the warm summer months soon to be upon us, there are some wines I enjoy drinking while sitting on the patio and watching the Texas sunset. And one of my favorite pastimes while on the patio is cooking shrimp on the grill. A nice Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand is a fabulous choice with shrimp and Brancott Vineyards has always been a popular choice around our house. Today I was lucky enough to have a representative from the distributor bring some of their 2006 offerings to the store for tasting.

The first wine from Brancott that we tasted was the Brancott Vineyards Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. This wine set the benchmark for this particular varietal back in the 90’s when it was awarded the Marquis De Goulaine Trophy for the best Sauvignon Blanc in the world in 1990. This wine displays some nice fruit characteristics such as grapefruit. It was well balanced and had a nice acidity. This new vintage was again a job well done.

We also tried the 2006 Marlborough Reserve Sauvignon Blanc and this wine was again outstanding. It was a little more refined and displayed a little more elegance that it earlier counterpart. Although the same fruit characteristics were there, they were a lot more subtle and probably would go somewhat better with the shrimp I was daydreaming about cooking.

So here is an idea, enjoy the Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc while you are grilling the shrimp and enjoy a bottle of the Reserve Sauvignon Blanc while you are eating the shrimp!! What a great evening that would make, don’t you agree?

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, Sauvignon Blanc, grilling, patio

Being in the retail business, especially the wine and liquor industry, makes finding time for Christmas shopping very difficult during the holiday season. It even forces one to sometimes buy the ones he loves a bottle of wine. Such was the case during the Christmas season of 2004. Running out of time to get something for my wife, I opted to buy her a bottle of 2002 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon. Not knowing too much about wine she didn’t seem too interested when I told her that it had received a 96 from Wine Spectator and it was a wonderful holiday gift and that I would only buy her the best. Yea, yea, and it quietly made it way to the wine rack and there it lay until last night.

Since we were going to have a couple fine steaks cooked on the grill I thought it would be a nice time to enjoy her Christmas gift. I’m almost sure she didn’t even realize that what we were drinking was a result of my love for her, but I could tell that she was slowly falling in love with her wine. She, as well as myself, thought this wine was truly fantastic. It was a very dark red in color with a lot of fruit on the nose. It had a wonderful taste of black cherry, and a little bit on oak. It was very well balanced, and had some very soft tannins. This wine truly made an enjoyable meal, memorable.

I read a good article today by Jason Connors on the Articles Live website. He talks about how to start your wine cellar.

Things covered are

• Wine Bottle Storage
• Types of Wine Cellars
• Considering your cellar as an investment
• Building Your Own Wine Cellar
• Temperature and Humidity and Wine
• Wine Cellar Cooling Units

Most the article focuses on building your own wine cellar. Interesting stuff.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine cellar, diy wine cellar, wine

Well, Valentine’s Day has come and gone and Ally and I celebrated with one of the best meals we can remember. My day off was Monday and I had to work late Tuesday (I gave my assistant the day off because she was talking around the store like she may get an engagement ring), so we decided to have our celebration on Valentine’s Day Eve.

We started drinking wine at about 6:00 p.m. with a really nice blend, Rosemont Estate 2005 Traminer Riesling. We both really enjoyed this wine, it was perfect for a great conversation while we waited for the grill to get hot. It’s a little sweeter than we normally drink but not too sweet. Ally really seemed to like it a lot.

Later with our meal we had a cabernet sauvignon, but it wasn’t good enough to write about, the food far outweighed the wine. So anyway, here’s information about the Rosemont Estate wine, I got it off the winery’s website.

Tasting Notes for Rosemont Estate 2005 Traminer Riesling:

Traminer Riesling is a delicious blend of two of the world’s most expressive
and flavoursome grape varieties. Traminer - also known as Gewurztraminer -
has a spicy, tropical fruit aroma reminiscent of lychees and exotic scent, with
a generous, soft palate. The Riesling component adds elegance to the finish,
with lifted, floral flavours and a fine acidity which balances the wine to
perfection.

Regional Source
The fruit was selected from premium Australian regions including Mudgee,
Langhorne Creek and Padthaway.

Vintage Conditions
The 2005 vintage was of consistent good quality across all regions.
Favourable seasonal conditions - particularly mild temperatures, with few
sustained hot periods, and moderate and generally well timed rainfall -
resulted in good quality and steady ripening of fruit, with full varietal
characters being developed.

Grape Variety
Traminer, Riesling

Maturation
The Gewurztraminer was cold-fermented at 13 degrees Celsius. A third of
the Riesling was retained as unfermented juice and later blended with the
dry-fermented components prior to bottling, resulting in a medium dry wine
full of natural grapey freshness.

Winemaker Comments:
Color: Light straw with lime highlights.
Nose: Tropical fruit aromas combine with more delicate blossom notes, wrapped up with a hint of spice.
Palate: Sweet tropical fruit flavours flood the palate developing honeyed notes towards the finish. Fresh, citrus acidity adds
great balance and a clean, lively finish.

Wine Analysis:
Alc/Vol: 11.5%
Peak Drinking: Now - 2007
Food Matches: Ideally suited to Aperitif, Asian, Seafood

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine review, Gewurztraminer, Riesling

As reported by Michelle Locke, Associated Press, in the Mercury News, California State Sen. Carole Migden proposed a bill this week that would make zinfandel the official wine of California.

Sen. Migden said in a news release, “the heady varietal is a “quintessential California wine,” dating back to Gold Rush days and versatile enough to stand up to the spicy diversity of California cuisine. “It’s about time we give it the recognition it deserves.”

Now I’m not a Californian but I would think this bill would raise some heads. California is the lead winemaking state in the U.S., we all enjoy many varietals from California, how could they elevate one varietal, Zinfandel, over the rest? Certainly this doesn’t sit well with wineries that only produce Cabernets or Chardonnays or any varietal other than Zin.

The bill, SB1253, is headed to committee and could be heard next month. I’m going to be watching how this plays out and I’ll let you know when I know.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, zinfandel, California wine, California Zinfandel

We just got over 20 new items posted at The Wine Gift Guy Online Store. We’re focusing on one vendor right now, Picnic Time, so you’re mostly going to find picnic baskets and packs and wine carriers, but there’s some really nice stuff. Our next vendor will have glassware and personalized bar and wine items.

It’s too late for Valentine’s Day but remember, Mother’s Day is coming up. We just put a collection of items called The Rose Collection and they are really pretty. Any item from the collection would make a great gift for a lady. We also put another collection in the store called The Riviera Collection. You just need to check this stuff out.

There’s more to come, we’re only about halfway through the Picnic Time stuff. And I can’t wait ’til we get to the BARBEQUE stuff! Yeah, barbeque! The catalog even has a page for tools! I don’t know if Reba will let me put the tools. Maybe if I let her put the garden stuff, she’ll let me put the tools. We’ll see.

If you have a suggest for items you’d like to see sold in our store, just leave a comment. I don’t get many comments here but I would love for my regular readers to add something (I know you’re out there!).

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine gift, picnic baskets, wine gift store

I couldn’t find a lot online about this wine but it seems popular at my store, well, at least I noticed it this week. We sell it in the $12 range, so it’s affordable but not cheap. I was able to find one review at The Wine Cask Blog for the 2003 vintage:

Fragrant nose
Strawberry and raspberry on the palate
A dark, woody layer
Nice finish with moderate tannis

There is a lot of great wine from the Columbia Valley in Washington and this is no exception. It’s an interesting blend of grapes with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc. This is close to a Bordeaux-style blend, but not quite due to the Syrah. It has good texture and nice overall flavors. Don’t let the label fool you- it looks like a home-made label with “House Wine” in huge black-on-white lettering. I paid $10 for the wine on sale, reduced from $12. Raise a glass!

Here’s what the winery’s website at www.magnificentwine.com said:

The Winery:
Located at the base of the Blue Mountains in Walla Walla Washington, K Vintners opened its doors to the public on December 3rd, 2001. The property at 820 Mill Creek Road where the winery sits was homesteaded in 1853 with the adjacent farmhouse built in 1872. The winery grounds with Titus Creek flowing through the lawn and the old pioneer planted trees, is a little slice of heartland Americana.

The Winemaker:
He loves to drink wine! Charles Smith, proprietor and winemaker, comes to Walla Walla after 11 years in Scandanavia. Originally from northern California, he has been involved with wine personally and professionally his whole life. And did we forget to mention… he loves to drink wine!

The Vineyards:
K Vintners is producing wines from 2 distinctive viticultural zones: Wahluke Slope and Walla Walla Valley. Each of these areas are unique and awesome for Syrah and the Field Blends produced.

In April ‘02 two seperate blocks of vineyards were planted to Syrah adjacent to the winery in the rocky dry creek beds that run through K Vintners property.

2004 The Magnificent Wine Company ‘House Wine’ - Cabernet Sauvignon
(Cabernet Sauvignon 70%, Merlot 25%, Syrah 5%)
Cocoa Powder & black currants is the aroma of this awesome wine. It is so smooth it gives velvet a run for its money!

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, wine review, cabernet sauvignon

With dinner tonight we had a bottle of La Vieille Ferme 2004 Cotes Du Ventoux. I really liked this wine. It’s been a while since I bought it, and I feel sure I only paid $4.99 or so but when I looked it up at www.Wine.com it was $7.99, maybe I’m wrong, maybe it was more, my memory is going, that’s for sure.

Anyway, I love this wine for the price. It a very, very, very deep red, garnet red. The aroma is all blackberries and black pepper. The taste, very spicy, again black pepper and blackberry fruit. Soft tannins, very smooth taste, full-body. A lovely wine.

I wish they would do something with their website, it’s all fancy and my computer just doesn’t like it. However, I was able to get the media info from the site and from the importer’s site. Here’s a compilation of what they say.

Area of production:
This full-bodied and fruity wine comes from vines grown high on the slopes of Mount Ventoux, one of the best vineyards in the Rhône Valley.

Grape varieties:
Grenache 50%, Syrah 20%, Carignan 15%, Cinsault 15%

Vinification:
Nearly all the grapes are lightly crushed but not destalked and are vinified in cement vats containing between 150 and 300 hectoliters. Classic long fermentation.

Maturing:
Meticulously selected and blended by the Perrin family, who also produce one of
France’s most acclaimed wines: Château de Beaucastel. The wine is kept in both
vats and large oak barrels for ten months and then bottled in July after fining and sheet filtration.

Tasting Notes:
This blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan and Cinsault grapes has produced a
typical Rhône Valley style; full of fruit and spice aromas, it has soft tannins and
good body.

Appearance : deep cherry red.
Nose : ripe fruit, rich and spicy.
Palate : good solid red wine with pleasant tannins.

Serving suggestions:
Serve at 17°C/62°F. To accompany most foods or to be drunk on its own, this is a delicious wine for easy drinking.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, red wine, wine review

Since I mentioned Asti Spumante in the last post, I thought I’d recommend an Asti for you and that’s Martini & Rossi Asti Spumante. Personally, I don’t drink much Asti, it’s a bit too sweet for me but Valentine’s Day being a day for your “sweetest”, I thought it appropriate.

I searched around for reviews starting at the Martini & Rossi website, they don’t say much about their own product, this is from their site:

“To fully appreciate the uniqueness of Martini & Rossi Asti one much understand the difference between Asti and other sparkling wines. In order for a sparkling wine to be called Asti, the wine must be made from 100% Moscato grapes grown in Italy’s pretigious Asti Region.”

“Asti 750ml - On every bottle of Martini & Rossi Asti you will find the D.O.C.G. seal of quality. This official Italian stamp of approval guarantees Martini & Rossi Asti meets the highest production standards and is of superior quality. But even if you didn’t see the label, you would instantly recognize this wine by it’s distintive crisp, fruty taste and extraordinary lightness.”

The Martini & Rossi website also had a few recipes for their Asti ~

Cosmo
Combine 1oz. cranberry juice, 1/4 oz Rose’s lime juice and a splash of premium orange liqueur in a chilled shaker and strain into a martini glass. Top with Martini & Rossi Asti.

Here’s one more ~

Sour
Combine 1-1/2 oz. DiSARRONO ORIGINALE Amaretto Liqueur and 2 oz. of sour mix in a chilled shaker and strain into a highball glass. Top with Martini & Rossi Asti and garnish with an orange slice or cherry.

Of course, you can always just drink it like champagne in a champagne flute, it’s very good and very romantic served like that.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: asti, asti spumante, Martini & Rossi, wine, wine gift, Valentine’s Day, Valentines’ Day gift

Valentine’s Day is the best gift giving day of the year, when do you EVER get to give a sexy gift and it will be okay? Valentine’s Day, only Valentine’s Day.

I looked around and Red Envelope is the best. They have an assortment of some really great sexy gifts. Here are some samplings:

gourmet body paint - $28

An art class for couples. Our provocative body paints are a “tasteful” invitation for a little good, clean(ish) fun. Exclusively from RedEnvelope.

* three flavors: creamy caramel, succulent strawberry and cocoa obsession
* includes two paintbrushes
* set of three 10-oz. jars

red hot rendezvous kit - $45

Toss this into the overnight bag and turn a romantic weekend into an ever-so-slightly steamy escapade. Exclusively from RedEnvelope.
* kit includes a satin blindfold, two teasing feathers, body dust, body massage oil, foot massage oil and a champagne-scented mood candle
* includes a scroll with suggestions for using the components
* arrives in a black presentation box trimmed with red ribbon
* box measures 9 1/2″ x 7″ x 2″ high

chocolate erotic fortune cookies - $28

Guaranteed to add some heat to your next stir-fry. Each of these crispy, chocolate-covered cookies comes with a racy fortune that will add some spice to their day. Exclusively from RedEnvelope.
* twelve individually wrapped cookies
* red-and-brown take-out container with brown ribbon handle
* please see more details for a list of fortunes
* total net weight 7 oz.

be my lover game - $29

Let fate decide what’s in the cards. Players spin the arrow, pick a card and cut to the chase.

* romantic and sensual board game designed to help couples share the experience of giving and receiving pleasure
* deck of cards provides directions for intimate sharing
* spinner arrow suggests foreplay activities for a wild, unpredictable evening

kama sutra pleasure box - $68
Hidden within a large tin, a myriad of pleasures await the curious, to be discovered as romance unfolds.

* original oil of love
* pleasure balm
* honey dust
* honey almond massage cream
* sweet almond massage oil
* feather duster
* kama sutra emollients are made of 100% natural ingredients
* tin measures 8″ x 7 1/4″ high

Now, don’t get caught on the last day with some crappy gift, there’s still time to order and on the day, you an always stop by the wine store and add a sweet bottle of Asti Spumante (be sure it’s already chilled).

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: valentine’s day, valentine’s day gift, sexy gift, chocolate, kama sutra, body paints, asti spumanti

Yay! It works! The store is officially open! Granted, it’s not fully stocked and we’re working on that but there is already some great stuff, so go on in and browse around.

See the little square at the top left-hand column? And the link just below that? You can click on either and it will take you to the store. Browse around and let me know what you think, just post a comment.

I’m so excited, I just know we’re going to offer some awesome stuff!

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, wine gift store, wine gift online store, gift store

With Valentine’s Day arriving week after next, I’m choosing wines that help enhance the spirit of the celebration. Over the next week or so you’ll find reviews on deep red wines, the color of love, and pink roses that bring out the light-hearted nature of the day. There’ll be champagnes in honor of celebrations and off-the-wall theme wines that add fun to the day.

Today, I’m reviewing Terra Valentine 2001 Wurtele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon because it has such a wonderful name ~ Valentine ~ and the deep red color of heartfelt love.

The information was found in the press kit at www.terravalentine.com.

History: The name Terra Valentine honors the hillside location and the historical roots of the owner. Terra, the Latin word for “land,” acknowledges the importance of hillside soil in defining mountain wines. Valentine honors owner Angus Wurtele’s father, Valentine Wurtele, and the Valspar Corporation. Angus Wurtele spent his career at Valspar, the roots of which trace back to the Valentine Company, an early American varnish maker that made its reputation manufacturing the varnish for the spars of clipper ships.

Vineyard: The Wurtele Vineyard consists of 35 vineyard acres planted in cabernet sauvignon at an average elevation of about 1,000 feet. It was planted by the Raymond family in 1990. The vineyard is unusual in that exposures are circular around a knoll of a mountain. This formation provides a variety of vine orientations and intensities of tannin. The vineyard has 14 blocks, which are typically harvested in 18-20 different lots. Two-thirds of the vineyard is terraced.

Winery: The winery at Terra Valentine brings together a state-of-the-art fermentation system with the uncovered beauty of an artisan-constructed building that is a colorful and well-hidden treasure of Spring Mountain history. The winery is located on the former Yverdon property at an elevation of about 2,000 feet.

Terra Valentine 2001 Wurtele Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

NEW RELEASE!!
100% Estate Cabernet Sauvignon
750 Cases Produced

Aromas: The nose opens with notes of black currant and cassis followed by subtle hints of mint, anise, black spice and dark earthy chocolate tones backed by huge black jammy fruits.

93 Points~ The Wine Enthusiast Review: “Few California cabernets can match this wine’s flavor package, which takes coffee, balck olive, cassis and cherry notes and folds them into a rich, chewy whole. The long finish, supple tannins and remarkable complexity all add up to a winning wine.”

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, wine review, cabernet sauvignon, red wine

I have a very close friend who is a genius at building websites. Actually, she’s the one who came up with the design for this site and I couldn’t be more happy. Well, she’s been reading my little wine blog and told me that I should open an online store. I was hesitant, what do I know about running a store, I’m not technical and don’t really want to be.

She understood and told me not to worry about it, she’d set it all up for me. She already runs another online store and she would just run this one along side of her other one. It’s a great partnership for me because, like I said, what do I know about running an online store? She knows everything about it and has been doing it for close to 10 years.

So, I’d like to introduce you to her, her name is Reba Collins, she own Gift Basket Wholesale Supply. That site is a wholesale site that caters to small gift basket businesses, probably nothing you would care about. But the new site won’t have that stuff, it’s going to have some really cool wine stuff.

As for the products, we’re going to start off with products from Picnic Time. They have some of the nicest wine carriers around. We’ll also offer a lot of the other things they make like picnic baskets, picnic backpacks, barbeque stuff, cheese boards, and wine paraphernalia.

So, keep watching. Hopefully it’ll be up by tomorrow ~ maybe even today! But, Reba asked me to tell you, there are a ton of items to add to the store and it’s taking a long time add them. So she’s going to try to add 5-10 items per day, so the store will fill-in over time. Don’t be dissappointed if you go there and there’s not much at first, there will be tons of items added over the next month. And as we add other product types, I’ll keep you updated here.

In fact, over the next ten days or so, until Valentine’s Day, I’m going to try to highlight some wines and gifts that would be great Valentine’s Day gifts. I might even send you to my own online store ~ cool ~ huh?

So, as soon as the store opens for business, I’ll post here. You’ll also find a link at the top of the left-hand column, so you’ll always be able to find it.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, wine gift online store

I actually did drink this wine with dinner the other night. We had pasta that Ally threw together (it was good though!) and a salad. I’ve always loved Concha Y Toro wines, they are good and very well priced. This one in particular is $7-$8.

I didn’t really make any notes when we were drinking this wine and it was last week, so I did some searching around on the internet. You know, this research is really going to show me some cool websites, when you finish reading this post, take a look at the Casillero del Diablo website, it’s pretty amazing. The Concha Y Toro main website is pretty nice as well, but finish reading first.

I mentioned in a post a while back that I won a trip to Chile through one of our distributors last year and ended up not being able to go because I didn’t have a passport…well, the trip was to the Concha Y Toro winery. I participated in a sales contest within our company and WON! They never told us when the trip would take place until when they announced the winner, ummmm, yeah, it was in like two weeks. It was too late to get a passport. Bummer. The trip went to one of the company executives (he had a passport).

I know I should have gone out and gotten a passport that day, but I still haven’t done it. I need to put that on my to-do list!

Anyway, back to Concha Y Toro and the Casillero del Diablo Carmenere 2004 wine. Here are the notes from the website and the winemaker. I highly recommend this wine, it’s a great table wine to be enjoyed often, especially at the price.

Harvest: Hand picked and mechanical harvest at the end of April into May.
Aging: 70% aged in small American oak barrels and 30% in stainless steel tanks for about 6-8 months.
Color: Dark and deep red.
Nose: Dark plums, black currant, and deep chocolate.
Taste: Soft and well structured mouthfilling texture.
Enjoy with: Fresh and light dishes based on meat, vegetables, fresh herbs and ripe cheese.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later.

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, red wine, wine tasting, wine review

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a review for any wine. Honestly, it was getting hard to buy and drink so much wine. You know, us liquor store managers are only paid so much and buying a new wine every night to taste or drink with dinner was just too far “out there”. But I do still buy wine and I do still drink wine, just not as much as I was there for a while.

I feel a little guilty that I can’t put a review out quite as often as I was so I’m going to enlist the internet and my experience at the store to help me along. Since I can only post my own reviews ever-so-often, I’m going to pick my top sellers or interesting finds instead. I’m going to do my research, read the label, and probably repeat some of the wine-maker’s notes here. At least that will give you guys, my readers, some information that you won’t have to search for yourselves. I also have access to reviews done by the wine buyers for our chain, and between all the info I find, I should be able to post intelligently about any wine I decide to write about.

Whenever I actually taste a wine that I know will be available to you (sometimes I taste wine at the store that’s from small boutique wineries but our chain buys the entire allotment, that wouldn’t be very helpful to you, so I won’t post those), I’ll be sure to note that I actually tasted and am reviewing the wine. When I use a compilation of info from other sources, I’ll give the sources credit and a link to the information.

Anyway, that’s the only way I can continue to afford to do this website and I love doing it because I’m learning so much. Everyday I see wines I want to try and report about and everytime I do so, I learn about another winery or region where wine is made. It’s too much fun to just give up. So that’s how things will be going forward, I hope you’re okay with it.

Oh, I’ll still give you info about great gifts and interesting wine news, that won’t change.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gifts, wine reviews

I guess I’m not the only one who thinks wine is the perfect gift. The Fasion Monitor Toronto reports, according to a recent poll of Ontario consumers, wine beat out chocolate and flowers as the best Valentine’s Day gift.

So, how do you incorporate wine in your Valentine’s Day gift? Well, what about a wine gift basket? Then there’s a romantic trip to the wine country. Or how about a beautiful new set of Riedel Wine Glasses with wonderful red wine, red is the color of love for Valentine’s Day.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Wow, now I’ve seen it all. I was reading in Wine Business News Online and found an article that made me chuckle. PBS is doing a new television series that is a copy-cat of “The Apprentice” that’s called “The Wine Makers“. Apparently they will have six men and women who compete for the chance to create and launch their very own wine label.

You know, I may watch this show only because I love both wine and “The Apprentice“, but for heaven’s sake, where will it stop? They are really digging deep with this idea, don’t ya think?

Here’s an excerpt from the article about the show and how the participants will be chosen:

Set in Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo, along California’s central coast, six candidates will experience every aspect of winemaking from viticulture and enology to sales and marketing. Selected through a process that includes write-in essays, open casting calls and video-taped auditions, the cast will be chosen from thousands of applicants across the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. Some may be enology students or part time chefs, while others might be wine-savvy waiters or accountants in mid-life crisis; but all will be life-long wine enthusiasts who see this as an incredible opportunity to jump-start their winemaking career.

Starting February 1st in Atlanta and then throughout the spring of 2006, casting will take place in Dallas, Austin, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago, Miami, Washington DC and Los Angeles.

“The Wine Makers” is a co-production of Doc City Production producers Kevin Whelan and JJ Levine, and South Carolina Educational Television and is scheduled to air on PBS in the fall of 2007. To register for casting, email casting@doccitytv.com.

Go on, read the article and see how much fun you can have. Are you up to the challenge?

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: the wine makers, wine, wine gift, wine tv

I read an article this morning on NewsTimesLive.com in the Leisure Time section. It was titled “Does marketing insult female buyers?”. It didn’t have a byline so I don’t know who wrote it, that person won’t get credit here, sorry.

Anyway, the subject of the article bored me a little, something about a cartoon French lady character that will represent a wine, that’s not why I decided to post here. The reason I posted is because there was some interesting info buried in the article.

I guess the author is speaking about the U.S., but did you know that women make up 52 percent of the population but now make 55 percent of the country’s wine purchases, according to the 2005 edition of the Adams Wine Handbook, published by the Adams Beverage Group?

And here’s some interesting info, I’m quoting from the article:

What are most women who drink wine looking for?

The Wine Institute, a California wine trade group based in San Francisco, reports that women are less influenced by the ratings of experts. “Although the wine quality is important to women, so are the label design, the bottle shape and the philosophy of the winery,” the institute said. Add good value, say a number of Chicago wine experts, both male and female.

Women also are looking for wines that work with what they’re serving for dinner and wines that please their guests as well as themselves. “Women think about wine in context more than men, I suspect,” said Marti Barletta, chief executive officer and founder of the TrendSight Group, a Winnetka, Ill.-based consulting firm specializing in marketing strategies for women. Barletta said women tend to drink more whites and roses while men drink more red wine. “I think, in general, a woman’s preferred flavor profile is a little more soft,” she said, adding that women are more willing to try something new while men find something they like and stick to it.

Don Sheil of Binny’s Downtown said “Pinot noir is a hot category for everyone, but women especially inquire about and buy a lot of this varietal.”

Tracy Lewis Liang, director of wine and spirits at Treasure Island Foods, said the wine business can be roughly broken down by gender. The collectors into the pricey bottles are largely men while women buy the majority of wines meant for dinners, entertaining and holiday meals. It is for this later group, the women, that wineries have been creating new lines, Liang said.

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift

The other day I had the pleasure of having Gerald Rowland stop by so I could taste his wines. Gerald Rowland is the owner and winemaker for Rowland Cellars, Napa Valley. Rowland Cellars produces wines under the labels Rowland, Ramspeck and Cenay (sen-AY).

I have distributors come in the store quite often to do tastings but it’s not so often that that winemaker actually comes along. It’s always a treat when this happens. The other day was no exception but the time of day really made it tough. They (Gerry and the salesman from the distributor) came in at about 10:30 a.m. and set up 5 wines for tasting in the lunch room.

Now maybe I’m just turning into a light-weight, I don’t know, but at 10:30 in the morning with no food in my tummy, it doesn’t take long to start “feeling” the wine. Also, at 10:30, I’m the only manager in the store, I was constantly having to leave to go take care of something. My assistant manager comes in at 1:00 p.m., oh how much better that timing would have been.

It was funny, Gerry Rowland is from Australia and has an Australian accent. So, I’m here talking to an Australian, drinking his California wine and get called to the front of the store for something. On the way back, I decided to take a look at his wines on the floor. Now I don’t know if it was the little buzz I had going or what, but I’m in the Australian section and I just can’t find it. I’m calling out to my wine guy, “Where’s the Ramspeck?”. He then looked at me like I was crazy, he knew I was in the Australian section, and he says, “Um, with the California wines, where it’s supposed to be.” Oh.

Anyway, like I said, it was tough to get through the tasting, consequently, I don’t remember much about how the wines actually tasted with exception to one. You know how it is when you go to a wine tasting and you taste wine after wine, and they’re all good, but they’re just wine, right? And then, you taste one that just stands out in the crowd? You know the second it touches your palate that this wine is something special? Well, Gerry Rowland had one that morning, the Cenay 2003 Blue Tooth Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon was a very fine wine.

I didn’t make notes that morning so I’m just going to add the winemaker’s notes to this post, but believe me, the Cenay 2003 Blue Tooth Cab is one you need to try. Here are the winemaker notes for all the wines I tasted.

Cenay Vineyards

Cenay Vineyards are located in Napa Valley’s unique Oak Knoll region, sharing many attributes of the adjacent Stags Leap District. Historically it was once the ancient bed of the Napa River, leaving behind a path of rich, fertile soil. Oak Knoll has a westerly aspect, excellent drainage, a rock base with sandy gravel topsoil and undulating hills.

Cenay 2003 Blue Tooth Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon: Aromas of ripe blueberries and blue plums with violets and spce notes. Flavors of juicy sweet black cherry with a round full finsh.

Cenay 2004 Rodgers Vineyard Pinot Noir: Ripe firm bodied fruits with mineral tones definitely showing a fruit profile of Burgundy including the flavor structure and texture.

Rowland Label

The Rowland label’s fruit comes from small mountainside vineyards producing a low yield of concentrated fruit. Each site is highly regarded for a specific grape variety. Gerry is a firm believer of the French concept terroir, where the wine’s flavor directly reflects the soil and climate from which the grapes originate. Both his farming and winemaking techniques focus on the wine’s distinctiveness.

Rowland 2001 Red Triangle Syrah: The Red Triangle vineyard Syrah exhibits intense aromas of freshly cracked pepper, ripe plump plum with a dusting of earth tones for intrique. A real treat for those who appreciate a big, full-bodied red. Yet dispite its concentration, the palate is still soft, round, generous and rich…all the hallmarks of a Hermitage and of great Syrah.

Winemaker’s Notes: A dark, dense, full-bodied wine with fresh ground pepper spices, licorice, black fruits and tobacco leaf scents.

Ramspeck

In Napa Valley, where “older” wineries were founded in the late 1960s, Rowland Cellars is something of an anomaly. When owner/winemaker Gerald W. Rowland decided to make and market his own brand, he traced his family history for inspiration. In 1991, he revived his family’s label, Ramspeck –454 years after it was first released in Europe in 1537.

Ramspeck 2004 Pinot Noir: The Ramspeck Pinot Noir is unique in its fruit presentation. This wine carries the bright fruit expressions associated with West Coast Pinot Noir style but also carries a minerality, spice and texture that one would find in a Burgundy presentation.

Winemaker’s Notes: Aromas of intese candied berry fruites - a medley of luscious ripe strawberries and black berries with spice and complex earth tones.

Ramspeck 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon: From Gerry - “The ‘03 Ramspeck Cabernet was all about getting back to basics. As one does from time to time you complete a full circle, and this circle takes me back to 1995. In ‘95 I was making the wine from Mountainside grapes and a similar blend. Strangely enough it was not a planned decision to revisit the past, I only discovered the similarities on looking back through my notes.”

Winemaker’s Notes: A deep colored, rustic wine scented with cassis, coco powder, dark chocolate and cedar notes. The flavors are rich and generous, with a long finish.

Hope you enjoyed my experience. I’ll be talkin’ to ya later.

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, cabernet sauvignon, pinot noir, syrah

I found the following really good article and thought I’d post it here. I didn’t write it, the author’s bio is at the bottom of the page but the good info pushed me to add it here. Do remember, there are links to places in the left column where you can go to buy wine peraphernalia, so if you decide you need one of these kind of corkscrews, go ahead and use one of those links.

Here’s the article:

Wine Openers- 6 Styles Reviewed
by Michael Briggs

Waiter Corkscrew

This is probably the most ubiquitous wine opener in the world and the ultimate in simplicity. This tool features a design that allows the entire tool to fit in your pocket, and as such has become the overwhelming favorite of wait staff and picnic goers. There are three essential parts that all fold out from the body of the tool: the corkscrew itself, a lever that acts as a fulcrum on the top of the bottle, and a small foilcutter to cut the foil from the top of the bottle. No wine cellar would be equipped without one at a minimum for backup. To use the opener simply remove the foil from the neck with the knife, twist the corkscrew fully into the cork, and then place the lever on the top of the bottle and pull the cork up and out. Some devices feature two shoulders on the lever in order to maximize leverage, in this case use the one halfway down the lever first, finally use the top shoulder to get the cork the rest of the way out.

Wing style

Here is another very popular type of wine opener. Using the mechanical advantage of a lever and gear, this device makes uncorking a bottle easier than a typical cork puller. While the price is a little higher than the waiter style, it is a great choice for the home user or anyone that does not wish to wrestle with a wine bottle. Simply rest the bottom of the opener on the top of the bottle, screw the corkscrew into the cork, and then push the levers down and they will lift the cork out. This could be the second most important accessory for the wine lover, second only to the wine glasses. These models come in a wide selection of metals including nickel-plated steel, or plastic. It is highly recommended to buy only heavy-duty metal types as they are more solid and will last for years.

Lever Pull

This type was made famous by the brand named “The Rabbit”, and it does make very quick work of opening wine bottles. Featuring a clamp you hold around the neck of the bottle with one hand, and a lever that plunges then pulls the corkscrew with the other. This gizmo efficiently removes a cork in just seconds. If you have a lot of wine to open, you will certainly find this toll useful. But be aware that this premium product comes at a premium price. A quality lever pull wine opener will cost up to $100 or above.

Twist Corkscrews

A two piece corkscrew with no levers, clamps, or hinges makes this one of the easiest and our favorite corkscrew for every day use. Use the device by first placing the bottom “seat” on top of the wine bottle. The corkscrew piece then slides into a guide hole in the top and is automatically centered on the cork. Begin twisting and the screw first drives into the cork, than it stops against the shoulder of the seat and as you continue twisting it lifts the cork clear. Broken corks are pratically impossible when using this style, as are cork pieces floating in the wine when completed. And at prices less than $50.00, this is in the top 10 accessories for any wine buff.

Uncorking Machines

If you have an entire room reserved just for your wine collection, than you are likely ready for an uncorking machine. With the simple pull of a lever in one direction, you will be able to twist the corkscrew in, and then pull it out of the bottle. Reverse direction and the cork will spit out and you are ready to do it again. The entire process takes less than 10 seconds. The design of these machines makes opening wine not only efficient, but also impressive. But be sure these machines are not cheap in the least; expect to pay over $100 for the most basic model that clamps to a tabletop. And for advanced models you would expect to see on an Italian estate the price tag will exceed $500.00.

Pump Style

The last style opener we will mention is the pump style. These insert a long needle through the cork into the air space above the wine. Then using either a pump or a cylinder of compressed air, the cork is removed by building up pressure under the cork so it pops out, just like champagne. These tools are a little bit more gizmo than workhorse, but for the enthusiast who has it all, this might make a good gift just for the amazement factor when it is time to open the bottle.

About the Author:
Michael Briggs (michael.briggs@brewerymall.com)
Michael Briggs is a wine fanatic and a frequent contributor to Winery-Mall and BreweryMall

I’ll be talkin’ to ya later!

Technorati Tags: wine, wine gift, corkscrew