A Dramatic Afternoon…
June 2, 2010
Ordering wine on a date
May 25, 2010
This one’s for the guys
Which is more romantic, wine or beer? The answer, I hope, is obvious. In my few years on the dating scene, I’ve come to understand that a bottle of wine has a lot more mileage than it’s distant cousin, the six-pack. After all, sharing is caring.
Well, let’s say you’ve got a hot date. You’ve pressed your slacks and ironed your shirt, you’ve called the girl, and you’ve secured a reservation. Tonight is no six-pack night; you want to slowly share a bottle alongside a relaxed, romantic dinner. The trouble is; you don’t know what wine will work with her fish. Since you have to start somewhere, I’m here to help.
Google some stuff
Yes, your job starts before the date does. It wouldn’t hurt to search for some basic wine facts on the internet, or read the preamble to a wine book. Ten minutes of reading will have you sounding like a aficionado, something I’ve found women to enjoy. When your date thinks she is sitting across from the smartest man in the room, things are sure to go well.
Get a full Bottle
Choosing a bottle over separate glasses will pay for itself (in sweet loving) later. It might cost you a few extra bucks, but she’ll appreciate it. It might seem counter-intuitive, but the less you drink the better. You want your date to feel like she has your complete attention, probably best not to be getting buzzed. Also, leaving behind a half finished bottle screams “HIGH ROLLER,” which can’t hurt.
Choosing the bottle
You want to consider the wine list, looking suave and debonair as you consider the selection. Sly glances and smiles as you look up help things as well. A furrowed brow? Yes please. The bottle you choose says a lot about you; and there are some obvious pitfalls to avoid. Never buy the cheapest bottle or overspend in an effort to look cool (this backfires). When picking a varietal, think about varieties that pair well with a variety of foods. Good choices include Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Chianti.
Let her pick
I always like to ask my date, “Red or White?” By this time, I’ve already narrowed it down to two or three wines, so the hard work is already done. Whatever she says, you will be ready with the perfect bottle to send sparks flying.
Tasting a bottle
Your waiter will typically bring the bottle out to you for the serving ritual. If you must taste the wine, do so as quickly and simply as possible. Don’t describe the wine, for god’s sake. Say, “That’s good,” or something equally blasé that will make you sound cool. If you can avoid it, just have the waiter open the bottle and leave it tableside. You can then pour her glass and have a nice toast without a greasy waiter mouth-breathing over you.
Hope this helps.
Cool Gadgets for Wine Lovers
May 24, 2010
Gadgets, gadgets, everywhere…
Something interesting happens when you truly develop a passion for wine. You begin to collect bottles that you’re proud of, relaying knowledge to friends, and you buying gadgets. At first, all the gadgetry can seem frivolous, but the wine geek understands. These smartly designed devices can have a huge impact on how wine is enjoyed. Being one of these aforementioned geeks, I want to share the loot.
eSommelier
On the forefront of wine collecting technology is the eSommelier. This unit is the end all, be all device for cataloging any home wine cellar. You can navigate through your entire collection using the touch screen and scan in new bottles with the bar code reader. The system includes all the information you could want, including age, price, and peak. Starting just south of $4,000, this is for someone who has truly arrived. If you consider the price of a bottle for more than a passing moment, this thing probably isn’t in the budget; but we can all dream.
Preservino Preservo Wine Preservation Steward
It’s no secret that wine left out turns into a useless fluid. As oxygen seeps into the juice, delicate flavors are lost and a perfect bottle can become a worthless one. We’ve been using the traditional wine saver pumps for a while now to suck out as much air as possible, but the Preservo takes things one step farther. This space-age device uses a blanketing system of argon gas to preserve the wine.
Since it is heavier than air but does not dissolve in solution, the argon forms a protective barrier between oxygen invaders and our precious drink. This is the same technology that some extremely high-end wineries will use to protect their wine during maturation, so it follows that this would be an effective method. This thing might look like a spaceship, but the price is actually more in-this-world. For $100, you can have this conversation piece sitting on your kitchen counter.
Battery Operated Corkscrew
You might have seen my corkscrew review a couple weeks ago. While those devices were certainly useful, they didn’t have the high-tech gadget x-factor that I am always searching for. Forget cranking or turning, I would much prefer the push of a button. The opener comes with a built-in foil cutter, smoothly handling the entire process of opening any bottle. The product has a very machine-like, bolt-action feel when in use that speaks to its quality. For $25, it’s yours.
Phylloxera’s history and effect on the wine industry
May 18, 2010
Phylloxera: a grapevine pest. These root-feeding insects have had a huge effect on the wine industry to date. In fact, we have them to thank for many modern innovations in grape growing. They may have nearly wiped out the wine industry all together, but we are stronger having faced such an opponent.
Once upon a time, nobody knew about phylloxera. European winemakers did not have to deal with the brat, and wines were being made without interruption. Things could have proceeded like this, until some English botanists came around and messed things up.
Phylloxera gained a foothold in Europe during the British colonization of America. The bug came back with samples of American vines taken to England. From there, phylloxera spread to mainland Europe, engulfing the continent in a bug-ridden hell that no vineyard could escape.
Stimulus
Since they evolved separately from phylloxera, European species of grapevines were extremely susceptible to the bug. The almost microscopic phylloxera feeds on roots, causing deformations that end up severing the vine’s nutrient uptake. As the phylloxera plague spread across Europe, more than two-thirds of vineyards were destroyed.
People were freaked out. The French government offered a 300,000 franc reward for a cure. Thousands of suggestions were received, sometimes bordering on the insane. Entire vineyards were flooded in the winter for weeks on end, and toads were buried underneath vines to draw out the “poison”.
The battle raged on, until scientists began to suggest grafting American rootstocks onto European varietals. The American rootstocks were partially if not completely resistant to phylloxera, having lived alongside the organism for so many years. Millions of American rootstocks were shipped to Europe in the 1870s, and the grafting craze began.
Response
During their trials, scientists discovered that different rootstocks convey a variety of characteristics to the fruiting vine. This allowed the winemaking to expand in a way that would have been impossible in a pre-phylloxera world. Instead of searching tirelessly for the perfect location, we can easily compensate for our vineyard’s limitations with proper rootstock selection.
Rootstock selection is a central choice in vineyard management, because it affects almost all aspects of a vine. Vigor, drought tolerance, disease resistance – you can control it all. Even more intense, rootstocks can be varied across a vineyard to provide a uniform crop load, resulting in better wine. Vines on hillsides will get different rootstocks than vines on valley floors, and so on.
Aside from the side effect of spreading viral diseases, the grafting that took place because of the phylloxera has been an incredibly positive force. Our knowledge of grapevines exploded during the time period, and we are better off for it.
Winemaking: The basics, a history
May 17, 2010
A couple weeks ago, I wrote a rather broad overview of the winemaking process. At the time, I thought I was simplifying a confusing practice. Looking back, however, my report seems to have complicated something that is actually rather simple. After all, people have been making wine since 4,000 BC, and probably before that. Let’s get back to the basics.
You crush grapes; you wait a few weeks; you collect wine. Nothing needs to be added, adjusted, or monitored. Forget those $50,000 bladder presses and start stomping. Temperature controlled fermentation tanks? I think not. Good luck finding a nicely refrigerated cave. Hopefully, there is a nice strain of yeast living in there too, or things might be difficult.
The early history of wine is very much one of circumstance. Grapes were hugely popular in Roman times, partly because of how easy they were to transport and plant during colonization. In much the same way, the French used conveniently located caves to ferment their wine in.
Take Champagne, for example. We love the bubbles. We pay extra for the bubbles. They must be rare and hard to obtain; a veritable caviar of the wine world. These words are lies.
The bubbles are an accident. Some of those caves in the cold, northeast of France were just too cool to completely finish fermentation. The resulting wine would undergo secondary fermentation while in the bottle, causing the drink to become carbonated. This was actually somewhat of an issue.
The pressurized bottles were notoriously unstable. Chain reactions destroying more than half of a year’s vintage were common. Cellar workers were forced to wear armor when around the volatile bottles to protect against injury.
In much the same fashion, we figured out that the best wine comes from grapes which are clinging to life. Today we better understand crop loads, soil types, and vigor. With this knowledge, we work tirelessly to recreate the conditions present on the world’s great vineyards. It’s no wonder, then, that things can get complicated. Every piece of land might not be destined to produce the next grand cuvee, but that’s not to say that we can’t try.
Luckily for us central coast residents, we don’t have to work that hard. We’ve been blessed with a Mediterranean climate that is very conducive for growing almost any grape variety. The Templeton gap gives the area a breath of fresh air each afternoon, and perfectly sloped hillsides of limestone and shale dot the valley, creating the perfect grape-growing climate.
In summation: Wine is good. If you live in the right place, it will always be good. Live it up central coast.
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Upcoming Events
May 17, 2010
Plan your next move…
Varietal Characteristics
May 12, 2010
Want to learn some random stuff about common varietals so you can sound smart at your next cocktail party? I thought you did.
Pinot Noir – Starting first and foremost with my favorite grape, pinot noir is unique. It is a red grape, but doesn’t have the weight, tannins, or color of other red grapes. As a result, pinot is readily drinkable, much more so than other varieties. Pinot Noir is a particularly difficult grape to cultivate, because of its particular climactic requirements. Grapes need to be grown in cool regions will good sun exposure to ripen fruit while maintaining delicate fruit flavors. Pinots tend to pair with food like whites; think fish, chicken, rabbit, and duck. You’ll never find another grape like Pinot, no matter how much you drink.
Cabernet Sauvignon – Possibly the most intense, flavorful, and tannic grape out there, Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic. This grape pairs amazingly with heavier dishes such as steak, venison, and hamburger. It goes pretty well with chocolate too. Cab. Sauv. was created in the 1600s in France by crossing Cabernet franc with Sauvignon blanc, and is one of the most widely planted red varietals grown today. Its climactic requirements are almost opposite those of Pinot. With thick skins and hardy bunches resistant to rot, Cabernet Sauvignon can be grown almost anywhere.
Syrah – Syrah can stand alone or be blended, and is commonly used to make powerful red wines. Also known as Shiraz by our Australian friends, the grape can make many different styles of wine. Grapes grown in hotter climates will be more peppery and tannic, while others will retain more fruity, blackberry flavors. Wine styles are also heavily influenced by the temperature of their fermentation and the use of oak. Drink it with a nice steak or sausage.
Chardonnay – Another hugely widespread varietal, Chardonnay is planted wherever grapes are grown. The grape might as well be the standard for white wines. It has relatively little distinctive flavors, and derives much of its characteristics from the winemaking process. Commonly produced in two styles, Chardonnay can be either oak or fruit forward. Chardonnay also plays the central role in Champagne and other sparkling wines. Chardonnays (especially oaky ones) can be effortlessly enjoyed on any occasion, but pair especially well with shrimp, crab, bass, or lobster.
Sauvignon blanc – This is another unique grape. Native to France, Sauvignon blanc produces extremely crisp, fruity, and refreshing wines. The variety even has its own chemical group: thiols. These incredibly sensitive chemicals are meticulously maintained throughout the winemaking process, as they are the main component of the varietal’s flavor. The grape is a significant component of many dessert wines, such as sauterne. When pairing, keep thinking about traditional choices. Salmon, shrimp, swordfish, and light pastas are good choices.
Winetasting Map
May 12, 2010
What is the best corkscrew?
May 4, 2010
Hey wine lovers. This time out, we’ll check out some different corkscrews that are on the market. I will evaluate their design, functionality, value, and, most importantly, their sex appeal. Isn’t that what wine is all about anyways?
Lever Style Corkscrew
Design – I think we can all agree, this thing is pretty sleek. I hardly know weather to open my wine with it, or set it to stun.
Functionality – The main advantage here is ease of use. It takes so little effort that you could probably have a small child provide your bottle service, not that this is recommended.
Value – Prices range from $20 to $170. Lever corkscrews tend to be more expensive than other types. Check out this fancy guy.
Sex appeal – From far away? High. From close up? Not so much. It is certainly a slick piece of engineering, but is too large and bulky to be truly sexy. Then again, there’s always the chance that your date will see it and think you’re adventurous in the bedroom. Maybe it’s worth the risk.
Waiters Friend
Design – Rugged, Compact, and efficient; this is a man’s corkscrew. Accordingly, this is my tool of choice when opening almost any bottle. Yeah.
Functionality - It might not be the prettiest corkscrew out there, but it isn’t designed to be. The waiter’s friend was made to be compact and functional, and it certainly is. Granted, there is a bit of a learning curve, but once you can use it well other devices look like tricycles. I can hold the thing straight, thanks.
Value - Generally inexpensive, this type of corkscrew is an excellent value
Sex Appeal – This depends largely on how good you use it. If you are well practiced, it’s the way to go.
Winged Corkscrew
Design – Somewhat of a hybrid between the first two, the device is sleek yet industrial. This particular corkscrew looks like a person shrugging, no?
Functionality – Typically very reliable, except with very cheap models. Some models have shoddy worms that struggle to open a bottle on the first try. It is actually possible to get fragments of cork into the wine if one burrows too far; something to be aware of.
Value – This type of corkscrew is reasonable priced, falling in-between the first two types reviewed.
Sex appeal – This one tends to make me laugh, leading me to believe that it has little sex appeal. Also, it looks like a primitive version of the jaws of life or something. Not very sexy, at all.
Two Prong Cork Pull
Design - Old school. This device is nothing new, but you don’t mess with a classic.
Functionality – The two prong is especially useful for older bottles with suspect corks. Since you don’t actually pierce the cork, you’re less likely to disintegrate it. It can be tough to use, but it has a charm that not even the waiter’s friend can match.
Value -Very high. I have one of these for no other reason than the three dollar price tag. When I need it in five years I’ll be happy.
Sex appeal – Oh yeah, put on some Marvin Gaye, sit back, and enjoy.
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Why does wine cost so much?
May 3, 2010
Why is this wine so expensive? How could something that’s 90 percent water have a triple digit price tag? I used to wonder this before I came school. After learning about the winemaking process, I think I know why.
- Planting a vineyard – is a careful, tiring task. Each varietal has unique temperature and sunlight requirements. Some varieties can only be grown properly in extremely precise conditions, driving their cost up. Rows need to be configured uniquely for each vineyard for optimum vine growth, while considering the tractors and other vehicles that will be flooding the area during harvest. The initial cost of setting up a vineyard is incredibly high, and nicer vineyards only get more expensive to maintain.
- Rootstocks – are also selected early in the process. It is extremely important to select the proper rootstocks when designing a vineyard, since they control vigor, water uptake, and disease resistance. If your rootstock is wrong, your vineyard will be a constant headache. Sadly, many vineyards were planted a long time ago by people who didn’t really know the science that’s around today. In a way, consumers are paying for their ignorance. If their rows were spaced properly, their trellis system properly configured, their rootstocks properly paired to their soil, these vineyards would produce more fruit for similar costs.
Looks a little sloppy, eh?
Image credit: Based in Villigen
- Growing the grapes – sounds easy, doesn’t it? I wish it was. Like I ranted before, grape growing practices vary widely depending on how well a vineyard is designed. A well designed vineyard will have less labor requirements than a poorly designed one. Common practices include leaf pulling, shoot thinning, insecticide use, berry sampling, and dormant pruning, but can be far more exhaustive, and expensive.
- Harvesting – can be either by machine or by hand. Machine harvesting tends to damage grapes and lower price points while hand-picked (and perhaps hand-sorted) fruit will cost more. High price point wines will typically have their fruit hand-picked in the very early morning when it is still cold and dark, to prevent oxidation or microbial spoilage. Waking people up early will cost you.
- Pressing – the grapes is next. Once again, the higher the price point, the nicer we are going to treat our fruit. We aren’t about to toss these little guys into a blender and turn them to pulp. No way. Well pressed juice is achieved by being as gentle as possible, applying slow and continuous pressure. Different presses are used based largely on a winery’s budget, with the more expensive machines producing better juice.
Check out this horizontal bladder press. They start around $30,000.
- Fermentation – is the stage where juice becomes alcohol. During fermentation, it is extremely important to control temperatures to maintain quality and produce the desired wine style. Low temperatures inspire the creation of more fruity, delicate flavors, while higher temperatures will extract more overall phenols and color. A variety of practices are used to adjust properties of the wine, with some being extremely labor intensive and expensive.
- Maturation – refers to the storage of wine in bulk. During this process, winemakers monitor and adjust pH, top off the tanks, add SO2 to prevent microbial activity, stir the wine to increase body and make the final blend, among other things. If wines are being matured in barrels, the labor costs skyrocket.
- Aging – comes after bottling. The amount of time a winery ages their wines before release has a huge bearing on price point. Ageing wines in house is extremely costly for wineries, as they cannot make any money back on that year’s vintage until it is released. At a certain point, you aren’t paying for the wine, but for how the wine was treated throughout its life.
By this logic, the pampered bottle’s price might even make sense. If you want to be shocked, and don’t mind waiting to view a gnarly pdf, here’s a pricing list for “The Vintners Vault Pre-Harvest Crush Pad Equipment Pricing” list. These are their sale prices too.
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