Holiday Gifts for the Wine Lover

Holiday Gifts For The Wine Lover
I think that wine often tells us about our lives. How often have you had an amazing wine without it being ensconced in a wonderful story? My guess would be not very often. Like the time I first enjoyed an Italian wine I was at dinner with several friends in an Italian restaurant in Los Angeles. We were on vacation and my two friends from Utah and I were visiting a good friend there. He took us to a wonderful restaurant called Farfalle in the Los Feliz area. It’s exposed brick walls, dark wood tables and candle lit ambiance will forever be embedded in my memory. It might have been the first time that people expected me to know about wine given my profession and on this occasion I was asked to pick the wine. I chose a safe cabernet sauvignon (I don’t remember the choice now). However the server returned to inform me they were out of that wine at the moment. As he handed the wine menu back he suggested I might try the Bolla valpolicella as it was similar to the wine I had chosen both in flavor and in price. I hesitated only slightly because the young man seemed to know what he was talking about. The table loved the wine very much I learned to venture away from my “safe” choices. Every time I open up a bottle of this Valpolicella it brings me back to that very wonderful dinner with my old friends. These days I love to try Italian and French wines. I also very often experiment and make it a point to get others to try my “finds”. I owe that server much more than the excessive tip I gave him.

Gift Giving For the Holidays
Now don’t get on a tangent and tell me how bad that wine is! It’s a decent wine and I put it on my lists when I join new restaurant teams but it’s by no means a great wine. It’s a wine I might keep around the house for everyday use however. But the point is the STORY not the wine. My father and I both enjoy red wines and I try to keep it around for special occasions and for family dinner. Mother enjoys a rare glass of white wine. My parents are not bubbly drinkers. I bought several bottles of champagne and sparkling wine for their 65th wedding anniversary and never opened one. My point here is to give appropriate gifts at this time of year. I rarely drink vodka anymore but about 12 years ago that was my alcohol of choice. My freezer holds 3 bottles of the clear liquid that I received two years ago for birthday and Christmas gifts. Get my point? If you are giving wine or alcohol as a gift do a little research and find out what the intended actually enjoys. It’s okay to stretch someone's’ knowledge but there is a jumping off point. If they usually drink Popov, upgrade them to Absolut or Grey Goose. If they drink white zinfandel then start them on the road to reds with a bottle of their favorite AND and bottle of a sweet syrah or petite syrah.

Here are some suggestions in different price ranges for wine:

Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigios are great wines for food. They are gaining popularity along with Pinot Noir (See red wines below). The pinot grape comes from the Veneto area of Italy and came across the pond many, many years ago. Although my favorites are Italian the Californians and Washingtonians are really making some nice ones. Flavors of the grape, which is also called Pinot Gris (meaning Grey Pine cone probably because of shape of the clusters and the color of the skin) in some areas, can range from melon to pear while some even offer a subtle tropical or citrus fruit, often there is honey and a smokiness though this wine probably never sees wood or oak during processing. The color should be a pale, straw yellow with a little golden hue. Very much a characteristic of this wine is the texture as it has very silky and smoothness to it that leaves a long finish.
Here are some good pics:
King Estate Pinot Grigio, Oregon. $16.00
Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Italy $24.00
Trimbach Reserver Pinot Gris, France $24.99
Chardonnay
Like Cabernet, this grape can grow just about anywhere and adapts to different soils very well. It’s native home is Burgundy, France but California now reigns as capital of this wine. The climate determines very much how the wine will result. In cooler climates such as New Zealand and France the wine is bright and lively. In warmer climates like California and Australia it takes on a heavier body and rich tropical flavors. Also, because California vintners often use oak barrel aging, it is warm, buttery and creamy. These days, however, the trend is “un-oaked” and stainless steel barrel aging to bring out the bright and flavorful fruit flavors.
Veremonte Chardonnay Reserva, Chile $ 9.99
Geyser Peak Russian River, Chardonnay, Russian River $19.99
Grgich Hills Chardonnay, Napa $38.99
Joseph Drouhin Puligny-Montrachet, Burgundy France $50.00

Pinot Noir
Pinto Noir grapes are grown around the world, mostly in the cooler regions, but the grape is chiefly associated with the Burgundy region of France. It is considered to produce some of the finest wines in the world but it is also very difficult to cultivate and then turn into wine thus giving wine drinkers a little more love of this product. Because it is lighter in style this wine is enjoying a trend of more restrained, less alcoholic wines. Robert Parker said in Parker's Wine Buying Guide: "When it's great, Pinot noir produces the most complex, hedonistic, and remarkably thrilling red wine in the world..."
Villa Marie Private Bin Pinot Noir, New Zealand $20.00
Rodney Strong Russian River Pinot Noir, California $22.00
Archery Summit Premier Cuvee Pinot Noir $55.00
Belle Glos Taylor Lane Pinot Noir, Sonoma, $55.00
Louis Jadot Chambertin Clos de Beze, Burgundy, France $199.00


Cabernet Sauvignon
Many refer to this varietal as the “King” of red grapes. It’s an easily grown grape and thus flourishes all over the globe yet has the ability to keep it’s character in all this diversity. This small grape is big on content, color and tannin which makes it a “big” wine full of flavor and nuance. This is a grape that fluctuates widely in flavor because of the whims of the climate but mostly because of the winemakers. They can influence this grape to range from subtle to robust depending on the harvest time and to what grapes they blend it with. Very few Cab Sauvs are 100% of this grape. They are commonly blended with Merlot, Cabernet Franc and , sometimes Malbec.
Greg Norman Estates Cabernet Sauvignon, California $18.00
Benziger Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma $19.99
Clos Du Val Cabernt Sauvignon, Napa $29.99
Pine Ridge Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa $55.00
Ridge Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Cruz $125.00

Malbec
In Bordeaux, France this was once a common grape and used to soften more robust wines, Malbec has increased its status in Argentina and Chile these days. Argentineans have adopted Malbec as their national grape in fact. I love the soft velvet feel on my tongue and the many layers of the grape. Educate someone by bringing this wine to your Holiday Dinner invitation.
Punto Final Malbec Classico, Argentina $ 12.99
Terra Rosa Malbec, Chili $14.99


Gifts for the Wine Enthusiast in Your Life
Glassware
Glassware ranges in size and shape from tiny and tall to short and stout and all the way to tall and stout. I agree with the Wine writers for the Wall Street Journal. Give glasses that are large, sturdy and cheap! Everyone that has ever owned a Riedel crystal set lives in fear of breaking one of these $20.00+ glasses. You won’t even want to remove them from the box! So I say find a glass that suits any type of wine and buy two sets of 4 and then drop a note in the box that says something like “I hope you enjoy these glasses, use them with love and I’ll buy you another set next year!” A few rules however:
* Make sure the glass is at least 13 oz but preferably over 16 oz and up to about 22 oz. Not to fill it that much but you need room to swirl
* The glass should have a sturdy stem
* The “bowl” of the glass should slope slightly inward at the top to keep the bouquet in. Avoid apple shaped glasses
* Champagne flutes are to keep the bubbles from dissipating too quickly. The bowl type of champagne glass (said to be fashioned after Marie Antoinette's breasts!) are nostalgic and magical but hard to find
* Don’t get caught up in all the different glasses for each kind of wine. If your gift recipient is that much of a wine connoisseur then they already own glasses and you will probably only embarrass yourself trying to purchase stemware for them.
* Stay away from colors, etching and painted types unless you are buying for your Grandmother


Macy’s sells Lenox Crystal “Tuscany Classic” set of 4 for $54.00 and it often goes on sale for $39.99. This is an impressive set and won’t break the bank or hearts if they are broken.
Target offers a Luigi Bormioli set of 4 for $24.99. It’s an all purpose but large enough and nice enough to set at the best dinner tables. Dillards is offering the Wine Enthusiast Fusion glass set of 4. It is quoted as “the most break-resistant glass in the world” and each glass is 20 oz. This is the glass for me! It’s suggested retail is $49.99 for the set of four. And for champagne flutes Dillards also gets my vote for the Lenox Tuscany Classic set of 4, 6.5 oz glasses for $29.99 on sales for Christmas.


I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season and the best New Year ever!

Unlikely Wine and Food Pairings

Nick, you crazy guy, asked me to write about pairing wines with food that might not be the normal "red meat=red wine, fish=white wine" kind of thing.

Those work very well but he asked about "what about salmon?" and to that I say this...

Wine is complex and has many different characteristics and so does food. If you cook salmon you're probably going to season it or add a sauce. So what wine goes with the seasoning and the salt. If you love Mexican spices or cover a halibut with a spicy salsa then what wine would go with that? You don't know? Well that's what I'm here to help you with silly!

Take for instance bare salmon. Salmon is a fishy smelling, fishy tasting, oily fish. Chardonnay is buttery and has oak flavorings (generally). Does that sound good together? Probably not. For salmon alone (add salt and pepper at least please!) I would suggest a dry white wine. Something with some acidic tendencies to cut the fishiness and the oiliness. Sauvignon Blanc comes to mind. It's dry, it's acidic (citrus) it's perfect. Also I would think a nice Soave or a dry riesling would go well. Nothing too fruity like a gewurtzraminer or chardonnay.

If you want a RED to go with salmon I would choose a wine that has not too much spice like a cabernet but something along the lines of a chianti or pinot noir. The chianti is dry and complex with just enough spice to cut the oil and fishiness. The pinot has a little more fruit to balance and complement the fish without overpowering it.

Do you get where I'm going with this? You can choose a red OR a white wine with just about any food dish! It's your palate and your preference that should guide you. Experimenting is the best way to figure it all out. If you're dining with friends who order (or bring) different wines ask if you can take a sip of wine. Do this with a taste of food before or after. Compare how it is different than with your wine. Experimenting with different wines will help you figure out how to pair wines in the future.

Here's a list of types of wines I would order/pour with different flavors:

Spicy foods: Red: cabernet sauvignon (big, tannin filled ones! I hate Mexican restaurants that only serve bland, cheap cabs), chianti
Italian red sauce pasta: Chianti, cabernet sauvignon, merlot
Creamy pasta: Chardonnay
Spicy, creamy pasta: Sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, dry Riesling, pinot noir
Grilled salmon: Sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, dry Riesling, pinot noir
Hamburgers and hot dogs at your bbq: Merlot, syrah, shirah, pinot noir, maybe an icy cold sauv blanc
Grilled vegetables: Chianti, merlot, sauv blanc, pinot gris
Grilled cheese sandwiches and potato chips: chardonnay
Classic hamburger helper: Chardonnay (compliments because of the cheese), merlot is opposite and compliments the spice

You may laugh at my choices of food above (and I intended you too cuz I'm like that!) but it also is food we eat or have eaten so I want to you to be able to relate! Think about these choices and think about wines you have had and see what it conjures up. Just like we probably wouldn't put salt on peanut butter, there are some wines that just would be terrible with certain foods. Wine is and always has been produced to compliment food. So whether it's intended to "cut" spice or "compliment" cheese, it's all right there to make our tongues happy.

Happy tasting! Keep those questions coming! Thank you Nick for offering a great suggestion; I hope this helps!

Tasting Wine

As I started doing better financially I started to go out to nicer restaurants. When I was with friends it seemed that they always deferred to me to pick the wine for a table because of my background as a restaurant manager. I suppose this was natural but, at first, it was very intimidating. It felt like I was in the spotlight and could not make a mistake. After a couple of weak attempts at choosing and tasting wine I decided to learn the exact way to do it. Here I tell you the steps in looking like a pro when selecting wine for a group at a restaurant...

When your fellow diners ask you to select the wine ask them what they prefer (red or white, dry, sweet, etc.). It would be good to select a different wine for each course but I will get into that at a different time. In this case lets say your friends suggest a red. Don't be afraid to pick one you like yourself. They've left it to you. If you love merlot, then go with it! Inform your server of your selection by giving them the bin number (if printed) and the selection. Don't assume that the server will know its a merlot if you simply state "we'll have the Buena Vista". There may be several wines from that winery on their list.

1. When the server arrives with the wine they will "present" it to you. The server should hold the bottle with two hands with the label facing you. This is where you verify that he/she has brought the wine you selected. You check for: a) the correct winery, b) the correct vintage (year) and c) the correct varietal (chardonnay, cabernet, etc.).
2. Nod or say your approval. (If they got the wrong one, don't be a snob and act offended. They were probably dazzled by your amazing eyes and didn't hear you!). The server will pour a small portion for you to taste. After they pour the server should again hold the bottle facing you while you taste so you can refer to it throughout the process.
3. LOOK. This is the first step. Swirl the glass on the table. Use your elbow and shoulder to swirl. Don't try to use your wrist. Same goes for swirling if you are standing up. This swirling infuses oxygen into the wine so that the flavors and aromas will come out. What you are looking for is age, complexity, sugar content and fullness. Always look at the wine with a light background behind it (white table cloth, marble floor, tan wall) so you can see the wine clearly. To look more professional pick up the glass after swirling and check out the wine.
4. SMELL. The second step is to smell what you are about to taste. People get very confused about a wine and whether it has gone bad. There is a very large difference between it being bad and you not liking it. It's not okay to send a wine back because you don't like it. If it's bad you will know IMMEDIATELY! It will smell like horrible bad feet or vomit! There is no in-between as far as I am concerned. If you don't want to immediately run for the bathroom, then continue on:
Is there a hint of pepper? Rosemary? Tobacco? Peach? Flowers? This is the first step in deciding if its a good choice. Every wine has a different bouquet. Whites usually are more floral and citrus. Reds will have more berry flavors, earth and wood.
5. TASTE. This step is crucial. Swirl the wine again and take a large sip, not a gulp. Roll the wine around your mouth so it hits every area of your tongue. As you get more practice you can keep the wine on your tongue and "roll" or suck air into your mouth to awaken the flavors more. How is the tempurature? Is it too cold, too warm? What are you tasting? Is it chalky? Acidic? Do you taste berries? The cherries? The lavender? The pineapple? What are you tasting? It's okay to take two sips before you accept it. The first will cleanse your palette. The second will let you taste the real McCoy by getting rid of the taste of the gum that was in your mouth two seconds ago.
6. ACCEPT. After tasting and swallowing, nod to the server and thank them, then tell your guests what you tasted. Tell them if there is a long "finish" (after taste), what was your perception "it is a little dry but the berries are very pronounced". Or "pretty good chardonnay with a nice oak finish". Keep comment simple and don't try to impress them too much with your new found knowledge. Notice how when you say I can taste rosemary that everyone at the table will agree. Sometimes it's hard to put a name to something unless someone else states it. Ask your guests if they like the choice. If they don't ask them why and let them inform you what they look for in their tastes. It will help you next time you are out with them and the choice falls to you.

I hope this helps you look like an expert on your next date or gathering! Cheers!

Why I Started This

Hi Friends,
I decided to start a wine blog because many of my friends suggested that I start teaching about this subject that I love so much. I occassionally have wine dinners and I work everyday with wine in my profession. So, I guess it's natural that I would start a blog (it's the American way right) about this subject.

My intent is to make wine approachable and less intimidating. So many people like wine and so many of them don't know why. I'll try to tell you my favorite wines and what makes them that. Wine is complex and yet so simple. The first time you taste it you probably won't like it. But after a little education and trying different types you will figure out why it is so desirable.

If you have suggestions I want you to feel free to post them. I also want your ideas for future blogs. I need your feedback to see how to design this blog and to keep it going.

Thank you!
Kevin