Serving Wine

I have been noticing how people like their wines served.
Most people want whites & sparkling wines chilled.
They usually drop it in a chilled wine bucket and let nature take its course.
Did you know you there is a desirable temperature.
When you observe and dig a bit further with red wines
there is a divide.
Many people want room temperature and are adamant about this.
There are some folks that like it chilled.
This is interesting.
This is the same product and source.
The major difference is the amount of time the grape-skins
are in contact with the grape juice during fermentation.

The recommended and correct temperatures are:

Sparkling Wines    41 degrees
Whites Wines       45 degrees
Red Wines            62 degrees

Chilling wines does make sense because most wines are not transported
or stored at optimum settings.

So always remember wine is to be shared and enjoyed.
To get the best flavors from the bottle use the above guide.

Cheers!


   
  

Palm Beach Food and Wine 2012 etc....

So I get back from Sonoma CA, after participating at their excellent Fall Wine Harvest. To my surprise there are interesting emails about upcoming events in South Florida.

Currently in process is the Palm Beach Food and Wine event.
Tomorrow Dec 11 ends with their Grand Tasting on 150 Worth St
in Palm Beach Fl...oh yeah... I will be there!

Had the great opportunity on Saturday to hear 4 Chefs. D. Boulud, M. Murphy, J. Kunkle and D. Burke spoke about their Brand Marketing issues on selling out in the food industry. It was a very honest, open and insightful discussion. This event was presented by Bullfrog and Baum at the Four Seasons Palm Beach Fl. This event was run very well, kudos to all and by the way, the mimosas and food were excellent.

Next up are events in Islamorada Food & Wine Jan 11 thru 19, 2013.
Key West Food & Wine Jan. 24 thru 27, 2013
and closing out in Miami (SOBE)
South Beach Wine & Food events February 21 thru 24.
So you thought the grapes were hibernating for the winter.

Cheers!          

Touring Sonoma Wine Country Make It Happen!

Is there an easy way to start a conversation with a new friend?
What works for me is to ask if they ever visited the CA wine country.
The topic gets so many to smile & open up instantly.
For many its a vacation they must do.
From my conversations many never get to experience it.

There are many reasons not to go.
It's uncharted territory and too far away.
There are so many places to go.
Where to begin: Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, Santa Barbara or Mendocino?
California or Washington? Throw in Argentina, Italy & France as options.
So you can see why many never make it.
I recommend a first-time trip to Sonoma CA.
Do not hesitate, go now during the fall.

How to do this you are asking?
Be adventurous.
Book a flight to (SFO) San Francisco CA airport.
Next, rent a car and follow Hwy 101 North
over the Golden Gate Bridge.
It's a 90 minute drive.
Pay attention to the landscape.
To make it easy, grab a wine map.
Pick a wine appelation.
There are several to choose from: Dry Creek,
Alexander, Russian River or Sonoma Valley.

You can't make a bad choice.
All areas have good hotels, restaurants and wineries.
Now pick out 3 wineries a day.
Stay as long as you can.
Be aware you will never see it all.
Plan on coming back!

Cheers!

Why Punt?

I just finished a bottle of wine & was quizzed.
Is that bottle of wine out?
Yup, then I stopped and stared...at the empty bottle.
Why did this bottle seem to disappear so quickly?

Did I use it for cooking?
Did I share it?
Was I really enjoying it?
Were my pours generous?  No to all of these...
Or...
Was it the punt?
Yeah, it was the punt!

The indentation underneath the bottle---
A very noticeable and generous dimple.
So why have this huge indentation at the bottom of a bottle?
The sentiment is that it helps collect sediment in the bottle.
The bottle is made stronger.
It assists a person opening the wine.
Some believe it says the wine is of a better quality.

When you purchase a heavier bottle and get less wine
well, it's a no-brainer; not a good experience.
Why put the punt in play?
For me the many positive points of the punt
do not outweigh the negative experience.
The expectation is to be memorable, celebrated & shared.
The punt is a flaw, not unnoticed.
Come on man!

Cheers!





  

Wine Views

In wine country we sniff, swirl, glance and sip.
This is done by visitors in tastings rooms everyday.
It is the beginning step of their wine education.
Does looking at a glass of wine matter?

Some people look only to determine if it's red or white.
Many people do not look and go right for their sense of taste.
Then there are those that slowly examine the liquid details.
These folk know that their glass of wine is telling them a story.
Let's think about what these tasters are examining.

The wine's color is obvious to read---either it's red or white.
How is the wine's clarity?  Is it clear, still or cloudy?
Does it have many bubbles or just a few? 
The color shows hints to a taster
such as age, grape varietal, origin and quality.
White wine colors will progress this way:
young pale, moderate yellow,
mature gold, older or unhealthy tawny.
Red wine colors reflect this way:
young purple, moderate ruby,
mature garnet, older brown.
These shades of color only tell a piece of the wine's story.

White wine's color does not reveal much but age. With red wines,
thicker-skin grape varietals are darker like Syrah & Cabernet sauvignon
and thin-skinned grapes are paler like Pinot Noir.
Cooler climates can usually produce paler wines and warm
climates show deeper colors in reds & whites.

Wines that show bubbles could mean it is flawed.
Fast-rising, tiny bubbles are great in sparkling wines,
but not in still whites & large slow bubbles are not a good in any whites.
Is the wine clear and clean? This is normal.
Or is it dull or cloudy? These wines are likely flawed.
Gently swirl the glass.
The wine will form vertical beads known as legs.
Showing many legs on the glass means the wine is dense,
high in sugar and alcohol.
Fewer legs means the wine has less sugar & alcohol.
When a taster tilts their glass, it shows the wines hue & depth.
Is the color consistent? Look at the edges any separation of color?
These traits show when a wine is maturing or
breaking down especially if it is brownish.

So the next time you see someone peering long at their glass
just give them some room, some serious detective work is in progress.
   

Cheers!

     

    

 

Wine & Fantasy Football

The season and emails requesting my Fantasy football picks has begun.
Fantasy Football lets the NFL grow fans and keep an eye on their product.
These fantasy games are silly, addictive and fun.
We are rooting for a football player's numbers also known as stats.
Many NFL fans argue who are the best players because of these stats.
This argument is so wrong and makes football coaches in the USA cringe.
Football is a team sport, 11 players on offense, 11 on defense. Many
other back-up positions players wait for their number to be called.
All coaches teach that games are won and lost as a team.
Fantasy football snubs this concept entirely.
Pick your best 7 players on offense, and 1 team as your defense.
Score points, make yards, don't fumble, tally it all up and you win or lose.
This game is not realistic..... Go Numbers...Really?
The NFL made this game easy, but it is nothing like playing football.
Blocking and tackling is how you play.
I feel like a CPA after Monday night football is over.
 
Now how is this supposed to be about wine you ask?
Well, here are my picks for 2012 Sonoma CA Winery Fantasy Team.

QB-           Silver Oak Winery...Always Dependable.
RB-           Ridge Winery... Go to wine 100+ per game.
RB-           Pedroncelli Winery...A Tireless Bruiser.
WR-          Nalle Winery...All American Zin Status.
WR-          Sbragia Winery...Go ask Joe Montana.
WR/RB-   Carol Shelton Winery... Like the Breakaway Mobility.
K-             Seghesio Winery... Straight thru the Goalposts.
Defense-   Preston Winery... Earth's Ultimate Defender.


We don't need points here, just some great food.
Touchdown!
We Win!

So who are your picks?


Cheers!

Excellent Wine Harvest Event

Summer vacations are coming to an end and the start of school is getting near.
In Sonoma, the friendly wine folks are kicking it up a notch.
This is the beginning of Harvest.
Today, workers are hard at work inspecting, measuring
and harvesting sparkling wine grapes.
More varietals are scheduled in weeks to come.
For wine growers, wine makers & crew the waiting is over and hard work begins now.
You can see this daily on drives along CA highways 101, 128 & 12.
It's a special time in Sonoma.
You can actually feel, see, taste and smell the change of season.
Many of these tasks must be done.
Wineries are scheduling, storing, buying, selling,
cleaning equipment, attending to customers & wine club events
plus this duty, monitoring mother nature.
All of these tasks can make or break your season.
This is why it is affectionately known as Crush!

A great way to take part in the harvest season is by attending a locals event.
It is the Sonoma County Fall Harvest Fair which will be held this year
October 4-7 at 1350 Bennett Valley Rd Santa Rosa, CA 95402.
It's approx 90 min. north of the SF Golden Gate Bridge on Hwy 101 N.
This is a scenic and easy drive.
For event & ticket information see www.harvestfair.org.
There will be plenty to taste, see and do here.
The concept of the fair is to inform, value and judge everything
that is made or raised in Sonoma County from art, foods,
wines (150 wineries under 1 roof) etc.
It is a once a year event not to be missed
and a great way to be part of the Crush.

Cheers!