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Does the price of wine matter?

Sunday, May 10th, 2009

Apparently it does. But more for one gender than for the other. Can you guess which one?

As a long time single guy I often heard people speak of what women & men ask when being told about a potential suitor. The man might ask “what does she look like?”, while the woman might ask “what does he do?”.

I must admit that I have never (or rarely) heard a woman brag about how much something cost. But I have seen men, waving around their metaphorical swords, proclaiming their suits, watches, pens, cars and yes, bottles of wine were better because of how expensive they were. Talk about insecurity…at times it seems the person is so unsure of their purchase, yet if they are able to convince someone else how valuable their material (suit, bottle of wine, etc) is then maybe they will begin to believe it and feel better about it themselves.

OK, I digress. Surprisingly to me, it is WOMEN who apparently are affected in terms of their enjoyment, by the price tag on a bottle of wine.

A study performed by the Stockholm School of Economics and Harvard University and written about by Leslie Gevirtz for Reuters, found that women are more affected by the price of wine than men.

The research found that “disclosing the expensive price of a wine before people tasted it produced considerably higher ratings, although only from women”.

So it seems that all that sword waving being done is wasted between men. The real targets should be the sought after women. As apparently, if you tell them it cost a lot they will like it. But will they like you????…

HAPPY expensive and proud of it WINE TASTING!

WTG

Tags: price of wine, Reuters Life
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Wine Humor

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

I attended the Lauber portfolio tasting the other day. Unfortunately I was only able to spend about 2 hours there. But I tasted a lot of wine, all of it good, and some of it quite interesting and worth seeking out. I am working on my notes from the tasting and hope to have something written up about it soon.

But in the meantime I thought you might enjoy some wine humor that has been sent my way in recent days…

Happy (and humorous) Wine Tasting!

WTG

To my friends who enjoy a glass of wine.. . and those who don’t.
As Ben Franklin said:
In wine there is wisdom,
in beer there is freedom,
in water there is bacteria.

In a number of carefully controlled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. coli) – bacteria found in feces.

In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (or tequila, rum, whisky or other liquor), because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and/or fermenting.
Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine = Health .

Therefore, it’s better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of shit.

The Hormone Guide
Women will understand this!
Men should memorize it!

Every woman knows that there are days when all a man has to do is open his mouth and he takes his life in his hands! This is a handy guide that should be carried like a driver’s license in the wallet of every husband, boyfriend, co-worker or significant other!

DANGEROUS	SAFER	SAFEST	ULTRA SAFE
What’s for dinner?	Can I help you with dinner?	Where would you like to go for dinner?	Here, have some wine
Are you wearing that?	You sure look good in brown!	WOW! Look at you!	Here, have some wine
What are you so worked up about?	Could we be overreacting?	Here’s my paycheck.	Here, have some wine
Should you be eating that?	You know, there are a lot of apples left.	Can I get you a piece of chocolate with that?	Here, have some wine
What did you DO all day?	I hope you didn’t over-do it today.	I’ve always loved you in that robe!	Here, have some wine

Tags: Lauber portfolio tasting, wine humor
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Different wine styles

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Following up on yesterday’s post I continue to ponder the divergent styles of wine. And as such, was somewhat surprised to see this excerpt within an email from “Vibrant Rioja”:

Rioja Tinto Reserva
Flavors – Modern styles of Reserva tend to have flavor profiles towards chocolate, sweet spices, and what Spaniards call sabores balsámicos – fennel, anise, licorice. Classic styles of Reserva tend to have more developed, earthier aromas with less noticeable fresh fruit, but more complexity and finesse

We know the different styles exist. And I believe there is a market for each style. Modern vs. Classic. New World vs. Old World. Natural vs. Manipulated. Call it what you want. These two styles exist.

Which is better? Well whichever style you prefer of course. Just as there are critics who seem to prefer one style, there are also those who clearly prefer the other.

I must admit that I am not sure why I am so fascinated by all of this. Maybe because as my palate has evolved I have seen my own preferences change (from modern to classic). But the fact is that I still do enjoy many “modern” wines. Just as there are some supposedly “classic” wines that I find to be lacking fruit, character, personality, etc.

If you have any questions about this feel free to write. And if you have an opinion please feel free to share. Either way, forget region, price, rating, label, whatever – try as much wine as you can, figure out your preferred style, and ENJOY!

Happy YOUR style wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: classic wines, manipulated wines, modern wines, natural wines, new world wines, old world wines
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Quick rant & “natural” wines

Tuesday, April 28th, 2009

It has been too long. I miss YOU! Getting back from Israel has been exhausting. Jet-lag is kicking my butt. Furthermore, following the Vlog launch, getting back to actual writing has been tough. But fear not, I am shopping around for what I hope will be the prefect video companion and I expect to get back to Vlogging ASAP (to the delight of my friends who have enjoyed making lots of fun of me). In the meantime you will have to settle for my prose…

Let’s start with coffee. I have somehow managed not to become a regular drinker of coffee. I both fear a coffee dependency, and dislike most of the coffee around. It either tastes watered down, burnt, or otherwise just not to my taste. But there is a small NYC chain, “Joe” whose coffee I really like. I was safe as I only drink their coffee when I find myself near one of their downtown locations. But while I was out of town the good folks at Joe opened up their 5th location…a short 4 blocks away. Uh oh…looks like my caffeine intake will be increasing…

OK, getting back to wine, I have been thinking a lot about terroir, natural wines, non-manipulated (unmanipulated?) wines, etc.

I have also been thinking a lot about wines that really get me to say “wow”!

These “wow” wines, and those “terroir” OR “natural” OR “unmanipulated” wines are neither mutually exclusive nor are they necessarily related. I’ll attempt to differentiate as much as possible in a future post.

But today I bring this up as I (sort of) attended a “natural wine tasting” today. I say “sort of” as I was accused of being a party crasher at the tasting, and I was subsequently “thrown out”. While I will readily admit that I was not invited by the host, I was invited by an invited guest. Disappointed I may have been, a wise man recently told me that he does not care to be where he is not wanted.

I did however have the opportunity to taste several of these “natural wines” before my premature departure. But I found quite a few of them not only to be un-manipulated but also without any personality. No fruit or oak aromas or flavors and frankly not much of anything but an OVERLY understated and non-descript wine.

HOWEVER, as much as I may prefer not to admit it, I did find an unusually high percentage of wines that were in fact WOW wines. When I think of WOW wines I am speaking about wines that are in some way unique, often times complex, and really catch me by surprise. I tried red & white, dry and sweet, and several of them showed subtle complexity with unusual aromas and flavors. This is what gets me to go WOW. Your WOW wine can be a drastically different wine. As long as the wine excites you and get you to say WOW (or “holy crap” &/or a host of other possibilities).

Two producers whose wines I think are worth mentioning are those of Cristiano Guttarolo as well as Francois Pinon. Guttarolo poured some Primitivo’s (AKA Zinfandel), each aged in different vessels; one in Amphora (clay vessels), one in stainless steel & a third in large barriques. While the two still wines of Pinon were of interest as I picked up a hint of sweetness – that “hint” that actually turned out to be A LOT (17 grams RS) of sugar that was balanced beautifully by a terrific acidity (each with a beautiful bouquet to add to the WOW factor).

As I continue to process the often times “elitist” quest for natural and terroir driven wines I promise to discuss in greater detail. But in the meantime…

Happy “WOW” wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: Cristiano Guttarolo, Francois Pinon, Joe coffee, natural wine, terroir, unmanipulated wine
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Guest Blog Post – building a wine cellar

Friday, April 17th, 2009

A friend offered to help out while I am away in Israel and composed a post about building a wine cellar. A worthwhile read that I hope you enjoy…

How to Build the Perfect Wine Cellar

If you are passionate about wine, then you have no doubt contemplated building your own wine cellar at one point. Having your own beautiful wine cellar to safely house your collection can be a practical and rewarding project. Not only are wine cellars stylish, but they can also add to the property value of your home itself. Many potential home owners’ eyes light up upon seeing that the house they are considering comes equipped with its own wine cellar. But who are we kidding? If you plan on building your own wine cellar, then you’re not doing for someone else, you’re doing it because you have a passion for wine. Whether you are a connoisseur of wine or simply enjoy a bottle with dinner, building your own wine cellar is easier than you think.

The most important aspects of a wine cellar are the wine racks. You can either purchase racks from a home goods store or you can choose to build them yourself. Depending on the size of your collection, you may want to start small, while still leaving yourself room to expand upon later. There are even wine racks on the market that allow you to add on more storage pieces as your collection grows. No matter what type of rack you decide upon, take special care to make sure it is sturdy and properly installed. Not only is your collection valuable, but it is also quite fragile. The last thing you want is to descend your stairs to your cellar only to find your wine pooling on the ground.

Wine is a very temperamental and special care is needed to insure that it is stored properly. For starters, natural light will damage your wine over time. It is vital that you store your wine in an area that is dark and will not be exposed to light for extended periods of time. You should also take care to make sure that your cellar is not too humid, as this can damage the corks in your bottles and cause cork rot, which with ruin your wine. Use a dehumidifier if need be to keep your wine cellar somewhere between 60 – 70% humidity.

Lastly, your wine needs to be stored at a specific temperature in order to thrive. Depending on the region in which you reside, this may prove more difficult. Wine needs to be stored in an area that is between 7 – 18 degrees Celsius. Any wines you own that are maturing should be stored at a slightly lower temperature. If your cellar is too hot or too cold then your wine will not age properly and some of the delicate flavors may be lost forever. By keeping these simple factors in mind, you should have no problem starting a wine cellar that you can enjoy for years to come.

Tags: wine cellar, wine racks
Posted in Wine STUFF | 1 Comment »

Bottle variation??

Wednesday, April 15th, 2009

I’m drinking a lot of Israeli wine here in Israel during the Passover holiday. Then again that should not come as much of a surprise to anyone who frequently reads this blog as I ALWAYS drink a lot of Israeli wine.

That said I had the opportunity to get a terrific wine at a very affordable price here in Israel that unfortunately is NOT an Israeli wine. Capcanes, a Spanish winery whose wines I have previously written about makes two kosher (and kosher for Passover) wines. The big boy is the “Peraj Ha’abib”, which is just like perach Ha’Aviv or “Spring Flower” in hebrew. So through a friend I was able to get my hands on a few bottles of the 2005 Capcanes Peraj Ha’abib here in Israel for the rough equivalent of about $40. This wine sells for about $60+ back at home in NY, so I figured I’d grab a few bottles and indulge.

I opened up the first of the 3 bottles with my family at our Friday night meal. It was showing BIG/STRONG oak characteristics, with almost over-powering cloves. Not everyone at the table picked up on it, but it was unmistakable to me. The mouth feel of the wine and the underlying fruit were both very nice, but this wine was dominated by its toasty clove aromas.

I then opened up the 2nd bottle on Monday night while dining with the special lady at a fancy Jerusalem restaurant. This bottle was the same vintage, same winery, same wine…and I believe SAME CASE. Yet it was COMPLETELY different from the first bottle. This time the wine had a similar mouth feel yet the dominant clove aromas were GONE. Beautifully integrated oak and fruit, with the fruit shining through.

SO, getting back to the title, there is something in wine known as “vintage variation”. This happens as hand crafted wines will vary from vintage to vintage. Different weather patterns, longer/shorter growing seasons, more/less rain/sun, etc… – all these factors lead to differences in vintages and wines from different vintages that are remarkably different from one another.

But to happen to the SAME wine from the SAME vintage and the SAME case?

I suppose this could happen in a tiny winery where the wines were aged in different barrels and then bottled without being re-blended??? But I would imagine that most wineries, even small one, will mix all the barrels together in a tank of sorts before bottling. So how/why could something like this happen? Have you ever experienced anything like this before???

Happy same wine different flavor wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: bottle variation, capcanes, vintage variation
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Couple of wine shout-outs

Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

First I’d like to congratulate my WINE group buddy, organizer & fearless leader Jeremy. Wine snob extraordinaire, Jeremy is also an author – and a PUBLISHED one at that.

All Jokes aside Jeremy is a brilliant writer and I am thrilled to help him announce the release of his new book. I haven’t received my signed copy yet, but you can go ahead, check it out and even BUY a copy here…

Second shout out is to a group of 40 bloggers who got together and formed a wine related April fools site called “Dregs Report”. Sure I was deeply hurt by not being asked to contribute, but they probably knew how busy I’ve been, what with Passover and all. I took a quick peak at the site and it looks pretty funny.

Happy wine related (and otherwise political) reading & TASTING!

WTG

Tags: dregs report, Embracing the Occupiers, Jeremy block
Posted in Wine STUFF | 2 Comments »

“Mevushal” or Flash pasteurized wine

Monday, March 30th, 2009

Working with Israeli wines, most of them kosher certified, I often hear the question; “what makes a wine kosher?”.

Without getting into too many of the details, I explain that it can not contain an ingredient (gelatin or isinglass) sometimes used in the fining (removing particles) of wine. And it must be made (actually handled) by a sabbath observant Jew.

Another question that inevitably arises relates to a process known as “mevushal” or flash pasteurized. This is a process whereby the wine (or often the juice pre- fermentation) is quickly brought up in temperature to around 180 degrees F and then (usually) quickly cooled.

Wines that have gone through this process can be handled by Jew & Gentile alike and still maintain their kosher status, whereas non-mevushal wines can not be handled by non-Jews lest they risk losing their status as kosher. I find this practice to be highly offensive and will refrain from further comment. Amongst the reasons for said practice dates back to pagan rituals/libations done over wine, but only wine that had NOT been boiled. As such the rabbi’s decreed that all kosher wine be boiled so that Jews would not use pagan wine for their own sacramental purposes.

Many of the better kosher wines today do NOT undergo this flash pasteurization for fear of damaging the wine. And many wine critics believe that the heating of the wine leads to cooked fruit flavors (rather than fresh fruit flavors) and also prevents the wine from aging gracefully as many “mevushal” wines tend to deteriorate within a few years of their vintage date.

I bring this up as I learned something new about flash pasteurized wine today. I found an article written by Bill Zacharkiw in The Montreal Gazette whereby Zacharkiw states “The first time I came across the technique of “flash pasteurization” was when I talked with Tomas Perrin of Château Beaucastel, whose Châteauneuf-du-Pape … (is) considered by many … as … the world’s best.

Beaucastel wines undergo a heating process similar to mevushal wines.

Perrin…believes that by quickly heating and then cooling the grapes, the delicate flavors and aromas are more easily extracted from the grape skins, without all the astringent tannins. Also, this type of pasteurization helps protect the wine from premature oxidation, which means fewer sulphites need to be used.”

Interesting huh?

Happy (dare I say) mevushal wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: flash pasteurized wine, mevushal, Passover wine
Posted in wine - kosher, Wine STUFF | 3 Comments »

hodgepodge of wine stuff

Thursday, March 12th, 2009

Following yesterdays rant about overly extracted/ high alcohol wines, I see that the NY Times is listening (no, I am nowhere near that egocentric). In Wednesdays edition of Eric Asimov’s “The Pour”, Asimov talks about a California Pinot Noir producer who “renounced the fruit-bomb style in favor of wines that emphasize freshness and delicacy”. The winemaker stated “It got to the point where I didn’t want the wine to be fatter than the food”.

Asimov goes on to talk about a predominant style of wines that are “ripe & extravagant” and approaching 15% alcohol (MUCH higher than the one time traditional 11-12%) and goes on to talk about how he “was thrilled to find a small but growing number of producers pulling in the opposite direction…Instead of power, they strive for finesse. Instead of a rich, mouth-coating impression of sweetness, they seek a dry vitality meant to whet the appetite rather than squelch it.”

Well put Mr. Asimov.

Continuing with the hodgepodge, I read a quickie peice in the USA Today about young adults holding their liquor (or wine) better than their older counterparts. Entitled, “Can older adults hold their alcohol?”, apparently “The older adults performed more poorly than the younger group”. Well kids, looks like you need to start giving your parents a curfew and THE LECTURE on responsible drinking.

Finally, I attended a rather large kosher wine (and food) event a few weeks ago and wrote about it for The Jewish Press – “America’s Largest Independent Jewish Weekly”. The article has now been posted online and can be found here.

I attended another of my wine tasting group’s Burgundy tastings tonight and will write about it as soon as I have the chance. Stay tuned, and…

Happy delicate, youthful, kosher wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: Asimov, Jewish Press, the pour, USA today
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Parkerization??

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

In between meetings, phone calls and several attempts at celebrating Purim today, I stopped by the “Today’s Bordeaux” wine tasting this afternoon down in Tribeca. It was a real nice tasting with lots of Bordeaux offerings, including about 15 whites (white Bordeaux is generally a blend of Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and sometimes Muscadelle), 100 reds and even 2 or 3 Sauternes (dessert).

Of the 100 or so reds were many from the now famed 2005 vintage, and several were from other vintages such as 2003, 2004 & 2006. An interesting part of the tasting was the early pre-release tastings of the 2008’s. This was a real treat and provided insight into how the wines will be once they are officially released.

But rather than writing about any specific standout wines (and there certainly were some) I want to write about an observation. I found many of the reds to be pretty big/fat/extracted … whatever you want to call it. Now they were by no means Australian inky big. Or Argentinian/Chilean big. But they were big.

Which leads to the title of this blog. Fellow writer, blogger & NY-er Alice Feiring recently wrote a book “The Battle for Wine and Love: or How I Saved the World from Parkerization“.

In a nutshell, Feiring writes about how Robert Parker and other critics favor wines made in this big, often high alcohol, extracted style. I am all for people drinking whatever style of wine they like, yet as my palate evolves I am beginning to tend to appreciate a leaner, lower alcohol wine that some will say better pairs with foods. And Feiring points out in her book a (scary) trend wherein producers are making wines that will attain high scores – more often those that fit the profile of the big, extracted, high alcohol wines. So what of the smaller, lower alcohol & generally more food friendly wines?

Today’s tasting, although thoroughly enjoyed by yours truly, might be further proof that EVEN BORDEAUX producers are falling victim to the lure of high scores and making wines that they believe will attain high scores from the aforementioned critics.

This is certainly not bad news for everyone, and frankly may be good news for many. But for those whose preference is natural, lower alcohol wines, this may indeed be further indication that Feiring is on to something.

Happy BIG/small Bordeaux wine tasting!

WTG

Tags: Alice Feiring, Bordeaux, Robert Parker
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