Happy Wine Guy believes we are living in a “wine renaissance”. By that I mean we exist in a time and place where there is more wine being made and more “better” wine being made then at any time in the history of the world. By “better” wine I am referring to the widespread use and acceptance of superior grape growing and harvesting methods, advancement in wine making equipment, the utilization of modern wine making techniques as well as other scientific advancements. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? But are you taking advantage of this precious opportunity or are you just staying the course with your old reliable selections? Of course, HWG always says “drink what you like” - not what other people like - but he is not beyond prodding you into a little harmless wine exploration now and then.

As demand for wine has grown over the last decade a proliferation of new wineries, new wines and brand extensions has greatly enlarged the wine world. According to Wine Business Monthly, the number of wineries in the U.S. has grown from 3,606 in 2005 to 6,101 today. Although I have already praised this trend of more quality and quantity it makes it difficult to always know who you are doing business with when making a wine purchase. HWG loves finding new wines that could be my next favorite and I prefer to support the small, family wineries if I can. Similar to you shopping at the Farmer’s Market in your town or buying from the local butcher or dairy farmer, keeping independent producers solvent feeds the independent pioneer spirit in all of us. Unfortunately this can sometimes end up costing you $50, $75 or more a bottle for small, boutique wines. Compounding matters is the fact that the largest wine companies now own a dizzying number of labels, some of which used to be small, family wineries. For example, let’s examine the biggest American producer, E. & J. Gallo.

Once upon a time Gallo was a small family producer, but not now. This giant cranks out the equivalent of nearly 20% of all domestic wine made, nearly 100 million cases! And it is not all under the E. & J. Gallo name so you may not know if you are supporting a giant or a little player. Just this month they bought a Spanish wine label you may recognize, Las Rocas Granacha ($12). Here are a few more names you may know that all belong to E. & J. Gallo. Andre, Ballatore, Barefoot Cellars, Bella Sera (Italy), Black Swan (Australia), Carlo Rossi, Clarendon Hills (Australia), Dancing Bull, DiVinci (Italy), Ecco Domani (Italy), Frei Brothers, Ghost Pines, Indigo Hills, Liberty Creek, Livingston Cellars, Louis M. Martini, Martin Codax (Spain), Mirassou, Polka Dot (Germany), Ranch Zabaco, Red Bicyclette (France), Redwood Creek, Sebeka (South Africa), Turning Leaf…and that is just half of their portfolio.

So if you share the urge to expand your wine world and try a new wine there are many out there. However, you may want to ask your local wine store operator if the wine you are buying is from a giant conglomerate or not. That may help you expand your wine world in a way you may appreciate all the more.

If you have any wine questions feel free to write the Happy Wine Guy at hwg@happywineguy.com

Happy Wine Guy believes we are living in a “wine renaissance”. By that I mean we exist in a time and place where there is more wine being made and more “better” wine being made then at any time in the history of the world. By “better” wine I am referring to the widespread use and acceptance of superior grape growing and harvesting methods, advancement in wine making equipment, the utilization of modern wine making techniques as well as other scientific advancements. Sounds pretty good doesn’t it? But are you taking advantage of this precious opportunity or are you just staying the course with your old reliable selections? Of course, HWG always says “drink what you like” - not what other people like - but he is not beyond prodding you into a little harmless wine exploration now and then.

As demand for wine has grown over the last decade a proliferation of new wineries, new wines and brand extensions has greatly enlarged the wine world. According to Wine Business Monthly, the number of wineries in the U.S. has grown from 3,606 in 2005 to 6,101 today. Although I have already praised this trend of more quality and quantity it makes it difficult to always know who you are doing business with when making a wine purchase. HWG loves finding new wines that could be my next favorite and I prefer to support the small, family wineries if I can. Similar to you shopping at the Farmer’s Market in your town or buying from the local butcher or dairy farmer, keeping independent producers solvent feeds the independent pioneer spirit in all of us. Unfortunately this can sometimes end up costing you $50, $75 or more a bottle for small, boutique wines. Compounding matters is the fact that the largest wine companies now own a dizzying number of labels, some of which used to be small, family wineries. For example, let’s examine the biggest American producer, E. & J. Gallo.

Once upon a time Gallo was a small family producer, but not now. This giant cranks out the equivalent of nearly 20% of all domestic wine made, nearly 100 million cases! And it is not all under the E. & J. Gallo name so you may not know if you are supporting a giant or a little player. Just this month they bought a Spanish wine label you may recognize, Las Rocas Granacha ($12). Here are a few more names you may know that all belong to E. & J. Gallo. Andre, Ballatore, Barefoot Cellars, Bella Sera (Italy), Black Swan (Australia), Carlo Rossi, Clarendon Hills (Australia), Dancing Bull, DiVinci (Italy), Ecco Domani (Italy), Frei Brothers, Ghost Pines, Indigo Hills, Liberty Creek, Livingston Cellars, Louis M. Martini, Martin Codax (Spain), Mirassou, Polka Dot (Germany), Ranch Zabaco, Red Bicyclette (France), Redwood Creek, Sebeka (South Africa), Turning Leaf…and that is just half of their portfolio.

So if you share the urge to expand your wine world and try a new wine there are many out there. However, you may want to ask your local wine store operator if the wine you are buying is from a giant conglomerate or not. That may help you expand your wine world in a way you may appreciate all the more.

If you have any wine questions feel free to write the Happy Wine Guy at hwg@happywineguy.com

You’ve heard me say this before…the very best way is to drink it…go to as many tastings as you can, drink, drink, drink. The second best way is to hang out with people who drink a lot…of wine. They are happy to share what they know. But in case you can’t do either, get a good book. But which one? Never fear gentle reader, the Happy Wine Guy reads all the wine books so you don’t have to. And he has no problem sharing his winners and losers with you. Better than Oprah’s Club and slightly more scholarly than Bullwinkle’s Corner here is a can’t miss book that will educate and entertain you without making it seem like work.

“The Emperor of Wine: The Rise of Robert M. Parker Jr. and the Reign of American Taste” is a revelation on many fronts. Part history book (the good kind that has interesting stuff on wine), part biography (of the most influential man in wine history since Dom Perignon) and part social commentary on how Americans view wine, the French and our obsession with competition and winning, this book delivers a memorable message that informs and inspires you to ask “what if” and “how come”?

HWG recommends you read this book, it will help you understand how and why wines get “points” and why they matter…or not. You can get a good used book on Amazon.com for 44 cents plus $3.99 for shipping.

It’s been hot. 90+ days all summer except for on the rare occasions when it rains. As much as HWG loves red wine he often finds he needs some white refreshment on a weekend afternoon. A recent tasting event netted a new discovery that has been worthy of a re-purchase and that is tangible evidence that we are talking good juice here.

Torrentes is a popular grape grown in Argentina and the wine makers usually churn out a lot of decent but modest wines. Kind of in the Sauvignon Blanc mode and selling for around $9. But this one is different and you notice it right away by the distinctive, perfume-y bouquet. This wine actually smells rich, reminiscent of when you walk by the perfume counter at an upscale store. It has a complexity to its taste, tart green apple and lemon-lime flavors that finishes dry, but not too dry, with some exotic nutty notes too. HWG is not positive what it means when a wine is described as “round” but I think this one fits the bill. This is a very pretty wine, smooth and silky and not a bit wimpy and a tad bit naughty. Think Charlize Theron and you got it. $15.00.

You can read all the books and magazines and reviews you want but the VERY best way to learn about wine is to taste it. Taste wine often. Taste a lot of wines. Trust the Happy Wine Guy (HWG) on this, it works.

Now I know not all of you can devote as much time to tasting as HWG can and does so he happily shares his stories with you… but still get out and taste some wine. Or stay in and invite friends over and have each one bring a bottle. (Yes, 1 bottle per person, not per couple, we need quantity here people!) Keep your eyes and ears open for wine tastings in your area and attend, they are a blast! HWG uses this website to keep up on where wine is being poured - http://www.kcrestaurantguide.com/calendar_news.htm, I bet there is a similar site in your city.

Last night HWG attended the Cool Whites Wine Tasting held at a local liquor store/wine bar. Seventy-seven wines were open and true to the instructions above HWG was out to taste as many as possible.

1. 2004 Calera Viognier, $29, supposedly made in the “French” style, this wine is dry with a long, tart finish. Just ok.
2. N.V. Piper Heidsick Brut, $35, bright and fresh Champagne with sweet and tart flavors nicely balance among the bubbles. This was a HWG purchase!
3. 2005 Cloudy Bay Chardonnay, $27, lots of green apple, this New Zealand wine is true to its roots. Nice long finish too.
4. 2005 Torino Torrontes, $17, big bouquet of peach and stone, nicely tart taste the gets tarter as it finishes. A real surprise! This was a HWG purchase!
5. 1996 Duval-Leroy Vintage Brut, $47, wow, this champagne has a huge bouquet, yeast-y and scents of candied nuts. Tastes old, kind of like a port in a way. But HWG didn’t dig it.
6. 2006 Ballantine Chenin Blanc, $14, smooth and crisp with just a hint of sweetness. Napa Valley juice! This was a HWG purchase!
7. 2004 Grich Chardonnay, $43, Wow! A show-stopper! Lots of acidity and fruit in great balance with a tart snap at the end and some oak way, way, way in the back. Only the price kept this from being a purchase.
8. 2004 Rubicon Estates Blancaneaux, $40, from Niebaum-Coppola, this is a blend of Roussane, Marsanne and Viognier, very nice, appealing dry finish but lacking in the French minerality. Nice but not at that price.
9. 2003 Tablas Creek Esprit Roussanne, $25, musty, earthy nose, you could tell that this wine had some age on it. Pretty nice.
10. Wolf Blass Gold Labe Riesling, $18, I missed what vintage this was, nice & tart but essence of smoke? Weird. Take a pass on this one.
11. 2001 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Ribeaupierre, $37, not fair to slip a sweeter wine in on HWG after the previous ten wines sampled. I could not evaluate this one at all, seemed like a dessert wine.

By this time HWG was forgetting to write down the vintages on what he was sampling. From here on out you may get the year, you may not. Just remember that we were tasting the current vintages of all these wines and they were all for sale that night.

12. St. Cosme Condrieu, $58, very different nose, hard to pinpoint. Kind of a sour/musty taste with a very nutty finish, Off-putting. HWG did not like this wine.
13. BV Carneros Chardonnay, $18, standard Napa Chard. Oak-y. Blah.
14. Far Niente Chardonnay, $54, I could smell Napa, very smooth, lots of oak, green apple and more oak. Ugh.
15. Franciscan Cuvee Sauvage, $35, compared to the two just tasted, much better. Better balance and LESS OAK!
16. 2003 Ladooucette Pouilly Fume, $35, nice nose, a 7-up lemon/lime thing going on, tight and tart but good.
17. 2004 Girardin Chassagne Montrachet closed la truffiere, $48, Killer! Bea-u-ti-ful nose, so smooth tasting, tart with green apple flavors balanced with subtle oak, knee-buckling good!
18. 2004 Girardin Meurasult les charmes dessus, $56, seems older and dryer than the wine above, nice wine.
19. 2003 Beaucastel CDP Blanc, $76, real ripe and extracted on the nose…like port or somethintg. A bit of sweetness and a long nutty finish.
20. 2004 Luna Pinot Grigio, $15, you don’t usually see a touch of oak on a P. Grigio but it gives this wine a little more body. A real crowd pleaser.
21. 2005 King Estate Domaine Pinot Gris, $24, simple but nice, a decent wine.
22. Ceretto Langhe Arneis Blange, $17, HWG had never run into the Arneis grape from Piedmont but he like-y! Crisp and clean, really delicious and refreshing. Zingy! A HWG purchase!
23.  Chateau St. Michele Eroica Reisling, $22, on the sweet side, decent wine.
24.  Chateau St. Michele Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc, $13, scent of grapefruit as you might expect, a nice sweet/sour balance.
25. 2005 Don Olegario Albarino, $20, lemon/lime, nothing special or unexpected.
26.  Bastianich Vespa Bianco, $26, strange wine, anise and caraway seed on the nose…in a white wine? Part Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and a little Picolit (whatever that is). This is a wine that will start conversation.
27. Lassarat Pouilly Fuisse, $24, an easy-drinking Chardonnay.
28. 2005 Nickel & Nickel Truchard Chardonnay, $43, great fruit and creaminess.
29. 2005 Nickel & Nickel Medina Chardonnay, $43, better than the Truchard.
30.  St. Cosme Cote du Rhone Blanc, $18, very nice, finishes with a little sweetness and nuttiness.

Big tastings like this one always supply you with a list of the wines being poured and a lot of tables will have additional flyers on their wines so you can get the inside scoop in case you miss the spiel from the person doling out the one ounce samples. You don’t have to take notes, just have fun and try some wines…it’s the best way to learn.

2004 Vinas Viejas from Tierra de Castilla, June 20, 2007

Once upon a time the best “deals” in high quality, affordable wines was the Shiraz coming out of Australia. For the most part, that day has passed. Happy Wine Guy has explored the offerings from South Africa, Chile and Argentina and if you look closely, and sip diligently you will find some real gems. But the easiest thing to do is to look to Spain. Let me correct myself, the EASIEST thing to do is to find a Spanish wine imported by Eric Solomon Selections. HWG has been pleased and even thrilled (by the Gramona from the Penedes region) with every wine from him and the Equis is no exception.

Real dark color but not inky dark. Plenty of fruit flavor but also with a nice dry finish that sets it apart from wines in its price range. Did I mention that this fine juice costs just $10! Okay, here’s the inside poop, it is made from 40% Bobal (no idea what this grape is) 20% Merlot, and 10% each Syrah, Granacha, Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo. This wine has the chops to make you notice it. I like it as a “middle-of-the-weeker” but it sure is tasty enough to serve to guests with dinner.

I have written before about the benefits of participating in wine tastings and I still think that it’s a very fun and potentially informative way to explore the vast vessel that is the wine universe. Now…why aren’t you attending tastings? Maybe you think that you are not skilled enough or worthy enough to mingle with others more experienced than you? Happy Wine Guy (HWG) is here to tell you that you know more than you think.

Case in point…last Sunday’s tasting at the home of a local liquor store manager. Gathered around were 5 store employees, plus 4 supposedly educated servers from a fine dining establishment and the HWG. Sure, you could be intimidated by the collective wine experience assembled but this was a “blind” tasting and that is your great equalizer! “Blind” tastings are those where the bottles are wrapped in brown paper bags to disguise what’s inside. In our case it was actually a “double-blind” tasting because we were not given a list of the wines which is totally acceptable way to conduct a “blind” tasting.

If it sounds difficult…it is, but again, although you may not believe it, this can play into your favor! Kind of like trying to do the N.Y. Times crossword puzzle verses one in the back of an airline magazine. Hardly anyone can get it right, so if you can get close with your guesses (and I bet you can, some of the time) you will be right there with the other tasters, whether they are professionals or not.

Here’s how our night went…we were to bring a single varietal red wine (like a 100% Zinfandel for example) to eliminate some of the difficulty. If everyone was bringing a complicated blend it wouldn’t serve any purpose and our host is trying to study for his sommelier exam and since it is his house, it’s his rules. The bottles were all covered up and in random order. (Note: HWG rarely travels with just one bottle so suffice it to say that some of us arrive early and consumed some bubbly, a Gewurztraminer and a Pinot Noir…just to set a baseline of course.)

The impressive sized crowd of 12 sippers (2 spouses were included) each brought a bottle and the host arranged for two white wines so that we weren’t overwhelmed with reds. Now this is not a silent competition between the attendees, rather more of a keep quiet for a moment so you can formulate an idea, talk it out with those around you and try and make an independent decision if you can. HWG’s notes, results and remarks follow.

1^st white wine – dry, nutty. Figure it is kind of a trick or a snobby attempt by a know-it-all to bring a French wine. HWG guess = White Burgundy. (Note: Dick the confirmed and convicted Francophile sat to my right and influenced many picks. He was adamant this was Chardonnay and he is a rat bastard) Correct call = 2002 Chenin Blanc. Not very close but give yourself ½ point if you picked Old World.

2^nd white wine – very dry, long finish. HWG guess = Viognier but I was confused. Correct call = 2004 Marsanne by Qupe. Since it is made with 25% Roussanne HWG does not see how this is a single varietal. Very tricky, so no points lost here.

Okay, let’s get going with some red wines…HWG was revved up and ready to hold his own or mock the know-it-alls until they fell off their game. (for no reason at all the reds were labeled with letters, you can do it any way you want…HWG is going to use the Greek alphabet next time just to mess with people.)

1. Dark color, deep garnet, lots and lots of smoke on nose, spicy with some age. Good body. Kind of a stumper right out of the gate, maybe throwing me because it is Old World? HWG guess = Syrah, and for giggles, let’s say 2000. Correct call = 1996 Montiano by Falesco which is a 100% Merlot from Italy. At this time HWG is having too much fun to get really peeved over getting a screwball from the lead-off wine. Let’s just try and learn something and move on. And, it was a pretty damn fine wine!
2. Even darker color, some discreet sweetness, luscious fruit but pretty dry. The impression is of a well-made wine. The color and tannins lead me to HWG guess = Cabernet Sauvignon, maybe from Chile, like a 2001 Don Melchor. Correct call = Sangiovese from Montesodi, Chianti Rufina. Crap! Oh for two and wondering if everyone brought Old World wines that are going to baffle HWG all night.
3. Interesting nose, like pretty shoe polish, light body. Gotta be French. Would someone bring Bordeaux? Yep, Dick would. I’ve seen this aspect before, you are trying to decide what is in your glass and you look around the table trying to guess what each person brought and then deduce the rest. It helps if you drink often with these people and know what is in their collections. HWG guess = Bordeaux. Correct call = 1990 Chateau Simard, St. Emillion which is definitely Bordeaux. But still a bit tricksy because it is 70/30 Cab/Merlot. Did I mention that Dick is a rat bastard? (Note: K-Hod wrote on his sheet – Bordeaux, right bank, St. Emillion. He nailed it) But HWG also gets a point and things are turning around.
4. Regular red color, black cherry koolade, ripe. A little hot, ripe fruit. HWG brought a Zinfandel and he is leaning that this might be his wine. HWG guess = Zin. Correct call = 1996 Old Vine Granache from Clarendon Hills. Now ½ the table said that it shouldn’t count if you get your own wine right but that is nonsense! With 9 reds to distinguish from the odds are not that great you are going to pick your own out and anyway…HWG is into higher scores, not lower. You gotta give yourself some credit any way you can because this is not easy. But it is fun. Man, that Granache rocks!
5. Nice regular color. This has got to be the Zin I brought. Dick calls out to all “Mr. Plum!” Apparently he thinks plum is the distinguisher for Zin. HWG guess = Zin. Correct call = 2000 Zinfandel Reserve from Storybook. Yeah, HWG got his own wine right! That’s 2 ½ points and counting.
6. Very dark color. Plenty of body, a bit dry but with sweet notes. New World. HWG guess = Syrah from California, 2003. Correct call = Monastrell from Juan Gil which is a Spanish producer. Muy malo! I’ve had this wine before, maybe a month ago and when I re-read my notes that is exactly what I like about this wine. Did I mention that this can be tough? Close but no toasted barrel!
7. Slightly brownish tinge, a little alcohol on the nose. Notes of chocolate. Probably Spanish but I am totally guessing and the table is decidedly undecided. HWG guess = Carignan just to be different but maybe a Mouvedre which is a lot more common. Correct call = 2000 Mouvedre from Domaine Gros Nore in Bandol which is in Provence, France. Ah, for the love of Bacchus! I had it but out-smarted myself. I’m taking a ½ point for being close. I later come to find it is 80% Mouvedre and 10% Carignan and 10% Cinsault. I am now taking 1½ points for calling both grapes and it is quite certain HWG is dominating the table…or at least besting Dick…who is a rat bastard. After closely examining the label Dick declares “it’s like they have their own language”. HWG thinks maybe Dick is getting sloshed.
8. Dark, dark color. Not sure why I wrote that twice but this is approximately my 13^th wine of the night. Good thing I didn’t start early. Ruby color. Thinner body but still dry. Dick describes is as “essence of cat’s carcass” and not to be outdone I clarify it further as “essence of a lactating tabby cat’s carcass”. Hmm…maybe these tasting are competitive? HWG guess = Petit Syrah. No real idea why I guessed that but if you feel clueless sometimes it is good to take a flyer on a less common grape. I have seen it work before. Correct call = 2005 Mencia from Petalos. Okay now, WTF? Mencia? That is a grape? Yep. I don’t know who the smarty-pants was that brought that freakin’ obscure offering but I hope they find a cat’s carcass in their bed.
9. Hurrah! The last wine and then we get to go back and re-try some wines to see if we can zero in on some guesses that need improving. Lighter in color, nice sweet nose with some heat, semi-sweet, some oak at the end. Pretty but young. HWG guess = Pinot Noir maybe from Oregon or Washington, let’s say 2005. Correct guess = Pinot Noir from somewhere in New York. I am taking a full point for that one. I am a bit suspicious of the tricky New York region but quickly let it go since I nailed the varietal. Actually I think most people got this one too.

The wines were in random order but due to the luck of the draw we started out with a couple of harder than usual wines, for HWG at least. I called for a vote for the wine of the night and the congenial crowd all admitted that there were too many good wines to pick just one. So we voted for the top 2 or 3. Our #1 was the first wine, the Italian Merlot, not sure if there is a correlation or not but I voted for it because it was very interesting. Our #2 wine was a tie between the Zin I brought (glad that many liked my contribution) and the impossible to identify Mencia.

I have no idea how I scored against the others other than the general looks on their faces when we revealed the wines. It seemed that very few people scored much if at all but we all had a blast. Plus I beat a rat bastard who will go unnamed here.

So quit holding back…get your butt and taste buds to a tasting. HWG knows you can figure out if it is red or white, lighter or heavier, sweeter or drier, and then take a guess. You know more than you think!

One night at my favorite wine bar I stumbled across a wine I hadn’t noticed before. I recognized the winemaker, Susanna Balbo, creator of the Crios family of wines. They are all very decent wine and above average values…specifically a Torrentes (a white wine) and an equally nice Rose de Malbec as well as your standard Malbec.  However, this wine is from her premier or “signature” line of wines. From my usual perch on a fairly sober Monday HWG decided that this wine might be her best effort.  

Plum and cassis on the nose with barely perceptible heat (13.5%) resulting in a smooth wine that still delivers big, big structured fruit and tannins. Some blackberry and something reminiscent of cola adds to the intrigue of this wine. Bottom line is this is a real kick-ass wine. Apparently Brioso means "tenacity or strength of spirit" but since my Spanish/Argentinean dialect is not what it should be I will just tell you that it means “lush Bordeaux blend from the dark side”. If you like Napa Cabs or blends you will appreciate this Argentinean wine. The back label says it is 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Malbec, 10% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc. With that mix you might think this would be an inky, brooding sledgehammer but it’s not. Think Sela Ward with an attitude. You will notice more than a hint of tannins and dryness but nothing super-evident, meaning this sips nicely and would pair pretty easily with whatever entrée you are having.  $67 on the restaurant list (HWG gets a discount of course)...I am not sure if this is sold at retail or not…it may be a low production wine, but if you find it, you probably will enjoy making its acquaintance.  

If you have any questions or need any help in finding these wines, just write to hwg@happywineguy.com (or click on the handy Ask HWG button) and he will provide a prompt answer.

HWG is onto his next wine exploration. You might guess at that he has found a new favorite region like Priorat, Spain (really good juice!) or a maybe he is enamored with a somewhat obscure varietal (Malbec is awesome)...but no, HWG is discovering the many wonders of half bottles.
“Great things comes in small packages” is usually the line you hear when you are about to open a really crappy gift…but when it comes to wine in half bottles it could be very appropriate. A half bottle (sometimes also called a split, especially in reference to Champagne or a “375” as in milliliters) offers you many intriguing reasons next time you order at a restaurant or stop by your local jar store of choice. 
For instance, some people don’t or can’t finish a whole bottle. Now, HWG doesn’t actually know any of these law abiding, reasonable folk but you may know some. What do you do with the leftover wine in that bottle? The concept of pouring it down the drain may cause emotional trauma. Having it languish in your fridge for days because you might get around to cooking with it is a joke. HWG hates the idea of “wasting” wine. A half bottle is the way to go! And what about when dining out? Could you actually leave a restaurant with wine still on the table, wine you paid good money for? In the words of Vizzini…INCONCEIVABLE! (HWG note: "Never go up against a Sicilian when death is on the line.") Next time check out the half bottles on the wine list.
Another good reason for half bottles on wine lists is when you’re out to dinner with one of those “I don’t like wine that is dry or red” types and you had your heart set on the Chateau Montelina Cabernet. Your choices are: duke it out, give in, or order from the by-the-glass menu. HWG does not recommend any of these solutions. With half bottles you can sip your red while watching your companion chomp her peppercorn steak and Reisling…by the end of the night you each have knocked back the equivalent of two generous glasses and without an altercation.  Even if your tastes are compatible, you might want to start the night off with bubbles and then segue into red. A half bottle of each cuts down on waste, expense and hangovers. Restaurants are reporting an increase in sales of half bottles of Veuve Cliquot, the trendy Champagne many couples order to toast the start of their evening. And if you know you are having different courses why not have a white with your oysters and a red with your lamb? It is more interesting having different wines than limiting yourself to just one.
If you are dining alone or only have time for a glass or two a half bottle is an excellent alternative to the dreaded Blackstone Merlot by the glass.
HWG and the Cork Soakers had a tasting the other night. (story to follow in the next posting) K-Hod brought a half bottle of 1990 Ridge Monte Bello to share. Not only is this wine rare it is super expensive. Sometimes you can’t find, afford or take the risk of a full bottle. Or in this case you wouldn’t want to share a full bottle of a prize like this so you go with the half. ;-)  HWG just purchased some 1997 Chateau Musar from Lebanon in half bottles, kind of rare, kind of pricey ($21.99) but worth having around.
One reason half bottles aren't more common in the U.S. is that not every winery produces them. But a growing number of quality producers are finding a market for them. A list of California heavyweights with half bottles includes Cakebread, Chalk Hill, Duckhorn, Opus One, Quintessa and Rombauer. Merryvale is bottling its entire Starmont line, but the winery's flagship wine, Profile, is also available in the smaller bottle. HWG has seen this exceptional red blend command nearly $100 for a 750-ml. bottle in stores and $160 in restaurants. If your bankroll is small but your tastes high, the half bottle could be the way to go.
Half-bottles, like large-format bottles, cost proportionally more than their 750-milliliter counterparts, owing to the increased cost of the bottles and the changes required in the bottling and labeling machines. So two half-bottles will often cost you slightly more than one whole, just as a magnum always costs more than two 750-milliliter bottles. Some serious collectors prefer to drink only large-format bottles of the best wines but half-bottles are for wine drinkers.
But this doesn't make half-bottles a bad deal. Half-bottles tend to get short shrift in retail stores (and they are buried at the back of many wine lists, too), so there are bargains to be found. Wines that have appreciated sharply in value may still hang around in half-bottles at the store, or linger on a restaurant's list, because of neglect by customers. Recently HWG was offered a deal on a case of 2000 Frazier Cabernet Sauvignon at $15 a piece. The full bottles sell for about $50 but the winery “found” these while doing inventory and wanted to move them out. HWG discovered that the 2000 vintage is drinking very nicely from these half bottles and I quickly ordered all of their remaining bottles. The reason this big Cali Cab was drinking so well is half bottles “age” wine faster than larger formats. Bigger bottles such as magnums and jeroboams have more liquid, and hence the wine in these large format bottles is affected more slowly by air due to the liquid to air ratio. Smaller bottles have less liquid, and therefore will age faster, making them more approachable for reviewers and drinkers alike. (Of course, this also means you can't hold them as long.)
The last reason to have a half bottle is that is the best way to keep any leftover wine. Take the remaining wine and transfer it to the half bottle, cork and refrigerate. This will reduce the aforementioned air to liquid ratio and help maintain the integrity of the wine for a few more days.  Again, this is for those of you I don’t know and actually have leftover wine. But if you sometimes open several bottles it is possible you may be able to apply this technique.

If you have any questions or need any help finding the wines in this article please send them to hwg@happywineguy.com (or click on the handy link above labeled Ask HWG.

1990 Lingenfelder Grosskarlbacher Burgweg Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese

It is a sad but true fact of life that HWG does not drink enough Dessert wine. The plight is similar to Champagne or Sparkling wine in that we often hold back for “a special occasion” or whatever we think the future is saving up for us. Trust the HWG, don’t let your days pass without drinking Champagne or Dessert wines EVERY chance you get.

HWG had the pleasure of an impromptu Cork Dork dinner at MelBee’s Restaurant and Ryan F. brought a fabulous Dessert wine that was outstanding. CDT (Cork Dork Todd) was in rapt attendance and put our collective thoughts into the paragraph below.

“This stuff was amazing. Golden apple, orange peel, sort of a mulled cidar quality, baking spices, toasted pine nuts and a hint of a blue cheese-like funk. Perfectly balanced with bright acidity. I would have never pegged this to be a 17 year old wine. The finish lasts for minutes and we were sniffing the glass long after the wine was gone. Probably the best dessert wine I have ever tasted.”

What if they let you run wild inside your favorite wine store and open anything you wanted? That’s exactly what happened at the Big Red Tasting Event at my local haunt.
101 premium reds, all open for tasting, with appetizers all for $40. ($20 refundable with a purchase over $100!) So many wines, so little time! (6:00-8:30) But in the interest of serving his readers the HWG gave it his best and managed to sample 41 wines before time ran out. Here are some of the wines I tasted:
2001 Dominus Estate, Christian Moueix – Fabulous bouquet, smooth and great. You definitely get the French influence. $107
2002 Grgich Hills CS – ripe and plumy, really good. $59
2003 Merryvale Reserve CS – rich. $38
2002 Spring Mountain Elivette – great! $78
2001 Ruffino Reserva Ducale Oro – Wow! Best Chianti in a long time. $32
The tasting notes did not list the vintage for any on the wines. HWG purchased those listed above and that is why you can see the vintages.
Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape – outstanding! $72
Cain Concept – nicely dry, long finish. $43
Caymus Special Select – rough and young. Strong and ripe. $121
Col Solare – very good, nearly a purchase. $59
B.V. Tapestry – very good, fruity in a French way. $47
B.V. De Latouor – smooth, like velvet. $86
Alexander Valley’s Cyrus – sweeter than most, polished. $45
Duckhorn Estate Merlot – beautiful. $76
Duckhorn Three Palms Merlot – even better. $70
Duckhorn CS – easy drinker. $81
Frogs Leap CS – too young. $35
Luna Canto – Sangiovese blend, wonderful. $31
Merryvale Profile – 2003 if I remember. Smooth. $92
Newton Puzzle CS – lots of bing cherries. $45
Opus One – 2003 if I remember. Smooth. $140
R. Mondavi Napa Reserve CS – too young and tight. $68
Silver Oak Napa CS – steely and smooth. $90
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Artemis CS – nice, will age. $43
Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Fay CS – a bit sweet. $70
Staglin – melts in your mouth. Awesome. $122
Terrazas Cheval Andes – 60/40 Cab/Malbec. Very good. $59

If you have any questions or need any help in finding these wines, just write to hwg@happywineguy.com and he will provide a prompt answer.

If you like exploring new wines, (and who doesn’t) a wine and food pairing dinner is a great way to do it. Most of these dinners HWG attends are mid-week and they really break up the week and give you something to look forward to other than the weekend. The benefits are many – new wines to try, interesting food/wine pairings, country club quality food, potentially interesting table mates and usually a wine expert or two on hand. Oftentimes the actual wine maker or representative from the winery is present or sometimes the local distributor. These people are great resources for learning about wines and are generally good people to know. The hosts for this Italian Dinner were the owner/operators of a local liquor store chain and they had lots of great wine stories.

As is common, they had a reception 30 minutes prior to the dinner and everyone is usually presented with a glass of something light and on the sweet side to get the party started. Since we were in an Italian theme we began with a flute of what appeared to be Prosecco, the Italian equivalent to Champagne. Prosecco is the name of the actual grape varietal used in making this wine but this particular selection was called Casine 7 Asti, indicating that is was from the Asti region of Italy so it is possible HWG was drinking an Asti Spumante, which is commonly made from Muscat grapes. Now HWG thoroughly enjoys the tradition of beginning an evening with bubbles but this effort fell short. This wine seemed flat and nearly tasteless. Undaunted, we took our seats with great anticipation of the 5 courses of food and wine ahead of us.

Our first course was a beautiful dish of Monkfish Sous Vide with Orzo Soubise paired with a Villa Santoni Pinot Grigio, 2005. Monkfish is a light, white fish and the Chef had poached it which proved to be a very interesting and tasty technique. The wine was also intriguing, I expected a sweeter wine since it was Pinot Grigio, but this wine reminded HWG more of a Sauvignon Blanc, slightly dry and tart. This is part of the fun of these dinners, surprises and revelations of different styles and expressions from different regions.

Batasiolo Gavi di Gavi, 2005, was the next wine offering. HWG was nearly beside himself because this is a wine & varietal he had never had before and it was good! Gavi is reportedly one of the most important dry white wine regions in Piedmont. Made 100% from the Cortese grape, it is a wine worth getting to know. Dry and refreshing but not too tart…picture a nymph prancing through a field of white flowers in a soft summer dress and you’ll understand this wine. When a wine is designated Gavi di Gavi it must, by law, be produced exclusively in the village of Gavi. (Gavi di Gavi is geographically described in the same manner we refer to New York, New York) HWG liked this wine so much he purchased a couple of bottles at $14.00 each. By the way, they served a Micro Caprice Salad that was an unremarkable combination of tomato and fresh mozzarella with oil & vinegar drizzle.

(HWG note: if you ask your server politely and before they run out you can usually get a refill on the wines you like. Being complimentary of the wine and the service seems to help the cause too)

We left the realm of white wine and turned to a traditional Italian red, the Il Piaggione Chianti Classico Riserva, 2001. This wine sells for $12.00 and experience has shown that you can pick up a decent enough Chianti for this expenditure. However, this wine has a Classico designation meaning it is from a specific sub-region where Chianti is made and generally infers a more superior wine. When you add that it is also a Riserva, aged at least 3 years, you might expect this to be a more expensive wine. HWG liked it well enough, but not well enough to purchase any. What was outstanding was the Spicy Pork Ravioli that was served with it. As the name implies, the pork was nicely spiced and peppery and the marinara sauce on top was definitely home-made and excellent. The Chianti was an obvious and excellent match with this dish.

Next came a Beef Tenderloin Speddini with bacon potato risotto and a broccolini & smoked tomato veal reduction. This was not only damn good but there was a very generous portion that HWG could not even finish. But the eye-opener here was the wine. Ca` Bolanin Refosco, 2002. Refosco you say? Never heard of it? HWG was in the dark along with the rest of the table. It turns out Refosco is its own grape varietal and is native to the northern Italian areas of Friuli, Gavi and Trentino. This wine was a deep violet color with light to medium tannins and yielded a smooth, smooth wine. In an attempt to make the wine more approachable to an international palate, recent versions of Refosco have utilized new oak and cold fermentation. Flavors of currant, wild berry and plum are evident and HWG had to buy a couple of these bottles at $14.00 to savor and share.

After cajoling several extra wine pours of HWG’s favorites of the night we still had time and room for dessert. Traditional Tiramisu was served with Batasiolo Moscato d`Asti Bosc d`LaRei. The dessert did not hold up to the quality of the other dishes but the Moscato was a very pleasant surprise. This is the flavor HWG expected out of the reception wine, pleasant and persistent with slightly overripe fruit flavors that made for a nice candy wine. HWG will be serving this with dessert in the HWR (Happy Wine Room) sometime in the near future. I paid $14.00 for this bottle and although it is possible the HWG was impaired when the buying decision was made…remember the HWG motto is “drink what you like” and at the time, in this place, I liked this wine.

Wine exploration doesn’t have to be limited to “formal or commercial” tastings, I just think that they are a convenient way to try a lot of wines. You can have your friends over and do some fun pairings yourself…even challenge yourself to take a chance of some wines you may not have otherwise sampled. You may find some surprises…just like HWG did.

If you have any questions or need any help in finding these wines, just write to hwg@happywineguy.com and he will provide a prompt answer.

Rock Rabbit Winery produces flavorful wines with supple tannins more reminiscent of an Australian Shiraz than your typical Californian Syrah. And according to their web site there really are such creatures as Rock Rabbits…“also known as pikas or howling conies, these small rabbits dwell in high mountain ranges across the United States”. Um, yeah, I think that fact is debatable but let’s talk about the wine.

Made from a blend of wineries from the Central Coast this wine coats your tongue with flavors of blue/black berries, cherries, a hint of cinnamon, a touch of oak and an easy, smooth finish. Uncomplicated but decent,  a really nice quaffer. Not a total knockout, more like the girl-next-door. $12.00-$14.00 depending on where you buy it.

The Poor Pourer (November 17, 2006)
The “American Wine Tasting Adventure” at the EPCOT Food and Wine Festival is a single wall of 4 pouring stations set up side-by-side. As you faced them you would see from left to right, Sonoma, Napa Valley, Washington State and Virginia. E & J Gallo wines were poured in Sonoma, Beaulieu Vineyards (B.V.) and Sterling in Napa, Chateau St. Michelle in Washington State and Kluge Estate in Virginia. Our “Vineyard Pass” allowed us 4 tastings each from our choice of regions. Surveying the possibilities HWG advised L.L. to start in Sonoma. Curiously enough, Liquid Laura discovered that the more she chatted up the nice young lady pouring the wines, the more likely she was to get away with a “free” tasting. Success! We took our little sipper glasses to a nearby table and chortled together over our good luck. Next we went to Napa, received our pour and got our “Vineyard Pass” stamped indicating that we had used up 1 of our 4 paid tastings. Just a few steps away was Washington State where we received our next allotment of red wine. Then back to Napa, more chatting up…and WHOOO HOOO…another FREE tasting! L.L. was imminently impressed with herself and immediately took credit for “earning” our extra pour. Apparently it was her charm rather than HWG’s demonstrable (spell check offered “demons ratable” which seems strangely appropriate) wine knowledge that was garnering us the bonus wine. By this juncture the HWG was feeling quite susceptible to suggestion so little protest was offered. With our 2 final stamps we refilled in Sonoma and Washington while passing on Virginia all together.
From our now standard perch at a roundtop table nearby we blissfully sipped our wine and listened to Gloria Gaynor’s 8:00 show begin. Surely this was the best of all worlds for Liquid Laura, copious amounts of wine, one of her favorite singers performing a private concert, beautiful Florida weather…what could distract her from this precious moment with her good friend the HWG?
“Look! Look!” said Liquid Laura as she gesticulated wildly towards one of the booths. “That girl has left her post! Go get us some more wine” she demanded in her best “don’t f_ _ k with me when I want a drink” manner. “No way,” I replied, indicating that we had already been shown generous hospitality, it would be embarrassing and furthermore, she had teeth the color known as “cordovan”. “C’mon”, she cajoled but the HWG held firm. “Look”, she continued, “those poor folks need help and no one is there”. She had a point. A small line had started to mill about the Washington State booth and apparently this was not a short break by the attendant. But where had she gone? When would she be back? “Get up there” she said firmly. “You are the only one who can do it!” Gathering his strength and bravado the HWG confidently strode to the booth, surveyed the situation left and right and stepped behind the counter. First order of business was to fill my glass and those of L.L. (she was now double-fisted)!!!
“Step right up, welcome to Washington”, came from my lips like a trained carnival barker. “Chateau St. Michelle makes very nice wines from the State of Washington. You can find them in your local liquor store and they are one of the best values you’ll find anywhere”, I continued. Two elderly ladies lingered in my booth, one of them working me over for a double-pour. Being a responsible server I declined her entreaties with some excuse I contrived. After all, serving wine is serious business…despite the fact that L.L. was in near convulsions of laughter at my predicament. I am not sure how much time passed but eventually the designated pourer came into sight and HWG ski-daddled back to L.L. and received my well-earned high fives.
Consulting our watches (and figuring it was time to move on before any repercussions were applied) it appeared that we were about a half-hour away from the start of famed fireworks show Illuminations. At Liquid Laura’s urging, we headed over to the Pub at Great Britain and secured a primo table waterside. L.L. was sorely disappointed that they had run out of half-yard glasses so we had to settle for puny, little pints of ale. If you have never seen Illuminations you are missing something. With our bleary eyes and questionable balance we witnessed a thrilling nighttime kaleidoscope as the sky erupted with over 1,100 pyrotechnic bursts and the extraordinary Earth Globe floated across the lagoon, revealing wonders of the seven continents on its curved LED screens — the first ever of their kind. Accompanied by rousing original music, lasers and another pint of ale, the show was a fitting encore to a successful day of wine exploration.

(HWG is early in his exposure to French wines so first, you will find some general information about the winery that HWG found interesting.)

It is customary to say that Margaux wines are the "most feminine" in the Médoc, thus stressing their delicacy, suppleness and their fruity, elegant aromas.

Located on a broad gravel plateau, known as "Le Grand Poujeau", the Château d'Angludet dominates the lower lands of the Gironde estuary.

The winery is planted to 55% Cabernet Sauvignon - 35% Merlot - 10% Petit Verdot.

Cabernet Sauvignon provides a structure and framework for wines destined to be laid down for a long period of time, maintaining their complexity during the ageing process. Merlot gives roundness and charm, and the Petit Verdot, which comes from the estate’s oldest parcel of vines, adds complexity, finesse and character. These three grape varieties are the distinctive signs of the greatest Margaux wines. This wine was positioned as the highlight of a French wine dinner HWG attended. It was paired with cognac-fired green peppercorn prime sirloin with an autumn vegetable medley. Dark purple in color with noticeable Cabernet Sauvignon aromas of cassis and dark currants. This was the best wine of the night and all-around a very decent French wine. But if I was spending $34.99 (sale price, $27.99) I would look elsewhere for a better value.

(part 2 of 2. To read part 1, “HWG Visits Liquid Laura” in the Archive.)Liquid Laura is a big fan of the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival. She has attended the last few years in a row and was very excited to be going again this year. A local Orlando friend recommended attending a few of the free wine classes, riding “Mission Space” and “Soarin’” and doing a few tastings. L.L. agreed with all of those suggestions except for the classes and the rides. Our first stop around the globe was not actually a country but a state. The State of Florida was pimping “Wild and Wonderful Florida Shrimp” from a ramshackle temporary booth. HWG gladly purchased the sauteed shrimp with ginger and lime realizing that when imbibing with L.L., you often don’t get food until it is too late. I chose the Bluefish Riesling and was rewarded with about a 3 ounce pour in a fancy plastic…er, plastic. It was a nice wine, not too special but I figured it would do while we walked around to the next stop. However, although EPCOT is a gigantic place the “next stop” was only 20 or so paces away and we found ourselves at “South Africa”. I selected the Montfort Vouvray as my next wine and we strolled further into the festival. Spotting Argentina’s booth I encouraged L.L. to stop and have a spicy empanada and a glass of malbec. She wasn’t familiar with malbec and chose a Chardonnay instead. As I enjoyed my malbec I could tell that the HWF (Happy Wine Face) was soon to make its appearance. Next booth, Chile! The menu read “cranberry beans and corn stew” and even though intrigued by this questionable combination I passed since I was not real hungry at that moment. But when in Santiago…do as the… um….Santiaganese (new HWG word!) do…so I had a glass of Carmenere, a tasty red with a nice touch of spice. Up ahead was a nicely displayed booth sponsored by Moet & Chandon. Of course! We needed some Champagne! They offered 6 different choices, some were blends, some were dry, some sweeter and I chose the best one. I think. I know at one point I did declare that this was the best wine of the day…and they gave us fancy plastic champagne flutes that made us look very French and superior to the thousands of sober peasants that stood in line near us. In no particular order I remember visiting Germany for another glass of Riesling and then Spain for their Montecillo Crianza which is a 100 percent Tempranillo wine. I paired this wine with a local delicacy; an albondigas which I believe is Spanish for pre-digested Alpo. The Australian effort was not simply a booth but rather an impressive roped off area with four separate huts for tasting wine. For an outlay of $7 you received an “Aussie Wine Walkabout” card with a map depicting the locations of the Hunter Valley, Coonwarra, Barossa Valley and something called Regional Blends that coincided with the locations of the 4 huts. To add to the “experience” each wine pourer made a reasonable attempt to tell you a little about each wine they were pouring while maintaining an Australian accent. The funny thing was that per the information on their name tags, they were all from England. We chose our 4 separate tastes from the available wines of familiar wineries like Penfolds, Wolf Blass, Lindemans, Wynns and Black Opal. After quaffing our selections we continued our globe trotting when our ears picked up the familiar strains of an American classic from a live stage nearby…” Go on now… go walk out the door, just turn around now 'cause you're not welcome anymore…” Someone was doing a nice job covering the Gloria Gaynor gem and we hustled over to see who it was. With mouths agape we stared at the marquee that read “Gloria Gaynor performs here, 6:00, 8:00” We were hearing the actual diva, live and in person! You can recreate our experience at www.gloriagaynor.com/booking/htmlIn fact, in an example of life imitating art, if you ever go boozing with L.L please repeat after me…’”first I was afraid…I was petrified…kept thinking how I could never live…drinking 5 to 5…But the show was over and we were thirsty so we journeyed to The “American Wine Tasting Adventure”. This was similar to the Australian deal with 4 tastings that were monitored by getting your ”Vineyard Pass” stamped at each of 4 stations representing wines from Washington State, Napa Valley, Sonoma and Virginia. And that is when things got out of hand…

on)

I am always a bit leery of magazines that pay you to receive their magazine. In this case, F & W bribed the HWG with a $15 wine caddy gift if I would pay them $12 for a year’s worth of their advertisements, er, magazines. Seemed like a good play at the time so I did it. Actually, a more accurate title for this monthly would be Food and Sometimes Wine Magazine because there is precious little usable wine info to be found inside. Once a year they have their “Wine Special Edition”. Whoopee. I think they have one wine writer and her approach tilts towards the “high-society chick/I’m doing you a favor” style of reporting. As such, I doubt she picked out the list of favorite wines that they publish every so often but the HWG is forever looking for the best wine for the least dough so I printed off their list and went shopping.

You probably can see where this is going if you have ever tried to find “recommended” wines. Either your local store doesn’t have that wine or vintage, or you do find them but at a much higher price than reported in the list. (kind of like those football betting services who give a 5-Star rating to Nebraska +8 when your local bookie has the game at +5.5, and you get the inevitable hoe-handle nut slap.)

I invited the usual winos and wine-ho’s over to the HWR (Happy Wine Room) for our first-ever blind tasting to see if we could pick a favorite from the list. HWG added a fifth bottle to the tasting because I thought we needed another and I was afraid that they might all suck. Special thanks to Liquid Laura from Clearwater, FL who didn’t attend but provided the Party Pack Blind Tasting supplies. Everyone knew which wines we were tasting but not in which order. The goal was to simply find the wine we liked best, not discern which was which. We tasted the following wines in this order:

2002 Echelon Merlot, Central Coast, California, $11

2001 Chateau Saint-Roch Cotes-du-Rohne, France, $15

2004 Villa Maria Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, $14

2003 Elsa Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina, $9

2004 Fess Parker, “Frontier Red” Los Olivos, California, $14

The tasting got off to a poor start because the first wine flat-out sucked. There was unnaturally high heat/alcohol that dominated the fruit. Someone said it tasted like Robitussin. Perhaps this wine would have settled down given some time to breathe but the group was competitively anxious to move on to the other wines and discover which they liked best.

#2 was immediately identified as the French entry. “This tastes like butt!” remarked one of the crew and was roundly echoed by all. Dry, dusty, earthy and flat without flavor.

The third wine was pleasing. Finally something we could swirl and sip without making faces. Nutmeg, jam, leather and black licorice flavors with a nice dryness and finish. “like driving down a gravel road” reported one attendee who was obviously trying too hard. “I think it tastes like Christmas” said another who I think was sloshed.

As we moved on to the fourth wine it appeared we had found something that appealed to everyone. No alcohol on the nose, a concentrated and balanced wine with red cherry notes and some oak. “this tastes like wine” said a here-to-fore previously quiet man… and I couldn’t argue with him.

By the time we reached the fifth wine I could tell the crowd was definitely “getting into” the blind tasting concept. They had also gotten into a pile of cheese, crackers, fruit and chocolate and all were holding up marvelously…like a bunch of weeble-woobles with purple teeth.

A couple of the gang immediately crowned the fifth wine their favorite because of its spice, earthy qualities and touch of mint. Someone exclaimed that it tasted like “taco meat” and I assumed that was not a compliment.

We revisited the first 3 wines again to confirm if our favorite was really our favorite and in the end the Malbec (4 votes) and Frontier Red (3 votes) came out ahead. The others received no votes.

The Happy Wine Guy’s motto is “drink what you like”, not necessarily what other people like but if you feel like drinking what we like... pick yourself up a bottle of 2003 Elsa Malbec from Argentina. Heck for $9, what’s not to like?

Have you ever tried to blend your own wine? That was the advertised hook for a recent tasting at Lukas Wine Bar. Usually that is enough to get the attention of the HWG but the added bonus of the blend being from Quintessa was impossible to turn down.

Quintessa is well beyond any sober purchase threshold at about $111.00 a bottle, but the HWG was quite happy J to quaff Quintessa as part of a 3 course dinner for the mere outlay of $49. As it turned out, the food was worth the price of admission alone and the wine became bonus frosting on the cake. The menu consisted of: First Course: Braised Duck with sweet potage puree; Main Course: Beef Tenderloin with white truffle whipped potatoes; Dessert: Fig and Goat Cheese Tart with Port ice cream. Outstanding! I found myself wishing I could repeat this meal every week. Kind of a Groundhog’ Day movie with winos in it.

Each attendee received a glass of white wine to sip while everyone was getting seated. Set before us was 5 glasses with reasonable pours of the 2000 and 2003 Quintessa Cabernet Sauvignon and in 3 other glasses barrel samples from the 2005 vintage from 3 distinct vineyard blocks. I think the task was to mix the samples to emulate the finished wine but everyone seemed quite content to just sip and compare. (HWG note – since they didn’t provide any Merlot or Cabernet Franc I didn’t see how we were supposed to make a decent Meritage anyway!) This wine is silky smooth and supple with fabulous ripe fruit flavor and soft tannins on the finish. Very tempting but the HWG managed to keep the Benjamins in his pocket this time and went home with memories instead of bottles.

At a wine tasting last night HWG got to try 6 fun Italian wines from Winebow Importers. The event was made even more special by the Dean and Deluca cheese specialists who paired luxury cheeses with each wine. They were very descriptive in sharing their cheese expertise with the assembled throng and even made fresh mozzarella right there before our eyes. Besides the mozzarella we sampled Langa Rocchetta, Petit Basque, Humboldt Fog, Swiss Gruyere, Gouda and Montchevre Goat in Blue, the latter from Belmont, WI. I won’t review each of these cheeses but if you get the chance to spring for these pricey beauties at Dean and Deluca I think you will enjoy pampering yourself or your guests. Just be sure to have some nice wine to wash it down with…like this one…

2004 Morgante Nero d’Avola, Sicily

HWG has drank Nero d’Avola before but only the under $10 kind that passes for middle of the week wine, kind of thin and with strong tang and heat. This wine was different than those!  Almost Syrah-like but not as inky, this wine has a ripe, spicy, dark-fruit character and tannins that are firm but silky. Picture Eva Longoria’s sister (she has 3) wearing ruby lipstick and you got it. I think this wine would really work with a variety of foods...from pizza to spaghetti and meatballs to grilled burgers.

Warning! Geek-speak alert! the nose is Full of bright fruit and hints of exotic spices. Definitely low tannin, with intense cherry flavors and lingering spicy vanilla hints creeping in toward the end. it is a well balanced wine with character well worththe price of about $15 retail.

Last Friday I had a few Happy Wine Friends over to christen the Happy Wine Room. We opened quite a few bottles and sipped way, way into the wee hours down in the basement that houses the HWR. After setting the stage with a 2003 J Vineyards Pinot Noir and a 2001 Truchard Pinot Noir we moved on to a 2002 Whitehall Lane Cabernet Reserve and then the 1999 Frazier. Next was 2002 Ridge Geyserville Zinfandel and we finished with a 2002 Bell Cabernet Sauvignon.

Finished is the operative word here because by this time the women had passed out and the rest of us were wobbling, clutching and grabbing like a bunch of Ahmad Carrolls.

Needless to say I don’t have any intelligent tasting notes except I liked the Frazier best. I believe I exclaimed that I was only buying and drinking Frazier from now on. However, at $55 a bottle I think I may have to temper my decision a bit.

Renowned winemaker Gary Farrell has stepped down as head winemaker at the Healdsburg winery he founded in 1982, citing interference from its corporate owners.

After building a reputation for some of the best pinot noir and chardonnay in the nation, Farrell sold his winery in 2004 to British beverage giant Allied Domecq. A year later, Allied sold much of its U.S. wine operations to Fortune Brands, an Illinois-based Fortune 500 conglomerate that makes everything from whiskey to golf balls to kitchen cabinets. HWG and Tapey visited this winery and they do make some awesome wines.They produce about 20,000 cases of wine annually priced from $25 to $60 a bottle.

But Farrell said he "struggled to work within the framework" of these giant companies and found himself "sharing my frustrations of corporate life" with former business partner Bill Hambrecht, who once held a stake in Gary Farrell Winery.

Farrell is planning a new winery, which he expects to be operational in 2009 making 6,000 cases, will draw from "the finest blocks" of vineyards owned by him and Hambrecht.

Peter Franus Winery (January 25, 2009)

You might be attracted to these wines by the cool label…but the juice inside is the real show stopper.  Happy Wine Guy first encountered these wines at his local wine haunt, JP’s Wine Bar, and after sipping through a few bottles with the local distributor has concluded that this is a “can’t miss” choice if you can find it.

The 2002 Napa Valley Zinfandel is right up HWG’s alley, luscious juicy fruit with a balance and finish that can please most any Cabernet drinker. If you like A. Raffanelli Zinfandel, you will like this wine too. The 2005 Cabernet Franc is probably HWG’s favorite; it is smooth and powerful without being too “in-your-face”. This is really a superior wine; I think some would mistake it for Bordeaux. Last week we poured their Sauvignon Blanc which was also way above average. Peter Franus somehow arranged to get all the SB from the renowned Truchard Vineyards in Carneros, Napa Valley and this wine is pretty special.