winewaves

Seasons Change: Winewaves Is Over (for now)

Regular readers of Winewaves have noticed the slowing pace of new pieces in 2007. For the first 2 years I tried to keep a daily pace of providing new pictures and reviews here. Winewaves began in February of 2005, but it's over. At least for now.

Like many other well-intentioned bloggers, I simply cannot afford to provide the quality of content that I would like to. Other paying work occupies my time. The opportunity cost of the effort I've invested in Winewaves has been great and the benefits have been scarce. My balance sheet unfortunately fits on a Post-It note. Being that I don't have deep pockets, something had to give.

Thank you to those who tuned in, found themselves checking out Winewaves, and especially to those who have sent me supportive e-mails over the past 3 years.

And go figure. No other wine created the stir that Bitch Barossa Grenache has over the last 3 years. For all those who are looking for it, I DON'T KNOW where you can find it. Which brings to my mind a pet peeve. When there is an ocean of Grenache (or at least red wine) in Australia, and when so many people are looking for "Bitch" in America, and when the people who want it are not expecting the highest standard of gustatory excellence, why don't they bottle more of it? What's wrong with giving the people what they want?

Of all the lessons learned from Winewaves, the foremost one is that I wish I could be selling wine. That's because most people who have come here thought that was the point of the site. It's so frustrating that Tennessee state laws prevent a would-be entrepreneur like myself to add value to a marketplace. Most people don't see the value of great wine label pictures, except as a way of merchandising, which I am prohibited from doing. At least for now.

Lastly, if anyone has any ideas as to how to revive Winewaves, I'm all ears.

When in Nova Scotia

Halifax Harbor September 14, 2007 (click to enlarge)

Continuing on the theme of picking up affordable road bottles that come from local sources, I want to share a new discovery from Nova Scotia. This quick trip landed me at the Halifax airport and took me over to Moncton, New Brunswick and back to Dartmouth (across the bridge from Halifax). Along the route, the exit to Pugwash included a sign for Jost Vineyards (rhymes with toast) which is located in Malagash.

Even with the tempering winds of the Atlantic it surprised me that you can grow red wine grapes this far north in the land of Christmas trees. I didn't get a chance to visit the winery but I did get to the Provincial package store and pick out a bottle of Jost. The label says Cote de Bras d'Or Nova Scotia Marechal Foch 2005. A dry wine of 12% alcohol, it's light and surprisingly very much a delight as well. The color is ruby, the body light, and the flavor is brimming with berries like the berry-laden fresh fruit cups they sell at Canada's Sobey supermarkets (another discovery from my recent excursions north of the border).

I only paid $11 Canadian for this little gem with a cork, in a store alongside Yellow Tail that costs nearly $15.

It turns out Marechal Foch (don't ask me to pronounce it) is, as you might expect, a hybrid grape that winters over well and ripens fairly early. But it's being put to good use here. And what's more, this Marechal Foch was grown in Cape Breton, which is further north and out there than Halifax. The story goes that John Pratt (Johnny Grape) was the first to grow grapes commercially in the area, which proves the old adage, "where there's a will there's a way".

You probably won't hear people going on about Nova Scotia's wine industry but give it a try next time you drop in to Halifax.

This trip also revealed that my Sirius radio works up here, so I happened to hear Friday's NPR program "Forum" with Michael Krasny, and the topic was "wine snobs". Fred Franzia, whose Bronco Wine Company makes Two Buck Chuck and markets a host of anti-wine-snob geek-slapping generic-looking labels, was the most outspoken of the guests. He was joined by Julia Flynn Siler of the Wall Street Journal (author of "The House of Mondavi: The Rise and Fall of an American Wine Dynasty") and Leslie Sbrocco, wine author, consultant and host of Check, Please! Bay Area on KQED television. Fred pounded away at his message that wine is wine or if there is any difference, his wine "is probably better than Opus One". The callers were mostly on his side although it seems most don't want to do away with "geek speak", the language of wine.

I suspect my feelings are pretty close to the middle on this subject. I don't want to spend much for most bottles of wine. I might overspend for a label just to mark a special milestone or close a deal. But I need variety, I like to know a wine's story even if it is contrived, and presentation makes a difference to me. At the end of the day I like to talk about wine as well as enjoy drinking it. The good side of the Two Buck Chuck story is that there are now more competitors making better cheap wine, a trend that I hope continues. But just because it's cheap, it doesn't have to be devoid of personality or come with an unwritten rule that it can't be talked about in purple prose.

Maybe next year will bring the debut of my new line of value wines positioned for affordable anti-wine-snob enjoyment: Steak Wine, Chicken Wine, Burger Wine, Spaghetti Wine, Seafood Wine, Lobster Wine, and Barbecue Wine. We've got varietals and appellations, but what could be simpler than wine made to go with what you're eating. One second thought maybe I need to get back to Nashville tomorrow. This cool Canadian air has clearly gone to my head.

When In Boise, El Dorado, or Alberta...

For years I brought wine with me when traveling by air. It's been a year since the rule went into effect prohibiting bringing a bottle of wine through security, and my tactics have adapted. As soon as we get where we're going, I'm bottle shopping. I feel I've hit the trifecta when I find a convenient grocery with nice fresh fruit offerings, a Starbucks inside, and a well stocked wine department.

Recent trips have turned up some notable local quaffs that make the grade and don't cost a lot. They're not Opus One, but it would be a shame to pay a lot for a "road bottle" since usually I only get halfway through it (alright, two-thirds) before going to bed. The next day I'm on to the next place. If a road bottle has a screw cap, all the better since corkscrews are a no-go in carry-on baggage and not all hotels have one available. Fortunately it's still okay to bring wine glasses on board and I'm never without my Reidel "O"s which occupy the center slot in my padded camera and laptop case.

Here are some local finds from the latter half of August.
Boise, Idaho: Sawtooth Winery 2005 Skyline Red. ($10 at Safeway, Screw Cap, 14.5% Alcohol). Think of a stout glass of berry-ish coffee-esque wine. The blend is 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Syrah, 10% Merlot and 5% Primitive (Zin-like cousin). Aging was 6 months in oak barrels. Rustic with dusty tannins, the coffee roaster aromas frame black cherry, berry and vanilla oak flavors.
El Dorado (Placerville), California: Boeger Winery Hangtown Red Lot #34. ($10 at the Winery or Safeway, Real cork, 14.1% Alcohol). Definitely a guy's wine, what with the wild west motif and sensibilities, it's the kind of wine I could be happy with if I had to pick only one. The deep cherry fruit is ample, there's comforting oak spice plus a little tobacco note like that sweet loose variety that makes you wish you smoked a pipe. Expressive and dusty, you get a mild hit of tannins and a warm finish. Then you're ready to be tucked in for the night. The blend changes from lot to lot but the San Francisco Chronicle states this lot is 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Tempranillo.
Calgary, Alberta: Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2004 Okanagan Valley Cabernet Merlot. ($15 CDN at Howie's, Screw Cap, 14.7% Alcohol). Released a year ago, the texture is smooth and you get a nice combination of bright red fruit, oak spice and Canadian forest earthiness. Nicely tart, it was the perfect partner for the takeout burger I grabbed at a place called Joey's Tomato. The blend is 63% Cabernet Franc (not Sauvignon as you might expect) and 37% Merlot.
Grand Island, Nebraska: I don't have a clue. I arrived too late and somebody will have to tell me where the wine is.

My recent trips to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and California allowed me copious opportunities for picture taking. As usual, the pictures I missed were better than the ones I got, but you can view the slide shows from those trips now.
The Sturgis slide show can be seen at http://www.gusset.com, by clicking here.
The California Wine slide show can be seen at http://www.frugalmacdoogal.com.

Here's another wine tip. Good friend Ed Young does a monthly wine letter for Frugal MacDoogal's, the Nashville and Charlotte area wine and spirits retailer whose website and email program I manage. This month he assembled a nice group of humorous and familiar wine and spirits quotes. Be sure to check them out (http://www.frugalmacdoogal.com).

Where's Winewaves? Gone West.

My August story appears to be my deliberate attempt to escape the oppressive 100-degree heat in my home town of Nashville, or to keep moving to avoid thinking too much about having lost our little Opal (see my last post).

Before telling where I've been, this is a good time to thank those who left sympathetic comments about the loss of our dear companion cat. My sympathies are returned to you for your losses.

At the same time I'd like to scold those who are leaving spam comments. I'll just have to keep deleting them I suppose, in the interest of keeping this forum open to legitimate comments.

I've also noticed many people are still looking for Bitch Barossa Grenache. Unfortunately I cannot help because Winewaves is neither a wine producer or a retailer. Please retailers: If you have some Bitch, let the readers know.

Since Sturgis I've been to Boise in Idaho, Sacramento, Napa, Sonoma (see Kenwood grapes just above), Amador (the top picture is Montevina under an August moon) and El Dorado in California, to Edmonton and Calgary in Canada. I've tasted wines from all these places and unearthed some finds back home as well. I will share these value packed finds soon, but meantime here are three pictures from my trips.

My escape act worked! It's clear blue and actually cool enough for a jacket outside tonight in Canada.

The town of Placerville, home of Boeger Vineyards (pictured above) used to be known as Hangtown. It's just up the road from Nashville, California, not to mention Cool, California.

Biker Zin and The Road to Sturgis

My guess is a lot of bloggers have experienced what I'm going through. I find myself covered up in more lucrative work and the time left over for updating my blog suffers badly. Especially this summer, Winewaves has taken a back seat.

Take this week: I'm in the Sturgis, South Dakota area working for one of my "clients", a family company started by my brother and cousin, Diamond Gusset Jeans. G. Gordon Liddy interviewed me about our motorcycle jean called the Defender, which has Kevlar reinforcement to protect you in case that day comes when (heaven forbid) you hit the pavement. The Sturgis Rally is a spectacle for those not acquainted with it. There are hundreds of thousands of mostly Harley riders commencing on western South Dakota, with the little town of Sturgis being ground zero.

Shameless Promotion: Diamond Gusset Jeans are 100% American made, unlike just about any other jeans out there today, and they have a diamond shaped gusset sewn into the crotch for comfort and freedom of movement. I really like my pair of DG Carpenter jeans.

To get to Sturgis, I flew into Denver and drove up. I spent the night in Torrington Wyoming and discovered the Chicken Hut, which is a refreshing alternative to the national fried chicken chain restaurants. They purport to offer southern fried chicken, but I detected a hint of cumin which I've not come across down south. Still, the Chicken Hut makes truly outstanding fried chicken and it's worth going out of the way for. The crust isn't overly thick or greasy, and the meat is moist, tender and nicely seasoned. Even the typical side dishes: fries, cole slaw and a biscuit were tasty.

There is some wine involved on this trip, too. I brought a bottle of Four Vines Biker Zin 2005 with me. It hails from Paso Robles. I like the 2004 that I picked in Denver on the way to last year's Sturgis Rally, and I like the 2005 at least as much. I drank it in my hotel room with a really good carry-out bacon cheeseburger from the All Star restaurant in Hot Springs, South Dakota.

Very nice value ($23). Closure: Real cork. Alcohol content: 15%.

Style: Boldly fruit forward, unabashedly lush, with moderate oak spice and polished tannins.

Photo is from 2004 vintage, but the '05 looks the same.

Comment: To heck with the terroir-ists who say they want to do away with all high alcohol fruit bombs. Sturgis is all about freedom of expression and this wine expresses freely.

The other event that has put a damper on my blogging this summer was the passing of Opal, our feline companion who ruled the house for 18 years. She passed July 31st at 1:11 PM with my ear pressed against her chest the moment her heart stopped. She showed up on our door step back in 1989 and I can't believe she left us. Opal is sadly missed.

A Funny Thing Happened on the way to Buffalo

Last week on the way to Buffalo I had a connection at BWI (Baltimore Washington International) and there was a delay on my outbound flight. I got a glass of green tea and went walking around and discovered Vino Volo over in concourse A. I had forgotten about this location's opening but was glad to see them. As anyone who travels through BWI knows, delays are common.

Twice before I've stopped at the Vino Volo in the Sea-Tac airport and written about them for Winewaves.

Before I settled into this Vino Volo for a flight of wine I figured I should go back to B concourse and check with the Southwest Airlines gate person to make sure I would have time. The delay was now showing longer than before and it seems we were going to be put on another jet that wouldn't arrive until at least 8:00 PM. It was a quarter till 7 so I figured there was time. "Is there any chance the flight will go any earlier?" I asked, "Because I'd like to get a glass of wine over in A concourse". "Just be back here by a quarter till 8", I was advised.

When I got back over to Vino Volo, I ordered the California Kings flight for $10. The three wines included: Teatown Cellars Napa Merlot 2004, Vinum Cellars Slow Lane Cabernet 2004 and Melville Estate Verna's Syrah 2005. I took my time smelling all three as per usual and finally took a slow sip of the Merlot. How civilized! I thought and then the loudspeaker said, "This is a gate change announcement for Southwest flight 2651 to Buffalo. You are now leaving out of gate B7. Please report immediately to gate B7 for boarding now." It turns out several of the people at the wine bar were on the same flight. We paid up. Determined to finish my wine flight, I downed the wines like doing shots. We all hurried back over to concourse B just in time.

As for the wines, they were all good. And I guess I can't complain that our flight left much earlier than expected. However, I look forward to my next delay at BWI so I can spend more than a minute on a wine flight.

Winewaves Up For Two AWB Awards

Thank you to Tom Wark's Fermentation for the innovation known as the American Wine Blog Awards, which has flattered me with two nominations and already increased traffic here at Winewaves.

It's award season and it's up to the people now. Everyone is invited to vote once in each category. To do so, just follow this link to Fermentation. Winewaves is nominated in the categories of: Best Wine Blog Graphics and Best Wine Reviewing Blog.

An esteemed committee of reviewers selected from the many publicly nominated blogs and narrowed the field. The group is impressive and bodes well to the future of wine blogging as a respected corner of the wine media.

It is very cool to be a part of an exploding phenomenon in the fast growing wine culture. Thanks especially to all who have recognized Winewaves for portraying the talented Winemakers, Label Designers and creative Wine Business people as "larger than life". Wine makes life worth living.

Tuesday Night at Enoteca Vin in Raleigh NC

The much acclaimed Enoteca Vin is located in the old Pine State Creamery building in the now trendy Glenwood South District near downtown Raleigh. Fortunately my inaugural visit last week was with my Mother and Grandmother on Tuesday night.

Actually both "Mom" and "Granny" know the building for what it originally was, the old birthplace of the local favorite ice cream brand, Pine State. Raleigh may have changed a lot in recent years, but Mom and Granny are true natives.

Tuesday night turned out to be a good time to visit Enoteca Vin. The atmosphere is laid back like a rehearsal for the rest of the week. The crowd is low key, the staff accommodating and the performance fresh.

Enoteca Vin feels more like the genuine item than a copy. The mixture of city modern and down home tradition walks the line definitively. For example, chicken liver pate ($5) and deviled eggs ($5) reside comfortably alongside wild striped bass with mussels ($17) and steak frites with olive butter and red wine jus ($19). Chef and co-Owner Ashley Christensen succeeds at composing the menu with beauty, hedonics and passing notes of humor.

The wine list managed by co-Owner Chrish Peel is just enough out of the ordinary, and it's ever changing, affordable and flexible. For example, you can order wine in 1.5, 3, and 5 ounce glasses or by the bottle, and you can spend as little as $1.50 for a 1.5 ounce wine sample. This turned out to be perfect for my mother's needs.

As the driver for the evening, my wine tasting was limited to two very enjoyable wines, both from Bedford Road Estate in New Zealand: Sauvignon Blanc ($7.25/5oz.) and Pinot Noir ($6.20/3oz.).

The more adventurous (and non-drivers) might also select one of the delicious sounding cocktails such as the Pomegranate Punch or Lemon-Cucumber Gimlet made with Hendrick's gin.

Desserts and matching sweet libations rival the savory courses in their creativity, although we had to take a rain check on this trip.

Everything on the menu sounds like a winner, and you can view the current choices on Enoteca Vin's informative website.

The space itself is a visual treat, clean, comfortable, minimal yet warm and cozy. Service is crisp and professional.

The entire staff deserves a round of applause.

Viva! ZAP's 16th Annual Zinfandel Festival

Speak easy and carry a big stick (a sourdough baguette that is).  The Zinfandel was pouring freely, baguettes abounded, a moon full of cheese was consumed, and the sun even peered out for this annual Bay area festival of red.

Chris Lynch of Mutt Lynch Winery pours his Portrait of a Mutt. 

Hundreds turned out for the 16th annual ZAP (Zinfandel Advocates and Producers) Zinfandel Tasting on Saturday at Fort Mason in San Francisco.  And that was just the Trade and Media session from 10 AM to 1 PM. A larger public was queued up for their session as we left the buildings.

This was my first trip to ZAP and my first time to cross the Golden Gate Bridge since the mid-1980s. I spent the first 150 minutes of the tasting without a glass in my hand, sizing up the big event with my lens and trying to maintain a clear head. Only in the last half hour did I grab my glass and taste a few excellent values.

Most everyone else went right to the business of tasting, leaving me in the gustatory dust. Suffice it to say that Zinfandel "freaks" are a happy lot, unencumbered by rules and sporting good humor in addition to an infinite capacity for enjoying good Zin.

Look for more thoughts on this event forthright; meanwhile my West Coast trip has already taken me across the Golden Gate Bridge to points north, as I'm now headed for Oregon's Pinot Noir country and Walla Walla Washington before the next week gets away.

Golden Gate Bridge January 27, 2006

You can view my photo album of the ZAP Zinfandel Tasting now on Winewaves.

The Skinny on How to Drink Wine and Stay Fit

You can drink wine every day, enjoy a great variety of foods and stay fit, even "thin". Call it the "wine diet" if you must; it's been my lifestyle for years. At age 48 and counting (all too fast) I'm in the best shape of my life so far and I've managed to stay off pharmaceuticals.

I drink wine every day if I can, more of it red, but I like white and rosé too. Doctors say red is good for your heart and I'm inclined to agree. Of course, too much of a good thing can turn into a bad thing so I try to keep it in balance.

My "Wine Diet" is not about denying yourself anything, embarking on quick fixes, taking supplements or sticking to fad diet plans. Here's my ten best ideas for drinking wine everyday and staying fit and healthy. Cheers!

1. If your "life is a Cabernet", strive for balance, good body and a great finish, emphasis on the balance. Extreme ideas don't seem to work well in the long run.
2. "Okay Syrah Syrah" is a good motto. Try to mitigate stress by riding the waves, not against the tide. I find that occasionally good quality chocolate helps too.
3. Relish walks. Don't park too close to the door unless you're late. This is a great antidote for sitting at a desk in front of a computer screen, or on a plane all day.
4. Go down on your knees often. This is no problem for me as a photographer because that's often where the best views are.
5. Jump for joy. I've been jumping rope nearly every day for 8 years. Besides being the best aerobic workout it keeps everything moving in the right direction if you know what I mean. You can take a jump rope with you anywhere and no gym membership is required.
6. Eat as much of your own cooking as you can, using the least processed freshest ingredients possible.
7. Don't skip a light breakfast.
8. Drink water, unfermented (100%) juices and tea during the day. Pass up on liquids containing high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners. If you mix juice with green or white tea, you get a naturally low calorie drink that tastes a bit like a very light (non-alcoholic) Pinot Noir. My favorite juices are Pom Wonderful's pomegranate and pomegranate cherry juice, as well as good old purple grape juice (100%).
9. Keep an open mind and learn something new every day.
10. Be generous, be nice to others, and "pay it forward" every day.

If you decide to buy a jump rope, buy an US Olympic Team rope from Buddy Lee. They're hands down the best and easy to adjust to your height. If you buy one through this link at Amazon, you'll help me with one of my New Year's resolutions for 2007, to make more money.