Yearly Archives: 2011

Hitler Responds to Parker Passing Reins

I wasn’t surprised that hot on the heels of this Hitler parody video, one would come out that featured Hitler as a cult winery owner responding to the news that Robert Parker would no longer be reviewing California wines in the Wine Advocate (Parker announced this in February 2011; the new reviewer is Antonio Galloni according to this article by Alder Yarrow.)

According to Yarrow’s experience,

Galloni’s palate seems to favor less intense ripeness than Parker’s, and seems to be more favorably (than Parker) disposed to wines that lean more towards the idiosyncratic. The question arises, then, whether or not we will see a shift in the scoring of California wines now that they are Under New Management at the Wine Advocate. In the most extreme case, we could be looking at a shakeup of the longstanding hierarchy of California cult bottlings.

Like all of these Hitler parody videos, insiders will get more of the jokes. But they’re still funny even if you know only some of the references.

And what have I been up to since Burning Man other than watching Hitler parody videos?

Sampling wines with oysters! In late August, The Jolly Oyster opened shop at the Ventura State Beach to sell oysters and clams from the farm in Baja and since I love oysters,  I’ve tried at least a dozen wines and I’ve probably eaten an average of a half dozen oysters a day this month.

Tonight I meet up again with local food writer Lisa McKinnon to try more wines with oysters at the Jolly Oyster at the Ventura State Beach. I’m bringing an Ojai Vineyard chardonnay and she’s got “Smitten” from Four Brix which just opened their facility in Ventura last weekend. I’ll report back soon!

Hitler responds to Parker’s Napa Cab Report

Rick Bakas posted this on facebook tonight and because I get a kick out of these Hitler parodies, I checked it out and thought it worth sharing here–partly because I am still recovering from Burning Man and not posting here like I should! (Go to Art Predator for Burning Man reports so far–I do plan to post about wine at Burning Man when I can!)

Aug 30, 2011

“Because someone had to do it. I created this video 18 months ago when “Hitler reacts to” videos were all the rage and Robert Parker’s 2007 California Cabernet vintage report was the talk of Napa Valley. I decided not to publish the video. Now that Parker has appointed Antonio Galloni to replace him as The Wine Advocate’s critic on California wines, I decided to go ahead and post this video in honor of #cabernetday. Cheers!”

“Life on the Douro” Premieres in Portugal Tonight, Will Show in US This Fall

While I was busy at Burning Man (more on the wines we tasted there soon!), Zev Robinson emailed to say that after filming for 45 days over five trips during the past 15 months, his documentary Life on the Douro will premier tonight, September 6 at 10pm at the Douro Film Harvest festival in the Vidago Palace. http://www.dourofilmharvest.com/en/detail_filme.aspx?id=119309&name=LIFE_ON_THE_DOURO The film is about the history and culture of the region from the point of view of those who have made it what it is.

According to Zev, a number of screenings and tastings will follow, starting the week of Nov 15 in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and at the Paso Robles Film Festival (where he’ll be showing Dinastia Vivanco as well. The film will be followed by tastings and seminars involving Roy Hersh www.fortheloveofport.com, Oscar Quevedo http://quevedoportwine.com and Luiz Alberto www.thewinehub.com, all adding their insights and wisdom about the Douro and its wines.

“The response and support for the film has been fantastic,” says Zev, “and other events in North American and European cities are being planned including a couple of tours in the spring.”

Check out the website http://lifeonthedouro.com (with two trailers) and join www.facebook.com/lifeonthedouro to keep up to date with events and news.

I plan on attending the screening in LA and possibly Paso Robles as well. See you there!

PS You can read now about some of my Burning Man adventures over on Art Predator.

Boxed Wine Part 2: Carlo Rossi Founders Oak, Pepperwood & more!

UPDATE 4/15/13: Lots of people recently landed here wondering whether Carlo Rossi Founders Oak and Carlo Rossi Founders Blend were the same wines so I emailed Kelly Conrad, my contact at EJ Gallo, to find out. She wrote me back to say:

We recently changed the package from Founders Oak to Founders Blend—there was NO change to the wine. Research showed “oak” tended to be a polarizing word, even though most people enjoy the benefits of oak. Hope this helps and please reach out if you have any additional questions.

In part two of this two part post about boxed wines which I highly recommend for camping trips like Burning Man (or just to have around because they last so long and have a much smaller carbon footprint!) I review Carlo Rossi Founder’s Oak merlot and cab, chardonnays from Vella, Turning Leaf and Pepperwood Grove’s Big Green Box, as well as Pepperwood’s pinot grigio, cab, and old vine zin.

If my grandpa was around today, he’d be keeping Carlo Rossi boxed wine in his cellar.

How do I know this? Because there are still gallon jugs of Carlo Rossi in the cellar–and my grandfather died in 1997!

I think my grandmother would like the golden delicious apple sweetness of the Carlo Rossi chardonnay and my grandfather would enjoy either the soft round fruity (cherry and plum) merlot or the more oaky and vegetal (bell pepper) qualities of the cabernet. The color of both are similar but there’s no confusing the two if you give them a sniff!

These are simple wines that will please most people and when you’re camping, sometimes you want to just keep it simple. The chardonnay would be good with appetizers (I liked it best with sea salt pita chips) and the reds work great with BBQ–tritip, ribs, you name it. These are all 5 liter boxes which is almost 7 bottles of wine!

Learn more about Carlo Rossi (the man and the wine!)

I also sampled two more boxed chardonnay–Vella and Turning Leaf. Out of all these boxed wines, I expected the most out of Turning Leaf and yes, it seems like the same wine that’s in the bottle is in the bag! So if you like Turning Leaf in the bottle, for camping, parties, Burning Man or just to have a wine around that will keep for a month or more, try Turning Leaf in a bag. It’s got that same oaky California chardonnay taste and mouthfeel.

The Vella chardonnay is a favorite of my sister-in-law–it has nice fruit but it’s golden delicious sweet not as sweet as the Carlo Rossi and it has a little more body and heft to it and some tropical fruit but it’s still lighter than the Turning Leaf.

Finally, in the chardonnay department, I liked the Pepperwood Grove Big Green Box. I mean I really liked it. Like Turning Leaf, this is the same wine that you find in the bottle in your grocery store but in a box which means you save green (money) big time AND you go green big time (have a smaller carbon footprint.) I tried it with a lot of different meals and it worked with chicken, fish, appetizers, and more. It’s very easy to enjoy!

Out of all the Pepperwood Grove boxed wines, my husband really liked the Pinot Grigio. When I’d open a bottle of something else to sample and offer to pour him a glass, he’d tell me he was just fine with that pinot grigio. This is high praise for a man who usually has a beer or two in the evenings! So if you’re looking for a wine that your typical beer drinker in your camp might enjoy, try the Big Green Box Pinot Grigio.

I sampled two reds from Pepperwood Grove also: Old Vine Zin and Cabernet. Read more about how much we loved the Old Vine Zin here. The cabernet is good–balanced and with lots of cherry fruit but honestly, I love zin and I think the zin is an excellent value. The Pepperwood Grove wines retail at about $20 a 3 liter box containing four bottles of wine.

Thanks for the samples, ya’ll! I’ll have all but the Pepperwood Grove out on the playa for you to taste! To find out where, stop by Playa Info –we might be there–or they’ll have info about where we are tasting!

Boxed Wine Reviews & Pairings Part 1: Offerings from Octavin & Trader Joe’s

At 12:01am early Monday morning August 29, 2011, the gates to Black Rock City, home of the Burning Man Festival, will open, and some 50,000 people will pour in before the Festival ends on Monday September 5.

Which means that this weekend and in the coming week as people pack and prepare for camping on the playa , 40-50,000 people are buying copious amounts of alcoholic beverages.

Labor Day weekend is also a very popular time to go camping–it’s the last three day weekend of summer and summer weather!

To help my favorite winos with decisions about what to bring whether camping at Burning Man, mountains, lake or beach, I have 11 (that’s ELEVEN) boxed/bag in box/bag wines sitting on my counter which have tasted and I am ready and willing to share my expertise with you! From Octavin, I have a German riesling, a New Zealand sauvignon blanc, a red wine blend from Spain, and a Pinot Noir from France. From Carlo Rossi Founder’s Oak, I have a Merlot, a Cabernet, and a Chardonnay plus Chardonnays from Vella and Turning Leaf. Finally, from Trader Joe’s, I have a Chardonnay and an Australian shiraz.  And since boxed wine keeps for a month or more, I will be bringing these wines to Burning Man for you to taste too! I’ll also say a few words about Pepperwood Grove’s Big Green Box Wine.

I first realized how brilliant boxed wines are for outdoor adventures last November when I received four Big Green Box wines from  Pepperwood Grove and  I took the Old Vine Zin camping.

Boxed wines are really perfect for camping expeditions at Burning Man or elsewhere–they won’t break, you can use them for pillows, and when they’re empty they collapse down into nothing –or fill the bag inside with water, put it in the sun and then use the water for washing dishes or bathing!

In part one of this two part post, I’ll discuss the bag in box offerings from Octavin and Trader Joe’s; part 2 will include Big Green Box and Carlo Rossi Founder’s Oak.

And yes I am bringing these wines out to the playa so YOU can taste them! Check in at PLaya Info–we’ll be doing some tastings there most afternoons around 3-5pm. I’ll also post where and when we’ll be tasting.

Octavin R. Muller “Rabbit” Riesling from Germany

This “medium sweet” wine is best nice and cold (which will be a challenge on the playa!) It would pair well with a cheese plate before or after dinner or with various Asian or Indian spicy stir fries; it was great with a peanut satay sauce, chicken, and vegetables. Light, fresh and aromatic of fresh peaches and pears, it was fermented in stainless steel. Very pleasant, not too complex, slightly metallic finish. 3L box = 4 bottles of wine in the box for $24 or about $6 a bottle. A great value.

Octavin Silver Birch New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

I really think think this NZ Sauvignon Blanc is an exceptional value. I really like NZ sauvignon blanc in general and I would definitely buy this wine and keep it in the fridge for those lunches or dinners when I’m having a salad and just want a small glass of wine with it. Do not taste it after the riesling though–it brings out a little too much of the gooseberry! Lots of bright citrus–lime, grapefruit– and green apple with a hint of nectarine. Here’s another post about this NZ Sauv Blanc and me. At Burning Man or at home, I’d pair this with salads as well as pesto and pasta (and raw oysters!) $24 for 3L (4 bottles). Continue reading →

Th. Sept 1: Celebrate Sep-Tempranillo or Cabernet? Or Both? Here’s How!

You’d think there were enough days in the year to devote one day per varietal or style or region or…but as recent events have shown, I guess there’s not.

For example, Ed Thralls claimed August 18 for #pinotsmackdown and Thirsty Girl claimed it for “pink” port. (And yes, I would have participated in both events, thank you both very much for the invitations, except my port didn’t arrive in time!)

Now, September 1, the Tempranillo folks are horning in on Cabernet Day!

For most people, it will be easy to participate in Cabernet Day. I’d bet it’s the most common and well known kind of wine around. You can register here (it’s free!) and learn more about participants and participating wineries but you don’t have to. http://cabernet.eventbrite.com

Tempranillo might seem a bit more “exotic” than cabernet sauvignon but according to The TAPAS Society, Tempranillo, which is indigenous to Spain and used in Rioja and Ribera del Duero wines, is planted in 500,000 acres of the world’s vineyards making it the fourth planted varietal in the world. While most of it is grown in Spain,  Tempranillo is grown in the United States, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, Australia, France, Portugal, Turkey, Canada, China, Thailand, and more.

Personally, I’ll be at the Burning Man Festival, Black Rock City Nevada, doing my part to celebrate both days! I might be at the Barbie Death Camp and Wine Bistro or playa info in center camp but easiest might be just celebrating at the Black Rock Cellar since that’s where I’ll be storing the wine! Continue reading →

Black Rock Wine Cellar Gifts Playa Storage

Back again in 2011 is the Black Rock Wine Cellar where you can store your wines and protect them from the insanely hot Black Rock Desert! According to Jack Rabbit, the BLACK ROCK WINE CELLAR IS GIFTING WINE STORAGE!

Wineaux writes: “The Black Rock Wine Cellar is once again opening its subterranean wine storage facility for public use.  If you have a precious bottle or two you would like to store in our refrigerated facility, swing on by and speak to our sommelier.  In addition to storage, we look forward to hosting the occasional tasting, in which we share some of our special selections.  Check out our chalk board at The Cellar for tasting dates and times.  And if you would like to participate in any capacity, please don’t hesitate to contact us.” Wineaux and DanO BlackrockcellarATgmailDOTcom

Read on to learn more…

Wine Weds: Where I'd like to be tasting wine today--the Black Rock Wine Cellar The annual Black Rock Arts Festival aka Burning Man is currently a huge happening out in the Nevada Desert northeast of Reno. And that’s where I’d like to be this Wine Wednesday, tasting and talking wine at the Black Rock Wine Cellar centrally located on the Esplanade and 7:30 near center camp.It would also be a super fun place to participate in tomorrow’s Cabernet Day organized by Rick Bakas. This is the team that’s putting it together: Lucifer … Read More

via Wine Predator