When I’m making the big bucks, I’ll just have to commission one of these for myself!
Thanks to Alder of Vinography for the find and to Top Wine News on twitter for the tip. Enjoy!
Category Archives: adventures in wine
Ventura Wine Company offers free Bordeaux tasting this Sat. 3/7
Nick of the Ventura Wine Company says:
Enjoy a Casual Saturday afternoon Wine Tasting this Saturday, March 7, 2009 in The Cave! We are working to expand our import selection, and we’ve invited a French Specialist to come in and share 3 special Bordeaux Wines from France with you. The tasting will take place from 1:30 – 3pm and its complementary. Again, it is casual so come and go anytime you’d like during the scheduled time – or stay awhile and enjoy some Small Plate menu items and check out what’s new on the Enomatic Machine! We have changed out most of the Enomatic Machine wines this week… check out our new picks: Here is your chance to try one of the most famous wines in California, Opus One! You can taste it this weekend on the Enomatic. We know this wine is expensive, but if you like it, as part of our “stimulus package” we are offering it for sale in our retail store at a substantial discount!
Let’s see if any are biodynamic/sustainable/organic choices!
Ventura Wine Company: 4435 McGrath St. #301, Ventura, CA 93003
805-642-9449 phone
Monday 10am to 6pm
Tue, Wed, Thurs 10am to 8pm
Fri, Sat 10am to 10pm
Making a Movie & Drinking Hutton Vale Grenache Mataro 2000
Again I have been MIA on Wine Predator and busy posting on Art Predator!
And what have I been busy posting about? Getting the Best Job In the World–as Island caretaker on the Great Barrier Reef! Which doesn’t exactly encourage me to go on and on about AUS wine!
To be in the running for the Island caretaker job, applicants had to produce a 60 second or less video highlighting their qualifications, including why they want the job, and sharing a little about the Great Barrier Reef. In addition to years writing the Art Predator column and now several blogs (this wine one with lots about AUS wine!), plus other journalism and creative writing experiences, I had my own TV news show in high school, I’ve written scripts for PSAs and produced 7 spoken word videos.
So as soon as I heard about the job, I got right to writing a script. And rewriting. And revising. And writing completely different scripts. I won’t tell you how many. I drank quite a bit of wine while working on all this and neglected to take adequate notes to describe them to you!
I enlisted the help of a friend, Imre Juhasz, the father of my son’s best friend Shimon. Imre works on films all over the world, most recently for the Discovery channel. He knows his way around a video camera AND is skilled with final cut pro.
Once we meshed our schedules, we had to work around the weather (rain, rain and more rain). My family being under the weather meant I had to revise the script so that it required very little of the man of my life who was down with the flu, and the small boy wasn’t well either.
So there went the funny script with both of them or even including them in much of the way of anything, certainly not anything athletic or adventurous!
We started at the beach down the street from Imre’s house. While our boys played, we played too with some camera angles and ideas, and filing the sand writing sequences. We considered going to Channel Islands NP but ended up scoping out my mom’s house as a rainy backup with expansive views.
The next day, Valentine’s Day, we met again at sunset, this time with the whole family and our bikes to shoot the cycling scene and the closing scene with the globe beach ball. Imre drove his car with his son sleeping in the back–that was our steadycam!
The third day of shooting we did in the backyard and then hiked up to Two Trees. Marshall was too sick so we shot him close to the car then he waited for us there while we hiked up.
The fourth day we couldn’t get together until after the kid were asleep. So at 830 I came over with a bottle of Hutton Vale Vineyards 2000 Eden Valley Grenache Mataro blend I picked up for around $10 at the last Grateful Palate sale. Hutton Vale is one of those wineries GP dropped over the summer, and if this wine says anything about what they produce, it was a mistake! It came in red tissue paper with s sticker closure and the wine was sealed in red wax. Very classy presentation! I also chose it because Imre and I had some very unimpressive and bland Coppola Tempranillo the night before (regularly $16 on sale at Vons for $9) and I’d raved to him about how much I enjoy GSMs which he was unfamiliar with.
So the Hutton Vale Grenache Mataro I figured would be perfect for the task–something wonderful as we edited the video.
And I was right! From the first sniffs to the last sediment filled sips, the wine was quite a pleasure. The nose had that funny musky rich Mataro thing with some sage thrown in going on which at first raised Imre’s eyebrows but then he settled right into it happily and with amazement. The grenache gives the mataro a fine balance with its spicy fruitiness. It was so good that I’m practically desperate to go find more!
The wine lasted through three hours of editing, then we called it a night and I headed home with the empty bottle and a promise to get more!
On the fifth day, we worked about 12 hours on it, on and off during the day. We stopped for a pizza and I picked up a bottle of Ecco Chianti (regularly $12,on sale for $8) and we were all unimpressed–the memories of the Hutton Vale too strong on our palates! About midnight we finished and ready to upload when Imre started having trouble getting it to be the right size without distortion. It took over 3 hours to get it right, then I headed up to post it on the site–at 4am! Unfortunately a day or so later, it was rejected –some sort of YouTube problem and they asked me to resubmit. Back to the drawing board with Imre and another 3 hours down the tube trying to get the right size without distortion. Another late night ensued for me when the site went down for maintenance when I was ready to upload it! Finally I heard the news that it was accepted and live. Because the site gets so bombarded, it is easiest to watch it on YouTube in HD:
Now just waiting to hear whether I make the 50 shortlist!
Go here to read a review of the 2001.
Mulled wine: for those wines you mull over & decide you just don’t have to drink or dump
Yep, sometimes a wine is best for mulling…maybe a bottle of Merlot left after a party you don’t want to drink or store, or some 2 Buck Chuck lying around. Or maybe you tried something and you flat-out don’t like it enough to add those calories!
This is a wonderful time of year to enjoy mulled wines at home, with friends, or to bring to a gathering. No matter what you mull, the smell is divine!
There are lots of mulled wine recipes out there with variations on the theme of a spiced, heated, red wine. I am not of the camp that recommends you use a fine red wine for mulling; something in the $5 range works great as does 2 Buck Chuck if you have a Trader Joe’s in the neighborhood. I am tempted to try a Shiraz this year, but any red wine will work.
I always have a pot of homemade chai spices going on the store to make chai and the easiest mulled wine or mulled cider to make for me is to add red wine to the eight spice combination: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, coriander, ginger, pepper, allspice and cloves with a little honey or sugar to taste. (I’ll share my chai recipe soon, I promise!)
A few weeks ago I saw this mulled wine recipe on Delectable Jen’s blog which she found from an episode where chef Andreas Viestad makes Mulled Wine in Trondheim, Norway. I prefer mine without raisins, almonds, and orange and the added vodka, but this is the traditional Norwegian recipe in its entirety.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 1/2 dl) water
1 cinnamon stick
4 cardamom seeds
2 cloves
1 heaped tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons homemade vanilla sugar, or 2 tablespoons vanilla and 1/4 vanilla bean
1 bottle of red wine
1/2 cup (1 dl) vodka (OPTIONAL!)
1/2 cup (1 dl) almonds
1/4 cup (1/2 dl) raisins
1 orange, sliced
In a small pot, bring the water to boil. Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, honey and vanilla sugar to and mix it well. Let this sweet spice mixture boil for about 15 minutes to release the flavor of the spices.
Mulled Wine…yum
Meanwhile, heat the red wine gently in a medium pot. Make sure it does not reach more than 170F (78C), otherwise the alcohol will evaporate. Add 1/3 of the sweet spice mixture. Add almonds and raisins. Add more spice mixture to taste, until the mulled wine has the sweetness of your liking. Add the vodka.
Add a slice of orange to each cup add mulled wine and serve.
Update from 2013: I wouldn’t use 2 Buck Chuck. I’d try to find something in the $5 range at least. Doesn’t have to be in the $10-20 unless you really didn’t like it and don’t want to blend it with something else…
Tistrya Merlot 2000: worth finding!
I mentioned the other day at Big Lots I took a risk and splurged $10 on a bottle of 2000 Napa Valley Tistrya Merlot. Forget that I’ve never heard of Tistrya and I’m not a huge fan of merlot. Forget that it’s $10 — at Big Lots. Forget that we have plenty of wine right now.
What made me forget all this was the beauty and weight of the bottle. Not the label which is a dated looking dark forest green marble–but the bottle itself which shaped and heavy like Twisted Oak’s The Spaniard but heavier than Chris Ringland’s Ebenezer shiraz.
This is a bottle of distinction. Someone cared enough for this wine to put it in a really really nice bottle–a merlot even!
While the majority of the wine at Big Lots is under $5 (and often not worth $5–save your receipt!), more expensive wines –and sometimes excellent values like last month’s Jamieson Canyon 2002 cab for $4–do show up. They rarely tempt me. It’s too risky. But this time I decided to risk it-this bottle was calling me, calling my name: “Wine Predator, Wine Predator!! Then whispering and moaning a little. I quickly grabbed the bottle and we left. I prayed I hadn’t just spent $10 on a wine for mulling (recipe up soon!)
Once home, I began searching out info on the wine: nothing nothing nothing NOTHING! The website listed on the bottle and above is MIA. I did find some info on a Tistrya cab and a $75 price which made me more optimistic about my purchase.
As soon as I mentioned the Tistrya here, I started having fellow Wine Predators turn up searching for info. I knew I wasn’t the only one curious about the wine, and I knew I needed to try this wine and soon–I had a responsibility here to my reading public: inquiring winos want to know!
Last night, we brought the Tistrya Merlot to dinner at friends. The impressive bottle did its job: Dave was definitely impressed and eagerly opened it up, letting it breathe while he gave us a tour of Bea’s new house. About 45 minutes later, he poured and with a little trepidation, I tasted. “This is really good!” said Dave. “I like this,” said the Big Monkey. “Wow,” I said, “I need to go get more of this!”
Fellow Wine Predators, rejoice! Here is the prognosis: Tistrya Merlot 2000 is DEFINITELY worth every penny of your $10!
Immediately go to Big Lots and buy some of this wine. It’s an impressive wine to bring to dinner or a party, and it’s plenty soft and mild, with pleasant fruit and nice garnet color, enjoyable without food, or with dinner–we had it with a roast, roasted vegetables, curry pumpkin soup, and rosemary bread.
Anything but merlot? Not at this price! Not for this wine!
great food/wine pairings chart
Questions about what to drink with what? This food and wine pairing chart looked useful in answering some of my questions–let me know how it works for you! I found it at Drinks are on Me:
| Wine Varietal | Herbs and Spices | Vegetables | Fish and Shellfish | Meats | Cheeses | Bridges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauvignon Blanc | Basil, bay leaf, cilantro, dill, fennel, lemongrass, marjoram, mint, parsley, savory, thyme | Carrots, eggplant, most green vegetables (lettuces, snow peas, zucchini), tomatoes | Clams, mussels, oysters, scallops, sea bass, shrimp, snapper, sole, swordfish, trout, tuna | Chicken, game birds, turkey | Buffalo mozzarella, feta, fontina, goat, Parmigiano Reggiano, ricotta, Swiss | Bell peppers, capers, citrus, garlic, green figs, leeks, olives, sour cream |
| Chardonnay | Basil, clove, tarragon, thyme | Corn, mushrooms, potatoes, pumpkin, squash | Crab, grouper, halibut, lobster, monkfish, salmon, scallops, shrimp, swordfish, tuna | Chicken, pork, turkey, veal | Brie, camembert, Monterey Jack, Swiss | Apples, avocado, bacon, butter, citrus, coconut milk, cream, Dijon mustard, milk, nuts, pancetta, pears, polenta, tropical fruits, vanilla |
| Riesling | Chile pepper, cilantro, dill, five-spice, ginger, lemongrass, nutmeg, parsley | Carrots, corn, onions parsnips | Crab, scallops, smoked fish, snapper, sole, trout | Chicken, game birds, pork | Emmenthal, gouda | Apricots, citrus, dried fruits, peaches, tropical fruits |
| Pinot Noir | Basil, black pepper, cinnamon, clove, fennel, five-spice, oregano, rosemary, star anise, thyme | Beets, eggplant, mushrooms | Salmon, tuna | Beef, chicken, game birds, lamb, liver, rabbit, turkey, veal | Aged chedar, Brie, smoked cheeses | Beets, butter, chocolate/cocoa, cooked tomatoes, Dijon mustard, dried fruits, mushrooms, onions, pomegranates, shallots |
| Shiraz/Syrah | Allspice, chile pepper, coriander, cumin, five-spice, pepper, rosemary, sage | Eggplant, onions, root vegetables | Blackened fish | Bacon, duck, lamb, pancetta, pheasant, sausage, short ribs, venison | Cheddar, goat, Gouda, Gruyere | Black figs, black licorice, black olives, black pepper, cherries, chocolate/cocoa |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Juniper, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme | Mushrooms, potatoes, root vegetables | None | Beef, duck, lamb, venison | Camembert, carmody, aged Gouda, aged Jack | Balsamic vinegar, blackberries, black olives, black pepper, butter, cassis, cherries, cream, currants, roasted red pepper, toasted nuts |
Wine Aroma Wheel
As someone who is getting more serious about tasting and drinking wine, I find I am often searching for the words to describe the various sensations which a particular wine produces. How to be clear and articulate, personal and universal at the same time? Using a common vocabulary with other tasters can help us all speak the same language better.
One tool for developing the necessary accuracy and language is to make samples of various smells (standards) commonly found in wine; I found directions on how to do make these at the Wine Aroma Wheel site as well as info about the Wheel, created by Ann C. Noble in 1990 at UC Davis. You’ll find information on making standards as well as the Wheel below:
The wheel is an incredible and useful tool to learn about wines and enhance one’s ability to describe the complexity of wine flavor.
The wheel is made of three tiers : it has very general terms located in the center (e.g. fruity or chemical), going to the most specific terms in the outer tier (e.g. grapefruit or strawberries).
These terms are not the only terms that can be used to describe wines, but represent ones that are often encountered.
Whether you are a beginner or a wine connoisseur, the use of the wheel during wine tasting will facilitate the description of the flavors you perceive. More importantly, you will be able to recognize and remember specific details about wines.
Novice tasters often complain that they “cannot smell anything” or can’t think of a way to describe the aroma of wine. Fortunately, it is very easy to train our noses and brains to connect and quickly link terms with aromas.
The fastest way is to make physical standards to illustrate important and major notes in wine aroma.
Indulge yourself or relatives with this beautiful T-shirt featuring the Wine Aroma Wheel.
Click here for more information
We partnered with Inno Vinum to distribute a French version of the wheel worldwide. Since Inno Vinum is a Canadian company, it will ensure the distribution of the English version of the wheel throughout Canada.
To order the English version of the Wine Aroma Wheel :
- Orders from Canada, please visit Inno Vinum
- For orders from the US and all other countries, click here.
for more information.
<!– please go to Ann C. Noble –>
To order La Roue des Arômes, the French version of the Wine Aroma Wheel, please visit Inno Vinum.
To order the Japanese version of the Wine Aroma Wheel or the Sparkling Wine Aroma Wheel (only available in English) click here.
