An Alpine Red Wine From Northern Italy

White wines from the northern part of Italy are fantastic, but here is an Alpine red wine.

From Vigneti della Dolomiti IGT, in the Trentino-Alto Adige of northern Italy, the grapes for this wine are Schiava. They are also known as Trollinger or Vernatsch, depending on where you are at the time. Schiava grapes likely originated in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, as their growth has been recorded there since the 13th century. Alcohol hits a moderate 12% abv and it sells for less than $10 at Trader Joe's.

The 2024 Vola Schiava is light red, with a rusty tint to it. The nose has aromas of blackberries, plums, and blueberries, with a savory dash of earth. The palate is a fruity as you’d like, with strawberry, current, and licorice red rope flavors. The tannins are somewhat soft, which makes for a good sipping wine. Chill it for a hot summer day on the patio.

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Blood Of The Vines - Dragon Around

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week, a trio of films dabbling in dragons, to one extent or another. We also have some fire-breathing wine pairings for each.

Dragons Forever is a 1988 action/comedy martial arts movie from Hong Kong. It was directed by and starred Sammo Hung, which is one of the great names in the world, by the way. If I were named Sam, I would identify as Sammo in a Hong Kong minute. Jackie Chan also appears in the film.

The story centers on a fishery that is revealed to be the home office for a drug kingpin. The ruse was probably derailed when nobody complained about the smell. When I was a kid, we had a menhaden plant down the coast that stank to high heaven when the wind was right. We called it the fish factory, even though we knew there were no fish being produced there. 

The fishery sues a chemical company for polluting the water, the chemists send in a lawyer and his criminal buddies to try and dig up some dirt on the fish guys, and they discover the drug ring. Oh, and the drug kingpin is a martial arts expert. It had to happen. It would be a pretty dull courtroom drama if it didn't. 

No Shaoxing or Tiger bone wine for me, thanks. I would cook with Shaoxing, if I could find it anywhere. Let's pair a Washington state Riesling with Dragons Forever. Winemaker Charles Smith makes Kung Fu Girl, and it will pair well with all the Chinese takeout and Jackie Chan movies you can manage. It should run you about $12.

From 1961, Valley of the Dragons is a black-and-white sci-fi done on the cheap, just how we like our sci-fi. This flick is based on some Jules Verne material and was made from stock footage used in 1940's One Million B.C. In fact, TFH Chief Guru Joe Dante explains that Valley of the Dragons is "60-percent footage from other films, all of which are better than this one." Ed Wood must have been green with envy.

Two guys get swept from earth by a passing comet and deposited in what appears to be prehistoric time. I particularly like the dinosaurs, noted in the title as dragons. The one that's actually an armadillo is my super fave. 

The guys adapt quickly to their new surroundings and spend some time battling large insects that look like plush toys you might win at a county fair here on Earth. They also meet and fall in love with a couple of prehistoric cave babes. What with the easily defeatable bugs and the lusty ladies in this place, they decide to sit tight and wait for another comet to come around as their ticket home. Looking good, Hector. Feeling good, Denning. 

The wine made in Paso Robles at the Ancient Peaks Winery has the dust of another era on it. The oyster shells in the vineyards are remnants of a time when the land was a seabed. Their 2021 Whole Cluster Syrah is described as "out of this world." Fitting for a sci-fi. $60. 

Here's more comedic action from Hong Kong. Way of the Dragon came out in 1972, starring Bruce Lee. It was originally released in the US as Return of the Dragon. Oddly, Lee's next film was Enter the Dragon. That makes it sound like they were released out of order, but I don’t think that's the case. What does it matter, anyway? Bruce Lee is Bruce Lee.

Lee not only starred in but also directed this film. It was his first time in the director's chair, and he died not even a year after its release. Lee's character is in Rome, where he helps a restaurant owner who is being harassed by gangsters. Chuck Norris makes an appearance as a badass hired by the mob boss. The mob needed to hire a badass? A blond one? From Oklahoma? No. Norris fans can be satisfied that their hero offers no mercy and accepts none, either. 

Luigi Baudana makes a wine in the Langhe region of Italy that he calls Dragon. It's the symbol of courage, he explains, and that's what it took to design a field blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Nascetta, and Riesling. You can get it by bravely plunking down $25. 

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Gimme A Gavi

Rosa dell’Olmo is located in Piedmont. They produce Barbera d’Asti, Barbaresco, and Barolo wines, along with today’s feature, Gavi. Piedmont has produced wines since the 6th century, with modern styles emerging in the 19th century.

The Gavi wines are white, this one, the 2024 Rosa dell 'Olmo Gavi, is made solely from Cortese grapes. Alcohol sits at a restrained 12% abv and the price is $10 at Trader Joe's. 

This wine offers a nose that's floral, fruity, and full of minerals all at once. The pale straw color in the glass leads to a palate loaded with stone fruit and citrus minerality. The slight acidity makes for a nice, full mouthfeel. Steel fermentation gives a clean, brisk taste. Pair it with pasta primavera, salads, chicken, or fish.

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California Pinot Noir From Monterey County

California's Monterey County is thought to be a good region for Pinot Noir, with good reason. The weather is cool, just the way the grape likes it. The 2021 Talbott Pinot Noir is a good example of California Pinot. 

The grapes were grown in the Santa Lucia Highlands, the Sleepy Hollow Vineyard, to be precise. This Talbott estate vineyard is located on the northeastern edge of the AVA. Alcohol sits at 14.9% abv and it sells for about $43.

This wine shows a medium ruby color in the glass. The nose displays aromas of plum, blackberry, and black tea. On the palate, black fruit dominates, there is a cola note and some traces of coffee in the sip. Big fruit with a savory side is no surprise in a California Pinot Noir and it delivers here. Minerals play a large role, while the tannins are medium firm with an astringent quality. The finish is long and savory.

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Blood Of The Vines - Frankenheimer

Pairing wine with movies!  See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. This week, it's a John Frankenheimer party. Three Frankenheimer films and a wine pairing for each. 

Frankenheimer directed Dead Bang back in 1989. It has Don Johnson as a Los Angeles Sheriff's Department gumshoe who has to track down the killer of a deputy. There's also gunrunning and militant white supremacy in the mix, so it's a bit heavier than your typical action movie. Johnson was fresh from his rather lighthearted take on police business in Miami Vice, so he rolled down his sleeves and got to work.

Johnson also permed his hair for the role, to more closely resemble the real cop on which the story is based. He says it was an "interesting choice" because as the perm unwound over the shoot, he started looking, as he puts it, "sort of goofy-looking." No goofier, I would imagine, than pushing up the sleeves of your sport coat. At least that look became a fashion fad for a time. 

For a cop flick, how about a cop wine? Harbinator 2020 Cop Franc is a Cabernet Franc from the Red Mountain AVA, Ciel du Cheval vineyard. Pretty fancy for Washington state. It sells for around $50. 

From 1964, The Train has Burt Lancaster masterminding a ruse to keep the Germans from absconding with artwork looted from France during World War Two. The movie makes the real-life story a lot more interesting than it actually was. In reality, the art train was merely derailed by endless paperwork. Life may imitate art, but art jazzes up life so we'll pay to see it.

As it happens, the Nazis also tried to make off with wine from the best French vineyards. A similar ruse kept the wine safe in République française. All this has me wondering why the war lasted as long as it did if Hitler's boys were so easily outsmarted.

All this spy-type activity points directly to Cloak and Dagger Wines and their Paso Robles red blend, Subterfuge. It's a mix of grapes that would feel right at home in Bordeaux: Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc, all for $49.

Seconds is from 1966. It's a psychological horror film, a bit of a sci-fi, and a dramatic change of pace for the star Rock Hudson. There's no Doris Day here, and rom-com is as far from the scene as it could possibly be.

Hudson plays a New York banker who undergoes a complete change of identity. His turn as a Malibu artist does not go well. It's worth remembering that it's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.

The Beach Boys' Brian Wilson was reportedly freaked out that the main character, Mr. Wilson, is swirling in doubt about his choices and that the beach plays a central role in Hudson's Malibu Ken makeover. They say Wilson didn't go to a movie again for a couple of decades.

Movie goers at the time didn't care for Seconds, and the film was booed at Cannes. Time has softened opinions to the point that it's now considered a cult classic.

A second wine is one made by a top-shelf producer, using grapes that were deemed unfit for the flagship wine. The second wine from Château Margaux is Pavillon Rouge du Château Margaux. This Bordeaux second wine can give you a taste of the $1000 bottle for less than $200, depending on the vintage.

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Blood Of The Vines - Carquake

Pairing wine with movies!  See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell. This week, we're in the driver's seat for three films that owe their existence to the auto industry. We have wine pairings for each film, although we encourage you to wait until you're safely home before uncorking the bottle. Or unscrewing the cap. Or tearing open the box.

The Italian Job is a 1969 British caper with laughs. Michael Caine and Noël Coward got plenty of bravos for their parts as crooks trying to steal a truckload of gold bullion in Italy. It's worth remembering while dealing with explosives, that "you were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off." If you want more laffs, there is a wealth of comedic talent in the cast, including Bennie Hill.

The often copied Mini Cooper car chase should be used for entertainment purposes only. Do not try it at home, No matter how good a driver you think you are. You're not.

The wine pairing for a movie about Italian criminal activity should be one that was the subject of a crime, right? Several years ago, some nefarious types passed off cheapo wine as 2015 Bolgheri Sassicaia. A bottle costs close to $500. Just pray it hasn't had the doors blown off it.

In 1971's Vanishing Point, a stock car driver takes a bet to deliver a white Dodge Challenger R/T from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours. If that sounds too easy, imagine doing that task with a police chase behind you. It doesn't sound like easy money now, does it?

It's said to be one of Steven Spielberg's favorite films, and it inspired Edgar Wright's 2017 car-a-palooza, Baby Driver. Vanishing Point vanished after only a couple of weeks in release, but it has since become a cult classic. It's an especially big trunk full of muscle car fun for people who go to the Friday Night Car Show at Bob's Big Boy.

Adobe Road Wines of Sonoma County has a full line of racing themed offerings. Their Redline Cabernet Sauvignon goes fast for $48.

The star in 1977's Grand Theft Auto is Ron Howard, who also directed it. But the big co-star is a Rolls Royce, which takes a beating throughout the film, a beating that's usually reserved for a demolition derby. Uh, spoiler alert. There is a demolition derby. The Rolls carries a young couple as they elope to Las Vegas, where there will be plenty of time for wine. 

A tip of the headset to the late L.A. legend The Real Don Steele, who has a role in the movie as, wait for it, a radio DJ. 

There are more Master Sommeliers in Sin City than in any other city in the world, so getting a recommendation shouldn't be a problem. Ordering that wine in a restaurant, if you're someone who looks a lot like Opie, means you'd better have your ID with you. For the Rolls Royce, only a Dom Perignon Champagne will do. At least at first. As the wear and tear on the vehicle mounts, you'll be looking for something cheap, maybe in a box. The Franzia Dark Red Blend is priced at $16 for a five liter box.

Nowadays people know GTA as a game, and in the GTA V edition, there is a virtual wine called Costa Del Perro, which translates to "coast of the dog," but you can only have that wine virtually, as a player in the game. 

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Wine Tasting In Los Olivos - St. Avalo Wines

It was a cold and blustery day in May, the threat of rain hanging in the dark clouds above Santa Barbara County. I was looking for the tasting room of Bien Nacido Wines, but found that they had closed up their Los Olivos shop and were now pouring at the winery in the Santa Maria Valley. Fortunately, their spot was now occupied by the tasting room for St. Avalo Wines.

Their vineyards are in the Santa Ynez Valley, just a couple of miles away, but my visit to the tasting room held many pleasures. The wines I tasted were of the 2022 vintage except the rosé, which is 2025.

My host Oliver, and his dad, are co-owners of the estate. They bought the property in 2007 and went full estate with their grape selection in 2015. Their wines are delicious and the tasting experience is a fun time. 

Their Sauvignon Blanc has a funky, floral nose and a fresh fruit palate. Pinot Grigio is not a grape to which I gravitate, but the St. Avalo version was striking. A totally earthy nose brought the funk, while the stone fruit on the palate was savory.

The rosé was made from Tempranillo and Grenache grapes, grown in nearby Foxen Canyon. Light extraction brought a pale pink color. The Gamay Noir was aged for a year in neutral French oak. It presented a nose that was earthy, barnyard, even. The palate, however, was light and fresh. The St. Avalo Pinot Gamay saw 24 months in new French oak. Big cherry notes on the nose and a bright and breezy palate with an herbal touch. 

The St. Avalo Dornfelder - yes, they grow Dornfelder - has a huge nose with prominent clove and eucalyptus. The palate is tartly cherry and somewhat minty. 

Their Sangiovese was oaked for two years but still has a light cherry nose and a candied palate. The tannins are nice on this CalItalia bottling. Their Nero d'Avola shows extreme earth on the nose while displaying a sweetly herbal palate.

The Cabernet Sauvignon has aromas that range from herbal to chalky. There is a minty note on the palate here as well. Aged in new French oak for 36 months. 

The wine I was most attracted to was the St. Avalo 2022 Vermentino, Santa Barbara County, Los Olivos District. Alcohol sits at 12.3% abv and it retails for $35. The wine was aged for eleven months in stainless steel tanks, unstirred.

This wine is the color of yellow straw with a hint of green in it. The nose has the aroma of white flowers, nectarine, mango, and a salty mineral aspect. I don’t smell the ocean as I do with Sicilian Vermentino, but it’s nearly a match. The palate shows stone fruit, a touch of tangerine, and a streak of salinity. The acidity is mid-range and the finish is long. There is a nutty flavor that lingers after the sip. This is a beautiful wine. 

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