CURRAN GRENACHE BLANC 2009 SANTA YNEZ VALLEY

In Southern California, there is an embarrassment of riches where wine is concerned.   Beautiful wine country, vineyards and rustic wineries are never very far away, in any direction.  Living just a two-and-a-half hour drive away from the Santa Ynez Valley north of Santa Barbara has helped me fall in love with the wines of this region over and over again.

Winemaker Kris Curran is half of the D’Alfonso-Curran label.  Bruno D’Alfonso makes Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, while Curran makes her own wines of several European varieties.

The team makes wine near Lompoc and the tasting room is in Solvang, but the grapes for Curran’s Grenache Blanc are sourced from the warm eastern side of the Santa Ynez Valley.  The grapes were whole cluster pressed, giving the wine an amazing herbal quality.  The alcohol content is a hefty 14.1%, and the bottle cost $19 at a Manhattan Beach wine store.

The Curran Grenache Blanc is a pale golden color in the glass.  It has a most interesting and aromatic nose, showing the smell of apricot and melon covered with an herbal component, like fresh snap peas or cauliflower.  There is also some wet hay in the bouquet.  More than a hint of alcohol sneaks into the aromas at first, but that diminishes over time.

Full and rather oily in the mouth, the palate displays peach and apricot flavors which are met with a sense of almond paste and a hint of straw.  Minerals are clearly present, while a tropical guava note persists into the lengthy finish.  I love the way the almost-creamy mouthfeel gives way to a strident acidity on the finish.  Malolactic fermentation was inhibited during the creation of this wine, making its fullness somewhat a surprise.  It’s rather like a magic trick, a rewarding one.


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BLOOD OF THE VINES: THE GHOST OF FRANKENSTEIN

Wine Goes To The Movies

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The thing that always amazed me about Frankenstein is how easily he went from horror to comedy.  In the movies, the good doctor's scrapheap project was scary.  On TV, Fred Gwynne's footstomping caricature of Frankenstein's monster in "The Munsters" took only a little reworking to make Herman Munster a lovable TV dad, even if he was built in a mad scientist's workshop.

"The Ghost Of Frankenstein" continues the series of Universal sequels in the Frankenstein house of horrors with Lon Chaney as The Monster and Bela Lugosi as Ygor.  Ygor brings the big guy to Dr. Frankenstein's son and before long, the villagers are breaking out the torches again.

There’s no comedic flair here - “Lily, they want to set me on FIRE! Haw ha ha ha” - but a fair dose of horror and a wash of pathos is enough to get you through the hour or so the film runs.  Now, for some Frankenstein wine!

Not so fast, flathead.  Frankenstein wine is a term used to describe wine that has been altered from its natural state.  Rather than recommend a pairing with a wine full of oak chips, designer yeast or grapes with bolts sticking out of them, let's go with a German
wine from near the site of the Frankenstein castle, in the Franken wine region of Pfalz.

The Hans Wirsching 2010 Iphofer Kronsberg Silvaner Trocken comes in the "Mateus"-shaped bottle known as a bocksbeutel.  It's the traditional bottling of the Franken region.  This product of Silvaner grapes is dry and bold, with a crisp minerality which will pair well with seafood and cheese.  You may even want to try it - just for Frankenstein - with torch-toasted marshmallows.  It's only $16 - affordable enough for a little Dr. Frankenstein experimentation.

Other nuts and bolts:Beck-Hartweg "Frankstein" Gewürztraminer Grand Cru 2004 - OK, so it's not Frankenstein, it's Frankstein.  That's pretty close, though, for a Grand Cru vineyard in the Alsace. $28

Frankenstein Wine - This could be the lead pairing, if it were available now.  They claim it's coming before year's end.  Keep the torches and pitchforks at hand.  Since it seems to be from Pennsylvania, you may want to use those implements while rioting to get shipping of wine permitted from the Keystone State.

Frankenstein Wine Bottle Stopper - This guy looks like Frankenstein by way of Fred Flintstone.  Use only for wine you're drinking while reading comic books. $9

Frankenstein Wine Glass - The price is the only thing scary about this Halloween novelty item. $18

Sinister Frankenstein Wine Tassel - It's Santa Claus! Who are you scaring with this??


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SHOPPING MALL WINE

Back in the college days we used to sit waiting for a movie to begin and yearn for a movie theater where we could get a beer while watching the show.  Now, that concept is commonplace, and innovators have turned their attention to more pressing matters, like getting drinks served at food trucks.

The Los Angeles shopping mecca, Westside Pavilion has a very nice bar just outside its AMC multiplex.  Lots of dark wood and plenty of plush chairs and sofas take up a fair sized space that gets a lot of light.  It's not actually in the theater, but customers of The Wine Bar are allowed to take their drinks with them into one of the first two screens, which are designated as "21 + movies."  If you want to see "Smurfs," you'll have to wait until after the picture to get your drink on.

While the movies showing at the cinema are as predictable as Hollywood can make them, the wine list at The Wine Bar is rather inventive.  There were choices I don't see on a lot of lists, and some I didn't expect to see at all at a wine bar in a mall.

I chose the Cline 2007 Ancient Vines Mourvèdre.  The grapes are sourced from Contra Costa County and the wine is aged in toasted American oak.  It has an alcohol content of 14.5%.  A whiff of that alcohol appears on the nose, but it's not hard to dig out the cherry, lavender and chocolate notes.  The flavors center on a broad expanse of wild cherry with a streak of black tea running through it. 

I was quite pleased. It was a pleasure to find such an enjoyable wine at the mall - and at the movies.



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FEUDI DI SAN GREGORIO PRIMITIVO AT IL FORNAIO

Judging by the many simply wonderful wines I encounter at Los Angeles Italian restaurants, I would be tempted to guess that's it's really easy to find simply wonderful Italian wines.  Those who procure those wines for restaurants would argue that point, I'm sure.  I will let it stand as a testimony to the skill and knowledge of the various wine directors that I rarely encounter an Italian wine in an Italian restaurant with which I find fault.

I had the Feudi di San Gregorio Primitivo recently at Il Fornaio in Beverly Hills.

Feudi di San Gregorio is an old and wealthy winery in Italy's Campania region.  This 2008 wine is classified as Primitivo di Manduria DOC.  The grapes come from seaside vineyards in Manduria, in the province of Taranto in the Puglia region.  It is fermented in stainless steel, which allows the beautiful fruit to shine in its unadulterated state.  The vino ages 12 months in the tanks and another six in bottles.

The wine is a beautiful dark purple in the glass, and shows dark fruit on the nose.  A spearmint note mingles with black cherry aromas, while flavors of cherry and blackberry dominate the palate.  Gentle tannins make for a luxuriously smooth drink, while the finish is refreshingly dry.


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ASTRONAUTS COULD BENEFIT FROM RED WINE

Will future space travelers leave the Tang behind and opt for a pouch or two of red wine?  A study by scientists at the University of Strasbourg in France, reported by MSNBC, suggests that red wine may be beneficial to people who find themselves in prolonged periods of weightlessness.

Resveratrol - the ingredient in red wine which has been tabbed with many other beneficial attributes - now appears to combat side effects of being in space.  Bone density loss and insulin resistance are cited as problems apparently averted by the ingestion of resveratrol.

The researchers say spacemen aren't the only ones who can benefit from these findings.  People stuck here on earth who are sedentary due to disease, injury or just a desk job, might find red wine to be helpful.

Before you chuck your gym membership for a wine club, consider that the report states there is no reason to believe drinking wine is a substitute for good, old-fashioned exercise.


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WINE COUNTRY: NEW HAMPSHIRE - MOONLIGHT MEADERY

New Hampshire is a relatively new entry to Wine Country.  The Granite State's wine industry didn't get started until 1994.  The New Hampshire Winery Association membership includes not only grape wine producers, but also makers of mead and cider.

Moonlight Meadery is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire, near the southeast corner of the state.  The town's name originated from its early settlers, many of whom were from Londonderry, Ireland.  The first American potato was grown there in 1719.

Londonderry was the birthplace of several governors and congressmen, but we'll try not to hold that against them.  San Francisco Giants pitcher Brian Wilson is from Londonderry, too.  As a Dodger fan, I'll try not to hold that against them, either.

The town is known for its apple orchards, and a meadery - Moonlight Meadery - which produces what they call "Romance by the glass."

Moonlight's mead maker Michael Fairbrother states on his meadery's website, "Mead, to me, is passion.  It's about living and love, it's about enjoyment, family and friends, and sharing."  Sounds good to us.  You can see Fairbrother in this video story from WMUR.

We have covered mead before in the Wine Country series.  Mead is wine made from honey, water and yeast.  It can range from sweet to dry and be produced as still, slightly fizzy - pétillant - or sparkling.  A melomel is a mead made with the addition of fruit.  A cyser is a melomel made with apples, and a pyment is a melomel where grapes are used in addition to the honey.

Fairbrother gives his meads names like Smitten, Desire and Sensual, playing off that "romance in a glass" analogy.  He supplied me with four samples of his meads for this article.

The mead he calls Wild is honey and blueberry wine made from unprocessed New Hampshire wildflower honey and mountain grown blueberries.  It carries an alcohol level of 14.2% abv.

Wild's medium ruby color allows light to pass through easily.  The nose shows a strong herbal note leading the way with blueberry aromas underneath and honey and flowers trailing.

The taste is completely dry and the blueberries really come forward on the palate. There's a strong sense of greenness on the palate, too.  Nice, gentle tannic structure matches well with a good acidity level.  It's very fresh and clean tasting.  I had blueberry wine from Florida which was much sweeter and more juice like than this honey and blueberry wine.  The Moonlight mead is much more like a red wine than a fruit juice.  I tried it chilled and not, and was pleased with the experience both ways.  The herbal finish is fairly lengthy.

Utopian is the strongest of the quartet I tried at 16.9% abv.  It’s a semi-sweet, limited edition mead which is fermented and aged in Samuel Adams Utopias barrels.

The color gives a beautiful, rich, golden glow.  On the nose, the honey gets down to business.  It smells much like a dark honey, maybe chestnut honey.  There’s a bit of sherry and a bit of coffee, too, in what strikes me as quite a complex package of aromas.

On the palate, Utopian's sweetness is delicate and the mouthfeel quite viscous, like a dessert wine.  There’s a sherry-like flavor that’s pretty incredible and the finish is looong with a note of coffee mocha in it.  It's really nice paired with almonds - you could even pour this over vanilla ice cream or a have it with pound cake.  Once again a very nice acidity is present.

Desire is a beautiful deep ruby color.  The nose again has a firm underpinning of honey aroma with a pretty straightforward display of the fruit used in making this melomel - black currant, black cherry and blueberry.  The palate is dominated by the currant to the degree that it bears a striking similarity to cassis.  It's not as viscous as Wild, but it definitely sits very full in the mouth.  The 16.7% alcohol content means it's a fairly stiff drink, at least in the realm of wine.  There's good acidity here, but I don't think I could bring myself to eat while savoring the texture and flavor of Desire. Well, maybe some chocolate.  Desire beat out 352 other wines in a New England competition.

The golden mead called Sensual shows a whole honeycomb full of honey aroma.   That’s no surprise, since it is a traditional mead, made only from wildflower honey, water and yeast.  The palate is dripping with honey, too.  Once again, a resounding acidity is present and the finish is very long and ridiculously satisfying.  The taste of pure honey is all that remains after a drink, and it’s there for quite a while.  The alcohol level for Sensual is 15.3% abv.  It's the simplest of the four featured here, but it may be my favorite.

Once again one of the American states brings mead to Wine Country, and once again I am floored by the quality.


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BLOOD OF THE VINES: THE LONGEST YARD

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It’s not too hard to connect the dots between professional football and prison, or between football and fine wine.  It’s quite a bit harder to make a play for all three.

There is no shortage of star football players who have done a little time - or more - in the pokey.  Conversely, some football folks have ventured into the field of wine.  I'll take football over prison and wine over either of those choices.

"The Longest Yard" has Burt Reynolds - himself a former college football player - as a prisoner who heads up the inmate football team in a contest against the guards, a game which is more than just a game to those on the field.  It's fantasy football with real consequences.  These football heroes have numbers a lot longer than one or two digits; their football cards are mugshots.

Former NFL stars Ray Nitschke, Joe Kapp and Ernie Wheelwright also appear in the film, which lends credibility to the football sequences.  The same scenario was used in the football sequences in "M*A*S*H."  Joe Kapp was in that movie, too, along with Fran Tarkenton, Ben Davidson and Fred "The Hammer" Williamson.

We've covered the football and prison angles, now let's get to the wine before Eddie Albert sends over a guard to whack us with a stick.

There are a handful of good choices for wines to pair with "The Longest Yard."  Some former football greats have made a name for themselves on the grape gridiron.  Former NFL coach Dick Vermeil and former 49ers president Carmen Policy both have Napa Valley wineries.  Former Partriots quarterback Drew Bledsoe makes wine where he played college ball, in Washington.  Dick Butkus and "Iron" Mike Ditka both make wine, proving it ain't just for sissies.

Some NFL teams are even getting into the wine business.  The New York Jets and San Diego Chargers have both hired California winemakers to make a brand for their teams.

The pairing we'll go with here is made by a former Penn State Nittany Lion, Gary Eberle.  When he entered the wine business, he did it with the same sort of determination Joe Paterno no doubt instilled in him on the gridiron.  Eberle helped establish California's Paso Robles appellation in 1980, then opened Eberle Winery there several years later.

Eberle's Full Boar Red - kinda sounds like a football play - is a manly blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Barbera and Tempranillo.  At $15, you'll have plenty of money left over for snacks and a bail bondsman.

Audibles:

Cornerback Charles Woodson is ready to put his name on 24 Wine, produced from grapes grown in the prestigious Napa Valley Stags Leap area.  He can't fully get behind that yet because of the NFL's rules prohibiting a current player from promoting alcohol.  Run a dogfight and you can get right back in the game.  Try and sell some $150 per bottle wine, though, and you're really getting on the warden's - er, commissioner's - bad side.

Woodson actually makes the trifecta for this piece. He was arrested in 2004 for public intoxication, but probably didn't serve any serious jail time for that. It probably wasn't even a pricey Napa Cab he was allegedly buzzed on, either.

Pruno - I don't where you can buy this stuff.  I don't know why you'd even want to.  It's a wine supposedly made in prison, though.  The directions alone kind of make the throw-up happen in the back of my throat, so click the link at your own peril.

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A NEW WINERY FOR VENTURA

Ventura, California is welcoming its first winery.  Four Brix Winery has actually been around a while, but they are moving into a new facility located at 2290 Eastman Avenue.  This will make Four Brix the only winery operating within the Ventura city limits.

After two years at the Wine Yard in Thousand Oaks, Four Brix Winery is celebrating the Grand Opening of its new winemaking and tasting facility the weekend of September 17-18, 2011.  This affair offers Ventura County wine lovers a great opportunity to celebrate California Wine Month right in their own backyard.

One of 12 wineries along the Ventura County Wine Trail, Four Brix Winery produces wines inspired by cuvees from the Rhone Valley, Tuscany, Bordeaux and other renowned regions.

The winery is co-owned and operated by three couples – the Stewarts, the Simonsgaards, and the Noonans, who were prompted by their mutual love of food, wine, and people to found Four Brix Winery with the goal of sharing their passion with others.

The Four Brix Grand Opening festivities run Saturday and Sunday, September 17th and 18th, from noon until 5:00 p.m. both days.  Wine tastings are $10 and guests can join the Four Brix wine club at the "Founders Club" level, which affords members the ability to self-select each wine for their wine club shipment.  This special "Founders Club" membership will only be available through Grand Opening Weekend.

Local art will be displayed throughout the weekend, with light hors d'oeuvres, cheese plates, and charcuterie are available for purchase.  No reservations are required.  Get more information at Four Brix Wine.


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RUBBING ELBOWS AT MUSSO AND FRANK

The Maitre d' at Musso and Frank Grill suggested our party might enjoy the Chaplin booth in the venerable, old-Hollywood eatery.  Old, as in Chaplin used to sit in that booth.

It's not that my fame as a wine scribbler preceded me.  We were awarded the choice booth because notable film director and Trailers From Hell head guru Joe Dante was in our party, and he was duly noted as we walked in.  Joe's been a regular at Musso and Frank during his illustrious career.

It wasn't my first brush with fame, though.  During my time as a Los Angeleno I've had lunch with Reba - in the same restaurant, anyway.  I've seen Magic getting out of his limo at a Sunset Strip steakhouse I can't afford.  I've chatted with James Coburn at a party.  He had no idea who I was.  Henry Winkler, too, different party.  I was a plus-one at a party thrown by Harvey Levin, pre-TMZ.  No papparazzi were present.  Once, I was almost knocked over by Ed Begley, Jr. as he ripped past me on a bicycle.  Oh yeah, I've had my brushes with fame.

After a bit of conversation about the Blood Of The Vines feature I write for Joe's blog, From Hell It Came, the talk turned to pictures.  That's when I settled back into my normal life, sniffing and sipping and poking out notes on my iPhone while taking pictures of the wine on the table.  Fortunately, the people I hang out with are rather used to that sort of behavior from me.

During the course of the evening, our red-jacketed server brought two wines to me.  Both were white, as that's the kind of mood I was in on this night.

First up was the Frei Brothers Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2009.

This Sonoma County wine is a beautiful golden color and shows tropical fruit and lemon chess pie on the nose.  The flavors - mango and minerals leading the way - rest on a gentle acidity that leads to a pineapple finish.

New Zealand's Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is quite pale in the glass.  The nose gives a beautiful show of grapefruit and lemon peel with a grassy underlay.  On the palate, white grapefruit makes a huge statement, while minerals play a supporting role.

The evening was wonderful, full of great people, great wine and great conversation, all in the best booth in the place.


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FRESCOBALDI REMOLE TOSCANA

Brunello Trattoria is a cozy little Italian restaurant on the stretch of Washington Boulevard in Culver City, California which has been undergoing revitalization in recent years.  Art and design studios and restaurants have dotted the formerly bland strip, making it a bit of a destination in the Los Angeles suburb.

My lasagna napolitana was meaty and delicious, with sausages and meatballs under the just-right pasta.  I chose a wine which suited the meal, Frescobaldi's Remole Tuscan Sangiovese blend.  It's $9 by the glass at Brunello.

Frescobaldi is one of Italy's oldest wineries, with wine production dating back to the 1300s.  Their empire encompasses nine estates in Tuscany.

Made from grapes grown in Remole, in the northern part of Tuscany, this blend is 85% Sangiovese and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.  It's fermented and aged - five months - in stainless steel.

The wine's color is a fairly deep ruby red and the body is medium-full.  Its nose shows smokey black cherry and a gorgeous note of tar.  Dark fruit comes on strong on the palate - plums and currant - with smoke, tar and anise flavors meeting a vibrant acidity.  The tannins are fairly aggressive and fit well with a meat dish.


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SANTA BARBARA WINE: A HOT TIME IN PASADENA

A hundred-degree afternoon was probably not the right time to open the doors of Pasadena's a|k|a Bistro and let the outdoors mingle with the indoors, but that is how this Santa Barbara County wine tasting event was constructed.

Some winery tables were outside and some were in, so a flow-through was created to facilitate the tasters making the circuit.  The inside portion was almost as uncomfortable as the outside.

The saving grace for those outdoors was the slight breeze, which did not appear inside the bistro.  "Outdoor" wineries which were blessed with shade - like Riverbench and Sanford - actually fared pretty well.  Those in the afternoon sun - like Tercero and Zaca Mesa - had to sweat it out.

Tercero's Larry Schaffer didn't let the heat wilt his quips.  When a taster asked how much he made - referring to the quantity of wine produced - Schaffer shot back, "Not enough! We're a nonprofit winery!"  Of course, he was joking, which was no mean feat in the sweltering heat.  You have to admire a man who keeps his sense of humor in adverse conditions!

The big, bold aromas and flavors which typify Santa Barbara County wines were solid, as usual.  Wine from all four of the AVAs in Santa Barbara County were represented, the Santa Maria Valley, the Santa Ynez Valley, Sta. Rita Hills and Happy Canyon.

As I expected, there was a lot to like at this event.  Here are some of the wines I especially liked, listed alphabetically.

Arthur Earl
Arthur Earl is a boutique winery in Los Olivos, California founded by two guys named Art and Earl. I don't know which one was working the table at this event, but he explained, "If you look up 'boutique winery' in the dictionary, there's a picture of us."

Great wines here, Rhone, Italian and Spanish varieties. The Viognier showed flowers and a savory note on the nose, with more savory meeting tropical flavors and a great acidity. The Nebbiolo has a great nose full of roses and meat. A sour blackberry flavor is perfect with the meaty minerality. The Lagrein has cherry and coffee grounds on the nose with a dark and earthy palate. An earthy, black cherry Tempranillo rounded out what was my favorite stop of the day.

Babcock Winery & Vineyards
Bryan Babcock brought his wine in from the western reaches of the Santa Ynez Valley. His Identity Crisis Syrah is a red wine made like a white wine. Skin contact is minimal and it comes out pink! It's a full flavor Syrah though, with a very nice acidity. Top Cream Chardonnay is made with 50% new oak, but it's a light touch with the wood. Psi Clone Pinot Noir mixes bright cherry and blackberry flavors.

Bedford Winery
Stephan Bedford thinks he was born in the wrong country, but he's in wine country now - the Los Alamos hills - and that suits him to a T. His wines show a dark earthiness, even the Riesling and the Chardonnay. It's more expected - but just as appreciated - in the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, both of which have some toothy tannins.

Dragonette Cellars
I was impressed with this outfit's Fiddlestix Vineyard Pinot Noir, great acidity and a touch of a floral component balancing the earthiness. Their Grenache is made with Los Alamos fruit - Syrah and Mourvedre are in the mix - and it boasts bright cherry flavor touched by minerality.

Jaffurs Wine CellarsAn urban winery located in Santa Barbara, Jaffurs specializes in Rhone grape varieties. Upon harvesting the Grenache Blanc grapes, botrytis was found on some of the grapes. Those nobly afflicted were plucked separately and a single barrel of dessert wine was made. Unfortunately, that was not on display. The Grenache Blanc, though, was suitably tart and tangy with quite a finish. Their Grenache shows a tangible layer of darkness over the cherry flavor.

Mosby Winery & VineyardBill Mosby's place is one of the stops I always seem to make when I visit anywhere near Buellton. His Cal-Italia wines are favorites of mine - and my wife digs 'em, too. Bill's Sagrantino offers a bright cherry experience, while his Lagrein throws a dark earthiness over a bunch of violets. There aren't too many California tastings where you can sample one Lagrein, let alone two.

Riverbench
Riverbench produces only Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from their location in the Santa Maria Valley. Nice acidity and tropical flavors make their steel Chardonnay refreshing, and their 30% new French oak effort shows just the right touch of oak. The Mesa Pinot Noir is simply killer, with a good chunk of that Santa Maria Valley earth on the nose and palate. It has a beautiful floral component on the nose as well.

Tercero Wines
Larry Schaffer was pouring from his signature, hand-labeled flasks at what had to be the hottest table on the patio, in more ways than one. His Mourvedre from Camp 4 Vineyard in the eastern end of the Santa Ynez Valley has a huge nose and a brilliant sour cherry flavor. Considering the heat, it was lucky he brought some of his wonderful '09 Rose to refresh. 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, this pink is nice and dry with a "strawberry meets the ground it was grown in" flavor.



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THE TASTING BAR AT WINE EXPO

Longtime Santa Monica wine store Wine Expo opened a tasting bar over the summer, and it is to my detriment that it took me so long to make it by and try out their fare.

While Wine Expo specializes in Italian wine, general manager and wine director Roberto Rogness explains on their website, "what we are REALLY interested in is diversity of style ... and wines that both enhance our diverse cuisine and challenge your senses (instead of just being big fruit bombs slathered in oak that make a strong first impression but then deaden your palate).  Plus, we are not only aware of the Global Marketplace but are famous for turning it upside down and squeezing it twice to find you the best deals.  So, this logically LEADS us to offering the largest selection of Vini Italiani in the country (plus outstanding finds from South Africa, Portugal, Spain, Hungary, Oz and NZ, Argentina, Eastern Europe and sometimes even California)."

I'm always happy to find a happy hour, and the Wine Expo tasting bar offers one from 5:00 to 7:00 six nights a week - which includes Saturday and Sunday.

Before we could even take a seat, complimentary tastes of F. Dulac Blanc de Blancs Brut was delivered to the table.  The French sparkler is toasty, nutty and bubbly - a great start in anyone's book.

The Matilde Zasso Falanghina 2010 from Campania has volcanic ash evident on the mineral laden nose and palate, but there's some nice fruitiness there, too.  $3 by the glass at happy hour.

Allesandro Botter's Tor del Colle Montelpulciano Riserva 2007 from Puglia was $4 by the glass at happy hour.  Rose petal and freshly polished leather join a meat element on the nose, while the palate is dark and complex.

These wines did fine with the salami plate spruced up with cornichons, smoked olives and salted nuts.  The heavily smoked olives prompted an "OMG" in my notes.  They are perfect for a palate like mine, for which enough is never enough.


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BLOOD OF THE VINES: THE MARK OF THE VAMPIRE

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Do vampires really stalk the world after dark?  To quote Robert Preston from Blake Edwards' "S.O.B.," "Is Batman a transvestite?  Who knows?"  Don't look for any definitive answers in "The Mark of the Vampire."  After the movie is over, your questions will remain and a few new new ones will appear.  You'll wonder "How'd they ever fall for that?"  You'll marvel, "How do they grow those bats so huge in South America?"  You'll cry aloud, "Who shot Bela Lugosi?"

Thanks to some heavy-handed editing, the wound in Lugosi's head raises more bullet questions than the Zapruder film did.  We don't see how that bullet hole got there or how many gunmen may have been involved.  We don't even know if the man with the umbrella was in the shot.

The plot-within-the-plot revealed at the end shows just how much the actors really sunk their teeth into their roles.  SAGAFTRA would have a fit today over those working conditions.  Working in a play that's being investigated by the authorities - while the performance is happening - would definitely mean "over scale" for everybody.  In the end, it's all in a day's work for these vampires and victims.

Lugosi is one of the video vampires I think of when my mind turns to long canine teeth.  Elvira is another one, but I don’t remember her canine teeth being long.  I don’t remember much about her teeth at all.  I do remember that the vampires I’ve liked best are the ones who have let the show-biz show through.  Elvira certainly has shown a lot of show-biz, and so has Lugosi - in a different way, of course.  Lugosi may have been born for the role of a vampire, but it’s fascinating when he exposes that role for all to see.

Now, off to catering services for a glass of something blood-red before punching out.

Vampire Vineyards has the Blood of the Vine for any occasion.  Vampire Cabernet Sauvignon offers North Coast Cab for the discerning fang, while Trueblood Pinot Noir features Santa Maria Valley grapes for those who prefer their vampires on the small screen.  Good news for SoCal vampire drinkers: The Vampire Vineyards Lounge & Tasting Room is located in Beverly Hills.  And we thought all the bloodsuckers were in the lawyer offices.

Or, suck on this:

Lugosi Wine - Marketed by descendents of Bela himself, this wine celebrates one of the first members of the Screen Actors Guild.  Not to mention one of the scariest.

Elvira Wine - Made with the Elvira grape, but without the Elvira picture.  Nice try.  Call us when you get the rights.


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SANCERRE AND VIOGNIER AT CALIFORNIA CANTEEN

We stopped in - between events on a recent Saturday afternoon - to the California Canteen.  Despite the inference of the name, this place offers a taste of Europe on Cahuenga Boulevard, just up from the Hollywood Bowl.  It's been there since 1999, which is a long time in Los Angeles restaurant years.

Yannick and Jean-Yves were busy preparing for the evening's business, but took time out to provide us with an entertaining stay.  Their comments on the restaurant business, wine and the Salton Sea don't seem all that memorable now, but we certainly enjoyed chatting over our refreshments.

It's hard to believe that with 15 clocks on the wall over the bar one could still lose track of time, but the clocks aren't functional.  They are all set to the same time - a quarter to four - but their hands remain motionless.  A mix of Parisian and bullfight art decorate the other walls.

We enjoyed two wines: Pierre Prieur et Fils Domaine de Saint Pierre Sancerre 2009 andPreignes Le Vieux Viognier 2009.

The Sancerre is a pretty golden-green hue in the glass.  It's made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc and shows its Loire Valley terroir with a mineral-laden nose and an herbal component that's like a fistful of string beans.  Big and full in the mouth, it's very dry with a nice acidity.  Lemon rind and white grapefruit dominate the fruit profile, while wet rocks linger on the finish.  It's a great match with the mussels and curry sauce.

The Viognier - pale yellow in color - shows honeysuckle and sweet peaches on the nose with a full, creamy mouthfeel.  Flavors of melon and orange peel are delicious.  The grapes are grown in the Languedoc region of France on the Mediterranean coast.


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LAMBRUSCO AND PELAVERGA BIANCO AT TERRONI

My wife and I often find ourselves at Terroni in Los Angeles for Sunday afternoon lunches.  Normally a little crowded for our taste at dinner time, the restaurant is usually almost empty for a late Sunday lunch.

We chose a red and a white wine, the Lambrusco for me and a white for Denise which we don't see very often on wine lists.

Lancillotto Barbolini Lambrusco Grasparossa Emilia-Romagna NV

My red is made from the Grasparossa clone of the Lambrusco grape, grown in the Castelvetro region of Emilia-Romagna.  Fizzy and foamy when poured, the bubbles diminished somewhat but were still present at the end of the meal, a spicy salami sandwich.

Even chilled, the delightfully grapey nose and big, fruity juice flavor is simply wonderful, especially on a warm afternoon.  Dark berries and black cherry abound on the palate, and it's a beautiful mate for the panini.

Castello di Verduno Pelaverga Bianco Bellis Perennis 2009
Denise opted for a white wine, a Pelaverga Bianco from Castello di Verduno in Piemonte.  The winery - along with a hotel and restaurant - are actually located in a castle.  The Pelaverga Piccolo grape is rare, and is usually used to make red wine.  This wine - from vineyards in Verduno - is vinified as a white wine and given the name "Bellis Perennis," which is the botanical name for an Italian daisy.

While that's a beautiful image, it might well have been named after some Italian rocks.  That's what leads the way on the nose and the palate: minerals, minerals and more minerals.  It tastes of wet rocks and green apple with some tart lemon peel.  Great acidity and an amazing flintiness really refreshes and reminds Denise of "stones in a stream on a hot summer day."  It's a great match for the summertime ciccio, a pizza foldover which is like a Caprese salad pizza sandwich, served cold.


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RED WINE NOW CITED AS POTENTIAL HELP FOR DIABETICS

The wine drinking scientists are at it again.  More correctly, it's the wine drinking scientists and their resveratrol-taking lab rats that are causing a clamor. Wine Spectator reported on this recently.

Red wine has been mentioned before as possibly reducing the risks associated with diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke.  Now, cellular biologists from LSU and the University of Nebraska Medical Center say they have found that red wine may help reverse mental deterioration suffered by people with diabetes.

The compound resveratrol - plentiful in red wine - is said to have restored brain function in diabetic rats.  It could be, say the labcoats, that resveratrol - acting as an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant - increased blood circulation in the brain and lowered the risk of losing mental acuity.

The scientists speculate that the resveratrol relaxes the arteries in the brain, normalizing oxygen levels.  They further conclude that the compound can slightly decrease blood glucose concentration.  Resveratrol also appears to lessen the stress that can lead to strokes in diabetics.

How much resveratrol a human would have to ingest daily to get these results was not included in the report.  If more than a glass or two of red wine per day is required, there could be other debilitating factors that come into play.  As always, the researchers say more study is needed before recommending wine - or at least the resveratrol found in wine - as a prescription for diabetics.


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WINE AND FILM: THE VINTAGE

Wine lovers always like to check out movies about wine, and I had the good fortune to see a little-known wine movie screened at the single-screen Aero theater in Santa Monica, California.

"The Vintage" was made in 1957 by MGM.  It tells the story of two Italian brothers, on the lam from the law, who go to Provence and hide out as grape pickers in a vineyard.  It's a pretty good little story and a fairly atmospheric film, one that's hard to catch because no prints are known to exist.  The screening was courtesy of a high-quality DVD copy supplied by Turner Classic Movies.  It was the first time the picture had been theatrically screened since its release some 54 years ago.

The movie was shot entirely in France, and utilizes the harvesting of grapes and making of wine as the backdrop for the story.  The drama unfolds as the two brothers join a band of migrant workers who are helping the family bring in "the vintage."

What really made the screening special was the personal appearance by the director - Jeffrey Hayden - and two of the actors - Theodore Bikel and John Kerr.  Above, Bikel is on the left, Hayden is next to him, then Kerr, and on the right is a representative of the Aero Theater.  None of the three principals had seen the movie in all those years.

Kerr seemed genuinely shocked when he commented, "we all looked so young!"  He gave up acting as a profession when he went to law school in the 1960s.  He still works as an attorney.

Director Hayden had the best story of the evening.  He related his memory of the trip to France before production of the film began.  It seems the producer, Edwin Knopf, was a wine aficionado.  Wine importer Alexis Lichine had a beautiful chateau in Bordeaux.  According to Hayden, Knopf and his entourage hung out there for weeks instead of finding a more suitable farmhouse location for the movie.  Hayden said he had to maneuver to get the picture moved to the simple area where it's set, all the while using "all we need is a farmhouse!" as his battle cry.

If you get the chance, see the movie.  I think anyone interested in wine will find it enjoyable.

As a footnote, here's an interesting tidbit on wine maven Alexis Lichine, from his entry in Wikipedia:

"Starting around 1940, Lichine and (partner) Schoonmaker promoted the idea that California producers should label their wines by the grape variety or varieties from which they were made.  The standard practice among New World producers was to give their wines semi-generic labels.  That is, they named them after the regions whose wines they resembled.  For example, full-bodied red varieties might be labeled "Burgundy", whereas crisp whites might be labeled "Chablis."

"California's Wente Vineyards was the first winery to adopt the practice.  After calling its Sauvignon Blanc by its varietal name rather than labeling it "Graves," Lichine and Schoonmaker found its sales volume to increase several-fold.  More important, they were able to sell it in the important east coast U.S. market.  Others, such as Robert Mondavi, soon adopted the practice, which has become the standard for New World (and, increasingly, some Old World) wines."

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BLOOD OF THE VINES: VALLEY OF THE DOLLS

Wine Goes To The Movies
With NowAndZin.com and TrailersFromHell.com

As "Valley of the Dolls" begins, we are told that "you have to climb Mt. Everest to reach the valley of the dolls."  The highs and lows of that journey are sufficiently described in the film, leaving no doubt that we are not in Lawrenceville anymore.

With all the pill-popping that goes on in "Valley Of The Dolls," it would be a good idea to let the wine alone for this one.  I don't pop pills - "dolls," in the parlance of the film - but I do pair wine with movies.  That's how I get my thrills - at least on Thursdays.  So get your hand out of the "dolly jar" and make sure those red things are cinnamon jellybeans.

Patty Duke is the fresh young face, Sharon Tate is the decoration, Barbara Parkins is the small-town girl in the big city.  Everyone has their own reasons for taking a room in the dollhouse.  Susan Hayward plays the role of aging veteran actress Helen Lawson, who takes full-bore diva bitchiness to a new level.  The role was intended for Judy Garland, but life is supposed to imitate art, not the other way around.

Duke's character is a giant of the pill-popping world.  Need to go to sleep?  There's a pill for that.  Need to wake up?  There's a pill for that, too.  Need to get through that tap dance rehearsal?  Yes, a pill for that.  Need to have some hot starlet sex?  Gotcha covered.

I read somewhere that Champagne was the Viagra of the '60s.  Personally, I like that idea.  Today, say it with me now, there's a pill for that.  A struggling young actress, though, might find it hard to afford Champagne, what with all the pills she buys to make it through a day.

So you don't flip your wig into the toilet, a lower-alcohol Prosecco is about as strong a drink as I'd try with this movie.  You don't want to upset the uppers & downers equilibrium too much.  Il Conte d'Alba 1917 Stella Rosa is only about five percent alcohol, and about as affordable as a bottle of aspirin - only about $10.

The theme song from the movie - a big hit for Dionne Warwick - lyrically suggests "goin' where I'm free."   A few years later, Janis Joplin would punctuate that notion with "freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose," which would seem a more fitting depiction of this movie's idea of the freedom found in a bottle of pills.

You may want to pop the cork on one of these dolls:
Valley of the Moon Winery - The Sonoma County producer has a couple of Zinfandels worth checking out. $10-$15

Mama's Little Yella Pils - Oskar Blues Brewery of Colorado makes this pilsner beer.  It comes in a can, with the name proudly emblazoned across the front.

There's a pill for that.  Resveratrol pills.  Really?  A pill instead of wine? We're becoming as unhinged as the women in "Valley of the Dolls."

Sparkling Grape Juice - The safest bet, with no alcohol at all.  $2.97 at Walmart.  By the way, if you are a young starlet shopping at Walmart, you need a better agent.


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DOMAINE SIGALAS ASSYRTIKO ATHIRI 2009

A little early for our dinner reservations - and our dining companions - at Cleo in Hollywood's Redbury Hotel, we decided to perch ourselves at the bar and have a nibble and a sip while waiting.  The parade of dressed-to-the-nines twenty-somethings provided quite a fashion show as a background to our snack of wood-fired olives and almonds.

It was a warm early evening in Tinseltown, so I opted for a Greek white wine I spied on the menu.  Greek wines being a bit of a rarity on Los Angeles wine lists, this is an opportunity which doesn't present itself often enough.

From the volcanic Greek island of Santorini, Domaine Sigalas - established in 1991 - is a relative newcomer to a wine culture which has been around for well over 3,000 years.  The island's vineyards are planted primarily to white grape varieties, among them Assyrtiko and Athiri.

This big, dry white wine is made from 75% Assyrtiko and 25% Athiri.  The Assyrtiko grape is notable for maintaining its high acidity level even when quite ripe, possibly due to the Santorini soil, which is full of volcanic ash and pumice.  The Athiri grape contributes a citrus quality.  It's also grown on the island of Rhodes.  The vines from which these grapes come are about 50 years old.

The blend carries an alcohol level of 13.5% by volume and sells for $8 by the glass at Cleo.

Pale yellow in the glass, the nose comes on strong, with a gorgeous whiff of the ocean.  Salinity and citrus mingle for a refreshing aroma profile.  In the mouth the wine is of medium weight and has a crisp and bracing acidity coming out of it's ears.  A strong herbal flavor comes through on the palate which is dominated by tart green apple and lemon zest.

Denise said, "I'm loving the trend of having wood fired olives in Los Angeles restaurants," an observation with which I wholeheartedly agree.  The wine pairs beautifully with the snack, and I can only imagine that it is similarly brilliant with a seafood dish. 

During dinner we had Cambria's Julia's Vineyard Pinot Noir, which seemed to be made especially for the wood-fired lamb Merguez at Cleo.

Learn more about Santorini's history in this captivating and beautifully written piece from Vinography: A Wine Blog,  by Alder Yarrow.


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ITALIAN WINE TASTING AT ENOTECA DRAGO

In Los Angeles, the Drago family is to Italian food and wine as the Rockefeller family is to money.  They know it, they live it, they breathe it.  Wine importer V.E.D.I. Wines brought some of the wines they represent to Enoteca Drago in Beverly Hills recently for an afternoon trade tasting, and I had the good fortune of an invitation.

Here are some of the tasty Italian treats I discovered from Veneto, Lombardia and Abruzzo, along with some sparkling wines from Valencia, Spain.

Cava Pago de Tharsys:

Pago de Tharsys poured those extremely nice sparkling wines produced in Valencia.  There were a lot of earthy notes in these Cavas, and some very interesting grapes.

Rosado Brut 2008:  100% Garnacha; strawberries and earth
Brut Nature 2008:   80% Macabeo, 20% Chardonnay; yeasty and earthy with notes of guava
Tharsys Unico:  100% Bobal; yeasty and crisp with a nutty edge
Dominio de Tharsys Brut:  75% Macabeo, 25% Parellada;  very fruity and fresh
Dominio de Tharsys Rosado:  Bobal; earthy cherry nose, cherry syrup flavor with a hint of banana

Marcato had a couple of notable sparklers from Italy's Lessini Hills of Verona, in the Veneto region.

Durello Spumante Brut:  85% Durella with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay as well; multi-vintage; steel fermented, Charmat method; nutty nose; light and fruity, with a citrus/tropical play
Durello 36 Mesi:  Durella, Pinot Noir & Chardonnay again; creamier, yet still vibrant and fresh; traditional method

Cavalchina is from Veneto.

Cavalchina is the name of the district where this winery is located, on the southeastern border of the Garda amphitheatre.

Bianco di Custoza:  40% Garganega, 30% Fernanda, 15% Trebbiano, 15% Trebbianello; very nutty with a light acidity
Amedeo Biano di Custoza Superiore:  40% Garganega, 30% Fernanda, 15% Trebbiano, 15%Trebbianello:  more acidity than in the Bianco di Custoza
Chiaretto Bardolino:  Rose harvested and vinified separately from the rosso, not as a bleed-off; very light pink with strawberries and flowers
Bardolino:  the red bardolino; gorgeous nose, black cherry and chocolate, unusual for a steel fermented wine; flavor is fruity and floral
Santa Lucia Bardolino Superiore:  60% Corvina, 25% Rondinella, 15% Marzemino e Barbera; nice tannic structure, the wood aging doesn't overwhelm

Vigneti Prendina is from Lombardia.

Merlot Garda:  85% Merlot, 15% Rondinella; the grapes are harvested at different times, so separate vinification is required; neutral oak barriques, smokey fruit
Pinot Grigio Alto Mincio: oakless Pinot Grigio with a lovely aroma
Falcone Cabernet Sauvignon:  85%  Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Merlot; dark and smokey; 12 months in barriques

Contesa is in Abruzzo, centrally located in Italy, but considered part of the south.  The region borders the Adriatic Sea.

Nerone:  Montepulciano d'Abruzzo; great drak nose showing tar, tasting of smokey plums
Contesa Montepulciano d'Abruzzo:  great acidity, very smooth; 24 months in large barrels
Vigna Corvino Montepulciano:  very smooth; dusty cherry notes
Vigna Corvino Trebbiano:  stainless steel fermentation; rather like a new world Sauvignon Blanc; grassy and earthy; grape dates back to Roman times in Abruzzo
Vigna Corvino Cerasuolo:  dry rose with a lovely nose; one day skin contact gives a lovely cherry color
Pecorino:  citrus and a nutty quality
Sorab Pecorino:  four weeks barrique fermentation; weightier with delicious use of wood; aged on its lees for 6 months


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