Super Tuscan From Tenuta Luce

Located in Montalcino, Tuscany, - Toscana IGT - the Luce winery specializes in Super Tuscan wines.  La Vite Lucente is the estate's second bottling, a 50/50 blend of Sangiovese and Merlot.  The 2018 vintage was marked by rains in the winter and spring, which made up somewhat for the previous year's drought.  The summer was temperate and dry.

The 2018 Lucente was aged for a year in a mix of new and used barriques.  Alcohol hits 14.5% abv and the wine retails for $30.

This brilliant red wine presents itself elegantly, with a nose that marries the fruit of Sangiovese with the smoke of Merlot.  Dark fruit is what you smell, with a bit of vanilla and spice from the wood.  The wine drinks spectacularly, with a full mouthfeel, soft tannins and a long-lasting finish.  My friendly neighborhood publicist feels that it is a great wine with which to toast a strong, bold woman on International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022.

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Ukraine Solidarity From Royal Wine Corp.

My thanks to the publicist who informed me of this great action from Royal Wine Corp.  Here is the press release:

In a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian victims and refugees under attack by Russian forces, Royal Wine Corp. will donate 100% of the proceeds of the sales starting on 2/24/2022 through 3/10/2022 of two of their leading vodka brands – Xdar, which is a Ukrainian vodka, and Lvov, a Polish vodka named after the Ukrainian town Lviv – to Emergency Ukraine. The donation will be at a minimum of $30,000.

"Royal Wine stands with the people of Ukraine and we demonstrate our support for their independence," said Mordy Herzog CEO of Royal Wine Corp. "While we are all praying and hoping for peace to return to the region we feel compelled to help in a meaningful way. As a flagship Jewish-American business, we are committed to their material and moral sustenance in their fight for freedom."

Founded in 1848, Royal Wine Corp. has been owned and operated in the United States by the Herzog family, whose winemaking roots go back eight generations to its origin in Czechoslovakia.

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Cabernet Sauvignon From Josh Cellars

Joseph Carr worked his way up in the wine world through the restaurant business as a wine steward and sommelier.  In 2007, he followed his dream to make wine in California by founding Josh Cellars, named to honor his father.  He started as a hard-working garagista, making only one Cabernet Sauvignon in limited quantities.  Today, Josh Cellars bottles many more grape varieties, and more Cabernet Sauvignon styles.  It is a negociant winery, with grapes sourced from a variety of California growing locations.  Joseph Carr is an executive in the wine biz now, and winemaker Wayne Donaldson gets the purple under his fingernails

Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

California is on the label and the winery says they source grapes from "all around the state" for this wine.  It was aged in 20% new oak barrels, but little other info is available on the tech sheet.  Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it sells for $17.

This wine is medium-dark in its purple color.  The nose is a jammy black-and-blue berry festival with notes of the oak aging it underwent - vanilla, cinnamon and cedar.  The palate is juicy and full of cherries and berries.  It is sipping very nicely, but the tannins are firm enough to welcome a steak or pork chop.  

Josh Cellars Reserve Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon  

Paso Robles is one of my favorite regions for Cab, not only because I love the flavors that grow from that limestone soil, but also because the price is usually far less than in certain other Cab regions of the Golden State.  This wine spent up to two days in cold soak, then was fermented for a couple of weeks.  It was aged in French oak, a fifth of which was new.  Alcohol tips in at 14% abv and the retail price is $22.

This reserve Cab has a savory nose featuring coffee, mocha, anise, mint and just a hint of that Paso Robles chalkiness.  The minerality comes on strong on the palate, where a boatload of black fruit also appears.  The tannins are firm but not overbearing and there is a fresh acidity to the wine.  I love to pair a dark, savory wine like this one with a juicy piece of beef or a pork shoulder.

Josh Cellars Reserve North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon 

These grapes came from the North Coast appellation, a huge area which includes six counties north of San Francisco, including Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake.  Aging employed 25% new oak.  Alcohol hits only 14% abv and the bottle retails for $22.

This dark wine’s nose is bursting with blue fruit, violets, vanilla and clove.  The palate is rich and layered with black currant and cherry, anise, pepper and oak spice.  The tannins are smooth and the acidity is lip-smacking.  The sip finishes long and fruity with a savory edge.  It will pair nicely with steak, sausage and tomato sauce dishes. 

Josh Cellars Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon ($21.99) 

This wine gets the California appellation, probably due to the fact that grapes from several regions were used.  The winery explains that the wine is aged for three months in "recently emptied bourbon barrels."  Alcohol gets up to 14.5% abv and the retail price is $22. 

The nose shows plenty of dark fruit - blackberries, cassis, blueberries - but while I was expecting a healthy dose of bourbon-soaked wood, it doesn’t seem to be there.  I get just a faint sense of bourbon, nothing more.  That’s actually fine with me, because I don’t want my wine to smell like bourbon.  A little stronger note of cedar comes on the palate, along with the forceful fruit, but nothing that would turn me off of the wine.  After sipping a bit, I notice a very slight flavor of bourbon, but it is way in the background. I feel the labeling is a bit misleading.  If you’re advertising bourbon, there oughta be some - whether I like it or not.  However, it is a fine wine nonetheless. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Ivan Reitman Week

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 salute a movie man who passed away recently, Ivan Reitman.

Reitman was born in Czechoslovakia and was a Canadian.  Either because of that or despite it, he became best known for his work in comedies.  He directed such laff riots as Meatballs, Stripes, Ghostbusters, Twins and Kindergarten Cop while producing funny films like Animal House and Private Parts.

For 1984's Ghosbusters Reitman double-dipped, serving as director and producer.  Everyone knows by now that Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis were the spirit chasers of the title.  The suits were squeamish about the film's multi-million dollar budget - they didn't think the public would buy the story.  They were wrong.  And wrong again.  And again.  And again.  Ghostbusters 2021 was directed by Ivan's son, Jason.

The wine pairing for Ghostbusters is a no-brainer - Canada-born Aykroyd is an investor in Lakeview Wine Company, in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.  The Dan Aykroyd Line includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Cab/Merlot blend and a Chardonnay, all priced under $20.

Ivan Reitman produced Animal House in 1978, and helped define the college experience for a generation of students who spent more time in the frat house than the library… students who were more fluent in alcohol content than Latin… students who knew that "fat, drunk and stupid" was no way to go through life, but other options had yet to appear for them.

John Belushi was already a star on TV's Saturday Night Live, but this was his first film.  By the way, Aykroyd later wrote Ghostbusters for he and Belushi.  Belushi, unfortunately, would not live long enough to see the opportunity realized.

A keg of nameless beer would probably serve well as a pairing for Animal House, but let's try a wine, since we're all well beyond our misspent youths.  Lodi's Animal House Winery hasn't been heard from in almost a decade, so we'll scratch that cherry wine off the list of potential candidates.  

Belushi's brother Jim owns a cannabis farm in southern Oregon, so there's a possibility.  As for wine, Jim likes his neighbor's juice, Bayer Family Estate, where they make a mean Nebbiolo that runs about $65.

In 1977, Reitman took on EP duties for the horror film Rabid, which was written and directed by David Cronenberg and starred porn actress Marilyn Chambers in a mainstream role.  It was reportedly Reitman's idea to cast Chambers in the role, in case you were wondering what an EP does.  The movie strays from our comedic theme, although it seems funny to me that Chambers' character was a sort of vampire who sucked blood through her armpit.  Not funny ha-ha, you know, just a little weird.

Rabid Red Wine has disappeared from view.  So has Florida's Rabid Rabbitt blueberry mead, I think.  And if it hasn't fallen out of sight, it probably should.  For Rabid, let's try a Rabid Pitbull cocktail.  Kahlua, Pepsi (!), 151 rum, spiced rum and cinnamon schnapps.  I guess we could also use this one for Animal House, after the keg floats.

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Santa Barbara County Chardonnay Via Paso Robles

Proprietors Georges and Daniel Daou, of Daou Vineyards in Paso Robles, credit their mountain home - Daou Mountain - with being able to "turn mere raindrops and roots into extraordinary wines—and into lasting relationships."

They say their terroir is a very rare soil, calcareous clay, the same type found in Saint-Émilion and the right bank of Bordeaux.  The limestone subsoil, they say, is perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties.  They boast that it was exactly the soil they were looking for more than a decade ago when they searched around the world for their dream vineyard.

Now known as DAOU Mountain, the land rises to an elevation of 2,200 feet in the hills of the Adelaida District, on the west side of the Paso Robles AVA.  Georges wants to make it clear that he and his brother did not buy a winery - they bought dirt and brought in the passion to unlock its potential.  Daniel is the winemaker sibling.  

The 2020 Bodyguard Chardonnay, however, comes from Santa Barbara County.  It is the newest addition to the Daou wine list.  The grapes were grown in the Santa Barbara appellation, a great source for Chardonnay grapes.  French and American oak barrels give the wine that classic California Chardonnay feel.  Alcohol hits 14.5% abv and the retail sticker reads $40.

One sniff and you know this golden juice is a California Chardonnay.  The peach, pear and lemon aromas are as upfront as you'd expect, and the whiff of buttery oak - not at all overdone - draws the drinker in like a magnet.  Amazing fruit drives the palate, too, with enough of that buttery feel to remind us why we love California.

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Cocktail In A Bottle

If you like cocktails but hate making them - maybe you simply don't have a good bar area in your home - you probably have already tried some of the premixed cocktails that are on the market.  They are convenient, but you do pay a price for that.  Here's one I ran across at Trader Joe's recently.

Trader Joe's Negroni is a premixed, bottled cocktail made with gin, bitter liqueur and sweet vermouth.  It is produced and bottled by Nomad Spirits of Los Angeles and a Redditt thread shows that it has been on shelves since November.  The grocer has also reportedly stocked Old Fashioned and Whiskey Sour, premixed and bottled.  Alcohol hits the 22% abv mark, so it is 44 proof and costs $17 for a 750 ml bottle.

It's a decent little negroni, if somewhat off-tasting in the bitter liqueur department.  I have had better from actual bartenders, but for an easy home cocktail, this Trader Joe's Negroni isn't too bad at all.  

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Blood Of The Vines - Be My Valentine

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌  This week, let us give you one of those chalky candy hearts, the one that says Be My Valentine.

Chilly Scenes of Winter is a 1979 romantic drama - romdra? - which stars John Heard and Mary Beth Hurt.  The producers almost had lead actors whose names are homophones, but no cigar for close.

It was originally called Head Over Heels and had a happy ending, perfect for Valentine's Day.  In a surprise move, the lost-in-love title and the happy ending were scrapped a few years down the line in favor of a more, eh, realistic tone.  Ticket-buyers seemed to appreciate the changes.  

In Chilly Scenes of Winter, Charles and Laura meet in their civil service jobs with the state of Utah.  They figure that it's not bad for guv'mint work and start moving toward the inevitable chilly breakup.  Critics of the day praised the acting, but felt that the story wasn't exactly a heart-shaped box of chocolates.

Valentine wine pairing #1: Colby Red is a California blend of five grapes that's perfect if you don't know which way your relationship is going.  It's cheap and it even has a little smudgy heart on the label.

1977's Annie Hall is Woody Allen's take on his failed relationship with Diane Keaton.  We wouldn't learn until years later just how failed his relationships could be.  This was pre-scandal Woody, though, and nearly everyone fell in love with Annie Hall.  

The movie taught us how to have a great date involving lobsters, what to do if you forget your mantra, where to look for Marshall McLuhan while standing in line for The Sorrow and the Pity, how you can bond with others over killing spiders, and how to win the Truman Capote look-alike contest.  It also taught us that even though love may fade, it's an awful lot of fun while it's shining.

Valentine wine pairing #2: Champagne, since it makes a great impression and goes great with lobster.  Actually, it goes great with everything. Try Champagne Laurent Perrier for about $75.  

As Good as it Gets, from 1997, was exactly that for Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, who both took home Oscars for their work in the romcom.  Can a mean old obsessive-compulsive misanthrope find happiness with a pretty waitress?  You bet your dog-walking dollar he can, but it takes the intervention of the nice gay guy next door, and his puppy.

It's a great date movie, as long as the eccentricities contained in Nicholson's character don't remind your partner too much of you.  There's no need to pull that string and see the whole sweater unravel, not on Valentine's Day.

The characters in As Good as it Gets show that people can grow together over common ground, no matter how far apart they may seem to be at first.  Just don't forget to take care of the dog properly.  And don't step on a crack.

Valentine wine pairing #3:  Armand De Brignac Champagne may or may not be as good as sparkling wine gets, but it sure is close to being as expensive as it gets.  You'll make an impression if you can find a subtle way to mention the astronomical price tag during dinner conversation.  If that's out of reach, a little Veuve'll do ya.

 

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BDX Blend From Paso Robles

Proprietors Georges & Daniel Daou, of Daou Vineyards in Paso Robles, credit their mountain home - DAOU Mountain - with being able to "turn mere raindrops and roots into extraordinary wines—and into lasting relationships."

They say their terroir is a very rare soil, calcareous clay, the same type found in Saint-Émilion and the right bank of Bordeaux.  The limestone subsoil, they say, is perfect for growing Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties.  They boast that it was exactly the soil they were looking for more than a decade ago when they searched around the world for their dream vineyard.

Now known as DAOU Mountain, the land rises to an elevation of 2,200 feet in the hills of the Adelaida District, on the west side of the Paso Robles AVA.  Georges wants to make it clear that he and his brother did not buy a winery - they bought dirt and brought in the passion to unlock its potential.  Daniel, the winemaker sibling, refers to the 2019 The Bodyguard as his masterpiece.  

The Bodyguard 2019 was made from 58% Petit Verdot and 42% Petite Sirah grapes.  Alcohol hits 14.9% abv and the retail price is $40.

This wine is very dark - what we would expect from Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah - and has a lovely purple rim around the glass.  The nose is full of black and blue berries and that chalky minerality for which Paso Robles is known.  I get a licorice note as well as some sweet oak, but it is not overplayed.  On the palate, this is a silky smooth wine with rich fruit and a savory edge.  The tannins are firm, but forgiving.  This is a delicious wine, and it is just waiting for a rib eye steak to come along. 

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Super Bowl-Winning Wine: Los Carneros

A publicist rushed a wine to my doorstep last week, one that was bound to help my hometown team win the Super Bowl.  Their name was written all over the label, even if it was in Spanish.

Los Carneros means the Rams, so you can see why there was urgency in getting it to me.  Somebody must have known that the Los Angeles Rams would need a little help in Super Bowl LVI.  The help came just in time, as the game went right down to the wire, with Los Carneros coming out on top.  

The wine came from an outfit called The Vice, and they say it is a single-vineyard bottling made from Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, sustainably grown in the Carneros sub-appellation.  Aging took place over 22 months in French and American oak barrels - one of each, it's a limited release.  Alcohol tips the scale at 14.3% abv and the wine retails for $69.  Oh, and it's a good luck charm for the Rams.

The dark wine has a beautiful nose full of dark fruit and oak spice, even a little nuttiness in there.  The palate is deep and rich, and a little bit herbal.  Plums, blackberries, blueberries  Tannins are firm, but the wine sips great if you aren't cooking steak tonight.  If you are, more the better.  

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Blood Of The Vines - In Strangloscope

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 feel those criminal fingers tightening around our throats.  If there were a cinematic process called Strangloscope, these movies would have certainly been filmed in it.

Strangulation has to be a tough way to die, as Alfred Hitchcock portrayed in more than one of his films.  See Frenzy, Dial M for Murder or Rope for confirmation that strangulation is not a pretty sight.

The 1968 film The Boston Strangler reportedly presents more fiction than fact, with Tony Curtis as alleged thirteen-time strangler Albert DeSalvo.  Not that DeSalvo was a mere "innocent," since he was a career criminal convicted of a number of violent crimes.  He may have found what a weak defense it was to say, "Hey, I didn't kill all of them."

Fifty years after the last of the 13 killings, DNA evidence proved that DeSalvo was the guy who committed at least that one.  By then he was long dead, after being stabbed in prison in 1973.  True or not, the story makes a taut movie.  Personally, I don't think violent criminals should be glorified in films.  I also don't think a police pursuit should pre-empt our afternoon TV viewing, but nobody is asking for my opinion.

One of the thirteen victims credited to the Boston Strangler, Nina Nichols, was sexually assaulted with a wine bottle during her ordeal, so this particular wine pairing experience has become Not. So. Fun.  Let's just say you can have whatever wine you want, and drink a toast to Ms. Nichols, may she rest in peace.

Hammer Films is up next.  Their 1959 British horror picture, The Stranglers of Bombay, will serve as a palate cleanser.  Any topic involving the British colonial days in India could be considered a horror film, for one side or the other.  Considering the time frame, there is no need to refer to this movie as The Stranglers of Mumbai.  

In this story, officers of the British East India Company try to eradicate a centuries-old gang of thugs who act as highwaymen, insinuating themselves into traveling groups before robbing them and strangling them to death.  I figure the bad guys should have needed a quicker way to take over a caravan - I mean, how many strangulations can you do before somebody notices what is going on?  In real life, the Brits took credit for wiping out the scourge, even though there are those who say it was the Brits who created it.

An Indian wine for The Stranglers of Bombay?  Could be, if you can find one.  Exports of wine from India are taxed out the proverbial ass, making them rather scarce in the U.S.  Try an Indian restaurant - that's where I found a fairly nice Viognier from the subcontinent.

Here comes Hitchcock!  1972's Frenzy is about a London serial killer who strangles his victims with his own tie.  Before you jump to the conclusion that such an idiot move means he was drunk at the time, consider that he wore a tie pin which had his name on it.  "Oh, so he was high, too?"

Tying - ahem - himself to the crimes even tighter, the criminal uses a trunkful of circumstantial evidence to try and frame his friend for the killings.  Well, what are friends for, anyway?  The television series The Fugitive was only a five-year-old memory at the time of this movie.  So, Frenzy's framee becomes a fugitive trying to prove his innocence, while the framer is left making sure he still has both arms.

Look to New Zealand for this wine pairing - Marlborough's Frenzy Sauvignon Blanc.  The Kiwi acidity is refreshing enough to keep you on the edge of your seat, even if the film fails to do so.

 

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Great Sonoma Chardonnay

Petaluma based Adobe Road Winery owner Kevin Buckler is a real-life race car driver.  His winemaker, Garrett Martin, reportedly drives the speed limit and brakes fully at stop signs.  The Adobe Road Racing Series of wines includes Apex, Redline, The 24 and the latest release, SHIFT 2019.  Their less "racy" bottlings include the 2019 Famighetti Vineyard Viognier and the 2019 Adobe Road Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, Sangiacomo Vineyards, Roberts Road.  

Information is a little scant for the latter wine, but previous vintages have been 100% Chardonnay, taken from the Sonoma side of the Carneros appellation and aged for ten months in a mixture of new and used French oak and stainless steel.  Malolactic fermentation was stopped at 30% and the wine rested on its lees - the spent yeast.  Alcohol kicks in at 14.3% abv and the wine sells for $52.

Martin says the "scrappy little organic vineyard … always surprises with its richness and intensity of detail."  The wine has a medium-rich golden tint and a nose that cries to be noticed.  The peach and nectarine aromas are lovely enough, but there are delicate touches of lemon and even a hint - just a hint - of butter.  The palate offers a custard-like flavor which seems to be at once sweet and savory.  The mouthfeel plays games, too - racy acidity, no, creamy and hefty.  This is really a great tasting Chardonnay, one of the better ones I have had from California.

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Single-Vineyard Viognier From Dry Creek Valley

Petaluma-based Adobe Road Winery owner Kevin Buckler is a real-life race car driver.  His winemaker, Garrett Martin, reportedly drives the speed limit and brakes fully at stop signs.

The Adobe Road Racing Series of wines includes Apex, Redline, The 24 and the latest release, SHIFT 2019.  Their less "racy" bottlings include the 2019 Adobe Road Viognier from the Famighetti Vineyard of Dry Creek Valley.  It carries an alcohol designation of 14.8% abv and a sticker price of $50. 

It's a beautiful, golden wine, which smells abundantly of flowers and citrus, with a smattering of apricot thrown into the nose.  It's the apricot that comes on strongest on the palate, with a strong helping hand from the lemon, lime and orange notes.  The taste is fairly sweet and creamy, although the acidity is lively.  This wine will pair well with salads of all sorts - especially savory ones - and light chicken or fish dishes. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Board Room Blues

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 get down to business with wine pairings for three films about the corporate world.  The first person to say "You're fired," gets fired.

Richard E. Grant and Rachel Ward star in the 1989 black comedy How to Get Ahead in Advertising.  It's hard to describe the plot without first warning of a spoiler alert - Grant's ad executive character develops a boil on his neck, which turns into a second head.  It talks to him, tells him what to do and eventually takes over his body, leaving his actual head as … a boil on the neck.  Some say that likening an adman to a boil on the neck isn't that much of a stretch.

Grant's acting is stupendous, as his character takes on different personalities in the course of the film.  Maybe you can pick up several bottles of our wine pairing, one for each personality.

Arizona's Coronado Vineyards makes Two Heads Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.  If that's too tough to find, you might have more luck locating a Gnarly Head wine.  The name comes from the winery's old Zinfandel vines, not from our salesman's predicament.

1957's Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter stars Jayne Mansfield and Tony Randall.  It was inspired by the Broadway play of the same name, but director Frank Tashlin took such liberties in writing the screenplay that any resemblance is purely coincidental.  

The movie aims its satire at Hollywood and advertising - mostly TV commercials.  If only they had been able to view a few million-dollar spots that run during the Super Bowl, perhaps they would have sharpened their satire a bit.  More probably, they would have advertised the movie there.

Australia's Hunter Valley has plenty of wineries there in New South Wales.  Try McGuigan for a nice Chardonnay, Shiraz or Semillon to pair with Rock Hunter.

The 1954 film, Executive Suite, is about a furniture manufacturer whose founder, CEO and driving wheel drops dead during a business trip.  I've heard of difficulty on the road, but this is ridiculous.  With no one officially in line to take the reins of the company, a free-for-all ensues.

The movie shows the backroom and boardroom maneuverings of the company's execs, who display their skills in backstabbing, blackmail, short-selling and insider trading.  So it's just another day at the office, really.  

Talk about a lineup: the film stars William Holden, June Allyson, Barbara Stanwyck, Frederic March, Walter Pidgeon, Shelly Winters and Nina Foch, who was nominated for an Oscar.  March's performance pretty much defines corporate sleaze.  It's no wonder that the film was such a big hit.

With so much negativity in the boardroom, why not finish sweetly with Dow's Boardroom Reserve Tawny Port.  If you are not a Port fan, get in line before someone else cuts you off at the knees.  It's a cutthroat world out there.  

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Northern California Red Blends Hits High Gear

Petaluma based Adobe Road Winery owner Kevin Buckler is a real-life race car driver.  His winemaker, Garrett Martin, reportedly drives the speed limit and brakes fully at stop signs.

The Adobe Road Racing Series of wines includes Apex, Redline, The 24 (after Le Mans) and the latest release, SHIFT 2019.  SHIFT contains 58% Zinfandel grapes, 24% Tempranillo, 13% Syrah and 5% Petite Sirah, taken from top vineyards in Mendocino, Sonoma and Lake counties.  The SHIFT bottle even looks special, bearing a metal label that resembles a vintage, gated shifter.  The cork is topped with a five-speed metal shift knob.  Alcohol red lines at 14.8% abv and the wine retails for $63.

This wine certainly tastes special, with pure fruit expressions of blueberry, currant and plums on the nose and palate.  There is a sense of white pepper and sweet oak, but just a touch - they let the fruit do the talking here.  Tannins are gentle, but firm, and the finish takes a long time to wave the checkered flag.

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Not Government Wine

My friendly neighborhood publicist informs me that the San Francisco 49ers are the oldest professional sports team in the Bay Area.  They were founded in 1946 by San Francisco native Tony Morabito and have provided countless unforgettable plays along with five Lombardi Trophies for their fans.  This year, the scrapbook is missing one game, but there is something in which they can drown their sorrows.

The Federalist brand - a Terlato wine - is the "preferred wine sponsor of the San Francisco 49ers," according to my publicist friend.  The PR department promises that The Federalist, a Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon, pairs well with "any tailgate specialty."  We can only assume that the promise is good even if the tailgates aren't on norcal trucks.

The 2017 Federalist Cabernet Sauvignon was reportedly created to honor the man who many consider to be the first American, Ben Franklin.  Franklin was a passionate man who helped draft the Declaration of Independence, campaigned for colonial unity during the American Revolution and they say he liked his wine.  His likeness appears on the label.  Their other wines feature George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, the Statue of Liberty and the bald eagle.  The winery bills itself as "America's craft wine."

The Federalist is a bold blend of 93% Cabernet Sauvignon, with splashes of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Sangiovese.  Aging took place over 15 months, in 35% new French oak.  Alcohol hits a moderate 13.5% abv and the retail price is a reasonable $18.

This wine is medium dark in color and has dark notes on the nose - plums, blueberries, cassis.  The oak aspect of the aromas is not overpowering, but it is definitely there.  The palate tastes somewhat sweet, with fruit and oak spice showing right up front.  A savory angle comes in later - forest floor and minerals, mostly.  The tannins are workable, but not overbearing.  This wine won't make Napa vintners run scared, but it is a pleasant bottling and a pretty good everyday wine. 

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Blood Of The Vines - The Devil You Say

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌  This week, the devil made us do it.

The Devils is a 1971 British film taken from actual events of the 17th century - ripped from the headlines of a French gazette, if you will.

Urbain Grandier was a Catholic priest accused of calling up evil spirits to possess a group of nuns.  This may seem far-fetched by today's standards, but I have friends who went to Catholic school and they think it's pretty much on the nose for the nuns who served as their teachers.

Spoiler alert here - Grandier was tried for witchcraft, found guilty and burned at the stake.  But these days people think he was railroaded by Cardinal Richelieu.  A French cardinal as the bad guy?  Hey, it worked for Alexandre Dumas. 

If you think that a movie which puts violence and sex in a religious setting sounds like a job for Ken Russell, award yourself ten bonus points and skip right to the wine pairing.  Russell wrote the screenplay and directed the film.

San Antonio Winery was the only Los Angeles wine producer to survive the thirteen year torment we now call Prohibition.  They did it by grabbing a loophole by the lapels and making sacramental wine for churches.  They have a much broader appeal today and still base their operation on Lamar Street, just across the tracks from the L.A. River.

We shall now remain in 1971 for another British scary story.  The Blood on Satan's Claw has 18th century England as its setting.  A farmer digs up a skull with fur on it and, well, you know how teenagers get when something like that happens.  All of a sudden it's devil this and fur that.  They can't wait to get over to the abandoned church and call up some furry evil.

Townsfolk start growing claws - furry claws, of course - until it starts to look like a bad night at Red Lobster.  Some deaths occur throughout the tale, as you might expect, and the farmer - remember him? - finds his leg has grown fur.  It's a regular epidemic.  Sure hope someone with a sword gets involved, and fast.

This pairing gets a little too deep into devil imagery for my comfort level, but here goes.  The Wine of Satan - Vinnum dei Satanas - is a Greek Syrah sold by an outfit that likes heavy metal music at least as much as they like wine, probably more.  A bottle will run a man 30 euros, and it's almost as much to have it shipped from Greece. 

Satan Met a Lady was a 1936 adaptation of The Maltese Falcon, sandwiched five years apart between the two other versions of the Dashiell Hammett detective yarn.  This one had no Sam Spade, no falcon, nothing from Malta and a different title.  It did have Bette Davis, however, and you'll have to guess whether she's the devil or the lady.

Davis hated the film, telling Mr. Warner in no uncertain terms that she would not appear in it.  After a few days without pay, though, she returned to the soundstage and resumed working.  You know, mortgage payments on a mansion were high in Los Angeles even back then.  The critics of the day mainly figured that the cast should be put into a witness protection program.

The Velvet Devil Merlot comes from Washington's Charles Smith Wines.  The velvet is smooth, but the pitchfork is gonna leave a mark.  Despite the rather cheesy label, the wine is actually pretty good.

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A Big Value Wine From Spain

The value wine Borsao comes from Aragon, Spain, which the winery labels as "the birthplace of Garnacha."  The Campo de Borja D.O. in northeastern Spain is where these Garnacha and Tempranillo grapes originated.  Borsao is actually a cooperative, encompassing some 375 winegrowers who contribute to the greater effort.

I discovered Borsao a number of years back, when it was my go-to $5 wine.  Everyone else adopted it as such, and so its popularity grew, along with its price.  Now it's everyone's favorite $10 wine.  Borsao also makes a wonderful Garnacha called Tres Picos.

The separate grapes for Borsao were fermented in stainless steel tanks before being blended.  There is no notation from the winery on aging, except to say that they use new and neutral oak "moderately to tame and add complexity to the wines, rather than impose its presence."  Alcohol sits at 14.5% abv and my bottle was $8 on sale at one of my local grocers.

This is a very dark wine, and its nose comes through with lush blackberry and plum aromas, draped in a savory earthiness.  The palate brings that dark fruit along with a strong sense of minerality.  The acidity is racy, while the tannins are firm but not too forceful.  I cooked with it, but also enjoyed a glass or two in the process. 

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Bubbles From Italy - Valdo Prosecco

Bubbles are often leaned on for special occasions, to make them more special - remember New Year's Eve?  You shouldn't need any help making Valentine's Day more special, but if you do, try something bubbly.  Let’s say you've already broken the bank on a gift for your sweetheart, and you need bubbles that are a little more reasonably priced than Champagne, but still festive and fun.  Meet Prosecco, Italy's favorite sparkling wine.

Valdo was founded in 1926, in Italy's Veneto region, the town of Valdobbiadene, then bought by the Bolla family in 1938.  Winemaker Gianfranco Zanon makes some really nice Prosecco there.

Valdo Marca Oro Brut Prosecco DOC  

This wine was made from 100% Glera grapes, grown in the Prosecco DOC in Veneto, in the northeastern part of Italy.  Fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks and the wine got three months of Charmat aging, one month in the bottle.  Alcohol is at the typical 11% abv and the retail price is $15.

The fine bubbles sit on the straw-yellow wine and dissipate rather quickly.  The nose gives aromas of apples, candied apricots and peaches.  The palate offers delicious citrus, apple and mineral flavors, with a hint of custard on the finish.  Delightful. 

Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco DOC Rosé

A mix of 90% Glera and 10% Pinot Noir grapes, this Prosecco Rosé has a lovely pink hue and persistent perlage, those tiny bubbles.  Alcohol is no higher than 11% abv, while the retail price is $15.

This pink bubbly shows nice, fine bubbles and offers a beautiful nose of cherry, strawberry, pear, apple and a hint of citrus.  The palate carries those same fruit flavors, with a bit more lemon than on the nose.  The acidity is perfectly juxtaposed against the wine's sweetness.  Have it with anything, but it will pair best with Mediterranean dishes. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Sidney Poitier Week

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 salute the recently departed actor Sidney Poitier.

I opened the door to my home and heard my wife crying.  Out loud.  As she is not one who finds herself openly weeping all that often, I was concerned.  With tears streaming down her face she said, "Sidney Poitier died."  She did not know him personally, had never met him, but, for her, it was as if a close relative had been struck down.  Browsing through social media posts, it is apparent that many feel that way.  My wife has met a number of celebrities during her time in Los Angeles, but never Poitier.  That will always live within her on the minus side of her life's ledger.

A Raisin in the Sun appeared in 1961, two years after the Broadway play of the same name was acclaimed as one of the best ever written.  The film went on to garner a handful of awards, but was skipped over by the Oscars.  Besides Poitier's screen-filling presence, the movie also starred Ruby Dee, Claudia McNeil and Louis Gossett, Jr., in his first film.

In the movie, we see the Younger family's struggle to get ahead in Chicago amid personal tragedy, money troubles and race discrimination.  Unlike TV's The Jeffersons, they never make it to a "deluxe apartment in the sky."  They do, however, manage to maintain the family's dignity while "movin' on up" to a modest home.

A raisin wine is the perfect pairing here.  Don't shrug it off - making wine with grapes which have dried into raisins dates back around 6,000 years.  Vin Santo is usually a deliciously sweet wine, although it can be found in a dry style.  The Vin Santos from Tuscany, especially Chianti and Valpolicella, are a real treat.

In 1958, Stanley Kramer directed The Defiant Ones.  Poitier co-stars with Tony Curtis as two escaped convicts who are chained together.  They don't like each other much at first - they're on a deep-South chain gang in the 1950s - but through their struggle for freedom comes a mutual respect.  

The story of two opposites shackled together has been borrowed repeatedly over the years.  In a Warner Brothers cartoon, Sylvester the Cat is chained to a bulldog, while in The Thing With Two Heads, Ray Milland and Rosy Grier end up in the same body.

The ones who are defiant, Poitier and Curtis, wind up singing their way back to prison, where they probably are enlisted in the Friday night talent show.  That sounds like a setup for a riot in the cell block, but Kramer left that up to our imaginations.

Defiance Vineyards of the Paso Robles area offers a decidedly defiant Petite Sirah.  They say they have tamed the tannins, so you may find yourself singing your way back for another bottle.

In The Heat of the Night came out in 1967, in the wake of several major race riots and in the same year as a handful of others.  Poitier's performance may have been a bit more inspired, coming in that environment, and it no doubt served as a touchstone for black Americans of that day.

Poitier plays police detective Virgil Tibbs, and he plays the hell out of the role.  However, it was co-star Rod Steiger who grabbed the Best Actor Oscar that year.  A Philadelphia cop, Tibbs stands his ground in Mississippi as he grinds out the catchphrase of his career - "They call me Mister Tibbs!”" Heat, indeed.  

A Tibbs wine would make a perfect pairing.  How about that?  There's a Mayhall Tibbs Winery that puts out a $10 Pinot from Santa Barbara's Sta. Rita Hills!  I don't know what kind of Pinot you're getting for ten bucks, but it's a cheap way to drink local with your movies.

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Blood Of The Vines - Peter Bogdanovich Week

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 salute the recently departed director and actor Peter Bogdanovich.

1968's Targets gave Bogdanovich his start as a director.  Boris Karloff plays a retiring horror actor while Tim O'Kelly serves as a sniper.  Karloff's character is quitting the monster movie business because he feels the actual news events of the day are much more horrific than anything he could ever act out on celluloid.  As fate would have it, the movie was released shortly after the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy, boosting its topicality.

Fans of L.A. location shooting will want to see the finale, filmed at a Reseda drive-in movie.  Spoiler alert:  The climax is terrific, when Karloff's character disarms the shooter by hitting him with his cane.  So much for the scary sniper - defeated by an old man with a walking stick.

For a wine pairing with Targets: no, not a box of wine from Target, although there will be no judging from me if you choose to go that way.  There is a gun club in North Carolina which sports a "Shoot Then Sip" night for ladies.  Let's hope they keep the shooting before the sipping.  For Californians, Sonoma's Wing and Barrel Ranch brings gunplay and drinking together.  The ranch offers both shooting and hunting, so you can opt for clay pigeons or, I guess, real pigeons.  Turley Cellars is one of their vintner partners, so get one of Turley's great Zinfandels and shoot out the cork.

In 1971, Bogdanovich painted a heartbreaking portrait of hopelessness in The Last Picture Show.  The film takes place in a small, desolate Texas town.  I grew up in a slightly larger, slightly less desolate Texas town, but the movie rings true to me.

For pairing with The Last Picture Show, you can grab a Lone Star Beer - longnecks only, please - or get fancy with a wine from Lone Star Wine Cellars.  The winery is on the North Texas Wine Country map, in McKinney.  That town has more than one traffic light and several picture shows.  

Just a year later came What's Up, Doc?  Bogdanovich called it a "screwball comedy, something like Bringing Up Baby: daffy girl, square professor, everything works out all right."  The daffy girl was Barbara Streisand, the square professor was Ryan O'Neal and all was well in the end - as it always is in the land of the romantic comedy.

The San Francisco chase scene reportedly cost a million dollars to shoot - a quarter of the film's budget.  The title was borrowed from the Warner Brothers cartoons.  "What’s up, Doc?" was Bugs Bunny's signature line.  Look it up, youngsters.

The sorely missed Los Angeles restaurant, Cube, had on its marquee the phrase "what’s up D.O.C.?"  Their partiality to Italian wines spawned that little vino pun.  D.O.C. means Denominazione di Origine Controllata, a classification of wine regions in Italy.  So let's pair a wine from the Veneto D.O.C. with What’s Up, Doc?.  Just pick a red Valpolicella or a white Soave, you can't miss.

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