This Cloudy Sake Sparkles

Dassai Blue Sake is produced and bottled by Dassai USA in Hyde Park, New York.  Dassai takes their name from a Japanese proverb, which translates to "Although blue dye comes from the indigo plant, it is bluer than indigo." In other words, the child outshines the parent. 

The nigori style of sake - rice wine - is cloudy due to being filtered with a wider mesh. The style was actually outlawed in Japan for a time, to make brewers adhere to the style which offers more clarity. Now, it's no longer illegal to make a cloudy sake. 

The Dassai Blue Nigori Sparkling Sake is made from Yamada Nishiki rice which is milled down until only half the grain remains. This sake has alcohol at 14% abv and costs about $20 for the 360 ml bottle. The bottle, by the way, has an interesting pull-tab opener on the cap. The wine is lightly fizzy and doesn't make a showy spray when opened.

This sake is quite cloudy. It has a bit of frizzante when poured, but it forms no froth. The nose is a display of massive salinity and lychee. The palate has minerals and a lanolin quality, with a fizzy mouthfeel and bright acidity. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Donald Sutherland 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 look at a few films from a great actor who shuffled off this mortal coil last week. 

Donald Sutherland has passed away, a loss for the movie industry that is immeasurable. He was a big part of my formative years, with his roles in Kelly's Heroes, M*A*S*H and, of course, Animal House. I suppose I was already pretty well formed by 1978, but Animal House had a big effect on me anyway. In fact, many of my best friends just after college were fat, drunk and stupid. 

Alex in Wonderland is a 1970 movie about making movies. Specifically, the story follows a director, Sutherland, who finds himself stumped about how to follow up his first film, a big, boffo, box office smash. Director Paul Mazursky may have drawn from his own life. He chose this film as a follow up to Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice. 

I love movies about making movies, and if you’re reading this, you probably do, too. Films like The Player, State and Main, Day for Night, Swimming With Sharks, Blake Edwards' S.O.B., Boogie Nights - heh heh, just had to throw that one in there to see if you're paying attention. Alex in Wonderland fits right in on that list.

Sutherland's Sgt. Oddball character from Kelly's Heroes took a break while waiting on some tank repair. "I'm drinking wine, eating cheese and catching some rays." Good idea. Let's use a nice white wine for this purpose. You can get one for about $20, but since this is a special occasion, let’s spring for Pascal Jolivet, a $40 bottle in most places. Get a nice goat cheese and a chaise lounge in the sun to go with it. 

In the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Sutherland plays his lead role, as Variety puts it, "all warm and menschy good vibes." That's what makes the ending so hard to take. We don't want to see the nice guy become a replicant who looks like a normal person, but has no human emotion. We have Republican senators for that.

A lot of people say that this is their favorite Donald Sutherland movie, that he helps lift it from being just another tepid remake. As his son said, his dad was "never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly.

While searching for a wine suitable for a pod, I came across pea pod wine, presumably a British delicacy. They say the pea flavor goes away during fermentation and leaves a wine that is much like a Sauternes. I'll bet it does. And, since we do not want calves brains in red wine, and we do not have any secrets from the Department of Health, why don’t we just have the red wine? Bellingham, from South Africa, has a Pod Red Blend which is mostly Pinotage. If that doesn’t make you yearn for the pea flavor that was vinified out of pea pod wine, check the price: 1,860 rands. I had to use Google, but a rand is worth about a nickel, which still leaves us with a hundred dollar wine. For a Pinotage? That's a hard pass. Calimaia's Vino Nobile is mostly Sangiovese and sells for about $25 a pod, er bottle. Can we move on now?

From 1973, Don't Look Now features Sutherland and Julie Christie grieving over the drowning of their daughter. The film is edited so that it's hard to tell what's from the past, what's in the future and what's happening right now. If you get confused, there's always the steamy sex scene to allow you to hit the reset button.

Long ago, I lived in an apartment next door to a guy I had yet to meet. He had just moved in, and one evening I heard him watching television. I could tell that he was watching a videotape (this was back in the VHS days) and that he kept watching the same segment over and over. I could tell because of the cheesy music. I began to wonder what he was watching, especially since the music in the scene was so very cheesy. Then it dawned on me. He's watching porn, and he's found a favorite passage. If you want to revisit the sex scene in Don't Look Back a few times, I won't think any less of you. Just know that it could be awkward when you meet your next-door neighbor. 

If you're making a cocktail for this one, make it a Death in Venice. We're here for the wine, so let's open up a Veneto Amarone by Masi. This Valpolicella classico runs about $80 and will pair well with the red theme that runs through Don't Look Now. 

Whether you go with my pairings or choose to *gasp* decide for yourself what you'd like to drink, please raise a glass to an actor who wore his emotions on his incredible face. From intense pain to giddy happiness to lost confusion to buzzy inebriation. Donald Sutherland made all those roles his own. And nothing changes that, not even death. 

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A Favorite Rosé From Year To Year

It's springtime - that means it's time for new vintages of our favorite rosé wines to enjoy. One that I look forward to each year is the Rosé of Pinot Noir from Sonoma-Cutrer. The grapes were grown in the Russian River Valley, maybe the prime spot in California for raising Pinot Noir. I found the 2023 vintage to be just as satisfying as I found the 2022 edition.

The wine was produced by Sonoma-Cutrer's Pinot Noir winemaker, Zidanelia Arcidiacono. She says, "As with prior rosé vintages, fruit was specifically grown and harvested to make this wine. Grapes were harvested in August from Sonoma-Cutrer's Vine Hill and Owsley Vineyards. Clusters were destemmed and pressed leaving the juice in direct contact with the skins for a short period of time to achieve the perfect pale pink color. Immediately afterward, grapes were gently pressed to obtain the juice."

"Each batch of rosé was fermented separately in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures." she continues, "to protect the delicate aromas and flavors. After fermentation, the rosé batches were blended together and prepared for bottling in early December." The alcohol tips only 11.9% abv and the retail price is $20.

This wine has a pale pink hue as it sits in the glass. Its nose is very pretty, full of ripe cherries and strawberries and showing hints of honeydew and tangerine. The palate plays a little more to the tart side, with a lovely savory streak to offset the fruit. The acidity is quite lively and fresh. The wine is as elegant as we might expect a rosé of Pinot Noir to be. 

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A Bargain In Chardonnay

When we talk about bargain wine, the inescapable fact is that if the wine is bad, it doesn't matter how little it costs. A bargain is no bargain if it's not something you can appreciate. I write a lot, as do many other wine writers, about good wines that don't cost an arm and a leg. Quite often, they come from a store called Trader Joe's.

The 2022 Révélation Chardonnay is made by the French winery Badet, Clément & Co. It is a Pays d'Oc IGP wine, which basically means it is from the Languedoc region. The wine is imported by Latitude Wines. Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and the bottle cost me only $7 at TJ's. 

This wine has a lovely golden tint. Aromas of apricot, apple, pear and a very light citrus note appear in the nose. The flavors are fairly remarkable, especially for a $7 wine. Tropical notes, peach, pear and lemon-lime come forward, along with a hint of sweet oak. The acidity is zippy enough to carry a salad, seafood dish or light pasta meal. The wine finishes long and full. It is definitely a bargain wine, one reminiscent of old-line Chardonnay. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Writer's Block

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 struggle to come up with the words, but the wines come easily. Pairings for these three films about writers will flow from my brain right into the keyboard. At least I hope they will. Can someone please tell those kids in the courtyard to shut up? I'm trying to think here. 

Youngblood Hawke, from 1964, had a cast which included James Franciscus, Suzanne Pleshette, Eva Gabor, Edward Andrews, Hayden Rourke and Werner Klemperer. With names like that, a few years later it could have been a TV series. The film was directed, written and produced by Delmer Daves, who had been busy making, among other things, Troy Donahue movies. Hey, it was a living. 

The lead role was first offered to an almost unknown Warren Beatty. But Beatty demanded 200 grand and approval of script and cast. Who did he think he was, Troy Donahue? Daves must have already had Franciscus' phone number on speed dial. 

The movie was loosely based on the life of Thomas Wolfe, who rose from the murky depths of a backward southern state to write good. Real good. This is the "Look Homeward, Angel" Thomas Wolfe we're talking about here, not the "Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test" Tom Wolfe, although he could write good, too. 

Wolfe was only 37 when tuberculosis claimed him in Baltimore, which puts him in some rarified company. Also running out of years in Charm City were Edgar Allan Poe, Representative Elijah Cummings, Brooks Robinson and John Wilkes Booth. Why did I run down this morbid rabbit hole? I'll blame it on writer's block.

Hawkes Wines come from Sonoma County, the Alexander Valley specifically. The Hawkes family was there when prunes were the county's cash crop. They transitioned to grapes and now sell their Pyramid Cabernet Sauvignon for just under a Benjamin. Can't do that with prunes.

1945's The Lost Weekend is about an alcoholic writer. Some might say I'm repeating myself there, or even saying the same thing twice, but if it helps pad the word count I'm all in. One of the movie review sites, one which is not TFH, gives The Lost Weekend a 97% approval rating. You have to wonder what it takes to get that other three percent going. Talk about a tough audience. When they die, they'll be saying, "Yeah, Heaven's alright … I guess."

This film is anything but a slice of heaven. Ray Milland is the drunk writer, the kind of boozer who hides bottles all over the place. He hocks things to afford more bottles, he steals to cover his bar tab. And he ends up in the drunk ward of a hospital, which I suppose is better than the drunk tank at the county jail. But not by much. Jane Wyman plays the girlfriend who deserves so much more. 

It is always difficult to pair a wine with a movie that truly needs a lemonade. But here goes. From Beauregard Vineyards comes, wait for it, Lost Weekend Zinfandel. Have they seen the movie? Have they read the alcohol disclaimer on their own website? Oh, wait, it says here the wine is named after the Lost Weekend Saloon, their registered historic landmark tasting room. I guess that makes it all better. The Zin grapes were planted nearly 150 years ago in the Santa Cruz Mountains and the bottle costs $30. Don't pawn anything important to buy it.

Paris When It Sizzles takes us back to 1964 with William Holden and Audrey Hepburn in Gay Paree. He is the writer who can't, she is the secretary who can. Will they be able to write a script before Bastille Day arrives? Will they find inspiration in each other's eyes before Beaujolais Nouveau day arrives? Will they actually care what brand of Beaujolais Nouveau they are drinking? Some of these questions are answered in the film, so pay attention. 

It's not a recommendation, but I would be hard pressed not to mention Paris Winery, of Cookeville, Tennessee. Some of their wine bottles are in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. How good is the juice inside, I don't know, but the damned bottles look like they're about a yard tall. 

We should note here that Robert Mitchum has a direct link to the wine world through a song he released as a single in 1967, "Little Old Wine Drinker Me." It’s about a guy who tries to drink away his woman troubles, something that happens in this film. 

Did I lose my train of thought? What was I doing here? Oh, right, a wine pairing for Paris When It Sizzles. This writer's block thing is real, I tell ya. Anyway, it's been awhile since we highlighted a Champagne in this space, so let's do it. It's a Champagne house that is just about an hour away from Paris (France, that is) sizzling or not. Veuve Clicquot is the bubbly, and you can have it for as little as $40 if you’re on a budget. 

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An Italian Red Wine For The BBQ

Frescobaldi's Calimaia Vina Nobile 2019 is a Tuscan wine, made with Sangiovese grapes grown in the Montepulciano region. The Frescobaldi folks say that the Calimaia vineyards are nestled between two beautiful locations, Val di Chiana and Val d'Orcia. They also say that the wine fits well into the summer barbecue season, since the wine's flavors pair well with beef, pork and barbecue sauce, especially the sweet variety. 

The makeup is 90% Sangiovese grapes, known locally as Prignolo Gentile. The remainder of the wine is described as "complementary red grapes." The wine was vinified in steel tanks before spending two full years in oak barrels. Alcohol rests at 14% abv and the sticker on the bottle reads $25.

This wine is a medium-dark ruby red color in the glass. The nose is quite aromatic, loaded with ripe red fruit and spicy oak notes. Cherry and clove lead the way, with sage, mocha and anise also making appearances. The palate is juicy and fruity. The tannins are firm, yet smooth as the sip goes down. A hint of mocha makes me want it with barbecue. 

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Not Sancerre, But Close To It

The 2023 Vignobles Lacheteau Touraine Sauvignon Blanc hails from France's Loire Valley, specifically the Touraine appellation. It is made wholly from Sauvignon Blanc grapes and imported by Plume Ridge of Claremont, CA. Alcohol hits only 11.5% abv and I bought mine for only $6 at one of my local Trader Joe's stores.

This wine has a faint yellow-green tint in the glass. The nose has abundant citrus fruit and a tad more grassiness than I expect in a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Minerals appear along with tropical notes. The palate offers a brisk acidity to go with the lemon, tangerine and green apple flavors. The finish is long and mineral driven. It will match a salad or serve as counterpoint to a rich, buttery seafood or pasta dish. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Get 'Em Up!

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 have wine pairings for three films that may prompt you to applaud, with your hands up in the air. 

The phrase "Get ‘em up" has been used so often in movies that it should win a lifetime achievement award. It is direct, authoritative and succinct. And it is so much more convincing than Peter Lorre's nice guy approach from The Maltese Falcon. "You will please clasp your hands together at the back of your neck" simply doesn’t move me to "get 'em up."

Dillinger is the 1945 film that tells the story of John Dillinger's rise and fall. The story goes, he learned his craft in prison and got a gig as a gangster when he got out. Top that, Indeed. And while you're at it, have your AI team write up a resume for a gangster job. 

The movie shows us that Dillinger's first robbery netted him a little more than seven bucks, the same amount he had in his pocket when he was shot after attending a movie. If he had bought an extra popcorn, that fascinating plot point would have gone down the tubes. If he had gotten 'em up, he might have lived to learn more tricks in prison. 

The spelling is a little off, but the taste is right on target with Dehlinger Wines. Located in the Russian River Valley, you know they have a handle on Pinot Noir ($60) and Chardonnay ($40).

1954's Dragnet was directed by and starred the one and only Jack Webb. It was adapted from the radio series, not television, as the case featured in the script was deemed too violent for the small screen. Yes, kids, there was a time when all TVs were small.

Webb is a favorite of mine. He's just all cop. Even playing a swinging young guy in Sunset Boulevard he came off like a narc. The dialog in Dragnet, whether big-, small- or no- screen, always sounds like your junior high school coach telling you to cut your hair. When Webb orders you to "get 'em up," you’d better do just that or suffer one of his withering verbal takedowns. The Joe Friday comeback, "I'll bet your mother had a loud bark," is one of my treasured memories from the Webb file. And as far as the radio version, has foley ever been as obvious as those footsteps? 

The spelling is a little off, again, but Dragonette Cellars in bucolic Buellton has a $100 Pinot Noir that is worth tracking down and arresting. They also do Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache and even a Santa Barbara County olive oil. They're all on the pricey side, but worth it. 

In the 1949 classic White Heat, James Cagney returns to gangster mode. He tried to move away from the tough guy roles, but his career faded a bit and he, uh, bit the bullet. This tough guy was really a mama's boy at heart, although a psychotic mama's boy. 

The trail of violence runs through a couple of prison sentences. After one of them, Cagney's character decides to get the band back together for some more robbing and killing and such. That was really all he knew how to do, even though he kept getting caught. His last opportunity to "get 'em up" goes by the wayside when he shoots the fuel tank on which he stands. Now, you can say that's a stupid move. But if you're a psycho gangster who wants to go out in a blaze of glory, that's probably your only move. "Made it, Ma! Top of the world!" 

A white heat wine could be mulled pinot grigio, if you have no Ripple in the house. But for a wine pairing that befits the top of the world claim, let’s look at Argentina's Bodega Fernando Dupont. His winery sits nearly 8,000 feet above sea level in the Andes, and it's in a valley. Oh, there's a tasting room there, too, and they say it has quite the view. The reds are blends of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. 

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Art Of Earth Riesling

Riesling is said to be the critics' darling of the wine world, the sommelier's best friend. The Riesling grape gives us wines in a wide variety of styles, from sweet to dry. They are generally laden with minerals, which leads them to be very friendly with food. 

The 2022 Art of Earth Riesling is a Qualitätswein of the Rheinhessen, Germany's largest wine region. It was made from organic grapes and brings a very reasonable alcohol level, 11.5% abv and sells for a reasonable $12. It was imported by Mack and Schühle of Miami.

This wine is a pale green-yellow color in the glass. The nose is rich in minerals and shows Meyer lemon, green apple aromas and a lanolin scent that displays as a very faint petrol note. The palate brings those minerals to the forefront and adds lemon zest and a healthy acidity. Riesling offers a wide variety of styles, and this one is bone dry.  

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A Bottled Bellini

Not too many years ago I attended a wine festival in Beverly Hills. That day? It was a hot day that day in Beverly Hills. I trudged several blocks under the scorching summer sun and finally reached the venue. What do you think was the first thing I saw upon entering the cool, air conditioned building? A Bellini stand. Respite for the weary wine writer! I wiped the sweat from my brow, unfortunately, on my wine tasting note paper. No matter. "Would you like a Bellini, sir?" Well, yes. Yes I would. Thank you.

A Bellini is one of nature's wonders, a pause that refreshes. Health and fun, blended together. Fruit and booze. Bring it on.

Importers Mack & Schühle do a fine job with the wines they select, so how could they miss with a Bellini? Their Artigiano Peach Bellini is as refreshing and peachy as you would like. They also bring Strawberry and Mango Bellinis to the heat stricken masses. Alcohol is mercifully light, only 6% abv, and it costs less than $15 for the 750ml bottle. 

A Bellini should have peach puree and Prosecco, if it is made by the book. The Artigiano Peach Bellini was identified merely as white wine and fruit puree. The only specific I could glean from an online search was that the beverage was made in Spain. The grape, I'm guessing, is Airén, and I guess that only because it is the most widely planted grape variety in Spain.

This Bellini is fizzy enough to make a spew when you open the screw cap, so don't go overboard with their advice, "Shake it to wake it."  It is playful on the palate and tasty on the tongue. And if you serve it cold, it could make you think twice about reaching for that IPA.

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Blood Of The Vines - Brain Drain

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 have wine pairings for three movies concerning the one bodily organ that keeps us from being Trump supporters, the brain. 

Does drinking wine make us smarter, or does it just make us feel smarter? We have already seen how the resveratrol in wine means good things for our heart health, the battle against cancer and holding off Alzheimer's. Now, the National Institutes of Health have a report designed to scare the cocktail out of your hand. It says, "Alcohol interferes with the brain's communication pathways and can affect the way the brain looks and works." The way it looks? What do I care? The way it works? Hey, as long as I have enough juice to keep pumping out these articles on a weekly basis, make mine a Zinfandel. 

From 1957, a classic year for both cars and sci-fi, comes The Brain from Planet Arous. It's as big as a car, this brain, and about as scary as one. It's not scary, not even a little. In fact, this movie was a favorite for my friends back in college. When it was slated for an airing on Friday night's Fear Theater, we knew it was time to open a few and laugh out loud. The brains, there are two of them, are named Gor and Vol, if memory serves. Apparently brains on the Planet Arous favor one syllable names. Easier for a big brain to remember.

Domaine du Mortier offers a wine called Brain de Folie Chenin Blanc. In case you’re wondering, brain de folie is a French expression for hangover, that thing you'll have after a wine-soaked viewing of The Brain from Planet Arous. 

I failed to mention that the brains from Arous possess people. Well, one possesses a dog. Damn, now I've given it away. Here is another film featuring a brain that takes over. Donovan's Brain, from 1953, has a mad scientist type who is operating on a rich guy who was in a car crash. It looks like the guy isn’t going to pull through. "Hey, mind if I just take your brain?"

That was his first mistake. Never take a guy's brain unless you know how to use it. The brain from Mr. Donovan is a real troublemaker. You can't stop it, you can only hope to slow it down. But, actually, you can stop it. The film's climax owes something to Ben Franklin. 

Let's go to sunny southern Oregon for a wine to pair with Donovan's Brain. L. Donovan Wines has a Malbec that was grown in the Rogue Valley. Linda Donovan says it sports flavors of blackberry and chocolate. That sounds like perfect brain food to me.

I don't know about you, but all this talk of brains has me hungry. The Brain Eaters, from 1958, are parasites who eat brains. There, that was simple. They are carried about in glass containers, which get broken every now and then, darn the luck. These parasites are somehow aiming to create a happy, strife-free existence on earth. By eating our brains? I think I lost the thread on that concept. It would be a far happier, more strife-free existence if we ate their brains, I would imagine. Like they say in the land of the crawfish, suck de head, bite de tail.  By the way, that's one reason I let my honorary Cajun card lapse several decades ago. 

But as long as we're talking crustaceans, let's talk Albariño, a crisp white wine that is perfectly suited for pairing with bug-like sea creatures. Tangent has a fine Central Coast bottling for $17, but you can step up to their special Block 163 Albariño for $35. Enjoy with your favorite gray matter crudités. 

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Cool Wine, Cool Bottle

I will admit, I purchased this wine simply because of the bottle. Who can resist a bocksbeutel? However, I have learned that when used for Portuguese rosés it is called cantil. Whatever the name, it's a cool bottle. Mateus Rosé used to come packaged in it, and maybe it still does.

Roseta Rosé is from Portugal, although I have been able to find out little else about it. It gets written up all over the place, no doubt due to the fact that it's cheap and it's actually pretty good. The wine is imported by Plume Ridge in Claremont, California, is light in alcohol at just 11% abv and was selling for $5 at Trader Joe's when I bought it.

This wine has a light salmon tint to it and it pours up with a slight frizzante. The nose features ripe, red strawberries and cherries. There is a floral note in the background. On the palate, the red fruit emerges first, while a more delicate citrus flavor comes in afterward. There is a slightly carbonated sense to the mouthfeel, which is refreshing. It is not a terribly complex wine, but it is quite enjoyable and should be a mainstay through summer, particularly at the price. 

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A Wine Bargain At Whole Foods

The 2022 Gran Conti Montepulciano d'Abruzzo  is one of those bargain wines that turns up nearly everywhere in online searches, but very little actual information seems to surface. I wrote about their Sangiovese last year, and I recently stumbled upon this wine from a different part of Italy.

The Gran Conti has a manageable alcohol level of 13% abv and a more than reasonable price, $8 at my local Whole Foods Market.

This wine is very dark colored. It has a nose that displays an abundance of black fruit - plums, blackberries - and savory notes of tobacco and earth. On the palate, there is the aforementioned dark fruit, with a healthy tannic grip and a lengthy finish. I had it with a cheeseburger and it was a good fit. I also used it to make short ribs, which worked well, too. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Skirts And Frails

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 have wine pairings for three movies about women. Goils. Dolls. Babes. Tootsies. Chicks. Skirts. Frails. There, have we been insulting enough for one preamble? On with the show.

They say women make better wine tasters because they have better taste buds, or more of them. I know that is true in my home, where the wife is the one with the palate. When it comes to spices, she likes to say that I know which ones to use, I just don't know how much to use. I guess I tend to overdo it. In a movie, I don't think my wife would enjoy being called a "skirt" or a "frail," but she doesn’t mind "toots," even in real life.

The Women is a big movie from a big year for movies, 1939. The all-female cast stars Norma Shearer, Joan Collins and Rosalind Russell, so how could it miss, miss? By having no misters, mister. Every speaking role is played by a woman.

In a modern day update, perhaps the jilted Mary and Sylvia would end up together and buy a couple of dogs. Females, of course. But in the end, one of them rejoins her cad while the other sharpens her Jungle Red claws. 

There are several hundred women winemakers in California alone, so it won't be hard to find a gender-appropriate pairing for The Women. A big wine writer once called Heidi Barrett the First Lady of Wine, and who am I to pick a fight with either one of them? Her La SirenaLa Sirena label takes a broad view of California wine, but we want the Napa Cabernet Sauvignon here, Aviatrix, at $75.

1933's Baby Face stars Barbara Stanwyck in one of the last films released before the Production Code was instituted the following year. In fact, many students of film history think Baby Face might be the film that broke the camel's back. 

Stanwyck plays a young woman who was prostituted by her father since she was a teenager. See? That’s Pre-Code for ya. The only man she trusts is a shoemaker. I won't even wade into the irony that a woman's best friend is a guy who makes shoes. In addition to probably giving her the insider's discount, he gives her some advice. He tells her she should quit the small-time sex crimes and use her considerable attributes to turn the tables and become the exploiter instead of the exploitee. 

This lifestyle gets her to The Big Apple and sends her quickly up the corporate ladder. But love eventually rears its adorable head, as it nearly always does in the movies, and she sees her material ways for what they are. 

Oh, come on. Hooker Corner Winery? This wine pairing is like shooting fish in a barrel, although I never understood why anyone would do that. The Indiana purveyor makes mostly sweet wines with lurid names like Guilty Pleasures, Dark Secrets and Pucker Up. They don't ship, so the next time you're near Hooker Corner in Pine Ridge, Indiana, bring $15 and find out how the other half lives. 

Theodora Goes Wild is the 1936 screwball comedy that turned Irene Dunne from a dramatic diva into a comedy queen. She's a member of an upright and uptight small town family. She has a secret identity as the author of a scandalously sexy book, the 50 Shades of Grey of its day. The nature of her secret eventually leaks and results in, guess who? Romance, that's who. 

Theodora has a fine time living the life of a celebrity, but it's a tough act to keep propped up. It's hard out there for a Sunday School teacher-cum-secret sex writer who falls in love with the married son of a lieutenant governor. Scandalous! I don't know how Margaret Dumont managed to not be in this picture. 

Theodora is one of the wine family members of Austria's Winerynull, as fictitious as that family may be. Her picture on the label smacks of the side of a milk carton, but she is said to be the vineyard prankster, so check behind the hay bales if you're looking for her. Her namesake white field blend of mostly Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling runs about $40. 

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GSM Wine From The South Of France

Badet Clément was founded in 1995 by Burgundian winemakers Laurent and Catherine Delaunay. They make a number of different lines and sell some 16 million dollars worth of their wine worldwide.

Their private label, Pontificis, is a Vin de Pays Rouge of the 2022 vintage. The grapes are 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 20% Mourvèdre from the Languedoc-Roussillon region, bottled under the Pays d'Oc IGP. Alcohol hits 14% abv and it costs $7 at Trader Joe's. 

This medium-dark wine offers a nose of black plums, blueberries and blackberries along with aromas of earth, tobacco, cedar, clove and nutmeg. I understand that the three segments were vinified in both barrels and tanks, with no more than six months of aging. Given that, it is understandable that oak does not take a more prominent position.

The palate is loaded with dark fruit and savory notes, and it has a firm tannic grip with lively acidity. I had it with some sautéed meatballs and Petit Basque cheese. It paired excellently. 

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Soave Classico For Pasta Primavera

Italian food calls for Italian wine, in my book at least. I usually end up having some kind of lovely Sangiovese-based wine with my tomato sauce and pasta. Sangiovese generally goes into the sauce, too, which helps the pairing. Recently I made a pasta primavera with way too much butter and way too much cream. I happened to have a wine on hand that balanced the meal for me. Not a Sangiovese, though. Soave Classico.

Soave Classico is quite a different wine from Soave. The Classico region of the Soave DOC has a higher altitude and a volcanic aspect to the soil, which is imparted into the Garganega (90%) and Trebbiano (10%) grapes of the 2022 Villa Molino Soave Classico. The wine is much better than the label, which features a picnic basket and a cute little dog who is packing the wine in his saddlebags. Alcohol hits only 12% abv and the bottle can be had for less than $10 at Trader Joe's.

This wine has a golden yellow color in the glass. The nose is highly aromatic, with citrus minerals, apricot and a lanolin note competing for attention. The palate is brisk and full, showing Meyer lemon, guava and a hint of pineapple, all laced with a streak of salinity. The acidity is fresh, but not ripping. The long finish has a sense of apricot outlasting all the other flavors. It's a great wine for sipping, but it paired quite nicely with my way too creamy pasta primavera. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Massive Monsters

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 need some big wine pairings for some big monster movies. Big. Huge. Massive. 

I watched a lot of monster movies as a young man, often with a group of friends and often accompanied by several bottles of wine. It was a long time ago, but the names Ripple, Boone's Farm and Spanada keep flashing before my eyes. We will try to find bigger, better pairings for this trio of films, each worthy of at least a couple of bottles.

The War of the Gargantuas is a 1966 kaiju film, which in English translates to monster movie. This Japanese production features a pair of hairy yetis which are referred to as Frankensteins, even though they bear no resemblance whatsoever to Mary Shelly's homemade human. The flick was intended to be a sequel to another movie that introduced the non-Frankenstein Frankenstein, but the thread got lost somewhere along the way. It happens. Also, Frankenstein was the doctor, not the monster. I'll just leave that here in case I find some more nits to pick. 

I should mention that the version dubbed for US release dropped all references to Frankenstein, calling them instead, Gargantuas. One is green and one is brown, but there seems to be confusion as to which is which. It reminds me of the joke about the farmer who had trouble differentiating his two horses, only to measure them and find that the black one was a half inch taller than the white one.

The two Gargantuas are brothers, but they end up fighting in a Tokyo death match. I mean, where else would the monsters fight in a proper kaiju? I would say that I won't spoil the ending for you, even though you have probably watched it repeatedly throughout your life. That is some volcano, huh?

I thought it would be too much to expect a wine called gargantua to rear its hairy head, but lo, here it is. Bergström Wines of Dundee, Oregon makes three Syrahs bearing that name, one each from Oregon, Washington and California. The Cali version comes from Santa Maria's Bien Nacido Vineyard, so I don't need to look any further. By the way, the winery says they took the name from Rabelais’ 16th century book called "Gargantua et Pantagruel," not from the movie. Maybe the film was similarly influenced.

"Oh no, there goes Tokyo, go go Godzilla!" Godzilla was released in 1954, but it was 1956 before we got a taste of the Americanized version. After that, it seemed there was always another movie featuring the scaly dinosaur versus one opponent or another. The US release added shots of Raymond Burr sweating while watching the big G on his rampage. 

To say that this was a watershed movie is like saying WWII was kind of an important historical moment. I grew up with Godzilla, maybe you did, too. He is the definitive movie monster, the ultimate kaiju killer. 

"He picks up a bus and he throws it back down

As he wades through the buildings toward the center of town.

Oh no, they say he's got to go,

Go go Godzilla!"

The wine pairing for Godzilla should lean east, far east. Godzilla sake is rice wine for those who like a monster on the label. It is Junmai Daiginjo style, with its rice polished until half the grain is gone. The purveyor promises "strong aromas like Godzilla."

1955's Gigantis the Fire Monster is the title of the Americanized version of Godzilla Raids Again. This sequel to Godzilla was not received well, largely because they tried to pass off a dead monster as a new monster. Such a public relations backfire would not be seen again until New Coke.

A new foe is introduced, Anguirus, and dispensed with in true Godzilla fashion, with a giant atomic belch of fire. The military is sure they got him this time, but many more sequels will show that to be an erroneous assumption by the top brass. 

What I love about Gigantis is the head of the fishing company who worries that if the monster goes on a rampage in his fishing waters it will affect his business. Bad for business? To somewhat paraphrase Butch Cassidy, "Are you crazy? The fight will probably kill ya."

GiGantis Ventoux is a Rhône blend of Grenache and Syrah which sells for somewhere around $40. It is not named after the faux Godzilla, but after Mount Ventoux, said to be the Giant of Provence. 

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Mother Vine Wine - From Croatia To Lake County

The Shannon Family of Wines in California's Lake County considers their approach to winemaking to be earth-first. They say they are committed to creating environmentally responsible wines that knock your socks off. I was given a sample of the 2023 Organic Mother Vine Cinsault Rosé for review, and where the hell are my socks?

The Mother vine originated in Croatia in 1870 and was brought to Lake County by the Ogulin family. The Shannons say this vine has thrived for 150 years on their Home Ranch, alongside a small vineyard, a hand-dug well, a livestock barn, and a quaint winery, all built by the Ogulins.

Proprietor Clay Shannon says they collaborated with Guillaume Nursery to propagate buds and create additional Cinsault vines. He calls their Cinsault based Rosé "a testament to the pioneering Lake County winemakers."

This wine is only made in years when the season is right for it," adds Joy Merrilees, VP of Production and Winemaking. "We use the saigneé method of gently bleeding the juice off the crushed grape must. The short skin contact time gives flavor and texture to the fruit and acidity that is naturally in the grape. A very cool fermentation brings out floral notes with a delicate fruit back bone."

This rosé comes in a distinctively tall, angular bottle. Winemaker Carolina Vargas reveals that the wine was made using grapes from High Valley appellations. She says Cinsault grapes from a one-acre plot were abetted by some Grenache to enhance the midpalate. Grenache actually plays the lead role here, making up 62% of the wine, while the Cinsault grapes account for 38% of the juice. The pink wine was vinified in stainless steel, carries alcohol at 13.5% abv and it retails for $38.

This wine has a very light onion skin color to it. The nose is gorgeous. Huge notes of cherry and strawberry are joined by a bit of Meyer lemon and a jasmine floral component. The palate has all that fruit plus a streak of salinity that expresses the wine's minerality. The mouthfeel is full and lush, and yet the acidity is as zippy as it needs to be. Lovers of pink wine should definitely try to lay hands on a few bottles for the warmer months. Mine was delicious with my French potato salad with tarragon. 

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Vermentino From The Heart Of Santa Barbara County

Rancho de Vega was established in 1853 in Santa Barbara County's Santa Ynez Valley. The estate now has a vineyard and a winery, and the Vega folks have hired Steve Clifton to head up their winemaking program. The wines he made under the Palmina brand are being absorbed under the Vega Vineyard and Farm banner.

The estate is on the property that used to be known as Mosby Winery, and Vega Vineyard is operating out of the little tasting room on the grounds. They are also serving lunch every day, dinner and brunch on the weekends. 

I have enjoyed Clifton's wines for years, and probably not often enough. I recently ran across the Palmina Vermentino 2021 at one of my local wine stores. It was made with grapes grown in the Los Olivos District in the Santa Ynez AVA of Santa Barbara County. Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv and it cost $17 at the cheese shop in Larchmont Village.

This wine has a light yellow-gold tint. The nose is a bit muted, but showy enough to offer some nice lemon, apricot and salinity notes. The salinity comes across clearly on the palate, and so does the lemon. Most noteworthy is the very fresh acidity. The ocean influence is strong here, and you should pair this wine with crustaceans. The citrus minerality hangs around for quite awhile after the sip.  

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Hard Pass On The Pasta - I'll Take The Olive Oil

I recently had the opportunity to sample a very nice Italian wine, Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco. I loved it. Along with that, I was given a sample of a couple of Frescobaldi's other ventures. Their Tirrena pasta and the accompanying Laudemio Frescobaldi Extra Virgin Olive Oil receive a more mixed review.

The Tirrena pasta is cultivated from ancient wheat grown in the Tuscan terroir. The olive oil has a rich history which dates back to the Middle Ages. The folks at Tirrena sent along a recipe using both of those items. 

RECIPE: 

Tirrena Spaghetti with Laudemio Frescobaldi Oil, Pepper, and Parmesan (pairs with Pomino Bianco)

Ingredients

Tirrena Spaghetti

Laudemio Frescobaldi EVOO

Parmigiano Reggiano

Black Pepper

Salt

Process

Boil water and add salt to taste

Add the Tirrena Spaghetti and boil for 11 minutes

Reserve 1 cup of pasta water 

Drain spaghetti and add back to a saucepan

Mix in Laudemio Frescobaldi EVOO and stir until creamy

Top with black pepper and Parmigiano Reggiano

Now for the bad news. The pasta was nothing to write home about, especially for my spousal culinary expert. She was quick and brief with her review. "I hate it," she said after the first mouthful. "It ruined your fantastic sauce!" She had the pasta with my famous tomato sauce (her recipe). I had mine as per the recipe above, and it paired wonderfully with the Pomino Bianco wine. I stirred in the Parmesan cheese along with some pepper. 

If you cook this pasta for 11 minutes, as prescribed, you will be eating crunchy spaghetti. I cooked it for 18 minutes and it was still rather al dente. The oil was delightful, however. 

Is there such a thing as simply virgin olive oil? Extra virgin seems to be all I could find in a semi-serious search. I ask in all seriousness, although the question probably points out a deficiency in my kitchen knowledge. 

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