WINE THEMED AFTER CHILEAN MINERS

A British Design firm, Unreal, gave its clients a rather unusual gift during the Christmas season.  According to the website FastCoDesign.com, the firm labeled a designer line of wine as "Chilean Winers."  The reference point, of course, is the group of Chilean miners who were trapped underground for 69 days in late 2010.

You might remember that while they were trapped, the 33 miners sent a request to those at ground level for some wine to help make their internment more tolerable.  That request was denied.

One bottle for each trapped miner - 33 in all - were produced by Unreal, and they were named and numbered after the miners in the order in which they were rescued.  The bottle came packed in a tube representing the Fenix 2 rescue capsule, underneath a bit of gravel the recipient has to dig through in order to get to the wine.

The design firm - noted for their unusual and sometimes irreverent marketing ploys - claims the wine's packaging was conceived as a tribute, but others say it was merely a tasteless scheme that cashed in on the miners' suffering.

Image courtesy of Unreal

THE SPARKLE IN SPARKLING WINE

What puts the sparkle in sparkling wine?  The short answer: carbon dioxide gas.  But a half dozen French scientists and all the Pommery champagne they could sample offer a few sidebars to this fact.  This information comes from a story in the Montreal Gazette .

This research - did they know they'd get a gig like this when they signed up for science? - shows that the main thing that makes those bubbles disappear is the act of pouring the wine into the glass.

Pouring sparkling wine into the glass so that it hits the bottom of the glass actually promotes the dissipation of bubbles.  If you want the nose tickles to last a while, the guys in the lab coats say you should pour it gently down the side of the glass.  That results in twice the bubbles of splashier methods.

The study also found that using a tall, narrow flute instead of a wide champagne glass will help preserve the bubbles longer.

Finally, the scientists advise us to serve the sparklers cold - there's something about density and surface tension which is enhanced when the wine is refrigerated.

Keep these items in mind when breaking out the bubbly and you'll be ready for the champagne lifestyle.

NORTON WINE COUNTRY: VIRGINIA

Some folks probably questioned the sanity of Rappahannock Cellars’ owner John Delmare when he uprooted his family from California's Santa Cruz Mountains to the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  Huntly, Virginia was not exactly showing a big blip on the winemaking radar screen in 1998.  He and his family have never looked back, though.  His 20 acres of vineyard land - Glenway Vineyard - bear Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, Norton, and others.  Delmare calls his style "old world" and notes that "Virginia fruit style is very similar to Bordeaux."  Like most great vintners, he believes "great wines are made in the vineyard.  Vintage-to-vintage variation is a struggle in Virginia, but it also tends to define the personality of Virginia wine."  Winemaker Jason Burrus and vineyard manager Tom Kelly receive due props from Delmare for the inestimable contribution they make to Rappahannock’s wine.

These wines were provided as samples by Rappahannock Cellars for the purpose of this article.

Norton Virginia 2008
This blend of 75% Norton and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon has an alcohol level of 13.9% and  retails for $21.

The nose of this wine very much reminds me of Cabernet Franc.  Its very bright and fruity aromas stand as a counterpoint to the dark, brambly Norton wines of Missouri.  This blend really brings the fruit strongly.  The taste is fruitier than the Missouri Nortons, but that earthy tartness I found so intriguing is here in abundance, too.  The Cab, believe it or not, is almost buried beneath the qualities of the Norton.  There’s plenty of that mouthwatering acidity, which plays directly from the luscious blackberry-meets-raspberry flavor profile.  As the wine opens and breathes, good things happen.  On the third - and final - night the bottle was open, the wine stood in the glass for three hours before I touched it.  To say it was magnificent is an understatement.  The flavors turned positively primeval.  The darkness and intensity of the blackberry left me aghast.  Paired with Santa Maria tri-tip, it was exquisite.  No wonder it is the best seller in the cellar.

Rappahannock Cellars Virginia Red Dessert Wine 2007
This Port-style wine comes in at just under 18% in alcohol content, but really doesn’t feel boozy at all.  It’s produced in what the label calls “traditional European method” at 8% residual sugar.  Not an overly sweet wine, it strikes me as off-sweet.  And as with the Missouri “Port”, there’s no need to reserve this for dessert.  It will pair well with a variety of meat dishes, especially if you like to eat meat which is somewhat unadorned with a sauce - like a steak right off the grill.  It retails for $39.

The richness and density of the nose throws me for a loop.  Simply citing a thick blackberry aroma wafting past the alcohol seems so insufficient.  The fruit is so dark and earthy it almost masquerades as something else.  It’s definitely a pure and concentrated bouquet.  The palate is as aromatic as the nose, tasting floral - but not at all delicate.  Blackberries and black plums are jammy and thick, with what has by now become familiar to me in the Norton grape: that extreme streak of minerality which makes the taste so interesting.

See previous posts on Norton wines.

LE BINE VALPOLICELLA CLASSICO SUPERIORE RIPASSO 2008 AT VIA ALLORO

The Drago family operates a number of fine Italian restaurants in Los Angeles - so many it's difficult to get around to all of them. Via Alloro in Beverly Hills had been on my list for some time, and a Saturday afternoon "park-and-dine" experience afforded me the perfect opportunity to have lunch there.

"Park-and-dine" is a method Denise and I resort to occasionally that helps us deal with the frustration of trying to find a parking space near a restaurant where we'd like to dine.  Due to the fact that so many Los Angeles parking meters are taken over by valets these days - and we don't do the valet thing - we will simply find a place to park, then look for a restaurant near the parking space.  As backward as that is, we have actually found many good restaurants through the "park-and-dine" method.

We parked in Beverly Hills on the way to another restaurant, and passed Via Alloro on the way there.  I suggested we cut the walk short and find a table.

Via Alloro is a Tanino Drago establishment.  Good Italian food - as expected - comes simple and rustic, just the way we like it.  I ordered the Le Bine Valpolicella Ripasso by Giuseppe Campagnola on recommendation of our server, and I liked it.

Dark in color with a lighter purple ring at the edge, the wine shows dark leathery cherry and raspberry aromas, while the taste is full bodied and mellow.  Soft tannins make it a great sip and nice acidity make a good choice for food.  It went very well with my risotto with sausage and broccoli despite the "greenness" of the dish.  The wine is $12 by the glass.

NORTON WINE COUNTRY: MISSOURI

It’s fitting to begin this short series of tasting notes for wine made from the Norton grape with a few wines from a Missouri winery.  Norton is the state grape of Missouri, and it was a Missouri Norton which found international acclaim at a wine show in Vienna, Austria in 1873.  At that event it was named “the best red wine of all nations.”  Read more about the Norton grape in my earlier post on the Now And Zin Wine Blog.

The main location for Stone Hill Winery is in Hermann, Missouri, while two other locations operate in New Florence and Branson.  Stone Hill was founded in 1847 and is listed on the National Historic Register.  The main building for the Hermann winery - built in 1869 - was restored to its original stature by Jim and Betty Held in 1965.  Since then, they have been joined by three of their children.  The kids each have degrees in the sciences of winemaking and grape growing.

In addition to Norton wines, Stone Hill also has a raft of wines made from heritage grapes like Vidal Blanc, Chardonel, Vignoles, Chambourcin, and Traminette.  The winemaking team - David Johnson, Shaun Turnbull and Tavis Harris - produce award-winning wines.  The fruit of their labor has garnered over 3,500 awards in the past 20 years.

These wines were provided as samples by Stone Hill Winery for the purpose of this article.

Stone Hill Winery Norton 2006
This estate-bottled Hermann wine is 100% Norton made from grapes grown in the Cross J and Kemperberg Vineyards.  The wine has an alcohol level of only 13.8% and is aged twelve months in French, Hungarian and American oak barrels.

This is the first of the three Stone Hill wines I sampled.  The nose is very dark and earthy.  Denise smelled it and said, “it smells like history.”  I love that comment, but I’ll just say it smells “old world.”  Dense blackberry aromas are blanketed with a layering of clove and maybe some nutmeg.  It’s a very interesting nose, and a very different one for anyone who drinks mostly California wine.  A huge herbal quality is present and becomes stronger as the wine opens.  The taste has some grapiness to it, but the blackberry comes through very strongly.  A cola angle surfaces at the finish - which seems to last forever, by the way.  There is a tartness to the wine that makes me think of plums skins, but in a good way.  A great acidity is present in the Stone Hill Norton.

On the second night the bottle was open, the tannins were much softer and the tartness was not as pronounced.  However, on the third night, the tartness seemed to return.

Cross J Vineyard Norton 2006
The grapes for this estate wine are harvested from the vineyard which overlooks Jim and Betty Held’s home, up on a hilltop overlooking the Missouri River.  This 100% single-vineyard varietal sees twelve months aging in French and European oak.  The alcohol level is very moderate at 13.3%, and the wine retails for $25.

This is the second of the Stone Hill trio I tasted.  Again, the old-world aromas of blackberry and spice leap up past the heat, which is considerable upon opening.   The wine is once more very dark, inky and black in appearance.  It has a fine tannic structure with a cherry-meets-raspberry flavor profile, along with that tartness, too.  After time to breathe, the wine opens up and its flavors become darker and more brambly on the second and third nights the bottle is open.  This single vineyard effort had an aroma and taste reminiscent of Syrah - a little fruitier than the first wine.  The acidity is fantastic.

Stone Hill Winery Missouri Port 2007
The winery says "short fermentation, brandy fortification and barrel aging" are the high points of this one.  Stone Hill produced their first vintage of Port-style wine in 1990, and the line has garnered high ratings and rave reviews from national publications.  The alcohol level is jacked up to a port-like 18.4% and it retails for $22 in a 500 ml bottle.

This finale of the three samples from Stone Hill looks very dark at the core with purple edges.  Once again, aromas of spices, remind me of Syrah, with that big blackberry nose muscling in.  It’s rich and dark on the palate with a very strong sensibility of Portuguese grapes.  This time around, the spiciness is tasted as well as smelled.  The wine’s sweetness is counterbalanced by its acidity, which seems to be the calling card of the Norton grape.  This Port-style wine is great for dessert, but I could also wash down a steak or pork chop with it.

Soon I’ll relate my experiences with some Virginia Norton wines on the Now And Zin Wine Blog.

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JANUARY 2011 WINE EVENTS FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

We’re nearly a week into the new year of 2011 as I write this, and I haven’t been to work yet.  Well, not THAT work, anyway.  I have spent an inordinate amount of time online involved in wine-related endeavors, but that doesn’t quite seem like work.

Wine tasting events are a part of my “job” as a wine writer, but they don’t seem like work, either.  As I scan the ol’ Now And Zin Wine Calendar, it looks like January is jam-packed with nice wine events.  Work, work, work.  Let’s try to work out the details on these events and get the new year of wine tasting started with a slurp.


Pinot Days Southern California, 2nd Annual
Jan 15, 2011
2:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Barker Hanger, 3021 Airport Avenue, Santa Monica Airport
Santa Monica, CA
Cost:  $60; $100 VIP (enter at noon)
125 producers pouring 400 domestic Pinot Noirs sounds like a great time.  Sample wines from the Russian River Valley, Carneros, the Santa Lucia Highlands, Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast and Oregon.  The inaugural event was big.  The sophomore effort should be even bigger.

Bockfest 2011 
Jan 15, 2011
1:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Olympic Collection
11301 Olympic Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $20
Bockfest is a winter beer festival with no snow in the forecast.  You'll sample some great Southern California beers as well as great brew from around the world.  65 beers will be represented and the two best will be named champ by a panel of judges and a people's choice award.

Stars Of Santa Barbara 
Jan 18, 2011 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Scott's Restaurant and Bar
3300 Bristol Street
Costa Mesa, CA
Cost: $59 - $120
Staged by Ian Blackburn's Learn About Wine, this event throws the Orange County spotlight on the best wines of Santa Barbara. Blackburn puts on great wine events - two more Stars events are set for the first quarter of 2011.  He sets the stage ideally. If you don't get the most from Blackburn's tasting events, it's your fault.

Stars Of Santa Barbara 
Jan 19, 2011
7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Peninsula Hotel
9882 South Santa Monica Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA
Cost: $59 - $120
Staged by Ian Blackburn's Learn About Wine, this event throws the Beverly Hills spotlight on the best wines of Santa Barbara.  Blackburn puts on great wine events - two more Stars events are set for the first quarter of 2011.  If you don't get the most from Blackburn's tasting events, it's your fault.

Union des Grands Crus Bordeaux Tasting 
Jan 22, 2011
3:00 - 6:00 p.m.
Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport
3021 Airport Avenue #203
Santa Monica, CA
Cost: $59
Wally's Wine and Spirits welcomes over 100 of Bordeaux's Chateau owners and winemakers, this year in an airport hangar. Hundreds of wines will be poured at this unique event.

Savor The Wine 
Jan 22, 2011
6:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Lost Canyons Golf Club
3301 Lost Canyons Drive
Simi Valley, CA
Cost: $30
Wine tasting, a pasta bar, small plates and desserts are all included in the price of this SoCal shindig. There will also be music, raffles and auctions to help pass the time.  Proceeds benefit the ARC of Ventura County, a center for the developmentally disabled.

Pasadena Pinotfest Kickoff Winemaker Dinner, 3rd Annual 
Jan 23, 2011
6:30 - 9:30 p.m.
Noir Food & Wine
40 North Mentor Avenue
Pasadena, CA
Cost:  $149
Brewer-Clifton winemakers Greg Brewer and Steve Clifton will help kick off the festivities for Pasadena Pinotfest by pairing their wines with a five-course dinner prepared by Chef Claud Beltran.

Loyola Marymount University Wine Classic, 30th Annual 
Jan 30, 2011
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Loyola Marymount University
1 LMU Drive
Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $90
More than 150 wines will be poured from 46 boutique California wineries, and you can meet with the vintners while you sample their wares.  There's also a silent auction of specialty wines and other products.  $40 of the ticket price is tax-deductible, and early bird tickets are only $75 through Jan 21.  The Wine Classic Dinner is held on the evening of the event under separate pricing.  The proceeds benefit LMU Student Scholarships.

WISCONSIN PRIEST RAISES FUNDS WITH WINE

I'm sure you've heard the expression "God moves in mysterious ways."  There's a priest in Wisconsin who has devoted his life to proving that.

Father Domenic Roscioli makes wine.  Not the sacramental stuff they serve by the sip, but honest-to-god actual wine you can take home and serve with more than wafers.  Holy Spirits is the name of his company, and a portion of the profits go to charitable organizations in much the same way the Newman's Own brand, started by Paul Newman, benefits the Hole In the Wall Gang.  That group helps children with life-threatening illnesses.  Holy Spirits Wine benefits Next Step, for young adults who are in the same life-threatened boat.

Father Dom has long been a maker of homemade wine, like his father and grandfather before him.  He still makes wine in the same Wisconsin basement used for that purpose by his grandfather.

The padre has also given of his time for the Newman's Own charities in the past.  A little brainstorming with partner Jody Becker - the marketing maven behind the brand - tied his two passions together.  Now his wine hobby is raising money for good causes.

Holy Spirits produces, and markets, St. Valentine Pinot Noir, St. Patrick Pinot Grigio, St. Michael Zinfandel and Joan of Arc Chardonnay, among others.  Holy Spirits also has non-alcoholic gifts - including seasonings, spices and marinades - which are named for different religious figures just like the wine.  All eight of their wines sell for fifteen dollars per bottle, and a new "Guardian" line - with angels on the labels - will sell at the ten-dollar mark.

The wine is not made from Wisconsin grapes, but fruit from California.  Windsor Vineyards of Santa Rosa, California makes the private label wine for Holy Spirits.

For non-imbibers, Holy Spirits offers their St. Christopher non-alcoholic sparkler.  Since St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers, Father Domenic refers to this alcohol-free drink as the "patron saint of designated drivers."

The Holy Spirits bottles are adorned with labels featuring beautiful artwork created by Zunda Design Group, who donates their services to the cause.

Father Dom truly believes the saints can come marching in - right into your home, as a matter of fact.  The fundraiser is on all the time.  The wine is sold in stores and restaurants around southeastern Wisconsin and online. 

Wine tasting events have replaced the old-fashioned bake sale as a means of raising money.  "The wine is working well as a fundraiser," Father Dom says.  "So well, in fact, that other parishes have come to us to get help raising money for charities. We've started a workshop to teach other parishes how to do what we do."

NORTON WINE - AMERICA'S GRAPE

In the land of grapes, Norton is not exactly a household name.  Not in the American wine mecca of California for sure, and not even in places like Missouri and Virginia, where the Norton vine has its roots.

Those roots go back to 18th century America.  Paul Roberts of Deep Creek Cellars in Friendsville, Maryland has much to say about Norton - or Cynthiana, as it is also known - and he is reprinted at length on the website for Virginia's Chrysalis Vineyards.  He also has a book on the subject: From This Hill, My Hand, Cynthiana's Wine.

The grape known scientifically as vitis aestivalis is believed to have been produced by a Dr D.N. Norton of Virginia, who - probably by accident - crossed two other still unknown grape varieties.  Many grape varieties native to North America have aromas and flavors too sweet and "grapey" from which to make good dry wine.  Norton does not generally exhibit those properties, and makes some very fine wines that are legendary to folks in the midwest and eastern U.S.

In 1873, a Missouri Norton wine was proclaimed "the best red wine of all nations" at a competition in Vienna.  Roberts says, "Zinfandel is often described as America's first and most original gift to the world of wine.  Actually, it's Norton."

Todd Kliman’s book, The Wild Vine: A Forgotten Grape and the Untold Story of American Wine, deals with the origin of the Norton Grape, its heyday and its status as an outsider in the wine industry.

The book was reviewed on Palate Press, and in the interview with Kliman following the article the author talks about the Norton grape.

“I still don’t think Norton will ever be a dominant wine," he says.  "That’s just not its place. America’s palate, since Norton’s heyday, has changed too much.  But it could be much more than it is.

"You either love Norton or hate Norton," Kliman continues.  "It is a wine of extremes. Someone new to the grape and the wine must understand that.  If you are used to the wines that currently represent what America is, according to the West Coast definition, Norton is going to be very different from that.  Norton is not the kind of wine that you drink while curled up with a book by the fire.

"Norton should be kept in context with the sort of expression of American culture that it could have represented.  I think of Walt Whitman and Mark Twain and even jazz music, and how they have come to define American culture.  Norton was born of the same soil, and yet it is almost unheard of.  It should be understood as a similar expression of that American experience."

Still today, wineries in states from Virginia to Georgia to Texas to Missouri produce Norton wines that are well worth seeking out and trying.  However, Norton wines are not so easy to find in much of the western part of the country.  I was fortunate enough to receive some samples of various Norton wines from Missouri, Virginia and Georgia.  In the coming few days - beginning Thursday - my impressions and tasting notes for those wines will be published here on the Now And Zin Wine Blog.   I hope you’ll look for them.  And for some Norton wine.

THE NOWANDZIN.COM WINE REPORT ON RADIO

Now And Zin is proud to announce our affiliation with Westwood One’s Metro Networks Division.  Metro Networks is one of the largest broadcast information networks in America.  The company provides news, sports, traffic and weather information to over 2,200 radio and television affiliates nationwide.

The NowAndZin.com Wine Report is a five-times-a-week one minute feature on the world of wine.  Targeted to everyday wine consumers, the daily report contains information about wine in the news, wine tasting and recommendations, wine and food pairing, wine in popular culture and wine consumerism.

The feature is hosted by yours truly, NowAndZin.com's Randy Fuller.  I've been a proud part of Metro Networks for over 20 years, based in the Los Angeles office as a news, sports and traffic anchor.  Now I can bring my passion for wine from the worldwide web to a national broadcast audience.

You can still catch the NowAndZin.com Wine Report on the Now And Zin Wine Blog, and on the companion website, Now And Zin.  I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoy producing it.

Cheers!

Ed.  Since this article ran, Metro Networks has changed hands and is now owned by Clear Channel

WINE PAIRING: TUNA SALAD

Browsing through my iPhone's wine apps - of which I probably have far too many - I checked with one called Wine Steward, which is also available online, to find out what they advise as a pairing with tuna salad.

Grenache gets a 100% vote of confidence from Wine Steward and is branded as an "excellent pairing."  Grenache makes versatile, fruity wines.  Great rosés are made from Grenache grapes, and that would be my choice for the tuna salad.

Sauvignon Blanc gets 80%.  If you feel the need to pair a white wine with fish, this is a great choice.

Sancerre, at 79%, comes from France's Loire Valley.  A Sancerre would probably be a Sauvignon Blanc as well, as that is the grape predominantly used in Sancerre.

Chardonnay gets 71%.  A big California Chardonnay may have the mark of oak in it, while a less buttery flavor will come from France, like a white Burgundy or Chablis.

A host of other wines are mentioned by Wine Steward, in declining order:

Nero d'Avola, a big red wine from Southern Italy
Rosé
Riesling
Cabernet Sauvignon
Dry Gewürztraminer
Sangiovese
Syrah
Merlot
Red Bordeaux
Sparkling Wine
Cabernet Franc
Viognier
Beaujolais Cru
Roussanne
Pinot Gris
Off-Dry Gewürztraminer
Albariño
Carignane
Pinot Noir
Zinfandel

Of this last bunch - mostly labeled as "adventurous" choices by the app - I'd go with a Roussanne, a full-bodied and food-friendly white wine with a nice high acidity.

WINE ALLERGY

If wine makes you suffer from headaches, stuffy nose, skin rash or other allergic symptoms, scientists may have found out why.

The American Chemical Society's Journal of Proteome Research reports that it appears glycoproteins may be at fault.  Glycoproteins are proteins covered with sugars that are produced naturally as grapes ferment.  Researchers found these glycoproteins had a structure similar to many known allergens, like the kind that cause reactions to ragweed and latex.

This discovery could lead to new methods in the winemaking process which would minimize the formation of glycoproteins and allow winemakers to offer hypo-allergenic red and white wines.

Wine allergies are said to affect about eight percent of the population - 500 million people worldwide - but only about one percent are blamed on sulfites, which are added to wine as a preservative.  The other seven percent have been a mystery - until now, according to the researchers.

It may be a while before this discovery helps people who are intolerant to wine, but at least you now know someone's working on it.

WINE CUPCAKES

A company in Santa Barbara, California is offering a tour that involves two tasty and popular treats mashed up into one.  SBAdventureCo.com is promoting a wine and cupcakes tour.

The stops at wineries in Santa Barbara wine country would be enough to get most people on the shuttle van, but when you throw in a cupcake tasting, there aren't too many who could resist.

The day-long tour includes lunch at a Santa Ynez Valley winery, wine tastings and cupcake tastings.  The cupcakes are actually billed as the star of this show, and are produced by a wine country company called Enjoy Cupcakes, which serves the sweet treats out of a restored vintage travel trailer.

The company's wine-infused cupcakes include favorites like Pomegranate Mango Chardonnay, Citrus Sauvignon Blanc and Chocolate Blackberry Syrah.

The wine and cupcake tour is $125 per person, with a discount for groups of six or more.

CHINESE WINE SCANDAL

A wine scandal has surfaced in China.  Tainted wine was pulled off the shelves of Chinese stores and a number of Chinese wineries were shut down when government officials found chemical additives in wine that was falsely labeled as a better brand.  The wine in question comes from Changli county, in a Province known as "China's Bordeaux," an area which produces about a third of China's domestic grape wine.

Yahoo News reports the irregularities came to light over the weekend.

There are reports that at least some of the wine consists of only about 20% actual wine, with the rest being sugar water mixed with other chemicals, including artificial colors and flavors.

One of the wineries shut down was reported to have used nothing but water and chemicals to make its wine, a wine which sells for less than a dollar and a half a bottle.

The Chinese government says some of the additives found in the tainted wine could cause headaches, heart irregularities and cancer.

Six people were detained in connection with this latest food scandal in China.

AVALON CALIFORNIA CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2008

Avalon Winery makes two Cabs - and that has been it until recently.  They say they have now released a new Merlot.  There is already a Napa Valley Cab and this one, the California blend.

The notes from winemaker Alex Cose indicate that Avalon mixes 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot grapes from different vineyards in Mendocino, Santa Barbara, Paso Robles, Alexander Valley, and Lodi.  The wine shows a restrained 13.8% abv.  Aging occurs during 18 months in French and American oak with malolactic fermentation occurring there.

The color of this Cab is medium dark, with light showing through even at the core.  On the nose - after a swirl - the dark cherry aromas immediately give way to a cherry cola aspect.  There is a slight smokiness and some spicy notes come through as well.  I guessed there was Merlot involved from the moment I smelled the wine.

The taste is juicy and fairly tannic.  It’s nice and dry without too much puckering of the mouth.  The wine is dark and earthy on the palate, with a touch of graphite accenting the dark cherry and plum fruit flavors.  After a little time in the glass, flavors of cassis become the dominating profile.  This is particularly true two and three nights after opening.  The finish is a little shorter than I would like.

LINE 39 PETITE SIRAH NORTH COAST 2009

The number on the Line 39 label refers to the degrees of latitude where their Lake County vineyards are located, just north and east of Napa Valley, where it’s said they make some decent wine, too.  The 39th parallel also includes the Mediterranean Sea, Spain, Portugal and Italy.  Maybe advertising a good neighborhood like that isn’t too bad an idea.  Line 39 is a sublabel of Cecchetti Wine Co.

I have tasted Line 39’s Lake County Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a surprisingly good wine.  The winery’s Petite Sirah - which I stumbled across in a supermarket wine section - is made from grapes sourced in Mendocino County’s North Coast area.  The wine was a real bargain - marked down from $13 to $8.  The alcohol level is 13.5% abv.

The color of this Petite Sirah is deep and dark, inky dark, can’t see through it dark.  A very darkly tinted appearance tends to bode well for those who like big, bold flavors, as I do.  The nose is rich with blueberry, and it smells dark, too.  All this has me salivating as I anticipate the palate. 

What I find when I finally taste the wine is a rich and jammy basket of blackberry and cherry with a lot of tannins, but they certainly don’t seem out of place. It’s a dry wine, dry as dust.  “So dry, the rest room would have dust in the urinals,” as the old martini joke goes.

The dust, in addition to being very dry, is very dark, too.  A deliciously brambly taste appears as the wine opens itself and tar notes show up on the nose.  This wine is a complete delight.

LIPARITA CARNEROS MERLOT 2000

Liparita Cellars is what they call a “ghost winery” in Napa Valley - a winery founded in the late 19th century and still operating, although in refurbished fashion.  The 1880 establishment date of Liparita more than qualifies it for ghost status.  I don’t know whether or not they operate with a skeleton crew.  Maybe that's reserved for Halloween.

The brand has been resuscitated by owners who took over with the 2006 vintage.  They now produce three Cabernet Sauvignons, from Oakville, Stag’s Leap and Yountville.

This Liparita Merlot is ten years old.  It’s fitting that the somewhat aged wine came from a bygone management at a ghost winery.  It’s a half-bottle I picked up at a wine store sale, marked down from $12 to $6.

The fruit is picked from Beckstoffer’s Las Amigas Vineyard in the Carneros sub-appellation of Napa Valley.  The 2000 Merlot checks in with a manageable 13.9% abv alcohol number.

A bit of the cork crumbled on removal, but I was able to fish out most of the floaties and proceed.  I have read that tartrate crystals cling to the cork in this unfiltered wine, but it was definitely cork in my glass.

The color is dark red, but not inky.  The nose of this Merlot has tons of earthiness, with an underlying layer of dark fruit and a floral aroma reminiscent of violets.  The darkness of the nose really is overwhelming.  Fascinating, in fact.

Upon first tasting the wine, blackberries dominate the palate and that earthy minerality follows closely behind.  The tannins are quite firm and it feels big in the mouth.  The acidity is wonderfully balanced and the wine leaves the palate wanting more with each sip.  This is a very good wine, one of the better wines I’ve had recently.  If you can find it, snap up a bottle - or half bottle in my case - and enjoy.

WINE IN LAS VEGAS

You can add another high-end wine haven to the list in Las Vegas. The Wynn Las Vegas now boasts La Cave Wine and Food Hideaway.  According to Las Vegas Weekly, it's a collaboration between Steve Wynn and restaurateur Michael Morton.  Wines from around the world are selected by Danielle Price, executive wine director of Wynn Resorts, and Rober Wright, the wine director for La Cave.  The article quotes Wright as saying La Cave's wine list will encourage guests to explore new and different grape varieties.

La Cave also features gourmet cuisine to pair with the wine, and is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. daily.  The kitchen may not be open at all hours, so a call ahead of time is advised.

I have yet to check out La Cave, but there are already several great places in Las Vegas where wine lovers can enjoy a glass or two.

Charlie Palmer's Aureole at Mandalay Bay has Master Sommelier William Sherer overseeing 55,000 bottles in the wine tower, which is a show in itself.

Emeril's Delmonico Steakhouse at the Venetian has over 1700 wine selections to pair with their great food.

The Wine Cellar at the Rio offers a great, dark place to get out of the neon glow for a while.

Nora's Wine Bar and Osteria is literally an oasis in a strip mall.

Grape Vegas at the Town Square Mall offers plenty of affordable choices in a casual atmosphere.

NINER WINE ESTATES WINE EDUCATION PROGRAM

Lots of wine enthusiasts would like to take their knowledge of wine to the next level.  Niner Wine Estates in Paso Robles, California has a plan for just that.

Niner's 2011 Wine Education Series will give you, the wine lover, the chance to broaden your palate and learn more about the world's wine regions.

Held at Niner's state-of-the-art Hospitality Center, this learning event promises to be a lot more fun than that Economics class you cut every damn Thursday of your sophomore year.  In fact, it sounds so good you may want to stay after school.

The Wine Education Series is a great way for wine lovers to explore the different kinds of wine made all over the world.  It can also serve as preparation for wine professionals seeking industry-related credentials

Rick Toyota, Niner Wine Estates' Sommelier and Director of Hospitality, says the series presents "a superb opportunity to learn about the heritage and styles of the world's great wine regions."  Toyota teases, "these classes allow students to taste their way around the world."

The series gets underway January 24, 2011 and continues weekly into the Central Coast summer.  The 20th and final class is scheduled for July 27th.  Opening sessions will focus on wine appreciation, viticulture and vinification.  A final class will discuss proper service standards for wine presentation.

Each class runs from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Niner Wine Estates Hospitality Center in Paso Robles.  You can sign up for single classes a la carte at $75 each, a five-session package costs $337.50 and the entire course runs $1,275 for all 20 classes.  Niner's wine club members will receive their club discounts, and industry discounts are available as well.  You can find out more, or register, by calling 805.239.2233.  E-mail at info@ninerwine.com.

You never know where this sort of thing will lead.  It was exactly this type of course which gave Niner's winemaker, Amanda Cramer, the inspiration to get into wine as a career.  It has sure worked out well for her!


2011 Wine Education Series Schedule:

January 24th - Introduction - Varietals and Wine Evaluation

January 31st - Viticulture and Vinification

February 7th - California - Part 1: History/North Coast

February 28th - California - Part 2: Central Coast/Sierra Foothills

March 7th - Oregon

March 14th - Washington

March 21st France - Bordeaux

March 28th France - Burgundy, Chablis and Beaujolais

April 4th France - Champagne

April 11th France - Alsace and the Loire

April 18th France - Rhone Valley/Southern France

April 25th Italy - Northern Regions

May 2nd Italy - Central and Southern Regions

May 9th - Germany

May 16th - Spain

May 23rd - Portugal

June 6th - Argentina and Chile

June 13th - Australia

June 20th - South Africa and New Zealand

June 27th - Wine Service

APP-PROPRIATE WINES FOR CHRISTMAS DINNER

Christmas dinner is one of the classic American family traditions.  Brothers and sisters and aunts and uncles come in from all over that place and crowd the fancy dining room to the breaking point.  The stress of having everybody around can make tempers go there, too.  There's no need to stress about what wine to serve at Christmas dinner, especially if you got an iPhone for Christmas.

Download The Wine Steward from the app store, and you'll have no worries about which wine to serve with whatever you are serving.

First, what's on the table?

Let's say you're serving ham.  Enter that into the Wine Steward and... Pinot Noir is the choice!  Merlot and Grenache get honorable mentions, and as for whites, Albariño and Roussanne battle it out.  Oddly, there is no mention of Gewürztraminer.

If you're carving a turkey for the Christmas feast, enter "turkey" into the Wine Steward and...Pinot Noir again!  It also likes Grenache and Merlot.  For white, Chardonnay gets a mention way, way down the list, just after rosé.

If your goose is cooking, Wine Steward suggests - not really a surprise - Pinot Noir.  Merlot and Zinfandel get secondary nods with goose.  For white wine, the app says try Roussanne or sparkling wine.

Let's say you have a prime rib dinner planned.  Enter that into Wine Steward and ... yeah, I know you see it coming.  Pinot Noir again.  Merlot and Zin get mentions too, as do sparkling wine and Albariño, although whites really don't match up too well with heavy beef.

For dessert, if it's chocolate, Wine Steward says go with Merlot, Zinfandel or Pinot Noir.  With pumpkin pie, Sauvignon Blanc or Sancerre.  With pecan pie - that means Christmas dinner to me - Wine Steward advises good ol' Pinot Noir.

So, to sum it up, the Wine Steward app on the iPhone seems to think you should lay in a case ofPinot Noir for Christmas dinner, or maybe mix a case with some Grenache and Merlot.

Happy holidays!  I hope whatever you're drinking over this festive season, you're drinking with family and friends.

MORE HEALTH BENEFITS OF WINE

A couple of news releases recently have touted more health benefits associated with drinking wine - or at least some of the ingredients of wine.

The Daily Mail reports on a study by the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna, in which scientists say moderate consumption of red wine may help keep diabetes in check.  According to the study, polyphenols found in red wine can help the body control glucose levels.  The study claims a small glass of red wine contains enough polyphenols to make it competitive with anti-diabetic drugs.  These results indicate moderate wine drinking plus a calorie-controlled diet could help protect against type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes organizations don't seem to be jumping on that bandwagon, though.  Diabetes UK responded angrily to the study, saying the bold claims were based on limited research and the calories contained in wine could lead to weight gain.  This would effectively negate the benefits of the polyphenols.

Another study, this one from dental researchers at the University of Rochester and reported on Canada.com, shows that drinking wine and eating cranberries can help prevent bacteria which cause cavities.  The study claims the growth of Streptococcus mutans - the bacteria blamed for tooth decay - can be held in check by wine and cranberries.

An ongoing Italian study also names wine and cranberries as effective agents for preventing tooth decay and sore throats.  This study suggests the helpful ingredients seem to work best when removed from the wine and taken separately.  The scientists figure these ingredients might make good additions to toothpaste and mouthwash.

Canadian Dental Association President Dr. Darryl Smith says wine doesn't take the place of brushing and flossing in a good dental hygiene program.