THIS IS E11EVEN WINES PRESENTS PURPLE HAZE 2006

Santa Barbara County winemaker Andrew Murray created an incredibly big, aromatic Syrah/Viognier blend he calls Purple Haze.  He sells this rock-targeted wine under the banner of This Is E11even Wines, a nod to the Spinal Tap reference of "turning it up to eleven."  It's a Central Coast red wine - at once brawny and elegant - which, oddly, takes inspiration from the wines of the northern Rhône.  Purple Haze may be an Old World blend, but it is a New World wine through and through.

Murray explains Purple Haze on his website:

"Purple Haze is inspired by the incredible wines of Côte Rôtie in the extreme northern reaches of the Rhône Valley.  There, Viognier is intentionally planted amongst or adjacent to the Syrah vines.  Syrah is a dark, spicy, and fruity red that benefits from the delicacy, perfume, and "lightness" of the Viognier.  The Syrah for this wine comes from Verna's Vineyard on Cat Canyon Road from a block planted to the French clone, simply named 383.  It is one of my favorite clones of Syrah; unfortunately it is not very widely planted.  We only harvested enough to craft three barrels of this wine.  The wine was open-top fermented with frequent punch-downs yielding an impossibly dark and concentrated Syrah.  It always seemed like a distillation of Syrah...so I thought that it needed something to truly shine.  We did some trial blends and found that about 10% Viognier added to the wine acted to both soften the wine and elevate the aromatics."

The aptly named Purple Haze - Murray says the Viognier "puts a spell on the Syrah" - is a very dark purple which gets only barely lighter around the edge.  Blueberry jam on the nose does not do a solo act.  It's joined by aromas of cassis, and tobacco - so aromatic it makes me think of pipe tobacco.  A floral note makes a peace sign from behind the fruit.  The smell is intense, like a perfume.

The wine shows every bit of its 15.9% alcohol level upon pouring, so let it sit a while before enjoying.  Wonderful, dark fruit flavors explode on the palate, with deep and rich blackberry and plums.  Firms tannins and a delicious acidity round out the concert.  I was struck after the bottle was open a while by the way it had smoothed out.  Incredibly dark and delicious, Purple Haze made me forget all about the Crosstown Traffic.  'Scuse me, while I finish off the bottle.

I notice on the website that both of the This Is E11even wines - Murray also makes a blend of Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Syrah - are sold out.  Happily, he has an encore planned.  Murray tells me a white and a red E11even are coming soon.

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GENUINE RISK MERLOT 2007

A holiday gathering of friends found me back at Little Dom's in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles.  It's a cozy little spot with good food and a wine list which features a lot of labels I don't run across every day.  Their selection of wines, for me, is enough of a reason to drop in occasionally.  The food is an added bonus.

We were still getting our Christmas weather in L.A. - a little chilly.  The sunbathing warmth that always occurs in time for the Rose Bowl had not yet arrived.  Coat racks at the end of each booth - mere decoration for most of the year - were actually in full use this evening.  It made me feel for a minute like it really was winter.

Genuine Risk is produced by Black Sheep Finds, the Lompoc-based wine project of the husband and wife team of Peter Hunken and Amy Christine.  You may be familiar with their fabulous line of Holus Bolus Syrah and Pinot Noir.

The Genuine Risk '07 Merlot is actually a Bordeaux-style blend of 49% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot.  All the grapes hail from a single vineyard in Ballard Canyon, in the Santa Ynez Valley portion of the beautiful Santa Barbara County wine country.  It sells for $14 by the glass at Little Dom's - around $23 per bottle retail.

The wine is dark in color and sports a nose which is dense and dark as well.  Tons of blackberry and blueberry aromas just about knocked me over, with a trace of herbal and olive notes adding complexity.  It's a brawny quaff, with a good tannic grip.  The fruit is right up front on the palate and a slightly smoky bramble accent really sets it off.  I think I had a pizza with it, but it was just something to pick at.  The wine really stole the show.

Only 250 cases of Genuine Risk were produced, and Hunken tells me they have now moved into their '08 vintage, which blends the same grape varieties but in a more Cabernet-heavy fashion.

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PINOT DAYS 2012 IS APPROACHING

One of the great Pinot Noir events in America is coming to Southern California in January, Pinot Days 2012.  It will be the third annual Pinot Days for SoCal, and Pinot lovers already have the date marked in bold font on their digital calendars - or circled on the wall calendar from their insurance agent.

Pinot Days is staged by the Bay Area Wine Project in an effort to spread the love about Pinot Noir, many wine lovers' favorite grape.  They also put on Pinot Days events at other times of the year in San Francisco, Chicago and Dallas.

The Grand Tasting will happen on Saturday, January 28th, but there are three winemaker dinner events on the Thursday and Friday preceding, two at The Wine House Upstairs in West Los Angeles and one at West Restaurant at Hotel Angeleno in Santa Monica. 

Pinot Days promises "serious wine, serious fun"  for attendees and, judging by the previous two Pinot Days shows in Southern California, for the winemakers, too.  Fight your way through the crowd at the Clos Pepe table to witness Wes Hagen preaching his Pinot and you'll see what I mean.  He turns a wine tasting into a revival with the flair of a carnival barker.  His show is not to be missed.  His wines are pretty darn good, too.

Winemakers from California, Oregon and France's Burgundy region will pour their Pinot Noir in the big Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport.  Click here to see all the participants for this year's event.

The tickets are only $60 for the Grand Tasting, which a deal for an event of this nature.  Check the Pinot Days website for pricing on early admission and the other winemaker events.

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BLOOD OF THE VINES: THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR

It would happen this way:  You may be walking one day and a car will slow down beside you.  A door will open and someone you you know - perhaps someone you trust - will smile and offer you... a bottle of wine.

The 1970s brought a new kind of spy movie to us - the kind where the government wears the black hat.  These modern spies are corporate killers who do what they do not for love of anything.  They do what they do because that's what the memo said to do.

Robert Redford may not be the spy in "Three Days of the Condor," but he sure has the thrill-a-minute life foisted upon him.  This guy can't pick up the mail without dodging bullets.  Of course, nowadays that's not so unusual.  Don't watch this movie if you skipped giving your mailman a holiday tip.

Redford's character - a CIA researcher - wants to come in from the cold, only to find he's already in and the air conditioning is stuck on 32.  He's so cold he has to open the fridge to get warm - not to mention there might be a postman in there.  It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.

Redford's code name is "Condor," and the tactics the government uses in trying to keep him quiet sure have him feeling like an endagered species.  Max Von Sydow will make you feel like that.  Blood doesn't run colder than that of his character.  Things do heat up a bit for Condor when Faye Dunaway realizes things could be worse than playing hostage to a guy who looks like Redford.  

Now the car slows down, and the smiling man offers a refreshing drink of wine.  

Condor's Hope Vineyard is named for its location in Santa Barbara County where condors are released into the wild.  The winery releases big Zinfandels and Shiraz into the wild, but only 400 cases at a time.  Most of their wines sell for under $20.  They might be a little hard to find, but that's how condors are.  If you order some, you might want to get it sent by FedEx.

I spy some other wines:

Condor Wines Northwest - I love wines with a purpose, and the purpose of this eastern Washington winery is hunger relief in Peru.  The wines are produced and bottled by Elk Cove Vineyards of Gaston, Oregon.  They are named after the condor, the national bird of Peru.  Their 2008 Barbera is $25.

Penley Estate Condor - Located in the Coonawarra Valley in the southeastern part of Australia, The Condor wine is a bold Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon blend, so named for the strength and stamina of the condor.  $20

Spy Valley Wines - From New Zealand's Marlborough region, there's a good variety of wine for under $20.

Wine Spies - An online wine retailer that sells it "spy-style," with operative notes and descriptive dossiers on their offerings.

Spy Wine Cooler commercial - Here's what happens when too many condors fly over your car.

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGES

Jadot's Beaujolais Villages 2010 is labeled as red Burgundy wine, even though the Beaujolais region is its own appellation.  Beaujolais is situated in both Burgundy and the Rhône, and  the Beaujolais Villages region is located in the southern Beaujolais, near Lyons, between the Beaujolais appellation and the Crus.  Beaujolais Villages is a little more Burgundian in its terroir.  The soils are mostly granitic. 

The Jadot maison was founded in 1859 and bears the founder's name.  It's customary in Burgundy for winemakers to work with single varieties, and Jadot follows that plan.  They utilize Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in their Burgundian bottlings and Gamay grapes for their Beaujolais wines.

Commenting upon the Jadot methodology in the vineyards, their website exclaims,  "we have, for the past 20 years, banished all use of synthetic products (fertilisers, herbicides, etc) on our vineyards soils and have taken up traditional practices instead.  Our work is done either by tractor or, for the most inaccessible vineyards, by horse.  We don't work our soil deeply but prefer to concentrate on surface actions in order to preserve its innate structure.  We encourage our vines to grow their roots in such a way as to enable them to mine the soil's minerality.  This allows them to fight disease naturally and more efficiently."

Jadot's 2010 Beaujolais Villages is a wine which is available widely in the U.S., at price points well under the $20 mark.

The nose offers an aromatic fruitiness, with cherries and strawberries in the forefront.  Rich ruby hued, the wine is not dark.  Light passes through easily.  The palate shows the same red fruit with the mark of minerals on it.  The tannins are subdued - elegant, if you will - and the acidity is wonderful.  It's very easy to drink, at 13% abv, and is quite light on the palate.

Pairing the Jadot Beaujolais Villages with cheese is a natural.  If you pick up a bottle at Trader Joe's, grab some Madrigal cheese to go with it.  Light meats will also pair quite well with it.

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WAGNER FAMILY OF WINES

You may not be aware you've had wine made by the Wagner family.  If you've had Conundrum or Caymus, Mer Soleil, Meiomi or Belle Glos, you've had a Wagner wine.

The Wagners - Charlie, Lorna and son Chuck - carved out their place in Northern California's Monterey County in the early 1970s.  Charlie passed a few years ago, Lorna is in her nineties and enjoying the Pinot Noir named after her, and that 19 year-old who
helped his folks get things started is now running the show.  He's the same Chuck Wagner, just not 19 anymore.

The tasting package provided by the Wagners allowed me to sample their wines - most of which were already familiar to me - and also try out the mail-order samplers bottled by TastingRoom, Inc of Santa Rosa.  The package contained six small screwcap bottles, each holding 50ml of wine - just enough for a taste - and the label bears a “Best Enjoyed By” date.  TastingRoom makes quite a few tasting packages, most of which sell for somewhere between $20 and $30.  The entire package and contents are 100% recyclable.  Here's what was in the Wagner Family Selection:

Conundrum 2009 - Labeled as “A Proprietary Blend of California White Wine,” Conundrum is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Semillion and Viognier with a 13.5% abv number.  Jon Bolta has been heading up the white wine side of the
Wagner Family's repertoire since 1988, and Conundrum was his pet project.  The first vintage was released in '89.  The "conundrum" is figuring out which grape varieties make up the blend.  It's not too much of a puzzle to figure out that it pairs well with Asian food. 

The pale golden wine is fairly complex, showing aromas of white flowers, tropical fruit, a few drops of honey and a bit of honeydew melon.  It's nice and full in the mouth, with oak present.  Pear juice and a trace of pineapple are the main flavors, while a good acidity level makes it a great choice for pairing with seafood.  Conundrum is lush, with full malolactic fermentation adding softness.  I like it with lobster, while Chuck Wagner likes it with crabcakes.

Mer Soleil Silver Unoaked Chardonnay 2009 - This beautiful white from Monterey's Santa Lucia Highlands is fermented in small cement tanks imported from France.  No French oak here, just French cement.  Chuck's son, Charlie Wagner II, handles the production for Mer Soleil.  He's a 5th generation winemaker.  The Mer Soleil Vineyard lies in the Santa Lucia Highlands, in the cool, dry part of Monterey County.  This Chardonnay carries a hefty 14.8% abv level.

A pale golden color in the glass, Silver has very fresh aromas of peaches and nectarines.  The stately palate is not all tricked up.  It has a very clean and fruity taste, with peaches, melons with a trace of the rind, tropical fruit and citrus joined by some nice
minerals.  There's a very food-friendly acidity here as well.

Mer Soleil Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2008 - This one is also from the Santa Lucia Highlands.  The alcohol level is 14.5%.  This "oaked" Chardonnay is a little more golden than the unoaked version.  There are peaches and nectarines on the nose, joined by
some wood spice.  It's a full-bodied, California-style Chardonnay.  On the palate, the oak is in the forefront, and a sense of movie theater popcorn butter lingers on the finish.  The acidity is even better than in the other two whites.

Belle Glos Pinot Noir 2009 - One of three single-vineyard Pinots by this arm of the Wagner Family of wines, the fruit was sourced from the Clark and Telephone Vineyards in Santa Barbara County's Santa Maria Valley.  Joseph Wagner - another 5th generation
winemaker - produces Belle Glos wines, which are named Lorna Belle Glos Wagner, wife of founder Charlie and Chuck's mother.  This 100% Pinot Noir is her favorite wine.

This dark wine brings an alcohol level of 14.4% abv to the glass.  The nose presents dark and burly fruit - black and blue berries - a familiar profile in red wines from the Santa Maria Valley.  The palate boasts black cherry cola - slightly sour - with a hint of minerality.  It's full in the mouth and sports great acidity.

Meiomi Pinot Noir 2009 - Joseph Wagner is also the winemaker for Meiomi, which means "coast" in ancient Indian languages.  Meiomi's vineyards are located in some nice coastal regions, Sonoma, Monterey and Santa Barbara Counties.  This Pinot has a lighter complexion than the Belle Glos with a  lighter alcohol content, too - 13.9% abv.

The nose is much brighter than the Belle Glos, with cherry and anise aromas in a very fruit forwrd manner.  A huge cherry expression dominates the palate and there's a nice tannnic structure with a great finish that darkens a bit, showing some coffee notes.  I'd have this with a steak.

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - The Caymus Vineyards are where it all began back in '72 for the Wagner Family.  Chuck Wagner is the winemaker for Caymus.  The famous Caymus Cab is produced using Napa Valley grapes - about one-fourth hillside fruit and three quarters from the valley.

Medium dark ruby in the glass, this wine has a fabulous nose with aromas of cassis and coffee - even an almost candy-like caramel component that wafts in and out while sniffing.  The currant comes through on the palate as well, and the wine is rich and full.  The tannins are forceful and beg to paired with a great steak.  The alcohol content is a big 15.2% abv.  The Caymus Cab lists for $68.

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EXPLORING BEAUJOLAIS: COTE DE BROUILLY

Nicole Chanrion, Domaine de la Voûte des Crozes, Côte de Brouilly 2009 is made from 100% Gamay grapes, has an alcohol content of 13% and retails for $19. 

Kermit Lynch imports this wine to the US, and he tells a rather compelling story about the winemaker on his website. 

“When Nicole Chanrion began her career in the 1970s, convention relegated women to the enology labs and kept them out of the cellar - even her mother thought winemaking was man’s work - but she would not be deterred from her dream of becoming a vigneronne.  With six generations of family tradition preceding her, she grew up helping her father in both the vineyards and the cellar in the Côte-de-Brouilly, one of the southernmost crus of the northern Beaujolais. 

"Ever since taking over the family domaine in 1988, she works all 6.5 hectares entirely by herself, from pruning the vineyards and driving the tractors to winemaking and bottling, all without bravado or fanfare. 

"In 2000 she became president of the Côte-de-Brouilly appellation, a position of respect and importance among peers. It’s small wonder then that she is affectionately referred to as 'La Patronne de la Côte,' or the Boss of la Côte."

The Côte-de-Brouilly appellation is a small part of the larger Brouilly Cru.  Lynch describes the Côte-de-Brouilly appellation as sitting "on the hillsides of Mont Brouilly, a prehistoric volcano that left blue schist stones and volcanic rock along its slopes. These stones yield structured wines with pronounced minerality and great aging potential."

According to Lynch, the traditional methods of the Beaujolais are employed by Chanrion -hand harvesting, whole cluster fermentation, aging the wines in large oak foudres for at least nine months, and bottling unfiltered.  "The resulting wines," says Lynch, "are powerful, with loads of pure fruit character and floral aromas.”

An intriguing fruity nose shows blackberry and currant.  There's dark fruit on the palate too, joined by some really nice oak spices, like clove, anise and some vanilla.  There's a very nice acidity and a healthy dose of minerals, too.  The tannins are noticeable but not too strong.  The wine is quite dry and has a lengthy finish that is more than welcome to stay awhile. 

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STARS OF SANTA BARBARA 2012 TASTING EVENT

If you attend wine tasting events in Southern California, you are no doubt acquainted with Ian Blackburn's Learn About Wine offerings.  If you are not, you should be.  Blackburn stages hundreds of events each year, from small to large, at which you can broaden your palate and, as the name implies, learn about wine.

The STARS series of events are some of the large scale tastings hosted by Blackburn.  The STARS of Santa Barbara event makes a lot of folks look forward to January.  

The 2012 edition of the STARS of Santa Barbara event will be staged at the Peninsula Hotel, 9882 S. Santa Monica Boulevard in Beverly Hills.  The January 26th date features a trade tasting session from 2:00 - 5:00 p.m. and the grand public event from 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.

Some of the Santa Barbara County wineries and vineyards participating in the 2012 event include Alma Rosa, Bien Nacido, Bonaccorsi, Buttonwood, Brewer-Clifton, Brophy Clark, Byron, Cambria, Coquelicot, D'Alfonso-Curran, Fontes & Phillips, Foxen, Gioia, La Fenetre, Martian Ranch, Palmina, Reeves Ranch, Riverbench, Tercero, Thorne, William James and Zaca Mesa.

If you want to learn more about Santa Barbara County wines, or just revel in what you already know about them, the STARS of Santa Barbara event is an event you should have on your tasting calendar.

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TASTING PANEL MAGAZINE SPARKLING ROSE EVENT

People say Champagne should not be reserved for special occasions, that we should drink it all the time.  I'd be alright with that, if it weren't for the fact that I like the variety of the wine world and I often have only one glass a day.  I usually go for a still wine, given the limitations.  

Sparkling wine corks don't pop as often as they should at our place, but that's my choice and I'll live with it.

It was especially nice, considering my wanting Champagne ways, to be invited to The Tasting Panel Magazine's tasting event featuring about three dozen sparkling rosé wines from France and California.  The event was held during the afternoon of December 15, 2011 at Waterloo & City in Culver City, CA.

The elegance of sparkling rosé is undeniable.  The variance in color, taste and aroma is quite noticeable when given the opportunity to sample so many side-by-side.  Those in attendance were buzzing about their favorites.  Much of the talk I overheard centered around the most expensive examples being poured, naturally.  Even among wine trade and media types - maybe especially among them - it's a rare treat to sample a $300 bottle Champagne.

There were, however, plenty of much more affordable bottles on display with as much presence on the palate as the top-shelf stuff.  I did hear quite a few comments on some of the mid-range wines, and I imagine a few mental notes were being made for the next time a sparkler would be purchased.

The wines started in the $14 range and went up from there.  I'm listing here the ones I found to be well above expectations, and I've noted the ones I thought were exceptional sparklers.

Here are the bubbles that really tickled my fancy:

Scharffenberger Cellars  

NV Brut Rosé, Mendocino County ($23)

A nose of earthy fruit and tasting of minerals and orange peel, this was possibly the best value in the room.  Great finish.

Exceptional.  Best value.

Roederer Estate

NV Brut Rosé, Anderson Valley ($27)

It's earthy and spicy, with a hint of tartness.

Schramsberg

NV Mirabelle Brut Rosé, North Coast ($27)

Flinty and yeasty on the nose with a raspberry and citrus palate.

Domaine Carneros  

NV Cuveé de la Pompadour Brut Rosé, Napa Valley ($35)

Aromas of smoke and toast lead to beautiful cherry and mineral flavors.

Exceptional

Frank Family  

NV Blanc de Noirs, Napa Valley ($43)

A light golden tint with an earthy nose and fabulous almond notes in the flavor profile.

Exceptional

Argyle

2008 Brut Rosé, Dundee Hills ($50)

Muted wild cherry aromas with a really dark fruit expression.  Creamy, with a hint of coffee.  Heavy on the Meunier.

Heidsieck and Co.  

NV Monopole Rose Top Brut Rosé ($50)

Pink salmon color with a tangy taste of strawberry and tons of fizz. 

Exceptional

Piper-Heidsieck  

NV Brut Rosé Sauvage ($55)

Almost red, this beauty tastes of toast and cherries.

Exceptional

Pommery  

NV Brut Rosé ($55)

Hardly any color at all, it's extremely bubbly with the smell and taste of nutty apples.

Moët & Chandon 

NV Brut Rosé Imperial ($59)

Deep salmon color, with a lovely, dry, strawberry/apple flavor.

Exceptional

G.H. Mumm

NV Brut Rosé ($75)

Salmon-colored, with a funky nose and earthy berries on the palate.

Delamotte 

NV Brut Rosé ($90)

Very pink salmon hue, with red berries and a splash of citrus.

Exceptional

Billecart-Salmon  

NV Brut Rosé ($99)

Just a "pinkish hue" with a yeasty nose and nutty, tropical flavors.

Exceptional

Bollinger

NV Brut Rosé ($100)

Light salmon in color, the nose is an earthy strawberry/banana while the palate shows tart lemon balanced with a sweet note.

Nicolas Feuillate  

2003 Cuveé Palmes d'Or Brut Rosé ($200)

Very deep pink with a striking nose and palate of smoke and cherries.  An explosive palate in an "alligator skin" bottle.  

Exceptional.  My favorite.

Krug

Brut Rosé ($299)

Very light pink, it tastes of earthy peaches.  Quite dry with an excellent finish.

Exceptional

Perrier-Jouet 

2004 Belle Epoque Brut Rosé ($300)

More orange than pink, the toasty nose leads to a taste of nuts and sweet apples.

Exceptional

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BLOOD OF THE VINES: THE MAN FROM HONG KONG

Wine Goes To The Movies with

Now And Zin and Trailers From Hell!

"The Man From Hong Kong" is cited as the first Australian/Hong Kong production in cinematic history, as well as the first Australian martial arts film.  Trailers From Hell guru Brian Trenchard-Smith got his directorial start with this film, and he has some nice tidbits to offer in his TFH clip.

A martial arts movie with fists a-flying and kicks a-plenty, "The Man From Hong Kong" stars Jimmy Wang-Yu and George Lazenby.  Lazenby plays a bad guy, as opposed to the good guy he played in "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."  You may have heard of that character before.  Bond.  James Bond.

The co-stars apparently had some bad luck doing their own stunts.  Lazenby's arm was burned while trying unsuccesfully to remove a flaming jacket in one scene.  The experience probably left him shaken, not stirred.  Wang-Yu was knocked silly in a fall from a hang glider.  

Trenchard-Smith is reported to have barely escaped injury when an exploding cars' door flew farther than expected and nearly clobbered him.  Ah, all in a day's work.  That's show biz.  Get my agent on the phone.

The action is practically nonstop in this movie, so if you like your Kung Fu heavy on the physical stuff, load up the DVD.  There are only about 18 minutes of dialogue in the 100-plus minutes the film runs.

Pop music afficionados will note that the song "Sky High," by the one-hit-wonder Jigsaw, was used over the credits.  The music often adds a lot to a furious fists a-flyin' flick, but this choice seems fairly anemic and after-market.  It's as if it had been decided afterward that a hit song was needed somewhere in the mix.  It's energetic, and "blown it all sky high" certainly fits the action film mold.  It's no "Eye Of The Tiger," though.

Now, for a wine to sip while watching a martial arts movie.  We've had tougher assignments than this.  It didn't take long to find a Hong Kong connection to fit the bill.  The trouble is, the bill is too high.  Sky high.

The 8th Estate Winery bills itself as Hong Kong's only urban winery.  They source grapes from Australia, Italy and Washington state and ship them to Hong Kong after flash-freezing them.  This, I suppose, allows their label to say "product of Hong Kong."  It's an expensive way to 

make wine, and it shows on the winery's website.  There, they announced their Christmas sale: "$1200 for 6 HK wines!!"  Pardon my gasp.  If you find yourself in Hong Kong wanting to do a tasting there, it's only $80 for a flight of four.  That's even pricier than Napa Valley.  An Asian social/food site claims the wait time for a table at the winery is one minute.  No doubt.  Who can afford to stay longer?

Now let's explore some wines from a little lower on the sales shelf.  Hong Kong is in love with Bordeaux, and "The Man From Hong Kong" was an Aussie venture.  Maybe we can find some suitable wines that don't kick quite so hard at the wallet as those Hong Kong imports.

Furious Fists Find More Affordable Wines

K&L Wines shows a shipping container full of Bordeaux for less than $20 per bottle.  The 2008 Trebiac Graves is said to taste like a $30 bottle, which is a good impersonation for a $14 bottle to carry off.

The comedy troupe Monty Python once cited the fictitious "Melbourne Old-And-Yellow" as a "good fighting wine," particularly in hand-to-hand combat.  Australia's Fighting Gully Road is a winery located in Beechworth, Victoria.  They do a little Shiraz, but their vineyards are planted mostly to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.  Their Shiraz goes for $32, their Pinot for only $25.

It should be easier to find Mollydooker's 2010 "The Boxer" Shiraz, a South Australian wine with amazing power.  $24

If the Man From Hong Kong had shopped around a little, perhaps he wouldn't be quite so angry.

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FEUDO ARANCIO SYRAH SICILY

Feudo Arancio is a Sicilian winery owned by the large producer Gruppo Mezzacorona.  Their 1,700 acres of vineyards are located on Sicily's southern coast, and the winery specializes in single-variety wines including Grillo and Nero d'Avola, in addition to the Syrah I'll write about here.

I had the Arancio Syrah at the Los Angeles Italian eatery Fabroncini, near Beverly Glen and Mulholland.  It's a favorite place for Denise and I to drop in for some great Italian food and wine.  They sell the Arancio Syrah for $8 by the glass, and it appears to be available for about that price by the bottle in retail.

The waiter did not recommend the wine very highly, but I love Syrah and don't get the chance to experience it in its Italian form very often.  I waved off his admonition and ordered it anyway.  I'm glad I did.

It's very inky in the glass, with a nose that is just as dark.  Herbal notes lace around a tarry aroma with blackberry fruit on display, although it is not so pronounced as one might expect in a California or Australian Syrah.

The flavor of blackberry and black cherry dominate the palate, however, and there's a little tar evident.  Licorice notes join a very nice minerality and the acidity is in top form.  The tannic structure is very soft, possibly not what many Syrah lovers may like.  I find it quite nice, and at less than $10 per bottle retail, it's a great wine to look for when you're in the mood for an easy-drinking, food-friendly Italian.

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