Beer From Alaska

I am still waiting to find a wine from Alaska for the Now And Zin Wine Country series - one should be on the way - but in the meantime, a beer from the 49th state has appeared.  The sample was provided to me by the brewery.

Alaskan Brewing Company is unveiling a new limited release series of beers.  Their Hazy Bay Juicy IPA should be in stores in 25 states now, if they haven't been snapped up along with all the toilet paper and hand sanitizer.  The brewery describes their new creation as "a citrusy and tropical fruit explosion of hops and drinkability based on the New England Hazy IPA beer style."  They say the Limited Release series allows them to experiment with new styles and ingredients.

Hazy Bay Juicy IPA is brewed with hops such as Mosaic, Citra and Simcoe and Sultana, which all have juicy, citrus flavors.  The hops are heavily used in the dry-hopped stage with two dry-hopping additions during fermentation.  Alaskan-grown white wheat from the VanderWeele Farms in Palmer, Alaska gets credit for the soft mouthfeel.  Hazy Bay IPA is made from glacier-fed water and features Pale, Victory, Munich, and C-30 malts, brumalt, unmalted oats.  Alcohol tips 6% abv.

The Hazy Bay Juicy IPA pours up amber-orange and - as promised - hazy.  The hops are all there on the nose, piney and citrusy.  The palate is rich and smooth, with a touch of bitterness on the apricot flavor.  The aftertaste is golden and malty.  This is a great beer to keep in mind when the warm months roll in.  It'll go just fine with yard work. 

ABC says they are looking at midsummer 2020 for the release of the new Fireweed Blonde, the next beer in their Limited Release series.  That one will be a little lighter in alcohol.  Another IPA is planned for autumn, Stratasphere, a Strata-hopped IPA.

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Blood Of The Vines: Low Budget Slashers

Aah, low-budget slashers this week on Trailers From Hell.  There is nothing like pairing wine with a film that drips with Burgundy-red blood.  Are those Bordeaux stains on your smock?  Tell Chuckie to go to hell, and take his trailer with him.  Leave the bottle.

Alice, Sweet Alice got the director not only charged with obscenity but excommunicated, both in the state of New Jersey.  Who knew Jersians would be so upset over a little blood?  Brooke Shields debuts here, before gliding into a career in film’n’fashion, where the wine, bubbles and sometimes tequila flow like a fire hydrant.  Brooke now says she has a glass of water for every drink.  I knew a guy who claimed to "run a mile for every one of these," as he held up a Rob Roy.  I always imagined him running a marathon before work each day.  This film had several different titles - which is the hallmark of quality - one of which was Communion.  Is Alice, Sweet Alice an indictment of the church, child abuse, the death of the family or psychiatry?  Have fun guessing, while I focus on the wine. 

Fat Bastard's Bloody Red is a French GSM that’s really marketed for Halloween, but it works here as well.  The Spanish Alice Crianza has a slasher-style font on the label and pours up just as red.

Everyone has different hot-button phobias - clowns, spiders, Mr. Peanut.  For me it's mannequins.  Mannequins are creepy.  So are people who trespass in a room filled with mannequins.  So are people who go skinny dipping when their car breaks down after their friend was killed by mannequins.  Tourist Trap has enough "Don't go in there" moments to fuel a spoof.  Maybe there should be someone yelling that phrase outside the theater.  Forget about pairing a wine.  Just gimme a drink.  Orin Swift makes a Chardonnay called Mannequin, which comes complete with a label depicting a multitude of showroom dummies.  Creepy.

Spider Baby ups the ante on creepiness.  It reminds me that children eating spiders is one of my hot-button phobias.  The movie stars Lon Chaney, Jr., and to quote Warren Zevon, "his hair was perfect."  Not so perfect was his decision to leave a houseful of mentally defective creatures alone for a bit.  When he warns them to "behave" while he's gone, you can see the good ship U.S.S. Trouble steaming into port.  A guy in Bristol, UK had the perfect pairing when he bought a bottle of plonk that had a spider in it.  You really can't depend on getting a bug in your wine these days, so let's look for one on the label.  Australia's Spitting Spider Shiraz works for me.  Just don't have me look up any wines for clowns.  Or Mr. Peanut.



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Sweet Wine From Bordeaux

Sauternes is a city in France's Bordeaux region. It is also an appellation exclusive to sweet, golden dessert wines made largely from Sémillon grapes.  Sweet white wine is not everyone's cup, but anyone who likes a good dessert and a good glass of wine should not object to having them in the same serving.  However, sweet Bordeaux wines are for more than dessert.  Start a meal with them, an aperitif, or pair them with your main courses.  Try to pair sweet wines with something salty or savory for a great balance.

Chateau La Rame Sainte-Croix du Mont 2015

 The sweet wine of Chateau La Rame comes from the vineyard in Sainte-Croix du Mont.  The vines average 50 years of age and the Sémillon grapes are hand harvested with successive pass-through.   The soil contains fossilized oyster beds which seem to impart a distinct minerality to the wine.  It's aged mainly in stainless steel tanks, with a little less than a third aged in French oak barrels.  The wine retails for $20.

This rich, golden, sweet wine smells like honey and dried apricots. There's a layer of earthy minerals, a chalkiness, that beautifully counterpoints the sweetness.  On the palate, a viscous mouthfeel carries marmalade-like fruit flavors along on a subtle wave of acidity.  This is dessert on its own, but why limit such a wonderful wine?  Have it with hard cheese, almonds or a lobster roll.


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1849: The Wine's As Good As The Label

The 1849 Wine Company puts as much into their labels as their wine.  I am actually rather turned off by eye-catching labels, my knee-jerk reaction when I am hit with marketing techniques.  I must admit, though, that their label art is striking.

The wine company describes their fascination with the bottle as drawing "inspiration from the contemporary art movement of the 21st century."  The graphics are provided by Los Angeles street artist Saber, whose work is as political as it is attention-getting.

"But," you might ask, "what of the wine inside?"

I'm glad you asked.  The winery boasts that they pride themselves on "creating California wines of the highest quality and expression," while championing the artistic endeavor.  I found, after tearing my eyes away from the label and sampling the juice, that they have met their goal.

Declaration, their 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, was blended in St. Helena from "Napa Valley vineyards," although the company does not publish much information about the wine.

Declaration was aged in barrels made from French, Hungarian and American oak, 30% of which was new while 70% was previously used.  Alcohol checks in at a lofty 15% abv and the retail price is up there as well, at $80.

This dark wine has a gorgeous nose - blackberry, cherry, lavender, graphite, vanilla and sweet oak spices laid out with great care.  The palate is a delightful playground of dark berries and that Napa dirt, which doesn't seem all that dirty, really.  It still drinks fairly fruity and young, but has plenty of aging potential for the coming years.  After it sits awhile, you'll get a nice waft of smoke as you inhale on the sip.

1849 also makes a Sonoma County red blend.  The 2017 Triumph also has artwork by Saber and also hits 15% abv.  This one is a little easier on the wallet at $45.  It is a Bordeaux-style blend, presumably of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot.  There may be some Malbec and Cab Franc in there, but I couldn't say for sure.  The winery isn't very good at putting together a tech sheet.

Triumph's nose has some mild funk on it, with touches of campfire and earth.  The palate is youthful and fruity with a firm set of tannins and a fresh acidity.  The flavor profile does open up after a few minutes in the glass, revealing notes of beef jerky, black olives and forest floor.  It's an interesting wine which becomes more complex as it gets air.

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Blood Of The Vines: More Movies You Never Heard Of

Trailers From Hell is featuring more movies you never heard of this week, so my wine selections should be easy pairings - more wines you never heard of.  Wine aficionados and movie buffs say those are the best ones, anyway.  Everybody likes to think they are a cult of one.  In my younger days, music at my place was like "stump the band."  If you had ever heard it anywhere else, it wouldn't find my turntable.  My fondness for Bruce Springsteen's music knew no limits in those years, but diminished with each of my friends who signed on as believers.  Oh, I still liked him as a superstar, it just wasn't the same with everyone else on board. 

Admiral is a 2014 South Korean film, one of the many which did not receive an Academy Award for Best Picture.  The South Korean director who did win mentioned that he would proceed to drink until dawn.  That is something, I am told, directors are sometimes given to do - whether they win an Oscar or not.

Admiral Yi Sun-sin has just 13 battleships against a 300-ship Japanese fleet in the Battle of Myeongryang.  So this is a movie you've never heard of, as well as a movie the details of which you cannot pronounce.  Perhaps it pairs with a Scotch whisky, most of which no one can pronounce, either, like Bunnahabhain.  Or an ornery beer, like Westvleteren 12.  Let's get sweet with a German Riesling classified as Trockenbeerenauslese. 

From 2004, 800 Bullets is a Spanish film by director Álex de la Iglesias.  He is listed further down in the Iglesias Google search than Enrique, Julio and Gabriel combined.  Much further.  A film which is a tip of the Pale Rider hat to Spaghetti westerns should be an easy Italian choice, but hold on, amico.  Those films were shot in Almería, Spain, as was 800 Bullets, just across the Alboran Sea from Morocco.  A wine from the southern reaches of the Iberian peninsula? Sherry, perhaps!  Not unless granny was a stunt double.  Those daredevils deserve a strong, spicy, peppery red wine that lives it up and ages fast.  Break out a cheap Garnacha from anywhere in Spain.  Screwcap!  Action!

Documentaries often appear on lists of movies you haven't seen, and that goes double for non-narrative documentaries like 1992's Baraka.  Maybe you also didn't see the 2012 sequel, Samsara.  Filmed in 23 different countries, Baraka shows image after image after striking image, without many words.  As a wine writer, I am always looking for words to describe what I taste.  Pictures are for marketers, so they can grab your attention on a crowded wine store shelf with kittens and kangaroos and such. 

If you are adventurous enough to watch Baraka, you are probably adventurous enough to seek out the namesake Croatian wine, produced across the Adriatic Sea from Italy.  The Baraka Prisbus Riserva is a Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend that's been in the cellar for three years and sports a very conservative label, sans critters.

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Tanqueray Rangpur Gin

From time to time this wine site veers into other areas of interest for imbibers, like beer and gin.  I'm a big fan of a well-made gin, and Tanqueray always delivers.  Just ask Johnnie Johnson.  Tanqueray Rangpur is their latest creation - debuting about 14 years ago. 

This aromatic gin is made with Rangpur limes, which the distillery says are actually a hybrid between lemons and mandarin oranges, looking something like tangerines.  Tanqueray distills this citrus fruit with other botanicals "including bay leaf, ginger, and a fair amount of juniper."  The Rangpur lime itself is named after the Rangpur region in northern Bangladesh. 

Tanqueray is made by Cameronbridge Distillery, owned by Diageo.  They claim it is "arguably the oldest continually operating distillery in Scotland, and could be the oldest grain distillery in the world."  Tanqueray Rangpur clocks in at 41% abv and sold for $20 at a local grocery, where it was on sale at about $12 off the list.

Tanqueray Rangpur offers the zestiness of lime and juiciness of mandarin orange, just as promised by the distillery.  The extremely aromatic nose suggests that no lime is needed for a gin and tonic.  It’s a smooth gin, you can have it on the rocks.  It also fits well with tonic or club soda.  I tried a splash of sweet vermouth in it and was pleasantly surprised.


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Now And Zin Wine Country Series Stands At 45 States

What started as an idle thought - "can I taste wines from all 50 U.S. states?" - has become a personal mission.  Now And Zin's Wine Country series debuted nearly a decade ago, and we have now tasted wine from 45 states.  Just five to go - Alaska, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming.

Now And Zin's Wine Country started with a series about wines made from America's Norton grape, in which I sampled wine from Missouri, Virginia and Georgia for the first time.  I was surprised by the quality and fascinated by the notion of wine tasting across America.

If you can make good wine in California, that's expected - not that it's easy, but it seems that's what you're supposed to do with great soil and perfect weather.  Making good wine in areas of the country where nature isn't quite as accommodating is a real achievement.

I've heard from American winemakers about Indiana limestone, Cornell grape creations and moderating winds from - of all places - Lake Erie.  I've heard winemakers cry in anguish, "I want to make dry wines, but all my customers want is sweet!"

I've sampled mead from Montana and Maine, Muscadine from Alabama and Kentucky Cabernet Franc.  I've had a Super Tuscan-style blend from Arizona, mile-high wine from Colorado, amazing bubbles from Massachusetts, Michigan and Illinois, Zinfandel from Nevada and New Mexico, New York Riesling, New Jersey Merlot and North Carolina Chardonnay.

I've tried wine made from Vermont apples, Florida blueberries, North Dakota rhubarb, West Virginia blackberries and Hawaiian Maui pineapples.

There have been plenty of unexpected grapes, like Petit Manseng from Georgia, Carménère from Idaho, Traminette from Indiana, Eidelweiss from Iowa, Marquette from Minnesota and Catawba from Pennsylvania.

Two Nebraska wines are named after pelicans; a South Dakota winemaker uses Petite Sirah to take the acidic edge off the Frontenac.  There's Touriga Nacional growing in Tennessee.

Most of the wines for this series have been supplied by the winemakers for the purpose of the article, while some have been sent by friends of mine who had travel plans to a state I had yet to taste.  To all who have sent wine for this project, I offer my heartfelt thanks.

It has taken nine years to sample wine from 45 states, so the end is in sight.  Shipping wine in the United States has proven to be a stumbling block on more than one occasion.

Contacts made in Utah and Oklahoma have dropped out of sight, while responses are hard to come by at all from Alaska, Wyoming and Mississippi.  I am sure for some of these states, I'll probably have to find someone who makes wine in their garage.  Any Mississippi garagistes out there?

While we are on the subject, if you know a winemaker in the states which haven't been covered in Wine Country yet - Alaska, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah and Wyoming - please pass this article along to them.  Even if they can't ship to me, I'd love to hear from them.

Also, one state which has been left blank is California.  Of course, I sample a lot of California wine, so finding it isn't the problem.  I want to determine one wine or winery which is representative of California for this series.  If you have any thoughts, I'd love to hear them.  Comment here, email nowandzin@gmail.com or contact me on Twitter.


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Blood Of The Vines - Carquake!

This week's Trailers From Hell movies are about cars, in one fashion or another.  We do not recommend drinking and driving - of course - but, once you are home, unscrew the cap on something mechanical for your viewing pleasure.  You can take it out of the brown paper bag first, but don't bother with a glass.

1976's Car Wash was reportedly filmed at an actual car wash in L.A.'s Westlake neighborhood, at Rampart and 6th, a street corner now populated by strip malls, laundromats and a HoHo Chicken.  There's a 7-Eleven nearby, where you can probably find a suitable "bum wine" to go with the impoverished motif of the film.  However, if you are trying to steer clear of pop bottles, here's a wine for your dirty car.  Dirty and Rowdy Wines makes a Petite Sirah - a powerful grape which is strong enough to make a great bum wine, by the way, if it weren't so expensive.

The 1977 horror film, The Car, made a villain of a '71 Lincoln Continental - six years before Stephen King would do the same with a '58 Plymouth Fury.  The Car is a mean and murderous machine, but what really sets off the CHP is that it has no plates and the windows are tinted too dark.  The seemingly driverless car, for some reason, has it in for the little hick town that apparently makes dust for export to the rest of the world.  In the trailer, the car does more horn honking than the second person in line when the light turns green.  In the end, the car gets its comeuppance from a ruse that would make Wyle E. Coyote green with envy.  Continental Wines is a New York liquor store, and the many Lincoln wines are all midwestern bottles with a log cabin on the label.  To get the proper classic car connection for this film, Los Angeles car buff Peter Mullin makes wines from his family vineyard in Italy.  The bottles are adorned with vintage automobiles that look a lot less dangerous than the '71 Lincoln.

The star car in 1977's Grand Theft Auto is a Rolls Royce, which takes the sort of beating throughout the film that is usually reserved for a demolition derby.  Uh, spoiler alert … there is a demolition derby.  The Rolls carries a young couple as they elope to Las Vegas, where there will be plenty of time for wine.  There are now more Master Sommeliers in Sin City than in any other city in the world, so getting a recommendation shouldn't be a problem.  Ordering that wine in a restaurant, as someone who looks a lot like Opie, means you'd better have your ID with you.  For the Rolls Royce, only a Dom Perignon Champagne will do.  At least at first.  As the wear and tear on the vehicle mounts, you'll be looking for something cheap, in a box.  Nowadays people know GTA as a game, and in the recent edition, GTA V, there is a virtual wine called Costa Del Perro - coast of the dog - but you can only have that wine virtually, as a player in the game.  There is a Spanish Rueda wine called El Perro Verde - the green dog - but that seems like straying too far away.  A tip of the headset to the late L.A. legend The Real Don Steele, who has a role in the movie as - wait for it - a radio DJ.


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Greek Wine - Santorini

The Greek island of Santorini was created by a volcanic eruption some 3500 years ago.  This gave the isle not only a breathtaking landscape but also volcanic soil, which shows itself in the region's wine and food.

A recent gathering of folks who share an interest in the wines of Santorini was held at the wonderful Los Angeles restaurant Republique.  Along with a smattering of publicists in attendance was Andreas Spyrou of the Greek consulate in L.A.  He made it clear that he stands firmly in favor of Greek wine and food, particularly the esteemed Assyrtiko grape and the tomatoes, fava and capers which grow in the volcanic soil of Santorini.  It is a Protected Destination of Origin, Santorini is, and the representatives of the PDO say that the agricultural products which grow there have very special qualities.  Santorini tomatoes, known as tomataki, are tiny, corrugated, thick skinned fruit with a sweet taste and more vitamin C than ordinary tomatoes.

The grapes - the lean Assyrtiko, the aromatic Athiri, the delicate Aidani - combine to make wines that are truly Greek and truly special.  The wines which were poured were made from dry-farmed grapes, grown basket style to protect them from the windy conditions on the island.  All five wines are available in the $20 range.

The Santo Sparkling Assyrtiko 2015 is almost clear, with a slightly greenish tint.  It's nose displays peach, citrus, minerals, yeast, green apple and a hint of lemon.  It has a nice acidity, but quickly dissipating bubbles.

The 2018 Santorini Assyrtiko, 100% Assyrtiko grapes, has a subdued nose of ocean spray and the palate displaying minerals and citrus with a nice acidity.

Santorini Aspa 2018 has 75% Assyrtiko, 15% Athiri and 10% Aidani grapes.  The wine was vinified in steel and served three months in oak barrels.  It has a little more color than the pale wines that preceded it at the tasting.  The nose has honey-layered lemon-lime aromas while the palate shows nice depth with a good touch of oak, great acidity and a long finish.

The 2017 Santorini Assyrtiko Grand Reserve was made from only Assyrtiko grapes, fermented in oak and aged 12 months in oak and 12 in the bottle.  There is huge depth on the nose, not at all over-oaked.  The wine has a nutty, savory, quite lovely oak effect.  The palate is gorgeous - salinity with tangerine peel, a very good acidity and a lengthy finish.  This wine shows that Assyrtiko rivals Roussanne as my favorite grape.

For dessert, Santorini Vinsanto is 85% Assyrtiko and 15% Aidani.  The grapes were spread out under the sun for a week or so before pressing, which brings the sweetness out.  Vinsanto was vinified in stainless steel tanks and aged for three years in oak.  It's a simply gorgeous wine,  with a nose of raisins, brown sugar and caramel.  The palate is sweet, sweet and more sweet, with spicy dried fruit in the lead role.


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Wine I'd Like To Have Everyday - Madeira

Madeira was the wine of choice for many of America's founding fathers.  John Hancock and the other representatives of the 13 colonies, it is said, toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence with Madeira wine.  George Washington reportedly celebrated his inauguration as president of the young country with Madeira.  They say Thomas Jefferson toasted the Louisiana Purchase with the spirited wine.

Miles Madeira is part of the Blandy family's Madeira Wine Company, produced on the Portuguese island of Madeira since 1878, but before that, was known as Rutherford & Grant since 1814.  Madeira is made from the Tinta Negra grape, originally from Andalucia in the south of Spain and introduced to the island of Madeira during the 18th Century.  The Miles Madeiras are made in several different styles.

Miles 10 Year Old Dry Madeira

Vinified and fortified stainless steel tanks, this Madeira was aged in old American oak and naturally heated to mimic the process of shipboard transport.   Alcohol tips 19% abv and it sells for around $33.

The brownish-gold wine smells delightful, all raisiny and lemony and full of brown sugar.  The hearty palate shows the citrus beautifully and the acidity absolutely rips.  Pair with any kind of after-dinner eats, from chocolate to fruit to a cheese plate.  Or have it on its own, like the founding fathers did.


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Blood Of The Vines: Krazy Kidz

Kids have it tough.  Grouchy old mom and dad to deal with, school, endless soccer practice … all with no wine to help take off the edge.  They must find it terribly unfair that Mommy gets her medicine, but all they get is vaping and Tide Pods.

The Krazy Kidz in the movies featured this week on Trailers From Hell certainly didn't take any perceived injustices sitting down.  They, as the old expression goes, hit back hard.

The Children is a 1980 chiller which was caused critics to take their jobs at face value, criticizing nearly everything about the movie. From the writing to the acting to the special effects, scribes had a field day, using words like "nasty," "despicable" and "ugly" in their descriptions.  It was enough to drive a movie critic to drink. A yellow cloud of gas turns these Krazy Kidz into zombies for the new year, which might be where the idea for Dry February originated.  It's a whole different franchise, but some Walking Dead Red might make those zombies move a little quicker, to get to the bottle before it runs dry.

The poster for 1960's Village of the Damned states "Beware the stare that will paralyze the will of the world."  My only concern is that the stare will make Bronco wines even cheaper and more prolific than they already are.  By the way, the vomiting is supposed to happen AFTER you drink the Bronco wine.  These Krazy Kids use their glowing-eye superpowers to make other folks do horrible things - like stock up on white Zinfandel.

The Innocents made 1961 a little darker, with movie goers wondering if Deborah Kerr's character was scared, mental or just in need of a glass of wine or six.  One of the Krazy Kidz tells the governess early on, "Oh, we will have fun together, won't we?"  Not so fast, innocent breath.  Borrowing from another film, "Lady, you need a lot of drinks."  The lady worries that the estate is haunted by ghosts which have taken over the children.  That's right, she thinks they've been ghosted.

The easy pairing choice is for a ghost wine - a winery founded in the late 19th century and still operating in refurbished fashion.  And no, they do not operate with a skeleton crew.  That's reserved for Halloween.

Virginia's Gray Ghost Winery has a few white wines to uncork here, since faces are said to turn pale in the presence of ghosts.  Or after consuming a little too much wine.  The Innocents is an hour and a half long - pace yourself.


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A Nice Rosé From Hess

The grapes for the inaugural release of the Hess Select Rosé 2019 were specifically sourced and harvested to produce this debut wine.  The grapes were fermented in stainless steel, without oak influence in order to accentuate the crisp and expressive flavors.

Hess winemaker Dave Guffy says the pink wine goes best with food, and he recommends that you have yours with "sweet and salty combinations, like a prosciutto and melon salad."  The appellation appears on the label as "California," which doesn't tell us much about its origin.  Also, the winery seems tight-lipped about what grape varieties make up the wine, although I’m guessing it’s Pinot Noir.  The wine hits only 13.5% abv and sells for $12.

This salmon colored wine passes the "pretty test" - the first hurdle for any rosé - with no trouble.  The sniff test holds a bit of funky fruit.  Rather than simply ripe strawberries, there is a savory angle that is quite enticing.  The palate follows that path, but allows a bit more of the fruit to shine through.  It is a pleasant pinkie, with more than enough acidity for pairing with the usual suspects.

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Hollywood's Musso And Frank Grill: Wine, Martini, Steak

In the heart of Hollywood, there is a restaurant which has remained a constant for more than 100 years.  Musso and Frank Grill hit the century mark in September 2019, while collecting an "Award of Excellence for a Hollywood Restaurant" from the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.

Musso and Frank has been a favorite watering hole for thousands of Hollywood stars, writers, directors, and studio executives, starting with the one and only Charlie Chaplin.  On a smaller celebrity scale, they also see my wife and I from time to time.

The celebration continues in 2020 with the unveiling of a new signature red wine now being served to diners, the 2018 Peake Ranch Syrah.  The new vintage was blended by Musso and Frank General Manager and Wine Director Andrea Scuto.

The restaurant reports that Musso's 2018 Peake Ranch vintage was marked by the Santa Ynez Valley's "cool temperatures in the late summer and early fall, which provided ideal weather to allow the fruit to have great concentration, with healthy acidity and a good depth of flavor."  The wine was vinified by star winemaker Kevin Law out of Challen Vineyard in Santa Maria.

The Peake Ranch Syrah has a powerful, if mostly fruity nose accented by cardamom and baking spices.  The palate is rich and robust and the tannins are more than able to handle one of Musso and Frank's famous steaks.

The new 2018 Musso and Frank Peake Ranch Syrah is available only at the restaurant, by the bottle ($70) or by the glass ($15) - as long as limited supplies last.  It's perfectly okay to have a glass of it in addition to their world-famous martinis.

Their martinis are possibly even more famous than their steaks.  I had one that was made with St. George Dry Rye Reposado Gin.  It's an interesting and offbeat gin, made with a base spirit of unaged rye, then rested in oak barrels which had previously held Grenache, Syrah, and Tannat wines.  The lightly tinted gin comes off a little spicy, with a hint of peaches and a whiff of wine.  It would probably be more suitable for an Old Fashioned or a Manhattan, according to head distiller Dave Smith.  St. George started small - as in "one guy" - in the California Bay Area in 1982.  Founder Jörg Rupf was that "one guy" and has since retired.  Master distiller Lance Winters now oversees St. George and its production.


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Blood Of The Vines: Russ Meyer

The late Russ Meyer's films are the epitome of excess.  Pairing a wine with them seems unfair to the wine.  It couldn't possibly keep up.  Whiskey might be more appropriate, or a shot of tequila or three, or a bottle of Captain Morgan and a liter of Coke.  However, I am sure we will stumble across a wine that leans into life like Meyer did.

Russ Meyer's IMDB page nicknames him "The Fellini of the Sex Industry" and "King Leer."  The sultan of sexploitation liked big breasts better than anything else.  His stint as a Playboy centerfold photographer in the 1950s may have steered him in that direction.  Playboy wine, direct from their recently launched wine club?  Why not?  For starters, anyway.

Meyer rued the day he started working on The Seven Minutes.  He later called the film "boring and tedious" - like a life of nothing but Chardonnay.  He said, "What the public wants are big laughs and big tits and lots of 'em. Lucky for me that’s what I like, too."  And who are we to argue with a cinematic genius?  This movie is mainly a talky courtroom drama - think Perry Mason with references to women's orgasms thrown in.  Spicy Zinfandel is a good grape for a spicy director, so try this movie with The 7 Deadly Zins.

The one-sheet for Mudhoney describes it as "a film of ribaldry and violence made from the juice of life."  That’s great, but we're looking for the juice of grapes here.  Mudhoney is the second of Meyer's mid-'60s B&W quartet - a Depression-era tale of loners, wife beaters, whorehouses and an insane preacher man.  Isn't it ironic that America banned alcohol just when it needed it most?  Get Mudhoney going with a wine from L.A.'s own San Antonio Winery, which was able to remain open for business during Prohibition by making sacramental wine.  Peace be with you.

Let's say you want to make a movie about an all-girl rock band whose members go to Hollywood to make it big.  They sink into sex, drugs and decadence even before they catch the Uber out of LAX.  Hello?  Mr. Meyer?  Beyond the Valley of the Dolls was tailor made for Russ Meyer's special brand of sex kitten sadism.  As their album cover claims, they're "looking up at the bottom," so we want to pair a wine that makes us feel all rich and safe and WHERE THE HELL ARE MY PILLS??  No bum wine here, we've got to keep up appearances.  Maybe a Ménage à Trois, Decadence, would go well with the general vibe here.  Cabernet with a splash of Merlot.  Groovy, man.


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Wine And Whales - NZ's Waipapa Bay

New Zealand is known in the wine world for the country's unique Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.  The cool, maritime climate lends a wonderful acidity, particularly to the white wines. 

Native New Zealanders Brent and Shirley Rawstron have a thing about white wine grapes, and they are currently releasing not only a Sauvignon Blanc but a Chardonnay and Pinot Gris as well.  They gave their wines the name of a favorite local surf spot, Waipapa Bay, which also happens to be a great place to go whale watching.  The area lies between their Canterbury home and their vineyards in Rapaura - on the northern end of New Zealand's South Island.

Along with the Waipapa Bay 2019 releases, the winery has announced a partnership with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) - the nonprofit's first wine industry corporate sponsor.  WDC was founded in 1985 and now spans the globe to lead the charge on protections for whales and dolphins.  A spokeswoman for WDC says, "We are excited to receive the support of sustainably-focused businesses such as Waipapa Bay Wines."  The Rawlstons are just as excited about supporting WDC's efforts to end captivity, stop whaling, create healthy seas, and prevent accidental deaths in fishing gear.

Waipapa Bay Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2019

It is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, hits 12.5% abv in alcohol and sells online for less than $13.  This wine's nose bears the New Zealand standard for Sauvignon Blanc - grassy, herbal, grapefruity and a lanolin note thrown in to the mix.  The grapefruit comes on strong on the palate and brings the herbal stuff in through the back door.  Acidity is great and the finish is long and full of citrus.

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Blood Of The Vines: Kirk Douglas

Blood of the Vines is a tongue-in-cheek wine and movie pairing done in association with TrailersFromHell.com. 

The life of Kirk Douglas took him from a childhood dominated by a hard-drinking junkman father to adult years in which he lived in a Beverly Hills home with a wine cellar.  He was one of the world's biggest movie stars and most noted actors, and Trailers From Hell remembers him this week after his passing on February 5, 2020.

In the classic Spartacus, we find wine playing at least a supporting role since nobody wanted to drink the foul water in the century before Christ.  Even though the Roman Empire's plumbing system was a miracle of its day, the lead pipes that carried the water to citizens would much later be shown as a bigger health hazard that gladiating.

Douglas, as Spartacus, worries that he and his men "look for wine when we should be hunting bread."  Nick Dennis, as Dionysius, replies that, "When you've got wine, you don't need bread," which is an interesting take on what may have been the earliest recorded drinking problem.  Eat something, Dionysius!

Australia's Karrawatta Wines makes a red blend called Spartacus, apparently just because the name is catchy.  Also, as a tip of the hat to the notion that Spartacus hailed from what is now Bulgaria, there's a Bulgarian Cabernet Sauvignon named for him.  It appears to be such a great bargain that it is out of stock on the website.

What is the best wine to pair with a movie night featuring Spartacus?  Let him tell it.  When his men were arguing over which region produced the best wine, Spartacus ended the squabble by telling them, "You’re all wrong; the best wine comes from home, wherever it is."  Spartacus said it, I believe it.

For Ace in the Hole, Douglas plays a New York newspaperman whose life comes apart, prompting him to quit drinking and move to Albuquerque.  He might have paraphrased Bugs Bunny to say that he made a wrong turn at Wichita Falls, but his sobriety seems to have robbed him of his sense of humor.  Anyway, he goes on to become Albuquerque's number one media whore, showing enough heartless conniving to qualify him for a MAGA hat.  He blew into town blustering that he was a $250 newspaperman who could be had for $50.  Here’s a $50 Champagne you can have for $250 - Armand de Brignac's Ace of Spades.  Not a great bargain, but if you need to bribe an elected official in Albuquerque, this might do the trick.

Paths of Glory has Douglas heading up a suicide mission in WWI.  French foot soldiers in the Great War were given a daily ration of a half-liter of wine per day - Pinard, according to the label.  Nowadays pinard is still a French synonym for plonk, or bad wine.

French soldiers attacking the German "Anthill" position make for some lovely pairing possibilities.  Rhône and Riesling?  Bordeaux and Blaufrankisch?  Beaujolais Nouveau and Blue Nun?  Or, anything from Sonoma County's Anthill Farms could suffice.

Douglas was directed by Stanley Kubrick in Paths of Glory (and in Spartacus) and the actor told Variety just before his 100th birthday that Kubrick was a bastard, albeit a talented one.  Lift a glass of Fat Bastard wine or a flute of sparkling plonk for this screening.


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Wine Goes To The Movies: Blood Of The Vines

Now And Zin Wine is pleased to announce a new series of wine articles in conjunction with TrailersFromHell.com.

The series is called "Blood Of The Vines," and will appear each week on the Trailers From Hell blog and Now And Zin Wine.  Randy Fuller presents wine and movie pairings - in tongue-in-cheek fashion.  Here is the Blood of the Vines for Kirk Douglas week.

In case you don't know about Trailers From Hell, it's the brainchild of film director Joe Dante.  On the site, Joe and other movie "gurus" screen movie trailers and add some personal comments about the films in question.  It's highly entertaining, and highly addictive.  Browse the library of titles and see for yourself - betcha can’t watch just one!

Many of the movie gurus are wine lovers as well as film lovers, so this pairing of two different parts of the blogosphere came easily.  We hope you find the pairings entertaining, too.

Trailers From Hell began as a haven for horror movie fans, hence the hellish blood references and preponderance of horror movie titles in the trailer library.  Over time, the site has broadened to include other types of Hollywood offerings besides the horror genre.  It is there, though - in monsters and mayhem - where the roots of Trailers From Hell remain.

Now And Zin has dabbled in mixing wine and movies before - "never mix, never worry" - and we're starting to get a taste for it.  We'd love for you to check out "Blood Of The Vines" on Now And Zin Wine or the Trailers From Hell blog, From Hell It Came, as wine goes to the movies.


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Australian Winemaker Helps Fire Victims

Australia's recent trouble with wildfires - 42 of them the last time I checked, 17 burning out of control - have prompted an outpouring of love from around the world.  It has also prompted at least one Aussie winemaker to donate the proceeds of the pouring they do in their tasting room to help in the effort. 

Two Hands Wine is donating, for a two-month span, the take from their Cellar Door tasting fees to the victims of the Cudlee Creek fires near Adelaide.

Publicist Donna White tells me that Australian Red Cross has, since July, assisted more than 18,600 people affected by the fires.  The New South Wales-based Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc., Australia's largest wildlife rescue organization, is accepting donations to fund the rescue and care of animals affected by the fires. Learn more at wires.org.au.

Two Hands Wine makes a bottling which they call Angels' Share Shiraz.  Medieval winemakers believed that angels watched over the wines, and that they took a share as payment.  It's a reference to the small amount of wine that evaporates from barrels while the wine is aging.

The Two Hands Angels' Share Shiraz 2018 was made from McLaren Vale fruit, in what the winery calls "a true Australian style that will appeal to both angels and mortals alike."  During the 16 days of maceration, the wine was pumped over three times a day to get the most color, flavor and tannic structure from the grapes.  Once the wine was in barrels, malolactic fermentation occurred.  The wine was unfined and unfiltered before bottling.  The wine aged for 14 months in oak which was 12% new American, with the balance being one to eight-year-old American and French oak.  Alcohol is somewhat typical for a wine down under at 14.2% abv.  The retail price sticker reads $30.

This wine is delicious.  It offers a nose of black and blue berries, shoe leather and a hint of black olives.  It’s a deep, rich bouquet.  The flavors are similarly dark, with berries leading the way again.  Black pepper and a nutmeg note also appear, with the fruit staying long on the finish.  There is a good tannic structure, easily enough for a steak or a beef stew.  The oak regimen was nearly all previously-used barrels, so the oak effect is quite nice, not a bit overdone.  Actually, the oak does exactly what oak is supposed to in a wine - accent it and highlight the grapes, not bulldoze them.


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The Wine Of The Sheep: Pecorino

Italy's Abruzzo region is known mainly for sheep and agriculture.  It is only fitting they would have a grape that marries both.  Pecorino is "the grape of the sheep."  The name of the Umani Rochi wine made from that grape, Vellodoro, means roughly the Golden Fleece sought in myth by the Argonauts.

Inside Abruzzo, nestled in the foothills and bathing in the waves of the Adriatic Sea, is the Terra di Chieti IGT.  White wines are the specialty of the region and Pecorino is the primary grape there, although Umani Ronchi grows largely Montepulciano in the deep, sandy clay soil of their Abruzzo vineyards. 

Umani Ronchi Terra di Chieti Pecorino Vellodoro 2018

The wine - a 100% Pecorino varietal showing the grape’s characteristic aromatics and high acidity - was vinified in stainless steel tanks and did not undergo malolactic fermentation, although it did rest on its lees for four months.  That contact with the spent yeast cells is what gives Vellodoro its weight.  Alcohol stays at 12.5% abv and it sells online for about $14.

This wine of the Pecorino grape displays a light floral note on the nose, but the show is its minerality.  Citrus aromas even take a back seat to the smell of wet driveway.  On the palate, lemon, lime and almonds play a bigger role amidst a ripping acidity.  Enjoy in the wintertime, but stick a bottle aside for when warm-weather foods take over.  

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NZ Chardonnay Mimics SB

New Zealand is known in the wine world for the country's unique Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.  The cool, maritime climate lends a wonderful acidity, particularly to the white wines. 

Native New Zealanders Brent and Shirley Rawstron have a thing about white wine grapes, and they are currently releasing not only a Sauvignon Blanc but a Chardonnay and Pinot Gris as well.  They gave their wines the name of a favorite local surf spot, Waipapa Bay, which also happens to be a great place to go whale watching.  The area lies between their Canterbury home and their vineyards in Rapaura - on the northern end of New Zealand's South Island.

Along with the Waipapa Bay 2019 releases, the winery has announced a partnership with Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) - the nonprofit’s first wine industry corporate sponsor.  WDC was founded in 1985 and now spans the globe to lead the charge on protections for whales and dolphins.  A spokeswoman for WDC says, "We are excited to receive the support of sustainably-focused businesses such as Waipapa Bay Wines."  The Rawlstons are just as excited about supporting WDC's efforts to end captivity, stop whaling, create healthy seas, and prevent accidental deaths in fishing gear.

Waipapa Bay Chardonnay Marlborough 2019

This wine is remarkable.  It is bottled under a screw cap, pings the alcohol scale at 13% abv and retails for about $13.

The nose on this New Zealand Chardonnay is so fresh and green that I thought I had inadvertently opened the Sauvignon Blanc.  Grassy, herbal aromas pop right out, with bright citrus, apple and stone fruit following.  The palate features lemon, grapefruit and apricot (!) with a racy acidity that adds to the freshness.  The wine has some heft to it - thanks to malolactic fermentation - so it plays well in the winter.  I am sure it will be just as welcome in the spring and summer.


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