The Mandurian Candidate - Primitivo

Manduria is a town in the region of Apulia, the heel of Italy's "boot." The warm climate brings the best out of the Primitivo grape, known in the province of Taranto as Primitivo di Manduria. In the US, particularly California, the grape grows under the name of Zinfandel. In Manduria, they like to think of the Puglia Primitivos as a pyramid, with the Primitivo di Manduria DOC at the top.
  

Mottura Vini Primitivo di Manduria Stilio 2019

This wine was made from grapes that were partially dried, reducing the water content by a quarter or so and leaving a much more concentrated flavor. Winemaker Teodosio D'Apolito works the magic with the fruit from the Mottura family vineyards. Aging took place over six months in French oak barrels, with another three months in the bottle. Alcohol hits 14.5% abv

This medium-dark wine has a nose of smoke, earth and pepper, on top of brambly red fruit. The palate is savory and supple, with red currant, coffee notes and a raspberry tartness. There is also a mocha sense which comes through after a bit of time in the glass. The finish is quite lengthy, and quite a joy to savor.  

Tenuta Giustini Primitivo di Manduria Acinorè 2019

The vineyards of 50-year-old bush vines were passed down through generations, and in 2006 the Giustini family started making wine from their grapes.  That's an extremely short duration, especially by European standards, but their decision to make wine has shown to be a good one.  The winemaking is done by Giuseppe and Salvatore Papadopoli.  Aging happened over six months time in small French oak barrels with another couple of months in the bottle.  Alcohol is quite high, normal for the wines of the region, at 15% abv.  

This wine's nose is a perfumed dream, all dark red fruit with a gorgeous layer of spice and herbs. After being open for awhile, smoke really takes over. The palate brings black cherry to the forefront on a wave of sage and a refreshing acidity. Pair it with some meatballs, now.  

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

A Trio Of Chianti Classico

Here are three fine examples of Chianti Classico wine from Italy's Tuscany region.  They were tasted and talked about during a recent virtual masterclass staged by wine guide Gambero Rosso International.  

Badia A Coltibuono Chianti Classico DOCG 2018

Badia A Coltibuono has been making wine since 1051, which is a long time to be open for business.  It makes waiting a year for a wine to age seem like not such an inconvenience.  The 970 years since the building housed a monastery have crawled by like snails in the morning dew.

This 2018 Chianti Classico is mainly Sangiovese, with a small amount of other supporting grapes in the blend.  Roberto Stucchi Prinetti says that he feels "Sangiovese needs a gentle hand" in the cellar, and he feels the nature of the grape is better displayed with lightly colored wines, which look more elegant.  This wine was aged 12 months in French and Austrian oak casks.  Alcohol sits at 13.5% abv.

This Chianti Classico is rather lightly tinted for a red wine, and if I had tasted it blind I might have been tempted to guess it was a rosé.  The nose has a basketful of fresh cherries in it, with a floral angle and just a hint of mocha and tobacco.  The sip reveals more luscious red fruit, leaning just off center into tartness, assisted by a bit of limestone chalkiness.  It sneaks along a little lighter than I expect a Sangiovese to sneak, and ends up making me think of the elegance of Pinot Noir crossed with the rusticity of warm-climate Syrah.  The acidity is fresh and the tannins firm.  Pair it with your favorite Tuscan dish.

Ricasoli Colledilà Chianti Classico Gran Selezione 2017

The Ricasoli winery has been guided since 1993 by Baron Francesco Ricasoli, who says he always keeps an eye on the ways of founder Baron Bettino Ricasoli, known as The Iron Baron.  He was a Prime Minister of the newly unified Italy in the 19th century.  For some 600 years the Ricasoli nobles defended Florence at Brolio Castle.  Times are a little easier now, so winemaking takes its proper place among priorities.  

The 2017 Ricasoli Colledilà Chianti Classico Gran Selezione was made from Sangiovese grapes which were grown in the rocky, limestone rich soil of the Colledilà vineyard.  Fermentation happened in open steel tanks before the wine was aged for 18 months in 500-litre Tonneaux, 30% of which were made from new wood while the rest were second-use.  Alcohol tips 14% and its average price is reported to be nearly $75.

The wine is colored a medium-dark ruby red and features a rich nose of black cherry, cedar, mocha, vanilla and tobacco.  The palate is hefty and dark - beefier than the Badia A Coltibuono - with flavors of cherry and currant joined by a dollop of licorice and some savory oak notes.  The tannins are fine and the acidity is refreshing.  There is a lingering sense of savory cherry on the lengthy finish.  I paired this wine with a roasted tomato and parmesan focaccia bread, although it probably would have been better suited to accompany the marinara meatballs I had for lunch.

Tenuta di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva 2017

Tenuta di Arceno is located near the medieval village of San Gusme in what was the heart of the Etruscan civilization.  Grapes have been turned into wine here since the 16th century.  In the 1990s, Jess Jackson bought the property, which had changed hands only a few times in a millenium.  It was the first non-California property purchased by the late vintner.  

The estate runs from an elevation of a thousand feet to more than 1,700.  Most of the vineyards face the southwest, making for a warm climate in which the grapes can ripen.  Founding winemaker Pierre Seillan and American-born resident winemaker Lawrence Cronin have worked together at the estate for nearly two decades

The winery produces three Sangiovese wines under the Chianti Classico DOCG heading and three others under IGT Toscana, made from international grape varieties.  The 2017 Tenuta di Arceno Chianti Classico Riserva is composed of 90% Sangiovese grapes and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  The wine aged for two years total, ten of those months in French oak barrels.  It has an alcohol level of 14.5% abv and retails for $30.

This wine has a medium-dark garnet hue and offers a nose of black cherry, anise, vanilla and cedar.  On the palate, we find red fruit, a bit of tart cherry and savory notes from the ten months of oak aging.  The tannins are a little toothy, but will do a nice job on a steak. 

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Trebbiano Wine Under Another Name

Virtual wine tasting events are no stranger to me, especially in the era of COVID-19.  Get the box, open the box, log on and taste from home.  No social distancing to strain the process, no mask needed.  I was invited to take part in another online gathering of wine writers recently, to taste wines which have achieved the Tre Bicchieri - three glasses - status of Gambero Rosso International, the wine guide's highest accolade.

Perla Del Garda features on its website the words of the late Italian gastronome, Luigi Veronelli: "Wine is the song of the earth towards the sky."  Their 2017 Madonna Della Scoperta was made from the Turbiana grape - Trebbiano di Lugana - in the Lugana Superiore DOP.  Their vineyards are just south of Garda Lake, between Desenzano and Sirmione.  Alcohol rests at 13% abv and the retail price averages out to $21.

This wine has what I love about Italian whites - uncompromising minerality and salinity.  That's the nose in a nutshell, with a light touch of white flowers and a waxy feel.  The palate sports a nice lemon mineral note, with slightly racy acidity and a barely bitter finish.  I paired it with pierogies and minestrone.  Happy.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Blood Of The Vines - RIP Yaphet Kotto

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌  This week, we remember Yaphet Kotto - Bond villain, space alien fighter, homicide detective, along with many other memorable roles.  Rest in peace, Mr. Big.

TFH guru Larry Cohen wrote and directed 1972's Bone, with Kotto playing the title role.  Cohen has remarked that Bone "cuts to the heart of racial prejudice...where the white man has a fear of the black man's sexuality."  Yeah, especially when the man is named "Bone," I would imagine.  Would you fear violence from a man named "Killer?"  Would you fear bad hair from a man named "Butch?"  Would you fear terrible political decisions from a man named "Kanye?"  I’m guessing you would.

Boneshaker Zinfandel is produced by the Hahn Family from a vineyard in Lodi, California.  It is intense, much like many of Kotto's roles, Bone included.  You can probably find it for less than $15 and have it with a T-bone steak.

The 1978 crime drama Blue Collar has some laughs in it, provided by Richard Pryor.  Kotto gives the film a load of pathos in his role as Smokey James.  They and a third man all have their reasons for wanting to rip off the auto workers union.  The safe is bare, however, so it looks like someone beat them to it.  An exposé unfolds, with Kotto getting an early exit from the movie.  Did someone make off with the union’s health care funds?  Tune in and find out.  It's cheap to rent.  

While looking for a "blue collar" wine to pair with Blue Collar, it occurred to me that a so-called "blue collar" imbiber might not look for the same things in a wine that a wine writer does.  I poked around and found choices like having a Cab with a couple of ice cubes thrown in, a Chardonnay mixed with a Sprite and (gasp) making a white Zinfandel by blending Zin with Pinot Grigio.  McPrice Myers saves the day, though, with what he calls the Blue Collar Line, Paso Robles wines like High on the Hog or Bull By the Horns.  A twenty buck wine might be on a higher shelf than preferred by some blue collar workers, but hey - it's Paso Robles juice at a steal.

Truck Turner came out in 1974, amid the blaxploitation phase of American film.  Yaphet Kotto AND Isaac Hayes, in the same movie?  A gift from the drive-in gods.  Hayes is in the title role of a bounty hunter who goes after a skipped pimp named Gator.  Well, I'm sold.  Turn it on!  Kotto plays a revenge-minded pimp who tries to wipe out Truck, but finds, alas, the table turns on him.  It's hard out there for a pimp.

Bounty Hunter Wines has a full line of expensive bottles dedicated to various forms of justice - Blind Justice, Frontier Justice, Poetic Justice - all Napa Valley juice.  For the glittery pimp wine glass, you're on your own.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Two "Cru" Proseccos From Valdobbiadene

Virtual wine tasting events are no stranger to me, especially in the era of COVID-19.  Get the box, open the box, log on and taste from home.  No social distancing to strain the process, no mask needed.  I was invited to take part in a Zoom gathering recently along with two dozen other wine writers.  

Most of the wines in the virtual events have achieved the Tre Bicchieri - three glasses - status of Gambero Rosso International, the wine guide’s highest accolade.  The interactive event was hosted by Lorenzo Ruggeri, the wine guide's international editor, with comments along the two-hour journey from each winery’s representative.  Ruggeri spoke from Rome at sunset, which was mid-morning in Los Angeles.

Biancavigna Conegliano Valdobbiadene Rive di Soligo Extra Brut 2019

The Rive di Soligo estate vineyard sits at an elevation of more than 1200 feet, in the hills of Conegliano, Valdobbiaddene, in San Gallo near Soligo.  Indigenous Selections says the "rive" refers to the steepness of the land, some at a 70% slope.  They call it, unofficially, a Cru Prosecco, with the Glera grapes grown on 25-year-old vines planted in the rocky, clay soil.  

BiancaVigna is owned by Elena Moschetta, with winemaking duties handled by her brother Enrico Moschetta.  Elena, who spoke in the virtual event, hadn't intended to make a career of wine, but she eventually answered the door when her destiny knocked on it.  Alcohol for the wine comes in at an easy 11.5% abv, with an average retail price of $14.

The wine has a pale yellow color and smells of apples and citrus.  The bubbles are frothy and reconstitute nicely with a swirl of the glass.  The palate brings a healthy dose of lemon and lime, with green apples also appearing in the mix.  The acidity is wonderful, adding to the pleasure of the sip and allowing for a variety of pairing options.

Borgoluce Valdobbiadene Rive di Collalto Extra Brut 2019

The Borgoluce winery was founded in 938.  Today's Proprietors are quite distant from the era of three-digit years.  They are a mother and her daughters - Trinidad, Giuliana, Ninni & Caterina Collalto.  Winemaker Elisa Confortin rounds out the female team to create this 2019 Rive di Collalto Extra Brut Prosecco Superiore, made from Glera grapes grown on the steepest slopes of the Collalto family's 160 acres of vineyards.  The wine was made sparkling through the Charmat method.  Ninni Collalto Facchinetti spoke during the event and represented her winery in a most excellent way.

2019 is the first vintage of Rive "Extra Brut;" which kicks in at an alcohol level of 11.5% abv.  The winery says their vineyard's soils are clay with a high concentration of calcium carbonate, on the steepest part of hill, at the southern edge of Valdobbiadene near the Piave river.  The wine was aged on the lees - the spent yeast cells - for five months.  The retail price is about $24.

The Borgoluce people say this Prosecco takes time in the glass to give up its full expression, but I like the citrusy, yeasty nose right away.  Lemon and minerals dominate the nose, while the acidity provides a ton of refreshment.  It paired well with a vegetable korma as well as an avocado and pepper sandwich.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

This Prosecco Brings More To Table Than Fun

Virtual wine tasting events are no stranger to me, especially in the era of COVID-19.  Get the box, open the box, log on and taste from home.  No social distancing to strain the process, no mask needed.  I am invited to take part in another online gathering of wine writers.  The series of events are staged by Gambero Rosso International.  All the wines to be tasted have achieved the Tre Bicchieri - three glasses - status, the wine guide's highest accolade.

Here is a sneak peek of today's first wine - the 2019 Bortolomiol Valdobbiadene Brut Ius Naturae Prosecco Superiore DOCG.

The Ius Naturae Prosecco Superiore features Glera grapes grown organically in the heart of Valdobbiadene, in the Parco della Filandetta area of northern Italy.  It is a Millesimato wine, meaning that the grapes all came from the same vintage.  The wine is made in the Martinotti-Charmat method for sparkling wine, in which the secondary fermentation occurs in tanks.  The alcohol content sits at 11.5% abv and the wine sells for around $14.

This bubbly is fun, as Prosecco is supposed to be.  It carries a pale golden color in the glass and gives up a nose that reminds me of lemon drops.  After a bit, green apples and apricots poke through the citrus extravaganza.  The bubbles are nice, but they don't last long.  On the palate, that promise of green apple shines through, and the acidity is as sharp as a tack.  Pair it with anything.  I chose pecan sugar cookies, butter crackers and hummus, and it worked every time.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Blood Of The Vines - Support Your Local Movie Star

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌  This week the TFH gurus spotlight a trio of films starring everyone's favorite movie star.  Get vaccinated - then watch James Garner. 

Burt Kennedy - a guy who had a way with westerns - directed 1971's Support Your Local Gunfighter.  Borrowing the story outline from Yojimbo, the film gets along with a lead actor who was better looking than Toshiro Mifune, spoke English and knew how to work a punchline.  Also, he didn't bring a sword to a gunfight, although he did ride a donkey to one.

James Garner stars as an amiable con man who turns up in the mining town of Purgatory, Colorado, joining both sides in a bitter business feud and playing one off the other.  His gambling addiction makes him go bust, but in the end it helps him find a fistful of dollars and a seat next to Suzanne Pleshette on the slow train to Denver.  Warning: tattoo removal by dynamite is something the kids shouldn't try at home.

Garner once owned a vineyard estate in the Santa Ynez Valley and reportedly bottled a Chardonnay, which he dubbed Chateau Jimbeaux.  He sold the property a couple of decades ago, so good luck finding any remaining bottles for sale.  California's Three Finger Wine Company makes a Mumbo Jumbo Chardonnay, which at least is still available.  Garner, however, chose marijuana as his drug of choice, not alcohol.  So you might pair a nice fatty - or a choice gummy - with any film starring Garner.

Also from 1971, Skin Game stars Garner alongside Lou Gossett in another western played for laughs.  The movie also plays slavery for laughs, which may not move the meters today like it did 40 years ago.  Garner even commented upon the "jokes about slavery" aspect of the film.  Then again, who ever thought anyone could make a comedy out of a Nazi prisoner of war camp?  Seriously, there's the guy who wrote the pitch for Hogan's Heroes and the guy at CBS who green-lighted the project.  Beyond that, I want to see a show of hands.

The team of Garner and Gossett took the confidence game to a new level, one in which the color of the game was indeed only skin deep.   In wine, it's the grape's skin which gives the juice its color.  Today's wine industry is being scrutinized in several areas of the globe for allegedly engaging in forms of slavery to get the grapes grown and picked. 

Valentina Passalacqua makes wine in Italy's Puglia region, and is called a rising star in the natural wine world. Her Calcarius brand was selling like crazy last year, until news broke that her father was said to be engaged in exploiting his migrant vineyard workers.  Is she complicit in crimes against society, or a victim of overreaching political correctness?  The jury is out, but her distributors mostly bailed on her last summer.

The Americanization of Emily probably had more slash marks in its description than any other movie in 1964.  A comedy/drama/romance/antiwar effort penned by Paddy Chayefsky, Emily viewed the American military through a Dr. Strangelove filter aimed at D-Day rather than doomsday. 

An unhinged officer wants the first casualty at Normandy to be a sailor, thereby beefing up the Navy's image.  In steps Garner, who serves in that role by being shot while trying to get the hell off of Omaha Beach.  He and his love interest, Julie Andrews, both said they felt Emily was the best of all the movies they had done.  It's hard to argue with them, but it's also hard to look away from Victor/Victoria, which co-starred the pair and offers another slash to the game.

To honor the 75th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion in 2019, the Boisset Collection released 6.6.44.  The red wine is a blend of numerous grape varieties from all over France and California.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

 

White Italian Wine From Lombardy

Ottella is located in the town of Peschiera del Garda, in a region called Lugana.  Lugana straddles two wine regions, mostly Lombardy with a bit sticking into Veneto.  Over the past decade or so, the acreage under vine in Lugana has tripled, while the quality of the wines have increased as well.

The Turbiana grape was known as Trebbiano di Lugano until scientists discovered that it was actually Verdicchio.  The grapes for the 2018 Lugana DOC Riserva Molceo were grown in the white clay vineyards of San Benedetto di Lugana.

The mostly whole bunch grapes are gently pressed, vinified, then aged for 16 months, mainly on the lees in steel tanks, with some more aging in wood.  The wine is contained in what looks like an oversized Port bottle, a bit taller, though.  Alcohol resides at 13.5% abv and the retail price is about $25.

This Lombardian white wine opens with a floral nose, which is quickly joined by the scent of apricots and grapefruit.  There is an overriding sense of salinity, with a touch of lanolin as well.  On the palate, that salinity comes bursting forth in a nutty, mineral-driven flavor.  The acidity is racy enough for shellfish but not sharp enough to hurt the taste buds. If you'd like a wine which comes on like an Albariño and then behaves like a Roussanne before becoming a Sauvignon Blanc, this wine should make you happy.  It made me ecstatic.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

From Finland To Paso Robles - Kukkula Wine

Paso Robles' Adelaida District is home to a winery estate with its roots in Finland.  

Kevin and Paula Jussila are on a wine odyssey which began nearly two decades ago in a small backyard vineyard in Southern California.  The Paso chapter of their story started in 2004 with the beginnings of kukkula wine - KOO-kuh-luh - the lack of capitalization is their choice.  Their name means "the high place" in Finnish.

Kevin's father was from Finland and the man left a lasting impression on his son, who reveres his dad, his birthplace and all things Finnish.  Paula says she is kukkula's co-owner and the winemaker's wife, but thinks of herself more as an enabler… enabling Kevin's dreams.  

Kevin began making wine in the 1990s, using grapes grown in his tiny Topanga vineyard.  Today, his wines have unusual names: Pas De Deux, Lothario and In The Red.  There are also names that reflect Kevin's Finnish heritage, like Aatto, Kaamos and Vaalea. The latter is kukkula's only white wine, a blend of Grenache blanc, Rous­sanne, and Viognier.  Some of the names look daunting, but the labels feature pronouncers to help the non-Scandinavian among us.

The kukkula estate is organic and dry farmed, which the Jussilas feel will allow them to "cre­ate wines of intense aro­mat­ics, fla­vors, and col­or, that are a true expres­sion of place, and the essence of their terroir."  They grow olives, too, and make olive oil and a delicious wine jelly in addition to their wines.  They have no distribution in the United States - their sales are mostly club-driven.  They are distributed in Finland, however, where the brand is highly respected.

The 2017 kukkula Aatto is made from the estate's specialty - Rhône grape varieties.  It contains 45% Counoise, 35% Mourvèdre and 20% Grenache grapes.  Counoise, in France, is typically used more sparingly as a minor component in a blend.  Its lead role in Aatto gives the wine a stylish, highly perfumed presence.  Aatto sports alcohol at 15.4% abv and it retails for $55.

The 2017 Aatto has a medium-dark garnet color with a slight brownish tint.  It pours up looking older than its four years.  The nose carries a strongly perfumed floral note as its banner - lilacs and oleanders come to mind.  Beneath that, dark fruit - currant, blackberry, plum - rise above the flowerbed.  Sweet spice - vanilla and cinnamon - play a minor role.  On the palate, it is a youthful show of the fruit that demands attention.  Tannins are firm and finely honed, and the acidity provides a lip-smacking delight.  This is a wine I would like to have with a pork chop or rosemary ham, but it could also handle beefy dishes.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twittter

Blood Of The Vines - Pulchritude On The Prairie

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌  This week's topic is Pulchritude on the Prairie, beauty in the backwater, good looks on the grassy plain.  The TFH topic picker bravely fought off a case of Zoom fatigue to come up with three films featuring women at their core.

The 1951 Western, Westward the Women, is about a sort of mail order bride service in the old West, an Uber-wife by Conestoga wagons.  140 women are taken from Missouri to California in what was apparently not a "gold rush" but a… well, some other kind of rush.  It's worth noting that the gals were on the wagon train by their own choice, not in a mass kidnapping designed to get 140 men hitched.  

There are perils, of course, along the way.  Director William A. Wellman navigates the group through breakdowns, crimes, punishments and assorted other hardships which plague them.  It's rather like Planes, Trains and Automobiles before there were planes, trains and automobiles.  Finally, they arrive at their destination, worse for wear and a few members light.

Also from Missouri, like these westward women, comes Stone Hill Winery's great bottling made from the Norton grape.  It was at one time America's heritage wine grape.  When my wife sniffed it, she said it smelled like history.  Westward the Women kinda does, too.  America's wine industry moved west as well.

The "revisionist western," 1954's Johnny Guitar, strayed from your standard western themes.  It prompted pundits to point out its veiled observations on McCarthyism and mob mentality.  Francois Truffaut called it a "phony western," although he admired it.  Maybe "phony" means something else in French.

The Arizona setting looks authentic enough, although a lot of the shooting was on soundstages.  They say Joan Crawford wouldn't allow any closeups to be shot unless it was in the studio, where the lighting could be better controlled.  Sterling Hayden said that during shooting he was battling Crawford on the set during the day, and his second wife at night, which explains his lack of smiles in the movie. He couldn't sing or play a note of guitar - in fact they altered that axe he lugs around so it wouldn't make any noise.

Purple Cowboy Wines makes wine from grapes grown in the revisionist cowboy town of Paso Robles, California.  Their Boss Lady, Terry Wheatley, is a cancer survivor and an all-around champion entrepreneur.  Her Trail Boss Cabernet Sauvignon and Tough Enough to Wear Pink wines may be too good for the saloon, but they're perfect for Johnny Guitar's boss lady.

1957 gave us 40 Guns, a widescreen B&W film starring one of my favorite boss ladies of the old West, Barbara Stanwyck.  She is predictably tough as nails, and rides herd over her hired guns, referred to in the title.  

Samuel Fuller directed the movie and included in the widescreen feature a three-minute tracking shot and plenty of opportunities for actors to say, "Mr. Fuller, I’m ready for my close-up."  Words to fantasize by.

40 Guns is set in Arizona, so let's get wine from the Grand Canyon State's Arizona Stronghold Vineyards.  Their Dala Merlot is spicy, full of bright fruit and ready for its close-up, too.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Blood Of The Vines - Viva Vivas

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week, we look at a couple of "Viva" films.

"Viva" comes from the word meaning "to live."  Its use in these movie titles indicates a preference that the subject matter not be forgotten.  Seriously, can you ever forget a daredevil's motorcycle leap… in Las Vegas?

Viva Knievel! is a sort of biopic, in that it is about - and stars - motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel.  The story is fictional, although it's a headscratcher why anyone thought Knievel's stunt career needed sweetening.  Beside a host of successful jumps, there were nearly 20 not-so-fun ones that resulted in injuries.  The guy spent more time in hospitals than a candy-striper.

Knievel has great support in the film, with Gene Kelly, Red Buttons, Leslie Nielsen and Dabney Coleman among the all-star cast.  A subplot of the movie shows a conniving promoter and Knievel as the victim, while in real life it was the other way around only a few months after the film's release.  Jump-boy went after a promoter with a baseball bat.  He got only a six-month work furlough sentence and never had to pay anything in the civil suit, claiming he was broke.  The movie got hurt as a result, crushed in a hail of bad PR during this time.

One of Knievel's more celebrated crashes happened at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas.  It so happens that another heavily promoted performer, Elvis Presley, also had deep connections to that town.  Knievel may have even been inspired by the Elvis Jumpsuit in creating his own get-up.  His way of handling promoters could have used some polishing by Colonel Tom Parker.

Here is a pairing as natural as an ace and a king on the blackjack table - Evel Ale.  A Texas brewery is producing it, and Knievel's estate gives it their stamp of approval as the official beer of the late daredevil.  Since he is no longer around, you may feel free to enjoy a can or two.

1964 saw the Beatles taking America by storm, but Elvis was on the big screen, too.  Viva Las Vegas paired The King with Ann-Margaret in what fans and critics say was Elvis' best movie.  Admittedly, that bar was set rather low, but Viva Las Vegas did have its moments.  Whenever we drive into Las Vegas, the wife and I always look at each other and say, "Bright light city!"  Great songs, beautiful co-star, car race… Viva Las Vegas will keep your eyes busy while you power through that bowl of popcorn and a beverage of choice.  

Viva Las Vegas 17 was produced by Sort This Out Cellars of Santa Barbara County.  The wine was apparently bottled for an event several years back.  It's a mix of Rhône and Bordeaux grapes, grown in sunny Southern California, with a label full of Vegas imagery.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Another Fine Italian White Wine - Gavi

California wine négociant Cameron Hughes owns no vineyards and has no official winery.  He sniffs out good wine which has already been produced by established makers, then buys it on the down low with an agreement not to reveal the source.  He then sells the wine online through his wine club - he calls it a wineocracy - bringing top-shelf wines to lower-shelf wallets.  Hughes says he keeps prices low by removing the middleman, the distributor and retailer through which store-bought wines must pass.

Lot 752 is a Gavi wine from northern Italy's Piemonte region.  The area centers around the commune of Gavi, in the province of Alessandria, quite near the border with Liguria.  Hughes says "Chablis and Pinot Grigio drinkers will love" this wine, made from the Cortese grape, vinified to 12% abv and selling for $15.  He says the wine has been made the same way for nearly two and a half centuries.

This pale wine has an explosive nose which jumps up from the glass.  Aromas of minerals are here - lemon, orange peel, apricot, wet sidewalk, along with a floral aspect.  There is a pale, yellowish tint to it in the glass.  The palate shows citrus and salinity, with a mighty fine streak of acidity racing through it.  Pair it with shrimp, crab or any kind of seafood, really.  Delightful.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Rioja Red Now In Half-Bottle Size

Bodega Beronia was founded in Spain's Rioja region in 1973.  The winery explains that a group of friends from the Basque country wanted to make great wines to pair with the food in their Txoko - gastronomic get-togethers.  Those soirees were something more than just a meal, and they wanted something more than just a wine to serve with them.

I was given two bottles of the 2017 vintage of the Beronia Rioja Crianza, a 750ml and a 375ml size.  It is the first vintage in which Beronia has bottled in the little guy, which the winery says is pandemically perfect for "single serve meet-ups with friends at a distance."  The wine is 94% Tempranillo grapes, 5% Garnacha and 1% Mazuelo.

The 2017 vintage featured an April frost, a hot summer drought and August rainfall, resulting in high quality fruit which came in a low yield.  Aging took place over 12 months in barrels made from American oak staves and French oak ends, then three months in the bottle.  Alcohol tips the usual 14.5% abv and the wine retails for $15, $8 in the half-size bottle.  They are imported to the US by Gonzalez Byass.

This Beronia Crianza - the name signifies its oak treatment - shows a dark ruby color in the glass.  The nose displays black fruit and oak aromas like spices and vanilla.  The palate offers a true Tempranillo experience, with plum, blackberry and a smattering of licorice.  The tannins are firm and ready to take on a steak, but if you try the wine with ham or cheese you won’t be disappointed. 

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Blood Of The Vines - Get Shafted

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week, we look at a couple of Shafts and a near-Shaft film, with wine and beer pairings for all three.

Shaft '19 is the fifth film in the Shaft series, a surprise to anyone who thought the first one was enough.  Samuel L. Jackson is John Shaft, son of John Shaft, Sr., played by Richard Roundtree, the original Shaft.  There's a grandson involved - named John Shaft III - but they call him JJ due to the unwritten rule concerning too many people in a movie bearing the same name.  Even the film itself couldn't find a title that separated it from the pack.

All three Shafts are detectives of one sort or another and they all try to beat the bad guys - the drug kingpins.  There are shootings, bad feelings and makeups along the way before an ending that leaves the door wide open for another Shaft sequel, possibly with a fourth generation of John Shafts.  The more, the merrier.

While scouring the internet for a pairing with Shaft ‘19, it did not surprise me to come across a listing for Samuel L. Jackson Motherf@#%ing Rye Wine.  It's actually more of a beer, and I don't know if the Pretentious Beer Company still offers it.  They do have one called Chug Life, a Czech-style pilsner which might fit the bill.

In the original Shaft, from 1971, Roundtree is the P.I. who is asked to find the daughter of a Harlem mobster who was kidnapped by Italian mafiosi.  There are shootings, bad feelings and a "case closed" stamp provided by Shaft… John Shaft.

For Shaft, you could scrape together a few grand for a wine once owned by the late mob boss John Gotti.  His collection is reportedly for sale at a wine shop in Queens.  Story goes, his wife once used a thousand-dollar bottle for cooking.  It may have gotten almost as big a laugh as wiping up lines of cocaine with a wet rag, thinking they were Parmesan cheese.

1973's The Slams features former NFL star Jim Brown in what could be taken as a "Shaft goes to prison" tale.  Brown's character is in the hoosegow for pulling a million-dollar job.  People inside want him to give up the location of the cash, but he needs to get over the wall in a hurry.  The clock is ticking, because the place where he hid the loot is scheduled for demolition.

For Brown, The Slams was quite a comedown from 1967's The Dirty Dozen.  The movie falls in with a stretch of celluloid which includes Black Gunn, Slaughter and Slaughter's Big Rip-Off.  Ooh, Netflix me!

Brown is a prisoner in The Slams, so let's pair the film with the wine known as The Prisoner.  I don't know how high the security is in Napa Valley's stoney lonesome, but it is said to be relatively easy to smuggle a bottle or two of The Prisoner out of your local wine shop.  $49 bucks is all it takes to grease the warden's palm.

For the adventurous - or the incarcerated - maybe some pruno will do the trick.  It's prison wine, and here's a spoiler alert: it tastes like something spoiled.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Beer Or Pastry?

The Bruery makes beer in the northern Orange County city of Placentia, CA.  To say they make beer, and just leave it at that, undersells their passion - making interesting, experimental beers with visceral connections to other types of food.  Their Bakery line features stouts flavored to resemble such pastry items as sticky buns, coconut macaroons, oatmeal cookies and cherry pie.  Here is their tasting room in Placentia.

This is admirable for those who like their beer with flavorings.  I am not in that club, but I realize that I am a minority.  Flavored beers are popping up with increasing regularity in stores and on restaurant and tap room menus.

I received a four-pack of The Bruery's Sticky Bun barrel-aged Imperial stout for review, and I was astounded by the beer's look and smell.  At 10.2% abv, Sticky Bun pours like motor oil, jet black but slightly thinner in consistency.  Its color is blacker than black, with a tan head that leaves lovely, dense lacing on the glass.  The nose has delicious aromas of brown sugar, caramel and mocha, preparing me for what I hoped would be a game-changing experience with flavored beer.

The palate tastes like coffee with maple syrup in it.  That would normally win me over, if it were coffee and maple syrup.  But it's beer, and I found the sweetness to be a little off the mark.  It's pleasant enough, though, so that The Bruery should find plenty of support among the fans of flavored beer.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Blood Of The Vines - Hal Holbrook R.I.P.

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌‌ ‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week we remove our beanies for another great who is no longer with us, Hal Holbrook.

I saw Hal Holbrook decades ago in Texas, doing his Mark Twain show.  My companion at the time raised a bit of a fuss and got up to leave during the performance, with me following.  Holbrook saw us leaving and said from his rocking chair, "Must be Democrats."  It may have been "Must be Republicans," but time has blurred the edges of that brush with fame.  There may not, in fact, have been a rocking chair.  I sincerely hope I wasn't identified publicly as a Republican, even in Orange, Texas.

By that time, Holbrook's appearance in 1977's Rituals was a distant memory.  The film was also known as The Creeper.  Why the producers would throw away a perfectly good horror movie title like The Creeper is beyond me.  Maybe they simply thought of it too late.

Whatever you call it, the movie concerns a group of doctors who go camping in Canada and realize they're being stalked.  Could the stalker have been someone from Hollywood, trying to recapture some of that runaway production from north of the border?  I guess anything's possible.

The Elyse Winery Holbrook Mitchell Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon has Hal's name on the label, however coincidentally.  The wine and the vineyard have nothing to do with Hal Holbrook, Mark Twain or Samuel Clemens, but grapes have been growing there since the 1870s.

Capricorn One, in 1978, predated QAnon by decades but served up a mother of a conspiracy theory.  It seems a U.S. mission to Mars was faked by the government with the help of the coerced astronauts.  Holbrook plays the main guvmint cover-upper - he had a way with bad guy characters.  The cast featured not only Holbrook, but also Elliot Gould, Sam Waterston and … O.J. Simpson - playing a good guy here.  

Capricorns are serious people - at least that's what my zodiac decoder ring says.  So for Capricorn One, let's choose a serious wine.  The Ojai Vineyard Pinot Noir is a handful.  Winemaker Adam Tolmach likes 'em aromatic and bold enough to be conspiracy theories of their own.  They sell for around $35.

1973's Magnum Force gave Holbrook a great bad-guy role, as a bad cop on the San Francisco police force.  Magnum Force was the second film in Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry series.  Holbrook gets a rude surprise near the end of the film, one that makes Eastwood opine that "a man’s gotta know his limitations."  Indeed.

There is a German item called Dirty Harry Licorice Liqueur, so how could we not?  The label shows a guy who looks a lot more like Dick Tracy than Dirty Harry.  If that doesn't bother you, and you like anise flavored booze, and there's no Jagermeister around, knock yourself out.  Just know your limitations.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Paso Syrah Shows Its Dirt

Denner Vineyards, in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, has been around for a couple of decades.  Ron Denner got the ball rolling in the late ‘90s, and is joined today by general manager Carol Rounsaville, winemaker Anthony Yount, assistant winemaker Alex Kemp and vineyard manager Aron Nevarez.

Located in the Templeton Gap and noted for its cool climate and dirt laced with limestone, the Willow Creek AVA is a favorite spot for those growing Rhône grapes.  The Dirt Worshipper 2018 is 98% Syrah with a small dollop each of co-fermented Roussanne and Viognier.  The winery calls it a "beastly hedonistic" wine.  That's how it goes with Syrah, and aren't you glad of it?  The wine was 45% whole-cluster fermented, stands at 14.3% abv and sells for $80, but it is available only to wine club members.  Aging took place over 21 months in 15% new French oak, 7% new Hungarian oak, and 78% previously used barrels.

This very dark wine shows a slight ruby tint along the rim.  The nose offers blackberry, black olive, a floral spray and a hint of white pepper.  The palate is a fistfighter, with sharp tannins that ease up after a decanting, a huge dark fruit profile and a generous streak of savory meat and, as expected, dirt.  The finish is joyful and lengthy. 

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Blood Of The Vines - Christopher Plummer

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ ‌‌‌‌‌movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ We take a loving last look this week at the work of Christopher Plummer, who passed away recently at the age of 91.  R.I.P., Captain von Trapp. 

In the 1979 film, Murder By Decree, Christopher Plummer plays Sherlock Holmes as a human being instead of a pitiless thinking machine.  James Mason plays Dr. Watson as a man of science instead of a bumbling sidekick. These departures from the Holmes movies of decades before warmed the hearts of even the harshest critics.  However, the critics were not so kind to the film's writing, pacing, direction and solution, which clocked in at considerably less than seven percent.  Holmes puts his wits on the line to solve the Jack the Ripper murders, which are presented as a possible Masonic plot.  I didn't see a lodge in the movie, nor did I witness any secret handshakes.

Sherlock Holmes has enjoyed a number of different wines - Burgundy from Beaune, sherry - presumably from Jerez - and a few Port wines after dinner.  I would think that Holmes - particularly Plummer's Holmes - would like A Proper Claret.  California's Bonny Doon Vineyards has had one in recent years, but the winery was always more Rhône oriented than Bordeaux.  The wine seems to have disappeared from the BDV website, so maybe Holmes could help us track down a bottle.

The Man Who Would Be King is from 1975, which was as good a year as any to be a king.  Plummer portrays Rudyard Kipling, whom you may remember as the author of the novella on which this film is based.  Plummer gets to narrate the story behind lead actors Sean Connery and Michael Caine.  

While conducting a ruse in a small, out-of-the-way country, Connery's character is recognized as a god and named king.  He finds that it is good to be the king and wants to remain in the gig rather than rip off his nation's valuables.  He then finds that it is not so good to be the god.  You have to take your victories in small, easily digestible pieces, it seems.  Plummer kept his hands clean while simply relating the tale.

Kipling, in one of his more lucid moments, is said to have opined, "A man can never have too much red wine, too many books, or too much ammunition."  I can back the red wine part of that quote, and I have a pairing of such for The Man Who Would Be King.  King Wine Estate in Oregon's Willamette Valley offers a handful of Pinot Noirs, mostly under the $100 mark.  For books and bullets, you're on your own.

In The Silent Partner, 1978, Plummer gets a role into which he can sink his teeth.  His Santa Claus bank robber is something anyone would relish playing.  At least anyone who had ever worked as a mall Santa.  I won't bore you with the details, but I think to this day that Bad Santa came about as a response to my own SoCal Santa stint.

Plummer's Santa is a tad on the psychopathic side, which I am told is an occupational hazard in the mall Santa biz.  Anyway, his plan to rob a bank gets sidetracked and the teller gets the dough.  The film follows Santa's efforts to reclaim the cash and exact some revenge.  Sounds like the perfect job for a psychopathic mall Santa.

Pheasant Run Wine has a Walla Walla Cabernet Sauvignon called Bank Robber Red, Bank Vault Reserve.  There's a story attached to the wine of a woman pulling a heist to win back her husband.  They say it didn't work.  Supposedly, the ex wasn't so interested in having a rich wife as he was in having one who wasn't crazy.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Fabulous Red BDX Blend From Paso

Denner Vineyards, in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, has been around for a couple of decades.  Ron Denner got the ball rolling in the late ‘90s, and is joined today by general manager Carol Rounsaville, winemaker Anthony Yount, assistant winemaker Alex Kemp and vineyard manager Aron Nevarez.

Located in the Templeton Gap and noted for its cool climate and dirt laced with limestone, the Willow Creek AVA is a favorite spot for those growing Rhône grapes.  Even so, Mother of Exiles is made of grapes which are more aligned with Bordeaux - 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Petit Verdot, 6% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc.  The wine was aged for nearly two years in French oak barrels, three-quarters of which were new.  Alcohol tips in at 14.4% abv and the retail price is $80, and it is available only to wine club members.  

This dark wine - opaque, in fact - has a powerful nose.  It packs a perfumed aroma package consisting of dark fruit - like blackberries - and only a limited supply of the earthiness which I often find in a Paso Robles Cab.  There is a savory streak, to be sure, and it throws leather, tar and a pine forest into the nose.  The chalky aspect of the Paso dirt comes through on the palate, which is heavily influenced by the earth and the two years spent in barrels. 

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter

Blood Of The Vines - Cloris Leachman R.I.P.

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌ This week, we look at the work of an actress we lost recently.  Cloris Leachman won an Oscar and an armload of Emmy Awards.  She passed last week at the age of 94.

1975's Crazy Mama filtered and regurgitated the family lawlessness of the previous year's Big Bad Mama.  The movie is set in 1958, and Leachman plays the mom role in a family that is a crime wave all its own.  After their beauty shop is repossessed, they head for Arkansas, where the family farm is located, but get sidetracked by stickups and shootouts.  It is quite possibly the only script which ever made a happy ending out of getting to Arkansas.  Okay, so the ending wasn't really all that happy.

Let's get a wine from Arkansas here, which is something you really never hear in wine circles, or any circles, for that matter.  Chateau Aux Arc - Ozark, get it?  They make a wine called Smashed, which is how you get after drinking too much of it.  Smashed is a sweet blend of Concord, Zinfandel, Muscat and Muscadine grapes, which is another thing you never hear in wine circles.

Young Frankenstein in 1974 had Leachman in the role of Frau Blücher - pause for horses to whinny.  This movie captured her comedic talents so well that Gene Wilder reportedly had trouble getting through one of their scenes without laughing.  Her warning that "the stairs can be treacherous" is good advice.  Stay near the candles.

We are tempted to pair Ovaltine with her character, but no, let's stay in the realm of wine.  Frankenstein Red Wine Blend is a mix of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre grapes which have been growing in the Sierra Nevada foothills since before California was a state.

1971 saw Leachman's only Oscar, for her role as Ruth Popper in The Last Picture Show.  She breaks our hearts with her portrayal of sheer hopelessness in that small, desolate Texas town.  I grew up in a slightly larger, slightly less desolate Texas town.  Leachman’s performance - and all the others in that film, really - ring true to me.

For pairing with The Last Picture Show, you can grab a Lone Star Beer - longnecks only, please - or get fancy with a wine from Lone Star Wine Cellars.  The winery is on the North Texas Wine Country map, in McKinney.  That town has more than one traffic light and several picture shows, although the Cinemark 14 is presently in a pandemic pause.

Follow Randy Fuller on Twitter