Sweet Wine From Canada

Inniskillin Winery produces what some of us refer to as the "nectar of the gods," icewine. They produce other types of wine as well, but they have made their name by turning out some truly magnificent icewine. Grapes are plucked from the vines in the dead of the Canadian winter, when the grapes are literally frozen solid. There isn't much juice from a frozen grape, so it takes quite a few of them to make this wine. And, the juice is highly concentrated. The Inniskillin folks call their icewine "winter's gift to wine lovers."

Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake at the historic Brae Burn Estate, Inniskillin is Canada's first estate winery, and they have been producing world-renowned icewines from grapes grown in the Niagara Peninsula since 1984. The Vidal grapes used in this bottle - they also make icewine from Cabernet Franc and Riesling - are a hybrid variety, a mating of Ugni Blanc and Seibel.

The 2019 Inniskillin Gold Vidal Icewine VQA Niagara Peninsula carries alcohol at a low 9.5% abv and sells for a high $80 in the 375 ml bottle.

This wine has a rich, gorgeous, golden color. The nose gives a massive whiff of apricots and hints of assorted tropical fruit. The palate is a dessert lover's delight, unctuous and creamy with sweet flavors of apricot, pineapple and apple tart. The acidity is fine, if not a match for steak. Try it with a soft cheese, or even with a hard cheese. It will also pair well with fruit pies. Delicious and dreamy. 

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Super Tuscan Scores In The Glass And On The Stove

Volpolo comes from Tuscany, the Bolgheri DOC, to be more precise. It is Podere Sapaio's second label. The winery was founded in the early 1990s, and the three and a half decades since then have shown the outfit to be quite adept at winemaking.

The 2022 Volpolo di Sapaio Bolgheri DOC is a Super Tuscan blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, 15% Merlot, and 15% Petit Verdot. The juice was fermented in steel tanks, aged in French oak barriques for 14 months, then given a rest in cement tanks before bottling. Alcohol tips 14.5% abv and the retail price is $36.

This wine is very dark in the glass, with almost no light getting through. The nose is full of blackberry, blueberry and plum, with savory notes of anise, black pepper, tobacco, tar and a hint of smoke joining the fruit. The palate has a savory bent as well, with spice and earth mixing in with the dark fruit flavors. The acidity is quite fresh and the tannins have a medium firm grip. I paired mine with slow cooker short ribs, and even used some in the recipe. Delicious. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Love Stories

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌This week, it's all about love, because apparently the TFH gurus just couldn't wait for Valentine's Day. We have a trio of films, and a wine pairing for each.

In 1970, Love Story told us that love means never having to say you're sorry. We know the truth. Love means always having to say you're sorry. 

Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw star as the star-crossed couple. There was talk initially of having Christopher Walken play the part that O'Neal ended up getting. We were that close to having the logline be "Love means never having to ask for more cowbell." That's the breaks.

A Love Story Winery and Bistro in Miami is actually less focused on wine than on dining, events, and having a picture taken while phoning a friend from a pink telephone booth. The restaurant's wine list is truly impressive. I want to go there just to have a few glasses. However, for just one glass, let's get Champagne from Maison Bonnaire. I see their Love Story Grand Crus Extra Brut selling online for north of a hundred bucks. But, love means never having to ask "How much is that going to cost?"

As Good as it Gets, from 1997, was exactly that for Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt, who both took home Oscars for their work in the romcom.  Can a mean, old, obsessive-compulsive misanthrope find happiness with a pretty waitress?  You bet your dog-walking dollar he can, but it takes the intervention of the nice gay guy next door, and his puppy.

It's a great date movie, as long as the eccentricities contained in Nicholson's character don't remind your partner too much of you.  There's no need to pull that string and see the whole sweater unravel.

The characters in As Good as it Gets show that people can grow together over common ground, no matter how far apart they may seem to be at first.  Just don't forget to take care of the dog properly.  And don't step on a crack.

A wine from Nicholson Vineyards is the perfect pairing for Jack, because they make wine and grow olives, you know, for martinis. Their Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay should please everyone on your floor of the apartment building, for $36. 

Speaking of odd couples, 1971's Harold and Maude stars Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon in a May/December relationship. He's fascinated by death, and she's old enough to kick the bucket at any time. A match made in heaven. Today, when a 79-year-old dies, people of my generation say, "And so young!"

Bob Evans at Paramount must have heard "told ya so" a time or two, because the movie attracted neither critics nor paying customers. Both groups eventually came around when the film became a cult classic. H&M reportedly didn't turn a profit until about 12 years after its release, which is probably not something a studio would want to crow about. Gordon passed away just two years after that break-even moment.

There were no awards for Harold and Maude, but Cort and Gordon did grab a couple of Golden Globe nominations. The film's ending gets my vote if there is ever a category for Best Use of a Banjo Aside from Deliverance. 

We may want to pair wines both young and old, to honor the stars. Perhaps a Beaujolais Nouveau and a Champagne pulled from a turn-of-the-century shipwreck.  However, I would like to reference Cat Stevens from the movie's soundtrack. "Bring tea for the tillerman, steak for the sun, wine for the woman who made the rain come." Well, Pinot Noir has tea notes, it goes great with steak, and what better way to spend a rainy day? Maude Pinot Noir comes from the Mt. Maude Vineyard in Central Otago, New Zealand for around $25. 

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Pinot Noir Complicates Things

My relationship with Pinot Noir is complicated. It's not that I don't like Burgundy. It simply is too elegant for my taste. Too ladylike. I have a deep love for California wine and the freedom the Golden State's winemakers enjoy in creating their treasures. But California Pinot usually strikes me as too much like Syrah. Not that I don't like Syrah. I just don't want my Pinot Noir to taste like it.

But I don't want it too fancy, either. Too elegant. You see my problem? But today I feel satisfied. I have found a Pinot Noir which is elegant, yet playful. Full of personality. 

The 2021 Sonoma-Cutrer Winemakers's Release Les Plus Haut carries a French name which means, if my high school French teacher was right, the highest. The Pinot Noir grapes for this wine were harvested from the vineyards at the estate's loftiest elevations. This promises an intense and complex wine.

Here we have the elegance one expects from Pinot Noir, but with the California touch. The wine aged in oak for 14 months and in the bottle for another six. Alcohol sits at 14% abv and the bottle retails for $70.

This wine has a medium ruby tint in the glass. The nose is as complex as you want it. Blackberry, raspberry, black pepper, black tea, cola. All the usual suspects are here, in a setting that is turned up a notch, yet stops just short of being rowdy. The palate brings the same pleasure, with rich fruit notes and tasteful spice. When I want Pinot Noir, this is what I want. 

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Weird Name, Good Italian Wine

The wine with the unusual name Hey French, You Could Have Made This But You Didn't is an Italian white blend from Verona. The grape varieties are Garganega, Pinot Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, grown in the Monte Calvarino Vineyard in Soave's eastern edge. Alcohol ticks 13.5% abv and it retails for $45. 

The Pasqua family has been in the wine business in Veneto since 1925. They bill the winery as the House of the Unconventional. The label art is certainly that, a shoutout to the winemakers west of Italy. The blending of five premier vintages (2016-2020) is also a bit off the straight and narrow. So is vinification and aging for six months in oak, then a transfer to steel tanks. It may seem a bit wacko, but it works. 

The wine exhibits a brilliant golden hue. On the nose are aromas of apricot, apples, citrus and a slight pineapple note. The palate is savory, with all the fruit mentioned plus salinity and a nuttiness. The acidity is quite fresh. Pair this one with anything from the sea or a pasta dish in a creamy white sauce. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Directed By Jack Clayton

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 tip our hats and raise our glasses to the late British director Jack Clayton. If you prefer, you can tip your glasses and raise your hats. 

Jack Clayton's name may not jump off the page like other directors who are more firmly ensconced in pop culture. But he was a giant in the film industry. And, he probably would never have called movies an industry. Like a winemaker who labors to ferment grapes for the love of doing so, Clayton was picky about his source material and notably difficult as a business partner. He might as well have been selling Syrah. His career suffered due to his uncompromising vision and was ultimately derailed by studio politics and illness. Drink to Jack Clayton. You know, he can't drink anymore.

Harold Pinter wrote the script for 1964's The Pumpkin Eater. He adapted it from the novel by Penelope Mortimer, one which echoes nearly word for word her own life story. Anne Bancroft and Peter Finch star as an unhappy couple with a gaggle of children. The title comes from the nursery rhyme about a guy who "had a wife and couldn't keep her." Yeah, she was pregnant, like, all the time. It's no wonder that the marriage hit the skids.

Clayton's direction was lauded, although somewhat overshadowed by the wealth of acting talent he had at his fingertips. James Mason and Maggie Smith were also in the cast, squeezed into supporting roles. 

Am I the only one bothered by the fact that the movie's title references a rhyme involving the name Peter, but there is no character named Peter? But there is an actor named Peter? I read one synopsis of the movie that actually referred to Jake, the husband played by Finch, as Peter. No? Just me? Well, I get that a lot. 

No, we're not having any pumpkin wine. We will, however, take a trip to Temecula, where Peltzer Winery is part of the fun zone known as the Peltzer Pumpkin Farm. How they managed to resist the temptation to make pumpkin wine, I don't know. But they mercifully did. The prices are a tad high, and the farm seems to be crawling with kids, but their $40 Roussanne looks like a deal. Their $40 rosé, not so much. And their Prosecco is a mind-blowing $50. If I pay $50 for bubbly… well, let's just say I'm not paying $50 for Prosecco. 

In the 1967 thriller, Our Mother's House, Mom dies and her brood of kids keep it a secret to avoid being parceled off to foster homes. They bury the dear old matriarch in the backyard and cash her monthly checks to keep what's left of the family afloat.

Does it sound like a story arc from Shameless? It does, and it happened in real life, too. A San Diego woman decided to keep getting her dead mom's Social Security checks. Not to be a spoiler, but she is now celebrating Mother's Day in a federal penitentiary. 

The kids in Our Mother's House also have a deadbeat dad to contend with, but I'll tell you right now, that absentee father is in way over his head with these brats. If you want a nice, happy ending to this movie, sorry. That ship sails early in the film. The children eventually do the only right thing left to them. Cheers!

Big House Wines gets its name from the nearby Soledad Correctional Facility. They are more attuned to bootlegging crimes, but you also might end up there if you bury mom in the backyard and keep cashing her checks. 

The Innocents is a 1961 horror film based on Henry James' The Turn of the Screw. Clayton had a penchant for bringing literature to the silver screen. It was shot in black and white CinemaScope, a format which was required by the studio and despised by Clayton. He used CinemaScope to great effect in creating what is now considered a ghost story masterpiece. 

He also brought forth the best performance of Deborah Kerr's career. Her portrayal of a governess being driven mad by two children is chilling. We don't know if her character is scared, ghost-crazy, or just in need of a glass of wine or six. Clayton steered the film clear of gory horror tropes, yet created a movie that pulls the viewer's nerves taut and plays them like a ukulele.

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 Savory Sicilian

The Nero d'Avola grape is from Sicily. It is named after a town, Avola, in the southern part of the Italian island. If you like Shiraz wines from Australia, you will probably like Nero d'Avola. The grape produces a full bodied, spicy red wine that pairs well with dishes featuring beef or tomato sauce.

The 2018 Cantine Ermes Epicentro Nero d'Avola Riserva shows how well this grape can age. It spent a year and a half in large oak barrels and another six months in the bottle before being shipped. It has been four years since then, and the additional time shows well in the juice. The alcohol number is 14% abv and the retail figure is $24. 

This wine is a deep purple color, very dark. It offers an extremely savory nose of black fruit and a heavy dose of tar, as well as clove and cardamom. The palate shows many of the same elements. Blackberry, plum and licorice flavors are noticeable, as are cedar, tobacco and cinnamon. The tannins are firm, but not bothersome, and the finish is long and savory. It is a beauty of a wine. 

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Pink Wine From Northeast Italy

This pink wine, the 2022 Cecilia Beretta Freeda Rosé Trevenezie, was produced in Veneto, Italy, in the Rosé Trevenezie IGT. The area’s three wine regions - Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol - are collectively called the Tre Venezie. This wine comes to the U.S. courtesy of Latitude Wine Imports.

The grapes used in this rosé are Corvina, Sauvignon Blanc and Carménère, grown along the southern shores of Lake Garda. It is a grape combo I’ve never encountered, in rosé or anything else. Alcohol rests at an easygoing 12.5% abv and it was quite affordable, $8, at Trader Joe's.

This wine has a distinctive light copper color. Its nose is full of sweet, ripe strawberry and cherry aromas, with a bit of lemon zest minerality. The palate brings the red fruit and a strong minerality. Acidity is fresh and the finish is medium length. A pairing will be no problem with such a food friendly wine. Seafood, salads and risotto are all excellent choices. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Future Shock

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌This week, we have wine pairings for a trio of forward-looking bummers. 

Future shock is the feeling of being overwhelmed by too much change in too short a time span. It's a feeling that has become known as "life" in our modern world. All this technology was supposed to make life easier. And still, we have to ask, "Where is my goddam jetpack?" We need drinks for these movies. Fortunately, for our wine pairings, the future is now.

Zardoz is, well, I'm at a loss for words. The 1974 Sean Connery film is a trippy visit to a post-apocalyptic wasteland in which regular folks toil away to serve one-percenters. A big stone idol rules the land. Speaking of stoned, the costuming crew must have been high. Connery's bikini-meets-bandolero outfit goes quite nicely with his ponytail and kinky boots. He carries a handgun, but the skimpy costume affords him no place to holster it. 

Wait, what, did you say Sean Connery? Oh, yes. All part of his post-007 rebranding effort. Maybe he should have waited for a sequel to Darby O’Gill and the Little People. It is said that those leaving the theater after watching Zardoz advised those waiting in line to save their money. As with so many of the entries in the futuristic post-apocalyptic film catalog, Zardoz has developed a cult following. This is despite the title sounding like it should have been the name of a sleep aid. Ask your doctor if Zardoz is right for you.

There is a New Zealand IPA called Future Shock, but we can get an IPA without going international. For that matter, we can get a great Syrah/Grenache blend as close as Paso Robles. Thibido Winery's Future Crossings sells for $65, and it sports a name that sounds Cajun but looks Italian. Gotta love that. 

Blade Runner is the original 1982 vision of despair from Sir Ridley Scott. The bleak look of Los Angeles in the year 2019 has been recycled in countless sci-fi movies. I don't know why the film was set only 37 years in the future. Did the producers think that the movie would not live beyond the theaters? Maybe they simply couldn’t foresee a future where films would be available through something called "streaming," a barren landscape littered with unrelenting advertisements, much like their prediction of L.A. 

We love Harrison Ford looking and sounding just about as weary and bored as he could possibly be, hunting replicants so they can be "retired." This is the sort of retirement that comes with no pension, by the way. But M. Emmett Walsh as the top cop is a boss casting move. "I need ya, Dex. I need the old blade runner. I need your magic."

In Blade Runner, Ford's Deckard drinks Johnnie Walker Black Label 12-year old whisky. Scotch drinkers, put on your kilt and have at it, but don't try to get away with Connery's costume from Zardoz. For we winos, try Mas des Infermières, from Scott's estate in France's Luberon region. That area shares borders with both the Rhône Valley and Provence, so it's bound to be good. It starts at around $25. Accept no replicants. 

1973's The Last Days of Man on Earth is a British black comedy called The Final Programme, which was rebranded under the Last Days title for the rest of the world. Here's the difference between a British thriller and one from America. The American one utilizes a gun as its main source of fear. The British one uses a chessboard. 

The script was reworked from a book by Michael Moorcock. The author reportedly had to inform the cast that their lines were meant to be funny, which is called Getting Off on the Wrong Foot. Critics didn't exactly like the film. One sci-fi critic thought it was disastrous and predicted that viewers would want their money back even if they saw it on TV. Good luck getting a discount on your cable bill. 

There are no ill wishes here, but as Amsterdam and Trafalgar Square get the post-apocalyptic treatment, it's nice that it wasn't L.A. or New York, for a change. Boss casting note: Sterling Hayden gets another role as a deranged military man, Major Wrongway Lindbergh, to go along with his Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper from Dr. Strangelove. 

Last Days does have quite a following, largely due to the Moorcock book series. His concept of the Eternal Champion as a balance between the opposing forces of Law and Chaos leaves me wondering where the hell it was hiding during the Republican National Convention.

An Eternal Champion deserves an Eternal Wine, from Walla Walla, Washington, which is a place that's just fun to say. They identify as being in the Airport District, which doesn't sound like a very pastoral location for a winery. We assume their airport is not quite as busy as LAX. But, as hope springs eternal, so does Syrah. Eternal has ten single-vineyard Syrahs on offer. Stop by while you're in the Airport District and do a flight. 

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Good News From Sicily - Affordable Nero d'Avola

The Nero d'Avola grape is from Sicily. It is named after a town, Avola, in the southern part of the Italian island. If you like Shiraz wines from Australia, you will probably like Nero d'Avola. The grape produces a full bodied, spicy red wine that pairs well with dishes featuring beef or tomato sauce.

The 2022 Nero Oro Appassimento Nero d'Avola was produced in the appassimento method, in which the grapes are dried before vinification, giving them increased color and flavor. Some fresh grapes are also included. Alcohol hits 14% abv and the retail price is $12.

This wine is dark in the glass. It has a rather muted nose, but it manages to show off some plum and dark berry aromas. There is also a smattering of tobacco, oregano and clove. The palate is complex and vivid. The strong dark fruit flavors are cloaked in sweet oak spice and black pepper. With the meatballs from my butcher across the street, the pairing is perfect. 

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Sicilian By Nature - Organic Nero d'Avola

The Nero d'Avola grape is from Sicily. It is named after a town, Avola, in the southern part of the Italian island. If you like Zinfandel or Shiraz wines from Australia, you will probably like Nero d'Avola. The grape produces a full bodied, spicy red wine that pairs well with dishes featuring beef or tomato sauce.

The 2021 Caruso & Minini Naturalmente is from the Sicilia DOC, it is organic and it has alcohol at 13.5%. The retail price for this varietal wine is $19.  

This wine is medium dark in color. The nose is rather faint, but has a nice scent of cherries and flowers. The palate explodes with a peppery shower of red fruit and some savory drapery that has an earthy, eucalyptus note to it. The flavors exhibited here are exceptional, and somewhat out of the ordinary. Pair it with a meaty pasta dish, or use it in making the meaty pasta dish. Or both. 

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Blood Of The Vines - The Velvet Touch

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌This week, we have wine pairings for three films which either invite you, command you, or discourage you from drinking. Which is which? You tell me.

One of the better things about 2021 was the Todd Haynes documentary, The Velvet Underground. The movie shows the unbelievably quick rise and fall of the rock group of the same name. 

The group formed in 1964, around the nucleus of Lou Reed and John Cale. With Andy Warhol as their one-time manager, they enjoyed much 1960s notoriety for their songs, which were written to rub middle America the wrong way. As a result, they enjoyed no Top 40 hits, but became mainstays on the burgeoning album rock format on FM radio.

"Sweet Jane," "Rock and Roll," "I'm Waiting for the Man," "Heroin" and "Venus in Furs" were not hummable hits. Well, maybe "Sweet Jane" was. And "Rock and Roll." And, OK, I have found myself humming "I'm Waiting for the Man" many times. "Heroin," not so much. Same for "Venus in Furs." It all depends on how you want to hum.

By the time 1970's Loaded came out, the band had pretty much run its course. One of the lesser members tried to carry on the name, but without Lou Reed it was just another band. Loaded would have been a fantastic swan song. It's one of the finest albums of the rock era, said Rolling Stone, back when they wrote about, you know, music.

What better wine pairing for The Velvet Underground could we find than The Velvet Underground? The Sonoma bourbon barrel red blend is full of intense flavor, like the band. Its lushness takes it out of the lo-fi realm, but at 17% alcohol and the whiskey-laced flavor, it probably would go well with both "Rock and Roll" and "Sweet Jane." It's a $25 bottle. 

Todd Haynes was no stranger to rock and roll, as the previous film demonstrates. Before that, in 1998, he wrote and directed Velvet Goldmine, a musical drama about a glam rocker who was loosely based on David Bowie. It was maybe not so loosely based, as touchstones like Bowie, Iggy Pop, Lou Reed, Slade, Bowie's first wife Angie, and even a fictional band called Venus in Furs populate the script. All it needs are some tunes from Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars to be full-blown glam. 

However, Bowie did not cooperate, refusing to make his songs available to Haynes. He didn't like Haynes' request, and he didn't much like the movie, either. One of our TFH team members has pointed out to me that Haynes saved the day by finding some "faux-glam" songs which work well in the film.

Wisconsin's Spurgeon Vineyards gets close to a namesake wine with Velvet Gold. It is a sweet, white grape wine described as having a "grapey" taste. That's low praise, but it only costs a little more than a dozen dollars, plus whatever goldmine you have to put forth for shipping.

The talk of 1986 was, at least in movies, David Lynch's magnum opus of weirdness, Blue Velvet. My close friend Tom took his girlfriend to see it during its opening weekend. He called me on Monday, advising me to see it, while warning me not to take a date. "Don't let the title fool you," he said. "It's not a date movie."

It is a disturbing film, but after seeing Lynch's Eraserhead, I expected nothing less. Many critics panned Blue Velvet, citing its extreme violence, brutal sexuality, and dreamlike quality. Their views have largely mellowed over the years. Now the film is hailed as a masterpiece. Maybe the critics were inhaling whatever Frank Booth was having. 

Dennis Hopper's Frank Booth is the most unhinged and deranged character of the Hopper pantheon. His psychotic violence and reliance on some sort of gas, which he huffs from an oxygen mask, are both horrifying and spellbinding. If you think to yourself, "Hey, I once knew a guy like that," you are lucky to still be alive. 

Swiss wine may be harder to find than the true owner of a Swiss bank account. I didn't know they grew grapes there, I thought money was their cash crop. Switzerland's Mythopia Wines makes a Pinot Noir named Blue Velvet, which, for my money, is a good place to stop and spend $100 bucks or so. You won't find it on the wine list at This Is It, but you won't find a wine list there, either. Just order a Pabst! Blue! Ribbon!

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Another Splurge - CV Studium From Paso Robles

A special wine is a real treat. Not an everyday wine, but a splurge wine, one that you buy to reward yourself. Broken Earth Winery of Paso Robles says their CV Wines are named after the legendary 50-year-old Continental Vineyard, which is part of their estate. I have always found Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons to be of high quality, a bit rustic and completely underrated. I was overjoyed when samples were offered to me. 

Broken Earth's CV line are club wines, so a twice-a-year membership is required to purchase them. If you aren't overextended on wine club shipments, this would be an excellent opportunity to grab some limited-production BDX grapes, from Paso Robles. 

Winemaker Chris Cameron says the 2020 CV Studium Red Blend is estate grown in Paso, as are the other two CVs. They also have a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Cabernet Franc on offer. The Studium was first aged in neutral French oak barrels for a year, then transferred to second-use French oak. The varietal makeup is inexplicably absent from the promotional materials, but I'm guessing that it is some mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, since that is what is grown on the estate. It has alcohol at 15.4% abv and retails for $80.

This wine is extremely dark. It has a nose which reflects both the Cabs, Sauvignon and Franc. Dark fruit on the nose, along with a peppery and herbaceous note. The tannins ease up a bit after the wine opens up, but they are something else right after the pour. Flavors of plums, blackberries, cherries and a hint of licorice make for a delightful palate. Studium combines the best of the two grapes. I think I like it better than either varietal wine. 

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Splurgeworthy Cabernet Franc From Paso Robles

A special wine is a real treat. Not an everyday wine, but a splurge wine, one that you buy to reward yourself. Broken Earth Winery of Paso Robles says their CV Wines are named after the legendary 50-year-old Continental Vineyard, which is part of their estate. I have always found Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons to be of high quality, a bit rustic and completely underrated. I was overjoyed when samples were offered to me. 

Broken Earth's CV line are club wines, so a twice-a-year membership is required to purchase them. If you aren't overextended on wine club shipments, this would be an excellent opportunity to grab some limited-production BDX grapes, from Paso Robles. 

Winemaker Chris Cameron says the 2019 CV Cabernet Franc Reserve is 100% Cabernet Franc, grown on the Paso estate, as are the other two CVs. They also have a Cabernet Sauvignon and a red blend on offer. The Cab Franc was aged for 23 months in new oak barrels, has alcohol at 15.2% abv and retails for $80.

This wine's color is medium dark purple. The nose offers aromas of plums, cherries, blackberries, pepper and an herbaceous note. The palate shows dark fruit, as well. The tannins are quite toothy, so be sure to decant before pouring. The wine should pair exceedingly well with any sort of red meat, or pork, for that matter. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Robert Towne Week

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌This week, we look at three films from Robert Towne's Selectric. Stop taking our icons, already!

Robert Towne died last week, at the ripe old age of 89. He is a legend in Hollywood, the author of so many great films you have to wonder how he ever had time to go shopping, or take out the garbage. He was so proud of his work that if he didn't like the way the movie turned out, he would take his name off of it. He may have done that as many times as not. Once again, we have to lift our glasses to a great one who has gone to the big screening room in the sky.

They say you can't win them all, and Towne proved that by grabbing three Oscar noms in his career, but taking home hardware only once. That was for Chinatown in 1974. It wasn't just a great script, it is used in textbooks designed to teach people how to write great scripts. Do they work? Well, I read one of those books, then read the script for Chinatown, but there is nothing on IMDB to show that anything came from that. 

The movie centers on the way Los Angeles became a big city, by taking water from the Owens Valley via the Los Angeles Aqueduct. Before that happened, L.A. was a big wine producing area. When the water started flowing in, so did urbanization. All the grape vines that once grew from Malibu to the Inland Empire were ripped out to make way for urban sprawl. That's progress, I guess.

The only L.A. winery from those days that is still here is San Antonio Winery. It is still located in downtown Los Angeles thanks to Catholicism. They survived Prohibition because they made sacramental wines for the church, the stuff that pairs well with a wafer. The Riboli family no longer uses SoCal grapes for their wines, but they make some good stuff, sourced from Paso Robles, Monterey County, Napa Valley, even Italy. Their Opaque line is made from Paso fruit. The Petit Verdot and Tannat wines sell for $30.

Shampoo, from 1975, was co-written by Towne and the film's star, Warren Beatty. He plays a hair stylist who got into the business for the women. Well, why does any man get into any business? You have to have a going concern if you want the ladies to dig you. Well, unless you're Warren Beatty. That's enough right there. But, give a woman a great haircut and doors will open. Play a good guitar, it's a magnet. Earn a ton of money, the world is your oyster. Make great wine… well, that may be a bit of a reach. 

I notice online there are shampoos and conditioners made with red wine. That seems like an awful waste of red wine to me. I use Suave, and the compliments never end. In fact, when I was younger, a lady admired my hair and asked me what shampoo I used. When I told her it was Suave, she hurled a rather rude rejoinder my way. She spent way more on her shampoo, and her hair wasn't all that great. 

Champoux Vineyard (yes, it's pronounced "shampoo") is an acclaimed plot of land in Washington state, in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Andrew Will makes a Merlot-heavy Bordeaux blend that sells for $81. Don't try washing your hair with it. Suave is way cheaper. 

Towne got his start by writing for Roger Corman. 1964's The Tomb of Ligeia was adapted from a story by Edgar Allan Poe. It tells of a woman who marries a man who's dead wife is buried under the house. Was he a hairdresser? Only the executor knows for sure. 

If you find that your new spouse has something buried under the house, it's probably not going to be good news. I mean, money, maybe. Anything else falls into the category of "Why wasn't I informed of this?" The body under the bathroom isn't the worst of it, though. The ex's spirit still pads around those cold stone floors as a cat. As if cats weren't already problematic enough.

In "The Cask of Amontillado," another Poe story, the killer vanquishes his victim by entombing him in a wine cellar. Are there worse ways to go? Maybe. Let me think on it. While I'm thinking, I'll have Lustau's Los Arcos Amontillado sherry. It is bone dry and even more complex than Poe’s villain. 

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Too Oaky? At Least This Wine Is Cheap

Here is another one of those inexpensive wines from the shelves of Trader Joe's. The 2022 Panilonco Merlot Malbec Reserva comes from the Marchigüe appellation of Chile's Colchagua Valley. The Merlot grapes are sourced from the Santa Marta vineyard while the Malbec is from the La Quebrada vineyard.

Most people who mention this wine online have some comments about the oak. I sense a lot of oak in it, although the winery says it was aged in French oak barrels for a mere six months. Alcohol is restrained, at just 13.5% abv and the cost is only $7. 

This wine has a medium-dark ruby color. The first thing I notice is the oak. It seems very oaky, despite only six months in wood. The nose offers a smokey note, which I always like to find. There are aromas of ripe cherries, berries and plums. Those fruits also appear on the palate, where oak again dominates. The tannins are firm, but not overpowering. The mouthfeel is rich and full. I had mine with a brisket sandwich and it paired very well. 

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Splurge On This Paso Cab

A special wine is a real treat. Not an everyday wine, but a splurge wine, one that you buy to reward yourself. Broken Earth Winery of Paso Robles says their CV Wines are named after the legendary 50-year-old Continental Vineyard, which is part of their estate on Paso's east side. I have always found Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignons to be of high quality, a bit rustic and completely underrated. I was overjoyed when samples were offered to me. 

Broken Earth's CV line are club wines, so a twice-a-year membership is required to purchase them. If you aren't overextended on wine club shipments, this would be an excellent opportunity to grab some limited-production BDX-style grapes, from Paso Robles. 

Winemaker Chris Cameron says the 2019 CV Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve is estate grown in Paso, as are the other two CVs. They also have a Cabernet Franc and a red blend on offer. The Cab was aged for nearly two years in new oak barrels, has alcohol at 14.7% abv and retails for $80.

This wine is dark in color. It smells like it has been perfumed, with ripe red berries, plums and cherries on the nose. The fruit is layered over an herbal note, but nothing like bell pepper or peas. It smells like cedar trees. The nose of a Paso Cab always grabs me, and this one does it to the fullest. The palate is simply beautiful. Whenever I start thinking I could get along with fifteen dollar wines, along comes a wine like this one to show me the folly of that thought. The fruit flavors tend toward the dark side, while sweet oak provides a beautiful lift. The tannins are silky smooth, even upon opening the bottle. The winery says you'd better have some seared lamb to pair with it. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Pix That Rock

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 turn it up to eleven for a trio of films heavily laced with both rock and roll.

At the age of five, I slept with a big stuffed dog named Bebe. Resting against this huge toy was the door to my future, a transistor radio, one with two speakers and a wire handle. It played "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" and songs with even loftier lyrical content. I learned about chain gangs from Sam Cooke, love gone wrong from Roy Orbison and The Everly Brothers. I heard about walking to New Orleans from Fats Domino. Anything Elvis was selling, I was buying. Who knew they'd be making movies about rock'n'roll?

Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked) came out in 2009, and it told the story of how rock radio evolved in Great Britain. It evolved by getting outside of Great Britain. As an American, it has always seemed weird to me that the British Broadcasting Company only devoted an hour a day in the mid 1960s to pop music. Rock'n'roll finds a way to seep through the cracks, so adventurous deejay types took to the seas. They broadcast pop to the people from international waters on boats fixed with antennae. They were pirate radio stations.

Radio Caroline was the most famous pirate station, and you can google airchecks of it if you are a radio nerd. If you are reading this, you are probably already a movie nerd, maybe even a wine nerd. It might be wise to limit your nerd exposure.

Pirate Radio is not a British movie, but it has a British feel, owing to the fact that it features Bill Nighy and two guys named Rhys.

For Pirate Radio, say "Aaargh" for a La Sirena Pirate TreasuRed 2019. It's a pirate's booty blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Grenache, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Petite Sirah. Rhône, Bordeaux, Bordeaux, Rhône, pirates don't really care what they are raiding if it's from the Napa Valley. $65 a bottle. 

In 1982 Pink Floyd: The Wall was unleashed on an unsuspecting populace. Or, maybe they were expecting it. After all, it had been three years since the release of Pink Floyd's album of the same name. 

Critics have had a great time writing about this film. "One of the most horrifying musicals of all time," "unrelentingly downbeat and at times repulsive," "unremitting in its onslaught upon the senses." That last one, by the way, was from Roger Waters… of Pink Floyd. One critic offered faint praise, saying it was not unwatchable, then added that if directed by Ken Russell it probably would have been. Just a touch of bad blood there, I'm guessing.

The songs, largely based on Waters' childhood, are the focal point of the movie, besides a pretty good performance from Bob Geldof of The Boomtown Rats. I wonder if he had it written in his contract that he got Mondays off?

It's not The Wall, but would a vineyard called The Walls hit the spot? Their Curiosita Tempranillo sports a label depicting a guy peeking over a wall, a la Kilroy. That counts, right? From Washington's Red Mountain AVA, it's $80 for a bottle, you crazy diamond. Oh, and they have a Grenache Rosé, if you want to keep it pink. 

1987's Hail! Hail! Rock & Roll is Taylor Hackford’s documentary that covers a pair of Chuck Berry concerts. The running time of HHRR is two hours, which leads me to believe there is a lot of interview footage included. I saw Berry in Beaumont, Texas in or around '87, and he ran through every one of his hits in record time. The show didn't last a half hour. Couldn't wait to get paid, I suppose. 

In the film, at least, Berry has an all-star band backing him. Keith Richards and Eric Clapton tip their hats, no doubt in recognition of all the riffs they stole from him. Johnnie Johnson was used to his role as Chuck's keyboard player, while Etta James and Linda Ronstadt contributed some vocalizing. 

This movie screams to be turned up to eleven. That makes the wine pairing easy. Andrew Murray Vineyards of Los Olivos has an extensive line of E11even wines, but the one we want here is Remix, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Petite Sirah. It's a $40 wine with nearly two years of oak behind it. Stand aside, it's coming through. 

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A Dry White Wine From France's Loire Valley

In one of my several visits to Baltimore I have enjoyed meals at the Thames Street Oyster House in the Fell's Point neighborhood. My wife was particularly infatuated with the place. We sat at the bar once and she ordered lobster claw after lobster claw from the iced display there. I enjoyed Muscadet wine with my seafood, and it was my introduction to the wonderful style. I owe eternal thanks to the bartender for the recommendation.

The Vignobles Lacheteau Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 2022 is a dry white wine from France's Loire Valley. Muscadet Sèvre at Maine is the appellation from which the wine comes. It is south of Nantes and is marked by two rivers, the Sèvre Nantaise and the Maine. 

The wine is made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape and is created sur lie, meaning on the lees. The lees are the yeast cells that are spent during vinification. Contact with the lees gives a wine more weight and complexity. Alcohol comes in at 12% abv and the price is quite reasonable, just $7 at Trader Joe’s.

This wine has almost no coloring. Its nose is more herb-driven than mineral-driven, but there is a touch of wet sidewalk in the aromas. The palate is dry and rather flat, with only a hint of acidity. As with the smells, the flavors lean into the herbal side of the spectrum with enough minerals to make it a decent pair with shellfish. It is a pleasant enough wine, and for $7 I will not complain beyond this paragraph. I will, however, keep it in mind for when I need a dry white wine for cooking. 

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This Cloudy Sake Sparkles

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

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

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

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

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