Italian Barbera For The Short Ribs

The Castelvero estate in Piedmont was named after a count who lived there once upon a time. The name wasn't hung on the door until 1970, but the recognition was nice. Piemonte is known as the land of Barolo and Barbaresco, even though more Barbera is made there.

The Castelvero Piemonte Barbera 2020 was grown in the Monferrato hills. Alcohol gets up there, to 14% abv, and the price was $10 at my local Whole Foods Market. I bought it use in my slow cooker short ribs meal, but it serves well as a sipper, too. 

This wine colors up a medium-dark cherry red. Cherry and raspberry aromas dominate the nose, with plenty of fruit that outlasts the savory aspect. The palate is also fruity, and the tannins are quite firm. There is a savory streak that runs through the palate, but it is not strong enough to wipe out the fruit. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Jean Renoir

Pairing wine with movies!  See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell.  This week, a trio of subtitled classics from one of the all-time great directors. Wine pairings, too, of course. 

Jean Renoir's father was an artist, too. He operated before the era of motion pictures, so his canvas was, well, a canvas. The elder Renoir was that Renoir. The French impressionist. The National Lampoon Radio Hour once did a bit entitled, "The French Impressionists." The announcer introduced it, and another voice came on, doing an over-the-top impression of a French comic. "First," the comic said, "I like to do zee Ed Soo-lee-von. Eet eez a reeelly big shew." The bit was mercifully short. Anyway, until I took an art appreciation class in college, that was my exposure to French impressionists. And it was in film appreciation class that I learned of Jean Renoir, the French director. I really appreciated college. 

Everyone's introduction to Renoir, the auteur, is likely 1937's Grand Illusion. Set in World War I, with World War II looming, the story of the French airmen in a German POW camp bid a not-so-fond adieu to the idea that aristocratic bonds could transcend the atrocity of war. 

Back then, battlefield conflict was thought to be the war that would end all wars. Turns out it doesn't work that way. Where would we be without war? Four more years of LBJ, no more years of Nixon, no peace sign memes, no Wolf Blitzer. I guess I could live with that. Oh, and no Hogan's Heroes. 

For Grand Illusion, let's salute the de Nonancourt family, who hid the best vintages of their Laurent-Perrier Champagne from the Nazis. Their Grand Siècle cuvée of grand cru Chardonnay and Pinot Noir blends three vintages, 2012, 2008, and 2007, for those who know their Champagne years. It's Iteration 26 and it sells for about $250. Sing "La Marseillaise" while sipping, please. 

A Day in the Country was released in 1946, a decade after it was shot. It is the story of a love affair that begins and ends on the same day. Well, maybe not a love affair. Maybe it was more like, "Hey, my dad and fiancé are going fishing and these fellows have a boat they want to show me." Anyway, it turns into a picnic on the banks of the Seine, without, you know, the food. The moral of the film is never let your daughter go boating with a guy wearing a horizontal striped t-shirt. That goes double for your wife. 

If you want rosé, you want Provence. And if you want Provence, you want Bandol. Château Vannières Rosé is the perfect pink for a picnic or if you just want to get that nice young lady into your boat. It sells for around $30. 

In case you don't get enough exposure to feelings of entitlement in your average day, take in a viewing of The Rules of the Game. The Renoir film from 1939 brings enough biting satire to the table to cover a full day even in an entitlement-rich place like La-La Land.

The setting of the hard-nosed comedy is a country estate in France, where a group of bougie pals get together for a weekend soirée. The dance card includes staring down the impending world war with an overnight bag in one hand and a magnum of Champagne in the other. You have a dashing aviator's hurt feelings, mistaken identities, and death, as the recipe for a bunch of king-sized mal de têtes. 

You'll want only the best for this viewing party, and we're not talking about Veuve Clicquot. A good bottle of vintage Dom Perignon will run you about three bills - but it could still leave you with stars in your eyes if you gulp too much of it.

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Super Tuscan Earthy Red Blend

The Frescobaldi family has been making wine for more than 900 years in Tuscany. Their wines have graced the tables of kings and their reputation has grown through the centuries. 

The 2020 Castiglioni Toscana IGT contains Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese grapes, all harvested from the namesake estate vineyard. The vintage was marked by an early spring, and long summer and timely rains during August. 

The wine spent 12 months in barriques after malolactic fermentation, then another two months in the bottle. Alcohol hits 14% abv and the retail price is $28. 

This wine is medium dark, with a bit of light getting through the glass. The nose presents a savory show of spice and fruit. Blackberry and plum aromas are joined by oak spice, earth and coffee notes. The palate has plenty of that dark fruit, but also plenty of that savory side. Good acidity and firm tannins refresh the mouthfeel. The finish is medium. This is a great wine to pair with pork or roasted chicken, but I think it would also be nice with turkey on the Thanksgiving table. 

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Fizzy Pinot Grigio Rosé From Italy

The Giardino Vivace Pinot Grigio Rosé was made for Trader Joe's by a producer in Veneto, Giardino Wines, in the delle Venezie DOC. Alcohol is low, at 11.5% abv, and so is the price, at just $5. This is a bargain wine I will go back to again. It is great by the pool or on the patio, where its fizzy nature provides refreshment. It is also a good pair with seafood or salad. 

This wine has a medium copper tint. It pours up frizzante in the glass. That's fun. On the nose I find tart apples and pears. The palate, however, presents very ripe red cherries, almost sweet. The wine is dry and the acidity is bracing. For a cheap little Trader Joe's rosé, this is a fairly nice wine. 

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Blood Of The Vines - R.I.P. James Earl Jones

Pairing wine with movies!  See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell.  We've lost another great one. James Earl Jones and his fantastic voice will be sorely missed. We have wine pairings, suitable for toasting.  

The movie that pitted James Earl Jones opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1982 was Conan the Barbarian. The film put Ahnuld on the map, but Jones was reportedly chosen to play the evil Thulsa Doom, at least partly, to serve as a model for the novice actors in the picture. Some were right out of Acting 101, some fresh off a surfboard, and at least one was still sweaty from an eight-hour stint at Gold's Gym. Jones was a seasoned veteran of stage and screen at the time, and it was hoped his work ethic would rub off on the newbs. Jones appears in Conan as a sort of sorcerer who controls his victims hypnotically. The character has been compared to cult leader Jim Jones. It's a great chance to see JEJ with long hair.

Conan drank wine, at least according to a Reddit thread, and isn't that where all the really interesting information is? Most Conaphiles figure he would drink whatever was on hand, which gets dicey if all they have is Budweiser. But let's say he came across a wine made by barbarians. He'd down it by the jug, right? Barbarians is a group of independent family wineries in the area around Mendoza, Argentina. Malbec is the king of grapes in Argentina, and Apogeo makes one of many available there. 

In 1992's Sneakers, Jones plays NSA agent Bernard Abbott. The comic thriller stars Robert Redford, who leads a team of hackers to steal a black box for the NSA. However, they end up using their skills to bankrupt the Republican Party and make huge donations to liberal causes. Of course, nowadays, the Republican Party has found a new way to bankrupt itself.

For my money, and some of yours if you'll let me, this is the kind of role Jones was born to play. All business. Government business, mind you. Stern, authoritative, over a barrel and knows it, writing US Government blank checks to a bunch of nerds. If only he could have come through on that request for peace and goodwill. Oh yeah, the government doesn't do that sort of thing. 

Cline Cellars has a red blend they call The Sneak. It's from Carneros, features Merlot, Syrah and Grenache, with a dab of Cab, a dash of Sangiovese and a splash of who knows what. Yes, this wine is a rule breaker. $55.

Bingo Long and the Traveling All Stars came along in 1976, a pretty good year for baseball. Not only did the Reds blank the Yankees in the World Series, but Oscar Charleston made it into the MLB Hall of Fame. Charleston, in case you didn’t know, played and managed in the Negro leagues for more than four decades. He died in 1954 and was honored with admission to the HoF 22 years later. It's a shame he wasn't allowed to play on the big stage. A true shame.

The story of Bingo Long centers on the stars of the 1930s Negro League who form their own barnstorming baseball team. They're rather like the Harlem Globetrotters on a baseball diamond, traveling from town to town, picking up games wherever they could. The movie was rather loosely based on reality, a reality where a 45-year-old man still had the knees to play catcher. 

Jones plays Leon Carter, the team's power hitter and moral compass. I must admit, sitting here today it just doesn’t sound right to hear Jones doing a rural Southern black dialect. But he does it so well. And it's hard to resist his smile from behind a short stogie sticking from the corner of his mouth. 

For the Bingo Long barnstormers, let's choose a wine from Barnstormer Winery, located right next to Seneca Lake in New York's Finger Lakes region. Yes, I know the barnstormers referenced in the logo are the airborne-in-a-biplane variety, but thanks for the fact check. The winery has only been there for a little more than ten years. However, the old barn that houses it dates back before the Civil War. Maybe that's where they keep their biplanes. True to their upstate heritage, they’re partial to grapes that grow well in the cold, like Riesling, Cabernet Franc, and Blaufränkisch. Most of their wines are in the $20 to $30 range.

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Sangiovese From Romagna

The Italian winery Poderi dal Nespoli is located in the Bidente Valley, on the hills of Forlì, an area that connects the Apennines to the Adriatic coast. Their Gualdo Romagna DOC is a Sangiovese wine, the grapes for which were grown in the commune of Predappio. 

The winery grows their grapes biosymbiotically, using fungal root injections into the soil. Don't ask me to explain what that is, or what it does, but it does appear to be a thing. Alcohol for this wine rests at 13.5% abv and the retail price is around $20. 

This wine is medium ruby colored. The nose is forceful. It shows blackberries and black plums, along with an extremely earthy element. The palate carries dark fruit under a savory cloak, and there is a very firm set of tannins. The acidity is quite lively and the finish is long and savory. 

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A Funky Sangiovese The Romagna DOC

The Italian winery Poderi dal Nespoli is located in the Bidente Valley, on the hills of Forlì, an area that connects the Apennines to the Adriatic coast. Their Gualdo Romagna DOC is a Sangiovese wine, the grapes for which were grown in the commune of Predappio. 

The winery grows their grapes biosymbiotically, using fungal root injections into the soil. Don't ask me to explain what that is, or what it does, but it does appear to be a thing. Alcohol for this wine rests at 13.5% abv and the retail price is around $20. 

This wine is medium ruby colored. The nose is forceful. It shows blackberries and black plums, along with an extremely earthy element. The palate carries dark fruit under a savory cloak, and there is a very firm set of tannins. The acidity is quite lively and the finish is long and savory. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Late Hitchcock

Pairing wine with movies!  See the trailers and hear the fascinating commentary for these movies and many more at Trailers From Hell.  What better trio of films to receive wine pairings than a handful of Hitchcocks. We'll try some movies from later in his career.

If you're a fan of Alfred Hitchcock's films - and you'd better be - you know there's going to be some drinking going on.  Nearly all his dozens of movies have his characters using booze to brace themselves, lighten themselves, or heal themselves.  Hitchcock was a fine wine connoisseur. He loved the juice of the grape so much that he bought a lavish getaway home in the beautiful Santa Cruz mountains, which is now a winery.

Topaz is a 1969 Cold War spy film with its story rooted in real life. Set in the early 1960s, the script centers on a French intelligence agent who has a hand in busting up a Soviet spy ring as nuclear missiles are bound for Cuba. The ring is code-named "Topaz," and the story gets as complicated as you would expect an espionage tale to get. Maybe more so. 

The film features all the elements of a good spy flick, but laid on more heavily than audiences liked. "Too long," they said, which is something nobody ever said about the finish of a good Chardonnay. As for the Hitchcockian alcohol, there is a scene in which a few bottles of beer are featured prominently. We want wine, though.

Hitchcock reportedly grew Riesling grapes on that estate in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Called Heart O' the Mountain, the land is now the estate vineyard for Armitage Wines.  Their estate Pinot Noir goes for around $60.

1972's Frenzy is about a London serial killer who strangles his victims with his own tie.  Before you jump to the conclusion that such an idiot move means he was drunk at the time, consider that he wore a tie pin which had his name on it.  "Oh, so he was high, too?" Of course he probably was drunk at the time, since he didn't mind having booze for breakfast. 

Tying himself to the crimes even tighter, the criminal uses a trunkful of circumstantial evidence to try and frame his friend for the killings.  Well, what are friends for, anyway?  The television series The Fugitive was only a five-year-old memory at the time.  So, Frenzy's framee becomes a fugitive trying to prove his innocence, while the framer is left making sure he still has both arms.

Hitch certainly had a thing for strangulation. He gleefully portrayed it in Frenzy, as well as in Dial M for Murder, Strangers on a Train, and Rear Window. And who wouldn't need a drink after watching the opening scene of Rope? Strangulation is not a pretty sight, but it sure plays well on the screen.

New Zealand's Wilson Daniels Winery has a Frenzy Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough's Mount Richmond estate for less than $20. It's as bold and expressive as one would expect for a film about being choked to death. 

I'll say right up front that I have never seen 1976's Family Plot. I know that makes no sense. I love Hitchcock, Bruce Dern, William Devane, Barbara Harris, Karen Black and black comedy. I have no idea how this fell between the cracks, except maybe I was busy with bicentennial celebrations, or Jimmy Carter on the campaign trail. 

Here is what I know about Family Plot. It was Hitchcock's final directorial effort. The critics loved it, even though they couldn't nitpick this one to death. There are two couples, a pseudo psychic and a cabbie/investigator, and a pair of kidnappers. It's a fair portrait of who to not invite to your next dinner party. 

Dern and Devane were highly lauded for their performances. To me, Devane always looks like JFK about to spit something out and Dern usually appears to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but that's what I like about them both. As for the cinematic drinking in Plot, I hear that Dern attacks a glass of beer convincingly while a kidnap victim gets to have a bottle of wine in the cellar. 

Healdsburg's Simi Winery is said to have been one of Hitch's favorites. Their 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon is a Bordeaux-style blend with Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petite Sirah, and Malbec supporting the Cab. All for just $25? Hitch never had to worry about running over budget here.

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Five Prosecco Wines

Prosecco is an Italian sparkling wine produced in a large area spanning nine provinces in the regions of Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. Traditionally, Glera is the favored grape for making Prosecco. Why shouldn't it be? It was known as Prosecco until the name was changed in 2009. Glera must make up at least 85% of a Prosecco wine. Other grapes in the remaining 15% include Verdiso, Bianchetta Trevigiana, Perera, Glera Lunga, Chardonnay, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio and Pinot Nero, vinified off the skins.

Consorzio Tutela, the organization that promotes and protects the Prosecco name, explains how the method of vinification differs from other sparkling wines, which are given a secondary fermentation in the bottle through the Champagne method.

"The Martinotti method, invented by Dr. Federico Martinotti at the end of the 19th century, is used to produce spumante and frizzante sparkling wines with distinctive floral and fruity notes through a natural second fermentation process in large sealed tanks (autoclaves)." The Consorzio continues, "Dr. Antonio Carpenè, one of the founding members of the Conegliano School of Wine-making, was the first person to use this method to produce sparkling Prosecco wine with the characteristics that are so well known today. Prior to this, the wines were produced using second fermentation in the bottle."

I was given five different bottles of Prosecco to sample. I'll tackle them one by one. 

Brilla! Prosecco DOC 

The Brilla! website says the bubbly is targeted to "young people, millennials, party addicted." Well, don't I feel old, sitting here at home enjoying it all by myself. Maybe I should call a party addict to roll up on my place for some good ol' fashioned, newfangled cork poppin'. Maybe I'll yell for my wife to come downstairs and join me. The Brilla! Prosecco has restrained alcohol at 11% abv and a retail price of $15.

This wine has a pale yellow color and a slightly frizzante bubble situation. The nose displays citrus, green apple, pear and minerality. The palate has those flavors, along with a very nice acidity. It is an amazing aperitif and perfect for the patio. 

Brilla! Prosecco Rosé 2023

The Brilla! website is given more to style than substance. It is a good looking layout, though. This pink Prosecco is made from a blend of Glera and Pinot Nero which are vinified in steel tanks. Alcohol hits only 11% abv and the retail price is $20. 

This wine has an onion skin tint in the glass and plenty of bubbles, which dissipate quickly. The nose displays apples and strawberries with a hint of citrus. Flavors of red berries dominate the palate, while acidity is quite fresh and the finish is fruity. 

Avissi Prosecco DOC is made from 100% Glera grapes. It is vinified in concrete tanks, in small batches. 11% $13 

This wine has a golden tint in the glass. The nose is dominated by apple and pear, with a nice floral scent. Flavors of fruit lead the way on the palate, as apples, pears and citrus are joined by a light minerality. The bubbles are frothy, but they dissipate quickly. Acidity is bracing and the sip is quite dry. 

Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC 

The bottle is a golden mirror, sure to be a head-turner, but also probably drives the price upward, above most other Prosecco wines. Alcohol sits at 11% abv and the retail price is $29.

This wine pours up bubbly, and the dissipating bubbles leave a straw yellow wine with a greenish tint. The nose is quite savory, yet populated with flowers and fruit. The minerality comes through on the palate, as does the significant acidity. I paired it with my veggie stir fry, and it tasted great. 

Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco Brut Rosé 2023 

The Glera grape meets Pinot Noir in this pink sparkler. The blend is 90% Glera and only 10% Pinot. Alcohol sits at 11% abv and the retail price is $15. 

This wine colors up a light copper pink. The bubbles are festive, but they don't last long. The nose is quite sweet, with a strong floral element first and followed by red fruit and citrus. On the palate there is a racy acidity with a dry mouthfeel. Red berries are featured, and they last into the finish. 

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Tuscan Vermentino That Begs For A Food Pairing

Tenuta Ammiraglia Masso Vivo Toscana Vermentino 2023 is made of grapes grown in the Maremma region, on the Ammiraglia estate, an area known for huge outcroppings of yellow rock. That rocky soil is called masso vivo, or living rock. There is no better place for the name Masso Vivo than on the front label. It is the name of this Tuscan Vermentino. 

The wine was vinified and aged in stainless steel tanks, with aging done on the lees, or spent yeast cells. The 2023 vintage featured a mild winter with lots of rain in December and January and more in the spring, in March and April. Alcohol rests at 12.5% abv and Masso Vivo retails for $22.

This wine is tinted light yellow. The nose is what I really love about Vermentino. It smells of the ocean, with savory streaks of Meyer lemon and a hint of white blossoms. The palate is so full of salinity and minerals that it begs for a food pairing. This is exactly what I want in a white wine. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Black Comedy

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 comedies that see the world through a slightly damaged lens.

Our trio of movies this week deals with black humor. That's not like "black jobs." See Donald Trump for a definition. Black humor isn't a racial descriptor. It is a type of humor that deals more with wry chuckling than the slapping of knees. In wine, we sometimes refer to a "barnyard" aroma, especially in wines of the Rhône Valley, or in wines that we like but don't know what else to say about them. That funky scent might elicit an "It wasn't me" response, but it can really liven up the ol' tasting notes. These movies are funny, but the humor works from the inside out.

The 1970s closed out with Buffet Froid, a 1979 French film starring Gérard Depardieu. It's a murder mystery in which few people seem to care about the murder. They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. So is a buffet of dark humor. This twisted comedy is so cold the butter's hard and the jello is jigglin'.

It's in French, so hopefully you either speak the language, or don't have an aversion to subtitles. One viewing will show you that the old trope about the French thinking Jerry Lewis is a genius is right on target. 

I'd love to pair Froid de Canard Sauvignon Blanc with Buffet Froid, but it seems the producer ran out, no doubt owing to the catchy name (cold like a duck) and the $8 sticker. Since a buffet froid is really a table of cold dishes from which guests serve themselves, we can stay with the grape and aim for higher quality. Hippolyte Reverdy Sancerre is a Sauvignon Blanc, it has the catchy name, and comes with a price tag in the $40 range.

After Hours made 1985 tolerable for me. Well, that and "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits. But a year otherwise filled with Wham!, A-Ha and "We Are the World" made many of us feel like Griffin Dunne's character, stuck in SoHo with the uptown blues again. 

Younger people watching After Hours for the first time will no doubt think it was foolish for Paul Hackett to expect to take a cab with nothing but a $20 bill to his name. And he expected to have a drink while downtown! No cap! But we used to do it all the time, after cashing a $20 check at the grocery store. Hey, it won't post until Monday, right?

Just as 1985 trapped us in crazyville, Hackett found himself trapped in his big night out, his escape eluding him time after time. After Hours is one of my favorite films of all time. Several of Martin Scorsese's other movies keep it from the Number One spot. 

I can't resist pairing City Winery's New York City CAB with After Hours, since that cab ride is where the black comedy begins. NYC CAB is actually made from North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon grapes shipped to the Big Apple, but New York could use a little California in it. $30.

Anyone who has ever tried to quit a habit quickly can relate to Cold Turkey. The 1971 movie centers on a small town that tries to quit smoking for a month in order to win $25 million cash from a tobacco company. Of course, the ciggy maker works against the populace to keep from having to pay up. It's rather like how Big Tobacco lied for decades about their product. In real life, though, the stakes are higher.

Cold Turkey was directed by Norman Lear, his only time to call the shots for the big screen. It has the feel of a television episode to it. Dick Van Dyke and Bob Newhart help that feeling along. 

The wine for this film should be one that pairs well with cold turkey sandwiches on Black Friday. A rosé is in order here. Knapp Winery Rosé Saigneé is made in New York's Finger Lakes region and sells for $22. The grapes in this ruby red wine are Saperavi, Arandell, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. I'll bet that two of those aren't on your Century Club list yet. 

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Italian Bubbles From The North

Here is an Italian sparkler which is actual sparkling wine, rather than Prosecco. It is from the Trentino area of Alto Adige, in the Dolomites. All the grapes used are Chardonnay. Only the free run juice is used, with no pressing involved. The wine is vinified in steel tanks, with no oak contact at all. Alcohol hits only 12.5% abv and it retails for around $20. 

This wine has a beautiful, rich salmon pink color. There are bubbles aplenty, which dissipate quickly. The nose features bright strawberry and cherry aromas, along with a nice yeasty element. The palate shows citrus in the form of lemon zest and a light touch of grapefruit. It is as dry as a bone, as the expression goes. Inhaling a bit with the sip nearly takes away the breath. It is an outstanding version of Italian bubbles done in the metodo classico. You may know that as methode champenoise. 

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Israeli Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2021 Yarden Cabernet Sauvignon is a varietal wine made from grapes grown in the cool, high altitude, rocky soil of the Golan Heights in Galilee. Head winemaker Victor Schoenfeld feels that this wine is a great addition to any holiday feast.

The wine was aged in French oak for 18 months. It carries alcohol at 14.5% abv and retails for $45. It reminds me of the Cabs from Paso Robles, with their rambunctious nature and chalky mouthfeel. The wine may not be as elegant as a silky Napa Valley bottling, but it more than compensates for that in character.

This wine is dark, with an aroma profile that seems to match. The nose has a tarry sense to it, with notes of cedar, cigars and clove buoyed along by the blackberry and cassis fruit smells. The palate is dark, too, with blue and black fruit, clove and pepper and oak notes providing complexity. The acidity is fresh and the tannic grip is firm enough that food is almost a necessity with it. It will pair well with any meat dishes.

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Slumming It With Low-Alcohol Wines

There is, these days, if the publicists are to be believed, a move toward "mindful drinking," seeking out healthier alcohol alternatives. You can say I cling to the old ways, but I see no need to try and make alcohol healthier. You want healthy? Give up drinking. There. I said it. I quit smoking, gave up cannabis and cut way back on coffee. There is a limit to how unpleasant I want the rest of my life to be. Please leave the alcohol in my wine. 

There are those who will insist that they want to moderate their alcohol consumption. These are the people who call us "boss," ride a scooter to work, and reply to everything we say with "perrrfect." Studies show that 64% of these younger folks are on the lookout for that healthier alcohol option and 34% of all wine drinkers want ways to moderate their alcohol intake. I suppose no one has suggested "put down the glass," so let me toss that into the ring as a logical answer to the problem.

Someone saw those numbers and decided that something needed to be done about them. The thing they decided to do was to make low-alcohol wine. Arlow Wine jumped at the chance to cater to the people who simply cannot stop at one glass. Now you can have two glasses, with the same alcohol as one glass of high-octane wine. You get double the regret, though.

Arlow, I'm told, is the first truly low-alcohol wine made in the US. Arlow's wines promise "full flavor, complex profiles, and all the enjoyment of wine, with just 6.5% abv." As if that were not enough enticement, Arlow is lower in calories at just 70 per glass, lower in sulfites and has little to no sugar added. 

I was given three samples of these new wines to try. After drinking the rosé, I wanted to pour out all three and give up on the article. But I persisted in the taste test. Here are my findings.

Arlow Rosé

This wine has a vibrant salmon-orange color to it. The nose gives aromas of cherry and strawberry with a fairly intense herbal slant. An occasional whiff of Jolly Rancher comes through, too. The palate is almost completely taken over by the herbal aspect found in the nose. There is little to no acidity. It tastes like an adult Kool-Aid instead of a wine. The low alcohol allows one to drink a lot of it, but one doesn't really want to. 

Arlow Sauvignon Blanc 

This wine is tinted lightly golden. The aromas are very much what I expect from New World Sauvignon Blanc. The most dominant is a strident grassiness, which is joined by citrus and minerals. The palate gives lemon, lime, grapefruit, and minerality combined with a decent acidity. The flavor has an almost sweet note to it, which offsets the rather blunt fruit and herbal offering. The finish is not too long, but is pleasant enough while it’s there. 

Arlow Cabernet Sauvignon

This wine is peculiar. The color is medium dark purple. The nose is where the peculiar part begins. There is an extremely earthy, musty scent arising from the glass, almost foxy, as if it were a North American hybrid grape, but not quite. It is not a particularly bad smell, but it certainly bears none of the hallmarks of Cabernet Sauvignon wines I have ever had. The palate offers no apparent oak spice, and it tastes relatively fresh, so maybe this is a rare example of an oakless Cab. The tannins are almost nonexistent and there is not much acidity present. As with the Arlow Rosé, this is adult Kool-Aid, suitable to be chilled and served in plastic cups by the pool. Don't waste any food in a pairing with this wine. 

If you think I'm being too harsh in my criticism, let me say that I am normally an easy audience for wine. My scores tend to be higher than most for the same wines and I am reasonably agreeable when a bottle fails to live up to hopes and expectations. I can nearly always find something positive to say about a wine, and I think that points to how much good wine is being made these days. These low-alcohol entries are easily among the worst wines I have tasted this year, maybe this decade. For 6.5% abv, I’ll take a beer instead, thanks. 

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From Rioja To The Picnic Table

Yes, a red wine can appear next to the BBQ grill and serve a thirsty crowd well on a hot day. To get the most from chilling a red wine, look for one that is low or moderate in alcohol, one that hasn't been aged in oak for more than a year or is oakless altogether, and one whose tannins are easy on the tongue. 

This still youthful 2019 El Coto Crianza was aged in oak for 12 months and in the bottle for another year and a half, which earns the wine its designation of "crianza." This is a full varietal wine, 100% Tempranillo. The alcohol level sits at a comfortable 13.5% abv and the retail price is cozy, too, just $17.

I tasted this vintage a year ago, and not much has changed. It is a dark wine, one which lets very little light pass through. The nose displays more fruit than oak, which is a good sign if you plan to chill it and serve it outside. Blackberry, raspberry, cassis, anise all shine brightly, with light notes of clove and cinnamon. The palate is clean and fresh, with the dark fruit taking a bow. The tannins have softened somewhat over the past year, but are still maybe a little firm for an outdoor meal under the sun, but the acidity is brisk and refreshing. 

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Blood Of The Vines - Bad Movies We Love

Pairing‌‌‌ ‌‌‌wine‌‌‌ ‌‌‌with‌‌‌ ‌‌‌movies!‌‌‌  ‌‌‌See‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌hear‌‌‌ ‌‌‌the‌‌‌ ‌‌‌fascinating‌‌‌ ‌‌‌commentary‌‌‌ ‌‌‌for‌‌‌ ‌‌‌these‌‌‌ movies‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌and‌‌‌ ‌‌‌many‌‌‌ ‌‌‌more‌,‌‌ ‌‌‌at‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Trailers‌‌‌ ‌‌‌From‌‌‌ ‌‌‌Hell.‌‌‌ ‌This week, go slumming with some movies that were more in line for Raspberries than Oscars. To take off the edge, we have wine pairings for each.

Plan 9 from Outer Space was directed by Ed Wood, dated as 1959, but released two years earlier under another title, then repackaged for the Southern drive-in circuit. Plan 9 has been hailed as The Worst Movie Ever Made. I've kept my eyes open over the years, and I'll tell you, it's hard to argue against that award.

Aliens try to prevent earthlings from creating a weapon that would end humanity. Why they're so worried about us is a question that gets answered by a song and dance involving sunlight particles exploding. Let's not get too bogged down in fact checking here. Their plan is to resurrect the Earth's dead to create havoc. That right there sounds like a doomsday weapon to me, but Ed Wood had a different POV.

Bela Lugosi is in the movie, but only in footage that Mr. Wood shot before Mr. Lugosi died, then spliced in. The reel was probably filed away next to the one labeled, "Something has upset the buffalo!"

I'm guessing this film may have been the one that spawned Mystery Science Theater, since Plan 9 is the prototype of a bad movie people watch in groups for laughs. Usually while drinking. There is some genuine camp to be found, like Vampira, Criswell, and Zombie Lugosi himself. 

Bela's family keeps his name alive with Bela Lugosi Wines. They happen to make White Zombie Chardonnay, which fits in well with the plan to raise the earth's dead people. It is crafted from Santa Barbara County grapes, which doesn't matter at all to Lugosi at this point, or to a zombie, but should be important to you.  

Deathsport, a sci-fi from 1978, was partially directed by TFH guru Allan Arkush. He was called in to clean up the mess left by the previous visionary, who left the picture due to any of a number of reasons. Everyone was either drunk or high, the set at Vasquez Rocks was too far to drive, nobody wanted to work unless the Playboy Playmate was on the set, or they hated David Carradine. Probably a lot of the last one.

The film was a follow-up to Death Race 2000, only done more hastily, with more booze and drugs, and with a Playboy Playmate and David Carradine. Arkush describes directing the movie as a nightmare in real life. He had to interrupt his prep for Rock and Roll High School in order to try and salvage Deathsport, and I can only say that I'm so glad that it didn't knock that film off the rails. My life would be much poorer today had Arkush and Joe Dante not made R&RHS. 

The dystopian Deathsport story has too many fantasy names for people and places for my taste, but you gotta love exploding motorcycles. These death machines were utilized in the big sport of the day, combat to the death that would free the criminal who won. Please don't mention to any felons who happen to be running for president that this may be an option. First, he would probably lose. Second, nobody wants to see him on a motorcycle.

There is a winery in Moorpark, CA called Cavaletti Vineyards, which produces a wine named Dystopia. It's an old-style blend of Tempranillo, Alicante Bouschet, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Graciano and Syrah grapes raised in Los Angeles, Santa Ynez and Ventura County. $45 bucks will get you closer to the end of the world.

1977's Mighty Peking Man is a Hong Kong monster movie. It came out while the world was still basking in the glow of the previous year's King Kong remake. The titular monster is also known as Goliathon, which sounds more like an all-day feature of biblical cartoons. "Mommy, can we stay up and watch the Davey and Goliathon tonight?" "No, dear. That sort of thing puts your father out of the mood."

This MPM monster borrowed a few tricks from the master, Godzilla. He tears up towns, throws things and generally causes commotion as he tromps through the Himalayas. He even uses elephants as bodyguards, although why a giant monster needs a herd of bodyguards is still a mystery. 

A giant Hong Kong monster movie deserves a giant Paso Robles monster wine. Technically, it's Big Red Monster wine, a $20 Zinfandel. They say the palate is big and bold, much like the mighty monster himself. 

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Sincerely Sauvignon

The Mellot family has grown grapes and made wine in the Sancerre region for more than five centuries. This 2022 Joseph Mellot Sincérité Sauvignon Blanc is labeled as Vin de France, rather than Loire Valley. The VDF designation indicates that the winemaker was free to use grapes from anywhere in France, rather than be restricted to a single appellation. 

This is a full varietal wine, 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes, but is not a Sancerre. The grapes were sourced from areas which include Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. The vintage notes describe a mild winter, an early spring, a scorching hot summer and a rainy autumn. Alcohol kicks at 12.5% abv and the retail price is only $19.

This wine is tinted pale yellow. The nose is gentle and fragrant, it does not come on strong like a New World Sauv Blanc. There is restrained minerality and a restful, floral salinity about the aromas. The palate has lemon, lime and only a hint of grapefruit up front, but all that citrus lays low and allows the smooth salinity to call its shot. Acidity is fresh, almost not noticed. I will have this as an aperitif or chilled on the porch on a hot summer day. 

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White Tempranillo - A Twist From Rioja

The wines of Spain's Rioja region are varied and always a delight.  From crisp, young whites to fresh rosados to bright and cheery young reds and those with some age and oak influence, the wines of Rioja never fail to impress while showing off their terroir.

The Rioja region lies between mountain ranges in the north-central part of Spain and is separated into three main sub-regions, Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Alavesa.  Tempranillo is the main red grape, although you will often see Graciano, Garnacha (Grenache) and Mazuelo.  For white wines, Viura is popular, with Malvasia playing a supporting role. 

The Perez Cuevas family of Bodegas Ontañón has worked the land of Rioja for four generations. Starting with a patch south of the Ebro River near the small town of Quel, they have accumulated more property through the decades. They now grow grapes on the high ground of the Sierra Yerga Mountains and are one of the biggest family vineyard owners in the country.

Ruben Perez Cuevas and José Miguel Avizcuri collaborate as winemakers and used fruit from the El Aniceto vineyard for the full varietal 2022 Ontañón Tempranillo Blanco. This white version of Tempranillo is a mutation of the red Tempranillo variety, discovered by a grape grower in the 1990s and officially recognized in 2007. This bottle has an alcohol content of 13.5% abv and sells for around $20 or less.

This wine is tinted straw yellow and has a mineral-laden nose which also offers a tropical fruit basket of aromas. Pineapple, mango, lemon, orange and apple all waft up from the glass.  The palate shows the minerals up front, with a salinity that runs through the sip. Acidity is decent, if not ripping, and the wine finishes long with savory notes staying afloat to the end. I would love this with peel-and-eat shrimp, but it’s also great with a handful of peanuts.  

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Blood Of The Vines - Spy Vs Spy

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 don disguises and use fake passports to look over three films about spies.

Kudos to the TFH gurus for labeling this week's selections with the title of the Mad Magazine feature, Spy vs Spy. It was a favorite part of the mag for me, something I would flip through the pages to find before reading anything else. The good spy in white didn't always defeat the bad spy in black as they confronted each other. But were they really good guy and bad guy? Only their bosses know for sure, and even they may be in the dark.

The Amateur, from Canada in 1981, shows us the danger of taking up terrorist assassination as a hobby. John Savage plays a CIA code specialist whose wife is murdered. This turns him from mathman to madman, and he has information which allows him to blackmail the agency into sending him to Czechoslovakia to hunt down and kill the murderers. All goes surprisingly well for him until his blackmail information becomes useless. Uh oh. No more company man.

The movie poster claims that "the first 11 minutes will absolutely shock you," and "the last 11 minutes will rivet you to your seat." I'm in a bit of a time crunch here, so can I just watch those 22 minutes and fast forward through the 90 in the middle? Thanks.

Spy Valley Wines, from New Zealand's Marlborough region, has a good variety of wine for under $20, but check their dessert bottlings. Operation: Late Harvest has sweet Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc for $35, with code clearance required.

A Cold War Classic written and directed by Samuel Fuller, Pickup on South Street is not an ad for an F-150 for sale in Cerritos. It is the story of a small-time hood who picks the wrong pocket and ends up with microfilm secrets intended for the Commies. Okay, Richard Widmark. You're in the spy business now. 

An earlier version of the script was titled Pickpocket, but Darryl Zanuck thought that sounded too European. I don't know why that makes me laugh, but it does. The movie drew criticism from none other than J. Edgar Hoover, who claimed he didn't like the film's politics. Maybe he just wanted a better look at Jean Peters' wardrobe.

Sans Liege Winery of Paso Robles makes a 100% Grenache called The Pickpocket. Aged for two years in French oak, we hope it doesn't taste too European for you. It's a $50 bottle.

The 1970s brought a new kind of spy movie to us - the kind where the government wears the black hat. Robert Redford may not be the spy in Three Days of the Condor, but he sure has the thrill-a-minute life foisted upon him.  This guy can't pick up the mail without dodging bullets.  Don't watch this movie if you skipped giving your mailman a holiday tip.

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

Redford's character - code name Condor - wants to come in from the cold, only to find he's already in, and the air conditioning is stuck on 32 degrees. It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you, and it's especially chilling if you don't even know why. The tactics the government uses to try and keep him quiet sure have him feeling like an endangered species. Max Von Sydow has that effect on people. Things do heat up a bit for Condor when Faye Dunaway realizes things could be worse than playing hostage to a guy who looks like Redford.  

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

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

Follow Randy Fuller on X

Blood Of The Vines - Spy Vs Spy

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 don disguises and use fake passports to look over three films about spies.

Kudos to the TFH gurus for labeling this week's selections with the title of the Mad Magazine feature, Spy vs Spy. It was a favorite part of the mag for me, something I would flip through the pages to find before reading anything else. The good spy in white didn't always defeat the bad spy in black as they confronted each other. But were they really good guy and bad guy? Only their bosses know for sure, and even they may be in the dark.

The Amateur, from Canada in 1981, shows us the danger of taking up terrorist assassination as a hobby. John Savage plays a CIA code specialist whose wife is murdered. This turns him from mathman to madman, and he has information which allows him to blackmail the agency into sending him to Czechoslovakia to hunt down and kill the murderers. All goes surprisingly well for him until his blackmail information becomes useless. Uh oh. No more company man.

The movie poster claims that "the first 11 minutes will absolutely shock you,: and "the last 11 minutes will rivet you to your seat." I'm in a bit of a time crunch here, so can I just watch those 22 minutes and fast forward through the 90 in the middle? Thanks.

Spy Valley Wines, from New Zealand's Marlborough region, has a good variety of wine for under $20, but check their dessert bottlings. Operation:Late Harvest has sweet Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc for $35, with no code clearance required.

A Cold War Classic written and directed by Samuel Fuller, Pickup on South Street is not an ad for an F-150 for sale in Cerritos. It is the story of a small-time hood who picks the wrong pocket and ends up with microfilm secrets intended for the Commies. Okay, Richard Widmark. You're in the spy business now. 

An earlier version of the script was titled Pickpocket, but Darryl Zanuck thought that sounded too European. I don't know why that makes me laugh, but it does. The movie drew criticism from none other than J. Edgar Hoover, who claimed he didn't like the film's politics. Maybe he just wanted a better look at Jean Peters' wardrobe.

Sans Liege Winery of Paso Robles makes a 100% Grenache called The Pickpocket. Aged for two years in French oak, we hope it doesn't taste too European for you. It's a $50 bottle.

The 1970s brought a new kind of spy movie to us - the kind where the government wears the black hat. Robert Redford may not be the spy in Three Days of the Condor, but he sure has the thrill-a-minute life foisted upon him.  This guy can't pick up the mail without dodging bullets.  Don't watch this movie if you skipped giving your mailman a holiday tip.

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

Redford's character - code name Condor - wants to come in from the cold, only to find he's already in, and the air conditioning is stuck on 32 degrees. It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you, and it's especially chilling if you don't even know why. The tactics the government uses to try and keep him quiet sure have him feeling like an endangered species. Max Von Sydow has that effect on people. Things do heat up a bit for Condor when Faye Dunaway realizes things could be worse than playing hostage to a guy who looks like Redford.  

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

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

Follow Randy Fuller on X