Darwin, God and wine...

What is surprising to me is that wine traditions are so often seen as antithetical to science, wrote known wine blogger and enthusiast Dr. Debs of Good Wine Under $20 earlier this week. I have to say, I quite agree.

Dr. Debs was reporting on her experience at Taste 3, a Mondavi creation now in its third year. The idea is to bring together great minds from across industries and throughout the world to explore the interrelationship between art, food and wine. From what I gather (and please edit me if I'm wrong), each year they pick one larger, umbrella theme and then break the conference into mini-sessions to discuss this from different angles and offer multiple perspectives. Debs argued four main themes emerged at this year's conference: tradition, science, sustainability and activism. What struck me about her report was the dichotomy between tradition and science, something we often grapple with no matter what walk of life we come from or what specific context is the focus.

With Deb's note that sustainability was also on the table at Taste 3, let's briefly consider the practice of biodynamic farming/winemaking given the tradition/science debate. These folks spend a lot of time applying their natural, soil science formulas to their vines, working their land in concert with the cycles of the moon, etc. with their end game to create a self-sustaining system where the land gives back what it receives (in theory, great freaking wine). Some suggest this approach began in the 1920s. My suspicion is it started a hell of a lot earlier than that; it wasn't until someone (Rudolf Steiner) started talking about it that it became a "known" entity, or a "real" practice. I respect the philosophy behind the practice and admire the additional dedication it takes to apply these practices to the art/science of wine. Whatever Higher Being you may/not believe in, biodynamics requires Faith, or a firm belief in something for which there is no proof.* And I believe faith, at its core, is the original, most basic human tradition.

* How can I say there is "no proof" that these wines are "better" than their counterparts? There's too much that goes into winemaking for anyone part of the equation to be wholly responsible for the quality of the result.

I struggle to see why an 'either or' is constantly demanded during any such debate considering the past and the future. It is the marriage of the two that, for me, strikes the most relevant balance: where we are today. Do I believe in tradition when it comes to wine making? Absolutely. Do I believe in applying new techniques? Absolutely.

What's your perspective on tradition vs. science when it comes to wine?

Oh, Canada!

larose-vineyard-canada

Hailing from the Southwest originally, my family was more likely to head across the border to Mexico for vacation than trek northward. And yet now that I'm living in Boston and the Canadian border is not terribly far away, I've never been. That's not to say I haven't heard of the wonderful wines they are producing - particularly their ice wine. Yes, note the operative words: "heard of". From what I understand, it's impossible to buy Canadian wines here in the US. I'm not sure if this is just wrapped up in legalities on either side of the border or if there just isn't enough wine to go around. Perhaps a little of both. Needless to say, it seems Canada is a sneaky, sleeping giant when it comes to wine. In the western most region of the country, British Columbia, they experience a climate much like our own Washington State. Lake Okanagan keeps winter freeze at bay and otherwise there are parts of BC that are so dry it could be considered a desert. The summer temperatures are much more reasonable than you might expect and, in fact, allow some great early-ripening grape varietals to thrive. Not to mention the fact the acidity in their wines are destined to be high - yea refreshing, clean, wines (think New Zealand)!

On the other side of the country Ontario is an ever up-and-coming region in itself. Ice wine (aka "liquid gold") is a guarantee every year. It is a semi-continental climate in those parts, with fantastic support (i.e. more temperate conditions) offered by the vast lakes in the region. Vines do surprisingly well, particularly those producing varietals like Riesling. Pinot Noir is considered a grape with great potential in the Price Edward county, where limestone soil is a natural partner for the Pinot family.

Why is Canada on my radar today, this News/Events/Trends Friday? Well, Wines & Vines reported this week the Canadians are banding together to get their wines ready for export. They don't produce much, but what they do produce is noteworthy. They are eager to become more of a player on the international wine stage. Check out the article to learn the latest first hand.

What's your knowledge of Canadian wines? Have you been so lucky to have a sip?

beating the beantown broiler!

decorum-cartoon

It's gonna be a SCORCHER in the city this weekend! What better way to cool off than by tasting wines or, better yet, bringing home a bottle or two to enjoy sitting in front of your AC watching the game? (Yippee! Baseball is back!) This Friday I bring to you three spots around the city "tasting out" wines worth checking out. For those of you looking to get ahead of the game (no pun intended), note that two are on tap for tonight. Or, if you're like me and afraid your freckles might melt off should you head to the beach, plan to spend some time in Brookline on Saturday afternoon. Here's what I know (listed in order of tasting time):

Ball Square Fine Wines ~ Friday, July 18, 4:30p - 7:30p

Looks like Ball Sq is serving up a red (Petite Verdot) and white (Sauvignon Blanc) from Australia, care of Dee Bortoli; a cool, summer white blend from the Pacific Northwest; and a red Vin d'Pays (France). Survey says?? Cheers to that!

Bon Vivant Wine Company ~ Friday, July 18, 5p - 7p

Bon Vivant is tasting out Riesling this weekend. They write, "It is a great varietal for new wine drinkers to explore and expand their palate moving closer to the dry side. The two wines, Sohne Relax and Trimbach from Germany selected to taste this week are great values. Both of these wines have some residual sugar and go great with spicy foods." Prost!

Brookline Liquor Mart ~ Saturday, July 19, 1p - 5p

BLM is tasting out Wines of Italy on Saturday. They say, "Italy's varied wine regions and many grape varieties makes for some of the most interesting discoveries. Often we find great values!" I couldn't agree more!! They will be tasting out 10 different Italian vinos. They recommend getting there early "to avoid disappointment". Salute!

A few words on decorum. Wine tastings held at local stores are not invitations to get blitzed. Expect a small taste of each wine and feel free to ask the host/pourer about the wine itself - who makes it, what the varietal is, where in the world and how it was made, etc. Then take the time to think about what you are tasting. Give the wine a sniff to see if anything connects for you (does it smell like the leather of your baseball glove? fresh raspberries? citrus? butter? toast? etc.). When you take the first sip, let the wine swirl in your mouth a bit to let the flavors emerge, then savor it as you swallow. Think about how it finishes. Does it satisfy your palate? If not, why not?

You do NOT have to buy a bottle at these tasting. The idea is to allow customers to explore wines you may not pick up on your own, ask questions or peruse the store. Tastings present a fabulous opportunity to see if the store provides adequate customer service, is well-organized/laid out, clean and whether it offers unique or boutique wines. If I offered 2 solid 'rules of engagement' for these kinds of tastings they would be: 1) Be respectful & 2) Have fun with it!

What other shop tastings do you know of this weekend? Do you plan to attend one?

Spain is king of World Cup, Wimbeldon &...Wine production?

If you watched the final match of the 2008 Euro Cup (Spain won vs. Germany) and/or the phenomenal Wimbledon Men's Final where the Spaniard Rafael Nadal eventually won a nail biter against Roger Federer, then perhaps it is no surprise to you Spain is now also on course to "win" top seed as the world's largest wine producer. (In case you're wondering, yes, I already proclaimed "wine is a team sport". But I was getting more at sportsmanship, rather than the idea of winning or losing....). Back to the wine then, it seems beyond important things like heritage, culture, tradition, and number of suitable grape-growing acres, sound economics matter a heck of a lot, too. What am I getting at? Well, apparently the French are drinking less domestically (French young'ns just aren't enjoying the stuff with as much vigor anymore, tisk, tisk!). But a big(ger) part of the challenge they face is actually a national, industry-wide failure to 'keep up' with market trends - and up and coming wine regions globally where wine is "better" packaged, cheaper and modernized (from techniques employed, to use of screw caps, etc.).

Unlike the sports pages these days, I haven't read one article yet where the Spanish are interviewed about this likely takeover in 2015. I wish I had found one. Those offering French perspectives indicate they are ready to fight the good fight and determined to make a comeback (before one is technically necessary in seven years time). They don't want to lose their crown, of course. And the scare is in them! They recognize they need to make a few adjustments to compete globally.

I don't pretend to know or even fully appreciate all of the nuances that have contributed to this pending "doom" for the French. (There's a great Time article from a few years ago I forgot about, which the folks at Vinography reminded me of when I was looking for a bit more perspective on the topic. It's worth the read if you have a few minutes over lunch today.) But I'm also convinced the French are the least likely in the wine-producing world to want to lose their earned status as quality producers just to edge out the Spanish on the Quantity Produced playing field. So I'm wondering how this is going to pan out.

What I do know is I want my French wines. I want them to be top quality. And I want to pay the price they're worth.

What's your take on all this?

food & wine, a river, a park, some bands and a good cause

Romance is half the fun in the world of wine. Every movie is chalk full of great imagery, enticing viewers to hit the riviera and sip a cool glass of rose, picnic on a hilltop overlooking the vineyard below, or dance around barefoot in a great big vat of grapes. Music and terroir are always part of the equation, too. If you thought you couldn't live a romantic food/wine life in the Boston suburbs of Medford/Somerville, here's your chance to test the theory! This Saturday from noon to seven the Mystic River Music Festival will bring together all the necessary ingredients for a fabulous afternoon - and all the proceeds from your snacking and imbibing will go towards a great cause, the Mystic River Watershed Foundation.

I spoke with Brian Lamb, full-time owner of Our Glass Wine Co. on Route 1 and part-time mastermind behind this great event. It seems that the Condon Shell (a Medford mini Hatch Shell venue, if you will) was the inspiration behind the event. A long-time lover of the site, Lamb approached Mayor McGlynn with the idea to use the Condon Shell for an afternoon of entertainment. McGlynn was more than happy to get on board. The Shell had been recently re-acquired by the city of Medford and McGlynn had hoped to bring music and the arts back to Medford. This was a perfect opportunity.

The event will feature music from local bands, grilled fare provided by Whole Foods, crafts by local artists, and other local vendors committed to all things Green. Perhaps most noteably (from my perspective), the wines on offer will all be organic selections.... and there are some TRULY phenomenal ones in the mix.

Here's a quick preview of just three of the many wines available on Saturday:

2007 Jelu Torrontes ~ Everyone knows Argentine Malbec. Well... Torrontes will have the same U.S. following as the leading white wine varietal coming from that part of the world soon enough! Not bitter at all (as some Torrontes can be) this wine is the PERFECT summer sipper. It offers gorgeous ripe fruits, healthy acidity and a nice medium body allowing it greater food pairing versatility. A welcome treat. The Cafe Europa team is responsible for bringing this little number to the event's wine roster.

2007 Mas de Gourgonnier Rose ~ If you've tasted the standard red Mas de Gourgonnier (in the crazy, 'fat' bottle with the long neck) you know you're in for a treat with this rose. This vineyard has been making organic wines before organic was "in". And this rose is one of the best out there. It offers fabulous summer strawberry and raspberry aromas and flavors, but is refreshingly crisp and dry (as all great rose should be). A blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, Cinsault and Cab, it can hold up to serious BBQ magic, too. Ideal Wine Imports are responsible for bringing this to a store near you and will be donating this selection to the event.

2005 Vinos Pinol Sacra Natura ~ This is a red wine blend from the Terra Alta region of Spain (near Priorat, south of Barcelona) where the soil lacks optimal nutrients; this causes the vines to 'work harder' and results in fewer bunches but more concentrated fruit. The Sacra Natura in particular hails from a vineyard boasting 95 year old vines (read: even more concentrated fruit). A robust blend of Cariñena, Merlot, Cab Sauvignon, Syrah and Tempranillo, this wine does not hold back. Ole Imports & Ruby Wines will be donating this bad boy.

Rain or shine, the Condon Shell should be your local event stop this weekend!

So, what are you waiting for? Do you plan to be 'romanced' in Medford?

from wierd wine to controversial wine: enter the Chinese!

Is it just me or are the Beijing Olympics stirring up all kinds of news headlines these days? One I caught this week was in regard to the unsurprisingly controversial tiger wines China has been producing for ages and ages and ages. Apparently the wines offer medicinal benefits, including help with arthritis, rheumatism and even (how come this doesn't surprise me...?) impotence. Rrrroaaarrrr!!! The tourists go crazy for the stuff! Of course the practice of using tiger carcasses drenched in rice wine is a teensy bit controversial and has rendered the wine illegal in China (since the late 80's, no less). Tigers are on the endangered species list with only several thousand held in captivity.

But with some folks willing to pay upwards of $5,000/bottle, somehow the wine is still available - if you know which alley to wander down. Go figure! If I had my choice to spend thousands on a bottle of wine and do a good deed for wildlife protection, I think I'd hold out for a really amazing bottle of Mounton-Rothschild.

What wine news story caught your attention this week?

surprising sippers - maybe not a trend, but definitely "news" worthy

If you love blueberry pie, attempt to sneak the last of the cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving dinner or have an obsession with raspberry jam, keep reading.

A few weeks back one of our reps came by the shop with a unique offering. He had with him a gentleman from New Jersey who was pitching his fruity wines. New Jersey is a rare bird in the wine world as is. But this was also not the typical grape-based wines we all know and love. These were wines made from blueberries, raspberries, bing cherries and cranberries. My colleague and I took one look at the wines as they emerged from their cooler and nearly sent the duo packing. After all, we buy wines for a FINE wines shop and pride ourselves on our unique, quality selections.

That said, we are professionals first and foremost. So we let the pair of salesmen know we would taste the wines, but gently aired our concerns too. (Best to have low expectations and remain non-committal in these sorts of situations.) The wines were poured. The wines were sampled. And the wines won us over. We brought in a sample case (4 of each) of the wines we tasted. Can you imagine? I'm still surprised! But since I'm also a lover of a great martini and can appreciate the myriad benefits alcohol contributes when creating gorgeous sauces and other fare, I had to be an advocate for the Tomasello selections.

This winery also makes more typical wines though fewer of those wines have won any awards. Granted, New Jersey isn't well-known for their wines; but I did read recently Windows on the World sports a solid NJ cab on their wine list. Who knew?

Have you ever tried a fruit wine? How about wine from NJ?

Are you "overwhlemed"?

You may have seen one of the fairly recent articles written on the Project Genome wine study arranged by Constellation Wines, U.S.. As far as I can tell, the goals of the project are: first, help retailers and restaurateurs understand where wine consumers are coming from (you know, in terms of their head space or gut when they go to make a purchase); and second, use that information to make their wine-buying experience a bit more user-friendly. I like the idea... in theory. The initial study (of two) considered what motivated (3500) wine consumers. The researchers were able to group folks into one of six categories: Enthusiasts (12%); Satisfied Sippers (14%); Savvy Shoppers (15%); Traditionalists (16%); Image-Seekers (20%); and Overwhelmed (23%).

I am dying to know what questions they asked and how they came up with these various categories et. al.. I'm also curious how consumers who aren't thinking about wine 24-7 feel about them (hence my post!). For me, they don't really work, both in terms of myself and in terms of the folks I chat with at the shop and during my tastings.

Nevertheless, a lot of hoopla has resulted because the largest consumer group (23%) fell into the "overwhelmed" category. These folks are said to be those that like to drink wine but rely on information readily available when they go to make their purchase. If no such information is available - in print or through a knowledgeable store clerk/sommelier/waiter - they get flustered and flee.

It seems everyone (in the media) is talking about using this 23% to leverage some kind of revolution in wine accessibility. The idea is that if we (in the industry) tell you what a wine is going to taste like, you'll be a happier, more savvy shopper. In theory, they may be on to something. But my experience tells me that you can't just tell someone what a wine will taste like, in person or on a shelf-talker or by giving it 90+ points. Wine is history. Wine is local culture, flavors, cuisine, terroir, and varietals. Wine is an art. And, wine is a very personal, individual experience. That's what makes it special.

As Alice Feiring says, otherwise "wine would be another beverage, a soft drink, something you could flick a switch and come out of a faucet."

My advice? If you're new to this game or stuck in a rut or find yourself overwhelmed, pull yourself up by your boot straps, grab a bottle and then taste, discuss and even Google it! Just be sure to savor the full experience of it!

Do you find yourself often "overwhelmed"? How would you characterize your buying?

Newsflash: Red Sox and Wine 2008

Were you one of the many Boston-area Red Sox fans who grabbed a bottle of the Schilling Schardonnay or Caber Knuckle last year? If so, I hope you were one of the first to home plate (aka your local wine shop)! Those who purchased these wines early in the game had a chance to taste some good (for what it is) wine benefiting great charity organizations. Unfortunately I was one of the ones who tasted the wine in extra innings - after the demand had exceeded industry expectations and the scramble for more juice compromised quality. Never fear! The professionals behind the magic are attempting to hit consistent grand slams this year with their newest Boston Red Sox Charity Wines line up: Vintage Papi (cab/merlot blend); Captain's Cabernet; and SauvigYoouuk Blanc. They've gone West this year to Selby Vineyards (not to Chile as they did in '07) to produce these 2008 releases. The goal is to ensure there is enough good juice to go around.

Here's the scoop! In the Boston market, the first pitch was thrown for the 2008 lineup last Thursday at the EMC club at Fenway Park. Big Papi, Varitek and Youk were all there to toast the wines so it's possible you've seen recent publicity on the wine and the charities their proceeds benefit. If you've read more than one article, you may also have seen some inconsistency in what's written about what's actually available. Tricky!

To sort it all out, I've gone right to the source (aka the MA distributor of these products): First, we drank all of the Schilling Schard and CaberKnuckle last year. If you're local wine shop still has a few bottles clanking around, grab one (if you dare)! There is no more of either of these wines available. Second, you'll have to wait another couple of weeks before the 2008 series will be available. The wine is mellowing from its trip from the west coast before it will land on your local wine rack.

Of course, I'm dying to know... Did you grab a bottle last year? Which did you try? How did you like it?

Note for readers in other US markets: Charity Wines is working their wine/athlete/charity mojo in at least 3 other cities - New York, Cincinnati and Atlanta. I'd be curious your experiences with those wines, too!

unique, limited-engagement Boston wine event

I know you've been anxiously anticipating what I have up my sleeve for Friday's here on the Pour Favor Blog... Drum roll please...! Since a lot of shenanigans usually pop up throughout the week, I figure it is only right to reserve Friday's for some bit of news or industry trend or even another blogger's banter that caught my attention and deserves a little more "air time". Hopefully this fodder will give you something entertaining to talk about as you open a bottle (or two...) over the weekend.

If you haven't been following Gary Vanerchuk's video blog, you must start immediately. That is all I have to say today.

Well, not quite (I do like to chat)... but seriously. Perhaps you caught him on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch last Wednesday night, or Conan O'Brien on Monday or heck, even Tuesday on Mad Money with Jim Crammer. He's the guy who made Conan eat dirt and cigars last year and "trained" Ellen's palate with salty stones, leather, and even cherry juiced cotton candy last September. Yep! He's been making the rounds!

I love Gary because he "gets" it. Everyday smells and tastes really do come through in a wine. You just have to stop and smell (and taste) the vino to pick those out; and when you do, your wine tasting experience is taken to a whole new level.

Gary's constantly pushing his viewers to step outside their box and experiment to find what makes their palates really sing (cigar tasting and stone licking and all!). And - bonus - if you're willing to take a risk, you can find some real gems often without breaking the bank. Who doesn't want a great value wine, particularly in this day and age?

With that introduction (or review of what is wonderfully Gary V.), I not only encourage you to check out the "Thunder Show" for yourself, but to get in on the action on Thursday, June 19th right here in Boston. Yes, Gary's coming to town for a book signing at the BU Bookstore! Tickets are very limited, so register today! He's so fabulously nutty, who can predict what you may be missing?

Question of the day: Are you coming to the soirée?