Is "table wine" just plonk?

Last weekend I went out to dinner at one of my favorite local spots. They change their somewhat small, but uniquely satisfying menu frequently, ensuring they always offer the best seasonal fare. What's even more fun for me is their enormous wine list. Thinking about it now (chuckling), there are probably 10 different red and 10 different white wine options that could pair with every one dish!  I always enjoy navigating their extensive list to pair a wine for both me and my date to enjoy with our different meals. On Saturday night my date was having grilled veal chops, with couscous and a fried onion. I was having the rosemary chicken breast, with fingerling potatoes, leeks and roasted garlic. Each of these dishes was a great example of tasty American fare. Nothing pretentious about either. No unique dressing or gravy. Just good ole fashioned, albeit beautifully prepared, comfort food.

Sometimes you just want something that's easy drinking. Sometimes your meal is classically satisfying and delicious enough you don't need to spend the extra cash on a truly remarkable bottle of wine. Better yet, sometimes you just can't spend the extra few dollars.

An ideal pairing for both of our dishes may have been a very earthy, more robust New World style Pinot Noir. But none jumped out at me on the list. We had also been spoiled by a truly gorgeous bottle of Pinot with the same characteristics the night before. (We had homemade chicken marsala with rosemary mashed potatoes; we splurged on the Reynold's Family Pinot Noir - and it was a tremendous delight). I decided to turn my attention to their basic red table wine offerings.

I know some of you out there may be timid to opt for such a selection when out to eat at a nice place. Here's my thinking on the matter: If the wine buyer at the restaurant is going to take the time to pick out so many beautiful offerings, you can be almost certain their table wine option(s) is/are solid. Will the wine knock your socks off? Not necessarily. But will it be food friendly (having solid acidity and/or tannin) and otherwise scratch the itch? No doubt.

Wine shopping tip: My favorite every-day table wine is the Cayalla Red with fruit from both Washington and Oregon. Keep an eye out for it! Since that wasn't on the list, we ended up with Fenestra True Red Lot 22. For this wine Fenestra blends French and Spanish varietals, 56% from the Rhone Valley, 25% from Bordeaux, and 19% from Spain. I have to say too, this wine is an example when 'vintage', or each year they make it, matters. Technically it is a non vintage wine, but their previous release (Lot 21) was not exactly my favorite.... When I tasted the Lot 22 a few weeks ago, I was pleasantly surprised. It offers terrific red raspberry aromas, and delivers black cherries and raspberries on the palate. A hint of earthy leather comes to fruition as it opens. The Lot 22 is medium-bodied, its acidity is dead on and the tannins are delightfully smooth. These elements make the wine enjoyable on its own, too - before your meal even arrives.

Was my date blown away by my selection? Not this time. Was that my goal? Not entirely. I wanted something that would split the difference for us, perfectly palatable where the food could shine and our thirst would be quenched. It did both.

I'd argue a good table wine comes in a notch or two above "plonk" - reasonably priced for reasonably good juice.

What's your favorite, go-to Table Wine?

Portuguese wines are worth seeking out

Last Thursday night I was not on my usual perch watching the (second) most amazing ALCS comeback in history. "Why not?", you ask, shocked this Red Sox fan was elsewhere.... I was attending an intimate wine dinner at (the new) L'Espalier hosted by ViniPortugal. I would not have traded the opportunity for one moment. Much like the Red Sox game, I had my own uniquely amazing evening, learning more about the 'nerdier' side of Portuguese oenology, tasting an array of wines and bending the ear of Portugal's most revered (and perhaps most delightful) winemaker.

Many Americans think of Portuguese wines (beyond Port) simply as bargain, quaffing wines. Not bad, but not necessarily noteworthy or particularly complex either.  When I received my invitation to last week's event, I was thrilled at the opportunity to meet Nuno Cancela de Bareu, Portugal's leading Winemaker and Consultant, and learn more about what ViniPortugal is up to these days. My experience (re)tasting about 12 wines - red, white, sparkling and dessert - only reconfirmed what I've known for sometime: Portuguese wines are worth seeking out.

Let's start at the beginning, shall we?

Nuno Cancela de Abreu is perhaps Portugal's primary, modern-day wine pioneer. He studied in both Portugal and France, ultimately receiving his degree in viticulture and enology from the Instituto Superior de Agronomia in Lisbon. He spent six years in the Duoro region, influencing the modern production of Port and Douro wines. Next, he planted a new vineyard on family land in the Dao and, as a result, launched two brands (Quinta da Giesta and Quinta Fonte do Ouro). Somehow he simultaneously managed Quinta da Romeira in the Bucelas region and single-handedly brought the wonderfully floral, minerally and fruity indigenous grape Arinto into its own. Thereafter he revolutionized Quinta da Alorna's operation in the Ribatejo region. Nuno's passion is to transform Portuguese wines (and their reputation) into fine, internationally recognized and coveted selections. And, in my humble opinion, the world should be grateful for it! He is well on his way.

Nuno was asked to introduce the group to several of his favorite Portuguese selections - not necessarily his own wines - available in the Boston market. The list of wines on offer are too long to discuss in great detail in this single post, so I'll simply list a few now and then spend some time here and there over the next months talking about various offerings in greater detail. Are you ready?

Whites

'07 Quinta de Catralvos Lisa (a lovely, fleshy, floral and clean Moscatel)

'07 Deu la Deu (aka "Muros Antigos" in Boston) Alvarinho (same as Albarino in Spain - wonderfully rich peaches and apricots, with a touch of bite)

'07 Quinta da Murta Arinto (it says Bucelas, the region, on the label, but this is 100% intensely floral and minerally Arinto - don't be confused!)

Reds

'04 Casa de Santar Rsv  (a blend of Castelao, Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca - soft, fine tannins and redberry fruits)

'06 Quinta do Coa ( a blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Roriz (Tempranillo) and Touriga Franca - one I had forgotten how much I enjoy, offering great floral aromas, dark fruits, some soft, caramel oak flavors and terrific spice)

'05 Cartuxa Rsv (Trincadeira, Aragonez and Alfrocheiro - this is a big food wine, offering fabulous dried plumb and raisin fruit aromas and flavors, spice and a subtle, lasting finish)

Bubbly

'07 Luis Pato Espumate Rose (this is 100% Baga, gently bubbly raspberries and strawberries!)

Dessert

Andresen 20 Yr. Tawny Port (who doesn't want hazelnuts, toffee and dried fruit flavors from their Tawny?!)

At the dinner Nuno gave us a rundown on the various regions in Portugal, how the climate and terroir impact the viticultural conditions that allow certain varietals to thrive, et. al. (Yes, I was in my happy place, gleefully unaware what was happening up the street at Fenway!) The thing to remember is Portuguese wines are made of native grape varietals - like those outlined above - you've likely never heard of. Don't think of that as intimidating or too foreign. Winemakers are following Nuno's lead, making these foreign-sounding wines approachable in the way they taste. The fact that our economy is so tough right now and the price of these wines is still amazingly "right" for the time being makes this a great place to explore. Much like the Languedoc in France offers a better price point for winelovers of the Southern Rhone (because these wines are less sought given historical winemaking practices), Portugal offers value wines that are complex, interesting and - delicious!

At the start of the evening Marcio Ferreira of ViniPortugal told us his organization's goal is to reinforce a favorable image of Portuguese wines. In speaking with Nuno, I learned just how tightly-knit their community is; fortunately, innovation, forsight and exceptional winemaking like Nuno's makes Marcio's job that much easier. They are all in it together!

Want to see for yourself? Head over to the Harvard Club tomorrow night and then report back your own findings by commenting below!

to have or not to have, that is the question...

'Going with your gut is one of the most important skills you can have in the wine world,' believes a great colleague of mine who's been doing this since before I was born. Today I'm applying that skill to my wine blogging. No doubt there are other wine news and events ideas circulating the world wide web that may be valid contenders for my Friday post. Usually there are several. But today, today, I'm going with my gut before I get side tracked with all the possibilities. Decanter's article this week about Skinner Auction House was just too intriguing to sort, sift, hem and haw over other topics you might enjoy reading about. The economy is officially in the crapper, I think we all agree by now, and yet Skinner just put up record numbers for bottles of Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Screaming Eagle and Harlan Estate. The first went for over $20K. That was triple the estimate. The Screaming Eagle went for $2,430 and the Harlan Estate broke Sotheby's April record (of $655) going for $810/bottle.

Did I say "just"? There is something to be said for the fact that the Skinner auction happened 3 weeks ago. Three weeks is like a lifetime given how much things have shifted even in the last few days.

My question - everyone's question - is which investments are most "sound" given the state of affairs we're facing. And what you can afford to invest in, if at all, is another great question. (Hell, most bloggers, shop owners, distributors and importers are talking about the extent that people's day to day wine buying habits (read: consumption) may or may not change in the coming months. Forget the idea of people making significant investments in wine!)

And then you read an article about serious cash being dropped on a bottle of wine, something that many believe is meant to be drank. Or is it...? Perspective is everything, no?  If you follow Steve Bachmann at Vinfolio, a year and a half ago he was all in favor of drinking the stuff, or investing to reinvest in your wine consumption. Today? His position may be somewhat less firm.

In these economic times, is wine an investment opportunity you might consider?

the wine-r-cooler is buzzing...

I've been running from industry tasting to industry tasting the last few weeks, not only tasting the new releases and other new wines available this fall, but also picking up tidbits here and there about what's what and otherwise on the minds of winemakers, importers, distributors and, of course, consumers. I find it absolutely fascinating to compare these 'hallway musings' with what I read on various blog sites and in on-line trade mags. This gives me a sense of whether these conversations are local to the MA/New England market, or if they are more global. Today I can't help but give you a snapshot of these ruminations, hopefully giving you the chance to be "a fly on the (wine trade) wall"! The question of the strengthening dollar. I can't tell you how many folks have asked why wine prices are still high when the dollar is getting stronger (granted, a relative concept). No surprise, it's on everyone's mind. I can't wait myself! Well, in uncertain economic times, no one is more anxious to start sharing the 'winnings' than the importers of fine wines from Europe. After all, wine does go sour eventually! If they can't unload it then they're the ones who will really be hurting. The thing is, the wine already on shelves is wine that was purchased when the dollar was particularly weak. I think we'll see things start to turn around soon enough, though. Dr. Vino seems to have the same take. Importers are eagerly biding their time, waiting for the wares they are now buying overseas (at a better price) to come to market here in the U.S.. Check out his interview with Victor Owen Schwartz of Vos Selections to get an inside peak into this topic.

The question of the California wildfires. Here's another one I find fascinating to discuss. Several weeks ago I reported the California harvest season had started and early reports were favorable for the 2008 vintage despite the wildfires that ravaged the area. I won't get to taste these wines for another year or two or three (depending on the varietal). But there are some folks who are so lucky to get a preview! Alice Feiring reported this week an essence of smoke is present in the various wines she's sampled. She banters a bit about whether this should be considered "taint" or not; her discussion is highly entertaining - and worth checking out first hand. Her reflections (aka witty banter) is available here. If what she writes is true, I may become more of a California wine drinker in years to come... I love a little smoke in my wine!

The latest in Wine, Politics, and (silly) Journalism. It irks me when the press gets hold of some silly little thing and goes bonkers talking abou it. Don't we have anything better to do here, people?! Well, this week there's one regarding wine that in my mad wine tasting week I nearly missed. So just in case I'm not the only one, here's one for the watercooler.... Palin wine, a Chilean winery that's only in its infancy, has both taken off and taken a hit since McCain nominated Sarah Palin as his running mate. Let's just say its success depends on whether you live in a blue or red state/area in the country where this wine is available. I can't help but roll my eyes as I attach this link to Decanter's article. (If you want to read something a bit more serious on politics and wine, don't forget that Wine Book Club is discussing Tyler Coleman's latest release at the end of next month!)

What wine-related topics have been at the forefront of your newsfeed this week? What's your take on the ones I touched on here?

red wine and vegetarians, an oxymoron?

Last week a woman approached me on one of the first very cool evenings of the fall here in Boston. She explained she is a vegetarian who loves a great red wine. She told me all summer she had been drinking white because it was warm enough for it, but in her heart of hearts she really preferred reds. What did I recommend? It is true that white wines and vegetables do go well together. Certainly when fresh greens, vegetables, fruits and berries are at the ready in the summer and great big salads are more often on the menu, this is a natural choice. But white wine and veggies don't always have to be partners in crime. This is especially true this time of year when the weather is starting to turn and you are eager for a taste of red wine to warm you up!

The keys to your fall/winter veggie success? Here's a clue: think about what else happens more naturally when it is colder out and you enjoy to cook...

I'd be surprised if your answer didn't have something to do with turning on the oven and stove again. That's right! Cooking techniques can vary a heck of a lot more in the cooler/colder months because you aren't adverse to inadvertently heating up the house. And where wine is involved, you should remember from my earlier posts how you prepare a dish can drastically alter your ideal beverage options.

Another part of your answer likely has to do with the types of vegetables available to you. Case in point: my conversation with this woman quickly turned to the full-figured "earthy" vegetables available in the market this time of year. She and I started planning menus on the spot, dreaming about an enchilada stuffed with chunks of roasted butternut squash, portabella mushrooms, sweet onion, garlic and spinach and then 'garnished' with a smokey tomato sauce.

What are your red wine pairing options? Many! To start, mushrooms love Tempranillo (Rioja), Zin, Sangiovese (Chianti), Malbec and Merlot. Tomatoes love a great deal of the same wines, perhaps adding Barbera to the mix for fuller-figured entrees or Pinot Noir if your dish is on the lighter side. If you are seasoning your dish with some 'earthy' herbs (e.g. sage, rosemary, & thyme), these wines would do well also. Tending toward the more Holiday feel on a given night and tossing in some nutmeg? You could add Syrah to that initial list of reds, too. You don't have to pair with the main ingredient, but can consider what other flavors will be apparent, too.

Needless to say, if you are a vegetarian and a red wine drinker first, there is no need to feel limited! Simply tweak how you are preparing the dish to complement the wine of your choosing.

Are you a vegetarian, red-wine drinker? How do you cope?

your local wine... and news of new technology to keep you sipping happily

If  I was back behind a desk/computer 24-7 this week, I'd likely be following the latest about the market's ups and downs and supplementing with check-ins at ESPN.com to see what's being said about this weekend's football match-ups and how the baseball standings are evolving.  To add a little something different to your news feed, I can't help but share two completely unrelated, wine-related news stories that caught my attention. First, if you're local to the Greater/Boston area you may be happy (and pleasantly surprised) to learn Jewell Towne Vineyards in New Hampshire recently won accolades from Joel Stein at Time Magazine. On learning each of the fifty states produces wine, Stein apparently couldn't help himself. He set out to taste wines from each state (and clarify for the American masses whether "terroir" matters. Incidentally, he did not come to any great revelations on the terroir topic - and we all know I have my own opinion...). He learned there are some good wines out there from some unsuspecting states - and some truly horrific ones. Case in point: while Jewell Towne might have figured out a thing or two regarding their Muscat, Cape Cod Winery needs to keep at it (receiving an "undrinkable" rating for their Nobska Red).

In his tongue-in-cheek review, Stein writes  the Jewell Towne's Valvin Muscat is: sweet but balanced, with some nice mineral on the finish, like a good riesling. It's not a wine that's trying too hard or is too proud of itself. It just gets the job done right. This is one of the very few wines we drank the whole bottle of. Who knew New Hampshire was better at picking grapes than Democratic nominees?

NOTE: While I don't subscribe to rating systems per se, I DO subscribe to the idea of tasting even the most unsuspecting wines, as Stein did. Only by tasting as many different wines as possible from as many different locations around the world will you learn what you do and don't prefer. This is an important process that takes time. So have at it!

Switching gears, if you're curious about the constantly evolving wine packaging/storing world and which technologies are at play, I've found another little something for you to keep an eye out. Decanter reported an Idaho company called PakSense has developed a wine label that changes color with temperature variation. This little gizmo has been adopted by folks in WTN Services in California to prevent "cooked" wine from landing in the marketplace. I can't imagine it is a perfect system given all of the moving parts involved from wine bottling initially to actually getting the wine on shelves. But it might help.

So! Here are my questions of the day for you:

Are you from a lesser-known wine-producing state? Have you tried the local offerings?

Do you think the PakSense label is worth the extra expense?

'tis the season to be tasting!

This weekend I fielded an oh-so timely and very relevant question: "if you don't taste wines for a living, how can you find new wine finds and otherwise expand your palate?" As it turns out, Labor Day is the unofficial start to the Trade's Tasting Season. What do I mean? Well, we in the trade have the opportunity to attend numerous industry-only wine tastings. These tastings are organized to 'show' fine wine vendors and restaurateurs the latest vintage releases from around the world - baring in mind that those offerings from the Southern Hemisphere operate on a Spring release schedule, so it is likely those wines have been available for several months. How does this impact you, the consumer?

Many fine wine shops use these trade shows to discover new wines to bring to you. Think of it this way: we spit, so you don't have to! And - even better - while these new wines usually end up on the shelves beginning this month, it is also very common for wine shops to offer their customers an opportunity to sample new wares at Fall Grand Tasting events. These are not only free to attend, but significant discounts are always on offer, particularly if you buy in bulk (half a case, a case, or more, of wine). Stocking up for the holidays or your general fall/winter drinking pleasure has never been such fun.

QUICK TIP: Get to the event early to be able to taste all the wines you care to!

How do you find out about these Grand Tastings? If you don't have a favorite local shop just yet, find out which Fine Wine shops are in your area and get on each of their e-mail lists to learn about tasting opportunities.  (This will also serve as an opportunity for you to find out which shop might best suit your needs.) The best shops often will have weekly tasting opportunities (of much smaller scale) that are worth your while, too.

Another recommendation for finding new wines is to subscribe to numerous wine blogs. Using an RSS reader program like Google Reader is a great way to organize your blogs, more quickly find out what's new and otherwise search for specific items - like which Syrah might be winning the Every Day Joe taste test, rather than the ones offered by Wine Spectator and the like. It's true different parts of the country - and certainly the world - have access to different wines, but finding out what strikes another wine afficionado's fancy is a great step in learning about wine and building a relationship with your local shop (which you'll have to turn to to investigate availability and pricing, particularly if your state doesn't permit interstate internet sales.)

If you're in the Boston area, which Grand Wine Tasting events do you know are upcoming for the public?

Go for the Gold: 2 simple steps to wine heaven

I think many of you can relate when I say I have my "people" for certain services. Hair stylist. Massage guru. Acupuncturist. Physical Trainer. Plumber. You get the idea.... My relationships with these people are critical to the quality of service I receive. My hair stylist recently moved down to Florida, for example. She was fabulous and it took me three other stylist before I "found" her. We shared 3 years of snip-snip bliss. Now, I'll have to make a new investment to find the right person to meet my needs. At least I'm one step closer to hair cut heaven - I like the place I go to. It's the same when it comes to wine. Two weeks ago I met a couple at a Pour Favor tasting. They were lamenting the selection at their local liquor store. Challenge #1? Liquor stores may (claim to) have a fine wines selection, but if they aren't geared toward wine in particular then they likely aren't seeking out new, quality selections. More likely the "fine" in Fine Wines is up for grabs; you'll notice they stick to the mainstream wines we see so often. I doubt whether they even taste the next vintage of the standard wines they carry each year. Challenge #2? They likely do not have staff on hand who have specialized wine knowledge and are equipped to take you from Yellow Tail* to Yippee!

* I have nothing against Yellow Tail, just that there's an ocean of wine out there even more worthy of exploration. I use it here merely as a reference point on this perspective - and because the 'Y' alliteration was fun.... what can I say?

You may have noticed above that I use the word "challenge" rather than "problem". This is intentional. I believe there's no such thing as a problem, only an opportunity for a creative solution. In the case of wine:

#1 ~ Find yourself a Fine Wines shop that offers a wide selection of wines from across the world at reasonable/competitive prices...

#2 ~ With staff who have specific wine knowledge and are available to help you find an appropriate selection given your particular search (e.g. dinner at a friend's, wine to have on hand for whenever, etc.).

It is worth taking these two, simple steps. Everyone/store has a specialty. If your local is more concerned with beer or lottery sales than stocking their shelves with unique wine finds, you should search out a fine wine shop. Maybe you end up purchasing a case of wine (and enjoying the store's discount as a result) and pop in every couple of months rather than every week because they aren't as close by. It's worth it. A store with a wine buyer who knows their craft is incredibly valuable. Just remember figuring out your wine preferences won't happen over night. Just like with your beloved barber/stylist, you should be prepared to invest time in your relationship with the shop's buyer. And remember the onus is on you to tell the buyer what you did or did not like about a particular wine they helped you to select. (Taking notes on a wine is never a bad idea.) Such due diligence will help get you to "Yippee!" a heck of a lot faster.

Do you have a Wine Shop/Buyer you rely on? What are your standards of 'care'?

wine and real life: what's your wine economy?

I don't know about you, but with the Euro/Dollar scenario, an increase in gas prices and my grocery bill skyrocketing (despite similar buying habits), I'm looking at my life budget a bit differently these days. A few weeks ago I noticed it's actually getting to be cheaper to eat out than stay in! And I can't tell you how many wine blogs and articles I've read that talk about 'value wines' in a different or more concerted way. At the shop we're not sure how things are going to go this summer. We keep refilling the racks so we know we're still selling a ton of wine... Usually the summer in Boston is slower because people head to the Cape over the weekend. But - as I mentioned - with gas at $4/gallon, people may be more inclined to stay closer to home once the kiddies are out of school. We're not sure. But we're definitely choosing wines even more carefully. If a wine's price has gone up beyond it's worth, we're finding other options for our customers. That's just good business, I think.

Lately I keep wishing I had gotten in on the industry 10 years ago when I first got out of school and kick butt wines were $8-$10. I'd be tasting all sorts of phenomenal wines no one would have qualms about opening - now the "investment" is just too great. But I digress....

The good news about wine is that things will come back down - at least Old World wines. We're "suffering" because of the exchange rate, rather than because European winemakers have jacked their prices for the hell of it. What I don't understand - and I'd love to hear from some CA/domestic producers on this one - is why American wineries aren't taking full advantage of this opportunity to sell their wines at a more affordable rate, that is, keeping their prices more static this year. I know they are spending more on gas to get their wines shipped out, but I also know that companies are being much more efficient in their distribution system.

I don't have the answers on any of this despite all I've read and seen, but I'm curious to glean your feedback. What's your wine economy like these days? How has the global economic situation impacted - or not - your wine consumption, spending or sales/pricing strategy?

adventure-seeker or comfort-seeker?

As my hectic, challenging weekend wrapped up, I realized a) I hadn't a thing in the fridge to whip together a meal and b) I needed something VERY comforting. A turkey burger and beer at my favorite local jaunt would suit me perfectly, so we headed off in that direction. A wine author I've read in the last year (but can't remember which one, apologies!) wrote about wine people in the context of "Adventure-Seekers" and "Comfort-Seekers". The author believed people seeking out wine pretty much fall into either one of these two categories. I think I have my moments dabbling in each, depending on my mood or life-context.

Either way, I find this 'categorization' very helpful when I'm speaking with customers or clients. You have to know when someone is willing to expand their horizons beyond the CA Cab they have come to know and love; or if they are willing to travel, you have to gauge in which direction it is best to push them (gently).

Do you consider yourself either an adventure-seeker or comfort-seeker? Are you a little of both?

(For all of you out there who have been tuning in silently, this is your chance to post your thoughts!)