Basic Juice - the wine blog for my generation

I can't believe it's not Stelvin!

There are those who cling to the 'romance' and 'tradition' of popping the cork prior to imbibing.  Then there are those who think such 'romance' and 'tradition' are ridiculous if these totems potentially mean stinking, spoiled wine.  Both camps have valid points.  I'm a sentimental, shmoopy sucker for the romance involved in popping the cork.  But then, If I've dropped 40 or 50 clams, and my just-popped bottle of wine smells like a box-full of soggy, old Boys Life magazines, I set up camp amongst the pro screw-cap crowd.

Must the wine lover chose between faulty corks and sterile Stelvins when it comes to bottle closure?  Would that there were a closure, which could preserve in an aesthetically appealing manner.  Thank the cosmos for Vino-Lock.  This glass stopper is much prettier than a Stelvin and, of course, more reliable than cork oak bark cylinders.

Just a few weeks ago I took home the first glass-stopped wine to appear in the wine shop.  I loved it.  And the wine wasn't too bad either.

Cusumano IGT Sicily Merlot 2006 ($12) - A simple, exuberant Merlot made more appealing by its aesthetically cool glass stopper.  This inky-purple wine offers scents of cherry jelly and baked strawberry.  Its flavors a simply tangy fruit.  Cusumano Merlot is nothing if not pleasant and eager to accompany pizza.

Technorati Tags: italy, merlot, wine

Gutenberg Would be Proud: The Juice in Print

If you happen to dwell in the land of hard copy, check out the current issue of Salt Lake Magazine.  Whilst neglecting Basic Juice in cyberspace, I have been nurturing it in the world of print.  Alas, I am still struggling to multitask.

For those who eschew paper, have a look at the extended, 'Author's Cut' of the article below the fold.

Juice Crew Red Label: The Finalists

The judges have narrowed the field down to three finalists.  To the Juice Crew members: Please vote for your favorite label by sending a message to me by 5 December.  I will tally up the votes and announce the winning design shortly thereafter.  Thanks to all the contestants!

Design 1

Design 2 (font + label concept)

Design 3

Old Wine Bloggers Never Die, They Just Write for the Gazette

For those who have been around the wine blog-o-sphere for a few years, the Caveman's blog was a gem.  Bill Z. offered world class wine knowledge with a down-to-earth attitude.  Like many blogs (this one included) the Caveman posted less regularly, and then poof!  it became frozen in time (kind of like Han Solo in Empire). 

Well, my pal Bill, the Caveman, is back and writing for the Montreal Gazette.  It's good to see his voice is being appreciated by those lucky folks in Quebec.

"It was my first evening back working the floor as a sommelier. I was invigorated after an exceptional week touring and tasting wine in France's Languedoc-Roussillon.
My second table that night was a couple from France, so I started going on and on about the place, even recommending to them one of my favourite wines from the region. They looked at me and said, "Yes, it's beautiful there, but we would never drink their wines."

Read the rest of the column here.

Good on ya Bill!

(Aww Bill you look like Big Parks!)

Hey, NZ! Hold Everything.

I've often wondered why New Zealand was anointed/anointed itself as the land of Sauvignon Blanc.  To be sure, NZ SB has been quite successful as an import to the US wine market (and certainly names like 'Monkey Bay' don't hurt its mass appeal to the garanimal-wine-loving crowd).  However, I think this success has come at a price.  Kiwi Blanc has overshadowed every other grape variety.  And this is a very sad thing.

Think about it.  When was the last time you sampled a New Zealand Riesling or Gewurztraminer?  These grapes have found a very cozy home on the Islands way down under.  In fact, while I find most New Zealand Sauvi Blanc, easy-to-enjoy, I also find it a tad bit uni-dimensional (see here for a great descriptor of NZ SB).  I have discovered extraordinarily sublime Riesling and intoxicating (in the figurative sense of the word) Gewurz.  Think I'm nuts.  Take this little NZ non-SB challenge:

Huia Gewurztraminer 2006 - A chewy, thick wine, which echos the Alsatian style but with a bit less earth

Villa Maria Riesling 2005 - A remarkable feat of a wine.  This Riesling stews together new world heft with teutonic crispness.

Am I alone in thinking the OenoKiwis might want to diversify their white wine portfolio?

A Case for Creativity (AKA Free Wine!)

Are you the Mac-daddy/-mommie when it comes to creativity? 

Have you ever looked at all the blasé wine labels out there and thought, "I could do so much better."? 

Well, here's a chance to explore your creative side and score a case of a soon-to-be classic red wine - Juice Crew Red.

So far, the J.Crew has nicknamed our maturing vino, "The Mighty Brick."  I think we'd like the label to reflect her personality (perhaps listening to a little Rick James could inspire potential label designers out there):

"So all and all, the blend has resulted in what we wanted - a rich rhone style wine with some backbone. The different varietals playing nicely in the sandbox. Great dark color, long sexy legs and built to party"

Here's the deal - submit a label design, which reflects our sexy Rhone brickhouse and you could win...1 case of JC Red.  Now that's what I call a case for creativity!

Details: Submit* your design entry by November 15, 2007.  The editor will select 3 designs to be voted on by Juice Crew members and Basic Juice readers.  The winning designer will receive the case of Juice Crew Red when it's released (we award no wine before its time).

*by submitting a design, designer retains no rights to design, but will be credited by name

Gentlepeople, start your creative engines..

Larry & Me

Thanks Larry!  You have been key in introducing a robust, evocative descriptor into the hoity-toity lexicon of wine:

"But Sen. Larry Craig's contention -- made just after his arrest in a restroom sex sting -- has permeated the public consciousness, showing up as more than just the punch line to late-night talk show jokes.

The online Urban Dictionary defines ''wide stance'' as a euphemism for a closeted homosexual. David Kurtz of the blog ''Talking Points Memo'' called Craig's wide stance claim ''The Best Legal Defense of 2007.'' And Beau Jarvis, who writes about wine, travel and food on the blog ''Basic Juice,'' notes that the phrase has become less than innocent and proposes ''cleansing'' it by using it to describe a well-balanced wine."

Do you have a favorite wide stance wine?

Bonus France pic:

Lady Lib's wee sis.

Mondeuse!

You say, I should drink some sans souffre wine?  Well my VdP Mondeuse may not be a beaujo Cru, but it was au naturel, intensely zippy and tasted like a basket-full-o-forest berries.

And of course, one must accompany such a low maintenance wine with some natural, simply prepared lamb + mashed potatoes & roasted garlic or roasted duck and potatoes au gratin.

The wine: Cote Pelee Mondeuse Vin de Pays d'Allobrogie 2004 by Jean-Yves Peron.

The food:
Autour d’ un Verre

Organic, delicious and inexpensive. A must stop for any wine lover curious about natural wines.
21, rue de Trévise, Paris 9
Tel: 01 48 24 43 74
Metro Stop: Cadet
Lunch: 12:30 to 15:00 Dinner: 20:00 to 22:30 (except Monday). Closed Sunday.
-- Thanks Steve for the recommendation!
More information en Francais here.

Additional, random gay Paree photos

Folies Bergere

Drive-by Eiffel

Mmmm AOKI.

Things to do in Paris when you're in Louvre

Attend a show.

Discover slightly shocking facts about French cuisine

Admire mundane details in an urban park

Visit the man with the original complex

Ponder Le Penseur

Sip wine, eat

Sip wine, eat tartare

Drink a little more

Brave a crowd, meet some old folks

Drink, eat more

Garcon! A Little Help.

Attention Francophiles and those who love them: 

I need a little help on the Paris gastronomie front.  Earn some good karma and share a few Parisian dining secrets avec moi.  Where are your favorite places to dine in the city 'o lights and feel all Parisian and whatnot?  Merci!

I do/I don't

I do -
go for a funky, compelling glass of Rose from the Lebanese countryside with my Baba Ganooj.

I don't -
understand paying any amount of money, even 7-bucks, for wine that tastes as if it were produced by a mega-glomerate named, "ACME Wine Inc."

I do -
love to wind down the week by sipping a 9-buck bottle of Cava, eating two slices too many and watching Colbert Report reruns.

I don't -
pay $50 for a bottle of Cab/Bordeaux blend sporting 15+ percent ABV.  After 1.5 glasses, I'm too clouded to appreciate what it is I'm sipping.

I do -
appreciate alternative closures - Stelvins, Vino-Locs, etc. 

I don't -
understand why I still receive press releases linking Merlot and/or Pinot Noir to the film Sideways.  It was three years ago.  Let it go.  Please.

I do -
enjoy seeking out a new wine (Txakoli!, Santorini!, German Pinot N.!) each week at the local wine shop.

I don't -
enjoy the proceeds of the above-mentioned wine safari going into the bursting coffers of a wine-hostile regime seated in the Beehive State rotunda.

I do -
wish I had more time to sample, evaluate and wax poetic on wine.

I don't -
have any idea how many people have read this and thought, "Is this person an idiot?"

I do -
recommend revisiting (or sampling for the first time) Schramsberg's Blanc de Noirs ($30).  It is truly one of the finest domestic bubblies I have ever slurped (think: slightly overripe strawberries dipped in honey and schmeared over an oven fresh biscotti). 

I don't -
know exactly when (and if I'll have enough patience to continue waiting) I should open this bottle:  Baumard Quarts de Chaume, 2002.

Wanted: Listed Austrians

Dear B.Juice Reader:

Look, I know over the last several months I have let you down.  My per-week posting rate has dropped dramatically.  Forgive me.  However, as many out there know, it's incredibly draining to write nearly every day about wine (especially when one considers the fact that I live in #$%#$%ing Ut.).  However, my pledge to you is this:  I will go for quality over quantity.  The Juice may not be as freshly updated as it once was, but in the near future, you will see seriously good stuff.

Ok.  Now that you've been slathered with butter substitute, I've got a favor to ask:

Have you seen a good selection of Austrian wine on a wine list or in a retail shop?  And by good selection, I don't mean 1-2 bottles of G. Veltliner gathering dust on a rack.  I mean, you've visited a restaurant or shop that offers a gaggle (or at least 4-6 bottles) of tasty Austrian wine.

So, if you have a favored sipping or shopping spot for Oesterreichische Weine, please let me know in the comments!  Danke & Cheers.

Basic Juice Top Ten

Yellow Tail wine's recent ad campaign displays this slogan: "Have you spotted it?"  Through a secret source, I have smuggled the top ten rejected ad slogans, out of YT HQ.  I think a few of these were definite winners..

From the Home Office in Beaver, Utah..

Top 10 Rejected Yellow Tail Wine Slogans

10. Plonk* 'R' Us

9. Yellow Tail - Because we gotta glut of wine, and you Yanks will drink anything with a cute critter on the bottle

8. Our label is in English

7. Throw a 'roo on the barbie

6. We sell most wine before its time

5. Cheaper than a gallon of gas

4. Now with Mega-Purple!

3. Not French, like what those lefty-liberal-tree-hugging-gay-hugging-readin-writin-feminazi-Prius-
drivin-wine-snob-commies drink!

2. Pairs exceptionally well with the McRib

1. A nutritious part of this healthy breakfast

*"Plonk" is also used in British English as slang for cheap, low-quality wine (from the French word "blanc" for white wine)

Technorati Tags: top ten, wine, yellow tail wine

You Can't Say That on Aluminum

I know, I know, this story is staler than 2005 Velveeta and 2006 Beaujolais Nouveau (in short, some dude had a license plate with the word, "Merlot" on it.  A morally vigilant Utahan saw it and was shocked! Shocked!!  The moral police, with nothing better to do, forced the Merlot enthusiast to surrender his vanity plates so as to avoid further offense to the eyes of pious prohibitionists).  However, in commemoration of Pioneer Day in the Beehive State, I would like to explore vanity plate options for the vino lover that may make it past the censors.

Here's what I have so far (up to 7 characters allowed, no hyphens/other special characters and no naughties!), along with an excuse should one be sequestered on suspicion of flouting the Law:

GEWURZ - What?  It means 'spice' in German
VIONYA - Excuse me..my grandma is Russian and that's what we call her
BRGNDY - My favorite color
SUR LEE - Pardon?  Lee is my husband..
CABFRNC - My uncle Franc was an immigrant cab driver in New York
WAMM - It stands for coughcoughwinoscoughcough against moralizing ahemahemmormonsahemahem

Any suggestions for your very own subversive, oeno-positive Ski Utah! vanity plate?

3 for the 4th

Greetings North Americans and those 'round the globe.  Happy 140! to my Canuck cousins.  A bit belated, yes.  But look at you with your shiny parliamentary democracy.  We Yanks had something similar for a while.  But now our larded posteriors are under a new & improved form of government - a little something based on the Unitary Executive (sounds like a ballpoint pen) theory (best interpreted as: "I'm the decider and I can do whatever the $%^* I want").  Numerous party poopers are calling this as a movement towards monarchy.  A nasty term, that.  I prefer U.E.  It sounds much more, uh, as if the US is now a part of the UAE.  On 4 July, the US of A turns 231.  Happy happy to us.  What exactly happened on 07/04/1776?  Oh right.  Now, bust out the bubbly. 

Is this a wine blog or what? 

Indeed it is.  Wine Recommendation #1 is a tasty French white, imported by Kermit Lynch.  Chateau Graville-Lacoste 2005 ($12-$13) hails from Bordeaux.  There are good values to be had in the oft-forgotten Graves Appellation.  Graville-Lacoste is a Semillon driven wine; full of pear & pineapple scents with a curveball of butterscotch aroma.  While the wine is ever-so-slightly weighty, the flavors of lemon, lime and herb are perfect with scallops.  Go on.  Give Graves a go.  Speaking of going; I had to go/get out/flee the ungodly heat in the solar collector that is Salt Lake Valley.  The Ladyfriend and I puttered up to about 9K' and stayed at the 'bird.  Sadly, the Sunday brunch staff has replaced friendly service with the words, "no" and "you can't."   As solace for our bruised brunch efforts, I packed pink bubbly by the name of Bouvet. Wine Recommendation #2 is a CabFranc-based sparkling Loire wine.  Sip it with chips, potato salad, fried chicken, ham sammys, tuna salad, green salad or egg salad.  Finally, if you're going to grill today, Wine Recommendation #3 is for you.  #3 is from the other, other land down under - South Africa.  Guardian Peak SMG '05 ($20ish) is the perfect wne with charbroil goodness.  It will dance with Franks and tango with TX (or NC, KC, etc.) BBQ.  G.P. SMG is jammy & spicy without heading off into spiked fruit juice land.

Remember to celebrate safely.  Happy 4th of July. Enjoy chipped beef!

Technorati Tags: rants, monologue, wine

Grandpa's Attic

So I'm in Minneapolis, walking down Nicolette Mall.  It's a beautiful spring day.  Birds are singing; Midwestern folk are enjoying the balmy weather.  I see a sign for a wine shop.  I walk through the door and nearly trip over a couple dozen cases of wine strewn, seemingly at random, across the aisle.  A bit perplexed, I continue through the store foyer and into its center.  I notice $9 wine here, $89 wine there.  It appears as if the store specializes in Burgundy and Bordeaux, but I can't make heads or tails of the organization scheme (if there is one).  The Aussies are opposite the Port, while a few bottles of Prosecco are wedged betwixt the Burgundy.

Now, I know a little something about wine, but after spending 5 minutes in the store, I was A) completely confused and B) utterly disconcerted.  I felt as if I were rummaging through my grandpa's attic.  How would most 'run-of-the-mill' customers react to this entropic wine shopping experience?  I, for one, grabbed a lonesome bottle and high-tailed it out of the cardboard and glass flotsam & jetsam that was this shop.

Give me organization in a wine shop - I'll sacrifice a little selection for order.  But please, for the love of [insert fave deity here], make the shop navigable!

The Juice Leads; The NYT Follows

It's difficult being a trendsetter. But hey, somebody has to do it. The Times, surprisingly gave Burgenland some love. Indeed, Austro Turf is a clever article. But is it as clever as They Call Themselves the Rusters? Probably.

3 Musts

1. A rosé must not contain more than 13% abv

2. Your Friday audio rotation must contain Motorin' by the Saturday Knights

3. This photo must receive a caption

Of Jawas, Merlot and the Hands of Winemakers

Of Jawas
In my neck of the woods, it seems as if Greece is attempting to become the new Spain.  There are now a bevvy of inexpensive Greek whites and reds available in the local wine shop.  Some are great finds like - Robola, Xinomavro and Santorini (named for the island of origin.  Santorini is made from Asyrtio).  My favorite Greek grape name to date is Roditis.  I was drawn to it as the name reminded me of the sounds of Jawas celebrating the short-circuiting of R2D2 (admit it, you know exactly what I'm talking about.  Listen here).  Sadly, my first taste of Roditis wasn't fantastic.  I will however, try it again, if only so I can say, "Roditis!"

Merlot
It's sad that Merlot's reputation as a varietal has been sullied by waves of under-whelming wine.  How often do you hear someone (who fancies themselves a wine lover) order a bottle of Merlot?  Last week at a lovely little restaurant in Santa Barbara, I ordered a glass of Westerly Merlot '03 to try with lamb.  The wine was not at all soft and fruity.  Rather, it was a little herby and a little edgy - perfect with roasted meat.  My new mantra: "Don't hate the grape, hate the winemaker's hand."

The Hands of Winemakers
Speaking of my new mantra (and I don't hate, the word 'hate' just fits better in the mantra.  Let's call it 'dislike'.), while in Cali, I had the opportunity to taste two wines from the very same vineyards, but made by different hands.  One a Sangiovese by Bruno, the other, a Sangiovese by [name redacted].  Bruno was as complicated and lovely a red wine as one could ever want.  On the other hand, the [redacted] Sangiovese was an over-opulent, droopy ball of fruit and alcohol.  It seems the major difference in the two was the winemakers.  Some get it.  some don't.

Varietal in a Haystack

Here's something I've been pondering after sampling two wines with 'hidden varietals' lurking somewhere in the bottle.

Wine 1: Chateau St. Michelle Orphelin Red 2004 (Washington) - This wine is a fine, bold-style, soft and juicy red blend.  It's straightforward and simple.  Nothing wrong with that.  Except....  Why oh why does the winery tout the presence of Malbec (0.1%!), Touriga (0.4%!!), Souzao (0.5%!!!) - and even Petit Verdot (3.5%).  I suppose it's intellectually stimulating to consider some odd varietals kicking it in my glass.  However, I'll be blunt:  I can't taste them.  There may as well have been 0.2% Concord and 0.12% Via Niagara.  With this wine's hefty dose of Rhone rag-a-muffins (Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvedre), it really doesn't matter what grape make up that last 4.5%....or does it?

Wine 2: Sexto DOC Terra Alta 2004 (Spain) - Lest you think I'm picking on the exuberantly styled new world wines, try this affordable Spaniard (~$9).  Again, it's a perfectly pleasant pizza wine.  And yet, there, on the label is the Spanish word 'sexto' (= 6th).  Why is this wine named, '6th'?  Well, it contains 6% Lledoner Pelut Noir (also referred to as the 'hairy Grenache' clone!?!).  Now that's a grape very few have ever sipped, let alone heard of.  But honestly, this wine simply tastes like a cheap-n-cheerful Spanish red.  Fine and dandy, but nothing unique. 

Why can't I get a unique, varietal-based wine that doesn't have the unique varietals buried under an avalanche of commoners?

Have you sampled a unique, varietal-based wine recently, which was also unique-tasting?  Do tell.

non sequitur Tuesday

Blonde Redhead
Something of an airy, stripped down, more melodic Portishead (note I am obviously not a music critic).  Listen here

German Pinot Gris
Were I to ask you what countries are known for their Pinot Gris/Grigio, Germany would likely be utterly absent from your list, or perhaps, registering somewhere in the 40s - after Argentina. Heger Pinot Gris 'Sonett' 2004 ($20-ish), imported by Rudi W, brings German PG one step closer to notoriety by not using the German name for this gray mutant Pinot Clone - Grauburgunderwerdenwienerwaldseinworden (sp?).  As with most P.Gris, Heger is more about texture than flavor.  This German offers a nifty viscous mouthfeel accented by light flavors of fresh pineapple and orange.

Great Service in SLC
Salt Lake City is not known to be one of the great dining cities of the world (unless one counts salt water taffy).  However, this reputation is undeservered as there are many restaurants offering very good, innovative dishes.  Unfortunately, service is a concept all too often absent from most establishments.  Example 1: "Can I reserve one of the tables by the fireplace?" "No."....(dead air, and yes this actually happened).  Example 2: "Excuse me, our entrees are cold." "I'm terribly sorry." (takes entrees, returns 5 minutes later with same cold entrees on warm plates! - again, this actually happened).  The one and only restaurant, at which I can guarantee unfailingly good service is SLC's high end, posh spot, The Metropolitan.  Now, if I can only get them to eighty-6 a few of the $18+ by-the-glass wine offerings...

The Brick in The Wood

Does your wine taste like this?

Apparently, the Basic Juice Crew Red does.  But not yet.  Our li'l brick house has been sent to its American Oak zebra barrel for mellowing & developing.  What will our Grenache | Syrah | Petit Sirah blend taste like?  Tune in next Fall...

Air Banding/Rerun Wine

Have you ever air band-ed?  If your answer is 'no', I shall either A) call you a liar or B) an anti-music cretin.  For those of us with little-to-no musical talent air banding/lip synching is one of life's guilty pleasures.

Who hasn't used the shower head as a mic stand-in and wailed out Highway to Hell while the Pert-Plus worked it's magic?  Perhaps you're an air guitar virtuoso who enjoys spinning around whilst doing your best Eddie V.H. Eruption axing.  We're getting to wine, I promise.  The point is that air banding is fun and highly contagious (see 'exhibit A' [click to play] below)

The problem with being an OC (that's obsessive compulsive not the OC) wine dissector/analyst is that nearly every glass of wine I sip ends up being broken down by color, scent, flavor and texture.  It's nearly impossible for to drink wine and just enjoy wine for wine's sake.  So sad.  One solution to this quandary is to take a wine, which I know well.  My personal favorite in this wine rerun category is Beaujolais Cru.  BeauJo Cru is rarely disappointing and nearly always delivers the berry-brambly flavor combo (which I can finally resist analyzing).

Like air banding...Actually, this is nothing like air banding - unless you consider both air banding and rerun wine as two of life's simple pleasures.  Then yes, air banding and rerun wine are exactly alike.

My favorite rerun BeauJo Cru of the moment is Morgon. Try G. DuBoeuf's Morgon 'Jan Descombes' 2005 ($10).  It delivers great Gamay character and I don't feel compelled to dissect it.  Ok, Ok, I'll dissect a little - I have discovered a nifty Beaujolais trick:  Chill it down, open the bottle and let the wine air out for about an hour or so.  You'll get even more berryliciousness.

What song do you air band to?  Do you have a fave rerun wine?

Sip it. Blog it. Hear it.

Coming your way on February 7, it's WineBloggingWednesday @ Winecast:

[So] the theme of WBW 30 is New World Syrah/Shiraz.

The only rule here is the wine needs to be made from at least 51% Syrah or Shiraz and come from the New World. That leaves quite a bit of freedom to find great examples from Australia, South Africa or the Untied States. Other places to check out are Chile and Argentina where some interesting Syrah is being produced. Your wine can be 100% Syrah/Shiraz or a blend. It can be a simple $5 Washington State bottling or Penfolds Grange. Whatever expression of the classic grape of The Rhone made outside of it’s Old World home is what I’m proposing.

Know Your Grapes II: More Quiz

More grapey goodness in pop-quiz form (take part I here).

Part II:

Fendant is
a) White grape variety unique to the Jura region of France
b) Swiss name for the Chasselas grape; common in the Valais region
c) Rare Chardonnay clone found in the Champagne region
d) A hanging object, generally attached to a chain.  From the old French, meaning "hanging"

Freisa is
a) Pale-skinned red red grape often comprising a minority of the blend in Valpolicella
b) Red grape of Italy's Piedmont, which produces wine with a distinct raspberry aroma
c) Mutant clone of Merlot widely grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California
d) Raspberry extract used to add color and flavor to many 'wine' beverages (i.e. wine coolers)

Godello is
a) A white grape from western Spain and northern Portugal also known as Verdello or Verdelho or Gouveio
b) Romanian white grape variety, which comprises 1/4 of all wine production in the country
c) A grape variety indigenous to Sardegna.  Used to produce oxidized dessert wine
d) Phylloxera-immune European grape variety.  Its rootstock is used to produce pest-resistant plants

Gutedel is
a) German name for Chasselas.  Progenitor of Mueller-Thurgau
b) German for 'nobly rotten' Riesling grapes
c) Südtiroler moniker for Sylvaner
d) Alsatian white wine blend of noble grape varietals

And the answers are...

Know Your Grapes: A Quiz

Think you're a wine grape genius?  Take the grape varietal quiz and find out how you stack rack up.

Part I:

Albariño is
a) A white grape variety from Portugal
b) Wine growing region in Spain
c) A white grape variety grown in Galicia
d) The meteorological antithesis of El Niño

Burgunder is
a) German suffix for grapes in the Pinot family - e.g. Blauburgunder
b) Austrian moniker for Chardonnay
c) Non-eiswein category of German dessert wine
d) Muscat from the Pfalz - a German wine growing region

Counoise is
a) A red grape used to spice up Bordeaux blends
b) One of the permitted grape varietals used in red Chateauneuf-du-Pape
c) Rare red grape from Alsace
d) Type of wine grape recommended with Niçoise salad

Drupeggio is
a) Grape varietal indigenous to Sicily; used in Sicilian rose wine blends
b) Blasé red grape used in Roman table wine
c) A hybrid scooter developed by Italian company, Vespa
d) Pseudonym for Canaiolo Bianco - one of the grapes blended to produce Orvieto

Continue reading for the answers.

Gettin Down w/The Juice Crew

The Juice Crew.  Getting down @ Crushpad.

Act now!  One more case remains of the sure-to-be-a-classic Juice Crew Red.

More photos here.

A Belated Thanks to MLK

A belated thanks to MLK..

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

I, for one, can not be silent about things that matter

A raise of the glass to this American hero.

Dear Wine Bandit

Dear Wine Bandit,

I know, I know; normally I don't go ga-ga for California wine.  And yes, I didn't place the bottle in question on that 'special wine' shelf.  But didn't you happen to notice the wine's vintage before you made pasta sauce with it?  I mean, it clearly stated on the bottle: 1994.  Now, I know you'll defend yourself by saying, "It was a just a Chardonnay.  I thought someone brought it to a party."  Non, Mme.  That wine was Santa's Christmas gift to his jolly self.  Sigh.

The Skinny:

Kalin Cellars Cuvee LD Sonoma Chardonnay 1994 (~$40)

• What was left of the wine (1/3 glass) certainly looked deep golden in color with a slightly rusted rim.
• Perhaps I would have been able to smell the ripe tangerine, vanilla, floral and gamey scents of this wine had I sampled a full glass.
• Oh, this wine would have been rich, decadent and hypnotic (had I been able to drink 1 or two glasses).
• Verdict: Highly Recommended (I imagine).

Check out Kalin's Pinot or Semillon.

Has the wine bandit ever struck at your abode?

A Year in Wine (& Photos): January '06

Domaine Pichot Vouvray Moelleux AOC 1995 ($25)

"I recommend planning an entire evening around this bottle, as it will change dramatically once opened.  At first glance, Domaine Pichot looks like liquid gold"

Bottlebubble

[One of the original Vino Voyeur photos]

BAD DOGma

Time for an episode of, "Let's dispel some wine dogma."

I recall in the early days of my oenological oeducation there was always one exception to the following article of faith:  There isn't necessarily any relationship between wine quality and price."  In other words, pricey wine isn't always tasty wine.

But then, nearly every wine guru would add the 'Champagne exception'.  The Champagne exception goes something like this:  Champagne is a labor-intensive wine; each house can blend dozens of reserve wines to produce a consistent style, and thus, even though it's pricey, Champagne quality is reflected in its price.  Put another way: Champagne is good, and you get what you pay for.

Really?  I think not.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been experimenting with entry level bubbly from some of the major Champagne houses.  And I'm here to testify that the aforementioned little chunk of wine dogma w/r/t Champagne & price is total hooey.  Why should one pay thirty or forty bucks for mediocre, one-dimensional sparkling wine?  While I think some Champagne in this price range is definitely worth the money (e.g. see: J. Lallement & Fils), There is no steadfast rule of relationship between price and Champagne quality.  It pays to do your Champagne homework, and ask questions at your friendly neighborhood wine shop.

Do you know of any wine dogma, which needs to be dispelled?

Memories 12/7

In life, the older one becomes, the faster time flies.  In blogdom, time seems somehow compressed.  For example, if you've been regularly blogging for one year, you're considered an old blogpro.  The age of this blog is a geriatric 2.5 years old.  So, from a very old blogger to all the less-old bloggers, allow me to pose this question:  If you posted on 7 December 2005, what did you write about?  Are you proud/embarassed of your post?  My year-old post is what ignited my passion for Austrian wine and powered me towards pulling off LAWA.  A memorable post for little old Basic Juice.

Let's all go back in time one year and dust off our year-old posts.  Feel free to add links/editorials to yours in the comments.

December 7, 2005: Zig, Zag, Sproing!

Time for free association:

Austrian Wine

When I see those words side-by-side, my head goes right to Grüner Veltliner.  Perhaps some Austrian wine lovers might think "Riesling."  But, I'd bet serious dough that nary a soul's brain conjures up memories of unique Sauvignon Blanc-based wines.  With the help of Emily from Wine Monger, I've begun a tour into Sauvignon Blanc from Austria's "Tuscany" - otherwise known as Styria.

I kicked things off with Jaunegg's 'Knily' Sauvignon Blanc.  It was more Viognier than Sauvignon Blanc.  Next I sampled VIN’O Tscheppe Czamillonberg Sauvignon Blanc 2002.  This wine offered traditional SB flavors, yet with the added heft of barrique aging.  S.Blanc #3 is from Erwin Sabathi: Sabathi 'Merveilleux' Sauvignon Blanc 2002.  While the Jaunegg zigged and the Tsceppe zagged, Sabathi's Merveilleux sproinged in a completely different direction.

Last Call for the Juice Crew

Attention fellow Basic Juicers!

The end of the year is fast approaching and our inaugural Juice Crew Red barrel still has a few lonely cases up for adoption.  If you've hemmed-n-hawed, or otherwise been a little reticent in committing to our Rhone blend, think about this: Crushpad will be featured in next week's Fortune magazine, and as such, all Crushpad wines are likely to become insanely popular.  Who knows, someday your bottle of JCR could go for mucho dinero on eBay.  But why would you want to sell this extra tasty Grenache-Petit Sirah-Syrah?  Grab a case, put it away and taste a bottle every year for the next 12 years.  Don't delay, sidle up to the Juice Crew today.  Simply visit Crushnet (Crushpad's online community), find the Juice Crew, join up and/or request 1 or more case allocations at $216-a-pop.

Know your Fishies

Make My Sushi

Everything you ever wanted to know about this 旨味-laden treat.

Chiroubles Delay

Note to self: Never, under any circumstances, fly cross country in the winter time using Chicago's O'Hare aerostop as your connecting hub.  As good as the flight times look on paper, keep in mind, they are pure fantasy.  That sweet 45 minute layover from SLC?  How's about 4.5 12 hours!?  And that snappy 1 hour layover from Ottawa back to SLC?  Try 3 hours.  Oy veh.  I need a drink.  And speaking of drinks, can I interest you in a Chiroubles?

G. DuBoeuf Chiroubles 2005 ($10) - Had this wine originated from a more 'serious' French wine region, chances are it would be selling at 3-4 times the asking price.  However, seeing as it comes from the immensely under-appreciated region of Beaujolais, you can grab it for ten damn dollars.  Chiroubles is one of 10 Beaujolais Crus (i.e. premier growing sites).  I might not describe this wine as, "exploding from the glass like a massive bouquet of violets," as Parker-proxy Pierre Rovani does.  I would however describe it as an ultrasexy rendition of the Gamay grape - with scents of fresh blueberry and violet-blossom.  In the mouth, DuB.'s Chiroubles does it nice and smooth with silky tannins and simple cherry-blueberry flavors.  Snatch this wine up forthwith and sip it with a pl