Mixed Cases, Take 2

Asimov's at it again over at the Pour, with two more mixed cases to follow up on his popular and controversial "Wine School." (photo by Ian Britton from FreeFoto.com)

If you've not been following the story so far, Asimov decided to have two NYC wine merchants put together mixed cases of wine so that he could expand his knowledge and taste things he might not otherwise taste. People were critical of the cost, the selection, and the fact they couldn't find the exact same wines to drink. There was also indignation at the fact that there was only one US wine among the 24 bottles (bad news: the new cases have only one US wine, too, the 2001 Edmund St. Johns Syrah from El Dorado County)

But the real purpose of Asimov's "Wine School" is to get US drinkers to drink widely and inexpensively, to have fun, and to learn what you like while doing so. All of us need to be reminded that this is what the love of wine is all about.

His second mixed cases build on the wines that he liked from his first--which is how it's supposed to be. They have even more Loire wines which Asimov really enjoyed (including a 2002 Baumard Savennieres that I've got waiting in my cellar and picked up at Costco), the Cortijo III Rioja Tinto (I reviewed their rose recently), the La Roquette Chateauneuf-du-Pape (always a favorite and a steal at slightly over $20) and some nice Italian selections. It's worth clicking over there on the link above to see what's what and get inspired to have your favorite merchant mix you your own case of wines.

So, want to go back to school this summer? Never ordered a case of wine before, never mind a mixed case? If you've never done this before, here's what to do. First, I'd recommend finding an independent wine retailer rather than going to a huge wine store chain. Ask around on Chowhound's Wine Board if you don't know a good store in your area--someone there surely does. The ten most recent posts have recommendations for the best wine stores between Buffalo and Erie, for instance. Then:

If you are a complete newbie, just have them mix 5 whites, 5 reds, 1 rose, and 1 sparkling wine. Tell them how much total you want to spend. Leave with your case. Enjoy. Keep notes on what you liked and didn't for your next mixed case. Repeat when the shelf gets bare.

If you know what you like, tell the merchant "I like sauvignon blanc, lightly oaked chardonnay, syrah, and pinot. I want to drink more European/South American/New World/Old World/California/Oregon/Washington/New York wines (circle appropriate choices)." Tell them how much you want to spend on the whole case. Leave with your case. Enjoy. Keep notes on what you liked and didn't for your next mixed case. Repeat when the shelf gets bare.

Now that readers are a bit calmer over at The Pour, it is clear that what is attractive about the mixed-case strategy is that it takes some of the stress out of the experience of trying new wines. You get a dozen wines. You won't like them all. But you may discover that Loire whites are your thing, or that you love malbec. That knowledge--which will pay off 1o-fold over the rest of your life--is worth the $13 you spent on the pinot grigio you didn't like and so served as an aperitif with nachos to unsuspecting houseguests on Saturday night.

Catavino Virtual Tasting for May: Albarino

After their successful April virtual tasting of rose wines, Catavino is back with another virtual tasting event to wet your whistle and expand your knowledge of Spanish wines for May.

May's focus will be on albarino wines, the varietal native to Galicia--though you may be more familiar with the designation "Rias Baixes" on the label. I've only had one albarino wine that I had after a recommendation from Wannabe Wino's Sonadora, but based on this experience they have an intriguing mixture of refreshing acidity on the tongue and floral aromas in the nose. I'm looking forward to trying out some more of these summery white wines, and have already put together a shopping list based on K&L Wines' good selection of bottlings between $9.99 and $22.99. The 2004 and 2005 Lusco Albarinos sound particularly yummy.

Check out Gabriella's round-up of the rose experience, and her tips for the albarino tasting, by clicking here. The forum is already hopping with comments, give-and-take and feedback so head over there soon to record your impressions about this varietal and to take away a list of suggested wines to keep in pocket and purse for your wine shopping expeditions this month.

When Reds are Green

When you think red wine you typically think of warm red fruits, warm red spices, and warm red aromas.

But sometimes, red wines are green. And what's more, they're supposed to be. (photo by Ian Britton from FreeFoto.com) Take cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc. The varietal characteristics of both of these wines indicate that some green bell pepper, asparagus, and herbal notes are to be expected. Of course, if you let them ripen to their maximum capacity in hot vineyards, much of the green vegetativeness of the varietals will simply cook off. Often, oak barrels take care of any last vestiges of these flavors especially in the New World where fruit-forward wines are not only common, they are preferred by many drinkers.

If you drink mainly New World wines, these vegetal flavors in red wines can come as something of a surprise--and not necessarily a pleasant surprise, either. Too many vegetal red Bordeaux led Parker to start the The Wine Advocate in order to ferret out the green from the red since he felt the green wines were under-ripe.

Recently, I had a green red, the 2004 Chateau du Hureau Saumur-Champigny ($7.99/375 ml, Mission Wines; 750 ml from other merchants for under $15) In this wine, the red fruits are a minor player, accompanied by vegetal and herbal notes in both the aroma and the palate. Decanting for an hour helped the fruit come forward a bit, which indicates that this wine may become more fruity over time, and it also helped to take the herbal notes and make them more intriguing and less overpowering. If you buy this wine, I would recommend keeping it for another year, or decanting it for 2-3 hours, or both. And food really helped to manage the assertive green flavors, so I would recommend that you serve it with something red and green, like rosemary marinated steak or pepper steak with lots of peppers.

This was certainly not as round and lush as the 2003 vintage of this wine that Brooklynguy had recently, and not as fun and inviting as the Vinum "Scrapper" Cabernet Franc I tasted a the Family Winemakers. And if you're not a CabFranc fan, this isn't the wine for trying the varietal out. Though I wasn't a huge fan of this wine, and its flavors weren't as integrated as they should have been, with its strong varietal characteristics it still represents good QPR. And if you've not tasted a green, old world wine, or have ever wondered why Parker loves his jammy, extracted fruits, this would be a good wine to try just to see what all the fuss is about.

Monday Wine Shopping

Today I took friends back to the airport to catch a morning flight and decided on the way home to try a new wine store and see if they had any Languedoc- Roussillon wines for next week's Wine Blogging Wednesday hosted by Marcus, aka Dr. Weingolb.

I stopped off at Red Carpet Wine in Glendale, just around the intersection of the 2, 5, and 134 freeways. In LA terms this means that at some point in your life you will surely find yourself passing by the area, and it is worth stopping in to see their wide selection of wine, beer, and spirits.

The store is well laid out, roomy, and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable without hovering. I asked straight away for Languedoc wines, and Ray helped me to find their good range of Domaine Olivier Pithon bottlings to choose from. I left with a red and a white--but more on those next week. I asked Mike for some help with chardonnays, and he recommended some very appealing 2005 white burgundy that I'm looking forward to trying, too. What struck me about all their European wines--and they have Greek, Spanish, French, and Italian to choose from as well as Southern Hemisphere bottlings from places like Chile, Australia, and New Zealand--was that they offered wines at every price point from under $10 to well over $100.

For domestic wines, they are particularly strong in chardonnays, pinot noirs, and cabernets, with lots of boutique and unusual bottlings that you don't see in big chain stores. The prices are very good, too. I picked up a 2005 Adelsheim Pinot Noir for under $25, which is a very competitive price for an Adelsheim wine. I saw some favorites in the shop, too, like the Hocus Pocus Syrah and a new vintage of the Curran Grenache Blanc.

Red Carpet wine has an email list that you can sign up for, and an inviting wine bar with tastings on Friday afternoons from 4:30-8:30 and Saturdays from 3:00-8:00. Each week these tastings range from the expensive (this weekend they are pouring 2001 cabs by Opus One, Rudd, Viader, and Silver Oak, for example), to the mid-range (May 11 and May 12 offers a first look at the 2005 Rhones), to tastings of inexpensive staff favorites. They also host special events at nearby restaurants. If you're free on May 10, you may want to reserve a place at the Thursday Sip at Sabor Restaurant just down the road from Red Carpet. At 6 pm Herbert Monterrosa, a Spanish wine specialist, will be leading a tasting of a dozen wines imported by Jorge Ordonez for $25. Call the store at 1-800-339-0609 for more information.

Washington's Wine

Not THAT Washington. The other one. Martha's husband, aka George.

Building on the country's growing understanding of the wine-drinking habits of founding fathers and Virginia residents Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, Virginia has announced that it is "first in wine." I don't think this is true: not in terms of the amount of grapes grown, the numbers of bottles sold, not even in historical terms. (I think New Mexico might be ahead in this department.) But who cares about historical details when there are grapes involved? If you are a driver in Virginia, you can show your support for the wine biz in your state by getting one of these snazzy new license plates. Commemorating the 400th anniversary of wine in the state, proceeds of this vanity plate go towards the Virginia wine industry.

And, what is wrong with California?? If there were grape vanity plates I'd sign on in a minute. Can we lobby for such a thing with rolling vine-covered hills in the background where the whale's tale is? Currently you can support Lake Tahoe Conservation, the Coastal Commission, the Arts Council, Child Health and Safety, UCLA, Yosemite, and Firefighters. All worthy causes. But lets get wine in there! Who has the Governor's phone number?

Unless you live in Virginia, you probably don't drink much Virginia wine thanks to insane post-Prohibition wine regulations , which make it pretty much impossible for anyone outside the state's borders to find or purchase them. Dan Berger has a good overview of the Virginia wine scene in a new post over on Appellation America, and bloggers like Dezel at the Virginia VineSpot blog are a great resource if you want to know more about the area's viticultural past and present.

So if you're headed to Jamestown for the big anniversary this summer, to the Outer Banks for kite-flying and eating fried seafood, or to Williamsburg to check out how things used to be when people wore perukes and mob-caps, try to squeeze in a visit to Virginia Wine Country while you're at it. Your taste buds will thank you, even if your children won't.