2008 American Wine Blog Award Winners Announced

Fermentation's Tom Wark has announced the winners in the 2008 American Wine Blog Awards. More than 2000 people voted in this year's competition over the course of last week.

Now that the voting has finished, I am truly pleased and touched to have received awards in both the Best Wine Review Blog and the Best Single Subject Wine Blog categories.

There were many worthy blogs that were nominated by appreciative readers, and the list of finalists was impressive in every category. Congratulations to all of those who were nominated. You can check out the full list of those winners here.

When I made the decision to continue with this blog, it was because it was clear to me that there were a lot of people out there who drank affordable wine every day and who felt that their needs for wine information were not being met by traditional media. Their needs weren't being met in large part because folks seemed to think that if you didn't spend much money on wine, you weren't really interested in it. I think that's totally false.

If you are new to the blog, you will discover that I write about everyday wine culture, and promote the people I think contribute to it in this country and around the world. This includes winemakers, bloggers, the mainstream press, merchants, consumers--you name it. Good Wine Under $20 is not a narrow topic--it's a world that many, many wine consumers occupy.

Thank you to the many everyday wine aficionados who have indicated that they appreciated this approach since GWU$20 opened its doors to visitors. There's a lot of good wine out there to discover--I look forward to sharing that world with you.

Grape Variety #100: Roditis

Imagine a wine that is like the love child of a dry German Riesling and a French Sauvignon Blanc. It's name would have to be Roditis.

Roditis is my 100th variety and marks the unofficial completion of my Wine Century. I had a tough time deciding which grape to drink last, but as a historian I decided to go with a grape from one of the world's oldest grape-producing regions.

What is Roditis? It's a a pink or rose grape that is used to make dry white wines. The juice from Roditis is often included in Greek's famous resinated white wine, Retsina, which I have to admit is a work in process for me. I tried a bottle of Boutari Retsina given to me in a wine swap a few months ago with domaine547, and even though I chilled it and tried to get in the mood, its pine-ness proved to much for me. I should also note that Boutari's Retsina is made with yet another Greek grape variety--Savatiano. If you are interested in Greek wine, check out some of the great reviews that other bloggers have posted recently about wines from this region. There seems to be something of a Greek revival in the blogosphere, with Tasters A and B from Smells like Grape sipping an Agiorgitiko with some kebabs just the other day, and Richard the Passionate Foodie enjoying his red wine made with Xiomavro.

The 2005 Lafazanis Roditis, however, was a lot of white for the price. ($11.99, K & L Wines; available elsewhere for $9-$12) It was bright and nervy, and everything that I look for in a summer white. Delicate aromas of peach, stone, and the kind of lemon oil you use to polish furniture with enticed you to take your first sip. Flavors of lemon and the sensation of wet stone filled your mouth and delivered on all the promise that the aromas suggested the wine had. My favorite part was the aftertaste, which had just a touch of honeyed heaviness (rather than sweetness) along with some herbal notes. Excellent QPR.

Have your Roditis with some platters of Mediterranean nibbles--hummus, roasted red peppers, olives, chunks of bread, olive oil--or with a more substantial Greek-inspired dish of grilled shrimp with chickpea puree and pitas along with a Greek salad.

Thanks to all of you who have been so encouraging about my adventures into lesser known varieties. And good luck to those of you who are trying to reach your own Wine Century. It's a fantastic way to learn about wine, that's for sure. I've been bitten by the "new variety" bug so don't be surprised if the offbeat, the less-traveled, and the rare grapes of the wine world continue to make appearances here on the blog. In a time when the dollar's buying power isn't what it used to be, these wines often represent excellent value and exceptional taste.

Freaky Friday for Wine Bloggers (and Those Who Know Us)

In news that may leave some readers shaking their heads, but wine bloggers laughing out loud, there is a new wine blog in town.

Likened to The Onion but for wine bloggers by WineBiz radio's Randy Hall, and already eliciting many giggles among wine bloggers on Twitter, Wine-ing 2.0 delivers a healthy dose of perspective on the wine blogging world through its gentle, dead-on humor. With the subtitle "wine blogging is for losers," it is a timely reminder that we could all take ourselves a little less seriously.

Today's most recent story involved a sex sting operation that netted three well-known wine mascots: domaine547's budo-kun, the Little Penguin, and Yellowtail's kangaroo. In other news: Gary Vaynerchuk crashed Twitter out of sheer happiness and excessive tweets, Vinography's Alder Yarrow sprained his tongue and is recovering with a Cabernet Sauvignon, and Constellation has just announced a new brand of wine called 2x4. (mock label shown at right, from Wine-ing 2.0)

It's the end of a long week here in the blogosphere, and what better way to celebrate the last day of voting in the American Wine Blog Awards than with a glass of wine, a chuckle, and a little bit of Freaky Friday madness?

Weekend Immersion Wine Course in Napa

If you're free on April 25 and April 26 this year, are relatively new to wine, and have about $800 to spend on a wine course, this is the one to take. COPIA, the center in Napa that celebrates all things gustatory, will be the location and their new Dean of Wine Studies, Andrea Immer Robinson, who will be teaching one of her wine classes. (photo of Andrea Immer Robinson from her website)

She will be pouring and pairing a pretty dazzling array of wines. The weekend kicks off on Friday night with a champagne tasting, moves into a discussion of Andrea's "big 6" grapes, and then concludes with a dinner of 2 tasting plates served with examples of the wines made from them. Saturday morning will be devoted to Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in their old and new world styles, followed by lunch and the wines of Italy and Spain. The day concludes with a seminar on Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah. If this approach sounds familiar, it's no doubt because you've read Great Wine Made Simple.

Robinson (as I mentioned yesterday) is one of the best wine teachers out there, and she has a knack for breaking down the world of wine into easily digestible chunks. Her love of food and wine pairing stems from her experiences as a sommelier, so you will learn about not only wine but the foods that go with it.

The price above does not include transportation or lodging, but does include a considerable amount of awfully good wine as well as a chance to spend some of your spring in Napa Valley. Can't make the April event, but are dying to attend? Save the dates for her August weekend course, or the biggest splurge of all: a week-long Ultimate Wine Experience. All of this beyond your financial reach? Then buy the book, and set up your own Wine Immersion Weekend right in your own home and invite your friends!

Readers' Request: Roses and Reading Suggestions

Today's post is devoted to the mail bag, and specifically to answering a few requests I received this week from readers. Their requests were, I felt, worthy of a post of their own and I hope that other bloggers and readers will chip in with help if you can. (photo Liq Wine by Jeremy Brooks)

First, a reader asked if I could suggest some roses for an upcoming tasting he's going to that will feature 4-5 rose wines (including some sparkling wines). You can check out all my reviews of rose wines from the past year by clicking here. Roses are meant to be drunk when they are still young, for the most part, and I haven't tasted any new releases this year, but here are some names to look out for when you're in the store, keeping in mind that there may be more recent vintages:

2005 Alma Rosa Pinot Noir Vin Gris El Jabali Vineyard ($20). Pale salmon in color, this dry wine tends slightly towards copper. The aromas were of field-fresh, slightly under-ripe strawberries, or those little French wild strawberries called frais des bois. Tart strawberry flavors, too, with no hint of watermelon. Very distinctive.

2006 Fort Ross Pinot Noir Rose ($16) This beautifully perfumed dry rose has abundant raspberry fruit and a delicious mineral streak.

The NV Domaine Allimant-Laugner Brut Rose is a beautiful, drinkable, and affordable rose sparkling wine that I reviewed just last week. The aromas were full of strawberry, with some mineral notes just around the edges. 100% Pinot Noir grapes go into the wine, which accounted for these aromas, and the same strawberry and mineral combination was also present in the flavors. The finish was reasonably long, and the mineral notes became pleasantly chalky. Domaine Allimant-Laugner is made in the Champagne method, so it will suit traditionalists down to the ground.

How about a pink sparkling dessert wine? The 2007 Innocent Bystander Muscat ($9.99/375ml, domaine547), with its beautiful pink color and aromas of juicy peach and strawberry, is a winner. You pop the crown cap on this little bottle, and everything about the experience is light, summery, refreshing, and fun. The flavors keep up this playful spirit, continuing with the peach and strawberry but adding some clementine to add some zing and freshness. Absolutely yummy!

Had a good rose lately? Put it in the comments for this reader.

Another reader asked if I could suggest a few book titles for a wine lover who is just starting out on their journey. I continue to think that Andrea Immer Robinson's Great Wine Made Simple is one of the best books for someone just beginning to get into wine. She is particularly good at explaining the major varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, etc) and explaining new world and old world styles of wine-making. If you would prefer an overview of major wine styles that is regional, rather than varietal, in its focus, try Oz Clarke's Introducing Wine: A Complete Guide for the Modern Wine Drinker. Clarke has a wonderful writing style, and can really help you understand the world's most interesting wines that you will definitely want to try. Karen MacNeil's The Wine Bible is, in my opinion, the best all-around reference book for someone new to wine, combining clear explanations with lots of coverage. It begins with terrific overviews on how wine is made, suggestions on how to shop for wine, and instructions on how to taste wine. Jancis Robinson's How to Taste is the best book for helping any new wine lover understand what the hell we are talking about when we describe a wine--and she helps you figure out how you can taste it, too. Anybody else have suggestions of books that were helpful to them when they were just starting out?

Hope these help. And if any of the rest of you have questions for me, drop me a line or leave a note in the comments section of any post. I'll get back to you--I promise!--and you may see it answered here on the blog to get some more feedback.