At the beginning of this century, Constellation Brands, a leading wine distributor, conducted a research project called Project Genome.  This project consisted of over 3500 premium wine consumers being asked a series of questions about their wine buying and consumption. This was an attempt to understand the motivations and behaviors of wine buyers.  As a result of that research, wine buyers were categorized into six types of behavior:*

• Enthusiast
• Image Seekers
• Savvy Shopper
• Traditionalist
• Satisfied Sipper
• Overwhelmed

In reviewing the six behaviors for this blog, I have gone down memory lane and jotted down my thoughts of when (or if) I would have (or could have) fit these categories.  I have looked at my own wine buying and consumption over the past 50 years and taken it a step further to look at how these behaviors related to Champagne.

My first job was in a prestigious London club and it was the first time I had even seen a bottle of Champagne.  Every day part of my duty was to make crushed ice using a pick. This ice was then used to chill Champagne. The Champagne was put in a bucket and, of course, it was accompanied by caviar.  

The Image Seeker
It's not surprising that Champagne is commonly the drink of the Image Seeker.  In the early days of my wine career, if the cork came flying out of the bottle with the sound of a Concord breaking the sound barrier, people loved it.  It drew attention and applause. Serious Champagne aficionados do not like the loud pops, but prefer a gentle hiss when the bottle is opened. If you like the loud pop, be aware that Champagne follows the cork, so you can lose some precious liquid!

The Overwhelmed
If I had been a buyer in those early years, Overwhelmed would have described my buying behavior. A quarter of wine consumers fit in to this category.  The Overwhelmed are faced with too many choices and too little knowledge.  They believe wine is complex and difficult to buy. I knew I had to be knowledgeable on any product that I served if I was to further my career, so I spent most afternoons in a library studying. 

As I struggled along in my learning curve, I was invited to events where this  amazing product flowed faster than the River Thames.  As I was chipping away on that ice a few years earlier, I never dreamt how my life was going to take me to the Champagne region in France on a regular basis.

The Enthusiast
When I was entering Sommelier competitions, I became an Enthusiast and was introduced to some very influential people in the Champagne world.  The Enthusiast was identified as being passionate about wines and tending to consume a lot at the high end.  Sometimes I hung out with the "Champagne Charlies".  These were the Champagne salesmen who went to high end bars and restaurants, drank Champagne and asked if you knew their particular product. That was a job I dreamed of for a while, until I found out that just like Champagne they were constantly under pressure.

The Traditionalist
My visits in the Champagne region, eventually helped to form my time as a Traditionalist.          I was judging wine competitions where the competitors were judged on product knowledge, service skills, tasting, and wine and food pairing. Champagne had to be opened in the correct manner (no pop, just a hiss) and served with certain types of food (caviar of course). Veering away from the norm or traditions of Champagne was just not done. It is still the same.

The Savvy Shopper
In my forties and fifties, I was a purchaser for restaurants which catered to  colleges, and some of the UK's rich and famous. I worked with trade discounts, buying in bulk, and pre-sales. These were the Savvy Shopper days.  I knew what to buy, where to buy and when to buy. There are individuals that fit this category and pride themselves on being "in the know". 

The Satisfied Sipper
I believe that now, in retirement I have become the Satisfied Sipper which is where 15% of the wine buying public tends to be. This is the behavior when we make sensible choices.  The first thing that comes to mind are the Costco customers that seek a well made Champagne for under $25.  

I believe with Champagne, we cross these six lines of behavior regularly.  Remember - Champagne is purchased for the occasion and not for the wine itself.

You are planning a big celebration and want to impress your Image Seeker friends, you may become a Savvy Shopper and read as much as you can about Champagne. You might turn into an Enthusiast along the way as you develop a knowledge of this bubbly nectar. However, once in front of the wine wall, you are quickly the Overwhelmed buyer and forget all you thought you knew. No shame here - go back to the Traditionalist way of buying and serving Champagne. You can't go wrong. Then you and your guests can all be Satisfied Sippers!

Pairing
At one time, my favorite place to drink Champagne was Wimbledon where the Tennis Championships are held. It was at Wimbledon that the practice of having strawberries with Champagne originated.  Very simply, the strawberries were at their peak as Wimbledon was a being held, and it was a natural for using foods "in season" to avoid spoilage.

Years ago we told people chocolate and Champagne don't go together. I actually think chocolate pairs better with Champagne than caviar.  

One of my favorite pairings is a smoked trout with egg dish. It's a great appetizer dish for starting a celebration with a Champagne toast.

Musings
Jockeys, models, actors, and anyone who makes a living from keeping their body slim, will drink Champagne instead of other wines. It's believed that the reason for this is the fatty tissues in a body are broken down by the acidity of Champagne.  And would you believe "The Champagne Diet"? Cara Alwill Leyba has a website that has a focus on drinking two glasses of Champagne per day.  She claims she is 21 pounds lighter.

Champagne will be easily preserved in the refrigerator for longer than other wines. If you simply take the foil that was on the top of the bottle before opening it and wrap that same foil around the top of the opened bottle, the bubbles will be there for the next 24 - 48 hours. Enjoy!

Champagne is the only 24 hour a day drink! Mimosas and Bellinis can start your day and Champagne toasts over dinner can end it!  It's the only drink that is "acceptable" to drink at any hour of the day! 

Key Facts:

• There are over three hundred Champagne houses.
• The grapes used in Champagne are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.
• Most Champagne is white, most Champagne grapes are red.
• Most Champagne is non-vintage, as producers make a blend from three consecutive years in order to create a house blend or style.
• Top Champagne Brands are:

     Moet and Chandon, Veuve Clicquot, Nicolas Feuillate, GH Mumm, Laurent - Perrier.

If you are interested in more information, I recommend going to the Comite Champagne website and watching the 12 minute video that takes the viewer from grape to glass. 
www.champagne.fr/en/  

Karen and I wish all our readers a Happy New Year and hope that you all follow your dreams! I leave you with the words of Winston Churchill:
​ 
"Remember gentlemen it is not France we are fighting for, it's Champagne!"


*It should be noted that a followup study by Constellation Brands in 2014 identified three new segments: the Engaged Newcomer, the Everyday Loyals and the Price Driven.

It's a wonderful time of the year!
​Restaurants and pubs are busy enjoying the lucrative Christmas season. There is turkey and Christmas Pudding to help the waistline grow. The shelves in the supermarkets are full of mince pies, wine, beer, spirits, and egg nog.

The log fires are lit. The Christmas stockings are hanging on the hearth. The Christmas spirit is alive and glowing in Jolly Old England!

Our HomeExchange partners had asked us several months ago if we wanted to attend a wine tasting while we were in Bournemouth. Yes, please! We knew it would be something different for us.  We also thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to meet people in the community.  The invitation was for a tutored wine tasting of German wines, and Michaela of VinoLicious would be presenting the wines for us to taste. We were promised "an evening of fun, Glühwein & German Christmas atmosphere"!  The tasting was held in the pretty little village of Wimborne in the south of England, ten miles from our temporary home.

​We wanted to be well informed guests, so we spent some time doing our homework on the German wine region that produced the wines we would be tasting. As with all tastings:

• We did not wear perfume or cologne (they can overpower the smell of the wine).
• We ate before leaving home. We knew there would be cheese and nibbles, but it's not a good idea  to arrive hungry to a tasting. This can affect your enjoyment of the tasting as you might grab food quickly and not really pay attention to the pairing with the wines.  It's hard to enjoy a tasting if you are overly hungry.
• We travelled by taxi. We did not need to worry about driving home after 2+ hours of tasting wines. It was also the first Friday night of the Holiday party season and we knew we would need to watch out for other drivers on the road. Good call as we saw the police lights go on shortly after we left the house.
• We arrived on time. This is for your own satisfaction so you aren't frazzled, and is out of courtesy for your host/hostess.

​
Michaela's website had plenty of information to help understand the philosophy of this enterprise. Wines are direct from the vineyards in Germany. Click here: www.vinolicious.co.uk

The wines were to be from the Palatinate, a great region in the southwest of Germany.  It's an area known for quality wines. Forty years ago German wines were almost 100% white.  These days 60% of the wines from this region are white, many made from non-traditional varietals, and 40% are red, mainly from the Pinot Noir grape.

I knew the best area was going to be Bad Duerkeim, and forecast that maybe two or three out of twelve would interest me.

Glühwein (a warm red wine mulled with spices) is popular and traditional this time of year, especially in Germany and Austria. It is wonderful for cold weather activities and is always available at Christmas markets. Michaela started the tasting with a warm welcome and Glühwein. It was warm and spicy, and helped fuel the convivial atmosphere.

The first wines were poured and Michaela started the introductions by informing us she was a teacher with a love for wines, in particular German and the Palatinate.  She works with four growers that she has known for a very long time, and travels to Germany on a regular basis.

We were then all asked to introduce ourselves. It turns out that many attendees were German language students of Michaela and knew her very well. There was also a group from a local wine society that were regulars for her tastings.  All the attendees had been to tastings before so it was very relaxing. This was a very nice atmosphere in which to enjoy a wine tasting.

My first impression was that this tasting was a well oiled machine.There were crisp tablecloths and the tables were decorated for the festive Holiday Season. The food for pairing consisted of quality fresh bread, good cheddar cheese, and a tasty wild boar pate. 

Each person was provided with two glasses for the wine and a water glass. Water pitchers were on the tables for drinking and for rinsing the glasses between wines.  Dump buckets were provided for those wines that may not have met a person's tasting preferences.

We were all provided pens and a well planned tasting sheets, but the most important take away from this tasting was that it was led by a dedicated and qualified teacher with a passion for the Palatinate. She was doing something she loves in front of a very respectful audience. It was a win/win.

We tasted 10 wines and these are our favorites with the tasting notes:

2017 Gewurztraminer from Weingut Hensel in Bad Dürkheim
The name Gewürztraminer means spicy traminer. It was originally from the Alsace region in Eastern France and is now grown in many wine districts.  There was a hint of sweetness on this spice wine.  The consensus was that most of the group enjoyed it and it would pair well with curry dishes, smoked cheeses and hams.

2017 Cuvee Blanc  Muscadet Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc from Weingut Hensel in Bad Dürkheim
​We both loved this one - a blend of Muscadet and Sauvignon Blanc, two grapes not usually thought of to be grown in Germany.  I would certainly use this wine if I lived in Europe. It has a sensible 12% alcohol by volume. The taste is a nice whiff of tropical fruits with a citric taste in the mouth. Fish and Vegetarian dishes would marry well. Good with chips and nuts. We agreed it could be drunk on its own also without a food pairing.

2014 Spatburgunder Pinot Noir from  Weingut Klohr in Gimmeldingen
Pinot Noir grape that had a variety of tasting comments. Many got the usual strawberry that is common with a Pinot Noir and some thought it had plum and cherry notes. This wine delivered a definite “thud” in the mouth. This “thud” is best described as chewy tannins. When you take a sip of a wine with chewy tannins, it dries out the interior of your mouth, hence the “thud”.

2015 Cuvee Red  Cabernet Franc & Cabernet Sauvignon from Weingut Hensel in Bad Dürkheim
This blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon was very pleasant indeed. There was full flavor in the mouth of blackberries with a hint of gooseberries. 13% alcohol. Will develop in the bottle until 2025. Would pair nicely with beef dishes and would make a great wine by the glass item for restaurants, pubs and bars.

2003 Pinot Gris Beerenauslese from Weingut Leiner in Wollmersheim
It’s not often you get a chance to taste Beerenauslese wines. This was certainly the star of the evening. This 2003 was not bottled until 2006. It spends 18 months in oak and can age for a long time. Light golden in color with a bouquet of black currant and peaches. Full flavored sweet wine. Not cloying. It was paired with gingerbread flavored cookies at the tasting and was excellent! A must for Christmas pudding!  Great value!

The venue for the tasting was the Arndale Community Center - what we used to call a village hall. The sign on the notice board said this:

"When you buy from a small family business you're not helping a CEO buy a third holiday home. You're helping a little girl get dance lessons, a little boy have his first bike, and Mum and Dad put food on the table". 

It felt wonderful to be a part of this small community, even if just for the evening.  

On a personal note, I think it is fair to say that after 50 years in the business where wine was my profession, now in retirement, it is an interest that I will always have. Fun is the operative word for me now and this tasting was fun. 

All wines were under $20 so were good value.

​Do you want to have a little German Christmas celebration of your own? You might enjoy making some nice German Gluhwein: 
​
INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 medium orange
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 20  whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 whole star anise
• 1  bottle dry red wine

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the orange in wide strips, taking care to avoid the white pith; set aside. Juice the orange and set the juice aside.
2. Combine the water and sugar in a large, nonreactive saucepan and boil until the sugar has completely dissolved. Reduce the heat and add the cloves, cinnamon, star anise, orange zest, and orange juice. Simmer until a fragrant syrup forms, about 1 minute.
3. Reduce the heat further and add the wine. Let it barely simmer for at least 20 minutes but up to a few hours. Keep an eye out so that it doesn't reach a full simmer.  DO NOT BOIL THE WINE - YOU WILL BOIL AWAY THE ALCOHOL.
4. Strain and serve in small mugs. Garnish with the orange peel and star anise if desired.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the orange in wide strips, taking care to avoid the white pith; set aside. Juice the orange and set the juice aside.
2. Combine the water and sugar in a large, nonreactive saucepan and boil until the sugar has completely dissolved. Reduce the heat and add the cloves, cinnamon, star anise, orange zest, and orange juice. Simmer until a fragrant syrup forms, about 1 minute.
3. Reduce the heat further and add the wine. Let it barely simmer for at least 20 minutes but up to a few hours. Keep an eye out so that it doesn't reach a full simmer.
4. Strain and serve in small mugs, adding a shot of rum or amaretto and garnishing with the orange peel and star anise if desired.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas!  
Wir wünschen Ihnen ein frohes Weihnachtsfest!
​

Quick - name a wine region.

Did you think of France, Italy, Spain, California, Australia, New Zealand, Oregon, Washington?

Did anyone think of Bohemia and Moravia?  Probably not.    

As we had the opportunity to be in the Czech Republic for two weeks, the wines of this area became intriguing to me.  I found that most of the wines offered in restaurants were from Italy.  Something was missing.  I started searching.

A Long History Of Wines
Prague has been making wines since the tenth century, when Duke Wenceslas (that we know from the Christmas song as "Good King Wenceslas")* planted vines in the Prague Castle.  The vineyards from that time are still there.  They have undergone a restoration that took several years and opened again to the public in 2008 on the 1100th anniversary of the birth of Saint Wenceslas.  Today it is called The Saint Wenceslas' Vineyard, but legend calls this the "divine vineyard" or the "Lord's vineyard" and it is said to be the oldest vineyard in Bohemia.  The history of the "divine vineyard" is inseparable from the Czech statehood and the adoption of Christianity.

If wine is the drink of kings, it was especially true in the Czech Republic and Prague in the fourteenth  century.  The spread of wine in this area was promoted by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV (also known as King Charles IV).  The king was a wine lover and during his reign the number of vineyards drastically increased.  Charles grew up in France and was exposed to the growing and drinking of wines at an early age.  He cared about the quality of the wines as well as the quantity.  In his time, Bohemia experienced the cultivation of high quality vines.

In 1358 King Charles IV mandated that if you grew a vineyard in the city of Prague, you would be exempt from taxes and levies for twelve years.  The size of the plots were 100 yards by fifty yards: a football field.   Prague and the surrounding countryside became full of vineyards.  By the end of his reign there were over 1,700 acres of vineyards in and around Prague.

Until the time of Charles IV, the grapes grown in the region were white and acidic.  The new grapes that were planted came from France (primarily Burgundy and Champagne), Austria, Hungary, Italy and even Croatia.  A new grape was introduced called "rout" - probably from the French word "rouge" or red.  This was the beginning of red wines being grown in what is now the Czech Republic.

Recent History
Until the 1960s, the vines in the Czech Republic had been grown in the traditional or "bush style" for centuries.  This style of growing grapes refers to vines that are allowed to grow free standing with no attachment to a trellising structure.  The quality of the wines was not up to par with other regions of the world and no one was buying Czech wines.  The winemakers began looking for the reasons they weren't producing good wines.  

After visiting other cold weather wine regions, the Czech vineyard managers started using the "high training" of vines similar to other cold climate European growing regions such as the Rhine and Mosel and Alsace,  This type of vine training refers to wrapping the vines around the horizontal wires stretched from poles at the end of each row.  Training the vines to grow horizontally, exposes the vines, the leaves and the grapes to more sunshine.  This method of vine training was founded in the South Tyrol in Northern Italy, and Austria - both very cold regions.  Both state farms (which were owned by the communist government) and agriculture cooperatives (also owned by the government) in the Czech Republic made these changes which gave higher yields and ushered in the ability to use machines rather than manpower.

1948 - 1989 The Communist Era 
For 41 years after the end of WWII, Czechoslovakia was under Soviet rule.  During this time, the government nationalized farms, vineyards and any other viable enterprise and transferred private assets into public assets.  The wine industry faltered.  

Forests were destroyed, boundaries between family farms and vineyards were removed, and the vineyards became government property.

This NY Times article brilliantly describes what happened to Czech wine under Communism and how they came out from under this era to shine again.  

To read NYT article, click or copy below link:
www.nytimes.com/2016/08/16/world/europe/czech-wine-moravia.html

In 1989, The Velvet Revolution brought an end to Communism.  Once again, the ancient tradition of cultivating vines and making wines was revived.

After Communism
In 1996 European wine laws were translated into the Czech language, and the industry became more regulated which is a great thing for modern wine making. Once the new laws were implemented standards of wine making started to improve.

In 2004 when Czech became a member of the European union, they had to abide by the European wine laws.   These wine laws are a combination of the French, Italian and German wine laws.  One of the outcomes of this was that now they were restricted from increasing the sizes of vineyards.  It also stopped the expansion of new vineyards.   New lands could not be purchased and turned into vineyards.  A vineyard could be planted only in areas that had been vineyards before.

This is Part One of my Blog on Czech wines.  Part Two will cover our recent trip to the vineyard in the Bohemia region outside of Prague.

And Finally - Dining Out in Prague
We like food.  We couldn't end a blog without sharing some experiences while in Prague.  We ate out every couple of days, and have been very pleased with the restaurants in Prague.  Two restaurants stand out for us.  Marina Ristorante and Restaurace Stoleti have become our favorites for very different reasons.

Marina Ristorante was recommended by our exchange partner, and we have eaten there four times.  It is a high quality riverside restaurant, with a mixture of Italian pastas and seafood. Every meal was good.  The fish is fresh, the pasta is homemade, and the wine selection is superior, but mostly Italian wines.  We ordered Champagne for my birthday lunch and it was from the Champagne area in Northern France, not to be confused with Prosecco which many restaurants try to pass off as Champagne.  Remember - if it doesn't' come from the Champagne region - it is not Champagne!

Restaurace Stoleti is one of those hidden gems we love when we stumble across them.  On our second or third day here, we were walking around Old Prague and trying to find a restaurant that wasn't a tourist trap.  We walked further and further, until we stopped so Karen could check Google Maps and see where we were.  As we stopped and leaned against a wall, the most wonderful smells came out of the restaurant next to us.  We looked at each other and said, "let's do it"!  Stoleti is old school, old country food.  They have a beautiful salad with beet root that we shared and the Venison Goulash was one of our favorites.  The last time we ate there we had a delicious fish called "Butterfish".   The simple roast chicken was also wonderful.  The Sauvignon Blanc we ordered with our first meal in Stoleti was from Italy and quite good.  It was fresh, fruity and had a slight earthy taste that is found in European wines.  

P.S. - Tipping
When Karen and I first started to visit Europe five years ago, many travel experts, including Rick Steves, suggested you do not leave a gratuity as it was already factored in. That is certainly not the case in Prague. The first question is "are you paying cash or credit?" The second question is, "will the tip be going on the card or cash?"
 
Prague is very European with regards to eating and drinking.  One could say very Italian.
Cash is king here.

*Although Wenceslas was, during his lifetime, only a duke, Holy Roman Emperor Otto I posthumously "conferred on [Wenceslas] the regal dignity and title" and that is why, in the legend and song, he is referred to as a "king".    Source: "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Wenceslaus". Newadvent.org. 1912-10-01. Retrieved 2015-11-18.  From Wikipedia

​

On Saturday, April 29th of this year, the Court of Master Sommeliers celebrated its 40th Anniversary in London with wonderful food and superb wines.  It was a black tie affair and several of the original members were able to attend.  Karen and I had just returned from Europe five days before, and we were not able to be in London, so we were celebrating half a world away in Naples, Florida on the same evening.

I was one of the founding members of the Court of Master Sommeliers and served as its President for over 20 years.  I couldn't let the occasion go by without a celebration and a toast to the group.  We decided to celebrate by inviting a few close friends for dinner. The dress code for the celebration was Florida casual, not black tie! 

We had just spent three weeks in beautiful Provence in the French countryside so  memories of lavender were fresh in our minds.  The menu grew from the idea of using lavender in our meal and lingering over the meal the way the French people do.  There was to be no hurrying through the meal and each course was meant to be savored and enjoyed with the wines being served.   Karen developed our food menu and I chose the wine,

The Pairings
Smoked Trout and Egg Pie paired with Champagne - Nicolas Feuillatte -  France
Endive Salad w/Cherry Tomatoes paired with Sauvignon Blanc from Whitehaven New Zealand     (the salad was accompanied by lavender goat cheese  on a crostini)
Roasted Pork Loin w/Vegetables paired with Pinot Noir - Elouan - Oregon, Tempranillo - Juan Gil - Jumilla Spain, and the Chateau Pichon Longueville -  France
(the pork was roasted with rosemary, garlic, onion & lemon        
Assorted Cheeses w/Baguette paired with  Dow's 20 Year Old Tawny Port -  Portugal
Honey & Lemon Posset w/Lavender paired withIce Wine from Inniskillin  - Niagara Falls, Canada

   
The French Wine 
Last summer Karen invited our friends from France to a "typical" American meal in our home while they were visiting Naples:  fried chicken, corn on the cob, baked beans, cornbread, and banana pudding.  To say thank you, they had brought us some freshly caught fish from our local bay and a bottle of wine.  Hmmmm - not just any bottle of wine, but Chateau Pichon Longueville 2011 Comtesse de Lalande, a second growth and very special. It comes from a vineyard in the Medoc area of Bordeaux. 

Second Growth is a designation acquired in 1855 when the top wines of Bordeaux were graded at an exhibition in Paris. There are five designations for growths.  To qualify, it had to be pretty good then, and even better now.

For more information on growths:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordeaux_Wine_Official_Classification_of_1855

The average age of the vines on which these grapes are grown is 65 years. The grapes are a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and Merlot. They are picked by hand and gently pressed before maturing in oak casks.  They are then bottled two years later.  Maturing takes place in the Chateaus' cellars and usually lasts for five years. By using this time to mature, it avoids the wines being drunk too young and protects the wine from forgery.

The first time I tasted this wine was in 1967 at a high end wine tasting held in a cellar under the Waterloo Bridge in London. I was hooked!  That experience helped lead me to a study of wine.

I opened the bottle four hours before serving and paired it with Karen's roast pork, and some Dutch cheese.  It tasted like velvet.  That's not just any bottle of wine! 

Thank you Max & Muriel de Paz and family for the gift of 🍷 is not forgotten.

The Champagne
Prosecco from Italy is the rage right now, but this was a special occasion and the best sparkling wine really does come from the Champagne Region in northern France.  Although white, most Champagne is made from the Pinot Noir grape which is red. The grapes are crushed and the skins (which give wine its color) are removed.  About $40 is the average price of a bottle.

The Sauvignon Blanc
The Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc was from Marlborough which is in the northern section of the South Island of New Zealand.  It is the same price as most well known wines from this area which is around $17.

The Pinot Noir
Elouan - the Pinot Noir we drank is from the brains behind one of the biggest selling California wines: Meomi,.  This brand was sold for $135,000,000 to the mega beverage company,  Constellation Brands. They moved the company to Oregon and this is their new product. $20 a bottle.

The Tempranillo
Juan Gil - the Spanish wine,  has a personal story behind it.   Five years ago, we went to a wine bar in Naples and saw a Spanish wine on the list called Juan Gil.  It was a 2007 vintage and was really beautiful. Karen described it as a taste explosion in her mouth.  We tried to buy it locally and could only get the 2011 vintage. We bought a few bottles, tried one when we bought it and it was not even close to the 2017, so we kept the rest for later dates.  It was well worth the wait.  The cost is $15 to $20 plus the patience of waiting a few years.

The Ice Wine
This wine is from just over the border in Canada and made from the Vidal grape.  The grapes are left on the vines until a cold spell causes them to freeze. They are then picked early in the morning and pressed. The juice is released and the frozen water remains.  This ice wine costs $45 for a small bottle.

Dow"s 20 Tawny Port
A Tawny port from the Douro River in Portugal.  These ports are matured in a different way than Vintage ports which are made in a particular year and aged for two years before bottling. Tawny ports are aged in wood for 10, 20, 30 and 40 years. In my view,  twenty year old ports are the best value. Tawny Ports are much lighter than the very, very expensive vintage ports, some wine experts serve them chilled as we did. $60 for a standard bottle.

Wine and Food Combinations
The canapé was a delicious egg and onion trout pie.  The original recipe called for caviar and was given to Karen by Norwegian friends years ago when she worked for Norwegian Cruise Line.  We adapted it to use smoked trout instead of the caviar.  Champagne always goes well with eggs.   Fifty years ago when the staff of exclusive London clubs finished  their shifts around 4:00 am, they had eggs and bacon before going home, and to drink - left over Champagne - usually the very good stuff.

The endive usually gives an earthy taste, add tomatoes which are acid, and then a pungent cheese.   The lavender was very subtle.  We tried to work out the many different flavor profiles, and bang!  The crispy grapefruit/mango/peach/slightly fruity Sauvignon Blanc hit the spot. 

Three wines with the pork probably needs an explanation. The reader may be thinking six and a half bottles of wine for six people is excessive. Only two wines were completely finished:  the bottle of superb Bordeaux, and the half bottle of Iniskillin. These wines also mingled with the Port as the cheese was being served.

Here we go. . .the Juan Gil Tempranillo was outstanding with the pork as it was well matured and the flavor that came from the powerful Malbec grape was sustained by the sweetness of the carrots. Strawberry is said to be the flavor of USA Pinots and that flavor coming from the Oregon Elouan perfectly hit the fattiness from the pork loin.  As the plates were cleared, the remaining star wine from Bordeaux was poured, and drunk on its own for about twenty minutes.  It was superb:  black currant nuances, slightly controlled earthiness, smooth with a mouth flavor of almost 30 seconds. Then along came the cheese and what little was left in the glass was paired with the matured cheddar and triple cream cheese. 

The cheese tray had four cheese varieties:   Cheddar, Triple Cream, Aged Gouda and Blue Gorgonzola.  They were served with warm crusty baguettes and the Port, which was light,  smooth and sweet.  The Port had a nutty bouquet and a  honeyed flavor, with a
chocolate / cinnamon finish.

The Dow's Port is in my view another great value, because you only need a couple of ounces.  When the celebration is over, simply put it in the refrigerator for as long as six months.

At the end of the evening we had the lemon Posset, an old English dessert, easily made by mixing hot milk, honey and lemon.  Karen flavored the Posset  with lavender from Provence.  The flavor was subtle and wonderful.  One of our guests, took a bite and closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation!  She said that she just wanted "to enjoy it".  This medieval dish is often called Syllabub these days.

The Vidal grape (Ice Wine) we served with the Posset is often grafted with other varietals and is famous on the USA and Canadian border. 

Many, many thanks to our guests for sharing the evening with us, the Court of Master Sommeliers for giving us a reason to celebrate and my wife Karen for producing this memorable meal.

Barrie Larvin, MS since 10-20-1970

​

I became a Master Sommelier in 1970 and was trained and educated in all things wine:  wine service, wine selections and wine and food pairings.  Sommeliers were hired in high end hotels and restaurants to serve the clients.  Those were the days of suits and ties and nice dresses for fancy dinners.

Fast forward to today's world in which trends and tastes are much more casual.   I am intrigued with the development of other types of "sommeliers" who inform us of the food combinations with coffee and tea.  There are tea sommeliers, coffee sommeliers and even cheese sommeliers!  Really?

The rise in popularity for coffee of all kinds, begs the question - is it worth spending as much money on a coffee as a glass of wine, and what is the fair market value?  Some of us will drink a million cups of coffee in our lifetime. The investment in our palates is tremendous.  

I have to admit I have been bitten by the coffee bug.   Over the past two years of traveling in both Italy and France, we have learned that coffee is meant to be enjoyed in a leisurely manner.  In Paris, where drinking coffee is almost an art form, we like to enjoy our coffee while sitting at the outdoor cafes and watching the people socializing with their friends.  

With coffee there is the visual, the taste, the aroma and the correct time to drink it.  All are important.  In France, a nice lunch can last 2-3 hours and a good restaurant and server wants you to enjoy desserts, cheeses and coffees served in their proper order!  Don't expect coffee with your dessert in France!  They think we Americans "hurry" through our meals.  .  .and we do.

Se détendre (relax)!   Have your cheese.  Enjoy that wonderful dessert.   Then finish it all with a nice café and maybe a ruby port, which is an every day port - you don't need to go fancy!  You won't be hurried through your meal to make way for another party.  

Our home exchanges in Nice and Paris both had Nespresso machines and I got hooked.  My coffee of choice is now Nespresso.  

The initial release of Nespresso to the market was 16 Grande Cru varieties.  Sound familiar?  Wine terms are now crossing over to coffee terminology.

Over the last three months Karen and I have tasted many styles of coffee and I am convinced that a good cup of coffee is just as enjoyable as a fine glass of wine in the right circumstances.  

While in Paris, Karen said she was looking forward to using our french press when we got home.  She tried it with two pots of American coffee when we returned home and has put away the french press.  We now own a Nespresso machine.  I'm a believer! 
Karen - maybe?

Trying to buy Nespresso in France means a trip to a VERY upscale store.  If you have ever gone into an Apple store to purchase something or get tech assistance, you will be familiar with the experience in a Nespresso store!  You are greeted immediately upon entering the store by a young, perky and attractive person and given a bag with a logo to do your shopping. 

I had researched before we went to the store so I thought I knew what I wanted to purchase.  Once you give your order to the nice salesperson, you then queue up to pay and wait for them to come from some mysterious supply room with what you have ordered.  To our surprise, what we ordered was 150 Euros worth of Nespresso.  This is one of the dangers of not speaking the local language!  We now have enough Nespresso to keep us going strong and jittery for many months to come!  

I could NOT complain on the way home about the extra weight in our suitcases!  At least not without getting dirty looks from my wife.

At the moment,  I am an amateur coffee guy and find a fascinating link between our quest for the best of both wine and coffee without breaking the bank.

Starting small - I'm working on the tasting of three types of Nespresso coffees - all very different.  All are Grand Crus.

• Kazaar is a blend of beans from Brazil and Guatemala.  The blend consists of separately  roasted Arabica from South America.  It has a high quality bitterness and creamy intensity texture.    High intensity Grand Cru blend.

 

• Volluto is a lesser intense blend from Brazil and Columbia only.   It has a much lighter roasting and the flavors of a fruity sweet dessert.  Low intensity Grand Cru.

 

• Fortissio Lungo is a rich full bodied intense coffee, from a blend of West Indian and Latin American beans.  Experienced tasters should be able to detect toasty cereal notes.  Medium intensity.

"Grande Cru", "intense balanced" and "fruity" are all common wine terms, which have now been adopted to describe some coffees.  As I drink a few cups of this dark nectar per day, I decided it was time to research.

At the bottom of this blog are my comparison notes on basic tasting comparisons between coffee and wine, as well as a brief tasting chart for coffee and wine.

As you start your day I am sure you have thought about, planned for or partially prepared your coffee the night before.  I hope you think about your coffee and take time to enjoy it.  The aroma is the most important part.  Savor the aroma, then let the taste glide across your tongue.  What are you tasting?  How would you describe the taste compared to your favorite wine?

​Below are tasting notes I developed for both wine and coffee.  Interesting similiarities.
See if you can identify any of these in your next cup of coffee.

I'm having fun writing this blog!  I don't think I will become an internet sensation, but it is a lot of fun!

For almost 50 years I looked after restaurants and wine (usually at the same time).  Now I find I am doing this blog more for me than the people who read it.  I like to keep updated and interested in wine, as there are so many places making and selling wine these days!  If you are enjoying the read, that is a wonderful added benefit for me.

It is almost Thanksgiving and we are in the middle of wine madness.   A huge percentage of the yearly wine purchases take place between now and New Years. Over fifty per cent of the total wine purchases for the year are bought during this period.   We all buy much more than we need during the holidays. 

Obviously purchasing too much red wine is a better choice than too much white, as in many cases it will mature and might even taste better than the first time you tried it.

There is the likelihood of several bottles being left after the festivities are over, so keep them in top shape by laying them on their sides to keep the corks moist and in cool conditions (cellar temperatures 60 degrees and room temperatures 68 degrees).  If you don't have a wine cooler or cellar, simply keep the extra wines in your refrigerator.  For the reds, take them out of the refrigerator two days before you need them.

To make your wine buying as simple as possible, plan ahead and have an action plan.  Impulse buying is a wine department's dream come true.  Work to a budget and keep to it.   Remember, you are choosing for your family & friends.  Their favorites are not always the same as yours. Do not be intimidated by the buying process. I just read today of a billionaire who prefers $20 wines more than the $200 bottles.

My own Christmas purchases are likely to be as follows:

Grenache
This is  a full bodied wine with high tannins.  That "puckering" feeling that you taste from tea is the same feeling you get from wines that are high in tannins.

Try to pick the Grenache at least four years of age, open an hour before drinking and pair with foods with a high fat content and rich flavors. Goose and duck come to mind, as does lamb and a nice standing rib roast. 

As we are more and more led to the heavy hors d'oeuvres and tapas type dining, smoked meats, smoked fish, hams and olives also make great pairings.  Of course,  do not forget quality hard cheese to finish your meals.

Some of these wine are 100% Grenache grapes and others are blended.  Since it is a warm weather varietal, it  has the potential to produce good value wines with a high alcohol content.

"Grenache is an unlikely hero of a grape. Until recently reviled or at best ignored in much of the world, it is the grape chiefly responsible for two of the world's more celebrated reds, Châteauneuf-du-Pape and, a more recent star, Priorat."    
                                                                                                           Excerpted from Jancis Robinson
                                                                       http://www.jancisrobinson.com/learn/grape-varieties/red/grenache    


Faustino Gran Reserva Rioja 2004
I have been looking for this Rioja in English wine stores and supermarkets as it is an old favorite. At twelve years of age it is just perfect for drinking. The price of £25 and the current exchange rate make this great value! 

What to expect from this Rioja? Red berries on the nose, a spicy taste, full bodied with a lengthy flavor in the mouth. To find this wine In the USA, try Wine Exchange in Santa Ana, CA, Yankee Spirits in Sturbridge, MA, Total Wine and More, Bellevue, WA and Saratoga Wine Exchange in NY - you may be able to get 2001 from these sources which are even older than the one I am looking for.

Tempranillo 
This is one of Spain's principal grape varieties, and is now grown in California and Washington.  These grapes ripen early which is exactly what the word "temprano" means.  They are  thin skinned, and often blended with Cabernet. Tempranillo is usually matured longer than most reds, giving it flavors of toast, vanilla and smoke.

My own favorite red wine this year is Marques de Riscal Riserva from the Rioja region of Spain.

The vines were planted in the 1970's, and matured in American oak barrels for two years.  Pasta dishes will work and lightly spiced chicken and/or casserole dishes, Mature cheese and quality hams also make a good pairing.

White Wines
For those dreaming of a white wine or a sparkling wine for Christmas, here are some recommendations: 

• Albariño - very popular in Europe, and available in forward thinking wine stores in America.  The grape is thick skinned, ripens early, and is probably the best valued white wine grape in the market place.  It has a light acidity and lower alcohol content than red wines.  This makes it a pleasing way to begin a festive dinner.  Drink these wines young, I prefer them  less than two years of age. For those who drink European wines, Portugal also makes a great Albariño. 

• Parellada is the grape that produces Cava, the Spanish sparkling wine made near Barcelona.  This grape is late to ripen and is a nicely balanced wine. Good with lightly salted nuts or chips if you are serving your guests some "nibbles" before your big holiday meal.

Storing Partial Bottles of Sparkling Wine
For years people in Europe have used a silver spoon to preserve sparkling wines.  The handle of the spoon is inserted into the partially used bottle of champagne/sparkling wines helping to preserve them for a couple more days.  (While you can find arguments for and against this method, Stanford University actually did a study in 1994 and found that putting the handle of a silver spoon into an open bottle of champagne preserved the bubbles.)

For the hard to buy for person on your list, why not give them a gift of a personalized silver plated spoon for their champagne?  See picture below.

One of my suggestions (don't laugh) is to place aluminum foil over the neck of left over sparking wines. It works as well as the silver spoon and It will make your bubbly last another two or three days in a refrigerator.  Remember - you can use the unused sparkling wine to make some nice sauces for chicken and fish too.

What Karen and I will be doing this Holiday Season:  Thanksgiving will be spent just outside London near the River Thames having an Italian meal with our nieces, Tonya and Abby who are also visiting the UK.

Christmas will be spent in the West part of London having a traditional British Christmas Dinner in a good London pub.

For New Year's Eve the planning is still in progress, but it will be partly spent seeing Les Miserables near the famous Soho district.  Then probably a quiet dinner - if there is such a thing on New Year's Eve.

                  From our hearts to you and your families, we wish you a. . .
      Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah,  Joyous Kwanz and a Blessed Holiday! 

Be Safe and Have Fun
While you are at home with family and friends it is a safer place to drink stronger wines.  Alcohol is the component in wine that helps the balance.  It is that warm flavor you get in the mouth, and the great moderator of heavily flavored foods.  It is also the culprit that makes us do and say foolish or dangerous things!  Pay attention to the alcohol content of wine. From 8% for some German Rieslings, Zinfandels up to 16% and Ports at 20%.

The Sixties - France
It was easy in "the good old days". 

When I first started learning about the Sauvignon Blanc grape,   it was described simply as "usually dry and not too expensive".   At that time the grape was only grown in  two major areas in France:  Graves in Bordeaux and the central vineyards in the Loire Valley.* * 

The Seventies - California
In November 1970 I visited the Napa Valley of California, which had about thirty wineries at the time.   I was privileged to meet the great man himself, Robert Mondavi, who talked about the Fume Blanc, (his name for Sauvignon Blanc).

"Fume Blanc" was a name thought up by Mondavi in those early days because the name Sauvignon Blanc was hard to sell.   At the time people wanted Chardonnay, Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon. It was one of the great marketing ideas of California wine making.  The name change increased the sales of his Sauvignon Blanc dramatically, and was a huge financial success.

As a young man Mr. Mondavi had gone to France to learn about wines.   He worked in Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Loire Valley. It was here that he was impressed with the wines of Sancerre, Pouillly Fume, and Blanc Fume.  When he started his winery years later, he simply took the name of the latter and switched the words around. Unfortunately he never registered the name, and other California wineries also began using the name. If you go to the Mondavi website you can see that they make different styles of these wines ranging from $15 to $50, www.robertmondaviwinery.com/Fume-Blanc

The Eighties - New Zealand
In the Eighties I owned a small restaurant in the countryside of England.  I was offered a taste of a new wine called Cloudy Bay from the South Island district of Marlborough, New Zealand. It was very different from the drier style of SB that I knew from France and California. I put it on the wine list of the restaurant and have purchased it everywhere I have worked since.

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc has almost a cult following in many countries.  You could say it is the standard against which all other SBs are compared.  The initial wine maker was an Englishman named Kevin Judd, who made every vintage until he recently left the company to start his own winery named Greywacke.  Cloudy Bay website:  www.cloudybay.co.nz/our-wines/sauvignon-blanc/sauvignon-blanc-2012

During my research for this blog I found that most websites have sold out of Cloudy Bay.  Do not despair!   The best flavors from New Zealand SBs come from the young wines soon after they are imported. Look out this fall for the 2016 vintage from NZ.  Don't pay over $18 and you should enjoy them.

Vintage starts in mid February in New Zealand. 

Today
I am drinking my morning coffee, listening to Karen learning French, looking out at the blue skies, and hearing the birds singing.  What a wonderful life we have.  After working hard for forty plus years, we  both appreciate and cherish what we have.

It is 9am, and one of our first activities is to finalize the flight details for our London trip in the fall. Why do I mention this?   Because we are always looking forward to something! Short term, mid term, long term - whatever!  So today it is. . .

• Short term - Having lunch at Antoines in Nice.
• Mid term - Going to Monte Carlo next Monday.
• Long term - Planning a fall trip to the UK and meeting some of our favorite people.

Because I spent most of my working life in hospitality, I tend to anticipate what a restaurant will/won't be like.  This can sometimes make Karen crazy because I critique restaurants while we are out!  She tries to get me to take a seat facing AWAY from the kitchen and serving areas!

So here is my "anticipation" of Antoines.   We know it is in the old part of Nice. It does not have a website, so I can't browse the menu.  The wine list will most likely be a maximum choice of about thirty wines, the food will be very fresh, well prepared and tasty. The atmosphere will be great and all tables will be taken. Great expectations, 

At 10:00 am and two hours to "knife off",  my goal is to eat just two courses, have water only and stick to a budget.

6:00 pm.  It's all over now...the goal?  Well - who has a goal when eating good food, right?   We had 3 courses and a bottle of wine!  And went over budget!  We are happy and walking it off!

We were on time for our 12;30 reservation. The place was almost fully booked, and eventually every table was taken. Food was passing by as soon as we were seated.  It was "eye candy" to a hungry diner and the big seller looked like steak tartar. (Raw tiny pieces of chopped beef, mixed with a raw egg yolk, onions, parsley, capers, chopped cooked egg white and yolk, with Worcestershire sauce and tabasco added to spice it all up.) This dish is known all over the world, and  has been on the menu of the last six restaurants, as has a form of ceviche, and a peach gazpacho.

Karen ordered the ceviche for her first course and generously shared half of it with me.  One of the best ceviches we have ever eaten!  I had fresh anchovies for my first course and wished I had ordered the ceviche.

The wine list had just under thirty wines:  mostly white, some rose and just a few red.  I paired our lunch with a 2015 Sauvignon Blanc from the Touraine, a sub district in the Loire Valley.  I liked it because it was low in alcohol, high in acidity, and had an explosion of grapefruit, which is what we all associate with this varietal.  It married beautifully with Karen's ceviche, my fresh anchovies, and a perfectly prepared piece of cod fish. Now you can see why I began this article with Sauvignon Blanc.

I believe too many of the wine drinking professionals pay little notice of the huge distinction between vintages.  The wine we drank was nine months of age:  young, and kept cool, making it very fresh in the mouth.  The bouquet was very slight, with a hint of grapefruit and melon.   There was a medium flavored hint of dryness, with a light acidity, making it perfect for the light, well prepared fresh cod fish. The wine also paired well with Karens braised pork cheek, which was incredibly tender, rich and buttery in flavor.

The condition of a wine is very much controlled by how far it travels and the temperatures experienced on its journey.   I chose this wine because it was fairly priced, recently delivered, and was a French wine so would not have traveled far nor been exposed to hot temperatures.  It was served in a chilled ice bucket before and during our meal. When you see wines standing up in a hot atmosphere beware, if they are there for a long period of time they will start to deteriorate. 

Some websites give scores when rating restaurants, but my opinion will make no difference at all to this very successful venture.  I can tell you with confidence; however, that I aim to be back within the next week. (Editors note: and we were.)

An important message for making restaurant choices as holiday travelers like ourselves:

1. Local knowledge is far better than websites that post reviews.  In our case, we are extremely lucky!  Our exchange partners, Michel & Gabrielle held our hands through our first 10 days in Nice by making reservations for us in places they knew to be excellent choices.  This has saved us from making our own mistakes by stumbling upon a place, being hungry and just choosing it because it was "there".   It has also allowed us to have local advise and not to rely on a rating from a stranger.  We know that Michel & Gabrielle love good food like we do and have been so fortunate to have them recommend their favorite places!

     2. The majority of restaurant staff are well trained, speak English, and are extremely  
         well informed about the menu choices.  Most of the servers we have met are anxious 
         to practice their English on us and we, in turn, try to learn more French!       

    3. Limited menus and wine selections are usually good signs of fresh food and well kept
        beverages.                          

Food Pairings for Sauvignon Blanc
I suggest white fish with light sauces for the New Zealand fruity styles, and the drier French types go really well with a rich, buttery flavor like lobster or goat cheese.  This may seem counter-intuitive, but is a case of where opposites attract.  This is why it paired so nicely with the dish of rich and buttery pork cheeks.
​
Tipping in France....Whatever you are told about tipping, remember that an extra five or ten per cent is considered a kind gesture and is much appreciated.

**For the wine experts who read this, Saint-Bris Sauvignon grapes are grown in a special appellation  just south of Chablis in Burgundy.  If you take wine examinations or enter competitions it is always a popular question.

Climate change has been in the news a lot lately - which it should be!  Following is a quote from an article in The New York Times written by Hank Paulson.  It sums it up very well:

"THERE is a time for weighing evidence and a time for acting. And if there’s one thing I’ve learned throughout my work in finance, government and conservation, it is to act before problems become too big to manage.

For too many years, we failed to rein in the excesses building up in the nation’s financial markets. When the credit bubble burst in 2008, the damage was devastating. Millions suffered. Many still do.

We’re making the same mistake today with climate change.  We’re staring down a climate bubble that poses enormous risks to both our environment and economy. The warning signs are clear and growing more urgent as the risks go unchecked.

This is a crisis we can’t afford to ignore. I feel as if I’m watching as we fly in slow motion on a collision course toward a giant mountain. We can see the crash coming, and yet we’re sitting on our hands rather than altering course."

​For the entire NYT article, click here.

Degree days are the way wine makers and others measure temperatures in the growing season.  This is done  by measuring the number of hours the temperature is over 50 degrees  between April 1 and October 31.
   
The growing season usually begins in May with bud break - this is the time that growers are concerned with frost.  June to September is the real growing season, when about 100 days of sunshine will produce fully developed grapes.

Climate is essential to developing a good wine, as every year is different - the weather changes the vintage - either good or not so good.  The word "vintage" simply means from one particular year, it does not mean quality.

A good example of weather affecting vintages is to look at just 3 years in  the State of Washington:

• 2010 was the biggest crop in history.
• 2011 - bad frosts in the Horse Heaven Hills district. Many vines were lost.
• 2012 beat the 2010 production by 10%

West Coast Wines & Climate Change
Global warming is real and it is happening now.  If you chart the temperatures for the summer months: June, July & August from 1970 to 2015, the results in all 3 States are a clear upward trend.

State                    Ave Temperature 1970    Ave Temperature 2015
California                           73.7 degrees                               75.4 degrees
Oregon                               64.0 degrees                              66.7 degrees
Washington                       63.6 degrees                              66.9 degrees  

The Future:

• In the next 25 years the degree days in Willamette (Oregon) and Colombia Valley (Washington) are projected to almost double.
• All of our Western wine areas now have a reduction of frost days.  Oregon and Washington frost days have gone from 25 to 15.
• Drought is a problem in all areas.  California is the most significant.
• More premium sites are being planted in Oregon, where a California climate is expected in years to come.

Wine Regions

• Wine regions are determined by the number of degree days.
• Regions are usually designated 1 through 5. 
• The measurement of degree days is known as the Winkler Scale.
• Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are usually grown in Region 1.
• Table grapes are grown in Region 5 which has almost double the degree days. 

Hypothetical Ideal Growing Conditions:

• Winter: Temperature between 28 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit.  Below 28 gives the potential of vines dying.
• Spring: 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit - helps with bud break in early spring.  Increase of temperature towards 70 degrees as tiny seeds begin to form. Rain is required to add moisture to the ground.
• Summer:  70 to 90 degrees.   Bunches start to form around late June early July. Constant temperature is important, A variance of no more than 40 degrees is ideal.  Too hot can effect the sugar acidity balance. A little rain is ideal, too many cloudy days hamper the growing season.
• Harvest:  60 to 80 degrees during harvest  Any rain now will dilute the sugars.

Challenges in growing seasons come from heavy rain, frost, snow, and severe conditions that could lead to replanting.

West Coast Wine Regions

• California:  California has a star wine area called Napa Valley which produces 5% of the State's volume and an even higher percent of expensive wines.  There are distinct changes in temperature in Napa. I was in Napa in November, 1971 and it was cold and rainy every day.  Forty years later I spent several weeks in the Napa Valley (November-December 2011) and I was sitting outside in cafes getting a light tan. I took a leather jacket that I did not use.
• Oregon: In 2001 I was invited to Pinot Camp, a week long course that gives the trade an opportunity to learn the changes in viticulture and vinification. It was late June and we were issued rainproof jackets.   It was wet, windy and very cold.  The traditional salmon cooked on an open fire was transported inside to be cooked.  Eight years later in 2009, Oregon produced one of its best vintages ever. Why?  Weather is now warmer.   That extra warmth makes the edge of just being under ripe to just being over ripe.
• Washington:  An average of two hours a day more sunshine than California and temperatures are more consistent. Chardonnay has been growing in Washington since the late 1970's.  This past year, we opened a bottle of Chateau St. Michelle Chardonnay to have with dinner.  We were pleasantly surprised at how good it was.  Why?  Washington is getting warmer.  A huge expansion in Washington State since the beginning of the century has increased plantings by 50% featuring mainly european not so well know varietals.

Two Varietals  
Varietals are chosen to suit soil types and weather.  Let's talk about just two of them.

Pinot Noir

• The name means pine and black.  Thought to have been named because the grape clusters resemble pine cones.  Cool weather grape.   Grows well in the Carneros, Russian River, and the Central Coast in California. Also Willamette Valley in Oregon. The10th most popular grape in the world & 7th most popular of the reds.
• Used in the production of sparkling wines. Hard to grow  Produces light colored, thin skinned, medium bodied wines with low tannins. When young it has the aromas of cherries, strawberries and raspberries. When aging it can develop a barnyard smell that some experts call "complex".

 Chardonnay

• Green skinned and grown from England to New Zealand.  The most popular white wine grape in the world and the 5th most popular grape in the world. 
• Sometimes the grape is called neutral because it picks up flavors from the soil variances and oak aging.
• It is flexible and made in different styles, from lean and crispy to  buttery and oak matured. 
• Grown in all western wine States.

Recommendations For West Coast Wines
Chateau St Michelle - Columbia Valley, Washington
Their 14 Hands brand offers excellent value.  2013 is the vintage to get. Their Chardonnay is a blend of Chardonnay, Riesling, and other white varietals.  Chateau St. Michelle website has a video of the winemaker explaining the wines, and a detailed fact sheet including wine pairings. Click here for Chateau St. Michelle website.  

Gramercy Cellars - Washington 
Gramercy is a ten year old winery that should improve even more as the vines mature. A vine meets maturity between 20 and 30 years.  Some whites produce for up to 40 years and up to 90 years of age for some reds.  Older vines produce lower yields.  They add character and complexity to the younger vines.

The following wines from Napa, Sonoma & Carneros are usually less than $15:
Chardonnay

• Clos de Bois 2013 - Sonoma
• Cameron Hughes 2013 - various vineyards
• Picket Fence  2014 - Russian River in Sonoma
• Kendall Jackson Vintners Reserve Chardonnay - Sonoma 
• Au Contraire 2013 - Russian River in Sonoma    

    
Pinot Noir 

• A - Z     :   Oregon
• Meomi: Well advertised - available in many stores,  selling over a million and half bottles a year. Produced in three California districts. The company that makes it does not own a vineyard. The success of this wine is due to the talents of the Wagner family, a well respected family of three generations. 92 Points Wine Spectator.
• Elouan:  Newly developed operation from the same stable that was responsible for Meomi's fame. Three wine regions in Oregon.  Heavily advertised with a price point slightly higher than average.   A goal of attaining over 90 points for each vintage. 

Summary

• Vintage:  The wine of any given year.
• It takes about a hundred days of sunshine to make a grape ripen.
• Picking takes place when sugar levels reach the required level. Sun, rain, and luck are the three staples. It takes about a hundred days of sunshine to make a grape ripen.
• Are ratings important? Is your palate and mood the same as the critics?
• Scores by the critics are important to many consumers.  The three most read wine critics are Stephen Tanzer (Publisher of International Wine Cellar), Robert Parker (The Wine Advocate) and The Wine Spectator which has about eight regular critics.
• The best critic is your own palate

Buying wine can either be an enjoyable pastime or a difficult and intimidating chore depending on how you perceive it.  I have been in the wine business for 50 years, but I still sometimes ask the person in the wine section for suggestions.  If we like it, we buy it again.

Don't be intimidated.  You only need an inquisitive mind, and a specific plan - or my phone number. 

Good value is the key!  Remember - it is all subjective!