Corked: A Wine Blog

As seen on the TODAY Show...AGAIN

Fri, 01 Jan 2010 17:36:00 -0700

It seems that some people cannot get enough a good thing. Check out the video to see what Kathie Lee and Hoda had to say about customwinesource.com this time.

As seen on the TODAY Show

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 07:10:00 -0700

A few months ago I was contacted by the producers of the Kathie Lee & Hoda segment of NBC's the Today Show. They wanted to know if we would be willing to send them some custom labeled wine samples for the show. I ummmed and errrred for about 3 nanoseconds before calmly replying along of the lines of "Oooooohhh, yes please! Really? Oh MY GOD!!! National TV. You're kidding right? Oh MY GOD!!!"

We were provided with some fairly standard promo shots of the show's host and I handed these off to Derrick and the design team to see what they could come up with. After a few misfires, they really got into the project and produced some outstanding designs. We printed and shipped these off to Brutocao Cellars who applied the labels to a selection of their wines and shipped them to the Today Show. We then waited for the call to let us know when our product would be shown.

On Friday, a customer on the east coast called Brutocao to ask about the custom labeled wine they had just seen on the Today Show. A flurry of calls ensued and TV's were switched on around the Province. With the three hour time difference, the segment had not started here yet. But, once again, we were to be disappointed. Breaking news in local elections led to the relevant segment of the show being usurped and we all mised out moment of glory on National TV. Fortunately, MNNBC offers online recordings for public viewing so we were finally able to catch the show and I have embedded a link for your enjoyment.

While the PR benefits of the segment were diminished somewhat by the show's decision not to mention our business name or show our website address, it was still great to see our product shown in such a favorable light. The wine stayed front and centre for the entire eight minute segment and the labels looked great! Kathie Lee and Hoda obviously enjoyed the humor in the labels and we will soon be launching versions of the labels for customers to personalize themselves with their own photographs. For those of you who would like a closer look at the labels, here they all are.

Olympic Wine Tasting

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:48:00 -0700

In February, the Winter Olympics will be held here, in British Columbia, for the first time. Unfortunately, it will be the same old boring events - skating, skiing, hockey, etc. This is a shame. I feel that drinking has been seriously overlooked by the IOC but that this may be because we have failed to sportify our pastime. So, put your thinking caps on and send me your ideas. Here are three to get you started.

Speed Tasting

Competitors, wearing skates, would make their way around the oval, stopping every half lap to taste and identify a series of wines. The athlete completing the course in the quickest time would win but time penalties would be applied for innacurate spitting and failure to identify a wine.

Downhill Stumble

After consuming 3 bottles of Okanagan Merlot, competitors would make there way down a treacherous, slippery road and be required to pass thorugh a series of gates. Missing a gate would result in a time penalty.

Hurling

After drinking 6 bottles of Okanagan Merlot, competitors would line up and...well, perhaps not.

New Cartoon labels

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 11:20:00 -0700

Doug Pike has forged a reputation as a leading cartoonist in the divergent fields of finance and wine. His work has been published in numerous places including Forbes magazine and the Wine Advocate.

Robert Parker, in his foreword to Doug's new book - Gone With the Wine - writes;

"Doug has a real feel for the psyche of the serious wine nut (and his/her long suffering spouse) and never fails to poke fun at them with a deft hand and his own trademark brand of humour"

So, after that somewhat longwinded introduction, it gives me great pleasure to announce that some of Doug's best wine cartoons are now featured in our newest collection of wine labels. I have pasted a few examples below but take a few minutes to check out the full collection on our websites. You can ~~purchase~~ view the labels only at www.stoneycreekwinepress.com or custom labelled wine at www.customwinesource.com. Either way, I am confident these wonderful labels will bring smiles to your guests, friends or clients when you present them with a bottle.

When looking at the website, you will note that all of the labels are fully customizable and you can even change the caption. Change the name in the caption to poke fun at a friend or even yourself, or even create your own unique caption.

Boy, this sounds more like a sales pitch than a blog article. That's because it is. Go on, buy some wine, buy some labels, you know you want to.

Crazy like a Loon

Mon, 25 May 2009 08:01:00 -0700

When preparing their nest, Loons are extremely casual, exhibiting the lack of fussiness often found in water birds. A bit of flat ground on the shoreline, some debris caught in the branches of a fallen tree, almost anywhere will do. So, when mother nature decides to create a suitable nesting site, she takes it in her stride and simply blows down a tree. But, when humans decide to get involved, things get a little more complicated.

The board of the Friends of Bridge Lake recently decided to manufacture a small number of loon nesting platforms in the hopes of combating the decline of these beautiful birds on our lake. Extensive research revealed several different designs and we settled on one that seemed to offer durability and ease of manufacture in a lightweight package.

It costs about $200.00 to build a single platform so local vendors were approached for assistance. The incredibly generous folks at TIM-BR Mart in 100 Mile House provided materials for the construction of four platforms at no cost to the society (I am sure that everyone associated with the Friends of Bridge Lake or who is concerned about the Loons will join me in thanking TIM-BR Mart for their generosity and make every effort to patronize their fine store). Materials for a fifth platform were purchased from Interlakes Building Supplies and Paul Brown, the owner, gave us a discount of $100.00 which was greatly appreciated.

Having taken delivery of the materials, a date was set and the construction crew met at Karl's house to start the process. The plans were produced and the first step was to cut four foot sections of poly pipe and fill them with insulating foam. Simple! We cut up the pipes, stood them on end, and filled them all with the sticky yellow foam before retiring to Karl's deck to admire our handiwork and enjoy some coffee and cake while the foam set. If only it were that easy. The foam started to expand and was soon bubbling out of the tops of the pipes. Frantically, we scurried about, scraping the excess foam away and scanning the directions on the cans where we learned that the foam would take 24 hours to cure. It was a slightly disheartened, but still determined group that broke up and headed home to try and remove the incredibly sticky foam residue from hands, clothes, shoes, and yes, even hair.

The following day, we all returned to discover that the foam had continued to bubble away at the top of the pipes but had, at last, hardened. Encouraged, Karl lifted a pipe from the ground, only for the contents to slither out all over his lawn. It seems that insulating foam requires ready access to air in order to set properly. It was a disaster. Every pipe was the same and, not only had we wasted a day and several cans of insulating foam, but the pipes were covered in sticky residue and still needed stuffing with foam to aid buoyancy. Dejected but not beaten, Karl stuffed the pipes with bits of solid foam insulation, and we got to work on the construction which was fairly straightforward, if time consuming.

The platforms are basically four foot squares of four inch poly pipe with a four inch thick sheet of foam insulation in the middle. This is wrapped in chicken wire and then the whole contraption is wrapped in snow fencing to provide a framework for plants to root themselves. The platforms are anchored with concrete blocks. The plans can be found here <LINK>.

Over the next few days, five platforms were created. Two were taken to Bridge Lake, planted with reeds and swamp grasses, and towed out to their final destinations, while one was placed on Henley Lake. I managed to avoid being involved in this stage of the process but Karl insisted I help with the final two, and despite my best attempts to avoid it, yesterday I joined him and Doug to plant and install the remaining platforms on Bridge Lake...during a snow storm.

We met at the Greenall Road access, added soil to the platform and planted a motley collection of swamp grasses. Anchor ropes were attached, the platforms were secured to the stern of my little fishing boat, and cold, wet, covered in Chironomids, and with very little Loon love in my heart, we set out to place the platforms. At this point I am wondering what wine would pair well with roast Loon - there you go, it's certainly weak but it's a wine connection. Perhaps I should post this under "Wine and Food".

Previous scouting trips had revealed possible locations (sheltered from prevailing winds, unlikely to attract human interference, and offering multiple escape routes) and they turned out to be ideal. We placed them both without incident, in each instance watched by the very loons we were hoping to attract, and headed home, a job well done.

The Loon is our national bird and is protected by law. Unfortunately, its numbers are declining and we need to do whatever we can to prevent their disappearance. The success of efforts to preserve the Bald Eagle is a testament to our ability, not only to bring a species to its knees but, more importantly, our ability to bring it back from the edge. The Loon is not yet classed as an endangered species in British Columbia, but it still needs our help. It is my sincere hope that Loons will nest in some or all of the platforms and that they will prove more secure than those sites so casually and easily provided by Mother Nature.

I accept free wine samples

Fri, 01 May 2009 09:23:00 -0700

AWWW Episode 6

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 08:05:00 -0700

A little over a year ago I wrote a short post about my inability to pair wines with cheese. Since then I have experienced more success and and now relate to those you following my struggle that I have successfully overcome by inability to pair wine with Brie. I think I was simply being too fussy. Many wines pair well with Brie (Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, and Gewurztraminer for example). Perhaps it is just that no wine pairs spectacularly with Brie unlike, say, Cabernet Sauvignon with a big, fat, juicy peppered strip loin. Anyway, moving on.

I mention the cheese thing because our trip oaround the World of Wine seems to be evolving. At first it was a simple crusty roll and a slab of gouda but yesterday Derrick brought in three cheeses and a fresh baguette, while Jesse unveiled a package of Margaret's Date and Walnut Crisps which were quite delicious. It appears that my simple wine tasting has been usurped and transformed into a full blown social event. It is now practically a meal which, despite some initial misgivings, I find myself enjoyiong more and more. So, starting next week, the cheese selection will become part of the regular experience and subsequent write up.

In another evolution, Melinda selected yesterday's wine allowing me to join the others in having a crack at identifying it. Being a kind-hearted soul, she went easy on us and presented a very pleasant dry German Riesling which we were able to identify as such. So, from now on we will rotate the wine selection duties and include comments on the cheeses and other dishes presented.

For the record yesterday's cheese bopard contained the following;

Port Salut
Cantenaar
Oka

It was generally felt that all three cheeses paired reasonably well with the riesling.

Winery: Kendermanns
Country: Germany
Vintage: 2004
Varietal: Riesling
Price: CAN$15.00

Driving Under the Influence

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 08:49:00 -0700

According to www.duifoundation.org, "Roughly 33% of Americans are involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives. In 2006, the number of people who died in traffic crashes involving alcohol accounted for 41% of the total number of traffic fatalities. That same year, 1.46 million arrests were made concerning people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs."

These are terrifying statistics. Not only because of the death toll attributable to drinking under the influence, but because of the suggestion that so many of us are guilty of such gross idiocy - with a serious degree of shame, I count myself as one of these idiots.

I have a fairly low tolerance for alcohol that leads me to suffer the most terrible vomit-ridden hangovers when I do over-indulge and so have something of a natural DUI preventative. Despite this, I have, I am sure, driven when I should not. I suspect for many of us it is simply a matter of convincing ourselves that we are not THAT incapacitated, and that we will be safe so long as we drive slowly and with maximum concentration applied to the task at hand, and it's only a mile to the house, and.... This is bullshit and we know it. It is time to stop.

So, in the spirit of this post, I would ask anyone reading this blog to consider the following questions;

1. Have you ever driven while under the influence of alcohol?

2. If your answer to the first question was a shame-faced 'YES' (and statistically speaking, that would be most of you) and given that in 2006, 13,470 poeple lost their lives in the US in alcohol-impaired driving accidents (Of these 351 were children, killed as passengers, bicyclists, or pedestrians) how does this make you feel?

3. If your answer to question two was something along the lines of "Like a piece of shit", are you willing to make a personal commitment never to drive under the influence again?

If you answered 'Yes' to the final question, I congratulate you and urge you to keep your promise. I, for one, cannot imagine the horror of living with the death of a child on my conscience and will, from now on, take responsibility for my actions and not drive if I am in any doubt whatsoever as to my sobriety.

'Ello! 'Ello! 'Ello! What's goin' on 'ere then?

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 09:45:00 -0700

I have not written for a while as I am a lazy basket. But, I have been keeping up on the numerous blogs I follow (because, frankly, they are better written than mine) and over the last couple of days two of my favorite bloggers have made very inflammatory and entertaining posts that I thought I should share.

Firstly, Tom Wark, in his blog Fermentation, had this to say.

http://fermentation.typepad.com/fermentation/2009/04/i-feel-better-now.html

Tom has been waging war on the three tier system of alcohol distribution for years now and deserves a great deal of respect for his efforts no matter how demented he sometimes seems. And I use the word 'demented' in the most respectful and encouraging way.

And then, proving that madness is, in fact, contagious, Tyler Coleman (more commonly known under the pseudonym Dr. Vino) had this

http://www.drvino.com/2009/04/15/the-xd-files-an-exchange-not-seen-on-erobertparkercom/

and this

http://www.drvino.com/2009/04/16/changes-at-the-wine-advocate-correspondence-with-parker-and-miller/

to say about, and to, the folks at Wine Advocate. At first I figured it must be a joke but now I'm not so sure. It reminds me a bit of the hype surrounding the Blair Witch Project when it came out (Is it real?).

I guess I will just sit back and watch the story unfold. Enjoy.

AWW Episode 5

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 06:33:00 -0700

In his blog today, Steve Heimoff wrote a piece entitled "Oops! When famous wine writers get it wrong". The piece references a few examples of wine experts mistaking the one wine for another, whether in terms of varietal or region of production. He goes on to suggest that "wine writers not only have to review to the best of their ability, they also have to be great historians, students of popular culture, with an aptitude for science and geology and — above all — transcendent writers."

At first I thought this was just the usual back-handed complimenting that goes on all the time - "Oh yes, I can be such a buffoon. I'll neve forget the time I mistook an '86 Duckstuffer Lot34 Pinot for a Lot 26! Ha Ha" - but on further investigation with the aid of Mr. Dictionary, I realized that Steve is on to something here. Miriam Webster suggests four possible definitions for the word 'transcendent'.

The first is 'exceeding usual limits' and generally speaking, I think most wine writers do indeed exceed the usual limits when it comes to wine...consumption that is. I suspect this is why much that is written about wine, and I include my own incoherent ramblings in this assessment, is such utter crap.

The second is 'being beyond comprehension'. Need I say more?

Anyway, that's not why I mentioned Steve's piece. The reason I did so is that our Around the World of Wine Tour moved back to Eastern Europe yesterday and stopped in the Czech Republic to sample a wine that nobody would be able to recognize, not even Steve. It was, so the label claimed, a Pinot Gris but I refuse to believe it. If they had claimed it was a Chardonnay, I might have been able to accept it, but this wine was like no Pinot Gris I have ever tasted. It had a very weak nose with barely a hint of vanilla and the taste was equally bland.

Having said all that, the wine received 3 out 5 'I Like It's" which just goes to prove that wine reviews are purely subjective as Steve suggests and, equally, completely pointless.

My recommendation to you is this; try as many different wines as you possibly can, ignore all wine reviews, and stock up on the wine YOU like, not the ones Robert Parker or James Suckling or Alice Feiring or Steve Heimoff or Jancis Robinson or anybody else says you should like.

Winery: Znovin Znojmo Winery
Region: Znojmo
Country: Czech Republic
Vintage: 2005
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Price: CAN$11.88

AWW Episode 4

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 20:55:00 -0700

After a brief (thankfully) stop in Hungary, we whipped back to China this week to sample another bottle of Great Wall 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. The last time we did this, the wine had corked, turned, soured, whatever...it sucked. But THIS time, things were different. The wine showed the same Bordeaux-like qualities I had experienced previously and was generally well received.

Jamie noted the wine's redness (i think he was kidding), Derrick appreciated its intensely fruity nose, I found a little leather, and the everyone recognized the somewhat dry, astringent mouthfeel. Nobody guessed it was a Cabernet though but that is not really surprising as this wine tastes like a blend. And given the lack of regulation in China, it probably is. The question is, what is it blended with? Merlot? Cabernet Franc? Pineapple juice? Overall, the group appreciated the wine with 4 out of 5 liking it.

As a follow up, we headed south to Galilee in Israel where we sampled a Yarden 2006 Muscat from Golan Heights Winery which is one of the most interesting wines I've tasted recently. While all of us recognized the wine's overwhelming aroma, none of us could put a name to it. The best we could come up with was something like a honey peach and grapefruit smoothie. I know that sounds disgusting but I actually liked it, although most of the others unfortunately failed to recognize its unique charms. Other than that the wine was really sweet, as you might expect from a Muscat, although it did not overwhelm the wine. Overall, 2 out of 5 "I Like It"s.

At the end of the tasting, I corked the remains of both bottles and left them overnight. And today, after a very cold round of golf, a buddy and I cracked them open and finished them off with interesting results.

The Great Wall Cabernet had softened measurably, losing much of its initial astringency. Now, my experience of wines is generally limited to those designed for immediate consumption and priced accordingly so I know very little about wines designed for aging. However, my impression is that this wine, already 6 years old, would possibly improve with even more aging. I could be, and probably am, wrong. The Muscat had not changed a bit which is not really a surprise I guess for such a sweet wine.

The Wines

Winery: COFCO Huaxia Great Wall Wine Co., Ltd.
Region: ChinaChangli, Hebei?
Country: China
Wine: Greatwall
Vintage: 2003
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: CAN$14.00

Winery: Golan Heights Winery
Region: Galilee
Country: China
Wine: Yarden
Vintage: 2006
Varietal: Muscat
Price: CAN$25.00

Next, it's back to Eastern Europe...wwhheeeeee

AWW Episode 3

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 20:40:00 -0700

Firstly, let me apologize for the terrible pun - I beileve it was Jesse who came up with it but, in his defence, if we had not been half way through our second bottle at the time, he would probably have kept his mouth shut. At Stoney Creek, when we do a wine tasting, there is none of this sip and spit nonsense, we taste wine the same way you do at home; by the bottle.

Last week we were in China, and experienced the disappointment of a bottle gone bad. I have, thus far, failed in my attempt to find a replacement, so we ventured across the Himalayas, carefully avoided Afghanistan, dipped our toes in the Caspian and Black (which is not black by the way) Seas, trudged through the Carpathians (a little grim at this time of year) and stumbled into Hungary. Hungary is a country I would like to visit one day. Why, I cannot say. My sister returned from a school trip there, 10 pounds lighter, and complaing bitterly about the food; battered curds being one of several dishes to have traumatized her during the visit. However, I suspect there is much more to this fabled country whose capital city, Budapest, is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful in Europe. And that's not the same as being one of the most beautiful cities in say, Africa. Not the same at all.

It was an inexpensive or, more accurately, cheap Pinot Gris that brought us to this land but, based on our tasting results, it will not bring us back. Firstly, it had a strange color, like a yellow that has lost its lust for life. Its aroma was nondescript and its taste somewhat sweet for a Pinot Gris and lacking any distinction whatsoever. It fact, the only thing of note about this wine was that it created a slight tingly feeling on the tongue; in the same way that champagne does if you leave a half-finished glass on the coffee table overnight and then polish it off the following morning for breakfast - not that I've ever done that of course. In fact, the theory that the wine could, in fact, have been an old, flat sparkling wine would explian both the taste and the color. But then, surely, the makers would not be so brazen as to claim the wine came from their 'Connoisseur Collection', would they?

Fortunately, I also had a bottle of Kalala Organic Pinot Gris which was as good as the other was bad. A strong (and identified as such by all of the tasters), yet far from unpleasant, grapefruit taste softened significantly as the wine was left to breathe. It was, as all the wines I have tasted from Kalala have been, delicious. Now, I know that some among you will point out that Kalala is in Kelowna, British Columbia, far from Eastern Europe but, as I had a bottle in my backpack, it still counts.

I suspect that there are far superior wines to be found in Hungary so, perhaps, after all, we will stay a while and see what we can find. Until next time, bon voyage.

Winery: Count Karolyi Private Cellars
Country: Hungary
Vintage: 2007
Varietal: Pinot Grigio
Price: CAN$9.95

Around the World of....this could get tedious so let's just shorten it to AWW from now on

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 21:28:00 -0700

For this weeks installment of AWW, we had a choice. North, East, South or West. North was obviously a poor choice - 50º is the accepted northern limit for wine grapes and, with Mission Hill parked at 49º 57.32', north seemed unlikely to yield much bounty. East would eventually lead us to Ontario with, perhaps, the hope of finding something along the way but we were looking for adventure. South was the logical choice with over 3500 wineries between us and Mexico. But then, what of adventure, what of our dream of exploring the World of Wine? South was safe but West called out to our sense of adventure.

In a tiny liquor store in the village of Clinton, BC (Population: Approx 740) I stumbled across that rarest of things, a bottle of Chinese wine. It was like discovering a pyramid in Wales or a tanned Scotsman. I grabbed a couple of bottles of Great Wall 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon and hurried home with my precious oriental nectar. At this point, I must confess, I cheated. My honest intent was to bring a bottle back to the office for tasting before trying one at home. But, overwhelmed by curiosity, Sherry and I cracked open a bottle. Our initial impressions were disappointing. The foil was the thin, plasticky kind and the agglomerate cork beneath further dampened my enthusiasm. But from there things got better, much better. The wine was good, really good; European in its styling, if I had tasted the wine blind I would have confidently identified it as a Bordeaux, and not an inexpensive one. To make sure we had judged the wine correctly, we polished off the second bottle and, strangely enough, it tasted even better than the first. Later, as we sat on the couch, glassy eyed and slurring at each other, I realized that I would need to pick up another bottle for the office - which i did.

So, yesterday, I gleefully poured six glasses and invited the rest of the gang to sample the amazing qualities of Chinese Cabernet Sauvignon. I could barely contain myself as I hopped from foot to foot waiting for them to express their awe and admiration. But, as noses hovered over glasses, frowns appeared. And, when tentative sips were finally taken, my worst fears were confirmed. The wine had turned, corked, gone bad. So, now I must locate another bottle or three of this luscious liquid, resist the temptation to quaff it all myself, and force a somewhat reluctant group of co-workers to visit the Great Wall of China again. In the meantime, if you can find it, try it for yourself. You won't be disappointed.

Winery: COFCO Huaxia Great Wall Wine Co., Ltd.
Region: ChinaChangli, Hebei?
Country: China
Wine: Greatwall
Vintage: 2003
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Price: CAN$14.00

Judd's Enormous Wine Show

Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:46:00 -0700

Although there are all kinds of new developments at Custom Wine Source and Stoney Creek, I cannot talk about them yet. So, check out the latest offering from Judd Finkelstein at Judd's Hill in Napa. I am not sure how to embed this so I have provided a link to his new website;

www.juddsenormouswineshow.com/

Judd is plainly bonkers which is OK by me.

On a relarted topic, Rufus and Richard has been off the air since September as we are in contract negotiations. Hopefully we can find a wayto satisfy Rufus' outrageous demands and get the show back on the road soon. Stay tuned.

Around the World of Wine

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 22:44:00 -0700

At Corked headquarters we are nothing if not enthusiastic about wine. Our wine knowledge may be sketchy, our palates insensitve, and our ability to tell a great wine from a poor one no more refined than that of a rhinocerous. But these are trivial matters, tiny details, insignificant minutae, best swept under the carpet of eloquent prose. It is our enthusiam that matters and armed with this mighty weapon, we - all of us here at Stoney Creek - have embarked on a journey of discovery, a journey that will take us around the World of wine. A bi-weekly wine tasting will be held, beginning in beautiful BC and ending, well, in beautiful BC. On the way, we will take in wines from around the globe and report back to you, our avid reader(s), on our explorations. On the way, we hope to discover new ways to define and describe our findings so that you may reap some benefit from our endeavors. Bear with me here; this may not be the most conventional collection of wine reviews.

Number One

Winery: Mission Hill (See my winery reveiew here)
Region: Okanagan, British Columbia
Country: Canada
Wine: Quatrain
Vintage: 2005
Varietal: Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon blend
Price: CAN$48.00

Tasting Notes

For our first adventure we selected a wine from our native British Columbia. As a general rule, we will restrict ourselves to wines under $20.00 as our goal is to discover affordable gems and discount wonders. But, as this wine is from a local winery and was a gift from our friends at Vin65, we thought it an appropriate starting point for our voyage.

"This bottle weighs a tonne. It must be good!" was something that we could all agree on, for indeed, the bottle is damnably heavy. "Perhaps that explains the cost", was another common refrain. This is, by far, the heaviest 750ml bottle I have ever hefted and I must confess, it raised my expectations. I suspect this may have a similar effect to a high price which, if the neuromarketing guys are right, should make the wine taste better. We shall see.

We opened, we waited, we poured, we waited, we swilled (actually, we were generally quite adept at this), we sipped, we slurped, we nearly choked, we definitely swallowed (because at $48.00 a bottle who would spit?), and finally, we considered....and then...we discussed.

"It reminds me of a black panther" exclaimed Melinda. The rest of us glanced nervously at each other as a communal thought formed into a question; "Does she mean the melanistic jaguar or the African American political group formed in the late sixties?" A startling beginning to our experiment, yet more was to come. Non-plussed by this comparison, I asked the question " If this wine WAS an animal, what would it be?" While nobody else uncovered a fearsome feline lurking in the bottle, someone, who shall remain anonymous, discovered the "Easter Bunny". I checked the alcohol content (13.5%), made a mental note not to use animal analogies as a way to describe wine, and moved on.

Derrick picked up on the wine's chocolate notes, while Jesse unearthed the aroma of plums. They fervently denied having previously read the winery's own tasting notes, so perhaps we have some talent in the group after all. The rest of us found "cherry", "vanilla", and a hint of "lemon". While these are all flavors associated with a well known soda, this is surely just coincidence.

The strange thing is that, while we all found the wine to have different characteristics, we all liked it.

Recommendation: If you have the budget, try it.

Menu For Hope

Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:28:00 -0700

Today marks the 5th year of Menu for Hope, afund-raising event started by food blogger Pim Techamuanvivit to rasie funds for various food-based charities. This year's menu for Hope will raise money for the WFP's school lunch program in Lesotho, Africa.

If you are interested in helping kids in Africa get a decent meal each day, the program works like this.

1. Choose a prize or prizes of your choice from the main Menu for Hope page at http://chezpim.com or from the wine bloggers page hosted by Alder Yarrow at Vinography.
2. Go to http://www.firstgiving.com/menuforhope5 and follow the instructions for making a donation
3. Each $10 you donate will give you one raffle ticket toward a prize of your choice. Please specify which prize you'd like in the 'Personal Message' section in the donation form when confirming your donation. You must write-in how many tickets per prize, and please use the prize code.
For example, a donation of $50 can be 2 tickets for EU01 and 3 tickets for EU02. Please write 2xEU01, 3xEU02
4. If your company matches your charity donation, please check the box and fill in the information so we could claim the corporate match.
5. Please allow us to see your email address so that we could contact you in case you win. Your email address will not be shared with anyone.

For a more in-depth description of how to donate, check out Alder Yarrow's description on Vinography.

This year, Custom Wine Source has teamed up with Brutocao Cellars to donate a case of custom labeled Zinfandel (a $700.00 value). The prize includes our Full Custom Design service, one case of Brutocao Cellars Zinfandel (subject to availability, may be exchanged for a case of equal or lesser value Brutocao wine), and ground shipping to any state in the US in this list;

Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Hawaii
Iowa
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Louisiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
North Carolina
North Dakota
Nebraska
New Mexico
Nevada
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Texas
Virginia
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
West Virginia
Wyoming

If you wish to ship to a state that is not on this list, call me at 1-877-824-9463 to discuss your options before buying tickets.

To buy tickets for this amazing prize, use the code WB05

Good luck and remember, it's for a great cause.

RedZee.com

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:17:00 -0700

If you have not already see www.redzee.com, check it out.

With the regularity old men crave, a new search engine hits the web almost every day. But, rarely does one appear to actually offer something different. RedZee is not like that, it is definitely unique. While there are a few things about it that bug me (E.g. slow to load results for obvious reasons, and it's weird framing mechanism), I really like the basic concept. I think it will be particularly useful for specific types of search. For example, if you are searching for a place to buy a product, this engine will help you recognize at a glance which sites are likely to be the most helpful. You will see what I mean when you check it out.

Also, Red Zee himself reminds me so much of my wine tasting buddy, Rufus, what's not to love?

23rd

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:02:00 -0700

Top 100 lists are always a little dodgy and, while I am delighted that Enobytes' listing places us at 23rd in the Top 100, my joy is somewhat tempered by a vague sense of guilt. In my heart of hearts I cannot help thinking that, perhaps, Corked does not deserve this accolade.

The ranking is based on an analysis of Google search results for the key term "wine blog". Corked's full title is "Corked. A Wine Blog" and I suspect this had a very positive effect on our ranking. Other blogs that do not contain this phrase and rarely, if ever, use the phrase in their posts will undoubtedly have suffered as a result. We may also have benefited from the popularity of our underlying URLs which have nothing to do with the blog but share the same root. I also suspect that the search would throw up different results every week depending on the activity level of the blogs in question.

While I am quite sure that a ranking based on readership or page views would have revealed a very different picture, I am still finding it hard not to feel a little smug about being ranked 23rd on a published list entitled "Google's Top 100 Wine Blogs".

Heimoff vs Kropf

Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0700

In recent months a debate on the virtues of the 100 point rating system for wines has been raging in the wine blogging community. And over the last day or so, a skirmish in this war of words has erupted between Alan Kropf - Editor in Chief of Mutineer Magazine - and Steve Heimoff - noted wine writer and West Coast Editor for Wine Enthusiast Magazine.

In essence, Mr. Heimoff defends the 100 point scale and has attacked Mr. Kropf for his 'rant against ratings' in Sante Magazine, on the basis that he is being disingenuous as he writes wine reviews for Vintrust, an organization that uses the 100 system. Unfortunately, Mr. Kropf has not written for Vintrust since launching Mutineer and taking a public stance against the 100 point scale. I suspect that an apology may be forthcoming from Steve who I know to be a generally decent fellow. If not, we can probably expect more fireworks.

But "what", you ask, "is your opinion Richard?" I will tell you.

As you know by now, I write, not from the lofty perspective of the wine expert, the wine connoisseur, or the wine maker. I write from the viewpoint of the regular wine drinker, Joe Six Ounces if you like. And my position is this;

The 100 point scale was created by Robert Parker as a way to quantify the quality of wines and provides consumers with a yardstick for value comparisons. This seems like a good idea and, to a point, it is. Unfortunately, many in the industry have adopted unspoken rule that 90 points is the 'passing grade' for a great wine. If a wine fails to score 90 points or higher, its potential sale price is significantly diminished. "Fair enough!" you shout, "And what is wrong with that?"

The problem is that, like any examination that asks the same questions year after year, students/teachers eventually figure out what the answers are and simply learn how to achieve a passing grade. Instead of studying the entire body of knowledge and exploring its intricacies, they focus on the end grade and before long, everybody can pass the exam and the value of a passing grade is undermined.

There is a movement afoot to discourage consumers and producers from paying too much attention to ratings. Producers are encouraged to allow their wines to express the terroir of their vineyards, to develop their own unique signatures, even if this means a failing grade. Under this approach, a 78 point Cabernet which exhibits a subtle anchovy quality, unique to the vines from which the grapes were harvested has as much, or more, value than a 90 point Cabernet that exhibits the same characteristics as all the other 90 point Cabernets from that end of the country.

Ideologically, I love the new 'Free the Flavor" movement but the pragmatist in me knows that for 90% of us, we crave some third party endorsement of a wine before we purchase. When presented with the bewildering array of wines in our local liquor store, we hunt for those little tags that reassure us of our good taste; "90 points - Wine Spectator".

Until the mainstream wine media changes the way they award points and starts rewarding producers for taking risks and allowing their wines to really express themselves, nothing will change.

FREE SHIPPING for Members

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:53:00 -0700

Stoney Creek Wine Press is proud to launch its new Member Area. While membership is NOT required to place orders with Stoney Creek, as a 'member' you will receive exclusive benefits.

All label orders over $49.00 and placed as a Member will receive FREE SHIPPING*
As a Member you will be able to store and update your profile including address, contact information and have the option of storing credit card information
As a member you will be able to view your entire order history including a JPEG of eachl label ordered
As a member you will be able to view all orders currently in progress including a JPEG of each label if applicable

Membership is optional but the benefits are significant. As with all data collected by Stoney Creek, under no circumstances will membership information be shared with other parties. TO view our Privacy Policy, click here.

* FREE SHIPPING applies to label orders only. It does not apply to custom labeled wine orders. FREE SHIPPING applies to REGULAR shipping. Orders with EXPRESS shipping will receive a discount equal to the cost of Regular Shipping.

A Top 100 Blog?

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 06:35:00 -0700

I received a note yesterday from Kelly at the Culinary School Guide to inform me that Corked has been included in their list of the 100 Best Beer and Wine Blogs.

While I am elated to have made a list like this - there being an estimated 500-800 of them out there in the blogosphere - I am also somewhat ashamed. My last post was October 1st and today is October 30th. That does not make me a model blogger.

Mantra for the day: I am pathetic. I will do better.

Kudos to Brutocao Cellars

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 10:30:00 -0700

On my recent trip to Prince Michel, while browsing a recent Wine Enthusiast, I was delighted to see that our friends at Brutocao Cellars had earned the distinction of an Editor's Choice award for their 2005 Quadriga. I will let Wine Enthusiast talk to the qualities of the wine but wish to express my heartfelt congratulations to the team at Brutocao and in particular to winemaker Fred Nickel. Job well done.

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:59:00 -0700

When I travel I generally prefer to rent a house or stay in a B&B but, when forced to, I stay in a hotel. One of the few I really look forward to staying at is the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel. The reasons are many.

Vancouver International Airport

Is there a better airport in the world? I have been to dozens of them and not one even comes close. Every time I arrive in Vancouver on an international flight I am struck anew with a sense of pride and awe. For many visitors, the airport is their first introduction to a country and visitors to Vancouver cannot help but feel welcome. The airport is clean, efficient, and crammed with aboriginal artwork, waterfalls, and other impressive displays. Grand, yet light and airy it really gives an awesome first impression. In fact, if Vancouver were not such a beautiful city, I imagine it might be the highlight of many people's visits!

Location

The lobby of the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel is right smack in the middle of the airport's new international terminal. It is literally a few feet away from the check-in counters. It could not be more convenient for travellers. And it gets better. Located in the middle of a busy international airport, every room in the hotel has a view over a runway and, depending on the exact location, a view of the mountains or the ocean. "Sounds a bit noisy" you say. Not a bit. The hotel has amazing sound proofing which reduces the roar of jet engines to a quiet hum.

Service

The level of service in the hotel is exceptional. Staff are friendly and knowledgeable and genuinely seem to care about guests' wellbeing.

Rooms

The rooms at the Vancouver Airport Hotel are spacious, elegant, comfortable and have all the amenities one would expect from a world class hotel. If you have allergy issues, the hotel have designated hypo-allergenic rooms available. As previously mentioned, the hotel has excellent sound-proofing and a good night's rest is practically guaranteed.

Amenities

In addition to an excellent lounge and restaurant, the hotel has a pool and well equipped exercise room that appears to be empty most of the time. Why would you want to spend your time sweating on a exercise bike when you could be enjoying a drink in the bar or a hot relaxing whirlpool bath in your room?

Fairmont Gold

For a slightly higher rate you can enjoy an additional level of comfort through the Fairmont's Gold program. This program is in operation at all Fairmont Hotels and benefits may vary. At the Vancouver Airport Hotel, Gold rooms are all located on the top floor of the hotel which has its own concierge. The floor also has a private lounge and, included in your room rate is, what Fairmont modestly describes as, a continental breakfast (I much prefer it to the breakfast buffet served in the restaurant). In the evening complimentary hors d'oeuvres are served - also excellent. Other perks of Fairmont Gold include better rooms with whirlpool tubs and complimentary shoe polishing.

Rufus & Richard: Episode Six

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:26:00 -0700

While Richard is away at a film festival, Rufus struggles to handle the show alone. Unfortunately, his lack of opposable thumbs proves to be a real problem.

Richard and Rufus: Episode Five

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:57:00 -0700

Mutineer Magazine

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 08:00:00 -0700

There is a new wine magazine on the racks and it's not like the others. Editor in Chief, Alan Kropf, suggests that Mutineer Magazine "is aimed at a younger generation of wine drinker" and, based on the first issue, he is spot on.

The inaugural issue of Mutineer opens with an article that discusses the influence of drinks in classic films, hardly the subject one would expect a new wine magazine to begin with, but then, that's what mutineers do isn't it?

Attitude is rampant. What does the magazine suggest we as consumers do with the cork when presented with it in a restaurant? According to Mr. Kropf, "Whatever the hell you want. Smell it, eat it, save it, throw it at the maitre’d, it’s just a cork." This gem is plucked from a nice introductory piece on ordering drinks in a restaurant.

Other articles deal with beer, Chardonnay, online radio stations, and sake. It's an eclectic, irreverant mix and I am very curious to see how the publication evolves.

Richard and Rufus: Episode Four

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:00:00 -0700

Richard and Rufus: Episode Three

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:23:00 -0700

Wine in China

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 05:00:00 -0700

In honor of the Beijing Olympics (political and humanitarian concerns aside), I have complied a few surprising facts about the Chinese wine industry.

Chinese records suggest that grape seeds were introduced to China during the Han Dynasty between 121 and 136 BC. That's a very long time ago and makes China a somewhat earlier adopter of viticulture than any of the major wine producing nations today.

Apparently (my sources are not 100% guaranteed here), the Chinese do not have a word for wine. They use the word "CHIEW" which, somewhat generically, means distilled or fermented beverage.

If I can be allowed to generalize here, the chinese like sweet and/or high-alcohol content wines. This may explain the success that Canadian wineries have had exporting icewine to China. As the Chinese (here I go sterotyping again) also tend to equate high cost with prestige, this does seem to be a perfect paring.

Varietal wines have not experienced a great deal of success in China as the grape names mean nothing to the average citizen. The Chinese do seem to enjoy blends though. By all accounts, "Barkeep! A Merlot and Coke for me and the lady will have a Chardonnay and 7UP with ice please" is a common enough refrain in the drinking establishments of Beijing.

The VinExpo Asia 2008 exhibition occupied the entire main hall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and welcomed 692 exhibitors from 32 countries across the world including China, Australia, US, South America, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Germany, Korea, New Zealand, Netherlands, Romania, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Macedonia and Moldova. Over 8,500 people visited the exposition and not ALL of them could have been bloggers.

China is the seventh largest wine producing nation in the World. That puts it ahead of Germany, South Africa and Chile!

China ranks 114th in the World in terms of wine consumption per capita. At just over one bottle of wine (0.91 litres) per person per year, they rank just slightly ahead of Congo at 0.87 litres and waaaaayyyy behind the Vatican State which tops the list at over 60 litres per person per year.

To put this in perspective, if the Chinese were as fond of their wine as the Pope and his associates in the Vatican, Global wine production would have to triple to meet the added annual demand of 80 Billion litres per year. Talk about emerging markets!

Richard and Rufus: Episode Two

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 07:37:00 -0700

The Nasalist - Part Two

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:40:00 -0700

Chapter Two: More Good Duck

Over the next few years, Vincent worked hard on refining his talent, drilling himself and memorizing the aromatic signatures of everything he came into contact with. Eventually he could detect the subtle differences different types of stone, plastics and metals as well as thousands of complex chemical compounds found in nature. As he experimented with aromas he began to fully appreciate the roll that smell has in taste and was able to refine this skill as well. He began to mentally reverse engineer the foods and beverages he consumed and began experimenting with cooking. His recipes were soon legendary in the commune and before long they were selling pies and preserves created by Vincent and were actually making a profit. But Vincent soon became bored with cooking and moved on to wine.

The commune had only two rows of vines (one of Marechal Foch and the other a hardy Riesling). Under the tutelage of Vineyard Pete, Vincent learned the basics of winemaking, from training and pruning the vines, to harvest, crush, and fermentation. What fascinated him the most were the causal relationships in wine making. He quickly realized that every bunch of grapes added something unique to the wine, that tiny changes in the weather, irrigation, or harvest time could have dramatic consequences for the final product. He suspected that this phenomenon would also apply to every other aspect of winemaking and that by understanding how these interactions worked, he would be able to produce the perfect wine.

His problem was money. Communists do not generally have great wads of cash available for investing in bourgeois activities like commercial winemaking. As a commune kid his prospects on the job front were not very promising. He did not have a formal education and he really knew very little about commerce and life in the outside world. One morning, as he lay on the grass looking out over the fields and woodland that stretched away from the hill upon which the commune sat, his thoughts were suddenly interrupted by, of all people, his mother – Maker of Stars.

“Hello dear” she said, sitting down beside him.

“Long time, no see” mumbled Vincent petulantly. “What brings you here?”

Vincent’s mother was silent for a few moments and then, sighing softly, she started to tell Vincent about his real father. Prior to joining the commune and meeting Moon Whisperer, she had engaged in a torrid affair with a wealthy millionaire playboy. His family was, predictably in these types of story, horrified by the union and forbade the son from seeing her again. Spoiled wimp that he was, instead of disobeying his parents, the young man abandoned Carol (Maker of Stars’ pre-LSD enlightenment name). She had not heard from him since but subsequently met Moon Whisperer - who thought her state of impregnation was ‘radical’ - and slipped into commune life, birthing Vincent shortly thereafter.

“So?” asked Vincent, unimpressed.

“A law firm called. Your birth father passed away last week and left you some money. $43,000,000 to be exact” his mother murmured sadly. “He was hit in the head by a duck” she added, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly and involuntarily.

Vincent was stunned into silence. This was the second time his life had been dramatically and positively impacted by a hurtling duck which was a little strange no matter how he looked at it. Without warning his thoughts and the surrounding silence were interrupted by a loud whooping noise which, Vincent was surprised to realize, he was making himself. He leapt to his feet and ran down the hill, waving his arms about and still whooping repeatedly - something he had never done before but found strangely liberating. As he reached the gate at the bottom of the hill, he turned and yelled to his mother.

“What’s the name of the law firm?”

“Carr, Poole and Ng” she replied and that was the last thing she ever said to her son.

Vincent leapt the gate and ran off towards town.

Richard and Rufus

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:20:00 -0700

A few months ago I began searching for a co-host for a new video blog I wanted to create on the subject of wine. Despite all my efforts, the right person could not be found and I almost gave in. Then, one day in June, I received a call from an agent representing a wine "expert" called Rufus....no last name, just Rufus. I was somewhat skeptical but agreed to meet Rufus and was instantly taken by his friendly and easy-going manner, not to mention the incredible depth of his wine knowledge. A deal was struck and it gives me great pleasure to present the first episode in what I hope will become a weekly show. Enjoy.

The Nasalist - Part One.

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:25:00 -0700

The Nasalist

Chapter One: Awakening

The nose of the man! Corpulent, expansive, and like a dog’s, constantly twitching, Vincent Gibb’s nose was a one-of-a-kind. In a modern world where man’s senses of smell and hearing have been gradually whittled away to a sliver of their former greatness, Vincent was an aberration, a freak, a disturbingly talented exponent of the nasal arts. He could detect the subtlest of aromas from miles away. If someone was baking a pie three miles upwind of him, he could unerringly describe not only the type of fruit within but also the specific variety and its country of origin.

Vincent’s parents, Maker of Stars and Moon Whisperer, partook fully of the flower power movement. Their minds addled by endless subjection to a constant stream of hallucinogenic drugs and any mind-altering substance they could find, Vincent’s birth passed almost unnoticed by his Father – Moon Whisperer – and with barely a whimper from his mother. Raised by members of the commune less immersed in the drug culture of the day, Vincent had a difficult upbringing. While everyone ‘loved’ him, nobody really gave him the love a child needs – the fiercely unconditional love that only a parent can provide and, without which, a child’s heart withers and dies. Vincent’s heart never died but it certainly shriveled.

It was not until he was well into his teenage years that Vincent suddenly developed his nasal attributes. I have read articles that suggest humans use only a tiny percentage of their brain’s potential and I believe this to be true. Whether this is a result of laziness or devolution I do not know. I suspect that as we have evolved, and created a safer environment for ourselves, our brains have devolved somewhat, have begun to shut down or divert energy to other areas. It is a question of efficiency. If we do not need to be able to hear a wolf howling and know exactly how much time we have to reach and climb that large oak tree one hundred paces away, why waste the energy retaining the ability? The brain decides to devote more attention to the tricky question of how exactly the TV remote can be reprogrammed to operate the DVD player, digital cable box, and amplifier.

It was a most unusual accident that provided Vincent with his special talent. Wandering through the commune’s vegetable garden, looking for ripe tomatoes, he was struck violently in the head by a large duck. Whether the duck was dead when it hit Vincent or died as a result of the impact, Vincent never knew. The duck simply struck him in the head, knocking him instantly unconscious. If anybody saw him lying prone in the vegetable patch, a half-eaten tomato clutched in his left hand, and a dead duck across the back of his neck, they did not come to his aid.

Hours later, Vincent awoke with a thundering headache and overpowering stench of duck flooding his senses. He stumbled to his feet, swaying like a young tree on a stormy day, trying to make sense of the world. Everything looked and sounded normal, well, normal-ish – there was two of everything and a dead duck lay at his feet. What was giving him cause for concern was the reeking stench, and not just the wet, feathery, gamey scent of dead duck. He blocked his nose but that only diminished the aroma, it did not eliminate it. Shutting his mouth as well was obviously not a viable long-term solution, so Vincent cautiously started to try and identify the source.

At first it was simply too much, an amalgam of scents he could not distinguish or identify. But slowly, as his brain became accustomed to it and started to interpret the signals, he began to isolate specific aromas - crushed tomato leaves, crushed tomato, body odor – both his own and that of the dozens of hippies ensconced in their yurts further up the hill, the complex scent of the damp earth, duck of course, and even the very air itself. Thousands of chemical signatures danced and whirled in his nose as his brain struggled to identify them. Eventually, he found he was able to control his reaction and could actually take a deep breath without retching. He began to try and pick out the specific aromas he could easily recognize. He could smell dinner cooking, reefer, rain in the distance, gasoline, exhaust, and tire rubber from the road at the bottom of the hill, all kinds of herbs and vegetables, a bottle of Guinness being opened. He could smell it all and, with a sudden smile, Vincent realized he was no longer an unremarkable commune kid with a dodgy future. He was different. He had a talent and he was going to use it.

"ABCs of Wine"

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:58:00 -0700

TO DRINK: Tilt glass and swallow.

Easy, anyone can do it!! I happen to consider myself a pro. See?!

Although TO TASTE the wine is quite different, it’s a skill that must be keenly learned and strategically implemented (that’s the fun part), and the more you do it the better at it you become. Of this, I’m not such a pro.

SET AND SETTING

“Through a concentrated application of all the senses, and by comparison of the immediate sense data with memories of other wines tasted, the serious taster can decipher a wine's biography to an amazing extent, including…

    • the growing season that produced it
    • the approach of the winemaker who created it
    • and its relation to other wines of similar type or origin

"Every bottle of wine is a message, the physical embodiment of a specific place and time captured and transmitted for the pleasure of the taster." - Wine Spectator

Apparently, the best ambiance to taste wine is with friends in a warm comfortable setting. (What?!? Share my wine? No way! Ahem…I mean… yes, of course, with friends.)

Ok, back to the learning.

Tasting is not an exact science. Everyone has different levels of sensitivities, so it is possible that different opinions can be held the same glass of wine.

Check out this statement, it totally conflicts what I’ve been doing for the last___ years. (No way, not going to reveal how long I’ve been drinking.)

“The goal in tasting wine is not to "find" the same aromas and flavors some other taster is describing. If you hone your own perceptual abilities and develop your own vocabulary to articulate them, you'll not only derive more pleasure from the wine itself, but also stimulate better communication between you and the friends who are sharing the bottle.” - Wine Spectator

LOOKING AT WINE

If you’re like me, you’d look at a glass of wine and say it’s either Red, White or Blush. Not the case…

1. Fill wine glass one-third full. (and supposedly not a coffee cup or
regular glass...)
2. Pick it up by the stem.
3. You are looking for….
    a. Hue - true color - Tilt Glass; look inside and see the variations
        from the deepest part to the edges. (there are many hues...too many to list)
    b. Intensity - gauged by looking straight down at the wine
    c. Clarity - is the wine brilliant or cloudy with particles?
        - best seen when light is shining sideways through the glass.
4. Swirling - careful not to spill on your favorite t-shirt…I mean blouse or dress shirt. Easiest way is to rest the glass on a table, hold the stem with your thumb and forefinger and gently rotate the wrist. Move the glass until the wine is ‘dancing’, climbing nearly to the rim. Stop. A film appears on the sides, falling slowly down in ‘tears’ or ‘legs’, the more ‘tears’ the more alcohol. This also prepares the wine for the next step.
(We’re getting closer and closer to my favorite step…)

SMELLING WINE

When the tears are falling it’s time to sniff. Agitating the wine vaporizes some of the liquid intensifiying the aromas. The smaller the rim, the more intense the aroma.

1. Stick nose in glass…inhale.

That’s it!! Sounds simple, ah ah, now comes the hard part…WHAT are you smelling?! This could be a whole new Blog series…and actually Richard has already tapped into this area bit, see his blog of March 10th, 2008

The average person can identify approximately 10,000 different aromas. WOW!! How many of those are inherent in wine?! Many, many…

“Serious wine tasters love to identify smells. ‘Chocolate!’ cries one. ‘Burnt matches!’ insists another. ‘Tea, tobacco, mushrooms and a bit of the old barnyard,’ intones a third...some normal aromas may be rose, iris, cherry, peach, honey and vanilla.” - Wine Spectator

(ALRIGHT! My favorite step…)

TASTING WINE

Once again, technique is the key to ‘truly tasting’.

1. With the aromas still in your senses, take a mouthful, not too much and not too little. You don’t want too much to have to swallow right away.

2. Swirl for at least 10-15 seconds, rolling the wine around your mouth bringing it in contact with every little nook and cranny.
    a. Tannin astringency is most noticeable on the inner cheeks.
    b. Alcohol burns the back of the throat.
3. Accentuate the tastes by inhaling gently through pursed lips.
4. Chew the wine vigorously to draw every flavor out. (sounds weird, I know)
5. Finish…swallow…exhale gently through both your nose and your mouth. The better the wine the more complex the aromas will be.

(See how Richard 'tastes' with ease...)

“With great wines, sensitive tasters and minimal distractions, the finish can last a minute or more. It's a moment of meditation and communion that no other beverage can create.” - Wine Spectator

This is great…I’m going to start ‘tasting’ my wine from now on. Although, I think that after each ‘taste’, I’ll take a few ‘drinks’; Tilt glass and swallow.

'Til next time...

Feeling the summer heat

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:01:00 -0700

Summer. Stifling heat, parched earth, vegetation so dry it crackles in the wind and, of course, thunder storms, lightning strikes, and wildfires. For most of you (Not me. I live in tinder dry forest where every pine tree is a candle waiting to be lit!) wildfires are something you watch on the evening news, but for many wineries in California, they are a very real threat.

One of the many wineries we work with, Clos La Chance winery in San Martin, California, had an unpleasant run in with one at the end of June. The 800 acre Hummingbird Fire was caused by lightning strikes and came this close to the Clos La Chance vineyards.

Thanks to the efforts of Cal Fire (Buy the T-shirt and support Cal Fire here) and the preventative measures initiated by the winery's vineyard manager, not a single vine was damaged. More importantly, nobody was injured in the fire and no structures were lost.

In Mendocino County, home of our winery partner, Bructocao Cellars, over 100 wildfires have burned more than 50,000 acres. While Brutocao report that some employees were forced to evacuate their homes, no damage was done and the vineyards are all okay.

Remember, fire kills. Have a plan and make sure everyone in your household knows the drill. My plan is to run like hell and dive in the lake. Yours will probably be different depending on where you live, but be prepared. And no, lying as flat as possible in the kids paddling pool will probably NOT be enough to save you.

Recipe for Trout Cakes

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:27:00 -0700

Once in a while my experimental style of cooking throws up something edible, something I would be willing to place in front of Gordon Ramsey and say "Okay matey, bollock me for this you twit!" Last Saturday was one of those occasions.

I spent the afternoon fishing with my lovely wife and we succeeded in landing a couple of very nice Rainbow Trout, both just shy of 2lbs. So, obviously, it was going to be trout again for supper but I decided to try something a little different. I have always loved crab cakes and thought I'd try to create something similar with a trout. Here is what I came up with. And it rocks!

Recipe for Trout Cakes

Ingredients

One fresh rainbow trout (about 1Lb of meat?) I suppose you could use salmon too.
5 medium potatoes
1/2 cup of chopped chives
1/2 cup of finely chopped celery
3 tbsps of mayonnaise
2 tbsps of whole grain mustard
1 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp of salt or seasoning salt
1/2 tsp of ground red cayenne pepper
Cornflake crumbs
Olive Oil

Preparation

1. Season the trout and barbecue, poach, fry or broil it until cooked. De-bone and leave to cool.
2. Peel and boil potatoes until cooked. Mash and leave to cool.
3. Once trout and potato have cooled sufficiently to handle, flake trout (removing any remaining bones) and mix with mashed potato.
4. Add chives, celery, mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, salt, and cayenne, and mix thoroughly.
5. Shape mixture into "cakes" about 3 inches in diameter and 1-1/2 inches thick and coat well with cornflake crumbs.
6. Fry gently in olive oil until hot and golden brown.

Serve hot with red chili jelly, or other preferred condiment, and side salad. Yum!

This recipe should yield about eight cakes, enough to serve four people (or two greedy people who have drunk too much wine and will regret it later)

Wine Pairing

This spicy fish dish is excellent with a dry sparkling wine - Cava perhaps - or with your favorite crisp summer white - Sauvignon Blanc would be my choice. Vinho Verde would also work very well.

Enjoy.

Video Blog (Vlog) coming soon

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 05:23:00 -0700

Following on from my previous entry regarding A Nice Cup of Tea, it gives me great pleasure to announce the upcoming launch of my new, as yet un-named, Vlog.

It is an idea that has been percolating for many months and I have finally found a co-presenter to work with on the show. A huge (in more ways than one) wine drinker, RVG will debate the merits of different wines with me, and share his wisdom on the world of wine from his own, unique perspective. Tantalizing isn't it?

The first two episodes are in the can and I just need to figure out how to get them off the tape, edited, and posted to You Tube. This may take a few weeks so keeping watching this space.

A Nice Cup of Tea in Washington, DC

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 17:19:00 -0700

A few years ago I wrote and produced a short film called 'A Nice Cup of Tea' and earlier this year it emerged from post production ready for the big screen. It is amazing how much time, effort and money goes into making an eleven minute film and I am forever indebted to the 20 or so individuals who helped make it, but in particular to my friend, Bob Fugger, who directed and edited "A Nice Cup of Tea".

At the end of February I started submitting the film to festivals around the World with no idea how it would be received or at what level it would find itself. The first few deadlines passed with no word or rejection letters but then, miraculously, I received two acceptance emails in the space of a couple of days. One from the Salento International Film Festival in southern Italy and the other from DC Shorts in Washington, D.C.

As both festivals are in mid-September a decision had to be made as to which festival to attend. A quick review of my finances (checking the available room on various credit cards, the weight of my loose change jar, and the collection of small change that inevitably finds its way under the sofa cushions) revealed that DC Shorts was the better choice. As an added bonus, the DC Shorts festival will allow a visit with our friends at Prince Michel in Virginia.

So, as I have never been to DC, if any of you have recommendations for restaurants and must-see attractions, please let me know. And if you will be in DC between September 11th and 18th check out the festival website and come and enjoy "A Nice Cup of Tea".

France vs Italy

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 06:45:00 -0700

For those of you not interested in football (soccer to many of you) I apologize in advance for the somewhat frivolous nature of this post. However, the European Championships are in full flow and so far have been exceptional. If you missed the Turkey vs Czechoslovakia match yesterday you missed one of the greatest comebacks in football history. Amazing.

Today, World Cup finalists Italy and France play with both needing a win to stand any chance of progressing to the quarter finals. It should be a real cracker and I thought I would use wine to predict the result. Although it would be more fun to adopt some kind of blind tasting based method this would fail to provide you, the reader, with much educational value and would, almost certainly, lead to a miserable hangover tomorrow. So, I am going to predict the result by comparing wine stats from the two countries.

For each of the following stats, the country with largest value will score a goal.

Total Annual Wine Consumption per Capita

Italy: 48.16 litres
France: 55.85 litres

Result: Goal to France
Score: France 1 - 0 Italy

Source: http://www.wineinstitute.org/files/PerCapitaWineConsumptionCountries.pdf

Total Acres Under Vines as a Percentage of Land Mass

Italy: 2,120,000/74,435,554 = 2.8%
France: 2,162,000/135,174,056 = 1.6%

Result: Goal to Italy
Score: France 1 - 1 Italy

Source: http://www.wineinstitute.org/files/WorldVineyardAcreagebyCountry.pdf

Total Annual Wine Production per Capita

Italy: 5,300,000,000/58,133.509 = 91.2 Liters
France: 5,738,600,000/60,876,136 = 94.3 Liters

Result: Goal to France
Score: France 2 - 1 Italy

Source: http://www.wineinstitute.org/files/WorldWineProductionbyCountry.pdf

Wine Exports as a Percentage of Global Market

Italy: 21%
France: 19%

Result: Goal to Italy
Score: France 2 - 2 Italy

Source: http://internationaltrade.suite101.com/blog.cfm/worlds_top_wine_countries

Number of Top Ranking Wines (Based on Wine Spectators Top 100 for 2007)

Italy: 13
France: 24

Result: Goal to France
Score: France 3-2 Italy

Source: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Newsletters/PDF/Top100-2007charts.pdf

So, there you have it. My prediction for today's match is a 3-2 victory for France.

Enjoy the game.

Project Wine Shop: Part Three

Thu, 05 Jun 2008 11:53:00 -0700

Despite stumbling somewhat over the last few weeks, I am moving forward again with Project Wine Shop. After much consideration, and a disappointingly small amount of feedback from my fellow wine professionals (with the notable exception of Kimberly in St. Helena), I have decided on a final wine list and will be presenting it to Leroy and Kerry later today. In addition, I will propose a seven step plan to create a small wine shop within the confines of their general store and grow their wine business by between 100% and 200% over the next two years.

If Leroy and Kerry decide to pursue the proposal, the new wine shop will provide an enhanced shopping experience with a better selection, clear labeling, wine and food pairing suggestions, a 'Wine of the Month' program, and a 'Special Order' option to promote the fact that customers can order their favorite wines and have them in their hands in a couple of days, a fact many customers seem unaware of.

It is my hope that we will be able to 'launch' the new wine shop in four to six weeks with some kind of 'Grand Opening' event and local newspaper coverage.

I have my proposal in hand and am off to Bridge Lake Store to try and convince Leroy and Kerry. I will report back later.

Blog Spamming

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:53:00 -0700

Over the last few weeks my blog has been the focus of a truly dedicated spammer. I am assuming it is a single spammer as surely there cannot be more than one of you out there with so little lust for life?

Of course, it is possible that a spambot has been created that can decipher and bypass the "Captcha" anti-spam protection, but I suspect it is a real person.

What motivates this person? Do they really think that I will relax my guard and let one of their entries slip by? Perhaps they think I won't notice the pharmaceutical references or will simply give in and let them have their way with my blog. Foolish person, I have a message for you.

Go back to school and complete your education. Find a hobby, lace making or jigsaw puzzles perhaps? Devote yourself to public service. Go out on a date. Take up sports. There are many ways for you to improve your life and make those first steps necessary for you to become a functioning and useful member of society.

Now, please leave my blog alone. Thank you.

Great Customer Service

Mon, 26 May 2008 20:32:00 -0700

We have been a little short-staffed over the last few weeks and I have been handling a number of orders on behalf of clients, something I do not usually do. And it has been a blast! I have always enjoyed interacting with customers but what really struck me over the last fortnight was the number of customers who seemed overwhelmed by the level of service we provide. I know this sounds like I am blowing my own horn but I really am not. I do not believe that we do anything special. We simply provide a level of customer service that I, as a consumer would expect if I was on the other end of the transaction.

As a company we believe that the customer is always right, even when they are wrong. We guarantee our products and services and endeavor to beat our published delivery standards on every order. Our staff are polite and friendly when they interact with customers and genuinely enjoy working with them.

Is this not the norm? Are other businesses selling their customers short by denying them excellent customer service? Let me know about your customer service experiences, good and bad.

Stained Glass Windows

Tue, 20 May 2008 20:00:00 -0700

Suzie Reed of Funky Cute Art recently ordered some wine labels for a mysterious 'Stained Glass' piece she was working on. So of course I was curious and intrigued by her project, so I asked her if she could send me some pictures when it was done. Well, such a great project takes a bit of time, so of course my puny little brain had buried this information pretty deep, until I received a follow up email from her. WOW!!

I think you will agree that this is a very unique use for a custom labeled wine bottle.

"The piece is unique for many reasons because I have combined traditional
stained glass, the middle of the piece is all fused glass & painted
accents, it has the glass nuggets for grapes and a full bottle in the
panel. I made leaves out of thin sheets of aluminum. The label has the
clients name, "FOX", my website and the date. It is 32" high and 29" wide and it was installed in my clients transom (window above the door) in her foyer." - Suzie Reed

The process of making this piece is detailed on her other website Glass Spirits.com and is featured on the 'Details & Photos' page.

Suzie has quite a few great pieces of stained glass art. Check it out!! www.FunkyCuteArt.Etsy.com

There are so many talented people out there, I am always astounded.

If you have time, I'd love to hear from anyone else with a unique "Custom Wine Label" project - melinda@stoneycreekwinepress.com

'Til next time...

Robert Mondavi

Fri, 16 May 2008 16:48:00 -0700

It has been several weeks since I last posted and for that I apologize. Things have been a little hectic, both on the personal and business front, and I have simply been unable to make the blog a priority recently, until today.

Robert Mondavi passed away peacefully in his Napa Valley home today at the age of 94. I will not attempt to provide any description of his numerous achievements as practically every other wine writer in the world will be doing that over the coming days. However, I will pass on a story that has a Robert Mondavi connection and I hope you enjoy it.

A few years ago my wife and I were in the Napa Valley visiting wineries and generally having a great time. Having visited Mouton Rothschild the previous year in Bordeaux, we thought it might be fun to visit Opus One, the collaboration between wine giants, Baron Philippe de Rothschild and Robert Mondavi, and see how the wine's compared. In the event, they were fairly comparable and both extremely good.

Opus One is a magnificent winery and the atmosphere is strangely snooty and intimidating, yet friendly. We entered the tasting room, flashed our credentials, and were duly invited to taste the year's vintage free of charge. We sipped our way through generous complimentary pours without spitting and casually observed the other patrons. Most seemed surprised but were willing to pay the $25.00 tasting charge.

Abruptly though, the gentile peace of the tasting room was shattered as a rather obnoxious patron loudly expressed his dismay at the ridiculous charge. "outrageous!", "ridiculous!", "robbery!" he cried while his wife reddened visibly beside him. After a few moments of bluster it became obvious to the man that the staff were not going to be cowed into waiving the fee and he stormed out, foolishly leaving his wife behind.

As the rest of the room stared in stunned silence the wife recovered her composure, whipped a credit card from her purse, and purchased 6 bottles of Opus One for a shade under $1,000.00.

I sincerely hope that she refused to share.

Choosing wines by geography

Sun, 27 Apr 2008 20:51:00 -0700

As a wine drinker (I hesitate to use words like connoisseur or aficionado because they really do not apply) I enjoy trying new wines and often select at random just for the hell of it. Occasionally however, I want something new but without too much risk of disappointment - something to pair with dinner for example - or am presented with a limited selection and nothing familiar.

In these instances I rely on a short list of favorite varietals and regions that I am confident will, more often than not, deliver what I am searching for. The list is shown below. Use it at your peril or, more interestingly, let me know your equivalent list if you have one.

Cabernet Sauvignon - Napa, USA
Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough, New Zealand
Pinot Grigio/Gris - Okanagan, Canada
Zinfandel - Mendocino, USA
Shiraz/Syrah - South Australia
Riesling - Germany
Merlot - Chile
Chardonnay - Burgundy, France
Gewürztraminer - Germany
Pinot Noir - California, USA

And for sparkling wine I will often go for a Cava from Spain or a dry (brut) Méthode Champagnoise sparkling wine from California or France.

Alltop.com

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 13:05:00 -0700

The website www.alltop.com uses something called single-page aggregation to display top blogs in various categories. The site lists up to 30 blogs in each category and displays the last 5 posts from each blog, allowing a reader to quickly scan a large amount of data on a single page.

The site has a simple, easy to use interface and is a great place to find blogs on specific subject areas.

And last week, Corked was added to the Wine category. Yay.

Ice Wine

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 10:19:00 -0700

It is April 18th and I am sitting here, with a fire in the stove, watching the blizzard that has raged all morning. It only seems appropriate to write about Icewine.

Icewine (or in German, Eiswein) is a dessert wine produced using grapes that have frozen on the vine. When the frozen grapes are crushed, the resulting must is extremely concentrated and results in a very sweet wine. It is important to note that the grapes must not be Botrytis affected. It is the healthy grapes that give icewines their refreshing blend of high acidity and sweetness.

Although, in some countries, icewines can be prepared artificially, by freezing the grapes mechanically prior to crushing, in Canada, Germany, and Austria, freezing must occur naturally on the vine. This complicates the process enormously as a sufficient freeze (it must be at least -8 °C but not too severe as this will prevent extraction of the juice) often does not occur until weeks, or even months, after the regular harvest. As the fruit must be pressed while it is still frozen, winery staff often work during the night to ensure good results.

Only if a wine meets these criteria and has the required minimum brix level of 35, can a Canadian producer sell its product as Icewine. Because of these strict guidelines coupled with the very low yield per acre of fruit (about 1/5th of the amount produced by pressing unfrozen grapes), Icewine is very expensive.

Canadian icewines are generally made from either Riesling or Vidal grapes, although Cabernet Franc is sometimes used. Canada is the largest Icewine producer in the world with around 50 producers in British Columbia and Ontario.

I have never experienced a bad Icewine and heartily encourage anyone who has never sampled it to go out and buy a bottle. Serve it chilled and all on its own as a dessert or aperitif. I love Icewine but simply cannot afford it on a regular basis so often resort to 'late harvest' Rieslings and Vidals to satisfy my sweet wine cravings. There are some excellent and very inexpensive Chilean options and a few from Canadian wineries who often produce 'late harvest' wines when they are unable to meet the strict requirements for Icewine production.

The following is a list of some Canadian Icewine producers.

Inniskillin
Reif Estate Winery
Pillitteri Estates Winery
Peller Estates
Mission Hill
Tinhorn Creek
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Quail's Gate

The Peripheral Pickle

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:54:00 -0700

Several years ago I spent some time working at a friend's advertising agency and, while there, I had the opportunity to write some copy and a few magazine articles under the scrutiny of an extremely punctilious copy editor. At first it was irritating, then annoying, followed by infuriating. But eventually, I settled into it and realized that the editor was right. He improved my writing and I will be eternally grateful for that. Among other things, I try to construct intelligent sentences, punctuate appropriately, and avoid contractions whenever possible. I hope that, as a result, my writing makes reasonable sense and is generally pleasant to read.

The lessons from my erstwhile editor have also enabled me to garner a greater appreciation for excellent writing. I can enjoy an article or novel as much for its style of writing as for its content or plot. The downside is that I occasionally find it hard to read a poorly written piece and that is a shame, because good writing is not the be all and end all, as this excerpt from a local golf club newsletter shows. Sometimes, a piece can be so appallingly constructed yet so honest and self-effacing, it takes on a beauty of its own.

Enjoy.

"It was also brought to my attention to mention that the policy about booking procedures will be enforced. What we are talking about is when individuals book a tee time and use “unknown guest or member” we have to put a name to the unknown’s with 24 hours or the unknown’s are deleted. Imagine showing up with your proposed foursome and the pro shop following the policy and due diligence in trying to accommodate everyone, deletes the unknown within the 24 hour period and fill in any spots available with other members or green fee players. Then we show up with our foursome and we find ourselves in the peripheral pickle with six people or whatever having the same tee time. Then human nature set in and we are having some ugly thoughts on the staff and the club and we are just totally upset because we all have been members for umpteen years and what kind of treatment is the club showing to the members. Been there done that, therefore lets all follow our policy and try to ensure an uneventful experience. If you book a foursome with guest or unknown members let’s make sure we all don’t get egg on our faces and get the names in where they belong. I think actually I know this is enough for now and remember your 3R’s Restaurant, Relaxation and Refreshments after your round of golf, especially the refreshment part. Until next month may your drives find the fairway and your 1st putt find the bottom of the cup. (If anyone knows me they know that it is usually my third or fourth putt that finds the cup.)"

Re-printed without permission, hence the anonymity of its author.

Bad Mood Blog

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:14:00 -0700

It's Monday and to set the tone of this post let me just say "I hate Mondays!"

That's not true but this particular Monday I am feeling a little sorry for myself. Normally, I play football (or 'soccer' as it is called on this side of the Atlantic) on Monday's but not tonight. Last week I strained my left calf muscle and coupled with the chronic achilles tendonitis in my right leg, it has made running and kicking (important aspects of the game) rather difficult. To compound my misery, two weeks ago I took a rather nasty blow to the chest (again, playing football), and the subsequent pain makes it impossible for me to swing a golf club.

With spring enveloping the northern hemisphere in all its glorious greenness, instead of gamboling across a football field or striding down a freshly mown fairway, I am reduced to grumping around the office, being irritable towards my staff, and now I have to come up with something pithy and relevant to put in my blog? Sorry, but I simply cannot. Good night.

Brand Bullies

Fri, 11 Apr 2008 09:26:00 -0700

A small, wine producing village in Switzerland is vowing to fight for the right to use its name on its wines. The name of the village has not changed in over 1200 years and it has been producing wine for almost 400 years. Yet, since 2004, after the Swiss government made a deal (in exchange for Swissair air right) with the EU, the village has not been able to use its own name on the wine it produces. Why? Because the name of the village is Champagne.

Since then, wine sales have dropped from a high of over 100,000 bottles in 2000 to 32,000 in 2007. So, why has the village decided, only now to fight back? Well, and this is where it gets really silly, a successful bakery, founded in the village in 1934, produces biscuits which are sold in packaging bearing the inscription "recette de Champagne" and their counterparts in France are challenging this usage. Use of the company's domain name is also being challenged.

At a traditional open air meeting, enraged villagers voted to fight the French and defend their right to use the village name on their products, while in a symbolic protest (curiously French in style), a forklift draped in the tricoleur knocked down the village signpost.

This is just one example of the kind of brand bullying that goes on all the time. In closing, here are a couple of other examples.

In 1997 beer giant Anheuser-Busch challenged a P.E.I potato farmer over his use of a cartoon character called "Bud the Spud" because it "would be likely to create an inference in the mind of the public that such a mark has been licensed, authorized or approved by the opponent, which is not the case". Ridiculous.

McDonald's has a long history of brand bullying. Among other achievements, they have managed to force a Malaysian restaurant to abandon the name "McCurry" (which, the restaurant claimed, stands for Malaysian Chicken Curry), a San Francisco coffee shop to stop using the name (which it had used for over 17 years) from "McCoffee", and a Scottish sandwich maker to drop McMunchies as its trading name.

Meals on Wheels

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 19:53:00 -0700

With 's Baggers, German restauranteur Michael Mack claims to have created the "restaurant of the third dimension" - Apparently full service and self-service restaurants are from the first and second dimensions respectively. Like the restaurant's name, I have no idea what this means but suspect it has something to do with poor translation.

The restaurant is certainly different. Patrons order food using touch-screen displays at the table. The order is prepared by a chef in the kitchen above the restaurant, and the food is delivered, with stereotypical German efficiency, on a little cart mounted on tracks. It all seems a little weird to me and, while interesting enough to attract customers out of curiosity, I wonder if the concept will have staying power. I suspect the answer is "no" but encourage you to visit their website and see for yourself. Or, better yet, if you find yourself in Nuremburg, check it out and let me know how it was.

An Okanagan Adventure

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 14:57:00 -0700

The day dawned shortly after we left home, and a beautiful dawn it was. The mist, desperately clinging to the snow-clad fields and icy lakes, gradually lifted as the sun speared through the haze, blinding us as we sped eastwards on highway 24. Our destination? Vernon, a small town at the northern end of British Columbia's premiere wine region, the Okanagan Valley. Our Mission? To pick up a small fishing boat (A simple 12ft aluminum craft built by Duroboat for those interested) I had agreed to purchase from a retired seaman in the town.

At around 8:30am we pulled into the parking lot at Sun Rivers golf course in Kamloops and suffered our first disappointment of the day. The restaurant was closed and evidently did not open for breakfast. Quashing our hunger pangs we drove on through Kamloops and headed east on the Trans Canada Highway before turning off and heading for Vernon.

Passing through ranchlands and forests of Ponderosa Pine, suffering terribly under the strain of the Mountain Pine Beetle, we eventually hit the small, yet charming, town of Falkland where we stopped for breakfast at the Vienna Cafe. I love small town cafes like the Vienna where time seems to stand still and the world of Norman Rockwell still exists. In this case, a police officer bantered with local ranchers while a waitress gently teased him about his obviously frequent visits. The breakfast was excellent - farmer sausage with three eggs, fried to perfection, hash browns and fresh multi-grain toast served with a smoky coffee blend unfamiliar to me.

Then it was off to see a man about a boat. By 11.30am it was perched precariously on top of my old Chevy Tahoe and we were off on the next stage of our adventure, my wallet resting substantially lighter in my pocket. Our itinerary was to include lunch at the Old Vines Restaurant and tastings at Quails' Gate as well as a quick visit to Mission Hill. On the way down I stopped at a 'British' shop and picked up some Twiglets (if you don't know what these are I'm not going to explain because you still won't get it) and some of Dr. Who's favorite confections - Jelly Babies.

Mission Hill Winery is magnificent. Perched on top of a hill, overlooking Okanagan Lake, it is a cross between Napa's Robert Mondavi and Opus One and, if possible, is even richer in architectural opulence. The tremendous collection of buildings atop the hill suggest a vaunted pedigree yet Mission Hill, while a grand dame of the BC wine industry, only recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary. Unfortunately, we did not have time to view the wineries barrel cellars and internal operations but I am assured they live up to the exacting standards established by the exterior architecture.

After stumbling around the enormous courtyard admiring the architecture, the view, and yes, even the toilets, it was time to taste some wine. The tasting room at Mission Hill is intimidating. Cool and dark, the rooms echo the monastic exterior, heels click on flagstone floors and you have to stop yourself from whispering.

The tasting guidelines at wineries are all different these days. Long gone are the days of free tastings and big pours. Mission Hill is no exception. They charge $5.00 to taste three wines with a promise of a refund should you decide to purchase a bottle. For five dollars you get a very small (despite the pourer's wink accompanied statement to the contrary), expertly poured, mouthful of each wine. I imagine that staff are trained with pipettes and marked test tubes until they get it just right. I did not like it at all. There was no attempt to emotionally connect the visitor with the wine and the winery, and I suspect many visitors are put off by it.

The wines themselves were not particularly inspiring. I did not mind the Merlot, the late harvest Vidal was interesting, and I quite enjoyed the Pinot Grigio, but then I usually do like Pinot Grigio in the Italian style. Still, I left with $100 worth of wine so, despite my misgivings, there must be something to be said for the way they run the tasting room at Mission Hill.

Next it was on to Quail's Gate. I was starving and could not wait to sample the fare at the much vaunted The Old Vines Restaurant. But, it was not to be. As we arrived at the door, the clock struck 3:00pm and the kitchen closed. The maitre d' was apologetic and helpful, calling a nearby restaurant to make sure they could take us for lunch. This typifies the service at Quail's Gate and certainly helped lessen the blow. We lunched at the Bonfire Grill (limited menu but very tasty) and drove back to the winery for a tasting.

Quail's Gate features a west coast style of architecture with rough-hewn beams and warm interiors. The tasting room overlooks the lovely view illustrated on their label and is operated in a friendly manner with a free basic tasting of three wines. If you wish to taste their family reserve and dessert wines, then a fee is charged. Again, we were generally a little under-awed by the wines on offer but I did enjoy the Old Vines Foch (imagine a lush Zinfandel with a peppery Shiraz finish) as well as the Botrytis Affected Optima and Riesling Ice Wine (Pretty much any ice-wine is okay by my reckoning!).

After that, it should have been a simple matter of driving the 350 Kilometers home but, of course, it was not. As we left town I noticed the gas tank was only about a quarter full but figured i had enough to get to Merritt, some 120 Kilometres away. What I did not know, and had not taken account of, was that the route included a 4000ft climb from the valley floor. With a boat tied to the top, acting like a parachute, the gauge was registering empty by the time we reached the top of the hill. Despite my best efforts at conservation, including coasting on all the downhill sections, we spluttered to a halt about 15 miles from Merritt.

Looking around, I noticed an old shack with smoke pouring from its crooked chimney and, leaving Sherry in the car, I went in search of help. I must admit that I approached the front door with a little trepidation. Visions of 'Shoot first, ask questions later' hillbillies sprang to mind, uncalled for, and my knock may have been a little timid. But, proving once again that people are inherently good and generally not insane mass murderers, the house's occupants were more than helpful. They drove me into town and back, and wished us well. Apparently, they get 2 or 3 similar requests every MONTH during the summer so my stupidity is not singular in its depth.

The rest of the journey was uneventful and we arrived home around 9:30pm, tired but happy. With dozens more wineries to visit, we cannot wait to get back to the Okanagan.

"ABC's of Wine"

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:40:00 -0700

Ok, I meant what I said, and I said what I meant. (Ok, I stole that from the famous "Horton Hears a Who"). But seriously, I have committed myself to learn about "The Teachings".

I will start from the beginning, and who knows, maybe some of you out there will learn something along the way. And, even though my comrade Richard is way ahead of me in this great quest, I shall hold back my natural tendency to compete. I shall think of it like golf. My skills are...well, let's just say that golf is a beautiful walk. When I golf with my husband, I don't think about the 3...4...5...6 strokes to his one, I just enjoy the walk and beautiful scenery. In the same way, I will enjoy the educational walk through Richard's findings.

ABC's of wine

Part 1 - Grape Varietals

Definition of Varietal - A wine made principally from one grape and carrying the name of that grape.

Here are some common varietals.
To learn more about them visit Wine Spectator.

BARBERA (Red) [bar-BEHR-uh]
CABERNET FRANC (Red) [cab-er-NAY-FRANK]
CABERNET SAUVIGNON (Red) [cab-er-NAY-SO-vin-yon]
CHARDONNAY (White) [shar-dun-NAY]
CHENIN BLANC (White) [SHEN'N-BLAHNK]
GEWüRZTRAMINER (White) [geh-VERTS-trah-mee-ner]
GRENACHE (Red) [greh-NAHSH]
MALBEC (Red) [MAHL-beck]
MERLOT (Red) [mur-LO]
MUSCAT (White) [MUSS-kat]
NEBBIOLO (Red) [NEH-bee-oh-low]
PETITE SIRAH (Red) [peh-TEET-sih-RAH]
PINOT BLANC (White) [PEE-no-BLAHNK]
PINOT GRIS (White) [PEE-no-GREE]
or PINOT GRIGIO (White) [PEE-no-GREE-zho]
PINOT NOIR (Red) [PEE-no-NWA]
RIESLING (White) [REES-ling]
SANGIOVESE (Red) [san-geeo-VEHS-eh]
SAUVIGNON BLANC (White) [SO-vin-yon-BLAHNK]
SÉMILLON (White) [SEM-ih-yon]
SYRAH (Red) [sih-RAH]
or SHIRAZ (Red) [shih-RAHZ]
TEMPRANILLO (Red) [temp-rah-NEE-yo]
TREBBIANO (White) [treh-bee-AH-no]
VIOGNIER (White) [vee-oh-NYAY]
ZINFANDEL (Red) [ZIHN-fan-dell]

'Til next time...

I have received permission to quote excerpts from the highly acclaimed Wine Spectator magazine and website.

Project Wine Shop: Part Two

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 11:49:00 -0700

Last week I announced and outlined Project Wine Shop. This post will delve a little deeper into the project, establish some benchmarks, set some goals, and define the parameters within which we will be working.

Departure Point

Currently, Bridge Lake Store offers about 60 SKUs. The selection is primarily Canadian with a heavy emphasis on low cost, generic products including quite a few boxed wines. The store also stocks about a dozen Australian wines and a smattering of Chilean, US, and European brands. Again, the focus is generally on cost.

The customers of Bridge Lake store appear to like their wines cheap and uncomplicated. Favorites include the ubiquitous Yellow Tail, Peller Estates proprietor's reserve boxed wines, Turning Leaf white zinfandel, and Mateus Rose.

As you can see, the store has extremely limited shelf space. Some of this is due to the fact that beer and spirits account for the lion's share of sales and therefor are allocated more space, but primarily it is because the store is legally restricted from expanding the floor space devoted to liquor sales. The store can only devote 10% of its total floor space to liquor.

Leroy and Kerry estimate that wine sales run at around 3 cases per week for most of the year, and rise to 6 cases per week in the summer.

Goals

1. Improve the general quality of wines offered in the store without dramatically increasing prices.
2. Improve and broaden the selection of wines available by reducing the Canadian content and adding from other regions.
3. Add simple tools to help educate customers and make their purchasing decisions easier.
4. Create and promote a 'Special Order' program that allows customers to order wines from a more varied and substantial offering (200 SKUs).
5. Increase average sales to 6 cases a week within one year, and to 12 cases per week within two years.
6. Launch a wine of the month program to introduce at least one interesting, high QPR (Quality Price Ratio) wine to the store's customers every month.

Parameters

All wines must be purchased through the British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB). Although Leroy and Kerry are allowed to bring wines in through other distribution channels, the LDB delivers the wine for free and with only a day or two's notice. The LDB wine database can be accessed through their comprehensive and searchable website.

The total number of SKUs offered must not exceed 60.

As a general guide most of the wines should retail at between $8.00 - $12.00 with very few selling for more than $20.00. The LDB website includes retail pricing for all of its wines.

I believe it makes sense, in this market, to try and offer more recognizable brands whenever possible. If, for example, a choice must be made between Yellow Tail Shiraz and a lesser known wine with a similar QPR, the YellowTail should win out. The Special Order program is the place for high QPR wines with low recognition among occasional wine drinkers.

Mission

Prepare a 60 SKU (or less if you wish) wine list that meets the criteria outlined above.
Suggest high QPR wines that would make excellent candidates for the "Special Order" or "Wine of the Month" programs.
Outline any additional ideas that you think might help Leroy and Kerry enhance their wine shop and sell more wine.

Thank you all for helping out with Project Wine Shop. I will post my suggestions next week.

Vinography: A Wine Blog

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 12:32:00 -0700

Those of you who read this blog regularly will know that I often reference the work of Alder Yarrow. Alder writes Vinography, regarded by many as the best wine blog in the Blogosphere.

I completely disagree with everyone on this. For me, Corked is the finest wine blog in the world but, I suppose like wine, it's all about personal taste and preferences and I am a smidge biased. Even I have to admit that Alder puts out a consistently excellent product as is evidenced by him recently garnering awards for Best Wine Blog Writing and Best Wine Blog at the 2008 American Wine Blog Awards.

Alder breaks his entries down into six categories - wine reviews, restaurant reviews, book reviews, ramblings and rants, wine news, and activities and events.

The most populous category is the first and Alder devotes an awful lot of time to reviewing wines - often hundreds at a time. In her article "A Tale of Two Tasters", Brooke (Aficionada) apparently stalked Mr. Yarrow and describes his tasting attack at Napa Valley Vintners’ Association’s annual barrel auction, Premiere Napa Valley.

"Alder approached the task at hand like a speed-dater. He intended to taste all 200 wines, and he only had four hours to do it. For him, to taste less than that would have been an injustice. So, it was him against the clock. He danced from barrel to barrel. Sip. Spit. Score. In a matter of seconds, he’d evaluate and rate a wine on a 10-point scale."

At ZAP 2008 Alder states in his summary tasting report that "Those who know my tasting regimen at these events will notice that I took it a little easy this year and only tasted about 150 wines". The man must have, in the words of Queen Elizabeth I (as paraphrased in the BBC Series, Black Adder), "...the heart and stomach of concrete elephant".

Alder's tasting reports are not all this brief. He also reviews individual wines and often delves deeply into the wine's background, providing excellent background information on the winery, wine maker, and anything else he deems relevant. All in all, it's a very nice blend.

Vinography's restaurant and book reviews are well-written and, I am sure, extremely useful to those with an interest in the respective gastronomic and literary delights described. The 'wine news' section covers selected notable events in the world of wine, and the 'activities & events' section provides more good information.

But, the best of Vinography in my opinion is the 'Ramblings and Rants" section. Diverse subject material, well researched and presented with authority and style. Alder is not a comedic writer so it always feels like you can take his words seriously, whatever the subject matter (a marked contrast to this blog!), and when he does use humor, it is in a gentle way.

So, while I prefer to tread my own path, I am afraid that I find myself more-or-less in agreement with the rest of the Blogosphere. Vinography is a top notch blog deserving of its reputation and I heartily recommend it to all.

Nose Training

Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:31:00 -0700

Research, recently published in the journal 'Science', suggests that our noses are capable of detecting danger. Researcher Dr Wen Li, of the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwest University in Chicago, exposed volunteers to two subtly different odors. The volunteers were initially unable to distinguish between them but, when a mild electric shock was applied in conjunction with one of them, the subjects developed the ability to distinguish between them quite easily.

This research is extremely exciting. I find it very difficult to distinguish between different aromas in wine and think this might be a great way to train my brain. Now, all I need is 240 or so different types of pain that I can inflict on myself while smelling differing aromas. Using this method, I should be able to train my brain to associate the different aromas and pains and thus easily identify and distinguish between them.

For example, if I am tasting a wine and my brain sends back the signal "Beware! I sense the aromas of earlobe pinching, thumbscrew, eyebrow tweezing, and bamboo splinters under toenails" I would theoretically know that the wine had the aromas of green apples, oregano, honeysuckle, and wet Band Aid.

Now, I wonder if I can drum up enough interest to start a wine tasting school? Any volunteers?

Project Wine Shop

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:38:00 -0700

Last year my wife and I moved house. Okay, that's a bit of an understatement - we made a move, considered by ~~many~~ most of our friends to be the most damning evidence yet of our total insanity. We moved 250 miles, from the town of Chilliwack - where my business is headquartered - to the tiny community of Bridge Lake, population: practically nobody.

Life in Bridge Lake revolves around the lake itself, the community center, the school, and Bridge Lake Store, the community's post office, grocery store, gas station, fishing tackle, and liquor store. The store is owned by Leroy and Kerry Wright who welcome every customer with a smile and know most of them by name.

It dawned on me recently that, while there are other stores in the area that sell wine, nobody has made an effort to corner the market with a really well thought out selection. I mentioned this to Leroy the other day and suggested that, with a little help from my friends at the OWC (Open Wine Consortium) we could probably improve the store's wine offering and help him develop a reputation as the place to go for great wine.

Leroy loved the idea and so here we are, faced with a unique challenge, and requiring input. In my next post, Leroy, Kerry, and I will outline the current business model (rough sales volumes, current SKUs, marketing strategy, purchasing restrictions, etc), outline the unique challenges facing a wine shop entrepreneur in this rural market, and suggest some goals for the wine shop.

I hope that all of you will give Leroy and Kerry's store some thought and help us come up with a winning wine selection and marketing strategy.

Miracle?

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 15:58:00 -0700

A few weeks ago I joined a golf club called The Dunes in Kamloops, BC. The course only just opened for the season and, yesterday, I played it for the first time. It was great; A links style golf course in a gale - golf the way it was meant to be played.

Anyway, it reminded me of a true story that started, a few years ago, with a round of golf at Eagle Vines Golf Club in the Napa Valley. The Johnny Miller designed golf course is excellent, winding through working vineyards, over hilly terrain, and featuring some very nice holes including the signature, par three, 6th shown in the photograph. I still have the shirt I was forced to purchase in the pro-shop because the one I was wearing did not have a collar. And that is the end of the wine connection, although it is important to note that Eagle Vines only opened in 2004, just before I played it.

Later that summer I was playing with some friends at another great golf course (Loomis Trail in Northern Washington) and we started discussing, as golfers do, the merits of various golf courses we had played. I chipped in with a description of Eagle Vines but could not, for the life of me, remember the course's name. I was still trying to remember it - "Sorry guys, it'll come to me any minute!" - as I teed up on the next hole and topped my drive into a small clump of rushes beside a pond in front of the tee box.

After the others had teed off, we gathered around the rushes, delving for my ball. We failed to find it but we did find another one and here is the amazing part of this story. Emblazoned on the retrieved ball was the logo for Eagle Vines.

I could not believe it. It was one of those gob-smacking, mind-numbing moments when you ask yourself "Why didn't I buy a lottery ticket today?" I mean, what are the chances that someone else would get hold of a branded Eagle Vines golf ball in the year and a half it had been open, bring the ball all the way to Washington State, play Loomis Trail, and then lose the ball in that particular clump of rushes (which, let me tell you, requires a remarkably awful and difficult shot)?

We have to be talking billions to one, trillions maybe. If this had not been a story about a golf ball, you might even call it a miracle.

Oak Alternatives

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:11:00 -0700

A significant proportion of the wine produced around the world spends part of its life 'aging' in Oak barrels. Most of the oak used is either French or American and within these geographical categories, there are a number of different species of oak that are used with varying affects. I have always found it curious that we never read that a wine has been "Aged in chestnut for 12 months" and have a carried out a little research to find out why.

Apparently, coopers have experimented with other woods.

Acacia is used my many Austrian wineries with some success. I seems to me that I have actually tasted a wine which featured the use of Acacia barrels but, for the life of me, I cannot remember anything about the wine. I think it was Canadian.

Chestnut barrels have been tried in Beaujolais, Italy, and Portugal but the wood is very high in tannins and is also too porous. It requires a coating of paraffin to prevent excessive wine loss, which does not sound very appealing.

And in Chile, the use of Rauli wood is traditional but falling from grace.

So, it seems that other woods have been tried but not in very great variety. One wonders what would happen if the world's oak forests were affected in the same way that european Elms were by Dutch Elm Disease and Western Canada's Pine forests are by the pine beetle? Then, of course, there is the issue of sustainability. Oak is a very slow-growing hardwood and, as wine demand increases, will the industry be able to manage its oak resources appropriately?

Regardless, I think it is perhaps time the coopers of the world began re-investigating oak alternatives. Surely, there are other species of wood that would provide effective alternatives to oak? My first choice would be willow. With any luck, the wood's natural analgesic properties would carry over into the wine and enable the creation of the world's first wine with a built-in hangover cure.

Ze Frank

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:53:00 -0700

After a friend of mine posted this video on his blog - for no reason other than it's very interesting and more than a little inspiring - I explored the TED website a little and rediscovered Ze Frank.

If you remember, Ze first came to the attention of the general public with his "How to Dance Properly" video. Where was I going with this? Oh yes!

It struck me that Ze Frank is like a wine brand. For a while (a very short while in Frank's case) he struggled to find a voice, an expression of himself that would appeal to the general public. Then, almost accidentally, he found the formula and released a memorable vintage. Suddenly, distributors were interested and a fan base was created. He was able to sell his output and invest in increased production. Now, you might even compare him to a cult wine.

Personally, my experience with the Ze Frank was a little different though. I was fortunate enough to partake of the 'How to Dance Properly' vintage and, while I enjoyed it, I dismissed it as a one-off and forgot all about it. Years later I have accidentally come across it again and have been working my way through the subsequent vintages. Generally they are excellent ,although I have stumbled across a few of more dubious quality. I would have to say that I am looking forward to future releases and will keep a closer eye on Ze from now on.

It's a strange analogy (what is the derivation of this word by the way? Biology, Geology, Archeology - all obvious. Analogy...hmmmm) I know, but it's a good excuse to post the work of an innovative philosopher comedian so what the heck.

Drink Now or Hold?

Tue, 18 Mar 2008 08:50:00 -0700

In the film 'Sideways' Miles (played by Paul Giamatti) has in his possession a bottle of 1961 Cheval Blanc which he has been saving, presumably for some hoped for future perfect moment. He ends up quaffing the bottle from a styrofoam cup in a diner, pairing the $2000 wine with a burger and onion rings. It's a truly heartbreaking moment for any wine lover but one we may all be able to relate to.

On a trip to Bordeaux in 2003 I picked up a bottle of a lesser known Grand Cru St. Emillion, vintage 1986 (an excellent year for Bordeaux). I took every possible precaution to ensure it arrived in my meager cellar with the least amount of disturbance and saved it for another four years. Then, at the end of last year, my wife and I decided to celebrate moving into our new home. We rarely drink this kind of wine. It simply is not in our budget, so we were really looking forward to it but, to our immense disappointment, the wine had corked and was completely undrinkable.

Would it have been different if we had opened the bottle earlier? We will never know, but it does raise the question, is it better to save a special wine for a special occasion, or drink it right away?

Personally, I look at it this way. With an exceptional bottle of wine, there are essentially three elements to ones enjoyment of it. There is the expectation and anticipation of drinking it - a vaguely masochistic pleasure in my opinion. There is the actual drinking of it - a short-lived but intense pleasure. And finally, there is the memory of it. The lasting impression that the wine leaves with you.

I rank these pleasures as follows; Actually drinking the wine followed closely by the memory of drinking the wine. Lagging behind, far in the distance, choking on the cloud of dust thrown up by the drinking and memory of drinking, is the anticipation. So, from now on, I am resolved not to save special wines for any reason other than a suitable period of aging, and to drink them as quickly as possible to maximize the degree of pleasure I gain from them.

If you are not a masochist, you should do likewise. Would it not suck mightily to kick the bucket with a bottle of 1961 Cheval Blanc sitting in your wine cellar? Gasping your last breath as you vainly fumble for a corkscrew. Brrrr....it sends shivers down my spine.

So, this weekend I shall open a bottle of 2000 Chateau Margaux my wife bought me a few years ago (I will probably let her have a sip as I am a really nice guy). The opinions I have read on this wine suggest that it should be consumed from 2008-2018 so I say, bring it on and let's create some memories.

More Champagne. Less Crémant.

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 10:00:00 -0700

Today, I really wanted to write about Vinography....again. Alder's latest post about wine pairings is exceptional, not because of its viewpoint, which is widely held, but because it was Alder Yarrow writing it. Such candor from a noted wine writer and critic is commendable. Read it here as I am moving on.

When you think of the word 'branding' you likely conjure up one of two thoughts.

In the first, a wide prairie stretches to the horizon. The wind whistles through the grass and occasional patch of sage brush and, in a sheltered depression, a weathered cowboy stokes a small but intense fire with an iron brand. A few yards away two burly young men wrestle a protesting steer to the ground, eyes bulging and tongue lolling. The old man belies his age as he quickly covers the ground and stabs at the beast's rump. A cloud of rancid smoke billows as the sickening sizzle of red hot iron on warm flesh competes for attention with the terrified bellows of the stricken steer. And suddenly, it's all over. The young men leap to their feet and the animal staggers off to rejoin the herd.

In the other, you're driving down a city street. On the darkening horizon, the last glimmer of light from the setting sun stains a wisp of cloud an unearthly shade of pink. All around you the second dawn of the day arrives as neon signs light the sky to such an extent that you forget to turn on your headlights. You are immune to it now but the symbols are instantly recognizable; golden arches, a freckly girl with pig tails, a gigantic hamburger, a big yellow scallop, a crowned siren mermaid with twin tails. This is branding of an altogether different variety.

But this article is not about cowboys or fast food, it is about Champagne.

An article on the BBC website yesterday describes France's plan to expand the region in which Champagne can be produced. The Institut national de l'origine (INAO) are considering a list of villages outside of the current Champagne region and, on Thursday, will announce which ones are to be included. So, what does this have to do with branding?

First a little Champagne history. Ironically, bout 350 years ago an Englishman by the name of Christopher Merret documented the process now known as methodé champenoise in a paper submitted to the Royal Society. The process was adopted by the wine makers of Champagne and in 1891 they were granted exclusive use of the name by the Treaty of Madrid and a power brand was born.

Unlike most brands, Champagne is not owned by an individual or corporation. It is defined by a geographic region and anyone within that region can produce 'Champagne' if they follow the rules laid down by the Appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC). Over the centuries, Champagne has accrued a reputation as the premier sparkling wine and, accordingly, commands a premium price. Of all the appellations and wine growing regions in the world it is, by far, the most recognizable.

As consumers we broadly assume that a wine bearing the name Champagne will be a) expensive and b) better than other sparkling wines. But, if this quality is conferred on Champagne by strict adherence to process and geographic location why is it that the INAO can get away with arbitrarily adding to the region to allow the creation of greater quantities?

It is because we, the wine drinking public are completely in the thrall of the Champagne brand. When searching for a wine to celebrate a wedding anniversary for example, if presented with the choice between a delightful $14.00 Crémant (French sparkling wine made using the methodé champenoise) and an $80.00 Champagne made down the road using the same process and almost identical fruit, most of us will plump for the 'Real Thing'.

It is estimated that the landowners in the villages being added to the Champagne region, will see their land values increase from 5,000 euros per hectare to 1,000,000 euros per hectare. Another stunning example of brand power.

So, the good news is that there will now be more $80.00 champagne available and less $14.00 Crémant clogging the shelves, getting in the way of the really good stuff. Not that it's easy to find French Crémants in North America. There is no demand for them as they quite simply do not measure up to Champagne.

Aaaaarggghhh. Brand Power. I hate it.

Waiter, this wine smells of cat pee!

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 22:47:00 -0700

Yesterday, a friend sent me an article from the New Yorker about scents, and today, Alder Yarrow made mention of the same article in his blog, Vinography.

In his article, Alder posted his Aroma Card as a free download - a very magnanimous gesture and much appreciated by those of us trying to scratch up a little wine wisdom of our own. Alder's card includes no less than 224 different aromas. 224! Now, I do not doubt for one minute that Mr. Yarrow is capable of identifying all 224 of these different aromas/tastes but is it necessary, or even wise, to utilize such an inventory of descriptors?

This is one of the points made in the New Yorker article - you should probably read it if you have not already done so.

Do we really need to be able to differentiate between, on the good side, crabapple, unripe apple, green apple, red apple, golden apple and fuji apple, or would 'apple' suffice? And on the negative side, is a wine that reeks of cat pee less likely to entice us to savor it than one that smells like skunk?

I guess my point is that tasting notes seem often to be overly descriptive and practically meaningless to the vast majority of the population - or perhaps it is just me. I have no empirical data to support this supposition. I simply cannot empathize with florid descriptions that liken a wine's aroma to something I do not have an intimate knowledge of. For instance, what does peeled willow bark smell like? And, forgive my ignorance, but what exactly is umami?

Please do not get me wrong. This is not an attack on Mr. Yarrow's aroma card (I have printed one off and intend to start learning how to differentiate all 224 aromas therein), tasting notes or writing style. I hold Alder in the highest esteem. I simply wish the experts would sometimes describe wines a little more simply. In a way that allows me to sensualize (is that a word and , if so, does it mean what I think it should?) them without having to stick my head in the cat litter tray or crack open a fresh tin of exotic fruit salad.

And so, to make my point and a fool of myself, I shall supply my tasting notes for a bottle of cheap Cono Sur Viognier that I enjoyed yesterday.

Like eating grapefruit with a little icing sugar on top.

One Less Thing

Sun, 09 Mar 2008 07:59:00 -0700

Like all of you, I have in my head an unwritten list of things I would like to see or do before I die; play Augusta National, see a tornado, win an Academy Award. You know, a list of unlikely dreams and lofty ambitions coupled with a few things I keep telling myself I will get round to doing some day.

Well, last night (incidentally, my 18th wedding anniversary) I stumbled out of bed and dragged myself off to the kitchen to get some water with no idea that I was about to witness one of our planet's most amazing spectacles.

I could hear my wife's horse blowing and snorting in his stable (he does this when something is worrying him - the scent of a wolf or cougar perhaps) and I had heard something shuffling about in the woods earlier, so I went to the balcony and opened the door to see if I could hear anything.

I was greeted by absolute silence and the stunning visual feast known as Aurora Borealis. Now, for some people this is no big deal, they see the Northern Lights all the time, but for me it was a singular moment. I had never seen it before and now I was being treated to a cascading waterfall of greenish light, pulsing and throbbing, ebbing and flowing, wave after wave of light flashing across the sky one minute, and then receding to a diffuse glow the next.

It was truly awesome. I called my wife and Sherry and I spent a couple of hours watching the show, enjoying our anniversary gift from the heavens, before contentedly heading back to bed. Hopefully I will get to see the Northern Lights again but, if not, I can at least now claim to have seen the "Mirrie Dancers" at play and can cross "see Aurora Borealis" off my Bucket List.

The Remarkable Circumstances Surrounding the Death of the Acrobat

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:09:00 -0700

As a young man, Pedro “the Acrobat” Rodriguez had been a star of the Mexican bullfighting world. Lithe and agile, he had the ability to leap over a charging bull and pierce the poor, confused beast before his feet even touched the sand. It was a remarkable feat, but one that would eventually lead to his downfall. In 1963, in front of 43,000 screaming fans at the Plaza de Toros Mexico, Pedro slipped at the critical moment and, milliseconds later, was struck by 1200lbs of enraged bovine.

After being separated from the sand of the arena floor, Pedro spent six months in hospital but never fully recovered. He limped badly and his body took on a decidedly slumped aspect. He hung around the bullfighting scene for a few years but, as a physical reminder of every matador’s worst nightmare, he was widely shunned.

In the early 80’s, after too many years working as a janitor for the mayor of a small town near Tijuana, Pedro crossed the border into California and moved north with the harvest. Unexpectedly, he discovered in himself an excellent grape picker, able to harvest grapes at a speed that belied his physical disharmony. After a couple of seasons, the winery offered him a full-time position and Pedro eagerly accepted.

The pace of winery life suited Pedro. There was always something to do and the job changed throughout the year, relieving any possibility of boredom. The years had slowly passed; a succession of glorious summers, hectic harvests, and relaxed winters. Upon reaching his 60th birthday, the winery manager had suggested Pedro consider retirement or, at least, leave the heavier work for the younger men. So Pedro spent less time among the vines and in the warehouse and adopted certain specific tasks that suited his physical condition. One of these tasks, and the one he relished the most, was that of controlling the fruit flies that invaded the winery every harvest.

Accustomed to the heat of battle as he was, Pedro did not object to his unique job at the winery. To Pedro, the annual battle against the fruit flies would transport him back to his youth and the Plaza de Toros in Mexico City. Each morning, he would stride manfully into the winery’s cavernous fermentation room and, with the roar of the crowd in his ears, launch his fearsome attack on the army of flies. His methods were varied and ingenious in execution. He used a variety of tools, from vacuum cleaners to swatters, each one commanding a specific niche in his performance. And, at the end of the day, a tired but contented warrior would retreat from the field, savoring the battle ended but relishing the following day’s recommencement.

In the fall of 2007 Pedro’s War, as everyone now called it, came to an abrupt end.

It was a typically warm morning in Northern California. The songbirds were greeting the arrival of the sun with typical vigor and Pedro smiled as he crossed the empty courtyard. He had a special surprise for the enemy this morning - a newly purchased, low-resistance swatter - and he was relishing the thought of breaking it in. Fumbling with his keys for a moment, Pedro cursed his gnarled old hands, and wished he was a few years younger. As he reflected on a life that could have been a great deal worse, he flipped the keys in his hand and finally located the one he was seeking.

Upon entering the building, Pedro did not at first notice the complete lack of flies. Drosophila is a very quiet and very small fly, remarkable more for its abundance than its individual characteristics. Turning on the lights, Pedro began a more detailed inspection of the facility and it soon began to dawn on him that something was wrong. There were no flies. None. He searched around the massive stainless steel vats, the grape press, and the stacked barrels but found nothing. With mounting confusion Pedro walked over to a work bench and grabbed a flashlight from a drawer. Perhaps a more careful examination would reveal the enemy’s whereabouts.

It was as he scanned the area beneath one of the fermentation tanks that Pedro first sensed his impending doom. From behind and above him came the smallest of sounds, the slightest susurration, a tiniest movement of air as one million pairs of miniscule wings beat in unison. Turning slowly, as the gentle hum became a roar, Pedro shone the flashlight up into the rafters of the building. Realization dawned slowly and the first flies were halfway up his nose before he grasped what was happening. Within seconds, Pedro was on the floor, his frantic screams stifled by the thousands of tiny insects invading his mouth, his nose, his ears, and his eyes.

The struggle did not last long. Suffocation is a slow death that a massive coronary saved Pedro from. He shuddered and went limp, and slowly, the flies dissipated. They crawled up his throat and out of his nose, shook themselves and flew away. Within minutes, and well before anybody else arrived on the scene, there was not a single fruit fly on Pedro’s prone personage.

And so, with the roar of the crowd filling his head, the remarkable Pedro “The Acrobat” Rodriguez passed from the world and moved on to greater things. The coroner correctly identified the cause of death as ‘myocardial infarction’ but failed completely to identify the cause of Pedro’s cause of death. Nobody would have believed him if he had.

I hate politics

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 21:57:00 -0700

I have spent the last 4 or 5 hours packaging up copies of my short film - A Nice Cup of Tea - for submission to film festivals, while watching CNN's coverage of Not-So-Super Tuesday. More on my film in later blogs.

What a night! John McCain wins the Republican nomination and Hilary rises from the ashes to resurrect her flagging campaign. I was pretty sure Obama had it in the bag but now I am not so sure.

I guess we shall see what happens over the next few months but personally, I think the candidates need to debate some of the really important issues. I mean, who really cares about the war in Iraq, universal healthcare, and the economy? I want to know what Hilary thinks about French vs American Oak. And what exactly IS Senator Obama's position on corks vs screwcaps?

But seriously, there are big issues that affect the wine industry. Immigration for one. It is not exactly a secret that the wine industry relies heavily on immigrant (legal and illegal) labor so it will be interesting to see how this situation evolves over the next few years. Both democrat candidates have focused on NAFTA. Will this have any affect on the wine industry? And of course, the economy. With a major recession looming, will people cut back on wine purchases or will we just start buying more!

So, I think it's time that Clinton and Obama address a block of voters that have hitherto been ignored. The group I like to call 'Winers'.

I love politics.

The cost of free shipping

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 08:56:00 -0700

FREE Shipping! Sounds great doesn't it? But is there really such a thing? I spent some time yesterday debating the issue with Tom Wark on his most excellent blog, Fermentation. Tom made some great points and I thought it was a subject worth exploring a little more thoroughly.

Firstly, I should make it clear that neither Stoney Creek Wine Press or Custom Wine Source offer "free" shipping at the present time. All of our products are priced fairly and in accordance with sound business practices. We provide an excellent level of customer service, an exceptional product, and great turnaround time at a price that enables us to make a modest profit. Our shipping rates reflect our actual shipping costs.

So, when you see a company offering 'free' shipping, what exactly does this mean? Are you really receiving something for 'free'? The answer is usually 'No'. The following are all reasons why a business might offer 'free' shipping;

1. Their product prices include an allowance for shipping. In other words, you have already paid for the shipping charge in the price of the product so the 'free' shipping is not really free at all.

2. The product you are buying is one the seller is trying to get rid of. Instead of putting the item on sale they offer an alternative incentive in the form of 'free' shipping.

3. There is a hidden agenda. The business is purchasing your patronage for the price of free shipping. They may be building a customer database or buying market share, and are hoping to acquire your future loyalty and patronage. This is often the case with large, equity funded organizations. There goal is to corner the market by undercutting smaller firms and forcing them out of business, much like the supermarkets and big-box stores do with small retailers.

4. The seller is offering 'free' shipping as a form of discount. The theory is that many consumers would rather have 'free' shipping than an equivalent discount. For some reason it seems like a better deal to many people (my wife included).

5. 'Free' shipping is often offered as an incentive to purchase more product. Spend $X and receive 'free' shipping on your entire order. It is similar to the 'Buy two, get one free' offer you so often see. I cannot count the number of times I have come out of a book store with the book i really wanted, another one I was vaguely interested in, and a third one I have no idea why I purchased. Oh, and having spent twice what I originally planned on spending.

So, while 'free' shipping is real in a sense, and can offer you the opportunity to score a bargain, bear in mind that there is always a hidden cost behind it. It does not mean 'free' shipping is a bad thing, it can just be a little misleading.

Coping with a recession

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 12:32:00 -0700

A quick glance at the financial section of your daily newspaper, CNN, or any number of financial blogs reveals a stark picture of the North American economy. We are, if not already in one, heading for a global recession and it is time to act.

The traditional North American response to financial meltdown is to cry in our beer, but we need a better solution than this. In a year when change is sweeping across the US like a Zamboni machine across an ice rink, picking up the detritus of the past and well, (I'm not really sure what a Zamboni machine does with the ice bits so the metaphor breaks down a little here...but you get the picture) making things shiny again, we need a new approach, a fresh vision.

Don't cry in your beer, cry in your wine!

I know it's almost a radical departure from the old ways, I know it's hard to get your head around this type of progressive thinking, but if we can all cry and drink together, we can make a difference.

In fact, the raw passion of my writing is inducing a few tears, so I think I will polish off that bottle of Pratesi Locorosso that I opened last night (velvety smooth with an amazing chocolaty finish - seriously, I think they must have thrown a few Dairy Milk bars into the barrel).

It may not actually help the economy but I will certainly feel better afterwards.

Aficionada

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:38:00 -0700

The last time I reviewed a website (and let's face it, Blogs are websites), I got a little carried away. After giving the site a good keyboard lashing, I awarded it a paltry 25 out of a possible 100 points. I upset a lot of people completely unconnected with the site in question and, eventually, withdrew the review entirely.

Well, this review is not going to be like that Brooke (author), so you can relax.

Afficionada is a blog in the true journal style. It is relatively new (I found it as a result of a comment made on Alder Yarrow's excellent Vinography) but has a great deal of promise.

While it does include some serious subject matter, Afficionada (Brooke's explanation of the name; "AficioNADA, as in I know nada. zero. zip zilch") is decidedly light-hearted, reminding me of the writings of Helen Fielding and Erma Bombeck. Ostensibly, it is all about food and wine, but really it is about life in Napa, which of course, is all about food and wine. Read the blog, you'll see what I mean.

Afficionada divulges good information with wit and gentle sarcasm. It is the type of writing I aspire to which is another reason I wish it long life and happiness. Cheers Brooke. Keep up the good work.

CarbonFree Shipping

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 16:00:00 -0700

Early last year our company initiated a policy designed to eliminate its carbon footprint by the end of the year.

Some of the steps we took were the simple ones that all businesses and individuals can. We started switching all of our incandescent bulbs for highly efficient, compact fluorescents, our fax machines and printers now all use paper made from 100% post consumer waste, and we changed our thermostat settings to conserve energy. In addition, we established exactly which of our waste products could be recycled and implemented a more aggressive recycling program.

We are now at the stage where we need to establish our remaining carbon emmissions and purchase offsets to establish true carbon neutrality. This should be in place in the next few months.

In addition to this, as of January 1st, 2008, we now offset carbon emissions on all wine and label shipments. To achieve this, we partnered with www.carbonfund.org who offer a unique carbon offset program for shippers of all kinds of products.

Offsets are not a perfect solution, but they do help.

The next time you purchase products online, and have it shipped to you, ask about Carbon Free Shipping.

Wine and Cheese

Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:54:00 -0700

Wine and cheese. They go together like, well, wine and cheese. Everybody knows that! But you know, I am really not so sure. I have a tough time pairing wine and cheese and I sometimes wonder if we simply assume they go well together - let's call it the French Connection. It's hard not to think of France without evoking images of crusty baguettes, red wine, and rich creamy cheeses. So, they must go together, right? No, I really don't know.

I love Brie. It is my favorite cheese and supermarket deli managers across the country hate me for it. A nice, squishy, ripe Brie cannot be beat but you really have to grope it in order to establish its desirability - hence the ire of local Deli managers.

I love Brie but I find it hard to pair wine with. I have not found a red wine I like with Brie (although Port pretty much works with any cheese in my opinion). Is it socially acceptable to admit this? I even find white wines difficult. I usually plump for a nice Sauvignon Blanc - I always pick Sauvignon Blanc don't I? - but I am not sure it's really a perfect match.

It's not like eating a big, fat, juicy steak, and pairing it with a fat, juicy Cab.It seems more complex than that, and if anyone can educate me, and show me which wines I should be pairing with Brie, and other cheeses, I would be eternally grateful.

Will you marry me Fred?

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 11:03:00 -0700

Every now and then somebody orders a unique label for a unique purpose. This is the first part of story like this.

Wilma (not her real name) was chatting with her mum about her long-standing boyfriend, Fred (not his real name). The conversation went something like this.

Wilma: "We keep talking about marriage Mum, but Fred just won't pop the question. I think he is too nervous perhaps."

Mum: "Well dear, it's a leap year coming up. There is an ancient tradition that, in 15th century Ireland, St. Bridget asked St. Patrick if he would allow women to propose. St. Patrick thought about this and decided that it would be okay for women to propose on one day in each leap year, the 29th day of February."

Wilma: "I love you mum. You're the greatest!"

Fast forward a couple of months and a this label order crosses my desk.

I spoke with Wilma about her idea. Apparently both her and Fred are avid wine drinkers and Wilma thought that a bottle of custom labeled wine would be a an appropriate way to propose. This way, no matter what her adrenalin level is like, she won't risk making a hash of the words -"Fred, will you marinate me?", or "mmmmmmm, errrrrrr, Fred, I errrrrrr, isn't this a lovely restaurant?".

Will Wilma go through with it? Will Fred run screaming for the hills, his fear of commitment clutched tightly to his pounding chest? Time will tell, but I have a hunch everything will turn out the way it should. Wilma is 95% sure that Fred will answer in the affirmative and I certainly wish her the best of luck.

Watch this space in early March for the conclusion to this story!

My name is Richard and I am a Nintendo addict

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 23:27:00 -0700

My last blog post was two days ago but I have a good excuse. I finally beat Mario Galaxy on the Wii! After, I don't know, a thousand hours of playing perhaps? I collected all 120 stars and have unlocked Luigi which is pretty cool. Incidentally, I think the toughest level has to be "Luigi's Coins" although several others come close. Why am I telling you this? In a wine blog! I am so sad. More wine stuff on Monday, I promise.

Good night.

GiftTrapped

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 13:38:00 -0700

A Few years ago, Nick Kellet moved to Kelowna, British Columbia from the UK. Formerly a software developer, Nick had an idea for a board game and made the bold step of launching GiftTrap. The game, which is all about giving and receiving gifts, has proven to be extremely popular, garnering numerous industry awards and accolades. Last week Nick contacting me to see if we would like to be featured as a gift idea in the game (a case of custom labeled wine). A little research revealed that this is a great game which actually teaches you something about that trickiest of problems. Finding the perfect gift.

For more information about the game, check out the video and visit the website at www.gifttrap.com.

You can purchase the game through our website at www.stoneycreekwinepress.com (it is listed under "Other Products") for $29.99.

And finally, if you have a great gift idea that might work for the game, contact Nick directly at 1-250-448-4906.

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Do moose like grapes?

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 10:08:00 -0700

It has been snowing for a couple of days and this article is somewhat resultant from that. Firstly, i started to wonder what would be the coldest climate in which you could grow grapes. And then, yesterday, I shot some footage of a cow moose as she made her way across our property and up into the forested ridge that separates us from the next bay in the lake. As she made her way cautiously through the snow, she reached up and nibbled on a spruce branch. Thoughts converged and I started to ponder a question that has not troubled any great minds for centuries. Do moose like grapes?

A little research reveals that grapes are grown in moose territory all over North America, even in Whitehorse, capital city of the Yukon. A place that, according to Wikipedia, recorded a temperature of -52°C in January 1947.

So, moose and grapes. They cohabit in some regions of North America and there is plenty of evidence suggesting a connection - There is the moose at Inniskillin, Michael Skurnik's Big Moose Red Syrah, and of course, the 3 Blind Moose Winery in Woodbridge, California. But has anyone actually seen a moose eating grapes?

Perhaps this spring I will plant a vine or two on south facing slope and see what happens.

Moose Photo courtesy of Fort Photo

A little wine history

Sun, 27 Jan 2008 20:38:00 -0700

Back in September I wrote my first blog entry and received ZERO responses. Actually, that's not entirely true. My mother, bless her heart, posted a quick response reminding me to call her more often. It seemed a little sad to have only one comment and for that to be from my own mum, so I quickly removed it. Anyway, since then, I have been somewhat less than prolific in my blogging efforts and my reward had been a deafening silence. Until now.

Last week a gentleman by the name of Jens Göttart sent me this email from Germany.

Dear Richard,

because of your inspirating going-in-love with wine labels, here my label-story:

My familiy owned an old winehouse in Rüdesheim am Rhein, Rheingau, Germany (DILTHEY, SAHL & CO., 1815-1969). One day, I found a lot of 19th -Century merchant-labels at the company's archiv, printed by SCHOTT (Mainz) and other local printers. After that, a lot of collectors contacted me and I met some very nice people from all arround the world; so, for example, this month, the label-artist Valentino ordered special old labels to include them in his currently working (a scene from "Götterdämmerung"). Or Brigitta Grönlund, svedish Graphic Designer, who in August 2007 ask's for wine labels of the 1930's, to have an inspiration with her special design for the red and white house wine of the Gothenburg Synfoni Orcestras restaurant...

Those contacts are my experiences with labels.

My favorite label is "1826er Demoiselle Sonntag", the first "fan-label" of the world I think, printed arround 1830 and mentioning a famous German Opera Singer of this time (Henriette Sonntag). This and other decorativ examples see attached.

Enjoy it!

Jens Göttert

The images that Jens sent are posted at the bottom of this Blog and make fascinating viewing for any wine label afficionado. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jens for sharing these labels with me and, thus, you. I would also like to thank him for doubling my number of comments!

To see more of Jens' amazing wine labels, click on the names below.

Dreika
Jette
Johannisberger Klaus
Kaisersekt
Kaiserwein
LoreleySect
Moselbraut
Mouton Rothschild
Orlean
RH Dilthey
Rottla
Rudesheimer
Sanfranc
Werbepappe

Wine and Weddings

Thu, 17 Jan 2008 10:16:00 -0700

Have you ever been to wedding without wine? I have not. It is one of the essentials and, with the advent of custom labeling, wine has taken an even more prominent position in this most important of celebrations. The following list itemizes some of the many ways to use custom labeled wine and details some important considerations when selecting your wine and labels.

The Rehearsal Dinner

Traditionally hosted by the groom's family, the rehearsal dinner generally involves the bridal party, immediate family members and, sometimes, out-of-town guests. It can be formal or informal but is often a fairly relaxed affair. Custom labeled wine can be used at the dinner (especially for themed events) and also makes a perfect gift for members of the bridal party.

The Wedding Reception

All receptions involve the quaffing of large amounts of alcohol. And much of this alcohol will take the form of red, white, and sparkling wine. Wine selections for weddings should be simple and appeal to a broad range of tastes. A Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon for the red, a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc perhaps for the white. Generally, you should count on supplying at least half a bottle of wine per guest and split the wines between red, white, and sparkling, depending on your menu. Your labels should be a celebration of the wedding. They do not necessarily need to match your table decorations, but they should not conflict with them. Many couples use their custom labeled wine as table markers, identifying the table number right on the wine bottle, thus saving table space. Adding a photograph of the happy couple is a nice touch, although a simple, elegant typographic label is perhaps the most elegant way to go.

Wedding Favors

It is quite common for couples to give small gifts to their wedding guests, commonly known as favors. These gifts vary in cost and take a multitude of forms. Custom labeled wine has become a very popular choice for wedding favors as it can carry a highly customized message, has longevity (it can be kept and used to celebrate a 1st anniversary for example. Chocolate coated almonds or a tin of mints don't quite have the same appeal), and is appreciated by almost everyone. Many couples opt for the small 187ml bottles as favors, although there is a growing trend towards full-sized bottles. They cost about twice as much as the 187ml bottles but one bottle per couple is perfectly acceptable and can be enjoyed by the recipients, both for it's beauty and functionality.

Wedding Gifts

From the guest's perspective, finding the perfect wedding gift can sometimes be a problem. If the couple in question are wine lovers consider a gift of custom labeled wine. Personalize the label with a personal message or, perhaps, a photograph of the couple at a special moment in their courtship. A single bottle or, perhaps, a white and red pairing works well. But, for serious wine lovers, give their wine cellar a great start with a whole case of wine.

As you can see, there are many ways to introduce custom labeled wine to your wedding. Whether you use one, or all of them, your guests will truly appreciate the extra effort you have made on their behalf.

Kokanee on ice

Sat, 24 Nov 2007 11:01:00 -0700

I was sitting in my home office this morning, one eye on my notebook and the other on the lake outside my window. It is almost December and the lake is starting to freeze but there are still some clear areas.

As I gaze blankly at the ice sheet, a small Kokanee leaps from the water and lands on the ice shelf. As it flops about on the ice, I get to my feet. Should I try and rescue it or perhaps grab it and have it for dinner? It's been a month or so since I had one, so I'm giving this idea some serious consideration when a bald eagle sweeps into view from the right. I know what's coming and watch helplessly as it scoops up the flopping salmonid and takes it back to its perch - at least HALF A MILE away!

So, no kokanee for me, but if I had been a lot quicker and the eagle a little more myopic, what wine could I have enjoyed with it? Here are my five recommendations for salmon and trout.

1. Sauvignon Blanc - my personal favorite
2. Champagne (or any good, dry sparkling wine) - I am always surprised how few people drink sparkling wines on a regular basis.
3. Riesling - a slightly sweeter option
4. Pinot Noir - probably your best bet for a red wine, especially when barbecuing salmon
5. Chardonnay - works really well if you are planning to smother your fish in a cream sauce

Hangin' at the Chartreuse Moose

Thu, 15 Nov 2007 08:46:00 -0700

So, here I am, on location at the Chartreuse Moose waiting for my car to get fixed. It's been an interesting few days with a windstorm, a two and half day power outage, a brief blizzard and host of minor occurrences. But right now.....A comfy chair, a delicious breakfast burrito and a steaming hot mocha. Ahhhhhhh......life is good.

Munch...munch....crunch...slurp....burp.

Okay, breakfast over..I am replete and I need something substantial to write about so how about this. My Top 10 food pairings - sort of. I know this is a wine related blog so I apologize for the lack of wine pairings but, frankly, it's my list so I will put what I want in the top 10. In no particular order:

1. Apple pie and ice cream - fresh from the oven with a perfect crust, firm apple slices, a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg, coupled with creamy vanilla ice cream.

2. Beef tenderloin (preferably Angus) with Stilton butter. Wow! If you are a carnivore like me, you've got to love this one. Obviously, a robust Cab would complete this combination. There you go, I mentioned a wine.

3. Melton Mowbray pork pie with Colman's mustard and dry toast. Many of you will not be familiar with Melton Mowbray pork pies but, take my work for it, this is a delicious treat from heart of the Midlands in the UK.

4. Canadian Vidal or Riesling Ice Wine with chocolate profiteroles (or whatever your favorite dessert is), on the couch in front of a roaring fire on a snowy evening, with a loved one. Life does not get any better than this.

5. Bacon and eggs with a steaming hot cup of strong, sweet tea. I guess you can tell I am not a vegeterian? If there is a wine that you think should be drunk with this, you probably need professional help, but I would like to hear it anyway.

6. Crab cakes and Sauvignon Blanc (I particularly enjoy New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blancs like Kim Crawford). I don't know if this is the kind of pairing that would pass muster with a true connoisseur, but I love it and it's another wine pairing so what the heck.

7. Fresh Kokanee (Not the beer you plonker! It's a land-locked Sockeye salmon) barbecued, and served with new potatoes, stir-fried vegetables and this mango, tomato salady thing that Derrick's (my business partner) fiancee makes. I have no idea what else goes in it, but boy is it good! Serve with a nice Pinot Grigio perhaps.

8. Something vegetarian...hmmmmmm....how about veggie samosas with chick peas as served at Vij's and it's little brother Rangoli. Delicious, like everything else these fine restaurants serve.

9. Pellegrino with freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice. It beats any kind of pop hands down and has no sugar or artificial sweeteners of any kind. Healthy and refreshing.

10. Strawberries and milk chocolate fondue. Oh, this would be good with ice wine too! Or, you could try it with a nice port perhaps.

I would love to hear your favorite flavor combinations so let me know what I've missing and I will try them out.

Gifted

Mon, 05 Nov 2007 22:25:00 -0700

It's something I have known for a long time and people seem to be catching on. In her book "Gifted - 1000 Gift Ideas for Everyone in Your Life", Sarah Weidman has created the first gift guide organized by recipient's personality type, and we're in it (smiley face here)! On page 14, Weidman asserts that Custom labeled wine makes a great anniversary gift and she's right, it does. But think about it, custom labeled wine also makes an excellent wedding gift, birthday present, or Christmas gift. Custom labeled wine is ideal for celebrating graduations, real estate and business transactions, grand openings, divorces, births and even deaths if you are that way inclined. What other gift is this flexible? I cannot think of a single one (I would love to hear your ideas on this - A $50.00 gift certificate to the first person to present another gift that works for all of these occasions). And before anyone suggests it, flowers are good but you'd feel pretty cheap showing up at a wedding reception clutching a bunch of Gerbers. No, custom labeled wine is the ultimate gift. It works for both sexes, all ethnicities, and most religions, although it is generally considered a bad choice for celebrating the completion of a drug and alcohol rehab program. I guess that's enough horn-blowing. I think you get the message. Sorry for babbling. It's been a long day.

"Gifted: 1000 Gift Ideas for Everyone in Your Life" by Sarah Weidman is a Perigee Trade Paperback Original. ISBN: 0-399-53299-4

10 things...

Mon, 08 Oct 2007 21:27:00 -0700

1. Prince Michel winery is owned and operated by Terry and Kristin Holzman. These two lovely people make their home at beautiful Ivy Creek Farm, which produces some of the best Viognier in the United States. Lovely wine, lovely people. What more can I say?

2. Prince Michel produces over 40,000 cases of wine each year using grapes from several different sources. In addition to the fruit from the Holzman's Ivy Creek Farm property, the winery also sources fruit from several local producers as well as from California and Washington. The winery's production is marketed under two distinct brands; Rapidan River and Prince Michel.

3. Prince Michel's winemaker is Brad Hansen. Brad cut his teeth (is that the correct phrase for a winemaker? Perhaps it should be something like 'cured his nose' or 'pickled his taste buds') at two of Washington state's premier wineries, Chateau St. Michelle and Columbia Crest, before accepting a position at Chateau Elan in Georgia. Over 250 awards later, Brad moved to Prince Michel and has been the winemaker there since 2000. Under Brad's expert guidance, Prince Michel wines have garnered over 400 awards.

4. Located between the Blue Ridge and the Shenadoah Mountains, a few miles south of Culpepper and less than an hour north of Charlottesville, Prince Michel is right in the heart of Civil War country. It is a theory of mine that their are more Civil War battle markers within 10 miles of the winery than there are road signs.

5. Prince Michel recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary.

6. Prince Michel's home state of Virginia was one of the the first US states to produce wine commercially, undoubtedly driven by America's founding father, Virginia native and the leading wine connoisseur of his generation, President Thomas Jefferson.

7. Prince Michel is an anagram of Pencil Mincer

8. Occasionally, people writing blogs like this will throw in other bits of pointless trivia. I think it is because they lack imagination and are not very good at their job.

9. Prince Michel recently invested in a considerable upgrade to its wine making facility.The upgrade includes a new 16-ton wine press, a new bottling facility, and four new 4500 gallon wine tanks.

10. In 2007 Prince Michel launched "Labels for a Cause", a unique way for non-profit organizations to raise money through the sale of specially labeled Prince Michel wines. For more information contact Terry Holzman at 1-800-800-9463.

11. (Well, 8 did not really count, did it?) Earlier this year, Prince Michel was added to the Monticello Wine Trail, an organization dedicated to promoting the wineries of the Monticello Viticultural Area, the "Birthplace of American Wine".

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 19:00:00 -0700

I'm not absolutely positive that Elizabeth Barrett Browning was thinking of wine when she wrote these immortal words. In fact, if i am totally honest, I am quite sure she was not.

However, wine has inspired poets and playwrights, writers, wits, and commentators of all kinds, and it is with this hope at the forefront of my mind, and a bottle of fermented grape juice on the desk beside me, that I sit down to create this missive. Hopefully the wine will fuel my creative juices and make this blog worth reading. You be the judge.

I love wine. I love the way it looks, the way it smells, the way it tastes, and the way, if I drink enough of it, it makes me slur my speech and fall over. I love vineyards, their serene beauty during the growing season and the frenetic activity that invades them during the harvest. I love the musty smell of fermentation and oak barrels, and the the convivial atmosphere of the tasting rooms. But most of all, I love wine labels

(At this point you have probably figured out that the whole "I love wine labels" thing is all just a barrel of hooey designed to set up the rest of the story. And, of course, you'd be right but I really don't care. This is my first blog and it's okay if it's awful and cheesy. Please keep reading).

A wine label should define the wine within. It must describe the wine in practical, analytical terms, and it should lay down a visual marker for the consumer that they can easily identify with the wine within. It should tell the wine's story. Some wine labels do this with a style and refinement that has remained constant for decades like those of Chateau Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux, or Penfolds in Australia.

Others achieve memorability, and notoriety, with labels of a distinctly offbeat style such as Nova Wines of Napa, California (home of Marilyn Merlot) and the Fat Bastard family of wines distributed in the US by the Click Wine Group. Whatever you think of the wine within, these wine labels stick in your mind and provide a memorable reminder of something that is actually defined by its taste and smell, and only to a very limited degree, by its visual presence.

So, what is the point of this, my first foray into the world of blogging? Well, I would like to know about your experiences with wine labels? Perhaps you have a favorite wine label, one that truly defined the wine within. Perhaps you have a story of a wine label that got it all completely wrong, that offended you or made you laugh. Perhaps there is even a wine label in your life that has a special significance? There is one in mine and it's this one.

In the summer of 1994 the wine-on-premise industry was really starting to gain momentum in British Columbia. I had reason to visit one of these establishments and decided to give it a try. My knowledge of wine at the time was extremely limited so the proprietor (I will call him Billy-Bob) suggested I start with a White Zinfandel. It sounded okay so I mixed my juice and yeast in a big plastic bucket and left the shop. Six weeks later I returned to bottle my wine and asked Billy-Bob if he had any labels that I could apply to my newly bottled wine. Billy-Bob led me over to a display rack and pointed out a couple of White Zinfandel labels. Believe it or not, I chose the nice one. Fast forward a few months. The wine has been sitting in my garage "aging" and my good friend Derrick and his fiancee are over for dinner. My wife and I decide that now would be a good time to try it out. I bring out the bottle, serve the wine, and we all get stuck in to the White Zinfandel - it's pink, it's slightly sweet, it's not very good, but it IS an alcoholic beverage! After a few glasses, it starts to taste better and Derrick (an accomplished graphic designer by the way) grabs a bottle and peers at the label. "Boy" he says - I admit, I'm paraphrasing here - "this sure is an ugly mother!". I agree with him and, in a moment of rashness, reply along the lines of "Hey, we could do a better job than that. Perhaps we should go into business?". And, nine months later, we gave birth to beautiful, bouncing limited company. We named it Stoney Creek Wine Press and the rest, I'll tell you about another day.

So, there you go, a wine label that launched a company. What did your wine label do?

Richard Smith is the Managing Director of Stoney Creek Wine Press and he has no particular feelings about White Zinfandel.