Wine and Raw Oysters - Yum!

There are some definite benefits to working at Balaban's.
Take yesterday, for example.
A customer here gets a dozen oysters for lunch.
Rather than impulsively grab one off his plate while he's not looking, I decide instead to buy a dozen for myself for dinner that night.
So that's what I did.
And here's something that most of you don't know about me:
I'm a very good shucker!
Yep. It's all in the wrist.
I know they're not for everyone, but, for me, there is nothing like fresh raw oysters.
I taste that fresh, clean, briny deliciousness, and I feel as though I become one with the ocean. And my wife, Judy, likes them even better than I do!
The right wine takes the experience to a whole new level.
For the past 18 years, Taylor Shellfish Farms in Shelton WA has been hosting The Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition. Last year, the judges were asked what they wanted from their oyster wines.
Here are some of their responses:
"Refreshing", "Brisk and clean", "No vanilla or butter", "Light and fresh", "Steely", "Crisp and flinty", "Minerally".
I'll go along with all that.
Unfortunately, there aren't too many places in St. Louis where I trust the quality of the raw oysters. Balaban's, of course, is one. Two others that come to mind are Annie Gunns and Demun Oyster Bar. I'm sure there are more places too. 
So, what wines with oysters - raw oysters?
Pinot Gris or Pinot Grigio, unoaked Chardonnay, like Chablis, French Sauvignon Blanc, like Sancerre, Chenin Blanc, Muscadet and Champagne or other dry sparkling wine.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

Dog Days of Summer Wines

The "dog days" of summer are here.
Not the best of times for the wine business. Sometimes I think that the only ones thinking about wine right now are those of us in the industry.
It's all perfectly understandable.
It's HOT out there. People are taking vacations and going away on the weekends. 
Kids are home from school and need attention.
Beer takes on greater importance.
And on and on.
But I'm going to try and get you all to think about wine - even if it's for just a little while.
My dog day wines are light, crisp, refreshing, "smile inducing" and reasonably priced.
Here are five of my favorites. All available at Balaban's:
2013 Drylands Sauvignon Blanc - $15
2013 Sineann Pinot Grigio- $22
2013 Renegade Rose' - $14
2013 Meiomi Chardonnay - $22
2013 Saracco Moscato (slightly sweet bubbly) - $18
Even though I drink red wines in the summer, actually year round, I couldn't bring myself to select a red as a "summer" wine - it just wasn't working for me.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

Bad doggy!

Tough Pairing - Wine and fresh tomatoes

Pretty soon.

Pretty soon I will be eating my favorite food of summer.

Tomatoes.
Fresh, succulent, juicy, ripe home grown tomatoes. I love them - and really miss them when the season is over.
But pairing wine with fresh tomatoes can be a challenge. Here are some rules I follow:
No red wine
Even the lightest reds overpower the tomato's delicate flavors, and big tannic reds like Cabernet Sauvignon clash terribly with the tomato's acidity
No oaky, buttery Chardonnays
Once again, the tomato's acid clashes with the oak.
No overly acidic whites
A little acid is okay, but, choose a highly acidic wine and you're left with one big "acid fest". This probably rules out most Chablis, Champagne and Italian whites.
I've had great success sticking to fruity, lightly acidic whites and rose' wines - both still and sparkling.
The rose's in particular go well with your classic caprese' salad.
Here are some wines I've enjoyed with my tomatoes - all available at Balaban's.
Still Wine
2013 Naia Verdejo - $16
2013 Elk Cove Pinot Gris - $20
2013 La Manarine Cotes du Rhone Rose' - $16
Sparkling Wine
Flor Prosecco - $20
Schramsberg Mirabelle Brut Rose' - $24

Have a great weekend and a fantastic 4th of July!

Tom

Favorite Wines of the Year - So Far

We are nearing the half way point of 2014.
Hard to believe.
So I thought I would wander the isles of the Balaban's wine racks, and see what my favorites have been so far this year.
All in all, it's been a great year for value wines - especially Pinot Noir from California and Oregon.
All the wines below are still available here, so, if you want to give any a try, please stop by.

Value Wines
2012 Annabella Chardonnay - $16
2012 La Scolca Gavi - $17
2011 Chapoutier Bila Haut Cotes du Rousillan (red blend) - $13

Upper Level Wines
2012 Roar Pinot Noir - $44
2007 Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape - $48
2008 Egelhoff Cabernet Sauvignon - $75

Here's to more great wines in the second half of the year.
Have a great weekend!

Tom

Wine and Food? Or is it Food and Wine?

What came first, the chicken or the egg?
I.  Don't.  Know.
What came first, the food or the wine?
Most of the time, it's the food. And then a decision is made on an appropriate wine pairing.
But if you're like me, sometimes you're craving a particular wine and then the food follows.
Here are some basic guidelines:

• Rich whites like oaky/buttery Chardonnay or Burgundy: Meatier “other white” meats like pork, veal and chicken, in richly flavorful sauces.

• Crisp whites like Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, Pinot Grigio or Verdelho, and most sparkling wines: Foods with matching degrees of acidity, such as seviches, or salads in mildly sharp vinaigrettes, or mixed with sharp/earthy cheeses like goat cheese or feta.

• Slightly sweet, spicy and fruity whites like Riesling, Viognier and Gewürztraminer: Seafoods prepared with slightly sweet, sour, salty, and even spicy-hot sauces and ingredients.

• Soft reds like Pinot Noir, Grenache, and lighter styles of Zinfandel or Merlot: Soft but meaty textured, full flavored red fish, like salmon and tuna.

• Zesty, pungent, earthy/foresty red wines like Sangiovese or Tempranillo: Zesty, Italian influenced dishes which make use of pasta, tomato, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, and resiny herbs like oregano and rosemary.

• Higher tannic reds like youthful Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and heavier Petite Sirahs: Stronger red meats prepared with slightly bitter peppercorns, vegetables, or char from wood grilling.

• More brightly fruited, zesty, jammy or sweetly scented red wines like most Zinfandels, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Barbera and Grenache: Fatty meats in zesty, sweet or even spicy sauces and marinades like barbecued or even teriyaki style beef or pork ribs.

• Big, herbaceous, richly oak flavored Cabernet Sauvignon or blends of Cabernet Sauvignon: Fatty red meats in sauces reduced with aromatic green herbs, mint, thyme or sage, etc.

• Sweet, high acid, intensely fruity “late harvest” whites: Sweet desserts made with fruits retaining natural fruit acidity like berries, pear, apple, and stone fruits such as cherry, peach or apricot.

• Sweet, full bodied wines like Tawny Port or French Sauternes: Blue cheeses such as Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Maytag Blue.

• Sweet, full bodied, fortified reds like Vintage Port:  Bitter/sweet chocolate desserts or truffles.

Slightly (and shamelessly) paraphrased from an article in the Wall Street Journal.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

The Chicken AND the Egg!

Great Wine and More for Father's Day

Let's say my wife is getting me a $250 gift card to Balaban's for Father's Day.
This is pure fantasy, of course. There's no way I'm getting a $250 gift card to anywhere.
But IF I got this gift card, here is what I would get:
Stone Brewery Mixed 22oz Four Pack - $19 (Yes, I like beer)
Angel's Envy Port Aged Small Batch Bourbon - $42 (Yep - Bourbon too)
Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Champagne - $37
2010 Billaud Chablis Premier Cru Montee de Tonnerre - $46
2009 Vietti Barolo Castigleon - $49
2010 Cliff Lede Cabernet Sauvignon - $70
These would make great gifts for any dad this year.
So Judy, since you always read my blogs, and if you were to get me only one of these items, I believe there is a Cab on the rack with my name on it.
Ain't too proud to beg.
Have a great weekend and HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Tom

How is Wine "Complex"?

"A whole made up of complicated or interrelated parts". That's how Webster defines "complex".

I've used "complex" to describe many wines in these blogs.
And the major critics absolutely love it when a wine shows complexity in its character.
But, what do I really mean when I use the word complex in relation to wine?
Layers.  When I say a wine is complex, I'm referring to the layers of expression on both the nose and the palate. The various layers of scent and taste evolve as the wine sits in the glass and breathes,  revealing new and ever-changing sensations over whatever amount of time you are tasting the wine.
I think that's pretty cool.
It's also what makes good quality, "complex" wine really special.
Here's a great example of an excellent "complex" wine that I've enjoyed recently:
2011 Loring Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir, 91 Points Wine Spectator - $37 at Balaban's
The pure ripe plum and black cherry fruit joins spice and wilted rose notes for a complex, delicate mix of flavors, gaining on the finish. (Wine Spectator Description)

Have a great weekend!

Tom

Six Wine Flaws and How to Deal With Them

I've written before about flaws you can experience when you open a bottle of wine, but the recent issue of Wine Enthusiast had a nice summary of different issues you can encounter with your wine.
So, if you open a bottle and something doesn't seem quite right, look for these potential problems:

• Cork Taint: this is a chemical problem that can occur in any wine sealed with a cork. Look for scents of wet cardboard or wet newspaper. Unfortunately, this condition only gets worse after you open the wine. Dump it, or, try to return it to where you bought it. Good wine shops will exchange the wine for another bottle.
• Too Tight: If you can't smell or taste much after you open your wine, then it's in a tight phase of its life, or, it's just too young. Decant the wine or run it through one of the many aerateors that are available. This wine needs air and time, but it should come around.
• Too old: I guess it happens to all of us. With wine, look for orange color in both whites and reds. Whites will have flavors of vinegar and reds will take on flavors of wet mushrooms and prunes. The British supposedly prefer older wines that have these characteristics. I will be dumping my wine and reaching for another bottle.
• Oxidized: This is very similar to a wine being too old but occurs because a wine was exposed to too much air either because of a bad cork, or from being open too long. Dump it.
• Sulfur spoil: Hard to miss the smell of rotten egg. This is a winemaking issue. Sulfur dioxide is often added to wine to prevent spoiling, but too much causes a problem. Before you dump the wine, try decanting it with a clean copper penny in the decanter. The copper supposedly counteracts the sulfur dioxide compound in the wine. I've never tried this, but I've known about it for years, and it's supposed to work.
• Brett: this is a naturally occurring yeast that comes from the barrels that wines are aged in. A little brett will give wine notes of damp earth, raw meat and wet grass. If you're getting horse manure, band aid and high school locker room instead, you might have too much brett in your wine. Decant the wine. The brett will often, but not always, blow off.

These conditions are really pretty rare, and you may never encounter them. But, when you are first opening a bottle, especially in a restaurant, where prices are marked up, look for these potential flaws in your wine.

Tom

What Temperature to Serve Your Wine

Reds at room temperature and whites ice cold, right?
NO!
Most reds are served way too warm and many whites are served so cold that you can barely taste them. I even encounter this problem in restaurants - fine dining restaurants.
Here are some good guidelines from Wine Spectator with some personal commentary added from yours truly.

• Light dry white wines and sparkling wines: Serve at 40° to 50° F to preserve their freshness and fruitiness. Think crisp Pinot Grigio and Champagne. For sparklers, chilling keeps bubbles fine rather than frothy. This is also a good range for white dessert wines; sweetness is accentuated at warmer temperatures, so chilling them preserves their balance without quashing their vibrant aromas.

Wine Spectator includes Rose's in this group, but I disagree. I would include Rose' in the following category:

• Full-bodied white wines AND ROSE:  Serve at 50° to 60° F to pick up more of the complexity and aromatics of a rich Chardonnay. Rose's are almost always made from red grapes, so the warmer temperature, while not warm by any means, brings out the nuances and complexities of the grapes used in the Rose'
• Full-bodied red wines and Ports: Serve at 60° to 65° F—cooler than most room temperatures and warmer than ideal cellaring temperatures—to make the tannins in powerful Cabernet or Syrah feel more supple and de-emphasize bitter components. I prefer my Ports and Pinot Noir cooler than my bigger reds, but no red should be served at room temperature, which is usually around 72°.

This is all easy to manage at home, but if you end up with a red that's too warm or a white that's too cold at a restaurant, just ask them if they can warm or chill as appropriate. I do it all the time.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

It's Official - I'm on a Rose' "Kick"

I wrote a blog earlier about Rose' wine, so it's no secret that I enjoy the style. But this Memorial Day weekend really got me going on Rose'. For me, this just might be the perfect wine to go with foods off the grill.
Now, I'm not suggesting Rose' with Filet Mignon or hearty/earthy fare, but for most holiday grilling it works just fine.
For example:
Saturday: brats, baked beans and coleslaw. The wine: 2013 La Manarine Cotes du Rhone Rose' - $16
Sunday: pork steaks, grilled veggies and corn on the cob. The wine: Domaine Caboche Vin de Pays Rose' - $12
Both wines were refreshing, had wonderful fruit yet had enough complexity and acidity to pair well with both meals.
And you drink Rose' cold so it works great as an aperitif before dining - especially on a hot summer day.
Both of these Roses happened to be French, but you can get Rose' from any wine producing country, including the USA.
And you can get Rose' from almost any red grape. I've had Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Syrah, Merlot, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo Rose', as well as many fine blends of these same grapes.
Ok. I'm done writing about Rose' for a while. But I'm certainly not done drinking it.
Maybe tonight ...

Tom

My Wine "Bucket List"

I've been very fortunate to have traveled to some great wine destinations and to have tasted some of the world's greatest wines.

But there is so much more I want to do.
I still need to travel and taste wine in Oregon, Washington State, Tuscany, Piedmont, Burgundy, Rhone and Champagne. Australia would be nice, but it's so darn far.
Here are some of the wines I still need to taste before I "kick the bucket":
France: The "La La's": Guigal Cote Rotie La Landonne, La Turque and La Mouline; Chateau Petrus and Domaine de la Romanee Conti reds and whites..
Italy: Ornellaia Ornellaia, Ornellaia Masseto and Tua Rita Redigaffi
Spain: Pingus
Australia: Penfolds Grange
Domestic: Schrader, Harlan and Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon
A few of these wines are right here at Balaban's, so I hope to be checking a few off the list over the next couple of years.
What's on your wine bucket list?
Have a great weekend!

Tom

Hey - I thought I liked that wine!

Drinking wine is not just drinking, it's an "experience".  And the psychology behind our wine experiences can be pretty interesting.
Here's an example: take a drive out to one of Missouri's or Illinois' wine regions. It's a beautiful day, you're sitting outside, maybe a band is playing, you're with good friends and/or loved ones, and you're eating good food and drinking wine from the winery. Life is good. So, it's time to leave and you buy some wine to take home - maybe mix up a case. Later that week you select a bottle of a red wine from your recent winery purchase to go with a pot roast.
You pop open the bottle with great anticipation and ... THUD!  Is this the same wine?  Of course it is. But there are a few elements missing, like the setting, music, company and food. All these "other elements" are a big part of our wine tasting experiences and add to the enjoyment of the wine.
I don't mean to pick on our local wineries.
The same holds true when you're experiencing wine on vacation, at a romantic dinner, or even at a special event or party. And the wines can be from California, France, Italy, Spain, etc.
So is there a moral to this story?
Heck, I don't know.
Try this: Just as there are no guarantees in life, there are also no guarantees in wine.
I'm gonna go with that one.

Tom 

Great Wines for Mother's Day

The two most important moms in my life right now are my wife, Judy and my daughter, Becky. Judy raised two amazing kids, Becky and Michael, often by herself, while I was away traveling on business. Now, Becky, having learned well from her mom, is following in her footsteps, raising two beautiful little girls, Grace and Kathryn.

So, here's a toast to my two favorite moms with some wines I know they would like. Actually, I think all of you moms out there would like these:

Chardonnay
2012 Chappellet (Judy's favorite)
2012 Treasure Hunter
Reds
2010 Guardian Cellars "The Rookie" Cabernet Sauvignon
2007 Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Sparkling
For Becky: NV Schramsberg Brut Rose'
For Judy: 2013 Elio Perrone Bigaro (a delicious sweet dessert sparkler)
Nightcap
1/2 Baileys, 1/2 Kahlua and a splash of vodka (to cut the sweetness) on the rocks.

Happy Mother's Day!

Tom 

Cinco de Mayo - and Wine?

Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo. We didn't go out, but we love Mexican food, so Judy threw together some great chicken fajitas.
We usually will have a margarita, or, I will have a beer with Mexican cuisine, but I didn't have the ingredients for the margarita, and I wasn't in the mood for beer.
Let's see what's open in the fridge.
Chappelet Chardonnay - beautiful wine, but I don't think that will go.
Paul Vattan Sancerre (an excellent Sauvignon Blanc from Loire, France) - I'm skeptical about this, but pour a couple of glasses anyway.
It worked!
But why?
So, you're probably thinking "who cares why". It works. Drink it. Don't worry about it.
But I'm going to do some Googling on this one.
So here's the rule according to Sommelier Christopher Janz from Red O, a famous Mexican restaurant in Southern California: heat (as in spicy) needs to be paired with good acidity and low alcohol. High alcohol wines will intensify the heat in the food, and sweet wines will be overwhelmed by the spice.
That's why the Sancerre worked so well. It has great acidity which makes it a perfect food wine, and the alcohol is a very modest 12.5%.
This doesn't mean I'm giving up on beer and margaritas with Mexican food, but now, I will definitely include wine in the mix.
2011 Paul Vattan Sancerre: At Balaban's for $23 or, in our new Sauvignon Blanc wine flight.

Tom                  

Bordeaux Wine Classifications

Scott, Balaban's restaurant manager and I had a chat the other day that went something like this:
Scott: Do you ever have trouble coming up with ideas for your blogs?
Me: Sometimes it's a challenge to come up with brilliant material every week.
Scott: Uh-huh.
.... moments of awkward silence ....
Scott again: Why don't you write about the Bordeaux growth classifications. That always confused me.
Me: Great idea. Next blog.
So here we are.
Bordeaux makes some of the world's greatest red and white wines, and it is probably my personal favorite wine region.
First a quick geography lesson.
Bordeaux is divided into two main regions that are divided by the Gironde river: The Right Bank region and the Left Bank, also know as the Medoc.
In 1855 during the Exposition Universelle de Paris, Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification of the best wine producers, or Chateaux, from the Left Bank. This would only apply to the red wines.
There were a few changes since 1855, but the classifications exist to this day.
There are five levels or "growth" that intend to rank the chateaux according to their levels of quality.
Today there are 5 First Growths, 15 Second Growths, 14 Third Growths, 10 Fourth Growths and 18 Fifth Growths for a total of 62 Classified Growths.
Here are the 5 First Growths, and some notable 2nd through 5th Growths with their respective appellations:

1st Growth
Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Pauillac
Chateau Latour, Pauillac
Chateau Margaux, Margaux
Chateau Haut-Brion, Graves
Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac
2nd Growth
Chateau Leoville Las Cases, St. Julien
Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou, St. Julien
ChateauCos Destournel, St. Estephe
3rd Growth
Chateau Giscours, Margaux
Chateau Palmer, Margaux
4th Growth
Chateau Talbot, St. Julien
Chateau Duhart-Milon, Pauillac
5th Growth
Chateau Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Pauillac
Chateau Lynch-Bages, Pauillac

So, do I think Scott learned anything from this?
Nah.
He just wanted to see his name in the blog.
Have a great weekend.

Tom

Bordeaux

Scott

Surf, Turf and Wine

A customer asked me yesterday what wines he should have with his "anniversary" lobster and filet. He said this troubles him every year, and sometimes he will serve both a Chardonnay and Cabernet to compliment both the surf and the turf.
Nothing wrong with that. Chardonnay and Cabernet would be lovely.
However, if I could only choose one - it would be the Cabernet.
I always felt that you match the wine to the most dominant food flavor of the meal. That can be a a sauce or a gravy, or, in this case, the filet mignon over the lobster.
So, with filet mignon, I would go with a domestic Cabernet Sauvignon or blend that has a little age on it to soften the tannins. There's not much fat on a filet, so you don't want a big young Napa Cab that will overpower the meat. A Bordeaux, Brunello or Merlot will also work well. I've had this match many times with surf and turf and the red wine always supported both the lobster and filet beautifully.
Anybody else besides me craving some surf and turf now?

Tom

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Beware of Fine Wine and Warm Weather

Here comes the warm weather. That means it's time to be on the lookout for "cooked wine". If you get a wine that's missing the aromas and flavors of fresh fruit, and instead get a stewed prune profile, chances are the wine has been overheated somehow. It's easily done in hot weather. The suppliers who deliver to us all have air conditioned vehicles, but air conditioning always seems to break down when you need it most - it's a law of nature. 
UPS and FedEx do not have air conditioned trucks. Beware if you get a wine delivered on some late summer afternoon from one of these major carriers.  Even if wine is transported properly, it may end up on an open air dock - to sit for an extended length of time. I've witnessed this personally at a "big box" store that will go unnamed.

A couple of times, I've had customers return cooked wine after they probably left the bottle in their car for hours. Of course we exchange the wine for another bottle.

So, be careful with your wine in extreme heat - even moderate heat. The inside of your car can heat up really fast in the sun, even if the temperature is only in the low 80's.  Make sure your wine is in the air conditioning with you and not in the trunk. And don't leave it in the car to go to an afternoon movie. That's worse than the trunk!

Always beware of the following: Obviously, if a bottle is warm to the touch, stay away. Don't buy a wine that is leaking from the cork, and stay away from wines where the cork is raised from the mouth of the bottle - even a little. The cork should be flush with, or a little below the mouth of the bottle. 

Finally, although this is not as sure a sign as the others, check to see that the foil on the neck of the bottle turns. If you can't move it at all, it may mean the wine has leaked and dried to a glue like goo under the foil.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

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Wine Growing Practices to Honor "Earth Day"

Warning!
Boring blog ahead.
Unless, of course, you're into organic, biodynamic and sustainable wine growing practices.
Since today is "earth day", I thought we might review some of the basics.
The U.S. government regulates the use of the term "organic", and with wine, the label is used in two ways.
First, wines made from certified organically grown grapes, avoid any synthetic additives, as you probably guessed. Second, wines labeled simply organic, in addition to avoiding synthetic additives, do not add any sulfites to the wines. Sulfites are often added to arrest the wine's fermentation process.
Wines labeled biodynamic or sustainable have no government regulations, but the practices are admirable.
Biodynamic takes organic farming to another level by incorporating ideas of the vineyard as a complete ecosystem that is influenced by astrology and lunar cycles.
Sustainable farming takes into account economic viability and social responsibility, like, for example, prudent use of water during periods of drought.
What's the "so what" of all this?
Well, it's good material for an earth day blog.
I doubt that the quality of the wine is affected by these practices, however, I, for one, am in favor of not having pesticides in my wine.
People get very passionate about this stuff.
I have one customer at Balaban's who will only buy wines that use these earth friendly practices.
And then there are those who think its all a bunch of hooey.
If you are someone who cares, check out the back label of the wines you are buying. Wineries employing these practices, will typically state what they are doing on the label.

Tom

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Wine Pairings for Easter

Traditional Easter foods like ham and lamb present all kinds of interesting wine pairing choices.

Let's consider a typical Easter meal:

Appetizers and salads:

Sauvignon Blanc and dry sparklers are good choices here. After all, you want to get the taste buds ready for the main courses with your appetizers, and the higher acidity in these wine choices will get those salivary glands pumping away.

We usually have some hard boiled eggs with the apps, and these wine choices will work just fine with the eggs as well. 

Beware of horseradish though. If you load up your egg with pepper and horseradish, like I do, you will want to reach for something with less acid, like a Chardonnay or a Rose.

Ham:

German or Alsatian Rieslings are perfect if you're going with white wines. Stick with your lighter reds like Pinot Noir or a Spanish Grenache.

Lamb:

My go to wine here is red Bordeaux. Syrah is also a classic pairing. While some of our domestic Syrahs might be too big and overwhelm the lamb, a Syrah/Grenache blend from Chateauneuf du Pape would be ideal.

Dessert:

Your chocolate bunnies will go nicely with those red wines or a port. A Sauternes or Icewine all by itself is also a great way to finish the meal.

Have a great weekend and a happy Easter!

Tom

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Are Fine Wine Lovers Snobs?

If you google "snob definition" Webster says: A person who believes that their tastes in a particular area are superior to those of other people: "a wine snob".
Is there some implication being made here by Webster? 
Are they picking on us wine people?
I never thought of myself as a snob, but, I bet there are people out there who do - simply because I love wine.
Well, I guess there's not much I can do about what other people think. 
Wine Spectator editor Tim Fish wrote about wine snobs in his blog and he made this insightful comment: "There's an easy way to tell when you're dealing with snobs: They spend more time telling you what not to drink than offering ideas on what you might like".
I'll go along with that.
So here's a great wine that I enjoyed this weekend with my family - something you might like:
2012 Chappellet Chardonnay
A rich, oaky/buttery style with loads of green apple, pear, peach and butterscotch. We didn't have this wine with our meal, but enjoyed it beforehand all by itself. 
It would, however, pair well with chicken, white fish and especially shell fish, like lobster.

Tom

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A Wine You Must Try Before You Die?

Fine wines, cult Cabernets, First Growth Bordeaux, Grand Cru Burgundies and Chablis, great Champagne and important wines from nearly every major wine producing country.
That's what you would expect to see in Neil Beckett's excellent book 1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die.
So, it's Thursday night, I'm reading the book, and what do I see?
Page 89 - Mateus Rose'??
What?
I do a quick sanity check: It's not too late and I'm definitely awake. I'm not Drunk.
But there it is, right in front of my face - Mateus Rose'.
I haven't thought about that wine in a long long time.
Actually though, Mateus has some sentimental significance in my life.
This was the first wine I ever drank, and I thought it was pretty good. My friends and I would pour the wine into flasks and sneak it into late night movies when we had nothing better to do. Of course we were all over 21, and the movies were of the highest repute at the time.
Mateus Rose'. A wine to taste before you die.
Available at most drug stores, grocery stores and gas stations for around $4 a bottle.

Have a great weekend!

Tom

Mateus Rose. Label from mid 1970's

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Wine 101 - Reviewing the Basics

I'm going to be giving an "Intro to Wine" class this week.
It's always fun and informative to review the basics, so I thought I would prepare for the class with this blog.
SST. See - Smell - Taste.
Start by pouring wine into a clear wine glass. The ideal amount should be 5-6 ounces and the glass should be about one-third full. Never more than half full.
Now, tilt the glass and look at the wine. Hold it against a blank white sheet of paper to really examine the color and clarity.
Whites should be clear and light yellow to bright gold. Reds should be light red to dark purple.
Look for cloudiness, sediment and crystallization, which could signal flaws in the wine.
Beware of the color orange in both whites and reds. It's an indication of oxidation, or, that the wine is past its prime.
Next, swirl the wine in the glass to give it air, then stick your nose in the glass and smell the wine. Do this a couple of times and try to identify what your nose is experiencing.
Are you getting fruit, oak, minerality and spice? Those are good things
Are you getting wet cardboard, stewed prunes or manure? Not so good.
Finally, taste the wine. Take a good mouth full and swish it around all the surfaces of your mouth. Swallow the wine and enjoy the "finish" or the lingering aftertaste of the wine. How long does it last? Great wines have long finishes that can last up to a minute.
Tasting is the best way to learn about wine - what you like and what you don't. And it's fun!
Balaban's has wine tastings all the time. On Saturday from 1 - 3pm, we always taste two whites and two reds.
And it's complimentary.
Hope to see you here soon.
Tom

Check Out The Balaban's Website

Is Your Wine Dumb, Fat or Flabby?

Dumb, fat and flabby are not very flattering words when applied to people, and they're not so great when describing wine either.
Big red wines like Bordeaux and Cabernet Sauvignon can be wonderful when young and spectacular with many years of aging. But sometimes, in between their youth and senior years, the wines can close up and just not taste very good. Guess what? The wine has gone dumb on you. Sometimes decanting the wine for several hours can bring the wine out of its dumb state, and sometimes ... it doesn't help at all.
Sometimes the wine just needs time - in some cases, lots of time.
When a wine is fat, it will typically be high in alcohol and one dimensional. In other words, the wine will actually feel fat in your mouth without the balance of acid and tannins which give the wine structure.
Where "fat" typically describes a condition of red wine, flabby relates more to whites. The conditions, however, are similar. A flabby white will just taste like grape juice. It will lack the acid that is necessary to provide balance to the fruit. The wine will lack character, will not pair well with food and will be, well, flabby.
That is why the great dessert wines of Sauternes, while extremely sweet, are not flabby at all because of the fruit/acid balance.
Have a great weekend!

Tom

Rose' vs White Zinfandel

Rose' wines get a bad rap.
That's because Rose' is typically associated with White Zinfandel.
According to Wine Spectator, White Zin is often made with relatively low-quality grapes and blended into a consistent house style that give it a fruit-punch flavor profile and sweet finish. Rose, on the other hand, is made from higher- to very high-quality red wine grapes (Cabernet and Pinot Noir, for example), and it can be very nuanced and even complex. It gets its lighter color because of the way it’s made; the juice has less contact with the grape skin.
Here at Balaban's, we'll carry 3-4 different Rose' wines through the Spring and Summer. Rose' becomes less popular as you get into Fall, but, that really shouldn't be the case.
These are very versatile, food friendly wines. Besides being great all by themselves, they pair well with salads, fish, barbecue and and pretty much anything you cook on the the grill except for maybe your heartiest red meats.
So, if you haven't given a good Rose' a try in a while, stop by the Balaban's Open House on Thursday, April 24th. We will be pouring several new releases for Spring and there will be at least two Roses.

Tom 

The beautiful shades of Rose'

Napa Valley Dreaming ...

We had a Napa Valley theme going this week at Balaban's.
On Wednesday, Scott K had a Cabernet Sauvignon tasting, most of which were from Napa Valley.
And on Thursday, my newsletter focused on 4 Napa Valley Cabs.
As much as I love Napa, I probably won't be going back any time soon. There are just too many other wine regions to visit on my "bucket list", and I've been to Napa several times. Oregon, Washington, Paso Robles and Italy are all on the "to do" list before Napa gets another visit.
Even though Napa has changed immensely over the years, I still strongly recommend it as a wine touring destination. The countryside is gorgeous, the weather is usually perfect, there are restaurants galore, and then there's all that amazing wine.
Be aware of a couple of things though: If you go during the Summer or Fall over a weekend, prepare yourself for major crowds. My favorite time to go is during the off season in January or February. You may have to deal with a day or two of bad weather, but the whole experience is much more manageable. You're also more likely to meet wine owners and winemakers in a more laid back atmosphere.
The second thing to remember is to bring money - lots of money.
Lodging, dining, gas and souvenirs are all expensive, and just about all of the major wineries charge for their tastings - some as much as $50 or more per person.
And then, once you're there, and all caught up in the moment, you're going to buy wine and probably join a few wine clubs.
That's just what happens.
One last thing: don't "wing it". Plan your dining and wining destinations in advance. While it's always fun to spontaneously pull into a small winery you never heard of and taste their wine, many of the wineries, and certainly the best restaurants will require appointments and reservations.
Here are three of my favorite wine tours - all require appointments in advance:
Schramsberg: start your day with a tour of the caves, learn how great Champagne style sparkling wine is made and then taste some of the best domestic sparkling wines made.
Anderson's Conn Valley: wander through the caves with either the owner or winemaker tasting wine from the barrels. Then, sit in the tasting room to sample great Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet blends.
Chappellet: Stroll through the vineyards on Pritchard Hill sampling wonderful, Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and much more.
Have a great weekend!

Tom

Wine Critics - What Are They Saying?

Zesty, racy, sensual, sexy, voluptuous,  extravagant, exotic, sky-scraper like. 
These are some adjectives critics use to describe wines they are tasting and writing about.
Then you have the the descriptors for the nose and palate. Along with the fruit, you also find crushed rock, forest floor, graphite, damp earth, pencil shavings, mint, wet steel, raw meat, bacon fat, and on and on.
I get it. These guys are trying to make the wines they review sound exciting. It's much better than reading: "this red wine is pretty tasty".  I'm sure there's some competitiveness going on between the critics too. Who is the best, most flamboyant and most followed writer. And, of course, this translates into who makes the most money from their magazine or website. I have my favorites in terms of style, but I can't say there is one critic I agree with 100% of the time. 
Some times I just have to shake my head and laugh.
Tonight though, I'm having myself a glass of some "sexy" red wine with dinner.

Tom

Robert Parker - Wine Critic

Wine and Fast Food? You bet!

I wish this incredible idea was mine, but alas, I have to give credit to sommelier, Dini Rao (??), for pairing 9 classic fast food meals with wine. The link is provided below if you want to read the whole article, but here are a few examples:
Burger King Whopper:  Cru Beaujolais
McDonald's Filet-o-Fish and Fries:  A sweeter Riesling
KFC Fried Chicken:  Cotes du Rhone
Arby's Roast Beef: Cabernet Sauvignon
So this got me thinking. I don't really do fast food, except for White Castle maybe a couple of times a year. And I've never had wine with my WC sliders.
Let's analyze this: nondescript salty, greasy meat flavors with mushy consistency, dominated by what should be "supporting" flavors of grilled onion and dill pickle. Doesn't that sound good?
Bubbly.
Although I've never had it, I bet dry sparkling wines or Champagnes, either white or pink, would go great with White Castle sliders - as long as you don't get them with cheese. You should NEVER get sliders, at least White Castles, with cheese. They shouldn't even offer cheese as an option.
Fries are fine. 
So, the dilemma is, do you really want to spend $20 or more for Sparkling wine with your $5 White Castle meal?
Tough call.
Beer works too.

http://blog.zagat.com/2012/09/fast-food-wine-pairings-sommelier-dini.html#utm_source=ztwitter%26utm_medium=twitter

Tom