Memorial Day = Summer = Time to Grill!

Last week was all about the whites. This week? Time to grill, so time to roll out some food-friendly REDS. Those of you who know me well can expect to hear about ZINFANDEL, one of my favorite grill-friendly wines. If you like to turn up the heat on your meats, Zin's fruity edge makes a perfect balance to the zing of your spices. Anything Ravenswood makes (from $6 Vintner's Blend to $40+ single vineyard wines) as well as from producers like Ridge, Rosenblum and Cline (from $9) will be hits. I love to grill chicken leg quarters-try spicing with Montreal Chicken seasoning, grill, then baste with a blend of Cattleman's BBQ sauce (1 Cup) Maker's Mark Bourbon (1/4 C) and Pace Picante Sauce (1/4 C). Yummy! What else goes well with Grilling? Aussies don't say "throw another shrimp on the barbie" for nothing-reach for a food-friendly Shiraz! While some Shiraz (also known as Syrah in other parts of the world-same grape though) can be highly complex, many excellent values come from Australia. Try Rosemount, Penfolds or spend a little more and grab Peter Lehmann's Barossa Shiraz ($14-16). Paso Robles in California makes great Syrah, one cheapie is Parker Station ($6 at "Sip Wine" in Crabapple). South of the border? Try Argentina for Malbec. Mainly known as a blending grape in the rest of the world, Malbec has come on strong of late. In fact, Chile's Carmenere (another lesser known 'blending' grape) is great too. Finally, try Monastrell (like Juan Gil for $15) or a Rioja from Spain. YUM!

Shopping thoughts; new shipping law (Hooray!)

I was pleased to hear that the new wine shipping law turned out to be less restrictive than expected--these two links make it clear that we are finally out of the Dark Ages! That's great for ordering small-production wines that aren't found on local shelves, but what about 'daily drinkers'? As you know I love shopping at the Warehouse stores (BJ's, Sam's, Costco) and superstores like Total Wines & More in Kennesaw (you MUST go there at least once!). I ordinarily don't see great bargains/selection in groceries (except for Harry's/Whole Foods' 10% off on SIX bottles) but I do love wandering into Cost Plus World Market from time to time. They have great deals on Riedel-style wineglasses and cool 'stuff' & also have an eclectic wine selection with decent pricing (try Vino 100 too!) For that matter, don't be afraid to walk in ANY wine shop and ask for help! Most of the time wine people are happy to share their knowledge. In fact, I think 'winos' fall into one of 2 categories (both equally passionate)-Wine Geeks or Wine Snobs. I think WG's really want people to drink wine-any wine, be it cheapies, white zin, or whatever floats your boat. Wine Snobs, on the other hand, continue to keep wine unapproachable by the 'masses'. Yes, WG/WS's use similar lofty terminology to describe wines (approachable, mouthfeel, etc.) but overall, WG's don't make you feel stupid! They want to share their knowledge & passion; WS's tend to show-off how much they know. I say drink what YOU like!!!

So where do you shop?

Try new things! Time for white wines!

As promised, no economic news this time! It's time to focus on wine! You may remember that I'm no fan of Chardonnay. Don't get me wrong, a nice Chablis or Carneros wine will make me happy, but many Chard's can be too over the top. With all the buttery/oaky flavors, some examples overpower most foods. On the other hand, a lively Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderful alternative as it will go well with food and be yummy on its own! California SB's are hit and miss, as many producers try to 'oak it up'. One interesting blend that is always a hit is Caymus "Conundrum", which is an amazing wine (though pricey at around $24). From France's Loire valley, "Sancerre" is the benchmark for Sauv Blanc. Crisp, tart, lots of underlying minerals and 'grassy' flavors will pair well with most fish dishes (as well as Caprese Salad and/or oysters!). My favorite producers tend to be from Marlborough, New Zealand (like Monkey Bay or Nobilo, both under $10). Their SB's are BOLD! Chile produces some great ones as well, such as Verramonte or even Concha y Toro's Casillero del Diablo (again, both under $10). Make sure you buy them young; no need to age them! Don't forget 'sparkles' and don't be afraid to try a nice rosé. Nope, not sweet white zin, but a nice pale pink Pinot Noir or a Rhône-type rosé. While I'm at it, a good way to find bargains is to stray off the beaten path-try something you've never heard of like Vinho Verde from Portugal or a Chenin Blanc, Gavi, Albariño, etc. Have fun and BE BRAVE!

For the LOVE of wine!

As you know, I am a wine lover. How did I become so enamored of the grape? I really got "the bug" in April of 1992 after visiting friends in San Francisco. We took a day-trip into Napa and visited several vineyards. I signed up for a wine club at Franciscan and happily received 2 bottles a month (1 red, 1 white) until the idiots in the GA legislature decided to outlaw direct wine shipments (see previous postings below). I am traditionally a red drinker but through this club I learned about many white varietals. I waited tables while studying for the bar (both in KY and in GA when I moved in 1993). In my hometown of Owensboro, KY I worked at a Houston's 'clone' (the owner was once a manager of both Lenox/Nashville locations) so I had a simple transition when I sought work at Houston's on Peachtree. I got to attend a few wine tastings through work and after beginning my career as a Real Estate Attorney I continued to attend events as well. I visited CA again (1998) and met a guy coming to ATL to open a tasting room/wine bar for a CA vineyard called Viansa (named for Vicki & Sam Sebastiani). After enjoying a glass or two in the shop, I ended up taking a job pouring wine on weekends for fun. In 1999 I took over as manager (it was called Lo Spuntino, which was on Peachtree) and REALLY began my wine education (Viansa had many odd Italian varietals). I was in CA 3-4 times per year! After 2 years, it was time to come back to the exciting world of real estate law!

A call to ACTION!

It's funny-I get frothy about how important it is to Vote, then I get on my soapbox to push you to contact your local legislator on something that (in the eternal scheme of things) is not "important" (like tax, school or economic reform, etc.). Today I am harping on Direct Wine Shipments. In the late 1990's Georgia made it a felony to receive wine from out of state. I received 2 bottles a month from a vineyard and was learning quite a bit about wine (i.e. I tried many grape varietals only because they sent them to me). Well, the state said that they were protecting children. Yeah, right--I'm sure your average teenager wants to spend $50 and wait a week or two to receive 2 bottles that will most likely make them gag. Nice try! I actually researched the contribution records at the Secretary of State after that and found that Distributors were the Alcoholic Beverage Committee's largest contributors! Surprised? Not so much! In recent years they've changed this backwards law to allow you to ship up to 5 cases IF you were "on-site" to buy the wine. This doesn't cut it! As an example, I love Ravenswood Zin. You can buy "Vintner's Blend" all day long at Kroger, etc. What about their single-vineyard wines that are only sold at the vineyard (such as a limited 150-300 case production)? Those will NEVER make it go GA--THAT'S what I want shipped to me. Heck, I'd even pay GA taxes if that's the issue. Click HERE to find and Contact your STATE Reps today--you need your FULL zipcode! Another great resource is FREE THE GRAPES!

Wine of the Year

The Wine Spectator took all the wines they reviewed over the course of 2007 and narrowed the list down to their top 100 wines. While the average price for the top 10 wines are $99.80 (with an average score of 95.9 points), the average for all 100 is $42 (with an average score of 93 points). I became interested in this list years ago when a $10 1992 Rosemount Shiraz took #2 on their list (the rest were over $100). Some standouts this year cost much less than the average and you may be surprised! Mid-priced? #91 is a 2005 Seghesio Zinfandel Sonoma County ($20, 90pts). I saw one at Costco for $14, but it may not be the exact one. Rosemount returns with ther 2003 GSM (#60, around $18 at Sam's recently). 2005 Rombauer Carneros Chardonnay was #39 (92pts, $32) and 2005 Altos Las Hormigas Malbec at $22 was #45. Two standouts (to me) in the top 10 were #2 Ridge Chardonnay for "only" $35 (95pts!) and #5 Two Hands "Bella's Garden" Shiraz, 95pts @ $60. I love anything from both of those producers! Those are all too rich for me (esp. in this market) so how about #35 for $13 (Ch. St. Jean Fume Blanc 2005) or #75 La Marca Prosecco for $12? Try #71 2004 Columbia Crest Merlot for $11. The biggest surprise? #72 2005 Yellow Tail Shiraz for $11! You can find that all day long in your local Kroger, right?? Go figure! Again, it just shows that a wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good! Click on the link attached; click on "Full list of Top 100-PDF" for the entire list. Enjoy! Click HERE

The Legislature is now in session!

Here we go again! Time for tax and spend fun under the gold dome. One item that failed last year was the Sunday Sales amendment. I find it odd that Georgia is one of only 6 or 7 states that don't allow the sale of alcohol on Sunday. The fun logic of this is that you can go to a restaurant or bar and drink all day, then drive home, possibly endangering your life or the lives of others, but you cannot buy wine or beer at a store. Yes, if you plan ahead, there is no real problem in your life (i.e. stock up on Saturday is what people say) but I can remember heading to a friends' house on a Sunday and wished I had remembered to bring a 'hostess gift' of a bottle of vino. If we lived in 85+percent of the country we could have stopped in our local grocery and grabbed that gift, but no, Georgia (and Sonny) say NO. I find it odd that Georgia is 'more' Bible-belt than the rest of the Southeast Bible belt. Regardless, I recognize that this is not a hot button item for most people and to be honest, it is not truly that big a deal for me either. It is merely a question of convenience, not of conviction. My 2 cents.

What really burns me up is that it is STILL illegal to have wine shipped directly to you in Georgia. Yes, you can visit California and buy wine to ship "on the spot" but I can't just call up my favorite vineyard and order a case. It's not like anyone would order a case of Kendall-Jackson Chardonnay from California, it would be prohibitively expensive to ship. What I WOULD like to order is something like Ridge Winery's "ATP" program. I have bought wine in this program in the past and have shipped it to another state to pickup. Why? Ridge makes several small-production wines for this ATP program versus their wines found in any store/restaurant. I once had some of their Zinfandel that was part of a 13 barrel lot (under 100 cases made)--I would NEVER have been able to buy that wine in GA. Most producers send us very little of their production. It is the liquor distributors and their large cash donations to Politicians that keeps us from doing this. Sure, the legislators will say it's a loss of tax revenue, but I would gladly pay the tax just like I do when I visit my local retailer. I would still buy locally, but for collectors, we want more CHOICES. One sidenote, if you don't believe what I said about the lobbyists, try going to the Secretary of State's office and check the Election Commission's records. I did that in the late 90's when they passed the stupid felony law and was amazed at the contributions made by distributors to the Alcoholic Beverage committee. But hey, that's politics. How much money do you have, huh? That one vote of mine isn't enough... I need a check with several zeros I guess....