Baby left in car to die; news at 11

Unfortunately we hear a headline like this at least once a year here in the South, either for a baby/child or a dog (insert joke about never hearing about dead cats here). As we all know (but yet someone each year fails to figure this out) a car can turn into a furnace in a VERY short amount of time. Well, we need to keep this in mind when we purchase (and transport) WINE as well! Yes, this is a stretch to compare a human being or animal with wine, but remember that wine is a living creature as well, evolving over time and (hopefully) getting more interesting or complex. If you leave wine in a car, it can die as well! Not only that, it can more or less 'cook' the bottle and its' precious contents! Heat will create pressure on the cork and can push it out of the bottle. Even if it is only pushed up a tiny bit it can allow the cork to seep and make a mess in your car. I learned that one time (even though it was NOT hot outside) when I discovered that the trunk of a previous car got warm just above the exhaust pipe-after a 2 hour road-trip one bottle had already leaked a bit onto other luggage. Just keep that in mind as you travel and even if you're just 'running inside the store for a moment' think about a police officer coming inside to put you under arrest for the 'death' of your vino :)

Wine bottles on a diet!

Wine producers overseas are giving lighter wine bottles a try. An average 750ml wine bottle with a screwtop weighs about 500 grams (around 17.64 ounces). The "new and improved" lighter bottles will weigh around 300g (10.58 oz). All I can say is I wish bottles weighed less when I was a barback WAY back in 1989 in Northern Kentucky. When I worked at "The Waterfront" we had to carry all our wine/beer/liquor up from the bottom of the bar (The Waterfront was a 3 story bar/restaurant built on an old barge across from Cincinnati). I remember we would weigh ourselves on the big scales they used for deliveries (for produce/seafood, etc). I know that Absolut Vodka bottles (1.75L) weighed the most but the only actual weight I remember was 2 cases of Corona beer weighed 110 pounds! Factor in that we carried all this on our shoulders... I'm surprised I don't walk with a gangsta lean to the right!

In any event, lighter bottles = lighter shipping containers = less energy consumed. I can see the ads now: Drink Wine, Save the Earth :) Cheers, Bo

Newsletter Article on Wine Memories

What was your best Summer wine memory? I have several and all seem to be tied in with food for some reason! Like anything else, it's the combination of several things that make for a great memory. Great food, family and friends, and a wine that pairs 'just right' with what you're eating. One recent example was when all of us at Harris Wagner Law Group had a 'family outing' to a wine tasting at Atmosphere restaurant here in ATL. We tasted several French wines and enjoyed some great food that was perfectly paired with each wine. That's something you should resolve to do soon: try a wine and food pairing. As an example, I don't typically drink a lot of white wine, but at a tasting yo u are pushed to try new things. At Atmosphere, the theme was "Wines from Burgundy" and we enjoyed 2 whites and 3 reds (remember-European wines tend to be named after their region, and Burgundy wine grapes are primarily Chardonnay and Pinot Noir). I cannot remember all of the chef's food/wine combinations, but each was perfectly matched to the wine we were drinking (one memorable one was duck confit with a medium-bodied Pinot--yum!) That's when wine can be really fun--when it is a perfect compliment to your food, not something that masks or overpowers your meal. That's what made it a great memory--great friends, yummy food and a perfect wine to accompany our food! The next time you see a prix fixe or tasting menu with wines chosen by the sommelier or wine steward, GO FOR IT! You may be surprised how fun it can be (and you might just find a new favorite vino)!

When "Petite" equals HUGE

Prior to the Jonas Brothers concert (see my other blog) Susie, Julia and I went to Dante's Down the Hatch for some fondue. I chose EOS Petite Sirah to accompany our dinner and I'm glad I did (no, Julia didn't have any, but she did have a lovely tropical fruit drink sans alcohol). Petite Sirah is a totally different grape than Syrah, though I think their DNA may cross paths somewhere down the line. Dark as ink (and teeth-staining as well), Petite Sirah is a massive wine. Young wines tend to have huge tannins but if you decant and/or allow some time for aging, you'll be pleased to find a rich wine full of depth. Despite the tannins in most Petite Sirahs, you will find that the flavors are not so much as to 'take over' your meal as Cabernet Sauvignon can do. As we had chicken, pork, beef and shrimp in our fondue mélange, the wine didn't seem to overpower any of the flavors and actually paired nicely with all the sauces (teriyaki, remoulade, sweet/sour and (Susie's fave) creamy horseradish). So the next time you want to try something new, give Petite Sirah a shot--the EOS as mentioned is a great choice from Paso Robles; I think it's around $10-15. Enjoy!

A fun wine quiz from The Atlanta Wine School

I would love to know which ones I got right and which ones I flat-out got lucky and guessed correctly. Good luck and have fun!

Click HERE for the quiz

"Girlie Wines", Marketing and Current Trends

It's funny--I am a wine lover and also a male. I don't feel particularly worried about my manhood when I have wine vs. a cocktail or beer--no one has revoked my 'man card' yet due to my ordering habits. With that being said, sometimes I don't want a wine based on the cuisine or location. For example, I normally order a beer or margarita with Mexican food (though red Zin goes well with spicy food; so would Gerwurztraminer if you prefer whites). Likewise, for me, wings = beer. However, whenever I walk through a steakhouse and I see people drinking beer with a juicy steak I can't fathom not having a 'big' red wine, manly or not--but hey, that's my opinion (and I drink red wine with fish too, so there!).
I love beer ads but they definitely stereotype wine drinkers as less than manly (such as this Bud Light commercial). I love the humor, but the effect is not lost on marketers as they are trying to make wine more appealing to men, as noted in this article. I guess it's like putting silly animals on wine labels--I don't buy wine because of a catchy label. I buy it because of what's inside--so should you! On the other hand, if you choose to buy wine for any reason, who am I to say no? I am a fan of vino and hope more people try wine & keep us as the #1 wine consumer market in the world!
The slow economy has prompted a major change in consumer spending habits. Luxury companies are in trouble (slower sales at Neiman Marcus, Saks) while discounters are raking it in (TJ Maxx, WalMart). This trend is also evident in the high sales of value wines vs. high dollar examples. We are lucky as there are so many great wines out there--many under $10! Click on this link for Whole Foods' current top 10 picks. To find prices I looked to Total Wines & More. The Escudo Rojo referenced is $11.99, the Koonunga Hills is $7.79. Search their catalog for yourself! While I haven't tried the Presto Prosecco, I highly recommend this lightly sweet/fruity sparkling wine as a great aperetif wine--especially for hot Summer days! Cheers!

Box Wines in the news

Believe it or not, I am seeing a lot of press about box wines of late. Yesterday's AJC had an article that referenced a fun one that I have previously written about-- Cline's Red Truck 'mini-barrel'. Here's yet another one that references a high-dollar french restaurant in NYC that actually sells box wines as well! In defense of Chef Daniel Boulud, the wines referenced sound like a 'cut above' as the 3L mentioned costs $40 (vs. $20 for the Cline, at no less than Sam's Club). I do like the fact that it's all about the juice INSIDE the packaging (kind of like my comments about not buying wine based on the label alone).

By the way, if you're in NYC, go to Boulud's other restaurant Cafe Boulud and enjoy Gavin Kaysen's wonderful creations! We ate there in April and were very impressed! Our 9-year old even enjoyed the tasting menu--just don't tell her she ate braised veal cheeks!!!