5 in 5: Day Five

The trek to five concludes tonight. And what a conclusion. I sprinted to the finish last night with good wine, and more importantly, good company. Yesterday, myself, Phil, and my sister Diane, ventured north to the great state (ha!) of Rhode Island to celebrate Katie's last class of the semester at Brown. Seriously though, I do love Rhode Island. I can get anywhere there in less than an hour. People in LA can't get to the next exit on the Santa Monica Freeway in that time. We decided to dine at Napa Valey Grille. Their website said reservations recommended. I made reservations. I felt like a schmuck. There were maybe a dozen other diners in the expansive restaurant all night. Napa is a beautiful restaurant. There is an upper dining room that is dim and quiet, very romantic (wink, wink!) and a lower dining area near the bar that is still inviting and exciting without being loud and overbearing. We dined in the lower area in a great corner booth. Phil, Diane, and I begin the night without Katie over a half-bottle of Pine Ridge's Chenin-Blanc/Viognier Blend. This a delicious lemony wine that is slightly sweet but tremendously enjoyable. Katie polished the last of it off when she arrived and promptly ordered a full bottle of one of our favorites, the Honig Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc. Those of you who have dined at Up River with us before can probably attest to this wines outstanding flavor. For appetizers we shared a plate of cheeses and calamari. The cheeses were a hazelnut encrusted Chevre, a chocolate Chevre (amazing!) and a Manchego (I think...which is from sheep's milk). The three were extremely tasty, especially with the accompanying chutney. For entrees Katie and Phil had the Ostrich, Diane had the Filet, and I had the Ahi Tuna. It's safe to say we all enjoyed every morsel. With these dishes I had picked out a 1996 Heitz Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Heitz makes the famed "Martha's Vineyard" Cab, but that was well out of my price range. But the '96 Napa didn't disappoint. And here is an example of Wine Spectator not knowing my tastes. They rate it as 87 points and gave it a nice review. I felt it was outstanding. The cedar and black currant flavors are what I absolutely love about California Cabs! This wine was much higher than an 87 in my book, but perhaps my palate isn't as accurate as James Laube's of the Spectator. Heitz is a label I had been itching to try and was glad to share it with such good people. In the end, it was a terrific evening and a fantastic way for me to wrap up my five days of focusing on my blog. But fret not, I hope to become much more of a regular poster as time marches on. Till next time..."Here's to Katie finishing class, Phil working for Pfizer, Diane teaching Pre-K, and me being a smart ass son of a (expletive)."--Me

5 in 5: Day Four

The march for five posts in five business days soldiers on towards the home stretch. Today, my views on affordable wines. I really had to fight my instincts to not use the word cheap in that sentence. The fact is that I love expensive wines. I think the flavors, and more importantly, structure that come out in high priced wines are worth almost every penny. $1,000 for an aged Bordeaux, no. $200 for a strong California Cab, definitely. While wines with pedigree and high cost occasionally turn out a stinker, they typically produce consistent quality. But alas, I cannot drink $200 wine very often. And while I have a good number of triple digit value bottles in my cellar, I won't pull them out for a typical week night. So what can I do when I come home after a tough day and need that glass of wine to cool me down. I'm not pulling out the Insignia. So for the past two years now, Katie and I have been the quest for the perfect table wine. An affordable wine that we can buy a case of and leave in the cellar for everyday drinking. This way I don't have to wander downstairs and convince myself to give up another beautiful wine for "just another" night. It has been a search with ups and downs. The ups have included the Penfold's Bin 128 Shiraz (a bit too pricey), Lindeman's Padthaway Shiraz (not consistent), and Yellowtail's Reserve Shiraz (closest one yet). The downs, a nearly undrinkable Rawson's Retreat (a disappointing one from the Penfold's Brand), a flat Bancroft Ranch, and countless other Chilean, Argentinian, Italian, and Australian let downs. The key has been Australia. The Aussies make some much wine that the price can be so damn, well, cheap. I think we'll continue to scour the Down Under racks at wine shops till we find just the right wine for our taste. We've also been focusing on Shiraz and Cabernet-Shiraz blends because they seem to be the most versatile with a variety of foods. If you know of any wines you really enjoy for under $10 please leave a comment with your input. Maybe one of your recommendations will become my Dr. Livingstone. Till next time..."Wine is the most civilized thing in the world."--Ernest Hemingway

P.S. We'll be dining at Napa Valley Grille tonight, so expect a review/recap of the festivities in tomorrow's post.

5 in 5: Day Three

Today we debunk a classic myth. Red wine goes with red meat. White wine goes with white meat and pasta. Wrong! Pairing wine is not that simple, but also not too complex. There is one basic tenet I recommend you follow: Don't let the wine overpower the food, and don't let the food overpower the wine. You need to try and attain a sense of balance with your wine and food. They need to compliment each other without hurting each other's effect on your palate. While the classic red with red and white with white is suitable, you're not breaking a commandment when you go against it. I was discussing the idea of food and wine over lunch with my sister. The dish that we focused on was Salmon. I asked her what she would have with it and she quickly retorted with white wine. When I said I would pair it with a Pinot Noir, she seemed surprised. That's because wine still has that old country ideal to some people. But as creeps into the mainstream (US is poised to become the world's largest wine consumer by 2010) it's become kosher to flirt with the traditions. Salmon is a hearty fish. So while a strong bodied white would do fine, a light red like Pinot may fit the bill better. Another example is pasta. If I am having a spicy Seafood Fra Diablo, I want a Zinfandel in my hand. Zin is one of the few wines that can hold its own against a heavy and flavorful pasta dish. Zin typically will be referred to as peppery and zesty. Hmmm...what does spicy pasta sometimes taste like? They seem to be a match made in Heaven's kitchen. The simple point, is that there are no rules! Try what you want and see what works! Burgers and Cabernet, Meatloaf and Merlot, Mac and Cheese with Chardonnay. Take a dish and see what you think will work well with it. And a final note, sometimes it makes more sense to pick the wine and then build the dish around it. Decide what wine you want to try, take a sip, and see what in your pantry might make the wine dance on your tongue a little more. Till next time..."Good wine ruins the purse; bad wine ruins the stomach."--Spanish saying

5 in 5: Day 2

Yesterday was a lesson in skepticism in wine shopping. Today it's optimism. It's the positive things you should be doing when searching out that next treasure. Because believe me, there is nothing quite like finding an outstanding bottle of wine at a good price! It's like its own little buzz, apart from the alcohol.

Number One: Stick to What You Know
Don't shop the French aisle if you don't know Bordeaux from Burgundy or Loire from Rhone. Don't delve into Italian wines if you can't tell the winery name from the region on the label. Try and focus on your strengths. If you drink a lot of Chardonnay then begin there. If you live in America and speak English, stick to wines with labels you can read. Don't start venturing by yourself into those pesky foreign labels until you feel confident in your abilities. It would be a shame to see you plunk down $20 for a White Bordeaux only to find its past its prime (been there, done that). That leads to number two.

Number Two: Ask for Directions
Don't be afraid to ask for help. If you shop at a reputable wine shop, chances are that someone there knows more than you and is being paid to help you. If you want to try something new ask, "Do you know of a good Red Bordeaux for $20?" Worst case scenario is that the sales person says no and you move on. And if you get a sense that the sales person is talking out their ass (which some of them do) kindly listen to their advice and then throw it away after they leave you to peruse. Plus, most wine shops let the employees taste new wines they reciev, so they can sometimes give you a heads up on a bargain. I was at Cask N' Keg in Mystic looking for a quality $40 to $75 Cabernet when a kind gentleman pointed me towards a bottle of Waterstone for $30. He informed that "rumor on the street is that the juice for this wine came from declassified grapes from Harlan." That means Harlan Estate, a $250 a bottle wine, had too much juice and sold it off at a discount. That juice was certainly not Harlan's best lots, but still damn good. It was the best $30 Cab I've ever had!

Number Three: Do Your Homework
Don't feel ashamed to do some research before heading out to buy some wine. I am sure most of you do that now when buying a new TV or digital camera. So why not do some investigation before hand. The internet has a myriad of wine websites (for example, mine!) that have professional reviews, consumer reviews, and pricing guides. Wine Spectator has some good info for free! No subscription required. However, their website is filled with bountiful info when you do subscribe. Like any other purchase, the more you know walking in, the better off you'll fare.

Well, that will do it for today. The 5 in 5 marathon will have to be five business days as Katie and I set off for the Vineyard on Saturday morning(and I mean morning, like 3 am morning). Till next time..."Why do people who can't take advice always insist on giving it?"--James Bond, Casino Royale

5 in 5: Day 1

Alas, I have fallen behind in my blogging. To make up for lost time, I will be performing my own marathon of sorts. 5 blogs in 5 Days. That might not sound like too much, because it isn't! It just means I need stick to it and get it done. Today's "lesson"-wine shopping! Now I am no expert, but I know enough to steer you in the right direction when wandering the racks and bins at your local wine and spirit shop. Let's explore some things to avoid and be skeptical of:

Number One-Be Wary of Pretty Labels
The producers of wines (and especially their marketing departments) are in this business to make money, and that means selling a bottle of wine for more than what it cost to make it. Now, if your name is Mondavi you don't have that problem. If you produce an outstanding quality and limited quantity wine for $200 a bottle, someone will buy it. It's the producers who make a $8-$20 bottle of wine that might not be of the greatest quality that want, actually need, your dollars. And their first trick is a pretty label. Now, I am not saying some of these artsy, funny, or cute labels don't have a decent wine in the bottle. What I am saying is most reliable producers of affordable wines make a good enough product they don't need to resort to this tactic. The latest trend in the last three years-animals. Australia is the king of this. Penguins, Kangaroos, Dogs, Monkeys, Cockroaches, you get the picture. Does that mean I don't have any animals in my cellar, actually there's a magnum with a "Little" Penguin on it chilling in my fridge right now. Just be advised, pretty labels are there to attract you! Some marketing rep said, "Lets put a funny name and cool picture on this bottle, some schmuck will buy our filth of a wine!"
Number Two-Shelf-Talkers
Now I know you've all done this, because I have. You're browsing along when you see in big bold font "92 Points." You stop and think, "Hmmm, 12 bucks for 92 points thats not bad." Examine these "shelf-talkers" carefully. They are there to sell a wine, not necessarily to give you the best deal. First, make sure the vintages match. So what if the 2002 scored 92, it might be the far worse 2003 on the shelf. Second, who gave it 92 points? While I don't go on points alone, they can help if they are from the right person. I don't care if some Joe Winedrinker for the Dallas Morning News or an obscure State Fair in Iowa gave it a high score. So who do you trust? If the tag is from Wine Spectator or The Wine Advocate (Robert Parker's mag) it's a reliable benchmark. Anything else I question. Wine Enthusiast tends to hand 95s just for showing up and buying an ad in their magazine.
Number Three-Watch for Deep Discounts
Unless your shopping at Costco or Trader Joe's, be skeptical of huge sale prices. A wine shop is only going to offer a deep discount if they need to move the wine. Either it isn't selling because its swill and everyone hates it, its been sitting on the shelves so long it's probably gone bad, or it was transported across country in 115 degree rail car for the last month. Once again does that mean all sale prices are bad wines? No! I have found some amazing bottles at sale prices, just know where you're shopping and ask yourself if you trust the wine shop. If you know the owner or manager and think they are trustworthy, chances are you aren't getting fleeced, instead they found a good deal at wholesale and are passing it on to you.

So what does all this mean, only buy what you know is good? No, try new things but be aware of what your buying. For $20 are you buying the wine or the services of an advertising firm? Is that score really a good score or just a number plastered to the shelf? Why is it 40% off? My advice when you're looking for a new wine, call me. Just kidding, but many of you know I love handing out advice. In all honesty, start with a varietal you know you like, such as Cabernet or Syrah. From there look for a name you might recognize or know. "I had their Merlot and it was good, why not try their Zin." I like to look for labels that come across as simple and elegant, even dignified. Of course some marketing rep probably said, "let's make it look dignified, some schmuck will buy it!" But seriously, if they keep it simple that already tells you that the winery probably takes a no frills approach, and chances are the wine will be decent. And my last piece of advice, every now and then take a flier on a bottle that you know nothing about. Find a wine at a decent price with no points, no sales, and no animals on it, and give it a shot! It just may become your new favorite! Till next time (tomorrow!)..."Life with wine is sweet!"--Laura

P.S.-I don't know of any wine with cockroaches on the label, but there just may be one somewhere!