Love Letters to My Favorite Grapes: Grenache

My dear Grenache, our history together is like a movie.  When I first began dating grapes I thought I was in love with Syrah.  As a young man I was dating different varieties, mostly the ones I found at the closest Safeway or in my mom’s cabinet.  I worked in the restaurant as a cook.  I wanted to take dating grapes more seriously, so I moved out of the kitchen and started serving.  Serving allowed me to have more cash in my pocket.  More cash in my pocket allowed me to date more grapes. Because it seemed chic, I started to experiment with French grapes.  I came across you when I tasted Vieux Télégraphe from Chateauneuf-du-pape.  Oh man were you good!  The whole time I thought I was dating Syrah.  Our relationship flourished.  We were very compatible.  Chateauneuf-du-pape was easy to pronounce and I felt like a real man when I walked into a party with you.  All the time I thought I was in love with Syrah.  And then one day I read the winemaker’s PDF tech sheet only to unmask your true identity.  Vieux Télégraphe was mostly made of Grenache.  It was devastating, like a scene from the “Crying Game”. Read Full

Now I Know My Wine-Phabet: X is for Xarel-lo

In this new series called “Now I know my Wine-phabet”, I will explore letter by letter wine and what I believe are some of the most important and/or influential aspects in the world of wine.  Since I am only choosing one topic per letter, many will be missed.  Hopefully these posts come across as being whimsical and informative.

Xarel-lo is a Spanish grape which is one of the main components of Cava.  Some producers are using it to produce high quality still wines.  Here is a little jingle that pays homage to this under rated white grape.  For more about this grape visit this site, Catavino. Read Full

Really? Another Thanksgiving Wine Pairing

Good morning and happy Thanksgiving!  As most of you are in your kitchens or running to the store for butter, I am on my way to work.  I don’t say this because I want to complain.  In fact I’d rather be at work than fussing over a turkey.

I wish I could peer into your house now and see what is going on in your kitchen.  I can only imagine that there is a lot of stress.  Is the bird at the right temperature?  Did I make enough gravy?  Did I buy enough pumpkin pie?  Most importantly, which wine should I pair with my food today?  This is why I don’t mind working.  Thanksgiving can be way too stressful. Read Full

Now I Know My Wine-Phabet: W is for Walla Walla

In this new series called “Now I know my Wine-phabet”, I will explore letter by letter wine and what I believe are some of the most important and/or influential aspects in the world of wine.  Since I am only choosing one topic per letter, many will be missed.  Hopefully these posts come across as being whimsical and informative.

Why Walla Walla!  What is Walla Walla?  Sounds like a name of an animal from Australia related to the Platypus.  Well well,well…Walla Walla is not an animal nor “hello” in Cherokee.  Walla Walla is one of the most important wine regions in Washington State and Oregon.  Today we’ll talk about the Washington State side since Washington begins with a “W”.

Back in September, I was so luckily invited to join the Road Trip Washington with the Washington Wine Commission.  We traveled by bus from Seattle to Walla Walla and everything in between.  The best way to put it, Walla Walla is kind of like Amador County meets Paso Robles meets Napa but feels like Bordeaux and acts like the Rhone.  Hmmm…explain that one Maurice. Read Full

WhINE TO THE MUSIC: Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock with D66

 

“Whine to the music” is the art of pairing good grooves, such as Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock “It takes two” with wine.  We have been drinking wine with music since the dawn of wine. I don’t think music would have evolved without wine. Most people tend to turn up the music when they drink wine. Whine to the Music is not just sitting back, drinking wine and getting teary eyed. It is a concept like ART and Wine Pairing, where we dissect the structures of the wine and the work to its basic elements. The structural elements eventually create an emotion in us. Whine to the Music is the art of pairing wine with music based on the emotion they evoke in us. Read Full