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National Truffle Festival February 25th – 27th

February 26, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

truffle

The 2nd Annual National Truffle Fest, presented by the Frankie Lemmon Foundation, will be held at the beautiful Grand Bohemian Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina on February 25th through 27th, 2010.

Events include wine reception, truffle seminars, culinary and wine education, truffle and wine dinner, an exciting risotto competition with celebrity chefs, and the crowning event – The Chef’s & Vintner’s Gala. The Gala features truffle laden creations prepared by our visiting celebrity chefs, fabulous wines, and dancing the night away.

Join us for this most sumptuous event -
A culinary celebration of the truffle…the “diamond of the kitchen”!

The Truffle lends a rich, but earthy accent to everything it touches…
Epicureans will delight in a weekend filled with exquisite wines and sumptuous treats.

Celebrity chefs will prepare to-die-for dishes inspired by the mysterious truffle. Your truffle passion may just turn to obsession!

This exquisite experience benefits the Frankie Lemmon Foundation,
a non-profit organization dedicated to educating children with special needs.
A la Carte pricing is available – and tax donations apply.

Special room rates are available at the Grand Bohemian Hotel for Truffle Fest goers. For reservations, click HERE or call the Grand Bohemian Hotel toll-free at 877-274-1242 and mention booking code “truffle.”

We can’t wait to see you there!

Full weekend’s events:	$500 [ORDER NOW]

A la carte pricing:
Arrival Welcome Reception:	$50 [ORDER NOW]
Seminars:	$75 [ORDER NOW]
Wine Dinners:	$100 [ORDER NOW]
Chef’s Competition:	$150 [ORDER NOW]
Chef’s Gala:	$150 [ORDER NOW]

Prices per person. For a complete list of events, please view our SCHEDULE and FORUMS listings.
Accommodations are NOT included in ticket prices.

CHEERS!

Filed Under: Dining, Wine Tagged With: National Truffle Festival

Spotlight on Tobacco Road Cellars

February 18, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

Nothing pleases me more than supporting small wineries and when I heard about Tobacco Road Cellars I was thrilled. Why? To begin with their juice is out of this world but the cherry on top was that the founder of Tobacco Road Cellars, Jason, lives right here in my town of Raleigh NC!

My first exposure to Tobacco Road was in February of 2007 at The Triangle Wine Experience in Raleigh. They donatedPreview two signed bottles of their ‘05 Private Reserve Cabernet for the silent auction. I am not sure if Jason remembers this but I recall walking along the tables deciding what to bid on. I stopped at the Tobacco Road and was very intrigued, something pulling me to this label, and let me share with you, there were three full tables of wines to choose from to bid on but for some reason, I stopped at this one. I have not heard of them before and as I picked up a bottle to read the back of the label Jason came up to me and introduced himself and told me a little history on his wine. He was charming and professional and I could sense his passion so naturally I bid on the wine….and got it! Later that evening as I brought home my treasure which was delightfully placed in separate boxes, I quietly stored the wine and displayed the boxes on my bar. As time passed and each occasion I opened my wine refrigerator I felt a pull to try this wine but patiently waited ….until one special day I had some friends over for dinner and together we tried Tobacco Road for the first time. Drinking wine like this truly is a special occasion in and of itself. As I love to say….love at first sip!

Fast forward to October 8th 2009. My dear high school friend and fellow wine lover joined me for Tobacco Roads rooftop party downtown Raleigh, entitled “Bacchanalle“. Perfect evening complete with an art showing, catered food, clear skies, Mother Nature’s sunset and their exclusive release of the 2007 Vintage of their Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Vitality, Tradition, the Private Reserve and “07 V” honoring former NCSU basketball coach Jim Valvano with a portion of the proceeds going to the Jimmy V foundation.

So who is this North Carolina southern boy who founded Tobacco Road Cellars? I know, you think of North Carolina and what comes to mind…….BBQ, Great Smoky Mountains, The Wright Brothers, Krispy Kreme Donuts, sweet potatoes, Pepsi-Cola, Duke University, Biltmore Estate, tobacco, Dale Earnhardt, moonshine and that sweet Muscadine wine. Well let me tell you, thanks to Jason you will soon be thinking fine elegant wines as well!

Meet Jason…..

Tobacco Road Cellars’ co-founder and Principal, Jason Earnest, knows how to make things happen. Originally from Charles County in Maryland, he has now found his home in Raleigh NC where he was a partner of Boylan Financial Group, which he recently sold to devote his time to Tobacco Road Cellars. Since his first sip of a 1978 Chateau Palmer, his eyes were opened to the essence of what it means to taste a superior and elegant wine. This in turn peaked his interest of the complexity of wine and the industry as a whole.

After a trip to Napa, Jason came up with the idea to create a special and unique gift for his clients and business acquaintances. Since wine represents relationships and celebration, he decided to make his own wine from Napa, just 50 cases, to give away. As it turns out, a customer who received this wine gave a bottle to a friend who owned a restaurant, who in turn shared with a distributor who then called Jason to ask him if he could purchase his wines. After a short conversation Jason grew to like the idea, gathered together his resources and started Tobacco Road Cellars.

Well aware of the fact he wasn’t a grape grower or wine maker, he knew he had to rely on others talent. His goal was to make the best cabs from Napa, but where to start? Jason knew in order to make this vision a reality; he needed time, the best soil in Napa and solid relationships with those he respected in the industry. He hired Mitchell Klug, Director of Vineyard Operations at Premier Pacific Vineyards. Krug’s tremendous talent to create the highest quality wines with his zeal for meticulousness viticulture was just what Jason was looking for. Another driving force behind Jason’s inspiration to start the winery was Dave DelDotto, who opened his eyes to the true difference of wine making and well…uh…exception wine making! Interesting thing is Dave has a very similar story to Jason, whose career began out of love of wine and a trip to Napa in 1988. While there on vacation he spontaneously purchased a 17 acre estate in St. Helena off Zinfandel Lane and two years later started to grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Sangiovese. It’s only natural that those two would bond!

Next thing Jason knows, he is making wine and loving the new challenges and rewards. “This is so different from any other business. You have to anticipate so much 2 years prior. You can either roll the dice, invest and hope you build a demand or just grow slow and see how it goes. I took a chance, put it out there….”

So how does he do it, not living in “wine country”? Tobacco Road buys their grapes from only the best property in Napa, and they have complete say over every aspect of the vineyard. They hold long term contracts with each property where the fruit comes from with control over specific blocks, so they know exactly what they are getting. They oversee every aspect from vineyard management, planting of the fruit, irrigation, pest control techniques, how and when the fruit is picked….you name it! Jason also works very closely with their master winemaker, Kian, who has over 10 years under his belt making wine, four of which were spent learning cabernet winemaking at Opus One. They use only French Oak barrels (which I personally prefer as well) as Jason likes the vanilla characteristics the barrel gives. They last longer and have a tighter grain which does not overpower the juice, almost like a slow drip on the wine. He does not like the minty characteristics that the American Oak barrels can sometimes give. Jason is also very excited because they now own 2 of 10 in the country of an exclusive barrel called the “X Blend” from French cooperage Radoux. This luxury barrel is made from French Oak from a secret forest and the oak’s toast is determined by the buyer. Although it is double the price of a normal barrel it will more than double the quality of the juice. A maximum of 100 will be made each year. This is going to make his 2008 Private Reserve Cab a real treat. Just thinking about his juice sitting there in these barrels makes my mouth water. How I would love a barrel tasting right now!

When you sit and think about all of this, it’s quite clear. To utilize the capital, they buy only the finest fruit and work directly with only those who share the passion and contribute their talents. They don’t waste money on machines, expansive tasting rooms, staff or related overhead but instead outsource as much as possible. This makes perfect sense, by using the money at hand to simply make great wine you, in turn, get an exception wine from the finest fruit available. Small boutique wineries out in Napa operate the same way, Jason just happens to live in North Carolina! After all “the end result is what is in the glass. It is the quality you claim it to be”

As Jason pointed out, Kosta Browne, producer of Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, is known as one of the Top 100 wines and again, very similar story to Jason’s. Kosta Browne began as a dream shared by Dan Kosta and Michael Browne. In the summer of 1997, while working at John Ash & Co. restaurant in Santa Rosa they decided to venture into winemaking. They saved tip money for two months and eventually had enough to buy a half ton of Pinot Noir, a used barrel and an old hand-crank stemmer-crusher. Since that day they have nurtured relationships with the best growers and honed their winemaking skills, making sure to focus on the vision and values with which they began.

So what’s next for Jason in 2010? Aside from keeping his southern roots intact, he plans to expand the brand while maintaining high quality wines and even higher standards of customer relationships. “We will never go above 5,000 cases” explains Jason. “It’s important that while sharing the brand in new markets we not forget where we came from and stick to the high customer service standards of Southern hospitality. Our main market is the Southeast as we branch further out in North Carolina into Ashville and outside our local footprint into Florida, Virginia, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. We are found in local wine shops and restaurants and proud to have our wine served at fine establishments like Palm Beach Gardens Capital Grille, Boca Raton Resort, Del Fricsos in Charlotte NC and Angus Barn in Raleigh NC.” You can also find his wines at Seaboard Wine, a local retail wine shop and tasting bar in Raleigh NC. Although their niche is the Southeast you may be lucky and find his wines elsewhere and I encourage you to join their “Regency Club”. Unlike some wine clubs that make you commit to monthly shipments and possibly filled with wine that isn’t their best, Tobacco Road offers you flexibility to choose from their premier wines. They currently ship once a year, around April, with your choice of a mixture of 3, 6 or 12 bottles. Jason in considering making this a 2x a year shipment, with the second shipment coming to you around October, just in time for the holidays!

Jason further explains that everyone has a place in the wine industry. Your every day bottle or first bottle may be a Yellowtail. You can’t drink $60 bottles every day, and these wins can also serve as a gateway to other finer wines. There’s allot of great values of wine out there so he encourages people to go find their own way, discover what your own palate is. Complicated wine ratings have their place but don’t depend on them to find what you enjoy, what pleases your palate. He encourage people to take an aroma class, know what you like….in turn, if you know what YOU like than all those crazy ratings go out the window and you can simply sit back and enjoy. Heck, I know there are quite a few movies out there I have loved that got awful reviews and visa-versa!

“Drinking good wine is an experience, something special; it’s a celebration of sharing, connecting with someone and making memories” Jason has not and refuses to lose sight on what brought his vision to where he is today. He plans on keeping Tobacco Road Cellars very intimate, keeping it a one-on-one personal experience that is so lacking in today’s world.

So when you think of North Carolina, now what comes to mind? Handcrafted premium wines of Pinot Noir, Syrah and cult Cabernet? That’s what I thought!

Note: Operations based out of Napa with the fruit coming from some of the best soil in Howell Mountain, Pritchard Hill, Oakville, Rutherford and others areas in the Napa Valley. The owner, vision and business is in NC.

Cheers from The Traveling Grape

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: Tobacco Road Wine Cellars

Tobacco Road Cellars Wine Series Set to Begin @ Solas

February 17, 2010 By ZMaverick

Tobacco Road Cellars Wine Series Set to Begin

Billed as “Not Your Typical Winemaker Dinner”

January 25, 2010; Raleigh, NC – Boutique winery, Tobacco Road Cellars, is hosting a wine
series at Solas in the Glenwood South entertainment district of downtown Raleigh beginning
Wednesday, January 27th and following on February 24th and March 24th.

Winery owner Jason Earnest will walk the dining room and introduce Tobacco Road Cellars to diners as well as offer special pricing for some of his winery’s highly acclaimed vintages like Tobacco Road ‘s deep red with soft purple rim, lifted bright fresh berry fruit showing red currant and blueberry notes. Rich mouth filling weight that swamps the palate with ripe, juicy flavor that runs through to a long and fine tannin finish.”

Also featured on January 27th is a Pinot Noir from Santa Lucia Highland, one of California’s up and coming viticulture regions. In fact, many wine writers and enthusiasts agree that the Santa Lucia Highlands stands shoulder to shoulder among the top names in Pinot. From Santa Barbara’s White Hawk Vineyard, Earnest is introducing a beautiful Syrah created through a 100% signature single vineyard. This region is quickly being recognized by wine connoisseurs the world over as a top producing wine region.

“Drinking good wine is an experience, something special; it’s a celebration of sharing, connecting with someone and making memories,” says Earnest. The North Carolina native started Tobacco Road Cellars in 2004 after going to Napa Valley on a whim to create own wine to give as holiday gifts. After bottling 25 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and tasting his bounty, Earnest was bitten by this new passion. Earnest has not lost sight on what brought his vision to where he is today. He plans on keeping Tobacco Road Cellars very intimate, keeping it a oneon-one personal experience that is lacking in today’s world.

“From the succulent grapes that we hand pick, to the high-end French oak barrels we use for aging, to the delicate hand-dipped wax seal, we pay attention to every single detail and demand the highest quality at every level,” remarked Earnest. Today, Tobacco Road Cellars has a halfdozen bottlings under its belt, a host of loyal collectors and wine enthusiasts vying for a bottle of their limited production, and the endorsement of Gary Vaynerchuk of the nation’s best-known wine aficionados. Tobacco Road Cellars also was just named “Winery of the Month” by Amanda Hagood of The

Reservations are recommended for the Tobacco Road Wine Series at Solas where diners also will enjoy an award winning meal from Executive Chef Cliff Vogelsberg.

What: Tobacco Road Cellars Winer SeriesSharon Delaney McCloud; 919-810-5085; sharondmccloud@gmail.com

When: January 27th, February 24th and March 24th

Time: 7:00 pm – 11:00 pm

Where: Solas – 419 Glenwood Avenue, Raleigh

Reservations: Call Solas now at 919-755-0755

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Dining, Events, Featured, Nightlife, Wine Tagged With: Solas, solas-raleigh, tobacco-road-cellars

Where Corks Come From

February 11, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

Who would have thought that cork comes from the bark of a tree? It is harvested from the Cork Oak (Quercus suber) which mainly comes from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and Morocco.

Wine corks represent about 15% of cork usage by weight but a whopping 66% of revenues. The cool thing is that when they strip the bark they do not have to cut the tree down nor will it kill or damage the tree. It takes about 25-40 years before cork is suitable for wine stoppers and then can be harvested every 10-12 years; which is done in the spring and summer months. These trees live about 150-250 years and will grow up to 66 feet and oddly enough when problems can happen for the Cork Oak is when their bark is not stripped. The bark is a thick, rugged corky bark (see below) that contains a waxy substance that keeps gases and liquid from passing through the wood. Around half of every cork is made up of empty space, or air. It’s the air cells that let a cork float and be squeezed to fit into a bottle. Cork is different because it won’t expand sideways when compressed so perfect for keeping wine. This just means that cork will stay pretty much the same width when compressed lengthways making it possible to push into the bottle of the neck. Other materials inflate outwards when compressed so you can see how it was hard to find the right material for bottle necks. Once it’s in the neck of the bottle, the cork swells to fill the opening, locking out air and moisture making it the perfect seal for wine.

Regular wine corks are not as difficult as sparkling wine corks since they are cylinders cut from the bark. Sparkling wine has to be much stronger so they can withstand the pressure of the bubbly so they are wider and the cork is layered to provide that extra strength.

Now what about those plastic corks? Would you believe that one of the largest manufacturers of synthetic wine closures in the world is in Zebulon NC, a few towns from me! Nomacorc began manufacturing top-quality co-extruded synthetic closures for the wine industry in 1999. I’m not sure when but the wine industry found a need to fix some of the problems that natural cork can create; such as the problems associated with TCA which 3% to 7% of wines are tainted with. There are some negatives as well. Once is silly pure perception that wines corked with these plastic babies are not high quality wines and must be a cheap wine that is mass produced when corked with plastic. If people would get over their misperceptions and realize that many times wines sealed with plastic corks can be better because they create a better seal ensuring freshness. However if this is a wine that is meant for long aging a natural cork may be better because over long periods of time synthetic corks may let air in and oxidize the wine. One side is natural cork seals better but can taint the wine but yet there is a school of thought that plastic corks create a more airtight seal but over a long period of time air can get in if it’s a wine you age. Hmmmmm – what are your thoughts?

Cheers!

Filed Under: Wine

Sonoma Appellations

February 4, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

Immediately to the west of Napa Valley is the Sonoma Valley which actually produces more wine than Napa with a rich history. Sonoma County has 13 AVA’s and more than 50 grape varieties are planted here.

The cooler Carneros area and the Russian River Valley are best known for Chardonnay and Pinot, while the warmer Dry Creek Valley and Rockpile areas make some of the state’s best Zinfandel. Alexander Valley is known for its excellent Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. For whites, Chardonnay is the county’s leading variety with 16,000 planted acres and Sauvignon Blanc second at 2,500 acres. For red varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon leads the way with 12,000 acres, followed by Pinot Noir at 10,000 acres, Merlot with 7,500 areas and Zinfandel with 5,000.

•Carneros~Chardonnay, elegant Pinot Noir, Sparkling

•Sonoma Valley~Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Melot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zin

•Sonoma~Mountain Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Zinfandel, Pinot

•Sonoma Coast~Chardonnay, Pinot Noir

•Bennett Valley~Merlot

•Green Valley~Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc

•Russian River~Pinot Noir, Chardonnay

•Chalk Hill~Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc

•Knights Valley~Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petite Verdot

•Alexander Valley~Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zin, Syrah, Sangiovese

•Dry Creek~Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

•Rockpile~Cabernet Sauvignon, Petite Sarah, Syrah, Zinfandel

•Northern Sonoma~Same as: Alexander Valley, Chalk Hill, Dry Creek, Knights Valley, Rockpile, Russian River

Explore the back roads of gorgeous Sonoma and it’s smaller owned wineries, beautiful downtown areas and ongoing events. Contact The Traveling Grape to plan your upcoming trip! Cheers!

Filed Under: Wine

Napas Appellations

January 28, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

Napa Valley is only 30 miles long and from one to five miles wide. The town of Calistoga is the northernmost part of the valley, known for their hot springs, active geyser, cool wines and warm friendly people. Traveling from the southern end of this famous wine making region to Calistoga you will drive through the cities of American Canyon, Napa, Yountville, St Helena and Calistoga. You will also find The Napa River which is 40 miles long which drains the entire valley. Although Napa is the most well known for wine making, it only produces 4% of the wine in California.

You will find over 400 wineries, ranging in size from small family-owned operations to large corporate wineries. These wineries are spread through-out Napa (the main appellation) and its 14 sub-appellations. Understanding these individual regions can help you match grape varietals with its growing terrain which influence the grapes. Napa is warmer in the summer than Sonoma making Napa a more favorable place for Cabernet while Pinot and Chardonnay are more the specialty of Sonoma.

14 Sub-Appellations (Wine Growing Regions)

Los Carneros ~ Chardonnay, Pinot Noir
Wild Horse ~ least known and not yet known for their varietals
Oak Knoll ~ Chardonnay, all Bordeaux grapes and Riesling
Mount Veeder ~ Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay
Yountville ~ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Stags Leap District ~ Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon
Atlas Peak ~ Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese, Zinfandel
Oakville ~ All Bordeaux grapes
Rutherford ~ All Bordeaux grapes
St. Helena ~ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
Spring Mountain ~ Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet France
Diamond Mountain ~ Cabernet Sauvignon and some Zinfandels
Howell Mountain ~ Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Zinfandel
Chiles Valley ~ here will you see Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sanvignon Blanc and Chardonnay

Isn’t it time to visit Napa? Contact The Traveling Grape to plan your entire vacation to Napa and Sonoma for an experience that will live in your heart!

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: The Traveling Grape

Movies about Wine

January 21, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

I am sure you have been enjoying this warm weather but soon enough it will be chilly again and time to snuggle on the couch with a good bottle of wine and a movie. If you haven’t seen these four movies with wine as the backdrop and feature then you are in for a treat! Not sure what to drink? …. attend this FREE wine tasting experience Friday February 5th between 5-6:30 at any of these 11 participating wine shops! Winemakers will be pouring, discussing and selling their fine wines at these select wine retailers. Come sample, buy a bottle and have it signed, it is so much fun! I will be at Taylor’s Wine Shop off Six Forks but click here to find one near you!

So grab your wine, a bag of popcorn, a comfy blanket and your honey…..

A WALK IN THE CLOUDS (1995) Victoria, a beautiful Mexican-American woman heads back home to confront her family. She got pregnant by her professor and is now alone, scared to tell her father. Keanu’s character just returned from war and now a chocolate salesman who runs into her during his travels. I love this picture and I love the way he says her name. I own it and can’t see it enough. The views are spectacular and even though it’s a romance I think everyone will enjoy it. If you have been to Napa and Sonoma you will recognize many of the scenes. The Napa wineries are Mayacamas Vineyards and the Mount Veeder Winery. In St Helena Beringer Vineyards, the Redwood Cellar of the Charles Krug Winery , Duckhorn Vineyards, and Haywood Vineyards in Sonoma.

A GOOD YEAR (2006) Based on the book by Peter Mayle. Many of the wine country scenes where filmed in Luberon France and city scenes in London. Russell Crowe is great. His character Max Skinner is a selfish, womanizing, successful investment expert. One day he gets word that his uncle died and left a vineyard in Provence to him. When he goes to Provence, the flashbacks back to his childhood days with his Uncle give you a glimpse of his childhood and how much he has changed. Château la Canorgue it the main location and the vineyard Max inherits. I read somewhere that they had put in the swimming pool just for the movie and then covered it back over and replanted grapevines. One of my favorite places in the movie is the pond in the center of Cucuron – where Max and Fanny go for their date with the old movies playing on this big outdoors screen with a live band playing. This beautiful spot is on the south side of the Luberon and I place I have to visit one day! Another one I own and love!

BOTTLE SHOCK (2008) This story is centered around the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, in addition to portraying the birth of the Napa wine industry. Based on a true story, Bottle Shock shows the events leading up to the famous ‘Judgment of Paris’ tastings, told through the lives of father and son, Jim and Bo Barrett. A former real estate attorney, Jim (Bill Pullman) sacrificed everything to realize his dream of creating the perfect hand-crafted chardonnay. His business, however, is struggling, and he’s not only trying to overcome differences with his son (Chris Pine) who is a real dud, but is also in financial trouble. Meanwhile in Paris, British wine shop owner Steven Spurrier (Alan Rickman) hopes to revitalize his own failing business by sponsoring a competition which will compare the French wines with California wines. Little did Steven and Jim realize that they were both on course to change the history of wine forever.

I remember when this movie came out. I was driving through St Helena on the way to The Pink Mansion to check in and I looked up at the Cameo Cinema and saw the show times for Bottle Shock. I made a point to visit Chateau Montelena the next day, a beautiful property in Calistoga. I found Bottle Shock to be a great story. I know there are some negative reviews about how the movie wasn’t a documentary but that is what I liked about Bottle Shock. For me, it portrays exactly all the thoughts that must have gone through their minds during this time. It shows the difficulties related to making wine without being too technical, and it also helps us better understand the love and hard work of growing grapes and making wine. The locations used in this movie were so familiar to me I felt as though I was there. Buena Vista Carneros Vineyards on Ramal Road, Kunde Estate Vineyards, The Saloon at Jack London Lodge, Sonoma Plaza, Della Santina Restaurant, Enoteca Della Santina, Ledson Harmony Club, Toscano Hotel and the Swiss Hotel and Restaurant just to name a few. Yep you guessed it, own it!

SIDEWAYS (2004) A comedy/drama with the tagline “In search of wine. In search of women. In search of themselves.” Wine, particularly Pinot Noir, plays a central role. The film caused the Pinot Noir sales to rise in the USA, known as ‘the Sideways Effect’.

Miles is a miserable, destructive, divorced middle school teacher who loves wine (specifically Pinot) and is attempting to become a writer. He is the best man for his buddy Jack, so they head off to wine country for Jack’s bachelor weekend. Jack isn’t a prize but for some reason his future bride is going to marry this guy; but right now Jack’s only goal is to get laid one last time. The tale of these two adventures is quite humorous. At first I admit, I didn’t like this movie but the second time I watched it I found the humor in how dumb these characters are. It’s definitely off beat and colorful, but how did a movie create such a trend in a varietal of wine?

There is a memorable scene in the movie where Miles adamantly refuses to drink Merlot, but did this in fact have a negative impact on the consumption of Merlot, while increasing the consumption of Pinot Noir? What are your thoughts?

Miles Raymond Quotes:
• Let me show you how this is done. First thing, hold the glass up and examine the wine against the light. You’re looking for color and clarity. Just, get a sense of it. OK? Uhh, thick? Thin? Watery? Syrupy? OK? Alright. Now, tip it. What you’re doing here is checking for color density as it thins out towards the rim. Uhh, that’s gonna tell you how old it is, among other things. It’s usually more important with reds. OK? Now, stick your nose in it. Don’t be shy, really get your nose in there. Mmm… a little citrus… maybe some strawberry… [smacks lips]

• No, if anyone orders Merlot, I’m leaving. I am NOT drinking any f’ing Merlot!

• Oh, Jesus. Don’t ask questions like that up in wine country. They’ll think you’re some kind of dumbs__,

• Uh, I don’t know, I don’t know. Um, it’s a hard grape to grow, as you know. Right? It’s uh, it’s thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It’s, you know, it’s not a survivor like Cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and uh, thrive even when it’s neglected. No, Pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And in fact it can only grow in these really specific, little, tucked away corners of the world. And, and only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression. Then, I mean, oh its flavors, they’re just the most haunting and brilliant and thrilling and subtle and… ancient on the planet.

CHEERS!

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: Movies about Wine, wine movies

Three Amazing Days of Exclusive Wine Events right here in Raleigh!

January 14, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

February 4th – 6th

Each year in February The Triangle Wine Experience brings to you, right here in Raleigh, exclusive wine dinners and free wine tasting events with winemakers from California and all over the world. You will have the opportunity to attend auctions where you can find lots that you never thought you could find of rare vintages and oversized bottles. Vacations to Italy, Mexico, Napa Vally and Hawaii!!! Meet new friends and simply have the evening to remember full of what a glass of wine does best ~ bring people together in celebration!

“This event is now receiving national recognition. Consumers are realizing that we have depth and quality of auction lots, offering rare `cult’ Napa Valley producers and Bordeaux selections. Internationally acclaimed vintners host our winemaker dinners and our participating restaurants serve extraordinary food. And – we’re fun!”

The Triangle Wine Experience is the Triangle and Carolina’s premier wine event encompassing tastings, dinners, and a Grand Gala with Fine Wine Auction over a three day period. Winemakers from all over the world participate in this truly amazing event.

All proceeds from the Triangle Wine Experience go to the Frankie Lemmon Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the education and support of children with special needs. The Frankie Lemmon School is a local public preschool in Raleigh NC for children ages 3 to 6 with developmental disabilities ranging from mild autism to Down’s syndrome, from sight impairment to mobility challenges. The Frankie Lemmon School is public and does not accept tuition, but with only 40% of the school’s budget coming from the North Carolina Public School Fund and rising costs of operating the school, they depend on the funds from The Triangle Wine Experience to keep them going.

GET INVOLVED:

If you can’t make all events, pick one and join me for the fun! Even if you are out of town you can help by donating wine or a product. Each year I pick a few special bottles from my collection and although it’s hard to give up and hand over, it feels really good to know that I am helping these kids out, kids I have gone to see at the school and have tugged on my heart strings. So give it up people…share the good stuff! And for any wineries out there that couldn’t attend locally we are still accepting wine donations and would love to have you participate in future events. You can contact the foundation at (919) 845-8880.

THURSDAY EVENING WINE DINNERS

When in Raleigh can you enjoy an intimate winemaker dinner at one of our fine restaurants? Thursday February 4^th you will have that very opportunity! Hey, you might not be able to do everything during this 3 day event, but a wine dinner in Raleigh with a high end wine that is affordable and goes to charity sounds like a no brainer to me! Believe me, I have been to several as both a volunteer and guest, and it’s an experience that I cherish and tons of fun, not a stuffy boring wine dinner at all! There are 29 restaurants participating in Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill.

Which wineries are involved? To name just a few, come dine with Miner Family Vineyards, Cakebread, Caymus, Kosta Browne, Patz & Hall, Reynolds Family Winery, Switchback Ridge, Duckhorn, Realm Cellars, Robert Foley or Pride. For a complete list of restaurants and wineries involved visit The Triangle Wine Experience.

FRIDAY FREE EVENT ~ Evening Sip, Shop & Sign 5-6:30pm
Winemakers will be pouring, discussing and selling their fine wines at select wine retailers. Come sample, buy a bottle and have it signed. This is a great opportunity to learn a little more about wine and make new friends while you’re at it. This event is free and no reservations are required. You’ll find me at Taylor’s Wine Shop giggling and having fun with Taylor and Gail. Join us Friday February 5th from 5-6:30 at any of the participating retail wine shops. Click here to find out which of the 15 wine stores are closest to you!

SATURDAY GRAND GALA & AUCTION
Come join me for one of the most fun nights you will have all year!! Getting all dressed up in your black tie digs with somewhere to go, drinking incredibly special wines, meeting new friends, having the opportunity to bid on and take home some rare finds that you can’t find commercially and dance the night away….. all while fighting for a great cause!

Please come join me for this grand gala with a Hollywood theme “Hollywood & Vine”. There will be two spirited auctions ~ one live and one silent. You will be delighted to see such spectacular wines, rare vintages and oversized bottles. You will see some really cool lots up for auction such as 20 (3) Liters of California wines as well as a lot with over 20 magnums! Kosta Browne, DR Stephens Estate Wines and Wind Gap have “pianos” of Wine (375’s/750’s/mags/3L/6L). You can bid on the owner’s box for a Yankees Game with Steve Reynolds that includes flight, hotel, and a DelFrisco’s private dinner. Vacation time…..there will be trips to Italy, Mexico, Hawaii, CALIFORNIA! You will find SO many wonderful things especially for the Triangle Wine Experience. The live auction will be presided over by Paul Hart of Hart Davis Hart Wine Company. After the auctions, come get your groove on dancing the night away to a live entertaining band. I would not steer you wrong my friends, I look forward to this event every year and each year, it just keeps getting better!

Cheers from The Traveling Grape!

Filed Under: Charity Events, Events, Featured, Wine Tagged With: Triangle Wine Experience, Wine Events Raleigh

Hangover Remedies

January 7, 2010 By The Traveling Grape

hangover

Wow, can you believe another year has passed and tomorrow will be 2010?!? As we all eagerly make New Year Eve plans & anxiously await the new and exciting things ZSpotlight has in store for us, there is one thing we all must do first…..PARTY and CELEBRATE!!!

I thought it would be fun to share with all of you the different hangover remedies people from the West Coast to the East Coast have to survive tomorrow’s pounding head, wobbly stance, unsatisfying hunger, fuzzy remembrance of what just happened hours before, slow reaction times, sensitivity to light and pure fatigue.

Live it up and be sure to check out where these folks are and their great blogs & sites……

The Wine Spy ~ My sure fire protection against hangover: I drink 1 cup of water for each drink/beer/wine I drink (3 margaritas means I drink 24 ounces of water)

Guitar Nova ~ I think there are certain mornings where a nice glass or two works really well!

Simple Hedonisms ~ Hair of the Dog – Mimosa! (and usually some Emergen-C)

Cellar Mistress ~ I take vitamin supplements, ibuprofen, mineral water and usually have another drink later in the day. Bloody Mary’s work. As they say, “Hair of the Dog!”

Joseph and Curtis ~ Rice milk, frozen fruit (bluberry,rasberry,mango) 1 1/2 banana, drop of honey, 2 pinches cinnamon, couple almonds, put into blender and turn into smoothie!

Pardon That Vine ~ a mountain dew first thing in the morning.

The Traveling Grape ~ PET chocolate milk does the trick every time!

Taylors Wine Shop ~ My cure for a hangover is prevention. That doesn’t mean abstinence. For me it means drinking more water than wine

Segway Napa ~ A big greasy breakfast!

Thrive Energy Drink ~ One is a huge plate of waffle house hash browns and the best, a drink of water between every three drinks and a b-12 when you wake up , drinking it with a glass of really cold milk, if you got a stomach ache and head ache, goodies two packs, a glass of bitters and soda with cran-rasberry, and you are good to go

Why Wine Blog ~ This works for me all the time: Before bed I take two multi vitamins, two vitamin C
one vitamin E and two Bayer aspirin with a tall OJ or water (16 oz.). Never wake up with bad hang over. Last year started using Emergen-C in lieu of vitamin C tabs.

Girl With A Glass ~ I know this isn’t a cure but its prevention which is very trendy nowadays! Drink only the BEST champagne, drink according to your body weight & spread it out over the whole evening. You’ll feel great the next morning because you won’t be wondering what you said or did the night before, or who that is next to you in bed…or whose bed you’re in. Oh, and if that doesn’t work, sleep it off and then have a glass of white wine around 3pm.

Amy Manson Pottery ~ One can of LaCroix Sparkling water before bed! It’s a charm!

ANONYMOUS CONTRIBUTORS:

~ Excedrin Migraine + strong coffee. The best is to be able to sleep late! Also Maola choc milk 2/3 + Maola 2% white milk 1/3 mixture

~ Chocolate milkshake and a dive in the ocean! Always worked in college.

~Of course it is the “hair of the dog” and a greasy country ham biscuit from Bojangles.

~Cheesy French Fry Burritos!!

~My favorite – take 2 Tylenol before you go to sleep and if you wake up still with a hangover, go back to bed and enjoy the sleep…… this too shall pass.

~Pepsi and greasy cheeseburger to get you back on your feet….husband swears by lot of water & Advil before bed. Says it prevents the dehydration.

Cheers to all for the best year to come!

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: Hangover Remedies

Cult Wines

December 24, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Have you heard the term “cult wines” but didn’t quite understand what it meant?

California “cult wines” are considered to be the most desired and sought after rare wines made with the finest fruit available. They are predominantly all cabernet based, very small production of around 300-600 cases per year and produced by small boutique wineries. Often the wineries that produce cult wines will sell “futures” or have a waiting list in order for the consumer to get their hands on some. They can sell for anywhere between $500 to $2,500 a bottle; making it more of a collectors wine rather than a drinkers wine. I suppose since higher prices have the perception of higher quality then it makes sense that many find these wines very desirable and are willing to pay large amounts of cash for. It’s a lot like driving a half million dollar car, looked at more as a trophy and/or investment and no doubt a status symbol. A fellow wine drinker has expressed to me “I think cult wines are normally amazing wines. However, because of such high expectations, one can sometimes be disappointed. Sometimes, though, when a cult wine lives up to its billing, it is so good to make me feel like I have experiences an amazing event!”

So as you can see, cult wines are considered to be some of the finest wines in the country, but are they really worth the price tag, especially in today’s world? As you have guessed already, these wines are reserved for only a small group of dedicated wine collectors. What I find the most interesting is I have spoke to some winemakers who have explained to me that “on several occasions we have had difficulty selling wines at $75, but as soon as we raise the price to $125 they sell out”. Crazy stuff. Sometimes you will even find a few of these bottles have made their way into some of the Z restaurants so you can only imagine the mark up there!

So why are they called “cult wines”? One definition of the word cult means a small group of followers with a similar interest followed with exaggerated zeal. Since only a small percentage of folks can actually afford these wines while many of us can only dream of taking a sip, hence the name “cult wines”. There are websites dedicated to selling these wines, lists of people getting on cult wines mailing lists, auction houses where fans flock to and a great stop in Napa you must make time for Cult Wine Central Tasting Room right off 29 in Oakville.

So which wines are these you ask? I’ll start with the ones I have had the pleasure of tasting: Ghost Block, Ghost Horse, (Thank you Todd) Fife, Pahlmeyer, Showket, Screaming Eagle, Dunn Howell Mountain, Shafer Hillside Select and Caymus.

And a few I know of that I have not tired: Araujo, Bryant Family, Colgin Cellars, Dalla Valle Maya, Diamond Creek, Dominus Estate, Grace Family, Harlan Estate, Hundred Acre, Kistler, Marcassin Estate, Napa Wine Company, Sine Qua Non, Sloan, Dumol Finn Vineyard, William Selyem Riverblock, Rochioli East and West Blocks, Volker Eisele, Kosta Brown Kanzler, Penfolds Grange from Australia, Galardi Terra di Lavoro from Italy…..plus several more!

If you need a local place to find these wines, go to Taylor’s Wine Shop off Six Forks Rd. If you can’t find it there, ask Taylor to locate it for you and please tell him Amanda with The Traveling Grape sent you!

Next time you are in Vegas pop into The Hostile Grape at the M Resort. They have 160 wines by the glass and even a few of these cult wines! You can get a 5 ounce pour of Screaming Eagle for $90. It’s really a very cool social cozy place. Experienced winos will revel in the selection of boutique wines while novice connoisseurs can sample several wines in small pours using their dispensing system. I love it; it uses pre-paid tasting cards that allow you try one, three or five ounces pours. They also serve cocktails for your non-wine drinking guests.

My advice – stock up on a few now, hold on to them for 10-20 years and you have a flawless investment!

Cheers from The Traveling Grape!

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: Cult, screaming eagle, Wines

Champagne Cocktails for the Holidays

December 17, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Tis the season for celebrating with friends and family and what better way to rejoice the holidays then with some bubbly! Whether you are going from party to party, toasting at one of the many fine Z restaurants or simply snuggled at home with your loved one, make your time together more festive. Below is a list of great champagnes and sparking to try as well as some festive champagne cocktail recipes.

Here is my recommended list of some great champagne you may want to try:

Paul Goerge
Duval Leroy
Nicolas Feuillatte
Henriot
Bonnaire
Taittinger
Moet & Chandon
Louis Roederer
Krug
Charles Lafitte
Veuve Clicquot (my personal favorite)

And how about some Sparkling:
Schramsberg
J
Gloria Ferrer

Are you leaning towards a more fruit based champagne cocktail like a Bellini, Mimosa or Kier Royal? Go with a Prosseco, very inexpensive, easy to enjoy and easy to find. In fact Prosecco is one of those wines you can drink from morning to late evening. The Prosecco grape is primarily grown in Veneto, a region in Italy. These grapes are used to make their sparkling and tend to make a crisp fruity wine. Want something a tad drier, try a Cava. Cava is made in the traditional Champagne-method but comes from Spains native grape Parellada. It is a low cost alternative and usually can be found under $12.

As promised, here are a few Champagne cocktails to try.

1. Poinsettia ~ Mix Prosecco, vodka and cranberry juice and serve chilled.

2. French Martini ~ 1 shot Chambord, 1 shot pineapple juice, 1 shot vodka, Champagne. Add Chambord, pineapple juice and vodka to a flute glass, and then fill with Champagne. Toast and enjoy!

3. Ritz Fizz ~ 1/4 shot Blue Curacao, 1/4 shot Amaretto, 1/4 shot lemon juice, Champagne. Pour the blue Curacao, amaretto, and lemon juice into a Champagne flute. Add in the Champagne until full. Give a gentle stir to mix the colors and flavors.

4. Marilyn Monroe ~ 1 shot apple brandy, dash grenadine, Champagne. Many fruit wineries offer apple brandy, but if you don’t have any, get some apple juice and mix it in with brandy. Put that in the bottom of a Champagne flute. Add in a dash of grenadine. Grenadine is thick, sweet syrup made from … pomegranates! It adds a bit of red color. Pour on the Champagne and enjoy the luxurious life!

5. Ague de Valencia ~ 2 shots orange juice, 1 shot Cointreau, 1 tsp sugar, Cava sparkling wine

6. Boom Boom ~ 1 shot sweet vermouth, 1 shot dark rum, 1/2 shot orange juice, Champagne. Put the vermouth, rum and orange juice into a Champagne flute. Add in Champagne to fill.

7. Carol Channing ~ 1 shot glass Chambord, 1 tsp sugar, Champagne. Combine Chambord and sugar (traditionally this recipe calls for “gomme syrup” or simple sugar syrup) Put the mix into the bottom of a flute glass and add in Champagne to fill. Garnish with fresh raspberries.

8. Penny ~ Fill glass with vodka, add Chambord, dash of sweet & sour and top with Champagne.

9. Flirtini ~ 1 shot pineapple juice, 1 shot vodka, Champagne. Add pineapple juice and vodka to a flute glass and fill with Champagne.

10. Kir Royale ~ 1/2 shot Crème de Cassis, Champagne. Put the Crème de Cassis into a tall flute and then pour Champagne over it. Some call a “Kier Royale” a blend of Champagne and Chambord.

11. Peach Bellini ~ In a blender puree peaches until smooth (out of season, purchase white peach puree either frozen or in a can) add to Champagne and a some sugar if needed

12. Velvet Swing ~ 6oz Champagne, 1/2oz port, 1/2oz cognac, rose petals. Pour Champagne into a glass, add the port and cognac but don’t stir. This will makes two flutes. Decorate with rose petals, allowing one or two to fall into the flute.

13. Pink Mimosa ~ 4 ounces pink grapefruit juice, 4 ounces champagne. Mix in a cocktail shaker with crushed ice; strain into two champagne flutes.

14. Black Velvet for you beer drinkers ~ half a flute of Champagne & half a flute of Guinness

15. Christmas Eve Punch ~1 12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed, 1 12 oz can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed, 1 12 oz can frozen limeade concentrate, thawed OR 1 small can pineapple juice concentrate, thawed, 1 2 liter bottle chilled ginger ale, 1 2 liter bottle chilled champagne. Mix the juices in punch bowl but do not add water. Stir in the ginger ale then add the Champagne (do not stir after adding the champagne)

So before your weekend begins, head out to your locally owned wine store and stock up on some bubbly for the holidays, you’ll be glad you did ~ Happy Holidays and get your merry on! Cheers from The Traveling Grape!

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: Champagne, cocktails, holidays

The Power of Red Wine

December 16, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Many medical professionals* have finally recognized the benefits of drinking red wine and recommends one glass per day for woman and two glasses per day for men. What is so special about red wine and why is it getting so much attention by health professionals? The French, although they eat the good stuff like buttery croissants and cheeses, are primarily thin and have low mortality and heart disease rates. Hmmmm……..is this because they consume more red wine than the rest of us?

Elixir –noun
1. Pharmacology a sweetened, aromatic solution of alcohol and water containing, or used as a vehicle for, medicinal substances.
2. Also called elixir of life. an alchemic preparation formerly believed to be capable of prolonging life.

We have all heard that there are many health benefits of drinking red wine, but what exactly are those benefits, where do they come from and what varietal holds the most benefit?

Some of these benefits come from Resveratrol, which is an antibiotic produced by plants when under attack by bacteria or fungi. Many foods and drinks contain resveratrol but only in small amounts. Peanuts, grapes and blueberries for example. The skin of grapes used to make red wine have the highest levels of this powerful antioxidant making red wine the best source for a daily dose of resveratrol, even more so than simply eating the grapes. Why red and not white wine? Because reds have higher levels due to how they are fermented with their skins and seeds. The skins are removed from most white wines grapes before fermented.

All reds contain resveratrol, but Pinot Noir is found to contain the highest levels of this age/cancer fighting chemical substance. Pinot Noir’s grapes are thin making them more delicate causing them to potentially rot easier so they naturally produce more resveratrol to protect themselves. It has even been said that the region in which the Pinot Noir grape comes from can also affect the levels present. If the climate is both cool and moist it will produce higher resveratrol; so areas like Washington, Oregon, New York and even North Carolina may be a good choice. It stands to reason that certain vintages could be affected as well.

Resveratrol studies show that it can potentially affect diminishing heart disease, diabetes, allergies, preventing damage to blood vessels, prevents blood clots, Alzheimer’s, cancer, lowering “bad” cholesterol and reduce memory loss as well as prolonging your life (wow, I am going to live to be 100) and check this out, helps protect from obesity.

Now this does not mean if you drink a bottle of Pinot Noir each day you will live a long healthy life, but possibly by consuming more Resveratrol it could be a powerful life-enhancing natural substance. If you don’t care for wine, there are supplements you can take that contain Resveratrol, which is what is found in the skin and seeds of the red wine grapes.

Cheers to your good health!

*American Heart Association

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Featured, Wine Tagged With: benefits, red wine

Proper Temperature to Store Wine

December 3, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Wow – I didn’t realize that the topic “What temperature should I store my wine” would raise such a ruckus! The truth is, a lot of wine is ruined due to improper wine storage. From the casual wine drinker to the avid wine collector, people have wasted money due to unknowingly damaging their wines from wavering temperatures, moisture, exposure to light and vibration. To keep your treasure at its optimal flavor it is more than just tossing the bottle under the sink in the corner, in the pantry or closet.

Humidity is another factor to keep in mind. If the humidity is too high, mold can grow and labels can be damaged. If the environment is too dry, the cork will crack and air will get into the bottle oxidizing the wine.

First, if you drink wine, no matter if it’s Two Buck Chuck, an eight dollar bottle of the red sweet stuff or a $300 bottle, GO GET A WINE FRIDGE! Remember, wine is perishable like food. You have invested in a refrigerator at home to keep your veggies longer and your milk fresh, right? You can find all shapes, sizes and price ranges to fit your space and budget, so just get it over with and go do it now to save yourself lots of disappointment and money! My favorite place is online at The Wine Enthusiast. If you have a trash compactor in your kitchen, replace it with a fridge. If you are short on space, get a small six bottle unit. If you don’t want to junk up your home, get a unit that looks like furniture. There are some beautiful furniture-style wine cellars available which I own and love. If you have the room and money, customize your own cellar. Make sure your choice stores the wine on its side, allows at least two different temperature-controlled areas and the motor has little vibration. Laying the bottle on its side keeps the cork moist so it won’t crack and oxidize the wine. A moist cork simply maintains a seal between the juice and the air.

Another thing to keep in mind, which I get push back from but I stand behind, is that wine can be stored too cold as well, ruining the flavor and aromas of the wine. Just like storing in warm temperatures can age wine prematurely causing them to lose flavor and balance, being chilled too cold will cause the wine to lose its flavor and aroma.

Let’s be real, most of us keep a bottle around for maybe a year, and two is stretching it; we aren’t collecting it as an investment. A collector’s storage needs are a bit more challenging and demanding taking into account more than just multiple temperature levels, but also humidity levels and needed dampeners to cut down on vibration.

Ideally, wines should be stored and served at a cool “cellar” temperature around 45°F – 60°F, depending on the varietal but again, let’s be real. Most of us don’t have the means to have a unit which can control a dozen different temperatures, so let’s keep it simple.

Ideal range of temperature for storing red wine is 55ºF. White wines can be stored at lower ranges at 41º-48ºF. If you only have one temperature control in that new cooler you just bought (and no, I don’t mean your regular fridge), keep it at 55ºF. This will allow your wine to keep and age properly, and you will never have to be disappointed again.

Review:

Buy a wine cooler and if you can, buy one a tad larger than you think you need
Don’t use your regular refrigerator as your wine cooler
Keep bottles on their side
For long-term storing, maintain high humidity levels (65% – 90%)
Keep in a dark area away from light
Keep away from heavy vibrations (motors shutting on and off)
Find out the age-worthiness of your wines before they are past their prime
No wine should be stored over 55 ºF or served over 65ºF
Stay away from those decorative wine storage racks that sit on your kitchen counter or worse, above the refrigerator.

So take the proper precautions now, invest a little money and ENJOY!!

Filed Under: Wine Tagged With: storing, temperature, wine

Wine Lingo – what does that mean?

November 26, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Why does tasting and enjoying wine seem to be so difficult at times? It seems like when I finally get a moment to sit still, chill out at one of the many great ZSpotlight restaurants and enjoy a nice glass of Cab someone comes along and ruins the moment by flashing out their “knowledge card” and talking in a language not many can understand. So I peer over my upturned wine glass at them as I slowly sip, desperately trying to find the “smooth tannics” or the “flabbly finish” or hey; what about the unacceptable “acidity level” and the beautiful “structure” that they are speaking of.

Wine lingo is important if you want be able to describe your palate and what taste and feel you enjoy the most. This way when you are at a ZSpotlight restaurant or buying wine you can accurately describe your likes and dislikes to ensure you get a bottle that suits your palate. If you can learn some simple common descriptors when it comes to wine smells, taste and feel in the mouth it can take your enjoyment of wine to another level.

The following are a few basic tasting terms you may have heard:

Wine Varietal – this is the kind of grape a wine is made from. There are regulations that regions have to follow in order for a wine to be labeled a varietal. For example, for a California wine to be called a Merlot the wine must be made from 75% of that grape.

Legs – the liquid that runs down the glass of wine. Some say the legs determine the quality of wine but really it is simply the alcohol content of the wine. When the “legs” evaporate is when you truly get to the fruit of the wine.

Big – high in alcohol content. If this is the case let the wine sit, allowing the alcohol to dissipate so the fruit and flavors can come through

Nose – What you smell in the wine

Bouquet – another term used for the nose, or aroma.

Tannins – Tannins in wine come from the grape skins, seeds and stems; and sometimes from the fermentation and aging process in oak barrels. They serve as a natural preservation and also as an antioxidant. Reds are more tannic because they grape skin stays in contact longer with the juice when crushing and aging. If when you drink a red wine and you get a bitter or astringent taste; this is caused from high tannic levels, making your mouth pucker or feel like your tongue is dried out. Red wines with little tannin should be drunk younger as the opposite true for those with higher tannin levels. These wines need to age to mellow out and soften the tannins.

Dry – misused quite allot but it’s pretty confusing because dry can mean many things. Most people use dry to describe tannic wine and it makes sense because high tannic wines can dry your mouth out, but it really means a wine with no residual sugar, the opposite of sweet.

Flabby – not enough acid or tannins, also called “flat”, lacking structure.

Acidity – an important element of wine, essential for aging, flavor and freshness making it a preservative as well as affecting the color wine. The amount of acid added to wine help the “structure” of the wine giving it more intensity, as well as add shape the flavor and finish. Without the right amount of acid the wine will taste flat but too much acid can make the wine too tart.

Structure –what gives wine its intensity and lift. A combination of equal amounts of tannins and alcohol are a large part of a wine structure. Think of balance, a wine not being too much of one thing and lacking another in terms of tannins, alcohol, acid, fruit, aging, etc.

Body – the thickness of the wine, how it feels in your mouth, like comparing skim milk to buttermilk. A light bodied wine will be soft and airy while a full-bodied wine will be rich and big with mouth filling texture.

Crisp – pleasant fruit acid levels

Balance – to me the best wines have the perfect balance, simply meaning that all the components of the wine (structure, fruit, alcohol, tannins, acidity, aging, fruit, etc) are all equal, without one standing out more than the other. The fine wines I enjoy have harmony and elegance.

Finish or length – length of time the wines flavor lingers after swallowing, the aftertaste. To me, the best wines stick around for a while, tempting you to have more.

I always say, it’s all about what you enjoy. Also know you aren’t alone when it comes to deciphering the language that wine geeks use, but don’t let it intimidate and confuse you. Just learn a few of the basics and feel free to contact me with any questions. Cheers!

Filed Under: Wine

Mix up the holidays with a Wine Blending Party

November 19, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

The holidays are here and it’s time for planning a party. Liven up your holiday with a different spin by hosting a wine blending party! It’s easy, creative, and informative, bringing out everyone’s imaginative spirit. This is a great opportunity to deepen your knowledge of wine while having a blast!

The purpose of a wine blending party is to create traditional blends from single varietal wines while bringing people together, having fun and enjoying the time of year meant for celebration. If you haven’t read the post dated Nov 5th on “What exactly is a Meritage Wine,” please do. This will help you understand what a blend is and what makes a traditional Bordeaux blend wine. Keep in mind, during this party, do what you want, experiment and bring out the chemist in you! There are no rules, just match your personal preferences and who knows what will happen. You will be surprised and enjoy all the different palates your guests bring to the party even though you may have been sharing wine together for years.

Picking the wine: (if you purchase a kit you won’t need to buy the wine; however the kit does not include a Malbec, so you may want that varietal on hand. If you don’t go with the kit and purchase your own wine, try to stay with the same producer, but it’s not a rule.)

Cabernet Sauvignon: Most blends focus on this as the main varietal, making it the backbone of blends to carry the rest of the varietals through. Look for rich red to black fruit; not overly tannic, but well-balanced.
Merlot: Traditionally a very fruit forward wine and usually the lighter of the reds with raspberry and cherry. A little bit can go a long way in a blend.
Cabernet Franc: Can be a bit more aromatic then the other reds, offering more on the nose in a blend.
Malbec: Deeper red fruits and very thick wine, bringing a lot of structure and texture to the blend, velvet and big tannins.
Petite Verdot: Gives the blend that long lingering finish, known as “the finisher” and maybe some floral notes.

Getting the tools together:

Once you make the guest list (and keep it manageable), make it easy and purchase a wine blending kit online that will have just about everything you need. You can either get your own wines and tools or purchase a kit online at Fusebox Crushpad or just Google Wine Blending kits as many wineries offer these as well to promote their wines. For example Bourassa Vineyards offers a kit for $79 (on sale now for $39)

Fusebox costs $80. It takes about five business days to receive so give enough time since shipping may take longer during the holidays. You get half-bottles of Napa-sourced wine which includes two Cabernet Sauvignons, one Merlot, one Cab Franc, and one Petit Verdot. These are the four of five main blending grapes used to make Bordeaux (lacking only Malbec, for some reason). Each kit will accommodate four people with four placemats, four mouth pipettes (used to transport a measured volume of liquid) and a cork pull. You can also create your own label online. What a great holiday gift this would be for your friends and family – a wine blended by you with your own label! Very cool.

Set up:

The day of the party, organize a blending station for pairs or groups of four. If you have the kit make sure you also have plenty of wineglasses, a spit bucket and pencils. If you didn’t get the kit you will need to either purchase the tools or rummage through your kitchen. Tools you will need:

Wine (see above for picking the wine)
- Measuring device, preferably a graduated cylinder for precise blending. If not, use a measuring cup but it won’t be very accurate
- Since a wine thief is not something we all keep around you can use a turkey baster or plastic straw, but use only one per varietal
- Index cards
- Placemats (not the good ones, use vinyl if you can)
- Several empty bottles to put your finished blend. You can use old ones, just remove the label and run through the dishwasher with hot water.

Why a spit bucket you ask? Every wine brings something very different to the table. By spitting the wine it allows you to have a cleaner palate because swallowing the wine will create a lingering taste and aroma which affects how the next wine tastes. Plus, your blend may not taste so great if you get too tipsy while creating your wine.

Ideas for the index cards:

WINE BLENDING PARTY

Budding Winemaker Name or Group:____________________________

VARIETAL PERCENTAGES NOTES

Blend #1

Blend #2

Blend #3

Blend #4

Blend #5

Let the blending begin:

Keep your formula a secret from the other groups and then everyone can pick their favorite at the end. As you go about blending and experimenting you will be excited about your new discoveries of how each varietal can really change the aroma and flavor of your blends.

Pour each wine varietal into a glass (you can use a beverage glass for this part since it is more steady than a wine glass). Print the name of each varietal on an index card and place the correct glass on each card.

Start where your palate takes you and don’t worry about picking the wrong varietal because there are no rules! Start with about 35% of the varietal you want and pour it into the cylinder or use the wine thief (or straw) into a measuring cup. It’s important to keep track of the amount you are using of each varietal as you begin your recipe. As you add each additional piece smell the wine, but don’t taste yet. Let your nose tell you where to go next. Keep track of your math so you don’t go over 100%. Remember, you don’t have to use all five of the varietals.

Once the final blend is created, have each group take their recipe and make an identical blend for the group to taste using the new bottles.

Tasting the finished product:

Swirl, sniff and sip — vote on the top three looking at the nose, the intensity of the fruit, weight and finish. Give the winners a bottle of Meritage to honor their winemaking talents. If you’re lucky, they’ll open them up and share!

Cheers!

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Featured, Wine Tagged With: Blending, holidays, party, wine

What wine to pair with a Thanksgiving Feast?

November 12, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Here we are, two weeks away from being with those we love — to enjoy a day of thanks, warmth, love, too much food and of course GREAT WINE! This time of year is so special as the leaves have just about all dropped and the fall colors have faded away in our minds. It reminds us that everything is coming full circle in life and that in order for everything to come up anew, we must go through these rainy days. Just as the vines of Harvest are now bare, we know they are only preparing themselves to start producing amazing fruit in the spring for us to ultimately enjoy the rewards.

With this chill in the air we all seem to have a desire to cozy up in our homes and spend time with those who make us feel our best….and share our best of what we have to give! This is the time to blend these moments with wonderful wine. There are so many great wines to pour for your feast that it’s hard to pick one.

As everyone is mulling around the kitchen and munching on appetizers (as well as those sneaking food being prepared for dinner) I suggest staring the day with some Champagne! Champagne and Sparkling bring elegance to your day and have such versatility to enjoy with just about any food.

For the feast itself, I find that a Zinfandel or Pinot Noir makes the best choice. You want a wine bold enough to stand up to the flavors of a typical Thanksgiving dinner, but not too full-bodied with high tannins. Go with a medium-bodied red with lots of fruit.

Zinfandel’s are typically a fuller-bodied red wine, but not as in your face as a Cabernet. They balance well with the hearty food that is usually served on Thanksgiving. Remember, we’ve got a party on the table and in our mouth with all the flavors of the season. I can taste it now….tart cranberry, herb & celery stuffing, green bean casserole with mushroom soup, yams with sweet marshmallows, spicy pumpkin. If you are looking for something a tad lighter, then go with the Pinot Noir. Pinot is a tried and true favorite for this time of year as the fruit flavors in a Pinot show quite well with turkey. Go with a fruit-forward Pinot from the Russian River — you can’t go wrong!

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Ledson ’08 Pinor Noir recommended by Steve Ledson. With aromas of overripe strawberry with up front flavors of black cherry lingering on the palate to almost blackberry notes with a long slightly nutty and creamy finish. For him, this brings back memories of his Mom’s homemade blackberry pie.

• Eric Ross offers two Pinot Noirs to choose from, both from the Russian River which is known to produce some of the best Pinot. You can click on his banner to the left of this post.

• Baldacci Pinot Noir (they are having a special on their website, so go check them out)

• Gary Ferrell Winery Pinot Noir, single vineyard Pinot from the Russian River

• Ledson ’06 Napa Valley Zinfandel is a real treat. During their Harvest Celebration last month, they were pouring several wines but this is the one I kept coming back to, along with everyone else at our table.

• Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel (found at Costco) from the Dry Creek and Alexander Valley region.

• Sausal Vineyards & Winery Zinfandels, known for having the oldest Zin vines in Alexander County and I believe has been making Zin longer than the rest.

• Everett Ridge ’06 Estate Zinfandel from Dry Creek.

Visit these wineries online today in time to order these wines and enjoy with the love of family, friends and the season surrounding our hearts.

Filed Under: Dining, Wine

Ordering Wine in a Restaurant

November 12, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

I see so many people stressing about what to order when dining out and then just as many disappointed with their selection. Here are a few tips to keep in mind the next time you are dining at one of the many delicious ZSpotlight restaurants.

I find most restaurants’ wine selection come in two categories. A wine list with not enough choices, or those with an intimidating leather bound cover that take hours to shift through. My personal opinion, I think a well-written wine list is focused on the food they serve, choices of different varietals, have an affordable selection to choose from and are within reason. If the markup is out of this world, just order a glass and don’t go back. There is a high markup on wine, 200% tends to be the minimum. Restaurants buy wine at wholesale prices so less than you find in stores, but if a wine you can find in a store at $15 is priced at $50, forget it! The best priced wines tend to be from the New World, so give them a try. These are usually wines from Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and the less common areas in the US.

I also think it should have a good variety to suit everyone’s taste. “By the glass” offerings should include a sparkling or two and at least ten to twelve choices between whites and reds. I like choices, especially if it’s a restaurant that I frequent. It is good to know the wine’s producer and origin, the vintage (which is often left off wine lists and frustrates me), a quick sentence of tasting notes and suggestions for food pairings. I think that many restaurants rely on their distributors to determine what should be served, and this may not always be a good thing. Naturally, the distributor has goals to meet and sometimes pushes the large volume wineries, so a note to restaurants: take care in choosing your list. It really could make or break you. After all, your wine list is marketing for your establishment.

Ordering by the Glass
Keep your options open, as many house wines can be excellent. I have found that if the wine list has a good selection, then they have also taken great care in picking their house wines.

Now when ordering wine by the glass, the first question that always comes to my mind is “how long has the bottle been open?” Too many times than not, the bottle has been sitting there for over a day or two and it has “oxidized.” This happens more when the restaurant doesn’t use a preserver when closing the bottles for the evening. When a wine is exposed to air for too long it has a dull vinegar-like smell and flavor and it can turn brownish in color. In other words, the wine has gone bad. One tell-tale sign is if when the server pours your wine and the bottle is almost empty, especially if it’s early in the evening, then it may have been sitting there longer than it should. I actually have several friends that have expressed their dislike for red wine but come to find out it’s because they have only tried a red wine that has been overexposed to air; and all the while they thought that was how red wine simply tasted. NO NO NO!!! If this happens to you, first don’t think poorly of the restaurant. It is inevitable that wines will sit open for too long so coming across an oxidized wine will happen from time to time. The restaurant wants you to enjoy your dining experience, so politely tell them that you think the wine has gone bad and could be oxidized and could they please open a new bottle and get you a fresh glass. Boy, what a difference that will make.

Now before I go on, please know that just because you may not like the “taste” of the wine that you ordered by the glass, don’t use this excuse to try a different one. Train your palate to recognize this flaw by doing this simple exercise at home. The next time you open a bottle of wine, keep some wine left over in the bottle and each day pour a small bit out and smell it. You will then understand how wine evolves when exposed to air and can recognize this while dining out.

What I highly suggest you do when ordering wines by the glass is ask for a small sample to try before having them pour you a full glass. This lets you do two things. It allows you to “test” the wine to make sure it hasn’t been sitting out too long and it also allows you to try new wines to make sure you like the initial nose and taste before committing to that wine for the evening. Again, don’t just return the wine because you don’t like it; learn to recognize faults in wine and this will go a long way toward your enjoyment.

Ordering by the bottle
Since ordering individual glasses of wine always ends up being much more expensive; go ahead and order a bottle, especially if you know this is a wine you enjoy. Again, if it’s a wine they serve by the glass, ask for a taste first and then order the bottle and save yourself some dough! If you typically drink two glasses of wine and they offer half bottles, then order that. If it’s a long evening and you will drink four glasses or there are two or more people drinking wine at the table, order a bottle. Even if you don’t finish the bottle, once you get to four glasses you have spent less than ordering four by the glass. If you have a large group consider a magnum which holds two bottles.

Now when you are dining with several people you will more than likely be surrounded by different tastes. If you are only ordering one bottle (shame on you) and you have both red and white drinkers at the table, consider a heavier white that is oak barreled or a lighter red such as a Pinor Noir. My suggestion, order one of each and make it a fun night! Remember, a bottle normally serves 2-3 people. Also, be open to new regions and varietals.

If there is a Sommelier on hand, use his expertise and have a chat with him on his recommendations. Don’t be embarrassed if he asks you your price range and don’t lie or let them talk you into going way above your price preference. He will probably ask you what you will be ordering from the menu but be firm on what you like so you don’t end up with a wine that you can’t enjoy, but at the same time know how to describe what you like. If you aren’t sure how to do that, contact The Traveling Grape for a wine aroma/sensory class. It’s a fun and educational experience.

Food and wine pairing is a big deal for many and that’s ok, but my advice is – drink what you like. However, it can be fun to try pairing food with wine as there is a method to the madness and can really bring out flavors in both you never experienced before, but it certainly is not a “rule.”

Once you make your selection, don’t fret if you can’t pronounce it – this happens to me; just order by the bin number or point to the selection asking how to properly pronounce it. Once your treat is brought to the table, the server shows you the bottle to make sure he brought you the correct wine. Check the vintage of the wine because many times the vintage on the menu is not the same, yet they will charge you the same. Not acceptable. Every vintage has its own characteristics and quality and many times the younger wines are not showing their best.

Now what do you do when they set the cork down in front of you? Please don’t smell it, it means nothing. What you want to see is if the cork has failed. If the cork is very dry and cracked or the opposite, soaked, then it is possible this bottle has been oxidized as air has seeped into the bottle. Now this is rare but can happen. If the seal between the cork and the bottle is bad then oxygen gets in the bottle and you get the same smell and taste as if the bottle sat opened for too long. Proper storage of wine will show the tip slightly damp and wet, so that is no big deal. In fact, some old vintages may have a more saturated cork due to age but the wine may be just fine!

Many confuse “oxidized” wine with a “corked” wine. Now you ask, what does “corked” mean? Cork taint is a wine fault that comes from several reasons, the main being it has TCA contamination; which about 3%-7% of wines out there are contaminated. Now I am not a scientist or chemist and you probably don’t care what the technical definition means, but you do care how to detect corked wine. It smells like a musty old damp basement or wet dog. Many people get confused and blame the wine or varietal as being bad and then don’t try that particular wine again, which is sad because corked wine is simply a fault and happens to all varietals and all winemakers.

So again, don’t smell the cork! Simply check to see if it’s in good condition. You can also see if the cork bends and if it does, it may be bad. Some say by smelling the cork you can check for mustiness but I find it’s the wine you want to smell for faults, which you will do when the waiter pours you a small amount in the glass.

Now this brings me to another point that seem to make people uncomfortable. Normally, the one who ordered the bottle will be the one who the server pours a taste for. First, make sure you are being served with their best glasses and don’t be afraid to ask. In fact, if you are brought out the same glasses they serve the wines by the glass with, please ask.

OK, tasting is the best time you can see if the wine has any faults as well as to make sure it is served at the right temperature. Red wines should be slightly cool at 60-65 degrees. If the red is warm you won’t get full enjoyment so ask for an ice bucket to chill the wine some. If you aren’t cool with swirling and smelling the wine no biggie, but do give it a taste. Once approved ask the server to serve small pours, nothing is worse than an oversized pour! If you ordered a red and the server didn’t ask if you would like it to breath, it’s ok to ask him to decant your wine, especially if it’s a heavier varietal such as a Cab or Bordeaux. Simply by placing the bottle on the table to breath has little effect in bringing out its best characteristics.

Now if you order a bottle of wine that you chose and there are no faults, yet you dislike the wine, it is not appropriate to send it back. However, if the server made a bad recommendation use your discretion if whether or not you send it back.

Bottom line, don’t stress about the wine. A “Z” night out is all about spending time with friends and enjoying the experience. Oh, and there are some restaurants that have cash and carry licenses, so if you find something special, consider taking a bottle home.

Cheers!

Filed Under: Dining, Wine Tagged With: ordering, Restaurant, wine

What exactly is a “Meritage” wine?

November 5, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Before I begin, let’s get the pronunciation of this wine term correct. It sounds like the word “Heritage”. Neither French nor English, Meritage is an invented word that combines “merit” and “heritage”. It is purely an American term with strict requirements as it must consist of two or more Bordeaux varietals, as well as the producer of the wine must be a member of the Meritage Association.

As you know, Americans love marketing and it’s all about how a product is packaged that entices us to buy most of what we wear, eat, drink, drive and what can be found in our homes. We talk about labels so much that we forget we are truly missing out on some fabulous things (and people) that don’t carry these labels. Well, the American wine industry understands this and had to find a way to make “table wine” more attractive to their buyers, since most find that term does not represent a high quality wine.

If a wine doesn’t consist of 75% or more of a specific varietal, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon, it cannot be called as such. It then falls into the category of a blend, or table wine. Otherwise the winery would have to market their blend under trademarked proprietary names such as Cain Five or Magnificat just to name two. Joseph Phelps was actually among the first to do so with their Insignia. As American sparkling cannot be called Champagne, an American blend cannot be called Bordeaux.

In 1988, a group of American winemakers came together to find a way to make these wines more sexy and appealing to the consumers and restaurants. Blending of grapes is truly an art form that has been around for hundreds of years, with some of my favorite wines being blends. I personally don’t care if it’s called a Meritage, Cuvee or Red Table Wine, and after reading further you won’t either.

This group of vintners came up with an ingenious idea and launched a contest to invent a name to call these blended wines. The winner (man I wish I knew about this back then) won two bottles of each vintage of each member’s wines labeled under this name for ten years! There were over 6,000 entries and Neil Edgar of Newark California was the lucky wino to achieve this honor. He combined the words “merit” (to show excellence) and “heritage” (to show these wines are using the same blending grapes in the Bordeaux tradition)……and thus the term “Meritage” was born.

Now comes the part that many winemakers struggle with. In order to label their wine a “Meritage” they must become a member of the association and pay dues of $1 per case produced annually, preferably have the Meritage be the wineries’ most expensive label. In addition, the wine must meet the following criteria:

• No single grape variety may be more than 90% of the blend.
• A red Meritage must be a blend of two or more of the following varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot (and the rarer St. Macaire, Gros Verdot and Carmenère).
• A white Meritage must be a blend of two or more of the following varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon or Muscadelle du Bordelais.

There are over 240 winery members throughout the US but still hundreds of wineries don’t participate in this association, yet they still produce superior red and white “table wines”. Blending can create a beautiful balance, taking the best varietals and delivering a more complex, diverse wine with great dimension and flavor. Because of this, it has been said that blends are the easiest wine to pair with foods.

So next time you try a wine – remember that “Table Wines” are very sexy and superior without the label!

When you dine at your next ZSpotlight establishment, be daring and try something that may not appear so sexy, but will knock your socks off when you give it a try! You may find yourself pleasantly surprised and somehow, not relying on labels may be the new fashion!

Cheers!

Filed Under: Dining, Featured, Wine

618 Bistro Opens off Lake Boone Trail

November 3, 2009 By zEditor8

618 Bistro

There is a new upscale bistro in Raleigh, just off Lake Boone Trail – 618 Bistro. Want to check out this new hotspot, and bring a date for dinner and wine? Click here to access a $50 Gift Certificate for only $25! We’ll be reviewing this restaurant this week! Tell us what you think.

About the Executive Chef:

Born in England, Chef Alex spent a lot of time with his family in Eastern Europe, Cairo and Tunisia. At 14, he followed his dream of becoming a Chef. After participating in a Culinary apprenticeship in Cyprus, Spain and Italy, Alex was accepted into the Culinary Arts Institute, in Le Cordon Bleu, France, where he earned his BA.

Prior to 2006, Alex served as Executive Chef at Bravo Franco, voted best Italian restaurant in Pittsburgh, The Common Plea, one of the top 100 restaurants in the U.S.A. in 2004, was Culinary partner at Flair in Shadyside, PA, and opened the first Osteria in the Triangle in 2007. Chef Alex was also the featured Chef and Culinary Stylist in the Pittsburgh city paper in June of 2002, February 2005 and March 2006, The Point in April 2006, and the Triangle’s DineDoGo in the Spring 2007 edition.

Chef Alex is the consummate artist, who wouldn’t think of sending anything to your table that doesn’t delight with its presentation, aromas and textures. Apart from creating culinary masterpieces, Chef Alex enjoys fencing, drawing, and history. He is married, has a 12 year old daughter, and resides in Raleigh, NC.

4035 Lake Boone Trail
Raleigh, N.C. 27607
919-781-9100
www.618Bistro.com

Filed Under: Dining, Featured, Great Deals, Wine Tagged With: 618 Bistro, lake boone restaurant, new restaurant raleigh, raleigh bistro, raleigh wine

FYI on BYOW (bring your own wine)

October 29, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

So you just received a great bottle of wine as a gift, or maybe you found a rare vintage in your local wine store that you are dying to try. If you’re really lucky you just returned from Harvest in wine country and want to savor your wine and share your stories. Possibly you have a fantastic wine collection and simply want to enjoy while dining out. Did you know that many restaurants allow diners to bring their own wine? It is a practice that I personally savor but please don’t take advantage of these restaurants and keep in mind some common sense when doing so.

1. Call the restaurant ahead of time to see if they permit you to bring wine, and ask what the charge (or corking fee) is. A fair fee depends on the menu prices but anywhere from $10 to $35 is normal. Also ask if there is a limit to how many bottles you can bring, especially if you are out for a special occasion.

2. Don’t try and negotiate the corking fee. This fee is not a penalty you should be happy the restaurant is allowing you to bring something from the outside in; after all you are using their labor and glassware while enjoying the surrounding of a beautiful restaurant. In other words, don’t be arrogant.

3. If you order a comparable bottle to go along with the one you brought, many times they will waive the fee, but this is an exception so don’t have that expectation. It’s polite to order a cocktail before dinner or cordial after dinner; or even a bottle of white to enjoy with appetizers if you are like me and prefer reds with my dinner.

4. You should not bring a wine that is on the restaurant’s wine list.

5. Don’t bring in wine that cost you $12, it’s tacky. If you are someone who likes to bring in their own bottle it’s because you want to enjoy a great bottle of wine, so only take the good stuff.

6. Since it’s something special you brought in, offer the server and chef a taste.

7. Tip your server as if you purchased the wine at the restaurant by adding the cost of the wine to your bill’s total when figuring out your customary tip amount. Remember, you were able to enjoy your juice of preference and in dong so got a great value for your dining experience out; so if you get great service…be generous!

8. Don’t be afraid to ask for the “good glasses” and decanter. If it’s a special bottle, it deserves the correct tools that will focus on the wine to bring out its true and best characteristics.

Bringing your own wine is a privilege, not a right!

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Featured, Wine Tagged With: raleigh, wine

A little bubbly anyone?

October 21, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Phillipe Clicquot founded the winery in 1772, but the real story begins in 1805 when his widow at 27, Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, took control. You have to admire a woman of such business sense who took on risky ventures and innovations that no one else could figure out, especially in the 1800s. It goes way beyond her high standards for the vineyards, production and sales. In 1816 she created the process of riddling (or rémuage) that removes the yeast from the bottle. You could say that this is one of the many things that led her to being known as the “Grande Dame de la Champagne”.

Back then Champagne was cloudy from sediment that formed in the bottle during fermentation and no one could figure out how to make it clear, including Dom Perignon, whom at that time had been producing champagne for 100 years. Knowing how important it was to improve the appearance, she experimented in her home. She would cut holes in her kitchen table to test the method of slowly tilting and turning the bottles to collect the settled yeast in the neck of the bottle. When it settled on the cork she would freeze the neck, remove it and re-cork it. This would get rid of the sediment and leave behind a beautiful clear color. Riddling is still used today to clarify champagne. Many riddlers are replaced by a machine, but there are still champagne and sparkling producers who do this by hand. The riddler must set the bottles by its neck in the opening of a riddling rack and on a daily basis turn the bottle for several weeks, marking the bottle with each turn. Just like Madame Clicquot discovered, this twisting loosens the particles and prevents the sediment from collecting in the bottom. When this process is done, the bottles go into the neck freezer where a plug of ice forms that contains the yeast sediment. In the finishing room (or disgorger) the last steps of the process occur. A machine pops the cap shooting the ice plug out. More wine will be put into the bottle to replace what was lost when the cap was removed. The traditional grapes that go into making champagne and sparkling are the Chardonnay, Pinot Nior and Pinot Meunier varietals, which are normally the first to be harvested while the sugar levels are low with higher acidity.

In 1810 the Champagne house took the name Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, after Madame Clicquot, although this is commonly shortened to Veuve Clicquot. (Veuve means widow in French)

Today you only have to see that yellow label, the color of optimism and sunshine, to know you have come across something special. Veuve Clicquot consistently produces high quality champagne that has never let me down! In 1963 the company was taken public and is now owned by LVMN – Louis Vuitton Moët Hennessy.
When you think $45+ is too much for the real stuff, think again. It’s well worth every penny. The cheap bottles of the bubbly simply inject carbon dioxide.

To try my favorite Napa Sparkling Wine please visit Schramsberg, America’s first house of Sparkling Wine, founded in 1862. http://www.schramsberg.com

Oh, one last note! Why wait for a special occasion to pop open a bottle of bubbly! I think it’s a shame that it is often overlooked as the wine of choice to share with friends or with dinner. Don’t wait for strawberries or caviar, it’s actually great to sip and also one of the most versatile wines to pair with food due to the low sugar levels and high acidity levels discussed above. Everyone seems to enjoy a glass, both white and red drinkers, and like wine it can be sweet or dry. Demi-Sec being the sweetest; then the Dry, Extra Dry and my favorite the Brut, which is the driest form and probably the most popular. Then you have the Blanc de Blancs (meaning white from white) made only with Chardonnay grapes, the Blanc de Noirs from the Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes and the Rose which gets its color in the second fermentation when Pinot Noir is added.

Champagne goes great with seafood and vegetable dishes (sushi, shrimp, scallops, lobster), creamy pastas, light chicken dishes, Asian and Mexican food as well as cheeses and salty dishes. With heavier meat dishes, try the Blanc de Noirs; however it can be a bit pricier than the others. I would suggest avoiding dishes that have lemon in them or tomato-based sauces. Please do make sure it is properly chilled prior to serving at 40-45 degrees. If you must, place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes but don’t forget it, it will burst and make a mess.

My friends and I enjoy Champagne often and I always find it interesting each time people come up to us and ask us what we are celebrating. LIFE I tell them~Cheers to a sparkling day!

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Wine Tagged With: Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, Cary, Champagne, chapel hill, Durham, raleigh, wine

Welcome Wine Lovers!

October 19, 2009 By The Traveling Grape

Hello fellow wine lovers. Whether you just simply enjoy sipping wine or you are as mesmerized as I am about the entire process of how these grapes get into our glass; welcome to The Wine Lovers Blog, part of The Traveling Grape. I want my blog to be an open forum so everyone can share their experiences, ideas, thoughts, new finds, great deals, fun stories, upcoming wine events, great new restaurants with interesting wine menus and flights…..just anything and everything about wine. To me a glass of wine signifies bringing people together and that is exactly what I want to do!

My first visit to California’s wine country was in April of 2001. My sister Kim and I shared this amazing experience together, and I have never looked at a glass of wine the same. With each visit to Napa and Sonoma I learn so much about the process of wine making and how many different schools of thought there are about growing grapes and making wine. Each time I hope to come back with that magical answer to that questions we all ask, “What makes great wine?” Sure; Harvest is in the fall, but when do you pick the grapes, which grapes get picked first – hillside, valley, certain appellations, and certain varietals? What barrels produce the best wine? French Oak, American Oak, smooth barrel, ridges in the barrel, 12 months, 24 months? How long should a bottle age before it shows its best? Do estate grapes make a better wine than those sourced out? All these questions and so many more, yet with each return home to The Triangle I always learn the most beautiful thing of all! There are no rules. Every grape grower and every wine maker does things so differently. Every critic has something different to say. I find this so interesting and intriguing. With this experience I enjoy every sip that much more.

I think the same thought process should go towards drinking wine. There are so many rules that it can intimidate people and actually keep many from not only trying new wines but enjoying them. We should all just savor our wine, share what we love, and have our own ideas about what wine means to us, the flavors we get out of it, what food we enjoy best with what varietals we prefer. I do give allot of credit and highly encourage you wine lover to take time to learn more about wine and sophisticating your palette, and especially to training your senses so you can pick up aromas found in wine to heighten your enjoyment. It will also help you find what it is in wine you enjoy so you can try new varietals and new labels and expand your own personal enjoyment.

But when it really comes down to it, wine is about enjoying what’s in your glass and bringing friends together. That is my main goal. To grow a community of new friends made up of wine drinkers (all of you, even those sipping on White Zinfandel), wine distributors, wine store owners, restaurants, sommeliers – so we can learn and grow our appreciation from all view points. So again welcome to The Wine Lovers Blog and cheers! I hope you enjoy my weekly posts and look forward to your comments.

Filed Under: Arts & Culture, Dining, Nightlife, Wine Tagged With: fun facts on wine, Great deals on wine, Welcome Wine Lovers

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What wine to pair with a Thanksgiving Feast?

Ordering Wine in a Restaurant

What exactly is a “Meritage” wine?

618 Bistro Opens off Lake Boone Trail

FYI on BYOW (bring your own wine)

A little bubbly anyone?

Welcome Wine Lovers!

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