Happy Holidays New Year and Vaccine

https://i1.wp.com/openingabottle.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/bigstock-155543171.jpg?resize=513%2C343&ssl=1

JUST IN TIME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (OK – WE BLEW BY TURKEY DAY).

STILL IN TIME FOR XMAS AND THE NEW YEAR. LET’S DRINK, THINK AND CHAT ABOUT WINE.

Welcome to my friendly little wine blog new readers. Make sure you sign up as a subscriber so our super sophisticated will notify when there are new posts. In our 15th year (??). There is no cost to follow. No push ads or special discounts. Just the occasional post about anything on my mind that is somehow related to wine. Guest columns are welcome. Like the snickerdoodle recipe near the end! Click on the URL links to learn more.

The lineup for this post includes (i) Bota Box Wine (ii) the biannual delivery from Lyle Fass and (iii) FOUR wines tasted recently; all most likely from Fass.

Bota Box Wine https://www.botabox.com/global/wines.html. tBoW has not tasted this product. I can tell you it is wine in a 3 Liter box (ed. the big one). This is the Pinot Grigio. We Bota_3LPG_500mlPG_GroupShot-winewould taste this one. It is hard to mess up Pinot Grigio which is a grape we favor anyway. Jim Moore of Uvaggio has made a fab bottle forever with Lodi grapes. There is also a Cab and a Chard which tBoW would not taste anyway as he prefers (I am tBoW in case you wondering) other red and white grapes (long standing readers and accomplished wine snobs may weigh in here).

CHECK OUT 4 REASONS WHY ONE SHOULD BUY BOXED WINE (NOTE: this is not from the Bota site!):

“So, why is boxed wine better? [Link to article here https://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/shopping-all/the-best-boxed-wines-to-buy-instead-of-bottles-in-2020/ar-BBYAYfS]

(1) “For starters, when you uncork a bottle of wine, you have around a week until it spoils.” [tBoW: in my house if a bottle is open the next day that would be remarkable.]

(2) “Box wine comes in a sealed vacuum bag that can be stored in the fridge or cabinet long as six weeks! Bottles have certain restrictions and stack a lot less easily than boxes.” [tBoW: this is twooo…that is why if you really love wine you install a wine cellar or buy a mega-cooler “refrigerantus” like Dotore. Long time reader and contributor KrisB just stores Fass deliveries in an extra bedroom…his kids sleep in the garage – it’s heated!]].

(3) “Another huge factor in favor of boxed wine is the environmental impact. It’s easy to assume that glass is the answer. But, once you add into the equation the cork, the bottle’s seal, the cardboard boxes for packaging and the emissions caused by shipping heavy bottles around the world, it’s not quite as straightforward as you may have once assumed.” [tBoW: Gotta admit this makes sense. Of course we prefer to buy wines at one of tBoW’s fave shops like Hi Time in Costa Mesa or Woodland Hills Wine Co in Woodland Hills. When it is necessary to use a stopper overnight we have finally found the perfect device that is air-retardant (look it up you moron) and it costs ~$5. Merry Xmas.]

(4) Finally, as boxed wine becomes more popular, the time has come to reassess its reputation. [tBoW: Maybe that time has come. Looking forward to my first spalsh of wine form the Bota Box! Pinot Grigio please.]

Wow. These past 90 days have been a real slog. And now tBoW is on complete domestic shutdown. Happy wife….uh….better stop right here right now!2008 Renato Motalli Valtellina Superiore - Valgella Le Urscele - CellarTracker

tBoW has covered the newest generation of wine importers, shippers and direct sellers; in particular John Rimmerman of Garagiste and Lyle Fass of Fass Wine Selections. After years buying from Garagiste tBoW switched to Fass. Both deliver price, quality and selection that fits the palates and budgets of the usual gang of idiots [clazzy reference to Mad Magazine] that read tBoW. #1 son sent the tout so we took it. Both ship twice a year when temps protect the wine instead of ruining it. But when the boxes arrive…it’s good to have a cellar..or an extra bedroom. Here are a few quick reviews.

2013 Valtellina Superiore Le Urscele $20s?:100% Nebbiolo from AltoPiemonte which is north of Milan, full of small vineyards and local winemakers all the way to the Alpine foothills. If there is a downside…well…this was where the first major COVID outbreak was in Europe. Other than that the region is at hte top of tBoW’s must visit wine tours. And this wine delivered exactly what we like. Lightweight viscosity (the fluid), simply delicious. Read about Valtellina here. A picture of Valtellina vineyards at top of this post!

2015 PinMongeard-Mugneret Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2015ot Noir Mongeard-Mugneret $26: This is Pinot Noir from Burgundy (extremely high-snob French wine). Once you get a flavor for Burgundy you will never drink any other Pinot Noir. I have heard long-time reader Ikorb say “I will never drink any wine other than Burgundy.” What a snob! Truth is Burgundy is a very fussy grape that grows best in the Burgundy region of France. It is extremely popular among the cogonoscenti (French for wine snobs) for good reason. Once can purchase inexpensive Burgundy such as this bottle ($26 is cheap Burg). Note the term “pinot noir” on the label. Somewhat like seeing POTUS #45 with the word “moron” nearby. The risk with buying “inexpensive” Burgundy is you will probabVendita vino online su VINOalToP, Enoteca online specializzata su Alto Piemonte e Nebbiololy wonder if for another $15 you coulda had the real stuff. Fortunately, tBoW has a hedge. He bought the producer Mongeard [blahblahblah]. Knowing the quality producers – and the quality importers – are good safeguards. What did it taste like? Burgundy has two critical flavors: (1) sweet like strawberries even cherries, or (2) feral commonly referred to as”barnyard.” Ask yourself what you always find in the barnyard. Especially where the critters wander. Nuff said. That is an acquired taste. This was on the cherry side.

2013 Lessona La Badina 13% $25: Let the website speak. “Ermido brought back to life the wine yards from the wild wood. Nowadays the wine yards are run by his daughters Linda and Sara. La Badina is a niche production. Only 1.2 acres of wine yards in a natural amphitheater protected from the winds on a ground made of sandy marine soil.” Oh yeh. Mr. and MRs tBoW would visit in a heartbeat. The wine is balanced, delicate and sinewy – not muscle bound, more like the guy on the ice dancing duo. In control and strong enough to lift my palate.

2004 Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuícher Maxímíner Herrenberg Riesling Spätlese | Vivino2004 Karl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Auslese 11.5% $14: Fourteen bucks? Now that is value. Why you ask. Because German wines are the hands down best bargains with the greatest price-quality ratio in the world. People just do not understand. These wines are very flexible. KrisB will have to write a brief post (very busy man). Dott-in-Law who don’t ever let wine pass her lips LOVED this one. Not sure where we got it. Guessing Fass. Auslese wines can be quite unctuous when young. This wine had melted down into a golden snickerdoodle. The wine was lightweight, diaphanous, gossamer even [tBoW easy lookup]. She loved and was reluctant to share at all. If you punch up tBoW on your phone she will greet you in her Santa Elf hat! Here is what Parker wrote about the 2007: An intriguing, kaleidoscopic nose of cumin, toasted squash seeds, peanut brittle, lime, mint, and yellow plum preserves… OMG. Do not try to describe wine like this by yourself or with other people…unless you are wearing padded clothing.

Have yourself a merry merry Christmas and a Hoppy Noo Yeer. Look for another post before the New Year.

 

I was looking for Xmas jazz video…tough search! I did find a great one for New Year or any time.

 

 

CHEERS FROM WINE-EXOTIC NEW ENGLAND!

DISCOVERY!! HIDDEN WINE SHOP IN CAMBRIDGE MASSACHUSETTS

 The Shop | Porter Square Wine & Spirits

Porter Square Wine & Spirits in Cambridge MA

When we used to travel to DC or NYC or other points east…

tBoW always was on the hunt for local wine shops with selections unavailable in LA…

That joy has abated certainly with the COVID pox on travel and the absence of a job that requires such.

What job requires travel anymore?

No problem there are plenty of great and special wine stores in LA/SoCal. And we can relive the joy of “wine store hunt” discovery through tBoW contributors.

Guest Editor today is the Field Maus who hails from Connecticut or Massachusetts. Call it New England. He wants to tell the tBoW readers about a splendid wine shop in Cambridge MA. Please notice there are multiple links to sites that give more depth to Maus’ wine fetishes which are always of interest to readers. Do click on the links! tBoW will embellish post notes.
“You will find Porter Square Wine and Spirits, a small shop in Cambridge Mass that is crammed with hundreds of wines you never see anywhere, from grapes you’ve never known, and bottles sizes you’ve forgotten about…”
Val d'Aosta | Natural landmarks, Wine region, Aosta

Valle d’Aosta above Alto Piemonte

Cave des Onze Communes Vallee d'Aoste Mayolet, ... | prices, stores,  tasting notes and market dataMy first time in the store I was somewhat rushed, but I managed to find a red from Valle d’Aoste, a sparsely populated area above Piedmont. RARE. I’ve only seen them online, and the one I purchased a few years back was memorable, so I took a flier on this $23 bottle. Made from a grape called Mayolet, it tasted a bit like gamay, maybe? Very light, would go with anything. Fun, but not a re-buy. Would love if anyone poured me a glass, tho.

My second time there, I repurchased two bottles of Manincor ‘der Keil from what may be the world’s loveliest wine region: Sudtirol. 100% schiava, this comes from Lago di Caldaro, one of Oz Clarke’s favorite sources. Imagine a lighter, chocolately pinot noir with a bit of BLT. $23 as well, and worth every penny.

First-Taste Guide to Alto Adige Schiava | Learn Wine | Opening a Bottle

Sudtirol borders Austria and Italy above Venice

On a slightly more conventional note, also picked up two bottles of Bergerie Anjou Blanc from Pierres Girard. Why? ‘Cause it’s made with chenin blanc, and this is demi-sec. The versatile chenin reaches its highest potential when it’s on the vine into the month of October. This will last longer than me, by the way. $21.
In Mass, the retail sticker includes tax. Delightful. Cheers from New England, Maus.”
Quite a bit to UNPACK. tBoW has been waiting for a chance to use that premier term strongly favored by newscasters. Now that is gone.
Wine shop discoveries are one of the delights of being a wine snob…and I use that designation in the most irreverent sense. Finding your palate – learning what flavors you like and which grapes deliver those delights – is the the first important lesson in tasting and enjoying wine. Maus likes white wine grapes associated with the Rhone. These include Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Rousanne, perhaps even Viognier [ed. endorse all except yuk on viognier]. He also likes wines from regions off the beaten path, roads less traveled, especially in countries he has visited on numerous occasions. He often eschews the standard and highly touted regions preferring the less fahionable and “sellable.” Agreed.
tBoW has written repeatedly about his favorite shops where staff can discern my flavor profile (strawberries, cherries, kiwi…think of fruits you like) and price point ($U20 but willing to go to $30 if all criteria are met with exception) and low alcohol level…sub 14% down to 11% (especially for pink wines in the summertime).
Schiava grape meets all criteria of interest. tBoW has had a few and never been disappointed. Color is quit light for a “red”; alcohol is low at 12% even lower; and costs are chained to the $20 level. tBoW is on the fence with Chenin Blanc. I have tasted quite from the Loire and other regions near. Flavor is too sweet from my palate. Makes a highly desirable dessert wine. Note both are relatively light wines from mountain regions on either side of northern Italy.
All in all Maus always has something of great interest to share when it comes to wine. Did I mention he’s a huge Dodger fan? We all have our flaws.
Be sure to search for other posts by Maus on tBoW. Here are a couple.
As for what job requires travel? The wine business abounds with traveling wine hunters. In fact a great wines strategy for choosing unusual, affordable and downright interesting wine if to BUY THE PRODUCER. Here is a great piece on this approach.
CANNED HEAT “ON THE ROAD AGAIN”

What Is Wine? Who Wants to Know? A Primer for Getting Started.

It’s a good time to leave the cave.

 

Before heading into the next COVID trough…let’s buy and drink some wine!

tBoW has been drinking copious bottles of wine during the p-a-n-d-e-mic. Why not? Wine is an indoor sport that takes some know how and the will to carry on. Even during COVID.

Contributing writer/editor Field Maus left a mysterious message. “Hey! I’m in a wine shop in [east coast burg] and it’s tiny and it’s filled with bottles from all the places we’ve never been and there are a ton of wines I never heard of so I bought a bunch.”

Message to Maus::::::hell yeah. Send label fotos and tasting notes. Maybe include some maps with wine bottles that mark the nation-region. Wine touring off the common path is tons ‘a fun.

Goffing pal Mighty Mike Daig-Known [symbolized at top] is “getting into wine.” He understands domestic big names are mostly crap. He recognizes tBoW is a terrific source for learning more about what is in the bottle and which bottles to buy. Mike makes his purchases at Trader Joes and Costco. tBoW TRUTH #1: Costco is good; TJs not so good.

SOLUTION: Find a local fine wine shop you can trust long as they are not fullapoo and try selling you overpriced trophy wines. Many premium wine shops like Woodland Hills Wine Co have a rack with discounted wines. When you are in Costa Mesa you should stop in Hi Time [ed. ask for Patti] and buy a case of mixed wines between $10 and $20. These wines are not loss leaders or closeouts from some distributor. They are the ten to twenty dollar bottles from under-publicized regions like Chile, Languedoc, Alsace….

WHAT ABOUT COSTCO? There are some really good wines at Costco but how do you know which to buy?

RULES FOR BUYING WINE AT COSTCO: (1) Never buy “special wines” like the double mags of Napa Bombast Special Reserve or stupidly priced singles in plastic displays. (2) Find the bottle that stands out like a guy with orange hair in the White House. Last time tBoW was there it was obvious which bottle fit this mold. It was Austrian. DING. It had a screw top. DING. The label was unintelligible with words like Gruner Veltliner (native Austrian white wine grape). And it was $12. DING DING DING. That’s the winner. And it was excellent served chilled while in the spa.

Let’s get to the wine reviews.

Mike has been told Spanish sparkling wine is pretty good and can also be a good deal. Raventos Blanc (~$23) is a Spanish Cava that is good as or better than any champagne or domestic sparkler. tBoW posted on it here. The only problem it is tough to find. When I find it I buy at least six bottles. Also in pink!

What about Chardonnay? Mike is not a fan “no matter how cold it is served.” tBoW agrees. There are so many other white wines that are far more interesting. Here is one sold under the Gelsons label which they named “Mayfair.” Price is ~$14; blend is 61% Marsanne, 29% Viognier and 10% Rousanne. The wine is made by Doug Margerum who makes wines under his own Margerum label. Doug’s winery is located outside Santa Barbara. Doug is an excellent winemaker covered several times in tBoW. The white wine grapes come from the Rhone region. Made as single wines they suck. Most single grape wines suck. Wines should be blended….with regional varietals as has been practiced for centuries.

Summertime is for pink wines aka “rozays.” We have tasted many. Drink them chilled down. Here are a few bottles with busted corks.

2019 Les Gris from La Ferme Rouge 13% is from an estate in Morocco. Forgot what is tasted like. Watermelon with a little spine which means it was a bit firm and with good acid. Looks like the pinks are made from Cinsault (versatile red Mediterranean grape) and Grenache (as before). Would buy again. $14.

2019 Chateau Saint Eulalie Printemps d’Eulalie 14.5%. Minervois is a town in the un-sexy part of Southern France. This is southwest of Provence which is too sexy for tBoW. Do a search on this blog about the Languedoc. Wines that are so far under table dogs lap them up. This is a masculine wine that is not pretty. It is high acid and somewhat bracing. Look at the alcohol %. Like a round of goff with Mike D.

2019 Schlosskellerei Gobelsburg Cistercien 12%. Glad I bought two bottles. Everything I love in Austrian wines: high acid and bright fruit. $13.

2018 Juliette La Sangliere 12.5%. Pretty petty pretty. Delicate. Gentle. Seductive. Would get more of this. $12.

The only thing to figure out is how to buy wines like these. Plenty of guidance can be found on The Best of Wines dot com. Use our super slick search engine. G’head. Memo to Mike. Next time I get strokes. Click below on tBoW posts on buying and evluating wines.

Buying Wine: Our Favorite LA Shops

Forced and Unforced Wine Errors.

Wine Geeks Speak

and now…Miss Peggy Lee reflects on drinking wine and pandemics…

OMFG. Like That and It’s Over.

PCH is wall to wall and LA beaches are packed!

And that was 100 years ago.

https://silentlocations.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/chs-14048-crop.jpg?resize=506%2C102

CAN’T WAIT TO LEARN HOW THE SPANISH FLU

TURNED OUT 5 MONTHS LATER? JUMP TO THE END..

[ed. excerpted from Los Angeles City Archive] It was mid-September 1918 when cases of influenza began appearing in the Los Angeles area. At first, the disease attacked seamen aboard a naval vessel that had arrived in the harbor. On September 28, officials at the Naval Reserve Station at Los Angeles Harbor was placed their installation under quarantine, although they were quick to state that the move was merely precautionary, as no cases yet existed. Several days later, Army officials placed the Arcadia Balloon School under protective quarantine, prohibiting the men there from visiting nearby Pasadena and other communities without special permission. There too, officials stated that there were no cases amongst soldiers.1

The first civilian cases in Los Angeles appeared on September 22…on October 11, Mayor Woodman declared a state of public emergency.6…The health commissioner then ordered schools closed and banned all public gatherings – including public funerals, movie houses, theaters, pool rooms, and other public entertainments. In other cities, tens of thousands gathered for the celebrations kicking off the Fourth Liberty Loan drive, creating conditions perfect for the spreading of influenza. In Los Angeles, however, residents had at least one less opportunity for getting sick.Hollywood Historian William Mann Compares 1918 Spanish Flu With ...

Clarifying questions ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous: Are dental schools included in the ban? What about piano lessons? Should businesses stop holding sales, playing music or doing other things to attract crowds? Will the health department recommend wearing gauze masks? Should they be mandatory? Since poolrooms are closed, should a hotel shut down its single pool table?

No Masks. No Vaccines.

L.A. city leaders were not as easily convinced on the mask issue as their Northern California counterparts…the City Council simply decided to recommend masks except for situations where the state required their use.

The value of influenza vaccines was also debated energetically amongst those in the Los Angeles medical community. On October 25, the state Department of Public Health announced a statewide plan to provide inoculations to all Californians who wanted one. Periodically, the L.A. health department directed Angelinos to three sites in the city for free inoculations.18 The program was not very popular, however, and grew less so in late-November when one representative of the U.S. Surgeon General’s office told Los Angeles residents that he was not very enthusiastic about the efficacy of the vaccine.19

Sunday Morning! "Pale Rider: the Spanish Flu of 1918" by Laura ...As October waned, the daily tally of new influenza cases fell below 1,000.  By November 9. By then the daily tally of new cases fell below 800 for the first time in a month.22

In early-November, a group of Christian Science churches formulated plans to reopen despite the closure order. Church leaders questioned the constitutionality of shuttering churches. By mid-November, the number of new influenza cases dropped dramatically, but still hovered in the 500 per day range. On November 29, the number of new reported influenza cases fell below 350. Health Commissioner Powers and the Influenza Advisory Committee asked City Council members to pass an ordinance lifting the ban effective Monday, December 2. Alas the epidemic was not yet truly over. Alarmed by the upward trend in new cases, especially among children, Powers alerted the Board of Education and recommended that it consider closing schools.38 The Board agreed, and on December 10 ordered all public schools closed until further notice.

https://i1.wp.com/www.nationalgeographic.com/content/dam/archaeologyandhistory/rights-exempt/OG/1918-flatten-curve-og.jpg?resize=406%2C305&ssl=1

flattening the curve 1918…LA 3rd row 3rd from left

Mayor Woodman acted decisively to avoid conflict between the Los Angeles’s business interests and City Council. Within two days of the school closure announcement, the Mayor invited ten business and civic representatives to serve on a Business Advisory Committee.41 The business advisors launched a publicity campaign to educate citizens on how to avoid infection. This included “four-minute” speakers who spread into the community at various public gatherings to talk about precautions. The advisors also hired a public relations expert [to come up with] a campaign theme: public health regulations were expensive, but personal action and caution was free.44

School Closures

The October 11 closing order, which included schools, received full support from the Board of Education and Superintendent. [They] kept schools closed well into the New Year. [The School Bord] implemented a system of correspondence instruction for the 90,000 children in the Los Angeles public school system and arranged for its 3,400 teachers to continue receiving their pay by either doing volunteer work or furthering their own education.46 [They] developed a system to monitor infection rates within the school district. Using this data, Powers was able to determine which areas were ‘flu free,” allowing schools in those neighborhoods to reopen. As a result, the first five of the 230 public schools in Los Angeles reopened as early as January 9. As the epidemic subsided across the city, children once again returned to their classrooms. On February 6, the last of the remaining buildings reopened. Under the new model, thousands of children thus were able to return to their classrooms much sooner than otherwise would have occurred.47

Conclusion

Los Angeles used early and consistent measures to reduce exposure to influenza during an extended confrontation with the disease. These included school closures, a ban on public gatherings, enforcement of home quarantines starting December 2, and the cooperation of most of its citizens throughout the epidemic. This undoubtedly contributed to the city’s rather successful campaign against influenza.

There were problems, however. The debate over the efficacy of gauze masks revealed some of the cracks in the city’s otherwise unified façade. Theater owners protested against what they believed to be unfair treatment. This occurred in several other American cities as well. In Los Angeles, however, theater owners escalated the battle by bringing in producers and film studios. Then there was the legal challenge from Christian Science churches and their desire to bring a test case to the California Supreme Court or, if necessary, the federal courts. To be sure, the sailing was not entirely smooth in Los Angeles in the fall of 1918.

Ultimately, however, quick action, a strong working relationships that health commissioner Powers had forged over his many years of service, and good cooperation with city officials and business and civic organizations helped keep Los Angeles’s anti-epidemic campaign on track. In the end, Los Angeles experienced a lower epidemic death rate than many other American cities: 494 deaths per 100,000 people. By contrast, San Francisco – which acted slowly and which relied heavily on the purported protection of gauze face masks to stop the spread of influenza – had an excess death rate of 673 per 100,000.48 Powers, Mayor Woodman, and the City Council could be proud of their efforts.

Here is a good place to get your daily COVID19 updates without the TV hosts https://californiahealthline.org/

And here is a very useful video that concludes Spanish Flu and COVID19 are NOT equivalent diseases. However, the social response is very similar. Bottom line? Widespread compliance is essential otherwise “we could be in for it.”

 

This Is No Time to Fälter. Jim Moore exclusive!!

CURIOUS TIMES CALL FOR CURIOUS PRACTICES.

IF YOU ARE CURIOUS ABOUT BLENDING WINES THEN READ ON.

The more we hear from The House of Morons on Pennsylvania Avenue the more valid we find the phrase in vino veritas. We offer our own contempo observations on Wine as Remedy. How are members of the tBoW family faring?

Let’s clear the text bag. KrisB ignited a textstorm upon opening and slugging down a 2007 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spatlese from the Mösel aka “Moselle vine.” He bought at Woodland Hills Wine Co in 2011. He sat on it for nine years. It took him two nights to consume. Then he wrote this. “It was glorious. Guava flavors predominated, on the nose like the purest fresh squeezed guava and the most sophisticated POG juice on the palate.”

tBoW reviewed this wine in 2014 under the guise of tBoW interviewing Bill Belichick on wine. In Jan 2011 tBoW [ed. hit the link! hit the link!] we wrote our own review of this very same bottle… Belichick is the legendary NE Pats prick coach known for being exceptionally taciturn.

tBoW: Coach, the 2007 Schloss Lieser Niederberg Helden Riesling Spätlese surprised alot of holiday partygoers with its bracing acidity, typical Mösel low alcohol and U20 price. Were you ready for this wine? Belichick: Mösel is known for Riesling. They always do a good job. We have to focus on our next wine.” [ed. I don’t care who you are that’s funny; helps to be an NFL fan.]

KrisB loves him some Riesling and Farmers Fizz. We got so excited I opened a spa bottle immediately. There is a nest of these in the cellar!

1994 Theo Schmitz-Schwaab Riesling Spätlese Urziger Wurzgarten. Naturally tBoW had to pull an ancient Riesling – 26 years young – from the cellar for the spa. Spätlese means it is NOT super sweet. The color was medium gold with good viscosity. Flavors were Lychee backed with marzipan. How Germanic! Alcohol 11%.

2018 Vin de Savoie Gamay Rose. $10. This is the top rose for the summer to date and it ain’t even summer yet. The PQR [ed. price quality ratio] is outasite. The flavors are a bit exotic with Lebanese spice [ed. cardamon? is he talking cardamon?] and some tropical flavor like fresh lychee close to ripe. Suchadeal. Try Desert Wine Shop.

Heard from Jim Moore from Napa this week. He is staying in place which somewhat conflicts with selling wine. Here is an inside peek at how one goes about selling and ends up buying wine in a pandemic. Jim’s label is Uvaggio. Lodi Winegrape Commission - Blog - Uvaggio's Vermentino and ...

JM: I was out selling in late Feb (a time when such was still feasible) and bought a few interesting modestly priced bottles. One of the wines was so-so, another well above average. The latter wine happened to be a Cinsault Rose from the south of France which is a particular weakness for me. It checked all the right boxes, although it was very commercial starting with the packaging and far from artisanal. I contemplated routine consumption so I called the boutique distributor to ask about local availability, plus whether I could buy direct. Lucky for me not only would they offer me wholesale they would deliver to my door gratis. So far I have drunk or given away 3 cases, plan on buying another 3 cases. BTW – it is a 2018 Rose. I think most Rose is consumed a little too young. Last spring I really enjoyed a similar (yet different) 2017 Rose but when I purchased another case they only had the 2018! Not as ready for immediate enjoyment. My goal (as always) is finding the best VALUE which for me is a combo of PQR, utility and personal satisfaction. The past Friday evening meal was a spicy bowl of “Jim’s homemade faux pho.” I enjoyed a bottle of Pfalz Riesling (kabinett halbtrocken) which was $11 from Last Bottle. It was exactly the type of value and food affinity I always seek, maybe even more so in these uncertain times.”

Thank you Mr Moore. My online list for purchases leans towards Desert Wine Shop and Kermit Lynch. tBoW hits Last Bottle on occasion. If you love Riesling and similar wines from Italy, i.e., Vermentino [ed. Jim’s Uvaggio Vermentino is special] and Spain, e.g., Basque, then you must go to Kermit Lynch who by the way has his own dirt cheap sampler. You can be certain Kermit has no…bad…wines.

Lettie Teague is often worth reading. She is the wine columnist for WSJ. She posted on California Chardonnays this past week. She commented on the disappointing New World styles [ed. we coulda warned her..but everybody needs copy]. She made positive comments on two labels then shared a common tBoW POV on the others.

“The rest of the Chardonnays I tasted were a mixed bag of wines from large corporations and tiny family-owned properties whose names I’ll refrain from citing. While the former were largely formulaic—dosed heavily with oak chips and redolent of tropical fruit—the latter group disappointed me even more.” Summing it up in one sentence she wrote “the cocktail of wood and tropical fruit that a heavier hand can make of Chardonnay.”

tBoW long ago lost his palate for Chardonnay generally finding it “foxy” and “feral.” I can live with the latter but not the former. When Mr. and Mrs. tBoW were “discovering” Calif wines living in SF [ed. a Cow Town then if ever there was one] in the mid 70s Chardonnay and Cabernet were the press favorites. Consensus was Chardonnay was world class (as seen in the move Bottle Shock about the 1976 Blind Tasting in Paris; a Napa Chard took some dopey prize…and this is why we have Rombauer).

HOW TO BLEND WINE. I learned this from pal Milt Olin. He routinely mixed red and red wines and even white and red wines. Of course tBoW was horrified. However our motto is “I’ll try anything twice. I might not like it the fist time.” Case in point…why it is important to look past the conventional and mix bottles when one or more is just not right!

This happens to everybody who drinks wine. You open a bottle of red and decide it is too fruity. So you figure let it sit a bissel and you open another red. Too rugged as in harsh, spicy. Now what? AHA! Blend the two wines in one glass. The fruity Sangiovese should match pretty well with the muscular Aglianico. All you need to do is get the proportions right which depends on who is drinking. Some prefer fruit to spice and muscle. Others go the opposite. Consider the meal. The fare on that evening was veggie burgers grilled with ketchup and onions and cheese. Bada bing! Perfect match. Stranger things have happened.