Photo credit to stublag on Flickr.com / CC BY 2.0

“Why not make 10 just a little bit louder?”

“These go to 11.”

So I’ve had a head cold all week and that means, no drinking of wine for me. Beyond not being able to smell wine, it means difficulty breathing and sleeping. What does that have to do with the ever rising cost of gas? Not a lot, I just wanted to throw that in there.

Today everyone is waking up and many are staying at home, with the dangers of icy road conditions keeping the working populous staying at home with their kids. While Snow Mountain has more “snow” than most of what the city got, it still looks pretty and gives lots of folks the 3 day weekend they so desperately crave every week, even if we just finished the most un-worked time of year in America. Unless of course you work retail, in which case you are never under-worked. The voice of experience.

Here are some great things I’ve read (or thought of and researched, then read) that I think you will enjoy. If not, send me your own suggestions and maybe I’ll incorporate them into an upcoming edition of FfF.

From the Center of the Edge

Medieval Man

Hardy Wallace, oft mentioned here before, and a short video with snippets from Sean Thackery is the first link. The wine world is no different than the rest of the world, there are folks who focus on all different aspects of the biz. You have characters like Fred Franzia, who is laughing all the way to the bank as his Bronco Wine Company and their 60+ labels churn out cheap wine bottled in cheap glass and the masses drink it faster than Kool Aid in Guyana. I can’t fault folks for wanting good value, but the labels of his I’ve sampled are just too sweet and simple for me, though I did sell a ton of Crane Lake in the day. Okay, so back to characters in the industry. Many of you already know Randall Graham of Bonny Doon, but do you Sean Thackery? The second link is an article written on Sean by the San Francisco Gate in 2004. People like Sean, and so many others, keep the colors of wine filled with flavor.

Cap’n Crunch No More

I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned Chaim Gur-Arieh before or not, but since I started with a classic wine making character, why not keep going with some more. I’ve only had one of his wines and it was years ago, thanks to my mentor in my early days of the wine trade. I remember something about the description of his Petite Sirah involving bacon, granola and other breakfast foods. Turns out, Mr. Gur-Arieh invented one of my child-hood favorites, Captain Crunch. I loved both the original and Crunch Berries, but would give the latter the favored choice between the two. Mmm…I can taste the sugary milk being slurped from the bottom of the bowl now…awesome stuff. Chaim makes great wines too, under the G.G. diArie label. They are available in GA and they aren’t cheap, but I recommend you seek one out and try it for yourself.

The Cork and Demon: Peter Rosback

Hugh Cooks Food: Lunch with Peter Rosback

Have you ever had a Sineann wine? I’ve had a couple of different ones and again, these are not on the cheap side, but neither are they what I’d consider to be over priced. I’ve had the Pinot Gris a few times and always found it to be an excellent white wine, full of individual character while retaining varietal identity. I really want to try one of Peter’s Gewurztraminers based on someone’s opinion whom I value, but I’ve never seen it. You can find his stuff at Hinton’s and Ansley Wine Merchants, plus others I”m sure. Anyways, I thought both of these blog pieces would shed a bit of light into the shadows.

Manfred Krankl

Surely you’ve heard of Sine Qua Non. No? Well, don’t really go looking for them, because you won’t find them on any retailers shelves. These are wines that almost always received scores in the 95 – 100 point range from both churches, the Advocate and the Spectator. This is the first video in a series and you really need to have the time to watch all of them, as you won’t want to miss anything Manfred has to say. He is definitely one of a kind and makes no apology for his style.

Okay, so four topics, with six entries, so since five falls right between those two, I’m satisfied.

Have a great Friday and enjoy the weekend. For those who have to be on the road, be safe. Thank you for stopping by and please share with your friends, make comments or send me emails for suggestions. I could also use some Facebook fans. I’m looking forward to getting back on track with bubbly now that my head has cleared. I think I’ll also add a weekly feature that will provide little tid-bits regarding sparkling wines.

Photo by doug88888 on Flickr / CC BY 2.0

One week until Christmas.

You do have all your holiday shopping done, don’t you? Yeah, me neither. I was going to try and do some today, but life always has a way of interrupting plans. Oh well, it isn’t the best of days to be out and out, so I’m fine with it.

Continuing the theme of sparkling wines, I’ve got five more entries this week that I think you’ll enjoy. No, they aren’t all more recommendation lists. They aren’t even end of the year lists, though that could be a topic for next week’s edition. I’m beginning to see quite a few, since you know how we humans love to wrap things up in neat little lists, especially at the end of the year. Funny how our calendar so dominates such a large aspect of our lives.

Time for a sparkling AVA in California

Steve Heimoff covers California for Wine Enthusiast. In addition, he writes his own blog and always has something interesting to say, sometimes even a bit controversial. This isn’t controversial, but it is interesting. The general consensus is people get excited about AVA growing regions when it comes to buying wine. You hear the words Napa Valley and instantly, the assumption is a product of higher quality. The same could be said of Russian River Valley or Willamette Valley when it comes to Pinot Noir. Sparkling wine in the US is very good and offers better value than their French counterparts, many of whom actually own the domestic sparkling labels. Steve poses the idea that a dedicated AVA that encompasses the majority of the producers would benefit lagging sales.

Mumm Napa

A wine blogger visits Mumm Napa and writes up her thoughts. These represent some excellent values in domestic sparkling wine, especially the rosé.

Champagne, Demystified

Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher of the Wall Street Journal answer some of the most common questions they get every year regarding Champagne & sparkling wine.

Meet the Growers

Grower Champagne is a big time buzz for oenophiles and while there are some really good ones, I’m not of the mindset that they are somehow superior to other Champagnes. Growing grapes and making wine aren’t the same skill set. If you don’t believe me, look at how many famous Napa wines are made from Andy Beckstoffer fruit or at how most any Pinot Noir from Garys’ or Rosella’s vineyard is good to off the hook. Anyways, I’ve only had 8 or 9 different grower Champagnes and while there were some really good ones, there were some average ones as well. This article doesn’t give any specific recommendations, but does tell you a bit more about the topic and is written by someone who is obviously a fan of buying the wines.

Ken’s Wine Guide Sparkling Wine Choices

Another set of selections, most of which I’ve had and agree with.

Have a great weekend everyone! If you like what I’m doing, please tell your friends and have them stop by. If you have any comments or questions, you know how to reach me.

Here we are in December and what is on everyone’s mind?

We’ve got Hanukkah beginning tonight.

Then we have Christmas coming up in two weeks. Think of all the shopping that has yet to be done. All the presents that then have to be boxed, wrapped up in pretty paper and bows. Then we have the waiting and whining about “can’t we just open one present early!”. We conclude with a feeding frenzy worthy of Shark Week that reminds us just how easily destruction comes compared to creation. Of course, there are also plenty of parties, both for the kids and adults. If your children are involved in the arts, you’ve probably been to some holiday pageants and performances as well.

After that, everyone will be pounding the stores for after Christmas sales, taking advantage of liberal return policies and gift cards. Then we have the holiday for adults, New Year’s Eve. I’m sure many of us, myself included, are looking forward to 2010, since we think it can’t be worse than 2009. I usually don’t care either way, but this year I’m ready for the winds of change to bring forth some sense of stability and moving forward.

The best part of New Year’s is gathering with friends and celebrating with bubbly. Of course, you are more than familiar with my personal obsession for the sparkling wines. Beyond being the most wonderful beverage on the planet (for me), it always brings a smile. Have you ever seen someone crying while drinking Champagne / Sparkling wine? I thought not.

So, this week and (most likely) next, there will be a focus in the wine world on bubbly. Here are five articles I’ve read recently that I think are worthy of your attention regarding the bubbles.

Champagne Gosset & French cheeses

This article is pretty much just like the title reads, an entry covering a tasting of 5 different Champagne Gosset offerings, along with 4 different cheeses. There are some nice photos and of course, many folks may not be familiar with this particular house, which was founded in 1584! I’ve never had it, but do have a sample and am looking forward to trying it.

5 Sparkling wines to try by Karen McNeil

Karen McNeil wrote the book I’ve referenced more than any other, The Wine Bible, which gave me a solid grounding in my early days of wine self-education. It belongs on every wine lover’s shelf. So, she wrote this article for Cooking Light and covers the basics, along with 5 recommendations.

Savoring Champagne as art

Okay, the title alone is worth the click. This article covers the topic of grower Champagne, sometimes lovingly referred to as farmer fizz. As Dorothy and John point out, there is a certain romanticism associated with small producers. While they are certainly passionate and dedicated, it is no more a guarantee of quality than buying a big label wine is a guarantee of dissatisfaction. After all, the only thing I (and you should) discriminate with is my own personal palate. I think it is important to explore these smaller labels, for they will give you a greater sense of what can be accomplished in Champagne. The article provides notes on 9 labels, but remember, these wines are hard to find. Ask your local wine shop for their grower Champagne favorites.

Pop the Champagne for Heart Health

Not that I need another reason to pop open the bubbles, but proof that it can be healthy just goes to prove I’ve got great instincts when it comes to drinking wine, especially the bubbles!

SF Chronicle Top 100 Wines of 2009 – The Sparklers

Another Top 100 list! Of course, you at least know this one won’t be influenced by advertisers. (BTW, there is a recently published study that disproves this popular oeno-conspiro-myth). All 7 selections are from top notch producers and while I’ve not had some of the named selections (yet), I have had something from every producer and they were all good. I also think it is funny that when I reviewed the Roederer Estate Brut Rosé (which is on the list), I received my first accusation of being a shill. I like what I like and he obviously didn’t. Oh well.

So, there you have it for this week. I hope you are feeling great and have an awesome weekend. If you like what I’m doing, please share with friends and your social network. I love emails, comments and suggestions for wines or topics of discussion.

Quick and sweet today.

Learn a lot about Torrontes

Josh Hermsmeyer is the self described Generalissimo of Capozzi Winery in the Russian River Valley. He is also a blogger and has started the process of writing some seriously in-depth wine reviews. If you want to learn about Torrontes, the up and coming white wine of Argentina, you must read this review. You will learn a lot.

Rick Bakas’ wine picks for Thanksgiving

Rick is the social media maven for St. Supery Winery and one of the most active users of social media you’ll ever see. This guy is all over Twitter & Facebook, with a steady stream of content every day. I thought he did a good job of picking some off the beaten path wines and while he is obviously going to recommend some from the folks who sign his paycheck, he has 5 choices that aren’t.

Recap of Wine Future

The future of anything is most likely, unpredictable. This article does a nice job of hitting the highlights, including coverage of what industry heavyweights like Robert Parker, Jr., Jancis Robinson and Gary Vaynerchuk had to say. The biggest value in something like this is to keep up with the history and examine how people did in predicting the future.

A Hint of Hype, A Taste of Illusion

Another study on the infallibility of wine critics who use the infamous 100 (or is it 20) point system.

Everything is Amazing & Nobody’s Happy

So true! I thought this would be appropriate to leave you with in light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday.

Have a great weekend!

If you like what I do, please leave comments, suggestions, send me emails and share with your friends.

Cheers,
Kevin

Another beautiful day here in the ATL. Days like this perk the spirit and soul, plus they make being sick a whole lot easier to deal with. I’m trying to kick this cold with some echinacea, something I’ve never tried before. I have to say that from last night to this morning, I really do feel better already. A combination of good old stinky Vapo Rub, some solid sleep and a little echinacea have me on the mend already.

Photo credit to mrbill on Flickr

Why do American elementary schools equate wine and pot?

Experimentation: A Word I’d Like To Reintroduce into the American Wine Lexicon

These two are listed together because the first one inspired the second. In our house, the children are all encouraged to smell wine or other alcoholic beverages we may consume. They tell us what they think and all have pretty good descriptions, though sometimes they say it just smells bad. The older two are allowed to take tiny sips and most of the time they pass, though there have been times when the older one has tried and liked it. Those tend to the be the sweeter or fruitier wines. We offer to give her a 1/2 water, 1/2 wine glass, but she always declines. They see us drink wine with our meals and we make sure they understand that drinking wine in moderation is a normal and healthy pursuit. When you pull things out of the dark shadows, they are better understood and often, less enticing. The second article is really, really good.

Eat, Live, Run gets a book deal!

Anytime a blogger gets a mass media deal, it’s a good thing. The success of one legitimizes all the other hard working souls who pour their passion into a keyboard, hit [ENTER] and hope someone enjoys what they are saying. I know I get a kick out of the comments I get here and from Twitter or Facebook. It is a powerful stroke to the ego to think someone cares about what you have to say. I say congratulations to Jenna! (Plus, she is a fan of Kevin Gillespie, so that makes her doubly alright in my book!).

Amazing Soda Shop

What the? Yes, a video about a soda shop. This 13 minute video appeals to me on several levels. John Nese, the owner of Galco’s Soda Pop Stop is obviously following his passion and as Gary would say, he’s totally crushing it. I also love the idea that there is a place in the world where you can buy over 500 different kinds of soda and I totally wish there was the equivalent here in Atlanta. Another reason I love this video is you can just feel his enthusiasm oozing through the screen. Finally, I love when little guys help each other out and make it a win-win situation. John is doing that by providing an outlet for small, artisinal soda producers. If I owned a large liquor store, I’d have this same concept next door so kids would have a place to browse and find treasures of their own like we adults do when we browse the wine aisles.

Grower vs. “Big House” Champagne

Farmer fizz. Grower Champagne. For the last few years, this has been gaining more and more buzz in the wine world. You’ll even see Whole Foods feature grower Champagnes in their advertising. This video features Hardy Wallace and Peter Wasserman, one of the leading importers of fine French wines, briefly discussing the differences between grower and “house” Champagnes. As we head into the most popular time of year for bubbles, you may want to consider getting outside your comfort zone and trying something different. Grower Champagne is a good place to start, though they will be more expensive than many of the big houses.

Sulfites in Wine: The Myths, the Facts and the Truth

I can’t tell you how many times people told me they didn’t care for red wine because it gave them a headache and it must be the sulfites. Actually, it was probably because you drank too much, got dehydrated and had what we call a hangover. Take two pain killers and call me in the morning. This article gives a detailed explanation about sulfites, so if you have any questions regarding the topic, I suggest reading it and then passing it on to your friends.

If you dig what I’m doing, please leave comments and or share with your friends. If you want to see the latest news on my 2010 quest to sample 365+ sparkling wines in the year, click here.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Cheers,
Kevin

P.S. Just noticed the irony of posting the 7th Five for Friday on Friday the 13th, since the two numbers are often considered one good and one evil. Interesting.