In Moderation

It’s January and it’s finally cold out, at least for now.  January is also the peak of flu season, and the flu seems pretty tough to beat this year, especially without a vaccination.  Most of the people I know have gotten the vaccination - I haven’t.  I did try, a couple of weeks ago, but locations near me were completely sold out.  I’m hoping I’m not speaking too soon, but so far I’m feeling pretty lucky.  I’d like to think I’ve been able to fend it off by having a glass of orange juice every morning and a reasonable amount of wine every night.  I’ve got myself convinced that’s the formula for keeping healthy.  That, and a few other factors.

I’ve mentioned several times in this blog that I was an attorney.  I’m not going to give away my age, but let’s say that I know a lot of people my own age who have plenty of grey hairs.  Toward the end of my first year of law school, a few of us girls started observing how many grey hairs we’d developed over the first year.  I was shocked at how many I had - I was only 22.  Stressful things like that tend to age us a bit quicker than we’d like.  (I also pointed out to a few friends in law school that my grey hair accumulation probably also could be attributed to the relationship I was in at the time, and I’m sticking with that story - that was far worse than anything law school could have handed me.)

I noticed during those years that I got sick quite often.  I didn’t like how I looked - my hair was thinning and greying, I had all but lost my natural tan, and I had almost no energy anymore.

After changing my life around, both professionally and personally, I noticed some positive changes in how I looked and how I felt.  If I had kept on the path of stress and unhappiness, I’d probably feel pretty lousy right now, and I’d certainly have a lot more grey hair (I’m still in my 20s, so there’s no excuse for too many greys).  But something I added to my life was a lot more wine.

I’ve heard from many sources all about the benefits of drinking more wine - including preventing Alzheimer’s disease, heart troubles, and cancer - as long as it’s in moderation of course.  And for that matter, it’s fun and relaxing, so as long as it’s not done to excess, it’s good for mental health as well.

Several years after law and an unfortunate long-term relationship, my natural tan has returned, my hair looks about the same as when I was in my early 20s, I’ve got my energy level back to where I want it, and overall, I feel good and quite happy.  I’d like to think it’s at least partly because I enjoy wine in moderation every night.  Aside from drinking wine for enjoyment, I’ve started thinking of it as part of my regular diet.

Each time someone tells me that their doctor has suggested drinking more wine, I feel better about my theory on wine and its health benefits.  I’m guessing there are even more benefits from drinking wine that we’ve yet to discover.  No, it’s not an excuse to get drunk all the time, because that’s obviously not the healthy way to enjoy wine.  But in moderation, like anything else, it has its benefits - and it certainly tastes better than a lot of other healthy things!

“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.”  1 Timothy 5:23

Ready for Spring Already

I’ve never cared much for winter.  In fact, aside from heavy traffic, winter is probably the only real issue I have with living in New York.  I’d like it best if it were 80+ degrees every day, sunny and warm.

But in the winter, big bold reds are in - we pair them with heavier dishes and we sip them by the fireplace.  Big reds are nice, I do love a good Bordeaux or Rhone or Barolo, but as soon as spring arrives, I’m eager to open some lighter style reds and some crisp clean whites, and before long, it’s time for dry rose.

All winter I think about “rose season” - days at the beach, evenings on the porch, shellfish dinners and barbecues - the warm months are my favorite time of the year, by far.  Once the festive wines and Champagnes of Christmas and New Year’s Eve are over, I’m ready for the warm weather.

And even in the spring and summer, there are plenty of occasions to enjoy the big bold reds, especially Aussie Shiraz and California Zinfandel and Mendoza Malbec - when grilling delicious burgers and steaks outdoors and enjoying dinner on the porch.  But Sancerre, Riesling, and Albarino are the crisp cool whites that pair with most warm weather dishes - fresh cheeses, chilled shellfish, and of course it’ll be time for that lovely dry rose from Provence.

I know we’re only halfway through January, but it can’t hurt to look forward to everything about spring and summer.  It’s like Phil Connors tells us in Groundhog Day - “Winter, slumbering in the open air, wears on its smiling face a dream of spring.”

Two Years

I recently finished reading Atlas Shrugged (finally) - it certainly took me long enough, but to be fair to myself, the book is over 1,000 pages.  I decided to keep it light and fun after finishing that book, so I selected Julia Child’s My Life in France.  

Already I’m enjoying her book so much - the imagery, the honesty, and following her every step of the way is fun for me since she’s one of my culinary idols (in fact, I admire much more about her life than just her culinary achievements).  What’s intriguing to me is how quickly she learned a great many things, both simple and complicated techniques, a culture and language with which she was initially unfamiliar, and so much more.

In a sense, she makes me feel inspired to keep on learning and when learning, to stay positive, find my passion, and go with it - and enjoy it all the way.

It’s amazing, just how much a person can learn in a short amount of time, when he/she is having a wonderful time learning, sharing the process with others, and seeing where it takes that person.  I find it wonderful when someone takes on a new project or learns something new for the fun of it, only to watch it develop into a profession.

Two years ago this week, I started my wine blog.  I’ve mentioned it before that I started learning about wine just for fun, because I had taught myself some basic dishes to create, and was enjoying cooking, and felt it was time to learn some about wine pairing.  After a short time, I began teaching myself to write tasting notes (although they were primitive tasting notes), and I started researching grape types and regions.  About five months later, wine began speaking to me differently - it wasn’t just for fun anymore.  I wanted it to be a much bigger part of my life, and decided to sit for the Court of Master Sommeliers Level 1 course and exam.  What frightened me a bit on the first day was that nearly everyone else in the room was quite experienced in the wine industry, and I was a lowly blogger with just a few months of writing under my belt.  What was I doing there, anyway?  Who was I trying to kid?  Well, after the exam on the second day, Champagne in hand, I heard my name called to receive my certificate - I had passed, after just a few weeks of studying Karen MacNeil’s Wine Bible.  No, I didn’t think I knew everything about wine, but I was beginning to realize that I should at least give the wine industry a try, and that I was indeed capable of learning quickly about wine.  And most importantly, I knew I was going to enjoy it - I just didn’t know how much fun it would be.

I’m so happy with what the past two years have taught me, both about myself and about wine.  While I wish I knew sooner that I was going to enter this industry, it’s certainly “better late than never.”  Last week I was riding the train home from the city and I had two bottles sticking out of my messenger bag - I was coming home from the office.  The gentleman seated next to me spotted the bottles of Bordeaux and Rhone and wanted to know if he could ask me a few questions about wine.  I removed my earbuds - Ella Fitzgerald can wait until later, I decided - I’d be happy to talk with him about wine.  I’m happy to talk with ANYONE about wine!  An hour later we were still talking about wine, food, etc., and he asked me, “So, what do you do?”  I answered, “Well, I was an attorney, but (reaching into my messenger bag to pick up the bottles) now I’m a wine rep and sommelier,” to which he replied, “That’s wonderful, making such a change, especially since you still seem pretty young.  You must love your work.”

Photo courtesy of J. Mitchel Photography

I do love my work.  Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing, and I’m so glad I made the decision to start my blog and ultimately enter the wine industry.  I’ve heard that the happiest people are the ones who love what they do for a living.  And I also think it’s important that people find their passion and pursue it, because what starts out as something “just for fun” can turn into a path in life that brings the person a great deal of happiness.  I’ve learned that even a less than perfect day on the right path is far better than the perfect day on the wrong path.

So, while I continue reading Julia Child’s book and watching the dvds of Julia and Jacques Pepin (another of my favorites) working together in the kitchen, I’m reminded of how important it is that I found my passion, that I continue along the right path, and that while wine may have started as something “just for fun” in my life, it’s my obligation to keep on learning and stay on the right path.  Two years ago, when I started this blog, I had no idea what wine would bring to me, and what my life would have in store for me.

2007 Chateau Bouscasse Madiran

I had an awesome wine from Sud-Ouest the other night.  I know this isn’t a surprise, since I drink wines from South West France regularly, but this one was REALLY good.  Those dark, wild, meaty, earthy wines are perfect when it’s cold outside, and I love sipping them fireside or pairing them with winter dishes.

This time it was the 2007 Chateau Bouscasse Madiran.  I love wines from Madiran - they’re so dark and earthy and unique, and I love the acidity they tend to show, due to the fact that they’re mostly made up of Tannat.  This one was Tannat with some Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, that sort of rounded it out and gave it a smoothness ideal for sipping on a cold evening.  The Tannat makes it bright and clean enough to pair with lots of dishes, meats, cheeses, etc. - it’s just a nicely structured wine.  The color, as expected, is very dark with hints of ruby, and the wine shows characteristics of mostly stewed dark fruit, berry, plum, some wild fruit, tobacco, meatiness, and an honest rustic presence that makes it quite expressive.

Last night I bought a few more wines online, and three of them are Sud-Ouest.  They all looked quite different from any of the South Western wines I’ve been enjoying, so I’m looking forward to trying them!

Demand Better Quality

Someone once told me that a low price tag does not excuse poor quality.  He was talking about wine, of course.

He also said that when a person finds him/herself excusing poor quality without giving it any thought, perhaps it’s time to stop lowering their standards.

When I see things becoming acceptable, things that were once regarded as subpar or taboo or simply unacceptable for whatever reason, I begin to wonder why.  Culture becomes dumbed down, attention to detail goes by the wayside, quantity outweighs quality.  I once referred to this as the “White Zinfandelization” of our culture.

When I was in college, I majored in politics and minored in European studies (and this was before I knew I’d enter the wine industry someday), and part of my minor was studying a European language - I studied Italian and Latin during my college years.  I had one favorite Italian professor, a lady who made class entertaining and treated us with respect, and I learned a lot.  What she pointed out to us, interestingly enough, was that she spent more time correcting her students’ use of the English language than she did correcting improper Italian grammar.  This was odd because all of us in the class were native English speakers, and she’s a native Italian speaker.  She couldn’t understand why she had better command of our language than some of the American students did.

When I look at things I read and I hear people speaking, proper use of grammar sounds wonderful to me.  Several years back, I think it would have been the case that poor use of grammar would have disturbed me.  It still does, but it’s become much more normal these days, to see the language perverted.  The dumbing down of other things disturbs me, too.  I think one thing that surprises me is when someone is rewarded for doing a good thing.  Shouldn’t someone always be doing the good thing, and should bear the consequences when he/she does the wrong thing?  Shouldn’t “good,” “right,” “well done” be the standard?

I once knew a music professional, and one day he was conflicted with whether to tell one of his students how poorly she had performed on a particular occasion.  I explained to him that as a professional in his field, it’s his obligation to ensure good quality.  I think people in any profession have an obligation to ensure good quality.

People seem to settle for poor quality products, services, etc., regularly.  I don’t understand that.  Why should we accept less than what we bargain for?  I don’t care if a wine is inexpensive - that’s not an excuse for it to taste or smell bad, or have an unpleasant feel, or give the drinker absolutely no pleasure.  I don’t care if it only cost a dollar.  It would be a dollar wasted.  I’m amazed literally all of the time by how many people think they can’t afford good wine.  Most everyone can afford good wine, because good wine doesn’t have to be expensive wine.  There are good wines across the price ranges.  But whether it’s expensive or inexpensive, it’s got to be good quality.  Lots of producers realize now that people will settle for poor quality products, so they can turn out products that are subpar and still know with reasonable certainty that the product will fly off the shelves of wine shops and out of the cellars of restaurants.  Why?  People people have lowered their standards.  And it’s often quite difficult to raise standards once they’ve been lowered.

I drink wine every night.  Not alone - I don’t think I could handle that.  But I do drink wine every night, and each night, it’s something different.  And nearly every night, it’s a wine that retails between $10 and $15, and almost never over $20.  Nearly all the time, I’m satisfied with the wine.  A while back, I used to drink wines made by larger producers.  I didn’t know what was out there, available to all of us, if only we look for them.  That has changed completely for me.  Wines made by small producers show more attention to detail and better quality, and the wines are often inexpensive.  Those small independent producers are driven by quality over quantity, and that’s the best way to ensure satisfaction.  And here’s another reason why I find good wines - I shop in places where the owner or buyer has high standards and will only stock his/her shelves with wines of good quality.

So it’s not necessary to spend loads of money to ensure good quality in a wine.  And this tells me that price should not determine quality.  Like I said, just because something may be inexpensive, that doesn’t excuse poor quality.

I also mentioned something about how absurd it is to reward a job well done.  A job should always be well done.  Wine should always be good quality.  A job poorly done should be “punished” in some way, and in my opinion, the best way to punish someone for making a poor quality product is to leave the product on the shelves.  For the same price (or perhaps even less) we can find a much better product.  Show the producers that you demand good quality, and that you won’t settle for anything less.  If we keep on buying lousy products, we’re encouraging them to keep on making bad wine.  If we refuse to settle, and instead channel our money toward people who ensure good quality, we’re doing everyone a favor, including ourselves, by purchasing good quality wine, as well as forcing others to strive to make a better product.  If we keep on settling, we will never be satisfied.

Celebrating the Holidays

If you’re reading this blog post, it means the world did not end as “predicted” - you didn’t really believe that, did you?  I didn’t!  And I certainly hope you didn’t deplete your best bottles you’ve been saving in your wine cellar just to make sure you drank them all before the world ends.

Let’s just assume you did not drink all those great bottles.  I think I know what we should be doing with our favorite bottles, or some bottles we’ve been holding on to for a while - we can enjoy them over Christmas and New Year’s with the people we care about the most.  I think a lot of us get caught up in the rush of the season, the material things, most of which don’t amount to a whole lot in the end.  What matters most is that we remember what we’re celebrating and we take the time to enjoy the presence of those dearest to us.  Hurricane Sandy, the tragedy at the elementary school in Connecticut, and other very unfortunate events remind us that while the end of the world may not have happened, the fact is that sometimes tomorrow never comes, and we’re left without the special people in our lives.  This is probably the best time of the year to realize just how important our friends and families are, to spend quality time together, and not just focus on the material things.

This is how I suggest we enjoy those special bottles we have - share them with family and friends.

For me, in our Italian-American household we have the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.  Last year I reviewed the off-beat Italian whites we had (Petite Arvine and Erbaluce di Caluso).  This year I’ve picked some interesting Italian whites for the feast.  For Christmas Day, I’ve picked a few Italian reds and a Prosecco.  I look forward to posting my tasting notes next week.  And as for New Year’s Eve - it’s time for bubbles.

Many of us realize that times are difficult these days.  The economy has suffered a great deal, rough weather and tragedies have affected lots of people, and often, things don’t turn out the way we had hoped they would.  If you’re like me, you’ve probably been disappointed by some of these things.  But I also know that there’s a lot to celebrate, a lot to be very happy about, and to me, New Year’s Eve is a great way to mark the completion of another year that’s hopefully brought blessings and good times, and also to begin another year with great hope and excitement.  I think that’s an excellent reason to celebrate, so bring on the bubbles!

Last year, my New Year’s resolution was (believe it or not) to drink more wine from small producers, vignerons independants, etc., and to leave the mass produced products on the shelves as often as possible.  And interestingly enough, this is the first time I’ve been so successful in keeping my resolution throughout the year - nearly every night, I open a bottle of wine from a small producer, usually made from unique grapes from a lesser known region.  It’s taught me more than I thought possible in just 365 days.

Cheers to a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Call it what it Is

Champagne and Sekt

What’s in a name?

I like my name.  Do you like your name?  How would you feel if someone (or many people) kept referring to you by a name other than your own?  I know I’d rather stick with being called by my own name and no one else’s.

Many people use the term “Champagne” liberally.  What do I mean?  Well, true sparkling wine from Champagne is “Champagne” - all the others are a different kind of sparkling wine; they’re not “Champagne.”  We hear the term “Champagne” used a lot at this time of year, with Christmas and New Year’s Eve coming up, and all kinds of holiday parties happening.

Sparkling Gaillac

I ask you - how often is real Champagne being served?  And please understand, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with serving or sipping other sparkling wines that aren’t from Champagne - in fact, there’s something wrong with snubbing the other sparklers, just because they’re not “true Champagne.”

How about Prosecco?  Or Cava?  Or Sekt?  Or New World sparkling wines?  Or those other cool sparkling wines from other parts of France, generally known as Cremant (from Alsace, Loire, Bourgogne, Limoux, Jura, etc.) - those can be some pretty awesome wines.  And most times, they’re far less expensive than true Champagne.

But calling a Prosecco or a Cava “Champagne” is doing a disservice to both true Champagne (since the real thing has to be from that specific region of France), and it’s also wrong to call those other sparklers anything other than what they are.  A good Prosecco, a good Cava, a good Sekt, a good Cremant - they deserve to be called by their proper names.

And it’s a good idea to know what it is you’re serving or sipping, too.  There are technically 7 different grapes permitted in the Champagne region, but those most commonly used are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier.  In lots of other regions where sparkling wine is produced, those aren’t necessarily the same grapes they’re using.  Take Sekt for example - I’ve had a cool one from Mosel, called Deinhard Lila, and it’s made of Riesling.  Another exciting sparkling wine I’ve tried recently is from Sud-Ouest  (there’s a BIG surprise - not really) from Gaillac, Domaine du Moulin, and it’s made from Mauzac.  That’s quite different from true Champagne, isn’t it?  But it’s fun to try all kinds of sparkling wine, especially when we’re in a festive mood.  They tend to pair well with lots of foods and leave the palate feeling extra clean (but just because it’s trendy to pair sparkling wines with dessert doesn’t mean it’s a good idea - in fact I strongly advise against it).  And it’s fun also to know where each of the wines comes from.

So yes, Champagne is sparkling, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne.  And a story for another day - not all wine from Champagne is sparkling.  Some of it is “still” wine with no bubbles.  How about that?!