DEATH CRY FOR THE SOUL OF WINE PART I

MONDOVINO is more than a film about the effects of globalization on wine. It’s an exposé on the battle for the future of the vine. On one side are the global giants who have predominated an “INTERNATIONAL STYLE” of wine and methodically built a market to sell oceans of it. On the other side are artisans, traditionalists, and people for whom wine represents an ETHICAL COMMITMENT, as well as a source of income.

MONDOVINO premiered at Cannes in 2004 and went on to receive critical acclaim, worldwide. The film was a three-year passion project for JONATHAN NOSSITER, a filmmaker and sommelier who has worked with New York restaurants such as PRAVDA, BALTHAZAR, and IL BUCO, while also directing three feature films. One of Nossiter’s most well known narrative films is SUNDAY, a gem of a dark comedy that received the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes in 1997.

According to Nossiter, the hungry lions of the NEW WINE ORDER are American corporate billionaire brands like the MONDAVI FAMILY, their European aristocratic collaborators, and MICHEL ROLLAND, a high-powered “wine consultant” from Bordeaux.

These INTERNATIONALISTS are apparently all in bed with an exorbitantly influential wine critic, ROBERT PARKER, and the American wine media, namely WINE SPECTATOR, is ejaculating overpriced blanc de blanc all over the shameless orgy.

WHAT IS SO SHAMEFUL ABOUT THIS ORGY AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?

According to Nossiter, Robert Parker, Wine Spectator, and the corporate powerhouses they endorse have not only changed the rules of the game- they’ve changed the way wine is made, and therefore, tastes.

Known as the UNIVERSAL STYLE, these wines are big in body and rich in vibrant color, derived from ripe grapes, often of the Cab and Merlot persuasion. The INTERNATIONALISTS utilize new technologies like malolactic fermentation and micro-oxygenation to manipulate the characteristics valued in aged wine, thus allowing them to sell more of it, young, fast, overpriced, and NOW !!!

The most controversial characteristic of the UNIVERSAL STYLE is the heady, often overpowering VANILLA aroma and taste- The result of aging in small oak barrels or barriques, as they are known...

The argument against the use of these barrels is that the flavor of the oak can overpower the flavor of the grapes, making the wine smell and taste like vanilla.

This has led to a worldwide similarity of flavor known as the INTERNATIONAL STYLE by some and the VANILLAIZATION OF WINE by others.

Many of us can’t help but fall for these rich, vibrant, yet deceptive WHORE WINES… They lure you in with their big vanilla voluptuousness and then drop you flat on your face and ask for the money…

As a bartender, I can’t tell you how often patrons taste several wines and then give me that enthusiastic nod of approval when their lips touch a buttery Chardonnay, the result of malolactic fermentation, or an over oaked red…

BUT IF THE WINES TASTE GOOD, WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?

As a kid I was envious of my friends whose mothers would make them those delightful little sandwiches on Wonder Bread with those comforting little Oscar Mayer cold cuts, yellow mustard, and Kraft American cheese.

I would savor those sandwiches, so soft, almost sweet, easy to eat, always consistent…

In my house, my father, the son of German immigrants, stocked the fridge with liverwurst and laberkase and my mom only bought butcher carved turkey and roast beef.

That comforting white bread, so soft you could wipe a baby’s ass with it, was nowhere to be seen. Instead, we had rustic rye breads, pumpernickels, and grain breads, usually toasted before becoming an overstuffed sandwich to ensure that you cut the hell out of your mouth and the prickly Bavarian mustard seed spread could sting your fresh wounds without mercy.

Let me digress a bit further here...

In my house there were MAPLE SYRUP WARS. My sister and I begged for sweet Aunt Jemima and other corn syrup concoctions we had indulged in on sleepovers.

My dad buried those imposters in the backyard and overstocked our pantry with large tins of 100% Vermont Maple Syrup. He never let up on any of the food wars… As an international food and restaurant consultant, it is his business...

None of this explains why he bought us COLECOVISION instead of ATARI... 

But that's besides the point, and I promise I am on to something... This is a blog, afterall... Which in some way is a form of self therapy...

These days, my brother and sister are parents and my dad’s résistance to anything processed has become the status quo of child rearing… minus the Liverwurst and laberkase…

I THINK YOU GET MY POINT...

THE PROBLEM IS THAT EVEN THOUGH MANY OF THE INTERNATIONAL WINES LOOK AND TASTE GOOD…  THEY ARE BEGINNING TO LOOK AND TASTE THE SAME… 

ALL OF THEM, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY COME FROM…

AND THAT’S A MAJOR FUCKING PROBLEM…

BUT THAT’S ONLY THE BEGINNING…

….Please check in on Friday for…

DEATH CRY FOR THE SOUL OF WINE
PART II

RECESSION PROOF RED $8.99

BISHOP'S PEAK- ROCK SOLID RED- 2004 PASO ROBLES CABERNET/SYRAH $8.99 

Most grocery stores with wine will have this. 

I'm eating a roasted Half Chicken from Versailles Cuban Restaurant and enjoying a glass of this wine, and I really don't want to think about it or write about it. I just want to enjoy my dinner and this lovely wine... But there you are- whoever you are- mom and dad, brother and sister, estranged uncle (who I love)- AND I just can't help myself from sharing this wine with you... It really is a tasty and satisfying wine for so little money...

I read about BISHOP'S PEAK on WINE SPECTATOR'S California Cabernet Value list... I am aware of how uncool some people think Wine Spectator is, with its advertisments dressed up as articles, and all that, but that rag has been a source of inspiration and education to me... (And with that little pitch maybe they'll send me some wine... Maybe a toaster...) The BISHOP'S PEAK is on Oprah's wine list, too... Yes, Oprah really does have a value wine list- unless I dreamt it... But I'm sure I didn't... 

Anyway, this silky smooth California blend is BRIMMING with Cabernet and new world Syrah flavor.  It's perfect for autumn nights, Thanksgiving festivities, a Netflix dinner, or simply drinking yourself to sleep... Seriously though, this tasty red sources California grapes from Paso Robles and ages the stew in American Oak Barrels... Not bad for such value... You should be so lucky... And you are...

For those of you looking for suggestions- this full bodied red under $10 won't let you down... It's definitely more tasty than interesting, but that's just fine...

I'm having a bite of this chicken- so roasted you can literally eat the bones- and they're good.

Followed by a sip...

Bones and red wine... That's old world flavor... Old as the hills...

Who cares what fruits and other oddities this wine makes me think of- try it yourself and tell me what you see, think, feel, and of course, taste...

Have a lovely night and remember to have a glass a day... Especially in these economic times...

-Kurt

BITCH- 2007 AUSTRALIAN GRENACHE $10.99

That’s right bitch… The wine is called BITCH.

Brought to us by GRATEFUL PALATE, a company I will talk about after the wine...

I first encountered this BITCH a couple years ago at Greenblatt’s on Sunset. I asked the wine merchants what they thought was the best bottle for around ten bucks and they started foaming at the mouth pushing the BITCH on me.

I loved the bottle label, and got a kick out of the name, but I wasn’t really buying wine, just waiting for my corn beef sandwich and Matzo ball soup, to go. For those of you that don’t know, Greenblatts is a top notch Delicatessen and wine shop here in the city of Angels.

So I finally got myself a bottle of the BITCH for $10.99. It’s got a twist top, pink like the label, with a heart and a dagger running through it… Interesting for those who find that kind of thing interesting…

I’m gonna pour the wine now….

Holy smokes... Right away the color grabs me. It’s hot pink- a hot translucent pink. It’s pink like the label, pink like plastic water guns, and pink like the lollipops at your local bank. It’s pink like that bitch’s lipstick, the bitch that was your date for the 8th grade dance. She smiled at your parents, pinned a pink rose on your lapel, and then made out with Jimmy Thompson while slow dancing to AMERICAN PIE. I’ve looked up Thompson and I can’t find him, which leads me to believe that he isn’t quite the ART STAR that he was in Junior high… Meanwhile, the BITCH (whose name I will not divulge) wears her lipstick several shades darker and is a published therapist living in a condo on Central Park West…

At any rate, the wine is pink; pink like lots of things… You get the picture…

Let’s see how the BITCH smells…

This 2007 Grenache smells as young as it is. Tart with lychee, caramelized sugar, hints of clove, bitter cherries and grapefruit. It’s tight. A bouquet of roses and geraniums waft in the background. Very inviting…

Now to the taste…

Wow. This is different. So fresh, light, and fruity. It’s quite tasty. The BITCH must be loved by bitches the world over. It’s sweet, but not too sweet. It’s crisp and fresh.

There’s some surprising body, too- a nice fleshiness that holds this skinny bitch together.

The tastes of wild strawberries, kirshwasser (cherry brandy), red licorice, and pink lollypops are followed with a nice dry and bitter potpourri in the finish.

With all of these interesting flavor notes, however, the wine suffers from an unripe tartness. Maybe that’s part of the glory of this grape… I’m thinking it would be good with Jane Fonda diet food from the 1980s, like bologna slices rolled around globs of cottage cheese.

Overall, it’s just too much of a tart, hard candy bitch for my blood. But for those that like crisp, light, and fruity red wines, there is something to it... There is flavor and finish.  A nice aperitif, but maybe not such a great bottle of wine to break bread with.

In the post PC and post feminist spirit of the day, I’m just gonna come out and say it again... The BITCH is for BITCHES, but no doubt interesting BITCHES… and with 15% alcohol content, it’s guaranteed to loosen bitches up, too… So have a glass…

I know that all women don’t like light and fruity wines, but anyone who has worked behind a bar as much as I have will agree that many of them do... Meanwhile, my mom is a die-hard Cab and Syrah drinker… The chewier, the better…

Back to the wine….

Grenache is not an easy grape to grow. Often blended with wines in Spain and the Southern Rhone, to “brighten them up”... It’s mainly in Australia that the Grenache has taken in such a way that it produces wines that hold their own as either the dominant grape in a blend or as in the case of the BITCH- A 100% Grenache.

It would be nice to split a bottle of this wine with a hot bitch and a pizza- I mean a bitch and a hot pizza- I mean a bottle of BITCH, a lady, and a pizza that’s best served hot… Meaning it needs some food to absorb the acidity and bitterness… I’m getting a headache... from myself or this wine, I’m not quite sure…

This wine reminds me a lot of the Sicilian FRAPPATO we serve at the outstanding Italian restaurant I bartend at- TERRONI (www.Terroni.ca).

Frappato is an indigenous grape of Sicily. It’s a light and crisp red often served chilled with fish. Like this Grenache, it captures a variety of flavors- cherry fruit, floral, and clove- which is amazing for such a crisp and light wine… This wine would also be nice with fish...

On the back of the bottle they claim that the wine is called BITCH because it offers an outlet for us to “bitch bitch bitch...” I think that's just a marketing ploy and that what really happened is they tasted the first vintage and simply thought... This wine is a BITCH. It’s a selfish, sexy, young, fresh, vibrant, self absorbed, shallow, and fleshy, actress in her mid twenties, tasty BITCH…

This wine is a BITCH and that’s why they call it BITCH and for ten bucks, this BITCH ain’t bad for those of you, MEN AND WOMEN, who like light and fruity wines.

Stay tuned for info on the company that imports this sexy wine…

Thanks for reading...

-Kurt

INTRO TO BORDEAUX -$14.99

My first bottle of the elusive "Bordeaux" is a 2000 DOMAINE DU MOULIN A' VENT- GRAVES- 60% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon- bought for $14.99 at K&L Wine Merchants in Hollywood, CA.

Yes, I realize how diverse the wines of this region are and that there are wine snobs who wouldn't consider a Bordeaux in this price range worth drinking. 

Armed with the October 15 2008 issue of WINE SPECTATOR and its nifty EUROPEAN VALUES GUIDE, I was inspired to try a Bordeaux that scored in the upper eighties, but cost less than 15 bucks. 

My winesmith had the CHATEAU ROLAND LA GARDE 2005- Which WINE SPECTATOR gave 88 points- I was advised that though the La Garde is a terrific wine and 2005 a well known vintage- For someone trying to learn about Bordeaux on a budget- The 8 years that the 2000 Moulin a' Vent had in the bottle would allow me to experience more of the nuance that Bordeaux is known for and still spend less than 15 bucks.

ONTO THE WINE..... The Domaine Du Moulin a' Vent has a bright and clear crimson color. Wet wood, ripe poisonous berries, mineral rich Earth, and animal scents come to mind as I inhale the fragrance of this mysterious woman.

This severe, shadow eyed lady is definitely in her forties (Not literally). Long and slender, but ample in the right places, she is unimpressed with me and in no rush to reveal anything or convince me of her worth... Her arms are folded, but I inhale deep and she shows me her wild raspberries and tobacco. She is a heavy smoker, but I don't mind. The French get away with so much...

I'm going to taste the wine now....

Wow. Metallic, mineral, tobacco, and dirt- I can taste the dirt of Graves. There is an almost electric warming sensation, but at a mere 12% is that the alcohol..? Strange...

8 years in the bottle has softened the tannins nice. The softness of the wine (60% Merlot) is met with a firm and vibrant acidity (20% Cab/ 20% Cab Franc). Tart, vaguely ripe cherries dance in the background. 

This is not a sweet or fruity wine. Wood, Earth, and mineral dominate, but there are hints of wild elderberries (what the hell is an elderberry..?) I'm not sure, I just mean berries that grow wild and are lean and not very sweet...

The finish is really satisfying.... Lingering... This is where she shows me her curves and gives me something to hold on to. Wood, but not sweet American Oak. It's wet wood from the old world- mineral, metallic, rain soaked wood... And raspberries... My g-d the raspberries... Wild European raspberries soaking in muddy mineral rich spring water...

She is clearly of good breeding, having emerged from tradition, history, a process, language, and place that even at a mere $15.99 puts me- and my blog on affordable new world Trader Joe "sugar bombs"- in my place...

YET, she has no qualms complimenting my cracked pepper turkey sandwich... She reminds me that you don't need a filet mignon or stink cheese to enjoy good wine. Cold cuts and rye bread offer a canvas for her to stretch out on.  I prefer not to over think what food to enjoy with what wine. The cold baked beans with crushed pita chips on the side of my sandwich are a match made in heaven with this rouge.

She has opened up a lot in the last 30 minutes, allowing me to appreciate her balance of both velvety and vibrant. The lingering finish is so nice... Meaty, animal, wood, and metallic.

I would not call this wine full bodied. Cab and Merlot grow differently in this part of the world. This wine is layered and robust but not heavy and full bodied. 

A lovely wine... I'm going to take a cold shower now.

Thanks for reading.

-Kurt

JAPANESE COMICBOOK INFLUENCES ASIA'S GROWING WINE MARKETS

The comicbook images that you see posted on THREE BUCK CHUCK are from THE DROPS OF THE GODS- a Japanese "manga series" that has become a major force in the wine markets of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and urban China.

I first read about DROPS OF THE GODS in the New York Times (October 22, 2008) in an article written by NORIMITSU ONISHI.

The series, which has yet to be translated into English, tells the story of Shizuku who has rebelled against his father, a famous wine critic, by refusing to drink wine and working instead for a brewery. When Shizuku's father suddenly dies he leaves in his will a description of the 12 bottles of wine that he considers the greatest in all the world- (I think they are all French)--
Shizuku must drink, enjoy, and study wine, in order to find the 12 wines described in his father's will before his brother- who happens to be a sommelier- finds them. Whoever identifies the 12 bottles first will inherit father's legendary wine collection.

The comic appears every Thursday in Japan in a magazine called the "Weekly Morning" and has been compiled into 17 books so far- becoming a phenomenon in parts of Asia where people are just beginning to drink wine on a mass-cultural scale.

Onishi reports that Japanese and Korean wine sellers in stores and on websites monitor the comic and purchase their inventory according to the wines that Shizuku praises or criticizes- always showcasing the wines that Shizuku embraces. There is often a demand so large for a particular wine that it simply cannot be met.

One of the greatest things about the comic is how the hero describes wine and the illustrious images that accompany those descriptions. Onishi captures a description in the following:

"Sipping a 2001 Bordeaux from Chateau Mont Perat, a bead of sweat trickling down his left cheek, Shizuku Kanzaki is suddenly overwhelmed with images of turntable, guitars and Freddie Mercury..."

Here's a quote translated from the comic:

"It's powerful," he says of the wine, "but it also has a meltingly sweet taste, with an acidic aftertaste that catches you by surprise. It's like the voice of Queen's lead vocalist, sweet and husky, enveloped in thick guitar riffs and heavy drums."

The comicbook creators say that they are not interested in traditional sommelier jargon and claim to have no wine-tasting credentials- but rather say that they're INTERESTED IN DESCRIBING WINE FROM THE AVERAGE DRINKER'S PERSPECTIVE.

Also according to Onishi of The New York Times, "The series has evoked images as disparate as the painting 'The Angelus' by Jean-Francois Millet (to explain a wine's richness and a marsh north of Tokyo (to describe a difficult yet rewarding vintage)."

Though they may not be inclined to admit the Comic's influence- swarms of people in Korea, China, Japan, and Taiwan are talking about Terroir and how a bottle will pair with what for dinner- AND above all else they are buying and enjoying wine.

The creators of the comic are a middle aged brother and sister duo- Yuko Kibayashi, 49, and her brother Shin, 46 who write under the pseudonym Tadashi Agi. They came up with the idea for the series while collaborating on another comic. According to Onishi, "...during their work session, their spirits ran high as the wine flowed..." The brother and sister team have long been wine lovers who tend to a 3,000 plus bottle collection.

Unfortunately, the comic has not yet been translated into English. It has, however been translated into French where volumes of the comic are quite popular- Shizuku seems to believe that God's Drops only land in France- and not in the new world.

Onishi's quotes Yuko Kibayashi describing American wines in his NYTimes article as follows:

"They're too simple. Wines are like human beings. The first time you meet, instead of being all smiles and wanting to become friends right away, there has to be some formality, some conversation, before gradually becoming close.... WHEN YOU OPEN AN AMERICAN BOTTLE, IT'S ALL BIG SMILES..."

Here is a link to this very intersting article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/dining/22comic.html?_r=1&ref=dining&oref=slogin

Now back to sampling wine...

-Kurt

SMOKING LOON- 2005 ZINFANDEL- $5.99 with Vons card

I am a fan of the Smoking Loon label art. It is smart and stylish, reminiscent of wood print etchings that could have come from ancient Persia or Greece- or simply that fictitious land where my fantasies of wine's mythic origins come to life and I can forget that I bought this mass produced juice at Vons for $5.99.

The wine has a nice ruby red color and welcoming aromas of dried fruit, toasted vanilla spice (probably from woodchips) and lingering red fruits.The taste is big, bold, and sweet with ripe cherries and a persistent but not overpowering black pepper note. There are good balanced tannins, a nice rounded finish, with lively acidity. For $5.99 the wine really tastes good- certainly on the sweet side- but the finish doesn't let you down and the acidity would pair well with red meat and hearty pasta dishes.

*15 minutes later- "This wine is too sweet and syrupy..."

A wise man once told me that the last glass of a truly great wine is as good or better than the first. Are there truly great wines for under $15 - ABSOLUTELY! I think.... And I will find them... Very often a wine like this Zin will hook you with those first few sips because of their high sugar content, but after that first glass they will often be too sweet and syrupy.

This wine suffered from that by the end of the second glass, but a bowl of Bolognese may have helped the problem. I was eating wheat thins...

The wine uses select grapes from the Central Coast of the great state of California- Paso Robles, Mendocino, Monterey, Clarksburg, and Lodi.

Smoking Loon is a label of "3 Loose Screws"- a division of Don Sebastiani and Sons. This is a company I am interested in as they source grapes from around the world, bottle them, and market them within the American Table Wine price range I am interested in. They have a very cool, informative, and user friendly website with lots of details. They also have some pretty smart looking labels and clever names for their wines.

They claim to be the "Next Generation In Wine".
http://www.donandsons.com/threeloosescrews/

In a future blog I will breakdown the various types of wine characterizations... From fictional places and celebrities to animals and novelty concepts....

Here is how 3 Loose Screws describe their Smoking Loon 2005 Zin on their website:

"This Zinfandel has rich purple color with aromas of fresh figs, dark cherries, and subtle rosemary notes. Rich and structured, our Zinfandel has dark chocolate, espresso, wild game, and dried cherry finishing with blackberry compote and integrated French oak."

HAAS NOTES: Didn't catch that rosemary- but like the idea of it. I love "wild game" as an aroma and will be on the lookout for it from now on... I agree about the "dark chocolate"... I am sorry I missed that... "Blackberry compote"... is a very cool description worth borrowing.., "Integrated French oak" probably means woodchips are sprinkled on top, as it ages in stainless steel vats. For the price it is hard to believe that this wine spent any time in a barrel... But I could be wrong...

I am new to this and learning every day... Thanks for reading...

-Kurt