Monthly Archive for July, 2007

Scientific Breakthrough! Turning A Mouse Into A Chicken

July 31, 2007 filed in Wine.
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Ratatouille_chard_2July 30th, 2007.  A day that will live in infamy.  The day the mice over at Disney traded their ears for rooster’s combs.

I knew it was too good to be true.  Two weeks ago I wrote about the hit movie Ratatouille, and the wine it launched ("Waiter, What’s the Rat Doing in my Chardonnay?!").  I hoped we were witnessing the dawning of a new age for wine and food in America.  A way of thinking about wine as a food product, a product to be enjoyed with the family dinner, something that pulls families together in a way that is almost lost in today’s world of electronic connectivity.  The way wine has been enjoyed for centuries in Europe.

For two weeks I basked in the belief that this tide had turned in America.  Fellow foodies and wine lovers called to speculate whether America was finally awakening to the call of good food, good wine, good conversation.  We actually thought America was making progress against the forces of obesity, fast food, and microwaves.

And the thing is, I think we are.  At least as a society – to wit:

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The Ethical Marketer

July 27, 2007 filed in Current Affairs and Wine.
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LohanMarketing consultants would advise me to improve profits by "targeting" that portion of the population they describe as "heavy users."  So let me ask you:

Is it ethcial to contact Ms. Lohan about joining my wine club?

I jest, of course.  That’s the last thing the poor girl needs. 

Lindsay’s recent troubles serve as a reminder that alcohol is a two-edged sword.  It increases health and happiness when used judiciously, or tears lives apart when abused.  Here’s to judicious.  And to our ongoing freedom to make a personal choice and live with the consequences.

Cheers,
Dave Chambers, Wine Merchant
Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com

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Defense Against the Dark Arts?

July 26, 2007 filed in Uncategorized.

Severas_snape_2Alan Rickman is the talented actor perhaps best known for his dark role as the Potions Professor in the Harry Potter films.  Now his Defense Against The Dark Arts skills may come in handy.  Decanter.com reports Rickman is part of the storm brewing between two rival film companies.  The gloves-off fray is over who gets to produce the movie version of the famed 1976 Paris Tasting – where California wines beat the best of France (Whoops!  Sorry, I just gave away the ending!!)

Rickman has been signed by the producers of the film "Bottle Shock", commissioned by the owners of Chateau Montelena, a participant in the famed tasting.  Rickman will play the lead role of Steven Spurrier, the wine merchant who conceived and held the Paris Tasting.  Of the two competing productions this one seems farther along, if the completeness of its profile on the IMDB database is anything to go by.

And in the other corner…

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Removing Red Wine Stains – Video

July 25, 2007 filed in Wine.
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Redwine_spill_2 Before I was fully immersed in this business, I dabbled.  Among my many wine-realted activities, I hosted wine classes several times a year.  The evenings would often go late, and my usually tidy guests would let their standards slide.  Let’s just say, "spills happened".

So my permanently-stained tablecloth became something of a visual journal of prior classes.  I began asking spillers to sign their stain, indicating the date and the type of wine spilled.  The tablecloth was finally retired after one well-served guest decided to use the Sharpie for more than signing her name, rendering a male nude that looked surprisingly like the instructor.  She had a good imagination.

Had I but known then what I know now…

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Life through Rosé colored glasses

July 24, 2007 filed in Wine.
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Wgufor_3 You know summer is in full swing when the wine news is abuzz about this year’s 39% growth in sales of dry rosé wines. 

As an early advocate for dry rosés (these are not your parent’s white Zins, which had over 5% residual sugars!) I take this as a sign that our wine palate is catching up with our foodways.  As our diet becomes increasingly influenced by the fresh, flavorful foods of the Mediterranean diet, we’re learning that lighter wines work deliciously well.

In general, dry Rosés are some of the most versatile food partners this side of dry sparkling wines.  That is, unless the rosé is too high in alcohol, which masks the fruit characteristics that make these wines such good food partners.  Buying tip #1 – look for rosés with alcohol below 15% (below 14% is even better, though often difficult to find) unless you simply want a porch-side buzz on a hot summer day.  Which, actually, isn’t such a great idea unless you’re immune to hangovers.

Food Suggestions for Dry Rosés

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The Best Chardonnay in California Costs HOW Much?

July 17, 2007 filed in Wine.
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Abc_wn_wine2_070712_msWhen I saw the ABC News Online story about Two Buck Chuck Chardonnay winning Double Gold at the CA State Fair, I began to hear about it.  Some of my club members contacted me to laugh about this, others complained that I was over-charging for the wines I select (seriously!)  You see, this $2-$3 wine beat out Chardonnays costing $55. 

Fred Franzia (King of jug wines and wine-in-a-box) makes Charles Shaw exclusively for sale at the fun and affordable grocery chain, Trader Joe’s.  Frankly, he’s done one helluva job, cutting every cost to the bone – rumor has it he’s even perfected the use of oak tincture (!) instead of oak chips (the formerly most-cost-efficient method of incorporating oak flavors into fermented grape juice). 

But it IS a rather extreme version of Chardonnay, and one not likely to appeal to all palates, as this second blind judging revealed…

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Waiter! What's this rat doing in my Chardonnay?!

July 14, 2007 filed in Current Affairs, Film, Food and Drink and Wine.
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Ratshoppers4_2In late-breaking news from "Deadline Hollywood", I paste this excerpt:

Meanwhile, Disney says Ratatouille’s Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday opening week grosses proved to be the biggest ever for a Pixar film… A lot has been made… about the difficulty of merchandising a kitchen rat. But I’m told the Soda Fountain Studio Store next door to Hollywood’s El Capitan Theater has been non stop packed with Ratatouille shoppers. (See photo). I’m told that the store cannot keep in stock plush toy rats and radio controlled rats. Also big sellers are chef hats and kids cookbooks. Other Ratatouille items for sale at either Disney Stores, mass retailers and specialty retailers include: Ratatouille Chardonnay (Costco), Ratatouille cheese (Costco), Ratatouille back-to-school items, Ratatouille kids cookware toys, Ratatouille kids home decor and cooking classes (Sur La Table).

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Apples and Bananas! Vinho Verde Tasting – July 10th

July 11, 2007 filed in Wine.
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Logo_2 Ever take a bite of a tart green apple, then a bite of banana?  That’s what I experienced at yesterday’s Vinho Verde tasting, sponsored by Anthony Dias Blue’s promotional company (Blue Lifetstyle) and the V.V. agricultural commision (great educational website here).

The Vinho Verde region is in Northern Portugal, just south of the increasingly popular Rias Baixas region of Spain.  So not surprisingly, V.V. shares many of the same primary grape varieties with Rias Baixas, such as Alvarinho (aka Albariño in Spain), Loureiro (Loureira in Spain), and Trajadura (Treixadura in Spain).  Both areas are known for searingly crisp white wines with relatively low alcohol.  In fact, Vinho Verde law requires wines with a minimum acidity of 4.5 grams/L and alcohol in the 9% – 14% range (changing to a maximum of 13% with the 2006 vintage).

So are these wines for the American Market?  Yes and no – they are not for the masses.  But those who enjoy a refreshingly crisp summer wine and are looking for something unique, these are affordable alternatives.  There were two standouts worth looking for – the Quinta de Avelada 2006 (100% Alvarinho, about $13) and the Vinho Verde Branco Quinta de Gomariz (100% Loureiro, currently seeking a U.S. Distributor – if interested send email to balmeida@vinhoverde.pt)  Incidentally, for fans of blogger Alder Yarrow, he too found the Quinta de Avelada to be a standout.

My apologies, I know it can be a bit of a tease to write about wines I don’t offer online or in the wine bar.  These wines don’t fit our business model, but they will fit nicely into one or two of my summer festivities!  Give them a try.

Swclogogs3x3 Dave Chambers, Wine Merchant

Dave@SidewaysWineClub.com

Toll Free Messages 866-746-7293

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Best Food & Wine Movie Ever

July 9, 2007 filed in Film, Food and Drink and Wine.
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Movie_boardWe just returned from a family outing to see "Ratatouille", the new hit movie from Pixar.  It is rare for us to see a movie in a theater, let alone one that has only been out for two weeks.  During that period, this new paean to food has grossed nearly $50 million and is the nation’s #1 movie, at the time of this posting.  Not bad for a movie about a rat.

I jest, of course.  This movie is about food.  Good food.  Food as something about which one should think.  Sounds sort of like the Slow Food movement all over again.  But then, that’s not surprising.  The film takes place in the kitchen of a fine Parisien restaurant, and Pixar Animation Studios, the film’s producer, is located in the food-crazy San Francisco Bay area. 

Orbiting Pixar are some of the nation’s finest restaurants, not to mention movers and shakers of the gastronomic world (Alice Waters, both Kellers, Micheal Minna, and too many others to name).  And Pixar hired several renowned chefs to serve as food and kitchen advisors, and it shows in many of the scenes.  This is a movie that will be influencing our next generation, and how they eat.  Which made me wonder if it might not be the best food movie ever…

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$9 for a Stinkin' Drink???

July 8, 2007 filed in Food and Drink and Wine.
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Martini What does nine bucks buy these days? 

  • - Two gallons of milk
  • - About 60 miles worth of gas
  • - One movie ticket
  • - And, if you live in San Francisco, one cocktail, wine or beer

Sorry folks, if you live in NY, LA or Vegas, nine bucks is just a down-payment on your favorite drink ($10.12, $10.66 and $11.86, respectively), according to findings from a new Zagat survey.  What’s more, these prices represent a 24% increase over just two years ago!

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