Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

It’s been a long-standing philosophy of mine, regarding the world of wine, that it isn’t rocket science. Wine is a beverage to go with dinner, chat with friends, benefit the heart, prevent dementia, or at the basest level, a tasty way to catch a buzz. But it isn’t rocket science. There is no real need for pretentiousness and it’s not all about higher culture. If someone can afford to pay $1000 for a Bordeaux, then that’s their own deal, but for the rest of us, it’s more about fun.

Now on the other hand, wine can have an effect on rocket science, as I read in an article recently. Scientists (rocket, or otherwise) have discovered that solar panels when developed while imersed in a solution of wine, perform better than those that were created the same way with water, or any other liquid. To me, that’s pretty facinating. Considering I’m not a rocket scientist, I won’t pretend to understand it all, and I’m not sure if I want to know how they discovered the wine-soaked solar panel efficiency thing. Furthermore, I don’t think I want to know which wine they ruined by soaking a solar panel in it, but you can add that to your list of Good Things Wine Does: Makes Solar Panels Better (Somehow). Also keep in mind that the solar panels were developed while imersed in the wine, so if you own a solar panel, it would be inadvisable to dump your best Zinfandel on it. It won’t make it more efficient and it just might ruin more than just the wine.

Now a way in which wine IS a bit like rocket science, or rocket launches anyway, is that it can be affected by the rain. The Space Shuttle won’t launch if there is rain, and this week’s region, the French Rhone, was pretty well decimated by the rains in 2002. (I know I’m stretching that a bit, but I have to hit the point somehow.) So the best thing to do with a shoddy vintage, like a delayed rocket launch, is to sidestep it a bit, or wait. And here I’m sidestepping 2002 altogether, and wait until I can find one that deserves to be in the tasting. Many producers didn’t make a wine at all that vintage, so the ones that did should be suspect.

So, now! It’s time, once again for your favorite and mine: The French Rhone! Contained here are some old favorites and soon-to-be new favorites! Both North and South! Enjoy!

So Friday, September 17th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Rhone-ket Science!
Chateau Pesquier 2003 Cotes du Ventoux
Domaine de Cassan 2001 Beaumes de Venice
Domaine Andre Brunel 2003 Cotes du Rhone
Domaine du Joncier 2001 Lirac
Cave de Tain l’Hermitage 2000 Crozes Hermitage, Hauts de Fief

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Clefs d’Or 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape
Louis Cheze 2001 St. Joseph

A good deal at $10 for the first 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!

Next week is The Noble Cabernet Sauvignon!
M