WINO 101

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Here we are on the brink of the Holidays, and this Friday is the final Carpe Vinum Friday Flight of 2004! (Since the following two Fridays are Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.) So we’re going out with a bang! Or at least a series of “Pops,” considering it’s the Annual Celebratory Sparkling Tasting! I’m bringing 7 wonderful bubblies from around the world to the tasting as a celebration of another year, and a little taste test for what would best suit the impending festivities!

Sparkling wine is made worldwide, and no region is better known for these effervescent delicacies as Champagne in France. According to Historical records, the first mention of bubbly wine (made intentionally) was by the English, although the process was perfected and institutionalized by the French (French monks. . .one by the name Dom Perignon. . .sound familiar?).

Effervescence in wine occurs naturally as a second fermentation in the bottle if there are enough live yeasts and sugars to feed the yeasts that give off the carbon dioxide that forms the bubbles under pressure. Although the process can be accidental, producing a flawed wine, with Champagne and other sparklers it is quite intentional. The wines are blended, and yeasts and sugar are added to the bottles, add a little magic and some time and more process than I care to mention here, and there you have it! Pop! Spritz! Fizz!

Almost every wine growing region has their own sparkling wine, most done in the traditional “Methode Champanoise,” but many regions have their own flair, or trademark, making it their own particular sparkler. Spain’s Cava from the Penedes region follows the traditional method, but uses native Spanish grape varietals, Macabeo, Parellada and Xarello. Italy’s Veneto region has Prosecco made with the Prosecco grape (go figure), and is actually cask fermented, rather than bottle fermented, to produce the Frizziante (bubbles).

There is, still, another style used in a few places which utilizes the far more time-efficient method of injecting carbon dioxide to the wine, in the same manner as sodapop or (non-cask-conditioned) beer. I can’t really say this is a very noble effort, but you know.. .all work and no play, yada yada, and so on. Therefore I will also have on-hand the new Sparkling White Wine from Sofia Coppola, sold in little cans with tiny straws. A bit kitschy and cute, but fairly tasty. . .and at $5 a pop, you can’t go wrong. . . but it might be considered an affront to all the “legitimate” sparkling wine producers. But, hey. . .it’s fun to rock the boat sometimes.

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

Beauteous Bodacious Bottles of Bountiful Bubbles!
Trevisiol 2003 Prosecco, Veneto, Italy
Codorniu NV Cuvee Reventos Cava, Penedes, Spain
Pierre Jourdan NV Methode Classique Brut, Franschoek, South Africa
Rene Mure NV Cremant D’Alsace, Alsace, France
Argyle 1999 Brut, Willamette Valley, Oregon

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
J 1998 Brut, Russian River, California
Duval-Leroy NV Cuvee Paris, Champagne, France

And the Super-Kitschy Oddball $5 Canned “Pop” With a Straw:
Sofia Mini Blanc de Blancs, California

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

Next Friday tasting is “Whatever you’re having in your own home with friends and/or family!” That’s what I’ll be doing! . . .Well, not with your family, of course. . .unless I’m invited. . .but I’m kinda busy that night, already, thanks! But if you happen to need something for your own special occasion, that’s what I’m here for!

(I.E. - No tasting here on Christmas Eve or the following Friday on New Year’s Eve. We will be open for a few hours on Christmas Eve, for those last-minute wine needs!)

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

The Holidays are upon us, and quickly approaching. It seems like just yesterday it was. . .well, Wednesday. And the most important date of the year is quickly approaching: The release of the Extended Version of Lord of the Rings: Return of the King DVD Box Set! (Hint, hint. . .for anyone pondering gift ideas. . .). I’m sure that’s the date all of you were thinking too. I mean, think of all the stuff they must have taken out of the feature film to keep from having an intermission. Does anyone do intermissions anymore? Moot point.

But speaking of gifts. . .was I speaking of gifts? (Hinting again. . .) This is the perfect time of year for wine. Holiday parties, gifts for the cellar, and a little something to drown out the Holiday soundtracks stuck in your head from too much time at the mall. And I have just the thing! Well, just hundreds of these things, but more specifically 7 new things for this week’s tasting! Red wines from one of my favorite regions: OUR region. Our own back yard again, The Pacific Northwest.

I’ve assembled an assortment of great valued wines, oddball varietals (lemberger and tempranillo), and found some of the best Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley! And quite specifically, these are great wines for holiday parties, gifts for the cellar, and a little something to drown out the Holiday soundtracks stuck in your head from too much time at the mall, respectively.

So Friday, December 10th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Wonderful Reds of the Wonderful Northwest!
Shooting Star 2003 Blue Franc (Lemberger), Yakima Valley, Washington
Sunset Road 2002 Merlot, Columbia Valley, Washington
Kamiakin 2002 Bordeaux-Style, Yakima Valley, Washington
Willow Crest 2002 Syrah, Yakima Valley, Washington
Abacela 2002 Tempranillo “Umpqua Reserve”, Umpqua Valley, Oregon

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Brooks 2002 Janus Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Patricia Green 2002 Oregon Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon

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

Next Friday tasting is Celebratory Sparklers!

***Also, the Carpe Vinum Lost and Found Bin has 1 new item from last Friday. A pair of gloves. (2 new items, to be more specific). They don’t fit me, so I’d be happy to give them back to their rightful owner. I’ll know who you are by the cold hands, I suppose.***

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome back to yet another triumphant return of the Carpe Vinum Friday Flights! I guess being gone for just one weekend isn’t really that much of a return to triumph over, but nevertheless, we’re back with a bang!

(Insert “Bang!” here)

Yes, once again it’s the wonderful and powerful reds from Spain! (To which I reiterate. . .Bang!) And more bang for the buck is also what I like about Spanish wines. . .at least for now. It’s only a matter of time before everyone realizes the values of these powerful wines, and raises the prices unreasonably high as a result. The Euro, on the other hand, might do that on its own. So let’s get gettin’ while the gettin’s good!

There is no denying Spain is hot right now. Wine magazines have recently featured cover stories around the region, focusing attention on several of the region’s hardest hitters: Ribera del Duero, and Priorat (and Rioja, but that just seems to be old-hat to me). I find that Ribera del Duero is a bit more affordable, if a little hit-and-miss on the quality, but Priorat is one of my favorite massive power wines. Wines from Priorat tend to be on the pricy side, so I get pretty excited when one appears that won’t max out the credit card. And so, at that, I found two of them this time. One of them actually retails for just under $9! The rest are just delicious!

So Friday, December 3rd, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Wonderful Reds of Spain, Again!
Juan Gil 2003 Wrongo Dongo, Jumilla
Bodegas Martin Berdugo 2003 Joven, Ribera del Duero
Vinicola del Priorat 2003 Onix, Priorat
Castell dei Remei 2001 Gotim Bru, Costers del Segre
Castano 2002 Solanera, Yecla

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Bodegas y Vinedos del Jalon 2001 Pago San Miguel, Catalyud
Scala Dei 2000 Caroixa, Priorat

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

Next Friday tasting is Northwest Reds!
M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

It’s really hard to believe it’s that time again! A week from today, it’s another Thanksgiving. A day when we say our “Thanks” and start “Giving” our hard-earned cash to the retail stores to bolster the economy! But, really. . it’s all about the food! For some of us, we are able to show off our culinary prowess, while others may show their utter capacity for imbibing. Wine is essential in these seasonal feasts, and a wonderful compliment to a meal well done! Or, sometimes, it takes center stage when someone’s culinary prowess is not quite up to par.

So what we have here are 7 wonderful selections to wash down that poultry (the one Benjamin Franklin wanted as the National bird). The Turkey! (And as a disclaimer for those of you bucking the turkey trend and going with the ham: All these wines go well with ham, as well.) Our special Carpe Vinum Food-and-Wine-Matching Test Laboratory, with our Wine Test Monkey (me), has genuinely approved these 7 wines as delicious and perfect for the Thanksgiving meal. (Tofurkey notwithstanding.)

But this year, I have brought back an old favorite from last year: the Brick House Gamay Noir! This wine goes with just about anything, in my opinion, and unfortunately for us, there is half as much around as there was last year. I will have some on hand, and will order as much as I can until it’s gone, but it holds the “Mike the Carpe Vinum Test Monkey Seal of Approval.” Also approved is a blend from the winery Erin Glenn. It’s my first selection from the newly recognized AVA of the Columbia Gorge, and a blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot and Barbera. Yum.

So Friday, November 19th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Wines to Go With Turkey (Or Not)!
Amity 2002 Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Brick House 2003 Organic Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Bodegas Palacio 1999 Glorioso Reserva, Rioja, Spain
Marc Bredif 2001 Chinon, Loire, France
Erin Glenn 2003 Tantrum Red, Columbia Gorge, Oregon

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Lapierre 2002 Morgon, Beaujolais, France
Telegramme 2002 Chateauneuf du Pape, France

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

There will be not tasting the following Friday (Day after Thanksgiving.) I need a day to recover too!
Next Friday tasting is Wonderful Wines of Spain! (December 3rd)
M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

At long last, it is finally time for the tasting we’ve all been waiting for! It’s the Big Bordeaux tasting! Bordeaux is the most renowned regions of France, if not the world, and a certain standard to which many wines are held. I had always assumed that they would be too expensive to pour in a tasting, as certain growths and certain Chateaus in Bordeaux are the most expensive and exclusive wines in the world. But as it turns out, there are quite a few wines of exceptional quality from Bordeaux that won’t break the bank.

Now, when we’re thinking about Bordeaux, we hear about the wines sold on the auction block for $1000 or more, and assume that these bottles are made of solid gold. . .or liquid gold. Many of these are certain Chateaus with longstanding reputations for good wine, in part of a classification from 150 years ago, and so highly sought-after in their limited availability that drives up the prices.

How do these wines taste, and are they worth the cost? I don’t know. Will I ever get to try one? Probably not. Opening a bottle worth that much seems like buying a Ferrari and driving it directly into a wall. It might be fun while it lasted, but it cost a lot, and all you have left is the story to tell. (”Guess what I did over the weekend!”) So what we have is a few famous Chateaus in Bordeaux making wines we’ll probably never see, taste, or be able to afford, surrounded by thousands of others making what is still the legendary Bordeaux!

Bordeaux is divided into 5 major regions, and I tried to put together a good cross-section of these 5 regions. I was unable to find a representative from Graves, but I have others from the Libournais, Bourg and Blaye, Medoc and Entre-Deux-Mers. Geographically speaking, it’s a lot to wrap your head around, and there are many sub-appellations, so I’ll have a map available for reference.

So Friday, November 12th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

The Big Bordeaux!
Chateau des Ormeaux 2000 Lalande de Pomerol
Chateau Segonzac 2001 Premiere Cotes de Blaye “Vielle Vignes”
Chateau Beuasejour 2001 Montagne Saint Emilion
Chateau Loudenne 2000 Medoc
Chateau Legonzars 2000 Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Chateau Lafite 2001 Pauillac Reserve
Chateau de Bellevue 2000 Vino Lussac-St. Emilion

A stellar deal at $10 for the first 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!
Next Friday is Wines That Go Well With Turkey!

M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

We’re heading to Italy! Not literally, unfortunately, but if we think hard enough, and wish hard enough, and imagine ourselves there, it just might happen! We’re still here. Somebody isn’t wishing hard enough. At any rate, that’s where we’re figuratively heading this week for the burly red wines of winter, here at Carpe Vinum. It seems appropriate that the wines that taste best in the winter come from warmer regions. Imagine it as summer in a bottle. Sounds nice, doesn’t it? On to the wines!

Italy produces, exports and drinks more wine than anyone else in the world. Perhaps that’s why they seem to be such a pleasant people. (Sopranos notwithstanding). I imagine Italy to be one giant vineyard, rolling over the hills, coast to coast, with happy Italians speeding through the grape clusters on Vespas, underneath the canopy of grapevines trellaced over the roads. If I think hard enough, that’s how I see it.

Tuscany, is one of the most famous of wine regions, being the home to the most highly-recognised Italian wine: Chianti. There are actually quite a few different designations of Chianti, the most pronounced being Chianti Classico. Also, there are Chianti Ruffina, Chianti Colli Fiorentini, Chianti Colli Senesi, Chianti Colli Pisani, Chianti Colli Arentini, and Chianti Montalbano, Chianti Montespertoli and possibly some newer ones, as well. Tuscany is also home to the the uber-expensive Brunello di Montalcino, as well as plenty of newer Super-Tuscans (IGT), of which 3 of Friday’s selected wines happen to be.

So Friday, November 5th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Tuscan Pleasures!
Castel Pietraio 2001 Tegrimo IGT
Fattoria Capannacce 2001 Rosso della Maremma Toscana IGT
Le Corti 2002 Chianti Classico
Le Pupille 2002 Morelino di Scansano
Aia Vecchia 2002 Lagone Rosso IGT

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Capanna 2002 Rosso di Montalcino
Avignonesi 2001 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano

A stellar deal at $10 for the first 5, and $6 for the Extra 2 Premium Pours.
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!
Next Friday is Wines of the French Bordeaux!
M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Okay. This political season has been akin to a dentists drill. The closer it gets to the nerve, the more painful it is. Tuesday being the nerve, that is. And the election being the drill, of course. I will be extra-glad to have this all over with, and I’m sure everyone else will be too. So as a celebration, tomorrow, Election Day, the most important date in this country every four years, I will be having an extra special tasting!

I’ve selected 3 very good All-American wines, with names that ring true to American Politics: “Liar’s Dice”, “Power and Glory”, and “Coup D’Etat”! All are super-bold, wonderful, and are going to be exactly what we need while we watch the numbers roll in on my not-so-special 23″ TV screen, here in the shop.

As an extra-added bonus, I’ll throw in my salute to the American Way by offering a 5% discount on everything in the store! This means a 15% discount on full cases! This might be a good time to stock up for the wintry season approaching so quickly.

I’ll start pouring at 4:30, and continue until about 7:00, when I normally close, or stay open a bit later if Florida hasn’t been decided yet. However, if it’s at all like the last election, I’ll close at 9. I can’t stay open all night. . .or for the whole month. Gotta sleep sometime.

So Tuesday, November 2nd, between 4:30 and 7.00 PM, (or a bit later) it’s:

Extra-Special Bonus Election Day Tasting!
Murphy-Goode 2002 “Liar’s Dice” Zinfandel, Sonoma County, California
Lattitude 46 N 2002 Power and Glory (Syrah-Grenache), Walla Walla, Washington
Andrew Rich 2002 Coup d’Etat, Columbia Valley, Oregon/Washington

A stellar deal at $8 for three pours!
Hope to see you here!
Seize the Wine!
This Friday is Wines of Italy’s Tuscany!
M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Welcome to the Second Anual Spoooky Haloween tasting newsletter! This week it is brought to you a bit earlier to help you fit this tasting into one of the busier weekends of parties and spoooky festivities. And this is going to be a great way to kick off the weekend!

Now, Halloween has a long, detailed and colorful history, originating in Celtic Druidry and Autumnal Harvests, making way to the more modern nights of mischief, sweets handouts and, thanks in great part to modern horror moviemaking, a frightfully spoooky holiday. However, in considering the wine industry, it is generally not the best marketing strategy to feature Ghouls, Ghosts, Zombies, and the like, on bottles. (Although severed bloody hands seems to be okay.) Most bottles have rivers, trees, birds, prertty colors, pretty women, and a lot of Australian animals on them. Now these don’t appear to be scary to most of us, but perhaps if you looked at it from another perspective. . .?

I found online, an index of all known fears and phobias. Some of these bottles in Friday’s tastings could seem a bit ordinary to most of us, but it might seem breathtakingly unbearable if you were afraid of such things as these:

Maddogs and Englishmen! Now this tasty gem from Spain might be frightening to someone with Cynophobia (Fear of dogs or rabies. . .or dogs with rabies.) But that’s only the half of it, it might also be frigntening to someone with Anglophobia! (Fear of Englishness. Or maybe the English with rabies. . .Gasp!) Now isn’t this fun?

Toad Hollow - Le Faux Frog! This wine hails from France, and that alone might be frightening to a Francophobe. (Fear of the French and French culture. Also known as Galiphobia and Gallophobia. . .although I thought that last one was a fear of bad wine in large jugs.) But this Syrah from the Languedoc also might upset a Batrachophobe (one who fears frogs), or a Bufonophobe (one who fears toads).

Diablo de Uco! Of course, with Diablo being the Spanish word for the Devil, this Malbec from Argentina may leave a person, especially a Spanish-speaking person, quaking in their boots if they suffered from Satanophobia (fear of Satan) or Demonophobia (fear of demons). The wine gets its name from the wicked thunderstorms that seemingly appear out of nowhere in the Valley of Uco. These storms might frighten a Brontophobe. (One who fears thunderstorms.)

Four Sisters! Sure, you’re thinking that there is nothing to fear from sisters. . .but that must be those of you who never had OLDER sisters. That said, the experts haven’t named a phobia for the fear of sisters, perhaps because it’s not an unfounded fear. However, there is a fear of relatives that exists. So, I wouldn’t expect any of the people suffering from Syngenesophobia (yes, fear of relatives) to be enjoying this really tasty Shiraz from Australia!

Cascina Castle’t Barbera D’Asti “Scooter” wine! Okay, I’ll need you to bear with me for this one, as it might seem a bit of a stretch. This is a tasty Barbera D’Asti from the Piedmont region of Italy. The label features four cute little girls (Possibly sisters! Gasp!) sitting on a Vespa. Now besides the people who fear little girls (Parthenophobia), one must keep in mind that the Vespa gets its name from the Italian word for Wasp, named so from the buzzing noise that it makes heading down the street. Now if it’s not too much of a stretch, the Scooter Wine might frighten someone with Spheksophobia (fear of wasps.)

Dead Horse! Yes, I bet there are quite a few of you that wouldn’t like this so much, anyway, as dead horses are not a very fun image for any of us. But it’s far worse for an Equinophobe (fears horses) or a Necrophobe (fears dead bodies). Put the two together and we have Equinonecrophobia! Now, Dead Horse is an awful name for a wine, you might be thinking, however the name for Mark Ryan’s Bordeaux-Style blend actually comes from a loose translation of the Washington vineyard’s French name, Ciel de Cheval, or Horse Heaven. That would sound better to most of us, but not to an Ouranophobe! (one with a fear of heaven). Or, if it’s possible, an equinoranophobe (one who fears Horse Heaven).

Kangarilla Road! Okay. . .this one just sounds like a monster. What is a Kangarilla, anyway? Part Kangaroo, part Godzilla? Imagine a giant firebreathing kangaroo, levelling downtown Melbourne. There’s something scary for you! And in terms of Aussie Shiraz, it IS a monster.

Alright, so I’ve gone on far too long. But it was fun, wasn’t it? Perhaps not for someone with Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia (fear of long words, or long-winded emails). So I suggest for you all to show up to the Spoooookiest tasting of the year! Unless, of course you suffer from Oenophobia (fear of wine), Potophobia (fear of alcohol), Dipsophobia (fear of drinking), or Porphyrophobia (fear of the color purple. . .no, the color, not the movie. . .that might be considered Oprahphobia, but I digress.)

Happy Halloween! (Or, for Friday, All Hallow’s Eve Eve Eve, just to beat a dead horse.)

So Friday, October 29th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Face Your Fears! A Spooky Wine Selection!
Maddogs & Englishmen 2003 Shiraz-Cabernet-Mourvedre, Jumilla, Spain
Toad Hollow 2002 Le Faux Frog “Apropos” Syrah, Vin de Pays D’Oc, France
Diablo de Uco 2001 Malbec, Uco Valley, Tupongato, Argentina
Four Sisters 2002 Shiraz, Victoria, Australia
Cascina Castle’t 2002 Barbera D’Asti “Scooter Wine”, Piedmont, Italy

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Mark Ryan 2001 Dead Horse, Red Mountain, Washington
Kangarilla Road 2002 Shiraz, McLarren Vale, Australia

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

***Extra Special Tasting Next Tuesday! Election Day Tasting!***
For those not suffering from Politicophobia (fear of Politicians) I am serving up smaller flights of all-American reds, while we watch the ballots roll in! I imagine we’ll all need a good glass of wine this time around! I’ll be tasting 3 wines for a nominal tasting charge. I’ll be pouring from 4:30 until 7:00, or a bit later, Florida notwithstanding. Come here and celebrate (or mourn) the American Democratic system!

Next Friday is Wines of Italy’s Tuscany!
M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

Our indian summer comes to a close, and the leaves and the rain continue to fall, as well as the mercury in our thermometers outside. This makes my mind turn to one thing: It means more laundry, since shorts and short-sleeved shirts take up less space in each load. I find this the only depressing thing about autumn. On the good side, we’re looking forward to perfect weather for staying inside while sipping on great quantities of wine while munching on the Halloween candy we hoarded away from the visiting kids. We’re also looking forward to two more weeks of insufferable political mudslinging between Tweedle-Dumb and Tweedle-Do-Or-Don’t. That in mind, on to the wine.

The wonderful thing about the Southern French wines, is that they have all the power of their Northern Cousins of the Rhone, with more hidden values considering that much of the potenial of the region has been realized over the recent years. So what we get is a dynamic selection of affordable wines from regions making a name for themselves. The regions are all over the map, but for the most part represented here are the ones on the mediterranean: Languedoc, Rousillon, Provence, and a wine from Cahors, in the Southwest of France, thrown in for good measure.

As an extra-special bonus, tomorrow, we will have in-house music performed by William Porter James, a classicaly-trained singer/guitarist/songwriter, as well as his wife Eve, accompanying him on viola. I believe they know a few French art songs, as well! He will be playing from 7:00 until 8:30.

So Friday, October 22nd, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Wines From the South of France!
Domaine Costeplane 2003 Cuvee Special Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc
Chateau Routas 2000 Infernet (Grenache/Syrah), Coteaux Varois
Ermitage du Pic St. Loup 2002 Pic Saint Loup, Coteaux du Languedoc
Clos la Coutale 2002 Cahors, Cahors
Chateau les Valentines 2001 Cotes du Provence, Cotes du Provence

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Chateau d’Or et de Gueules 2000 Cuvee Prestige, Costieres de Nimes
St. Martin de la Garrigue 2002 Cuvee St. Martin, Coteaux du Languedoc

A stellar 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 A Spooooky Haloween Selection!
M

Hello Friends and Wine Lovers!

It’s summer once again in the great Pacific Northwest! It seems like just last week we were withstanding the torrential downpours of our traditional Autumn. So you know what that means. . .it’s barbequeue season! And what better wine to go with the grill, than tasty Zins! Okay, so I am being a bit tongue-in-cheek about it, but it really feels like a second summer. And I’m not kidding about the grilling. I think this may be the last decent weekend to do it, by the nearest forecast.

Post-seasonal BBQ aside, there is never a bad time for Zinfandel. Now, here is some Zin news that may be old news, but I just learned today: The grape we know as Zinfandel, and the Italians know as Primitivo has been finally, once-and-for-all, been identified after decades of work. Contrary to the previous belief that it was a gift from the skies, descended to the earth from some divine being, intent on rewarding the oenophiles with a truly unique and tasty treat, thereby ensuring their happiness thereafter. To rain on our parade and shatter that belief forever (What? Am I the only one who knows that story?!?), some joyless scientist has determined through DNA testing that the grape is Crljenak Kastelanski originating on the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia.

Those scientists sure know how to ruin our fun, don’t they? Next thing they’ll probably tell us that Sweet Muscat really isn’t harvested by the Grapevine Pixies by the light of the autumn full moon and fermented using magic golden yeasts from the stars. They what? Awww!

So Friday, October 15th, between 4:30 and 9:00 PM it’s:

Crljenak Kastelanski! (ZIN!)
Castle Rock 2002 Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley
Peachy Canyon 2002 Incredible Red Zinfandel, Paso Robles
Shooting Star 2001 Zinfandel, Lake County
Alexander Valley Vintners 2003 Sin Zin, Alexander Valley
Seghesio 2003 Zinfandel, Sonoma County

The Extra-Special Premium Pours:
Coturi 2001 Zinfandel, Chauvet Vineyard, Sonoma Valley
Rosenblum 2002 Zinfandel, Richard Sauret Vineyard, Paso Robles

A stellar 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 Tasty Reds from the South of France!
M