Sales of this wine jumped over 50% after the movie “Sideways” was released in 2004  and it still remains one of the most popular red wines.   Pretty amazing that a fictional character from a movie could create such a buzz but what other reasons have been drawing  people to this wine?  For starters, Pinot is generally a softer wine that has light tannin so it is quite approachable even after it is bottled.  It is also quite versatile and can also be served with many types of cuisines and dishes and for this reason it is a fixture on most people’s Thanksgiving dinner table.

Pinot Noir’s origins are from the northern part of France from the Burgundy region and it along with Chardonnay are the primary grapes grown there.   These two grapes both thrive in cooler weather and it is much cooler up there than in Rhone region or Bordeaux.   Another interesting difference is that Pinot and Chardonnay from Burgundy aren’t blended unlike many of the wines from France’s other grape areas.

If you look at where all of the great domestic Pinot is grown it is in the cool climates that are located in the northern parts such as Oregon or by the coast like the Russian River valley, Santa Rita Hills, Santa Maria, etc.  Many California wineries tend to go with a more fruit forward style while the Oregon Pinots have more earthiness.  Pinot has thin skins and doesn’t bring a lot of tannin or color to the wine so many American winemakers choose to add a small percent of other wines to enhance color.  Some winemakers are purists and leave the natural color and very distinct flavors unadulterated.

What is ML?

What makes a Chardonnay buttery while most whites are more crisp?  The main reason is Malolactic fermentation which is a lactic acid bacteria that is introduced into the wine by the winemaker. While this bacteria is naturally occurring the winemaker will select one from a number of strains and choose one that best suits the style of wine that he or she  is after. The bacteria will turn that malic acid into lactic acid. This butteriness often can mask some of the fruit in the wine but Chardonnay doesn’t have a lot of fruit to begin with.  If you think of a Gewürztraminer, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, etc. you’ll know what I am talking about as there are tons of aromas and flavors jumping out of the glass compared to a Chardonnay.

Most of the wineries throughout the world do not put their whites through “ML” except for their Chardonnay.    Some winemakers will actually do just a portion of the Chardonnay through ML as opposed to a hundred percent of the wine.  This will bring some butteriness to the wine but will also retain some of the natural flavors.  On the flipside, nearly all red wines do go through the malolactic fermentation which tends to soften them without really affecting the fruit.

What is in that bottle of Cabernet? In order to call an American wine a 2006 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, the wine has to have at least 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 85% of the grapes have to be from Sonoma County and 85% of the wine has to have been harvested in 2006. Large wineries like Kendall Jackson strive for consistency and try to essentially make the same wine each vintage, a near impossible task considering that every year their vineyards sources change and the fact that weather can really influence the grapes/wine. Boutique wineries don’t usually follow any “formula” and just strive to produce the best wine possible.

Most wineries will do this blending right before bottling and the winemakers will taste the wine to access what the wine lacks. There are literally a myriad of possible combinations of what the blend could be and even adding as little as (more…)

Bubbly – 50˚F

Crisp White Wine – 52˚F

Rich White Wine – 55˚F

Blush – 55˚F

Light and Fruity Red Wine – 57˚F

Medium Bodied Red Wine – 62˚F

Full Bodied Red Wine – 64˚F

See you at 57 Degrees!

Last night was a huge success and an incredible turnout! Thank you to those who were able to join us for our first ever Off the Vine San Diego event! For those that weren’t able to attend, please check out our photo gallery and join us at our next gathering. We have some exciting events coming up this year including a brewery tasting, weekend trip to Paso Robles and wine and food dinner. Please save the date for our next gathering which will be held on Tuesday, March 10^th. Details to follow…..

A special thanks to the board members Carlisa, Christine, Jen, Johnny and Michael for helping to create Off the Vine San Diego and making our first event a success! Thanks to Erin Gannon for capturing some awesome photos, to Jessica Abrahim for providing our printing and to Carey Winston for designing our logo.

 Looking forward to sipping wine and socializing with you! See you on Tuesday, March 10^th!

 Cheers!

 Audrey

Alaska

Employers of bars may not let their bartenders serve while they are drunk themselves. I may have done this once or twice.

Colorado

Better stock up for the weekend! No liquor may be sold on Sundays in Colorado.

Delaware

No drinking and dancing? Alcohol may not be served in nightclubs if dancing is occurring on the premises at the same time.

Ohio

Fat Bastard not welcomed? The French wine, “Fat Bastard” has been banned in Ohio because of it’s name.

Utah

Don’t swallow. Wine used in wine tastings in Utah cannot be swallowed.

For more strange laws, check out www.dumblaws.com

Recent years have brought about the debate which closure type is better for wine, cork or screw top.  I feel it really comes down to a matter of personal opinion. Screw top closures are perfect for traveling or picnics. This is a convenient and easy way to open your wine and not have to worry about bringing a bottle opener. On the other hand, if you are dining at a nice restaurant and the waiter presents your wine then unscrews the bottle, you lose a bit of the romance in the wine. With more wines being produced and bottled with screw caps restaurants may need to change their lingo from a “corkage fee” to a “screwage fee”.

My personal opinion is I have tasted great wines that have been bottled both ways and will continue to buy both types of wine.  There are occasions I prefer one over the other, but when it comes down to the taste they are equally great. What’s your opinion?

Audrey