As we progress into February, my mind has mused over many subjects that I would like to write about on this blog. I’ve been cleaning out some of the dead weight in my wine department, which inspired me to shoot a YouTube episode on Petite Sirah. I can remember the days when Stags Leap Petite Sirah was all the rage. It seems to be a varietal that has stalled in sales over the past few years. Of course, Bogle PS still has brisk sales as well as Michael David Petite Petit (a blend of Petite Sirah and Petit Verdot). However, the rest of the selections I have seem to sit on the shelf longer than they should. It is such a good food wine, especially when you are talking grilled meats and stews. My “Pick Of The Month” for January was a Petite Sirah. In the YouTube episode (check it out), I taste six Petite Sirahs in the blind format. It was very surprising to see which one came out on top (it shouldn’t have been that surprising to me, but it was).
Another varietal that has been suffering in sales for some time is Merlot. I also shot a blind tasting episode featuring Merlot which I am working on getting out there. Again, Merlot is such an awesome varietal. Just ask the Chateaus in Bordeaux. Merlot is second only to Cabernet in this part of France. Because of its rounder, smoother nature, it blends well with Cabernet Sauvignon which has bigger tannins and more acidity. Together, they perform magic. On the right bank of the Gironde River, Merlot is King. Especially in Pomerol, Saint-Emilion and Fronsac. Many producers there put out one hundred percent Merlots. This has moved me to write an article called “The much-maligned Merlot” which I hope to publish on this blog in the next week (deadlines are a wonderful thing).
I’m officially only sixty-seven subscribers away from one thousand on my YouTube channel. As most of you know, one thousand is the magic number for getting paid for all the monetizing they are doing on many of my episodes. Like I’ve said, it would be nice to get something for what I do there, even if it’s a small amount. However, I do thoroughly enjoy this gig, so if it takes a while, that’s okay with me as well.
Susie and I are starting to get serious about taking a trip to Portugal in the Fall. I’m always impressed with her planning ability. Before you know it, she’ll have the hotels booked and our itinerary once I’ve nailed down the wineries we will be visiting. Portugal is such a fantastic wine-producing country and beautiful as well. We are looking forward to traveling there with her best friend whom we hope will accompany us. Watch out Portugal, here we come.
Cheers!
Stan The Wine Man
