BITS & BOBS

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

It was interesting observing purchasing trends during Thanksgiving. No matter how many years I’ve been involved in the wine world, each year has its uniqueness and surprises. For instance, I read an article about a downward trend in wine purchasing in the United States. However, it stated that Prosecco sales are stronger than ever. Wouldn’t you know it, we sold more Prosecco this Thanksgiving at the store than I’ve seen in the past few years. Normally, sparkling wine (methode traditionelle) outsells Prosecco (charmat method) this time of year. I guess the aforementioned trend is true in the islands as well. If you noticed, I gave you a little homework in the parenthesis (you might want to look up petillant as well).

The big surprise for me was how hard the Cabernet Sauvignon section was hit. I don’t know about you, but Cab and Turkey do not seem to be a match. Now, that being said, it could be that there were more people going non-traditional with their meals this year. Or, people were entertaining guests and serving Cab days before the holiday. Either way, my Cab section is very depleted. Also, a bit of a surprise was the strong Sauvignon Blanc sales. This is a wine a lot of wine advisors are suggesting to serve with the traditional Turkey meal. I myself have not gone down this road. I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t seem to be the perfect matchup. I know you have to have some acidity in wine to cut through the butter and creamy dishes so I’m going to give this pairing some serious thought over the next year. I may become a convert… Who knows.

December is party month. Christmas parties will be happening for the next three weeks. Companies will be throwing parties for their employees and many people will be having small parties at their homes. It’s certainly a fun month, culminating in the celebration of a new year to come. This means a lot of wine will be consumed over the next month. Because this can be expensive, I thought it would be a good idea to do a series of YouTube episodes featuring budget-friendly wines that are good quality and will be a hit. I have the first four reds selected for the first episode, all under fifteen bucks. This episode should go out around Tuesday. It is fun to search out wines of good quality that are reasonably priced. I have a reputation for finding them and I want to keep that reputation intact.

I’m working hard on my list, “Stan’s Top Twenty Wines Under Twenty Bucks,” which I want to publish around the first week of December. I’ve got my number one wine nailed! I’ve already consumed a few bottles of it and I am amazed at the quality-to-price ratio this wine delivers. Actually, this is one of the first times I’m starting from the top (Number one) and working my way to number twenty. I have one through five in the books, now I have to sort out the rest. It’s a solid list and I think you will find some gems in there. Although I skipped 2023, I will once again choose a “Winery Of the Year” for 2024. I have one that I’m leaning towards. Every wine I’ve tasted from this winery has been exceptional. It’s still up in the air, but I will make a decision soon.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

This is one of my favorite times working in the wine department. Thanksgiving week. It’s probably one of the biggest food and wine holidays of the year. It’s a time when I can put to use my wine and food pairing skills. Turkey dinner is, of course, the standard. However, many people have gone off the traditional train and now cook just about anything they want for Thanksgiving. It’s not the majority, but there are more every year in this group. I like that as well because it is a challenge to pair up a wine with the different choices people are making. I’ve already had lamb thrown my way and I recommended a Grenache from Spain. I try to stick to the axiom…If it grows together, it goes together.

I’ve published two YouTube episodes featuring wines I believe will match up nicely with the Thanksgiving meal. The first featured reds and the second, which goes out there this morning, features an interesting sparkling Gamay, a Roussanne from one of my favorite Rhone Valley producers and a recently discovered Riesling from Washington State. Make sure you check them out, they may help you make your wine-purchasing decision. Speaking of YouTube, I’m getting dangerously close to one thousand subscribers. Once I hit that number, YouTube will start paying me. They already advertise on my channel, especially the episodes that get a lot of views. It would be nice to reap some reward for the effort, although I really enjoy what I’m doing. It’s hard for me to even wrap my brain around the idea that one of my episodes has garnered over nine thousand views. Wow!

I’m starting to work on my list of “Top Twenty Wines Under Twenty Bucks,” which I hope to publish sometime at the beginning of December. It used to be a top forty list, but I found that to be not only a difficult task but really unnecessary. Forty is superfluous, twenty is plenty. I know what my number one wine is, which I am very excited about. It rolls in at fifteen bones, which is a steal for this wine. I will go over all my wine-tasting notes as well as my recent YouTube episodes to fill in the rest of the list. I skipped announcing my winery of the year last year, but I think I will get back at it in 2024. I haven’t decided what winery that will be yet, but I have a feeling that won’t take me long. Look for that near the end of December.

Pacific NW Magazine writer Erik Lacitis wrote up a nice article about small Washington wineries that have struggled to establish themselves amongst the over one thousand wineries in our state. One is a start-up winery from our very own San Juan Islands. He also interviewed me, which is a short piece in the article. It’s in the November 5th, 2023, Seattle Times Pacific NW insert. It was kind of exciting to see my name in print and he also mentioned that I have a YouTube channel. I’m not sure if it helped me, but it seemed as if I got a few more subscribers in a short period of time. In the article he quotes me on my opinion about wine labels, which got me thinking. Should I start a wine label consulting business? Food for thought.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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‘TWAS THE SUNDAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING

Posted on November 19, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

We are fast approaching one of the biggest food and wine holidays of the year: Thanksgiving. Families get together to enjoy each other’s company (hopefully) and share their favorite dishes. When it comes to side dishes, Thanksgiving is the mega side dish holiday. With all that food, wine seems to be a natural fit and it is. Wine and Turkey Dinner are like peas and carrots! However, choosing the wine can be difficult for some people.

The first problem is the budget. Let’s say you’re planning to have eight people over for Thanksgiving and they will all be drinking wine. Potentially, that could be up to four glasses each (designated driver needed if more), which translates into roughly eight bottles or more, depending on the group. It also depends on when everyone gets together. Football watching, card games, etc., could be involved. This stretches out the time your family will spend at your home. More time, more wine. My point? You need to find wines that punch above their weight class. In other words, wines that deliver good quality for less money. This is where getting help is essential.

Some out there have a modest cellar (or not so modest) and have plenty of wine to choose from already. That is not the case with a lot of us. In my experience, even though wine is a big part of the upcoming holiday, many people put off purchasing wine until just a few days before. Some even wait until the day of! Here is where I come in. I’m known as the wine guy who can find you a great bottle at a reasonable price. I find great enjoyment in searching out quality wines at a price that most people can afford. This is so important for a holiday like Thanksgiving. I thought I would give you a few suggestions here in hopes that I can save you some cash and, at the same time, you will have wines that most of your guests will like. Not only that, but they may think you spent a lot more money than you really did. That’s a win-win situation if you ask me. Here are some of my suggestions; I hope they help.

Sandpoint Pinot Noir (California)… $10.

It’s not super complex, but a really easy-drinking Pinot that tastes like a well-made wine. It is a great one to have with a group that is not loaded with wine snobs. Just saying. 🙂

2020 Les Iris Beaujolais (France)… $12.

Finding a good Gamay at this price can be difficult. However, this little gem has all it takes to go with the meal. Balanced acidity with notes of cherries and Asian spices with some earth and flower notes thrown in. To get the Asian spices at this price just amazes me.

2022 Domaine Jean-Michel Dupre Beaujolais-Villages (France)… $15.

It is more of a traditional style Gamay with notes of cherries, raspberries and red flowers. The acidity is nicely integrated and makes this a great food wine. A touch more complex than the aforementioned Gamay, but the price is stupid for the quality.

2021 Carmel Road Chardonnay (Monterey, CA)… $12.

I only mention this one, because you will most likely will have a Chardonnay drinker or two come for dinner. I was struck by the quality of this wine for the money. Creamy texture on the palate with notes of butter, pineapple and hints of apple. For those of you who drink LaCrema, but don’t want to spend that kind of money when you are buying several bottles, this may do the trick.

Non-Vintage Domaine Lingut-Martin Pet Nat Gamay (Vin de France)… $18.

This baby really caught my attention and it’s under twenty bucks! Sparkling Gamay would be a perfect match with the Thanksgiving meal. I love bubbles with the bird. Notes of cherries and red plums with a little orange creamsicle in the background. Lively acidity lends itself well to food. You know you have to cut through some of that fatty food and butter that will be on the table. It’s also a Pet Nat which could liven up the table conversation. Do your homework.

2022 Saint Dominique Roussanne (Rhone Valley, France)… $15.

This is an unbelievable value from France. Saint Dominique will be on my table on Thanksgiving Day. Great balance of acidity and fruit. It has what I consider the perfect flavor profile to go with all the dishes. I’ve served it with guests on a few occasions and it is a hit every time. If you are not familiar with Roussanne, start here.

2022 Jones Of Washington Riesling (Washington)… $15.

Riesling always works with turkey dinner. I recently discovered this gem and I’m going with it. Nice apricot and mango notes balanced by well-integrated acidity. It is not what I would call a really sweet Riesling, but it does have some sweetness to it, which is what you need to make the match.

2020 San Marzano Il Pumo Primitivo (Salento, Italy)… $13.

Zinfandel (or as they call it in Italy…Primitivo) is recommended for Turkey Day by a lot of wine folks. I’ve gotten away from it because of the higher alcohol content. However, this little gem rolls in at 13.5% abv and it’s really tasty. All the things you look for in a Zinfandel without being hot. Currant notes, a touch of spice and black raspberry. All good flavors for the meal.

I hope this list gets you started on the right path for wine pairing with your Thanksgiving meal. If you live in my area, you know where to find me. I’m at your disposal. Have a great Thanksgiving.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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BITS & BOBS

Posted on November 13, 2023 by Stan The Wine Man

Tempus Fugit. It’s hard to believe we are at the end of 2023! I have a lot on my plate for this blog. Soon to come (hopefully) will be my “Top Twenty Wines Under Twenty Bucks.” I tried forty wines in past articles, which became somewhat of a burden. I think twenty is plenty. It should be an interesting list, I haven’t decided yet which my number one wine will be. I should have that list out in December.

I started fast and furious with my YouTube channel again, after the big move and vacation to Sicily. I published two, featuring Nero d’Avola. I was quite intrigued by this varietal while on my visit to Sicily. Having tried several over the course of two weeks, I found them to be quite different in style from various producers. I also reviewed a few wines from Mount Etna. Check them out when you get a chance.

Speaking of YouTube, I’m flirting with one thousand subscribers (I’m now at 818). I mention this because when I hit one thousand, I start to receive payment when they advertise on my channel. It would be nice to get a small monetary bonus for the effort it takes to put the episodes out there. However, payment or not, I really enjoy doing them. Today, I will have my first segment featuring Thanksgiving wines on my channel. I hope to put up at least three before Turkey Day. After that, I will focus on wines for Christmas dinner, which can go in a lot of directions. Prime rib, ham, duck, you name it. One thing I can say about the era we live in, is that people do not always go traditional.

This year, I will be working in my department on Thanksgiving Day. A lot of you might want to feel sorry for me, but I don’t. I actually like working on Thanksgiving, because it gives me opportunities to help people find a good wine for their meal. Believe me when I tell you, there are a lot of procrastinators out there who will be shopping for wine on the day of the dinner. Our department is stocked and ready with wines that I believe will fit the bill.

Speaking of wines that “fit the bill” I have been exploring YouTube to see what other wine people are suggesting for Thanksgiving. As my wife would say, “I’m gobsmacked” at the suggestions out there. It used to be there were four to six wines that were always recommended for the traditional Thanksgiving meal. Pinot Noir, Gamay, Zinfandel, Sparkling Rose’, Gewurztraminer or Riesling. Now, wine geeks are going ballistic with ideas. My approach is simple, use the kiss method (keep it simple stupid). Let’s face it, you’re having guests for dinner and you want wines that are both affordable and most likely acceptable for a wide range of people. A popular choice amongst wine people has become both Sauvignon Blanc and Gruner Veltliner. Personally, I don’t have a warm fuzzy feeling for either of those wines for the holiday meal. If you do decide on Sauvignon Blanc, I would stay away from the New Zealand versions. They can be quite pungent and could over-power some of the side dishes. As far as Gruner? If you walk into a grocery store wine department to search for a Gruner, good luck (other than my department of course). Make it easy on yourself, the meal is a big deal and the wine should not give you a brain cramp.

I have given up on Zinfandel for Thanksgiving. I’m not saying I will never go back, but for now, it seems to be a mismatch to me. Zin has a very high alcohol percentage which can be dangerous when you are sucking down wine during Thanksgiving. Don’t get me wrong, I love Zinfandel However, I’ve found it to be too powerful for some of the subtle side dishes of the meal and it can put you to sleep much earlier than a Gamay or Pinot Noir. The last thing you need is a bunch of inebriated guests for the evening. I know it’s a bit outside the box, but I’m saying it.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

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