BITS & BOBS

Posted on May 24, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

I don’t often get as excited about wines I’m tasting as I did in my latest episode on my YouTube channel. I reviewed three reds, all under twelve bucks. I had recently organized my modest wine closet and found some Salento Rosso, which have probably been there a couple of years or more. I thought it would be a good idea to review them and talk about this IGT that is located in Puglia, Italy. As my wife pointed out recently, sometimes it’s hard to tell if I’m excited or enthused about something. I was truly impressed and excited about the wines I reviewed, which I think comes across in the episode. One was a 2013 that retails for around eight bucks. I was simply amazed how well it aged over seven years. They were all good and I hope you get a chance to watch the episode.

Salento is an IGT that can make wines from fifty different varietals, which is quite unusual in old world wine making. The main grapes are Negroamaro and Ptimitivo, but they also like using Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot quite a bit. If the winery wants to make a specific varietal wine, it needs to be 85% of that specific grape. This appellation is located in Puglia which is in southern Italy, a spot in the world I have yet to go. I’ve been to Italy twice in my life, but never to the south. I hope to get there someday and visit a region that produces some outstanding wines. The IGT designation basically means they are table wines. The big boys (or girls if you like) carry the D.O.C or D.O.C.G. designation which also can mean they will cost you a little more. If I were you, I would spend some time seeking out the IGT wines from Salento. They represent some of the best values I have found.

The pandemic is fizzling out quickly now, which means that having tastings in person rather than on Zoom is just around the corner. Governor Inslee has declared that Washington State will be totally opened up to normal at the end of June. What’s interesting to watch is how many people are resisting the removing of masks, including our local health department. In the beginning of the pandemic, it was about following science. Now some folks are resisting the science. I read an article in the New York Times that quoted several health experts who are basically saying that the virus is in decay mode. It’s losing its edge and the nation is healing rapidly. Masks are coming off all over the U.S. and it’s because science says they are not necessary anymore. I’m now working on my fourteenth Zoom tasting event since the pandemic hit last March. It’s a nice option, but there is nothing like gathering together in person and tasting wines together along with the winemaker or portfolio manager. I am so ready!

I’m getting very close to 450 subscribers to my YouTube channel. It means so much to me to have such a large audience who appreciate the content I am putting out there on wine. I’ve featured many different wines and wine regions along with specific wineries. I enjoyed doing a recent episode on wine glasses and how they may affect how the wine tastes. I also think it is time to do another decanting episode and discuss the value of letting a wine breathe before drinking it. Even less expensive wines can benefit from a little decanting before consumption. I want to thank you for your support and if you haven’t subscribed to my channel yet, please give it some thought.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Bits & Bobs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

BITS & BOBS

Posted on May 10, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

Wine is an interesting subject for sure. We often will say that wine is subjective. This is true about anything we put in our mouth to consume. For instance, I absolutely abhor liver. It doesn’t mean the liver isn’t good, it only means I don’t like it. Wine like food is dependent on the opinion of the person imbibing it. I read a statement made in a very popular book on wine. The author said… “Just because you may think a wine is good, doesn’t mean it’s a good wine.” I know what her premise is for making such a pretentious statement. A wine that is well-made is different from a mass-produced wine, there is no doubt about that. However, most consumers who purchase wine don’t give a rat’s ass about those details. They just want to enjoy a glass of wine sans the snobbery that can surround the wine world. I will be the first to admit that there are wines out there I like that may not fall into the aforementioned authors’ “Good Wine” category. If I like it, I like it. I don’t care what other people think.

Although wine is subjective, it doesn’t give me as a wine steward an excuse to get lazy. I have to strive to understand my customer’s palate and not chalk up a recommendation that went askew to subjectivity. Are you following me on this? For instance, my wife Susie does not like New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Period! She dislikes the grapefruit component that is so prominent in NZ whites (although she does like grapefruit). She is so sensitive to it, that Sauvignon Blanc with just a pinch of grapefruit flavor puts her off. It’s not just NZ that gets to her, it’s any white that displays that flavor profile. So, when I recommend a white to her, I am very careful to make sure it doesn’t have the dreaded flavor of grapefruit, no matter how minute. Now, take that to a larger scale. My customer base is huge, and I take the responsibility of understanding their individual palates quite seriously. When I strike out on a recommendation, it hurts. It happens from time to time and I never write it off to subjectivity. I blame myself for not taking the time to understand what they like or dislike. It’s not always easy to coax out of a customer what they prefer in wine. However, with patience, I can usually get to the bottom of what they might enjoy. This effort has paid off in spades, leading to many of my long-time customer’s trust in my ability to pick out a wine they will like.

On a final note, I recently put up an episode on my YouTube channel about different styles of wine glasses. Do they change how a wine smells and tastes? Check it out and let me know what you think about it.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Bits & Bobs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

BITS & BOBS

Posted on May 3, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

“I’m going to hit you hard!” Those were the exact words a sales rep said to me the other day. Why did he say that you ask? Recently the company he works for lost a ton of wine from their portfolio. In the wine business that happens quite a bit. He gave me a few samples to try in an attempt to get some placements in my department or stacks of wine on the sales floor. I get it. His salary is based on commission. Losing brands, especially good brands means his paycheck could suffer. I of course would love to help him out, but only if what he presents to me is worthy of being in the wine department. Using the term…” I’m going to hit you hard” is a poor approach to indicate he is going to aggressively try to get me to buy more wine from him. When he said that, I immediately put my guard up. I rarely put up with someone who is aggressive in their sales approach. My customer is my biggest concern. I buy wine for them, and if what is presented to me doesn’t fit my customer base, I won’t go there. A quick note to all sales reps who visit me…Don’t be pushy, it will get you nowhere.

Susie and I took a trip to The Gorge appellation in Washington State recently. The main two towns in this area are Carson and Lyle. When I say main, I don’t mean large. They are both small towns that sort of bookend the appellation. Talk about an awesome area for growing grapes. Most of the vineyards are in the hills and face southwest. The mighty Columbia River is the backbone of the Gorge and almost everywhere you go, Mount Hood looms in the background. The area is both rugged and beautiful. You certainly have to be adventurous to consider putting a winery in this area of Washington State. We paid a visit to three wineries while down there. Susie and I stopped at Syncline Cellars, Cor Cellars (which are right next to each other) and Savage Grace Winery in Underwood. I will give a more detailed write-up on the experience in a later article. What is hard for me to believe is that this was the first trip I’ve made to this part of Washington State. One would think that as deeply as I’m immersed in the world of wine, that I would have been down to some of these wineries long ago. Needles to say, I will be making another trek down that way in the near future.

“One is better than zero.” Someone said that a long time ago and it struck me as so true. I can’t remember the first subscriber to my YouTube channel (although I think it was a good friend of mine), but I do remember how good it felt to have one person that felt a need to view my content. I now have over 400 subscribers and the idea that there are so many people that want to watch me blather on about wine is humbling. I love talking and teaching about the subject of wine. I also like to lead people to a good value. I don’t adhere to simply reviewing inexpensive wine. I go all over the board and in doing so, I hope to educate and entertain my audience. My current upload is comparing Syrah and Petite Sirah. I want to take a moment and thank all of you who support my channel, and I hope that you have found some value in what I am putting out there.

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Main | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

FRIDAY’S FIVE

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Stan The Wine Man

Tasting and analyzing wine is something I have done for a long time. It’s funny when people pass by my office at the store and see me tasting wines with a rep. Often times they will quip about what a tough job I have. I know it looks fun, but both my assistant Scott and I take it quite seriously. Ninety percent of the time, I’m scratching notes in my Moleskine so that later, if I decide to purchase a certain wine, I have the notes to share with the customer so that they know what to expect when they purchase it. Here for your reading pleasure are the notes from five wines I’ve tasted recently, good or bad.

2017 Brick House Vineyards Le Dijonnais Pinot Noir (Ribbon Ridge, OR)… $57.

Dark cherries and cherry skins on the nose, joined by Asian spices and rose petal with a kiss of bark and black tea. Cherries and Root Beer all day on the palate front to finish. Nicely integrated acidity comes on a bit on the finish where bark and stem notes come out as well, with a kiss of Asian spices and red raspberries. Asian spices linger with the cherry, raspberry and Root Beer notes. Excellent balance and complexity. (A)

Non-vintage Coviolo Lambrusco Biologico (Reffiano, Italy)… $12.

A touch of funk on the nose, joined by notes of dark cherries, bark and black raspberries. Black and red raspberry on the palate with a big hit of dark cherries on solid, bright acidity. The funk hits just a little on the mid-palate. This red is fresh, dry and delicious. Good balance and great food wine. Think pizza or blue cheeseburgers. (B- /B)

2015 Pieza El Coll Red (Calatayud, Spain)… $14.

Coffee bean, blackberry and a touch of raisin on the nose. Ripe currants, blackberries and a kiss of coffee bean on structured tannins with a petrol edge coming through on the palate. The petrol notes expand on the mid-palate and fade on the finish where white and black pepper notes join in the palate party with the ripe currant notes that linger. 50% Garnacha, 30% Carignan, 20% Monastrell (B)

2019 Vietti Roero Arneis (Piedmont, Italy)… $22.50

Aromas of peaches, earth, mushrooms and tangerines. Minerals all day on the palate with notes of peaches, tangerine and a kiss of lemon. Nice fruit medley in the mouth supported by balanced, nicely integrated acidity. This gem has a long finish. (A-)

2020 Villa Maria Rose‘ (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand)… $14.

Strawberries all day on the nose, joined by hits of rhubarb and watermelon. Solid acidity backs notes of strawberries and watermelon on the palate with a slight underbelly of rhubarb, front to finish. Dry and flavorful with good balance. Strawberry and a kiss of rhubarb hit hard on the bright, mouthwatering finish. 100% Merlot (B/B+)

Cheers!

Stan The Wine Man

Posted in Main | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment