Wine Direct Shipping Bill Introduced This Week in Maryland

As you Marylanders know, it’s difficult to buy wine online in this state. Those of us who are lucky enough to have friends in D.C. can at least have it shipped to their addresses (thanks Francis), but many people do not have that luxury. Therefore many people miss out on great deals online, as well the opportunity to try wines from small producers all across the United States.

With the passing of a new bill that is going to be announced this week, known as the Raskin/Hucker Bill, Marylanders would be permitted to have wine shipped direclty to their residence. This bill is long overdue and I urge everyone to contact their local congressmen and congresswomen to make sure they are aware of how importnat this bill to their constituents. With a strong grassroots effort, led by betterbeerandwinelaws.org, we can make a difference and get this bill through the house and have a new law enacted to defend our rights as wine consumers. You can find out who your elected officials are and how to contact them here as well as donate money to the cause here: Donations

Thanks to HWT (a new friend from the MD - Cru Offlines) to pointing this out to us!

Drunk and out of wine without a ride? Jump on your lawn mower..this Michigander did!

So a 49 year old man from Adrian, Michigan (an hour from where I grew up) decided that after drinking two bottles of wine, he needed four more.  With his wife gone to work with their car, Frank Kozumplik decided to take the next best thing, his riding mower.

After driving the mower more than two miles to a local liquor store, Mr. Kozumplik bought four bottles of wine and began making his way home when he was picked up by the Adrian police.  With a BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) nearly 3 times the legal limit, Mr. Kozumplik was arrested for drunk driving and taken to jail.

Read more here: Police: Drunk drove mower down street…

Martini & Rossi Prosecco: New Look But Same Great Prosecco

I received this bottle as a sample and took these notes during a recent wine tasting:

The bottle had a unique closure for a wine - an actual bottle cap, reminiscent of a large glass bottle of soda or some other everyday beverage. The new design hopes to give the Prosecco more of an every-day feel and although I was first put off by it, I found it to be pretty cool and a great way to make drinking a sparkling wine with dinner more informal and fun. The Prosecco itself was a great appertif with a touch of fizz, grapefruit and pear flavors, and some sweet fruits on the finish. It rolls in at $12, is good bang for your buck, and was a fun way to start off the night.

Tasting Notes: 7 Chateauneuf’s from 1989 - 2001

Tasting notes from a recent gathering of friends (read more about it here) which featured perfect food pairings for the event!

1989 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau (750 mL) Bottle 1: Decanted 1 hour. Medium-ruby color, a bit dusty. Dark fruits, barnyard, eucalyptus notes on the nose. Less fruit on the palate but some currant and cherry left, good spice notes rolled into the soft tannins. Opened side by site with another 1989 which showed a bit better. My rating: 88 pts

1989 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau (750 mL) Bottle 2: Decanted 1 hour. Second bottle of two. More vibrant ruby color than the other bottle, which translated to a bit more fruit on the nose. Currant, cherry, pepper, and mineral notes. More complex mid-palate and again, spice notes into medium tannins on the finish. A sip of this wine at the end of the night (roughly 5 hour decant) showed it was still evolving and drinking well. My rating: 90 pts

1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau (1500 mL): Beautiful deep ruby color with aroma’s of barnyard, cherry, raspberry, leather, earth. Opened up into an incredible wine that might still be considered in it’s youth (from a magnum with great provenance anyways). Lots of dark cherry, herbs, mineral notes and spice all packaged with formidable tannins and a complex finish. The 1995 is the new 2001, this wine thinks it’s in its youth…if you’ve got any left, keep it another 4-5 years or enjoy now with a long decant. My rating: 94 pts

2000 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée (750 mL): Decanted 1+ hour. Deep purple color - aromas of dark cherry, dark berries, herbs. This wine is just waking up, it’s completely alive with lots of red fruits and pepper on the palate - very balanced with velvety tannins. The finish is rich, long and expressive. This has a some years until it peaks. My rating: 93 pts

1998 Domaine St. Benoit Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Truffière (1500 mL): Medium ruby color, clear edges. Dark raspberry and cherry really stand out on the nose with some evergreen. Candied cherry, licorice and spice with a medium finish. My rating: 90 pts

1998 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale Les Hautes Brusquières (750 mL): Aromas of white pepper, cherry, and a whiff of herbs and perhaps a floral component. Fruits really showing well with thyme standing out somewhere in the mix of it all. Big tannins with good acidity and a long finish. My rating: 92 pts

2001 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape (750 mL): Red fruits, complex flavors with herbs, plum, toffee and spice notes. Lighter in style with a medium body and medium length finish. My rating: 90 pts

2001 Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée des Felix (2 x 750 mL): Dark cherry, cellar/barnyard nose that gave way to berries, spice and minerals. Rich mouth feel, good structure and balance with solid tannins and a long finish. Really well put-together wine, lovely that will show well for years to come. My rating: 94 pts

Our wine club meetup is tomorrow!

I’ve received responses from basically everyone attending as to what wines they are bringing. Again, we will meet up at Iggies (map below) at 7:00 PM. We’ll order or food and began the tasting promptly at 7:30 PM. We’ll spend an hour working through the wines, then after we eat, we’ll vote on our favorites, and unmask the winner!

If you want to bring a notebook or wine journal, I encourage it. I’ll bring pens, paper, and a few other things. Also, you may bring your own glassware if you prefer, as their selection is not that great (although it will suffice).

I look forward to seeing everyone tomorrow night!

Map of Iggie’s Pizza

10.5 Liters of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Duck, Rabbit, Lamb, Homemade Cheesecake, Great Group of Wine Lovers - Did I get Your Attention?

Saturday, January 26, 2008, the “MD - Cru” met up for one of its “offlines”. The “Cru” is made up of friends, new and old, that have two things in common - they love great food and wine, and they make great company! Kim and I were first lucky enough to meet up with them a first time this past October (see what happened the first time around) but they’ve been doing this for years! After missing at Italian event in November (we were in Italy!) and a Champagne event in December (home for holidays), we were focused on joining in on a tasting of one of our favorite wines - Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

The tasting was held at the beautiful home of one of the “regulars” of the MD - Cru out near Bethesda. The event featured the following food menu of which recipes for some if not all will follow (these people made some OUTSTANDING dishes and I begged and begged for the recipes…hopefully we’re all lucky enough to get them!).

The wines (all Chateauneufs):
2 x 750 ml: 1989 Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe La Crau
1 x 1.5 L: 1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe La Crau
1 x 1.5 L: 1998 St. Benoit Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Garde
2 x 750 ml: 1998 Bois de Boursan Cuvee de Felix Chateauneuf du Pape
2 x 750 ml: 2000 Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reserve
2 x 750 ml: 2001 Domaine de la Charbonniere - Le Hautes Brusquieres
2 x 750 ml: 2001 E. Guigal Chateauneuf du Pape

Others:
Piper Heidsieck NV Champange
Chusclan Les Ribieres Cotes Du Rhone 2001 - OUTSTANDING VALUE, Great wine
Mystery Bottle (seen in Aluminum Foil) Bob Johnson’s Homemade Pear Wine - Great Stag Winery

MENU
H’ordeurves:
Duck served with cucumber, crackers and chives - Brilliant appetizer, simple yet elegant and quite delicious
Melon Wrapped in Prosciutto - Always a crowd pleaser, the Prosciutto was very rich perfectly cured
Marinated Flank Steak - Paging CS (the owner of this recipe) - outstanding texture and flavors
Rabbit - Delicate, well seasoned, with the right amount of gaminess, perfect way to start the night of French wines!

Starters:
Green bean casserole - One of the best green bean casseroles I’ve had, so rich, good textures, lovely
Carrot souffle - Delicate. So delicate, perfectly prepared. Everyone guessed nutmeg, but cinnamon was the star.
Brussel sprouts pancetta - How do you take a vegetable some people dislike and make it to die for? Add pork! I love Brussel sprouts anyways, but this take on them is a real winner.
Potatoes - Cheesy and delicious.

Main Course:
Lamb - Perfectly tender, seasoning was spot on, cooked to perfection - juicy and delicious.
Cassoulet - It’s hard to mess up something that’s ingredients include rabbit, sausage, lamb…beans, I mean, come on…this was incredible.

Dessert:
Cheese cake (homemade with white/dark chocolate) - The crust was so delicate, the body very rich. Outstanding cheesecake.
Cannoli’s and Carinaolies - Vaccaro’s never fails!

Here’s what a plate of this deliciousness looked like:

As far as food and wine pairings go, almost everything was spot on. Anytime you have lamb, duck, or rabbit on the table, a Chateauneuf is a good match. It would be very difficult to pick a wine of the night - they were all very good. The 1995 Vieux Telegraphe was drinking INCREDIBLE, the St. Benoit as well, the Pegau had a lot going on with complex flavors and amazingly silky tannins, and the 2001 Bois de Boursan Cuvee de Felix was outstanding. This wine with a bit more age will be very special and is highly recommended if you can find it. Specific tasting notes will be posted and linked in the next day!

Again thanks to everyone in the group, especially to Mr. & Mrs. J. for hosting this incredible event in their beautiful home- Kim and I really enjoy these off-lines and look forward to many, many more!

Baltimore Restaurant Week - Winter 2008: It’s here!

Alright people, restaurant week is here and I suspect many of you are heading out to at least a one or two places to take advantage of it.  So, I am wondering, where are you going (or did you go) this week?  Leave a comment and let us know your choices, and if you’ve already went, let us know what you thought of the menu, quality of service, and the overall dining experience!

I look forward to reading some of your choices and reviews!

Tasting Notes: Chameleon Cellars and Bravante

Notes from a recent tasting. Overall, there wasn’t a “bad” wine in the bunch. Some were good, some were great. A few outstanding! The Chameleon Cellars wines are styled to let the fruit express itself and would be best consumed any night of the week with a good, simple food pairing. In contrast, the Bravante wines are complex, elegant examples of the potential of the fruits with good blends and the right amount of oak. These wines are built to stand up to big steaks, rich dishes, and for the most part are structured to last a few years in the cellar. Both producers are highly recommended - at least a few wines from each! In fact, I recommend that you go out and find a wine from either (or both) producer(s), drink it, write what you think, and e-mail them to me or post a comment! (These wines can be found online or at shops throughout Baltimore)

Without further ado, in the order we drank them:

2006 Chameleon Cellars Sauvignon Blanc North Coast: Tropical fruits and some mineral on the nose - honeydew, peach, apple, and jasmine on the palate - good acidity, nice crisp finish. My rating: 89 pts, GV (Good value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Grenache - Mendocino: Nose filled with cherry and raspberry, a touch of smoke and a mild wet dirt component. Lot’s of black cherry on the palate, light then becoming fuller with medium tannins. Would be great with rabbit. My rating: 87 pts, OKV

2003 Chameleon Cellars Charbono: Nose of spruce, herbs, eucalyptus, with cherry and white pepper on the palate. Overall good balance but could benefit from a touch more acidity. The finish is medium length and brings back a hint of herbs. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2005 Chameleon Cellars Carignane: The most widely planted grape in southeastern France, this Salono County Carignane was made from hillside vines and fruit from a warm growing season. The result is an earthy nose with a touch of chocolate. Good acidity with cherry notes, light in style with a smooth finish - very interesting wine that would pair nicely with a variety of wild game. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2005 Chameleon Cellars Syrah: Brilliant color and weight to this wine. Just approaching the glass with your nose you are bombarded with red pepper and spice. A lot of fruits stand out in the wine and the medium tannins are well integrated. More Old-World in style which is a good thing! My rating: 90 pts, VGV (Very Good Value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Petit Sirah: Coming from 112 year old vines, this Petit Sirah is very good (tasted from 3 bottles). Dark purple color, aromas of dark cherry, spice and cigar box. Big, dark fruits and black pepper on the palate - great structure, big, chewy tannins and a 30 second finish. Drink one now and lay a few down for the next 5 years when it should peak. My rating: 91 pts, OV (Outstanding Value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Barbera Mendocino: Beautiful bright color, vibrant red fruits, tightly wound but explosive - the wine is balanced and finishes crisp - a great pizza wine. My rating: 86 pts, GV

2004 Chameleon Cellars Zinfandel, Gordon Valley (Napa): Concentrated flavors, blackberry, blueberry, earth, spice, medium tannins. My rating: 87 pts, GV

2004 Chameleon Cellars Merlot: Plum, cherry, raspberry notes. As with many of the other Chameleon wines, the fruits really stand out, but this one lacks balance of the other wines. My rating: 86 pts, OKV (OK Value)

2005 Chameleon Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon: In this first effort at a Cabernet, Chameleon did a fine job. Don’t expect the creamy, oakiness of many other Cabs as this was designed to let the fruit shine. Earth notes, blackberry, black cherry, bell pepper, medium tannins with a bite. No formal rating was recorded during my tasting but from memory it was good. At the price, it’s worth trying to see if it’s your style. NR (No rating)

2004 Bravante Merlot - $38: Plum, cherry, touch of thyme. Good mid-palate filled with fruits and some acidity that becomes balanced into soft tannins. A touch of sweet fruit returns on the finish and is highlighted with black pepper. My rating: 88 pts, GV

2004 Bravante Trio, $40: This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cab Franc is quite good. Lot’s of black fruits and buttered toast, dried herbs on the nose. The wine is complex with chocolate, blackberry, and some sweet cedar, has great structure and balance and finishes with layers of flavors and big tannins - I’d lay a few bottles down (if you can find them!) for 3 or more years. My rating: 93 pts, VGV

2004 Bravante Cabernet Sauvignon - $50: Consistent with my previous notes: dark fruits, deep color, herb, vanilla. Not decanted this time around, but it drank nicely. My rating: 92 pts, GV

2003 Bravante Simpatico - $75: This was my wine of the night - layers and layers of dark fruits, earth, cherry, cigar box, anise, spice. Huge body, big tannins, a Cadillac among Fiats. Big, long finish, did I mention this wine is big? Pricey but worth it if you like big California Cabs (wine is roughly 80% Cab Sauvignon and 20% Cab Franc) can find a few bottles of this very limited release. For best enjoyment, lay it down for at least 5 years maybe 10 or more! My rating: 94 pts, CV (this wine has “cellar” or “collectible” value - meaning if you can afford it, definitely go for it!).

Two California producers to look for: Chameleon Cellars and Bravante

I recently had the great opportunity of joining in a small group of winemakers, collectors and friends to taste through the portfolio’s of two exciting California wineries. Included in the group were representatives from both wineries: Jeffery Poppick of Chameleon, and Michelle Hunt of Bravante.

The evening started with a Chameleon Sauvignon Blanc. Jeff noted that to really appreciate the wine, one must overlook the frigid outdoor temperatures and imagine sitting outside on a warm, June evening in Maryland, enjoying the chilled, crisp, refreshing Sauvignon Blanc. I didn’t record formal notes on the wine, but a lot of tropical fruit jumped out and the wine had very good acidity and a nice finish. This wine is an easy choice at around $15 and being an 89 point wine.

From the lone white wine, we moved through the progression of reds getting details on the winemaking involved in each wine, as well as where the grapes were sourced. The passion that Jeff has for his wines was evident in his voice as he talked with excitement about his unique varietals such as Carignan and Charbono.

Overall the Chameleon wines were quite good and some were great. As a producer, Chameleon Cellars sources its fruits from vineyards across the Central and North Coasts of California. Whereas other wineries that produce their own fruit are stuck with low quality grapes in low quality vintages, Chameleon can choose to produce or not produce certain types of wines in any given year depending on the quality of the fruit.

It was a treat to taste all the wines side-by-side as I developed a great understanding of the style of wines Jeff likes to make as well as what he’s trying to express with his creations. For the most part, each wine had great structure and balance, and benefited from the right amount of time in barrel. Jeff’s philosophy of “let the fruit express itself” was evident from the start. In a blind tasting, I would not have guessed some of the wines to be from California as there was no tendency to let oak overshadow the finesse of many of this varietals. The best wines of the Chameleon bunch were a Grenache that was very bright and displayed good balance, a 2005 Syrah that gets a lot of points for being very unique and how it evolved nicely in the glass, and a Petit Sirah that had outstanding structure and tannins. Each are highly recommended (tasting notes to come).

After tasting through the Chameleon wines, we moved on to the wines of Bravante. Bravante may sound familiar as I have reviewed one of their wines in the past (see the review here). Represented by Michelle Hunt, of Bravante Vineyards, the four wines we had were quite different in every aspect as compared to the Chameleon wines. For starters, Bravante produces its own fruits at its two vineyards in the outstanding Howell Mountain appellation. This results in wines with very similar flavor profiles coming from incredible fruits. The amount of oak in the Bravante wines was right on and overall the wines were perfectly balanced and structured to stand up to a nice meal. Of the four wines we tasted, three were at least 90 points, with one being an outstanding 94 points (Bravante Simpatico, 2003). Michelle Hunt was very knowledgeable and passionate about her wines as well, and it was a pleasure to have the chance to get her input on their wines while we tasted.

I’d highly recommend looking into wines form both of these wineries. I’d characterize the wines of Chameleon as unique, everyday, food-friendly wines that are for the most part approachable at release and are moderately priced ($15-$30). Bravante’s wines are rich, luscious wines that can be approached now but for the most part are structured to last 5 years or more in the cellar. The Bravante wines are great for their price point, considering the price of other California wines of their caliber and would be great for a special dinner at home or a nice night dining out. In any event, both are worth taking the time to seek them out (Grand Cru and Diwine both carry these wines) as well as the money you’ll spend on them. Great thanks to both Michelle and Jeff for letting me taste their wines, as well as the host of the tasting and distributor of these wines, Rich at The Cult Wine Group. If you’re ever out in Napa and looking for something to do, check out the tasting room at Chameleon, as well as the tasting-room in progress at Bravante (picture here is of Bravante)!

Note: Tasting notes to follow.

TN: Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah’s Blend - $14

This Aussie Shiraz comes to us from one of the biggest and top producers in the land down under.  I’m a big fan of their MollyDooker wines, having a ton of Carnival of Love in my cellar…but unfortunately, this one is only an OK value.
Marquis Philips 2006 Sarah’s Blend: Black cherry, toffee, candied cherries, tomato and alcohol nose.  On the palate it’s filled with a bunch of dark fruits, a touch of spice, mild tannins and medium acidity.  The finish is medium but lacks a punch.  My rating: 86 pts, OKV (OK value).

TN: 2004 Ecluse Syrah - Paso Robles Vineyard - $23

2004 Ecluse Syrah - Paso Robles Vineyard - $23:  Decanted and poured.  Creamy melon nose with dried cherry and some spice…very aromatic and complex - quite nice.  Lot’s of cherry and some dark fruits on the palate, medium-big tannins and a good amount of alcohol which was in harmony with good acidity.  Opened up great after two hours…some of the initial oak subsided while the fruits stood out and tobacco appeared on the nose.  If you like Syrah, this one is highly recommended.   My rating: 92 pts, VGV (very good value)

I paired this with grilled veal chops, grilled parsnips and Bruschetta - overall was a good to very good pairing!   Recipes on the veal chops and Bruschetta will follow in the next day or two.

Federal Hill’s Vineyard Wine and Spirits is Closing Down

Sadly, a boutique wine shop in Federal Hill is closing down. I had only been there a few times as it’s not very close to my home, but was always impressed with the selection of wines under $15 and really liked the layout of the store. In any event, here’s a release on the closing and the information on some outstanding discounts.

We are closing down!

Unfortunately the Vineyard Wine & Spirits is going to close down. Although
we believe that we are not only the type of wine and liquor store that
Federal Hill wants and needs, in our two years of operation we have not been
able to return a profit, so we have sadly decided to cut our losses and
close down.

Our loss is your gain however and we will be having a close out sale from
this Saturday, Jan 19 where everything will be reduced to virtually cost
prices:

15% off all wine under $15. 20% off cases (12 btls)
20% off Reserve room wines. 25% off cases (12 btls)
10% off beer and spirits
40% off all giftware

Get in early before all the good stuff goes!   We will continue to open the store for the remainder of the month or until
all our stock is sold .  Winesdays will continue to operate each Wednesday at Grumpies.   Work has begun on renovating the Vine and it should re-open in 6 months.    Thank you to all our loyal customers during our time in Federal Hill, we
appreciate your patronage.

Denis Ryan
Vineyard Wine and Spirits
1137 S. Charles St
Baltimore, MD, 21230
Ph: 410 837 3733

MORTON’S CLASSIC COMBINATION DINNER IS BACK - Annapolis, MD

MORTON’S CLASSIC COMBINATION DINNER IS BACK - Filet Mignon, Choice of Alaskan King Crab Legs or Australian Lobster Tail and Morton’s Salad or Caesar Salad; All for Only $69*

(Annapolis, MD)– The best fine-dining value in town? It could be the classic combination dinner that Morton’s The Steakhouse is serving from now through March 31, 2008 at the Annapolis restaurant.  Read more here…

Baltimore Restaurant Week - Winter 2008 - Best Bets

With Restaurant week less a week away, it’s a good idea to start making reservations, if you haven’t already. Here is a list of restaurants that I think are the best values for Restaurant Week. There are many on the list that are enticing, so I just picked my favorites, as well as a couple I haven’t been to but plan on visiting this time around.

Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano - Aldo’s is one of the better Italian restaurants in town. With a restaurant week menu including lamb carpaccio, seared rockfish and some homemade bread pudding, this is a no-brainer. Book now to avoid be left out!

Corks - Corks is a great restaurant with good ambiance and an extensive, (almost) all-American wine list. They are offering a variety of first courses which includes seared scallops that sound delicious and a pumpkin crisp for dessert that has my attention.

Crepe du Jour - This will be a first for me but I’ve heard good things about Crepe du Jour and the menu they offer is quite appealing to me. I’m thinking Escargot, grilled lamb chops and a creme brulee to finish it off!

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse Wine Bar - Great food, outstanding service, great wine list - make your reservation now before they’re all booked! And for those interested in something a little more than the prime rib (which is what they generally offer for restaurant week), go with a bone-in ribeye or the lamb chops and don’t forget a side of Fleming’s Potato’s and their signature Lava Cake for dessert!

Jack’s Bistro - Great place overall - outstanding food, great service, and an OK wine list that won’t be too much on the wallet.  Sure to be a winner and definitely a great value.

Prime Rib - This is one of the most elegant restaurants in Baltimore with classic decor including a huge grand piano and servers in tuxedo’s. And it’s not all just for show - the food is outstanding. Expect this to be one the busiest restaurants during the week and make your reservations now!

Watertable Restaurant - This will be another first time visit for me. Watertable Restaurant, located at 202 E. Pratt Street, is a contemporary designed and executed establishment. Chef Dean James Max grew up in Virginia on his parents farm near the Chesapeake and brings the love of fresh farm ingredients and fresh seafood to Watertable.

What is a wine blogger?

When I started a food and wine blog last June, it was basically a personal blog to keep track of my wine and food adventures and have a meeting place for our wine club. At the time, I was aware of a few of the major wine blogs, but really didn’t give much thought as to how many wine and food blogs where were. In just under 8 months, I’ve met dozens of other bloggers, joined in on discussions with many of them, and more importantly, have learned about and become a subscriber to many of these outstanding sources for information on food, wine and everything in between!

With hundreds of wine blogs available to wino’s with a computer and internet access, it’s impossible to keep up with them all. Each wine blog is completely unique and regardless of how well the design of the site is, or how flashy the graphics are, each contributes it’s own important “spin” on the crazy world that is wine.

Some may consider a wine blogger as just another wino, with nothing better to do than waste the infinitesimal space that is the internet with their ramblings, ratings and reviews. I consider a wine blogger to be any or all of the following.

Wine bloggers are historians. We write about wine regions and how they came about. We write about the history of grapes, the papacy and its’ wine, and how wine has been around for 8-10,000 years. We track the good and bad vintages and follow collections of wine that were owned by Thomas Jefferson or Napoleon. We use wine quotes made by the likes of Hemingway and Shakespeare and use obscure historical references to stress the importance that wine has had on the development of civilization.

Wine bloggers are scientists. We speak of different grape clones, explaining what makes a clone versus a completely different variety. We talk about antioxidants, the health benefits of drinking wine every day, and how wine will improve your memory and decrease your risk of heart disease. More importantly, we think critically and perform well controlled experiments. We taste our winds “blind”, to remove bias and often taste in groups to gather consensus data. We draw conclusions based on data we collect in the “field” and publish our findings on our websites open to peer-review and criticism.

A wine blogger is an artist. We do graphics design and photo editing. We design our site layouts and some of us even draw images to express what we feel about a particular topic. We are photographers, taking thousands of pictures each year: tens of pictures of a single wine bottle using different lighting, background and props.

Wine bloggers are geographers, with great knowledge about all the areas of the world that can support a healthy vine. We know the names of small rivers, mountain ranges, valleys and seas. We know the soil types and climate in these regions and the patterns of change that have led to particular landscapes. We understand latitude and longitude, why some vines can thrive in one region while die in another. We have traveled to many parts of the world to experience, what the French call, “terroir” for ourselves. We have stamps on our passports to Italy, France, Portugal, and Argentina. We can name details about small villages in countries across the world that most other people would never think twice about.

Wine bloggers are writers and critics. We love to write and are tough critics. If a wine is good and deserves praise, it gets it. But when a wine is not that good, and we paid $50 for it, we are clear and show no remorse in our analysis of these wines. We appreciate the intricacies that go into producing a good wine, or the mistreatment that results in a bad one. We use our knowledge of what makes a good wine as well as our experience tasting thousands of wines to help the normal wine drinker who doesn’t get to taste a lot of wine, but likes it, decide what’s the best way to spend their money.

Finally, wine bloggers are people who are passionate about grape juice. We admire the simplicity of the ingredients (just a few grapes) that go into wine yet revel in the art, love and hard work that goes into transforming fruit on a vine into an incredible fermented juice that makes a good meal great or brings friends together. We love wine politics and it’s influence on the world, we love arguing about what wines are the best value, when a wine should be consumed, how a wine should be served and with what foods, and some even like arguing that their tastes and ratings are the correct ones! But when it comes down to it, wine bloggers are just people who love wine, like writing and enjoy having others share in their pursuits for great wines while sharing wine and stories with new friends and old.

As blogs are becoming a major part of mainstream media, wine blogs are becoming a major part of the wine world. I tip my hat to all of you wine bloggers who spend countless hours each day or week, without substantial pay or other financial compensation, just so everyone else can have an unbiased, expert or otherwise, free analysis of everything that is in the world of wine.

Recipes: Sirloin/Lamb burgers, grilled parsnips and plantain fritters!

Title says it all. A great meal that is reasonably healthy, very easy to make, and is absolutely DELICIOUS! For questions on the recipe, let me know: michael@foodandwineblog.com.

Sirloin and Lamb Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 lb ground sirloin
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 2 Tablespoons chopped seranno pepper
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried savory
• 1/2 cup Port wine
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire’s sauce
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• olive oil
• salt/pepper
• Pam (or other spray)
• Type of bread or roll for bun as you desire. I recommend lightly grill-toasted, sliced Ciabatta (see image from Wikipedia).

1. Pre-heat grill or grill pan. Wipe with olive oil to help prevent sticking. In a 9″ saute pan, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle onion and peppers with salt/pepper and add to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until onions are tender.
2. Add to pan Port wine. Wait 5 minutes allowing port to reduce, then add soy, Worcestershire’s, and hot sauces. Stir and let reduce until the mixture coats a spoon.
3. Pour mixture into a bowl and place in fridge for 10 minutes to let cool. During this time, it is important to let the ground meats sit at room temperature to ensure even cooking.
4. Place ground meats into a large mixing bowl and add the reduction mixture as well as dried rosemary and savory. Mix thoroughly with hands until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
5. Begin forming the burgers by taking 1/3 lb of the meat mixture (roughly 1 handful) into a ball in your hands and slowly pressing it while working the edges into a circle. Be sure to use medium pressure and even slap the burgers on each side to help remove the air. It’s good to wet your hands between each burger to prevent sticking. Place patties (your goal is about 1″ thick) onto a large plate covered with Pam or other non-stick cooking spray.
6. Place burgers onto grill with Pam side down over medium heat. Let rest for 5 minutes with the cover closed, then flip and wait another 4 minutes for medium, or 6 minutes for well done.
7. Serve with desired toppings (lettuce, tomato, feta cheese, olives, mayo…if you’re like me you like it all!).

Grilled Parsnips

Ingredients:

• 3 medium sized parsnips
• salt/pepper
• olive oil

1. These are very easy! Slice parsnips into thin strips down the length of the vegetable. The ideal thickness would be 1/6″, but who’s really going to measure? Just make them all the same thickness and you’ll be fine!
2. Brush the sliced parsnips with olive oil and sprinkle with salt/pepper.
3. Place on grill over medium heat and allow to cook for 6-7 minutes per side, or until brown and crisp.
4. Serve with burgers as you would French fries or chips!

Plantain Fritters

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large plantains
• 4 quarts water
• salt/pepper
• olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire’s sauce
• 1 shallot, diced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• 1 lime

1. In a large pot, heat water to a boil. When water is boiling, add 3 Tbsps salt and a dash of olive oil. Peel plantains and cut each into 3-4 large pieces. Place into boiling water for 15 minutes or until soft.
2. Drain water and transfer plantains to a medium sized bowl. Sprinkle with salt/pepper, add butter, Worcestershire’s sauce, shallot, and cilantro. Knead plantains with hands until formed into a large, dough-like mound.
3. Remove small (1/4 cup) balls of the mound and using your hands, make into a flat, 1/4″pancake type fritter.
4. In a frying pan, add butter and oil (wok oil or penut oil work great as well) and heat to medium-high heat. Add 2-3 fritters at a time to prevent crowding. Fry each side until golden brown crust forms.
5. Remove from pan, sprinkle with a touch of pepper and fresh squeezed lime juice.
6. And of course, serve with delicious Lamb/Sirloin Burgers and Grilled Parsnips!

Bon appetit!

Wine pairing: The plantains and parsnips would go best with a lightly oaked Viognier, but I’d choose a Rioja with the burgers.

Wine dinner with the Milton Inn Clavert Wine & Spirits

Tuesday, March 11, 2008:The Milton Inn and Calvert Wine and Spirits present a Wine Dinner Featuring Special Selections from Beringer, Chateau St. Jean and Stags’ Leap Wineries<strong>
</strong>~ Hors d’oeuvres ~
Potato and Basil wrapped tuna with soy and sesame emulsion
Cheese and Bacon quiche topped with duck confit
Champagne poached oyster with pancetta beurre blanc
2006 chateau st. jean la petite etoile fume blanc

~ First Course ~

Timbale of Salmon Tartar with guacamole, caviar and lemon oil
2005 beringer stanly ranch chardonnay
2005 chateau st. jean robert young chardonnay

~ Second Course ~
Grilled Squab and poached Lobster with a sweet potato and thyme gnocchi,
roasted shallot and asparagus ragout finished with Pinot Noir reduction
2005 beringer stanly ranch pinot noir

~ Entrée ~
Pepper dusted Filet Mignon with potato Lorraine, asparagus tips and baby carrots with a green peppercorn demi-glace
2004 Chateau St. Jean Cinq Cepages
2004 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

~ Cheese Course ~
Duo of cheese; fig and gorgonzola empanada and a savory cheesecake made with eppoisse
2004 stags’ leap petite syrah

$99 per person plus tax and gratuity
All reservations to be made through the MiltonInn (410) 771-4366
Seating is limited. Please confirm reservation and number of guests in advance.
The MiltonInn ~ 14833 York Road ~ Sparks, Maryland21152
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St. Michael’s Food and Wine Festival

# THE SIXTH ANNUAL ST. MICHAEL’S FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL IS SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 2008!

This “Culinary Extravaganza by the Bay” is a weekend-long event allowing “foodies” and “wine lovers” to sip fine wines and taste gourmet foods from around the world

WHO: St. Michael’s Food & Wine Festival each year attracts 2,000 + food and wine enthusiasts from the Mid-Atlantic region. The festival has grown to include internationally recognized chefs and makers of fine wines from around the globe.

WHAT: Activities that will be showcased at this trend-setting event include: presentations by leading food and wine experts, recipe demonstrations, wine tastings, culinary and wine seminars, book signings and unique cuisine, wines and spirits from nationally acclaimed Chefs & Sommeliers pairing with chefs at local award winning restaurants.

WHEN: Festival begins Thursday evening April 24, 2008 with VIP charity reception and continues through Sunday afternoon April 27, 2008. Sunday highlights include Champagne Jazz Brunch and Trade/Media only Reception.

WHERE: St. Michaels, Maryland, along the historical grounds of the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum—a waterfront region which has been called the “next Hamptons” by travel writers, a “vacation spot that never fails to please” by Woman’s Day magazine, and has been named one of “America’s most romantic destinations” by LIFE magazine.

MORE: Visitors are also invited to explore exhibits at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum highlighting the maritime history of the Bay and its culinary connections. Unique shops, outdoor activities and historical sites offer plenty to do.

CONTACT: For more information and/or to set up a press interview, please contact:

Lainie Friedman, Colangelo & Partners Public Relations (CPR)

Tel: 646.624.2885 Ext. 2 or email: lfriedman@colangelopr.com

For up-to-the-minute information on events, celebrity presenters, hotel information, and/or to purchase tickets, please visit the festival’s official website: www.stmichaelsfoodandwinefestival.com

WBW #41: White Friuli Wines

Today is the forty-first installment of Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW) (www.winebloggingwednesday.org). This month’s host’s are Jack and Joanne at Fork & Bottle and the theme is Friuli Wines. As you may know, I love Italian wines and was especially excited to have a good excuse to seek out a good bottle of Friuli.

Friuli-Venezia Giulia wine is made in the north-eastern Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia (seen in the image above linked from wikipedia.org). The region produces some of the best wines in Italy which are made from Tocai Friulano, Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Malvasia Istriana, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Pinot Grigio as well as a few others. I’ve chosen a Pinot Grigio for this month’s WBW.

So last night our friend Donna stopped by to say hello and Kim and I successfully talked her into staying for a glass or two of wine and dinner (thanks for coming over Donna!). While I prepared lamb burgers, grilled parsnips and plantain fritters (recipes to follow in the next day or so), we popped the cork on the 2005 Pighin Pinot Grigio Grave del Friuli. I found the wine for $12 at the Wine Source in Baltimore, but it can be found online from anywhere between $11 and $18. This wine turned out to be quite a value.

Pighin has two vineyards (as well as two wineries) totaling 180 hectares (roughly 400 acres) in the area: a Risano vineyard in Grave del Fruili (which is the home of the wine I chose) and one at the Caprivo vineyard in the Collio area. This 2005 Pinot Grigio from the Risano vineyard had a deep pale gold color. The nose was filled with peach, pinapple, jasmine, and floral notes. The wine had very good acidity from the get-go which subsided a touch through the mid-palate and kept going nicely through a crisp finish. I found some mineral/wet stone taste in the wine as well that was quite nice. Overally, it was a great wine- the acidity would be a great match for a mussels in garlic/butter sauce tossed with linguine and drizzeled with some lemon. My rating: 88 pts, VGV (Very good value)

Kim and Donna both enjoyed the wine as well both noting good fruits and acidity.

Thanks again to Joanne at Fork & Bottle for the excellent choice. Make sure to check out her page which will have a review of all the bloggers who participated in this round of WBW!

TN: 2001 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape

2001 Domaine Raymond Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape  ($50):  Bright ruby color with a clear ring on the edge. Lots of wet forest floor, with some alcohol, plum and a raspberry on the nose, as well as some bacon. Medium tannins, lots of acidity early on that subsided a little bit over 2 hours but was still somewhat overbearing.  Medium length finish with a touch of spice.  May be better in another two years.  My rating: 89 pts, OKV (OK value) 

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