Well this is a happy, happy day all around. My full time gig gives us a four day weekend for Labor Day. More importantly, it is my wedding anniversary and me and my sweetie are going off to dinner tonight. Trust me, the $15 cap will play no part in this one. So, before I go I thought I would share a few tidbits I came across recently.
Give them some wine already!!!
The president of Chile recently had a conversation with the miners who are likely to be trapped until Christmas. The miners requested cigarettes and a “little glass of wine” to ease the wait and celebrate Chile’s Bicentennial. What they got were nicotine patches and some B12. Now, I am in full agreement with the ban on cigarettes. There is barely enough good air down there to go around. But B12 instead of wine??? Of course, you do not want a bunch of drunk miners trapped in a confined space. However, you certainly can control the amount and frequency you give them. They need a little more than dominoes and cards to make the wait a little more pleasant. Let’s get real here!
A Greener Champagne Bottle
The modern champagne bottle harkens back to the 1600′s when Dom Perignon thickened the glass. It seems “the devil’s wine” had a nasty habit of exploding regular glass containers. Not surprising, since Champagne generates 3 times the air pressure of a typical car tire. Currently, a Champagne bottle comes in at a hefty two pounds – great for weaponry, but not so good for the environment.
Apparently some Champagne makers have been tinkering with these bottles under the radar. They have managed to take 2.3 oz out. May not sound like much, but it will trim carbon emissions by 8,000 metric tons annually.
While not all producers have adopted the new bottles, kudos for making the attempt. The French certainly approach Champagne almost like a religious icon. Any change is not easy for them.
Why winos care about the November election
The Wine Witch really does not care about your political affiliation. However, a change in the balance of power in the House could have a big impact on your access wine. You oughta know.
There is proposed legislation called the Wholesalers Protection Bill H.R. 5034. In a nutshell it would give states the right to control the sale and distribution of wine and beer. The Wholesaler lobby feels it needs protection from your right to buy wine directly from your favorite winery. Many states already have laws like this, which are regularly challenge as a violation of interstate commerce. This law would nationalize it.
Again, I am not the biggest fan of Nancy Pelosi, but her influence as Speaker of the House is the primary reason this bill has not become law. If the Democrats lose, John Boehner will become Speaker. John recently gave the keynote address at the Beer Wholesalers of America’s annual legislative conference. These same wholesalers are major contributors to his campaign. You oughta know.
While the name may not be a clue to most of you, we are talking about a Rose here. Vin Gris translates into “gray wine”, which sounds pretty gross. However, it is wine geek speak for Rose. Go figure.
OK, as I have stated Wine Witch is a very democratic community and there are no rules about what is right or wrong in the wine you choose. If you like it – drink it! However, I am the head witch and pretty opinionated about what I like.
I have to confess that I am not a big fan of White Zin. To me it tastes a lot like wine cooler. It is pretty and very easy to drink, and for many it is their first introduction to the world of wine. A wine palate is developed over time. My husband and I thought we were pretty sophisticated when we used to drink Lancer’s Rose back in the day before White Zin was developed. We bought a bottle several months back for old times. It went down the drain. Our taste buds had moved on.
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Tags: Argentina, Australia, France, New Zealand, Picnic, South Africa | 
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Obviously the Wine Witch likes to have wine with her dinner. However, on “school nights” I would prefer a wine that is a little lower in alcohol. Other than German Riesling (I know – one of the world’s great wines – just not my favorite) or green wine from Portugal, this prize is proving more and more elusive. It is not our imaginations. Alcohol levels in wine are on the rise. In the mid 80′s wine alcohol averaged 12.4%. Now it hovers around 14% with some behemoths over 15%. Trust me. This can make a big difference the morning after.
If you follow this blog there are two consistent themes: Read the rest of this entry »
Every wine label has the warning “Contains Sulfites”. It sounds pretty scary. I mean, why warn you about something unless it is something you need to be warned about. Actually this is very similar to the “may contain peanuts” warning. Unless you have a known allergy to sulfites, there is little cause for concern.
Okanagan – the Next Kobe Beef? We have all heard of Kobe beef. It comes from very pampered Japanese cattle that are massaged daily. A local Japanese restaurant charges over $100 for a Kobe steak dinner. Needless to say the frugal Wine Witch has never sprung for it. In British Columbia there is Okanagan beef which comes from cattle that are fed a liter of local red wine the last 90 days before they are “processed”. Janice Ravndahl got inspiration from watching Gordon Ramsey feed his pigs beer. Local chefs rave over the “pre-marinated” beef. Stay tuned.
The 2007 Murphy-Goode Cabernet Sauvignon does very well on the Wine Witch “bang for the buck” scale. Like more expensive wines, this one has a great nose, and an unfolding beginning, middle, and end. Fair warning – if you are in the chewing on a tree camp of Cab, you will not agree with this assessment.
The Wine Witch is all about taking the hocus pocus out of the enjoyment of wine (I know, I know – a REALLY bad pun). Here are three very prevalent myths that just ain’t so.
Great wines have great legs – First of all what are legs? Legs are little streams running down the inside of the glass after it is swirled. We have all witnessed somebody holding up their glass to the light and declaring the wine has “great legs”. The implication here is that is also a great wine. Not necessarily true. Legs are telling you more about the alcohol content of the wine, but next to nothing about how it will taste. Wines with more alcohol are thicker and stickier and therefore cling to the glass better.
This was the second of the new Sauvignon Blancs that we sampled over the long holiday weekend. I gotta say it was a disappointment. Not sure if I over anticipated or it was just that dull.
Well hubby and I are back to tasting some new wines. We had two new ones over the long 4th of July weekend. They are both Sauvignon Blancs. I know, I know – the Wine Witch drinks a LOT of Sauvignon Blanc. Can’t help myself. I am like a bee to honey with this grape. I promise to widen the net over the next several weeks.
Lately we have not been experiencing too many new wines to let you know about. It’s a dirty job, but we are working are way through some whites that have been laying around to make room for some new wines. We do have a bottle of Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc that we will crack open in the next day or two. I know the name is just too precious, but the wine is getting a lot of buzz, so stay tuned.
