The Best Wine for Thanksgiving

Photo Source

Happy Thanksgiving (well almost)!! Thanksgiving is less than a week away. If you are reading this now you are probably running around, booking travel, planning menus and stocking up on cranberry sauce. No matter where you are heading, one thing you shouldn't forget is the wine!

So what is the best wine for Thanksgiving? The answer is... WE DON'T REALLY KNOW. (Seriously, any other blog post that tries to fool you otherwise is LYING). The problem with Thanksgiving is that there are so many dishes to pair with, it is too tough to pick just one wine. Most families serve sweet potatoes, cranberry, stuffing, squash, gravy, etc. all in addition to the turkey. 

My recommendation - go with an affordable Pinot Noir from a reliable producer. November is a colder month so red goes with the season and Pinot Noir is light enough that it won't overwhelm most of the food. Just remember this is not the time to break out the expensive bottles. But, if you don't like Pinot Noir, choose whatever is your favorite, you can't go wrong with that at Thanksgiving.

On another note, Happy Thanksgivukkah! For the first time in many, many, many years. Thanksgiving and the first night Hannukah fall on the same day! In honor of this rare coincidence, I draw your attention to the existence of Thanksgiving themed donuts. Believe or not, Zucker Bakery in NYC is serving Thanksgiving themed donuts (including a turkey and gravy stuffed donut). Check theme out here.

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est Arrivé!

Time to Celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau Day!

Photo Source

What is Beaujolais Nouveau Day?

  A holiday in France, much like the American celebration of St. Patrick's day, where restaurants and cafes celebrate the arrival of the new vintage of Beaujolais wine (featuring the Gamay grape). As regulated by law, the new vintage may be released on the third Thursday in November at midnight. 

This holiday is not for wine-snobs, Beaujolais Nouveau is known as a bright, fruit forward, light bodied red without much complexity. But that is exactly why I love it. It's a fresh wine, harvested and produced in a few weeks, meant to be consumed young. Historically, this party was meant to celebrate the end of the harvest and boost cash flow for wineries after harvest. In the 1970s, wineries began the "race to Paris" tradition. Since then, many countries have adopted the tradition of celebrating the race to Paris by opening bottles of Beaujolais Nouveau immediately after midnight.

If you ever find yourself in France around the third Thursday in November, try to check out the festivals. Many begin with markets and vendors during the day, with the celebration moving to the restaurants around midnight to ring in the new vintage. And remember, Beaujolais Nouveau goes great with food, especially casual fare.

Cheers!

Grape Tales: Gamay

Photo Source

Gamay

.

If you have heard of it, you are probably thinking Beaujolais. Now before you judge this grape as a less-than desirable red grape whose most memorable quality is the likely headache you will have the next day - read the history and give this grape a chance!

When I think Gamay, I think young, fun, the life of the party - and with good reason - because Gamay is the star of the show in Beaujolais. Some wine writer's consider Beaujolais a joke, not even worth a full paragraph of discussion. But I think there is something to be said for a mass produced wine, quickly bottled as a sample, basically just opened to celebrate a new vintage. (Stay tuned on a post discussing the Beaujolais Nouveau celebration in France).

Gamay based Beaujolais Nouveau is produced primarily in the Burgundy region of France. It is known as an easy drinker that can take a chill. Even more exciting, it is usually not very expensive (I have found a lot of decent bottles at TJs - Trader Joe's for you newbies). And a fun fact, this grape is rumored to wine over even the most devout white wine drinkers.

Growing Profile.

Where it's grown:

 Beaujolais Villages, Burgundy, France; Loire Valley, France; Niagra Falls, Canada and Oregon

Common characteristics:

"Peardrop" aromas, fresh fruit, strawberry, raspberry, fresh

Acidity:

Medium to high (acidity in grapes softened by carbonic maceration*)

Tannin:

 Low, light bodied wine.

Alcohol:

 Average

Labels to try:

 Jadot or Duboeuf

So get out there, grab a bottle and remember to drink it young. This grape is known as party-er that does not benefit from arriving fashionably late. (Think Ke$ha around 4 a.m., no one really needs to see that...)

Cheers!

*Carbonic Maceration - wine making technique where whole grapes are fermented in a carbon dioxide rich environment prior to crushing. This allows the grape juice to start fermenting while it's still within the skins, resulting in fruity wine with low tannins.

What is Meritage?

"In victory, you deserve champagne, in defeat, you need it." ~Napoleon

Photo Source

Who doesn't love a reference that ties history, war and wine together?! The only thing that would make this post better is a way to call out the French... oh wait! We still can! This post will cover some history of the Bordeaux blend, French wine law, and the emergence of Meritage (pronounced like "heritage").

Surprisingly, and not so surprisingly, this post is one of the first to discuss French wine. I am surprised because France is the largest wine producer, in the world. (Producing approximately 8 billion bottles a year). But, I am also not surprised we have yet to cover France because there is a scary amount of information to cover.

I mean scary.

 So let's start with one of the most popular regions in France, Bordeaux.

The History of Wine Making in Bordeaux.

  Of course, the history of

vinifera

 vines in this region can be traced back to the Romans, who introduced wine production in the first century. Bordeaux wines have been popular internationally since the 12th century. (Not too shabby, right?) In fact, some even suggest that the marriage of King Henry II of England to Eleanor of Acquitane was primarily so the English could secure access to Bordeaux wine, also known as "claret." Bordeaux has remained successful ever since, thanks in part, to its iconic terroir. Generally, the Bordeaux sub-regions include: Right-bank and Left-bank (include Graves and 

Méd

oc).

So what is the Bordeaux Blend?

  The short answer, a blend of 5 grapes (most notably red) including, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Some also argue 

Carménère was part of the original blend, but today it, along with Malbec, is less frequently used. There is also a traditional Bordeaux blend with white grapes, including 

Sémillon

, 

Sauvignon blanc

 and 

Muscadelle. But let's be honest, when we think Bordeaux, we think red.

Photo Source

So what is Meritage exactly?

  Well, according to the Meritage Alliance

website

, Meritage is a name created by New World winemakers to identify wine made from the "noble" Bordeaux varietals. From my legally trained perspective, I see Meritage as a (very clever) way for New World winemakers to avoid legal ramifications under the French

Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée system.

To get technical for a moment, the French AOC system is governed by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine or

 INAO. This board ensures that all French winemakers are meeting quality standards

and

 protects the French wine making brand. Basically, words like Loire Valley, Champagne and Bordeaux are protected marks of the INAO as indicators of origin and quality. So, it is illegal for California winemakers to label their "Bordeaux style" wine with the name Bordeaux because it infringes on French property.

Enter clever New World Winemakers!

 So, in order to get around French law

and

 come up with a name for wine made in California that was a blend of several varietals (specifically the Bordeaux blend) ...  

Meritage

was born! Today, in order to use Meritage on your label, you must obtain a license from the Meritage Alliance and comply with their high quality requirements. Generally, Meritage has had limited success because American wineries are allowed to use other fanciful names to label their red blends, such as, "Red Velvet, Ameritage or Diamond Scarlet."

Photo Source

Now, since we have master Meritage, let's talk Pinotage.

I will let you in on the difference between Meritage and Pinotage.

First,

they are pronounced differently. Meritage, like "heritage" and Pinotage, like "

Pin

no

tajge

." The mis-prounounciation of wine terms is by far my biggest pet peeve (and I am no expert) so if you struggle sometimes like me, check out this awesome

link

, for pronunciation tips.

Second,

Pinotage is actually the name of a grape, not a blend. Pinotage is the signature varietal in South Africa and is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. The grape produces wine with mixed popularity in South Africa, so if you find a producer you enjoy, be sure to leave a comment below!

Cheers!

Happy Birthday Enthusiasts!

"You know you're getting old when you get that one candle on the cake.  It's like, 'See if you can blow this out.'" ~Jerry Seinfeld

Photo Source: http://www.kimberlyloc.com/2012/01/12/happy-birthday-kimberlyloc/2nd-birthday_opt/

Its hard to believe it has only been a year of blogging! A year ago today, The Enthusiasts! NYC Wine Club decided to come together for the purpose of learning more about wine. I'm proud to say today we are still going strong! We have tested the wines of Italy, Spain, California and many others - but there is so much more to cover with new wines hitting the markets every day.

A few things to look forward too in the future... new blog design. Guest bloggers! Andddd more coverage of what happens beyond the vineyards, such as: restaurants, travel, and other interesting spots between the vineyards. Get excited!


Cheers!


“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” 
― Eleanor Roosevelt

Tasting Room Technique: Part I

Photo Source

"Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together." ~Elizabeth Taylor

Ok Enthusiasts, maybe things aren't that drastic, but this was the most interesting quote I could find on pouring drinks (at least on short notice). You may ask, why is she talking about pouring drinks... well... get excited, because this blog post will be covering the tasting room experience!

Historically, I haven't been a big tasting room junkie. Blame it on my (generally unfounded) bias against East Coast wines, but if I wanted to drink wine, I would think wine bar over winery. I was so wrong! If you have the ability to visit a winery tasting room, I would highly recommend it! It's like visiting a wine bar where every. single. person. is passionate about the wine they are pouring. So in honor of the great experience I had in the tasting room recently, I share some tips on how to find the best tasting rooms! Then, I will cover some grapes you will likely see (and taste) at local tasting rooms in Pennsylvania. 

Tasting Room Tips:

Every tasting room experience is different, but if the winery you visit hits on half these things, it will likely be a great place! (And worth a second visit!)

• Polite and knowledgeable staff.  Back in the day, most wineries were staffed by the owners or family of the owners. Today, that is frequently impossible, but the tasting room staff should be as interested in the wine as family would be. Do I expect them to know the fermentation process, no. But they should be able to describe the wine with enthusiasm, they are sales people after all. (Even if you don't want to think so).
• No wine club pressure.  No one likes a pushy salesperson.
• Crowd control.  A crowd is great for business, but not for tasting wine. Every business has a busy time, the best tasting rooms will have a system to keep things moving.
• Have something for kids to do.  I know, I know. Wine is an adult beverage and generally the kids should stay at home if possible. But, if a family does show up, the tasting room staff should be welcoming (maybe sell some sodas).
• Have something special behind the counter.  The last winery I visited had hot mulled wine available for tasting in addition to the formal tasting list. It was a great surprise on the beautiful fall day
• Ask about special events.  At most wineries, there is so much more to do besides just sample wine. Most wineries double as venues for special events and host their own events as well. I am talking pairing events with cupcakes, chocolate, pasta and more. Others have live music. Long story short, wineries are so fun and you need to visit one... now!

View of Winery

And now for the Grapes!

Time for the juicy stuff! (ha, pun intended!) This post was inspired by my recent trip to a local winery. As you can see from the picture above, it was a beautiful (and I mean beautiful) fall day. Then, randomly, a riding club decided to roll through and taste some wine themselves. So to celebrate this great day, I'm also going to cover the wines I tasted (in no particular order):

Sauvignon Blanc.

 My favorite! The blog has covered SB by

comparing two regions

and

 as one of the

big six grapes

. So whats the moral of the story when it comes to Sauvignon Blanc? Herbaceous, cut grass, bell pepper and citrus. This Sauvignon Blanc did not disappoint featuring green fruit aroma and citrus flavors. 

Chardonnay.

One of my favorite terms is "ABCer." meaning "anything but Chardonnay" drinker. I was surprised how many people I met at the winery that claimed to hate Chardonnay. I will admit, I am hesitant myself. I do not enjoy the buttery oak bombs of California. But this Chardonnay was great. Aged in French oak with a fruit finish. A subtle Chardonnay much like those of Burgundy.

White Merlot.

 I love rose! But I usually drink rose from France, a much dryer style. But this Merlot wowed me. All the great subtlety and fruit flavors of the traditional red wine, but light body of a white wine. I would buy this in bulk if you see it in stores. 

Chambourcin.

I was so excited to try this grape, from the

American wine post

, we already know that it is the most successful PA variety. But what does it taste like?! Some writers say its a fruit bomb like Beaujolais, but this wine drank like a bright Pinot Noir. And it was delicious. Great wine for food.

Cabernet Franc.

 I was surprised to see Cabernet Franc on its own, it is frequently blended with other grapes (most famously in the Bordeaux blend). This wine was earthy with a smokey finish. 

You want to visit a winery now don't you... get going! Most are open year round and even sell fun cheese and local trinkets. Sounds like a much better place to visit on Black Friday then your local Target or Best Buy.

Cheers!

Direct Wine Shipment Laws: A Prohibition Style Hangover

Photo Source

Watch for Angry Grapes!

Yes Enthusiasts! We are nerding out about wine laws! So, why care about State Shipping laws? Well, if you have ever wanted to order wine from a favorite winery, these laws likely affect you. 

In 2011, Maryland passed a law that allowed winemakers to ship wine directly to customers (with some restrictions). I was in Maryland at the time and remember the political uproar. When the law finally passed, I figured much of the direct shipping conflict was over. But, there are still several states that prohibit direct shipment and others that place significant restrictions on the process.

So what is this conflict all about? 

Naturally, all alcohol beverage laws are traced back to the Temperance Movement, Prohibition and the 21st Amendment that overturned Prohibition. The 21st Amendment, plainly stated, places significant (and arguably all) power to regulate alcohol beverage laws with the States. Some argue that this power even supersedes Federal power. Generally, however, the States simply have the power to regulate alcohol beverage laws within their borders, while the Commerce Clause allows the federal government to regular inter-state commerce.

The traditional system is a "three-tier system." This means all alcoholic beverages are sold from the producer --> to a state licensed distributor --> then to a state licensed retailer. The direct shipment option aims to cut out the middle man and allow customers to buy wine directly from producers. The states that still prohibit direct wine shipments are highlighted in the map below.

Photo Source

Thankfully, the Feds have not been completely silent during this fight. Many States had begun reciprocity deals, where direct wine shipment would be allowed only between States who mutually agreed to allow wine shipments from their respective States. In 2005, the

Graholm v. Heald

 ruling held that under the Commerce Clause, States may not discriminate against out-of-state wineries by imposing barriers. This ruling encouraged the majority of States to switch to direct shipment, but as you notice above, there are several holdouts. Unfortunately, if your state is a holdout, you will likely have to stick with the three-tier system.

(Or you could consider moving?!) Just kidding! Here's to hoping the holdout States open up to direct shipping. There is great wine out there and customers should have access to it!

Cheers!