Monday, January 26, 2009
2009 Wine Expo
The largest
trade and consumer wine event in the country took place this past weekend at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston and [again] it was truly overwhelming. With over 450 wineries from around the globe pouring 1,800+ wines for you to sample, you have to really focus in order to enjoy the event and take something away from it. We spent the majority of our time sampling wines from Spain, France and Italy. New this year was a self-service booth entitled the Navarra Wine Tunnel where you could discover the wines of The Kingdom of Navarra, Spain. I really enjoyed this departure from the traditional pourings done by winery or distributor representatives because it allowed to take at your own pace based on a pretty good written description. We also had the chance to speak to an Italy tourism representative about our 2010 trip we are planning, which was helpful. The only real disappointment was the lack of Long Island wineries since we are planning a long summer weekend on the north fork. Overall, though, it was a great day and hope we can attend again next year.
Labels: Wine
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Spectator's Award of Excellence, Not
Author
Robin Goldstein got curious about Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence while researching his book entitled The Wine Trials [blind wine tasting book which boasts 100 wines under $15 that outscored $50-$150 wines]. So using Microsoft Word, he cooked up a fictional restaurant, a menu and a good sized wine list. The "restaurant" is called Osteria L’Intrepido and is "located" in Milan Italy. Goldstein's menu included, what he terms, a fun amalgamation of somewhat bumbling nouvelle-Italian recipes. And the piece de resistance is his wine list which included more than 250 wines including whites, reds, and sparkling wines–some of which scored well in the magazine. However the "reserve" list he included for Wine Spectator's review was largely chosen from among some of the lowest-scoring Italian wines in Wine Spectator over the past few decades.
In order to make the application appear genuine, Goldstein also obtained a Milan phone/fax number, as required by the application, and established a small online presence. With all this completed, he submitted a cover letter, the $250 fee and his menus" for Wine Spectator's inspection. Wouldn't you know it, they gave him the
Award of Excellence even though he didn't exist and was never contacted for verification.
With an estimated income of over 600k from the award each year and apparently very little effort, Wine Spectator appears to making quite a profit from this "award" system. I'm kind of waiting for Wine Enthusiast to create a contest to see how many people can get this award just to shine a very bright light on what appears to be more of a sham than the rest of domestic awards combined.
Labels: Going out of business, Wine
Monday, February 12, 2007
Boston Wine Expo: The Finds
The Boston Wine Expo is the largest wine event in the US and each year I try to find a few new wines to enjoy and share with friends and family. This year we spent a good deal of time in the South Africa, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Australia areas of the grand tasting. Here are the golden nuggets found at this year’s big event:
Groot Constantia Gouverneurs Reserve - I like this big red blend with 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, and 9% Malbec. It's really nice to find a smooth heavy red that uses some of the lesser known [or used] grapes like Cabernet Franc and Malbec.
Juno Cabernet Merlot - An easy drinking red which is sure to be a hit at your next party but what is really amazing is the art work on the label. I'm not usually drawn into the whole label thing but
Tertia du Toit's art work is truly amazing. Besides their wine, you can also
buy calendars, prints, t-shirts and aprons with her work on it online.
La Motte Musique - Another well balanced blended red which was not as bold as the Groot but very enjoyable. This is a Bordeaux-style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (37%), Merlot (35%), Cab Franc (20%) and Malbec (8%).
Palandri Cabernet/Merlot - Another blended red, although only with two grape varieties, which is pretty easy on the taste buds and is most likely the least expensive of the red group. This easy drinking red is sure to go great with your next meal and fit nicely into your budget at the same time.
Rolling Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon - A soft wine blend that will be perfect for a warm summer afternoon on the back deck. The semillon flavor tones down the sauvignon blanc's natural tendency to be fruity and/or grassy is nature. Looking forward to rolling some croquet while Rolling some wine.
Sebeka Wines - This brand will be available in March in the US and they have a standard fleet of wines [Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz] as well as a couple of localized blends [Cape Blend: Shiraz-Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon-Pinotage] to choose from. The wines taste good and I did like the blended reds and what will make this wine popular is the pretty cheetah label and a catchy marketing slogan [currently they are using Introducing Sebeka Wines from the Western Cape of South Africa - where the cheetah hunts.]. Look out Yellow Tail.
Sella & Mesco La Cala Vermentino di Sardegna D.O.C. - A dry, light white with some fruit taste and just a hint of sweetness made from Vermentino grape. Sella & Mesco is located on Sardinia, which is an Italian island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. This might be one of those winery's just
have to see to really appreciate the beauty of a grape field in the mists of a picturesque body of water.
Labels: Wine
Monday, January 22, 2007
Coming Soon: Boston Wine Expo
Mark you calendars for the 16th annual
Boston Wine Expo which will run from February 9th through the 11th. The grand tasting occurs on both Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 at the World Trade Center across from the Seaport Hotel. This is billed as the largest such event in the country with 440 participating wineries and over 1,800 wines to try. This will be our 4th year in a row attending and it is quite overwhelming but unparalleled in the amount and diversity of wines to taste. You can not try all of them in one day or even over both days [although I think I know someone who will be trying her best to do all in a single afternoon, and yes I mean you Kym] but it is fun trying. I am looking forward to trying some wines from other parts of the world such as South Africa and Portugal. For your best price, get your tickets before February 2nd and hope to see you there.
Labels: Wine
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Brainiac
The
Alliance for Aging Research recommends these 10 steps for improving your brain health:
Eat a Brain-Healthy Diet, Stay Mentally Active, Exercise Regularly, Stay Social, Get Plenty of Sleep, Manage Stress, Prevent Brain Injury, Control Other Health Conditions, Avoid Unhealthy Habits, and Consider Your Genes.
The last 9 seem pretty much like common sense, however the first one, a Brain-Healthy diet, is an interesting area for exploration.
Cheryl Koch, a registered dietitian and director of the food and clinical nutrition programs at the
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, offers this list of "brain foods":
- Fish - omega-3 fatty the brightest colored fruits and vegetables
- Brightest colored fruits and vegetables - antioxidants found in them have been linked to improved memory
- Whole grain products - B vitamins or magnesium are crucial to ensuring normal brain and nerve function
While all of that sounds good, I would like to offer an alternative idea of how to improve your personal brain power based on some simple scientific facts:
- The human brain stops growing at age 18 and is 80% water
- The mature human brain consumes 25% of the energy used by the body
- Heat must be continually removed to prevent brain damage
- The blood-brain barrier blocks all molecules except those that cross cell membranes by means of lipid solubility (such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethanol, and steroid hormones) and those that are allowed in by specific transport systems (such as sugars and some amino acids)
- During simulated alcohol “binges,” rats’ ability to create new brain cells was reduced. But after the animals no longer consumed alcohol they had a “huge burst” in new brain cell development. The study is the first to demonstrate that brain cell production can return after abstinence from alcohol abuse.
So what conclusion can be drawn from the above 5 facts about the brain? Simple - Alcohol + Candy = Healthy Brain. Some time ago 18 was the legal drinking age and that is the exact same time the brain stops growing - coincidence? I think not. Wine has been proven to help the heart and now we can see that after drinking several bottles of your favorite vino in a single night will lead to burst of new brain cells being created. Throwing back several pints will also lead to bursting and could help keep your head cool, which is a huge plus in the brain damage department. And Candy - what better to get across the blood-brain barrier than sugar in the form of Resse’s Peanut Butter Cups [note I strongly feel that Oreo's are an excellent substitute when placed in a large bowl of Ice Cream].
So there you have it, TheWino's recipe for a healthy brain Wine + Beer + Peanut Butter Cups + Oreos = Mensa Member!
Labels: Brain, Wine
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Ponce de León was looking for Resveratrol
We all know the story of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, who was searching for the Fountain of Youth when he traveled to present-day Florida in 1513. It seems like ever since, people have been looking for the cure to the natural aging process. The latest fad in the unending search is Resveratrol, which is found in the skin of red grapes and as a constituent of red wine. It came to scientific attention only four years ago as a possible explanation for the "French Paradox" - the low incidence of heart disease among the French people, who eat a relatively high-fat diet.
Resveratrol is a phytoalexin produced by several plants that is sold as a nutritional supplement, which were first sourced from ground dried red grape skins and grape seeds (sometimes from residual byproducts of winemaking), but are now primarily derived from the cheaper, more concentrated Japanese knotweed.
Since supplements are not regulated by the
FDA, what do we really know about the effects [especially the long term] of Resveratrol? Well, not much. According to
Melissa Q.B. McElderry, M.S., R.D.:
Laboratory tests have clearly demonstrated that resveratrol may help prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer. However, there are several reasons why recommending a population-wide increase would be premature.
- First, little is known about the absorption and clearance of resveratrol, the identities of its metabolic products, or its effects on the liver. A study in rats showed that resveratrol is absorbed in the gut and has a high affinity for the heart and liver.
- Second, the research on resveratrol has focused on its short-term effects and has been dominated by in vitro studies on non-human models.
Third, its role as a potentiator of breast carcinomas may significantly limit its use, even for its "proven" benefits.
- Finally, its main dietary source is red wine. Not only is its concentration in wine extremely variable, but recommending increased consumption of red wine to boost resveratrol intake could certainly do more harm than good. In spite of any beneficial aspects, red wine and other alcoholic beverages pose health risks that include liver damage and physical addiction.
The health-food industry is claiming that resveratrol is the wine component responsible for the "French Paradox." While taking resveratrol pills is certainly safer than heavy consumption of red wine, supplementing with unproven substances is generally unwise. At this point, occasional use of red wine seems far more prudent.
Additionally, according the the
Wall Street Journal's recent article on Resveratrol, they state that:
- Shown to prolong life in mice, at doses equivalent to hundreds of glasses of wine a day
- Comes in two forms; trans-resveratrol is the form shown to affect aging in mice.
- Supplements haven't been demonstrated to be safe and effective.
So buyer be ware when it comes to natural supplements and for those out there who are taking these pills by the fist full [see Harry Highkin or David Sinclair], maybe you should just stick to a glass of red wine a day instead. At least we know what does to the body.
Labels: Supplements, Wine
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Angel Share - A New Paradigm
Angel's share is a winemaking term for the portion (share) of a wine's volume that is lost to evaporation. This phenomenon occurs during aging in oak barrels, typically French or American oak, or after distillation. In low humidity conditions the loss to evaporation may be primarily water. However in higher humidites more alcohol than water will evaporate, therefore reducing the alcoholic strength of the wine.
This should not be confused with the new wine tasting paradigm called Angel Share. The idea is that the consumer would be able to taste before you buy your wine. I have heard a few places toying with the idea of a sampling room and on November 17h,
Julio's Liquors opened there very own
Angel Share Tasting Room. This new model could completely change the wine sales strategy. No longer will consumers simply reach for the same old bottle of Merlot or pick a wine based on how cool the label looks but now they will make informed decisions about wine purchases based on color, aroma and taste. The next step is creating a online/in-store presentation on how to taste wine so that the consumer will know exactly what to do when they enter the share room. If you have a moment, stop in and try a sample, it just may change how you buy your wine.
Labels: Wine
