Through the Wine Glass - The My Wines Direct Blog

It's that time of year again...

Halloween has passed and holiday decorations are going up every where.  Well, actually in a lot of places, the decorations were up before Halloween but that's neither here nor there.  Now is the time to get ready for the holidays, which are fast approaching.

I've been asked a number of times lately what wines would I recommend for a Thanksgiving dinner.  The wines tend to change over time, with new, popular fads in varietals as well as changing trends in cuisine.  Traditionally, with the requisite turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and various side dishes, I have a few go-to varietals I seasonally focus on.  And let's not forget the Thanksgiving table which includes a baked/smoked/honeyed/bone-in/bone-out/canned/etc ham as well as the perennial favorite pumpkin pie.

I'd normally suggest a Pinot Noir, which will provide a nice accent to both the roast turkey AND the baked ham.  A Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with this varied meal, with the light, clean finish cutting through the richness of the medley of dishes.  Or my personal favorite, as most who know me well would attest, a sparkling wine with its effervescent nature is perfect for this festive holiday.  It goes with just about anything you'd serve and you can either start with it or finish with it.  Heck, I might be tempted to have it throughout the entire feast!

This year, the one new ringer I'm recommending, and I've mentioned it a few times before, is Subio Dry Rose, from Mendocino, Ca .  Because this wine is not sweet but has wonderful fruit, it goes equally well with most of the dishes you'd normally find on a Thanksgiving table.

Whatever wines you choose, your holiday table will be sure to please friends and family, so enjoy this most special of family times!

...and it wasn't even Mardi Gras...

Last weekend was the 2nd Annual Wine Country Cajun Food & Music Festival in downtown Napa.  My hubby and I attended, along with our dog Bogie, aka Beauregard, and two Sonoma Valley friends.  Even though we hadn't attended last years event, I didn't have any trouble talking my hubby into this fete because as everyone knows, Cajun music is infectious and Cajun food even better.

As soon as we arrived, we were enveloped by the sounds of 8,000 people having a really good time.   There was a Mardi Gras-style parade, which wound through the downtown streets twice during the day.  Napa High's marching band was in attendance as was Henry Clement and the Gumbo Tribe.  Henry, dressed as his alter ego Chief Takawaka (I COULD NOT make up that name!), led the parade dressed all in feathers.   Music on multiple stages, zydeco, blues, you name it, people were dancing everywhere.  Each time the parade marched by, the colorfully-garbed attendees threw the requisite beaded necklaces to eager recipients both high and low.  Even Bogie amassed quite a few!

A party like this just wouldn't be complete without fabulous Cajun/Creole food and drink.  My friend Judy and I ordered wine, I picked a Napa Sauvignon Blanc and she chose a Sonoma Zinfandel.  The men opted for glasses of frosty Hefeweizen, an unfiltered wheat beer, from one of our local microbreweries.

When it came to choosing food, we had many options and not all of them Cajun or Creole.  Three of us went Cajun (you know, when in New Orleans...), with Judy enjoying slices of pizza, she being the most conservative diner of the group.   Randy ordered the alligator jambalaya, it's been a long time since I've had alligator, but he thought it tasted very much like chicken.  Kejay ordered the seafood gumbo which came with a big mound of white rice and sliced scallions.  I ordered the crayfish boil, which was a mess of crawdads, small red, round potatoes and pieces of corn on the cob, all cooked together in a spicy concoction. My serving was generous enough to share with my two more adventurous companions, we twisted off tails and sucked crawdad heads like New Orleans locals.  The Sauv Blanc I chose had a nice, crisp, citrusy body, which balanced out the richness and spiciness of the crayfish boil, it was a match made in heaven.

A few more hours of colorful costumes, fun music, group dancing and friendly Napans, and we were ready to head home for the evening.

The art of tipping

Having been in the food and beverage business for as many years as I have, I've always felt it important to tip well.  I've been on the other side of the proverbial table and I know how much work it is to serve your fellow man on a daily basis.  I read a great column about this very issue the other day in Bon Appetit, by The BA Foodist, Andrew Knowlton, and by the way, is he ever easy on the eyes!  You may have seen him as a guest judge on Iron Chef America.

How many times have you been out to dinner with a friend or family member who insisted on picking up the tab, only to give the wait staff a measly ten percent tip?  And for whatever reason, you couldn't add more money to the tab, for fear of major hurt feelings and permanent relationship damage.  (That friend or family member, you know who I'm talking about!)

The best part of Knowlton's piece had to do with whether or not doubling the tax would be sufficient.  Nope.  A big nope.  According to him, that's just being cheap.  I know a number of people who like to use this method and I'm mostly embarrassed when I'm dining out with them.

Me, I try to stick to tipping about twenty percent.  I figure, the people who are working the hardest are the wait staff, including bussers and sommeliers and a little bit extra in the tip goes directly to these deserving folks.  If they're really friendly and professional, I go higher.  Befriend your servers, especially at restaurants you frequent often.  They'll remember you, they'll go out of their way to accommodate you, they'll occasionally comp you drinks or dessert, you can't go wrong by taking care of these guys.

And finally, if you bring your own bottle of wine to the restaurant, remember to tip on the value of the wine.  The theory is that the restaurant offers this service as a favor, but the wait person is the one to lose out sometimes.  They're opening the bottle for you, serving it to you, occasionally decanting, and chilling it if it's a white, it's common courtesy to make sure they're taken care of, since the cost of the beverage is not on the tab.

I know a few friends and family members I'll run Andrew Knowlton's column by, I'm sure everyone has a few friends they'd like to give it to as well.

Take me out to the ball game...

I'm not a huge baseball fan.  That is to say, I like our two bay area teams, the SF Giants and the Oakland A's, but I don't watch them on TV.  For me, baseball has always seemed to move incredibly slow on TV.  When attending a game, it's a completely different experience.  Especially day games, where I always try to sit in the warm sunshine.  In person, a baseball game is a multi-level engaging experience.  You've got the crowds, which are normally friendly and not too wild.  Good food and drink and in this day and age as you probably already know, cuisine has definitely evolved at the ball game.  The thrill of seeing each player in person, versus on your TV screen.  Of course, depending on where your seats are.

I had the good fortune to attend a Giants/Brewers game on a Saturday, a few weeks ago.  I'd been given the tickets by Harry, our VP of Procurement, and boy, were they good tickets!  Seven rows behind home plate, at AT&T Park (to see our great view close up, click on the above photo.)  In case you haven't been there, this park is beautiful.  Since it opened in 2000, I've attended numerous games and events there and have never failed to be impressed.  It perches on the edge of San Francisco, between the city and the water, not too far from the Bay Bridge.  Many seats in the ball park have views of the water, Bay Bridge and the Marina.  It's quite easy to walk around the entire promenade level, which makes AT&T Park feel almost cozy.

Back to the food.  Since we were seated in the coveted "club" section, we could order food and drink delivered right to our seats.  Our seat-mate John, a loquacious fellow originally from Wisconsin, suggested we try the Sheboygan Bratwurst, served with grilled onion, sauerkraut and Dijon mustard.  He swore it was the best thing on the menu.  He and my friend (and co-worker) Debbie ordered the Sheboygan (I had a small taste) and Debbie completely agreed with him, the Sheboygan "was the bomb."  I checked out the Sheboygan Bratwurst website and you can actually order a five pound box, which includes 20 brats, including 2-day shipping, for $31.46, or $1.57 a brat.  Not bad for the tastiest "dog" in the park.

I went for the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich.  It sounded good and tasted even better.  The roll was nice and soft, the meat thinly shaved and lean.  The cheese was definitely processed and melted, but it worked, with the onions and peppers.  Best Philly I've ever had.  And of course, we ordered the garlic fries to share.  Aromatic and amazing as always.  And ball parks nowadays offer an array of beverages, not just the standard beer anymore.  California wines, margaritas, mixed drinks, just about anything you could think of.  We were set without having to ever leave our seats!

And the final score?

The Giants lost to the Brewers, 5-8.  But we didn't care that much, having spent a really nice day at a beautiful ball park in the sunshine, enjoying wonderful chow and good company.

Can't wait to go back!

The palate difference

I read this great article on SFGate.com a week ago, about cocktail cultures, east coast versus west coast, and it really got my brain activated.  In the wine business, we know there's a difference in palate when looking at east versus west, with regards to wine.

We assume that east-coasters are European wine aficionados, ie, French, Spanish, Italian, German,  due to proximity and availability.  West-coasters, being more familiar with California, Oregon and Washington wines, tend to like the styles of wines produced in these regions more than wines produced across "the pond."  New world wines, in general, tend to be more what west-coasters are familiar with.  As with any generalization, there's always a danger of oversimplifying, so we can't assume this applies to everyone we meet.

I decided to conduct a little survey, with our branch here in Napa and our other office in New York.  I also sent a few to some of the folks in our Napa warehouse and our Albany, NY warehouse.  Nine easy questions pertaining to wine, drinks in general, favorite foods, meals, you name it.  I even threw in a ringer.  It'll sound funny, but I'd come up with an ultra-fave meal idea for myself, years ago, and thought it would pose an interesting question.  The question was if you were on death row, what would be your last meal, including beverage?

Almost all the recipients completed the survey, with answers which swung from fairly simple to very creative.  I had the recipients "reply all" when responding, so each person could read all the results.  It proved to be a fun assignment, not just for myself, but (I hope) for everyone.  I enjoyed the diverse answers.

Since I didn't send this to a large pool of people, the results are not exactly scientific, but there are some interesting trends.  Both east and west liked Cabernet Sauvignon for their favorite varietal, 43% chose Cab, the other responses were all over the board.  Other favorite varietals included Zin, Petite Syrah, Rioja, NZ Sauv Blanc and an "ice cold bottle", to name a few.  The "ice cold bottle" relates to Corona beer, as far as I can tell.  Another question I asked was what was your "favorite drink of the moment", again, this answer was all over the place, from regular well drinks (gin & tonic, single malt scotch, jack & coke) to specialties of the house (Mandarin Blossom Side Car, Margarita mixed with V8 fusion fruit juice, Domaine Charbay Ruby Red vodka w/fresh grapefruit juice.)

I also asked the question "what drink or alcohol would never cross your lips?"  The east coast answers were varied, but 28% of the west-coasters listed scotch and 43% listed whiskey as their anathema of imbibing.  Overall, there were a couple "will drink anything" answers, which was kind of entertaining.

And understandably, favorite breakfast, lunch and dinner answers often revolved around a meal at a specific restaurant.  The Cliff House in SF, the Rainbow Room in Manhattan, Rutherford Grill in Rutherford, CA, Gillwoods in St. Helena, CA, Bistro Jeanty in Yountville, CA and BarBersQ in Napa, CA, all were included as producers of favorite meals.  Seafood such as lobster, crab, King Salmon and Chilean sea bass were favored components, also, steak prepared a variety of different ways was very popular.

And for the final question, "what would be your last meal?"  One respondent listed "a chocolate cake with a file and rope ladder inside, a bottle of Cab and a cork screw."  I think that answer made us all chuckle.  Bet you wonder what my answer was.  Remember, I've had years to perfect this particular meal!

"A crusty baguette, sliced on the diagonal, spread with Fois Gras mousse sprinkled with bits of black truffles.  Black, wrinkly olives and a small dish of cornichons (french pickles.)  And the best darn glass of Claret I could get."

Even reading it again makes my mouth water...

Stars, Stripes and Bubbles Forever!

I get so excited for the 4th of July, I just can't stand it!  I LOVE the whole concept of outdoor entertaining and grilling for this special holiday.  It will take me the next week or two of planning and recipe reading to get ready.

If I'm going to be entertaining more than just one or two friends, I always use my gas grill.  I know that some grilling gurus swear by charcoal, and for smaller groups, charcoal is my preference.  With any larger group, gas is the way to go.  Not to mention, if you're grilling a meat that should be slow cooked for a longer period of time, most home cooks can keep a more even temperature with gas, and keeping the temperature even is paramount in slow cooking.

I've put together six bottles of wine especially for this 4th of July, called "Jennifer's California Picks."  Now, since I'm a California girl, you guys know I'm partial to the wines produced in my great state, but certainly don't limit myself to them.  There are some essential wines in this pack for your 4th of July barbecue.

If you're going to be doing burgers, the Christine Andrew Tempranillo is the way to go.  Whether you're making lamb burgers or ground sirloin, a little Tempranillo mixed in with the ground meat, along with worcestershire, minced garlic and freshly ground salt and pepper works wonders.  If you're not a big Tempranillo fan, you could also use the Osprey Glen Cab Franc which would work equally well with the burgers.  This wine has some beautiful fruit and would also pair nicely with baby back ribs.  Make your own barbecue sauce, or doctor up a bottled version by adding some wine, honey, maple syrup, spices, any combination of these elements can boost your sauce to new levels.

While things are progressing nicely on the grill, prepare some simple, alfresco appetizers to serve.  These could include cherry tomatoes stuffed with herbed cream cheese, carrot, jicama and celery sticks with a curry dip, and a nice, artisan cheese platter with a sliced baguette.  Our Ledgewood Creek Sauvignon Blanc would be perfect with these flavorful treats.  And you want to keep the appetizers light, to balance out the rich, bold flavors of the meats and side dishes which will follow.

By the end of the meal, a simple peach or pear tart, which you can make or purchase from your local grocery store, and a glass of our Stone House Brut provides the nicest ending to this outdoor holiday.  Save a glass (or two!) of the bubbles to enjoy while watching the fireworks.

A perfect day..

Food and Wine: Simplicity versus High-Tech

I read an article today at nytimes.com, by Victoria Burnett, and it really got me thinking.

In Spain, there's a controversy taking place right now regarding traditional Spanish cuisine versus high-tech cuisine.  It specifically involves chefs Santi Santamaria and Ferran Adria.  Santamaria has pointedly accused Spanish avant-garde chefs of "producing pretentious food they wouldn't eat themselves..."  He also calls on Spanish authorities to investigate restaurants' usage of chemicals, chemicals which he says have no place in the kitchen.

According to Adria, and other chefs, many of the products used are natural and the ones that aren't, are harmless.  The Spanish Euro-Toques Association, with 800 chefs, said Santamaria's comments "damaged the prestige Spain has earned at a world level thanks, in part, to its cuisine and chefs."

I have to admit, there are certain aspects of this issue that I'm nodding my head to, as I read on.  When perusing some of the menus of top restaurants here in the Napa Valley and also in San Francisco, one is struck almost dumb by the proliferation of "foams", "emulsions", "mists", "smoke", "cloud", etc.   Even if you're a dedicated  wino/foodie like all of us, foodspeak is definitely sounding more and more like a freakish science experiment gone awry.

With the Bay area at the forefront of sustainable, organic cuisine, it seems like sometimes simpler would be better.  Both in terms of stomach AND pocketbook.  And let's face it, when it comes to wine, keeping it simple would be advantageous for wine consumers.  One of the most common complaints made about the wine industry today is that it's so confusing for the consumer.  The average consumer is overwhelmed by the vast numbers and choices of wines available for purchase.  How is he or she to come to a decision? 

At least here at My Wines Direct, we are helping to narrow down the search field for our members.  We run through hundreds and thousands of wines to come up with an ever changing, compact list of wines, wines which have been tasted, analyzed and approved.  We try to keep an even mix of red wines, white wines; international and US-produced; under $15 and over $15, and all are small case production wines.  We provide extended tasting notes so you can find the right wine to pair with the right meal.  Purchasing wine couldn't be simpler.  No emulsions, foam or fluff.

Now I wish it was that easy deciphering menus!

Memorial Day Weekend - Time to stay home?

With gas hitting $4 a gallon and our nation dipping its feet in what some call a recession, sometimes you just have to get a little creative.  Many Americans may rethink the classic Memorial Day weekend traveling trip, for a variety of reasons.  Not only is the high cost of fuel a huge inhibitor, but the economy in general might make one want to scale back a bit.

Just because you're not flying to Dallas for the weekend, or packing the kids in the SUV for this season's first Yosemite trip, doesn't mean you have to sacrifice all the fun.  Creative ideas for entertaining at home, for friends or just your own family, can be had with a little fore-thought.  Whether your home has a backyard, deck, patio, balcony, or maybe you live near a city park, all these outdoor places provide great spots for culinary entertaining.

If it's at your home, no outdoor spot is too small to enjoy.  Even the small balconies of apartments I rented in college could be made into outdoor escapes, given some ingenuity.  I placed colorful mats or rugs on the concrete floors, and added some hurricane lamps with big, fat candles.  Large, leafy plants in pretty pots of different sizes help to bring the outdoors in.  Try adding one or two flowering plants to create a tropical feel.

Low sand chairs help to utilize the space efficiently and of course, what entertaining space would be complete without a barbecue of some kind?  In those days it was a cast iron hibachi, which was compact and perfect for small spaces, which has since evolved into the small kettle barbecue, or Smoky Joe.  Again, a good size for small spaces and because the Smoky Joe has a lid, you can control your cooking temperatures.  Add a few friends, some yummy food , great wines and Hawaiian music and you've got yourself a party!

For those of you with a larger space, the weekend options are even more varied.  In addition to music, food and friends, you can string up whimsical light strands, in whatever theme you like.  They even come as chili peppers now!  Put up small tents or screen rooms for the kids or young at heart to play board games in.

Tiki torches can add another tropical element.  And if it's going to be a warm weekend, Sangria, either red or white, chockful of muddled fruit, makes a refreshing and simple libation.  A simple red Sangria recipe follows:

• 1 bottle of fruit forward, value-priced, red, like our Richland Shiraz, from Australia, $10.99
• Some stone fruit, ie, plums, cherries, apricots, pitted and cut in halves, the amount up to you
• 1 bottle of soda water, club soda, really, anything with bubbles, even Prosecco
• Any kind of red-tinged fruit juice you prefer.  I like pomegranate!

Using a potato masher or bigger wooden spoon, mash or muddle the fruit halves in one of your prettiest pitchers.  Add wine, soda water or sparkling wine, fruit juice and ice, and stir.  Serve in glasses accented with slices of pineapple, orange, or other fruit of your choice.

Your friends and family will be having so much fun, they won't miss leaving town for the holiday weekend!

Any excuse for a Fiesta!

This coming Monday is Cinco de Mayo, a holiday which most Americans seem to confuse with Mexico's Independence Day.  More correctly, Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of the Battle of Puebla in 1862.  A huge battle in which 6,000 French soldiers were defeated by 4,500 Mexicans with few weapons.  Mexico's Independence Day is actually celebrated in September.

Even though Cinco de Mayo may have become known as a reason to party, it's really all that and more.  If you love Latin food (and I do), this holiday provides the best reason to host a luncheon or dinner for all your friends and family.  Plus, May's weather sometimes obliges and the festivities can be moved outside, for al fresco dining (and maybe a little dancing.)

Now, a fiesta just wouldn't be a party without some good Latin wines and maybe a Sangria or two.  Wines, I can help with.  My Wines Direct carries wines from across the Latin world, but I'll just touch on a few.  Senorio del Aquila Reserva 2000 ($15.99), from Cariñena, Spain, is a wonderful buy for the price.  A blend of Cab, Tempranillo and Carignane, this medium-bodied hit pairs well with spicy meats and mouth-burning sauces.

And speaking of reds, the Finca Retiro Malbec 2004 ($14.99) from Mendoza, Argentina, is a great value as well, and one of our all-time office favorites!  This would go great with lamb or carnitas or carne asada, full of beautiful fruit that balances the rich meats perfectly.

Finally, no party would be complete without some bubbles.  If you've read some of my past entries, you know I LOVE BUBBLES.  As in ADORE, DESIRE, COVET, well, you get my drift.  We've got a cava from Spain, Castellblanch Cava Brut Zero Reserva ($15.99) which could easily be served with the starting tapas or at the end of the gathering with dessert.  The nice, tight bubbles and the yeasty flavor will balance out the rich mouth-feel of your Aunt Maria's best Flan.

Guacamole is one thing essential for the success of any Fiesta, at least my hubby Randy would attest to that.  He loves guacamole.  The best guacamole we ever had was a few years ago in a restaurant in Mexico, on the Pacific side.  The waiter brought the ingredients to our table and prepared the guacamole table side.  It was amazing, yet simply prepared.  I've since perfected a close version of that guacamole and have served it many times, to my husband's great joy.  I'll give you the rough recipe here, and warn you that most ingredients should be measured by palm or eye, no measuring spoons needed, and really, there's no need for precise tools.  The most important gauge of flavor is your palate.  Taste it and see, maybe it needs a little more salt or heat or lime juice.

Jennifer's Guacamole

• 3 or 4 avocados, lightly mashed, not too smoothly
• 2 tsp or more Worcestershire
• 2 tsp or more Tabasco or other hot sauce
• coarsely ground sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 or 3 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice (or lemon if that's what you have)
• 1 tsp or more garlic powder

Mash the avocados first, lightly, then add the other ingredients, stirring together.  Loosely cover bowl with plastic wrap, pushing the wrap down onto the guacamole to seal out the air.  Refrigerate for at least thirty minutes to give the flavors time to meld.  And if you'd like to jazz it up, the following additional ingredients can be added, any or all, in any quantity you'd prefer:

• minced cilantro
• diced tomatoes (seed them if you must, but I don't care about the seeds)
• chopped jalapeños (seeds in or out, depending on your heat preference, seeds=heat)
• chopped onion
• a sprinkle of crumbled cojito cheese (Mexican cheese)

It's time to enjoy your Cinco de Mayo.  Invite your friends, raise a glass, celebrate Spring, history and the cuisine of Mexico.

Salud!

Vices

So, everybody has vices, right?  Well, maybe at least one?  I guess it depends on what you categorize as a vice.

One of MY vices is coffee.  Good, strong, freshly ground coffee.  If I had to pick a favorite, and I've had one for years, it's a blend of Kona beans and chocolate macadamia nut flavored beans, ground together.  The Kona gives it the strength and oomph, and the chocolate macadamia nut is decidedly Hawaiian.  Hawaii is where I got hooked on it, where wonderful macadamia nuts come from.

A touch of cream and you've got one great cup.  Of course, it might not be everyone's fave, but I LOVE it!  In the last two years, however, I've gradually cut back on my daily coffee consumption. I'd been drinking about half a cup of my home-ground & brewed coffee on week days and a couple cups a day on the weekend.  I won't touch the office stuff!

In recognition of my increasing years and approaching mortality, about a month ago, I decided to switch to a cup (or two) of green tea each work day, while saving my coffee for weekends.  Not to mention trying to save my pearly whites from an early darkening!  Green tea contains approximately one fifth the caffeine coffee does, and its health benefits are perceived to be many.

Green tea, which contains antioxidants and other disease fighting tools, may help with problems such as atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, diabetes, liver disease, and many different cancers.  I figure, I can't go wrong with this plan, plus I'm cutting back on my caffeine intake.

The first three days, I had a slight headache in the afternoon and tried to counter-balance that by drinking lots of water, because as we all know, water is a cure for many maladies.  I've gotten used to the change now and can't believe how much I appreciate my weekend coffee!

Plus, it means I can still enjoy my other vices without too much guilt (good cuisine, fab wines, yummy cheeses.)

In moderation, right?  Moderation is the key here.