The Wrestlemania of Beer Events

If I could have it my way, this would be a 60 page thesis that dissects this topic down to the smallest point. It should and very well may end up being my greatest piece of work when my life is all said and done. These topics have played such enormous roles in my life that I could probably write a 350 page book with no need for research (with 290 pages being about wrestling). The problem with that is the only two people on the planet who would actually be interested in it would be my brother and this guy, so I'm going to keep it short and sweet for rest of you normal human beings. This topic can be as basic or as complex as you want to make it but the similarities are extremely clear.

If the world of alcoholic beverages was to be compared to the world of wrestling, "The Immortal" Hulk Hogan represents the most popular beverage; beer.

Spending the weekend at the Portland Brewfest this weekend made it very clear to me that everyone who drinks alcohol (with the exception of people who are allergic or huge pussies), eventually drinks beer. I know it's a broad generalization but even those people who don't really enjoy the taste will still hang out and sip on a pint, even if it takes them 3 hours to finish. People at the brewfest were there to "taste" the 80 different beers, but clearly were just there to have a good time and slam a bunch of beers with their friends. Please don't get me wrong, I love me some NW microbrews, Belgium, and Dutch beers with a passion. Another positive is there isn't a time of day when there isn't an occasion to drink beers (You don't hear stories of people saying, "We woke up at 8am and started popping bottles of Barolo, it was a crazy Saturday!"). Everyone likes and appreciates an ice cold brew even if you don't know a damn thing about beer. Just like everyone can (and should) appreciate the Hulkster.

The Hulkster at one time, in terms of global popularity, was on the same level as Michael Jackson, Princess Diana and Michael Jordan. Even today, I'm sure if you went to the hills of Uzbekistan you could say "Hulk Hogan" and they'd probably know who he is. They'd mostly likely kill you after you asked them, but they'd know about that yellow tank top and that sexy bald mullet. The truth is Hulk Hogan is by far the most popular wrestler of all-time. But if you ask anyone who knows anything about wrestling, they'd say he was no where near the best wrestler. Everyone loved him and respected him and they really didn't know why (other than he's more American than Ford trucks). The reason was clear, he put on a damn great show and gave people a great experience.

Watch any match and see if you can count over 6 different moves he ever did in his career. It's not possible because it never happened. Punch, knee, boot to the face, back scratch, body slam, big leg drop. End of Match. I loved every single one of those size 16 boots to Macho Man's face but I can only remember a few that are memorable because of their context. Think of any beer event you've been to. Even if there are 100 beers present, you probably still hung out around the two or three stands that you really liked.  Good beer is easy to come by, but it's damn hard to come across an epic beer. The same way it is tough finding a truly epic match involving the Hulkster. 

For me, Georgetown Brewery creates some of the few beers that I can passionately remember. If their beers were wrestling matches, they'd be the classics involving Hulk Hogan. Manny's pale ale is clearly Hulk v. Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III, Chopper's Red Ale is his match vs. Sgt. Slaughter at WM VII and Lucille IPA is WM VI vs. Ultimate Warrior. While there are a few more that I love from around the world, I think it's important to discuss these beers from Georgetown. This is because Wine Moves is throwing it's first Beer Moves event that will be starring beer from our favorite brewery.

Everyone loves beer just like everyone loves Hulk Hogan, and on Thursday at 6pm we will display three of some of the finest examples of the beverage in the Pacific Northwest. Look at it as the Wrestlemania of Beer events.

No More Nap Time: Wine Tastings Don't Have to Suck

You head into the shop or bar that's advertising the "Not your average wine tasting" or "A wine tasting without the pretentiousness" hoping that they are telling the truth. All you want is to hang out, hear some interesting knowledge get dropped, and enjoy yourself while drinking some tasty wines.  

Is it a crime to go get a little buzz after work and pick a bottle or two of something you really like without feeling pressured to buy something specific? Is there a law against making a few friends and listening to some nice tunes? Apparently at most wine tastings, it is.

Most of the time you still end up getting a tasting led by a 45-70 year old guy named Dante, sporting a popped collar or an apron. He sits you down like a 5th grader telling you how "special these wines you are tasting truly are".  Did he just say the wine was powerfully elegant? Can I relate to this guy? What is he talking about? Why do I feel like ghouls are circling above us, making me feel uneasy? I came in this place to chill and relax but now I feel like I'm in one of Amon Goeth's sorting lines. One wrong move and I'll be wearing a shiny little luger bullet in the middle of my brain.

No one knows who will actually talk to them or if people are even allowed talk during the "lesson". There is a group of people in a circle low talking pretty seriously but you don't know if they will let you approach them. They know Dante the tasting master; they are regulars. You might get a little chat in with some one about their opinion on the wine, but nothing too serious for fear you might say something stupid or incorrect about the wines characteristics. Maybe you'll just talk about the weather for a bit to be safe. This is Italian wine from Sicily? You went to Venice one time 25 years ago? How serious/lame is this damn tasting right now!? If it wasn't for the iPad note taking and the in-crowd's low talking, the room would be silent. You go home feeling more confused about wine than you were before you arrived. Why can't everyone just act normal at these things. What the hell just happened?

If wine events keep creating scenarios like this then how will they ever shed these stereotypes and false categorizations that wine is boring, intimidating and not for people who don't drink a lot of wine. 

It's an era where the world is full of outstanding wines. They are out there for the picking, you just have to know where to find them. People who say they aren't wine drinkers, why not?  There is a flavor and style out there for everyone! You don't like the taste? Maybe. But please don't say you hate movies if the only DVDs you have in your collection are The Room and The Sorcerer's Apprentice. Please don't say you don't really like music when your favorite band is Final Placement or B44. Try drinking quality wine in an environment you feel comfortable in and then make your decision. If you do this I guarantee the chances of you having a pleasant wine tasting experience will go up ten fold.


 I blame these unfortunate opinions of wine on the lack of places for non wine drinkers to learn and taste without feeling intimidated.


  Also, don't forget that wine doesn't have to be expensive to be good. Finding wines with the highest quality at the lowest price should be the main goal for every wine drinker.


Most importantly, have fun and don't let Dante and his pink polo (and lame wine chatter) represent the wine community and all tasting events. Wine events should be fun, entertaining and educational all at the same time.


Come visit The Alcove at Two Tartes Cafe and Catering Thursdays evenings for the new generation of kick ass, entertaining and educational tasting events.

White Wine Pairs Best with Speedos

It's the end of June which means it's time to swap your hooded sweatshirt for a sleeve monster (sleeveless tee, preferably made by "No Fear"), your boots for a nice pair of flippy floppy's and your jeans for an American flag Speedo...You guessed it; It's summer time!!!

Summer time is strange because although it's the season where everyone wants to do as they please and go on a spontaneous road trip with the "broskis" or lay around and do nothing (like the days of our youth). The truth is we can't. Notice next time you get drunk and try to make plans with someone. You will find that you'll end up going through each weekend finding they are full then saying "We'll figure it out", high fiving said person, and walk away saying "Well that's not happening".

In Seattle, we have to face the fact that July, August and half of September are really the only months we have nice weather and can, quite frankly, actually do shit.

Take a look at your calendar or day planner and you'll find that the majority of the weekends are booked with parties, weddings, vacations, bbq's, visitors, or fake plans to get out of other lame things (It's the truth, we are adults now). This leaves you very little free time to prepare for events and sometimes forcing you to show up to these things, not empty handed (blasphemy), but contributing crap like a bag of Ruffles or a 6 pack of Zima that you clearly got at the 7-11 down the block. I don't want you to be that person this year. Don't throw a 6 pack of Busch Light into the cooler and start making yourself a mojio with the stuff someone else brought. You don't have to break the bank to be proud of what you contribute to an event.

That's why I'm having my Summer Deals Tasting tomorrow,Thursday 6/28 at 6pm. I want to provide people with some easy, low priced, quality wine that people can bust out and turn some heads this summer. I know it's not one of the manliest things I've ever said, but nothing goes better with a nice summer day than a glass of rose or white wine. At the tasting will be the opportunity to taste, enjoy, and grab some bottles of Cote de Provence Rose, a super refreshing Vinho Verde from Portugal and a wonderful, ready to drink Sangiovese from Tuscany. They are can't miss choices!

The main goal of loving wine is to find great wine for an even better price (corny, but true), I did that for you and all you need to do is come in and grab some tomorrow night! Look at it as a summer kick off and a place to get your 4th of July beverages. Lets meet at Two Tartes and not at the Parnell's Corner Store beer section. Hope to see you there!

Washington Deserves a Finger

Remember those discussions you used to have with your friends as a youngster? Who is the sickest X-Men, whose 8 ball slammer could take the most pogs in one drop, who was the hottest Golden Girl, or my favorite; if your hand was a drink dispenser, what flavor would you put on your five fingers? When you were 10 it was something like chocolate milk and Hi C from Mcdonalds, apple juice, orange juice and sprite.. Then as an 18 year old it was Coors light, Miller light, Bud light, Smirnoff Ice, and water (for the hangover bro). Extremely lame but true.


As not serious as that discussion was and still is, I'd still like to think my list has evolved into something I can be proud of. If I really could have five drinks at my convenience that could be consumed through my thumb, index, middle, ring and pinky, what would I pick? My fingers would definitely contain two red Burgundies (Chambolle and Morey with the climate undecided. Chill out, I'm not taking it that serious), a Washington state red (probably a syrah), Grolsch (dutch beer) and Manny's Pale Ale (Georgetown Brewing Company). 


I choose to leave the H2O out of the fingers because the French taught me that drinking water is for babies and you save the hydration for the day time. Grown ups drink beer and wine at night. But anywho, I truly believe Washington wines belong on my list because it is that damn good. Living in France, my appreciation for Washington grew tenfold after realizing that it does compete on the international scale. I stand by that and it's only a matter of time before Walla Walla and Columbia Valley are recognized as true world class wine regions (people are aware, but many books and experts save a massive two sentences or a paragraph for Washington when others get pages and chapters...BS!)


Tomorrow (6/21), I am running a tasting event showcasing not only wines that come from Washington state, but are from producers that are located within a mile of Two Tartes Cafe. Fall Line Winery and Bartholomew Winery will help me prove just how unique Washington truly is. Where else in the world where you can present high quality Tempranillo, a right bank Bordeaux style blend (Cab Franc, Merlot, and Cab Sauvingnon blended together), Aligote and a dry Riesling all grown in the same wine growning region? Please show me another region where you can do this that isn't in located the great state of Washington?


I think it's important to understand what is produced locally in your own backyard before you start venturing out across this vast world of wines. It's the right thing to do because if you are from Seattle or Washington state, you are supporting local businesses on top of discovering top notch wines. Drink more Washington, I guarantee one will end up as your middle finger or thumb for your next weird ass discussion.


Like Two Tartes Cafe and Catering on Facebook for all the news that's fit to print on the weekly events that are occurring at the Alcove at Two Tartes!

Back from Burgundy- Moves to be Made

This past month has been a whirlwind. After a week in London for the London International Wine Fair (which was a wonderful place for networking, but not so much for tasting top wines or meeting a wineries top people. Was really interested in learning about New York wines but it turned out I knew more about them than the woman who was presenting them. Bummer.) and a last hurrah in Paris (French Open and Fallafel with my brother and his wife) and Burgundy (grubbing and raging with my homies), I am back in Seattle. I can't write this post-France blog post without giving a shout out to my friends at Maison Ilan www.maisonilan.com. Working with Ray and Chris Walker gave me an insight to Burgundy that very few Americans can get, and they are probably the coolest and nicest people I've met in a while. If you haven't heard of their wines you probably aren't too familiar with Burgundy just yet. Ask to get on the mailing list now because they will be sold out for many years to come. See you guys soon!

I will pretend that people are super interested in my future and what I'm up to so here is what I'm up to.

Now that I have returned to 'Merica, along with writing, I will be working at Two Tartes Cafe and Catering www.twotartes.com as the head marketer and director of events (Two Tartes on FB). The Alcove at Two Tartes is a wonderful space that is perfect for intimate (small) concerts, wine and food tastings, private parties. I'm planning events right now at the Alcove so if you have any recommendations or questions I am all ears. Holler at our facebook page and twitter if you can't make it in to chat and have lunch. If you haven't seen the space yet, head down to Georgetown this Saturday 6/9 for the Georgetown Carnival between 12-5.  We will be drinking what many would call "hella beers" and pouring some very nice wines for everyone to enjoy. Also attending will be the stereo I used in college. So even though it won't be blasting Tool, 36 Mafia or Lil Wayne's Carter 2 like it was doing in 2005, it will most definitely be bothering the neighbors and satisfying those who love hanging out and listening to tunes.

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog where ever you may be. I'm very lucky (humbled) and grateful (blessed) to have awesome people read what I write. The future is going to be very interesting so stay tuned and I will make sure to do my best to make you laugh while dropping some wine/food knowledge on you.

Btw, tell me you read this when you are at the Georgetown Carnival and I will sell you beers and cookies for $1...Common gang, you can't even buy a spray of cologne or a condom at a bowling alley for $1 anymore so that is an amazing deal.

Take a Good Look in the Mirror: Are you a Wine Racist?

It’s the year 2012. One would think times have changed. Or have they? I've been hearing a lot of bad things going on in the world these days. There is a lot of tension out there. I want to know if color still actually matters to people around the world.

I consider myself an intelligent person who understands the way the world works. I have done my fair share of research and have taken the time to look at all of the perspectives people can have. I “get” the process and for me color does not matter. I personally believe that anyone who still thinks that color is a defining characteristic is ignorant and as Hawkeye from Last of the Mohicans would say, "stuck in the ways of the old ways of the Yangeeze and Le Francais traders", in other words, close minded. All I ask is that people stop thinking they can understand based on color alone. It’s an invalid way to assess quality. Character comes fro within. Quality begins in the roots.

I use color for recognition purposes only.  I come from a very diverse area of the world (the West Coast of the United States) where there are so many different types of colors that you’d have to be a fool not to use that as a way of identification (ruby, garnet, purple, opaque,brown) . Cabernet, Syrah, Pinot Noir, Zinfandel and Merlot all can have their color be observed to help distinguish which variety is which (you are probably a massive wine geek if you can do that on color alone).  You can identify a Pinot Noir from its bright red and clear color, but you can’t tell me if it is a good or bad wine based only off of that observation.

Wine gets its color from contact with the grape skins during the winemaking process.  This contact is done in order to extract tannins for the flavor of the wine. The longer and more intense the contact is (done during the winemaking process by punching the layer of floating grape skins down into the juice) the more powerful the tannins will be. This is all affecting the intensity of the color of the wine. Tannins (along with quality of the fruit) are also what help the aging process of the wine (the stronger the tannins are, the longer it will take to mature), so when people focus on gaining tannins they will inevitably gain a deeper colored wine.

The color of your wine is simply a direct result of a person's personal winemaking process. If you have really great fruit, punch downs can become less needed because you don't have to work as hard for extraction. This might result in a really light colored wine but still has amazing balance with tannins, acidity and alcohol. You can also punch a crappy wine down as many times as you want. The color might look great, but the wine won’t be any good because you’ve done way too much and extracted too many low quality tannins out of your low quality fruit.

Anywho, I’m not saying all high quality wines don’t get a lot of punch downs. I would be a liar if I said that. Many of the best wines in Bordeaux, Burgundy and California are created by amazing wine makers, working with the highest quality fruit. They have mastered the punch down process and understand what they are looking for with their tannin extraction (punch downs). Many of these wines will be very difficult to drink young, but can be aged for 30 plus years.

 All I’m saying is don’t be the wine drinker’s version of Old Willard McConkey down in Pearl, Mississippi and make decisions based off of color. It really has no say in whether or not a wine is going to be good. An open minded person uses color to understand the variety and the age of a wine, while a wine racist thinks they can judge a wines quality based on their color. Are You a wine racist? I hope not.

Do YOU think the color of wine matters? Feel free to comment.

Who Would you Rather Drink with: Indiana Jones or The Terminator?

Wine and movies. These are the two game changers in my life.  For me, nothing is better than a great Saturday night of drinking wines with friends, laughing and raging until the wee hours of the morning.  The only thing that comes close to that is the Sunday that follows a great Saturday night, jam packed full of laying and doing absolutely nothing but watching what some would call, “Sick ass movies”. 

You don’t have to be a wine fanatic to have heard of the two most famous French appellations; Burgundy and Bordeaux…Maybe you’ve even been at a dinner party where two old guys with white ruffled Shakespeare shirts are arguing about which of the two regions is “far more superior for my palate”?  I’ve been trying to think of a way to describe and/or compare Burgundy and Bordeaux that is easy to understand without having to go too into structure and grape varieties. I was going to compare and contrast Bach with Mozart for this, but I’d like you to actually finish reading this post rather than jumping out of the highest and nearest window. No disrespect to JB, Ammo and the classic era but I think I have a more interesting comparison that involves directors whose movies are similar to the characteristics of Burgundy and Bordeaux wines.

If I was going to compare one director to Burgundy and another to Bordeaux, it would be Steven Spielberg (Burgs) and James Cameron (BDX).

Burgundy wines are the most complete mix of power, elegance, emotion (and awesomeness) you can get out of a wine. Because of the importance and focus on terroir, there are so many high quality wines being produced that are completely unique from one another.

Jaws?  E.T? Saving Private Ryan? All of the Indiana Jones movies (minus the new one)!? Try listing off all of the amazing and unique movies Spielberg has made.  It’s just as difficult listing off great Burgs  (Le Chambertin, La Tache, Romanee Conti, Clos St. Jacques) and the main reasons are because of terroir and tradition. These two things are like have a world class director and a home run screen play.  It leads to many producers in Burgundy doing great things and having very successful vintages year in and year out.  In regard to Burgs film director counterpart, Senor Spielbergo, he is responsible for creating some of the greatest movies of our time and of the future (Lincoln with Daniel Day Lewis coming Xmas 2012).  Burgundy and Spielberg can bring out raw emotion and also have the ability make you just in your tracks and just think.  I guarantee everyone who is reading this either cried at the end of Schindler’s List (when he is counting how many more people he could have saved) or during multiple parts of Saving Private Ryan…Or even when Rufio died in Hook.  I know it’s hard to believe, but I also can guarantee that some of these Grand cru wines like Le Chambertin and move people to tears as well…I know I’ve had to take a few knees after having my mind blown tasting a few of these wines. Spielberg and Burgundy make countless classics and will continue to do so for many years to come.

Bordeaux has been compared to James Cameron by me for many reasons but mainly because both the movies and the wines are big ass spectacles every time they come out. Every time they are released it is supposed to be the most life altering experience in the history of the world that end up making billions of dollars. The twist part about it all is that coincidentally (or not); James Cameron has only made five movies that really matter with Terminator, T2, Aliens, Titanic, and Avatar.  Bordeaux only has five first growth wines that “matter” aka rake in all of the cash with Chateau Lafite, Margeaux, Haut Brion, Latour and Mouton Rothschild. These are all big, bad, awesome wines/movies there is no denying that.  They will blow your mind  to the fullest extent.  I just think that there might be too many special effects (aka too much oak and chapitalizing) and the story lines are too basic/corny to put these movies/wines on the same level as Burgundy and Spielberg. Plus the rest of Bordeaux isn’t doing so well.  They are making great wines all over BDX but the big 5 end up turning a lot of consumers away because they create the perception that the only Bordeaux’s worth drinking cost you $1000 plus your first born son.  Don’t get me wrong T2 would probably be my movie to watch before I die and I’ll watch Titanic by myself after a bubble bath, but as a whole, Cameron’s movies just aren’t as emotionally or intellectually stimulating as Spielberg.

If you couldn’t tell I clearly prefer Burgundy to Bordeaux. Is it because I live in Burgundy and feel like I truly understand it better than I do Bordeaux wines? Probably.  I think Burgundy wines are so complete and well-structured from the early stages it is hard not to prefer them. You can drink them now, but their structure can allow you to age them for decades. Bordeaux is so damn expensive and overpowering when young that I don’t know I will ever get a chance to understand it…Especially when it is fully mature (they say these can be ready in 30-50 years).  Would I drink a Grand Cru Burgundy over a First Growth Bordeaux? 9 times out of 10, yes.  It’s really a matter of opinion though because there are always those times where you just want to turn your surround sound up to 30 and watch Terminator 2 over any Steven Spielberg movie.

Since we are kind of on the topic, which movies are the sickest; All Indiana Jones movies or the Terminator and T2? Comment below

Wine, Patrick Rafter and The Joker: Australia is Awesome

Time is money out here in France, so I’m going to make this short and sweet; Start drinking more Australian wine.  I’ve honestly been thinking about this since the wine fair in Dusseldorf and it hasn’t been able to escape my mind. To find a Burgundy wine merchant carrying even one Australian wine is about as likely as Rick Santorum winning the United States Presidential election this year. The only difference is I wouldn’t jump off of a cliff if I found a bottle or two of Aussie Shiraz in Dijon.

Without going too in depth about wine geek talk, I want to establish that the massive fruit bomb 18% alcohol Shiraz represents all Australian wines the same way The Situation from Jersey Shore represents all Italians…They don’t.  Barossa Valley still brings the big dogs around but other regions like Margaret River and the McLaren Vale have really made their wines more focused and terroir driven (and these are  the regions I really recommend exploring).

The perfect example of this style of Aussie wines that many wine drinkers may not be familiar with comes from the Jones Block Shiraz from Paxton Vineyards (http://www.paxtonvineyards.com/home.php).  This would have to be the most complex wine I’ve ever had from Australia.  It brings a beautiful mouth of fruit while bringing an amazing structure of tannins, acid and alcohol to balance it out perfectly.  It is almost as if it is a perfect combination between Northern Rhone and a great big Aussie Shiraz.  This can be explained because the Jones Block Shiraz comes from vines that are around a century old (older vines =deeper roots and less fruit production which = higher quality grapes).  Hopefully this wine and similar (or at least attempting to be similar) Shiraz’s are being imported all around the globe because these seriously need to be tasted by all.

Another reason why I believe Australia is a great wine region to support is that the people who are involved in the industry over there are extremely open minded in terms of adapting to new issues in the wine sector… They are also, as I would say, hella nice (maybe even the nicest).  Their passion and personality strikes many similarities with microbrewers and winemakers from the Pacific Northwest in my opinion.

I must say it feels good to be excited about another wine region in the world (Northwest wines in the USA and Burgundy will always be top for me though).  Obviously I love all types of wine (including Carlo Rossi), but it takes a lot for me to get pumped (this means excited for you old timers) about a whole wine region. To my very good friend and Barclay Webster (Aussie wine professional) back in Seattle, I’m expecting the finest tasting in history lined up for me when I get home.

Anyone have any good suggestions on other Australian wine producers or know any importers who can get me a case of Jones Block in Europe??? Let me know!

Money, Respect and Undies- Things That can Vanish at a Wine Fair

Any event that has 15,000 attendees (that isn't about Star Wars) and over 1,000 producers (not of comic books), all with the same intentions (to buy and sell wine) for three consecutive days must be classified as an intense and/or drastic experience.  Prowein in Dusseldorf fits that description and is absolutely drastic. It isn’t necessary to ramble on for 800 words describing how humbled I was by the massive convention center or how inferior it made me feel. The six pairs of socks and undies I went through in three days display that for me (didn’t really happen I swear, but my dogs were howling after all of that walking in dress shoes).  

An important lesson I learned from Prowein is that it’s probably best to not leave your sister, mom, wife, grandma or cousin alone at one of these massive wine fairs. It is so easy to get “lost” or “separated”.  You assume someone is just cruising around and tasting some interesting new wine or making a new business contact and that you’ll find them in a couple of minutes.  In reality, Gianluigi the stud winemaker working in Wines of Sicily just swept your sister off of her feet and they are headed to the Dusseldorf Marriot to take an in depth look at his “wine portfolio”.  Clearly I’m just joking, but boy those Italians have some serious Uncle Jesse swag (Full House reference) with the ladies.   

What I truly realized while being in Dusseldorf is how the majority of the people in the wine business fail to keep up with the changing times in new technology and the possibility of reaching new customers.   Most of these “experts” on social media (of course there are exceptions) are old guys who look at these online channels of communication simply as research for the future.  They aren't actually using them the way they are intended to.  The focus seems to be trying to teach the old dogs new tricks, getting the old timers to start doing business through these channels rather than using them to focus on building relationships with wine consumers who spend the majority of their time online. Typically those are younger consumers.  

Social media shouldn’t be looked at as an investment for the future but the current and way to communicate with everyone and anyone. It will also be constantly evolving. If you are still skeptical about having a portion of your business dedicated to online social media then you are probably reading this while doing a 1,000 piece puzzle and eating a bowl of microwaved grape nuts cereal…because you are really really old.

Unfortunately, a lot of the people in the wine industry that do recognize the importance of these channels, spend most of their time discussing boring wine topics with each other. Instead, they could be out there reaching new consumers.   It’s like everyone who is online in the wine industry thinks their latest blog post replying to someone's opinion about biodynamic wines is going to change the wine industry for the next 100 years.  The truth is it probably won't even be read.  I am curious to know how many people have the same 2 to 50 people reading their blog posts that cover brow raising topics such as screw caps and sulfur in wine.  I respect freedom of speech and I know everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but like my mom always says, if you don’t have anything interesting to say then don’t post it on the internet.   To get more people to learn about wine we need to do it with fun and interesting things for them to read.

It is pretty sad seeing quality wine not being sold because the decision makers in a business don’t know what they are doing.  If your stand at Prowein isn’t getting any attention from people who went out of their way to fly to Germany, pay to be at Prowein and love wine more than life itself, then how are you going to convince normal consumers to buy your wines?  The same thing goes for people trying to do blogs and being active in social media. If nobody is listening maybe it is time to think maybe it’s your message that is the issue.

For anyone interested…

WINES I REALLY ENJOYED AT PROWEIN:

Lidio Carraro (Brazil) Brazil makes really bomb red and sparkling wine now so jump on the bandwagon. Winebow imports this producers wine so you will definitely be able to find them in the USA and most likely Seattle. Awesome Bordeaux blend (which means it has Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc in it). Also had a wine made from 100% Tannant (grape) that was a game changer. Trust me this producer is really good.

Stella Bella (Australia)- Had a great Syrah that tasted like a perfect mixture between Aussie Shiraz and Northern Rhone (had some viognier in it). Very impressive and eye opening in showing where Australian wines are heading (Lower Alcohol and more structure).

Hedges Family Estates (Washington State) Their CMS blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) is truly outstanding and always consistent.  It was great to see Washington wines representing nicely at Prowein.  This is a great priced bottle ($14) that everyone should try to get a feel for how Washington wines should taste.

Nove Vinarstvi (Czech Republic)- My most pleasant surprise of Prowein was to find that my Czech brethren have the ability to make some extremely unique sauvignon blanc.  Good balance of fruit and minerality that comes from the limestone soils.  The Czech wine industry has a promising future with proper marketing and branding.  Hopefully it can make its way to the United States.

The Moment that Changed the Game

The first time I ever drank an alcoholic beverage was two days before my 21^st birthday.  I had just hit a game winning home run in the championship game of a baseball tournament.  My whole family was there and after the game my father approached me and said, “Son, I know it’s two days early, but I feel like you deserve this…Welcome to manhood.” He then tossed me an ice cold Budweiser which I cracked open and let pour down my throat while my loved ones cheered and toasted to such a glorious first experience.  THAT WAS WHAT BEER TASTED LIKE.

That story is obviously not true. The truth is I got jackhammer drunk off of between 16 and 23 Smirnoff Ice wine coolers in my friend’s Grandma’s basement when I was 15. I spent the whole night eating tostino’s pizza rolls and making people ask me math problems to prove I wasn’t drunk.  Not exactly the picture perfect first experience but what are you going to do?

Can you remember the first time you drank an alcoholic beverage?  I am pretty sure you can. I guarantee you are thinking about it right now and laughing at how ridiculous it was.  It’s okay, the truth is most of us were too immature and irresponsible to actually appreciate alcohol and the brilliance of the experiences it can help create...and because you were probably too busy ralphing into someones shower.

Luckily we all get a second chance at this.  As you mature, another opportunity will most likely occur which you won’t exactly prepare for.  We have to create the moment ourselves (create doesn’t mean draw a bubble bath, pop a bottle of merlot and shave your legs while listening to Regina Spektor).   You will try a drink at the perfect moment and your mind will be blown. It might be a single malt whiskey or it might be a really nice Tequila.  It might be wine.  If you have a "favorite drink on the planet" that means you love the taste.  You probably also have vivid memories of the great moments in which you had it.  Your experience can make it the best or even turn it into your passion.  It happened with me.

My passion for wine came when I was living in Florence, Italy and I ended up missing a bus stop and getting lost in Tuscany with a friend.  We ended up being in a little town called Pienza for 3 hours.  We quickly figured out we might have been in the most beautiful places in the world and sat down for a lunch after cruising the town.  Pecorino cheese with pears and honey, in Pienza, hanging out with Pete Markun, all paired with a bottle of Chianti Classico changed the game for me.  It paved the road to where I am now and who I want to be.

Would I love wine as much as I do now if I drank my first Chianti Classico while sitting on a washing machine in a basement in West Seattle? Pairing it with jojos and a corndog?  Probably not.  It’s what is happening around you and who you are with that defines a great moment and allows it to transcend time.

I’m not saying you have to fly to Italy in order to appreciate wine.  I’m saying it is okay to put yourself in an enjoyable environment and stop and take a minute to check out your surroundings while enjoying a nice drink.  It can give you a real moment that will always be revived when you taste that specific/favorite beverage. As corny as that may sound, the beauty is that no one can ever take it away from you.

Valentine's Day is the Weirdest

Valentine’s Day is a strange time.  It’s a day you are supposed to show someone just how much you care about them, yet people manage to buy the same old things every single year.  That doesn’t mean spend more money, it means just actually take some time to think about it.  Here are my opinions on the three stereotypical purchases on February 14.

                Flowers are great. Roses are actually pretty weak.  They are probably the most overrated flower on the planet.  They don’t smell that good and they aren’t that attractive. They are pretty damn basic if you ask me.  Roses look great in my Grandma’s or aunt’s garden but for Valentine’s day, roses to me say, “I think I love you but I don’t really have a personality so you probably shouldn’t be with me anyway” or “Hey I forgot it was Valentine’s Day so let me swing by the supermarket and over pay for some flowers real quick”.  Roses are overall an okay flower but if you are one of the three items sold by street drug dealers in Amsterdam along with “Coca” and “Essasee”, you shouldn’t be the symbolical flower for love.  Plus they have thorns so there will always that slim chance that your gift could kill your valentine or kill the person who picked it and that is a little strange.  If I was a woman on V-Day I’d take lilies, an orchid, even carnations over roses any day (yeah I have some flower knowledge, relax).  Don’t ever forget flowers even when it’s not Valentine’s day, they may save someone’s life. Even your own.

                Chocolate is a wonderful thing on V-day. It can be described in many different ways all over the world but a few that come to mind are: delicious, outstanding, crackin, hella crackin, dank, the truth, amazing, the best, really good, bomb, delightful, pleasurable and appealing.  Valentine’s day is the perfect time to get that special someone some top of the line, high end chocolate. Belgium makes great chocolate and so does Switzerland.  See’s Candies is what we could classify as a “game changer” in the USA (and even in Hong Kong and Japan now I believe) so if you have the option, get some.  A sleeper in the realm of chocolate are the Ritter Sport chocolate so if you ever see some in the USA grab as many as you can and try to give a few to your significant other, but maybe not on Valentine’s Day.  If you don’t want to get that kind of chocolate, skip it and do something else. For the record, if you get a woman a box of Russell Stover’s chocolates do yourself a favor and throw it in a dumpster and hop in with it because you don’t belong in a relationship, or even society for that matter.  You might as well buy a bag of mini twix and give it to her because at least she’ll know you got her something that actually tastes good at Target and/or Rite Aid.

                Opening a bottle of champagne even makes Rosie O’Donnell happy.  It is the beverage of love and celebration and truly sets the mood for a wonderful night.  If you want to spend $40 at the store or $120 at a restaurant for some non-vintage Veuve Cliquot you are more than welcome to do so.  Try Taittinger, Bollanger or Pierre Gerbais for a better price to quality-price ratio.  Krug or Salon if you are a real baller.  You also can’t go wrong with some Piper-Heidseck Blue Top (available at World Market in the USA) for my favorite champagne under $30.  Argyle is an awesome sparkling wine to try from Willamette Valley.  Champagne can be so refreshing and vibrant it makes my knees quiver just thinking about it (not really but kind of).  It really has become one of my favorite styles of wines since I’ve been living in France.  If anyone has the opportunity to taste vintage Champagne, especially several being offered in a tasting, I suggest you do it because great vintage Champagne is tough to find but can really show you how beautiful the style of wine truly can be.

                Let’s hope that people are being unique and fun when they make their choices for the gifts they give to their significant others today and aren’t acting as just walking and breathing clichés.  If you don’t have a valentine don’t sweat it, two chicken grilled stuffed burritos from Taco Bell, a 12 pack of Red Hook ESB and Season 4 of The Wire will be just fine for tonight.

Just the (Wine) Tip(s)

Wine might not be everyone’s favorite beverage of choice, but whether you like it or not, there will always come a time in a person’s life where you will end up at a wine and dinner party or something similar.  Whether you frequently attend them or appear at one once every solar eclipse, it is important to know certain rules and etiquette so you don't act the fool.  Right now I am going to reveal the holy grail of wine drinking tips in a social environment for everyone to maximize the amount of enjoyment at a wine social/dinner party/tasting. Moses himself couldn't draw up a better set of wine drinking rules.  Stick to my rules and you will be doing your part to help a social gathering reach its full potential.

By the way, when I refer to everyone (enjoying) I don’t mean just YOU as an attendee, but also the people who are stuck being around you for a whole evening. 

1. Don’t be that guy who talks about how much or how little they know about wine.

Wine is an extremely complex subject and like most things that are complex, it’s a horrible subject to talk about at a party.  Unless you are hosting the tasting or you run into someone you know who finds it equally as interesting as you do, shut your mouth.  If someone asks you a question?  Go big and answer that question.  Be helpful and courteous but don’t think you are changing people’s lives by discussing terroir with someone who thought rose was red and white wine mixed together like a cocktail.  Being stuck in a conversation with a wine know-it-all it the absolute worst.  It is the equivalent of getting stuck talking to someone who just got dumped or their mom just died.  It gives people who enjoy wine a bad name.  Save the in depth terroir comments for the wine-pages or wineberzerker and let everyone talk about normal things.

The opposite side of that spectrum is to not constantly blurt out comments about how little you know about what you are drinking (“Man I never drink wine, is this sweet? I don’t like how sour this is. How do you hold the glass again? I don’t know how to swirl it. I think I drank a pinot one time…I NEVER drink wine”).  Like I said before, wine is a subject that is pretty complex and isn’t everyone’s favorite drink…THAT’S OKAY.  If you really are curious to learn more, go find the guy who at the party who is sporting the long hair, glasses and sweatstache and has said the word “complexity” 6 dozen times.  I’m sure he will be glad to tell you everything you need to know.  But if you could care less about what you are drinking and don’t have any interest, keep your lack of knowledge and interest close to your vest and go about your business.

2. Don’t wear a white shirt to the wine party

Last time I checked Bill Shakespeare has been dead for 400 years so no one needs to dress like Penn from Penn and Teller to a party.  Leave the white dress shirts (with ruffles) at home before heading out for the wine tasting.  You are just going to spill on yourself and wear the “I’m too drunk to hit my mouth right now” or the “I’m an amateur” badge for the rest of the night.  There is also the possibility of someone randomly kicking an exercise ball (indoors), and having it hit your hand that his holding a full wine glass, shooting the contents directly on to your chest and face and the wall behind you.  Don’t worry about that too much because I’m lucky enough to have that kind of thing only happen to me.

3. Drink water and eat some food throughout the night

Unless you are an alcoholic, you will feel the wrath of your great night as soon as you rise from your slumber the next day.  By filling your wine glass up with some water every now and then, and grabbing a couple pieces of bread or a few handfuls of cashews, you will significantly reduce the pain and sorrow of the day after.  This will also reduce the risk of making a complete ass out of yourself that night.  Stay near the leftovers and keep away from serious conversation topics such as politics and religion, unless you want tensions to rise in the room and have the party tell you that you are out of line (“What’s wrong with you Glenn?” “Yeah, that was out of line man”).  Beer causes brawls, Liquor causes hospital bills and wine cause people, typically dads, to get “out of line”.

 Another bonus of the water and bread/leftovers tactic is it indirectly cleans your teeth that are most likely dark purple or completely black.  You aren’t a vampire or a chimney sweeper living in London circa 1899 so make sure your teeth don’t make you appear as either.

4. Listen to great music

The last tip is more of a “do” rather than a “don’t” rule for enjoying yourself at or after a wine party.  Listen to great music.  Like said before, focus less on politics and serious social topics and focus more on music and movies.  I'm sure things will be fine without it, but there is nothing better than an amazing music chat with some people while your favorite songs are being played.  I guarantee the high fives and hugging rate to increase 800% if you have awesome music playing.  Also, if the opportunity arises, find a way to sing and or dance.  For some strange reason after a few glasses of wine, my vocal cords feel as if they are coated in gold and my feet are supported by angel wings.  Drinking wine is about enjoying yourself and being with your friends, as well as making new ones (cliché).  So please take that basic idea of enjoyment and make your wine experiences the most fun for you and everyone around you!