Bob’s Winings
                                                                           former
                   Tasting Notes from a ^ Beer Drinker

This page contains Winings from the 4th Quarter of the year 2004.

To contact WinoBob, click here

December 31, 2004

Last year, I wrote about the science behind a hangover and some of the things you should do to lessen the discomfort.  As you can imagine, I am on a never-ending quest to assist my liver from swelling, my head from pounding and my eyes from bleeding.  I came across an article that offered up some useful advice, though I must put in the responsible disclaimer, "the best way to avoid a hangover is not to consume alcohol", but seeing how that will never happen for me, I search for the next best thing.  What the hell to do to stop the trembling hands, aching head, upset stomach and fatigue...

One medical article detailed the chemical changes alcohol creates, making us produce too much of this and not enough of that, big scientific-name stuff, blah, blah, blah.  However, here is the laymen’s (and I use the term with the best of wishes) terms.

Next time you over indulge, say like tonight, and you want to be in some shape to watch a football game on New Years Day, start your morning with a breakfast consisting of:

  • Burnt Toast- the carbon is a great filter for the toxins poisoning our bodies.

  • Eggs- our bodies need to replenish a chemical called cysteine and eggs are a great source.

  • Bananas- we deplete many important chemicals through the diuretic effects of alcohol and potassium is a much-needed mineral.

  • Fruit Juice- rebuilds the sugars that your liver needs

  • Gatorade- better than water for hydration with the addition of the electrolytes.

Once you find yourself somewhat human, coffee, or tea can be helpful for temporary energy but the negative is its diuretic quality.

So scramble some eggs, burn some toast and chug some Gatorade.  Top it off with a banana flavored Twinkie and voila…..You will be ready to poison yourself again by noon..

Happy New Year!

December 29, 2004

If you get someone a calendar as a present, shouldn’t you make an effort to deliver said calendar with more than 3 days left in that year?  As craziness floated through this year, Wino Stan and I had little time to get our very important social calendars to converge.  The funny thing was that WS gave me a calendar for my birthday, last birthday, a wine calendar for 2004, last night.  Great, I have two days I can rip off, or x-out.  We did manage to head over to Bacchus and find a seat at the very, uh, empty bar.  Last week, the high volume of holiday parties made it nearly impossible to get a seat, last night the bar was very available.

The good thing was that I got to reacquaint myself with Jimmy and Mike, as they were forced to talk to the only to patrons at the bar, us.  It is better to buy a bottle than drink 12-dollar glasses so I looked through the list and found a bottle I had not tried.  Knowing we would be smoking a holiday cigar, I wanted an elixir that could stand with the smoke and tobacco of the cancer stick.  Big, crunchy, bold, and red was the criteria and I found it in the Andes.

I just wanted to thank Jimmy and Mike; they took care of us very well; Happy New Year.

2000 Bodega Achaval Ferrer Bordeaux Blend $$$ (77.00 rest) A firm example of the quality wine coming from Argentina.  A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot this wine starts very tight and needs breathing time.  Decanting settled the tannins and pushed out the fruit offering plum, black fruit, chocolate and currant.  A classy wine

December 27, 2004

Monday and it is back to work with nothing more than a weekend.  I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas celebrations with family and friends.  I, for two reasons, had little wine.  Reason one was the beating I took from the mass ingestion during the WinoStuff unofficial gathering; reason two was the drive back and forth to the new old homestead.  No need to get a DUI or worse for the enjoyment of a few glasses of wine.  As there is not must to describe, I just wanted to post a quick review and get back to the homework I am doing for the big Grape of the Year selection. 

2002 Omaha Springs Sauvignon Blanc $ (17.99)   A citrus wine with nice crispness on the finish.  A good wine for the variety of non-meat dishes we enjoyed Christmas Eve.  However, this New Zealand product leaned more to the lemons and less towards the grapefruit on the palate.

December 24, 2004

May I say Merry Christmas without pissing off anyone?  Yes, in this day of political correctness of devaluing Christmas, the cheese stands alone.  I have taken time to learn a little more about some other celebrations during this time of year.  Actually, I really haven’t, since Kwanzaa and Festivus are post-grade school creations to which Wino Bob was not exposed.)  Thinking back to a young, first grade Wino Bob’s holiday school activities, we only prepared for two things, Chanukah and Christmas.  The smell of clay, kid-safe water-based paints and the taste of white kid glue still visit my sensory bank like the ghost in a Christmas Carol.  Our art teacher coordinated the lesson of making a dradle with our music teacher whom taught us the song.  However, the rules of the game were never explained to me.  It was not until this year that I discovered there is actually a way to win and a correct way to spin that little clay toy so it flips onto the little stem.  The object is to win all the coins from the stash.  Yes, I now understand why my fellow first grade class mates are doctors and lawyers and accountants as from very young their toy, their game was based around the strategy of obtaining wealth at the hands of your mates.  Unfortunately, I was spending that same time trying to figure out how GI Joe was going to party with Barbie and Skipper if he had no genitals.  Others in my neighborhood were building forts and trenches to recreate their vision of war, I was spending time creating an environment for a war worn Joe to have a little R and R.  The blur of wine is making my vision clearer.

The top ten reasons to head straight from your Christmas Party to AA

10. You stumble to bed and pass out in the clothes you wore during the party

9. You bump into every wall on the way to the bathroom

8. You try to decide which end your holiday cheer will come out first

7. You wake up with blood shot eyes, a pounding head and fuzz on your tongue

6. The smell of rotting cheese you forgot to clean up before heading to bed is making your stomach convulse

5. You call out to the conductor to stop your room from spinning

4. You look out the window and there is a strange car in the driveway

3. You plod gingerly to the cellar and stand shaking when you discover there are fewer bottles in the rack

2. You look on the back deck and are slapped in the back of the head when you calculated the value of your glass-recycling bin.

AND the Number One reason to head straight from your Christmas Party to AA

 1.     You sit down in a chair attempting to keep the coffee from shaking out of the cup enroute to your lips and you are frightened by the sight of Wino Rocker sleeping on your couch when we wasn’t even at the party.

In a rare moment of holiday cheer, I had an impromptu Christmas gathering with those who answered their phone at 6PM last night.  What started as Wino Rocker and I getting together for our year end drink, moved into several of the Winostuff staff being available, OK, Wino John had to drop something off for me and he took his jacket off and had a drink.  One can not have a good party without a resource for wine so we called Big Bob and asked if he wouldn’t mind leaving his tradition family dinner and gift wrapping festivity to come over and drink (bring) wine.  And to conclude some loose end business, Winette Tia popped in, actually to have me sign the restraining order to keep out of the town she has recently moved to now that I found out where that is.

Even for my wino standards, we committed a wine sin by moving from bad to great the drunker we got.  Yes in Wino 101 and at the behest of Big Bob he wanted me to open the better stuff early, but I was afraid Wino Rocker would have been putting ice in the wrong wine so we polished off two inexpensive bottles before the party started.  Being in no shape to remember the flavors and scents in the lot, I will list without review the names on the empties in the recycling bin.  I will review the first wine that WR and I had as it was early enough for me to keep track.

2002 Cloud Line Pinot Noir- the newest in Dreyfus Ashby’s portfolio and I do not want to review it here as I want to be in the right frame of mind at the time I do.

1999 Ridge Monte Bello- one of WJ’s delightful go-to wines for select celebrations.

2001 Torres Nerola- I do have a bottle in the rack thanks to BB that I can enjoy one day with dinner.

1995 Silver Oak Napa- I cried but could think of no better friends to open this with.  (Editor's note: WOW!  Wine of the night!)

1995 Caymus Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon - A Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.  As one never knows when the day will come to meet the maker, God, not the wine maker, I figured it was a treat for me and others still standing who wanted a taste.

Thanks to great friends for a fun evening. Here is wishing every one a safe and healthy holiday season.   One never knows what the future holds so make the most of everyday with those who hold a special place in your life.  To better days in ‘05

2001 Campo de Camarena Garnacha Vieja  $ (8.99)   The nose on this one will delight Grenache fans as a spicy cedar and dark cherry wafts out of the glass.  Spain is good to this cepage and for the price, this one is worth a try.

December 17, 2004

I know this is not breaking news and I know that Wino John has written many times about the health benefits of wine and chocolate, but color me drunk not to remember that there is a medical journal that has named this as part of a heart-healthy diet.  Yes, Winos and Winettes, the Polymeal is the answer to all your health issues.  Just look at the research from “medical experts” telling us that there is a way to get back those years you lost from smoking, fried foods, McDonalds and lack of sex.  OK, the experts didn’t say you’d die sooner without sex, that is all me…

So if I smoked for 10 years, which would put me 4 and a half years short on my life expectancy, then I follow the food group below, I will gain 6 and a half netting me plus two in turnovers.  Either I light up a  cigar and try to get back to the break even point, or I enjoy the additional two years of Alzheimer’s I’m sure to come down with.    Think about it, does the plus 6.5 carry any weight if my destiny is to be hit by a bus crossing the street on St. Patty’s Day?  Does that really mean I was supposed to be dead three years ago, but came up plus two and the bus is waiting this March? Are 6.5 more years worth having if you do not know what day it is?  What if liver cancer is supposed to take me at 55 and now I have to live with liver cancer until just short of 62.   Why isn’t sex talked about in this healthy diet thing?  Imagine not having sex for another 6.5 years on top of not having it for 55 years?  Is the Polymeal playing God with our existence?  You think we have a strain on social security now, what if all the old folks sucking the system dry now end up on this Polymeal and live an additional 6.5 years?  Did the CBO take that into consideration on their latest projections?  Are the doctors who discovered this looking for ways to control population growth in other areas?  What problems do women have that this only gives them 5 years, is there a medical reason for that?  If my fish has mercury, is there a nomigram I need to carry in my wallet to calculate my death date?.  I need to speak with these experts.  They have left more questions than answers for me in their latest findings.

Am I the only one worried about this?  Christ, I need a drink….

Medical experts have put together the elements of a meal designed to cut heart disease by 75 per cent. They say the "Polymeal" will add 6½ years to a man's life, while women can expect an extra five years of life.

The surprisingly attractive ingredients are outlined in a paper to be published in the British Medical Journal today. They are: wine, fish, dark chocolate, fruit and vegetables, almonds and garlic. Each one was picked based on its ability to reduce blood pressure, cut cholesterol levels, or its proven effect in reducing events such as heart attack and stroke.

December 15, 2004

Sitting for three days in front of my keyboard, beaming from my self-proclaimed moniker of the Bobby Vineton-Polish Prince, I Googled 'Bobby Vinton' just to see what his web site looks like.  Wow, he is selling so much more stuff than we are.  Forget about his music, that’s a given, but the bejeweled apparel and the pens and pins are quite voluminous.  Who in the hell is buying a Bobby Vinton Theater pin?  Damn, if only I had gone there earlier, I could have gotten that for my mother this Christmas.  The good thing is that I’m sure if I order it, it will still be stylin' next year.  Unlike wine, the Bobby Vinton pin set will never lose its fruit, so to speak.

Actually, I am in super tasting mode.  The x-outs on my calendar leave little time for the all-important process of GOTY.  I will be drinking long and hard over the next two weeks to find that bejeweled cepage that will proudly represent 2005.  All this friggin' work for you people and what do I get besides a swollen liver and nasty hangover?  All I know for next year is more wine information and less Big Bob in a Speedo.  Not less of the Speedo, mind you, I’ve seen enough of that.  Less 'twigs and berries' and more supple, voluptuous, sultry, hard working women of wine.

2003 Vina Santa Rita 120 Cabernet Sauvignon $ (7.99)    OK for an inexpensive cabernet, this Chilean wine shows promise but it is not yet where it needs to be.  Dark fruit, herb and a touch of vanilla on the nose.  Open it on a Tuesday night, this way you won’t serve it by mistake on Friday night for dinner.

December 11, 2004

If you were soon to be 70 years old and at the top of your profession for 40 years, would you consider stepping aside for a younger person to take your respective role in your chosen field?  As we are faced with longer life expectancies due to the top-secret work of genetically engineered super humans by the profit greedy pharmaceutical companies headed by Wino Lou, people are living longer and thus working longer.  I think it is a conspiracy developed by the Republicans in conjunction with the drug companies to keep people living longer, with our natural selection processes being burdened to the point that we become dependant on medications to keep us alive and people like Wino Lou can afford expensive wines to swill with exotic fare.  I say it is time for a Woodward and Bernstein type investigation by someone like Mike Wallace (case in point: does an 84 year old liver-spotted man need to be working at this point in his life?) 

My point being that someone born in 1935, whose career in the entertainment industry hit in 1962, should be ready to officially pass the torch to the next generation and go out on top, so to speak.  Today, December 11, 2004, five days before his 70th birthday I ask that the Prince consider passing his crown to a younger, livelier entertainer to carry on the tradition for another 30 years.  Wino Bob, Prince, entertainment industry, what in the hell have you been drinking?  OK, after sharing two bottles of the vine with the regulars at JR’s I was depressed on the ride home listening to WCBS radio - the oldies station.  They were featuring the songs of the seventies.  That ain’t oldies to me, winos, that was the music for the Wino Bob mackin' mojo…

Just as I was about to punch over to AM talk radio, an oldie in my opinion came on the station.  This one, I remember being played by my cousin as she was infatuated by this artist.  I think she wore through two 45rpms of this song.  Yes, as the Italians have Sinatra, the Chinese have William Hung, the Irish have Jamison, the toothless/shoeless Hillbillies have Elvis, we Poles have Bobby Vinton.  The song, Roses are Red My Love, Violets are Blue, though only half accurate, was a huge hit in the early sixties and my cousin to this day is a huge Bobby Vinton fan.  Roses are red, but violets are actually, well, violet but I guess that is too hard a word to rhyme.  Did you know that nothing in the English language rhymes with the word Orange? 

Yes, the entertainer Bobby Vinton, born in a sleepy little town on the outskirts of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will turn 70 next week and it is only right that the crowned Polish Prince seek out a replacement prior to his inevitable passing.  As we are hard pressed to appoint an obvious entertainer of Polish decent that proudly wears their heritage on their forehead, I offer myself as the next crowned Polish Prince.  To the management of Mr. Vinton, it may be a wildly significant PR move at this time for you to contact me and schedule a photo-op of the Official passing of the polish scepter from Bobby Vinton, to Wino Bobby Vineton.  Yes, Winos and Winettes, a simple “e” added to his last name ties our lives together perfectly.  We both have humble beings from a sleepy little mid Atlantic suburb of a larger industrialized city.  We both are proudly Polish and we both have wildly successful careers in entertaining millions through our art.  OK, he’s wildly successful and wealthy and I have several drunks that email me how I suck and don’t know much about wine, but hey, I have a loyal following.  Now, if Mr. Vinton chooses not to officially crown me the next reigning Polish Prince, I might just name myself the Polish Prince of Wine and totally cut them out of the fan fare.  Maybe, now that I think about it, grube panie z gotuje się na ich *forehead* i *keilbasa* oddychanie mógłby lubić mnie lepszy (lepiej) są Polski Książę Piwa, think about it….

2000 Cain Concept $$ (39.00)    Meritage Christmas to one and all, this blend is heavy on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc and offers a depth of dark fruit flavors with a spice and mint finish that will stay with you beyond the bowl of the glass.  A solid creation for complex wine lovers.

 

1999 Muga Reserve Rioja $$ (22.00)    Medium body with a nice fruit/acid balance, the light oak adds a mild sweetness to the spice, chocolate and dark cherry flavors.

 

December 9, 2004

I was ready to de-title Beer Boy, as he has not been drinking much beer lately, allegedly.  As I see from my empty email box, if he is drinking, he sure is not spending any time writing about it.  Well, Beer Boy, if you are not writing about all that beer you are drinking, what the f@#* have you been doing?  What?  Studying for your USA Cycling coach license?  Oh…never mind.  What Beer Boy has provided is the latest USA FDA approved Food Pyramid; you know that chart you got from the gym teacher/ health teacher in junior high school that had us eating mega servings of veggies and fiber.   If I ever ate that much fruit and fiber, I would need a DSL connection in my bathroom.  Miss Gym teacher/ health teacher with the dyke haircut and bigger arms then the math teacher, will you be sharing the newest Food Pyramid recommended by the FDA?  Yes, Winos and Winettes, the Winostuff staff has been lobbying our FDA pyramid developers and we are proud to announce that our hard work has paid off.  Officially, wine has been added to the Food Pyramid, though my one bottle a day has been down graded to a glass or two a day, but liquid lunches are back in service.  I am seeing the growth of Stewart-like drive-up fast food chains, with women on roller skates delivering trays of wine to your convertible.  The time has arrived to celebrate and watch for these commercials coming on cable as you read this.

  • Wine, the other white meat

  • Wine- its what’s for breakfast

  • Wine Helper, just add, uh, wine?

  • Jimmy Dean Winauges

  • Wine-a-roni

  • Swine- sipping wine in a can

  • Wine- breakfast of champions

  • Wine and cheese- forget that, it’s already there and yes someone else has thought of putting the wine into the cheese.

Move over Rachel Ray,  new on the Food network, Wino Bob’s Thirty Minute Wine Meal and Wine on 40 Dollars a Day.  So next time you're over someone’s house and they try and force a tofu burger on you, tell them you will get all your vitamins, minerals and protein from your wine, thank you very much, you under weight, tree hugging, Birkenstock wearing, lava lamp lighting, Vegan.

 

Text Box:
The New Food Pyramid

  Alcohol (in moderation): Scores of studies suggest that having an alcoholic drink a day lowers the risk of heart disease. Moderation is clearly important, since alcohol has risks as well as benefits. For men, a good balance point is 1 to 2 drinks a day.   

December 8, 2004

No disrespect intended but I forgot to acknowledge the sacrifices made by our brave service men and women yesterday as it was the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  Unfortunately, Ben Affleck and Hollywood ruined the story.  Actually, with the f’ing up Ben did to his true life love story with J Lo in the Hollywood stink bomb, Gigli or Jersey Girl, or one of the mindless, poorly written box office failures, it temporarily blinds me to that event.  That is why a ticket costs so much, to make up for the lost revenue of crappy movies by expensive movie stars.  On the other hand, Sideways, like a big ass California Cab, is being swirled and sipped by winos across the country bringing latest revenues over 12 million to date.  I digress.

Thank God for wine-drinking neighbors who frequent the local wine shops.  As I did not make myself the center of attention at Costa’s tasting on Saturday, there was a bottle of wine I wanted to taste, but didn’t force them to open while I was in the store.  Luck struck twice on Sunday, first being invited to a Holiday gathering at the neighbors and second when the wine I wanted to try was being served at said neighbors.  Sad comment on my needing to get out more, except for Wino Lou and family and the neighbors that hosted the evening, I didn’t know any of my neighbors.  I guess after ten years of living here, moving beyond a two house from porch geography might be a good idea.  It turns out that the neighbors I don’t know like wine as much as the neighbors I do know.  Thinking about this, I can parlay that into a glass of wine every third house if I pretend to be doing some sort of exercise/ neighborly friendliness thing.  I just need to meet someone on Hatfield to complete one revolution about the block.  

As it was Sunday night, Wino Lou and I both had work to finish up before Monday morning, his was to explore the development of a synthetic replica of a human genome through molecular separation of embryonic stem cells from a church mouse, and mine was to drink enough wine to have something to write about.  Every time he tried to leave, I kept filling his glass so I wouldn’t be the last comic standing.  Finally his sense of responsibility to his career left me savaging the wet bar for unfinished glasses of red wine in search of a brilliant point, about wine, to type out on my Sony Vaio, alone, late at night.

As you can see, no brilliant point developed, but I heard there would soon be a major break through announced from an evil pharmaceutical profiteer in NJ.  I have to keep this under wraps unless I want to spend the next 9 months in a cell with Martha Stewart, but Viagra will look like Pez when this thing breaks.  I wonder if I were in jail for nine months if Martha Stewart would be a major score, you know if I would be able to find her sexy.  Some how I think her Gestapo-like orders to pleasure her would turn me off.

Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abbruzzo $ (16.99)     Nice balance with jammy raspberry flavors and a structured acidity, but somewhat one-dimensional.

December 7, 2004

I don’t know if I should hold my head high with pride or bow in shame, but I think Wino Jim has been infected with the Wino Bug

He is now reading wine articles and wine shopping and drinking more wine.  When we first spoke, he told me he really didn’t want to get caught up in the pretense of wine and the rituals and the learning and…

So now, he is in the thick of it and we have exchanged several emails about wine issues.  In a very complimentary way, he told me that my head is filled with useless wine information and that I am a lot like Clark Kent.  I can, at a moments notice dash into a wine shop and transform from the geeky, nerdy-looking stick figure into a geeky, nerdy-looking stick figure who knows a lot of unimportant stuff about wine.  I emailed him back that at least Clark gets to fly around with Ms. Lane in his arms and have her fawning over his special powers, at which point he responded with this.

Top ten uses for Wino Bob's special wine knowledge:

10.  Winning friends and influencing people (particularly wine salesmen!)

9.   Helps you get over the urge to giggle when you hear the word, "Pinot."

8.   Impress dates, neighbors, employers and small farm animals (There are reports that it may have the opposite effect on wives)

7.   Provides a great excuse for "exploring" additional vintages (otherwise known as drinking more).

6.   Helps pass the time while waiting for food.

5.   Allows you to make condescending Sommeliers answer the really difficult questions (as opposed to just selling the expensive stuff!)

4.   Provides an opportunity to talk about "legs" and "nose" without actually referring to body parts

3.   Helps to make sense of that odd gurgley feeling you used to get after drinking a gallon of Gallo

2.   Encourages your spouse to find additional sources of revenue to support your habit

And the number one use for Wino Bob's special wine knowledge...

1.   Will give you some idea of how hangovers feel in other countries and under various "growing conditions!!"

I could tell it must have been a slow day at work for Wino Jim, but am glad to have one more counted among the growing wino masses.  See what a good Malbec will get you….

 

December 4, 2004

I think this is the first time in a year and a half I am typing away in the small third floor room during the afternoon.  I just realized that the room isn’t so dim and dreary when the sunlight streaks in the southward facing window.  An old Massachusetts sea captain who settled in NJ after his sailing days were over built this house.  The windows on the northern and southern windows are designed to look like the windows in the captain’s quarters of an old whaling ship.  Right now, I can almost see the ocean trailing behind me as I glance over my right shoulder.  Why am I writing at this hour of the day, or better yet, why am I buzzed at this hour of the day is the more appropriate question.  I must admit, it is not my fault.  No, in the course of the Saturday chore ritual, I stopped in two places, the first being Kings Supermarket.  To my delight, the shelves were stocked with Joseph Drouhin Beaujolais Nouveau so I grabbed a bottle to enjoy with my, ah, my week and a half old turkey sandwich.  Actually, I don’t have a leftover sandwich.  As you know, I had lamb on T-Day.  I decided to buy a bottle and next time I go to Linda’s Chicken, a Boston Market type eatery in town, I will order a takeout of turkey, yams, cranberry, potatoes and gravy to enjoy the 2004 JD BN with and remember Thanksgivings past when I would be throwing out the green fuzzy bowl that once has stuffing, or potatoes, or something that wasn’t green and fuzzy when I first put it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. 

On my drive home from Kings, my wino-in-training, Jim, called to let me know that Costa’s was having an in store tasting from 1-4PM.  WOO HOO, free wine tasting, I am so there.  Besides, we were going to dinner with Mag and Jim tonight and I need a bottle to bring so I can shop and taste and walk around like I’m still shopping and taste, and pretend I don’t know what to bring to dinner and taste.  So it was off to Costa Wines and into a store filled with people asking stupid questions and wine distributors giving bloviated answers.  John has been a friend so I didn’t want to drink every wine he was pouring here’s the list:

  • Alois Lageder Pinot Grigio

  • King Estates Pinot Gris

  • Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abbruzzo

  • Pascual Toso Malbec Riserva

  • Esprao Reserva

  • Monte Velho

  • Vinha Da Defesa

They also had to show and sell but not to taste, the Fontodi Flaccianello 2001 that landed number 10 on Spectator.

I decided to grab a bottle for dinner tonight of the Malbec from Argentina, which I did spend time sampling at the store.  Several local restaurants served food so I could have easily turned that stop into dinner and drinks. 

2003 Pascual Toso Malbec Riserva $ (14.99)   Breathe in and out, in and out, this wine needs a good bit of oxidation before it shows any fruit.  When you finally get to the reason you wanted to drink it, you find a tasty raspberry and dark fruit flavor with a finish of chocolate and a touch of spice.  A nice wine for a casual dinner.

November 29, 2004

The trauma of the holiday season is officially upon us.  Workers spent Saturday, blocking one lane of the major road through the center of town as they connected holiday decorations to the lampposts lining the street.  Shoppers had the roads and parking lots jammed to the discomfort of the average person heading out to pick up a newspaper or bottle of wine.  From the entry in the guestbook, it looks like Wino John was playing hide and seek in the well stocked wine cellar of Wino Wally over the holiday so I am sure he will be updating his page within the next day, or days, or week, or month, I hope.  With all my belly aching, I will keep this one simple.  Making up for the lack of wine at dinner on Thanksgiving, I sampled the following wines.

2003 Red Bicyclette Syrah Vin de Pays D’Oc $ (8.99)    I grabbed this from the display close to the front door at Costas’ as I was heading next door for a quick dinner on Saturday evening.  The nose on this was pleasant, but the wine seemed very watery.  Yes, little fruit and a host of tasteless liquid, this wine is the offering of Gallo as they try to market a casual drinker from France back into the US market.  I was not impressed, though the label will catch a great many buyer’s attention. 

2003 Long Neck Cabernet Sauvignon West Cape $ (7.99)     This South African offering needs to calm in the glass before any positive impression is obtainable.  It starts as a jigsaw puzzle with pieces scattered about, but does come together well enough to show a drinkable cabernet sauvignon.

November 25, 2004

I would like one of our smart readers to describe to me the way that our brain stores memories.  I know there are no silicon chips being burned with 1’s and 0’s, but rather an extremely complex balance between chemicals and electricity.  Therefore, as I sit here in the dead of night, as the wind howls through the drafty window next to my small desk in the dimly lit room on the third floor, a message keeps flashing through my mind’s eye.  “A file by that name already exists, do you want to overwrite: yes/no?”  In the blink of an eye, I selected yes, and the file titled Suckiest Thanksgiving replaced the 1976 Thanksgiving memory with 2004’s.  I was a junior in high school in 1976 and it was one of a handful of Thanksgivings that my father was in Germany for a business trip that ended that Saturday.  Going through several Thanksgiving dinners before when all the trimmings were prepared for days and the table was set with an empty place for my father’s absence, we ended each with my mother not feeling much like eating the turkey.  In 1976, we ate roast beef on Thanksgiving and the traditional turkey on Sunday upon my father’s return. That was also the year I was repairing a broken collarbone, unable to play in the traditional Thanksgiving Day football game and had an argument with my girlfriend as she drove me home from the field house.   For the past 28 years, that day has been resident in the non-silicon mass storage device.  Today it is officially replaced and I have no one to blame but myself. 

There are some major issues going on with the health of a family member and it had me thinking in many different ways then the one I most wanted to.  What should have been a day filled with leftovers, hangovers and holdovers turned out to be the dinner scene from A Christmas Story; the one where Ralphie and his family are eating a Holiday dinner in a nearly empty Chinese restaurant.  A small breakfast in Barnegat and a small dinner in Fairfield (not Bacchus), with a two-hour window to sit in my new recliner and have an aperitif on the rocks to accompany the third quarter of Indianapolis versus Detroit.  I normally would place a complimentary plug for the restaurant here, but I will give them a pass.  I am assuming the poor service and mediocre food was a result of the minimal amount of patrons on Thanksgiving.  The fact that six of us doubled the amount of diners should have been a forewarning of things to come.  The traditional turkey platter held no interest on this unusual celebration this year and I vow that it will not end up this way again,  I went with lamb.  Washing it down with two glasses of the house cabernet sauvignon, we ate and talked quietly as not to wake the wait staff from the nap they were taking.  Boredom in the kitchen must have had the chef finish three of our dinners six minutes before the other three.  One would think if you only have six dinners to prepare, you might be able to serve them at the same time.  Sorry, this should not be a review, but rather a lesson learned. 

The fun part of the night turned out to be the Travel Channel marathon of John Ratzenberger’s series, Made in America.  I really like this show and the topics it covers.  John visits factories in the USA and highlights the work being done by those dwindling manufacturers for products that can proudly say, Made in the USA, on their label.  The negative about the show is he tries to cover too much in a half hour and spends too little time showing the details of these workers.  We need more of this so I hope The Travel Channel expands this series to an hour.  Cliff Claven has hit a homerun with this series, at least for me.  If you have not seen this show yet, take the time to seek it out, you will not be disappointed.

Let us keep the numbers rolling for Sideways; I read the production cost was 12 million so they are half way to break even.  We can show the market that we Winos are a force to be reckoned with by pushing this over the top.

Orange Colombo aperitif    This aperitif has a rose wine base with alcohol, infusions of oranges, quinquina, sugar and distillates. Infusions of oranges are made from orange peels, rubans verts, Côte d’Azur type, and peels of sweet oranges macerated in alcohol. I chilled this and poured it over ice in a tumbler to excite my taste buds before my journey to the dinner of infamy.  My brother brought this back from a trip to Provence several years ago.  

2004 Beringer Nouveau $ ($8),   Created from Pinot Noir and Valdiguie, this is the most widely promoted Thanksgiving Day wine in the Essex county area.  Not from Gamay and not from Burgundy, this light style red from Beringer holds little excitement or flavor for me.  I wonder how long this will be promoted.

November 23, 2004

Wow, when is the thank you coming?  Since I wrote about the lack of numbers on the movie Sideways, you Winos and Winettes have taken to the theaters and nearly doubled the box office in two weeks.  The register just topped 6.2 million dollars and counting.  I will be looking for the call from Mr. Giamatti and Mr. Payne.  Face it, the masses will settle for any wine entertainment, look no further..

In response to our readers support, I celebrated with myself last night.  I opened a rare bottle of wine.  In fact, there were only two bottles of this wine in the world and I cellared one of them for the past three years.  Now I drank and peed that rare bottle and have lost contact with the gentleman that had the other.  Rare wine?  What the F^#$, Wino Bob?  I thought you only buy affordable stuff.  That is true, and this bottle actually was affordable at the time I bought it.  This wine came from the boutique winery, Alden Yachts.  OK, here’s the deal, several years ago, through my geek job, I was selling equipment to yacht builders.  I got to know several owners of high-end yacht manufacturing plants and one of the owners was very much a wine lover.  He and I were talking one night and he mentioned that it would be great to have a wine and a sparkling wine they could serve during the launch party for each yacht sold.  Alden is a company in Portsmouth, RI that makes multi-million dollar sailboats with luxury galore.  The first time I was invited up to tour the plant and step aboard a yacht ready to be delivered, I was in awe.  The conversation spun down to wine and I told the owner, I had some sources I could call. 

I know there are tons of wineries that will print up labels with your name on them, but this had to be far classier.  I myself have some bottles from Windsor personalized for me.  That would not serve the clientele of Alden so I peeled down many layers of the onion to get something unique.  What I found was a company called Thoroughbred Vintners that works with Precision Etching.  The design they came up with was stunning and the two bottles I bought to show the owner of Alden Yachts, landed one in my cellar.  Worried that it would be just another run of the mill, make your own label type wine, I fiddled and fondled that bottle for years reluctant to open it and give it a taste.  In a moment, which had me realizing my alcohol shakes weren’t frenzied enough to make me open one of the remaining good bottles, I took the Alden Yacht Wine to Big Bertha and proceeded to inadvertently drive the cork into the bottle.  God Damn It, Cartman, I was in a wine funk and reversed the action of Big Bertha leveraging the cork down the neck of the bottle and into the wine.  The level of liquid, my pissed mood and the fact that I have no real wine to quell my jones had me sloshing and spilling the first pour.  Hey, this has a pleasant nose.  Slurp, slosh, hey, this doesn’t taste bad.  So I poured a glass and set it down for a few minutes to wipe up the splatters.  I picked up the bottle and spun it around to see what was on the back.  The words, Thoroughbred Vintners 1997 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles, California and some phone numbers.  I cannot do a formal review as mine and Dave’s were the only two bottles like this, but if you go on their web page, the wine they bottle in the commemorative events is from the same vineyard. 

If I recall, the set up of the Alden Yacht artwork and bottle etching was a higher cost then the wine itself, but this wine was a pleasant surprise.  The black cherry and cassis flavors finished smoothly and had me wishing I had a case of this in my cellar.  Unfortunately, the one and only Alden Yacht Wine is flowing through a water treatment facility in Newark and on its way into the Newark Bay to be recycled into the biosphere of our planet.  A surprise, a pleasant surprise was delivered in that bottle and if sourcing an etched Wino Bob Syrah, I might have to call the Thoroughbred Vintners and see if they could hook me up.

November 19, 2004

Before I serve up the main course for this entry, I wanted to add one more comment on the lack of good wine material.  If you remember back around October 22nd, I stumbled upon a movie that was being released called Sideways. This movie starred Paul Giamotti and was directed by Alexander Payne.  Fox, or Alexander, or Paul did not contact us so we never had the opportunity to throw our weight behind promoting this wine story, or not.  I saw the box office numbers today and I think Fox and Alexander and Paul need to rethink their snubbing of WinoStuff.com.  In fact, they should set up that special screening and wine and dine us.  I point no further than the popular election numbers and the position we at WinoStuff.com took early on.  The results speak for themselves as will be evident on the January 21, 2005 entry of Wino Wally.  I predict it will recap all the wines severed at the Big Dance for W.  In the world where fake documentaries can pull in over 100 million dollars (and still have no impact) a good wine story should be able to pull in a tenth of that.  I submit to you that Sideways neither affected the wine industry nor influenced the movie industry with a 4-week total of $3,751,301.  I have not been to a movie theater since ticket prices were five dollars so I am guessing that across the country average ticket prices are currently around nine dollars.  That roughly translates to 417,000 moviegoers.  Maybe this movie problem is similar to the book problem; there is little entertaining wine related material exciting the interest of the mass population.  Therefore, I stand by my premise that WinoStuff.com remains the most powerful, entertaining-wine related property on the market today, and that is why our readership continues to grow by leaps and bounds each month.  Big Bob also showed me pages of WinoStuff.com in Spanish and German.  Stay tuned for more exciting news on this topic….

Please, clear the dishes and let the sorbet cleanse your palate, the appetizer is over and now for the main dish.  Road trip with Wino Rocker, part deux.   The aging, stuck in the sixties, good friend of mine called the other day and informed me that one of his favorite bands was playing at the Legendary Stone Pony.  The group, Mountain, famous for the guitar riffs of the one and only Leslie West was an iconic influence of garage bands around the country.  Who doesn’t find themselves humming the words from Nantucket Sleigh ride?  How stoned were they?  We arrived just as the first of two warm up bands were taking the stage.  The warm ups brought their groupies and the remainder of the crowd was there for Mountain.  I looked around at one point and realized, I was a tweener.  Caught somewhere between the 20 something crowd there to cheer and sing along with their favorite garage band lyrics and the over 55 crowd that cheered and sang along with Leslie West at Woodstock.  If I might make several observations, the West crowd did look a bit like the infirmary at the VA hospital, and gentlemen over fifty, if you are wearing expand-a-waist pants to the concert, please cut the long gray ponytail.  There was nothing funnier to me then seeing an aged hippie with elastic waistband crappy blue jeans. 

Note to garage bands, if your drummer is 45 and we still haven’t heard you on the radio, think Home Depot.  The first band, Nite Lite, was OK, but I really couldn’t get much into their musical style.  It seemed spastic at best and unrehearsed at worst.  But they plugged their new CD and their web site before every song.  Then, as they carted off their instruments, the next band carted theirs on stage to rock the crowd with the songs from their new CD.  Where the hell are all these CDs being produced?  Have you rocked out in your car to the songs of Count Josephine? Me neither, but I will say they were the better of the two bands.   As I stood there listening to their third song, knowing they were there, probably playing for drinks, in hopes of being discovered by the more affluent crowd of the Mountain following, I had a chill run down my spine.  It wasn’t from the bottle of Bud that was knocked over by the plastered fat chick in her drunken Stooper, tacking across the floor.  No, it was from the chilling fact that I am nothing more than a garage writer.  Like the aging drummer of Count Josephine, whose hopes of national recognition and industry acceptance have long passed.  I sit here late into the night tapping rhythmically on the keyboard of my Sony Vaio, with the same dashed hopes of that guy.  Young, up and coming journalistic prominence has drained like the black from the hair on the side of my head.  The mainstream wine industry media looks sympathetically down at my wine entries with that “he’s had a tough life, just humor him” look.  Dejectedly, my Yeungling buzz is wearing off and I quietly accept my position of drunken wino blogger.

As for the main event, Mountain took the stage about 10:45PM and once over the shock of Mr. West’s snow white hair, science professor glasses, Ben Gay scented cologne and the oxygen tank on the side of the stage as his climbing the three steps left him breathing hard, he picked up a guitar and mesmerized the audience for the next hour and a half.  Colostomy bag and all, the dude can play a mean ass guitar.  The highlights for me were Scenes from an Imaginary Western, the Animal’s-House of the Rising Sun, his tribute to Cream, Mississippi Queen and his acoustical interpretation of Dylan’s Blowin in the Wind.  The only moment I twitched slightly over was his rap during the intro to Blowin in the Wind, when he was trying to quiet the twenty something garage band groupies who were talking loudly during his entire set, he admonished them to listen to the words of this song especially in light of the fact that WE lost the election.  Wino Rocker and I immediately looked at each other, laughed and simultaneously mouth, “We didn’t lose the election.” 

Corky Lange gave his heart and sole with every beat on the drums, but at one point I saw him tapping his wrist with his sticks trying to find out what time it was from the stage manager.  I guess old Corky was hoping to be in bed by midnight.  It must be tough knowing that in 1969, you were part of a historical event as 500,000 fans gathered at Yazgar’s farm for three days of music, love and harmony, to be standing on stage 35 years later in front of 250 people in Asbury Park, NJ in November.  Is it the love of the music that drives them to play no matter how small the crowd and how little money?  Or is it the need to play in venues that will provide any amount of cash since investing in the market was not the way of the counter cultural leaders in the sixties?  Put aside the wafting odor of Ben Gay, set aside the gasping breaths after every song, set aside the fatherly look, Leslie West remains to this day an amazing guitarist whom offers his passion and talent in every drop of sweat coming down his time worn brow and flowing off the frets of his instrument.  The show was tops, though I wished I were older in 1969 and saw him in that same venue.  To Mr. West, thank you for a fantastically entertaining evening.  And to the aging garage bands, from an aging garage writer, I tip my beer to you because I feel your pain man, I feel your pain.

November 14, 2004

I grew up in a house where spontaneous social interaction was more the norm then the exception.  At any given moment, my father might call saying he was on his way home with a business associate from San Paulo or Sydney or Johannesburg.  My father was an international sales manager and when his agents came to visit the home office, he graciously invited them to our home, unbeknownst to my mom.  Other times, cousins or my older brother’s friend would pop in the back door and a spontaneous evening of eating, drinking and laughing would ensue.  That is why I feel a bit embarrassed this morning as I was caught with my proverbial pants down yesterday, touching myself.  About 5:45PM, as I was ¾ of the way through my Los Vascos, a somewhat spontaneous gathering erupted in the kitchen.  The danger of this crowd was that one of the couples have drank till sun rise with us during those 'more bottles than bodies' events.  Trying to be gracious, but not much prepared, I rooted through the fridge and located the only servable snack in the house.  Yes, Wino Bob likes the cheese and Wino Bob likes the port, so in the ultimate show of laziness, I keep on hand a wedge of port wine cheese.  Who thought of this?  I don’t know, but I bet it was some high society captain of industry befuddled at a cocktail party as he tried to maneuver spreading cheese on his crackers while standing discussing captain of industry things and sipping a 50 year ruby.  In a Michael Keaton moment, he must have been struck like lighting with the idea to eliminate one of the obstacles.  He must have pondered, a plate, a slice of cheese, a cracker, a knife, a glass of port, a napkin and only two hands.  Simple, feed the port to the cheese and lay it out on a cracker.  Voila, freedom of looking captainly while enjoying my two favorite snacks.

The cheese was the easy part.  The difficultly came as I knew the Los Vascos was the last of the everyday drinkers and I was faced with 5 winos expecting a beverage from the wine cellar.  My mind raced as I contemplated heading down stairs, out the bilco doors, hopping in the car and driving to Costas’ for several bottles of an everyday drinking wine.  But then the latest WOTM selection came to mind and I grudgingly reached for the last of my BV stock, a bottle of 1995 Georges de Latour.  I trembled as I placed the foil cutter on the capsule, wondering if this was the right thing to do.  Realizing in the next few days, Wino John will be posting a picture of Georges himself donning a banana hammock with a Winostuff tat on the left cheek of his wrinkly saddle bag ass, I took one for the team and sacrificed this gem to the masses.  Wiping away tears, I headed to the kitchen clutching the opened bottle, knowing the winos would not be making a distinction between the remaining Los Vasco and the sophisticated Georges. 

I also offer this as a proverbial poke in the eye to Mr. Laube, whose silver mustache and eye mole must have caused him to transpose his latest review.  Either that or the newest release of Georges really sucks, but I can no longer afford to buy at that price point and BV is not sending me any samples to challenge the rating.  I side with WJ and think Mr. Laube is in concert with Michael Moore to produce a made up documentary to bring down the BV Empire.  Another clear reason why the alternative web media like WinoStuff is out protecting the rights of the everyday wino.  Without this alternate voice, the mainstream wine press would slant the mass opinion to FOL (Friends of Laube) wines and possibly disrupt the balance of wineries in Napa.

So here’s to not blindly accepting that which is printed in big time industry rags.  Here’s to the voice of the lowly wine drinker whose access to the best is limited by his lack of credibility.  Here’s to the captain of industry who freed my Great Walenda balancing act at a cocktail party by feeding the port to the cows so they manufacture port wine cheese.  But most of all here’s to the upcoming eye damage brought about by the thong clad ass of Georges de Latour.

1995 BV Cabernet Sauvignon Georges de Latour Private Reserve Rutherford $$$ (65.00) Crafted like the cream of Aphrodite herself, this big cab brings delight with rambling black fruit, cassis and the gentle hands of mild tannins on the lengthy finish.  A treat.

November 13, 2004

As the consternations of Global Warming continue, I am looking out my window over the snow-covered lawns in the neighborhood.  Though only a dusting, the turkey has yet to go to the chopping block and we are showing signs of that long hard winter ahead.  I hope it is warm where you are, unless of course, you are in the great north and own a ski lodge and rely on the white stuff as a source of income. 

I saw Wino John has taken to honoring the out outgoing Governor who is heading out after announcing he was coming out.  The Pansy Wine will be a fitting tribute to the man who was ruled by his heart and not his head in protecting the citizens of NJ.  I find it amusing that the person taking over for ex-Governor McGreevey is Richard Codey, but he goes by the name Dick.  So we have Dick Codey replacing Dick Salot in office.  I feel safer already. 

Last night, after returning from the opening page of chapter one for my own private, Tuesday’s with Morrie, I scrolled through my last quarter’s entries.  I noticed I have begun to suck.  I have mostly boring political bullshit and some rather mater-of-fact, barebones wine reviews.  While Wino John is sitting s-faced in front of the home computer, laughing hardily to himself as he finds bits and pieces of amusing wine industry info, I sit, somewhat vacant, in front of the keyboard, just not feeling the funny juice flow down the leg of my pants. 

Hey, on a cold fall afternoon, there’s nothing better than a warm mug of Dicken’s cider.  Yes, if I had my way this fall, I would blaze a log in the fireplace, dim the lights and spend the evening with a heaping helping of Dicken’s cider.  Dicken’s cider is the perfect ending to a rough day at work and what better way to celebrate the upcoming Thanksgiving meal with an early serving of Dicken’s cider.  Or as I did last year, surprise the relatives by cleaning the table, laying out a pumpkin pie and whip cream and placing some Dicken’s cider right there on the dining room table.  Boy, will that make for a great deal of conversation. 

I know, I heard that in the third grade also, but I needed to clear my head before I get back on track with a review I myself will reread.  As Thanksgiving is closing in and the thought turns to wine with dinner.  Steve, the guy that worked the wine festival pick up truck with me, had suggested I try the multitude of Cranberry wines being made in NJ.  I have a hard time going for the wine made from anything other than the grape, but I did taste the cranberry wine with my deep fried turkey sandwich and it was interesting in its presentation.  I have a hard time recommending it but find that from time to time, it’s not all about me.  There are many who enjoy a good glass of blueberry, red raspberry, blackberry, apple, strawberry, cherry, or cranberry wine and what better place to produce these than NJ.  As our ex-Governor was so proud of the blueberry, he officially named it the state fruit, edging out by ten votes the runner up, the Governor himself.  NJ and blueberries, perfect together.  And if you have ever driven across the state on Route 70, the Ocean Spray cranberry bogs still adorn the Pinelands.  If you are tired of the decision of Pinot Noir or White Burgundy and the crowd is not adventurous enough for Zinfandel or Gewürztraminer, you may be able to spark something different by heading out to your local wine store and grabbing a bottle of cranberry wine.  If it really sucks, your hosts will have an hour’s with of table conversation goofing on you.  If its good, tell them it was a Wino Bob recommendation as we strive to come up with new and interesting information Wine Spectator will be writing about in three months.  And for those of you really looking to shock the shit out of your crazy aunt or meddling mother-in-law, just offer up a nice hearty, warm serving of Dicken’s cider…

You can find Cranberry wine from the following NJ producers:

  • Tomasello- the largest distribution in the state making it easiest to find

  • Cream Ridge Winery

  • Bellview Winery

  • Valenzano Winery

For those not man enough to bring the Dicken’s cider you can opt for:

  • Bellview’s Winter Spice

  • Four Sisters’ Apple Spice

2002 Los Vasco Cabernet Sauvignon Colchagua $ (8.99)   This Chilean property of Domaines Baron De Rothschild (Lafite) is a solid example of wine offerings from South America.  Good dark fruit and bell pepper flavors present well for fewer than ten dollars.

November 8, 2004

Yesterday, the weather seemed more like Late June than early November as the mercury pumped its way over the 65 mark.  At one point, just before the kick-off for the Giants game, I ran to Kings and tooled around looking for something to eat.  It has been awhile since I had a simple fish dish, so I headed back to the fish counter.  The Chilean Sea Bass looked excellent, but at $14.99/lb, I opted for the less expensive Tilapia.  Two pounds of fresh fish in tow, I zigzagged the isles wondering what else I could prepare with the selected main course.  A nice ginger, kind of Asian Fusion thing might do the trick, so I found the Hosain sauce and Thai noodles with soy ginger and some Bok chow, water chestnuts and mini-corn mix.  The red I had left over from Saturday night would not work, so I headed to the white wine section.  With little experience in white, other than my Sauvignon Blanc (too citrus) and oaky Chard (too oaky), I found myself with several Riesling choices.  Andrea Immer is always touting Riesling as a good match for Asian style sauces.  My hand reached for the bottle just above the $8.99 price tag, but stopped and moved over one bottle.  For some reason, I grabbed my second choice that turned out to be an $11.00 bottle.  What the hell, I might be dead tomorrow.

The food cooked up and my curiosity grabbed me by the shorts, so I opened the bottle that had been chilling since the opening kick off between the Bears and Giants.  Good thing I opened it when I did as the 14 point lead vanished quicker than Donald Trump’s part in a windstorm.  Hey, not a bad nose.  Wow, nice taste, I thought to myself since no one else was home.  It turned out to be a pleasant surprise and an enjoyable meal as the ginger complemented the green apple, apricot and acidity of the wine.   Tough loss for the Giants, but the wine made me forget quickly and sent me computer-bound to learn a bit more about the bottle I was enjoying.  What initially made me pick this wine was that the Monterrey Bay area printed on the label.  I spent a day at the Monterrey aquarium and was very impressed by the 35-foot kelp beds and the variety of sea life.    

The wine is from Jekel, owned by the mega-conglomerate Brown-Forman.  Here is some basic info about B-F from their web site:

Out of his idea grew a company that in fiscal 2003 had sales of $2.3 billion, of which $1.7 billion was accounted for by sales of wines and spirits

Brown-Forman, founded in 1870, is a diversified producer and marketer of fine quality consumer products, including:

Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey
Southern Comfort
Finlandia Vodkas
Canadian Mist Canadian Whiskies
Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky
Early Times Kentucky Whiskey
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Pepe Lopez Tequilas
Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails
Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt Scotch Whiskies
Fetzer Vineyards California Wines
Korbel California Champagnes
Bonterra California Wines
Jekel California Wines
Sonoma-Cutrer California Wines
Bolla Italian Wines
Michel Picard French Wines
Lenox China and Crystal
Lenox Collectibles
Dansk Contemporary Tabletop, Housewares and Giftware
Gorham Silver, Stainless Steel Flatware, and Crystal
Hartmann Luggage, Business Cases, and Personal Leather Goods

The top two holdings of B-F hold interesting birthday celebratory experiences for me.  Southern Comfort found half my stomach on Mrs. Fanaldi’s front yard during my 17th  and the last time I touched JD was for my 21st  when ¾ of a bottle flowed passed my lips.  Sonoma-Cutrer is consistently the number one Chard in white linen restaurants, some of which serve their food on Lenox china. 

2002 Jekel Monterrey Riesling $ (11.00)   A solid wine that offers a host of green apple, apricot and peach flavors with a clean finish and a nice balance of acidity.  Pad Thai and Asia style dishes will be very friendly to this wine. 

November 6, 2004

Since this is my page, I would like to start off with a Happy Birthday wish to my younger brother.  I was hoping this would replace the need for me to drive down to the drugstore and pay $3.99 for something he will read and toss in the garbage, making Hallmark richer and me momentarily guilt free.  Then he informed me that my entry is the last thing he checks on his bookmark list so it may not be until next week before he sees this.  Since its time stamped, does it qualify as being thoughtful, or since he may not get to it for a week, would it be better to read a belated Happy Birthday to my younger brother?

Hey did anyone see Bill Maher’s meltdown last night on his HBO show.  There were several times he got nasty with the guest, Andrew Sullivan.  That was the first time I heard Mr. Sullivan, and he was trying to enlighten Bill as to the current problems the left has.  Bill was like a cornered animal and immediately brought up the fact that Mr. Sullivan is gay.  I thought the left was tolerant, I guess they just tolerate differences if you agree with their political positions.  Otherwise a conservative, who is gay, is stupid.  Both Bill and Al Franken have had a hard time this week.  Their hubris in thinking they were going to influence the election is palpable.  At least Stern realized he had no influence and moved on, but Bill and Al cannot believe people could think differently than they.  It seems the talking points after the election were that the President doesn’t have a mandate since Kerry got the second highest vote count in history.  Hey, I’m a Panther fan and the Panther’s had a great score in losing the Superbowl last year.  In fact many say it was the best Superbowl in history, but they lost and the only thing that matters is that the Patriots are in the history books.  Can you remember whom Pittsburgh beat in their 4 Superbowl wins?  Exactly…By the way, I forgot to thank Sean Penn, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon in my list from the other day.

I just realized that our Gay Governor is supposed to leave office on the 15th, at least that was the plan.  Which brings me to the question for NJ wine drinkers that I have been thinking about.  Is there much interest in making NJ a reciprocal shipping state?  I understand from the Garden State Wine Growers Association, they feel this will dampen the enthusiasm for local wines, but there is a large population not interested in the wine styles NJ offers.  Currently, NJ offers a permit to carry in up to a gallon per person of wine from out of state, but wouldn’t it be great to order directly from a vineyard.  On the flip side, if the folks from the state of brotherly love come to a wine festival, wouldn’t it be great to call the winery and have a case sent to your house from Tomasello, or Amwell?  I would like to hear from my fellow NJ winos regarding your interest in direct shipments.  Right now, the best we can do is ship to Wino Wally’s Mar Largo in West Virginia.   But for those of us not wealthy enough to purchase a county so we can get direct shipments, it doesn’t seem like Ken Starr is working on our behalf.  Please email me your thoughts and I will ensure your voice will be heard.

2001 Blackstone Winery Syrah $ (7.99)   This California Syrah has a friendly berry nose with hints of vanilla and toffee, but the wine serves a harsh finish that detracts from the otherwise enjoyable blueberry, black cherry and oak flavors.

November 4, 2004

You might think that I would be in a good mood or even a great mood after yesterday.  I was and I went out to celebrate. I went to have a glass of wine, maybe two, maybe the whole F'n bottle.  I drove into Bacchus’ parking lot and the place was not as packed as I expected.  Fine with me, at least I can get a seat at the bar.  The newly appointed GM, the unappointed waiter, Jimmy, greeted me with his always-jovial attitude as he walked the bar with Ned, one of the owners.  I took my bar stool and asked Mike if I could see the wine by the glass list.  “Not much new”, he told me.  Then brought over a bottle and asked if I like red zinfandel.  He poured a taste. I sniffed, swirled and sipped. Wow, not my style.  I pushed it back towards him and he walked back to the wine locker.  Try this one.  It is a red zinfandel, but a lot more expensive.  I tasted, but did not want to get soaked.  Then Mike asked me if I have ever tried the Ring Bolt Cabernet.  I said no and Mike poured one up.  He told me it is reasonable and since it was not $12.00 per glass, I accepted it to start my wine high.

Towards the end of my first glass, I asked to see the appetizers and I saw a cheese platter listed.  Great, some cheese, crackers, and fruit to offset the alcohol so I can handle the drive home.  "Mike, give me another."  The platter came and it was like my high school chem. teacher, Kathleen McBrair, well proportioned and smelled delicious.  The Buffalo mozzarella and Jersey tomatoes were outstanding and the smoked English what-the-f#@% was even better.  Void from the platter was any bread or bread-based complement and the fruit was a small cluster of moth gonads (actually they were champagne grapes).  Glass two went well and I thought about a third.  Reality being less fun than fantasy, I needed to catch up on sleep and be fresh for an early morning meeting.  “Mike, ring me out.”  I said and Mike punched several keys to make a paper stub spew out of a printer on top of the wine cooler.  “That will be $37.75” What, the F%#^?  I had two glasses of a cheap wine from Australia and a few slices of cheese.  You've got to be kidding me.

I actually am thinking that Bacchus is working their way out of my budget.  It seems every time I go in there, the price of their wine by the glass hits a new high.  Kiss me before you give it to me.  Talk nicely, give me a handy.  The thing they keep forgetting is that they are not on the waterfront in Hoboken, overlooking lower Manhattan.  They are on a main road overlooking a main road, just down the street from a main road.   When is enough enough and what power besides not going in there anymore do I have?  OK, so I will not go in there anymore, unless Wino John is flashing his Iridium American Express card.  Yes, WJ is so wealthy, he is the only one in NJ that has a Iridium Am Ex.  That is two levels higher than black.  Being a techno dweeb must pay really well.

2002 Ring Bolt Cabernet Sauvignon $ (13.99)   This cab from down under is OK, but lacks the character and packed fruit I enjoy.  An easy drinking cab appeals to a wide variety of drunken patrons.   

November 3, 2004

It was a long night as I sat glued to the TV. Not wanting to be too upbeat, I spent much of the time watching MSNBC and the left spin-doctors at the table.  Finally, at 3:45 AM, I could no longer keep my eyes open.  I nodded off, not knowing what the ultimate outcome would be.  About 5:50 AM, my cell phone rang, it was the call I had been waiting for.  Without naming names, the person on the other end of the line said they had the internals to be confident that the numbers would hold and to thank us for the support from Winostuff.com.  The internals showed what power we added to process and how the site was a great late night diversion during some of the long hard months of work. Before hanging up, the one simple phrase was, "be humble, do not gloat."

I hit the end button and looked at the clock to see if I could steal a few more minutes of sleep before it was time to start the grind.  As I sat there on the couch, TV in the background showing the same numbers of Electoral votes from 3PM, I remembered the words that my Junior High School football coach said to us before our first game. “When you get in the end zone, act like you have been there before.”  These are words I have cherished ever since, so I have opted not to do the Wino Bob, Drunken “Stooper” dance.  No, I simply want to acknowledge a few people:

  • 527’s

  • George Soros

  • Moveon.org

  • America Coming Together

  • Harold Ickes

  • John Podesta

  • Lurch

  • Nancy Pelosi

  • Media Fund

  • NAACP

  • AFL-CIO and the Union Bosses

  • Air America

  • Al Franken

  • Michael Moore

  • Fahrenheit 9/11

  • Howard Dean

  • Al Sharpton

  • Jesse Jackson

  • Tom Daschal

  • Howard Stern

  • Don Imus

  • Cheryl Crow

  • Bruce Springsteen

  • John Bon Jovi

  • John Stewart and the Daily Show

  • Dan Rather

  • 60 Minutes

  • 60 Minutes II

  • Bill Clinton

  • Hillary Rodham Clinton

  • France

  • Germany

  • Russia

  • Bob Schrum- 0-8

  • Joe Lockhardt

  • National Guard documents

  • CBS

  • Viacom

  • ABC

  • NBC

  • CNN

  • MSNBC

  • Chris Matthews

  • Dee Dee Meyers

  • Ron Reagan Jr.

  • Ragen Books and the many Anti-Bush Titles

  • Terry McAuliff

  • DNC

  • Trial Lawyers and frivolous lawsuits

  • Teresa Heinz Kerry, her mouth and her Billions

  • The Fleeing Wounded farm boy Kerry shot in the back

  • Jim McGreevey

  • Jeff and Carolyn

Now, I am taking a break from the Wine and Politics page.  This election was too vitriolic and it really strained some relationships.  See you in the funny papers….

November 1, 2004

Holy crap Marie, November 1st, the landscape is painted with a variety of reds, and yellows and oranges as the trees prepare for the long winter ahead.  Tomorrow, this two year, bloody battle will finally be over and we can move on.  I actually turned off the political shows yesterday.  I am super saturated and at this point, I do not believe there can be an undecided voter in the world, never mind America.  No matter the outcome, we need to move forward.  The interesting thing will be if this year, the pollsters have met their death nail. Reading any newspaper, you can find a poll that supports every scenario imaginable.  Five point lead for Bush, four point lead for Kerry, Bush losing Ohio, but picking up Hawaii, Wisconsin and Colorado.  New Jersey dead even.  Artists and entertainers pushing their cache behind a candidate; and tomorrow we will finally know what it all means.

Actually, I feel it useless to talk politics at this point.  I am not going to change your mind and you are not going to change mine.  Anyway, here is something upon which I can write.  Saturday was the date we finally settled on to have dinner at Wino Jim and Winette Maggie’s place.  As I promised them, they cooked and I would do a small amount of Wino 101.  Dragging out the materials I prepared for Winette Alice’s tasting over the summer, I packed three wines, flip chart and pointer into the back of the Explorer and headed out.

Our hosts served up a platter of appetizers and we sat in the den, near the fireplace and held class.  It was a fun, interactive session with a good amount of digging into the issues.  WM & WJ were really into it and could not wait for the actual tasting to begin.  They are strong California cab fans so my interest was to expose them to other varietals to tempt their palates.  I brought along a Pinot Noir, a Zinfandel and a Shiraz/Mourvedre blend.  During each wine, we took time pedantically scrutinizing the S’s.

  • Sight

  • Swirl

  • Sniff

  • Sip

  • Savor