tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65459917280239039632024-02-19T01:52:34.021-08:00Definitely StrawberriesS.P.Mulliganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912153549976483633noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6545991728023903963.post-55501671951885178012010-10-12T11:11:00.001-07:002010-10-23T17:23:18.684-07:00Battle of the Bubbles<div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEppAz4WAZhqtDd1lROhoZxG5Hc2f9VLrEauPe3owIQdsq618cOSPYnxYZaFnv7VVJqJfuKpMaF1RN7odmPkRCctonT7Q-_arzrJjOCGEzd7dAdjLTEGesMmnAy9jgf9oMbwmk1JzkZg_G/s1600/Champagne_map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEppAz4WAZhqtDd1lROhoZxG5Hc2f9VLrEauPe3owIQdsq618cOSPYnxYZaFnv7VVJqJfuKpMaF1RN7odmPkRCctonT7Q-_arzrJjOCGEzd7dAdjLTEGesMmnAy9jgf9oMbwmk1JzkZg_G/s200/Champagne_map.jpg" width="180" /></a>I get it. Champagne is a region in France. Your bubbly is not “Champagne” unless it was grown and bottled in the relatively tiny region of northeast France. As a result of this technicality, I find myself grimacing at least once every Christmas as my brother refuses to pass the delicious drink until I correctly call it “sparkling wine.” </div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">“There isn’t any Champagne,” he says.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">To which I reply:</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">“In that case, I’m sorry, but we don’t have any Kleenex in the house, just lots of tissue paper. There’s some in the bathroom right next to the cotton swabs for ear fiddling. And we don't have any Diet Coke, only Rite Aid brand Diet Soda.” And so on and so forth.</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">As you know, my brother is correct. Champagne comes from Champagne, France. Legend has it that the famous Benedictine monk, Dom Perignon, invented it; however most wine historians agree that Masseur Perignon spent much of his life trying to figure our how to eradicate the then-accidental bubbles. The first sparkling wines to come from Champagne were intended to be still wines. It was the <a href="http://www.suite101.com/content/a-very-brief-history-of-champagne-a191871">Brits</a> who, as early as 1662, first started introducing sugars to their finished wine for the intended effect of creating additional carbon dioxide bubbles.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Champagne proper is generally made from a blend of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes. <i>Blanc de noirs</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> – which we sample tonight - are made from all or predominately Pinot Noir grapes. </span><i>Blanc de blancs </i><span style="font-style: normal;">come from entirely Chardonnay grapes. The most common classificaiton of sparkling wine, available anywhere from your local Rite Aid to Europe’s most prestigious cellars, is the </span><i>Brut </i><span style="font-style: normal;">label. The differing </span><i>Brut</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> designations refer to the amount in sugar in the bubbly which dictates its sweetness level:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New';"><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><i>Brut Natural</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"> or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><i>Brut Zéro</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"> (less than 3 grams of sugar per liter)</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><i>Extra Brut</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"> (less than 6 grams of sugar per liter)</span></li>
<li><i>Brut</i> (less than 12 grams of sugar per liter)</li>
<li><i>Demi sec</i> (highest level of sugar)</li>
</ul><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.2in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.3in;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b><u>Onto the Test</u></b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ud-TIWrvTBVXmNxq4Np2s1zQrjoU0TeAwcpUgftropmZDo2d-7vhsVFMdqd-CR5y6CWjkc28XpkDRVJJU_2OYx29RDT4adqJihB7QGD7F2cDKf-Lts5773Vd7TqBj8Exhoe0b_ZPeiE/s1600/Mailly+champagne+grand+cru+blanc+de+noirs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ud-TIWrvTBVXmNxq4Np2s1zQrjoU0TeAwcpUgftropmZDo2d-7vhsVFMdqd-CR5y6CWjkc28XpkDRVJJU_2OYx29RDT4adqJihB7QGD7F2cDKf-Lts5773Vd7TqBj8Exhoe0b_ZPeiE/s320/Mailly+champagne+grand+cru+blanc+de+noirs.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="88" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdtwSeekOE7zLErmXzqytKfqPhLssZqvlGIA_8rFQD1zd3NRKESw-c6i3qchrLxVKRBrpTT0ZcJQJLqC30y1xbeyvfsVKzjk9etQcwNPNxn1EvxlBALBT3KGxKvFq-PfWlJLyXYKbwCc/s1600/bottle-140x365-cropped.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXdtwSeekOE7zLErmXzqytKfqPhLssZqvlGIA_8rFQD1zd3NRKESw-c6i3qchrLxVKRBrpTT0ZcJQJLqC30y1xbeyvfsVKzjk9etQcwNPNxn1EvxlBALBT3KGxKvFq-PfWlJLyXYKbwCc/s320/bottle-140x365-cropped.png" style="cursor: move;" width="122" /></a>Tonight we test two “relatively similar” sparkling wines: a <a href="http://www.champagne-mailly.com/en/pdf/blanc_de_noirs_en.pdf">Mailly Grand Cru </a><i>Blanc De Noir </i><span style="font-style: normal;">and a <a href="http://www.chandon.com/sparkling-wines/classic/blanc-de-noirs.html">Domaine Chandon </a></span><i>Blanc de Noir</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. Both are nonvintage, meaning they were not harvested in a single year, and both are </span><i>blanc de noirs</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. The Mailly hails from Champagne. The Domaine Chandon, from California. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">There was no discernable difference in the nose of either. In fact, I found it hard to pin down any real characteristics of their aromas. Their colors were similar as well: a black cherry and golden hue. The Chandon<i> </i><span style="font-style: normal;">was slightly darker, I suspect in part due to the fact that it</span><i> </i><span style="font-style: normal;">includes a small amount of the darker Pinot Meunier grapes while the Mailly was 100% Pinot Noir. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Unlike the nose, the difference in taste between these two was certain. This particular Champagne was much better than this particular California sparkling wine. While the Mailly was smooth and earthy, the Chandon was harsh in comparison. It tasted sharp and steely following the Mailly. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Another common point of comparison for sparking wines is the quantity and quality of the bubbles. A large number of fine bubbles can be the hallmark of a great sparkling wine. The more your wine has big bubbles like a lemon-lime soda (don’t call it Sprite), the less likely it is to be noteworthy. In this case, there was a slightly discernable difference in the bubble comparison. As you can see from the photo below, the Champagne (on the left) was superior in the amount, although perhaps not the size of, the bubbles. </div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b>Conclusion: </b>Champagne won this battle of the regions.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQycgq3bIUVqrLgXmgqQQI8TEQqOSQPLySNt7UjEMxVObN4f-iV__dBQ5If8IaiOB7u5KV9yWFxJY7CewxElSfot6gkz3vwrROVRwjUzlglmc3yR_2EpnvfmnI9pdKDFRgvk4fNbkHpI/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrQycgq3bIUVqrLgXmgqQQI8TEQqOSQPLySNt7UjEMxVObN4f-iV__dBQ5If8IaiOB7u5KV9yWFxJY7CewxElSfot6gkz3vwrROVRwjUzlglmc3yR_2EpnvfmnI9pdKDFRgvk4fNbkHpI/s200/photo.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="150" /></a><b>Full disclosure on this comparison</b><span style="font-weight: normal;">: the Mailly Champagne retails for more than twice as much as the Chandon. Their price points are not even close. Moreover, the Mailly comes from the acclaimed Champagne region. It is, in fact, a <i>grand cru</i></span>. The French word <i>cru</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> meaning “growth place,” a </span><i>grand cru</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> comes from a patch of land within a region that is known to be spectacular. So, even within the world-renowned Champagne region, the Mailley G</span><i>rand Cru </i><span style="font-style: normal;">has a special reputation and designation. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;">The Chandon, on the other hand, is simply from “California.”</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">That being said, the Chandon <i>Blanc De Noir </i><span style="font-style: normal;">is no slouch. In fact, it’s the sparkling wine of choice at <a href="http://www.chandon.com/sparkling-wines/classic/blanc-de-noirs.html">White House receptions</a> and also my wedding. It’s also my wife’s favorite for the price. But, in the end of the day, both my wife and I were easily won over by this Champagne</span><span style="font-style: normal;">. It was a special treat, and well worth the cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 19px;"><b>Pass the California Champagne</b></span></span></div></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-bottom: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkbOrR_ySCdveZI0Yhf6xqc6J8_zS9cP72KW5a7-mW1h8pkRldLSWVUaWPBrXmbbyL9I2jnXaq1gYf122HM5WfpBK5_pM53o2p58Boy8i3XxGDUS4TZkeF-ig4yUxdieuC8gRnW0ZFtY/s1600/C-000242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrkbOrR_ySCdveZI0Yhf6xqc6J8_zS9cP72KW5a7-mW1h8pkRldLSWVUaWPBrXmbbyL9I2jnXaq1gYf122HM5WfpBK5_pM53o2p58Boy8i3XxGDUS4TZkeF-ig4yUxdieuC8gRnW0ZFtY/s200/C-000242.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">The French had their priorities straight at Versailles.</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Use of the word “Champagne” is heavily regulated. Most laws reserve the term exclusively for sparkling wines from the Champagne region that are made in accordance with <span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comit%C3%A9_Interprofessionel_du_Vin_de_Champagne"><span style="color: #2048a8; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-decoration: none;">Comité Interprofessionel du Vin de Champagne</span></a></span> regulations. The name has been protected in Europe since 1891, and France's rights to the term were reaffirmed in Treaty of Versailles. <o:p></o:p></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">While many other countries including Canada and Australia limit the use of the name "Champagne" to those products produced in the French region, the United States is slightly more liberal. While the term is banned on <i>new </i><span style="font-style: normal;">US produced wines, those companies that had approval to use the name before 2006 <a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/26/5388.html">can continue to call their sparkling wines Champagne</a> so long as the term is followed by the wine’s true locality. Hence, the $6 Korbel I purchased from Safeway last New Year’s Eve is, according to law, actual Champagne. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;">Take that Frenchies! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLcGBFuvQHQgLOjGLZQSuotYFej8pFhY36p84yFvQQ_v-7nzUlcDlqzTQWBr1ElforV-aDfIXtMWh99vIUZot-ncEj59WKAiFwstptyhAbC8o_MEXie54GdMMY9F_KqP0Srb8lP5_flY/s1600/korbel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQLcGBFuvQHQgLOjGLZQSuotYFej8pFhY36p84yFvQQ_v-7nzUlcDlqzTQWBr1ElforV-aDfIXtMWh99vIUZot-ncEj59WKAiFwstptyhAbC8o_MEXie54GdMMY9F_KqP0Srb8lP5_flY/s200/korbel.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"></div>S.P.Mulliganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912153549976483633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6545991728023903963.post-24153345451468397882010-10-05T07:08:00.000-07:002010-10-09T08:57:43.569-07:001 Wine, 3 Cups<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJReVFKs7tttnw5w_Vv0JmdPnKNfR6MunamvjE_5gDiCD10wK1MWRJSgZrXjLy7tz7WhLI97hocV_Oiog7YWiY7HCs1y4SIjOtRTVs_t7PjMb02sWF81PfnWUrwOHYLdlJsNbG3lZLsWXd/s1600/New+Image2.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="240" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJReVFKs7tttnw5w_Vv0JmdPnKNfR6MunamvjE_5gDiCD10wK1MWRJSgZrXjLy7tz7WhLI97hocV_Oiog7YWiY7HCs1y4SIjOtRTVs_t7PjMb02sWF81PfnWUrwOHYLdlJsNbG3lZLsWXd/s320/New+Image2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div> <br />
<a href="http://nymag.com/restaurants/articles/wine/essentials/stemware.htm">New York Magazine</a> says to try this experiment with a ten-dollar bottle of wine:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>Pour some into any old goblet and some into a proper tulip-shaped crystal Bordeaux glass. Taste. I guarantee you'll think you're drinking two different wines. </blockquote><blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The glass you choose has a tremendous impact on your enjoyment of wine. Even unremarkable wines taste more elegant and refined when served in suitable stemware. And the finest wines are all but wasted if you drink them out of coffee mugs. The acquisition of excellent stemware is the first step towards improving your in-home wine experience. </div></div></div></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> Tonight, we see if that's the case. With a <a href="http://www.avalonwinery.com/documents/2007AvalonNapawinenotes_000.pdf">basic $10 Cabernet Sauvignon </a>from my local grocery store, I sampled the inexpensive Cab in three very different glasses. </div></div><blockquote></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">#1: A Take Out Coffee Cup</div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">#2: Riedel "O" Collection - Pinot Noir / Nebbiolo Tumbler</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">#3: Riedel "Vitis" Cabernet Glass</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
Theoretically, your wine glass can change the entire experience of drinking wine. This is mostly true because of how the glass effects the ways in which the odors emanate and escape from the glass. That smell factor inevitably effects taste. Because the olfactory bulb in our brain is exponentially more discerning than our taste buds, we're told <b>"90 percent of what we call taste, is actually smell." </b></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tAAB2314uvf-863mQHrdhB9DdK4Yg5YXej6TrK2qIgoyPXD3bOyDHQmnxXM9t6y1D1QBlklK6PigzDtlmR97OzBwoZtDVZHY_zwiHC18hjbLPJaGUniOZsxtPpLJxUyntodpb06d0QRZ/s1600/clip_image002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4tAAB2314uvf-863mQHrdhB9DdK4Yg5YXej6TrK2qIgoyPXD3bOyDHQmnxXM9t6y1D1QBlklK6PigzDtlmR97OzBwoZtDVZHY_zwiHC18hjbLPJaGUniOZsxtPpLJxUyntodpb06d0QRZ/s200/clip_image002.jpg" width="150" /></a>Hence, the delicate flavors of pinot noir or red Burgandy are served in the widest stemware available (see a stemless version in #2) above. The thin and less perceptible aromas of these subtle wines need more surface area to react with the air and gather aromas. The bouquet collects on the bottom of the glass and is funneled to your nose at the narrow rim which is designed to leave little space for the aroma to escape. The shape is also said to direct the wine to the tip of your tongue. </div></div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Bordeaux style wines (Cabs, Merlots & bigger, richer reds) don't require the same level of interaction with the air. The tall, broad bowl of a Cabernet glass (see #3) directs the wine to the back of your mouth, which is better for fuller-bodied wines. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The other big factor to consider is heat and the warming of the wine. White wine glasses are usually small in order to prevent rapid warming in the glass. Technically, tumblers (like #2) are only supposed to be used for brandy because all other wines are not intended to be warmed by the holder's hand. I bought the tumbler style partly because they are inexpensive but mostly because there's less danger of it tipping over and shattering, a major concern if we're talking $50+ wine glasses. </div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">On to the experiment:</span></u></strong> </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3i1hMT0GERYSu21eUEy28IOxyKjpIV_Dg4av6h-7GvNSAET_SPMP4QOrJtIELxpAJxRtI15kxVR7CPWbAIyfkcfaroxa5Ov_hdkMmf84OBy8HJIcF9iTW30EeftAOFZFX9KDvrd5TLUCc/s1600/three+with+drinks2.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3i1hMT0GERYSu21eUEy28IOxyKjpIV_Dg4av6h-7GvNSAET_SPMP4QOrJtIELxpAJxRtI15kxVR7CPWbAIyfkcfaroxa5Ov_hdkMmf84OBy8HJIcF9iTW30EeftAOFZFX9KDvrd5TLUCc/s320/three+with+drinks2.GIF" width="240" /></a>I poured a small taste into to each glass and let it breath a bit. I then went through each glass, one by one, and took sips. After that, I made a little bit larger pour into each and went through them all all again. Pretty basic. I didn't bother doing a blind test as I would have been able to tell which glass was what when I picked it up and put it to my lips.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The coffee cup wine lost almost all its odor which definitely had an effect on the taste. It smelled like styrofoam only, and by the time it hit my lips it was almost devoid of taste. The pinot tumbler smell was entirely ruined by the fact that I put it through the dishwasher once several weeks earlier. It still reeked of dishwasher detergent. (fail.) The overall best experience was definitely with the tall, clean, Vitis glass designed for this type of wine. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I disconnected the smell from the sip, however, I didn't notice much difference between the pinot tumbler and Vitis Cabernet glass. This leads me to believe that when we are casually drinking wine or in public and not making the effort to smell before each sip, the shape probably does not make all that much difference. I certainly did not notice a discernible difference in terms of where the wine landed on my tongue. When we're taking the time to stick our nose in the glass, smell, sip, and thoroughly enjoy the wine, however, the shape likely makes a more dramatic difference because of its impact on the smell. </div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Conclusion 1:</strong> Don't wash your wine glass in the dishwasher. Doh!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Conclusion 2:</strong> Shape can make a difference for two reasons. The first is all of the science of stemware described above - the shape, the heat transference, the effect on the odor, etc. But the second and probably more important reason is the effect that having a tall, impressive crystal glass in your hand has on your approach toward the wine. If you have a respectable, expensive glass, you pay more attention to the wine, and are more likely to smell and allow your olfactory glands to fire up. Because the smell-related neurons in your brain are far more powerful and complex than your rudimentary taste buds, it heightens the experience and makes the wine taste better. I have to believe that this adds to that "rush of pleasure" I look for in wine drinking. </div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>Bonus Cup! - The Secret of Bad Church Wine</strong></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2KVKRQDGlq9M9kldCAV_NJo7uJ0gI6_tLcK4VJvVt5jChZzrx2qnQlZxpUVPW4oaRjaKGCdQuG0STXsAG1j0Kuuqkt71I51RIpV7EFyBqOSL9YB1O-R5PDdSUlP-VAuphhXmD481zmaN/s1600/chalis.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2KVKRQDGlq9M9kldCAV_NJo7uJ0gI6_tLcK4VJvVt5jChZzrx2qnQlZxpUVPW4oaRjaKGCdQuG0STXsAG1j0Kuuqkt71I51RIpV7EFyBqOSL9YB1O-R5PDdSUlP-VAuphhXmD481zmaN/s320/chalis.GIF" width="240" /></a>The day after running this little experiment, I went to a friend's house for a BBQ and brought with me a bottle of <a href="http://www.ninenorthwines.com/index.php?page=82">2006 Chasing Lions</a> Bordeaux style blend as a gift. We eventually opened the bottle and the host served it in the goblet pictured here. Strangely enough, this thick glass stemware altered the taste and experience of the wine even more than the styrofoam coffee cup or detergent-soaked tumbler of the night before. Knowing I would be writing this post, I was, of course, intrigued as to why. </div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When I first took a sip out of this glass, the wine was remarkably similar to the wine served at communionin Catholic Church. I am sure Father Vestbit, my childhood priest, did not serve Napa Valley Bordeaux-style blends at St. Stephen's every Sunday. Moreover, I had a bottle of this same wine, same vintage just a month earlier in my apartment, and it tasted great. </div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It turns out the lifeless feel of church wine and the altered and much degraded taste of this glass have everything to do with the shape and structure of the glass. As New York Magazine points out: </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A thin, properly shaped lip directs the flow of the wine into your mouth in such a way that the smooth stream touches the most sensitive areas of the tongue. A thick-rimmed glass, on the other hand, accentuates a wine's flaws, particularly harsh acidity and bitterness. Crystal has a rougher surface, on a microscopic level, than regular glass and therefore helps wine release its aromas as you drink. </div></div></blockquote><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The glass goblet from the BBQ was remarkably similar to the Communion glasses from church. Both were extremely thick with a large, awkward lip folding over the rim. This shape causes the drinker to wrap his or her lips over a large, folded edge of cold glass. It tastes and feels awkward and numbs the mouth a bit by the time the wine reaches your lips. On top of that, on a microscopic level, the wine glides over the smooth glass with less friction, releasing less aroma than in a crystal glass. </div></div></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Interesting, and I thought that crystal was just for the "ping!" when you toast. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQlgytnkBUXvKg-yFUNQkE4WK_siYczfvNqTqIymzp3eDR3SFk8AmiQ0-XMKBVPwYJ0TVjp8ZkZKlvajzxSEJ6ILfsyer6RgWuHIjj88lKsbqgmEysSDlpBB5Rhv46GsfFbXmokovDC5d/s1600/ChasingLions-Laled-edited.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: left; height: 174px; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 98px;"><img border="0" height="200" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHQlgytnkBUXvKg-yFUNQkE4WK_siYczfvNqTqIymzp3eDR3SFk8AmiQ0-XMKBVPwYJ0TVjp8ZkZKlvajzxSEJ6ILfsyer6RgWuHIjj88lKsbqgmEysSDlpBB5Rhv46GsfFbXmokovDC5d/s200/ChasingLions-Laled-edited.JPG" width="178" /></a></div>S.P.Mulliganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912153549976483633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6545991728023903963.post-48523024186498983732010-10-04T19:44:00.000-07:002010-10-09T09:03:18.185-07:00Free Wine!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Free Wine is part of the reason why I started this blog. Don't hold it against me.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgze5FRrFtArw-UPI19nSrH3uiWoIxGIVwBB1DPmlHF-4uTl1uVJmKNapLy6vuDX5-lEdNTBI0ZuM-FbGiODldx_ckRJIxL9sI2aYtAp3VoDcB2Qyp1EC1bHmWwfmF0LDpLn6e5f2JQvTV6/s1600/buy-wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgze5FRrFtArw-UPI19nSrH3uiWoIxGIVwBB1DPmlHF-4uTl1uVJmKNapLy6vuDX5-lEdNTBI0ZuM-FbGiODldx_ckRJIxL9sI2aYtAp3VoDcB2Qyp1EC1bHmWwfmF0LDpLn6e5f2JQvTV6/s200/buy-wine.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have a friend who works for the beverage distributor </span><a href="http://www.diageo.com/en-row/ourbrands/categories/Pages/Wines.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Diageo</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> - importer of Sterling, Rosenblum, Dom Perignon, and Moet & Chandon. Sadly, we did not get free wine from her. What we did get was an invitation to the employee wine sale every year. When that event came around each Fall, my wife and I took advantage and stockpiled our shelves with an amazing bargain case. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But when those cases came and went I found myself looking for some equally great wine for equally good prices. That's how I eventually came across the popular </span><a href="http://goodwineunder20.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good Wine Under $20 Blog</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">. A fellow blogspot site, </span><a href="http://goodwineunder20.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">goodwineunder20</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> has short informal reviews of one fellow's take on on assorted inexpensive wines. After checking out the site a couple times, I started noticing disclaimers on nearly every other review. The fine print read: "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Full Disclosure: I received these wines as samples."</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wait, what? </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This blogger gets wine delivered to his door for free? Just for writing a few paragraphs about a bottle here and there? That sounds like something I can get board with. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I initially thought, "If they're giving away wine to bloggers, I'm going to make a Best Wine Over $500 blog." After one look at our monthly budget, I abandoned that idea. To all my fellow winos out there, you should know: I've got you're interests at heart - free wine, as simple as that. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But of course, it's not all about free stuff. I'm not only a wino, I'm also a wine lover. I was married on June 12, 2010 in Napa Valley. I love it in wine country. Below is a shot from our reception at Christian Brothers, Mont La Salle on Mount Vedeer, one of the oldest vineyards in the valley. When not used for sacramental wine, their grapes are sold to Hess. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the end, I hope you'll detect my joy and passion. I also hope I'll get some free wine. </span><br />
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</div>S.P.Mulliganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912153549976483633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6545991728023903963.post-80311796750956978242010-09-26T17:26:00.000-07:002010-10-05T09:37:27.273-07:00An Introduction: Definitely Strawberries. Not the cheese...<div style="text-align: center;">Miles: “Mmm... a little citrus... maybe some strawberry, passionfruit... and, oh, there's just like the faintest soupçon of like asparagus and just a flutter of a, like a, nutty Edam cheese...”<br />
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Jack: “Wow. Strawberries, yeah! Definitely Strawberries. Not the cheese...”<br />
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It seems right that I'm writing my first post a bottle and half in hanging out on a Saturday night with my wife. I love just about everything about wine - the history, the tasting, and the getting tipsy before bed on worknights. I even love the occasional hangover when I give myself a free pass the next day to eat greasy food and lay around watching football and 80s movies all day. <br />
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The double edge sword when it comes to wine is that it is so complex. There is science, art, and business behind each bottle. It can take decades to become an expert and years to even understand what the guy behind the tasting bar is even talking about. Since wine is often intimidating and researching French grape varietals and old world regions on wikipedia just isn't as fun as drinking it, I decided to dedicate a blog to experimenting and identifying what makes wine great. This blog is about "hands on" experience. Learning by doing. <br />
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Each week we will conduct a different experiment in wine drinking. There as many opinions about wine as politics, and this blog seeks to expose what makes a difference in wine drinking and what is a pure pretentious waste of money. Varietals, regions, fancy glasses, decanting, and food pairing are all explored weekly. <br />
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This blog is also about education.<br />
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I am a novice. My love for wine is not not matched by my knowledge, and, as I educate myself, I hope to pass that knowledge onto you. If you’ve ever gone wine tasting, you may have realized how difficult it is to be even begin to learn about wine making and appreciation. We hope that this will be a good place to start.<br />
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Your Hosts, <br />
Katrina and Steve Mulligan<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfYNMBFTL55kKf60p2Ivu6tdao5VelztcJVwdPrQRNpLIfy9rYRkRxTi8R2maNvC4Zkou_9rpY9jRjwgiG7hiLVOKWlT8mPTRQikYX7nnhM552ujUJzjPbfBDhj4iAOmV4Kh9c2Q-fa0j/s1600/KatrinaSteve_moments_0515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggfYNMBFTL55kKf60p2Ivu6tdao5VelztcJVwdPrQRNpLIfy9rYRkRxTi8R2maNvC4Zkou_9rpY9jRjwgiG7hiLVOKWlT8mPTRQikYX7nnhM552ujUJzjPbfBDhj4iAOmV4Kh9c2Q-fa0j/s200/KatrinaSteve_moments_0515.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>S.P.Mulliganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912153549976483633noreply@blogger.com0