Washington State Syrah

Washington State on the west coast of the U.S. is a very prolific winegrowing region with over 850 wineries. Only California makes more wine in America. They do a great job with French varietals and Bordeaux-style blends are wonderful. However, if I had to pick one wine or varietal that is their forté, it would have to be Syrah. This varietal does extremely well and is very reminiscent of France’s northern Rhone in style. Definitely an “Old World” version! Earthy, peppery, dark fruited, firm, well-structured and age-worthy samples are delightful. Great with grilled or roasted red meat, game and aged cheese! So if you’re looking to try one wine that epitomizes Washington State, make it a Syrah. It’s a real showstopper.

Central Virginia Wine Country

There are around 275 wineries in Virginia and the central part of the state has some great ones. Here, the Blue Ridge Mountains play a huge part in this region’s terroir, especially in the Monticello and Shenandoah Valley viticultural areas. Here, it’s a bit warmer than further north in the state and it benefits from a longer growing season. Humidity overall is substantial making grape growing challenging resulting in an overall shortage of fruit and slightly higher pricing for the wines. If you’re looking for “New World”, California-type vinos here, you’ll be sadly disappointed. Styles definitely tend to lean to the “Old World” with great expressions of their terroir and understated oak-treatment. It’s well worth a visit.

Wine Labels

Many folks buy wine by what the label looks like, regardless of the contents. Of course labeling laws dictate exactly what information has to be displayed on a wine bottle. Beyond that, it’s all about art. Some labels depict floral, rural or animal subjects while others prefer historical figures, events, venues or acts. Some of my favourite labels are mystical, fantasy and humour-inspired. These add a touch of whimsy to a package and can imply many things about what’s inside. The truth of the matter is wine sales are often affected by label design, so a poor one can negatively affect a product’s movement. Therefore, creating one that is both eye-catching and informative is extremely important.

Wine-by-the-Glass

Most restaurants offer “wine-by-the-glass”. In other words, instead of ordering a bottle you can order a glass of a specific wine. The concept is a great idea, as it allows consumers to sample different wines without having to buy a whole bottle. It’s a great educational tool as well exposing the taster to wines from different countries and regions at a minimal cost. Certain eateries will highlight a specific, different wine each week at a special price. You can tell which restaurants are really wine savy as they generally have a large selection to choose from, while others have but a token few. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, it allows the patron to enjoy some wine with dinner without feeling they have to drink a whole bottle.

Corkscrews

Corkscrews come in many shapes and styles. A good one is easy to use and only the point of the screw is sharp so it won’t shred the cork. Short of automatic corkscrews that run on batteries, there are numerous manual options. The “butterfly” has wings that you pull down on to do the job. The “boxwood reverse” utilizes a handle you turn to screw the cork out. A better variation on it is the “screwpull”. The old-fashioned “T-bar” relies on brute strength to extract a cork. Possibly the best and most reliable is the “lever” or “waiter’s helper” which uses leverage to get the sucker out. There’s also the “Ah-so” which has two steel blades, one longer than the other. Inserted down the sides of the cork, it removes it with a twisting pull.

Wine Storage Cabinets

If you live in an apartment or space is an issue and you want to store and age wines at home, wine storage cabinets are the answer. These fridge-like units that run on electricity simulate perfect storage and cellar conditions including temperature, humidity and vibration. They come in different sizes that will store up to hundreds of bottles. I always recommend to folks who are considering buying one of these that whatever size they are looking at, double the size and buy it instead. Almost everyone who invests in one of these gets so into stocking it that in no time they have filled it and wish they had purchased one with a larger capacity. They really are a great alternative to having an actual wine cellar in your home.

The Heartbreak Grape

Pinot Noir is known as “The Heartbreak Grape”. For winemakers, it’s hard on the soil, young vines don’t produce decent wine, clonal selection is extremely important, it’s rarely consistent in character and is overall expensive to produce. It’s equally hard on consumers. When great, it can be a revelation, but far too often it ends up being mediocre and costing a pretty penny. Probably the most consistent in quality regions is Burgundy, France. Other smaller areas within Oregon, New Zealand, California, South Africa, Ontario and British Columbia, to name a few, do a favourable job. Unfortunately, once you’ve been bitten by the Pinot bug, you can spend a lot of time and money searching for good ones