Dr Vino's wine blog

I’m always on the quest for wine bargains. Sure, Napa cabs can be great but they’re often expensive. Ditto many Burgundies. We need a wine for Sunday – Thursday.

Behold Colonia Las Liebres (Rabbit Colony), our current house red. I bought a bottle for $8 and thought it was remarkably decent. Then I hunted on the web and found it for $5 a PJ Wine (map it) in Manhattan. But wait, it gets better: there’s a case discount that brings it to $4.49 a bottle or the insanely low price of $53.88 a case. I had two cases delivered yesterday. I figure that should get me through the end of February. Oh wait, that’s Wednesday. OK, maybe a little longer.

The wine is an unoaked, unfiltered bonarda from Mendoza, Argentina. It is an unbelievable value. It has some bright purple fruit balanced against pleasant acidity and easy tannins. It’s gulpable. It’s now my official burrito wine but I’ve had it with pasta and would love to try it with barbeque. Is it a little bit rustic? Try it and let me know your thoughts…It’s made by Marco de Grazia et al. at Altos de las Hormigas in Argentinta (Michael Skurnik, importer). Scoop up as much as you plan to consume between now and July. And say adios to Two Buck Chuck.

(note: the 06 label has the same image but with a white background)

tags: wine | value wine

The plot thickens! First, $500,000 of rare Bordeaux goes missing from a restaurant in Sweden last August. “Only 600 bottles of the best wine were stolen. They did not take any of the cheaper wines. They were real professionals,” Lars Fagerlund, restaurant manager, told decanter.com.

Then in late December, the “big wine caper” took place in the well-heeled enclave of Atherton, California. Thieves cracked the electronic code and stole 450 super-premium bottles of wine. The New York Times wrote that “There was no sign of forced entry, indicating the possibility of an inside job…The perpetrator had a discerning palate, leaving behind lesser vintages. The average bottle stolen was reported to be worth $222.”

Now news is coming out of Bordeaux of yet another heist. “Over €600,000 of first growth and other top Bordeaux wines have been stolen from one of France’s oldest negociant houses in a heist which bears all the hallmarks of an inside job,” reports decanter.com.

Wow, international intrigue, precious wine, savvy thieves–someone had better alert a screen writer and Catherine Zeta-Jones! THIS is the wine screenplay they have been waiting for! (Sorry, Russell Crowe)

tags: wine | wine collecting

In case you missed Tony Boudain’s hilarious rant against the Food Network, it has been making its way around “the internets.” New York magazine got into the action, rushing to the defense of the Food Network saying that Michael Ruhlman, who published the Bourdain rant on his blog, specializes in cheap shots. Ruhlman fired back calling NY Mag “wankers” and told them to buy his book. Good stuff. I can’t wait for the TV version to come out (though probably not on Food Network).

Now we get this sent to the Dr. Vino world headquarters from a trusted source with insider knowledge (emphasis added):

Interestingly, [the Bourdain critique] is not a big deal at the Network at all. They are a media company first and they try to appeal to the masses as much as possible. It’s part of the business model if you will and a byproduct of being available in over 90 million homes. As a side note, the fact that they’re in 90 million homes is why it is very unlikely to ever have a show on wine or even organic foods on the air. They don’t want to alienate any of the non-drinking viewers or preach to anyone about the wonders of organic foods, especially if they can’t afford the extra cost or find them easily. As an extension of that, the Network doesn’t necessarily want to alienate the “non-chef/home cook” too much either and that’s why they need people like Rachael Ray and Paula Deen. But… they also need the balance provided by a Mario Batali and Bobby Flay.

Wine alienates viewers?! Organics are offputting?! Call or write your cable or satellite channel, demand a wine network!

OTBN turns 8: Saturday Feb 24
It’s time to open that bottle this Saturday! John and Dottie told you to do it! Consider it a print-media equivalent of Wine Blogging Wednesday. [WSJ]

Le Guide, born anew
The annual Michelin guide to France has been released. Taillevent, a three-star resto for 34 years is out; Anne-Sophie Pic, 37 year old chef owner, is into the elite group [details on Bloomberg, along with a nice quote from Vrinat of Taillevent]

Wild Oats sown, harvested
Whole Foods Market (WFMI) is buying Wild Oats Market (OATS) for $565 million. Both chains sell wine–conventional, organic, and otherwise–where allowed by law. When I asked a Wild Oats rep in September when they would be bought by Whole Foods, she replied that it would never happen, citing different corporate cultures. “We’re Colorado, they’re Texas.” Drat, I should have bought the stock. [Bloomberg]

Terroir, reborn
“In the same way that fast food has made a market for slow food, industrial wines have made a market for real wines,” Nicolas Joly says. Biodynamic wines had a big tasting in LA last week. [SF Chron]

Wine X is dead! Long live Gen X!
WineX a XXX magazine (no, not THAT kind of XXX–that was their wine rating system) rolled over last week and succumbed. The editor blames the industry. Others blame the publication. See goodgrape for a roundup and further comentary. It certainly goes to show the high costs–and the fine line between editorial and publishing–of running a print magazine. Long live blogs that cost practically nothing to run and hardly make any money anyway!

Men, take a wine class!
“Almost one-in-four men try to impress friends or dates by pretending to be wine buffs, reveals a new survey. However, most risk being exposed as buffoons according to the poll, which found knowledge of the drink is low despite soaring popularity.” [lse.co.uk]

tags: wine | OTBN 8 | Michelin

This is the first in a periodic series on leaders and the wines they drink.

France has presidential elections in April and May (two rounds, like the best bar stops). Just where do the candidates stand on the important issues? Forget such trivial details as policy positions. What are their views on our single issue–wine?! Fortunately the current issue of La Revue du Vin de France has done the heavy lifting for us. Roll it:

Nicolas Sarkozy: Currently ahead in the polling, this candidate of the center-right might like French wine? WRONG! “He believes you cannot reconcile alcohol with frenetic activity,” the magazine reports. And in a photo published by the magazine of a sherry tasting in Spain, Sarkozy is seen raising a glass dourly.
Dr. Vino appoints this candidate to: rural town council

Segolene Royal: While working as an adviser to late president Francois Mitterrand in the 1980s, the other leading candidate “learned that eating and drinking were the two pillars of the French art de vivre.” WHAT?! Now 54, why did it take her til the 1980s to work this out?
Dr. Vino appoints this candidate: Senator

Domique Voynet: The Green Party candidate may not have a shot at landing in the Elysee Palace, but apparently she is the clear choice for wine lovers! “She can list dozens of good wines from the Jura region and not only organic ones,” the magazine said. Well, good for her!
Dr. Vino appoints this candidate: President

Francois Bayrou: Though hardly known outside of France, Bayrou gets the most improved wine lover award. The magazine reports that “though he started late his first experience was a special one.” Bayrou has told friends that his first big wine binge cured his stammer. Wow. What ailment can red wine NOT cure?!?
Dr. Vino appoints this candidate: Minister of Health

José Bové: This anti-globalization activist and declared candidate is not included in the RVF piece. But he sure ain’t drinking Chilean wine. I’d put him down for a rustic red from the Languedoc.
Dr. Vino appoints this candidate: governor of a breakaway province

Jean-Marie Le Pen: The spoiler in 2002, Le Pen has not yet officially entered the race. You’d expect him to keep it national. But deep down, he has a secret affinity for California cabs…. nay, Algerian wine… or, maybe even…FUEHRERWEIN!
Dr. Vino appoints this candidate to: exile to Tangiers

Source: RVF via Yahoo (sadly RVF doesn’t see the importance of web content)

tags: wine | france | french elections

Winners of the first-ever American Wine Blog Awards have been announced…and I am thrilled to learn that I have won in two categories!!! I couldn’t have done it without you, dear reader, since after the judges selected the finalists, it was up to a popular vote. So thank you for your votes in the final round!

My wife’s sister asked what would be the prize if I won. When I replied that it would be a 150 x 150 pixel image that I could put on my web site–there was silence on the other end of the phone.

But she didn’t hear about the award ceremony! I went out to Flushing Meadows this morning where I received the image/trophy. At right, you can see the crowds thronging in the background. And, oddly, I had to shave my head to accept the award.

More independent wine picks, wine commentary and other ways to fritter away your precious time will be coming your way in the next year on this site. So consider subscribing to the site feed if you haven’t done so already. And stay tuned to the site itself too since elves are currently hammering out a new look.

Thanks to Tom at Fermentation for organizing the awards and to the other excellent finalists and winners in the other categories. If for some reason you’ve stumbled on this posting by accident and don’t know our humble corner of the internet, you can take in the lay of the land over at wineblogwatch, which includes hundreds of wine blogs sorted by most recent update.

tags: wine | wine blogs

Luxuries such as caviar, foie gras, lobster and Kobe beef have earned Thomas Keller & Co. three Michelin stars and four stars from the New York Times for Per Se. Despite costing $250 per person (tip included), Per Se remains one of the most difficult tables to get in the New York restaurant scene. That’s probably because there are only 16 of them. Here are some tips to improve your chances of actually getting one.

Common sense:

• Reservations open 60 days in advance. Mark your calendar. Call. And call again. This is what speakerphone and redial are all about, people! 212.823.9335 or opentable.com
• Long shot: try calling within 48 hours in case of cancellations.
• The controversial service primtimetables might come through for you

Inside tips:

• Try lunch, especially a late lunch. Fri – Sun only.
• Bigger really is better: our tipster says that parties of four have double the chance of a party of two
• Get a room: specifically, the private dining room East for 8 – 10 people. It can be booked a year in advance.
• Roll the dice: show up at 9:30 especially Monday – Wednesday. Do NOT ask the hostess for a table. Go directly to the bar and order a cocktail each. After an appropriate moment, ask for the maitre d’. Say that you realize it is a long shot but you are really enjoying the atmosphere and have read so much about the restaurant and would love to try it. It may work. If not, you had a great cocktail before your falafel dinner from a street vendor.

Per Se web site

tags: food and drink | dining NYC | per se

OK which would you find the most shocking?

A) A teetotaler puts his name and image on a wine label
B) That teetotaler would give said wine to his underlings on his birthday
C) A 1943 “schwarzer tafelwein” could be sold at auction last week
D) That bottle sold for almost $8,000

In case none stood out and you answered all of the above, then you’re right! The bottle of 1943 Fuhrerwein bearing the image of known teetotaler Adolf Hitler was originally given to Nazi officers on the occasion of the dictator’s birthday. It was sold at Plymouth Auction Rooms in England last week for £3,995 (including the auctioneer’s commission). No word on who was the buyer.

Sources:
“Hitler wine fetches £3,995 – but don’t mention its taste” [thisislondon.co.uk]
“Hitler’s wine up for auction” [decanter.com]

tags: wine | Hitler | Nazi wine