Summing Up 2015 Wine News

December 30, 2015itswinebyme

I was very excited to pop in and write up a post about the biggest wine stories of the year. You know, all the updates to the Rudy Kurniawan fraud case, the designation of Burgundy and Champagne as World Heritage sites, the sale of Meiomi to Constellation for $315 million (while Kendall Jackson Family Wines bought up Siduri), and quite a few more, including the drought-fueled 2015 California Harvest.

But then I listened to the most recent episode of GuildSomm’s podcast. Bay Grape’s Stevie Stacionis (who I met very briefly while visiting her store), Delectable’s Julia Weinberg (who I had a fun phone conversation with earlier this year) and Massican’s Dan Petroski (who I’ve never met, but he’s a friend of some friends – I think) had a 50-minute conversation with Master Sommelier Geoff Kruth.

Not only did they mention nearly EVERYTHING I wanted to write about – they include a few more and are fun to listen to!

So, go… go now… and listen to their 2015 Year in Review.

Twenty-fifteen was an important year in my wine growth, so I’ll come back later to recap that. In the meantime, cheers to a fabulous 2016 filled with exciting news, fun new trends to follow and ever-flowing bottles of happiness!

This Wine Writing Business Is Getting Real!

December 21, 2015itswinebyme

When I started this tumblr 18 months ago, it was an experiment. A place for personal writing, and a home to share interesting wine stories or pass along some thoughts that were longer than 140 characters. It was also a place I could geek out on wine and not bore my non-wine-interested followers on other social media platforms.

I didn’t know where this would take me, nor do I know now my exact destination. But writing here flooded me with confidence and sparked the creative juice that had been buried deep inside me after spending so many years focused on daily and investigative hard news. It reminded me how much I enjoyed getting lost in my own words (rather than helping someone else shine). It introduced me to new friends and new experiences. It gave me an outlet to learn. And also, a place to brag. Most importantly, it’s forced me to look deeper into my passion.

I’ve written before how understanding wine is a journey for me. There’s not one aha moment or a single bottle of wine, but it’s essentially a series of small experiences that keep building upon each other.

So, I’m beyond thrilled and over the moon to share that another step in that journey is about to take place.

Last week I was notified that I was accepted to attend The Symposium for Professional Wine Writers at Meadowood Napa Valley. This year’s event is slightly different than the previous 11 years. The only way to attend is to be awarded a fellowship or be an “editor’s choice” from an existing wine or travel publication. So I submitted an application for a fellowship. That included professional writing samples (although I also included a few items from this site, since my professional writing on wine is still very new), letters of recommendations and a cover letter that I took particular care in writing to convince the judges I’d be a perfect participant (I’m not sure how much wine they were drinking when they read everything, but it worked!).

This means that for four days in February, I’ll get to interact with, learn from and discuss everything wine with titans of the wine writing world, as well as meet more folks in the wine industry. It will also be an opportunity to meet other participants – who like me – share this passion. (They haven’t published a list of the participants yet, but the speaker list is beyond impressive!) Panels will take place at both Meadowood – a gorgeous resort in St. Helena – and the Culinary Institute of America. As a fellow, all expenses (except travel to Napa and a few of the meals) are paid. I’m beyond honored and humbled by this opportunity.

It’s funny, about a year ago I followed tweets from the 2015 symposium, and fidgeted in my seat at work because I really wanted to be a part of it – and now that’s happening. It’s a fabulous reminder that anything you want is in reach if you keep focusing on what makes you happy.

Stay tuned in February, I’ll be sure to come back with a complete report!

Cheers to a fabulous start of 2016!

An Evening Of Decadent Firsts

December 19, 2015October 8, 2017itswinebyme

Sometimes you just have to brag a little. And this past week, I had an evening worth bragging about. Some friends gathered after a holiday party for a feast at one of D.C.’s top restaurants. It’s taken me far too long to try this place and as Julia Roberts might tell a Rodeo Drive boutique salesgirl: Big Mistake. Big. Huge.

Here are four first-time experiences thanks to this special night out with friends:

1. Mintwood Place is everything you want it to be. A cozy but lively bistro with staff that smile and treat you like you’ve been coming in for years. And then the food arrives. And it’s perfect. While the main ingredient on each dish is elevated beyond what you would ever expect, it’s the small touches of flavor – from a dab of dressing on a creamy burrata nestled on crispy kale or a side dish of smashed fingerling potatoes that only appear ordinary – which steal your attention.

And while this should be enough for a wonderful evening, it was really just the backdrop for a table laced with legendary wines.

DRC wine — Not quite table wine: DRC and a next-door neighbor.

2. The stars were four bottles of Domaine Romanee Conti Echezeaux from 1989, 1993, 1994 and 2002 (to be exact, the ‘89 was a Grandes). A 1997 Louis Jadot Grands Echezeaux joined in as well. These were my first experiences with DRC, and while the mythical, magical, Angel-singing moment I’ve heard so much about may have been slightly exaggerated, a quiet calmness enveloped me as I sipped each one savoring the wines finesse and complexities. (For real tasting notes, look here.)

3. A 2004 Dom Perignon Rosé was poured soon after we were seated. There were other bottles of bubbles, all of which I hadn’t experienced before, but the Dom Rosé was different. With more body, fruit and refined explosiveness than other sparklers I’ve tried, it’s very tiny bubbles were hardly visible in my non-fluted wine glass.

Dom Perignon Rose — A beautiful bottle of bubbles.

4. The final splurge-worthy decadence I’ll write about here (but certainly not the last of the evening) was poured toward the end of the night, just prior to the popping of the dessert wines (which I politely passed on in favor of sipping another glass of the Dom). Given what was already served, I’m afraid this particular wine didn’t receive the attention it deserved. The waiter poured my glass out of the decanter and I took a few sips, but then let it sit. The dark brooding Syrah seemed like it had a lot to say, but it wasn’t talking yet. Or maybe my palate was too severely compromised. I put the glass down and walked away, only to come back to it a little while later in a quiet moment, while the others were swirling around the dining room and enjoying the effects of the evening. This time a glorious sense of earth emerged from “Stock,” a 2012 Sine Qua Non from California’s Central Coast. It’s the type of wine that deserves an evening unto itself.

I’m not sure what led to the pocketing of the SQN bottle, but I’m glad it was opened for us to enjoy and proof you can have fun with serious wines.

A New Kind of Wine Crush!

December 11, 2015itswinebyme

Here’s some wine porn you don’t see everyday! It’s even government sanctioned! That’s because the U.S. Marshal’s Office has released images from the day they demolished more than 500 bottles of wine from Rudy Kurniawan’s private collection. If you don’t know Rudy, he’s been all over the wine news for the past several years and was recently convicted in federal court for counterfeiting high-end wine (we’re talking bottles worth thousands of dollars/bottle). Fortunately, the bottles destroyed were deemed to be counterfeit or unsellablle by experts. So the government did what they had to: brought boxes, cases and pallets of bottles to a landfill in Creedmoor, Texas. They then let construction equipment do its best. Here are a few of the photos courtesy of the U.S. Marshals. You can view the full album here. (Also, thanks to Dr.Vino, where I first saw the news via twitter.)

(All photos courtesy of the Office of Public Affairs for the U.S. Marshals. See the entire album here. )

Here’s the official statement from the U.S. Marshals:

More than 500 bottles of wine found to be counterfeit or unsellable are destroyed at a landfill in Creedmoor, Texas, Dec. 10, 2015. The wine was from the private collection of Rudy Kurniawan, the man convicted of fraud in federal court in 2013 for producing and selling millions of dollars of counterfeit wine. The U.S. Marshals were responsible for destroying the counterfeit and unsellable wine and selling the authentic wine. At the destruction, the wine bottles are crushed by a crane, and the glass is collected for recycling on site. The liquid contents of the bottles are collected and composted. The cardboard and wood from the boxes and pallets are also recycled or composted.

The (Totally Fun, Not-At-All Stuffy) New Rules of Wine – Bon Appétit

Link December 1, 2015October 8, 2017itswinebyme

My Addendum To These “New Rules Of Wine”

Either my wine-media consumption behavior has become too trendy or the author of this serious-yet-still-whimsical listical from Bon Appétit has been spying on my wine life! (I’m hoping it’s the latter).

I struggle with wanting to become a cheerleader for what Belle Cushing curated and putting on a cynical hat so I can make some dashingly intelligent comments that show I’m too-cool for mainstream wine media. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m not very cool.

But I can’t just post this story without comment, so here are some extra thoughts on a few of the “rules” contained in this piece. (For a better UX, open the story in a separate window, and read it side-by-side next to this post). I hope it’s helpful!

1. Choose your wine

Can’t dispute this choice at all! And super excited to see Bay Grape mentioned (and here I thought this was my own little discovery back in October). But there’s NEWS hidden here… Delectable, the social media darling of the wine world, is introducing a new app?! Maybe this explains why the app – which had started producing some really fun original content to help recommend new wines – stopped adding new editorial features. Eager to see what’s next for the company.

2. Drop These Names

While it’s a bit controversial at times, I wouldn’t be afraid to add IPOB (In Pursuit of Balance) to that list. The lighter-style Pinots and Chardonnays from California are always a treat.

3. Why Natural Wine Is Important

To get a better sense of who Pascaline Lepeltier is and why I’m happy she was quoted, read Pascaline’s piece that was just published in The World of Fine Wine. But I’d also highly suggest getting your hands on Alice Feiring’s book, Naked Wine, to really understand the Natural Wine movement.

4. Ask for the Loire Valley.

Funny how the author quotes Pascaline (who is known for her love and knowledge of Chenin Blanc), but makes no mention of the grape in this section. That’s OK. I enjoy Chinons, too. But Chenin Blanc is a Loire staple and is worth a taste or three (even if it’s non-Loire bottles like some newer wines made here in the U.S. )

5. Take a Trip to Georgia

For more about the country’s ancient clay barrels used to make their wine, take a look at NPR’s story from June. Or better yet, go sit at the bar at Compass Rose in Washington, D.C.,and taste some of them!

7. Head of the Glass

I take my sipping vessels seriously, so it was fun to see how glasses have evolved. There’s debate on whether the glass makes a difference (I’m in the camp that it does), but at the very least, it usually adds to the enjoyment. Even if your vessel is a little esoteric.

10. Memorize the New Importers.

I’m still learning the importers, but already I’m a big fan of Jenny & Francois (they import one of my favorite Rhone wines), as well as Louis/Dressner, who both import natural wines. While not necessarily new, I’d make sure to add Weygandt when seeking out French wines, too.

12. Producer Trumps Vintage

Producer sometimes trumps terroir, too. There I said it. Don’t believe me? Take a look at this twitter exchange about David White’s recent column about introducing Burgundy to his friends. I discovered something similar while tasting my way through some Cru Beaujolais.

13. Less is More

See IPOB recommendation from #2.

15. Collect Wine Like You Mean It.

Just want to stress the fourth principle: buy multiple bottles so you can taste it along the way. What fun is aging wine if you can’t learn and understand how the wine evolves over the years?

17. Read All About It.

So many good blogs and books to suggest. These scratch a good surface, but if you’re just getting into the wine scene, Wine Folly’s new book is another great reference guide.

18. Go Long on Beaujolais.

I certainly can’t argue with this – especially after I spent a Saturday attempting to demystify the crus.

19. Status Worth Seeking

Wine bar owner and sommelier Aldo Sohm is exactly right. Even more so if you don’t live in California or New York. Some of my favorite wines: Dirty & Rowdy, Enfield, Jolie Laide and Sandlands all have very reasonable price points (some a little higher than the $30 he mentions, but still very much worth the money for the quality). But because they make such a limited quantity, allocations are extremely tight.

Read the full story here:
The (Totally Fun, Not-At-All Stuffy) New Rules of Wine – Bon Appétit

‘There’s Always a Ton More To Know’

Quote December 1, 2015October 8, 2017itswinebyme

I know that no matter how much I know, there’s always a ton more to know and the second I know it, it’s probably going to change. And so there’s always something to keep you engaged and excited about that, and when you realize that, that is the most powerful part of all of it. … Wine is ever changing, it’s expanding, it’s growing, it’s getting bigger, deeper, it’s just a very dynamic industry and to me that’s the piece that keeps it exciting and keeps it so interesting.

That’s Andrew McNamara, director of Fine Wine for Premier Beverage in Florida and the Chairman of the Court of Master Sommeliers, Americas, as told to Levi Dalton in “I’ll Drink To That! Episode 317.”

I can’t stress enough how much wine is an intellectual pursuit for me, more than anything else. One of my wine mantras from day one has always been: The more you learn about wine, the less you actually know.

I know I’m not alone in that thinking as many of my wine friends say the same thing.

But it’s still comforting to hear that a leader of one of the premier wine education institutions is also passionate about wine for that very reason.