We have a lot of breakthrough plans for 2011 and looking forward to sharing with our customers all that wine country has to offer. Including, but not limited to, featured wines, events, winemaker profiles, tasting notes, touring, wine dinners, interviews, videos and unique offerings that you will not be able to find anywhere else.
We'll be introducing all of our new discoveries from 2010 shortly along with disclosing in-depth how we go about choosing all of our wonderful wines. In addition to the superb line-up of wines, we'll be showcasing certain appellations throughout the year as we focus more on 'terroir' of this fine landscape we get to enjoy everyday.
Excitement is abound for this year and we're happy to have you be a part of it. Stay tuned and we'll be bringing you these insightful happenings shortly.
Until the next sip, swirl ya' later...
Cheers,
James, Chief Wino
Friday, January 28, 2011
Friday, October 29, 2010
State of the Grapes for 2010
There seems to be one common word being used to describe the 2010 vintage by the local growers, vineyard managers, property managers, winemakers and most anyone closely associated with the wine industry - "CHALLENGING".
It has been the perfect storm of weather miscues that has led to many people scrambling to figure out what to do with the grapes still on the vine. And, we just got hit with another weather front of cold & rain that pretty much puts the proverbial "!" stamp on this year.
First we had the coolest summer in over 20 years (uhem, thanks to, uh, Global Warming...). Veraison was VERY late and led to some problems with unbalanced ripening. We had heat spikes at all the wrong times and at improper intervals. Then just not enough heat overall. With "harvest" running 3-4 weeks behind, all we could hope for was 'NO RAIN!' Then, in October...we've had three bouts of rain so far, two heavy, that really put the grapes in peril. Brix really never got to where they needed to be. This will equate in to a lower alcohol year...and that's necessarily a bad thing!
Many have been equating this to a "Bordeaux-style" year. That being said, I've talked to a lot winemakers that are actually excited at the prospect of making a leaner style of wine that will require all their skills. The talented producers have accepted the 'challenge' of the vintage and will still be making exceptional wines...just different than the typical California perfect weather season.
I was talking to an associate about this vintage and we've decided to review the wines down the road based on two key factors - those that picked BEFORE the rains and those that picked AFTER. We've made our notes on who did what/when and even have a few individual vineyards picked out that were picked at both intervals. It will very interesting to see who does what with this "challenging vintage".
All in all, good winemakers will still make good wines. Those that depend on the commercial gathering up of fully ripe grapes en-masse, will struggle. Overall yields will be low (a lot crop was dropped due to the conditions), but the quality could actually shine in certain respects with the grapes being on the vine for so long. Only time will tell. And, as most in the industry know, time is often so crucial and valuable because we will not know what this vintage will truly display until 2012 at the earliest...ahhh, the realities of the wine business.
Until the next sip, swirl ya' later!
James
Chief Wino
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Back to Local Wino Roots
For a long while now I have turned the Local Wino Whines blog in to more of a business forum for the Local Wino consumer site communicating the latest "news" about the site and customers. Although this seems appropriate and understandable from a business perspective, it is not what the blog was initially intended to do. Plus, it is kind of, well, BORING!
So, I am going back to the roots of why I created the blog in the first place; telling tales about being the 'Local Wino' about town and my experiences as I explore all of wine country and its great personalities. I want to share the 'day in the life' of being in the wine business and give the anecdotal personal insights being in the heart of one of the best wine regions in the world. There are so many fun. cool and exciting things to report on a weekly basis and I want to use this forum to spend the time on the more intriguing aspects of the wine industry.
In the coming weeks, I will be talking about what's happening now in wine country and keep things more relevant, along with being just downright more interesting and fun.
Until the next sip, swirl ya' later!
James
Chief Wino
So, I am going back to the roots of why I created the blog in the first place; telling tales about being the 'Local Wino' about town and my experiences as I explore all of wine country and its great personalities. I want to share the 'day in the life' of being in the wine business and give the anecdotal personal insights being in the heart of one of the best wine regions in the world. There are so many fun. cool and exciting things to report on a weekly basis and I want to use this forum to spend the time on the more intriguing aspects of the wine industry.
In the coming weeks, I will be talking about what's happening now in wine country and keep things more relevant, along with being just downright more interesting and fun.
Until the next sip, swirl ya' later!
James
Chief Wino
Monday, July 26, 2010
Local Wino's Value Proposition
It seems as though everywhere you look these days businesses are making great 'deals' on their goods and services to be "recession friendly" or resigning to the state of the economy. Even in my discussions with colleagues, friends and family, we often seem to end up talking about this subject. And, I'll be the first one to enjoy discovering a great value for a product or service at a better price. I regularly look at Restaurant.com to find discount certificates at local establishments and appreciate the value it presents. It's easy, quantifiable and makes an immediate impact on my pocketbook. You buy $25 certificates for $10 and $50 certificates for $20. No problem, I'll take two, three...!
However, when it comes to wine, it becomes an entirely subjective venture with everyone weighing in on the discussion from very wide angles. The challenge is that each person has their own deep rooted opinion about what a great value is and it is SO dependent on what you are comparing. Us groupies here in Napa/Sonoma wine industry are very skewed because we know more of the inside nuances of the business, have access to incredible local wines/winemakers events, and our palates are admittedly very spoiled. But, I still know where the good values are and understand EXACTLY what value means to me...and not opposed to the odd < $10 wine now and again. Many of my close family do not understand much of this unless they have been able to visit me in Napa to know the difference. So, is this lack of experience bliss? Are you better off not knowing the difference? I offer not. Let's explore...
1) What's the actual purpose? I'd much rather fully enjoy drinking an entire $25 bottle of wine than drink half of the $12 "special" deal that left my palate completely flat and/or the other half ended up down the sink (or left to vinegar several days later). Or, on that special occasion of having guests over, popping the $40-$45 bottle and sharing/savoring the experience completely with those that can appreciate the effort. I enjoy selective purposeful drinking these days.
2) Comparable varietals. It is completely unfair to say your $10 Malbec screaming deal from Argentina compares to the $30-$40 Cab from Napa or the delicate $12 Spanish Garnacha (Grenache) should be compared to a nice $35 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Not only the varietals worlds apart (literally), but the experience is not meant to be compared. It would be like saying your all-beef hot dog was so much better priced that the Angus Rib-eye steak...they're both beef and can taste OK, just made differently. At least keep it on the same playing ground when comparing varietals.
3) Wine scores...Ugh! Please see our view on Wine Scores online first. I hate this benchmark and I will give one example as to why. Let's take Chardonnay. If I see a 92 pt. rating on a random brand/label, what does that rating do to take in to account the style of Chardonnay I like? I do not care if it is rated 100 pts. if it is stylistically not what I prefer or does not consider what I may drink it with. For instance, I don't like any oak on my Chardonnay and a pure point scale does not take that in to account. Wine scores are a mediocre starting point at best.
4) Consider the occasion. If you're showing up to a large party where no one is going to notice the bottle you bring and/or it's more of a 'gulp-fest', no need to bring complex wines. Bring one of the 'quaffing' varietals like Grenache, Malbec, Rhone (GSM), or Zin/Primativo or inexpensive blends where you can easily keep the price under $15. However, in one-on-one or more intimate settings where everyone may be sitting around asking, "who brought what?" do your homework not to possibly embarrass yourself (too much). And, find out ahead of time what food if any is being served. Segue...
5) Will the wine be served/paired with food or a main course? This is more of personal item, but it is being paid more attention to of late. Especially if you do some reconnaissance and show up with a "prefect pairing" for the food you'll be the hero. The last thing you want to do is show up with a big complex Cab and find out that it is a lobster/seafood fest where you could have showed up with a nice Riesling or Chard for half the price. See our page on F&W pairings.
6) Do side-by-side or 'blind' tastings. Let your own palate be the judge. Nothing finally hits the message home (i.e. humbling) more than a blind tasting. And, I'm completely OK when the less expensive wines outperform the bigger labels. As long as it is compared as stated in #2 above. Also, keep the vintages within a year of each other as this can make a huge difference unless considering foreign wines. Again, it is not fair to throw a big juicy Zinfandel against a tannic 100% Cab...they serve two completely different purposes.
Lastly, just know that there are few absolutes with wine. One of my favorite winemaker's quotes when asked what kind of "good" wine do they recommend, he said, "A good wine is a wine that you enjoy regardless of price." My former wine teacher's philosophy was that EVERY wine has its occasion and you should not discount the vast selection of varietals/choices to go with each.
All of the wines at Local Wino combine the best overall quality-to-value ratio as we discover wines that normally compare to wines at sometimes twice the price. We specialize in the $20 - $50 category and offer specialty wines rarely found outside Napa. Give us a try...
So, until the next sip, swirl ya' later!
Cheers,
James
However, when it comes to wine, it becomes an entirely subjective venture with everyone weighing in on the discussion from very wide angles. The challenge is that each person has their own deep rooted opinion about what a great value is and it is SO dependent on what you are comparing. Us groupies here in Napa/Sonoma wine industry are very skewed because we know more of the inside nuances of the business, have access to incredible local wines/winemakers events, and our palates are admittedly very spoiled. But, I still know where the good values are and understand EXACTLY what value means to me...and not opposed to the odd < $10 wine now and again. Many of my close family do not understand much of this unless they have been able to visit me in Napa to know the difference. So, is this lack of experience bliss? Are you better off not knowing the difference? I offer not. Let's explore...
1) What's the actual purpose? I'd much rather fully enjoy drinking an entire $25 bottle of wine than drink half of the $12 "special" deal that left my palate completely flat and/or the other half ended up down the sink (or left to vinegar several days later). Or, on that special occasion of having guests over, popping the $40-$45 bottle and sharing/savoring the experience completely with those that can appreciate the effort. I enjoy selective purposeful drinking these days.
2) Comparable varietals. It is completely unfair to say your $10 Malbec screaming deal from Argentina compares to the $30-$40 Cab from Napa or the delicate $12 Spanish Garnacha (Grenache) should be compared to a nice $35 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. Not only the varietals worlds apart (literally), but the experience is not meant to be compared. It would be like saying your all-beef hot dog was so much better priced that the Angus Rib-eye steak...they're both beef and can taste OK, just made differently. At least keep it on the same playing ground when comparing varietals.
3) Wine scores...Ugh! Please see our view on Wine Scores online first. I hate this benchmark and I will give one example as to why. Let's take Chardonnay. If I see a 92 pt. rating on a random brand/label, what does that rating do to take in to account the style of Chardonnay I like? I do not care if it is rated 100 pts. if it is stylistically not what I prefer or does not consider what I may drink it with. For instance, I don't like any oak on my Chardonnay and a pure point scale does not take that in to account. Wine scores are a mediocre starting point at best.
4) Consider the occasion. If you're showing up to a large party where no one is going to notice the bottle you bring and/or it's more of a 'gulp-fest', no need to bring complex wines. Bring one of the 'quaffing' varietals like Grenache, Malbec, Rhone (GSM), or Zin/Primativo or inexpensive blends where you can easily keep the price under $15. However, in one-on-one or more intimate settings where everyone may be sitting around asking, "who brought what?" do your homework not to possibly embarrass yourself (too much). And, find out ahead of time what food if any is being served. Segue...
5) Will the wine be served/paired with food or a main course? This is more of personal item, but it is being paid more attention to of late. Especially if you do some reconnaissance and show up with a "prefect pairing" for the food you'll be the hero. The last thing you want to do is show up with a big complex Cab and find out that it is a lobster/seafood fest where you could have showed up with a nice Riesling or Chard for half the price. See our page on F&W pairings.
6) Do side-by-side or 'blind' tastings. Let your own palate be the judge. Nothing finally hits the message home (i.e. humbling) more than a blind tasting. And, I'm completely OK when the less expensive wines outperform the bigger labels. As long as it is compared as stated in #2 above. Also, keep the vintages within a year of each other as this can make a huge difference unless considering foreign wines. Again, it is not fair to throw a big juicy Zinfandel against a tannic 100% Cab...they serve two completely different purposes.
Lastly, just know that there are few absolutes with wine. One of my favorite winemaker's quotes when asked what kind of "good" wine do they recommend, he said, "A good wine is a wine that you enjoy regardless of price." My former wine teacher's philosophy was that EVERY wine has its occasion and you should not discount the vast selection of varietals/choices to go with each.
All of the wines at Local Wino combine the best overall quality-to-value ratio as we discover wines that normally compare to wines at sometimes twice the price. We specialize in the $20 - $50 category and offer specialty wines rarely found outside Napa. Give us a try...
So, until the next sip, swirl ya' later!
Cheers,
James
Thursday, June 24, 2010
New Features Introduced
Along with the new phenomenal 'value' lineup of wines, Local Wino has introduced a couple new features to enhance the full experience with our local expertise.
Wino IQ Question of the Day
In an effort to keep our customers both engaged and educated about wines of the world, you can now test your "Wino IQ" daily with our worldly wine questions. The question & answer email comes to you automatically ever day and features a new interesting 'tid-bit' about wine each time. Additionally, it will occasionally highlight certain special wine offers from the Local Wino partners. It's easy, fun, educational and there is no cost to register for this service and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Sign up here.
Wino Wednesday W.O.W.
Every Wednesday, we'll be featuring a new Wine of the Week (W.O.W.) with a special offering for one week only or until the small allocation sells out. These special offers are not only at a special price, but will offer wines that are unique, small production and limited allocation. Shipping is included withe the 3-bottle minimum purchase of these specialty wines.
See the current W.O.W.
Ultimate Wino Red Case
We did it again, only this time we've put together one the best overall value red cases of wine you could ever assemble in one place. Encompassing variety, specialty, exclusivit
y, and incredible quality to value, this 'Ultimate 12' red wine case will keep you well-stocked for any occasion. This is a "must have" to try a great diversity of specialty wines from the best wine country has to offer.
See the details here.
Wino REWARDS
Still in beta development, Wino REWARDS is presenting a platform where persons within the social media circles of wine can get rewarded for their efforts within this channel. By posting information about our wines, sending in reviews or videos, joining our forum, posting on your own forums or just talking about the "world of wine", you can accumulate 'Wino Points' to redeem for free Wino Merchandise or discount on wines directly from Local Wino.
Register here.
We hope to continue to bring you the best of wine country and there's much more to come.
Until the next sip, swirl ya' later!
Cheers,
Chief Wino
Wino IQ Question of the Day
In an effort to keep our customers both engaged and educated about wines of the world, you can now test your "Wino IQ" daily with our worldly wine questions. The question & answer email comes to you automatically ever day and features a new interesting 'tid-bit' about wine each time. Additionally, it will occasionally highlight certain special wine offers from the Local Wino partners. It's easy, fun, educational and there is no cost to register for this service and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Sign up here.
Wino Wednesday W.O.W.
Every Wednesday, we'll be featuring a new Wine of the Week (W.O.W.) with a special offering for one week only or until the small allocation sells out. These special offers are not only at a special price, but will offer wines that are unique, small production and limited allocation. Shipping is included withe the 3-bottle minimum purchase of these specialty wines.
See the current W.O.W.
Ultimate Wino Red Case
We did it again, only this time we've put together one the best overall value red cases of wine you could ever assemble in one place. Encompassing variety, specialty, exclusivit
y, and incredible quality to value, this 'Ultimate 12' red wine case will keep you well-stocked for any occasion. This is a "must have" to try a great diversity of specialty wines from the best wine country has to offer. See the details here.
Wino REWARDS
Still in beta development, Wino REWARDS is presenting a platform where persons within the social media circles of wine can get rewarded for their efforts within this channel. By posting information about our wines, sending in reviews or videos, joining our forum, posting on your own forums or just talking about the "world of wine", you can accumulate 'Wino Points' to redeem for free Wino Merchandise or discount on wines directly from Local Wino.
Register here.
We hope to continue to bring you the best of wine country and there's much more to come.
Until the next sip, swirl ya' later!
Cheers,
Chief Wino
Monday, June 14, 2010
Local Wino Announces New Premium Wines
'Best Of' Finalists Set
I guess diligence and determination DOES pay off...at least when it comes to selecting your 'Best Of' wines to debut online. This was no small task as we sifted through hundreds of wines in various categories to come about our final lineup. We also listened to several consumers as they tasted the wines in various environments and got some great feedback on all categories.
We chose these premium wines as the best representation within the following categories:
Sauvignon Blanc
- Astrale e Terra '08 (Napa - $22)
- Salvestrin '08 (St. Helena - $22)
Chardonnay
- Hill Family Estate 'Carly's Cuvee' '08 (Napa - $27)
- The Terraces '08 (Napa - $28)
- Sand Hill 'Durell' '07 - (Sonoma - $40)
Pinot Noir
- Bouchaine 'Gee' Vineyard '07 (Carneros/Napa - $45)
- Kindred Wines 'Amber Ridge' '07 (Russian River - $35)
- Sand Hill 'Durell' Vineyard '05 (Carneros/Sonoma - $50)
Zinfandel
- Titus '07 (Napa - $25)
- Fontanella '08 (Napa - $36)
- Teresina '07/'08 (Sonoma - $24)
- Hunnicutt '07 (Napa - $34)
Premium Red Blends
- Hill Family Estate 'Barrel Blend' '07 (Napa - $25)
- Falcor Wines 'Le Bijou' '05 (Napa - $45)
- Monticelli Bros. 'Rolando Rosso' NV (Napa - $39)
- Salvestrin Estate 'Retaggio' '07 (St. Helena - $34)
- Monticello 'Jefferson Cuvee' '07 (Napa - $38)
Premium Cabernet Sauvignon Under $50
- Watermark '06 (Napa - $45)
- Fontanella '06 (Napa - $49)
- Hunnicutt '06 (Napa - $48)
- Kindred Wines 'Ascendant' '06 (Napa - $49)
- Kristian Story Wines 'Rhapsodie' '06 (Napa - $49)
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
- Yates Family 'Mountain' '06 (Napa/Mt. Veeder - $60)
- Titus Reserve '06 (Napa - $63)
- Corley Family Reserve '06 (Napa - $72)
- MadoraM '05 (Napa - $80)
To shop the new lineup of wines go HERE.
Chief Wino,
James
I guess diligence and determination DOES pay off...at least when it comes to selecting your 'Best Of' wines to debut online. This was no small task as we sifted through hundreds of wines in various categories to come about our final lineup. We also listened to several consumers as they tasted the wines in various environments and got some great feedback on all categories.
We chose these premium wines as the best representation within the following categories:
Sauvignon Blanc
- Astrale e Terra '08 (Napa - $22)
- Salvestrin '08 (St. Helena - $22)
Chardonnay
- Hill Family Estate 'Carly's Cuvee' '08 (Napa - $27)
- The Terraces '08 (Napa - $28)
- Sand Hill 'Durell' '07 - (Sonoma - $40)
Pinot Noir
- Bouchaine 'Gee' Vineyard '07 (Carneros/Napa - $45)
- Kindred Wines 'Amber Ridge' '07 (Russian River - $35)
- Sand Hill 'Durell' Vineyard '05 (Carneros/Sonoma - $50)
Zinfandel
- Titus '07 (Napa - $25)
- Fontanella '08 (Napa - $36)
- Teresina '07/'08 (Sonoma - $24)
- Hunnicutt '07 (Napa - $34)
Premium Red Blends
- Hill Family Estate 'Barrel Blend' '07 (Napa - $25)
- Falcor Wines 'Le Bijou' '05 (Napa - $45)
- Monticelli Bros. 'Rolando Rosso' NV (Napa - $39)
- Salvestrin Estate 'Retaggio' '07 (St. Helena - $34)
- Monticello 'Jefferson Cuvee' '07 (Napa - $38)
Premium Cabernet Sauvignon Under $50
- Watermark '06 (Napa - $45)
- Fontanella '06 (Napa - $49)
- Hunnicutt '06 (Napa - $48)
- Kindred Wines 'Ascendant' '06 (Napa - $49)
- Kristian Story Wines 'Rhapsodie' '06 (Napa - $49)
Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
- Yates Family 'Mountain' '06 (Napa/Mt. Veeder - $60)
- Titus Reserve '06 (Napa - $63)
- Corley Family Reserve '06 (Napa - $72)
- MadoraM '05 (Napa - $80)
To shop the new lineup of wines go HERE.
Chief Wino,
James
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