Don't drink the water!

Hi all you wine lovers out there.



Got and email from my wife today, and here is the jist.

In a number of carefully contolled trials, scientists have demonstrated that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of E. coli bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.
However, we do not run that risk when drinking wine.

Remember: water = poop; wine = health.

Therefore, it is better to drink wine and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of crap!

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information: I'm doing it as a public service.

The holiday season is upon us and family and friends will be looking for wines to celebrate. This usually consists of a few bottles of "the bubbly". Look for some good values such as Gloria Ferrer Brut, Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Noirs, J Cuvee 20, all from California. They should cost around $20. Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut, Blanc de Blancs, and Extra Dry from Washington are really nice at around $15. If money is no object, try the Argyle Extended Tirage from Willamette Valley, OR., or the Roederer Est. Brut Rose' from California. Price for these babies are around $70.
If Champagne is your thing expect to spend several bucks more, but you will enjoy the experience. My favorite for the money is Louis Roederer Brut for about $50 and Heidsieck Monopole Brut Blue Top for around $40 If sparkling rose' is your thing try the Beauchamp Brut Rose' or the Louis De Sacy Brut Rose'. If you can find them at around $45 buy them, you will love them. Now, if money is REALLY NO OBJECT!, look for Moet & Chandon Brut Champagne Cuvee Don Perignon Oenotheque Command Speciale 1975. The price tag for this little hottie is a trifle $1500. But wait, there are others out there. Krug Brut Blanc de Noirs Clos d'Ambonnay 1995 is only $3500! But here is a list of really good Champagnes that will cost no less than $150 to $200: Krug Brut 1998, Bollinger Brut La Grand Annee, Charles Heidsieck Brut Blanc de Blancs, Charles Heidsieck Brut Rose', Tattinger Brut Blanc de Blancs 1998. This is just a few.
If you are wondering what Blanc de Blancs means, it is a sparkling wine made from the Chardonnay grape. Blanc de Noirs is a sparkling wine made from Pinot Noir, the juice of which is white. Brut means it is the dryest of sparkling wines, and extra dry means it is the next dryest.
Have fun shopping.

Thanksgiving is quickly upon us and the age-old question is what kind of wine to serve with dinner. There is no one single wine that works because there are so many different flavors involved on the Thanksgiving plate. There's the tartness from cranberries, sweetness from chutney and sweet potatoes, saltiness and spice from the stuffing, and of course, the turkey. There are no two tables the same and no two bites the same. Just try to find a wine that will please most of the people most of the time. I like to start out with a sparkling rose' and then move on to Pinot Noir. Iv'e also tried Gewurtztraminer and that works pretty well. A dry Riesling or semi-dry is a good choice also. If all else fails, go with the one that I use, Champagne or a good sparkling.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Learning about wine.

I meet a lot of people who want to gain some wine knowledge. It's a major focal point for some. Well, I guess the first thing to do is to try different wines. Don't always order the "safe" wines such as the ones that you hear advertised all the time. Kendall Jackson is an example of what I mean, although it is not a bad wine. I say be daring, be curious, be adventerous. Live on the edge. Think outside the wine box. Ask people who are knowledgeable about wine and they will be happy to help you. Read books on wine. There are a plethora of good wine books. The best way is to just try some new wines. If you like them, try finding more information on them and then find wines that are similar to them. You will gradually have a better understanding of what wine is really all about. Have fun investigating!

Welcome to the Chateau wine blog forum

Hello all you wine lovers out there. I'll be writing some of my thoughts on wine occasionally and if you have some interesting tidbits to share with us or questions or comments, please blog me.