Last Minute Gift Ideas: Basic Guide to Wine

Well, hello there!

I've been busy but I've still managed to drink many a delicious glass of wine.  My shipment from the Tasting Room, so far, has been wonderful.  Reviews to come...

While I pull those together, here's a last minute gift idea for the wine lover in your life: a "Basic Guide to Wine" poster from Wine Folly:

Explore the framework of modern wine service and tasting techniques on this illuminating poster print. This guide relates common themes in a simple modern design such as wine calories, alcohol level, wine color, aroma and decoding a wine label. 

This poster works well framed in a position where you can look at it closely; perhaps in your kitchen, office or next to your growing wine collection.

Do want!

Wine News: Brace Yourself - A Wine Shortage is Coming

The Atlantic published a piece describing a "fast-approaching" wine shortage:

At the current pace, a global shortage of wine is fast approaching. “Data suggests there may be insufficient supply to meet demand in coming years, as current vintages are released,” the report says. 

The problem is something of a two-headed monster. 

On the One Hand… 

Global wine consumption has been on the rise almost without interruption (save for a short stint between 2008 and 2009) since the late 1990s. 

The US and China, in particular, have been drinking more. The US, which guzzles roughly 12% of the world’s wine, has seen its per capita consumption double since the start of the century. And China, which is now the world’s fifth largest import market, has doubled its consumption not once, but twice in the past five years. 

On the Other… 

World production hasn’t managed to keep pace. Outputs have steadily declined in a number of the world’s most prosperous regions. Overall, global production has been on a downward trend ever since the early 2000s, when there were still massive excesses. Peak wine, the report holds, isn’t merely upon us; it already happened—back in 2004.

The article points that a decrease in production from the France, Italy, and Spain, the world's three largest producers of wine, is contributing to the shortage. But, this sounds like a great opportunity for emerging wine markets. Either way, I'd better start hoarding.

That Time I Joined an Online Wine Club - Step 1: What's My Wine Profile?

You guys -- I finally did it.  I joined a wine club.

Even before I started this blog, I would look longingly at the advertisements for the New York Times Wine Club and consider having the wine come to me.  Of course, as a young professional, I haven't quite reached the income level that would allow me to afford the NYT wine club and pay for wine that I may or may not like.  

But, thanks to The Frisky, I learned about The Tasting Room by Lot18, an online wine club that promises to tailor your wine shipments to your palate.  And, again, thanks to The Frisky, I signed up to receive an introductory wine tasting kit at the discounted price of $6.95, instead of the usual $9.95.  

About a week after signing up, my tasting kit arrived.  It included two whites, four reds, and a few materials to help guide the tasting process.

After logging into the Tasting Room's website, I was treated to a short, two-minute video about how to best taste the wine.  Then, I got to rate each of the wines included in my kit.

To be completely honest, I wasn't in love with the two whites I received -- a 2011 sauvignon blanc from Ten Sisters and a chardonnay from Loophole.  (There is a very slim chance that I would drink those bottles again.)  I rated the sauvignon higher, but there wasn't much of a difference.  I was more excited about the reds, which included a pinot noir, a cabernet sauvignon, a bordeaux, and a malbec.   

Following the tasting, the website created my wine profile.  When it comes to white wine, I'm a "Devil-May-Care" consumer who enjoys crisp and refreshing whites -- your rieslings and your pinot grigios. As for red, I like wines with bold, fruity flavors. (Both of these assessments happen to be true, but I would like to get out of my comfort zone.) 

With my wine profile established, the Tasting Room will send a shipment of twelve, full-sized bottles of wine at a price of $84.49 -- just about $7 per bottle.  AMAZING!  After that, I should receive shipments roughly every three months at a price of $150, which seems like a steal.

So far, I'm impressed with the process.  I didn't wait long for my kit, and the website is very easy to use. I'm not sure how long I'll be a member, though.  Part of me is afraid that my apartment is going to become overrun with wine because I won't drink it fast enough (which isn't the worst fate).  Of course, this probably means that I'll be hosting a lot more social gatherings and will always have a ready-to-go host/hostess gift.

More to come once my next shipment arrives!

Appreciating a Fine Bottle of Wine Can Be Learned

I caught this on The Awl, where it was given the title, "I'm Not Drunk, I'm Educating My Palate!"
Aren't we all?

From the Wall Street Journal:

Professional wine tasters are trained to notice the different flavors that tannins, sugars, acids and various processes give to a particular wine, and to put words to them. But tasters' physiology is basically the same as everyone else's. "It's not as though they were born with more receptors or grew more over time. They simply developed an ability to notice small differences," says Dr. Beauchamp. "With experience, some people can become more attuned to certain smells and tastes, which may lead them to like particular wines more, but their chemistry doesn't change; it's a cognitive effect."

Wine News: B&H, Home of the Original Kitten Wine

Now Fluffy can enjoy wine too!  The Japanese company, B&H, has created a "wine" for cats.  From Kotaku:

And no, Nyan Nyan Nouveau doesn't have any alcohol in it—much like Japanese "kid's beer" doesn't contain any actual booze. As noted on Sankei Biz, the drink does contain juice made from Cabernet grapes, Vitamin C as well as catnip for a beverage that supposedly tastes like red wine. 

B&H Lifes decided to develop the drink for those wanting to celebrate birthdays or Christmas with their beloved cats.

Cheers, kitty!

Wine News: The World's Most Expensive Bottle of Wine

Have $195,000 to spare?  Château Margaux has produced a 12-liter bottle that sold for that much. And, here I was getting excited about springing for wines that cost more than $15.

(via Slate)

2011 Lion's Crest Syrah

It's been a mostly quiet, rainy weekend in DC -- perfect for canning caramel apple butter from the Edible DIY cookbook, finishing up Chimamanda Adichie's Americanah (which I LOVED!), cooking delicious meals, and cracking open a bottle of red wine.

I ordered this bottle earlier this year with my deal from Wine Insiders, and I was inspired to open it tonight to pair with a recipe for ratatouille pasta.  The deep red reminds me of cherries and plums, two notes that I tasted immediately.  It's smooth and doesn't have a biting after taste.  The wine didn't exactly pair with the ratatouille pasta, but I can imagine this would go well with something meatier.

I would definitely buy this one again!

Do Want: Major Scale Musical Wine Glasses

So, you guys, my birthday is in May, but Christmas is coming and I would really like Santa to bring me a set of wine glasses on which to play music.  If I practice enough, I could play Vivaldi's "Spring" just like the person in the video.

 

Study: Wine Drinkers Don't Know How Much They Consume

Well, this explains why so many of my tasting pours are really aggressive.

Researchers from Iowa State and Cornell have found that people who drink wine often don't know how much they're consuming.

The Des Moines Register reports:

The study, published in Substance Use and Misuse, found that participants poured 12 percent more wine into a wide glass than a narrow glass. They also poured 12 percent more wine into a glass they were holding, versus one placed on a table. Color contrast affected pours, too. Participants over-poured white wine into a clear glass by 10 percent. There was less over-pouring when the wine was red. 

Even after participants were informed of their habits, they still over-poured, Smarandescu said.

(h/t The Frisky)

Vino Tech: Second Glass Wine Decider

On the heels of my post about DC Wine Riot, let's explore Second Glass Wine app a bit more.  I thought the app was very helpful to easily track and rate the wines sampled at the event.  However, since the app currently doesn't allow users to track wines consumed elsewhere, the best way to get use out of the app between events is the Wine Decider.

You start with four questions:

1. Who are you with?
2. What are you doing?
3. Price?
4. Style?

After selecting responses from the provided list, the app recommends a wine to fit the mood with notes describing the taste, tips for purchasing, and (sometimes) a cool story.  

This is what I started with:

And the recommendation:

The good: It's very easy to use. I think I had the most fun playing with different combinations and reading the stories attached.  

The bad: I obviously haven't used the app frequently enough to know, but it appears that there's a one-to-one match for scenario and wine recommendation (that is, saying that you want a red in the $20-35 range to have during a dinner with your parents will always yield a Portuguese port).

The meh: If this app updates, it would be fantastic to have more variety in recommendations.

2013 Wine Riot DC Review

Earlier this week, a good friend of mine sent me information about a wine tasting event that was unofficially described to her as a young, fun, non-judgmental drunkfest.  (How could I turn that down?)

Wine Riot, an event organized by Second Glass, offers attendees an opportunity to taste 250 wines from wineries from several regions and learn a bit about wine.  Tickets were $60 a pop, but the event was well worth the price.

The DC event was held at the Sphinx Club, and I spent most of the evening with friends. After having our tickets checked, we walked down the floor, grabbed our glasses, and checked out the temporary tattoo and postcard tables.

Drunktopus was my favorite.

At the front of the room were four stations for Wine 101, which offered a chance to compare different types of wine (dry versus sweet, oaked versus unoaked, young versus mature, and old world versus new world).

Winery booths were numbered 1 to 13 and showcased diverse wineries.  We didn't really have a plan going in and bounced around to tables in no particular order.  To help track wine consumption, I downloaded the Second Glass app, which is has a great recommendation feature that I'll review later.

I failed to bring my portable charger, so I eventually gave up on taking notes on all of the wines that I tried.  And, since I did drink a lot of the wine that I received, I'll admit that my palate became less discerning.  For what it's worth, here are a few of the wines I sampled and my notes:

• NV Caposaldo Sweet Pink Moscato: Two thumbs up (on the app's rating scale), and I usually think moscato is cloying.
• 2011 Caposaldo Pinot Grigio: One thumb, but it was very solid, almost buttery pinot grigio.
• 2012 Line 39 Petite Sirah from Cecchetti Wine Company: Two thumbs up. A fantastic wine in the $10 range.   
• 2011 Austerity Proprietary White Blend (Cecchetti): Two thumbs up.
• 2012 Truett-Hurst Winery California Square Chardonnay: Two thumbs up.  As the name implies, this wines are bottled in square bottles, which saves on shipping space.  
• 2011 Terra Andina Malbec: One thumb.  It had a solid flavor, but I wasn't blown away.
• 2011 Stony Brook Vineyards Ghost Gum White: One thumb, but this was a nice introduction to South African wines.

We also stopped by the Bubbly Bar.  Of the six sparking wines that I sampled, I really enjoyed the Clara Brut Sparkling Wine and the Berberana Grand Tradicional Brut Rose.

Between tasting and socializing, we also went to two crash courses: "South America Smackdown" and "Tour de California."  In addition to an opportunity to taste more wine, one of the cofounders of Second Glass shared information about grapes, production, wine history, and how to select quality wines.  I talked to him after the last course of the night, and his tip for tasting wine is basically to trust yourself.  After all, drinking wine comes down to what you enjoy.  

2011 Butterfly Kiss Pink Pinot Grigio

I don't have much to complain about in my life -- I have a career that I love, a sweet bachelorette pad, great friends, a loving family, and strong legs (the better to run marathons with, my dear).  But, I've just felt like such an emotional and mental wreck over the last week.  After my run on Saturday, I decided that I wanted ice cream because ice cream makes everything feel better.  The problem is that the local market keeps the wine near the register, so in addition to picking up a pint of mint chocolate cookie ice cream, I bought this pink pinot grigio from Butterfly Kiss.

I'm trying to figure out if this bottle is supposed to be marketed toward women - the pink bottle and giant butterfly are really my only evidence.  As for color, the wine is darker than many rosés that I've had (which look very similar to the color of grapefruit juice) -- I would even go so far as to call this wine a light red.   When I opened the bottle, I immediately smelled raspberry...and not much else.  It's much sweeter than a standard pinot grigio and tastes of summer fruit (mostly raspberry).  It's not as crisp as a standard pinot grigio, which I enjoyed.

All told, I'd buy it again.  And, I think it could be a very nice introduction for an uninitiated wine drinker.

Be a Better Buyer: 5 Tricks for Better Wine Shopping (Via Serious Eats)

As I've mentioned, my idea of wine shopping usually involves picking grape varieties that I know I like (or bottles with amusing labels).  There's nothing wrong with this strategy, but I'm trying to become more knowledgeable about wine, so I should probably learn how to be most effective when browsing wine shops.  Luckily, the folks over at Serious Eats have shared a few tips to make shopping for wine a little easier.

At the top of the list: Don't be bashful about price.

Christy Frank of Frankly Wines in New York agrees: "Don't be afraid to tell us what you would like to spend! Yes, it's tricky to find a variety of really interesting wines in the $10 range, but once you get into the $15 to $20 range, the world opens up. Often we'll have people ask sheepishly 'can I get something good for $20?' Yes, you can! And we can help you," says Frank. Be realistic about your budget, and specific when you mention it—'affordable' means different things to different people, but a number or small range will help the shopkeeper narrow down the options fast.

2011 Coriole Chenin Blanc

There are two open bottles of white wine in my refrigerator -- the sauvignon blanc that I reviewed earlier this month and this chenin blanc from the Coriole Vineyards that I picked up from a market in my neighborhood (knowing, of course, that I have plenty of white wine in my apartment).

Chenin blancs are sometimes used to produce off-dry whites -- which add just a touch of sweetness. The first part of the sip uncovers a slight sweetness and, even with a stuffy nose, I can detect the scent of fruit.  It's very good, but nothing about the flavor stands out enough for me to purchase a second bottle for drinking.  

But, I do have high hopes for what this bottle can do for a risotto with a sweeter vegetable.  Fall is just around the corner, and it's only a matter of time before I score a sumptuous butternut squash.

2012 Cliff Lede Sauvignon Blanc

One of my favorite things about having many bottles of wine on hand is that I easily have something that i can bring as a contribution I'm invited as a dinner guest.  Of my most recent wine haul, I've shared the 2012 La Petite Tour Classic White and 2012 Edgewater Viognier.  Both were delicious and paired well with their respective dinners.

I received this bottle, a 2012 Sauvignon Blanc from the Cliff Lede vineyard, from a neighbor as a thank-you for feeding her cat while she was away.  The wine was released from the vineyard in May 2013.

The wine comprises sauvignon blanc, sémillion, and sauvignon vert varieties and is 14.7 percent alcohol/volume.
 This pour is aggressive for a tasting.

The tasting notes describe aromas of white peach, cantaloupe, and orange blossom.  Opening the bottle, the smell of fruit was strong -- especially the cantaloupe.  The taste reminds me of summer; it's the kind of wine that I most want to drink when I'm sitting on a patio with good friends or a good book. I noted a slight bite of citrus at the end, which I enjoyed.

I'd definitely purchase this bottle again.  

DCanter Wine Boutique: Barracks Row, DC.

Prince of Petworth ran a post earlier today about a new wine and beer seller opening on Barracks Row, DCanter. (Love the name!) Judging by the photos, the shop carries a large selection of wine and beer. The shop will also host tastings and other events, which is fantastic for anyone who wants to learn more about wine and beer. (Like me!)  As Borat would say, "I'm very excite!"

Wine Haul: Wine Insiders

Earlier this week, Groupon offered a deal for Wine Insiders.  For $25, I received a voucher for $75 worth of merchandise from the online wine seller.  I'd ordered from Wine Insiders once before and was so impressed with the wine selection and shipping that I couldn't pass this up.

In picking wines, I selected grape varieties with which I'm familiar and a few that are new to me.  I wanted to make sure that I had a nice balance of reds and whites, and I didn't want to go too much over the $75. 

I ordered my wine on Monday, and the package arrived this afternoon.  Again, I'm very impressed with how quickly Wine Insiders got my order to me.  I ended up with six bottles for a total cost of $25.94 (the cost of the Groupon plus the $0.94 I went over).   Here's what arrived:

• 2011 El Portal Vineyard Select Red
• 2012 Sensual Malbec 
• 2011 Lions Crest Syrah

• 2012 Edgewater Viognier 
• 2012 La Petite Tour Classic White
• 2010 Tied Knot Trail Riesling 

Reviews to come!

Vino Tech: Delectable Review

When it comes to wine, I know the types of wine that I enjoy, but I'm terrible at keeping track of specific bottles and wineries.

Last night, I went to Pulpo with a good friend from college, and we shared a delicious Paco Y Lola albariño.  (Review to come!)  No sooner than I lamented about how I wished there was an app to track which wines I've tasted did my friend tell me about Delectable Wine.

In a nutshell, Delectable is a social network for wine.  You take a photo of the label and, through magic photo recognition, the app identifies the name of the wine, vintage, and wine maker.

If you don't have a photo of the label, wines can also be identified by simply writing down the relevant information and submitting the photo. Once your wine has been identified, you can add a rating (a very sad face to a very happy face) and notes about the bottle.

The app also allows users to connect with friends, share wines, and repurchase wines on your list.

The good: If you've used Instagram or a similar photo sharing app, this will be very easy to use.  I'm very impressed with the accuracy of the wine identification (so far), and I do like the idea of see wines that my friends liked.  The repurchase feature allows you to see the going price for a particular bottle for your area.  I'm never overpaying for a bottle again!

The meh: This is a minor gripe, but I can't figure out a way to make my feed private to friends.  I'm just reviewing wine, of course, but I always like to have control over what I share on the interwebs and with whom.

The bad: I'll see what happens when I have to update the app, but, so far, I'm very pleased with the app and excited to use it.

Welcome!

Hi there, and welcome to In Vino Veritas!

My name is Alisha, and I'm a 20-something living and working in Washington, D.C. 

I started this blog in July 2013 to support my wine education.  Frankly, when it comes to wine, I know what I like. Without paying attention to vintage or vintner, I'm most happy with a pinot gris, riesling, melbac, or chianti.  I've been known to choose wines based on how much I like the bottle -- which, surprisingly, turns out well more than you'd think.  But, I would love to become a more educated wine consumer.

Here, I'll share what I've learned about wine making, grape varieties, pairings, and wine service.  I'll share interesting news and studies that, if read selectively, encourage drinking red wine like it's going out of style.  I'll also share notes about my favorite wine and maybe even review places to enjoy a nice glass of wine wherever my travels take me.  I have no formal training, but this could inspire me to register for a sommelier course -- which would be awesome!

A bit more about me: I'm a runner, and I'm starting to fall in love with cycling.  I'm a history nerd.  I love cooking for others.  I play Guitar Hero better than I can actually play the guitar.  I care deeply about education policy in the United States.  I love research so much that I plan on pursuing a Ph.D. in education policy.  I know the lyrics to a good chunk of the Disney library.  I love going on adventures -- especially when the adventure involves getting lost in a new city.

I hope you enjoy the site!