Decanting - A Blog about Fine Wine and Fine Dining

Looking for a special way to give that holiday bottle of wine or gift basket? Signature Wines and Beverage provides personalized bottles of wine, gift boxes, champagne, accessories, water, and wine labels. So if you want to give that special holiday greeting - right on the bottle of wine…

Be forwarned that they cannot ship wine everywhere. Currently they ship to AK, AZ, CA, CT, DC, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, ND, OH, OR, SC, VA, WA, WI, WV, & WY. But not to fret. You can go with non-alcoholic wine, or have your own labels printed up for slapping onto wine that you purchase - or you can always go with accessories.

I did an admittedly unscientific study - a lot of web searching and reading - to determine what the consensus view is of how long you can store an opened bottle of wine before it goes “bad”, and here is what I found…

• Corked and unrefrigerated - 1 day
• Corked and refrigerated - 2 to 3 days
• Vacuum technology - up to 10 days
• Inert gas (argon or nitrogen) - up to 10 days

Even beyond these times, the wine may still be good to use as a cooking wine.

File this one under wine accessories for those will a lot of expendable cash - which these days may not be too many people…

The skybar Wine system is an all-in-1 wine chilling, preserving, and serving system for up to 3 bottles of wine. The skybar has an aesthetically appealing design and looks like it stepped right out of your favorite wine bar into your home.

The catch - the price tag. It weighs in at a hefty $999. One can purchase a pretty nice wine refrigerator and a Vacuvin for that. Of course it would not have the same style…

For more information see the skybar website.

Only about an hour from the capital Austin, and an equal distance from San Antonio, the Texas Hill Country has over 20 wineries (22 at last count with 2 more on the way) in an area that is as famous for its dude ranches. According to Orbitz in their 2007 Orbitz Food & Wine Index, the Texas Hill Country is the 2nd fastest growing wine destination.

To learn more about Texas Hill Country Wine see:

• Texas Hill Country Wineries - Texas Wine Trail
• Cowboys turn connoisseurs in Texas wine region, San Francisco Chronicle, November 2, 2008

I have some friends who do not like Tomasso Trattoria. They say if they want to pay those kind of prices they would rather go into Boston. Interestingly, their complaint does not center on food quality - although they do complain about the portions being a little small (not understanding the Italian tradition of many small courses).

I must admit to not understanding their argument. They would like to drive 45 minutes into Boston using gas and paying the Mass. Pike tolls only to pay $20+ to park for the evening to get similar quality food at a similar price - isn’t that a more expensive evening overall?

For my taste I am thrilled that there is such a good restaurant 5 minutes from my house. No driving hassle. No parking hassle. No additional expense. Just excellent food and I am more relaxed and do not have to rush around as much.

Admittedly, Tomasso may not be for everyone. Many are so used to simply getting a salad and an over portioned entree that the whole concept of selecting multiple smaller courses is completely foreign. I look at it as an opportunity to mix and match different dishes and wine. Which brings me to the subject of their wine list. They have a very nice, Italian-centric, wine list. Innovativly, there is a very large selection of wines that may be purchased by the glass, 250ML 500ML or by the bottle. This makes it very easy to vary your wine and food combinations.

As to price, I often will simply get their Insalate Verde and a Pizza Margherita with a couple of glasses of wine and be out of there for around $30. No fuss. No drive. No tolls or parking. Just excellent food close to home…

Time to get off the summer wines you’re thinking - summer has been over for a month!

Yes I know that. But for most of the fall, up until last weekend, we have been having nice warm weather here in New England (outside of Boston). It was not until last weekend that daytime temperatures turned decidedly chilly and we had our first frosts at night. Today is one of those classic cold, damp, windy and gray New England days - the kind of damp cold that cuts right through you. So somehow, a nice light, chilled Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio no longer seems appropriate. It’s time to reach for wine that pairs well with the warming comfort food starting to hit the dinner table. It’s time for a wine that is not chilled (at least not beyond cellar temperature). It’s time to pull out the big, stick-to-your-ribs reds to help get us through the even colder weather to come.

Red wine and winter - it’s kind of like pancakes with syrup - they just go together…

It seems that every time I turn around I am reading another article about the beneficial effects of wine, especially red wine. The latest - Red Wine Can Reduce Lung Cancer Risks.

It all kind of makes me feel good about drinking a glass or 2 of wine a day. It is always nice when something you enjoy can also be good for you (how often does that happen?)…

California wine lovers now have a great new resource courtesy of the Wine Institute. The site is Discover California Wine. It provides a wealth of information, including nwine touring tips, Discover Green Wines and Wineries (as in environmentally friendly), events and more.

I particularly like the Create Your Own Wine Tour section. This is an indespensible resource for anyone planning to tour California Wineries.

I have been lending a lot of thought lately to what makes a good wine shop. I have mulled over my own experiences in wine shops, and the experiences and opinions of friends, and I have come up with what I think are 4 criteria that make up a good wine shop.

1. Knowledge. The most important thing for any wine shop is to have a knowledgeable staff. They need to have a broad knowledge of wine in general, and good knowledge of the wine inventory carried by the wine shop. They also should have first hand tasting knowledge of a lot of the wine in the shop. It is much better to relate personal experience when talking about a wine then to simply repeat what it says on the vendor supplied or Wine Spectator shelf tags. Patrons can read. If they are asking, they want to learn more than they have already read.
2. Non-judgmental delivery. I originally wanted call this one lack of “attitude”. Wine shop staff will meet a range of people with different tastes and widely varying levels of wine knowledge. They need to answer all questions no matter how simple or complex and put the customer at ease. There should be no scoffing, eye rolls, snide remarks, or looks of annoyance. A customer who is made to feel silly or stupid will never come back. Wine staff, where appropriate, should take an educational tone. I can remember the time when I was but a young pup and I went into a wine shop and asked for a “good Libframilch”. The wine shop staffer, who also happened to be the owner, took the time to explain to me the various levels of the German wine classification system. He then picked out a nice Riesling that he thought I would like. I learned a lot and started to expand my wine experience. This was the beginning of a life-long interest in wine - all because he took the time to explain…
3. Selection. A wine shop needs to have a good and varied selection of wine. By this I do not mean that they need to carry over a 1,000 different producers and varietals. They simply need to have a modest selection that covers a broad range of regions, types, and styles, that goes beyond the household name wines. A wine shop should be a place where you can find something new that helps you to continue to broaden your knowledge and appreciation of wine.
4. Price. You will notice that I put this last. That is because I am willing to pay a little more if the top 3 criteria are present. What I think is important in price is several things:
   • Specials that go beyond the already inexpensive wine. So this means occasional discounts on the more expensive wine.
   • Availability of case discounts, especially on mixed cases. One of my favorite wine shops gives a 10% discount on a mixed case of wine. It’s nice to give discounts on an unopened case, but it is even nicer to mix and match a case and still get the discount.

There you have it. My 4 criteria for a good wine shop.

When one mentions Ludlow, Vermont, most immediately think of skiing. Ludlow is, afterall, home to the Okemo Mountain Resort. But you would be excused if fine wine was not among your first thoughts when your heard mention of Ludlow.

Apparently Ludlow is home to a little gem of a wine & chees shop - The Wine & Cheese Depot. The shop got a very nice write up in the Boston Globe (”Vermont wine shop offers selection - and service“). So the next time you head north skiing, be sure to check it out:

Wine & Cheese Depot
46 Depot St.
Ludlow, Vt.
802-228-4128