This is from Chris Waters in The London Free Press.

There's a scene in the charming new movie, Julie & Julia, that I can't stop thinking about. Julia Child and her husband Paul have just arrived in France and are having lunch. Child, as portrayed by Meryl Streep, tucks into a plate of sole meuniere and the floor drops out from beneath her. The floor doesn't actually collapse -- Julie & Julia isn't a special effects blockbuster -- but a part of Julia does as she experiences a culinary epiphany by ingesting a piece of fish served in a sputtering butter sauce.
Wide-eyed and struck mute, she looks imploringly at her husband and tries to give voice to the inexpressible perfection of what she tastes.

"I know . . . I know . . ." he commiserates.

The remarkable scene stands out as the imagining of the moment that Julia Child became the food-loving francophile that would bring fine dining to North American television sets. But it's also interesting to note its depiction of how words can fail to capture the sensory appreciation of something that's devastatingly delicious.
As a wine writer, I'm continually looking for the right words to put meaning to the aroma and flavor the wines I review.

The trick is to find common, meaningful language that captures illusive perceptions concerning sight, smell and taste. Often times, however, that plain speak can suck the magic -- and the fun -- right out of a wine.

I can't help but think the accepted practice of stringing together flavor descriptions based on fruit, vegetable and other common terms does a disservice to wines. Take classic descriptors for Sauvignon Blanc like gooseberry or tomato leaf. Many Canadians haven't the foggiest notion of what a gooseberry looks like, let alone how it tastes.

But there's peril in trying a more dramatic approach, too.

Certainly, it's easy to mock extravagant styles of wine writing. I have never forgotten reading about a wine described as being "like a shy gazelle." More recently, Robert Parker Jr. referenced a 2008 red from the St.-Emilion region of Bordeaux as having "stunning texture (akin to a Shanghai skyscraper)."

I actually bought that particular wine, but I haven't a clue what Parker was getting at with his architectural reference. I suspect that not having been to Shanghai is only part of the problem.

Study: Impulsive people prefer sweet wines, while open people like dry

A taste for sauvignon blanc and chardonnay or a liking for Bordeaux or zinfandel can indicate more than just a preference in wines. It could also reveal personality traits.

New research by scientists in Australia and Britain showed that drinkers who preferred a sweet taste in wine were more likely to be impulsive while those who chose dry varieties had greater openness.

"Participants with a sweet taste preference were significantly higher in impulsiveness than their dry preference counterparts," Anthony J. Saliba, of Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga, Australia, and his colleagues said in the report.

I guess I am an oddity. (duh) I impulsively like my wines dry.

Deb wants to use red paper clips for her mailings. Her assistant searched high and low, and can only find mixed colors.

If anyone out there has a few - or more than a few - red paper clips, and is willing to part with them, please drop them in an envelope and mail to:

Deb!
Palate Partners
2013 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

This is not a joke...but it will create a laugh in the office when red paper clips begin arriving. Please.

Lower cholesterol, anti-cancer agents, anti-aging properties and the potential for a longer, healthier life may be in that glass of red wine. Or possibly in a pill one day. But that day may be further away than you think.

Since 2003, when researchers found that the compound resveratrol - a substance produced naturally by plants and in abundance in the skin of grapes and berries - could extend life spans, resveratrol has been touted as a possible future miracle drug for just about everything.

Scientists have found that resveratrol - when tested on mice, roundworms and yeast - has effects on free radicals, cell regeneration and insulin-lowering properties. This gives resveratrol incredible promise toward being an effective agent against some of the top

age-related diseases, says Dr. Joseph C. Maroon, a neurosurgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and author of "The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life."

"Resveratrol is, number one, a potent anti-inflammatory, which may have powerful effects on cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and stroke," Dr. Maroon says. "It is also an antioxidant and can help slow down the process of aging, maintain DNA repair and have an effect on carbohydrate metabolism, which can help insulin sensitivity in diabetes."

The full article by Karen Goldberg Goff from the Washington Times

can be found here.

On August 18 Dreadnought and The Priory joined forces for a Wine Picnic in the lush Priory courtyard.

As guests arrived under clear sky's, we offered a choice of One Last Kiss Rosé (our July wine-of-the-month) and Domaine Mirelles et Vincent Cotes du Rhone. Rosés are summer and the Cotes du Rhone is one of my favorite wines to sip or serve with grilled foods.

Although our very own Deb Mortillaro created the menu, a special shout out to Justin Harrison for his chefing skills.

The first course was a Cold Tomato Orange Soup presented causally in wine glasses -  no spoon required - paired with Castello delle Regina Paggio Bianco, a great Italian blend. We served Scott Harvey Zinfandel with the Vitello Tonnato, tomato with roasted corn and mozzarella grilled vegetable and grain salad. One guest commented that although the Zin was perfect with dinner it was even better with the dessert of Ricotta pie and fresh berries.

A special thank you to John Graff and the Staff at the Priory. Check them out. They are hosting wine tastings on the Patio all summer.

Playing a certain type of music can enhance the way wine tastes, research by psychologists suggests. The Heriot Watt University study found people rated the change in taste by up to 60% depending on the melody heard.

The researchers said cabernet sauvignon was most affected by “powerful and heavy” music, and chardonnay by “zingy and refreshing” sounds. Professor Adrian North said the study could lead retailers to put music recommendations on their wine bottles.

The research involved 250 students at the university who were offered a free glass of wine in exchange for their views.

Here are some music and wine pairings suggestions
Cabernet Sauvignon: All Along The Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix), Honky Tonk Woman (Rolling Stones), Live And Let Die (Paul McCartney and Wings), Won’t Get Fooled Again (The Who)
Chardonnay: Atomic (Blondie), Rock DJ (Robbie Williams), What’s Love Got To Do With It (Tina Turner), Spinning Around (Kylie Minogue)
Syrah: Nessun Dorma (Puccini), Orinoco Flow (Enya), Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis), Canon (Johann Pachelbel)
Merlot: Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay (Otis Redding), Easy (Lionel Ritchie), Over The Rainbow (Eva Cassidy), Heartbeats (Jose Gonzalez)

Source

Despite its name, the petite sirah grape is not a small version of syrah. It's actually durif, a grape from southern France, where it produces coarse, rustic wines.

In California, petite sirah is often mixed in vineyard plantings with zinfandel, carignane and other red grapes. It is used in blends to add body and structure. Although a few winemakers bottle it separately (with good results) petite sirah still gets little respect.

Through DNA fingerprinting, it was discovered that petite sirah/durif is the offspring of syrah (considered a noble grape) and peloursin, a minor French grape. The syrah connection gives petite sirah/durif a boost. Devotees of the grape formed a fan club of sorts: P.S. I Love You. (P.S., of course, stands for petite sirah.) The group recently held its seventh annual symposium where there was a tasting of roughly four dozen petite sirahs, mostly from around California (along with one entry from southern Oregon).

Petite sirah acreage in California has more than doubled since 2000, to about 7,300 acres. Much of that planting has been in the Central Valley, but there’s some in cabernet-centric Napa County. There's also been a surge in San Luis Obispo County, which now has more than 1,100 acres of petite sirah, second only to San Joaquin County.

Petite sirah producers still battle to draw more attention to their grape. A survey by Full Glass Research found that many consumers aren't aware of petite sirah and that retailers and restaurants don't push the variety. The grape's fans, however, understand that it produces dark, robust, teeth-staining wines with tannins that range from firm, but manageable to very intense and drying.

Do we have any petite sirah lovers in da house?

McKenzie-Mueller Vineyards and Winery - 2004 Los Carneros Pinot Grigio

We were introduced to this winery several years ago by the late food writer Jane Citron. During a recent visit, the winery owners offered a great deal on their Pinot Grigio - perfect for our wine club.

McKenzie-Mueller is a small, family-run winery committed to making high quality wines. Founded in 1989 by Bob Mueller and Karen McKenzie, their fifty acre estate is tucked away in the enchanting Los Carneros region of southern Napa County. They made their first vintage in 1990, producing 500 cases. The winery now produces 2500 cases a year. They were named Estate Winery of the Year in 2000 by Wine & Spirits magazine.

“Our goal is to have fun, farm in harmony with nature, and make delicious, hand-crafted wine that you will enjoy with family and friends. Our 2004 Pinot Grigio comes from a vintage we can’t imagine improving on. Experience the scent of summer. With aromas of honey suckle, white peach, citrus, honey, and jasmine, the balance is refreshing and crisp. These flavors are delicate but ambitious, leading to a smooth and clean finish that gives the impression of sweetness without being sugary.”

Food pairing suggestions: Tilapia, spareribs, hamburgers, spicy Thai dishes, clams, spicy chicken wings, and meatloaf. Savor in Riedel’s Vinum Extreme, 444/5, Sauvignon Blanc/Riesling - $26.40. Enjoy!

French vineyards are on the brink of disaster unless dramatic measures are taken to reduce global CO2 emissions, Greenpeace has warned.

Leading figures from the French wine and culinary world have teamed up with the environmental group in writing an open letter, which has been published in the influential French newspaper Le Monde:

‘French wines, elegant and refined, the jewels of our common national heritage, are in danger. Climate change is rendering our vineyards ever more vulnerable. Summer heat waves, recent hail storms in the Bordeaux region, new diseases arriving from the South, such irregularities will soon become far worse still. If nothing is done to reduce greenhouse gases, vineyards will be displaced 1,000km beyond their traditional borders between now and the end of the century. Terroirs will not survive.”

They call directly upon President Sarkozy to push for an ‘ambitious’ climate change agreement at the upcoming United Nations’ conference.

According to the letter, the developed nations need to strike a deal to reduce their CO2 emissions by 40% between now and 2020.

Reprinting this blog from servusversus - ’cause it made me chuckle.

Backlabels of wine can sometimes be so misleading and have some of the silliest and most unhelpful winespeak.

Why do people use such strange and bizarre descriptions and what do they mean by them? Are they helpful or are they just one more example of how wine folk try and separate themselves from the common herd?

Some of the silliest and most unhelpful winespeak is found on the back of the bottles themselves. I will concede that it can be tricky to convey the right information to your customers in the very small amount of space available, but why do so many winemakers waste this sales opportunity by writing useless and irrelevant rubbish?

Here are my top five Backlabel Blah Blah Blahs which, in my opinion, could be omitted with no harm whatsoever to the wine.

1. The ‘So what?’ description. Phrases that come under this heading include ‘Perfectly manicured vineyards’, ‘This winery is privately-owned’ and ‘the winemaker is meticulously detailed in his approach.’ Well whoopee do - for the amount of money I am paying, I certainly hope he is, but does any of this have any real relevance for what is going to end up in my glass? No, I don’t think so.

2. The ‘Blind ‘em with science’ description. Here we’re looking at things such as ‘The vineyard is not irrigated’, ‘low-yielding old bushvines’ and ‘maturation on the lees’. I’m not saying that this isn’t interesting if you know something about wine - the problem is that all these phrases were found on inexpensive, everyday wines and to the lay person, these mean absolutely nothing. These may be great features of your wine, but if you don’t say how these sorts of thing benefit the consumer, they are a waste of space.

3. The ‘Euphemistic’ description. As we all know, wine is a business and sometimes you need to do whatever it takes to make a wine sell. My advice is to be wary of any red wine which describes itself as ‘needing food’ because what they really mean is ‘dry, tannic and tough as old boots’. Hey, sue me, but you know I’m right.

4. The ‘Keep ‘em guessing’ description. Many people have an irrational prejudice against oaked white wines - how much longer can teeth-searingly, acidic Sauvignons rule the roost I wonder? No matter, the result has been that many Chenins and Chardonnays try and disguise the fact that they are wooded wines. So here is my shortlist of words which generally mean oak, even if the rest of the label doesn’t say it - ‘buttery, golden, toasty, rich, honeyed, brioche, baked, caramalised, toffee.’ Happy guessing.

5. The ‘Cover all the bases’ description. ‘Serve with seared tuna, smoked salmon, chicken, crayfish, creamy pasta dishes, grilled fish, artichokes, seafood risotto, oysters, white meats or parma ham’. Yep - think that about does it.