Ooh! Look! Ripple!

"They always buy the ten cent wine" - Ernest Gallo

In honor of my father's visit, here is a post on wine. While he is here, I am sure to be eating out a fair amount and if my father is around there is sure to be alcohol. We are off to Jerry's Seafood tonight (get the Mariner's Platter!) and so far all is well with the visit.

My father likes wine and orders it by the case through the mail. Unfortunately that is not an option for those of us here in Maryland. There was a bill in the legislature earlier this year, but it was never voted on. My friend ADR reported on its progress when it first started out. I make mention of this as shortly after the Brave Astronaut family moved into our new home (just over a year now!), my father was going to send us some wine, but couldn't ship to us. Wine wasn't what we really needed, but that's a different story.

Anyway, I spotted this story some time ago and have been holding it in the queue for posting. Having been in my fair share of liquor stores, it makes perfect sense that the good stuff is always up and the cheaper stuff is down (high price up, low price down - see? makes sense). However studies are now showing that may all be merchandising hooey. One study looked at the brain waves of people who sampled a $90 bottle of wine and a $10 bottle of wine and the higher priced bottle of wine fared better, even though the wine was exactly the same. People believed that because it cost more, it must be better.

A second survey from the American Association of Wine Economists (you a member of this, ADR?), titled, "Do More Expensive Wines Taste Better?" found no correlation between price and enjoyment. The original article avers that price is, in most cases, the single determining factor in buying a bottle of wine, once you get past red vs. white, region, type of grape, etc. Now, I am not proposing that we all switch to box wines, although some of them are OK, but we are certainly falling into the merchandising trap of retailers who will put that bottle of wine they want us to buy right at eye level, knowing that we will believe it is the right wine for us. But there might be a better one on the next shelf down and a bad one on the next shelf up.

See how not being able to ship wine to Maryland is hurting me? Maybe I should go with the Time Magazine guys, who recently embarked on a journey to try a bottle of wine from every one of the fifty states (now that every state produces at least one - North Dakota was the last one to join, in 2002). Here are their findings. Stay away from Wyoming wines.

Now, where did I put my drink?

Sangria Recipes

Growing up in New York, a popular destination was Beefsteak Charlies, where the plentiful all-you-can-eat Salad Bar also featured peel-and-eat shrimp. Their ads also featured "all the beer, wine, and sangria, you could drink." Does anyone wonder why they aren't in business anymore?

Here, by popular request, are two sangria recipes. The first comes from NJM and it is for red sangria:

The basics, as I learned them in Segovia, are:

• A bottle of half decent red wine
• up to a cup of some sort of spirits: gin, brandy, or citrus (or fruit) vodka, depending on how strong you want it
• the juice of a lemon, a lime and an orange
• some sugar - up to about half a cup depending on the quality of the wine and the amount of added spirits
• a lemon, a lime and an orange sliced.

Combine all in a pitcher. Add lots of ice. Serve.

The second recipe was for a white sangria featured at little OSGs birthday party. However, that recipe has not yet come through the tubes. NJM related a recipe to me verbally this afternoon, but I didn't have my mental pen handy and didn't get it all down. I am sure that she will be happy to put the recipe in the comments section though. Same goes for Mrs. OSG, if she finds the recipe in her inbox.

Enjoy!

The World of a Novice Oenophile

Growing up with my father was never dull. He liked wine and always had a glass at the dinner table. He actually had friends with whom he spent a weekend stomping grapes to make his own wine. That would be one vintage I did not need to try.

Watching my father sample a new bottle of wine is a real treat. He has passed on some of his knowledge to me. I like to think that I can taste the differences in wines. At least I am pretty sure to serve white with chicken or fish and red with beef or lamb.

But if you struggle with wine choices, the Internet is here to help. An article in the recent issue of Time Magazine reminds us "the world of wine is complex and global in scope. That makes it a perfect match for the Internet." There are wine websites everywhere, including one that evidently will tell you which wine to serve with lamb. Here are the "less famous wine sites that are also worth savoring:"

• jancisrobinson.com -This site features Britain's Jancis Robinson, who has been called the Julia Child of wine. Ms. Robinson is also a member of the Royal Household Wine Committee, which chooses the wine drunk by Her Majesty Elizabeth II.
• wineloverspage.com - According to the article, the highlight of this site is the weekly email sent to subscribers, the 30-Second Wine Advisor, which sends recommendations three times a week.
• wine-searcher.com - This is a neat site. Can't remember what the wine was you had at dinner? Want to know if your favorite liquor store has that Sancerre you like? Check here.
• winezap.com - The solution to all your problems. Need to match a wine with your favorite recipe? This site will also list wines, but region, type, price, and ratings.
• localwineevents.com - Just in case you have a hankering to know when the best time is to tour the great estates of Bordeaux.

A votre sante!