Vino Keeno, The Grapevine for the Recreational Wino

After Googling something wine-related I came across this list of wine buying pointers. Thought I’d share:

1. Never, ever buy a wine that you have seen advertised on TV or in a national magazine, or heard advertised on the radio. This is the most important rule. Do you know how much TV advertising costs? Do you know how much wine a winery has to produce for it to make sense to spend that kind of money on advertising? Isn’t it preferable for that money to be spent on producing excellent wine instead?

2. Develop a relationship with a reputable wine merchant and shop there regularly. Remember that the people who own and work in them feed and house their families by selling wine. They want you to love what you buy from them so that you will come back to them for your next purchase. Don’t waste their expertise. When they ask you if you would like assistance, say yes. And when you return, tell them what you did or did not love about the wines you bought so that they get to know your palate.

3. If you want to drink terrific wine without spending a ton of money (and who doesn’t?) buy wines you have never heard of. There is a reason that your local wine shop has dozens of cases of Yellowtail, Woodbridge, Sutter Home, Gallo and the like: They fly out of the store with little or no effort. There is a very different reason for the three cases in the corner of some obscure little Spanish red wine: The wine buyer tasted the wine and loved it.

4) If a winemaker makes great wine in Napa Valley, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rioja, Tuscany or Piedmont, he is not going to sell it for $10 when he can sell it for $100. Great reasonably priced wine comes from places like the Languedoc in France; Umbria and Puglia in Italy; all over the place in Spain these days; South Africa; South America; Washington; and Portugal.

By Hoyt Hill, Nashville City Paper

2000 Barolo La Loggia
$19.99

Type of grape: Nebbiolo

Wine label said:
Barolo is the king of wines and the wine of kings. This rich fullbodiedred dry wine is great with game, beef and pasta.

Vineyard66 says:
This wine was very dry, almost bitter, until I put it in my RoJaus wine decanter and the aeration opened up the wine to its full smooth flavor of black berries and currant. Another wine saved and improved by my RoJaus.

Good stuff overall, buy it before it explodes now that Brad Pitt is rumored to be interested in acquiring the Barolo vineyard!

2004 Vinum Cellars Chenin Blanc CNW (Chard-No-Way), WBW
$12.99

WebWino says:
This WBW assignment was a bear for me. I just don’t drink white wine, except for the occasional Chardonnay. I discovered one reason why… that darn chilling rule. I am the person who is making ice cubes fifteen minutes before the guests arrive. The need to chill wine before drinking just cuts into my spontaneaity. (Or laziness, however you look at it.) But I digress…

I spotted this CNW Chenin Blanc at the wine shop. I was intrigued by the fun title and the label art, but it wasn’t until I found myself laughing out loud at what I read on the label that I was sold.

Wine label said:
It is our belief that Chenin Blanc (when made well) rivals some of the greatest white wines of the world. This wine was made from cool climate grapes, barrel fermented in French Oak, and aged for 6 months, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah… REDISCOVER CHENIN BLANC!

WebWino says more:
Winemakers that Blah Blah their own wine label have won me over from the start. It could’ve tasted like Boone’s Farm’s from a sippy cup and I’d still give it thumbs up just for the sassy attitude. Bravo Vinum Cellars!

Having said that, I found the wine really pretty darn good. On my first taste, I was struggling to figure out where I had tasted it before. Both the aroma and sharp crisp flavor were very familiar to me. It finally dawned on me where I had had it before.

This Chenin Blanc tasted exactly like Champagne, minus the bubbles. I’m not talking about the cheapy-sweet champagne, but the good stuff that my wise Mother keeps on hand just because.

So big thumbs up for this Chenin Blanc. It was a nice crisp white wine that reminded me of drinking quality Champagne with Mom. Sweet.

This wine review is a part of Wine Blogging Wednesday #20, Anything But Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Riesling. Thanks to Wine Doc (below) for sending in his review as well!

Teruzzi & Puthod Vernaccia Di San Gimignano 2004, WBW
$11.99

Type of wine:
Italy’s oldest white, made from the grapes of the same name (Vernaccia di San Gimignano), in the town of the same name (San Gimignano).

Wine label said:
From the hills of Tuscany the wine that goes best with seafood and white meat.

Wine Doc says:
This is a favorite light white with flavors of almonds, flowers and zesty citrus. It will be a great wine for Spring and Summer, if they ever arrive. A great price for a nice wine.

Click here to buy Vernaccia di San Gimignano and other wines online.

I want to share with you the decanter that has helped my appreciation of wine tremendously. It is called the RoJaus Grapevine Wine Decanter, and it has truly improved my wine drinking experience.

The RoJaus is an ingenious device that allows you to instantly aerate your wine, with a super-cool looking presentation. Just pour your bottle of wine over the glass ball which totally opens up the flavor. The wine then passes through the strainer which captures sediment, and fills the decanter. Then fill your glass at the nozzle (think: wine on tap). It really is that simple. But there’s more.

This decanter makes red wines taste so much better, especially the inexpensive ones. The wine tastes like it has been open and breathing all day, even though it was just poured out of the bottle. One taste test and you’ll see. Compare the wine straight from the bottle, to the same wine from the decanter. There is a big difference in the same wine following the five seconds it took to pour it into the decanter. Remarkable.

What makes this decanter stand out from all the other decanters is the presentation. It was designed to resemble a bunch of grapes hanging from a vine. I love showing it off to all my guests and having them try a taste test. It’s perfect for a wine tasting party!

Go here to see a video of the decanter in use and read the RoJaus FAQ. Go, check it out. Really… go. I’ll wait here.

2004 Panarroz Jumilla
$8.99

Wine label said:
It is 42% Mourvedre, 38% Grenache and 20% Syrah blend. 100% tank-fermented and aged, it is a gorgeous Spanish red to drink over the next 1-2 years.

Vineyard66 says:
I was first attracted to this wine when I saw the Wine Advocate sticker (Robert Parker) rating it 90 points for an inexpensive wine. The wine is a medium-bodied fruit filled wine with a savory long finish. It is a truly enjoyable bargain find! You can remember this wine by the simple label showcasing a single bird of paradise flower.