On this Memorial Day

On this memorial day we remember those who gave their lives for our freedom.  

The vast majority of those who have died in war over the last two decades have died in what many term a holy war (by any other name as valid).  A war based on religion.  

Those who try to rationalize this put blame on a small group of what are termed "fanatical" which could be interchanged with the term "crazy".  But the fact is that however big or small this group is they have a belief that is a strong or stronger than your religious belief whatever it is.

These people believe that they are doing what is right for the world and for their people.  They believe in what they believe in.

And YOU believe in what you believe in.

You are not much different from them in your following.  You follow a god that has no tangible element.  You practice a way of life dictated by a book and by people who interpret that book for you.  The latter more than the former.

I don't dispute that for some religion has value but I tend to think that the vast majority just haven't evolved.  That those who are strong in religion need to escape.  Escape from temptation, escape from excess, escape from "their demons".  That is fine and good for the world no doubt.

But for the majority of you who were raised with this and still participate in it 40 years later I think you have just not awakened.  You are either stubborn or scared or you don't know another way to be.

My parents led me down the best path they could as a child and part of that was to not impose religion on me.  To give me the opportunity to explore for myself.  And I did.  I spent three years trying to find this warmth and togetherness that my faithful friends told me they had.  I tried a number of different sizes and shapes of religion.  Many flavors and colors from one god to many and in the end I was left thinking no.  There is nothing here.  There is community sure and I can see the value in this but it is not de rigueur to include a supreme being.

It's just not.

If you could end war as we know it in this world but giving up your religion.  

Would you do it? 

THE REINVENTION OF JAMES - What I Like

I like stuff.

I like to write when inspired.

I like to discover new things.

I like to share my discoveries with others.

I like the joy I see in someone’s face when they have experienced the delight I have come to know.

I like wine, beer, food and the challenge of pairing them.

I like travel and variety, exploring.  Napa, Tahiti, Vegas, Portland, Spain, (insert new destination here).

I like spending time with Nina, she is the best.

I like collecting and organizing (that’s the geek in me).

I like the media, radio, TV, film (that’s what my Dad left me).

I like the Opie & Anthony Radio program

I like to talk, I like to listen, but I prefer the talking part.

I like to counsel, I like to advise, I like to share my experiences, my mistakes in hopes that others will not repeat them.   

I like to take care of people (This is from Mom)

I like to play a part. I like to play a role. I like to take the lead at times.

I like comedy when it’s funny and I fancy myself a funny person.

I like my personality, my sense of humor, my charm and I hope others are not just playing along when they seem to like it too.

I like games but I don’t like the time they take away from me; does this mean I don’t like games?

I like the people around me and I like the fact that there are times that when I am in a group of people that may not be good for me that I have the wisdom to recognize it and change course.

I like the idea of living in a small town but need a big city from time to time.

I like to matter.  I like to make a difference.  I like to get credit for my successes.

I like to brew beer.  I like when someone likes what I have brewed.

I like to review.  I like to share my opinion and I believe my opinion is valuable and others consider it.

I like to demystify things.  I like to make plain those topics that due to their complexity scare people.

I like it when I provide a wine recommendation and it results in someone reaching beyond their comfort zone and opens their eyes to possibilities.

I like the day I discovered Bootleggers Knuckle Sandwich DIPA.

I like the day I introduced my brother to Bootleggers Knuckle Sandwich DIPA.

I like the three months I spent in Napa studying wine at the CIA, dreaming about the future making good friends, living what became WINE LIFE.

I like Oregon. I like my family in Oregon. I like spending time in Oregon, but I like California too.

I like Oregon beer.  I like the idea of distributing Oregon beer down to Southern California and I hope one day to know the steps to take to make this happen.

I like money, not in terms of hoarding but in terms of what it can get me.

I like gambling but not to the point it gets boring, and it does.

I like road trips (like Huell Howser did) but I don’t like commuting.             

I like the idea of reading this list of likes in an Andy Rooney voice.

I like the NFL and the Raiders and even though I may complain about those who judge me for being a member of the RaiderNation I love the controversy. 

I like staying up late when I am busy doing things but I like getting enough sleep.

I like the fact that this list is only a partial list of my likes and I could go on forever...

Christopher Dorner – What did we learn?

As the story of Chris Dorner comes to a close (or is it?) it seems that a post-mortem is in order.  I preface this piece by stating that I do not condone the actions of Christopher Dorner.  What happened to the innocents he gunned down is tragic. 

But you have to ask yourself in the midst of his ranting manifesto was there some truth?

You have to ask yourself does it make sense to heed the message of a Madman?

For me it comes down to a lack of faith in the machine that runs this country.  Federal, State and Local officials have shown time and time again that they are not equipped or do not desire to run this country effectively.  Whereas at one time politics was a tool of government now government has become the tool.  Money and influence controls our lives today and not an objective fair body of individuals who share the same purpose, the same goals, as our forefathers planned.  The US Government is no longer about freedom, equality, fair judgment, and independence.  It is about whom can raise the most money to buy the most votes and influence the most people.

What does this have to do with Christopher Dorner?  Though he seemed to be bipolar at best, a madman at worst, he faced a challenge many of us face.  Unfairness in the work place.  To what degree, who is to say?  But I believe that there must have been a root of truth to his allegations that set things in motion.  He was wronged in some way.  Many of us at some time in our lives are wronged in the workplace.  The way we cope with it is to cuss out the boss during happy hour, talk it out with the spouse at the dinner table, file a workers comp claim, or more likely find another job.  Most of us don’t have a killer’s mindset; most of us do not hunt down innocents.  But many of us can empathize with the plight of Dorner.

The nearly 15,000 people who have liked the Christopher Dorner Facebook page are evidence that empathy is alive and well in cyberspace.  I hope that the LAPD reopens the case and re-evaluates the evidence and methods used.   Not to find blame but to determine reforms that will prevent the birth of the rage in Dorner’s heart.  To determine ways to be more transparent to the city of Los Angeles where possible.  To create a world where the public will not question the existence of a “blue code” or “blue line” because such things have no fuel to live.

Whether or not Christopher Dorner was a madman all levels of government need to address the mental health challenges of this country.  What do the beating of Kelly Thomas by Fullerton police, the Sandy Hook murders, the Aurora movie shootings and Christopher Dorner have in common?  It’s not guns.  It’s mental health and the fact that this country has fallen far short in its care of the disabled and mental challenged in our community.  Enough with all this talk about gun control (soon the media will dub this “weapon control”) address the real challenge that America in 2013 faces.  Mental Health.       

THE REINVENTION OF JAMES

THE REINVENTION OF JAMES – a first in a series

I’m bored. Uninspired. Lacking drive. Motivation levels are low. Need a Reboot.

I have spent most of my life doing something that I am pretty good at. I went to school to study it. I make good money doing it. To be honest I don’t hate it. It’s just same old same old.

Engage rut.

I have searched down avenues of reinvention in the past. Looking for what inspires. Trying to determine what mark on the world I want to leave behind. But more importantly looking for something that I can do every day all day and be happy doing it. Never losing focus, always excited, weary at times but never tired, never bored. And if I can make enough money to live well doing it that would be sweet.

Often times I find myself using the “but” word.

“I would love to work in the wine industry, discovering new wines, sharing my discovery with others, but how can I make money doing this?” – me.

I am not an expert on anything. Sure there have been times when I am the smartest guy in the room but it’s usually because I know just a tad more about something than everyone else. In a competitive world where there are hundreds of others who want to do the same as you odds are you won’t be the smartest guy. I would love to be a wine distributor or be in wine sales but there are many more who have dedicated their entire life to this and have far more experience than I have.

There I go again using the “but” word.

Seems there is always a gap between what we want and what we can get. That chasm shrinks with knowledge, experience, and a bit of luck. Many of the hugely successful among us are a result of being in the right place at the right time. I am smarter than those people.  :-)

I just don’t have their luck.

So it’s with this thought that I begin a personal journey that I will share with you. A journey of reinvention. A walk down a somewhat familiar path toward a goal that at this point is a bit murky. But it’s there and it’s screaming out to me. “JAMES I AM THE GUY YOU NEED TO BE!”

What Price Recycling?

As there is in many states California has a tax the government puts on the sales of bottles and cans that are sold with various beverages therein. This amazing tool to make our world "Green" is a few pennies per bottle but when you buy a case of something it sure can add up. This tax is called CA REDEMPTION VALUE. And that is exactly how it is displayed on the bottle "CA REDEMPTION VALUE" a billboard to tell you that you have paid more in taxes today.

The thought behind this tax is that it will encourage people who buy a soda to recycle the bottle instead of throw it in the street because they have in some way invested in it. The truth is the person who throws trash in the street doesn't give a crap about the few extra pennies spent. What is more likely is that the loser throws the bottle in the street and a homeless person collects it to take it to the recycling station to enable him to remain homeless. Thanks California for encouraging the homeless to live on the street. Where the money lays.

But why do I still have to pay CA REDEMPTION VALUE? I mean I separate my recycling daily and put it in a special container that I pay the trash guy to pick up and recycle.

WAIT!

I pay to purchase the bottle and then I pay again for someone to come pick up the bottle so that he can make money off the CA REDEMPTION VALUE of that bottle?
That's my damn CA REDEMPTION VALUE! I paid for that!

That's pretty fucked up if you ask me.

And on top of that there are built in charges I pay the trash guys to sort the trash which I have already sorted.

I need to get a job where I get paid to do something that has already been done for me.

It's time to rise up against CA REDEMPTION VALUE and other such taxes.
Or maybe a should just get another beer...

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is not.

Mark my words, there will be an investigation of this organization that will reveal that a very large chunk of the donations they take in are for the purpose of "awareness". This huge tent known as "awareness" will cover things like big parties, travel expenses, elevated salaries, PACs, and other wasting of your heartfelt donations. If you thought that donating to this organization (or the American Cancer Society for that matter) would help lead to a cure for cancer you were mislead.

OurWineLife.com

I am blogging about wine.

More to come.

http://www.ourwinelife.com/

Decant this and it will open up like a blooming flower

I was fortunate enough to share a bottle of 2006 Viader "Dare" Cabernet Franc this evening. When I saw it on the wine list I had to have it. I immediately thought of how I could convince the table of mostly white wine drinkers that we should get this bottle. I was quickly encouraged by an associate who wanted to drink red to order it. To hell with the rest I knew what I was doing.

When the waiter brought the bottle to me and poured a sample I was so enamored by the nose of cigar box, dark berry and cherry, tobacco and pimento that I almost didn't want to taste it for fear the palate might spoil the beauty of the bouquet. Fear not I said to myself I knew this wine would be amazing and right out the bottle it was a delight. Blueberry and spice, a bit of smoke and soft round tannic structure. Wow.

I asked the server to decant it as I said those legendary words "Decant this and it will open up like a blooming flower". Remember this line. Chant this line. Follow this instructions and that Cabernet Franc will blow your mind.

WINE LIFE!

BUY THIS WINE

When I think of a great Riesling I usually think of Germany. It think of the region of Mosel. I think of a delicate balance of sweet and acid. Well chilled so that each taste as the wine metamorphoses its way to room temperature provides different flavors. A great wine, a great Riesling, should hit you with a bit of honey, sweet apple and meyer lemon. Though somewhat aromatic it should not attack your nostrils with flowers if but a wiff of petrol. Expressing peach, pear, orange in the middle and when the glass having warmed reaches room temp produces a white pepper and orange zest. Yes these are the characteristics of a great wine.

I have tasted a number Rieslings, I have learned what I like, and I like Zach Bergweiler-Prum Erben 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese. That was a mouthful but oh how your mouth will thank you when you drink this amazing wine. Best of all I found this at Costco for $18!

I would pair this wine with spicy dishes or those that emphasize leafy green veggies. I have even heard talk of pairing such a wine with Taco Bell (but you didn't hear that here).

Viognier - The Perfect White Wine?

In Oz Clark's Grapes and Wines he says that Viognier (VEE-ON-YAY) filled the consumer demand for a white wine with "weight and softness of an oaky Chardonnay without the oak". For me Viognier is currently my favorite white because it combines the crispness of a Sauvginon Blanc with the fruity profile of a Riesling and spares us from the high acid levels of either. For me oak doesn't enter in to the discussion and to bring it up is a bit misleading. The other thing that I really enjoy about Viognier is that it pairs well with so many of the foods I enjoy such as sushi, salads, fish, chicken and my current perfect pairing with Cambodian Spring Rolls.

Viognier is a very aromatic wine with lots of floweriness in the nose and winemakers often blend it in with their red wines for this reason. A couple great examples are Storybook Mountain's Napa Estate, Eastern Exposures Zinfandel 2006 and Spring Mountain Winery's 2007 Syrah Co-Ferment where they crush and ferment the Syrah and Viognier grapes together instead of blending them after fermentation as is done with most wine blends. But I stray...

The first Viognier that caught my eye (palate) was Bridlewood's Reserve Viogner which for me is a nice light introduction to the grape. It's a bit on the drier side but still very aromatic and lots of fruit character. Priced at around $13 (bevmo.com) it was included in their 5 cents promotion earlier in the year so I purchased 2 bottles for less that 15 bucks after tax. That's right at the current high volume sales price of $6.99/bottle.


The second one that really caught my attention is the Copain Viognier "Tous Ensemble" Mendocino County. This is my current favorite as it is the perfect balance of fruit and crispness to make a bright yet subtle white wine with a lot of complexity. This may be the perfect white as it complements the crisp high acid foods (lemon chicken, cranberry vinaigrette salad) and contrasts well with rich creamy dishes (butternut squash risotto, grilled sea bass, deep fried egg roll). What is great about pairing a bright wine like this with rich dishes is that it gives your palate a refreshment between bites so future tastes will be just like the first one, special. With all pairings you will find this wine will bring out the sweetness in foods you didn't expect and the foods will bring out the apricot and citrus notes from this wonderful wine. At $20 I think this a great buy for a truely great wine.

Another fine Viognier is 2008 Darioush Viognier Signature a less subtle crisper white which has high unripe fruit character for a wine in this category. It paired well with the Cambodian Spring Rolls bringing out the crisp minty character of the roll and accentuating the sweetness of the lettuce. I think this is a great wine but it's price point ($40) may take it out of many peoples recession budget.

Cheers to all you Rhone Rangers!

If it's Tuesday it's AKA Bistro

Tuesday night is a special night for me. It's the night that AKA Bistro in downtown St Helena hosts a local winery and offers a tasting of their wines for $9. Tonight featured wines from a winery that I didn't get the name of. I didn't get the name because the reps of the winery were dicks. Best I could tell without my glasses is that name on the bottle was Halliburon but I am sure I am spelling it wrong.

After I sat down at the bar I was greeted by Robert the owner of AKA as he pointed out that it must be Tuesday because I pledged to him last week that I would be at AKA every Tuesday until the day comes that I have to leave St Helena. He told me that the winery was offering Cabernet Sauvignon from various vintages 2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005. After further discussion with the bartender I found out that I would get 2 pours of 3 ounces each of the wines I chose. So I walked over to the table and asked the reps (one being the winemaker) which of the 4 vintages they recommended. One of the other reps said "You should never ask a winemaker which wine to choose".

What the hell is this guy's problem? Did they not want to sell any wine? Why were these people being dicks?

Well I was here and I wanted to try the wine so I went for the older vintages and got a glass of the 2001 & 2002. The 01 was rather blah but the the 02 had really benefited from bottle age, the tannins had smoothed out but the fruit was still powerful. I enjoyed a sample of a delightful tomato puree soup with a touch of spice with my cabs. I followed this up with a sampling of the 2004 & 2005 vintages (even though they were dicks they still got my business) and paired this with the AKA burger medium rare with bacon. NICE! The 04 & 05 showed their youth and I really thought that tasting the 01 & 02 with the 04 & 05 was a good learning experience as you could tell the significant differences in the young verses the older vintages.

Since I didn't get the name of the winery I can't tell you who they were or where to get their wines which is cool because they were dicks.

I am a big fan of AKA Bistro and I recommend their Reuben sandwich, vegetable pasta and of course the killer burger. If you decide to drop in one Tuesday around 6:30pm feel free to come by and say hi to me at the bar.

Still in Napa Still Living the WINE LIFE

I know it's been a while since the last post but livin' the WINE LIFE ain't easy for a pimp. You spend your days smellin', tastin', spitin' and soakin' up all that knowledge. It can be intimidating at times, it can also be very rewarding like the last two days in the Germany/Austria intensive.

One strong attribute to these wines is acid. Acid in wine is that element that brings life to a wine, that makes your mouth pucker, that almost seems effervescent at times. Due to the not so wonderful and normally cool climate in Germany a lot of the grapes picked have a high acid content. This acidity is often covered up by the ripe fruity character of a German Riesling which can give you essence of stone fruits like peaches, apricots, and plums when you taste them but leave an after taste that slightly stings the sides of your tongue.

The high quality German Riesling is classified in ripeness categories called Pradikats. The Germans has a very systematic approach to how they handle every step of the wine making process from classifying the wine based on the time of harvest to the structure of the label on the bottle. Pradikats range from the least ripe Kabinett to the exteremely ripe Trockenberenauslenese & Eiswein that are often harvested on the last few snow covered days of December. In between these Pradikats are Spatlese , Auslese and Berenauslenese in order of less ripe to riper. Ripeness should not be confused with sweetness as the sweetness of the wine is more based on the when the fermentation process is stopped.

One flight we tasted was four Spatlese Rieslings from different vineyards in the same region of Germany (Mosel). I thought of these as my "soft drink flight" as when the ripe stone fruit and tropical flavors left my palate each finished like a familiar beverage.

Here are my brief tasting notes:

1. Alfred Merkelbach Urziger Wurtgarten Riesling Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $24
Light fruity nose with a sweet lemon, apple flavor and the finish of apple cider made from tart but sweet apples.

2. Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $33
Floral nose with some tropical fruits, on the palate the acid is strong but well balanced with Melon, Pineapple, and Apricot flavors. Finish is like sweet lemonade.

3. Carl Schmitt-Wagner Longuicher Maximiner Herrenberg Riesling Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $27
Lower minerality than the others with aromas of pure sweet apple juice. On the palate the sweet apple juice was confirmed along with lemon-lime flavors. The finish was like 7Up or Sprite and the high acid level gave the impression of a slight effervescence.

4. Reuscher-Haart Piesporter Goldtropfchen Rielsing Spatlese 2006 (Mosel) $25
This one is all about concord grape juice. From the nose to the palate to the finish it left you asking yourself "how did they get that concord grape juice into a Riesling grape?".

This is only a small part of two days of study with the amazing Karen MacNeil and 8 fellow wine enthusiasts who shared what I felt was an amazing experience.

WINE LIFE!!!

Sensory Analysis Day 2

After a day filled with tasting wine and spitting it out to identify it's characteristics but not get drunk a couple of my classmates and I stopped in at V Sattui for some wine tasting. I was quite surprised that what I feel is a tourist trap had a couple of very nice wines including a sauvignon blanc that is not on the tasting list.

What was interesting was the tasting room guy that we spoke with. He was a friendly if not patronizing dude who declared "it's the end of the day so all the wines are open for tasting". Bonus. He managed to put his foot in his mouth when he said the wrong thing after observing my classmate spit his wine sample in the spit bucket. "90% of the alcohol is absorbed in the mouth so spitting makes no difference" our jovial server declared. Open mouth, insert foot I say.

Had he thought about the audience that he spent a bit of time mocking when he saw my name tag from the CIA I think he would have been more careful with his comments because it was clear to us after a full day of tasting had we not spit we would have not made it to V Sattui in the first place.

The proper pronunciation of Reidel is REE-DULL not RYE-DELL. Those south orange county folks think they are so smart and yet they have miss pronounced it all along. And the main reason you think that your wine tastes better in your Bordeaux Bowl is just because you think so . The Reidel folks are smart marketers and talked the public into believing a specific glass must go with a specific wine. As long as the glass you use has curved in sides to allow swirling it is a fine wine glass. So drink up bitches!

Some fun facts:
All red wines go through a process known as Malolactic Fermentation (MLF) which comes from the fatty acids in the lies (the skins, pits, stems of the grapes) which create a softer creamier wine with enhanced aromatics. Most whites do not go through this with the exception of chardonnay which is frequently known for it's oakey silky butter qualities.

In California it's illegal to add sugar to wine. This is not the case in other wine regions. You can however add sweet grape juice to a mash to sweeten up the mix. Sometimes a winemaker will stop a tank from fermenting out all the sugar to use it for sweetening up the other tanks.

Phenolics are chemical compounds in the pulp, seeds, and skins of grapes that affect the color, taste, and mouthfeel of a wine. Anthorocyanins give color characteristics and Catechins give bitterness and astringency. Astringency is the feeling of drying out of your mouth because catechins bind up your saliva and it takes some time for your mouth to recover.

We finished the night off at PRESS in St Helena a restaurant owned by Leslie Rudd who is one of primary reasons (if not the primary reason) the wine school at the CIA exists. The food was quite good. I had a Kobe Burger that was huge (I only finished half of it) cooked medium rare with some Swiss Gruyere cheese and lots of fresh veggies. Accompanied by a plate full of the best fries in Napa prepared with garlic and herbs. At $18 it is a bargin for Napa.

Hungry? HA!

Is it my nose or power of suggestion?

Toward the end of the first day of the two day class on Sensory Analysis I asked instructor John Buechsenstein this question: "If I smell a wine initially but don't smell liquorish and then after someone else in the class identifies it I can smell it on the next whiff, is it power of suggestion or am I really smelling it?" John's response is that he would side with the conclusion that I have actually smelled the liquorish and it's not just my mind playing tricks on me.

I have to admit that I still struggle with sensory analysis as I put a wine under my nose and I say to myself, "that's a cab" or "that's a chard" not "I smell baked cherries" or "I get essence of oak & vanilla" but I am getting more in tune with the deal. After two days under the expert tutelage of John B I can finally understand the process a wine professional goes through to reach the point where he can blind taste a wine and identify the varietal, region, age, and winery. Understanding the process is one thing but getting to the point where you can do it good enough to be a master takes years because there are so many wines to study and classify.

The first day of sensory analysis included the identification of flaws in wine. It's what you are supposed to identify when the sommelier pours you a sample of the bottle you've ordered. That and if the wine has turned to vinegar. There are six identified flaws that can exist in wine for one reason or another.

1. Oxidized - When oxygen is allowed to get into the wine in the bottle or it is exposed to heat it can get a stale aroma. I smelled an almost pine nut aroma in the sample we had.
2. Volatile Acidity - Again caused by oxidation but results in a smell like nail polish remover, model glue, vinegar.
3. Hydrogen Sulfide - The smell of rotten eggs/sulfur which can occur in the wine making process.
   
4. Brettanomyces - A band-aid, medicinal and some times menthol smell that can be treated as a positive or negative aspect of the wine. Some call this "the french disease" since in small occurrences can give the aroma of truffles which is often a noteworthy distinguishing trait of french wines and some french chefs. A little goes a long way
5. Corked (TCA) - A musty smell that reminds me of a half dry towel that was used after leaving a chlorinated pool. Most often this is blamed on a bad cork that has introduced mold into the wine. This can also occur in the barrel. TCA is short for 2,4,6 trichloroanisole a chemical compound that causes cork taint.
6. Sulfites - Like the smell of a struck match. Sulfites are used as an anti-oxidant in wine and can naturally occur in grapes. Not to be confused with sulfides, sulfites in unacceptable levels can mask other odors

The are many pleasant odors in wine, whites can have a number of aromatics:

• Isoamyl Acetate - banana aromas
• Terpenes - floral aromas
  
• Thiols - grapefruit, pineapple, passion fruit, fresh sweat, cat pee
• Pyrozine - herbal aromas of green olive, bell pepper, asparagus often a characteristic of sauvignon blanc
• Diacetyl - Buttery, oak aromas resulting from malolactic fermentation a trademark of oak barrelled Chardonnay.

Red Wine notes:

• Aromas of strawberry and pencil shavings are an indicator of Pinot Noir
• Cool climate reds can offer a black/white pepper smell whereas hot climate reds will give off more of a baking spicy attribute like cinnamon and nutmeg

Professional Wine Service

Christie Dufault a frequent CIA instructor and a member of the wine team at rn74 (named after the main route through Burgundy) spent the day showing us the array of tools she has to perform the responsibilities of a sommelier.

For the most part I didn't get much from this day of corkscrews. I have opened a lot of bottles of wine and I may not be the best but I get the job done. More important was the knowledge that Christie gave us regarding what it means to be in the service profession. I, as most of my classmates, am not sure what area of the wine industry I want to work in and Christie's knowledge helped me to realize that I probably don't want to be a sommelier. The reason for this is that the job is often times more about being "in service" and less about teaching people about wine. It's more about opening and presenting bottles than it is about describing what's in the bottle and how it makes you feel.

She did give us the lowdown on decanting and demonstrated the process.
There are 5 reasons for decanting wine:
1. To prevent sediment from going into the glass. Sediment is the harmless byproduct of the wine making process and can consist of any or all of the following: skins, pits, stems, or yeast sells.
2. Aeration of the wine. Many wines benefit from aeration (mixing oxygen into the wine to bring out the flavor) and decanting can be an effect way of doing this.
3. Temperature - Moving a wine around inside a decanter can bring it up to a warmer temperature that will improve the tastes that can be hidden if it's too cold.
4. Appreciation - Being able to show the wine in a clear decanter to appreciate it's colors
5. Showmanship/Presentation

I asked what wine would not benefit from decanting and the answer is some older wines that have a delicate aroma that could be killed by too much motion. I have to admit that I am not happy with this response. I also asked if sommelier's get a cut of bottle sales and Christie said that all restaurants are different and the way it usually works is that there are sales goals established that when reached mean bonuses to the sommeliers.

Recommended Reading:
Sales & Service for the Wine Professional - Brian Julian
The Art of Decanting - Sandy Jordan
Sommelier Journal

Wine Tasting Weekend

Let me just say that being a wine student living in Napa has it's privileges, but the cost is not getting to see your wife everyday. This weekend I had the treat of a visit from Nina and though it was brief it was definitely appreciated.

Friday Night we visited Rutherford Grill (in the city of Rutherford go figure). This place reminds one of the Houston's chain in style but the wine list is far superior if you know what to look for. Fortunately a Sommelier taught me about German wines and I found a nice Werner Kabinett. A delightful white wine with many layers and a pervading sweetness that went perfect with the jalapeno chesse dip we ordered as an appetizer. I followed this up with a glass of a curious red wine called "The Prisoner" which is a blend of predominantly syrah, zinfandel and cabernet sauvignon and went great with the terrific burger I ordered. Cooked to order this burger had the perfect combination of toppings including onion, tomato, lettuce, and relish that reminded me of the old time burgers I ate as a child. Quite delicious.

Saturday we visited Franciscan, Folie a Deux/Napa Cellars, Chandon, and the highlight of the trip a stop at Grgich Hills Estate. Mike Grgich is the famous winemaker who crafted the Chateau Montelena Chardonnay from the famous Paris tastings of 1976 where Napa wines were picked over French wines in a blind tasting. Despite his age (86) Mike is still sharp as a tack and has his power over the ladies. It was truely an honor to meet him.

We also visited the Oxbow Market to pick up some nice cheeses and duck terrine. We enjoyed these Sunday afternoon with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and some Epi Baguette from Bouchon Bakery.

Monday it's back to class...

Wine Immersion - The Business of Wine

As the first week of the Wine Immersion program ends I am inspired by the things I have a learned and the people I have met. There is so much growth potential in the wine industry and in a time when economic decline has hurt so many businesses, sales of wine has continued to increase. Drowning your sorrows? Perhaps, but it is clear that wine is accepted as an affordable luxury.

Just a few concepts from the last three days:
The marketing of wine is all about the P's. Product, Promotion, Price, Placement, and Presentation. You must establish a distinct brand that sets yourself apart from the other 250,000 wine SKU's out there. In a world where many vintners are creating handcrafted wines, produced by small family farms, sourced from select vineyards it's important that your wine have a story that draws the customer. Based on a number of factors including the region your grapes are grown you need to determine the correct price point of your wine. The placement of your wine on the shelf is also key to it getting purchased. Ideally you want the wine to be at an easy to access level and on the right of other notable wines. Since the majority of people are right handed you want your wine in a place where it can be reached without the customer having to reach across his/her body. A lot of thought should be put into how the bottle is presented. If your wine is at a high price point (over $100) you should consider using a heavy bottle that is more substantial in the hands as it gives the customer the impression of value. If your wine is at a lower price point it may make more sense to use cheaper glass to keep the cost of goods down.

If you are considering running a winery you should grow the grapes to produce the wine that the market wants and not the produce the wine you "like". The secret to success in the wine industry, much like every other business, is to sell your product at a really good profit.

It is important to establish a connection with the consumer. This is accomplished by creating a story related to the wine that will take the consumer to a place that is significant to them. The better the story, the better the connection the more your brand will stand out among others.

There are six categories of wine buyers:
Enthusiasts - What does the wine I purchase say about me?
Image Seeker - A collector who buys wine to say he owns it and not to drink it
Savvy Shopper - Always looking for a good deal
Traditionalist - If wine is good it's probably French and expensive
Satisfied Sipper - Loves the taste of a good wine
Overwhelmed - In store has no idea what to choose

The dynamic speakers who entertained and enlightened us:
Elliot Stern of The Sorting Table and East Oakville Exposure Winery
Barbara Insel of Stonebridge Reasearch
Paul Wagner of Balzac Communications
Matt Wood a "Direct to Consumer" guru formerly of Francisan now Exec VP of 1-800-Flowers

The business ideas I have are rushing through my brain at light speed but I need to focus as I am still weeks away from completing my wine education and I have a lot of studying to do.

Wine Immersion Day 1 - Orientation

My class consists of 23 people that come from many walks of life and have various things they are looking to get out of this program. There are some retirees, some kids fresh from college, a couple people who like me are looking for a new career, a McDonald's franchise owner and the son of one of the CIA instructors.

The Orientation was lead by Paul Dray, Associate Director, Professional Wine Studies a mild mannered charismatic gentleman with assists by Kate Thorsen, Coordinator, Professional Wine Studies who completed the program last summer and landed a job at the CIA shortly thereafter. Providing a general overview of the facility and CIA policies was the direction of this session but it was derailed by a very interesting and informative guest speaker from the Napa Valley Vintners Association(NVVA).

Terry Hall is the communications director for the NVVA and he spoke of what makes Napa Valley a special place. How Napa became an agricultural reserve in 1969 with the goal of producing the best crops possible despite the traffic through St Helena as a result of the two lane highway clogged by trucks full of grapes. In 1890 there were 140 wineries in Napa Valley, due to disease, prohibition, economics and other factors the number dwindled to 25 by 1969. Following the commitment to agriculture and the goal of branding the region of Napa as the place that produces the best wines the area today is home to 350 wineries.

A collegiate atmosphere where oft times you will see representatives of different wineries pouring samples of each others wines at vintner functions all with the same primary goal of making Napa the premier source for wine. Though Napa is responsible for only 4% of the wine produced in California it is responsible for 34% of the economic impact of wines produced. This is because the region is so well respected. It is in the branding (pioneered by the late Robert Mondavi) of the region that made Napa such a strong economic powerhouse.

Ever thought that it was rude when a winery requires an appointment to come taste their wines? This is actually mandated by law which requires that a certain percentage of wineries handle tastings in the this manner. There is currently only one Napa winery that is not a member of the NVVA and that is Charles Krug.

I enjoyed Terry's lecture and wished there were time for questions but we had to move on with the orientation. We toured the CIA which took us to the various classrooms we will be using, to the test kitchen where we will eat lunch, and the barrel room that charts the history of the region. All in prepartion for the big day tomorrow when CLASS BEGINS!

Oahu 2 - The catharsis

Saturday Morning we ventured to the farmers market near Diamond Head . This was a great place with more great food including Portuguese sausage, fried green tomatoes and a refreshing concoction of lime juice, ginger, pineapple juice and mint. I don’t know what they called it but I will definitely return here the next time I am on Oahu .

Saturday Afternoon we visited the Bishop Museum where a lot of the history of Hawaii and its people can be found. In the hall dedicated to war they broke down the various pacific islanders into groups to describe how they are different and why they would go to war. Some would war to capture territory others to eat the opponent to gain their power. The Hawaiians would war to maintain control which explains a lot about my family as we are all control freaks. This had me laughing the rest of the day.

Saturday Night we had dinner with an old friend of mine and his family. It was so cool to see them and to spend time with them however brief it seemed. Times like this are like a magnet for me pulling me back to Oahu . I know we would be happy here if we could figure out how to relocate. Fortunately my friend on Oahu is a real

estate mogul so he has the tools to hook us up with a great place for a good price. I just need to figure out what I will do for a living.

Sunday was the big day. One of the primary reasons we came to Hawaii was to scatter the ashes of my dear departed Mom. She was a great and caring lady who would do just about anything to make sure the people she loved were happy. We scheduled the scattering for 11am so a quick breakfast we were on our way to the Pali. Nina and I were a bit late and got a Facebook comment as a result. My brother and his blackberry, always breaking the news before the other networks get a chance! I think the scattering couldn’t have gone better. There was even a bit of comedy as it seems that ashes had so many identification cards on them to verify that these were in fact my mother's ashes. There was one on the wrapping of the box, one on the box, one attached to the outside of the bag that held the ashes and finally a fourth in the bag with the ashes. Talk about attention to detail.

We went to one of my aunt Frances favorite dimsum places in Chinatown for lunch and wandered the streets checking out the little shops. About half way though our tour I had to go BAD so I wandered into another dim sum place and asked for the key to the bathroom in the hall outside. The guy inside was counting his money in the register and said "find the key". I said "where is it?" he said "FIND IT!!" and I asked where I should look for it and he said "AROUND!" I think he was upset because I wasn't a paying customer. I asked another

worker there and he pointed to a table which had the key (and just in time might I add). In the stall I snapped this picture. And I thought Hawaii was a liberal state.

Sunday night we walked over to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel where my brother was staying so we could carpool to dinner with the relatives. On the way I got a call from my uncle Paul, he is still the goofy dude I remember from childhood who introduced me to The Doors & The Police. He sounded good and said he hoped we could get together on the next visit (as our time was running out). As we proceeded I saw what had been described to me as "the concrete jungle that is Waikiki". The entire area north of the hotels that line the beach has been developed like "Anytown, USA". There were chain restaurants, coffee shops, discount stores, all the places that you find in a stroll down the main drag in downtown Pasadena or Brea, etc. In addition I found the Famous Amos cookie shop (now known as Chip & Cookie) at the Royal Hawaiian shopping center and bought some of my favorites from childhood like the butterscotch chip cookies as I regalied the shop keeper with stories of my Dad taking me the Famous Amos in Hollywood after visits to the Directors Guild Theater. He probably didn't care but humored me.

We met my brother and Cari at there hotel and checked out their room at the Royal Hawaiian. The hotel is quite grand with some amazing views. Each room has a hand carved door and gave me the feel of old Hawaii. Thou their room was small it was ornately decorated and comfortable. It's clear that staying at the Royal Hawaiian is a unique experience. We met the Aunties for dinner and lots of good conversation.

Monday morning Nina and met Auntie Ipo and Katherine at the Waioli Tea Room for lunch. It was a light refreshing break from the heavy local foods I had enjoyed. We discussed plans for future visits including attending Katherine's graduation next June. Too soon we had to head to the airport for our flight to Maui.

A couple notes on Oahu:

Despite the concrete jungle this place is still a great place to visit.

Side Street Inn is a must stop for food.

Avoid renting from Alamo if possible as it can take HOURS to get your car