Can you guess what this is?

photo: Justin Mott, NY Times
Is this picture,

A. An Exxon Oil Refinery?

B. A Dow Chemical Plant?

C. The Yellow Tail wine facility in Yenda, New South Wales?

Fired up About Fred

I recently finished the May 18, 2009 issue of the The New Yorker Magazine which features an article titled "Drink Up" by Dana Goodyear on Fred Franzia, the man behind Bronco Wines (Two Buck Chuck, Crane Lake, etc. [see below]) Wow am I fired up. You need to read this article if you are interested in the business of wine. The article abstract is here. If you register with New Yorker, you can read it all. I don't know Fred personally, but Dana certainly paints a less than flattering image of the man. Fred is a business man and makes no apology for taking advantage of others' difficult times. His coarse language and approach to the business of wine is a reality. If you drink his wines you may be shocked at who you are supporting. In June Wine News, Fred just announced he is releasing a new wine, "Down Under by Crane Lake" starting in July. The wine will retail in the $3 range per bottle and he is bringing this Australian wine to the US to show that Americans have overpaid for Aussie wines for too long. That article can be found here.

Bronco Wine Company Brands
Albertoni Vineyards
Alexander and Fitch
Almond Creek
Bad Dog Ranch
Bears' Lair
Black Mountain
CC Vineyards
Cedar Brook
Charles Shaw, AKA Two Buck Chuck
Chateau California
Coastal Ridge
Coastal Vines
Congress Springs
Crane Lake
Down Under by Crane Lake
Domaine Laurier
Domaine Napa
Dona Sol
Douglass Hill
Down Under
Estrella
Fat Cat
Forest Glen
Forest Hill
ForestVille
Foxbrook
FoxHollow
Grand Cru
Grove Ridge
Hacienda
Harlow Ridge
JW Morris
JFJ Winery
Laurier
Montpellier
Napa Creek
Napa Crossing
Napa Landing
Napa Ridge
Napa River
Oak Vineyards
Pacific Oasis
Quail Creek
Quail Ridge
Raymond Hill
Redwood
Rock Brook
Rutherford Vintners
Salmon Creek
Santa Barbara Crossing
Santa Barbara Landing
Sea Ridge
Silver Ridge
The California Winery
Thousand Oaks
Three Knights Vineyards
Trellis

-Salamanzar

Rosé Garden Erection Video

Each year we show our allegiance and love of dry rosé wine by building a rosé garden.  The garden usually blooms just before Memorial Day and comes down around Labor Day.  Our garden features pink wines from around the world coming and going all summer long.  Unfortunately, in the US many people still associate pink wines with sugary sweet flavors.  We are passionate for the drier versions - the best of a white wine with some of the qualities of a red wine.  Pink wines are food friendly, easy to drink in social situations, they don't weigh you down, and offer lots of bright acidity so you taste every sip.  Chill them like a white wine, but not quite as cold for serving.  A little warmer than fridge temperature lets all the grape's goodness come forth.  We like to think of ourselves as ordained clergymen in the church of rosé and preachers of "roséism," the practice of drinking dry pink wine.  More on our religious teachings to come.  (Wink, wink foreshadowing)  Without further ado, here is our video showing this year's Rosé Garden erection, err, construction! - Salamanzar

Wine Authorities Dry Rosé Wine Garden from Wine Authorities on Vimeo.

Confessions from a Wine Pro

Last night after we poured wine for the cast party/post A Prarie Home Companion live from DPAC event, I was beat from a long day of wine. The first thing I did was pour some left over Ceci, Lambrusco from Saturday's free tasting and sit down for a glass.  Now here's the reality.  In a humbling manner, I look back at my youth and think of all the terrible mistakes I made of putting wine on a pedestal.  I scorned if someone didn't use the proper glass, even for a $5.99 Chardonnay.  Or if the wine's drinking temperature was incorrect, mercy me, how could they?  Prices, big prices in fact, impressed me and I would never see why someone could enjoy an $8 Cabernet Sauvignon.  

Last night I drank my Lambrusco, of all wines, in a ball jar with three ice-cubes to give it a chill. And you know what?  It was the best glass of wine I tasted all week.  I've come full circle and encourage  you to do so the same.  Let's just drink wine and enjoy it without all the fuss, the snobery and pomp & circumstance.  I enjoy wine more now than ever. 

At the event I found out that Garrison Keillor doesn't drink alcohol, he has soft hands and a rather flabby handshake. - Salamanzar

Steininger Non Frozen Disgorge Video

In Thursday night's Austrian wine seminar, we debuted this video in its world premiere opening.  Now we have it for you to view in the safety of your own home.  This video was taken during Seth's Austrian trip in January 2009.  It shows the Steininger family disgorging their Sekt.  Disgorging is the method of opening the bottle to shoot out the plug of dead yeast before corking the wine.  Sekt is the German word for their Champagne style wine.  There's also a little humor on the side. 

Steininger Non-Frozen Disgorge from Wine Authorities on Vimeo.

Mon Sherry

I've been drinking Amontillado Sherry lately.  The bottle of Hidalgo, Napoleon Amontillado had been sitting unopened in my basement office for a long time now.  After a well overdue office cleaning, I decided this bottle needed to be opened.  Two sips in, I realized I had kept this lady in waiting for too long.  I have badly been missing such a satisfying after dinner drink.

With a small glass, while working late at night, this bottle has become my work associate.  Dry, rich, satisfying, and not overly heavy, Sherry is art in a glass.  This is not the sweet "cream" sherry grandma drank.  

I am almost as guilty as the next person for not helping to preserve this treasured wine from Spain.  Sherry is one of the three main fortified wines (+ Port & Madeira).  She is losing ground daily in the fight for survival.  It is possible Sherry might disappear from our planet due to lack of demand.  I pledge to do my part and drink more sherry hoping to help in some small way preserve history, a style of wine and a special flavor.  

Take a sherry pledge of your own. - Salamanzar

Austria Pat VI - the end

We are winding down the trip with just one full day before flying out of Vienna in the morning. Klaus is clearly not going to let up on us as the day starts with a full walking tour of the Loisium for those can get up and make it, followed by a tasting in the hotel with a brand new rising star, Paul D., and then a bus ride to Vienna to meet the Austrian Wine Board, and finally meet and taste with the Strauss family. All this of course before we go to dinner.

A small group of maybe six, actually makes it to the entrance of the Loisium museum in time to take the tour. The idea is that we are all grapes and were just harvested, now we will go through the process of fermentation. This was very “Disney” like with real looking electrical panels, consoles, a water show, video screens etc. After we find our way to the tanks and barrels, the tour then becomes a visit to the history of Austrian wine with re-created wineries, and a typical village house. Everything is so real it’s like stepping back in time. This museum is definitely worth visiting. Seeing the old tools, the techniques and such is fascinating. The tour is about 75 minutes.

At the hotel we all assemble to meet and taste the wines of Paul D. Paul is not old enough to legally drink wine in the US. We are truly seeing a rising star. He finished agriculture school and under the tutelage of Anton Bauer, Paul is making wine on the family farm. We are presented one liter bottles of Zweigelt and Gruner Veltliner with crown caps (beer caps). The wines are excellent and I personally love the crown cap because it is actually better than even a screw cap, but clearly I am in the minority as Paul apologizes for the crown caps and our wines will come with screw tops. (I did ask Klaus if he could send all the Wine Authorities bottles with the crown cap and got that look of “this guy is crazy, who invited him.”) Paul is actually presenting the wines with his mom. It’s sort of a funny thing because it reminds me of “bring your parent to work day.” They are both very kind to pose with their bottles so we will have their pictures up next to the one liters when they arrive. Winemakers like Paul are very much a part of the Wine Authorities philosophy. I expect nothing but better and better wines from Paul as we get to know each other and help to introduce a young winemaker with a bright future to the United States. Now Paul, keep your prices reasonable and don’t let the fame go to your head!

The bus ride to Vienna is a chance to grab some sleep for most of the bus. Staring out the window, I see frozen parts of the Danau river. Amazing to see huge ice chunks floating; a reminder of how cold it remains. In the city we get about 30 minutes to walk to our next stop and take some photos, see some history. Fortunately 30 minutes is plenty of time in a city like Vienna with very little history. For example, Klaus points out a building that was a prison and tells the story of the architect committing suicide after it was built because they forgot to add bathrooms. Not sure if it’s true, but a good story.  We have time for a quick coffee and I insist on have authentic Sacher Torte in Vienna.  Klaus recommends ordering it 'mit schlag' or with a pile of whipped cream; a very nice pick me up.

We arrive at a wine bar and head to the basement where the Austria Winemarketing Board, presents “Wine from Austria, A taste of Culture.” We are treated to a powerpoint presentation/sales pitch of Austria’s growth in the wine market, and maybe a last kicker just in case we weren’t sure if we would sell Austrian wine back home. Currently Austria is working on promoting their individual wine regions, working to set wine laws specific to each region, using peer panels to taste wines for approval, and finally trying to build regional varietal identity. They make the comparison that Marlborough, New Zealand is now synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc and they want folks to think of Gruner Veltliner when you mention Kamptal, Austria. They are well on their way, at least in our store.

Gustav Strauss waits patiently and as the AWB finishes their presentation we are ready for his wines from Steiermark (Styria) located southeast in Austria. Positioned in the foothills of the Alps, they see cold nights and very hot days. Many of our customers are probably familiar with Strauss’ Sämling 88, aka Scheurebe, grape. We have sold a lot of this wine. There are only 20 vintners in Gustav’s area and the steep hillsides equates with all hands-on manual labor. Gustav tells us the people in his town have one leg shorter than the other to help them stand on the hills. I tried to watch his gate to see an obvious limp, but didn’t see it. Maybe he has a lift in one shoe. This region is making a name for its Sauvignon Blanc and Muskateller varietals. All of his wines are excellent and I am very excited about the 2008s coming to the store.

Klaus then takes the group on a walk and “illegal” train trolley ride getting lost in Vienna to find our dinner restaurant. It’s our last meal together and the troops definitely look worn. The smiles at the table are many, but the conversation is a bit more quiet than usual. I don’t think we have the energy to muster much talk and those awful thoughts of getting back to work are creeping into our reality.

Thank you Klaus and company for a most memorable and perfect trip to Austria. As it was my first time there, I have nothing to compare it to, but I can’t imagine a more passionate, quality driven, fun and educational trip than this one. Before boarding the plane, I made sure Klaus promised to take Craig next January. Craig, be sure your passport is ready to go, and bring your long underwear.

Klaus will be at Wine Authorities on Thursday, April 30th for a special Austrian Wine seminar. Details on our website calendar.