What Would Downton Drink?

I will admit right off the bat that my wife and I are late to the Downton Abby party. As much as I love history, the idea of a period piece focusing on a crumbling British class system that airs on PBS made me skeptical. Luckily, based on the suggestions of many, many people, my wife and I started watching it. We're now hooked.

Yet this is a wine blog, not a TV blog. If you want reviews, spoilers, or gossip about the show, I can't help you. Wine does, however, play a significant role in Downton, hence I have an excuse to write about it. Though we are only about five episodes in, there have been numerous scenes where the butler, Mr. Carson, is seen taking inventory of the estate's wines, decanting bottles and generally preparing wine for meals.

Curious about how often the butler is seen working with wine, I wanted to know if this was simply a plot device of if there is a reason behind it. Over to Wikipedia I went to find the following information about butlers:

"The word "butler" comes from the Old French bouteleur (cup bearer), from bouteille (bottle), and ultimately from Latin. The role of the butler, for centuries, has been that of the chief steward of a household, the attendant entrusted with the care and serving of wine and other bottled beverages which in ancient times might have represented a considerable portion of the household's assets."

So there you have it. Butlers do, indeed have a wine responsibilities. Radical speculation on my part - not tied to the Wikipedia entry - is that this is why many stereotypes surrounding both wine connoisseurs and butlers are similar. With the snobbery, rituals surrounding wine, and condescending attitude towards those who don't share their appreciation or outlook, both butlers and wine enthusiasts seem to be cut from the same cloth. 

And what kind of wine was Mr. Carson inventorying, decanting and serving? Most likely, it was Bordeaux. England was, for centuries, the primary export market for Bordeaux wine, and  specifically the dark rose wine, Claret, was popular. Claret became a catch-all term for Bordeaux wine and even today is used to describe some Bordeaux blends. Most people are probably familiar with Coppola's Claret, which comes in the gold wiring, and is that winery's Bordeaux-style blend. 

Unlike the Clarets that Mr. Carson likely served, which had an appearance that was darker than modern roses but lighter than most Bordeaux, Claret now means "Bordeaux," so any blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and  Cabernet Franc can be used  - similar to the the term Meritage.

Next time you want to watch Downton Abby with a glass of wine, try something from Bordeaux, or if you want to support Virginia wineries, Cobbler Mountain Cellars produces a nice Meritage blend that would work quite nicely. 

For the Wino on Your List

For anyone who is wondering what to get the wine lover on their list this holiday season, for anyone who is going to ask me the same question over and over again - what should I get the wine lover on my holiday list this year - and for anyone who is thinking of asking me or anyone else what to get the wine lover on their holiday list this season, the answer is very simple... In fact, you have already answered it.

If the questions was, "what should I get the wine-trinket lover this holiday season" or "what should I get the person who loves wine-themed kitchenware this holiday season," the answer may be different. However, I speak for all wine enthusiasts when I say what all wine lovers really want for Christmas is wine.

Yes, that $60 vacu-suck/pump wine opener is neat, but if the person has become the "wine-lover" on your holiday list, they already know how to open the bottle. Similarly, the wine-lover on your list doesn't need a cheap wire frame that is shaped like a wine bottle for their corks, silicon replacement corks that look like Star Wars characters, charms to distinguish wine glasses from one another, a necktie with wine names and labels on them or even bedazzled wine glasses.

All of these purchases seem like a great idea after two or three different wine tastings. That is why every winery on the planet stocks them. But all these gifts, while well-intended, won't be as appreciated and may not even go to use. I have a good-sized box of wine accessories that I have been given over the years tucked away in a closet. I doubt I am alone.

Unless the wine-lover/wino on your list has specifically asked for a new corkscrew, bedazzled wine glasses for special occasions or any number of other wine-related items, get them wine. It will be much more appreciated than any sort of wine-related gift could be.

"But I don't know anything about wine," is a common reply when I tell people to forgo the gimmicks and just give the wine-lover on their list wine. To that, let me just say that it doesn't really matter. It's the thought that counts. If you aren't a wine lover, you aren't expected to be one. Nor are you expected to shell out more than you are comfortable with to get an exclusive wine.

One of the great things about the current state of the wine industry is you can get really good, interesting bottles at just about any price range. I have sung the praises of Chilean Merlot in a previous post. You can get really good bottles of the stuff for under $10. If you are looking to spend a bit more, there are plenty of options under $20, under $30, under $40... You get the point. What's even better, if you are shopping for a wine-lover and know nothing about wine, staff at whichever wine store you go to will be happy to help you.

The few suggestions I would give is stay away from wines with cartoon animals on the label, and during colder months, more people drink reds than whites. Sparkling wines are always a good alternative - and given the growth in cavas from Spain and some really good domestic brands - sparkling wine does not need to be a bank-breaking gift, either.

If you choose to go with the tried and true, Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, Barolo from Italy, the famed wines from Bordeaux, Burgundy or the Rhone are always great go-tos.

If you want to get your wine-lover something from an less well-known appellation, try Pinot Noir from Oregon, Carmenere from Chile, Malbec/Merlot blends from Argentina, Pinotage from South Africa or Petit Verdot from Virginia.

Whatever you get for the wine-lover on your list, they will appreciate it. It's always easier to find space for another bottle of wine than it is to cram yet another trinket into a box of wine-related gifts of Christmas past.

Wines I'm Thankful For

This time of year, there seems to be a lot of chatter both in the wine blogger world as well as in the dead tree wine press about two topics: great wines for Thanksgiving and great gift wines. The former is a rotating crop of up and coming wines from new regions - one year Malbec from Argentina was the greatest wine ever for Thanksgiving. Rioja, Pinot Noir, Cotes du Rhone and Chianti have all also held that distinction for reds, while Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Torrontes have all had a share of the limelight for white wines for Thanksgiving. Ultimately, these reports all end by saying that people should drink what they like - and maybe get something a little nicer than usual for the occasion.

Holiday gift writing tends to explain why wines in the $30 and up are worth it for non-wine drinkers and explain why certain wines cost what they do and why, for a gift, they are worth it. These usually end with a little joke that the card should indicate that in five years, the giver would be happy to help the recipient drink the gift wine.

To do something little different, I wanted to offer up a list of the types of wines I am most thankful for this year. These are not, necessarily, good wines for Thanksgiving. Nor are any of them really good gift wines unless you are a cheapskate. Rather, these are the wines that I find myself cracking open more often than not on a regular evening, or that I have come to appreciate throughout this last year.

1. Chilean Merlot. Chile and Washington State have put Merlot back on the wine map, and Chilean Merlots - with an abundance of dark fruit, chocolate, spice and earth - almost always punch above their weight. Usually under $10, Chilean Merlots have become some of the best value, versatile, everyday drinking wines out there.

2. Virginia Cabernet Franc. I have written a lot about this wine on this blog, and with good reason. The quality and diversity of the Cabernet Franc produced in Virginia continues to grow and is helping to pave the way wider acceptance of Virginia wines in general.

3. Virginia Viognier. Viognier is doing for Virginia white wine what Cabernet Franc is doing for reds. If word gets out on how good Virginia Viognier really is, it could become a go-to white of choice for Chardonnay drinkers looking for something a bit more complex and aromatic as well as Pinot Grigio drinkers who are looking for more body. With its melon, slate and honeydew flavors, it is also a great brunch wine.

4. Cotes du Rhone. While these wines are still gaining and popularity - and increasing in cost - you can still get some very good ones under $15 that are full of clove, spice and blackberries.

5. Grenacha. Spain's second major red wine varietal is starting to gain attention. While these big, bold and smokey wines can be a little rough around the edges, there are some great values out there - especially if you are looking for bigger, more full-bodied wines that pack a punch and are a great value.

6. Argentine Sauvignon Blanc. Let's face it - California Sauvignon Blanc under $15 is rarely good, and the New Zealand stuff is good, but can be fairly acerbic. Argentina is coming into its own with this varietal. There is still the minerality and slate of the New Zealand stuff, but without the over-abundance of gooseberry that turns some people off. These are great light, crisp and refreshing wines.

7. Blends. While pretty much all wines are blends - you only need 75% of a single varietal to put the name on the label - winemakers are becoming more comfortable to put "red blend" or "white blend" on the label. Of course, Bordeaux is still making great wines which, by law, need to be blended, but the trend is catching on in the New World, too. Blends offer depth and complexity that you can't get otherwise. And as long as you stay away from the overly-sweet blends, there are some really good values available.

All of the wines are simply the ones I have developed a greater fondness and appreciation for this year, and all of them tend to have great cost-to-value ratios. During the season of holiday parties, dinners and happy hours, any of these wines would make great gifts or things to order off the menu that won't break the bank, but will leave you satisfied.

Thank You, Vets!

Virginia Wine Month has Come and Gone

Every year, it seems as though Virginia Wine Month gains a little more attention and does a little bit more promotion. It's year, they even had a slick advertisement that ran on Hulu praising Virginia wine during the month.

It stands to reason that Virginia Wine Month continues to improve its outreach because the quality of Virginia wine continues to improve and more and more people see wine produced in Virginia as a viable option. True, there are still plenty of challenges in making Virginia a wine-producing region on par with stalwarts like France, California or Italy or Argentina, it is developing its niche among those who are willing to pay a little more for local as well as those eager to try wines from new and unique wine regions. And while Virginia wine will never compete with the likes of Australia or Chile when it comes to price, there are now some Virginia wines that can more than hold their own when it comes to quality.

Virginia Wine Month is also a great time to gauge the state's winemakers on how the harvest went and what the upcoming vintage will be like. Now that another Virginia Wine Month is behind us, this is the perfect time to get out to some of the wineries and start tasting Virginia wines that may be good options for Thanksgiving. The state is producing some very nice light-to-medium drinking Chambourcins with cranberry accents that would be the perfect addition to any Thanksgiving.

The Land of Stout and Whisky

"Whiskey" - with an "e" is Irish. "Whisky" sans "e" is Scottish

We recently returned home from a two-week trip to Ireland and Scotland. And no, that isn’t a gloat, it is simply an introduction to the rest of this post. I will also say right up front that I did not try any of the few wines that the two countries are now producing – everyone has their limits. I did try some of the beers and the whiskys that the Isles are known for, and was also shocked to discover how much Chilean wine is available in both places.

Yes, I prefer Murphy's but this is still a picture of happy

Ireland, of course, is almost synonymous with Guinness. You can get it almost everywhere, and it is drank by all echelons of society and enjoyed with a combination of passion and patriotism that is hard to compare to anything similar in the United States. But Guinness isn’t the only show in town. While it is true that the microbrew craze has not caught on in Ireland in nearly the same way it has here, there are alternatives. Based on a tip from Aiden, our tour guide, I tried Murphy’s Irish Stout and actually prefer it to Guinness. True, it doesn’t have the adorable advertising campaigns and omnipresence of Guinness, but it does have a bit more body and taste than its bigger rival. It is harder to find outside of Cork and its surrounding area, but is well worth the search.

Crean's from the Dingell Brewery is one of the
few microbrews we encountered. 

Scotland, too, has its beers and its ciders, though given that they name their whisky after the country itself, it is safe to assume that scotch is the drink of choice. And with good reason. My wife was a good sport and accompanied me on two different distillery tours – Glenlivet and Oban. The tours are very similar, as there is not that big of a difference in how one whisky is produced compared to another one. Like wine, you can detect different flavors from whisky to whisky. Oban seems to really emphasize its orange peel characteristic.

I did ask our guide at Glenlivet if in professional whisky tastings the judges spit as they do in wine tastings. She gave me an odd, quizzical look and then replied, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone spit out whisky.” I suppose whisky and wine are viewed and judged differently, though I can’t imagine a full day of scotch-tasting and still being able to judge objectively, or retain any of your faculties to any great extent.

The Oban Distillery. Cold, rainy and windy weather calls for whisky.

While both Ireland and Scotland have their beverages of choice, wine is readily available in both countries. The only American wines I noticed were either the high end wines on exclusive lists, such as Dominus or Opus One, or the low-end hobo wines like Paul Masson that were available in supermarkets in carafes. Most places served either French – Bordeaux Superior or Cotes du Rhone – or Chilean wines by the glass. Many of these were decent, some hardly drinkable, though I always got what I deserved asking for wine in a culture that so favors beer and whisky. 

Hello, Old Friend

Life gets busy, the "to do" list grows and things like blog posts tend to be pushed to the side. I had no idea that I haven't updated Beltway Bacchus since mid-June! Bad me. 

So here is a placeholder post on nothing in particular - just an excuse for me to dust off the old keyboard...

Some ideas for upcoming posts, to entice you to return will be:

1) Empty bottles I have been meaning to write about

2) What's in the wine rack now

3) The second part of our trip to Charlottesville

4) Our first trip to Northern Virginia wineries of the year

5) Special posts on whisky and scotch from our upcoming trip to Ireland and Scotland

6) BJ's vs Costco's wine departments

If there is anything else wine-related on your mind, please let me know. Otherwise, I will do better to update this blog more than once every two months.