Winery or Bottling "Facility'?

This is a post for all of you who think of wine as a beverage that is likely produced at a winery in some bucolic country setting with rows of grapes and a winemaker watching over every barrel with care.

Not so fast...

According to Keith Wallace in his article on The Daily Beast, most American wine is nothing more than bulk wine repackaged with snazzy labels and cute animals in tow. This is especially true of the top 30 selling brand. You know which wines I am talking about. He refers to these wines as "grape-based processed food products." This article is fascinating and sheds light on a practice that most of us may not think about when we pop by the local grocery and pick up that $8 bottle of juicy California Cabernet to enjoy with dinner.

I have known for years that these wines exist and certainly one cannot expect a brand like "Two Buck Chuck" to have acres of vines to tend and then land on the retail shelf for $2.99 per bottle. What amazed me however, was HOW MUCH of our everyday favorite American wine brands are produced in this manner.

I popped by a local grocery store this evening and scanned through the wine section just to gander at the offerings and the label art. I started picking up bottles with fun names like Cupcake and Flip Flop. What I noticed on the back label was the text "vinted and bottled". I noticed these words on almost every bottle of California wine I handled. Even Acacia Pinot Noir and Louis Martini Cabernet had these magic words on their back labels.

I started wondering... What does vinted and bottled mean? Or what about "cellared and bottled". I am more accustomed to the term "produced and bottled" on most of the wine labels that I purchase and consume. Could it be that vinted and cellared were terms used for wine that was not produced by said winery but rather bulk wine repackaged?

Yes! The terms vinted and cellared are used on American wine labels when the wine is not produced by the winery or brand that bottles it. That means they didn't grow or crush any grapes but rather a tanker of wine showed up and after some tweeking, the wine was bottled with a label slapped on and rushed off to the retail shelf.

Another curious thing I noticed on a few wines was the text "vinted and bottled" and the cities Ripon and Livermore, CA. All American wine labels must note the location of the winery where the wine is bottled. Why would two cities be listed on a back label? Not to mention two cities that are 40 miles apart? Upon further exploration, the particular company that bottles these wines has two different "plants" where bottling takes place. Basically, its a wine bottling factory that has two different locations. 

Read the above article from Keith Wallace in The Daily Beast and if it matters to you that the wine you purchase is produced by the winery whose labels adorn the bottle, simply look for the words "produced and bottled".

Happy Holidays!

This free digital ecard made with Smilebox

Thanksgiving Wine Tips from SiriusXM's Broadminded Show

Click for a listen to my Thanksgiving wine tips from SiriusXM's Broadminded show.

How to pick a wine for Thanksgiving dinner

Not sure if you should be drinking red or white wine with turkey this Thanksgiving? Tune in for some tips.

Versatile Wines Tips from Let's Talk Live

Tips on versatile wines to always have on hand for versatile wine and food pairing.

Chocolate and Wine Pairing

Chocolate and Wine Pairing as see on TBD Channel 8 on Valentine's Day

Ring in the New Year....

Ideas to enjoy over New Year's from my appearance on TBD Channel 8.

National Wine Experience Washington, DC at the Newseum

The National Wine Experience kicked off its inaugural show here in Washington, DC on Saturday evening with over 1000 guests and wines from 25 states at the Newseum.






Yours truly presided over an exciting line up of 13 wines from 6 states, including Arizona Stronghold from Arizona, Sawtooth from Idaho and Brooklyn Oenology from New York.

I did manage to sneak away from my Vino50 tasting table while the Wine Diva held down the crowds so I could have a peek around at some of the more interesting wines being featured at the event. I decided to skip the California floor (who needs more Robert Mondavi in their life?) and found myself enjoying tasty treats from Nebraska, Texas and even South Dakota! Here are some highlights:

Prairie Berry Winery, South Dakota
I had never tried any wines from South Dakota and am always skeptical of "fruit" wines but these were really interesting and fun.

La Crescent, a fruity and aromatic off-dry white wine with notes of apricot, lychee and rose petal. Very reminiscent of Gewurztraminer.

Pheasant Reserve, an interesting red blend of Washington state Cabernet Sauvignon and South Dakota chokecherries. Soft and fruity with tart cherry and bright acidity.

Red Ass Rhubarb, an interesting semi-sweet wine from rhubarb with tangy rhubarb and raspberry notes. Would be fabulous with mulling spices on a cold winter's day.

Lawrence Elk, a semi-sweet wine made from black currants. Bright and juicy with loads of black currant flavors. I could totally see this paired with a blackberry tart.

Glacial Till Vineyard & Winery, Nebraska

2009 Chambourcin, a dry red wine full of terroir. Dark fruit and forest floor aromas followed by tart plum and cherry flavors with smoke and spice on the finish. Silky smooth. What a tasty wine!

Chapel Creek Winery, Oklahoma

2009 Norton, a dark and earthy red that would make Jenni McCloud of Virginia's Chrysalis Vineyards proud.

Plum Creek Winery, Colorado

Sauvignon Blanc, warm climate style with lemongrass notes.

Riesling, slightly off-dry with lime zest and apricot notes.

Grand Mesa, a big Bordeaux blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc with mouth filling texture and load of dark fruit, spice and earth.

St. Clair and DH Lescombes, New Mexico

St. Clair Zinfandel, a classic spicy and fruit-forward style with wild berry and spice notes.

DH Lescombes Cabernet Sauvignon, dark and rich with cassis, plum, graphite and smoky spice.

Thanksgiving Farm, Maryland

2007 Meritage, Merlot based blend that could perhaps fool you into believing it hails from France. Bright with dark fruit notes mixed with pepper, spice and smoke. This wine does need time to open up and from previous experience it tastes much better after a day of breathing.

Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival

The 11th annual Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival gears up this coming weekend at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center. Tickets can be purchased online. Don't miss this amazing opportunity to taste wines from around the globe. Below is a clip from Fox 5 with Holly Morris with tips on the Festival.

Regional Wine Week: A Fine White Wine From Arizona

In honor of Regional Wine Week 2009, Dave McIntyre suggested a post about this fantastic white wine we tasted today from Arizona. What?! Arizona makes wine? Sure, they make wine in Arizona. And why not? High-elevation vineyards at roughly 4000-5000 feet above sea level. Warm days. Cool nights. Sandy soils with good drainage. Sounds a little like Mendoza, Argentina, which is also a high-elevation desert. And who hasn't heard of Mendoza, Argentina with regard to wine production?

Earlier today, during a class on Australian wine, I popped out the Arizona Stronghold Vineyards 'TAZI' White Blend from Cochise County in Southeastern Arizona. This is a bit of a celebrity wine as its one of the projects fostered by Maynard Keenan of the rock band TOOL.

TAZI is a blend of white varietals: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling and Malvasia Bianca. It's a stunning wine too--big and lush aromas--think mandarin orange, ripe Anjou pear, juicy white peach and honeysuckle petals all wrapped up in a very smooth, medium-bodied package with lush texture and a lingering finish. The wine sorta reminds me of the Conundrum white from California, without the sweetness.

And if you want to run out and grab a bottle and you live in the Washington, DC area, there are a few retailers of note where you can purchase the wine:

Planet Wine Shop in Del Ray, Alexandria, Virginia
Whole Foods Market Old Town, Alexandria, Virginia
Wine Underground, Baltimore, Maryland

FOX 5 with Holly Morris at Chrysalis Vineyards

Clip from Fox 5 Morning News with Holly Morris of Chiefwino discussing wine blending with Curtis Vincent and Jennifer McCloud from Chrysalis Vineyards in Middleburg, Virginia

2009 Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington RAMMY Awards Clip from FOX 5 DC

Mug Shots: A Toast to Spring

A short clip of myself and Ali McSherry from Roll Call, the newspaper for Capitol Hill, discussing Pink Wines for the Cherry Blossom Festival.

To Cork or Not to Cork

Ah, yes...time for a quick discussion on corkage fees, i.e. the fee charged by a restaurant for bringing a bottle of wine to the meal.

In these uncertain economic times, the idea of bringing your own wine to circumvent paying high restaurant prices might seem like a good plan; however, a few points of etiquette should be followed.

Corkage fees can range anywhere from $10-50 per bottle and most restaurants have a maximum bottle limit of 2-750ml bottles per table (A magnum size bottle is normally considered 2 bottles). The fee is charged to cover wine service (not gratuity), wine glass breakage, glass washing and some of the lost revenue from not selling a bottle off the restaurant's wine list. Remember that restaurants are in the business to turn a profit and beverage sales are a major component of the equation.

Note that BYOB is not always available in some states due to varying liquor laws.

Chiefwino's Corkage Tips:

1. Always call the restaurant in advance and inquire about corkage. Also, check the restaurant's website to see if the wine you would like to bring is available on the list. NEVER bring a wine that is already on the list as many restaurants will not serve it.

2. Do not bring an inexpensive bottle of wine or bottles that are very common on grocery store shelves. The idea behind corkage is to allow you to bring a special bottle, perhaps an old vintage wine you have been saving for a special occasion or something very unusual. If you do bring an old vintage, you are absolutely entitled to having the wine decanted and the use of the restaurant's finest stemware.

Note: If you are dining in a more casual establishment, the "special" rule need not necessarily apply as many casual spots have dismal wine programs with a majority of the selections not being overly food friendly (think over-oaked and fruit bomb wines). But do stay away from common brands and grocery store items so as not to appear "cheap" to the restaurant's staff. A nice non-descript Italian white or Southern French wine should do just fine.

3. Make sure to REMOVE price tags from the bottle being brought to the restaurant (see actual photo above). Nothing is worse than showing exactly what you paid for a bottle you have brought. Also, bring the wine in something other than a brown bag (think wine gift bag) for fear of being pegged as "cheap" from the get-go.

4. ALWAYS tip as if you had purchased the bottle from the restaurant as the server still had to perform wine service without a higher check total. Use your best guess as to what the wine might have cost.

5. Offer the Sommelier or Wine Steward a small sample, especially if you have brought a very special wine. This is common courtesy and will you help earn points with the service staff.

6. Lastly, if you can consume more wine after finishing your own bottle, consider purchasing a bottle from the restaurant's wine list. Some restaurants may even waive the corkage fee with the purchase of a bottle.

When in doubt, call the restaurant in advance and speak to a manager or the Sommelier to inquire on their specific corkage policy if you have questions.

Cheers!

XM RADIO CLIP: HOLIDAY WINES ON A BUDGET

Join the Broads and I from XM Radio's Broadminded, Channel 155 for a discussion on holiday wines on a budget.


CLICK TO PLAY AUDIO CLIP