Monthly Archives: October 2010
 It might not seem like the most natural fit to combine wine enthusiasm with the sensibilities of independent rock music, but for almost twenty years Garagiste, started by Seattle native Jon Rimmerman, has been doing just that. Taking its name from a subculture of passionate French winemakers who create limited production, artisanal wines—sometimes within their own garages—Rimmerman’s unique and somewhat controversial business model has focused on being a friend to the wine consumer above all else. The company has no investors or board of directors, puts no money into advertising, and maintains no physical storefront. It operates within the three-tiered model but is not beholden to wholesalers or other retailers, essentially cutting out most of the middle-men.
Rimmerman views wine as “an adventure,” and true to that philosophy, he seeks out smaller and little-known wine producers, many with innovative approaches to organic farming. Rather than maintain an online store or catalog, Garagiste members will receive an email offer for his discoveries. The offer can sometimes sell out within minutes, and once it is gone it may never return…fortune favors the swift! Wine shipments occur twice a year, and Garagiste is very particular about making sure that all wines (and food, which they also sell) are stored properly until they can be sent to customers.
Beyond its retail system, however, and its penchant for finding new wine, Garagiste also aims to be an online community of aesthetes, discussing not only wine and food, but also arts, culture, and philosophy. Rimmerman loves wine drinkers as much as he loves wine; he relishes the opportunity to converse with them and wants Garagiste to be a place where they can all speak to each other.
If the community and passion of Garagiste excites you, give them a closer look and see if you’d like to join in…they would love to have you not just as a customer, but as a participant!
 Last week we told you a bit about the large groups standing on either side of the big HR 5034 debate, representing wineries, retailers, and wholesalers. What you may have noticed was that there didn’t seem to be much advocacy on the side of the wine consumer—quite possibly the largest and most integral part of the wine market. To that end, California-based wine blogger Tom Wark has started up a group on Facebook called the American Wine Consumer Coalition, which currently boasts nearly 1,400 active supporters.
Unlike other wine lovers’ forums, the AWCC is built specifically around the goal of amplifying the opinions of wine consumers to a level that they can affect state and federal policy changes. Current regulations and the expansion of those regulations under HR 5034 severely restrict interstate commerce, frustrating wine consumers by limiting their access to the thousands of different wines currently sold in the United States. The AWCC is determined to change that system. And besides the political activism, the AWCC Facebook page’s wall is also a great place for members to post interesting and informative links, such as “Weird Wine Laws” and articles that spotlight the entities fighting to maintain the status quo.
If the aims of the AWCC match up with your own feelings about wine commerce laws, you might find that the rapidly expanding Facebook site could be a regular online stop for you. Simply by “liking” this group, you’ll be able to join in the conversation with other wine consumers…and hopefully help make your own voice heard by Congress.
Founded in 2004 as an innovative hybrid of wine retailer and auction house, the Chicago-based Hart Davis Hart Wine Company prides itself not only on its ability to locate and offer fine and rare wines, but also on its personalized service. Owners John Hart, Michael Davis, and Paul Hart have spent decades in the wine industry as fine wine sellers and auctioneers, and HDH was their opportunity to create a dynamic business that would cater to wine collectors with discerning tastes. This Friday and Saturday, October 29/30, HDH will be holding their Auction of Finest and Rarest Wines, their largest such auction of the year. The auction will be held at their usual venue, Tru Restaurant, and features over 1800 lots from cellars across the United States.
Of special note at this auction will be a library collection from Harlan Estate, the renowned California winery whose reds have been singled out by Wine Advocate as “the single most profound red wine made not just in California, but in the world.” Harlan Estate practices winemaking by living in harmony with the robust and thriving land around them, and expresses a drive to produce wines that enrich their patrons’ lives. Wine collector Park B. Smith once declared in Food & Wine that Harlan Estate wines are “the most passionately made wine in America.” Harlan Estate’s compelling and human philosophy is instilled in the character of all Harlan Estate wines, and HDH proudly offers a vintage from each year between 1990-2006, including a bottle of the 1990 Imperial—the very first wine to be commercially released by the winery.
Bidding has already opened online if you’re interested in getting a head start on your wine-buying competitors. The auction is free and open to the public, but HDH strongly recommends pre-registration. You can also make reservations for lunch while you sign up to attend the auction.
Best of luck to any of our clients who plan to win one—or all—of these coveted Harlan Estate wines!
If you’ve been following this blog for a few weeks now, you know that we’re keeping an eye on House Resolution 5034 (or the CARE Act), which would drastically reduce the ability of consumers to purchase wine directly from the wineries. As with any such resolution that would affect the transactions of a multi-million dollar industry, a significant amount of effort and money has been spent lobbying Congress, both to support HR 5034’s passage and to defeat it. Campaign donations to key members of the House have cut across party lines to try and influence the final fate of the bill. Today, we’ll take a look at a few of the businesses and organizations that have firmly staked their tents in either camp.
Among the prominent players supporting passage of the bill are groups who act as representatives of wholesalers. As we previously noted, the current model for alcohol sales offers a significant advantage to wholesalers, so it is no surprise that the National Beer Wholesalers Association and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America are placing a priority on supporting the bill. Both also make a point of noting that their organizations create thousands of jobs, with the implication that any bill that aids their growth can only aid the job market during a particularly difficult economic time. The National Alcohol Beverage Control Association has long been an organization concerned with alcohol commerce regulation, so their presence in this debate is also unsurprising. The American Trauma Society and law firm Farella, Braun & Martell do not explicitly spell out their positions on the bill, although it is noteworthy that FB&M is located within Napa Valley and counts among their clients a large number of wine industry entities.
Lined up in opposition, as you might expect, are a number of organizations who advocate for smaller, specialty wineries, who would prefer that commerce laws grow more open between consumer and producer, rather than become even more restrictive. The Beer Institute, Wine Institute, Brewers Association, Specialty Wine Retailers Association, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, and WineAmerica have been vocal opponents of HR 5034, issuing press releases arguing their case in both the legislation and in the public forum. They are joined by other organizations that are concerned with fair business practices in general, such as the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council and also including such diverse—politically opposite, in fact—groups as the American Conservative Union and the Congress of Racial Equality.
We all know how political discussions can sometimes ruin an otherwise pleasant dinner and wine tasting, but when the subject of the debate is your access to those wines, we imagine that you might have an opinion. Feel free to share it with us in the comments!
 A few months back, we took a brief look at the artistry of wine labels and how often just as much care and character was put into these labels as you’d expect of the wines within the bottle. Now, thanks to a brand-new iPhone app, the hundreds of unique wine label designs can be even more practical than they were before.
Thanks to Snooth Wine Pro, searching for a particular bottle has just become so easy that you’ll marvel how you ever got along without it. The way you use the app is simple—you snap a photo of the wine label, and then Snooth Wine Pro uses photo recognition software to identify the bottle in their comprehensive database. After identifying the wine, Snooth Wine Pro will then examine your GPS coordinates and tell you the nearest locations—and even give you driving directions—where you can pick up another bottle! The app will also give you a price comparison among all of these locations, or, if you’re not in the mood to go out, allow you to order a bottle for delivery directly from Snooth.
And no worries if your memory of the wine you found a few months ago is hazy: the app will also store in its memory every wine you’ve tried, so you will always be able to find it again whenever you’re in the mood. For the sheer amount of functionality you can get from this one little app, it’s sure to become your trusted companion any time you decide to go wine-hunting.
 Don’t let the provocative name mislead you: Lincoln Park’s Poison Cup is the exact opposite of a toxic environment. Although they have a fine selection of wines for sale, from fine bargains to pricier bottles, The Poison Cup aims to be more than just another wine shop. The owners, Erica Feldkamp and John Witte, aimed to establish a place where all sorts of people can come to “fall in love with wine.”
The walls are adorned with art from noted locals, the atmosphere is unpretentious and comfortable, and you can also pick up chocolates and cheeses that will complement whatever you decide to pour into your glass. In addition, The Poison Cup proprietors know that the surest way to love something is to know it, so they will occasionally hold classes designed to give even the newest wine enthusiast an educated perspective on their hobby.
In fact, this coming Sunday you can show up at The Poison Cup for the Oregon Pinot Class, which will take you on a journey into the growth of Pinot grapes, and the many different types of wine they can produce in the American Pacific Northwest. You’ll taste a couple of different wines and learn why their differences occur—which will help you understand not only the nuances of Pinot, but also of your own palate. And as you continue on with your lifetime of wine experiences, knowing your own taste is just as important of knowing how wines taste.
 Bordeaux Price Data courtesy WineSearcher.com
All markets fluctuate, of course, so it would be reasonable to expect that this wine discount window should be closing any day now. Possible…but also possibly not. The recovery of the world’s economy is a slow process, and in the meantime, new business models, designed to be successful in this environment, have sprouted. Daily Discount sites—some of which we have highlighted within this blog—are plentiful and thriving, as wine enthusiasts looking to maintain a tight budget find that just because a wine costs less doesn’t mean that it’s “cheap.” What could have been a brief sales phenomenon turned out to be a genuinely sound practice, and the end result is that consumers and some wine sellers are seeing an advantage to maintaining a culture of discounts. Certain entrepreneurs have even taken to buying a winery’s overstock and relabeling them, then selling those wines at cut-rate prices.
 Not everybody is pleased with the rampant discounts. In Bordeaux last month there was a very public protest over low wine prices, in which bottles were bought and smashed with hammers, to declare that selling wines at discount ultimately damaged the reputation of Bordeaux wines. The protesters further argued that inferior wines were flooding the market under the prestigious distinction of being labeled Bordeaux, and that the situation would not get better as long as prices remained low. Such public displays of indignation could very well rally support to end the low wine prices, and hasten the closing of the discount window.
A true wine enthusiast never really stops hunting for great wines at great prices, but right now the opportunities are as plentiful as they’ve ever been. Although this current state of the market could last for several months, or even years longer, it’s a good plan to keep on top of the latest deals now, just in case.
Everybody has their own rituals when it comes to uncorking and serving a bottle of wine at home. Over time, you might develop a particular flourish in your pour, or decide how you’re most comfortable with a corkscrew, or even lay claim to a favorite wine charm when you have guests over. Tradition and etiquette are a large part of wine’s enduring role in societies throughout the world, and throughout history. Here are a few notable examples.
Portuguese Pride — All wine-producing regions are proud of their bottles, of course, but Portugal enjoys a particular reputation for self-esteem when it comes to their vineyards. Since the Portuguese have an (under-recognized) history of winemaking that goes back as far as the ancient Greeks, they make a point of enjoying their own wines with their meals. To show up to a dinner in Portugal with a gift of wine from another country is considered an affront not only to your host, but to the nation as a whole.
For The Departed — In the European nation of Georgia, it has long been a tradition to spill some wine on the earth as a sign of respect for those who have passed away. This action has passed beyond Georgia to other regions, and is perhaps most visible in the United States through hip-hop culture—the practice of pouring beer or other liquor on the ground for one’s departed friends. Serving wine to the dead goes back even further than this tradition, however. When the kings and queens of ancient Egypt died, their tombs were traditionally stocked with five large jars, each containing a different type of wine, for their journey to the afterlife.
“Trust Toasting” — Today, the act of clinking glasses together creates a calming and aesthetically pleasing sound, but the practice pre-dates elegant modern stemware and has a more cynical origin. When wine was served in sturdier wooden or metal goblets, the act was performed with greater gusto, such that the wines from each goblet would spill and intermingle with each other—thereby discouraging any party from poisoning another’s wine.
 Naval Regulations — Toasting is a tradition connected uniquely with wine, and its different affectations are not limited only to those cultures defined by national borders. The United States Navy, true to any military institution, has instituted specific guidelines, in manual form (!) on how a proper Navy toast is to occur. One specific norm of a Navy toast is that water must never be used, under penalty that the person being toasted will die by drowning. Another is that all toasts at a naval “dining in”—what was once referred to as a “mess night”—be conducted with port wine instead of champagne or another type. Especially interesting is that Navy traditions of toasting dictate special toasts for specific days of the week, as follows:
Sunday: “to absent friends”
Monday: “to our ships at sea”
Tuesday: “to our men”
Wednesday: “to ourselves”
Thursday: “to a bloody war or a sickly season”
Friday: “to a willing foe and sea-room”
Saturday: “to sweethearts and wives”
 A little over a week ago we informed you about HR 5034, or the CARE Act, which would, if passed, severely restrict the ability of direct market transactions between wine collectors and wineries or distilleries. This new bill did not, however, emerge from a vacuum—its provisions are based on advancing and further codifying many older laws. In this post, we’ll take a look at the origins of HR 5034 and the current paradigm of the wine industry, and why legislators seem deeply attached to fighting for the status quo.
To understand current state laws dictating wine sales, one needs to look back at the era immediately after Prohibition, when sales of all alcohol was illegal. After this amendment was finally repealed, states were given the power to regulate their own interstate alcohol commerce. However, the forces that had first instituted Prohibition to begin with—temperance advocates—remained a strong and influential lobby, and across the country they demanded a structure mandating a middle entity. This structure, they argued, would keep producers from exercising a stranglehold on the market. In the past, certain producers had had so much control over certain regions’ liquor stores and restaurants that they could often dictate that their product, and not their competitors, were allowed to be served.
However, the current state of alcohol commerce has not eliminated this power from the system, but merely transferred it to wholesalers, who wield a sort of “gatekeeping” strength not found in most other industries. A wholesaler will decide whose product to stock and sell to retailers based largely on their confidence in selling that product. For wine collectors, this means that a significant amount of the wines to be found in retail stores are from the largest companies—bestselling wines such as those by Kendall Jackson, Sutter Home, or Beringer, all of whom spend millions each year on making their brands more visible to consumers. As a result, the system encourages a “big get bigger” mentality in the wine industry, and other producers must fight for wholesalers’ attention through positive press in an industry magazine or an award—the sort of marketability that tells a wholesaler that they are more likely to sell that stock.
Unfortunately for wine collectors with more eclectic or eccentric tastes, these laws currently make it very difficult for the citizens of certain states to seek out more obscure wineries and sample their product—rather than order a bottle directly, they must go to the winery themselves. Indeed, such wineries show that a vast majority of their sales come from tasting events. And it is important to note that even if you make the effort to travel to a winery far away from you, interstate transport laws will regulate exactly how much you can bring back with you…no stocking up all at once!
Wholesalers, then, have a vested interest in the passage of HR 5034, not to mention keeping the current state as it is—and so they are very active in making sure their local government officials hear their demands and champion them on the floor of Congress. Those who oppose the measure will need to organize and follow the same channels in order to push back against the entrenched lobby.
If only, right?
May you enjoy all your wine downloads this weekend.
 The name Mondavi is one of the most famed in the wine industry. Family patriarch Robert (who passed away in 2008) was renowned for his technical innovation and marketing savvy, qualities that helped not only his own wines, but the entire Napa Valley region, gain world recognition. This Thursday evening, Robert Mondavi’s children and grandchildren are continuing in his tradition by hosting a unique wine event at not only one location, but, through simulcasting technology, over 50.
The event, called “Celebrating the Legendary Blend,” has been organized as a partnership with Morton’s The Steakhouse, a national chain of upscale restaurants whose wine lists include some very high-quality bottles. For $175 per person, one can go to any Morton’s and be seated in the private dining room—where they will be linked via broadcasting setups to several other Morton’s restaurants and to the Charles Krug Carriage House in Napa Valley, where the Mondavis will host. All guests across the nation will then be served the exact same meal of food and wine, creating a sort of virtual banquet for over 2,400 people. There are six locations in the Chicago area, including the original near State and Rush, so there’s a good chance you’ll be able to find one near you. Check out the menu for the evening, and try to pretend you’re not intrigued.
The ticket price may seem steep, but there is an additional dimension to this event. Although the dinner is in part being held to honor the Mondavi family’s near-century of winemaking, the true motive for the event is to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which works to comfort children suffering from life-threatening illnesses by granting them their heart’s desire. So not only does one have the opportunity to partake of a rare wining and dining event, one would also be working to help this vital organization continue its mission. There will also be a silent auction starting at dinner and going until the end of the month, which includes a trio of premium wines from three esteemed Napa Valley wineries.
To make a reservation, and learn more about what you might expect from the evening, go to the Morton’s The Steakhouse “prime events” page. We hope you have the opportunity to check out this unique and noble-minded adventure!
 The vast majority of table wines today are produced by grapes grown on the vitis vinifera, the common (or European) grapevine. Viticulturists often cross-pollinate these grapes among the same species to strengthen crops, and such crossings can occur naturally. However, there are also a number of varietals that are produced by artificially cross-breeding certain grapes. Some examples of these hybrid grape wines include De Chaunac and Baco noir.
Much of the science of creating hybrid grapes was a direct response to an epidemic of phylloxera lice that destroyed many European vineyards in the late 19th Century. The louse first traveled across the Atlantic from North America, when grape growers in Europe decided to try their hands at growing native North American vines. Interestingly, these North American vines were both the cause of and solution to the phylloxera epidemic; since the louse was native to North America, those vines had long since developed a resistance. Viticulturists on both sides of the Atlantic worked to develop a European vine with grafted rootstock from North American vines, which did not interfere with grape production but discouraged the lice from breeding (at one of the insect’s life cycles, it secretes a toxin that kills the vine).
Today, there is a renewed focus on this type of “inter-specific” breeding in Europe, and the new varietals that occur from hybrid grapes provide a new adventure for wine enthusiasts. There are a number of qualities of such wines that have been considered undesirable for European palates, such as a high level of acidity or a distinctive “candied” aroma. However, the concern over another phylloxera scourge has made many vineyard owners at least consider the use of hybridization—a dead vineyard is likely a far more frightening prospect, after all, than a less popular wine varietal. Pest menace is not the only foe to be beaten back by hybridization. Some of the more recent hybrid wine grapes include Rondo and Regent grapes, which were designed not to fight phylloxera, but against winter frost and downy mildew.
Is there a hybrid grape wine you’ve experienced that you’d recommend to your friends, or even one that you have in storage in our cellars? Let us know, so we can share your find with our readers.
For the past few months, the wine community has been buzzing about HR 5034 (also known as the “CARE” act), which is a Congressional bill proposing new alcohol regulation to advance state laws mandating that alcohol be sold through wholesalers – effectively replacing existing retailer-to-consumer transactions from distilleries, breweries and wineries.
In other words, HR 5034 would make it illegal for specialty wine retailers and vineyards to operate directly in the alcohol beverage market.
Whoa!
Last summer, CNN ran the following piece detailing the potential effect of this legislation on small family business and mid-sized wine producers:
There’s a heated debate in which many Strongbox clients are taking sides, as one of the joys (and conveniences) of wine collecting is the great variety available when you can ship directly from the vineyard. Dr. Vino recently ran an editorial about the bill and upgraded his legislative threat meter alert to a “high shoulder” threat level. HR 5034.org outlines a detailed “fact vs. fiction” document including co-sponsors of the bill from the State of Illinois.
Wednesday’s press release from WineBusiness.com details events and opinions surrounding the House Judiciary Committee’s recent hearing on the proposed legislation, quoting WineAmerica COO Cary Greene’s opinion that this is “pure special interest legislation that will harm wineries and consumers.”
We’ll be keeping you updated on the latest news as the bill makes its way through Congress, and as Chicagoans weigh in on the debate. What do you think?
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