Free the Grapes!

I wouldn't be a responsible wine blogger if I didn't feature Freethegrapes.org at least once. "Free the Grapes! is a national grassroots coalition of wine lovers, wineries and retailers who seek to remove restrictions in states that still prohibit consumers from purchasing wines directly from wineries and retailers."

If you've ever tried to gift wine, join a wine club or purchase wine for yourself at an online store, you've probably run into a myriad of shipping restrictions. Twelve States prohibit direct shipment including my hub in the mid-Atlantic. I'd encourage you to visit Free the Grapes and research you're own State Laws and contact your local Congressman, I know I will!

Thanksgiving Wine

Thanks to the Wine School of Philadelphia for the following wine recommendations:

First of all, you will probably need a bottle for those friends/family who don't drink wine. Instead of getting them a bottle of white zin, grab a bottle of St. Supery's Moscato (about $12). Its just sweet enough for them, but still complex and balanced enough to enjoy. Its actually quite good with cranberry sauce.

For a white wine, you could go with Pieropan's Soave Classico ($13). Its stylish and crisp with just enough lush peach to work with some of those freaky yam dishes ya'll will be eating. Another idea would be to go with the Gloria Ferrer Blanc de Blanc ($15); this is a fun little champagne wannabe with a touch of almond and pear on the nose.

For a red, I tend to go with the drench-it-all-with-a-fruit-bomb approach. It's especially effective if you have a family like mine (I am never sure what is worse, Aunt Sarah's Suet-and-Kidney Pie or her husband's drunken advances.)

With that in mind, go for the Bleasdale "Bremerview" Shiraz ($12). A great dose of over-the-top fruit that totters between luxury and trashy. It's also about 15% alcohol, which always makes the holidays more... interesting.

If you want honest-to-goodness class, then get a few bottles of Chateau Coufran Haut Medoc ($13). It's the best bottle of left bank Bordeaux available under twenty bucks, and my current favorite anyday wine.

If the pumpkin pie ain't enough for you, then you should have a
bottle of Dutschke The Tokay ($12 for a half bottle), too. Imagine a bottle of maple syrup and a vintage port had a love child.

Recession Hits the Grape Market

A silver lining to the recession, likely a very good year for affordable, quality wine in the 2009 vintage.

Grape Glut Could Benefit Consumers
Nov. 4, 2009, courtesy of Marketwatch.com
The recession is hitting grape farmers hard in California wine country, where the spot market for grapes has virtually disappeared. That may be good news for consumers. Stacey Delo reports: View Video Here

Bottle Shock the Movie

Late Fall is approaching with the sun setting around 5pm, perfect for wine and a movie night! And what better combination than Bottle Shock the movie and a VERY nice bottle of wine? Bottle Shock is the loosely based story of the Judgment of Paris widely considered the year California wine arrived on the world scene. Click the link above for my April 2008 post on this exciting event!

If you're looking to splurge on a stunningly complex Spanish wine, I highly recommend the Clio 2006 from Jumilla. It had a finish that went on for days... Unfortunately I cannot recommend Bottle Shock though. Apart from the beautiful panorama's of Napa, it was a sappy love story sandwiched between 15 minutes of content about the actual event. It had its moments, but overall I'd like that hour and half of my day back.

Cheers!