Orange Anise Mulled Wine

Well folks, the holiday season is almost upon us. With that, means much cooler temperatures! What better way to warm both the body and soul than with a spiced, mulled wine? All of us here at JAV invite you to try out the recipe below and look forward to your comments on what you think!

October Wine Sale 2012

Winemaker's Cruise 2012

Barb and I are getting ready to head out on our third annual Winemakers Cruise. We were fortunate enough to be invited three years ago by Keith and Martha Powell, from New Mexico, whom have now become very good friends, to join them and 2 other wineries on a Holland America Cruise ship. We usually play host to about 50 folks who are on the ship primarily to meet the winemakers and try some exciting new wines. 

We’ve had the pleasure of sharing JAV’s finest, while making some wonderful new friends from across the country. At the same time, the adventures we’ve been on at our ports have also been memorable! I’ll keep you posted on this year’s voyage, as we head off to the Caribbean, Jamaica, Honduras and the Grand Caymans. For more information on the cruise, go to www.winemakerscruise.com

Quality of Wine By the Glass

In our newsletters and at other times, I’ve often written about not being afraid to send a bottle of wine back that is not good. On rare occasions, we get a wine that is perhaps corked or has spoiled in some way when visiting a restaurant. As a customer, we have not only the right, but the obligation to ask for a new bottle. (Now, there is a difference between a bad bottle of wine and simply not liking a wine…we really don’t have an argument as long as the wine is healthy and aesthetically well done…that is the risk you take when ordering off the wine menu).

We should also have the same mindset when ordering wine by the glass. There are times we get a wine by the glass that just doesn’t taste right. The question we need to then ask is “how long has the bottle been open.” Just like with a bad bottle, we have the right to ask the server just how long the bottle has been open. This can be in a restaurant, or even at a tasting room. If that wine by the glass isn’t quite right, chances are good that it has been open for a while, and has become oxidized.

Don’t be afraid to ask you server to open a new bottle and compare the glasses side-by-side. In most cases, you’ll both notice a big difference. If the establishment will not do that for you, I suggest you return he glass and order something different…but most places should be willing to do that.

At JAV, we’re constantly tasting and smelling wines that have been opened, to make sure our customers are enjoying that particular wine at its best. Of course some of this is personal preference, but most sweet wines are enjoyed right away, while sometimes it’s best to let a dry red breath for a time before it hits its peak. In our tasting room, we’re never offended if someone asks about how long a bottle has been open. It gives us a chance to #1, check it out for ourselves, or #2, explain the winemaking process.

How To Store Wine

When asked the best way to store wine, we also reply either upside down on its side makes the most sense rather than neck up. This is done for a couple of reasons.

Wine's worst enemy is oxygen. When Jim is in winemaking mode, he takes extra care to make sure oxygen doesn’t enter the wine at any point in the process. A wine that is oxidized will not only lose its color, but will turn bad very quickly. Once a wine is bottled, cork is used to keep oxygen out. However, if stored upright, a cork could dry out, causing it to shrink. This will allow oxygen to enter. The best way to keep the cork from drying out is to store the bottle "on its side", or upside down, so the wine comes into contact with the cork. This prevents the cork from drying and shrinking.

Unfortunately, if the cork is tainted, (something that happens in the manufacturing of the cork, a rare but nasty occurrence), contact with the wine will only speed up the tainting process, ruining the wine. However, a cork is much more likely to dry up and shrink than it is to experience tainting.

Another reason for storing a bottle on its side is simply a matter of space. When wines are stored standing up, it creates have less space for storage. Also, it’s much easier to read a wine's label if the bottle is lying on its back, showing up rather than showing out.

If you want to enjoy your wine for years to come, store your wine on its side. Remember, “a wet cork is a happy cork.”

The Right Wine Glass ...

How do you choose the best glass for wine? The old joke is “the one you’re holding!” There’s some truth to that! In all seriousness, choosing the appropriate wine glass can make an ordinary wine experience and extraordinary one. There are many different kinds of wine glasses..a larger open bowl for reds, flutes for sparkling, small glasses for a dessert wine and so forth. However, not all of us have the luxury (or space) to have access to all these different styles of glasses on a daily basis. Most of us just need a good, solid, everyday wine glass to enjoy our latest selection. Here’s a couple of tips that might be helpful when you purchase those next glasses for everyday use:

1. This may seem silly, but make sure the glass is clear. We need to see our wine. The thinner the glass the better for clarity and flavor
2. When pouring larger amounts, especially of red, the larger the bowl the better. This gives the wine room to breathe, and it easier to swirl without making a mess.
3. Tumblers have become the latest rage, but a wine glass with a stem is what we like to use. This allows for holding the glass without creating smudges or warming up your wine.
4. You don’t need to take out a small loan to buy nice everyday glasses. You can usually find good wine glasses for less than $15/piece. This way, if one happens to break, you won’t be too heartbroken.
5. Finally, the best rule of thumb, is in finding the best wine glass..is the one that the wine tastes best to you!

Tasting Notes - Useful & Fun

You can make notes on tasting cards, in notebooks, or there are even wine journals available that can help you through the process. Here at JAV we really try to espouse the idea that wine should be fun and part of an everyday healthy lifestyle. However, we also acknowledge that everyone’s palate is unique, and that we don’t all taste wine the same. Taking tasting notes will help you remember your likes and dislikes over time. They can also be helpful in learning how to describe the sensations you’re feeling, and after a while, you can even develop your own tasting vocabulary.

A wine journal can also be useful to track how a wine is developing. For example, if you buy a case of a particular wine and open a bottle periodically every six months or every year, you can jot down different impressions of that wine at certain points in its life. Although from year-to-year wine can be different, this information may help as to when the perfect time to try a certain wine from a different vintage.

Know When to Say "No"

Don’t reject a wine simply because it’s not what you expected or don’t like it. The rule for refusing wine is the same as that for refusing food. If it’s spoiled, you can and should reject it. If it’s simply not to your liking, chalk it up as a learning experience. It’s not the restaurant’s fault you didn’t like the wine you chose. If, however, the wine is acceptable, simply nod your head to signify your consent. The waiter will fill the glass of your companion first and then return to fill yours.

• The wine is “corked”—This is a result of a fungus in the cork, which give the wine a musty smell often compared to a dank basement or wet cardboard. If you notice something like that, you may confirm it by sniffing the cork and examining it for signs of damage or decay.
• 
  The wine has turned to vinegar—If the wine tastes or smells like salad dressing, it’s definitely gone bad.
   
• The wine has refermented—The tell-tale sign is if it looks bubbly or tastes “fizzy,” even though it’s not a sparkling wine.