Big Fat Wine

Restaurant Etiquette

As with ordering and pairing wine, serving wine also has its own rules of etiquette. Keep in mind that the following refers to wine serving etiquette in a restaurant and that the main points of this ritual are to verify you received the bottle you ordered, and to make sure the wine is not spoiled. This is not a test to see how much you know about wine.  Relax, and enjoy:

• Once you order the wine, your server will bring the bottle you selected to your table.
• Before opening the bottle, your server will present it to you so that you can check the vintage and year printed on the wine label to make sure it is the wine you ordered.
• The server will then open the bottle of wine in front of you at the table.
• Once the bottle is opened, the server will present you with the cork. Look at it to make sure it is not cracked or dried out because that can indicate that the wine is spoiled.
• The server will then pour you a small amount of wine to taste.  Smell the sample to make sure that there is no strong aroma or offensive odor.  Specifically, if the wine smells like vinegar, send it back because the wine has oxidized and is spoiled.
• If the wine smells fine, taste it.  If you are trying a new wine and are not sure what it should taste like, ask the waiter. Keep in mind that it is only appropriate to send the wine back if it is spoiled. You can’t send wine back because you don’t like how it tastes.
• Once you approve the wine, the server will pour a glass for your guests and finish off with you.

Knowing these wine etiquette tips will help you impress your next date, client or dinner guest, making you look like a wine expert in the eyes of any guest.

When is it okay to send a bottle back (and how to do it politely)
Sending back a bottle of wine at a restaurant can seem intimidating or snooty, but the occasion to do so can come up. Have the confidence and voice your informed opinion if either a) you smell or taste the wine and sense cardboard or musty basement aromas or flavors. That means it’s faulty or “corked.” or b) if the sommelier or waiter chose the wine for you after you described what you were looking for and the actual wine doesn’t fit the description, send it back.

"This one's rubbish as well"

You can’t send it back if you just don’t “love” the wine you picked, unfortunately. A way to avoid this situation in the future is to order a glass or bottle that is sold “by-the-glass” and ask for a taste of it first.  The wait-staff should easily oblige you.

To politely send a bottle back, first ask the waitress to smell the wine herself and comment that you think it’s corked and mention the musty aromas. Or, ask her to try the wine herself either from the bottle at your table or, if you ordered it by the glass, the bottle from which it was originally poured. Communicate in an authoritative yet kind tone and you should quickly be accommodated.

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Official State Portal

Read the true story by George Taber

The French have a certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ about their wine, and they are the first to let you know about it. And why shouldn’t they? So when American Steven Spurrier challenged France to a blind taste test, they were quick to accept. But the French didn’t know that Napa Valley is one of the best places in the world to grow wine grapes. So the stage was set, a face off between France and California.
A tasting panel of 8 French men and 1 French woman was assembled to judge the competition. Six California Cabernet Sauvignons were pitted against four of the top red wines from Bordeaux and six California Chardonnay competed against four highly regarded whites from Burgundy in the 1976 blind taste test.
As the tasting began, people who witnessed the competition realized that something unexpected was occuring as the judges couldn’t tell which wines were from California. One judge noted, “That is definitely California. It has no nose.” He was speaking of the 1973 Batard Montrachet, which at the time, was regarded as one of the finest wines in the world.
The end results was a “shot heard round the world.” The 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon won the red category. The 1973 Chateau Montelena from Calistoga was voted the best white. A must read is “Judgement of Paris” by George Taber. I am in the middle of this book and the story is intriguing and factual for you history buffs.

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California has more than 107 AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas). An AVA, or American Vinticultural Area, is a specific grape – growing area within a state or a region recognized by and registered with the federal government. AVA designation began in the 1980′s and is a system styled after the European system (AOC).

*NOTE: If an AVA is listed on the label, at least 85% of the grapes must come from that region

Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the most widely planted varietals. More than 2,600 wineries (check out our list) are bonded in the state, up over 200% from 1990. In 2007, over 192 million cases of California wine were sold. Land planted to grapes now tops 527,000 acres.

California Wine Facts at a Glance

Number of wineries in California
2,843
Number of winegrape growers in California
4,600
Varieties of winegrapes grown in California
More than 110
Counties in California where winegrapes are grown
48 out of 58
Number of jobs created by California wine
820,000 U.S. jobs, of which 330,000 are in California
Bottles produced with one ton of California winegrapes
Approx. 797 or 65 cases
Amount of winegrapes in one (750ml) bottle of wine
600-800 grapes or 2.8 lbs.
Bottles produced by one grapevine
Approx. 5
Percent of wine sold in U.S. purchased by women
55.4%
People who visit California wine regions every year
20.7 million

For current tourism and seasonal happenings, contact the below organizations;

 
Northern California

Central California

Southern

Central Valley

View Larger Map

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2006 Faithful Hound

Where it’s from: Mulderbosch is situated in the prime Koelenhof area of Stellenbosch, South Africa.

41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Petit Verdot, 10% Cabernet Franc, 9% Merlot, 4% Malbec. From the winemaker: The grapes were handpicked and crushed into stainless steel fermenters where the must was cold soaked overnight and allowed to begin fermentation spontaneously. The mash was then inoculated with a variety of cultured yeasts. The wine fermented dry on the skins, was pressed and underwent malolactic fermentation before being blended and racked to barrel for maturation. A light fining and filtration was applied just before bottling.

Total production: 6600 x 12 x 750ml
Fermentation temperature: 22° – 28° C
Wood ageing: 18 months - 42% new and 58% 2nd fill French oak barrels (225 litre)

Created as a tribute to Boes (“Bushy” in Afrikaans), the loyal dog that kept watch over Mulderbosch farm for three years after his owner’s death.

We first drank this bottle @ Winestyles in Federal Way, WA. This Bordeaux style South African Blend is deep ruby- rich black in color. An immediate burst of plums and honey hits the rear taste buds. Iron, tobacco, dark fruit and coffee! If that doesn’t make your tastebuds perk up, especially in Seattle, nothing will. The tannins are smooth and the 30 second aftertaste was a “creamy licorice” flavor. If you can’t tell, I love it! It’s what I like to refer to as a “Chewy Red”.

Overall, it gets a “VOLUPTUOUS (+)” Score from Big Fat Wine. An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. Terrific!

[JBC]20August2010 / BFW

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A few weeks ago we attended the annual members concert @ Chateau Ste. Michelle. It is always wonderful and our daughters Fiona and Liesel attended which is always a blessing. One of the great wines of the evening was a Gewürztraminer. While we compared tastes, nobody could comfortably pronounce this wine, with the exception of Fiona. I laughed as she accentuated the syllables and it was just plain fun!

Before the music began, I stood in line to purchase a few extra bottles for the duration of the evening. Of course I asked for some Tempestade but for the life of me, could not get the word Gewürztraminer out of my lips. I simply said wine that begins with the letter “G”.

Now I am not promoting perfect pronunciation to impress your friends or those snobs in the tasting rooms. Take the time to at least learn how to say some key words that will best prepare you to order the right glass or bottle. At least you can order more of a variety, rather than only sticking to the ones you can pronounce.

Below is a partial list of words that will come in handy. Enjoy and learn!

BIG FAT WINE PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
A phonetic breakdown of popular wines, grapes, and wine terms

• Albariño[al-bah-ree-nyoh]  Albariño or Alvarinho is a variety of white wine grape grown in Galicia (northwest Spain) and Monção (northwest Portugal), where it is used to make varietal white wines.
• Armagnanc[ahr-mahn-YAK] is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single continuous distilled in a copper stills and is aged in oaken casks from Gascony or Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France
• Barbera[bar-BEH-rah] Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano).
• Beaujolais[boh-zhuh-LAY] Beaujolais is a French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally.
• Bordeaux[bohr-DOH] Major wine region of Southwestern France, along the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Centered around the city of Bordeaux.
• Brut [BROOT] A general term used to describe dry sparkling white wine
• Cabernet Franc[KA-behr-nay FRAHN (FRAHNGH)] A red grape common to Bordeaux; characteristics include an herbal, leafy flavor and a soft, fleshy texture.
• Cabernet Sauvignon[ka-behr-NAY so vihn-YOHN (soh-vee-NYAWN)] One of the noblest red wine grapes, used in Bordeaux , USA, Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and wherever wine grapes grow. The predominant red grape variety in the world.
• Cava[KAH-vah] A Spanish sparkling wine typically produced in the Penedès region of Catalonia.
• Chablis [sha-BLEE; shah-BLEE] A very dry white Burgundy wine originally from east-central France.
• Chardonnay[shar-dn-AY; shar-doh-NAY] A variety of grape used to make white wine, including champagne and white Burgundy.
• Châteauneauf-du-Pape[shah-toh-nuhf-doo-PAHP] is a town and commune in the Vaucluse département in Provence, in southern France. Its name derives from a castle built by the Popes when they ruled from Avignon.
• Chenin Blanc[SHUH-ihn BLAHN (BLAHNGK) A grape of French origin that produces excellent white wines. It has proven itself highly productive in California.
• Colombard[KAHL-hm-bahrd (Fr. Kaw-lawn-BAHR)] A productive French grape that produces a dry and full-bodied good quality white wine.
• Côtes du Rhone[koht deu ROHN] (Banks of the Rhône) is a wine-growing Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for the Rhône wine region of France, which may be used throughout the region, also in those areas which are covered by other AOCs.
• Cuvée[koo-VAY] Like the words cask and reserve, cuvee is an unregulated term that some wineries use to indicate a special (or reserve) batch of wine.
• Fumé Blanc[FOO-may BLAHN; BLAHNGK] A term coined by Robert Mondavi for California wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape in the style of those made of Pouilly Fumé in the Loire Valley of France.
• Gewürztraminer[guh-vurts-TRAH-MEE-NER] White wine grape best known in Alsace, Germany and the US West Coast. Grows best where there is morning fog and milder climates. Can be bone dry to semi-sweet with 3.5 or more sugar. Marries well with spicy foods.
• Grenache[gruh-NAHSH] The Grenache is grown in southern France, where it is partly responsible for the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, and many others. It is the mainstay of Rioja, makes port-style and light rose wines in California, and is also grown in South Africa.
• Kir[KEER] Kir is a popular French cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) topped up with white wine.
• Madeira[muh-DEER-uh] A Portuguese fortified wine that is treated with heat as it ages, giving it a distinctive flavor and brownish color.
• Malbec[mahl-behk] Red wine grape used as a nominal element of the Bordeaux blend, where its intense color and extract add to the wine’s body. Also used as a primary grape in the inky red wines of Cahors and in some Argentine reds.
• Merlot[mehr-LOH; mer-LOH] Merlot is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird (Turdus merula), probably from the color of the grape.
• Muscat[MUHS-kat; MUHS-kuht] The muscat family of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their color ranges from white to near black. Muscat almost always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma.
• Petite Sirah; Petite Syrah[peh-TEET sih-RAH; peh-TEET see-RAH] Often confused with “real” Syrah, most believe it is actually the lowly French grape, Durif. It has, regardless, turned out some good California examples in both dry and sweet styles
• Pinot Blanc[PEE-noh BLAHN (BLAHNGK)] A white wine grape which makes a dry, full white wine. A good alternate to Chardonnay. Usually less oak than a Chard, since it is rarely fermented in wood but rather in stainless steel tanks. One often denotes scents of melon in Pinot Blanc.
• Pinot Gris[PEE-noh GREE] Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (“gris” meaning “grey” in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance.
• Pinot Noir[PEE-noh NWAHR] Pinot noir is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines produced predominantly from Pinot noir grapes.
• Pouilly-Fuissé[poo-yee fwee-SAY] Pouilly-Fuissé is an appellation (AOC) for white wine in the Mâconnais subregion Burgundy in central France, located in the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré. Pouilly-Fuissé has Chardonnay as the only grape variety.
• Prosecco [praw-SEHK-koh; proh-SEHK-koh] Prosecco is an Italian wine — generally a dry sparkling wine — made from a variety of white grape of the same name. The grape is grown mainly in the Veneto region of Italy, traditionally in an area near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the hills north of Treviso.
• Riesling [REEZ-ling; REES-ling]  Riesling is a white grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines.
• Rioja[ree-oh-hah] Rioja is a wine, with Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.C. Qualified designation of origin) named after La Rioja, in Spain. Rioja is made from grapes grown not only in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, but also in parts of Navarre and the Basque province of Álava.
• Rosé [roh-ZAY] A rosé (From French: rosé, ‘pinkish’) wine has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.
• Sancerre[sahn-SEHR]  Sancerre is a French wine Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine produced in the environs of Sancerre in the eastern part of the Loire valley, southeast of Orléans. Almost all of the appellation lies on the left bank of the Loire, opposite Pouilly-Fumé.
• Sangiovese [san-joh-VAY-zeh; san-jaw-VAY-zeh] This red is the predominant grape in Chianti. Makes a hearty, dry red, with flavors of black cherries.
• Sauternes[soh-TEHRN] Sauternes is a French dessert wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot.
• Sauvignon Blanc[SOH-vihn-yohn BLAHN; SOH-vee-nyawn BLAHNGK] Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape gets its name from the French word sauvage (“wild”) and blanc (“white”) due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France.
• Semillon[say-mee-YHON; she-mee-YOHN]  Prevalent in France’s Bordeaux region, Semillon is a white wine varietal that’s often found in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc, a unique combination responsible for the region’s dry white wines and their famed sweet dessert wines from Sauternes
• Sommelier [sum-muhl-YAY]  A sommelier (, ), or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching. The role is more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter.
• Syrah[see-RAH] Syrah, originally from Rhne area of France, also known as Shiraz which succeeds admirably in Australia.
• Terroir [teh-RWAHR] French term which has no simple translation into English. It refers to the external influences on the ripening grapes, including the soils (depth and type), bedrock, exposure to sun and wind, water table and so on.
• Verdelho [vehr-DEH-lyoh] Verdelho is a white wine grape grown throughout Portugal, though most associated with the island of Madeira, and also gives its name to one of the four main types of Madeira wine. At the turn of the 20th century it was the most widely planted white grape in Madeira
• Verdicchio [vehr-KEEK-kyoh] A classic Italian variety of the Marche on the eastern coast of Italy, Verdicchio produces bright, lemony wines with high natural acidity.
• Viognier[vee-oh-NYAY] The classic (though rare) white grape of the northern Rhone Valley of France where it makes the expensive wine known as Condrieu. In the early 1990s, more than thirty top California producers began making viognier to much acclaim.

• Majority of definitions gathered from Wiktionary.org

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Overcast, wet and rainy Father’s Day in Seattle. Deja – Vu. It doesn’t matter whether the kids are 5 or 23, they still remain the best breakfast cooker-uppers on Father’s Day! The only thing missing is Fiona and Liesel because they are “grow’d up and living on their own”, but they are definitely in my heart as always. The bare bones office is now setup and I thought I would crack open a “wine once enjoyed”.

2008 Columbia Valley The Last Straw We had this earlier this year at a wine bar in Bend, Oregon with Josh and Liesel and we enjoyed it immensely. Of course, we enjoyed everything we had the pleasure of partaking in that evening. As I sit looking through wine blogs, wine business pages and reading about wine history, I am picking up on the aromas of wet stones, and cherries. Flavors of plumbs and wheat. At the King County Library, you would probably find this under “Pacific Northwest Bordeaux”. The blends are what I love! Now I am getting a bit sentimental thinking about that evening in Bend, but wine often times is a great media for reminiscing and remembrances. Family is numero uno. What more can I say? Wine is thicker than water and if you immerse yourself in all that it brings to life, you will enjoy each day to its fullest. To a “wine once enjoyed” and a wonderful Father’s Day …again!