tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59015600256396206712012-03-14T19:47:07.740-07:00The Sommelier Update is a weekly blog on wine, beer, spirits and food. It started in conjunction with the Arrowhead Wine Enthusiast club, but has gained the following of anyone that is interested in learning, enjoying and having fun with food and wine. Weekly articles on advice, service, pairing ideas, recipes, education and consultation, from a Certified Sommelier.The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.comBlogger711100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-52795818614574385042012-03-14T18:12:00.001-07:002012-03-14T19:47:07.752-07:00

On March 17th, everyone is Irish. We all remember growing up as kids, and having to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, or else you would get pinched. Now, as grownups, we celebrate the “wearing ‘O the green”, by hoisting a few Stouts at the local bar. Ireland is renowned internationally for its beverages. The pub culture is legendary (whether deserved or not). So what do the Irish drink? The most

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-57915885944999884412012-03-07T18:02:00.000-08:002012-03-07T18:02:29.527-08:00

Whenever French wine is mentioned, Bordeaux and Burgundy are usually part of the discussion. When talking about Italy, what comes to mind? Chianti? Brunello? Amarone? How about Barolo? Ah yes...Barolo! Located in the northwest corner of Italy is the Piedmont region, which stretches from the Mediterranean coast to the Italian Alps. The best wine growing areas are found in the rolling alpine

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-51458270307366604502012-02-29T19:18:00.000-08:002012-02-29T19:18:00.826-08:00

Just like most of you, I watched the 84th Annual Academy Awards show over the weekend, and it made me think about all those wine awards that are displayed in the tasting rooms of so many wineries. I have always found it amazing how many wineries have won gold, silver or bronze award ribbons at wine competitions. When was the last time you actually looked at the awards that "so and so" winery won

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-29900039964550421292012-02-22T16:10:00.000-08:002012-02-22T16:21:45.376-08:00

When I was a kid, we used to get two 3-day weekends, as we celebrated both Washington’s and Lincoln’s birthdays. Now we get one 3-day weekend, and not much discussion about the leaders of the United States. So, I thought it might be fun to dig up some little tidbits of information, about the president’s drinking “habits”. Wine has been with us since the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. There

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-43357039292981042372012-02-16T14:32:00.000-08:002012-02-16T14:32:35.087-08:00

Tasting with the Internatonal Sommelier Guild You've heard me mention the word "Sommelier" numerous times, heck, that's the name of this wine blog, But, what is a Sommelier, and what should you expect from one? It is thought that the word "Sommelier" (pronounced as Som-al-yay) comes from the old French word sommerier, meaning provisions officer. Today, the word has come to define a position on

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-46896518185190151062012-02-10T08:01:00.000-08:002012-02-10T08:01:16.460-08:00

It's almost Valentines Day, and you know what that means? .....You'll be paying a fortune for roses. But, if chocolate is part of your gift giving, why not pair that with a nice bottle of wine? Wine and chocolate seem as if they were meant for each other. But not all wine, or chocolate, are made equally for this pairing. Let's first take a look at chocolate, then a quick look at our pairing "

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-22126100315508956302012-01-31T18:40:00.000-08:002012-02-09T14:30:42.281-08:00

It is the end of the football season, and time for the Super Bowl. I must admit that I was rooting for the San Francisco 49ers to make it to the big game. An east coast, west coast rivalry would have been fun. But how many people really care who's in the Super Bowl? I've heard that something like 80% of the tickets sold, are to corporations, and those people are just there for the experience.

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-78804611550744074602012-01-25T14:00:00.000-08:002012-01-25T14:00:33.314-08:00

Last week, my article on terrior sparked a question about what "AVA" stood for. So, this week, I thought it might be worth looking at the United States' answer to the French appellation controlee system. If you read my article from May 2011, on Old World vs New World, then you might remember that French wines are not identified by the grape, but rather by the region or appellation d'origine

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-30079803779712143322012-01-19T12:36:00.000-08:002012-01-23T20:08:14.711-08:00

No it's not a four letter word, but "terrior" can sound like one to many wine drinkers and winemakers. I've used this word many times, in a number of my wine articles. But what does it mean, and why does it trigger such ugly arguments? As you learn more, it will become obvious that terrior is a French term. And further, it will become clear that there is no true translation into the English

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-69289599474228617712012-01-12T08:30:00.000-08:002012-01-23T20:11:27.247-08:00

I was at a wine tasting over the weekend, that was being held in one our local grocery stores (yeah, I know, standing in a grocery store, tasting wine in the aisles, seems a bit pathetic).....anyway, the conversation turned to where I buy my wine. Obviously, when I need wine now, I do go to my local grocery store (we don't have any wine shops in the area), or if I have some time, I drive to the

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-30799302027290216892012-01-05T15:28:00.000-08:002012-01-23T20:12:25.765-08:00

This morning I was watching one of those morning "news" shows, and they had a psychic on the show, making predictions on how each of the hosts' lives would be affected this coming year. It got me reflecting on what I've observed over the last year, and what wine trends we might expect to see in 2012. Since I run a wine club, I do have an opportunity to see and hear what people are drinking, and

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-51950899853932080882011-12-29T16:28:00.000-08:002011-12-29T16:32:35.609-08:00

  If ever there was a myth about wine, it is that it pairs great with cheese. When was the last time you ever thought about adding a little wine to your milk? Doesn't sound too appetizing does it? So where did the idea of wine and cheese come from?  My guess is that local cheese producers wanted to take advantage of the regional wines that were being produced. I still believe that if you have a

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-2425605439433140372011-12-20T19:21:00.000-08:002011-12-20T19:25:31.100-08:00

Paella Mixta Twas the week before Christmas, and what should we do?the malls were too crowded, so let's make some stew! No that'd be too normal, we need something rareLet's do a 5-course dinner with some Spanish flare The menu was set, and the guest were invited They were given a recipe that got them excited.So I put on my chef's coat, and pulled out some wine after cooking a while, we were

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-63838851261814106792011-12-13T19:07:00.000-08:002011-12-14T20:33:50.283-08:00

It's that time of year again, and some people either love it or hate it...no, I'm not talking about the holidays or even fruitcake. I'm talking eggnog. I can tell we're in the holiday season as soon as I see the yellow stuff showing up on the grocery store shelves. So what is the history of eggnog, and what do you do with it? Santa Mugs for Eggnog I can't shed any new light on the history of

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-1092372727948958222011-12-06T19:17:00.000-08:002011-12-06T19:17:19.721-08:00

As we move into the holiday season, I thought it might be appropriate to take a look at dessert wines (not the same as my article on desert wines). When I first started drinking wine, I was immediately attracted to those sweeter style wines. As I tried more and more wine, I found that my palate began to trend towards drier wines. First, the sweet wines disappeared, next the white wines, and all I

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-37669209798496689922011-11-30T16:08:00.000-08:002011-11-30T16:08:23.834-08:00

I was talking with a friend today, and he had received his club shipment from Melville Winery Estate. In the shipment were three different bottles of Pinot Noir. Each was made with a different clone. You don't know how tempted I was to name this weeks' blog "Clone Wars", but my better sense helped me to hold back. So what is a clone, and why should it make any difference in the wine you drink?

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-66308194186009076272011-11-21T21:05:00.000-08:002011-11-21T21:05:48.239-08:00

Where did the year go? It's Thanksgiving already, and time to figure out what wines I want to share at our Thanksgiving dinner. A year ago, I wrote about the difficulty in doing a "perfect pairing" with the dinner. There are so many components, and different family traditions that it would be impossible for me to give you the perfect wine to pair with your meal. This year, I'm going to break my

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-17368456073716483642011-11-16T10:49:00.000-08:002011-11-25T10:54:52.076-08:00

Photo credit to Jim Mills from fotolia.com With apologies to U-2, I had to title this weeks blog this way. It all started with weekend trips to Del Mar, to stay at a friend’s condo on the beach. We now have a Sunday ritual. We would walk down Highway 101, into the town of Solana Beach, and stop in for breakfast at T’s Café, but no breakfast was complete without one of their Bloody Marys. So on

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-23604043521513661412011-11-09T07:14:00.000-08:002011-11-09T07:14:46.243-08:00

A year ago, I wrote my first wine blog. A number of friends had encouraged me to share my thoughts on wine, beer and spirits. I had just finished reading Gary Vaynerchuk's book, "Crush It". The book dealt with finding your passion and following that passion. Much of the book talked about how to take advantage of the internet. At that time, I had heard about a website called Quora.com, and joined

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-23389713857688598792011-11-04T06:34:00.000-07:002011-11-04T11:55:16.578-07:00

You have probably heard that a glass or two of wine a day might actually be good for your health. There has been a funny photo circulating the internet of a person with a huge glass, with the caption, “one glass of wine a day – doctors’ orders”. It got me thinking about how the wine glass you use affects the wine. A couple years ago, I attended a Riedel tasting. I was a skeptic about a wine glass

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-44044591934079542482011-10-27T10:59:00.000-07:002011-10-28T12:55:16.983-07:00

Here it is, the end of October, and what are people thinking about? Grape Harvest? The end of daylight savings? No...Halloween. And what goes along with Halloween? Spirits. Not those ghostly type, but the drinks made with spirits for the Halloween party. So what exactly are spirits, and what differentiates them from wine, beer, or liqueurs? The word "spirit" comes from the Latin "spiritus", or

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-8624326041887057502011-10-19T10:38:00.000-07:002011-10-19T10:38:54.817-07:00

Last week, our wine club held a Spanish tasting. In addition to the wines of Rias Baixas, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, La Mancha and Priorat, we began and ended the night with the wines of Jerez. Not familiar with those? I bet you've heard of Sherry. PX Sherry over ice cream There was a common reaction when I started the evening with a bottle of Manzanilla Sherry..."I don't care for Sherry, it's

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-53991214794986375602011-10-12T11:47:00.000-07:002011-10-14T17:56:49.317-07:00

"Hey, you're the wine guy. Why are you drinking beer?"...yes, I heard that a lot this last weekend. I attended the 2nd Annual Lake Arrowhead Brewfest. I repeated (more than a few times) that I'm not just the "wine guy", but as a Sommelier, my course of study included wine, beer, spirits, sake, and a little bit about coffee and tea (as well as some cigar study on my own). While my passion is with

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-14960422930874881062011-10-06T10:04:00.000-07:002011-10-07T10:05:13.026-07:00

Wine barrels at Epoch When I left off last week (if you missed last weeks blog click here), the group portion of our weekend in Paso Robles had come to an end, with a group dinner at Il Cortile. With a large group, we were really limited in the size and number of wineries we could get to. Sunday and Monday were my time, to get to my "wish list" of wineries. The challenge was, that I had a list

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-28245823162577127532011-09-28T20:26:00.000-07:002011-10-06T10:11:38.643-07:00

Last week, you got a little background on Paso Robles, so after spending Friday afternoon through Monday, driving all over the countryside, I thought I'd share a recap of the adventures. Remember, I don't do wine reviews, as everyones' tastes are different, but I will tell you what we tried, and what I purchased. Since we went to 19 wineries, and tried over 120 wines, this will be a two part

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-82002615692621691292011-09-21T20:57:00.000-07:002011-09-22T07:15:04.399-07:00

This weekend, I’ll be taking 28 people wine tasting in Paso Robles, so I thought it might be a good time to look at the area, and see what it’s all about. Red Soles Winery Paso Robles (originally El Paso de Robles) is Spanish for “The Pass of the Oaks”. The area is located about halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco in the wine region known as the "Central Coast". Called "Paso" by

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-85543685777912042522011-09-13T17:18:00.000-07:002011-09-13T17:18:47.155-07:00

What has happened to the local wine shop? It seems the current economy is reeking havoc on any business in its' path. And, even if the business doesn't go under, they have changed. I live in a small mountain community in Southern California. Lake Arrowhead has often been referred to as the "Jewel of Southern California". We are only a short 30 minute drive from civilization, but sometimes, it

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-18672535793564758422011-09-07T16:56:00.000-07:002011-09-07T16:56:48.041-07:00

In a couple weeks our local wine club will be traveling up north to visit the Central Coast wine region of Paso Robles. This is the fourth year our club has gathered together to do an organized weekend of wine tasting. I organized the outing, and arranged for the tastings. In preparation for the trip, I sent out an e-mail to all 28 attendees, giving them an agenda for the weekend. On that e-mail,

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-65091084975764965052011-08-30T19:54:00.000-07:002011-08-30T19:54:54.598-07:00

On Monday, I had the opportunity to attend at wine tasting and winemakers dinner, involving the Santa Barbara County Vintners Association. My wife and I attended as guests of the Grape Encounters radio program. The tasting was held at AKA Bistro, in old town Pasadena. It's been a long time since I've been to the area, and it is a really great restaurant town. Brandon/Dragonette Cellars The

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-25360037148631126692011-08-24T20:31:00.000-07:002011-08-24T20:36:15.241-07:00

Old Vine Zinfandel. Photo courtesy jrwine.com I often get e-mails from friends asking wine questions. Usually they are wine recommendations, or wine/food pairing questions. This week, I received one from a friend of mine, and I thought it might be worth expanding on. His question, "Quick question...,maybe? In your opinion, where on the west coast of the U.S. is the best Zinfandel grapes

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-50775700587608819552011-08-18T13:36:00.000-07:002011-08-18T13:36:28.861-07:00

Last week I conducted a blind tasting for our local wine club. I had five red wines, all in bags. Included with the tasting were notes for eight different red wines. The challenge was supposed to be figuring out what wines were in each of the bags. Balius Cabernet Sauvignon Earlier in the week, I visited my (not so local) wine store, to find "classic" examples of single variety wines.

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-28451167839610465332011-08-10T19:15:00.000-07:002011-08-10T19:15:58.357-07:00

Ampelos Vineyards It's an important time of year in the northern hemisphere....an important time, that is, for grape growers and winemakers. If you have been to a vineyard in the last couple weeks, you probably saw a lot of little hard green berries on the grape vines. If you go back today, you may notice something has changed. Véraison [vay-ray-ZON] is a wine term which refers to the onset

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-3882190919344420062011-08-03T11:21:00.000-07:002011-08-03T11:21:06.402-07:00

Cabernet Sauvignon. How well do you know this “noble” grape? You would think that Cabernet Sauvignon was the most planted red grape in the world. There is little argument that some of the most expensive wines in the world are based on the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. But, it is actually Merlot that wins the race with vineyard plantings. The origin of Cabernet Sauvignon has been in dispute, but

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-87954177000439419512011-07-27T13:58:00.000-07:002011-07-27T14:08:20.139-07:00

Lotus of Siam Last weekend, I was one of fourteen people invited to attend the International Sommelier Guild's Teacher Education Program (TEP). Half of the group was from Canada, and the rest from different locations across the United States. This is an instructional program that reviews all the policies, procedures and curriculum of the Guild, and is intended for those that want to become

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-75466020551843296832011-07-20T12:29:00.000-07:002011-07-20T16:29:52.994-07:00

It’s probably not one of those things you really think about, but what was the color of the last wine bottle you opened? What shape was it? What size?  Have you ever wondered why the standard size bottle is 750ml. Chianti "Fiasco" Bottle Why the standard sized wine bottle is 750ml, is not entirely clear, it has simply evolved into the standard size by custom. You could argue that the old

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-89419417369619736742011-07-13T06:54:00.000-07:002011-07-13T06:59:18.654-07:00

"Then followed that beautiful season...summer...Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood" - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Memories of my childhood summer include family barbecue, ice cream making, watermelons, family trips, hanging out with friends at the beach. Nowadays, I love to gather with friends by the lake.

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-21983305041433437882011-07-07T09:37:00.000-07:002011-07-07T09:37:07.334-07:00

No, I did not spell the title of this weeks article incorrectly. This is actually a story about wine tasting in the desert. You see, last week, my wife and I took a road trip to Laughlin Air Force Base, in Del Rio, Texas. Our son graduated from pilot training, and earned his pilot wings. I must say that driving from California to Texas, there isn't much change in the scenery. Once you hit Palm

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-88866918952212043642011-06-29T06:22:00.000-07:002011-06-29T06:22:40.839-07:00

Art and wine have a long history together. Some even consider certain wines to be art, while others enjoy the art on the label of wine. This weekend, I once again attended the Lake Arrowhead Rotary Art & Wine Festival. This was the 29th year the local Rotary Club has sponsored this event. It was located on the beautiful shores or Lake Arrowhead, at 5100 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains of

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-8091564564127247062011-06-21T21:05:00.000-07:002011-06-21T21:05:42.770-07:00

Village of Randersacker Last week we spent some time reviewing some German terms that you might see on the wine label, or in discussion of wine production. Let's take that to the most logical use...understanding the label on the bottle. German wine labels are probably the most informative labels of any wine on the market, but can also be some of the most confusing. Going back to last week, I

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-54301006061175641332011-06-14T22:02:00.000-07:002011-06-14T22:02:51.053-07:00

Last week I conducted a wine tasting of Eastern European wines. We tasted wines from Greece, Montenegro, Hungary, Austria and Germany. Now, before I get nasty comments, I know these are not all Eastern European countries, but have you tried to find a good tasting sample for this region? One of the most confusing things for some of the tasters had to do with the discussion of German wines, and how

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-30376779504062974382011-06-07T20:48:00.000-07:002011-06-07T20:49:30.773-07:00

The last two weeks, we looked at two of the most common wine stoppers: cork and screwcaps. It seems like there certainly is a variety of opinions. Many of you feel that cork is the only way to go, while others have had too many problems with “cork taint” and swear by screwcaps. The bottom-line seems to be the integrity of the wine, and how the closure affects the final product. Because of this,

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-15785055879899858022011-06-03T18:12:00.000-07:002011-06-05T16:51:59.218-07:00

Last week we took a look at the traditional wine stopper: cork. With the onset of cork taint, winemakers have been trying to find a way to preserve, and seal their wine bottles. We’ve seen box wines, which are basically bags of wine, affixed with a pour spout and inserted in cardboard boxes. We’ve seen metal, glass and plastic enter the market. In today’s blog, we look at screwcap wine stoppers.

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-81618787463699118862011-05-26T14:07:00.000-07:002011-05-27T07:13:48.867-07:00

Put a cork in it…if you are a traditionalist, then this might be your mantra when it comes to that bottle of wine you are about to purchase. Lately there has been a lot of discussion about what might be the best stopper for wine bottles: cork, screwcap, glass, synthetic? I thought it might be worth taking a look at cork (we’ll look at the other stoppers next week) and see what it is and why it

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-30714632130050572492011-05-17T20:56:00.000-07:002011-05-17T20:56:32.042-07:00

In honor of "American Craft Beer Week", I thought it might be nice to change things up a bit, and do a brief discussion on beer (I know my beer making, and drinking, friends will appreciate that). Beer's history precedes that of wine, and probably was discovered by accident, when some cooked grains that an early nomadic hunter-gatherer carried, came into contact with water, and fermented.

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-27156993367783098282011-05-13T16:46:00.000-07:002011-05-14T09:44:46.901-07:00

Those of you who have been following this blog for the past six months know that I usually write my blogs late on Tuesday nights. Well last Tuesday, the blog service I use was down, then again on Wednesday, and Thursday I was completely distracted. Distracted...you say? Yes, I was obsessed with the smells wafting through my house. You see, I had been hearing about “bacon jam” and decided to find

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-57400188318769504002011-05-03T21:15:00.000-07:002011-05-04T16:04:21.645-07:00

Tequila tasting at San Sebastian It's almost Cinco de Mayo, that time of year when everyone grabs some Mexican food and a Margarita (or two, or three). Have you ever given thought to what's in your glass? According to the International Bartenders Association, the officially accepted ingredients and proportions, for a traditional Margarita are 50% Tequila, 29% Triple Sec (an orange-flavored

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-24554304906182088702011-04-26T21:15:00.000-07:002011-04-26T21:15:26.169-07:00

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a winemakers dinner at one of our local fine dining establishments: Casual Elegance. Now, you'd have to know Lake Arrowhead...we are a small community tucked away in the Southern California mountains. When we get premiere winemakers showing up, it's a big deal (at least for those of us who are really into wine). So this dinner was a special occasion, as

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-89621539212189221672011-04-19T20:22:00.000-07:002011-04-20T12:56:16.189-07:00

Over the weekend, I met with a client who wants me to conduct a wine tasting party. When we got to discussing which wines to purchase, she said she would buy her own. I gave her some guidance on white and red wines, then I said she might want to include a rosé. She said, "Like white Zinfandel?". I hear this a lot. It is unfortunate that most people think of rosé as white Zinfandel, because they

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-86516421525815288582011-04-12T19:55:00.000-07:002011-04-12T19:55:41.721-07:00

Last week, we did a wine tasting of Napa Valley wines. I had two white wines: Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Talk about two extremes...the Sauvignon Blanc was crisp with acidity, and the Chardonnay was full and buttery. I referred to this as a "California style" Chardonnay. That's probably an unfair moniker, as there are all types of Chardonnay styles in California, but I would argue that this

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-13078126431272265052011-04-05T21:15:00.000-07:002011-04-06T07:52:05.161-07:00

This week my wine club will be doing a tasting of Napa Valley wines. The challenge was to find quality wines, that represent the growing region, at a price of around $20. While looking through the crates of wine at one of my favorite wine shops, I couldn't help but notice the average price wines from this region. While I was able to find five excellent examples at an average price of $21 (

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-3550940201376239142011-03-29T20:26:00.000-07:002011-03-29T20:26:22.806-07:00

Those of you who have joined me at wine tastings, hear me throw out descriptions that may or may not make sense to you. I often refer to wines as "old world" or "new world", or I might describe a wine as being "old world" in style. So, what exactly do I mean? "Old world" refers to wines grown in European countries. These countries have long history with wine growing, many going back several

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-64891353210998035002011-03-23T21:05:00.000-07:002011-03-23T21:05:12.234-07:00

You've just found this great wine, and think it would be the perfect bottle (or case) to set aside. You figure, "this wine has great staying power, and will been even better a few years down the road". So where do you store it? In the closet? On that wine rack on your kitchen counter? Or, do you have a cellar? I would venture to guess that most of you do not have cellars, so there are steps you

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-91811061864502961012011-03-15T21:02:00.000-07:002011-03-15T21:04:23.647-07:00

One of the most common questions I am asked, as a sommelier, is whether a certain wine is ready to drink now, or should it be stored away for later? Well, the answer will involve going back to my previous articles on tasting. If you are comfortable with the steps in tasting a wine, then you will have a better idea on how well a wine will age.  First, if you are buying the wine at your local

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-84755038240499645502011-03-09T16:43:00.000-08:002011-03-09T16:49:50.322-08:00

Have you tried a merlot from Chile in the past few years? If so, are you sure it was merlot? You may have been tasting carménère (car-men-YEHR).  Let’s take a quick look at Chile, and how carménère may be the “signature wine” of Chile.  Spanish missionaries brought the first vines (pais) to Chile around 1549 (there are no native grape vines in South America). Between 1840 to 1850, French

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-58671452888952050992011-03-02T14:31:00.000-08:002011-03-02T18:09:37.626-08:00

Let's be frank about it, when you're at a restaurant, or a friends house, and the topic turns to what wine to have that evening, do you intimidate others with your knowledge? Do you turn your nose up at the suggestion of Charles Shaw Cabernet with your meal? Or, are you like Myles in the movie Sideways, who won't drink any f*@%ing Merlot? Come on, admit it. Could you be (gasp) a "wine snob"? What

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-24328319900030083192011-02-23T20:23:00.000-08:002011-02-23T20:39:05.503-08:00

Last night, I had the opportunity to join 20 other people at a "wine" pairing dinner at the Lake Arrowhead Resort. We had the private "Magnum Room", at Bin 189 (thanks Dayna Czermak). This was a five course meal paired with three Remy Martin Cognacs and two sparkling wines. I'll go into the menu and my thoughts on the pairing in due time, but I thought it might be worthwhile to take a very basic

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-46414630757954440872011-02-16T21:40:00.000-08:002011-02-16T21:40:33.620-08:00

Are you a wine "taster" or a wine "drinker"? If you have been following this series of blog posts, you are well on your way to becoming a wine "taster" and an enthusiast. In my first post in this series, we discussed appearance. In the second post, we looked at all the components to evaluate in the "nose" or smell of the wine. And, in my last post, we looked at taste or palate. Now we need to put

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-22892564239987105542011-02-16T14:53:00.000-08:002011-02-16T20:14:48.321-08:00

In my first post in the series, we discussed what to look at when you are wine tasting. For some reason, this post ended up showing up after post number three, but is actually the second step in tasting. These visual clues should set you up for what is about to happen next. It is very easy to describe what you see to another person, but when it comes to smell, things get a little more

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-35634517581005629062011-02-08T21:40:00.000-08:002011-02-16T14:54:52.490-08:00

In our previous two blogs, we evaluated the appearance of the wine in our glass, and stuck our nose down in there. We should have some idea of what to expect when we finally get some wine in our mouth....but not so fast! Now comes the portion of our examination that takes quick evaluation, great concentration, good memory, slurping, sucking and spitting.. Remember your elementary school classes

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-52454956260098200962011-01-18T20:07:00.000-08:002011-01-18T20:07:37.047-08:00

At our wine tasting event last week, one of the new members of the Arrowhead Wine Enthusiast made a comment that I thought might be on the minds of a number of people. At all of our tasting events, I try to bring classic examples of wines produced in certain regions, and explain the production methods and growing conditions, but the one thing only the person tasting can do, is determine whether

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-2253896042676558052011-01-12T19:46:00.000-08:002011-01-12T19:46:39.745-08:00

One of my "jobs" as the Founder/President, and Sommelier for the Arrowhead Wine Enthusiasts Club is putting together the monthly tastings. One of the most common questions I get is, "How do you figure out what to buy for the tasting?". I thought I might give you some insight into how I go about picking the wines, the quantity, and also keeping the tastings relevant, and new. The Arrowhead Wine

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-68920301395121863122011-01-05T17:25:00.000-08:002011-01-05T17:37:41.371-08:00

As we start the new year, many of us have made resolutions to live healthier lives. So how does wine fit into that goal? Let me first say, "I am not a doctor, and you should always consult your physician"...there, now we can get down to the fun stuff - making wine part of our daily lives. Wine is chocked full of healthy compounds. Wine contains tannins, polyphenols, alcohol and (the new buzz

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-61229688747073388962010-12-29T20:55:00.000-08:002010-12-30T19:59:55.462-08:00

When you think of New Years Eve, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Okay, besides Times Square and Auld Langs Syne....think wine, think sparkling, think popping corks! Champagne. But we need to be a little less specific because I know most of you aren't springing for true Champagne. Remember "all Champagne is sparkling wine, but not all sparkling wine is Champagne". For this discussion,

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-45391705530192340752010-12-21T22:19:00.000-08:002010-12-21T22:19:48.584-08:00

In our previous three updates, we looked at the basics of food and wine pairing: regionality, weight, and balance. Even if you tried to follow all these ideas, there are still foods that present challenges. In todays' post, we'll look at some of the more unusual pairings. When I think of challenging foods, my first thought turns to artichokes, asparagus, eggs, chocolate and cheese. But why

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-84114459409422022182010-12-15T20:25:00.000-08:002010-12-15T20:25:17.883-08:00

In our previous two posts, we talked about two of the easier ways to determine what wines might be the best choices for pairing with a meal: Regionality, and Weight. This third concept is a little bit more difficult, as it will require some knowledge of the food components and as well as the profile of potential wines. In this post we will be looking at Balance. To be more specific, we'll look at

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-19107649933556372052010-12-07T20:18:00.000-08:002010-12-07T20:20:03.115-08:00

In the last post, we discussed the easy way to pair foods and wine...regionality. In this post we'll look at how the weight, helps to determine what wine might work best. The old thought was "white with white meat" and "red with red meat". As we'll see, that may not always be true. First, what do we mean by weight? Weight is just what it sounds like: Is the meal light, medium or heavy? Examples

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-29232364624283301962010-11-29T21:33:00.000-08:002010-11-29T21:33:24.087-08:00

As we gathered for our Thanksgiving dinner, I was asked, "how do you determine what wine is best to pair with the meal?"...The easy answer is that is takes a lot of trial and error, but in reality, there are certain things I take into consideration when trying to find the best wine for the meal. Let me first say that food and wine pairing should not be something that you agonize over. Everyone's

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-72673100705395129802010-11-23T11:41:00.000-08:002010-11-23T11:41:44.282-08:00

With Thanksgiving only a couple days away, I have been getting a lot of questions about what wines to pair with the Thanksgiving dinner. I've got to say that this is one of the most difficult meals to pair, as everyone does something different and there are so many things going on. I would venture to guess that most people have the traditional Turkey, but beyond that, it is a virtual cornucopia

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-80640453619389968662010-11-18T20:18:00.000-08:002010-11-18T20:18:13.085-08:00

Today is the third Thursday in November, and for those of you who follow wine, you know that this is the day Beaujolais Nouveau is released. So it begs the question...what is this Nouveau stuff? Let's start with where it comes from...France. But more specifically, the Burgundy Region. "But Jim, Burgundy makes super expensive, wonderful Pinot Noir based wines (and Chardonnays), but this doesn't

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-12242201046556889702010-11-15T21:49:00.000-08:002010-11-15T21:52:52.656-08:00

Now that we have moved our website to http://www.arrowheadwineclub.com/, it was suggested that I use this site to start an actual wine blog. Bear with me, as I am new to this entire process. The Arrowhead Wine Enthusiasts, grew out of the need for a new approach to learning about wine in a fun social manner. The original club started out at the Lake Gregory Wine Club, well before I moved up to

The Sommelier:http://www.blogger.com/profile/09266100883224273029noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5901560025639620671.post-19831765958012341422010-11-13T15:00:00.000-08:002010-11-13T18:17:49.278-08:00

Our website has moved! Check out the bigger, better, and shinier site: ArrowheadWineClub.comThis blog will now be the archive for Jim's tasting notes from our meetings.November 2010(This is a summary/transcription of Jim's tasting notes from the meeting. Any errors in transcription are mine, and mine alone -- Annie)What you tried tonight was a blind tasting of 6 wines, the first three white

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