It’s not been quite a year since I decided to launch Wine On The Rocks and quite a bit has happened since DAY 001 and much more will happen by DAY 365… but that’s another blog entry. This entry is dedicated to my first JOINT episode with another blogger: Swiss Author and Foodie extraordinaire, Claudio Del Principe (Anonyme Köche). In addition to this episode, I also filmed a two part interview with Dieter Meier in regards to his Oranic Malbec & Malbec blends.

Episode screens:

[View with PicLens]

Claudio kinda thought I was crazy from the very beginning for even thinking of asking Dieter Meier to take part in a WOTR episode… considering I didn’t have an appointment… and was kinda just hoping he’d walk in to his own restaurant (Ojo de Agua)… and if/when he did, hoping he wouldn’t brush us off like a couple of groupies when I’d ask him to take part in my online show…

As Claudio and I were dining at Dieter Meier’s Ojo de Agua Contor back in November, who happened to walk in that very night? The man himself, Dieter Meier. A few words and laughs were exchanged and since the planets were in alignment after enjoying a bottle of his PURO Malbec, I asked Dieter if he’d take part in a Wine On The Rocks episode and he not only obliged but took part in two: the wine interview and Brazing Beef (screens above). Thanks to mobile devices with video capabilities, he liked what he saw. Which of course is a huge compliment coming from such an accomplished artist and full-out-all-rounder!

As the saying goes “Ask, and Ye shall receive!” Dieter was ON from the very beginning and all I can say is, his organic wines and meats are absolutely fabulous. The episodes were filmed in February 2010 at Dieter Meier’s Restaurant Bärengasse in downtown Zurich, one of the city’s finest culinary addresses.

Please visit:
Ojo de Agua website >>>
Restaurant Bärengasse in Zurich, SUI >>>
Anonyme Köche (German language)

This episode will be online on Thursday, May 13. Thanks go out to Dieter, Claudio and Henry Head for his help on cam.

The wine interviews (Part 001 and 002) are already online and can be viewed at www.winontherocks.com

I’ve been a fan of Randall Grahm’s ever since I saw him being interviewed by Jancis Robinson on her DVD series 2-3 years ago. I’d read about the “Rhone Ranger” long before that but never thought much about the title other than “hey, cool title”. I didn’t really know much about the MAN until I heard him speak and it was that which he spoke (THE TRUTH) that made me do some resarch way back when – aha, this cat’s the Rhone Ranger – even cooler.

If there’s a BACK TO THE FUTURE Part whatever, I’m personally going to suggest Mr. Grahm as the quirky Professor – because if there’s anyone who can tune a Citroën DS-21 to do the speed of light, I’ll put my money on this guy any day!

After buying and inhaling his book BEEN DOON SO LONG (worth every Grahm by the way) over the holidays – yes, I always inhale and I love blunts by the way, a tie we have due to the CIGAR – I thought it would be great to interview him. And since I have the site in which to publish such an interview, I got on the horn. Here are the results… enjoy!

***** ***** *****

Wine On The Rocks – Been Doon So Long was „twenty (or so) years in the making“ – has everything been said or can we expect a second book any time soon?

Randall Grahm – Well, certainly a lot has been said. (It’s a pretty weighty tome, and does deliver a lot of words/pound.) But I am greatly looking forward to the next book, which will be written in a very different genre. (I could tell you, but I would have to etc. etc.) I am hoping that next book will be a little quicker to complete. Were it to take as long as the first book, I will be drooling and incontinent before its completion (or significantly more than I currently am.)

WOTR- How fine is the line between Randall Grahm the artist and winemaker?

RG – There is no line; there is just one person. Without being too pretentious about it (watch it there, Randall) winemaking, or more accurately, winegrowing is my spiritual practice. If I have any shot at all at becoming a slightly more grounded and “present” person, it will have to come through farming.

WOTR – In your book you mention that you went „off track“ on more than once a occasion – do you feel you’re on track now?

RG – Definitely on track now, at least as far as focus and intention, if not currently burning things up with case sales.

WOTR – In Twitter style (140 characters or less) – please sum up your view on critics & their point scores.

RG – Wine critics, not wishing to appear foolish or inconsistent (they’re human beings, after all) reify point scores. What utter folly!

WOTR – Who do you consider an inspiration (three people) in today’s wine world?

RG – Gerard Chave, Josko Gravner, Helmut Dönnhoff – three very different personages, but all making great contributions.

WOTR – If Nebbiolo is Italy’s leading grape, where does Sagrantino stand?

RG – Sagrantino is a reasonably close second; I’m still not yet persuaded that it is capable of making a wine of extraordinary finesse on its own, but perhaps if blended with other grapes can make great wines, capable of very long ageing.

WOTR – Please finish this sentence: The underdog is always…

RG – The underdog (at least this one) is convinced of the righteousness of his cause, but would happily trade a little bit of correctness for just a tad more market share.

WOTR – Is there a market/are there markets where your wines don’t find acceptance (due to screw cap)?

RG – We haven’t been terribly lucky selling our screwcap wines (all of our wines have screwcaps) in Italy, but I’m not sure that the problem is screwcaps. In general, screwcaps seem to be well accepted everywhere.

WOTR – How would you describe Biodynamic in simple terms for non-wine geeks?

RG – Biodynamics is an agricultural practice, based (somewhat extrapolated) on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner. It superficially resembles organic farming in its eschewal of synthetic materials (fertilizers, pesticides), but its aim is rather different. It speaks to the creation of a farm as a truly self-sustaining organism, with an aim to developing the uniqueness of the site. (Happily for me, biodynamics seems to be a great methodology for the discovery of terroir.) The principle methodologies of biodynamics are: 1) the use of the biodynamic calendar, believing that there is a certain periodicity to nature’s rhythms and on a given day, there may be one part of the plant that has greater activity than another. 2) the use of the biodynamic preparations, which are used as form of agricultural homeopathy, stimulating a particular plant process (photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, etc.) 3) the utilization of livestock on the site as a means of enhancing fertility and bringing about a greater ecological balance, 4) the use of biodynamic compost as the principle delivery system of replacing soil fertility. In general, the aim of biodynamics is to enhance the overall health of a farm so that the plants might better meet the environmental challenges (pests, drought, etc.) they are facing.

WOTR – Ca’ del Solo was certified Biodynamic in 06 – after 3 years, are the results in the bottle very different in comparison to 5-6 years ago?

RG – The wines do seem to be exhibiting increasingly more minerality and better consistency in ripening. In candor, it is often really hard to separate out the effects of biodynamic practice from the vagaries of a particular vintage year. In general, the quality of our wines has improved dramatically, but I’m not sure if I can attribute this all to biodynamics. Some of the vineyards where we are practicing biodynamics actually fared pretty miserably this year. (But it was a tough year.)

WOTR – We Twittered last week about Emidio Pepe and his demijohns, how did you come across this producer from Abruzzo? Do you have an opinion on the region and wines in general?

RG – I ran into Pepe’s wines rather by accident, while chatting with a restaurateur in Philadephia of all places and he was gracious enough to open a number of old bottlings, which all seemed incredibly young. I don’t know the region very well, only been to visit twice, and have actually imported some lovely wine from the area, under our “Il Circo” label. In general, I very much like the Abruzzo wines as solid, dependable go-to food wines and they generally offer among the best values in Italian wine. I have attempted to grow Montepulciano in California on one occasion and will say that it is one of the strangest grape vines I have ever seen. (It does look as if it comes from Mars.) Pepe’s wines, for the record, are absolutely amazing, now, alas, breathtakingly expensive, but that is the way of the world.

WOTR – Please fill in after the “=”:

Great terroir in the wrong hands =

It of course depends on how wrong are these hands. If wrong hands are simply ham-handed, the great terroir will shine through and no harm, no foul, as they say in the NBA. If the hands are really wrong, i.e. oenvil, i.e. grossly manipulative, it will be a tragedy of great dimension.

So-so terroir in the right hands =

Yet another clever wine that will sell well, but in no way appreciably changes anything.

Great terroir in great hands =

The gods are smiling and the world is deeply enriched.

WOTR – Which CD is in your player/car at this very moment? – or -
If I were to turn on your iPod at this very moment, which song or artist would be highlighted in the play list?

RG – I do have a recently installed CD player in the trunk of my Citroën DS-21 (It was a retrofit, obviously.) I haven’t quite figured out how to turn it on, but when I do, there are some Mozart concerti ready to go.

WOTR – Merci!

RG – Je t’en prie.

Being confronted with 1000 wines and an expected attendance of 4000 people, there are surely a few things to think about when it comes to attending a wine event – the BIBENDUM ANNUAL TASTING 2010 is no exception. Here are a few tips :-) Look forward to seeing you there!

BIBENDUM ANNUAL TASTING SURVIVAL GUIDE

1. RSVP and then print off email confirmation ticket. This will help you get tasting double quick when you arrive
2. Schedule nothing else for the 20th January 2010 – you might want to stay all day!
3. Have the breakfast of champions that morning…tasting is tough work…
4. Put your lucky tasting pants on…the right way round. This will really aid mobility
5. Get involved in the educational tasting trails on the day
6. Save some space for your lunchtime bento box (Yay!)
7. Bring your phone, blackberry, iphone and camera….and be prepared to use them
8. Tell us exactly what you think about the tasting, the wines, the fashion, the lack of fashion and the day in general. How? See point 7
9. Have a blast and learn a lot

For those of you living in or visiting London on JAN 20, the annual Bibendum Tasting at the Saatchi Gallery is an event not to be missed. The biggest problem at such events is not which wine to taste but which wine to taste first – luxury problems I like to call them. 1000 wines, 200 producers and a fantastic location to boot.

I’ve added this event to my schedule upon hearing how well it’s put together and the Bibendum team is allowing me inside with my camera and has given me carte-blanche when it comes to doing interviews as well. Thank you Bibendum :-) See you there!

For more info, please read on (info available on the Bibendum Times website) -

Event Information

There’s nothing else like a Bibendum Annual Tasting. It’s a full frontal onslaught on all the senses and if you’ve never experienced it before then we suggest that Bibendum Times at the Saatchi Gallery is the perfect place to start.

The annual tasting features over 1,000 brilliant bottles from more than 200 winemakers, all there to share their passion with you on the day. View some of the producers already confirmed to attend or download the full list of all attending producers as a PDF. More than just a tasting, it’s a chance to join all of us at Bibendum for a massive celebration of all things wine. It’s the biggest day of our year, mainly because it’s when we get to meet all of you.

Bibendum Times is all about where we are now, where we’re going and all the fun we’re all going to have along the way. On the day you’ll have the chance to get involved in all sorts of new ways; not just through sampling some of the best wines from around the world (don’t worry, there will be no shortage of that!) but also on Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube, even the technophobes among you! So RSVP now and we’ll see you on the day!

When: 20^th January 2010 9.30am – 7.00pm

Where:  Saatchi Gallery, Kings Road, London, SW3 4SQ

Gambero Rosso’s “Tre Bicchieri” (Three Glasses) world tour has become a highlight in many a wine lover’s calendar and on February 01, 2010 the show will be hitting Munich and held at the BMW Museum.

The event highlights some of Italy’s top wines and many of the producers travel to take part in this coveted event. The Munich venue will be held at the famous BMW Museum, Olympiapark 2, 80809 Munich – doors open for press and industry at 2:00 pm and at 4:00 pm for consumers. The event ends at 7:00 pm.

I will be attending the event and hope to get some of Italy’s finest producers in front of the mic… maybe they’ll have an opinion on who’d win illustrious caged matches!

Another Gambero Rosso event to look out for is the Top Italian Wines Roadshow 2010

Zurich: NOV30 2009
Moscow: DEC02  2009
Copenhagen: JAN 2010
Berlin: JAN20 2010
Paris: FEB16 2010
Brussels: FEB17 2010
London: MAR09 2010
Warsaw: MAR10 2010

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In der Ausgabe 2010 des „Vini d´Italia“ wurden diesmal 391 Drei-Gläser-Prämierungen vergeben. Erfolgreichste Weinregion ist einmal mehr das Piemont mit 84 Spitzenweinen. Platz zwei belegt die Toskana mit 60 Top-Weinen.

Eine einmalige Gelegenheit zur Verkostung eines Großteils dieser italienischen Top-Weine sowie zum informativen Gespräch mit den anwesenden Winzern, Önologen und Experten haben Fachhändler, Gastronome und alle Weininteressierten auch diesmal wieder.

Wann:
Montag, den 1. Februar 2010

ab 14:00 Uhr (für Fachbesucher aus Weinhandel und Gastronomie)
ab 16:00 Uhr (für Publikum). Die Veranstaltung endet um 19:00 Uhr

Wo:
im BMW Museum, Am Olympiapark 2, 80809 München.

Kartenvorverkauf:

für Fachbesucher
Karten zu 35 € über www.gamberorosso.it

für Publikumsbesucher
Karten zu 30 €  bei MünchenTicket sowie an der Tageskasse

The HolyDaze are upon us which also means another year has come and gone… don’t ask me where 2009 went though. They say time flies “when you’re having fun” and “when you get older” – I think it’s a mix of both in my case. I’d like to take this time to thank everyone who took the time to visit my blog and Wine On The Rocks the past months: for your feedback, for your support and just for the plain fact that you’ve kept on keepin’ ON! Wishing you and yours a wonderful and safe holiday season!

Since I don’t see the need in sending out offline cards which only wind up being thrown away weeks after they arrived, I prefer the online version – which you can pick up here –>

As the year came and went, I did some tasting in between… and here’s my top 5 list of personal “full bodied red” favourites in 2009 (the keyword being PERSONAL):

1. Quinta Vale Dona Maria Tinto Douro DOC – 2004 (good international availability for this winery – but ’04 was sold out quite quickly)

Beautifully balanced, fruity, complex, length till Tuesday, the harmony is like a tight wire walk: it looks easy but needs years of experience to get to this level – everything you’d expect in an irresistible wine. Enjoying this wine for the first time with Cristiano Van Zeller leading the tasting, in Douro – wine always tastes better where it grows – made the experience that much more special. Needless to say, this is my 2009 Xmas wine! One more quick note: this wine is crushed barefoot – now how amazing is that. I chose this wine because it just gave me the biggest WOW factor and the fact that, even at EUR 28,00 per bottle, it’s still underpriced in my opinion.

2. Valentini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC – 2001 (good international availability for this winery – premium retail)

There are mythical producers and there are mythical producers – Edoardo Valentini (who passed away in 2006) was definitely one of them and his son, Francesco Paolo, is definitely on his way to following in his father’s footsteps. Not only has drinking a Valentini wine become like a Pagan ritual to me but the respect I have for the Myth and his anti-marketing ethic is almost scary. Valentini’s 2001 is still very young but tasting it now and knowing what’s to come in the following years is definitely something to look forward to. Extraction out the yin-yang; an incredible thing when you do it with extreme attention, the taste of the land, notes of cherry, tabacco and a medley of fine spices. The tannins are still ON but rounding up beautifully. Each one of Valentini’s wines are truly unique. Bad year? No wine. Plain and simple. They have their price but in my opinion, they’re more than worth it.

3. Baltieri Amarone della Valpolicella Sortilegio DOC – 2005 (limited international availability – contact winery: www.baltieri.it)

I truly love meeting producers of fine wine, especially when you feel the soul of their work in your glass and it expresses their personality. Andrea Baltieri was one of these people: he’s managed to bottle his understated and humble, yet elegant and complex manner. Once meeting him, you would honestly think that he picked every grape individually, put it on a silk cushion, carried it to the press and gave it a little pep talk before starting the crush – great people really do make great wine. Andrea’s Amarone is so so silky with the perfect amount of freshness. It screams elegance and complexity but isn’t in your face about it. When it comes to meditation wines – this example is surely worthy of the title. Baltieri’s Recioto della Valpolicella… don’t get me started – mmmmmmmm!

4. Querciabella Chianti Classico DOCG – 2006 (good international availability for this winery)

This winery has been making fine reds since the early 70′s and the C.C. 2006 is no exception. Biodynamically produced, fruity/spicy with just the right amount of funk, elegance, complexity, nicely rounded tannins and mucho bang for the buck make this wine a true hit in my books. I love wines which you can drink everyday (price wise) but can also serve on a special occasion without thinking “are my guests going to think I’m being a cheap prick”? Great allrounder. I’ve gone through 6-7 cases of this wine in 2009 as I often use it in my wine seminars – definitely a participant favourite!!

5. Chateu Cos d’Estournel – St. Estèphe – Deuxième Cru Classé 1997 (good international availability for this winery)

Becoming a sommelier, I’ve noticed over the years, has some disadvantages as well as advantages:

Disadvantage: people stop buying you wine because they think it’s never good enough!
Advantage: when someone does buy you a bottle of wine you can be sure it’s a pretty good one!

This example can definitely be logged in the ADVANTAGE file. I received this bottle from a good friend and after drinking it together, we became even better friends. I love left-bank Bordeaux and examples such as the 1997 Cos d’Estournel is exactly why. The wine, just shy of its teens, developed with such an elegance regardless of its heartiness – I can only imagine how “green” it was 10 years ago – and there is still good things to come. The bouquet was so attractive that I had trouble getting my schnozz out of the glass, some wines really are a pity to drink: it was like pixies dancing and leaving a fresh scent of wild berries and spices in their wake. The palate didn’t dissapoint one bit either – full bodied YYEESSSNEESSS – that’s all I could think when drinking it – YYYEEESSSS! C’est tout mes amis :-)

Wishing you all the best in 2010!! And of course, keep on keepin’ ON!

It was a jam packed 4 days spent filming, spitting, swallowing and just plain enjoying all the wonderful things Veneto has to offer. The weather couldn’t have been better… summer conditions in late September, but the crazy thing is, the sun has been shining in Munich for 10 days and it’s warm to boot. Nothing like our summers. Must analyse!

Our time in Veneto was split up between Valpolicella  – known for its big reds – and Monti Lessini, which is more the  white wine powerhouse of the region – key word: Soave… a beautifully kept midievel city perched atop a hill as well as DOC & DOCG Superiore region. We filmed the harvest, wine making process (whites), grape drying methods (Recioto & Amarone), crashed a birthday party – and are we glad we did -  and not to mention, did a couple of on camera tastings. So you can definitely expect more “wine content” in the upcoming shows.

Can’t wait for my Portugal trip at the end of October. Aaaaahhhhh wine travel – I can surely get used to it on a regular basis, I tell you that.

Now I kinda knew it would be a contortion act doing a blind beer tasting on a wine show… especially since it was our first episode and we practically had more beer on the show than we did wine.

Analysing a wine on the fly isn’t the problem, it’s analysing with a lense staring at you, keeping it entertaining, informative and kinda concise at the same time… when you suffer from “diahorrea of the brain” like I do, a short story can suddenly become a very long one. Could be OK talking 1-on-1 but not so OK when it comes to viewing pleasure.

After viewing the footage from our first shoot, realised this was NOT how I wanted to do the show. There are definitely more than enough wine guys doing it this way, some better than others, but the task was “do it differently”. Thus when in doubt, “IMPROVISE”!!

You can view the whole WOTR episode here: www.wineontherocks.com

I’m off to Italy in a few days and are coming back with mucho wine footage for the next episode. Hope you tune in.