When I first saw this book I thought it might be an easy, breezy trip through wine world. From the first chapter, it’s clear that this is a tenacious, and unforgettable journey.
In Wine Girl, Victoria Jamesshines a graphic spotlight on her struggles rising through the ranks from greasy-spoon diners to Michelin- starred restaurants. Becoming America’s youngest sommelier was not an easy climb. James is remarkably honest about her chaotic early life, her struggles with addiction, and her unwavering determination to carve a place for herself in the world of wine. Incremental wins for her are everything. And they speak to the power of not giving up, even with some scorched hope along the way.
James pulls no punches about life in the wine industry. She paints an honest picture of the rampant misogyny, racism and abuse, not only from entitled guests but many in power positions within the worlds of hospitality, and wine. It can be a harrowing read at times. But it’s an important journey to share. There is light at the end of her story.
Because of her experiences, James co-founded Wine Empowered, with Cynthia Cheng and Amy Zhou. This non-profit provides free wine education, and support of leadership careers in wine world for minorities and women, as well as promoting safe work environments for all.
This is a significant book for everyone, especially those working in and around the world of wine and hospitality.
Bunny is not a book about Easter. Not even close. And it’s not really a story about wine (but there is a wine cocktail reference so, in that sense, it fits nicely into my boozy book review standards). Bunny is a tale of dark academia and the power of loneliness and imagination.
Brief synopsis: Samantha Mackey is an MFA grad student at a prestigious New England college. She has absolutely nothing in common with her privileged writing seminar group who all hug, and express their undying love to each other as they squeal ‘BUNNY!!!’ whenever they meet.
One day, Samantha gets a random invitation to the bunnies’ conclave called ‘Smut Salon’. Well, who wouldn’t be just a little bit curious? On the surface, everything in bunny life is pink mini-cupcakes, fluffy party dresses and mind-altering cocktails. What lies beneath is much more sinister. Or… is it?
The book shines a flashlight on the often fine line between what is and isn’t real. It explores how easily one can fall down a rabbit hole of imagination, while asking the question, “I wonder what those perfect lives must be like?” We accompany Samantha as she enters into this glitter frosted world of privilege, only to find a sordid, inky-dark underbelly. Mona Awad does a deft job of subtly erasing the line between reality and fantasy, and often I found myself asking, “Did that really just happen?”
The cocktail in the book is a French 75 – it’s typically made with gin but I’m not a fan so switched it to vodka. Since a secondary theme includes mini-cupcakes (and one of the characters is nick-named Cupcake), why not add some pink sparkles to the mix?
With the luck o’ the Irish at yer back, may you find health, happiness and a pot of gold. Okay, that’s not really a blessing but a mashup of a few.
St. Patrick’s Day is a sure sign that spring is on its way. And spring is often viewed as a season of magic and alchemy. Wine is also a blend of magic and alchemy. Especially Irish wine.
Growing conditions in the Emerald Isle can pose many challenges to winemaking. And that’s where the magic comes in.
Established in 2002 by fruit alchemist David LLewellyn, Lusca cultivates several varieties of grapes including Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot, Dunkelfelder and Rondo – a grape that can heartily withstand Ireland’s damp, misty weather.
Click the video to learn more about Irish wine and how its made!👇🍀
A few years ago I was determined to find my little pot of gold, and I did. To read more about my search click here. Since then this lucky bottle has remained, relatively undisturbed, in my little cellar wine fridge. I hope it’s been enough to ensure its good condition. All told, it has aged about 9 years. I had many thoughts before opening: has it already peaked? Is it a delightful vinegar? But maybe luck would be on my side.
There was only one way to find out…
Time to release the wine!
To be safe, I decanted for about 2 hours. I wanted to let it open up as fully as possible to make a fair assessment. So how was it?
It didn’t turn to vinegar! I wasn’t as concerned about the wine as my storage. I don’t have a fancy wine cellar, and occasionally had to move the bottle around. I had been worried that after all this time, maybe some oxygen had gotten inside. But I was so happy that all seemed to be well. Magic!
It was a lighter bodied Cab/Merlot. I enjoyed delicate notes of blackberry, dried herbs, and a pleasant, earthy cedar undercurrent. I found myself swirling my glass often to coax out every essence. It had a clear, deep ruby color giving way to a slight brownish rim variation (the outer edge of the wine). This suggests aging of the wine. I didn’t notice any nutty or toffee flavors that indicate an oxidized wine.
As I tasted, I noticed the sun was shining – here in the Cleve we catch it while we can- so I bundled up, sipped my glass outside.
To celebrate International Women’s Day, I popped open this bottle. I toasted all women with a beautiful glass that filled my senses with the scents and flavors of rich blackberry, black cherry, and a hint of chocolate on the finish. But what really intrigued me was the story and vision of this wine company.
As well as producing some pretty incredible wines, their roles as visionaries, innovators, leaders and advocates led to the development of the SHECANWines Fund initiative. It was created to promote the professional advancement of women in the wine industry in an effort to help close the gender and race gap.
To date, the SHE CAN Fund has invested more than $3 million in the professional advancement and career growth of high-potential, professional women, with a specific focus on women of color.
This year’s focus: Women learning and excelling in the business of wine.🎉
A daughter of privilege, Barbe-Nicole Ponsant was expected to live an ornamental existence, yet her life was anything but. Married at age 21 to François Clicquot, then widowed at 27, she continued the wine passion project she and her husband started when they first married. Over time, she immersed herself in the art and science of winemaking, keeping a watch on all aspects from the vineyard to the cellar, to blending and aging the wine, and finally managing the business of champagne both in France and beyond. This was not an easy task in a male dominated industry. She had to work twice as hard to be recognized for her ingenuity and business acumen. Does this sound familiar?
While she did not adore the emperor Napoleon himself, nor many of his policies, under Napoleonic code,widows could assume prominent trade roles within business. Barbe-Nicole was able to use this to her advantage. But the road to prosperity wasn’t as easy as popping a cork. Lean times through the wars created an environment of doubt and anxiety at every turn. International trade embargoes imposed by the British left the first shipments languishing in Amsterdam warehouses, where fluctuating temperatures could ruin the wine. Further restraints against Champagne leveraged by Russia and other countries made international dealings difficult and dangerous.
But she pressed on.
The Year of the Comet Vintage in 1811 proved the stars were aligned to create one the best growing seasons in the Champagne’s history. Conditions were perfect from bud to harvest. Sugar levels that produced both alcohol and bubbles occurred naturally in this vintage. The only thing stopping her was fate. War was raging and threatening to ravage her business.
During this time she bottled her wines, and had the foresight to have the cellar bricked up to seal this vintage from pillagers. This had the added effect of allowing the wine to rest on the lees (the yeast) for longer than usual, creating a spectacularly beautiful, flavorful, and potent sparkler. Her 1811 comet cuvée made her an international celebrity, pushing Moët, who had the largess of the Russian markets, back a few spaces.
Prior to the lifting of international embargoes, she gambled by securing passage of her wines into Russia well before her competitors – a move that could have potentially ruined her, but payed off.
“I didn’t have any hope of doing anything [and] the advance of the Russians over the Rhine was the last straw. And now, out of all the misfortunes came the good business I have had, and I dare to hope for more. We can’t always be unlucky, in my experience. And so, my dear friend: courage, patience, and resignation.”
Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsant
Mazzeo paints a rich, sweeping story from documentation, supposition, and anecdotal reportage. There’s much that she assumes the widow Clicquot must have felt and seen. But this works to create an intriguing tale. This is an engaging and fascinating read about the First Lady of Champagne, and what it means to persevere against all odds.💪🍾
Here’s to all the amazing, strong women in the world: may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them, & may we enjoy their amazing wines! 🥂
I’ve written before about some amazing women winemakers, and a great book that celebrates them.
It’s wonderful to read about their journeys from vine to wine. Each woman has a unique tale to tell. Their stories are not always easy but they’re worth sharing; not just for us but to inspire our daughters, and their daughters, and generations of daughters.
These stories, especially in this current political landscape, are crucial. They show the courage, strength and perseverance that is very much like the struggles of the vine itself.
Visit their sites. Read their stories. If you can, buy their wines. You’ll be glad you did.
From vineyard to table, and everywhere in between, Canadian wine writer Natalie MacLean has seen, done, and drunk it all. On a summer trip to Muskoka, ON, last year, I was looking for my next great dock read. I found this book nestled amongst the shelves at The Owl Pen vintage book store in Bracebridge.
Published in 2006, Red, White, and Drunk All Over takes the reader along on MacLean’s journey discovering the earthy mysteries of the wines of Burgundy in France, helping collect zinfandel grapes in Sonoma Valley, California, working as a novice sommelier, learning how to sell wine at two bi-coastal retail shops, and much more. Along with the wine, it’s the people she meets that make the stories so fascinating. With each experience, MacLean takes us beyond the glass, and deep into the intriguing world of wine. Every new adventure teaches us so much about all aspects of wine; from soil to the grapes, harvest to the cellar, bottle to the glass, first sip to the buzz. Her descriptions are delicious.
With honesty and humour, MacLean illuminates how intimidating wine world can be, even for an accomplished expert. And she keeps it real by reiterating how, with perseverance, and taking a deep breath or two, one can find their groove and truly enjoy the ride.
This is a wonderfully accessible book for anyone interested in wine world; from seasoned oenophile to novice wine enthusiast. It’s a fun and informative read; an excellent reference for those just beginning a career in wine. It would be cool if it was required reading for college wine courses.
I think this quote honestly sums up what attracts many of us to wine,
“But I have to confess, much as I’m drawn to its nuances, I wouldn’t be writing about wine if it weren’t for the buzz. I love the way a glass of wine makes me feel – invigorated and animated, released from my natural shyness. After a couple of glasses, I’m mellow, soothed, contemplative.” Yup.
Good news: You don’t have to make a trek to Muskoka to find this book. Here’s the link.
Eduardo Galeano once wrote, “We are all mortal until the first kiss and the second glass of wine.”
It’s true – that first kiss can make us feel like we’ve had that second glass of wine; dizzy, fizzy, and warm all over. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some chocolate but it doesn’t usually make me feel like that. And chocolate doesn’t always fit in my wine glass.🍫
This year, I wanted to explore a couple of intriguing alternatives to the chocolate covered heart.
Check out the video below for more info about these wines!👇
The label says that it’s the “rosé with a dark secret”. I would like to know what that secret is. Though maybe that’s what the second glass is for.
From E&J Gallo, and cultivated in Central Valley, California, this wine is a beautiful, deep rose-gold color. The classic color of many rosés is a light-medium salmon pink. This is a Grenache, Temperanillo, Pinot Noir,Sangiovese & Carignane blend that created a rich color in the glass. It had a subtle cherry vibe on the nose, and flavors of lush strawberry, ripe raspberry, and a sensual whisper of dark chocolate on the finish. Interlaced all together, it tasted like… more!
Also cool: the label art of swirling roses was designed by tattoo artistSasha Masiuk.
From the growing region of Livermore Valley, California, Longevity is one of the largest Black-ownedwineries in the United States.
Deep, ruby red in color, this Cab was immediately drinkable. I tasted without decanting, and it was flavorful right out of the bottle. Often, a little merlot is blended with cabs to soften the harsh tannins. This was a cab with no harsh edges. Softer tannins made for a smooth and satiny experience, like slipping on a lux pair of silk pajamas. Classic flavors of red plum, black cherry, blackberry swirled together, with a little black licorice lingering on the finish. Together it created a deep, well-structured profile.
Their description of the wine was ‘muscular’, which is very true of most cabs. But no heavy lifting was required to enjoy this wine. This was full-bodied but not overpowering; so nice to slowly sip and savor.
The twist-off cork is genius! Like its sister the screw cap, it made opening the wine a breeze, especially if you’ve forgotten your wine key (corkscrew). It made storing even easier. No leaks!
The label is what first attracted me; a beautiful heart. Take a closer look and you’ll see the intertwining of grapes, hearts and vines. The heart was designed by Longevity’s owner, and winemaker Philip Long’s late wife-and business partner, Debra, who saw the design as an expression of their both their love of wine, and each other.
💰Price Point: $15.99
So whether you’re enjoying à deux or just celebrating you, surrender this Valentine’s to a little decadence. It’s better than chocolate!♥️🍫
In the past, I’ve written about Ice Wine; how it’s harvested, how it’s made, and how it’s enjoyed. Like all remarkable feats of winemaking, it is a delicate balance of weather, timing, and the tenacity of everyone involved to help create it.
I’d been feeling pretty blue that I couldn’t be at The Niagara Ice Wine Festival. For me, the festival was always a place to connect with friends and sample some great wines. But the weather here in the Cleve has been unpredictable, gray and drab. Squalls of snow kept blowing in whenever I could possibly travel. Bah.
But… I had my own bottle of ice wine that I’d been wanting to share. And then I remembered my neighbor, Pam, also had a bottle of ice wine that she wanted to share. Things were looking up. Hey, if I can’t be at the festival, I’ll have a little one of my own. Let the pop-up Ice Wine Fest begin!
I quickly put together some treats to sample with our two wines; then made my way through the frozen Ohio tundra. Ice and snow doggedly lashed at my face. Inch by inch I walked, trudging through glacial molasses, uphill – both ways!
Ok, I only had to walk next door. But it was very yucky and slick outside.
Here’s what we enjoyed:
Pam had a Breitenbach Vidal Blanc that she’d found on a recent visit to Amish Country in Dover, Ohio. I brought a 2015 Jackson-Triggs Vidal Reserve from Niagara, Ontario.
Now, if we were true die-hards we would’ve enjoyed them outside. But it was way too frosty, so we enjoyed them inside Pam’s kitchen.
Starting with:
Breitenbach Vidal Blanc – had a clear, golden blonde color, and with a light syrup mouthfeel. It tasted young but with a blossoming structure. The flavor was most like a pluot. Yes, a pluot. A pluot is a stone fruit hybrid of plum and apricot. It looks like a plum, and it tastes like a plum, yet it has that delicate floral sweetness of ripe apricot. We paired first with a bit of brie – which decreased its sweetness. Salty pistachios neutralized the flavor almost entirely. Shifting back to sweet, milk chocolate ramped up the sweetness, and strawberries fully coaxed out both the sweet, and the fruitiness.
Price point: $43.95
2015 Jackson-Triggs Vidal Reserve– was light amber in color, and was sweet, less fruity, but possessed a robust, full-bodied mouthfeel. It had a honey-like viscosity, but then took a slow curve to a bourbon vibe. Pairing it with a salted chocolate Heath bar, decreased its presence a little. But when we paired it with brie, it became a melt-in-your-mouth butterscotch sensation. Since it was an older vintage, the flavors were more melded and mature, and influenced by some gentle oxidation. But this it gave a delightfully lush taste.
Price Point: the 2015 listed at $72.99 on wine.com but newer vintages: $39.99 at LCBO.
It was a tale of two very different vintages, and I guess it was a little like comparing apples to oranges. Yet the idea wasn’t to evaluate as much as enjoy the wine, noting little elements unique to each.
I think the nicest part was being able to spend some time with a good friend. All too often, as winter settles in, we sometimes see less of our friends and neighbors. This was a sweet, impromptu opportunity to reconnect and catch up.
The Niagara Ice Wine Festival concludes this Sunday, January 29th. The Ohio Ice Wine Festival runs from March 1st-31st, in and around Geneva, OH. Since it’s a little closer to home, I’m hoping to check it out!
The little wine bottle puffer in the cover photo isIceware by Wild Eye Designs. I purchased mine from Amazon.
The last of the holiday treats are gone, and you feel like you need to take a little break. You’ve decided to embraceDry January. Good for you! In your quest, maybe you’ve noticed a few alcohol-removed,dealcoholized or non-alcohol wines on the shelves of your local store.
Although the tipsy factor might not be there, alcohol-removed red wines, like their boozy cousins, contain resveratrol, a powerful anti-oxidant contained in the skins of red wine grapes.
Here are some other health benefits of drinking dealcoholized red wine:
• Decreased risk of cardiovascular disease
• Decreased risk of cancer, inflammation, diabetes
• Decreased blood pressure
• Less calories than regular wine
• Decreased passing out while binge-watching your favorite show and missing the best part
What’s the difference between dealcoholized and the non-alcohol version? Dealcoholized wine has gone through the traditional processes of winemaking: fermentation – which ensures skin contact, and turns grape juice into wine. The alcohol is then removed before bottling. Non-alcohol vino goes straight from juice to the bottle with no fermentation.
Still, it can be a little confusing when you’re searching for these wines. So check the label.
On the front, look for the term ‘alcohol-removed wine’. The back will have a nutrition facts label, and the terms ‘contains less than 0.5% alcohol by volume’ and ‘dealcoholized wine’. Some non-alcohol offerings simply state “wine alternative” which means it is juice that hasn’t been fermented.
So how do you take alcohol out of wine?
Here are three methods:
Spinning Cone Technology:
Freshly fermented wine, made in the traditional way, is poured into the top of a spinning cone column. Rotating cones transform the wine by centrifugal force, and turn it into a thin filmy liquid. Nitrogen gas is then fed into the bottom part of the column to extract flavors and aromas of the wine, and to prevent the wine from oxidation. The remaining liquid is passed through the column again to remove the alcohol. Flavor and aroma essences are then recombined with the dealcoholized wine, and blended with unfermented varietal grape juice to replace any lost volume. This creates a wine with less than 0.5% alcohol by volume. The entire process is done repeatedly and at low temperatures.
Vacuum Distillation:
Similar to spinning cone, traditional winemaking occurs before the alcohol is removed by extracting off the alcohol at a low temperature in a vacuum, keeping the wine’s flavors and aromas intact. Once the alcohol is removed, the essences and flavors are mixed back in.
Reverse Osmosis:
We’ve heard about this for water purification; in winemaking the process is the same. Wine passes through a very fine filter that water and ethanol pass through. The ingredients of wine, such as tannins, and other elements responsible for color, flavor and aroma are left behind.
According to liquor.com, here are some of the more popular alcohol-removed wines:
I tried the Fre Merlot. The consistency is thinner than its traditional counterpart. It tastes sweet, like a natural varietal grape juice. It had a nice, bright mouthfeel, and a beautiful claret color. And the looks you get when you pour a glass at 10:00 am are pretty comical. 😆
If you want to enjoy a dry new year, but still want enjoy the health benefits of red wine, take a closer look at some of these wine options. And let me know what you think in the comments!
The Wine Student 