Why is Tommy’s Bottle Bigger Than Mine?

Have you ever been to an Old Spaghetti Factory? Of course you have. Their garlic butter is delightful. But more importantly, they have wicker-basket-wrapped Chianti bottles as candle-holders, and those are neat.

I was eating there the other day, and I started to think, “why are Chianti bottles shaped that way, and why are some wine bottles shaped other weird ways?” and I realized something: this is a good excuse for me to avoid work today!

So I buckled down…and then I checked Facebook. Then I posted a witty comment on twitter about last night’s Boston-Orlando game. Then I realized I needed some coffee. I spent about 20-minutes getting coffee because our new coffee pot has a touch screen and WiFi so you can read the day’s top headlines as you fill your cup…then I posted a comment on Facebook how awesome that is. And now? Now I’m watching a Youtube video of Eddie Murphy’s 1985 hit single “My Girl Likes to Party All The Time” but after that I’ll be ready to talk about wine bottles.

Okay…lets go.

Turns out, according to The Wine Doctor (which is basically exactly the same as this blog…but based in truth, science and expertise) the bottle shapes are not at all important to the taste or development of your wine. The different bottle shapes you’ll find are more for recognition purposes. The “burgundy” bottle is shaped how it is to offer an easy way to recognize that you’re looking at a burgundy.

These bottle shapes have become regional standards, so they’re not an exact science. You might find various different French wines sharing the same bottle shape, but if you look closely, chances are they’ll be grapes from the same region.

The exception to these standards mainly lies in America. In the New World wines, various European standards have been adopted across the board for recognition purposes that add to people’s comfort level with trying something new. Also, when you see a really funky-shaped bottle, it’s probably American. We don’t have to follow the rules. You’re not the boss of us Europe!

The Wine Doctor has a deeper analysis of different bottle types and the regions they come from here.

Something else you might have noticed: The punt. This is the concave bottom of a wine bottle. It’s conjectured that punts were originally blown into early wine bottles to allow for more stability, especially in hand-blown bottles. Today, it’s an unnecessary inclusion, but it still feels kind of neat. For a deeper look, check out Cellar Notes take on this.

Again, game night is tomorrow and Thursday is the tasting. Come down and get a beating in Scatergories, and then taste some wine on Thursday. I’m not sure who is doing the tasting yet, but I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.

Let me know if you have any questions that you want me to waste time at work researching! Kevin@de-vinewines.com

Tannin: I ask the tough questions, like “Hey, what is this stuff?”

Saddle up boys and girls. It’s Bill Nye the Science Guy time. Hop on this Magic School Bus and we’ll take a trip through the…um…Sesame Street.

Sorry, I ran out of educational children’s TV shows and my lead-in kind of suffered for it. But that’s alright; today we’re going to get into some sciencey stuff about tannins.

“Tannin” is derived from the Latin word “Tannin” which is roughly translated to mean “Griffey for President!” but scholars maintain different interpretations on this fact. Also, there’s some debate on the validity of the word “fact” in the previous sentence.

Boring Definition Ahead: Tannins are astringent, bitter plant polyphenols that either bind and precipitate or shrink proteins and various other organic compounds including amino acids and alkaloids. The astringency from the tannins is what causes the dry and puckery feeling in the mouth when you drink red wine. Likewise, the destruction or modification of tannins with time plays an important role in the aging of wine and the ripening of fruit.

Wow…okay I have no clue what the Encyclopedia Britannica entry I just regurgitated for you actually means…there were a lot of big words in there. In retrospect, my translation of “tannin” may have been a little off as well. I think it’s time we go to the expert: Mom (aka Paula Shively, owner of DeVine Wines and Wine Bar). It was a very enlightening conversation.

Editor’s Note: Some of the details of this conversation may have been altered…like the fact that it actually happened and wasn’t just an email she sent that Kevin formatted to look like a conversation because he’s too lazy to write anything original.

Kevin: Hi Mom.

Mom: Hi Kev (she calls me Kev).

Kevin: Drop some tannin knowledge on me.

Mom: Well you’re pretty smart, I’m sure you know almost everything about anything, but I’ll do what I can.

Kevin: It’s true, nothing you say will be new to me. I’m a wine expert…but the other people out there need to learn too, and I’m not so smug that I don’t want to help them along their journey as well.

Mom: How courageous and selfless of you. And just so you know, you’re like the best son ever. Way cooler than your brothers.

Kevin: I know, but I this isn’t about me. This is about tannins. Tell me a little about them.

Mom: Tannin, as you know is a natural substance found in the skins, stems and seeds of all grapes. How much of the tannin is found in a particular bottle of wine depends on the winemaker.

Kevin: Interesting, tell me more. What affects the tannin levels of a wine?

Mom: Tannin levels are affected by several things: how the grapes are crushed/pressed and de-stemmed can make a huge difference. Grapes that are very gently pressed or de-stemmed by hand will have lower levels of tannin, while grapes that are pressed/crushed hard or with machinery tend to have higher levels of tannin. Grapes that are left in contact with the skins for a longer time during the winemaking process will have higher levels of tannin. Oak barrels will impart some tannin as well, so longer barrel aging will create higher tannin levels. Winemakers experiment with each of these aspects in order to find the right levels for the wine they are creating.

Kevin: How can I tell when a wine is especially tannic?

Mom: We recognize tannin in wine by the way it makes our mouth pucker and feel dried out, even though we have wine in our mouth. If you have ever had strong tea you get the same sensation, because tea has tannin. Bite into a grape seed and you get that bitter, astringent taste. That’s tannin. Chew on apple skin – same thing.

Kevin: Wow. Does tannin do anything positive for a wine?

Mom: Yes. Tannin adds structure and texture to a wine – and higher levels of tannin will tend to help a wine age for longer periods than a low tannin wine. Winemakers who want their wine to age for several years know that they need a good tannin structure to hold the wine. Over the years the tannin will soften and mellow. That’s why, when you have the pleasure of tasting a bottle that has aged for a long time, it is usually so silky and soft.

Kevin: So, with all that info, what would you say is the consensus on tannic wines? Do people love them or hate them?

Mom: Some wine enthusiasts love high tannin levels in their wine. They love the feel in their mouth when the tannin is high. Others don’t care for this taste at all. That’s the beauty of wine – its so personal.

Kevin: Wow, the people who don’t know as much as me probably learned a ton there! Thanks Mom!

Mom: No, thank you Kevin. You’re truly an inspiration to us all.

If you have tannin or other wine related questions, feel free to email me at Kevin@de-vinewines.com or just post it to the facebook fan page.

Be honest, it’s Friday afternoon and you’re mentally checked out…you’re thinking about Happy Hour

Right now, I’m sitting in an office, staring at a screen with an outlook calendar and another with a website performance chart. My brow is furrowed, my gaze intent. And to anyone passing by, I look like I’m deep into something really “workey”…And yes, I realize that “workey” is not a real word…yet.

Lucky for you, this is all a ruse. I never furrow my brow when I’m actually working. I’m really thinking about wine (don’t pretend you’re not…it’s 3 o’ clock on a Friday).

This week, we’re tasting Langetwins Winery out of California. The thing that caught my eye about this winery? Every bottle is only thirteen bucks!

That’s hard to top. I’m pretty sure the wine that comes in a box is ringing up steeper than that these days and this is a recession! I’m trying to save you some coin. At these prices, this is a good wine to stock your wine rack with. Buy a mixed case and receive 10% off. Wine club members, you get 15% off.

You’re not a member? Don’t look at me with those big puppy dog eyes, I’m a sucker for that. Just go to www.de-vinewines.com and join up!

Another thing I like about Langetwins is that they’re a fifth-generation farming family. I’m told they’ve been making good wine perennially, or for my less vocabulary-equipped friends, they’ve been making it for a while.

We’ll be tasting the Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. This excited me too because I actually know what these are. The tasting will be from 1-4 Saturday afternoon. This is a perfect start to a date or just an escape from the kids while they throw water balloons at the cat.

Mention how awesome this blog is during the tasting and receive an extra 25% off your appetizers!

If you can’t make it, don’t sweat it, but if you can, it should be good. Plus, we’ve got 70-degree weather so that means you can sit out on the patio with a glass of Chardonnay and watch the people walk out of hot yoga expecting relief, realize that it’s still warm outside, and then they’ll try to cry…although they won’t be able to because they just sweat out the reserves in their tear-ducts. Don’t get me wrong, hot yoga seems like a great work out, but it looks awful doesn’t it?

Hey look at that! Happy Hour starts in an hour! Crazy how that works. See you at the tasting!

I don’t usually post the specials up here because…well…that requires a lot more work than I like to do, but they really have some good ones right now on the discount rack, and if you’re like me, during the summer you have more people over so things go quicker. Here they are, straight from the newsletter which you can sign up for on www.de-vinewines.com as well…notice the theme?

This Week’s Super Values!!!

Need something for an everyday house wine? Want something special? Having a party this weekend and don’t want to break the bank? We have fantastic deals on our $15 and under rack! Mix and match a case to get the best deal at 10% off. We also offer 5% off on a 6 bottle pack.

Los Rochas Garnacha, Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Bouchard Aine & Fils Pinot Noir, Olivares Rosé, Arbor Crest Cliff House Red, Hudson Shah Malbec, Cline Viognier, Louis Martini Sonoma Select Cabernet Sauvignon, Sterling Limited Release Chardonnay, Sterling Limited Release Merlot, Martin Codax Rioja,…Just to name a few. These are selling like hotcakes, and if we are out of some of them, we will have them back in by tomorrow or again next week.

Don’t forget that you can simply put in an order for any wine you would like ~ that way you don’t have to worry about whether or not it will be in stock when you come in. Sometimes it is impossible to know what wine will fly off the shop on any given day! So feel free to place an order if you don’t see it on the shelf. There is no extra charge for a special order, no minimum quantity, discounts still apply, and we can usually have your wine here within a week.

Help! My wine has sulfites! Wait, what does that mean?

I made a point of including my email, Kevin@de-vinewines.com on each post, and lo and behold, emails came flowing. Thanks to Dave for the question.

Hey look what I did! It's a wine glass filled with sulfites! That was clever of me.

Question: What are ‘sulfites’ in wine?

Good question Dave. I keep hearing about sulfites in wine, but I don’t have any idea if they’re good or bad, or even a double-agent pretending to be good, and then at the last second turning on you like the first girl James Bond meets in every movie.

So I turned to the experts on the internet. And trust me, I saw a guy wearing a wicked-awesome TRON outfit on Youtube the other day, people on the web know their stuff!

Sulfites, or Sulfer Dioxides, occur naturally in all wine, but mainly, they’re introduced to stop the fermentation process at a desired time. They’re also used to prevent oxidation, kill bacteria and wild yeasts, and encourage quick and clean fermentation in a bottle of wine. In general, you’ll find more sulfites in white wine than red, but the most in sweet dessert wines.

Okay, so what does that mean? Basically, sulfites are what keep wine from turning into vinegar. So thank you sulfites, because this steak would be less delicious with a nice glass of vinegar (I just said that for dramatic effect, I’m not actually eating a steak…its 9:30 in the morning and I’m not a Soprano).

Common Misconception: Organic Wines are sulfite-free. This isn’t true. So get off your high horse. Yeah, surprised? Here’s another bomb: Your Whole Foods $17 slice of pizza might have fetta cheese and artichoke hearts, but it’s still covered in grease. Sorry to rock your world like that.

So are they bad? Yes. If you drink sulfites you’ll die.

Just kidding; For the most part, they’re harmless. The reason you see the “Contains Sulfites” warning on your wine label is that roughly 1% of the population are allergic to them.

Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. GO JOE!!!

Paula’s More Educated Notes:

Somewhere along the way, in the past 20 years or so, as people became more and more aware of additives in foods, they decided that sulfites were bad. They also heard about someone who was allergic to sulfites and had a bad reaction and that just added fuel to their fire. People started blaming sulfites for any and all maladies associated with drinking wine. This is absolutely unfair.

First of all, without sulfites added to wines, there would be no chance at stocking a beautiful cellar because wines just simply would not hold for years. Everything would need to be consumed in a relatively short period of time. For those of us who have enjoyed some terrific wine from vintages past, this would be a great loss.

Secondly, it is only a very tiny percentage of the population that is allergic to the sulfites in wine. A true allergy to sulfites is typically a fairly serious one; symptoms would most likely be something on the level of an asthmatic reaction. Headaches associated with drinking wine are not usually from a sulfite reaction, unless coupled with some other symptoms. One of the tests we often use is the dried apricot test. If you can eat a single dried apricot without getting a headache, then it is certainly not the sulfites. One dried apricot usually has more sulfites in it than a glass of wine.

Headaches associated with drinking wine are usually caused by the histamines in the grapes, or even something as simple as overdrinking, dehydration, lack of sleep… People often tell me that they don’t get headaches when they drink wine from Italy or some other place in the world. That may be true – grapes grown in different regions have different histamines. Just as your doctor may tell you to move to a different location for your health – the same is true with grapes. Add to that the fact that when in a different country, the laws on what needs to be on a wine label are different. Just because a wine does not say that it contains sulfites, does not mean that sulfites are not added! Its amazing how much a few words on a bottle, or lack of words in this case, can change our perception of the wine and how we feel when we drink it. The best advice I have is that if you find yourself getting headaches often from either a particular varietal of wine, or a particular region of wine, try a few different things. First – make sure you are drinking responsibly and don’t overdo it. Second, make sure you are hydrated before you drink. I also like to make it a personal rule to have a glass of water for every glass of wine I drink. Finally, try wines of a different varietal or the same varietal from a different region. I think most of you will be surprised to find out that maybe you can drink Chardonnay after all – or whatever wine has been giving you problems!

Hopefully this clears up some of the confusion still floating around about sulfites. And remember – just because it has a chemical name does not mean that it is bad!

Give me a shout with any questions you might have. Kevin@de-vinewines.com

The DaVino Code

I’ve been lied to. So have you America (And I say “America” because clearly the blog for your neighborhood wine bar has a national readership). This is a scandal so deep, it spans centuries and crosses oceans. But don’t worry; I’m about to go all Tom Hanks for you.

But before I do: “The DaVino Code”? That was nice right? It’s like a gift. It’s like I can’t control it. But back to the scandal.

Did you know that different countries call the same grape varietals different names? I know! It’s like they don’t even speak the same language! How am I supposed to become a wine expert when I don’t even know if the two bottles I’m comparing are the same thing or not?

I recently discovered that Mourvedre and Mataro are THE SAME GRAPE. So I did some digging in ancient and sacred archives called “Wikipedia”.

And the mystery started to unravel. This was just like the scene in DaVinci Code where Tom Hanks finds the dead guy’s writing on the back of the Mona Lisa…only I’m in my office with headphones blaring Tom Petty and pretending to stare at a spreadsheet…oh, and I’m better looking.

Turns out “Mourvedre” is the French name for this grape that is used to make dark, rich red wines and rosés.  “Mataro” is the name used in Portugal for the same grape and “Monastrell” is the Spanish name.

There’s gotta be a reason for it, so I started looking around. I found a few more names for this same grape. But just a few:

Alcallata, Alcayata, Alicante, Arach Sap, Balzac, Balzar, Benadu, Beneda, Beni Carlo, Berardi, Bod, Bon Avis, Buona Vise, Casca, Catalan, Cayata, Caymilari Sarda, Charnet, Churret, Damas Noir, Drug, English Colossal, Espagnen, Espar, Esparte, Estrangle-chien, Flouron, Flouroux, Garrut, Gayata Tinta, Karis, Maneschaou, Marseillais, Mataro, Maurostel, Mechin, Monastre, Monastrell Menudo, Monastrell Verdadero, Mourvedre, Mourvegue, Mourves, Murvedr Espar, Negralejo, Negria, Neyron, Pinot Fleri, Plant De Ledenon, Plant De Saint Gilles, Reina, Ros, Rossola Nera, Spar, Tintilla, Tire Droit, Torrentes, Trinchiera, Valcarcelia, Verema, Veremeta, Vereneta.

And that’s copied and pasted from Wikipedia so it’s GOTTA be true.

Basically anything from national pride, language barriers, accents used in oral histories, preference, ego, and just about any other part of the human condition contribute to this. Grapes are named the different things for the same reason most of the world uses the metric system and the US uses inches and feet: people are stubborn and do things their own way.

Maybe this helps. Maybe it doesn’t. People could be creating a very distinct taste that’s unique to their grape simply because it’s their grape…But maybe not.

I couldn’t get a straight answer out of anyone in the 20-minutes of internet research I did, so I did what any self-respecting man would do: I asked my mom.

“It’s really hard to say because there doesn’t seem to be a benefit to it,” mom (aka Paula Shively, owner of DeVine Wines) said. “Unfortunately what it does, at least here in the US, is confuse and possibly hurt sales because although someone may have heard of a mourvedre, and may even love it, they see mataro or monastrell and think they don’t know the grape. It keeps people from trying a bottle of wine they might really enjoy.”

To that, I say be more adventurous and trust the shop owner or vintner who suggests a new wine to you. They know their stuff and seldom steer you wrong.

My take on the grape names: who cares what it’s called? I had something the other day called a “parsnip” and I didn’t know what I was eating, but you know what? …ok it was gross, but then I washed it down with a glass of really good wine, and I have no idea what kind of grape it was.

So it turns out that my conclusion wasn’t as exciting or faith-shaking as Tom Hanks, but it was a lot more delicious. See you at the tasting this week!

Editor’s Note: Sorry Parsnips, I was just kidding because you have the funniest and nerdiest of vegetable names. You were actually very good. Also, parsnips are a member of the carrot family….ANOTHER vegetable that is lying to us!

Go Girl…It’s your birthday! Open wide, I know you’re thirsty…say ahhhh!

Sorry. That title was probably either confusing or if you recognize it, just annoying; it’s a song…it’s not a very good song. Trust me, I know. I have a 13-year-old sister. The hip hop these darn kids are listening to today is terrible. It’s nothing like the lyrical masterpieces I listened to when I was in high school…remember when Puff Daddy was making music? Sorry, I mean making CLASSICS!

…But I digress. Despite it’s terrible musical origin, the title fits well with the theme of today’s post. “Why” you might ask?  Oh I’ll feed you baby birds:

Today is DeVine Wines birthday! Six years ago today, they opened the doors. It’s hard to believe. Paula, Rich, Jim and Gerry all wanted to thank you for your support. It’s been tough, especially in the recent years (I’d say “economic climate”, but I get a facial twitch when people say “economic climate”), but the local support and word of mouth that you bring is what keeps DeVine Wines open today. So keep it up, because without this blog, I’d have to actually get back to work right now.

To read the thank you note from Paula (mom), check out the DeVine Wines Facebook page, I’ll post it there.

Game Night Tonight! Come down to the shop at 7PM and have a few drinks, some laughs, and lose to my team at Pictionary. I’m not trying to sound cocky, honestly. I’m only saying that because I’m amazing at every game ever, and there’s not even a word for how good I am at Pictionary. I would have to draw it for you and I don’t have time right now.

Try to make it on time because we’ve already got a pretty full guest list. Buy-In is a bottle of wine off our discount rack, and winner takes all (actually that’s a lie, I think we give second place a couple bottles too. Theoretically I could just go back and rewrite this paragraph, but that sounds like a lot of work and I’m on a roll).

This Week’s Tasting: This week, we’ll be tasting Cougar Crest Winery from Walla Walla. I’m told that Cougar Crest puts out a solid collection every year. We’ll taste their Viognier, which is Latin for “really good while wine”. This bottle won the white wine category for the DeVine Wine Club Member’s “March Madness” event, which I’m told didn’t involve Duke at all…so it’s got that goin’ for it.

We’ll also be checking out the Grenache Rosé (great for summer weather), Dedication Three Red (which donates all proceeds to Children’s Hospital in Portland, be sure to ask about that story, it’s really heartwarming), the Cabernet Franc and the Syrah. Come down Thursday from 5-8 or Saturday from 1-4.

Personally, I’ll be there Saturday because the Mill Creek Sidewalk Sale is going on, and that also means that the patio opens for the summer. Nothing I like more than sitting on the patio watching Hot Yoga let out across the street…sorry mom.

See you soon! As always, shoot me an email with any questions. Kevin@de-vinewines.com

NFL Draft Day Special! No, I’m kidding, it’s about wine

Editor’s Note: Kevin sent in his first draft and it was entirely about the Seahawks and the offensive line and secondary pick-ups they should make in tonight’s draft…we immediately made him re-write it. Here’s the revised copy. But still, go Hawks!

I’m jealous of you guys. And clearly it’s not because you’re so good-looking and charming. Let’s be honest: Have you met me? It’s ridiculous.

No, I’m jealous because you get to go to this week’s tasting. I’ll have to miss it because I’ll be out at Bainbridge Uncorked, sampling the seven little wineries that are located on the tiny island. From what I hear, there are some great places out there, and I’m really excited to check them out. I’ll make sure to let you know if I find anything great while I’m there.

While this should be a good time, I’m jealous (did I mention that?). You get to smell graham crackers and rhubarb. And that’s awesome. I love graham crackers.

The tasting this week is from Lodmell Cellars, and no joke, their 2006 Chardonnay has aromas of graham crackers and lemon-honey. Apparently it’s also ” finished with restrained nuances of oak” but I’m not on a level where I can say things like that without quoting someone.

And their 2008 Saignée really does have flavors of rhubarb and strawberry…it’s like a delicious pie in a bottle. Okay, I’ve never tried it, but I’d recommend bringing a scoop of vanilla ice cream to put in your glass. Sounds great right? Just bring enough to share with Gerry and Jim. Don’t be greedy with the ice cream guys.

They’ll also be tasting the 2006 Sublime, 2006 Syrah and 2005 Merlot. The latter two both have hints (*hints is a really trendy word to use with wine…you can also say things like “it snacks of currant”) of black pepper and dark cherries or plums.

If you can’t make it to the tasting (Thursday from 5-8 or Saturday from 1-4), there are some great events coming up:

April 28^th Game Night: That’s right, it’s back. This month we’re doing “Pictionary” and in case you were wondering, a station wagon is the hardest thing EVER to get your team to guess…but I owe a lot of credit for that to my sub-par teammates (just kidding guys…mostly. Come on, I drew that wood paneling perfectly!). This time I’ll be coming correct so you’d better bring A games. Buy in is a bottle of wine, and winner takes the pot.

Hint: It helps to have your roommates on different teams, because then, even when one of them wins, the wine still winds up in your kitchen.

May 5^th, Evening with the Winemaker: with Rob Mellison of Mellisoni Vineyards in Lake Chelan. Please check our website or call the shop for details. This is a good time to come meet the wine maker, so when you wind up in Chelan this summer, you have a friend to visit when the beer cooler gets emptied.

Our de Vine U class will be on May 12^th (this is a schedule change) and will be a lesson on “Wine Tasting”. This begins at 7 pm. Cost is $20 per person and includes materials and tasting.

On Saturday, May 1^st, the Mill Creek Garage Sale will be in full swing, and the Mill Creek Town Center is having a huge Sidewalk Sale. Come on down and check out the bargains, including the deals here at de Vine Wines! We also open our patio for the summer on May 1^st, so you will be able to sit and watch the shoppers while you sip on a great glass of wine!

I’ve always said, if there’s one thing a garage sale needs to make it more interesting, it’s wine. Now you will have an excuse for the Moose head and pool table that are in your garage, forcing your wife to park in the driveway in the rainiest city in the Continental US…it was the Merlot’s fault.

See you soon, and as always, any questions or things you’d like to read about or see in the shop, email me at Kevin@de-vinewines.com