First wine of the day

 One can argue whether it is best to taste wine in the morning or evening for the optimum pallet sensitivity. I have been working on that question for years and still have not decided.  I did just have a wonderful morning taste of chardonnay that lead me to believe maybe morning is the better time for tasting, at least for whites.

 Hess 2006 Su'skol vineyard Napa Valley chardonnay was a great first taste of wine on this Tuesday. This wine is complex with a variety of fruit flavor from pear to apple to pineapple. While offering up the fruit flavor it is by no means a fruit bomb. There is the oak background with enough to give the wine backbone and that rich California chardonnay flavor but not too much oak that leaves you feeling like you have just put a piece of burned wood in your glass. Well done Hess!

To those of you who normally drink the "regular" green label Hess chardonnay try the Su'skol for a special occasion. This wine will be on sale at Glen Lake Wine and Spirits through May 2009, for $19.99. 

 To my friendly wine rep. who brought the bottle. Please bring another by in the evening and we'll debate the better time of day to sample wine.

Past Vintage

I had a bottle of 2001 Franciscan cabernet last night. Although it has faded some it is still drinkable. This was a little surprising because the 2002 faded away about a year ago. While the 2002 was the superior vintage when current, it had no staying power.  A good reminder not to sit on your favorite bottles too long because nothing lasts forever.

Wine on a budget

Today's Wall Street Journal ran an article titled "Buying Wine On a Dime". The common misconception that wine and liquor are recession proof is dispelled in the article as the author interviewed several wine shops around the Country who reported sagging sales, especially in the fine wine category. 

Glen Lake Wine and Spirits would have fit right in to this article, while people are still drinking they are definitely spending less on their wine. The $50 plus category has been especially hard hit. Reflecting on the article, as a wine drinker who has a definite weakness toward that high end category of wines, I concluded that there is no reason to cut back on wine consumption. Like many things in these tough economic times you just need to work a little harder to stretch your wine budget. I offer hundreds of wines in many price categories. If you are accustomed to drinking Caymus for $75 a bottle, there are several options in the $20 to $50 range that will surely please your pallet.  If wine is just another part of your meal, like bread or milk, look to the Columbia Crest wines offered at $5.99 a bottle. The store is packed with sale items and decent inexpensive wines for all budgets. Just ask one of our staff or look for the red sale stickers if you are tightening the budget but still want to enjoy that glass of wine at the end of the day.

 Eventually things will get better. When they do, think how delicious that first sip of Caymus will taste.

New Sale Items

Look for Montevina wines on sale at Glen Lake Wine and Spirits. Cabernet, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Barbera all priced at $8.99. These wines are good value wines that are all very approachable. Try the Barbera on your next pasta or pizza night, you'll find it a pleasant paring with black cherry and blackberry flavors.

Wine Tasting

I met with the wine-maker from Hahn this week to taste through his new releases. The Central Coast Meritage and Monterey chardonnay are fantastic this year. They both pack a lot of bang for the buck , two best buys for under $15.