January
Its January and we are all recovering from the indulgences of
the holidays.
We know many of you are in the middle of some sort of
cleanse,
fad diet,
or period of alcohol abstinence.
Completely understandable.
The pursuit of absolution from the year-end excessive
endeavors of dining debauchery
and drinking decadence is world wide
epidemic.
We don't condemn customer's convictions to take part in these
purification practices.
In fact we recommend you to render these retroactive
reconciliations in the respect that a redemption will be
readily recognized.
In light of the inevitable,
this January we are endorsing our
own program.
The "Divino Dynamic
Drinking Diet".
Or "4D" as it is known around
town.
It is not necessary to terminate or alter
your current January
program.
Consider it an enhancement or a booster, if
you will.
I will even go so far as to say this is the
missing element to many of these diets.
It simply involves rationally incorporating
alcohol into the regiment.
Yes, i realize the hesitation.
Perhaps, even a gentle
scoff.
Isn't this one of the substances that falls
into the chronicle pit of condemnation?
Isn't this one of the Holiday
culprits?
Chocolate.... Gravy.....Caffé
Breve... Whiskey......are these not the evils responsible for initiating the
diet in the first place?
I renounce thee spiteful spirits! Back, oh
vile vinifications! Flee! Flee! Foul fermentations and demonic
distillations!
Come now. Drop the pitch
fork.
We urge you to look at it this
way.
Instead of blaming the substance, blame
the excess.
It isn't always what you put into
your body, it is how much you put into your
body.
Water is also a necessity for life but if
you drink too much you'll drown.
Pardon the crude analogy but my point must
be emphasized.
Do not abandon the things that you enjoy in
life because you took it past the limit last
year.
Self imposed deprivation can breed
something i call IBS.
Irritable Binge
Syndrome.
Irritation from lack of sustenance and then
sudden binging to recover.
We don't want any of that so lets
incorporate the missing elements into your
plan
and get Dynamic with
Divino.
"4D" will liven up your January.
It will put some zing into your dreary diet
and some cheer into your callous
cleanse.
Well, if its the Master Cleanse for
you,
might i suggest a dram Leopold Brothers
Silver Tree Vodka dropped into your evening
lemonade.
Wonderful with the cayenne and
maple.
Perhaps you're giving the Raw Food diet a
spin.
If so then I insist on the 2010 Chateau
Ducasse Bordeaux Blanc with your Sprouted Sunflower
Patties.
You can keep it raw with
wine.
The Juice Diet is
it?
Bring a taste of the tropics to the
mix.
Just keep a bottle of El Dorado 12 year
Demerara Rum next to the produce.
You can almost hear the steel drums over
the whirl of the blender.
is this just a shameless promotion for
January sales?
another tongue in cheek rant from yours
truly?
possibly, but my point is... have a
piece of dark chocolate, take bite of a sizzling rib eye, pour a glass of red
wine.
You can and should continue to enjoy them
every January in moderation.
Don't deny yourself culinary pleasures and
taste sensations.
Wine is abundant and life is too
short.
-dm
November 2011
It comes from Germany
and it’s sweet like Country Time Lemonade.
Roses are sweet too.
Mostly because they are pink.
But forget about them
cause you only drink them in the summer anyway.
Merlot is no
good.
Sherry is
for cooking.
And Grappa
is jet fuel.
I can’t remember if it
was something I saw on tv or the theater about Merlot sucking. Maybe someone
told me.
They sell sherry at
Albertsons for chrissakes. Well, if you're not going to cook with it, give it to
your Grand Ma to sip with her tea cakes.
Grappa? I was at this
restaurant in Italy and the guy brings out this bottle at the end our meal.
Whooowee! Never touching that stuff again. Besides, it’s made with
the leftover trash of wine making.
Oh, and one more thing.
Beaujolais is that fresh grape juice wine with the flowers on the label, that
you see everywhere in November.
There is some partial truth
to all the above statements. But that’s exactly it. Partial truth.
Very partial.
Sure, there are many
semi-sweet and very sweet Rieslings. Some of these are grand wines and among the
most respected in Germany.
But there are
just as many wonderfully dry versions with searing acidity, brisk minerality,
and angular stone fruit.
From Germany, from Alsace,
from Australia, from Santa Barbara, from Washington, they are dry, dryer and
driest.
We have a New
Zealand Riesling here so dry it will strip every last ounce of spit off your
tongue,
suck the life force out of
your mouth, and turn your face inside out like a Hoover wet vac from
hell.
Don’t get me started on Rosé
cause I won’t stop.
To put it briefly, here at
Divino we have about 60 Roses on the shelf. And 2 of them are off dry. And it is
November mind you.
And I plan to
drink the living Pink out of them no matter how much snow i'm
shoveling.
Give me a Washington Merlot
over a California Cab any day.
I’ll drink a right bank
Bordeaux up, down, and Sideways , long before I touch a steroid-jacked, secret
Syrah infused, over-extracted Santa Barbara Pinot Noir.
Is there any more type of
drink more diverse and intriguing than Sherry?
From the enticing slate and
saltiness of a Manzanilla, to the layered nuts and toffee of an Oloroso, to the
pure rich decadence of a dessert PX.
Is there anything that won’t
pair with it? Hell no.
And I’ll cook with it all
right.
Here’s my
recipe:
|
1 bottle of good
Sherry
1 glass
Food(optional)
Pour in glass and
drink.
Eat food for further
pleasure. |
On to Grappa my
friends.
Many of you know we have
one of the largest Grappa selections on this side of the country.
Over 100 Grappas. Mainly
from Italy but also Bulgaria, Colorado, Florida, and Switzerland
to name a few.
We don’t have these just
because the bottles are pretty.
Grappas can
have the beauty and complexity that can far exceed any distillate.
The aromas can range from
delicate nuances to heady tropical perfume. Some aged Grappas can bring shame to
many of the fine Cognacs.
There is, of course, crappy
Grappa out there.
And I am sorry if you had
to experience it.
But there is also crappy
vodka, crappy whiskey and crappy wine out there.
And it’s too bad your first
taste came from some cafe owner on a Tuscan backstreet who broke out his home
made hooch.
Here’s a gentle
comparison.
Your Italian cousin Giovanni
comes for his first tour through The States.
A quick detour to
Kentucky.
Y‘all stop by Bubba’s
back-wood shit shack for a bit of burgoo and hush puppies.
After a generous helping of
“Cucina Americana”, out comes the jug-o-shine.
Take a pull and pass it
around.
After Giovanni is done
wheezing and replacing his eyeballs back into their sockets, he politely
declines a second round.
Your cousin
gets home and lets everyone know: that was the first and last
time he ever tries this American rocket fuel called “Bourbon”.
This brings us to
Beaujolais.
There is a fresh and fruity
wine that comes out the third Thursday in November.
It is from the region of
Beaujolais and it is the first wine of the vintage. But it is called “Beaujolais
Nouveau”.
This is not to be confused
with “Beaujolais”,” Beaujolais-Villages” or “Cru Beaujolais”.
Nouveau is a simple,
youthful beverage and is meant more as a symbolic celebration of the harvest.
Beaujolais is an important
wine producing region in France with many serious wines.
Here’s another analogy since
I am just chock full of them today.
There is Jazz.
There are many subcategories
or styles within this very important genre of music. Big Band, Dixie Land,
Bebop, Hardbop … and so on.
How unfortunate it would be
to have never heard the greats. No Count or Duke. No Louis or Miles.
But…. Once a year in
November, everywhere you go, the insipid snortings of Mr. Kenneth Gorlick are
wafting through the air.
And this is the only “Jazz”
you know and hear. A shame, no?
So that is why we present to
you this month a Beaujolais.
The side you may not be
familiar with, but need to be.
2009
Beaujolais-Villages by Chateau de
Lavernette.
Our wine of
the month. A delight and beyond the partial truth.
-dm
November 2010
The
bartender placed the fifth and final to-go box on top of the counter and told me
to wait a minute; she had forgotten the chocolate sauce.
Already
feeling a bit excessive, i told her not to worry about it.
“But you
can’t have the deep fried Oreo cookies without the chocolate
sauce” she explained.
Well..so
be it.
She
returned and stuffed the sauce into the teetering stack of containers.
Peering
over the top she quipped “Hungry crowd, huh?”
I should
have just said yes but i was in an honest mood and confessed that it was all for
me.
“Oh... i
see” with a raised eyebrow.
Her aloof
response was perfectly justifiable.
For she
was unaware of the crucial undertaking that lay ahead in the privacy of my
dining room.
The
undertaking being the final face off for the Divino Wine of the month.
2 wines
put to the test for November’s Supreme Food Wine.
As much
as i wanted to explain this to her, i did realized the severe magnitude of this
trial was better left covert until a resolution had surfaced.
So i
left quietly with my bags.
Like every
month, the search for wine involves tasting buckets of wine.
Then the
retasting, analyzing, pondering, comparing and contrasting.
Usually,
there is a clear and dominant candidate, the deal is made, and up goes the
“chosen one” onto the pedestals in the front of the store. Then you all hear
from me via email a little about the history, region, flavors and so
on.
But this
month was different.
I had
hit a wall of indecision. It had come down to two excellent wines and i just
could not make up my mind.
They
both had everything needed for a feasting wine.
-Bright
and light in body but rich in aromatics and character.
-High
toned red fruits.
-Low
tannis and zippy acidity.
Both
could easily be the one to withstand or accentuate the barrage of dishes that
manifest in November.
And
although it will be presented as the ultimate “wine to feast with”,
not
everyone who grabs this bottle off the shelf has a food pairing vision in mind.
Some folks like to just pop the cork and kick back.
So it
also needed to be pleasurable on its own.
So
with all these things in mind, here i was late at night in the Divino back
office with a Gamay in one hand and a Pinot Noir in the other.
Endless tasting back and forth. Both seemed equal. I was tired, and
i was tired of my faltering.
So i
threw the 2 bottles in my bag and headed home.
Somewhere on Broadway it came to me. Why not put them in action and see
which one prevails? A simple solution.
So i
took a quick pit stop at my neighborhood bar, Sputnik, and unleashed the
ordering.
Arépas
with avocado and Guava jam
Hearts of Palm salad with Dijon
vinaigrette
Tacos
Carnitas
Sweet
Potato fries with wasabi mayo and harissa sauce.
And of
course, deep-fried Oreo cookies.
I
rushed home and spread the culinary schizophrenia out before me. (And i should
mention i did grab 2 slices of turkey from the fridge for the sake of
tradition). The 2 glasses were poured and so began the unruly yet thorough
assault on the palate.
Bite,
sip, bite, sip, break. Bite, sip, bite sip.
On and
on it went until the glasses were empty and my belly was
protesting.
As the
dust settled there was indeed an indisputable champion.
There
was actually no contest. This wine danced and played with every dish from
cilantro to chocolate.
Alas!
The supreme wine for Holiday feasting decadence.
So this
November we present to you, after excessive inquisition, the Divino
Wine of the Month.....
November 2009
I
love me Lucky Charms.
Pink Hearts, Orange Stars, Yellow Moons, Green Clovers, Blue Diamonds,
and Purple Horse Shoes! And I can’t get enough of Coco Puffs and Cookie
Crisp. And for that matter, keep the Frankenberry coming. Fruity
Pebbles , Honey Combs, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, I don’t think there is a
Sugar cereal i dislike. But if I had to choose one cereal to
eat for the rest of my days, it would be a toss up between Peanut
Butter Crunch and Golden Grahams. I can put away that PB Crunch until
the roof of my mouth is battered and scarred from those spiked balls of
peanut joy. And, Oh those Golden Grahams. Golden
Grahams have no mascot. Nor do they have technicolor
marshmallows. But on the addictive meter they rate at the top. Just
pure honey goodness and a catchy jingle i hum over crunches and gulps.
Rocking
side to side in my chair, my spoon waving, my cheeks stuffed and jaw
working, milk dribbling down my chin, a glow in my eyes and a song in
my head.
Have a golden day!
My
apologies for the harsh vision i have conjured but this is what sugar
cereal can do to people.
You might be saying to yourself that this guy’s kitchen must look like
the set from Seinfeld. The cupboards crowded with colorful boxes from
end to end like on overstuffed library shelf.
Nope.
No cereal to be found in our kitchen. It has been decided the home is a
happier place without the Count, the Cap’n or silly Rabbit. You see, I
have come to terms with the notion that i might have a slight problem
with sugar cereal. When I reach for the spoon and bowl, its done with a
frantic haste. The cabinet and drawers are left open, the fridge is
slammed and the box tops are ripped off. This is because the decision
has been made and there is no stopping me. Its all
or nothing and i’m going for it. I feel like the cookie monster
unleashed on a pile chocolate chips. There is a frenzy of pouring,
clanking, scooping, smacking.
Pouring, clinking, shoveling, slurping.
More pouring and more crunching!!
Complete
reckless abandon upon the sugar coated hills of cereal land.
And a few minutes later, its over. The empty boxes
lay scattered around like fallen soldiers. Pools of splattered milk
coat the counter top. A few random pink marshmallows pasted to the
floor. A ring of cereal dust is all that remains crusted around the rim
of the battered bowl.
And now my belly is in turmoil and my head is on the verge of
spontaneous sugar combustion.
So
the kitchen is a more peaceful room without the temptation of Sugar
Cereals. They remain a special occasion or you could say "preplanned
indulgence".
I
partly blame my barbaric binges on a constant craving for morning
nostalgia. I find a small oasis of comfort in spooning blue dye number
66 into my face while transfixed on the back of the box.
I
also take a defensive stance behind my breakfast cereal theorem.
Its
called “The infinite cycle of disproportionate milk to
cereal ratio....theorem”.
Things start out with the right intentions.
Pour a little Trix, add some
milk, eat up and you’re on your way.
I wish it worked that way but this is how you get caught in the loop.
You’re
down to your last spoonful and feeling content, but wait, there’s some
milk still left in the bowl. Can’t waste that. Better pour a little
more cereal in there to take care of the situation. Woops. Now there’s
not enough milk soaking those poor little nuggets. Got to wet them down
with a little more milk. Ahh, now we have a healthy looking bowl of
cereal. Scoop your way back down to the bottom and its time feed the
bowl again. And so goes the infinite cycle.
So
if i put aside the nostalgic aspect, and control the effects of my
theorem, there remains the most important reason why I, along with
millions of other American, have come to crave cereal.
It’s a perfect pairing.
Stop and
think about that.
Cereal and milk is one the earliest food pairings we have come to love.
Its a classic.
Cool creamy milk and crunchy sweet cereal.
From
Coffee and Doughnuts to Champagne and Caviar.
A perfect match can be bliss.
I very seldom have dinner without wine. They need each other.Wether its
a slice of pizza with with glass of Grenache or olive crusted rack of
lamb with a bottle of older Priorat.
The
flavors in the dishes can
be accentuated by the wine and the wine can
be elevated by a great dish.
Everything
just tastes better when there is harmony between food and beverage.
And
fortunately for myself and those arround me, i do have better
temperence with wine and dinner than milk and cereal.
October 2009
I
remember when the Kiss solo albums came out.
Paul!
Gene! Ace! And that other guy, um... Peter.
Four
destined masterpieces released simultaneously. A landmark in Rock and
Roll history! (At least in
the eyes of the four members, their record company and leagues of teen
idolizers.)
In
1978, Kiss were at the height of their world domination, sitting on top
of 4 platinum albums in just 2 years and a record tour attendance. Kiss
action figures, lunch boxes, costumes, toothbrushes, you name it.
Kiss
was an explosion of Rock n Roll meets Vegas meets Comic books meets
Halloween.
A
turbulent force of four chord power anthems fueled by locker room
lyrics and crunching guitars.
A
mix of shock and glamour backed by
explosions, flames and blinding flashes.
The
true rock purist will scoff and dismiss them as a half talented
sideshow. All costume and lights. No depth.
But
their tunes were hard driving and damn catchy. And come on! They had
the coolest looking outfits and make-up of any band ever to take the
stage. People today still dress up like them.
Plus,
I don’t think Roger Waters or Jim Morrison could ever pen “you’re good
looking and you’re looking like you would be good”
Kiss
were a the perfect cast of characters blended together to create a rock
and roll commercial monolith.
The
Starchild: the flamboyant Paul on shrieking vocals and
guitar supplied the panache.
The
Demon: fire breathing, blood spitting gene on growling baritone vocals
and bass provided the dark sided backbone.
The
Spaceman: Ace the galactic space noodler on lead
guitar delivered a sense of awe and wonderment.
The
Catman: the feisty Peter holding it all together behind the drum kit.
They
had America in a magical stronghold.
It
only seemed right to deconstruct Kiss.
An
exclusive album for each member.
Their
contributing talents and individual traits could now be illuminated in
personal glory and celebrated by waiting world of fans.
Gene
Simmons will shine alone!
Peter
Chris solo! Finally given the deserved spotlight.
Well,
to be expected, there was some success, a few surprises, and some major
let downs.
I’m
sure the majority of you have never acquainted your ears with
these lost relics of Americana nostalgia. And some of you have
forgotten with much intention. If you do attempt to familiarize
yourselves with the Kiss solo albums, I warn you to tread cautiously
along these dusty tracks.
I’ll
reiterate.
Some
take you to the glorious rocky peaks of pure Kissdom, while others will
take you to loneliest depths of the darkest bargain bins.
This
month at Divino we will deconstruct.
But worry not. We will deconstruct a majestic region. A Region
celebrated and revered by the world for over 2000 years. A Region whose
many components shine in the solo spotlight.
Rhone
Deconstructed.
The
Rhone is home of such famous acts as Cotes du Rhone, Gigondas,
Vacqueyras, and Châteauneuf-du-Pape. These Are famous and much
respected blends which at times boast of having as many as 13 members
in the mix.
Divino
releases these solo efforts from the Rhone this
October...........
-
Ahhh
Grenache! The spice of the party. The crowd pleaser. The food companion
-
Hail
to Syrah. So bold on its own. Sometimes even monstrous. But always
dark, deep and full of surprises.
-
- And Mourvedre. the
colorful and complex rogue. In the shadow of the famed ones. But given
the chance, it transcends with exotic expression and lush intensity.
And there’s acts from
many others like Viognier, Roussanne, Carignan and our wine of the
month Counoise.
In fact, there are
about 23 to 26 different Rhone grapes depending on where you
like to draw the much disputed boundaries.
Many of these Rhone
solo acts have gone on to become superstars. They have long claimed
celebrity status on wine lists and store shelves. They are now
household names across the globe. Even surpassing the fame of their
origins.
Some are rising stars,
garnering attention from the media and select countries who have taken
them under their wing.
Others have become cult
icons. They are on the obscure side and become pet projects for
adventurous winemakers and have spawned devoted followers with their
unique flavors. They all still remain
important contributors to the famous blends but on their own have
reached celebrity status. Most of the grapes of Rhone are considered
success stories because they can show beauty, balance and distinctive
character on their own.
And what of the others?
Well....they’re better
off staying behind the drum kit.
-DM
Note:
Some of
these Rhone AOCs like Châteauneuf-du-Pape can be 100% monovarietal but
its not that common.
Note:
We are
not focusing on the Northern Rhone in our deconstruction process. This
area represents appellations such as Condrieu, hermitage and Cote
Rotie. These are magnificent wines and we carry and cherish them. But
when we feature regions or grapes, we like to work with bottles that
the any person could grab off the shelf for a reasonable price.
Hermitage, among others is about as accessible to the wallet as the
band Rush is accessible to the ear.
Note:
Its
important that when these blending grapes stand on their own, they
reflect their distinct natural traits and not to try to pose with more
universal flavor profiles.
Just as i
don’t want my Syrah to the have the delicate flavors and finesse of
Pinot Noir, I don’t want to hear Gene Simmons singing “When you wish
upon a star”.(dare you listen?)
Note:
more great Kiss lyrics......
"I really
love you baby
I love what you’ve got
Lets get together, we can
Get hot
No more tomorrow, baby
Time is today
Girl, I can make you feel
Okay
No place for hidin baby
No place to run
You pull the trigger of my
Love gun"
September 2012
Grenache the Giver
Grenache gives without expectation.
Grenache gives without ostentation.
Grenache gives without hesitation.
Are these traits a reflection of simplicity or
banality?
Hell no
It means you are not expected to shell out heavy coin to
drink from the well of virtue.
I know of no other grape that can consistently offer
quality, balance and straight-up enjoyment for the dollar like Grenache
can.
I don’t care if we are talking a 7 dollar Garnacha from
Campo de Borja, a 10 dollar Cotes du Rhone, or a 12 dollar Aussie
juicer.
You will rarely be disappointed.
It means Grenache pleases without trying
too hard
There is no pomp and circumstance behind Grenache like
there can be with fellow grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot
Noir.
Those boys are sometimes all wrapped up in long
winded frill like "growth classification" ,"clonal distinction" and "single
vineyard" hype.
There is a time and a place for that but sometimes you
just want to grab a wine and burger and enjoy.
It means Grenache gives instant
gratification.
It means you don’t have to decant a bottle for 4 hours
before attempting a sip,
or wait 4 years for your bottle
to mature.
It means that its not a gamble when selecting a unknown
label off the store shelf or wine list.
Forget the fussing about good or bad vintages or fear
of immature tannins.
Your glass is always filled with joyous flavor and pure
pleasure.
It is the grape for everyday
consumption.
It is the grape for the people.
Grenache is the grape that keeps on
giving.
-DM
September 2009
Its around 3
o’clock and getting a little stuffy in the office nook behind the
cooler.
Its crowded.
There’s an
arsenal of 20 some odd open bottles crammed onto the top of the desk.
The centerpiece
is gallon size bucket filled to the brim with murky red slosh of
discarded wine.
4 of us hover
around the desk with glasses and note pads.
Its a typical
afternoon in the Divino back office except for one thing.
Its oddly quiet.
Not a word from
their side.
No
proclamations about awards and points
No ponderings
about the slopes of the hills, the content of the soil, the age of the
vines.
No bios on the
how he or she used to do that their whole life and now they do this.
They used to be
the winemaker there, there and there.... and now here.
And on our
side, not a word either
And it is
odd.
No bursts of
pleasure of grunts of disgust.
No sudden
exclamations of bizarre adjectives and descriptions that seem to make
sense at the time.
No third degree
questions. How long this? How much of that? Where again?
Between the
sniffing slurping and spitting,
Just silence.
Occasionally an
eyebrow raises or the corner of a mouth turns up.
And then, after
wine number 22 has been evacuated carefully on top of the bucket slosh,
the bottles are packed up and they roll the wine bags out the door.
There’s an
uneasy feeling of lack of closure. No dealing and haggling, no ordering
and no future promises
Just a nod, a
thanks, and ‘see you later’.
Its Naked and
Blind time at Divino.
Naked are the
wines and Blind are the tasters.
At the end of
August we blind taste around 175 mystery wines between $6 and $12 and
rate them. Then, for the month of September,
we fill our 10 under $10 rack with the ones with the highest score.
Our sales reps patiently play along and bring us
bottles wrapped in foil or stuffed in brown bags. And we score these
mystery contestants from 1 to 10.
Two things we
are looking for.
Quality is one.
This being the balance, structure and complexity of the wine.
But just as
important is the pleasure factor. Is it a pleasurable experience to
drink this wine? Does it call you back for another sip? Another bottle?
There are two
main schools of blind tasting. The first is to try and guess the grape,
region and vintage. This helps train your palate into identifying the
characteristics of varietals and regions.
And then there
is blind tasting to judge/rate a wine with out being subjected to any
information. And this is the school we are featuring this month at
Divino.
Even before you
raise your glass to your lips, a percentage of your final opinion has
been already been formed by the information known or perceived. It
pushes your assessment in a certain direction. Much as we like
not to admit, knowing the cost, producer, region and even seeing the
label, sways us one way or another. It can’t be helped.
I present to
you, a Texas Riesling by Mega Corp Wines equipped with a laughing
armadillo on the label. I bet you have a few ideas rolling through your
mind ready to hack away at any opinions you might have after tasting
the wine.
So the point of
all this is to evaluate wine in a bias free setting.
And open
ourselves to new wine experiences.
Preconceptions
limit us.
There is a vast
wine world out there ready for exploration and indulging.
Yet there are
too many misconceptions and there is too much warped information.
And a lot of
the time we are led by other’s opinions without even giving a wine
justified chance, whether its friends, critics or particular movies.
And some times we come to a conclusion about a grape or region that
keeps us away for an extended period.
But there are
just too many variables and constant changes in the wine world to stick
to a blanket opinion on a type of wine.
Tasting blind
gives us a chance to reevaluate wine we think we don’t like, and
explore wines we would never attempt to try.
And I too am
not free from these unfounded prejudices. Here's an example of one. If
I know that the bottle in front of me is a mass produced wine or
“grocery store wine”, i find myself already being swayed in the
negative direction before it is even in my glass. I feel that bias
creeping along in the back of my mind even if the wine is a pleasant
surprise. (You’ll notice a grocery store wine this month on the Naked
and Blind rack that got the best of me during our tastings.)
This month we
invite you to drink free of discrimination.
We present
these wines naked. Free of labels region, cost or varietal. Stripped of
anything that could spark a presumption.
And you are the
judge. The blind and unbiased judge. Forming your opinion solely on
what you are smelling and tasting.
Hopefully in
the end, some new doors are opened.
New kinds of
bottles are popped.
New regions and
flavors are discovered.
And new
sensations are experienced.
Isn’t that what
its all about?
-DM
September 2008
The Naked and the
Blind
We all prejudge.
Its almost instinct, it can't be helped. Making
assumptions help us prepare for our and reactions. Over a period of time,
patterns of cause and effect have been imprinted in our mind that seem to
subtly control the way we formulate an opinion. This can be a good thing in
simple matters of deduction but when it comes to introducing our senses to new
experiences, these prejudgments can limit our honest conclusions. We are
presented with a pink beverage and through a series of past associations(cotton
candy, bubblegum, pink lemonade,white zin) we assume that it is sweet. We see an
album cover with a swarm of fiery eyed winged demons with mangled torsos
clenched in their icy talons, taking flight from the blazing pits of hell and
the title is "Exodus of Evil" we assume its probably on the harder side of the
musical tracks. The same goes for people. We look at their hair cut, they way
they are dressed, and if we know where they're from, we already have ideas a
bout their personality before they have even opened their mouth. Even if we say
that our mind is open, there is that visual stimulus that has created an
opinion that is lurking in the back of our mind, just waiting to say "See? Told
ya so."
In the wine world,
labels, bottle shapes, closures,winery names, all play an important part of
marketing the finished product. We all would like to think that these are just
frills or add ons and the juice behind the glass is the only thing that matters,
but this "packaging" delivers more influence then we think. With 6,000 wineries
in the US alone, competition is fierce and it is important for a bottle to stand
out on the shelf.
At Divino, we taste any where from 40 to 300 hundred
wines(and liquors) any given week. We use these tastings to carefully hand pick
our inventory. A lot goes in to the process and only a small percentage ever
makes it on the shelves. We like to say we remain impartial as the wines are
presented before we begin, but after doing this for 15 years, those prejudgment
demons are lurking. Happy critter wines(animal labels) tend to be sugared and
void of tannins. The mass production and conglomerate owned wineries tend to put
out "correct" yet somewhat uninteresting juice. The super boutique, 200 case,
self proclaimed wine making rock stars tend to release over extracted, super
concentrated monsters. And the list goes on.
So this month we decided
to try something different. We tasted 120 wines Blind, scored them , and
featured the winners on our rack up front.
In the last week of August, the
wines came to us Naked.No names or labels. We didn't know if it had a cork or a
screw cap. If it was stacked 2 stories tall at the entrance of some liquor mega
mart. If it came from Napa , La Mancha or Palisades. The only thing we knew was
that they retail from $8 to $12. We rated them on a 20 point scale. 1 being
undrinkable and 20 being the best thing we tasted all year. At the end of the
week the name and place of origin was revealed and up they went on our
September rack. Plenty of surprises, some disbelief and few "I knew it".
At
the end of this month we invite you to experience the same tasting
enlightenment at Capelli Floral. You will be the blind jury as we hold court for
our very first "The Naked and the Blind" . At this event all wines will be
cloaked and numbered. Taste in any order at your leisure, write comments and
ratings or try to guess the grape or country. Most important make note on
whether you like it. Then make you way down the block to Divino to have the
wines revealed to you. Prepare to be surprised.
-Dm
After
17 years of the restaurant industry, retail
is definitely a strange and somewhat quieter word. Pouring booze for
others was
a means to support my passion for music. Over the years the booze
developed
into a passion itself. Gradual realization that the culture, history
and
process behind wine and liquor was as diverse and all encompassing as
music,
bewitched and inspired me to create my own oasis of liquid treasures to
share
with the rest of the city. I say share because sometimes, while I’m
taking the
recycling bins to the sidewalk, it dawns on me that I could possibly be
Divino’s best customer.
November 2008
We feast during the holidays.
What I mean by feasting is
partaking in the abundance of dishes and the variety of cuisine.
I realize that some people have a very precise and
structured plan for their Thanksgiving meal
with single consecutive courses, in which case, more specific and
detailed wine pairing can be assigned if chosen. But more than likely
there is a fabulous spread of tasty provisions or at least
several dishes on the table at once.
Friends and family
popping in with edible contributions, appetizers tossing
around, concoctions never before attempted, dishes seen only once a
year, sweet, spicy, mushy, crunchy, disappointing and delightful. It
can be a regular Smorgasbord, one dish away from food chaos. Which can
be a good thing. This calls for
universal food wines. No worrying what works with what, just
crack'em all open and pour. Let the wine be a vehicle for the food
experience.
Universal food wines are light
on the tannins, bright, fresh, have ample doses of fruit and vibrant
acidity.
Whether you have specific
pairing needs or in need of a hefty supply of food friendly wines,
we'll help you with your culinary cause.
-dm
November 2007
Let
the cooking and drinking begin!!
Well, if you're like us, that happens all
year long. What I mean to say is that it's time to get
food & wine serious.
With the arrival of cooler weather and the
holidays; recipes become more
elaborate, more vino gets cracked and the cocktails get
excitingly more creative. At the shop here, we're piling up the food
friendly wines on the racks up front and cracking them in the
store for you to try. Lots of tasting going on here as
we check out pairing possibilities and test out
dishes at home. We've finally decided on the ultimate food wine to
feature as our Wine of the Month for November. A beautiful
2001 Montepulciano from southern Italy that has always been a
Divino darling.
Really almost any wine is a possible"food wine".
Sure, Sauvignon Blanc goes perfect with fresh
oysters
Grilled salmon with a Pinot Noir, is a sure thing
Napa Cabernet always cries out for a rib eye
Wild mushroom risotto and Brunello is heaven
And sticky pork ribs wouldn't be
complete without a massive Zin
These are all classic combos, but our goal this
month is to find wines that are versatile and friendly with all types
of dishes. Get togethers and festivities usually means an array of
courses and numerous unique flavors.
We want harmony on the table, a perfect balance
between eating and drinking. With all the work put into
planning, prepping, peeling, pureeing, potting, plating and
presenting, your efforts deserve a
beverage partner to complete the experience and enhance the
flavors of your meal.
Low tannins, lively acidity, and soft fruit are the
features we look for in a food wine. So check out the wine of the month
and the food wine section up front or let us know what you're
cooking up and we'll send you home with the perfect match.
March 2012
They are the odd, the unknown and obscure.
They will dismay you and
intrigue you.
They will open unto you new realms in the ever growing and
always changing world of wine.
New names. New places.
New sensations.
And isn't that what its all about?
Exploration?
Knowledge? Adventure?
Life would be so drab and predictable without quest of
new experiences.
Its always easy to play it safe and fall into routine. Order
the same meal, listen to the same music, watch the same show, drink the same
wine.
You
always know what your going to get.
But damn, that's boring.
Take a
chance and explore.
Surprise yourself.
Cabernet, Pinot and Chard are very
noble grapes and make some of the greatest and most respected wines, but there
is a whole world of new and unique flavors out there waiting to stimulate your
senses. Uncharted territories of exotic grapes. Some are ancient varietals that
have been rediscovered. Some are brand new grapes that have been genetically
crossed. Others are wines from unusual regions that have always grown obscure
varietals. And still others are grapes that have always contributed to blends
but have never been seen on their own. Of course some won't be to your fondness
but the discovery of a new fascination is worth it.
So this month
we at Divino urge you to meet the Unusual Suspects. The wine of the month, the
10 under $10 rack and our Wine Tasting Hoopla on April 11th.
So terrifyingly
seductive.
January 2009
Its
the start of 09 and once again we bring you the Vigilantes of Value
wine selection.
The
wine of the month is 9 bucks and the 10 under $10 rack is stocked full
with wine under 8 bucks.
During
the rest of the year we usually showcase a region, grape or style, but
January seems to be the perfect time to focus on the value of wine.
The restrained and some what frugal vibe of this month lends
to the scrutiny of quality to buck ratio. There are many elements that
factor in on the final cost of a wine besides the actual expense of the
wine making process. There’s real estate, harvesting labor,
supply/demand and of course, ratings and reviews. Depending of the
balance of one or more of these factors, there is a potential for a
wine to over deliver for the price.
By
focusing on these value wine wines in January, our goal is to emphasize
the point that wine is not a privilege. Wine is for
everyone at any time. 5
dollars or 50 dollars, there is quality good wine at every level that
should be integrated into our every day lives. It should be drunk with
meals and shared with friends. It should be something you can order at
a bar or a coffee house. And if is to be treated as such, than the
price that we pay should reflect it’s everyday use. It is important to
have quality wines available that are under $8 dollars to take home
every night. Sure, there are collectors, and people who play the
ratings game or pursue trophy wine bragging rights. And, we deal in
those wines but there is a time and a place for higher priced bottles.
There is nothing like the experience of diving into the heavenly
perfume of a ripe Barolo, being lifted by the sheer elegance of a Cotes
du Nuits or getting floored by the magnitude of Old vine Zin. But we
are talking about everyday wine not “occasion wine”
Every day wine sounds a little mundane but this doesn’t mean that value
wine can’t be exciting and enticing. It just needs to be an everyday
price.
Some
of you are hesitant on paying so little for a bottle and your caution
is understandable. There is a lot of crap out there. Bottles with
cutesy names and critter labels that are all marketing and no
substance. Bulk Wine that has been manipulated or adjusted with
additives. But this is where we come into the picture.
It
is our job to sort through the vast ocean of innocuous to piss poor
inexpensive wines to find the gems. We look for wine that has a nice
balance of fruit, tannin and acidity, housed in a solid structure. And
most important is character; a defining trait about the wine that sets
it apart from the well made, but bland. Defining character is what that
makes us want to keep reaching for the glass to please our palates over
and over. Character gives us a good wine experience and leaves an
imprint on our mind.
So
if you haven’t been stocking up on your everyday wines before, now is
the time to come in and fix that void.
January 2008
So
its January and you're broke.
Or
maybe its January and you're being thrifty or conservative.
Maybe
you're working on some sort of self imposed restraint.
Whatever
it is you're doing to reconcile the overspending/indulging
that rightfully occurred at the end of the year....
Fear
not. Worry not.
This
January and every January Divino presents the "Vigilantes
of Value".
Wines
8 bucks and under that don't suck.
I
haven't been to Europe in a couple of years, but it used to be that you
could walk in to the market and grab a bottle for 5 or 6 bucks and be
completely satisfied if not pleasantly surprised. In the
U.S. its a different story. Sure there is
wine for that price. Its usually stacked high on the grimy floor of a
discount store and has some goofy ass critter on the label. The problem
with a lot of these mass produced wines is the additives. Like "oak
flavoring", or sugar that can remind one of sipping on Welch's
and chewing on a popsicle stick. Or there's the banality of flavor from
the cheap imported wines that makes you wonder why you didn't just make
a cocktail. The last and worst problem with bulk bottlings is
that most are just plain foul. Unbalanced, sour, oxidized, astringent.
So,
we at Divino do the dirty work for you and taste through oceans of
cheap crappy wine in order to find
the
few,
the
proud,
the
Vigilantes.
Check out the wine of the month from Sicily and our rack up front to
keep the household wine flowing in this barren and impoverished time of
the year we call January.
|
