April 9 2008
Cue Elton John and the soundtrack to “The Lion King.” I now feel like, at least from a book publishing perspective, I have seen the trifecta and completed the “Circle of Life.”
For a Generation X’er like me, first came the eponymously named book by Douglas Coupland. Then, as I crept into my thirties, a slacker-turned-adult manifesto called, “The Day I Turned Uncool” by Dan Zevin was published. Now, finally, comes the triumphant and celebratory book called, “X Saves the World.”
Damn right.
In my mind, there is a clear line of delineation between my generation, Generation X, the small band of brothers nestled between the Baby Boomer’s and Generation Y, those in their twenties. However, to read Alan Goldfarb’s column in Appellation America, he would have you believe that anybody not a Boomer, and, God forbid, under the age of 40, is the downfall of Western Civilization, or at least wines of distinction and, based on omission of fact, entirely the same generation of people.
He grinds the axe, singing an old saw, but, unfortunately, comes off as only glancingly provocative.
The crux of his argument is that this one giant mass of “kids” does not drink wine with food, therefore missing out on nuanced wine, though he somehow overlooks the fact that folks in their 30s are executing the majority of fine dining. It is a young man’s game. Any issue of Food & Wine will verify this. He also overlooks the complete revolution with Sommeliers in their twenties, driving international trends.
Ah, we have to talk about something and, I guess, this is as good as the next topic and certainly better than arguing about BioD.
Vin de Napkin—inspired by this article at Appellation America.
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April 8 2008
When I first started this blog, I did rudimentary cartoons that were intended to be something of the wine blog equivalent to a political cartoon--more observationally piquant than rib-tickling. I had a lot of fun with these, but when I re-designed my site, I also intended to up the ante on the cartoons, which I had dubbed “New World.” I, in fact, did do that with a stud illustrator who knocked it out of the park in terms of providing quality illustrations that I could assemble, but I kind of lost my joie de vivre for it once the output had the capability to be polished. I can turn loose illustrations that are awesome, and I use some of them in my wine reviews and they may appear in other forms in the future, but I’m going back to rudimentary way.
I’ve re-titled these little vignettes as “Vin de Napkin.” Before anybody accuses me of being an ugly American, yes, I know it doesn’t translate to French. But, you get what it is. It’s the equivalent of a back of napkin drawing.
I won’t belabor the point, but thinking about writing a post in 500 words or so and thinking about doing “back of napkin” punditry is two different animals and I’m looking forward to re-calibrating the brain into the occasionally shorter form.
That said, and background provided, thanks for checking out the site.
Inspired by this article and this post at Fermentation:
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April 5 2008
Winemaker Interview –Kent Fortner – Road 31 Wine Company
I regret to inform you that in the likely event you missed the 2006 allocation offering for Road 31 Pinot Noir, formerly Green Truck Pinot Noir, it is now sold out.
You can try your luck at some restaurants, but it will not be for the relative bargain price from the mailing list.
So it goes when you produce just 700 cases of delicious and beautifully seductive handcrafted wine that is consumer allocated and quickly gaining widespread, national attention.
In my humblest of opinions, if you want in on the next Kosta Browne-like cult Pinot, I would head over to the web site and sign up for the mailing list.
It turns out that Kent changed the name with this release to Road 31, from Green Truck, because, well, there are a couple of other “trucks” on the wine road, and this one is decidedly different.
It also turns out that Kent just celebrated an addition to his family, welcoming a little girl to the Fortner house in the last two weeks. So, congratulations are in order, as well.
I caught up with Kent, owner, winemaker and one-man-band when I took advantage of my allocation offering a couple of weeks ago. Kent is the kind of guy that makes his wine project personal, injects life and love into his business and keeps things “authentic.” I knew he would be a good interview subject. And, anybody that likes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, Star Wars and Fletch is a-okay in my book. Be sure to read to the end and take a guess in the comments section at which one of his three truths is really a bit of fabricated fun.
Which of the Seven Deadly Sins are you most guilty of committing?
Kent: Ah, so this obviously isn’t the typical winemaker interview. I like it. Who decided that gluttony was a sin anyway? All things in moderation, including moderation itself.
What is your biggest pet peeve?
Kent: When making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, one should always put Peanut Butter on BOTH sides of the bread. That way the peanut butter insulates the bread from the jelly, preventing mushiness. These and other definitive policies of my wine company and life can be found here:
What is on your nightstand?
Kent: Well, we just had a baby 10 days ago, so I’ve sort of been sleeping on the couch a lot. That “nightstand” has a remote control, a rather old issue of Newsweek (I believe Romney is on the cover), and my son’s Lightening McQueen racecar. The nightstand by our actual bed holds “The World is Flat” by Thomas Friedman, as well as the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy books. Somehow managed to get through life without having actually read about young Frodo, and I want to read them before I see the movie.
What is in your refrigerator or pantry that you wouldn’t openly admit?
Kent: A gourmet rotisserie chicken I bought for my dog. There, I admit it.
What do you drink when you’re not drinking wine?
Kent: Beer. Preferably Pilsner Urquel. I’ll take Sierra Nevada in a pinch.
What type of music or radio station is played most often in the Green Truck?
Kent: Well, actually, the truck doesn’t have a radio. So, I sing. It’s not quite shower-quality acoustics, but it’s not bad.
In what era would you live if you transport yourself?
Kent: The truck is a 66, and it would have been interesting to be around then (I wasn’t born until 1969). Given the music of that time, I would have definitely paid up for the option radio on the truck.
What is the best wine-related book you’ve read?
Kent: I just finished The House of Mondavi. It’s an intriguing look at not only a family business, but the wine business in general. Although certainly the Mondavi story is on a grander scale than most, the family-owned winery in Napa is in the midst of some serious transition. It is fascinating for me—who came into the industry in awe of the Winiarski’s (Stag’s Leap), Duckhorns, Cakebreads, Phelps, and Grgich’s of the world—to watch as these institutions of Napa face the challenges of succession.
And, although not directly wine-related, I read the Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan in the past year, and I’m desperately trying to get all my friends to read it. It sums up an attitude towards food that I believe should be applied to wine as well.
What is your favorite movie genre?
Kent: Hmm…how about I just list what is on my Tivo right now:
Waking Ned Devine
Raising Arizona
Terminator 1, 2, and 3 (Doing a little policy research on the Governor)
The Man Who Skied Everest
Into the Wild (pay per view)
High Fidelity
Friends and Seinfeld (10 episodes recorded for my wife while she’s nursing our child)
1968 with Tom Brokaw (last two installments)
The Usual Suspects
Curious George (for our three-year-old son)
Falling Down (one of my favorites)
Planet Earth (last three installments)
Sleepless in Seattle
Being John Malcovich
Lethal Weapon
The Truman Show
Fletch Lives
Star Wars (the original, of course)
The Royal Tennenbaums
Capote
Dodgeball
I myself don’t see any unifying theme here.
Is your desk messy or organized?
Kent: Tuesday through Thursday: messy. On Friday and Monday I do OK. I’m sort of a “beginning and end” of work guy. In between I don’t like to have to be too rigid.
Are you always early or terminally late?
Kent: Depends on if you are asking me, or my wife.
Do you read the comics in the newspaper? If so, what’s your favorite comic?
Kent: Big Doonsbury fan. Used to laugh my head off at “Far Side” when it was in print. But most of my news is done online, and now that you mention it, I have been missing out on the comics because of it.
Who would you want to play you in the movie about your life?
Kent: Keanu. Because there is a Matrix, and I will be the one to end it.
What super-power would you most like to have, and why?
Kent: This is a good question. A good question. I always felt like Green Lantern had all the skills that I myself would enjoy putting to use as a super-hero. He had that ring that allowed him to read minds, render himself invisible, go faster than the speed of light, create force-fields, and even radiate kryptonite to keep that pesky Superman away. All those would come in handy in winemaking and life.
You are moving and can only take three or four articles with you. What would you grab?
Kent: I’d grab that ring that allows me to be Green Lantern. With super-powers like those, who needs anything else?
What do you do if you have a spare hour?
Kent: I spend that hour lamenting my lack of spare hours. But, seriously, outside of trying to teach my son to kick a soccer ball (and not the cat), I love to play soccer myself. When I have lots of hours I climb mountains.
What was the last great restaurant you ate at?
Kent: I Was on a fly-fishing trip on the McCloud in Northern California last fall with some childhood friends, and we struck out in search of grub. Stumbled across this little place in the town of Dunsmuir called Café Maddelena. Little fifteen seat restaurant. Food was insane (I highly recommend the Osso Bucco), they had a full-blown espresso machine, and the wine list was one of those lists that just makes you smile. It was a highly personal list: one where the owner, who has a great palate, sat down, tasted, and chose wines that are super-delicious and great values, regardless of brand, label, scores, or what anyone might think of the list. We started with three wines that I love that are incredibly obscure. Then, and after we drank those, the waiter told us we should try some others that I—a winemaker—hadn’t even heard of, and they were equally fantastic. And, the bill didn’t kill us. It was just one of those magical nights.
Considering that was last fall, that gives you an idea of how often we go out to eat now that we have two kids…
What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Kent: Chocolate chip. I haven’t ordered anything but for 10 years. Sometimes you can’t improve on perfection.
What is the best compliment you have ever received?
Kent: I provided my wine and my presence at a Tsunami relief fundraiser at Spago a few years back. Wolfgang Puck came out after the first course and told me he loved my Pinot. It was like Bono giving you a compliment on your sunglasses.
“2 Truths And a Lie” – Share 3 unique things about yourself and your life, 2 of them true, 1 false
Kent:
1) I have run four marathons.
2) I’m a big fan of musical theater.
3) I have British royalty in my blood.
Please take a guess and leave a comment. Thanks to Kent for having some fun with the questions and being a good guy!
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April 4 2008
A couple of quick hitters to make sure I am covering all of my bases …
First, the exceedingly generous in spirit Richard Shaffer, a customer of pioneering technology company Inertia Beverage Group, where I made his acquaintance, and a damn good guy, is really upping the ante with his blog and chronicling his journey in starting an Israeli wine marketing company.
It is an interesting story because he lives in Chicago, comes from a non-wine background and is bringing in Israeli wine, which is just now starting to garner wider mind share in the states. Sure, there is a rich back-story about wine in Israel dating back to, oh, I don’t know, a millennium, but just the same, Israeli based wine has a lot of upside in the U.S. in terms of growth.
I am not sure if Richard is “all-in,” but he is playing into the wine business like he has pocket aces and that is truly wonderful to watch. I love to see an entrepreneurial person put his heart and passion out there to do something he believes in. I would not bet against him building an amazing company with a tremendous portfolio of vino. Plus, I am biased because Richard, one of his marketing associates, and I brainstormed the tag line that appears below. Israeli Wine Direct: The Future of Wine History. Has kind of a nice ring to it, does it not?
From the press release:
The eastern Mediterranean, which includes Israel, is the birthplace of wine. Thousands of years ago, a thriving wine scene existed in Israel, and wine was exported throughout the region. Interrupted for centuries by outside conquest, today the wine world is witnessing a re-emergence of outstanding winemaking in Israel. There are now nearly 200 wineries there, many producing outstanding wines unknown to Americans. Israeli wine is beginning to receive international recognition by the likes of critic Robert Parker and Wine Spectator magazine.
The 22 wines are available now while they ship for pre-order in select states through the Israeli Wine Direct website at http://www.israeliwinedirect.com. Visitors can learn more about the wineries and winemakers. “Wine from Israel is ‘The Future of Wine History’. Young winemakers there are combining modern grape varieties and winemaking techniques with the influence of an ancient land,” said Israeli Wine Direct founder Richard Shaffer.
If you’re so inclined, buy a sampler three pack from his site.
And, elsewhere, one of the best couple of hours I spend on a Sunday is doing podcasts with Tim Elliott from Winecast.
It is always a lot of fun, they always turn out well and it is a complete blast to talk to other wine folks. To that end, we had a podcast his past week.
You can find all the details at Winecast and this link. Give it a listen.
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April 2 2008
Lest anybody forget, I like to remind folks where the birthplace of wine is. Yes, it is Indiana, baby!
Longtime readers of this blog will recall that in the early days of this site I posted excerpts from the first published American viticultural book by John James Dufour, a Swiss settler who came to the U.S. with the intention of cultivating grapes and producing wine. The book, The American Vine-Dresser’s Guide, is interesting if a touch impenetrable based on Dufour’s English skills circa 1826. It chronicles his journey to the first successful grape-growing and winemaking enterprise in the U.S.
I stopped posting the excerpts from the public domain book because I knew nobody was reading the posts, much less skimming. Perhaps, there were not enough pictures.
I was reminded of my old posting quirks when I was flipping through the current issue of Food & Wine magazine.
Perhaps it only occurred regionally, some magazines give advertisers the capability to spot-run their advertisements based on geography, but regardless I was more than surprised to see a full-page ad in the current issue of Food & Wine celebrating Kentucky wine.
The place of horses, whiskey and, and, wine?
There was a profile on Jess Jackson’s Kentucky horse farm in the same issue. Doubtlessly an enterprising sales rep. from the magazine called the state wine commission up to see if they wanted to piggy-back on the editorial content. However, more interesting is the copy on the ad that reads:
You know our bourbon. Now get to know our wine. There are nearly three dozen wineries located through Kentucky that you can tour and then enjoy a sample of their finest work. You’ll soon discover it’s no mistake that America’s first commercial vineyard was founded in Kentucky in 1798.
Kentucky may have had the first commercial vineyard in 1798, but here is the kicker and what the ad does not say: It failed! And, John James Dufour headed north to Indiana, on the banks of the Ohio River, at a place that would later be called Vevay, so named from Dufour’s native Switerland, and that is where, ultimately, the first SUCCESSFUL viticultural and winemaking enterprise was started! This was around 1807.
Indiana: home to basketball, tenderloin sandwiches, and corn … ah, and the birthplace of wine culture in America.
Dufour later went on to write about his experiences 20 years later in the aforementioned Vine-Dresser’s Guide.
So, lest we forget our history, I’ll continue to remind …
Speaking of being reminded of our wine history, there are dozens and dozens of out-of-print wine books available; some are more famous than others and many were published in the 1800’s and early turn of the century 1900’s. Many are a fascinating glimpse into U.S. wine history. Titles like Notes on a Cellar-Book by George Saintsbury, for example.
There was a recent article in Newsweek about the old Classics Illustrated – the comic book adaptations of classic books that were printed and read in plentitude in the 1950’s and beyond. Well, they are making a comeback.
If somebody wants to make at least one wine lover happy, I think it’s a fantastic idea to adapt some of these classic wine books into accessibly written and, yes, comic book-like illustrated pager turners.
Author James Gabler wrote a compendium on virtually every wine book ever printed in the U.S. in a book that can be found at this link. That is a good place to start. In addition, for publishers, the books are, again, in the public domain.
With Millenials coming to wine like ducks to water, and seemingly averse to anything that requires more than five minutes worth of attention span, now is a good time for us to get re-acquainted with our wine past, and all the better if it is in a form that is consumable by the largest amount of people possible.
Personally speaking, I want everybody to know that wine started in Indiana, and, well, frankly, if getting the word out and making The American Wine-Dresser’s Guide available in illustrated form is what it takes for people to read the wine classics, ala a Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities” then I’m all for it.
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