Columns by John

John Brown has been a wine and food columnist in West Virginia since the 1980’s. His regular columns appear in the Charleston (WV) Gazette-Mail under the title Vines & Vittles and in The State Journal - a statewide business weekly

To oak or not to oak - that is the question, dear Bacchus

To oak or not to oak - that is the question, dear Bacchus

I ‘m often asked about the relative merits of using oak barrels to add a flavor dimension to wine. Does the oak do anything to actually improve the taste? Doesn't using oak just inject an artificial element into a naturally produced product? Can oak be used to age both red and white wine? These are just a few of the more commonly asked questions regarding the ancient relationship between wine and oak which I will explore for you today. (Also, see my own oak wine barrel at my house and on-camera musings on this subject on the latest 'WineBoy' webcast, online this Wednesday).

While historians can't pinpoint when the first wooden barrel was produced (some credit the Celts in ancient Burgundy in 1300 BC), those ancient vessels were simply a utilitarian method of storage and were not seen as adding any complexity or nuance to the wine. However, for the past century or so, vintners have been using different types of oak barrels to influence the flavor of the wine inside them. Today, oak trees grown here and abroad are used to make the barrels holding some of the world's greatest wines.

Limousin and Nevers are famous types of French oak which are used to make very expensive barrels in which cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay are aged. American white oak from Missouri, Kentucky and Arkansas is also used by wine makers around the world to age their wines. In fact, wine makers have discovered that certain types of oak impart pleasant taste and smell characteristics to wine, particularly when the inside of the vessel is charred over a fire burning the same wood used to make the barrel. These barrel makers (or coopers) are very skilled in charring the inside of the vessels with either a light, medium or heavy toasting – depending on the wishes of the wine maker.

Incidentally, the use of oak also comes with a price since most wines, particularly ones aged in French oak, are more expensive. The cost to produce a 60-gallon Limousin barrel can exceed $2,000. That hint of vanilla in a fine Bordeaux or cabernet or that toasty, buttery bouquet in a good chardonnay are examples of how the proper application of oak aging can positively influence winemaking.

So where do I stand on the issue of oak aging? Well, if you’ll bear with me a few more paragraphs, I think a short digression will answer the question. When I was a child (sometime after the Korean War but before John Kennedy became president), my grandfather would regularly direct me to fetch a jug of wine from the earthen cellar he had dug in the basement of his home. It was in this dark and dank room where he made strong, red wine that was aged in large oak barrels. Illuminated by a single hanging bulb, the room was cast in an eerie half-light and smelled of damp earth, pleasantly sour fruit and old wood. It was a mysterious place -- a solemn enclave where the fruits of my grandfather's labor lay in serene harmony within the old oak barrels.

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Wine-stained reflections for the New Year

Wine-stained reflections for the New Year

As the New Year dawns, and as my weary palate rests for a few days, I want to share with you some of my favorite wines (in no particular order) of the past year. Most of these little lovelies are still available in state wine shops or on the Internet. As is my practice, I’ll also recommend a menu item to go with these special wines.So here’s wishing you a happy, prosperous and wine-stained New Year!

2005 Melville Estate Pinot Noir ($30): Melville is a small producer in the Santa Rita Hills area in the cool Pacific Ocean-influenced Santa Ynez Valley. You may recall this area from the movie “Sideways” or from your own personal experience with the delicious Pinot Noirs produced here. The bright red color of the ’05 Melville may mislead those expecting a lighter-styled version of Pinot Noir. However, once you put the Pinot Noir in your mouth, you realize this is a much more complex wine that features layers of flavor. The nose is a combination of cinnamon spice with nuances of caramel and the flavors are of black cherries, spice and just a hint of earth. This wine begs for roasted pork tenderloin in a slightly sweet sauce made from dried cherries or cranberries.

2005 Tomassi Pinot Grigio Le Rosse ($14): From Northeastern Italy, this straw-colored beauty may surprise you with its supple and round flavors of ripe pear and melon. The Le Rosse single vineyard wine is produced in the normally red wine area of Valpolicella -- which may account for why its flavors are so much more intense. Unlike the majority of Pinot Grigio produced in northern Italy, this wine is a spicier, rounder version with more depth of flavor and yet still well balanced. This would be a wonderful accompaniment to linguine and mussels in a garlic and white wine sauce (use about 2 ounces of the Le Rosse).

2004 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir ($50): What a delicious mouthful of wine! This Pinot Noir is a symphony of flavors and aromas with a nose of dark fruit, spice, vanilla and tobacco, and tastes of black cherries, blueberries, cinnamon and earth. If you wish to consume the wine now, you should definitely decant it into a carafe for at least one hour prior to drinking to allow the flavors to open up. And while the wine is approachable now, you will be rewarded if you wait a few more years before drinking it. Drink this wine with roasted filet of salmon that has been dusted with Kosher salt, black pepper, cumin, brown sugar and cayenne pepper.

2005 Altos de Luzon ($15): Until the last few years, the only Spanish wines any of us knew about were the Tempranilo-based reds of Rioja , the Cava’s (Sparkling wines) from the Penedes region and, of course, the fortified wine known as Sherry. More recently, some very good wines from previously unknown wine appellations have been making their way to our shores. The 2005 Luzon is produced in a region of southeastern Spain called Jumilla and is a blend of 50 % Monastrell (Mourvedre) and 25% each Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranilo. This full-bodied and rich wine has dark fruit flavors with just a hint of black pepper spice. Round and ripe, the wine also has excellent balance and would be a great match to barbecue dishes like baby back pork ribs dry-rubbed with black pepper, garlic, cumin and kosher salt.

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WINEBOY 20: Some Sparkling Suggestions

WINEBOY 20: Some Sparkling Suggestions

WATCH: 'WineBoy, Show 20:"WineBoy" closes out the year with show No. 20 devoted to one of host John Brown's favorite holidays -- New Year's Eve. He serves up some instruction and guidance in the art of picking Champagne and sparkling wines, including where the wines come from and how the traditional Champagne method is undertaken. If you've not yet picked up something bubbly for New Year's Eve, watch "WineBoy" first.

WineBoy 19: A Wine-centric Gift Guide

WineBoy 19: A Wine-centric Gift Guide

On the first day of Christmas, WineBoy gave to me: one Umberto Lupini ... Actually in the latest episode of the five-minute webcast, The Marcrazi Lupini opens the show and introduces host John Brown, who regales us with several non-wine suggestions for holiday gift giving.

Our spirited host also recommends a wine to please even the most bah-humbugger among us. Get some good information and have a little fun — tune in to episode 19.

WineBoy’s holiday credo: It is better to give AND receive

WineBoy’s holiday credo: It is better to give AND receive

RELATED: See "Beers to Us" blogger Rich Ireland's beer-centric gift ideas. As the holiday season approaches, I would like to suggest a semantic change to the old adage “It’s better to give than receive." Let's deleting the word “than” and insert the word “and.” In other words, it’s better to both give and receive – in this instance, to receive a nice bottle of wine or special wine-related gift- to celebrate the upcoming holiday festivities. Depending upon your budget, the sky is virtually the limit when it comes to finding a wine to give (or receive from) that special person. Securing a quality selection of top wines for holiday gift giving is a labor of love and over the next few weeks, I’ll share my top picks for this holiday season.

Today, though, I’ll provide a listing of some of my favorite non-wine gifts along with a couple of vinous goodies that would make a wine lover very happy. (note to my friends: please feel free to pass this along to my wife) So, before I get to the wine recommendations, here are a few of my favorite wine-related gift ideas for you to consider.

I’ve noted it several times before, but the absolutely best wine reference book is the “World Atlas of Wine” by Hugh Johnson. It is a compendium of everything you need to know about wine, including information on specific wines and regions. Check for it at your local bookshop or online at Amazon or Borders. This is a coffee table book that finds its way to my office when I need to find out some arcane tidbit about anything to do with wine. This book retails in the $30 to $35 range.Here are a couple of stocking stuffers for under $25:

For the wine klutz that always struggles with a cork screw, the new and improved “Screw Pull” is just the item to take the difficulty out of un-corking your bottle. The new version of the old standard Screw Pull is the Trilogy Pocket Model Corkscrew and it sells online for $20. Check it out at wineenthusiast.com.

I also recommend the Vacu Vin vacuum wine saver for those of you who wish to preserve the freshness of your wine (for several days) once the bottle has been opened. For around $15, this little ditty is a way to insure the freshness of your unconsumed wine. You can find the Vacu Vin at department stores, grocery stores and wine shops.

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Tasting Wines Blind: A real eye-opener

Tasting Wines Blind: A real eye-opener

The Wine Shop at Capitol Market recently held their annual Claret tasting. Claret is a term the British have used for centuries to describe the red wines of Bordeaux. And while this Claret tasting usually features a Bordeaux wine or two, it is also expanded to include cabernet-based wines from around the world. The neat thing about this tasting is that the wines are tasted blind. Now, I know what some of you reprobates are thinking, but no -- this is not a wine-chugging contest where the object is to achieve a state of blindness.

This is a tasting where the bottles are put in paper bags so the labels are not visible and so tasters can evaluate them objectively and not be unduly influenced by “pedigree” or price. Unfortunately, I was unable to attend the tasting, but the results are published below by the Wine Shop’s Ted Armbrecht (who, I might add, has an excellent palate.) The tasting was conducted by expert taster Andy MacQueen, who was featured on last week's WineBoy webcast.Ted’s descriptions of the wines and their attributes reflect the comments of tasters who rated each of the wines. I hope this provides you with another tool when shopping for that special gift this coming holiday season.

Also, many of these wines in the tasting are available at wine shops throughout the Kanawha Valley and the state.In Ted’s words: “We chose seven wines from around the world that are Cabernet Sauvignon-based and spread across the price range. We brown bag them and taste them blind, thus no bias based on price or label recognition. The results are usually surprising and inevitably reveal a winner that might otherwise go overlooked.

"This year, as in last year, we did have a clear favorite and it was the older vintage Napa Cabernet that did not disappoint. The Raymond Generations Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 1999 from Napa Valley showed why this appellation is so highly regarded. The Raymond showed nice fruit layered over typical Cabernet aromas of green olive and cassis. The nose continually evolved and showed layer after layer of tar, mint, etc. Great nuance and a beautiful finish. This one really stood out, and it should because it was the oldest vintage we tasted and the most expensive at $56.99.

The biggest surprise of the day had to be the Infinitus Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 from Spain. This wine had aromas of deep, rich, black fruit and eucalyptus. Fruit forward in style with medium tannins, this wine is crafted to please. Opulent and nicely textured, this wine is a bargain at $8.99/btl. Behind the Raymond, this cab ran away with a number of votes!

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TURKEY WINE: Which wines goes with whcih parts of a turkey feast

TURKEY WINE: Which wines goes with whcih parts of a turkey feast

See the companion post at Rich Ireland's 'Beers To You' blog on adding the right kinds of beer to a Thanksgiving feast.

For many of us, the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are fowl affairs because the turkey will once again be the centerpiece of these traditional holiday feasts. Thanksgiving is also the beginning of the 40-day holiday season, which includes Chanukah and Christmas, culminating with the New Year’s celebration.

It is also a time of year when you will spend about 70 percent of your yearly wine budget, purchasing bottles for parties, gifts and holiday dinners. For me, it’s the most exciting time of the year. I’m like a kid in a candy store! The shelves of local wine shops are overflowing with bottles of every type and pedigree.
Turkey will once again be the featured main course for Thanksgiving and Christmas in my house. In year's past, I have written about the culinary versatility of turkey which can be successfully paired with red or white (as well as light or full-bodied) wines. The reason is that the bird is blessed with meat that has a variety of flavors, colors and textures, which present opportunities for us to try a lot of different wines.
The type of stuffing you use adds a whole other flavor dimension which -- depending upon the nature of the dressing -- opens up even more wine possibilities. Thus, the holidays also offer we wine hedonists a rare opportunity to sample a virtual sea of wines.
Here are a few wine recommendations to match your holiday turkey and associated culinary accoutrementa. The traditional oven-roasted turkey with sage-flavored dressing does wonderfully well with sauvignon blanc, especially the wines that exhibit herbal characteristics (Kenwood or Dry Creek Sauvignon Blanc).
Alsatian wines, such as riesling or even gewürztraminer, will also work well with this more traditional treatment (Pierre Sparr, Trimbach and Zind Humbrecht are some of my favorite producers). If you prefer red wine, you can try any number of California or Washington State cabernet sauvignons (Louis Martini, Hedges, or Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernets are excellent choices).
My mother would oven-roast her turkey, but her dressing had no sage flavoring. Rather, she would season with salt, pepper and garlic and then add roast chestnuts and Italian sausage to her bread dressing. I have used full, rich California chardonnay (Falcor, Cakebread or Talley) to accompany this meal and it has worked exceptionally well.
I also have used full-bodied Sonoma or Amador County zinfandel (try Ridge Lytton Springs or Renwood Old Vines Zins). On those occasions that I smoke or charcoal grill the “national bird,” I’ll usually create a stuffing of ancho peppers, chili powder along with chipotles (smoked jalapenos), corn bread, corn, chorizo sausage and cheddar cheese. This dressing will get your attention and it demands wines that can stand up to the more intense flavors.
My favorite wines with this spicy, smoky meal are pinot noir from either California or Oregon, or French Rhones such as Chateauneuf Du Pape (try Domaine Serene or Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir from Oregon, Cambria or Rochioli Pinot Noirs from California and Beaucastel (photo at right) or View Telegraph from Chateauneuf Du Pape).
And how about dessert (or as we call it in my home “prelude to the couch”)? Whether it’s pumpkin pie and whipped cream or some other belly-buster, you’ve got to try some late harvest riesling or moscato with the final course (Ch. St. Jean Late Harvest Riesling or Nivole Moscato D’Asti are excellent choices).
See the companion post at Rich Ireland's 'Beers To You' blog on adding the right kinds of beer to a Thanksgiving feast.

Here’s to drinking what you cook with

Here’s to drinking what you cook with

I must take issue with my friends Tara and Rob who, in a recent “Main Ingredient” column for the Sunday Gazette-Mail, suggested there is a double standard at play when it comes to wines for drinking and wines for cooking:

“If we’re going to pay a lot for a bottle of bliss that’s been coaxed to perfection by some grape guru, the last thing we want to do is watch as medium-high heat scrambles its molecules,” they state in the November 4,” Main Ingredient .”In other words, they seem to be saying, it’s not worth wasting good wine to flavor a dish. And, you don’t have to like a wine to cook with it.Believe me when I say I applaud anyone who can find good, bargain-priced wine for any use. As a matter of fact, my wine mission in life is to locate wines that meet those criteria. But why would you want to cook with a wine (cheap or expensive) that you wouldn’t want to drink?

And I really must take exception to this statement: “Any dry white of your choosing will keep for at least a month in the fridge, giving you the flexibility to deglaze at a moment’s notice.” I checked with the Main Ingredient team just to verify that statement and was assured by them that, in fact, an inexpensive white wine they use to cook with on a regular basis does not seem to deteriorate over time nor does it adversely affect the dishes they prepare.

I’ve had different experiences. While you certainly don’t need to spend more than $5 or $10 on a wine you will use for cooking, I think it does matter that the wine is both sound (meaning that it has not developed any off tastes or odors as a result of being opened for more than a couple of days) and that it is pleasant tasting. If not, any flaws in the wine will be manifested in the dish.In my experience, no wine that has been opened – particularly a white - will keep for a month in the refrigerator unless you take steps to prevent oxidation. Once opened, unused wine, especially whites, will begin to go bad fairly quickly unless you pour them into a smaller container and stopper them. This eliminates the air space and preserves the wine.

One other method of preserving your partially used wine is to pump the air out of the bottle by using something like a Vacuvin Wine Saver. Vacuvin employs the use of a rubber stopper that is placed in the bottle opening and then a device which is placed on the stopper to pump out the oxygen. These are widely available at wine shops and grocery stores for around $15.

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WINETIP: Crystal stemware is, clearly, wine’s best friend

WINETIP: Crystal stemware is, clearly, wine’s best friend

ED. NOTE: We've got a blogfecta (blog + trifecata) of posts on the dining/drinking experience. After reading this one, check out Rich Ireland's "Beers To You" post on how restaurants routinely ruin good beers. And food blogger Brooke Brown weighs in with a plaintive cry about servers manhandling the glassware.Over the years, I’ve sipped wine from a variety of vessels, some of which, I must admit, were not exactly made of fine crystal. In fact, in my younger days, I occasionally drank the stuff from coffee cups, beer mugs, plastic containers, water glasses, wine skins, canteens and even (I’m reluctant to admit) from the jug...er bottle.

Like many males of my generation, I also spent a considerable amount of time back then in a ' 57 Chevy, a fraternity house and a foxhole. Consequently, many of the finer elements of wine appreciation, such as selecting the appropriate stemware, were subordinated to more mundane, yet practical considerations such as finding a couple of dollars to buy a jug of Lake Country Red.

Even today, I'll take a sip from a paper cup if I forget to bring my glassware to the picnic or tailgate. But there really is no substitute for using clear glass stemware (preferably crystal) to showcase and enjoy your wineWhy? Well, first of all, there is the aesthetically pleasing quality of using fine stemware. One of the elements of wine appreciation which is often overlooked is the visual aspect. Remember that the first “S” of wine appreciation is sight? Being able to assess the true color of wine, its shades and hues, can only be critically observed and enjoyed when the liquid is displayed in clear glassware.

There are many shapes and sizes of clear stemware that are appropriate for wine display and sipping. Generally, white wine is poured into a more narrow, sometimes tulip-shaped glass while the red wine glass is larger and rounder.Champagne glasses are called flutes and are long and narrow tube-like vessels about eight inches from the stem to the top. These differ greatly from the round and shallow vessels that most people erroneously assume are the traditional Champagne or sparkling wine glasses.Both red, white and Champagne glasses should have at least three to four inch stems so you can hold the glass (by the stem) without getting smudges on the bowl that obscure the wine. Another important reason for not holding the glass by the bowl is that your hand will transfer body heat to the wine.

There are actually glasses produced specifically for wine tasting and appreciation. One of my favorites is something called the INAO wine tasting glass developed by the French to help tasters evaluate wine. The bowl of this glass is egg-shaped and the top is tapered to direct and concentrate the aroma of the wine. The glass is approximately six inches tall with a relatively short stem.I found a Web site (“Artisans on the Web 888-216-6399) where the INAO glasses are priced at $30 for a set of six. You may find better pricing by doing a more comprehensive Web search.My favorite purveyor of fine hand blown crystal is located in Jane Lew, W.Va. Masterpiece Crystal (http://www.masterpiececrystal.com/ or 800-624-3114) produces hand-blown and excellent non-lead stemware at very reasonable prices. They also produce a line of wine tasting glasses similar in size and shape to those produced by INAO. I love the glasses produced by Masterpiece and use them as my everyday stemware.You might also check online for the best prices on world-famous stemware producers such as Reidel or Spiegelau. They make both hand-blown (extremely expensive) and machine-made products.While I’ve occasionally sipped wine from lesser vessels, there is no better way to enjoy that liquid elixir we all love than from clear, crystal stemware. It even makes my homemade wine look good. Still, I hope they’ll develop a glass that will do something about the taste.

EVENT: Wine Tailgate at WVU-Louisville game in Morgantown

Going to the WVU-Louisville game next week? Go a day early and join the fine folks at the “Slight Indulgence” wine shop in Morgantown for a special tasting and dinner at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7.  Joe Elchik from Francis Ford Coppola Vineyards will lead the tasting and guest chef Jason Blosser will prepare special dishes to match each of six wines from Coppola. Cost for the event is $65 per person. Seating is limited, so call (304) 599-3402 for reservations. Slight Indulgence is located at 3200 Collins Ferry Road in Morgantown.

WineBoy13: Making Wine in West Virginia

WineBoy13: Making Wine in West Virginia

Join host John Brown as WineBoy, Episode 13, visits Wilson Ward’s Fisher Ridge Winery in Putnam County to explore the art of making wine in West Virginia. You’ll get the inside scoop on how wine is created — from the vineyard to the fermenting vats to the press and into the barrel. And you won’t want to miss WineBoy’s unique brand of trick-or-treating in version 13 of the batty, weekly Webcast on wine appreciation.

Repelling Vampires: Just one of the benefits of healthy living

Repelling Vampires: Just one of the benefits of healthy living

With Halloween just a week away, I thought it would be good to share some ghoulishly delicious information with you on things related to blood and wine. Over the years, I have reported on the French Paradox -- a research study that demonstrated a link between wine consumption (particularly red wine) and a reduced risk of coronary artery disease. The subjects of the study (French men and women who consumed large amounts of fatty foods such as butter and cheese), had a low incidence of cardiac disease which was attributed to their daily consumption of red wine.

Another study of red wine consumption back then added an interesting culinary twist to the equation. Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison released findings of a study demonstrating that red wine, in conjunction with the consumption of garlic, is even more effective in helping reduce the risk of heart disease.

Now we've all read reports of garlic's healing powers. From heart disease to hypertension, garlic is touted far and wide as a panacea for just about everything, including some supernatural afflictions like vampirism. In addition to its alleged power in repelling vampires, garlic will also repel most human beings who must be in close proximity to those of us who ingest the stuff. The study does not suggest how red wine and garlic should be consumed in order to achieve the desired result. However, I would assume that garlic cloves would be used to flavor vegetables or meat and not just popped in a glass of red wine like olives in a martini.

The scientists at Wisconsin-Madison found that: Red wine is two times more effective than white wine or beer in protecting against heart disease.• Red wine and garlic in combination work better than either does alone.• Compounds in wine known as flavonoids or polyphenols, rather than alcohol, are what produce the beneficial results.• Wine reduces the risk of heart disease by reducing blood-clotting.This study substantiates the growing body of scientific evidence linking moderate wine consumption (defined as two to four 4-ounce glasses with meals each day) to good cardiovascular health.

The research is also good news to many of us who view culinary Nirvana as a place where sturdy red wine is matched with garlic-flavored dishes each and every day. It just so happens I have had the pleasure of sipping a couple of very good red wines recently that should, when combined with the requisite garlic-enhanced dish, result in a deliciously healthy repast:

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WineBoy12: “Pairing Wines With Foods — Different Ideas”

WineBoy12: “Pairing Wines With Foods — Different Ideas”

Watch WineBoy, Episode 12, John Brown's weekly off-the-wall four-minute webcast at thegazz.com/gazzTV, and learn some traditional -- and not so traditional -- food and wine pairings. He'll also recommend a really nice cabernet sauvignon. This week's special guest from Brown's Land of Id is cowboy oenophile Spud Dumplin, who shares "chuck wagon picks" for desert dining (does Shiraz go with fire-roasted Gila monster?).

Fall = Wine and Food Events

Fall = Wine and Food Events

Fall is upon us and with the cooler weather the number of indoor activities naturally increases. Consequently, there are a greater number of wine tastings, gourmet-wine dinners and other gastronomic events around our beautiful state. Whether you decide to stay close to home or travel, there are some nice events on the horizon for wine and food lovers in West Virginia. Check these out.

Bridgeport
Oct. 22: Provence Market's October Wine TastingIf you’re in the north-central WV area next week, you might stop by Provence Market Cafe for a tasting of some good Mountain State wine as Elaine and Alan Wolfe present their Jones Cabin Run Vineyards "Award Winning" selections on Monday, October 22. The tasting begins at 6 p.m.and costs $20 per person.

In case you didn’t know, Provence Market Café is an excellent restaurant with a Wine Spectator award winning wine list. You also might want to check out their annual Holiday Tasting which is scheduled for Monday, December 3rd. For further information on tastings or for dinner reservations call 304-848- 0911
Charleston
OCT. 22: Chefs with Golden Spoons DinnerIf you want to experience the best West Virginia’s culinary wizards have to offer, then consider attending the annual March of Dimes dinner and auction at Berry Hills Country Club on Monday Oct. 22, at 6:30 p.m. The dinner event will feature dishes donated by chefs from around the state, including those from Canaan Valley Resort, The Chop House, Edgewood and Berry Hills Country Clubs, Olgebay Resort, The Blossom, Snowshoe and several others. Attendees may bid for dinner packages in the chef’s restaurants, jewelry and weekend getaways. Tickets are $75 in advance and $100 at the door. Call 720-2229 for reservations. All proceeds from the event go to the March of Dimes.

NOV. 1: Science of Wine & Art of Food fundraiser
The 11th annual Science of Wine & Art of Food fundraiser by the Friends of the Clay Center takes place 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 1, at the Clay Center, featuring a five-course menu paired with wines of New Zealand and Australia. The menu will be prepared by the Clay Center's in-house caterer, Embassy Suites Hotel-Charleston and will feature assorted canapés of vegetables and gourmet cheeses; mussels a la mariniere; Autumn salad of mixed greens and poached pears; a mixed grill duo of lamb and venison; and almond tuile filled with vanilla mint mascarpone.

Silent and live auctions take place throughout the evening including trip to Sonoma, California; Alberta, Canada; and Hawaii, as well as such silent auctions for wine, gourmet food baskets, theater and sporting event tickets and more. Reservations are required by Friday, Oct. 26. Tickets cost $100 per person. Registration is available online at www.theclaycenter.org. Science of Wine & Art of Food is sponsored by Spilman, Thomas & Battle, PLLC, with additional support from BrickStreet Insurance, Commercial Insurance Services, Embassy Suites Hotel-Charleston and Warner Law Offices, PLLC.

NOV. 5: Capitol Market Wine and Cheese Shop
The Shop will hold its annual wine dinner on Monday, Nov. 5 at the Blossom Deli at the Capitol Market in Charleston. Chef Michael Rice has planned an Italian-themed menu to pair with wines selected by Vin Divino, an importer of fine Italian and Austrian wines. This will be five-course meal paired with six wines from Austria and Italy. The cost of the event is $75 per person and space is very limited, so call the Wine Shop at 343-9463 to reserve your spot.

NOV. 15: Blues BBQ Restaurant
The fine folks at Blues, across from the Clay Center at Lee Street and Leon Sullivan Way, will be holding a holiday-themed wine and food dinner on Nov. 15, beginning at 7 p.m. The menu is being constructed around traditional holiday foods matched with an international array of wines. Call Blues at 720-7873 for more information and to make a reservation.

Canaan Valley
NOV. 9-11: Canaan ValleyJoin me for a "Gourmet Wine Weekend In the Mountains - With WineBoy," the weekend of Nov. 9-11 at Canaan Valley Resort for an entertaining and educational food and wine extravaganza. I’ll select wines from around the world that will be paired with a cornucopia of culinary delicacies.

I’ll team up with Canaan Valley Resort’s executive chef Nemat Odeh to lead you on a tasteful wine and food adventure. Incidentally, Chef Odeh did his culinary training in Europe and is a really talented guy. Here’s the schedule: Friday, guests will kick-off the weekend with a "taste-around reception" where wines from the world's most prestigious regions can be sampled with matching culinary treats, including crab cakes, beef tenderloin, smoked salmon, pasta, a raw bar and other treats.

An educational wine tasting and seminar conducted by your own WineBoy will begin Saturday's activities followed by a delicious luncheon with specially selected wines. Chef Odeh will then conduct a Q & A and culinary demonstration after which guests can enjoy an afternoon of activities or relaxation in the Canaan Valley. The evening's activities begin with a Champagne reception followed by a six-course gourmet meal with matching wines. A Sunday brunch will conclude the weekend’s activities.

Cost of the entire weekend, including taxes and gratuities, is $450 a couple or $269 individual. Cost of the package without lodging is $350 a couple or $175 individual. For additional information or reservations, call 800-622-4121.

WINEBOY 11: ‘When Wines Mature’

WINEBOY 11: ‘When Wines Mature’

Maturity is certainly not one of WineBoy's personal attributes. But in episode 11 of John Brown's weekly wine webshow with attitude -- click here to watch -- he'll demonstrate the proper manner to evaluate and serve mature wines. Be sure to catch this latest webcast of Brown's part educational, part zany weekly four-minute show featuring his unique approach to all things wine. You'll want to pay particular attention to the advice of special guest and Wine Astrologist, the Marchrazi Umberto Lupini.

Pork and Zinfandel: Just what Dr. Feelgood ordered

Pork and Zinfandel: Just what Dr. Feelgood ordered

Coppola's "Director's Cut" Zinfandel is a perfect companion to the grilled pork chop recipe below With the arrival of fall, my thoughts turn to richer textured wines and fuller-flavored edibles, including all manner of grilled meat dishes that just seem to go so well with this time of year. But just as I began to plan a feast built around the above mentioned victuals, I visited my family doctor for an annual physical and a dose of reality.

Suffice it to say that his prescription for my continued well-being differs considerably from my own opinion of what is best for me. Hey, after all, I’m a devotee of Dr. Feelgood, whose idea of moderation includes being careful not to be so careful. Anyway, the dish I’m going to suggest to you today is really kind of healthy and it does include the liberal application of red wine (which we all know is important to cardiac health).

I'm a man of simple tastes, yet sometimes I am required to consume complex foods with deeply flavored and sometimes esoteric wines, then expected to render erudite opinions on the experience. For example, it’s not easy to explain why rack of antelope infused with lime, kiwi and a balsamic chipotle reduction goes so well with petit verdot grown on the south-facing slopes of Mt. Etna. This job can be challenging!

So when I cook for friends and family, the food is usually straightforward, down-home, meat and starch type meals with fairly inexpensive, no-nonsense wines that taste good and help de-clog the arteries (see, I’m really trying to be healthy). In fact, I am a great fan of thick-cut pork chops, grilled and served with a great big, full-throttle Zinfandel. But to do it right, you’ll need the best chops available and, for these, I count on the good folks from Sandy Creek Farms near Ravenswood.

You may have heard about Sandy Creek. They raise beef, pork and lamb on organic food-stocks with no antibiotics or other additives. They then butcher and flash freeze the cuts of meat which they deliver in and around the Charleston area. If you’re interested in having them deliver to you call: 800-487-2569. I regularly order pork chops from Sandy Creek. Why? Simply put, they are without a doubt the leanest and tastiest chops I’ve ever consumed. Here’s my recipe (which involves preparing a brine and glaze for the chops) along with a few wine suggestions to go with this delicious meal.

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WineBoy 9: Hey, my wine’s too warm! And hers is too cold.

WineBoy 9: Hey, my wine’s too warm! And hers is too cold.

You know what makes WineBoy mad, really mad? Watch the webcast of WineBoy 9 by clicking here as host John Brown discusses the proper serving temperature of wine while lamenting how few restaurants - even the fancy-shmancy ones- pay attention to this very important aspect of wine appreciation. He'll also tell you about a very tasty Australian red with an Italian pedigree. Oh, and you'll love his interview with Pierre N'Cest Pas, a Frenchman with some strong opinions about American wine.

A few sippers for your shopping cart

A few sippers for your shopping cart

Over the past several months, I have had the pleasure of tasting a number of excellent wines for all things WineBoy, including this blog, the "WineBoy" webcast and the “Main Ingredient” column in the Sunday Gazette-Mail. You may have seen the reviews of a few of these wines in the Main Ingredient, but in case you haven’t, you might want to look for these lovelies at your favorite wine shop or grocery store. Enjoy.

2006 Groth from Napa Valley ($17): This beauty combines the herbal and grassy flavors one expects from sauvignon blanc with a richer texture and fuller feel that should pair exceptionally well with a pasta and asparagus dish with bits of pancetta or bacon.

2005 Montirius Côtes du Rhône ($11): The southern Rhône Valley of France is known for chewy, juicy wines that exhibit a smoky, peppery quality. The most famous wine of the region is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but there are other, more affordable options from that storied region. The Montirius is a lovely Côtes du Rhône red which is a blend of grenache, mourvèdre and syrah. This is a delicious wine chock-full of peppery, dark fruit flavors with a touch of smoke for good measure. Domaine Montirius is also one of the first French wineries to adopt organic and biodynamic practices in both the vineyard and winery. Try it with smoked chicken or grilled hamburgers.

2006 Nobilo Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($11) from New Zealand: Frank Nobilo made his fortune as a PGA touring pro, but, in my opinion, his best stroke was the establishment of the winery bearing his name. One of my favorite value wines is his ’06 sauvignon blanc. This is a crisp, refreshing sipper with a touch of melon and citrus and would be a great accompaniment to poached salmon sauced with dill infused mayonnaise.

2003 Saladini Pilastri Pregio del Conte ($20): Pregio del Conte is a blend of Aglianico and Montepulciano. From the Marches region of Italy, this wine has concentrated sweet dark fruit flavors and is balanced by lively acidity. It would be an excellent choice with roasted sirloin of pork seasoned with garlic, kosher salt, coarsely ground black pepper and rosemary.

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Why “ethereal” is out, “orgasmic” is in

Why “ethereal” is out, “orgasmic” is in

As much as I try not to, I sometimes slip into 'winespeak' in describing the hues, smells and tastes of a wine that -- when the adjectives are stripped away -- is either good, OK, or unpleasant. People often ask me why wine writers feel compelled to go to such great lengths and use such “flowery” terms to describe the sensory aspects of wine. My short answer is that wine has such multi-dimensional qualities that it is limiting and not very helpful to use basic terms to describe it. (And besides, most wine writers get paid by the word).

This all came to mind the other day as I was trying to describe the attributes of a particularly good red wine (from the state of Apulia in Italy) known as Salice Salentino. The stuff was so pleasing to me that I was having difficulty describing it without becoming overly exuberant. However, I think there is a difference between using what I will call traditional language to describe wine versus using non-traditional terms. For example, if I describe a riesling as having ripe apple flavors, you will immediately use your own memory of the taste, smell and texture of ripe apples to understand how the wine might actually taste.

If I wanted to be more specific, I could say that particular riesling has the taste of ripe Gala apples. Well, you get the point. In other words, the more specific the language used to describe how the wine looks, tastes and smells is, the better you will be able to make a decision on whether it appeals to you.

On the other hand, if I use non-traditional language to describe the wine, you may end up scratching your head and wondering what “precocious, assertive, or unctuous” have to do with the way a wine smells or tastes. Those are descriptors I try and steer clear of because, first and foremost, they sound like words an officious wine snob might use. And secondly, the terms don’t really provide any good information that can be used to evaluate whether or not I should purchase the wine.

That’s not to say I haven’t ever succumbed to the temptation. The rationalization I once used to defend my description of a particularly good wine ( as being “orgasmic” ) was that most people have some sense of what that word means. Hey, in the interest of propriety, I could have described the experience as having been “ethereal,” but then how many of us have a working knowledge of that transcendent term.

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WineBoy7: Some air with that wine of yours?

WineBoy7: Some air with that wine of yours?

Show 7 of WineBoy, the informative, off-the-wall wine appreciation show of The Charleston Gazette is now online, featuring new show sponsor Blues BBQ Restaurant, right across from the Clay Center. Host John Brown takes on the question of the day: Why is it a good thing to air our your red wine?