Modesto columnist offers suggestions on how to overcome the mystique of wines
September is California’s Wine Month and also “Wine Line’s” 16th birthday. I’m pretty sure this is No. 384 and that the wine glass still is half full. So on to year 17.
This column tries to take a consumer-friendly approach to wine, yet too many folks are still intimidated. Here are some suggestions to overcome the mystique of wine.
- Wine is simple. Wine is just fermented grape juice, not rocket science. Your homework is to taste lots and lots of wine.
- Enjoy wine. Wine is supposed to be fun. Go ahead, put ice in your red wine. There are no rules.
- Ignore wine snobs or wine geeks and their mumbo-jumbo. Wine-speak is super boring so run away or lock the door.
- Trust your palate. Develop your own taste and the enjoyment of wine. Your opinion here is all that matters.
- Drink what you like, with whatever you like. Food and wine pairings are just suggestions. If you like a Petite Sirah with tuna noodle casserole, bon appetite!
It comes down to just one simple statement: Find a wine that you like, one that you can afford, open it, drink it, and enjoy it. That’s all there is folks.
The Big Crush
It’s not too late to get your tickets to the Amador Vintner’s Big Crush Harvest Wine Festival, Oct. 6-8. With more than 45 wineries participating, you can expect to see the actual crush in operation along with barrel tasting, winery tours, food, music and plenty of award-winning wines. Tickets include wine tasting and harvest experiences at six different wineries each day. You can purchase a walk-in passport and you can choose the wineries the day of the event or a reservation passport where each winery stop is scheduled ahead of time. You can buy a single day, or a two-day or a three-day passport. This is a fantastic opportunity to pass on your go-to faves and try some new wineries. The Big Crush is reasonably priced, well organized and Amador Wine Country hospitality is unbelievable. Go to www.amadorwine.com for tickets.
What’ s on our table
The Lagosta Vinho Verde DOC wine from Portugal is light, slightly fruity, a bit spritzy and low 9% alcohol. It’s definitely a steal at $4.49. Now, look around for a bright red label with just the letter ‘G’ in the middle. You’ve found Francis Ford Coppola’s Grazie Mille, a smooth 2017 red blend deal, only $5.39. Both are available at Grocery Outlet. Looking for some gold medal-winning red wines for under $10? Try Bogle Family Vineyards 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon (95 points), 2021 Zinfandel (94 points) and the 2020 Merlot (94 points). Scores are from the 2023 California State Fair Competition. Cheers!
Questions? Comments? Find me on Facebook or at rgwinton@yahoo.com.