The Wine Mine

We’re Open on the 4th (normal hours)

Hi there:  I hope that everyone is looking forward to Independence Day, the first official holiday of the Summer (actually I considered the first Monday that school was out a major holiday as I didn’t have to drive anybody to classes at 7:15am!).
Hopefully you’re getting together with friends and family, hosting, or going to BBQs (we’ll feature BBQ wines in this Sat’s tasting), watching fireworks, etc.  Then again perhaps you’ll be camping, driving off on vacation, whatever.  Enjoy the day no matter what.

On the wine front: 

I wanted to thank Brad and Charles once again for debuting their first commercial wine release during our Russian River Tasting Friday before last.  I forgot to take a picture of them then but here they are (Brad on the left, Charles the right).  They had a great time, as did I and everyone who attended, discussing their Gehring Sasser R.R. Pinot, other wines they’re working on and wine in general. 
Their Pinot was warmly received and many took it home, in fact even more than took home the Dehlinger Pinot - a very highly respected R.R. Winery which is a testament to either their wine or their charm although it could, of course, be both!
Thanks Guys and good luck with the venture.

Quick Notes: 

- This Saturday’s tasting adds a $10 version with four additional (and somewhat pricey wines) for you to try.  We’ll have cheese, crackers, nuts,etc. to nibble on (details on the weekly Wine Tastings page).

- For fans of the Russian River and/or Pinots put our special Friday night, June 19th night tasting on your calendar (details on the Weekly Wine Tastings page). 
 

My thanks again to the 250 or so people who came to our free 2nd Anniversary BBQ on the 16th - I’m still finding little things tidy up and put away which keep reminding me of it (fond memories).

The parking lot felt a bit like the Australian Outback at 95+ degrees.  Unfortunately we had the Aussie tasting scheduled for this week - it turns out it is difficult to plan these things around the weather as evidenced by the fact that last Saturday barely hit 55 degrees, a forty degree swing from the week before.

Somewhat, if tangentially related, my son is taking his finals this week in high school which means some form of studying should be occurring - hmm, I see no signs of that! 

Australia:
Since I can’t seem to make him study I thought I would provide some tidbits of Australian wine information which you should memorize and then discuss at this Saturday’s tasting or bring out to wow your friends the next time an Aussie wine appears.  I expect attention to detail in your reading and the quiz this Saturday will count.

Australia began producing wine in approximately 1820 and started exporting it soon thereafter.  Despite having to learn the land and adapt plantings to new environments the wines drew favorable press overseas and even did well in several wine competitions in France and other countries - at least when tasted blind and not subjected to local prejudice in the tasting process!

In the late 19th century Australian vines, along with most European vines, were hit by Phlloxera (an exported North American pest similar to aphids and Reality TV both of which feed upon the roots of their host) which devastated production.
Since the 1970’s there has been a huge resurgence in the industry and it currently ranks fourth among wine exporting nations of the world. 

Australia is best known for it’s Syrah, known as Shiraz - to sound Aussie say it with with the “a” sounding like that in “hat”.  This is the single most planted grape followed by Chardonnay and then Cabernet Sauvignon.  The vast majority of vines are planted in Southeastern regions of Australia - New South Wales, Victoria and parts of South Australia. 
The best known wine from the country is Penfolds Grange which has achieved iconic status within the wine world - and commensurate pricing.  Other wines famous among the cognoscenti (not you or me) are Torbreck’s Run Rig and D’Arenberg Dead Arm - which we’ll pour on Saturday.  Paul, whom many of you have met while he pours wine for us on Saturdays, can tell you about many others as his full time job is working for Australia’s largest wine corporation, Foster’s Group. 

Well, that’s but a little about Australian wines but more than enough for now.  I’ll just end with the answer to an extra credit question:  Phylloxera, from North America, devestated much of the world’s wine production.  The industry was also saved by North America which provided Phylloxera resistant rootstock for foreign vines to be grafted onto thus allowing them to survive and flourish  this saved countless types of grapes indigenous to their countries and regions from extinction. 
Thank Goodness!

Have a good weekend.