(Photo: wineravela.com)

By Joseph Temple

Do you know someone who enjoys wine but is too overwhelmed by all the terminology and formalities to attend a formal tasting?  For many, especially Millennials who are just starting to appreciate wine, it can be a daunting task trying to figure out what “a mineral-driven, plummy finish” actually means.  And is there really a difference between a score of 96 points versus a score of 97?  “Wine is intimidating,” writes Alison Stevenson for Munchies.  “I don’t want my alcohol to feel like a homework assignment.”

But what if people could sample different vintages in a more casual environment where no one has to worry about their knowledge – or lack of knowledge – on the subject?

Welcome to the world of wine raves – quite possibly the next big thing.

With vino cocktails that glow in the dark and a DJ providing the evening’s soundtrack, these raves are the complete antithesis to the traditional notion of tasting wine on a white tablecloth with a spittoon.  Of course, that’s exactly what the organizers of these events are aiming for.  “We’re talking about wine too seriously,” said Maxwell Leer, a rave promoter.  “We want to make people feel more comfortable with it.”

Footage from an outdoor wine rave in Europe

Since 2011 when the first American wine rave debuted in San Diego, these gatherings have grown in size and are now starting to attract mainstream publicity.  And a big plus is the price, which is very reasonable by L.A. standards.  “For $30, I could have received bottle service; a full bottle of a Wine Rave cocktail.  That is the most affordable bottle service in existence, I think,” writes Stevenson who recently attended a rave in Los Angeles.

Sipping different vintages from shot glasses usually reserved for B-52s and Kamikazes while dancing to the sounds of Lady Gaga and 2Pac, traditionalists would probably scoff at these types of events for various reasons.  If anybody is smoking and/or wearing cologne or perfume at this rave, it becomes extremely difficult to smell the wine – a key factor in judging its merits.  Additionally, with fluorescent lighting and swirling glow sticks as the backdrop, determining the wine’s color is next to impossible.

All of that of course doesn’t matter to the partiers in attendance.  They are enjoying wine in a relaxed and fun setting where all the stereotypes associated with the culture get checked at the door.   An important bridge has been created at these raves, connecting the novice drinker who is curious about wine with experienced oenophiles, who under normal circumstances probably wouldn’t have ever crossed paths.  Barriers created by scorecards and terms like terroir and bouquet have been removed.  In the end, that’s all that matters to these wine drinkers.

“Wine can be a conversation or it can just be a drink,” says Lear.  “In which case, just drink it.”

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By Flickr user My Hobo Soul. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/myhobosoul/95998596/) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Question: Planning a February special dinner party where I want to showcase Australian chardonnay. Any recommendations for me?

Answer: Great idea because now there are some wonderful chardonnays from Australia that are less oaky and much more food friendly. Not sure of what foods you are featuring or your budget but there is availability at all price ranges from the top expensive barrel fermented Yattarna (now always mostly Tasmania fruit) from Penfolds all the way down to the low priced multi blend values. I really enjoy mid- priced best examples from the cooler regions like Tasmania (complex low yield Josef Chromy), Adelaide Hills (balanced refined wild yeast Shaw & Smith M3 either 2012 or 2013 & stylish Wolf Blass Gold Label 2013), Margaret River (elegant fruity Devil’s Lair Hidden Cave 2013 or 2014), and Yarra Valley (consistent Coldstream Hills). Enjoy!

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I am a big advocate for and user of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. I seem to use it on nearly everything. However there are many other oils out there in the marketplace. One that I would point out to you that is still flying slightly under the radar is Camelina Oil. It is an old oilseed that originated in Northern Europe and can be traced back to the Bronze Age for use as a culinary oil. I have been using a Saskatchewan based group of farmers called Three Farmers (www.threefarmers.ca) Camelina Oil especially for grilling, sautéing, roasting, deep frying, and stir frying as it is so useful with its high 475F smoke point. I also like their Roasted Onion & Basil version with garlic for salads, marinades and dips. It is a cold pressed non-GMO product with an earthy nutty character containing fats plus Omega 3, Omega 6, Omega 9, and Vitamin E. In fact they claim the ratio of these fatty acids is as important as their nutritional value and that Camelina Oil has a better ratio of these than the other oils including – olive, flax, hemp, grape seed and coconut. It claims to be naturally gluten-free without artificial additives, preservatives, colours, and trans fatty acids. This natural sustainable product comes with a best before date together with a searchable traceability number on the bottle label back to the farmer who sourced it and the field in which it was grown. For more background information go to this website. Have you tried this oil? Check out the retail availability of this product on line or at a store near you.

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By Joseph Temple

If you enjoyed watching prime-time soap operas as much as you loved drinking wine back in the 1980s, then Friday night was definitely your night!  That’s because right after J.R. Ewing’s scheming on CBS, viewers could uncork their favorite bottle, sit back and be transported to Tuscany Valley (i.e. Napa Valley) where a world of sex, blackmail and deceit would unfold at the Falcon Crest Winery.

A Top 20 show for several seasons, fans couldn’t get enough of the constant infighting between the Channing’s and Gioberti’s, two related families battling for control of their Northern California vino-empire.  Dubbed “Dallas with grapes” by TV critics, the picturesque scenery of a Victorian era hilltop mansion surrounded by palm trees and bountiful vineyards proved to be a great hook in attracting viewers.  Within a short time, Falcon Crest was able to create its own legion of devout followers who tuned in every week to watch Angela Channing, a ruthless matriarch fight tooth and nail against her nephew Chase Gioberti (and later Richard Channing, the illegitimate son of both families) for power over the winery and their related businesses.

In reality, the stunning home that people saw in the opening credits was Spring Mountain Vineyard, purchased by vintner Mike Robbins in the 1970s.  The surrounding area, near St. Helena could trace its commercial winemaking roots back to the late 19^th century when Charles Lemme and the Beringers planted the first vines. More than a hundred years later, the region has gone on to be a recognized American Viticultural Area (AVA) and a keystone of the world famous Napa Valley.   And with the Judgment of Paris shocking the wine world in 1976, there probably wasn’t a better backdrop than Spring Mountain for a salacious soap that quickly gained a worldwide audience.

Although the ownership has since changed hands and its new proprietors are quick to downplay any connection to the show, there is no doubt that during this soap opera’s heyday, Spring Mountain was one of the hottest pieces of real estate north of San Francisco.  Author James Conaway in his book Napa: The Story of an American Eden writes,

“Sometimes Robbins had trouble getting into his own driveway.  He put signs saying the house and some of the grounds were off limits, but the tourists wandered around anyway, looking at his olive trees and at the pool beyond the box hedges, peering through the windows.”

Cashing in on the show’s popularity, Robbins eventually introduced a separate label named after the program, which tourists eager to bring home a souvenir bought in droves.  However, when the show ended in the spring of 1990, all of this hyper commercialism would leave a bad taste in the palate of Robbins, who decided to sell his estate two years later.

But almost twenty-five years after the show’s cancellation, there is no escaping the enormous footprints left by Jane Wyman, Robert Foxworth and the rest of this all-star cast.  “I’ve been trying to figure out why this looks so familiar,” said one visitor to author Rick Kushman during his tour of Spring Mountain Vineyard for the book A Moveable Thirst: Tales and Tastes from a Season in Wine Country.

“Wasn’t this where they made Falcon Crest?”

What are your thoughts on this great slice of 80s television nostalgia?  Did it help or hurt the wine industry in general?

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By Daryn Nakhuda (originally posted to Flickr as Delicious Cabernet) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Question: Any new tips on letting a wine breathe?

Answer: Still just to open the bottle and expose the wine to air. However, not much surface area is aerated and exposed to oxygen unless you pour it into a glass or better still a decanter. Seems to becoming more important than ever recently with more reductive wines out there and wines spending longer periods under screw cap closures. Many of these wines definitely need breathing to open up and show their best as of course do most young tannic reds. A key question is for how long. Best to experiment. Lots of new tools on the market to help you speed the process up. I just received a gift I am playing with called a Wine Breather Carafe (search on www.menu.as) a Danish design made in Turkey that claims to add 10 times more oxygen in just 2 minutes. They also say that “aerating white wine has the same taste-improving advantages as aerating red wine” and that it is “perfect for all young wines up to 10 years old.” Check it out.

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