The Wine Curmudgeon

Tuesday tidbits 57: Special cheap wine edition

News and notes related to the Wine Curmudgeon’s favorite subject, quality, inexpensive wine:

• The market focuses on cheap wine (or, I become hip and trendy): Which, of course, is a scary thought. But some anecdotal evidence suggests that a potentially major shakeout is underway in the retail marketplace, as consumers look for less expensive wine. One major Dallas-area retailer says he can’t move anything that costs more than $10 or $12, and even $15 wine is sitting on the shelves. Meanwhile, an executive at a well-respected importer told me “Seems like everyone is asking for wines under $25 –- and we don’t have many, alas.” I’ll have an in-depth look at what’s happening, as promised, after the first of the year.

Wine review: Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2007

• Dancing Bull Zinfandel 2009 review

Dancing Bull, when it debuted six or seven years ago, was solid, cheap, quality zinfandel. Then, as will happen with these things, the label (part of the Gallo empire) morphed into two: The more expensive Rancho Zabaco, which focused on zinfandel, and the less expensive Dancing Bull, which became a full line (chardonnay, merlot and the like) of ordinary grocery store stuff.

This was disappointing, since the Wine Curmudgeon appreciates zinfandel, and especially solid, cheap, quality zinfandel. But I’m happy to report that the current vintage of Dancing Bull zinfandel (about $10) is almost what it used to be. The 2007 isn’t quite as spicy or brambly as those first bottlings, but it does offer lots of berry fruit, subdued tannins, and, blessedly, relatively low alcohol. You can drink two glasses without the need for a field sobriety test.

Pair this with any hearty winter fare (braised short ribs and garlic mashed potatoes come to mind), as well as zinfandel’s traditional partners – spaghetti and meatballs and the like.

Technorati Tags: wine review,Dancing Bull,zinfandel,$10 wine,cheap wine,red wine

Dessert wines: An overview, part II

This is the second of two parts discussing dessert wines – ports, sherries, sauternes, ice wine and the rest. Part I, which looked at dessert wine in general, is here.

Can you pair dessert wines with food? Yes, but it’s generally not worth the trouble. They stand on their own. Also, don’t be discouraged by the prices, which are high. A dessert wine serving is half or less than that of a dinner wine, and one or two glasses is more than sufficient.

One other note: Dessert wine labels are confusing, not just because there are so many different kinds, but because we don’t deal with them very much. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sherries and ports, for example, are labeled according to quality and style, a complex process that is more than most of us need to know. It’s helpful to know that an LBV port is different and less expensive (and sometimes a better value) than a vintage port, but it’s not crucial.

Finally, these wines are only a tiny sample of what’s out there. As always, look, taste, and see try different things. And then pour yourself a glass, sit back, and enjoy. A fire place is optional, but it certainly doesn’t hurt:

Blog housekeeping: Ads and comments

I wanted to keep everyone posted on the two major recent developments, the appearance of advertising and a new comment format.

So far, the ads seem to be what they should be. I’ve had to block a couple, but even they weren’t tremendously inappropriate. A friend of mine gets sex ads on the site he runs for his college journalism classes, and he spends as much time blocking ads as he does writing, I think.

My blog is part of an ad network put together by Six Apart, the company that owns TypePad, the blog platform I use. I’ve been quite impressed, though the money I get won’t do much to feather the Wine Curmudgeon’s retirement. A good day brings in about a quarter, though I set a record yesterday with 37 cents. And don’t worry – I’m not going to write something here about how you need to click on the links to save me from penury (or drinking poorly made cheap wine). The ads are more about seeing how the system works than making any money. For instance, I don't get paid until I accrue $200 in earnings -- which should take about six years.

Dessert wines: An overview, part I

This is the first of two parts discussing dessert wines – ports, sherries, sauternes, ice wine and the rest. Part II, which will offer dessert wine suggestions, is here.

The Wine Curmudgeon has a deep, dark guilty secret (and, no, it’s not Yellow Tail). It’s dessert wine – sweet, rich, luscious, and often pricey dessert wine.

In those respects, it is frequently everything that drives me crazy about the wine business. But dessert wine almost always gets the benefit of my doubt, because it is that much fun to drink. Pour a glass after a dinner, sniff it, swirl it around in the glass, and sip it. More often than not, it caps off the evening without recourse to over-chocolated desserts, the current chef-fusion-fruit concoction or whatever form of cheesecake is making the rounds.

It’s not necessarily a holiday wine, but it does pair well with this time of year.

Holiday shopping recap

Just in case you missed these the first time around:

• Champagne and sparkling wine for the holidays. My pal Dave McIntyre has a fine piece about finding bargains among the most expensive bubbly, as well as something about less expensive wines.

• Where to go and what to do if you need a bottle of wine for a holiday gathering, and you don’t have a lot of time to shop.

• Holiday gift ideas: wine and wine-related presents, and wine books.

Technorati Tags: wine gifts,holiday wine,wine books,champagne,sparkling wine

Wine of the week: Clean Slate riesling 2007

Riesling is a funny thing. Some people won’t drink it because it’s sweet, and other people only drink it because it is sweet. So how about drinking the Clean Slate because it’s enjoyable?

Sweet wine is neither good nor bad because it’s sweet, just like dry wine is neither good nor bad because it’s dry. How often does someone refuse to drink cabernet sauvignon because it’s too dry? Sweet wine is worth drinking based on whether the winemaker pays attention, and the sweetness should be balanced by the fruit and the acid in the wine.

That’s mostly the case with the Clean Slate (about $10), a German wine from the Mosel. It’s a simple wine, but it has enough lemon-lime acidity to balance the sweetness. The Germans have six levels of sweetness, and this is about the second most dry. Drink the Clean Slate at any holiday event, and it will also pair with roast ham and spicy food.

Technorati Tags: German wine,riesling,sweet wine,Clean Slate