Jeff and I are offering a number of tasting presentations in which we cover both the basics of winetasting and the specific characteristics of some of the wine world’s most interesting regions. For example, we offer an evening tasting some of the wines I write about in my books, and my travels and research enable us to turn our focus to other French regions, as well. As Jeff’s particular expertise runs to Italian and Spanish wines, we also offer presentations that allow a glimpse into the remarkable range of wines that are found in the heart of the Mediterranean. Finally, we both have an interest in West Coast wines, which, given the tradition of single varietal wines in American winemaking, enables us to offer presentations that focus on the wines made from a single grape, such as chardonnay or pinot noir or Zinfandel.

How does it work? Drop us an e-mail, and we’ll begin by establishing your interests and your budget. Minimum group size is ten people with a maximum of thirty. Our fees vary slightly with the length of the event and the number of wines, but are based on $25/person for a two-hour event involving five wines. The wine, provided by our suppliers, is additional, its cost determined by your selections. (To give you an example on the moderate end, the wine cost for a recent evening with 28 guests tasting one sparkling wine, one white, two reds, and a dessert wine, all from southern France, was less than $17/person, glassware and wine linens included.)

If you’re interested in serving food we can advise on menus that would work well with the wines and suggest area caterers, as well.

Bonnes dégustations!

Michael Sanders, theyard@gwi.net
Jeff Rowe, jeff@craggyrock.com

With weather as changeable as we’ve had here in Maine, it’s hard to know what you’ll want to eat or drink one day to the next. We may be grilling that lamb under a hot sun one day and huddling around the fire inside the next with an Irish stew on the stove. This list provides for both extremes, with a bias towards warm weather wines. When the sun does come out, chances are you’ll likely be thinking more on the lighter side, and not just roses and whites but even reds lighter in body, color, and alcohol. This is also a time of year to throw orthodoxy to the winds and to discover not only new wines, but new ways of drinking them.

A few notes: on chardonnays: these days, one finds in general three styles of this much-abused white grape on the market—the sweetish, oaky Californians, the bone dry, mineraly Chablis and white Bordeaux, and then those from New Zealand and Australia which can remind you of a tropical fruit drink rather than a wine. The Californians have gone so far that now the counterrevolution is here, seen in those bottles proudly proclaiming “Unoaked” right on the front label. Do try them, particularly alongside their French cousins, to get a taste of what this wine might have tasted like in your grandfather’s time.

On rosés: because these are usually delicate creatures, always buy them young, not more than two years old at most. You can tell when a rose has been either poorly made or poorly stored (or is just too old) because it will have a slight orange tinge to it, signaling that it has become oxidized and is already falling apart. Also, roses should not be heavy in alcohol, 13° a rarity, and usually from very hot regions like the Rhone.