Fit of Giggles

There are many ways to learn a new language.  One is sifting through a wine catalogue . A German rosé sent me and my daughters into a fit of giggles as we tried for 20 minutes different pronunciations of Winzergenossenschaft Königschaffhausen Pinot Noir Rosé from Baden, Königschaffhauser Vulkanfelsen.

Sorry Germany – your language makes me laugh.

 

Now that’s a vending machine

Seriously – a vending machine that dispenses wine bottles.  All you do is  blow into a machine (to prove sobriety), swipe the credit card (to prove  you have money), and then hopefully a bottle of wine drops out (to prove how crazy the whole thing is). 

Pennsylvania  – “America Starts Here” – is using wine vending machines on a trial basis.  The government who won’t let  you buy wine in a  grocery store sells wine like it was  a bag of Skittles!  In a report issued last week, Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner says the state liquor control board’s wine vending machines are operating at a loss, costing taxpayers more than $1 million since they were introduced a year ago. I’m no business major, but shouldn’t you make money when you have a monopoly on something?

In the words of Yackov Smirnoff “What a country!”

Full article here

Good Old Wolf

Wolf Blass makes a good sparkling wine – his Gold Label Pinot Noir Chardonnay is available in Vintages stores for a limited time.  Also, apparently that is his real name.  You don’t get a lot of children on this continent being named “little Wolfie” these days.  Which makes me think – what are the chances that Wolf Blitzer is the CNN anchor’s real name. “Hey look at me – I’m a reporter in the Gulf War and my name just happens to be Wolf Blitzer”. Does he think I’m stupid or something?

In the time it took you to read this I  went online and changed my legal name  to Shiraz Bordeaux.  Merci.

WOLF BLASS GOLD LABEL SPARKLING PINOT NOIR/CHARDONNAY 2007
VINTAGES 606285 |Price: $ 19.95

 

Last BBQ of the year

My local LCBO is carrying a new product – at least to them.  The wine is Long Flat Shiraz Viognier and it’s quite a good BBQ wine.  I like that the Aussies often put a touch of Viognier  in their Shiraz. Viognier is a white wine that softens and enflorenates the Shiraz.  Also, I’m pretty sure I just made up the word “enflorenates” since my spell check is freaking out on me.

LONG FLAT SHIRAZ VIOGNIER
LCBO 220426 | Price: $ 11.95

Serve this a little chilled otherwise it comes across a touch too sweet.  Great BBQ wine – and BBQ season is alarmingly close to being over so try it soon.

Educate Our Youth

I learned two things today.  First thing –  if you live near a University don’t go to the wine store on a Thursday night.  Thing two –  if you are in a wine store don’t listen to college kids recommending wine to their friends.  They are not the discerning demographic group.  I should have known that from the kid purchasing a bottle of vodka and a 6 pack of Miller Light cans – but that’s not even what tipped me off.  It was a conversation that I overheard in the aisle next to me.

“Girls’ Night Out is a great Rosé” was the comment that almost made me drop my imported British beer.  I really think we need to change our entire Education system. Girls’ Night Out is NOT a great rosé – neither is the Girls’ Night Out Sangria in a 1.5 mL bottle. Girls’ Night Out may be tasty, it may be a great value, it may even be cute – but we do need to educate our youth in the ways of wine.  Muga and Gran Fuedo are great Rosé wines – as is practically anything from Provence –  but a wine with a pink sundress on the label is not an indication of a great wine. Sorry girls – but I hope you did have a nice girls’ night out .