The Barrel Room - We Taste. We Talk.

"Adult Environment". This two word announcement on the front door of vboggs galleries, was intended to alert parents of young children that vboggs galleries isn't an extension of the park and playground. Upon it's conception, I never thought the idea would extend to a more subtle meaning..."Adult Conversation".... but that has become a refreshing byproduct of conducting our Saturday tastings. I must say, that most of the tasting rooms I've visited have been at wineries, therefore, I didn't frequent them more than a couple of times a year. Our tasting room, is frequented by clients on a much more regular basis, and has come to resemble an English Pub environment of local people, enjoying conversation and commraderie and sometimes - really funny, silly, naughty and enjoyable talk.

Subjects of conversation run the gamut of movies, politics (yikes!), religion (double yikes!), local people, local events, sports, GOLF (alot of golf), Art, and sometimes even wine. I must say, that I really love this accidental byproduct of the Barrel Room. The idea that there is a gathering place, where people feel comfortable enough to share whatever is on their mind - is the greatest compliment to what we've tried to create. An Art Gallery should be a creative place, and I truly believe that if we were tasting in any place other than an Art Gallery - there wouldn't be as much freedom of expression and openess. I cherish it every Saturday and always look forward to the suprise of some comment or notion that makes us all laugh or shake our heads. It's just fun - and dammit - fun is what we need !

I love the movie chat especially - My Netflix list is slap full of recommendations I hear in the Barrel Room - Our clientele have as astute taste in movies as in wine - and the recommendations are always spot on.

On that note - I thought I would close with a few recommendations of my own (and collected), expecially some "wine" movies, that may deserve a second look:

1. Bottle Shock - If you haven't seen it yet - go get it. This is the true story of how a little known California wine won the 1976 Paris Tasting - beating out some of the most prestigous Burgundy's. There is eye candy for us girls and the boys - and the scenery is just breathtaking. It's darned funny too.
2. Mondovino - A mockumentary about the wine industry - a global look. LONG - but extremely educational and subtly funny. There is really cool history about the feuds and land wars that will open your eyes up to the business of wine and the business of family. Truly Cool.
3. Blood & Wine - oldy but goody. J.Lo, Jack Nicholson and Michael Cane and Judy Davis (LOVE HER). It's not really about wine, but it's got some great wine quotes in it and well, like I indicated, I love Judy Davis.... and my husband loves J. Lo.
4. A Good Year - Honestly, I could watch this once a week. Really well done cinematography and strong acting (Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Albert Finney) give us a beautiful look into the intimacy of french a chateau and how unassuming some of the finest winemakers may be - it's a little feel-goody, but a nice lesson on smelling the roses.

No, I didn't list Sideways - as I am assuming everyone has seen it, and I just don't want to further perpetuate the slighting of Merlot. Thanks to that movie, you can't buy a bottle of Pinot for under $25 and people are turning their noses up to Merlot. Well, not vboggs. I have some awesome Merlots for you - structured, no sweet vanilla and great for grilled steaks.

Though, I did really like the movie. We can talk about it next time you're in.

Cheers,

v

How I Pick My Wines...(Often Asked!)

Probably the #1 question I hear at the gallery is "how do you choose your wines?". While it would be fun to reply that I pick them from a catalog blindfolded, it is my sincere pleasure to report that I take this function extremely seriously and I do in fact, have a criteria for selecting wines for our weekly tastings, as well as, for general availability.
First and foremost, I gotta like it. I believe that in order to be a successful saleperson, you must like what your selling, or it's an uphill battle. Lucky for my clients, I like alot of wines.
So I taste, and as I taste, I remind my purveyors to withhold the pricing until I ask for it. I prefer to assess the wine without clouding my judgement with price considerations. I feel like the adage - "Great Wine for the Money" is soooo overused, and shouldn't it just be a great wine ?!?!
When tasting, I take an inordinant amount of time smelling the wine; probably to an annoying degree, however, it's important to me - because I smell better than I taste. (Everyone's different...) I like to smell the wine with short little sniffs then one long one. The short sniffs give me the aromas, the long sniff tells me the alcohol content and structure. If the wine has interesting and abundant aromas - I like it. If the alcohol is in check (not too hot), I like it. If I notice there are undercurrent aromas that I can't quite pinpoint, then I detect nice structure, and I like it.
Once I taste the wine, I want a little air to mix with the wine in my mouth, so I slurp. Yes, it sounds disgusting, and funny and pretentious but it's fun. Plus, I get a better idea of the mouthfeel and the structure when I slurp. I like it when a wine fills my palate, and when the flavors show themselves without any puckering or burning.
Once "I Like It", I then want to hear the price. Price is relative. A $40 Cab, should be compared to other $40 cabs - not to a $20 Cab. My criteria for price is simple...Don't Shock Me. If you tell me it's a $40 cab, then it darned well better taste like I just spent $40 and I'm thrilled. I believe the wine should taste as good as it cost - and it's a total bonus when it's tastes better, or way better, than it costs. LOVE that. And I try to buy those, whenever I can !
Additional criteria -
1. I'm a sucker for a good story. I love to hear the journey the grape took to the bottle, and about the crazy, inspired people who helped it get there.
2. Food Friendliness is uber important. I want the wine to be a dead ringer for a Chipotle rubbed Pork Tenderloin or Lobster Salad. Makes my job easier.
3. Is it sippable ? As important as food friendliness, is people friendliness. Can you just pop it open, pour it up - share it and love it without too much pontification ? Perfect !

Noticably Missing from my criteria.... RATINGS. ENDORSEMENTS. COOL LABELS.

Cheers,

v

What I learned about wine this week....

#1 - we are still drinking wine, despite the economy. At least my distributors are telling me this as they show up, week after week, with all the optimism of a well seasoned sales rep, who knows that if he believes it, maybe I will too. As far as I can tell, people are in fact, still drinking wine. Now, there are noticable changes in buying behavior, ie., price, quantity, frequency...but by in large, wine consumption is steady. This, I believe, it attributed to the unique power of wine - it's ability to relax us, treat us (at reasonable cost) and to help us maintain hope that good times are just around the corner. Wine reminds us that we are merely participants in a grapes journey that employs thousands of hands and minds along it's way. I say... cheers to that.

#2 - There are alot of damned good Chardonnay's from Central Coast California. I cannot wait for warmer weather, so we can get these in front of our barrel room clients. A couple of weeks ago we tasted the Summerland Chardonnay (Paso Robles) and loved how balanced it is; it shows great pear and kiwi fruit on the palate, and it's barely kissed with oak, creating a creamy finish. The Geode Chard is another.... I love these wines, so they are on my shelves. But I swear - new Labels of CC Chards are coming out of the woodwork, and I wish I could dedicate a whole section to them ! I just don't have the room ! So expect to see more of these wonderfully balanced, food friendly, yet pleasantly oaked wines, hitting our Barrel Room in the months to come.

#3 - People don't believe that I'm working when they come into the gallery and see me drinking wine. I swear - people will try to sell me anything from advertising to massages and tires and yap away at me, as if I'm some store clerk taking a break and knocking back some of the company's profits while I do so. Please ! While it is quite hard for some to grasp - I consider it the most important part of my job to personally taste the wines I plan to present to my clients. I take pride in understanding the nuances of each bottle, and making recommendations to my clients based on their description of their preferences. So to all the sales people who stroll in and assume I'm some lush and therefore a good target for a 6-pack of Braves Tickets.... Yes, I am drinking wine - and Yes, I am working !!