We’ve all sipped water while watching someone drink whole jugs of wine

Too many times I have witnessed people drinking their epitome of greatness in a glass, while turning their noses up at the people next to them who are drinking something that isn’t deemed worthy.   The dissonance of palates, to me, can be overwhelming.  Without trying to over-complicate why someone enjoys a particular thing, I think the real question should be why do we care?  It’s obviously not for our own enjoyment.  Does it boost our egos? Do we justify our own palates by qualifying those of others?

There is quite a bit of muscle-flexing, or palate-flexing, in the world of alcohol.  When someone is passionate about alcohol, name/knowledge/cellar-dropping is, more often than not, the focal point at the start of the conversation.  In our own world, our palate is KING.  We won’t let the peasants bring mutton (Miller Lite, Two Buck Chuck) to the table.  We will only indulge in the foie gras (Lafite, SQN, DRC, Caymus, Cantillon)   In reality, most of us can’t afford to drink luxury beers and wines as often as we’d like; although we tend to describe our flavor profiles akin to those producers.  We try to find a middle-ground, a sense of comfort, for our palates as well as for our wallets.

Likewise, there is a certain level of class to which we set our palates.  Many people will snub a person drinking white zinfandel in a wine glass filled with ice cubes, while they drink a residual sugar-driven Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley out of their stemless wine glasses.  Who has the better palate?  Is it the sommelier drinking a ’47 Cheval Blanc?  Is it the country club golfer drinking Silver Oak?  Is it the birthday girl, who just turned 21, drinking a glass of Beringer White Zinfandel?  My answer, while not genius, is none of these.  All have a starting point in wine and have advanced to where their own palates are at this given moment.  Two Buck Chuck, Mateus, Lancers, Apothic Red, and thousands of other wines of that “caliber” have passed the lips of most of us at one point or another in our lives.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with liking them, as there is nothing wrong with disliking them!

My suggestion is to avoid sticking your nose in the air at people drinking wines that don’t please you.  Rather, it is more useful to stick it in the glass of wine you’re drinking and enjoy it!

Part 1

Cheers,

Daniel Schmerr

The sweetest of the dry

Wine palates vary so much that it sometimes becomes a personal mission to find a particular tasting profile for each person I talk to each day.  Every person I’ve tasted with over the years drop certain hints to what types of wines they really appreciate, by just naming a few wines that they enjoy.  All too often do I hear wines such as the Prisoner from the Prisoner Wine Company, or Belle Glos Meiomi.  I often hear these wines described as full bodied, rich, dense, highly textured, and very dry.  The previous descriptions, while all may be true, the last description “very dry” sometimes can be taken in a different way.

Many of the wines enjoyed in the wine market enjoyed today, may be considered dry – but walk a very thin line on falling onto the “sweet” side.  Of course, these won’t be considered “dessert” wines, or be as sweet as an Eiswein from Germany – although it’s not unheard of to match any of the 15%+ massive reds, with dessert.  Ahem Apothic Red

Fewer and fewer producers are transparent with their alcohol percentages, due to taxation issues (which is a whole different story), and less and less are listing the RS (Residual Sugar) levels in their wines.  Many producers add sugar to their wines, which actually isn’t that uncommon.  Even in my favorite country for producing wines, France, is known for chaptalizing their wines.  When a grape doesn’t reach optimum ripeness, instead of losing their  entire crop – many producers will harvest and may manipulate their wine in some sort to achieve a certain flavor.  This of course isn’t romanticized, although it does occur.  Acidification, reverse osmosis, and chaptalizing don’t sound quite appealing if on a label.

I’m not trying to pick on one particular producer, I just gave a few examples of some wines that actually have quite a bit of RS to them – and aren’t actually the “very dry’ styles.  There is nothing wrong with liking these wines, I just wanted to put some clarifications on when a wine is described as being fruity, soft, and sweet fruit – that in fact, can be considered sweet fruit!

Cheers,

Daniel

 

Subjectivity of Wine

Subjectivity of Wine

An internal debate that goes on through my head day in and day out, is something that is quite vague but also questions the very purpose of my job – and that is what makes a quality wine?  The interpretations of flavors, sweetness, dryness, typicity, terroir, varies so greatly in the world.  As much as I try to stay completely objective, I would be lying to myself if I didn’t have pre-conceived notions about a wine just by looking at the label, the region, the distributor, the alcohol percentage (which is wrong about 95% of the time anyway).

To taste objectively, shouldn’t you compare that wine to what you’ve had before?  That also puts yourself in a pigeon-hold, because if I try a $20 Pinot Noir from California, you must see how that holds itself vs. all of the other $20 Pinot Noirs in the market place.  This leaves yourself in a position to compare to others, vs. appreciating what that wine is truly is! There are certain flavors we expect, due to a price, a region, or a grape.  Pinot Noirs, in my honest opinion, should be light, good acidity, and complex with layers of flavor.  There is a Pinot Noir that comes to mind, Belle Glos Meiomi, which is one of our biggest selling Pinot Noirs – that doesn’t fit any description that I feel like fits a Pinot Noir.  So, where does this leave the masses of drinkers who absolutely love this bottle of wine?  Does it make my palate better than theirs, or is my palate not as good?  I truly believe everyone has a good palate, and neither of us are right or wrong!  If I prefer a wine with minimal fruit, high acidity and aggressive tannins – that doesn’t mean that the person who loves a fruit bomb with loads of alcohol and ripe fruit/tannins has a worse palate.

I believe comparisons are a good thing, and to objectively taste and buy you must have other references that you use as your benchmark or a certain expectation of quality.  The qualities of a benchmark isn’t static, it is your own.

 

Cheers,

Daniel

It’s not just the big three

When it comes to wine country, many people automatically associate that term with the “big three” areas, particularly California, Washington State, and Oregon.  While these areas are truly the main areas in the US for wine production and quality, there are LOTS of other wine producing regions that are turning out world-class wines.  Surprisingly, New York, Virginia, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, and many other states are growing grapes such as Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Norton, Viognier, Syrah, in a competitively tasting fashion.

Even in our buck-eye state, we were producing wines years before it was even thought of in the Western part of the states.  Thomas Jefferson actually had a gigantic part into bringing in the “noble” grapes into the US.  When you hear of Vitis Vinifera (noble grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon – Not Concord) we can really thank him for it!

In New York, you can find amazing dry Rieslings and Gewurztraminers.  In Ohio and Virginia, check out Cabernet Franc.  One of the greatest things about these areas, is most of these producers are family-run and the grapes are generally from their own estate vs. being bought from other growers around the area.

A few producers and wines I’d suggest to check out are Caduceus Cellars from Arizona (Red Blends), Kinkead from Ohio (Cabernet Franc), Fox Run Vineyards from New York and Herman J. Weimer (Whites)  Barbousville from Virginia (Cabernet Franc, although these don’t ship to Ohio)  Stonehill from North Carolina (their Norton is quite nice)

Cheers,

Daniel

It’s not always sweet!

For as long as I’ve been in the wine industry, I don’t think there has been any wine that has been more misunderstood than Rose.  It’s almost in the same context as Riesling, whereas many people assume that it’s going to be sweet.  Many Rieslings can be quite sweet, although many can be quite dry.  The same goes for Roses.  Don’t get me wrong, there are times where one of the White Zinfandels make me want to cringe, but that’s truly only a fraction of what wines are out there.  Sure, the sheer breadth of volume of sweet White Zinfandels is high, although there are more styles of drier roses than sweeter.

There is almost a superiority complex with Rose, that if someone is at a restaurant drinking something pink in their glass, other people automatically assume that person is drinking “swill.”  I think with the mysticisms behind rose nowadays, that they are truly inhibiting many people from enjoying something that can be quite refreshing

The way Rose is made, is actually quite simple.  Generally, Roses are from red grapes.  The way that Roses get their color, is from the skin contact from the grape.  So you can get a Rose from a Cabernet Sauvignon, or a Malbec, a Grenache, and many other grapes.  Some producers may blend in a bit of a white wine in there, but that is actually uncommon.

A few producers make Rose, from their “leftovers” for lack of a better term, although there are plenty of producers that specialize in Rose.  The heartland of Rose is in the south of France, particularly Provence and Costieres de Nimes.  There is a region in France called Tavel, that produce Roses that are literally as austere as any red.   With France leading the charge, there are many other regions producing excellent Roses, like Italy and Spain.

I don’t look at Roses as being complex, or as a wine you really want to get serious about.  I look at Rose as being something you can drink at any time, with a WIDE variety of foods, without leaving out flavor and acidity.  You can find most Roses in the $10-$15 range, with a few exceptions.  My suggestion, is the next time your having a wine tasting with friends or family, have a Rose to start off the night before you get to the big reds!

Cheers,

Daniel

Icons within reach

Icons within reach

Whenever you hear the word “Icon” associated with a product, typically, the pricing structure can be out of reach.  Icons in wine such as  Lafite Rothschild, Romanee Conti, Gaja, E. Guigal, Coche Dury, Screaming Eagle, Sine Qua Non, etc…. Have really priced themselves out of the world of reality for most of us consumers.  There is one thing, however a rarity sometimes, to be able to get a taste from the “big boys” with second wines.  Second wines, or 2nd labels from the famed producers are generally a much more affordable approach to be able to taste why the producer demands top dollar.  More often than not, you will have many of the same grapes and vineyard sites that the winery uses for their flagship wine, although without the extra “TLC,” put into the second wine.  One second wine we carry called PSI from Pingus, which Pingus hails as one of the icons of Span –  with a $1000 price tag.  PSI is around $40, which is a LOT more reasonable than the main label Pingus.

With that being said, there are icons who actually have a price that isn’t astronomical.  For instance, we just brought in Monsanto Chianti Classico Riserva (No, not the Monsanto you might be thinking of) which is an iconic Chianti that is under $30.  Excellent typicity, and undeniably showcases what Chianti should taste like

People may argue over who the best producer is from the region, although there typically are just a few names thrown into any given ring.  I don’t think you will find any Burghound, that will question the weight that Romanee Conti holds, or any Bordeaux Hunter that won’t put Lafite towards the top.  With the millions of wines out there, it might be worth it to try a 2nd wine from time to time.

Cheers

The taste of perfection?

The wine rating system has been dictating how the wine industry works in more ways than one.  If a wine scores 90 points on a 100 point scale, instead of scoring 89 points, can mean the difference of a winery selling out that 90 point vintage within minutes. It’s surprising that just a one point difference, can make or break a winery.  In the grand scheme of things, a higher score can make the wine cost more and harder to find.  We use the point system as a tool to help us make an educated guess if a wine is worthy by an “experienced” palate.  Most famously, Robert Parker, has really instilled the point system into what it is today.  Wineries are even known to change their style of wine, to fit the palate of Robert Parker to receive the higher scores.  With this being said, O’Bryan’s Wines and Spirits just received Alvear Pedro Ximenez De Anada 2011, boasting the famed 100 PT score from Robert Parker himself.  At $29.99, this is a true rarity for the price.  Limit 1 bottle per customer.

 Cheers, Daniel Schmerr

Champagne or Sparkling for Valentine’s Day

When it comes time to select a champagne for yourself or perhaps that special someone, it can be difficult to understand what you’re really getting yourself into when you pick up that bottle. Here at O’Bryan’s, we want you to have a stress-free time selecting that perfect bubbly for you and your lover (or you, in front of your TV, in your pajamas, with your cats). We’ve put together a list of terms that you may come across on Sparkling wines/Champagne labels to help you know what you’re really getting when you pick a ‘demi-sec’ to pair with your strawberries. Here we go…

Champagne: A sparkling wine made in the Méthode Traditionnelle or Méthode Champenoise typically with grapes, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay from the Champagne region in France.

Sparkling Wine: These bubbly wines come from other countries, but are not deemed Champagne because it’s not from the French region.

Extra/Ultra Brut: Bone dry, no sugar added.

Brut: Dry. Can have up to 1% of residual sugar (excess sugar), tastes dry.

Extra Dry: May have up to 2% residual sugar.

Sec: Means dry, but isn’t.

Demi-Sec: Means medium-dry, but it will taste quite sweet.

Asti Spumante: Spumante means sparkling. The grape is Moscato di Canelli which makes a sweet, grapey, low alcohol sparkler.

Cava: Sparkling wine from Spain.

Prosecco: Dry, light bodied sparkler from Italy.  Made from the Glera grape.

Blanc de Blancs: Champagne made from only white grapes (Chardonnay).

Blanc de Noirs: Champagne made from only black grapes (Pinot Meunier & Pinot Noir).

Cheers!

“A Taste of the New at O’Bryan’s”

Hey Guys!

Now that the craziness of the Holidays have subsided, it’s a great time to take a breath and kick up your feet at O’Bryan’s!  We’ve set up a great line-up of new tastings, events, dinners, and classes that everyone should find something they like.

*101 classes*

I’ll be presenting tasting classes on some of our favorite regions across the world.  With all the information and wine, we will be enjoying small bites to lead us through as well.

*Wine Pairing events*

When you have the right bottle of wine to accompany your favorite food, it makes the experience that much better.  We will taste great food and wine, and figure out the reasons why a great cabernet or Bordeaux matches with steak, or why sauvignon blanc and asparagus works so well together.

*Wine Diva Night*

Taste wines with some of the leading ladies of the wine industry!

*Wine Maker Events*

We have Chip from Burnet Ridge coming in to do a component tasting in April!  This is a great way to become to own “vintner” for a day, and blend your very own Purple TrillIum

-Keep checking back, we will keep our calendar updated with current information.  Some of our events require reservations, so please call us at 513-683-2082 to sign up!

Cheers!  Daniel Schmerr, Staff Sommelier

Christmas Gifts

Christmas is almost here!

It’s high end wine time!

One of my favorite things about giving a nice bottle of wine for a present during the holidays, is that you have a chance that they will pop the cork on the special bottle and share with you!  This is only slightly selfish ha ha!

It’s always a safe bet to give the gift of wine when you aren’t exactly sure what to get.  I notice many people sticking in between the $10-30 price point for their everyday wines, which there are some great wines at that price, but this is the time to seize the moment and get someone a higher end wine.  I think giving the gift of a wine that someone might not purchase themselves, can certainly be a nice treat.

Here, at O’Bryan’s, we’ve been bringing in quite a few higher end wines lately.  Check out a few of these limited – hard to get wines.

Stormy Weather Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 $101.99

Krupp Brothers M5 Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 $154.99

Buccella 2010 $173.99

Hourglass Blueline Cabernet Sauvignon 2011 $124.99

Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vineyard Pinot Noir 2010 $84.99

Cheers