TO O RDER M ORE F EATURED W INES CALL 1-800-823-5527 TODAY! Volume 1 The Number 14 ©Vinesse Wine Club 2006 SKU 9644 Gra evine HE FFICIAL EWSLETTERp FOR INESSE INE LUB EMBERS GraTHE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER FORevineVINESSE WINE CLUB MEMBERS T O N p V W C M So Many Reasons to Be Grateful, and Not Just During the Holidays By Robert Johnson MARTIN’S t’s the season of cheese as soon as it became eco- I giving… and the nomically feasible, and I have not JOURNAL season for giving had it since. The years go by so quickly, and ’ is the season for thanks. now it’s my daughter and her hus- drinking great T band and their two children who wine with great One of the great lessons I learned are learning to be grateful for the friends. With that in in life was to be grateful for what I little things. They still eat mac-and- mind, here are a few have. That lesson came in particu- cheese, but because there are two toasts for those larly handy when I was a young, incomes in their family, they also special occasions… single parent — at the time, a mix in some Hamburger Helper on recipe for lots of macaroni-and- occasion. These days, if you live in cheese dinners, cheap wine and not Southern California, you almost much of a social life. need three incomes to comfortably While being the sole bread win- manage a household. ner in a single-income household In a few weeks, I’m going to get wasn’t easy — especially during to spend some cherished time with my daughter’s pre-school years — I my daughter, with no son-in-law or learned to take great pleasure in grandkids around. It’s going to be life’s seemingly little things. I now great, and I can’t wait. ■ Here’s to mine and here’s to look back on those long father- In fact, this might be the time to thine! Now’s the time to clink it! daughter walks… those games of end my mac-and-cheese strike and Here’s a flagon of old wine, and catch in the back yard… those whip some up to share with my here we are to drink it. shopping expeditions for a new daughter — for old time’s sake. ■ Here’s to the man who owns piece of Barbie clothing… those Only this time, I think we’ll also the land that bears the grapes that attempts in the kitchen to make share a nice bottle of Chardonnay. makes the wine that tastes as good mac-and-cheese taste a little as this does. bit less like mac-and-cheese… ■ A warm toast. Good company. with great relish. A fine wine. May you enjoy all Hmm… I wonder how relish three. would have tasted on mac-and- Giving credit where credit is due, cheese… those toasts were originated by It took a lot of years to get on Richard Hovey, Omar Khayyam and firm financial footing, but I Paul Dickson, respectively. wouldn’t trade those years for All I can add is: They go double anything. I swore off mac-and- for me. Cheers! Robert Johnson can be reached at [email protected]. 2 • The Grapevine • Visit vinesse.com they found it to be a ready-made “excuse” for drinking more wine.) Merlot became the red wine of the moment because it was “smoother” than Cabernet Sauvignon, less expen- sive than Cabernet, and plentiful. For the next few years, thanks to that sin- OUR MISSION: gle “60 Minutes” story, wineries had To uncover and bring you wine gems no reason to market their Merlot bot- from around the world, which you’re tlings; they sold themselves. not likely to discover on your own, and A little more than a decade later, a which enhance your wine enjoyment. ill ‘A Good Year’ small-budget movie titled Sideways, YOUR GRAPEVINE TEAM: W do for the Luberon set in Santa Barbara County’s bucolic Intrepid Wine Enthusiast, Chief area of France what Santa Ynez Valley, had an equally sig- Taster and Winehound: ‘Sideways’ did for Santa nificant impact on the world of wine. Martin Stewart Only this time, Merlot was the victim Chief Operating Officer Barbara County? rather than the benefactor, as one of (aka “The Buck Stops Here”): the movie’s main characters decried its Lawrence D. Dutra It’s an intriguing question, and it sameness and lack of personality. His Editor: goes to the heart of the influence that wine variety of choice was Pinot Noir, Robert Johnson the media has on our lives. Yes, even and his eloquent description sent Pinot Wine Steward: our wine lives. sales skyrocketing and Merlot sales Katie Montgomery Remember that “60 Minutes” story plummeting. The Grapevine is published by Vinesse, that Morley Safer did back in 1992? The Merlot being made at the time 822 Hampshire Road, Suite E, Westlake Safer’s report looked at the men and was no worse than that made in 1992, Village, CA 91361; 1-800-823-5527. Copyright by Vinesse, LLC. Printed in USA. women of France, who love their foie and the Pinot Noir wasn’t any better. No responsibility is assumed for loss or gras and rich butter sauces and many But the perceptions had changed damage to unsolicited materials. other culinary delights that aren’t nec- because of the media crush, prompting essarily heart-healthy, yet have an Pinot makers to celebrate and Merlot amazingly low rate of heart disease. makers to dust off their marketing tools. CHARTER MEMBER Citing a variety of experts, Safer con- A Good Year, based on the book by BENEFITS: cluded that drinking wine apparently Peter Mayle, is set in one of the lesser- The Grapevine Newsletter mitigated the harmful health effects of known corners of Provence known as fat-laden food. Luberon, where it’s not unusual to see Premium wine selections at Almost overnight, bottles of mostly grapevines surrounding a castle. You members-only prices red wine and primarily Merlot began can read more about Luberon and its Wine tasting as a participant to disappear from supermarket environs in this month’s “Wine on VINESSE’s Gold Medal shelves. Americans believed that if a Touring Tips” feature. Award Panel report appeared on “60 Minutes,” it This movie is much less about wine Free subscription to VINESSE’s had to be true. (Or, at the very least, than Sideways, but the scenery is just Cyber Circle Community as stunning, and I can Members-only savings, includ- definitely see wine enthu- ing Food & Wine subscriptions, siasts making the trek to dining out, gourmet food and walk in the steps of Max tickets to the hottest events Skinner, the character Random giveaways of wine and played by Russell Crowe. accessories At the very least, I can see couples waiting for the Wine Finders Reward — identi- fy a future wine selection and DVD to come out, and earn a reward playing it at home on a Friday or Saturday night Perfectly matched recipes for with a nice bottle of wine featured wine selections — Merlot, Pinot Noir or otherwise. Visit vinesse.com • The Grapevine • 3 WINE APPELLATION SHOWCASE PASO ROBLES ATOZ We conclude our series on the family work with the vineyard: father wineries of California… Howie, daughter Cynthia and grand- uberon. An area of Provence, in son Ryan. LFrance’s far southeastern corner, he entrepreneurial Austin Hope is another example of where “A Good Year” — the book T spirit is alive and the second generation leading the by Peter Mayle and the movie by well in Paso Roles wine winemaking and overseeing all Ridley Scott — are set. Provence, as country, as many fami- aspects of the business at the Treana a whole, is known for its blended and Austin Hope wineries. And at ly-owned and operated wines using multiple grape vari- Tablas Creek, Jason Hass serves as eties, as well as its zesty Rosés. wineries prepare for the general manager, learning the busi- next generation to move ness from his father. osel-Saar-Ruwer. Perhaps the the industry forward. In all cases, the next generation is Mgreatest wine-growing region of France, named for three rivers taking leadership roles that will help that flow through it. Recently- From viticulture to winemaking, Paso Robles — long a favorite area passed legislation will shorten the and from sales and marketing to among the wine clubs of Vinesse — name of the region to what wine operations, the second generation is achieve its full potential on the lovers have been calling it for eons: stepping up in all aspects of the busi- national and global fronts. simply, the Mosel. ness. Working hand-in-hand with their families, they’re already making euburger. An Austrian grape an impression. Nvariety used to make some At J. Lohr Vineyards and Winery, average dry wines and some quite the second generation — Steve, tasty sweet wines. Cynthia and Lawrence — work in vineyard development, sales and regon. Important Northwest marketing. Steve Lohr is spearhead- winegrowing state known espe- O ing the winery’s expansion in both cially for Pinot Noir. No other major wine-producing state is Paso Robles and Monterey. impacted as significantly by weath- At Peachy Canyon, both sons — er as Oregon, where ill-timed rain- Josh and Jake — are active in wine- storms can wreak havoc during the making and sales. At Steinbeck harvest season. Vineyards, three generations actively • Hand-crafted gems produced by little known or small estates • Limited-production bottlings • Under-the-radar wines you won’t find in supermarkets EACH SHIPMENT INCLUDES: • 2 or 4 bottles from all over the wine world • Detailed Tasting Notes for each featured wine • Latest edition of The Grapevine newsletter THE ONE THAT WINE COLOR MIX: Reds, Whites, or Both — Your Choice! FREQUENCY: Approximately Monthly STARTED IT ALL! PRICE: Only $12 Average Per Bottle Plus Shipping TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CLUB, GO ONLINE TO WWW.VINESSE.COM OR CALL 800 - 823 - 5527.