Wine for Labor Day Weekend

Maybe you can’t attend Rib Fest at Heinz Field this year, so you’re going to have your own barbecue. If you’re the host and you like beer, then beer is on the menu. But, if you’re invited to a Labor Day party, showing up with a six-pack of PBR isn’t a very good look. Some situations demand a good bottle of wine.

You’re an AWS member! People expect that you’ll always have the right wine for any occasion. However, choosing a bottle to bring to an event can be challenging. You want something that will impress your hosts. You also want a crowd-pleasing wine that pairs well with food. That's why we've listed a few suggestions for you.

Usually, wines from Europe are a safe bet. Wines from Italy, France, and Germany tend to have more acid than their American counterparts, which compliments food’s flavor. But “European wines” is just a general rule-of-thumb. Let’s get more specific.

You’re invited to: A block party or cook-out in the park

The food: Burgers and dogs

The wine: A dry Rosé is a great match for a condiment-covered hot dog. But, when you add burgers to the mix, you’ll want a wine with enough body and richness to bring out the flavors of the fatty meat while also complementing the “funkiness” of hot dogs. Malbec is a good choice.

You’re invited to: A cookout at your boss’s

The food: Grilled chicken

The wine: Viognier goes well with a lot of foods, so it’s a safe bet if you don’t know what’s being served. It is, however, great with grilled chicken. There are plenty of good ones out there, but since this is your boss, you may want a wine with some wow-factor. Condrieu is the French version and is very highly regarded (but expensive).

You’re invited to: A buddy’s backyard barbecue

The food: Ribs and brisket, or any smoked meats

The wine: If you’re having smoked dishes or meat with tomato-based sauces, go with a red Zinfandel. A good California Zin is big, peppery and fruity in a way that pairs very well with barbecue. For a step up, look for “Old Vine” or “Single Vineyard” on the label.

You’re invited to: Barbecue at the parent’s home

The food: Grilled red meat

The wine: If you don’t win over the parents, your relationship’s going to stall sooner or later. This is not the time to be frugal. An indulgent California Cabernet Sauvignon is the right choice here. Walk in the door with something from a big-name California producer and you’re sure to win approval. There are many excellent options.

You’re invited to: A cookout on the beach

The food: Seafood

The wine: If you’re dining on oysters and shellfish, or a Frogmore stew, it’s hard to top a good Sauvignon Blanc. New Zealand makes many delicious, refreshing wines that are easy on your wallet. For a step up in quality and price, look for a Sauvignon Blanc from California. If fish is on the menu, a good Californian or French Chardonnay will be fantastic. 

How Did We Discover Wine?

In a letter to the Abbe Morellet in 1779, Benjamin Franklin wrote that the strategic location of the elbow is proof that God wants us to drink wine. After all, had God placed the elbow lower on the arm, our wine glass would never make it all the way to our mouths. Had the elbow been placed higher, our glass would shoot straight past our lips.

“From the actual situation of the elbow,” Franklin wrote, “we are enabled to drink at our ease, the glass going directly to the mouth. Let us, then, with glass in hand adore this benevolent wisdom. Let us adore and drink!”

Who Invented Wine?

That isn't a question that can be answered, because scientists and historians believe that wine wasn’t really invented, it was more discovered. Basically, they believe that the discovery of wine was made by ancient peoples when they found their grapes had spoiled and the natural yeast created fermented grape juice. Many believe that this is when the wine making process was invented and this is where most stories about the origins of wine begin.

Just Imagine. . .

You're chipping away at Paleolithic stones and arguing with Fred and Barney about whose spearhead is the pointiest. As usual, you're keeping an eye out for any cave lions that might be on the prowl. As long as the birds keep chirping, you know it’s OK. Then you hear it.  It’s not the silence that signals a predator, but a new flurry of activity from your FWS (feathered warning system).

You see the birds are feeding on fermented fruit. They’re unable to stop eating even after they're too full to fly. So, you sample it too, tasting the juice of spoiled, wild grapes. The more you drink, the less you worry. This drink, which was terrible at first, feels like magic.

Archaeological Evidence

Although there's no record of how wine was first discovered, archeologists have a theory in which Stone Aged people followed the cue of animals eating fermented fruit. Finding it to be pretty good, the Paleolithic people (who lived from earliest mankind to about 10,000 B.C.E.) brewed their own version by stuffing animal-skin pouches with wild grapes, allowing the grapes to spoil and then drinking the liquid. Not only did the beverage provide the same socially lubricating benefits as it does today, it was probably used as medicine, too.

Archaeologists have discovered grape vines dating to 60 million years ago. For much of human history, winemaking was a skill that didn't need to be recorded. It was passed from generation to generation by family members. The first written account of wine appears in the Old Testament and tells of Noah surviving the flood, leaving the ark, and planting grape vines to make wine.

When archaeologists discovered 9,000-year-old rice and honey wine residue on pottery shards in central China, they had clear proof of ancient fermentation. It was a find like other parts of the world. In the Middle East, grape remnants have been found in 7,400-year-old jars, accompanied by bits of tree resin thought to be a wine preservative. In Egypt, medicine vessels in the 5,000-year-old tomb of Pharaoh Scorpion I were found to be spiked with wine.

What may be the world's oldest intact bottle of wine was discovered in 1867 while excavating a Roman stone sarcophagus under a vineyard near Speyer, Germany. The bottle, its contents preserved, dates from about 325 C.E. and is on display, still unopened, at Germany's History Museum of the Pfalz

Wine Myths and Fables

There are a few well known wine myths and fables that credit different parts of the world for the invention, or discovery, of wine. Here are a few of the more popular stories.

Dionysus

This is arguably one of the most well-known wine fables. In Greek mythology, Dionysus, son of Zeus and his mistress Semele, invented wine while living in the ancient Mount Nysa among nymphs. This is one of the reasons why Dionysus is often referred to as the god of Wine.

The Persian Woman

This story of the Persian woman and fermented grapes has many folklorists crediting a woman for inventing wine. It has at least two different versions. Here they are:

Version One

A Persian Princess had found herself out of favor with the King of Persia. When she heard this news, she attempted to commit suicide by consuming a jar of spoiled grapes. Instead of dying, she found herself feeling better and acting a lot happier. Eventually she passed out, but when she woke up, she found that the King liked her new attitude so much that he admitted her back into his good graces.

Version Two

A Persian woman found herself sick with a headache and drank from a jar she used to store grapes. The grapes in the jar had fermented. The woman got drunk and passed out. When she woke, her headache was gone.

Let's Just Say…

Since no two stories will ever agree on who invented wine, let's just say that the world invented it. Though there are ways to carbon date the oldest wine bottles and new archaeological discoveries regarding wine are being made, there is just no way of proving who invented wine first. So next time you are enjoying a glass of your favorite wine, raise it up and give a nod to the Persian Princess, Dionysus, Noah or whomever, in thanks that the wine we love so much was even discovered.

Aerate or Decant

Aerate or Decant?

In Aladdin, Robin Williams’ character, Genie, says, "It's all part and parcel, the whole Genie gig. Phenomenal cosmic powers and an itty-bitty living space." What does this have to do with wine? Well, just like Genie, it may have been bottled up in a small confined space for a long time. All it wants to do is get out and get some air. Then, it’s ready to deliver its power. But sometimes that power falls short, and we need to coax the Genie out of the bottle. That’s where aeration comes into play.

The process of aerating wine is usually called "letting the wine breathe." Most of us pour the wine into a glass and swirl it around. While this may seem “snobbish”, it does allow the wine to expand, and coat the glass, releasing the aromas of the wine. The wine has been in a relatively oxygen free environment inside the bottle, so the addition of oxygen can enhance it. However, not all wines need to breathe, and in some case, they shouldn’t.

The goal of aeration is contact with oxygen. Just popping the cork and letting it sit isn’t enough. The oxygen to wine surface contact is small in the neck of a wine bottle. Swirling in the glass is the simple way to “open up” a wine, but to really get some oxygen in there the wine may need to be “aerated”. Handheld aerators like Vinturi or Respirer, for example, expand the surface area of wine, which allows the air to mingle with it. The wine gurgles through the bubbler, and out into the glass or decanter, softening the tannins of young or bold wines. The aerator will easily do the trick in minutes and is appropriate where time is a concern.

So which wines should be aerated? In general, young red wines, with a lot of tannin (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel and Syrah, for example), are the best, but these aren’t the only ones. Even white wines can benefit from some aeration. Heavier Chardonnays can open, and even whites that are over-chilled will taste better with a little room temperature air in them. But again, red wines are the focus. Remember, that as wines age, tannins soften and are balanced by other flavors and a stronger bouquet. But in young red wines, particularly heavy reds, the tannins can be overwhelming. Aeration won’t increase the complexity of a young wine, like an older wine gains in the bottle, but it does soften and smooth out the flavor.

The trick is determining what wines need to be aerated. Not all wines need to breathe, and sometimes it’ll do more harm than good. Older wines, about 30 years or older, can become completely oxidized and lose their flavors if exposed to air for too long. If you’re unsure, check a site like www.Cellartracker.com to see tasting notes from others. You’ll get free advice on how the wine tastes, and how long it took to open, or even if the wine isn’t holding well, and is over-the-hill.

What about decanting versus aerating? Many people confuse the two practices. A wine aerator is a violent approach to opening a wine which adds oxygen into the liquid to improve the taste. Decanting is similar, but the main purpose is to remove the sediment in older wines, leaving it in the bottle, while the wine is poured into a different container. A sommelier will typically put a light (or, in the old days, candle) under the bottle, and slowly pour the wine into a glass container until they start to see sediment. The sediment is left in the bottle, and the wine in the decanter is then poured into glasses. Sediment is common in wines of as little as 10 years old, depending on whether they were filtered or fined.

In general, the aeration “rule of thumb” is that the more tannin a wine has, the more time it’ll need to aerate. Some people insist on aerating tannic reds for two hours, while others say 20 minutes. The practical approach is to adjust the process to the wine itself, and to test it during aeration. When it tastes good to you, drink it.

There you have it. The difference between aeration and decanting is time, and technique. When it comes to your favorite bottle of wine, it's time to put the aerator to use for quick results, but also to use the proper decanting technique when time is on your side, and you’re preparing an event for friends and family. Wine can stay in a decanter for hours without spoiling (depending on how much air it needs). Presenting wine in a decanter makes for a more special experience versus using an aerator.

Remember that oxygen can be your friend or your enemy. Old wines will fade fast when exposed to oxygen, and younger wines will open. The trick is finding the balance. So, pick your favorite vintage, relax and, as Quicksilver Messenger Service sang, “Have another hit – of fresh air” (https://youtu.be/6j92RqFP4CM)