GrapeSmart.net

I’m a geek. I’m not the pencil-neck variety of yesteryear, but rather a modern geek. I dig numbers and analytics and I have an obsessive tendency to dive into the nitty gritty of topics I’m interested in until I have what appears to some to be encyclopedic knowledge of a topic. It’s fun for my friends for a while… until it’s not. Only the other geeks really get me, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have something useful to tell you as a result of my geekery.

Odds are good you have no idea what I’m talking about with that goofy title since you’re probably NOT a geek. Let me break it down for you:

META data is a way for us computer geeks (among others) to store additional information about an item. Let’s say that item is a song… We’ll stay on topic and use the song “Red Red Wine” as an example. The song itself has “common attributes” like Artist: UB40, Album: Labour of Love, and Year released: 1983. There are also many “hidden attributes” like Genre, Instruments used, Beats per minute, Track number, Composer, Lyricist, etc. We call this META data.

Wine has META data, too! Its common attributes are Year vinted, AVA, Varietal, and of course Winery. But its META data has a wealth of additional information about the wine that contributes to how the wine tastes.

You may recognize some of these and not others but, here goes:

• Percentage of each varietal
• Age of vines
• Type of oak used (if any)
• Winemaking techniques
• Alcohol percentage
• Particular aromas/flavors
• Brix level
• pH
• Clone
• Winemaker
• Importer
• And don’t forget all the little mini-bits of information that make up “Terroir,” each of which could be its own piece of META data (was it planted on a slope? which way does the slope face? how many minutes of sunshine did each row of vines get that year? how much granite is in the soil? is the soil calcareous? and on and on.)

Lately I’ve been wondering how useful this META data might be in helping to select wines you’ll like. If it’s effective at choosing wines you’ll like, you might even be able to use the information to maximize your wine budget. Here’s a geeky little example:

1. Assume that 100% of your wine budget is spent each month
2. Assume a bell curve for your enjoyment of the wines you’ve purchased
   • 2% of the wines are totally amazing
   • 8% of the wines are really really good
   • 15% of the wines are good and you’d drink them again
   • 50% of the wines are average. You could take ‘em or leave ‘em.
   • 15% of the wines are not good and you’d prefer never to drink them again
   • 8% of the wines are so bad you don’t finish the bottle
   • 2% of the wines are corked and undrinkable
3. Pretend that all adds up to an “enjoyment score” of 50.
4. Now imagine based on hidden characteristics of the wines you buy, you can limit your buying to wines that are only in the first three categories. Suddenly your “enjoyment score” could jump to 80! And now you’re getting more value for your wine because you’re enjoying more of the wine you buy AND you’re getting more wines you are excited to be drinking!

There are a PILE of companies, wine writers, retailers, etc. out there who believe that they can tell you that if you like Wine A, you’re gonna love Wine B. When they’re making those statements, it’s often based on just a few characteristics of the wines or even worse, subjective statements/opinions about the wines.

A lot of geeks like me think that if you collect enough data about what people like and don’t like, they’ll be able to recommend wines even better than their competition in an objective way. Fundamentally though, I think computers are a LONG way from being able to make the subjective into something objective for purchasing recommendations.

Instead of relying on mountains of data and algorithms, or a “consistent palate” from a wine reviewer, what if the WINE could tell you if you’re gonna like it based on its META data? Could these methods be used to create groups of remarkably similar wines and then find the ones at the best prices within those groups?

It seems that I’m not alone in this line of thinking, this is a snippet of today’s WineAccess special deal:

The concept illustrated by WineAccess using the Old Wente Clone

To see more about this wine & deal, check it out at WineAccess.

Red Wines – Speed-dating for Bloggers & Wineries!

We sat at a table for an hour while 12 wineries brought us 12 wines and shpieled us for 5 minutes each. Here’s the rundown… lots of goodies for red-wine lovers! (Updates coming later)

• 2008 Ortman Sangiovese, $20
  What the winemaker says: East-side Paso Robles, 2nd-gen tier $20 and under
  What Jess says: Not what I expect from an Ortman wine, but I’m excited about them producing
  What Arianna says: Where’s Arianna???
  Other notes: Cuvee Eddy & Chardonnay (Bien Nacido and Cat Canyon) coming soon!
• 2006 Louis M Martini Lot No 1 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $120
  What the winemaker says: Nice velvety tannins but will lay down for 25+ years
  What Jess says: Deep purple flavors. A little rough on the acid/tannins. Chalky at the back of the mouth. I imagine this will be beautiful in a few years, but I’m not interested in spending this kind of money. My eyes popped out of my head when she said the retail price. I’m SO not a Napa girl
• 2007 Isenhower Bachelor’s Button Cabernet Sauvignon, $28
  What the winemaker says: 4% Petite Verdot
  What Jess says: Lacks a little body, not very fruity (if you’re looking for a fruit bomb you’d be disappointed), but there’s a likeable quality to it. The fruit’s character shows through the hands-off winemaking style. A nice wine.
• 2008 The Crusher Petite Sirah (Sebastiani), $12
  What the winemaker says: Clarksburg (North of Rio Vista river delta near Sacto!!)
  What Jess says: Big red fruit nose, no alcohol. Medium body, big blackberry, no tannins no acid. Not refined, but interesting.
• 2008 Desert Wind Ruah, $20
  What the winemaker says: Intensely aromatic, with bing cherry, cinnamon, and toasted walnut in the forefront. On the palate, flavors of cherry, raspberry and clove mingle harmoniously with supple tannins ending in a long finish.
  What Jess says: Nice wine! Similar flavor profiles to the Louis Martini and definitely more than 1/6th as good.  I’d like to buy myself a bottle!
• 2008 Duck Pond Red Blend, $15
  What the winemaker says: Dundee, Oregon. 52% Merlot, 29% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvingon. Value-focused.
  What Jess says: Nice round, fruit-forward red. Nothing hits me on the head and it’s balance and lack of tannin make me happy. Would rather have this as my weeknight red than The Crusher (sorry guys!)
• 2009 Velvet Glove (Molly Dooker), $180
  What the winemaker says: A great everyday wine… or a special occasion if you prefer. Much ripeness fiddling in order to achieve its full vinological ripeness. Set the glass aside, try it again later. Can age very well.
  What Jess says: A velvet label! Super complex. Cherries, black fruit, spice, tobacco?
• 2008 TrioVintners Riot, $18
  What the winemaker says: 52% Sangiovese, 36% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre
  What Jess says: Loved the Mourvedre we tasted at their tasting room earlier today (bought two!)… very nice. I like this almost as much as the Mourvedre. This is a GREAT wine for $18… get yourself some!
• 2008 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, $35
  What the winemaker says: Sustainable, and certified. Take note! 2008 was a winemaker’s dream in Willamette Valley.
  What Jess says: Nice Pinot Noir. I’m not a Pinot fan but I’m always happy to take one from Willamette Valley and this is no exception. It’s not knock-your-socks-off, but it’s very nice. A little earthy and tannic/acidic (hard to tell with palate-fatigue).
• 2007 Stoller Pinot Noir, $25
  What the winemaker says: Dundee Oregon. Guest houses on property, come stay and hang out! 1st Gold LEED-certified winery in the US (first LEED-certified winery of any level)
  What Jess says: Earthy earthy earthy nose. On the palate: Very cherry, no tannin, light body. I like it. It needs certain foods that’ll go well with VERY cherry. But good!
• 2008 Stepping Stone Cabernet Franc from Cornerstone, $30
  What the winemaker says: Carneros because I like acidity in my wines. Acid is what makes the wine live. Acidity is the taste and tannin is the texture. Trying to build longer molecule chains to preserve the taste in the mouth longer.
  What Jess says: Chewy. Nice flavors in the background. Nice expression of Cab Franc (despite the 4% Cabernet Sauvignon). I like it. But I like Cab Franc. Opening up in my glass in just these few minutes. Worth the price, let it breathe 30 minutes before you drink and you’ll have a nice new special occasion red.
• 2007 Sequel Syrah (Longshadows Vintners project), $55
  What the winemaker says: John Duval (Barossa Valley), 3% Cabernet Sauvignon
  What Jess says: Yummy yummy! Worth every penny if you love Syrah. This is what I would hope to get from Washington Syrah!

White Wines – Speed-dating for Bloggers & Wineries!

We sat at a table for an hour while 12 wineries brought us 12 wines and shpieled us for 5 minutes each. Here’s the rundown… lots of goodies for white-wine lovers! (Updates coming later)

• 2009 Neethlingshof Estate Unwooded Chardonnay (Worthwhile Wines)
  Winemaker notes: Fresh, vibrant with rich layers of fruit and a crisp and lingering aftertaste
  Jess’ notes: Mellow flavors, not too bright, good expression of Chardonnay. Would happily drink again.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of bright lemon curd and grass. Fab mineral, great acid, and nice body. Really like it.
  Other notes: Importer of sustainable wines, classic example of chablis style
  
• 2009 The Violinist Verdelho (Molly Dooker), $25
  Winemakers notes: Creamy texture, great acidity and long, persistent flavours of honeysuckle, pineapple, and citrus.
  Jess’ notes: Grapefruit & tropical fruit on the nose. Oaky, but not overly… needs food. Would drink again, not for $25.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of blended citrus. Something stone fruit. Sweet sour. Would drink again.
• 2008 House Wine by Charles Smith, $13
  Winemakers notes: 78% Chardonnay, 11% Riesling, 5% Muscat, 5% Gewurtztraminer, 1% Pinot Gris
  Jess’ notes: Pineapple, citrus, a little acidic but I’ve got heartburn right now. Bright and good. Interesting white for $13.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of Pineapple, mineral, Citric acid smell. It’s okay.
• 2009 Dry Creek Vineyard Dry Chenin Blanc, $12
  Winemakers notes:
  Jess’ notes: Great balance, nice clean mouthfeel. Mellow apples. Not sweet to me. Would much rather spend $12 on this one than $13 on the House Wine above.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose: Lemony grapefruit, chili pepper, grass, bruised peach. Palate: SWEET, with peachy peachiness.
• 2008 L’Ecole No 41 Semillon, $15
  Winemaker notes: Melon, pear, honeysuckle, viscosity, fresh and floral.
  Jess’ notes: Love the fig & honeysuckle & nutty tones of Semillon and this is balanced and delicious. Coats the tongue in a good way. Would LOVE to drink again.
  Arianna’s notes: Nose of pie crust, peach cobbler, pear. Palate of almond, mineral, apple, straw.
• 2008 Sustainable White (Parducci), Mendocino County, $11
  Winemaker notes: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Muscat
  Jess’ notes: Big fruity nose, acidic. I’m getting major earthy in the mouth. S’okay. I like that they’re continuing the project though since it’s good for the planet!
  Arianna’s notes: Nose: honey straw and petrol. Palate: something earthy-spicy and pineapple?
• 2009 Pithy Little Wine Co. Sangiovese Rose, $22
  Winemaker notes: Simple wine notes, on the bottle … 2% Syrah
  Jess’ notes: Walnuts and cinnamon?? Blood orange and cherry. Light flavoring. Interesting… wouldn’t turn it away.
  Arianna’s notes: Jolly Rancher Red on the nose. And the palate. With notes of mineral.
• 2007 Ortman Vineyards Edna Valley Chardonnay, Firepeak Vineyard, $25
  Winemaker notes: Clones 4, 76 and 96; Oak variety, yeast variety… CRAFTED wines.
  Jess’ notes: Big, full-bodied Chardonnay. Mature and oaked with a touch of butter. Should be accompanied by food.
  Arianna’s notes: Tropical nose, tropical palate. High acid. Man, I want some cheese. Take it or leave it.
• Pepperwood Grove Chardonnay (NV) – Wine in a box! 4 bottle equiv. for $20
  Winemaker notes:
  Jess’ notes: Not bad. For approx $5/bottle this is a great value Chardonnay. It’s not sophisticated but it’s quality. Anise, pineapple, and grapefruit on the palate. Perfect for picnics and parties!
  Arianna’s notes: The whole thing is green and fresh (not like desert flora). Meh.
• 2009 Desert Wind Viognier, Wahluke Slope, WA, $15
  Winemaker notes: Nose: peach, honeysuckle, and vanilla. Palate: rich and full, silky finish.
  Jess’ notes: Pineapple on the nose (not stone fruit to me). Drier finish than expected for how it hits the front of the mouth. I’m not a fan of Viognier, but this isn’t bad… seems like a good price, too.
  Arianna’s notes: Honey, baby! With some straw and white flowers. At this point I’m probably just making shit up.
• 2009 Poet’s Leap Riesling, (Long Shadows Vintners), $20
  Winemaker notes: Armin Diel
  Jess’ notes: Really impressed with Washington Riesling, especially this one! Low residual sugar, picked at low Brix number. Bright, balanced, pineapple, great riesling. Would give it to my picky Mom and feel confident.
  Arianna’s notes: Soft floral nose, sweet, something slightly effervescent. Like!
  Other notes: Like Oriel Wines… partners with famous winemakers… but they bring them in to make wine from WA fruit!
• 2009 Big House White from California (promoting Octavin Home Wine Bar), 4 bottles equiv for $22
  Winemaker notes: 51% Malvasia Bianca, 14% Muscat Canelli, 13% Viognier, 10% Gruner Veltiner, 5% Pinot Gris, 4% White Riesling
  Jess’ notes: Generic Cali white wine, has an earthy thing midpalate, but it’s balanced (so critical with inexpensive whites).
  Arianna’s notes: Lovely peach, something sharp at back of throat. Fun!
  Other notes: Guaranteed for a minimum of six weeks after opening

Okay folks, GrapeSmart wasn’t a finalist but we respect and adore our fellow wine bloggers… Congratulations to every finalist, and especially the winners!

Wine Blog Awards Categories & Winners:

• Writing - CataVino
• New Wine Blog – Swirl Smell Slurp
• Single Subject Wine Blog – New York Cork Report
• Winery Blog – Been Doon So Long
• Wine Reviews – Bigger Than Your Head
• Graphics – Good Grape, A Wine Manifesto
• Industry/Business – Good Grape, A Wine Manifesto
• Best Overall – 1WineDude

What happened to Day 2? Well, I was too drunk to write about it yesterday, so you’ll get THAT update later

We’re in the middle of Day 3 (it’s the first official day of the conference) and it’s quite a trip being around so many wine drinkers, wine lovers, and wine writers in one place. The wine community in Washington is super-friendly and it’s been a thrill to get to know the different regions and wineries.

It’s also been fun to meet all kinds of people who I’ve known online for different reasons… including accidentally meeting Steve Heimoff while chatting at the Meritage Alliance table.

We’re listening to the kick-off speech right now, and so I’m taking this opportunity to point out some of my favorite values and wines I’ve had so far:

• Barnard Griffin Fume Blanc, $9
• Barnard Griffin Sangiovese Rose, $12
• Milbrandt Merlot Traditions, $15
• Milbrandt Riesling, $13
• Chinook Semillon, $15
• McCrea Grenache Blanc, Boushey Vineyard, ~$20

I also liked the Gruner Veltiners I tasted today. I think they need to go on my list of alternative whites (as I’m kinda getting tired of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc).

More to come, and cheers!

The GrapeSmart gals took off for Washington yesterday morning at the uncivilized hour of 7am, but we landed in Seattle with a whole day to get ourselves out to Yakima Valley. We grabbed our rental car and headed for, duh, Pike Place Market, because, well, we’re foodies and it’s a must-go!

After an early lunch at a tiny little chowder place in Post Alley with amazing smoky chowders and super fresh fish we found ourselves a wine & coffee bar called Local Flavor to settle in with. A couple of glasses of Washington wines from Portteus (which we didn’t love) and our first coffee of the day made everything start humming. Then we spent some time wandering through the market–it was freaking food heaven and a festival for all of our senses–before jumping into our car  for the spectacular journey across Washington state in anticipation of a somewhat spontaneous “tour” with our twitterpal @wino4ever (Scott Abernethy).

Scott generously introduced us to the who’s who of the Red Mountain AVA at an Industry Night event at Picazo 7Seventeen (a great  Spanish restaurant in Prosser by Chef Frank Magana). Scott brought us two wines from a winery called Cooper which isn’t even open yet! The first was a  and the second was the 2009 Cooper Pinot Gris.

• 2007 Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
  My experience with the wine: Top notes of Vanilla or Chocolate and a touch of red or black berry in the background; Bouquet was less aromatic when it was first opened, and I think I detected leather but it may have just been terroir; Initially it struck me as a French-style Cab (less fruit, more finesse) but as it opened up the finish developed and I began to detect cherries & chocolate.
  Takeaway: This was a nice quality wine and I enjoyed it.
• 2009 Cooper Pinot Gris
  My experience with the wine: Honeysuckle and anise on the nose paired with I think was some kind of tropical fruit; in the mouth this wine was balanced and bright, with flavors of citrus (later I determined this to be grapefruit), green apple, and a hint of mint at the back of the mouth.
  Takeaway: Yum! At $20 suggested release price this is a GREAT white wine. Very food friendly but tame enough to drink alone. Best when it’s cooler which is great for summer afternoons!

As the evening wore on, the other guests lubed up and loosened up. Scott started introducing us around and in particular introduced us to Robert O. Smasne of the ROS Wine Company. Possibly the hardest-working guy in the wine business, Robert has his hands in 24 wineries! He has several labels of his own, owns a crushpad and other facilities for helping smaller winemakers get the product out, AND he consults with MANY local wineries on their winemaking. When someone is this popular you’ve got to figure they’re good… and from what I can tell this quiet and sensible man makes sophisticated wines that rival the best anywhere in the world.

• Smasne Cellars Old Vines Cabernet Sauvignon from Snipes Mountain (a brand new Washington AVA)
  My experience with the wine: Carries characteristics of old vine Zinfandel (the only old vine wine I can compare it to based on my own tasting experiences). Tasted to me like a nicely-made red blend.
  Takeaway: I’d serve this to anyone who came to my home and I’d bring it along to a nice restaurant for dinner out
• Smasne Cellars shiner
  My experience with the wine: Surreal. One of the finest wines I’ve ever tasted. I didn’t even balk at the $115 release price and I’ve never purchased a bottle that expensive. A blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Petite Verdot, 8% Malbec and 8% Carmenere. The nose was vanilla and blueberry with no hint of alcohol. In the mouth was “excellent” “fantastic” blueberry “mmmmm.” This is Robert’s first reserve wine in what he’ll call his Signature Series. It’s already sold out on futures so unfortunately you can’t get any… but you should definitely check out some of his other labels: Farm Boy wine (value-priced) and AlmaTerra, a “project” where Robert is experimenting with Syrah’s from 8 different vineyards to get deeper insight into how terroir affects his wines.

We also got a taste of Chateau St. Michelle Malbec shiner from Wahluke slope that was lovely and an introduction to a winemaker not yet in business. The line of wines is going to be a favorite among women who have loved labels like Bitch… except it’s better than Bitch! Be on the lookout for Dumb Blonde wines being released in September! Oh yes, and we met Gary Hogue, co-founder of Hogue Cellars, too

Last but not least, Chef Magana is private labeling some wines from Alexandria Nicole for his restaurant. You can only get them if you go to his restaurant in Prosser, but they’re worth mentioning here because they were enjoyable and we want to thank him for his hospitality! When it comes to house wines, there’s nothing better than a chef who consults with top notch winemakers to get the right flavor profiles for his food…

• Vino Rojo is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 6% Malbec, and 3% Petite Verdot. It’s sourced from Horseheaven Hills and goes brilliantly with the Spanish food being served at Picazo 7Seventeen. The nose was peppery & spicy followed by a fruity punch-in-the-mouth with a relaxed Bordeaux-style finish.
• Vino Blanco is a blend of 65% Roussane, 24% Marsanne, and 11% Viognier. I LOVE Rhone wines and especially Roussane/Marsanne. I’m not a huge fan of Viognier though and I would have liked to see a little less of it in this wine. Knowing that my palate is a little tweaked compared to what’s popular among white-wine drinkers, I think this wine is for meals calling for a bright and sophisticated white.

Over dinner Scott gave us the rundown on the top local vineyards to be seeking out and some wineries we can’t wait to try! Here are the ones we’re keeping a lookout for:

• Barnard Griffin Winery (high quality, value priced wines)
• Kiona Winery (high quality, value priced wines)
• Alexandria Nicole Winery
• Maison Bleue Winery (Rhone)
• Skylite Cellars
• Phinny Hill Vineyards
• Ciel du Cheval Vineyard
• Klipson Vineyard
• Champoux Vineyard
• Boushey Vineyards
• Sagemore Vineyard
• Taptiel Vineyard
• Seven Hills Vineyard
• Pepper Bridge Vineyard

Today we’re off for a tour of Yakima Valley where we’ll continue to be wined, dined, and happy!

P.S. Here’s the view from our hotel room… the majestic Columbia River! (Not the Yakima River as I mistakenly exclaimed earlier before I had my coffee)

Bienvenidos a La Rioja

Rioja. Even the name sounds infused with notes of passion and the warmth of exotic, Spanish summer nights.

Named after the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, the area is a Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.C. qualified designation of origin), and records indicate that grapes have been grown in this region since the 9^th Century. The red-soiled area is divided into three separate sections, (Rioja Alta, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Baja), each producing different styles of wine, based on the location where the grapes are grown (Alta – highest altitude; Alavesa – similar in climate to Alta but lacking the better soil conditions of the more elevated area; and Baja – a Mediterranean climate producing wine with lower acidity and up to 18% alcohol (this region tends to produce a high number of blending wines)). The majority of juice produced from the region is red (Tinto), with the remaining 15% consisting of white (Blanco) and rosé (Rosado).

According to Wikipedia:

Among the Tintos, the best-known and most widely-used variety is Tempranillo. Other grapes used include Garnacha Tinta, Graciano and Mazuelo. A typical blend will consist of approximately 60% Tempranillo and up to 20% Garnacha, with much smaller proportions of Mazuelo and Graciano. Each grape adds a unique component to the wine with Tempranillo contributing the main flavors and aging potential to the wine; Garnacha adding body and alcohol; Mazuelo adding seasoning flavors and Graciano adding additional aromas.

Among the region’s white wines, the most prominent varietal is Viura (also known as Macabeo), and contains blends of a little Malvasía and a little Garnacha Blanca. Rosado from Rioja is traditionally made from Garnacha grapes.

La Rioja

Rioja wines are divided into four classifications: The most basic is simply called Rioja. This wine is the region’s “entry-level” classification, can be fermented from any of the area’s allowed varietals, and has spent under a year aged in oak barrels. The next level is called Crianza. Crianza has been aged for a minimum of two years – one of those years must be in oak. After that is the Reserva classification, given to wines aged in oak for at least one year, with three years or more total aging. The fourth and most esteemed level of Rioja classification is called Gran Reserva¸ which describes a wine that has been aged in oak for two or more years and in bottle for three or more. Despite the minimum aging requirements, however, some of the more celebrated Rioja wineries to hold onto their wines for 10, 15, 20 or so years, until they are determined to be at their peak drinkability, and not released before that time. Due to this “library-style” release – plus varietals used, etc. – it is not uncommon to see many Rioja wines priced similarly to the best French Bordeaux bottles. But this is not to say there aren’t excellent deals to be found from the D.O.C.

Ironically, one of the value wineries I discovered was the same one that Jess wrote about at the very start of this blog. Viña Santurnia produces their wines en la propiedad – on the property – in the Alta district of Rioja. All of their wines are priced very well, and for comparison I decided to try three from their production: 2006 Crianza ($10.99 retail), 2004 Reserva ($14.99 retail) and 2001 Gran Reserva ($26.99).

Tres vinos de Rioja

What works about this project is that I’m tasting three levels of a producer’s wine, reporting back on what I liked and why. The intention is to illustrate what happens at each of the price points. What does not work about this project is that the winemaker uses different blends for each classification, and the three wines I tasted all came from different vintages.

The 2006 Crianza, aged for 12 months in American oak barrels, is made from 100% Tempranillo grapes. When I smelled it in the glass, my immediate impression was “pepper, with notes of litter box.” There was some fruit hiding in there somewhere, but – true to the Old World style – this wine was pure Barnyard Spice. Perhaps surprisingly, that’s considered a good thing when you’re talking about traditional Rioja. There was great balance to this spicy/peppery/dusty/earthy wine. Although it is made in the classic style, I found it to taste a little more like modern, New World wines than I expected; this is not a judgment, just an observation. For $11, I was pleased as can be.

The 2004 Reserva is crafted from a blend of Tempranillo, Mazuelo and Graciano and was American oak-aged 24 months before being bottled in September 2007. At $15, this was actually my least favorite of the three. Totally cherry-vanilla, it was jammier and more wood-sweet (likely due to more time in oak) than the Crianza. The balance was lovely and managed to align acid, tannin and fruit, but seemed overwhelmingly “New Worldy,” before disappearing with a short, dry, peppery finish. I was hoping for a little more depth and complexity for my $4 extra. I voted this wine “most likely to go bad before I get back to drinking it.”

2001 Vina Santurnia Gran Reserva

The 2001 Gran Reserva was an entirely different wine altogether. Cherries, asparagus and white pepper on the nose. Much more reserved on the palate than the other two – the entire experience was of a more sophisticated, more mature, more complex wine. Smooth, a little spicy, with flavors that unfolded gently in a controlled, delicate expression. The Gran Reserva is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Graciano. The percentage of Graciano – in addition, of course, to being an older vintage – might be one of the contributing factors in the wine’s higher sticker price. Graciano is a harder grape to grow, and produces the lowest yields of any of the other Rioja varietals. Whatever the reason, the Gran Reserva was in a class all its own. It also recently scored 90 points from Wine Spectator.

Everything about wine is a personal decision, from the flavors one prefers to the price they’re willing to spend. This blog is only a catalog of what Jess and I have tried, usually with a focus on bang for the buck. I really enjoyed the Viña Santurnia Crianza, I also really enjoyed the Gran Reserva. In the spirit of sultry, Spanish adventures, go with your own wine passion on this one. When one follows their heart, they are certain to drink more deeply from what life has to offer. And whatever it is that you choose, salud!

Weighing out value from one-day sale sites

It all started with Woot. They took this crazy idea that if a manufacturer or retailer wants to dump a load of merchandise, why not throw it in front of a mountain deal-hungry netizens and make that merchandise go away in less than a day? And it works! Woot is a successful business model with zillions of loyal fans (and even shoppers).

Then Woot said, hey wait a minute… what if we did Wine.Woot? Would wine shoppers snap up great wines at closeout prices, too? Well, of course they will! Because most wine is expensive.

It’s been said so many times before but “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Several other companies in the wine space have been eyeballing Wine.Woot’s success and thinking they want a piece of that action. They’ve launched these new sites in many forms, some just like Wine.Woot and others with their own spin. Either way, they’re playing the urgency card (making the deal time-limited) to get you emotionally ready to purchase.

We recently launched a new campaign called Hot Wine Deals (@HotWineDeals on twitter and we have a Facebook page, too). As part of this effort we’re combing through these one-day sales on a, yup, daily basis and uncovering some interesting information!

Here’s a rundown on who’s out there and who’s really offering deals:

• Wine.Woot
  The pitch: “Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday wine.woot.com will uncork a sweet new wine deal.” And we’ll do it with style.
  The analysis: Sometimes these wines are hard to find online to compare for prices or even get a second-opinion about. And their deals are frequently for 3-packs. I don’t love buying 3 of something I’ve never had so I’m always hesitant to buy, but when it comes to reputation you can’t beat Wine.Woot.com. Follow our shopping advice below and you won’t go wrong.
• WineAccess Special Deals
  The pitch: Our buying power lets us get unbelievable deals on fantastic quality wines and we incentivize you to buy by offering case-prices and other discounts.
  The analysis: WineAccess has two business models, one is selling high-quality wine and the other is referring shoppers to local and online wine stores. I’m almost always impressed with their selections and their pricing. It’s worth getting on their mailing list to keep in touch with their Deal of the Day promotions.
• WineExpress (Wine Enthusiast) Hot Deal of the Day
  The pitch: For one day, a special wine has been selected for $0.99 per bottle shipping.
  The analysis: Sorry guys, most of the time these deals ain’t that hot. WineExpress’ regular prices are full retail (or more!) and their sale prices are stingy (from my extreme bargain-hunter point of view).
• Wines Til Sold Out
  The pitch: Much like Wine.Woot, but without all the prose and better shipping deals. 30-70% off store and internet site prices and special Marathon days where they feature anywhere from 2-5 wines per hour from midnight to midnight.
  The analysis: They seem to be delivering on their promises and they have an excellent reputation among bargain hunters. The fine print says they have a parent company and that this is their closeout arm… I don’t like that the parent company isn’t disclosed so I searched the internet to see if I could find out: There’s some suspicion it might be WineBid.com or Roger Wilco Liquor Stores in New Jersey. Whoever they are, they’re worth keeping your eye on.
• CellarThief
  The pitch: Great wine at killer prices, and we donate clean water with every purchase!
  The analysis: Sometimes the prices are great, sometimes they’re okay. I’m a fan of their Mystery-packs because it’s fun and the wines are all good quality wines. Plus, they have a great website that’s just fun to visit.
  Side note: I’m not sure how I feel about using charitable donations as a marketing tactic. Typically I’d rather buy my stuff at the best price and send a check to my favorite charities… if we over-ask people for money for charities, we’ll make the wells run dry.
• Cinderella
  The pitch: WineLibrary’s answer to Wine.Woot with a twist (Wine Library is Gary Vaynerchuk’s baby).
  The analysis: Sales aren’t started or run with regularity, but they’re announced well in advance and there’s a huge one that launches on Friday June 18th. Gary’s got a reputation that is a mega-marketing machine on its own. We love that they show us their past deals and the past prices.

• WiredforWine
  The pitch: One unbeatable deal each until it sells out! Free shipping offer and best price guarantee.
  The analysis: It wasn’t hard for me to find some inaccurate data on their site and a lower price, too, but when I emailed in and asked about the discrepancy, they checked it out and immediately updated their site to reflect the current data… and they still had a better deal. As Ferris Bueller is famous for saying, “Live moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Well, the web moves pretty fast, too, and that makes it hard for all of your claims to be accurate 100% of the time… it’s all about how you respond to them. Keep this site on your list because their free-shipping offers frequently put them among the best deals around.

• Vinfolio Flash Sale
  The pitch: Specially negotiated pricing on highly-rated, top quality wines offered in limited quantity for a limited time.
  The analysis: Vinfolio is a consignment/auction site specializing in very fine wines. The kind of wines that the under $25 crowd won’t even consider. That said, if you’re in the market for something outstanding that might be hard to find, this is an excellent source. Their Flash Sales aren’t frequent and don’t occur with regularity so you’ll need to get on their email list for notifications.
• Wine.com
  We hear they’re coming out with a competitive product in this space, too. It hasn’t launched yet so stay tuned for an update when they do.

Here are some of our tips for shopping these deals:

• Before you fork over your credit card, do a quick check of your own!
  Most of these sites’ best-price claims are based on 1-3 data sources which do not represent every deal on the web and may not be 100% accurate (because the data sources might not be 100% accurate). Here are three great sources for you to check out when seeing if that price is really a steal: Google Shopping, Wine-Searcher.com, and WineAccess.com. There are of course others, but unless you’re not satisfied if you’re not paying the lowest price to the penny, these will be more than sufficient to let you know if this is a great deal or not.
• Don’t forget to check shipping costs!
  Some of the one-day sites offer free shipping on 2 or 4 bottles and sometimes the prices are shipping inclusive. This matters when comparing prices with other wine stores! We often find killer deals at little wine shops in NJ & NY except most of them don’t ship outside of their state. We suspect when the one-day sites quote prices, they’re looking at stores with broader shipping capabilities. You can often find a better deal if you look in your locale, so please do so! Wine-searcher.com and WineZap.com are great for this.

• If your wine is being compared to others in the neighborhood, check out the prices on those wines, too.
  You might really get a deal on pedigreed grapes from a little-known or stressed winery. Places like WineAccess make killer deals on wine from these unfortunate wineries all the time.

I’m SO curious to know what you guys think…

• Is this space too crowded?
• Are there too many deal-of-a-lifetime purveyors in the wine biz?
• What kind of consequences do these one-day sales have on wineries and regular retailers?