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We welcomed 2009 at the Boyds’ once again with the entire clan plus a couple Macleans.  The open house at the Owls’ Nest began at 5pm, and I managed to wait until 5:20 before I had my first drink.  I enjoyed chatting and toasting with family friends and neighbors, but I have to admit I was relieved that most of the guests cleared out before 8pm.  It took close to 20 years, but I’ve learned that when you start drinking before dark, it’s not a good idea to be around casual acquaintances at midnight.

Being obnoxious and drunk around family and close friends is a different story.  They accept me for who I am and realize that, no matter how inebriated I become the effects are temporary, and I will eventually return to the sensible(?) person that they once knew.  Actually, I think I did a pretty good job of keeping it together.  There’s a good chance I’m mistaken, but if my memory is correct, the cab driver received the brunt of my drunken antics.  I’m actually somewhat proud.

Much of this I owe to Matt.  I’m not sure if he was looking out for me or just enjoying himself, but he managed to occupy the Wii console for the majority of the night.  Otherwise, I would have been singing really bad karaoke songs on American Idol and getting ridiculed at Wii sports by Katya, my niece.  I’m still nervously awaiting the photographic evidence that will surely appear on Josh’s Flickr page someday soon.  A microphone, an excess of wine, and a classic Bon Jovi tune…Who could ask for a more embarrassing photo set?

But I earned a night of drunken bliss.  2008 was an incredible year for me.  I regained a love for my job, something that had eluded me for a couple of years.  I accepted and embraced being a Houstonian.  McAllen is now officially  my hometown, not my home.    I really found myself again last year.  Looking back, I’m not sure if I was really lost, but I honestly didn’t know where I was headed either.  There are still numerous possible final destinations, but several stops along the way have been clearly mapped out.  None of this would have been possible without the love and support of an incredible woman.  I call her Baby, but you know her better as Fiona.  She’s been with me through every turn and pit stop.  I couldn’t possibly find a better person to ride shotgun through my life.

That being said, I wish everyone a wonderful 2009.  Unlike economists, I’m looking forward to what is in store for me.  Enough of this, let’s raise a glass to whatever the future may hold.  Cheers!

The Wino Family would like to send a special thanks to Walt and Eileen from Brys’ Estate Winery for a special tasting of their Michigan Wines at the Elmasri home Christmas weekend.  Fiona and I first experienced these fine wines in July 2006, when we attended a celebration for newlyweds Katie (their daughter, Fiona’s BFF) and Azmi at the Old Mission Peninsula Vineyards.  We had an excellent time, and have been fortunate enough to get our hands on a few bottles since then.  However, we recently were treated to the full Brys’ experience as we toasted Christmas and a housewarming for Katie, Azmi and their 2-year-old son Aidan.

Never shy around wine, we tasted from the full array of the estate’s white wine selection.  Fiona enjoyed the Pinot Grigio, while I preferred an unfamiliar varietal-Gerwurtztraminer.  They also produce an extremely tasty dry Reisling.  Moving on to reds, I took a liking to their Merlot, but Azmi and I agreed that the Pinot Noir deserved a second (and third) tasting.   There are several others to choose from, including a Signature Series in both red and white.  The Brys produce some 5000 cases of wine a year on their 24 acres and now use only grapes grown on their estate, which overlooks the East Bay of Lake Michigan.

Customers can order online or visit the tasting room, but the Wine Club is the best option in my book.  Members are guaranteed delivery of even the most highly sought-after wines as long as they make at least two annual purchases.  If you’re in the area, stop by or visit http://www.brysestate.com/ for more information.

I’m not sure what, but I found it interesting and thought you might too.  As posted by The Cellarist:

Amount of wine produced in states that McCain won: 4.3 Million Gallons Amount of wine produced in states that Obama won: 773 Million Gallons Percentage of wine produced in America that comes from states that Obama carried: 98.6

National Geographic has posted a interactive page called Hangover Helpers.  It features several remedies from around the world.  Many of them are common knowledge:  For example, Americans drink tomato juice with an egg yolk, Worchestershire sauce, pepper and a shot (isn’t that a bloody mary?).  Italians drink coffe, while Russians sweat it out in a sauna.  I think the Dutch have the best idea, drink beer.  I have extensive experience with hangovers, and I’ve found that sleeping through the pain is the best remedy.  Of course, staying drunk one way to avoid a hangover alltogether.  However, I think I’d rather have a hangover than eat pickled haring (Germany) or drinking soured milk (Poland).

I wouldn’t say this is dead on, but I did get a couple of chuckles from it.  Quite honestly, it’s been a slow week in the wine world, and I feel the urge to post something…  The English are drinking more American wine than French wine (primarily contributed to the volume of Rose consumed)…  Some guy in Australia  is making wine infused with insane amounts of reservatrol, which is the antioxidant that cleans your arteries…  A number of rich folks have decided that investing in wine is a safer bet than Wall Street…

I try to weed out the crap and stick to quality news, but I need something to work with.  I guess I’ll have to get hammered at a new bar or consume ungodly amounts of some interesting wine and make my own news.  I just can’t count on the powers-that-be to fill my blog with worthy material.  I’m off to conduct some “research”.  If anyone needs me I’ll be drinking my way to a better blog.

Oh yeah, follow this link if you want to see Cracked’s list.

I always get confused when I’m picking out a bottle of sparkling wine.  Do I prefer Brut or Extra Dry?  I know one is sweet, and the other is not.  The logical approach is that extra dry would not be the sweeter of the two, but the logical approach does not work in this case.  I found an article that explains the variances in the sweetness of Champagnes and posted my findings below.

Brut-A dry wine, that is most drinkers will not taste any sweetness.

Extra Dry-Most people should taste a hint, but not an abundance of sweetness.

Sec-These wines have a higher level of sweetness that is obvious to most palates.

Demi-Sec-The level of sweetness rivals a dessert wine.

Doux-A wine that is extremely sweet, each liter contains at least 50 grams of residual sugar, whatever that means.

Keep in mind that a sparkling wine can only be called Champagne if it is grown in that region of France.  Also keep in mind that there are some amazing sparklings out there that are not Champagne.  Try a Prosecco this New Year instead.  If you like Italian wines, pick up a bottle of Spumante.  Sparkling from Spain goes by the name of Cava.   Whatever incarnation you choose, keep in mind that big bottles are fun, and sparklings are readily available in Magnum and Jeroboam (Double-Magnum) sizes.

Its press release claims Once Upon a Vine is, “What’s been missing from the wine bookshelf.” I have to admit that it does seem like a nice break from the volumes of reference materials often associated with the wine scene. It’s probably best to let them explain the book themselves:

Once Upon A Vine shares the stories of 24 winemakers…Not a wine tasting guide, not a tour book, not a wine education course, this book offers a whole new way to open the cellar door for anyone with any interest in wine. Once Upon A Vine uncorks true life stories, sagas about choices made, luck, hope and dreams realized that can both inspire the reader - and clarify the choices at the wine shop. “When you know a winery’s secret story,” Reynolds concludes, “you’ll always remember the wine.”

I like the fact that the stories all check in at under 10 pages, and are divided into six categories (ranging from Strong Women to Bootstrap). There is one troubling issue. It appears to only be offered through its own, private website: www.OnceUponAVineTheBook.com. Neither it nor any other work by Judy Reynolds is available at Amazon, and a news search turned up a bunch of nothing. Jane Seymour wrote the forward, if that means anything to you. I’m not completely sold, but will probably give it a look.

Update:  I was contacted by the author herself (see her comment on this post) and she has promised a copy of the book to JohnnyWino.  She is indeed selling the book independently, but does carry some hearty credentials.  I’ll be sure to keep you updated.  There’s still some time left to order a copy for your favorite oenophile before Christmas!

Esquire magazine has created a page titled “The Best Bars in America”. I typed in Texas, only to find that Houston has been entirely left off the listing. There are a few bars from Austin, but none I’ve ever heard of. I’m hoping that this is a work in progress and will continue to grow, since there is a place for you to nominate your favorite watering hole. I’m headed there shortly to try to put Houston on the map. Actually Katy, since the only bar that comes to mind is Mo’s Place. Come to think of it, most places I visit in town are chains or wine dives.

This is a very informative site, although somewhat disturbing. You input what you drank last night, and it translates the calories into the equivalent amount of food. I’m not sure what a jaffa cake or onion bhaji are, but I don’t think they’re healthy. I suggest trying this when you’ve finished drinking, so it doesn’t ruin your buzz. Yet one more reason to curse the BBC.