About halfway through the Beaujolais last weekend, Fiona had a wonderful idea. An official family wine event. So what if, in Florida, we set up some sort of tasting? I’m proposing a three night affair. One night will be reserved for white wine, one for reds, and one for sparkling. Participants are to submit a wine each night for the house. Initially, it was going to be a competition, and the winner was to receive some token of superiority. But I feel that everyone is a winner at a wine tasting.

A maximum price limit should be set; say $25? We can even have some tasting cards printed to record our findings. Would t-shirts be a little overboard? Of course, the results will appear right here on this website. This gives us about three weeks for “research,” which will consist of drinking excessively from all three categories in hopes of finding “the one.” The rules and guidelines still need a little tweaking, but I think this could possibly be the highlight of this year’s trip. Unless I catch a shark. That would be really cool. This year, I’ve promised myself that I’ll do more than just take fishing poles with me.

The American Film Institute (AFI) has released their 10 Top 10, in which they’ve determined the Best 10 movies in the top 10 genres. I really have some issues with this list. It just seems a bit dated. Half of the Romantic Comedies are in black and white, and number 1 is, for the most part, a silent film. Yes, the movie has sound in the form of a soundtrack, but there is no dialogue. The lists that work best for me are the Sci-Fi and Gangster films, although I have no idea how they can put 2001: A Space Oddity ahead of the original Star Wars. I was considerably happier with their 100 Years…100 Movies list that came out ten years ago. They released an 10th anniversary edition, but I prefer the original.

At one time, I promised myself that I would see each of the top 100 movies. I doubt that’ll ever happen, but if there’s a movie on the list that you want to see, I’ll be happy to watch it with you and a bottle or two of wine. Since I’m not into wine/food pairings, I’m opening up a new pairing system–wine/movie. What wine goes best with a comedy? a thriller? Would you bring out Champagne for any wedding movie, or only a special one? Horror movies obviously require a red wine, but which one? These are all questions that need to be answered.

I’m going to start with the obvious, The Godfather =Sangiovese. I chose a varietal here because it is Italy’s most widely planted red, and the word means “blood of Jove.” Jove was another name for the Roman god Jupiter. Italy+Roman god+blood=The Godfather. I don’t think every movie will work out this nicely, but I’ll try to come up with some more. Feel free to pair your own favorite movies and wines.

So, we got a $100 gift card for looking at some property. Can you guess what we bought with it? Correct! I’m going to post tonights’ offerings. Let me know how you feel about my choices, and I’ll be back later with updates.

Starting off with A to Z Pinot Gris form Oregon. It’s interesting and it was on sale.

Moving on to Martin Codax Albarino. Really smooth Spanish stuff. It makes me giddy.

As a Transition, I’m going with Georges Duboeuf’s Beaujolais. Kinda like Thanksgiving.

The ending of my book was set in Spain, so I’m trying a Chianti by a name I trust Ruffino.

OK, I know that’s plenty of wine for us, but it’s discounted if you buy six, so we picked up two bottles of Oyster Bay Savignon Blanc from New Zealand. It’s really good stuff. My favorite non-French white at the moment. I just heard Josh moan all the way from Ohio.

This serves as a warning that there will probably be incoherent ramblings posted in the morning, followed by a day of silence from me. I should be good on Monday. Have a great weekend. I plan to!

Wednesday night we took the Chieftain to an Astros game for Father’s Day. Although we were on the losing end, it was a blast. We sat in the Crawford Boxes and witnessed eight homers and 29 hits. Going into the game, I had planned on posting about the Wino’s glorious return to beer. A reunion between a man and his brew. After all, I drank beer almost exclusively for close to 20 years.

Let me set the record straight, I still drink beer. It’s just not right to watch a football game with a nice glass of Merlot. Some situations are sacred, and wine is not a viable option. Take fishing for example. You will not catch me drinking wine while chasing down reds in the bay. Now I will sit down at the table and have some Pinot Grigio with the fish I caught for dinner, but that’s different.

So I had a few beers Wednesday, and they were good. My only complaint about the beer would be that I had to pee and missed the catcher and coach for the Astros getting tossed from the game. We drank suds and munched on $1 hot dogs. They even had Blue Moon for Fiona. It was exactly as I imagined. The game could have gone either way until the 7th inning. The only thing I would have changed was the final score.

But there was one element to the experience that was impossible to ignore. Beer drinkers are loud and obnoxious. This is NOT a complaint, I’m just stating the facts. Remember, just a few short years ago, this was me. There was this one guy that was out of control. He was having the time of his life. I say good for him. He livened up section 103, especially when he bought 20 hot dogs and handed them out to everyone around him. He led us in chants and supported the ‘Stros until he could barely speak. Fiona dubbed him Hotdog Horatio, because she thought he looked like Horatio Sanz from SNL.

My point is, I enjoyed Horatio, but I don’t want to be him. At least not anymore. For Pete’s sake, I’m almost 40 years old. In the old days, I could see myself arm in arm, singing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” with this guy. Shotgunning beers while insulting the other team’s left fielder. I would like to think that I’ve aged gracefully; and believe me, I’m not very graceful after a dozen beers. That doesn’t mean I won’t tear it up from time to time, I just try not to do it in such a public place.

I was scrolling through the site and noticed that I really haven’t written much on specific wines. For this one I need reader participation. I’m dividing this into three categories using price as a measure.

1. Under $10 Whites-Cavit Pinot Grigio, Chateau Bonnet Reds-Chateau Cadillac, something Australian
2. $10-20 Whites-Martin Codax Albarrino, San Angelo Pinot Grigio Reds-Anything Coppola,
3. over $20 I’m drawing a big blank, mostly because I rarely go here. Help me!

What I need from you are some suggestions for people like Darel who buy whatever has the coolest label or lowest price tag. I’ve led off with a couple house pours. I have to apologize to Chieftain, since many of my favorites were discovered in the Owl’s Nest. I’ll update and make it look nicer once I get a couple responses.

So far, this blog has mostly been about wine experiences rather than wine knowledge. It will most likely continue to be as such. But, for those of you who wish to learn a thing or two about our beloved elixir, pick up a copy of The Accidental Connoisseur, by Lawrence Osborne. The cover labels it “an irreverent journey through the wine world.” I picked it up to read on a flight and truly enjoyed it.

Beware, although it is in narrative form, the book deals with the complexities of the world of winemaking. It is not an easy read. However, those who enjoy wine will learn plenty, and it isn’t as stagnant as an encyclopedia. Basically, it tells of Osborne’s travels to the world’s wineries in an attempt to perfect his palate. There’s abundant talk of terroir, fermentation techniques, acidity and other production aspects with just enough wit and drinking stories to keep the book moving.

Writing this blog has been a learning experience for me. Although many of you may already know this, I’m posting it anyway. Here’s a chart I’ve compiled of the different sizes of wine bottles available. I chose to leave off anything under one full bottle because I feel it’s irrelevant. If you don’t need or want a whole bottle of wine, this site is not for you.

It’s somewhat ironic how this works. The magnum bottle is usually seen in lower-priced wines, a more for your money approach. However, as the bottles grow, so does the price. The larger bottles allow the wine to age more gracefully, therefore they are primarily used with high-end wines. Anything larger than a double magnum, like Maximus , is more for show than functionality. You will find more of the sparkling wines in the larger sizes, specially produced for events and those wealthy enough to seek them out.

As many of you already know, Friday was Fiona’s birthday. Looking beyond our usual haunts, we traveled to The Woodlands for HEB’s Wine and Food Week. I have to admit, I was skeptical going into this. We had to drive across Houston, and since it was her birthday, I was designated driver. I’ve never been very much for moderation, so the stress of driving really put a damper on my enthusiasm. But I will concede that we both enjoyed ourselves thoroughly.

We arrived late. The tasting began at 5:30, right in the middle of rush hour. Fiona began the afternoon with her trademark mani/pedi paired with a bottle of wine, so she was feeling no pain. We were almost an hour late, but still had plenty of time to wander the convention floor before dinner. I was really anxious. It felt like going to a movie sequel; I know I like the premise, but can it live up to the hype? I would have to say this one delivered.

The event was dubbed “Value Wines Happy Hour.” It featured wines that sell at HEB for under $15 . Johnny like. I wouldn’t say I’m against paying for a good bottle of wine; but why would I when I can buy two nice bottles for the same amount? We were handed our commemorative glasses and began tasting. We ran across many of our house standards and managed to find some really interesting new wines. Fiona (who is usually quite predictable in her tastes) really impressed me in her quest to expand her repertoire. We even convinced her to try a few reds.

Sometime around 8:00, we moved to the restaurant for the “Pinot and Pasta Patio Party.” I knew it was time for me to stop drinking and prepare for the trek home, so I ate two large bowls of Chicken Alfredo. It wasn’t the best ever, but it definitely hit the spot. As I finished my meal, Fiona returned from the restroom with three new t-shirts. She couldn’t decide which one best suited her, so she bought one of each (I call actions like this wineglass philosophy).

Fiona continued to make new friends on the patio while my dinner settled. The Woodlands has some wonderful scenery. As we sat on the riverside watching tour boats come and go, it was decided that next year we would rent a room. Our newfound tablemates agreed as they continued to bestow the rewards of parenthood upon us. I can’t recall their names, but they seemed like nice people. They totally backed Fiona on her assertion that an event of this magnitude warranted three shirts.

I believe it was nearing 10:00 when I went for the car. I have to say that for $50 per person, this was an incredible deal. With my head cleared, we began the journey home. The ensuing ride will have to be saved for a later post, since it is a story in and of itself.

We bought some Thunderbird when I was just a teen. We actually took it back to get something more drinkable…MD 20/20. Now that’s nasty!!! I’m still recovering from this weekend, so I thought I’d post this to keep you entertained. Check back later today for news on HEB’s Food and Wine Week at the Woodlands.

http://www.cracked.com/article_16314_nectar-broke-worlds-5-worst-ways-get-drunk.htm

Maynard James Keenan is best known for fronting bands Tool and A Perfect Circle, but is hoping to be recognized for his newfound passion, winemaking. For those who are unfamiliar with the man, watch the video for the song Sober It is deeply disturbing and gave me nightmares in which I was trapped in the very same grotesque animated universe. MTV even withdrew Tool’s video for Prison Sex from their lineup because it was “too graphic and offensive.”

Maynard discovered the qualities of wine after the band began stealing bottles from managers and promoters while on tour. shortly after, Tori Amos gave him a 1992 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon as a gift and he was hooked. The Arizona Republic quotes his reaction–He opened it to have with a meal and was astonished. “Oh my, what just happened?” he said. “A little light went on.” He became a collector and in 2000 found the inspiration for Merkin Vineyards.

Caduceus Wines (www.caduceus.org) consists of about 6000 vines and is located in…Arizona? It seems Maynard is hoping that the terroir in Northern Arizona’s Merkin Vineyards will produce wines similar to his favorites; Tuscans. Merkin is composed of four separate tracts, which will give Keenan the variety of soils necessary to produce the blends he favors from Italy. Currently, he is buying from local and California vineyards while his crops mature. He wants it to be known that he is not merely a figurehead who put his name on the bottle to make money. This is his passion, and as photos from the website show, he involves himself with every aspect of the winemaking process.

Four wines are available for purchase.

1. The Chupacabra (the mystery wine)
2. Primer Paso (unmistakeably shiraz… but there’s something else in there as well.)
3. Nagual de SENSEI (consisting mainly of Cabernet Savignon and a touch of Syrah)
4. Nagual de la NAGA (Cab Sav & Sangiovese blend. Aroma like a new world Tuscan meets old world Brunello.)

The wines run from $25 for the Chupacabra to $95 for the SENSAI. For now, they can only be bought in person or online at the website.

For those who feel Maynard may be losing his edge, visit the website. It’s the best wine site I’ve seen. Or, paste this link to find out what a merkin is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkin