Nearly ten years ago I wrote a feature entitled, “To Screw or Unscrew the Cap” in which I made a case for metal screw caps.  A decade ago cork finished nearly every fine bottle of wine and the Stelvin metal cap was a relative novelty, except among Australian and New Zealand wineries. The prevailing sentiment in America was that screw caps, regardless of their origin were fit only for inexpensive wines with limited ability to age.  No more!  What started as a novel way to avoid the taint of infected cork that had become increasingly more prevalent with the shortage of high quality cork has now become mainstream in nearly all wine producing countries.  Today, even Verget, the great French Burgundy producer has adopted the metal screw cap for his top end wines.  Why?  Screw caps work, and they work well, plain and simple.  In fact, they finish wines better than cork.

In nostalgic moments, I bemoan the loss of a perfect cork exiting every special bottle of wine but the reality of the situation is that not all of those “special bottles” were as special as they should have been or could have been had they been finished with metal caps.  Ten years of positive results with screw caps finishing top end wines should be all the testimony we need.  Nevertheless, perceptions die hard, so I would like to reiterate my initial arguments in favor of the metal cap.

Natural cork is a limited commodity.  It is the refined bark of the cork oak, which grows only in certain Mediterranean climates and locales.  Moreover, it takes decades for a cork oak that has been “harvested” or flayed if you will to once again bear sufficient cork for our precious wine bottles.  In a world enamored of wine, the supply of cork simply cannot keep up with demand.  There just isn’t enough genuine cork to go around, and even less high quality cork to be had.  Hence, the plethora of alternatives:  composite corks, hybrid corks, synthetic corks, and now screw caps.  Each has its attributes as well as its drawbacks, with the exception of the metal screw cap whose only downside is its lack of aesthetic appeal.  Aside from aesthetics, the modern screw cap is the perfect seal for most wines.  It provides an airtight seal, rarely leaks and never spoils or imparts an off taste or smell to a bottle of wine.  Surprisingly, it appears to allow fine wines to mature slowly and consistently in bottle as well.  The same cannot always be said for all genuine cork or the “pseudo corks” we find closing many wines today, so let’s not hold the metal screw cap in contempt.  Besides, the metal cap is here to stay, whether we like it or not, and I predict that more great names in wine will soon adopt or expand their use of the metal screw cap.

Don

I am always looking for wines that are not yet on the tip of everyone’s tongue.  Some are relative newcomers, others are ancient varietals whose many attributes are just being discovered or re-discovered in the case of Mencia.

Mencia is a red Spanish grape varietal found primarily in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras appellations of northern Spain.  The Mencia varietal was once considered by enologists to be a direct ancestor and precursor of Cabernet Franc, but recent DNA testing has shown that this is not the case.  Mencia and Cabernet Franc do share some common characteristics, but not the same ancestry.  It is now widely believed that Mencia and Portugal’s Jaen de Dão (Jaen for short) grape variety are one and the same.  Still, not everyone agrees.  However, what we do know for certain about Mencia is that it has been around for quite some time, and it is producing outstanding wines.

In Bierzo, original plantings of Mencia likely date to the earliest Roman settlers in Bierzo, who cultivated the varietal two thousand years ago in what remains one of Europe’s most isolated wine regions.  Bierzo is a remote area of Galicia, Spain’s cool, windswept province astride the Atlantic.   Certainly, it is the very isolation of the Bierzo that has allowed Mencia to survive and even thrive.  Moreover, the average age of the hillside vines in Bierzo is quite old, which lends itself to the production of high quality wines.  Consequently, the wonderfully fruity, spicy, and wholly intriguing Mencia varietal has recently been discovered or rather re-discovered by modern legions of wine drinkers.  They are no doubt intrigued by the unique viticultural entity we call Mencia, whose many attributes are accentuated by organic farming, low vineyard yields, and modern winemaking techniques.  In 2013, look for Mencia and other outstanding premium varietals that are not yet household names to arrive at your door.

Don

The Rhône Valley of France has for many years been one of my favorite wine destinations.  The swift flowing Rhône cuts a fine swath as it descends from the Alps to the Mediterranean.  The region’s physical beauty and luminous light are legendary, and within sight of the Rhône lay some of the finest vineyards and appellations in France.  Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqyueras, and a bevy of Côte-du- Rhône villages that turn out some of the world’s most affordable treasures can all be found along the mighty Rhône.  Sadly, I don’t get to the south of France very often anymore, as there are so many other wonderful wine regions to explore and new vineyards that merit attention.  To compensate for my loss and to remind me of times past, I make sure to drink my share of splendid Rhône wines.  Why?  Because I like them, first and foremost.  Secondly, they conjure the colorful images of Provence and nearby Languedoc that have been indelibly printed in my memory.  And last but not least, year in and year out, the Rhône Valley consistently turns out an abundance of unadulterated wines that people enjoy drinking.  So, one of my quests this year is to find more of the Rhône Valley’s

Some of you have seen this blog post before, but a number of members asked me to repeat it. I think it is as true this year as it was last year, and for generations before that, so here it goes.

Conventional thinking tends to relegate Champagne and other fine sparkling wines to special occasions, late night parties, and New Year’s Eve.  To that I say “humbug.” Champagne is a wine for all seasons, and since every day ought to be a celebration, why not pour yourself a glass of Champagne on a cold, rainy day as well as a warm, sunny day?  Why limit the pleasure of good bubbly to a few occasions or just one time of year?  Furthermore, good sparkling wine, and Champagne in particular, cheers the heart as well as the palate.  Personally, I like Champagne at all times of the year, and I especially enjoy it as an aperitif and a prelude to a fun evening.  It cleanses the palate and enlivens the soul.  I believe it was Winston Churchill who once remarked, “In the time left to us between the disaster and the catastrophe, there is time for a glass of Champagne.” To that I will pop a few corks and add Amen!

And after the Champagne, I will open up the best mature white and red wines from my cellar and give thanks for the Holidays and all those who have made my lot in life possible.  Cheers!  All the best to everyone in life and the New Year!

Don

As the Holidays approach my thoughts turn to the meaning and purpose of the season.  My taste buds, however, veer straight to the most venerable part of my wine cellar where the most mature and memorable wines await coveted invitations to grace holiday tables.

The season between Thanksgiving and New Years is rich with occasions to share the finest wines one has to offer.  It’s also the ideal time to consider giving the gift of wine.  Yes, I am quite predictable; I like to offer wine to those who enjoy it or even to those have never found a wine they liked.  The latter are often the most fun because rare is the person who has tasted enough wine to justify the aversion.  I thrive on the challenge, and I am thrilled when a wine illuminates the senses and captures the noses and palates of theretofore non-believers.

So, few are surprised when I arrive at their doorsteps bearing gifts of Bordeaux and Barolo, Chardonnay and Champagne.  Perhaps, my friends and family are just being polite, but invariably the bottles all lay empty by the end of the evening or disappear within a matter of days from the wine rack where they were put to rest.  So, I will continue to share the fruits of my labor and come bearing gifts that I hope will be akin to liquid gold, aromatic intrigue, and sensual delight.  In truth, it’s my way of sharing a little bit of what’s good and even special about life during the hectic Holiday Season.  It’s also my way of saying thank you for the many gifts I have received in life from family, friends, and acquaintances.

A votre santé

Don

On our website and in past blogs I’ve discussed how we choose wines for our clubs, but the recent question “Why did you choose that wine?” by a friend and long time club member made me realize that perhaps more needs to be said on this issue.  My friend’s question was immediately followed by another question: “Why did you choose that wine and not another one?”  In short, the answer is this: Collectively, our tasting panels liked the wine we chose better than similar wines we tasted.  However, there is more to selecting a wine for the club than just liking a particular wine.  At  The International Wine of the Month Club we are committed to selecting the highest quality and value we can find from around the world.  Consequently, we cannot in good faith choose wines primarily from one nation or locale.  Certainly, that would be a much easier task but also less interesting.  More importantly, we would not be educating our members, nor would we be providing them the promised service of delivering to them outstanding international wines each month.  Sadly, there are times when we must pass on a number of very good wines simply because we have found a wine from elsewhere that is equally exciting and unique.  Variety is indeed the spice of life, and nowhere is that adage more telling than in the world of wine.  There are so many fine wines, yet so little time.  Instead of being sad about the loss, we are elated.  Who would wish to have all the time in the world to drink bad wine?