End of Year Clearance!

The slide from Thanksgiving to New Year's is not just party season. It's also "DOORBUSTER DEALS SEASON!!!" How much footage have we seen of people lined up outside Best Buy at 4 am to snag a $50 Wii, outside a Hummer dealership for a free year of gasoline with the purchase of an H3, or outside K-Mart for a three-for-one pack of apple corers.

Aside from simply getting people into stores to flail about in a sea of crass Christmas commercialism, why do merchants go to all this trouble?

Inventory, of course. At year's end, old merchandise gets cleared out to make room for next year's styles, versions, colors, editions, etcetera. What's the best way to clear some space? Why, a sale, of course! Offer sharp discounts to get overwilling consumers to cart away your excess.

Wine stores are like the aforementioned car dealerships. This year's models are still on the lot when automakers prepare to ship next year's, so dealerships offer "end-of-model-year" closeouts. As wineries crank out vintages, the previous year's wines need to get moved off the shelves. The end of the year is a great time to pick up great values. Some things to keep in mind:

• Large wine producers deal in volume, so stores will have more product to sell before the next year's shipment comes in. You're more likely to find good deals on more common labels. These producers want to keep fresh product on the shelves

• Look for wines that need to be drunk soon. Not long ago, I found a Bordeaux that was normally about a $25 bottle on sale for $10. It was a 2000 -- so it might last a little while longer, but this particular type was at the height of drinkability and would be heading south soon, more than likely. I bought five bottles and went through them pretty quickly.

• In general, look for merlots, zinfandels, pinot noirs, and almost any white wines. You'll also find some cabernets and Italian wines that are nearing the end of their drinking peak that you can snap up cheaply.

This is also a great time to try some wines that would typically be a little more expensive than what you would normally get -- you'll be able to see if they're worth a splurge later on. Here are a few end-of-year sale wines that dropped themselves neatly into Vine range:

Ravenswood 2004 Old Vine Zinfandel -- Picked this up for $11, down from $17. I normally don't think of Zinfandels as "elegant," but this was as close as I've found. Rather than the usual 2x4 of fruit across the tongue, the Ravenswood is surprisingly restrained. There's a nice, not overwhelming, fragrance of plums and berries on the nose. The palate has some nice fruit also, but it's not as jammy as many Zins. Instead, there's a nice balance of fruit and tannin -- almost like a cabernet. The finish is also less fruity and more complex than I've run into with Ravenswood and many similar wines. Very pleasant.

Wente 2005 "Morning Fog" Chardonnay -- Wente Cellars made the first wine in California labeled as Chardonnay, and they're a very solid mid-line producer. This wine is normally around $18 a bottle. I got this one for $13. This full-bodied chardonnay starts you with a well-balanced nose of toasted oak and vanilla. The flavor is rich, a little citrusy, and oaky. The finish is long and a bit crisp for a chardonnay. Unlike many California chardonnays (which generally aren't my favorites) -- this one balances fruit, oak, and richness nicely. I enjoyed it.

Francis Coppola 2005 "Diamond Series Silver Label" Pinot Noir -- Honestly, I've stayed away from Coppola wines. I haven't done it because I've not liked them, but there's something about someone famous doing a "second career" as a winemaker that gave me pause. (I haven't tried any of the Greg Norman wines for a similar reason.) I figured that these might be overpriced, leaning on the Coppola name, but this one was $14, down from $20 -- so I figured, "Why not?" and I was pleasantly surprised. This is a very fragrant wine -- scents of strawberries, cherries, and something like leather. The body is very full for a pinot. A friend of mine once talked about how much he liked "chewy" pinots, and this one certainly fits the bill. Lots of berries and currant flavors, finishing with a thick, slightly dry flavor. A really nice pinot.

So, there you have it -- now is the time to try some of those wines you've thought about but thought they were just a tad too expensive. Get out there and Save! Save! Save!

(Hat tip to co-worker Kristan, her friend Emily, and the Sweet Partner in Crime for the column inspiration.)

Wine for Thanksgiving

Hard to believe it's been a year since the last time I looked at wines for the Most Gluttonous Time Of The Year. Lots of calories under the bridge since then. We're again faced with the same dilemma -- big table, many family members with various issues, wildly varied foods, and a need for wines to please everyone.

Good luck.

Actually, there are a number of wines that would work just fine with almost any table. Since thinking basic is a good idea, there's a lot of decent product that will work. A few possibilities follow. And, like last year, if you find yourself cooking -- I still recommend a flask of Maker's Mark stashed inconspicuously behind the potato masher.

Paringa 2004 Sparkling Shiraz -- Full disclosure -- this was the first alcoholic sparkling red I've ever tried. I'd heard sparkling shiraz mentioned as a flexible wine, and I was quite curious, since I couldn't quite put "Shiraz" and "sparkling" together in my mind. If you drink this wine thinking "Shiraz," you're in for a shock. The strong fruit and slight sweetness of Shiraz gets amplified. While the wine was a little bit sweeter than I usually take, it was still very interesting. The nose is crisp, with a little blueberry. The flavor is soft. It's sweet, but there's a little bit of tannin running underneath. The finish is very crisp for a wine this sweet. If you put it with the typical Thanksgiving table -- roast turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and such -- it would really shine. There are enough interesting notes in here to echo almost anything you'll find in the food. If you pick it up at another time of year, have it as a brunch wine. Fruits (we had it with cherries and chocolate covered blueberries) match this wine very well. $10.

Covey Run 2005 Gewürztraminer -- What can I say, I'm still a sucker for wines with umlauts. While Riesling is probably more flexible, if you've got a group that wants something a little different or if you're with a group that doesn't know better, bust out a Gewürz. It'll be fun for people to try to pronounce after a couple of glasses, at the very least. This offering from Washington is a really flavorful wine, starting you with a nose of honey and apples. The body is quite full and fruity, and it's not as peppery as many of its cousins. I generally prefer them with a little more spice, but this will be much more accessible to a larger group. More importantly, it does have enough acidity to stand up to most foods. It will compliment almost anything that you might think to cook, unless you're going to do a beef roast or something along those lines. For $8-9, you'll get a bottle you can use either with dinner or as an aperitif.

Louis Jadot 2006 Beaujolais-Villages -- A quick side note here. I wanted to do a Beaujolais as one of the wines, since that's a classic pairing. I was struck immediately when I checked that section of the aisle at the sheer number of Beaujolais cru that were available. If you remember, those are the ones made in particular towns in the region and are supposed to be the "top of the line." Then I noticed -- every single one of them was from Georges Dubeouf. I shouldn't have a prejudice, since his wines are generally very quaffable -- but with this onslaught of cru, I was skeptical. I followed my instinct and took the one bottle of Beaujolais among the dozen or so that wasn't from dear ol' Georges. I wasn't disappointed. A friendly, nice nose of strawberries and cherries. Those scents are echoed in the body of the wine. The tannins are light, and the acidity's not too strong. A good all around red wine to just straight-up drink or that will work with most anything you'll have on the table. Only $6-7, so you can load up and not break the bank.

Gnarly Head 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel -- "Come on, Mike," a friend of mine said, "You do these wines for big groups and parties, and you do things that will appeal to the middle of the road. But Thanksgiving is a big ass meal, so you need a big ass wine. What would you do?" With a gauntlet like that thrown down, you need a red wine where people will know that they're drinking A Red Wine. Still, you have to have appeal for lots of folks, and it does have to go with what you're serving. One wine raises its hand -- Zinfandel. Specifically, big, cranking California Zin. The Gnarly Head fills the bill perfectly. The very definition of a "fruit bomb," this wine announces its presence with authority. Lots of big plummy scents lead you to a huge fruity body. There's a little tannin and a little oak in there somewhere, and you catch hints of it on the finish -- but it's largely a big wine that would pair with big flavors. Most Thanksgiving tables would be perfect. At close to 15% alcohol, it'll liven up any party. $10.

Enjoy the gorging, enjoy the wine, enjoy the football, and celebrate the family. Whether tied by blood or by love, they're what makes us us. Raise a glass.

"Woke up this morning/Got yourself the Vine…"

Only fitting as a tribute to the now-departed Sopranos that I give Italy some more space. Since the series focused on Italian expatriates, I thought I'd look at Italian expatriate wines. (OK, it's a stretch -- I needed a lead…sue me…)

What do I mean by "expatriate wines?" Many grapes are native to a certain region or country. For the most part, grapes prefer their original terroir. Wines from a grape's native region tend to be better examples of a particular varietal, but not always. Planting a grape in a different country’s soil sometimes yields an interesting result.

For example, malbec -- a humble blending grape in France -- took root in Argentina and became an excellent red on its own. Riesling, long of Germany and Alsace, takes on a very different character outside the Rhineland. Italian grapes largely don't fare well outside the confines of their motherland. Italian grapes tend to be persnickety -- requiring very specific climates and soils.

Luckily, there are always a few winemakers who have enough stubbornness and desire for particular wine styles to overcome a grape’s homesick tendencies. A few other places around the globe are now making good wines from Italian stock. For instance, Sangiovese -- the backbone grape of Chianti, is now cultivated somewhat widely in California. The results are quite interesting – try one next to a Chianti Classico and see what I mean. Here are a few other Italian grapes "out of their element" for your consideration:

Blue Fish 2005 Pinot Grigio Pfalz -- Pinot Grigio actually hails from Burgundy, where it is known as pinot gris. Much like the nomenclature of Shiraz and Syrah, winemakers tend to name their wines after the style the wine most resembles. Drier wines tend to be labeled "Pinot Grigio." Blue Fish is best known for making solid, inexpensive Riesling, but recently started experimenting with other varietals, including Pinot Grigio.

The wine has a soft nose of grapefruit and honey. The wine is medium-bodied and is quite dry. There's also some tart, tropical flavor. The finish is grapefruity and of decent length for a simple wine. I'd consider it a cross between a Sauvignon Blanc and a Grüner Veltliner. A dry, acidic wine is usually refreshing and food friendly. You could have this with a risotto, with some grilled chicken, or baked swordfish. You could also sip this one by itself on a warm day. $6-7.

Rancho Zabaco 2004 Sonoma Heritage Vines Zinfandel -- In Italy, the Zinfandel grape is known as Primitivo. While the lineage of this grape reaches back to somewhere in Croatia, it came into its own in Italy’s Apulia region. Zinfandels (and no, not white zinfandel -- we've covered that…) are often big, alcoholic wines that are made specifically to be "fruit bombs." Some of them are a little more restrained -- but you're generally not thinking "subtle" when you’re quaffing zin.

I won't make any bones about it…I really enjoy this wine. Rancho Zabaco does three different, readily available zins. There's the "Dancing Bull" -- about $7-8 a bottle. There's the "Stefani Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel," setting you back $28-30. Then you have the “Sonoma Heritage Vines.” At $12 or so, it’s a huge step up from Dancing Bull and holds its own against most other wines. Scrape your couch cushions for a few extra bits and try it.

The Heritage Vines has a big nose -- sharp with blackberries and mint. The body, not unexpectedly, is big and bold with a nice balance of dark fruit and tannin. The finish is long and dry, with a nice cherry taste winding it all up. You going to put barbecue sauce on anything this summer? Get a bottle of this to go with it.

Goats Do Roam 2005 "The Goatfather" -- Goats Do Roam has been a favorite value pick of mine ever since I had it for dinner a few years ago at Francesca's in Lexington, KY. The Goatfather ("Goats do roam…capice?") is a "reserve" release from this South African winery. This wine is a blend on which the winemakers claim omerta. It's a mix of traditional vinifera (Syrah, Cabernet, Merlot) and a couple of Italian varietals (Barbera, Primitivo). The result? While the nose of The Goatfather doesn't exactly conjure images of an Italian trattoria, you do get some interesting plum and licorice scents. The taste is strong and earthy. Decanting is a must. There's a surprising amount of tannin here -- it reminds me a great deal of a petit sirah with the chocolate flavors therein. The finish is long and smoky, with plenty of tannin. Like most big Italian reds, this wine would be much better paired with food than having it on its own. This would be a great match with earthy, savory foods. Sausages, ribs, stews and root vegetables would be excellent with this. You'll find it for $12-14. Similar "Super Tuscan" Italian blends will run you $20 and up.

One last thought about the Sopranos -- I thought the last two episodes were some of the best television I've ever seen. As for the last scene -- yes, it was a little over the top. I never thought I'd read about the symbolic confluence of Journey lyrics, onion rings, the Latin Mass, and the difficulty of parallel parking an Audi within a single textual analysis, but it's now part of our collective memory. In one single cut to black, David Chase's series cemented its place in pop culture history, and Victoria Principal didn't even have to find James Gandolfini in her shower.

(Shudder.)

Valentine's Day Wine -- wine and chocolate pairings

I had mixed feelings about this installment. In the interest of full disclosure, Valentine's Day may be my least favorite holiday. I won't go off on my long-winded rant about "coming through on February 14^th," societal expectation, Hallmark holidays and the like – so I'll try to focus on the positive. Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day to do something good for your beloved. Gifts, romantic gestures, etc. are commonplace. (Cynical Mike says, "Why shouldn't that be every day?" Down boy.) Two traditions stand out for me -- wine and chocolate.

The most recent wine tasting I attended, led by Brian of Vintner Select, focused on wines pairing well with chocolate. He made the observation that people either really love the taste of chocolate with wine or it simply doesn't work for them -- not much in-between. I happen to be in the former category, as does the Sweet Partner in Crime. He put together an interesting array. Unfortunately, many were outside Vine range.

However, I shamelessly cribbed the idea and sampled a few wines for readers looking to craft a gift basket for someone special. (And for single Vine readers -- that "someone special" can be yourself. You also get the whole bottle to yourself that way…make the best of it!) So here’s something for every palate:

Domaine Ste. Michele Brut Columbia Valley -- Leading off, the traditional "romantic beverage," sparkling wine. (Remember, it's not champagne.) I find dry sparkling wines work better than sweet with chocolates. Although French-sounding, Domaine Ste. Michele is in Washington and is part of Ste. Michele Wineries. They produce Chateau Ste. Michele, Columbia Crest, and Snoqualmie labels among others. This brut is a simple, refreshing palate cleanser. There's a little fruit behind the bubbles, amplified pleasantly by the chocolate. This wine's also very flexible -- it will go with almost any food. It's equally worthwhile on its own, with desserts, in mimosas for the morning after, or -- as we had had it -- with Kentucky Fried Chicken. Tasty. For $8-10, you won't break the bank.

Rosenblum Vintner's Cuvée XXIX Zinfandel -- If you ever see a wine labeled "cuvée" -- that’s WineSpeak for "a blend of different batches or vintages." Winemakers commonly blend bits of wine from different vineyards. In many cases, the whole outstrips the parts. The Rosenblum Vintner Cuvée series is a very accessible set of wines -- and they're especially good for this price. Their cuvée zinfandel hits you with an enormously fruity nose with strong plum and cherry scents. There's a medium body and lots of fruit. The finish is less spicy and peppery than some zins and not overly dry. If you've ever heard a zinfandel referred to as a "fruit bomb" -- here's a prime example. If your intended doesn't like dry reds, here’s an excellent alternative. However, the finish of this wine doesn't hold up well against dark chocolate. The first sip is nice, but the rest of the flavor combination doesn't work very well. With milk chocolate -- normally not so bitter -- the flavors marry really well. Chocolate-covered cherries would be a great combination here, also. At $8-9, a good choice for the Esther Price recipient on your list.

Rabbit Ridge 2004 Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon -- Cabernet sauvignon and chocolate is a classic pairing. The Rabbit Ridge has a pronounced nose of cherry and pine trees. The taste is full bodied and full of fruit. It's moderately dry with a long, slightly smoky, dry finish. Dark chocolate and this wine go hand in hand. The bitterness of the chocolate pulls out the wine's fruit, and the wine's finishing tannins take the edge off the deep chocolate taste, leaving a delicious finish. You'll find this for $8-10. (Personal note on Rabbit Ridge -- one of their former winemakers, Susie Selby, started her own winery in Healdsburg, California, and she cranks out some of the best zins and merlots you'll find. They're out of our price range here, but if you splurge on a Selby wine, you won't be disappointed.)

Jacob's Creek 2004 Reserve Shiraz -- Since the Santa Barbara trip, I've become quite enamored with syrah. Down Under, for whatever reason, the Ozzies call the grape "shiraz." Who knows? Who cares? It's scrumptious, just the same. Shiraz is one of the more widely planted grapes in Australia, and goes fabulously well with chocolate. Jacob's Creek is a widely-distributed Australian wine, and their reserve starts you with a subtle combination of pepper and licorice. The first sip is full of soft, velvety fruit, joined quickly by some spice. The finish is nicely balanced with flavors of cloves and fruit. You might want to crack this one and let it breathe for 15 minutes or so before you serve it to let the fruit open up. I was fascinated by the combination of this wine and dark chocolate. The two tastes took turns coming forward, each complimenting the other wonderfully. The finish was very long and tasty. A bottle runs you $11-13 well-spent.

Until next time, be happy with yourself or others and bundle up against the February cold…

'Tis the Season -- Party Wines

Party Season: the stretch from Thanksgiving to New Year's. Most folks' dance cards fill up early with social engagements -- dinners with groups of friends, notorious office parties, and general gatherings for people to mingle, drink, and be merry. Custom demands you "bring something to the party," and wine's always a good choice. All you need is a corkscrew and a sound system -- you've got yourself an official shindig.

We find ourselves in the situation with which we started this venture -- ambling the aisles of your local liquor store trying to sort out appropriate choices. This dilemma is somewhat akin to Thanksgiving: You need something flexible enough to satisfy a group without looking cheap or clueless.

With some help from the Sweet Partner in Crime (who happens to be a criminologist in real life) -- we subdivided the party circuit into two major categories: informal gatherings for grazing and drinking and more "formal," and I use that term very loosely, dinner parties. While there are lots of choices (and feel free to add your own in the comments section) -- I offer up a red and a white for each type to get you started. First off -- the "gather and graze:"

These events are your basic "everyone shows up at someone's house, munch on appetizers, and carry on various degrees of conversation/deviltry" deals. There's usually at least one table where people pile liquor and wine for general consumption. If this is where you're going, look here:

Rosemount Estates 2005 Shiraz -- About as safe a decent wine as you can get. Rosemount is one of the more popular Australian bargain-line wines. I was a big fan of the Rosemount blends until they jacked up the price across the board. The Shiraz, however, remains a favorite of mine for sluggable red. Straightforward, uncomplicated -- this is a perfect red for walking around, chatting people up, and drinking a few glasses to get a warm glow. While the Rosemount's nose is plummy with a little leather scent, the best feature is the taste. Rosemount is a very fruity Shiraz with straightforward dark berry flavors. There's not a lot of tannin here, so it doesn't finish very dry -- just fruit and a little bit of pepper. Rosemount Shiraz is the very definition of "easy quaffer." If you're looking for a "real" syrah/shiraz, you're probably better off looking elsewhere. But for our purposes -- unveil, uncork, and go to town…you're not going to do much better for $6 a bottle. Heck, just drop the pretense and get the under $10 1.5 liter bottle. We're all friends here.

Snoqualmie Vineyards 2004 Chenin Blanc -- Now, as for a white... Again, we need something everyone can drink -- not too sweet, not too dry, enough complexity for corkheads and enough ease for less serious drinkers. What to do? My first instinct would be Riesling, predictably -- but I've done a lot of those recently. Chardonnay...well, many inexpensive chards are either going to be overly oaky or way too dry for mass consumption. Sauvignon Blanc? Too tart. Viognier? A lot of people think they're too perfumey and some of my friends have had really negative reactions to viognier for some reason. I settled on Chenin Blanc. Chenin Blanc gets a bad rap. Much like "Burgundy" and "Chablis" --"chenin blanc" evokes thoughts of cheap wine shoplifted by high school kids tired of Boone's Farm. While the Chenin Blanc grape has been used in great quantity in jug wine, in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing -- it becomes a refreshing, accessible white. The Snoqualmie is an example. This Washington-produced white has a pronounced fruit nose, but it's not as citrusy as a sauvignon. The taste starts a little sweet, but becomes a nice light balance of lemon and pear. There's a little acidic zing on the finish which turns fruity and crisp. It's an ideal "stand around and graze on munchies" wine -- as this would go really well with most hard cheeses and other such finger food. You're looking at $6-7 for a bottle.

Our other category, the loosely defined "dinner party," will have at least one evening's component where you're actually going to use a set of silverware, a napkin, and sit around a table. Since you'll generally have multiple courses, you can be a little more specific in your wine choices. Just ask your host or hostess what you're having, and plan accordingly:

Burgans 2004 Albariño -- This wine looks out of place in the Spanish section with its Celtic script and label graphic. As most of you know, wine isn't exactly Ireland's national spirit. (I may ask The Wizard of Covington to guest-write a column on the joys of Clontarf down the road, however.) What's Ireland have to do with Spain? Centuries ago, some of the first settlements in the Iberian Peninsula were Celtic -- especially in this wine's region of Spain. As a nod to their northern neighbors, Burgans styled the bottle with Celtic script. Both bottle and cork are adorned with a rune. As you may remember from the entry a couple of months ago, Albariño is one of Spain's most precious white grapes. Albariños tend to be a little more expensive, but a couple fall into Vine range. An Albariño is very different from most whites. It's not quite as perfumey as a viognier, and usually has a little sweetness, but not as much as a Riesling. These wines are usually exceptionally well-balanced. Here, the Burgans has a wonderful nose of fresh flowers and mangoes. This is a medium bodied wine, and the sweetness only shows up at the very beginning with a full taste of ripe green apple. The finish is a little tart, a little sweet, and quite nice. This would be a very flexible food wine, so you'll be in business. I had this with penne pasta with potatoes, zucchini, and tomatoes and the pairing worked nicely. I've also heard that smoked salmon would go wonderfully well if you're pairing up with an appetizer. This is a very "hot" varietal right now -- so impress your friends with this bottle --$10-12.

Windmill Vineyards 2005 Old Vine Zinfandel -- Michael-David Winery in Lodi, California has cranked out some really incredible wine over the last few years. Their signature wine, 7 Deadly Zins, is a regular gold medal winner -- and another favorite of mine. Unfortunately, it's slightly out of our price range. However, as I mentioned in an earlier entry -- one can find really good value by looking for "second label" wines by such growers. The Windmill is a perfect example. Just so you know, "Old Vine" is WineSpeak for…well…there's not really an agreed upon definition, other than that the vines are generally at least 30-40 years old. If a vine can produce consistently and with quality for that long, it's planted in the right place -- and if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The Windmill is a blend of old vine fruit from several of Michael-David's neighboring wineries. These choices produce a powerful zin with a big nose of blackberries and wood smoke. The taste is downright luscious -- all sorts of big cherry and vanilla flavors balance out the rich tannins. The finish is lingering, with dark chocolate and cooling mint. I went to undergrad down Durham, North Carolina way -- and it's hard to be there for any length of time without picking up a fondness for barbecue (and for you Northeastern readers, that's a noun, not a verb). This straightforward zinfandel would be a great pairing with some properly prepared North Carolina style barbecue -- or just about anything else with smoky, grilled flavors. Since you'll probably be having some heavier food this time of year, comfort food will work well. For dessert, of course, chocolate would work swimmingly. You're looking at $9-11 for this one.

Enjoy your season of socialization! And until next time…throw your hands in the air, and wave them like there are no conceivable consequences.

"No Sniffers, Please."

So reads the liner note stipulation on Lou Reed’s…ahem…"experimental" 1975 Metal Machine Music. On this, Sweet Jane's father and I have a major difference of opinion. Sniffers are absolutely welcome at The Naked Vine. Sniffing is encouraged, to be perfectly honest.

In fairness, Good Mister Reed is talking about his then-preference for mainlining amphetamines and I'm talking about tasting wine -- so I guess you could truly say that context is everything. I also hope my missives are easier to handle with your lunch or morning coffee than sixty-four minutes of feedback and distortion. (Lou's week still beats our year, however.)

What's does sniffing have to do with wine, you ask? Well…just about everything.

Taste is delightful, isn't it? From the cool sweetness of ice cream to the smooth indulgence of dark chocolate to the myriad spices of Asian food to the unique flavor of a lover's kiss, we love to drown ourselves in taste. However, your taste buds can only discern four distinct sensations: sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. There's conversation about a fifth taste -- called "umami" -- found in MSG and things like aged cheese -- but the jury's out on that one. Everything that you've ever tasted is a combination of those four (or five) sensations.

Scents, however, are a different story. The average human being can discern between two and three thousand different scents. Skilled experts can discern upwards of 15,000 different scents. Flavor, then, is a combination of scent and taste. When you taste wine -- you're not just looking for which of the four (or five) tastes are in play. Think I'm kidding? Hold your nose and take a sip from a wine glass and see what you get. Or think about the last dinner you had during high summer allergy season. Every flavor in anything you’ve ever eaten or drunk is an amalgam of taste and smell. The greatest variation in wines lies in their scents. Thus, wine tasting is, more accurately, largely wine sniffing.

Many of you have probably seen a wine drinker swirling a wine, then burying their nose in the glass. This little ritual may look like the affectation of a wine snob, but honestly, this method is the best way to get a real sense of a wine’s flavor. When you swirl a glass of wine (and it does take a little practice to keep from slopping it everywhere), the alcohol in the wine gets exposed to air and evaporates. The evaporating alcohol carries esters -- organic compounds found in the wine -- into the air with it. Many esters have very distinctive scents. When you swirl a glass of wine, dip your honker in, and take a big sniff, your olfactory nerve senses more of these happy little carbon chains -- giving you a stronger dose of the wine's scent. When you taste a wine, I find it best to hold the wine in your mouth for a few seconds before swallowing, allowing it to coat your tongue completely. The evaporating alcohol takes the esters into your sinuses while all your taste buds activate. You can then marry those four (or five) tastes on your tongue to the scents of the wine, giving you true flavor.

The wines I've chosen for this installment are varietals with very distinct scents, in case you want to practice…

Chateau St. Michele 2005 Gewürztraminer -- The first time I tried a gewürztraminer, I thought, "Cool. Wine with an umlaut." Thankfully, this particular varietal doesn't conjure Aqua Net nightmares and scary flashbacks of Bulletboys covers. Gewürztraminer was originally cultivated in the Alsace region of France and spread from there to Germany. 'Traminers tend to be extremely fragrant, but they often don't "taste like they smell." This entry from the Pacific Northwest is no exception. You can't miss the melons and fresh flowers on your first sniff. From the sniff, you'd then think this would be a syrupy sweet wine, but there's a pleasant level of dryness to the finish and some real spice -- particularly cloves and cinnamon. It's certainly not a "sweet" wine -- but it's got more sugar to it than, say, a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. If you've got some spicy Szechuan Chinese or Thai, snag a bottle of this for $9-10, and you'll be dining well. (And you pronounce it Gee-VERTZ-truh-meaner)

Smoking Loon 2005 Viognier -- Much like the malbec in my first entry, the French traditionally used Viognier (pronounced VEE-yawn-yay) primarily as a blending grape. Over the last five or six years, Viognier has become one of the hotter varietals in the white wine market. Viognier tends a friendly, fragrant wine -- which leads to its current popularity. Much like a partner on a Saturday night date, a wine that smells nice makes the evening pass much more pleasantly. The Smoking Loon Viognier (I first thought that a local friend of mine might have been the winemaker, but I digress…) has almost a perfumey scent when you give it a swirl. I smell fresh pears and lavender -- like someone's giving you aromatherapy. Again, like gewürztraminer, it's extremely flavorful but not particularly sweet. This viognier is a little acidic with a nice fruity apricot flavor. Very refreshing on a warm evening, or if you're a smoked salmon fan. About $8-9. Scrumptious!

Cline 2005 Zinfandel -- I promised I'd get back to zinfandel. I don't drink a lot of cabernet sauvignon or zinfandel this time of year. When the heat index is in triple figures, usually the last thing I want is a huge red -- but zinfandels are great examples of very fragrant red wines. This Cline Zin starts with a very strong scent of blackberries and black licorice. On your tongue, this wine gives you a quick burst of cherries and blackberries, but quickly turns tannic and dry with a little bit of pepper. The finish is long, peppery, and dry. This is the type of wine I'd usually pick up in the late fall, to be perfectly honest -- but if you're going to have a steak and you want an inexpensive zin, this one isn't a bad call. This is a wine that I'd be interested to pick up next year. If you're feeling ambitious, buy two bottles. Drink one now and write down what you think. Hide the other one in the back of a closet. Next year about this time, pull it out and try it. I guarantee it's going to taste like an entirely different (and probably much better) wine. If you break it out in public, your friends with will think you brought a $30 bottle to the party. But for now, you can spend around $11 and have something quite tasty.

Until next time -- L'Chaim!