More Literary Cocktails

Mondays on the BottleBlog will feature a cocktail recipe that is sure to be just the thing to get you through the rest of the work week. Though we don't expect you'll bring in all the fixins into your place of employment, we hope you'll try our recipes responsibly at home! Today we continue on our literary theme.

The past few weeks, Mixology Mondays have explored the favorites of Hemingway and the alcohol references in Dickens' body of work. Today, thanks to this awesome book (Hemingway & Bailey's Bartending Guide to Great American Writers) graciously lent to me by my boss, I can share some more favorites of other well-known authors. Apparently, as is the case with most of the arts, alcohol consumption is rampant in the literary community. What better to help with creativity then to loosen up with a cocktail?

One of my favorite authors back in college was Jack Kerouac. According to the Bartending Guide, Kerouac had a great love for Mexico, for "The good old saloons of real Mexico where there were girls at a peso a dance and raw tequila." Of course, Mexico's chief spirit being Tequila, he was known to indulge in many a Margarita

-1 1/2 oz. silver tequila
-1 oz. Cointreau
-1/2 oz. lime juice
-Coarse salt
-Lime wedge

Rub the rim of a chilled cocktail glass with lime wedge and press into a plate of salt. Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into the cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

"Don't drink to get drunk. Drink to enjoy life." -Kerouac

Unlike most writers, William Faulkner, from the very beginning of his career, drank while he wrote. He claimed, "I usually write at night. I always keep my whiskey within reach." That he did. In Hollywood, hired by director Howard Hawks to write Road to Glory, Faulkner showed up to a script meeting carrying a brown paper bag.

In the early 1800s, doctors used the word "julep" to describe "a kind of liquid medicine." Of course, this is not to suggest that the Mint Julep is good for you, but it may be what Faulkner had in mind when he said "Isn't anythin' Ah got whiskey won't cure."

Mint Julep
-7 sprigs of mint
-1/2 oz. simple syrup
-3 oz. bourbon

Crush 6 mint sprigs into the bottom of a chilled double Old-Fashioned glass. Pour in simple syrup and bourbon. Fill with crushed ice. Garnish with the remaining mint sprig and serve with two short straws. Sometimes a splash of club soda is added.

But it's not only the gentlemen who were known for their lush tendencies. To pay for a holiday in Europe, Edna St. Vincent Millay agreed to write some quick pieces for Vanity Fair under the byline Nancy Boyd. She would need liquor and company to help her get it done. Late one night, while writing and drinking bootleg gin with Edmund Wilson and the poet John Peale Bishop, a drunken Millay asked the two men to hold her in their arms. She instructed Wilson to take her lower half, Bishop the upper. The rest is known only to the three... but it's sufficed to say that Millay was known as much for her love affairs as she was for her verse. What better a cocktail than Between the Sheets then? Basically a Sidecar with rum, this is the perfect nightcap. Like Millay herself, it is wonderfully seductive.

-3/4 oz. brandy
-3/4 oz. light rum
-1 oz. Cointreau
-1/2 oz. lemon juice

Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes. Shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Fork and Gobble It: Managing Perceptions

Fridays on the BottleBlog will feature a food-related article, wine pairing, or travelogue. Today, Wine Manager Mark Ricca talk about perceptions and tasting wine.

An article last week in the New York Times by Eric Asimov in his column "The Pour" addressed the issue of the terms or descriptors we use to communicate verbally what we think wine tastes like. In a nutshell, he put forth the idea that wine could be most basically categorized as savory or sweet. While I absolutely agree that wine language can become overly lofty and flowery, especially as expressed by amateur critics, simplifying it down to two basic categories may not work for everyone. It leaves me wanting a little more. Just yesterday tasting through a flight of about twelve wines with colleagues here at the store, we discussed perceptions of what we really taste. So many factors are involved, a point Mr. Asimov touched on in his last column. One that I was able to isolate yesterday was the quality of stemware one uses to taste and how it affects your ability to perceive wine. It is amazing how the same wine out of two different glasses can smell and taste radically different. I have been known, much to the chagrin of my wife, to bring my own stemware to a BYO restaurant when I don't have faith in what they might have on the table and I'm really interested in tasting the wine we're bringing. Just label me Geek.

So how does one a) learn how to taste and b) learn to express those sensations? My first and rather obvious response would be to taste as much and as frequently as possible. Hopefully in the company of those with a little more experience than you. If you aren't aware, we taste four different wines every week here in the store, Friday evenings from 4pm to 6pm and Saturday afternoons from 1pm to 3pm. This is easy and free and those two things make it very worthwhile indeed. I encourage those inclined to do so, to taste with friends on a semi-regular basis also. It's fun, social, educational, and can be very inexpensive. Certainly cheaper than dinner and a movie these days. You will be amazed at the little epiphanies that can take place when you taste wine with a little thought involved.

This brings me to debunking one of my favorite food and wine rules: Red with meat, white with fish. Coming home after work one evening last week, I picked up some really nice salmon filets with the intention of grilling them since the weather had relented enough for me to now see and make my way out to my Weber. I quickly put together an idea for a dish that would support the grilled fish, but wasn't letting go of winter comfort food feel just yet. I decided to make a quick stew of canellini beans, tomatoes, peas, and... something was crying out for bacon, but bacon is not something my wife will eat. After a few quick seconds I chose to improvise with smoked trout.

Grilled Salmon Filet with a Bean, Tomato, and Smoked Trout Stew
-1 small shallot minced
-2 oz. Olive oil
-1 smoked trout filet, skinned, boned, and broken up into small pieces
-1 can diced tomatoes, drained
-1 pinch dried thyme leaves
-salt and black pepper to taste
-2 oz dry white wine
-1 can of canellini beans ~ rinsed well and drained
-½ cup frozen green peas

Saute the shallot in the olive oil until translucent, add the trout and saute two minutes more. Add in the tomatoes and the thyme and continue to cook for five minutes more. Season with salt and pepper and add in the wine. Let the wine come to a boil and simmer for two minutes. Add in the canellini beans and cook for five minutes. The stuff in the pan should be moist, but not soupy or wet so adjust the cooking time where necessary to evaporate liquid. Add in the peas and a little more olive oil. Keep warm and set aside.

Now grill the salmon.

2 Salmon filets ~ skin on, seasoned well with S&P

Grill the fish starting on the meat side and finish on the skin side to crisp that skin and render all the fat between the skin and meat. It is a technique that requires practice and a well seasoned grill.

Plate the stew and place the fish, skin side up in the middle of the stew. Drizzle with a little good quality olive oil.

The wine? Sylvain Cathiard Bourgogne Rouge 2005. Pinot Noir with fish. Pinot pairs very well with fish. My favorites pairings are grilled salmon or tuna, or sushi. We have done this in our food and wine classes demonstrating how well Pinot works with Umami. Umami is the fifth taste along with salty, sweet, sour, and bitter. Umami is a very savory, meaty taste best represented by thinking of the flavor of soy sauce, and Pinot loves it and is loved back.

The wine itself shows bright cherry/cassis fruit, earthy and herbaceous flavors with a nice mineral note trailing off on the finish. Don't quite get what I'm describing? Keep tasting, you will.

Weekend Tastings, 2/24 - 2/26

Thursdays the BottleBlog will feature an update on various exciting things going on at Joe Canal's: Reports of our travels, special event coverage, and more!

Every Thursday, we pour samples of cold, fresh beer for you to taste, and every Friday and Saturday we pour several different wines for you to enjoy.

THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN LAWRENCEVILLE:

FREE BEER TASTING!
Thursday, February 24th, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm
Beachhaus

"Beach Haus Classic American Pilsner is made purely of ingredients found in America, just as the early style demanded. We took great care in selecting the hops and malts we use that are native only to America. Smooth, golden and full bodied – we think of it as a New American Classic." -Beachhaus


Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Beachhaus!

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FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, February 25th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, February 26th, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Stop in for a free taste of these great
wines:

Cade Sauvignon Blanc
Regular Price: $24.49 / BottleClub Price: $17.96

Punta del Monte Pinot Grigio
Regular Price: $18.99 / BottleClub Price: $13.96

Casita Mami Crianza
Regular Price: $11.49 / BottleClub Price: $7.98

Robert Mondavi Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular Price: $45.99 / BottleClub Price: $39.99

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THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN WOODBRIDGE:

FREE CIDER TASTING!!!
Thursday, February 24th, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm
Crispin Cider

Classically refined, but not styled as a traditional "sweet beer" beer alternative, Crispin ciders are crisp and clean, not sweet and sticky and never sacrifice superior quality refreshment satisfaction for overbearing complexity. Always true to the apple, Crispin Hard Ciders naturally fermented in the USA use fresh pressed apple-juice, not from apple juice concentrate, from a premium blend of US West Coast apples, with no added malt, grape wine or spirit alcohol. Crispin's unique USA produced ciders are smoothed with pure apple juice or from natural sugar sources like organic honey or organic maple syrup, and contain no added colorants, sorbate or benzoate preservatives.

Join us and sample some ciders from our friends at Crispin Cider!

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FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, February 25th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, February 26th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Stop in for a free taste of these great wines:

Domaine Boisson Cotes du Rhone
Regular Price: $10.99 / BottleClub Price: $7.98

Casita Mami Crianza Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular Price: $11.49 / BottleClub Price: $7.98

Punta del Monte Pinot Grigio
Regular Price: $18.99 / BottleClub Price: $13.96

Shafer Relentless Syrah
Regular Price: $57.99

Wine 101: The Notebook

Wednesdays on the BottleBlog will feature an education session on wine, beer or spirits. Today, Shannon Spare shares how she keeps track of her wine and beer.

Probably the most valuable tool I have, when it comes to my personal wine education journey, is my handy-dandy notebook. Every time I bring home a new wine to enjoy, I bust out my little book.

You may find a system that works better for you, but here's what I find works great for me. My notebook is from the Staples Arc brand. It has these little discs that hold the pages together so that they're easily removed. (A 3-ring notebook would serve the same purpose.) Pretty "Tasting Notes" books are widely available for sale, but most of them are hard-bound. I like being able to remove the pages and shuffle them around. Right now I have three dividers: Reds, Whites and "Other," where I put roses, sparkling wines and dessert wines. Within the dividers I have the wines organized alphabetically by winery. In the future, if I want to compare all the Cabernet Sauvignons I've tasted, I will have the ability to remove the pages and arrange them by varietal. It's nice to have the ability to pop in a page where it fits, and not have to flip through 30 wines to find the one I'm looking for.

When I taste wines, on one side of the page I always consistently make notes on Color, Aroma and Taste (these are pretty standard) as well as anything else I notice about the wine on the bottom. On the other side, if I can get the label off the bottle easily, I tape it there.

Color has always been easiest to note for me, as a beginner. Use words that you are familiar with. I've noted my reds as brick, mahogany, burnt orange, cranberry, ruby, rusty red and plum purple, among others. Whites have been golden straw, pale yellow, almost white, and I even described the color of one white as "raw egg white." Whatever you see is right.

Aroma, on the flip side, has always been the most difficult. Many of the wines I drink still mostly smell like wine to me, with varying scents that I can differentiate from one another but not identify. However, I'm pretty sure I have "oak" down and can tell fairly easily if a wine was aged with oak. There are thousands of descriptors for wine. Whites can be minerally, buttery, grassy or numerous kinds of citrusy: lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange etc. Red aroma descriptors include any kind of berry, earth, plum, spice, licorice, and a variety of words that still turn my head: barnyard, lead pencil shavings, tar, even gasoline!

Then I sip it and rate the taste. Aroma and taste may be totally different; One wine I tasted I described as smelling "smoky," but when I tasted it I got nothing but fruit. You may want to make note of how tannic (astringent, mouth drying) the wine is, or how acidic. You also might write down notes about the body of the wine. Is it thin, like water? Or thicker, like milk?

I also make notes of anything else I happen to notice about the wine. One time, the cork of my wine was "off" when I opened it, and I wrote "Cork was weird. Gooey before I opened it, seemed too wet and had wine soaked all through the sides. I thought this might be a bad sign it was corked but the wine tasted okay." Another wine had a LOT of sediment at the bottom - more than I'd ever seen before, so I jotted that down so I'd remember,

This really helps sort out the wines for me. At the very least, it's helping me identify what I like, rather than picking bottles blindly, because when you're learning about wine, they all do tend to blend together unless you have a way to keep track. It'll also open your horizons. My wine notebook has helped me go from "I don't like white wine," to "I love Gruner Veltliner!"

And lately, since I've started to diverge into the world of beer, I've devoted a few pages in the back of my notebook for beers I've tastes. I've only done a few, but so far I think I'm getting somewhere in terms of my personal likes (Porters) and dislikes (Stouts).

Let me know if you keep a wine notebook... what's it like? What have you learned from it? Leave a comment below!

Drinking with Dickens

Mondays on the BottleBlog will feature a cocktail recipe that is sure to be just the thing to get you through the rest of the work week. Though we don't expect you'll bring in all the fixins into your place of employment, we hope you'll try our recipes responsibly at home! Today we examine the alcohol content of Charles Dickens' books.

A couple weeks ago, we explored some favorites of author Ernest Hemingway. Keeping with the theme, General Manager Mike Brenner graciously lent me a copy of a book called Drinking with Dickens, by Cedric Dickens, great-grandson of Mr. Charles himself. The book is all about the various drinkers and drink recipes in Charles Dickens' body of work. There are surprisingly many!

David Copperfield has references to beer, in one passage a very young David entered a bar and ordered a glass of their finest ale. (There were no age limits in bars in those days.) "They served me with ale, though I suspect it was not the Genuine Stunning: and the landlord's wife, opening the little half-door of the bar, and bending down, gave me my money back, and gave me a kiss that was half admiring, and half compassionate, but all womanly and good, I am sure."

One character in David Copperfield, Mr. Micawber, once had his water shut off. "To divert his thoughts from this melancholy subject, I informed Mr. Micawber that I relied upon him for a bowl of punch, and led him to the lemons. His recent despondency, not to say despair, was gone in a moment. I never saw a man so thoroughly enjoy himself amid the fragrance of lemon-peel and sugar, the odour of burning spirit, and the steam of boiling water, as Mr. Micawber did that afternoon."

Gin Punch

-Juice 1/2 lemon
-pinch ground cinnamon
-1 clove
-1 teaspoon brown sugar
-1 teaspoon honey
-1 large measure sweet dark madeira
-1 large measure dry gin
-grated nutmeg

Into a warm tumbler put the juice of half a lemon, the cinnamon and clove, and the sugar and honey. Threequarters fill the glass with boiling water, add the madeira and gin and stir with a stick of cinnamon. Grate nutmeg thereon and drink quickly.

The Pickwick Papers has an enormous amount of references to alcohol, including this delicious sounding cocktail. "But come, this is dry work. Let's rinse our mouths with a drop of burnt sherry."

Sherry Cobbler

-1 measure fresh orange juice
-a little sugar
-1 measure medium sherry
-1 tablespoon port
-ice
-slice of orange

Put sugar into a tumbler with crushed ice. Add the orange juice and sherry and stir. Place on top the slice of orange with two straws through the middle. Pour the port on top of the orange.

Also from the Pickwick Papers is reference to a homemade pine-apple infused rum.

Pine Apple Rum

-1 pineapple
-1 bottle dark rum
-sugar

Slice a pineapple very thinly, sprinkle with a little sugar and leave for a day. Set aside two slices and press the juice out of the rest adding to it an equal amount of sweetened rum (two oz sugar to half a pint of rum). Put into a jar with the spare slices of pineapple. Leave, well stoppered, for three weeks. Strain and bottle.

"Mr. Stiggins took down a tumbler, and with great deliberation put four lumps of sugar in it. Then with the tumbler half-full of pineapple rum, advanced to the kettle which was singing gaily on the hob, mixed his grog, stirred it, sipped it, sat down, and taking a long and hearty pull at the rum and water, stopped for breath."

Drinking with Dickens concludes with a quote from Nicholas Nickelby. The Baron asked the Genius of Despair and Suicide:
"Do you drink?"
"Nine times out of ten," came the reply, "and then very hard."
"Don't you ever drink in moderation?"
"No," replied the dread spirit with a shudder, "that breeds cheerfulness."

Fork and Gobble It: My Little Sweetie

Fridays on the BottleBlog will feature a food-related article, wine pairing, or travelogue. Today, Wine Manager Mark Ricca shares his Valentine's Day dinner recipe.

Dolcetto, literally "Little Sweet One." seemed like a good wine choice for a Valentine's Day dinner for two. It is a Piedmontese wine I have been singing the praises of for quite a while and very sincerely so. I love it for its value. Most of the producers in Piedmonte known for their Barolos, such as Giacosa, Vietti, Parusso, Aldo Conterno, Luigi Pira, or Roberto Voerzio, do a Dolcetto as well and it is a windfall for the consumer. Look up a description of the wine and it is almost always referred to as a simple wine meant for quaffing with antipasti. When in the hands of any one of the above mentioned, it becomes quite a bit more.

Unlike its name would imply, Dolcetto is not a sweet wine, but a dry one with relatively low acid (usually), soft tannins (again usually), and flavors that range from cherry, licorice, herbs, crushed stone and tobacco. There are many recognized appellations (DOCs/DOCGs) that produce the wine, the bigger and best known being the villages of Alba, Dogliani and the Langhe region. These wines are far more intense in their concentration of flavors and their tannic structure which can produce some serious "grip."

I picked up a bottle of the Parusso Dolcetto d'Alba Piani Noce 2009 for a belated dinner with my significant other. Once a year I prepare her favorite "Eatalian" dinner: Chicken Parmigiana with spaghetti on the side. I am all too happy to oblige her request and try and elevate this pizzeria staple with a scratch cook touch.

Chicken Parmigiana w/Spaghettini Pommadoro
-2 boneless/skinless chicken cutlets
-1 cup flour seasoned with salt and pepper
-2 eggs, lightly beaten

-1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs mixed with:
---1 Tablespoon each dried oregano and basil
---1 Teaspoon dried thyme
---1 cup freshly grated Reggiano Parmigiano cheese (not packed)


Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour and shake off the excess. Dip the floured breasts in the beaten egg, let the excess drain off and place in the seasoned breadcrumbs.

With the dry hand, scoop seasoned breadcrumbs onto the breasts, pressing the crumbs on. Remove the breaded breasts to a clean plate.

Have ready:
-1 qt. Your favorite tomato sauce
-4 slices mozzarella cheese (fresh works great)

Pre-heat your oven to 350F. Heat olive oil poured to a depth of ½ inch in a sufficiently large pan over a medium heat. The oil is ready for frying when a bit of breadcrumb dropped in it buzzes and sizzles on top of the oil. Carefully place the breaded breasts in the hot oil letting the last bit fall into the oil AWAY FROM YOU.

Turn the breasts after about a minute and a half to two minutes, again letting the last bit fall into the pan away from you so that if the hot oil splashes, it goes away from you.

While this is going on get your pasta water ready. In a covered pot heat 3 quarts of salted water over a medium heat, just getting it hot but not boiling! You do not want a pot of boiling water next to a pan of hot oil. Should the water splash into the oil it would cause a violent spatter of hot oil. Once the chicken is in the oven and the oil pushed to the side, the water can be brought to a full boil.

After another two minutes turn the heat off, remove the chicken breasts to a baking sheet, top them with 2oz. of tomato sauce and 2 slices of the cheese, and place them into the oven. Slide the pan to a back burner to allow it to cool.

Bring the salted water to a boil and cook ½ lb. of thin spaghetti or spaghettini for 5 minutes and before draining, reserve 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot over a low heat and add 8oz. Of your favorite tomato sauce. (Mine just happens to be my homemade.) Depending on how thick the tomato sauce is, add about half the reserved cooking water. The spaghettini will be a little under done after boiling for only five minutes and the idea is to finish cooking it for 3 minutes more in the diluted sauce to help it pick up the flavor of the sauce. I usually splash in a little extra virgin olive oil also and the starch in the pasta cooking water incorporates the oil into the sauce. At this point the chicken breasts will be done and the pasta should be at the right consistency.

Plate the breasts and pasta and top with some more freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

The wine was a perfect match for the food and not coincidentally, Dolcetto is a great BYO wine to bring to one's favorite pizza establishment. All of the producers mentioned above should be available in our store at any given time. They range in price from mid teens up to about $20.00, so there really is no excuse not to check them out. Enjoy!!!

Weekend Tastings, 2/17 - 2/19

Thursdays the BottleBlog will feature an update on various exciting things going on at Joe Canal's: Reports of our travels, special event coverage, and more!

Every Thursday, we pour samples of cold, fresh beer for you to taste, and every Friday and Saturday we pour several different wines for you to enjoy.

THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN LAWRENCEVILLE:
FREE BEER TASTING!!
TONIGHT! Thursday, February 17th, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm
Cricket Hill

"Cricket Hill Brewery was founded in 2001 in Fairfield, NJ. Our mission is to provide the Mid-Atlantic region with craft Lagers and Ales that are as gentle in style as possible and therefore very easy to drink. No fillers; just pure beer. We call this our step 1 philosophy. All of our brews are specially formulated to be delicious as a stand alone treat or as a companion drink with fine foods. You have to try these fine beers to be able to appreciate the freshness and character that combines to become a delight for your senses." -Cricket Hill

Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Cricket Hill!

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FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, February 18th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, February 19th, 2:00pm - 4:00pm

Domaine Servin Chablis Premier Cru Butteaux
Regular Price: $34.99 / BottleClub Price: $29.99

Rosenblum Chardonnay
Regular Price: $10.49 / BottleClub Price: $8.58

North Valley Pinot Noir
Regular Price: $29.99

Routestock Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular Price: $19.99 / BottleClub Price: $14.96

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THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN WOODBRIDGE:
FREE BEER TASTING!! TONIGHT!! Thursday, February 17th, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm

Anchor Brewing

"Anchor Brewing has played a significant role in San Francisco's rich history. Anchor's nine unique beers—including Anchor Steam — are all produced in one of the most traditional and handsome breweries in the world. Each brew is virtually handmade from an all-malt mash in our handcrafted copper brewhouse, a veritable museum of the simple, traditional breweries of old." -Anchor Brewing

Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Anchor!

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FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, February 18th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, February 19th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

Clean Slate Riesling
Regular Price: $9.99 / BottleClub Price: $8.26

Fleur de Cap Pinotage
Regular Price: $9.49

Chateau La Prade
Regular Price: $19.99

Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Regular Price: $37.99

 

New Technology Monitors Grape Quality

Tuesdays on the BottleBlog, we'll focus on interesting or exciting industry news from here in New Jersey, to the valleys of California, to the vineyards of New Zealand.

Some grape growers benefit from high-tech system that monitor crop quality for vineyards
by Don Curlee

A few grape growers in California will make use of a new high-tech system this year that monitors micro-climates in their vineyards. By following the systems' electronic directions they hope to increase the quality and quantity of the grapes they produce and the wine that comes from them.

Tiny sensors that can be imbedded in selected vines are the eyes and ears of the system. The monitors, called motes, relay data about temperature, moisture, atmospheric pressure, airborne particles and more to a central receiver for analysis.

Although the system is new and expensive at about $150 per acre, it has been employed for the past two or three years by at least two of the state's major wine grape producers. Representatives of both have praised the systems' gathering of information they have not had access to previously

Eventually the system's supplier expects it to be available for tree crops and other specialty agricultural applications. It is produced by Grape Networks, Inc. in San Ramon.

Company President Peter Tsepeleff says the system known as Climate Genie will relay the information it monitors almost anywhere and by several means. After data are picked up by the sensors they can be transmitted by Wi-Fi, cellular units or satellite to Internet servers for viewing anywhere in the world where a web browser is available.

The growers who have been using it say it indicates what they are doing right as well as what they are doing wrong. Measurements from some high production blocks reveal the conditions they want to duplicate elsewhere.

In some cases the growers thought they were treating the vines in a vineyard uniformly, only to be told by the sensors that certain vines were experiencing water stress, for example, or heavier tendencies to mildew formation than other vines.

One Climate Genie can monitor the microclimate of a vineyard up to 100 acres. Additional systems can be installed to cover larger areas, even in separate locations, with information transmitted to a central point.

Tsepeleff predicts that future models of the system will detect and transmit soil moisture data to a central location. Growers of any number of crops with sand or clay streaks running through their orchards or fields will profit greatly from such information.

Monitoring the response of a crop or individual trees or vines within the crop to fertilization or other chemical applications will provide invaluable information to farm managers. Operation of the system somewhat like a thermostat can be programmed. A predetermined level of leaf moisture, for example, can be established. When monitored plants approach that level, whether increasing or decreasing, an alarm will notify system operators. Tsepeleff said the Climate Genie grew out of work done by the Stanford Censor Working Group. Some of its findings are being used by the military and in other applications to determine whether approaching vehicles carry certain chemicals or explosives.

Article originally published in the Visalia Times-Delta Advance-Register on February 12, 2011.

Weekend Tastings, 2/10 - 2/12

Thursdays the BottleBlog will feature an update on various exciting things going on at Joe Canal's: Reports of our travels, special event coverage, and more!

Every Thursday, we pour samples of cold, fresh beer for you to taste, and every Friday and Saturday we pour several different wines for you to enjoy.

THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN LAWRENCEVILLE:

FREE BEER TASTING!
Thursday, February 10rd, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Yards Brewing

"We're brewers by trade, craft brewers to be specific. We've been filling firkins with small experimental batches since the beginning, and it's a tradition we continue to this day. From Bourbon Oaked Thomas Jefferson to Cocoa Infused Porters to extremely special, cask-conditioned Extra Special Ales and more, our passion, (and luckily our profession) is for making ales that are somewhat out of the mainstream but still approachable to everyone. They might punch you in face. They might be the most amazing thing you've ever had. They might make you cringe and shudder. They might even allow you to form an intimate bond between that magnificent fermented beverage that is beer." -Yards

Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Yards!

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FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, February 11th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, February 12th, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Stop in for a free taste of these great
wines:

La Spinetta Moscato d'Asti
Regular Price: $15.99

Banfi Rosa Regale
Regular Price: $21.99

Trentadue La Storia Red Blend
Regular Price: $21.99 / BottleClub Price: $17.96

Altamura Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
Regular Price: $84.99 / BottleClub Price: $74.99

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THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN WOODBRIDGE:

FREE BEER TASTING!
Thursday, February 10th, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm
Affligem

"For years already, the Flemish village of Opwijk (pronounced Op-wike) is known as the home of a brewery that made its first mark in 1935. This is when Op-Ale, the hoppy amber beer, was launched and immediately adopted by beer drinkers far and wide. Did you know that it even received a gold medal at the Luxembourg International fair of 1951? And that in the region of Opwijk, the brewery is still immediately associated with 'Speciale Op-Ale'?" -Affligem

Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Affligem!

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FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, February 11th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, February 12th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Stop in for a free taste of these great
wines:

Banfi Rosa Regale
Regular Price: $17.99

Paul Louis Blanc de Blanc
Regular Price: $9.49 / BottleClub Price: $7.66

Chartogne-Taillot
Regular Price: $35.99 / BottleClub Price: $31.69

Riunite Moscato
Regular Price: $9.49 / BottleClub Price: $6.48

Wine 101: Getting Better With Age

Wednesdays on the BottleBlog will feature an education session on wine, beer or spirits. Today, Shannon Spare discusses wine storage and aging.

If you happened to come into Joe Canal's in Woodbridge last Friday evening for the free wine tasting, you might have had the pleasure of having a conversation with the charismatic young lady that was pouring your wines for you. (That would be me.) In the course of the evening, I learned quite a bit by talking with our customers while I poured tastes of wines. One customer in particular tasted one of the wines and remarked that it would probably be better with age. He went on to discuss how some wines change and improve with age, and it sparked my interest to do a little digging into exactly what aging is, and what causes wines to age.

It all comes down to tannins.

Tannins are compounds that are found in the skins, stems and seeds of grapes. Tannins are the chemicals in the wine that causes the "astringent" mouthfeel you sometimes feel when you drink wine - it will dry out your mouth by reacting to the proteins in your saliva. (This is why it's often recommended that very tannic wines be served with high protein meals, like steak.)

Some grapes, like Cabernet Sauvignon, tend to be more tannic than other grapes. A process called maceration increases the tannin levels in the wine (and also affects the color) by leaving the juice in contact with the skins for a longer period of time. Wines that are meant to be held onto for longer periods of time go through this process. With less tannic grapes like Pinot Noir, sometimes winemakers will even leave stems in the barrels as the wine ages to increase the tannins.

If you opened a bottle of Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac 2006 tomorrow to have with your dinner, you might not be too pleased with the taste. Bordeauxs like that one are designed to be laid down to rest for a number of years. With wine, sometimes patience is a virtue, and if you pick it up in 10, 20 or even 30 years or more, you'll be rewarded with a smooth, easy-drinking, delicious wine with bold fruits and immense richness.

Why is this? Because as a tannin-rich wine ages, the tannin molecules come into contact with oxygen and become larger. Oxygen is found in the open space in the bottle, as well as let in and out in small amounts by the porous cork. Also, the tannin molecules will bind together to form long chains, which also improves drinkability. In addition, sometimes winemakers will add chemicals that will bind themselves to the tannins and cause them to settle as sediment, lessening the astringency of the wine.

So, how do you ensure your wines will age properly? It comes down to two things: Temperature and humidity. You can't just take a bottle of the Pontet Canet, stick it in your pantry for 20 years, and expect it to supple and delicious. Aging wine is a precise art.

While 45 - 65 degrees is considered acceptable, the ideal temperature for aging wine is 55 degrees Fahrenheit. A wine that is aged in temperatures too high will have accelerated aging, that will spoil the wine and turn it into vinegar. Too low a temperature will delay aging.

More important than the temperature itself, is the fact that the temperature must remain as constant as possible. A wine aged for 15 years at a constant 45 degrees will do a lot better than a wine aged for the same length of time, with 5 - 10 degree temperature fluctuations.

Humidity, although less crucial than temperature, is also important in wine storage. The ideal humidity is somewhere in the neighborhood of 80%. Too high a humidity is mainly a concern because it causes damage to the bottle labels, which will affect the resale value of the wine. Too low of a humidity level will dry out the cork, affecting the oxygen levels in the wine.

Do you have any experience with aging wines? Leave me a comment below!

Microbreweries turning from glass to metal

Tuesdays on the BottleBlog, we'll focus on interesting or exciting industry news from here in New Jersey, to the valleys of California, to the vineyards of New Zealand.

Microbreweries turning from glass to metal
By CLARKE CANFIELD
The Associated Press

LEWISTON, Maine -- Canned beer isn't just for swilling anymore.

Baxter Brewing in Maine has joined a growing number of small craft-beer breweries distributing their brews in cans - just like mainstream mass-produced beers - rather than in bottles. A decade ago, it's believed there weren't any U.S. craft breweries canning their suds. Nowadays, nearly 100 sell at least one beer variety in metal.

Baxter Brewing founder and president Luke Livingston said cans are good for the beer, the environment and consumers, because they're easy to take to places like camping trips and golf outings. Still, cans in some quarters have to overcome the stereotype of chugging contests or a beer-bellied John Belushi crushing cans on his forehead in the 1978 movie "Animal House."

When Livingston decided to open a small brewery sans bottles, some people told him they would never stoop to drinking beer from a can - that bottles were way better, and draft beer was the best.
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"My retort to those people is that draft beer comes out of a keg," Livingston said at his brewery, located inside a former textile mill in this central Maine city. "And what's a keg? A keg's just a big can, it's a big metal container."

As the craft beer industry took off in the 1990s, small local and regional breweries distributed their ales, bocks, stouts and other varieties in bottles.

Craft beers generally are made in small batches by small breweries and are typically more complex in taste than mainstream beers. U.S. craft-beer brewers sold 282 million gallons in 2009, accounting for 6.3 percent of U.S. beer sales by value, according to the Brewers Association, a Boulder, Colo.-based group representing craft brewers.

While craft beer has been sold predominantly in bottles, cans have been equated with mainstream beers such as Budweiser, Coors and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

The tiny Oskar Blues brew pub in Colorado broke that mold in 2002, when it began canning its Dale's Pale Ale beer by hand with a tabletop canning machine. Oskar Blues Brewery, which is widely credited with starting the craft beer-in-a-can trend, brewed about 18,600 gallons of canned beer that first year.

It was such a hit that the owner opened a brewery in 2008 with a high-speed canning line. Production this year is expected to reach 1.9 million gallons, with six different styles of beer.

Spokesman Chad Melis said Oskar Blues has tried to educate beer drinkers about the benefits of cans "one beer at a time."

"It's a little bit of an educational curve for people to get over the preconceived notion that cheap beer is in cans," Melis said.


Since 2002, other microbreweries have jumped on the bandwagon. Baxter Brewing is the latest, putting its Pamola Xtra Pale Ale and Stowaway IPA in cans.

A decade ago, it was hard for a microbrewery to can beer because canning equipment was geared toward mass producers, not small-scale breweries, said Julia Herz of the Brewers Association. And can companies required large orders of cans beyond the means of small-scale beer makers, she said.

But canning equipment has changed and small breweries can now order small batches of cans, she said. At the same time, craft beer drinkers aren't averse to the idea of cans the way they once were.

Cans improve quality, Livingston said, because the beer isn't tainted by light and is exposed to less oxygen than bottled varieties. They're also more conducive to bringing on canoe or camping trips, to the beach, on boats or on the golf course.

As for the environment, Livingston said, cans take less fuel to ship because they are lighter than bottles. Consumers, he added, are twice as likely to recycle cans as bottles.

Recently, Livingston and brewmaster Michael LaCharite examined their canning machine, capable of filling and seaming 30 cans a minute, the day before canning was to commence. Out back in a warehouse, 44 pallets were stacked with 342,000 empty cans ready to be filled.

The beer is bound for retail shelves across Maine the first week of February. Livingston projects sales of 70,000 cases - that's nearly 1.7 million cans - this year.

Livingston became aware of canned craft beer when he ran a beer blog. He also took note that most canned craft beer was out West and was relatively unheard of in the East.

"My marketing light bulb went off, and I said somebody's got to do that around here," he said.

Livingston wrote a business plan, raised $1.2 million from investors and loans and started what he says is the only brewery in the East to can all of its beer.

Nearly 100 craft beer breweries in 39 states now sell at least one style in a can, said Russ Phillips, of Northampton, Mass., who tracks the numbers on his website, CraftCans.com.

"The reputation that has been attributed to canned beers is slowly being knocked down," Phillips said. "People are getting OK with the idea of better beer in a can."

This article originally published in the Washington Post on January 31, 2011.

Cocktails with Hemingway

Mondays on the BottleBlog will feature a cocktail recipe that is sure to be just the thing to get you through the rest of the work week. Though we don't expect you'll bring in all the fixins into your place of employment, we hope you'll try our recipes responsibly at home! Today we examine some favorites of Ernest Hemingway.

It's no question that Ernest Hemingway enjoyed cool libations. It's even been said that he was as good of a drinker as he was a writer. It's widely believed that his favorite drink was the daiquiri. However, because he was diabetic, Hemingway tweaked the traditional daiquiri recipe to reduce the amount of sugar by substituting grapefruit juice.

Hemingway Daiquiri
- 2 ounces rum
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce grapefruit juice
- Small splash maraschino liqueur or grenadine
- Lime slice for garnish

Shake all ingredients together over ice in a cocktail shaker and stain into a stemmed cocktail glass.

Hemingway is a celebrated personality in Key West, Florida, where he and his family (and a colony of famous polydactyl cats) spent his summers in the 1930s. One of his trademark drinks was called the Hemingway Hammer. Sloppy Joe's, the bar where he supposedly created the drink, still serves the concoction to this day.

Hemingway Hammer

- 1 ounce Bacardi 151 rum
- 1 ounce Bacardi white rum
- 1 ounce blackberry brandy
- 1 ounce strawberry liqueur
- 1 ounce banana liqueur

Combine all ingredients with one cup of crushed ice in a cocktail shaker or blender for 30 seconds.

Finally, named for his book Death in the Afternoon Hemingway concocted a drink consisting of the unlikely combination of Absinthe and Champagne. He invented it while he was aboard a Navy ship (Champagne being known as a seasickness cure). The drink recipe first appeared in the 1935 book, So Red the Nose, a collection of cocktail recipes by famous authors of the time.

It read as follows:

"Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

What Wine With Japanese Cuisine?

Fridays on the BottleBlog will feature a food-related article, wine pairing, or travelogue. Today, we join Woodbridge Wine Manager Debbie Miller Nelson for Japanese!

My colleague Mark Ricca wanted to go out for sushi, so I invited him to my favorite Woodbridge place, Yoshi on Pearl Street in Woodbridge. He said, "You bring a bottle and I’ll bring one and we can decide what works better." Mark was predictable. I knew he would bring a red Burgundy as he is always waxing poetic about the synergy between the two (she says rolling her eyes), so I decided to go with the classic sake. At the restaurant, Mark brought his Reidal suitcase with his own glasses. It definitely brought more than a few stares and curious peeking. Some customers I had just helped a few hours earlier in the store were there and were checking out our wine selection as was the staff at the restaurant. As Mark unpacked his suitcase, we quickly became the dinner show.

We ordered everything from chef rolls with jalapeno to mild sashimi, a fried item and edamame. We shamefully ran up a very hefty bill and no, we paid for it ourselves! So when the food arrived it came down to the wine showdown – red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) or sake (Rice Wine). The showdown was Meo-Camuzet Marsannay Rouge 2006 ($41.99) against Eiko Fuji Ban Ryu NV ($18.99). Which paired better? The answer is BOTH. The Burgundy was surprising to me. Mark was right on! I thought the spicy food would kill it, but it didn’t. The chilled sake was clean and delicious and worked with all of the flavors presented before us as did the Burgundy.

So, it comes down to this. What do you like to drink?? Go with your personal preferences and see what pairs well. In this case, the classic stereotype and the odd man out both worked amazingly well!! And in the end, we both had an amazing meal!

Weekend Tastings, 2/3 - 2/5

Thursdays the BottleBlog will feature an update on various exciting things going on at Joe Canal's: Reports of our travels, special event coverage, and more!

Every Thursday, we pour samples of cold, fresh beer for you to taste, and every Friday and Saturday we pour several different wines for you to enjoy.

THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN LAWRENCEVILLE:

FREE BEER TASTING!
Thursday, February 3rd, 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Weyerbacher

"Weyerbacher Brewing Company was born in a livery stable in downtown Easton, PA. Launched in August of 1995, the original concept was to make some mainstream microbrews, like a Pale Ale and ESB. Boy did we take a wrong turn! In 1997 we brewed our first big beer, Raspberry Imperial Stout, which happened to be one of Dan's favorite homebrew recipes. As hard as it was to get people to care about another "Pale Ale" in a sea of pale ales, people seemed to stand up and take notice of Raspberry Imperial Stout. The following year we brewed Blithering Idiot Barleywine and began brewing Belgian beers as well, like our Merry Monks' Ale (originally called "Belgian Style Tripel"). This was the time when our path was set. 'Let's make full-flavored high-quality brews for a discerning customer.' We haven't looked back." -Weyerbacher

Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Weyerbacher!

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FREE WINE TASTING!!
Friday, January 28th, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Saturday, January 29th, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Stop in for a free taste of these great
wines:

Vignerons de Caractere le Privilege
Regular Price: $10.99 / BottleClub Price: $8.66

Hamilton Russell Chardonnay
Regular Price: $23.99

Alma Negra Bonarda/Malbec
Regular Price: $21.99

K. Vintners the Creator Cabernet/Syrah
Regular Price: $54.99

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THIS WEEKEND'S SCHEDULE IN WOODBRIDGE:

FREE BEER TASTING!
Thursday, February 3rd, 5:00pm - 7:00 pm
Stoudt's Brewing Company

Whether you're a beer novice or afficionado, Stoudt's Brewing Company is a great destination for all beer lovers out there. As one of the pioneering craft breweries in America, Stoudt's offers a variety of amazing Lagers and Ales.

Join us and sample some brews from our friends at Stoudt's!

* * *
FREE WINE TASTING!!
Saturday, February 5th, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Stop in for a free taste of these great
wines:

Palacio de Fefinanes Albarino
Regular Price: $17.99 / BottleClub Price: $15.76

Chateau Pesquie Cuvee Terrasses
Regular Price: $12.99 / BottleClub Price: $9.98

Bleasedale Langhorne Crossing Shiraz/Cabernet
Regular Price: $9.99 / BottleClub Price: $7.66

Noon Eclipse Proprietary Red
Regular Price: $75.99

Napa Valley Comes to New York City!

Tuesdays on the BottleBlog, we'll focus on interesting or exciting industry news from here in New Jersey, to the valleys of California, to the vineyards of New Zealand. Today, Senior Wine Manager of the Lawrenceville store talks about the NVVA event he attended last month in New York City.

On January 19th 2011 Taste Napa Valley came to the Manhattan Penthouse on 5th Avenue in NYC to remind us how good our country's wine can be, and how good they are. The event, coordinated by the NVVA (Napa Valley Vintners Association), was the final leg of a four city tour showcasing these wines. Many of the vintners, winemakers and proprietors were on hand to answer questions and provide information about the growing seasons, the upcoming Premiere Napa Valley Auction and, most importantly, their wines. Some of the producers even brought barrel samples of their Premiere Napa Valley Auction lots.

The Premiere Napa Valley Auction is one of the most interesting and special events that occurs within the wine industry. Premiere Napa Valley is a trade-only, one day event consisting of a three hour barrel tasting and a live auction to follow. Restauranteurs, wholesalers and retailers alike flood the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone's downstairs barrel room, tasting as many wines as they possibly can in three hours. The masses are spitting, writing, talking, laughing and evaluating, deciding which of the wineries' lots are worthy of their dollars. The lots range in price starting around $5,000 and can be as much as $60,000. The size of each lot varies, as does the type of wine the producer offers. For instance, Cakebread Cellars is offering a twenty case lot of their 2009 Red Blend consisting mainly of Cabernet Franc (75%). How many of you Cakebread Cabernet and Chardonnay lovers have ever tasted a Cab Franc from them? Conversely, Far Niente is making only a five case lot of a single vineyard Cabernet. Only 60 bottles of the Far Niente Cabernet will be made, and only 240 bottles of the Cakebread will be produced and one bidder gets it all. It is a pretty amazing feeling to be the only retailer or restauranteur in the world who has Cakebread's Cabernet Franc or a single vineyard Cabernet from Far Niente (who does not produce any single vineyard wines because its sister winery, Nickel & Nickel, only produces single vineyard bottlings).

The bottles are numbered from 1 to 60 or, in Cakebread's case, 1 to 240, and each bottle is initialed or autographed by the winemaker. These are truly special wines that are only produced once. The Joseph Phelps barrel sample was my favorite from this tasting. It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon from Phelps's famous Backus vineyard and their Las Rocas vineyard in Stag's Leap District (which is one of the primary fruit sources for Insignia). The wine was loaded with black fruits and had terrific complexity and structure. Time will tell whether or not the 2011 Auction wine from Phelps will be better than their Insignia or Backus Cabernet. That is, if you're able to find a bottle of it to taste beside their two top offerings.

By now you must be wondering how can I get my hands on some of these wines. Well have no fear, your friends here at Joe Canal's have you covered. We've attended the Premiere Auction multiple times over the past five years. We currently have very small amounts available from past lots purchased in '04, '05 and '06 vintages, and even a few bottles left from the heralded 2001 vintage. Please inquire about the availability of these wines. They truly are special wines and a piece of our country's amazing wine culture.