Breakaway Blog

10 Helpful Hints About Serving Wine

1.  Foil: The foil cap should be cut cleanly around the bottle. If that is too difficult for you, remove it as discretely as possible.

2.  Serving Temperature (White Wines): White wine straight out of the refrigerator is too cold, but serving white wine at cellar temperature is a great way to taste it. After removing white wine from the cooler, let it open up and warm up on the table, usually for about 10 minutes. Or, if you have yet to chill the wine from your cellar, put it on ice for about 10-15 minutes, bringing the bottle down from 50-55 degrees to 42-44 degrees, the perfect temperature. Champagne should remain on ice and stay as cool as possible.

3.  Serving Temperature (Red Wines): Red wines also enjoy cooler temperatures. If a wine gets too warm, the nose becomes hot as the alcohol comes forward. The ideal temperature for red wines is at cellar temperature, around 58 degrees. As a general rule, if your red wine is at room temperature, I recommend placing it in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes before serving.

4.  Wine Ordering Tip: If you're a party of four, order two wines at the beginning of the meal (you'll be there for a while and would order two bottles anyway, right?). Have the waiter open the bottles immediately, but keep in mind that the best place for a wine to open is in the glass.

5.  Glassware: Nice glassware is becoming more common. If you are presented with glassware below your standards, ask your server, "Do you have any nicer glassware?" Often, restaurants reserve this for VIP's (Very Informed Persons). Ask and you shall receive. Some times there is an up-charge, but if you are willing, do it. Wine is so much better in good glassware.

6.  Corked or Fresh?: If you're the host, it's your job to approve the wine. Pour a taste, swirl it and smell. Do you smell freshness or staleness when the wine is opening? If the small taste you pour yourself doesn't smell very good, and you're not confident, ask your guests to see if they think it is 'off.' Just the fact that you know what to look for shows concern. It's better to offer someone else a taste, and then find out you were wrong. If you are in a restaurant, ask the server to check. They will more often than not bring you another bottle. I would try the same wine choice, as odds are that the second bottle will be better.

7.  Pouring: You've gotta swirl babe! Ask that short or small pours be offered, as a full glass doesn't allow you room to swirl. You can also ask to pour your own and eliminate the server's push to have you finish the bottle.

8.  Proper Service: After the server offers the host a taste, it is proper to pour the women first (oldest to youngest) and then offer the gentlemen (no particular order). The server should pour wine from the right shoulder; you don't want to reach across your guests face from the left shoulder. Look for servers that know better.

9.  No-No: Never turn an empty bottle upside down in the ice.

10.   Service Etiquette: Offer to replenish your guest's glass before it is empty. An empty glass can be embarrassing for your guests, as they may feel uncomfortable to ask for more.

A New Tasting Room for Ortman Family Vineyards in Paso Robles

For some time now, we have been very fortunate to have the wines of Ortman Family Vineyards in the Edna Valley Wine Region, as they shared a tasting room with Saucelito Canyon Vineyards on Biddle Ranch Road. But this May, the winery will open its very own tasting room in the heart of downtown Paso Robles. This will be a warm change for the family, not only because they will have their own tasting facility, but it will also mean a return to Paso Robles where Chuck Ortman was the founding winemaker at Meridian Vineyards for over 20 years.

Congratulations Ortman Family Vineyards! We look forward to visiting your new tasting room in Paso Robles.

Cheers to Tablas Creek for Winning the Best Winery Blog Award!

Every year, the American Wine Blog Awards highlight the best wine related blogs in several categories.  The winning blogs are based 70% on public votes and 30% from a panel of judges. This year, our very own Tablas Creek has won in the Best Winery Blog category. I would like to congratulate Jason Hass, the writer of the Tablas Creek Blog, for informing readers on controversial topics in the wine industry, providing winery education and keeping us up-to-date with what’s happening in the vineyard. If you haven’t had a chance to check-out this blog, I highly recommend it. We also have the link posted under our recommended winery blog list on the right.

Congrats Tablas!

10 Helpful Hints About Storing Wine

1. Wine has three enemies: Light, Heat and Oxygen. 
2. Store wine in a cool place, but not in your garage, because it probably doesn't have the thick insulation that the rest of the house has. Temperature needs to remain as stable as possible. 
3. Store wine in a dark place, away from bright lights that go on and off. 
4. Store wine in a place with good humidity. The cork needs the moisture so that less wine will be lost to evaporation. 
5. Storing wines on their side will allow the wine to keep the cork moist and eliminate air from slipping by and oxidizing the wine. 
6. White wines should not be stored in the refrigerator. They should be kept with the reds and chilled ½ hour prior to service. This rule also applies to Champagne. 
7. If necessary, white wines can stay in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.
8.  If a wine storage unit is not possible, a hall closet may be your best option. I cover mine with a blanket.
9.  If possible, avoid taking a cold bottle to room temperature and then chill it again. This exercises the cork and may tire the wine. 
10. Drink your wine before it gets too old. It is a shame to save wine for a special occasion and then never get enjoy it.

St. Paddy's Day Recipe

Happy St. Paddy's Day! In true foodie fashion, we would love to share one of our favorite Irish recipes with you. And, of course it includes one of the most traditional Irish stouts, Guinness. Why is Breakaway Tours & Event Planning, notorious for their passion for wine, sending me a recipe with beer? Great question! The truth is, we do not discriminate and equally enjoy beer as well. In fact, we offer private custom beer tours as well as wine tours. Let us know if you want to "hop" on board!

We hope you enjoy the recipe. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Beef Stew with Guinness Stout

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil
3 bay leaves
2 lbs beef stew meat, cut into 1 1/2 inch to 2 inch cubes (with some fat)
1 large yellow onion, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried thyme, whole
1 tsp dried rosemary
2-3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 cup beef stock
1/2 cup Guinness stout
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 lb carrots, sliced
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat a 6-quart dutch oven and add the oil and the bay leaves. Cook the bay leaves for a moment and then add the meat.
Brown the meat on both sides on high heat. Add the sliced onion and cook for a few minutes until it is clear. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, thyme, rosemary and flour, and stir well until smooth.
Add the beef stock and stout; simmer, stirring, until the stew thickens a bit. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring a couple of times. Check for salt and pepper before serving.

Serves 4-6 

How to Read California Wine Labels

A wine label is much like an address to a house. Most wine labels will tell the consumer who made the wine, the year it was made, the varietal, and the vineyard and appellation where the grapes came from. But, like all things wine, there is more complexity to the story if you dig a little deeper.

The Brand Name: Winery or individual brand within a winery’s portfolio.

Vintage: The year that the grapes were harvested. The requirement is that 95% of the grapes used in the wine must have been harvested in the year listed. Non-vintage wines can be a combination of different vintages.

Varietal: In the United States, wines are often labeled by their varietal, such as Pinot Noir. In Europe, on the other hand, it is common for wines to be labeled regionally, such as a Rhone or Burgundy. When labeled by varietal, a wine must contain at least 75% of that grape in order to bear its name. If the wine is a blend with less than 75% of any varietal, the winery will create a proprietary name for the wine such as Wolff Winery’s Brixie’s Red, a blend of Sarah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

Reserve, Estate and Vineyard Designate: Although there are no legal definitions of the word Reserve, most wineries limit this term to describe their finest wines. Estate wines, on the other hand, must execute all aspects of production onsite. Therefore, the grapes must be grown from the winery’s vineyards and then pressed, fermented, stored, bottled and labeled on the winery’s property. In order to list a vineyard designate, 95% of the wine must come from the specified vineyard.

Appellation of Origin: This identifies where the grapes came from, whether state, county or American Viticulture Area (AVA). If a sate is specified, 100% of the wine must come from this state. If a county is listed, 75% of the wine must come from within the counties borders. If multiple counties are listed, the percentages of the grapes grown in these c ounties must be listed. If an AVA is listed, 85% of the grapes must come from that designated AVA. An AVA is identified and regulated by the Tax and Trade Bureau as having unique characteristics such as climate, soil, elevation, physical features and sometimes historical data.

Why Do Winemakers Use Oak Barrels?

I was with a group this week that had a great question about wine barrels. With so many tree options out there, why do winemakers use barrels made out of oak? Why not maple or pine or chestnut? The truth is that the oak tree is believed to be as magical of a plant as the vine itself. Long ago, winemakers discovered that the trees natural tight grain, strength, flexibility, and desirable flavors and tannins create the perfect environment for winemaking. When made into a barrel, oak gives natural flavors to the wine, in some cases adding as much to the finishing composition and taste as the vine itself.

Why are barrels so important in winemaking?
The barrel is an essential part of winemaking; it is where storage, fermentation, oxidation, aging and flavor imprinting takes place. Central Coast Magazine put it right when they said that the wine barrel is the equivalent to the winemakers spice rack. An oak barrel can add a variety of flavors to the wine such as coffee, nutmeg, vanilla, chocolate, clove, cinnamon and a long list of others. In fact, a winemaker will purchase different types of oak barrels depending upon what flavors she wants in the finishing product. A good barrel can give the juice complexity, smoother textures and sophistication.

How much do wine barrels cost?
French oak barrels can cost about $1000 with their American oak counterpart costing about half as much, so about $500.

Why French oak over American oak?
Although a majority of wine makers favor French oak, many use American oak as well. Aside from their cost, the differences can be great. French oak, usually from forests planted in the days of Napoleon for shipbuilding, tend to impart smoother more consistent flavors. American oak, on the other hand, comes mostly from Virginia, Missouri and Kentucky, and gives immediate flavor with aggressive texture and aroma. Therefore, the type of oak will greatly depend upon the types of wine being made and the winemaker’s personal choice. Like all things wine, it is all up to interpretation.

How long do barrels last?
Wine barrels last for about five years, releasing more flavors in the first year and dropping from there. Much like a reusing a tea bag in five different cups of hot water, the first cup will be more flavorful and the last cup will be the least flavorful. After about five years, the barrel is considered neutral, giving little to no characteristics back to the wine.

A Look into the “Home” of Still Waters Vineyards

We often have clients contact Breakaway to find the “boutique”, “mom & pop” and “off the beaten path” wineries. With over thirteen years of experience in the region providing private and custom wine experiences, I love being able to give them exactly what they ask for. There are over 230 wineries in the Paso Robles AVA alone, so as you can imagine, it takes time to find the diamonds. So, without further ado, let me praise yet another winery that has captured my heart and my palate, Still Waters Vineyards.

Imagine being invited to your friend’s house, set in the rolling green vineyards of Paso Robles, for a wonderful home cooked meal and beautiful wines. This is the feel you get at Sill Waters Vineyards. The intimate yet casual style of presenting their estate wines captures your heart and makes you want to stay awhile. Paul Hoover, the wine grower at Still Waters, spills over with passion for his work as he shows you the basics of quality grape growing, their onsite fermentation facility and even the olive grove. As you can image, with this much care and love, the wines are wonderful. And with several award winners including the double gold 2004 Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon, it shows.

So, next time you are in our neighborhood and want to go treasure hunting for boutique wineries with incredible wine, I’ll most likely take you to Still Waters Vineyards. Thank you Kasey and Paul for showing us such incredible hospitality, I can’t wait to return.

The Budometer

While reading Wine Enthusiasts Magazine’s wine blog, Unreserved, I stumbled upon quite the taste bud quiz. The Budometer asks questions about your food preferences and places your buds in one of three categories: Tolerant, Sensitive and Hyper Sanative. After determining your category, there is a comparison chart of wines that correlate with your preferences. So, if you are overwhelmed with wine choices, this may be one tool to help narrow your search. Cheers!

Tis' the Season for Pruning

It is that time of year when vineyards are pruned in anticipation of spring. Starting with the latest budding varietal and working backwards, we will start to see our vineyard landscapes change. Here is a picture of a pruned vine at Wolff Vineyards & Winery.