Quick! What is the first thing that springs to mind when you think of a very pretty glass of pink-colored rosé wine? Call me a mind reader, but I'm guessing that images of fashionable French resorts like St. Tropez, St. Barts, or California's Laguna Beach spring to mind - and of course, rap stars like P. Diddy and Fifty Cent would have it on their gleaming white yachts. If you were dining uptown (or downtown) at one of the fashionable outdoor cafes in Manhattan, you would have a bottle of rosé in a cooler to grace the table.

Now here's the good news: real men drink rosé - or so it appears. Curiously, "real men" needed to be assured it was okay for them to eat quiche a generation ago - at least, that was the message in Bruce Feirstein's book Real Men Don't Eat Quiche in the early eighties, a satire questioning stereotypes about masculinity.

Now P.Diddy...okay, I'm sure everyone can imagine him cracking open a bottle of the popular pink French Domaine Ott on one of his yachts as he slices through the crystal green waters of Sardinia, Italy. Some of us might have a bit more trouble seeing rapper Fifty Cent, with his incredible muscles and tattoos, sipping a rosé wine, but since Fifty Cent is increasingly all about fashion and style, sure, I can see it. Kinda. Sorta.

Clearly, though, some people (read: men) might need more affirmation that sipping rosé is fashionable, cool, and does not imply anything more about their sexuality other than that they have good taste - and it's true. Not only is rosé the cool drink of choice, it pairs well with many appetizers and you can't beat it for looks at a pool party. So what's a thirsty man to do?

Enter Fat Bastard rosé, appropriately named for men who want to drink pink but need affirmation they are indeed a real man by doing so. Despite its bold, eyebrow-raising name, Fat Bastard 2007 Rosé is actually a very delicious rosé wine produced in my favorite region of France, the Languedoc, from the Syrah grape variety. It is a gorgeous pink rosé color, with bright flavors of raspberry, red licorice, and hints of seductive Indian spice. Despite its color, it is not a feminine wine. Though some dry rosés have a subtle amount of tannin, the tannin here (grape tannin as opposed to tannin from oak aging) is a bit more aggressive, rendering the wine more textural and thus a bit more suitable for "masculine" dishes as pork or composed salads with beef.

Shakespeare was quite correct when he said "a rose by any other name will smell as sweet," yet he was not living in 2008 when names carry a great deal of weight. According to some Internet stories, the wine was thus named when a colleague told the winemaker it was a "fat bastard of a wine," meaning the wine had a great deal of body. To be very honest, the name is very much in keeping with the trend of curious wine names. In one store in New York's Upper East Side, I was surprised to see almost an entire row of wines with names like "Mommy's 5:00 treat."

At any rate, Fat Bastard happens to be a very good dry rosé that pairs with a wide variety of cuisine and sells for a very affordable (about $9) price. Try it - you will like it.

Pinot Noir? Yawn. Been there. Done that. Sure, this finicky grape had more than its fifteen minutes of fame in the film Sideways, where the film’s characters got teary-eyed just thinking about this thin-skinned black grape varietal.

Few people, however, can know this grape completely. Like a beautiful and exotic woman, the grape retains its mystery and also takes on many different guises and moods. If you like red wine, such as Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s very possible you did not respond to Pinot Noir at first. The flavors might have struck you as being too light and delicate. Yet as you taste more Pinot Noir from different regions of the world, you will be surprised to realize Pinot Noir can take on so many textures, aromas, and levels of acidity and tannin. Among Pinot lovers (sometimes called Pinotphiles) arguments often break out about the grape, with some swearing by Oregon, and others its traditional home of Burgundy, France.

Today, I’d like to talk about Pinot Noirs from the Sonoma Coast in California. Right now I am tasting a MacRostie Pinot Noir from their Wildcat Mountain vineyard and it is surprisingly delicious, with gorgeous concentrated red and black berries on the palate, and a long, strong finish of deeply colored wild fruit with the kind of assertive tannins that can stand up to a juicy, rare Porterhouse steak and at the same time, complement grilled Ahi tuna or Alaskan King salmon.

Wildcat Mountain Vineyard is located on the volcanic highlands of the Sonoma Coast appellation with elevations ranging from 500 to 700 feet overlooking San Pablo Bay, typically covered in fog brought through the mountains by a wind so powerful many of the vines have a windswept look about them. The soil is red, pebbly clay loam and consists of volcanic basalt, and discerning palates will be able to taste this mineral quality in the wine. Climate? Cool and rather breezy. As you can imagine, under these conditions vines must struggle to survive. In the wine world, a struggling vine produces the most concentrated fruit.

The 2005 growing season extended to a late harvest. As typical at Wildcat, yields were low, about two tons per acre, resulting in the intense concentrated flavor described above. The grapes were hand harvested in two days, gently destemmed into open-top fermenters, and the cap (the “crust” of skins and pulp that form on the top of the juice) was managed with a combination of punchdowns and pumpovers to maximize positive extraction. The wine was then aged for ten months in French oak barrels (30% new) and bottled on August 17, 2006.

If you usually go to Oregon or Burgundy, France for your Pinot, I encourage you to try this wine. Whether it is the fog-shrouded mountain location, the Pommard and Dijon 667 clonal selections, or winemaker MacRostie’s magic touch, this wine is truly spectacular. And if you have found yourself shying away from Pinot Noir, thinking it a delicate wine, you will be impressed by the assertive fruit, tannins, and powerful structure in this wine.

And hey, you never know. One day you may find yourself at a party, like the Miles character in Sideways, telling fellow guests about your passion for Sonoma Coast Pinot.

Imagine you are creating the ultimate dinner party for friends, family, or just that special someone. As a sophisticated individual, you already know about the importance of matching your cuisine to the wine. Yet what about that special moment when dinner is officially over, and you simply want to linger and talk about the important things in life over a glass of something fortifying and delicious?

Enter Remy Martin 1989, a new single vintage cognac from this most respected of cognac houses. Why cognac? Why this producer and vintage, specifically?

Remy Martin, the world's top cognac producer, has just released this single-harvest cognac from a single vineyard, rendering it arguably one of the most specific cognacs in terms of time and place available today. Why now? If you are reading this article, you have a sophisticated palate and a passion for the best life has to offer. Cognac, specifically aged cognac of this quality from a trusted producer, is part of enjoying life to the max.

Remy Martin 1989 cognac is a gorgeous amber color, fading to a watery white meniscus and legs (the way the liquid moves when swirled) that are rather fast to form and fall. The nose is medium plus in intensity, with a soft aroma of flowers and ripening apple. On the palate, the wine is dry, with medium plus acidity, smooth ripe subtle tannins, medium body, and a remarkably long length with finish of gently spiced apple cider and a hint of clove. Loosely translated from the rather technical jargon above, you would experience a warm smooth light richness with each precious sip, a tantalizing aroma of sultry apple and very light, refreshing flavors of succulent clove-scented caramelized figs on the palate.

Understanding How Cognac is Made

Cognac begins its life as grapes from the Grand Champagne region of Cognac, France. Ugni Blanc (called Trebianno in Italy) is the main grape (95%) used to produce the eaux-de-vie (base wine) that will ultimately become Cognac. This grape offers high yields, has a good natural acidity, and provides floral, spicy notes - an aroma the French define as patisserie (pastry) to the finished product.

Did you ever wonder what global warming is doing to the regions of the wine growing world? "The Art of Balance: Cool Climate Maritime Wines in a Global Context", was the topic at the Stony Brook University Center for Wine, Food, and Culture August 5 and 6, 2008, a joint effort with the Long Island Wine Council and the New York Wine and Grape Foundation.

Designed to highlight the balanced, nuanced, elegant wines made possible by the particular characteristics of cool/maritime climates, it marks the 20-year anniversary of the first groundbreaking conference of its kind on Long Island, “Maritime Climate Wine Growing: Bringing Bordeaux to Long Island.”

The day began on August 5, with passionate Italian Alessio Dorigo, owner/winemaker of Dorigo in Fruiuli Venezia-Giulia talking about his “Friulian Approach.” Alessio began by discussing the weather patterns in his area, which include humid air from the ocean and dry air from the desert. Soils are diverse, with much of it poor and stony (which is great for grapes because it makes them dig deep into the ground for nutrients). Yet because the grapes have to dig so deep for water, they pass the nutrients and hit the minerals, which make an appearance in the flavor and aroma of the wines. Dorigo’s vineyards have good sun exposure, and while mechanization is possible, the slopes are so steep workers hand pick the grapes.

One of the challenges Dorigo faces is deciding the best time to pick. Dorigo is very sensual in his approach to winemaking and vocalized that while there are many scientific methods one can employ (and he also employs these methods by sending grapes to the lab) his favorite way to test for ripeness is to pop a grape into his mouth.

First, he feels the skins and seeds on his tongue to “test” for sugar and acidity. Then he spits, and tastes the aftertaste of the grape that had been in his mouth, for that will represent the tannins that will be in the wine at that moment in time. He looks at the seeds he spit out. If they are green, the tannins in the wine would taste underripe. If they are dark brown, they will be ripe. The taste of the skins also tell him if the wine will be sweet or harsh. This also holds true for white wine, Dorigo told the audience.

Gunter Kunstler, owner/winemaker of Weingut Kuntsler in the Rheingau gave us a great demonstration about the varied soil on his land, the topography, and gave the audience samples of his great Riesling wine, both rich in minerals and with incredible structure. Thomas Laszlo, Vice President of Winemaking Operations at Heron Hill Winery in the Finger Lakes, also shared some of his excellent Riesling with its minerals and lime-rich palate, and told us about the topography and weather of his region. Day one finished up with Katia Alvarez, winemaker at Martin Codax in Rias Baixas Spain, discussing the Albarino grape, her region of Galicia, Spain, and how the cool, wet weather is responsible for this particular type of wine.

Before a tasting of the wines at a reception, Paul Grieco, co-owner and sommelier of Hearth, Insieme, and Terroir in New York, engaged all the winemakers in a discussion of how climate changes will affect their grapes — a lot of valuable information from winemakers across the globe in a single day.

What about you? Do you feel that being a "super taster" is rooted in the ability to be detail-oriented? I'd love to hear your thoughts using the comment feature.

"I don't get it," said a friend, holding two green-colored bottles of wine in either hand. We are in a wine store on a sunny day in New York City, and the store is buzzing with customers, but not a clerk to be found. "Both these wines are Sauvignon Blanc from Brancott. The producer — Brancott — is the same. The country — New Zealand — is the same. The year is the same, but the price is different. What's up?" I look at the bottles and see that one is "Reserve" (which often means different things, in different countries) and that the other one has an enormous, very fancy looking "B" in gold lettering directly etched into the bottle. Clearly they are different wines, but why?

The label of the reserve ($17) reads like a travel brochure, to visit New Zealand's Marlborough region with its description of bright sunshine, more than anything else. (Okay, the label did mention the alluvial soils, presumably to satisfy the curiosity of people who look for such information). The label on the Brancott Letter "B" series is more helpful, explaining that the wine is handcrafted (key word) from grapes grown on key Montana estates (another very key word) in Marlborough. Basically, this translates to a different quality of grapes (the Montana grapes are perhaps grown in areas where they have more access to the sun or better soil), and the wine is hand crafted with more personal attention. So, an extra six dollars ($23) buys you all the extra care.

Is the six-dollar difference worth it? Could anyone tell? To find out, I bought both (we needed two bottles for our dinner party) and rushed home to try them. Now before I continue, I'm sure you read about the study in which people rated a wine they were told was more expensive higher than they rated a more inexpensive bottle. Common sense might tell you that researchers have any number of psychological tricks (er, I meant "techniques") up their sleeve for them to get the data they want, depending on who might be financing the study. For that reason, I asked my friend to serve me the wines blind (meaning I could not see which one was poured) so I could make independent tasting notes.

Both Brancott wines had the crisp acidity characteristic of the Marlborough Region, with lots of grapefruit on the nose and palate. Yet I did prefer the Letter "B" series when it was revealed, even though someone very new to wine would find it hard to tell them apart. The difference — for me — is easily described as the difference between a picture taken of an attractive person using dated photographic technology, and a very crisp picture of the same person taken with the newest technology. The latter picture snaps out at you with its sharp-edges, while the other seems softer, rounder, and possibly less defined.

Guests at the dinner party struggled to find the difference, however, so you should decide if paying for the Letter "B" series is worth it. The "B" in particular lends itself well to aperitifs with its crisp flavors, and when served with a meal, is a great pairing with scallops and all manner of shellfish.

... most of you reading this blog for some time knew about the agony and ecstacy of intensely studying for my Certified Sommelier credentials from the esteemed Court of Master Sommeliers a few years back. Can not tell you how many bottles of sparkling wine I uncorked as "practice" for the service portion of the test for several months prior. This would be for the exam section in which Master Sommeliers, sitting at "my table," would judge me as if I was pouring  Perrier-Jouet at a five-star restaurant.

Oh, and the idea was to also distract me with questions, so they could see how I could elegantly open champagne (with a quiet pop, like the so-called sigh of a satisfied woman), pour the appropriate fill levels, and answer questions with charm. If they had asked me to provide cigar service, I actually could have done so, having studied Brian Julyan's book on proper service and practiced my newfound knowledge in the Davidoff cigar lounge near where I live.

Not everyone passed this exam, to put it mildly. Happily I did, along with two colleagues, one of whom has just received her Master of Wine credential and the other awaiting (hopefully good news) about her results.

I am including a link to an article which, for those of you who have emailed me privately, explains the difference between these two coveted credetials. In this link, the author explains the difference (in his view).

If you are like most people, it's hard to wrap your head around the concept of "mineral" in a wine. Most of us do not go around eating stones, or even smelling them. Yet tasting note after tasting note in all the glossy wine magazines refer to aromas of "wet stone" or "chalk" or "minerals." What does it all mean, and where does it come from?

Right now I am sipping Stoneleigh Sauvignon Blanc, 2007, from Marlborough New Zealand. You've probably had a NZ wine before and perhaps can even identify that grapefruit-intense, bright style in a line-up of Sauvignon Blanc wines from around the world. Yet in reading about this winery, it appears Stoneleigh was so named because of the sunstones in the vineyards.

Typically, when stones are present, a few things happen. First, it forces the roots of the vines to dig deep — actually very deep — into the soil to tap into water and nutrients. This possibly contributes to the mineral-rich aroma and palate since the roots are so far below the surface. Another benefit of a soil filled with sunstones (apart from the groovy, New Age image with its associations with ecology) is that the stones capture the sun's heat during the day, and that heat keeps the vines warm at night.

According to winemaker Jamie Marfell, the unique flavors in this wine (think fat, lush passion fruit with a squirt of refreshing pink grapefruit) are a result of both the stony free draining alluvial (riverbed) soils and slightly warmer climate of the Rapaura area. Indeed, when compared to its cooler climate NZ cousins, the wine seems softer, plumper, and with the kind of generous body that pairs well with a wide variety of food, especially first courses or luncheon dishes such as salads, seafood such as mussels, dressed crab, sautéed scallops, and brunch dishes such as quiche.

As delicious as this wine is, one of the most rewarding aspects of enjoying wine is understanding the "why" behind the flavors. The more you study wine and the effect that altitude, soil, and weather have on the wine, the more wine becomes less of a beverage and more of an enjoyable mystery. This is especially true when blind tasting wines, as the taster must ask "How did (the aroma or flavor) get there?" before beginning to deduce an answer.

The vineyards of Stoneleigh actually sit on an ancient riverbed, which in wine speak translates to the phrase "alluvial soil." It takes time, tasting, and serious reading to understand why "poor" and "stony" soil is a good thing for wine. Most of us assume that any crop, grapes included, do well in fertile soil; but grapes like a challenge, and vines make it their mandate to survive - whatever it takes.

As is often the case with humans, the more obstacles you give grapes, the harder they try to achieve their goal. In grape-speak, this means the determined vines dig down deep into the soil in order to snatch up the nutrients and water available to them.

Curious to learn more? Grab a bottle and share it with friends to see if you can detect the sunstones and mineral nuances.

Yet at this level, it is also clear that work in a winery, both in the vineyard and in the wine making process, is an asset. As a journalist and scholar I've visited many winemakers in Burgundy and Bordeaux, California and New York, yet with this exam hands-on experience seems required ...

MW exam: How much do you really know?

Published: (01-07-2007)

Author: Wine & Spirit News Desk

Section B

3. How and why do grape growers prune vines at different times of the year?

4. What are the factors affecting malolactic conversion and how would a winemaker manipulate these in order to achieve a desired level of acidity in a wine?

5. After the harvest, what role does temperature play in wine production?

"Austria!" a friend exclaims, nearly chocking on his sip of Sauvignon Blanc. "They make Sauvignon Blanc in Austria?!"

People have been making wine from the Sauvignon Blanc grape in regions around the world for hundreds of years. For most of us Americans, Sauvignon Blanc is a wine to break out during summertime picnics (or order with shellfish at our favorite restaurant), and most Americans make the assumption that the "best" Sauvignon Blanc comes from a region of New Zealand called Marlborough. For whatever reason, many people mistakenly assume New Zealand is a warm, beach-oriented climate.

New Zealand is actually quite cool, and you will be hard-pressed to find any wineries on the west side of the island because of the cold wind. Yet it is that cool weather that gives their Sauvignon Blanc such high acid and flavor.

Perhaps this is also why Sauvignon Blanc is also made very well in Austria, a climate everyone knows is quite cool. Though the wine geeks are touting Styria (Austria) as the country's best region for growing Sauvignon Blanc, the wine I have just poured from the region of Traisental — Ludwig Neumayer "Giess" Sauvignon Blanc 2006 — is so elegant, delicate, and rich with a myriad of layered flavors, I just have to talk about it.

In some ways, Neumayer's Sauvignon Blanc shares characteristics of the best Rieslings. On the nose, you detect intense minerality, along with an elegant lacing of delicate ripe fruit and succulent white flowers. Minerality transfers also to the palate, lending low notes to the ethereal high notes of flowers and ripe fruit. The length is long and seemingly never-ending with a finish of more minerals, flowers, and fruit - much like the moment of silence following a Mozart concerto.

If you want to read up on Neumayer, or even the region of Traisental, you will not find much on the Internet. However, this valley is an ancient winegrowing region. As early as 1673 the wines of Inzerdorf (an area in Traisental) were rated higher than those of the Wachau, Austria's most famed wine growing region. Traisental is noted for its complex geology.

In the east (towards the Danube) deep layers of clay soil predominate. In the West (towards Wachau) you can find classic prehistoric stony soils, known as granulite. In the area around Inzerdorf there is a narrow transitional zone between these two formations where the soil consists of a poor, chalky conglomerate (to winemakers, the poorer the soil, the better the resulting wine). Chalky soils typically yield wines with high acid and lightly coloured crystal clear wines with lively levels of acidity. Their delicate balance makes them impressive.

In the words of winemaker Ludwig Neumayer, "Do not look for grassiness in my wine!" Or cat's pee, for that matter. He does not want anyone to confuse his wine with the profile of a typical New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. With this wine as my initiation to the complexity of Austrian Sauvignon Blanc, look forward to profiles of other producers soon. Price $25.99

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