Wine heist and other wine banter...

Summer is a sultry, nap-worthy, beach-loving time of year. So it's not often you go away for a long weekend and come home to find out about one of the biggest wine heists in recent New England news! Right here in Hopkinton, MA - better known as the starting line for the Boston Marathon - a bottle of 1945 Chateau Mouton Rothschild was swiped from a liquor store. I dunno, I guess I always thought such heists would have much more elaborate planning, much more intrigue, like that depicted in the Thomas Crown Affair. Then again, if we could just walk on out of a fine wines shop with a $20K bottle of wine, we'd probably be harder to find thereafter.... For the full report, check out this Globe article!

Back when I was a 9-5 office rat on a lovely summer Friday, sometimes I took a few extra minutes to get into the swing of my workday, or daydream at lunch. Here are a two wine blog columns worthy of such web-perusing this week:

Dr. Vino on Labels Worthy of...Banning?

Lenndevours: A trip to Seneca Lake to chat with an 80-year-old Matriarch...

Which other wine tidbits did you find particularly entertaining this week?

Wine fun on vacation!

With the MA wine tax kicking off last weekend and summer vacation fully underway this week, one of the most "popular" questions we've received is: which wine(s) will "do" when embarking on vacation. Even if you're not heading out to wine country per se, be sure to get the inside scoop on how to seamlessly integrate wine into your vacation - and unwind without second thought here. Too much fun to be missed! Which wines have you discovered (however inadvertently) this summer?

MA Wine Tax Imminent: Shop Today or Bust!

So... did you miss me?? In the next couple of weeks we'll be circling around to some topics that popped up over the course of my vacation -which wasn't specifically wine related, but, well, you know me! Wine is a big part of my life. Before we can get to all that, however, we have to get down to business. Immediately. For Massachusetts residents like myself, there's only one wine news item to be discussed today: the MA State Wine Tax.

As of tomorrow - Saturday, August 1 - this much anticipated, much debated, (much hated) tax goes into play. That's right! When your office doors close early today, get yourself moving on over to your local shop to take advantage of the many discounts available in the final hours before we go from the blissful world of NO tax on wine to a whopping 6.25%! No joke.

Many stores are offering ridiculously good discounts to help customers stay ahead of the curve, for at least as long as your purchases hold out anyway. ;) Here's a brief list of folks working to better serve you; if your local shop isn't on here, be sure to give them a call! I'd be willing to bet their anteing up the discounts, too.

Ball Square Fine Wines in Somerville ~ 20% off twelve bottles ~ Any assortment of 750 ml bottles, sale items excluded

Bermans Wine and Spirits in Lexington ~ 20% off twelve bottles

Lower Falls Wine, Co. in Newton ~ 10% off twelve bottles, 20% off 36 bottles

Shubie's Marketplace in Marblehead ~ 20% off twelve bottles, 10% off six bottles ~ Any assortment, current inventory of 750 ml bottles, sale items excluded

What other stores are offering deals you know about?

WHO: Wine-Sense in Andover WHEN: Thursday, July 30 WHAT: 15% discount all day long, plus tasting from 5 p.m. to closing

WHO: South Liquor Mart in Plainville WHAT: 15% off six bottles of wine WHAT ELSE: Beer and alcohol specials too

WHO: Shubie's Marketplace in Marblehead WHAT: 20% off twelve bottles, 10% off six bottles SPECS: Any assortment, current inventory of 750 ml bottles, sale items excluded

WHO: Bermans Wine and Spirits in Lexington WHAT: 20% off twelve bottles

Wine events in 200 words or less...

200 words or less? Sheesh. I don't know WHY I initiated this idea.... This week we're gearing up for several cool events here in Boston, and a bit beyond. Buckle your seatbelt! Please note, I'm issuing these must-attend wine events today, rather than my usual Friday, because the fun begins TONIGHT (and I'm heading out of town for some R & R Friday and don't want you to miss out!)! Boston Sommelier Society makes it's debut! I'm a proud member of this elite crew of fun-loving wine aficionados here in Beantown. And even though we've been kick'n around for about a year and a half, our ambition to make Boston a better-appreciated wine community and share the love with the public is great. Join us this Wednesday, July 15, at OM Restaurant in Cambridge. Tix are $40 in advance or $50 at the door  - if any remain, that is. Jump on the wine-loving bandwagon!

Mystic River Music Fest, July 18th.This is a great event promoting green awareness. Check out their website to see the list of bands, sponsors and learn more about the beergarten.

Divas Uncork The Cure. These fabulous, wine lovelies are celebrating their 10th anniversary by producing their annual Martha's Vineyard Food & Wine festival in support of Susan B. Komen for the Cure and the Island Grown Initiative. August 6-9. Don't miss out!

July Wicked Wines Uncorked!

July can be one of the most exciting months to enjoy wine. BBQ’s, baby showers, open roof decks and the joy of summer office hours (aka “early release” Fridays) coupled with one of the most versatile and delectable produce seasons gives you every excuse to pop a few corks. No surprise then, this month’s Wicked Wines reflect the need for a dynamic line up. Get excited to sip solo, toast the dog days of summer with friends or break out your inner-chef with these wicked good choices! Check them out here!

Then tell us... what's your take on Pinotage?

Celebrate Wine with the Boston Sommelier Society, July 15

Too often wine gets a bad rep as snooty, stuffy or just plain elusive. But since Day One, Pour Favor has been promoting the importance of having fun with wine. It is something to be understood only in so much as such appreciation allows for heightened enjoyment. Those on the professional side of the industry who take this idea to heart are those we should all be seeking out. Enter the Boston Sommelier Society (BSS). Many of the fifty or so folks who now comprise the BSS are professionals in the trade - but the only official “pre-requisites” for joining their ranks are pure, unadulterated passion for wine and a desire to learn more about it. According to Vice Chair, Kate Webber, BSS’ goal is to “expand the knowledge and reputation of the wine industry in the Boston area. We are primarily an educational organization, which is to say we focus on learning, both from outside entities as well as from each other.” So, how are they doing it?

Amazingly, these talented, passionate, respect-worthy folks started out only two years ago as a small, informal, but organized group called the Boston Tasting Group. They met regularly to practice blind tasting in order to gain the experience and support necessary to take different wine exams, including the Court Masters Sommeliers, the Wine & Education Spirits Education Trust and the International Sommelier Guild. Soon enough, word got out. Their initial group of seven grew. And, as Webber says, “with larger numbers came larger ideas; we realized we were something larger than a Tasting Group.”

Their membership base hails from all sides of the trade (e.g. restaurants, retail shops, importers, wholesalers, oenology educators, collectors and consultants), “offering a diversity and perspective that’s quite simply hard to come by,” admits Michael Meagher, the group’s Chair. Today the BSS is eager to access and create other opportunities and engage the public, from conferences to classes to lectures – and even one day host a regional, amateur competition for other aficionados.

On July 15 the Boston Sommelier Society will be hosting its first public soiree at OM Restaurant in Harvard Square, Cambridge. Meagher tells me BSS has designed this event “as an opportunity for folks curious about the trade or who just love wine to meet new contacts in a variety of roles in the industry. It’s a terrific opportunity for people to discover the great personalities around town who are energetic and enthusiastic about wine, who take their job seriously – but have fun with it!”

No doubt, this group is unique to the area – so much so sponsors are clamoring to support the OM event. They are excited about the Boston Sommelier Society’s “tremendous potential to serve as a caveat for wine accessibility”. And so with sponsorship already secured from the movers and shakers at Ball Square Fine Wines in Somerville, KoBrand, Martignetti, Vineyard Road and Gibbet Hill (Groton, MA), tickets are expected to sell out quickly.

Jump over to EventBrite now to secure your ticket for this unique event! This is your chance to grab a glass of bubbly, nibble on some hors d'oeuvres and meet the enthusiastic – highly entertaining – crew who comprise the BSS. As Meagher says, “wine is cause for celebration, not stratification. Just grab a glass!” Meet him and his fellow wine comrades on the 15th and learn just how much they mean it.

Episode 3: the love affair between food and wine

Happy 4th of July! Ok... so we still have a few days of anticipation left this week - or a few more days to get our marinades going and our wine shopping underway. This week we resume our food/wine pairing conversation with episode # 3 in our Supper Swap Series: gett'n giggy (jerky?) with chicken and Zinfandel! It doesn't get more American than Zinfandel. Yes, it's widely thought Zin's roots lie in Puglia, Italy where it is known as Primitivo. But the truth is this particular grape's origins are still somewhat of a mystery. All we know for sure is it is America's grape. It really doesn't grow well outside of California. And so Zin has become our baby.

What's even better about this grape is.... it is terrific when Jamaican Jerk Chicken is on the menu! My buddy John is The Man when it comes to marinades. Actually, he's really the guy who got me on the bandwagon. Since I first met him he never missed an opportunity to bring by his  bags of meats. I've learned several things under his tutelage:

1. Ziplock is the key. The bag allows the marinade to coat every centimeter of meat and lock in the desired flavors. It also travels well and takes up no room in the fridge either when your own is full, or when landing at a BBQ and fridge-space is scarce.

2. It is a quick method to employ. I like to spend time in the kitchen preparing my dishes - but I usually have more than one thing going at a time. Marinades allow me to get the meat going first, and then spend the rest of my time preparing my sides. All the while my protein is getting some TLC in the fridge.

3. It isn't messy and clean up is a snap! I love that you can just dump all of the ingredients into one bag and then mush it around. Once your meat is on the grill, the bag can be efficiently discarded without having to clean another bowl.

John did not let us down when we last swapped a few weeks ago, either.  Looking at the recipe later, I would have thought it would have packed more flame-throwing heat. But this particular marinade brings a different kind of heat as all of the flavors blended together and mellowed perfectly as the chicken was essentially slow-cooked on the grill; (we were pacing ourselves what with all of our culinary delights to enjoy throughout the evening).

We didn't have any Zin on hand by the time the chicken rolled out, but it would be a terrific pairing. Zinfandel is perhaps best known for it's juicy, red berry, fruit-forward character; this profile is a great match for any dish that packs a bit of a punch. But even the other style of Zin, the more tannic/structured style with a kick of spice on the finish, would be a good match for this particular recipe. The protein in the tannin would soften and sweeten once in contact with the chicken/meat protein (on your tongue) - and this dynamic marinade, with subtle flavors and nuances, would be enhanced by the slight kick of pepper on the wine's finish.

(NOTE:  I would, however, caution anyone making a truly spicy dish and picking up a truly tannic wine - danger danger! That could cause a bit of a fire-y explosion in your mouth! You'd be better served by a wine with a little bit of residual sugar to put out the flames.)

Suffice to say, as you get your Marinade On this Fourth of July, feel free to grab a bottle of America's beloved Zin to accompany your dish! Be mindful of your spice quotient and simply ask your local wine guru which style/bottle of the juice is your best bet.

Which CA Zinfandel do you enjoy most?

Madeira: the wine of our forefathers

Gearing up for a terrific Fourth of July holiday? Already know which grill wines you'll be pouring? Great! Because this year we've got something a little different for you to add to that case of wine you're taking away with you.... Hop on over to Wicked Local today to find out how our Forefather's toasted the signing of the Declaration of Independence - and the wine you've likely been missing out on!

Have you ever tried Madeira? What about with each course of your meal??

This week in wine news (rapid-fire style)!

With summer schedules coming into effect and the summer warmth finally landing on our New England shores, it's time to bring wine news to you in a briefer package. Starting this week, we'll be delivering wine news in ~ 200 words or less, offering something to whet your whistle as you daydream about weekend beach adventures ahead, but nothing to keep you from getting out by the early closing bell.  Here goes!

WalMart to resume wine/liquor sales: Tisk, tisk. Don't you prefer to support fine wines shops who provide expertise, find boutique selections you don't see everywhere, and offer these at the best price they can -  all without donning a horrifyingly bright-blue smock?

Gallstones less likely among wine drinkers: The latest in wine/health news suggests a glass of wine or two a day can prevent the formation of gallstones. Another good reason to toast to health!

LATE-BREAKING insider rumor: Gruner Veltliner and Godello are identical twins!

** Can anyone confirm these (verbal) reports? **

Episode 2: the love affair between food and wine

We started to revisit the topic of food and wine as a match made in heaven a few weeks ago... My family wine taste-off of sorts interrupted us for a week last week, but with the fourth of July grill fest soon to come, it seems prudent to re-tune the station to another of our Supper Swap success stories! So without further ado, here we have Episode #2 of our Supper Swap series: Black bean sliders! The first time I tried my "Summer is Coming" black bean sliders recipe out on my fellow Swappers I discovered "it needed a little... tweaking", in the words of Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail. Not to worry. I excel at taking a base recipe and fine-tuning it for future endeavors. I discovered Sandra Lee's recipe lacked a bit of bite, sweetness and texture. The food processor process I employed the first time out of the gates ground everything to a paste;  the flavors of each individual component couldn't possibly show through once "grilled". (I also learned the grill is not the cooking tool of choice....) Here's what I came up with as an alternative to this fast summer savior:

Ingredients - black beans (30 oz), 1/2 sweet onion, 1/2 cup of whole beets, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, 1 egg (white)

Directions - Pulse the beans LIGHTLY and in batches in your food processor. Place in bowl. Then pulse 1/2 cup of beets in your processor. (This adds additional flare, color and sweetness to the burgers without being over the top for those who may shy away from beets.) Dice sweet onion into small pieces by hand. Combine, adding black pepper and salt to taste. Then combine with egg and crumbs. Form patties.

Use a skillet to cook each side (about 4 or 5 min/side), til done.

Makes 5 Servings for a large burger, or about 7 sliders.

Serve on a large English muffin and - the key - use Greek yogurt as the topping. Add mango salsa for additional panache!

So, what wine works?

I had a bottle of the Nuevo Mundo Cabernet/Malbec on hand the first time I tasted these re-vamped burgers - and have lived to tell the tale again and again (just ask my poor colleague...)!  But I've also given them a whirl with a Syrah-based Cote du Rhone as well as the Crios Syrah/Bonarda and been oh-so-satisfied. Basically, you want a lush and mouth-filling, deep, dark fruited red wine with a touch of herbaceousness and spice. Other blends that would work happily are the SNAFU (CA) and the Portteus Rattlesnake Red (WA). Or try a good old-fashioned, dark toned, (with chocolate subtones) Malbec!

The point is, these burgers aren't shy, but also offer a touch of spice and sweetness. A wine with dark but lush and sweet fruit or undertones (e.g. the chocolate thing) makes for a great pairing.

What other wines would you pair with such an easy-to-make, satisfying, hearty meal?