Now that football season is in full swing and weekend tailgate parties are as common as the falling leaves, it is my solemn duty to share my two most important tailgate tips for those rare wine enthusiasts in the beery football crowd.
These two tailgate tips are the result of years (actually decades) of experience with some elaborate tailgate parties.
Tailgate tip No. 1 is my most important piece of wisdom. Whenever possible, use crystal wine glasses rather than plastic. Aesthetics aside, plastic glasses alter the taste of your wine, and it doesn't matter whether you are drinking the good stuff or inexpensive everyday wine.
Stick with glass. Now, some might fear the breakage factor when using glass for what is essentially a parking-lot picnic. My solution is to use sturdy commercially produced stemware such as Riedel Ouverture, which can be purchased through Amazon if you can't find it at your local department store. On a recent visit to the Amazon site I discovered a special offer of eight Riedel wine glasses (for red and/or white wines) with a bonus of four Champagne glasses for about $80.
That's less than $10 a stem and my set is living proof they will last just about forever. I have never lost an Ouverture wine glass to breakage, either in transport to or during an event. They are durable and dishwasher safe.
Tailgate tip No. 2 is one of the easiest changes you can make in your tailgate setup to enhance the experience. When chilling white wines and bubbly for your tailgate party, do not stand the bottles in a bucket of ice. Chilling the wines will take forever, and the wine in the neck of the bottle will stay warm on a hot day.
I recommend buying a cheap plastic ice tub that is large enough to accommodate your wines laid on their sides. Completely bury the wines in a bed of ice and add a bit of water because ice water chills more quickly than a bath of ice cubes.
It typically takes 20 minutes to adequately chill crisp whites and bubbly using this technique. Standing a bottle in an ice bucket takes at least twice as long and leaves you with the problem of the warm wine in the neck.
Do these two simple things at your next tailgate party and you will thank me forever!
Best Value
Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer's enthusiasm for the recommended wine.
Kendall-Jackson 2013 Syrah, Vintner's Reserve, Santa Barbara County ($17) -- Winemaker Randy Ullom does a consistently remarkable job with the Vintner's Reserve line at K-J, crafting wines that have impressive dimension and outstanding balance despite high production numbers. Spicy on the nose, the 2013 Syrah exhibits layered richness on the palate and notes of blackberry and plum, with a savory, meaty aspect as well. Rating: 90.
Tasting Notes
Grgich Hills Estate 2013 Chardonnay, Miljenko's Selection, Carneros ($60) -- Grgich is one of a handful of California wineries that could hold its chardonnay up against the finest in the world. The 2013 Miljenko's Selection is clear evidence. This Chardonnay has that rare combination of richness, power and structure, showing exquisite balance and finesse in a wine that delivers complex aromas of lemon creme, ripe pear, peach and baking spice. Beautiful on its own, but amazing with meatier fish, roasted chicken or grilled scallops. Rating: 95.
Silverado Vineyards 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, GEO, Coombsville ($75) -- Silverado's Mount George Vineyard in the newly designated Coombsville AVA (American Viticultural Area) delivered a crowd-pleasing cabernet sauvignon from the very good 2012 vintage. It's big and ripe, showing lip-smacking ripe blackberry fruit, a generous splash of oak vanillin and accent notes of baking spice and a hint of the volcanic earth that nurtured the vines. Rating: 94.
Qupe 2012 Syrah, Santa Barbara County ($30) -- Qupe's 2012 Santa Barbara County Syrah demonstrates the winery's mastery of this grape variety. Elegant and firmly structured, it shows a hint of white pepper and spice on the nose, followed by mouthwatering blueberry fruit and a layered palate that finishes with impressive persistence. Drinking well now, but another three to five years in the cellar would reward anyone with that degree of patience. Rating: 93.
Bodegas Terras Gauda 2014 O Rosal, Rias Baixas, Spain ($24) -- This exotic white from the west coast of Spain is a tribute to the indigenous grape varieties of the Rias Baixas, an area renowned for one grape, the albarino. O Rosal is a rare blend of albarino with caino and blanco loureiro. Floral on the nose, it surprises on the palate with creamy richness and weight that eventually gives way to mouthwatering acidity and a crisp, refreshing finish. Showing nuances of stone fruit and red citrus, this is an unusual blend that should appeal to anyone with a yen for albarino, albeit with a twist. Rating: 92.
Altemasi Brut, Trento DOC, Italy ($24) - Trento, in the foothills of the Alps, turns out to be a splendid area for sparkling wine made in the Champagne style. Altemasi's non-vintage brut is 100-percent chardonnay, made in a fruity style that shows nuances of lemon creme, peach and nutmeg. On the palate it is vibrant and inviting, with mouthwatering acidity and a long, fruit-driven finish. Rating: 88.
Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru.
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