January 23rd - This Date in Wine History

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Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history.

  • Mary Randolph, author of the cookbook, The Virginia House-Wife; Or, Methodical Cook died in 1828.  She includes recipes for currant wine and mead and included recipes that included wine.  Mary Randolph and her husband lived in a house in Richmond called Moldavia that was later owned by Edgar Allen Poe.

  • The Menetou-Salon AOC was named in 1959.

  • California's Clarksburg AVA and Virginia's Monticello AVA were designated in 1984.

  • California's Sonoma Mountain AVA was designated in 1985.

  • Salvador Dali dies in 1989.  The surrealist artist created a wine book, The Wines of Gala, as well as a cookbook, The Dinners of Gala. (Gala was his wife).

  • Oregon's Rogue Valley AVA was designated in 1991.

August 25th - This Date in Wine History

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Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history.

  • Pliny the Elder 1st century AD naturalist and author of the Roman encyclopedia Naturalis Historia (Natural History) that discusses viticulture methods, died in A.D. 79.
  • James Douglas, Lord Douglas died in 1330.  He is known for the Douglas Larder.  Douglas troops were hidden until the local garrison left for mass on Palm Sunday.  The troops burst into the church dragged the garrison out beheaded them and burned them on the wood from destroyed wine casks.
  • Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular reports that the ship Powhatan left the Port of Geneo for New York City in 1887 loaded with wine.
  • It is the feast day of St. Louis IX.  He is a patron saint of distillers.

March 7th - This Date in Wine History

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Wine has a long established history of being our drink of choice for celebrating, entertaining, and savoring life; but it didn't start out that way. From the invention of the barrel to the designation of the separate viticultural areas, wine has a long and sorted history.  In our daily feature "This Date In Wine History," we share an event of critical importance in wine history. 

  • Parliament investigated the Duke of York’s behavior with Mrs. Clarke, a courtesan and his mistress.  As the Duke was unable to maintain her in the proper style, she sold commissions to the army with his permission, as Commander in Chief of the army.  In his defense, The Duke said he had met Mrs. Clarke several times and would drink wine with her. 
  • Bonfort’s Wine and Spirit Circular published a report from 1890 about the growing season at Hèrault.
  • The California Wine Association received a patent for a Hock-type wine in 1911. Hock is style of German white wine and thought to come from Hochheim Germany.
  • Robert Mondavi inducted into the Vintner's Hall of Fame in 2007.

Assembling California - Qorkz Book Club

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Do you know how we at Qorkz are obsessed with terroir?  Well, we aren’t the only ones.  This was the clear message of John McPhee’s,  Assembling California.   The author, John McPhee is famous for writing literary nonfiction (this Qorkzter’s favorite kind of writing) and his topics tend to coincide with his personal interests.

Assembling California tells the story of the amazingly complicated geology of that state, and much of the west coast.  This information rolls out as McPhee drives the roads of the Golden State with note Geologist, Eldridge Moores, Professor Emeritus of Geology at UC Davis, stopping off to look at road cuts.  Yes, this is true.  You can see the hundreds of millions of years of geologic history by pulling over on the highway and looking where road crews cut through the hills and mountains and left the rocks exposed.  Will you ever just drive down the highway blindly again?  I won’t.

Professor Moores’ speciality is ophiolite, or sections of oceanic crust.  This is important to the geologic history of California because so much of the state is built of small crustal fragments   that have travelled thousands of miles using plate tectonics and faults to make their way to places where you would never expect them.  And then slam to together or otherwise accrete (stick together). Really.

Now, I will tell you that this book is intense. And I am a serious nerd saying this.  Ask our CEO. He once had to road trip with me when I kept talk nerd talk.  He survived. barely.  The science can be a little overwhelming but there are sections that are adorable that you can’t believe it.  Like about how John McPhee went with Prof. Moores to Napa and Sonoma County to look at the “geology” but spent their time wine tasting.  How perfect is that?

There is good news and bad about this book.  First the good news.  It is available as a book on tape.  Check on Barnes and Noble or iTunes.  The bad news?   This book got mixed in with a number of other books by McPhee, Basin and Range (1981), In Suspect Terrain (1983), Rising from the Plains (1986), and Crossing the Craton (2002) to become the 1999 Pulitzer Prize winning Annals of the Former World which is the story of the 4.6 billion year geologic history of North America.  

California is enough for me.  For now.

Book Club

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Happy Thanksgiving!

We love book club. In fact, for us it is mostly a wine drinking social club where we not only talk about the book, but we also use the time to catch up with our friends. When it's our turn to select the book, we pick from one of the myriad of books about wine that are on the shelves today. In the Book Club feature, we will share some of our favorite wine based books that we have read here at Qorkz, and we hope you enjoy them as well.

Proof: The Science of Booze

Humans have been perfecting alcohol production for ten thousand years, but scientists are just starting to distill the chemical reactions behind the perfect buzz. In a spirited tour across continents and cultures, Adam Rogers takes us from bourbon country to the world’s top gene-sequencing labs, introducing us to the bars, barflies, and evolving science at the heart of boozy technology. He chases the physics, biology, chemistry, and metallurgy that produce alcohol, and the psychology and neurobiology that make us want it. If you’ve ever wondered how your drink arrived in your glass, or what it will do to you, Proof makes an unparalleled drinking companion.

Favorite Quote

“If, when you say whiskey, you mean the devil’s brew, the poison scourge, the bloody monster that defiles innocence, yea, literally takes the bread from the mouths of little children; if you mean the evil drink that topples the Christian man and woman from the pinnacles of righteous, gracious living into the bottomless pit of degredation and despair, shame and helplessness and hopelessness, then certainly I am against it with all my power. 

But if, when you say whiskey, you mean the oil of conversation, the philosophic wine, the stuff that is consumed when good fellows get together, that puts a song in their hearts and laughter on their lips and the warm glow of contentment in their eyes; if you mean Christmas cheer; if you mean the stimulating drink that puts the spring in the old gentleman’s step on a frosty morning; if you mean the drink that enables a man to magnify his joy, and his happiness and to forget, if only for a little while, life’s great tragedies and heartbreaks and sorrows, if you mean that drink, the sale of which pours into our treasuries untold millions of dollars, which are used to provide tender care for our little children, our blind, our deaf, our dumb, our pitiful aged and infirm, to build highways, hospitals, and schools, then certainly I am in favor of it.” 
 

Wine Pairing For This Book 

Adam Rogers does an exceptional job of covering the history of booze from start to finish in what is one of my favorite books. What to pair with this story? Basically anything fermented would do, but I would look for a wine that comes from a place that may surprise you. A wine that is a challenge to produce both from a chemistry standpoint, but also a biological one. The Coruce Chardonnay $23.95 grows in a place with 115 degree days and 45 degree nights. Not only is that diurnal cycle a challenge, but it produces a Chardonnay that has delicious tropical fruit characteristics making it well worth all the effort. 

Book Club

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We love book club. In fact, for us it is mostly a wine drinking social club where we not only talk about the book, but we also use the time to catch up with our friends. When it's our turn to select the book, we pick from one of the myriad of books about wine that are on the shelves today. In the Book Club feature, we will share some of our favorite wine based books that we have read here at Qorkz, and we hope you enjoy them as well.

Wines of California - A Comprehensive Guide

From Napa and Sonoma to Modesto and Calaveras, take an unparalleled look into California winemaking, history, and geography. "World Wine Guys" Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen have created the most up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of the state's myriad wine-growing regions, including detailed listings of outstanding producers with individual tasting notes. Enjoy winery profiles with tasting notes, winemaker interviews, recipe and food pairings, and photos of all, including wine labels. In addition, there's a foreword by Michael Mondavi and a preface by Kevin Zraly—two of the most powerful names in wine today.

Wine Pairing For This Book 

What's better than trying the same varietal from two different regions when reading the most comprehensive book written about California's wine regions? You can really taste what the temperature and soils of the regions bring to the final products. 

Coruce 2012 Chardonnay From The Antelope Valley Of The California High Desert AVA

The high heat of the desert sun combined with the cool evenings give the wine a delightful tropical fruit flavor. Think pineapple, star fruit, and guava. The regional characteristics of this wine really come through in the bottle. 

The cool morning fog and warm daytime sun give this Chardonnay delightful acidity and crisp fruit. Think green apple, pear, and melon. You can taste the chilly Sonoma mornings with every sip. 

Book Club

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We love book club. In fact, for us it is mostly a wine drinking social club where we not only talk about the book, but we also use the time to catch up with our friends. When it's our turn to select the book, we pick from one of the myriad of books about wine that are on the shelves today. In the Book Club feature, we will share some of our favorite wine based books that we have read here at Qorkz, and we hope you enjoy them as well.

A Very Good Year: The Journey of a California Wine From Vine to Table

Situated amidst the lush soils of Sonoma County in the heart of California’s wine country, the Ferrari-Carano Vineyards produce some of the best-loved wines in America. Founded by casino mogul Don Carano and his wife Rhonda just over twenty years ago, the winemaker has won praise from consumers and connoisseurs alike for its affordably priced premium bottles, particularly its Fumé Blanc. In A Very Good Year, award-winning journalist Mike Weiss goes behind the scenes at this renowned winemaker to tell the story of how a bottle of this wine is created, from the first grapes picked by the hands of Mexican migrant workers to the vintage’s initial public tasting at the Four Seasons in New York

Wine Pairing For This Book 

What you get in this book is the story of a bottle of wine made with love and care by someone who took great pride in their wine. The story vividly describes Sonoma from the cool foggy mornings to the hot afternoons. Want a wine from that terroir while you contemplate the region? Look no further than the Weir Pinot Noir from Brooks Note. The warm days help ripen the grapes while the cool evenings let the grapes ripen slowly and develop tremendous balance.  We know you'll love it. And with 1 cent shipping on orders of 4 or more to California it's that much easier to love! 

Book Club

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We love book club. In fact, for us it is mostly a wine drinking social club where we not only talk about the book, but we also use the time to catch up with our friends. When it's our turn to select the book, we pick from one of the myriad of books about wine that are on the shelves today. In the Book Club feature, we will share some of our favorite wine based books that we have read here at Qorkz, and we hope you enjoy them as well. 

How To Love Wine: A Memoir And Manifesto

 

Wine fanatics, or those angling for entry to the world of wine, will find comfort in New York Times chief wine critic Asimov’s down-to-earth discussion of loving wine. His approach welcomes all, untangling the preposterous hype around wine scores, blind tastings, and memorizing grape varietals, aspects that supposedly separate the masters from the rest. But readers expecting some handy checklist should look elsewhere. Asimov wants to challenge readers. Answers do come, though, while he considers his own unlikely path from casual drinker to the powerful industry voice he has become. And while much of his story strays from wine, what’s really special here is that Asimov’s argument not only makes so much sense but that he doesn’t take the easy way out, letting wine drinkers off the hook to drink whatever simply tastes good. He values any opinion, as long as it comes with thoughtful reasoning. Moreover, what he argues is most essential for a relationship with wine, and what’s most refreshing to read, is an approach free of anxiety and open to love. --Casey Bayer

Wine Pairing For This Book 

Drink what tastes good? A novel idea in the world of wine. We are big fans of drinking what you enjoy, even if it goes against the mainstream thinking. Looking for a wine that just tastes great from a varietal that hasn't had its break out moment yet?  Try the Counter Punch Petite Sirah. Blueberries, rich tannin, and incredible mouth feel for $40 a bottle. We have a feeling author Eric Asimov would love it.  

Winemaker Steve Hare

Book Club

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We love book club. In fact, for us it is mostly a wine drinking social club where we not only talk about the book, but we also use the time to catch up with our friends. When it's our turn to select the book, we pick from one of the myriad of books about wine that are on the shelves today. In the Book Club feature, we will share some of our favorite wine based books that we have read here at Qorkz, and we hope you enjoy them as well. 

A Hedonist In The Cellar - Adventures In Wine 

In A Hedonist in the Cellar, Jay McInerney gathers more than five years’ worth of essays and continues his exploration of what’s new, what’s enduring, and what’s surprising–giving his palate a complete workout and the reader an indispensable, idiosyncratic guide to a world of almost infinite variety. Filled with delights oenophiles everywhere will savor, this is a collection driven not only by wine itself but also the people who make it. 

An entertaining, irresistible book that is essential for anyone enthralled by the myriad pleasures of wine.

Wine Pairings For This Book 

2009 Humanitas Malbec

In one of his many essays in this book, Jay McInerney thoroughly covers the stretch of the Andes Mountains between Chile and Argentina. Know what grows really well there? Malbec. We recommend sipping this Malbec from Humanitas while you contemplate the signature grape of that great stretch of South America. 

Tasting Notes

There is a delightfully floral and chocolate truffle note in the nose – violets intertwined with a raspberry truffle. This translates beautifully into the flavor – chocolate and raspberry with a touch of all sorts of dark fruits such as blackberries, blueberries, and a few cherries thrown in for good measure. Wrap that all up in new car leather, a pinch of cocoa and pipe tobacco and you are golden. Spin some Argentine tango...

This wine has only a few cases left and is not available in stores. The proceeds of the wine go towards helping local needs charities. 

This wine is exclusively available for residents of Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming or to those with a California based wine locker. 

Book Club

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We love book club. In fact, for us it is mostly a wine drinking social club where we not only talk about the book, but we also use the time to catch up with our friends. When it's our turn to select the book, we pick from one of the myriad of books about wine that are on the shelves today. In the Book Club feature, we will share some of our favorite wine based books that we have read here at Qorkz, and we hope you enjoy them as well. 

The New California Wine 

 

A comprehensive guide to the must-know wines and producers of California's "new generation," and the story of the iconoclastic young winemakers who have changed the face of California viniculture in recent years. 

The New California Wine is the untold story of the California wine industry: the young, innovative producers who are rewriting the rules of contemporary winemaking; their quest to express the uniqueness of California terroir; and the continuing battle to move the state away from the overly-technocratic, reactionary practices of its recent past. Jon Bonné writes from the front lines of the California wine revolution, where he has access to the stories, philosophies, and techniques of top producers.

In this groundbreaking debut, Bonné paints an unflinching portrait of the current state of the industry: its strengths and shortcomings, its essential wines and those not worth pursuing. Lush full-color photographs, as well as a region-by-region tour of some of California’s lesser-known growing areas, reveal the people and places behind the bottles. Finally, a comprehensive purchasing reference lists all the must-know producers and their best wines, making The New California Wine an essential resource for finding and buying the very best the state has to offer.

Wine Pairings For This Book 

$23.95 - Buy It Here

Not available for purchase in stores. Gold Medal Winner - SF Chronicle. Limited quantities left. Exclusively available for residents of California and Nevada. 

When reading a book about unique AVAs it is best to drink a wine from a unique AVA! Try this 2012 Cource Syrah from the Antelope Valley of the California High Desert AVA to experience what extremely hot days and cold evenings can do for a wine. 

Winemaker Tasting Notes

This wine is comprised of 93% Syrah and 4% Petite Sirah and 3% Viognier.  The fruit was hand harvested and table sorted and then cold soaked on the skins for 48 hours and then co-fermented for 16 days and pressed off the skins and racked off the solids into 3 and 4 year old French oak barrels and aged for 18 months.  Left on the lees and stirred monthly.

This wine has flavors and aromas of dark cherries, plum, lavender, blueberries followed by a toasty bacon finish.  Medium tannins 

Book Club

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We love book club. In fact, for us it is mostly a wine drinking social club where we not only talk about the book, but we also use the time to catch up with our friends. When it's our turn to select the book, we pick from one of the myriad of books about wine that are on the shelves today. In the Book Club feature, we will share some of our favorite wine based books that we have read here at Qorkz, and we hope you enjoy them as well. 

When The Rivers Ran Red 

When Prohibition took effect in 1920, only a few months after one of the greatest California grape harvests of all time, violence and chaos descended on Northern California. Federal agents spilled thousands of gallons of wine in the rivers and creeks, gun battles erupted on dark country roads, and local law enforcement officers--sympathetic to their winemaking neighbors--found ways to stonewall the intruding authorities. For the state's winemaking families--many of them immigrants from Italy--surviving Prohibition meant facing a crucial decision--give up their idyllic way of life, or break the law to enable their livelihood to survive. 

Sosnowski's intimate history provides us with a new view into Prohibition America, away from the flappers and speakeasys of Chicago and New York, and into the lovely hills and valleys of wine country, where families hid vintages and prayed for the days when they could resume the craft that they loved. When the Rivers Ran Red tells of the extraordinary adventures of the stalwart efforts of immigrant families--the Seghesios, the Foppianos, the Nichelinis and the Cuneos--who saved one of America's most beloved traditions.

Wine Pairings For This Book 

Why The Pairing?

Sabina has placed an emphasis on creating a delicate Cabernet with lower alcohol in the classic Napa Valley style. This traditional and Cabernet is the perfect wine to drink while considering the long and storied history of the Napa Valley. 

Winemaker Tasting Notes

This Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and concentrated with well-defined acidity and lush tannins. Dark cherry, currant, and blackberry abound in the aroma, followed by a chocolate, herbal flavor profile wrapped in cassis and black cherry. The blend of vibrant fruit and earthy notes are made complete with a long finish and smooth, lingering tannins. This wine is amazingly approachable now and will age gracefully for a solid 10+ years.