Leave it to the renegades over at Three Thieves to put out the snazziest-looking bottle of wine I've seen in a while. The brand spanking new "The Show" California Cabernet Sauvignon isn't a serious wine, but it's seriously fun. And with labels created by 100+-year-old country music poster master Hatch Show Print (whose body of work includes show posters for the likes of Johnny Cash, Hank Williams & Patsy Cline), the bottles capture the spirit of the Old West alongside a consummately quaffable blend that's decidedly tailored to today's tastes.

Bottles of "The Show," which were first released earlier this year and are - according to sources at parent company Trinchero Estates - selling terrifically well, have an unusual shape with a more gradual shoulder and deeper punt than traditional Bordeaux bottles. They're also heavier than most bottles, and this extra heft - along with the bottles' super masculine graphics - make The Show an ideal Man Wine, in my estimation.

What, exactly, are Man Wines? They're the wines that guys invariably seem to like, whether it be because they're super rich, extra heavy or just aesthetically "guy-appealing." Think Port, Argentine Malbec, big Cabs. And, if there was a heavyweight class for Man Wines, I'm pretty sure The Show would win. It's like the Uber Man Wine with its heavy bottle, super concentrated flavors and showy label. But enough about that: my sister also loved it, and she's definitely not a man (although we DID drank it with some men present, but they were gay; am I actually making a point here or treading further and further away from making sense???). No matter, onward to the tasting notes!

Tasting Notes
Ahem! From the guys who brought us Bandit tetra pack "juice box" wines not long ago comes a full-bodied red that shows aromas of gingersnaps, alcohol (frankly), pie raspberries, cinnamon, vanilla and resin. The palate offers up low-moderate acid and moderate tannin alongside gobs of jammy fruit including plum and more raspberry. Some baking spice on the vanilla-y finish rounds out the experience that's definitely not complex but a fun ride - especially for new winos. I'd definitely bring this to a BBQ or to a party with lots of beer drinkers - they'll love it!

Widely available.

Posted by Courtney at 04:48 PM • Comments (2)

My mom always told me that really big projects, like, oh, writing a book, tend to be the most stressful near the end, just before you're finished. You'd think it'd be the opposite - more scary in the beginning - but instead, people tend to tense up the most as they round the final bend and glimpse the finish line up ahead. Such is the case for me, but in my instance I'd attribute the jitters over my project not so much to a spontaneous neurosis related to finishing my book but to a bizarre and frustrating cluster of incidents that've occurred over the last week.

They've left me shell shocked and bereft of writing time, not to mention a lot poorer and, now, utterly without transportation. I am, you might say, in an extremely compromised position.

First, the cat explanation. I came home from a family outing last weekend to find my 10-year-old obese Russian Blue convulsing on the floor of my apartment. I had been looking forward to finally getting some writing done upon returning home, but Natasha Petunia appeared to be in a very, very bad way, so off we went to the emergency vet instead. There, Tasha was diagnosed as having nothing more serious than a bladder infection, which it turns out is one the most expensive non-serious illnesses cats can have. Meaning, the subsequent treatment Tasha underwent involving catheters and constant monitoring ratcheted up a bill of nearly the same magnitude as my monthly rent (which ain't cheap - this is San Francisco, after all).

Besides this tidbit I was in for another shocker: Tasha, it turns out, is really a boy. Immediately after diagnosing the infection the vet started poking around Tasha's "area" and gave a little yelp. "I found a penis down here!" is what came out next. She went on to explain that female cats rarely come down with bladder infections; instead, they usually show up in "big bruisers" like my boy. Several minutes later, having sufficiently recovered from the news, I deadpanned, "well, this IS San Francisco, after all."

To which she laughed uproariously, as has every other person I've told about the gender mix-up ever since (especially my gay friends, who LUV it). I've finally, after some time getting used to it, switched over to using the male pronoun to address him, but I've not been able to jettison his hopelessly feminine name. Henceforth, I've decided, my cat's name will be "Mr. Natasha Petunia." Anyone who's got other suggestions on how to help him make a smooth transition to male-dom, I welcome your input.

Now, the car. After traveling to my home town in Central California to host a wine tasting yesterday evening, I woke up this morning to find my 1998 Honda Civic (coupe, red, in case anyone sees it) missing from the driveway in front of my folks' place. Apparently the heavy rains last night spurred a rash of car thefts, since thieves love the noise and visibility cover the rain provides. Lucky me!

Having already traveled four hours by car at an incredibly inopportune time given the impending deadline for the Hip Tastes book, I'm now not even able to get home to San Francisco. I am literally stuck, awaiting Monday morning when my rental car coverage kicks in. Sure, I could go ahead and rent in the mean time just to get home, but I feel a little as though this is a sign that I should just stay put and wrap the book.

As well, who knows what other sorts of surprises await me out in the real world! I'm not sure if the anxiety-addled almost-to-the-finish-line writer in me can handle anything else right now.

So, I'm now signing off, having rounded the last bend, to hunker down for the final stretch. Let's just hope my laptop doesn't spontaneously combust before I get there.

Posted by Courtney at 05:54 PM • Comments (3)

This is what was shouted across the room from one overly excited wino to another at San Francisco's annual coming together of the wine trade's movers & shakers - the Vienna Wine Company & Terry Theise Estate Selections new release tasting. Held at downtown SF's consummately elegant Fifth Floor restaurant in late January, the event included more than 150 wines, all German or Austrian, and a roomful of swirling, spitting and hob nobbing wine geeks. In a way, it was sort of like the Oscars of wine, with the SF wine world's luminaries all turned out for a healthy dose of back slapping and merrymaking.

Oh, and there was some serious tasting going on as well. As Hiram Simon, the super elegant frontman of Wine Wise/The Vienna Wine Company, announced upon my arrival, "there are 158 wines to taste. Good luck." Here I am in a snap with Hiram taken by hilariously candid La Toque sommelier Scott Tracy. Thanks, Scott.

Indeed, lots to do, and so many wine geeks to meet! I laughed out loud after hearing the "have you hit this?!" remark, especially since the be-suited somm shouting the question did so while waving an elegant-looking bottle of some high-end German dessert wine over his head at the same time. I mean, "hit this?" It's not a pot pipe, for crying out loud! Just goes to show the sort of frenzied reverie that sets in when somms get to taste THIS MUCH rare and super interesting wine.

Hiram's Tall Order
I must confess I wasn't quite able to make it through all 158 wines, skipping all of the reds (there weren't many!) and all of the Kabinett-level German Rieslings. Sorry, Hiram - I gave it my best. I DID, however, make it through pretty much the entire Austrian portfolio and all of the dessert wines (got a sweet tooth, so those were a no-brainer). A few of my favs are listed below.

But the best part of the tasting was learning about the "mystery" taster who comes to trade tastings (including this one - saw him myself!) masquerading as a wine industry person but who really - according to reliable reports - isn't in the industry. Sort of like a wine tasting stowaway, you might say, hitching a free ride on the Terry Theise bandwagon. Even if this is all true, after this event I can't say I blame him: this tasting is DEFinitely worth trying to sneak into, if for other reason than to "hit" at least a few of the super concentrated, devilishly sweet and rare Ausleses and Eisweins.

Although it'd be such a shame to skip the other 144 wines.

My favs:
2005 Hirsch Gruner Veltliner Lamm, Austria - signature white pepper you expect from Gruner along with yummy orange custard, honeysuckle and clover.
2005 Nikolaihof Riesling Steiner Hund "Jungferniese," Austria - lovely citrus-sweet flavors including orange/tangerine marmelade; also flowers, honey.
2005 Brundlmayer Gruner Veltliner Riesling TBA, Austria - crazy intense sweet wine with notes of butterscotch, peach, apricot and - oddly - resin. Delicious!
2005 Selbach-Oster Graacher Domprobst Riesling Auslese, Germany - really pretty Mosel Riesling notes - flowers, apple-pear, slate. Good value wine.
2005 Schlossgut Diei Dorsheimer Pittermannchen Riesling Auslese, Germany - very good
2005 Weegmuller Haardter Mandeiring Rieslaner BA, Germany - wow! super sweet (and exp!) dessert wine with notes of flowers, cinnamon, sugared lime, orange julias and sweetened hookah tobacco (seriously). Loooong finish.

Vienna Wine Company

Terry Theise

Posted by Courtney at 07:04 PM • Comments (0)