Look for Unique Bottles of Wine on the Shelf When Shopping at Smaller Retailers

I occasionally shop at smaller wine retailers such as delis and drug stores. Something I’ve noticed is that these smaller retailers don’t have the same turnover that larger wine stores and grocery store have. So, I’m often pleasantly surprised to find unique bottles of wine on their shelves.

These unique bottles can include older ones, a range of vintages of the same wine and foreign wines.

Finding an older bottle of wine on the shelf can be a real treat. But, it can also be a double-edged sword. Older bottles of full-bodied red wines that are stored properly will have had a bit more time to mellow and soften with age. But, on the other hand, if these bottles have been sitting a very warm environment or in direct sunlight they may have been damaged.

Another interesting thing you may find is a range of vintages of the same wine.  It’s a real treat when you get to taste wines from different years (a vertical tasting) at a winery but it’s often difficult to do this at home. So, if you find multiple vintages on the shelf, pick them up and do your own vertical tasting.  You may be surprised how the same wine changes from vintage to vintage.

And finally, I found when traveling, smaller wine sellers will have unique labels that you won’t find at your local wine-seller. Everything from local wines to foreign wines. Especially on the East coast of the U.S. where you’ll find a larger selection of unique European wines than you’ll find on the West coast.

So, seek out smaller wine retailers (yes, even drug stores) and don’t just grab your same old bottle.  Look closely and you might just find a unique one. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Merry Edwards Somona Coast Pinot Noir

2017 Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($48)

This Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir comes from six vineyards that include the 115, 667 and 777 blend of Dijon clones that originated in teh cool Burgundian region of France.

The 2017 harvest of these vineyards is described as “diminutive” and resulted in just 1700 cases being produced.

Merry states “This Pinot Noir shows off the virtues of grapes grown on the southernmost boundary of the Russian River Valley. Here the cooling influence of coastal fog allows the fruit to ripen slowly.”

This is an elegant and delicate Pinot Noir. It features wonderful red cherry, raspberry and cranberry flavors with luscious soft tannins with a long and easy finish.

I first came to love Pinot Noir from Sonoma and this Merry Edwards Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is an excellent example of wines from this region. You won’t go wrong with this one. It’s wonderful. Cheers!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Jill Schlegel of Merry Edwards Winery

How Much is Your Old Bottle of Wine Worth?

I see this question come up periodically. Someone has an old bottle of wine or discovers that their parents stashed away a bottle that is now quite old. And the first question a lot of people have is “What is this old bottle of wine worth?”

Well, there’s likely just one answer — it’s worthless to anyone else except you. And to you, it might be priceless.

The general consensus is that an individual bottle of old wine is usually not sell-able. Most wine collectors will only purchase wines from other known collectors that have been kept as part of a larger collection or from establishments they can trust to have properly stored the bottle over the years (i.e., keeping it cool and away from light).

So, the question you really should be asking is “Is this old bottle of wine still good?” If it’s been in a kitchen cabinet, attic or closet, it’s likely not drinkable. If it has been properly cellared, the bottle of wine at least has a chance of being drinkable. But not all wines cellar well. It’s usually the full-bodied red wines with lots of tannin that hold up best over time.

So, you’ll likely be faced with a tough decision - do you continue to hold the old bottle, keep it as a show piece in your own collection, or do you open it? It’s entirely up to you. But I say, open the bottle and give it a try! Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc

2018 Merry Edwards Russian River Sauvignon Blanc ($36)

This is an outstanding Sauvignon Blanc!

This Merry Edwards Russian River Sauvignon Blanc was fully barrel fermented in Tonnellerie Cadus French Oak barrels, 18% of which were new. It was then left on lees for six months with twice weekly stirrings.

The aromas of this Sauvignon Blanc include tropical fruits, pineapple, baked apple and a touch of lime. But that’s where the “typical” characteristics of a Sauvignon Blanc end.

On the palate this wine is smooth, rich and creamy. It has flavors of pear, grapefruit and just a hint of buttery caramel. Quite unusual for a Sauvignon Blanc. Just as the light acidity is too. And the finish just keeps going and going with a softness that’s extraordinary.

This Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc is not the big, bright, high acidity Sauvignon Blanc that you would think. Instead, it’s soft and silky smooth. Wow! This is a Sauvignon Blanc that I’d put on the top of any list. It’s terrific!

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Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Sample Provided by Jill Schlegel of Merry Edwards Winery

Wine Fun Fact -- Do You Know About the Codes on a Bottle of Champagne?

It was recently brought to my attention that each bottle of champagne includes a code on its label indicating the type of producer who made the wine in the bottle.

The codes will start with two letters followed by a series of numbers. The numbers are simply the champagne’s house code, not unlike an address. But the two letters tell you a bit about the growers and producers of the Champagne.

RM (récoltant-manipulant): These are grower-producer champagnes. These are produced by growers who grow their own grapes on their own land, then make and bottle their own wine. There’s actually a large number of “RM” producers in Champagne. By law a “RM” labeled wine must go from grape to final product on the estate of the production (an estate wine).

SR (société de récoltants): These are produced by an organization set up by two or more growers to share one winery to make and sell wine under the organization’s label.

MA (marque d’acheteur): These are sold as their own but don’t they don’t produce it themselves.

RC (récoltant-coopérateur): These are grower-cooperator (co-op) wines. Grape grower will take their grapes to a cooperative for them to make the wine and then the wine will be sold under the grower’s brand. So, it their grapes but produced by someone else.

ND (négociant-distributeur): These are merchant-distributor champagnes. The merchant simply buys finished wine and put their own labels on them.

NM (négotiant-manipulant): These are merchant-producer champagnes. They purchase their fruit from growers and then produce the champagne. This category includes a lot of very well-known labels from Champagne.

CM (cooperative-manipulant): These are Champagnes made by a cooperative of growers who band together and share resources and then sell the resulting wines under one brand name. The growers usually don’t participate in the wine production in the co-op model. Instead, they have a winemaker who creates the final product.

So, next time you are looking at a Champagne bottle, read the fine print on the label to learn a bit more about the growers and producers of the bottle. Cheers!