Photo-Journal of a BUSY Month
October was an epic month in terms of travel, events, and festivals. I'm in Baton Rouge this week helping the town's "soon to be" best wine retail location choose its inventory and open its doors.

Some of the people & places last month that made us smile! >>> HERE

CSW Training Program In January 2008
The Society of Wine Educators offers the Certified Specialist of Wine credential for those seeking to certify their knowledge by an independent organization. We have one training program underway; the next one begins on Sunday, January 6th, 2008. If you have a request to bring it to your area, just let me know. More info here

Michael Bryan
Executive Director, Atlanta Wine School
Editor, Connect With Wine eNews

In southern France, just before the Spanish border, the grey granite of the Pyrenees Mountains drops dramatically down to the Mediterranean Sea.

 >>> See this Short Article & Pictures

We need a wide variety of wines for the holidays, ranging from good party wines for a large crowd that won't embarrass us or throw the family finances into disarray. And we need celebration wines that may cost a bit more but give so much pleasure in return.

 >>> This Month's Column

The AWS Gift Card is an attractive, clear plastic "credit-card-size" giftcard, tucked into a fold-over carrier, which is then slid into an envelope. There are spaces for "to", "from" and a personal note. Your gift recipient can use this card for ANY or our events or courses. We will provide a discount of 25% on $100 giftcards (or higher) for the month of November ONLY. Use promotion code "AWSGIFT" during check-out. This promotion expires on November 30th, 2007.

 >>> Visit our GiftCard Area

Do you make your living in a wine-pouring capacity--as a server, banquet manager, or within the wine distribution chain? If so, we have preferential pricing on all of our events & courses for YOU! Please contact us and state your professional affiliation for a promotional code you can use anytime.

>>>> info@atlantawineschool.com

• Some Wine Dinners (in Atlanta) You Might Consider
  South City Kitchen's Southern Exposure Wine Dinner. "A celebration of the South that reaches far beyond our borders. Join us for this special evening of Southern dishes perfectly paired with select wines from Georgia and South Africa." Reservations required 770-435-0700. Thursday, Nov 8th, 6:30pm
  And another...
  Paul's Restaurant in Peachtree Hills is featuring a four-course dinner with the wines of Penner-Ash. Mr. Ron Ash will be your host for this dinner. Tuesday, Nov 13th, $85/person. Reservations at 404-231-4113.
• Music to Drink By
  Which goes better with a fine Napa Valley Cabernet: Mozart or Metallica? More
• If you ever wondered where the "hidden" costs are in wine...
  Around 100 helicopters were called in to hover over Marlborough vineyards last night in a bid to save the local vines from frost. More
• A Wine for Christians comes from, of all places, Israel
  What would Jesus drink? Pini Haroz, an Israeli-born Georgia-based wine importer, thinks the answer is the Grapes of Galilee, which he's pitching to American Christians. And this wine is available here in Georgia via wholesaler Bacco Fine Wines. More

The important thing to keep in mind at holiday feasting time is "Who's coming to dinner?" There's no point in pouring a first growth Bordeaux if the foods don't warrant it or if the audience won't appreciate what you've done. So know your audience first, and select accordingly. That doesn't mean you necessarily you reach for the "critter crud." But it does mean you choose flavors, structure and complexity not just according to the foods you're about to serve, but also to how much wine tolerance your guests have. Not in terms of how much they will consumer per person, but in terms of how much wine information they want to ingest with their chicken wings. Chances are they just want to enjoy the food and wine, and not carry on high about it as if it were some sort of exciting lab discovered.

Good quality low-priced wines are not impossible to find. There's absolutely no excuse for settling for inferior wines for a party just because you're entertaining a gang and have a budgetary limitation. Here you'll find several that will more than adequately meet those needs for around $10 a bottle or less. In addition, the value wines described here will happily accompany a buffet of disparate foods so that arranging a last-minute party doesn't have to be a budget buster or a stressful problem.

When the family gathers for the holiday dinners, the same low-cost wines will accompany a holiday feast, although some consumers may want to share a special wine with family or bring a unique gift wine. This holiday spirit might lead to acquiring a wine that's a bit more costly but still worth the dollars, although any of these would please most folks. These suggestions will work for your own purposes as well as for friends as gifts, as there's not a common or boring drop in the lot.

Medium-bodied dry white sparkling wine; pale yellow with greenish highlights. Aromas of fruit (green apple from the Chardonnay) and flowers, a honey note. On the palate, creamy and rich, with a decided crisp apple note--almost Pepin. Elegant and refreshing. Good mousse with steady thread. Grape type: Mauzac (pronounced mow-zhak) [a/k/a Blanquette--pronounced blawn-ket] (60%), Chardonnay (20%), and Chenin Blanc (20%). 12% alc. Very fine value. Sparkling wines of Limoux date to 1531, thus claims to be France’s oldest bubbly. Mauzac must dominate. Domaine founded in 1982. Serve chilled, about 45F, in tall tulip-shaped glasses. Very fine value. Good crowd-pleasing sparkler.

Apple-cheese-caramelized onion tart; sweet-potato- or winter squashed-stuffed baked sweet onion; squash-stuffed ravioli with brown butter, sauteed apple, toasted pine nuts and fresh herbs (not sage); chicken breasts with creamy pan sauce; veal in cream; pork steaks with sautйed apples and onions, creamy mustard sauce, mild creamy almost sweet cheeses (e.g., Explorateur); Don't go near caviar with this one.

Avant Partir
$14

Full-bodied dry sparkling white wine; medium gold. Aromas of almond and rising bread dough, classic yeastiness, with red fruits on the palate--red cherries and raspberries--and a long, clean crisp classical finish. Good acidity and correct alcohol (12.5%) Small bead in persistent thread. Good consistency: Tasted several times. Disgorged 3/31/06. Grapes: Pinot Meunier; Pinot Noir; Chardonnay. Serve chilled, about 45-50F in tall flutes. Very good value for Champagne.

Rich hors d'oeuvres and first courses: Crispy fried oysters with celeriac puree and caper Remoulade (tasted at Eno); bacon-wrapped scallops with mustard mayonnaise; creamy winter squash soup or seafood bisque; seafood mousses or terrines, creamy risotto. Rich main dishes: roast chicken with cream-enriched pan sauce; veal chop; prime rib. Not austere, so not suitable for caviar.

Quality Wine & Spirits
$40

Full-bodied sweet white wine; medium deep gold. Floral aromas with slight suggestion of wet, warm hay; rich, fresh fruit flavors made complex by ample minerality. Moderately viscous texture, and a crisp, clean finish. Grape: Moscatel. Quinta do Portal [keen-tah dew por-tahl] has been in business since 1715. Serve moderately chilled, about 65F, in small, tulip-shaped glasses or on the rocks with a splash of tonic water and a squeeze of fresh lime.

Aperitif: chilled straight with foie gras or liver mousse or on the rocks, with tonic water and lime, and slightly spicy cheese straws or squares (see Chinaberry Foods, Thomson, GA), almonds and olives. Dessert: fruit tarts; plain cheesecake; aged Manchego cheese with membrillo; rice pudding with quince compote (tasted at Beleza).

United Distributors
$15

Light-bodied dry white wine; very pale straw. Herbaceous aromas with citrus notes, with vigorous minerality and fresh herbaceousness. Firm, focused and juicy, with precise citrus and mineral flavors, Long, clean, zingy finish. Grapes: Verdejo (96%) [pronounce vair-DAY-ho]; Viura (4%) [pronounce vee-UR-ah]. Terrific value. Serve moderately chilled about 55єF. Hand harvested during the first week of October with strict selection of the grapes. Detail shows. Serve moderately chilled, about 50-55F in tulip-shaped white wine glasses. Extraordinary quality in the genre.

Tapas and appetizers: salt cod fritters; brandade morue; garlic shrimp; crab-stuffed piquillo peppers; croquetas; crab cakes; grilled scallops; cocktail-sized potatoes stuffed with sour cream and chives; fried oysters with caper Remoulade, a wide range of seafood and fish dishes with slight Asian characters.

Avant Partir
$10

Medium-bodied “very-slightly off-dry” white wine; very pale straw. Aromatic with touches of citrus, lichee nut, floral notes and spice. Luscious fleshy fruit flavors, picking up pear and keeping the citrus, lichee nut and spice notes. Crisp, clean conclusion with a long finish. Virtual fruit salad: Chardonnay (47%); Sauvignon Blanc (34%); Muscat Canelli (7%); Malvasia Bianca (5%); and Gewurztraminer (3%)--a virtual fruit salad. Inspired by Conundrum, perhaps, but is more elegant and less aggressively forward. Thus more food friendly. Serve moderately cool, about 60-65F in tall tulip-shaped glasses.

Great for a buffet of varied foods: Cold poached salmon with mild curried homemade mayonnaise; mild white fish (such as halibut) salad; ham with relish spread; chicken salad with mango; roast chicken stuffed with cous cous and dried yellow fruits; orange honey glaze; light curries; Asian fare with chicken or seafood; dim sum; chili-rubbed pork loin (Whole Foods); grilled chicken apple sausages

National Distributing Co.
$10

Medium-bodied dry white wine; medium gold. Aromas and flavors of pear, white melon and honey, with good acid backbone and a long finish. Silky texture, indicating perhaps some residual sugar (.2-.3), but the finish is dry and explodes at the end with another burst of fruit. Delicious from stem to stern. Winery established in 1626. Serve moderately chilled, about 60 degrees, in tulip-shaped white wine glasses.

Exotic flavors: As an aperitif with crab and red pepper mousse; butter-poached oysters on toast; grilled bacon-wrapped scallops with mustard mayonnaise; crab cakes with Remoulade sauce; crab-stuffed Cornish game hen; spatzle with cream; chicken and yellow fruit salad. Roast turkey with apple bread stuffing.

Atlanta Wholesale Wine/National Distributing Co.
$17

Medium-bodied dry red wine; medium deep dark cherry red. Fresh and dried dark and red fruits--red and black currants, cranberries--with a slight intriguing and not at all unpleasant note of dried bitter herb. Sweet fruit on the palate doubles back to that slight bitter character in the close. Easy tannins and a long finish. Monastrell: (60%); Tempranillo: (10%); Garnacha: (10%); Cabernet Sauvignon: (7%); Syrah: (7%); Merlot: (6%)--a veritable fruit salad. Vines from nine to 40 years old, dry farmed. Six months in French and American oak. Lovely value and a great party red. Serve at cool room temperatures, about 60 degrees, in glasses with generous tulip-shaped bowls. A great party red.

Casual fare. Burgers with bleu cheeses; hangar steak with brie or bleu cheese drizzle; beef fajitas, sandwiches (roll-ups, wraps, Cubans--such as the classic medianoche), pizza, casseroles, grilled sausages, cured meats; grilled meats; furred or feathered game; lasagna; pot pie; stews

Quality Wine & Spirits
$8

Full-bodied dry red wine; deep purple red. Aromas and flavors of plums, black currants, aromatic spices, some black pepper notes. Red apple notes. Tart and juicy. From a very hot vintage, so cellaring should be short term. Located at the confluence of two streams on the foothills of the Pomerol plateau. Merlot (50%), Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Cabernet Franc (15%). Serve cool, about 60F, in tulip-shaped large-bowled glasses. Very enjoyable, and an excellent value. On the list at Bern’s Steak House in Tampa.

Hearty fare: Braised pork chops with caramelized onions; prime rib; meat pies; stews; cassoulet; grilled chicken; maybe barbecue? And steak, of course. Some mild aged cheeses; bleu cheese.

Prestige Wine Wholesale
$15

Medium- bodied dry red wine; ruby red. Classic Burgundian aromas of compost and truffles, the sexy earthy character one looks for ideally in Burgundy. Palate follows with juicy ripe fruits with black and sour cherries. Gorgeous balance. Good length. Velvety tannins. Brisk acidity. 13% alc. Serve cool, about 65F in large round-bowl glasses. Flat out one of the finest values in Burgundy, but especially for a premier cru. Potential near-term keeper, but sure does drink fine right now.

Simple cuisine to let the wine lead: mushroom ragoыt, tart, ravioli, lasagna or risotto; roast chicken, lamb, turkey, duck; feathered game; crown roast of veal with bread stuffing, soft mild cheeses. A friend reports success pairing it with classic American-style lasagna.

Atlanta Wholesale Wine/NDC
$28

Full-bodied dry red wine; medium ruby red. Initial shy aromas develop red fruits (raspberry) and spice. Flavors pick up the trail of the red fruits and evolve, acquiring spice notes and a touch of dried herb, all leading to a long finish. Tannins are silky; alcohol shows a bit in the finish. Not overrun with oak (57% new oak barrels). Very tight when first opened, needs lots of time to breathe--a couple of hours would not be inappropriate. Then come cedar, black fruits, black pepper, currants, dried fruits. Decanting really needed. Grapes: Cabernet Franc (65%); Cabernet Sauvignon (35%); Suggested serving temperature about 60-65F; large tulip-shaped glasses. Ideal for folks who enjoy the big California-style red wines, yet has more food friendliness than many. Potential keeper if well cellared, about Impressive gift. Lovely package.

Rich foods: Sausage-stuffed ravioli with tomato; pork (chops, belly or shoulder roast) slow-braised in sorghum and apple juice, served on mashed potatoes, polenta or creamy grits; chili-rubbed roast pork loin (Whole Foods); roasted leg or rack of lamb; rib roast;, roast duck; leg of lamb; mild bleu cheeses; dark chocolate truffle

Hemispheres
$75

Full-bodied sweet wine; intense, brilliant golden color. Moderately intense nose, with floral notes of orange blossom, orange peel, jasmine and rose. Some mineral notes and a hint of spice cake. On the palate, well balanced between sweetness and acidity. Lightly sweet long finish. From a more than 50-year-old at 1800 feet above sea level. Moscatel de Alexandria grapes slowly, evenly dried on roof of building. Not fortified: Fermentation stopped by lowering temperature. Stainless steel fermented. Substantial residual sugar 120 grams/liter. Scarce: 200 cases/12 bottle packs. Serve moderately chilled, about 60F, in small tulip-shaped glasses. Great gift.

Aperitif or dessert. Aperitif with pate, foie gras, almonds and semi-soft cheeses. Dessert: milk chocolate, fig cake (Spanish torta de higos); membrillo and aged Manchego; fruit cake; simple cookie, steamed fig pudding, pound cake, rice pudding with dried golden fruits

Prestige Wine Wholesale
$22 (375 ml.)

Full-bodied medium sweet wine; medium reddish amber. Aromas of caramel and toffee, flavors wrap toffee, aromatic brown spices, and dried fruits, a lively acidity, and lead to a very long finish. Rich, complex, beautifully balanced. Substantial alcohol (19%), so serve (lightly cool) after dinner in small tulip-shaped glasses. Madeira was the toast of the Declaration of Independence, and a favorite of the Founding Fathers. Malmsey is the English notion of Malvasia, the grape from which it's made. Very good value in the genre. Fabulous gift.

Date and espresso cake (tasted at Eno); fruit cake; pound cake; toasted candied nuts; simple not-too-sweet cookie; milk chocolate, fig pudding or other steamed pudding

Quality Wine & Spirits
$43