By Cecil Flentge

Duchman (pronounced Duke-man) Family Winery in Driftwood, Texas, specializes in wines made of grapes commonly thought of as Italian. Sangiovese of Chianti fame and Montepulciano, which is grown extensively in the Abruzzo region, are two examples. Their Vermentino (pronounced ver-mehn-TEE-noh) follows in the same vein. Most famous in northern Sardinia, this Texas edition is both a surprise and a delight (pronounced Good!). It is available at Twin Liquors for about $12.

Fact:

Made from 100 percent Texas grapes grown in the Texas High Plains AVA (American Viticultural Area), this robust white evokes lime and citrus blossom on the nose. It has the appropriate mouthfeel, a smooth viscosity found in classic Vermentino wines, and the flavors flow to pear, lime and grapefruit with a nice minerality lingering in the finish. The alcohol does not give any harshness, even though it is high at 14.4 percent, and that is a side benefit of the rich presence of the grapes’ glycerol. Overall, a nice Vermentino from a new area.

Feeling:

This so calls to be a brunch wine! Delicate enough to caress lobster or shrimp salads, robust enough for a plate of braised clams, and crisp enough to mingle with the tastes of the sea in oysters on the half shell. But just chill it and taste the welcome that it gives.

Cecil Flentge is a San Antonio wine educator for professionals or novices and a restaurant/bar consultant. Questions? Email cecil@wine2you.com.

Troy Knapp is executive chef at the Hyatt Hill Country as well as a certified sommelier.

By Troy Knapp

As complicated as wine can be, there are two major categories into which most wine fits, and with an understanding of this simple concept comes a better comprehension of what to expect from the diverse world of wine.

I know it sounds almost too easy, right?  It all comes down to this simple fact: Does the wine come from the Old World or the New World?  Sommeliers use this question in their repertoire to help them identify what a particular person’s palate is partial to and discover what may pair with a specific dish.

The Old World, as applies to wine, consists of: Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Austria and many other wine regions in Europe.  When wine is made classically from the Old World, it will display some aromatics that are associated with the earth.  Whites from these regions typically have a strong foundation of minerality.  An underlying commonality of chalk, stone, wet stone, slate, or even oyster shells from the soil can give a presence of synergy with the land.  Old World reds can display notes of tobacco, mushroom, forest floor, soil and even a dampness quality that is primary to floral- and fruit-driven qualities and naturally finish dryer than their New World counterparts.

The New World consists of: USA, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and South America’s regions of Chile and Argentina.  Due to a modern style of wine and warmer climate, a higher perception of fruit and a touch of residual sugar may be present, all contributing to a fuller mouth feel and perceived sweetness.  Some may display subtle earthy notes, however they are secondary to the fruit characteristics.

Now, there is always an exception.  You can have a New World wine made by a producer with a respect for the Old World or an Old World producer making a wine that is engineered to lure the palates of those who prefer a New World style — it depends on the market.  It’s a matter of the manipulation, or lack thereof, during the winemaking process that can make these differences.  If you seek out wine that is more traditionally made, then it is more likely to hit the classic markers.  Your local wine shop specialist or restaurant sommelier can assist you with this.

Which do you prefer: Old World or New World wines?

I personally gravitate towards Old World or cooler climate New World wines when pairing with food.  The body and alcohol are typically a little lower with the acidity being a little higher; these attributes relate well with food.  When the weather cools, a New World wine can really hit the spot and can be preferred when drinking without a meal as they can be rich, unctuous (without being overly sweet) and full-bodied.

Ready to taste the difference?  Try a well-made New World wine versus a classically made Old World wine of the same grape variety side by side.

Here are some examples to try:

• New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc vs. White Bordeaux or Sancerre
• Domestic Pinot Gris/Grigio vs. the same from Northern Italy or Alsace France
• Domestic or Australian Riesling vs. the same from Germany or Alsace France
• Domestic Chardonnay vs. White Burgundy
• Australian Shiraz vs. Northern Rhone Syrah
• Californian Cabernet Sauvignon vs. Left Bank Bordeaux
• Domestic Merlot vs. Right Bank Bordeaux
• California Pinot Noir vs. Red Burgundy

Tasting them in a blind format will eliminate any preconceived notions, so place the bottles in brown paper bags and mix them up. Can you decipher which is which?

More importantly, you’ll be able to identify which one you prefer.  Wine is all about personal preference and utilizing this tip will certainly help you in understanding what you like.  Next time you are ordering a bottle to accompany a nice dinner, you can simply say, “I am looking for a red from the Old World.”  You’ll have easily narrowed it down to a selection that is more likely to please your palate, because “”old” and “new”  can make a world of difference.

Troy Knapp is executive chef at the Hyatt Hill Country as well as a certified sommelier.

By Cecil Flentge

In the early ’90s I occasionally used a wine from the long-past, local San Antonio Winery that was simply called “Jalapeño wine.” It was a white wine with jalapeño added, not awful, worked well in deglazing a pan to make a slightly spicy sauce.

There is a California winery of the same name that does something similar and wineries in several other states, including Texas, making wines with some Capsicum derivative.  At Dry Comal Creek winery they pour a white wine in a shot glass that has a jalapeño slice in it to make their Shooting Blancs, available daily at their tasting room.  So when I heard that HEB was about to release a red wine and spicy habanero pepper blend, I was curious.

HEB has done consumer taste tests with their object to make a wine to pair with our ubiquitous Mexican/Tex-Mex/Central American food flavors.  We have all heard one lament or another about “wine doesn’t go with Tex-Mex” and while there are options out there, they are rarely on the wine list in those restaurants.  HEB apparently took this as a challenge and created Cabanero, a blend of California Cabernet, Petit Verdot, and Syrah infused with habanero spice.

Yes, it has a little spice from the habanero pepper.  But the spice level is just enough to warm you on a cold day.

There is a little residual sugar but less than many White Zinfandel wines and with the dishes that this wine was crafted to match, the light sweetness can be a pleasant addition. HEB recommends you pair this wine with Chicken Mole, Carne Asada, Xic Tic En Cochinita Pibil, Flan, Carnitas and Tamales.

They have started advertising Cabanero and it should be in stores now or sometime soon.  Regular price will be $11.

Tasting and reviewing a wine that is unique is more difficult than a more usual Chardonnay or Tempranillo because you do not have the history of how others of the genre taste.  The only way that I could measure the wine was to taste it paired with the dishes recommended.  So I drove to a favorite spot, El Jalisco on Blanco Road, and with a companion ordered Carne Asada and Chiles Rellenos.

I had chilled the wine, though there is no temperature detail on the bottle, because all wine should be chilled to one degree or another and if I had it too cold – well, it would warm up in time.  However, from my experience, I do recommend that you serve it after 45 minutes in the refrigerator (about 55-60 degrees).  Sniffing the wine there is a cherry, cinnamon, and meaty pepper fragrance with a whiff of a candied note.  It is a light aroma but persistent and sipping the wine brought a soft cherry, ripe red chile-pepper flavor that starts slowly to warm your mouth and throat with the moderate capsicum burn.

Just before our dishes arrived and we sampled the chips and salsa with the wine.  This salsa is a fresh tomato style and the wine brought the tomato flavor to the fore when I tasted the combination.  Now, a disclaimer, I am not a fan of fresh tomato and my companion did not have the same experience so maybe I am just a bit sensitive to that flavor.  It would not be a negative anyway, just a point of interest.

Cabanero and Carne Asada is a very good match.  El Jalisco also served some sautéed ‘wild cactus’ with the Asada and it also went very well.  The Chiles Rellenos started with a roasted and peeled poblano pepper covered with toasted cheese, no breading, not fried and the beef filling is savory, not sweet.  Pairing it and the Cabanero brought out the fruity qualities of the wine and a return of the light candied aspect.  The refried beans were an excellent match with the Cabanero, the best of what we tried, like they were made for each other – which I guess they were.

Will we see other unconventional wines from HEB?  That is for the future to show, but this is an ambitious experiment that is worth a look.

Cecil Flentge is a San Antonio wine educator for professionals or novices and a cooking instructor. Restaurant events or home tastings.  Questions? Email cecil@wine2you.com

By Cecil Flentge

Box wine, bag-in-box, evenflo bottles for adults.  Yes, that is what I am telling you.  But what would you expect?  I already have jumped the natural cork boat for the screwcap bottle, is it that much of a surprise that I might try the dark side of wine – the box?  I have tried several and the most important thing I have learned is that they are not all bad.  A few are quite pleasant and you cannot beat the convenience or price.  The labeling is different than it used to be.  A box wine was called, “Juicy White” or “Burgundy” (even if it was from California).  It was made by, wait, let me get my magnifier, the print is just too small, oh here it is, AmalgaMuck industries.  Vintage?  We don’t need no vintage!  But times change and now we have a winery that also sells wine in glass bottles, doin’ da box!  Why?

They’re cheaper to produce and that means cheaper to buy.

They’re lighter, so even if the box holds the volume of four bottles of wine, it isn’t that heavy.

They stay fresh longer, so if you only drink a glass a day you can enjoy the last glass as much as the first.

If you do the math, there are 20 to 24 glasses per three-liter box, so at least three weeks to consume.  No problem because the wine does not have air in contact with it until it is in your glass.  The oxygen in air is what makes the wine taste bad after a few days.  But a regular bottle?  Five or six glasses at one a day?  Man, the last two glasses will be a little tangy! Or you will just throw it away. (You could still cook with it.)  Wine in a box will last at least six weeks after you open it.

Big House, Unchained Naked Chardonnay, California 2011

Available at H-E-B for $18/3 liter box

This particular wine has the hardest to open box-spout arrangement I have encountered.  Most of them have a punch out circle and a fold-out flap.  You punch the hole and move the flap to pull the spigot forward.  Then move the flap back to hold it in place.  This one just has the hole and my blunt digits could not do the job so I opened the top of the box, pushed things out where they needed to be, taped the top closed.  Then, since it is a Chardonnay, I needed to chill it.  You have to give four hours at least to chill that big a bag of wine, so plan ahead.  On the other side, once you have it cold, you could take it out on the patio and it will stay cold for an hour or more.

But this is a huge preamble to the main event, how does it taste?

Fact

A light yellow wine in the glass with moderate fruit on the nose.  Apple, lemon, and a hint of pear notes that repeats on the palate.  Decent weight on the tongue with persistent fruit flavor throughout the short, dry, finish.  The wine is not bone dry, but it is not one you would casually call sweet.  Since I know you are thinking it, no, there is no metallic/odd/chemical/whangy taste at the end.  I know because I was in an anticipatory cringe expecting it to happen!

Feeling

I am working at making dinner, yes – a guy slaving over the hot stove for his honey!  It makes me want to taste something cold so I do and it feels nice.  I do not have to think about, “But if I open a bottle, I won’t be home until late tomorrow night and then I am out with friends the next and it will go bad by the time I get back to it.”  I just get me a glass, or a half glass, or a glass and an eighth, and relax. It matched well with a lightly curried chicken and at 90 cents a glass, a steal!

Cecil Flentge is a San Antonio wine educator for professionals or novices and a cooking instructor. Restaurant events or home tastings.  Questions? Email cecil@wine2you.com

By Cecil Flentge

Shopping for wine is both a hobby for me and a necessity.  You have to resupply if you re-consume.  But I do enjoy the process – looking for new wineries, unusual grape varieties, wines from wineries I have visited, great prices — it is still a game to me.  However, looking for Pinot Noir from a less-usual wine region, only a year and a half old, at a bargain-bin price, is not what I set out to do.  But there it was, go figure.

Lindeman’s has been making wine for a long time with their first plantings of Riesling, Verdelho, and Shiraz grapes in 1843.

This wine is sourced from multiple vineyards and is 100 percent Pinot Noir grapes.

Lindeman’s Bin 99 Pinot Noir, South Eastern Australia 2011

Available at CostCo Liquors (open to anyone) for $3.99.  Yes, 3.99!

Fact:

Fresh red cherry, hints of raspberries, and a sense of terroir – the earthy stamp given to a wine by the soil, sun and sense of place where it was grown, all expressed on the nose, if lightly.  Red fruits, cedar, grapefruit on the palate with characteristically light tannins were moderate and clear.  As the wine evolved it showed staying power and a bit of fresh saddle-leather aroma.  The grapefruit stayed on the medium length finish with the earthy cherry persisting.  As young as it is,  it may improve for 6-12 months.  While I do not recommend long cellaring, it should hold for a few years.

 Feeling:

What I feel like is I got away with something!  Pouring this wine with dinner I was already casting my mind to what else I would probably have to open when this wine proved unworthy.  But as critically as I approached it, I first found nothing wrong, then I started to like it, then with the broiled pork chops seasoned with thyme, sage, and celery seed powder it just blossomed!  My wife and I kept stopping and saying ‘this is really matching well’ during dinner.  Baked potato – potato salad with a vegetable stock and cream dressing was still able to co-exist with this properly constrained wine.  If you can enjoy a red wine that does not come in like a Viking invasion, one that lets your meal participate instead of cringing at the edge of the plate, try the Bin 99!

By Cecil Flentge

Santa Rita Winery, Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley 2009

I like good wine.  I like to save money.  I love good, inexpensive wine.  So when I looked in the cellar for something to go with what I call ‘Salsabury Steak’ (hamburger, Italian sausage, salsa – made into a patty) the wine right in front of me beckoned. A Santa Rita 2008, I found it scrumptious, I wanted more.  But now the wine on the shelves is the 2009, would it be as good?

Fact

This estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon comes from vineyards located in Chile’s Maipo Valley, just south of Santiago.  As you take in the aroma, you get a hint of smoke and cedar, then the ripe cherry laced with earthy minerality.  The flavors built as I sipped with cherry, coffee, and grilled radicchio bringing depth and richness.  The tannins are there but subdued by the balanced acidity and long finish where, after a few minutes, there was a definite cocoa component. I expect that this wine will improve for a year or two and hold for several more.

Widely distributed, this wine is available at HEB for $9.

 Feeling:

With or without dinner, this wine was the ever comfortable friend that told my tongue just what it wanted to hear.  The match with the richly flavored beef and pork patty was perfect.  The spicy salsa took nothing away from the wine and the wine wooed a bit more fun out of dinner.  Trying 2008 sent me looking; the 2009 tells me I can relax and depend on this winery.  So buy a case!

Cecil Flentge is a native Texan who tours wine regions, offers wine education classes, and writes an eNewsletter about wine and food. Contact him at cecil@wine2you.com.

By Jeremy Parzen

Wine makes a great gift for Dad.

Five years ago, it would have been unimaginable to give dad wine for father’s day. Back then, in the age before the millennial generation decided that it would make wine its favorite luxury beverage, we still bought our fathers ties, golf clubs, and Weber grills and smokers to celebrate their “special day.”

But fast forward to the summer of 2012 and many of those dads are millennials themselves. And even those who still belong to generation X have come to understand the vital importance of wine in society today.

If you’re planning to give Dad a groovy bottle this year, look beyond the predictable Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot that the baby boomers still drink. After all, who wants to drink tannic, highly alcoholic, concentrated, chunky and immature Napa Valley Cab in the Texas summer, with temperatures already hitting 100 degrees and beyond.

Here are some interesting, food-friendly wines currently available in our market, at prices that sit nicely within a gift-giving budget — even if you’ve got two dads!

Vincent Girardin 2009 Sauvigny-les-Beaune

This bottle is what New Yorker’s call “outer borough” Burgundy, a great introduction to Pinot Noir from its most famous appellation (Gabriel’s Superstore, $27.99).

Mongeard Mugneret 2009 Fixin

Fixin is one of Burgundy’s “best kept secrets,” a village located adjacent to the more famous Gevrey-Chambertin (Gabriel’s Superstore, $28.99).

Castelgiocondo 2005 Brunello di Montalcino

Brunello is Italian for “perfect gift for dad.” We’re not sure how Gabriel’s managed offer to this obscenely low price for a modern-style Brunello (and wine pundit favorite), but we’re not asking any questions (not on the floor; ask a salesperson; Gabriel’s Superstore, $25).

Château Pradeaux 2007 Bandol Rosé

Rosé isn’t exactly what comes to mind when you think Dad but this year think “pink”: this classic producer delivers muscular, austere expressions of rosé from Mourvèdre from Southern France (Saglimbeni, $37.99; everything 20 percent off Friday and Saturday).

Fontanafredda 2008 Briccotondo Barbera

The Italians like to chill their Barbera in summertime and this wine, with vibrant acidity and wild berry fruit flavors, is ideal for summer grills (Saglimbeni, $17.99; everything 20 percent off Friday and Saturday).

Jeremy Parzen, author of the blog DoBianchi.com, believes that “food and wine are exegetic tools that help to attain a more profound understanding of the human condition and experience.” He resides in Austin with his wife, Tracie, and their 5-month-old daughter, Georgia.

Troy Knapp

Troy Knapp is executive chef at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort, including Antlers Lodge. He’s also a Certified Sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine. His wine column appears regularly in SavorSA.

Most of the products we eat or drink take an under-appreciated path before arriving on our dining room table.  As a chef, I feel as if I am a shepherd, seeking the best-quality product and consciously taking care of it by showcasing it simply in the best possible way. Wine is no different.  For those who work the vineyard and oversee the wine-making process it is truly a labor of love.   Below I have listed a few techniques that will allow you to enjoy wine at its full potential by simply giving it the attention and respect it deserves.

Glassware

A good-quality, tulip-shaped crystal wine glass will benefit in more ways than one.  First off, crystal is rough compared to glass although not easily detected by the human eye; under a microscope it is quite noticeable. With your fingertip you can easily feel the friction on the rim of a crystal product and even play a subtle ringing hum that cannot be replicated on the perfectly smooth glass product. When wine is swirled in crystal, the rough surface will create more agitation and intensify the aromatics or as we say (volatize the esters) essentially, making it more enticing to the nose.   I find that a medium-to-large tulip-shaped glass is the most universal and will allow for enough room to swirl while concentrating the bouquet.

Seasoning the glass

Always give your glassware a sniff before using as residual chlorine or soap that was not properly rinsed off will most definitely interfere.  Make sure the glass is rinsed thoroughly and aired dry. If you are in a restaurant, ask for a new glass.  Dust can easily work its way into your glass during storage so an easy way to completely enjoy wine without the distraction of foreign remnants is to simply “season it.” To do this, add a tiny amount of the wine you are about to drink to your glass and roll the stem of the glass in your fingers while tilting it.  Essentially you want to cover the entire interior of the glass with the wine.  Then, dump it out.  Remember, I did say use a tiny amount.

Then fill up your glass with confidence in the purity of what you are going to consume.  This is also a good technique when transitioning to a new wine that may have a noticeable dominant character that will stand out in the new wine where it doesn’t belong.  Pouring an un-oaked Chardonnay into the same glass that previously contained a highly aromatic Gewürztraminer is a good example of when the “seasoning” element will help.  Rinsing with water will only contribute to dilution, so I don’t recommend that.

Temperature

This is a big one. We typically pour whites at refrigerator temperature, which is too cold and reds at room temperature, which is too warm. Ideally most whites should be around 45 degrees and most reds at 55-60 degrees. Freestanding wine cellars are great to have as you can generally “set it and forget it.”  Another way to achieve this is to remove your whites from the refrigerator a full half hour or so before consuming and the opposite for reds, as these can benefit from a half-hour of refrigeration. Light-bodied reds can benefit from a more aggressive chill, however the tannin in big powerful reds will be more pronounced when chilled. So, a  slight chill to simply bring them down from room temperature is the objective.

Aeration and Decanting 

Most wines benefit nicely with aeration.  The interaction with oxygen will allow for the wine to emerge and show its full potential.  Pouring the wine into a wide-bottomed decanter and allowing it to rest will require some patience yet will be sure to enhance your drinking pleasure. The million-dollar question is how long? It can range from a half an hour to half a day.  There is no perfect answer as there are so many variables that come into play.  Most wine will definitely benefit from at least a short decant and it can be quite exciting to sip on the wine slowly as it develops and evolves with time in the glass.

Don’t be afraid to decant white wines for a short while as well.  Even sparkling wines can go through a subtle transformation that some will prefer.  It will dial the bubbles back slightly and ultimately showcase the core of the wine.  A narrow-bottomed decanter would be the preferred vessel for sparkling, as you wouldn’t want to spread the contents too thin and overly dissipate the sparkle.

For those with little patience, aerators come in handy and will allow you the benefit of aerating as you go.  You can simply pour a glass at a time through these small devices that will create a fairly viscous interaction with oxygen and open the wine up quicker, while allowing you to preserve the wine in the bottle for later.

Preserving

If you want to store wine overnight there are a few things you need to know.  We just covered decanting and accelerating the interaction with oxygen. In this scenario, however, we need to do the opposite and minimize the exposure to oxygen as much as possible.  Most wine left out at room temperature will most likely be undrinkable the following day.  The refrigerator will slow down the rate of oxidation and therefore preserve the wine longer than if it was left at room temperature.  Some even put their reds in the refrigerator to achieve this.  Wine preservation argon works quite well and will add several days of preservation to your open bottle.  It can be purchased at wine shops for about $10 and is good for around 120 uses.  Another method is to consume half of the contents of the bottle and store the remainder in a half-sized 375 ml .bottle.  If the half-size bottle is topped off and filled properly, it will have minimal exposure to oxygen and allow for another day or two of quality drinking.

So pay homage to the winemakers who give us this wonderful beverage by sipping slowly and most of all — enjoy it at its full potential with others who will appreciate it.

Troy Knapp is executive chef at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort, including Antlers Lodge. He’s also a Certified Sommelier and Certified Specialist of Wine. His column, Spectacular Brilliance, appears monthly on SavorSA.

By Troy Knapp

Troy Knapp

Thanksgiving and other memorable holiday dinners are priceless, so, for Pete’s sake, don’t skimp on the wine!

To save a few dollars in these occasions that are few and far between would be, in my opinion, the wrong place.  Yes, great wines come with a cost, however I’m sure, you will discover the extra money is well worth it.   For these rare holiday occasions when friends and family come together, why not seek out something truly special that will enhance the experience?

When making holiday selections, quality always overrules quantity! I’ll never understand the fixation with buying cheap food or wine.  This is the one area in life that I’m not willing to skimp. Quality comes with a cost and requires you to seek it out.  “The best you can afford,” is a great motto to live by.  Conscious food is what we need to strive toward, as it not only tastes better, it is significantly better for the environment as well as our health.  So, when it comes to the Thanksgiving table, look for all-natural turkey, lots of beautiful, organic vegetables and of course, great wine!

Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Gamay (Beaujolais) are frequently purchased to accompany the Thanksgiving table as they have a good relation with the traditional dishes we all love.  There are a wide variety of these wines, so beware of some common misconceptions.  You can easily find many of these wines in the “$10 and less category” that will be quaffable, however, they pale in comparison to what these varietals can offer.

Riesling  is quite an amazing grape variety; ranging from common and unexciting wine to truly extraordinary examples that are very well respected in the world of wine aficionados.  Grand Cru Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Sylvaner and Pinot Gris (known as Tokay) from Alsace in France are all great options for Thanksgiving dinner.

The wines of Alsace France are typically full bodied and dry where as the sweeter styles hail from Germany and the residual sugar is wonderfully contrasted with bracing acidity.  These wines typically start in the $40- $60 price range and can be found at a specialty grocer or wine shop.  Germany has a complex system of classification and reading the label can be intimidating.  A little research, or simply asking for assistance in the wine shop, will go a long way in finding your selection.

Beaujolais Nouveau is released every year on the third Thursday of November.  This wine is readily on display at most markets and meant to be consumed young. However, I recommend you seek out premium bottling of Beaujolais from one of the ten specific village/sites that have been awarded Cru status. “Cru” is a French term that refers to “growth place,” so wines from certain “Cru” regions have strict standards that result in depth and complexity not found in common Beaujolais bottling.  Ask for Morgon [moor - gah] or Moulin au Vent [moo-lahn-ah-vah].  Both of these bottlings typically start in the $30 price range.

Pinot Noir pairs rather well at the Thanksgiving table, and Premier Cru or Grand Cru Red Burgundies are simply spectacular.  Pinot Noir from Germany and New Zealand are not as abundant, however, both are well worth tracking down. Both options are much lighter than their California counterparts and showcase the delicate and lighter side of Pinot Noir. For something in the middle try Oregon Pinot Noir.  It is readily available and shares a common elegance as other cool climate pinots.  This region offers characteristics between the earth-driven wines of Burgundy, France and the fruit-driven Pinots of California.  A great choice for a group of diverse palates.

Regardless of your selection, quality should be the focus and will certainly be worthy of a few extra bucks.

My most memorable dining experiences are those with special friends and family, enjoying conversation over great wine.   My wife and I will always remember a few specific bottles that we shared long ago.  They were supported by great ambience and hold a place in our memories.  We look forward to drinking these same wines on special occasions, especially during the holidays; just as hearing a piece of music can bring us to a certain place in time, wine shares a similar relation.   Pulling a cork from a special bottle is like opening a time capsule, our senses connect with memories and thoughts are re-lived.

So seek out that special bottle.  It’s a small price for lasting memories.

From my family to yours, in health and happiness, have a happy Thanksgiving.

By Cecil Flentge

The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo is still a few months away,  but this past Monday 44 judges reviewed 686 wines to decide the gold, silver and bronze winners for the 2012 Wine Garden.

As a wine judge for each of the two previous competitions I was impressed at the friendly, but very professional, organization of this latest event.

For a list of winning wines, click here.

As the volunteers have improved, so have the wines.  I was told that 30 percent of the wines entered would retail for $30 or more.  That shows wineries and distributors are taking the Rodeo competition as seriously as the athletes and exhibitors do in their respective competitions.

I was part of the judging team at one of the nine tables arranged to divide the tasks.  My team tried 11 different groups of wine, almost 80 wines total, yet we only tried wines from seven categories – less than 12  percent of the wines entered.

The good news for me, and for consumers following the rankings, is the wines were better overall.  The top wines were very good, as they usually are, but even wines that did not receive a medal were pleasant.  This again reflects the status that the Stock Show and Rodeo has developed for the Wine Garden.

The Wine Garden is in its third year and will offer for sale the 38 gold medal wines by the taste, the glass or the bottle.

Judges sniff and ponder a white wine category in Monday's Stock Show & Rodeo Competition.

There is also the Champion Wine Auction where you can bid on the celebrated wines.  The funds from this and the Wine Garden fund scholarships for Texas youth.  Some of the scholarships are specifically designated toward viticulture for students attending Texas colleges and universities with programs supporting viticulture.

Awards and scholarships for this year will add more than 300 new scholars to the program.  Currently, there are more than 1,600 active scholarship recipients from the Rodeo in 90 colleges and universities throughout Texas.

Judges were selected from the wine business including distributors, restaurants, and a couple of wine writers.  There were also a few experienced wine aficionados to represent the local consumers.

In the process of determining the winners, the judges used 3,500 glasses to taste wines from 173 American wineries from Texas, California, Oregon and Washington.  Moving that much glassware is a big task and it was accomplished by the over 90 wine committee volunteers who were constantly bringing glasses, removing glasses, washing glasses and refilling glasses.  Salute to them!

Raise a glass at the rodeo to support scholarships.  The San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo will run Feb. 9-26, 2012.

Cecil Flentge is a San Antonio wine educator for professionals or novices and a cooking instructor. Restaurant events or home tastings.  Questions? Email cecil@wine2you.com.