VinVillage

First segment of this weeks VinVillageRadio Show: What do Chef Michael Chiarello, Oprah Winfrey, Disney, and ABC have in common? - Richard Frank and Stephen McPherson
Richard Frank, co-Owner, Frank Family Vineyards, at the historic original stone winery in Napa Valley, California, formerly known as Kornell Champagne Cellars, originally founded as the Larkmead Winery of 1884. Frank is a former Hollywood film and TV executive, currently Vice Chairman and Executive Board Member of the American Film Institute. He joins us for a conversation about wine, entertainment, and friends. Frank sits on the Board at TerraCycle, a recently featured guest on VinVillageRadio. Rich Frank is co-owner of Promise Napa Valley Cabernet. Stephen McPherson, co-owner, Promise Napa Valley Cabernet, President of ABC Entertainment and avid wine collector bows to his partner and Napa wine mentor, Rich Frank.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 1.
 

 
Second segment of this weeks Show: Family, friendship, and love of wine with two Hollywood powerhouses - Richard Frank and Stephen McPherson
Stephen McPherson, co-owner, Promise Napa Valley Cabernet, President of ABC Entertainment and avid wine collector. Promise is based on Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from the Winston Hill Vineyard, Rich Frank's personal estate.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 2.
 

 
Third segment of this weeks Show: Travel, wine,culture, and some spa and shopping. For women only! - April M. Merenda
April Merenda is President and Co-Founder of Gutsy Women Travel, providing safe travel destinations around the world for women, by women, in a post 911 world. Wine and food gourmet travel packages empower women to "Discover the unique tastes of the world as you tour a variety of destinations renown for their food and spirits. Sample the fine American cuisine of New York City, or wine-taste in Southern France or Bella Italy."

Click HERE to listen to Segment 3.
 

 
Fourth segment of this weeks Show: Creating classic method sparkling wines and dusty reds on the 'Richest' estates in California. - Todd Graff
World-winemaker-traveler Todd Graff is the Winemaker for Frank Family Vineyards and Promise Wine, both of Napa, California has the best of both world in my view. He has the privilege of crafting class variety, classic method sparkling wines in the former Hans Kornell 'Champagne' Cellars, one of Napa Valley's oldest original winery structures. His down-to-earth personality defy the otherwise papparazi clientele and ownership that he answers to.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 4.
 

lynn krielow chamberlain, independent wine journalist, hosts, Wine and Dine Radio, global internet radio broadcast on VinVillageRadio heard on wsRadio.

First segment of this weeks VinVillageRadio Show: Zephyr Adventures caters to adventure wine tourism around the world - Allan Wright

Allan Wright, Founder and Owner, Zephyr Adventures, now in its twelth season, invites us to discover new travel adventures literally by being active while on vacation. Wine country travel is extremely popular and for good reason. The beautiful scenery combined with excellent lodgings and restaurants makes for a great vacation. However, most visitors to wine areas spend more time sitting, as they shuttle from hotel to winery to restaurant. Zephyr Adventures recently added a whole new element to wine touring, as we stay active - on foot, bike, horseback, canoe, and now rafting with 2008 tours scheduled for Oregon, Sonoma, Burgundy, Tuscany & Umbria, Rioja-Spain, South Africa, Chile and Argentina.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 1.

Second segment of this weeks Show: Zephyr Wine Adventures provides real experiences for real people - Reno Walsh

Reno Walsh, is an environmentalist who loves to be outdoors and happens to have found his niche as Wine Guide for Zephyr Adventures based out of Red Lodge, Montana. If wine tourism combined with walking, biking, canoeing, or rafting sound appealing than Walsh is your man. As a Zephyr Adventures wine adventure tourist you can expect private wine tours, conversations with local vintners, exclusive walks through the vineyards, and other opportunities to intimately get to know the wines of the region. (Note: Non-drinkers will also enjoy these tours. The Burgundy, Spain, Italy, and South Africa tours are especially suited to non-drinkers as the wineries can generally be skipped or limited.) You need be neither a strong athlete nor a wine expert to enjoy these adventures, as we have tailored them for almost all audiences.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 2.

Third segment of this weeks Show: Southern California non-profit helps children suffering with cancer funded by wine and food event - Diane Nares

Diane and Richard Nares lost their six-year old son to cancer. In their grief, they created The Emilio Nares Foundation in 2003 to help other families whose children are currently undergoing cancer treatment in San Diego county. Support their efforts by joining them at the 5th annual Harvest for Hope--a celebration of good wine, San Diego's most prominent chefs, family, and friends on September 14th at The Grand Del Mar Resort. All proceeds benefit the Ride with Emilio program, the brand new Healthy Eating program, and Knitting and Sewing program for mothers while their children are undergoing treatment.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 3.

Fourth segment of this weeks Show: Environmental protection biologist turns Citizen Winemaker with help from CrushPad - Scott Eaton

Atlanta-based environmental protection biologist Scott Eaton works for an oil company and found a way to turn his love of wine and dream of some day owning a vineyard into reality after reading a magazine article. Eaton loves Cabernet Sauvignon. He loves comparing cab to zin to petite sirah on his many work-related jaunts around the country wining and dining clients. Owning a vineyard on the west coast requires a lottery win or the experts at CrushPad of San Francisco. Learn how and maybe you'll some day be my guest on Wine & Dine on VinVillageRadio.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 4.

lynn krielow chamberlain, independent wine journalist, hosts, Wine and Dine Radio, global internet radio broadcast on VinVillageRadio heard on wsRadio.

First segment of this weeks VinVillageRadio Show: Banfi Vinters and Lambrusco Wines - Sharron McCarthy

Sharron McCarthy, Vice President of Wine Education, Banfi Vinters, shares her enthusiasm for, while teaching us about, the lightly frizzante wines of Emilia-Romagna we know as Lambrusco.... light, low in alcohol, perfect for hot weather entertaining and enjoyment. The best-selling Riunite Lambrusco enjoyed a recent package redesign which appears very upscale and chic. Riunite Lambrusco is available in a white, rose and traditional red. The dry Ottocentro Nero Lambrusco IGT from Albinea Canali is more limited in production and we can expect the introduction of Movendo Dry Lambrusco IGT and companion dry Riesling in the US January, 2009. The point of our chat is to motivate listeners to rethink Lambrusco wines if you have not tasted a Banfi import in recent years. With today's multi-ethnic cuisine, off-dry or dry, Lambrusco's refreshing fruitiness and uplifting acidity proves to be a perfect partner with salty, fatty or spicy foods.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 1.

Second segment of this weeks Show: Certified Wine Education President - Sharron McCarthy

Sharron McCarthy, President, Society of Wine Educators, founded in 1974; A professional membership organization dedicated to advancing wine education through professional development and certification; the largest wine certification organization in the US.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 2.

Third segment of this weeks Show: The Master of the BBQ Pit - Ed Mitchell

Ed Mitchell, the Pit Master, The Pit, Raleigh, North Carolina, recently featured as an expert on authentic barbecue in the June, 2008 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine. The Pit restaurant is unique among eastern North Carolina BbQ eateries, probably even among it's Southern US peers, for the fine dining complete experience showcasing good wine, wheat beers, and charred barrel aged Bourbons to sip with Mitchell's legendary approach to cooking whole hog, learned from his father and grandfather. Before opening The Pit, Ed toured the country teaching his traditional Carolina family barbecue method with the endorsement of Southern Foodways Alliance. That success spawned the soon-to-open Mitchell's BbQ Cooking School in Wilson, North Carolina with interns eagerly lined up to learn from The Master.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 3.

Fourth segment of this weeks Show: More with the Master of the BBQ Pit - Ed Mitchell

Ed Mitchell, the Pit Master, The Pit, Raleigh, North Carolina, recently featured as an expert on authentic barbecue in the June, 2008 issue of Bon Appetit Magazine.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 4.

lynn krielow chamberlain, independent wine journalist, hosts, Wine and Dine Radio, global internet radio broadcast on VinVillageRadio heard on wsRadio.

First segment of this weeks VinVillageRadio Show: Born in Michigan... Inspired in Chile... Educated at Ohio State University - Randy Ullom

Randy Ullom is responsible for all winemaking at Kendall-Jackson Winery where Truth lies in Terroir and ultimately Enjoyment. Ullom has held the reigns as Winemaster since 1997 overseeing vineyards from the Central Coast to Mendocino and Lake Counties... from one of the largest land-owners-grape-growers in California. He recently contributed to Kendall-Jackson's Small Plates Perfect Wines: Creating Little Dishes with Big Flavors with recipes by Kendall-Jackson Executive Chef Justin Wangler. We discuss his wine with food pairing recommendations. Big on his list is Camelot Vineyard KJ Highland Estates Chardonnay with a perfectly grilled steak! Yes, white wine with red meat.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 1.

Second segment of this weeks Show: Tomatoes and Wine are no cliché at the 12th Annual Kendall-Jackson Winery Heirloom Tomato Festival - Patricia Rossi

Katrin Naelapaa, Director, Wines From Spain USA is a phenomenally enthusiastic woman. Surely, you have seen her name on various food and wine publication articles dedicated to motivate us to explore the huge vinos diversity of Spain. No country in the world has more acreage devoted to the vine. No doubt, the best values in bubbly are Spanish Cavas..... for celebrating every day. Whether you are planning a visit to Spain or exploring producers and regions from home, preparing for wine tastings and Spanish wine-speak, or learning traditional food pairings, Wines From Spain is your one-stop-resource.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 2.

Third segment of this weeks Show: Amateur Chefs strive to impress Celebrity Palates - Penny Malcom and Chandni Patel

What do you get when you pair an amateur recipe contest contestant from Georgia with an obscure Spanish wine and homemade Pizza? Penny Malcom, Americus, Georgia is the 2007 winner of the Rias Baixas Recipe Pairing Contest with a Fennel, Fig, Fontina Pizza. She grows fennel and figs on the family farm and chose Fontina cheese to follow the 'f' theme. Chandni Patel of Cornerstone Communications, Ltd., administers the annual competition and explains what this year's winner will receive. Malcom knew nothing of Albarino grape and wines before spotting the contest last summer online. You can download her recipe from the link provided below.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 3.

Fourth segment of this weeks Show: Become a Winemaker; Build your own wine with a custom Pinot Noir specialist at CrushPad - Chris Nelson

Chris Nelson is a Vanderbilt trained chemist who discovered the wine connection at Fresno State in pursuit of his Master's degree in Enology. Now a days he is the resident Pinot Noir-specialist Winemaker at CrushPad of San Francisco. Nelson is a young Renaissance man ready to answer to your winemaking demands. His enthusiasm is positively infectious!

Click HERE to listen to Segment 4.

lynn krielow chamberlain, independent wine journalist, hosts, Wine and Dine Radio, global internet radio broadcast on VinVillageRadio heard on wsRadio.

First segment of this weeks VinVillageRadio Show: Salads... complex, sensuous, satisfying.... and the main course.... with wine and the Mediterranean diet - Joyce Goldstein

Joyce Goldstein, San Francisco Chef, Author, Restaurant Food Industry Educator and Consultant, with her latest book.... Mediterranean Fresh: A Compendium of One-Plate Salad Meals and Mix-And-Match Dressings. Her son, Evan Goldstein, Master Sommelier, contributes with wine and salad recommendations. Goldstein is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. She is a long-time Mediterranean food pioneer in the US beginning with the opening of Square One, as chef-owner. Goldstein is a true culinary genius..... teaching by example.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 1.

Second segment of this weeks Show: Do men rule wine circles?...Not any more! - Lisa Granik

Surely, Lisa Granik is the second or third smartest woman I have ever interviewed. Her resume is intimidating; voice, gravely, like dry terroir. Granik was a recent judge this past spring of the first National Women's Wine Competition. Woman purchase most of the wine sold in the US and the UK. Lisa was a law professor at Georgetown University, and a Fulbright Scholar at Moscow State University and the Institute of State and Law in Tbilisi, Georgia. She earned her law degree from Georgetown and a doctorate from Yale Law School.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 2.

Third segment of this weeks Show: Institute of Masters of Wine, Yale Law School, Fulbright Scholar - Lisa Granik

As one of a handful of Masters of Wine in the US and the world, there are only a few women who have achieved the title. Before wine, her passion was law and Russia. She has more degrees and awards than you can count and is fluent in Russian and French.... proficient in Spanish and Italian. Her current position is that of Director, Fine Wine Initiatives at Empire Merchants in NYC. We talk about her journey into wine and attitudes toward women in the male-dominated beverage industry. Lisa holds the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Advanced Certificate with distinction and earned the WSET Diploma with Honors in 2001. In 2006, she became a Master of Wine.

Click HERE to listen to Segment 3.

Fourth segment of this weeks Show: Napa Valley red wines, chocolate and NASCAR all at Bennett Lane Winery - Randy Lynch

Randy Lynch, Proprietor, Bennett Lane Winery, Napa, on his Bennett Lane Racing Team that competes in the NASCAR West racing schedule. He aims to switch racing fans from beer to Bennett Lane wines!

Click HERE to listen to Segment 4.

lynn krielow chamberlain, independent wine journalist, hosts, Wine and Dine Radio, global internet radio broadcast on VinVillageRadio heard on wsRadio.

I know there is a lot of misunderstanding out there when it comes to wine and sulfites, so I am here to clear the air a bit :-) Firstly, SO2 is a by-product of the fermentation process, so if it's wine, it's got sulfites. There is no such thing as a wine that has no sulfites, period. Organic wines do not add sulfites to their wines, as that it considered illegal according the extremely strict guidelines organic winemakers follow. Usually wineries go for organic grape-growing, so they can use sulfites in the winemaking process. So, now the question becomes, why use sulfites? Sulfites help protect the wine from oxidizing (or turning brown), and it prevents bacteria and germs from making a home in the wine. All in all, sulfites lead to a more stable wine.

Now, I hear a lot of comments from misinformed folks who claim that they are allergic to sulfites. This is not usually the case. Why? Well, in fact, white wines undergo more sulfiting because they are usually made without the skins. The skins in red winemaking is where you get the color and tannin to the wine. Tannins act as natural preservatives to the reds aiding SO2 in preventing spoilage and bacterial growth, and allowing reds to age more than a lot of white wines can. So, red wines usually have 40ppm of SO2 and whites and champagne have up to 70ppm. So, you see here, that the ill effects of red wine, in fact does not come from the sulfites. My opinion is that it comes from the higher alcohol levels and the tannins, as I, myself, become quite fatigued if I drink much red. In fact, the FDA says only about .4% of the population or 1 million people are considered highly allergic to sulfites. There are sulfite-sensitive types out there, and the recommendation is to veer away from commercial wines (as they have higher levels of sulfites) and stick with organic wines or organic grapes or biodynamic wines. This should help keep the sulfite perception below the threshold level.

I hope this helps clear up the confusion with sulfites! Cheers :-)

Lindsay Pomeroy

The California Organics Fundraiser for the Challenged Athlete's FUnd was a definite success!  We were able to raise $1300 for the cause, yay!!  So thanks for all of your participation.  I wanted to recap the wines used for this event:
1.  Joseph Prum Riesling Spatlese 2006- This was a very hot year in the Mosel Germany, but this wine still retains it's enamel-ripping acidity known in the world of Rieslings.  Lots of melons, pears, hints of peaches, this 100% organic white is great for the hot weather we are experiencing in San Diego.  I choose this wine as part of the wine line-up because of the German winemakers purity.  They don't manipulate the musts, so Maloactic fermentation, lees stirring, oak aging, etc is not part of the traditional winemaker's repetoire ther.  Hands-free winemaking=clean and pure wine, just how I like em!
2 and 3> Tablas Creek cote du Tablas Blanc and Cote du Tablas Rouge-  Tablas creek is one of my favorite organic winemakers in California. They are located in West Paso Robles, amongst the scenic windy roads and hills of the region.  Their wines capture the essence of the Rhone Valley, here in California.  The grapes they use for their wines are all estate grown on Calcerous clay, like in the rhone valley.  This region faces a major diurnal shift between daytime and nightime temperatures, allowing for intense ripe flavors, but always with a high level of natural acidity!   Their Blanc is a mainly Viognier blend, with roussane, and marsanne and grenache blanc added to the blend.  Their Rouge is a Grenache-dominant blend with syrah, Counoise and Mourvedre. 
4.  Old River Red, sierra Foothills, California 2004- this was a very tasty cab to add to the line-up.  Grapes are grown in Nevada County, CA, so we are talking inland!  All grapes were farmed organically meaning that there was no pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides used, ever!  Instead organic winemakers like this use cover crops to plant between vines, owls and bats to counteract pests, and replanting and encouraging natural wildlife to dominate the landscape.  Cheers to this small production family run winery!  We support their work!
Cheers!
Lindsay Pomeroy
 

I just recently returned from taking a 2 week tour through Italian and German wine countries. I know, poor me :-)  Well, it was well-deserved, mind you, and tax-writeoffable!  I want to share with you some of the highlights of my trip. This week, I will share with you my observations from Italy!
 
I visited Piedmont and Tuscany and tasted through most of the current releases winemakers had to show.  I visited Paitin, Mauro Veglio, and Marchesi di Barolo in Piedmont.  In Tuscany, I visited Banfi, and La Gerla in Montalcino and Felsina, Castello Volpaia, and La Massa in Chianti Region.  Overall, all wines tasted were enjoyable, however, it was very interesting to see the American influence on these smaller producers.  Let's begin with the winemakers of Piedmont.  To respond to the oaky and extracted styles celebrated by WS, and RP, winemakers in Piedmond are using less of the large casks made of Slovenian Oak and opting for more barrique.  Between Paitin and Mauro Veglio, I definitely preferred the more traditional Paitin style over the oakier Mauro Veglio.  To me, Nebbiolo is big enough it doesn't need a massive influence of oak. 
 
This barrique vs. Oak cask palate debate continued into Tuscany as well.  Banfi, the largest winery of Italy (and largest I've ever visited) has in fact come up with a patented combination of oak/stainless steel fermenters.  it is indeed half stainless steel and half oak.  It's pretty impressive machinery.  Again, the response to the new world market was a focus here as well, as the more traditional La Gerla used more Oak Cask than did Banfi, and again, I preferred the Brunello by La Gerla, it was fantastic!  In northern Tuscany, in Chianti,  I was quite impressed with all of the producers.  Felsina and Castello di Volpaia offered fantastic hospitality to us weary travellers and their Chiantis  were clean (but not too clean) and quite lovely.  I didn't feel as though oak was a dominant flavor profile in the wines tasted here.  La Massa was a fantastic off-the-beaten path discovery.  The Enologist and our tour guide, Francesco, was so hospitable and informative, I felt as though I recieved a mini-class on viticulture!  They don't make Chianti, and instead focus on Super Tuscan style blends of Sangiovese, Cabernet, Merlot and a touch of Petit Verdot.  We tasted these wines out of the barrel separately in addition to the final blended products.  Their Giorgio Primo was very aromatic and well-structured.  Both my travelling companion and I started to get the thirst to open up some older vintages to see how it ages.  Luckily, Francesco gave a six pack of his wines, so that I can age and try them myself.  Yay! 
 
That's all for this week.  Stay tuned for Part Two: The German Adventure...

I recently did a food and wine pairing event that went exceptionally well, and I wanted to share with you some of my pairings and the observations and reactions from guests on the results.
Here are the pairings and their tasty results:
 
Start the Night of Sparkling:
Segura Viudas Heredad Spanish Cava Reserva paired with Asian Nachos.  The Nachos were topped with salmon, ahi, and red snapper, tomatoes, cilantro and avocado over a spread of cream cheese.  This was a fantastic pair!  The creaminess of the cheese and avocado were refreshed by the snap of the Cava's lemony finish.  The delicate melon and mineral notes make a nice complement to the sushimi grade fish, neither overwhelming each other.  The sparkler was defnitely a hit, event the non-bubbly lovers were sucking it down!
 
The Femme Fatale of Grapes:
Kunde Estate Viognier, Sonoma paired with Alaskan King Crab Legs.   This pairing was created for those who love rich and voluptous whites.  This viognier isn't your over-the-top orange and peach fruit bomb like you see from many California producers, no, it has the weight of a full-bodied california white, but without any new oak or ML, it's only the fruit that shines through!  I chose the crab for it's sweeter and super rich flavor.  The pairing would have been dead-on, but the chef over-salted the crab, and you know what happens to wine when there's too much salt?  It makes it taste metallic and the crab too fishy.  Granted the fish was served cold, but if the crab was totally left in it's natural state, this wine would have been absolutely perfecto!  A bit bummed by this result.  This wine would have also stood up nicely to scallops or lobster (again not too much salt!!!!)
 
Bringing Back Merlot:
Luna Merlot, Napa paired with Filet Mignon Bites topped with horseradish sauce.  Right now is the perfect time to buy merlot.  Why?  Well, the tables have turned the other way around with Pinot NOir and Merlot.  Now you pay way too much for sub-par pinot, and way too little for killer Merlot.  This is a killer bottle of affordable merlot.  Luna uses biodynamic farming, again only the fruit shows through on this well-balanced red.  Smoked roasted walnuts, blackberry, figs and anise dominate the experience.  The tannins are all merlot: soft, lush, ripe.  Excellent acicidty to boot!  I choose filet to pair with Merlot because Filet, like merlot, has a softer and less gamey flavor.  A steak would've been overpowering to this red.  This pairing rocked and the Merlot was definitely brought back, as this was the first red to go!
 
Lamb and Shiraz!
Ok, it's a Shiraz-Viognier blend from Victoria, Australia.  This is the Terlato Chapoutier blend I blogged about last week (go and read it if you want more info.).  This pairing had the most wow-factor.  I choose shiraz to pair with the Rosemary and blue cheese topped lamb chops because lamb is intense and needs a bold and intense red to stand up to it.  In fact, the super ripe blackberries, plums, and blueberries with the lush tannins not only tempered the innate gameyness of the lamb, but the lamb brought out that 3% touch of viognier...the floral-violet flavors.  This pairing was the best because the wine made the lamb taste better and the lamb brought out new flavors to the wine. 
 
I encourage all of you to get out there and explore with your palates.  It's not that hard, just remember the basics: intense food or sauces require more intense wines, more delicate dishes and flavors require more delicate wines. And don't forget to factor in weight and intensity of tannins when you're pairing. If you have some menu ideas you want to run past me, I am all ears!
 
Happy Hedonism!
 
Lindsay Pomeroy
Director of Events and Marketing, VinVillage
Wine Director Dussini Mediterranean Bistro
Principal Consultant The Wine Smarties

I was doing some R &D for a wine event I have coming up where the client wanted to do a wines-from-off-the-beaten path sort of event.  So, I called up some of my reps and told them to bring some really 'out there 'wines.  Well, the tasting was certainly successful and I ended up using 2 of the wines for the event: Steele Vineyards 2005 Blue Franc Lemberger and a 2-country 2 varietal blend from Australia.  Why am I sharing this with you?  Well, I think it points to the future of the wine industry.  I think, just like the screw cap movement has shown us, we will be seeing more and more cross-state and cross-country blends like these wines.
The Lemberger is an Austrian grape that has few plantings in the New York fingerlakes region as well as Washington State.  This wine is made from a California producer (Steele Vineyards of Lake County) using an obscure Austrian grape grown in Washington State.  Confused?  Gone are the days when X winery owned X acres on his estate and made wines solely from that estate.  Since we don't have the regulations of France, we aren't limited to growing X grapes in X regions, in our great country, as you can see, X winery can buy grapes from wherever and make whatever wine he so pleases.  Good for creativity, bad for the novice who is seeking out rules to grow their understanding of the wine world. 
This other unique wine is collaborative effort between 2 renouned winemaking families: French legend Michel Chapoutier of the Rhone Valley and Napa Valley vintner Anthony Terlato.  This concept, of winemakers teaming up around the globe, is something that we will be seeing a lot more of in this global market.  As we’ve already witnessed with our ‘new world’ styles of wines emerging in traditionally ‘old world’ countries, the future of the wine industry, I believe, will become even more unified, as this wine exemplifies.  To add to the quirkiness of this wine’s concept, it is also a unique blend of a red grape and a white grape.  It is mainly Shiraz (or Syrah..same thing), the grape that put the Aussies on the global market. In addition, it is blended with Viognier, an extremely aromatic white grape that is also grown in the Rhone valley.  The viognier adds a layer of floral charm to the nose of the otherwise black-fruit dominated Shiraz.  So, this cross-country, red-white blend really represents something new to the world of wine. 
What's my opinion on this, you ask?   I am all for experimenation and orgininality in the world of wine.  However, as the French and great producers swear by, a grape should represent the terroir from which it is grown.  Are these cross-breeds consistent with this tried and true concept?  Or are they showing us that these concepts no longer apply to today's global palate?  Just like the recent Brunello Scandal has showed us, those wineries cheated because they were trying to construct a wine that stylistically appeals to the new world palate: the style that RPJ and the WS have told the world what good wine should taste like.  Maybe in the end, we will become divided in the world of wine: divided amongst the traditionalist clinging to the tried and true and then the blenders, who truly blend their styles into something that the new world palates (Americans) will want to buy. 
I think that if a wine is well made AND still retains the integrity of the grape's spirit and/or terroir, then I am all for whatever strange new blends winemakers show us.