Napa Valley Wine Bar Blog

Now…for a little beer trivia for my new friend Jeff who had a good bit of knowledge on the difference between and ale and a lager, and so this will add to his expertise:

The main difference between an Ale and a Lager is that the yeast does it’s job at the top of the fermentation tank with an Ale, and at the bottom of the tank for a Lager. But, the reason for this is that Ale yeast is a yeast that has better flotation whereas a Lager yeast sinks to the bottom of the tank. There are all different kinds of yeasts produced for making beer, and each type of beer has it’s own type of yeast. If you are a home brewer wanting to make a Lager, you have to buy Lager yeast.

Another difference in the two types of beer is the temperature at which they are brewed. An ale is brewed at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, making it a robust and fuller flavored beer because of the warm brewing temperature. A Lager brews at 55 degrees Fahrenheit making it a more watery beer that takes longer to ferment because of the temperature. Budweiser is a Lager.

I hope this helps you all when you are looking for a good beer in your favorite brewing style…at Napa Valley Wine Bar, we have only Ales in stock right now, but most of you know that the variety of Ales out there is extensive.

I’ll save some of the other beer information for another time…like the definition of Malt Liquor, a Boch, an Eisboch, a Pilsner and a Marzen. Until then…

In vino veritas,

Rae Lynn Nelson-Benskin
Owner/CEO

I learned art appreciation from my mother. The book case was loaded with books about famous masters like Degas and Renoir. As a child, I can remember sitting on the floor in the living room, devouring the pictures with my eyes. She made it a point to take me to art museums so that I could see for myself the detail in the craft. And, when I got older, she encouraged me to express myself through artistic means…the ultimate synthesis of how the artist sees their world, and how the artist experiences their world.

I have learned to appreciate wine in the same manner. I read about it, I study it…I devour it with my eyes and my nose and my mouth. I just haven’t quite approached the “expressing myself” stage as of yet. One of these days…I am going to participate in the harvest and crush process which is the first step on the wine making journey.

Beginning this month, we are holding wine education classes to help you to better appreciate the world of wine. We have gathered some serious sommeliers, wine makers and general all around oenophiles to help us with this daunting task. It should be a lot of fun. The cost for each wine class will be $25 (a paltry sum which includes the class, the wine and barbecue treats) and you can pick and choose which classes you attend, based on what you want to learn. The first class is this Thursday, November 20. Landon from B.R. Cohn will be here to share his love of red wine and olives. He will tell us how to pair our barbecue fair with his voluptuous wines…I’ve heard he is a lot of fun even without his wine and olives!

We are in the process of completing our on-line shopping cart for the wine club, and retail sales. In the interim, you can come in and sign up for the club at the bar. It is a bi-monthly club, and you get two bottles of boutique, California wine (one white and one red) that are unique and difficult to find.

Can’t wait to see you.

In vino veritas,

Rae Lynn Nelson-Benskin
CEO/Owner

I’m no doctor, but I know given all the wine I have consumed in my lifetime, that there have been a good number that have given me some uncomfortable physiological symptoms. And, I’m not talking about drinking too much of them either! My friend Stacey and I were talking recently about those soft buttery oakey Chardonnays that we love so much. We love them, but they don’t seem to love us back. Stacey said they give her headaches and make her feel like she is catching a cold. Ditto for me. So, Thursday night OB started to have an alergic reaction. He felt stuffy and itchy. He woke up on Friday morning with a swollen mouth and tongue (typical food allergy reaction, I am told.) We didn’t really think much of it until his throat started to swell around dinner time last night, restricting his airway. (Just for future reference, when someone starts to talk differently and they feel like they have something stuck in their throat…their airway might be constricted!) Anyway…OB took a trip to the emergency room, and was given Epinephrine. Not an experience we want to repeat anytime soon. The only thing different he consumed on Thursday night was an Argentinian Malbec. The ER doctor said it was unlikely that the wine caused the reaction, but a little bit of research on my part rendered a few different answers.

First, it is true that one percent of the population is allergic to sulfites. The bad news is that sulfites are present in every wine. Sulfites are a byproduct of the fermentation process. Some wines have more sulfites than others, and even white wines contain sulfites. Dried fruits contain sulfites, so if you had a sulfite allergy, you would be allergic to those too! If you get headaches from sulfites, the headache would show up within 15 minutes of your first sip…and doctors say pre-medicating yourself by an hour with Tylenol, Advil, Motrin or Aleve will protect most people from those headaches.

The most interesting information I uncovered was from Hennie JJ Van Vuuren, PhD from the University of British Columbia. In their research of Malolactic acid (which is used when wine makers want a second fermentation process - think soft, oakey, buttery Chardonnays) they found that “Malolactic bacteria and other lactic acid bacteria present in fermenting grapes produce toxic biogenic amines such as histamine, cadaverine, phenylethylamine, putrescine and tyramine (Zee et al., 1983; Lehtonen, 1996, Lonvaud-Funel, 2001). These chemicals in wine have been shown to produce undesirable physiological effects in susceptible individuals; histamine causes headaches, and other allergenic symptoms such as, hypotension, palpitations, flushing, oedema, diarrhea, and vomiting (Wantle et al., 1994; Santos, 1996; Soufleros et al., 1998). Tyramine and phenylethylamine are associated with migraines and hypertension (Soufleros et al., 1998)” I don’t know how you feel, but I think this explains a lot. If you are concerned about drinking these wines, just ask us. We know which wines have been processed with a secondary fermentation. I may be steering clear of those wines from now on. Why is it that I always like the stuff that is bad for me?

So there you have it…one of my long stories.

Can’t wait to see you! In vino veritas,

Rae Lynn Nelson-Benskin
Owner/CEO

Ever wonder what makes mountain grown and valley floor grown wines different?

Well, there are a lot of factors that differentiate Mountain grown wines from Valley floor grown wines. We have attempted here to give you a simplified version of why and how they are different.

During the day, the sun heats the air on the valley floor, but when the sun sets, this warm air rises, displacing the cooler air further up the slopes, which then sinks to the valley floor, an effect known as heat inversion. Heat inversion on the valley floor produces more constant average temperatures, an advantage for ripening grapes, producing wine with good structure and tannic grip.

The key differences are the result of differences in soil and climate. In the case of soil, because of erosion, the richest and most fertile soil ends up on the valley floor. The result of this combination of gentle but warm growing conditions and fertile soil in the valley floor, is to produce ripe, fruity, gentle wines—complex, but easy to drink and easy to like.

Mountain vineyards have rockier soils and better water drainage than those on the valley floor. They tend to produce smaller grapes with relatively less juice and relatively more skin. All of a wine’s color, all of its tannin and much of its flavor complexity comes from the skin, so mountain vineyards tend to produce more intense, deeply colored and more structured wines. Mountain wines are typically bigger, with more alcohol, more tannin. Valley floor wines are softer and a little rounder, more feminine if you will.

Can’t wait to see you!

In vino veritas,

Rae Lynn Nelson-Benskin

Owner/CEO

OB and Julie and I get questions all the time about oak, and what oak does to wine. Unfortunately, there is no easy or short answer, and so I am going to try to give you a little bit of information about the effect of oak. Like anything else, a little bit of information will only wet your whistle for more.

The official winemaker’s answer to the question of how oak effects wine, is that oak adds “complexity.” Well, basically that means that oak adds all kinds of flavors into the mix. Oak is a living thing, much like a grapes itself. And just like there are only a handful of grapes that you can make wine from, there are only certain types of oak that can be used when making barrels, because some of them are so porous that they leak.

When oak seedlings start, they pull smells and flavors from things in their environment, and so where the oak grows has a huge influence on what you taste in the oak. Oak barrels are made by Coopers in a Cooperage, which is a very old art form. Most coopers and winemakers will tell you that the most significant factor is the manner in which the cooper handles his oak. The cooper’s “thumbprint” — how the cooper seasons and stores the oak so it dries adequately, and how the barrel is fired — sticks out above all other factors. This thumbprint or “house style” characterizes each barrel, regardless of other variables, including forest origin.

For instance, Barrels made from American white oak were originally produced for the bourbon industry, which should come as no surprise to you. We Americans began our love affair with bourbon before we began our love affair with wine…just ask Julie. I think she is still in love. However, American oak barrels are increasingly being used by wineries, particularly given recent improvements in barrel fabrication and of course simple economics (top quality American oak barrels cost about $340 while their French counterparts cost between $750 - $1000).

American oak barrels have improved dramatically over the last ten years. In the past, only varieties with intense flavors such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel were able to stand up to the more aggressive (smoky and sweet) aromas and flavors that the American oak available at the time contributed. The reason for these dominant flavors was partly due to how the oak was coopered and seasoned or fired.

In France, there are five oak growing regions, much as there are wine growing regions, like the Rhone or the Burgundy regions. The regions (just so you can show off and demonstrate that you know the names) are Nevers (imparts a cinnamon flavor), Allier (imparts a spicy oak flavor), Troncais (mild oaky, very finished flavor), Borgogne, and Vosges (imparts a vanilla flavor). Oak from the Troncais and Vosges regions are the most in demand at this time, but that changes just like our taste for different varietals. Three quarters of the forests of France are owned by the government (Department of the Forests) which was created by Napolean II. This is an example of Napolean’s complex being a positive thing. Trees from the forests continue to be auctioned off to Cooperages and are between 110-150 years old.

In the Czech Republic, oak barrel production was originally and primarily for the beer trade because it imparts a nutty taste…again no surprise. The taste of French oak, now considered integral to the flavor of red Bordeaux, was not appreciated in Bordeaux’s traditional market in the early and mid-nineteenth century. Winemakers preferred the softer, smoother, creamier texture Hungarian oak offered their wines, perhaps because less charring of the barrels was practiced. The substitution of French oak for Baltic and Hungarian oak was prompted by political difficulties stemming the Napoleonic wars. (This is better than any history class, isn’t it?) In the year 2005 in the United States, 64% of the oak barrels used in the wine making process were made with American Oak, 26% were made with French Oak, and 9% were made with Eastern European Oak.

Currently, economics play a huge role in the choice of which type of oak to use in the winemaking craft. Smaller winemakers tend to choose the French and Eastern European oak, while the larger winemakers are gravitating toward American oak and alternative means of imparting an oaky influence including micro oxygenation, and using oak staves in their stainless steel tanks. The new trend in Chardonnay is “unoaked.” Just ask OB.

So, now you know more about wine barrels than you ever thought you would…but I thought you deserved to know. And, you know how stubborn I can be….

In Vino Veritas,

Rae Lynn Nelson-Benskin
Owner/CEO

Hello,

I was talking with our bookkeeper Sheree the other day about using wine in our cooking. We both agreed that wine adds an interesting element to the flavor of a cooked meal, and I thought maybe we could all use a little guidance in the process.

First, don’t buy “cooking wine” for cooking. Cooking wine contains additives and flavorings that are not designed to consume as a beverage, so why would you want to put those additives in your body? Second, don’t add wine that has gone bad (let your nose be your guide)to your food…if it isn’t good enough to drink, it isn’t good enough to cook with. A little bit of oxidized wine can ruin a good meal. Third, don’t use inferior quality wine in your cooking, instead use something that is relatively inexpensive and comes from a reputable source, or a well known winery. Remember, you don’t generally use more than a cup or two of wine in each dish, depending on what you are cooking, and so that bottle will last you a few days, or a few dishes.

Up to 95% of the alcohol in wine evaporates during the cooking process, depending on the method and the amount of time the dish cooks. When the alcohol burns off, you have the flavors of the wine left as a seasoning. For instance, the fruity and peppery taste of a Zinfandel would work well in a lamb, veal or ham dish. Last night, I used a rich Pinot Noir in a Cajun Black Bean dish. Use what you know about wine pairings to accent your cooking techniques. The red meats and duck need a red wine to stand up to their intense flavors. Spicy foods do well with a sweeter wine, like a Riesling or a Gewurztraminer. Mild fishes can be poached in a dry white wine (like Sauvignon Blanc)with very little effort, and fabulous results.

One of my favorite side dishes is Drunken Cheese Bread. You slice a half baguette into 1″ slices and layer them in a coated casserole dish. Layer the bread with 1/2 to 1 cup of diced ham or torn prosciutto slices. Add 2-4 Tablespoons of thinly sliced scallions, chives white or red onions throughout. Drizzle one cup of a favorite Chardonnay (like Gainey) over the bread and meat, and top the mixture generously (1-2 cups)with freshly grated Parmesan or Gruyere cheese. Bake the casserole in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes or until slightly brown and crispy on top. The baking process brings out the fruitiness of the Chardonnay which complements the smoky meat and rich cheese flavors.

There are basically two different kinds of cooks. Cooks like me follow a recipe to the “t” and who are hesitant to add wine to a recipe willy nilly. Then, there are cooks like OB, who never follow recipes and who use wine liberally in the cooking. We are both good cooks, it’s just that OB’s dishes are much more fun to experience than mine are.

I encourage you to experiment. There are recipes on the internet, and recipe books that concentrate on cooking with wine. Take one of your favorite recipes and just add a bit of complimentary wine to the cooking process to see if you can taste the concentrated flavors of the wine. Soups and stews require the addition of wine by the cup full so that they aren’t diluted, but a sauce only needs a few tablespoons of a wine to add flavor. OB always adds a few tablespoons of Chardonnay to his Shrimp Scampi.

On another note, at 3:30 today, New York and Green Bay will be playing a NFL championship game and we will be televising it. So, come down and visit and talk to me about your adventures in cooking with wine.

In vino veritas,

Rae Lynn Nelson-Benskin
Owner/CEO

This is an archived newsletter from August of 2008:

I love to watch the expression on customers faces when they see me open a bottle of wine that has a screw cap. They look at the bottle, then at me, then at the bottle again, almost in disbelief. How could a wine bar of our caliber, possibly serve a wine with a screw cap? Simple, a Stelvin screw cap creates the best seal and reseal, providing a consistent flavor, nose and overall quality to your wine.

Put your “cheap wine” perception aside, and hear me out. Natural cork has a very romantic heritage. Winemakers have used corks in sealing their bottles for centuries. However, cork is a living thing that is somewhat spongy and can have air holes not visible to the naked eye. If you have ever tasted a “corked” wine (one that has had exposure to air and who knows what else), you will never forget the musty taste and smell. I’ll admit that very few of the wines that are sealed with natural cork actually end up “corked” (the estimates are that about 5% of bottles on wine merchants shelves are bad.) Still, when it comes to maintaining a quality over a period of a few days or even a week, you cannot beat a Stelvin screw cap.

What about synthetic corks? Research tells us that they limit the shelf life of a wine, and encourage oxidation. I don’t know about you, but I like my wine to oxidize slightly in a decanter to soften the tanins, right before I am about to enjoy it.

So, I just wanted to make sure that you are ready for the trend. I predict that as we wine enthusiasts place a higher priority on maintaining quality in our wines, we will see more and more producers going to the Stelvin cap.

If all this hasn’t yet convinced you, the most compelling argument for using screw caps is that we will be saving the limited supply of cork trees left on this earth.

In vino veritas,

Rae Lynn Nelson-Benskin
Owner/CEO

A Short History Of Beer And The Wheel
>
> Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic
> hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the
> summer
> and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the
> winter.
>
> The two most important events in all of history were the
> invention of
> beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to
> get man
> to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and
> together
> were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct
> subgroups:
> 1. Liberals
> 2. Conservatives.
>
> Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the
> beginning of
> agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented
> yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them
> to be
> invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That’s how
> villages were
> formed.
>
> Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to B-B-Q at
> night
> while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known
> as the Conservative movement.
>
> Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to
> live off
> the conservatives by showing up for the nightly B-B-Q’s and doing the
> sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the
> Liberal movement. Some of these liberal men eventually evolved
> into
> women. The rest became known as girliemen.
>
> Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of
> cats,
> the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of
> Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that
> conservatives provided.
>
> Over the years conservatives came to be symbolized by the
> largest, most
> powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are
> symbolized by
> the jackass.
>
> Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer
> white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their
> beef welldone. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare.
>
> Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have
> highetestosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal
> injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group
> therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter
> rule
> because it wasn’t fair to make the pitcher also bat.
>
> Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still
> provide for
> their women. Conservatives are engineers, IT persons, big-game
> hunters,
> rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical
> doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines and
> generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own
> companies
> hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.
>
> Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the
> producers and
> decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans
> are more
> enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals
> remained in
> Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in
> after the
> Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for
> nothing.