Swanky meets Rummage Sale - Wine Enthusiast Scratch 'n' Dent Cellars

If you are in the market for a wine fridge, now just might be the time to buy. If you're a bargain hunter and and don't mind a slightly imperfect model (we've all shopped at TJ Maxx, right?) then check out the Scratch 'n Dent sale at Wine Enthusiast. You can peruse the outlet options via the link below--prices range from $329 to $4495--then call the 800-number and mention the code for scratch 'n dent savings:

What are Scratch 'n' Dent Cellars?
Scratch 'n' Dent Wine Cellars are like-new units that may have some cosmetic flaws but are guaranteed to work perfectly and include the full manufacturer's warranty. Prior to purchase, we'll provide you with a concise description of the cellar's blemishes.
Call a Wine Storage Consultant today and find out about additional savings on Scratch 'n' Dent cellars. Mention code E0309C. 800.377.3330

Via Wine Enthusiast

Find the Latest Wines at Wine.com

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Give Cheap Wine a Little Swank

With the holiday season fast approaching, 'tis the season of merry making and convivial gathering. Here are two stunning leather carriers from QOOQ to make even your cheapest wine picks look like something special.

The Litron pictured above earns the official swanky title because it comes in over the $20 range. But not by much... for about $32 you have a lovely gift that your hosts can actually use for years to come. They won't even notice the 2-buck Chuck inside.

And the Ursula bag you'll want for your own trips to the market, but it is so cheap you'll be buying one for all of your friends. It is constructed of the same fine leather as the Litron, but cut in concentric circles so that it collapses into a flat disc for storage. $12 -$15

via QOOQ Edition

Skybar™ Wine System

Christmas is just around the corner and if you're wondering what to give a wine lover who has everything--and if you have $1000 to play with--you might consider the Skybar Wine System.

Chill, pour and preserve wine all from a single system. Whether you are a wine connoisseur or frequently entertain, Skybar is the new and elegant way to serve and store wine. Individually controlled chambers let you keep up to three different wines ready to serve, each at its ideal varietal-specific temperature. Nine wine presets allow you to select the correct temperature, taking the guesswork out of chilling. When you're ready for a glass, Skybar pours the wine for you. With a press of the button, wine is dispensed into your glass. Guests may choose the wine they want and when they want it.

Patented vacuum technology preserves open bottles at peak flavor for up to ten days. Keeps wine fresh and protected from oxidization.

Available only online, but Sur la Table will cover free ground shipping. Be sure to check out the Skybar Video after the jump.

Super Swanky Bottle Design - Logan Wines

There is something you should know about me... Something deep... Something dark...
I sometimes make purchasing decisions based on packaging... shhh.

I can't help it. Before I made my food and wine obsessions my job, I lived another life, albeit brief, in advertising. Now, I try not to let my fascination with marketing affect my wine-buying decisions. The juice is far more important than vessel which contains it (until that vessel is my glass). But I found the following piece on theDieLine and I just had to share because it involves a producer that I've always wanted to try. The perfect marriage of artfully crafted package design and the lovingly crafted product contained therein:

From War Design: Logan Wines is a boutique winery based in Mudgee NSW (Australia). Since their launch 11 years ago, Logan wines have built a reputation for wines that occupy a top-end niche position in Australia and key overseas markets including Japan and the UK. The brand's core drinkers could be best described as investigative connoisseurs - those not afraid to try something else in the pursuit of excellence.

You can see the level of craft and care that has gone into producing these labels, and it's the attention to detail that elevates these designs from being simply being beautiful into something meaningful. Just like the wine itself apparently. Via TheDieLine

La Grande Dame by Riva Collection

I'd like to tell you that this was my anniverary present...and that we enjoyed it while drifting off the coast of Cap-Ferrat. Alas, I would be hallucinating. But it is nice to dream. For the Champagne lover with impeccable taste and very deep pockets, check out the Veuve Clicquot Riva Collection, courtesy of Acquire:

Veuve Clicquot and luxury yacht builder, Riva, are collaborating on a stunning collection of products called "La Grande Dame". The collection features two products -- The Cruiser Collection which is a made to measure piece and comes with 4 bottles of La Grande Dame, 2 magnums of La Grande Dame 88, 6 Riedel Champagne Flutes, 6 water tumblers, plates, table mats, and cutlery. The second item is their "Cruiser Bag" which is a limited edition piece (Only 300 made) and includes a bottle of La Grande Dame 88 and two champagne flutes.

Via Acquire

To Market, To Market - Bread & Wine Bag

I love it and I hate it . . . where to begin?
I LOVE the idea of a bread and wine bag to take to the market. It is very laid-back-European and of course, appeals to my inner conservationist. I've often wondered how I could keep my wine bottle(s) from crushing delicate produce in my floppy, pocket-less canvas satchel. This leather version from Rebecca Minkoff is an adorable solution.

HOWEVER, I'm disinclined to pay $185 for a leather bag that will doubtless encounter all manner of leaks, spills, and sweaty refrigerated foods. How about a cheap, fun canvas or burlap version? Way more my speed. I don't think you need to spend a fortune to conserve. Oxymoron, anyone? These days being "green" is often synonymous with spending green.

That said, if you have the disposable income, by all means splurge. And then keep coming back to us for cheap, fun picks to fill the wine pocket.

Via NOTCOT

WinePod - Super-Swanky At-Home Winery

You, or someone you love can soon be making your own super-swanky wine, at home, in your own personal super-swanky winery. Check out this uber-cool apparatus:

If you have a trust fund and dear old dad likes wine, and I mean really likes wine, here is the perfect father's day gift. The Winepod lets dad become his own winemaker with his own personal fermentation chamber.
The chamber itself is 4-feet tall and needs less than 4 square feet of space. The device has sensors and uses wireless technology to connect to a software application on a PC called the WineCoach. WineCoach walks users through the fermentation process and when it detects problems it tells users how to fix them.
Winepod can produce one fermentation every 30 days with each one producing four cases of wine with 48 750ml bottles total. Users can order the grapes directly from the Winepod maker and they are shipped de-stemmed and frozen for freshness. Users wanting to use their own grapes can get them lab certified to ensure fermentation. The Winepod itself is a whopping $4,499, add the bottling kit, grapes, and accessories and it will cost you $5999, thrown in a 30L French oak wine barrel and you will need $6349. (by Shane McGlaun)

from i4u News

Ceago Vinegarden - A Little Green Heaven on Earth

Since I'm still in Earth Day mode, I decided to incorporate one of my favorite biodynamic producers into this week's swanky post. When Jim Fetzer sold his eponymous winery in the early 1990's he decided to go green. He founded Ceago Vinegarden with the intent of making superior quality hand crafted, limited production wines that are pure expressions of their varietal make-up and terroir. The family's philosophy on farming and winemaking and history, for me, is the ideal. But really, I continue to buy because they continue to produce wines that are outstanding.

It was tough for me to choose a single wine to review here so I chose three. I give you my notes on all three, but also the technical specs from Ceago's website. You try to find them at your local wine shop, but if you have a tough time, you can also buy through Ceago's online store (depending, of course, on whether or not your state allows shipping).

2006 "Kathleen's Vineyard" Sauvignon Blanc $20
The beautiful golden hue of this wine just hints at the deluge of bright aromas emanating from the glass. I get a nose full of ripe grapefruit, casaba melon and bosc pear. These scents ring true at first taste and mingle with juicy golden delicious apple and just a twinge of creamy pineapple. A whole fruit salad in one sip. And though it is incredibly layered and wonderfully fruity, it is also subtly herbaceous which gives it a super clean, crisp finish.
100% estate grown, "Kathleen's Vineyard" on our Biodynamic® farm in Lake County, California. The grapes were hand-harvested from September 12th-22nd, 2006 at 23.4° Brix. The grapes were grown and certified Biodynamic® by Demeter and Organic by Stellar. Our Sauvignon Blanc pairs well with most spring and summer foods including salads, vegetable dishes, light pasts and seafood. (from Ceago Vinegarden)

2007 "Del Lago" Syrah Rose $20
So, it is no secret (or at least it won't be for long since summer is almost here) that I am a big fan of roses. Sometimes you require a little something more substantial that a white, but really want the refreshment of a chilled wine. Enter the incredibly food flexible and palate friendly rose. And the Ceago syrah has just about everything that I love and then some. Bright summer berry fruits, without cloying sweetness, and a bit of structure and body and even a hint of the creaminess that you might get in a red syrah. It is dry and crisp and full flavored enough to enjoy on its own or to serve with just about anything.
Our Syrah Rose was 100 % estate grown and hand harvested from our Biodynamic® farm in Lake County, California from September 28th to October 7th, 2006 at 24.8° Brix. The grapes were grown and certified Biodynamic by Demeter and Organic by Stellar. Our Syrah Rose pairs well sliced meats, cheeses, spring salads, and spicy summer dishes. (from Ceago Vinegarden)

2002 "Camp Masut" Merlot $30
This is one of those wines that satisfies all of my senses. Super dark and inky with voluptuous viscosity and intoxicating scents of black cherry and damson plum with a subtle whiff of saddle leather. It is ripe, rich and chewy with cherry-chocolate undertones accentuated by a creamy vein of vanilla and shots of spice. Good golly, I have died and gone to heaven.
The grapes used in this wine were 100% estate grown "Camp Masut" Merlot. Camp Masut, located on the headwaters west of the Russian River in Redwood Valley, once was home to a tribe of Pomo Indians. The grapes were hand harvested on October 10th, 2002 at 25 Brix, and were grown and certified Biodynamic by Demeter. (from Ceago Vinegarden)

Pretty in Pink - Globalight Champagne Holder

Well, it doesn't get much more swanky than this. Created for Rose Chamapgne, which tends to be swanky on its own, this little number is so extravagant that I am at a loss for words. Check out this bit from
Cool Hunting:

Launching [this week] as part of Milan's furniture festivities, the latest collaboration with leading designers and the second with blob lord Karim Rashid and Veuve Clicquot is this reinvention of a chandelier in the form of a glowing pink champagne holder that doubles as a cooling tote. The design, an asymmetrical sensual ellipse, was the result of Rashid's initial scribble after asked to meld the immaterial and the material like he'd done with his first project for Veuve, the loveseat. Realizing his doodle was "the idea in itself," the Globalight literally circles the champagne and adds ambient illumination that plays off the pink hue of Rose champagne, for which it was designed. Bringing lighting experts Zumtobel into the project, the lamp-cum-basket uses technology to light up without heating and in fact keeps bottles at the ideal temperature for up to two hours. Limited to a run of 500 (only 50 of those will be available for the U.S. market), the Globalight will be available on Eclicquot in May for $4,000.

Obviously only a select few can, and will, splurge on this accessory. Just don't think of it as a wine cooler. Think of it as art.
Image and excerpt from Cool Hunting

Riedel Tyrol Cabernet Glasses

I have FINALLY found my perfect glasses. Unfortunately they don't fit into my perfect budget, but we'll have to work on that. Don't misunderstand, I love my Riedel Vinums, but I don't like that they break easily and they don't fit into the top rack of my dishwasher. Add to that my spastic propensity for knocking them over and you have the trifecta of irritation. The Riedel Os are ok, but I like a stem to swirl and I don't like that my hands heat up the wine. Enter the Riedel Tyrol line. Clean lines, stunning design, a sturdy stem, and all of the fantastic attributes that you get with Riedel. Check it out:

Casual and elegant, this Riedel Tyrol Cabernet glass is part of a brand new glass series introduced in Spring 2007. This glass stands on a solid half sphere, offering amazing light reflection, while each bowl is developed for the enjoyment of popular grape varieties and beverages. The Tyrol series is made of lead crystal, which lends itself to a solid base with great stability, while giving it never ending sparkle. The name Tyrol commemorates the Riedel Family's new beginning 50 years ago in Austria in the federal state of Tyrol. These glasses come in a set of 2 and are designed to enhance the enjoyment of full-bodied red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. (from Amazon)

They are slightly more affordable than the vinum line, but are still a little swanky at $39 for a pair. My vinums should really watch out . . . it is a long fall from the bar to the tile. Accidents can happen.

Check out the full line and pick your faves: Riedel Tyrol Cabernet Glass, Set of 2

Images from www.riedel.com

Rocket Science 2004 Proprietary Red

When John Caldwell arrived in Napa Valley in the early 1980's, his intent was to make his mark as a real estate developer, but when the Napa bureaucracy crushed that dream, he decided that his land might just be the ideal spot for growing grapes. And so Caldwell Vineyard was conceived.

Caldwell Vineyard; the confluence of superlative soils, an ideal climate, and the passion to produce delicious wines. We are so fortunate to live and work in a place where Mother Nature conspires with us to make magic.

Now I've had my share of swanky wines but I must say, there are not too many that I've enjoyed as much as this one. No, for me the Caldwell 2004 Rocket Science is in a category all its own. The deep, dark garnet juice is a jewel in the glass. At first whiff, the sweet tobacco and spice and rich macerated berry are mind-blowing and totally hypnotic. This wine is so rich and layered that my mind and my palate can hardly keep up. My heart is racing. The Rocket Science teases with layers of black cherry and berry fruits that remain on your palate but at the same time give way to clove and cedar and sagebrush. It is reverent and refined, yet completely unpretentious. I am in love. And why shouldn't I be? This Proprietary Red blend is composed of some of my favorite varietals. It is 32% Syrah, 32% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot. You can find the current release (2005) on the Caldwell Vineyard site for $40. And it is worth every red cent.

P.S. If you are interested in learning more about the what Napa was like before it became a tourist destination and while it was struggling to become one, check out James Conaway's, Napa: The Story of an American Eden. It is a truly engaging account of Napa's storied past starring a fascinating cast of characters that you come to love or love to hate.
Photo from www.caldwellvineyard.com

Crushpad's fusebox - Learn to blend wine at home!

In our efforts to bring you the the latest buzz in the wine world, we have come across yet another swanky wine business that everyone can enjoy at home -- that is everyone willing to spend $120. Check out the Springwise article:

The busy vintners at Crushpad, an urban winery we've already discussed on two separate occasions, have given us reason to cover them yet again. Just before the holidays Crushpad introduced fusebox, a wine blending kit that lets users experience the wine-making process at home.

Crushpad's 15-pound fusebox was created to contain everything a group of four might need to explore how some of the world's greatest wines are blended: Six 375 mL bottles of blending wine from some of Napa's finest vineyards, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc; one 375 mL bottle of Mystery Wine; one graduated cylinder and 4 pipettes; four wine evaluation cards; four tasting place mats; recipe cards, a vinography aroma card and a corkscrew. Using the kit, wine enthusiasts can try to re-create classic Cabernet blends or invent their own; they can also test their discernment skills on the included Mystery Wine by playing the "Guess the Mystery Blend" online game at fuseboxwine.com. fusebox is priced at USD 120 and available for shipping only within the United States.

"Crushpad's mission is to turn consumers into creators," explains Michael Brill, CEO of San Francisco-based Crushpad. "Whether it's the multiyear experience of making a wine from vine to bottle or just spending a few hours with friends enjoying a blending session with fusebox, we want to give individuals the opportunity to experience the fun and sense of creative expression that comes from making wine."

Crushpad has always specialized in helping enthusiasts understand and make their own wines, providing desirable status skills along the way. Crushpad is in the very early phases of signing up fusebox retailers and distributors.

Website: www.fuseboxwine.com
Contact: patrick@crushpadwine.com

from: Springwise

Clarendon Hills Kangarilla Grenache 2004

So this is way swanky, but we have excellent justification for it. Valentine's Day is fast approaching and you've got to stockpile great wines for that night. Grenache is a wine you can truly enjoy, without the commitment demanded by a Cabernet or even a Syrah, and this wine fills the bill, although at rather a high level. The wine is a deep, nearly opaque purple, bringing confident aromas of raspberry, strawberry and blackberry to the nose, with eucalyptus, black pepper, licorice and floral notes. This is deep, ripe, honest fruit, thick and concentrated, but far from jammy. The flavor notes are similar. You can actually get your teeth into just picked fruit, chew on the flesh, access the hard-working acidity. The tannins are firm, ripe, and well integrated. It all makes for delicious fun.

Trimbach Cuvee Riesling

Year: 2003
ABV: 14.5%
We Paid: $28

Rieslings do not have to be a summer wine. In fact, I have images of ice encrusted grapes yearning to be part of a Christmas desert. Trimbach produces wonderful wines, and this is no exception. Crisp and light with only a hint of sweetness. Italian cookies, French pastries, or maybe even a New York Style Cheesecake with cherries. OK I'm hungry and thirsty.

TrimbaChateau 2003 Cuvee Frederic Emile Riesling - White Wine