Vino Fun!

BIG NEWS!!! August 12-13 I will be in Dallas, Texas at the Four Seasons taking the Introductory Sommelier Course & Exam and I couldn’t be more excited! Apart from my independent studies I will be studying under Bill Elsey (CS, CSW, CWE) who recently dominated at a Champagne tasting in Houston and will be taking part once again in the upcoming TEXSOM competition. The future is going to be beautiful, I can feel it.

Also, it was great to hear from Michael Thurner of Austria’s Fine Brands and I look forward to future endeavors with him and the wonderful wines he represents. Michael will be at Vinexpo in Bordeaux (June 19-23, 2011) and I would love for all of you to stop by his booth. His booth number is: Hall 1, BD321 – It is part of the
Austrian Pavillion.
Michael will be showcasing Austria’s Fine Brands which include:
Weingut Markus Huber: www.weingut-huber.at
Weingut Jurtschitsch: www.jurtschitsch.com
Weingut Gerhard Markowitsch: www.markowitsch.at
Weingut Tement: www.tement.at
Weingut Johanneshof Reinisch: www.j-r.at
Weingut Weninger: www.weninger.com
Arachon TFXT: www.arachon.com
Weingut Angerhof Tschida: www.angerhof-tschida.at

*WINE OF THE BLOG* – I personally love Johanneshof Reinisch’s Pinot Noir for not only the elegance of the wine but also the price; at under $18 it’s hard to find a better Pinot Noir!

*MUSIC OF THE BLOG* – GOOD MAN- RAPHAEL SAADIQ – Next month my great friend Tyler, my gorgeous girlfriend Carisa and myself will be graced to see Raphael live in Austin, Texas! I implore all of you to grab a copy of his latest cd titled Stone Rollin and kick back and enjoy summer with the ones you love.

After being shown RIP : A remix manifesto in class, we were assigned the task of writing a blog about it, so here goes.

The film is about Web activist and filmmaker Brett Gaylor who explores issues of copyright in the information age, mashing up the media landscape of the 20th century and shattering the wall between users and producers.  The film goes on to focus on Girl Talk, A mash-up musician who is insanely popular but doesn’t technically “write” his own music.

After watching the film I began to realize how being in a closed circuit can only be a detriment to society in the long term. Sharing ideas and collaborating on thoughts is what built this country, hence why the Declaration of Independence wasn’t written by just ONE person, rather it was a collaboration of ideas being shared. The ideas don’t have to stop at music as the video pointed out, medicine is crucial for the future of our civilization, yet we patent so many ideas that roadblocks get created for the people trying to make cures.

Girl Talk is a great example of taking music that you might have never listened to and actually liking it. For instance, I am not the biggest fan of missy elliot, I’m sure she’s a great woman and wonderful person but I just don’t dig her music. But when Girl Talk puts her over Nu Shooz I can’t help but get into it. This is just one great thing about mash-up music. The other reason I am pro-Girl Talk is the fact that he let’s his fans choose how much to pay for his c.d.’s. I remember the first time I paid $0.00 for an album off of his site and thought, “this is genius…I want more.” Free music + free good music = lots of fans for touring and buying merch, sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

I do believe that there is going to be an “adapt or die” phase that will hit the music industry very soon. We are already seeing the importance of free shows and free music give-aways, but who’s to say it’s going to stop there. The future of file sharing and music lies in the hands of the next generation, and what also lies in there hands is technology and the power to get around almost anything the music industry puts in their way, so like I said before; it’s time for the record industry to adapt or die.

I loved seeing my grandma and loved even more that she could visit me and see what I’m up to at this point in my life.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

After watching the video Download: The True Story of the Internet, particularly part 4- People Power; I was left with a sense of amazement of what has been accomplished in such a short time in regards to the internet and networking sites. People Power did call Napster “shoplifting” and talked about Metallica taking action, both of which I find hilarious. After the music industry “winning” and calling their own customers “outlaws” I feel like a split was created. Music file sharing will never go away, just as Kazaa and Limewire and many others have followed. The video helps shed light on how YouTube managed to escape the same fate as Napster, especially with enemies like Viacom. Mypsace and of course Facebook go on to be mentioned and talked about, but I thought it was the absence of Twitter that actually said the most. Once Rupert Murdock bought Myspace it really was the end of it, and now that Twitter and Facebook have clearly taken Myspace over, its fun to woner: what’s next?  The video made it seem like it would be a “battle” between Myspace and Facebook, but to me it didn’t seem that way at all, Facebook simply took over and Myspace had no chance. The last part of the video goes on the talk about Craigslist and Wikipedia and how they “can’t be bought”, a phrase that I think will help keep them around for years to come.

not that I do download illegaly, but I could see how people would fall into this chart.

*WINE OF THE BLOG* – Duboeuf Fleurie Domaine Des Quatre Vents 2007 – Words cannot express how much I love Gamay, and nobody does it better then Beaujolais. After tackling this bottle last name with some great friends it’s safe to say I’m going to be a repeat buyer. The nose of any Gamay is usually great, but I loved the cinnamony-bubble gum that came out of this bottle. Gamay is the perfect spring time wine so go grab a bottle today!!

*MUSIC OF THE BLOG*- “Boy” – RA RA RIOT –  

BE MINE WITH BEETHOVEN AND WINE!

Bring your Valentine for an evening of music and wine at Duchman Family Winery, on Sunday, February 13th, at 7 pm. This special evening will feature music by Beethoven and Mendelssohn, performed by the newly formed Austin Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra. You will enjoy a hand chosen wine tasting, lovely music and the company of your loved one, all in one of the most romantic settings of the Texas Hill Country! Tickets per couple are only $65 at the door, cash or check only, please! To reserve an amazing seat, please call Melissa at 512-858-1470 ext 107!

DAY ONE

“Tape it like you live your life William, Fast and Hard.”

The words still echoing in my head as I sit here reminiscing of my first day of bottling. I went in around ten and for the first hour I tried my damnedest to stay out of the way and lend a helping hand whenever possible. That hand came in the form of a squeegee and I was immediately dragged back to reality. Oh no friends, this wasn’t on par with my wildest thoughts of what happens in the great “bottling of wine” process (which would be a group of people sitting in a room with a huge window that overlooks an assemble line where machines of the 21st century do all of the labor, produce fantastic wine, and all the while the group of people are laughing and smoking cigars while drinking hose wine…i digress) this was in fact was true old-fashioned labor, the best kind there is.

Well friends, we started the bottling process around 10 a.m. and finished at about 9:00 p.m. It was a learning experience I’ll never forget and hopefully will someday put into practice for my own wine. The machines were so loud and the sound of glass bottles clanging together still rings in my ears. Learning to bottle wine is honestly a very easy thing to do; as long as you aren’t the wine maker! While Rachel, Bill, Miles and I were “in the zone” at whatever station we may be at, Dave Reilly (winemaker) was in constant motion making sure everything was calibrated correctly and at the same time keeping an eye over my rookie-shoulder.

Although it was quite loud and nonstop labor the main thing I can remember is the laughter and music. To get the day started Phoenix blasted through the speakers as the song “1901” came on and everyone started waking up and getting into the grove of things. Throughout the long day my cheeks were sore from grinning from ear to ear due to nonstop laughter (and if you know me and my smile you know that’s very possible). With only a couple of pallets left to fill until Day 1 would come to an end, Bill put MGMT’s cd on and my second-win was upon me. All of us dancing and singing along as the wine came at us at 1.3 bottles a second, this indeed was the memory that will be burned into my brain forever.

In the last minutes of the day Miles and I are sent on the catwalks to add some wine to a large vat holding our Canto Felice. With the astringent fumes of gallon upon gallon of wine scratching up at my face, a smile came about and I realized this is home; and this is only the beginning.

DAY TWO

It’s early, I’m cold, and the rain hasn’t let up for days. My mind starts to wonder if somewhere in the distance there’s a modern-day Noah crafting an ark. Walking into the back of the winery, Dave Reilly and Miles are fast at work prepping our 2009 Canto Felice for bottling. Somewhat later Rachel comes and takes a sample to test in the lab. Like a curious puppy I wonder into the lab as Rachel begins to break down the laboratory side of wine making to me. Taking me around the room, I am in awe at another aspect of wine making I soon have to put under my belt. Though it seemed like a ton of material to learn, Rachel assured me that in due time with adequate study I will be able to master the lab (awesome!).

Day 2 was marked with me trying to learn all of the simplicities of wine making that during the first day I was too overwhelmed to make note of. This included Dave and Bill going over the filtration process that happens directly before bottling, one of hundreds that has taken place throughout the wine making process. I also was given the inside scoop on the coveted GAI 2001 bottling machine. The machine is what fills the empty bottle with wine, puts’ a cork in the bottle, slaps a label on the front and back, and finishes with the tin on the top. Learning about negative pressure and direct fill lines, I began to get more and more comfortable around the machines and more antsy to want to get hands on with them.

With undeniably more help personal-wise on Day 2 of bottling, I was able to take some snap shots and jot down notes to remember for later. The first one is of Bill at the top of one of our large vats waiting to yell down “we’re good” when the vat finally is filled meaning I can finally turn off the machine I’m running that is pushing the wine from one clean vat to the next. From there I caught a glimpse of our gorgeous barrel room and ran my fingers over the newest barrels of American Oak we had just received. Barrel rooms are always so cool to me especially after recently attaining an oak barrel of my own.

We will be bottling white wine next month and I cannot wait. The overall feeling that continues to last with me was one of laughter, friendship, and learning. Although serious about the level of wine being produced and the obvious attention that must be paid during the process of it, I was happy to learn that it’s true what they say – “You must be able to taste the love of the winemaking to taste a great wine.”

*Wine of the Blog* – 2007 Cornelissen Munjebel 4 Bianco – Frank Cornelissen is amazing at his craft, making purely Natural wines. The Conrelissen Munjebel 4 hails from Mount Edna in Sicily and brings with it a flavor combination that might bring some people to their knees. Many people think these “natural” wines are the future due in no small part to many people thinking they are “allergic to sulfites” or the crazy notion that “sulfite free wine doesn’t give you hangovers,” the ladder of which I can tell you firsthand is absolutely not true. But in any case I do love natural wines for the incredibly complex and diverse aromas and flavors that the wines can bring. Finding this particular wine might be a stretch at the local liquor store, but I highly recommend trying any “natural” or bio-dynamic wine.

*Music of the Blog* – “Weak Man” and “My own sinking ship” – Good Old War – These two videos are from the Scout Bar in San Antonio. I went to this show with my great friend Tyler Nelson and my wonderful girlfriend Cari, and needless to say it was a BLAST! Audra Mae ended up coming out to sing Anthony Greens’ lines during Weak Man, which was brilliant.