Mommy Wine?!?

A good friend of this Rampant Oenophile made an off handed comment last week that stopped me in my tracks. He was talking about something that included the phrase “mommy wine.” My quizzical look must have amused him, as he told me about how is wife has a secret stash of what he calls her “mommy wine,” the wine that mommies have after the kids are down for the night.


The problem with mommy wine, though, is that an open bottle doesn’t last, so we started on a conversation about how to keep wine fresh. Without a fancy nitrogen system, which is too expensive, or a cheap vacuum pump, which doesn’t really work, opening a bottle means committing to 5 or 6 glasses of wine in short window. I just envisioned a horde of drunken Mommies swerving about the neighborhood pushing strollers to and fro. Not a happy image.

So, with the question of “how does one affordably keep wine fresh,” in mind, I set out on some research. I’ve been thinking about box wines for a while. I’ve always been a fan of the screw top. It’s an economical if slightly industrial option to cap a bottle and eliminate corkage problems completely. Austrailia, South Africa, and New Zealand adopted it long ago, and “upstart” California vintners enjoy it today. The French? Not so much. But, screw tops don’t solve the problem of storage open wine.

What about the Box? The phrase “box wine” projects the image of those nasty bulk wines from the 1970’s that restaurants used in bad sauces or to braise tough cuts of meat. Not for the faint of heart or tender of palate.

But, today, box wines offer terrific values and tremendous flexibility for wine drinkers. For the price of a few bottles of modest wine, I can find three varieties of box wines equivalent to a case of bottles, which store easily and save for up to 4 weeks upon opening. Each box contains a polymer bladder and spigot that protects the wine from air and age. Once open, air cannot flow into the bladder and harm the wine, thus extending the shelf life. Quite ingenious, actually.

So, I tested a few and bought my friend a Bota Box of Shiraz for his favorite “mommy.” For about $17, Bota box packages 3 liters of Shiraz in a convenient cardboard box (with up to 25% recycled materials). The Shiraz is a blend and very drinkable. It offers a good blend of warm fruit and vanilla, has silky textures and leaves a little spice on the finish. Overall, a solid wine that works out to about $4.25 a bottle. Far better than a Yellow Bird or other such wine, at a remarkable value.

Best of all, our favorite Mommy can enjoy a glass or two a night without pressure to finish off the bottle. Bota Box lasts on the counter or in the fridge for up to 4 weeks, more than enough time to keep mommy from terrorizing the neighborhood with sloppy strollering.

Finding Respite from the Heat, a Cool Sauvignon Blanc Delivers...

For the first time ever, the heat of this summer has evaporated my will. I am moving from my beloved Zins and Petite Sirahs to cooler wines that can be served slightly chilled. I just can’t take the Central Florida heat!!


My wine club, The Tasting Room, sends small 6 bottle samplers to me monthly that let me try before I buy. I get a set of 6 50ml sampler bottles of cool wines from distinct regions or varietals, then I compare, rate, and select two bottles for my club shipment. Last month, I found a wonderful Petite Sirah (that I will be saving for cooler weather and a hot grill), as well as a very nice Sauvignon Blanc that balanced a lighter wine with complex flavors for a very satisfying and cooler wine.

Napa Station 2009 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, cool, slightly acidic Sauv Blanc with a complex texture and flavor profile. I enjoyed a soft bouquet with some melon and pear on the nose, but was surprised by the crisp mineral tones on my tongue. The slight acidity made my mouth water slightly on the finish, which is exactly what acidity should do. Overall, very nice, and much more complex than I expected. Serve it cool, but not cold, or you will have a glass of alcoholic grape juice.

Napa Station is a winery, not a vineyard. They make wines from grapes grown all over Napa Valley, and offer a Sauvignon Blanc, a chardonnay, a merlot and a cabernet sauvignon. While they do not offer genuine online sales (you can download a .pdf and use snail mail), The Tasting Room offers the 2009 Sauvignon Blanc for $14.99 a bottle, and it is found in some of their samplers, too.

I’m sitting on a few dry Rose wines that may make the heat moderately bearable, so watch for upcoming blogs for new reviews. Enjoy!

WTSO Deal on 2005 Hugo from Oriel Wines

I recently joined a new service called “Wines Till Sold Out” or WTSO. They offer special discounts on odd lots of wines that they buy directly from the vintner or winery. I’ve seen some great deals on lofty brands like Silver Oak at more than 50% off. Most wines are available at 40% - 65% off the wine shop price, and shipping is usually free if I buy 3-4 bottles.


A few weeks ago, WTSO sent me an email that caught my attention. Friends of this Rampant Oenophile know my love of Zinfandels, so when WTSO offered the 2005 Hugo, a Russian River Valley Zin, from Oriel Wines for just $9.99 a bottle, shipping included for 4 bottle purchases, I jumped.

The Zinfandel grape is America’s grape. Though it came from Croatia and other Eastern European slopes originally, today the Zinfandel grape is grown nearly exclusively in the US, and California vintners use it for some spectacular wines. Zinfandel is always lusty and big, often fruit forward in the parlance of wine writers. I love it for its dark fruit and spices. The spice overtones of the wine make it a perfect pair for steaks and cheeses, as it cuts through the fatty richness of those foods.

The Oriel Hugo, from wine maker Dan Goldfield, offers a big nose full of pepper and clove that anticipates the dark fruit in the wine. You’ll definitely taste cherry and currant on the front. This wine finishes smoothly, especially paired with food. It’s a great grilling wine with very little sugar. The Oak in the Hugo compliments smoked meats. I got some good advice from Vine Talk suggesting that a good pairing is a match of textures in the wine. Smoke on smoke, acidity with acidity; so a Zinfandel aged in oak with layers of rich silky textures should go very well with the Great American Barbeque. The Hugo makes a splash at grill side this summer, for certain.

The 2005 Oriel Hugo is still available on their website for $25 a bottle, or you can watch WTSO for another offer of this excellent Zinfandel. Enjoy.