Wine Away: Why NYS will once again screw the little guy

I realize a lot of folks like the idea of being able to buy wine while they are at the grocery store. It's convenient and makes a lot of sense. However, I'd much rather make a trip across the street or next door (where many wine and liquor stores are in relation to large grocery stores)... and I'll tell you why. 

This is a topic I could likely argue for hours. But instead I'll try to be brief.

Many of you know I used to work at a wine shop for a long time, so I know much of the reasoning why having wine in supermarkets is both unfair to the stores and why it is likely to close their doors for good. 

Some may think it's fear of change. I don't think it's that at all--the issue is that once supermarkets, convenience stores, and the like can sell wine, those small specialty wine shops will become few and far between. I can tell you that from experience because I've lived in states where those places all sold wine. So, the small wine shop with the knowledgeable staff was pretty impossible to find--unless you want something really expensive. 

Another issue for the wine and liquors stores is that, because they'll still carry liquor, they likely won't be allowed to carry any other non-alcoholic consumables (which is currently the case). And they still won't be allowed to open a second store in the state (so trying to stay competitive next to Target, Price Chopper, Hannaford, Walmart, and even Stewart's Shops would be impossible). 

It's because of the antiquated liquor laws that the small stores are likely to go out of business (they, unlike mom and pop bakeries, bodegas, book and hardware stores, were never legally allowed to own more than one store that sold wine and liquor). If they decide to become a "speciality" shop, they'll have to lose the booze--which I admit makes them next to zero profit anyway, but then where are you going buy your whiskey, vodka, and gin? And will you be able to buy them in a place that will also carry a variety of those items, or will we all be stuck having to buy Absolut or Mr. Boston? 

Most wine and liquor stores' profits come from the inexpensive wines like the box wines and yellow tail--once the big stores start playing, there is no way they'll be able to compete (due to lack of space, both on the floor and in storage) it's not worth it to them to stay in business and try to sell the unusual wines. And once the store's close, the grocery and big box stores will jack the prices back up to what you were paying at the small wine shop, because now they will only be competing against each other (and they want to make as much as they possibly can).

And lastly, I'll just say this... Wine store loyalty aside, I'd rather a couple thousand small businesses stay open with "inconvenient" hours, then see the majority close because huge conglomerates take over their profit margin.  Unfortunately, because I'm certain those corporations have the politicians in their back pockets (Neil Golub and Jim Tedisco), I expect the great little wine stores with an interesting and different selection (and the owner or staff who can tell you all about everything there) will be a thing of the past. 

Having My Cake, and Drinking It Too

For the last six plus months I've been dealing with bizarre abdominal pain. Recently, due to an increase of said pain, I decided to stop trying to "figure it out myself" and put my care in the hands of a professional (a doctor, that is). Since I just had tests done, there's no diagnosis yet, but my doctor asked me to go the next couple of weeks without consuming any gluten.

I've been feeling so crummy, I'm willing to try almost anything. However, I was pretty certain that wheat was not the issue because there were days I would have pizza, bread, or pasta or something else with a lot of gluten, and feel fine, but since I've been doing some reading on the subject--and since my doctor discussed it with me--I realize there is a chance it could be responsible for all my weird aches and pains. So, for now,* I've jumped right in to making sure I have satisfying and delicious gluten free food.

The first dinner I made for my gluten free trial was polenta, sauteed spinach and garlic, and chorizo (pictured below). With that I had a small glass of Santi Soave, which is a lovely and delicious Italian white and it paired very nicely with my colorful dinner. I've never been much of a polenta person, buy my buddy Renée gave me a recipe and a tip to use vegetable broth instead of water to give it more flavor. It definitely made a difference (along with having the chorizo and spinach accompaniment) and I really enjoyed it.

I had to take a picture. I must say I was surprised gluten free could look so good.

So dinner was great... but following dinner was tough. In my refrigerator from a party I hosted the evening before was about 1/3 of a leftover Kahlua Chocolate Cake, and in the freezer there was Vienna Mocha Chip ice cream (to go with the cake). I had such a craving for both (ice cream sometimes has an additive that contains gluten, so even that I needed to avoid), that I ending up making coffee just so I could have some kind of "dessert" following my dinner. It was definitely satisfying, but not exactly "cake" satisfying.

Tonight I was invited over to my friends' who were willing to make a gluten-free meal for me. I offered to bring some strawberries and vanilla yogurt (Brown Cow, I love that stuff) for dessert. No, not the most exciting dessert, but what is a gluten-free girl to do? Then it occurred to me... I was given a bottle of Layer Cake Primitivo (Zinfandel) for Christmas. Just the picture on the bottle is promising for someone looking for a treat without gluten, so why not take it along to have for dessert?


Dinner, which was seasoned chicken on top of brown rice with tomatoes, red, yellow, and orange peppers, and chorizo, had a gumbo flair minus the flour roux (Thanks Andrea). It was delicious and also looked beautiful--unfortunately I didn't remember to bring my camera which is why there's no pic. Following dinner and before we pulled out the yogurt and strawberries, I went for the Layer Cake and poured all three of us a sample taste.

Out of the bottle it was a beautiful dark reddish-purple, and it's aroma was that of dark berries and mocha. The first sip proved it was indeed as rich and delicious as a lovely layer cake, but nowhere near as heavy. Extremely smooth, the wine was both easy to drink and to savor at the same time--not at all sweet, but certainly not entirely tannic, the wine was silky on the tongue and tasted of raspberries and cocoa. It even accompanied our yogurt and strawberries nicely. I'll be honest, I do enjoy a Primitivo, but have never had one that could stand up to a California Zin... this one definitely did.

I've blogged before about having a hearty red for dessert, but the folks who make the Layer Cake Primitivo are really on to something. It served well as a dessert, but I think it would also go nicely with Italian food, burgers, or barbeque. Granted, if you're really craving a "cake-like" experience, the wine certainly won't provide that kind of delectable texture and creaminess one expects from a real chocolate layer cake, but when something like that just isn't an option (as it isn't for me), it certainly fills in nicely.

*Without going into how traumatized I'll be if gluten is indeed my enemy, let me just say, thank goodness wine is gluten free!

Put a Cork in It, It's Corked.

A couple weeks ago I had some friends over, and we were enjoying some wine. When we ran dry on one kind of red, my friend Alex chose one of his favorites to open next: the Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano D'Abruzzo (a.k.a. the twig wine).*

Alex opened the bottle and poured himself a glass. He sat down and took a sip and then remarked how it tasted different to him. It wasn't as flavorful and it had something of a funk to it. I suspected it had gone bad, but I took it to be sure. And there it was: the horrible musty/mildewy my-grandmother's-basement aroma and with a flavor like old wet wood. "This is corked," I said with a grimace. We passed the glass around just so others could experience the putrid aroma (and taste if they dared) of a wine that has turned because of a bad cork.

I happened to have another bottle of the Zaccagnini on hand, so I opened it, poured another glass for Alex, and then we did a comparison. Quite the difference. The un"corked" bottle's wine had the typical lovely light fruit aroma of a Montepulciano, while the glass of bad stuff smelled not unlike a wet rag left moist for several days in a warm room.

photo by Renée

One friend admitted that it was likely she had once consumed wine that smelled and tasted like that because that's how she thought the particular wine was supposed to taste. I don't think it's uncommon for people to drink wine that's corked without realizing it (depending on how corked it is)--they just think the wine tastes bad.

Years (and years) ago, before I even knew if I really liked wine, I was at a New Year's Eve party and someone handed me a class of Merlot. When I took a sip, I thought I had just tasted one of the most foul things in my life and was certain I would never be a red wine drinker. I didn't realize, until years later, that the wine I had tasted that night was probably corked or turned in some other way. Lucky for me, I eventually found myself in a situation to try a number of different wines and understand why one could have a taste that was so terrible.

Though sometimes a wine can just be bad, if you ever purchase a bottle of wine, get it home, and open it to find that wet cellar odor, put the cork back in it, and bring it back to the wine shop. Returning alcohol or wine because you don't like it is not legal (not in NY anyway), but returning it because it has gone bad due a faulty cork is. This is a great thing in my opinion, it allows you to give the wine a second chance, and who/what doesn't deserve a second chance? (Other than maybe... oh I don't know, White Zin--ouch!)

*Montepulciano is one Italian red I always tend to like (even the cheap stuff). It has a relatively light body, but rich flavors. To me, it's like a cross between a Pinot Noir and a Zinfandel: body like a Pinot, and complex fruit like a Zin.