Open any wine magazine these days and you will be sure to find an article on the economy. Just yesterday, I received a “wine alert” that, while US wine sales were up by 1% in 2008, last year marked the slowest growth in the past decade. Seems the industry grew by 4% in 2007. Further, the sales of lower priced wines are positioned to soar in 2009 leaving high-end wines in the dust. And if the media keeps spreading the news that we are buying cheaper wines….we probably will. But is it really chic to be cheap? I say no. Instead, take advantage of the fact that we may be eating at home more nights a week than 2008 by upping the quality of the wine you sip. Afterall, opening a bottle of high-end wine at home is way more economical that uncorking the same bottle at a restaurant. Best bet, continue to support the industry at all price points and cheap out on something else….Cheers.

Just started a Daily Wine Question. To participate, simply scroll down to the link under my blogroll and click on Daily Wine Question. Also, started a wine group on Facebook called Vine Verve. By joining the group, you can chime in on various discussions about wine with like-minded people. So Friend me up and join Vineverve! I want to hear from you. Cheers.

This weekend in New York City, I made it my goal to sample a few varities that step out of the wine box. Lucky for me, we went to The Modern (located on the garden level of MoMa)to celebrate a friend’s birthday and their wine list offered a great selection of unusal varieties. Managed by Belinda Chang, the list offered an interesting read with many regions and price points represented.  I settled on two bottles for the table, a 2006 Paul Blanck Chasselas from Alsace, France and a 2007 “Modern” Alicante Bouschet from Barrosa, Australia. The Chasselas (a lesser quality French grape from a great Alsatian producer) was dry, neutral in nature with with lots of fruity, hay-like aromas that reminded us of Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. It was fantastic with the mushroom soup and chirizo ravioli I ordered for my first-course. The Alicante Bouschet (one of the few red grapes around that also has red pulp) was dark rose in color with loads of strawberry, cranberry and cranapple aromas. Fruit-forward and medium in body, the wine was a good match for the Alsatian-style sausage and sauerkraut at the table. The wines were offered by glass and bottle making it a fun way to try lesser known varieties. Here’s the best news…The Modern offers a three-course dinner for $35 every Sunday night. A great oppotunity to take in the chic scene, Alsatian eats and sample unusal varieties by the glass. Cheers.

Over the years, I have become a big fan of alternative wine vessels. From cement fermentation vats to bubbles in a can, I adore both old and new methods of making, storing and serving wine. In fact, I am in Atlanta right now to speak on behalf of Schott Zwiesel, maker of fine wine glasses and decanters, during a trade show at AmericasMart. That said, last night I went to this great restuarant called Two Urban Licks with my friend - and fellow Aussie teamer - Eric Crane. Since Eric is a native (and in the wine business) he kindly offered to show me a few of Atlanta’s wine-savvy hotspots. For me, Two Urban Licks is definately a must-see, must-sip for winelovers. The restaurant is located in a restored warehouse with huge ceilings, warm lighting and a fantastic open kitchen contructed on mixed surfaces including steel, brick, cement and wood. Add to that savory small plates featuring “fiery American cooking,” an excellent jazz ensemble and a wall of gas-powered votives and you’ll begin to understand why I am so excited about this place. At every turn diners find something new to admire, adding to the overall ambiance and experience. But wait, there’s more. Within minutes of stepping into the room, guests are greeted by a 26ft tall, temperature controlled “stainless steel” barrel room that houses 42 kegs of wine. How great is that? The program features red, white and rose wines served up in a number of carafe sizes. (3 oz,6 oz,9 oz,16 oz,32 oz) Like wine thieves in a barrel room, the gravity flow system pulls wine directly from the keg through a tap and into your glass. The remaining wine in the keg is protected by Argon to make sure each glass is fresh. We tried Steele Shooting Star Syrah, Coppola Sofia Rose and Andrew Geoffrey Cabernet Franc - all sipping very well. Each keg holds 1984 oz or 397 5oz glasses making it very economical for the restaurant which they kindly pass on to the consumer. Reasonable pricing coupled with various sizes and flavors to choose from make it fun and easy to sample many different wines in one night. Plus, the kegs are shipped back to the winery to be refilled making the entire program pretty darn green. Thanks Eric.

If I could rewind the tape and go back to this scene, I would do it in a heartbeat. Picture this. I am having dinner with friends in a local restaurant. The wine list ended up in my hands so I stopped talking to take a mental note of the entrees ordered around the table - beef, pork, duck, fish and fish. Based on the protein and preparation of each dish, I decided to order a medium -bodied New Zealand Pinot Noir. Before doing so, I asked the fish eaters if they would like to try a couple glasses of white wine or stick with the red. They both opted to join us for a glass of Pinot Noir. Later that night, one of the fish eaters commented that the red wine tasted sour leaving a “metallic flavor” in his mouth.” To which the other fish eater quickly added “Yes I agree. It tastes like a copper penny.” I almost fell out of my chair. My food and wine pairing class had come to life! We all know that perfect pairings such as ice wine and peach cobbler or Sauvignon Blanc and a high acid cheese (think goat cheese) create memorable bites. Further, most wine drinkers are aware that a specific wine may taste better with a certain dish such as Chianti with pizza or Cabernet Sauvignon with steak. Yet, nothing compares to the education your palate recieves when you experience a bad food and wine marriage. My friends may not have appreciated the metallic sensation caused by tannins in the wine reacting with fish oil, but it is certainly one lesson they will never forget. I only wish that everyone would have such an unexpected food and wine pairing experience. How cool is wine, by the way? Cheers.