Nonstop Wine Talk

So I just wrapped up a full week and weekend of wine meetings, education seminars and in-store wine tastings. Such is the life of running a wine brokerage. I loved every single second of it! I must shout out to the good folks in Fort Worth for enthusiastically tasting and wanting more this weekend! Keep your secret among yourselves – so many of you have a sincere passion for all things wine - toast to you all!

Here’s the list of wine introduced, tasted and sipped over the past week or so – not a single wimp in the bunch!

2002 Cloverdale Ranch Merlot - forget Loser Miles – he is sooo not worthy of ever sipping this Alexander Valley gem! Velvety good.

2002 Cloverdale Ranch Cabernet – eyes popped and lips smacked “oh my gosh – this is incredible”, enough said.

2002 Olivet Lane Estate Pinot Noir– oh lovely fruit and amazing aromas, a gentle beauty.

2001 Olivet Lane Estate Chardonnay – eyes closed you can see the vines of Montrachet!

2003 Pellegrini Russian River “Eight Cousins Vineyard” Zin – Shh! Texas has the last few cases of this little devil – it’ll make you drink more than a glass a day!

2004 Dominique Portet Sauvignon Blanc - oh, this is truly the best $19.99 Aussie white to be found in Texas, one sip and you’ll want a case full (true story!).

2004 Loica Carmenere and Sauvingnon Blanc – brand new to Texas and selling like crazy at Central Markets in Austin and Fort Worth. It’s a smaller project in Chile brought to you buy the great Portet family. Wow – this is my “pool wine” from now on!

2002 Gusto Malbec – Uncorked this Malbec open under the stars while listening to Ft. Worth’s great “Srank Finatra Band”. Complete with a 65 year-old drummer, saxophonist, bassist, pianist, trumpet player and guitar superstar this band rocked – but not as much as the Gusto. Chef Terry says “this wine is AWESOME, this will go with any wild game I shoot myself!”. Found only at Central Market Ft. Worth – oh but Chef Terry came in and bought the shelf out!

2005 Susana Balbo Torrontes - Anyone that likes white wine should give this amazing beauty a try. No kidding, it’s addictive - serve it cold and have a least 2 bottles chilled at all times!

Susana Balbo and Ben Marco wines - http://www.vineconnections.com/wines/susana_balbo.html
Over 6 current vintages were paired with steak dinners for 9 of the Texas’ most enthusiastic wine buyers. I cannot single out a any individual wine due to each one ROCKING. Susana Balbo is providing the world with incredible wine that is affordable as well as classic representation of each varietal. I predict Susana will be the most well known, eading female wine-maker in all of the world for a very long time! CHEERS - Ali

A Beautiful Woman

Interesting enough, there are still way too many wine collectors and consumers who believe fine wine is determined by the price tag. That’s like saying “a woman has to be made of money to be beautiful” or “Beauty is determined by ones’ bank account”. WHATEVER.

Of course there are incredible wines to be had with incredible price tags to match – always have been and will always be. BUT in this day and age, we as wine consumers have the advantage of spending less of our hard-earned dollars on OUTSTANDING wines from all over the world. JEEESH! I don’t do well with “wine-snootty-who-haws” – can you tell?!

TexaCali Wine Trail was brought to you today by the great makers of Tylenol – which is helping me with this nagging headache created by such jackasses who recently turned their noses up at wines that would have blown them away (and would have saved them a little more dough to spend on gasoline to fill their fancy cars with). CHEERS - Ali

Central Market Wine Directors

ARE TOTAL STUDS! Seriously, I've just returned from visiting the San Antonio and Austin stores and have now met the entire wine team for the first time. I am thrilled to know each and every store has more than amazing leadership in the wine department - each department is unique in style and character but run with amazing finesse and with an acute sense of professional wine buying. Too bad I never had a chance to get to know everyone while among this team, it's such a miss that we couldn't have spent more time with each other to synergize and KICK ASS for the sake of providing great wine to Central Market customers. All in all, everyone makes the most of it - and rocks - there is no other team on earth that shines any brighter among thousands of wine bottles, even if they have to shuffle, rebuild and make room for "gourmet" items that are not made from the GREAT GRAPE! Hats off to JR, GEORGE, SETH, SEAN, EZRA, IAN and MARTIN!!! - Ali

Wine from the Heart

Pellegrini Wines are back in the HOUSE! I’m so excited to “relaunch” this portfolio of delicious wine for all to enjoy. In a nutshell, Bob Pellegrini has kept it “real” for over 30 years and it is a pure joy to represent his lovely wine throughout Texas! Summer offerings through Prestige Wine Cellars include…

2001 Olivet Lane Russian River Valley Chardonnay

2002 Olivet Lane Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

2002 Cloverdale Ranch Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2002 Cloverdale Ranch Alexander Valley Merlot

2003 Pellegrini Russian River Valley Zinfandel

2004 Pellegrini Lake County Sauvignon Blanc

2004 Pellegrini Russian River Unoaked Chardonnay

Each wine is uniquely it’s own and one could build an entire wine list that includes all of the Pellegrini items. Mr. Pellegrini is one of few winery owners who keeps a humble heart while producing world class wines – I can’t hardly wait to have him back in the Texas market to meet a whole new generation of Pellegrini Wine fans! Cheers - Ali

Wrapping Up the Month of May

Oh where did the month of May go? Liquid time - sipping wine with amazing people in Texas is where May slithered away!

Bottle of the Month goes to.....2002 Tikal Patriota! What a beautiful, elegant and velvety wine, 60% Bonarda 40% Malbec. I expected a tannin' bomb, but this baby was smooth with a finish that lingered for minutes.

Retailer of the Month goes to...well, I'd have to give it to 2 fascinating Houston accounts.
1) Vino 100 - a new shop run by Paul Drennan that specializes in 100 great wines under $25. The layout is very cozy and inviting, and I'd have to say that his selection is first rate! They are brand new to Texas - but seem to be off to a great start!

2) and certainly not second to anyone though is Specs. While working for K&L - Specs was our largest competitor in the Houston area. Last week I walked the many isles in their main downtown store for the first time and was blown away with their in-depth selection. As a true wine marketeer, I was a little giddy while meeting the sales staff, very impressed with the longetivty of the staff and knowledge base. It's so comforting to know my products are well represented to thousands of Houston's best wine shoppers.

So I'm absolutely loving my new gig, helping others is the most fulfilling aspect of my life, I'm proud of to have the confidence in keeping this my main focus. Stay tune, exciting announcement coming soon!!! Ali

Week 2

Waco, Texas 2005. Thursday was a total flashback to my college days – sans the Bartles & Jaymes! I walked right into Ridgewood Country Club at high noon to introduce myself as a former “deck club manager” to their new young Chef Soren from Denmark. Denmark to Waco – well sure beats my TexaCali story, welcome to Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil – Texas style. Waco is a hoot, complete with 2 quaint wine bistros, 3 family owned wine and liquor stores (my personal favorite Bad Bear Liquors) and a hopping wine department at the HEB which is run by long time Wine Aficionado April Allison. Everyone knows everyone in Waco. Look forward to spending more time with folks who love wine…my birthplace. Off to host a 50 person wine tasting this evening for a church group in Coppell - God Bless Texas. - Ali

Mendoza girl & her dog 

Week 1

So have officially finished up the first week of TexaCali Wine Co. So friggin' cool. While working for Central Market over the past year I wasn't able to be a true wine person, I spent most of my time managing "the system", managing "up" and managing a thousand other things that must go on when responsible for a 6 million dollar wine department in a great big fancy grocery store!

What impressed me most this past week - I was apart of a 2-hour wine briefing for Goody-Goody on the Tikal and Luca brands I'm representing. What a sense of relief to hear and meet people in Dallas that "get wine". The room of wine managers and sales folks were so impressed with the quality of wine being poured to them - all agreed that the Luca & Tikal wines were some of the most elegant wine ever tasted. I concur! I'm grateful to know each person at this account, good people who just want to tell others want they believe to be great wine. That simple. Cheers! Ali