Archive for November, 2009

Last year, I wrote a blog called “Without Beer … Would We Be Celebrating Thanksgiving?” While no one knows for certain the validity of the claim that without beer (or the need for it) we might not be celebrating Thanksgiving on the day that we do, the main point of the blog remains a valid one: do as the Pilgrims and celebrate with some brews!

This year, instead of providing you with some more recommendations of my own (regardless of how fabulous they are), I decided to reach out to some of my favorite beer authorities to see what frothy goodness they like to recommend for the big Turkey Day feast.

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Steven Krueger, the sommelier at the Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio, Texas, introduced me to two things while I was in town to attend the New World Wine and Food Festival, held every year in early November. One was Texas cowboy candy: he dropped candied jalapeños into flutes of sparkling wine, which obliterated the balance of the wine (and probably concealed some flaws) but also provided a sweet-heat drinking experience my sinuses won’t soon forget. The other was the wines of McPherson Cellars, but more on that in a Texas minute or two.

I attended the Festival to learn more about Texas wines.

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One of the hottest (and my most favorite) trends in the restaurant industry right now is the pairing dinner. You know, those dinners that you pay a little extra up front with the prix-fixe so you can enjoy perfectly matched beverages (usually wine) with the various courses of the meal. Now this in itself might not be a new occurrence, but what has been recently updated to make this craze popular again is the format that these dinners are now taking on… battle.

That’s right… they are now a fight to the death for the two worlds of alcoholic beverage choices (sorry, spirits): beer and wine.

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They come in several variations, but the overall appearance is generally similar: old white guys in monkey suits, festooned with medallions, oversized neck chains or tastevins. Usually, you’ll hear the loud belly laughs of the alpha males first, then notice the delicate clinks of fine stemware and the slurping sounds of wine being tasted. At some occasions there’ll be a spouse or two wearing the long dark gown that’s the distaff counterpart’s uniform, but not too many. It’s obviously a boys’ club, after all. Catching a glimpse as you enter the restaurant, you might wonder “What’s going on in the private dining room?”

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Wine is one of the few subjects where the story behind the product is as fascinating as the wine itself. Intriguing visionaries, brave business choices, a breakneck pace of dynamic action—the world of wine business is both inspiring and sometimes unbelievable.

Wine itself inspires passion: people love to talk about it, sometimes they travel specifically to learn or experience more, often they immerse themselves in it and often participate in some form as amateurs, whether tasting, making it, or discussing it with friends. But the stories of what goes on beyond the glass can be as integral a part of the enjoyment of wine as what we drink.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine attempts to bridge the gap between pure enthusiasm for wine as a delicious drink and accompaniment to food and the added interest in the wine industry’s news and developments. Sometimes in planning our editorial calendar, the editors and I ask ourselves: are we covering the subject matter well enough by providing our readers with enough direction and information to make informed decisions about what to drink, where to visit and who to see? To what degree are our readers interested in hearing about changes in the wine business world such as acquisitions and mergers or new laws relating to appellations and people in wine?  Is the business of wine as important to our readers as their passion for wine itself? Should we be covering more trade-related subject matter such as Vanity Fair or Sports Illustrated does with their subject matter?

Magazines that are designed to satisfy readers’ wine passion will devote portions of their editorial not only to the nuances and joys of the subject matter but to the behind-the-scenes business aspects of these industries.  It is obvious what fascinates people about these subjects and turns them into fans, but what is it that creates the desire to learn more about the business aspects of the industries?

With a printed magazine we have limited space so we have to pick and choose what we emphasize. I am curious as to what is more important to you when you receive the magazine: the passion for wine (wine recommendations and regional profiles, tastings, food pairing suggestions etc.) or the business of wine?  Should our magazine be hypothetically, 65% consumer- oriented and 35% trade- oriented?

What do you think would be the best balance for our coverage?