Researching my recent story on Australia’s Alternative Varieties for the May 2011 issue got me thinking about some of the other unexpected vinous treasures I’ve recently encountered. These range from discovering d’Arenberg‘s unique Sagrantino-Cinsault blend from McLaren Vale to, well, read on.

For starters, how about more examples of unique varieties–this time from Bodegas Valdemar, in Spain’s Rioja region. The family company owns approximately 300 hectares of vineyards, which has allowed it to cultivate small parcels of such oddities as Tempranillo Blanco and Maturana Tinta.

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A hint of sun, temps reaching close to 60°F and a girl on the subway trading in her UGGs for sandals can only mean one thing; menu changes.  Yes, spring is slowly peeking its head from behind the snow-filled clouds of winter. With this new emergence into spring comes the desire to start making menu changes, not only to the revolving seasonal food menus we have grown accustomed to, but also to our ever- expanding cocktail lists.

The seasons changing can be motivation for us bartenders, as it gives us an opportunity to tweak our menus to reflect seasonality in our ingredients, but also seasonality in our selection of spirits.

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By Betty Fraser

If you’re like me, you sometimes find yourself dreaming about food. Was it that perfectly cooked steak you ate last week accompanied by a gorgeous Cabernet? Maybe it was farther back in time—the way that Grandma made a grilled cheese sandwich on a rainy day. Even though it was just cheese and bread, there was something special about the way she made it.

When we taste familiar flavors, we are instantly taken back to a time, place or emotion. But it’s not all about nostalgia.

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You might have forgotten it in the hubbub over Valentine’s Day, or never even known about it (shame on you!), but Wednesday, February 16th, is Syrah Day or #SyrahDay. That said, I’m sure the organizers at Hospice du Rhône won’t mind if folks call it Shiraz Day in certain parts of the world. The idea behind these sorts of events is to get a large number of people cyberbuzzing about a topic and hopefully increase knowledge and engagement levels on a larger scale than if there were no particular focus.

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I’ve sat by (mostly) quietly this week while listening to people complain about Valentine’s Day. It’s standard fare for the holiday: people either go gaga for it or completely despise the thought of it. When I was younger, it seemed clear that most of the people who didn’t share the joy were simply jealous because they were alone, and vice-versa those who treated it like the most important day on Earth were usually madly in love. Now, as I converse with friends, coworkers and colleagues alike, I find that those lines are, and probably always were, blurred.

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Every year, the CIVL (The Conseil Interprofessionel des Vins du Languedoc) organizes the Languedoc Ambassador Wine Tour, a trade and media tasting designed to promote the great diversity and superb quality of AOC wines found in the Languedoc wine region. This year is no exception, with fantastic wines announced today as the official CIVL Ambassador Wines of 2011.

It’s fantastic exposure for an oft-overlooked region.

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Public ownership of wineries is a relatively recent phenomenon–and one whose time is coming to an inglorious end. Recent press reports are that three huge multinational alcohol beverage corporations are shedding all or parts of their wine operations. Brown-Forman, Constellation Brands and Foster’s Group all seem to be at least somewhat disillusioned with the wine sector.

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Have you ever wondered how our primitive ancestors discovered wine? Meaning, how they discovered fermentation (and the giddy delights that follow) and learned to control it? We did. Back in 2002, we commissioned an article on the subject from Dr. Lee Rogers Berger,  currently Leader of the Palaeothropology Research Group at the University of the Witwatersand in South Africa.

I re-read the article after seeing a story in The New York Times last week about an archeological dig in Armenia; among its many discoveries were artifacts of what was claimed to be the oldest winemaking operation yet unearthed.

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The world of the cocktail is thriving. We are in a perhaps unprecedented heyday for everything related to the world of spirits, whether it’s the inventive mixologist, the eclectic spirit revived from the past or created fresh, or the artisanal, inspired drink. Anyone with an interest in creation will find something to entice in the world of the modern cocktail…an alluring balance of serious science and sexy swagger.

With any momentous trend comes the backlash, and certainly as the mixology and creative cocktail culture has spread into “mainstream” America, the world can become a parody of itself. At its best, shaped in the hands of serious studies of past and present like Julie Reiner, Dale DeGroff, Audrey Saunders and beyond, the evolution of the cocktail is not only enjoyable to the palate but an education in American history and culture itself. It’s also no different than the culinary world…chefs who push the envelope on flavor combinations and find new riffs on old classics are celebrated with appropriate fanfare.

The backlash comes from the scene taking itself too seriously, or being re-worked inappropriately. No one would argue that a perfectly crafted cocktail—especially one of the bespoke type that happens in the best cocktail clubs throughout the country—is something both the mixologist and imbiber should spend some extra time to appreciate and absorb. But that margarita slopped together with premade mix that’s now $20 because it has a clever name and is served with a big ice cube? It’s happening more and more. It’s not special. And to discerning drinkers who are also aware of their wallets, it’s downright insulting. Serious mixologists are not so happy about it either. The growing interest in premium spirits is the upside of this world going big, but greed can kill the culture if it goes too far.

The mystery and exclusivity surrounding many of the better cocktail clubs has also created some suspicion and pushback from customers who question if it’s worth the hassle. Unmarked speakeasy-style watering holes with militant doormen and impenetrable lists complicate the situation. But here’s the question…is the kind of person who’s eager to sample premium spirits with a sense of adventure the same person who’s looking for a happy hour special made with whatever’s behind the bar the same person? Is it wrong for a serious cocktail club to make some decisions about the number of people they let in, and the level of customer? That’s assuming a lot of course…and maybe the hassle is about seeing who really wants to be there.

Is the culture of mixology taking itself too seriously? What’s your take?

Demonstrators protest at the site of a new bridge over Germany's Mosel River.

The wine business has almost always had a complicated relationship with the natural environment. There is little natural about vineyards–nonnative species, terraforming, soil amendments, artificial drainage and/or irrigation systems, metal, plastic or treated-wood stakes and metal wires–all lead to a profoundly altered environment. Not to mention the various chemical treatments used in viticulture, even in certified organic and biodynamic vineyards.

Yet in the past couple of decades, wineries and vineyards have become more aware of environmental issues and made great strides in reducing chemical inputs, providing nesting boxes for native predators (as at Shafer Vineyards) and restoring native and riparian habitats (see the tremendous efforts by the Rutherford Dust Society to protect fish spawning grounds in the Napa River).

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