Avoiding the 'onlys'

The worlds of wine (and for that matter beer are rich with choices, as we always say, trying all the different varietals and styles of wine is the most fun for us. And try we do, nothing goes in the shop without us tasting it first. The same goes for beer, where we have our partner, good friend and local beer aficionado Chris Vincent work closely with us to make sure we get it right.

Admittedly, we all have our favorites: depending on the other factors of food, time of year, and company, many times I will go for a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Chris loves porter, and many times that will be his go to. Mary, for her part, will almost always head to the Italian section for wines from Piedmont or to the Rhone Valley of France. What we all try to avoid though is the “onlys."

While “I only drink fill-in-the-blank” is OK, again, some folks only like a certain varietal and a certain style, what we really try to avoid is producers that only make certain things. There are exceptions. Harlan in Napa, perhaps the cultiest of the cult producers, only makes Cabernet, it is what they are known for and have carved a niche that is truly one of a kind. Gordy Venneri and Walla Walla Vintners don’t make white wine, a result of their start as hobbyists and not having the talent or capital to move into whites. Also there are certainly terroir-driven choices. It is too cold in the Willamette Valley to stray much beyond Burgundian varietals and Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. It is also too hot in Washington to plant Pinot Noir, we understand all of those limitations.

Thankfully, we are seeing the lion’s share of winemakers and brewers alike, moving beyond the only category. Despite the IPA craze in beer we are seeing the really good craft brewers moving to other styles, and winemakers understand that most consumers do drink whites. And while Chardonnay and Cabernet remain the two most requested varietals, which I think may be more reflexive than preference based most producers of fine wine are embracing all the varietals their growing regions offer them.

It seems boring and unimaginative to us to so limit choices when choices of delicious things to drink abound. With both our wine and beer clubs, we seek out drinks that are imaginative enough to stretch consumer’s experience, while balancing our choices enough to not stray too far into the “wine or beer geek weeds." The best way for all of us to find new favorites is to try new things, and for producers, it is not until they challenge their own assumptions and preferences that a new talent emerges.

We recently tasted with the brewer from Double Mountain in Oregon; they have recently begun to explore the world of “pre-prohibition” beer. They are made using different ingredients and brewing methods. We found the beers to be delicious and they are some of their most popular in their lineup. Rich Funk, owner/winemaker at Saviah, started by producing the classic Washington State portfolio, then discovered his favorite varietal and style of winemaking. It lead him to pioneer planting Syrah and other Rhone varietals in a rocky area of the Walla Walla appellation and to champion the creation of The Rocks Appellation. We tasted Rich’s first bottling of reserve Syrah from this area last week, and it is unrivaled.

John Lancaster at Skylark never contemplated making a dry rosè, despite his love for the wines from the Tavel region of France, until he and partner Rob Perkins had a batch of Malbec with stuck fermentation. They drained the wine off the skins, re-inoculated with yeast and created what became the model for their Pink Belly rosè, one of our most popular selections every year.

For all beer and wine consumers in the area, we encourage you to visit with your favorite wine professional or come by the shop to find all the options there are outside the “onlys." It is the most fun and your new favorite awaits.

If there is a topic you would like to read about, or if you have questions on wine, you can email George@thedinnerpartyshop.com, or make suggestions by contacting the Healthy Community section at the Coeur d’Alene Press.

George Balling is co-owner (with his wife Mary Lancaster) of the dinner party, a wine and tabletop décor shop by Costco in Coeur d’Alene. George has also worked as a judge in many wine competitions, and his articles are published around the country. You can learn more about the dinner party at www.thedinnerpartyshop.com. You can get all of these articles and other great wine tips by friending us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/dinnerpartyshop.