THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, September 1, 1996 TAG: 9608290054
SECTION: HOME PAGE: F2 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: THE HUMBLE STEWARD
SOURCE: JIM RAPER
LENGTH: 82 lines
THIS REMINDER for lovers of red zinfandel: The day is coming when retailers will sell out of the sturdy 1990, 1991 and 1992 vintages of this California varietal. And you'll kick yourself for not buying cases of it to store in cool, dark places.
During the past few months I've tasted several mature zins that were sensational, chock full of dried cherry, spice and appealing mineral flavors. The Mayacamus 1982 Napa Valley was simply wonderful. Nearly as good was the Grghich Hills 1985 Napa Valley. Even the Sutter Home 1984 Reserve Amador County, though thick like a port, was enjoyable.
Last week I came across two long forgotten bottles in my own stash, a J. Patrick Jore Signature Series 1975 Napa Valley, for which I had paid $6, and a Monterey Peninsula 1978 Amador Ferrero Ranch, for which I had paid $9. The Jore was much like a mature, high quality cabernet sauvignon. The Monterey was port-like, but quite drinkable. These were very interesting bottles.
Good buys in zin might be more expensive now, but not all that more expensive. Ask your favorite retailer to recommend some 1990-1992 vintage zins that are ageworthy. You should be able to buy them for $10 to $20 a bottle. CELEBRATING WIND AND WINE
The Arthritis Foundation is inaugurating a fund-raising event this month that organizers are calling ``a celebration of wind and wine.''
The official name of the bash, which will be Sept. 21 at Bay Point Marina in Norfolk, is ``Chardonnay on the Bay,'' and it offers not only winetasting, but also wine lectures, a silent auction, live music and a regatta.
Wow! It's about time somebody hereabouts blended a serious wine tasting with a celebration of wind-filled sails. If there is a signature social activity in Hampton Roads, it is the regatta. But the drinks of choice are usually liquor, beer or the kinds of wine that come in boxes with plastic bladders.
Sabra Coe, who is in charge of the wine-related portions of the event, promises that more than 30 domestic and international wines will be poured. She said the event will give ``Hampton Roads residents a sampling of wine they would rarely find in one place.''
The celebration will be from 1 to 6 p.m. (rain date is Sept. 22), and will include a pre-race party and skipper's meeting, the regatta and the wine festival.
Entry fee for the regatta is $65 per boat. Included will be two passes to the pre-race party, two passes to the wine festival, two t-shirts and two boxed lunches. Entry forms can be obtained by calling the Arthritis Foundation at 420-4638. Entry deadline is Sept. 16.
Those more interested in the wine festival can buy tickets in advance for $17 apiece, or at the door for $20. For advance tickets, call the Arthritis Foundation or stop by any of Taste Unlimited's five locations. WATER SPIRITS
The East of Napa wine shop is also exploiting the wind and wine theme. It is sponsoring a ``Cruise 'n' Cuisine'' evening aboard the boat Discovery, which sails from a dock on Laskin Road in Virginia Beach. The Sept. 26 event will begin at 6 p.m.
Chef Alvin Williams of Bistro has planned a special meal that can be prepared in the boat's small galley, and high quality wines will be paired with the courses. The $70 cost includes the meal, wine, cruise and gratuity.
East of Napa also has planned a pre-Halloween wine party at the Wax Museum in Virginia Beach on Oct. 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25, and for an extra charge partygoers can attend a seance.
For more information about these events, contact the shop at 463-0212. If you want to buy your tickets in person, remember the shop has relocated to 3101 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach. WINE TASTING HITS THE WEB
The computer literate will be interested in Smart Wine Magazine on the World Wide Web. The new ``smartwine.com'' Web site was put together by young journalists in Northern California, with a eye toward 21 to 35 year olds.
But some of us more mature types are eager, too, to get the kind of no-nonsense, unpretentious wine reporting that Smart Wine promises to offer.
To get to the wine rating results, punch up ``http://smartwine.com'' and follow the icons. Smart Wine's tasting system uses high-tech graphics to describe the flavor, quality and value of each wine.
``Our readers wanted a quick, easily understood system that tells them if they'll like it and whether it's worth the price,'' said Greg Walter, the Smart Wine publisher. ``In wine, high price doesn't guarantee quality; some wines are a rip-off and we're not afraid to say so.''
Walter is a former president of ``Wine Spectator.'' by CNB