Mountain Views News          Saturday, January 1, 2011

GOOD FOOD & DRINK

8

 Mountain Views News Saturday, January 1, 2011 

Eat Well! The Happiest of Holidays to you all!!!


During the past few weeks, as you’ve begun to 
perfect your appreciation for wine, I hope you’ve 
had opportunity to peruse our local wine retailers. 
The BIG question that lingers as you expand 
your wine experience is the biggie : Why such a 
range of prices, or are expensive wines really better 
than the cheaper bottles? After all, isn’t all 
wine basically grape juice? I’ve been to Albertsons 
and don’t see much of a price difference between 
Welch’s and other brands!

Great question, and like most reasoned thinking, 
there is not really an easy answer. Let’s first of all 
consider what goes into a bottle of wine.

Just like any business, the vintner has costs of doing 
business that are the base prices for the necessities 
– the bottle, the closure and the label. 
Without these, wine drinking would be a messy 
activity. These costs are fairly consistent amongst 
wineries, depending maybe upon volume costs. 
Next comes the first cost variable – the grape juice. 
Bulk wine can use grapes that cost a couple hundred 
dollars a ton, specialty grapes can run in the 
thousands. Because you’re paying SOMETHING 
for the juice, the cost will depend upon WHAT 
is being produced, WHERE it’s being produced, 
and HOW MUCH of the grape is being grown. 
Most new vintners have paid good money for cuttings 
from aged vines. These may have come from 
France, Italy, or even the overpaid competitor 
next door. You’re paying for this with every sip. 
Then there are salaries to pay (no the grapes do 
not jump into a bottle when ready), perhaps hiring 
the best and brightest consultant to mix the 
varietals to better your chance at an award winner. 
Now add utilities and mortgages on the land. 
The actual juice in the bottle can range from .50 to 
over $10 per bottle.

 The next layer of costs really is a variable, simply 
because not every wine undergoes the same type 
of aging. There is a choice for storage – stainless 
steel or oak, and those that do use wood, use a 
variety of barrels. From American to French oak, 
new to well-used, 225 liters to something much, 
much larger; each demands a different price. Longer 
storage before bottling will mean a higher 
price. After all, the producer has not made a dime 
until the wine is in your shopping cart.

Once the wine is in the bottle, NOW come some 
of the intangibles that really determine the cost 
of the wine. It costs money to get the bottle to 
your store’s shelf. Importers, distributers and retailers 
now have their hand in your wallet, which 
will add $1 to $3 to your bottle.

HOW the wine is advertised, WHO the vintner 
will determine to be the desired drinker, will determine 
the difference between your $4.99 and 
$100 bottle. You’ll see “Points” associated with 
some wines, and some are advertised as “award 
winners.” These accolades can mean the difference 
between profit and loss to the producer, and 
certainly the pursuit of these levels of recognition 
costs money. High scores are worth money to the 
producer, and you’ll see this reflected in the bottle 
price. Each of these now contribute to the “ego 
factor” of your wine. After all, if given a choice, 
would you prefer the reputation for producing a 
$4 or $40 bottle of wine?

So what really provides VALUE in the wine you’re 
drinking? The real answer is how well you are enjoying 
your choice. YOU are the final judge who 
will determine the right price for your wine. Certainly, 
as you develop your pallet, you will find 
that wines can have some dubious value – some 
of the cheaper wines are actually quite drinkable, 
pricier bottle might not be worth the cost. All 
part of the journey!

Now, to help develop your new sense of value, 
mark your calendar to attend The Sierra Madre 
Friends of the Library 41st Annual Wine and Cuisine 
Tasting Event. The always- popular evening 
will take place at the Alverno High School Villa, 
200 N Michillinda Avenue, on Friday February 18 
7:00p – 9:30p. General entry tickets at a cost of 
$60 will allow entry at 7:00, but Premier admission 
will allow 100 folk an early entry at 6:00 and 
include many new surprises. Current paid members 
of the Friends will receive a $5 discount off 
general entry when purchased at the library.

Tickets can be purchased at Arnold’s Frontier 
Hardware, The Bottle Shop, Iris Intrigue, and Savor 
the Flavor. You can also pick up tickets at the 
Sierra Madre Library, or on-line at sierramadrelibraryfriends.
org.

In addition to attending one of the social highlights 
of the year, and learning how to ask “how 
much is that bottle,” you’ll enable the Friends to 
support your library services and programs. This 
past year The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library 
provided over $58,000 for equipment upgrades 
and improvements.

I hope that you were able to spend valuable time 
during Christmas with your family and friends. 
Next up on the calendar, The New Year! I think 
time is speeding up on me.

One of my favorite subjects is joyfully known as 
“Bubbly.” I do not wish to be a referee with zebra 
stripes, but I think it is important to discover 
some of the more intriguing historical elements 
of the liquid that tingles within our glass upon the 
stroke of midnight. There is a difference between 
“Champagne” and “Sparkling Wine.” Champagne 
is a distinct region in France and, by strict French 
Law, only grapes grown and produced in that region 
can be called Champagne. Many states and 
countries produce a sparkling wine using very 
similar methods as the French. In California the 
procedure is called, “Champione Method.” In 
Spain they call it Cava, and South Africa uses Cap 
classique. An Italian sparkling wine is called Asti. 
In Germany, Sekt is a common sparkling wine. 
Other French wine regions cannot use the name 
Champagne, i.e. Burgundy and Alsace produce 
Crémant. Sparkling wines mislabeled Champagne 
can be and are often are seized and destroyed 
by legal authorities.

How did this wonderful bottle of Bubbly come 
into our world? Most believe that the monks of 
France developed and began the process some 
four hundred years ago. It appears that these guys 
have a lot of free time on their hands. Like some 
many of our greatest discoveries, Champagne 
was actually a mistake. Can you believe that?! 
Most wines were drunk very early, but some were 
transported long distances and through the journey, 
the casks would warm and set off a secondary 
fermentation. A strange bubbling 
would be noticed when these casks were 
opened. Dom Perignon gets the credit for 
one of the first successful deliberate capture 
of the “mousse” in a bottle. Since then many 
a ship has set sail and many weddings have 
started and ended with Champagne. Here 
are a few of the funnier quotes I found…

“I only drink Champagne when I’m happy, 
and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it 
when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider 
it obligatory. I trifle with it if I am not hungry 
and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch 
it - unless I’m thirsty.” (Lily Bollinger)

“I drink Champagne when I win, to celebrate . . . 
and I drink Champagne when I lose, to console 
myself.” (Napoleon Bonaparte)

“In victory we deserve it, in defeat we need it.” 
(Winston Churchill)

“Champagne makes you feel like it’s Sunday and 
better days are just around the corner.” (Marlene 
Dietrich)

“My only regret in life is that I did not drink more 
Champagne.” (John Meynard Keynes)

“Champagne is the only wine that leaves a woman 
beautiful after drinking it.” (Madame De 
Pompadour)

“There be the things I shall never attain: envy, 
content and sufficient Champagne.” (Dorothy 
Parker)

“Two warm bodies and one cold bottle of Champagne 
will produce something

more wonderful than would happen without the 
Champagne.” (Helen Gurley Brown)

“Champagne offers a minimum of alcohol and a 
maximum of companionship.” (David Niven)

“Champagne is the wine of civilization and the oil 
of government.” (Winston Churchill)

So, if this has got you in the mood for bubbly, I 
can’t blame you. In fact, I toast you!! Drink responsibly! 
Wear eye protection if you insist on 
letting the kiddies rocket the cork with a bottle 
opening!

Email me thechefknows@yahoo.com for further 
information. Thanks to Googlefor helping me research 
this. Join me this Saturday Night at 9 PM on 
KABC Talk Radio

TABLE FOR TWO by Peter Dills


Win Two Tickets to the Friends 
of the Library 41st Annual Wine 
and Cuisine Tasting Event

February 18th at the Alverno Villa

Look for this Wine-Tasting Artwork in Mt. Views 
Publications now until January 31st. Answer the 
wine trivia question, complete the entry form and 
drop off at the Sierra Madre Library. 

Drawing Rules – Limited to one entry per 
person, per Mt Views publication. Winner need 
not be present to win General Admission tickets. 
Completed entry from must be delivered to the 
Sierra Madre Library during hours of operation, same week of publication. Drawing 
tickets have no cash value and cannot be refunded. Eligible entry form does not 
require a correct answer to the trivia question.


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