Got Tannins is happy to present our readers an interview with Ryan Sproule, the founder of Black Box Wines. Ryan founded the company in 2002; one of his intentions being to reverse the reputation of premium wines always having to be in glass bottles.

Boxed wines are experiencing a renaissance. NPR's recently ran a segment on All Things Considered talking about the growing popularity and the future expecations of boxed wines. You can listen here.

What was the first memory you have of wine? 

My parents used to serve wine when they had guests for dinner. When I was a teenager, my mom sometimes let me taste it. I remember being very unimpressed.

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine?

In my early twenties a friend who worked as a server in a high-end restaurant introduced me to a good and reasonably priced Italian red from Valpolicella. It really changed my perception of wine and resulted in me becoming a regular a wine drinker.

Do you think it's the taste of a good wine or the experience while drinking the wine that makes it good?  Why?

Definitely both. Wine has the good fortune to be prevalent at many get togethers and special meals so it really benefits from this positive association.As wine becomes more mainstream in the US, and people consume it more as an every day beverage, taste becomes the paramount factor.

 How big is your cellar?

I don’t really have one. I have never have much more than a half dozen bottles on hand. They always seem disappear before they have a chance to age.

What is your favorite varietal (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)? Why?

I don’t really have a favorite. I drink about 50/50 red/white depending what I am in the mood for. I usually drink the classic table wine varietals, but I also enjoy sweet dessert wines.

What is your favorite region for wine (i.e. Napa Valley, Margaret River, Montelcino)

I do not have a clear favorite, but overall Sonoma County probably offers broadest range of both excellent white and red varietals.

What is your favorite vineyard or brand?

Clearly Black Box ;).  I created Black Box to cater to exactly what I wanted as a daily consumer of wine: unbeatable value and convenience. If I did not own the brand I would be probably be its most loyal customer.

Do you have a favorite bottle? (varietal, region, year)

Nothing stands out. If I am going to drink a really high-end wine I tend to opt for a Napa Cab.

What wine are you saving for a special day?

At this point, nothing. The wines that I hope to save for that “special occasion” always end up being a casualty when friends come over and we open that second bottle.

 
Where do you buy the majority of your wine? (Retailer, Direct, etc. Feel free to name the store you shop at or the site you buy from)

Now that I live in the suburbs it’s usually my local Safeway. The have a large selection of quality wines.

 
Have you ever had an organic wine?  Did you like it?

Very rarely. I have never noticed any particular difference from non-organic.

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine?

Probably around $200 for business dinners that were expensed. As for purchasing at a retailer, for my own personal consumption, probably $25. I’m too frugal to spend much more than that.

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)?

When Michael Mondavi was the chairman of Mondavi Wines he invited me to their Napa winery for a private luncheon. He had his chef prepare a gourmet meal and brought out their best wines. The wines were exquisite and the multi-course meal perfectly complemented them.  It was a beautiful summer day and we dined for two and half hours on a private terrace overlooking the lush vineyards.  The combination of food, conversation and atmosphere made this my most memorable wine experience.

What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try?

If you were looking for a high quality wine that is affordable for every day drinking and will stay fresh after opening, I would highly recommend Black Box.

How do you think the perception of boxed wine has changed in the last year to two years?  How does this perception vary in regions around the world? 
 

In the U.S. the image of boxed wine is in the process of a very successful makeover. The availability of high quality bag-in-box wines is making the consumer aware that the being in a box no longer means the wine is lower end. Consumers are understanding that the package does not effect the taste of the wine, and they are embracing the benefits of the box which include:  lower price than bottled wine for the same quality; a vacuum sealed pouch that keeps the wine fresh for 4 weeks after opening as opposed to a couple days with an opened bottle; a far more portable and practical package for wine drinkers who enjoy outdoor activities like camping, boating, etc. In Australia and Europe where per capita wine consumption is much higher than the U.S., the revolution has already happened and premium boxed wine has become commonplace. In Australia over 50% of the wine sold is in box.

How do expect this to change over the next few years? 
 

As consumer awareness in the U.S. increases, the category will continue to grow. Lower packaging and shipping costs allow boxed wine producers to sell the wine at a lower price than the equivalent quality bottled wine and the greener environmental foot print of boxed wine appeals to persons concerned about the future of the planet.  These factors have resulted in premium-boxed wine becoming the fastest growing product category in the wine business. 
 

What was the first memory you have of wine?

The terrible stuff we drank at Christmas and Easter when I was a child, usually from the same box.

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine?

Brunello when I had graduated from university: sublime... in a small Italian restaurant.

Do you think it's the taste of a good wine or the experience while drinking the wine that makes it good?

 Both, one infuses the other... they're inseparable.

How big is your cellar?

1500 bottles.

What is your favorite varietal(s)?

Whichever wine someone else is buying...Pinot (Noir) if I have to pay, its seductively silky.

What is your favorite region for wine?

No favorites, I’m eclectic.

 
What is your favorite vineyard or brand?

Too many to name.

 
Do you have a favorite bottle?

No.

What wine are you saving for a special day?

I have some 1966 Bordeaux to celebrate a future birthday.

Where do you buy the majority of your wine?

 I buy mostly from my local retailers.

Have you ever had an organic wine?  Did you like it?

Yes, I recommend them frequently.

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine?

$800. 

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)?

Visiting Oregon, its beautiful.

What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try?

Kim Crawford Pinot Noir from New Zealand.

What is an up-and-coming wine region you think is a good value right now?

Argentina Malbec.
 

About Natalie MacLean

To fund her late-night vinous habits, Natalie MacLean holds down day jobs as a wine writer, speaker and judge. An accredited sommelier, she is a member of the National Capital Sommelier Guild, the Wine Writers Circle and several French wine societies with complicated and impressive names. Funny, brainy and unapologetically tipsy, her goal in life is to intimidate those crusty wine stewards at fine restaurants with her staggering knowledge… Read More Here

What was your first memory of wine?

Occasional wine with Sunday dinners when we were kids.

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine?

Gallo Hearty Burgundy in college ($1.55 a gallon); Mateus Rose when courting my future bride; 1966 La Mission Haut Brion after I learned something.

Do you think it's the taste of a good wine or the experience while drinking the wine that makes it good?  Why?

All of the above. Start with a dozen wines in a blind tasting as one way of picking a good one (to your particular palate) and then match wine with good food and great company. Sharing wine with others is the greatest pleasure.

But don’t think it’s just the taste.  A major part of our appreciation is in the nose.  I can remember tasting a barrel sample of the 1985 Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars Cask 23 in early 1986 at the winery long before it went into barrel aging and bottling.  The nose exploded with fruit – an amazing concentration of Cabernet plus a few nuances from the terroir. It was packed with Cabernet character on the palate, hidden behind the tannins. But the nose got me. Two or three years later it received top scores from many critics. Also, if you do a blind tasting with Cabernet or Pinot Noir or Chardonnay from different countries and regions, be guided by the nose (aroma of the fruit, bouquet from the terroir, barrels, style of the winery, etc.).  Very fun.

How big is your cellar?

About 1,000 bottles. 

What is your favorite vineyard or brand?

For consistency, I’d recommend several from different parts of the world, while avoiding the ultra-expensive cult wines.  California: Caymus, Beringer, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Hanzell, Phelps Insignia, Mondavi Reserve Cabernet.  Bordeaux: Lynch Bages, Cos d’Estournel, Pichon Lalande, Pichon Baron, L’Angelus, Palmer, Clerc Milon, Carraudes de Lafite, La Mission Haut Brion, Mouton.

 
Do you have a favorite bottle?

1975 La Mission Haut Brion, 1985 Stag’s Leap Cask 23, 1982 Mouton.

What wine are you saving for a special day?

1970 Dow Oporto, 1985 Heitz Cellars Martha’s Vineyard Magnum, 1989 Mouton Magnum.

Where do you buy the majority of your wine?

Different retailers: San Diego Wine Company in San Diego; the Wine Club in Santa Ana; K&L in San Francisco.

Have you ever had an organic wine?  Did you like it?

Just the Bonterra.  Good value. 

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine?

$200.  I’ve been fortunate to get into futures. 

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)?

Too many to count.  The best usually involve a so-called gourmet group of five couples that we have enjoyed supping and sipping with for more than 25 years.  We get together every quarter to try cuisine from a different region, with wines to match.  Each couple is charged with bringing one of the courses and appropriate wine. The mixing and matching is spectacular and ranges from a $12 bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc with a clam appetizer up to a $100 Napa Cabernet with the beef Richelieu (if you haven’t done this, please do).

What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try?

Try one new wine a week to go with food, take notes on what you like and don’t, and continue the quest.

What is an up-and-coming wine (or winery) you think is a good value right now?

 Malbec from Argentina, Cabernet from Chile, Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand.

 
Did we miss anything?

Wine needs company – good food and great people. Don’t get hung up in wine-worshiping or buying labels. As noted above, continue the quest.

About Tom Gable

Tom Gable, a native Californian, has been writing about wine for more than 30 years.  He began during his tenure as business editor of the San Diego Evening Tribune in the 1970s. He was syndicated through Copley News Service and also contributed frequently to travel, wine and inflight publications before moving into a full-time career in public relations.  He continues to cover wine as contributing wine editor for San Diego Magazine and also writes about wine, food and travel for magazines and newspapers.

Tom has judged at major wine competitions and traveled extensively in the winemaking areas of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and New Zealand. He is a member of the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin and the Commanderie de Bordeaux. 

Tom is CEO of Gable PR, San Diego, one of the west's leading public relations and marketing communications agencies.  He is the author of The PR Client Service Manual, now in its fourth edition and the No. 1 book sold through the Public Relations Society of America on PR program planning, implementation and managing for results. 

A graduate of San Diego State University, he served in Vietnam with the U.S. Army and as a war correspondent with Pacific Stars & Stripes. Prior to starting his first firm, The Gable Group, in 1976, he was business editor of the San Diego Evening Tribune and a correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and other business, travel and regional magazines. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting and holds many awards for writing and public relations.

Tom and his wife, Laura, live in Del Mar, California, and have three grown children.

Gary was awesome enough to share some time with us and do a phone interview for our readers, providing his insight into the world of wine. Gary, who is from Jersey and is a huge Jets fan, was driving around San Francisco on his way to lunch with Kevin Rose (of Digg fame) and then to dinner with Mark Zuckerberg (of Facebook fame). Between that and TV appearances on the Big Idea, Conan, and MadMoney, we say, Tough Life!  :-)

We at Got Tannins encourage you to go out and support Gary's new book - 101 Wines Guaranteed to Inspire, Delight, and Bring Thunder to Your World.

What was the first memory you have of wine?

My first memory of wine is Manischewitz wine at a passover dinner when I was 13 years old.

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine?

Before I even truly liked wine I had already taking the family business from $3m (1997) to $10m. I was obnoxiously booksmart. The first "good" wine was an Amarone.

Do you think it's the taste of a good wine or the experience while drinking the wine that makes it good?  Why?

Easiest question ever!  its totally about the people you share it with. Sometimes its mindset, the day; the emotions you go into it with.

How big is your cellar?

A bit tough to answer given my business. My cellar is really tied into inventory of Wine Library. 

What is your favorite varietal (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)? Why?

At this specific moment Cab Franc from the Loire Valley.

What is your favorite region for wine (i.e. Napa Valley, Margaret River, Montelcino)

I tend not to fall in love with any specific region, I like trying and experiencing new things.
 

What is your favorite vineyard or brand?

Don't have one favorite vineyard or brand.

Do you have a favorite bottle? (varietal, region, year)

1994 Bryant Family Cab. 1st birthday in New Jersey after I finished college at a family dinner (I went to Mt. Ida )

What wine are you saving for a special day?

Cases of birth year wine.

Have you ever had an organic wine?  Did you like it?

Yes, I think everybody has, but don't realize it. Lots of wineries don't publize it. They will all start now. Perception in industry was organic wines were not good. On the flipside, organic or sustainable wines will be the norm within a decade.

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine?

$700-$800 range, for older Burgundy's at Cru in NY, great wine restaurant.

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)?

The impromptu flash SXSW wine party (2008) at the Marriott that everyone found out about via Twitter.

What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try?

A wine that is a varietal that they've never had before. Period. That my friend is how people will get into wine and learn about wine. 

It's almost summertime, what's your take on Rose?

I like rose, but am more of a fan of white crisp white wines.

What is an up-and-coming wine (or winery) you think is a good value right now?

Douro region in Portugal is where its at. Classic varietals, portuguese indigenous grapes. 

Did we miss anything?

Getting into wine is easier and better than ever before. Most importantly, people need to try different things. Too many people find a specific grape and have too much of it, for example, pinot noir, what they should be doing is trying as many varietals as they can.

You can follow Gary Vaynerchuk at Twitter - Garyvee

You can follow us at Twitter - Samirb

Ernie was kind enough to sit down and share with the Got Tannins community, his personal thoughts on wine. We at Got Tannins encourage you to go out and try some South African wines!

What was the first memory you have of wine?

To be honest, it took a while before I discovered wine. You have to bear in mind I grew up in Johannesburg, which is a long way from South Africa’s wine country. Also, my dad never drank alcohol so we didn’t have any wine in the house. It was only really when I met Liezl and then went to visit Jean Engelbrecht [a good friend and partner of Ernie Els Wines] at his family vineyard that I started to taste wines and really enjoy them.

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine? 

I don’t know that I can remember an exact bottle or anything like that, but I’ve always enjoyed good Bordeaux. I guess that’s helped shape my tastes and the way I think about wine. You can see it reflected in the wines we offer now.

Do you think it's the taste of a good wine or the experience while drinking the wine that makes it good? Why?

I think it’s a bit of both. I mean, the two kind of go hand in hand and if one element is not right it can easily spoil the other.

How big is your cellar?

We have 46 Ha (114 Acres) of vineyards on the property in Stellenbosch, and the winery has the capacity to handle 300 tonnes (331 tons) of grapes every harvest. I would think this is a small-medium size, which suits us nicely.

What is your favourite varietal? Why?

I’ve always loved red wine, as I said, especially your classic Bordeaux-style. Our flagship wine, the Ernie Els, is a Bordeaux-style blend of five different varietals and it has been a huge success around the world.

What is your favorite region for wine?

I’m biased, obviously! But I’d say we’re very lucky in South Africa because the wine is very special. The weather gives us the perfect growing conditions and I think it’s fair to say we’ve come along way in a short space of time. We’re catching up with some of the other New World wine regions like the Napa Valley and Australia, and even giving some serious competition to the established countries such as France. We’re producing some great wines in the Stellenbosch area these days. It’s very exciting to be a part of that success.

What is your favorite vineyard or brand?

My opinion is obviously not very objective, but I just love drinking the new vintages from our three wineries that we are involved in. With the portfolio currently at 14 wines, there is always something new to try.

Do you have a favorite bottle? (varietal, region, year)

Stellenbosch 2003 reds are very good. 2006’s are exciting but time will tell how they mature.

What wine are you saving for a special day?

Although we are a young wine brand, our first wines are getting close to optimal drinking and I am looking forward to trying our maiden vintage, the 2000 Ernie Els Bordeaux blend again. Being a wine built around a 60% Cabernet Sauvignon base, the wine should have opened up beautifully in the last year or so.

Where do you buy the majority of your wine? (Retailer, Direct, etc. Feel free to name the store you shop at or the site you buy from)

To be honest, Liezl and I buy our wine from a variety of retailers, normally on short notice for my airplane or a braai [barbecue] with friends.

Have you ever had an organic wine? Did you like it?

I have had very few organic wines, but I think I need time to understand them a little better.

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine?

The best wines I have had were actually gifts from friends, so I have been very lucky.

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)?

I think it’s hard to beat sitting down with a few friends after a game of golf and sharing a nice bottle of wine. You know, it makes you feel good about life. And being a South African, for me a good steak on the braai with a nice red wine is a great combination; that’s probably my favourite meal.

What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try?

One of our friends from Franschoek, L’Ormarins, has just released the A. Rupert collection, and the Cabernet Franc is outstanding.

What is an up-and-coming wine (or winery) you think is a good value right now?

My friend Greg Norman has always delivered great wines at all price-points.

Bill Daley is the food and wine critic with the Chicago Tribune. His recent articles may be found here.
 

What was the first memory you have of wine?  
^{_{My parents never drank wine so my first memory was wondering what those bottles were by the cash register at the liquor store. One shelf held 5 bottles of red, the other 5 white. that was considered a fully stocked wine department in 1960s Connecticut. My first taste of wine? Well, must have been in high school. Mateus, I think. not bad...but then it was the 1970s and I thought I was very sophisticated.}}

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine? 
^{I remember a French semillion/sauvignon blanc from the Graves region. I loved the lemony tartness of the wine with lobster and wanted to know why the wine worked so well.} 

Do you think it's the taste of a good wine or the experience while drinking wine that makes it good?  Why? 
_{Both actually. I think good wine is a treat whereever you are but if you have a good setting, like-minded companions, fine glassware and some choice nibbles, the experience seems more exalted.} 

How big is your cellar? 
^{It's two shelves of my linen closet! We Chicago apartment dwellers don't have a lot of room.} 

What is your favorite varietal (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)? Why? 
_{I love gruner veltliner. Never had it until I was in my 40s, in Las Vegas, because Connecticut didn't sell the wine then. Loved the acidity, the touch of richness, the crispness. And discoverered, much to surprise, how well the wine worked with California foods - especially seafood.} 

What is your favorite region for wine (i.e. Napa Valley, Margaret River, Montelcino) 
_{I don't really have one...I like wines from all over.} 

What is your favorite vineyard or brand? 
_{Ditto; plus I couldn't play favorites in public anyway. I like wines that deliver on their promise and at a fair price, too.} 

Do you have a favorite bottle? (varietal, region, year) 
_{Still fond of 1982 French Bordeaux because that was the first big vintage I really was aware of.} 

What wine are you saving for a special day? 
_{Already happened. The arrival of my daughter in 1994. Veuve Clicquot Champagne.} 

 Where do you buy the majority of your wine? (Retailer, Direct, etc. Feel free to name the store you shop at or the site you buy from) 
_{I rarely buy wine any more because we get so many bottles here at the office. I take home a bottle or two and try them.} 

Have you ever had an organic wine?  Did you like it? 
_{Yes. Yes, getting better all the time.} 

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine? 
_{Retail? $120. I'm cheap.} 

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)? 
_{Standing in the vineyards at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars tasting barrel samples with the wine maker.} 

What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try? 
_{One wine? Hmmm. I think a white, a gruner or riesling. Goes with the growing trend for pan-Asian/fusion cuisine.} 

 What is an up-and-coming wine (or winery) you think is a good value right now? 
_{Can't really say.} 


BIO:
Bill Daley is a food and wine critic with the Chicago Tribune. He writes a weekly wine column, "Uncorked," for the Tribune’s food section called Good Eating. His column in Sunday’s Q section, "Daley Drink," answers questions from readers on wine, beer and spirits. In tackling the food and wine beat, Daley also covers chefs and food personalities, cooking techniques and trends. He tapes a weekly video segment on food and wine that is displayed on the Web sites of the Chicago Tribune and other Tribune-owned newspapers. A weekly spot on food and wine airs on WBBM-AM, the CBS all-news radio station.

Daley arrived at the Tribune in 2004. Previously, he was a food writer and restaurant reviewer with the San Francisco Chronicle and spent 11 years at the Hartford Courant, where he ultimately became the Sunday magazine’s restaurant reviewer. He has been recognized twice for restaurant criticism by the Association of Food Journalists and has served as that organization’s president from 2002-2004.

A graduate of Manhattanville College, Daley also holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. He serves on the board of directors of the Gerber/Hart Library and is a resident of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.

What was the first memory you have of wine?

My Dad was taking wine appreciation courses when I was a pre-teen.
He became a huge fan of Cabernet Sauvignon and took us on a family trip
to the wine countrywhere we toured the Robert Mondavi winery.  I've always
thought of food and wine as bringing loved ones together and sharing a
sense of conviviality. I hope our new wine bar, Cin-Cin fosters that among our
customers.

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine?

Most likely a Cabernet Sauvignon from Cardinale in Napa.

How big is your cellar?

About 250 bottles.

What is your favorite varietal (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)? Why?

Riesling and Pinot Noir, they produce very versatile, sophisticated
and food-friendly wines.

What is your favorite region for wine (i.e. Napa Valley, Margaret
River, Montelcino)

Favorite regions include: Burgundy, Alsace,
Austria, Oregon and more locally, Anderson Valley.

What is your favorite vineyard or brand?

The Burgundian style Pinot Noirs that Josh Chandler of Lazy Creek
Vineyards produces, as well as the Grüner Veltliners and Rieslings
from Austrian winemaker Willi Bründlmayer.
 
Do you have a favorite bottle? (varietal, region, year)

I have a luscious aged Grüner Veltliner from Austrian winemaker Willi
Bründlmayer.
 
What wine are you saving for a special day?

Several, in the burgundy and champagne category. Just waiting for the
right occasion/person to share with.
 
Where do you buy the majority of your wine? (Retailer, Direct, etc.
Feel free to name the store you shop at or the site you buy from)

I tend to buy from local/boutique type wine shops rather than big
chains. Vin, Vino, Wine in Palo Alto is great for French wines.
Robert's Market in Woodside has some good finds as does Vintage in
Berkeley.
 
Have you ever had an organic wine?  Did you like it?  

I've had the opportunity to try many organic wines when I was wine buyer for Whole
Foods. My favorites are Sobon Estates Zinfandel and Amity Pinot Noir. 

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine?

Before I was in the wine industry I spent $145, 3 years ago for a
great Napa Cabernet.

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)?

My favorite wine experiences are those where I am with a close friend
or loved one experiencing the delicious nuances of a wine. Enjoying
wine is so much about the context in which you are drinking.
 
What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try?

Try Hexamer Riesling Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg "Quarzit" from the
Nahe region in Germany. It will go great with Indian Curry or spicy
asian-influenced dishes.
 
Why are you passionate about sustainable, organic and biodynamic
produced wine?
 
Sustainable, organic and biodynamic wine production is
very challenging, yet the result is undisputed, producing wines that
not only represent the grower's dedication and commitment to his/her
land but also offer pure flavor and great fruit intensity. I am happy
that people are getting better educated about the fact that pesticides
are poisons designed to kill living organisms and can be harmful to
humans as well as the earth.  Since these methods are just emerging in
the wine industry, it is not realistic to only serve wines made with
these methods, but by offering the best wines from the best producers
I hope that Cin-Cin will be a place that people can explore more than
just flavor and types of wine, but ones that are grown differently as
well. 

About Lisa Rhorer -

Lisa Rhorer, Co-Proprietor, General Manager and Wine Director, Cin-Cin Wine Bar
Lisa Rhorer is a former senior high-tech marketing professional,
working for such Silicon Valley giants as Google, Oracle and Creative
Labs. Lisa left Google to pursue her passion for wine, going on to
graduate from the prestigious Professional Wine Studies Program at the
Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena and earning membership in
the Court of Master Sommeliers Program.  At CIA, she studied under
such wine industry luminaries as Karen McNeil (author of The Wine
Bible), Christie Dufault (former Sommelier at Gary Danko) and Robert
Bath (Master Sommelier).  Lisa has further built on that knowledge as
Wine Buyer for Whole Foods; sales manager for Spanish wine
distributor, Vinos and Gourmet and behind the counter at two popular
Bay Area wine bars.  Her love of travel and wine has brought her to
visit top wine producers in Austria, Italy, France and Spain and
attend the Toscana Saporita Cooking School in Italy.

 
 

The team at Got Tannins would like to thank Lisa for her time. You can learn more about her new venture at www.cincinwinebar.com

 

 

Lisa Rhorer
Proprietor/Wine Director, Cin-Cin Winebar
www.cincinwinebar.com

Coming soon to Los Gatos - Spring 2008
Sustainable. Biodynamic. Organic.
Explore what good for you can taste like.

What was the first memory you have of wine?

My family lived in Naperville, IL until I was about 12. Most of the neighbors all had kids the same age, so in the summer there were block parties. The "wine" was some sort of pink stuff in a box. I didn't try it, and I don't think any of the adults did either. But I don't remember, and I'm sure the adults then don't either.

What was the first wine that you considered to be good wine?

Hogue Cellars Fume Blanc from Washington, which I discovered when I was in college. It was cheap and consistently very good.

 

Do you think it's the taste of a good wine or the experience while drinking the wine that makes it good?  Why?

I think it's a bit of both, but environment is a huge factor. If you're drinking '61 Latour while you're in a North Korean labor prison with electrodes hooked to your nipples, I don't imagine the wine's going to taste all that great. But I've been with friends and family and had a wonderful time even though we were drinking some pretty mediocre wine.


How big is your cellar?

Don't have one. I just have a mini wine fridge designed to hold 16 bottles that I've crammed about 20 into (mostly Chateauneuf, some Sea Smoke and a couple goodies from New Zealand). And a wine rack for everything else, that holds maybe 50 bottles, is usually no more than half full of drink-now wines.

What is your favorite varietal (i.e. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot)? Why?

Sauvignon Blanc. I just love how different it is in each part of the world it's grown, and how it's at its best from Marlborough, NZ. Bright, acidic, tangy, fruity, grassy – it's got a little of everything, and goes as well with dinner as it does with a fruit salad at breakfast (if that's your thing).

What is your favorite region for wine (i.e. Napa Valley, Margaret River, Montelcino)

Marlborough, mostly because of the personal connection I have to it. But also because it's not just a Sauvignon Blanc pony. There are great Pinots, Chards, Rieslings, even Syrah and Viognier there. It's a small region, but has so many wineries trying so many different and interesting things all the time. And even the local trashy bars have really good wine in them.

What is your favorite vineyard or brand?

Allan Scott, again, because of the personal connection. But a couple other brands that drew me to Marlborough were Huia, Wairau River, Hunter's and Drylands. Some of my favorite discoveries there are Fromm, Herzog, Spy Valley, Astrolabe, Highfield, Seresin and Foxes Island.

Do you have a favorite bottle? (varietal, region, year)

Yes, but it's empty. It's a bottle of Hogue Fume Blanc from 1996 I think, that is one of several that a bunch of friends and I drank the night before we all graduated college. Everyone signed it.

What wine are you saving for a special day?

More and more I'm finding that sort of thing in general to be a bad idea. Because you wind up with tons of wines you feel like you can't drink because the day just isn't special enough for one reason or another. But among those I have lying around for the specialness or the odd, late-night, impaired decision are: three Sea Smokes, a couple Domaine St. Prefert 2005 Chateauneufs, a 10-year-old Champagne, some single-vineyard Allan Scott Pinot and Chardonnay, and a Fromm Syrah. Oh, and I think there's a half bottle of Hungarian Tokaji buried in there somewhere that my parents gave me.

 

Where do you buy the majority of your wine? (Retailer, Direct, etc. Feel free to name the store you shop at or the site you buy from)

On the way home, after work, to be consumed that night. There are a few retailers near my office and a couple near my apartment in Brooklyn, such as Slope Cellars. Just depends on my mood. But for bigger orders I usually buy from Wine Library in NJ and have the wine shipped to me.
 
Have you ever had an organic wine?  Did you like it?

There are some good ones out there, sure, but I don't think they're better because they're organic or anything. And I would say that 75% of the organic wines I've had that proudly marketed themselves as such weren't that good. Not terrible, but not worth the extra money they cost.

What is the most you've ever spent on a bottle of wine?

I bought a couple magnums of Chateauneuf that were $130 each I think. That's really pushing it for me since I'm not rolling around naked in piles of money. Actually, I'm not rolling around naked in piles of anything.  

What was your favorite wine experience (or one of your top experiences)?

Spending a year making it, and writing a book about it. I'm a pretty lucky dude that way, I'll admit. Though one funny thing that springs to mind is when I visited Australia, and was staying in a hostel in Byron Bay, which is a secluded little party town. It was Christmas Day, and for $20 there was an all-you-can-eat, all-you-can-drink BBQ. But all the wine was in boxes – really awful, sweet, Hunter Valley plonk. I had one bottle of Riesling, from Pettavel in Geelong, Australia, that I wanted to bring back to NZ, but I couldn't stand to drink the boxed stuff. So I opened the Riesling. Then I heard that people in the kitchen of the hostel were saying, "Did you see? There's a guy out there drinking wine from a <i>bottle</i>! Coooool."  

What one wine do you recommend for our readers to try?

Manischewitz. So you never forget what horrible wine tastes like.  

What is an up-and-coming wine (or winery) you think is a good value right now?

My obsession of the moment is cheap Spanish Garnacha: Las Rocas, Tres Picos and Pablo Menguante all come to mind. But ask me tomorrow, and I'll probably have a different answer.

Did we miss anything?

Other than shoe size, boxers vs. briefs, and social security number, no, you didn't miss a thing. This is the longest Q&A I've ever done!

Got Tannins would like to say cheers to Eric and encourages our readers to try out his book, which is rated 4 1/2 out of 5 stars on Amazon.com.  Click the following link - First Big Crush to purchase.