Mission Codename: Affinity for Greatness

Operative: Agent White

Objective: Investigate Napa’s Robert Craig Winery

Mission Status: Ongoing…

Current Winery: Robert Craig Winery

Wine Subject: 2006 Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet

Winemaker: Robert Craig

Backgrounder:

While Robert Craig Winery is well known for their mountain fruit wines, today’s selection is made from fruit found in in the Mt. George region of southeastern Napa near the Stag’s Leap District. This area rivals Rutherford for top honors of Napa’s Cabernet Sauvignon. The region is best known for exceptional Bordeaux varietals and today’s selection is an excellent example of the character of the region’s wines.

Wine Spies Tasting Profile:

Look – Deep and dark purple with garnet reflexes through its dense but clear core. Along the edges the color remains a deep garnet and when swirled, widely-spaced fat legs hang for a few seconds before descending to the wine below.

Smell – Medium in intensity with inviting aromas of lush and vivid black-fruit including blackberry, black cherry and blueberry are interlaced with toasted and smokey oak, exotic allspice and floral violets.

Feel – Smooth and rich, this full-bodied classic is dry with finely grained silky tannins and bright but balanced acidity. Mouth-coating and expansive, with excellent minerality, this wine has real staying power that lingers long into the finish.

Taste – Plush and rich flavors of black cherry, plum, blackberry and blueberry with subtle and sentimental allspice and mild cinnamon. Flavors of toasted oak are well integrated with complex black olive, mocha coffee and the underlying minerality that is initially felt on the palate.

Finish – Warm and lingering, this clean and well structured wine’s flavors clings to the palate, making the mouth water in anticipation of another sip.

Conclusion – The 2006 Robert Craig Winery Affinity Napa Valley Cabernet is a delicious Cabernet Sauvignon (blend) with tremendous character. Warm and inviting on both the nose and the palate, this wine is drinking wonderfully right now but has the backbone to cellar for years to come. We enjoyed this delicious wine with word-fire grilled pork-loin seasoned simply with garlic, pepper, paprika and sea-salt.

Mission Report:

WINEMAKER INTEL BRIEFING DOSSIER

SUBJECT: Keith Emerson

DATE OF BIRTH: 3/22/76

PLACE OF BIRTH: Boston, Mass.

WINE EDUCATION: Enology & Viticulture / Fermentation Science B.S., UC Davis

CALIFORNIA WINE JOB BRIEF: Director of Winemaking – Vineyard 29, Consulting Winemaker – Robert Craig Winery, Winemaker – Knighton Family Vineyards, Leaf + Twig Vineyard, Gundlach Bundschu Winery, Bartholomew
Park Winery, Owner / Winemaker – Emerson Brown Wines, Owner / Winemaker – Emerson Wines (all current)

WINEMAKING PHILOSOPHY: Gentle, meticulous handling and attention to detail every step of the way. Small lot, hands on winemaking, utilizing gravity as much as possible and showcasing the fruit from each specific site.

SIGNATURE VARIETALS: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Establishment of Emerson Brown Wines in 2005 (tremendously successful, boutique Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc), hand crafted in Vineyard 29’s state of the art facility

CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Establishment of Emerson Wines in 2009. Single-vineyard (Shea Vineyard) Oregon Pinot Noir, hand crafted in Vineyard 29’s state of the art facility

WINEMAKER QUOTE: If you work harder than the next guy and pay attention to detail every step of the way, good things will happen!

AGENT RED: Greetings, Keith Emerson. We are thrilled to be showing your 2006 Robert Craig Winery “Affinity” Cabernet Sauvignon today. Thanks so much for taking some time to answer questions for our Operatives today.

KEITH: Thanks for having me

RED: Was there a specific experience in your life that inspired your love of wine?

KEITH: I grew up in the restaurant and bar business back east. I’ve always said that I fell in love with wine through food.

RED: And where did you learn the most about winemaking?

KEITH: Honestly, on the job experience has been even more beneficial than my studies at UC Davis (though I learned a lot there as well, of course).

RED: What is your winemaking style or philosophy?

KEITH: Gentle, meticulous handling and attention to detail every step of the way. Small lot, hands on winemaking, utilizing gravity as much as possible and showcasing the fruit from each specific site.

RED: What wine or winemaker has most influenced your winemaking style?

KEITH: I’ve been fortunate to work with and learn from several world class winemakers including Philippe Melka, Andy Erickson, Celia Welch, Zelma Long, Allan Johnson (NZ), and others.

RED: How long have you been making wine?

KEITH: 12 years

RED: Who do you make wine for?

KEITH: The wine drinker!

RED: Tell me, what makes the Napa Valley so special?

KEITH: The amazing geological activities that have occurred here over time. So many microclimates and soil types in such a small valley!

RED: What is one piece of advice that you would give to someone that is considering a career as a winemaker?

KEITH: Lots of hard work, ridiculous hours, don’t ever plan on vacationing in September or October for the rest of your life!

RED: What is occupying your time at the winery these days?

KEITH: Online interviews (kidding)! Post-harvest vineyard meetings, post-harvest wine lot evaluation tastings, barreling down 2009 reds, ordering bottling supplies for upcoming bottling season, winterizing the winery, etc.

RED: Please tell me a little bit about the wine we are featuring today

KEITH: 2006 was my first vintage working with Robert Craig Winery and thus my first opportunity to influence the wines. The 2006 Affinity is a harmonious blend of primarily Cabernet Sauvignon, with a few additional Bordeaux blenders, from select valley and hillside vineyards.

Aroma: Concentrated berry and black cherry fruit at the forefront, underlaiin with sweet cassis and touches of violets, lavender and spicy oak. Flavors: A beautifully polished core of black fruit on the mid-palate, interwoven with black olive, red currant, espresso and a hint of maple. Finish: Lush and generous, focusing on more dense fruit, enlivened with crisp acidity and silky, fine-grained tannins.

RED: What is your favorite pairing with today’s wine?

KEITH: Rack of lamb

RED: Please share one thing about yourself that few people know

KEITH: Huge Boston Celtics, Red Sox, New England Patriots fan

RED: What is your favorite ‘everyday’ or table wine?

KEITH: Difficult to say though I always love a clean, refreshing Vhinos Verde from Portugal.

RED: How would you recommend that people approach your wines, or wine in general?

KEITH: With an open mind and an appreciation for exciting, unique, well-made wines

RED: If you could choose any one wine to drink (regardless of price or availability), what would it be?

KEITH: Tough question… maybe DRC La Tache

RED: Thank you so much for your time. We learned a lot about you – and about your wine. Keep up the great work, we are big fans!

KEITH: Thanks very much!

Wine Spies Vineyard Check:

The location of the Robert Craig Winery in the Howell Mountain region of Napa can be seen in this satellite photo.

The menu for Saturday’s Thanksgiving tasting is now final. Here’s what we’ll be serving up:

Appetizers & Snacks:

1. Crab-stuffed mushrooms and Old English Cheeseball. Pairings: Estancia Pinot Grigio, Belhaven Scottish Ale.

2. Barbecued Bacon Canapes, Early American Cheeseball, and Sausage-stuffed Mushrooms. Pairings: Sterling Vintner’s Collection Chardonnay, Brother Thelonious Abbey Ale.

Main:

3. Roasted Turkey and gravy, Savory herbed dressing, Homestyle Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce, and Sweet Potato Casserole. Pairings: El Portillo Pinot Noir, 14 Hands Merlot, Sam Adams Boston Lager.

Desserts:

4. Pumpkin Roll and Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake. Pairings: New Gewurz Gewurztraminer, Sam Adams Winter Lager.

5. Turtle Cheesecake. Pairings: Bailey’s on the rocks, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout.

This should be a great time and a great tasting experience. Stop in tomorrow between 2pm and 10pm, and bring your friends!

Some of the best known family names in wine country are just nameplates on the door. Mondavi, Martini and others have been gobbled up by big companies hoping to cash in on the cachet of wine celebrity.

But there are lots of true family-run California wineries that are getting an injection of energy,  appreciation for new technology and modern advances from a new generation of young guns looking to make their mark on the industry.

I tasted some interesting wines and met some of the new winemaking generation at a wine trends event in Sausalito earlier this week sponsored by the California Wine Institute and the California Association of Wine Grape Growers.

Mauritson Wines

Clay Mauritson

My favorite wine of the day was the 2007 Rockpile Ridge zinfandel ($35) from Mauritson Wines in Dry Creek Valley. It was poured by winemaker Clay Mauritson, representing the fifth generation of his winegrape-growing family.

“I like the 2004 (Rockpile Ridge) but I think the ‘07 is going to be my new favorite. It’s showing very well,” Mauritson said.

I had to agree.

The wine was smooth and full of zinfandel character, tasting of blueberries with an edgy spiciness flanking finely integrated tannins. (To read my blog about Mauritson, click here.)

Wente Vineyards

The tastiest white wine at the event was the  2007 Nth Degree chardonnay poured by Karl Wente, the fifth generation winemaker at Wente Vineyards in the Livermore Valley. This limited production wine is blended from two of the estate’s top vineyards.

Karl Wente

The taste of this lightly golden wine was round and full-flavored on the tongue. It showed a sliver of citrus with hints of melon that developed as the chilled wine warmed up in my glass.

One of the vineyards used for Nth Degree is planted to the renowned Wente clone of chardonnay, which is widely used throughout California . The Wente clone vines are directly descended from vineyard cuttings brought to California from France nearly a century ago by a Wente family member.

“We operate the oldest, continuously operated, family owned winery in the country,” said Wente, who heads the family’s winemaking operations but describes his job as “flavor farmer and tannin farmer.”

Benziger Family Winery

Another family run operation, Benziger Family Winery, is having growing pains — of a sort. A new generation is marching in with aspirations of joining the wine business (Click here to see my blog about Benziger side project, Imagery, where Kathy’s brother, Joe Benziger, showcases his winemaking talents).

The solution is what Kathy Benziger, the last of seven siblings from the winery’s namesake, Mike Benziger, calls “our flaming hoops.”

Any younger nieces and nephews who want to work in the business have got to pass through a series of requirements to earn their spurs. The Benziger “family constitution” requires a college or trade school degree plus working experience outside of the winery.

“It’s really cool to be passing the torch to the next generation and seeing them really get into this business,” said Benziger, who was the East Coast sales manager in New York for more than a decade before returning to Sonoma for a senior marketing position.

Kathy Benziger

“But the millennials think this is easy,” she said. “You have to instill in them that you have to go above and beyond to be successful. You are a family owner and you have to set the very best example.”

The Benziger family, originally from New York, moved to Sonoma in the 1980s to make wine and started the hugely successful Glen Ellen brand, which they sold 16 years ago to Heublein. The family poured the Glen Ellen-winemaking experience, and profit from the sale,  into today’s namesake business.

At the tasting, Kathy poured me a taste of a red wine called “Three Blocks” from the Signaterra collection, a grouping of wines made from specific vineyard sites or special vineyard blocks picked for the confluence of three forces — earth, nature and man.

I liked the soft mint and mild tannins in this $49 Bourdeaux-style blend, which is immediately approachable but could also improve a bit over the next few years. The 2006 is a combination of cabernet sauvignon (64%) and merlot (36%). This wine spent 18 months in French oak and was fermented with native yeast.

More Family Winemakers

For a closer look at some other California family wineries, check out my blog about the Family Winemakers of California tasting event held each summer in San Francisco.

Ok, I’m sure that came out a bit more salacious than I had intended.  Or maybe it didn’t.  But a few nights ago I headed to my wine cave and grabbed a bottle of Menage a Trois, by Folie a Deux.  I believe this came in at about $10-$12 bux.  Not bad at all for a Zin, Merlot, Cabernet blend.

As you can see e enjoyed this wine with pizza.  For the price this was a good choice.  The nose was very tight at first.  I’m glad I had opened it up prior to even ordering the food.  At first I wasn’t picking up much of anything.  But after a bit I got a slight Bubblegum component.  Like the sweetness of Bazooka gum.  There was also a hint of Radish on the tail end.  When tasted, it was all Strawberries.  Sweet at first, with a tart finish.  Unfortunately the finish was over immediately.  Bang! Done!  For what I paid this wasn’t a bad deal.  It went well with the pizza we were having but I think it would have just gotten lost on a more complex dish.  It is worthy of being a wine to pick up on the way home for a quick meal.  It wasn’t Fabulous but it wasn’t bad either.

Ya, I know what you are thinking.  That movie sideways.  Rumors were said that merlot sales actually went down after that movie came out.  I honestly have to admit that I took that movie seriously and I started to look for the Pinot wines in the grocery store apposed to the Merlot.  I actually used to always go for the merlot because i really like it, I enjoyed the bitterness of the wine and I also got it because it was cheap.  So I’ve done a bit of research to see if merlot sales have gone down, I also found out the differences between the 2 wines.  I personally like merlot to this day and i like pinot too.  I pick pinot more though.  Is it because of the movie or do i really like the pinot better.

According to Google trends

I did find that wine is more interesting than John McCain.. thats weird.. who cares about that.. funny that someone actually did a pole about that.

The hottest wine region in California is Napa, second to Napa was Sonoma

go to see more trends at http://trendinator.blogspot.com

now.. Merlot Vs. Pinot, ha.. it isnt true!

Merlot and Pinot have been about even since Sideways came out in 2004 with merlot just above pinot according to the google trends that is

more info go to http://spiritofwine.blogspot.com

ya people.. wine is from grapes

THE DETAILS: Montes Sauvignon Blanc
Leyda Vineyard 2007  13.5%

Premier Wine and Spirits – under $25

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: Premium from Chile with an intriguing nose of minerals, lemon zest and a little green — it’s actually kind of French in smell. As for the taste – it’s a zesty lime bomb with some heat at the end from the alchohol and a lemon meringue/slightly creamy finish.

MAKE IT BETTER:  Absolutely outstanding with fennel baked with parmigiano. An inspired pairing if I do say so myself.

THE DETAILS:  Babich Pinot Gris 2006

New Zealand  13.5%

$20-25 NSLC

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT:  Some nice cookie aromas and candied ginger, it’s full-bodied, flavourful with some alcohol heat.  Not a showstopper and slightly out of balance. 

MAKE IT BETTER: Totally overpowered simple halibut – try something with some spice.

THE DETAILS:  Lomond Pincushion Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007

South Africa - Cape Agulhas (most southern part of South Africa) 

$25-30 – NSLC

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT:  Definitely exhibiting the typical South African green element – peppers, herbs and grass – but in a good way.  Excellent crisp acidity and balance.  If you like gin, check out the juniper kick on the mid-palate.  Kicky South African goodness but not exactly a value. 

MAKE IT BETTER:  Very tasty with grilled halibut or a great aperitif.  Good gift for the hardcore S.B. fan.

THE DETAILS: Stratti Gaglioppo 2007

Calabria, Italy IGT

$15-20 U.S. from Union Wine Shop NYC 

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT:  A wine that’s not exploding on the shelves of Canadian liquor stores, this was the first opportunity I’ve had to try this native grape of Calabria from Southern Italy.  It’s a fantastic wine with dark mauve rimis, nearly opaque cranberry and it’s very earthy with some raspberry notes.  It has lots of acidity with some trademark Italian bitter cherries. Medium bodied, a great introduction to this grape. 

MAKE IT BETTER: This wine was drunk out of plastic cups in a NYC hotel room.  It was awesome then and it will be awesome now. 

THE DETAILS:  Peller Estates Merlot 2004 Private Reserve VQA

Ontario, Canada

$20-25 NSLC

WHAT IT’S ALL ABOUT: The wine screams Bordeaux and that fact was incredibly shocking.  It’s an almost translucent garnet red with a little barnyard and currant notes.  As you’d expect from Merlot, very soft and round with nice acid.  Well made.  Tasty. Canadian.  It’s really great. 

MAKE IT BETTER:  Still carrying lots of acidity meaning it will last for a while longer.  Try it in a Bordeaux tasting and see how it fares, you’ll be surprised!

I say no, but what say the masses ?

In today’s new economic condition, it takes more than a great AVA to keep your consumers buying…
…It takes Value.

Your success is at the forefront of our minds!

Jaeger Vineyards is offering our

2007 Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley Merlot
And our
2007 Napa Valley Merlot

at a “New Economy” price point through December 4, 2009

Our asking price is a great deal at $9.00/gallon
for a standard 30 day ship; 30 day pay

But don’t stop there…
Save another $1.50/gallon
with our Year End Special.
You can include this wine in your program for only
$7.50/gallon…

Here’s how it works:
• Complete a purchase agreement by December 4, 2009
• Pre-pay is required before shipping
• Ship to your location within 21 days of our agreement
• Single truck-load minimum purchase (approx. 6,400 gallons)

A total of 70,000 gallons is available.
It is broken down between 9 different blends.
• 5 of the blends are from our Oak Knoll Vineyard; 100% Oak Knoll District AVA
o 51,420 gallons
o Aged in neutral oak barrels with medium toast, American Oak Barrel Chains
• 4 of the blends are from our Wilson Ranch and Clarke Ranch: 100% Napa Valley AVA
o 18,788 gallons
o Aged in stainless steel with medium toast, American Oak Tank Fan

I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Thanks for your time.

Thomas Crouch
VP of Sales
Jaeger Vineyards, LLC
707-287-4007 (cell)

November 15, 2009

Dear readers,

My weeks have become so busy, and I hate leaving you guys with nothing for weeks on end, so here are some things to keep you entertained. Enjoy!

I haven’t heard any other songs from this band, “fun.”, but this song is really cheery. I like it, even if the lead singer has that whiny boy band voice. It’s nice here. The song is called “All the Pretty Girls”.

Does anyone remember that sitcom “Hope and Faith”? I was reading a piece on Megan Fox in the New York Times and I realized she was on “Hope and Faith”. I used to watch that show occasionally – I don’t know how I didn’t recognize her. It’s a good laugh and occasionally side-splittingly hilarious.

March of the Ducks

Hilarious. I love dramatic readings.

We had a good laugh about the seafood scene today at the restaurant.

Here’s a thought: Create something this week. Whether it’s a drawing, a short story, a poem, a knitted square, a play-doh statue.

I am in serious need of creating something.

MrLove,
Katherine

P.S. One of the chains from my birthday paper chain (yes, I still have it – just threw it in the trash two days ago) keeps escaping the trash can! What. The. Heck.

P.P.S. It feels nice to have a good book in common with my friends. One gets tired of raving about Public Enemies while everyone else is talking about Twilight.

P.P.P.S. There was a bottle of Merlot at the table at the restaurant for Amanda’s birthday party. Don’t know why I am mentioning this, perhaps because we made cheesy wine jokes that weren’t really jokes. Well then. Future Katherine, I guess you know that there was a bottle of Merlot sitting at the table…okay.

P.P.P.P.S. My mom brought home guava from her coworker, and now the entire house smells like guava. Today we had hotpot, and I swear (no joke) the tofu tasted fruity.

Nickel & Nickel 2006 Suscol Ranch Napa Valley Merlot.  $50
The fun thing about Nickel & Nickel wines is that they are all single vineyard, meaning they are 100% varietal.  100% PURE merlot, no cab or pinot in there!  In America, a wine must contain, for instance, 75% merlot to be labeled as a merlot (don’t quote me on that number but it’s very close).  Anything less than that 75% is considered table wine or a red blend.  All the grapes for this merlot were grown at Suscol Ranch and if you visit the N&N site you can even see a picture of the vineyard (but I’ll show you here: http://www.nickelandnickel.com/wines_vineyards/VN_jpgs/suscolRanch_lo.jpg).  So after tasting this pure merlot you will have a better understanding of what merlot really is.  This tends to be full of berry and plums and obvious tannis.  I suggest to decant it and let if breathe for about 30 minutes before enjoying.

Rutherford Hill 2004 Merlot $20-$25
The composition of the N&N was 100%, so what’s in this?  Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Syrah.  I saw a positive review of this wine that described it as “brambly flavors of mixed berries, cherry and pencil shavings.”  If my memory of second grade serves me correct, I did NOT taste pencil shavings in this wine.  This is a great wine, after sitting about about 10 minutes you’ll get cherry, berry and some mocha at the end.  No pencil shavings.

Keep It Simple

People frequently ask me “how can I get started learning more about wine?” My advice is always “keep it simple.”  The easiest way to learn about a lot of wines is to learn first about a few. What I mean is that you first have to learn how to learn about wines and the best way to do that is to start with only a few. Using your experience with those few will help you learn about others and so on.  Confused yet?

I suggest that you limit your initial effort to three or four grape varieties from a couple of geographic regions. For instance you might select Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as your white-wine grape varieties, and Zinfandel and Merlot as your red-wine grape varieties. A huge number of wines are produced from these four grape so you will have a wide variety of styles of wine to explore.

It is good to remember that grapes are fruit and the climate, terrain and soil (known as the terroir) where they grow effect their flavor and other characteristics. Zinfandel grapes grown in one part of Napa Valley will be different than Zinfandel grapes grown in another part of Napa Valley. As you would expect, the wines made from these Zinfandel grapes will also be different. You might like Zinfandel wines from one geographic area but not from another. So adhering to our “keep it simple” mantra, you will also want to limit yourself to grapes grown in only one geographic region (known as an appellation).

The smaller the appellation you select the more similar the wines made from the same variety of grape will be. So, again trying to “keep it simple”, I suggest you start with a couple of well known areas in California, Alexander Valley and the Central Coast. Alexander Valley is in northern Sonoma County in northern California and the Central Coast area extends from Santa Barbara County in the south to the San Francisco Bay in the north. This is a good choice because both areas produce a great deal of wine and they are diverse in geography and climate.

So now we’ve picked the kind of wine we’re going to concentrate on and the areas in which it is grown. The next step is figuring out if you like any of the wine from these areas and if so, why.  The best approach is to expose yourself to as many wines from these four grapes and two areas as possible. Order wine by the glass at restaurants. Buy different wines every time you shop. Hit up your friends for a glass of wine if they have one of these you haven’t tried. Select wines from as many different makers as possible. The idea is to get as broad exposure as possible to the four grape varieties you picked in the two geographic areas you picked.Now the hard part. Pay attention to what you’re drinking. This takes a little effort. When you find a wine that you enjoy, note at least the following characteristics. In order of importance:

        Grape variety (e.g. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Zinfandel or Merlot)

        Geographical origin, (e.g. Alexander Valley or Central Coast)

        Vintner (the wine maker or brand, e.g. Beringer, Mondavi, Sterling, etc.) 

After a time you will begin to see patterns in what you like. You may see that you enjoy Zinfandel from two or three different wine makers and Merlot just from one of these. Or that you like every Merlot you’ve had from Alexander Valley but only Zinfandels from the Central Coast. This is the beginning of really understanding what you like.

Armed with even this basic understanding you will have less fear of wine lists and wine stores. If you can’t find the specific wine you are looking for you will know that there is a good chance you will like any Merlot from Alexander Valley or an unknown Zinfandel from the Central Coast. After doing this for awhile, and eventually expanding your selections outside of these four grapes and two geographic areas, not finding a wine you are familiar with won’t be a problem, it will be an opportunity to something new.

Cellar Notes

I tasted these wines last week at a wine dinner at Raffa’s restaurant. Chef David Welch was lauded by those present for the wonderful pairings that he presented for these wines. You always hope the pairing for every course is going to be perfect, but it rarely is. This dinner was one of those rare occasions where the food and wine of every course worked perfectly. Hats off to Tony Raffa for hosting the event and Robert Gilroy with Majestic Fine Wines the parent company of Murphy-Goode.

Sauvignon Blanc
  Murphy-Goode
  2008 Sonoma California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00

Chardonnay
  Murphy-Goode
  2007 Sonoma California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00  

Merlot
  Murphy-Goode
  2006 Alexander Valley California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00

Liar’s Dice Zinfandel
  Murphy-Goode
  2007 Sonoma County California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00 

Cabernet Sauvignon
  Murphy-Goode
  2007 Sonoma County California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00

:: Friday 11/20/09  ::  12-1:30 pm  ::  175 McKenzie Collaboration Center ::

::  Bring  your lunch & questions ::

The Female Avatar: Understanding the Ontology of Gender and Technology

Alina Padilla-Miller, School of Journalism & Communications  PhD candidate

Showcases of 3D Education and Productive Collaboration in Virtual Worlds

Jonathon Richter, Research Associate, Center for Electronic Studying, College of Education

Tanking Like a Girl: Gender and the Study of Online Gaming

Carol Stabile, Professor, Department of English/SOJC; Director, Center for the Study of Women in Society

_______________________________________________________

The Female Avatar: Understanding the Ontology of Gender and Technology

Alina Padilla-Miller School of Journalism & Communications PhD candidate

Alina Padilla-Miller’s dissertation examines the nature of social construction within the digital world, specifically in the grid of Second Life in order to better understand the role of gender in the creation and performance of the female avatar.

______________________________________________

Showcases of 3D Education and Productive Collaboration in Virtual Worlds

Jonathon Richter, Research Associate, Center for Electronic Studying, College of Education

Dr. Richter  is currently working on two projects of interest to Digital Scholars: (1) the MERLOT Project that he directs – The Center for Learning in Virtual Environments (CLIVE) http://clive.merlot.org/index.html, which is a project to identify and vet 3D learning assets (simulations, role playing, immersive experiences, etc.) by disciplinary content experts across the metaverse. His presentation will feature an overview/peek at  locations in Second Life and Project Wonderland dedicated to showcase the capabilities and educational showcases developing in each platform. The second part of this whirlwind performance will be (2) an introduction to the Collaboratory — a parallel construction (i.e. also in Second Life and Wonderland) designed to investigate and gather the various routines that virtual teams have developed to effectively collaborate in these virtual spaces.

_______________________________________________

Tanking Like a Girl: Gender and the Study of Online Gaming

Carol Stabile, Professor, Department of English/SOJC; Director, Center for the Study of Women in Society

Dr. Stabile is currently working on a project that focuses on the role of gender in game play in the massively-multiplayer online game World of Warcraft. The virtual environments of MMOs offer repeatable experiences for girls and women that differ in significant ways from the majority of commercial media content in the US. And the nature of the immersive experiences in MMOs challenge the methodologies and analytic tools that humanist scholars have used to study media. Dr. Stabile will speak specifically about the peculiar nature of these objects of study and the difficulties they present for feminist media scholarship.

Info: Robert Long RFD 6-2293 rohilong@uoregon.edu , Sean Sharp IS 6-8099 ssharp@uoregon.edu

Sponsors

Information Services :: Research & Faculty Development ::

Oregon Humanities Center :: UO Libraries ::

I am totally excited to post my first video blog. Welcome to EPISODE 1 – November 13, 2009. Inside, I provide some basic introductions and a quick review of a 2007 Red Diamond Merlot from WA. Good wine for $7.

• Taste: Big, fruity, bold
• Flavor: Cherry, Plum, Vanilla, hints of Cocoa and Caramel
• Finish: Mild tanins, mildy acidic
• Rating to Price ratio: 3+ out of 5

Check out the video and provide your comments. It’ll take me a few more days to set up my first ‘on the street’ nectarview.

Thanks for watching <drink.happy>

CHATEAU CLINET, es una prestigiosa propiedad de 9 ha.de viñedo en el corazón de Pomerol,s us primeros dueños eran también propietarios del famoso CHATEAU PETRUS. Alla por los años 60 pasa a manos de la familia Laborde.
Jean-Marie Laborde, ingeniero agónomo es hoy quien dirije la propiedad,c on el asesoramiento desde el año 1980 del maestro MICHEL ROLLAND.
Los viñedos están plantados en suelos argilo-calcáreos, esto le transmitira fuerza y finura al vino, trabajan con el máximo respeto por los suelos y la viña, no utilizan herbicidas ni pesticidas, aplicando terminos biodinámicos. El viñedo esta formado en 80% merlot, 15 cabernet franc y 5 cabernet sauvignon.
Vinifican cada parcela por separado, y utilizan barricas siempre nuevas de roble francés de 6 tonelerias diferentes, los vinos tienen una crianza entre 18 y 24 meses.
Los vinos de Clinet son de una materia imponente, de una fruta muy generosa, tanicos, con mucho carácter, de un estilo magnífico.

Chateau Clinet ‘06 87%merlot, 8 cabernet franc, 5 cabernet sauvignon 9 ha. de viejas viñas sobre suelos arcilo-calcáreos, en el corazón de pomerol. Con rendimiento de 20hl/ha fermentación maloláctica en barrica, 20 meses de crianza 6 maderas diferentes en nariz notas de frutos negros, confitura de fruta, pimienta, notas mentoladas, en boca es amplio, fresco, con mucha fuerza y muy elegante.

PVP 95€. 3 o más botellas 92,5€
Contacto: rmoreno@abentech.com

Chateau Clinet

Since I have been doing this I have grown to realize that when it comes to Long Island Merlot, you have to first look at Raphael and their winemaker Richard Olsen-Harbich.  I have tasted quite a few Merlot, maybe not as many as most, but I have always found Raphael Merlot to be at the top of my list.  This Merlot was one of my favorites.

In 2005 Long Island had one of the driest seasons in almost 60 years.  To be exact, according to the notes I received from Rich, “rainfall from May through October 1 totaled approximately 7 inches – the average for the region during the same period is approx. 15-19 inches”.  That is very dry.  Because of these factors, the fruit on the vines was able to ripen alot faster and the flavors were able to concentrate.  It is believed that the 2005 season was the best on Long Island to that point, almost as good as the 2001.

So when I tasted this 2005 First Label Merlot from Raphael with Rich when I visited them at the end of the summer, I found myself at first enjoying the Raphael 2002 First Label alot.  But as time went on, and I re-tasted this at home, I was drawn back to this wine.  Every time I tasted this wine, there was something else happening.  There were new layers being unfolded time and time again.

On the nose, I was getting this awesome black cherry, black berry, currants and juicy plum.  There was a wonderful earthy aroma that mixed with the fresh tobacco aroma of when you first open a cigar box.

When I tasted this the dark berries that I enjoyed on my nose were now on my palate.  The aroma of a humidor was very much present in the taste of this wine as well.  The tannins were very nice and really made this wine strong.

I recall Rich explaining this wine, (hopefully I am correct, remember I did not take notes and if I am wrong, forgive me) it is still young, like a teenager trying to fit into its body, maybe playing basketball for the first time, limbs moving in all directions.  But, the more you let this get adjusted, the better it is.  By the 3rd day this wine was really showing well.  The aromatics were strong and the taste was incredible.

Now for the sad news, this is not available in the tasting room.  It did retail for about$18.00 and let me tell you, it drank like it was $40.  A very solid wine and a great bang for your buck.  If you ever do come across this wine, please pick it up and grab a bottle for me while you are at it.

(Apparently, my excitement for this wine had me all crossed up.  The picture is the 2005 First Label Merlot, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED YET.  The notes I had received with the tasting were for the 2005 Estate Merlot.  This review id for the  Merlot Pictured  Raphael 2005 First Label Merlot…Sorry for any confusion.)

Tonight we went out to dinner celebrate my mom’s 56th birthday – happy birthday mom! The wine list was short, and the dinner menu was basic (baked spaghetti, lasagna, turkey dinner, sandwiches, etc). The quality of the food was fantastic. We ordered a bottle of a generic Merlot, but they were out. Not much else on the list jumped out but we decided to try the Covey Run Cabernet Merlot blend ($18). My mom and I had the baked spaghetti and my wife (the other wine drinker) had whiskey burger.

drinknectar.com review

The wine arrived before dinner. The nose wasn’t overwhelming, but the glasses were not great for swirling to get more air into the wine. The only thing that jumped off of the smell was a musky cherry smell and a hint of black pepper. The taste was good, but not great. Not really recommended as a sipping wine. Once the food came, it had a really nice balance with the garlic bread and the red pasta sauce. With food is where this Washington Wine (Zillah) comes alive.

After dinner we came home, played a little Roulette game we brought home from Vegas and watched Glee!

I’m excited to report that I purchased my Flip Video Cam from Radio Shack for only $99. I’ll be setting up my first ‘nectarview’ in due time. Tomorrow, you’ll have to endure an introductory test run of me in my office. We’ll see what popular children’s cartoon character you can spot in my office.

DOTD: Covey Run Cabernet Merlot Blend (about $12 retail) YOU?

Enjoy life with friends – <Drink.Happy>

I tasted these wines last night at a wine dinner at Raffa’s restaurant. Chef David Welch was lauded by those present for the wonderful pairings that he presented for these wines. You always hope the pairing for every course is going to be perfect, but it rarely is. This dinner was one of those rare occasions where the food and wine of every course worked perfectly. Hats off to Tony Raffa for hosting the event and Robert Gilroy with Majestic Fine Wines the parent company of Murphy-Goode.

Sauvignon Blanc
  Murphy-Goode
  2008 Sonoma California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00

Chardonnay
  Murphy-Goode
  2007 Sonoma California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00  

Merlot
  Murphy-Goode
  2006 Alexander Valley California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00

Liar’s Dice Zinfandel
  Murphy-Goode
  2007 Sonoma County California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00 

Cabernet Sauvignon
  Murphy-Goode
  2007 Sonoma County California
  Spec’s $10.00 – $15.00

Q&A | Adrian Miller

Adrian Miller has had enough Merlot. “Sometimes standing around [at an event] holding that stupid glass of wine gets very tiresome,” said Miller, founder, president-CEO of Adrian Miller Sales Training, which offers executive-level consulting and sales training.  At your garden variety networking event, “people may be engaged in a conversation and not know how to extricate themselves, or not want to extricate themselves because they’re scared to go onto to the next person,” Miller added.

When it comes to pressing the flesh these days, sales managers must take pains to separate their events from the pack.  For instance, Miller recently hosted an event for her clients at Bath Junkie, in lower Manhattan, where guests were able to concoct their own lotions, creams and bath cleansers. “It’s a chemistry lab for adults,” Miller said. “It’s much better to have a common activity and something that can be shared. By sharing activities, people can wind up having very substantial conversations.”  Miller, whose clients include Cotronics Corp. and Lonely Planet, offered some other tips on effective networking for sales execs.

ZoomInfo: What’s your strategy for online networking?

Miller: Primarily to build visibility, credibility and recognition not only for my company, but personal brand. The strategy is to deploy appropriate articles, links, event notices and other relevant information that would contribute to the reader drawing an impression of – and a feeling for – who I am and what I do. Used strategically, [online networking] should only be able to help, and certainly not hurt, what sales execs are trying to do. People need to make sure that they don’t allow things to appear [online] that would necessarily be contradictory to the image they are trying to grow.

ZoomInfo: When it comes to live networking events, what are some of the ways that sales executives can distinguish their companies?

Miller: The way companies can stand out from the outrageous clutter of networking events that are around 24/7 is to be very careful about who they invite and what’s the ultimate deliverable they want to provide. Is there an informational component, say, bringing in a speaker to address a topic relevant to that audience, coupled with time at the beginning [or end] for focused networking? Should there be facilitators working the room, helping to put peoples’ hands together? Should there be follow-up and follow-through? Make it different (see above) and make it worth somebody’s $50.  

ZoomInfo:  What’s your take on social media as a networking tool?

Miller: It levels the playing field to a certain degree. It can start the relationship, but no one does business with someone who they know only through some Facebook conversation. No one selects a vendor because they saw a name on LinkedIn. It requires a lot more work, but [social media] enables sales execs to access untold number of people and companies that they didn’t have access to before. It gives sales execs the ability to expand those contacts and connections that, through nurturing, will lead to something more substantial.

ZoomInfo: What are some of the most chronic mistakes sales executives are making in networking, online or offline?

Miller: They spread themselves too thin and then do not stay on the grid of all the people they’re meeting. They shake a hand, they take a card, maybe they follow-up once, but they totally forget that business development is a process and a long-term engagement. It may be better to do less, but more [with contacts]. The other thing is [sales execs thinking it’s all about them. They’re a lot of people who will take your time and tell you who they are what they do and never will the conversation circle back to, ‘And by the way, what can I do for you?’ The biggest mistake is not having a really good touch-point management system in place so that sales execs can ultimately turn all those contacts they’re making into business, instead of a nice card that’s scanned into your computer.

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_______________

Adrian Miller has a lively online network at Adrian’s Network.  She can be reached at adrian@adrianmiller.com.

I recently had the pleasure of going to a special wine tasting event at Chateau St. Jean winery in Sonoma. It was their annual Cinq Cépages vertical tasting, and it was a blast – a very unique experience.

Cinq Cépages – meaning “five grape varieties” in French – is one of Chateau St. Jean’s signature wines that is a red blend. Each year’s blend contains a range of 75-83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7-11% Merlot, 3-8% Cabernet Franc, 2-4% Malbec and 1-3% Petit Verdot. Using at least 75% Cabernet means that the wine can be classified as a Cabernet rather than a Meritage.

At the tasting, a members-only event, 150-200 people tasted 6 different years (1996, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006) of the famous Cinq Cépages. The winery manager, winemaker (Margo Van Staaveran, named the 2008 Winemaker of the Year by The Wine Enthusiast) and associate winemaker sat in front of the crowd explaining the wine making process and the environmental factors that contributed to each year’s unique characteristics.

Every guest was given a checklist to rate the wines on color, aroma, taste and finish. At the end of the tasting, a vote was taken to determine the most liked and second most liked wine of the bunch. The 1996 took the cake, with the newly released 2006 a close second. Personally, my favorite was the 2003, followed by the 1996. Personal tastes vary quite a bit. Fascinatingly, each wine had multiple votes for being the best and second best.

It was very interesting tasting each year side-by-side, really being able to pinpoint the differences between each of them. I used to think that there was little difference between varying years of the same wine because the process would always be the same. I was wrong though; the climate and other environmental factors really do have a huge impact on the flavors and quality of wine. Some of the Cinq Cépages were much drier than others, some with very earthy flavors and others with much fruitier, juicy flavors.

One interesting tidbit that I learned is that the color of the wine can tell a lot about the age. If you tilt the wine glass against a white surface to thin out the wine and let the color pop, the browner, brick-colors indicate an older wine, while the more purple, red tones classify a young wine.

After the formal tasting, guests were invited to enjoy hors d’oeuvres and to taste more of Chateau St. Jean’s Reserve wines. This winery really is the best that I have ever been to. Especially with their Reserves, you never have a bad wine! Other than the Cinq Cépages, my favorite of the day was the 2005 Malbec Reserve.

If you ever have the opportunity to attend an event like this one, I highly recommend it! It is a great chance to learn a lot about wine making and also to appreciate how Mother Nature plays a huge role in how the wine turns out.

Photo by VC Ferry

the merlot

is drunk
swallowed

every grape
chewed every

seed

and the lilacs
have given
what they

give up
freely

what is the price for
peace of mind?
how do you spend
your time?
the high cost of
living

well spent?

I languish
in the luxury
of my imagi-
nation

L. K. Thayer

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

Mentre tentavamo di riprenderci dalla proficua trasferta al Crotto da Gusto di sabato scorso (foto già disponibili su Facebook, presto anche sul sito), ci siamo imbattuti in un paio di eventi degni di segnalazione.
Iniziamo con la Cantina Ricchi di Monzambano, in provincia di Mantova, che venerdì 13 novembre alle 20.30 propone un’interessante degustazione di Merlot italiani guidata da Paolo Ianna (Vini Buoni d’Italia). Tra gli 8 vini in menu, accompagnati da un buffet di salumi e formaggi del Caseificio La Casara di Ronca (Verona), anche il “Sante Rosso” dell’azienda Cecchetto, recentemente premiato come miglior Merlot DOC d’Italia. La partecipazione costa 20 euro, per info contattare i numeri 346-7183223 o 331-5782675.
Ci spostiamo a Roma per un avvenimento più inusuale: la conquista della capitale da parte del più celebre dolce milanese! Sabato 14 novembre è infatti il Panettone Day: al bar pasticceria NY di via Montelatici (zona Ardeatina) dalle 11 alle 18 si possono gustare 5 tipi di panettone fatti in casa accompagnati dal Moscato d’Asti dell’azienda Degiorgis. Chissà se Umberto Bossi sarà tra i presenti.

I was excited to re-try the Tasmanian wines I had lugged back. DGS was a cozy affair – about a dozen people, just enough to squeeze around the dining table. For food, we prepared cheese and chocolate fondue, along with chicken and steak, tons of fruits, bread, and mum-made walnut brownies. Very nice (and affordable) spread, if I say so myself.

We kicked off the evening with the bright and refreshing Riesling from Stefano Lubiana, the Stefano Lubiana Alfresco Riesling 2008. Everyone really enjoyed the slight tinge of sweetness and the fizz on their tongues. Wonderful way to get the taste buds alive.

We opened the Bay of Fires Chardonnay 2008 next. In comparison to the Riesling, this was heavy, but with enough acidity to make it lively and not dumb. Now this is a nicely balanced Chardonnay – just a touch of butter and lemon.

We moved on to the Moorilla Estate Praxis Pinot Noir 2008 from Hobart next. Now this one had a lovely nose – fruity, with some earth, just the way I like my Pinots. It had a nice solid body too, though still smooth.

Our next wine, the Pipers Brook Tamar 2004, elicited mixed responses. Everyone fervently agreed that it did smell like ketchup, but some, like RX, was not a fan. Where’s the fries, she asked.

We then went back to Stefano Lubiana, for the Stefano Lubiana Merlot 2006. Now, I remember that it wasn’t my favorite wine from the trip; we just felt like we had to buy at least two bottles from that winery, since we were getting Lubiana to help us ship a case of wine back to Singapore. Nonetheless, it was a solid wine, and RX expressed her enthusiasm for it.

At this point, people were starting to flag a little from the hearty food and wine. So I broke out the Delamere Blanc de Blanc 2004, a beautifully made sparkling that had just the right touch of yeast, bubbles, and sweetness. Loved it!

We sat around chatting and laughing for a while more, about all things irreverent, and then I decided to open another bottle, the Frogmore Creek Ruby Pinot Noir Port NV. I loved this port. The Frogmore Creek tasting was our last winery tasting, and I had resolved not to buy any more. However, the port was so delicious I couldn’t help it. So it was a delight to drink it again, and a bonus when RX decided she had had enough and gave me the rest of her glass.

Fun times, great wines. I didn’t check, but I do hope that everyone went away with similarly favorable impressions of Tasmanian wines.