Olson Ogden Wines

cork wine bar in our nation's capitol

My wife and I went out to dinner last night at Cork Wine Bar in the U Street corridor neighborhood of Washington, DC.  It came recommended by a relative who lives in the area.  Overall, we liked this place and had a great time.  The food and wine were delicious and the staff were well informed, friendly and gave us the right amount of attention.  The ambience was welcoming and it was full of patrons but not overly so.  Only complaint, no California wines on the menu but that aside, we still found many wines to like.  I sampled a couple of Spanish red blends from Terra Alta and Priorat regions while my wife enjoyed a white Puligny-Montrachet.  The food was served as small plates.  To start we shared a plate of prosciutto along with an avocado, pistachio, toasted pistachio and sea salt on grilled bread concoction.  We found that putting a slice of the prosciutto on top of the avocado dish was really good.  We also shared their homemade french fries (awesome!) and their dusted calamari and rock shrimp dish.  I also sampled the pan roasted organic chicken breast served in a preserved lemon with garlic targon jus on my own as my wife is not a big chicken fan.  I finished off the evening with an excellent glass of Banyuls.  If you are looking for a wine bar in DC, I would check this place out.  -- by John

death cab for cutie's "grapevine fires"

Drinks Are On Me recently posted this video from Death Cab for Cutie. The song “Grapevine Fires” is a true story that recalls the 2007 wildfires in California that destroyed 1,500 homes, burned 500,000 acres of land, killed nine people, and injured 85 others including at least 61 firefighters.  The grapevine in the title refers to the Grapevine freeway in California but still, it is interesting to hear a song by a popular band referencing wine. Drinks Are on Me's Dale Cruse added this interesting bit: After the incident a local newspaper reported, “Three months after smoke from wildfires carpeted California’s vineyards, some winemakers in the thick of harvest are reporting grapes giving off unusual odors that may be signs of smoke taint.”  Check out the video above and the lyrics at Drinks Are On Me.

california's best lesser known vineyards

The San Francisco Chronicle had an article by John Bonne this past Sunday on some lesser know but really good vineyards in California.  Two vineyards mentioned in the article, Alder Springs and Manchester Ridge, we started getting fruit from with the 2008 harvest.  We get Syrah and Pinot Noir from Alder Springs and Pinot Noir from Manchester Ridge. The wine we have in barrel from these vineyards at this early stage is stunning.  I can't wait for the finished wine in early 2010! -- by John

olson ogden pouring events this week

We have a busy schedule of pouring at Olson Ogden Wines this week.  Tomorrow, June 22nd, Tim Olson will be at the California Wine Merchant in San Francisco pouring our pinot noirs as part of the Pinot Days satellite series tasting events.  I will be at the Jug Shop in San Francisco the following day, June 23rd, pouring our pinot noirs for the same reason.  On Wednesday we will be at Uncorked Events 3rd Anniversary "Best of the Best" tasting at Ruby Skye in downtown San Francisco pouring some of our 2007 vintage wines.  On Thursday, June 25th, Tim will be pouring our pinot noir again at the Pinot Days Winemakers Table Hop dinner at Pres A Vi restaurant in the Presidio of San Francisco.  And then on Sunday, the grand tasting event for Pinot Days, we will be pouring our pinot noirs for all to taste.  At the Uncorked Event on Wednesday, June 24th, and at the Pinot Days Grand Festival Tasting on Sunday, June 28th, we will be offering some unique promotions for our wines.  Don't want to spill the beans but if you will be at either of these events, don't forget to stop by and check these out.  You won't be disappointed!  Hope to see you this week at one of these events. -- by John

updating the wine supply chain

Interesting opinion article on the Wines and Vines website about our country's three tier distribution system for wine.  It was written by Tom Wark who is the Executive Director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association.  I don't know Tom, never met him but he makes a good argument to update the three tier distribution system to reflect the realities of today.  He also argues producers and retailers should be working together to update and overturn our prohibition era alcohol laws.  Reminds me of the early Internet days when the automobile manufacturers were all set to sell cars direct to consumers over the Internet.  It never happened.  The middle man, the car dealerships, had strong ties to the state legislatures and, fearing a loss of business, were able to effectively set up roadblocks to making direct car sales a reality for automobile manufacturers. Sound familiar?!  It is too bad because if it had happened, we would probably be looking at a far healthier automotive industry today, middle men included, than we are now with taxpayer bailouts, forced bankruptcies and shotgun mergers.  I hope the wine industry can learn from other industries and not repeat the same mistakes.  -- by John

the french toasters are at it again

I just finished ordering barrels for this year’s harvest.  As if life isn’t complicated enough these days, the French have found a way to make oak barrels more complicated than it needs to be.  After years of ordering French oak barrels by forest (i.e. Allier, Nevers, Troncais, etc.) they have a new system.  Or at least some Coopers do.  The word on the street is that the French Terroir Police are on high alert that some unscrupulous coopers are selling barrels with wood from places other than what is stated on the barrel.  So many coopers are now selling barrels by grain tightness instead of by forest or source of origin.  Yet other coopers are still selling barrels by forest just like in the past.  As always with the French, there is much disagreement about the true nature of all this forest business.  The different stories I hear accomplish one thing for sure: Winemakers are talking about the changes and wondering what all the fuss is about.  The coopers are getting a lot of PR over this although it is unclear whether it is ultimately positive or negative.  If you ask me, the French have certainly created and shared with the world many great things, not the least of which are wine, art, food and fashion.  But more than anything else is one certainty, the French are great Marketers! -- by Tim

anniversary of prohibition appeal for beer

76 years ago today marks the beginning of the end of prohibition in this country. On April 7, 1933, beer officially became the only legal alcoholic beverage in the United States, when President Roosevelt urged congress to modify Prohibition and allow the sale of 3.2% beer. On April 16, Beer Wars Live, a documentary that gives a a behind the scenes look of the American beer industry, will premiere in theaters nationwide for one night only. Check out Beer Wars Live for information, theaters and to buy tickets.

a second "sideways" - this time in Japanese

Two guys, old college buddies. A has-been actor who is about to get married and a writer who loves wine and has a particular passion for Pinot. Before the wedding they road trip up the coast of California to taste wine. This is the story of "Sideways," the 2005 Oscar nominee for best picture, winner for best adapted screenplay and the movie that mocked Merlot and was responsible for a significant sales drop for the varietal. It is also the story of a remake soon to be released in Japan. In this story the characters are Japanese and they road-trip to Napa because, according to the film's director, “You can’t do a road trip in California without going over the Golden Gate Bridge.”  According to The New York Times, the picture is practically a love song to our state - a very good thing. That said, to taste some really exceptional Pinot Noir, we think they should have made a detour to the Russian River Valley of Sonoma. Read the full story here. New York Times

eric asimov article on california pinots

I read an interesting article recently on the International Herald Tribune website by Eric Asimov on the topic of California Pinot Noir.  It highlights a group of wine producers bucking the trend of high octane, super ripe pinot noirs in favor of a lighter style of pinot noir with healthy acidity and a penchant for going well with food.  The article categorized California Pinot Noir producers in two camps of thought...light and lively or heavy and dense, at the risk of being overly general.  I am not sure Olson Ogden Wines falls into either of these categories.  We strive to produce wines that pair well with food yet are enjoyable to savor and contemplate on their own.  I don't think those two objectives are mutually exclusive but then again I may just have a house palate.  Here is the link to the article.  This story and other relevant news stories are posted daily on our Facebook Fan Page.  Be sure and become a fan.  Enjoy! -- by John 

new website goes live

The Olson Ogden Wines new website went live on Thursday.  Still working on adding some of the content we could not get up with the launch and figuring out how to use our new order management system but you can have a look at the new site now. http://www.olsonogdenwines.com -- by John