Mama's Got a Fusebox

I recently accepted the Fusebox Blendoff Challenge from Crushpad, where I would compete against some great internet bloggers like Dirty South Wine, Purple Teeth Diaries, NorCal Wine, Cellar Mistress, Pulling the Cork, Another Wine Blog, A Good Time with Wine, and Savvy Taste.  We each received a Fusebox, a home wine making kit which comes with enough equipment for you to make your very own Bordeaux red blend out of Napa wines.  Not only will our blends will be graded, but our own homemade labels as well.  Here is a bit more info on the fun I had with this product:

So, I opened the box, and inside were six 375ml bottles: 2 Cabernet Sauvignon, a Merlot, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, and a bottle labeled "Mystery Wine".  There was also a guidebook, a graduated cylinder, and pipettes.  All of these would help me create my very own blend.

Now, for those of us who do not know what a "Bordeaux blend" is, it is basically a red wine comprised of the grape varietals available in the Bordeaux wine region.  The five main grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, and Malbec are used, along with some Carmenere showing up in some blends.  Each grape adds its characteristics to the wine, such as color, tannin, body, structure, aromatics, spice, etc.  This all depends upon the wine maker.

Getting back to my work, I started by opening each bottle, and trying to pick up color notes, aromas, and flavor components for each wine.  I then noted differences, and used those to help me with my blending.  I tried at least five different blends before I finished with my final: a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Cabernet Franc, 8% Petite Verdot, and 7% Merlot.  Most wines from the "left bank" or left side of the Gironde river, are Cabernet Sauvignon based, and I found this varietal in the fusebox to have very good power and body, good for a base wine.  I added a good amount of the Cabernet Franc because I found the aromatics to be stunningly good, and a touch of sweet ripe fruit on the palate.  The Petite Verdot had an awesome deep color, and the tannins were extremely well structured.  The Merlot was kind of supple and slutty, and I wanted a touch in the blend.

Then it was time to label my wine.  I called my wine "Prima Volta Cellars: Lil' Bambina Red".  Prima Volta means "first time" in Italian, and I love the phrase for the fresh start and innocent qualities it lends to a little baby, or lil' bambina.  This is a tribute to my unborn little girl, who is being carried by my beautiful wife, and will be delivered to us in January.

As far as the "Mystery Wine" goes, you must try to figure out the percentages of varietals used, and log into the given website for the answers.  I was actually pretty close on my estimates, but it is certainly a difficult task to get something like that right!

Also, this blog post's name is a play on The Who song Mama's Got a Squeezebox.  I had a good laugh off that one!

Chicago Community Crush Kick-Off

This past Wednesday, Community Crush: Chicago was launched at our kick-off party held in Rogers Park.  Taste Food and Wine was our host, and they are an awesome wine shop and Euro deli, which had ample space to accomodate all new members of the Community.  Onhand were  four Community Crush: San Francisco 2008 Pinot Noirs to taste, each very different, and gave all a sneak peak at what our Pinot Noir could be like next year. 

This was the first of what will be many gatherings and chances to meet other people who are enthusiastic about wine and Chicago.  Make sure to join the Community online, become part of our wine's life cycle, and say hi to both myself and my co-leader Carol Ludwick.  Our next event is being held at South Loop Wine Cellar next Wednesday, September 16, from 6:30-8:30pm.  We will be tasting more Crushpad wines, and tasting some freshly picked Pinot Noir grapes from the Two Pisces Vineyard, the source of our 2009 wine.  See you there!

Community Crush Chicago

Winemaking.  It can be mysterious and seem difficult.  I want to start off by saying that anyone can make wine.  But without access to quality vineyards, equipment, winery space, and expertise, making a great wine is almost impossible.  But thanks to Crushpad, the average person has access to all of this.  Choose your varietal, and your grapes will be gathered from California or Bordeaux single vineyards, then turned into a full barrel (about 500 bottles)of great wine by their experts, with prices starting at $5,700. 

Now if you don't want to make that kind of commitment, Crushnet might be for you.  You can be involved with a community barrel, or one that you started with friends, with commitment starting at one bottle purchase.  And for Chicagoans, we have been given the unique opportunity to become part of a remote hands on experience in the creation of a wine.  I have just become co-leader of Community Crush Chicago, an interactive experience with the 2009 vintage of the Two Pisces Vineyard Pinot Noir.  For the low price of $26 per bottle, you will have access to a post-harvest grape tasting, winemaker Noah Dorrance, video updates and live streaming of the wine, post-fermentation and barrel sample wine tasting, designing of the label, and parties with your community of fellow Chicago winemakers!  A full barrel of wine or 511 bottles will be made, so make sure join the group, reserve your bottles, and join the community.