A Story in Every Bottle

Pop goes the cork, as my friend Steve Shaw Jr. of Steve Shaw Vineyard shares a bottle of his Pinot Grigio. The sound brings forth anticipation. We both agree that the symbolic salute of a cork popping is far more exciting than the click of a screw top! How many juicy conversations have been shared over a bottle of fine wine?

Wine is universally what the gods Osiris, Dionysus and Bacchus have been put in charge of overseeing. Blessings are bestowed every Friday upon “God, Ruler of the Universe, Creator of the Vine” in the Jewish tradition and every day at mass as the blood of Christ in the Catholic faith. Considering wine’s association with divine influence, it’s not surprising that a substance of this importance comes with its own set of etiquette and protocol.

As Steve pours the cold golden liquid into my glass, I notice the generous pour. I ask, “Isn’t white wine supposed to be poured a bit on the shallow side to ensure that it stays cold?” He smiles, yes, but it’s just the two of us. Clink! To shared bottles! I am in heaven, in the company of my friend leading me through this bottle of which he is most proud. “It’s the first product I’ve created and I was 100% involved, from the vines to the design of the label.”

I looked at the lovely color, sunny and inviting, I gently swirl it in my glass to open up the taste and smell of the wine as it starts to oxidize. She has great legs! (Legs refers to the sugars in the wine that make it drip slowly down the sides of the glass.) The bouquet transports me to outdoor summer brunches. The taste is crisp and slightly fruity but delightful.

The “nose” refers to the first impression it gives; its aroma. The “body” or “heart” refers to the flavors in the wine, such as tobacco, leather, cherries for reds and citrus, butter, nutty for whites. The “Finish” is the after taste, your last impression of the wine. Climate, soil and type of grape, its “terroir” affects the structure and taste of the wine providing a blueprint of its specific characteristics.

When bringing bottles of wine to people, bring a decent bottle if you can because it is considered protocol for the recipient to open the gifted bottle and share it with you. It is considered rude to bring a fine bottle to your host and have them say “I’ll save it for a special occasion.” Am I not a special occasion? Any time you are together with friends and family is a special occasion. “Wine is one of the most expensive liquids on earth, along with oil, printer ink and bottled water,” Steve exclaims. Wine is a special luxury; I can’t agree more.

I get annoyed when people hold the bowl of the glass in their palm as if it were a cognac. Wine glasses are held by the stem to avoid warming the wine with our body heat.

In fact, each kind of wine has a specific kind of glass that was specially designed to show it off in its best light. It’s like finding the perfect little black dress. But I must be patient, we are still, by enlarge, a country that is only really beginning to take food and spirits seriously by educating ourselves. I would compare pairing specific wines with certain foods to wearing a fragrance to go with your outfit. In my tiny NY kitchen I really only have room for a few basic glasses for white and red and a dozen generic dishwasher safe glasses designed for modern living.

I take another sip. Steve tells me wine has been made in the Finger Lakes since the 1850s. A third generation wine maker, he started learning the family business at seven by picking grapes and shadowing his father. Steve has been involved with every single aspect of the wine industry; rare considering he is only thirty!

I tell Steve about a very proper man from Spain who broke off his engagement because his fiancé had picked up a wine bottle by its neck! Instantly he understood she didn’t have the level of refinement to represent his household. “Yep, the tip of the iceberg, I totally understand, for me it’s a White Zinfandel!”

“What would you like my readers to know darling?” I ask. He replies, “Fine wine is closer than you think. It’s right here in New York. Try any one of Shaw Vineyards’ dozen varieties and explore and support locally grown artisanal wines.” Steve, now fueled by his own juice, continues, “I wish big wine companies would stop pouring for the bottom line instead of educating the American consumer and create something interesting. Small indie brands are the driving force and the trend setters in today’s market. By importing and promoting cheap mediocre wines instead of showcasing great domestic wines, they are keeping Americans in the grape equivalent of Budweiser!” Steve took the words right out of my mouth!

We have come to the end of the bottle, though more stories are left to be told for another round.