Working the PLCB System

It’s frustrating when you know that the PLCB has an interesting wine in its system but it’s not stocked on the shelves of your local store. However, one of the benefits of having a state-wide liquor control system is that the consumer has access to every wine on the shelves of every state store in the entire state.

In other words, if, for example, the bottle of 2003 Antonelli Sagrantino di Montefalco you want is stashed away in a PLCB store in Allegheny County, there’s a surprisingly efficient way for you to get it.

Here’s how to work the system:

1. Use the PLCB Product Search database to find out which store has the wine you’re looking for.

2. Go to your local store and ask them to contact the store that has the wine and have it transferred to your store for you to pick up.

3. This is the most important step, one that the PLCB clerks don’t always remember to tell you: Make sure to say that you want to pay the extra couple of bucks for UPS shipping. If you do, you’ll have the wine in days. If you don’t, there’s no telling when (or if) you’ll get the wine.

Does it suck that on top of the state’s 30% markup, 18% Johnstown Flood Tax and 7% sales tax you will have to pay even more money to get a wine the PLCB carries? You bet it does.

Would you do this for just any wine? Probably not.

But for certain wines—wines that can be tricky to find, like the Sagrantino di Monetefalco—it’s worth a couple additional bucks to drink something a little more interesting.

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Philly Wine Fest 2008 Wrap-Up

Say what you want about Pennsylvania’s antiquated liquor laws; the PLCB throws one hell of a party.

The PLCB and Philadelphia Magazine teamed up again to host the Seventh Annual Philadelphia Wine Festival on May 10. By successfully addressing a few key issues that have dogged past festivals, the PLCB delivered an event this year that will be hard to beat.

In the past, tight quarters and narrow aisles turned even the most polite, well-dressed group of sophisticates into a selfish, inconsiderate, elbow-throwing mob. But this year the PLCB finally chose a space large enough to accommodate Philadelphia’s dedicated mass of wine lovers—the expansive Ballroom at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Sure, at times it felt like you were backstage at The Price is Right with the gaggle of lanky models in little black dresses attempting to cat-walk inconspicuously around the SUVs and Jaeger-le Coultre display cases in the center of the Ballroom. And yes, this spectacle would be easy to mock. But, presumably, lining up these sponsors made it possible for the PLCB to secure this venue, which is a decision that clearly paid off.

Also, at prior festivals the food always seemed to be an issue—there just never seemed to be enough to go around. This year, however, there was an endless supply of pastas. They were not the most refined dishes, with the exception of Penne Restaurant’s wonderful Mushroom Cavatelli with Goat Cheese. But they were just what you needed to soak up the high-octane Cabs you were [ahem] “tasting” for the past two hours.

Then, of course, there were the wines. This year there seemed to be a larger selection of higher-end, artisinal wines—the type of wine you expect at a wine festival.

However, having this level of depth at the festival was—you’ll pardon the expression—a bit of a cork-tease. Although all of the wines at the festival technically are available through the PLCB, many of the stand-out bottles are difficult to obtain. Some of them are available at the local PLCB specialty stores only in very limited quantities (see e.g., the Tuderi, below), while others can be purchased only through the PLCB’s Special Liquor Order (or “SLO”) process, which is pricey because it requires consumers to buy at least six bottles at a time.

Moreover, in stark contrast to the festival’s bounty, the PLCB specialty stores, in case you haven’t noticed, clearly are stocking less wine these days. Rumor has it that the wine inventory has been cut by 40%. And although the Chairman’s Selection program is not dead, as I predicted it has become a thin shadow of what it once was.

After the jump, I’ll talk about my three favorite wines at the festival. And tomorrow I’ll share my secret on how to work the PLCB system to get your hands on these and other hard to find wines.


Best Wine: Remoissenet Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2005 (PLCB No. 21214, $239.99).

Most of the folks attending the festival knew there were certain wines you had to hit, like the First Growth Bordeaux. But judging by the amount of eavesdropping my friends and I witnessed as we talked about this Grand Cru white Burgundy, not everyone, it seemed, had it on their radar.

This Batard was over the top. Subtle aromas of wildflower blossoms. Minerals, fresh citrus and stone fruits, all of which were delicate and focused. Underneath, this princess cradled a deep, layered core of secrets she was only willing to whisper to you, slowly, one at a time. Seductively complex. You could spend the rest of your life courting this wine and not a minute of your patient adoration would be wasted.

There are 12 bottles of this wine at the 12th and Chestnut store. But at $240 a bottle, I'm still waiting for my financial aid application to be approved.


Most Exciting Wine: Tenute Dettori Tuderi 2003 (PLCB No. 23590, $45.99).

Alessandro Dettori is one of the most provocative wine makers in Italy today. The reason: he kicks it old school. Aside from temperature control after bottling, Dettori uses virtually no wine making technology. His wines are natural and unmanipulated—no filtration, no clarification and no stabilization. Maceration and fermentation for most of his wines, including the Tuderi, all take place in small cement tanks. Plus, his grapes are hand-picked and the wines are hand-bottled. For Dettori, it’s clearly a labor of love. A defiant respect for tradition. And it’s as close as you can get to true Old World Italian wine making without a time machine. The result is a true wine geek’s wine.


The Tuderi is a brilliant example of this philosophy. The wine is made with 100% Cannonau (Italy’s name for Grenache). Because there’s no filtration, the pour looks as bright and as dense as a glass of V8. The sight may be a bit jarring to some, but the palate convinces you never to doubt the genius that is Alessandro Dettori: Bitter cherry, wild herbs, leather and spices tempered with refreshing, vibrant acidity. History and tradition never tasted so good.

The only problem with the wine is its availability. There are only 15 bottles in Philadelphia County, 9 of which are in Center City. The fact that that the distributor’s rep had almost as many bottles at the festival that the PLCB has for sale in the entire county is deeply disappointing.


The Grape You Should Get To Know: Antonelli’s Sagrantino di Montefalco 2003 (PLCB No. 24668, $31.99) and its Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito 2004 (PLCB No. 10057, $36.99).

Sagrantino is one of the greatest grapes you’ve probably never heard of. The reason: it’s rare. Indigenous to Umbria, there are only about 250 acres of Sagrantino vines in existence and only about a dozen producers that work with it. And it’s unlike any other Italian wine. Dense, big red brambly fruits, rich savory aromas, exotic spices and pronounced but well-integrated tannins make this wine fun to drink young.


Sagrantino’s often made passito style—drying the grapes after they’re picked to concentrate the flavors—for a lovely and unique dessert wine. It’s exciting that these two wines are available through the PLCB. Unfortunately, there are only 4 bottles of the Sagrantino di Montefalco in Philadelphia County (Germantown) and none of the passito.

Tomorrow, I’ll share my secret on how to work the PLCB system to get your hands on these and other hard to find wines.

For more pics of the festival, check out my Philly Wine Fest 2008 set on Flickr.

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An Update on Direct Wine Shipment in PA

I wrote an article on direct wine shipment that appears in this week’s City Paper. Forgive the Madonna reference; it’s called “Over the Border Wine.”

The article explores whether it’s still illegal to have wine shipped to your door under Pennsylvania law. The reason this is an open question is because two court cases rendered Pennsylvania’s existing statutory scheme unconstitutional. And the Pennsylvania legislature has yet to clean up the mess.

Rep. Paul Costa and Sen. Jim Ferlo were kind and gracious enough to speak to me about the direct shipment bills they proposed that are currently pending in the state legislature. Tom Wark, Executive Director of the Specialty Wine Retailers Association, gave his insight on the issues raised by direct shipment legislation. Tom also writes one of the most insightful and thought-provoking wine blogs out there—Fermentation. The PLCB and the PA State Police's Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement went above and beyond in responding to my questions. Finally, special thanks to Gary Vaynerchuk, Director of Operations at Wine Library and host of Wine Library TV, for throwing in his two cents. Gary sympathizes with Pennsylvania wine drinkers. “What PA residents are going through is so sad,” Gary says. “I get over 50 emails a week from PA residents crying, including one that moved to South Jersey just because of it!”

And that’s one important piece of the puzzle that’s often overlooked—retailers. At the end of the day, what wine lovers in Pennsylvania really want is the ability to order wine from Internet retailers, not out-of-state wineries. The reason is obvious: choice. Internet retailers offer hundreds or even thousands wines from numerous wineries located all over the world. And contrary to the belief held by some well-intentioned folks in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania’s statutory scheme currently leaves Internet retailers out in the cold.

The case law I reference above only talks about wineries. But recently a federal court in Texas held that in-state and out-of-state retailers have to be treated equally as well. In PA, however, there is only one in-state retailer—the PLCB. And the PLCB doesn’t deliver wines to peoples’ doors. That is, at least not yet. If Rep. Costa’s bill passes as is—which would allow the PLCB to deliver wine to your door—they may have no choice but to let Gary and other Internet wine retailers do the same.

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Philly Uncorked

Philly.com has teamed up with The Wine School of Philadelphia to bring you Philly Uncorked—an informative and entertaining wine video program. The first episode is about Chianti. Wine School professionals Keith Wallace and Maria Valeta teach us about this region and the wine it produces, give us a range of winning picks and describe a perfect food pairing. Keith also shares a very technical term of art that’s used to describe unappealing wines. Watch the video here.

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That's Professor "Wine Snob" to You, Pal

In Taste, its 2007 dining guide, Philadelphia Weekly said I am “one of the biggest wine snobs you’ll ever meet, and you’ll be glad you found your way into his sommelier presence.”

Now, it will be easier for you to find your way into my “sommelier presence.” I am now an instructor at The Wine School of Philadelphia.

But those looking for snobbery will be disappointed. Much like the wine writing on my blog, the classes I’ll be teaching at the Wine School are designed to demystify wine and make it more accessible to the masses. The school offers classes at two locations: its main location at 2006 Fairmount Ave. and at its newly-opened satellite classroom at Pinot Boutique, located in Old City at 227 Market St. Sign up for a class here.

Tomorrow I’ll tell you about a special opportunity to win a gift certificate good for two classes at the Wine School.

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Thanksgiving Wine Pairings in a Pinch

We all celebrate Thanksgiving in different ways and with different foods. But the one thing that’s guaranteed to be on almost every table this holiday is wine.

The PLCB created a wine pairing chart to help with your wine selection.



Although the chart is helpful in identifying which varietals will work with your meal, it doesn’t recommend specific wines.

If you’re like most people, you’ve put off your Thanksgiving wine purchases until the last minute. And when you finally arrive at the PLCB store, you probably won’t have time to browse the aisles let alone decode a chart.

You need specific recommendations and you need them fast. Look no further.

The Standards: The three wines you can count on to go with your Thanksgiving meal are Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Beaujolais Nouveau. Here are some suggestions on what to pick, all of which are available at the 12th St. PLCB store:



2006 Pierre Sparr Riesling Reserve (PLCB No. 22105, $14.99). A well-balanced Riesling; not a cloyingly sweet sugar-bomb. Bone dry, as Alsatian Riesling should be. Apples, pears, steely acids and a hint of spice on the finish.

2005 Pierre Sparr Gewurztraminer (PLCB No. 21762, $12.99). Low acids and glycerol give this medium-bodied wine its characteristic sweetness. Lychee, grapefruit and dried apricots on the nose. Similar flavors on the palate, and a touch of spice at the end.



2007 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau (PLCB No. 5877, $11.99) and 2007 Leonard de St.-Aubin Beaujolais Nouveau (PLCB No. 8998, $11.99). You expect Beaujolais Nouveau to be fruit forward. This year’s crop is different. The fruit is incredibly subdued, which exposes more of the wine’s acidity. And that’s not necessarily a good thing in such a light-bodied red. You’re left with unripe sour cherry, tart cranberry, somewhat bitter undertones and an almost slightly medicinal aroma. This is true of both of the Beaujolais Nouveau. I’d pass on the Beaujolais Nouveau this year. But if you have to choose between the two, go with the Duboeuf over the St.-Aubin because the Duboeuf has a little more fruit to grab onto.

Branching Out: Tired of the standards? For a little more adventure, try these:



2004 Domaine Zind-Humbrecht Zind (PLCB No. 21229, $18.99). Consider this as an alternative to Riesling and Gewurztraminer. This white from Alsace is focused and expressive. It’s made with 70% Chardonnay and 30% Auxerrois, an Alsatian varietal that adds substance and nuance. Floral and citrus flavors decorate the palate. It has a rich mouthfeel but the finish is crisp and bright. Seductive honeysuckle notes linger for minutes.

Georges Duboeuf Morgon Jean Descombes (PLCB No. 5504, $15.99). Consider this wine instead of the Beaujolais Nouveau. Although Morgon is made with same grape used in Beaujolais Nouveau, the Gamay grape, it has a little more depth. Sweet cherries and mocha with mineral undertones.



2005 Simonnet-Febvre Pinot Noir Vin de Pays des Portes de la Méditerranée (PLCB No. 18853, $8.99). Burgundy and Old World-style Pinot Noir are stellar wines to pair with a roasted turkey because they deliver earth and fruit flavors that perfectly complement your typical Thanksgiving spread. However, the problem in PA is that (a) all of the Burgundy on the PLCB stores’ shelves is pretty pricey; and (b) most of the Pinot Noir is not only pricey, but it’s New World-style. To get a drinkable Pinot (New or Old World), you normally have to shell out at least $40. Then there’s the Simonnet-Febvre Pinot Noir, which clocks in at an almost laughably low $8.99. This isn’t an elegant Pinot Noir you’ll get misty about a la Sideways. But it does have the barebones framework of an Old World-style Pinot Noir. A shocking effort for the price.



2005 Lacrimarosa Campania Rosé Mastroberardino I.G.T. (PLCB No. 25333, $12.99). Made from the Aglianico grape, this Rosé displays delicate strawberry and raspberry fruit supported by an ashy minerality that's blended with a slight creaminess. Lime and citrus notes brighten the finish.

2003 Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva (PLCB No. 4560, $11.99). For those who are fans of Pulp Fiction, consider this the Winston Wolfe of wines: it solves problems. This red wine is not the most intuitive match for a Thanksgiving meal, I’ll admit. But it’s versatile enough to save the day. The fruit, tannins and acidity are well balanced, and it’s guaranteed to go with something on the table. A consistent crowd pleaser, and my current house wine.

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John Mariani Profiles Philadelphia's Restaurants

It’s exciting when the Philadelphia restaurant scene receives national attention. National food and wine writers dine all over the globe, and so it’s always interesting to see how the depth and breadth of their palates inform their opinions of our little corner of the culinary world.

John Mariani is the latest to weigh-in on Philadelphia’s restaurant scene. He is one of the most seasoned and highly respected food and wine writers around. He is a columnist for Esquire, Wine Spectator, Diversion, Bloomberg News & Radio, and Restaurant Hospitality. He has also authored The Encyclopedia of American Food & Drink, The Dictionary of American Food & Drink, and with his wife Galina, the award-winning new The Dictionary of Italian Food and DrinkItalian-American Cookbook.

Mariani also publishes a free weekly newsletter on his site, JohnMariani.com (free registration required for archives). In the September 23 issue, Mariani profiles Philadelphia restaurants and reviews some of his current favorites: Rae, 707, Tinto and Susanna Foo in Radnor.

Like other outsiders, one of the things Mariani bemoans generally about Philadelphia is the high mark-ups on wine. However, despite the constraints under which our restaurants must operate, Mariani is impressed with what he sees. He calls Ryan Davis’ wine list at Rae “first-rate,” he recognizes Tinto’s 100+ bottle wine list and says that 707’s wine list “carries some of the best bargains for good regional bottling you’ll find in Philadelphia.”

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A Turbulent Flight of Wine

My wife and I decided to picnic in Fairmount Park on Labor Day. She put together some delicious chicken pesto wraps for us to eat. To celebrate the symbolic end of summer, I wanted to bring along a special bottle of wine. As soon as I opened my cellar, I knew exactly which bottle to bring—the 2006 Vermentino di Gallura Superiore Funtanaliras D.O.C.G.

A gentle swirl released the subtle fragrance of apricots and mild flowers. On the palate, the tart apple and apricot flavors that introduced this wine were supported by a clean mineral texture and a slightly briney undercurrent. As these flavors began to fade, a playful arc of bitter almond breached the finish.

But what made this wine drink so well had nothing to do with its flavor profile or the fact that it paired well with the chicken pesto wraps. It had nothing to do with the vintage, the soil in which the grapes were grown, or even the fact that it was among the six bottles of wine that US Airways took from us in Rome. Rather, what made this Vermentino so special was that I kicked US Airways' ass to get it back.

Before we left for vacation in Italy, I knew we would be bringing home Italian wine. I also knew it was legal to do so. PA’s liquor laws are notoriously antiquated. It is illegal, for example, to bring wine across the border from New Jersey. However, strangely enough, it is completely legal to bring wine into PA from a foreign country—up to a gallon (a little over 5 bottles) per person. What’s even more surprising is that you don’t have to pay any taxes on it, not even the Johnstown Flood Tax. See 47 P.S. § 4-491(2).



Knowing this, we brought with us to Italy a cardboard box that snugly held a two-piece Styrofoam container tailor made to cradle six bottles of wine (well under the PA limit for two people). This packaging is not novel. It is specifically designed to protect bottles during shipping and it’s used by wine merchants all over the world to ship wine safely to their customers.



In Rome, we befriended a wine purveyor named Massimo who owns an enoteca called L’Angolo Divino near Campo de’ Fiori. We asked him to fill the box with five bottles of wine, including some of the wine we enjoyed there the night before with relatives from Washington who were vacationing with us. The sixth slot would be used to carry the 1989 Chateau des Deux Moulins our relatives in Rome gave us.



When we arrived at the airport in Rome for our return trip, I placed the box on the counter to be checked in. When the US Airways clerk asked me what was in the box, I told the truth: wine. With that, she called over her manager, whom I’ll call “Mario” (not his real name). Mario took one look at the box and refused check it in. His initial reason for not checking the box was that the bottles would break. When I tried to explain the nature of the packaging, he cut me off and mindlessly repeated the bald conclusion that the bottles would break. Another clerk even joined in, shaking the box and mocking my explanation. It was insulting. And now I was fuming.

Mario then said two things: (1) there was a new policy prohibiting the wine from being checked unless it was in a wooden crate; and (2) FedEx would pick up our box at the airport and ship it to us in the states, which, he claimed, FedEx had done in the past for travelers like us.

Both of these statements, it turned out, were complete bullshit.

Within minutes of landing in Philadelphia, I was on the phone with US Airways. They confirmed that there was no “wooden crate” policy and that Mario had no right to prevent us from checking our wine. I also called FedEx. They don’t ship wine for consumers; you have to be a licensed distributor to enlist them to ship wine. The same is true of UPS.

Surprisingly, and to their credit, the US Airways folks I dealt with here in the states in the days that followed were sympathetic and proactive. For example, the representative at the Philly airport with whom I filed a claim report actually called Mario on the phone, told him he had no right to prevent us from checking the box and instructed him to put it on the next flight. Also, the representatives working the Central Baggage helpline sent Mario several messages telling him to ship the box. A manager from the baggage department’s corporate headquarters in Arizona kept me informed throughout the process.

But the problem wasn’t them. It was Mario. He stubbornly refused to return the wine. For example, although he told the US Airways representative at the Philly airport that he would put the wine on the next plane, he failed to do so. He then claimed that the instruction needed to come from Central Baggage. However, Central Baggage had already advised him several times to send the box.

I knew from the beginning that Mario would not budge unless one of his superiors here in the states called him on the carpet. It took ten days, but I made that happen. And we finally got our wine. Plus, as a result of this incident US Airways said they planned to have a sit down with the Rome office to make sure nothing like this ever happens again. Now, a US Airways customer should be able to check wine at Rome’s airport without any problem. That’s what happens when you mess with a lawyer’s wine.



Given the fierce campaign I waged to get the box back, you would expect that it contained expensive, extraordinary wines from legendary vintages. But it didn’t. Aside from the 1989 Chateau des Deux Moulins, all of the wines in the box were modest and inexpensive. Yet, they have more meaning to me than some of the esoteric Bordeaux and Burgundies I have in my cellar.



Wine can be more than the sum of its parts. It has the ability to capture a moment—and you along with it—even if that moment is something as simple as a meal with family or good friends. For me, those bottles are worth fighting for.

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Street Carts, Duck Parts and New Blog Starts

My apologies that posting has been light here recently. That will change. Work has been hectic this summer and I’ve been busy writing for other publications. Here’s a rundown of what I’ve been writing about elsewhere:

Frommers: The folks at Frommers.com recently wrote an article on the World’s Best Street Food. Philadelphia was one of the featured cities. I was quoted in the article and so was my friend Albert Yee of Messy & Picky.

City Paper: A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a Pocket Sommelier column on Matyson. I paired a Sauternes with a seared foie gras dish and a Burgundy with roasted duck breast (picture above). I know I’ve written a lot about foie gras recently. But the motivation for this piece was not the foie; it was the Sauternes. The PLCB does not carry a lot of Sauternes and what they do carry can be pricey. Because the PLCB is closing out the 1999 Chateau de Rayne-Vigneau 1er Cru—which normally retails for around $44—for a mere $29.99, I simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to write about this pairing. The Burgundy I paired with the duck breast is also a solid find at the Colombus Blvd. store. It’s virtually impossible to find any Old World Pinot Noir on the shelves at the PLCB stores, let alone a drinkable Pinot (Old or New World) under $30. That's why I was pleased to find the 2002 Louis Jadot Pernand-Vergelesses Clos de la Croix de Pierre ($26). It doesn’t have all of the delicate finesse of a profound Burgundy, but at least it gets all of the fingerprints right.

WineCHOW: I’ve been quite busy writing the WineCHOW column at ClassiceWines.com. Recently, I’ve written about transfat bans, tips on tipping, celebrity chefs, taking photos of food in restaurants, what it takes to be a restaurant critic, and using cell phones in restaurants. My next WineCHOW column will address how to tell if a wine is corked and what to do if a restaurant serves you one.

Farm to Philly: Mac at pesky’apostrophy decided to host a group blog about finding and eating locally grown/produced food in Philadelphia, its surrounding suburbs and South Jersey. I jumped on board. It’s called Farm to Philly. I’ll be writing mostly about restaurants that source their ingredients from local farmers. Technically, the site has not yet gone live, but we’re already posting like gangbusters. We’ll be issuing a press release when it does go live, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In an upcoming Farm to Philly post, I'll make some kick ass pesto with locally sourced basil (that's right folks: I do cook). And if you're nice, I may even share the recipe with you.

Coming up soon on PhilaFoodie: I’ll profile the new menu at Cuba Libre and Concept Chef Guillermo Pernot finally speaks out on why ¡Pasión! closed. I’ll review Philly’s newest Indian restaurant. And I’ll also address the Rick’s Steaks v. Reading Terminal Market litigation.

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Philly Represents on Wine Spectator’s 2007 Restaurant Awards List

Every year Wine Spectator celebrates restaurants that “show passion and commitment when it comes to wine.” This year Wine Spectator awarded the Award of Excellence—an award recognizing lists that have a well-chosen selection of at least 100 wines by quality producers and a thematic match to the cuisine—to four additional Philadelphia restaurants: Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar (Radnor), Fogo de Chao (1337 Chestnut), Le Castagne (1920 Chestnut) and The Melting Pot (King of Prussia). A run-down of most of the past Philly winners can be found here.

But New Jersey seems to have kicked our cork. Seven additional New Jersey restaurants earned the Award of Excellence this year: Bacchus Chophouse & Wine Bar (Fairfield), Basil T’s Brewery & Italian Grill (Red Bank), Bobby Flay Steak (Borgata, Atlantic City), Buona Sera (Red Bank), Hunan Taste (Denville), and Mahogany Grille (Manasquan) and The Melting Pot (Westwood). Not only that, but two past New Jersey Award of Excellence winners—Chakra (Paramus) and Old Homestead (Borgata, Atlantic City)—were upgraded to “Best Award of Excellence,” which recognizes lists of 500 or more wines that show either vintage depth or excellent breadth spread over several winegrowing regions.

Hey, for what it's worth, at least we beat Delaware; they didn’t have any new additions or upgrades this year.

Congratulations to this year's winners.

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The Status of Direct Wine Shipping in Pennsylvania

In November 2005, the Pennsylvania law that allowed in-state wineries to ship wine to Pennsylvania residents but prohibited out-of-state wineries from doing so was declared unconstitutional. Last June, Governor Rendell proposed legislation that would allow Pennsylvania consumers to have wine shipped directly to their doors from out-of-state wineries (which I blogged about here). As part of Rendell’s proposal, the wineries would be required collect PA’s 18% Emergency Tax (a/k/a/ the “Johnstown Flood Tax”).

Ever wonder what happened to Rendell’s proposal? The PA legislature put it on the back burner. An article in today’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette explains why:

Because the buyers of Pennsylvania wines make up such a minority of overall wine consumers, and account for such a small percentage of the state’s wine and spirits business, the issue isn't on the front burner in Harrisburg.

Instead, the respective House and Senate committees -- the Liquor Control Committee in the House, and the Law and Justice Committee in the Senate -- are dealing with beer-related issues: whether Sheetz and other convenience stores and supermarkets can sell beer to go, and whether distributors can sell 18-packs.

The PA legislature is clearly a few bottles shy of a case on the direct shipping issue. This proposed law isn’t about Pennsylvania wines or those who buy them. It’s about making sure the state can collect the 18% Johnstown Flood Tax on non-Pennsylvania wine that is purchased through the Internet and shipped into PA. What’s even more bizarre is that the legislature appears to be oblivious to the fact that these Internet wine sales are happening right now. That’s right—currently, there are Internet sites out there that will sell you wine and ship it directly to your door in PA. So, while the legislators wrestle with the heady issue of whether PA’s archaic liquor laws will allow WaWa to sell a six of Bud, the state is hemorrhaging money in lost taxes as its residents take advantage of wine deals on the Internet.

Not having to pay the Johnstown Flood Tax when they order wine over the Internet sounds like great deal for PA consumers. But if getting burned on lost revenue isn’t enough to convince the legislature to move this issue to the “front burner,” perhaps they should no longer be allowed to operate the stove.

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Pocket Sommelier - Mercato

In today’s City Paper you’ll find the latest edition of Pocket Sommelier. I pair wine with two dishes at Mercato: the Ricotta Gnocchi in a Short Rib Ragu; and the intense, flavorful and organic Braised Jamison Farm Lamb Shank that was recently added to the menu.

Most people bring one bottle of wine to a BYOB. But more often than not, that one wine will not match every course. It may seem silly to bring two or even three bottles of wine to a restaurant, but the wrong wine could ruin a dish. For example, two of the Chiantis we brought went well with the gnocchi, but they were a complete mismatch for the lamb.

However, the Cab I alluded to at the end of my post about the Philly Wine Festival—the Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Wetzel Family Estate 2004—paired amazingly well with the lamb. What’s exciting about this wine is that it has the same type of rich, spicy profile found in some of the more celebrated California Cabs, but it’s one third the price.



Carnivores with a conscience will not want to miss the chance to savor Mercato's new lamb dish. The meat was so tender it spilled off the bone before my fork even touched it. And Jamison Farm, located in Latrobe, PA, is known far and wide for raising its lambs on a diet that is 100% natural and free of hormones, antibiotics, herbicides and insecticides. I tasted a slight hint of anise in this dish, a flavor I could not attribute to any of the ingredients. Not knowing what it was drove me mad. When I later asked Chef de Cuisine Mackenzie Hilton what it could be, she posited that it might have something to do with what the lamb had eaten. Now, that’s organic.

For more pics, check out my Mercato set on Flickr.

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Bathrooms, Basque and Bistros

If I told you that my posting has been sparse lately because I’ve been hanging out in women’s restrooms across Center City, would that sound weird? Well, weird or not, it’s partially true.

I wrote a Top 5 for the City Paper, which appears in this week’s issue—Top 5 Brilliant Bathrooms. There will be disagreement over the selections, no doubt. But each entry is principled. Plus, I put a lot of work into the project, and I somehow managed to do so without getting arrested.

I also worked with City Paper to come up with a semi-regular feature called Pocket Sommelier. The one thing you give up at a BYOB is the wine service. So we thought it would be cool to take some of the guesswork out of your BYOB experience by pairing a wine with a dish or two from an area BYOB. The first installment of Pocket Sommelier features two dishes from Bisto 7 and the Franciscan Chardonnay Napa Valley 2005 (PLCB No. 16506, $11.99), which is a Chairman’s Selection. For example, this Chardonnay works well with that gnocchi dish because the Royal Trumpet mushrooms are rich and delicate. Earthier mushrooms, though, may not work as well.

I also signed on to do the Wine Chow column over at ClassicWines.com. In this week’s column I talk about how the small plates phenomenon has changed how we drink wine. To illustrate this point, I discuss Tinto’s Basque cuisine and its regionally-focused wine list.

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City Paper Article on The Wine School of Philadelphia

If you’ve read my profile recently, you know I’ve been taking classes at The Wine School of Philadelphia, which was founded by Keith Wallace.

The classes have been validating in a lot of ways; the analytical way I have been approaching and deconstructing wine is directly in line with the school’s philosophy. At the same time, though, Keith and his colleague, Brian Freedman, have taught me so many new things. As a result, the course has been profoundly empowering—I’ve learned to identify characteristics about a wine from just one sip that I never thought were possible, things that highly-paid sommeliers can’t identify. It’s scary, actually. The funny thing is that you could do it too. It’s not supernatural. In fact, it’s imminently teachable.

When the City Paper put out the call for freelance writers, I pitched a piece on The Wine School of Philadelphia and they liked it. The article I wrote appears in this week’s issue of the City Paper.

In addition to the Foundation Program I wrote about, The Wine School also offers individual classes that are rooted in the same sensory-based philosophy for as low as $37.99. In Wine 101, for example, they cover the nine basic varietals and dispel popular myths about wine, including the sulfite myth and the belief that you need a different glass for each type of wine.

Also, please check out this week's Small Bites section of City Paper. I profile the Argiolas 2005 Costamolino Vermentino. The creaminess I describe is the result of a process known as partial malolactic fermentation, which I was able to identify instinctively thanks to the skills I learned from Keith and Brian.

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The Washington Post Covers the Philadelphia BYOB Scene

Jason Wilson wrote a vivid and informative article about the Philadelphia BYOB scene, which appears in today’s Washington Post. (See “Philadelphia’s BYO Revolution”) (registration required).

I'm quoted in this article as well. Jason even published my intuitive little BYOB tip in the sidebar: check the restaurant’s menu before you pick your wine and don’t be afraid to bring a variety of bottles.

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Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 1979 (Pauillac)

The year the grapes for this wine were harvested was an interesting year. Revolution in the Middle East led to an energy crisis, The Police’s Roxanne was making its way to No. 32 on the Billboard charts and the U.S. Mint introduced the Susan B. Anthony dollar.

It was 1979.

I was eight years old then, and all I cared about was Star Wars and pizza. A lot can change in 27 years. And wine can be a fun way to measure those changes if you have the right bottle.

A good friend of mine is an antiques dealer, and in the not-too-distant past he picked up a few lots of mixed bottles of wine at an estate auction. From what I understand, the lots included an impressive collection Bordeaux. He had drunk almost all of the Bordeaux by the time I got the chance to see the wine, including a bottle of 1982 Chateau Lynch-Bages. He was watching the TV show Alias when someone on the show mentioned the ’82 Lynch-Bages, so he uncorked it. He didn’t know that 1982 is a legendary vintage for Bordeaux. He didn’t know that Lynch-Bages is a respectable Fifth Growth chateau or that Robert Parker rated its 1982 offering an impressive 94. For him it was more of an Alias experience than a Lynch-Bages experience—he just thought it was cool that he was drinking the same wine that was mentioned on his favorite TV show.

When I met him to go through the remainder of his stash, I spied a 1979 Pichon-Lalande still left in the box, so I liberated it. You may recall the episode of the Sopranos in which Tony and Christopher heist several cases of wine. The wine they stole from the van was the ‘86 Pichon-Lalande, which Parker scored a 94 in 2003. The ‘79 Pichon-Lalande, though, was no slouch—Parker includes it among his discussion of important ancient vintages for this chateau, calling it a “top-notch” effort and scoring it a 90.

I didn’t have high hopes for this wine, to be honest. There was no information about how it was stored all these years. Plus, although Parker said it was “fully mature” and suggested it would last until the end of 2007, I had read elsewhere that it was past its prime.



I knew I was in trouble as soon as I peeled the foil off the cap. Mold. Further inspection revealed that the top of the cork was also wet.

“Damn,” I thought, “not good signs.”



It only got worse. As the cork was about half-way out of the bottle, it started to crumble and tear in half. At this point, I pretty much knew it was over. Still, I removed the rest of the cork, wiped the mold off the lip of the bottle, poured the wine and let it breathe.



While I waited, I tilted the glass and held it above the white counter-top. The wine had that signature brown hue at the edge that you only see with older clarets. It was beautiful. I soaked up as much of the color as I could, realizing that this would probably be the only rewarding part of the experience.

Eventually, I swirled the glass, drew it up to my nose and took a deep whiff. I could identify the smell immediately; it was unmistakable. But even factoring-in my low expectations, it was heartbreaking: feces and disinfectant. After a while the smell mellowed into that of a wet basement. And that’s where it stayed, even into the next day. The subtleties of lush fruit and soft tannins the wine was supposed to reveal were nowhere to be found. All that was left on the palate was vinegary acid and the feeble hint of black currant—a faded echo of what this wine perhaps once was or what it could have been.

Tainted or not, the one thing this wine delivers is perspective about how far we have come in a quarter of a century. These days, a crisis in the Middle East is affecting the cost of energy, The Police just played Roxanne at the Grammys and the U.S. Mint is trying to push a new dollar coin. Oh, how times have changed. I don’t know about you, but all of a sudden I’m the mood for Star Wars and pizza.

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Chateau Picard 2003 (Saint-Estèphe)

Alright, I’ll admit it. I bought this wine to satisfy my inner geek. What can I say—resistance was futile.

Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation will recall that Chateau Picard was the fictional 24th Century red wine estate in La Barre, France owned and operated by Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s brother. The wine was featured in several ST:NG episodes and movies. At the “40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection” auction held in October 2006, two empty bottles of the 2267 vintage of Chateau Picard, which were used as props in the 2002 film Star Trek: Nemesis, sold for $6,600. Talk about wine futures….

The real Chateau Picard is located in Saint-Estèphe and was classified a cru bourgeois in 1932. Mähler Besse purchased the property in 1997 and modernized the equipment. The property grows Cabernet Sauvignon (85%) and Merlot (15%).

On the nose: The nose is not all that fragrant, though you can detect light notes of graphite, spices and green peppers.

On the palate: Typical of wines from Saint-Estèphe, the acid in this medium-bodied red is fairly high, and the tannins are not too far behind. The Merlot seems to restrain some of the tannins in the mid-palate, but eventually they boomerang back to claim the finish. The cherry fruit flavors are fiercely tart and subdued. Sadly, not as elegant or as refined as you would expect from the family of a decorated Starfleet Captain (perhaps the 2267 vintage will be a little more supple). But even without the help of a Tricorder, you may be able to detect a few faint notes of chocolate and nutmeg lurking in the background.

On the wallet: I tend to enjoy acid and tannins in my wine. And I do prefer Picard over Kirk. So this wine is fun for me, at least it will be for a bottle or two. But unless you’re really into tannins, acid and/or bald Starfleet Captains, $23.99 may be a bit steep for this sharp, little gum-stretcher.

On the table: This wine screams for food. Stick with rich meats or cream-based dishes. Avoid pairing with tomato sauces and Klingon cuisine.

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New Year’s Eve 2006, Part I — A Champagne Tasting

A few years ago my wife and I hosted a Champagne tasting at our house for New Year’s Eve and it was a blast. So, we thought we’d try it again this year. This was a blind tasting—all of the wines our guests sampled were in randomly-numbered brown paper bags. Nobody knew which Champagne they were tasting when they recorded their comments. I picked five Champagnes for the tasting, most of which had received some sort of press over the past few weeks. Of the five selections, four were Champagnes and one was a California Sparkling wine. All of the wines were non-vintage. Because rosé Champagnes are all the rage this year, two of the four Champagnes we tasted were rosés. The results of the tasting were interesting.



The two rosé Champagnes were the Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV ($70) and the Nicholas Feuillatte Brut Rosé NV ($34.99, PLCB No. 029573). My friend Kez, who lives in France, highly recommended the Billecart-Salmon in the comments to a previous post. Slate recently called the Billecart-Salmon “arguably the best-value nonvintage rosé on the market.” I also understand it received a 90 from Robert Parker and a 91 from Stephen Tanzer of Food and Wine Magazine. Sadly, you can’t get it here in PA; a friend of mine brought it in from New York. The color was a light, salmony pink. It displayed aromas of raspberry, strawberry and minerals and was relatively acidic. The bubbles were explosive and frothy.



Someone I trust at one of the PLCB Specialty Stores recommended the Nicholas Feuillatte. This wine received an 87 from Wine Spectator. It had the color you would expect a rosé Champagne to have. Not as acidic as the Billecart-Salmon, nor as bubbly, and many of our guests said it had a bitter finish. But it was a little fruitier, had nice berry flavors, and our guests found it to be round and soft (one even found it to be more balanced than the Billecart-Salmon).

Of the two rosés, though, most folks preferred the Billecart-Salmon. Many, in fact, picked it as their overall favorite of the evening. Although this was definitely my overall favorite as well, I was not as blown away by the Billecart-Salmon as I expected to be. These two rosés were notably different, but I don’t know whether the differences between them are great enough to justify paying twice as much for the Billecart-Salmon.



Of the three non-rosés, two were Champagnes and one was a California Sparkling wine. The very first wine we tasted was the one from California—the Roederer Estate Anderson Valley NV ($21.99, PLCB No. 007933). This wine was featured in Wall Street Journal’s December 1, 2006 Tastings column (subscription required). The WSJ’s wine critics, Gaiter and Brecher, rated it Good/Very Good but didn’t give it an amazingly glowing review (they said it had “no real depth”). Plus, as the article points out, American sparkling wines are “often less nuanced, and the bubbles sometimes seem an overlay on the wine instead of an integral part of the taste.” It was also the least expensive of the five. So, I didn’t expect this wine to leave any lasting marks. Surprisingly, though, everyone picked this American sparkling wine as their favorite non-rosé, beating out the two French offerings. Two of our guests even selected the Roederer as their overall favorite. It was light, crisp, clean and smooth, and had a nice balance between sweetness and acidity.



The wine I expected to do better than it did was the Taittinger Brut Champagne La Francaise NV ($35.99, PLCB No. 004001). Wine Spectator rated this a 91, saying it showed “elegance and finesse” and had “an understated power.” This Champagne didn’t display any flaws. It was rather effervescent and I thought it had a slightly creamy finish. But aside from that, it was rather non-descript and unimpressive.



The last wine we tasted was the Pommery Brut Royal NV ($37.99, PLCB No. 029553). Last year my wife really enjoyed the Pommery we had, and because she had been reminiscing about it, I thought I’d throw it into the mix. I read on one of the bulletin boards that Richard Juhlin, who claims to be the number one Champagne expert in the world, rated this Pommery a 75, which ain’t good. But you didn’t have to be a Champagne expert to be offended by this bottle. Our blind tasters described its odor as “rubber gloves,” “petroleum” and “awful.” One guest gave this Champagne a two-word review that pretty much said it all: “That smell!” The fact that this was the second most expensive Champagne of the evening made it all the more disappointing.

So, what did we learn? Not much, really. After all, it was New Year’s Eve and we were doing shots of Champagne for two hours straight; it was heard to learn anything after that. But we had a lot of fun and we were among friends. And that’s what ringing in the new year is all about.

Stay tuned for New Year’s Eve 2006, Part II—Tangerine.

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An Exclusive Interview with Jonathan Newman, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board

I scheduled this interview with Jonathan Newman, Chairman of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (“PLCB”), weeks before the controversy erupted surrounding the rushed creation of the PLCB’s CEO position and former Senator Joe Conti’s appointment to that post. I had planned to fill our half hour discussion on December 20, 2006 almost entirely with the type of in-depth questions only a wine geek would ask, but the politics of the day could not be ignored and Chairman Newman graciously obliged.

In his first-ever interview in the blogosphere, Chairman Newman talks candidly and passionately about his principled opposition to the CEO post, the shadow it casts over the continued viability of the initiatives he spearheaded, such as the Chairman’s Selection program, and whether he will remain with the PLCB in light of Conti’s appointment. Chairman Newman also shares his thoughts on the infamous Johnstown Flood Tax, whether it is still illegal to ship wine into Pennsylvania, and what the Pennsylvania legislature should do on the issue of direct shipment. And before the interview is over, he may even have a wine recommendation or two.



Chairman Newman, welcome to PhilaFoodie. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with me.

It’s my pleasure.

I know that you conducted an online chat on the eGullet bulletin board back in the day, but have you ever been interviewed on any blogs?

I have a lot of respect for blogs. I think blogs have transformed the atmosphere of communications in Pennsylvania. This is actually the first such time I’ve participated in an interview in this format, so glad to do it with you for the first time.

I’m honored, Chairman. Thank you. Before we talk about wine, I’d like to talk a little about the PLCB’s newly created CEO post that made the news last week. The PLCB voted 2 to 1 to appoint former Republican State Senator Joe Conti as the CEO of the PLCB. You opposed the appointment and expressed some strong comments about it. Why?

It was a bad day for good government in Pennsylvania. I believe in public comment and a chance for media scrutiny. There was no transparency in state government. This was a decision that was a fait accompli by the time the information was given to me. I was given the name on Monday afternoon. I was given the job description and salary amount Tuesday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock and was supposed to rubber stamp it at 10:00 a.m. on a Wednesday board meeting. I felt that, given the dynamics of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, if it was appropriate to search for a CEO, a COO, or a CFO, there should have been an RFP [request for proposal], we should have hired the best consultant to see if this was well-advised. And then if it did make sense, we should have truly done a national search and found the best individual. It was a bad day for state government, and at the end of the day integrity and character mean a lot to me and I felt very strongly that this was a bad move for the PLCB and a big negative for the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. And the reason I have been at the PLCB for 7½ years, and Chairman for 4½ years, is I believe in good government, I like my job, I work hard, I feel like I’m making a difference in people’s lives. The board powers that are mandated are statutory. Board members are meant to work full-time. I put in 60, 70 hour weeks and put my heart and soul into this job and feel like I’m making a difference for Pennsylvania consumers. And I object to the process and the way this was done.

Why do you think the Governor’s office rushed this appointment?

I don’t know. I can’t guess what the intent of others would be. I certainly have read op-eds throughout Pennsylvania. Every editorial board of every newspaper in the Commonwealth is outraged. It’s been covered extensively on radio, and I know that the public is outraged by what happened. And I’m obviously disappointed that this is what it came down to. But in order to understand the Governor’s intent and what his thinking would be, you’d probably have to ask him or his administration.

Certainly, the process was not done well. The PLCB has had record profits. Our numbers are extremely impressive, and I’m proud at the kind of returns we’ve delivered for the Commonwealth. In fact, on a press release approved by the Governor’s office, dated July 10, 2006, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announces record sales performance. Last year for our fiscal year that ended in June, for 05/06, we contributed $80 million in profits to the Commonwealth, $315 million in taxes, $18.5 million to the Pennsylvania State Police, for enforcement, $2 million to the Department of Health for drug and alcohol programs and $4.5 million in licensing fees, returning $420 million. Board member Tom Goldsmith is quoted as saying “the PLCB’s strong sales performance benefits all Pennsylvanians.” During the past fiscal year the PLCB will have contributed more than $420 million to the Commonwealth, bringing the total to more than $1.5 billion for the past four years. Expenses have been consistent. For the upcoming year, we’ve kept our expenses very consistent. The only expenses that have changed have been those negotiated by the Commonwealth, which include the licensing discount, which was legislative and signed by the Governor, and wage and other retirement benefits. So, we’ve watched our expenses very carefully. We’re opening big, beautiful Premium Collection Stores, our sales numbers have shown record growth, and I’m proud of our accomplishments. So, as far as intent, I’d be real curious as to what the answer is.

Does the PLCB really need a CEO?

Well, I wrote the Governor a memo in October of 2005 when I first heard the discussion of whether the PLCB needs a CEO, and it was right after the legislative pay raise fiasco. And I thought it would not be consistent with government to bring in a CEO at a big salary because, first of all, it’s statutorily mandated that such a position does not exist and has not existed since 1933 with the inception of the Board. And I have, for my $65,000 salary, put, as I said, my heart and soul into it. And I have been clear to the Governor and, David, I want to be clear to you. I have said to the Governor every step of the way, written it down, and said it to his administration: I do not want a dime more, I am doing the job that I love, the salary is not an issue to me, I absolutely don’t want anything more. That has been very well documented because I felt like I was doing some good and taking the PLCB to the next level, through all my marketing initiatives, because I care, because I was making a difference.

If the position was warranted, there should have been a national search firm brought in to have a competitive RFP to make sure we get the best consultant to see (a) if it’s warranted; (b) if it’s warranted, then you do a national search and you find out the best candidate who’s out there. That’s transparency in government. Not being given the name on Monday, an amount of money and a job description on Tuesday and expected to rubber-stamp it on Wednesday. So, I don’t know that it was necessarily needed, but if a professional was brought in and they made recommendations, certainly the Board should have been consulted during the course of such a process. Such a process did not occur.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Governor Rendell was surprised and saddened by your opposition, and the paper also speculated that Rendell might strip you of your chairmanship of the three-member board. Do you think that’s true and have you spoken to Rendell since then?

I have not spoken to Governor Rendell since then. When we had our conversation on Monday, I said: Governor, I have some concerns, we need to sit down and talk about this. I would become a paper tiger and not be able to get the accomplishments that I’ve done going forward. And he said: no problem, he would put it together. I had a 3 o’clock meeting with Joe Conti, and Secretary [Joseph] Martz from OA [Pennsylvania’s Office of Administration]. I expressed to them in no uncertain terms why I would oppose this and I felt uncomfortable about it. And they knew based on that meeting that I did not have a comfort level in the process that was happening.

The two ways this is being spun is that there are declining profits, and that is far from the case. I can certainly forward to you our balance sheet. We have been a cash cow for the Commonwealth. And the other [way it is being spun is] to say that I wanted this position. I was doing the job required of this and never wanted a dime more from this. It was my love of making Pennsylvania a better wine culture, of delivering value for wine customers, of making sure I looked out for the consumer in advocating direct shipping, Sunday sales, opening our stores on holidays, tastings at stores, being able to sell accessories. So, I am saddened to see the weak response due to my indignation of the process and the way this was approached. I am hoping that the process will be reversed and they will come to their senses and realize this is a bad idea.

Senator John Rafferty, Chairman of the Law and Justice Committee, is planning, so far, on conducting hearings at the end of January. Both he, Representative [Ron] Raymond and Representative [Robert] Donatucci, the Republican and Democratic Chairs of the House Liquor Control Committee, are concerned about the process. The questions are: Is it appropriate to take a Board that has statutorily-mandated responsibilities and to have the Board abrogate those responsibilities to a person, giving them day-to-day control over all the responsibilities? Is it remedied by simply saying that that person reports to the Board? If you do something like this to the Liquor Control Board, could you do it to the PUC, to the Turnpike Commission? Could you bring in people at the