The Wine Commonsewer

Tennessee Legalizes Direct Shipment of Wine to Consumers

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Effective July 1, 2009, Tennessee legalizes direct shipments of wine to consumers.

The governor is expected to sign the direct-shipping bill into law. If he does, it goes into effect July 1.

The measure, SB0166, passed the House early last week and was approved by the Senate last month.

The Greenest State in the Land of the Free has some of the most restrictive laws in the nation. Laws that brand ordinary citizens daring to smuggle a five liter bag of Beringer White Zin into the commonwealth as odious felons. Okay, maybe not odious felons, but criminal types, nonetheless. It *IS* illegal to drive across the Kentucky border with a box of wine in your trunk. 

They don't teach that part in high school civics. The part where the politically well-connected ensure that their good friends in the legislature will restrict free trade in the name of consumer protection.

The new law doesn't exactly create a free market in wine sales. However, it allows direct shipment from in-state and out-of-state entities to Tennessee consumers, who may purchase up to three cases of wine per year, per winery. While you can only purchase three cases a year from my friends at Sunset Ridge, (the 2006 Estate Petit Sirah is muy bueno Señor), you can also purchase three cases of wine per year from every other winery on the planet. Provided they have paid the registration fees to the state, of course.

The bill permits out-of-state wineries to register with the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission for a $300 initial application fee and a $150 annual license and, if approved, sell and ship wine directly to Tennessee residents.

That should keep you Vols in resvaritrol in perpetuity. Might get you a buzz, too.

Bonus:

Whole thing here.

As Ever,

TWC

Tip of the glass to J.C.

Bivouac of the Dead

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Today is Memorial Day, Decoration Day if you will. As ordered by General Logan.....

The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country and during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land. In this observance no form of ceremony is prescribed, but posts and comrades will in their own way arrange such fitting services and testimonials of respect as circumstances may permit.

The muffled drum's sad roll has beat
The soldier's last tattoo;
No more on life's parade shall meet
That brave and fallen few.
On Fame's eternal camping-ground
Their silent tents are spread,
And Glory guards, with solemn round,
The bivouac of the dead.

As Ever,

TWC

Daddy Said Stay Away From Juliet

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

The House Blond.....fading into slumber on the couch. Play my song, Daddy. You know which one.

Dam sure better stay away from Juliet. Cuz I got a 12 Gage and four acres, and the way you look kid, ain't nobody gonna miss you anyway. 

Video here.

As Ever,

TWC

The Newest New Cats (4 of 7)

California Legalizes Tasting Room Sales of Wine by the Glass Oak Mountain Cabernet Franc Renzoni Old Vine Zinfandel

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

On a quintessentially lazy-warm spring morning here in the Southland, TWC and The Boy piled into Milton's Winemobile, with the intent of sampling the latest offerings to come out of the Temecula Valley wine country.

It's unusual to find Cabernet Franc as a stand alone wine. Even less expected in Temecula, but Oak Mountain Winery served up a tantalizing, intriguing, and delicious Cabernet Franc. Consequently, it was my first, second, and third taste. I didn't even get bellied up to the wine bar for pour number four (that rhymes) before she flashed me a shy smile.....

Let me guess? Cabernet Franc?

Had the proprietor* or I been aware of a welcome change in the law, we could have saved a lot of trouble. Just gimme a glass of that there Cabernet Franc, Ma'am. Thankee. 

As of January 1, 2009, California wineries may sell wine by the glass for consumption on the winery premises or in the winery picnic areas. In addition,  consumers may also purchase bottles of wine for consumption on the premises of the winery, including the picnic areas.

Ran into that again at Renzoni. The Old Vine Zinfandel was muy bueno and, if memory serves, was sourced from one of the few remaining vineyards that once blanketed the stony alluvial plains of Cucamonga. 

Yep, Cucamonga isn't just Jack Benny schtick, it's a real place, 'cept it's Rancho Cucamonga now.

It's traditional in California to always name stuff according to what used to be there. Plow down the citrus groves with a D-10 Cat and then call the finished subdivision Orange Crest or Mission Grove. No ranchos in Cucamonga anymore, just concrete tilt-ups and subdivisions so let's change the name to.....Rancho Cucamonga. Sounds all upscale and inviting, and, in fact, the city got a nice little shout out for being a decent place to live. 

How the new wine-by-the-glass law will flesh out remains to be seen. The public  is simply unaware of the extent of government micro-managed minutiae that business owners contend with, particularly if it is remotely connected to alcohol.

In this instance, it isn't just a simple matter of pouring a glass of wine. If the picnic area isn't mapped on the application for the ABC license, than the winery must apply for a modification, which is almost as tedious as getting the license in the first place.

Additionally, in many areas, adding a picnic area means dealing with the city or county and is just as exhausting as adding a structure. How many cars? What about parking? Number of visitors expected per day? Accessibility requirements? Bathroom facilities? The local health department also may come into play because in many jurisdictions, wine served by the glass is considered to be food service and requires a whole new license and inspection process.

It has always struck me as bordering on the absurd that one couldn't purchase a glass of wine at a tasting room. Given that there was little opposition to the law change, I'm hoping that cavalier attitude may filter down to the localities resulting in the simple pleasure of enjoying a glass of Cabernet Franc at the winery.

As Ever,

TWC

Can't see the video? Look here. Come on, it's only 34 seconds.

*the proprietor may well be aware of the law, TWC hasn't asked.

Cucamonga Beauty image appears courtesy of Rhoda Stewart, author of A Zinfandel Odyssey.

Found Under the Playhouse

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Lileks once observed that if you put a boy alone in a room, his right side will declare war on his left, or the two will join in mortal combat against The Chair.

Boys tend to be predictable, but now and again they'll give you a startle.

Built that playhouse as a cliff dwelling on a 70 degree slope over a boulder the size of a Yugo. Cool as I thought it was the kids rarely played in it. This spring they've taken a renewed interest in the swings however. Invented a new game. New to them anyway.

 
the leap

Jake sticks the landing for a 9.35

There is a deck above the swings and every so often one of them gets a little too exuberant and bangs their noggin on the underside of it. 'Spose OSHA wouldn't approve.

As Ever,

TWC

30 Days Late Means An 82% Penalty

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

My mother-in-law is among the working poor and as a consequence she couldn't quite manage the smog fee and the registration fee for the ten year old car we gave her.

Registration due by April 2, 2009:  $  88.00
Registration due now:                   $161.00

The penalty is $73.00.

There's an incentive to get your car legal.

Meanwhile the folks who gave us that law are chauffeured around Sacramento in SUV's and Lincolns. No problem paying the registration renewal because there isn't one.

Welcome to California.

As Ever,

TWC

2007 Doña Paula Malbec

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

It is no secret that TWC enjoys a good Argentine Malbec now and again. This as truly a sleeper. The Doña Paula is a dang good Malbec for under ten bucks U.S. (that's California money, it costs more elsewhere I suppose). I liked it well enough to pop for an entire case, all of which seems to have been misplaced (except for one bottle).

Excellent now, but drinking well for the next decade. Parker and Spectator both lavished a 90 and I found that to be on the conservative side.

Wine Spectator.....

Dark and winey, with warm currant paste, cocoa powder and Turkish coffee notes backed by solid grip on the fleshy finish. Nice hint of grilled sage adds dimension too. Drink now through 2009.

Wine Advocate.....

The opaque purple 2007 Malbec reveals a brooding black fruit bouquet, ripe flavors, excellent depth and grip, and 2-3 years of aging potential. Drink this outstanding value from 2010 to 2018.

Belying its ten dollar price tag, you'll find this wine is elegant and complex, deep violet  in the glass, with an aroma of raspberries and cassis (black currants).  It is a rich, sturdy, bone dry wine with notes of minerals and smoke  and a smooth, lingering finish.   

A certain contingent of my tin-foil-hat wearing friends are agitating for a move to Argentina, a gorgeous country in the throes of economic recovery, where everything is inexpensive including the marvelous wines and fabulous cuisine.

Book me a ticket.

As Ever,

TWC

In A State of Grace

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

Promised Mrs TWC long ago that I'd not ever say anything in public that'd make her face flash crimson. I might be pushing that a little today but, Happy Anniversary Darlin'. 

I don't believe in destiny
Or the guiding hand of fate
I don't believe in forever
Or love as a mystical state
I don't believe in the stars or the planets
Or angels watching from above
  But I believe there's a ghost of a chance we can find someone to love
And make it last.....

Great live version is here.

Twenty four years ago this morning our paths converged.

As Always,

TWC

Heads On A Stick Come Tuesday California Should Have a Fifteen Billion Dollar Surplus

Good Morning Gentle Readers,

TWC is permitted to comment on pending issues before the voting populace that have taxation as a material element. That would include pretty much the entire ballot for California's special bankruptcy vote on Tuesday May 19. With respect to that, TWC recommends a no vote on 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e.

Propositions 1A and 1B increase the General Fund directly through taxation, and Proposition 1C increases the General Fund via borrowing. These propositions provide a one-step process for increasing unrestricted funds. Propositions 1D and 1E take funds that taxpayers voted to spend on mental health services and children’s services and reroute those monies to pay for services that are currently paid out of the General Fund

Whole thing here.

Unlike my usual schtick (heh), I'll keep this simple. California is flat broke because they spent all the money. By comparison, drunk sailors are paragons of fiscal integrity. The added virtue is that drunk sailors spend their own money, not yours.

If California had simply limited its spending increases to the 4.38 percent average increase in the state's consumer price index and population growth each year since FY 1990-91, the state would be sitting on a $15 billion surplus right now.

The rest is here.

Nancy Reagan was right. Just say no. 

There were thousands of people at the tax protest at Tom's Farms yesterday. The traffic was backed up on I-15 for miles. Temescal Canyon Rd was jammed. Lots of cool pix here.

Note the meat cleaver, severed hand, and bloody stump. Clearly a candidate for DHS terrorist surveillance.

A short explanation of why California is in dire straits.

Can't see the video? Here it is.

As Ever,

TWC