Question: Do Napa Valley/CA wines have more histamines than Italian or French wines? Is histamine content related to alcohol content? Do CA wine growers use different----ie more harmful to the consumer-----chemicals than European vineyards?  Thanks for your time! Jo Anne

Jo Anne, as far as I know of there are no studies that suggest one country's wines have more or less histamines than the others. I do not think histamine content is related to alcohol simply because reds have more than whites at the same alcohol levels. As far as what each grower uses for chemicals, it varies widely due to a number of factors (soils, climate,etc) . Most wineries these days put an emphasis on organic farming but because the guidelines are very stringent for labeling as such, many organicly farmed wines do not say it on the label. I do not think you can make a generalization that one country's wineries uses something more harmful than anothers. It will always vary by producer and wine making philosophy. For more detailed info on this subject, I would contact UC Davis in Calif and see if someone there can shed more light on the subject. Hope that helps.


Question: Would you, by any chance, know anything about Petit Manseng wines or grapes (or someone who would)?  S.C.

Petit Manseng is used in the French wines from Juracon where they make both sweet and dry wines. The grape is also being successfully cultivated here in Virginia by both Chrysalis and Horton Vineyards. Here's a description of some of the characteristics of
Petit Manseng : very rich in several flavors, very aromatic with exotic spices, honey, grape fruit and pineapple, guava, acacia blossom.
Obviously different wines will exhibit different characteristics and degrees of intensity depending on how they are made. Hope that helps.

Question:  Dear Doug:  I became very interested in wines a few years ago and I have read publications like the Wine Bible for instance but there are some questions that I have for you that I still do not have solved.
1. What wine might you pair with roasted bell peppers marinated in extra virgin olive oil? Why? (This might sound to easy, but I want your opinion)
2. Describe an ideal harvest in Chablis. Why might a wine from grand cru be more flavorful than a village level wine?  Thank you much for your time.  Alexander

Alexander, there are lots of options when its comes to pairing food and wine. The basic rule is match the weight of the wine to the weight of the food. For instance, for full flavored robust dishes, do a full flavored robust wine and so on. Obviously some varieties and styles will complement in different ways but it's really personal preference. For the roasted peppers and olive oil, I can give you a couple of suggestions. Try it with a good Barbera, Dolcetto or Cotes du Rhone. You can find some great ones in the $10-$15 range. As to your second question, an ideal harvest anywhere is where the optimum level of ripeness is achieved in the particular grape variety while yielding the maximum tonnage that can be acheived for a particular vineyard. This is a winemakers dream every year but rarely happens since mother nature tends to be fickle. To make outstanding wines usually requires lowering the yield so the remaining grapes achieve optimum ripeness (ie, Grand Cru Vineyard) . Hence, the price of the wine goes up. Also, different vineyard sites yield different results. The reason a Grand Cru would be a much better wine is it is situated in the best area in the region to grow that particular grape usually near or on top of hillsides with southern exposure to the sun. The Village Chablis are grown down at the bottom of the hill usually on a valley floor. In addition, the Grand Cru vineyard will intentionally lower the yield to get the best fruit while the grower at the village level is getting paid for tonnage and quality but the focus is more on tonnage which reduces the flavor concentration of those grapes. As the saying goes, great grapes can make great wine but no one has ever made a great wine from bad grapes. Hope that helps. Thanks for the inquiry.

Question: Several years ago I purchased a 1987 Sonoma Crutrer Les Piernes Magnum. I wrapped it in several sheets of paper to keep the light out and promptly
forgot about it. I has been stored since it was purchased in my basement which keeps a temperature anywhere from 45-50 degrees. Is it still drinkable? Mike

Hi Mike, most California Chardonnay's would not keep that long but Magnums age better plus you've kept it in a cellar at a cool temp which slows aging. There's a chance it's drinkable but I would open it sooner vs. later and make sure you have a backup in case it isn't.

Question: Someone told me about an excellent red that they bought from you. It was Argentinian and I think it was a Malbec. What is a Malbec? I'm a die-hard Pinot Noir and Merlot kind of girl. Don't like heavy "oak" overtones. Can you help me? Robin G.

I'm sure the wine to which you are referring is the Elsa Malbec from Argentina $7.99 bottle. Malbec is a French red grape that has been cultivated successfully in Argentina. The Elsa has no oak ageing and is a beautiful fruit driven style. It is a jammy red, with juicy currant and dark plum flavors and firm, chewy tannins. Nice mineral and bittersweet chocolate notes on the finish. I recommend the Elsa very highly. All of the other Malbec's I've had have been aged in oak and are quite delicious as well. Hope that helps.

Question: What is the difference between California Sauvignon Blanc and Fume Blanc?

In the 1970s, Robert Mondavi used the name Fumé Blanc to market his
Sauvignon Blanc. The name caught on and many wineries now use the name to label their Sauvignon Blanc. Another reason Fumé caught on is that it
shares its name with one of the most famous Sauvignon Blanc-based wine
producers in the world. Pouilly-Fumé (pronounced "pwee-foo-may") was named after the town Pouilly-sur-Loire in France's Loire Valley wine region. To answer your question, Fumé Blanc is just the same as Sauvignon Blanc.

Question:  What does the abbreviation MA mean?  I bought some wines at a local warehouse retailer who wouldn't give me the case discount on a bottle of wine because he said it was marked MA on the box.  They tried to explain it but I still didn't understand and it ticked me off!  F.W.

F.W. , we have heard complaints about this practice and know exactly what they are doing.  Basically,  they have many wines in their store that have the MA marked on them.  This means that the quantity discounts do not apply.  Many times they will advertise these wines and call them everyday prices.  Well, if they were everyday prices then why don't the quantity discounts apply.  It's simple.  By giving a little lower bottle one price and taking away the quantity discount, they make more money and deceive the customer.  This marketing ploy is supposed to make you think you are getting a better deal because apparently the bottle price is lower than the competition.  However, most of the time our quantity discounts will beat their price or match it.  Essentially, there is little or no savings compared to competitor's quantity prices.

Question:  I recently saw a printed wine advertisement where people were discussing Terrior.  What is Terrior?  Ken H.

Ken, we saw the same ad run by a local warehouse retailer twice with the word Terrior misspelled both times.  I can give you a definition of the two closest words, Terrier's are small active dogs bred to hunt burrowing animals.  Terroir on the other hand is a concept most prevalent in France although there is no exact translation of the term.  Generally, terroir refers to the distinctive environment of a specific vineyard.  Factors such as altitude, drainage, slope, soil content, and sun exposure vary from vineyard to vineyard.  Thus, it explains why the terroir of bordering vineyards can be different and produce wines different in style and quality.

Question:  Can you store wine without a cellar?  W.H.

W.H., If you store your bottles of wine in a place where temperature is above 60 degrees, your wine will age more quickly; but that only means that you will have to drink it sooner, and will not be able to keep it for years. Note, a quick change of temperature, (of more than 8 degrees), is more damaging than storing wine at the wrong temperature. The best temperature for long term storage of wine is 50 to 55 degrees. Also, keeping bottles in a horizontal position without too much light is best.

Question:  Hey Doug, a friend of mine told me I should buy "loss leader" wines when I see them advertised.  What does the term "loss leader" wine mean? Chris K.

Chris, thanks for the question.  A "loss leader" is a marketing strategy used in the retail industry to describe  an item that is used as a featured sale item that is usually advertised at a below market value price compared to other competitors.  The item is marketed just above and sometimes at cost to lure customers at the expense of lost profits on those items.  Hence the term "loss leader".  However, don't assume because a store advertises some "loss leaders" that they use this low markup strategy on everything they sell.  Also, be wary of stores that advertise "loss leaders" and call them everyday prices.  You'll be able to tell if it's not an everyday price if their quantity discounts don't apply to those advertised items.  You should also see how much inventory they have when they advertise these items and be suspicious if they only have a couple of bottles or no inventory at all.  Many times the item or items selected to be used as "loss leaders" are easily recognized brands so that their price can easily be compared among competitor's.  An example would be a store selling a Kendall Jackson Chardonnay "loss leader" at $12.99 per bottle with no further discount, while other stores list it at $14.99 per bottle but will give you 15% off a mixed case so it actually costs $12.74 per bottle at their store.   If you are only buying a few bottles, you can save some money.  If you are buying more than 6 bottles, check out all stores pricing and discounts and you just might get a better deal!     

Question: Just wondering if you heard about a bug that is eating up and destroying a lot of vineyards in Sonoma and Napa valleys in Calif.
How will that effect the wines from Calif??  S. Vaughan

Yes, I've heard of the pest to which you refer.  It is called the glassy winged sharpshooter -- the most feared of the insects that spread Pierce's disease, an incurable vine malady. It looks like a big grasshopper.  However, the bug hasn't reached Napa and Sonoma counties yet.  The counties where it has reached have suffered from the rapid spread of Pierce's disease.  It will affect the wines from California in a couple of different ways. First, alot of money is being set aside to fight the pest and try to find a way to stop further damage. Second, the vineyards that have been affected will have to be replanted. Third, due to the replanting and resulting grape shortage in the interim, wine prices from the affected areas will surely rise.

Question:  I get headaches when I drink red wines.  A friend told me it's because of the sulfites in red wines.  Is this true?  Dave P.

Dave, it's probably not the sulfites that are giving you a headache.  First, sulfite's are sulfur compounds that occur naturally in wine and are sometimes added during the winemaking process.  Second, white wines contain higher levels of sulfites than red wines do.  Most likely, your reaction to red wine is being caused by histamines or phenolics.  Histamines are found on the skins of red grapes in very low levels.  Phenolics are natural chemical compounds found in grape skins, stems and seeds.  Red wines have a higher amount of phenolics than white wines.  Don't worry that these chemicals are all bad for you because phenolics have been linked to a lower incidence of heart disease among moderate red wine drinkers.

Question:  At what temperatures should I serve my wines? Wayne H.

Wayne, thanks for the question.  The correct temperature is really a matter of personal preference.  However, wine temperature influences wine flavor and there are good reasons to follow some of the standard guidelines.  Cold temperatures enhance your perception of bitterness while warm ones increase the effect of sweetness and alcohol.  Thus, a powerful red should be served at about 60-65 degrees F to minimize astringency and alcohol.  On the other hand, we drink sweet wines at about 40-50 degrees F to keep their sweetness balanced.  Remember, most wines will warm up in the glass as most dining rooms are heated to 70 degrees F or more, so its better to serve them a couple degrees too cold than too warm.  Here's some standard guidelines.

*Full bodied and mature red wines at 60-65 degrees F.
*Light bodied young reds at 55-60 degrees F.
*Dry whites at 45-50 degrees F.
*Sweet whites at 40-50 degrees F.