When I first started writing about wine for the Charleston newspapers a few decades ago, my goal was to educate folks that wine should be an everyday accompaniment to meals.

Unfortunately, back then, the prevailing view of most beer-swilling and cocktail-imbibing Americans was that wine was an elitist product only consumed by ascot wearing, Hugh Hefner look-alikes with fake British accents.

It was my ardent goal to change that ubiquitous view. To poke fun at those widely held stereotypes, I created a mythical tasting panel comprised of people who were qualified in evaluating a certain category of wine. I named the group “The Southside Bridge Tasting Club,” and they were to evaluate wines for that segment of the wine drinking public that was — how shall I put it — more plebian in their tastes.

The group would gather monthly in the dead of night under the great bridge to sip and then critique various product specific wines of the time such as White Pheasant, Vito’s Thunder Mountain Chablis, Wild Irish Rose and many other popular octane-enhanced beverages. These wines had to meet only one condition: they must have screw caps so tasters would have quick and easy access to them.

Well, here we are 40 years later and, while wine is now socially accepted by just about every demographic group, there is still a controversy over which is the better wine bottle closure: corks or screw caps?

One of the first wineries in the US to adopt screwcaps on most of its wines was Bonny Doon back in the 1980’s – and not just on jug wines. Randall Graham, that off-the-wall, wildly entertaining wine maker and writer at Bonny Doon, was one of the first California vintners to feature screw caps on his premium 750ml bottlings. Since then, most US wineries now use them on at least some of their offerings, and almost all Australian and New Zealand wines are topped with screw caps.

Why do wineries consider using screw caps over corks? Well, it’s mainly an economic decision because screw caps are significantly cheaper than corks. At one time there was a concern (since debunked) that the trees from which corks are made could not meet world-wide demand. Actually, corks are made from the bark of trees and, while supply is not a problem, corks can sometimes cause wines to be “tainted.” This is a phenomenon where mold gets in the cork and negatively affects the taste and smell of the wine.

Some research suggests about one in 20 wines is corked. With that many wines potentially being returned, you can see why some wineries are going to screw caps and some even to plastic corks.

Aside from aesthetic concerns, I think screw caps are fine for wines which you will be consuming in the short term, particularly if the little suckers help keep the price down. And the reality is that more than 95 percent of all wines are made for short-term consumption.

For years it was thought that the problem with screw caps, or any enclosure which forms an airtight seal, is their inability to permit aging. More recent survey research proves that screw cap closed wines can also age well. So, while most of the older wines I have in my cellar are cork-finished, I would not shy away from aging any wine that has a screw cap closure.

To conclude, I don’t have a problem with screw caps. In fact, the first wine I ever opened was a 1.5 liter screw cap jug of Mad Dog 20/20. I sipped that wine from a paper cup under the Third Street Bridge in Clarksburg. (I have this thing about bridges and wine, don’t I?) Suffice it to say, I have a fondness for traditions – particularly those that are making a comeback

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book, Augie’s World, is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War. Both novels are available in print and audio at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com

Every autumn, just before Thanksgiving, Wine Spectator Magazine releases its “Top 100” wines of the year. This year the bottle chosen as the best wine of 2023 comes from Italy. It’s the 2018 Argiano Brunello Di Montalcino that retails for $90 a bottle. The Argiano was one of 9200 wines blind-tasted and rated by the editors of the magazine. Of those 9200, 5819 bottles were rated 90 or better on the magazine’s one hundred 100-point scale, and from those wines the top 100 were selected. You can check out the entire list in the current issue of Wine Spectator.

In looking over the selections, I was pleased to see that there are 44 wines in the top 100 that cost $30 a bottle or less. The wine rated number 31 (2022 Joel Gott Sauvignon Blanc) was the least expensive bottle on the list and is priced at $12 a bottle. The most expensive wine is a Napa Valley red blend (2020 Cathiard Family Estate) rated number 98 and going for $225 a bottle.

The Wine Spectator ratings substantiate a view I’ve long held that the price of wine does not guarantee the quality – good or bad -of what’s inside the bottle. In other words, if you pay $100 for a bottle of cabernet sauvignon, you can’t be certain that it will be superior to one costing $25. The converse is true also.

So obviously, you should use criteria other than price to judge the quality of wine. That’s why lists like the one from Wine Spectator, other wine rating publications or websites, along with recommendations from wine critics, all provide a valuable service (can’t you just visualize me reaching over my shoulder to pat myself on the back?). Some of us also use rating systems such as the 100-point scale where wines rated 90 and above are considered to be excellent. Others depend on buying wine from exceptionally rated vintages, and/or from specific wine regions like Bordeaux or Napa.

Aside from using these external wine evaluation options, the most failsafe way to judge the quality of wine is to taste it yourself, and then decide what to buy. However, there are more economical ways to evaluate  wine that don’t require you to buy individual bottles. One option is to attend tastings that wine shops or wine appreciation groups regularly sponsor and conduct. At these events, the sponsoring organization usually provides, at a nominal fee, several different wines for attendees to taste and judge.

Here in Charleston, The Wine Shop at Capitol Market has been conducting wine tastings for decades. This shop also has knowledgeable staff who can guide you in your buying decisions. In addition, wine appreciation groups such as Les Amis Du Vin (The Friends of Wine) conduct regular tastings, most of which also feature dinners where food courses are paired with specific wines. I love events like these where the focus is on the symbiotic relationship between wine and food.

Another very cost effective and fun way of evaluating wine is to host or participate in home tastings. Each person at the tasting provides a bottle and each wine is then tasted, discussed and rated by the group. I always suggest tasting the wines blind. You do this by covering the label (by placing the bottles in plain bags) which eliminates any possibility of label bias (i.e., familiarity with certain wines and their prices).

Here’s another strategy you can employ to improve your chances of selecting a quality wine when you’re out shopping. Regardless of price, you should always try to select wines where the label indicates the specific origin of the wine. For example, a 2019 pinot noir that indicates it was produced in Monterey County, California should be superior to a 2019 pinot noir simply labeled as having been made in California. The more geographically specific the appellation of origin is on the label, the more likely that wine will be the better choice.

Now you’re armed with the tools to go out and find just the perfect festive gift for that special wine lover in your life. Happy Holidays!

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book, Augie’s World, is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War. Both novels are available in print and audio at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com

I recently visited California and the vineyard that annually provides the grapes I use to make homemade wine. For the last five years, the quality of those wines has far exceeded anything I’ve ever made before, and I wanted to meet the people that grow the grapes. The Lanza family vineyards are in Solano County just a quick 30- minute drive east of the Napa Valley. More specifically, the Lanza property is located in the Suisun (pronounced Sue-Soon) Valley.

I met with Ron Lanza, the oldest of four brothers, that manage the business, and who have sold their grapes for decades to some of the most prestigious wineries in northern California such as Caymus. In fact, because of the quality of the grapes in the Suisun Valley, Caymus built a tasting facility adjacent to the Lanza vineyards. The Lanza’s also have their own winery, Wooden Valley, and four generations of the family have been making wines there for 90 years. The wines are only available for sale at the tasting room, or through their online tasting clubs. If you’re interested, you can go to their website at: woodenvalley.com. Their wines are uniformly excellent.

Meeting with the Lanza family reminded me of my own immigrant roots and the importance of wine to the culture and tradition of the Italian family. There was always a jug of homemade vino on the family table, especially during family meals at my Grandparents’ home in the North View section of Clarksburg. So, I suppose it’s not surprising that I followed the wine-stained trail blazed by my Grandfather decades before. I know that memories of Grandpa and my uncles making wine left an indelible imprint in my mind. One particular vintage stands out.

My uncles and older cousins gathered in the side yard of Grandpa’s home to make wine. The grapes, mostly reds like zinfandel and petite sirah, came from vineyards in California’s Central Valley, and were then transported by train across the country. I remember helping unload the boxcar full of grapes, packed in 36-pound wooden boxes called lugs. The annual winemaking ritual was a joyous occasion for the whole family. There would be tables next to the old wooden grape crusher that held platters of Italian food and jugs of homemade wine. However, there were certain traditions that had to be observed before the winemaking festivities could begin. First, our parish priest would appear in the yard to bless the new vintage. He would pick up a small vial of holy water, sprinkle and then bless the grapes in the first lug to be crushed. Next, Grandpa would point to the only person among us who was not a member of the family and ask her to come forward. Lucia Carmaletti provided a service that was deemed necessary before winemaking in our family could commence.

Lucia, who was thought to be a gypsy, was hired to perform the ritual “pigiatura” or stomping of the grapes. The woman chosen to do the stomping was traditionally required to be a young maiden, but as my Uncle Frankie said, “the grapes can’t wait for maidens, or they’d never get crushed.” Lucia was neither young nor a maiden, but she was always ready, willing and able to assume the role of Vestal Virgin if called upon, and if she was compensated for her time.

So, Lucia walked up to where Grandpa stood next to a square wooden box filled with grapes. She was dressed in an ankle length, colorful dress, and she wore a purple headscarf, silver necklaces and copper bracelets on each wrist. She smiled at Grandpa, flashing two gold-capped front teeth and said with enthusiasm: “Salvatore, Che muscoli, bell’uomo!”

All the adults there howled in laughter, but Grandpa’s face turned beet red, and he looked sheepishly over at Grandma. She was not smiling. I looked at Uncle Frankie and asked him to translate. My uncle explained that Lucia said, ‘Salvatore, what muscles. You handsome man.’”

Lucia ignored the laughter, removed her leather sandals and stepped into the box. She put her hands on her hips and began dancing the Tarantella while delicately stomping on the grapes with her bare feet. She then invited the kids in the family to join her.

Memories such as these make me appreciate and cherish the culture and traditions associated with wine. They transcend the simple physical act of making it, and they are the foundation for my long and happy love affair with wine.

I am also an ardent disciple of the Roman philosopher, Pliny the Elder, who said: “In Vino Veritas” (In wine there is truth)

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book, Augie’s World, is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War. Both novels are available in print and audio at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com

I’m issuing a critically important alert to folks who share my gender: Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and you better be ready!

Men, believe me when I say that special person in your life takes this annual holiday VERY seriously. I learned this the hard way several years ago when I arrived home from work one day to find the house dimly lit with candlelight, and the rooms suffused with heavenly aromas of freshly baked bread. On the dining room table was a carafe of red wine, a rose in a vase with a Hallmark card the size of an aardvark leaning against it. Could I have entered the wrong home? Was I in a parallel universe?

Unfortunately, I had arrived at the correct address, but I had forgotten it was Valentine’s Day. For the next several weeks there was a definite chill in the air, and it was especially frigid in one particular room in the house. It took me quite a while to earn my “get out of the doghouse card.” So now, February 14th is forever indelibly etched into the recesses of my feeble mind.

I know you won’t make the same mistake and you’ll probably shower your significant other with jewelry, flowers or candy. However, I also suggest adding a bottle of tasty (as well as tasteful) romance-enhancing wine to your card or other Valentine gift. And, since the traditional Valentine’s Day colors are red and pink, I’m recommending wines that highlight those particular hues.

Whether you celebrate the day with a nice dinner at home or at your favorite restaurant, you should start the celebration with a sparkling wine or Champagne to set the mood and make the event even more effervescent. Give one or both of these bottles a try.

Mumm Napa Cuvee M ($30) From the famous Champagne house of Mumm, this slightly sweet Napa Valley sparkling rose’ is chock full of raspberry and strawberry flavors. It also has nuances of toast, vanilla and honey, and it would be an equally good aperitif or dessert wine.

2020 Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs ($45) Produced from pinot noir grapes, this sparkler is made in a classic Brut Champagne style. It is a complex and layered wine featuring flavors of peach, apricot and lemon zest. It would be a lovely accompaniment to appetizer foods such as smoked salmon, or main course dishes such as pan-seared halibut.

Another excellent wine choice for Valentine’s Day dinner is rose’. There are a great number of food friendly rose’s, including this one from Mendocino County California. The 2021 Elizabeth Spenser Rose’ of Grenache ($25) is a medium bodied wine that has subtle hints of pineapple and other tropical fruit flavors. The wine has excellent balancing acidity making it a great food wine. It pairs well with brunch type dishes as well as baked ham, pork tenderloin or even grilled salmon main courses.

If your Valentine date prefers red wine, you should try the 2021 Quilt Cabernet Sauvignon ($50). This Napa Valley full-bodied and rich cabernet has flavors of dark chocolate, blackberries and cola. It would be a perfect match for hearty meat dishes such as grilled beef tenderloin or roast prime rib.

For dessert, I would treat my Valentine to the decadently rich and sweet Dolce Late Harvest Semillon ($100). This 375 ML (half bottle) is a truly special treat with amazing flavors of apricot, honey and spice. It also features the unique flavor of botrytis-affected grapes that add a lovely tang of acidity to the wine known colloquially as the “Noble Rot.” Spectacular by itself, it would be an amazing pairing with crème brulee or cheesecake.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

John Brown is also a novelist. His latest book, Augie’s World, is a sequel to his debut novel, Augie’s War. Both novels are available in print and audio at Amazon. You can find out more about his novels and wine columns at wordsbyjohnbrown.com