Category Archives: Tips

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED: Klinker Brick 2010 Old Vine Zinfandel, Lodi. 15.8%, $13.95 and up.

Posted on September 20, 2012 by The Frugal Wine Snob

My favorite way to try new wines is to go to a wine bar. Generally these are boutique yet friendly establishments that have wines on pour-it-yourself systems (you buy a card and dispense your own samples), as well as a … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Restaurants, Tastings, Tips, Zinfandel | 7 Comments

VINTAGE MATTERS.

Posted on November 28, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Around this time of the year, like car dealers and their new models, wine stores start to carry the newer releases of many wines. Because of this phenomenon and my own carelessness, this week we experienced two fails, and learned … Continue reading →

Posted in Tastings, Technical Stuff, Tips | Leave a comment

Another alternative to corks AND screwcaps: The ZORK closure

Posted on November 25, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

ZORK is a revolutionary new wine closure with the convenience of screw cap and the celebration of cork. ZORK is easy to remove by hand, simple to reseal and is completely recyclable. To open ZORK, pull the tear tab, unwind … Continue reading →

Posted in Technical Stuff, Tips | 1 Comment

The Sniff Test

Posted on November 23, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Last night, after rinsing our glasses and drying them with a paper towel, I did my usual sniff-test to be sure no residual smells were there. How curious to pick up a distinct aroma of cedar. Turns out it came … Continue reading →

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WINES TO SERVE ON THANKSGIVING:

Posted on November 20, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Drink your absolute favorite wine. Drink wine that makes you happy. Drink the wine that was so delicious you couldn’t even talk about it, you had to just go “man” or “oh, wow.” Drink wine that makes you feel grateful … Continue reading →

Posted in Tips, Wine Days | 2 Comments

DID YOU KNOW … the correct amount of space between the wine and the cork?

Posted on October 30, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

First used in the 15th century, the term “ullage” refers to the space between the bottom of the cork and the top of the wine. Typically there is about an inch of “ullage,” but give or take a quarter-inch is … Continue reading →

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More on screwcaps. (I say YES!)

Posted on October 14, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Thanks Kris Chislett at BlogYourWine for this amazing report: http://www.blogyourwine.com/2011/03/14/leasingham-cork-closures-experiment/. To read an interview with Sparky Marquis (Mollydooker) about screwcaps, visit http://www.thefrugalwinesnob.com/?p=190

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DID YOU KNOW? 59 additives are permitted in the EU. In the U.S., only one group of these additives, sulfites, must be disclosed on the label.

Posted on October 9, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

Here is a list of additives permitted in wine in the EU. Many are used in U.S. wines as well: http://www.morethanorganic.com/additives-in-wine Here is an in-depth list of additives, and what they’re used for, allowed in the U.S.: http://www.alicefeiring.com/blog/2010/11/-approved-wine-additives.html Blogger Alice … Continue reading →

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Ooh, AAH! The “Wine Enthusiast” List of Top 100 wines costing less than $15.

Posted on October 4, 2011 by The Frugal Wine Snob

“Wine lovers the world over share a common complaint: Why does the stuff we so adore often seem to cost more than we can afford? This list is our antidote to rising wine prices, the remedy For what ails us. … Continue reading →

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Hey, kids! Check out this restaurant’s wine list: It’s the Frugal Wine Snob’s dream come true.