Updated 10-17

I used to tell people who asked me — and they would frequently — how I morphed from a sports writer into a wine writer. My pat answer was that covering sports in Houston drove us all of us local ink-stained wretches to drink, and I just happened to choose wine to kill my pain.

During the 20th-century chapter of my career, which began in 1972, H-town’s teams reached at least the semifinals in their respective sports’ playoffs only 11 times with long-gone the hockey Aeros accounting for three of those. In the 21st century? We’ll we’re still waiting for the Texans to get there and the Rockets have done it exactly twice.

By their lonesome, however, the Astros, however, have evolved from being reasonably decent to becoming inarguably dynastic since I turned in my press pass in February of 2019. Their showdown with the Texas Rangers for the American League pennant, which begins tonight at Minute Maid Park, extended their streak of seven consecutive ALCSs to an AL-record seven. And it’s their ninth opportunity — ninth! — to play for a league pennant since 2004.

Hence, my why-sports-to-wine explanation would hardly hold water anymore. Only the 1990s Atlanta Braves, with eight, have played for more pennants in a row. And that record comes with a qualifier because those weren’t consecutive. Remember, there wasn’t a postseason in 1994 thanks to baseball’s last major labor squabble.

Early on, I was fortunate enough to be thrown onto the Houston Aeros bandwagon when they were the twice-defending World Hockey Association champions. And they made it to the finals again in 1976, although, on my watch, they got swept 4-0 in the Avco Cup Finals by the Winnipeg Jets.

The Love ya Blue Oilers reached back-to-back AFC Championship Games after the 1978 and 1979 seasons, only to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers badly (34-5) in the first, then again a year later when a blown call negated a Mike Renfro touchdown and ruined their chances of pulling off an epic upset that would have sent them to the Super Bowl. No Houston NFL team has played in a conference championship game since . . . not that anyone in our neighborhood needs reminding.

The Rockets reached their first NBA Finals in 1981 — 10 years after relocating from San Diego — despite a sub-.500 record during the regular season, then returned in 1986 with a shocking victory over the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. Both times, though, the Boston Celtics put them back in their place, as did the Mets to the Astros in the 1986 NLCS in their first-ever chance to claim a pennant — almost a quarter-century after they joined the National League.

The Larry Dierker-era Astros fell short of the NLCS three years running and four times in five seasons. Phil Garner got them there in 2004 — after which the St. Louis Cardinals shut the door in a gripping seven-game series — and, finally, into the World Series a year later. But a 4-0 sweep by the Chicago White Sox left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. Still, our baseball franchise has now advanced this far on 10 different occasions, compared to nine by the Rockets (seven), Oilers (two) and Texans (zero) combined.

By any measure, no matter how much the Texans and the Rockets of late have disappointed us, we’re living in the golden age of sports in Houston, all thanks to the Astros. When I raise or, better, quaff a glass to what they’ve accomplished on Jim Crane’s watch, there’s no pain to be killed.

So, cheers, Jim! And thank you for making me regret my exiting, stage right, just when the going got great. Terrible timing, obviously. But, hey, I got old waiting.

H-Town happenings

Tastings Every Saturday at French Country Wines: Noon-5 p.m. Free. http://frenchcountrywines.com

Tastings Every Wednesday at Montrose Cheese & Wine: 5-7 p.m. Free. http://montrosecheeseandwine.com

Tastings Every Thursday at Cueva in the Marriott Marquis Houston: 6:30-7:30 p.m. $40 http://eventbrite.com

Symposium Saturdays: 4-5 p.m. at Stella’s Wine Bar in the Post Oak Hotel. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Houston Chronicle Culinary Stars: 6:30-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Houston Chronicle. $125-$175. HC Live Series: Events & Ticketing | Houston Chronicle Culinary Stars (evvnt.events)

Annual Texas Wine Dinner, featuring Ready Vineyards: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26, at the Rainbow Lodge. $165. www.rainbow-lodge.com/texas-wine-dinner

VinellIo Wine Club presents Piedmont Collectibles: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 30. $45. http://eventbrite.com

Light Years Wine Tasting: Noon Saturday, Nov. 4. $50 http://eventbrite.com

Marvino’s Italian Steakhouse Wine Dinner: 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 16. $99 plus tax and gratuity. http://marvinositaliansteakhouse.com

The French Food & Wine Festival: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 17, at the Post Oak Hotel. $2169 early bird, $229 regular. French Festival 2023 | FACC Texas

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

X: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My Podcast partner in crime writes: “I’ve never owned a gun. Never wanted to own a gun. Have always tried to avoid guns. Once, back when I was a teenager and my father was living in Arizona, one of his friends shamed me into using a rifle to kill a rattlesnake we discovered while on a hiking trip. It was one of the worst experiences of my adolescence.It was the last time I handled a gun. Tracie and I share a personal aversion to guns. We are avid supporters of anti-gun groups. Yet, last night, a friend wrote me to share his family’s solidarity with ours and in case I felt the need, he’d be happy to give me a weapon . . .”

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra writes: “Like so many of the great wine regions of the world, a river runs through France’s Rhone Valley. The Rhone River shapes the landscape and lends its character to the wines grown there. Viticulture arrived with the Greeks in the Fourth Century BC, but flourished during the Roman Empire . . . ”

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger writes: “

I hope you are enjoying the cooler weather.

It’s Fall and it’s time for some Hill Country wine at the Hill Country Wineries Fort Worth Road Show on November 6, 2023, at Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall in Fort Worth, Texas. This event will feature wines from 20 Texas Hill country wineries. See details below . . .”

 Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

The DC writes: “I am currently experiencing a phenomenon that I could not have fathomed a decade ago: I am awash in samples. According to my inventory, I am currently hovering around 200 bottles that were sent to me to taste. Since I am a bit of a math geek, I did some calculations: If I average going through 15 bottles a week (three a day—I try not to “work” on the weekend), that comes out to about 13 weeks of wine. A quarter of a year . . .”

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat writes: “I absolutely love the Wedding Oak Wine Train and had an absolute blast when I rode it last summer. Check out my video recap as well as my blog post . . .”

Updated Oct. 8

A random recent tout led to make a quick trip over the mountain to Italy late last week to check out a possible home base for my Piemontese wine tour next spring. And I needed about 10 minutes, with my head on a 360-degree swivel because of the magnificent views in every direction, to decide to reserve four rooms at the Relais Luigi Einaudi above the gorgeous town of Dogliani in the Langhe.

The only bad news is I wanted seven rooms, but four were all they had left for the last week in May. So me and my partner Pablo Valqui are going to have to bunk elsewhere. Hey, our clients always come first with gourmettours.biz (http://gourmettours.biz). But I do intend to drop by for a dip in the cool wine-bottled-shaped pool, show below.

If the name Luigi Einaudi rings a bell, it should. Long before he became a beloved president of the Italian Republic in the post-war years — 1948-57 — he was an aspiring vintner, having purchase the first of his estates at the age of 23 in 1897. But Einaudi (pictured below) would go on to pursue careers in high finance and journalism until the fascists came to power, ultimately forcing him to flee to Switzerland, not returning to Italy until Mussolini fell in 1943. A liberal in the true European libertarian sense, he is remembered as a vocal, pioneering force in economic federalism, the end result of which would become, long after his death in 1961, the formation of the European Union.

But, despite all the years he would spend in Rome, his heart never left his beloved Langhe hills. Today, Einaudi’s heirs own 10 farmsteads with 111 acres under vine from Barolo (Terlo and Cannubi) to Dogliani, where they were instrumental in creating the DOCG Dolcetto di Dogliani. The Einaudi winery with its 240,000-bottle cellar is conveniently located beneath the lovely albergo where my folks will be based.

I can’t say enough good things about the Barolos and the Dolcettos, but the wine in the Einaudi lineup that’s the most special to me personally is the Langhe Rosso, an juicy, well-extracted blend of nebbiolo (30 percent) cabernet (30 percent), merlot (20 percent) and barbera that represents a perfect intersection between flavor profile and price point ($30). Unfortunately, I rarely see it in Houston, although Enoteca Rosa’s Brian Brossa, bless him, has had it on his wine list in the past.

Our tour is good to go as is, but we can still accommodate one more couple. We start in Turin May 23 and finish in Milan June 1 with lots of crazy good winery detours in between, including Bruno Rocca (http://brunoroca.com), Ceretto (http://ceretto.com), Marchesi di Gresy http://marchesidigresy.com), Oddero (http://oddero.it) and Pio Cesare (http://piocesare.it) in the Langhe and Ca del Bosco (http://cadelbosco.com) in Franciacorte.

As Rachel Maddow is wont to say, watch this space for updates. I’ll be returning to the region in late October to knock around, taste and fine-tune the itinerary. I know, dirty thankless work . . .

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . the Astros

Who, improbably, won their consecutive AL West title on the last night of the season despite having entered their final series of the season two games back of the Texas Rangers. Remember Rudy Tomjanovich’s praising his Rockets’ “heart of a champion” back during their championship run? It should be said of these resilient Astros, too. They’ve gotten knocked down with worrisome frequency in 2023 but never knocked out. Another World Series triumph would surprise no one.

And to . . . C. J. Stroud

No quarterback in NFL history — in NFL history, people! — had thrown for more than 1,200 yards without a single pick during his first four starts until Stroud buckled his Texans chinstrap. Through Sunday night’s 21-19 loss at Atlanta, C.J. has thrown 186 passes for 1,461 yards without being intercepted. At the other end of the spectrum, the Oilers’ Dan Pastorini suffered 13 picks in his first five NFL starts . . . but eventually led the Oilers to back-to-back AFC Championship Games, something no Houston QB had done before or since.

And to . . . J.J. Watt

A couple of serious, late-career injuries kept him from becoming one of the greatest players in NFL history, but he’ll still be a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer and would be, of course, a no-brainer pick to go into the Texans’ Ring of Honor on Sunday. What he did for Hurricane Harvey relief alone assures he’ll never not be loved by his adopted home town. Speaking of the “L” word, Watt admitted during his on-field remarks, “I’ve got a lot of love flowing through my veins right now and all that love is directed towards Houston, Texas . . . I’m incredibly honored and thankful to be a part of your family forever and all I want to say is H-Town, I love you. Thank you.” His taking out a full-page ad in the Houston Chronicle to express his appreciation for what the city gave him made me, no kidding, tear up. Here’s hoping young C.J. will in time become another J.J. He’s certainly off to one helluva start.

And to . . . Billie Jean King

Yep, Mother Freedom herself. She whupped Bobby Riggs, who proudly — and profitably — branded himself a male chauvinist pig, on a magical evening in the Astrodome a half century ago that I was fortunate enough to have been a part of. It was the first tennis match I ever saw live, and the first I was assigned to cover. Billie Jean, who became a friend, will always be on my personal sports Mount Rushmore. What a player, what a lady, what a for-real feminist trailblazer.

H-town happenings

Tastings Every Saturday at French Country Wines: Noon-5 p.m. Free. http://frenchcountrywines.com

Tastings Every Wednesday at Montrose Cheese & Wine: 5-7 p.m. Free. http://montrosecheeseandwine.com

Tastings Every Thursday at Cueva in the Marriott Marquis Houston: 6:30-7:30 p.m. $40 http://eventbrite.com

Symposium Saturdays: 4-5 p.m. at Stella’s Wine Bar in the Post Oak Hotel. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Newsom Vineyards Wine Tasting: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at 25200 Grogan’s Park Dr. in The Woodlands. $20 http://eventbrite.com

Seghesio Wine Dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at Atkins House. $85. http://eventbrite.com

Celebrity Wine Tasting: Lights, Camera, Wine: 6:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at AR Workshop in Cypress. $60. http://eventbrite.com

Light Years Wine Tasting: Noon Saturday, Nov. 4. $50 http://eventbrite.com

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

X: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My Podcast partner in crime writes: “Most Italian-focused wine professionals in the U.S. face a sticky linguistic challenge: how to distinguish between the classic expression of an appellation and a vineyard-designated or riserva category. And it’s not an issue confined solely to purely anglophone wine pros. Italian speakers often get tripped up by the tongue-tying conundrum. For many, the knee-jerk reaction in such cases is to call the classic wine normale or normal . . .”

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra writes: “Like so many of the great wine regions of the world, a river runs through France’s Rhone Valley. The Rhone River shapes the landscape and lends its character to the wines grown there. Viticulture arrived with the Greeks in the Fourth Century BC, but flourished during the Roman Empire . . . ”

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger writes: “I just wanted to let you know that Heath Family Brands is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of Invention Vineyards on Highway 16 in Fredericksburg on Friday, September 22nd. Invention Vineyards crafts predominantly Texas blends, with a classic presentation of old-world varietals.”

 Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

The DC writes: “Over the course of a week, I taste a bunch of wine, usually with friends, and almost always with my wife.  Here are some of the wines we tasted over the past few weeks. These are wines that were not sent as samples—in most cases, I actually paid for these wines (although a few have been given as gifts).”

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat writes: “So your girl had to take some time off and settle into back to school, Thing 2’s surgery, not to mention all of the projects on my desk at the office (all that #LawyerLife stuff). Hence, no September roundup of events in Texas Wine Country. But given that October is Texas Wine Month, I most certainly had to share some of the great events that will be happening to celebrate our great wine region.”

ROSÉ

2021 Bodegas Breca Rosé

From the winemaker: “An elegant rosé characterized by delicate floral aromatics.”

From James Suckling, who scored it a 91: “A textured rose with subtle raspberries, strawberries and stones. Crisp and bright with fresh acidity and pretty red berries on the palate.”

From me: We have Bodegas Breca’s owner, Jorge Ordóñez, to thank for introducing Spanish garnacha to the U.S. market at a time when we rarely got anything other than the tempranillos from Rioja. He founded this winery in Calatayud in 2010 and made his wines with the garnacha de Aragon, said to be the original and most genetically untouched grenache clone in the world. The vineyards, at 2,600 to 3,500 feet in elevation, routinely experience temperature fluctuations of 45 degrees over a 24-hour period. In other words, the terroir couldn’t be more perfect.

$14.99 at wine.com

WHITE

2020 La Chablisienne Le Finage Chablis

From the winemaker: “Pale gold in color, this Chablis is fairly discreet on the nose at first, revealing notes of sweet spices, particularly vanilla. After opening, more fruity aromas appear with slight vegetal and lemon hints. The palate is fresh with well balanced acidity. The whole is simple and rich with great energy.” 

From Natalie MacLean, who scored it a 91: “A crisp, clean and vibrant 100-percenet cardonnay with zesty green apple, laser lemon acidity.”

From me: The La Chablisienne cooperative has been around since 1923 and sources fruit from some 300 growers, who have 17,000 acres in 20 villages on both sides of the River Serein under vine. The sheer volume explains the very friendly price point.

$26.99 at wine.com

2021 La Crema Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

From the winemaker: “Aromas of Meyer lemon, pear and white flowers are supported on the nose by subtle hints of oak. Followed by flavors of crisp apple, tangerine, and pineapple. On the palate, the wine is concentrated and juicy with a lingering finish.”

From the Wine Enthusiast, which scored it a 92: “Hints of almonds and savory herbs in the aroma accompany Bosc pears and vanilla on the palate as this handsome, toasty wine balances fruitiness and an oak-aged spiciness for a complex and complete expression.”

From me: La Crema has been one of my go-to chardonnays for a long, long time. It’s well-made, inexpensive and easy to find.

$14.99 at Costco

RED

2018 Hestan Vineyards Grenache Napa Valley

From the winemaker: “The wine exhibits highly expressive notes of allspice, white pepper, and ripe red fruits, with a medium body mouthfeel it expresses a rich red intensity on the palate.”

From me: I loved this wine, made by Thomas Rivers Brown. It’s 100-percent grenache — we don’t see a lot of these from California — that spent 20 months in neutral French oak and it held its own against the grenache-centric French wine that follows, which happens to be one of the world’s best.

$60 at hestanvineyards.com

2019 St. Cosme Gigondas

From the winemaker: “The wine shows intense blackberry and fig fruit with licorice, violets, and charcoal on the finish.”

From the Wine Spectator, which scored it a 95 (as did Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and the Wine Enthusiast): “Dark and winey, this structured offering packs red and black currant paste flavors together with threads of charcoal, warm stone, bay leaf and savory, ending with a long tug of cast iron through the finish. A blue chip for cellaring.”

From me: The St. Cosme wines never disappoint, and I’ve tasted every vintage since 1996. The cellar dates from Roman times and the Barruol family has owned the property since 1570. Louis Barruol has been the winemaker since 1992. Nobody in the Southern Rhone does it better.

$61.74 at Spec’s

2018 The Paring Red California

From the winemaker: “This Cabernet-inspired blend displays classic notes of cassis, tobacco and chocolate. Focused fruit and shapely tannins shine as hallmarks of what we’ve come to expect from the sandy soils and slightly cooler climate of the winery’s outstanding vineyard sites.”

From Jeb Dunnuck, who scored it a 90: “It’s a medium to full-bodied, ripe, rounded, nicely concentrated blend with lots of ripe currant and blackberry fruits as well as an herbal kick in its tobacco, earth, and ripe herb aromas and flavors.”

From me: This Bordeaux-style blend — 60 percent cab, 20 percent cab franc, 18 percent merlot and a pinch of petit verdot — checks every box at an outstanding price. It’s from the vineyard and winemaking team behind Jonata & The Hilt Estate with most of the fruit coming from Ballard Canyon and the Santa Rita Hills.  

$25.99 at wine.com

I’m heading back to la belle France Tuesday with mixed emotions. As special as our little Alpine valley may be — can’t wait for those fall colors! — I’m going to be missing out on some great events in Houston over the next several weeks, including a 50-year reunion of the WHA Aeros and a gathering of Luv ya Blue Oilers to celebrate the completion of a documentary about Bum Phillips. I covered both teams for the Houston Post and they remain very dear to my heart. I’ll also be missing out on several wine tastings and winemaker visits.

But, hey, First-World problems, right?

Fortuitously, however, I was still here when Federica Rosy Boffa Pio paid H-Town a visit last week. Her story is remarkable, as of course are the family’s iconic Pio Cesare wines. It’s Federica’s show to run now — never mind that she’s only 25. And she was only 23 when she had to take over for her father, the larger-than-life Langhe legend Pio Boffa, who tragically died way before his time from COVID-19 complications in April of 2021.

She and her cousin, Cesare Benvenuto, who has been involved in the business since 2000, are fifth-generation proprietors. Poised and knowledgeable far beyond her years, Federica speaks proudly of the Pio Cesare team, adding “that’s why it wasn’t so hard” to step into her new role. Benvenuto may have two decades of experience, but he’s practically a new kid on the block compared to Paolo Fenocchio, who has been the enologist and head winemaker since the 1981 harvest.

Breaking news: The tasting tour that I’m leading through Italy’s Piemonte and Lombardy regions next spring (go to http://gourmettours.biz for the dates, itinerary and price) will now include a stop at Pio Cesare. Founded in 1881 by Cesare Pio, it’s the only one located in Alba proper and, hence, it’s the only one that can display the city’s crest on bottle labels as well as being the only a scant grandfathered-in few to produce Barolo outside the legal geographic confines of the DOCG.

The first time I visited Alba — in 1990 while covering the World Cup — I’d already concluded Barolo would forever be a go-to wine for me and Pio Cesare’s Classico was the finest I’d yet tasted. I wanted to go to the winery but, driving in circles, I was never able to find it. There’s no showy presence and the cellars, soon to undergo a significant expansion, are below ground, as all good cellars should be.

Better late than never, I will finally be paying a visit at Federica’s behest in October, getting a chance to taste some of Pio Cesare’s less widely distributed wines, including the beautiful, barrel-aged Fides Barbera d’Alba from the Mosconi Vineyard near Monforte d’Alba. (Pio Cesare also makes a single-vineyard Barolo from grapes grown on that prime piece of real estate.) Note that Fides means “faith” in the Piemontese dialect. The family has always highly valued its barbera wines and Federica promises it always will, which was music to my ears.

These days, producers in the Langhe these days are all too often inclined to pull out barbera and dolcetto vines to plant nebbiolo in order to make far more expensive wines. But, so many of those plots were time-tested for barbera and dolcetto and just don’t work as well for the higher-maintenance nebbiolo.

Federico is also putting her own stamp on Pio Cesare, having immersed herself in bringing a timorasso to the market in the near future. The once-obscure and almost extinct white grape from the Colli Tortonesi neighborhood in the province of Alessandria is trending big-time and she astutely embraced catching the wave.

Losing her father was traumatic when it happened, but the only way to honor his memory was to stay strong and attempt to fill his giant shoes. Like him, Federica enjoys traveling the world to promote the Pio Cesare brand, and she is already an old pro at handling the media attention she’s receiving.

“It is a great honor and I hope my father would be proud,” she told another writer last year. “At the very least, I know he would be happy that I am putting in 100 per cent of my passion, love, care and commitment every day.”

Oh, he’d be plenty proud, Federica.

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Coco Gauff

Just just 15 in the summer of 2019, Gauff defeated her idol, Venus Williams, and became the youngest woman to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon since Jennifer Capriati in 1991. Less than three years later, she reached the final of the French Open. But Gauff succumbed to the pressure of great expectations both times. In New York Saturday, however, she closed the deal, winning what should, or at least, could be the first of many U.S. Open titles. American tennis badly needs her to stay on form going forward. Ben Shelton, too. He was a surprise Open semifinalist this year. As you know, no American man has claimed a major championship since Andy Roddick in 2003.

H-town happenings

Tastings Every Saturday at French Country Wines: Noon-5 p.m. Free. http://frenchcountrywines.com

Tastings Every Wednesday at Montrose Cheese & Wine: 5-7 p.m. Free. http://montrosecheeseandwine.com

Tastings Every Thursday at Cueva in the Marriott Marquis Houston: 6:30-7:30 p.m. $40 http://eventbrite.com

Symposium Saturdays: 4-5 p.m. at Stella’s Wine Bar in the Post Oak Hotel. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Three Winemakers, Six-Course Wine Dinner: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Roma. $99. 713 664-7581.

Wine Tasting Event: 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at The Classy Cork Wine Room. $65. 832-534-1900 or contact@theclassycork.com

Brunello, the Ultimate Sangiovese Tasting with Jeremy Parzen: 6:30-8:30p.m. Tuesday, Sept 19. http://eventbrite.com http://vinellowines.com

Chris Carpenter Wine Dinner: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Mastro’s Ocean Club in The Woodlands. $375 plus tax and gratuity. http://eventbrite.com

Paso Wine Is Headed to Houston: 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Majestic Metro. $65. https://pasowine.com/consumer_events/tasting-tour-houston/

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

X: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My Podcast partner in crime writes: “On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was heading to the Atlantic Avenue stop to catch the 2 train that would take me to the Fernet Branca space. Before I left my apartment, I called one of my colleagues to confirm a 9 a.m. meeting. He screamed at me: “Are you fucking crazy? Turn on the TV!” And then he hung up. I went upstairs to my landlord’s apartment and we watched — in absolute disbelief and absolute horror — as the second tower was struck by the plane. Had I not called my colleague, I would have been traveling underneath the World Trade Center right around the time that the second plane hit . . . “

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra writes: “Like so many of the great wine regions of the world, a river runs through France’s Rhone Valley. The Rhone River shapes the landscape and lends its character to the wines grown there. Viticulture arrived with the Greeks in the Fourth Century BC, but flourished during the Roman Empire . . . ”

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger writes: “

“We’ve had a phenomenal response to my first Level 2 Advanced Specialist of Texas Wine Course offering and held live via Zoom this past April. Level 1 STW graduates came calling. This first advanced Level 2 class was sold out in less than a month . . .”

 Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

The DC writes: “Over the course of a week, I taste a bunch of wine, usually with friends, and almost always with my wife.  Here are some of the wines we tasted over the past few weeks. These are wines that were not sent as samples—in most cases, I actually paid for these wines (although a few have been given as gifts) . . .”

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat writes: “Looking to broaden your white wine horizons? Why not do it for National White Wine Day? Yes, it’s anther “XXX” day, but I do find the wine days are fun ways to explore things I don’t necessarily think about. It’s funny, because when I first started drinking wine, you were hard pressed to get me to drink much white wine. I was all about Pinot Noir and then eventually bolder red wines. You know, after I got past my 5-gallon box of White Zinfandel phase. Hey, we all have to start somewhere! And it was that way for a while. But over the years, things began to shift.”

My circle of friends certainly does its part to keep the wine industry solvent, and my conscience is clear in that regard, too. But lots of folks who have traditionally guzzled wine are dropping the ball to the extent that the French are about to turn 80 million gallons of juice into pure alcohol for the purpose of making hand sanitizer, cleaning products and perfume, and they’re going to be spending some $215 million to do it.

Da hell?

The short explanation is that wine consumption continues to drop globally and the cost of making wine continues to go up, having been dramatically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The numbers don’t work, so eliminating surplus, France’s agriculture minister Marc Fesneau says, will help “stop prices from collapsing, so that winemakers can find sources of revenue again.”

In 1926, the average French person drank about 136 liters per year. Today, the number is closer to 40. Craft beers and cocktails are a huge part of the reason, but it appears people are also behaving more sensibly, damn them.

France has one of the fastest-growing non-alcoholic drinks markets, Susie Goldspink of IWSR Drinks Market Analysis told the Guardian in late 2022. “Last year, 14 percent of consumers said they were abstainers, whereas this year it was up to 20 percent,” she reported. “Abstainers in France are more likely than in other markets to be from the youngest age group, Generation Z.”

“We have an underlying issue of, ‘How do we better engage with the consumer and make wine more relevant, make wine a relevant choice for consumers that have a lot of options?’” muses Stephen Rannekleiv, the global sector strategist for beverages at Rabobank, a Dutch financial firm specializing in agribusiness.

France, particularly regions in the south such as the Languedoc, went through a similar crisis in the early 20th century when super-cheap Algerian grapes flooded the market and almost destroyed domestic grape-growers. AOC controls first put in place in the 1930s ultimately helped fix that problem, but there’s simply too much wine being made today. High costs — yes, climate change is also part of the problem — plus low demand does not equal a survivable profit margin.

Hence, fewer acres of French land than ever are being used to grow grapes for wine with the government compensating grape growers who rip out their excess vines. Bordeaux grape growers alone, according to the http://winespectator.com, are planning to tear out almost 23,500 acres of vines this year.

And it’s not just French vintners who are suffering. According to the European Commission, wine consumption in 2023 has fallen 34 percent in Portugal, 22 percent in Germany (the same percentage as in France), 10 percent in Spain and 7 percent in Italy. Some doomsayers predict a 20-percent drop in wine consumption by Americans over the next decade.

Most of my Baby Boomer wine buddies have turned 70 or are closing in that milestone, and our doctors insist that we slow down. Therefore, like it or not, we’ll soon become way more of the problem than the solution for our vintner friends. It’s projected that American wine consumption will drop 20 percent over the next decade. Personally, however, I’m going to keep raging against the dying of the light. I will NOT go gentle into the good night without a glass in front of me. No sir!

To sorta quote Willie Nelson, There are more old drunks than there are old doctors, so let’s pop another cork. In vino veritas!

What’s new

Fiora’s Bottle Shop

Natalie Navi, formerly the GM at Paulie’s, and Amir Sed have opened a very cool wine bar/sandwich shop in the Montrose Collective, near the intersection of Montrose Blvd. and Westheimer. Sean McNeely, whom many of us got to know during his tenure at Camerata next to Paulie’s, is the on-site sommelier/manager. Between 15 and 20 wines are available by the glass and some 50 by the bottle, for consumption on site or to take home. The sandwiches, made with Slow Dough bread, are killer — especially the GOAT, which presumably means what it does when people talk about Michael Jordan or Tom Brady . . . Greatest of All Time.

McNeely, FYI, wrote his Master’s thesis at the University of Houston’s Hilton College on sustainability in wine. Hence, Fiora’s happy hour selections will feature juice in cans kegs, and boxes.

http://fiorasbottleshop.com

KOI

From the folks who brought us Zen (http://www.zenjapaneseizakaya.com) on South Shepherd, it’s a couple blocks east of the Collective, in a dramatically reimagined space where Avondale Food and Wine, L’Olivier and, back in the day, a dirty book store where previously located. The food is upscale Japanese and the eclectic wines are well-chosen (by my great friend Amanda Hu, McNeely’s grad-school classmate at UH) to match the edgy cuisine. Loved the cocktail list, too. Try the Tokyo 75, an Asian take on a French 75, of course.

http://koihouston.com

The Library

Jason Eubanks’ unique Spring Branch wine bar, located at 8510 Long Point, will in fact be a library with some 2,000 books about all things wine available for browsing while sipping on premise and a list with library wines front and center, including 1970s Bordeaux, 1960s Barolo and pre-World War II Madeira. Brennan Harmeier, whose previous postings locally include a’Bouzy and Ciel, will serve as general manager/wine buyer. A soft opening is coming this weekend.

http://thelibraryhtx.com

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Jose Altuve

The Astros’ little big man was having a rare so-so season largely attributable to injuries. But he recorded his 2,000th hit recently, then hit for the cycle for the first time in what will be a Hall-of-Fame career Aug. 28. Even after going 0-for-5 the next night — to quote Craig Biggio, that’s baseball — he’s still batting .316. He’s had seven three-or-more-hit games since July 30.

Pouring one out for . . . Dave Einsel

The former Chronicle photo chief had no peers when it came to shooting football and, back in the day, he had to carry his lab with him on the road with the Oilers. It was a different world, but Einsel, who passed away last week way too soon at 63, was a transcendent talent, a quiet, no-nonsense guy who let his work speak for itself.

H-town Happenings

Tastings Every Saturday at French Country Wines: Noon-5 p.m. Free. http://frenchcountrywines.com

Tastings Every Wednesday at Montrose Cheese & Wine: 5-7 p.m. Free. http://montrosecheeseandwine.com

Tastings Every Thursday at Cueva in the Marriott Marquis Houston: 6:30-7:30 p.m. $40 http://eventbrite.com

Symposium Saturdays: 4-5 p.m. at Stella’s Wine Bar in the Post Oak Hotel. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Grapes and Grooves Festival: 11 a.m.-11:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, at the Agora Haus. $70-$350. http://members.agorahouse.com

South African Wine Dinner with Winemaker Clayton Christians: 6:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, at Central Market. $95. http://eventbrite.com

Three Winemakers, Six-Course Wine Dinner: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, at Roma. $99. 713 664-7581.

Wine Tasting Event: 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16, at The Classy Cork Wine Room. $65. 832-534-1900 or contact@theclassycork.com

Brunello, the Ultimate Sangiovese Tasting with Jeremy Parzen: 6:30-8:30p.m. Tuesday, Sept 19. http://eventbrite.com http://vinellowines.com

Chris Carpenter Wine Dinner: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Mastro’s Ocean Club in The Woodlands. $375 plus tax and gratuity. http://eventbrite.com

Paso Wine Is Headed to Houston: 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Majestic Metro. $65. https://pasowine.com/consumer_events/tasting-tour-houston/

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts.   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

X: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My Podcast Partner in Crime writes: “There’s a lot more to that deer in the photo (below) than meets the eye. I grabbed it from the Facebook of one of the Brunello producers that I will be presenting at a tasting September 19 in Houston, San Polino. The folks at San Polino have been instrumental in a new movement of winemakers who are rethinking the role of biodynamics in viticulture today. Their work is so compelling that Master of Wine Jancis Robinson has published their findings on biodiversity and mycelia (fungal networks) on her site.”

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra writes: “While big, bold reds are a staple during the winter months, red wine can also be enjoyed all year, especially after chilling in an ice bucket or refrigerator. Many people are drinking their cabernet sauvignon too warm . . .”

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger writes: “If you’ve been anywhere around Texas wines for the past 15 years or so, either at the winery or in just about any major supermarket you’ve seen Becker Vineyards “Claret – Le Trois Dames”. For many years, this was my “gateway” Texas wine for people that ask me for a suggestion and wanted something they could easily find locally . . .”

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

The DC writes: “Over the course of a week, I taste a bunch of wine, usually with friends, and almost always with my wife.  Here are some of the wines we tasted over the past few weeks. These are wines that were not sent as samples —in most cases, I actually paid for these wines (although a few have been given as gifts) . . .”

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat writes: “Looking to broaden your white wine horizons? Why not do it for National White Wine Day? Yes, it’s anther “XXX” day, but I do find the wine days are fun ways to explore things I don’t necessarily think about. It’s funny, because when I first started drinking wine, you were hard pressed to get me to drink much white wine. I was all about Pinot Noir and then eventually bolder red wines. You know, after I got past my 5-gallon box of White Zinfandel phase. Hey, we all have to start somewhere! And it was that way for a while. But over the years, things began to shift.”