Happy Holidays, everyone!
We hope you enjoy the Parzen Family Singers’ latest Christmas song (below), featuring Georgia on violin and Lila Jane on cello.
It’s a track from my new album “Let the Party Begin” (please check it out on BandCamp!).
Wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving!
We’ll see you next week. Have a great holiday!
Man, I’ve been having a blast working the market this week in New York with my old friend Dino and his son Adam.
Bumping around Manhattan and Brooklyn and checking in with sommeliers and buyers across the city, I couldn’t help but wonder out loud, who the hell said that wine was dead?
A legion of young wine professionals would beg to differ!
Last night, we were invited to the soft opening to Chef Markus Glocker’s new wine bar Libera in the basement of the Ace hotel, with his much-feted Koloman brimming with happy diners above.
I loved wine director Max Weber’s by-the-glass list and was thrilled to find a bunch of wines, including Italian, that were new to me.
But it was the tinned fish, charcuterie, and cheese cart that stole the show.
Once we were settled and Max took our wine order, the cart service found its way to our table and we ordered a sampling of everything on offer.
We downed old school Champagne by the glass as we slurped up anchovies and sardines followed by pâté.
I don’t think that I’ve had so much fun in a NYC wine bar since I first walked into The Ten Bells.
Chef Markus has elaborate plans for the as-of-yet unfinished artwork above. It will ultimately become a multi-media space.
But it was still awesome to check it out. I felt buzzed before I even had a sip of wine!
With arduously creative, talented people like Chef Markus and Max opening an überhip wine bar in one of the city’s most dynamic hotels, it makes me wonder if there might be a glimmer of hope for all of us punters working the street with a wine bag slung over our weary shoulders.
Bravi Markus and Max! Thank you for a great time. I can’t wait to get back to your place. And thanks for believing in and propagating the human-vinaceous experience.
It’s not every day that a guitar solo can bring me to tears. But that’s what happened the other night in Atlanta after we finished up an epic wine dinner and headed over to one of the city’s mainstay blues and rock clubs, the Northside Tavern.
I had never met the amazing Andrew Black, above, or heard his music. I just happened to walk into the bar where he was playing that night.
During the first set I watched, our group had a great time rocking out to the 80s adult classics and yacht rock he was jamming.
But when he opened his next set, he went straight into the blues. And when I say the blues, I mean that kind that stirs and stews your soul.
An Albert King track was followed by Albert Collins jam, and even though Andrew was rocking a Les Paul custom, I could swear the Ice Man — the Master of the Telecaster — was in the room with us. And me and my eyes were goners.
Andrew and I got to talking before the night was over and he’s the nicest, sweetest guy.
It occurred to me as I drifted off to sleep that evening: a dude from Houston and a dude from Atlanta connected thanks to a musical genre — I would go as far as a saying, a medium — that is uniquely American in origin and spirit and a reflection of our country’s history, culture, and ethos.
The blues are an idiom that you can speak in Los Angeles, New York, Houston, Atlanta, and nearly every corner of the world.
I may not be the American that the incoming government wants me to be. But I’m still an American. And the blues are part of my cultural birthright, just like American jazz, American dance, American literature, American post-modernism, etc.
Our country and our variegated people have given the world so much in terms of the arts. And the world has often loved us back for it.
Thank you, Andrew, for helping me bare my soul and remember why I love to be an American. And thanks, man, for the great music and friendship. It was a wonderful night to rejoice in what is truly great about this country.
A one-day ride-with in Atlanta this week gave a beleaguered wine blogger a jolt of hope for our trade this week. (For laypeople, a “ride-with” denotes a “supplier’s” day “working in the market”; in other words, when a visiting winemaker, wine ambassador, or “supplier rep” spends a workday with a locally based distributor visiting clients.)
He was accompanied by the dynamic Niklas Foradori, above, winemaker for J. Hofstätter (his importer is the scribbler’s client) and the wonderful Wynn Pennington, a longtime veteran of the Atlanta wine scene, an ex-rocker and rave promoter, and one of the coolest dudes you’ll ever meet in the biz.
The tone was high and the speed was fast. Said wary content creator felt energized by the frenetic pace and the newly found camaraderie.
And then a chance encounter with a wine industry legend felt to him like a meeting with a sage Obi-Wan.
The wine industry is facing steep challenges, he conceded in a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the industry.
“It’s a matter of finding the wines that fit,” as he put it, the key to success in a rising sea of obstacles. It’s no longer about selling the wines you simply want to sell. It’s about finding the wineries that have a great product and are ready and willing to make the sacrifices needed to excel at this — let’s just say it — scary moment.
Thanks again to Niklas and Wynn. And thank you Obi-Wan! Stay tuned for a post about an amazing musical experience we had in Atlanta, one of my favorite cities in the U.S.
In other news…
A warm shout-out and congratulations to our friend, neighbor, and colleague Steven McDonald, wine director for the swank Pappas Bros. Steakhouse here in Houston and winner of the first-ever Michelin Texas guide’s top sommelier of the year award.
That Steven, above, on Monday, with my old friend Silvano Brescianini from Franciacorta.
Steven is a beloved Houstonian and a revered wine professional and mentor here in Texas. On Monday, at a lunch with Niklas, a leading Houston sommelier recalled how Steven helped him present his first wine dinner and launch his career as a top Houston buyer.
Steven is a family man (our kids play in the same middle school orchestra) and an extraordinary musician as well.
We all appreciate greatly that he brought this first-ever award home to Houston, the foremost “wine scene” in the state imho.
I’m super geeked to be returning to Vinsanto this Sunday with my bandmates (above) and not just one but TWO sets of music.
We’ve expanded our repertoire with a bunch of cool jams from the 80s (some that might surprise you).
We’ll be playing the main room at Vinsanto on the westside from 4-6 p.m., this Sunday, November 10.
No cover and Riccardo always has discounted by-the-glasses and Roman-style pizza known as pinsa. Katie’s vocals have never sounded better and Lucky’s bass is as mean as bayou alligator!
Please come rock out with us.
The next night, Monday, November 11, I’ll be returning to Vinsanto from 7-8:30 p.m., to present a super cool winemaker, Niklas Foradori, from J. Hofstätter in Alto Adige.
This event is also free.
Man, this is Italian Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, and Gewürztraminer at its very best. And Niklas is super fun. And we will have some older vintages to pour as well.
The next night we’ll be doing the same event at 3 Parks (Old Fourth Ward) in Atlanta, Tuesday, November 12, 5:30-7 p.m.
I’m super stoked to be reconnecting with the amazing Sarah Pierre, 3 Parks owner, and her staff. I have a feeling that Hue Society will be there, too. Please join me.
DM me if you need more info or just show up. No need to register and no cost for any of these events.
In other news…
I’ve been taking a little break from blogging during the election season. Next week, I’ll pick up with my Roman tour and then my incredible Neapolitan tour. Can’t wait to dive back in.
Tracie, the girls, and I are disappointed with the election outcome, as you might imagine. But life moves forward, with school and music lessons and rehearsals and tennis clubs and poetry readings and band practice and our careers and our activism… It’s time for us to hunker down and be the best Americans we can be. We know we’ll cross the next bridges when we get there. In the meantime, G-d bless America and G-d bless all Americans.
My best friend from childhood is a devoted Trump supporter. He sends me roughly 10 Instagram Trump-focused reels a day, many followed by impassioned notes imploring me to vote for him for the sake of my daughters.
At least a few of those reels are about undocumented immigrants who have committed crimes in the U.S. You need to vote Trump to keep your family safe, he writes.
When I look in my daughters’ eyes, I see young women who have less robust reproductive rights than their mother did growing up.
I don’t see illegal immigrants lurking around every corner trying to hurt my family.
Here in Houston, we are neighbors with all kinds of immigrants and I’m sure many of them or their family members are undocumented. We go to school together, we go to work together, we eat at the same restaurants, we exercise at the same gym, we go to the same parks and museums.
My friend doesn’t write me much about climate change. As far as I know he doesn’t see it as a campaign issue.
But our family does. As someone who follows viticulture carefully, I am all too aware of the havoc climate change is creating in my professional community. And we live in a hurricane and tornado corridor with an increased threat of natural disaster all around us.
Reproductive rights and climate change action are two issues that Trump has opposed and Kamala has embraced. Those are the two top issues for us in this election.
But another overarching issue is the hateful and often overtly racist rhetoric that Trump and some of his followers summon when advocating for their policies. We do not want our children to grow up in a world where American leaders use division and intellectual violence as political expedients.
My vote was cast for the candidate I believe will best protect and bolster the reproductive rights and climate resources my children will need to navigate the world and their lives.
Their parents may not be what Trump perceives as ideal Americans. But they, like their parents, were born in the U.S.A., too. Please vote Kamala for them.
I am so bummed to miss my longtime friend, the epic wine writer Ray Isle, when he comes to Houston week after next for a couple of events promoting his book.
That’s Ray, above, executive wine editor for Food & Wine, and Alicia Lini when we all connected in NYC at the beginning of this year.
Man, I’ve known Ray since we were first coming up in the wine writing business. We were both contributing at the time to Gastronomica. And we both shared a deep interest in literature that overlapped with food and wine media. What a time it was to be in the city back then! The culinary hegemony was shifting from French to Italian and the global wine renaissance was taking shape more swiftly than any could document.
Ray’s been a great friend to me and I was thrilled to be able to give him a hand with a translation of Luigi Veronelli he needed for the opening of his book The World in a Wine Glass. (Thanks for the shout-out, Ray!)
Ray is one of coolest and chillest high-profile wine writers I know. He always makes time and space for everyone around him and he always approaches our shared subject matter with élan and grace. I highly recommend him and the book to you!
I’m so bummed I’ll be missing him: he’s doing a dinner at Marigold on Wednesday, November 13, and a reading and tasting at Stella’s on Thurs., Nov. 14. Look out for a link on the Marigold site for the dinner, email postoakhotel@nextjenpr.com to reserve for the reading and tasting.
Ray will be coming the same week that Michelin is announcing its rankings for Houston! The whole town is abuzz with speculations and predictions these days. Houston, which also happens to be Ray’s hometown, has been waiting for this moment for more than a decade. It’s a biggie.
And me? Ray won’t be here yet, but that week I’m…
– playing two sets at Vinsanto in Houston with Katie White on Sun., Nov. 10, from 4-6 p.m.
– presenting Niklas Foradori of Hofstätter at Vinsanto on Mon., Nov. 11, from 7-8:30 p.m.
– presenting Niklas again at 3 Parks in Atlanta on Tues., Nov. 12, from 5:30-7 p.m.
Please come out for the music, the wine, the people, and the book!
My goodness, so much stuff going on!
I’m hoping you’ll join me for any and all of the below. Thank you for your support and solidarity!
Davanti, Houston
Monday, October 28
There are two spots available for our Davanti wine dinner on Monday night. It sold out at 12 so we added a few more. Please email me at jparzen@gmail.com if you’d like to join. This will be super fun and it’s a great group. Tra will be there, too. 7:00 p.m. start time.
Vinsanto, Houston
Sunday, November 10
Katie White and I will be playing two sets of music starting at 4 p.m. There’s no cover and Riccardo will be pouring a discounted btg and serving pinsa. Last gig was over the top. Bring your axe and sit in! The girls and Tra will be there as well.
Vinsanto, Houston
Monday, November 11
I’ll be presenting a special tasting and talk with Niklas Foradori, winemaker at J. Hofstätter in Alto Adige. I’ve been running a blog for the winery’s importer and we’ve been having a blast. Niklas is a wonderful speaker. The event is free and open to all. This is one not to miss. 7:00 p.m. start time.
3 Parks, Atlanta
Tuesday, November 12
Niklas and I will be taking the show on the road as we visit one of my favorite cities in America. I’m so excited to be working with Sarah Pierre, owner of 3 Parks. And we should have some older vintages of the single-vineyard wines to taste at this event. Free and open to all. 5:30 p.m. start time.
Prossimo Ristorante, Tulsa
Monday, November 18
I’ll be giving a talk and leading a tasting on Vermouth di Torino. This is a fun one. We had a blast with this in El Paso and I’m geeked to dive back in. When was the last time you tasted 12 Vermouth di Torino side-by-side? This is another one not to miss and I’m excited to explore Tulsa. Here’s the link to register.
NYC
Wednesday-Thursday, November 20-21
I’ll be doing market work and pouring Amistà Nizza and Vermouth di Torino for any interested tasters! Hit me up if you’d like to taste.
Rossoblu, Los Angeles
Wednesday, December 18
I’m returning to Rossoblu for the last our last wine dinner of the year. Details forthcoming.
Photo @jeffreytkchan.
The drive up to the historic town of Genzano in the heart of the Castelli Romani hills is a key to understanding the unique topography and geology of this storied wine region.
That’s Alessandro Jacobini, above, scion of one of the Castelli’s most famous families. He and his wife Nina, an American, live in his family’s historic palazzo in the center of town. It’s just a stone’s throw from Lake Nemi, below.
Like its bigger brother Lake Albano just to its north, Lake Nemi is an ancient volcanic crater. Not only did ancient eruptions in the Castelli create these two magnificent, resplendent bodies of water. They also provided the volcanic ash — rich in organic material — that would be scattered for miles and miles to the south and to the west.
By the time of the Renaissance, the Castelli were already widely known for their superior wines — grown in volcanic soils.
The Jacobini were among the founders of the now legendary Fontana di Papa cooperative, which, at its peak, counted 400 grower-members. Named after a fountain built by 15th-century Pope Innocent VIII, Fontana di Papa produced some of Italy’s most famous wines in the second half of the 20th century.
Today, the Jacobini are no longer part of the cooperative. They are producing wines under their own label and they are part of a greater movement, including a newly revived Fontana di Papa, to re-establish the Castelli as a top wine destination.
I can report that the Castelli hills retain the same magic and even glamor that they did for Roman visitors in the 50s and 60s. I’ve been giddily surprised to learn how many songs were dedicated to the pleasures of the Castelli in that period. My favorite is the one by Gabriella Ferri (check out this citizen video for the nostalgic images).
Alessandro’s wife Nina runs a wonderful blog devoted to the Castelli, a great resource.
And if the trip weren’t worth it for the views and the wines, the porchetta is the best you’ll ever have.
One of the most memorable lines ever uttered at an Italian food and wine trade conference still sticks with me.
The theme of the panel was “how to make your product relevant in the U.S. market and how to get on buyers’ radar.”
The speaker is a well-known and widely respected buyer from a legacy wine shop and gourmet food market in northern California.
The number one thing you need to do, he told the Italian exhibitors in Houston that day, is to “make a good product.”
You might be surprised how many people expect to sell their wines in the U.S. even when the wines have little appeal for the target customer.
When I made my way to visit a wine grower in Rome’s urban wine country, I already knew that her product was good. I had tasted at the Taste of Italy trade fair in Houston where I consult with the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce.
Silvana Lulli, above, grows wine in richly volcanic soils just outside of Rome along the ancient Appian Way at her family’s winery Parvus Ager.
I asked her what made the difference in getting her wines to the U.S. Here’s what she wrote me (translation mine).
I really loved her fresh, bright, salty, citrusy Vermentino, one of her best sellers and one of the wines that is on its way to the U.S. now.
You can see the city in the background of the photo above. Her family’s winery is literally surrounded by urbanity. She also has access to one of the most beautiful stretches of the Appian Way. During the summer, she does an evening light show tour of her vineyards and the old road.
Look out for her wines coming to a shop near you soon! Congrats Silvana on your success! Well deserved!
Do Bianchi 