I’m not much of a wine drinker, opting for shots of Patron or a pitcher or Diet Coke to wash down the basket of fries I just inhaled.
But I do see the allure of wine — the notes, the characters, the bouquets of scents.
I just don’t really understand any of it.
Which is why I asked my pal, Shannon Ball of Wine The Experience in Kapahulu, to explain a few things to me on today’s installment of Cat Chat.
Like why he swirls the wine around in his glass. Seriously. I don’t get it.
So check out what I learned about wine in today’s episode — and how you can be uber-cool at your Thanksgiving get-together tomorrow. (There are new phrases I think I’ll be using…)
If you’ve got questions for Shannon about wine — or me about anything — post ’em here. And visit Shannon at his shop in Kilohana Square or on Facebook (WineTheX) or Twitter (@winethex). We both would love to hear from you!
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HD0H6gXoCNk
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To read all of Cat’s blogs, visit www.nonstophonolulu.com/thedailydish. Follow Cat on Twitter @thedailydish or send her an e-mail at cat@nonstophonolulu.com.
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31 Comments
Wow! Make that a triple wow! Cat this was an excellent ‘Cat Chat.’ You have come so far with this so fast and now the level of professionalism is — well for lack of better words — almost “Rachel Rayesque.” Plus I learned a couple things. Very, very impressive.
How sad, I am replying to myself. Anyway, just as I was about to log off I thought, why is this ‘Cat Chat’ so much better than the others. I think part of the reason is that you are standing. It just looks so much more professional than when you are — don’t know how exactly to say this — but so much more professional than when you are ‘arranged’ on the couch. Think this format or even a format where you sitting at a table … preferably a higher table … is so much better than the couch thing. Be interesting to see if I am the only guy who says this.
@Maxcat No, you’re right. I slouch when I sit, can’t help it. When I’m standing I tend to be more, well, normal looking.
@Cat @Maxcat Sitting is more casual, which is kind of cool too.
@maxmaxmax @Cat @Maxcat I do agree with that… I like the legs up lounging of episode one… more comfy and casual. Cat just needs to emphasize the posture. 🙂
Nice, fun, lively episode 3. I admit, I’m also wine illiterate. White or red, cheap or expensive, all tastes the same to me. That’s the extent of my knowledge. But this episode was helpful. Also, nice kitchen!!!! All decorated for Xmas. Is that your kitchen, Cat ??? It’s way cool. Happy Thanksgiving.
WINE THE EXPERIENCE! Not The Wine Experience. GAWD, I’m going to fire myself!
Isn’t Shannon awesome? Go visit him! NOW!
@Cat And you’re teaching students? Oh boy, I fear for the future…..
Nice, real nice and informative. And you brushed your hair 🙂
I have one of those openers. You can use it to open beer beer bottles too.
@Ynaku lol at the brushed hair comment. 🙂
@JohnGarcia @Ynaku Actually, I just pulled it back with a clip. I still hate it, though. Getting a haircut on Friday.
@Cat @JohnGarcia @Ynaku Cat, worry when you bolohead! Until then, enjoy the hair….one day you’re going to look back and wonder to yourself what was I thinking?
‘volitize the esters’ as wine phraseology goes, that’s right up there with Ralph’s critique of Palmolive soap; ‘a piquant, after dinner taste; heady, but with a touch of mellow smoothness.’
good to know something about Rose. i’ve always steered clear of it for exactly the reason Shannon said: ‘bad reputation’
you’re all over the place this morning. this post, the Bag article, crying along with Grace Lee (&me)
Sweet episode! My favorite so far. I like the variety of different sets and, much like MaxCat, I prefer the standing shots better than the sitting shots (told you posture! 😉 hehe)
Pretty happy with these so far! Leave us your feedback and ideas for future topics!
Cat! You’re awesome… seriously!!! is there anything that you CAN’T do?! amazing epi. i think Rachael Ray has some competition here in Hawaii. :o)
@NeilYamamoto Yes, I don’t do windows. 🙂
@Cat @NeilYamamoto You mean that in “two” ways, right Cat? Hahahaha!
When I waited tables in college, it was at a higher-end restaurant. I had to take wine classes… been a wine snob ever since, LOL! Love reds and whites equally, as long as they’re DRY, DRY, DRY!!! Leave the sweet stuff to the kiddies! Rose and blush… ICK!!! ;^D
Oh, another thing about swirling, it coats the glass so you can see the wine’s “legs!” The thicker and more defined legs, the fuller body the wine is.
Final note: Did you know that you’re NOT supposed to smell the cork? Dunno how that got started. Actually you are to inspect the cork to see if any red veins have made it to the top of the cork, which tells you that it may have been spoiled by air seeping in. Also, you need to feel the cork for brittleness. A brittle cork can also mean air has seeped in.
OK, I now return you to your regularly scheduled Cat Chat!
We’ve been to several bottling events at Wine The Experience and even bought a barrel as a gift for my father-in-law. Highly reccomend everyone go check them out.
…And the award for best short subject in praise of dry rose goes to Nonstop Honolulu, Cat Chat, and Cat. Very impressive. (Be sure to thank the production team and your third grade math teacher before you walk off with the statue.) Roditis is increasingly difficult to find on the shelves, but it is a nice, inexpensive, and well known dry rose that goes with just about anything.
niiice kitchen, jg! i really have to look into these dry roses. don’t see them much on the menus of the places i frequent. but this is what chuck furuya recommends w/ pipikaula and other rich, salty foods, so i’m dying to try.
Hello Cat!
Did you have a glass of wine before the shoot? 🙂
@M thedailydish yes cat, inquiring minds want to know!
@nonstopmari @M thedailydish Pleading the fifth.
Actually, no, that’s really me. Well, with caffeine.
If you’re going to bring wine, I think of it as a gift to your host. Find out what kind of wine they like, and get what you can afford. One bottle of wine is not going to fill everyone’s glass. If its byob, bring what you drink. Usually the host will have drinks for their guest. I feel wine is more of a personal drink to enjoy, not cheap wine to get drunk.
Just before I viewed Cat’s video, I clicked on a link from one of Deb Aoki’s tweets and there was Aunty Marialani! A nice way to get ready for Cat’s wine class….so was it not too sweet, not too rancid, but just right?
@hikino AUNTY MARIALANI! “And remembah you have to cook da chicken at 850 degrees fo’ one minute or five degrees fo’ four days.”
Not sure where the Whine part was buried in this… must have missed it. Love that kitchen, should do more food and wine stuff there. As for wine, more wines and more opinions about wines than a person can keep up with. Find a good bottler and stick with them.
Well done Cat. Very enjoyable, and I actually learned something. I liked your honest, spontaneous reaction to “votalizing the esters”. I usually skip that step. Gotta try that next time — the before and after.
What up Cat? Glad to see you do this “Cat Chat”. You know I am not a wine drinker and I would see people hold the glass funny by the stem and now I know why. I will of course, like you, stick to the Patron!!!! Good segment though.