To celebrate this bygone era, Arizona Hops & Vines is hosting its own Speakeasy on Saturday, November 10, beginning at 6pm. Just like back in the day, you’ll need to know the secret password to get in, so check that out on their facebook page. Then get your gangster and flapper look on for one of most rip-roaring times of your life.

All of this hoopla is in honor of sisters Megan Austin Haller’s and Shannon Austin Zouzoulas’ new gold-medal award-winning wine, the 2011 Moxy California Graciano. Made from Lodi Graciano grapes, this deep-dark beauty will hold her own with even the most fearless gangster.

The back label teases:

Moxy

1. Intestinal fortitude

2. Self-possessed confidence with an attitude of daring

3. Vigor, verve, daring

They say you are what you drink.

Do you have the Moxy to handle this wine?

In addition to AZ Hops & Vines standard menu of hand-crafted wines, Speakeasy attendees can enjoy Sand-Reckoner wines as well as Old World Brewery’s beers.

Don’t worry about getting busted by the Prohibition agents. On December 5, 1933, the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, making alcohol once again legal.  But you should worry about driving back to Tucson after all that fun. There are several B&Bs in the Sonoita area, just ask your hostesses for directions.

Boop-oop-a-doop!

Starting off big and bold, I selected the Heavyweight Chardonnay 2009 (85% Chardonnay, 10% Dry Chenin Blanc, 5% Marsanne), featuring “Champ” Frankie the Flash on the label. A sip or two of this rich, full-bodied Chardonnay “separates the pretenders from the contenders” proclaims its tasting notes. Filled with light lemony flavors and subtle floral aromas, there’s a delicate touch of oak for palate-pleasing pleasure. Heavyweight is vinted and bottled by White Stone Vineyards, Lodi, California; available at CataVinos Wine Shoppe & Tasting Room in Tucson for under $15/bottle.

Rich and elegant, the Woodbridge 2010 Chardonnay by Robert Mondavi (76% Chardonnay, 18% French Colombard, 3% Viognier, and 3% Proprietary blend of aromatic varieties) displays notes of delicious tart green apples and a gentle floral undertone. Nuances of apple pie with autumn spices weave through the fruity aromas and flavors, ending in a light creamy oak finish. Smoother than most Chardonnays I’ve enjoyed, its mouth-filling richness is balanced with natural acidity—the oak aging enriches this wine’s texture and adds just a hint of sweet vanilla and spice. Woodbridge Chardonnay is the perfect choice for sitting and sipping with friends or to pair. Be creative—if you like the food, go for it, there are no rules. Available retail for about $8/bottle.

For a totally different Chardonnay, try the Big House Unchained Naked Chardonnay 2010. No oak here! It’s described as “naked as a jaybird” without the confines of oak barrels. Big House veered off the California standard by using stainless steel tank fermentation, allowing the true fruit character of the Chardonnay grape to explode. Green apple and hints of pear on the nose is followed up with vibrant, “criminally” crisp and bright tropical fruit.  Perfect with goat cheese or poultry, this unoaked Chardonnay would pair well with scallops, pork tenderloin, roasted chicken, or fresh pasta primavera.  Available in both 750ml bottle ($10) and an eco-friendly premium wine cask (equivalent of four bottles) for $22.

Check out an earlier Pour Me Some Grapes blog on flipflop Chardonnay—a medium-bodied winner with creamy, toasted oak notes.

As you can see, Chardonnays can be all over the board with aromas, tastes, and finishes—what better time than these sizzling summer evenings to explore chilled Chards.

Cheers (and keep cool)!

Maggio's book and a 2008 Petite Sirah from the Maggio Family Vineyards

Discovering a palate-pleasing wine was not on my agenda at the two-day Tucson Festival of Books last weekend. And bear in mind, I don’t solicit wines to review, but my love of the grapes is legendary, especially among the authors I work with in my chosen career as a literary consultant (note: one cannot survive by writing about grapes alone).

One author I’m working with, Carl Paul Maggio from Sedona, AZ, brought more than his manuscript to our first meeting at the Festival; he presented me with a bottle of 2008 Maggio Petite Sirah from his family’s vineyards in the Lodi valley of California. I continue to be impressed with wines coming out of that region.

Maggio and I have spent hours on the phone discussing baseball and his project.  His legacy includes playing on the 1951 American Legion National Championship baseball team, a team that fielded many renowned baseball greats, including the late George “Sparky” Anderson (who had penned the Foreward for this book before his death last year). I believe Maggio’s resulting book, Baseball’s Glorious Age of Innocence, will offer readers a nostalgic escape into a bygone era that will both entertain and enlighten. The manuscript lends itself to a potential on-screen movie; I’m thinking Disney-like innocence and magic. Carl is in the process of completing the screenplay.

So enough about the book and baseball reminiscence; just wish us luck in finding a bonafide publisher for this gem.

Now about that Maggio family wine. I opened the bottle later that evening, enjoying it with my homemade pasta sauce, chicken breast, and tortellini (a bit on the spicy side). The pairing was ideal. The 2008 Maggio Petite Sirah opened with a fruit-forward nose—blueberries and dark cherries—with just enough peppery notes that lingered on into a soft, mellow finish. This would be a perfect sipping wine to share while sitting around talking baseball. Priced at around $10 per bottle, this is truly a value wine.

The nearly famous Maggio name was the first thing that drew me to this project (and now the wine). I’m a lifelong baseball fan; one of my first sports biographies, read in third grade, was the story of the great Joe DiMaggio. Carl shares a similar name with Joe, one of the most famous New York Yankees to ever hit a baseball (and date Marilyn Monroe). Carl explained that he’s recently discovered that his father’s name was changed from DiMaggio to Maggio when he migrated to the United States from Italy many years ago. Carl, who also played professional baseball, came that close to sharing Joe’s fame. He’s even been told that his baseball fielding style mimicked Joe’s quick pace.

I believe Carl Maggio’s celebrity is yet to flourish, as this tender and nostalgic account of a group of young boys who remained bonded as they grew into skilled and responsible men and then confront their own mortality, will transport everyone back to the age before baseball was tainted. Once that happens, perhaps Carl should share in his relatives’ Maggio Family Vineyard fame as a winemaker as well. He is already a brilliant promoter of their efforts.

Cheers…to books and wine…and to a new friend who share the love of baseball.