By Fantastic @Adobe Stock
How to Survive the Debate
Rest assured, tonight will not be a reenactment of the Lincoln-Douglas debate, although it is likely to be unique in its own right. Most voters dislike both debaters personally, Daniel Henninger doesn’t need to remind readers of the WSJ.
It is hard to recall a presidential election in which the one point of bipartisan consensus was, “I can’t believe this is happening.”
Well, it is going to happen, and not because God has abandoned the United States.
The Incumbent
Incumbency is the most powerful force in politics, Mr. Henninger reminds us.
Once voters have put someone in office, most are loath to admit their decision was a mistake. There’s no better coverup for personal blemishes than party loyalty to an incumbent.
I’ll Drink to That
Also in the WSJ, Lettie Teague answers her readers most pressing wine questions. Her timely article might be an answer to viewers’ chagrin on how to survive tonight’s debate: Numb yourself.
Storing Wines in a Closet?
How long will closet-stored wines last? Lettie recognizes her answer will likely not please the surprisingly large number of people who have posed this question.
Closets are fine for boots and coats, but they are airless and often too warm, and heat is the enemy of wine.
The author hastens to say she can’t say how long a bottle might last in such conditions because she has never kept her wine in a closet.
In an ideal world, we would all have a wine fridge or a temperature-controlled cellar. Obviously, that’s not realistic for everyone. Barring those options, choose a spot as dark and cool as possible, with good ventilation and no major temperature fluctuations throughout the day or the year.
How about Those Box Wines?
“Box wine” is a bit of a misnomer, counsels Ms. Teague, “as the box usually contains a plastic bag that actually holds the wine.” The author doesn’t usually drink box wine due to its size.
Best for a big party, Ms. Teague advises, (3 litters = 4 bottles of wine) or someone who likes to “drink the same wine over and over (and over) again.”
Ms. Teague prefers white Burgundy (not usually found boxed), but she did source a couple of box wines she can recommend, both well made and well priced.
Bota Box Sauvignon Blanc ($14) is a soft, fruity, easy-drinking white made from Chilean fruit and produced by Napa-based Delicato Family Wines. La Vieille Ferme Rosé Vin de France ($14), a dry, snappy pink, is produced by the esteemed Perrin family of Château de Beaucastel fame. This blend of Grenache, Cinsaut and Syrah, simple but refreshing, is a great pool-party drink.
Bota wines carry the date the wine was packaged on the box’s bottom panel, but it takes a bit of decoding. A Bota Box spokesperson explained to me what the different numbers mean: The first starts with an L; that’s the lot number (line, minute and hour). The second is the date on which the wine was packaged, starting with the last two numbers of the year, followed by the day. For example, 24169 would mean the wine was packaged in 2024 on the 169th day of the year.
A Universal Wine Glass?
No “best” wine glass, comforts Ms. Teague
The best glass is one that you like and can afford, and that enhances your enjoyment of a wine.
Lettie’s father was in the glass business and Ms. Teague writes about wine, as she reminds readers, so it’s pretty easy to conclude she owns many types of wine glasses.
(Ms. Teague reserves her) Zalto glasses for special occasions and special wines. They are delicate and pricey—$80 apiece or more. (Elegant, I would add).
For everyday drinking, Riedel Magnum Ouverture glasses are my all-purpose choice. Machine made, with a fairly generous bowl, they’re like a cross between a Bordeaux glass and Burgundy balloon. And they cost around $20 a glass.
According to Riedel CEO Maximilian Riedel, his father, Georg Riedel, created the Magnum Ouverture in 1989 as an “entry-level” glass for “new wine consumers as well as hotels and restaurants.” It might seem at odds with the company’s mission to produce a different wine glass for seemingly every grape in existence, but Georg Riedel was a smart businessman: He knew that most drinkers are likely to use one type for all of their wines. This glass was made for them.
What About the “Drink By” Guide?
Just about every beginner’s wine book or wine-rating guide seems to have a section advising would-be oenophiles to keep an eye on the “drinking window” of their wine—the time within which it should be consumed. It’s usually a spread of several years during which the wine should be in perfect balance, not too young and not too old.
Lettie Teague uses CellarTracker.com, an online forum, where serious oenophiles post thoughts on wines they’ve tried. Ms. Tauge finds “the tasting notes from this highly knowledgeable group an invaluable guide, notably when it comes to determining when a wine is ready to open.”
With tens of millions of tasting notes on the site, chances are very good a member will have written a note on a wine you’re thinking of opening, noting how it tastes but also, crucially, how well it is aging and how long it is likely to drink well.
Aren’t You Going to Mention Bon Vivant Brut, Lettie?
Over and over again, readers mention the Bon Vivant Brut, a sparkling wine from California. Many note that they purchase their bottles at Wegmans supermarkets, though this wine is not a Wegmans exclusive according to a Wegmans spokesperson I talked to.
I did find a bottle of Bon Vivant Brut at my local Wegmans, priced at $20. Its label described the wine as “crisp and elegant” with “a hint of spiciness and full fresh finish.” Alas, my own tasting notes are quite different: shrill acidity, with sour-green-apple and odd metallic notes.
Whatever way you decide to make it through tonight’s debate/debacle (“cage match,” according to Mr. Henninger), let us all salute the United States of America. Be of good cheer, good luck, and may God Bless America.
