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Parker: Wine-blending tests lead to ruby-red results: Go easy on petit verdot

By Penny Parker, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published October 14, 2006 at midnight

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Think all there is to drinking wine is to open the bottle and pour? Put a cork in that thought. Doug Benzenberg, district manager of Icon Estates, showed a group of us wine lovers how easy it is to make a bad blend of wines during a sippin' and snackin' seminar this week at Morton's LoDo.

Benzenberg, who was determined to turn us into a bunch of lil' ol' winemakers, first had us swirl and swig a shot of Magnificat, a magnificent blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and malbec from Franciscan Oakville Estate.

Then, armed with pipettes (think of a kid with a calibrated straw shooting milk at his brother), we dipped into varying amounts of the five core varietals before us: cab sauv, merlot, cab franc, malbec and petit verdot. (Note: There's a reason you've never seen a bottle of 100 percent petit verdot.)

We piped ruby red liquid into our empty "blending" glass and then taste-tested the results. A rousing round of "yucks" emanated from failed attempts, followed by a few audible "aaaaahhhhs." So we tried, tried again until we created something drinkable.

When Benzenberg had us guess the percent of each varietal used to blend the marvy Magnificat, a Meritage (rhymes with heritage), we learned the error of our ways: Too much petit verdot spoils the brew. Magnificat's stats are: 76 percent cab sauv, 22 percent merlot, and 1 percent each malbec and cab franc.

If you'd like to learn to be a boffo blender, Benzenberg will conduct another mix and mingle from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Morton's Tech Center. Tickets are $45 (including tax and tip); call Milli King, 303-409-1180.

CARTOONIST COMING: The Colorado Society of Professional Journalists is hosting an evening with Robert Mankoff, cartoon editor of The New Yorker on Monday.

Mankoff will start with a reception from 6-7 p.m. at the Denver Press Club, 1330 Glenarm Place, followed by a 7:30 p.m. talk in the beautiful auditorium of our new digs at the Denver Newspaper Agency, 101 W. Colfax Ave. Rocky Mountain News editorial cartoonist Ed Stein will moderate.

Cost of the reception, plus the talk and a paperback edition of the Collected New Yorker Cartoons is $65. The auditorium talk alone is $20 for Press Club members, $25 for non-members. Reservations: 303-571-5260 or e-mail .

FREEBIE: Myspace Secret Show presents a free concert on Monday with The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus at the Bluebird Theater, 3317 E. Colfax. Doors open at 7 p.m. for this all-ages concert. First come, first served.

HERZLICH'S LAST HURRAH: Lisa Herzlich, Cherry Creek mall marketing maven and gal-about- town, wants a chance to say goodbye to everyone she's known and loved during her 30 years in Colorado before she leaves for La-La Land in December.

Herzlich, who's taken a giganto job with Phil Anschutz's AEG company in California, will say her fond farewells during an open house from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Nov. 14 at Elway's.

No RSVP necessary, just stop by the bar, enjoy some appetizers compliments of CC mall owner Taubman Cos., raise a glass at the cash bar and wish Herzlich well.

EAVESDROPPING at a local bar: "If that guy's pants were any lower, his knees would need hips."

Penny Parker's column appears Tuesday through Saturday. Listen to her on the Caplis and Silverman radio show between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-AM (630). Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail .