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Back in January 0f 2008 we wrote an article on Absinthe being legal again in the United States.   However, most of the absinthe sold at bars and liquor stores only contain 30 mg of thujone - the active ingredient in absinthe which causes people to hallucinate.   It’s very difficult to hallucinate off the absinthe with this lower thujone content. 

On New Years of 2008 some absinthe came my way so I figured I would try it out.  I took 3 shots of it without a chaser.   It was actually very good tasting alcohol.  After about 10 minutes I felt something that was defintely not your normal alcohol buzz.  Mild Euphoria set in and everything seemed to be very funny.  No hallicunations though.  After about 20 minutes these feelings started to subside.  It was very strange indeed, after I had drank a little all I wanted was more and more.  I believe this absinthe was just the usual 30mg thujone content as described on the label.

By the time you drink enough to feel the effects of it you’ll end up being dog drunk because of the high alcohol content (most absinthe is above 45% alcohol some even reaches as high as 80%).   However, they don’t regulate the amount of thujone that goes into absinthe in Canada, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland.   In these countries there are higher concentrations of absinthe produced.

At thujone concentrations of 100 mg and higher it’s fairly easy to hallucinate from drinking a couple of shots of absinthe.

Thujone is a natural chemical compound derived from plants and flowers (namely wormwood).   Thujone has a similar chemical structure to Tetrahydrocannibinol (active ingredient found in marijuana or THC) and Menthol (peppermint odor found in many over-the-counter medicated creams).   Therefore, it’s not surprising that you would be able to feel mild hallucinations from higher thujone concentrations.

I thought I should add that the traditional way to drink absinthe is to pour 1 ounce of absinthe into a glass and place a sugar cube on an absinthe spoon, which is a spoon made specifically or this purpose, and drip about 3 ounces of pure ice water over the cube so it melts it into the absinthe, once you have a 1/4 absinthe to sugar water mixture you are ready to drink it.  This is the official and traditional method which has been used through out the history.

The flaming sugar cube is a method which tons of attention at the bars and is great for marketing this drink.  However, it is frowned upon by most true absinthe connoisseurs.

Higher Concentrations of Thujone

King of Spirits Gold - Originally based on a Swiss recipe this Czech Absinthe has no artificial color or preservatives, and contains 100mg of the psychoactive thujone adored by some of the world’s most notorious artists and writers.  Van Gogh, Picasso, Hemingway…Bob Dylan, Marilyn Manson and Eminem are just a few who used and drew inspiration from this original Absinthe and its effects.

Naturally green in color, the ‘King of Spirits Gold’ is 70% alcohol (140 proof) and is bottled with fresh herbs and wormwood that distill inside and enhance the taste and thujone content.  All the ingredients are carefully selected to ensure its distinctive taste.

Click Here to order King of Spirits Gold Absinthe with 140 proof alcohol and a potent 100mg of the psychoactive thujone from Absinthe Supply.

Zele AbsintheX - Contains a whopping 75.5% alcohol (151 proof), and a potent 111mg of the psychoactive thujone and offers a taste that’ll definitely get your attention. This classic absinthe is made from the original Swiss recipe and contains no artificial colors or preservatives. Naturally green in color, AbsintheX uses a blend of 13 herbs the most important of which are wormwood, mint, aniseed and chamomile which distill inside the bottle and enhance the taste and thujone content.

Click Here to order Zele AbsintheX with a whopping 151 proof alcohol and a potent 111mg of the psychoactive thujone from Absinthe Supply.

Although these higher concentrations of Absinthe are not allowed to be sold by businesses located inside the US and most of Europe.   They are still legal to posess in the United States.  It is also legal for customers in these countries to buy from international companies (such as AbsintheSupply) and they currently ship worldwide.  All absinthe is legal to possess in the United States.  With each shipment they offer a standard guarantee that you will receive your order safely.

Absinthe Supply sent me a bottle of Zele Absinthe X and I drank 6 ounces over a short period of time.   It caused a very pleasant out of body experience.  It felt like I had floated up out of my body and was exploring the room, flying around weightless.  My body was safe, surrounded by friends sitting on a couch.  Eventually I felt like I got “pulled” back into my body.  It was a very strange, but rewarding experience.

Finding $150-a-bottle Sonoma and Napa red wines at the bargain price of $60 might sound too good to be true.

Apparently, it was.

Felony criminal complaints have been filed against two Santa Rosa men and a Napa resident alleging they embezzled nearly $200,000 worth of high-end Bordeaux-style red blends produced by Jackson Family Wines, part of the Kendall-Jackson empire owned by Sonoma County wine giant Jess Jackson.

According to Sonoma County court documents, Jordan P. Crass, 29, of Santa Rosa, a former customer service representative at Jackson’s Windsor distribution center, was the ringleader who set in motion a potentially very profitable scheme.

He faces six felony charges including grand theft, four counts of burglary and unauthorized computer access.

Depending on how much investigators can establish was stolen, a conviction in the case could mean prison time, prosecutor Amy Ariyoshi said.

In addition to Crass, Jarrett M. Berg, 28, of Santa Rosa and Kevin M. Hall, 29, of Napa are named in the complaint. They face three felony charges each of receiving stolen property.

Hall is an employee of Regal Wine Co., a Jackson-owned distribution company. Berg is a high school friend of Hall’s who is alleged to have delivered the wine to buyers, according to court papers.

None of the men has been arrested. Contacted by phone, Hall declined comment, Crass didn’t return a message seeking comment and Berg couldn’t be reached.

The attention of Jackson wine executives was sparked in April 2007 when the company’s vice president for marketing found Verité wines for sale on the Internet. The wines, three different 2004 vintages of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc blends, hadn’t been released to the public, company officials told investigators.

“He saw this wine and said, ‘Wait a minute, how did they get that?’ He ordered it and said, ‘Yep, that’s our wine,’ ” Sheriff’s Sgt. Glenn Lawrence said. “From there it snowballed.”

Tiffanie De Liberty, an attorney for Jackson Family Enterprises, said in an e-mail the company wouldn’t comment on the case.

An internal investigation by Jackson Family Wines revealed that unreleased 2004 vintages of La Muse, La Joie and Le Désir wines “were available on the Internet in large quantities and at prices substantially below” retail prices, detective Randy Williams wrote in an investigative document filed with the request for search warrants.

The wines were being offered on eBay and four fine wine retailers’ Web sites.

Company investigators traced computer transactions believed to have been made by Crass that indicate he also traded bottles of wine for tickets to sporting events with a Pleasant Hill ticket broker, Williams said.

Crass, who was fired in early April, created false “lost” wine shipments or marked shipments as returns so the wine could be sent out without being tied to an order by a specific customer, a search warrant affidavit alleged.

Williams’ report detailed seven “inventory adjustments” allegedly made in January and February 2007 from Crass’ computer at the company’s shipping center involving nearly 1,000 bottles of 2002 and 2003 Verité and Lokoya wines costing $150 to $175 a bottle. Each of the shipments was labeled lost.

Another inventory check showed 240 missing bottles of 2004 Verité wines, valued at more than $34,000.

Edward Mackauff, president of finewinecollector.com in San Jose, told investigators he bought several bottles of the pricy reds from Hall, whom he said contacted him as a representative of Regal Wine Co. Regal is the distribution arm of Jackson’s wine empire.

Mackauff provided detectives with canceled checks valued at nearly $9,000 written to Berg and Hall for three wine shipments. One of the checks had a bank-required fingerprint of the person who cashed it, Williams said in his report.

“It’s not fun being a victim of anything,” said Mackauff. “I was able to help figure out what was going on and helped catch them. But I’d rather forget it all.”

On New Years in San Francisco I saw something that I didn’t expect to see being openly served at the bar: Absinthe.

Back in the 1990’s, absinthe was all the underground rage. You couldn’t buy the stuff legally. Like marijuana, it was only available if you knew a guy who knew a guy who was willing to sell some to you at ridiculously high prices. You could even get busted for possessing the stuff. But oh, when you got some it was heaven. Except when it tasted like paint thinner. Which was most of the time.

Back then the Absinthe available was either brought into the United States from Europe (making it expensive) or bootlegged here in the United States (making it taste like crap).

The FDA recently made Absinthe legal again and now it’s being served in bars for approximately $10 a drink and sold in some liquor stores for around $75 a bottle.

One liquor store in Santa Rosa began selling it last week. Forty people waited in line before the store even opened to buy a $90 bottle.

Absinthe was banned in the U.S. in 1915 because it’s made with wormwood, a root that contains thujone. Thujone has long been considered to cause hallucinations. Famous artists, Van Gogh and Picasso, were reportedly fans of absinthe.

Wormwood is a long-lived plant, with greyish-green leaves and the flowers have a greenish-yellow tint, and like leaves give off a strong aromatic odor and are bitter to the taste.

Thujone is a toxic chemical present in wormwood and has a similar molecular geometry with THC, the active chemical in cannabis.

In 1996, Ted Breaux, a chemist from New Orleans and one of the prime movers in the absinthe revival, has developed Lucid, a real absinthe made with real wormwood that can be legally sold in the United States.

For several years, Breaux has been working with a French distillery, faithfully reproducing a number of classic absinthes based on chemical scans of the contents of vintage bottles. The scans accord with recent research and contradict the traditional theory that thujone is absinthe’s magic ingredient.

“When I tested bottles of vintage absinthe,” he says, “I was surprised to find they contained very little thujone.”

Many of the Eastern European imports, spirits with strange neon colors, advertise “ultra-high thujone” levels in some of their products, no doubt figuring that if thujone is grounds for banning, it must be a selling point.

Breaux has no respect for these colorful wannabes.

“If a maker or seller has to depend upon promoting myths and misinformation about thujone to sell a product, that is a fairly reliable indicator that said product is sorely lacking in quality and authenticity,” he says.

Earlier this year, the FDA decided to allow regulated absinthe. Three products are now available in the U.S. and have sold out quickly. This suddenly legal absinthe is a little less potent than its European cousin, but it still packs a 62 percent alcohol punch.

Lucid Absinthe is Ted Breaux’s creation which is based on the traditional, French-made Absinthe Verte (Green Absinthe). Lucid is produced in France for the Viridian Spirits Company of New York using traditional French methods.

Kubler Absinthe is absinthe made by Yves Kubler, the fourth-generation distiller of Swiss Absinthe Superieure Kubler, who got permission to import his product after five years of haggling with the U.S. government (the turning point was when the Swiss embassy intervened). All the while, he says, he refused to tweak the recipe from what his family produced in 1875.

St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte is one of the first true absinthe spirits to be available in the US, and is made right here in the Bay Area. In fact, it’s distilled by the same folks who make Hangar One Vodka (which, I can personally attest, has crazy-making powers of its own).

See how Absinthe is prepared in the video below:

Absinthe Lollipops

litabsinthe.com is now selling absinthe lollipops.

They are made with absinthe, sugar, corn syrup. There is no alcohol in them, so you won’t get drunk. However, they do contain wormwood (which, in turn, contains thujone), so each of our lollies will essentially make you feel as though you’ve taken half a shot of absinthe sans alcohol. Meaning that they go especially well with cocktails.

The major flavoring agent in most absinthe is anise, which tastes similar to licorice. If you’ve tried absinthe in the past and didn’t like it, remember that not all absinthes taste the same in the same way that not all bourbons taste the same. If you haven’t tried absinthe before, then our lollies are a fantastic way to make its acquaintance.

This week we have a really killer Pinot Noir which is sold for far less than it’s taste value, a rustic Australian Cabernet, a spicy Australian Shiraz and a fruity Austalian Shiraz, a local Zin, and a really nice complex blended red (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, & Cabernet Franc) from Italy.

Breggo - Pinot Noir (2005)
USA > California > Anderson Valley
www.breggo.com

SUMMARY: Light pine notes. Green apple skins, long aftertaste. Medium bodied but complex.

TASTING: The Anderson Valley suffered a very wet year in 2005, but after rigorous work in the vineyard and some TLC, the quality of the fruit turned out to be superb. The vivid color of this wine is immediately enticing. Aromas of grapefruit peel and black pepper express the Syrah component of this blend, while wild strawberries and pie cherries are the contributions from the Pinot Noir.

Great Pinots are made for savoring as they change in the glass over time. Drink and ruminate with a glass or two over a couple of hours and enjoy the transformation.

WITH FOOD: While it does not go well with spicy foods, a Pinot Noir blend is a great match for rich and complex foods such as duck. Pan Roasted Duck with a Pinot Glaze is just the thing to eat with this wine. Perfect for a late lunch on a sunny day.

Pin Pin - Cabernet Sauvignon (2003)
Australia > Margaret River
www.glenmorewine.com.au

SUMMARY: Tobacco, pine needles, tart cherries, black fruit, plums. Lots of tannins.

TASTING: From the Yallingup coastal hamlet of Margaret River, this Cabernet is soft and supple and a very approachable wine. This is a food wine but it is also superb on its own and particularly well matched with a bite of Cheddar cheese.

WITH FOOD: There isn’t a good Cabernet alive that doesn’t like a nice grilled piece of meat. The varietal’s characteristic ‘bigness’ is just right for the strong flavors of a Classic Steak au Poivre. They do make some great local cheddar cheese which gets the tonsils tingling and also goes really well with the wine.

Tiger’s Tale - Shiraz (2004)
Australia > Margaret River
www.edwardsvineyard.com.au

SUMMARY: Spicy white pepper, red berries and tobacco leaf characters.

TASTING: Take your time with this wine. Let it open up; decanting for about an hour should do it. Now take a good, long whiff and you’ll find notes of smoky cherries and cedar. I tasted black licorice, blackberry, black currant and tobacco leaf. Nice silky tannins and a long finish make for an elegant experience.

WITH FOOD: Shiraz pairs nicely with dishes that complement its fruit and spicy qualities. It is often a nice match for a spicy Mexican meal or even pizza! I think it goes well with my dish of Pan Seared Chicken Stuffed with Stilton Cheese which brings out the wine’s spicy qualities. This wine would also be heavenly with some French goat’s cheese and water biscuits.

Wirring Road - Shiraz (2003)
Australia > Margaret River
www.jarvisestate.com.au

SUMMARY: Full bodied. Black raspberries, red currants, blueberries, green peppers. Soft tannins.

TASTING: Shiraz has famously been called the ‘manliest of all wines.’ A little extreme, but it carries a truth: a good Shiraz is bold, strong and spicy (masculine virtues I suppose).

WITH FOOD: A rich meal like Venison suits this wine well. Salami or even garlic sausage would also be a fine match with this wine.

Pellegrini 8 Cousins - Zinfandel (2005)
USA > California > Sonoma County
www.lombardiwine.com

SUMMARY: Blueberry pie, boysenberry, cinnamon and baking spices.

TASTING: This wine wants to give you a sense of where it came from. Not surprising, since the Russian River Valley in Sonoma is a place of awesome beauty. From within the wine’s earthy characters, the wonderful blackberry and other dark fruit flavors slowly grow and emerge. The richness also has fantastic flavors of tarragon and spices which make this wine much more complex than a lot of Zinfandels: exceptional depth and concentration. You feel this wine all the way to your feet!

WITH FOOD: Zinfandel has never met a steak it didn’t like and this one is no exception. What do you do with some cold leftover steaks from the previous day? How about Beef Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Blue Cheese. Absolutely Fabulous!

Tenuta Argentiera Villa Donoratico - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc (2003)
Italy > Livorno
www.argentiera.eu

SUMMARY: Smoky and leathery nose with black cherry, black currant and mushrooms with violet and herbs.

TASTING: It has lots of blackcurrants which is so typical of Bordeaux and yet expresses the leathery and mushroom characteristics found in the wines from Tuscany. To show its best side, we recommend you chill this wine slightly in the fridge for about 20 minutes before you drink it. Room temperature these days tends to be a little too warm for complex wines.

WITH FOOD: This wine merits a fine steak.

These six wines would make the perfect gift set. They include a classic California Chardonnay, a merlot, a truly amazing French champagne, a fragrant white wine, a manly Shiraz, and a sweet fruity wine. These wines together would make a perfect holiday gift.

Ceago Vinegardens - Chardonnay (2006)
USA > California > Lake County
www.ceago.com

SUMMARY: A fruity medium-bodied white with pear blossom and poached pear, banana and juicy fruit.

TASTING: Put your nose in the glass and soak up the aromas of pineapple, mango, pear and even banana. What you are breathing in, is a Chardonnay with a warm climate tropical fruitiness. It is light and spicy with a silky cream texture and long-lasting flavors a well balanced wine. About 6% of the wine was aged in French and Hungarian oak which lends it the light undertones of vanilla oak spice.

WITH FOOD: Crab cakes, not the cheap ones, but the good ones which use fresh lump crab meat and you cant go wrong. With regard to wine with Crab Cakes, you need a white wine that is generous in texture and body, but not too rich and oaky. This Ceago Chardonnay fits the profile perfectly so enjoy it with Crab Cakes with Mustard Sauce.

Domaine Michel Dervin - Champagne NV
France > Beaune
www.domainewines.com

SUMMARY: A well- rounded rich Champagne with mandarin notes, toasted peanut shells. Good density.

TASTING: Get the party started and your taste buds jumping with a glass bubbly! This wine has a subtle fruit nose and the flavors are quite concentrated and complex with a lovely toastiness. Most Champagne is made from Chardonnay or Pinot Noir but the blend in this one is 60% Pinot Meunier, 35% Pinot Noir, and 5% Chardonnay, which gives it more depth.

WITH FOOD: Crispy Potato Pancake with Smoked Salmon and Chive Sour Cream is an easy appetizer to enjoy with a nice glass of Champagne.

Vin de Manies - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot (2003)
USA > California > Napa Valley
www.vindemanieswinery.com

SUMMARY: A dry, balanced red wine with plum, cherry, spice, and forest floor.

TASTING: The Vin de Manies is a quality wine made in a bold, rich Bordeaux style which means it is less fruity than the highly extracted style of some of its big Napa Cabernet neighbors. The blending of 22% Merlot, gives it a drier character that is well rounded and balanced. Green herb notes accompany layers of ripe currant and cherry that fills the mouth and prepares you for a bracing tannic finish.

WITH FOOD: Bordeaux style wines generally work well with lamb, game or steak. The Vin de Manies, which expresses some strong tannins on the finish, is a good match for steak with mushrooms. Also try it with Bacon Wrapped Filets with Mushroom Demi-Glace. Spoon this traditional rich mushroom flavor - infused sauce over a beautiful filet for a combination that wont disappoint.

Jaffurs Santa Barbara Viognier (2006)
USA > California > Viognier
www.jaffurswine.com

SUMMARY: A fragrant white wine with apricot flowers, orange blossoms, acacia and hibiscus.

TASTING: Remarkably, only 40 years ago, the Viognier grape was almost extinct: there were only 60 acres left in the whole world in a tiny village in France! Today, thank goodness, there’s been a revival. In California’s Central Coast alone, there are now over 2,000 acres planted, producing wonderfully exotic wines full of tropical flavors. This wine has powerful and complex aromas. Take one sip and notice how it really stays with you for a long, long time—you’ll experience a mixture of apricots and flowers exploding through your mouth.

WITH FOOD: Viogniers have complex aromas and a round, rich feel that makes them able to stand up to richer and spicier foods. Why not whip up a Stir-Fried Pork with Ginger and Basil? It helps to add a touch of this wine to the stir-fry for an extra bit of flavor.

Yalumba Hand Picked - Shiraz (2004)
USA > California > Napa Valley
www.yalumba.com

SUMMARY: Rich lush red with purple-red color. Dark fruits, musk, chocolate, coffee bean and black licorice.

TASTING: Wow, this is a big, stylish and velvety smooth wine that just slips down the throat— well integrated oak and soft, fine tannins. Why, you may you ask, did the winemaker add Viognier, a white wine, to a red wine made from 95% Syrah? The practice, which brings out a whole new level of expression in the wine, originates in the Rhône Valley in France, where blending is an art form. Surprisingly, it also darkens the color of the wine.

WITH FOOD: With BBQ all the way, especially Baby Back Ribs.

Domaine de Bacarra - Gamay (2004)
France > Beaujolais
www.lexwines.com

SUMMARY: Smoky, dried black cherry nose, super-ripe raspberries, tobacco and cocoa.

TASTING: Lightly chilled, it is the ideal easy drinking wine, light hearted and full of fun. This one has cherry and raspberry flavors with a touch of tannin on the finish which is typical of the Gamay grape of Beaujolais.

WITH FOOD: Great with tiny village bistro pasteries on a cold winters day.