Source: http://thecaveman.blogspot.com/2009/05/birthday-meal-marsannay-2002-saint.html
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Saturday, September 29, 2012
Review of Chelan Ridge 2009 Chardonnay
Wine: Chelan Ridge 2009 Chardonnay Appellation: Columbia Valley (but sold in the Lake Chelan AVA area) ALC: n/a Price: $16 Haydn gives this wine: 96pts You can buy this wine: Give Chelan Ridge a call at (509) 687-4455. The website … Continue reading
Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/review-of-chelan-ridge-winery/
A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon
Would you like a quick suggestion for a good wine to drink tonight (or this weekend) that won’t break your budget and is widely available? Many of our readers have said this is something they would like, so here is this week’s selection, the 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon from the Columbia [...]
A Wine for Tonight: 2010 Chateau Ste. Michelle Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/3JB9qmB8kd4/
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Friday, September 28, 2012
Wine of the Month Club
Are you interested in wine? Do you find that wine stores are too stuffy and pretentious for you to have an enjoyable shopping experience? If so, finding a quality wine of the month club might be a good fit for you to not only learn about wine, but also to have some truly outstanding wine [...]
Winners of the Louis Roederer Wine Writing Awards 2012
Congratulations to the many winners of the Louis Roederer Wine Writing Awards presented tonight in London. Whilst the awards that Vrazon helped to create,the Born Digital Wine Awards, recognise the growing talent of content written specifically for online media, it is fair to say that this is not yet the mainstream of wine writing. Tonight’s categories [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/zPEZ9O7k8nE/
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wine Word of the Week: Racking
This week’s Wine Word of the Week is racking. Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Racking is the wine-making operation of removing clear wine from the settled sediment or lees in the bottom of a container. The verb to rack has been used thus at least since the 14th century. Racking [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Racking was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/6umU3MyUqEA/
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Crisis: Hamptons nearing rosé drought!
The summer residents of the Hamptons may have trouble seeing the world through rosé colored glasses. Move over, Great Midwestern drought of 2012! The crisis buffeting the Hamptons is a dearth of rosé. The NY Post reports that “Hamptons tipplers will be hard pressed to find a favorite bottle of rosé out east for Labor [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/0zHurhZdrIg/
Event Report: 2012 Wine Spectator Grand Tour Las Vegas
Being an avid reader of the WWP and a fan of Robert on Cellar Tracker, I offered up to write a few notes for him on the recent Cinco de Mayo Wine Spectator Grand Tasting event held in Las Vegas at The Mirage. My wife and I attended the event with 2 other couples (one from Connecticut and one from California) who are all wine enthusiasts. We approached this event with 2 objectives:
- Taste wines that are not available or that are too expensive for our budget (I am a big fan of the WWP QPR tool)
- Taste wines that are either vertical extensions or from a winery whose products we like or may want to purchase.
Pre-Tasting
Because our group decided wine was our focus and food was secondary, we chose not to rely on the food at the tasting. This decision was also influenced by the unknown of how The Mirage would handle the event, given that this was a new venue. There were also some comments written on Cellar Tracker that made us wonder how crowded the event would be.
The information provided by Wine Spectator was very limited before the tasting. The only real information available was a list of participating wineries, with the actual wines being poured not disclosed before the event. Given that this was the third (and final) Grand Tasting event, some of the wines being poured were disclosed in other blogs, but the information was sketchy at best. This severely limited our ability to plan specific wines to taste. Personally, I view this lack of information as the only significant opportunity for improvement for the event.
The Wait and Entry
We arrived about 35 minutes before the event started and were approximately 400 people behind the front of the line. Although the ventilation was lacking, we survived the wait and entered the tasting hall with no issues. The entrance was actually rather speedy, considering the logistics involved. We were given a pen, a handy notebook with all the wineries and wines being served, and a souvenir Riedel glass upon entrance.
If you have ever been to a trade show, you know how this event was set up. Two hundred 8x10 booths set up in 8 aisles. A very logical organization by region and varietal made it simple to understand and find wines. Food and tables were at the one end of the enormous hall. Other than the entrance wait, the only real crowd to be found the rest of the night was for the 1999 Ch. Margaux being poured. I am sure it is delicious; however, we skipped that line for the entire evening.
We quickly discovered that there was plenty of time to taste whatever wines you wanted, so there was really no need to hurry. The food was set up as a buffet, and was rather generous with carving stations, pasta stations, etc., set up in a logical perimeter around the tables. There was no need to eat beforehand and the quality of the food seemed rather excellent.
The Wines
After a quick review of the notebook, we found at least 6 wines for our “must taste” list:
2009 Ch. Pontet-Canet Pauillac (WS 96 $180)
Very nice young Bordeaux. Lots of complexity and fruit. I would give this a 92 (interesting to me, this is the same as I rated the 2009 Ch. Lillian Ladouys at $24/bottle).
2009 Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Special Select (WS 93 $130)
I was very excited to see this wine as I bought a few bottles of it, but had not tried it. Wow, what a fruit bomb. Rather shocking for a Caymus Special Select – I hope the fruit fades and other flavors develop over time. Hardly even tasted like a cab blend to me.
Editor's Note: This aligns almost exactly with my notes on this vintage from a recent retrospective tasting of Caymus Special Selection.
2008 BV Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Georges Latour Private Reserve (WS 93 $125)
I have tried these in the past and always thought them to be over-oaked. Same with this vintage. Pass. Maybe after 10 years in the cellar.....
2008 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2008 (WS 93 $135)
I had read good things about Merus and wanted to try their cabernet. This wine did not disappoint. Complexity, depth, finish - what a cabernet. This was the first wine I tasted that I would have rated higher than WS. My WOTN. A 95 in my book and worth seeking out.
2010 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir (Not yet rated)
This was the only wine I noticed that had not been rated yet by WS. I'll forgive WS, given that KB produced their WOTY last year. Nice pinot noir, full bodied and relatively complex. I would buy some if it were available under $50...but would probably pass on it at a higher price and would definitely not stock up on it. I'd rate it a 92.
2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia (WS 94 $225)
Way too young to drink yet. Some complexity and the finish was pleasant, but the fruit was overwhelmed by oak. Would not drink for at least 8-10 years.
Other Wines that Caught my Eye
2007 Casanova di Neri Brunello di Montalcino (WS 94 $110)
I have a bottle of this in my basement. Now I know why I wrote a 2020 on the bottle tag. Perhaps I should change that to 2030 or save it in my will for one of my children....talk about tannic. I could not drink it.
As a matter of fact, I tried numerous tannic oak bombs that are just not my style (2009 Ornellaia, 2005 La Poderina, 2009 Setti Ponti Oreno, et al. These are just way too young to taste...I really do not understand how people can rate these wines in their youth and I found them generally undrinkable at this point. Bummer.
Being a pinot noir fan, I think I tried all of the pinots at the tasting. A couple that stood out for me were:
2010 Siduri Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vinyard - in my book as good as the Kosta Browne served in the booth next door.
2008 Domaine Drouhin Laurene - my favorite Oregon wine of the night
2008 Domaine Serene Evanstad Reserve - I have a few bottles of the 07, and the 08 is still a little rough at this point.
2009 Elk Cove Willamette Valley - quite nice, but pretty standard.
2008 King Estate Eola-Amity Hills Roserock Vineyard - I really liked this one, but found it odd that only three hundred 6 packs were produced...why would you feature this at a WS Grand Tasting? FYI, WS rated this one a 95.
Other Wines I Thought were Very Good
2008 Chateau St Jean Cinq Cepages
2008 DeLille Doyene
2005 Yalumba Shiraz Barossa The Octavius
2009 Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley Jack's Masterpiece - this was my #2 WOTN. We learned it actually comes from the Sacrashe Vineyard in Napa Valley. We have enjoyed many cabernets from that vineyard in the past.
2009 Two Hands Lily's Garden McLaren Vale Shiraz Delicious. Personally, I would probably still go for the 09 Angel’s Share and Gnarly Dudes from Two Hands. Those 2 are both delicious and very drinkable right now.
We did not try many white wines (one of our friends did love the 2010 Vina Nora Rias Baixas Nora de Neve), but did manage a few trips over to the Champagne and dessert wines rows and tried a few of these as well. The favorites of the night were the Schramsberg Reserve North Coast 2004, Luis Roederer Brut Champagne Premier NV, Veuve Clicquot Brut Champagne 2004, and the Moet & Chandon Brut Champagne Imperial NV.
Conclusions and Recommendations
Although we tried to pace ourselves, spit when possible, and utilized the full 3 hours, we still only tried about half of the wines we would have liked. It was a little frustrating to think of the many, many highly rated wines that we just could not taste. Perhaps next year, our goal will be to try 30 wines we know nothing about...
A lot of the WS staff attended and were fun to talk with. Tim Fish, Thomas Matthews, and James Laube were all there and chatting it up with attendees. We met a lot of interesting people and winemakers.
Overall, the opportunity to try many different styles of high scoring wines was pretty amazing. The venue was very comfortable and I would recommend attending - the $200 was money well spent.
Further Reading: 2011 Wine Spectator Grand Tour Boston Event Report
Editor's Note: My sincere thanks for this guest post! I think a lot of you will agree - it's hard to tell his writing style from mine and this provided excellent insight into an event we all would have enjoyed.
Question of the Day: Did you attend any of the Wine Spectator Grand Tour events this year? They were also held in New York City and Washington DC. If so, what did you think? If not, where do you think Spectator should visit next year?
No Go on Massachusetts Direct Wine Shipment in 2012
An unfortunate but expected update from Free the Grapes: Massachusetts House Bill 1029 won't be passed this legislative session. First introduced in 2011, the bill provided a framework for the direct shipment of wine from out of state wineries direct to Massachusetts residents.
A 2010 federal court ruling determined the state's current laws were unconstitutional because they discriminated against large wineries. HB 1029 would have lifted this large winery restriction, established mechanisms for licensing out of state wineries, provided a means for excise tax collection, and perhaps most importantly, defined a reasonable fee structure for FedEx and UPS to ship wine within the state.
Also consider dropping Representative Theodore Speliotis an email expressing your displeasure with the fact that committee he chairs failed to act on this bill for two years. Ironically, the committee is named the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. As a consumer I hardly feel protected by the lack of passage of this bill. In fact I feel like my rights as a consumer are being trampled upon in favor of a few who want to keep Massachusetts in the dark ages of commerce.
Subscribe to the Wellesley Wine Press for updates on this issue
A 2010 federal court ruling determined the state's current laws were unconstitutional because they discriminated against large wineries. HB 1029 would have lifted this large winery restriction, established mechanisms for licensing out of state wineries, provided a means for excise tax collection, and perhaps most importantly, defined a reasonable fee structure for FedEx and UPS to ship wine within the state.
What Happens Now?
It's back to the drawing board. Expect a new bill to be introduced in 2013. The legislative session in Massachusetts runs for two years so let's hope a new bill can be introduced that provides not only for winery direct shipments but for retailer shipments as well.
What Can I Do To Help?
In talking with my state representative about this issue, I learned that they're not hearing from a lot of consumers about their support of direct shipment of wine. Send your representative a sincere email asking where they stand on the issue and ask them to help push the issue along at every opportunity. Don't know who your representative is? A list can be found here.
Also consider dropping Representative Theodore Speliotis an email expressing your displeasure with the fact that committee he chairs failed to act on this bill for two years. Ironically, the committee is named the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. As a consumer I hardly feel protected by the lack of passage of this bill. In fact I feel like my rights as a consumer are being trampled upon in favor of a few who want to keep Massachusetts in the dark ages of commerce.
Further Reading
Why every Massachusetts resident should be in favor of the direct shipment of wine
Subscribe to the Wellesley Wine Press for updates on this issue
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“Lafite is out, Conti is in.”
China pivots to Burgundy. Source: Theatlantic Via: The Atlantic Thankfully, the wine market’s sour turn could also just be a sign of changing tastes. Eighty-six of the 100 bottles Liv-ex tracks are Bordeaux, the traditional king of fine wine. But as the Financial Times wrote in May, recent auctions suggest that Hong Kong buyers, perhaps [...]
“Lafite is out, Conti is in.” originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
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Wine & The Connected Consumer
Randall Grahm is one of the true characters of the American wine scene. A self-styled terroirist, intuitive branding genius and all around eccentric, Grahm has taken his Bonny Doon Vineyard on quite a ride over nearly the past 30 years. After setting out in 1983 to make great Pinot Noir in California, Grahm was drawn [...]
Wine & The Connected Consumer originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
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Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Field Notes from a Wine Life – Media Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Rex Pickett
If you’re not reading Rex Pickett’s (author of Sideways and Vertical) blog, you are officially remiss.
Pickett is a gifted writer who cranks out perfectly incubated long-form posts with turns of phrase that are both wry and rich, offering insight into the machinations of publishing, film and stage that few culture vultures grasp.
Pickett recently wrote an extensive (3900 word) post on the reasons why a film sequel to Sideways (directed by Alexander Payne) would not be made from Vertical, Pickett’s book sequel. In doing so, Pickett offered a discursive meditation on Payne’s artistic pathos and the factors that may be playing into Vertical’s stall on the way to celluloid.
Unfortunately, Pickett removed the post after re-publishing a second version that deleted much of the armchair psychologist rumination he originally channeled from Payne’s psyche. An email inquiry to Pickett on why he removed the post (in either iteration) has gone unanswered.
If I were a muckraker, I would publish the post because Pickett’s deletion of the post from his site did not delete the post from RSS feed readers like Bloglines or Google Reader. But, I’m not a muckraker…
Hopefully, Pickett will revisit the topic in a manner that is less confessional and more elucidation because it was worth the extended read time. Until then you can read the other posts on his site and gain tremendous insight into the vicissitudes of the publishing process, what the afterglow is like after capturing the cultural zeitgeist and how he’s helping bring Sideways to the theatre with a stage version.
It’s definitely recommended reading.
A Discovery of Witches
While we’re on the topic of books and authors (and with Halloween around the corner), a reinforcing mention goes to Deb Harkness of Good Wine Under $20. Earlier this year a little book she wrote called, “A Discovery of Witches” was published and immediately shot up the best sellers lists. The movie rights were acquired this summer by Warner Bros, likely securing Harkness’ financial future in the process.
While I read fiction infrequently (the last fiction book being Vertical by Rex Pickett), those that I know who can tell the difference between kindling and a classic call A Discovery of Witches “mad genius.”
Any conversation about a wine blogger doing good should begin with Deb Harkness who is now dabbling in rarified air. Pick up her book if you haven’t yet.
Bargain Wine Books
There’s little doubt, in the prolonged US economic malaise we’re experiencing, that “value wine” and “bargain wine” are hot topics. Heck, an entire channel of business has been defined with “Flash” wine sale sites. Given that, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that a couple of wine books would be published with this specific focus.
What is a surprise is that the books are authored by wine writers with real chops engaged in offering a deeper narrative than the slapdash compendiums of wine lists that has passed muster in years gone by.
Just in time for the holidays, Natalie MacLean has Unquenchable: A Tipsy Quest for the World’s Best Bargain Wines publishing on November 1st and George Taber, a wine writer on a tear with his fourth book in six years, has A Toast to Bargain Wines: How Innovators, Iconoclasts, and Winemaking Revolutionaries Are Changing the Way the World Drinks publishing on November 15th.
An Idea worth Duplicating?
Celebrity deaths come in threes and new wine ideas come in twos.
We’ve seen this duplicative market entry in recent years with winery reservation systems CellarPass and VinoVisit and now we’re seeing it with quasi-wine search engines.
WineMatch and VinoMatch are both in the early stages of launch purporting to help a consumer match their likes with wines they might enjoy.
Meh. The problem with these sites isn’t that consumers don’t need help finding a wine they like, the problem is that most wine consumers don’t understand what kind of wine they like. Yes, it’s the tannins that dry the back of the mouth and its residual sugar that makes that K-J so delectable…
By the time consumers figure out their likes and dislikes graduating beyond the “go-to,” they don’t care about having somebody help them “match” their wines to their tastes because they’re on their own adventure.
It’s just my opinion, but these sites face looooong odds of finding consumer success and short of the slick willy seduction that happens with some wineries who haven’t been bitten and as such aren’t twice shy, they won’t find *any* success. But, I’ve been wrong before, at least once.
Pictures and Pithiness
While we’re on the topic of online wine services, I’m not sure whether I should be happy or aghast that I’ve been a habitué of the online wine scene for long enough to see a derivative – it’s like watching a remake of the movie Footloose when I was saw the original in the theatre.
There’s a new wine site called TasteJive that takes the concept of a wine blog called Chateau Petrogasm, popular in 2007 and 2008, to new heights.
Around the premise that a picture is worth a thousand words even if that picture has nothing to do with wine, they have created a site that provides nothing but visual metaphors with a 140 character description for finding wines you might like.
I loved the idea of Chateau Petrogasm, I like the idea of a perfectly crafted 140 character slug, but I’m very uncertain about the community aspect of TasteJive—the users who control the uploading of pictures and descriptions.
As noted mid-20th century photographer Diane Arbus said, “A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know.”
Not exactly a recipe for success in bumping into a wine.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_media_edition/
Many reasons to visit the William Harrison Winery
We visited William Harrison a couple of week ago and, as often happens with small family-run wineries, the owner or winemaker will take a stint in the tasting room. On our visit, we had the good fortune to have winemaker Jim McMahon hosting the tasting room for the day. Jim came from Luna Vineyards and became head winemaker at William Harrison in 2009. Continue reading
Source: http://www.winecountrygetaways.com/napablog/many-reasons-to-visit-the-william-harrison-winery/
Thoughts from the AccessZone
“How the Internet Changed my Business” is a great introduction for some thoughts on the excitement of the Access Zone at the London Wine Fair last week. Not only is this something that we at Vrazon talk about a lot, but it was also the first session and one that we got some great feedback [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/NHZ6XAd3-aQ/
Competition Winners Announced
The winners of the 70th annual Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition were announced today and the list is an impressive one! A box wine, a Scotch whisky, repeat winners (Armida Winery and baseball legend Tommy Lasorda) and so much more! Take a look at the winners here then check out the buzz on [...]
Eden Hill Vineyard 2010 Cynthiana-Tempranillo Reserve
Eden Hill 2010 Cynthiana-Tempranillo Reserve One of the things I like about going to new Texas wineries is the fact it involves a road trip. The best road trips happen when the kid is at grandmother’s house for the weekend – this was one of those trips. Last October we decided to do a local [...]
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2012/08/15/eden-hill-vineyard-2010-cynthiana-tempranillo-reserve/
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There’s no future for wine
Try this exercise. Imagine the world in 50 or 100 years. Picture the innovations, the changes to everyday life, and the things that will remain the same. How will life for you or your kids be different? [Maybe have a glass of wine while you think about it, why not?] Here’s a shortcut. Think of [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheWineConversation/~3/6-feNK_xsaI/
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Eden Hill Vineyard 2010 Cynthiana-Tempranillo Reserve
Eden Hill 2010 Cynthiana-Tempranillo Reserve One of the things I like about going to new Texas wineries is the fact it involves a road trip. The best road trips happen when the kid is at grandmother’s house for the weekend – this was one of those trips. Last October we decided to do a local [...]
Source: http://thegrapesaroundtexas.com/2012/08/15/eden-hill-vineyard-2010-cynthiana-tempranillo-reserve/
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Jim Cowan introduces Ribola Gialla (the orange wine grape)
Jim Cowan introduces you to a new varietal called Ribola Gialla. Master Farmer Chris Bowland talks about why he planted Ribola Gialla at his Tanya’s Vineyard.
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Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Tasting Leelanau 2012 – Verterra Winery
We don’t need much in the way of coaxing, convincing or cajoling to get us back up to northern Michigan wine country. It seems like every time we visit Traverse City and the nearby Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas (we’ve been going since the late ‘80s), we find at least a couple more good reasons [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/E-SEpshaLHs/verterra
Michael Mondavi really gets wine blogging
While searching for something else this week I came across this random video of an Italian blogger who did a short video interview with Michael Mondavi. Mr. Mondavi’s answer to a simple question about wine bloggers shows he really gets how we fit into the wine conversation. The best part is the last 10 seconds [...]
Michael Mondavi really gets wine blogging originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/b6jgbhuqev0/
Viognier Theme for WBW78
Nice theme for summer. Join us June 20th. Source: WordPress Via: Drink What You Like I’m delighted to announce that I am hosting Wine Blogging Wednesday #78 on Wednesday, June 20th. WBW78 will mark my second time hosting this monthly virtual wine event. Our theme for this month will be a grape that is near [...]
Viognier Theme for WBW78 originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/SaN6i1INvI8/
Charles Shaw: What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been
This week stories about the 10 year anniversary of Charles Shaw wines began to hit the news. If there is a single wine brand I get asked about by people not into wine, it’s this Trader Joe’s success story. The funny thing is the story of Charles Shaw started over 35 years ago but few [...]
Charles Shaw: What A Long Strange Trip It’s Been originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/RPN5S7ksNGA/
Avennia Winery: An Impressive Debut
Managing partner Marty Taucher and winemaker/partner Chris Peterson founded Avennia Winery in 2010. Located in Woodinville, Washington, Avennia’s first wines were released this past weekend. And, folks, an impressive debut it was. In my opinion, Avennia is the most exciting new Washington winery since Rasa Vineyards burst onto the scene a few years ago. The [...]
Avennia Winery: An Impressive Debut was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/-lXVDpNXjC0/
Three New Beauties from Tablas Creek
Over the years, we’ve developed a very short list of favorite wine producers from California; you can literally count them on one hand, and running neck and neck with Mr. Ridge at the very top is Tablas Creek Vineyard. Tablas Creek has established a very distinctive “house style” over the years, and it’s one that [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/lyoBhJjXo9I/three-new-beauties-from-tablas-creek
Monday, September 24, 2012
Wine Gift Baskets
It’s hard to buy Christmas gifts, isn’t it? It is for me, especially when it comes time to buy for my father in law, dad or really any of the men in my life who could easily go out and purchase anything they wanted. I’ve always thought it would be easier for daughters in that [...]
New Wines from South Africa
We’ve been fans of wines from South Africa for a couple of decades, but it’s been more than a year since we’ve tried anything new. Happily, our friends at Vineyard Brands took care of that again by sending us several samples for our consideration not long ago, and as is usually the case, we found [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/gangofpour/uncZ/~3/4ycAg6uutWM/new-wines-from-south-africa
Field Notes from a Wine Life – Power Structure Edition
Odds and ends from a life lived through the prism of the wine glass…
Naked Wine and Occupy Wall Street
It’s not hard to notice the parallels between the natural wine movement and Occupy Wall Street - both are valid causes sorely lacking coherence and a rallying point that would move them from fringe head-scratcher to mainstream momentum.
• Natural wine is about purity of wine expression—shepherding grapes grown without chemicals to the bottle with as little human manipulation as possible, representing the place where they came from in the process.
• Occupy Wall Street is about re-calibrating the world’s best economic system – capitalism—to preserve the middle-class, the labor force that has allowed the U.S. to create the most productive economy in the world.
Neither movement represents fringe radicalism as some would have you believe. I look at both as being valid inflection points and, at their core, about keeping a balance between big and small, allowing every man and woman an equal opportunity at pursuing success around their particular truth.
What reasonable person would deny the validity of either if not clouded by confusion?
One idea well-conceived and well-communicated can change the world, but, unfortunately, both the natural wine movement and Occupy Wall Street are prevaricating from their essential truth, rendering them both toothless and feckless.
No need to crib from Che Guevara, but appealing to base logic and the common denominator would do both movements some good.
Just one man’s opinion…
On the Aussies, Redux
A few weeks back, I noted how the Australian wine industry was poised for a rebound in public perception due in part to two things happening in concert – public backlash to Yellow Tail wine, what I call the, “Derision Decision,” and an unspoken coalition of influencers recognizing Australia’s artisanal wine production – the antithesis of Yellow Tail. I cited recent sympathetic mentions from Jay McInerney in the Wall Street Journal and Dan Berger, wine writing’s current patriarch, as proof points.
You can add to the list of sympathetic mentions about artisanal Australia with recent mentions from Jancis Robinson and James Suckling.
Don’t sleep on Australia. It’s making a comeback slowly, but surely in public perception.
Tim Mondavi and Wine Spectator
Thomas Matthews, the Executive Editor for Wine Spectator magazine (WS), has commented on my site a few times. Each of these instances has been to protect or project Wine Spectator around its editorial goals.
Good on Thomas for not being afraid to get in the ring. Certainly, WS takes its fair share of shots from the wine chatterati, mostly with grace and aplomb.
Lest I cast myself as anything but objective, I should note that James Laube’s article on Tim Mondavi and Continuum in the current issue of WS (November 15th issue) is everything right about what mainstream wine media can offer wine consumers that online wine writing (mostly) doesn’t –long-form, depth, first-person access and an effort that takes weeks and not hours.
Laube’s piece is excellent - well-written and balanced; acknowledgement thereof is in order.
Besides the Wine
Jordan winery has two wines – a Cabernet and Chardonnay, but they really have a triumvirate in terms of things to buy. Jordan focuses on food and wine as being partners at the table and, to that end, any purchase from Jordan should also include their olive oil. Wow!
The Jordan olive oil makes Trader Joe’s EVOO seem like Two Buck Chuck, comparatively speaking. A little whole wheat Barilla pasta, some homemade pesto using the Jordan olive oil and some artisan bread in five minutes a day and you’re assuredly living the good life. The rub is I wouldn’t pour the round Jordan Chard with the pesto, probably a Sauvignon Blanc, but don’t let that dissuade you from picking up their olive oil – it’s good stuff.
Source: http://goodgrape.com/index.php/site/field_notes_from_a_wine_life_power_structure_edition/
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Wine Word of the Week: Capsule
This week’s Wine Word of the Week is capsule. Official definition from Jancis Robinson’s The Oxford Companion to Wine: Capsule is the French and occasional English name for the sheath over the top of a cork and bottle-neck, otherwise known as a foil, just as a capsule cutter is more widely known as a foil [...]
Wine Word of the Week: Capsule was originally posted on Wine Peeps. Wine Peeps - Your link to great QPR wines from Washington State and beyond.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/WinePeeps/~3/yrWcnZ_Gf_g/
Bordeaux says no to American “chateaux”
Could sales of Chateau Buffalo spread like wildfire in wine shops on the banks of the Seine, elbowing French wine from consumers’ shopping baskets? That’s what a trade group from Bordeaux fears. The EU is considering a proposal to allow American wines to export to Europe using the name “chateau.” In France, to have “chateau” [...]
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/blogspot/GuSC/~3/m5hLlpXbYqI/
Wine & The Connected Consumer
Randall Grahm is one of the true characters of the American wine scene. A self-styled terroirist, intuitive branding genius and all around eccentric, Grahm has taken his Bonny Doon Vineyard on quite a ride over nearly the past 30 years. After setting out in 1983 to make great Pinot Noir in California, Grahm was drawn [...]
Wine & The Connected Consumer originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/nrx_xWDCG2s/
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Sunday, September 23, 2012
5 Outstanding Terroir Driven California Pinot Noir Producers
We've had a good response to the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Giveaway - about 20 entries so far. The drawing is Friday so if you haven't already, leave a comment or drop me an email to enter. Thanks for the interest so far - the more people enter the more likely it is to get future giveaways like this one!
In general, domestic Pinot Noir is lighter in body and color than Cabernet and Merlot. However, some producers produce it in such a ripe fruit-forward style it bears little resemblance to lighter Burgundy or even Oregon Pinot Noir.
But that's not the case across the board. A small but growing group of winemakers are committed to producing California Pinot Noir that lets the site speak for itself. I'll call these producers terroir-driven. And as such, their wines are leaner in style. The best succeed in producing balanced, compelling wines that speak to where they were produced and at the same time are an absolute pleasure to drink.
Here are 5 outstanding producers to check out:
1. Littorai
Ted Lemon seems to have found the perfect intersection of being committed to his craft in an authentic way, and producing wines that are truly pleasurable to drink. Crazy-committed to biodynamic and all that - it's a wonder the wines aren't more expensive. Their appellation wines list in the high $30s, and the single vineyards go for closer to $60.
Availability: I've seen these around at retail occasionally, but they disappear quickly. You wouldn't know it from Wine-Searcher.com but The Urban Grape is the place to buy them in Massachusetts.
Guidance: Absolutely seek out and try Pinot Noir from Littorai. Great Chardonnays too.
http://littorai.com
2. Rhys
Rhys Vineyards is the poster child for a leaner direction in California Pinot Noir production. That being the case, they can be polarizing. They're the opposite of Kosta Browne.
My experience with their wines has been mixed. I've enjoyed their sub-$40 Alesia Pinot Noirs, but stretching further into some of their ~$60 single vineyards hasn't necessarily paid off. Some say they need time, but I couldn't see the 2009 Family Farm, for example, turning into a swan. That said, I could see the quality in the 2009 Bearwallow. Not my style necessarily, but I can see why they're well regarded.
Availability: Almost entirely mailing list. If you see it at retail, the price is typically jacked up.
Guidance: Find a friend on the mailing list and try a bottle of their Alesia to get a window into their style. If you like what you see wait on their mailing list for a long time and let their single vineyard Pinots cellar for a while before opening.
http://rhysvineyards.com
3. Cobb
If there is a winemaker's winemaker, it's Ross Cobb. The last time I visited Sonoma, I asked winemakers whose wines they enjoyed and whose style they'd like to be favorably compared to. I was amazed how often Cobb's name came up. He also makes wines for Hirsch, Claypool (love Primus, haven't tried Les's wines yet though) and Banshee. No wonder we've all enjoyed Banshee so much!
They're pricier for sure with most of their wines selling in the mid-$60s. A tough price point for sure, but it's all here.
Availability: Quite limited at retail, but I have seen it from time to time. I spotted a couple bottles at Lower Falls in Newton recently, and I even saw some appear on WTSO.com (by way of WineNabber.com) for a short time.
Guidance: Worth seeking out and tasting. A benchmark for high end California Pinot Noir.
http://cobbwines.com
4. Kutch
Here's a producer who, I'm told, started out making bolder wines but is now firmly committed to producing more restrained Pinot Noir. Perhaps similar to Rhys, I loved the more affordable 2010 Sonoma Coast ($39) but the 2009 Savoy ($50) was less impressive. All things considered the price points are quite reasonable if you can buy them without a markup.
Availability: Very hard to find at retail near release price.
Guidance: I'm looking forward to trying more of these. Hop on their mailing list and have patience.
http://kutchwines.com
5. Red Car
The most famous Red Car bottling is actually a bit of a head fake. Their 2007 Heaven & Earth La Boheme graced the cover of Wine Spectator with a massive 97 point score. But it's not representative of their house style at all. The rest of the wines in their portfolio are far more restrained and they are absolutely a lower alcohol producer committed to producing wines that deliver a compelling experience without being overly ripe.
Availability: You do see these around at retail, so have a look on Wine-Searcher.com.
Guidance: Try the Heaven & Earth if you like a more fruit forward style, and compare them to other bottlings.
http://redcarwine.com
Further Reading
In general, domestic Pinot Noir is lighter in body and color than Cabernet and Merlot. However, some producers produce it in such a ripe fruit-forward style it bears little resemblance to lighter Burgundy or even Oregon Pinot Noir.
But that's not the case across the board. A small but growing group of winemakers are committed to producing California Pinot Noir that lets the site speak for itself. I'll call these producers terroir-driven. And as such, their wines are leaner in style. The best succeed in producing balanced, compelling wines that speak to where they were produced and at the same time are an absolute pleasure to drink.
Here are 5 outstanding producers to check out:
1. Littorai
Ted Lemon seems to have found the perfect intersection of being committed to his craft in an authentic way, and producing wines that are truly pleasurable to drink. Crazy-committed to biodynamic and all that - it's a wonder the wines aren't more expensive. Their appellation wines list in the high $30s, and the single vineyards go for closer to $60.
Availability: I've seen these around at retail occasionally, but they disappear quickly. You wouldn't know it from Wine-Searcher.com but The Urban Grape is the place to buy them in Massachusetts.
Guidance: Absolutely seek out and try Pinot Noir from Littorai. Great Chardonnays too.
http://littorai.com
2. Rhys
Rhys Vineyards is the poster child for a leaner direction in California Pinot Noir production. That being the case, they can be polarizing. They're the opposite of Kosta Browne.
My experience with their wines has been mixed. I've enjoyed their sub-$40 Alesia Pinot Noirs, but stretching further into some of their ~$60 single vineyards hasn't necessarily paid off. Some say they need time, but I couldn't see the 2009 Family Farm, for example, turning into a swan. That said, I could see the quality in the 2009 Bearwallow. Not my style necessarily, but I can see why they're well regarded.
Availability: Almost entirely mailing list. If you see it at retail, the price is typically jacked up.
Guidance: Find a friend on the mailing list and try a bottle of their Alesia to get a window into their style. If you like what you see wait on their mailing list for a long time and let their single vineyard Pinots cellar for a while before opening.
http://rhysvineyards.com
3. Cobb
If there is a winemaker's winemaker, it's Ross Cobb. The last time I visited Sonoma, I asked winemakers whose wines they enjoyed and whose style they'd like to be favorably compared to. I was amazed how often Cobb's name came up. He also makes wines for Hirsch, Claypool (love Primus, haven't tried Les's wines yet though) and Banshee. No wonder we've all enjoyed Banshee so much!
They're pricier for sure with most of their wines selling in the mid-$60s. A tough price point for sure, but it's all here.
Availability: Quite limited at retail, but I have seen it from time to time. I spotted a couple bottles at Lower Falls in Newton recently, and I even saw some appear on WTSO.com (by way of WineNabber.com) for a short time.
Guidance: Worth seeking out and tasting. A benchmark for high end California Pinot Noir.
http://cobbwines.com
4. Kutch
Here's a producer who, I'm told, started out making bolder wines but is now firmly committed to producing more restrained Pinot Noir. Perhaps similar to Rhys, I loved the more affordable 2010 Sonoma Coast ($39) but the 2009 Savoy ($50) was less impressive. All things considered the price points are quite reasonable if you can buy them without a markup.
Availability: Very hard to find at retail near release price.
Guidance: I'm looking forward to trying more of these. Hop on their mailing list and have patience.
http://kutchwines.com
5. Red Car
The most famous Red Car bottling is actually a bit of a head fake. Their 2007 Heaven & Earth La Boheme graced the cover of Wine Spectator with a massive 97 point score. But it's not representative of their house style at all. The rest of the wines in their portfolio are far more restrained and they are absolutely a lower alcohol producer committed to producing wines that deliver a compelling experience without being overly ripe.
Availability: You do see these around at retail, so have a look on Wine-Searcher.com.
Guidance: Try the Heaven & Earth if you like a more fruit forward style, and compare them to other bottlings.
http://redcarwine.com
Further Reading
- Trip Report: Interesting Times at Kosta Browne
- Is Rhys the Next Cult California Pinot Noir?
- Littorai: Visit and Tasting Report
- Tasting Report: New Releases from Kutch Pinot Noir
- California Pinot Producer Reacts to Top Rating With Excitement, Humility
- 7 Reliably Outstanding Fruit Forward California Pinot Noir Producers
Question of the Day: Who are some of your favorite terroir-driven California Pinot Noir producers?
Win Tickets to ZAP’s 2011 Grand Zinfandel Tasting at Fort Mason!
You heard correctly. Beyond Napa Valley is giving away 4 tickets to ZAP’s Grand Zinfandel Tasting at Fort Mason. All you have to do is write a Zinfandel-inspired Haiku. Click the link below for all of the details. We hope … Continue reading
Source: http://www.beyondnapavalley.com/blog/win-tickets-to-zaps-2011-grand-zinfandel-tasting-at-fort-mason/
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The Capital Grille turns the page to their Summer Plates Menu
New entrees on the menu include a Wagyu Cheeseburger with Fried Egg and Crisp Onions and Seared Sea Scallops with Sweet and Sour Tomatoes. Mini Tenderloin Sandwiches and a Lobster Roll carry over from the spring, rounding out a variety of tempting choices.
I coincidentally stopped in for lunch with customers on the last day of their spring menu and again on the first day of their summer menu. Additionally we stopped in with the kids before a Red Sox game for dinner in the dining room. Three out of four days at one of my favorite restaurants? When it rains it pours I guess.
From the summer lunch Plates menu I went with the Carrot and Ginger Soup, the Wagyu Cheeseburger and a Watermelon Salad with Feta Cheese. The soups are strength of these lunch offerings, and the Carrot Soup is no exception. I'm not a chef - though I have watched several seasons of Top Chef - so I know that a test of the kitchen is the quality of their soups. This one continues to be a strong point in the path paved by the Porcini Bisque from winter and the Asparagus Soup from spring.
But the main event, and the dish I was looking most forward to trying, was the Wagyu Cheeseburger. The admirable qualities of Wagyu beef and similarly but more specifically Kobe -- known for their marbling -- are said by some to be a waste when obfuscated in a burger. That may be true to an extent but who cares? The burger is outstanding.
When the buttery toasted brioche bunch is placed on the fried egg, the yolk cascades down the burger creating a built-in dipping sauce. And an experience best enjoyed with knife and fork.
The burger receives a simple seasoning prepared in-house: Salt, pepper, and a little sugar. I'll have to give that a try next time I'm grilling burgers. Although I may not achieve similar results as my Weber grill doesn't reach up the 1200F their equipment is capable of which delivers burgers with a seared exterior and an even red color and temperature throughout.
It all comes together incredibly well.A 94+ point burger in my book.
All-in the lunch Plates menu continues to present a tremendous value - if you can show the discipline to not order alcoholic drinks and dessert. But really - how often do we cut out of work for a nice lunch these days?
The Capital Grille distinguishes itself with its consistent quality across the menu and it's upscale, intuitive style of service. Highly recommended.
If you're visiting The Capital Grille for the first time, here are a few sure-fire, iron-clad, can't-miss favorites:
- Wedge Salad with Bleu Cheese and Applewood Smoked Bacon
- Pan Fried Calimari with Hot Cherry Peppers
- Lobster Mac 'n Cheese
- Bone-In Kona Crusted Dry Aged Sirloin with Carmelized Shallot Butter
- Flourless Chocolate Espresso Cake
- Coconut Cream Pie
Disclosure: Plates Lunch on a complimentary blogger/press invite.
Question of the Day: What are some of your favorite menu items at The Capital Grille?
Social Media Quick Tip: Tag Your Favorite Wine Brands on Facebook
This is old news for some, but if you haven’t explored the status tagging feature (similar to photo tagging) on Facebook, take a few minutes and check it out. Status tagging can help your winery’s Facebook fan page to become more engaging and vibrant. Facebook users can type the “@” symbol before a Facebook fan [...]
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